Your Malaysian Guide To Black Friday & Cyber Monday Gaming Deals

This feature will be updated constantly with new deals during this week.
It’s Thanksgiving week in America. Sure, you may not care so much about the holiday, but the event after the holiday? It’s open season for you bargain hunters out there who rely on buying your electronics and games online.
That’s right: Black Friday and Cyber Monday are upon us all in Malaysia, Singapore, and the whole of Southeast Asia. As such, here are the best deals we could find.
Unless stated otherwise, these codes, products, and electronics can be shipped to your respective SEA country with additional costs. You may want to check your favourite site’s shipping policy and cost before you go nuts with these deals.
Blue Yeti Microphone

If you want to do a bit of livestreaming, this microphone’s the way to go. It’s only US$89; way cheaper than the US$130+ price tag it has now. Features multi-pattern selection, tri-capsule array, and all-in-one recording function be it for chats, livestream sessions, or even music.
Steam Sales Galore

The Steam Autumn PC game sale is happening just in time for Black Friday. Here are our recommendations:

Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Strikers – RM90 (50% off)
Rocket League – RM19 (50% off)
Phantom Doctrine – RM45.50 (30% off)
The Evil Within 2 – RM78.20 (67% off)
A Hat In Time – RM32.48 (42% off)
Monster Hunter World – RM91.74 (34% off)
Street Fighter V Arcade Edition – RM22.50 (50% off)
Ultra Street Fighter IV – RM27 (75% off)

These Logitech Z625 Speakers

For RM599, you get a pretty beefy set of speakers and a Bluetooth audio receiver. So if you like to piss off your neighbours with sounds of war from Battlefield 5, go nuts.
…And This Sweet Logitech G413 Keyboard

As someone who owns this, I can tell you that RM231 for this bad boy is a steal. The keys feel great to the touch be it for typing or for FPSing/APMing, and it isn’t as garish & obnoxious with its backlighting. A must-buy keyboard that isn’t going to break your wallet. – Mr Toffee
Middle-Earth: Shadow of WarÂ

The folks at Fanatical are selling last year’s Middle-Earth Arkham Asylum-esque action game for US$12 if you apply the “Blackfriday10” code at checkout. So if you want an orc-befriending/beheading simulator, you can’t go wrong with this sequel. We do hope the endgame for this is fixed though; a lot of people were complaining about the grind.
AC Odyssey Price Cut

One of our favourite open world games is now being sold for US$40.19 on Humble Bundle. No, it’s not Marvel’s Spider-Man and it’s not Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey! Surprised? Or confused?
The Witcher 3: Game of the Year Edition

2015’s best CRPG bar none is now available for US$20, and it starts that one guy in Soulcalibur VI. With the expansions and extra DLC also in this bundle, there’s really no excuse for you not to buy this.
Bayonetta & Vanquish PC Pack

Two of Platinum Games’ best action titles are on sale for US$9. Just use the code “Blackfriday10” at checkout for the slashed price.
These Green Man Gaming Code Deals

You like digital copies of PC games with price slashes? Try these:

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4Â â€” US$47.99 (usually US$59.99)
Warhammer: Vermintide 2Â â€” US$15 (usually US$29.99)
Sid Meierâ€™s Civilization 6Â â€” US$15 (usually US$59.99)
XCOM 2Â â€” US$15 (usually US$59.99)
NBA 2K19Â â€” US$30 (usually US$59.99)
Assassinâ€™s Creed OdysseyÂ â€” US$40.19 (usually US$59.99)
Dark Souls 3Â â€” US$15 (usually US$59.99)
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant KingdomÂ â€” US$35.99 (usually US$59.99)
DragonBall Fighter ZÂ â€” US$24 (usually US$59.99)
DoomÂ â€” US$14.99 (usually US$19.99)
Fallout 4: Game of the Year EditionÂ â€” US$24 (usually US$59.99)
No Manâ€™s SkyÂ â€” US$30 (usually US$59.99)
Grand Theft Auto 5Â â€” US$19.79 (usually US$29.99)

Alexstraza Leggings (25% off)

Need to look stylish while keeping to a WoW theme you want to adhere to for your dress sense? Why not get these leggings from the Blizzard Gear Store. It’s US$27.50.
BlizzCon 2018 Goodie Bag (50% off)

US$20 will net you these early November goodies: a BlizzCon book, a WoW Faction keychain, an Overwatch Challenge Coin, a Classic Diablo vinyl figure, a Hearthstone fridge magnet set, a StarCraft II Anniversary pin, and aÂ Heroes of the Storm Raven Lord Crest Magnet.
Blizzard Game Sales

Blizzard Entertainment is going big for Black Friday this year, with discounts up to 66% for Blizzard games and Activision PC titles at the Battle.net Shop from now until November 27, 2018.
Consumers can also look forward to discounts up to 75% on Blizzard merchandise and clothing on the Blizzard Gear Store from now until November 30, 2018.
Highlights include the following:

Overwatch Free Trial from now until November 27, 2018.
Overwatch Legendary Edition – US$19.99 (66% off)
Overwatch Standard Edition – US$14.99 (62% off)
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth – 20% off for all editions
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (PC) – 20% off for all editions
Destiny 2: Forsaken (PC) – Up to 35% off for all editions
Diablo 3 – 50% off the base game and upgrades
Starcraft: Remastered and Starcraft 2 – 50% off

Head to the Battle.net Shop here for games and Blizzard Gear Store here for merchandise.
PlayStation Store Asia Black Friday Sale

PlayStation Asia is currently holding a Black Friday Sale on the PlayStation Store, which will be running until November 25, 2018. It’s definitely one of the biggest sales fo PSN Asia in 2018 to date, with discounts up to 80% for normal users and a whopping 90% for PS Plus subscribers.
However, most of the higher discounts are reserved for indie and non-AAA games. What’s interesting is that even relatively recent AAA games are offering decent discounts, despite only being several months old at best.
With over 400 game offerings, check out our picks:

Marvel’s Spider-Man – RM157.21 (21% off)
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Digital Standard Edition – RM208.25 (15% off)
God of War – RM89.40 (40% off)
FIFA 19 – RM174.30 (30% off)
Detroit: Become Human – RM125.40 (40% off)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – RM187.20 (20% off)
Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition – RM75.60 (60% off)
Nier: Automata – RM129.60 (40% off)
The Witcher 3: Game of the Year Edition – RM75.60 (60% off)
Life Is Strange 2 Complete Season – RM100 (20% off)
Dishonored 2 – RM68.40 (60% off)
Bioshock: The Collection – RM96.40 (60% off)
XCOM 2 Collection – RM209.50 (50% off)
Kingdom Come: Deliverance – RM143.40 (40% off)
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age – RM159.20 (20% off)

Wargaming Black Friday Deals: World of Tanks and World of Warships

Wargaming is serving up some hot discounts and perks for you folks this weekend for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
These cover a variety of Wargaming titles including World of Tanks, World of Warships, World of Tanks: Mercenaries, World of Tanks: Blitz, and World of Warships: Blitz, with discounts up to a whopping 60%.
For more details and information on what exactly these Black Friday perks are, head on here for the full story.


Resident Evil Village DLC Trailer Shows Off Playable Lady Dimitrescu; Internet Rejoices

Resident Evil Village is getting new DLC this October, and the latest Gold Edition trailer showcases the playable characters in Mercenaries Mode.
Why should you care? Because you not only get to play as the gun-totting Chris Redfield and the magnet powered Heisenberg, but you get to play with as Lady Dimitrescu for the first time. You get to use her long-ass claws, big body and presumably big health bar, and her flamethrower-laced cigar holder to your advantage. When you get her Thrill Gauge filled up from killing enemies, she can move fast and summon her daughters as additional partners.
And yes, she throws the chair as one of her attacks. Blink and you’ll miss it. Check out the rest of the bloodbath and action below, featuring Chris Redfield with all the guns in the game and Heisenberg’s telling people it’s hammer time.

It’s not all mindless action, kinda. Chris Redfield can go into Onslaught Mode which makes him move faster, reload quicker, and deal more damage. Assuming he kills enough enemies first to fill up the bar, of course.
Heisenberg not only has a large electrified hammer, but can drag enemies close to him with his Magnetic Field ability, as well as summon a Soldat Jet that is a makeshift rocket launcher. This sounds like a perfect excuse to replay Resident Evil Village, especially with the third-person mode and the Rose Winters extra storyline.
Resident Evil Village’s DLC The Winters Expansion will be out for PC and consoles this 28 October.


Valve Is Making Its Own Portable Gaming PC To Rival The Nintendo Switch

Valve’s Steam PC boxes and custom PCs aren’t exactly new things, but what about portable versions of it? That’s the current buzz on the PC rumour mill; Steam is going to sell a portable gaming PC to rival the Nintendo Switch.
Billed the Valve SteamPal (probably a placeholder name), the system will be larger than the Nintendo Switch and run on Linux. According to Ars Technica, the Nintendo Switch-inspired portable PC will be on sale by the end of 2021.
The SteamPal will be an all-in-one Linux-based PC that comes with a touch screen and gamepad controls, as well as being its own standalone gaming device.Â The machine will use either an Intel or AMD chipset. Also, you can connect the SteamPal to other monitors via a USB Type-C connection. The console also supports controller bindings, has a quick access menu, and also features system settings, wifi, and Bluetooth.
Hopefully, this new SteamPal venture will be more successful than the Steam Machines, Steam Link, and the Steam Controller combined. Valve does not have a good track record with hardware as of yet.


Epic Games Store Adds 8 Quirky And Innovative Games To Its Lineup

Sometimes I wonder if the Epic Games Store will ever improve itself and finally add vital features like a shopping cart and localised prices. Unfortunately for me and many other gamers out there, Epic doesn’t give a damn and just wants to get more games into its store.
In a new promotional video, the EGS is announcing the addition of 8 more games into its catalogue. This time, the focus is on a collection of titles that verge more on the unique and weird or quirky side of things. Take a look:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPpAg6IePGU&w=560&h=315]
Ooblets
“It’s like Harvest Moon meets Pokemon meets Animal Crossing” is how the developers of Ooblets describe their game.
You’ll be managing your own farm where you grow and train creatures called ooblets. Venture out into the world and meet other ooblet trainers and engage in dance battles with them.
No Straight Roads
Developed by Malaysian game studio Metronomik, No Straight Roads is a music-themed action game that puts you in the shoes of rock musicians trying to fight against an evil EDM empire.
To find out more, check out our interview with the developers here.

The Eternal Cylinder
You control a herd of creatures called Trebhums and explore a strange alien world. As you go about your adventures, you will discover and gain dozens of mutations which unlocks skills like flying, swimming and more.
Wattam
Also being released for the PS4, Wattam comes from the same people who brought us Katamari Damacy. So expect a lot of heartwarming moments and unpredictably random gameplay and story.
Airborne Kingdom
Basically, you have to build a flying city and keep it afloat (hehe).
Aside from gathering resources and satisfying the needs of your people, you also have to make sure your city can maintain its lift and balance.

