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Happy Lunar New Year 2024: The Famous Dragons Of Video Games

Gaming

By Timothy Teoh October 10, 2024

The Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is a significant event celebrated worldwide by millions of people. It is a time when families and friends get together to celebrate the beginning of a new year and bid farewell to the old one.

One of the most iconic symbols of this joyous occasion is the dragon. Dragons are believed to bring good fortune and prosperity, making them a symbol of power and strength. In video games, dragons have captured players’ imaginations and become iconic creatures that symbolize adventure and magic.

Whether they be friendly companions or formidable foes, these dragons have etched themselves into our collective memories. So, as we celebrate the arrival of the new year, let us take a moment to appreciate the magic and majesty of these legendary creatures.

Bahamut – Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy’s Bahamut is one of the most iconic dragons in the gaming world. A colossal and fearsome being, Bahamut is revered as a deity and possesses immense power. Classified as one of the most powerful summonable entities within the franchise, Bahamut is renowned for its signature attack, Mega Flare. This devastating manoeuvre involves the release of a massive surge of energy, leaving opponents no option but to surrender.

Grigori – Dragon’s Dogma

Grigori, a fearsome red dragon, serves as the main antagonist in the 2012 video game Dragon’s Dogma. A former Arisen, Grigori was once a powerful warrior. However, his downfall came when he faced the Seneschal and was defeated. The defeat resulted in Grigori being transformed into a dragon, forever cursed with this form. Now, his purpose revolves around challenging new Arisens, the warrior protagonists of the game, before they can confront the Seneschal.

Grigori’s riveting voice, delivered by renowned voice actor David Lodge, has captivated many players and critics alike. The voice acting has been praised for its exceptional performance and for effectively conveying Grigori’s subtle demeanour. He may look evil but his ultimate intention lies in finding a worthy Arisen, which makes him a truly formidable force in the game.

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Our Favourite Muslim Characters In Games

Gaming

By Timothy Teoh October 08, 2024

During Eid Al-Fitr, or commonly known as Hari Raya in Malaysia/Indonesia, is celebrated by more than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world. As it marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan when Muslims fast for a period of one month.

To commemorate this occasion of blessings and happiness, let’s celebrate the representations of various Muslim characters in video games. While many Muslim characters in games tend to accentuate certain negative stereotypes, these are several that buck the trend and show that Muslims can be portrayed in a positive (or neutral) light.

Cypher – Valorant (PC)

One of Valorant’s most defensive characters hails from Rabat, Morocco. His real name is Amir El Amari and has spent the majority of his youth in poverty, going in the information broker trade to survive.

As the majority population of Morocco is affiliated with Islam, it’s safe to assume that Cypher is Muslim, or used to practice it at one point in his life before doing the things he do in Valorant. Heck, he says “Salam Alek” when he kills a copy of himself in deathmatches, which means “peace be with you”; that’s as Muslim as you can get.

**Shaheen – Tekken 8 (PC & Consoles)**

Shaheen is a new fighter in the iconic fighting game franchise, having only been recently introduced in 2017’s Tekken 7. He hails from Saudi Arabia, wears the traditional Arab headwear keffiyeh and subscribes to the Military Fighting Style, a highly acrobatic technique that includes somersaults, slides, and kicks.

His name ‘Shaheen’ means ‘royal white Falcon or Hawk’. Before even featuring the character in the game, Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada asked Muslim players for feedback if they deemed Shaheen to be offensive in any way. He was received favourably but some called out the character for being too flashy and similar to Altair from the Assassin’s Creed franchise (see above).

Of course, that didn’t stop the Tekken community from labeling him as one of the game’s top-tier characters, with good buttons and strings to keep the offensive pressure on a high. Just ask pros like Korea’s Lowhigh and The Philippines’ AK.