Latest news with #Fragile
New Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Kenny Bee, Eric Tsang distance themselves from Namewee after controversial photo
HONG KONG: Veteran Cantopop singer Kenny Bee and actor Eric Tsang have distanced themselves from controversial Malaysian singer-actor Namewee after a group photo they took together drew criticism from netizens. The Straits Times of Singapore reported yesterday that Bee and Tsang, both 72, were recently in Malaysia to perform as part of the Wow! Super! Happy 30 Years concert at Resorts World Genting on July 19. Namewee, 42, took a photo with the pair before the show and subsequently posted it on social media on July 19, with the caption: "Wishing you a successful performance tonight." The image of the trio together quickly went viral on social media, with numerous netizens criticising Bee and Tsang for their association with Namewee, whose full name is Wee Meng Chee. The hip-hop artiste has been blacklisted in China since the release of his satirical single 'Fragile' in 2021. The track was widely seen as containing sharp criticisms and veiled references to Chinese President Xi Jinping and various China-related issues, including Taiwan's political status and censorship in China. Bee, a member of the pop group The Wynners, took to the Chinese social media platform Weibo on July 20, uploading a photo of himself accompanied by a statement. "As a Chinese citizen, I have shown patriotism through concrete actions and firmly upheld the dignity of the country and national sentiment," he wrote in Chinese. "Recently, during an event in Genting, Malaysia, I took a photo with a certain person without noticing that it caused a misunderstanding." Bee clarified that it was purely a courtesy interaction on a public occasion, and he was unaware of Namewee's background or previous remarks and actions. Tsang, the host of the Hong Kong variety series Super Trio, posted a similar statement on Weibo on July 21, adding: "Once again, I express my deepest apologies to everyone." In a now-deleted statement on Facebook, Namewee wrote in Chinese: "In order not to affect the peace and stability of the 'motherland' as well as the safety of our comrades in Hong Kong in the Greater Bay Area, we have removed the previous post and photos." He also shared his new song, 'Letter Of Apology (2025)', on Facebook on July 21, quoting the lyrics: "And now I have decided to admit my mistake. This was just a small storm. I lowered my head and bravely showed my softer side. And criticised my brainless self."
The Star
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Kenny Bee, Eric Tsang distance themselves from Namewee after taking group photo
Namewee (in dark glasses) in a now-deleted photo of himself with Kenny Bee (first from right) and Eric Tsang (second from left). Photo: Namewee/Threads Hong Kong singer Kenny Bee and Hong Kong actor Eric Tsang have swiftly distanced themselves from controversial Malaysian rapper-actor Namewee after a group photo of them was criticised by netizens. Bee and Tsang, both 72, were recently in Malaysia as part of the line-up of Hong Kong stars performing at the Wow! Super! Happy 30 Years concert at Resorts World Genting on July 19. Namewee, 42, took a photo with the pair before the show and posted it on social media on July 19, writing: 'Wishing you a successful performance tonight.' The photo of the trio together made waves on social media, with several netizens slamming Bee and Tsang for being associated with Namewee, whose full name is Wee Meng Chee. The hip-hop artiste has been blacklisted in China since the release of his satirical single Fragile in 2021. The track was said to be full of barbed references to Chinese President Xi Jinping and China-related issues, such as the political status of Taiwan and censorship in China. Bee, the lead vocalist of pop group The Wynners, took to Chinese social media platform Weibo on July 20, sharing a photo of himself with a statement. 'As a Chinese citizen, I have shown patriotism through concrete actions and firmly upheld the dignity of the country and national sentiment,' he wrote in Chinese. 