We know every legend has a beginning, but only one has a Padawan in Ahsoka Tano. Wait, who now?

If your knowledge of Star Wars is only from the live-action films, there’s a lot you need to catch up on, with the upcoming debut of Star Wars: Ahsoka on 23 August on Disney+.

First introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Ahsoka is the padawan of Anakin ‘Darth Vader’ Skywalker, and if you thought the Master/Padawan relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi was tragic, you don’t know your blue lightsaber from your purple one. Ahsoka spent the majority of her life as an animated character in The Clone Wars animated series until she was brought to live-action by actress Rosario Dawson in 2020’s The Mandalorian.

That 12 years worth of animated stories to familiarise yourself with, to find out how she went from an eager-eyed child to renouncing her Jedi teachings. Bear in mind, this additional homework is not necessary in order to catch Ahsoka, as series creator Dave Filoni has said that Ahsoka is a continuation of the character’s journey thus far, and no prior knowledge of The Clone Wars is required to relate to the character, but as fans, we must say it adds to the experience. 

And will it be an awesome one, especially since audiences have only seen Ahsoka and Anakin together on screen in animated form, so the series will mark the first time that Ahsoka and Anakin will be together on screen, in live action. Yes, Hayden Christensen is returning as Anakin!

To prepare yourself, here’s an extensive list of episodes and movies to catch (thanks to Reddit user I_AmNoJedi), to answer the question, Who is Ahsoka Tano? We’ve even thrown in a book that you can read, if you’ve got time to spare too. 

The Beginning

• Tales of the Jedi Season 1 Episode 1 

Just like all of us, Ahsoka was first a little baby. Episode 1 of Tales of the Jedi depicts one-year-old Ahsoka on a hunt with her mother to learn about life and death. Panic later engulfs the village when Baby Ahsoka is taken away by a sabre-toothed-tiger-like creature during the hunt. While the villagers assemble to try and save her, the one-year-old was able to save herself by using the Force to connect with the creature and return to the village safely – riding the creature, no less. This episode marks the first time Ahsoka uses the Force and gives viewers better insight into the Tortuga people’s rituals and traditions, allowing us to understand how her background has shaped her into the person she becomes later on. 

The Start and End of her Jedi Era

• The Clone Wars animated movie
• The Clone Wars Season 1 Episode 2, 9 and 19
• The Clone Wars Season 2 Episode 1-3, 5-8, 11, 12-14
• The Clone Wars Season 3 Episode 4, 10, 15-17, 18-20, 21-22
• The Clone Wars Season 4 Episode 11-14, 21-22
• The Clone Wars Season 5 Episode 2-9, 14-20 
• The Clone Wars Season 6 Episode 1-4
• The Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 5-8 

In Clone Wars, Ahsoka (voiced by Ashley Eckstein) is in her teen years and is starting Jedi training. At the age of 14, she was granted the rank of Padawan and was assigned to Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) during the Battle of Christophsis. This is the start of Ahsoka and Anakin’s close relationship as they work together to rescue Rotta (David Acord) from Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). They even started assigning affectionate nicknames for each other – Skyguy and Snips. 

Their relationship continues in The Clone Wars animated series and this is where we see Ahsoka and Anakin go through a lot – separately and together. Not every The Clone Wars episode listed here features Ahsoka but the ones that do show how her and Anakin’s dynamics shift and change, and essentially, how they too change as individuals. 

The episodes listed also cover important arcs in Star Wars, such as the Holocron Arc, Geonosis Arc, Death Watch Arc, Mortis Arc, Citadel Arc, Trandoshan Arc, The Return of Darth Maul, Onderon Arc, Younglings Arc, Maul Mandalore Arc, Ahsoka’s Trial Arc, Order 66 Arc and Martez Sisters Arc.

Ahsoka’s Return

• The Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 9-12
• Tales of the Jedi Season 1 Episode 5-6
• Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston

After a whirlwind seven seasons, Ahsoka disappears and returns in episodes 9 to 12 for the famous Siege of Mandalore arc. The four-episode arc serves as the series finale for The Clone Wars animated series. Also known as the Battle of Mandalore or the Attack on Mandalore, the battle engulfed the Outer Rim world and marked the return of Former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka. Together with Commander Rex (Dee Bradley Baker), the two led a division of the 501st Legion of clone troopers to stop Sith Lord Maul (Sam Witwer) who controlled Mandalore, reuniting with Anakin once again. Although Rex and Ahsoka were successful, Order 66 was executed so Ahsoka had to fake her death, buried her lightsabers and embarked on a new path. 

Tales of the Jedi Episode 5 sees Ahsoka practising her skills while ending with her attempt to escape Order 66. Meanwhile, Episode 6 of Tales of the Jedi sees Ahsoka go up against the Sixth Brother, an Inquisitor. While the episode doesn’t explicitly reveal the identity of the Inquisitor, we see a similar storyline play out in E.K. Johnston’s novel Ahsoka. 

Meet the Rebels

• The entirety of Star Wars: Rebels 

Star Wars: Rebels is going to be incredibly important as many of the characters in the animated series will be making their live-action debut in the Ahsoka Disney+ series. We’re talking about the likes of Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray), Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall) and Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar) who will be played by Eman Esfafdi, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Natasha Liu Borzizzo respectively in Ahsoka. Set five years before A New Hope, Rebels chronicles the early years of the Rebellion’s formation. 

Ahsoka today 

• The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 5 
• The Book of Boba Fett Season 1 Episode 6 

The Ahsoka series is set during the same time as The Mandalorian season three and before we get there, we got to see some glimpses of Ahsoka in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. For starters, The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 5 marks Ahsoka’s first live-action debut and launches actress Rosario Dawson in the role. In this episode, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) asks Ahsoka if she could train Grogu in the way of the Jedi. Here, we see what Ahsoka feels about the Jedi and whether her values have changed after all this while. Ahsoka makes yet another appearance in The Book of Boba Fett Season 1 Episode 6. In this star-studded season finale, Ahsoka returns with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to take Grogu away and begin his Jedi training. 

And there you have it – an incredibly comprehensive list of shows (and a novel) to catch up on before watching Ahsoka when it premieres on 23 August. If you don’t have the time to do so, you can check out this much shorter guide on things you should know before watching Ahsoka. 

A'bidah Zaid

Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.

The post Who Is Ahsoka Tano? Here Are Every Key Star Wars Episodes You Should Watch Before ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’ appeared first on Geek Culture.

The world is your canvas but for some digital artists, it’s the tablet and stylus they bring everywhere they go. In the last few years, Apple’s iPad Pro (12.9-inch) has established itself as the go-to drawing device for digital artists, but with Samsung’s latest tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, there’s some worthy competition.

With a 14.6 inches display, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra provides ample space for artists to bring their creative visions to life. Plus, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor means the tablet is a powerhouse that won’t crash mid-drawing on software like Clip Studio Paint and HiPaint.

When drawing, it is evident that the AMOLED display has good colour reproduction too. Colours are vibrant and when compared to the iPad Pro 2022, the two are pretty similar.

Just like how the Apple Pencil is a common tool artists use to draw on the iPad, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra comes with its own stylus, the S-Pen. The S-pen features haptic audio that makes you feel like you’re drawing on real paper. It’s a cool feature worth noting without having to use a textured screen protector to recreate the touch and feel of paper.

That said, the S-Pen is smaller in size and doesn’t fit as well in our hands as compared to the Apple Pencil. While the large screen is a wonderful playground, the dimensions of the tablet make for an awkward drawing experience as it is not a canvas ratio most artists are used to. Our hands and limbs tend to get in the way when drawing though, it’s something that users can get used to over time.

In all, we find that the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is a great tablet for productivity and entertainment, but may not be the best choice for digital artists.

If you’re looking for a large, immersive tablet with a great display for productivity and note-taking, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is a very good option. However, serious digital artists may want to stick with the iPad Pro 2022. Samsung is clearly trying to create its own edge against the iPads and Apple pencil but Apple still takes the lead here with just the right screen size, higher processing power, the ergonomics of Apple Pencil, and the simplicity of the Apple ecosystem.

It just goes to show that bigger doesn’t always mean better, but with the Galaxy Tab S9 one thing is for sure: the perfect Samsung tablet for creators will definitely come sometime in the future.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra starts from S$1,688 and is available on Samsung’s official website, Amazon, Lazada and Shopee.

A'bidah Zaid

Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.

The post Best Tablet For Digital Artists In 2023: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra vs Apple iPad Pro appeared first on Geek Culture.

Trading cards are seeing a continued boom, and Ultimate Guard is certainly reaping the fruits of this interest wave. If you’re into Magic: The Gathering, Flesh and Blood, and or the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the company has got your back in keeping your collection pristine.

Here’s a quick list of the best accessories you should be looking out for from Ultimate Guard to ensure that your cards look good and stay safe during play and transport.

Ultimate Guard Precise-Fit Sleeves (Standard Size) and Katana Sleeves (Standard Size)

One of the biggest concerns of trading card players is the mixing and matching of inner and outer sleeves. After all, it’d be wise to protect a triple-dollar value card from as much abuse as possible through double (or triple) sleeving.

Starting with the standard-size Ultimate Guard Precise-Fit Sleeves, these inner sleeves are the baseline defence for your cards. As is the case with many inner sleeves, fitting them on will require some finesse, but their high detail of clarity comes in handy for players to read card text easily.

Fitting it into Ultimate Guard Katana Sleeves would be the next recommended course of action. We used the standard-size sleeves here for our Magic: The Gathering cards and they work great. These Katana sleeves are made in Japan and offer a great shuffle feel in hand.

Put together, there’s always a chance for the inner sleeve to ride up when inserting the card into an outer sleeve. This issue is minimised with the dual Ultimate Guard sleeve combo, though it should be noted that does still happen from time to time.

Overall the fit is precise with no wasted space in between, which is especially key when fitting your deck into a deck box of choice. Thankfully, Ultimate Guard has one of the best on the market as well.

Grab the Ultimate Guard Precise-Fit Sleeves on Amazon | Shopee and Katana Sleeves on Amazon | Shopee.

Ultimate Guard Boulder

If you’ve seen a kaleidoscope of colour in your local game store, it’s probably from an Ultimate Guard Boulder. Coming in a variety of brilliant colours, the Boulders are the crown jewel in Ultimate Guard’s lineup. 

The Boulder comes in a variety of sizes accommodating deck sizes from 40 all the way to 100 cards. With double-sleeved cards, the fit will be precise but there’s more leeway if the cards are single-sleeved, affording more space for tokens and additional accessories.

