Gaming
Welcome to the Nexus: Admiral Alexei Stukov
Welcome to the Nexus Admiral Alexei Stukov. We’re glad to have you here. You and all of your parasites, pathogens, and viruses. You’re not what we expected. Anticipation was that you would be a specialist, spreading your infestation far and wide, commanding legions of undead Terran soldiers. But, here you are, a brand new support hero, treating your allies with pathogens and hindering your enemies with viruses.
Team compositions are going to alter around Stukov, changing the focus to an extremely active team. Not only will the characters drafted change, but so too will the way people play them. Adaptability is key when playing any type of massive online battle arena (or MOBA for short). A crowd control heavy team will lend itself to Stukov’s ability to silence in an area. Picture this: A root placed by Malfurion roots two enemy players, Stukov then places his Lurking Arm beneath them, he both silences their abilities and damages them. But wait, there’s more! At level thirteen, the talent “Virulent Reaction” allows him to root any victims caught in his area of effect. To activate the root he must detonate any pathogens and viruses currently applied using his Bio-Kill Switch ability. The capacity to channel Lurking Arm indefinitely makes the combination all the more deadly.
Imagine the vicious potential that characters like Jaina and Chen have. Both have abilities to slow the enemy. This means spending more time in Stukov’s silence for the hindered enemy. Not a good time. At least, not for his foes.
Crowd control is hardly the only utility that benefits Stukov though. Teams that are able to dive on the enemy team suit him just fine. These are known as pursuit compositions. The potential to spread both Healing Pathogen and Weighted Pustule while his team engages the enemy is fantastic. Heals spread to all nearby allies and mend them for 4.5 seconds. That is, unless Stukov chooses to detonate the pathogen before it’s heal over time has expired. To do this, he uses Bio-Kill Switch. With that he can remove the timed heal and increase all affected allies’ health greatly.
Not only can he aid his teammates, Stukov also has a skill that places a virus on his enemies. Weighted Pustule too can be detonated before time runs out. Bio-Kill Switch makes the virus slow (and potentially blind) all effected foes. A slowed enemy is a good enemy, especially for a pursuit team. An Illidan with Stukov’s heal applied to him and a target afflicted by a virus can dive to his heart’s content. Stukov allows a dive heavy squad to jump on the enemy’s back line without hesitation.
Now, while he has a great toolkit, he’s not without flaws. An out of place Stukov is a dead one. There are no ways to escape in his kit. Limited mobility makes him an easy target to displace. A well timed Stiches hook pretty much guarantees death for him. But a one on one fight will lean in his favor. His high sustainability and level 10 talents make him a force to be reckoned with.
The first level 10 skill is Massive Shove. This one lets Stukov push a single target out of place. His arm stretches and propels the enemy in a straight line until they hit a solid object. The impact stuns them while giving him 50 additional armor. The other talent, Flailing Swipe shifts any nearby hostiles out of place with three massive slaps. Both do a decent amount of damage and can be deadly tools in both team fights and solo combat.
Overall, Stukov is a top tier healer with great offensive capabilities. He’s adaptable and fits practically any team. A skilled player will know when to detonate his abilities, and when to let them tick. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Heroes of the Storm and how the game will change around Stukov.
Gaming
Sony is reportedly engaged in discussions to form a partnership for a potential bid on Paramount
There hasn’t been much buzz lately about any new acquisitions in the world of video game intellectual property. According to a recent report, Sony is currently engaged in discussions with a well-funded partner to potentially acquire the renowned film studio Paramount, along with all the exciting possibilities that come with such a merger.
As reported in the New York Times (thanks, ResetEra), Sony Picture Entertainment is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management, an investment firm, as per two sources familiar with the matter. In the past, Apollo had made an offer to acquire Paramount for a minimum of $26 billion, but their bid was ultimately turned down.
The terms of the joint bid are currently under discussion, and there is a chance that the two parties may decide against making a formal offer. Unnamed sources have revealed that Paramount is currently in exclusive discussions with Skydance, preventing any official offer from being made at this time. Investor opposition to the recent deal that Skydance brought seems to have been significant.
Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management, an investment firm, have been in discussions about teaming up for a joint bid to acquire Paramount, people familiar with the situation said Thursday. https://t.co/qN86H4y7Va
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 18, 2024
The potential impact of such an acquisition is immense. First and foremost, it would introduce adaptations of Sonic and Halo into the expanding media empire of the PlayStation platform holder. Following the announcement, Paramount’s stock experienced a significant 11% surge in after-hours trading.
What are your thoughts on the news? Is there a possibility of Sony acquiring Paramount? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
In the ongoing conflict against the Automaton invasion fleet, the Helldivers 2 players have successfully halted their advance. However, the situation has now reached a tiresome stalemate. Yet again, the machines refuse to take a break from their relentless pursuit of progress, with reports emerging of the Factory Striders being deployed in record-breaking quantities.
There have been reports of alleged machines that were supposedly encountered during Operation Swift Disassembly, which was just the beginning of a larger campaign. However, these accounts should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are unverified and seem to be more on the imaginative side. Factory Striders have gained a reputation as formidable weapons platforms that can produce more Automatons while enduring significant damage. If the machines are able to withstand such a relentless assault, it will be necessary to develop innovative strategies.
Factory Striders have made a resurgence on the Automaton front. These imposing, massive support dreadnoughts now threaten freedom and democracy throughout the galactic rim. pic.twitter.com/XRTPU7k71s
— HELLDIVERS™ 2 (@helldivers2) April 16, 2024
Have you come across groups of Factory Striders in Helldivers 2? Which strategies are proving to be the most effective in taking down these armored brutes? The Orbital Railcannon Strike will prove to be a valuable asset in the comments section below.
The recent release of Amazon’s adaptation of Fallout has ignited a renewed interest in the series and brought attention to the captivating alternate history that forms its foundation. Fans have expressed concern that the TV show’s events might be at odds with the plot of the Obsidian Entertainment video game New Vegas. Warning: Spoilers ahead for New Vegas and Amazon’s show!
Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard and Fallout TV executive producer Jonathan Nolan recently sat down with IGN to discuss the timeline. Howard was taken aback when showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet presented him with the surprising concept of obliterating Shady Sands, the bustling capital of the New California Republic, in the aftermath of the events in New Vegas. Howard eventually warmed up to the idea: “After discussing it, we realized that this could be a significant story moment that many things hinge upon.”
It seems that they had to make some tough decisions to ensure everything fell into place, but Howard emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of the Fallout timeline: “We take great care with the timeline. There seems to be some confusion in certain areas. However, all the events from the previous games, including New Vegas, did occur. We take great caution in that matter. We’re really pushing the limits here, but the explosions occur right after the events of New Vegas.
What are your thoughts on this? Is it up to par? Even though it may not have a significant impact on the overall quality of the games or show, it is comforting to know that those in charge are paying attention. We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
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