Thor: Love and Thunder is out now in most countries, and it’s a really fun film to watch. It balances comedy and character development just fine while still maintaining the Marvel comic book movie fun runtime it’s set out on doing, as well as features some heavy development in the MCU canon.

This being a rundown of the fourth Thor movie’s plot and surprises, there will be a ton of spoilers. So here’s your warning.

Disclaimer: For our Malaysian viewers & readers, I highly suggest you don’t look further on if you want to preserve the movie experience. We can answer the following question though:

As A Malaysian Viewer, Should I Hold Off From Spoilers?

Yes, you should. It’s a really fun film to experience and watch. Avoid the internet and temporarily unfollow your movie/comic book websites temporarily until the show’s release date of 21st July. Drop by Singapore to watch it if you have to.

How Does The Movie Start?

With the reason why Christian Bale’s character Gorr is killing gods in the trailers you see online. See, his own god has forsaken him when his own village and daughter died from a calamity of sorts. He tried to ask for aid, but his own god just laughed him off and said that humans and lowly beings are meant to serve gods for their amusement. He’s clearly irked by this and lashes out, but said god is about to strangle the mortality out of him. Then a nearby legendary relic called the Necrosword comes to Gorr’s aid, and he thus smote the asshole god by beheading him. Now cursed with shadow powers, he vows to kill all gods. Of course, his vengeance is the driving force for the Necrosword to work its insidious shadow magic onto him.

So the Guardians of the Galaxy are in this?

Yeah, but only for the first 30 minutes or so. Thor (Chris Hemsworth in his best role yet) teams up with them, they’re not a fan of him being around due to his aimlessness, and they do their best to avoid working with him by offering to split up and help the people being assailed by Gorr the God Butcher. Of course, their beef with him has a lot to do with the fact that he’s the one-man army who helped them with a recent mission to liberate a planet full of blue people from bird-like aliens who look like they came out from Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. The movie also displays its love for Guns n’ Roses with the track “Welcome To The Jungle” playing here.

Thor’s combat skills and deft lightning-based wielding of his trusty axe Stormbreaker led to him being victorious, but also causing collateral damage to the blue people’s sacred holy temple; the one thing he was supposed to protect. As a gesture of appreciation(?), the blue folks gave Thor and his rock buddy Korg (Taika Waititi) a pair of space goats which are loud as hell. Their bleats are basically comical human screams; the movie uses this as a recurring gag because Taika Waititi loves this sort of nonsense. It does pay off, because Korg has to use a special whistle to have the goats get them out in a jam courtesy of a future Thor Classic Adventure which we’ll get to in a bit.

So What’s Up With Jane?

It’s been established early on, barely 30 minutes into the film, that she has stage 4 cancer. Her bit has some exposition delivered courtesy of that Two Broke Girls’ Kat Dennings playing her former science assistant-now-S.W.O.R.D. operative Darcy. There’s also a bit of story-telling about Thor and Jane being together in a serious relationship between Thor 2: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok. They broke up on bad terms; Thor has his Avengers stuff while Jane has her science stuff. Jane basically buried herself in her award-winning science work. Classic romance stuff, basically.

How Is Jane Going To Solve Her Cancer Conundrum?

She plans on using Mjolnir, which happens to be on display at New Asgard. She blends in as a tourist, then somehow activates the hammer, making her the new Thor.

There’s also a bit in the flashbacks that Thor, while dating Jane, asked Mjolnir to protect her. Basically it’s the writer’s way to explain why the hammer is so prone to helping Jane out. Then again, magic in any movie (comic book movies, or anything) can make easy plot links in scripts and stories for any medium. It works in Thor’s case because magic has been a thing in the MCU since the first Thor and Doctor Strange movie.

Surely There Must Be A Catch, Right?

Indeed there is. Turns out that while Mjolnir will make Jane Foster buff and tough, when she’s out of Thor form, she drastically weakens to the point where her actual body cannot fight the cancer. This being a Hollywood film, she just looks like a slightly-worse version of herself (eyebags and dirt) rather than having her hair wither out or being super-skinny. Still, it’s a distinct difference and doesn’t distract from the viewing experience.

So How Is Gorr’s Story Interweaved With Thor’s?

Well, Gorr suspects that he’s in New Asgard, or at least someone resembling godhood. So he goes there, summon his shadow creatures, and kidnaps the children living there. Thor, King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson in her most non-subtle lesbian butch role yet), and Jane Foster Thor jump in to fight off Gorr, but failed. So the trio and Korg plus the noisy space goats head off to get aid from other gods in a secret god planet to get help, and then to Shadow Realm where the kids are taken.

It should be noted that one of the kids, Axl (Kieron L.Dyer), is the son of the late Heimdall. Which means he can use the magic vision communication thing with Thor to relay status updates and whereabouts. Of course, Gorr knows this and lets Thor give them some shred of hope. You’ll find out later why.

Oh, and Sif? She lost her arm during one of Gorr’s rampages in a distant planet, but she was rescued by Thor, who then teleported her to New Asgard for medical care.

A Secret God Planet, You Say?

The name escapes us, but it’s a play on “omnipotence”. Generally it’s a secret congregation spot where all the gods gather and party, with God of Lightning Zeus being the de facto leader. There are also a bunch of gods too ranging from a Mayan God to even Bao, God of Dumpings, whom we’re very sure will be screencapped and meme’d for the internet later this week when the film is out.

Did It Work?

Sadly, no. Thor’s plea to rally all gods to help him was rejected by Zeus because Zeus is a stereotypical pompous god who rather have orgies than to do serious god things. So they got in a tussle, with Thor actually murdering Zeus with his own lightning. Also, Thor gets Zeus’ lightning bolt weapon, which will help him out.

Why Didn’t He Use Stormbreaker In This Fight?

Because it’s being used as a way to open a Bifrost road to lead the party to the Shadow Realm and to the god planet. Earlier in New Asgard, Thor tried to teleport his way to the Shadow Realm using the Stormbreaker’s Bifrost abilities, but it’s unstable. So he used it as a navigator and is attached to a New Asgard tour boat, with the noisy space goats as its backup steeds.

So Plan Failed. Now What?

