Final Fantasy VII Remake Dresses Guide: How To Score Them Girl Outfits

Final Fantasy VII Remake is jam-packed with some secrets and hidden bonuses. One of them is the dress you get to pick for Tifa, Aerith, and Cloud in different parts of the game.
Here’s a quick guide on how to get them. There are some slight spoilers below, but nothing completely major. But still….

Tifa’s Three Outfits

You can score this by activating the “Alone At Last” purple icon mission. How do you get this? By completing all 6 quests in Chapter 3. You’ll get invited to Tifa’s apartment for some heart-to-heart talk. When the dialogue option appears, you get to pick what she wears in Chapter 9 depending on the choices.

“Something exotic?” will net you the black dress robe.
“Something…sporty?” will get you the cheongsam.
“Something Mature” will net you the classic blue dress.

Aerith’s Three Outfits

Aerith’s dress in Chapter 9 is determined by the number of sidequests you completed in Chapter 8.

If you complete zero quests in Chapter 8, you’ll get the “cheap” dress followed with a hilarious rendition of her theme.
If you complete three quests, you’ll get a longer pink dress.
If you complete ALL of the quests in Chapter 8, you’ll get the scarlet-coloured fancy-as-heck dress.

Cloud’s Three Outfits

Cloud’s dress when he goes “undercover” is determined by the questline you pick in Chapter 9. After you fight Hell House in the Corneo Colosseum, you will either do errands for Chocobo Sam or Madam M.
To get Chocobo Sam’s quest line, you need to:

Witness Johnny’s Discovery Event “Vagabond Johnny”. Say “Yeah” when you speak to him.
Choose to gamble when prompted by Chocobo Sam. It doesn’t matter if you pick “Heads” or “Tails”; just choose either.
Pay for the “Poor Man’s Course” massage treatment at Madam M’s.
Tell Aerith that her dress is “alright”.

To get Madam M’s quest line, you need to:

Ignore Johnny’s Discovery event and say “no” when prompted.
Choose not to gamble with Chocobo Sam.
Pay for the 3,000 gil “Luxury Course” massage treatment at Madam M’s.
Say “it matter what I think?” to Aerith when prompted about her dress.

You’ll get a black & blue dress if you complete Chocobo Sam’s quests. You’ll score the white dress if you complete Madam M’s quests. If you completed neither, you’ll get the classic black dress.


You Can Now Pre-Order Monster Hunter World: Iceborne On Steam

Ever since Monster Hunter World: Iceborne was launched on PS4 and Xbox One in early September, players have been showering the expansion with nothing but praises. Similar to anything Monster Hunter World-related, the PC version will come out much later.

The PC version of Iceborne is scheduled to be released on 9 January 2020. As of today, you can start pre-ordering the expansion on Steam.

There are two editions for fans to choose from: a regular pre-order bundle that also comes with the Yukumo Layered Armor Set and a digital deluxe edition that includes everything in the regular bundle plus the Iceborne Deluxe Kit which will give you an assortment of layered armor set, gestures, hairstyles, and more.
Sure it’s bit sad that the PC version is still a few months away but look at the bright side, it’s the only version of the game that will allow you to hunt Velkhana and the other new monsters in 4K 60fps. Assuming you have the hardware for it, of course.
The regular bundle is priced at RM131.00 while the digital deluxe edition will cost you RM164.00.
Check out the game’s Steam page here.


PUBG MOBILE Prepares A Chicken Dinner Buka Puasa This Ramadan

Fans can berbuka puasa this Ramadan period with PUBG MOBILE at the Bazaar Ramadan at Homebois Pitstop. As Malaysians observe the month of Ramadan together, PUBG MOBILE wants to bring their fans a rewarding Ramadan experience.
From 24 March to 20 April 2023, PUBG MOBILE is taking over Homebois Pitstop to bring to Malaysians their very own Bazaar Ramadan throughout the month. In partnership with foodpanda, 100PLUS and AirAsia Ride, Malaysians will be treated to an array of delights such as a 1 year foodpanda pandapro subscription and quench their thirst to fuel up after a long day with 100PLUS.
AirAsiaRide is also offering exclusive codes for RM5 off your trip to and from Homebois. Simply key in the code HOMEBOISRIDE when booking your trip to enjoy this special discount.
Fans will be treated to a variety of exciting activities throughout the Bazaar Ramadan period. On Saturdays and Sundays, PUBG MOBILE will host a Buka Puasa Gathering where you and your friends can gather, eat and play PUBG MOBILE for a chance to win exclusive prizes. Terawih will also be available during the gatherings for those who would like to observe it.
There will also be a special Meet & Greet during the Buka Puasa Gatherings, where fans will have the opportunity to hang out and play a game or two with their favourite Malaysian PUBG MOBILE streamers such as FattahZie, Obot, Ombong, Naoki and many more!
Throughout the month, visitors will be able to participate in the Spend & Win giveaway, where they will be able to collect stamps with every RM30 purchase made at the Bazaar Ramadan to redeem exclusive PUBG MOBILE merchandise.
Upon reaching certain milestones, visitors will be able to redeem:

2nd Stamp: RM5 AirAsiaRide Voucher
5th Stamp: PUBG MOBILE Pop Socket
10th Stamp: PUBG MOBILE Oversized T-Shirt

Fans will also be able to win exclusive PUBG MOBILE Oversized T-Shirts and PUBG MOBILE Brimless Roll Caps with the Snap & Win giveaway. Simply snap a photo at the Bazaar Ramadan and upload it onto your social media along with a Ramadan wish with the hashtag #PUBGMacamMacamAda.
Location: Homebois Pitstop @ Federal Highway, Seksyen 51a, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
For more information, visit PUBG MOBILE’s official social media pages:

Facebook: PUBG MOBILE Malaysia
Facebook: PUBG MOBILE Esports Malaysia
YouTube: PUBG MOBILE Malaysia
Instagram: @pubgmobilemyofficial


Six Stack: Six Questions Heading into Stage 2, Week 3 OWL Matches

Blink and suddenly we are into the third week of Stage 2 in the Overwatch League’s inaugural season and as we go deeper into it, so does the plot involving the twelve teams in the league. In preparation of Week 3, here are the six main questions we hope to be answered by the end of the week. But before we go any further, here are the matches taking place, starting tomorrow morning.

OK. Let’s get on to it.
Are Seoul Really Out of the Woods?Â
The Seoul Dynasty (4-0) appear to have found their groove in Stage 2 but despite the perfect record, look less dominating than we expected them to be. They dropped maps against Fuel and the Gladiators; both teams that many expected the Koreans to easily roll past. There is a sense of dÃ©jÃ  vuÂ  considering that they were dominating the league up til the third week in Stage One before encountering the big boys in NYXL and Spitfire, which started the slide resulting in them missing out on the playoffs. The Fusion who have been on a roll will be their biggest test this week as they prepare for a huge Week 4. Will they have a perfect, 6-0 record come end of week 3?

Confirmed: Ryujehong is a monster Zenyatta! #OWL2018
Live: https://t.co/U6dIipgQGs pic.twitter.com/BfmcNnzlMW
â€” Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) March 3, 2018
Where is Seagull?
The change in fortunes for the Dallas Fuel (2-2) probably prompted the team to carry on with the pairing of AKM & Effect deep into Stage 2. However, we haven’t seen any of Brandon ‘Seagull’ Larned to date which prompts the question – will he ever get back into the team, and if so, how? AKM has proven to be a more effective hitscan player and Effect is their designated Tracer. We’ve seen Rascal appear on the Genji as well while the team’s previous second DPS option, Taimou have flexed onto the tank role. The absence of Seagull is made even more perplexing since his social media presence has been naught since end of February. Rumor has it, he is training for an off-tank role similar to Mickie’s which may result in very limited appearances during Stage 2. We wouldn’t be surprised if he’s taking the time to master Brigette as well, in preparation for an upcoming meta once she goes live.
When Will the Shanghai Streak End?Â
Shanghai Dragons (0-4) had the best opportunity to break the curse last week when they faced the San Francisco Shock (1-3) in Week 2 but were ultimately destroyed 0-4. With only six matches remaining, our prediction of the Dragons winning at least two matches is suddenly in jeopardy, moreover with them facing the Dynasty and Uprising this week.Â  Seems like the only good news for them this time around is that their newest recruit, Geguri have been showing proficiency on the ‘meta changing’ (says Jeff ‘Daddy’ Kaplan) Brigette. Will she be Shanghai’s last piece of the puzzle for their first ever Overwatch League win? That visa approval can’t get through any sooner.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhAK3d6q6Yo?start=416&w=560&h=315]
Will Houston Bounce Back?
After starting Stage 2 by shocking the London Spitfire and dominating the Boston Uprising, the Outlaws stumbled the following week; losing to the Philadelphia Fusion and New York Excelsior to go 2-2. It’s all about the momentum and they next face the Los Angeles Valiant who are on a three-game winning streak following their win over the Fuel last Saturday. An Outlaws win against LA Valiant is even more important considering they next face a slew of mid-tier teams (Gladiators & Shock) that may affect their playoff chances overall. The Outlaws’ true mettle will be truly tested during this period starting with Valiant who are not only their potential playoff rivals, but are also red hot with Soon seemingly enjoying life in this post-Mercy meta.

Well, that’s one way to handle a Transcendence. @Muma #OWL2018
Live: https://t.co/U6dIipgQGs pic.twitter.com/mpBdYqTIIN
â€” Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) March 3, 2018
Who Will Win Battle of Los Angeles 2?
The second Battle of Los Angeles takes place this Thursday and the Gladiators (2-2) will be keen to avenge their reverse-sweep loss to the Valiant in Stage 1. Both teams enter Week 3 with contrasting fortunes – Valiant (3-1) on a 3 match winning streak while Gladiators are reeling from a loss to Dynasty last week. Undefeated on Nepal in all of Stage 2 – they even stole that map from the Dynasty – the Gladiators must be cursing their luck as this map isn’t on the cards for the tie against Valiant. However, the Valiant have been shaky onÂ  Hanamura and Gibraltar and if Gladiators are to stand a chance to win this rematch, winning on these two maps are essential. Winning the tank battles is also important and with Fissure’s addition to the Gladiators tank corps, expect the Valiant to face a stiffer competition than last week’s outing against the Fuel.

Today’s Players of the Day are the Tracer gods themselves, @STRIKER_OW and @VAL_SoOn99! #OWL2018 pic.twitter.com/FLPohqfFvT
â€” Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) March 3, 2018
Have the Other Teams Got Boston Figured Out?
After finishing Stage 1 with a respectable 6-4 record, the Boston Uprising find themselves in peculiar position at the start of Stage 2, currently sitting on a 1-3 record. Even more surprising was that all of the losses were 0-4 stomps, two of which were from teams many perceived to be on a similar level to the Uprising – Fusion and Outlaws. The Uprising surprised everyone in Stage 1 when they defeated the London Spitfire but don’t expect that result to repeat itself this week as the high-flying Spitfire will be ready for the Uprising, and are surely keen to set the record straight. The Fusion reversed the Stage 1 result at the start of Stage 2 and you can expect more teams to set the records straight vs the Uprising who seem to have been severely affected by the Mercy nerf.


