Events

News: EGRET II mini

Daniel Waite

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Aug 9, 2022

In 1996, the EGRET II arcade cabinet was released and was a raving success. Roll on 26 years and the EGRET II mini can now be purchased. There is no doubt that this retro machine will have old-school gamers salivating. As such, owning one of these limited edition consoles will be tough.

So, why is this machine so popular? Well, everyone adores a great retro game, and this comes preloaded with some of the best. This console comes preloaded with 40 awesome arcade classics and has some excellent modern features. What’s more, there is an array of additional controllers, a rotating monitor, and HDMI output. Alongside this, there is an SD slot to add more games and integrated sound through stereo speakers.

The EGRET II Mini looks fantastic with its Western exclusive blue colour scheme. — Check out this awesome retro machine.

Why buy it when you can emulate them for free?

Now, retro gaming isn’t new! As such, there are plenty of emulators and ROMs available. However, the EGRET II mini is a must for those that wish to impress. Not only does it perform perfectly, but it looks cool as hell as well. I mean, who doesn’t want a replica arcade cabinet in their gaming room or man/woman cave? Hell, I know I do.

This is the market that this console is aimed towards. Gamers who have some spare cash and a desire to have a conversation starter. Furthermore, it’s amazing to choose from an array of excellent titles, and whoop your mates like you are back in the 80s.

The EGRET II Mini has a rotating monitor to support more games. — Check out the rotational screen.

What titles come with the EGRET II mini?

Build quality isn’t in question, nor can I fault the array of peripherals on offer. However, my biggest concern if I were to invest, would be the inbuilt games. Therefore, let’s look at what’s on offer.

Space Invaders 1978	Lunar Rescue 1979
Steel Worker 1980	Lupin the Third 1980
QIX 1981	Pirate Pete 1982
Adventure Canoe 1982	Elevator Action 1983
Chack’n Pop 1983	Outer Zone 1984
The FairyLand Story 1985	The Legend of Kage 1985
Bubble Bobble 1986	Halley’s Comet 1986
Kiki Kaikai 1986	Scramble Formation (Tokio) 1986
Rastan Saga (Rastan) 1987	Kyukyoku Tiger (Twin Cobra) 1987
Rainbow Islands Extra 1988	The NewZealand Story 1988
Ramais 1988	TATSUJIN (Truxton) 1988
DonDokoDon 1989	Violence Fight 1989
Cadash 1989	Volfied 1989
Mizubaku Adventure (Liquid Kids) 1990	Gun Frontier (Gun & Frontier) 1990
Runark (Growl ) 1990	Hat Trick Hero (Football Champ) 1990
The Ninja Kids 1990	Metal Black 1991
RayForce (Gunlock) 1993	Kaiser Knuckle (Global Champion) 1994
Bubble Symphony (Bubble Bobble II) 1994	Elevator Action Returns (Elevator Action II) 1994
Darius Gaiden 1994	Dan-Ku-Ga 1994
Puzzle Bobble 2X (Bust-a-Move Again) 1995	Bubble Memories 1995

And the additional 10 on the SD expansion card:

Marine Date 1981	Strike Bowling 1982
Birdie King 1982	Arkanoid 1986
Plump Pop 1987	Arkanoid: Revenge of DoH 1987
Syvalion 1988	Cameltry 1989
Arkanoid Returns 1997	Puchi Carat 1997

I think we can all agree that there is something for everyone. Consequently, the EGRET II mini will be a welcome distraction from modern gaming. I know we all love COD, Fifa, and Elden Ring, but these are time-consuming endeavours. Instead, burn up some time with these mindless but addictive titles.

Technical aspects.

Measurements: 150mm (width) x 200mm (depth) x 209mm (height)
Maximum Power Current: 1.65 A (Console only)
Recommended Power Source: Above 5V/2.4A (12W)
Included Titles: 40
LCD Display: 5inch LCD display (Aspect ratio 4:3, resolution 1024×768)
Ports: SD card slot, power inlet (USB Type-C), HDMI port (for TV usage), 3.5mm headphone jack, 2 controller ports (USB Type-A)

What’s in the box of the EGRET II mini – Limited Blue Edition?

EGRET II mini – Limited Blue Edition
USB Type-C charging cable & HDMI cable (2m)
EGRET II mini – Paddle and Trackball Game Expansion Set
Instruction panel and exchangeable mini instruction cards (Japanese)
Taito 70^th/ZUNATA 35^th Anniversary Soundtrack (4 CDs)
Taito Arcade Strategy Book for the 50 included titles

Three additional controllers.

The EGRET II mini - Paddle and Trackball game Expansion Set.

This optional, special controller for the EGRET II mini uses the classic arcade control methods and includes 10 additional titles that take advantage of this feature on an SD card!

This optional, special controller for the EGRET II mini uses the same layout as the arcade itself, with 6 control buttons and a joystick that can be switched between 8 and 4-directions. Allows for 2 player battle or co-op.

This optional, special controller for the EGRET II mini uses a more home console-oriented layout, for those players who are more used to playing with modern console controllers. Allows for 2 player battle or co-op.

Summary.

The EGRET II mini is currently available for pre-order in the exclusive Western colour scheme. Alongside this, 3 different controllers can be purchased separately for the authentic experience. If you love retro gaming, then look no further than this miniature old-school arcade console.

_{(More information on ININ can be found here!)}

Review: Farm Manager 2022

Natosha M

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Aug 9, 2022

0

Do you love the idea of running your own farm, taking care of everything by overseeing what goes on and what to do if things get troublesome? How about, do you enjoy a game that allows you to not only play on your own but also have a choice to challenge and build skills by going through a few career modes related to farming? Then maybe you should give the Farm Manager 2022 version a try! it’s the newest game for Nintendo Switch and will help you learn what it takes to run a farm and keep things thriving day by day.