The trio decide to press on and use Zeus’ lightning bolt as a new weapon to deal with Gorr. Before the fated Shadow Realm battle, Thor and Jane had a moment and kissed with the latter telling him about the cancer.

Valkyrie and Korg have a karaoke session, with Valkyrie telling Korg about her past failed lesbian relationships.

Was The Movie Delayed In Malaysia Because Of Valkyrie’s Lifestyle Choices?

Honestly, your guess is as good as ours. From what we’ve seen, there is a bit of sexual tension and possible gay vibes between Valkyrie and Jane when they talk, and Valkyrie did kiss the hand of one of Zeus’ whores, implying that she really wants to see if her carpet matches her drapes. It’s pretty tame if we’re being honest.

Speaking of lifestyle choices, it turns out that Korg is gay. Seems like his race is all male and they procreate by holding hands near a lava pit and magically spawn a baby rock being. Magic!

Did The Team Manage To Defeat Gorr?

Hell no. After entering the greyscaled Shadow Realm (it’s a damn cool effect, by the by), the trio finds out that…

Gorr actually wanted the Stormbreaker to help him cross to the realm of Eternity, so that he can get his wish granted: to kill all gods. So after a major story fight, Valkyrie is critically injured and the team is overwhelmed by shadow creatures. They run off but not without Gorr stealing Stormbreaker at the last minute.

Wait, THAT Eternity?

Yes, that Eternity.

Eternity makes its appearance in the MCU, sans the face and more of the silhouette with the cool cosmic effect. In the MCU, they are a being that can grant wishes assuming its visitors know how to get to them. Gorr’s main idea is to use Stormbreaker’s Bifrost powers to head there and get his god-killing wish sorted.

The Party Is Back At New Asgard. Now What?

Thor will have to head off alone with Zeus’ weapon, which somehow has the ability to use Bifrost teleportation well. Jane wants to tag along, but Thor insists and begs she stays because Mjolnir is killing her real body every time she uses it. Of course, it’s her choice.

So off Thor goes. He heads to the gateway of the Hall of Eternity, manages to rescue the children, and fights off Gorr and his shadow creatures. We should mention that Thor temporarily gives the kids lighting powers to combat the shadow creatures, resulting in a pretty hilarious fight of the children winning against the monsters they were afraid of, to the second half of the Guns N’ Roses hit song “November Rain”. It’s epic stuff.

Thor proceeds to fight Gorr, but he’s overpowered because of shadow powers and the Necrosword being powerful over time and stuff. In comes in Jane in Thor form, says the line “I’m Mighty Thor”, and the both of them whoop Gorr’s ass. They ended up in Eternity’s presence eventually, which is a white space of nothing where Eternity is chilling.

So The Bad Guy Won And Made His Wish?

Technically, yeah. In an expected but logical twist, Gorr had a change of heart about his wish after hearing about Thor’s lament about staying with the ones he love. As Jane is close to death after using Mjolnir one last time, he chooses to be with her in her final moments, concluding the storyline arc that’s been peppered around for the past few Thor films. Gorr has flashbacks of being with his daughter in her last days, and decides to instead trade his cursed life so that his daughter can be reborn.

Jane ends up dying in the end, dissipating in gold spirit glitter. Thor makes a promise to Gorr to take care of his new Eternity-powered kid to showcase that not all gods are terrible assholes and self-serving dicks. Albeit he has to take care of a kid with some demon powers, but them’s the break if you’re trying to find a purpose in life: in Thor’s case, it’s being a loving dad in the end. Makes sense, given how he started off in the first Thor movie as an actual spoiled kid, who grows and matures to a person who now has his own family.

So what lessons can we learn from Thor: Love and Thunder?

Love conquers all? As if the show’s title isn’t on-the-nose enough.

Have your movie title have a sort of double meaning to it. See, Love and Thunder isn’t just about Thor and Jane, it’s about Thor and his new Eternity-laced kid nicknamed Love.

Oh, and always add a clause before you hand out your lightning powers to children. And one good way to get your tourist sector booming in your new town is to have re-enactments of Thor’s classic adventures in stage play form using Matt Damon as Loki, the other Hemsworth brother as Thor, Sam Neill as Odin, and Melissa McCarthy as Hela.

Let’s Talk About The Scenes After The Movie. There’s At Least One, Right?

Oh, you mean the mid-credits scene? Sure!

Zeus somehow is still alive even after taking a lightning bolt through a chest. He talks to someone who is off-screen about making people fear gods again. Camera cuts to his son Hercules who plans to do his dad’s bidding to wreak havoc, all decked out like he is in the Marvel comics.

Hercules is played by Ted Lasso actor Brett Goldstein. You have to see it to believe it.

The post-credits scene is basically Jane Foster arriving in Valhalla and is greeted by Heimdall (Idris Elba) who previously died in Avengers: Infinity War. I doubt she’ll be coming back to the film unless it’s a cameo role in future Thor movies.

How Many Guns N’ Roses Songs Are Played In The Movie’s Soundtrack

Four. “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Paradise City”, “November Rain” second half, and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” for the credits.

This Gorr The God-Butcher Storyline Is Completely Different From The Comics, Isn’t It?

Yeah, because the comic storyline is a lot darker and wouldn’t fit with what Taika Waititi was going for; it won’t be consistent with what the actually good third Thor movie has already laid out. Besides, the MCU is its own timeline that’s different from the comics.

If you’re basically wishing for Thor: Love and Thunder to fail at the box office just because it isn’t comics-accurate, please go outside sometime and touch grass. And eat a salad.

• a FIFA or PES die-hard looking to justify their next annual football franchise purchase;
• a FIFA or PES die-hard considering on switching camps; or
• a parent/spouse unsure what to get their kid/ significant other

In any case, we’re here to help you decide between two of this year’s major football offerings: FIFA 21 and eFootball PES 2021 (PES 2021).

To help you make that decision or help reaffirm your thoughts on either game’s 2021 versions, we have decided to pit both of them against one another against several criteria as we’ve done before for FIFA 18 and PES 2018: Gameplay, Graphics, Presentation and Longevity. However, due to a unique feature which Konami’s game carries, we will lump several categories together.

Let’s begin!