Captain Marvel Goes Binary in the Latest Trailer: Breakdown and Analysis

The second trailer for Captain Marvel just dropped earlier today and it’s hyping us up even more for the live-action debut of Carol Danvers. Let’s see what’s in the latest Marvel Studios trailer, shall we?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LHxvxdRnYc&w=560&h=315]
Remember the ‘Captain Marvel punching an old lady’ scene in the very first trailer? Of course, you do, it even became a meme. Captain Marvel trailer 2 shows us what happens directly after the old lady, and it’s mighty unsettling, like something out of the old ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ movies.
What an innocent old lady…
After getting punched, the old lady proceeds to growl and execute a flying kick on Captain Marvel, before getting her head pummeled into the metal bar in the bus. That settles what everyone already knew from the start; she’s a Skrull (duh, can’t believe that I have to point this out).
Wait, just a second…
Carol didn’t see that coming.
The trailer then cuts to the younger Nick Fury and Carol Danvers in a car. Fury learns that the Skrulls are the ‘bad guys’ and that the Kree are ‘noble warriors’. Carol interrupts him by describing the Kree as ‘noble warrior heroes’.

What I can glean from this interaction is that it’s one-sided. It seems like Carol really believes that the Kree-Skrull War is as simple as black and white when real wars are not. Brainwashing or propaganda must have been part of her Kree upbringing in the movie.
The trailer takes us to the Kree homeworld next, which must be Hala. One of the Kree (our first look at Annette Bening’s mysterious character) then tells us that they essentially saved Carol’s life by bringing her to Hala and making her ‘one of them.’ Presumably, she will still be getting her powers from the explosion caused by the Kree weapon Psyche-Magnitron, which fused her powers with that of the original Captain Marvel, Marv-Vell.

A glimpse of a blood transfusion (which might be transferring Mar-Vell’s blood to Carol) and blue energy waves hitting Carol (Psyche-Magnitron?) makes this origin more likely. However, a recent retcon in the comics may suggest differently, as Marvel Comics made her be genetically born half-Kree instead of just getting her Kree DNA from Mar-Vell.
Notice the blue blood?
Blue blood transfusion.
Carol getting hit by the Psyche-Magnitron explosion.
Hey, that’s Monica Rambeau. In the comics, she was actually the first person to inherit the mantle of Captain Marvel after Mar-Vell’s death. She later gave up the mantle to Mar-Vell’s son, taking up the names Photon, Pulsar and most recently, Spectrum.
It’s Monica Rambeau!
Hey, that looks suspiciously like an Avenjet. Perhaps an Avenjet prototype?
Avenjet prototype?
Now that must be the Psyche-Magnitron explosion!

The blue blood on her hands must mean that she’s activated her latent genetic Kree DNA, as per the new retconned origin in the comics. This is further accentuated by Captain Marvel’s antagonist Skrull leader Talos, who asks Carol if she would like to know what she really is. (Answer: Half-Kree by birth)
More blue blood. How much ink did they use?
Hey, it’s Mar-Vell!

Ronan the Accuser! I wonder if he ever realized that he’s going to die by dance-off of all things one day.

Carol Danvers GOES BINARY! I REPEAT, BINARY! What you need to understand is that going Binary for Captain Marvel is like Dragon Ball’s Goku going Super Saiyan. In the comics, Carol once went by the name Binary when she could harness the power of a ‘white hole’ (thanks to more experiments), allowing her to generate the power of a star. That was then.
Captain Marvel goes binary!
Now that she’s Captain Marvel, she can only go Binary on certain occasions (read: deus ex machina). To see her going Binary in live-action would be a dream come true for many members of the Carol Corps (that’s what fans of the character call themselves).
Glorious
The trailer ends with Fury stopping to play with Carol’s cat, portraying a different and more vulnerable side of the man who will one day become the more grizzled Director of SHIELD we all know from the MCU movies.
Awww, it’s Chewie, Carol’s cat.
Psst, Fury. That cat isn’t even a cat. It’s an alien from a race called the Flerken. I have no idea if they’re going to go with that in the upcoming movie but I really hope they do.
Put this in the movie, Marvel Studios, I dare you.
My final thoughts: I’m already sold on the Captain Marvel movie, with the exception of combining the Kree-Skrull War and Secret Invasion storylines in one movie. Both were huge crossovers, which required the full might of the entire Avengers roster during both events. Still, the movie looks awesome and I honestly can’t for some bonafide non-GOTG (Guardians of the Galaxy) MCU cosmic action.
Cosmic events in Marvel comics have always been epic flashy affairs, which would translate well to the big screen. Here’s hoping that Captain Marvel will focus more on the drama, action, and intrigue rather than just comedic laughs and gags like Thor: Ragnarok or the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
What do you think of the Captain Marvel trailer 2? Let me know in the comments below. Captain Marvel is slated to arrive in cinemas on March 7, 2019.


Atlus Shares More About Metaphor: ReFantazio In Developer Interview Video

Atlus has released a new video showcasing the thought process and developer insights about its upcoming JRPG.
The new JRPG title Metaphor: ReFantazio plans to mix both fantasy and contemporary art styles and aesthetics, as you can tell from the recent trailer that came out. The Atlus-made developer interview featured insights from director Katsura Hashino, character designer Shigenori Soejima, and composer Shoji Meguro.
Katsura Hashino aimed for a fantasy RPG, but wanted to work in contemporary elements to make it different from other fantasy RPGs in the market. Shigenori Soejima said that he loves fantasy elements but doesn’t want to be beholden to existing design conventions, thus the team having to reimagine the fantasy genre from the ground up.
Also, the main character is called the Seeker and is meant to be androgynous to represent both genders of gaming. He is accompanied by a female fairy named Gallica. Shoji Meguro will be putting in “music used in religion”; a spiritual music style that evokes a classical fantasy feel.
Find out more in the video below.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is coming out in 2024 for Xbox Series, PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4.


The Second Resident Evil Village Showcase Is Happening Next Week

The first Resident Evil Village Showcase took place in January 2021, which revealed the release date for the upcoming game and a PS5 exclusive demo. Now, Capcom has announced a second Resident Evil Village Showcase, which will take place at 6am GMT+8 on Friday, 16 April 2021.
Host Brittney Brombacher will return to reveal new a new gameplay trailer for Resident Evil Village, as well as a few “surprises”. One of these surprises will probably be the announcement of a new demo with actual combat for all platforms. Fingers crossed.

You can catch the live stream on the PlayStation TwitchÂ andÂ YouTube channels.
Capcom is also currently hosting an open beta test for the multiplayer titleÂ Resident Evil Re:Verse, which will end at 2pm GMT+8 on 11 April 2021. It will run across PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC via Steam.
In order to participate, players must have a Capcom ID linked to their hardware or platform of choice before playing theÂ Resident Evil Re:Verse open beta test.
Resident Evil VillageÂ isÂ slated to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC on 7 May 2021.


NYXL Suffer Shock Departure

The New York Excelsior lost a key member from their league dominating squad as one half of their support duo, Yeonjoon “ArK” Hong left for Washington Justice. As confirmed by both teams yesterday, the transfer sees Ark reunite with Justice Head Coach, Hyeong-seokÂ “WizardHyeong”Â Kim who was formerly with the NYXL in OWL Season 1 and his former teammate at NYXL, JunhwaÂ “Janus”Â Song.

Justice grows stronger for Stage 2! Welcome @Arkyjun to the team! pic.twitter.com/utv6d2WXRL
â€” Washington Justice (@washjustice) March 18, 2019
The move sees the NYXL, who accrued a 100% record in Stage 1 of Overwatch League Season 2, left with only league MVP Jjonak and Anamo in the support corps. Looking somewhat shaky despite their wins of late, the shift of the meta (with the introduction of Baptiste) would be the true test for Jjonak & Co heading deeper into Season 2.
As for the Justice, seems like WizardHyeong is attempting to build a squad with Ark and Janus being the centerpiece. Ark’s decision is understandable as well. At the NYXL, he will always play second fiddle to the league MVP in Jjonak but at Washington Justice, he’s got all the opportunity to not only lead, but have a team which plays around him.


Postal 4: No Regerts Launches Its Dirty Open World Antics Next Month

The open world game Postal 4: No Regerts, where you can play as Postal Dude and wreak havoc, will be out of Early Access next month.
The open world first-person shooter came out in Early Access on 14 October 2019; it’ll be out of that state on 20th April according to developer Running With Scissors. Here’s a quick overview:
Break the rules across all five in-game days implemented throughout Early Access with random encounters, a litany of side errands, improved graphics, revised mapping systems, new radio stations, and so, so much more. Achievements and collectibles like Kunny, Krotchy, and Larry the Crab dolls splattered all over Edensin join the fray on launch day as a new era begins for the legendary series.
Rage across the city of Edensin, where each calendar day from Monday through Friday builds atop the last with new missions, locations, and game systems. Fling humans fleeing America over the Mexican border with a human-sized slingshot. Spread the holy word of the bidet to an unclean populace. Visit Kunny Island, where former porn star-turned-DJ Carter Cruise is performing. Enter a virtual world to bring a D-tier developer’s game to completion. Fend off flesh-eating hillbillies, pro-toilet paper cultists, greedy literal gold-diggers, and the police.
Across several meaty updates in Early Access, POSTAL 4: No Regerts has introduced a load of wacky mechanics, weapons, quests, traversal tools, quality-of-life features, and more, making this 1.0 release the definitive modern POSTAL experience. POSTAL 4: No Regerts stands as an ode and testament to what has made the series beloved, scorned, hated, and appreciated for 25 years. Where else can you steer sniper bullets while high on catnip? Or use severed limbs as melee weapons? Or ride the Womb Coaster in a vagina-themed amusement park?
Apart from fancy-looking mayhem, players can choose a voice options ranging from the original Postal Dude voices to Jon St. John of Duke Nukem fame. So if you like to cause a ton of mayhem as Postal Dude in glorious 3D and full-fledged open world freedom where you can throw pigeon bombs at people and pet dogs, while also taking a piss at people literally, you can’t do it any better than this Running With Scissors offering.