Plus, there are so many fun challenges and plenty of engagement that as a manager, you’ll be required to handle. Don’t always think that employees are the only ones that do all the work, you aren’t just going to be standing around and watching. Instead, you’ll be involved with the important role of making important decisions, affording employees, and dealing with purchasing farming equipment, livestock, and many more items or buildings to add to the farm. Plus, with the weather changes and the occurrence of any type of disaster that may hit, you’ll need to know how to handle all of that as well! So do you think you have what it takes to be a farmer, but most importantly the manager of a farm? If so, then come check out what is in store for you in this game.

🚜 How Was The Game 🚜

The game starts out with four main gaming options, but mainly the one that really is worth trying is the one that relates to your understanding of the game better. That would be playing through the tutorial mode, and even better is to move forward and choose the second option that helps you learn and challenge what you were taught through the career mode. Each step and how to move through every piece feature are easily explained and can be acknowledged through these game modes. Since there are plenty of things you’ll need to understand so you can play the game without a problem, perfect beginner game choice.

There is one strange issue I noticed that isn’t the same as in the Xbox game mode, which I don’t recall it to be the same. During, the tutorial mode of the game, which is very easy to understand and play through each step. Yes, it does take time to get used to the controller to access each of the features. Regardless the completion is where it gets a little strange. There isn’t any congratulations or a special word of you created your first farm. Instead, it just returns you quickly to the main menu of the game, allowing you time to choose another one other option down the list to play, or if you want to play the tutorial stage again it’s still there too.

The third option is the Scenario Mode, which gives you certain tasks to accomplish inside an already established farm. You just have to do the task required, mainly told to you from when you select which scenario you’d like to try and also during the game. After completing a few tasks requested, then the stage is completed and you can move toward others which may take time and more work to accomplish. Another mode is great for skill building and adds an additional piece of gameplay to make this game even more interesting.

Lastly, the fourth option is Free Mode, close to playing a sandbox-style game. You are in charge and have no missions or goals to accomplish, it’s just your own personal farm to run and keep thriving. A game mode that is just as simple as telling you, here is a large amount of space and now do what you like and build a farm as big or small as you want. You’ll still have the job as the manager, but no important tasks to accomplish to move forward like in career mode. You just let your creativity go into play.

Now I did have a chance to try this game in the past for the Xbox One console and I honestly always felt this game to be awesome! I even like that now I can have it to play on my handheld Nintendo Switch console, which is also able to be played on the TV, and go with me when I want to play Farm Manager 2022. Additionally, I love the ease it has compared to some other realistic 3D-style farming games. Especially if you are an employee on the farm and not running it from the manager’s point of view.

The features that are included with this game will have you adding buildings, placing and purchasing new machines, and hiring employees to operate and take care of the crops and livestock you decide to buy. Besides purchasing only a few crops and livestock, you will also be able to raise a mixed type of livestock and crops. Plus, if you want you can take some time to oversee the production and operations by taking a close view with the adjustment of the camera and seeing from all sides what is happening and how everything is looking.

Next, there are some challenges like the weather changes that occur. You would have to make sure to know what to plant, how much, or how to care for certain livestock and plants that you are growing to make a profit on and feed. As bad weather can really cause havoc and even buildings may end up burning up in flames causing you to lose a building or requiring you to spend more money on repairs or replacement. That practically goes with a bunch of things that the weather can do. Then again, not everything lasts and not everything will survive.

In reality, this game brings plenty of realistic challenges and requires planning to keep the funds coming in as well as loans and avoiding disaster along the way. Just like being a tycoon, you will get to be in charge of how well the game plays day by day, all determined by how well you do your job. Plus, to be honest, I love this style of game more than just being a farmer working on the farm. As you are a leader that oversees everything and does what is needed to keep things running.

Lastly, there are two things that were a bit frustrating. I know all the steps are meant to make it easy, but sometimes I did get lost and confused, leading to a huge headache trying to figure out what I need to do to get certain tasks completed. Also, I want to mention that the text sometimes felt too small with so much being mentioned by the woman on top, guiding us through most of the game. For many, it’s just going to have you squinting most of the time. This was an issue I had while playing the Xbox version as well. However, if you get close up to the screen it’ll be easier, or if you just don’t have a problem reading small text, then it’s not the worst issue. Yet, many may suffer this as a problem.

Otherwise, I found nothing to be wrong with the speed, graphics, or sounds in the game. Plus, with so much that you can do during the game, you may think its loading time might stall or cause some type of issues, but in actuality, it didn’t. Everything from the sounds, change of weather, and the graphics and design of objects, characters, and many other items appear are so realistic. Additionally, the gameplay is easy it is to get a hang of, right from the start. You do need to get acquainted with the features as in many games, but after going through the career mode, which also acts like the tutorial stage of the game, everything becomes a piece of cake and from then on, it’s just so much fun to play and play over and over again!

🚜 Final Thoughts 🚜

I love these types of games, simulation games that also can be considered to play like a sandbox game too! It’s got career mode to get you understanding and also learning how to play. Then you have the chance to just build up your farm the way you like. After of course, learning how to play and use the different features, which there are plenty to learn, it does become easier to know how to build and run a farm as a great manager should!

I honestly loved the game, it’s easier to move around, but can be tricky in the beginning. However, it gets simpler after you play the game constantly. I don’t really feel there is anything so easier than Farm Manager as many other games out there that are similar to a simulated farming game. This game makes it easier to view everything on the farm and easily get the job required of you done correctly the first time. Except, some may find it a bit difficult or get confused at times, which can be a good reason to pause the game till you work the farm out and put it together. Also, for the details from the lady at the top of each tutorial, career or scenario mode can be a bit difficult to read. Yet on a good note, you can play the game as much as you like and always change it up, as there is no end to the possibilities and how to become a great manager!