Gameplay & Graphics

A few months back, Konami clarified the status of PES 2021, saying “despite the use of the phrase “season update”, PES 2021 will “still be a standalone game.” But here’s the thing. It is essentially, a roster update … save for Paul Pogba’s new hairdo.

If you played PES 2020, you’re getting all the same experience with this latest version. The fluid animations? Same as last year. Realistic ball physics and travel? Same as last year. Menu? Still a mess to look at. Same as how it’s been for the past ten years or so. Horrendous commentary? Yep, you guessed it. All at half the price.

While many sports fans scoff at the annual releases of sports games, labelling them nothing more than glorified roster updates and kits with little to no improvements whatsoever, at least Konami’s being upfront about it. With the realism modern gaming machines are able to achieve, and with developers seemingly having hit the glass ceiling when it comes to novel and innovative improvements to their sports games, Konami’s approach with PES 2021 is easily the smallest AND biggest innovation seen in years.

Whether this move was deliberate or not, remains to be seen. But assuming that Konami wasn’t able to fully utilize their developers to deliver a meaningful game no thanks to having a bulk of their team working from home, Konami’s decision to offer what appears to be a filler, rather than repackaging the whole thing as a whole new product is an admirable business practice.

As a consumer, I this is the way forward; our wallets and significant others would agree. Hope you are reading this, respective publishers of the Madden, NBA2K, and F1 series.

Meanwhile, for FIFA 21, it’s almost the same case as PES 2021, but you’ll have to fork out the usual amount of dough. In this economic climate of 2020.

If your significant other go “It’s the same game every year!” – believe me, my friend: you have nothing to counter this with. My gripe about FIFA over the years – as also mentioned in my review of FIFA 21- that the players’ movements are super odd. It’s like they are playing on ice. They skate and glide on the pitch, with each turn of the direction feeling laboured.

I know it was EA Sports’ attempt to create a true-to-life look. But when the attempt at realistic animation is paired with a very arcade-y gameplay; immersion is the first thing flung out of the window.

Winner: PES 2021. This is worth two goals.

Presentation

I’ll say it straight up: FIFA 21 crushes it here. New – albeit familiar looking – menu, soundtrack, and the whole experience as if you’re watching a live match: it’s all here.

Your favourite grounds are fleshed out to the max with iconic chants and banners makes each game a sight to behold. They changed the commentary team this year which also means fresh new commentary lines. I like the fact that they immediately cut it to Jurgen Klopp grimacing when Mo Salah shoots just a bit over the bar. Or how the Anfield crowd roars when Mane scores a screamer from outside the box.

In a world where we have not watched a football match with fans packed into a stadium since last February, seeing realistic-looking fans waving around scarves and singing are the closest thing to normalcy a football fan could ever ask for right now.

As for PES 2021, without the additional third-party option files, the game looks bland with plain shirts which takes away any sense of realism. However, once you load them up, man does take PES to the levels of FIFA. Shame it stops there, as the commentary is as horrendous as before. Seriously: PES commentaries are the worst.

Winner: FIFA 21.

Longevity

The moment FIFA 22 or PES 2022 releases, people would drop the older version faster than a fantasy football player taking out Harry Maguire after last week’s performance. The last sentence stays true to this day.

Anyway, the question pertaining to longevity when it comes to these two titles is this: would you still be invested in them by December or even next February? In my opinion, once the joy of FIFA 21’s Football Ultimate Team (FUT) dries up due to either you not getting that streamer luck when opening packs, or you just lose interest in football due to your club’s poor form, EA’s latest have very little pull to make one linger about.

The career mode offers very little variety in progression – I realized they had the same player agent features every time you enter a negotiation with a player you’re interested in. Yes, the real-time updates which reflect the clubs and players’ real-life form do offer some pull to jump in for a round or two at weekends, but the buck stops there for me.

As for PES 2021, the modding community offers so much that one may never run out of scenarios or challenges to test out. If you, unlike me, is a fan of Malaysian football league, for example, you may find a challenge in getting Selangor to the tippy top of Asian football simply by installing the corresponding mod. Or just spend the entire life-cycle of PES 2021 playing as M-League clubs.

The Master League is definitely more enjoyable than its FIFA counterpart in my books and while isn’t as fleshed out as FUT, PES 2021’s MyTeam offers enough variety and is much more forgiving when rewarding you with top-tier players.

Winner: PES 2021.

Final Score: 3-1 in favour of PES 2021

While there’s very little to separate the two on paper, PES 2021 gets a comfortable win for several irrefutable reasons. It has better gameplay, a more realistic feel to how a football game ought to be and best of all, cheaper overall to own.

FIFA 21, whilst an improvement of last year’s iteration, does not carry enough weight to justify its purchase. Like United going for Cavani. Yeah, he’s good; but are you missing out much if you skipped it?

In the past, these comparison pieces between FIFA and PES would have been close. Like how Liverpool lost the title by just one point to Man City in the 2018/19 season. But just like the subsequent year, Liverpool not only overtook City, they blew their rivals en route to winning the league. Just like what PES 2021 has done for FIFA 21.

Anyways, hope the comparisons above help in your decision making. If you have any comments, both good and bad, about this feature, do let us know either here or on our Facebook pages. 

Reflections In Crystal is the name given to patch 5.3, the finale in a three-part epilogue to Shadowbringers. Itâ€s a loaded one, and perhaps all too aptly named, encapsulating many of the themes that Shadowbringers brings forth. The Final Fantasy series has had an obsession with crystals, always finding a way to implement them into their worlds. Traditionally, and most notably with the classic titles, crystals have been a force for good – a divine tool wielded by Warriors of Light to banish the Darkness.

Final Fantasy XIV also makes use of a similar trope. Your character begins their journey blessed with the power of Light from Hydaelyn, who is depicted as giant Crystal entity that tasks you with protecting the world from encroaching Darkness. Hydaelynâ€s Light has been used multiple times in the narrative to pave way for the heroâ€s success against larger than life foes. As it does so, however, the game never really stops to ponder whether Hydaelynâ€s path is truly the right one.