Overwatch Bids Goodbye to Archives; Hello to 10th Competitive Season

It was a bittersweet day for Overwatch players as they bid adieu to one of the more fun special events in the game’s short history as Blizzard draws the curtains on the Archives event. After three weeks of rampaging through Rialto, Venice, the story mode retelling the BlackWatch mission that started the ball rolling is no longer playable.
Along with that, so are the event-exclusive skins featuring BlackWatch versions of our heroesÂ  such as Blackwatch Moira, Talon Sombra and Blackwatch McCree.
But rejoice folks – a new competitive season is back! Get ready to have your brains fried and blood pressure shoot right up as we are presented with yet another chance of breaking past our career high, but now with Brigette playable!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msFq8_IRebI&w=560&h=315]
As of early this morning, placement matches for Overwatch Competitive Season 10 was already open and we cannot wait to see how Brigette’s introduction shifts the competitive meta. Released on March 20th, we had a solid month and a half to get accustomed to the flail-carrying tank-medic hybrid. Super disruptive when up-close, Brigette’s kit allows for a more constant healing without sacrificing any offensive capabilities.


Respawn Is Hiring For A “New Singleplayer Adventure”

Respawn is cooking something new over in their offices, and it’s looking for people right now.
The company that’s making bank with Apex Legends is making a new singleplayer adventure and is looking to hire technical, combat, and level designers. The job descriptions aren’t talking about specifics as it’s using buzzwords like “designer’s dream playground with aÂ  freedom to innovate made possible by the unique universe it inhabits”. This game could be anything, from a new Star Wars game, or even a sequel to Titanfall. It’s anybody’s guess at this point.

We're developing a brand new singleplayer adventure from Respawn Entertainment. We're a small, but ambitious team with a history of dreaming big and making splashes. Come work with us:https://t.co/UCeYwarI6khttps://t.co/Qeonc5IzfGhttps://t.co/rKxhtgXFiUhttps://t.co/rNaI4zoq0J pic.twitter.com/g0zgQVUS4D
— Badmofo | Mohammad Alavi (@iambadmofo) July 22, 2021

These job listings fall under the Singleplayer Incubation Team category, which is separate from the New Game Incubation Team category. It also has some role crossovers here and there. It’s a little confusing, but we’re guessing Respawn is humble-sized to the point where crossovers are inevitable at some point.
After all, they only have two people on Titanfall currently.Â


Here’s Your Full Look At Cyberpunk: Edgerunners From Studio Trigger

Netflix has released a full-fledged trailer of Studio Trigger’s anime adaptation of Cyberpunk 2077, the game with more bugs than an insect museum.
The Cyberpunk Edgerunners anime series’ new trailer focuses on introducing the show’s characters, including main characters David and Lucy. The Edgerunners consist of the two, including Maine, Dorio, Kiwi, Pilar, and Rebecca. As you would expect from the bats*** insane works of Studio Trigger, there’s a lot of crazy cyber and edgerunning killing action going on in just less than 2 minutes.
Here’s the actual synopsis of the show:
“The series tells a standalone, 10-episode story about a street kid trying to survive in Night City — a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Having everything to lose, he stays alive by becoming an edgerunner — a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk.”

Cyberpunk Edgerunners is directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi (Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill) and features a soundtrack by Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill, No More Heroes 2). The show will be out this September.


Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered PC First Patch Solves Ray-Tracing Issues

Insomniac Games and Nixxes have released the first patch for Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC, which has notably fixed the various issues, including those related to ray-tracing.
They also revealed that they are already working on the next patch, which will be more substantial:
“We are already working on our next patch, that will be more substantial and will consist of bugfixes, improvements and additional features, based on the feedback we have received so far.”
In the meantime, check out our review of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC by heading over here.
Check out the full patch notes below:
Release Notes

Fixed various ray-tracing related crashes.
Improved Windows version check, to prevent false positives.
Visual improvements to HBAO+.
Fixed the issue where ray-traced reflections in stainless steel were rendered distorted.
Various visual improvements to NVIDIA DLSS.
Fixed an issue that could freeze the game if the player would switch between graphics presets during cut-scenes.
Fixed an issue where the Side Mission popups would be stretched when playing in a widescreen resolution.
Improvements related to stability issues when using Alt-Tab.
Fixed various visual glitches.

Known Issues

Ray-tracing options may be unavailable in the menu, even with compatible hardware.
Ray-tracing is disabled when hardware or drivers are not compatible, or when the DirectX 12 Agility SDK is not functional. We have seen some reports of users that indicate this SDK is not working for them. We are investigating this issue.
Some players cannot progress during the Spider-Hack Mission.
This is a frame rate related bug that only occurs when well above 60 FPS. While we work on a fix, we have a workaround in place. Restart the latest checkpoint, go to the Graphics Menu, set the game to Exclusive Fullscreen and the Refresh Rate to 60Hz. You should now be able to progress. Afterwards you can switch back to your preferred settings.
Some players cannot take a picture of the Empire State Building.
Some players have reported being unable to take a photo of the Empire State Building, blocking progression. So far, we have only been able to reproduce this on Intel GPUs. Intel is investigating this issue.


There’s Only One Reason Why You’re Watching The Atelier Ryza Anime, And It’s Not For The Plot

It’s nice that Koei Tecmo & Gust’s majorly successful JRPG entry, Atelier Ryza and its two other sequels, is getting an anime adaptation from Liden Films (Rurouni Kenshin, Tokyo Revengers). And it’s also kinda cool that the production house is working closely to make it as accurate to the game as possible, from the plot’s standpoint.
For those who don’t know, Atelier Ryza is about an energetic village girl who ends up becoming an alchemist because she doesn’t have any standout qualities. Save for these…

The anime is quick to remind everyone about Ryza’s hotpants, because frankly, there isn’t much going with the adaptation. The three episodes I’ve seen so far are pretty stiff and predictable, with the story just going through the motions of the game’s plot, introducing the main cast, and showcasing Ryza’s growing magical alchemic talent while solving village problems. All while inserting cuts of Ryza’s thighs/butt and Lila’s assets.

The problem is that new watchers will just view the cast as generic JRPG members; simple archetypes that aren’t too boring to watch but aren’t that deep or complex in the long run. That tends to make you lose interest pretty quickly; you have seen the “girl who aspires to go beyond her small village and aims to use [insert special skill] to do so” plotline, but with alchemy. I
n fact, this anime is tailored for fans who want to relive their moments from the game through an anime adaptation. At least it’s doing that just fine, but not outstanding as there aren’t that many crazily-animated scenes here. Some standout moments include Ryza’s alchemic process, and that one time her friend(?) Klaudia plays a flute in front of her at the village’s beautiful cliffside view.

But apart from the titillating bits, you can file this show under “typical anime adaptation” that’s burning through the money it got from the three JRPG entries because of Ryza’s dress sense. Hopefully the rest of the episodes can turn it from being maudlin.


World Of Warships: Legends Early Access Setting Sail Next Month

The final round of World Of Warships: Legends closed beta will be taking place later this month from 22 to 24 March 2019. After that, the upcoming game will enter Early Access on 16 April 2019.
Players who register at the official World Of Warships: Legends website will also receive in-game rewards at launch, including Premium Currency, Boosters, and special customization items. After the closed beta ends, special Founder’s Packs will be made available on the PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store, offering different tiers of content.
The World Of Warships: Legends Early Access will feature five new maps, along with HDR support on the PS4/PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. Full 4K support will be added in a later update sometime in summer 2019.

Early access for World of Warships: Legends is getting ready to set sail on the PlayStationÂ®4 and Xbox One seas!
Pre-register today for a chance to receive Closed Beta access and special rewards at launch. https://t.co/YfZQuiSR0R
Follow the official Twitter page @WoWs_Legends pic.twitter.com/fuB1wx4AzF
â€” World of Warships (@WorldofWarships) March 7, 2019
Wargaming St. Petersburg Head of Development Daniil Volkov said:
“We’ve worked tirelessly to bring the naval combat enjoyed by millions of players around the world on mobile and PC to PlayStationÂ®4 and Xbox One. We have introduced a substantial number of console-exclusive features to World of Warships: Legends, which we hope will add new dimensions to the series, whilst preserving the core gameplay that players know and love.â€
The developer has refined and improved the gameâ€™s user interface to cater to consoles, including intuitive new controls and console-exclusive content. The full release of World Of Warships: Legends is slated for sometime in 2019.
In the meantime, check out the gameplay trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34wqmNO_urQ&w=560&h=315]


Attack On Titan Final Season Drops This December

The official Twitter account andÂ websiteÂ forÂ Attack on TitanÂ (or Shingeki No Kyojin) have announced that the final season of the popular anime seriesÂ will start broadcasting on Japan’s NHK-GÂ on 7 December 2020.
A new visual wasÂ unveiled alongside the release date announcement.Â Attack On Titan final season was initiallyÂ announcedÂ last year, which will conclude the anime that originally began airing back in 2013.

??????????NHK??????????TV??????????The Final Season???2???????????????????????????????????https://t.co/tDWCeNL3bh#shingeki pic.twitter.com/SOV8gUWxof— ????????????????? (@anime_shingeki) September 24, 2020

According to Crunchyroll, Attack On TitanÂ Final SeasonÂ will be directed byÂ Yuichiro HayashiÂ (Dorohedoro,Â Kakegurui) withÂ series composition byÂ Hiroshi Seko, as well as character designs byÂ Tomohiro Kishi, andÂ Kohta YamamotoÂ working on the music with series composerÂ Hiroyuki Sawano.
Attack on TitanÂ Final SeasonÂ is scheduled to broadcastÂ onÂ NHK-G at 12:10 AM JST on 7 December 2020 (11.10pm GMT+8 on 6 December 2020).


The Last King Podcast: Love, Death, & Sekiro

This week, The Last King Podcast reviews the Netflix anthology series Love Death and Robots and also the new video game from From Software, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
From the minds of David Fincher and Tim Miller, comes Love Death and Robots. An anthology series, spanning 18 episodes, showcasing the latest in cutting edge animation and storytelling. Will the series push the boundaries of animation or storytelling? Or is it all just style over substance?
And in video games, we have the latest offering from the team that fave us Bloodborne and the Dark Souls trilogy. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice sees the developer veer away from the familiar and strike out with a brand new IP. The trademark punishing difficulty and high skill requirements are still intact, but how does Sekiro stack up against the other games from the legendary studio?
https://soundcloud.com/thelastkingpodcast/episode-114-love-death-and-sekiro
Check out more Last King Podcast pop culture talk on SoundCloud and Spotify.


Guilty Gear Strive Another Story Concludes A Fan Favourite Character’s Story Arc (Spoilers)

Guilty Gear Another Story: Departure is a new side story that happens during the game’s main plot and is available now for Season 1 Pass holders as new content. It’s not exactly free since you need to pay for the Season Pass and it’s only less than an hour long. And it’s clearly tailored for those who finished all of Guilty Gear’s story modes and Guilty Gear Strive’s epic main story mode.
However, it does offer one major bonus: it concludes the series-wide story arc of a fan favourite character.