Superliminal
Remember those crazy optical illusions that make small things seem big and big things seem small?
Superliminal is pretty much that but an entire video game. If you thought Portal was innovative, this is on a whole other level.
Manifold Garden
A while ago, there was a 2D puzzle game called Fez that incorporated a game mechanic where if you changed the camera perspective, it would change the level structure as well.
Manifold Garden brings that concept to a 3D space and it’s at least 5 times more headache-inducing.
The Alto Collection
Despite the video saying that this is the first time that The Alto Collection is coming to PC, the first game, Alto’s Adventure was already released on the Windows store in 2016.
The sequel, Alto’s Odyssey is definitely coming to PC for the first time. The games are basically endless runners but with snowboards.

It’s cool that the EGS is getting more games and supporting small/indie developers. I just hope that we’ll be getting localised MYR prices soon since No Straight Roads is coming to the store.


PUBG Is Free To Play On Steam For The Weekend

For the next three days (starting from today), PUBG is free to play on Steam, and if you want to keep going once the promotion ends, the game will also be available to purchase for a whopping 50 percent off (only RM37.49).
For the free weekend, players can access the entirety of PUBG, including the new Ranked mode, albeit with the exception of the in-game store. The free period will end at 1am GMT+8 on 9 June 2020.

For added incentive, any and all progress that players make will be carried over to the full version if they decide to purchase the game. These include achievements such as Pass rewards, BP, XP, and RP.
If PUBG or battle royale games aren’t your cup of tea, the multiplayer game Overcooked is also currently free to claim on the Epic Games Store.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvU-ngb7gMU&w=560&h=315]


Spider-Man Far From Home: What Could It Be?

It looks like the arachnid is out of the bag. Tom Holland has done it again, this time “accidentally” revealing the title for the next Spider-Man movie on Instagram. The sequel to 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming will be Spider-Man: Far From Home, according to the script Holland holds in his hands. It has also been officially confirmed by Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige. Nothing else has been revealed about the upcoming movie, so we’ll have to speculate about what that title could mean and what it could possibly bring.
How Far From Home Will Far From Home Be?
Spider-Man: Far From Home is definitely an interesting title. How Far From Home will Far From Home be? According to Kevin Feige, Peter will be spending his summer vacation in Europe with his friends. What does that mean? Before Feige said that, I imagined Spider-Man being in outer space, which looks like it’s not happening. I know Spider-Man already left Earth in Avengers: Infinity War. However, a certain Secret Wars storyline involving Battleworld would have been perfect to introduce Venom into the MCU. Don’t remind me of that Sony Venom movie coming later this year.
If Feige Is Telling The Truth
Then it means that Spider-Man could be going anywhere in Europe. The movie will be partially shot in London, but surely he won’t be spending all his time there. We already had one whole movie taking place there in Thor: The Dark World (2013). I could think of several interesting places that Spider-Man could go to in Europe. Latveria comes to mind, but Disney and Marvel Studios don’t have the rights to anything related to the Fantastic Four yet, though that could change in the near future. Another place that always seems to pop up in Spidey’s adventures in the comics includes the fictional country of Symkaria.
What Is Symkaria?
Symkaria is a fictional Eastern European country in the Marvel Universe, a neighboring country to Latveria. It was first introduced in Amazing Spider-Man Issue 265 (1985), which lends further credibility to the possibility of this theory. Symkaria is heavily connected to Silver Sable. Who is Silver Sable? She is a Symkarian mercenary, whose job often puts her in conflict with superheroes. Enter: Spider-Man. In the comics, she is sometimes an ally or an enemy, based on the situation. She has even been a lover of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in the past. She leads a mercenary team called Wild Pack, which could pose a threat even to a more experienced Spider-Man.
Cover of a recent Silver Sable one-shot issue, as part of the Marvel Legacy relaunch.
If Feige Is Joking
Then it means a Battleworld storyline with Venom could be possible, though I don’t know what effect Sony’s Venom movie would have on this potential storyline. During the original Secret Wars (1984), Spider-Man found himself in tattered clothing. He goes to a machine he thinks holds new clothes. The clothes immediately covered his body and could mimic any form. It was only later that it Spider-Man discovers his new black suit is actually alive. However, to introduce Secret Wars so soon after the huge events of Infinity War doesn’t make sense. Still, the MCU could just have Peter going into space and discovering the symbiote by himself, even without Secret Wars.
When he first donned the now-iconic Black Suit.
What’s Next For Spider-Man?
Looks like we’ll have to wait until Avengers 4 in 2019 before we can say anything concrete about where Spider-Man could be going. Everyone who has watched Avengers: Infinity War knows what Peter’s current condition is, but Avengers 4 will be changing everything. Until then, and until more Marvel or Feige reveals more details, we can only speculate about what could happen. The future of the MCU post-Infinity War looks to be the most exciting and unpredictable Phase yet. In the meantime, look at this fan-made Spider-Man Far From Home poster which shows us what a Secret Wars Battleworld Venom adaptation could look like. It looks freaking awesome!
Spider-Man Far From Home Fan-Made Poster


Genshin Impact Fellflower Boss Guide: How To Earn Those Vanquisher’s Emblems

Genshin Impact’s latest Dragonspine quest line features a unique boss for you and your party to take down: the Fellflower Boss. Before you start, do check out our other guides to help you out.
Genshin Impact Starter Characters + Top Characters Guide
Genshin Impact Beginner Guide
Genshin Impact Endgame Guide: What’s Next?
Genshin Impact Shadows Amidst Snowstorms Guide
How To Access The Fellflower Boss
Complete the second half of the Shadows Amidst Snowstorms questline featuring Albedo. You’ll eventually get to fight the Fellflower. After that, you can participate in the boss fight multiple times for profit!
Fellflower Boss Guide

This special boss is pretty easy: get rid of its ice armour, sort out its Arcane Fruits and Essence, and then deal with its weaker-but-still-formidable second form. You can either solo this with your own party or team up with online players to tackle this boss.
Here are the steps and phases to keep in mind.
Phase 1
The first phase of this fight has the Fellflower completely shielded. To break its defenses, youâ€™ll need to destroy the Arcane Fruits – the large red crystals thrown out one at a time. The Arcane Fruits also have certain attack patterns, such as crashing down on the ground or firing projectiles.
After an Arcane Fruit is destroyed, three to four Arcane Essences will spawn. Pick these small crystals up to prevent the boss from assimilating them and replenishing its shield.
The boss will do the following attacks:

AvalancheÂ â€“ White circles will appear on the ground. After a second, ice blocks will crash down.
Rolling SnowballsÂ â€“ Three snowballs will get summoned, rolling outward and hitting you.
Cryo Slime â€“ At least one large Cryo Slime will be spawned during the fight.

Phase 2
Once the Fellflower’s armour has been fully depleted, it shrinks and will fight in its second phase. Here are its main attacks:

Snowball ThrowÂ  â€“ Itâ€™ll throw several snowballs in quick succession.
Flower TurretÂ â€“ The bulb will follow you around and shoot projectiles.
BurrowÂ â€“ The Fellflower will go underground before popping back up.

Vanquisher’s Emblem Tasks
Defeating the Fellflower will net you Vanquisher’s Emblems. Use these to buy special items at the limited time store.

Item
Vanquisherâ€™s Emblem Cost
Purchase Limit

Crown of Insight
500
1

Alkahest â€“ Used as a refinement material for the Cinnabar Spindle
400
2

Blue/3-star talent booklets (Freedom, Resistance, and Ballad)
20
6

Purple/4-star talent booklets (Freedom, Resistance, and Ballad)
60
2

10,000 mora
10
50

Here are the tasks to earn you more Vanquisher’s Emblems:

Destroy the Arcane Fruits and defeat the Fellflower â€“ This just means beating it normally.
Interrupt the snowball attack â€“ Destroy an Arcane Fruit while the Fellflower is using its snowball attack to interrupt the casting animation.
Defeat the Fellflower without allowing it to absorb Arcane Essence â€“ Just be quick when grabbing the Arcane Essence after an Arcane Fruit is destroyed.
Donâ€™t get hit by its subterranean attacks â€“ It seems that this refers to its burrowing attack, so just move away when it goes underground.
Donâ€™t get hit by the Arcane Fruitsâ€™ hammer strikes â€“ It seems that this refers to the jumping attacks that the Arcane Fruits tend to do. You can run away from the red circles that appear to avoid getting hit.
Defeat four monsters created by the Arcane Fruits â€“ At least one large Cryo Slime gets spawned, so make sure you take it out before killing the Fellflower. Just repeat this across four encounters to complete the tally.


This Batman Fan Film Features An Impressive Joker & Hollywood Cameos

Directors Aaron Schoenke and Sean Schoenke from YouTube channel BatInTheSun have made an impressive Batman fan film titled Batman Dying Is Easy. What distinguishes this from the rest is its surprisingly high production values and cameos from several Hollywood-level actors, including Doug Jones (of Star Trek Discovery‘s Saru fame), Casper Van Dien (of Starship Troopers fame) and Michael Madsen.
Funded by fans via IndieGoGo for more than US$75,000, the highlight of Batman Dying Is Easy is a confrontation between Batman (Kevin Porter) and a supposedly dying Joker (Aaron Schoenke).
After an opening scene that sees the Dark Knight take care of The Mad Hatter (Jamie Costa), Batman is called to Arkham Asylum to meet the Joker for his final words. Fans will appreciate the short but sweet cameos from Michael Madsen as Bullock, Doug Jones as the Riddler, musician Chris Daughtry as Hugo Strange, and Casper Van Dien as Commissioner Gordon.
Other Batman villains like Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, Victor Zasz and Catwoman can also been spotted in the 25-minute-long fan film.
You can check out Batman Dying Is Easy for free on YouTube below:


Saints Row Sequel News Come Marchin’ In 2020

It’s official: we’re getting news on a new Saints Row next year.
Current publisher Koch Media (under THQ Nordic) officially said that a new SaintsÂ  Row game is “deep in development”. They’ll be sharing more details in 2020. CEO KlemensÂ  Kundratitz said on GI.biz that they’ll be ready next year.

“Saints Row is very close to our hearts, and we’ll talk about it next year. For the time being, we just wanted to get the word out that it’s coming and it’s going to be great.”

That’s good to know, seeing that it’s been aÂ  while since we had a new Saints Row game. The last one wasÂ SaintsÂ  Row IV inÂ  2013.Â  The less said about developer Volition’s last game Agents ofÂ  Mayhem, the better.