This aspect sits at the heart of Shadowbringers†story, especially throughout its tense epilogue. The role of the Warrior of Light is broken down to its bare components and questioned. No longer are you simply a just hero who defeats a great evil. Such notions arenâ€t so black and white, the game tells you. Yet, what’s compelling about this is that in providing a new perspective, Shadowbringers does so without diminishing the classic experience that Final Fantasy fans have grown to expect.

What follows from here on will contain major spoilers from FFXIVâ€s Shadowbringers storyline. So you’ve been warned…

Blinded By Light

The major villains of FFXIV, the enigmatic Ascians, have constantly used Darkness as a means to oppose your character, the Warrior of Light. However, these circumstances unexpectedly shift in Shadowbringers, as the last of the unsundered Ascians, Emet-Selch and Elidibus, instead use the forces of Light to threaten the world of the First.

Itâ€s later explained that the Ascians†end goal all along wasnâ€t to subsume Light with Darkness, but simply to bring about a world calamity by any means. The villains may command Darkness, but Darkness itself is just a tool. Just as how too much food and drink can take a toll on our bodies, Light too can be bent into a detriment.

Though we were made to believe as such, there isnâ€t an inherently good or bad element in Light and Dark. This becomes clear in Shadowbringers as it examines the Ascians†backstories in detail. The Ascians belonged to an ancient race that once existed before the world was sundered into thirteen reflections. Amidst this phenomenon, the souls of the Ascian race were lost, separated into fragments across these parallel dimensions. Only a few Ascians remained, and these survivors then sought to merge these dimensions back together so they may restore the souls of their people completely. Doing so, however, would require the destruction of unprecedented scale in each parallel reflection, which would bring an end to life as that world knows it.

The Ascians†methods are violent, with clear disregard for all the new precious life residing in each dimension. Yet, as described through Emet-Selch, this is because the Ascians have all but lost everything dear to them. Feeling the cold grip of loneliness, the unsundered Ascians took it upon themselves to become the saviours of their civilization. With so few of them left however, their desperation led to extremes in a last-ditch effort to see their friends and home again.

Many times over in the story, their tragedy and consequent motivation are used to reflect the player. Indeed, you as the Warrior of Light have also cut through many foes to achieve your own goals. Garleans, Ishgardians, Dragons, Domans, and even Ascians lay dead in your wake. All to achieve a supposed greater good, and often in the name of Hydaelyn, of whom we barely know. What is a hero if it means trampling over others for a cause they donâ€t even believe in?

As Elidibus says to the player, “I see you for what you are. You are death, and only in death shall you serve any purpose.” Itâ€s a profound statement that demonstrates how the path you take is, from one perspective, not seen as noble. To Elidibus, who becomes the last of his kind from your actions, you are the sole threat to any hope the Ascians have left to rebuild. To him, you are a malevolent entity who now seeks to drive the original people of the planet into extinction.

With the weight of his people now heavy on his shoulders, Elidibus takes up the mantle that you once held, that of the Warrior of Light. For he is the hero of his story, and you are the evil to be dealt with for the sake of his peopleâ€s salvation. The final battle takes you for a loop, as Elidibus transforms into an incarnation nearly identical to the Warrior of Light who represented Final Fantasy I in Dissidia Final Fantasy. With this form and the aid of summoned Warriors of Light from other worlds, he confronts you atop Crystal Tower, where you yourself had once fended off the Cloud of Darkness.

The Burden Of A Hero

At the beginning of 5.3, a brief story in which my character spoke to a little girl who wanted to become a Warrior of Light fascinated me. As a Warrior of Light, she said, she would travel all over the world to heal the sick and wounded as an apothecary. She eagerly expressed a desire to help as many people as she could, inspired by an apothecary who had also visited to heal those in need. This was reason enough to inspire her on the heroâ€s path, to which she promised to the Warrior of Darkness that she would become the best apothecary ever.

The game explains that the title of Warrior of Light doesnâ€t so much mean chosen one as it is merely synonymous to hero. A hero is one who fights for the people they care about. A hero faces trials and tribulations for the sake their loved ones, their friends, as well as the world they treasure.

Despite the Ascians†outcry of the player and their Scion allies†hypocrisy, the Warriors of Darkness are unwavering in their beliefs. After all, they have a duty to save the realm of the First from utter annihilation, and they also have an obligation to return home to The Source, where friends await them and new threats loom in the horizon. Like the Ascians, they too have things that they cherish.

Through this clash of beliefs, both sides become the heroes of their own story. There is something worth saving and something worth sacrificing. Unfortunately, neither can bend the knee to the other.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Though the player has no choice in this matter, the direction that the Warriors of Darkness take nonetheless make sense. Shadowbringers understands that the idea of a hero is superficial if the hero has nothing to believe in. This is what Emet-Selch points to when he akins the main character of FFXIV to nothing but a mindless puppet for Hydaelyn. Thereâ€s a smidge of truth to this – your character in FFXIV is a blank slate, and so it can be easy to say that your hero simply does as theyâ€re told, uncaring as to whether it would bring about suffering.

However, by this point in the game, players have already experienced so much. They have gone on adventures all across Eorzea. Beyond just cutting down foes, they have forged bonds with colourful characters and visited spectacular sights across the region. Just as theyâ€ve gained allies, theyâ€ve also lost allies. Theyâ€ve lived in the world and interacted with it in all the ways possible, growing to love it. With all these experiences fresh in the mind, that such a world must be protected might come as a no-brainer, even as the Ascians try to sow doubt.

Elidibus stands as a reflection of the Warrior of Darkness, but he has forgotten much of what his civilization once was and the promises he swore. Itâ€s a pivotal point that tells us why you, as the Warrior of Darkness, should triumph over Elidibus. The Ascians are obsessed with the past and refuse to accept the impermanence of life, seeking to end those who exist to bring back those who no longer do. This is a huge contrast from the Warrior of Darkness and their allies, who fight for the people who exist in the present so that they may find happy lives in the future.

With the battle won and the dust settled, Elidibus†true form is revealed as that of a mere child. The Warrior of Darkness approaches the dying Elidibus with a handful of crystals, plucked from the remains of his civilization. Recognizing them as belonging to his people, Elidibus finally recalls the reason for his long and arduous struggle, which was to save everyone.