I’m referring to the well-endowed samurai Baiken. Throughout the first Guilty Gear, she has been seeking revenge against That Man for her misfortunes involving her country of Japan and her loved ones, all of them dead thanks to That Man. However, she did find some semblance of purpose thanks to a lot of coaxing from her friend Anji Mito and a couple of the cast from Guilty Gear Xrd.
In Guilty Gear Strive, she ends up being the bodyguard of Delilah, the young sister of the now-dead antagonist Bedman who is seeking revenge against That Man as well. However, Baiken ends up being a “Big Sis” of sorts and talks the child out of ruining her life with revenge. After all, Baiken was on a similar path and would be at the deep dark end were it not for Anji and company. This all leads to the climax and situation you see at the start of the Another Story segment.
Without saying much, let’s just say that Baiken fans are happy to see their tomboy samurai get a lot of character development from a seemingly short segment, and that she doesn’t need to walk her own path alone. Check out the full story in Japanese and English dub below.


[Report] PlayStation Spartacus Monthly Games Service Pricing Revealed

PlayStation is reportedly planning to overhaul PlayStation Plus services, merging it with PlayStation Now into one tiered service at various prices called PlayStation Spartacus. It’s essentially like Xbox Game Pass but for PlayStation games.
A GamesBeat report has revealed the PS Spartacus pricing model. It will be divided into different tiers as follows:

PlayStation Spartacus Tier 1/PS+ Essential (US$10): Monthly games.
PlayStation Spartacus Tier 2/PS+ Extra (US$13): Monthly games, PS Nowâ€™s downloadable games catalogue.
PlayStation Spartacus Tier 3/PS+ Premium (US$16): Monthly games, the game catalogue, cloud streaming, a collection of â€œclassicâ€ games and â€œgame trials.â€

Note that all this comes with online play. If you want everything, you’ll want to pay US$16 monthly for the whole shebang. Of course, the service is missing a few key things to make it competitive to Xbox and PC Game Pass:

Day One launch PlayStation exclusive games on any tier of the service.
PC copies of games on the Spartacus service, provided they have one.

Keep in mind that things and pricing may change since this is just a report and nothing official from PlayStation. Until the company clarifies the service and what it truly offers, it needs to up their ante if it even hopes to compete with Xbox Game Pass.


Virtua Fighter eSports Is Slated For The PlayStation Store

Is Virtua Fighter making a competitive comeback? Well, looks like it is thanks to recent leaks.
Turns out that Virtua Fighter eSports is slated for the PlayStation 4 via the PlayStation Store in Japan. This listing is not yet made public. However, the game seems to have a PSN icon and background image ready (via Gematsu):

It seems like the game is utilizing the same roster as in Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown. Whether this version of the game will have revamped graphics, or online code that rivals most online fighting games, we’ll just have to find out when it’s made official this year.


Relive Jesse Pinkman’s Most Traumatic Moments In This New Breaking Bad Movie Trailer

We’re only one month away from the premiere of Netflix‘s highly-anticipated El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. The streaming giant reminds us of that once again by releasing a new recap trailer featuring the most traumatic, painful and defining moments of Jesse Pinkman throughout all five seasons of the award-winning TV series.
Accompanied by the song “ENCHANTED” by Chloe X Halle, the trailer ends with the last-ever shot of Jesse Pinkman from the final episode of Breaking Bad, Season 5 Episode 18 ‘Felina’, in which we see him driving away in a Todd’s El Camino car, frantically crying in a state of conflicting emotions.
This could indicate that the upcoming movie will pick up directly from where the TV series left Jesse Pinkman, driving away in the car from which the movie derives its name. The official synopsis (from the new trailer) for El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie only states:

Fugitive Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) runs from his captors, the law and his past.

Actor Aaron Paul also recently posted an old picture of himself from when he was filming Breaking Bad, which is his first personal attempt at promoting the movie since it was announced last month.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul)

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is slated to release on 11 October 2019 on Netflix worldwide. In the meantime, check out the latest trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozYbqDiXT3I&w=560&h=315]


Battlefield V’s Summer 2020 Major Content Update Will Be Its Last

EA DICE launched the World War II-themed Battlefield V in late 2018, but now the latest FPS game by the studio will be receiving its final major content update in June 2020. Meanwhile, its current chapter, Into The Jungle (based on the Pacific Theater of World War II), is set to end later this month on 29 April 2020.
This was confirmed via an official blog post and a reply by the official Twitter account for Battlefield V, which you can check out below.

Correct, and we’ll have more details about what’s included in the summer update closer to that time.
â€” Battlefield V (@Battlefield) April 23, 2020

Battlefield V‘s June 2020 update will be a standalone update with “some new content, weapons, and game tweaks”. Going forward, the game will only be supported with new Weekly Missions but “otherwise have no further content planned beyond our updates to Community Games and ensuring healthy game performance”.
This seems like a weird choice, considering that EA DICE isn’t planning to release a Battlefield game in 2020. However, it is also highly likely that they’re gearing up for next-gen consoles instead.


Scream 6 Trailer Sees Ghostface Terrorizing New York

Paramount Pictures has unveiled the first teaser trailer for the upcoming Scream VI or Scream 6.
The brief teaser shows several Scream 2022 actors in a subway train before Ghostface appears.
In Scream 6, Courteney Cox returns, alongside Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding from 2022’s Scream. Scream 4 star Hayden Panettiere will also be back as Kirby Reed. Newcomers include Samara Weaving, Dermot Mulroney, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra and more. The one key character missing from Scream 6 is Neve Campbell, best known for playing the series’ previous protagonist and final girl, Sidney Prescott.
Scream 6 premieres in cinemas on 10 March 2023. In the meantime, check out our review of Scream 5 here.
Check out the teaser trailer below:


Mobile Gaming Still Dominates Half of the Games Industry Revenue Despite Strong Year for Consoles

Say what you will about mobile gaming on Android and iOS platforms. They’re still dominating around half of the global games industry revenue, with market intelligence firm Newzoo forecasts stating that it will reach approximately $63.2 billion by the end of 2018. That may be lower than their earlier estimates of $70.3 billion, but consoles and PC have a long way to catch up.
In comparison, Newzoo forecasts have increased its console revenue growth from $34.6 billion to $38.3 billion by the end of 2018. The biggest contributor to this is the stellar performance of all three major consoles: Sony’s PS4, Microsoft’s Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch. Strong exclusives garnered impressive sales, including Marvel’s Spider-Man (PS4), Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox One), and Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Switch).
Highly-anticipated multi-platform releases like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Red Dead Redemption 2, Call of Duty Black Ops 4, and more are also a major contributing factor. However, Newzoo is expecting console revenue to slow down starting from mid-2019 due to the fact that game companies and developers are already gearing up for the next generation of consoles (which may or may not be the PS5 and Xbox Scarlett)
Meanwhile, PC revenue forecasts have also been increased from $32.9 billion to $33.4 billion by the end of 2018. This may not be what some gamers want to hear but the biggest reason for PC growth in 2018 is the massive popularity of battle royale games like Fortnite and PUBG. PC gaming peripheral hardware sales also boosted revenue for the PC market.
Ultimately, the overall revenue for the 2018 global games market has decreased from $137.9 billion to $134.9 billion. Don’t let those numbers fool you though because games revenue is still proving to have grown at an incredible 10.9 percent or $13.2 billion from 2017.
For those who believe that mobile gaming is still just a ‘fad,’ I have unfortunate news for you. Newzoo forecasts state that mobile games revenue will only continue to grow, and it is even expected to account for an unbelievable 52 percent of the global games industry revenue by 2021. Be afraid, be very afraid, the mobile master race is coming.
Newzoo had this to say about the future of mobile gaming: “In the span of a decade, mobile gaming will have grown from the smallest segment in 2012 to a 100-billion-dollar industry in 2021. Remarkably, the rise of mobile gaming has not significantly cannibalized revenues from PC or console gaming markets. In the coming years, mobile game revenue growth will continue to outpace the overall games market, growing to $106.4 billion in 2021.”
Source: Newzoo


Vin Diesel Is Returning For Bloodshot 2

Bloodshot was one of the last movies in 2020 to release before the world went into lockdown, and it was a decent superhero movie if anything. Now it’s finally confirmed that Vin Diesel will be reprising his role as Ray Garrison in a sequel to Bloodshot.
Speaking with CBR, DMG Entertainment Creative Head and filmmaker Dan Mintz said:
“I think [Bloodshot] was very successful in that respect, a lot of people saw it and it did very well in the post-release rollout but you can’t use the same evaluation process, pre-COVID, to this;[Are] Vin Diesel and all those people going to still continue? Yes, because it did so well and the response to it has been so well, it’s just that the response has been in a non-transparent environment, as opposed to a transparent environment like box office numbers.”
While Bloodshot only garnered only US$33.4 million at the worldwide box office, it turns out that the movie did better financially on VOD. It looks like we might be getting that Valiant Cinematic Universe after all.
In the meantime, if you haven’t watched Bloodshot or if you want to know more about the character, head on over here.


DayZ Banned In Australia Because Of The Dumbest Reason Possible

This is a report that just gets better as it goes. Let’s begin with the most important point: DayZ is now outright banned in Australia. Publisher Five Star Games recently submitted the game for classification and was denied to due to the presence of the extremely horrible and utterly evil substance known as… marijuana.
That’s right, weed has caused DayZ to be banned Australia. The game contains marijuana joints that can be used as health restoration items. Simply named “cannabis” in the game, the featuring of such an item is beyond what the Auustralian Classification Board allows.

“The use of drugs (marijuana) as an incentive or reward during the gameplay exceeds what can be accommodated within the R18+ classification and therefore must be Refused Classification,”
– Statement from RC report.
The best part of this controversy is that the “cannabis” item has yet to be introduced into the game. If you just spare a second to check the item’s page on the DayZ wiki here, you’ll note that the item actually hasn’t been put into the game. In other words, DayZ was banned thanks to a feature that doesn’t even exist in the game yet.
DayZ is a game about survival and can be played solo or with friends in a PVP environment.
The game was denied classification back in June 2019. Prior to that, the game was already granted an MA15+ rating three times for the last ten months under the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) system. Technically, this means that it was on the same level as the M rating given by the ESRB.
According to Kotaku Australia, the game’s developer Bohemia Interactive applied for a separate rating a month after being refused classification. After answering questions on the automated IARC survey, the game yet again received a rating of MA15+.
Unfortunately for the developers, the Australian Classification Board is above the IARC in terms of hierarchy and can override IARC ratings. For now, the game still remains under the category of Refused Classification.
The game has already been pulled off from the Australian localities of digital storefronts such as Steam, PS Store, and Microsoft Store. For other regions around the world, the game is still available and you can get it for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.