What’s unique to the Boulders is its soft touch exterior that feels great to hold in hand while allowing players to keep a good grip on the treasures within. In addition, the Boulders also come in a variant with a tray for dice and counters to keep your collection tidy.

If you’re starting out with your trading card collection, it’s hard to consider other deck boxes once you’ve had a taste of the Ultimate Guard Boulders.

Grab the Ultimate Guard Boulders on Amazon | Shopee.

Ultimate Guard Arkhive Xenoskin 

As your collection grows, it becomes an eyesore to have multiple deck boxes strewn around the shelf. While a rainbow display might appeal to some, having it all stored nicely in a discrete box is made easier with the Ultimate Guard Arkhive Xenoskin.

Encased in what is best described as leatherette-esque material, the surface of the Arkhive Xenoskin feels premium and is able to hold up to eight Boulders, with users having the freedom to mix and match the internal configuration accordingly.

The Arkhive Xenoskin spares no detail as well, lining its internals with microfibre material to give an even more luxurious touch to one’s already well-protected cards, before it gets closed with a solid magnetic snap.

Grab the Ultimate Guard Arkhive Xenoskin on Amazon | Shopee.

While Ultimate Guard has a whole suite of accessories available, these picks would be ideal for keeping your trading card collection neat and tidy while looking great at the same time. The reasonable prices are a plus, too, making it an easy pick for staying light on the wallet!

Gerald

Gerald currently straddles between his love of video games and board gaming. There’s nothing that interests him more than trying out the newest and fanciest gadget in town as well. He dreams of publishing a board game sometime in the future!

The post The Best Ultimate Guard Accessories For Your Trading Card Game Collection appeared first on Geek Culture.

Just mere months after opening up the vast region of Sumeru, the world of Genshin Impact is set to welcome yet another new setting – and underwater, to boot. But Fontaine isn’t the only thing to look forward to in the 4.0 patch, with the highly-anticipated Lyney making his debut as the region’s first limited 5-star playable character.

First revealed in 2020 alongside his sister Lynette in Genshin Impact’s Tevyat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail, players have waited three long years to finally obtain the charming magician as a playable character.

The fanbase has been beyond excited with the release of his official demo and trailer, even with aggressive comments on his design from a small fraction of the Korean fandom. These comments on Twitter show just how hyped the fanbase has been for his arrival, further heightened with Genshin Impact’s callback to his original preview on Travail.

As the Pyro character unveils the tricks in his hat to entice players to spend all their primogems on him, here’s our ultimate guide to building Lyney. 

Ultimate Guide to Building Lyney

Lyney is a Pyro Bow character mainly scaling off attack (ATK), relying on Charged Attacks (CA) to maximise his damage potential. He benefits and strengthens a team that comprises mainly Pyro characters (mono-Pyro), with his ideal role as an on-field DPS character. More about his rotations further down the guide – first, a look at his talents.

Talent Breakdown

Aside from his magically designed normal attack (NA) animations, his NA and plunging attacks are similar to other bow users. But, his charged attack comes with a special quirk: different effects occur based on the time spent on charging the shot in aim mode. Level 1 is a normal Pyro-charged attack, while Level 2 fires a Prop Arrow dealing Pyro damage, and summoning a Grin-Malkin Hat on hit.

Prop Arrow

• Above 60% HP:
  • Consumes 20% of his max HP for 1 Prop Surplus stack (up to 5 stacks). 
  • After 30 seconds out of combat, this effect is removed. 
  • Lyney’s HP cannot drop beyond 60% of his max HP.

Every 6 seconds, Prop Arrow drops a Spiritbreath Thorn (49.6% damage at Skill Level 10), dealing Pneuma-aligned Pyro damage.

Pneuma is a new mechanic for Fontaine characters that is used to unlock Ousia-affiliated puzzles in Fontaine.

Grin-Malkin Hat

Grin-Malkin Hat inherits a portion of Lyney’s max HP and taunts nearby opponents. Only 1 Hat can be on-field.

When destroyed or its duration expires, it fires a Pyrotechnic Strike (381.6% damage at Skill Level 10) at 1 nearby opponent, dealing Pyro damage.

Skill (E): Bewildering Lights

With a 15-second cooldown, Bewildering Lights allows Lyney to clear all existing Prop Surplus stacks and deals area-of-effect (AoE) Pyro damage to opponents in front of him. It regenerates Lyney’s HP based on his max HP (20% per stack at SL10), with any Grin-Malkin Hat on-field exploding and dealing AoE Pyro damage. The damage is equal to a Pyrotechnic Strike, and is considered Charged Attack damage.

Elemental Burst (Q) — Wondrous Trick: Miracle Parade

Lyney turns into his cute Grim-Malkin Cat (not Hat!) that scampers around fast! It has a 15 second cooldown, and deals one instance of Pyro damage to each opponent when close to enemies. After 3 seconds, Lyney dismisses this state and ignites Explosive Fireworks (deals AoE Pyro damage, 745.2% damage at SL10), summons 1 Grin-Malkin Hat, and gains 1 Prop Surplus stack. This cat can be actively cancelled.

With the majority of his damage stemming from charged attacks, it is recommended to give priority to his Normal Attack talent level as his charged attacks scale from this talent. His Skill and Ultimate, meanwhile, can be levelled according to your needs – if you want his Ultimate to charge faster, focus on his Ultimate talent; if not, focus on levelling his Skill talent.

Passives

Constellation Overview

Ascension and Talent Materials

With a new region comes more farming for all the new specialities and talent books. For Lyney, his new local speciality ascension material is the Rainbow Rose, found mainly in the Beryl Region. It can also be found outside the Court of Fontaine, around Marcotte Station, and near the Fountain of Lucine.

The flower map pins contain the rough location of the Rainbow Roses.

His required boss material is the Emperor’s Resolution, dropped by the new boss Emperor of Fire and Iron. Players will have to dive underwater to locate the boss, just outside of the Belleau Region.

For his talent upgrades, he requires the Equity talent books, obtainable every Monday, Thursday and Sunday in Fontaine’s talent book domain Rhyming Rhythm. Players will have to dive underwater and locate the domain near Salacia Plains.

Below is a brief breakdown of the other materials required.

Best Weapons

The best 5-star but premium choice will be his best-in-slot (BiS) 5-star bow, The First Great Magic. Tailor-made for his kit, it gives CRIT DMG%, increases CA damage and ATK% with every Pyro unit in the team. As discussed above, these stats directly increase his damage-dealing prowess and works well with his passives.

Other premium 5-star bow choices include Aqua Simulacra, Thundering Pulse, and Skyward Harp. Their passives don’t work well with his kit, but the CRIT DMG% secondary stat of these 5-star bows is too hard to ignore.

The best 4-star weapon choice will be Song of Stillness, forgeable when Fontaine is released. Its secondary stat ATK% works well with him, and its passive allows for a sizable damage increase (16% at weapon refinement 1) when Lyney is healed. Since Lyney needs a healer to maximise his Prop Surplus damage, this bow works best amongst all 4-star weapons.

The next best 4-star weapon is Prototype Crescent, another forgeable bow. Its secondary stat is also ATK%, but players need to hit an enemy’s weak point with CAs to make full use of the bow’s passive.

Best Artifact Sets And Substats

4-piece Marechausse Hunter

Fontaine’s new artifact set available in Fontaine’s new artifact domain, Denouement of Sin. The 2-piece bonus increases his CA damage by 15 percent, while the 4-piece bonus increases his CRIT Rate by 12 percent for 5 seconds (up to 3 stacks) when his HP increases or decreases.

As Lyney will mainly be using CAs and needs a healer for his fullest damage potential, this artifact set further stretches that damage window.

4-piece Vermillion Hereafter

This set requires players to constantly start with Lyney’s burst when he is on field, and use his CAs, to fully utilise this artifact set. Its 2-piece bonus helps in increasing his ATK%. The 4-piece bonus only increases ATK by 16 percent after using an Elemental Burst, with an additional 10 percent ATK when he loses HP (up to 4 stacks).

2-piece Marechausse Hunter / 2-piece Crimson Witch of Flames / 2-piece ATK+18% sets

2-piece Crimson Witch of Flames increases Lyney’s Pyro damage bonus, and the other artifacts will contribute to his CA and damage output.

Substats

As Lyney scales off ATK%, players should aim to get an ATK% Sands, Pyro damage Goblet and CRIT DMG or CRIT Rate Circlet.

As for substats, players should prioritise CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG, followed by ATK%, then Flat ATK. ER% (Energy Recharge) will be a good additional substat if you need to continually use his Elemental Burst.

Recommended Playstyle

The ideal rotation for Lyney will be 3 to 4 CAs, followed by his Elemental Burst, but cancelled early by Elemental Skill, before swapping to another character. His Elemental Burst does not give as much damage as his Elemental Skill or CAs.

However, if Lyney is using the 4-piece Vermillion Hereafter set, his ideal rotation will be to use his Elemental Burst first, cancel it early with his Elemental Skill, followed by 3-4 CAs, before swapping to another character.

Recommended Team Compositions

Lyney best runs on a mono-Pyro team with a healer, an offensive character that increases his damage output, and a shielder that allows his CAs to remain uninterrupted by enemy attacks.

Hence, his best teammate is Bennett, who provides healing and an ATK% boost with his Elemental Burst while being a Pyro character. With the healing required by Lyney, it is best for Bennett to run HP% artifacts to increase his healing output. The quick cooldown of Bennett’s Elemental Skill also helps with ER to upkeep the Elemental Bursts of characters in the team. 

Lyney’s options for shielders include Zhongli and C4 Yanfei. Zhongli provides a 20 percent Elemental Resistance (RES) decrease in enemies, and his shield is able to hold up for the 15-second cooldown of Lyney’s Elemental Burst and Elemental Skill. Meanwhile, C4 Yanfei provides a shield after using her Elemental Burst and is able to contribute to Lyney’s output by being a Pyro character. 

For offensive support characters, it is recommended to use Anemo crowd-control characters equipped with the 4-piece Viridescent Venerer artifact set, such as Kazuha, Venti or Sucrose, to optimise the AoE of Lyney’s CAs. Kazuha is an especially powerful option, given that his kit will increase Lyney’s personal damage. 4-piece Viridescent Venerer will decrease the RES of opponents to the element infused in Swirl.

The Genshin Impact fanbase has long awaited Lyney since he first started charming the hearts of players in 2020. Built as a strong on-field DPS, players who obtain him can further upgrade the damage of their teams and find more play styles that enrich their gameplay experience.

Sprinkled with a touch of Lyney’s magic, the gorgeous look on his animations and skills demonstrates the game’s improvement with each new patch.