Like the young girl at the beginning of 5.3, a childâ€s innocence drove Elidibus to believe he could save everyone. But the reality was harsh, and though he tried so hard to become their hero, his people still despaired and were eventually lost. In remembering his friends, he finds peace and solace before passing away. The past has faded away, but now makes way for new hope and a chance for things to go differently, a torch which you will carry yourself.

Signifying this passing of the torch, the lyrics to Shadowbringers†ending theme, Tomorrow and Tomorrow, read as follow:

Pray donâ€t forget us
Your bygone kin
With one worldâ€s end
Does a new begin
And should our souls scatter
Unto the wind
Still we shall live on

What It Takes To Save Others

The Final Fantasy series boasts many heroes that go about saving the world from a great evil. Often though, these characters rarely have to question whether they are doing the right thing. Likewise, villains rarely prove complex enough to warrant empathy from the audience. On both these counts, the Shadowbringers story led by Natsuko Ishikawa, explores this flawed simplicity.

But though the expansion contemplates on the role of the hero and tells us it isnâ€t so black and white, it never tries to undermine it. At the end of the day, our heroes do make a stand against villains who, tragic and misunderstood as they may be, threaten the world we care about. The goal of the story was never to make us doubt our actions, but rather give us the resolve and right reasons to take action.

The final dungeon in 5.3, called the Heroes†Gauntlet, sees our party make a desperate dash through Norvrandt to reach the Crystal Tower, where Elidibus awaits after summoning an army of Warriors of Light to oppose the party. Seeing their heroes in trouble, the residents of the First, fairies, humans, and animals alike, all rise up to support the party and hold the line as their heroes rush ahead. This situation gives emphasis to the bonds made on your adventure and how Norvrandt has now become a place worth protecting. It also reminds us that hero isnâ€t something given to you, but is rather a potential that exists in everyone.

Celebrating Final Fantasy

Thereâ€s little doubt that Shadowbringers exists as a deconstruction of the classic hero trope prevalent in Final Fantasy. But while it explores the fallacy in a hero that can do no wrong, or the chosen hero, or the all-powerful hero, the story retains respect and admiration for heroes, understanding their place in the series and why fans have grown to love them.

Shadowbringers is still packed with cinematic set pieces and otherworldly foes to defeat. You still go on an adventure, meeting new friends along the way, and then somehow saving the world by the end of it.

The positives and negatives of Final Fantasy are seen juxtaposed against each other constantly in Shadowbringers, but in doing so also helps us internalize why we love it in the first place. Through the villains, the story exposes the fault in the legend of the Warrior of Light, but through the excitement of adventure and smiles made along the way, we also see that it doesnâ€t take a Warrior of Light for true heroes to exist.

On this note, I end by mentioning Shadowbringers†rendition of Nobuo Uematsuâ€s Eternal Wind. Itâ€s a sombre yet whimsical tune which plays in many of Shadowbringers†heartfelt moments. It also happens to be the tune from the overworld of Final Fantasy III, where four village orphans become Warriors of Light to save their world from being consumed by the void. In this simple tale, they meet the Warriors of Darkness who once saved their own world from the Flood of Light. Through their aid and sacrifice, the Cloud of Darkness is defeated, thereby saving the world.

As a love letter to Final Fantasy III, Shadowbringers excels and surpasses expectations. Light and Dark are just aspects, and heroes can come in all forms. The message sits at the core of the Final Fantasy series, where heroes of diverse backgrounds band together to fight for a common cause.

With Shadowbringers, Final Fantasy XIV now stands as one of the best Final Fantasy games ever made. The lead main scenario writer of the expansion was Natsuko Ishikawa, who is no doubt outside of the general consciousness of typical names when discussing Final Fantasy. Yet, her hand in the narrative has breathed new life into the Final Fantasy name and taken it to new heights. I can only hope that more talented new blood are given opportunities to leave their mark in such a beloved and long-running franchise.

After all, if Shadowbringers†tale has taught us anything, itâ€s that the passing of the torch is both a crucial and inevitable part of preserving our world, so it might as well be done right.

Following the massive reveal of PlayStation 5 launch games and its sleek, oh-so-sexy form earlier this morning, the following questions are popping up in everyone’s minds right now:

• What’s the retail price?
• What about official retail prices for Asian markets?
• When will the PS5 be available in the market?

The biggest clue we’ve received so far is the release window of the PS5 which is “Holiday 2020“. To predict the future, we decided to look into the past.

So armed with the intel we have gathered so far coupled with the experience related to the release of the PlayStation 4 in 2013, here’s our best guesswork when it comes to answering these three major queries.

#1. How Much Will It Cost?

The biggest and most important question in everyone’s minds which is still unanswered. As witnessed in the past three console generations, Sony was rarely the one to jump the gun in revealing the retail price of their console. Save for the disastrous price reveal of the PS3, the retail price reveals for the PS2 and PS4 were key moments when the blue brand took lead in the console wars.

So with the PS5, expect the same strategy. We firmly believe Sony are playing the wait and see approach before responding with their official pricing.

Our guess is as good as yours, but after seeing the two versions available at launch, we estimate the Digital Edition to be the more affordable option at US$449 while the “thick”‘ version retailing slightly higher perhaps closing in on the US$499 mark.

#2. How Much Will It Retail In Asian Markets?

In 2013, Sony revealed the PS4 price on 11th June. The official prices and release dates for Asian markets were only released five months later in November.  While COVID-19 have all but denied a one-to-one mirror of it in 2020 – with E3 and TGS both being cancelled – a few key takeaways should help us predict when we should get the official news of these prices.

If E3 2020 happened as scheduled, we have no doubts that we would already have the retail prices for not just the PlayStation 5, but the Xbox Series X as well. At present, we do not know exactly when will Microsoft unveil the price of the Xbox Series X but we are confident that they won’t hold back for too long.

As opposed to 2013 when Microsoft and Sony were neck-to-neck in the console war, now Microsoft are the clear underdogs heading into next-gen. They have to throw the first punch this time around.

Our best guess is that Microsoft will reveal their prices before the end of August. Sony would swiftly respond with the official retail prices for the PlayStation 5. And since TGS 2020 isn’t going to happen, we will not be surprised if Sony decides to release the recommended retail price for the PlayStation 5 in all regions in one fell swoop.

