GPL Summer Week 1 recap

The GPL is back, bringing with it a brewing storm between the institutionalized winners of Taiwan and a renaissance of Vietnam's rising teams. Week One brought few surprises in terms of final results, and with the world championship qualifiers looming ever closer, the level of competition in turn has risen with the tides. The teams that have proven most buoyant might even surprise veteran viewers.

GAMES OF THE WEEK

Day 1: AHQ Fighter vs Taipei Assassins AHQ Fighters determinedly debuted against the top team of the circuit, pressuring both Morning and Winds with offensive jungle tactics. Lantyr, formerly of AHQ's main squad, successfully out-smited Winds during a Dragon contest at 18 minutes – in itself a rare feat against the GPL's prince of thieves – though the subsequent fight favored TPA 2-0. At least, it seemed to until mid laner MrAlbis struck down Winds with a quick LeBlanc spell rotation. Though TPA's long-term strategy and superior Baron control won the day, the Fighters lived up to their names. Day 2: Saigon Fantastic Five vs Neolution Full Louis Neolution Full Louis was a disappointment last split, but they entered the summer determined to continue their cutthroat rivalry against their fellow Vietnamese teams. The match between them and Fantastic Five was a tooth-and-nail bloodbath, culminating in a Baron fight at 29 minutes that came incredibly close to a mutual ace, leaving only Shyn to limp back to base. Fantastic Five's superior map play, however, translated into a turret lead and wave control, keeping the momentum and game in their favor. Day 3: Saigon Jokers vs Bangkok Titans The perpetually underestimated Bangkok Titans have started to surprise. New mid laner G4's Ziggs was a powerful hindrance to the Saigon Jokers' strategic executions: at eight minutes, he worked in tandem with top laner Warl0ck to crash through the Jokers' Dragon ambush, turning what seemed an easy game into a brutal back-and-forth test of will. Though the Jokers finally won, acing the Titans, it was with a rare one-point kill deficit.

OVERACHIEVERS OF THE WEEK

Nuttapong "G4" Menkasikan G4, formerly of Thailand's MiTH Flashdive, has proven a very wise investment by the team. Teams that have grown used to walking over the Bangkok Titans now find it akin to walking on coals – they might make it across, but G4's going to leave them feeling more than a little toasty in the process. His Ziggs play against the Jokers is especially promising for a veteran team so used to being overshadowed. Pham "Vigoss" Min Dai Saigon Jokers' Vigoss held steady with a 100% kill participation rate in the very first day of the summer split, going 0-1-10 against Imperium Pro Team. The quick and brutally efficient take-down of last split's lowest-performing team spoke tremendously well of his calls and execution.

SURPRISE OF THE WEEK

Waking the Sleeping Titan It's been easy to dismiss the Bangkok Titans until now, as they'd spent the last two years being a near-total nonfactor in Southeast Asia's highest regional circuit. And, true, they still haven't won a game. But their Week One performance was not without its noteworthy accomplishments; better individual mechanics across the board and tighter timings between objectives have given a new life to an old and long-ailing team. Neither Insidious Gaming Legends or Saigon Jokers came out of their match against BKT unscathed – in fact, the Jokers were on the brink of disaster until the very end. Expect BKT to only improve.

DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE WEEK

No Gods No Game Where did the Wargods go? They were supposed to debut in the very first day of the split, and even managed to play about a dozen minutes against the Saigon Fantastic Five. But continual connectivity issues ultimately forced them to forfeit. What they did manage to show was far from promising. A three-minute death top lane, inability to dodge Minas's Dark Bindings, and slow reactions to SF5's quick turret pushes all showed poor judgment. Some of it might be excusable due to lag, but it was overall weak form. Wargods will get another shot next week, going up against Full Louis in the first match of June 18, 2014.