Gaming

Crime Boss: Rockay City was as rocky as the city title

It’s pure chaos and nothing else, really

Published

June 13, 2023

Gab Orlina

Role-playing games, in my opinion, bring out a side of us that we all aspire to be depending on what you choose to play as. It’s these types of games that give us the escape from reality for a little while, and focus on how we actually want to shape ourselves. Some put us in near fantastical worlds with the world as your oyster, others like Crime Boss: Rockay City serves an empire on a silver platter.

Admittedly, being a crime boss is a sweet gig. Especially as you command your own crew and enable yourself to be the only head honcho in town. As The Boss in Rockay City, your main goal is a hostile takeover of the entire city. And there’s nothing the law nor your contemporaries can do about it. Packaged with a series of test runs and simulations to boot, Crime Boss: Rockay City is all that it’s hyped up to be.

Let the chaos ensue, ladies and gentlemen, and may the best boss win!

Get your feet wet, or dive right in

At the start, the game treats you to multiple game modes at your disposal. It helps you get a grip of what’s to come. Of course, you have the Main Campaign that takes you straight into the action. We’ll talk more about it in detail later. For now, the focus here is on the other modes, especially for online multiplayer.

I spent a lot of my time going through the Crime Time mode. It’s basically your free play to understand the core mechanics. This game mode basically throws you into the action. It’s complete with a crew and weapons of your choice to accomplish certain objectives. Now, each objective is different and requires a decent amount of planning, but you get cash rewards to buy better weapons.

Urban Legends has a similar approach to Crime Time, except this is the dedicated Co-Op mode for the game. I like that they added this in for people who want to do the missions with their friends because some of them are honestly difficult on your own. Also, Urban Legends gives you the same rewards and helps you unlock more weapons down the line, so it’s still a good time.

A bit of a learning curve with the mechanics

I mentioned earlier that these game modes still require a bit of planning to get used to. If you’re not confident with how the mechanics work, there’s also a dedicated Tutorial mode that’s basically just a heist mission on repeat. However, it does its job of getting you accustomed to the fundamentals of the game when you’re going solo.

For starters, movement in this game allows you to do your missions in a variety of ways. Whether you wanna take it easy and be stealthy or go out guns blazing, your character moves fine. Apart from this, you can approach any non-cooperative civilians by simply restraining them without so much as wasting a bullet and also break security cameras. Honestly, these took a while to get used to.

With a crew by your side, you can also switch to their point of view to help you set up your strategy. This is a great mechanic and integrates a co-op style gameplay even when you’re playing all by your lonesome – basically, you can be anybody. Although, it’s only one at a time so don’t push yourself too much. Overall, the tutorial does help you get through the basics. It comes in handy when you take on the full campaign mode. Speaking of which:

Be your own boss over and over again

Most of my time playing this game was spent within the Main Campaign mode, as expected. It starts off with you, The Boss, battling for your life on a rooftop surrounded by all your enemies and Chuck Norris as the Sheriff. Whether you win it out or not doesn’t really matter since that’s just a taste of what being a crime boss will be like.

After that entire sequence, it’s Day 0 and you begin your quest to overtake the entirety of Rockay City and establish it as your domain. Along the way, you’ll end up recruiting some old friends and handle the takeover like a business. Throughout the entire campaign, the goals are simple: takeover and stay alive – literally.

Start from scratch when you get too dirty

The thing that bothered me about this set-up was the fact that it’s a hard reset when you, The Boss, die in any mission you go on. Obviously you can just send your henchmen to do the dirty work, but sometimes you have to do some dirty work too. This means that you run the risk of doing a hard reset every time, and that’s too big in my opinion.

Also, just to circle back on the mechanics a little bit, this game does not come with any ammunition crosshair as your reference when shooting. It’s something that threw me off a bunch of times, especially when in gun fights for turf wars. I ended up doing multiple resets, with each more tedious than the previous.

If anything, what made every reset sort of worth it was the fact that you still keep your XP and even improve your boss level and some skills. Think of it like New Game+ in other games. You keep skills, items, and levels you gain with every redo after finishing the game. It’s still a good mechanic to inject in the Main Campaign, but it’s still tedious to trudge through.

A city of crime awaits

Crime Boss: Rockay City is a piece of work that requires a ton of time and energy to fully enjoy yourself. Overall mechanics are easy to follow but a bit difficult to maneuver. That’s becaus some features are not present (like a crosshair). Also, you have a Main Campaign mode that is basically “try and try until you un-alive.” It can take you hours to crack and code and succeed.

Even with a slog of a Main Campaign, everything else is exciting enough to get through, especially with friends. Having both a solo and co-op game mode to mess around with salvages this game for me. Honestly, I can just do most of the Crime Time tasks over and over with much enjoyment. And I get rewarded for it every step of the way.

