After five years and a record-setting 10 back-to-back appearances in the LCS Final, the team that has for so long defined North America failed to make it out of the Quarter Finals in the Season 8 Spring Split, dropping a best-of-5 series to newly formed team Clutch Gaming 1-3.
The team came back fighting in Summer Split, battling their way to a 10-8 record and taking a close 3-2 win over Echo Fox to advance to the Semi-Finals, where they again fell short of the Finals after losing 2-3 to Cloud9.
After winning the third-place match and securing a place in the Regional Qualifier, the team hit another first after losing 0-3 in the Grand Final to Cloud9 and missing their first-ever Worlds.
The team took the off-season to retool their roster to fare better in the now much more competitive domestic region, replacing Hauntzer and Mithy with Turkish top lanerBrokenBlade and former Echo Fox support Smoothie respectively. That took them to another Grand Final in the Season 9 Spring Split, where they got reverse swept by juggernaut Team Liquid, but they once again fell on their faces in the Summer Split as they fell out once again in the Quarter Finals to Clutch Gaming in a horrifically similar 1-3 loss.
Is TSM’s Time Up?
With the team failing to make the Grand Finals in three of the last four Splits, and the roster circus that’s followed them around the jungle position, many viewers and analysts have begun to question whether it’s time to stop hyping up TSM.
Such claims had begun to stir last year after TSM failed to make it to the Grand Final in Spring, and again when they failed to make Worlds at the end of Summer.
Many of these remarks were quickly shoved aside by the community: “TSM had taken a big risk bringing in the star European bot lane duo of Zven and Mithy from G2,” they’d say, “MikeYeung had failed to live up to his Phoenix1 play level. They could easily fix those problems and pick up the star talent they always seem to have an eye for.”
This denial when it came to TSM’s decline was further exacerbated by their upset victory of Cloud9 in the Season 9 Spring Semi-Finals, and their near-victory over Team Liquid in the Grand Final. But the Summer Split has finally ripped the bandage off of the wound, so to speak, and really laid bare just how far TSM has fallen.
The team has had 10 different players play for it across all roles in the last two years: that’s two full teams worth of players, most of which came out of the jungle (four of the ten are junglers, or one every split), and the rapid succession of changes to the starting lineup indicates a problem not just at the team level but the organizational level as well.
As PetarVukobrat has been covering over at EsportsTalk.com, TSM has been up and down across the split, and whether they show up and dominate or flounder varied day to day and game to game. You never knew whether you’d get Grig and his Baron steals or Akkadian and his aggressive ganking for a match, and towards the Split’s end whether you’d see either of them at all or rookie Spica.
You could lever the same claims, of course, at teams like Cloud9 or 100Thieves, both of whom also rotated through their roster throughout the Split. The difference, though, is that those teams felt like there was actually a plan to the moves; a rhyme or reason behind swapping Deftly for Sneaky, or FakeGod for Ssumday to allow Ryu to come on for Soligo.
With TSM, however, it’s constantly felt like they just made changes for the sake of change. Whether that was changing a style that’s worked for weeks because they lost a single game, or saying they had absolute faith in Akkadian as their starting jungler only to swap him out two weeks later for Spica, the team just seems to make changes to react and hope that what they do will make their problems go away.
These aren’t the strong and tactical roster maneuvers the team has been known for in the past: this is throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks. It’s honestly heartbreaking to see a once-proud organization laid so low like this, and to be honest, I couldn’t tell you who or what in the org needs to exactly change to get them on the right track considering the team is so quiet about why they do what they do.
But if TSM ever wants to be the lions of North America they’ve traditionally been, a big shakeup is all but certainly in order. Not just the coach or a player or two, but the whole organization needs a major shakeup to get out of the stupor it now finds itself in.
I don’t think they’ll make it in time to run the Gauntlet, it’s just too soon, but there is hope that Regi and the team can do what’s necessary before the start of Season 10 next year.
Based on how things have gone for the team in the past, I honestly don’t think it will, but, as someone who wants to see all the teams be competitive in the league, I pray they do.
Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.
If you haven’t heard of Dragon Ball Z, then you might actually be living under a rock. This show has catapulted anime into the mainstream with its great graphics, characters, and plot. It is widely popular amongst anime fans and action show fans alike; it combines the two genres successfully and has caused an uproar in mainstream media over the last few years. There are many reasons that this is the best anime action show, but here are three particularly noteworthy ones:
The Character Development Keeps Viewers Interested Throughout the Many Episodes:
One interesting thing about Dragon Ball Z is that it stems from an anime series called Dragon Ball. Dragon Ball is about a monkey named Goku, who goes on adventures with friends to seek mystical orbs. Ultimately, this story developed into Dragon Ball Z. For some background in character development, check out some of the Dragon Ball episodes before starting Dragon Ball Z. The complexity of the plotline is what keeps fans attached to the development of the show. Dragon Ball Z is essentially also about the search of the seven mystical orbs. The characters in these shows continue to develop and excel in power and ability throughout the series.
Not only are there Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, but there are Dragon Ball Super episodes that are part of a newer project that continues the plot! Fans love it because the story continues and the characters continue to shift, develop, and excel.
The Scenes are All Epic or Leading Up to Something Epic:
The best part about the Dragon Ball Z series, besides the characters, is the fight scenes. The fight scenes are well-known by nearly every media-consuming person around the world. The dramatic scenes are worth the watch and keep viewers on the edge of their seat. The animation of these fights is great, and almost every episode has a fight scene that is worth the watch.
Ultimately, anime fans and action fans can both agree on one thing: fight scenes are king. The Dragon Ball saga has captured these fans with its fight scenes, alongside other great traits.
The Immense Fantasy of the Show Appeals to Many Demographics:
Fans of anime and action love the escape. There is a form of escapism that comes with watching a show about another universe. Dragon Ball Z is full of realistic characters who have mystical traits, journeys, and scenery surrounding them. They can be found all over the internet, and a few of them are legendary. Dragon Ball Z is a great escapist show. The colorful graphics and surreal encounters of the characters is yet another reason this show has mass popularity around the world.
This show began with Dragon Ball in 1986 and still remains relevant and at the top of the anime game! There’s unbeatable character development, amazing fight scenes, and a fantasy world that gives viewers the chance to escape. Whether you are an anime lover or an action fan, Dragon Ball Z might be the best show for you. If you are looking to check out something new, take a chance on this fun series.
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The idea of Virtual Reality was 1st created by Stanley G. Weinbaum in his short story Pygmalion’s Spectacles; the idea of artificial reality has been considered the Holy Grail for investors and tech enthusiasts alike. Virtual reality (VR) typically mentions to computer technologies that use software to generate realistic pictures, audios, and other sensations that replicate a real environment (or create an imaginary setting), and emulate a user's physical presence in this environment, by enabling the user to interact with this space and any objects represented therein creating specialized display screens or projectors and other devices. VR has been described as a realistic and immersive simulation of a three-dimensional environment, built using interactive software and hardware, and experienced or controlled by the activity of the body or as an immersive, interactive experience created by a computer. It's been a long journey for virtual reality since it has come, and 2017 will likely be its biggest step forward. This would be the year that virtual reality goes mainstream, In 2016 we noticed the launching of few technologies from Oculus/Facebook, HTC/Valve, Sony, and Microsoft (although its HoloLens is technically augmented reality)and we are sure to listen more about the technology than ever before with big product. Here in the following few latest trends in the tech world to keep an eye on as 2017 unfolds.VR rises to supremacy and will start to affect major change in certain verticals: This year’s E3, the gaming world’s annual marquee show, was virtual reality’s big opportunity to brighten. Two high-end headsets — the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive — are in the market already, although they equipped only for a small market. PlayStation VR already launched the medium to potentially tens of millions of PlayStation 4 owners. Oculus is bringing significantly more attractive headset.2017 is going to be the best time for a blitz of good VR news — or a worse time to get bad news.2017 is looking forward as a gaming innovative year. There are many online games such as online roulette games that will use virtual reality to make the game experience more real.