World War II Turn-Based Strategy Game Forgotten But Unbroken Launches Kickstarter

Developed by Centurion Developments, Forgotten But Unbroken is a turn-based tactical strategy game set in the midst of the Second World War.
The game is planned to be released later this year on PC via Steam, and it’s looking like an exciting project. Plus, Elias Toufexis, known for his work on Gotham Knights, Saints Row, and Call of Duty, is leading the voice-acting cast.

Centurion Developments is a small, independent game development studio that has been focused on making high-quality strategy games since 2021. This new game is their debut title, and they’re hoping to make it a reality with the help of Kickstarter. They’re aiming for a US$60,000 goal to cover visual enhancements, sound design, and quality-of-life features to give players an incredible experience at launch.
Forgotten But Unbroken is set in Europe during the later years of WW2, where players must take control of a multinational company of soldiers fighting against the Axis powers. From US Army infantry to French resistance fighters, players will have a variety of weapons and strategies to use in their quest for victory. The game covers multiple fronts and theatres of war, and Centurion Developments has worked hard to ensure that the game is not only entertaining but also informative, using well-researched sources to tell the stories of historical heroes.
If you’re interested in supporting this exciting project, the Kickstarter campaign is live now and will be running for the next month. Once it’s released, Forgotten But Unbroken will be playable in English and Czech on Steam. Centurion Developments is hoping to create an intriguing and enjoyable turn-based tactics game of the highest quality, all while maintaining their creative control and independence.


These Avengers Endgame Deleted Scenes Will Make You Laugh & Cry

Three months after Avengers Endgame released in April 2019, the record-breaking gargantuan blockbuster will officially be releasing on Digital today on 30 July 2019, and Blu-ray next month on 13 August 2019. To mark this occasion, several Avengers Endgame deleted scenes have made their way online, which weren’t included in the Avengers Endgame re-release last month.
Avengers Paying Respect To Tony
At the time of writing, this clip has gone viral on social media, with many fans questioning why it wasn’t included in the theatrical version (or the re-release). This deleted scene features an extended sequence of Tony Stark’s death, focusing on the Avengers’ immediate reactions.
Starting with Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye, the Avengers kneeled down one-by-one as a sign of respect to Tony Stark, making for a poignant and heartbreaking scene. It’s also vital for showing us when exactly the 2014 Gamora left the group, and why Peter was looking for her at the end of the movie.
While many argue that the ensuing funeral and I Love You 3000 hologram scenes make this deleted scene redundant, I beg to differ. Check out the deleted scene below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhuTJvZWFhA&w=560&h=315]
Tony Shaving Rocket
In this deleted scene (which presumably takes place during the Avengers’ brainstorming session on figuring out which timeline to visit to obtain the Infinity Stones), Rocket mocks the Avengers for having a hard time against the Chitauri during the Battle Of New York in 2012’s The Avengers.
According to Rocket, the Chitauri are the “suckiest army in the galaxy” and pointed out that everyone knows blowing up the mother ship is the key to defeating them. He proceeds to laugh, but Tony stands up (without a word) and shaves the back of Rocket’s head.
Well, if that were true and it was that easy, Rocket, you guys wouldn’t have had to struggle so much in the final battle against Thanos and his Chitauri army at the end of Avengers Endgame, didn’t you? Check out the deleted scene below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg4KxGEH4wU&w=560&h=315]
Rhodey Making Fun Of Captain America
This deleted scene is the funniest one yet. While reviewing the past history of the Tesseract AKA the Space Stone, James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes AKA War Machine asks Steve Rogers why he crashed the plane back in 1945.
When Steve said that it’s because the plane was carrying a bomb, Rhodey drops one of his deadpan truth bombs by asking;

“You couldn’t have jumped out of the plane before you crashed it?”

Check out the deleted scene below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uoeUksRk-I&w=560&h=315]

These are the only Avengers Endgame deleted scenes that have been released online so far. We’ll keep updating this article with new ones as they are revealed.


Gamecom 2019: Alienware’s Latest Desktops Are Looking Out Of This World

Gaming computer and peripherals maker Alienware has unveiled its latest and most powerful desktop yet at Gamescom 2019. The new Aurora R9 desktop sports new and unique design aesthetics, which distinguishes it from its predecessors.
Alienware products are known and recognised for their black and edgy asteroid-themed designs, featuring an all-black colour scheme and military-like aesthetics which are meant to be reminiscent of the fabled Area 51. Now the folks at the company have adopted a brand new look and design philosophy.
The Aurora R9 looks modern and sleek, inspired by the circular and curvy designs of computers and machines seen in modern science fiction properties like Independence Day 2, The Matrix, Tron, Star Trek, District 9, Wall.E, Interstellar, Lucy, and more.

Gone are the symmetrical and square sharp edges of old Alienware, as the company wants to avoid all that going forward. Other gaming laptop makers have since followed suit with the Alienware’s old design aesthetics (like MSI and Acer Predator), so it’s high time for a change anyway.
Speaking with Digital Trends, Dell Vice President of Consumer Design Justin Lyles said:

â€œWhat weâ€™re seeing is a lot of square boxes.
We are not a delivery vehicle for the latest processors or graphics.
That is part of the equation, but our customers want something greater than that when they buy into the Alienware brand.
Itâ€™s not technology for technologyâ€™s sake.â€

To build the Aurora R9’s sexier circular design, Alienware has to rely on plastic for materials. As a result, the new desktop resembles an elongated jet engine, which Lyles describes as giving it “a sense of movement, speed, and performance.”

Alienware dubs their new design aesthetic, “Legend”, which they will bring forward to all their products into the future. The Alienware Aurora R9 is slated to launch today on 20 August 2019 in North America at a price of US$969, or roughly RM4052+.
There’s no word yet on when the Aurora R9 will be available in Southeast Asia. In the meantime, check out the partial specs below:

18.9 inches tall, 17 inches long, and 8.771 inches wide
Intelâ€™s 9th-Gen Core i9-9900K
Nvidiaâ€™s RTX 2080 Ti (optional dual RTX 2080)


Level-5 Showcases Detailed Look At Ni No Kuni Cross Worlds Gameplay

During Tokyo Game Show 2020, Level-5 and Netmarble have released a 48-minute â€œTeaser Tourâ€ video for Ni no Kuni Cross Worlds, which provides a full overview of the upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG.
The video is hosted by Hirai Yoshiyuki and Mimori Suzuko, as well as features guests Chiba Shoya, Aska, Masuo, Hino Akihiro (Level-5 CEO), Endo Yuuji (Netmarble Japan CEO), Kamiya Hiroshi, and Hanazawa Kana.
The overview teaser showcases the game’s vibrant environments, combat classes, and gameplay. These classes include swordsman, destroyer, engineer, witch, and rogue.

It also confirms that the kingdom-building sim management from Ni No Kuni 2 Revenant Kingdom makes a return. There will also be a brand new Kingdom mode, where players can meet other players and interact with cute pets. In addition, it also features PVP, in the form of 3v3 modes.
Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is slated to release for Android and iOS in Japan sometime in 2020. However, there’s no word yet on an international English version.
In the meantime, check out the gameplay supercut below:


Esports Integrated Charity Showmatch Returns Later This Month

Esports Integrated (ESI) is back with its Second Annual Charity Showmatch, this time in conjunction with Malaysia Esports Championship 2021/2022. Following the inaugural Charity Showmatch 2020 that took place during the launch of Esports Integrated back in October 2020, this yearâ€™s event will be fully held online.
Day 1 of MEC Charity Showmatch will take place on 23 October 2021 from 2pm to 12am, featuring prominent faces of the esports industry displaying their best gameplay live-streamed on Facebook. All Facebook Stars collected during the live streaming event will be donated to charity.
Day 2 of the event that will take place on 24 October 2021 from 4pm to 7pm will be even more action-packed as four of Malaysiaâ€™s top professional Mobile Legends: Bang Bang teams will participate in friendly matches among each other. Invited teams include Geek Fam, Orange Esports, Red Esports and Team Bosskurr.
You can tune in to MEC Charity Showmatch on 23 and 24 October 2021 at ESIâ€™s Facebook page. MEC Charity Showmatch is a program by Esports Integrated, an initiative under the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports.
https://www.facebook.com/esportsintegrated/posts/359844922505369


Valorant Director Is Now Working In Mystery Project At Bungie

The former director of Valorant has announced that he’s now working as the director of a mystery new game at Bungie. Joe Ziegler revealed the news via Twitter, confirming that he is now working at the Destiny developer.
He wrote:
“Update – Happy to announce my new home is at Bungie working on new stuff that hopefully will one day get to be played by you all,”

Update: Happy to announce my new home is at Bungie working on new stuff that hopefully will one day get to be played by you all. Much <3.
— Ziegler (@Ziegler_Dev) December 19, 2022

Ziegler is best known as one of the people who came up with the original idea for Valorant, which launched back in 2020 and now boasts millions of players. Earlier in December 2022, Zeigler announced that he was leaving Riot Games after working there for 12 years.
He tweeted back then:
“Hey everyone, I wanted to let you know that after 12 great years at Riot, this week will be my last week. I am departing with a heart full of gratitude for Riot Games and all of you for the amazing memories we’ve shared together. Will update very soon with my next home.”

Hey everyone, I wanted to let you know that after 12 great years at Riot, this week will be my last week. I am departing with a heart full of gratitude for Riot Games and all of you for the amazing memories we've shared together. Will update very soon with my next home.
— Ziegler (@Ziegler_Dev) December 7, 2022

Most recently, Bungie is gearing up to launch Lightfall, the seventh expansion for Destiny 2, on 28 February 2023. They will then work on The Final Shaper, the next expansion which is slated to launch in early 2024. Whatever Ziegler is working on there at Bungie is likely still in early development, which means that it will probably be a while before we hear anything official about it.
With PlayStation now owning Bungie, we might be getting the next great FPS PlayStation exclusive after Guerilla Games’ Killzone. Fingers crossed.


Anthem Is Dead, According To Its Own Players

BioWare was once a huge name in the gaming industry and still is, but for all the wrong reasons thanks to Anthem and Mass Effect: Andromeda. Despite its endless fixes to loot drops and endgame rewards, the game is bleeding players by the second.
The game has been declared dead by its own players after learning that the main Bioware team has now moved on to newer projects and now only a support team remains to keep the promises of the games as a service intact for Anthem.
This roadmap has expired, just like the game.
The roadmap Bioware has put out is now scrapped, and a new one hasn’t been announced. For some context to see how dead the game is, here are some stats and facts gathered from the Anthem subreddit;

Twitch viewership is down to a total of 197 views in the last 7 days.
More people watched Spongebob Battle for Bikini Bottom in the last 7 days than Anthem.
Frequent crashes and server disconnects event months after the game is released.
The game was so broken at launch is practically broke consoles.
The only reason Anthem is still being discussed is that it is a full priced game.

