A new electronic device is a guilty pleasure for many. However, what often gets overlooked is your power supply. This incredibly important component can be the difference between a disappointing performance and a reassuringly great time. As such, when I was offered the Belkin 4-way Power Strip, I didn’t hesitate.
This intelligent and well-built accessory is robust, has a built-in surge protector, and has 2 USB-A ports as standard. What’s more, the sockets are child resistant, it has an independent switch, and it has a whopping £20,000 connected equipment warranty. Subsequently, I felt extremely confident when plugging in my expensive tech.
What’s in the box of the Belkin 4-way Power Strip?
The rectangular packaging safely houses the contents. Furthermore, it is fully recyclable, and that’s fantastic. Visually, it is striking with a simple but effective colour palette.
The Belkin 4-way Power Strip is a commanding size. What’s more, it is robust and easy to use, and the surge protector has a clear indicator. At the bottom are two USB ports to increase usability.
Warranty card. A useful document in case anything goes wrong.
Eye-catching packaging. The warranty card. The complete package. Belkin 4-way Power Strip.
Technical aspects.
If you work from home or have a large family, socket space is at a premium. Therefore, expanding your options without an electrician’s help is a must. Accordingly, this power strip is a convenient and safe way to power more devices at once.
With its 13A-rated socket and power surge protection, it is easy to use, while preventing your goods from unwanted damage. The protection system prevents power surges, lightning strikes and AC contamination from damaging your home electronics. However, if this goes awry, you are protected by the incredible £20,000 warranty.
Another key aspect that impressed me was the child resistant sockets. If you have little ones in your life, you’ll know all about socket covers. Accordingly, these handy little tools prevent little fingers from getting electrocuted. Thankfully, the Belkin 4-way Power Strip is designed to resist such intrusions. However, it is not infallible, so some common sense is still a must.
Is the Belkin 4-way Power Strip worth it?
Somehow, Belkin has managed to make a boring aspect of your setup a little more interesting. Thanks to its incredible design and flexible approach, it is the perfect tool for most households. What’s more, it looks great and has a reassuring protection warranty.
Alongside this, you get a 1-year user warranty as standard, built-in surge protection, and 2 handy USB ports. In short, it’s an unsung hero that’ll improve your setup immediately. Unsurprisingly, I was impressed, and I recommend you buy it here!
Charging solutions are often mind-boggling and confusing. Do you run cabling here, there, and everywhere? Or do you research a simpler method? The first option is convenient, but my goodness, how unsightly! The latter choice is exactly what you want, but who has time to go through every device known to mankind? Accordingly, why don’t I help you out by discussing the excellent Belkin Desktop charger?
This 108W power delivery GaN is a user-friendly and intelligent way to tidy up your workspace or kitchen worktop. This mains-powered device incorporates 2 USB-A ports and 2 USB-C ports for simultaneous charging. Furthermore, its sleek design and high-power output ensure it delivers optimum charging at all times.
What’s in the box of the Belkin Desktop charger?
The compact and robust box is striking to look at. With a fresh colour palette and simple imagery, it is pleasant for the eyes. What’s more, it is emblazoned with key selling points.
The Belkin Desktop charger is an eye-catching device. Presented in brilliant white and comprising a smooth finish, it screams high end. Alongside this, it is noticeably heavy, and the ports are robust, well-labelled, and easy to access.
Power adapter. The AC adapter is white and feels well-made.
Warranty card. Key information in case anything goes wrong.
The Belkin Desktop charger. AC adapter. The compact packaging.Warranty card. The complete package.
Technical aspects.
Modern life is fast-paced and demanding. Subsequently, you want your devices charged yesterday. As such, the demand for fast-charging compatibility is on the rise. Fortunately, the Belkin Desktop charger uses its GaN technology to deliver optimum performance. Therefore, you’ll be blown away by how incredible this accessory is.
The USB-C port can draw a massive 96W of power to fast charge a MacBook Pro from 0 to 50% in under 40 minutes. Now, this may seem a minor thing, but to deliver that much juice in such a short space of time is incredible. Moreover, this is happening via the desktop charger and your USB cable. Consequently, you’ve removed the unsightly chargers without compromising your charging prowess.
Alongside this, the 108W power supply enjoys intelligent power sharing when 4 devices are plugged in. Accordingly, you experience high-voltage charging that is evenly distributed across each device. Therefore, not only is this perfect for your office, but it is also great for busy families. Instead of searching for an array of chargers, simply plug in your tablets, eReaders, phones and more, and get on with your day.
Because of its GaN technology, the Belkin Desktop charger is compatible with many high-end brands. Samsung, Nokia, Apple, Google, and more are verified for this product. This is incredibly reassuring as no one wants to damage their expensive technology.