Review: Voyage

Daniel Waite

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Aug 9, 2022

0

https://youtu.be/EAayHss5uvc

Surreal adventure games are nothing new. These odd experiences are open to interpretation and can be wild and whacky. Occasionally, though, they are touching, memorable, and heartfelt. This is exactly what Voyage hopes to impart to its players. Subsequently, it is a very strange title that is confusing, unusual, but oh so beautiful.

Developed by Venturous and published by Ratalaika Games, this is a cinematic puzzle adventure title. It focuses on a collaborative approach, as such, it can be enjoyed solo or cooperatively. I tried both methods and loved each one. Therefore, if you are a lone gamer, you’ll have just as much fun as when you team up with another.

Voyage has clear chapter defining moments. — The light and bubbles indicate a new path that you must take.

Voyage: a short but mesmerising journey.

Normally, I frown whenever the gameplay is too short. This is especially true when I adore what I’m playing. Voyage is over far too quickly and this was disappointing. Set across 8 absurd and bizarre chapters, you and your friend must work together to progress. The core concept revolves around basic puzzles, climbing, pushing and pulling items, and activating switches. Consequently, many of the problems are easy to solve and much of the action is linear. This wasn’t a problem though, as the simplicity allowed me to focus on my crazy surroundings.

The story of Voyage centres around two survivors and their journey to get home. As they explore each level, they are haunted by apparitions of past encounters. These memories give them clues as to how to proceed, but the solutions are still shrouded in mystery. As you progress, you explore some zany and weird locations. By the end, the adventure comes full circle, and the truth is revealed. Without spoiling it for you, the conclusion will tug at your heartstrings. As such, it is a beautifully dramatic story told at a relaxing pace.

The puzzles in Voyage lack complexity. — Pull your boat and continue the adventure.

No violence or words are needed.

Many will say that violence is a key part of any video game. However, I don’t believe it is always necessary. In fact, in Voyage, it wouldn’t be relevant, nor would it be suitable. Accordingly, a combat-free experience is on the cards. During your short time with it, there are no elements of danger. Instead, you enjoy the straightforward puzzles and incredibly detailed landscapes. Whether it’s a dusty desert, gargantuan spaceship, or haunting wasteland, they never fail to impress.

Alongside this, there is no dialogue. You’ll see no text, hear no words, and yet, it’s still an emotional masterpiece. The simple aesthetics and gentle pace are captivating. What’s more, the strange and often shrouded nature of the story holds your attention throughout.

Voyage looks and sounds incredible.

Indie titles have gone from strength to strength, and Voyage is a prime example. Thanks to its stunning looks and amazing audio, you are in for a cinematic treat. Its rich colour palette and wonderful hand-painted landscapes are eye-catching. I cherished the varied and intelligent stage design, but wish they were bigger and more complex. Though much of the action was linear, it lacked repetition, and this kept things fresh.

The audio beautifully complemented each chapter. The varied soundtrack created an eerie and haunting soundscape. Consequently, you quickly become immersed in this strange alien world. With no dialogue, it could have lacked energy or emotion. However, this wasn’t the case! The excellent composition injects pace when needed, and highlights loss and frailty perfectly. I adored every second of this cinematic treat and this is where it truly excels.

Voyage has some stunning locations to explore. — Battle the desert and find the secrets.

A simple game = simple controls.

The opening chapter doubles up as a basic tutorial. This was nice, but it wasn’t entirely necessary. Why? Because the controls are so simple, they are mastered immediately. Furthermore, the responsive inputs and stripped-back UI support it further still. If you play this cooperatively, the controls are even easier. However, solo gamers needn’t worry, as the fundamentals are a cinch to understand.

Where Voyage is lacking is both longevity and replay value. In under an hour, you’ll have completed it and discovered every secret. Subsequently, this was disappointing, as I wanted so much more. Sadly, there is no room for an alternative ending, nor could a New Game + mode be implemented. Luckily, though, the first and only playthrough is so good that it’s worthy of your time.

Voyage is breathtaking.

A game rarely gets most things right. Normally, there are plenty of shortcomings that can be improved. Voyage, however, is simply breathtaking and is, therefore, a stunning indie game. Consequently, I loved it and I recommend you to buy it here! Can you work together to solve the mystery and get home?

Review: HONOR Earbuds 3 Pro

Andrew Edney

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Aug 9, 2022

0

Here is our review of the HONOR Earbuds 3 Pro.

Engineered with world’s first coaxial dual-driver design with a powerful Ø11mm dynamic driver and piezoelectric ceramic tweeter, the HONOR Earbuds 3 Pro delivers a naturally resonant bass and clear melodious treble. Besides having an Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (Adaptive ANC) that recognises ambient sounds and switches to various noise cancellation modes for an immersive and uninterrupted experience, consumers were drawn to the HONOR Earbuds 3 Pro, which is also the world’s first true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds to feature a 5C fast charging technology.

Features

● Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation

● Crystal-clear Audio

● Coaxial Dual-driver Design

● Incredibly Light and Comfortable

● Fast Charging & Long Battery Life

What’s in the box?

The box contains the Earbuds 3 Pro, charging case, charging cable, manual and spare tips.

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

One of the first things you notice about the Earbuds 3 Pro is that they look a lot like Apple’s AirPods Pro, and that’s not a bad thing. These are grey rather than white and actually I prefer the look of the Earbuds 3 Pro. You can get them in white though if you really want to.