- Gaming
- Virtual Tours
- 360 Degrees Cinema
- Sports Streaming
- Education
- Retail
- Visualizations & Simulations
PLAYSTATION VR:
Sony took away the sight of the pre-show at E3, declaring incredibly exciting-sounding lists It’s not the costliest tethered headset, and it runs off a popular console. If anyone wants to make VR mainstream, it’s Sony. Sony’s headset has the benefit of being pleasant and so simple to clear, but going on a lower-capable machine in a slightly lower resolution, its virtual worlds can feel dentated and muddy in comparison to the Vive and Rift’s. The most exciting thing about the platform isn’t any specific game; it’s just watching a huge console maker support virtual reality, even if the initial results aren't thrilling. And Sony’s more powerful upcoming "Neo" console could turn everything look and feel better, although that won’t help people who don’t want to buy a new console alongside their headset.
OCULUS RIFT:
Oculus is Sony’s PC-based competitor and it has a totally different problem. It came to market with a lot of titles considering the new Touch controllers, and they’re some of the best looking games in VR — they’re simultaneously elegant and productive, from the thriller Wilson’s Heart to a motion-based version of Crytek’s rock climbing title The Climb. Oculus has also firmed temporary exclusive rights to things like the virtual reality version of Superhot, a critically popular stop-motion shooter.
HTC VIVE:
HTC set up a booth to display Vive’s mixed-reality tech, and the company was providing private demos of games like its World War II shooting gallery Front Defense. But it was most insight at Bethesda Softworks’ booth, which hosted Vive experiences based on Fallout 4 and Doom. Fallout 4, which is going to be a full VR game, would need significant modification to offer a good experience, and it’s not clear that Bethesda is prepared to invest in that. It’s true that the most interesting games being launched right now are for the HTC Vive, be it standalone titles or "VR additions" to ones already sold on Steam, but if Touch does well, most of those games would be simple to adapt for Rift. Meanwhile, Oculus is snapping up as many exclusives as it can.
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Doesn’t matter if you are picking up a ps4 console for the first time, or you have been playing for years. We have a list of top ten PS4 titles you must experience at least once in your life.
PlayStation had players from all over the world vote for the top games of the decade and officially announced the list. Some standings might surprise you, but most will not. In any case, let’s take a look at the list and find out which ones made it to the top slots!
One thing though, before you move on. If you do not already leverage a fast and stable internet connection, make sure you subscribe to one right after you finish reading this. Obvious as it is, reliable high-speed connectivity such as ensured by Spectrum Internet, is a prerequisite if you are looking forward to a seamless and immersive gaming experience. And when hooked to the Spectrum network, PlayStation Now is bound to stay connected while you keep earning points.
Are You a PS4 Console Gamer? Here Are The Top 10 Games You Must Play!
10 – MARVEL’S SPIDERMAN
According to the IGN review, PS4 Spiderman has delighted players at every step of the 15-hour adventure, with the surprising depth of the tale that focuses on both characters i.e. Peter Parker and Spiderman.
The story is made all the more exciting by web-swinging, web-based gadgets and web-centric puns that make for plenty of thrilling action. The Insomniac Game aims to make you feel like Spiderman and does succeed in doing just that with nearly every swings across Manhattan.
Swinging around feels great, though there is a slight learning curve to that. Once you have mastered the basics, it becomes fairly effortless. Your Spiderman begins to swing and leap gracefully – and you can spend hours just watching him swing around the city, without actually completing tasks - jumping off the Empire State Building or the Avengers Tower. The adrenaline rush is real!
The story’s biggest Boss Battles are both front and back-loaded, leaving the middle of the game devoid of major stints, and also tend to feel repetitive in the pattern. But outside the Boss Battles, Spiderman offers a satisfactory combat system with really cool gadgets put to u
9 – UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END
Visually speaking Uncharted 4 is one of the best games you’ll find out there. There are moments when you are forced to wonder how they did it so beautifully for a console. The environment, character-models, the science of clothing, precision of facial expressions, none of these things ever looked better in Uncharted.