Is the Belkin Desktop charger worth it?
I, like most people, hate running out of power. Moreover, I detest poor cable management, and I think it’s unsightly. On top of this, it can be extremely inconvenient to find the correct USB adapters. Therefore, to save time, frustration, and effort, the Belkin Desktop charger is an efficient and stylish device way to get the job done.
Alongside this, the handy fast charging facility via the GaN technology is incredible. I was amazed by how easy it was to use, and its efficient approach. Consequently, now I’ve started using this charger, I don’t want to return to conventional methods. I loved it for the aforementioned reasons, and I easily recommend you buy it here!
In 2020 an award-winning British survival horror game dropped, Maid of Sker, that was re-released in 2021 on current-gen systems. Now, in 2022 we get the spiritual successor, Sker Ritual. But can this new entry live up to the name?
Gameplay
While some monsters may feel familiar, the game is nothing like Maid of Sker. Sker Ritual is very much a co-op survival game. Think Call of Duty: Zombies, but much more enjoyable! With that in mind, you can play either solo or with up to four others via online play. The game will scale the difficulty to the number of players – but be warned; this game is challenging!
The game starts with you being dragged to a coffin and awakened in a church courtyard with only a pistol and some money. Money is essential in this game as you need it to buy new weapons, respawn, ammo, and even unlock new areas. How do you get the money you might ask? Well, by killing monsters! Money management is crucial to survival, as buying ammo will be a regular occurrence. It’s also important to remember where the ammo stations are because you don’t want to get caught short. In terms of available weapons, there’s a decent selection of machine guns, shotguns, and more.
While the aim of the game is to survive increasingly difficult wave after wave of monster attacks, there are objectives to complete as well. This is loosely the story of the game. The first part sees you trying to deactivate generators. It took a while to realise there was a more extensive area to explore than the first church courtyard; it wasn’t until I found you could pay to open the door did I realise the vast wilderness beyond.
Monsters come in waves with a chime to signify a new wave incoming. They scale in difficulty and volume as you progress through the different rounds. The variety was good – both in terms of design and attacks. Ranged, quick, tanks, the game provides it all to face.
If you die, one of two things happens. With a respawn, you can ghost-walk to a coffin and revive yourself and carry on from where you left off. If you don’t, or if you’ve used it up, it’s game over.
In addition, you can get abilities that can help along the way, like poison or fire spells on your bullets. You also have a very useful lightning ability that helps when things are getting a bit much, and you need some AOE damage!
Visuals and Audio
Visually, Sker Ritual is beautiful. Terrifying and creepy but beautiful, nonetheless. The game looks great and gives a nice dark ambiance as you travel around. The effects also look great when you kill the monsters. As this game relies heavily on wave-based combat, the monsters themselves must be diverse enough to keep things interesting. From fast runners to beefy slow movers, from fire spitters to giant bosses with bowler hats… the variety is there.
When it comes to music and sound effects, it fits well with the overall atmosphere of the game. The fighting waves get intense with monster noises and gunfire and I can only imagine how epic it would look with a full roster of 4 players in co-op mode.
Game Structure
Sker Ritual is honestly a bargain. At the time of writing, the base price is £11.39/$14.99 on Steam which gives you access currently to the first level. The development team plan to add more chapters and other additional DLC in the form of cosmetics. From the press release, it appears that only cosmetics will require additional purchases. I’m not overly fond of in-game purchases, but with a price that low for the actual game (assuming there are no additional costs for chapters), I can’t blame them. It’s astonishingly good value!
Is Sker Ritual Good?
Sker Ritual is a fantastic survival horror game. While there’s not a whole lot of story, there is a fun challenge to try and survive wave after wave of attacking monsters. It’s creepy; you’ll jump when you get rushed from nowhere, and you’ll frantically try and find ammo to survive a little longer!
Sequels rarely get the juices flowing. As such, many expect them to rehash ideas, lack evolution, and effectively be a cash cow. Now, I admit that this is normally my thought process. However, occasionally, a franchise is so good that a new announcement has me salivating. One such series is COD! Consequently, when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 came to light, I couldn’t wait to get it installed.
Developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision, this is a tactical shooter. What’s more, it has a rich and fulfilling campaign, a challenging co-op mode, and a delightful multiplayer experience. Furthermore, it’ll hook up with Warzone 2.0, and has all the bells and whistles of a high-budget triple-A game. Accordingly, its cinematic, soundscape, gunplay, missions, and delivery are all top-notch. Therefore, if you are a fan of the franchise, or you’ve never played one before, you are in for an unforgettable time.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a blockbuster experience.
