Within the first few minutes of Rollerdrome I understood why this game is so well received. It has everything: stylish aesthetic, intriguing dystopian backstory, bullet time, and fast-paced challenging roller-skating! This is an action-shooter like nothing I’ve played before.
Gameplay
Welcome to the near-future where you play as Kara Hassan, a new competitor in the games. What is the game? Well, welcome to the Rollerdrome where you essentially mix roller-skating around exciting arenas and performing tricks at high-speed while trying to not get shot by the house players and scoring points by taking them out. It’s a unique concept with some seedlings of a dark, dystopian story underneath. As you skate around the arena you can perform a vast variety of tricks, which also replenishes ammunition, and the game, while only single player, does feature a scoreboard system so you can really push for those high scores.
Movement in the game is fluid, and fast. It feels good to glide about the arena performing jumps, tricks, and flips. The tutorials are very well designed, being interspersed by showing you new things as you progress and can access them. What enhances the excitement in this game, aside from the pace, is that you can’t really fail a trick or crash (beware you can fall off the arena in some stages!) this means gameplay never feels unnecessary, or frustratingly interrupted. Keeping the octane levels high means, you really must focus hard and time your moves, and dodges, and use the game’s version of bullet time effectively to be successful.
Controls feel logical, and the PC version has controller support.
Rollerdrome gives us great Bullet Time
Bullet time is always one of two things. Badly implemented and annoying or fantastic fun that makes you think you’re in the Matrix. Thankfully, in Rollerdrome it’s the latter. Ok, so it’s called ‘Reflex Time’ in the game, but it’s the same idea. When used, it allows Kara to slow down and you as the player think about things, aim at targets, and look great while doing it. This adds an extra dynamic to the strategy you need to be thinking about, timing it perfectly to get the most advantage and not messing up your movement when the speed returns that you end up flying uncontrollably out of the arena.
It should be reiterated that Rollerdrome is fast-paced, but thankfully it isn’t unforgiving. If you fail a trick the worst thing that happens, is you don’t generate ammo. The game does its best to walk you through everything and has stages of tutorial scattered throughout. The way Kara picks herself up and allows you to carry on in a way raises the stakes, it’s a warning that if you continue to fall out the map or get hit it will be game over. This is a difficult game though that requires great hand-eye coordination, timing skill and quick thinking if you really want to survive the stages later in the game. While it can be frustrating to repeat stages, it never is that annoying because the game is just so fun to play and learn how to do new tricks.
Graphics
Rollerdrome is visually wonderful. Comic book-styled cel-shaded art paired with punchy vibrant colours. Everything from the character art to the environments and enemies on the course is superb. You can’t help but feel slightly uneasy, however. While everything is bright and fun the underlying story is one that is intrinsically dark and dystopian in nature. Sadly, you never get enough of the story (it’s just not that kind of game) and I would love it if this world could be fleshed out in some way.
Is Rollerdrome really that good?
Yes. Yes, it is. How could it not be? Fast-paced movement in a variety of course locations with varying enemies to shoot at with an assortment of weapons. On top of that, you have a scoreboard. If you’re competitive, it’s addictive. Finally, you get bullet time and as you know, that makes everything look cool. It’s very well polished and any gripes you may have quite quickly vanish as you work out how to do some awesome matrix-style moves on skates.
It’s always somewhat embarrassing when you receive a review code for a video game franchise that you’ve never heard of – especially as its a nearly 27-year-old RPG franchise, even if the 6th entry of the series was first to come over to the west.
Sword and Fairy: Together Forever (oddly renamed for its PlayStation release from its original title of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 7) makes a clear and concerted effort to make an eye-popping impression out of the gates as it’s a visual storytelling powerhouse, with stunning environments, endless cutscenes and a huge script that feels like reading a long Chinese fantasy novel steeped in mythology.
It’s likely to take you aback, especially for a series that – chances are – you probably have never heard of. The story takes you across a variety of incredibly diverse landscapes such as mist-covered mountain tops, sunset-glowing beaches, and lava-spewing underworlds (just to name just a few) and they all have tremendously designed and detailed architecture all of which are screenshot-worthy, giving the game a stunning canvas on which to build off. It isn’t all eye candy either with a brilliant soundtrack filled with traditional Chinese music that adds to a very natural and holistic presentation that blends brilliantly with the ancient mythology and fantasy story.
Also, the running animation is great, which I just needed to get out there.
Putting Deities, Humans, and Demons and their respective realms at odds with each other, it’s up to the 4 protagonists to try to unravel the mystery behind ever-frequent incidents that threaten the safety of the many sects that the world is divided into. Leading the show is Yue Qingshu, a spirit-controlling member of the Mingshu sect who forms a symbiosis with Deity Xiu Wu after investigating Vicious Beasts. First name Vicious, second name Beasts.
There are plenty of decent plot twists and the character building is decent enough to involve you to the point of rooting for the characters – mostly.
One mark of a good story is to make the surrounding characters more interesting than your protagonists and Sword and Fairy manages to do that here, providing many intriguing characters around the main two characters who are largely blank slates while providing enough lore to keep you interested in the slower sections, but you better enjoy the deluge, as there is an avalanche of fully-voiced cinematic cutscenes that takes precedence over most other gameplay, the game often guiding you to walk from cutscene A to B to convey the narrative.
