After a lengthy period of waiting and a prolonged pre-registration round, Sins Raid is finally here on mobiles, iOS, and Android! The development was a bit slowed due to the pandemic, but certainly not cut. And, Icubemagic was proud to present their new baby to the world, the latest 3D fantasy RPG for mobiles.

If you are a fan of the genre, you most definitely do not want to miss an early start with this. It brings the most epic game content seen so far, with all of the hallmarks of the genre and also with modern gameplay trends incorporated well. Co-op boss battles, world bosses, PvE, PvE, and all familiar stuff is here, along with some original gameplay modes.

The dungeons of Burning Hollow are the first target for fresh raiders, while the co-op mode supports teams of 2, 5, or 10 players. There are also other compositions and modes for multiplayer fun, with roles like tanks, carry, interrupt, healing, and more or less expected stuff.

Being a full 3D fantasy RPG, Sins Raid aims to be quite a sight, with incredibly polished models, detailed textures, flashy animations, and all this in fantastic environments. There are already several thousand players that have voted for the game on Google Play, with an average 4.0-star score and over 100,000 installs.

The game requires Android 4.4 and up or and iOS 10.0 or up. On the iTunes App Store, the game has an even better score of 4.5 stars, which undoubtedly has something to do with iPhones being traditionally stronger devices. And, this game will test average Smartphones today and you will need a flagship from 2018 or later to run it smoothly.

You will also need around 1.2GB or more storage space, depending on the system and device type. However, the good side of the advanced graphics and gameplay mechanics is impressive appearance, comprehensive visual cues, immersive atmosphere, and just plain fun! This game seriously looks like an advanced version of World of Warcraft, and it can fully match a PC MMORPG with its features.

Sins Raid also brings the Idle feature which works in combat and grinding to keep up with modern mobile game trends. It also brings the familiar MMO Holy Trinity archetype classes, heroes players already know from the franchise and more. Of course, the Seven Sins are at the center of the narrative.

Key features of Sins Raid also include character design, which is at a highly creative level, customization options, highly diversified combat system, intuitive control system which goes hand in hand with the 3D environment, and more. The game does promote multiplay, but it is also very cool to go in as solo. Highly recommended for all fans of the genre, this is what we’ve been waiting for!

Google Play store has been expanded by numerous titles this month, and now we have a Hero Summoner idle strategy RPG dished out by Longcheer Game. It was opened on July 10th, while early access followed a beta test phase that was reportedly very successful. While it’s only made for Android phones so far, the studio ensures that an iOS version is on the way. Well, we’ve taken a look at this one, nevertheless, and here is a brief overview of the game.

Longcheer Game is a developer and publisher of mobile games. Besides Hero Summoner, they are behind such titles as Stickman Master: Archer Legends, iMonster Classic – Hero Adventure, Space Core: Galaxy Shooting, Super Tank Stars – Tank Battleground, Idle Defense: Dark Forest, and more. This is their latest entry and the company remains focused on mostly idle and casual games. Their previous titles enjoy moderate success with some games getting over the 3 million download milestone.

Hero Summoner takes us to Nordic mythology. The story begins when Odin was crossing a forest and encountered Mimir the prophet, to which he has given his right eye as a price for a glimpse into the future, after drinking from “The Fountain of Wisdom”. His vision showed him that the time of gods and their domain over the heavens and the earth are soon to come to an end.

In an attempt to stop this fate, Odin decides to build Valhalla, the hall of heroes. There, he recruited the souls of many brave warriors, where they would continue their ascension to higher combat prowess, for within the halls they had rigorous training, food, and drink. They would, in turn, fight for Odin and all who threatened divinity, including Ragnarok.

Yup, this game is set up in Valhalla. It currently has over 200 heroes, each divided into six elements and with 4 basic skills. As you create your team and compose the best hero combination, your strategy needs to be well-adjusted for the challenges to come. The players will have access to a global arena for PVP battles and duels with players, but the game also has other mods and features.

Combat is done through the idle auto-fighting mechanic or AFK mode, thus the name Hero Summoner – Free Idle Game. And, it is free to play currently. You can also explore dungeons, make guilds, participate in PVE boss battles, and much more stuff. The graphics are a bit cartoonish, but the game seems to pack a punch, especially in terms of content.

If you are a fan of the show since NBC, or you just became a fan of Netflix, Hannibal has been a lot on your mind lately, and in your news feed undoubtedly. Not because you feel a sudden craving for something other than pork, hopefully not. But, all jokes aside, the show, splendid as it was, left us hungry for more. There were rumors about how it was intended to last longer but was cut short and, however painful, I made peace with the fact it only had 3 seasons and decided to watch them several times each. But, since its recent upload on Netflix, the show’s popularity renewed and reached all new heights, and it possibly even shook the foundations of this original decision to cut it at S3.

5 years gone (this section contains SPOILERS)

IT’s been 5 years since NBC’s Hannibal TV show, starring Mads Mikkelsen, Hugh Dancy, Caroline Dhavernas, Laurence Fishburne, and many more have ended. It was done after 3 highly praised seasons with (SPOILER ALERT) a literally cliffhanger… I for one was and still am a big fan and I was sorry because I thought there were more places the show can go to. But, the decision was definitive and I made my peace, and also watched and rewatched the original 3 seasons countless times, with the feature films sometimes mixed in-between, just to spice it up a bit. Personally, my favorite Hannibal portrayal is Mads’, although no one can say anything bad about Anthony Hopkins’ or even Brian Cox’s.

