Paying big bucks for your audio accessory is the norm. Consequently, affordable earbuds and headphones commonly get overlooked. Now, I usually say that you pay for what you get, and I stand by this statement. However, occasionally, I’m wrong and a low-cost product takes me by surprise. The JLab GO Air POP earbuds certainly did just that. With a plethora of features and decent sound quality, I was impressed.
They have some high-end features with built-in microphones, a portable charging case, independent earbuds, a large battery life, Bluetooth 5.1, and touch-sensitive controls. What’s more, they are IPX4 sweat and water-resistant rated. Consequently, they are great for walkers, runners, and anyone who loves the great outdoors. Further to this, they come in a range of colours, are lightweight, and feel comfortable in your ears. Therefore, the JLab GO Air POP earbuds are an excellent all round entry-level device.
What colour will you pick?
What’s in the box of the JLab GO Air POP earbuds?
With a colourful and compact design, the packaging catches the eye. The cardboard is lightweight and, as a consequence; it is a bit flimsy. However, the contents were safe and undamaged and therefore; it mattered not.
The JLab GO Air POP earbuds. These compact earbuds are 15% smaller than others in this range. What’s more, they are 40% lighter with the charging case. Furthermore, they are available in a range of colours.
The charging case. This sleek and robust case matches the earbuds. On top of this, it has a handy LED to highlight its charging capabilities. The earbuds are held in place thanks to a magnetised clamp. There is also a handy built-in USB cable to keep it topped up.
Spare silicone ear tips. Everybody has different ears and JLab wants you to experience crystal clear sound. Therefore, you have a choice of 3 ear tips to ensure a snug connection.
Start-up guide. This small manual explains the fundamentals.
The complete packageSpare silicone ear tips.The JLab GO Air POP earbuds.Charge your earbuds in the small and robust charging case.A helpful user manual.The striking and colourful packaging.
Technical Aspects.
Speaker
Φ6mm Dynamic driver
Microphone
MEMS -42dB+/-3dB
Battery Life
8+ hours in each earbud
Total Playtime
32+ hours total
Bluetooth
Version 5.1
Range
30+ ft
Weight
35.4g (earbuds + case), 3.7g per earbud, 27.5g charging case
IP Rating
IPX4 (earbuds only)
Warranty
2-year
Unlike other earbuds I’ve reviewed, the JLab GO Air POP isn’t focused on the gaming market. Instead, they are designed exclusively for music and wire-free mobile phone calls. Sadly, this makes them less functional, but the price point of £19.99 reflects that.
Crystal clear audio is absolutely essential as no one likes tinny or crackly sound. Luckily, the 6mm dynamic drivers deliver a pleasant range of tones. Moreover, 3 preset sound settings adjust the EQ balance with minimal fuss. This was fantastic, as you can alter the sound at the touch of a button.
Other key features include the dual connect earbuds and the touch-sensitive controls. You can use the earbuds independently or together, and this was great. Unlike some of its peers that cut off your audio, you can instead enjoy your music through one earbud with little fuss. Alongside this, the built-in MEMS microphones ensure pitch-perfect voice pickup on each call.
The aforementioned preset setting and other functions work perfectly with the touch controls. You may answer calls, activate your smart assistant, alter the volume, skip tracks, and more. This user-friendly feature is fantastic when you have packed your phone safely in your backpack. Subsequently, you no longer need to search for your mobile whenever you wish to take a call or simply change a track.
The built-in USB charging cable.
Are the JLab GO Air POP earbuds worth it?
At £19.99, they won’t break the bank. Consequently, they are a phenomenal entry-level product. With a large battery life, they won’t let you down. Each earbud lasts 8+ hours, with an additional 24+ hours coming from the charging case. Alongside this, the Bluetooth 5.1 connection is reliable and quick to find with any compatible device.
Yet, in comparison to other earbuds, the lightweight nature is a little disconcerting. Accordingly, I was concerned that I’d drop or lose them, especially when exercising. Also, the bass is underwhelming unless you activate bass boost mode. Now, if you don’t mind missing out on a full range of tones, as standard, this won’t bother you. Furthermore, you must remember the affordable price point, so there must be some flexibility.
Charge the earbuds in this slim and robust charging case.
Summary.
The JLab GO Air POP earbuds have their limitations, but they are fantastic for the price. I loved the array of colours, the battery life, the EQ boost modes, and how easy they were to use. My issues regarding weight are personal, and most of you won’t consider this a problem. However, the lack of bass may put some people off. Luckily, the bass boost negates this, but I’d have liked a fuller sound as standard.
All things considered, these are excellent earbuds! They are perfect for people on a budget, students, or younger adults. It is for these reasons that I recommend you to buy them here!
Fall Guys, originally released in 2020 only for PS4 and PC, was an overnight sensation for millions of gamers on those platforms. Since then, the game has seen a steady decline out of the main spotlight for gamers. Developer Mediatonic hopes to have found the answer that will help catapult Fall Guys back into the mainstream, and back onto gamers screens.
With the release of Season 1: Free For All, the game has made its way to the remainder of the platforms, such as Xbox Series X|S, and the Nintendo Switch. The game is also free for everyone to download, jump in, and play. This was the best decision for Mediatonic to make, as the developer announced since the launch of Season 1, the game has seen an outstanding 20 million players in only 48 hours. (https://twitter.com/FallGuysGame/status/1540711411629707265)
This was my first time jumping into Fall Guys, and I’ve had such a phenomenal experience, playing as the little beans, trying to get crowns with my girlfriend. If you will, join me as I explain all of the wonderful reasons why I love this game.
Gameplay
In terms of gameplay, it’s rather simple; You’re a little bean, competing on a TV game show-esque crash course, in hopes that you’ll be the winner of the crown. It takes the battle royale format, but adds a fun new twist with the variety of games you and your friends can play.
The games themselves are simple, with most offering the same easy to understand tasks like making it to the finish line, time trials, or not falling off a small platform. It’s simple, but don’t think it isn’t competitive, as getting crowns is no easy feat, but it’s so rewarding when you or your squad comes first.
Visual Aesthetic
I absolutely love the visual aesthetic of this game. Each level has a fun, vibrant, and wacky look to it, which invites the player in to have some fun with their friends.
The beans are cute, and fun to customize, which is there is no shortage of with the battle pass and shop, offering many cute and fun outfits.
As a Halo fan, I loved the Spartan Showdown event, which added Master Chief, Grunt, Aand Brute outfits to buy, with some free Halo items to earn as well.
Closing Remarks
As a newcomer, I am thrilled with how fun Fall Guys is. It’s uniquely charming, each and every time I go back and play. I highly recommend anyone with some friends looking for a fun multilayer game to play, jump into Fall Guys and go for some crowns. I think no matter the age, you will appreciate the joy this game brings, while also loving the challenge of winning in this highly competitive, game show extravaganza!
Ready to play as your favorite Capcom fighter and battle it out with another? Well here is your chance to enjoy a full collection of the 10 most remarkable Capcom fighting games that will be great to add to your gaming console! There are so many different and wonderful types to keep you fighting for hours. Each one is full of action-packed competition, fighting with special and fun techniques, and that fun, classic arcade-style design. It may appear a little more revived in graphics and contain some awesome music playing in the background, but it still has the classic arcade-style design and gameplay that everyone loved growing up playing.
The many games in the Capcom Fighting Collection are ones that have been played the most, and this is true for me, with a few additional games I’ve never had a chance to try. Each one chosen in this collection is in my opinion, an awesome set that makes owning this one game worth it! Also, to make one thing clear. The game isn’t just giving you the top five great games, there are a total of ten. Each being added with some additional features that it never had before. Even a training section to allow you to own those skills before going into a real fight.