The only knock on what is an admirably large main story is that this game only has some of the most inaccurate English subtitles I’ve ever come across (though is still apparently an improvement on installment no.6). It is comprehensible, but it is filled with spelling mistakes, incorrect word choices, and grammar issues. A common example is characters that answer ‘yes’ and ‘no’ questions with ‘good’. It can sometimes affect the tone of a conversation, especially if it’s a serious scene and the errors almost make them comical.
For the PS4 it should be noted that while the presentation is mostly great, this experience was clearly optimized for more advanced hardware with some elements that were either downgraded or have yet to be polished properly, such as water effects and a beach with sand that looks like you are running on a yellow cardboard box.
The game itself starts off fast, with you dropped into the action of a battle tutorial and cinematic action cutscenes with QTEs, but after that, the game slows to a crawl, as it tries to introduce a huge main story and an immersive world. The former picks up pace eventually, but the latter fails to click as while the game creates an in-depth story within the bubble of the main characters, there is a disconnect between them and the world around them, constantly jumping around the hub world maps without really allowing for any meaningful interaction outside of the cutscene you are there to activate.
In addition to combining the story with hack and slack action, there are other elements of gameplay such as stealth scenes and multiple types of puzzle-solving platforming.
I should have prefaced this by first saying that I’m borderline obsessed with ‘immersion’ in video games (having been bitten by the bug after playing Shenmue) and it pains me when games are called ‘open-world’ when it’s more appropriate to call them ‘open-field’ games, and by the same token, it’s also frustrating when a game creates something so detailed (like in Sword and Fairy’s case) but makes it more like a museum exhibit.
It should be said that the non-story essential NPCs are animated well in their relevant settlements, but without a way to narratively link the characters to the world and visa versa, the NPCs and main characters seem to live in unrelated worlds and the effort the developer has made to give the game the appearance of immersion is lost. Mind you, how many games do you know of where an NPC just polishes his fish all day?
The side quests attempt to alleviate the issue by giving it a quasi-open-world feeling to fill the world with detail and also feedback into the RPG gameplay loop with loot and XP, but helping the NPCs often makes little sense story-wise, in addition to a basic leveling up system, so the justification for both open-world and RPG elements feel very artificial.
I have no doubt that implementing a more interactable open world would be more expensive, but as it currently stands, the beautiful maps feel more like you are sightseeing rather than the hometowns of these characters. There is nothing wrong with this per se, but it makes everything outside of the main story seem somewhat disjointed and at worst unnecessary.
To properly justify this as an interactive piece of entertainment, though, there obviously needs to be gameplay that the game can hang its hat on, and Sword and Fairy injects a hack-and-slack JRPG-esque battling system in between the run-cutscene-run formula. Each of the four characters has combo strings and eight slots for special moves on two ability wheels, but despite this, the battles are more style than substance and, to me, felt like a means to an end, rather than something I particularly looked forward to.
It’s not a Chinese mythology-infused video game without some kickass-looking dragons.
A bugbear I have with MMOs is the very little animation when enemies are attacked and the only representation of your offensive actually landing are damage figures and flashy effects from your own attacks. While not being an MMO, this is still the case here and there are only a few bosses whose varied attacks and movement allow the fights to offer a challenge, resulting in one-on-one fights with standard enemies feeling desperately empty.
Personally, I also feel that there is not enough noteworthy strife or tragedy for a 30+ hour story that feels like the length of an entire season of TV, with there being only one of a few attempted tear-jerking moments that I felt really landed properly. This might be because this game is rated for teens (and I’m old), but with no blood and being told that men and women holding hands is forbidden – despite the story constantly threatening the genocide of all races – was a little too childish for my tastes and a contrast that I couldn’t quite get my head around.
Because of this, I was often hoping the game to be a little less conservative by the end and funnily enough, there was one opportunity for the game to do it – a side quest where a peddler rips off the main character, and after finding out, you have an option to forgive or kill them. Unfortunately, after selecting to kill them, you not only see nothing happen – literally no animation, nothing – but the main characters barely flinch, as if your choice didn’t make a difference. I mean, I know the character was insignificant, but some compassion – please.
I probably should have just populated this review with screenshots instead of actual words…..
The inconsistencies of Sword and Fairy don’t end here either, with the game’s implementation clearly lacking a layer of polish – or two – with cutscenes that often end abruptly and cut immediately to in-game conversations, cutscene audio being out of sync by a degree of seconds, and bugs in the final boss requiring me to reload the game, all represent clear and obvious issues in addition to the most essential area of need of an update – the subtitles.
All hope is not lost though, as the developer has released 7 updates since the game’s release 3 weeks ago, which is a good thing – I think.
Unfortunately, Sword and Fairy is not a case of ‘What you see is what you get’, as although the music and presentation is top-notch, the game is unable to maintain its high level of quality across the board, so even though the story does intrigue, it dabbles in a bit too much mediocrity to truly recommend this to everyone, despite its eye-popping strengths.