For Lyney to magically appear in the accounts of players worldwide, the primogems of players will also have to magically disappear into Fontaine’s first character banner, just like the card magic by the sleight of his hands in his character demo. The character is now available in-game, with Zhongli and Childe returning for Phase 2 of Version 4.0’s limited character banner.

Kaylyn Lim

Kaylyn is usually geeking out over gacha games or the latest updates in a manga, and can talk all day about them. She’s also an avid collector, and really needs more space to store her game merchandise, utaite CDs and manga books.

The post ‘Genshin Impact’ Lyney Guide: Best Build, Weapons, Artifacts, Materials appeared first on Geek Culture.

A few years ago, the introduction of the fairy-tale plane Eldraine in Magic: the Gathering was historic for many reasons. It introduced the Adventure mechanic and was notably a very strong set, despite it being for the beginner-friendly Standard format. 

It’s back to the fables and storybooks in Wilds of Eldraine, with a full launch on 8 Sept, 2023. Will Wilds of Eldraine return be as iconic as the first chapter? Geek Culture and Tap & Sac are honoured to reveal a black rare card that packs a lot of power in it – Specter of Mortality!

Specter of Mortality is a black Creature that costs 5 Mana (2 black and 3 generic), in a nice 3/3 flying body. That on its own is passable, but it does come with a second ability that puts Specter in a nice spot. It reads:

“When Specter of Mortality enters the Battlefield, you may exile one or more creature cards from your graveyard. When you do, each other creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards exiled this way.”

This triggered ability provides a lot of flexibility because you can determine what X is. If the opponent has a swarm of 1/1 and 2/2 Creature tokens, while you merely have one or two 4/4 big boys, Specter of Mortality can clear the board with ease. Just Exile the appropriate number of Creature cards, and you’ll be ahead.  

Provided you have sufficient cards in the Graveyard, and you have no other Creatures on the Battlefield, just make X a really big number and that will annihilate everything except Specter of Mortality, since the ability doesn’t affect itself.

Which is Better: Specter of Mortality or Massacre Girl?

Specter of Mortality brings back memories of Massacre Girl, another 5-Mana black Creature that gives other Creatures -X/-X, while leaving Girl alive and kicking. 

Massacre Girl has better base stats and swaps Flying for Menace, but there really is much less control and finesse in deciding who dies to her triggered ability. If there are two 1/1s, three 2/2s and a 6/6 Creature on the Battlefield, all will die. However, with Specter of Mortality, it’s much easier to determine if you just want the 1/1s to die or perhaps along with the 2/2s. 

We also feel Flying beats out Menace as an evasive mechanic, as flying blockers are tougher to find than, say, two ground Creatures. You might think differently though. In any case, with both of their triggered abilities able to clear the path of Creatures, getting through for damage shouldn’t be an issue. 

What Else is in Wilds of Eldraine?

Apart from the main set, Wilds of Eldraine will also feature a brand new foil treatment called Confetti. While we don’t have a physical card on hand to make a proper comparison, it does look like an offshoot of the Galaxy Foil we saw earlier this year. 

While you won’t be able to find Specter of Mortality in this foil treatment, they’ll be found on reprints of special borderless cards featuring anime-styled art. These are for serious collectors, and hence only found in more expensive Collector Booster packs.

End Step

Whether you’re excited for the new foiling or new cards, Wilds of Eldraine will offer something for everyone. Specter of Mortality is not a shabby card and can make a dent in Sealed prerelease events, where it’s hard for players to recover after a board wipe. Try it out for yourself during the September events!

Ted Chen

Ted Chen is the founder of Tap & Sac, a website with a dream of making Magic: the Gathering more accessible and inclusive to a whole generation of new players. It offers learning guides for beginners, all the way to advanced videos for seasoned spellcasters. Everyone can have fun in the gathering!

tapandsac.com/

The post Magic: The Gathering – Wilds of Eldraine ‘Specter of Mortality’ Card Preview appeared first on Geek Culture.

Thirty years after it made its football debut, EA Sports FC is set to launch its first game to millions of football fans around the world.

The name might be different, but make no mistake, EA Sports FC 24 is very much the next instalment in the iconic FIFA football game series from publisher EA, except that with the end of the licensing agreement, the 30-year-old video game franchise now has a new name.

Otherwise, everything that fans know and love about the popular football game that lets players create their own teams with well-known footballers, remains the same, including the retention of licences of more than 19,000 players across over 700 teams, now playing in over 100 stadiums over 30 football leagues. 

And this new chapter in the series has been several years coming, says Sam Rivera, Senior Producer of EA Sports FC 24 from Sydney, Australia, where throngs of football-mad media and content creators, including Geek Culture, are gathered at the Museum of Contemporary Art to learn more of the future of video game football.

“This is a very big year that we’ve been planning for multiple years,” teased Rivera.The location is fitting as, at the moment, both Australia and New Zealand are currently co-hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but instead of being out at the stadiums, all eyes are towards a new coming of the biggest football video game franchise, with EA Sports unveiling more details about EA Sports FC 24 and EA Sports FC Mobile.

EA Sports FC 24

With millions of players jumping into the annualised franchise for some virtual footy every single week, a name change doesn’t seem to have any impact on player expectations, which means that EA Sports can either take things easy or launch a new chapter with more offerings for fans. 

“We started 30 years ago; however, why I’m saying that this year is very special is because we’re adding those three pieces of technology with volumetric capture, and then PlayStyles informed by Opta, which is another piece we’re very proud of, and the enhanced Frostbite engine altogether, makes a better game,” said Rivera. 

“This is not something that happens every year,”

Rather than feel down and disappointed at losing what is ostensibly the biggest name in the sport, this fresh start means that EA Sports FC can forge new partnerships with more freedom, including with brands like Nike, without crossing swords with the international football governing body. The commitment of the different leagues around the world is already in place, making sure players don’t just get to see the likes of the Premier League and La Liga superstars in action, but also all the accompanying tactical setups of the various coaches and managers.

While complaints about the minimal changes between each yearly entry are well-founded, the team is keen to continue iterating for marginal gains, just like at the highest levels of the sport. 

The implementation of PlayStyles, the X-factor that separates the elite from the rest of the pack, in EA Sports FC 24 is one such move. In total, 34 unique PlayStyles will be part of the meta when the game launches, and trying to nail them down has required plenty of hard work that will likely pay off when fans get their hands on their favourite teams.

“It’s literally a lot of discussion between the production team, the design team, the engineering team, and trying to analyse the pro players, what mechanics they’re using, what’s important for the game. There are a lot of discussions around what’s important that we don’t really have in terms of attributes, and then we basically expand on those we see; that’s how we came up with the five different categories with defending, goalkeeper, passing, shooting, and ball control,” shared Rivera.

There is no doubt worries about potential balancing issues, but the producer was quick to reassure us that while automation is part of the process in determining PlayStyles for players, the feedback of the community will be important as well, making sure features like this are “noticeable and usable, but not overpowered.” 

Expect to see plenty of tuning in time to come after the launch on 29 September, but the base enjoyment remains. The game is still the best option for many players out there, and EA Sports’ dominance on this front is all but assured, judging from the cries of joy and anguish at the event.

EA Sports FC Mobile

As for the mobile cousin of the mainline game set to launch on 26 September, EA Sports FC Mobile will cater to another group of players and feature intuitive gameplay controls that will introduce a new level of immersion, without necessarily taking away the spotlight for its more popular counterpart.

Think of it as the chasing pack behind the biggest clubs, who reap the benefits of learning from what the best of the best can do, but at the same time, finding its own way of entertaining players with a bespoke experience.

“It’s not about just copying or taking any feature of our big brother. It’s identifying which features make sense for the mobile platform,” explained Timo Mueller, Gameplay Producer, with conviction.

Taking a parallel approach, the mobile experience will see the addition of True Player Personality, which brings the most recognisable players to life on the go. The Elite Shooting System is a revamped one that rewards smart shooting decisions, and with the Power Shot, players will have more weapons available to get on the scoresheet.

“A good example is the elite shooting system. That puts a lot more focus on the use of skill. And yes, we are bridging the gap, and I think our game is maturing.”

Similarly, Knock On Dribble will give pacy attackers more licence to beat their men, while Hard Tackles will give the defence more opportunities to snatch back possession and ensure the attacking team has no chance to recover. All of these new features will complement the dynamic game speed of EA Sports FC Mobile, giving players more time to enjoy themselves and the action. It might not be as polished as the console versions, but this is what is going to work for the mobile players, another example of EA Sports’ commitment to catering to as large an audience as possible. 

And with so many possible devices to play on, the team is working hard behind the scenes to ensure parity across the board. We were told that assistance options can be tweaked to find the perfect playing experience, there is wider button spacing will help with customisation, and more options will be coming in the future as well.

With the console, PC, and mobile markets locked down, and having built up a strong following over the decades, the EA Sports FC brand looks to go from strength to strength, even without the notable FIFA branding. It remains to be seen just how the players will take to the different experiences, but the new technology and innovations put in place are setting this juggernaut of video game football for success, and that’s how the team likes it.

Jake Su

Jake is a full-time trophy hunter and achievement gatherer on consoles, and part-time Steam Sale victim. He has a thing for Batman and awesome statues, and running out of space for both. Send help.

The post Immersion & Innovation Lead ‘EA Sports FC’ Domination Of Console, PC & Mobile Markets appeared first on Geek Culture.

The concept of an alien invasion on our planet is nothing new. From the very first time when the 1938 radio broadcast of War of the Worlds by Orson Welles, as an adaptation of H. G. Wells’s novel The War of the Worlds (1898), triggered an actual panic in New York, audiences have been enamoured by the idea of an off-world species trying to occupy our planet.

The premise in comics has also been surfaced many times, but there has been nothing quite like 2008’s Secret Invasion crossover series by Brian Michael Bendis, and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu. The premise of the Skrulls, a group of shapeshifters, infiltrating our planet by taking over keys political, and business leaders, and even superheroes, provided a rich field to grow the seeds of a strong story that even brought back several long-dead heroes. 

And the key were the superheroes, because few things are as captivating as a good ol’ alien infiltration plotline involving folks with super powers. The idea of a hidden menace secretly taking over the ranks of Earth’s mightiest protectors is undoubtedly compelling, and the resulting uncertainty over which characters are trustworthy is more relevant than ever in an age of misinformation and disinformation.

The premise was recently adapted in Marvel’s eponymous TV series on Disney+, but while the series borrowed the concept and name, the show lacked the one thing that the comic crossover had – superheroes, leaving many fans wanting more. While the Secret Invasion concept is intriguing, the TV show adaptation sadly falls short of its potential. Despite its ensemble cast and bold premise, the series never quite captures the ominous atmosphere of a hidden enemy lurking within. The narrative struggles to maintain its momentum, leaving viewers yearning for the tight and suspenseful storytelling they anticipated.