So you really are getting something more for just this one purchase. I always find myself loving the classics and even more when they get remastered, placed with more than one game, and come with additional extras and features that weren’t present before. For example, the museum is now a part of the game, allowing you to recap and view some wonderful details like behind-the-scenes and art from each of the 10 games. Now you can enjoy so much art, music and so much more from all the games in this special edition.
Additionally, there are a few more wonderful modes that will allow you to fight anyone you like, view rankings, and build groups to conversate about each game you like. You can even just be a spectator and enjoy watching matches taking place. These are just amazing additions, and the one I love most is the ability to adjust the controller to set the buttons to suit you. So if you want to do a special attack, no more difficult button combination has to be done. Simplified is so much nicer than difficult and makes the fight much more enjoyable when you can win easier!
The Ten Remarkable Capcom Games:
** These are all the USA version names, but there are also Japanese names you can choose from too. So no worries that are also options. So if the names below don’t appear or look like what you see on the screen when it starts up, you just need to change it. So you can choose the USA version or keep it to the Japanese version and still enjoy the same gameplay under a different title and words or scripts being used instead. I do also want to let you know that some games are only in Japanese since they have never been released outside of Japan, so those names will be just exactly as you see them below. **
Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
This game has a great array of characters to choose from. Many in the form of being an animal or creature combined with a human form. I think that really is what makes this fighting game very interesting, you can battle each other as these unique creature-people form and use all types of attacks. I am thankful they show each in the pause menu, the combinations to create such attacks, as it’s not super easy to grasp for beginner fighters or first-time players.
Also, the option to choose how fast you’d like the game to go is really an interesting part. You have a certain time to choose something which is normal with fighting games, especially classic ones. This game has 3 total speed settings and each will let the game run a bit quicker or slower. It may not always seem like a huge difference, but there is a slight change. Especially, with the opponent’s speed and movements.
I had the hardest time defeating my first opponent, Felicia the catwoman. As embarrassing as that sounds. There was only one time I played with a different character and had victory just to be defeated twice in the last two rounds. It took time to defeat her and move on, but honestly what I learned from the first few tries is I really need to practice the buttons better to be my best as a fighter. It’s so hard to pick up and just go right in thinking you’ll take down the opponent easily.
Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge:
I felt the game had the same similar effect as Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors. The characters are not much different and the effects are about the same. The game played similarly, for the most part. The little change may be how you can adjust the speed or let it go through auto mode. I’ve been mostly finding myself playing through turbo mode as it seems to be the best if you want to get into a faster fight and keep it going without slowing down. However, I still found each round to be quite difficult as the original settings. I can’t believe how badly I got defeated again and again!
However, the more I practice, even if I take on that training course and know how to use the different special skills the better I’ll get. This is a really great classic game, as it plays perfectly and really gives you a challenge! So there is really nothing to complain about, everything works as it should, and the reactions and effects take place right away, and I’m very happy with it. That also goes with the quality of this game as I was with the first.
Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire:
You don’t get the same vibe or graphics as the first two games in the collection. I’ve noticed a change in the game, it’s more like a fighting adventure. You go to the first battle then you just keep going until you win the fight. Next, you move to the next fighter in this circular-shaped mapped area. Each has a new opponent to fight. It’s a nice change and definitely different than how a normal battle would go.
Again I played the rounds through the turbo mode, so things were going quicker than normal. Oh yes, I can happily say I finally won the first battle as this bee girl, aka Q Bee which I’m thinking is short for Queen Bee. No matter, I was proud to say that as my fighter, she was able to beat my opponents. I didn’t play in any other setting, just turbo mode. However, this was just one character, there are so many other creative creature-like characters to choose from.
Once again, I must compliment how the characters are quite charming. Actually, I like the mix better than the first two above. It’s also impressive to say that my mom’s favorite bug the bee is the one I chose and she can really do some damage! Oh and the one that looks like the little red riding hood from a story, this character is hysterical as she is this so cute little girl with a gun and a lot more up her sleeves. Now that’s just two and there are so many more to play with such interesting twists and that makes the game a blast for me, and very entertaining to play.
Vampire Hunter 2: Darkstalkers’ Revenge:
This game brings the same heat as the rest! It’s actually got a few characters that are memorable from the recent ones, but it is such a nice fighting game. I don’t know why, but I’ve done better so far moving along to the next games in the collection like this one than I did from the start. Maybe the newer ones in the list of games are just made easier so you can take down the opponent easily. In my opinion, I feel this game really is stimulating cause as each may be wonderful but the easier it is to take victory is what makes it a bit better for me. However, I can’t say this really is better, it’s just as brilliant as the rest, but I like it a tiny pinch more.
A little bit of a tip or just something I’d like to share. When I was playing fighting games growing up, maybe call it the old school method of playing. However, I found what worked for me was to just press so many buttons to make a special attack combination actually work. Even if I had no idea what creates what, sometimes the results were just incredible! So I can’t lie, I tried that with many of these games, well all of them. When playing Lilith, who is as fast as Q Bee. I also liked her special abilities and speed. So with many different buttons pressing it didn’t seem like I needed to cause it is simplified than it was for other games. It was nice taking down that catwoman, Felicia, who in the past two games above whipped my butt so easily.
Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of Vampire:
Another Vampire Savior game, yippie! Loving them a bit more, but the 2nd one is just like the first, awesome! It’s great, especially the way it plays, I feel as if the special buttons in each game I play just get a bit easier to use and operate with each character. It’s marvelous how much I can get done faster and easier with just a press of a button than with learning so much or seeing the words K.O. you lose so many times. So in total, in many of the battles thus far, I’ve won the first round and second with no problem.
Also, this game is with the same similar characters, and I’m not hating on that! They all have great features, special abilities, and personal styles which make them so much more interesting. Lilith has been my choice for this game again, but there are so many others to choose from or you can allow the game to decide for you.
Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness:
At first, I was thinking OK, same old choose a character and fight. However, this is a bit different. The game goes along with just a handful of characters, not many to decide upon. So once the character you want is chosen, it’s time for you to select your robotic machine. Now, this is a bit odd, but in some way interesting too. The character choice doesn’t do much for the game, and I could be wrong, but they become the icon of who you are inside the machine that you’ve chosen.
The real person that is doing the battling is the robotic machine and you the player of course! You can take down anything with the machine, and it has so many unique moves and abilities. I almost think of it as watching or actually being a part of Robot Wars. You are just acting as the robotic machine and using all these different gears and firepower to take down the opponent. I think this game adds something new to this collection and makes for such fun and fascinating to play!
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo:
This was actually a change from the traditional. Yes, a few well-known names from Street Fighter and a few from the other games mentioned above. However, there are two things about this game that is evident. It’s not giving you a large list of characters to choose from as many of the others, and there are no details on what they can do or their own strengths like many of the other games. This is where I feel it is more just a personal choice of who you want to be not if they are quick of going to provide something special.
So what is this game about? Well, it is actually all about gems. You’re playing the game on this vertical rectangular-style board that almost reminds me of playing Tetris. However, like a game of match 3 or more and so on, you have these gems of red, yellow, green, and blue come down. They aren’t moving so fast, so don’t need to worry or have to think quickly. However, like a game of Tetris, it’s best to keep it from getting too high.
So as you play, you form these bigger gems. The more the colors combine the more they form these giant gems, which you can set off with these special round spherical-shaped balls. They hold the color you need to place them so they match the gem or gems you’re setting off. The bigger the gem is made, even a small, single gem can be used, which will cause damage to the opponent. The more damage you cause, the champion you will become!