Many fans of the COD franchise overlook the campaign mode. Subsequently, this is one of the greatest mysteries bestowed on mankind. However, those gamers who invest their time and energy will enjoy a blockbuster experience. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has some eye-opening cinematic, beautifully intense missions, and some of the best and most detailed graphics I’ve ever seen. What’s more, the acting is fantastic, and the sound effects are mind-blowing. In short, it delivers much more than I could ever hope for.
Disappointingly, though, the disjointed missions lack a logical path. Consequently, the flow of the story is fragmented, and most of the missions feel unrealistic or just absurd. However, though it was a little crazy, it is still enjoyable, tough, and enthralling. This latest instalment sees the return of some much-loved characters from Task Force 141. This top-secret unit is loaded to the teeth with modern technology and gritty, badass soldiers. Accordingly, there isn’t a situation they fear, nor is there a mission they won’t undertake.
Alongside the campaign mode is an incredible co-op endeavour. This tactical experience will push you and a friend to your limits. Moreover, it evolves nicely from its predecessor while adding a slower layer to proceedings. On top of this, there is the excellent multiplayer action, and the highly anticipated Warzone 2.0.
Slick gunplay.
Unsurprisingly, a high-budget title like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is as slick as they come. With ultra-realistic weaponry, incredible explosives, and awe-inspiring tactical support, you are spoilt for choice. Alongside this, there is the usual run-and-gun approach, stealthy night-time missions, and amazing long-distance warfare. In short, it blends every layer of gorilla combat and lays it out bare for its player base.
What is also amazing is the intensity of each mission. Consequently, you must consider your team, your surroundings, and the weapons in your arsenal. Furthermore, each minor objective progresses the action perfectly. Although the plot is occasionally silly, the action flows seamlessly, nevertheless. This was brilliant, as it creates a high-energy and nonstop experience that was brilliantly punctuated with jaw-dropping cinematic.
Multiplayer, multiplayer, multiplayer.
The multiplayer mode is arguably Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s bread and butter. Now, the campaign and co-op options will entertain you, but the online action is where it’s at. Subsequently, the developers had to get this 100% right, and I think they did. The reports of hacking and game-breaking cheats from previous titles undermine this franchise. Yet, I was fortunate in having a trouble-free time. Instead, I enjoyed the normal array of testing game modes, custom options, and classes to unlock.
The normal prestige system and levelling up remain the key focus. Alongside this, there will be a battle pass, challenges and other bits and bobs. However, the key changes focus on the detailed custom options and weapon ranking mechanics. Gone is the undesirable grind for attachments. Instead, you gain XP for each gun you use. Accordingly, levelling up is a gradual and more organic endeavour that rewards experimentation. Alternatively, scavenging equipment on the fly and killing your opponents is a great way to boost your ranks.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is breathtaking.
No matter how you look at it, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is unbelievably breathtaking. Every element of its visuals is incredibly polished and scream triple-A game. Moreover, the level of detail and smooth animation add to the realism. On top of this, the stage design is intelligent, varied, and looks amazing. Consequently, each map benefits an array of gameplay styles, and this helps to keep things balanced.
In the campaign mode, the cinematic and character modelling is so realistic, you could be watching a film. With incredible explosives and a wonderful blend of environments to explore, you won’t get bored.
The visuals are complemented by the earth-shattering audio. The rich sound effects, excellent acting, and incredible soundtrack create a memorable experience. With the correct peripherals on hand, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a mind-blowing and immersive title. What’s more, the soundscape is detailed and intelligent and brings each mission to life. With 3D sound, it was tough not to love every ricocheted bullet or quiet footstep that you heard.
Familiar setup.
Fans of the franchise can jump straight into the action because of its familiar setup. However, if you are new to the series, an in-depth tutorial and fully customisable layout await you. At first, this can seem overwhelming. Yet, once the fundamentals are nailed, you’ll love the responsive and accurate controls.
Replay value and COD go hand-in-hand! Subsequently, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is no different. Thanks to the 50+ weapons on offer, incredible campaign and co-op modes, and both Warzone 2.0 and the multiplayer option, you’ll be kept busy. Furthermore, there are challenges to complete, a prestige system to focus on, and of course, a battle pass. All in all, it has masses of longevity and is great value for money.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 doesn’t disappoint.
When there is so much hype, you can be left deflated. Luckily, though, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 doesn’t disappoint. Every playable mode is challenging, enjoyable, and captivating. The online options are perfectly balanced and are fair to every skill set. Yes, going forward there could be issues with hackers and cheats, but the developers need to be proactive. If they are, this could be the best modern FPS of this generation. Accordingly, I can easily recommend you to buy it here! Play solo, cooperatively, or online as you hone your shooting skills.