My ability to take a half-decent photo is somewhat lacking. Consequently, I need to cheat my way to a better final product. Therefore, a simple but effective editing program is a must-have. Amateur and professional photographers are spoilt for choice in this competitive marketplace. As such, it can be difficult to choose the right piece of software. Recently, I’ve relied upon Adobe as part of my editing setup. However, when I was offered ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022, I couldn’t wait to get started.
ACDsee Ultimate has been out for a number of years and has been well-received. Yet, many comments have been made about the minimal changes across the franchise. Therefore, I was intrigued to see if the 2022 edition was wildly different from its predecessor. In short, it is very similar, but there are some neat new features that’ll capture your attention. The most noteworthy additions are the colour channel control or colour selection. Other than this, it’s pretty much business as usual. Not that this is a bad thing, because ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022 is an exceptional piece of kit.
ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022 is affordable for every budget.
What makes this program stand out is its exceptional raw processing power. What’s more, it does a great job of cataloguing your photos and is perfect for image editing. Alongside this, the wonderful UI and well-labelled tiles and tools make it great for users of all abilities. However, in this day and age, usability is no longer the defining factor. No, instead, people want a budget-friendly option that ticks many boxes.
Luckily, ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022 has an array of options for every budget. You can select between a perpetual license, or a yearly/monthly subscription service. The first is offered at around £190 whereas, the yearly option is £75, and the monthly £7.50. There are regular sales and discounts available, so prices may vary from time to time. However, what you must consider is which of these best suits your needs! The first offers updates and technical support for up to 1 year. Alternatively, the latter will give you continuous support and updates as long as the money keeps rolling in.
5 tabs and excellent results.
I’ve used some complicated programs in my time, but ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022 is not one of them. With 5 clearly labelled options, you know exactly where you are. You can explore Manage, Media, View, Develop, and Edit. These make up an extremely user-friendly environment that is seamless and intuitive. Every base is covered from image selection, editing, raw processing and more. I spent most of my time in the Develop and Edit areas. At first glance, there is a mind-blowing amount of tools and filters available. Yet, a quick play around ensures that it is never overwhelming, nor is it difficult to master.
If you are familiar with the franchise, you’ll know how impressive the manage and develop tabs are. Thanks to the wonderful image categorisation and excellent raw processing tools, your images will never look the same again. You’ll enjoy the familiar colour wheel and an improved pixel targeting setting. Each brush or gradient has its own rules to achieve some awesome results. Furthermore, the original shot remains the focus as you adjust every layer to your heart’s content. As such, creativity is at the centre of everything this software produces.
If organisation and labelling are your things, then you’ll adore the Manage tab. Here, you can customise colour labels, add geo data, ratings, hierarchical keywords, tags, and more. In fact, the vast choice of options ensures that every photo is easy to handle and simple to store.
ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022 has oh so many filters.
Though the word filters fill me with dread, on a professional level, they are a key editing tool. I despise how generic filtering ruins the original image and everyone looks “perfect”. Luckily, ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022 gives you full control over everything you do. Consequently, your final product can have layers upon layers of unique filters and elements that enhance the original photo.
Alongside this, you’ll enjoy a smart erase tool, special effects, watermarks, tilt-shift, grain, and more. As you add these to your image, a further window opens with more advanced choices. Effectively, this adds an artistic flair that can be ignored if you so wish. The aforementioned smart erase tool does a nice job of removing unwanted people or objects from your pictures. Though I didn’t use it that much, it is nice to erase the odd photo bombing fool that spoils the shot.
Face detection.
To help with categorisation, ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022 has included a face detection feature. Now, you may worry that this is gimmicky, but it really isn’t. With a few simple steps, your photos will be filed and easy to find. What’s more, a handy window highlights any possible matches that should also be included. Subsequently, People Mode is a big step forward for this awesome editing program.
Now, I could go on forever, but I really shouldn’t. Therefore, let’s wrap this up. ACDsee Photo Studio Ultimate 2022 is a big leap forward from its predecessors. Furthermore, it leads the way in many of its features. I loved how user-friendly it was, and the many categorising options. On top of this, it’s a phenomenal piece of software for users of all abilities. Yes, Adobe may be more suitable in some situations, but this all-in-one program will tick many boxes. It is for these reasons that I recommend you to buy it here!
LEGO have just released an Atari 2600 set, and it’s awesome!
Take a trip back to the 1980s with this LEGO Atari 2600 building set for adults. Enjoy a rewarding project creating all the details of this replica console, game cartridges and joystick. Gaming fans will love the 3 mini builds depicting themes from 3 popular Atari games. There’s even a hidden 1980s scene to build for total nostalgia overload.
Rediscover 3 of the most popular Atari games: Asteroids, Adventure and Centipede. There’s a cartridge for each, plus 3 scenes to build capturing the story of each game. The games slot into the vintage-style console and can be stored in the cartridge holder. Check out the artwork, inspired by the original Atari designs plus a touch of LEGO spirit.
Revel in the retro details – This replica version of the Atari 2600 console is packed with authentic details that you’ll remember from the original with a few LEGO twists added.