Super Gem Fighter Minimix:
This game was almost what I thought to be another gem-style game like Tetris, but it’s not! It’s a bit hysterical with the different special abilities that occur with each character. This game plays like a fighting game, but with gems. Odd I know, but the gems add a few special benefits to each player. There are going to be some same faces that can be recalled by the traditional Street Fighter. Yet, so cute as they are like mini-size fighters.
So here are a few details on these gems. They act as ways to help power you up and can even level you up, especially the larger the size they are. Plus, the more attacks you put on the opponent and knock some gems out of them, you can use them to aid in your success. It’s a cute and engaging game that like all these fighting games in this collection requires plenty of speed!
Oh yes, and there are a few options which are nice. if you want to focus on a different difficulty right for you, that is possible right at the start. The choices allow you more chances to practice with the easiest mode before going into the more difficult modes. Let’s just say it’s not super easy like slicing a piece of cake, it will get you a bit of K.O. you lose before you win.
Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition:
This is classic and brings back all my childhood memories! It has every character I can recall and each play is a traditional game. No special monsters only if that is what they were from the start. However, for Ken, Ryu, and the rest it’s like playing an original Street Fighter game, without any extra or unoriginal features. Mainly, just fight and use as many special abilities or moves to take down the opponent. A true classic game and a great second-to-last addition to this game.
Red Earth:
OH my gosh! Ok, I wish I knew this game beforehand. I was never into playing many different fighting games, but wow, WOW! This one is like fighting in the form of an animal-human, and I chose Leo the lion-style fighter. Now let me say he can really pack a punch. It’s more of a story with the game. Starts also with a map of where you’ll be going next to fight. This is all after you set up the character you want to be and choose the settings.
Next, you move on to the selected area and voila, the battle begins. It’s like an original fighting game, but the enemy’s lifeline is on the bottom. Plus, each opponent tends to be huger than you’d expect. You’re not fighting a same-size character, it’s like you’re defeating only bosses of the game. Each one has its own special powers, strengths, and appearances. Plus, a few words to go with the story, but wow! They seem like all bosses and have nothing to do with just battling a normal size fighter from the list of characters.
Honestly, for the last game on the list. I really enjoyed one! Don’t get me wrong each was really excellent, and brought something different to the game’s collection. Regardless, I never knew that a game where you can just fight giant monsters, like the bosses at the end of games would be a thing, but I guess it can be and it can be outrageously amazing too!
Final Thoughts
There is nothing like having the 10 best action-packed fighting games in one game download. The variety is excellent, the graphics are top-notch and it plays smoothly on the Xbox One, which I had a chance to try on. I came across no problems, only if having too much fun is an issue? Ok, maybe there was one thing I wish and hope could be possible. The game allows you to quickly save anytime you like, LOVE IT! However, you can only save one game and if you play another you can’t save or it overwrites the game making it lose the last game you saved. So no multi-saving feature, which I wish could change. However, It doesn’t affect the gameplay, which is awesome, and honestly, I really love every new and classic feature. What I thought was excellent in the past, is even better now!
There are a few games I’m playing for the first time and never tried before, which makes this collection even greater. So I can’t compare them all, but it’s no problem cause as I tried them all they play perfectly. Additionally, the story that follows and the entire detailed design is excellent as well! It’s just what I would expect when playing any Capcom fighting game. So if you are searching for more than just one game to keep you actively engaged in some fight sequences, puzzling arcade battles, and much more, then this is a collection you should give a try!
The Origin: Blind Maid is a first-person survival horror game where the terror is not just limited to the gameplay, but also extends to your experience of it, to the point where it’ll make you wonder – How willing are you to forgive an indie game for bugs and implementation issues?
Seeing fit to turn me into an unpaid QA video game tester, The Origin: Blind Maid forced me to solve 3 different progress-preventing bugs within the first few moments of installing it. Vera – your possessed assistant – either disappears due to skipped cutscenes or is prevented from running to the next area due to a fence that blocks the way (which I also experienced again later).
To bypass the issue I needed to actually go into my PlayStation 4’s system settings and delete all the save files before the issue disappeared, which was certainly a first, and not the greatest start to a game.
If you crawl and turn off your flashlight you can avoid the stalking enemies.
The story has you, a corrupt politician, fleeing the city in which he was mayor and lost in the middle of nowhere, which you come to learn is a place between Earth and hell, or ‘The Origin’, where an evil being is keeping you trapped within it like the gravity of a black hole.
The evil that lingers here unveils itself to you through the help of diary entries found in the linear maps while hallucinations teach about the ousted politician’s past and messages received on your phone inform you about the present. While trying not to give away what is actually a decent story, the evil originates from a woman who was mistreated by her family and it is those who took advantage of her that feature as the bosses of each new progressed area as the victim’s story starts to unfold.
Although intriguing, the story takes quite a while to get going, so of the 10+ hours you spend on it, the first 2 hours spent wandering around woods with your assistant chasing you around is frustrating and is utterly pointless in the grand scheme of things, especially as so many of the game’s issues occur during that period.
I forget which death this is, but it’s neither his first nor his last….
The story isn’t the only decent element of the game, however, as the environments look great for what is no doubt a low-budget title, with tension emanating from being hunted in the pitch black, and you’re even afforded the ability to play as the politician’s daughter who comes to help her father.
It’s one of those games that if you were to watch it on Youtube, you’d think it far better than it actually is, as Blind Maid does itself no favors in how you interact with it. Menu navigation and assigned controls for the PS4 controller are unintuitive and described poorly, and enemy weaknesses aren’t even mentioned once on the tips that appear on screen despite that being quite a key bit of information.
Quite confusing is the fact that the game decides that some enemies, killable at certain points, are invincible at others – for no apparent reason. Vera, for example, can be killed over and over during certain ‘battles’, but when chasing you on the open map cannot be damaged at all. Your character even says “No, I can’t do it” when you pull the trigger, presumably said due to the loyalty he showed as an employee prior to his bout of insanity, but you still can fire the gun, even though no damage will be received. It’s hardly a great sign for the Blind Maid‘s consistencywhen the beginning of the game can barely decide what it’s trying to achieve.
The gameplay itself is like a mix of Outlast and standard survival game mechanics with one stalking boss per area, as well as minor enemies that you need to defeat and puzzles you need to solve to progress through the areas. You eventually end up with a total of 3 guns and items you can collect for temporary power-ups, but these are all bog-standard elements that fail to impress, and even the best part of the game itself – the bosses – mostly just chase you in straight lines in narrow hallways, if they are not getting stuck in doorways, in the ceiling or on top of your head that is.
When the game is hitting its highs, Blind Maid provides jumpy in-game cutscenes, a decent mix of enemies and a harrowing story, but as these are all passively experienced elements of the game, it’s hard for me to actually justify convincing anyone to actually play it rather than just watch it being played.
Your guess is as good as mine for what this is supposed to be, but you can’t kill it, or so says the not-so-helpful hint as it’s killing you.
If time was given to clean up the inconsistent implementation and awful bugs in The Origin: Blind Maid, then the cheesy voice acting and reasonable scares might act as an entertaining interactive evening at home, just don’t hold your breath for it to come anytime soon considering the enormity of the task.
Incredible audio and amazing entertainment are intrinsically linked. Consequently, having the best headphones or sound system is a must. I have been fortunate to use some eye-wateringly brilliant accessories, and now ROCCAT has treated me to some more. The ROCCAT Syn Pro Air headphones are a truly wireless high-end over-ear audio peripheral. What’s more, their stunning design makes them stand out from the crowd.