Players are truly hoping BioWare would pull off a ‘Bungie’ and save the title somewhere along the road ala Destiny: The Taken King, but with most of the teams focused on something else now like Dragon Age 4, the future seems bleak and the players know it.
So much for 10 years of support.


Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi Series May Tie In With Jedi: Fallen Order 2

The Star Wars live-action and game universes may end up being linked if this piece of news is true.
Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor (who plays the title character) hinted that the upcoming Disney+ series could tier into a Jedi: Fallen Order sequel. He said this on the Jimmy Kimmel show (via IGN), praising director Deborah Chow for her Star Wars knowledge. He stated that this was important because all of the stories have to match up; they can’t have some fact in a video game that doesn’t line up with the movies and TV shows.
The Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order sequel is said to take place roughly in the same timeline as Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, with both of them featuring Inquisitors as the main villains. You can expect the game to be out in 2023 and being made by developer Respawn and publisher EA.
Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi will be out on Disney+ this 27 May.


Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed 4v1 Game Announced

Illfonic, the folks behind the Predator: Hunting Grounds asymmetrical online PvP game, will be working on a new Ghostbusters title.
And surprise, surprise: it’s yet another 4v1 multiplayer game (via Game Informer), since that’s what the studio is renowned for. The game is called Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed and it’s a 4v1 multiplayer online game set to launch later in 2022 for PC and consoles. Up to four players control newbie ghostbusters to battle and catch a player-controlled ghost. Plot-wise, the game takes place after Ghostbusters: Afterlife; your boss is Winston Zeddmore (Ernie Hudson’s voice) and Ray Stantz (Dan Ackroyd’s voice) who will be at the Firehouse, which is basically the game’s hub area before the ghostbusting commences.

The game will take place in a variety of maps all across the US of A, with one of them being a museum. Ghostbuster players need to catch the ghost while calming frightened citizens. You have to find the targeted ghosts using your PKE meters and blast them with your particle thrower/proton blasters. You can also stun ghosts temporarily, but the best weapon you have is teamwork since you need to work together to do the tasks efficiently. If you deal too much property damage in an area, you’ll get your experience points post-session deducted.
Meanwhile, the ghost player will need to scare all bystanders and max out the global haunt meter. They have access to different ghost archetypes with various abilities.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will be crossplay-enabled and can be played solo offline with AI teammates and enemies. But really, the real fun is with people online anyway. This is all sounding like 2K Games and Turtle Rock’s Evolve, but hopefully a bit more refined and less expensive given it’s a multiplayer-only title. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will be out at the last quarter of 2022 for PC (Epic Games Store), Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, and PS5.


Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales Unveils First Look At Rhino Boss Fight

Courtesy of games publication Game Informer, we have our first look at the first boss fight from the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales.
The gameplay footage showcases Miles fighting against the Rhino, using his unique Venom Punch ability. The boss fight also evokes memories of 2000’S Spider-Man by Nervsoft on the original PlayStation, as it features electrical power grids that can stun Rhino when he smashes into them.

Marvelâ€™s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is slated to release for the PS4 and PS5 on 12 November 2020. It is now open for pre-orders on the PS4 (check out all the details here).
In the meantime, check out all the awesome screenshots below:


Witch Strandings Lets You Explore Digital Forests Next Month

Publisher Modern Wolf and developer Strange Scaffold has shown off some gameplay of its upcoming adventure game Witch Strandings.
As you can tell, it involves a digital-looking forest and a ton of exploring where you control a strand of light in a top-down view. You’ll need to use your mouse to swipe quickly through raging rapids or inch forward to avoid being swallowed by quicksand. The devs state that the game is a psychic nightmare that lets you decide if you want to make it a good place or cursed one with your interactions.
Witch Strandings will be out for PC on 7 July.


Genshin Impact Midsummer Island Adventure Guide

This guide will be periodically updated since each event unlocks at specific dates.
It’s bound to happen: the anime-influenced China-made JRPG Genshin Impact now has its own anime beach episode. Here, you get to partake in a bunch of water-based minigames, see a bunch of stories involving Favonius Knights Klee and Jean alongside Barbara, and check out a whole new area called the Golden Apple Archipelago.
Here’s a guide to sort you out if you’re curious about the event.
Main Quest #1

There’s a new questline that opens up the Midsummer Island Adventure event. All you have to do is:

Talk to the designated people during the questline. After a lot of back and forth, you’ll end up at the Windrise Statue of the Seven where you’ll meet Venti. He’ll do something which will take you to the Golden Apple Archipelago.
You then get to pilot a Waverider skiff. Follow the lights in the sea that will lead you to the three islands where you turn on the beacons/waypoints.
And you’re done!

The rest of the events and quests will be unlocked day by day for the duration of the event.
Main Cannon, Make Ready…Fire!
Here, you use the island’s Waverider skiff to destroy all the monster’s floating structures. You have to pilot the skiff all around the area and destroy enemy towers. Here are some quick protips:

You cannot destroy heavy towers with your skiff’s firepower: you need to get out and board the heavy tower to kill the enemies on top of it.
Ignore enemies atop the light towers; just use your skiff’s weapons to take care of the towers. When they crumble, all enemies will plummet into the water and die.

If a tower is protected by a Violent Wind Barrier, just destroy the explosive barrels around it to disable it.
The Pithy Pearls (the green icons that look like clock hands) will decrease your Heavy Cannon cooldown. Collect them to recharge your Heavy Cannon quicker.

Destroying them will net you Shiny Flotsam, which you can trade at the Event Shop for rewards. Here’s what you can get at the Event Shop store.

Item
Shiny Flotsam Cost

Crown of Insight
500

Northlander Billet Trove
500

“A Guide IN The Summer Woods” Furniture Blueprint
100

“A Messenger in the Summer Woods” Furniture Blueprint
100

“Pure Gorgeous Summer”
Furniture Blueprint
200

Philosophies of Freedom/Resistance/Ballad/Prosperity
/Diligence/Gold
50

How To Get Jean’s Sea Breeze Dandelion Summer Wear

Get ready 1350 Genesis Crystals (which is close to RM100/US25).
Go to the Shop in the Character Outfits tab.
Purchase the costume. In case you didn’t figure it out, this is a purchase-only option.


This Is Your EVO 2020 Lineup; Marvel vs Capcom 2 Returns

Want to find out what fighting games will be featured in this year’s EVO fighting game tournament in Las Vegas?
If you love 3v3 fighting games, you’ll be pleased to know that the one true king, Marvel vs Capcom 2, is back. Dragon Ball FighterZ is also in it if you want an alternative.
The other fighting games include:

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition
Tekken 7
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Under Night In-Birth (the new version)
SoulCalibur VI
Granblue Fantasy Versus

Here’s the full list:

EVO 2020 will be held at the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, and will happen on 31st July to 2nd August.


Super Smash Bros. Composer Kenichi Okuma Has Died

Sad news for the Super Smash Bros. community: one of the game’s composers has passed away.
Composer Kenichi Okuma died at the age of 56 due to esophageal cancer on 22nd July. Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai shared his condolences via social media.
“Best wishes for your soul … Thank you for your support in “Smash Bros. X”, but there are some songs that will be used in later series.”

??????????…??????X???????????????????????????????????
— ?? ?? / Masahiro Sakurai (@Sora_Sakurai) July 25, 2022

He was renowned for composing and arranging a number of Super Smash Bros. Brawl music like Pokemon Gym/Evolution, Flat Zone 2, and Gyromite. Rest in peace, Okuma-san: you will be missed by fans of your awesome remixes and compositions!


Meta Sacks Ready At Dawn And Downpour Interactive Employees In Latest Cutbacks

The “hits” just keep on coming for the company formerly known as Facebook.
Meta’s latest round of layoffs has hit its internal game development studios, most notably Ready At Dawn and Downpour Interactive. The latest round happened on Wednesday PST time, with employees from the VR game development portion mentioning their recent layoffs from the company.

1/3 of the studio was laid off today including the studio head
— Thomas Griebel (@thomas_griebel) April 19, 2023

I just got laid off by @Meta and no longer work on @OnwardTheGame . If anyone is hiring designers feel free to reach out, or just if you wanna play some DMZ or something. I definitely got time now.
— Michael Tsarouhas (@mikee_vo) April 19, 2023

Layoffs. I lost a lot of colleagues and friends today.
— KasperVld (@KasperVld) April 19, 2023

Meta has cut 11,000 employees in late 2022, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing plans to axe 10,000 more jobs by May. It’s looking to many people that the Metaverse may not have much of a future if this keeps going on.


Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Final Trailer Shows Off More Surprises [Update]

Square Enix showed off the final trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade featuring more of Yuffie’s episode and the return of a Final Fantasy VII minigame.

The latest trailer highlights a special boss fight with Weiss (from that subpar hack-and-slash FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus), a story boss fight with SHINRA head of research Scarlet with her new mecha, another fight with a SHINRA human experiment, and the real-time strategy minigame at Cosmo Canyon in the original game making a comeback.

Looks like the mechanics are revamped, so it’ll be more fun than the original, hopefully.
Oh, and if you listen closely to the trailer music, it’s an FFVII Remake version of Yuffie’s theme, sped up to make it a tad more dramatic. And if my predictions are correct, Yuffie will be the first woman to bitch-slap Scarlet just before Tifa does. Nice one, Square Enix!
[Update] But what about the eventual sequel? Final Fantasy VII Remake co-director Tetsuya Nomura said some things about the next episode in the Remake series:
“Development is moving forward quite well. Iâ€™d like to perhaps make a proper announcement when the timing is right, but Cloud is running through mother nature. Youâ€™ll be able to enjoy a somewhat different atmosphere from the first gameâ€¦ Well, things are progressing nicely, so please wait for it. The next game starts directly afterÂ Intergrade, so I hope you will also get to playÂ Intergrade.”
FFVII Intergrade will be out for PS5 on 10th June. Here are more screenshots to keep you hyped.

Oh, and if you’re interested, there’s a Final Fantasy VII battle royale game coming out; the closed beta in Japan starts 1st June and ends 8th June. Check out the gameplay below.