But here’s the twist – there is an adaption of Secret Invasion on Disney+ that does justice to the original source material, but it’s not a live-action, but the animated The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes series that truly nailed the essence of this gripping narrative, leaving the other iterations looking like mere shadow plays in comparison.On the comic front, the Secret Invasion arc certainly brought the heat, but even then, some fans felt it fell short of its promise. Amid the thrilling spectacle, some of the subtlety and suspense got lost along the way. The intricate layers of deception could sometimes feel overshadowed by the grandeur of the crossover event.

On the comic front, the Secret Invasion arc certainly brought the heat, but even then, some fans felt it fell short of its promise. Amid the thrilling spectacle, some of the subtlety and suspense got lost along the way. The intricate layers of deception could sometimes feel overshadowed by the grandeur of the crossover event.

Enter The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, an animated gem that managed to grasp the essence of the Secret Invasion concept and craft an experience that truly resonates with audiences. The animated series began in 2010 and ran for two 26-episode seasons.

It might be strange to say that a cartoon did Secret Invasion more justice than the original comic that spawned the idea, but the former’s genius lies in its ability to build tension meticulously, expertly unveiling the Skrull conspiracy in a way that keeps viewers guessing. Unlike the live-action TV show and even the comics, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes succinctly captures the sense of camaraderie and unity, making the invasion’s betrayal all the more impactful when it unfolds.

Spoilers ahead for The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Amidst the frenzy of Kang’s time-travel shenanigans and the looming threat of the Kree, the Avengers found themselves entrapped in a web of deceit far more sinister. Little did they know, an insidious enemy had infiltrated their very midst: the Skrulls. This wasn’t just a simple breach, but alien subterfuge at its finest. With a masterful stroke of covert genius, the Skrulls seeped into every corner of the superhero world. Even A.I.M., S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra, and the esteemed Fantastic Four were not spared.

The infiltration was so profound that even the noblest of them all, Captain America, found himself duplicated by this sinister species. In fact, the season one finale saw Steve Rogers taken by a Skrull, leaving audiences with just the ominous words “The infiltration has begun” as a shocking cliffhanger.

While the storyline unfurled over a gripping season and a half, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes teased and tantalised, peppering the story with clues that pointed to the impending revelation of a horror that would shake the very core of their existence. Subtle differences in behaviour, like a character’s increased aggression towards Kree enemies (due to the Skrulls’ long-time conflict with the Kree), would pay off later in astonishing Skrull reveals.

For example, Mockingbird, a trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. black-ops agent who worked alongside Nick Fury, was revealed to have been replaced by the Skrull queen Veranke, proving that the Skrull infiltration ran deep. Nick Fury himself only discovers that Captain America had been replaced by a Skrull after the imposter yelled “Avengers, attack!” instead of the iconic “Avengers Assemble!” Eventually, Carol Danvers and Black Panther would even get tangled up with a whole team of Skrulls-posing-as-Avengers — including Iron Man, Hawkeye, and Wasp — making it difficult to determine who to trust, particularly when the real counterparts arrive to the scene.

Overall, the animated series managed to strike a balance between action-packed superhero moments and a character-driven narrative. The stakes were assuredly high, thanks to the emotional investment in each Avenger’s journey. In this iteration, the Secret Invasion isn’t just about the spectacle; it’s a personal journey for both heroes and fans alike.

What’s more, the consequences of the invasion were genuinely felt. While appropriately epic, the culmination of the Secret Invasion arc was not the final episode of the second season. Instead, the series continued for thirteen more episodes, revealing that the Avengers’ victory over the Skrulls came at a cost. The trust that once adorned the heroes like a gleaming shield was shattered, as the insidious Skrull infiltration cast a shadow of doubt over their heroic identities. In the eyes of the public, anyone among them could still be a Skrull in clever disguise.

These pivotal episodes of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes expertly captured the spirit of Secret Invasion and sowed the seeds of a captivating arc centred around none other than Captain America himself. A pawn in the Skrulls’ sinister game, he subsequently faced the daunting task of redeeming himself, proving his loyalty to a world that began to see heroes through a lens of mistrust. Ultimately, the aftermath of the Secret Invasion saw Captain America embarking on a powerful journey to reclaim his place in a world tainted by the Skrull deception.

In contrast, the live-action Secret Invasion series was often lacking in meaningful twists and suspense, and found itself missing that element of ‘Who can we trust?’. Gravik was quickly set up as the main antagonist in the first episode and, along with his team of radicalised Skrulls, would frequently maintain the same, identifiable face throughout the series (despite being a group of shape-shifting aliens). In addition, the fallout of an alien invasion hidden in plain sight was only glimpsed in the final moments of the show.

Unfortunately, the animated series was not renewed for a third season after its second season ended in 2012. Thankfully, we won’t be getting a second season of the abysmal live-action version.

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is streaming on Disney+.

Edwin Teo

Edwin has been a geek for a really long time, having grown up on a steady diet of video games, comic books, movies, and more. He loves a good story and intricate world-building, is partial to cute monsters, and can hold his own in a game of Overwatch too.

The post There Is A Superior Adaptation Of Marvel’s ‘Secret Invasion’ On Disney+ appeared first on Geek Culture.

With the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, the heroes in a half-shell have shredded their way back onto the silver screen and into the minds of audiences. But did you know that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first found their footing in the pages of comic books? Conceived by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the first issue was published in 1984 by their company Mirage Studios, and was a surprise success.

If you’re on the hunt for some turtle-powered adventures that will transport you to the sewers of nostalgia and action-packed storytelling, these must-read TMNT comics will have you shouting “Turtle Power!” louder than ever before.

Themed coloured bandanas for your eyes and ninjutsu weapons are optional.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1

Take a trip back to where it all began with this special collection of Mirage Studios’ issues #1 to 7, along with a Raphael one-shot by creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 is the perfect entry point for fans to relive the glory days when the beloved Turtles first burst onto the scene, and for newcomers who want to dive headfirst into the very origins of the TMNT phenomenon.

These early issues are grittier, darker, and more grounded than some of their later iterations, providing a fresh and intriguing take on the turtles’ origin story.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin

And from their beginnings, let’s jump right into the very end as you buckle up for an intense and emotionally charged storyline that presents a post-apocalyptic world where only one of the four turtles remains. The Last Ronin is a five-issue miniseries that showcases the last turtle’s journey for justice and revenge, conveying a gripping narrative that delves into themes of loss, legacy, and the weight of the past.

Billed as the final story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this limited series takes on a vaguely cyberpunk aesthetic to deliver a love letter to the franchise’s roots.

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Omnibus

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a goldmine of short, single-issue narratives that whisk readers away on exhilarating journeys. These tales pull back the curtain on not just the iconic quartet of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael, but also peel back the layers on beloved heroes like Casey Jones, Splinter — and even unsung characters like Nobody, Rat King, and Savanti Romero.

Each story is a self-contained marvel that is as fun as it is freaky — equal parts dark and thought-provoking. What’s more, fans of the 2003 animated series will find the stories familiar, as they were adapted for the cartoon. As such, this comic offers an opportunity to check out the pages that inspired the screen.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: City at War

2009 was a monumental year for TMNT fans as the maestros behind the iconic turtles, Eastman and Laird, handed over the reins to Viacom, the parent company of the Nickelodeon empire. Just two years later, it was revealed that IDW Publishing was set to grace the world with a brand-new TMNT comic series.

Leaving Mirage, the original nest of TMNT magic, was a massive shift. In turn, City At War was created to provide fans with a grand farewell. The epic saga saw New York City in the midst of a faction war after the death of Shredder, aiming to deliver a melancholic conclusion to the long-time conflict between the Turtles and the Foot Clan. IDW would later publish their own take on the City at War storyline in 2019, which further expanded the TMNT world.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time

Turtles in Time presents a time-twisting spectacle that sees the Turtles travelling through different time periods, where they encounter dinosaurs, past versions of familiar faces, and even a dystopian near-future landscape.

It’s a tapestry woven with great storytelling, infused with heart and humour, and mesmerising illustrations. The adventure is packed with memorable characters and sci-fi fun that immerses fans into the very essence of what makes the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise so iconic.

Bonus: Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo chronicles the story of Miyamoto Usagi, an anthropomorphic rabbit ronin, who has occasionally served as an ally to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This classic comic series tells a timeless tale of honour and the samurai code amidst the tumultuous currents of settling unrest and intricate political machinations. Plus, if you love turtles that practice ninjutsu, you’re sure to love a rabbit who wields a warrior’s blade.

Through the wandering steps of Miyamoto Usagi, episodic storylines tie into underlying larger plots which create long extended sagas. Each story is built on a foundation of solid character work that makes Usagi and the characters he interacts with incredibly compelling, inviting readers of all ages to join Usagi on his unforgettable journey.

Edwin Teo

Edwin has been a geek for a really long time, having grown up on a steady diet of video games, comic books, movies, and more. He loves a good story and intricate world-building, is partial to cute monsters, and can hold his own in a game of Overwatch too.

The post Cowabunga! 5 Best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Comics To Read appeared first on Geek Culture.

Traveling and staying connected go hand in hand but reality often misses the mark, especially with different telco networks around the world, a variety of mobile plans to depend on, and a host of devices that can also impact performance. On a recent trip to Seoul when we attended this year’s Samsung Unpacked 2023, we took the chance to test out the nation’s leading 5G mobile network and asked ourselves if our favourite local telco, Singtel, could deliver on incredible speeds with South Korea’s leading infrastructure, or if it was a case of lack of well, communication.

Not only that, we also tapped on Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Flip 5 to test out Singtel‘s roaming network, which means staying connected to the nation’s leading telco service SK Telecom, connecting on the latest device from the nation’s top handset maker, Samsung, and powered by Singapore’s number 1 performing mobile service, Singtel. 

What could go wrong? Nothing.

Having tapped on Singtel’s roaming services for the past few months around the world, from San Francisco, Bali, Shenzhen, Langkawi, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Bengaluru, it’s safe to say that roaming services have been exemplary, especially when it comes to data connectivity.

Staying connected is also extremely simple – download the Singtel app and the easiest way to get going would be to hop on the ReadyRoam options. With 30 days validity, the data service can be used across multiple destinations within a region and automatically renews to ensure you’re never charged for pay per use data avoiding bill shock. 