It’s an interesting take on how most crime/mafia-related games go in terms of having to survive through hell for a massive takeover. It rewards you for giving it your best. And lets you have a go at it over and over again until you get it right. Again, if you had the time and energy to go through it, be my guest!

Crime Boss: Rockay City is available on PC now. It will be available on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X digitally on June 15th. Physical copies will come on September 5th.

Gaming

The next Elder Scrolls game is called Sentinel

And it will be set in Hammerfell.

Published

November 4, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Can you believe that it’s been over eight years since Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls VI. Since then, we’ve seen neither hide nor hair of the upcoming title. Today, the studio has mercifully revealed a tiny bit more about the game including its title and setting.

Historically, the Elder Scrolls franchise is not known for its numbering. It’s not The Elder Scrolls III, IV, and V; it’s Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim. Now, we know what The Elder Scrolls VI will be called — Sentinel.

The name is also a huge clue as to where the game will take place. Besides being the name of the game itself, Sentinel is also the capital of Hammerfell, a region in northwest Tamriel. The teaser, which shows a sword being uncovered from a pile of sand, confirms this. After all, the Alik’r Desert is one of the region’s highlights.

Now, Hammerfell is not a new region for players. The region, especially the titular Sentinel, was previously featured in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Obviously, not a lot of gamers would have played this classic game before, so a return will introduce the region to a lot more modern players.

Unfortunately, despite throwing us a bone with the name and the setting, Bethesda did not reveal when the title is coming. Given that Grand Theft Auto VI is launching very soon, the time is ripe for the launch of another much-awaited title.

Gaming

Wild Rift Patch 7.3, celebrates K/DA comeback

K/DA returns with FIRESTARTER

Published

November 2, 2026

GadgetMatch

Riot Games is celebrating the return of virtual K-pop group K/DA with new music, exclusive skins, and major gameplay updates in League of Legends: Wild Rift Patch 7.3.

After a six-year hiatus, K/DA returns with FIRESTARTER, the group’s newest track and the title track of an EP featuring three additional songs. The release marks a new chapter for the virtual group, which brings its latest musical era to the mobile MOBA through the new HEATBRINGER skinline.

To celebrate the comeback, Riot Games hosted FIRE IT UP: The K/DA Comeback Party in the Philippines. The event brought fans together for a listening party featuring music from across Riot Games’ virtual acts, live Wild Rift gameplay, community activities, and exclusive photo opportunities.

Attendees also experienced live AAA ARAM matches featuring gameplay disruptions and augments inspired by Riot Games’ musical universe, including HEARTSTEEL, Pentakill, and TRUE DAMAGE.

K/DA returns with new HEATBRINGER skins

The K/DA comeback introduces the HEATBRINGER skinline, featuring new looks for the group’s four original members: Ahri, Akali, Evelynn, and Kai’Sa.

The skins give the champions a new visual identity inspired by K/DA’s latest musical era, with fiery red and white elements that bring their stage presence to the Rift.

The collection also includes Prestige K/DA HEATBRINGER Evelynn.

The new skins are exclusive to Wild Rift and are scheduled to launch on November 4, 2026.

The comeback extends beyond the cosmetics. With FIRESTARTER and its accompanying EP now available on major music streaming platforms, K/DA’s return brings together Riot Games’ music and gaming communities.

Wild Rift Patch 7.3 overhauls marksmen and item builds

Beyond the K/DA celebration, Patch 7.3 introduces significant gameplay changes that reshape champion builds, jungle strategies, and objective control.

One of the biggest changes targets marksmen, giving critical-strike builds more room to scale. Base critical-strike damage increases from 175% to 200%, while the attack-speed cap rises from 2.5 to 3 attacks per second.

Several marksmen also receive individual adjustments, including Ezreal, Kai’Sa, Twitch, Lucian, Caitlyn, Draven, Miss Fortune, Samira, Zeri, Jinx, Vayne, and Ashe.

The item system gets an overhaul to support these changes. Players can explore new or redesigned options, including Hexoptics, Yun Tal Wildarrows, Fiendhuler Bolts, Stormrazor, Rapid Firecannon, and Immortal Shieldbow.

Lifesteal also receives changes intended to support basic attacks, on-hit damage, and abilities treated as basic attacks.

Support items are part of the update, too. Echoes of Helia is positioned toward offensive supports who want to convert damage into healing, while Ardent Censer, Staff of Flowing Water, and Harmonic Echo also receive changes.

Jungle changes reward efficient farming

Patch 7.3 also changes how junglers approach the early and mid-game.

The updated jungle system rewards consistent camp clearing with bonus gold and introduces a catch-up mechanic for junglers who fall behind. This reduces the pressure to constantly gank and encourages players to balance farming with opportunities to assist their teammates.

Clearing camps also progresses Ecosystem Protection stacks, allowing Smite to scale from 600 to 1,000 and eventually 1,400 true damage.

These changes make efficient farming more important when preparing to secure major objectives such as Baron Nashor, Rift Herald, and Dragons.