Whenever the month of October rolls around, everyone goes horror crazy. Subsequently, books, TV, films, and computer games eat up this cliched and often well-trodden genre. However, no matter how many times I end up jumping out of my skin, I can’t get enough. As such, when I was offered Charon’s Staircase, I couldn’t resist.
Developed by Indigo Studios and published by SOEDESCO, this is a horror title with a puzzling twist. What’s more, it has a sinister plot, a creepy setting, and plenty of jump scares to get your blood pumping. Sadly, though, its reliance on a handful of classic mechanics soon wears thin. Subsequently, you’ll want the game to evolve past its primary, yet eerie, approach.
Charon’s Staircase has a thriller edge.
Though Charon’s Staircase is coined as a horror title, it has a distinct thriller edge to its core concept. With mysterious goings on, plenty of mysteries to uncover, and some supernatural moments, this game tests your inquisitive mindset. Furthermore, its repetitive and often hard-to-decipher puzzles have you running around each claustrophobic and labyrinthine world. You’ll search for keys, collect nuggets of information, and observe many ghastly apparitions.
The story focuses on a special agent who is codenamed ‘Desmond’. This man must infiltrate the Oack Grove estate to retrieve top-secret documents for The Ministry. Accordingly, this mission should be a piece of cake. However, things take a turn for the worse as the horrors of the past begin to haunt you. Consequently, the special agent reveals the unpleasant and gruesome result of Project Alpha. What’s more, unless he can solve the problems he faces, he’ll never leave the torturous mansion.
So many religious images.
Follow the clues.
Solving puzzles and finding clues isn’t that challenging. Yet, Charon’s Staircase decides to up the ante. With oddly worded clues and often cryptic solutions, making progress is usually harder than it should be. But this shouldn’t put you off. Instead, the added difficulty enhances the sense of reward, even if the gameplay is slow and arduous as a consequence.
Many of the solutions require a keen eye for details and a hearty portion of cheesy jump scares. With slamming doors, creaking floorboards, and ghastly apparitions galore, it lacks originality. However, this shouldn’t put you off. Why not? Well, the execution, atmosphere, and environment work well to create an uncomfortable experience.
The gameplay loop follows a familiar pattern. You’ll enter a room and search it from top to bottom. Usually, you’ll discover some essential information, a few notes that enhance the lore and story, and finally, there will be a key or clue to open a combination lock. Luckily, there is the occasional exception to the rule, but mostly, it follows a comfortable, albeit scary course that rarely wavers.
There is nothing unusual about this office.
Charon’s Staircase is too dark.
Now, I adore a moody and sinister world. In fact, the darker and more broody the atmosphere, the better it is. Disappointingly, though, the developers didn’t get the balance quite right. Annoyingly, at its lowest setting, the brightness makes the game almost impossible to play. However, altering it highlights the rough edges of your surroundings while destroying the lighting effects and the creepy ambience. Consequently, it wasn’t the easiest game to play, and I had to adjust the settings repeatedly throughout. Alongside this, the animations are wooden and dated, and the final product lacks a polished edge. This was unfortunate, and the plot and core ideas were let down by the underwhelming visuals.
What was also difficult to comprehend was the subtitled audio. Originally designed as a Spanish title, this is the default option. Accordingly, my first playthrough was more challenging than it should have been. Furthermore, I missed key moments in the dialogue as I focused on the action rather than the narrative. Yet, it was extremely captivating when played this way, and the game didn’t feel right when the English alternative was selected. What was also fantastic was the eerie sound effects and the rich music. Though it was borderline cliched, I enjoyed the uncomfortable atmosphere and the almost predictable jump scares.
What is that?
Excellent controls.
With slow gameplay and little danger, Charon’s Staircase was easy to pick up and play. Effectively, it uses a point-and-click approach alongside its puzzling mechanics. Moreover, the first-person viewpoint and simple cursor system allow you to select each usable object. Furthermore, the stripped-back UI and basic inventory system keep things user-friendly.
Where this falls short is its replay value and longevity. With around 8-12 hours of gameplay, you may feel a little cheated. However, the lore-rich articles, collectables, and moderate achievement list should persuade you to return for more. Disappointingly, there’s no way to incorporate an NG+ mode, nor can I see a way to add DLC to pad things out further. As such, its limited timescale may put some gamers off.
Charon’s Staircase blows hot and cold.
I experienced genuine moments of fear and enjoyment as I played Charon’s Staircase. I loved the Spanish acting and the excellent atmospheric audio. Furthermore, the lore-filled documents and the creepy atmosphere were fantastic. Moreover, the puzzles were interesting and will challenge less experienced players. Yet, the lack of replay value, cliched gameplay, and familiar gameplay loop will frustrate some. Consequently, it won’t impress everyone, but I enjoyed it enough to recommend that you buy it here! Can you complete your mission and escape your newfound hell? Solve the puzzles, find the documents, and get to Charon’s Staircase.