The charging case and the earbuds themselves are small and lightweight, making them both easy to carry around when not in use and comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Talking of charging, 5 minutes of charging in the charging cases gives you 2 hours of charge which is delivered using 5C fast charging and provides 65% charge in around 10 minutes. Basically charge up the case and when the earbuds are not in use they will charge ready for you to use. The box contains a charging cable which just needs to be plugged into either a USB port or a USB plug. A full charge gives you around 6 hours and with the 24 hours of charge the case can hold, you shouldn’t run out of battery!

Pairing the Earbuds is really simple and quick and they connect back to the device easily when used again later.

The Earbuds are very comfortable to wear, even for extended periods of time, this is party down to the pressure-equalising front and rear vents.

There are controls on the Earbuds themselves that you can use, or you can use the HONOR AI Space app, or if its just volume controls you want you can do that from your device very easily.

The sounds quality is extremely good and is one of the best I have listened to on earbuds. They have adaptive Active Noise Cancellation which recognises noises in the environment and automatically switches to various noise cancelling modes, and they work very well.

There is also Call Noise AI Cancellation which really helps when making or receiving phone calls. This worked very well with the people I spoke to saying my voice was very clear.

The Earbuds 3 Pro work great with an HONOR phone, however if you want to use them with you iPhone (for example) there isn’t an app. They do work with an iPhone, but you don’t get all the additional features the HONOR AI Space offers.

If you are looking for a high quality comfortable pair of earbuds that have high quality sound and features, and you are looking for an alternative to Apple’s AirPods then you really need to take a look, and listen at the HONOR Earbuds 3 Pro.

The HONOR Earbuds 3 Pro are available now priced around £169.99 and are available in White or Gray.

You can learn more from the HONOR website.

Review: ZR 01 Zen Running shoes

Reviews
Tech

Daniel Waite

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Aug 8, 2022

0

The idea that sports and computer games go hand in hand is an alien concept for many. However, I genuinely believe that plenty of gamers also enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Consequently, when I was offered the ZR 01 Zen Running shoes to try, I leapt at the chance. These stylish, well-built, and lightweight trainers are perfect for amateur athletes as well as more experienced runners.

With many running shoes to choose from, it can be tough to pull the trigger and buy a new pair. Subsequently, we normally stick to tried and tested and familiar brands. I know I’m guilty of this, as I’ve spent years running in Brooks Ghost trainers. However, I’m always open to a new experience, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ZR 01 Zen Running shoes. On top of this, the manufacturer provided a pair of running socks to test the full Zen experience. So, let’s wait no longer and see how these trainers held up.

The ZR 01 shoes look great. — A clean and eye-catching design.

What’s in the box of the ZR 01 Zen Running shoes?

The ZR 01 Zen Running shoes are delivered in a simple compact box. The plain design is straightforward but eye-catching. Some basic words deliver the company ethos and the packaging is fully recyclable. Inside, the shoes are securely packaged and wrapped in a fine layer of tissue paper. Further to this, a cardboard inner lining ensures each trainer maintains its shape.
The ZR 01 Zen Running shoes look fantastic. With a two-toned design and an array of colours, they look and feel amazing. I chose the Mayfly / Lucite Green, but three other options are available. These are neutral shoes with cushioned support. Furthermore, they have a sewn-in sock-fit upper for ultimate comfort. Alongside this, they are made from plant-based material and are vegan approved.

Technical aspects.

Though I love my running gear to look stylish, comfort and build quality are far more important. Luckily, the ZR 01 Zen Running shoes ticks all these boxes and much more. These trainers are designed to be snug at all times. However, purchasing a half or full size above your normal fitting is recommended. I went for the latter option due to my wider feet, and I wasn’t disappointed. With a large toe box area and a tight but reassuring upper, they felt fantastic. Furthermore, the inner cushioning isn’t intrusive and your feet stand in a “normal” position.

This cushioning is important when training at high intensity or simply tackling a longer run. What’s more, the snug design combined with the excellent running socks reduces blisters and “hot spots”. As a result, you experience an effortless training session. Moreover, the stable strike area reduces injury and fatigue. My opening run of around 10 miles lacked the usual breaking in pain. Instead, it was business as normal as the miles faded away. On top of this, I had minimal fatigue in my muscles and there was no noticeable discomfort. This was an excellent result from a new and relatively unknown brand.

The ZR 01 shoes are comfortable to wear. — Snug fitting shoes that are comfortable.

Construction.

I’m used to a traditional eyelet system. However, the ZR 01 Zen Running shoes use an external lace tensioning setup. I found this to be difficult to adjust at first, but easy to manage once familiar with it. The sock-fit upper was similarly received. I prefer a standard ankle design, but this offers more support and reassurance on uneven surfaces.

Talking of surfaces, the ZR 01 Zen Running shoes are designed for road running. Yet, I did tackle some light trails and woodland areas and they coped extremely well. Accordingly, I wouldn’t try anything more rugged as the lighter sole would probably struggle. Further to this, there isn’t a stability option in the range, at present. Yet, the manufacturers will expand their selection in the future to accommodate many runners’ needs.

The ZR 01 Zen Running shoes and their plant-based materials.

What I found fascinating was the mixture of plant-based materials. The ZR 01 Zen Running shoes are constructed from an array of fibres to suit different needs. Furthermore, each element is vegan and has been approved by the Vegetarian Society.

Upper: One-piece sock-fit construction digitally knitted from eucalyptus tree fibres for zoned comfort, support and breathability.
Sockliner: Castor bean foam with a eucalyptus fabric, to cradle your foot.
Midsole: Sugarcane-based foam engineered with a ‘rocker’ design to cushion and glide you into your next stride.
Outsole: Made from FSC-certified natural rubber, it keeps you moving with the right blend of durability, grip and rolling motion.