The US Federal Trade Commission To Block Microsoft Xbox Acquisition Of Activision Blizzard

The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking to block Microsoft Xbox from acquiring Activision Blizzard for US$68.7 billion. The reason for FTC’s decision is because they claim that the Microsoft Xbox Activision Blizzard deal would give them too much of a monopoly in the games industry and “would enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its rapidly growing subscription content and cloud-gaming business”.
In the official complaint, the FTC pointed out Microsoft’s “record of acquiring and using valuable gaming content to suppress competition from rival consoles,” including its previous acquisition of ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks. They added that “Microsoft decided to make several of Bethesda’s titles including Starfield and Redfall Microsoft exclusives despite assurances it had given to European antitrust authorities that it had no incentive to withhold games from rival consoles”.
Holly Vedova, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, said:
“Microsoft has already shown that it can and will withhold content from its gaming rivals. Today we seek to stop Microsoft from gaining control over a leading independent game studio and using it to harm competition in multiple dynamic and fast-growing gaming markets.”
The rest of the FTC’s announcement reads:
Microsoft’s Xbox Series S and Series X are one of only two types of high performance video game consoles. Importantly, Microsoft also offers a leading video game content subscription service called Xbox Game Pass, as well as a cutting-edge cloud-based video game streaming service, according to the complaint.”
Activision is one of only a very small number of top video game developers in the world that create and publish high-quality video games for multiple devices, including video game consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. It produces some of the most iconic and popular video game titles, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch, and has a combined 154 million monthly active users around the world, according to the FTC’s complaint. Activision currently has a strategy of offering its games on many devices regardless of producer.
But that could change if the deal is allowed to proceed. With control over Activision’s blockbuster franchises, Microsoft would have both the means and motive to harm competition by manipulating Activision’s pricing, degrading Activision’s game quality or player experience on rival consoles and gaming services, changing the terms and timing of access to Activision’s content, or withholding content from competitors entirely, resulting in harm to consumers.
The Commission vote to issue the complaint was 3-1, with Commissioner Christine S. Wilson voting no.
Microsoft originally announced its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in January 2022.


Front Mission 2 Remake Deploys This June

Forever Entertainment and Storm Trident have announced that Front Mission 2 Remake will launch for the Nintendo Switch on 12 June 2023.
The classic tactical RPG returns as the second game in the main Front Mission storyline is finally available outside of Japan for the first time. It preserves the mature story, strategic turn-based combat, and Wanzer customization options of the original.
12 years have passed since the second Huffman conflict. The impoverished People’s Republic of Alordesh has been suffering a severe economic decline ever since the war ended. In June 2102, soldiers of the Alordesh Army rise up and, led by Ven Mackarage, declare independence from the O.C.U. (Oceania Cooperative Union).
Ash, an O.C.U. soldier, manages to survive the ensuing battle, but Alordesh is completely overrun by the Revolutionary Army. Ash and his surviving teammates infiltrate Alordesh’s chaotic underground in an attempt to escape the country. However, they soon discover that there is a huge conspiracy behind the coup.
Front Mission 2 Remake features improved loading speed, support for many new languages, new “free camera” option to zoom in during gameplay, new colouring and camouflage options, modern in-game effects and a renewed soundtrack.
Check out the trailer below:


We Talk To The Makers Of Katana Rama About “Carrying Forward, But Not Starting Over”

Vie Eik is no stranger to game development, having previously worked on multiple AAA titles as an animator. However, he’s now at the helm of Ghost Machine – a new indie studio founded by multiple Malaysian game industry veterans, working on their first game – the upcoming Katana Rama.
We had the chance to sit in on his recent university sharing session, “Carry Forward, Not Start Over,” and learn a few lessons from his game development journey.
A Challenge To Myself

Vie Eik opened the session by discussing his previous job as an animator at Passion Republic. He talked about excelling at his job and also having a great interest and almost encyclopaedic knowledge of video games.
On top of that, he discussed feeling especially comfortable in his career around 3 years into it. With all those factors in mind, his feelings about games and potentially making his own compounded into a want to “prove it, prove that you CAN make games”.
The First Game Trap
“Don’t fall into the First Game Trap,” he told the room. But what is the First Game Trap?

Doing genres that we’re not familiar with.
Overthinking the game’s unique points.
Overthinking the story.
Not playing to your strengths and weaknesses.

Your first game will not be perfect, but far from it. Similar advice has been given by other industry veterans. Your first game will be exactly as said; your first game.
It will be your first attempt at making something new within this genre, this artistic medium. It’s important to not get hyper-focused on creating something that will be the best thing ever, but rather just make it.
Always Carry Forward, and Learn As You Go

Vie Eik ended his session by reminding the room to think of your strengths and weaknesses, your skills, your past experiences. These are all assets that can help you to make the best things possible – and that we continue to grow by experiencing more, which we can later use to help what we seek to create.
“Always carry forward and try to learn more as you go.” Don’t feel the urge to start over every time you start on something new – there’s nothing stopping you from taking what you’ve already learned, and figuring out how to apply it to the next new thing, then letting the cycle continue forward each and every time.
Wise words of advice! We wish Vie Eik and the Ghost Machine team all the best on their game, and look forward to playing Katana Rama’s when it’s released. In the meantime, you can check out the demo on Steam!


You Can Watch the Overwatch League from Your Game’s Menu on PS4. Here’s How

The Overwatch League kicks off today and following the latest update to the game on the PS4, you can now follow live streams straight from your console. By navigating to the new option on the menu – ‘Overwatch League’ – you can directly access the Twitch stream showcasing matches of the inaugural season.
It also serves as a notifier that a match is being streamed live which helps a ton especially if you are living outside of the Los Angeles local time zone. Selecting it directs you to the new splash page created specifically to showcase and purchase Overwatch League hero skins, and while the tab on the left will send you to your console’s browser to watch the live-streamed matches.

Of course it’s easier and faster to just stream it via the PS4’s Twitch app as we find it to be much more stable. But hey – the more you know, right?
The Overwatch League starts today, Thursday 11th January 2018 at 8AM with San Francisco Shock going against Los Angeles Valiant


Overwatch 2 Tops 35 Million Players In First Month After Going Free To Play

It’s a good week for Activision Blizzard last October.
The company’s “new” game, Overwatch 2, has attracted over 35 million players in its first month. According to the company’s third quarter financial results, this is double of its acclaimed predecessor.

“Over 35 million people played the game in its first month, including many who were new to Overwatch.The expanded community is engaging deeply, with average daily player numbers for the first month of Overwatch 2 more than double that of its acclaimed predecessor.
Player investment is also off to a strong start, positioning the title to be a meaningful contributor to Blizzard‘s business in the fourth quarter. Blizzard is looking forward to delivering an ambitious slate of regular seasonal updates for Overwatch 2 that introduce new characters, maps and modes, including the game’s much-anticipated PvE mode planned for 2023.”

For context, Overwatch attracted 15 million players in its first month back in May 2016.
What’s next for Overwatch 2? Well, players will be getting a new hero Ramattra on 6 December as part of the Season 2 update. Ramattra will be a tank class hero who can switch between ranged and melee modes.


Solo Leveling Artist and CEO of Redice Studio, Jang Sung-Rak Passes Away

It is a sorrowful day for fans and readers of the epically popular webtoon, Solo Leveling, as their artist and CEO has sadly passed away after battling health complications.
REDICE Studios posted an official statement regarding Jang Sung-Rak’s passing on their Twitter earlier today.
??? ????. pic.twitter.com/QMKU1fnlj2— REDICE+ (?????) (@REDICE_STUDIO) July 25, 2022
In their statement, it was mentioned that Jang Sung-Rak, also known as Dubu in the Solo Leveling community, passed away on 23rd July from a brain haemorrhage while suffering from a chronic illness.
Redice disclosed that Dubu’s funeral was held privately according to the grieving family’s wishes.The official statement also relayed their heartfelt thanks to the readers and the community who cherished Dubu’s work on Solo Leveling.

It might be considered to many that Solo Leveling helped leverage the webtoon and Korean manhwa genres to the world in recent years, competing to the levels of Japanese mangas.
Solo Leveling’s story takes place in present-day South Korea with MMORPG elements. ‘Hunters’ are humans who possess magical powers and take on the job to enter gates to another dimension to slay monsters and demons, and earn rewards. Sung Jin-woo, our protagonist, was known as the weakest hunter. However, in a turn of events during a dungeon party raid, he now has a chance to change his reputation and be the strongest of them all while helping his mother pay the hospital bills.
Before Solo Leveling, Dubu was involved in several titles including Space Dandy, The Island of Giant Insects, and Beautiful Legends, where he is notable as both illustrator and author. Solo Leveling is projected to have an anime adaption by A-1 Pictures slated to air in 2023, which will also be available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
It is unfortunate that Dubu will not be able to witness his art coming to life but his great work will be immortalised for old and new fans to cherish.
We wish our condolences to Jang’s family. Rest in Peace, great hunter and artist. Let us know your thoughts in the comments or head on over to our socials to share your reaction to the news.


Overwatch Crossplay Beta Is Live, Along With A New Ashe Event

Good news, Overwatch fans. Blizzard’s shooter now has crossplay, at least for open beta. So now players on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo can group up and play together with no hassle.
What do you need to do? Nothing! Keep enjoying Overwatch and welcome your new console friends by grouping up and playing matches. That’s if you’re on PC. All Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo players need to activate crossplay is get ready a new Battle.net account and link your respective consoles. More instructions here.

To celebrate this glorious occasion of togetherness, Overwatch will feature a new Ashe’s Deadlock Challenge event, where players can get Ashe-and-Bob costume and skin rewards for playing Quick Play, Competitive, and Arcade. Here’s how:

Play 9 games â€“ get the icon
Play 18 games â€“ get the spray
Play 27 games â€“ get what you really came for, the epic Deadlock Ashe skin

The event will run from now until 5th July. Have fun!


Valkyrie Elysium Release Date Leaks On PlayStation Store Listing

It looks like Valkyrie Elysium finally has a release date. The PlayStation Store page for Valkyrie Elysium (at the time of writing, via ResetEra) has been updated with a release date of 29 September 2022 for PS4 and PS5. The PC (Steam) version will likely release on the same day, if the release date is genuine.

Publisher Square Enix and developer Soleil originally announced Valkyrie Elysium during a PlayStation State Of Play in March 2022. Valkyrie Elysium is an action RPG featuring an epic story, beautiful environments, and a new fast-paced combat system that combines strategy, action, and a unique combo system that will test your ability to think and react.
It’s the latest game in the franchise, which began with 2000’s Valkyrie Profile. Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for the eventual official announcement for Valkyrie Elysium.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Overwatch & Diablo Animated Series Are In Development

The Diablo and Overwatch franchises are both reportedly getting an animated series. However, they will be in different styles. The one based on Diablo will be an anime-style show for Netflix, similar to the popular Netflix’s Castlevania anime.

