Category: Video Games

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact Is Off To a Rough Start, With Netcode Issues Plaguing the New Fighting Game

The long-running Hunter x Hunter series recently received a new video game adaptation with Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact. With a beloved brand and a notable fighting game developer on board, you might hope this would go off without a hitch.

Yet in the days since launch, Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact has been the subject of discourse and criticism within the fighting game community. Its gameplay hearkens back to the kind of scrappy, seemingly overpowered bouts many enjoy in this particular environment, but several issues have been holding Nen x Impact back; namely, the netcode.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact is a tag-team fighting game that went live five days ago on July 16 and, at the time of writing, has a little over 140 total reviews on Steam. While the ratio of positive-to-negative reviews favors the former, it’s at a roughly 2:1 ratio, leaving Nen x Impact at an overall “Mixed.”

Multiple reviews, even the positive ones, note issues specifically with the netcode. While there are issues taken with a slim single-player offering and other points, netcode is a primary concern.

On the flip-side, the majority in positive reviews do enjoy the fighting quite a bit. “I can’t help it man, its my favorite fighting game ever. nothing else comes close in terms of how freeform you can be, how explosive it is, how impressive it feels and looks to do well,” one reviewer wrote.

Within the broader fighting game community, Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact is receiving similar criticism. Even those who have been eager to play and compete, who see the potential in Nen x Impact, are hitting a wall with its online play.

It’s honestly a shame, because Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact does have some incredible potential. It’s based on Hunter x Hunter, for one thing; an anime series that has a wide cast of characters, each with their own unique powers that could make for a rich environment of playstyles and designs. Seeing Biscuit Krueger, Hisoka, Kurapika, and more face-off is already fun, especially since shonen fighting games can range from stellar to less-than-stellar.

Nen x Impact also inherits a legacy from its developer, Eighting. It’s a studio known in fighting game circles for its contributions to the craft, most notably with its work on Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. Watch some clips of Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact, and it’s not hard to see the MvC3 influence.

This should be a match made in Hunter x Hunter heaven. But instead, Nen x Impact has struggled to find a foothold due to online frustrations. It’s the kind of issue that is, as fighting game commentator Sajam put it, thankfully an outlier these days, but can still be a major blocker for any game trying to keep an audience. In-person and local competition is still huge for fighting games, but online play has been a core part of keeping a game’s community alive and thriving. Bushiroad and Eighting even pushed the original 2024 launch date of Nen x Impact back in order to implement rollback netcode.

The developer published a statement on July 16, confirming both an issue where “excessive rollback frames occur during matches” and one where “matches forcibly terminate due to desynchronization errors.” The team confirms it’s investigating these issues and is working on a resolution. Meanwhile, the studio is recommending players fight under “a stable and reliable internet connection whenever possible,” and will introduce a feature in an upcoming update to view “more detailed information” regarding an opponent’s connection quality and region.

The question now is whether these fixes can arrive fast enough, before other games steal the spotlight. The tag fighter genre is starting to get a little crowded, as both Riot’s 2XKO and now Arc System Works’ Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls loom on the horizon. It would be exciting for MvC3 fans and Hunter x Hunter fans alike to see Eighting get Nen x Impact to a stable place, but it seems like the road there could be longer than some would hope.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Hell Clock review

There are lots of games in the same way there are lots of crisps. Many of those games are good, in the same way that many crisps are shaped a bit like Jesus. But even a crisp shaped like Jesus ceases to delight after you’ve seen a few. Great, you think. Another bloody Jesus Dorito. Hurl it on the pile. You crave something transcendent. Like a Möbius strip Wotsit. Or a Salt ‘n Vinegar Disco inscribed with the Corpus Hermeticum. Something that changes the way you look at crisps forever.

Anyway, Hell Clock is not that, but it does has a wicked sick knife spin attack, so carefree in its centrifugal flesh mangling that I resented every screenshot I had to take for making me move my finger off the funny spin button.

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Dying Light: The Beast Gives Kyle Crane a Supercharged Sequel

The Dying Light series quickly earned its place in the pantheon of great zombie games by blending brutal first-person combat with satisfying parkour movement – all set within dangerous open worlds. The series has thus far delivered on offering a slick and thrilling survival experience, but with the upcoming Dying Light: The Beast, we see developer Techland return to its roots for a more focused concept that lets an amped up returning protagonist Kyle Crane loose in an even more hostile setting.