Still, it would not be out of the ordinary if they decided to withhold the information related to the Asian markets for a bit longer.

#3. When Will The PS5 Be Available?

Before we go full-blown theorist mode, here’s a quick recap of the company’s previous console & its launch:

The PS4 in 2013

• Console and price reveal – 11th June; release date 15th Nov (NA); 29th Nov (PAL).
• Note: 15th November was two weeks before Black Friday sales in the United States that year.

Asian Markets

• Release date announcement: 18th Sept 
• Price reveal: 7th Nov; release dates – 17th Dec (HK); 19th Dec (SG); 20th Dec (MY); 22nd Feb 2014 (JP)

Now let’s break down our predictions for the PS5:

The PS5 in 2020

• Console reveal: 12th June.
• Price reveal – We predict this will happen late August.
• Release date – We predict this will be on 13th November 2020 (NA); 30th Nov (PAL).
• Note: Black Friday for 2020 falls on 27th November.

Asian Markets

• Release date announcement: We predict this will happen late August to early September.
• Price reveal: We predict this will happen early November.
• Release dates: We predict this will be either the second to the third week of December. Our best guess is 14th December onward for Asian markets. 

The Gist Of It

These predictions are mainly based on the assumption that Sony will utilize the same strategy and time frame of stymieing the information in regards to the release of their console.  And it all checks out. We have a solid six months prior to its expected release in ‘Holiday 2020’.

The bulk of information concerning PlayStation 5’s release in the Asian market will gather full steam by late October, allowing room for present-gen games to remain in focus until September.

Do you agree with our predictions or do you think it should be released a little earlier or later? Since we are at it, have you decided which version of the PlayStation 5 you will be getting? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The new Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 trailer starts by showing us Mandalore, with the voiceover of Darth Maul himself saying:

“Soon, the galaxy shall be remade. The Jedi and Republic will die.”

For those unfamiliar with what will happen, Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 will focus on the Siege Of Mandalore, one of the biggest and final conflicts of the Clone Wars. The Jedi and Republic will attempt to liberate the Mandalorian home planet from the clutches of Darth Maul.

Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi stand surrounded by droids, presumably on Mandalore as well.

Mace Windu then follows suit by saying the most obvious thing ever in the history of the franchise during a meeting with the Jedi Council:

“I sense a plot to destroy the Jedi.”

During this meeting, we can also see Master Depa Billaba and her Padawan, who is none other than a much younger version of Caleb Dume AKA Kannan Jarrus from Star Wars Rebels.

We then see Darth Maul using some kind of Force interrogation technique, similar to the one we’ve seen used by Kylo Ren in Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens against Poe Dameron and Rey.

It looks like Ahsoka Tano got herself a nice ride after leaving the Jedi Order.

She then tells a new friend why she left the Jedi Order, that it was losing its way and succumbing to its hubris, becoming more militaristic and restrictive of the very freedom it’s fighting for by being tools of the Republic in the Clone Wars:

“We were trained to be keepers of the peace, not soldiers.”

She makes some kind of deal to help Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze, the previous leader of the terrorist group Death Watch but now is likely fighting to reclaim her home planet.

Captain Rex also expresses the existential crisis faced by every clone trooper:

“We clones have mixed feelings about the war. Without it, we wouldn’t exist.”

We also see more of Anakin Skywalker’s downfall to the dark side. He looks ready to kill what seems to be two Separatist generals.

The rest of the trailer is more scenes of dramatic war battles with explosions and death, but one scene is interesting. Padme Amidala is already pregnant at this point in the story, which means that we’re very close to the events of Star Wars Episode III Revenge Of The Sith.

While it has yet to be explicitly confirmed by Dave Filoni or Lucasfilm, it definitely looks like Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7 will somehow overlap with Star Wars Episode III Revenge Of The Sith, maybe even include events set within the timeframe of the movie itself.

This means that we’ll likely see how Captain Rex and Ahsoka Tano responds to Order 66 as it happens. Why do I say so?

What’s stopping Dave Filoni and the others from actually dipping their toes into what happened in Star Wars Episode III Revenge Of The Sith as well? Nothing, that’s what. This is the final season, after all.

In the novel Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston (which is canon), we learnt that the Siege Of Mandalore was brought to an end by the sudden onslaught of Order 66. This means that the Siege Of Mandalore likely takes place concurrently with the Battle Of Coruscant from the beginning of Star Wars Episode III Revenge Of The Sith.

Check out the full trailer for the final season of Star Wars The Clone Wars below. In the meantime, head on over here for the chronological guide to Star Wars The Clone Wars and the best story arcs in the series to date.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLW2jkd6E7g&w=560&h=315]

Team SoloMid

The recent EXP Invitational gave players a great look at how the pros play. If you missed it, you can catch all the action from both days here.

The Apex Legends meta is constantly shifting thanks to changes and tweaks the devs slipped in to further improve the game. One does not need to look hard to see these changes, just look at the new hop-ups which proved to shake the meta when it was first introduced in Season 2, and it was extensively used by the pros.

Let’s see a breakdown of what the EXP Invitational pros ran for their matches.

Legendary Findings

The most popular Legends over the weekend was undoubtedly Wraith, Wattson and Pathfinder with more than 5 teams running the same lineup to great effect. Tempo Storm, Sentinels, TSM, Reciprocity all ran this lineup, to name a few teams.

Variations of the lineup were also seen, often swapping one Legend to another such as Lifeline for her quick healing potential.

This connects well with data back from Season 1, pointing out the most picked Legends back then.

Stats as of 8 June from play-apex.net

Before Wattson was launched, the defence Legends saw minimal usage across matches due to their huge hitbox and subpar abilities.

So, is the Wraith, Wattson and Pathfinder lineup the ultimate winning combination? The answer is “yes”, but with a small caveat.

First of all, let’s see what these Legends bring to the table. Wraith has great survivability and provides decent mobility while granting valuable invincibility to teammates all around.