Thanks to the lightweight design, honeycomb RGB lighting, lay-flat yokes, and detachable microphone, they are fashionable and practical. Alongside this, they complement the full ROCCAT range because of their looks and their ease of use.
Using their years of experience, you know you’ll get a premium and high-quality product. I have to say; they didn’t let me down. With crystal clear sound, 3D audio, pitch-perfect microphone pickup, and amazing build quality, this ticks every box. Then there is the multi-faceted approach because it can be used on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and USB-C compatible devices. Therefore, not only does it look and sounds great, it can be used across multiple platforms as well.
The lay-flat yokes are a fantastic addition to the ROCCAT design.
What’s in the box of the ROCCAT Syn Pro Air?
Sleek, simple, and alluring packaging. The compact box wastes no time in highlighting the benefits of these headphones. What’s more, its sturdy design ensures the contents are protected. Disappointingly, the internal packaging is plastic, and therefore it is tough to recycle.
The ROCCAT Syn Pro Air headphones. These beautifully designed headphones are lightweight, robust, and comfortable to wear. The honeycomb shell houses stunning RGB lighting that is memorising to look at. There is a USB-C charging point, two well-placed audio wheels, and a dust cover for the detachable microphone.
The flip-to-mute TruSpeak Mic. This slender and flexible microphone has a metallic grey finish and is built to last. The gold-plated jack creates a premium connection, and it is easy to connect to the headphones. Alongside this, the flip-to-mute option is convenient and quick to use.
USB-C charging cable. A braided cable to charge the headphones. Thanks to the quick charge facility, it is easy to maintain the 24+ hour battery life.
USB transmitter. Experience true wireless audio with the latency-free 2.4 GHz USB transmitter. Plug it into your device, switch on the headphones, and relax.
USB-C adapter. Connect the USB transmitter to any USB-C device with ease. This small adapter ensures you maintain a wire-free approach at all times.
User manual. A small but thorough start-up guide. Investigate the fundamentals and get started with ease.
The sturdy and compact packaging.Why are you using plastic packaging?A helpful quick-start guide.The USB-C adapter and USB transmitterDetachable microphone.Braided USB-C charging cable.Vivid AIMO-compatible lighting.The full package.
Technical aspects.
Compatibility
PC, Switch, PS4/5, USB-C devices
Battery life
24 hours + with rapid charge facility
Earcup
Over-ear with memory foam padding
Pro Specs
Yes
Connectivity
2.4GHz wireless USB dongle
App
Neon (Beta)
Warranty
2-years
RGB
AIMO-compatible 16.8 million colour palette
Comfort, build, and sound quality are must-have components of any great headset. Luckily, the ROCCAT Syn Pro Air has it all. With 50mm drivers, the 3D audio is crisp and accurate. On top of this, a superhuman boost mode picks up the smallest of sounds. Consequently, these are perfect for FPS, where the tiniest of advantages make a massive difference.
When you are wearing headphones for a long time, they need to be comfortable. Thanks to the memory foam earpads and breathable material, they are cool and fit snugly over your ears. Alongside this, the design is “Pro specs”. Therefore, if you wear glasses, there won’t be any discomfort that can be experienced by its competitors. Also, at 390 grams, they are noticeably lighter than their peers.
Finally, the detachable flip-to-mute TruSpeak microphone and lay-flat yokes make for an ergonomic design. I loved the ability to remove and stow the microphone. Whenever I’m playing solo games, I don’t want the mic to be in my way. Thankfully, this issue is eradicated. What’s more, the lay-flat yokes ensure it is easy to store.
Check out the AIMO-compatible lighting and the 50mm drivers.
Battery life, RGB, and the Neon app.
With any wireless peripheral, the battery life is essential. Fortunately, the ROCCAT Syn Pro Air excels in this department. Its 24+ hour battery life and USB-C rapid charging facility ensure you have premium audio for every gaming session.
The Neon app and the RGB lighting go hand-in-hand. You’ll note the familiar honeycomb smoked grey shell that covers an AIMO-compatible 16.8 million colour lighting compartment. As standard, this has a lighting loop that is vivid and eye-catching. However, you can customise your colours and brightness, or turn it off altogether.
The app is your go-to tool when you wish to adjust the audio settings. With a handy EQ and balancing options, you can get the levels just right. Moreover, you can alter your range of audio boosts and make other minor tweaks.
Everyone loves matching accessories.
Are the ROCCAT Syn Pro Air headphones worth it?
Jumping right to the point, the ROCCAT Syn Pro Air headphones are exceptionally good. They are easy to use, well-built, look great and have excellent audio, and lastly, they have a 2-year manufacturer warranty. On top of this, they are lightweight, have plenty of gaming boosts, and have an excellent battery life.
However, there are some niggles that tarnish the experience slightly. The Neon app is in the Beta stage, and consequently, it’s a little problematic. Furthermore, the rubberised dust cap for the microphone port is unsightly. If a harder and sleeker material was used, it would have been more subtle and in keeping with the sublime finish. Finally, connecting to an Android device is hit and miss. When it works, it is phenomenal. But when it fails, it is thoroughly disappointing. Luckily, I experienced no issues when playing on PC, PlayStation or Nintendo Switch.
Summary.
At £129.99, these headphones are considered a mid-range price point. Subsequently, you get an awful lot of bang for your buck. They are jam-packed with features, offer excellent sound and mic quality, and are built to last. Moreover, they look and feel fantastic. It’s for these reasons that I recommend you to buy them here!
Here is our review of the MyFirst Headphones BC Wireless Lite.
Unlike traditional headphones, BC Wireless lite uses bone conduction technology to transmit sound via the cheekbones. This technology leaves ears open to the surrounding sounds. Audio is set to an appropriate volume, ensuring safe levels of listening to the child.
Bone conduction technology allows for music to be transmitted via the cheekbones. Kids can listen to music while remaining alert outside.
The box contains the headphones, manual, charging cable, earplugs and stickers.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The headphones are very lightweight, weighing it at only 28g. They are easy to carry around and when worn they are comfortable (according to my trusty almost 6 year old assistant).
To charge the headphones, you place one end of the charger into a USB port and the other end into the headphones themselves. Fully charged, which takes around 90 minutes, the headphones will last for around 5 hours of playback.
Pairing the headphones with a device was simple and in no time at all they were ready to use. Place on them comfortably on your child (or have them do it themselves) and that’s it.
Sound quality was really good, and the volume can be controlled using a button on the headset.
The great thing about these headphones is that they don’t cover your child’s ears so they can still hear any important sounds around them yet still listen to whatever they want to.
The MyFirst Headphones BC Wireless Lite are available now priced around £54.
I can’t say that I’m the biggest fan of visual novels, but there was something about Blake that compelled me to give it a shot. There’s no voice-acting in the game, so if you really hate having to read when playing a video game, then this one most certainly isn’t for you.
The game takes place sometime in an unknown future, with technology having absorbed almost every part of most people’s everyday lives. Something as simple as a sheet of paper is something that 30-year-olds in this timeline have probably never seen before.
Blake: The Visual Novel, as the name implies, is a visual novel with a few different paths that you can experience depending on the choices that you make throughout the game. In that sense, the narrative also paves the way for at least a second playthrough, which I definitely recommend doing. In this game, you play as Blake, a 31-year-old who works for one of the best, if not the best, tech companies in the world. Blake is relatively new in the company, but that doesn’t stop him from garnering the attention of his boss and colleagues.