Build and reveal the 1980s scene – The hidden vignette shows a kid playing Asteroids in a 1980s room. Spot the details like the classic TV, boom box, posters, retro phone and roller skates.
Create 3 game display pieces – Build 3 scenes inspired by the Asteroids, Adventure and Centipede games, including a spaceship shooting at asteroids, a castle and a centipede with mushroom builds.
The Main console model measures over 8 cm (3 in.) high, 33 cm (13 in.) wide and 22 cm (8.5 in.) deep.
One of the first games consoles I got to play on as a kid in the 70s was the Atari 2600 – we were lucky enough to have one and I used to love playing on it. I still have an Atari 2600 console in my collection (not the one we had in the 70s though). One of my all time favourite games is Adventure so I was so happy to see that included!
The attention to detail is exactly what you expect from LEGO and they don’t disappoint. This set really is one for the collection if you are fan of retro gaming and cool LEGO sets!
The LEGO Atari 2600 set is available now priced around £209.99. There are 2532 pieces, it’s aimed a builders aged 18 and over and the set number is 10306.
Here is our review of the House of Marley Get Together 2 Bluetooth Speaker.
The Get Together 2 Bluetooth Speaker delivers exceptional audio clarity and unmatched sound experience. With a 20-hour battery life, quick-charge technology and an optional multi-pair mode, this innovative Marley must-have promises non-stop sounds. Dust-proof and water-resistant, the Get Together 2 speaker makes for a favourite travel companion, wherever you’re going. True to its roots, this speaker was crafted with natural bamboo and upcycled fabric made from plastic bottles to give new life to old materials.
Features
20-hour playtime
Multi-pair mode
30-metre Bluetooth range
Dust and water resistant (IP65 Certified)
Bass Boost, Acoustic, and Marley Signature Sound EQs
Dimensions: 33.4cm x 11.7cm x 10.3cm
Made with sustainable materials
100% plastic-free and recyclable packaging
What’s in the box?
The box contains the Get Together 2 speaker, sticker, quick start guide and USB-C cable.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The first thing you notice about the Get Together 2 speaker is that it doesn’t look like your normal plain speaker. The Get Together 2 is crafted from natural bamboo, premium REWIND fabric, REGRIND silicone and aluminium. Delivered in 100% plastic-free and recyclable packaging, this speaker is good for your mood and even better for the planet. Every purchase also helps to plant trees around the world.
Charging up the speaker is easy, just plug in the charging cable and away you go, you can use the speaker whilst it’s charging too! Even the USB-C cable is branded Marley! When fully charged, the battery will last for around 20 hours, so that’s pretty much all day listening if you are out and about.
You can even charge your phone from the speaker too, after all what’s the point of having an amazing speaker if your phone runs out of battery and you have nothing to play!
Whilst it’s billed as a portable speaker it’s still a little heavy, but not too much that it would put you off taking it with you for a picnic or a party, or anything in between! The speaker is dust proof and water resistant too, so don’t worry about it getting damaged.
Pairing the speaker to a phone was really simple – it took a few seconds once the pairing button had been pressed. Your phone works up to about 30 metres away from the speaker. It works with either Android or iOS. You can even pair it with another Get Together 2 speaker to give you an even better sound experience.
There are three different EQ modes to choose from, Bass Boost, Acoustic, and Marley Signature Sound, all of which can be selected at the touch of a button on the rear of the speaker, the colour appearing to signify which EQ mode you have chosen. All modes sound really great, so it’s really going to be a case of choosing your favourite. Personally I was more than happy with the Marley Signature Sound mode. The speaker itself pumps out 40 watts of power.
You can even use the speaker to answer phone calls and the quality of the inbuilt microphone is great too.
There are three buttons on the top of the speaker that handle all the controls, from changing the volume, to answering and ending phone calls and more.
If you are in the market for a high quality portable speaker that not only looks great, but is great for the environment, then take a look and a listen to the House of Marley Get Together 2 Bluetooth Speaker – you wont be disappointed.
The House of Marley Get Together 2 Bluetooth Speaker is available now priced around £249.99.
Celebrate 90 years of LEGO creations as you build this scaled-up anniversary tribute to the Classic 497 LEGO Galaxy set.
Join the celebrations to mark 90 years of LEGO creations with this nostalgic building project for adults. This anniversary collectible edition of the Classic 497 LEGO Galaxy Explorer model retains all the joy of the 1979 set but on a bigger scale.
Take your time crafting the features of this buildable model including the blended delta wing configuration of the original craft. The spaceship sits on 3 retractable landing legs and features opening rear doors and a retractable ramp to deploy the rover.
The rear of the ship houses the rover compartment with extra tools and an extendable ramp. The cockpit opens to reveal the interior of the spaceship where there are seats for all 4 astronauts as well as a living quarters with 2 beds, computers and storage compartments.
When I was a kid, a very long time ago, some of my favourite LEGO sets were the LEGO Space ones, I loved building the sets with my Dad and then playing with them, imaging all the adventures the astronauts were on. This was around the time of the first Space Shuttle launch, and all of that really interested me. Now here we are, 40 years (or so) later and I am building space themed sets with my son, and both of us loving it just as much as I did when I was kid, possibly even more now that I am sharing that with him.