5 years have passed since that moment and, despite half a decade gone, the show still has its faithful and quite large online following. When Netflix decided to include all 3 seasons on their offer about a month ago, on June 5th, 2020, they have hit the jackpot. Hannibal immediately became one of the top streaming shows on Netflix and thus the rumors began. Many see this as a viable cause to rethink that decision to end the show, and I must agree. This is further strengthened by the words of the show’s very own creator, Brian Fuller, who 5 years ago did say that he is considering “a few options for where to take Hannibal”. We haven’t heard from him since, and so naturally we think something is brewing.

Brian did say that these plans are set on a definite hold since 2016, though, and in 2017 some rights issues with The Silence of the Lambs novel writer Thomas Harris did arise, which was what rekindled my hopes. Namely, the issues were because Brian’s Season 4 of Hannibal was supposed to re-imagine the story part depicted in The Silence of the Lambs movie when Agent Clarice Starling came into play. Fuller has since remained hopeful and the project on an indefinite “maybe”.

Please, guys, make it so…

In 2019, Brian Fuller’s official Twitter dawned with a message: “No one has given up. I’ve made it clear I want to do it, the cast wants to do it and Martha wants to do it. We just need a network or a streaming service that wants to do it, too. I don’t feel there’s a clock on it or an expiration date for the idea. We just need someone to bite. Martha and I tried many times to work with MGM to include Clarice into our Hannibal story. They ultimately told us they had their plans for Clarice and they didn’t need Hannibal to tell her story. Don’t think this impacts a potential ‘Hannibal’ Season 4 as we never had Clarice rights.”

Originally 7 seasons were planned

Fuller also talked a bit about his ideas for the continuation of the Hannibal TV show and info also emerged about how it was initially supposed to be a 7-season epic. However, this would have meant that the character Hannibal Lecter was not to be captured at all until season 4, and it was cut short to happen by (Spoiler Alert) end of season 2. Oh, why I bother with this alert, if you are reading this you are a fan of the show and the material for sure. After that, season 4 would have been entirely reserved for the Red Dragon events, and season 5 and on would have had Clarice and The Silence of the Lambs story. Afterward, Thomas Harris’ books would have been adapted further and in greater detail, showing things never-before shown, while also still including Will Graham and the bunch, and even to adapt the events from the Hannibal Rising story, according to online sources and rumors.

Season 4 teasers

As fans, we can be vigilant and over-zealous at times, but this time we wouldn’t have started all this on our own. It was the sudden upload of the Hannibal show on Netflix that started the rumors, and a teaser by Mads Mikkelsen’s unconfirmed Instagram account. It is not confirmed if this is indeed an official account and Mr. Mads did say in an interview that he does not partake in social media himself. Unfortunately, no official info, confirmation, or even speculation has emerged and all people implicated are silent. But, there is one light in the dark for all of us…

Hannibal cast reunites on Zoom!

It seems that all this speculation and rant has not fallen on deaf ears. The Hannibal show cast is reuniting via Zoom, which is an online chat tool similar to Skype. The official date for the reunion has not been made public, but according to online sources, it has already happened in the first days of July, while the meeting will be made public within the month, or August at the latest. We certainly hope it will and that the cast has discussed some good news for us!

The title of the game is Gogogo! And it is potentially the pinnacle or a total of everything we’ve been doing on mobile phones so far. It is a competitive game, focused on the local multiplayer experience, which presents a kind of social experience where 3 to 16 players partake in various challenges. But, as Studiosaur, the game’s developer, explained to us, this title also solves various problems, including requiring an internet connection and multiple devices for multiple people to play. Confused yet? You won’t believe how simple it is…

A board game where your phone is the board

Gogogo! is perhaps better described as a “party” game for Android and iOS. It is played on one Smartphone device but can accommodate 3 to 16 players. In this regard, the phone is what the board is to board games. It takes the participants through a series of rounds, each with a different challenge, and we all compete who scores the most points, as one might assume. But, the challenges include virtually all of the basic gameplay mechanics invented for mobile gaming so far.

The players i.e. competitors might be presented with challenges that vary from striking a pose and seeing how steady your hand is while you hold the phone, memorizing a drawing the referee produces and then reproducing it from memory, impersonating a certain sound, and many more. The experience gets really extreme when bizarre things start happening, like when the challenge is to impersonate the sound of a pigeon flirting…. Yup, that’s actually a thing in Gogogo! In plain words, this game will test the players’ reaction time, creativity, memory, precision, even our sense of humor, and more…

Some of the gameplay mechanics in Gogogo! include:

• Drawing (via touchscreen)
• Tapping fast
• Memorize the item
• Find a hidden phone
• Hand-Eye coordination (press the closest to the center of the screen)
• Strike a pose while holding the phone as steady as you can
• Mimic a sound (literally)
• Remember the details of a short story
• Photographic memory
• Fastest reaction
• Throwing accuracy
• Word games
• And, many more…

There are currently around 50 challenge types. Each round presents the group of players with a new one, points are earned, and the champion is chosen at the end. Like drinking games, except, well, you don’t get wasted. After each round, the group is presented with 3 new challenges to choose from, and you can customize which challenges you prefer. Also, the game is easily accessible for all ages, all genders, and even non-native English speakers. You can set the difficulty for word games, for instance, for kids, grown-ups, non-native English speakers, and so on.

How did this much-needed concept come to be?