Right from the get-go, 5G connectivity was available everywhere (thanks to SK Telecom’s 5G nationwide coverage, which we were able to ride on) in Seoul, from Seoul to Paju and we were able to stay connected pretty much 24/7, to the point where we were even live streaming while on the train in Seoul’s underground metro.

Here’s a glimpse of where we went in South Korea –

Breadypost Seongsu

Dongdaemun

DMZ

Throughout Seoul, readings from the various locations reaped impressive results. From Seongsu to the DMZ, each speed test around these popular areas was easily handled by the network. With no slowdowns, sending pictures of potential shopping buys to friends back home via WhatsApp and Telegram saw no delay at all.

On top of that, we even livestreamed on Twitch for eight hours continuously with no drop in signal at all!

And to really push the experiment to the limit, we traveled 37km away from Seoul to Paju and looked across the border to North Korea from the safety of the DMZ. It’s safe to say that even at the edge of the country, a solid 5G signal existed and we were able to stay contactable at all times.

So why opt for 5G over 4G, if 4G is fast enough? Just as how 3G gave way to 4G, 5G is the reigning champion of network delivery and the best way to stay connected. Singtel’s roaming automatically registers on 5G for Singtel 5G users, and falls back to 4G in the event of a gap in coverage, allowing you the chance to stay connected with loved ones back home. From taking calls on Google Meets, to sending videos on Telegram and WhatsApp, there was little to no lag in our ten days in the country.

Now that travel is in full swing once again, the best thing is not having to spend more time hunting for a SIM card upon arrival or stress with nonexistent customer service with some online eSIM providers. While affordable at times, you’d want peace of mind during a holiday instead of handling tech issues in a foreign country. With Singtel’s ReadyRoam plans, data plans start from S$5 for 1GB of data. The best part of it all is that combined with reliable data networks, unused data rolls over to the next destination within a 30-day period. This means that if you’re the type that would be hopping from one country to the next within the selected region, getting one plan covers multiple destinations in one application.

Take it from us, having put Singtel through a gauntlet of tests from file uploads, and social media sharing to even live streaming, the network performed admirably and without a hitch. So if you’re looking for peace of mind while travelling, Singtel’s 5G roaming network is definitely up to the task. 

Right now Singtel is having a great deal if you’re looking to pick up the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 with or without a mobile plan. With perks worth up to S$400, and a free 1-year Samsung Care+ Screen care which includes a one-time screen replacement worth S$121. You can find out more about these attractive goodies at singtel.com/galaxyz.

Gerald

Gerald currently straddles between his love of video games and board gaming. There’s nothing that interests him more than trying out the newest and fanciest gadget in town as well. He dreams of publishing a board game sometime in the future!

The post Staying Connected With Singtel 5G Roaming On South Korea’s High-Speed Mobile Network appeared first on Geek Culture.

Few people in the world are universally loved and even then, it won’t be challenging to find someone who is not a fan of say, Keanu Reeves, Robin Williams, Santa Clause, Betty White or Sir David Attenborough. 

Perhaps it is then easier to identify folks who are overhyped or even overrated – folks whose name brings about a level of perception, expectations or quality, but are not appreciated by all. Sure, it’s a matter of preference, much like how you can either be a coffee or tea person or if you’re a morning riser or a night owl – but how do you measure the level of creativity by an individual who has accolades thrust on them, even as you start to question their value?

And 2023 is no better time to discuss the topic of overrated directors, because we’ve seen some of the best output by a noted few, or so we think, or some say. Actress turned filmmaker Greta Gerwig just became the first woman to direct a billion-dollar film (Hi Barbie!) and Oppenheimer has pulled every single insufferable Christopher Nolan fanboy out of the shadows to talk about what a masterpiece the bio-flick is (spoiler alert: they’re absolutely right). Meanwhile, Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City is all the rage among his hipster audience, even if it has been dubbed a pretentious mess, and by his own fans no less! 

All this buzz has got us thinking – who are some directors that other fanboys and cinephiles love that perhaps, are alright. They’re not bad, and in fact, some of them have even produced something great before, but they have also produced some self-indulgent stinkers that give them a right to be on this list. 

Here are 10 overrated directors, in alphabetical order. 

1. Quentin Tarantino

Ok, we lied a little bit. Quentin Tarantino is kicking off this list because the former video store clerk once said he’ll only direct 10 movies in his lifetime, and he has given us nine so far. This means that his last one – whenever and whatever it is – will be the last thing we’ll ever expect from him. Love him or hate him, he won’t be making another film. 

Tarantino has talent and is a great writer of dialogue and director of actors. The likes of Pulp Fiction (1994), Inglorious Basterds (2009) and Reservoir Dogs (1992) are engaging masterpieces that many fans will call art, but what makes Tarantino overrated is that his movies are so formulaic. Tarantino loves using a nonlinear chapter structure – something that cemented Pulp Fiction in film culture forever – but it’s 2023 and we’re still getting the same type of movies from him. 

The dialogue in his movies is taxing too, and something that is amusing for about 30 seconds gets turned into a 20-minute speech – it’s the reason why the action-oriented Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) will always trump the verbally driven follow-up, and we don’t have time for that! 

2. Woody Allen

Back to the alphabetical order, we now have the name that should be at the top of every overrated director list – first name Woody, last name Allen. Woody Allen is a director you may have many opinions about, because he’s among America’s most fascinating and iconic filmmakers without any blockbuster hits to his name. Annie Hall (1977), Manhattan (1979), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) are some of his popular works, and in 2004, the director was fourth on the list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians. 

Between the confusion of how he even became top of the funny list, the claims of sexual assault mounting against him and his liking towards young women, Allen is also a self-proclaimed lazy director, not that it needs any convincing. 

You see it in his works and Allen even said so himself.

“I’m lazy and an imperfectionist,” he explained in a 2015 NPR interview. “Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese will work on the details until midnight and sweat it out, whereas for me, come 6 o’clock, I want to go home, I want to have dinner, I want to watch the ballgame. Filmmaking is not [the] end-all-be-all of my existence.”

And should laziness be celebrated? You tell us. 

3. Wes Anderson

On the opposite side of the spectrum, we have Wes Anderson. Unlike Allen, Anderson is incredibly meticulous. Every shot, every scene, every set is done with precision, even if they all look and feel the same. Everything he touches is truly Wes Anderson-esque. There’s no one like him, and no matter how many TikTokers or videographers on Instagram attempt to copy his style and aesthetic, they will never come close. Anderson’s consistent style and aesthetic are why fans love him in the first place and there’s no denying that his go-to vivid and highly saturated colour palette of red, yellow, blue, pink and purple creates a movie that doesn’t feel quite real (in a good way). 

Unfortunately, his biggest strength has become a contributor to why he is overrated. As stunning as his cinematography is, Anderson’s movies lack certain depth or substance. As he releases more and more movies, it becomes evident that Anderson is a one-trick pony with the same rigid style, oddball characters that are unrelatable, monotone dialogue and a movie that is nothing else but pretty to look at. 

Hardcore fans love his staunchness – it’s why The French Dispatch (2021) is so lowly rated even though it is refreshingly different for the director – but for everyone else, Anderson is one of Hollywood’s most overrated directors.

4. Michael Bay 

It feels so wrong to put Michael Bay on the list because being overrated means you’re respected more than you should for your work. While Bay is the Running Gag for the film community (he’s probably second to M. Night Shyamalan but we’re giving him a break from yet another list), he is still making big money and big-budget movies that are equally overrated.

The point is that this guy makes movies that bring in millions and in fact, he’s one of the top guys for the action genre. Bay’s “action” movies are brainless and are nothing but massive explosions, helicopters at sunrise, cars crashing, and a 30-degree shot (low angle and slow motion). But he is the master of movie-making Bayhem, and knows how to keep the adrenaline pumping for audiences who just want to see stuff get blown up. That said, Bay still has a spot secured in our list of overrated directors.

5. Tim Burton

Tim Burton is quirky, and he likes and does quirky things. He likes fairytales, aliens and men with scissors for hands and for a big part of his career, only likes working with Johnny Depp. The mind of Burton used to be a creative place and viewers often get curiouser and curiouser about what the director might do next, except after achieving a signature look for himself, his movies went down a rabbit hole, fast (we’re talking about the billion-dollar Alice in Wonderland in 2010 that was a disgrace to its source material). 

Just like Anderson, Burton is stuck in his ways of delivering on aesthetics, that sometimes, the story falls through. His love for CGI may not necessarily serve him always too. Fans love Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman (1989) and Beetlejuice (1988), but how many remember Big Fish (2003), Big Eyes (2014) and Big Ears… we mean, Dumbo (2019). 

6. Ang Lee

Like many directors on this list, Ang Lee’s films are visually stunning but lack a certain drawing power. There’s no denying that Lee has talent, but his movies always felt emotionally distant from the audience. Take Life of Pi (2012) for example. Life of Pi is undoubtedly a visual masterpiece and is one of the best 3D films of all time, alongside James Cameron’s Avatar (2009, 2022) movies. The story of a young boy and a bengal tiger’s fight for survival is an incredibly emotional one, and yet, there’s little emotional impact on the viewers. 

Lee’s acclaim as a successful director is built on his visual skills of movie making, but the other aspects of his movies feel regrettably shallow. If you ask any Asian, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) isn’t that amazing a martial arts flick, and who really watched The Ice Storm (1997) or Ride with the Devil (1999)? 

Brokeback Mountain (2005) is perhaps the only exception. 

7. Baz Luhrmann

No one, and we mean no one, loves excess and maximalism like Baz Luhrmann. Luhrmann is heavy on the glitz and glam, and his movies feel as if Christmas and Valentine’s Day had a child whose exuberance exploded on the screens. Yes, his works are heavily stylised – and that’s part of him working his magic as a director – but after 10 minutes into a Luhrmann film, one can’t help but feel tired. There’s too much going on, and as intentional as it is, his movies are incredibly messy and incoherently edited. Perhaps, one must surrender and embrace the madness in order to enjoy a film from Luhrmann, but just like a kid in a candy store, you will leave the cinemas with a sickly feeling and maybe a tiny headache. 

8. Ridley Scott

Unless you’re 40, you’d likely have no issue with us saying this…Ridley Scott is overrated. Scott has garnered a reputation as a great filmmaker throughout his career, but how many truly great films has he created that aren’t just Alien (1979) or Blade Runner (1982).

That’s right.

Scott’s works are either hits or misses and this translates in both his movies and TV works (what even was 2020’s Raised By Wolves?). Again, Scott does not lack the visual flair and is perhaps every dad’s favourite sci-fi director, but it’s the 21st century now and we have the likes of Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve and Jon Favreau who can easily take that mantle if viewers actually give them a shot. Scott hasn’t truly earned the title of a classic director if his only great works are Alien and Blade Runner. 