'Recently, during an event in Genting, Malaysia, I took a photo with a certain person without noticing that it caused a misunderstanding.' Bee explained it was purely a courtesy interaction on a public occasion, and he was unaware of his background or past words and deeds. Without naming Namewee in the post, Bee said: 'If I had known his position earlier, I would never have had any contact with him. This incident was an unintentional mistake and does not mean that I agree with his views.' Tsang, the host of Hong Kong variety series Super Trio (1995 to present) also posted a similar statement on Weibo on July 21, adding: 'Once again, I express my deepest apologies to everyone.' Namewee has deleted the photo with Bee and Tsang from his social media accounts. In a now-deleted statement on Facebook, Namewee wrote in Chinese: 'In order not to affect the peace and stability of the 'motherland' as well as the safety of our comrades in Hong Kong in the Greater Bay Area, we have removed the previous post and photos.' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
Straits Times
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
HK's Kenny Bee, Eric Tsang distance themselves from Malaysia's Namewee after taking group photo
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Namewee (in dark glasses) in a now-deleted photo of himself with Kenny Bee (first from right) and Eric Tsang (second from left). Hong Kong singer Kenny Bee and Hong Kong actor Eric Tsang have swiftly distanced themselves from controversial Malaysian rapper-actor Namewee after a group photo of them was criticised by netizens. Bee and Tsang, both 72, were recently in Malaysia as part of the line-up of Hong Kong stars performing at the Wow! Super! Happy 30 Years concert at Resorts World Genting on July 19. Namewee, 42, took a photo with the pair before the show and posted it on social media on July 19, writing: 'Wishing you a successful performance tonight.' The photo of the trio together made waves on social media, with several netizens slamming Bee and Tsang for being associated with Namewee, whose full name is Wee Meng Chee. The hip-hop artiste has been blacklisted in China since the release of his satirical single Fragile in 2021. The track was said to be full of barbed references to Chinese President Xi Jinping and China-related issues, such as the political status of Taiwan and censorship in China. Bee, the lead vocalist of pop group The Wynners, took to Chinese social media platform Weibo on July 20, sharing a photo of himself with a statement. 'As a Chinese, I have shown patriotism through my strong actions and firmly upheld the dignity of the country and national sentiment,' he wrote in Chinese. 'Recently, during an event in Genting, Malaysia, I took a photo with a certain person without noticing that it caused a misunderstanding.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 2 workers stranded on gondola dangling outside Raffles City Tower rescued by SCDF Business Why Singapore and its businesses stand to lose with US tariffs on the region Business $1.1 billion allocated to three fund managers to boost Singapore stock market: MAS Singapore Medallions with Singapore Botanic Gardens' iconic landmarks launched to mark milestone-filled year Life WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim to publish memoir with Epigram Books in 2027 Singapore Proof & Company Spirits closes Singapore distribution business Singapore Jail, caning for man who held metal rod to cashier's neck in failed robbery attempt Singapore Fresh charge for woman who harassed nurse during pandemic, created ruckus at lion dance competition Bee explained it was purely a courtesy interaction on a public occasion, and he was unaware of his background or past words and deeds. Without naming Namewee in the post, Bee said: 'If I had known his position earlier, I would never have had any contact with him. This incident was an unintentional mistake and does not mean that I agree with his views.' Tsang, the host of Hong Kong variety series Super Trio (1995 to present) also posted a similar statement on Weibo on July 21, adding: 'Once again, I express my deepest apologies to everyone.' Namewee has deleted the photo with Bee and Tsang from his social media accounts. In a now-deleted statement on Facebook, Namewee wrote in Chinese: 'In order not to affect the peace and stability of the 'motherland' as well as the safety of our comrades in Hong Kong in the Greater Bay Area, we have removed the previous post and photos.'