The same goes to Pathfinder, albeit without the invincibility. In a game where mobility is paramount, these two Legends are S-tier despite receiving 5% more damage with the Low Profile perk, which doesn’t really matter as long as the player is dodging and darting while shooting.

These Legends can also provide flanking routes and escape plans through their abilities. I’d say they’re perfect for high-octane battles that are abundant in Apex Legends.

System Shock

Wattson, the latest addition to the Legends roster, saw a lot of screentime during the EXP Invitational. This is because of a few interesting points of interests. Firstly, she can barricade buildings, denying exit or entry. Secondly, her ult is a godsend in the last circles where battles are fought right in the open with scarce cover.

Wattson’s fences can deny potential flanking routes when deployed properly while forcing opponents to go into her squad’s kill zones to deal with the situation. Right off the bat, it is clear why Wattson is the superior defence legend compared to the other two; Gibraltar and Caustic, in which both require very strict situations to shine.

Her ultimate can provide great cover against ordnance and throwables, especially when cover is a premium in those late-game scenarios. While mobility is important, taking cover is another important factor in clinching a win.

In short, this lineup has a good balance between turtling and mobility.

Even the Season 1 data shows Wraith and Pathfinder, alongside Lifeline, taking the Top 3 spot for win rate.

Stats as of 8 June from play-apex.net

This strong lineup has a few caveats, such as it is very loadout dependant, meaning you need to loot properly to dish out optimal damage since there is no damage-dealing ults nor offensive tactical abilities.

Wattson also has no escape abilities, often relying on her teammates to get her out of sticky situations. This also means hot-drops are deadly for her and her teammates.

Does this mean other heroes that weren’t picked aren’t viable at all? Short answer: It really depends.

The long answer: Well, in a purely competitive environment, their abilities aren’t as helpful as the top three used Legends over the weekend. Let’s put Caustic in example; his Nox gas is painful and obscures opponents’ vision, yes, but it also slows down and obscures all your teammate’s vision too, effectively negating all advantage of bringing numbers into a fight.

Another Legend that wasn’t picked at all was Bangalore. Her skill set isn’t as valuable as the others in terms of competitive matches. Not to mention, her ult, Rolling Thunder, is just a joke, dealing close to no damage and has a long delay, giving enemies ample time to relocate.

But who are we to say no to your playstyle, if you enjoy playing as the less popular Legends, then, by all means, please continue. I enjoy playing Caustic once in a while.

NEXT PAGE: BEST WEAPONS

Of that number, the majority (59 percent) of battle royale players are loyal to just one franchise or title in the genre, the most popular of which is Fortnite. More than half of these players claim to exclusively play the Epic Games title.

Moreover, it turns out that over 16 percent of battle royale gamers play all three of the biggest key franchises; namely PUBG, Fortnite, and Apex Legends. Despite all three titles belonging to the same genre, they are very different in how they actually play (which ardent battle royale gamers will attest to).

Apex Legends is essentially what happens when you infuse Overwatch‘s hero shooter mechanics into a fast-paced battle royale setting. PUBG is meant to be more realistic and survival-based (but surely it was never meant to be full of bugs), while Fortnite features more colorful kid-friendly gameplay with its emotes and focus on social elements.

According to Newzoo statistics, if you play any of these three battle royale games, you belong to a group demographic sharing certain distinct characteristics (from research conducted amongst players in the U.S., China, and Germany):

Fortnite

, those who choose to play the Fortnite:

• Tend to value in-game social activity
• Prefer to play on consoles
• Likely also plays Call Of Duty games
• Favorite peripheral brand is Logitech

PUBG

Those who choose to play PUBG:

• Tend to enjoy teamwork and cooperation between teammates during gameplay
• Prefer to play on mobile
• Likely also plays Battlefield games
• Favorite peripheral brand is Razer

Apex Legends

Those who choose to play Apex Legends:

• Tend to appreciate extremely fast-paced action
• Prefer to play on PC
• Likely also plays Overwatch
• Favorite peripheral brand is Turtle Beach

Before you folks prepare to bombard us with your angry comments saying that you completely disagree with the characteristics listed above, keep in mind that these are based on statistics provided by Newzoo, and does not reflect our general opinions here at KKP.

What do you think? Do you share these characteristics? Let us know in the comments below.

(Image Credits: Zeus Column)

We’ve came across a possibly game-breaking yet totally legit feature in Total War: Three Kingdoms which allows you to take over settlements (and even more) without even having to lift a sword.  That sweet, sweet jade mine you’ve been eyeing for ten turns now can be yours before your turn is over.

The most important factor to have in order to pull this treachery off is relative abundance of food supplies compared to your rivals. Since China serves as the backdrop to Three Kingdoms, we are pretty much talking about rice, rice, and more rice here.

To make the deal even more satisfying, go for rivals whose supplies are in the negative. Once that is sorted, here are the steps to take.

1. Enter diplomacy mode – where you get to broker deals with other factions

2. Start negotiating and select your intended target under the ‘Trade Territories’ option.

3. You will notice the balance of the initial proposal in red. Territories are always highly valued so expect this initial value to be deep in the negative.

4. Offer to help them with their food supply crisis. Food in Three Kingdoms at times is more valuable than money. So watch as they bend over with the offer of food assistance for about thirty for ten turns or so.

5. Adjust the values as you see fit (to get it into the green) and if you feel super evil, add in other deal sweeteners in your favor.

6. Once the deal is agreed on, you’ll end up with a brand-spanking new territory with a temporarily diminished food supply. But fret not.

7. Head back to the negotiations tab and cancel that food supply deal. This would cost you some credibility points but would seriously hinder – or even cripple your opposite number. In return, you get your food back while maintaining control of the recently acquired territory.

8. A quick run through of the steps mentioned above is shown in our gameplay below. We do not recommend you pulling this fast one too often, though as it may affect your own allies’ thoughts of you.

Space it for about ten turns or so, to allow you time to regain your lost credibility.

In the video above, I decided to take over Liu Cong’s only supply of food (lol!) which forced him into an even deeper hole once I break the deal. That jade mine up north can be acquired the same way, or via other treacherous means.

Is this fair? Of course it isn’t. But how realistic is it? I guess it shouldn’t be far from real life, right? Parties reneging on deals after getting what they wanted. All’s fair in love and war – and what better setting for that idiom in the land of the Romance of Three Kingdoms?