This title is developed by one person, which is obvious because only one man can allow himself to be this much out of the rails. If there was a team of people doing this, someone would undoubtedly be the voice of reason and try and steer it towards the more conventional rails. But, I am glad this didn’t happen because this kind of thinking outside the box is precisely what separates this game from the rest. It has no competition in its niche…there is no niche! Jeez…This is hard to put into words.

The developer, Robert Thomson a.k.a. Studiosaur is a massive fan of board games and, while he did like Heads Up and a couple more of similar game apps, he felt the need to translate the experience to mobile in a greater capacity. The developer also mentions Space Team and Jackbox as a reference, but contrary to these titles, he made his game playable offline. He wanted a simple-to-do group activity, executed on a single device, and with fun and engaging content. And, Gogogo! is precisely that. Mr. Robert has been working in animation for ten years before dedicating all his time and efforts to developing video games. This shines through the game’s visual style and presentation.

Your sense of humor is a gameplay ability

Yeah…that’s a thing in Gogogo! as well. Never before have I seen a game where my sense of humor would be a factor. And, since I am a fan of comedy, stand-up comedy, and impressions, you can imagine my delight. This game is currently in its open beta stage with all of the links and the info available on the official site. The game is free-to-play but also has a premium version in the works, with some extra challenges, but that too is free during the trial period on iOS. IN any case, if you are looking for something new and fresh, this is the deal.

By Alec Sandar

As many of you undoubtedly did, I also enjoyed the first movie and when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was announced, I was thrilled. This is exactly what the MCU needs to do now, go into the good stuff, if you permit my choice of words… However, it is taking them long and we’ve only had little bits of info scattered about the upcoming movie and other projects, less than a trail of breadcrumbs would have…well, crumbs… here is everything that I’ve managed to find on the web about this upcoming movie, including fake news and I will help you know the difference.

Firstly, every Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer you can find so far, as of this writing, is fake. They are all fan-made and consist of footage from the first movie and some other cleverly chosen to possibly fit the scenario. Marvel Cinematic Universe has slowed down the production significantly, obviously due to COVID-19 pandemic, but this doesn’t mean they stopped it. This is good news for us, expect the fact that we will wait a bit longer. But, all material will have more time to ripe, and the stories we get are expected to make up for the wait.

Confirmed villain – Baron Mordo

The first Doctor Strange movie has introduced the character of Baron Mordo, who by the end becomes a villain. We are given a closer look at his descent to evil, but his reasons might play a bigger part in the overall story than it first appeared. He insisted several times to Strange that they are “breaking the rules” and that “there will be a price to pay”. In the post-credits scene, we see Mordo siphoning powers from a former student of the Kamar-Taj. It seems that this is not a random act of “too many sorcerers (and I don’t like it)” type thing.

“The bill comes due, always” – Mordo

It seems that the price he refers to is for the use of the Eye of Agamotto, the Infinity Stone Doctor Strange used at the end of the movie. However, we know that Strange also used it in the Avengers: The Infinity War and the Endgame, and then he gave it to Thanos. What is the price for that? We’ll, the “Multiverse of Madness” in the title might hint at that. Who is this price paid to? Well, the fans speculate that Baron Mordo’s warning means that they will all answer to the Living Tribunal, which is a character known to comic book readers. Another speculated character for the movie is Mephisto, who in Marvel comics is a demon from hell, much like in folklore. In fact, it appears that the movie’s entire theme might take a turn for the grim.

Connected with VandaVision TV series

The script for the Multiverse of Madness sequel was originally penned by Jade Halley, her writing debut, and by Michael Waldrom, who is currently working on Loki TV mini-series. For this reason, it appears possible that the two stories will also collide. Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch is also confirmed for the upcoming movie. In fact, the WandaVision TV show is probably going to sync into the movie, as many are speculating. Also, Benedict Wong is coming back as Wong, and all other actors who appeared in the first movie will reprise their roles.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness remains the hottest prospect for Marvel and Disney for their Phase 4 as they call it. It probably won’t be a fully-fledged horror movie as we might have first expected, as Kevin Fiege, the producer, said it “Doctor Strange 2 isn’t quite a horror movie, but an MCU film with scary sequences. This statement predated the parting of Scott Derrickson as the director of the movie. The reason cited in the media was “creative differences”. However, Mr. Scott will stay on as an executive producer. After all, he did write and direct the first movie, earning them tons of money. But, what happened next was quite unexpected…

Enter Sam Raimi (rumored)

This is still only a rumor folks! But, the rumors say that Sam Raimi is in talks to take the director’s chair. Mr. Raimi, of course, had his time with Marvel as the director for the first Spider-Man trilogy, with Tobey Maguire. This sparked other speculations about that character also returning, because it is a “Multiverse of Madness” after all, so why not?! Mr. Raimi himself answered the question about if he will direct it by referring to the moment in the first Spider-Man movie, where J.K. Simmons comments on the name Doctor Strange with “That’s pretty good, but it’s taken”.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness release date set for March 25, 2022

According to online sources, production for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness began in June 2020, a month ago. The movie’s release date was expected about a year from now, so that’s the summer or, more likely, the fall of 2021. But, most recent reports state that it moved to March 25, 2022. That’s quite the wait, but it will be worth it as they’ve had ample time to work on the story, so now it’s just execution time. Benedict Cumberbatch recently appeared in Frankenstein play, shown free via the National Theatre Live during the pandemic. He is silent about his role as the Sorcerer Supreme. Also, when reporters asked Chiwetel Ejiofor about what did his character Baron Mordo do during the events in The Avengers, he said that “All will be revealed”