This 1,254-piece set includes 4 astronauts and their robot helper, plus a surface rover and accessories and is available now priced around £89.99 and the set number is 10497 (which is a nice touch given the original set was number 497).
If you ever had a LEGO Space set as a kid, or you want to start building LEGO space sets with your kids (or you just want to revisit your youth), then you will want to pick this one up, it’s great! The set is aimed at 18 years old and above, but that didn’t stop us!
Here is our review of the Waatr LYT Self-Cleaning Water Purifier.
This bottle has a powerful ultraviolet light is your family’s new favourite tech! Built right into the cap, hard-working rays are on the same wavelength as the UV used to sanitise operating theatres and water treatment plants. These UV-C rays destroy various micro-organisms in your drinking water. Third-Party tested to kill 99.9% of e-coli in your water. The LYT bottle cap stops odours from breeding inside your water bottle. EVERY HOUR, powerful UV rays in the cap automatically activate, keeping your bottle fresh and clean keeping odour and everyday funk away from the bottle.
The box contains the water bottle and a charging cable.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
Everyone needs water to survive, and there are plenty of water bottles on the market that ensure the water in the bottle remains cool for a period time. The Waatr LYT bottle adds to that – it actually purifies the water in the bottle killing 99.99% of bio-contaminants.
There is a magnetic charging cable in the box that you connect to the LYT cap in order to charge it. Once charged you only need to ensure the purification function is enabled (you can also disable it to stop it using the battery when you are not using the bottle). The purification cycle happens automatically every hour.
When you fill up the bottle you can start the purification process by pressing the top twice and the blue light comes on. The process takes around 3 minutes to complete.
The process also keeps the bottle clean and odour free too!
I found the bottle easy to use (there really isn’t much to it!), it kept my water cool for a long period of time (to be fair I had drunk the contents and filled up way before the 12 hour limit to keep the water cool, but overnight it was very useful in keeping the water cool).
Taste wise I couldn’t notice any difference from drinking the water straight from the tap, but I felt reassured the purifier was making the water “safer”.
If you drink a lot of water and want a bottle to not only keep the water cool but to ensure its pure, then look no further than the LYT self-cleaning water purifier.
The Waatr LYT Self-Cleaning Water Purifier is available now from Zero Water with prices starting around £49.99. It also comes in a variety of colours too!
If you already have one of the many supported bottles you can just buy the LYT cap only to provide the waster purification function for around £29.99.
Here is a closer look at the Army AirTag Case from RUGD.
The RUGD. Army AirTag Case is the perfect companion for protecting your Apple AirTag. This ultra-protective case is made with super tough materials that are durable enough to withstand any outdoor activities.
What’s in the box?
The box contains the case and carabiner clip.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
If you have an Apple AirTag then this really is a useful bit of kit!
Fitting the AirTag took a few minutes as the material was a little stiff (although that also gave me a good feeling about protecting it too).
The box includes a carabiner clip that you can attach the case to and then attach to a bag or something else, or you can just fit the case to your keyring.
The Army AirTag Case provides a useful addition to not only protect your AirTag but make it easier to use it for whatever purpose you bought it for!
The Army AirTag Case from RUGD is available now priced around £14.99.
Here is a closer look at the Extendable Tripod from Kikkerland.
Great for both photography and video recording! The extendable tripod offers a height range between 13.7 (35cm) to 28.3 (72cm). Perfect for use on a tabletop surface or as a hand-held camera prop. Each leg extends individually for convenient use on uneven or outdoor surfaces. Adjustable handle for accurately positioning the camera angle, including a built-in level to ensure picture is level. Equipped with an easy-to-mount universal phone holder (suitable for phones up to 3 (7,62 cm) wide) that also works with regular cameras.
What’s in the box?
The box contains the tripod and camera clip.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The Extendable Tripod is small and lightweight, and it can easily slip into a bag with very little effort.
Setting up the tripod is effortless and you just screw on the phone clip to the top. Then just place your phone in the clip, adjust the height of the tripod and start using it – it really is as simple as that.
The tripod also has a spirit level so that you can make sure your phone is level when you use it – that is a really useful addition!
Whether you want to use it to take pictures or you want to do vlogging, this is a useful bit of kit at a very reasonable price.
The Extendable Tripod from Kikkerland is available now priced around £20.
Here is a closer look at the Camera Pencil Sharpener from Kikkerland.
What’s in the box?
The box contains the pencil sharpener.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
If you use pencils then at some point you are going to need a pencil sharpener. The Camera Pencil Sharpener from Kikkerland looks like an old style camera.
The place you put the pencil to sharpener it can be extended to fit any size pencil.
All the pencil shavings are collected in the base of the camera and the drawer easily pulls out to empty them in a bin.
If you are looking for a cool gift for a birthday or even Christmas present then take a look at this!
I, like most people, have dabbled in content creation. As such, I’ve fallen into the normal pitfalls, and I’ve experimented with an array of video editors. My go-to option was Adobe Premiere, but this professional editor was wasted on me. Instead, I wanted something that was intuitive, easy to use, and quick to pick up. This is where ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 comes into play. It’s an incredible piece of software that is great for beginners and more advanced users.