In terms of lighting, Uncharted 4 has the best in fact - even during the daylight hours lighting effects come across as real. For instance, when sunlight hits Nathan’s face at an angle and changes the color of his hair. Also the lighting in the caves, and other scenes like that, all that makes it very impressive.
It is a linear game but even then, Naughty Dog has managed to do many cool things e.g. the water effect. In water areas, it feels like the character is really inside the water; the texture and the feel are highly realistic. Though in some scenes that show water from the surface, it does look kind of grainy as for instance, when Sam and Nathan are on the boat in the middle of the sea and its morning time.
People did expect more in terms of characters, but otherwise, the game is a huge improvement if one looks at other uncharted games - in terms of voice-over, voice quality, the camera movement, and the overall finesse.
8 – BLOODBORNE
Bloodborne comes from the lineage of Dark Souls. That does not exactly make it a successor but does reflect how the two share a mystical lineage and revolve around the idea of being transported into a new world. It is an incredible game, the mechanics are great, it is intense, it is rewarding, and it is gloriously frustrating. Certainly, a ps4 console game that is highly stimulating for people who like to take up challenges. Probably the thrill and the fierceness is what got Bloodborne to the 8th position by a majority vote - both factors hugely characterize the game.
The downside, however, is the load-time can get annoying, and going back to the checkpoints repeatedly does tend to become somewhat frustrating.
The ps4 console game can get rather brutal and unforgiving, so we would not recommend it for beginners on PS4 or those looking for something less demanding. Also, Bloodborne is bound to take up a lot of time. Only if you have played and enjoyed the Dark Souls saga, there is a chance you may just fall in love with the game.
Overall, there is a lot to discover and experience in the game and that’s what makes it unique. Many people feel the game is only for Twitch experts and not flexible for common gamers, but in reality, it all depends on your skills and perseverance whether or not you are able to persist at it despite setbacks.
7 – HORIZON ZERO DAWN
Horizon Zero Dawn is a role-playing game by Guerrilla Games that comes packed with action. The story revolves around Aloy – a wild hunter in a dystopian world full of machines, strange tribal laws, and a mysterious environment. Aloy is an outcast from the Norra tribe. The prologue depicts you as that child; you grow up and experience the environment, learn different abilities and participate in a contest which is kind of a coming-of-age contest for the braves of the Norra. And following that, you set out in a vast open-world full of weird and wonderful moments.
The story is pretty standard where you grow up to be the chosen one - a pretty common plot – an ordinary person becomes the savior of humanity. But the way it advances, the graphics, the battles, and the exhilarating gaming experience renders it one of the top 10. As the story progresses Aloy becomes an esteemed leader and a role model for other characters. The ps4 console game world is stunning and you would be taken aback by how spectacular everything looks in there. Magnificently lush or snowy mountains, the mechanical creatures that inhabit these mountain ranges, everything goes very well together. In essence, the story is very earthy and set in a very natural atmosphere.
The ps4 console game is very user-friendly with well-implemented controls and everything easily accessible, and it is your combat approach that brings out the analytical aspect. Predominantly a stealth game, you are not big on power or rich in weapons rather it is things like the long grass that allow you to crouch and wait before you get the perfect moment to strike. The weak points in the machine characters can be unraveled with focus; they are not just resourced fodder, rather you can tame them, and take advantage of them, particularly when traveling long distances. The audio element fits perfectly in every way.
All in all, this is a great one to play and should be on your bucket list.
6 – THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM
Skyrim is undoubtedly a legendary game - a pure classic! An inspiration for many RPG games, it presents the fundamentals that make the foundation of the RPG genre and is frequently compared with a newer title. Skyrim is famed for its diversity and wide-ranging mechanics, the multiplicity of factions, the range of races and an abundance of choice. It is the kind of ps4 console game you won’t get bored of easily.
There is no definite ending in Skyrim, with each playthrough you can make a number of different choices and choose to be part of different factions that’ll lead you to a new outcome. You can choose to be with the Imperials or the Stormcloaks, and you can choose to destroy the dark brotherhood or side with them. In other words, diversity is woven into the very fabric of Skyrim. No matter how many times you pick up the game, you will surely experience something new that will make the ps4 console game very interesting for you.