WOW Classic was one of the things that marked last year, 2019, among the events that some called the ‘hope of humanity today’. Others were the premiere of a dark comic book movie “Joker” and the fact that Tool, the progressive rock band, released a single Fear Inoculum, their first song after 13 years and the eponymous album which both achieved critical acclaim. Well, I was delighted too and, along with millions more, wanted to start Classic the very second they open the servers. Oh, boy, were we wrong…

Launching worldwide on the night between August 25th and 26th, 2019, WOW Classic saw the return of many old players and the income of countless more, or at least our attempt to return. The servers were clogged and even if by sheer luck and attempting to log in for several hours you would succeed, in-game time was usually short-lived and interrupted by disconnection. This continued for several days on end, afterward, it was stabilized and people have been playing it ever since. Currently, World of Warcraft Classic is seeing the opening of Ahn’Qiraj, which many call the greatest event in WoW history.

Is The Burning Crusade on its way?

Despite numerous videos and articles about various details on TBC, like classes and in-game stuff, they are all based on the old material and nobody can rightfully claim that the game is coming because there has been no official announcement. Trust me, it would be on all media channels and streaming services, and if it ever happens, it will be. Nevertheless, players do count on it as if it were an assured event, many even preparing for the launch soon. WoW Classic owes all this to its popularity, but the players currently are going through the content updates and new raids at a faster rate than it happened between 2004 and 2006, the launch of the original game and the first expansion, World Of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade.

Why won’t Blizzard announce it already?

Well, if this happened two years back then, and we are burning through content faster now, and its already been a year almost, this means we could expect TBC within less than a year from this writing if they ever decide on doing it. However, many are fearful and confused about why Blizzard is not officially announcing the next chapter, and I have a few theories. Theory #1 – it is a freaking tough job to adapt this old game to new standards. We’ve already heard tales of how hard it was to adapt WoW v.1.12, to improve its models, graphics, and some in-game mechanics to today’s gaming trends.

When TBC came out, it overshadowed the original by a huge margin, despite what many are saying that the original, vanilla experience was the best. The first expansion introduced a completely revamped game, with 180° changes in both in-game mechanics, style, atmosphere, and virtually everything. It was a smashing hit… So, it is my opinion that it would take them far more to now adapt that smashing hit to today’s standards, for numerous reasons. Despite the popular opinion, it is not just about updating the game’s graphics and making it run on new operating systems.

WoW Classic currently has one more big raid content in store. The notorious and fan-favorite Naxramas. Since the Gates of Ahn’Qiraj are just freshly opened, that can go on for several months, and then Nax could buy the team up to a year in total time. Is this enough to prepare The Burning Crusade for release? I don’t think so. Remember, even revamping Vanilla took much longer than originally planned and the production had problems. Here is hoping they do make it a reality because I play warlock and warlocks were OP in TBC!

By Alec Sandar

The Pokémon Company, in a collaboration with the Chinese conglomerate Tencent, has just announced PokémonUnite. The game will be a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) with Pokémon characters and other hallmarks adapted to the genre, inevitably producing unique and innovative gameplay mechanics. So, it appears that we are in for a treat and the entire web has been colored in yellow since the announcement on June 24th. There is already gameplay footage shown, which already shows that the game will practically have a genre of its own.

Being a MOBA at its basics, PokémonUnite gameplay footage shows that this map has two lanes, with a “jungle” section in the middle. Players score KOs and points to win. Wild Pokémon are scattered throughout this two-lane map and defeating and capturing them is a big part of the victory. You need to deposit your points into a “scoring zone” which is close to capture-the-flag type PvP action. This map shown in the footage seems to have 4 of these scoring zones and there are no towers, inhibitors, no nexus, or core. This means a lot of the traditional features in MOBAs are missing, but the real-time combat is, of course, kept.

Some of the famous Pokémon characters seen so far are Venusaur, Blastoise, Charizard, Snorlax, Pikachu, Lucario, Mechamp, Clefable.

And, many more are coming to PokémonUnite with the Pokémon Company and Tencent aiming to adapt the original game experience to MOBA rules and bringing that genre to a perhaps wider audience. The control scheme is along the lines of the genre’s hallmarks, with one side of the screen holding your 3 main abilities, auto-attack, and the ultimate ability. Pokémon’s will also have Unite Moves, which are multiple abilities performed by multiple Pokémon in unison, hence the Unite in the title.

The game is coming to Nintendo Switch, but also to Android and iOS, much to everyone’s delight. It will be free-to-play, or “free-to-start” with the in-game monetization system undoubtedly coming. Rumors so far predict microtransactions for new Pokémon added to the game, cosmetics, and perhaps other things. What is also confirmed is that the game will feature cross-platform play and various gameplay modes. The game is currently in development with no release date or even a vague window, but we sure do hope it’s coming soon.

Yup, you read that right! Twisting Art is family-made. The “studio” is made up of a four-member family which is dedicated entirely to developing casual mobile games. They’ve all done their part in incepting this artful, colorful, inspirational, and playful creation which could best be described as an artistic puzzle game. It is challenging, but at the same time, it is accessible for all ages and genders, fitting a family gaming community as well. So, if you are looking for a fun indie game, this just might be it.