Video games #Diablo and #Overwatch will both have animated TV series based on them, according to Activision Blizzard Studios Co-President Nick van Dyk. The Diablo series will feature on Netflix, he added. @ATVI_AB pic.twitter.com/DXw0FptkI2
â€” Yicai Global ç¬¬ä¸€è´¢ç» (@yicaichina) February 17, 2020
This is all according to the LinkedIn profile of Activision Blizzard Studios co-president Nick van Dyk. It’s important that I point out that he previously served as a producer for the Netflix original animated series Skylanders Academy, which featured famous video game characters like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot.
The Diablo anime is said to currently be in pre-production and it will release worldwide exclusively via Netflix. However, that also means it will probably take quite a while before it eventually releases.
Van Dyk also mentioned that he and his creative partner have “developed and sold an animated series based on Blizzard’s Overwatch franchise”. However, the series has not been officially announced, and it’s still not clear who it has been sold to. It’s probably not Netflix since that was previously mentioned differently.

At the time of writing, Activision Blizzard has yet to confirm or deny the reports of the Overwatch and Diablo animated series. On the gaming side, Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 are currently in active development, having been announced at Blizzcon 2019.


Team Liquid Teams Up With Marvel For Awesome Avengers Jerseys

Team Liquid and Marvel Entertainment have announced a strategic partnership for exclusive merchandise, which will later be expanded into content and more in the future. This is quite notably Marvel’s first official collaboration with an esports team, which is a historic moment for the industry.
Initial merchandise releases include Team Liquid jerseys based on members of Marvel’s Avengers team, including Captain America and Iron Man, as well as the Time Heist Quantum Realm Advanced Tech suits that the heroes wore in Avengers Endgame.
Team Liquid’s League Of Legends team debuted with the Captain America-themed jerseys earlier today during the Rift Rivals esports tournament, which pits LoL Championship Series (LCS) teams against those from the LoL European Championships (LEC).
Here are the prices for four of the available jerseys currently on sale (excluding an additional shipping cost of US$14 for those living in Malaysia):

TEAM LIQUID X MARVEL IRON MAN JERSEY – US$84.00
TEAM LIQUID X MARVEL CAPTAIN AMERICA JERSEY – US$84.00
TEAM LIQUID X MARVEL’S AVENGERS: ENDGAME QUANTUM REALM JERSEY – US$84.00
TEAM LIQUID X MARVEL LOGO TEE – US$32.00

Check out their awesome arrival and debut in the video below, or head on over to the official website to purchase your own jerseys.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4Fuvz0LN38&w=560&h=315]


Super Robot Wars V Launching On PC This October

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia has announced that Super Robot Wars V will be releasing for both the Nintendo Switch and PC on 3 October 2019. Pre-order for the PC version on Steam will begin on 19 September 2019, while those on the Switch can already preload theirs by 5 September 2019.

Here are all the featured works and properties in Super Robot Wars V:

Invincible Super Man Zambot 3
Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3
Mobile Suit Gundam Z
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
Mobile Suit Gundam: Charâ€™s Counterattack
Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathawayâ€™s Flash (Only the mechs)
Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam
Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam: Skull Heart
Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam: Steel Seven (Only the mechs)
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
Mobile Suit Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer
Mobile Suit Gundam UC
The Brave Express Might Gaine
Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture â€“ Prince of Darkness
Getter Robo Armageddon
Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact!
Shin Mazinger ZERO vs. Great General of Darkness (Only the mechs)
Fullmetal Panic!
Fullmetal Panic? Fumoffu
Fullmetal Panic! The Second Raid
Fullmetal Panic! (Original Novel Version)
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (Only the mechs)
Space Battleship Yamato 2199
Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon

In the meantime, check out the Super Robot Wars V trailer below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCk79rMEDxw&w=560&h=315]


Thailand Game Show 2022: Our Thoughts

This weekend I was fortunate enough to attend Thailand Game Show all thanks to Bandai Namco as they are promoting their two latest games in the highly anticipated One Piece Odyssey along with Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom.
But what this means is that this week we have a couple of special episodes of Push To Talk, the first of which where Mr Toffee and I provide our thoughts and impressions on the Bandai Namco titles along with Mr Toffee giving us his take on Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core Reunion.
I also got hands-on gameplay with One Piece Odyssey and what I have to say about it is that it truly does feel like an extension of the existing One Piece world—even if it’s not exactly canon. I look forward to seeing the public’s perception of the game upon release as I thoroughly believe that it looks promising.
As for Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom, I don’t have much experience with the previous game but I did put a substantial amount of time into this game and it is indeed relaxing. When playing it I couldn’t help but feel waves of nostalgia as I was hit with memories of games such as Farmville on Facebook, which I used to play as a kid.

In conjunction with this special Push To Talk episode, we also have another talking about Sega and the titles that they showcased at the THGS 2022. The games being, Sonic Frontiers and Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Again, a very special thank you to Bandai Namco for sponsoring this trip to Bangkok, it was an absolute blast and one thing I can say for certain, Thais know how to throw a convention!


[Report] The Last Of Us Part II Will Be Out This Year

Sony’s been mum about The Last Of Us Part II; that’s pretty much business as usual since it’s still counting all the awards it’s been getting for God of War and Marvel’s Spider-Man as of late. The question is: will the sequel to the Naughty Dog bonafide survival action adventure hit be out this year for the PS4?
All signs seem to point to “hell yes”, at least according to a tweet from former IGN editor and current Funhaus content creator Alanah Pearce. She mentioned the following:
“TLOU2 100% has.”
“So I have been told multiple times by multiple people. Not like things can’t change or it’s set in stone if it hasn’t been publicly announced, though.”

Naturally, these tweets have been deleted (thanks for the pics, Extra.ie & PS Lifestyle), further proving that Alanah may be on to something here. And with Days Gone and Dreams being the de facto PlayStation exclusives, don’t you think a third or fourth game to round up 2019’s releases will be appropriate before the eventual PlayStation 5 announcement? In their own PlayStation Experience show this year?
I for one hope that it’s out this year; I’d like to see where they’re taking this story with Ellie and (possibly a figment of her imagination) Joel.


Oshi No Ko Season 2 Confirmed

With the finale for Oshi No Ko season 1 airing this week, it’s only natural that a big announcement surrounding the anime would surface.
Doga Kobo confirmed that season 2 of the hit anime series about idols and reincarnation is confirmed and is in development. Here’s a new key visual from the official Oshi No Ko Twitter account, featuring Aio Hoshino in the background.

??OSHI NO KO?Season 2 is Coming! ?
Here is the newest key visual for the next part of #OSHINOKO! pic.twitter.com/y50BPgBuqG
— ?OSHI NO KO?Global (@oshinoko_global) June 28, 2023

In addition, there are new promotional videos to highlight the new season announcement, including a teaser for a music video from new B-Komachi.

No release date has been announced yet, but if it’s anything like the first season, Oshi no Ko will be aired on Netflix in Malaysia and Singapore.


Steam Summer Sale 2022 Best Deals & Discounts

It’s another year and it’s time for another Steam Summer Sale just in time for the long summer ahead. Steam Summer Sale 2022 will run from today on 24 June to 8 July at 1am GMT+8 2021.

Here are our picks for the best deals and discounts so far:
Ghostwire Tokyo (RM89.99)

Ghostwire Tokyo was released on PS5 and PC just earlier this year, but it pretty much went under the radar for most gamers. The game feels like Far Cry with magic, and it’s an open-world game that’s not too big or overwhelming. We wouldn’t recommend it at full price but at half price, it’s a steal. Check out our review and guide here.
LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga (RM127.50)

This game just came out two months ago and it’s already 25 percent off. That’s a good deal considering that this is likely the biggest LEGO game ever made in terms of actual scale, spanning over four decades of Star Wars. It’s every Star Wars fan’s dream come true, even if its in LEGO form.
Dune Spice Wars (RM63.99)

Despite being an Early Access game, Dune Spice Wars is an RTS title with remarkable depth in its mechanics and polish. With the IP at an all-time high due to last year’s blockbuster Dune movie, you can’t go wrong with delving into the world of Arakkis with this game from Shiro Games. Check out our review here.
Coromon (RM29.25)

If you miss the retro graphics and style of the classic Pokémon games, you should check out Coromon. It’s not just a Pokemon clone or ripoff though, as it comes with plenty of its own unique mechanics and quality-of-life features. Check out our review of the game here.
DEATHLOOP (RM100.40)

Deathloop has been one of the most widely-praised games in 2021 due to its unique gameplay loop mechanics. Arkane Studios has made great games in the past (Dishonored, Dishonored 2, Prey) but this one is perhaps their most innovative and fun one yet. Check out our review of Deathloop here.
XCOM 2 COLLECTION (RM33.56)

XCOM 2 is another must-have game on PC, especially for those who love all things science fiction and anything from the tactical turn-based strategy genre. Think Final Fantasy Tactics with Soulsborne levels of difficulty.
The XCOM 2 Collection costs a whopping RM385 at full price, so this is a steal since it contains even the game-changing War Of The Chosen expansion pack. Our advice: start the game with the expansion pack installed. Check out our review of the game here to find out why.
TALES OF ARISE (RM94.50)

Tales Of Arise is great JRPG that came out in 2021. It’s the first next-gen entry in the franchise, and while it doesn’t do much in terms of anything innovative or new, it’s still an enjoyable time, especially for JRPG fans. Check out our review of the game here.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – GOTY Edition (RM109.50)

There’s no discount for Elden Ring yet, so why not settle for the last From Software game that’s basically Dark Souls but with a parry and guard break system, plus a grappling hook and ninja nonsense? Sekiro is basically that, and it’s now half price.
Scarlet Nexus (RM89.50)

One of last year’s best action RPGs with a huge anime flair is available for a lovely Summer Sale price. If you fancy playing as psychic-powered soldiers surrounded by anime waifus and husbandos, as well as air combos and throwing debris and buses at mutants, you can’t go wrong with Scarlet Nexus.
Cuphead (RM26.60)

This 2D run-and-gun game with the best aesthetics in games since both Ori titles has a DLC coming soon. Why not get the base game if you haven’t already? Features a lot of shooting and fun-filled bosses that will challenge you to no end. Oh, and a ton of swearing from your side.
Death’s Door (RM24.50)

Fancy an isometric action-adventure just around 8 hours or less? You may want to try out Death’s Door. While the game was just a step below from our Top 30 Games Of The Year list, it’s still worth checking out if because of its art style and its playful-yet-maudlin tone. The combat and challenges are also noteworthy too.
Souldiers (RM69.90)

2022 is filled with awesome indie experiences, and Souldiers is as close as you can get to a Soulslike experience without feeling janky and cheap. The game’s pixel art is sublime, the controls are tight, its mechanics are tough but fair, and its boss fights will test your gaming mettle. Plus, it’s a Metroidvania; what’s not to love?
The Riftbreaker (RM41.25)
We never thought a real-time strategy game would mix well with an action RPG, yet we have The Riftbreaker to show us how it’s done. Despite its incredibly generic 2010s-style box art, The Riftbreaker is anything but typical: it doesn’t let up with the action, the base-building portions are fun, and the action RPG twinstick-shooter-style combat makes sense in the one-unit-protects-all sort of context. We really wished we played this gem last year; at least now you can play it on the cheap.
Raft (RM32.30)