Are the ZR 01 Zen Running shoes worth it?

With a vast selection of running shoes at your disposal, it can be tough to pick. However, these plant-based trainers certainly stand out from the crowd. Their lightweight design and comfortable and cool material make for an effortless training experience. Furthermore, I felt no discomfort, tightness, or hot spots when wearing them. The snug design is reassuring and the larger sole helps to maintain stability.

On top of this, they look fantastic even though the sock-fit upper wasn’t my cup of tea. Moreover, the road-specific design does limit their use slightly, but this is nothing new. If you enjoy trail or woodland running, then you shouldn’t discredit this product. Instead, you can be assured that they are strong and stable enough for the job at hand.

A final mention goes to the wonderful Zen Running socks. These soft, breathable, and robust socks offer comfort and a blister-free experience. Though they are similar to other market-leading brands, they are environmentally friendly and built to last.

Summary.

If you are environmentally conscious and want a solid and technologically advanced running shoe, then look no further. Not only will your feet look great, but your body will thank you as you burn up the miles. I loved them and I recommend you to buy them here!

_{(More information on the Zen Running Club can be found here!)}

The ZR 01 shoes are awarded the Movies Games and Tech Gold award.

Review: MX Vs ATV Legends

Daniel Waite

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Aug 7, 2022

0

I have a soft spot for sports titles, as I love their competitive ways and the excitement they bring. My go-to games were Fifa, ISS/Pro Evo, or anything related to the Olympics. However, my tastes have evolved and I now love the adrenaline rush of racing titles. I have reviewed RIDE 4, Monster Truck Championship, and more. Therefore, when MX Vs ATV Legends hit my desk, I couldn’t wait to play it.

Developed by Rainbow Studios and published by THQ Nordic, this is a racing simulation title. It has a refined physics system for an ultra-realistic experience. What’s more, it can be played split screen, online, or alone. Further to this, there are some custom options, an excellent career to explore, and a large array of races to win. In short, it is action-packed, adrenaline-fuelled, and exciting to play.

Earn the cash and upgrade every machine. — Upgrade your bike and lead the championship.

MX Vs ATV Legends has a heartwarming story with some gritty riding action.

I love an underdog tale and MX Vs ATV Legends hams this up. You are a rookie rider, a diamond in the rough, if you will. Yet, a farmer sees promise in you and hopes that your skills will bring riders and money to his failing business. Consequently, you form a strong bond and your fledgling career takes off.

With the help of your friends, you form a race-winning team. You unlock new bikes, purchase new gear, and move up the ranks. Alongside this, you are free to ride bikes, ATVs, or UTVs across a variety of terrains. Each event you enter tests your skills and racing abilities. Accordingly, the better you do, the more fans you’ll earn and the bigger your sponsorship deals and prizes become.

Win the crown in the dirt arena. — Time to win the crown in the arena.

Choices, choices.

What makes MX Vs ATV Legends so good is its progress tree. Every decision you make, and how well you race, impacts your career. Subsequently, you’ll experience different events and are likely to receive alternative rewards. Your ultimate goal is to be successful and become a world-famous professional rider.

However, all work and no play make you a very dull boy. Therefore, you can enjoy exploring the open environment, or competing in invitational events. Alongside this, there are also online races and exhibition events to win. Alternatively, you can challenge a friend to some split-screen action. This is an old-school approach that wonderfully enhances the competitive nature of the gameplay.

Disappointingly, though, I had issues with the online servers. Either MX Vs ATV Legends has no following, or the servers are broken. Either way, the potential of online racing and its inevitable shenanigans never happened. Consequently, this was a massive letdown. After all, half the fun of this genre is when you compete with and beat the best global players.

MX Vs ATV Legends looks great.

Sports games are so real-to-life that it is eerie. Thankfully, MX Vs ATV Legends doesn’t disappoint as it has a wonderfully polished finish. I admired its slick action, detailed bikes, and wonderful settings. Visually, it is a trouble-free experience with no frame rate drops or bugs to report. Furthermore, its open-world segments feel vast and inviting, and this juxtaposes the claustrophobic and technical race courses.

If you’ve ever heard a swarm of wasps, you’ll know how every vehicle in this game sounds. A perpetual buzzing noise drowns out every sense. Consequently, each race is a cacophony of sounds that’ll make your head hurt. Now, this isn’t a complaint, as there is some nice variation amongst the vehicles. As you purchase or win a new machine, there are distinct differences that petrolheads will adore. Alongside this, there are some bone-crunching falls and disturbing crashes to enjoy. In short, it is loud, in your face, and the perfect example of modern racing.

MX Vs ATV Legends has a nice array of vehicles. — Jump on 4 wheels and win that series.

Easy to pick up and play.

Normally, I struggle with the advanced elements of this genre. Getting the balance of acceleration and braking is often tough and a bit of a slog. However, MX Vs ATV Legends has an excellent tutorial and forgiving settings. Subsequently, you can jump into the action and enjoy yourself immediately. Yet, this doesn’t mean it’s easy, because it is not. With many difficulty settings and stunts and jumps to master, you’ll struggle to become an expert.

Like its peers, this is addictive and has replay value. Aside from the poor online mode, you’ll want to explore every racing category. Moreover, the technical elements and varied track designs ensure it doesn’t become monotonous or mundane. If you take into account the custom gear for your rider, the fine-tuning of each machine, and the split screen racing, there is an awful lot to do.

MX Vs ATV Legends was a pleasant surprise.