Twin Castle Games

The “studio” is, as mentioned, made up of a family of 4 – Mr. Javier Álvarez, his wife, and their twin children. The parents are the ones tasked with programming, art, game design, and marketing, while their youngsters are there to inspire them with an occasional headache, as Mr. Javier explains it. Be that as it may, this game might give you a headache because it does bring the word “twisted” into the Twisted Art title.

Gameplay

The basics of this title’s gameplay revolve around rotating pieces of twisted art presented to the player as a challenge. The picture in front of the player is distorted and bent, and you need to use your powers of observation and aesthetics. However, the challenge begins when you realize that even when solved, these graphics are abstract images and quite complicated to figure out. The game will test your imagination as well and the ability to see what isn’t visible at first glance.

Twin Castle Games call their creation “en evocative and tension packet rotating puzzle”. And, it is that and more. It is a beautiful collection of a handcrafted abstract art collection, which is ruined and it is your job to fix the images. Players also compete against time in over 100 levels i.e. artworks. Completing the level and solving the puzzles award points and allow the player to progress to tougher challenges.

Twisting Art is available for Android worldwide. It is a premium purchase in some countries, while it is offered as free-to-play with ads in some other. Check it out and enjoy the fun with your family, with this family-made fun puzzle game that is designed to engage and entertain even the youngest of audiences, and bring them together with their elders.

By Alec Sandar

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has been a lot in the news lately. Mainly a target of negative reports, many would argue unreal, the game was scrutinized for various aspects. Firstly, it was attacked for copying League of Legends, then for in-game functionality issues, and then it seems as if the entire sky broke and poured rain all over the game’s publicity. However, it is still very popular and praised by its fans. The game did, after all, spark an entirely new Esports scene in Asia and the world.

However, contrary to LoL, Mobile Legends targets mobile gaming audiences, and this move what precisely a key part of their success. Not to mention that adapting a MOBA, any MOBA to gaming on a Smartphone is no small feat. Be that as it may, the entire web seems to be too biased in their negative attitude towards Moonton, and the company decided to release a sort of a press release or an open letter, and it says the following:

Moonton’s Official Statement:

Recently, some media have published negative and unreal reports against Mobile Legends. Here is the statement of Moonton:

Mobile Legends is a MOBA game that is developed by Moonton independently, and its copyright has already been registered and protected in multiple countries all over the world. Moonton has independent intellectual property rights.

Mobile legends and all the users will not be affected by these unreal reports and we will keep providing the best gameplay experience to players all over the world.

Meanwhile, for some media and competitors who have spread the unreal information and rumors against us, we reserve the right to protect ourselves and pursue legal actions.

There you have it. The company makes a point by emphasizing that the game does feature their intellectual property and they do have a point. On the other hand, many feel that some key points are too similar to LoL, and even a court in China agrees. In fact, this whole ordeal began when a lawsuit against Moonton was made public two years ago.

The Lawsuit against MLBB

It is not cool when you do something wrong and you must answer for it, I think we all agree on that. However, it is even worse to be accused of something you didn’t do. Be that as it may, Shangai’s No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court felt like there were too many similarities between League of Legends and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and has decided that Moonton needs to pay $2.9M to Tencent. The lawsuit was attempted before that in California, but the court felt that it should be heard by a court or jurisdiction that is more convenient and competent to delve into the case, which is what brought them to Shangai.

LoL was created by RIOT, which is now owned by Tencent, who made the game in 2009. Although the game has many big names from the industry credited for its creation, League of Legends was an idea incepted by Steve “Guinsoo” Freak who, before that, worked on DOTA 1 (Defense of the Ancients), while it was still a WarCraft 3 map. He worked on it with IceFrog, who later became the lead designer for DotA2, while Guinso was recruited for LoL. Rightfully so, LoL has many similarities with DotA1, which is what broke the web in around 2005 and started the whole MOBA phenomenon. Of course, LoL has its own unique rules and characters, and many things that make it different from Dota 1 and 2.

Is Mobile Legends: Bang Bang really all that similar to LoL?

All MOBAS today, regardless of the platform, look at least a little bit like each other. And, I mean all, Heroes of the Storm, Dota 2, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Arena of Valor….all! They all feature similar rules, feature gameplay in a similar environment, and even have similar character abilities and mechanics. We must admit that MLBB does look like LoL a lot more than HOTS does, but it also has an equal part of its own original flair.

People in Shangai estimated that similarity to cost around $388k at first, but the price was upped to 19.4 million Chinese yuan, which is close to $2.9M bucks. Still, this is pocket change compared to what these companies are making, and by looking at it from that angle, it seems that the court did not feel the similarities were vital to a degree that this game’s credibility could or should be taken into question. Well, if they didn’t, neither shall we.

India Ban and other problems

As ill-timed as they could possibly be, MLBB had other problems recently. Mainly, the game was banned in India by no other than the Indian Government, along with 58 other Chinese mobile apps, like Clash of Kings, Shareit, TikTok, and many more. The reason cited was that they pose a potential threat to national security and sovereignty. Moonton also addressed this with a message to their player community in India by saying:

“Dear Player,

It has always been our top priority here at Moonton to ensure our users’ data privacy and security. As soon as the interim order of banning 59 apps, including Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, was issued by the Indian government, we started communicating with the Indian government. 