Take them away and what else is there, hm? Much to think about. 

9. Zack Snyder

We have Zack Snyder on the list of overrated directors, fully prepared for the blowback from his legion of fans. Snyder’s movies are insufferable, and the director has equally insufferable fans too, so that doesn’t help with his standing on the overrated-underrated scale. Remember how there was a #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign that started in 2018 that went on for years? And then when we finally got Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), it turned out to be a 4 hours snoozefest of an already crappy superhero film to begin with.

Snyder has made some good films – Man of Steel (2013) and 300 (2006) included (heck, some of us even liked 2009’s Watchmen) – but the only reason why Snyder exploded in popularity was because of another problematic director (cough, Joss Whedon) who tanked his Justice League (2017) film. If you’re going to be an acclaimed director, it better be because of what you bring to the table, or in this case screens, and not because of a fellow colleague’s downfall. 

10. Wong Kar–Wai

Ask any film student who are some of their favourite directors and we can bet with 100 per cent certainty that Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-Wai falls on that list. Wong’s style is definitely unique. He loves oversaturating his colours and has beautiful sound design in his music, but none of these aspects serves much point. Instead of using colours to convey emotion, Wong does it because well, it’s pretty. 

And even if you have beautiful sound design and some of the smoothest camera pans, they all amount to nothing if your viewers are bored and falling asleep. Wong is without a doubt, a cinematographer, but as far as his characterisations and story arcs go, there’s still much to be desired. 

Bonus: Hayao Miyazaki

Before you come at us with pitchforks, hear us out. Hayao Miyazaki has delivered some of the most beautiful animated films of all time, but are they really the pinnacle of anime? The answer is no. 

Miyazaki is known for his originality and elegant storytelling, and his style is something many modern animators try to emulate. His movies are of a specific genre, specifically Slice of Life and Fantasy, but Miyazaki should not be the end all be all of anime. Studio Ghibli has put out plenty of classics that are deserving of praise, but Miyazaki is not above or superior to other anime storytellers. 

There are plenty of amazing anime-makers that are deserving of the praise, but remain underrated as they are unknown to the wider Western audience, or to Hollywood. Miyazaki’s films are anime, but for people who don’t watch anime. Hence, Miyazaki belongs on the list of overrated directors, anime fans, you can back us up on this!

A'bidah Zaid

Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.

The post Top 10 Most Overrated Movie Directors appeared first on Geek Culture.

Hot on the heels of Commander Masters, Wizards of the Coast has unveiled their next premium Magic: The Gathering commander deck – Angels: They’re Just Like Us but Cooler and with Wings.

Featuring mono-white Angels, the commander deck has plenty of legendary angels players to use as their commanders.

The coolest cards of the bunch has to be the new borderless Secret Lair cards by Scott M. Fisher to give the deck maximum bling.

With Gisela, the Broken Blade and Bruna, the Fading Light being able to meld together, it’s a nice touch that Wizards included additional display cards to help players save the effort of getting their cards out of their protective sleeves.

If Brisela, Voice of Nightmares ever hits the table, it’s going to have a big target painted on its back for instant removal!

Apart from angels, the new Plains art from Rob Alexander looks amazing as well and it does appear that they are able to form a panorama.

From the looks of it, the entire deck looks great from the get-go and with angels generally being expensive creatures to cast, the inclusion of cards like Urza’s Incubator, Starnheim Aspirant and Pearl Medallion really help speed up getting our winged friends to the table.

The Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair Commander Deck Angels: They’re Just Like Us but Cooler and with Wings is available on Shopee or on the main Secret Lair website.

Gerald

Gerald currently straddles between his love of video games and board gaming. There’s nothing that interests him more than trying out the newest and fanciest gadget in town as well. He dreams of publishing a board game sometime in the future!

The post Unboxing Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair ‘Angels: They’re Just Like Us But Cooler And With Wings’ Commander Deck appeared first on Geek Culture.

No one can hear you scream in space, but horror fans know that real fear lies deep in the planet, which is made up of 71 percent water. *Cue Jaws theme*

Aquaphobia is the fear of water, but thalassophobia is the fear of large, deep water bodies, ranging from the ocean, seas and lakes, and that fear has been the subject of Hollywood’s obsession with sea monsters, from the days of 1954’s Creature from the Black Lagoon, to the more recent Meg 2: The Trench, which centres around a monster terrorising mankind. If you thought the Great White Shark in Jaws was scary, the megalodon offers a small glimpse into the different kinds of danger that lurk below the surface.

Filmmakers have milked that fright and created countless creature-features starring monsters that terrorise the deep, from sharks, piranhas, alligators, and more. Here are 10 of them that will make you think twice if what brushed against your leg was actually just seaweed. 

1) Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Director: Renny Harlin (Exorcist: The Beginning, 12 Rounds)

Stars: Samuel L. Jackson (Secret Invasion, Avengers), Saffron Burrows (You, Troy), and Thomas Jane (The Mist, Boogie Nights)

What is worse than being hunted by sharks? Being hunted by sharks genetically enhanced to be larger, brighter, and more aggressive than their natural counterparts. They also have one less natural weakness: they are able to swim backward. 

Deep Blue Sea veers away from the traditional depiction of sharks in creature features, with the Mako sharks displaying cunning and strategic behaviours instead of being simple mindless killing machines. Not even a secured underwater laboratory is safe enough, as the sharks are able to disable communication devices, sabotage escape routes, and exploit weaknesses in the vessel’s structure.

Talk about terrifying. 

2) Lake Placid (1999)

Director: Steve Miner (House, Warlock)

Stars: Bridget Fonda (A Simple Plan, Single White Female), Bill Pullman (The Equalizer 2, Independence Day), and Oliver Platt (Chicago Med, 2012)

If you thought freshwater was safe, Lake Placid makes you think twice about taking a dip. 

Those that did in Black Lake learned that the hard way when a giant 9.1 metre-long crocodile (average crocodiles are around 4.5 metres) begins attacking and devouring locals, prompting a team of experts to embark on a dangerous hunt to capture and neutralise the elusive and deadly creature, uncovering surprising secrets along the way.

It wouldn’t do good to dismiss the misadventures as fiction, either. Somewhere in Central Africa, a 6.1-metre predator, Gustave, is rumoured to lie in wait, with about 200 to 300 kills under its belt – some done out of sport rather than hunger.

3) Anaconda (1997)

Director: Luis Llosa (Sniper, The Specialist)

Stars: Jon Voight (Zoolander, Pearl Harbour), Jennifer Lopez (Maid in Manhattan, Hustlers), and Eric Stoltz (Pulp Fiction, The Butterfly Effect)

Being trapped on a boat with a 12-metre-long snake – average anacondas clock in at 4.5 meters in length – that can swim is a situation that no one wants to find themselves in. Anaconda follows a documentary film crew’s journey deep into the Amazon rainforest, which soon turns into a nightmare when they encounter a massive anaconda, pushing them to fight for survival against the relentless and powerful predator.

The underwater scenes in the movie have audiences clawing at their armrests as the reptile moves almost undetectable below the surface. Those unfortunate enough to find themselves in the water will find themselves locked on to both their tail and head, and it’s unclear which is scarier here: to look down, or to not do so. 

4) Piranha (1978)

Director: Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling)

Stars: Bradford Dillman (The Enforcer, Compulsion), Heather Menzies-Urich (The Sound of Music, Logan’s Run), and Kevin McCarthy (UHF, Invasion of the Body Snatchers)

Sometimes size isn’t everything when it comes to creature-feature films. Piranha embodies the phrase, ‘Strength in numbers’, as a military experiment gone awry unleashes a ravenous swarm of killer piranhas into a popular summer resort, leading to a chaotic and blood-soaked battle for survival.

Despite being the film’s monsters, the mutated piranhas rarely make an appearance, with their kills involving much flailing in blood-red waters. This adds to the suspense of their presence, playing on the audience’s fear of what they can’t see in the water.

5) Rogue (2007)

Director: Greg McLean (Jungle, Wolf Creek)

Stars: Michael Vartan (Colombiana, Alias), Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Man on Fire), and Sam Worthington (Avatar: The Way of Water, Terminator Salvation)

Inspired by a real saltwater crocodile, Sweetheart, Rogue follows a group of tourists who get shipwrecked by a mysterious creature on a small island. It doesn’t sound too bad till it is revealed that the tide will soon submerge the island, and they are in the heart of a giant crocodile’s territory.

The film’s well-balanced use of practical effects and CGI enhances the realism of the creature and adds to the realistic gore of its kills, making for an excellent creature-feature film. A little fun fact here: Sweetheart, while known for attacking boats in the 1970s, has never been reported responsible for attacking a human.

6) The Shallows (2016)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan, Unknown)

Stars: Blake Lively (Gossip Girl, The Age of Adaline), Óscar Jaenada (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Losers), and Angelo Josue Lozano Corzo (The Shallows)

Riddle us this: What would you do if you’re bleeding out from a shark bite while stranded on a rock, with said giant fish circling to make you its next meal? The Shallows is a more realistic take on a shark attack where skilled surfer Nancy (Blake Lively) is forced to rely on her athleticism and wits to return to shore without becoming shark food. 

Nancy’s strategic approach to her survival is a breath of fresh air from the usual over-the-top antics in other genre flicks, with the realism of her situation and actions adding to the fear that this is very much a scenario one could find themselves in during a simple swim out to sea.

7) Underwater (2020)

Director: William Eubank (Love, The Signal)

Stars: Kristen Stewart (Charlie’s Angels, Twilight), Vincent Cassel (Westworld, Black Swan), and Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World Dominion, Elemental)

If there’s something to be learned from Meg 2: The Trench, it’s that nothing good comes out of exploring the Mariana Trench. Underwater, taking a page out of H.P Lovecraft’s book, follows a group of researchers as they fight for their lives against mysterious and deadly creatures unleashed during an earthquake in the depths of the Mariana Trench.

The film incorporated Lovecraftian elements and cosmic horror, with Cthulhu as its main monster, contributing to a more unique and thought-provoking experience. The characters’ perils in the vast and dark expanse of the Mariana trench effectively created a sense of claustrophobia and tension that immersed the audience in the crew’s emotions.

8) Cold Skin (2017)

Director: Xavier Gens (Cell, Hitman)

Stars: Ray Stevenson (Thor, The Three Musketeers), David Oakes (The Borgias, Queen Victoria), and Aura Garrido (The Body, Stockholm)

When are monsters not monsters? Cold Skin follows a weather observer (David Oakes) stationed on a remote island who discovers terrifying and hostile amphibious creatures, leading to a harrowing battle for survival and a confrontation with the darkness within humanity.