Google Is Shutting Down Stadia & Giving Full Refunds

This was a long thing coming, especially since Stadia was pretty much dead on arrival, but Google is officially shutting down its cloud gaming service, Stadia. However, it will remain live until 18 January 2023.
According to the blog post, Google will provide refunds for all Stadia hardware purchased through the Google Store as well as all the games and add-on content purchased from the Stadia store. Most of these refunds are expected to be completed by the middle of January 2023.
So, what’s happening to the existing Stadia infrastructure and employees?
Stadia Vice President and General Manager Phil Harrison said:
The underlying technology platform that powers Stadia has been proven at scale and transcends gaming. We see clear opportunities to apply this technology across other parts of Google like YouTube, Google Play, and our Augmented Reality (AR) efforts — as well as make it available to our industry partners, which aligns with where we see the future of gaming headed. We remain deeply committed to gaming, and we will continue to invest in new tools, technologies and platforms that power the success of developers, industry partners, cloud customers and creators.
For the Stadia team, building and supporting Stadia from the ground up has been fueled by the same passion for games that our players have. Many of the Stadia team members will be carrying this work forward in other parts of the company. We’re so grateful for the groundbreaking work of the team and we look forward to continuing to have an impact across gaming and other industries using the foundational Stadia streaming technology.
That’s good news because cloud gaming is still in its infancy and it still has unfulfilled potential in the future. Perhaps one day the world will be more prepared to embrace cloud gaming technology, but here’s goodbye to Stadia for now.


Here’s Your First Look At The Kill la Kill Game

Hey you Studio Trigger and Arc System Work fans. There’s a video out there concerning that Kill la Kill game we talked about a while back. Here’s a quick look:
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1481416598629417/
The full title of the game is Kill la Kill The Game: If and it’s a 3D fighting game brawler similar to the Naruto games from Cyber2Connect back in the day. At least that’s how it’s looking like, except it has that same animation technique from Guilty Gear Xrd and, ugh, that Little Witch Academia trash heap of a game.
The “If” subtitle might allude that the game may be using “What If?” story paths. Basically, it might feature alternate endings and alliances depending on how you play the game.
It’ll be out in 2019 and is slated for a PS4 and PC release, distributed by Arc System Works and supervised by Studio Trigger. Let’s hope it’s at least oodles better than the last Studio Trigger-supervised game I played.


These Are The Epic Games Store’s New Free Games For The Week

The Epic Games Store has a couple of new free games for the week, which means more titles to spend your social distancing time with.
The two games are Watch Dogs and The Stanley Parable. One is a Ubisoft open-world game with hacking, while the other’s a short indie game about the idea of choice in gaming.
Watch Dogs should provide you with a good chunk of game time, though that depends on your tolerance for its clunky movement. I ended up uninstalling the game after 10 minutes despite getting it for free on Uplay back in 2017 because of that.
Anyway, you can get those games here.


Beyond Good And Evil 2 Is Reportedly On The Verge Of Cancellation

A prequel to the 2003 cult classic, Beyond Good And Evil 2 was initially announced at E3 2017. Itâ€™s been a whopping four years since then, and Ubisoft has yet to give any significant updates on the game, except for announcing further delays and the like. It suspiciously looks like the game is stuck in some sort of development hell and the latest reports/rumours might be confirmation of what we fear the most.
According to games industry insider and VGC writer Tom Henderson on his Twitter account, Beyond Good And Evil 2 is in danger of cancellation because it is “suffering a development crisis from a lack of creative directionâ€œ and “doesnâ€™t fit with Ubisoftâ€™s future ambitions and goals with future titles”.

What's worse, is that the game currently doesn't fit with Ubisoft's future ambitions and goals with future titles. The game has been described as "Skull & Bones 2.0" and although the game hasn't been canned officially, some developers believe it's a matter of time before it is.
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) November 12, 2021

The problems afflicting the game’s development was apparently made worse after the game’s director Michael Ancel left Ubisoft in 2020. In the same thread of tweets, Henderson also added that he’s found it difficult to corroborate and verify his sources, which means that we should all take this with a grain of salt.

I thought this was clear but apparently not – The game is still in development, but a couple of people I spoke with BELIEVE it's a matter of time before it's canned.
As for the no corroboration comment, I'm referring to corroboration with other insiders, not multiple sources.
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) November 13, 2021

At the time of writing, Ubisoft has yet to give an official comment on the matter. However, with the game being a no show at E3 2021 and the rest of the year, it’s easy to surmise that even if the game isn’t being cancelled, there is definitely something fishy going on with the game’s ongoing development.
Ubisoft unveiled the last video footage of the game was back in 2018.


Ace Combat 7 3rd Anniversary Update Adds New Skins & Emblems

To celebrate the 3rd anniversary of ACE COMBAT™ 7: SKIES UNKNOWN, a free update “ACE COMBAT™ 7: SKIES UNKNOWN – 3rd Anniversary Update” has been released.
The long-awaited “Razgriz Squadron” and “Wardog Squadron” skins are now available for the F-14A Tomcat, a playable aircraft added to the TOP GUN: Maverick Aircraft Set, which has been on sale since May 26, 2022. In addition, the “Wardog Squadron” skin for the F-14D Super Tomcat, six skins reprinted from ACE COMBAT 3, four European aircraft skins, and luminous skin for the XFA-27 have been added to this update.

In addition to the aircraft skins, you can also enjoy one ACE COMBAT 7 3rd Anniversary emblem, three Nuggets emblems, 13 THE IDOLM@STER STARLIT SEASON collaboration emblems, and the street name “PHOENIX”.
These include:

 14 skins

F-14A Tomcat Wardog Skin
F-14A Tomcat Razgriz Skin
F-14D Super Tomcat Wardog Skin
F-15 S/MTD Dision Skin
F-22A Raptor General Resource Skin
F-22A Raptor Dision Skin
Gripen E Splinter Camo Skin
Mirage 2000-5 Prototype Color Skin
MiG-29A Fulcrum UPEO Skin
Rafale M Shining Wing Skin
Su-37 Terminator UPEO Skin
Su-47 Berkut UPEO Skin
Typhoon Prototype Color Skin
XFA-27 Glowing Green Skin

1 call sign: PHOENIX
17 emblems

1 type of ACE COMBAT 7 3rd Anniversary Emblem
3 types of Nuggets emblems

25th Anniversary Nugget -Antares-
25th Anniversary Nugget -Warwolf-
25th Anniversary Nugget -Reaper-

13 types of THE IDOLM@STER STARLIT SEASON Collaboration emblems

THE IDOLM@STER STARLIT SEASON: HARUKA AMAMI
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: CHIHAYA KISARAGI
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: MIKI HOSHII
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: NANA ABE
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: RANKO KANZAKI
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: MIKA JOUGASAKI
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: MIRAI KASUGA
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: SHIZUKA MOGAMI
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: TSUBASA IBUKI
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: RINZE MORINO
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: AMANA OSAKI
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: TENKA OSAKI
THE IDOL@MASTER STARLIT SEASON: KOHAKU OKUZORA

In the meantime, you can check out my full review of Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown here.
Check out the trailer below:


PlayStation Partner Awards 2021 Winners To Be Announced Later This Week

Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia will announce the winners of the PlayStation Partner Awards 2021 Japan Asia from 2 to 3 December 2021.
The PlayStation Awards have been held annually since 1995, recognizing the PlayStation versions of hit titles sold across the Japan and Asia regions. However, in what is a departure from the past few years, there won’t be a live event, broadcast or presentation.
No reason was provided for why that is, but all the winners of the PlayStation Partner Awards 2021 Japan Asia will be announced via the @PlayStation_JP Twitter account.
You can check out our coverage of last year’s PlayStation Partner Awards and all of the winners of the 2020 edition by heading over here. It features guest appearances from Dragon Ball‘s Goku voice actress Masako Nozawa, Final Fantasy VII Remake producer Yoshinori Kitase and more.
Check out the award categories below (via PlayStation Blog):
GRAND AWARD
The titles of software makers developed in Japan and Asia will beÂ awarded to the top three titles of worldwide sales from October 2020 to September 2021.
PARTNER AWARD
In the titles of software makers developed in Japan and Asia, it wasÂ ranked at the top of the global salesÂ from October 2020 to September 2021,Â and it was a work that left a particularly noteworthy activity result.
SPECIAL AWARD
In the titles of software makers developed in regions other than Japan and Asia, it will beÂ awarded to the top-selling works inÂ Japan and Asia from October 2020 to September 2021.
In indie games developed in Japan and Asia, it will beÂ awarded to the top-sellingÂ titles in theÂ world from October 2020 to September 2021. In the titles of software makers developed in Japan and Asia, it will be presented to works that have left particularly noteworthy activity results at the time of PS5 release.


Violet Evergarden Is 2018â€™s Most Emotional Anime So Far

2018 is looking great for anime fans. However, the one show on Netflix that has always been on my mind, even up to this day, is about a former combat cyborg girl who wants to learn how to type & write letters.
As mundane as this premise sounds, this makes for some great world-building and fleshing-out of characters coping with different forms of loss. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I have finished all 12 episodes of Violet Evergarden, and goddamn if I didn’t close to tear up and receive them feels.
Here are a few reasons why you should put this on your Netflix “to watch” queue.
It is a breathtaking work of art.

Violet Evergarden is set on an alternate 16th-century timeline where a World War II-like battle has ended and everyone goes home to resume their lives. Formers Combatants and generals start their own businesses and return to their wives/families. Except in this universe, there are cyborgs called Dolls who exist to do mundane tasks, and we’re not dealing with a post-apocalyptic universe here.
This is full-on European-esque countryside and cityscape vistas. Imagine a Jane Austen period piece brought to anime life, except with type-writing cyborgs. From detailed villas and gazebos to the many meadow and hillside views, to even the dark slums and even flashbacks to Violet’s ugly past life (mute colours and all), every scene here is a treat for the eyes.
It is an emotional roller coaster ride.

The anime hits on the themes of love, lost, reconciliation, and growth. Violet is the centerpiece of this 12-episode anime, as she finds out what the meaning of the words “I love you” is while also struggling with her post-war life. Every scene that features her attempting to type and create stories while understanding context & tone in writing is a gem to watch.
It has some pacing problems, sure. And I’d be lying if I said that there aren’t any any filler episodes to max out its 12-episode runtime (for its first season; second one’s confirmed). Still, these episodes are still well-made and help with the worldbuilding. Standouts include episode 7 that deals with an alcoholic playwright and episode 10’s payoff involving a sick war widow.
It still feels a bit like the story can progress a little faster, especially when it comes to Violet’s revelations and the eventual aftermath. But that’s just slight nitpicks on my part.
Its Supporting Cast Is Commendable

Violet gets the spotlight, but we still get some shine from the supporting cast. We get some story bits from Iris, a Doll who took on the typing job just for fame and glory, as well as trying to escape her dull and not-so-rosy past. The main crux of the story is also centred around Claudia, who gives Violet her job out of guilt from his previous army stint.
We also get some resolution and plot with the vindictive Dietfried, who happens to be the brother of Violet’s owner who harbours resentment for her for spoilerific reasons I won’t get into. I assure you that the payoff is worth it.
Bottom line: every character apart from Violet has their shining moments and standout parts. At the same time they don’t overshadow the main character at all since she is the driving force of the show.
And…that’s it really
I don’t know what else I can add apart from “go watch it as soon as you can!” Violet Evergarden can be smaltzy and stretched out at times, but those small issues do not tarnish an otherwise lovely and dramatic experience.
We give it two cyborg thumbs up; I’m sure Violet would approve.