At the moment, we are actively working with the Indian government on this matter and we will keep updating our progress on our official Facebook page. Thank you so much for your understanding and support to MLBB!” – MLBB Operation Team

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang offers a unique experience of a mobile MOBA, with its own allure and style. The game does slightly resemble LoL like so many other MOBAs, but it targets its own audience and has managed to build up its own community and followers. It is an important part of the Chinese and world’s Esports scene, mainly in mobile gaming, while Tencent has yet to present its ace in the hole – League of Legends Wild Rift, which is a fully-fledged mobile version of LoL. In any case, it is a great time to be a MOBA fan.

By Alec Sandar

Don’t believe the hype just yet, because there is no official confirmation. But, with that said, we would love Ben Affleck as Batman! So much so in fact, that this might be the biggest hype of 2020 developing now, bigger than the COVID-19 coronavirus. And, it all started with an official confirmation by the brain of the operation, Zack Snyder. As you undoubtedly know, unless you are living in a cave of your own, the Snyder Cut is officially coming next year and it will be titled Zack Snyder’s Justice League. However, before you all piss your pants we might have been going a bit overboard with the enthusiasm after this initial announcement. One miracle at a time gentlemen…

Who says so?

In the past 15 days or so, the rumors slowly started to drip from various cracks, mainly from the “Release the Snyder Cut community sources”, like The Cultured Nerd, who said they heard it from a guy, who told a guy, who knows a guy who heard it. Snydercut214 and La Hoguera de Gotham, both beacons within the Snydercut community who we salute, also stood behind the story. But, here is the interesting part. All these sources state that not only it is rumored, but they also claim that Ben Affleck has already signed a contract with HBO Max to play Batman in “Future Zack Snyder projects”. We should be so lucky… It is the beginning of July 2019 when I write this and there is still no confirmation, no comment, no nothing. Not from Ben, not from Zack, not from HBO Max or DC or anyone for that matter. So, as I sit at home excited about this possibility, I compiled a list of reasons why Ben Affleck could and could not return as Batman, so here goes…

DC Shuts Down Rumors?

In a most recent development, the rumors about Ben Affleck’s Batman return, along with some other speculations involving Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern return, Keanu Reeves as Constantine return, the Justice League Rebirth movie, Batgirl and Michael Keaton’s Batman for Batman Beyond, and more have been addressed by some media officials. Umberto Gonzalez, a writer and scooper for The Wrap, has given his opinion about the matter:

• Batgirl in Batman Beyond – No, or cameo at best
• Justice League Rebirth with J.J. Abrams – No
• Constantine – No
  Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern return – No
• Ben Affleck returning as batman – No, but he would also want this as much as we would
• Zatanna – Yes, there is a Zatanna movie in development
• Ezra Miller and The Flash – Yes

Why Ben Affleck possibly won’t return as Batman

Let’s get the negative stuff out first actors in the movie biz always emphasize their respect for each other, like any other colleagues. They are professionals, and Been demonstrated this when he commented on Robert Pattison being cast in the role. He said that he thinks it is going to be great and we agree and we have nothing against it. In fact, this whole article shouldn’t at all be taken as if I do not agree with the current actor being in the cowl. However, it seems that they are opening up doors to multiple actors and multiple versions of Batman, which has never been attempted before, and this is why it would be cool. But, as mentioned, Ben said in multiple interviews that he stepped away from the role and the chance of directing the upcoming Batman flick because “I kind of lost my passion for telling those stories”.

Why Ben Affleck possibly will return as Batman

While Ben has said that he has lost his passion for it and gave everyone the impression that once you pass on the cowl, you are done, it needn’t be so. Firstly, times are different now. Not to pry into Ben’s personal life too much, but it is clear that he is in a much better place now, with his passion for the art at its peak. This is not to say there was anything wrong with it back when he was in BvS and The Justice League movie. In fact, many people don’t know that Ben worked out for around two years. Yes, TWO FREAKING YEARS to get that look just right. Just a reminder, he was portraying Frank Miller’s version of the Dark Knight, who has some mileage and has been doing it for decades, so the muscle tone, the physique, the movement… Everything had to tell the tale, and Ben did it perfectly.

This could also go against him returning as Batman as we can’t really demand this man to go through all that again just to answer our need…. But, Mr. Ben, if you are reading this and if you are up for preparing a role again for a while, getting the muscles and the weight just right, getting into character, ignoring the naysayers, well, we would love to have you back. Also, please keep in mind that even future Zack Snyder DC projects are not confirmed and only a rumor at this point. But, we are all hoping that when the upcoming Justice League director’s cut blows everyone away, they will make it happen.

Batfleck returning?

Do not believe the click baits just yet. Anyone who is claiming Ben Affleck is officially returning is only operating based on rumors, as you will undoubtedly find out after you click on their article or video. But, this is a good thing as the web is warming up and we did manage to bring back the Zack Snyder’s Justice League! I guess we can do anything if we are together and united! So, Mr. Ben, again, if you are reading this, we would want you to return for future Zack Snyder projects if WB and HBO and/or anyone else is smart enough to make a reality.

By Alec Sandar

UnlockGame just announced that their new fantasy rogue-lite mobile RPG titled Brave Dungeon is hitting the stores today, both Google Play and iTunes App Store, on June 25th. Now, what peaked out interest are some of the details they shared about the game, particularly some figures. The developers are promising that over 200 heroes are coming right from the start, which is also adding the hero collector genre into the mix. They are describing the game as a highly challenging and competitive experience, while the battle will adopt auto chess rules.