I may love the genre, but I also had my fair share of stinkers to contend with. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised by MX Vs ATV Legends. Its addictive gameplay and adrenaline-fuelled racing are rewarding and fun to experience. What’s more, I loved the number of vehicles and the volume of racing on offer. It is for these reasons that I recommend you to buy it here! Becoming a legend isn’t easy. However, with help from your friends, you’ll make that dream come true.

Spoiler Free Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Andrew Edney

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Aug 6, 2022

0

Spoiler Free Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2

With Sonic the Hedgehog 2 now available to buy, here is our spoiler free review.

Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.

Produced by Paramount Pictures in association with SEGA Sammy Group; an Original Film/ Marza Animation Planet/ Blur Studio production, the world’s favourite blue hedgehog is back for next-level adventure featuring the all-star cast of James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Lee Majdoub with Idris Elba and Jim Carrey.

After settling in Green Hills, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles (Idris Elba), in search of an emerald that has the power to destroy civilisations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.

Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in Sonic The Hedgehog 2 from Paramount Pictures and Sega.

It’s quite rare that movie adaptations of video games are really good. That’s not to say that the movies aren’t fun, but they are rarely really good! I was pleasantly surprised by the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, in fact, it’s one of my son’s favourite movies, which means we have seen it a lot! So when the second movie came out I, and he, was really looking forward to seeing it.

The movie takes place a short while after the first one, Eggman is stuck on the Mushroom planet, Sonic has settled in to his life with the Donut Lord and Pretzel Lady, although at night he becomes Blue Justice. It’s not long before Eggman is back and this time he has company in the form of Knuckles, the last of the Echidna warriors. But this time Sonic has a new friend in the form of Tails – you may remember Tails appeared briefly at the end of the first movie. And so this new adventure begins.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a really fun movie with lots of action, adventure and laughs (watch out for the dance battle which is brilliant) and I would go so far as to say we enjoyed it even more than the first movie, and that’s saying something!

This movie is a must see and must own!

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 is available now on 4K UHD™ + Blu-ray™, Blu-ray^™ and DVD from Paramount Pictures and is currently available to Download & Keep. In addition, fans can also purchase both the new movie and original hit film SONIC THE HEDGEHOG in a 2-Movie Collection on Digital, DVD, Blu-ray™ or 4K UHD™ + Blu-ray™.

Review: The Tale of Bistun

Daniel Waite

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Aug 4, 2022

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I love a good mythological story, as they are intriguing and captivating. What’s more, game developers use a healthy dose of creative licence to add their touches. The Tale of Bistun is a prime example of a classic story with a modern and unusual twist.

Developed and published by Black Cube Games, this is a story-driven action-adventure title. Furthermore, it has a high degree of hack n slash gameplay and oodles of arena-based combat. Alongside this, there is rich lore to explore, a plethora of characters to encounter, and bags of secrets to find. All of this content comes together because of a booming and well-delivered narrative. Consequently, you experience a beautifully paced story that grabs your attention immediately.

The Tale of Bistun is a tale as old as time.

Like all great mythological stories, The Tale of Bistun explores drama, romance, and loss. Its plot revolves around the famous Persian tragic romance “Khosrow and Shirin“. You play the part of Fashad, a stone carver who has lost his memory. As the hero awakens, he is haunted by whispered words. Determined to find the source, he begins his journey. En route, he jogs his memory and discovers a tale of unrequited love. However, this does not deter him as he must find the source of the persistent whispering.

Quite the dramatic plot, but the bite-sized chapters prevent it from becoming overbearing. This was phenomenal, as it allows you to enjoy every twist and moment in your own time. Subsequently, I revelled in my fleeting success and was invested in sorrowful elements.

The Tale of Bistun takes you on a surreal journey. — Take a trip through the surreal world.

Arenas and ungodly powers.

The story focuses on Farhad and his journey. By saving the cursed pomegranate trees, images flood his mind. The further he progresses, and the more trees he saves, the clearer the picture becomes.

But how does he save them? Well, this is where the arena battles come into play. Every chapter comprises an array of fights with varying enemies. You’ll face off with bats, goblins, orcs, trolls, and more. Each of these ghastly creatures has strengths and weaknesses that must be exploited. Accordingly, this is where Farhad’s powers come into play.

He begins as a meek and powerless man. However, things soon change as he finds a magical pickaxe and learns new skills. These abilities must be harnessed to defeat his foes, annihilate the Deev Bistun, and fulfil his destiny.

Your progress is determined by each arena battle. — Kill your foes and open up new areas.

Fascinating characters.

What’s particularly great about The Tale of Bistun is its array of fascinating characters. The story is filled with drama and emotion because of each of the protagonists. The most important of these are Farhad, your guide, the Hoopoe bird, and the gargantuan and evil Deev Bistun.

Farhad takes on the brunt of the action with his hack n slash combat and crazy powers. His desire to do the right thing is admirable and his naivety is charming and touching. The Hoopoe bird, on the other hand, is your guiding light. The further you progress, the more important she becomes to the myth and the gameplay. Her role is cleverly introduced, and she prevents the story from plateauing.

Finally, the villain of this tale is Deev Bistun. This horrendous beast leeches darkness into his surroundings and curses everything he touches. He is the key to discovering the truth, but defeating him won’t be easy. Consequently, you must find every weapon, learn every ability, and be lucky if you wish to succeed.

The Tale of Bistun has a strange style.

Because of its mythological roots, I expected a clean and simple approach with a sepia finish. However, instead, the developers used an isometric viewpoint, cartoon graphics, and a rich and deep colour palette. Subsequently, it looked bizarre as it was more surreal than I expected. Yet, because of the dreamy imagery and cutscenes, it worked extremely well. But what I wasn’t so keen on was the fixed camera view. This was restrictive and frustrating. Consequently, the gameplay would have been improved if you could freely explore your surroundings.