You might have heard of this title everywhere if you are a craft and survival enthusiast, but just maybe haven’t got around to have it in your library? Now’s a good time to get it during the sale because this popular game, which started out as a college project, has now finally left early access and updated with an ending to the game after years of development.
Randomly generated worlds with various spawns of islands to explore that tells a story, you would also find the mystery behind the lives of the characters worth diving into. On top of diverse crafting abilities and exploration, not to mention the aesthetics, the co-op multiplayer is engagingly fun with friends. This may be your next crafting-survival co-op multiplayer that you and your buddies can get hooked on to or hop-on and off in the long run of owning the game.
Blacksad: Under The Skin (RM13)

*cue jazz music intro*
The name’s John Blacksad. A private eye investigating what looks like an apparent s*icide of a retired champion boxer. Or is it?
A little bit of a spoiler here: it is not… it’s something bigger and sinister running behind this greedy world of anthropomorphic animals. If you need a title to scratch that L.A. Noire and Sherlock Holmes itch, you may want to give this a shot. Adapted from a comic book, Blacksad: Under the Skin shows promising potential for Noir-esque writing with its twist and drama with TellTale-like gameplay elements.
Each character (or should I say possible suspect?) are uniquely written and you might find yourself empathizing them if not suspicious of them. The music will hit you in the core if you’re sucker for jazz; the main theme gave us goosebumps the moment you hit the title screen. Help John Blacksad redeem himself as a promising private eye by reading the characters between the lines, body language, and sniffing out the evidence with the help of his feline abilities.
Unpacking (RM31.20)

There has been an increase in appreciation for chill cozy games in recent years. Likewise, this is another recommended title for those who are looking for such. If you are new to the gameplay, well, just try it. You might be doing that tired and stressed-out mind of yours a favour. Because it did for us.
Unpacking is a cute and cozy little game about moving in and unpacking your items. Not only that, you will notice that the belongings and the properties you move into tells a story. It is absolutely chill as it has no time limit and minimal gameplay mechanic. Get the unpacking job done and satiate that OCD of yours with this game.
Trine Ultimate Collection (RM32.40)

If you love co-op puzzles where you put teamwork with utilizing quirky character abilities together, you’re going to love this game about the adventures of three heroes. The enchanting and bright aesthetics might charm you as well. Although co-op was mentioned, you can also play this solo by switching between the characters at any time where you think their abilities is seen fit. Did you know there is no one single way to solving obstacles to progress through? The whole series is quite a workout for the brain, but in a fun and addicting sense.
You might even enjoy having a friendly co-op banter with your buddy in this one. Getting all four titles in a bundle at -80% off is a steal as each title’s playtime is between 5-6 hours, with the main stories and about 9-10 hours for completionist.
Strange Horticulture (RM22.40)

This isn’t your average florist and horticulture game. There is a twist. You slowly discover that there’s an occult mystery going around while you run your humble little plant store. Discover and identify new plants with puzzles and progress each time you provide customers with what they need.
If you’re looking for an intriguing puzzle and story game with light-gameplay mechanic (it’s pretty much point-and-click), you might want to have this a go too and find how ominous the townsfolk and your customers can be.
Oh, and you can pet your cat, Hellbourne, at the store if the customers are making you nervous. A purr-fect remedy, that.


Netflix Confirms The Umbrella Academy Season 2 Renewal

It’s been almost two months since the debut of The Umbrella Academy‘s first season on Netflix, and fans have been clamoring for renewal ever since. The Hargreeves family must be dancing right now because Netflix has officially confirmed the renewal of The Umbrella Academy for a second season.
Cast members confirmed to reprise their roles for The Umbrella Academy Season 2 include:

Ellen Page – Vanya/Number Seven
Tom Hopper – Luther/Number One
David CastaÃ±eda – Diego/Number Two
Emmy Raver-Lampman – Allison/Number Three
Robert Sheehan – Klaus/Number Four
Aidan Gallagher – Number Five
Justin Min – Ben/Number Six

Fans will also be glad to learn that The Umbrella Academy Season 1 showrunner Steve Blackman will be returning for the second season, as well as series creators (and co-executive producers) Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba. The Umbrella Academy Season 2 will feature 10 episodes just like the first season, with production set to begin this summer in Toronto, Canada.

Hello.
Season 2.
Goodbye. pic.twitter.com/0P5VRQlP1j
â€” Umbrella Academy (@UmbrellaAcad) April 2, 2019
The Umbrella Academy was a success due to its meta nature and exploration of dysfunctional family themes, as well as offering a unique take on the superhero genre. While we haven’t received a premiere date for season 2, here’s what you can probably expect from The Umbrella Academy next season, based on what’s already happened in the source material.
If you liked The Umbrella Academy, check out some of former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way’s other works in comics here.


My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising Gets Malaysia Release

Updated 5/3/2020:
My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising will begin screening exclusively at GSC Cinemas nationwide starting from 26 March 2020.

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, coming soon exclusively to GSC! pic.twitter.com/HJKpKFH32H
â€” GSC (@GSCinemas) March 5, 2020

Film distributor Odex has revealed Facebook that the My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising movie is heading to Malaysia sometime this year.

Funimation, the US distributor for the film, describes the story:

“Class 1-A visits Nabu Island where they finally get to do some real hero work. The place is so peaceful that itâ€™s more like a vacation â€¦ until theyâ€™re attacked by a villain with an unfathomable Quirk! His power is eerily familiar, and it looks like Shigaraki had a hand in the plan.
But with All Might retired and citizensâ€™ lives on the line, thereâ€™s no time for questions. Deku and his friends are the next generation of heroes, and theyâ€™re the islandâ€™s only hope.”

Heroes Rising is the second movie to be based on the popular My Hero Academia series. The first movie, Two Heroes, was also screened in Malaysia, via GSC Cinemas.
During Two Heroes‘ run here, a movie-goer was found to have recorded the movie in cinema, resulting in Odex issuing a statement. Hopefully, we won’t get a repeat of that with Heroes Rising.


Farm Your Borderlands 3 Legendaries Here Before Gearbox Finds Out! [Update]

Update: Gearbox implemented a hotfix for this bug. You can’t do this anymore.Â
Here’s an exploit that will allow you to easily farm 15 Legendary weapons in 15 minutes (or less if you’re really good). No doubt Gearbox will patch this one out as soon as they find out so you better be quick, vault hunter (via PC Gamer)!
Here’s how it’s done:
1. Set the difficulty to Mayhem 3 (you’ll need to beat the game to unlock Mayhem). You can do this on Mayhem 1 or 2 but the chance of getting better loot will be lower, of course.
2. Fast travel to Eden-6 and head to Jakob’s Estate. Sprint past everything to get to the point marked in the map below. A purple-tinged Loot Tink will spawn beneath the deck there.

3. Kill the Loot Tink. He will drop a few legendaries and maybe even some Epics but don’t worry, you can pick them up later. Make sure you bring one shock weapon and one incendiary weapon so you can eat through his shields and burn him to a crisp in seconds.
4. Once you’ve killed the Loot Tink, he drops a bag. Open it and watch as a fountain of Legendaries spring before you.
5. Rinse and repeat by fast traveling back to the Jakob’s Estate fast travel point, quit to the main menu, and load back in.
There you have it. Do this for half an hour and you’ll already have enough Legendaries to last you at least an entire week. Here’s a vid to show you the exact spot without obnoxious streamer commentary.

Beware, the game can become laughably easy after you’ve attained such ungodly amount of firepower. Happy farming, vault hunter!


Encased Seems Like A Promising & Challenging CRPG Experience

Platform: PC
Genre: Isometric 70s sci-fi RPG
I would say that I miss isometric CRPGs, but the Wasteland trilogy of games and the Pillars of Eternity entries in the past few years sort out those jollies. So what period and timeline haven’t we covered yet with such PC role-playing titles that rely on numbers, as well as a mix of combat and brains? How about “70s sci-fi Men In Black-style conspiracy-filled underground universes”?
That’s the premise of the new CRPG Encased, made by a small team who fancy working on Aurora Engine-similar tools to create their dream adventure game. In this case, it’s an alternate 1970s where you play as a unit in part of a world bettering organization called CRONUS. This group discovered an artifact called the Dome in a Nashville settlement and inadvertently caused the game’s titular sci-fi post-apocalypse. How you choose to fix the world is up to you; by either cleaning up your ex-organization’s mess or just add to the trash fire; Encased will have multiple outcomes and endings based on your choices.

A Tactics-Filled Future
Encased’s gameplay is as tactical and as detailed as you can get. Your character has a plethora of stats and can be good at a few things, while being bad at others. You can choose to be a dumb musclehead (high Muscle stats and Melee/Hand-To-Hand, low IQ), a psionic-wielding mastermind (high Psyche, Psionics, and Charisma but wet noodle health stats), or a sharpshooting smooth talker (high Light Weapons, Deftness, and Speech).
The department you start off in also determines how you solve problems: if you’re in the Black Wing, you solve problems with brute force and big guns. If you’re in the Silver Wing, you have psychic powers and a silver tongue to talk your way out of trouble. Either way, you’ll need to mix in combat to your game plan and your department choices from the start, because half the time you’ll have to deal with giant rats, cockroaches, and rogue automata.
I’ve spent a couple of hours playing as a psionic-wielding agent, and a few more with a Deft-specced build because of the game’s pretty tough combat system. Long story short, it’s turn-based and requires action points usage like your isometric 2D Fallout and recent Wasteland games, except with a more amplified difficulty. You may notice that you’ll be missing more attacks even when your hit rate is higher than 80%; I had flashbacks of XCOM when going through Encased’s early combat situations.

However, each dungeon I’ve been in has many escape routes and alternate paths if you choose to take your time exploring them. On the world map, if you choose to explore the many locations of the game from the junkyard-themed town to what’s ahead up north, you’ll find loads of opportunities to recruit companions who can act as your meatshields, making combat bearable on the default settings.
Encased is in Early Access now and will be out in full this September. If you fancy helping out a mid-sized team with making a pretty decent tactical RPG even better and a lot fairer, do consider buying it now and throw in your own 2 cents after 8 to 10 hours of play. I suspect this may be 2021’s sleeper hit CRPG experience, though we’ll still need more time before we gravitate towards that decision.


Here Are Some Disney+ Hotstar Shows You Catch This Ramadan

Ramadan (the month of fasting for Muslims) is near (on 23 March 2023). Embarking on the journey of Ramadan means taking the time to focus on self-reflection, spirituality and most importantly healing. Be it before or after “buka puasa”, why not get into shows that will make you feel more connected with your inner self?
This Ramadhan, we’ve rounded up some feel-good shows on Disney+ Hotstar that highlight the act of self-love and healing. From local shows to documentaries and even Korean dramas, there’s always something for everybody to enjoy.
CINTA SUBUH?