Going further into detail, UnlockGames reveals that they have chosen to follow the auto chess hallmark of alliances or factions. There will be 6 different factions to which those 200 heroes will belong to and they will be divided into classes, of course. So far, there are 4 classes to pick from, and, oddly enough, the core gameplay of Brave Dungeon will be dungeon crawling, but in a team. Yes, that is what they said and it is precisely what raises our interest in this title coming out today. We haven’t yet had the pleasure of trying it out, but an in-depth review is in order if things are as good as they promise they will be.

By Alec Sandar

The Android community has been alarmed in the past few days about more than 2 dozen various apps being removed from the Google Play store, by Google themselves. Things become ominous when sources claim that it is due to a severe privacy threat that includes Facebook. All of the experts are on board and are advising people to delete the apps in question for they are phishing for the user’s Facebook credentials, which means malware, which means a breach of privacy, which means personal data, and so on…

Beware all who use Android Smartphones!

This whole ordeal began last month, in June when Google began the “purge”. They took more than 80 apps down from Google Play due to adware, which was blamed on the developers of those apps of course. They were overwhelming Android mobiles with pesky ads. After over 90 of them disappeared and were uninstalled by users – that was that. The ad invasion was gone. But, pretty soon, a new danger was detected…

It was quickly discovered that around 25 malware apps were still in use, that’s over the original 80+ now removed. However, these were not doing just a pesky job of packing your device with ads. These were one the hunt for your personal info. More accurately, these are phishing for Facebook credentials. It was Evina, a cyber-security company from France, which has discovered the malware apps. They say that these apps otherwise work perfectly and function just as intended, aside from the fact that they secretly copy your account log-in info. So, they function as a sort of a keylogger, if you use your phone to enter your Facebook account info, they copy it and send it to the designers of the malware.

Apparently, the malware apps contain hidden code. It begins to run its course through your Android Smartphone as soon as you install the carrier apps and they all have one goal – stealing personal data. However, the malware managed to avoid Google detection because of its sophisticated design. Apparently, after spreading through the user phone, the core then waited until the user would attempt to log in to Facebook. In some versions, it even mimicked Facebook, overlaying an entire browser window, directing the user to a fake page for login. This fake page is also quite undetectable by regular users, and even Facebook security protocols could not identify it, because it works its way by appearing in front of the actual Facebook app.

An estimated 2.3 million users infected

Unfortunately, while Evina confirmed it and Google acted by removing, these 25 malicious apps already managed to infect around 2.3 million user Android Smartphones. The code was hiding in apps that were available for download for more than 1 year, so you can imagine the ramifications. It is urgent and vital that you delete these apps if you use any of them. Also, if you used any of them in the past year, it is also crucial that you renew your security on all accounts that use personal data, which you use from your Smartphone device. Do this via proper and clean devices, and its probably for the best that you format yours.

25 Google Play apps containing malware code to be deleted at once:

• Junk file cleaning
• Classic card game
• Accurate scanning of QR code
• Solitare Game
• Super Flashlight
• Super Bright Flashlight
• Powerful Flashlight
• Pedometer
• Color Wallpapers
• Video Maker
• iPlayer & iWallpaper
• Contour Level wallpaper
• Wallpaper Level
• Padenatef
• Super Wallpapers Flashlight
• Synthetic Z
• File Manager
• Composite Z
• Screenshot Capture
• Daily Horoscope Wallpapers
• Wuxia Reader
• Plus Weather
• Anime Live Wallpaper
• iHealth Step Counter
• com.tqyapp.fiction (probably titled: Panda BookHouse)

Google still has not commented on how this severe security breach was allowed, besides the info Evina company provided about the high sophistication level of the malicious code. Furthermore, there have been no statements about any eventual changes or updates in the security systems, as Android users are wondering about their personal data safety. If such a thing can happen and go around for a full year before it’s detected, we fear to contemplate possible ramifications if something ever darker was attempted.

By Alec Sandar

Another day, another news. Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about the gaming industry in general and what it has become. We’ve covered the story surrounding Naughty Dog and their “interesting” take on The Last of Us Part 2 leaks. People were getting copyright struck just for posting memes about it. The word “golf” was censored and could even get people banned from Reddit or other Social Media Networks. All in all, it was a major PR disaster, and I personally think that they could’ve handled the situation much better than they actually did.

And then came the days for the review copies to be handed out. Spoiler Alert… We did NOT get one. However, it doesn’t really bother me since pretty much anyone who mentioned The Last of Us together in a sentence with the word “leaks” was denied a review copy. Even Forbes didn’t get one, and the only thing they did was to report on the news about the leaks. They didn’t go into any specifics, nor did they mentioned the word “golf” or anything that could remotely point out to the content of the leaked story. So, what did Naughty Dog do? After the fiasco surrounding the copyright strikes, bans, and whatnot, they decided to hand out the review copies only to their most trusted and loyal gaming websites (yes IGN, I’m looking at you).

Luckily, I’d rather observe the whole thing from aside, and decide for myself whether or not the game is worth purchasing. And I do trust some of the critics will fairly and objectively review the game and point out to both its good and bad sides (Angry Joe and Jim Sterling, just to name a few). Will the game be bad? I honestly don’t think it will be as bad as some of the memes make it to be. First of all, The Last of Us Part 2 was reported to be around 100Gb in size. That is twice as much as The Witcher 3, Dragon Age: Inquisition, or The God of War. This alone should point out how massive the game will be. However, size isn’t everything, and that’s why we will have to wait and see for ourselves if the quality of The Last of Us Part 2 will be on par with its predecessor. 