Though the visuals were strange, the audio was amazing. The combination of eerie music, crazy sound effects, and booming narration worked perfectly. Every chapter was described by a beautifully narrated script. As such, it was easy to immerse yourself in the odd but fascinating world.

The Tale of Bistun looks stunning. — The world is beautiful.

Excellent controls.

Much of the combat relied on hack n slash mechanics. However, finesse was still essential. Farhad can roll to avoid damage, slash his weapons to hurt his foes, or unleash a special ability. Whatever you do, it is easy to understand and buttery smooth to execute.

My biggest gripe with The Tale of Bistun is its repetitive nature and its linear approach. The lack of freedom was annoying as the environment begged to be explored. Accordingly, you may worry about becoming bored, or there not being enough longevity. Well, fear not as the action is fun and there are many secrets to search for. In every chapter, you must carve statues of your beloved, find lost tablets, and uncover hidden carvings. Subsequently, there is plenty to do if you want to extend your time with the game.

The Tale of Bistun is an excellent but short indie title.

The Tale of Bistun would have had to be terrible for me to dislike it. My adoration of mythology will always make me biased. Yet, from a professional viewpoint, I can honestly say that this is an excellent indie title. Yes, there are shortcomings, but these don’t deter from the great end product. Unsurprisingly, I loved it and I recommend you to buy it here! Will Farhad regain his memory and become a hero, or will the Deev Bistun sow his demonic seed? Save the pomegranate trees, weaken the beast’s power, and discover the source of the whispers.

Review: Outward Definitive Edition

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Alex Chessun

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Aug 4, 2022

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A crafting survival RPG that strays into simulation territory as it wants you to do everything yourself, Outward – an RPG of the fantasy variety – removes all modern conveniences from fast travel to levelling up, making you walk every inch of the map and defeat enemies just to get you meal to meal.

This is mostly in the name of exploration and discovery rather than quest-led gameplay as you pull out your own bed, grab a huge cooking pot and stare at the stars when it’s become too dark to continue exploring. As the trailer states ‘Forget what other games have taught you’, Outward certainly does head in a different direction than what you might expect – a somewhat realistic one.

That’s just the base version though. Today we review tepid trailblazer, Outward Definitive Edition, which is an upgraded version of the original with gameplay adjustments and the 2 DLC (The Three Brothers and The Soroboreans) that were originally released for the base game. The 2 DLC are a mixture of grinding and story additions to the end game content with The Three Brothers allowing you the ability to build an entire town.

It’s hardly a small endeavor either, you need to complete quests, purchase blueprints, acquire resources, build over many in-game days, upgrade and maintain as well as having requirements for each building once it’s built. It’s a lot of grinding, but it’s satisfying having something created something permanent in-game, and I actually enjoyed the idea of it far more than the base game.

The mana meter for your character is pitifully small, meaning that in just a few swings of your weapon or a short run will leave you completely gassed, which is more than a little tedious when you actually just want to travel somewhere without falling asleep on the way there.

It might be presumptuous to say, but the chances that you’ll like Outward will likely be determined by how much you already like the genre going into this experience, as I just can’t see any players being converted to the fantasy crafting genre from this mediocre title and any action game fans coming in are likely to be disappointed when comparing it to other RPGs on the market.

Not being a AAA game, Outward works to its perceived strengths though, wanting every excursion to be a life-threatening and tense adventure on its own, but in doing so, forgets to make the individual elements that make up each one actually enjoyable. With bare maps, no fast travel, and an egregiously bland gameplay loop, you have yourself a game that may take more from the player in time than it gives is satisfaction.

The main reason for this is that loot runs – the component that fuels the entire machine – provide little to no excitement, or motivation to move on to the next one, as the slow, floaty, and repetitive action mechanics dull the proceedings and the hope you might loot something worthwhile often leads to disappointment as the best possible outcome and item that needs to be crafted, is likely something you have no idea about.

Furthermore, you are encouraged to be clever with your loot as your bag can barely hold any items, so not only do newcomers have a hard time trying to figure out what is actually necessary but you are forced to throw away a lot of – potentially – helpful things if you do not wish to constantly be running back home to store them in your stash.

Ironically, despite the game wanting you to figure it out on your own, unless you are willing to spend hours upon hours of figuring it out, chances are the game’s overwhelming start will likely force you to find out online. For those who haven’t succumbed to the subscription gaming’s version of channel skipping which makes you jump to another game at the first moment of discontent, this does mean that there is a lot to do here and those that enjoy getting lost in the minutia of making your own weapons and items will certainly have something sink their teeth into.

There are plenty of builds and different weapons to choose from over the length of the game, but with few attacks each, it takes an awful lot of time to get to the point where the accumulation of skills and weapons make it worth it and don’t seem like the same lunge over and over.

In that sense, the action is like a poor man’s version of Elden Ring, where you jump dodge around an attack strike and repeat, hitting an enemy whose only reaction to your attack is a depleting health bar.

One thing that everyone is sure to agree on though – unless you are playing with a PC mod – is that Outward does itself very little favors not including a fast travel ability. Combine that with a very slow run (and low energy levels for a sprint) and it really slows the entire experience down to a crawl.

This is clearly aiming to be part of the ‘realism’ of the adventure, but it also makes the game feel gimmicky and unnecessary at times.

Graphically, the game does admirably well considering the small development team, but there are some performance issues, constant loading screens and bugs that you are going to encounter throughout.