Furthermore, it won’t break the bank and has three price points to select from. First, there is the free option which has everything included, but there is a catch. A small intro and outro for the product is included in everything you create. If this isn’t for you, there is a one-time payment option. For around $80, you have a perpetual licence with every upgrade for version 6. However, any new programs will have to be purchased separately. Finally, there is a yearly payment plan. For about $30 a year, you get every upgrade and the latest version of the software. The latter two options don’t have the intro and outro videos, so your final product isn’t tainted by unnecessary advertising.
Whichever one is suitable for you, you know you’ll be rewarded with an excellent editing program. What’s more, there is a screen capture mode, standalone voice recording, and much more. As such, it is an incredibly versatile tool that will tick many would-be content creators’ must-have boxes.
ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 blew my mind.
My aforementioned use of Adobe Premiere has prepared me for complex and often convoluted experiences. Accordingly, I was expecting a harsh learning curve and many hours of trial and error. However, instead, ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 blew my mind because of how simple it is to use. With straightforward guides to follow, and obvious tiles to work with, you can get straight to work. Yes, there are some advanced options missing that Adobe offers, but many people won’t miss these.
Instead, you can get to grips with trimming, adjusting, filtering, and transitioning whatever clips you want. Furthermore, there are an array of excellent filters to use to alter your final product. Thankfully, to make things easier, each layer you’ve created can be added to each clip to ensure continuity is consistent throughout. Alongside this, the audio and video can be split to play with each element. What’s more, you can adjust or mute the volume altogether if you so wish.
This leads me to one of my minor issues with the software. Where Adobe Premiere excels is its audio balancing technology. Sadly, ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 doesn’t have this option. Consequently, if you have many small clips, you have to merge and balance each one manually. This is a key area that needs to be worked on in the future. This is especially important as there is no dB indicator. Subsequently, getting voice and video levels right takes some effort.
Make your videos pop.
Being able to place two clips together is all well and good. However, for a professional finish, you’ll want slick transitions, overlays, animations, unique text, and so forth. Luckily, many of these options are free to download or included from the off. What’s more, placing the transitional elements between clips is straightforward and worry-free.
If you are familiar with editing, you’ll like some of the regular choices available. However, ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 also has some unusual ideas. Consequently, your videos will pop and stand out from the crowd. Thanks to the excellent UI, it is easy to edit the transparency and length of effect. As such, you feel in total control of every video you create.
ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 is easy to use.
What was particularly great was the drag-and-drop functionality. Clips are imported into a separate window and you are free to place them however you like. Accordingly, swapping clips around and changing your movie is incredibly easy. Alongside this, you’ll enjoy up to 60 FPS, frame-by-frame scrolling, limitless tracks for video, audio, and images, and much, much more.
So, we know that the editing side is excellent. But, how about the exporting elements? Well, these were phenomenal as well. Thanks to an easy pop-up design, you can quickly select from an array of choices. Upload to YouTube or Vimeo, select a file-specific device such as a mobile phone or games console or store the file on your computer. Whatever you decide, it’s as simple as that.
Of course, you can delve deeper by improving the quality and the compression size. Word of warning, however, the file size can be quite large when using 4k. Yet, you needn’t worry too much when uploading to YouTube as their system compresses the hell out of it, anyway.
Mere mortals can access it.
When video editing is mentioned, the words high-performance PC normally follow. Fortunately, ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 doesn’t require a beast of a machine to run. That being said, the better the animal, the greater the performance. Yet, I understand high-end tech isn’t within everyone’s reach and this software works on moderately powerful machines.
Your specs are as follows. Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen (2GHz or faster) processor, 8GB Ram (16GB Ram recommended), a DirectX 10 compatible graphics adapter, a 1024x768px display (1920x1080px recommended) and just 4GB of available hard disk space. As you can see, these aren’t top-notch specs by any means, and subsequently, most “average” users can run this program. Sadly, though, Mac owners are out of luck as this is a Windows-only piece of software.
ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 is designed for amateurs.
Video editing isn’t traditionally aimed at the amateur market. However, ACDsee Luxea Video Editor 6 has broken this mould. Accordingly, it allows more would-be creators a chance to show off their skills and video content. Moreover, it is ridiculously easy to get to grips with. On top of this, its finished product is up with the market-leading programs at a quarter of the price. It is for these reasons that I recommend you to buy it here!
The great thing about Apple TV is that you can add apps and make various alterations to the digital sign and/or TV that you are using. This gives you a degree of flexibility and adaptability that makes it easy to set up digital signs and run them the way you want.
Set Up Your Digital Sign and Your Apple TV Device
This is pretty simple since the Apple TV (or set-top device) tells you how to set it all up. You need it up and running so that you can see the menu working on your screen. You then need to connect it to the Internet.
Will you need a permanent Internet connection for your digital sign? That really depends on the type of setup you want. For example, if you want live updates or the ability to change your content live and over the Internet, then you are going to need a permanent Internet connection. However, that subject is better saved for when you decide how you want your digital signs to operate.
Add the Digital Sign Software
Since you are running an Apple TV system, you are able to add apps to your set top box and/or to the Apple TV device (smart TV) itself. If this is all set up and you are able to do it correctly, then you need to download your Kitcast Apple TV app and install it.