I got to spend over four hours playing the opening of Dying Light: The Beast, getting reacquainted with Kyle Crane as he comes to grips with a more feral world after the events of the second game. Playing The Beast was very much like a turbo-charged version of the original game, so much so that you may as well call it Super Dying Light. So with that, here are six of the most exciting and game-changing upgrades that the upcoming sequel brings to the table.

1. A More Focused Story, and the Return of Kyle Crane

Dying Light 2 took a bold step towards building an RPG-style story with game-changing events defined by your choices. While certainly ambitious, it didn’t quite reach its full potential in the broader sense. For The Beast, we instead see a more defined story about the return of Kyle Crane, who has undergone some horrific experiments following the shocking ending of the Dying Light 1 expansion The Following. Now hellbent on revenge against the mysterious antagonist known as The Baron, Crane has to relearn his skills as a survivalist while leveraging some powerful abilities to level the playing field.

Several interactions with key characters also play out in Mass Effect-style chats.

The Beast draws inspiration from Dying Light 2 and does more to make Kyle a more central figure within his story. Along with new third-person cutscenes, there are now more opportunities to help build Crane’s understanding of the state of things in Castor Woods. Several interactions with key characters also play out in Mass Effect-style chats, which can give you more insight into plot developments and to pick up on Dying Light lore. I really appreciate the more focused take on storytelling and character growth from these moments, especially with Kyle Crane front and center. And it’s a cool opportunity to catch up on what’s changed in the world following the events of Dying Light 2.

2. You Hit the Ground Running

Dying Light: The Beast does well to show its teeth early, making the point that this is a more brutal take on the series. Many of the combat encounters in the opening show how aggressive and imposing the infected can be, with even the common foes managing to get the jump on me when I let my guard down. Fortunately, Kyle Crane is a far more capable survivalist than before. So much so that many abilities locked off in different skill trees from previous games, such as the parkour-based high jumps and pulling off counter grabs, are a part of Crane’s core kit and can be used immediately. Furthermore, you can even use new takedowns on weakened enemies, which act as glory kills for the lesser and more elite infected.

I certainly appreciated being able to do so without having to endure much of a retread of the familiar power grind back to securing vital skills. This made me feel a bit more confident to face down foes armed with a hammer or machete, thanks to some amped-up beast powers running through Crane’s body. That said, I still sometimes felt overwhelmed by combat encounters and had to make tactical retreats often to heal. But thankfully, new skills that can be unlocked can help level the playing field, such as the return of the flying drop kick and the array of new beast powers that Kyle can unleash.

3. A More Organized Way to Acquire New Skills

The previous games featured skills spread across the combat, parkour, and survival trees, with your playstyle defining growth for each. Dying Light: The Beast ditches the specialized leveling system in favor of more traditional leveling, with earned skill points spent across the different combat and traversal branches at your leisure. This helps to even out character growth, with The Beast avoiding the lopsided growth that could occur in the first two Dying Lights.

However, the special Beast skill tree will require some more effort to unlock, as only by defeating the various Chimera bosses hidden throughout Castor Woods, which reveal themselves during story missions and hidden locations. Once you defeat one, Crane will acquire a sample of the Chimera, which will expand his more powerful skills.

4. Going Beast Mode

Dying Light: The Beast finally grants players new abilities and skills that have been long-teased throughout the series. As a powered-up state that goes into effect once you’ve dished out or sustained enough damage, Crane will automatically enter beast mode, amping up his melee strikes and agility in ways that let you cut loose against common and elite foes alike. Additional Beast powers add new abilities like a running jump, a ground slam, and even the ability to pick up boulders and toss them at foes, just like those annoying bruiser enemies from earlier games.

The developers even likened beast mode to acquiring a power pellet in Pac-Man.

The Dying Light series has always balanced that sense of power with feeling vulnerable in a fight, but entering beast mode offers up a satisfying burst of strength that not only comes in clutch, but can also lead to a fantastic finish to a fight. The developers even likened the mode to acquiring a power pellet in Pac-Man, which will turn your enemies into weaklings in no time. And while beast mode can come in handy, it’ll unfortunately activate the moment the meter is filled, which can lead to some awkward moments where the action is winding down and you’re still pumped up.