New LEGO Star Wars Diorama Sets Are Based On The Original Trilogy

LEGO has unveiled several new LEGO Star Wars diorama sets aimed at adults. Since they’re for adults, it’s no wonder that these new sets are taken from scenes in the Star Wars Original Trilogy, instead of the newer and more divisive Sequel Trilogy.
The first new set to arrive is the LEGO Star Wars 75329 Death Star Trench Run Diorama. It captures the moment when Darth Vader was pursuing Luke Skywalker as he tried to destroy the Death Star in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope and features Luke’s iconic X-Wing being pursued by three TIE Fighters.
It’s made up of 665 pieces, and costs US$59.99.

The second set to be announced is LEGO Star Wars Dagobah Jedi Training Diorama (75330), which costs US$79.99. From Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, this is the scene where Luke Skywalker crashes into the swamp where Yoda is living on Dagobah. It also includes minifigures of Yoda, Luke Skywalker and R2-D2.

The final set is the LEGO Star Wars Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama (75330). It recreates a scene from Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope, where Luke, Leia, Han Solo and Chewbacca find themselves stranded in the Death Star’s trash compactor unit. It includes all four characters, along with a bunch of LEGO pieces designed to resemble trash. It costs US$89.99.


Pixar’s Buzz Lightyear SH Figuarts Goes Infinity & Beyond

Pixar’s Lightyear will premiere on 17 June 2022, but ahead of the movie’s release, SH Figuarts has revealed a Buzz Lightyear S.H Figuarts, and a Chogokin XL-15 Space Ship. These will release sometime in June 2022.
The S.H. Figuarts Buzz Lightyear figure stands at 5.9 inches tall. It will include interchangeable hands, two swap out heads, a jet pack, jet pack deployment parts, Rascal the Racoon, a Laser Blade DX, a Laser Gauntlet strap, and a connector piece for use with Tamashii Stage display stands. It is priced at 8,800 Yen (about RM299+).

The Chogokin XL-15 Space Ship about 9.5 inches long, and features diecast metal parts. It includes landing gear, two small scale Buzz Lightyear figures, a small scale Zerg figure, and a flight themed stand. It is priced at 14,300 Yen (about RM486+).

The definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy, “Lightyear” follows the legendary Space Ranger after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda. A new poster and images are also available.
The film features the voices of Chris Evans as accomplished Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear, Uzo Aduba as his commander and best friend Alisha Hawthorne and Peter Sohn as Sox. Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi and Dale Soules lend their voices to the Junior Zap Patrol’s Izzy Hawthorne, Mo Morrison and Darby Steel, respectively, and James Brolin can be heard as the enigmatic Zurg.
The voice cast also includes Mary McDonald-Lewis as onboard computer I.V.A.N., Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Commander Burnside, Efren Ramirez as Airman Diaz, and Keira Hairston as Young Izzy. It is directed by Angus MacLane (co-director “Finding Dory”), produced by Galyn Susman (“Toy Story That Time Forgot”) and featuring a score by award-winning composer Michael Giacchino (“The Batman,” “Up”).


Tekken’s Katsuhiro Harada Reacts To Elden Ring Mods In Tekken 7

The director and producer of the Tekken series is clarifying that the recent Elden Ring mods are not an official creation.
Producer Katsuhiro Harada, who is also the production general manager in charge of Elden Ring given his Bandai Namco position, had to clarify on Twitter that the mod is not official. It’s from a creator named Ultraboy who adds eight characters from the From Software epic RPG to the PC version of Tekken 7. These include:

Melina (Lidia)
Malenia (Kunimitsu)
Alexander (Gigas)
Prisoner (Lee)
Radahn (Marduk)
Raging Wolf Armor Tarnished (Kazuya)
Ranni (Kazumi) with Torrent the spectral steed (Kazumi’s Tiger)
A giant lobster (Heihachi)

Here’s his actual quote on the matter:
“Um … Sure, Elden is a Bandai Namco-funded title, and I was the production general manager in charge of Elden, so it’s not irrelevant … it’s ridiculously well-made mod but plz stop it lol.”

Um … Sure, Elden is a Bandai Namco-funded title, and I was the production general manager in charge of Elden, so it's not irrelevant … it's ridiculously well-made mod but plz stop it lol https://t.co/ISlXLrjfhM
— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) March 31, 2022

When asked if Harada meant he wanted people to stop making mods for Tekken 7, he replied that the message is only meant for people to stop assuming that it’s official.
“You probably don’t know, but there are surprisingly many people who think this is [an] official one or make various understandings and contact u. I don’t say anything for your personal enjoyment, but I want you to know that there are people in your community who make noise based on misunderstandings.”
Tekken 7 is still around and being played on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. The game still has no rollback netcode, and may be one of the very few mainstream fighting games of 2022 to implement this.


Josee, The Tiger and the Fish Doesn’t Break New Ground, But It’s Charming

I have to blame Your Name for setting the bar for romance plots and anime works way too high. It makes judging judging other films in the same animated genre a lot tougher and saddling them with more expectations. That’s fine and all, because every animator and story writer needs to aim for the top to stand out.
But what about a film that’s as grounded as a show involving the budding romance between a college student with dreams to go overseas and a paraplegic shut-in who lives with her grandma? And a film that’s an adaptation of a short story penned by late author Seiko Tanabe, Seiko Tanabe who is known for winning cultural merit awards for her romance genre literature works between 2000 to 2008? Who also happens to translate and adapt Japanese classic stories back in the 60s?
The results are pretty standard, if I’m being honest. But it’s the good kind filled with tenderness all around thanks to a likeable main cast.
Rumble Fish

Josee, The Tiger and the Fish is about the budding romance between a male college student Tsuneo and a female wheelchair-bound dreamer named Josee. Our heroine doesn’t get out much, and since Tsuneo is in need of cash to further his studies and live his dream to work in the marine field in Mexico, he gets offered a job to take care of Josee thanks to her grandmother.
Coupled with the fact that Josee herself is a fan of the ocean and painting, and that she hasn’t accustomed herself to the real world thanks to a sheltered lifestyle, it’s clear as day that Tsuneo will be the one to break her out of that shell. The relationship isn’t one-sided though; later in the film, our main heroine will take centre stage after certain life-changing events.
Without getting into spoilers, I’ll say that Josee, The Tiger and the Fish is worth sitting through its 1 hour and a half runtime. Tsuneo and Josee are adorable as friends and as a blooming couple, and we get to see them both grow as characters we can get invested in. I’m also glad that the film doesn’t lean too heavily on certain tropes involving disabled characters getting in a romance with someone who isn’t.
The side characters ranging from the grandmother to Tsuneo’s diving friends have their own arcs and tie to the plot in substantial ways. Ditto Josee’s venture to the public library, since she is named after the heroine in her favourite author’s book. The parts where she has to read out a kid’s book to a young audience is adorable and highlights our heroine’s flaws in a way that makes it relatable to us.
Water Colour

With an animation studio as prestigious as Studio Bones backing it up, you would expect the film called Josee, The Tiger and the Fish to take some liberties and go all out with the visuals. Apart from a key dream sequence early in the film and some gorgeous vistas of the city and the seaside, as well as a major scene of our main characters in their element, not much else is done to wow audiences and spectators. This is apparent in the second half of the film.
Don’t get me wrong: it’s still great to look at and admire, but given the studio’s past works with Dragon Pilot and Carole & Tuesday, the animators are showing a lot of restraint for 70 per cent of the film.Â Â Then again, its director probably wanted to take the less-than-fantastical approach out of sheer respect for the late author’s original work.
I’d say this is purposefully done, but it doesn’t change the fact that the studio and director are taking fewer risks from a visual and narrative standpoint.
Hook, Line, And Sinker
In that respect, the show does succeed in conveying its message about just doing your dreams no matter the obstacles. Not so much word by word however; this anime adaptation has a happier and more uplifting ending than the original text and 2003 film adaptation.
Then again, in the context of the world’s climate, a hopeful film about dreamers and achievers is welcome, especially if it looks this good and comes with a good amount of slice-of-life story moments. Head down to your local cinema and watch this if you fancy a well-told-yet-kinda-standard coming-of-age love story with some lovely-and-subtle artwork.
Final Score: 70/100


Final Fantasy 16: How To Get A White Chocobo Mount

In Final Fantasy 16, Clive can ride on a Chocobo to get to places quick. However, this option isn’t available in plain sight and requires you to be a tad diligent with the game’s plethora of sidequests.
Here’s how you can get a White Chocobo mount in Final Fantasy 16. We won’t bring up major spoilers in this guide; just chapter and sidequest names.

Play Through The Main Quest Until You Reach “The Gathering Storm”
This might take a while, as this will take more than 10 hours to reach this point; about 45% into the storyline. You’ll know you’re at this point in the story when you’re heading to Martha’s Rest the second time.

Accept The “White-Winged Wonder” Sidequest

This quest is available at Martha’s Rest in the Imperial Province of Rosaria region. The sidequest giver is close to The Fallen Gate bridge that’s south of Martha’s Rest.

Go To The Highlighted Areas
You’ll go to one spot first. When you see a white feather, you’ll be directed to another spot. Head there, then fight the enemies there.
After that and a bunch of story stuff, that’s it: the sidequest is over. You now unlock the ability to ride on Chocobos.

Call on them at any time you’re in the overworld by pressing and holding R3, then mount them with the X button to ride them fast! You can jump and glide with X while on the Chocobo.