There’s a decent amount of exposition when you get to hang with your co-workers, but while Blake has its fair share of twists, it also has plenty of moments where it feels like the dialogue doesn’t make much sense. There’s one particular moment where, after revealing a tragic event from a character’s early days, Blake and that character quickly move on to the next topic.
The game barely gave me any time to get attached to most of its characters, but even the ones with tons of screen time didn’t react in ways that I was expecting them to when faced with certain circumstances. I wouldn’t say that the characters feel cold or emotionless, but it’s almost as if the part of a conversation when people are supposed to reflect on what has happened to them just isn’t there.
With that being said, as the story unfolds itself, there were plenty of moments where I was genuinely surprised. The game constantly challenges your logic and makes you second-guess yourself with every new revelation. I think it’s even fair to say that this is a detective game, since Blake’s adventure revolves around dealing with an unconventional enemy while trying to unravel a series of mysterious circumstances in which he finds himself.
It took me about 2.5 hours to beat the game on my first playthrough, so this game isn’t a major time commitment. If you’re looking for something that’s short, and which you can easily play through in an afternoon or an evening, then Blake will certainly be a good choice. Although it might not groundbreaking in any way, it’s still a good visual novel, with some decision-making and consequences, that managed to grab my attention from start to finish.
Despite some genuinely funny and happy moments, I still think that Blake tells a pretty grim tale. The overall mood has its ups and downs, but the whole game ends up being all about an unexpected tragedy. It’s a pretty short game, but it’s also pretty cheap. Although I’m not too keen on the game’s endings, I still don’t regret the journey that led me to that point.
Blake: The Visual Novel can be funny and captivating, but it’s also sad and melancholic. Besides the few nitpicks that I’ve already mentioned, I think the game has something for everyone. Whether you’ll see the game’s twists coming your way or not, that’s only something you can answer yourself. My only warning is to not be discouraged by the game’s slow start, as the plot really picks up the pace the further you’re into the game. Whether you’re a huge fan of visual novels or not, I’d really recommend you give this one a shot.
Based on the board game of the same name, The Captain is Dead is an action-packed, turn-based, sci-fi survival game from Thunderbox Entertainment. Survival is probably a red herring; this game is designed to make you fail. Even on the easiest of settings, it’s excruciatingly difficult. You may end up hating it for this, but I found it addictive.
It’s a tongue-in-cheek blend of Star Trek parody and Douglas Adams comedy and it works well. So, perhaps today is a good day for your starship to blow up. Repeatedly.
Gameplay
The basic premise of the game is your Star Trek-like ship is attacked and on fire, your captain is dead, and you’ve got to get your jump core online to escape. The game starts with you selecting your crew from an available list of people, all with different abilities and powers that will enable you to do different things in the game such as skip alerts, repair subsystems and defeat enemies.
The game is turn-based so in each round, an alert will happen (this could be enemies beaming aboard, an attack on the shields, a parasite, a computer explosion etc.) and then you cycle through your selected crew. With the crew member selected you can perform a certain number of actions such as repairing what’s broken, repelling those intruders and of course, repairing the jump core. It’s important to manage your resources, and trade skills between crew so you can achieve tasks during your turn. This might sound a little complex, but the tutorial does wonders in taking you through the game mechanics and is recommended as a starting point.
There’s a handy side panel that can be used to quickly see how your ship is faring and what alerts are going to be coming up to help you strategise.
The Captain is Dead is designed to be your very own Kobayashi Maru, for non-Star Trek fans that’s an unwinnable situation, and the whole event will quickly descend into chaos as you frantically try and stay alive. Admittedly, that’s the game’s frustration and fun.
Graphics and Audio
The design of the ship, characters, and aliens are very stylised polygon art and it’s a visual delight to look at. The Captain is Dead will undoubtedly give you familiarity, but it’s easy to see the Star Trek references. The omnipotent alien teaching you in the tutorial is very much Q (dressed in the Judge outfit and talking about mon capitane!), the counsellor looks like Guinan and when you talk about the cyborg, it’s all about assimilation.
The game is well-drawn but simplistic, and the environments are fun, colourful if not a little busy at times. I didn’t run into any graphical glitches personally, so it all felt smooth. I will say this style isn’t for everyone. The simplistic nature of the designs, both in terms of the blocky nature and flat colours, will put people off.
In terms of audio, there is a fun poppy vibe which can feel a little repetitive, but thankfully the sounds of alarms and explosions will drown that out most of the time. In terms of dialogue, the narrator for the tutorial is well-acted but sadly the crew are lacking in dialogue lines and so that can also feel a little repetitive. While these may seem like negative points, I will say none of this truly impacted my enjoyment of the game.
Is The Captain is Dead a Good Game?
The Captain is Dead is frustrating and will make you want to warp 9 to the nearest black hole. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t fun. You will struggle to survive, but I can guarantee you’ll be resetting the game to try again. And again. And again. Like the best temporal loop episode of Star Trek, it’s the game that will keep on giving.
No matter where you look, there always seems to be a sale. Whether it is clothing, furniture, or electrical, we are spoilt for choice. Amazon is one of the lead websites for fantastic deals, and there is always a bargain to be found. Switchbot aims to capitalise on the hype of Prime day with its week-long sale.
Prime day ironical spans the 12th and 13th of July, so it should be called Prime days. However, that is of little significance as Switchbot has upped the ante. Instead of 2 days, they are running a sales event from the 7th of July through to the 13th. What’s more, they are also joining the Prime event for further savings. With a whopping 35% off their fantastic products, you can grab some wonderful tech for a fraction of the cost.
Switchbot LED strip light UK usersAdd some colour to your household lights.A handy thermostat with mobile phone app.
We love these products.
I and Andrew Edney have both covered Switchbot products. Consequently, we love what this company sells. I looked at the Pan/Tilt camera, whereas Andrew focused on the Curtain Rod device. These convenient household accessories automate your home with minimal fuss. On top of this, they are affordable, robust, and great for the tech-savvy or safety-conscious consumer.
Switchbot sells an array of fantastic products from LED strip lights, cameras, automated curtain rods, solar panels, and hubs. Their technology works in sync and this ensures a user-friendly approach. With one key app, you are in total control. Subsequently, you needn’t worry about messy wires and complicated setups. No, instead, you unbox your goods, place them where you want, and get on with your day.
Automate your curtains with the Curtain Rod.Household security or pet camera, you decide.
Why buy Switchbot?
With massive discounts on their most popular ranges, you’d be crazy not to have a look. If you are in the market for a new piece of tech, drop by the Switchbot site. Between the 7th of July and the 13th put in code 35PRIMESB for your 35% discount. Alternatively, if you are shopping on the Amazon site between the 12th of July and the 13th, input 35PRIMESB to make further savings.
Saving money on fantastic technology is one thing, but how about you get a chance to win a top mobile device? Switchbot has gone all out to spoil anyone who orders from them between July 7th and July 13th 2022. Buy one of their products from Amazon or Switchbot.com, and be entered into the draw for a chance to win one of 50 iPhone 14s. Further to this, 10% off coupons will be distributed from June 30th to July 6th 2022 for its newly released products, more information can be found here.
Will you win the latest phone? Heavy savings will be made.
(More information on Switchbot can be found here!)
Some games radiate a certain kind of charm the instant you sit down to play them. It’s a special moment, and one that doesn’t occur all to often. However, when it does, you know you are in for a real treat. This is the exact feeling I garnered when I booted up FixFox for the first time.
FixFox is a top-down puzzle game with exploration elements. It was created by a one-person developer by the name of Rendlike. He stated on his blog that visiting a peace memorial in Hiroshima inspired him to create games that promoted kindness and friendship. Well, Rendlike. I’d just like to say this. Mission accomplished! This game is both awesome and unbelievably wholesome.