Saudi Gazette
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
The ES TIMES – Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was released exclusively on PlayStation 5 on June 26, 2025, offering a new experience developed by Kojima Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Hideo Kojima continues his signature approach of cinematic design, philosophical storytelling, and genre-defying gameplay. Norman Reedus reprises his role as Sam Porter Bridges, joined once again by Léa Seydoux and Troy Baker. New faces include Elle Fanning and George Miller. This time, the story unfolds in post-apocalyptic Mexico and the vast expanses of Australia, reinforcing the game's core message: the importance of human connection in a fractured world. We received a review code directly from PlayStation, allowing us to explore the game and share our insights with you. A fragile peace shatters Death Stranding 2 begins roughly a year after the events of the first game, with Sam and Lou enjoying a quiet life in northern Mexico. Their peace is disrupted when Fragile arrives with a new mission—to expand a communications network called Drawbridge. With BRIDGES now dissolved, a new organization, APAC, emerges as Fragile seeks to reconnect fragmented human settlements around the globe. The mission begins In Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Sam embarks on a dangerous journey to reconnect isolated communities across treacherous terrain. While some story points feel familiar, the emotional resonance is stronger. Kojima's blend of science fiction and metaphor remains impactful. A more focused world A more focused world Set in a world on the edge of collapse, the game presents a more coherent and grounded narrative than its predecessor. Unity is the central theme, as couriers risk their lives to reconnect Australia. Unlike the original, this installment emphasizes clear objectives and well-paced subplots. Characters and events are introduced efficiently, maintaining narrative flow. Every scene has purpose—something the first game sometimes lacked. Fantasy and surreal elements are still present, but are now more tightly integrated into the story. Characters like Tomorrow, Fragile, and Rainy receive meaningful introductions. The DHV Magellan serves both as a narrative device and emotional anchor. Sam, once distant, has become more emotionally accessible. His development is one of the game's highlights. Improved use of flashbacks Improved use of flashbacks Flashbacks return but are now smoother and often optional. They feel natural and are easier to follow. Enemies remain visually and narratively threatening, enhancing tension and driving the plot forward. Kojima's philosophical themes remain, but are better structured. The narrative follows a logical progression, keeping players engaged. A deeper world for the curious A robust in-game guide offers detailed explanations on characters, events, and lore. It's accessible even during cutscenes, helping new and returning players avoid confusion. Death Stranding 2 addresses many of the original's narrative weaknesses. Its themes are clearer, its structure more refined, and its emotional beats more resonant. Gameplay: Familiar flow, meaningful expansion Gameplay: Familiar flow, meaningful expansion Smarter controls and accessibility Controls have been streamlined. Crawling and holding your breath are now single-button actions. Inventory management is easier, with faster equipment toggling and discard options. These refinements make transitions between exploration and combat more fluid. Crystal collection and directional shortcuts are now simpler. The interaction system feels more responsive and natural. Physics-based movement and planning Sam's movement still relies on physical realism. Terrain, fatigue, slope, and wind all influence travel. Strategic momentum can be used to navigate slopes and obstacles more efficiently. The environment now has a greater gameplay impact. Weather events and natural disasters influence route planning. As terrain worsens, players must adapt their gear and tactics accordingly. Mobility remains central. Upgraded vehicles offer better storage, power, and defensive options. Infrastructure is vital to navigating sandstorms, earthquakes, and floods. Players use survey tools and predictive systems to avoid danger. A deeper RPG system RPG mechanics are more prominent. Skills like running and stealth evolve through usage. The APAS skill tree now includes five branches: mobility, stealth, tools, combat, and communication. Players can reassign points for flexible builds. Smarter loadout strategies Loadouts can be fragile, temperature-sensitive, or time-limited. Auto-loading remains available but requires thoughtful preparation. Successful missions depend on syncing your gear to the terrain. Combat feels more fluid Weapon-switching is faster. Dropping your pack increases agility. Stealth is enhanced with better camouflage and time-based effects. Enemy behavior adapts to light and sound. Each camp features unique layouts and challenges. However, enemy AI remains