One of the most fundamental and interesting aspects of Skyrim is the “dragon shouts”, blasting your enemies to death gives you a kind of satisfaction you might not have experienced before because there is hardly a game around with similar mechanics. Having a shout with the legendary dragons gets your adrenaline kicking. It is truly epic, and rather funny at the same time as you shout at bizarre NPCs - there are 28 shouts in total. Things like this keep the spark alive for ps4 console gamers.
The story is simply impressive! You are a unique hero – the Dragonborn - and it is your destiny to defeat an entity that is intent on dominating the earth. What makes this ps4 console game even more charismatic is the progression; you start as a prisoner in rags and progress from there until with the help of other characters you rise to become a full-fledge dragon slayer. The law in Skyrim and the history of the cities make it all the more exciting to play, more so because it is a world very similar to ours only a lot more intriguing.
Skyrim is something you can never get bored of simply because you become one with
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5 – RED DEAD REDEMPTION II
After a long span of 7 years, people got to experience a Rockstar Game again - one of the most highly anticipated games of 2018 – Red Dead Redemption II.
Often when you start a ps4 console game, it takes time only to get to the point where you actually feel like the game is about to start now. Red Dead Redemption 2, however, presents a perfect example of a captivating intro. You are thrust into the snowy and stormy mountains, and the game opens with you chasing the score of another gang. That is indeed a genius intro for a game of this type. By putting you into the dreariest, most desperate environments, RDR2 pushes you to learn the ropes through genuine narrative. The idea is clever because it makes you appreciate what comes next. When you finally leave the harsh environment and the carriage hits the grass, everything around you looks so much more beautiful.
RDR2 is proof that genuinely dynamic open worlds are possible when attention is paid to detail. The moment to moment gameplay is good; you might take a little time to get used to the shooting mechanics especially with Rockstar, but you are bound to end up feeling great. Though there is nothing revolutionary about the mechanics, the dynamism leaves you stunned. Rockstar has undoubtedly crafted one of the most realistic and dynamic gaming worlds, where everything is responsive – clothes look dirty, guns shine and the snow tracks are shot-for-shot realistic; a tress sways like crazy in the stormy weather, the towns are super realistic, you can actually indulge in a whole game of domino while playing your character, and you will have to pet the dog too so it can stop barking.
Another great thing is the town always remembers, and that bears a reflection on your honor - so if you accidentally kill someone, people will talk about it and that will affect your performance.
No game is perfect, but RDR2 comes real close to that possibility. Great value for money RDR2 is worth every second you spend playing it.
4 – GRAND THEFT AUTO
GTA V succeeds as a game because of the lack of real-world consequences – artistic in its depiction of how the characters and consequence-free reactions combine with the consequence-free actions of the player in the open world!
The story starts with Michael, Trevor and Brad robbing a bank. Unfortunately, they get into an accident and Brad dies on the spot, while Michael is also supposedly dead! Trevor somehow manages to escape. Nine years later, Michael is living under witness protection with his family, but circumstance returns him to the life of crime. That is when Trevor locates him and the two reunite. Having lost touch with old ways, Michael longs for adventure. Long story short, he gets back into the game, one that is nothing less than a police-chase action movie.
T the graphics in the ps4 console game are excellent even by today’s standards. The lighting, the texture, and the animation, everything is of extremely high quality. The game even depicts a 28-day moon cycle, which isn’t something people usually notice, but this one detail reflects the developers’ commitment to quality.
The gameplay is nothing less either. Motion-capture animation portrays movement realistically. There are many moments that make you laugh spontaneously at the gameplay and the movement of characters, making you fall in love with the ps4 console game even more.
3 – THE WITCHER III: WILD HUNT
The ps4 console game of the Decade! High fantasy genre, and one of the most captivating games that can easily cast a spell on you and hook you on for eternity, so much so you may call it your destiny!