The day/night and even different seasonal cycles are – in theory – a fantastic addition to the game, but none of the NPCs ever change their programmed route even in the dead of night or ever go home. The importance of sleep is further demeaned as there is no sleep meter and you don’t actually have to do it, meaning that you could survive indefinitely without even bothering. Health and food items feed into this poorly as they do an irritatingly useless job of healing you, so it just feels like it’s forcing you to sleep to feed into its realism.

This is made more superfluous by a generous death system – which often drops you off with 25% health and your items on the floor – as its benefits are not that far off that of sleeping. When you are lost with the unhelpful map that refuses to show you where you are on it, dying to be moved to a marked part of the map is actually preferable to sleeping to stay alive.

The story has four different factions that you can join and they all offer unique skills and equipment for the quests that they ask you to undertake. This allows you to create many different builds for the decent variety of weapons available. It also means that you won’t fully understand the story until you’ve played the game 4 times despite there only being one ending.

Depending on where you die, you get a different mini-story before you get going again.

The original also included a multiplayer mode and, in my opinion, this is really where the game shines as the negatives are mitigated somewhat when playing with buddies either locally or online.

Outward is quite the divisive title and will likely continue to be a dichotomy amongst gamers. Some will love the lack of hand holding, the long walks, and the creative combination of crafting and survival gameplay, while others will pick apart its average implementation and frustrating mechanics. It is often said that when trying to write a story, it is helpful to think of the ending first and write backward. Outward seems to think that the gameplay needs to be much the same, putting the onus on the player to make it fun through a significant time investment and hoping something sticks, instead of first making the formula fun.

Review: Samurai Riot

Natosha M

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Aug 4, 2022

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Do you have some rage you want to release? Who doesn’t it’s part of life, and many things will get us upset. Well, why not take some of that rage and try out this new game, Samurai Riot as it’s basically a game that has you slaying and beating up foes as they appear!

You’ll be enjoying a slightly adventurous 2D game with the choice of being one of the two main characters. Each will have their own style, abilities, and fighting techniques, but you are in charge of how well they fight. The main goal is to defeat everyone who comes toward you, and as you move forward, the story continues to develop. There will be plenty of arcade-style fighting, with large and even small demonic bosses throughout the game. So if you want to take a chance, decide your path, and beat up so many enemies, well then get ready to fight, fight FIGHT!

🗡️ How Was The Game 🗡️

This is a fun game that can be played a few different ways, as a solo player, which I’ve done or co-op. Either way, the game is basically a beat-em-up style game. There are so many different paths to decide upon and even fight PVP style if you’d like. However, the goal of this game is basically about fighting throughout until you defeat each enemy you come against.

Additionally, there are only two main characters to choose between. There is Sukane a stubborn female samurai with a cute fox friend and a strong will to take down anyone even if they are a bit stronger than her. The other one you can decide upon is a guy named Tsurumaru. He is an extremely well-trained and skilled samurai who fought through years of bloody campaigns and worked hard beside his master to become the great fighter he is now.

Out of the two, they both are very well skilled in combat skills, and even if you think the Tsurumaru has more of a powerful description and will possibly defeat so many foes much easily. Let me tell you not to be fooled by just what you read. Skane on the other hand, if you decide upon choosing her does have that fox who can stall the enemy for a little bit of time, so you can defeat more and give you an upper hand in the fights. Either way, it won’t matter as long as you, the player, and your fast finger movements are ready to force the character of your choice towards each foe and put those fighting moves in action. Plus, with a co-op mode, you can both work together and help take down more enemies and foes with ease, or as any beginner, just play the easy version of the game and it won’t be too hard to defeat and win each time.

I did like that after choosing a character you’re able to decide on the course that the hero you are playing wants to play under. It will give them a change in their ability and even their color or look. It’s basically a choice that you also can open up a few others with more earned coins throughout the game. They each will allow you to grant how strong one’s health, strength, agility, and fury are during the game at the start. So right there, that decision can also change how the game plays, just by the way your character plays.

Now for the game, well it’s actually not too bad, but it could be way better! The gameplay can feel a bit slow in the movement of the character we get to play, and not as interesting as many 2D arcade-style games just like this would normally be. The choice to move up or down and back or forward, just felt a tad bit slow and that goes for the foes as well. The fighting, there is no lie that there is plenty of this with nonstop amounts in each stage, as they’ll come from behind or in front of you. Either way, you must defeat each to move forward and ahead to the next amount to fight.

This game does remind me of some old classic games. Especially, arcade-style types that require you to complete what is in front of you or behind you, before moving ahead. I wasn’t always a fan of these games, but I did like the ones that were with characters from Superheros like Batman which I thought made it a bit more fun. Nevertheless, there are certain objects you’ll be able to attack and break apart to grab some special items from and use towards powering up your fighter; the samurai that you’ve chosen to play. Plus, some can be used to earn for a new design in character choice from the beginning menu section.

Lastly, the levels are basically all set up the same way and it can be a bit redundant and dull after a while. Nothing surprising happens, and the slowness sort of gets to be a bit much. However, if you can’t fight great, it may help push you to defeat better and win the game easier. Regardless, this game has plenty of larger bosses to take down, but other than fighting and moving on through the story and gameplay. It’s practically a simple fighting game with just a few additional ways to play.

🗡️ Final Thoughts 🗡️

If you love fighting games, even ones that are slightly adventurous with a continuous fighting path that doesn’t just stop at one enemy. Well, this game Samurai Riot is a great game that will just have you battling nonstop! It’s got a story that builds as you choose your path and how well you fight, this will show if you can survive and live through these stages. The game is very well designed with brilliant graphics and is very entertaining with plenty of action, but it can be a bit slow in the way the characters and enemies move in the game. Therefore, if I had to tell you what the game was to me, well it’s like a classic arcade game with a little slow action, but plenty to fight!