Girls Frontline Gets A Sweet Indie Game Collaboration

Who knew that a mobile strategy role-playing game bigwig can take time off its gacha schedule to team up with a renowned indie game adventure title?
The still-standing hit RPG title Girls Frontline, a game featuring lolis called T-Dolls who have their designs and attacks built after real-world weapons, has started its collaboration event with cyberpunk bartending visual novel VA-11 HALL-A. Players can share and retweet the bottom Twitter post to stand a chance to win the following:

A collaboration T-Doll costume of your choice: Alma, Jiill, Dana, Stella, Dorothy, Sei. And 4,000 gems (10 winners)
4,000 gems (10 winners)

Dear Commanders, Our scheduled maintenance has ended, and you can now log into the game! The VA-11 HALL-A Collaboration is now online! There is an ongoing giveaway to celebrate the collaboration rerun. Refer to the image below for more details! #GirlsFrontline pic.twitter.com/csCDW50r0O
— Girls' Frontline-EN Official (@GirlsFrontlineE) April 26, 2022

The winners will have to choose 1 favourite costume from the six collaboration character’s costumes. Winners will be randomly picked from shares and retweets respectively. The whole event will last from 26 April to 5 May, with the contest results announced on 6 May.
VA-11 HALL-A is a visual novel that features drinks-mixing, lovely 2D pixel artwork that reminds you of the 90s style of adventure titles, and a rad soundtrack. If you haven’t played it, you should: it’s one of 2016’s most memorable adventure titles.


Microsoft Explored Acquiring SEGA, Bungie And IO Interactive

Microsoft at one point had considered acquiring SEGA, Bungie, IO Interactive, and more. This is based on an email sent by Xbox CEO Phil Spencer to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft CFO Amy Hood in November 2020.
Microsoft’s ongoing attempts to buy Activision Blizzard for $69 billion have forced the company to divulge all kinds of details on how Xbox operates behind the scenes. Case made: Microsoft has been forced to share internal emails, in which Phil Spencer is basically weighing up the advantages of buying both SEGA’s game studios and Bungie, and others.

“We believe that Sega has built a well-balanced portfolio of games across segments with global geographic appeal, and will help us accelerate Xbox Game Pass both on and off-console,” reads the email from Spencer via The Verge.
Spencer added, “The global appeal of SEGA’s beloved IP will help expand Xbox Game Pass’s reach to new audiences around the world, most notably in Asia, where localized content is critical to success.”
it’s unclear how Nadella responded to Spencer’s request, SEGA was also listed on an “M&A final watchlist” document from April 2021. Among the eight studios listed in the final watchlist are Bungie, IO Interactive, Zynga, Thunderful, Supergiant Games, Scopely, and Playrix.
Xbox Game Pass is the key reason for such an “approach”, with Spencer looking to “accelerate” the subscription service. This was back in 2020, before Game Pass had seemingly plateaued in terms of user numbers.
Bungie is now owned by Sony and Zynga is owned by Take-Two Interactive. Microsoft’s internal document on Bungie states the “acquisition of Bungie will include securing valuable IP, Destiny (and its community) and integration of its dev & live ops infrastructure into Xbox Game Studios.”
Microsoft is currently focused on acquiring Activision Blizzard.


Superman & Batwoman Are Getting New Suits Next Season

Batwoman is getting a new lead next season as Javicia Leslie replaces Ruby Rose as the titular member of the Bat-family with new character Ryan Wilder, while CW’s Superman, Tyler Hoechlin, will finally be getting his own show with the first season of Superman & Lois.
During the panels for both shows at DC FanDome, it was revealed by that both Batwoman and Superman will be receiving new suits in the upcoming seasons of the respective shows. However, these new costumes were not actually shown.
Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries offered a little bit of insight into what fans should expect:
“It’s going to be a little bit of an evolution, we’re going to see the suit evolve early on in the season. Ryan is like, ‘For me to feel empowered in this thing, it needs to feel like I’m representing something that I’m fighting for.'”
Batwoman actress Leslie herself added:
“Caroline [and I] were also talking about how important it is that if we’re going to have a Black Batwoman that she needs to be a sister when she becomes Batwoman.It’s important for the silhouette of her to still look like that: more of a natural texture hair and things like that.”
Meanwhile, Superman & Lois executive producer Todd Helbing described the new CE show as “a story that is really as grounded as it can possibly be to have Superman in it” and that the new suit is “really badass”.
While not much was revealed about both shows (no release date or window as of yet), at least fans can look forward to brand new updated suits for these two iconic DC Comics characters when they return in new seasons sometime in 2021.


Here’s When FIFA 19 Demo Drops

Keep your hard drives empty and your weekends cleared folks as the FIFA19 demo is set to drop tomorrow, September 13th 2018. For ease of info consumption, here are the important details you’d want to know:
What platform will it be available on?Â
While the game will be available on all major platforms, only players on PC, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will have access to the demo.
How to Get It?Â
It will be available for download via the PlayStation Store for PlayStation users, the Microsoft Store for Xbox One players and Origins for PC.
Which Teams Can I Play As?Â
We heard thirteen. However, so far only nine have been unveiled (listed below).

Atletico Madrid
Bayern Munich
Borussia Dortmund
Juventus
Man City
Man United
PSG
Real Madrid
Tottenham Hotspur

What’s the Sizes of the Demo Files?Â
Yes. This is important as you’d hate to see your download denied due to space constraints. The requirements are as follows:
Playstation 4:Â  7.3 GB
XBox One: 8.0 GB
While we do not have the exact info for the PC download file size, it is safe to assume it’s within the same parameters. We’d keep 10 GB free jus to be sure.
Can I Play it on My PC?
Here are the base requirements:
Minimum

OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 – 64-bit
CPU: Intel Core i3-2100 @ 3.1GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 965 @ 3.4 GHz
GPU: Nvidia GTX 460 1GB or AMD Radeon R7 260
RAM: 8GB
DirectX: DirectX 11 compatible

Recommended

OS: Windows 10 – 64-bit
CPU: Intel i3-6300T or equivalent
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 or AMD Radeon R9 270X
RAM: 8GB
DirectX: DirectX 12 compatible

Anything Else I Should Be Aware Of?
FIFA’s storyline arc featuring Alex Hunter is back with a snippet of it being available in the demo. Do give it a try if you want to experience his journey playing for Real Madrid.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX0AV6yxyrQ&w=560&h=315]

The main game hit shelves September 28th 2018. In the meantime, you can also try the PES 2018 demo which is already available in the respective platform stores.


This New Mulan Live-Action Film Might Turn Out Solid…

Who wants a less annoying Mushu-less live adaptation of Mulan? If you answered “yes”, then you might enjoy what this upcoming 2020 Disney remake has in store.
Disney just dropped a new Mulan trailer, and it touches upon a few pivotal moments from the animated classic. For those not in the know, Mulan is about a Chinese heroine who poses as a man in order to join the Imperial Army so that she can take her elderly father’s place.
Also, there’s a witch, some form of magic, and phoenixes serving as Mulan’s guardian thankfully not voiced by this generation’s black comedian like Kevin Hart.

Oh, and for you old-school martial arts and 90s Hong Kong cinema fans, you’ll be pleased to know that:

Donnie Yen plays Commander Tung, the guy who will lead the Chinese army against the Huns, probably as a mentor figure to Yifei Liu’s Mulan.
Â Jet Li plays The Emperor.
Jason Scott Lee will play the bad guy Bori Khan,
Gong Li will play the antagonist witch Xian Lang. Something tells us she’ll be featured prominently in Singapore’s marketing for the film.

Mulan slashes into theaters 27th March 2020.


Nintendo Live Gaming Expo Happening In Kyoto This October

Nintendo will be holding its very own gaming expo later this year. Dubbed Nintendo Live 2019 Kyoto, it is scheduled to take place from 13 to 14 October 2019 at the Kyoto International Conference Center in Kyoto, Japan.
The company held a similar event last year with Nintendo Live 2018 Tokyo. What can gamers look forward to for this year’s occasion? According to the official website (via Kotaku), Nintendo Live 2019 Kyoto will feature esports tournaments involving Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Splatoon 2 and Super Mario Maker 2.
In addition, this year’s Nintendo Expo will also feature stage events like a Splatoon music performance and a Super Mario Maker 2 stage show showcasing Osaka comedy duo Yoiko and Shinya Arino of Game Center CX fame, as well as unidentified playable demos of Nintendo Switch games.
Why would Nintendo hold such an event barely a month after Tokyo Game Show 2019? Well, the gaming giant won’t be attending the massive games event, just like previous years. They’re prominent enough to hold an expo of their own, anyways. This is Nintendo we’re talking about.
Perhaps we’ll even receive some surprises at Nintendo Live 2019 Kyoto (The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild sequel, etc.). Fingers crossed.


The Witcher Season 3 Teaser Trailer Drop Along Side Premiere Dates

Get ready because The Witcher Season 3 is coming to Netflix and it’s going to be split into two parts! The first five episodes will premiere on 29 June and the remaining three episodes will drop on 27 July.
We’ve also been treated to a minute-long teaser trailer that gives us a glimpse of what to expect. Henry Cavill will be reprising his role as Geralt, but unfortunately, this will be his last season before he passes on the torch to Liam Hemsworth in Season 4. We’ll also see Anya Chalotra return as Yennefer and Freya Allan as Ciri as they take on the world as a trio.

The teaser trailer flashes between various scenes from the new season, but it doesn’t give us a long look at anything in particular. We do get to see more of the Wild Hunt, Rience, and a few other villains. However, the trailer doesn’t reveal too much about the new season’s central conflict, which is the crumbling institution of mages in a blood battle.
According to the official plot synopsis, Geralt takes Ciri into hiding as monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her. Meanwhile, Yennefer is entrusted with Ciri’s magical training and leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza. However, they quickly discover that they’ve stumbled into a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery.
It’s worth noting that Netflix’s Witcher world is separate from the famous books and video game franchise. The world has expanded significantly since its inception, with seven seasons of the mainline series planned, a spin-off animated film called Nightmare of the Wolf, and a prequel series called Blood Origin.


Xbox Is Now The Official Partner Of England Football Teams

Microsoft has announced that Xbox has been named the official gaming partner of Englandâ€™s national football teams. The multi-year partnership covers the Lionesses team, eLions esports team and the Three Lions team, as well as Wembley Stadium.
Xbox has committed to a grassroots gaming campaign with The Football Association, creating exciting experiences for football and gaming fans across the nation.
The partnership has been launched with the message: â€œWhen Everybody Plays, We All Winâ€.
Global Xbox Partnerships Marcos Waltenberg said:
â€œAt Xbox, we strive to remove barriers and to empower people to experience the joy of play: millions of people around the world find common ground and connect through playing games, as they do with football.
In The FA we see a tremendous organization, which has the same drive and ambition to empower people as we do at Xbox.
Through our partnership, we aim to bring further value to the England Football Teams and power the dreams of players and fans everywhere.â€
Kathryn Swarbrick, The FAâ€™s Commercial and Marketing Director, said:
â€œWe are delighted to be partnering with Xbox, a brand that aligns with The FAâ€™s values.
Gaming is loved and embraced by fans across the world, and we see this partnership as an opportunity to take that relationship to the next level for all of those connected with English football.
When Everyone Plays, We All Winâ€™ is a message that rings true of what we strive to achieve at The FA and we hope that our inspirational national teams can bring great value to Xbox.
As a not-for-profit organisation, commercial partnerships are vital in allowing us to continue to invest millions into all levels of the game, so we thank Xbox for that support.â€
Further details of upcoming activities and how fans can get involved with the partnership will be announced in the near future.