mostly static, with many strategies staying effective throughout the game. Boss battles show more variety, though patterns emerge quickly. A deeper resistance system would have added more challenge. Still, mid- and late-game encounters offer standout moments—especially when vehicles are unavailable. Versatile vehicles and creative tools Vehicle behavior changes with load and terrain. Bikes enhance speed but reduce the challenge. New tools support experimentation, and familiar items return early to expand play options. Side quests with real substance Side quests with real substance Side quests are thoughtfully designed, not filler. They revisit familiar locations with new challenges and gear requirements. Some rival the main quests in depth and creativity. Each task requires tailored planning—some favor bikes, others trucks. Hidden paths and secrets reward exploration. Tactical customization and strategy Tactical customization and strategy Weapons display detailed stats—range, noise, durability. Gear degrades, encouraging frequent upgrades. Customization lets players balance speed, power, and carrying capacity. Resource scarcity and slow camp replenishment promote exploration and planning. Players can choose between stealth, non-lethal tools, or aggressive tactics. Improved online and co-op systems Improved online and co-op systems Player-built structures now have greater impact. Generators, ziplines, and shelters provide meaningful support. However, new building types are limited. Shared tools still foster connection. On one occasion, I lacked a ladder to cross a river—until I found one left by another player. It felt like a quiet moment of community. Music and performance: Deeply immersive Music and performance: Deeply immersive Strong performances Elle Fanning, Troy Baker, and especially Norman Reedus deliver emotionally layered performances. Animation and facial capture add nuance. Music in narrative and combat Music plays a stronger narrative role. Tracks like 'Tomorrow' evoke deep emotion. During combat, music dynamically shifts with player actions—building intensity or retreating as needed. Woodkid and Ludvig Forssell's work stands out, with scores that convey fear, hope, and peace. Seamless transitions and reworked themes from the first game add fresh emotional weight. Audio design and environmental detail Audio design and environmental detail Sound design is exceptional. Weapons, weather, and movement effects are carefully engineered. DualSense integration elevates immersion with responsive vibrations and audio cues. Sound enhances every emotional moment—from howling wind to flooded footsteps. Players can now create custom playlists to personalize their experience. Full Arabic localization Full Arabic localization PlayStation continues its commitment to Arabic-speaking audiences by offering full localization. In-game text and menus are accurately translated, maintaining clarity without disrupting immersion. This ensures a more inclusive and comprehensible experience for Arabic players, especially in a narrative-heavy game. Visuals: Breathtaking detail, subtle limitations Visuals: Breathtaking detail, subtle limitations The Decima Engine delivers stunning environments, from Mexico's dry plains to Australia's stormy coasts. Facial animations convey emotion down to the smallest details. Yet, despite the graphical power, much of the terrain consists of wide open spaces with minimal micro-detail. It's breathtaking—but less visually dense than other titles. Still, Death Stranding 2 stands among the most visually accomplished games of this generation. Technical performance: Smooth, seamless Technical performance: Smooth, seamless Performance on PlayStation 5 is nearly flawless. Thanks to the SSD, loading times are negligible. Even during heavy combat or severe weather, frame rates remain stable. Dynamic effects—snow, sand, rain, fog—are immersive and cinematic. Storms and BT encounters are punctuated by striking visuals and soundscapes. Conclusion: Familiar shores, new reflections Conclusion: Familiar shores, new reflections Death Stranding 2: On the Beach refines rather than reinvents. It builds on the first game's emotional core while introducing tighter storytelling, improved mechanics, and smarter worldbuilding. While it reuses some elements, the result is a more focused, satisfying journey that rewards both introspection and exploration. Pros: • Emotionally resonant narrative with poignant moments • Beautifully designed environments • Improved navigation and infrastructure systems • Flexible combat with multiple playstyles • Immersive audio and standout performances • Polished, near-flawless technical execution Cons: • Some narrative elements are recycled from the first game • Certain new characters lack depth • Combat feels less dangerous than before • Asynchronous multiplayer is less innovative Raouf Belhamra – Esports and Gaming Writer
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach review: Storytelling at its finest