Story
Setting
FixFox takes place in the far-off distant future. Technological feats such as traversing the universe and sentient AI units, are all rather mundane concepts. These advancements unfortunately led to a continuous state of blisteringly cold weather on Earth. To survive this intense climate change, the entirety of mankind was forced to modify their DNA.
The procedure, simply referred to as splicing, transformed the body into some variation of a humanoid animal. This provided humans with fur to cope with the freezing climates, along with the ability to go into hibernation. The latter of these proved to be exceedingly useful for long distant space travel, as it helps to conserve on food resources.
Narrative
The protagonist of our tale is a Fox by the name of Vix. She works in the field of Space Pioneering Astronics Circuits Repair, otherwise abbreviated to as SPACR. In short, this is the title given to specialised mechanics that travel to various regions of outer space to repair broken machinery.
Although working as a SPACR is a dream come true for Vix, she doesn’t particularly excel at it. In fact, she’s so bad that upper management is now threatening to fire her over her poor performances. Naviko, a celebrity AI and boss that Vix reports too, manages to pull some strings to grant her one last opportunity to save her career.
The task, which nobody else would seemingly take on, is to repair a nav beacon which has recently gone silent. The only problem with this is the planet is located in an untraversed area of the universe. Determined to save her career, Vix, and her AI companion Tin, set course for the mysterious planet Karamel.
Wholesome, yet bizarre
From this point on, the scope of the story becomes much more grandiose. There are a lot of unexpected twists and turns, and many of them emulate real world problems we are facing today. I strongly suggest that you play this game spoiler free, as doing so elevates the narratives ideologies massively.
Simply put, I loved this story. It captured my imagination in a way that few other titles have recently. The wholesome and laid-back structure, mixed with the odd and humorous NPCs, made for one incredibly memorable adventure.
Gameplay
Puzzles
Scattered throughout the planet are various broken machines that need to be repaired. Lacking any proper tools, you are forced to scour the planet to find random junk which can be used in their place. There are a myriad of items to discover including coins, plasters, toothbrushes and dusters, amongst other things.
Interacting with a broken object will take you to a repair puzzle sequence. This presents you with the internal layout of an electrical device. You have to figure out which components are broken, then analyse how you will go about fixing them. This is where our makeshift tools come into play. For example, coins will be used in place of a flathead screwdriver to loosen screws. Whereas things like toothbrushes will be useful for cleaning off any grime or rust.
The repair puzzles are fairly enjoyable, and do accurately represent the creative zaniness of FixFox. Having said that, there are some issues I have with the system. One massive detractor is the fact that puzzles never evolve or ramp up in difficulty. I kept waiting for advanced mechanics to be revealed, but disappointingly, they never came. I can only hope that the untapped potential for these puzzles will be unlocked in future iterations.
There are also different puzzles outside of the standard repair-based ones. These boil down to basic management and navigation puzzles. While they are a nice change of pace, and help to keep things feeling fresh, they suffer the same major problem as the repair puzzles.
Exploration
There are a vast number of locales in the game to discover, each with their own themes and identities. You’ll find NPCs that are more than willing to help you out on your journey. Some of these even provide Vix with a nice homegrown meal in the process. The different regions will supply Vix with unique tools, making it much more imperative to get out there and explore.
There is one very annoying mechanic that happens ad nauseam though. At random points, with seemingly no trigger, the current layout of the map will shift and change completely. For instance, areas that were located on the far east might now be located in the north west. Why this design choice was implemented is beyond me, but it did prove to be rather aggravating at times.
Art
The colourful pixelated artwork that accompanies this game is yet another example of the FixFox charm. While it’s not going to blow you away with graphical fidelity, or impress you with state of the art realism, it does harbour a certain ambience.
The various environments encountered in the game feel cosy and effervescent in their presentation. The aforementioned puzzles have an old school point and click vibe, and are very similar to the likes of The Secret of Monkey Island. Additionally, characters personalities shine in this art style, with their expressions visibly changing depending on their mood.
Audio
The music in FixFox captures the relaxed atmosphere to perfection. It is full of catchy chiptunes tracks, most of which coincide with the whimsical moments. Fittingly, these feel like something you’d hear on a dubious old piece of software. In addition to this, there are a number of bombastic orchestral pieces. These really serve to enhance the story driven sequences phenomenally.
You also have short musical motifs that are linked to each character. These themes directly corelate with their personality, and help to magnify any sort of tropes or traits they may have. The sound effects in FixFox work very well alongside the art direction. There is a certain campy glamour to them, and they often feel as though they’ve been taken straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon.
Its worth noting here that the music is one of the sole elements not created by Rendlike. Instead, it is credited to Aleix Ramon. Kudos to you Sir for creating an awesome and varied OST.
Conclusion
FixFox is an exceptionally memorable puzzle adventure game. The characters and environments radiate a wholesome and positive energy, similar to something you’d see in a Pixar short. The gameplay is laid-back and enjoyable, though it does lack some substance in the puzzle solving sequences. If your interested in a game that will tug on your heart strings, or simply want something you can relax too, then I highly recommend you pick this up.
The thought of bedbugs, fleas, worms, and other creepy crawlies makes my skin itch. These tiny nibbling and mostly blood-sucking beasts cause all sorts of problems. Therefore, I’ve never considered them to be hero material. Accordingly, it was a bit of a surprise when they play the key roles in Parasite Pack.
Developed by Lowtek Games and published by Ratalaika Games, this is an old-school indie title. It comprises two very different games that’ll test patience, planning, and reactions. The first is Flea, and the second, Tapeworm Disco Puzzle. The latter is a Snake/Lemmings-style title that focuses on path-based puzzles. The other is a hardcore 2D platformer that is frustrating and brutally difficult.
Wriggle and writhe through every passage.
Parasite Pack: two games, no story.
I was surprised that both games had little to no plot. Instead, there is a reliance on parasitic characters and their minor role in each level. This bizarre idea creates a shallow experience that is somehow moreish and challenging. Moreover, the simplicity and basic concepts require little effort to master. Consequently, you’ll fly through the early stages with ease.
Flea demands two key elements. First, collect the vials of blood on each stage. Second, avoid the spikes as you leap from surface-to-surface. Unfortunately, the flea can’t stand still and is constantly jumping. This makes avoiding obstacles challenging while ensuring that accuracy is a must.
Tapeworm Disco Puzzle is more relaxed. In this title, you have a set amount of moves to collect the musical notes. At certain stages, you can collect tapes to increase your options, but this happens rarely. Instead, you must undo any steps, and create a new path to collect the remaining collectables. Like Flea, there are some enemies to avoid, so forward-thinking is needed.
Darn mosquitos.
Bosses alter the approach.
Many of the levels follow a similar approach. You must collect items, avoid enemies and traps, and get to an end goal. Consequently, both titles risked becoming mundane early on. Luckily, the developers prevented the action from becoming tedious with the introduction of new foes, elements, and timely boss levels. With giant bugs, maggots, sinking sand, teleporters, and more, you are kept entertained.
Alongside this, the boss battles up the pace and takes a whole new approach. Flea asks you to bounce as quickly as possible while avoiding the traps and the chasing boss. Tapeworm Disco Puzzle, on the other hand, uses the classic Snake mechanics. No longer do you have a laid-back methodical puzzle. In its place, you must twist and turn through a maze while completing the objectives. I loved the change of pace and style, as it kept me hooked on the action. The only thing I would change is that it happened more often. The gap between the boss battles was too large. Subsequently, this made the core gameplay feel a little padded out.
Parasite Pack is gloriously old-school.