Installing your digital sign app is not that different from installing an app on your Smartphone. You download it, and it installs almost on its own. You agree to a few privacy agreements and so forth, and you are up and running. Now, at this point you will need your digital sign connected to the Internet so you can continue with the next part.
Add Your Digital Sign Software To Your PC or Laptop
You now need a device from which you may operate your digital devices. If you had several digital signs set up, you would control them all from this single device. In truth, the device you use can be a Smartphone or a tablet, but most people prefer a Mac or Windows computer simply because it is more powerful and they can use other more powerful programs while using the digital sign software.
You install your software on your PC or laptop, and then you add your digital signs to the system. If your digital sign is connected to the Internet, you should be able to connect it to your PC/Laptop software. There are several ways to do this, but one of the most common (perhaps the most easiest) is to generate a security code with your digital sign and then enter it into your PC/Laptop software. It is a little like when you pair two devices and use a pass code so that other people cannot pair into that connection.
Adding Content To Your Signs
You will need to learn how to use the digital sign software on your PC or laptop. You will need to learn how to add content, how to alter your content, and how to send it to different digital signs. There are also issues like if you want to send the same content to all your digital signs, or if you want each sign to have its own content. It isn’t really that difficult, it is just a lot of micromanaging as you set each digital sign going. However, once you have set them up, there is need to keep fiddling with them. You can just leave them running, and you can even save the settings so that every time you set up your digital signs they will run the same content until told otherwise.
When it comes to certain franchises, you know exactly what to expect. GTA is gory and violent, Forza is mind-blowingly realistic, and COD is competitive and full of hackers. However, what if you want a deep but amusing game instead? Well, you turn to the likes of Saints Row or Destroy all Humans! Luckily, the sequel remake to the latter is released in August, so the long anticipated wait is almost over. Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed is a zany adventure that is full of innuendo, smut, toilet humour, and more. Consequently, it is aimed firmly at an adult audience, though younger gamers will enjoy it at a shallow level.
Developed by Black Forest Games and published by THQ Nordic, this is a sci-fi adventure title. What’s more, it has a vast open world that is traversed with the use of an alien spaceship. As such, each smallish location is manageable, interesting, in-depth, and full of collectables. On top of this, there is a whacky and amusing story to enjoy, a bunch of eccentric characters to encounter, and plenty of crazy action. In short, it evolves nicely from its predecessor and will entertain you from one hour to the next.
Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed tells an amusing tale.
In this revisited sequel, you’ll enjoy a similarly zany and bizarre plot. Moreover, the witty one-liners and sexually charged innuendo will have you belly laughing throughout. On top of this, the wicked range of alien weaponry and dastardly tools at your disposal add a cruel twist. With a high degree of open-world action and the freedom to choose side quests, you are left to your own devices. This was fantastic as there are plenty of minor tasks, collectables, and people to toy with.
The story revolves around Cryptosporidium 138. Unfortunately, 137 dropped dead, so his clone steps up to take the reins. Our new hero is made from purer DNA and is the only Furon to have genitalia. This “special” gift is known as “The Package” and it’s causing quite the stir. The KGB sees the Furons as a threat and decides to blow up Crypto’s mothership. This sends Crypto into a spin as his boss, Orthopox 13, is killed and his home is destroyed. Luckily, though, Orthopox 13 infuses his consciousness into a HoloPox unit. Subsequently, he can still bark orders and insists that Crypto get revenge. Accordingly, an unusual adventure begins, and lots of death, destruction, and anal probing unfold in the aftermath.
Fly like a bird with your handy jetpack.
Familiar gameplay mechanics.
If you love the open-world genre, then much of Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed will feel familiar. With the usual plot progressing missions and a range of random side quests, it keeps you busy at all times. Alongside this, you must find collectables to improve your equipment, cores to unlock lost gear, and Arkvoodle sites to open landing spots. On top of this, you are free to fly a saucer, bodysnatch unwitting humans, or blow their brains out to collect DNA.
If none of those things takes your fancy, you can spread some hippy-free love and begin a dance craze. Whatever you decide to do, Crypto delivers with cynical wit and a razor-sharp tongue. What was particularly great was the introduction of new mechanics as the game evolves. These plot-specific entities increase Crypto’s arsenal of guns while increasing the childish humour. I mean, who doesn’t like probing a fat policeman or crushing someone with a tractor beam?
However, what is important is upgrading your tools to give you a fighting chance. Every piece of equipment you own can be improved by Furotech and reactors. These essential resources are found dotted around each level and are awarded during each mission (more on that shortly). As your gear is enhanced, you’ll be able to shoot for longer, lift heavier weights, and take more damage. This results in a badass extraterrestrial with a cocky and appalling attitude.
Take to the sky and fry whatever you fancy.
Great locations and excellent quests.