You can check out our review of the game here where we spoke highly of Creative Assembly’s latest title to the Total War franchise.

What Is Gaming Disorder?

According to the WHO, gaming disorder is described as:

“A pattern of gaming behavior (“digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”) characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.”

A person suffers from gaming disorder when his/her/their gaming behaviour pattern is so severe that “it results in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months.”

What that means is simply that gaming disorder doesn’t correlate to how many hours of gaming a person plays. Instead, it is when gaming itself is prioritized over everything else, which causes his/her/their personal life, relationships (family and friends), hygiene, health, and more to deteriorate greatly.

For example, a person who plays games for a living by streaming them for 12 hours a day but still manages to keep his relationships, health, and finances in check, does not suffer from gaming disorder.

On the other hand, a person who only plays several hours of games daily but fails to maintain a steady job or even take care of his relationships (abandons family and friends) does indeed suffer from gaming disorder.

Keep in mind that gaming disorder can only be officially diagnosed by successfully observing 12 months of continuous or consistent behaviour that fits the description of those suffering from the illness.

Again, it should be noted that it ultimately doesn’t matter how long you actually play your games, but how much it actually affects you negatively or adversely.

Why This Is A Good Thing

There’s nothing wrong with gaming, especially if you play in moderation and understand your priorities in life. Just like gambling or drinking alcohol, the problem arises only when you consume too excessively to the point of addiction, that it becomes a disorder.

Now that gaming disorder has been officially recognized by WHO, they can start developing treatment programs for those with gaming disorders, by helping them control their gaming habits and rehabilitate those suffering from the disease.

This will also help increase awareness amongst medical practitioners and the public at large that gaming disorder should be taken seriously, and that anyone can suffer from the illness, ranging from young children to older teenager and even grown adults.

According to the WHO, studies show that “only a small proportion of people who engage in digital or video-gaming activities” actually suffer from gaming disorder. This means that the majority of gamers are not afflicted by gaming disorder.

Why It’s Not Such A Good Thing

Gaming is already stigmatized by the general public, largely by those whom gaming is not part of their lives (those who don’t play, watch or partake in gaming). It has long been demonized by the mass media, who portray gaming as being bad influences on the youth and somehow inciting them to commit violent or lewd acts.

These same people may take WHO’s official classification of gaming disorder the wrong way, using it to further justify their negative views of gaming.

This will only make matters worse by making it harder for those actually suffering from gaming disorder to seek help for their illness, becoming even more ostracized and shunned than they were before.

Effects Of Gaming Disorder

It remains to be seen what effects the WHO’s classification of gaming disorder will yield in the near future, as it will only officially come into effect starting from 1 January 2022, which is almost three years away from now.

Last year, international organizations representing the games industry already united to challenge the idea of gaming disorders being recognized as an illness. The official statement came from the European Games Developer Federation.

It was officially supported by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, the Brazilian Union of Video and Games, Interactive Entertainment South Africa, Interactive Games & Entertainment Association, Interactive Software Federation of Europe, Korea Association of Game Industry, and the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) itself.

Their official statement ended with the coalition of international organizations stating that classifying gaming as a disorder will “create moral panic and may lead to abuse of diagnosis as the inclusion is not based on a high level of evidence, as would be required to formalize any other disorder.”

Itâ€s true that being addicted to anything would be harmful, whether it be gaming, eating or drinking. Too much of anything is never good but how much of something is considered bad differs from person to person.

Some might find playing two or three straight hours of gaming already excessive while some might consider that mild. Officially diagnosing gaming as a disorder might only lead to a worsening stigma for gaming if it’s abused by certain parties.

Gaming is now as much a community activity (in the form of esports) and a healthy means of social interaction (online games), so it would be appreciated if the world at large doesn’t blow WHO’s gaming disorder classification out of proportion.

A new video has surfaced, featuring an extended clip of the scene between Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Quentin Beck/Mysterio.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VktWPESnmTQ&w=560&h=315]

Here’s what Mysterio says to Peter in the special clip:

“There are multiple realities, Peter. This is Earth dimension 616, I’m from Earth 833.

We share identical physical constants level four symmetry.”

Earth-616

In the comics, the ‘prime†Marvel universe is based in the reality of Earth-616 while the MCU has always been unofficially designated Earth-199999. For that reason, this is extremely confusing for comic book fans. However, it could also be an indication that proves another theory; that Mysterio is actually lying about all this.

It could also be that Marvel Studios is trying to separate the lines between the MCU and the comics even further, by establishing that the MCU has access to its own Multiverse and by extension its own Earth-616.

Earth-833

Meanwhile, let’s discuss the implications of what Mysterio being from Earth 833 would bring. In the comics, that reality is already home to its own version of Spider-Man named William “Billy” Braddock. Calling himself Spider-UK, he is actually a member of the Captain Britain Corps, an organization that protects the Multiverse.

Spider-UK.

Braddock is his reality’s version of both Spider-Man and Captain Britain in one, though he only has abilities of the former (Spider-Sense, super strength, etc) and none of the latter (mystical source of power).  However, his reality was destroyed in the comics, and he also died recently.

In the trailer, Mysterio words to Spider-Man; “I could someone like you on my world.” could now have two implications. One, that he is lying about there being no Spider-Man on his Earth, thereby making him a villain with a hidden agenda, or two, the Spider-Man on his Earth did exist but is now dead maybe due to the Elementals or some other threat.

Maybe this could all even turn out to be a way for Marvel Studios to introduce the Inheritors into the MCU, interdimensional immortal vampires who suck the life force of Spider Totems from different universes, destroying them in the process. Perhaps Mysterio’s world was ravaged by the Inheritors? It’s possible.

The family of Inheritors.

I’m still skeptical of Mysterio’s claims, but if it all does turn out to be true, could mean infinite possibilities for future stories. Marvel Studios could potentially use the Multiverse concept as a backdoor excuse to introduce mutants or the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four into the MCU, as well as new villains like Galactus, Kang the Conqueror, or Annihilus.

Spider-Man: Far From Home is slated to arrive in cinemas on 4 July 2019.