The film’s twists and turns focus on just how dark humans can become when left in isolation, leaving the audience with the thought of what would be worse – stranded on an island with humans or monsters?

9) Deep Rising (1998)

Director: Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, Van Helsing)

Stars: Treat Williams (The Phantom, Hair), Famke Janssen (X-Men, House on Haunted Hill), and Anthony Heald (The Silence of the Lambs, Accepted)

Paying homage to one of the most classical monsters of the deep, Deep Rising is an excellent example of why crime doesn’t pay. 

After boarding the luxury cruise ship Argonautica, a group of mercenaries soon realise that they should have thought twice about boarding the already ravaged ship when a Kraken-like creature returns for seconds. The creature’s design builds up the suspense of the multi-prong attacks to reveal that the ship had not been under siege by a slew of individual creatures but rather a single giant monster.

10) Jaws (1975)

Director: Steven Spielberg (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Lincoln)

Stars: Roy Scheider (Jaws 2, All That Jazz), Robert Shaw (From Russia with Love, The Sting), and Richard Dreyfuss (American Graffiti, The Goodbye Girl)

With the release of Meg 2: The Trench, it seems fair to return to the movie that started the current blockbuster trend, and the whole shark monster craze. Based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel by the same name, Jaws is often credited for giving Great White sharks the bad reputation they have to this day.

The film follows a small coastal town that a monstrous great white shark terrorises, and a trio of unlikely heroes must set aside their differences to confront the relentless predator and save their community. 

Alongside its iconic soundtrack, the Jaw’s effective use of practical effects, a beloved mechanical animatronic shark named Bruce managed to strike fear into the hearts of its audience for decades.

While a megalodon turning swimmers into ‘sea-food’ is extremely unlikely, there has always been a sort of fascination that comes with pitting humans against powerful natural predators. Some movies pull it off better than others, but it doesn’t quite matter for the most part – after all, nobody goes into creature features expecting a great story. Just bust out the action, suspense, and thrills, and a fun time awaits. 

Meg 2: The Trench is currently screening in cinemas.

Sasha Nair

Sasha has been a lover of all things geek since before she could read, having driven her mother up the wall in providing geek material as fast as her daughter could get through them. While Fantasy has been her greatest love, Sasha won’t say no to anything Horror, Action-Packed, or Sci-Fi!

The post 10 Creature-Feature Films That Make You Think Twice About Getting Into The Water appeared first on Geek Culture.

In its heyday, Overwatch was more than a hero shooter, as the game’s beautifully-rendered animated shorts and accompanying graphic novels painted a world shrouded in rich lore, with a colourful cast of characters answering the call for more diversity in the gaming landscape. Even as the storytelling took a backseat to the then-refreshing gameplay, there was enough fresh content, community engagement, and sustained interest to go around.

Seven years on, the narrative shine has dulled. Irregular, sporadic updates grew along the way, and retconning – short for retroactive continuity, in which facts in the world of a fictional work contradict previously established information – was commonplace. For lore enthusiasts, the seasonal PvE missions, character interactions, and the occasional novel or introductory video of new heroes offered a deeper, if only a little, look into the imaginative realm of Overwatch, but they never did satisfy the yearning for more.

Now into Season 6, Overwatch 2 is making a return to its narrative roots, and it’s off to a hopeful start. The story-focused approach takes the form of co-op story missions, where up to four players can strike down AI-controlled enemies and accomplish objectives as a team. Three missions will be available when the new season, titled Invasion, drops today, 11 August: Resistance, Liberation, and Ironclad.

In many ways, these endeavours are similar to the seasonal PvE events of Retribution, Uprising, and Junkenstein. For one, hero roles are fixed, with the same four difficulty levels of Normal, Hard, Expert, and Legendary. There’s also an opening and ending cinematic for each, as well as encounters with special enemies that require more effort and teamwork to defeat. Narratively though, they play out differently.

The first mission, Resistance, introduces Lucio to the newly reformed Overwatch team, which comprises Reinhardt, Mei, Tracer, Genji, Winston, Brigette, and Mercy. Set in the speedster’s hometown, Rio de Janeiro, it pits players against Null Sector – the Ramattra-led militant omnic (aka robot people) liberation group that achieves omnic rights through violent methods – in both open and enclosed environments. 

On Normal difficulty, the playthrough took less than 20 minutes, making it an apt introductory experience. It’s a relatively straightforward affair that involves killing rogue robots, destroying energy cores, and moving from one place to another, but there’s a small segment at the end that turns into an exhilarating (or stressful, depending on the difficulty level) race against time. The Charger is the one to beat here: a big boy that deals massive damage by, well, charging into a party member, or creating a seismic shockwave by slamming its fist on the ground. 

This titan joins other special types like the artillery-heavy assault units and the nimble flying troopers, which can also be eliminated by environmental means. Shooting explosive barrels littered across the battlefield triggers a blast within a certain radius, so it’s a viable strategy to use for defeating a group of hostiles – even if the barrels blend in too much with the environment. For the most part, gameplay is manageable and enjoyable, requiring the least strategising out of the three. 

With a narrative-driven experience, however, comes an emphasis on lore development, and Resistance sets the stage for more stories to be told. The opening cutscene picks up after “Zero Hour”, the announcement cinematic for Overwatch 2, while the ending cinematic ties back neatly to the New Blood comic, with Cassidy finding new recruits in Zarya, Hana (or D.Va), Pharah, and Baptiste. These sequences offer a glimpse into the team dynamics between the new and old guard, blossoming a new sense of hope that dissipated with the fall of the old Overwatch team. The latter, in particular, paves the way for a new character to take centrestage in Liberation.

This second mission shifts the lens to Sojourn, the first hero introduced for Overwatch 2. Featuring the Toronto game map, it continues her fight against Null Sector in the animated short “Calling”, and tasks players with defending an objective and escorting two omnic civilians. The blend of mechanics introduces more depth into the gameplay here, demanding a higher level of strategy and positioning as compared to Resistance. 

Part of the challenge is owed to the threat of the Stalker, a special-type that uses gravitational force to pull individuals in and dig its claws into them. It can be a pain to deal with, especially at higher difficulty levels, where enemy swarms are the norm, and the Stalker’s drag-and-attack is capable of one-hit kills. The concern here isn’t downed teammates, as they can be revived by another, but rather the two omnic civilians – let the brain-feasting Subjugator get hold of them, and it’s an immediate Game Over. 

Worse still, a segment of the gameplay splits the pair up, which calls for a conquer-and-divide approach. It isn’t always easy to keep track of on-screen happenings, so sound positioning and strategic call-outs are key to winning the fight. Of the list, Liberation is the least straightforward to pull off, but is easily the most memorable and satisfying.

The closing cutscene, in similar fashion to Resistance, packs in more story for lore enthusiasts. While it doesn’t exactly move the overarching narrative forward, there are more interactive bits between Sojourn and the old guard, a mention of another familiar name, and of course, the lead-up to the last mission, Ironclad.

A partial family affair, Ironclad puts Tobjörn, Reinhardt, Bastion, and Brigette at the heart of the story. These characters are also the only ones available for players, marking a slight departure from the other two experiences – both Resistance and Liberation have a fixed hero pool, but it isn’t limited to just four specific choices. 

The Gothenburg-set mission follows a linear approach that starts with a Null Sector attack on Tobjörn’s workshop. Tasked with escorting a payload carrying turret ammunition, players will have to fend against the attacks, load up cannons at designated spots with the modules, and in the final phase, set up freeze and knockback turrets while defending the objective. The ultimate threat takes the form of a towering mecha-like omnic, joined by hordes of standard units and special-types that include the ever-dreaded Stalker. 

Like Liberation, the undertaking here requires a fair share of spatial awareness and strategic positioning. The last segment best exemplifies this: placing the turrets, both the special builds and Tobjörn’s standard one, in the right spots makes it easier for players to focus on taking down the special omnic types, and there will be times where players have to change their positions. No need to worry if the turrets are placed wrongly – they can be repositioned anytime.

At its most climatic, Ironclad can get extremely busy, making it difficult to keep track of enemies and allies alike. It’s distinctly different from the beginning stages, where the push-and-pull of escorting and shooting may feel repetitive for some. The added depth to gameplay in the final stages is, as such, a welcome break of pace. 

What’s most delightful about the experience, however, is the lore development here. Where the opening cinematic basks in the warmth and camaraderie between Brigette, Torbjörn and Brigette (the latter two are family), the ending cutscene takes a dramatic turn into darker-toned waters. Tying back to the “Alive” animated short featuring Tracer, Widowmaker, and the peace-loving omnic monk Mondatta, it reunites a couple of familiar faces – and not in a good way.

Together, the three PvE missions serve as a reminder of the vast narrative potential that lies dormant in Overwatch 2. These sneak-peek endeavours are admittedly tantalising for the lore-deprived, even if they also, in the same beat, revisit the disappointment of what Overwatch could have been before its second wind. A small step is still something, however, and it’s a much-needed reprieve that the team could use after recent missteps, including the cancellation of the highly-anticipated PvE Hero Mode. 

Just like how Overwatch was created to inspire hope in the game’s universe, Overwatch 2’s story missions offer a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, the dying flames of interest can be stoked yet again. The shooter is very much unlikely to ever return to its prime, especially with the extra US$15 needed to embark on the bundled experience, but it represents a cautiously optimistic route ahead for the story-loving crowd. For most, though, the effort feels too little, too late.

Overwatch 2: Invasion is currently live with the three story missions, new limited-time free events, a new hero and game mode, a Hero Mastery feature, new Flashpoint maps, and more. 

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post Geek Preview: Overwatch 2’s PvE Story Missions Carves Path To Revitalise Narrative Potential  appeared first on Geek Culture.

Mobile phones offer convenience and portability while tablets provide a bigger display. With the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, you get it all. Armed with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 2 chipset, the tablet packs more processing power, allowing for smoother performances when playing games like Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, COD: Mobile and PUBG: Mobile.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra also comes with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display that sports an adaptive refresh rate of 60 to 120Hz and HDR10+ technology so you get to see all the finer details when you game. Measuring 208.6 x 326.4 x 5.5mm too, this tablet packs a great display and performance into a slim and thin device. Check out the above video for a detailed breakdown of the gaming test.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra starts from S$1,688 and is available for pre-order on the Samsung official website, Lazada and Shopee.

A'bidah Zaid

Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.

The post Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra Gaming Test – Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, COD: Mobile & PUBG appeared first on Geek Culture.