Here’s Your First Red Dead Redemption 2  Mod

We talked about mods we want inÂ Red Dead Redemption 2 PC edition, but we never thought we’d see one being previewed a few days before its release.
A group called RedDeadModders created a mod where you can change Arthur Morgan’s default face with clown makeup so that you can have him look like The Joker. That’s not all: the team also made a mod featuring theÂ Terminator, an undead horse, and a reshade colour mod that enhances the game’s colours and shadows.
The game’s already out, so if you feel that your cowpoke adventures could use aÂ  tune-up, download the mod(s)Â  here onÂ  Nexus Mods.Â


Malaysia Gets Special God Of War Ragnarok Wayang Exhibitions In Kuala Lumpur

Looking to celebrate the release of God of War Ragnarok beyond the game? Happen to live in Malaysia?
Then come on down A Place Where (APW) in Bangsar from now until 7th December where you get to see a couple of cool-looking murals featuring God of War’s Kratos and Atreus in a wayang kulit art style, as well as a suspended Leviathan Axe and Mjolnir Hammer replicas on display. This was all brought together by PlayStation Asia and PlayStation Studios Malaysia.

There is also an art exhibition at the center of the area showcasing special God of War Ragnarok artworks from Southeast Asian artists, as well as PlayStation peripherals, consoles, and merchandise. There’s also merchandise collaborations with fashion brands like CASETiFY, #FR2, and New Era on display. This pop-up exhibition will be up from 9th to 13th November.

As a special one-night-only display, PlayStation Studios Malaysia and Fusion Wayang Kulit created a special God of War Ragnarok wayang kulit display featuring Atreus and Kratos. Check it out below, since there’s no other way to see it. It’s pretty detailed and quite a beauty, if we’re being honest.

There will also be some special games and events happening at the art display area. If you wish, you can also have your face adorned with Kratos’ signature red paint from the available make-up artist in the area; the paint is water-based and the painters are only around from 12th to 13th November. Or you can just play the game on PS5 at the many kiosks available.
Here’s the schedule:
Drinks Giveaway
Date: 9th to 13th November
Time: 12pm to 3pm
Rules: Participants need to do a Spartan Rage scream/shout at the promoter. They then get a coupon for a free hot drink from the Breakfast Thieves cafe which is in APW. Drinks are limited to 40 coupons on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Sticker Giveaway
Date: 9th to 13th November
Time: 10am to 10pm
Rules: Players need to show off their PSN IDs to claim one free sticker (while stocks last).
Quiz + Giveaway
Date: 12th to 13th November
Time: 10am to 10pm
Rules: Participants will need to answer questions regarding the God of War Ragnarok art display. Winners will get free merchandise like a themed t-shirt.


The Boys Season 2 Kicks Off With An Electrifying Start…[Update]

Originally published on 7 September 2020:
(Updated on 14 October 2020):
Woah, that’s all eight episodes of The Boys Season 2 in just about a month. While I initially reviewed the first three episodes last month, it’s time for me to review the entire second season as a whole (while still being spoiler-free, of course).
In the five remaining episodes, we’ve seen the introduction of new characters and the death of several as well. This season ups the ante in terms of stakes and danger, and it feels just like Game Of Thrones back when it was at its best; no one is truly safe.
What I love most about The Boys Season 2 is that the other supporting characters also received their time in the spotlight. We learnt more about Karen Fukuhara’s Kimiko and Tomer Capon’s Frenchie, both of whom are given their own respective story arcs and well-earned development.

It can’t always be about Jack Quaid’s Hughie, Karl Urban’s Butcher and the Supes, am I right? However, you don’t have to worry about that, as we still got plenty from them throughout the second season (they are still the main characters, after all).
At the end of it all, Butcher and Homelander are the ones most affected by everything that’s happened, so fans of both characters are sure to be happy on that front. There’s also sort of an ending stinger during the season finale that answers a lingering a question from earlier in the season.
This character-driven approach to The Boys Season 2 is what makes the series an even more compelling watch compared to the first season. Sure, we’re here for the deconstruction and satire of comic book superheroes, but that doesn’t mean that the characters can’t be complex and have depth. Fortunately, showrunner Eric Kripke has successfully accomplished that.

The Boys has already been greenlit for a third season, so we’ll only have to wait for now. In the meantime, the comics by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson are amazing, so you can bide your time with that until Season 3 eventually arrives.
At the beginning of Season 2, I gave The Boys a 90/100. It deserved it then, and it deserves it even more so now after a brilliant eight episodes. The Boys is Amazon Prime Video’s equivalent of HBO’s Game Of Thrones, Netflix’s Stranger Things or Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian. This latest season pretty much cements that.

It’s nothing short of incredible how popular Amazon Prime’s The Boys has become since debuting its explosive first season in 2019.
It’s currently the best time for a show like this to exist; just as the superhero genre is at its zenith. As a deconstruction and satire of the genre, The Boys keeps getting better and better, as evident from the first three episodes of its second season so far.
The Boys Reassembled

The Boys Season 2 picks up where the first season left us; with Butcher (Karl Urban) still missing and The Seven now essentially The Five (with the death of Translucent last season and the banishment of Chace Crawford’s The Deep). Vought, the company who owns The Seven, is now trying to add new members to the superhero group.
With Vought vice president Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue) dead and gone, it’s ripe for the company’s CEO to take a more active role; Stan Edgar (as portrayed by the charismatic and terrifyingly-awesome Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Bad‘s Gustavo Fring fame).
Meanwhile, The Boys is trying to figure out what their next step is considering that Butcher is gone. However, he returns at the end of the very first episode, which meant the Butcher-less team dynamic barely lasted an episode. That’s alright though, since what is The Boys without Butcher at the helm (much to the frustration of Jack Quaid’s Hughie).

However, the biggest shakeup for this season of The Boys is the introduction of Stormfront, as portrayed by Aya Cash. She is one of the new members of The Seven, and even after just three episodes, she is clearly the new MVP of the show.
She steals almost every scene that she appears in, adding much-needed spice and feistiness to the team.
Oh, and she annoys Homelander (Antony Starr) as well, which is great. Just like last season, Homelander is still an asshole and a violent psychopath. His effectiveness as a villain lies in the fact that he’s basically a Superman who doesn’t pull his punches, and you never know exactly what he’s going to do next, which makes for compelling viewing.
Superdickery
Back to Stormfront, she changes the team dynamic of The Seven by providing a fodder against Homelander. No one else in the team would dare disagree or throw sass at freaking Homeland, but not this person. Still, there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye, and a shocking revelation at the end of the third episode will likely surprise anyone who’s not familiar with the source material.

As someone who has read the comics, I was initially sceptical of showrunner Eric Kripke’s decision to change Stormfront’s gender (he’s a dude in the comics) without any justification. The first three episodes have pleasantly proven me wrong and I’m looking forward to seeing more of her character in the rest of Season 2.
Besides Homelander and Stormfront, another character that’s finally been given due attention and more screen time is Kimiko AKA The Female of The Boys, played by Karen Fukuhara of 2016’s Suicide Squad fame.
She didn’t get to do much in Season 1, but we learn a more about her in the second season, as one of the main arcs focuses on her and her mysterious past.
Prepare For Mayhem
After seeing the first three episodes, there’s a good reason why Amazon Prime and Kripke have released the first three episodes at once, and will only be shifting back to a weekly schedule starting from the fourth episode. The first two episodes primarily focused on re-introducing the existing characters and all the new ones, which means that nothing much happens to move the main narrative along.

However, this all changed in the third episode, which is now one of my favourite episodes in the entire series to date. The aforementioned revelation and “electrifying” stinger at the end of this episode will likely be the one most discussed by viewers, due to its controversial nature (and bizarrely timely nature as well, in the face of the current Black Lives Matter worldwide movement).
If that episode is an indication of what to expect from future episodes -five episodes left in Season 2- then I’m fairly sure that we’re in for a very explosive and extremely offensive ride. The series won’t be holding back now that the it’s full speed ahead.
FINAL SCORE: 90/100
The first three episodes of The Boys Season 2 is now available on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service, with subsequent episodes to premiere every Friday.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below.


Horror Movie Game Man of Medan To Feature Multiplayer Modes; Wait What?

Remember Supermassive Games, the folks responsible for the lovely-yet-cheesy interactive horror game Until Dawn? They’ll be bringing new kinds of scares with their upcoming title The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan.
To shake the single-player choose-your-own-adventure gameplay they’re known for, the devs will be adding in new online and offline multiplayer modes. Here’s a breakdown of each of them:
Shared Story Mode (Online)

Play the game with a friend in two-player co-op where you explore the world, make choices that affect the story outcome and the fate of the cast.
Both player’s perspectives will be different. There will be situations where you split up, and you know what that means in horror games; new locations, new interactions, and new scares.

Movie Night Mode (Offline)

Couch co-op gaming at its finest; here, you play locally in a group of up to five players with one controller.
Each player takes charge of the movement, decisions, and choices of one of the five main characters. It’s up to you guys and gals if you want to survive together, or just be dicks to one another.
Players will be given achievements and rewards for the actions they do.

Check out the trailer below to see how it all plays out. This does look promising for horror fans and interactive movie adventure game admirers.


Singapore’s Creative Technology Founder & Sound Blaster Father Has Died

The chairman and chief executive of Creative Technology, Sim Wong Hoo, has passed away yesterday on Wednesday. He was 67.
The cause of death was not disclosed (via Straits Times), though Creative said he died peacefully. Here is the official statement:
“On behalf of all staff of the company, the board expresses its deepest sorrow over the death of Mr Sim and conveys its condolences to his family.”
Sim founded the Singapore-based tech company in 1981 and has spearheaded the company since the beginning. For those who don’t know, Creative Technology is well-known for its Sound Blaster sound cards, wireless speakers, headphones, and even fancy soundbars. But every 90s PC gamer will remember the game-changing Sound Blaster since it’s the most popular sound card to buy for desktops back in the day. Remember DOS, 386s, 486s, and Voodoo graphics cards? Yeah, those were crazy old-school times.

He also fought against Apple co-founder Steve Jobs over their company’s portable music players. His company sued them in 2006 for patent infringement involving the iPod and walked away with US$100 million as a settlement.
After being delisted from NASDAQ stock exchange and keeping quiet since the settlement -the Apple iPod was more popular than Creative’s mp3 player- Creative made a comeback with the Super X-Fi, an audio technology that lets headphone users experience sound in expansive three-dimensional detail.

Rest in peace, Sim Wong Hoo. You will be missed; thank you for your contributions and for making your Singaporean countrymen proud.
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