What does it take to be the game of the decade? In one word – everything. How the ps4 console game makes you feel, how you play the game, and how you connect to it at a personal level. Playing Witcher 3 can feel kind of clunky - the small houses and the alleyways that make it hard to move around, the gluey feeling to the controls that sometimes makes you think maybe some controls are not very responsive. Yet The Witcher 3 stands tall as the game of the decade. Simply because in Witcher you create your destiny.
A stunning amount of care has gone into making the story immersive and unforgettable. It is dynamic and thought-provoking, full of choice and packed with twists and turns, as well as nods to the prior game. Something interesting seems to be happening in every corner.
The side quests are nothing but amazing - not something that you would take lightly. The cast and the roles, e.g. the alcoholic in the Red Baron synopsis, do not constitute a very original idea but the outcomes are surprising - twisted, knotted, morbid and something you’d never expect to happen. A simple trope, turned into a multi-hour spider web, rich in intricate details, full of immediate player choice, with none of the players ending up the same, this game hits on every emotional crest and trough. The content has an amazing number of intricacies and characterizations that take you into beautiful lands with mysterious people and new faces. Even the evil is not black and white - werewolves have emotions, and the ghost tree has a history-making it difficult to distinguish if the vampire is a friend or foe. The result is an incredibly engrossing and immersive experience for those who want to dive into the deep end and discover why they are playing it, and what it means.
2 – GOD OF WAR
God of War is an excellent ps4 console game, to say the least! A technical masterpiece with a good story, interesting character arcs, and a satisfying and weighty combat system. It had a cultural impact on gaming, even though during the years leading up to GOW, top gaming publishers were adamant the single-player game was dead - too costly, unwanted, and out-of-date. But GOW slashed away that notion becoming one of the most successful games of all time.
Kratos’ wife dies with a wish that her ashes should be spread on the tallest peak of the nine realms. To fulfill that, the father-son duo embarks on a journey full of adventure. Even during combat, the son is with Kratos, he can ask the son to summon animals and shoot arrows in order to stun the enemies. The third-person combat has never looked this good as with such epic visuals – the particle effect, camera movement, pauses, Kratos’ rage so perfectly captured, the careful depiction of how the combat builds, how it is framed, and the choreography that knits it all together, everything is owed credit. There is a small in-game too. Hard encounters make you see the true depth of the game – fighting three bosses at once, facing enemies with totally different abilities – all adds to the thrill making the experience inexplicable.
You need skill, and precision to play this ps4 console game - it isn’t the kind of game you can get away with by button smashing, and because it is so well designed you can maintain control throughout There is a lot of mystery, puzzle-solving, and dungeon crawling as well. Overall, the ps4 console game is simply remarkable!
1 – THE LAST OF US
This is a post-pandemic world that makes no sense, gives no room to people to live normal lives, and only allows essential survival, under military-rule. With survival all but uncertain things like love, connections and emotions seem to be a liability and can cost you life. In these times nobody, but Joel, the protagonist of the game, knows better the dangers of loving someone. Ellie is the emotional heart of the ps4 console game and as the game proceeds, you find yourself getting attached to her too.
At launch, The Last of Us received universal praise, back in 2013, including many awards for its phenomenal storytelling, strong characters, and the presentation. The remastered version has only a slight upgrade in terms of visuals relative to the previous one - yet after seven years the ps4 console game fulfills the standards of today’s gaming world. Undoubtedly a testimony to focus on art direction, gameplay and story
Keeping in mind the current events such as the Corona Virus outbreak this game seems more relevant - it shows an out-spread of infection which only, luckily, affects insects. If you have played the 2013 version, chances are you are older and wiser now and will be able to connect to the game at a deeper level. A lot of people can relate to the character of Joel, especially if they have a child of their own. Music too stands out in the presentation. People emotionally connect to this game so much that even after years it ranks number one on the official PlayStation list of the best games of the decade!
Happy gaming!
What are you waiting for? Hurry up, grab your consoles and play these games; get ready for a rollercoaster ride full of thrill, adventure, mystery, emotion, and fun!
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