Both games have used a similar art style. With pixelated imagery and a fixed-screen perspective, it is reminiscent of early handheld consoles. What’s more, the simple but vivid colour palette was rough but excellent to look at. What was also great was the contrast between enemies, traps, and the scenery. With a distinct look, it was easy to differentiate between each element.
The retro approach continued in the basic but fun soundtrack. The use of folksy and upbeat songs injects energy into both titles. Alongside this, 8-Bit sound effects complete the dated ideas while complementing the theme and artistic style.
Jump, jump, jump.
Basic but tight controls.
Because of the hardcore platforming moments, it was key that the controls were great. Luckily, the responsive, basic, but well-thought-out layout worked extremely well. Moreover, this was also essential during the boss levels. Had the controls been dire, Parasite Pack would have been a horrible failure.
Other than the desire to finish each title, Parasite Pack has little replay value. Yes, Tapeworm Disco Puzzle can be played cooperatively, but this doesn’t add too much, sadly. Luckily, though, there is some longevity, and this makes it good value for money.
Parasite Pack: an unusual indie game.
Getting two games for the price of one is strange, but Parasite Pack ups the ante. Thanks to the unusual protagonists, minimalist plot, and simple approach, it’s unlike other games. However, I loved its unusual ways and oddly addictive gameplay. It is for these reasons that I recommend that you buy it here! Parasites aren’t your usual heroes. Yet, in this case, you’ll want these disgusting creatures to survive to live another day.
Here is our review of the Orb Mini Arcade Machine.
Relieve hours of video game nostalgia with the Micro Arcade Machine! Loaded with 240 fun games, this console is integrated with an enhanced screen rear light to suit both bright and dim lighted environments.
Features
240 Built-in 8-Bit Games
1 Player, winner stays on
8-way control joystick and 2 buttons
80’s Inspired Retro Gaming
Requires 3 x AA Batteries
What’s in the box?
The box contains the Mini Arcade and some instructions.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The Mini Arcade contains 240 games, so there’s going to be something for everyone to play, although don’t expect to see big recognisable games – although there are plenty of clones of games like Space Invaders.
The Mini Arcade requires 3 AA batteries, although you might want to have a few spare on hand as they don’t last very long if you are playing a lot!
The controls are very simple (just like arcade machines of old) – you have a joystick to move, an A and B button depending on the game and three controls buttons – reset, volume and start.
The cabinet looks like arcade cabinets of old, lots of colourful stickers – to really takes you back.
The 2.5″ screen is fairly clear and is the best you are going to get from such a small screen.
The Orb Mini Arcade Machine is a lot of fun to play – it’s just a shame the games aren’t the originals, but you will still have fun.
The Orb Mini Arcade Machine is available now priced around £24.99.
Most road users hate cyclists. Just the sight of a lycra-clad individual or group makes their blood boil. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and that’s when they are competing. The Tour de France is a world-famous race that convinces people that cycling is cool. Consequently, these new fans can try to become elite athletes in Tour de France 2022.
Developed by Cyanide and published by Nacon, this is a sports simulation title. If this isn’t your thing, you’d be excused for thinking it’s the Bore de France. But don’t be put off just yet! I was surprised by the level of depth, the competitive edge, and how much fun I had. Therefore, bear with me as I dissect the finer points.
Tour de France 2022 surprised me.
Being a keen cyclist, the thought of playing Tour de France 2022 wasn’t that shocking. Yet, I can understand why others would be put off. It must be difficult to see how it could be fun or challenging. What’s more, would you really want to keep playing a potentially repetitive game?
Though many of the races follow a similar pattern, they are always unique and this makes it fascinating. With different teams vying for their agendas, you never know where you stand. Furthermore, each rider in your team has strengths and weaknesses that suit different events. Consequently, it is a tactical and logistical nightmare to get everything right.
Minor errors undermine every plan you make. Therefore, you must rely on your team and the NPCs to get you through every course. If they consider you not to be pulling your weight, you’ll get dropped. Subsequently, you must weigh up your options and never rest on your laurels. As I said, it is a tactical nightmare that can unravel at any moment.
A lovely day for a ride
Stamina, team orders, and the wind.
When you are racing 100s of kilometres every day, it is understandably exhausting. However, you must push yourself if you wish to win, master the sprint, be King of the Hill, or stay with the peloton. In order to do this, you must maintain your energy, use your gels wisely, and rely on team orders to get through.
Each race asks you to ride in a group to conserve your energy levels. You have 2 to monitor, red and blue. The red is for sprinting, and the blue is for long-distance. These can be maintained if you coast behind other riders and shelter from the wind. If you don’t do this, you will battle with the elements and “blow up” too early. Therefore, this is where team orders are essential. Your group of riders must work together to protect the leader. This is a fine art and one that takes a lot of practice to get right.
You may choose to surround your leader to keep them sheltered. Alternatively, you can attack to stretch the group and break up the flow of the race. Whatever you decide to do, it will impact your team. Therefore, planning, patience, and using your strengths are a must if you wish to win.
Work together as a team and win the race.
Plenty of modes.
The best sports games have plenty to do. Luckily, Tour de France 2022 is packed with options. With custom tours, online leaderboards, and team and individual careers to experience, it’ll keep you busy. The career options are tough, rewarding, and take over your life. Moreover, if you get hooked on this, you won’t be able to put it down.
Team mode.
The team career mode asks you to balance the books while hiring the best riders. You have the choice of who makes the cut and how you specialise your group. However, the aim is to make a rounded bunch that can challenge on all fronts. Subsequently, you must find the best leader, sprinter, mountain climber, and all-rounder to win every tour.
Ride solo in Tour de France 2022.
If you are all about individual glory, then select the Pro Leader option. Here, you can choose your discipline and the events to enter. You are still part of a team, but your success is based on individual performance. By riding well, and completing your goals, you can become a leader and a champion of each “grand race”.
The casual option is not so casual after all.
If an in-depth and demanding career is not your thing, then dive straight into Race mode. Here, you can create a tour, undertake any race you wish, and ride for glory. However, this casual mode isn’t so casual. Instead, each race takes hours to complete and you must abide by the same mechanics. Consequently, it is drawn out, demanding, and oh so rewarding.
This is also true of the Race of the Moment. These limited-time events ask you to compete against global players. With a variety of challenges to attempt, it isn’t as full-on as other modes. Instead, it’s a little more relaxed, but just as competitive, nonetheless.
Feel the roar of the repetitive crowd.
Tour de France 2022 is great to play, but it looks dated.
Graphics aren’t everything, but a modern finish is nice to have. Sadly, Tour de France 2022 looks like it was picked from 2018 to 2019. Its poor textures and clunky animations are disappointing. However, it doesn’t ruin the game, it just makes it less realistic.
Unfortunately, the audio is also a letdown. With repeated soundbites, uninspiring sound effects, and dull commentary, it’s underwhelming. Fortunately, there were some fleeting moments that worked, but these were limited. It would have been nice to have more variety in crowd noises and a choice of background music. As it is, the lack of energy makes longer stints a little dull.
The controls are great.
With an array of tactics to use, drinks to swallow, wind to avoid, and more, this could have been horrendous to play. Thankfully, the responsive controls and excellent UI prevent this from happening. The easy-to-follow tutorial explains the fundamentals and, therefore, you’ll understand the basics immediately.
Every event is a full-on experience that takes hours to complete. Yes, you can simulate or skip through races, but that defeats the purpose of the game. If you play this as intended, you’ll enjoy a deep title with plenty of longevity and replay value.
Tour de France 2022: as gruelling as the real thing.