Epic monsters also adjust to the pace of each match, scaling according to the average player level rather than simply growing stronger as time passes.

Turrets receive substantial changes as well. Plating now extends to outer, inner, and inhibitor turrets and remains permanently. The new Crystalline Overgrowth mechanic lets turrets accumulate crystals that champions can detonate with their first basic attack.

Together, these changes place greater emphasis on lane pressure, defensive positioning, and coordinated pushes. Winning team fights remains important, but teams must also turn their advantages into meaningful objective damage.

Hwei, Sylas, and Rek’Sai join the roster

Patch 7.3 expands the champion roster with three additions: Hwei, Sylas, and Rek’Sai.

Hwei, the Visionary, brings a flexible set of abilities to the mid lane. His Subject: Disaster, Subject: Serenity, and Subject: Torment ability groups give him tools for dealing damage, supporting allies, and controlling opponents.

Sylas offers explosive damage and crowd control. His kit includes an ability that pulls enemies into a stun-to-knock-up combination, while Kingslayer restores health based on his missing health. His ultimate lets him steal an enemy champion’s ultimate ability.

Rek’Sai brings another approach to initiating team fights. Her Unburrow ability knocks up nearby champions, while her ultimate helps her track nearby enemies before striking.

These additions give players more options for adapting their team compositions and strategies.

Ranked play and game modes get updates

Competitive players also get changes to Ranked and Legendary Ranked.

The S/A and MVP scoring systems now evaluate performance according to a player’s lane and champion role instead of relying on a single universal metric. Strong performances can also yield more Ranked energy.

Legendary Ranked receives adjustments to its seasonal entry requirements for former Grand Masters, alongside a new trial format designed to help top performers advance from Legendary Commander Rank.

Players looking for something different can also try Rift Rumble, a new 3v3 mode played on a symmetrical map. Teams battle for kills and compete to capture ultimate stones that can change how their champions secure eliminations.

Meanwhile, AAA Realm continues to evolve with a music-themed season and new augment cards. These include Sonic Waves, which draws inspiration from Riot Games’ musical acts, including HEARTSTEEL, Pentakill, and TRUE DAMAGE.

A new era for K/DA and Wild Rift

With FIRESTARTER, the HEATBRINGER skins, and a sweeping gameplay update, Patch 7.3 connects Riot Games’ music and gaming communities through a shared celebration.

K/DA’s return gives fans a new soundtrack and fresh looks for their favorite champions, while the gameplay changes introduce new ways to approach champion builds, jungle farming, and map control.

Players can follow Wild Rift Philippines’ official social media channels for updates on the latest patch, champion releases, and in-game content.

K/DA returns with FIRESTARTER.

Gaming

Petit Planet launches December 4

HoYoverse’s cozy life sim arrives soon

Published

November 1, 2026

GadgetMatch

HoYoverse will launch Petit Planet, its first cozy galactic life simulation game, on December 4, 2026. The game will be available on PC, iOS, and Android, with a Nintendo Switch 2 release planned for 2027.

The announcement was made during the Petit Planet Pre-Launch Special Program on November 1. HoYoverse also revealed more details about the game’s characters, gameplay features, and launch events.

Build a planet and meet new Neighbors

In Petit Planet, players take on the role of Planet Tenders who travel across the Starsea with Oumuamua, a Starsea Spirit said to listen to people’s wishes.

Each player starts with their own planet, where they plant a Luca Seed that grows into a Luca Arbor. This tree gradually shapes the planet’s landscape, seasons, and ecosystem.

Players will also meet various Neighbors, including Planet Coordinator Mobai and Starsea Racer Elsasani. Getting to know these characters allows players to develop friendships and discover their individual stories.

Beyond their home planets, players can explore scattered Islets across the Starsea. They can also visit the Galactic Bazaar to play games, participate in auctions, and share their creations with others.

Launch events offer free rewards

HoYoverse has prepared several events to celebrate the game’s launch.

Players can enter a pre-registration lucky draw through the official website for a chance to win prizes. Regular gameplay will also offer more than 1,000 clothing and furniture items for free.

The Besties, Made to Match! event rewards players who invite two friends to pre-register. Each participant will receive an exclusive clothing item.

Starting November 1, the Launch a Planet event will let players design their own planets through the official event website. Participants will also have a chance to win surprise grand prizes.

The first Petit Planet Seasonal Creation Event will begin alongside the game’s launch. Selected fan creations can win cash prizes, in-game rewards, and official merchandise.

Players can also visit the game’s official X account after the special program to receive a Moving Guide and join a giveaway featuring a suitcase, gift cards, and an exclusive luggage tag.

Pre-register for Petit Planet

Petit Planet is now available for pre-registration on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Epic Games Store. Players can search for the game on these platforms to pre-register and receive a notification when it launches.

The game arrives globally on December 4, 2026, for PC, iOS, and Android. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is scheduled for 2027.