With Christmas less than 2 months away, we take a closer look at Disney Mickey’s Christmas Carol Game.
Work together to tell the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge! Draw puzzle pieces from the bag and put together scenes from Disney’s holiday classic. But draw too many and the clock may strike! Hurry to finish all the pictures before Scrooge wakes up!
Interesting Gameplay Features
• Includes six beautiful puzzle scenes that tell the Christmas Carol story.
• Cooperative gameplay lets kids and parents work together to win!
• A perfect fit for your family—it’s a snap to adjust the difficulty.
• Every turn is a surprise as you draw pieces from the bag!
• Gold foil box is festive for the holiday and eye-catching on the shelf.
Disney Mickey’s Christmas Carol Game is available now priced around £15 and is aimed at ages 4 and up.
With less than 2 months to Christmas, we take a closer look at Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train.
Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train takes the gameplay of the Ticket to Ride series and scales it down for a younger audience.
In general, players collect parade float cards, claim routes on the map, and try to connect locations such as the Mad Scientist’s Lab, the Gingerbread House, and the Lonely Barn that are shown on their tickets. In more detail, the game board shows a map of a city with certain locations being connected by colored paths. Each player starts with four colored parade float cards in hand and two tickets; each ticket shows two locations, and you’re trying to connect those two locations with a contiguous path of your trains in order to complete the ticket.
On a turn, you either draw two parade float cards from the deck or discard parade float cards to claim a route between two locations by placing your ghost trains on it; for this latter option, you must discard cards matching the color and number of spaces on that route (e.g., two yellow cards for a yellow route that’s two spaces long). If you connect the two locations shown on a ticket with a path of your trains, reveal the ticket, place it face up in front of you, then draw a new ticket. (If you can’t connect locations on either ticket because the paths are blocked, you can take your entire turn to discard those tickets and draw two new ones.)
Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train is available now priced around £29.99 is aimed at ages 6 and up.
– Lined with luxurious Japanese microfibre with a satin-like finish.
– Easy to attach, with silicone stripes for slip resistance.
– Access cards from the top, base, or back.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The Full Leather Magnetic Wallet from Mujjo comes ready to use – you just take it out of the box and attach it either to the back of your iPhone or to the back of any MagSafe iPhone case (as shown above). It’s very easy to remove as well, by just pulling!
Putting your cards, up to three, into the wallet and removing them is easy and they felt very secure there.
If you would like to add a card wallet to your iPhone and you want it to look good, then look no further than the Full Leather Magnetic Wallet from Mujjo.
The Full Leather Magnetic Wallet from Mujjo is available now priced around £44 and comes in either Black, Tan or Monaco Blue.
With Christmas less than 2 months away, we take a closer look at some of the Newton’s Lab Kits from Kikkerland.
The Newton’s Lab collection, named after the Father of Modern Physics Isaac Newton and designed by Hector Serrano, is a fun way of learning the basics of physics.
Kids will see with their own eyes how physics work in real life! Each experiment kit shows a different scientific principal, including optics, hydraulic forces, gravitational forces and aerodynamics.
Newton’s Lab Color Disc
Paint the discs with different color combinations and make it spin to see the amazing mixes from rainbow colors from white and many more discoverings. Kit includes: discs, string, paint and brush.
The Newton’s Lab Color Disc is available now priced around €10.00.
Newton’s Lab Painting Pendulum
Learn about the forces of gravity while making art at the same time.
Newton’s Lab Painting Pendulum is available now priced around €13.50.
Newton’s Lab Pulley Crane
Build and use the Pulley Crane to teach your kids about how a pulley can be used to change the direction of applied forces and lift heavy objects. The kit includes die cut cardboard pieces, metal screws and nuts, metal hook, sticker sheets, wooden dowel, string & pulleys.
Newton’s Lab Pulley Crane is available now priced around €30.00.
All the sets would make great Christmas presents and there are lots to choose from!
Here is our review of the Highlander 4K Collectors Edition.
The HIGHLANDER 4K UHD COLLECTOR’S EDITION features brand-new artwork from celebrated artist Matt Ferguson, a 64-page booklet, prequel comic #1 Way of the Sword, a set of badges, art cards and poster. The two-disc set also includes a wealth of new extras including the first extensive ‘Making of’ documentary featuring all of the main cast and crew.
A certified ‘80s cult classic, the film was directed by Russell Mulcahy (Swimming Upstream, The Real McCoy) and stars Christopher Lambert (Mortal Combat, Fortress), Sean Connery (James Bond),Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Troopers) and Roxanne Hart.
Featuring an unforgettable original score by Michael Kamen and Queen, HIGHLANDER went on to inspire four further sequels and a television series.