Other than that, there is interesting news about everyone’s favorite video game company, Electronic Arts. We all remember that EA had a very “sketchy” history with their video games monetizations and microtransactions. What was once the most beloved game company slowly started sinking deeper and deeper into the endless pit of greed. Luckily for them, there were two things that happened during the previous year that made it slightly emerge from that pit of greed. Those two things were Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. And both of those games were made by the same studio, Respawn Entertainment.

All of us remember how well Apex Legends was received. It still holds as one of the most popular Battle Royale games, and for a good reason. On the other hand, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was hands down the best Star Wars game in the past 15 years. It sold over 8 million copies in less than three months following its release, which is an enormous success for a single-player game. And not just that, critics were praising the game everywhere. I personally don’t know of anyone who could honestly say that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was bad. And when I thought that things couldn’t get any better, last month EA surprised everyone by releasing a completely free DLC featuring a lot of new content, cosmetics, and etc. And before any of you ask, no, this article is NOT sponsored by Electronic Arts. 

Speaking of EA, there was another very interesting thing that they did recently. They released some of their most popular games on Steam. If you enjoy playing all of your PC games on Steam, then you are in luck. Some of EA’s titles like Command & Conquer Remaster Collection, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, Dragon Age Series, Medal of Honor, Need for Speed, and many other games are now available for purchase at Steam, each one with a hefty discount tag. But that’s not all. It’s been officially confirmed that EA Access is coming soon to Steam, which is another welcome news.

With all that being said, it seems at least that EA is snapping out of its bad habits. Undoubtedly, we will get a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and hopefully, the company will keep surprising us in the future. As for Naughty Dog, they are doing the exact opposite, unfortunately… With all the copyright strikes, bans, and even denying review copies to critics, one can’t help but wonder… “Do I really want to give my money to a company like that?” Well… you be the judge of that.

By Miserable Scribe

Apple iPhone 12 release date is set for September 2020, and while we’ve had several rendering of the body and official confirmation of the features included, it was all hectic so far. Some news reported that we will get a new Smartphone inside of a body of iPhone8, other sources confirmed the iconic iPhone 5, 5s, and SE look. And, most recently, we found out they were all right. Yes, the upcoming iPhone12 series will feature at least four models in the series, probably more, and it will probably have all of the leaked design renders we seen, which is a good thing.

Leaking all over the web

The leaks keep pouring in and sources now speculate that iPhone 12 will have the rumored 3D camera, which would be a game-changer for sure. The latest 2020 iPad Pro can do an environment mapping within 12 feet using the ToF and LiDAR sensors, so this is not that farfetched. This was made to enhance the AR (Augmented Reality) experience, among other things. But, what would be crucial for the deal was to get a 3D cam Smartphone for around $700.

Design leaks still pan out?

As far as the design, things were a bit hectic. Firstly, it was said that the upcoming iPhone 12 will come with the fan-favorite aluminum frame, then it was reported that it will use iPhone 8’s body, and then renders shown it looks a hell of a lot like iPhone 11 Pro, XS, and X. Well, it appears that all those news might be true. iPhone 12 will come in several different variations, three of which are almost entirely reliably believed so far:

• iPhone 12 – 6.1 inches like the iPhone 11
• iPhone 12 Pro – 5.4 inches
• iPhone 12 Pro Max – 6.7 inches

64GB storage?

It seems that there will be a price for all this. Meeting the fans’ requests and bringing back the old design and making this upcoming Smartphone so affordable will have a few drawbacks. Firstly, it seems that the iPhone 12, as well as iPhone 12 Pro, will only have 64 GB of storage space, with no option of going up to 128 or 256! This may not be just because of the compact design but to make it more compatible with other functions and battery life.

No 120Hz refresh rate?

Speaking of battery life, there is more bad news. It seems that the dynamic screen refresh rate tech will only be reserved for one Smartphone in 2020, and that’s Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20. This is connected to Apple because they were supposed to outsource these touch screens, according to multiple online sources. It is called LTPO tech and it dynamically changes the screen’s refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz to preserve battery life when you do not need a high refresh rate, like when reading online articles. Apple is only to get this tech in 2021, according to a Tweet from Ross Young, a display analyst, whose often made good calls in the past about similar stuff and is considered a credible source.

Never mind the looks, what about the core?

As far as the rest of the rumored or expected specifications go, Face ID is virtually guaranteed as well as the Touch ID (in-display). But, the main event of the upcoming 12th series, the golden card, its big gun is its confirmed A14 chipset. This is Apple’s ace in the hole, as its performance is said to clock at 3GHz. Paired with the expected minimum of 6GB of RAM, this is going to be a beast for the widest of audiences. Of course, the fact that Apple announces their lowest price in history for these models makes this all the more compelling.

OF course, with these many fine features, we are worried about the battery, but there are thus far no leaks about it. Not one leak or rumor mentions the battery or charging methods, but we do know Apple is planning to include 5G for iPhone 12 as a series’ standard.

Should I start saving now?

Well, Apple did say that the upcoming iPhone 12 release date is in 2020. Reliable sources are expecting it to be in June or at least during the Summer of 2020, but this COVID-19 pandemic situation has made things impossible to foresee. As far as the pricing goes, They are still sticking to the slogan “the most affordable iPhone so far” while the experts are assuming this means anywhere from $650 and up.

By Alec Sandar