I didn't play the first Death Stranding, but Death Stranding 2 : On the Beach still managed to draw me in completely. The studio has done a great job with the prologue it gave me more than enough context to understand the world, characters, and stakes, without ever feeling lost. Set eleven months after the original game, the story follows Sam Porter Bridges , now living a quiet life in the southern UCA with his adopted daughter, Lou. That peace doesn't last long, as Fragile arrives with news of her new company, Drawbridge, which has been contracted by the UCA to expand the chiral network into Mexico. What starts as a straightforward mission soon expands globally. Sam's task to activate old BRIDGES terminals in Mexico leads to the discovery of 'plate gates' transcontinental portals that now link countries, including a direct connection between Mexico and Australia. The world remains unstable, with the extinction event still ongoing. BTs have evolved, natural disasters like 'gate quakes' are becoming more frequent, and human threats from bandits to terrorists haven't disappeared either. One of the most compelling twists for me came with the revelation around APAS 4000 a sentient delivery system formed from 4,000 human souls fused with AI. Its mission to 'save' humanity by turning all people into souls was both eerie and philosophically dense, the kind of high-concept sci-fi that works really well in Kojima's universe. Then there's Higgs back from the dead with a robotic body and a new goal: triggering the 'Last Stranding,' humanity's final extinction. His plan hinges on a mysterious young woman named Tomorrow, whom Sam rescues from the realm of the dead. As Sam, Fragile, and the crew of the DHV Magellan set out to connect Australia to the network and stop Higgs and APAS, the story really takes off. I particularly enjoyed how the game handles its revelations from Fragile's condition to emotional moments tied to Sam's past with Lucy and Neil. Despite not knowing the full backstory, those scenes still landed with weight and emotion. By the time Sam defeats Higgs and averts the Last Stranding, the sense of sacrifice and scale feels earned. Even for someone new to the world of Death Stranding, I found the narrative engaging, layered, and surprisingly accessible and the twists kept me hooked throughout. Game Play Review Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is my first experience with the series and honestly, I get the fandom now. Despite not having played the original, the game did a solid job easing me into its mechanics and world. What started off as curiosity quickly turned into genuine appreciation for its bold approach to gameplay, storytelling, and atmosphere. In fact, after finishing this, I'm now planning to go back and play the first one. The core of Death Stranding 2 still revolves around traversal and connection but it's far more layered and refined than I expected. As Sam Porter Bridges, you trek across beautifully rendered, often hostile landscapes spanning regions like Mexico and Australia. The visual detail powered by the Decima engine is breathtaking, but it's also functional; terrain, weather, and hazards like Timefall (rain that accelerates aging) constantly shape how you move and plan, making nature itself a formidable part of the experience. What surprised me most was how much the game has evolved in terms of combat and player agency. From what I've read, the first game had fairly basic combat. Here, you're given the flexibility to approach encounters your wa, whether through stealth, full-blown action, or avoiding conflict entirely. A new skill tree supports these choices, and the expanded arsenal, smarter enemy design, and quality-of-life features like a holster slot make combat feel smoother and more strategic. Traversal has also been thoughtfully upgraded. New vehicles like the Tri-Cruiser and a buildable monorail system make long-distance travel more efficient, especially when transporting heavy cargo. And the social strand system, where players can leave behind structures that show up in others' games really stood out to me. It's one of the most creative multiplayer systems I've seen, subtly reinforcing the game's central theme of connection without ever breaking immersion. Even the smaller improvements like faster cargo management and optional exposition show that the developers have listened to player feedback. The pacing remains deliberate, and the delivery-focused gameplay loop won't be for everyone, but I found myself leaning into its meditative rhythm and surprisingly emotional moments. Death Stranding 2 isn't just a sequel for me; it was an entry point into a world I now want to explore more of. The story, mechanics, and sense of scale all clicked in a way I didn't expect. And if this is what Kojima's vision looks like, I'm genuinely excited to see where it all began. Verdict This game is indeed a love letter for players who are enthusiastic about open world games. If you are not interested in the world of the game, I highly suggest checking it out for this aspect itself. We are certain even if you enter the game from this perspective you will stay back for the story as well.