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE
1985 New York City; the Battle to end all Battles. The last remaining Immortals gather together to fight to the death: decapitation alone can kill them, and the victor alone can lay claim to “The Prize”. Amongst the contestants is Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), who fought his first Battle in 1536 on the highlands of Scotland, swordsman Ramirez (Sean Connery) who mentored MacLeod and taught him the ways of the Immortals, and the evil and brutal barbarian Victor Kurgan (Clancy Brown).
4K UHD BONUS MATERIALS
NEW – THE IMMORTAL ATTRACTION OF HIGHLANDER: Looking back at four decades of Highlander magic in a brand new and exclusive documentary featuring new interviews with Director, cast and other key crew
NEW – A KIND OF MAGIC: MUSIC OF THE IMMORTALS: A featurette on the Soundtrack
NEW – CAPTURING IMMORTALITY: Interview with photographer David James
NEW – THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE KURGAN – Clancy Brown remembers Highlander
NEW – Audio Commentary with author Jon Melville
Audio Commentary with Russell Mulcahy
Audio Commentary with William Panzer and Bill Davis
Highlander is one of my all-time favourite films and so when I was offered the chance to not only review the 4K version of the film, but to also get my hands on the collectors edition, I literally jumped at the chance.
The physical contents of the collectors edition are amazing – the badges, poster, comic, artwork and book are great collectors items and the content on the discs are worth the price of the set on it’s own. There are lots of new material to watch on the discs, not to mention watching the movie itself in 4K.
The HIGHLANDER 4K UHD COLLECTOR’S EDITION will be released on October 31, priced around £39.99 and is a must for any Highlander fan! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to watch it again!
Here is our review of Flowtime Biosensing Meditation Headband.
Recorded Biodata
Built-in two-channel brainwave and heart rate sensors, Flowtime Headband tracks your types of brainwave, heart rate, HRV, Attention, Relaxation, and Stress, in real-time.
Supported Modes
Guided Lesson Mode: If you are a beginner, there are more than 110 easy-to-start lessons to help you gain the essentials of meditation.
Resonant Breathing Training: Follow the 5-5 breathing pattern to get calm and relaxed quickly.
Timer Mode: It’s okay if you want to play your own music. The Timer mode is just for you, recording biodata whatever you play.
What’s in the box?
The box contains the headband, charging cable, quick start guide, different size traps and a 3-month membership card.
A Closer Look
Using Flowtime
There is a Flowtime app that is used to connect to the headband and capture all the readings, make settings changes and choose what you want to do. It’s available for both iOS and Android.
Final Thoughts
The Flowtime headband is very lightweight – you almost cant feel its there when you are wearing it. You place it on your forehead with the five sensors touching you head – you almost wear it like you would sunglasses, only higher up.
Pairing the headband with the app was as simple as starting the app, following the steps and then you are ready to use it. The whole process, including creating an account only took a few moments.
Charging the headband is really easy – just connect the supplied cable to the headset and the other end to a computer or USB plug and let it charge. When fully charged, the headband lasts for around 8 hours, and the Flowtime app will show how much battery is remaining.
A 3-month membership card is included within the box so you can try out all the features for 3 months and then decide if you want to continue with the premium features or just use the free features, which on their own are really good anyway!
If you are new to meditation, there are lots of different guided meditations can you follow to help you on your journey. Some of them are free and some you need the premium membership for, but as mentioned, you do get a 3-month membership card included in the box so that you can see for yourself what you need.
During and after each session, various data readings are taken and analysed. A lot of it might not mean that much to you, however it’s very each to go and read up on each set if results to understand more about that it is doing.
I found the Flowtime Biosensing Meditation Headband really easy to use and it showed a lot of interesting results and it helped me to relax. I will be continuing to use it going forward and I am eager to try out all the different options and meditations.
The Flowtime Biosensing Meditation Headband is available now, priced around £174.00, although at the time of writing the review it was on-sale for £161.00.
EGX 2022 presented some incredible and eye-opening titles. Publisher Gravity Games showed a large array of interesting propositions, and one of them was Live by the Sword: Tactics. This unashamedly old-school game captures the best mechanics of the genre. Furthermore, it has an incredible story and addictive and interesting features.
Developed by Labrador Studios, this is a tactical strategy, RPG. What’s more, it is their first step into the gaming market, and what a phenomenal title they have made. With awesome pixelated graphics, sharp and contrasting tones, and retro music, it is a nostalgia-fuelled experience.
Live by the Sword: Tactics has a simple approach.
Unlike its peers, Live by the Sword: Tactics has a straightforward approach. Consequently, there is no grinding or levelling up. Instead, you must refine your tactical approach if you wish to succeed. Moreover, there is no additional equipment to worry about. As such, you won’t waste time or brute force your way past a specific problem.