5. Re-embracing Survival Horror by Adding More Danger

One moment that instills a sense of dread for every Dying Light player is right when nightfall hits. In that moment, the game transitions into a full-on survival horror experience as the powerful, volatile infected come out to play. While Dying Light 2 eased the tension of nighttime gameplay to make it more approachable, this ultimately came at the expense of its larger experience. This was later patched with further updates, and The Beast fully embraces the original vision of survival during the night.

Even with Crane’s enhanced beast powers and arsenal of weapons, I still found myself rattled when it came to trying to find safety during the evening. During one particular instance, I found myself trapped on the rooftops of the Old Town district, and I was surrounded by three volatile infected that were actively on the hunt for me after I mistimed my jump and landed into the streets below. The volatile are more aggressive and intelligent than ever, and the nighttime is seriously unsettling to explore. Still, The Beast manages to strike a great balance with making you capable of surviving the odds, but totally vulnerable when left to fend for yourself.

6. This Is Not an Expansion, but a Proper Sequel

A prevailing worry other fans, including myself, had with Dying Light: The Beast was that it was going to be a more bite-sized follow-up, but after my hands-on time, developer Techland had proven me wrong with the upcoming standalone game. The scale of The Beast is much closer to the original Dying Light, which the devs have stated was the sweet spot when it came to playing the more aggressive take on their open-world survival game.

What makes Dying Light: The Beast work well, based on my limited time with it, is that it combines the best aspects of both the original and the first sequel. It adopts a more thoughtful approach to presenting its main narrative and characters from the second, while retaining the more confident and hard-hitting, tense action from the original. Without the decision paralysis that could come from Dying Light 2’s complex narrative, The Beast goes all-in on Crane’s revenge story that’s chock-full of the thrills and scares that the series is all about – and that seems to be what fans are most looking forward to with the next entry in this series.

Atari 50 Is Getting Yet Another DLC Pack, This Time Focused On Namco Titles

The Pac is Back.

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is getting another DLC expansion in the form of ‘The Namco Legendary Pack DLC‘.

No release date has been set at the time of writing, but the new DLC will contain an additional timeline looking at Namco’s history with Atari, along with multiple playable versions of Atari PAC-MAN, GALAGA, GALAXIAN, DIG DUG, and XEVIOUS.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

The secrets behind Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles’ makeover

An updated version of the classic 1997 PlayStation strategy RPG, Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, is on the way. And better yet, it’s being worked on by some members of the original’s team.

“It was Final Fantasy Tactics that inspired me to dedicate my life to becoming a game designer,” reveals Kazutoyo Maehiro, who was an Events Planner for the original, and now Director of The Ivalice Chronicles. “Even now it serves as an emotional underpinning for me, so it’s very dear to my heart.”


The secrets behind Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles’ makeover

With other members of the development team, such as Yasumi Matsuno (Original Script, Scenario Writer, and Editor), present from the PlayStation original, there’s little doubt that this remake is in safe hands. For newcomers it means you can experience an engaging and rich tale of conflict in a troubled land, with updated and added dialogue, voice acting, and new features including a streamlined and optimised user interface.

Rebuilding Ivalice

Maehiro revisited the game a few years ago, a replay that reminded him of how awe-inspiring it continued to be. “[It was] no less impressive even compared to modern games with its excellent game design and deep storyline.” But with it came awareness that the game had become inaccessible on modern platforms within the console landscape. “I strongly felt that I wanted to revive this amazing game so that new players of the current generation could experience it. That was what began the development of this game.”

The process wasn’t without its challenges. Purists have the option to choose the Classic version, recreating the original as faithfully as possible, but crafting both it and the Enhanced version came with its challenges given the original master data and source code no longer exists. “This was simply the norm at the time,” explains Maehiro. ”We didn’t have the kinds of effective resource management tools available today, and we developed games by essentially overwriting the previous code each time we fixed a bug or added a new language.”

“The best way to ensure the game met modern playability standards while staying true to the original was to rebuild it.” – Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

“Since the classic version was intended to recreate the original game, we did have the option to implement using an emulator,” he continues. “However, this method wouldn’t have allowed us to make granular refinements even if the objective was to recreate the original game. After our analysis, we felt the best way to ensure the game met modern playability standards while staying true to the original was to rebuild it.”