Angga, a college student who rarely wakes up in time to pray the morning prayer, falls in love with Ratih, a clever and religious young man. Ratih wants a partner who can help him get closer to his religion and so he wants to help guide Angga. As the pressure increases, Angga soon realizes that they are not compatible with one another and she decides to part ways. The story is a great example that while we should always strive to improve and be better, we should also let go of things that do not serve us.
LIMITLESS WITH CHRIS HEMSWORTH?

Chris Hemsworth is on a mission to live better for longer. With the help of top scientists, he takes on six epic challenges to push his mind and body to the limit.? Why not spend this Ramadhan fasting with?Chris Hemsworth while discovering how abstaining from food cleanses your body and more importantly repairs your cells. In one of the episodes,?we learn how fasting strengthens the mind and literally heals the body.
AYAHANDA?

A village Imam and Jurunikah who teaches at an old surau, is faced with a conflict when the villagers seek for him to be replaced by a younger Imam. Ayahanda is about family conflict, as the children find it difficult to reason with their father. However, at the end, they manage to overcome their differences as the children vow to be more understanding towards their father. True to the meaning of Ramadhan, this story teaches us how liberating forgiveness can be and how a whole family unit can start to heal when everyone puts aside their differences and strive to understand each other better.
MS MARVEL?

Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager and a Super Hero mega fan, feels like she doesn’t fit in. That is until she gets her superpowers. Kamala is now on a journey to discover her full potential and goes through it with the help of her best friends, Bruno and Nakia. In this series, Kamala and Nakia are of Muslim heritage and trying to balance that with the American lifestyle has not always been easy. However, Nakia shows us that when you embrace your culture, traditions and live life the way you want to rather than trying to please others, you can find your voice and heal. The series also showcases their Eid Mubarak celebration so why not countdown the days to Hari Raya with Kamala and Nakia.
Check out my breakdown of Ms. Marvel Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 and Episode 6 here.
In the meantime, check out our interview with Ms. Marvel showrunner and head writer Bisha K. Ali by heading over here.

ONE DOLLAR LAWYER?

Jihun is one of the best lawyers while routinely only charging only one dollar per case and is committed to social justice and defending fundamental human rights. He may be an eccentric lawyer with an unusual style but he wasn’t always like that. In fact he used to be the complete opposite. So what’s changed? Is he truly happier or has he just found a different perspective in life? Go through this journey of self-discovery and healing with Jihun in One Dollar Lawyer.


Latest Agreement Sees Xbox Games Spill Over to Nintendo

Today, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith announced that Microsoft and Nintendo have officially signed a binding 10-year contract to bring Xbox games to Nintendo’s gamers. This includes Activision titles like Call Of Duty to more players on more platforms such as the Nintendo Switch.
Microsoft already announced this agreement back in December 2022, when Phil Spencer said that this would be happening. It took several months for the agreement to be made into an official binding deal. This is huge stuff, considering that the last Call Of Duty games to be released on a Nintendo platform were 2012’s Call Of Duty Black Ops 2 and 2013’s Call Of Duty Ghosts for the dead platform that is the Nintendo Wii U.
It will be interesting to see if future Halo titles or other Xbox exclusives will be making its way to the Nintendo Switch or future Nintendo platforms.

We’ve now signed a binding 10-year contract to bring Xbox games to Nintendo’s gamers. This is just part of our commitment to bring Xbox games and Activision titles like Call of Duty to more players on more platforms. pic.twitter.com/JmO0hzw1BO
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) February 21, 2023


Singapore’s Best SoulCalibur VI Players Talk About The Country’s Scene

I do love me some 3D weapons-based fighting, even if I recently do not have time to do so. Which means whenever there’s an opportunity to see high-level play or hear about top tier stuff from our neck of the woods, I usually just tune out to whatever I’m supposed to be doing and focus on that.
Fighting game YouTube content creator Offcast did a short video podcast with SoulCalibur VI top player Shen Chan and SoulCalibur VI commentator Shen Ou about the Singapore scene. Generally, the country is a force to be reckoned with in the SoulCalibur series since the days of SoulCalibur II; yes, that’s quite a while.
Give it a watch!


Forza Horizon 5 Player Given 8,000 Year Ban For Kim Jong-Un Livery

Liveries are what makes Forza Horizon 5’s paint jobs all the more interesting, especially custom-made ones from creative fans. One particular fan has probably gone too far. Or probably Xbox; who knows?
A player took to Reddit to share an experience about his friend being banned on Forza Horizon 5 for a custom livery they posted up.
“So my friend just told me that he got an 8,000-year ban for one of his liveries, looks like T10 doesnâ€™t like jokes or something. He never received any warning before this ban either.”
Here’s what the friend got banned for.

Yep, that’s a design featuring North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with the hashtag #SendNukes, done in the style of KFC. The user who made this gets the following message when booting up Forza Horizon 5: “Your gamertag has been banned from this feature”. And an unbanned date of 12/31/9999.
That’s a little extreme. So far, there’s no word on whether the ban will be appealed and revised.


Kojima Responds To Death Stranding’s “Walking Simulator” Criticism

Everyone who watched all 50 minutes of the Death Stranding gameplay shown at Tokyo Game Show 2019 are either convinced it’s going to be a brilliant masterpiece or are skeptical to the point of calling it a “walking simulator” or “DHL Express: The Game”.
Hideo Kojima knows that most people won’t immediately understand what kind of game Death Stranding is and so far, that seems to be the case. In an interview with Game Informer, he gives more detailed explanations behind the game’s concepts and ideas. Believe me, it’s a lot more interesting than it seems.
Addressing the “walking simulator” comments, Kojima said that it’s something he’s already used to. Back when the concept of the first Metal Gear was presented, the same skepticism and criticisms were thrown his way as the game industry at that time wasn’t yet accustomed to the idea of stealth games. Safe to say, he proved them wrong.

“Itâ€™s the same as when I first brought out a stealth game. If 100 people play it and 100 people say itâ€™s fun, it means the genre or the game already exists. But this is a new genre â€“ same as stealth the first time, there will be people who donâ€™t get it. It will take time for the real evaluations to come in.”
– Hideo Kojima
Echoing a bit of Todd Howard, Kojima boasted that his open world was truly “open”. He said that the typical limitations set by other games such as the use of valleys that couldn’t be crossed and so on will not be a part of the design of Death Stranding. Even the staff at Kojima Productions didn’t really get it at first but when they did, he said they had fun even when just walking around.
Realism is a huge focus in the game. Players will have to balance the packages that Sam carries and failing to do so can result in Sam tripping and falling. Try to cross a river that has strong currents? You might get drifted away and lose your packages in the river. There’s a lot of stuff you need to think about in this game and that’s what Kojima is aiming for.

For those of you believe that Kojima is just making things up as he goes, there’s actually evidence of that in the interview. When asked about the game’s method of storytelling, he answered that he’s never mislead people and just “creates the story as-is” which sounds like he’s definitely making it up as he goes.
This notion is further reinforced by Kojima himself when he says that the game’s setting also acts as a metaphor to contemporary issues “like Trump, and the EU”. The first Death Stranding trailer was revealed at E3 2016, Trump became president in 2017. If Kojima is referring to Brexit when he mentions the EU, the referendum was held a week after E3 2016.
Well, this is Kojima we’re talking about. Being a big fan of the Metal Gear Solid series, I’ve learnt not to take him too seriously whenever he talks about his games. His ideas tend to be more grand than what’s actually put in the games but maybe this time things will be different. We’ll have to play the game to find out.
One statement that might actually drive some people away from the game is “People who don’t make it to the end won’t be really moved”. Kojima said this in response to being asked what he wanted players to feel once they beat the game. He used the act of climbing Mt. Fuji as an analogy to reinforce the fact that the people who give up halfway won’t be able to see the beautiful sights at the top.
I’m one of those people who still can’t see the appeal of Death Stranding‘s core gameplay. No matter how the brilliant the story is, it doesn’t matter all that much if most of the hours spent in-game are dull. Unfortunately, Kojima didn’t say anything in this interview to win me over on that part.

There’s at least one interesting (but not groundbreaking) idea that Kojima wants to convey in the game: an online community without negativity.
Death Stranding‘s asynchronous multiplayer works in really weird way. Imagine the Soulsborne games’ message system but instead of being able to “like” or “dislike” the messages, you can only “like” them. When other players leave items in their game, there’s a chance those items can pop up in yours. If the item is helpful, you can give them a “like”.

“What I really wanted to do â€“ I didnâ€™t want to give â€œthumbs down.â€ I didnâ€™t want to give any negative in this game; it was a positive intent where I started this idea. In current SMS and internet, thereâ€™s likes and thumbs down. To me, [thumbs down] is like the stick â€“ itâ€™s an attack. But thatâ€™s why itâ€™s a positive intent in the game; if [your objects] have few likes, they might disappear, and the ones with lots of thumbs up will remain, but it isnâ€™t negative.”
– Hideo Kojima
The bottom line is that pretty much nobody gets what Death Stranding is about and Kojima explaining the game actually just makes it more mysterious (and interesting). We’re less than 2 months away from the game’s release so let’s wait and see if this is truly the mind-blowing experience that Kojima promises it to be.
Read the full interview here.


Mitsubishi Taiwan Terminates Hearthstone Grandmasters Sponsorship

October has been a very tough month for Blizzard. It all started when Hong Kong Hearthstone pro player Chung “blitzchung” Ng Wai was suspended after issuing pro-democracy statements in a post-match interview. His punishment has been reduced to only six months of suspension and Blizzard has promised to give Chung his prize money after initially rescinding it.
The interview that started it all. Screenshot taken from Inven Global’s tweet.
A recent report from The Daily Beast tells us that Mitsubishi Motors Taiwan cancelled its sponsorship of the Hearthstone Grandmasters Asia-Pacific tournament, the one that Chung was playing in. This information comes from Erica Rasch, a spokesperson for Mitsubishi.
Speaking to Polygon, a Mitsubishi representative confirmed that the sponsorship was ended on 9 October 2019 which was only two days after Chung was suspended. Ever since then, Mitsubishi’s logo no longer appears on the broadcast of the tournament’s livestream and the arrangement of the toy cars modeled after Mitsubishi cars are nowhere to be found on the broadcasters’ desk.
Notice the lack of Mitsubishi-ness. Image from Polygon.
With BlizzCon 2019 happening this weekend, there’s a lot of excitement and nervousness within Blizzard and the community. Some parties have expressed interest in staging protests at the event while others are outright boycotting it. Coupled together with the possibility of major reveals such as Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4, it’s definitely going to be an event worth your attention.