This may seem like a problematic idea, but I adore the concept. Instead of grinding your way to victory, you must focus on the characters you select while understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Accordingly, this will push your tactical mindset and will test you throughout.
Alongside this, Live by the Sword: Tactics is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox. Furthermore, there is multiplayer action between friends and random players online. As such, this straightforward retro RPG offers a unique experience. If you fancy trying something new, why not click the links above and purchase a copy?
An underdog story is a great way to pull at anyone’s heartstrings. Consequently, no matter how cold and callous you are, you’ll secretly want them to break free from their rut, and succeed at least once in their lives. This opportunity arises in New Tales from the Borderlands. It’s a narrative-rich story that is full of humorous and whacky cinematic. Accordingly, it takes you on a strange journey full of wonderment and familiar settings.
Developed by GEARBOX and published by 2K, this is an amusing and grim narrative-focused adventure title. What’s more, it captures many of the much-loved elements from the main franchise, while delivering something entirely unique. Filled with QTEs, mini-games, and zany text, it retains the Borderlands charm, while delivering a wonderful standalone experience. Unlike its 2014/15 predecessor from Telltale Games, this is much more intelligent and sophisticated. Furthermore, it couldn’t be any further away from the classic shooter looter that we’ve all come to love. However, its well-timed plot, interesting characters, and moralistic choices are intriguing and silly and offer oodles of replay value.
No sleeping on the job!
New Tales of Borderlands: new story, similar setting.
If you love the franchise, you’ll know that the grim Borderlands world is somewhat rundown. Criminals run wild, and you are pretty much free to do as you want when you want. Yet, there is still some order in this chaos thanks to the overbearing and all-seeing corporations. Unfortunately, there is little room for underdogs, as you soon find out. You control 3 of life’s biggest losers who have aspirations to change their lifestyle. Sadly, though, the system won’t allow this to happen, and they must stand up and be counted if they wish to make a difference.
Set across 5 different chapters, you flit between 3 lowly but interesting protagonists. First, there is Anu. She is a pacifist scientist who ironically works for Atlas. Why is this ironic? Well, Atlas is one of the largest weapon producers in the Borderlands universe. Second, you control Octavio. He is a streetwise young man who has dreams of becoming the next big thing. Finally, there is Fran. A restaurant owner who owes too much money, but has a badass hover chair that is filled with deadly weaponry.
Each of these personalities is set perfectly within the narrative and cinematic heavy gameplay. The slow-paced and often methodical action is punctuated by cutscenes, quick time events, and the odd moralistic dilemma. As such, you feel more of a voyeur than a key player in this unsubtle, yet comical, game.
Not every robot is as badass as this one.
3 players, unique abilities, and Vaultlander toys.
A Borderlands game would be total junk if the protagonists were weak and unremarkable. Thankfully, the 3 heroes have unique abilities that are pivotal to the progression of the story. Anu uses her special goggles to scan for hidden objects and other scientific tasks. Fran’s chair can freeze things with a touch of a button and the robotic prosthetics are a great defensive tool. Finally, Octavio is a bit of a talker and he can hack electronic devices with his wristwatch.
These abilities are perfectly synced with the interesting, albeit predictable QTEs! Slide the analogue stick in the correct direction, or slam each button before the timer runs out. Each of these elements is pretty well established and somewhat lacks originality. However, I enjoyed the occasional layers of shooting, the odd boss battle, and the mini-games you must undertake.
Each of these activities lacks challenge, but is fun, nevertheless. Octavio has a hacking game to get your teeth into, whereas there are many sequenced-based challenges that require quick reactions and accuracy. This is most apparent in the Vaultlander battle encounters. During every chapter, you’ll undertake a button-bashing event that is, unfortunately, far too easy. With little effort, you’ll overcome any opponent and move on with your life. This was disappointing, as there was potential to add a challenging distraction from the maddening, yet hilarious plot that unravels. Sadly, however, this never happened, and you’ll want something to push you a little harder.
New Tales from the Borderlands look amazing.
When a game focuses on slow and arduous action, the visuals have to be spot on. Thankfully, the comic book styling and excellent steampunk approach are incredible. On top of this, there is the classic comic book artistry, the rich colour palette, and the striking and easy-to-read dialogue. Furthermore, fans of the franchise will recognise many key elements from the shooter looter series. With loot boxes to open, awful cities to explore, and the usual grunts to fight, the familiar graphics were very much appreciated.
Alongside this, the excellent audio sets the scene. With incredible acting, amazing music, and excellent sound effects, the cruel atmosphere is well and truly set. Furthermore, when a game relies heavily on its cinematic, it needs to be on point with its audio. Thankfully, it delivers on each element, and this produces a hilarious, yet dramatic, end product.