That rebuild of the original produced the Classic version, which was then updated to create the Enhanced version. The hard work paid off, giving the team a solid foundation that all improvements and changes could stand on, allowing for granular quality of life refinements, such as an auto-save function, as well as adding elements that had to be dropped from the original, due to time.

“One of the things we had to cut the first time around was character dialogue,” reveals Maehiro. “This was disappointing for me, as it was for Matsuno, who worked on the script additions and refinements for The Ivalice Chronicles. So this time we added dialogue while making overall story additions and refinements.

“Even if the game design is excellent, people won’t appreciate it if the controls aren’t great.” – Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

“For example, in the original game certain characters rarely spoke once they were recruited, but here we added conversations that play during battles. When sending them into specific battles, characters like Agrias, Cid, and Mustadio speak considerably more. Some of these dialogues aren’t just exchanges between characters, but also complement the narrative, or touch on the heart of the story, such as why war veteran Marquis Elmdore chose the path he did.”

The UI also received scrutiny, with the Enhanced version receiving a complete graphical overhaul. “The goal was to create ‘the optimal solution to playing Final Fantasy Tactics today’,” summarises Maehiro. “Even if the game design is excellent, people won’t appreciate it if the controls aren’t great.” 

Giving Tactics its voice

While the story remains one of the biggest benefactors of the remaster, it’s interesting to discover why this was such a focus. “One of the biggest reasons we decided to add to and refine the story was because this game features voiceovers,” says Maehiro. “If we simply added voiceover without adjustments it would have sounded unnatural. So we adjusted the lines so they could flow as a conversation, greatly enhancing their immersion, while the additions clarify the characters’ thoughts, goals, and backgrounds.

“Once the characters’ voices played on-screen, I felt that the actors had truly brought them to life with their powerful performances. I may have felt this way because I worked on the original game, but I’m sure that both fans and newcomers alike will be able to relate to this feeling.”

Fans will also likely appreciate the introduction of the State of the Realm, a high-level summary of information and incidental lore that plays between battles, similar to how the feature was used in Final Fantasy XVI, which was also designed by Maehiro. 

“We wanted to give a way for players to appreciate the story further, however we made it so this information can be viewed chronologically according to the protagonist’s actions. So if you want to check the broader flow of the story, you can through the State of the Realm, whereas if you want to learn even more details, you can through rumors in the taverns or from the other features.”

One such feature is Errands, which reveals the smaller problems faced by Ivalice’s populace through a series of mini-games. “I’m very attached to [Errands] because back [during the original’s development], I was assigned its direction as a rookie and worked frantically on its implementation,” explains Maehiro. “Errands were initially something akin to rumors, but I thought it was a waste for them to be a mechanic solely to acquire information about the story. So, I proposed that we make errands something that could allow players to enjoy unit progression. As a result, I think we were able to create something that could coexist within the game as a nice break from the storyline, allowing players to take on the small problems faced by the inhabitants of Ivalice as if they were quests.

“In the classic version, these errands can be played just as they were back then, and in the enhanced version, they’ve been recreated with higher definition artefacts and wonders alongside graphically overhauled UI for a more approachable experience, so we hope you enjoy them.”

Tactical tips and tricks

With the additions of Stratagems for Battle, which compiles tips on strategy, it only felt right to ask if the team had any tips for players new to Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles. “At the start, I recommend combining Archer with the Knight’s Arts of War,” suggests the game’s Producer, Shoichi Matsuzawa. “Especially with Rend Weapon. Break your opponent’s weapon before they come into contact from high ground.

“If you’re unsure about your sub-character’s action abilities, just use Item for the time being. Having them learn Potion and Phoenix Down alone can enable them to take action immediately.”

“It’s generally easier to have two melee damage dealers, such as Monks, Ninjas, and Dragoon; two ranged damage dealers, such as Black Mages and Archers; and one healer, such as White Mages or Chemists,” adds Maehiro. “But it’ll likely serve you well to have each character individually progress their respective paths—such as being a damage dealer or a healer—rather than mindlessly trying your hand at them learning everything.

“My personal preference is improvising my strategies on the spot, such as raising or lowering parameters, or persuading enemies to become an ally using Speechcraft. This requires knowledge and the ability to improvise, so I encourage advanced tactical RPG players to give it a try.”