Those crazy athletes that undertake the Tour de France are special. They put their mind and body through some horrific ordeals. However, you can feel their pain from the comfort of your sofa. It shouldn’t have been so enjoyable, but I was hooked immediately. It is tactically brilliant, challenging, and gruelling. For these reasons,I recommend you to buy it here! Grab your lycra, bike, and team, and race to become the next big thing.
First off, Sonic has always been a blast to play, just as much as if I was playing any of the Super Mario Bros. games. However, there are memories I hold dear as a child playing these types of classic games with my twin sister. Especially when it comes to the Sega Genesis system, with all those fun and classic Sonic the Hedgehog games.
What’s great about this game, Sonic Origins is that you are now able to enjoy a few of the best Sonic classic games on your Xbox or Nintendo Switch consoles. Plus, from what I got to try with the Xbox One version, it includes Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD. Also, some additional game content as well! Honestly, they are all great games and I love it even better that you get the first, second, and the third game on the same one download for the console. Many in the past gave you just the first and second, but you get all three and extra with Sonic Origins.
On top of that, there are a few additional key features that you wouldn’t normally find in the traditional game, but don’t worry you can still play the original version of the game anytime you like. However, if you’d like to try out these new remastered additions, then be prepared to play the games with a little bit more exciting features. Some will include the ability to add additional lives to your game, no more short lifespan, and the game-ending so soon. So if you keep falling off that ledge, hit by the same robotic enemy, or maybe drown in the water, well you got plenty of lives to keep going and getting better and better at it!
Also, for the special Anniversary Mode, which allows you the ability to enjoy extra lives you can even watch everything, all the fast-paced action on a full screen. No wide or short window to peer into. Oh, and the fun doesn’t stop there, choosing to do a few fun new missions that the normal game didn’t include, you can now use earned coins to unlock new content. So the more you earn the more you unlock, and if you love those special rounds, well go right ahead and play them as much as you like, no more need to find a large ring, end of the level, or access it in any other way. It’s all available as is new content in the game.
How Was The Game
I actually was proud to have had a chance to take the Xbox One version for a test drive and oh my, it is just like my past is flowing right back to me! Even with the few new features from the beginning, from the startup of each game and with the HD graphic update, I have no complaints. Each of these adds a change, but the one thing I really loved best is the brilliant adjustment of color and the graphics as a whole. It’s just so nice and made the game even more joyful to play.
Especially, just hearing the music, the large word of SEGA, the original and charming characters, and even the devious villains are all still there. No wonder I can’t stop smiling at the joy of playing each game in any order I like. Also, I should mention that Sega Genesis wasn’t the only console that had Sonic, but it was the only one I played growing up, so to still have all these classics and some new content in just one game, Sonic Origins is Awesome!
So with all those added missions, better graphics, better sound, the same great art in each level, and the gameplay that everyone loved from playing Sonic in general, especially me. The game is remarkable being remastered and spectacular! My childhood may still be there, but so is more fun and modern gameplay with this new stuff added. Who doesn’t love something more than what they already loved for years?
The games that you get are all amazing:
Sonic The Hedgehog
This is normally a single-player game with so many fun adventurous worlds you need to speed across or walk through if you prefer. As you know Sonic, he likes to move fast! However, you can also choose Tails or Knuckles in the Anniversary Mode. That right there is totally awesome! You don’t just need to play the first game ever created as Sonic, but now you have a choice.
Of course, the levels are all the same, and so is the digital design of the game as well as the characters. However, it might be me, but everything just appears clearer and brighter looking. Anywho, now with the chance of playing as any character, you can travel through each different level, like Green Hill, Marble Zone, and many others. There are just a few specials to uncover as well, but mainly these are all the normal levels you’ll get to endure during the game. Everyone is still full of obstacles and bad guys all over, it’s action-packed type levels with the third stage being Robotnik trying to take you down.
In the past, if you lose all your guys; lives, you wouldn’t be able to continue. So it was a hard game to accomplish if you die so soon and easily after getting so far. So it’s not the easiest one to get far in, but the choice of new characters, extra lives, and so on, it may actually not be as bad this time around as it use to be.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
If you loved playing Sonic, well now here comes the game where his cute fox partner joins in. This is when I was first introduced to Tails or Miles. He is a cute fox with two tails and can fly. I’ve always loved playing him as my twin sister would play Sonic. I was always the sidekick in many games. However, I just love the cute fox who was tech-savvy, smart, and can fly!
Now with the different modes, Anniversary Mode you can choose Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails, or Knuckles and Tails together. The one with knuckles and Tails is something I’ve never seen as an option, but a nice addition, I love the two with both having their own unique powers and are just super fun. Makes the entire game even better with so many options of characters and classic fun worlds to play through.
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Now we have Sonic and Tails or Knuckles as a choice. This I loved cause either version was a different game. It played a bit differently cause they had different powers and honestly, I loved Knuckles cause he was new and could glide or slightly act as close to Sonic, but the gliding is why I enjoyed him. He also was pink, and not just a helper for Robotnik, but a good guy this time!
Then you can play as Sonic and Tails and still work your way through the levels like a normal adventure, action-packed game. Of course, they can be played separately too. There wasn’t so much of a difference with the game mode this time. It would play like in the past, especially with character choices. I don’t mind, the game was brilliant as it was, and to have those fun large rings to enter into special locations, for gems well it’s all fun and entertaining to see how fast you can earn them all.
Sonic CD
Honestly, I never even played Sonic CD. So this is already a bonus new game for me in this bundle. It’s something I’m getting to enjoy for the first time. It is full of action, yes that is still there, and even more, things to see and do. It sort of has a similar style as the stages and levels like other games. However, it also reminds me of a 3D style design in some ways or as if it’s trying to be.
The Anniversary Mode gives you a chance to play as Tails and not just Sonic like in the classic game. The game itself has so many unique worlds and different obstacles. A bit trickier than to speed across the screen so easily, in my opinion. However, this game and like the others is still very nice and has many worlds to play through.
Museum
This is something for looking and listening to music. There are photos, videos, and music you can play through the museum and see rankings. It’s not anything but a Museum of everything you’ve seen and done and now have those moments captured. A great place to chill and remember what you’ve accomplished or look back at those moments or characters you want to recall.
Missions
These are just recaps of what has been done from other games. It’s a great mix of all those you’ve played and adds some new changes that might haven’t been played before. Each one is unlocked after playing the other games. It alerts at each start if a new mission has been unlocked.
Final Thoughts
I love Sonic from the past and love it even more or at least equally. Nothing beats those rings, special abilities, and trying to achieve to become supersonic; all yellow and powerful! This game is a step above the classic with every one of the best games in on. I had nothing but high hopes before playing and my hopes stayed high and just got higher, well met! I’m so proud to just play these games over and over, trying each game as much as I like, alone or with a friend as the fun never ends with Sonic!
There is so much more to see, view, hear and just feel entertained. I did come across a few issues of it shutting down on me, messing up my game. Not starting up, had to unplug my console each time to get it to actually start up correctly. It’s a bit buggy sometimes with the movements and I wanted it to be perfect, but these issues take more time to just get to play the game. However, that is the only issue I faced, the rest is about as great as I could wish it to be!
Lastly, a little about me, I collect everything Sonic the Hedgehog, love everything Sonic, and just adore the movies and TV shows. So to tell you the truth I couldn’t say that this classic redone is better but it’s nothing as brilliant as the classic! That is why I can only say that If you love being the blue hedgehog with that super-fast ability, beating robotic bad guys, and taking down Robotnik, then this is the game you’ll truly enjoy and will enjoy for years to come!