With 5 locations to explore, and an increasingly bizarre plot to enjoy, Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed doesn’t disappoint. You’ll explore America, England, Japan, Russia, and finally the moon. In each of these locations, there is an array of ghastly creatures, special agents, and a top-secret twist to enjoy. During each encounter, you must use every tool on hand and master your Psi abilities if you wish to survive. Throwing cops or agents miles into the air never gets old, nor does evaporating them on the spot. Sometimes, a sneaky undercover approach is essential. However, if you so wish, you can go in all guns blazing.
At times, though, the choice is out of your hands. During every mission, you have a set goal and a list of additional optional targets. These range from not being detected, to blowing up agents with explosives. Whatever they are, they are normally manageable but add a degree of difficulty to each encounter. Furthermore, the more tasks you complete, the more Furotech you are awarded. Accordingly, ticking off every additional goal is essential if you wish to upgrade everything.
The childish and often simple story won’t disappoint. Whether you are trying to woo a hot Russian agent, tricking a stinking hippy, or destroying some whacky drug supplies, it’ll make you smile. What’s more, the crass writing style and deliberately rude approach will make you chuckle repeatedly.
Do you need to be so destructive?
Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed looks incredible.
I enjoyed the recent remake of Destroy all Humans! However, I couldn’t imagine how great the remade sequel would be. Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed looks incredible because of its polished cinematic and steady frame rate. Moreover, the fantastic city designs and varied character models add life to each location. Furthermore, the movement is slick, and I noted no glitches or bugs. This was pretty impressive when you consider the size of the entire package. With plenty of action unfolding, and explosives going off regularly, I expected there to be issues. Fortunately, I was wrong, and this exceeded my expectations.
My high praise must be put on hold for one moment. The reason for this is the loading speeds are mind-numbingly long. For a modern title, this is totally unacceptable as it breaks up the action and frustrates you. In the grand scheme of things, it is minor. But, compared to the other elements, it really isn’t good enough.
Moaning complete, let’s look at the excellent audio. Quite frankly, if you don’t love the phenomenal and witty acting, there is something wrong with you. You’ll adore the amusing script and the stereotypical take on each country. In an era where being offended is just around the corner, the developers step dangerously close to the line. However, I’m glad they did as the result is spectacular. On top of this, the sound effects are loud, in your face, and wonderfully stupid. They are then complemented nicely by an array of songs that match the timeline and culture of each location.
What are you looking at Crypto?
The controls could have been more intuitive.
On the surface, the controls are pretty easy to understand. As effectively, it’s a case of point-and-shoot. Yet, when you get into it, there are so many tools at your disposal that it gets messy. What’s more, remembering each option when the action is hectic can be hard work. Luckily, the excellent UI and radial submenus take some of the brunt. But, for me, it could have been more intuitive and easy to work with. These issues aside, you’ll enjoy a responsive and accurate setup that somewhat masks the other issues I encountered.
The open-world genre is loaded with longevity and replay value. Of course, Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed maintains this standard. With a large list of quests, plenty of collectables, and multiplayer action to enjoy, it’ll keep you going. Unfortunately, I didn’t experience the multiplayer mode, but I’m sure it won’t disappoint.
Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed is a witty, must-play remade sequel.
Now, I know that some sequels are disappointing. Fortunately, Destroy all Humans 2 – Reprobed is a witty, must-play remade sequel. Thanks to its awesome script, excellent acting, and childish humour, you’ll be entertained throughout. Then, there are the great graphics, zany characters, and brutal arsenal of weapons to enjoy. Yes, the controls could have been better, and the loading times were tedious, but these things don’t detract from its brilliance. Accordingly, I adored it and I recommend you to buy it here! Is revenge a good enough reason for annihilation? Who cares? Grab your gun, repair your saucer, and destroy all humans!
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to look at a Crunching Koalas title. However, this Polish publishing house is renowned for some incredible and touching games. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, Darkwood, and This War of Mine are just a few they’ve been involved with. Therefore, when news about The Gap landed in my inbox, I got very giddy, indeed.
If this latest title is anything like the others they’ve worked on, we’re in for a treat. Yesterday, at the Future Games Show, a new trailer had its exclusive world premiere. Below, you can witness a snippet of what to expect.
What’s The Gap about?
Developed by LABEL THIS Studio and published by Crunching Koalas, this is a dark and ominous sci-fi journey. What’s more, it covers some tough subjects and has images that are intended for a mature audience. Consequently, I can’t wait to see how the plot unfolds and the lengths the developers will go to.
The Gap follows Joshua Hayes and his struggles in life. His family is inflicted by a rare illness that eats away at your mind. As such, your sanity and memories are stripped, and your identity begins to vanish. However, while Joshua attempts to unravel the mystery, he must delve into his psyche to explore his memories and salvage his life.
What is this?
Core mechanics.
Though there will be a glimpse of puzzles and problem solving, the gameplay focuses on its narrative and melancholy atmosphere. Furthermore, there are cryptic messages to locate that offer an insight into each vision. I expect the action to be slow and contemplative, with surreal surroundings and a high degree of unnerving moments. What’s more, the characters will be secretive and aloof to enhance the mysterious nature of the plot.
With such a fine pedigree, I’m certain that The Gap will deliver on every promise. It’ll be available on PC (Steam), Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. If this announcement has tickled your fancy, more information can be found here!
(More information on Crunching Koalas can be found here!)