“Our greatest source of pride is the fact that the game is still beloved by so many fans, even after 28 years since its original release.” – Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

Regardless of whether you’ll take the valuable pointers on hand or build your party your own way, we’re all excited for seeing this masterpiece find an entirely new audience while satisfying its old fans. It’s a sentiment echoed by the game’s team. “Our greatest source of pride is the fact that the game is still beloved by so many fans, even after 28 years since its original release,” says Maehiro. “My chest swells with pride knowing that I had a chance to be involved with both the original version of the beloved game, as well as this newest iteration.”

“Final Fantasy Tactics incorporates many series staples of Final Fantasy, such as the Jobs and Summons, but it’s also a complete, standalone story,” continues Matsuzawa. “This is a great game to start with if you’re new to the Final Fantasy series, so I hope you will give it a go.

“Some of you may have avoided the game because it is a tactical RPG, but the enhanced version lets you adjust the difficulty to make the game more accessible. We hope you take this opportunity to experience the rich world of Ivalice.”

We’ve not got long to wait before our dreams are realised. Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles launches September 30 on PS5 and PS4.

Ready Or Not Console Release Tops 1m Sales Despite ‘Censorship’ Controversy

Ready or Not‘s console port finally released last week, and it’s already surpassed one million sales. Combined with sales of its early access PC version, which released in December 2023, the game has now topped 10 million units sold.

“When we launched Ready or Not on PC, it took about 36 days to reach 1 million units sold,” said VOID CEO, Julio Rodriguez. “On console, it took about 3.6 days. I’m incredibly proud of the team and what we’ve accomplished together. It’s a huge moment — and one we don’t take for granted.”

Rodriguez then went on to thank Ready or Not’s players and “everyone who believed in the project.”

Last week, July 15, VOID Interactive proceeded with changes introduced to controversial shooter Ready or Not despite widespread condemnation from fans who claimed the developer was “censoring” the game’s gore and violence by “appeasing console market regulators.”

VOID said it had to adjust levels of gore, nudity, violence, and the “mistreatment of children” ahead of console release, and rather than “maintaining multiple versions with different assets and mechanics” that would “increase the likelihood of bugs,” some aspects of the PC version would also have to be revised.

At the time, VOID insisted the changes were “small enough that most people here wouldn’t notice if we didn’t say anything,” but it “wanted to be transparent” with its players. Players disagreed, and the news caused Ready or Not’s Steam user review rating to plummet to “mostly negative” for recent reviews. Up until the controversy, it had accured a “Mostly Positive” rating.

Within 20 minutes of implementing unpopular changes to Ready or Not, however, a mod was available to reverse the changes.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

As Le Mans Ultimate emerges from early access, it’s still got work ahead to catch the top hardcore sims

I’ve had Le Mans Ultimate on my radar of things that let you drive around in realistic circles for the past couple of years, but I’d never dived into its early access. Part of that was being utterly spoilt for choice in terms of existing options when it came to getting my GT racing on, with the likes of Automobilista 2, Assetto Corsa Competizione, and even slightly older sims like Raceroom competing for pole position in the racing bit of my Steam library. Add in the behind-the-scenes turmoil that’s frequently surrounded publisher Motorsport Games over the past half-decade, and you get ample reason to take a wait-and-see approach with their latest offering.

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Deals for Today: Pokémon TCG Black Bolt ETB In Stock For Less and Switch 2 In Stock

Amazon has quietly become one of the best places to pick up Pokémon TCG products this week, with a surprise restock that brings several popular Elite Trainer Boxes closer to MSRP than we’ve seen in months. The best deal right now is the Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box at just $78.75. Throw in the Paradox Rift ETB for under $78 and a handful of affordable premium collections like Cynthia’s Garchomp ex and Charizard ex.

TL;DR: Deals For Today

Beyond cards, today’s best deals span everything from Apple AirPods Pro 2 at a rare $169, to the surprisingly powerful KRK Kreate Studio Monitors that deliver clean, rich sound that certainly outperform the usual “gaming gear” and “cinema quality” markup. Plus, Zelda fans can scoop up hardcover best-selling books for less, and if you’re still hunting for a Nintendo Switch 2, Amazon’s invite system is your best shot right now. Prepping for travel? this $19 INIU power bank should have you covered for a top up too.

Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box

Amazon selling anything for near MSRP Pokémon TCG related is a miracle in itself, but this Black Bolt ETB is available right now for just under $79. I loved opening Black Bolt and White Flare, and it’s certainly one of the best Scarlet and Violet sets to collect Illustration Rares from. This is a good deal in the current climate, snap this up.

Pokémon TCG Stock Update

Amazon is finally killing it for Pokémon TCG elite trainer box stock and pricing, and some are the closest to MSRP the big box retailer has been for weeks. Not only is the Black Bolt ETB vastly undercutting the secondary market, Paradox Rift ETB is even cheaper (And an overlooked set in my opinion, stock up now).

There’s other great deals on ex boxes too, which are also near MSRP and around the same or just under listings on TCG Player. The sealed market is becoming more competitive, so it’s more important than ever to give eBay a quick check before hitting buy.

Nintendo Switch 2 Stock Updates

As predicted, Nintendo Switch 2’s launch window is seeing stock shortages. If you didn’t preorder at launch, you’ve probably been waiting for stock drops since launch. Amazon currently has it’s invitation system in place for both the standard console SKU and the Mario Kart world bundle, so it’s always worth getting on the waiting list whilst you wait. If successful, your purchase link will be live for 72 hours.

The Legend of Zelda Hardcover Book Sale

Nearly every The Legend of Zelda hardcover book you need for your collection is available in this sale with some cracking discounts. It includes my favorite one, Hyrule Historia, that fills in more than a few gaps in the LoZ lore, although the timeline has already been slightly retconned. It also includes full and expanded official guides for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

KRK Kreate Powered Studio Monitors

I can personally guarantee a set of powered studio monitors will sound better than almost any sound system with or without a subwoofer. The new line of KRK Kreate studio monitors aren’t just for recording music (Although they’d do an amazing job), they’re a versatile sound option for content creation, editing, gaming, watching TV and movies and more. Buyers can even teather to them via Bluetooth for no fuss connections.

I’ve been using the 8-inch speaker models for a couple of weeks now, and they destory my soundbar and subwoofer combo that cost’s nearly double the price of these. There’s precision adjustments knobs on the back, which I keep mostly in neutral with volume up by half for a crisp flat sound with the right amount of bass. Although that can be cranked up when needed.

Personally I use an audio splitter so my Krate 8s can handle my Nano QuadCortex guitar amp moddler, my TV audio and gaming PC audio for the best experience. For me, going from a 3-inch to 8-inch speaker option is night and day. The clarity difference and range is top-tier, not to mention the jack, XLR and aux outputs available on each monitor that fits in perfectly in everyone’s setup. You’re getting top-of-the-range brand quality without the “gaming” brand tax, it’s a win-win.

Apple AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Pro 2 are one of those earbuds I keep noticing for their mix of sound quality and thoughtful features. At $199, they offer a strong balance of value and performance. The active noise cancellation blocks out a lot of background noise while adaptive audio automatically adjusts based on your surroundings. You get four sizes of silicone tips for a customizable fit, and once those are set they stay comfortable even through longer listening sessions. The personalized spatial audio and hearing aid features add extra depth, giving them more flexibility than just a standard pair of wireless earbuds.

INIU Portable Charger 10000mAh 45W

This is ideal for carrying around when you’ve forgot to stick your phone on charge overnight, 45W is more than enough power to charge anything whilst using it, from phones to Nintendo Switch 2. So who can argue for $12?

Donkey Kong Bananza

If you own a Switch 2 and not Donkey Kong Bananza, there’s something a-miss. We’ve given it a rare 10/10, and is officially Nintendo’s latest handheld’s first killer app and system seller. It’s from the same team behind Super Mario Odyssey and takes full advantage of the power packed into Nintendo Switch 2. Just get it, play it, then thank me later.

The current developers of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 are going “fully” indie again

A few of the UK’s fanciest former indie developers are going indie again… with help from venture capital. Still Wakes The Deep and Dear Esther creators The Chinese Room have slipped the surly bonds of former parent company Sumo Digital in the course of a management buyout, with “facilitation” from Hiro Capital. Now “fully independent”, they’re focussing on the creation of original games, with two unannounced projects in the offing once they’ve finished developing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.

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