Mention TikTok, and trending short-form videos, viral dances, and catchy music come to mind, as the video-hosting platform has made waves in the social media scene, taking down competitors and even challenging mainstays, but it looks like the Chinese-owned company is just getting started. 

For its next conquest, the widely-used app is turning to a familiar, highly-related industry — audio. Enter TikTok Music, the company’s music streaming service that’s currently in its experimental phase. Initially rolled out in Brazil and Indonesia earlier in July, it has now widened its scope to include Australia, Mexico, and Singapore, offering a complimentary three-month trial to selected users in these newly added regions. 

Here’s how to get started: TikTok Music can be downloaded from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and linked to the primary TikTok app, despite being a separate app. Not only does the service enable users to locate the full versions of viral songs featured on the popular video-sharing platform, it also features the ability to import their existing library and listen to songs offline, along with creating shared playlists.

Setting up an account on TikTok Music is simple. The music streamer will prompt you to choose a minimum of three artists you enjoy, but you aren’t limited to this number – select as many as you want to customise your music preferences. This facilitates the app’s process of synchronising your favourite TikTok tracks and giving personalised music recommendations. 

TikTok Music is well-stocked, matching up to the expansive libraries of Spotify and Apple Music, which is quite a feat. Whether you are seeking American hits, from the old classics to the freshest releases, or exploring global music, TikTok Music doesn’t disappoint. Fans of European music, for instance, can expect the eclectic sounds of Björk, the haunting ballads of Gotye, the pop tunes of Sigrid, and a host of other tunes. 

The same goes for Asian music. Likewise, TikTok Music stands tall here, offering a rich selection from Chinese superstars like Jay Chou, G.E.M, Teresa Teng, and more. The service also does a fantastic job catering to the Cantopop audience, with picks hailing from Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau, and other celebrated icons. This broad array of global music serves to satisfy diverse tastes, and is a convenient one-in-all platform for listeners of various international artists. 

TikTok Music’s interface is divided into three primary sections: Home, Explore, and Me. The Home section is reminiscent of the original TikTok app, divided into subsections (For You, Fresh, and Familiar) which offer music based on your taste, new releases, and songs that align with your preferences respectively. The Explore section is dynamic and diverse, featuring categories like Based On Recent Picks, Made For You, TikTok Viral, and more, with the option to refresh and discover new music at your leisure. Meanwhile, Me acts as the user’s personalised profile space. 

Delving more into the specifics, the Home segment shines with its customised offerings and engaging features. Apart from allowing users to interact with tracks by favoriting, commenting, and sharing them across various platforms like TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, it also delivers an enhanced listening experience with several user-friendly features. Much like Spotify, personalised playlists can be created, and songs can be downloaded for offline use. 

Similar to Spotify, TikTok Music offers a highly personalised music experience. Users can curate their own playlists, tailoring their listening experience to their mood or preferences. If you’re interested in collective music choices, collaborative playlists also offer an avenue for shared musical tastes with friends or family. Downloading songs for offline use is another feature that mirrors Spotify, providing uninterrupted access to your favorite tunes even without internet connectivity.

These downloaded tracks come in three audio qualities: excellent, good, and regular, but no, TikTok has not revealed its music file format, or the bitrate used. Another thing to note is that the ‘excellent’ option for the audio quality is only exclusively available for premium subscribers. 

Beyond this, TikTok Music also offers the same connectivity to hardware, so users can push music to speakers, from connecting via AirPlay, Bluetooth, or CarPlay, or your home speakers or desktop. As for voice-controlled playback, Siri can be your personal DJ — simply grant it access to your TikTok Music data, and you can easily play your songs with simple voice commands, making the platform comprehensive, user-friendly, and flexible.

Additionally, the platform gives you ample browsing options, be it delving into a rich selection of suggested songs, revisiting your recently played tracks, or exploring your pre-existing favourite songs.

Unlike Spotify, TikTok Music features adjustable sound effects and various audio qualities. Additionally, it boasts a powerful search function and a variety of genre-specific channels like Pop, Rock, Mood, Indie, and Hip Hop. In short, its Home section is a comprehensive blend of personalisation and interactive features, making music streaming an engaging experience.

A standout feature of TikTok Music is its ability to import your music library from apps like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer. No matter the format of your tracks, whether AAC, FLAC, or MP3, the app seamlessly facilitates the transfer using TuneMyMusic. It’s also important to note that the free service has a limit of 500 tracks. However, subscribers of the premium service will be able to transfer all their tracks without any restriction. 

This feature not only grants convenience but also offers creative freedom as you can create and share playlists, enhancing the community vibe within the app. When compared to giants like Spotify or Apple Music, TikTok Music maintains many of the established features such as playlist creation and sharing, while adding the unique twist of easy music library importation. 

When pitted against its competitors, there are some noteworthy comparisons. Similar to Spotify and Apple Music, TikTok Music offers playlist creation and the sharing of songs and playlists, retaining the social element that many users appreciate. However, the added ability to import music libraries with ease gives TikTok Music a unique edge over its competitors, making it a robust and appealing choice for those considering a new music streaming platform. It certainly helps that the transfer process is both user-friendly and straightforward.

Venturing further into the Explore section reveals a treasure trove of features that amplify the discovery aspect of the platform. It provides an advanced search function, enabling you to look up artists, songs, and lyrics. You can even search for different songs in languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Cantonese. You’ll find song recommendations inspired by your recent selections and a personalised playlist consisting of an artist mix that aligns with your musical preferences. Notably, TikTok Music goes a step further in personalising your experience by offering curated playlists like Happy Pop and Daily Vibe, tailored for different occasions and based on your favorite tracks.

The Explore section doesn’t stop at personal recommendations. It also serves as a gateway to trending music, presenting tracks going viral on TikTok and the top 30 songs making waves on the platform. It provides a collection of recommended playlists tailored to various occasions and vibes, enhancing the way you experience music depending on the mood or situation. A refreshing feature is the option to update the page for new music suggestions, ensuring constant exposure to new tracks that might catch your ear.

To illustrate the dynamic nature of TikTok Music, these are the current top five songs on the app in Singapore, compared to the top five on Spotify. In TikTok Music, the tracks ruling the charts are Cupid (Twin Ver.) by FIFTY FIFTY, Dance The Night by Dua Lipa, Barbie World (with Aqua) by Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, and Aqua, Angels Like You by Miley Cyrus, and Malampagi by Saixse.

Meanwhile, Spotify’s top five songs in Singapore are Seven (feat. Latto) (Explicit Ver.) by Jung Kook and Latto, Super Shy by NewJeans, What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish, Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift, and vampire by Olivia Rodrigo. The differences in these lists highlight the unique mix of global and local tastes catered to by each platform, showing the breadth of musical experiences available to users.

TikTok Music’s most unique offering is arguably the Song Catch feature, an intuitive, Shazam-esque tool that identifies the tunes that envelop your surroundings. Whether you’re sitting in a bustling café, hearing the distant echoes of Frank Sinatra’s That’s Life, or catching the tail-end of a catchy tune in an Instagram reel that’s uncannily like Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy, Song Catch has you covered. 

This feature isn’t merely limited to ambient music identification; it deftly picks up tracks even from other platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, expanding its utility beyond your immediate environment. It’s a breeze to use – simply disconnect your earphones, ensure the song is playing aloud, and within 15 seconds, you’re able to see the identified track in TikTok Music. 

Pair this with the lyric search feature, which makes finding that elusive song with the catchy chorus – let’s say, Sweet But Psycho by Ava Max – that you couldn’t put a name to, a cinch. All in all, these features contribute to an enriched user experience, transforming your musical encounters from passive listening to engaging exploration.

Navigating to the Me section of TikTok Music unveils a personal haven for one’s music preferences and interactions. Here, users can curate and access their playlists, as well as their favourite songs, including those discovered on TikTok. The app offers the flexibility to sort songs by recently played, updated, or added as well, giving access to a highly organized and tailored music library. There’s also the handy feature to view your favourite artists and a comprehensive song history that showcases previously listened tracks.

The Me section is not only your music hub, but also a place for profile customisation and interaction. It houses your messages and notifications, allowing listeners to keep up with their friends’ activities on the platform. Additionally, TikTok Music brings a personal touch to the profiling business, letting them edit their profile picture, cover photo, username, and bio. 

Being in early access, the app values user feedback and encourages individuals to pen down their impressions. It seems to be striving to perfect its platform, and user reviews are a key part of that process, but TikTok has done some work on its own to further increase its appeal. In a bid to bolster its audio library, TikTok has strategically partnered with major music entities such as Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group to strengthen its foray into the competitive world of music streaming.

Since its inception in 2016, TikTok has become an influential player in the music world, propelling many songs to hit status via viral trends, and acting as a springboard for new artists and music discovery. Reflecting this impact, competing streaming services have curated dedicated TikTok playlists, and it seems TikTok is ready to directly challenge industry heavyweights like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

In the realm of music streaming services, TikTok Music aims to establish itself as a formidable competitor against established platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. At first glance, TikTok Music’s user interface shares striking resemblances with Spotify, with its intuitive layout and personalised playlists, making for a comfortable transition for current Spotify users. However, TikTok Music is adding its own unique spin to stand out in the crowd. 

One significant advantage of TikTok Music is its deep integration with TikTok, a goldmine of viral music trends. If you’ve ever wondered about the full version of a catchy tune from a TikTok video, this service has you covered. This blend of social media and music streaming is a distinct edge that may appeal particularly to the younger demographic.

The Song Catch feature, akin to Shazam, adds another layer of convenience, especially given its ability to recognize songs from within other apps, a step beyond what most other services currently offer. Meanwhile, the Explore section presents an impressive array of personalised and dynamic music discovery options, furthering its commitment to cater to individual music tastes. 

Despite these unique elements, TikTok Music might face hurdles in persuading Spotify or Apple Music users to switch over. It’s essentially asking consumers to transition to an essentially similar product with a few unique features. The pricing is competitive but not necessarily cheaper, especially for those who are already committed to another platform’s family or student plans.

The cost of the service in Singapore is S$7.90 per month for an individual account, S$16.98 for a family account (up to six accounts), and a discounted S$4.98 for students. Considering the features on offer, it’s certainly an attractive proposition for music enthusiasts.

From the brief look of things, TikTok Music appears to be offering an innovative blend of personalised music streaming, social interaction, and discovery that sets it apart from the competition. While still in its early phase, there’s a fair bit of potential for TikTok Music to reshape the music streaming landscape. Whether you’re an avid TikTok user or a music lover in search of a fresh experience, TikTok Music may well be worth tuning into.

Natalie

Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing Genshin Impact, cosplaying, or daydreaming of Henry Cavill.

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