Don’t get on the wrong side of her.
An excellent UI and responsive controls.
QTEs add pressure to any gaming experience. Therefore, you want responsive controls that work immediately. Luckily, that’s exactly what you get in New Tales from the Borderlands. With plenty of pre-warning, you know what button to press at any moment. Accordingly, quick inputs ensure that mistakes are reduced. However, the slow gameplay and ample input time reduce stress and make this a straightforward title to play.
When there are multiple storyline branches and moralistic choices on offer, replay value is at a premium. Unfortunately, though, the roughly 10-hour play time and a £35 price tag prevent this from being truly great value for money. Subsequently, new players to this genre may look elsewhere, and this is a shame.
New Tales from the Borderlands delivers what is expected.
I enjoyed the 2014/15 Tales from the Borderlands game. As such, I couldn’t wait to see how the second instalment would evolve. Luckily, the developers have done an amazing job with practically every layer. Aesthetically, it is fantastic, smooth, and problem free. Furthermore, it is laced with humour; it is easy to play, and the QTEs are enjoyable if not a bit too easy. Disappointingly, though, it isn’t long enough, and the Vaultlander battles aren’t challenging enough. Yet, it is still a great experience and I recommend you buy it here! Will you help each protagonist to redeem themselves? Explore the grim world, uncover the secrets, and fulfil your dreams.
As more and more people are interested in playing poker, they are also becoming more curious about the rules of the game. Although poker is a relatively simple game, there are still a lot of poker rules that need to be learned in order to play correctly.
One way to learn poker rules is to find a tutorial or article that outlines the basic rules. However, this can be time-consuming and may not be the most effective learning method. If you want to learn the poker rules quickly and efficiently, here are 15 tips and tricks to help you do just that:
1. Start by learning the basic hand rankings.
This tip is the foundation upon which all other poker rules are built, so it’s essential to get this down first. There are plenty of resources online that can help you with this.
2. Once you know the hand rankings, learn about the different types of poker games.
There are many poker variations, so it’s essential to choose one poker game that interests you and stick with it. Doing this will make learning the rules much more straightforward.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If you’re ever unsure about a rule, don’t hesitate to ask a friend or family member who knows how to play. They’ll be more than happy to explain it to you.
Photo from Pixabay
4. Take some time to watch others play.
Doing this is a great way to learn how the game is played and pick up on any subtleties you may have missed. Just ensure you don’t get too distracted and end up missing your hand, leading to your loss of poker chips.
5. Use a poker odds calculator.
These handy tools can be found online and will help determine the likelihood of certain hands winning. This tool is a great way to learn about pot odds and other essential concepts.
6. Practice, practice, practice.
The best way to learn anything is by doing it yourself. So fire up some online poker or break out the chips and cards with friends and start playing. The more hands you play, the better you’ll become at understanding the rules.
7. Read books or articles about poker strategy.
In addition to learning the rules, it’s essential to understand how to play the game strategically. Plenty of resources available can teach you about poker strategy and help you become a better player.
8. Join a poker forum or chat room.
These online communities are full of experienced players who can offer helpful advice and feedback. Just be careful not to get too caught up in the discussion and miss out on your own hands. GGPoker, the world’s largest poker room, offers a fun and safe place to play and enhance your poker skills.
Photo from Pixabay
9. Attend a live tournament.
If you want to take your game to the next level, attending a live poker tournament is a great way to do it. You’ll be able to watch the best players in the world and learn from them firsthand.
10. Watch poker on TV.
Poker is one of the most popular spectator sports in recent years, so there’s no shortage of televised tournaments to choose from. Watching these events can be a great way to learn about the poker game and pick up some tips from the pros.
11. Download a poker app.
Many different poker apps can help you learn the game or just have some fun playing against others. These apps are a great way to brush up on your skills when you have some free time.
12. Get a poker coach.
Hiring a poker coach is a great way to do it if you’re serious about becoming a better player. A good coach will be able to teach you the basics, help you develop your skills, and give you feedback on your progress.
Photo from Pixabay
13. Join a training site.
There are many different poker training sites available that can help you learn the game. These sites typically offer video lessons, articles, and forums where you can interact with other members.
14. Use software to improve your game.
Various software programs can help you analyze your hands, track your progress, and find leaks in your game. These tools can be a great way to take your game to the next level.
15. Study successful players.
One of the best ways to learn poker is to study the strategies of successful players. Plenty of resources available can help you do this, including books, articles, and videos.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on learning the rules of poker and becoming a better player. Sign up with GGPoker now and grab that exciting opportunity to fast-track your learning and be confident to play with different types of players around the world. So relax, enjoy yourself, and have fun.
