‘Bring the Crunch’,DLC for South Park: The Fractured But Whole out now

Chris Hare
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0
‘Bring the Crunch’,DLC for South Park: The Fractured But Whole out now

The ‘Bring the Crunch’, downloadable content (DLC) for South Park: The Fractured But Whole, is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC. From South Park Digital Studios and developed by Ubisoft San Francisco, Bring the Crunch adds a whole new story campaign and “Final Girl” superhero class to South Park: The Fractured But Whole. In Bring the Crunch, your newest buddy, Mint-Berry Crunch, aka Bradley Biggle, aka Gok-zarah, has just arrived from his home planet of Kokujon with the tremendous power of mint and berries.

Meanwhile, an idyllic summer at Lake Tardicaca turns into a nightmare when the camp counsellors go missing. With the fate of summer camp in jeopardy, Fastpass sends out a Coonstagram distress signal. Team up with FastPass, Doctor Timothy, Professor Chaos and the newest member of the Coon & Friends, Mintberry Crunch, to save summer camp.

Players will also be able to embrace the new “Final Girl” class and overcome insurmountable odds to survive. This superhero class brings new combat tactics and traps to take down spooky enemies. After saving Lake Tardicaca, players will be able to bring their new powers and buddy to the rest of their superhero adventure.

Destiny 2: Forsaken – Legendary Collection revealed today

Chris Hare
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0
Destiny 2: Forsaken – Legendary Collection revealed today

Bungie, High Moon Studios, and Activision have revealed today that Destiny 2: Forsaken – Legendary Collection will release worldwide on September 4 and is now available for pre-order. Destiny 2: Forsaken – Legendary Collection will feature an all-in-one experience, offering players access to all of Destiny 2’s premium content and updates to date in one place, available on PlayStation 4, the Xbox One, Xbox One X, and PC.

The PC version will be available exclusively on Battle.net, Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed online-gaming platform.

The Destiny 2: Forsaken – Legendary Collection includes Destiny 2, Destiny 2: Expansion I: Curse of Osiris, Destiny 2: Expansion II: Warmind, and Destiny 2: Forsaken, the largest and most transformative expansion to the Destiny 2 experience yet. At launch, the Legendary Collection will also include a character boost that allows players the option to jump right to the latest adventure, Forsaken. For those wanting to experience Destiny 2 and its current expansions immediately, a pre-purchase of the digital Legendary Collection includes the ability to play the game right away.

In Forsaken, players take justice into their own hands as they pursue vengeance for a fallen mentor, the Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6. Over the course of this adventure, players will have the opportunity to explore new regions, unlock new abilities, earn a wealth of powerful new weapons, and discover lost Awoken secrets.

Players who pre-order Destiny 2: Forsaken – Legendary Collection today will receive a suite of special rewards to commemorate the last stand of one of the most memorable characters from the game. Cayde’s Exotic Stash pre-order bonus includes a unique exotic weapon ornament for his iconic Ace of Spaces hand cannon, Cayde’s ship, an exotic gunslinger-themed emote, and shaders of Cayde to decorate any piece of armour with his colours.

“Perfect for players joining the Destiny 2 universe or one of the veterans seeking revenge for Cayde-6, the Legendary Collection gives players access to all the great Destiny 2 content in one place,” said Byron Beede, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Destiny at Activision. He added, “With secrets to discover, and an epic hunt at the forefront, Destiny 2: Forsaken is a great chapter to jump into the Destiny story.”

Also available is the Destiny 2: Forsaken – Complete Collection, which offers the comprehensive Destiny 2: Forsaken experience for new, returning, and veteran players, and includes the Destiny 2: Forsaken Annual Pass*. Delivering to players more of what they want more frequently, the Annual Pass will include a regular stream of post-launch content. Annual Pass holders will have access to three premium content drops, the Black Armory coming Winter 2018, Joker’s Wild in Spring 2019, and Penumbra in Summer of 2019.

At launch, PlayStation gamers will also get access to exclusive content for Forsaken, which includes an exclusive ship, an exotic weapon, armour sets, and a Strike, all timed exclusive until at least Fall 2019.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom arriving on November 5th

Andrew Edney
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0
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom arriving on November 5th

Celebrate the newest installment of the action-packed Jurassic franchise when Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom arrives on Digital on 19th October, 2018, as well as on 4K Ultra HD, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on 5th November, 2018, featuring more than an hour of bonus content – including Chris Pratt’s behind-the-scenes “Jurassic Journals” captured on-set. The global blockbuster from Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures held the No. 1 spot for four straight weeks at the international box office, and topped the North American box office for two weeks is a worldwide hit, earning over $1 billion in global ticket sales. With the release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the Jurassic franchise is now one of the top grossing franchises of all-time grossing over $4.7 billion at the box office. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom continues to deliver adventure and thrills with the homecoming of beloved characters along with the introduction of new creatures that are more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before.

Building on the wonder and adventure that has mesmerized audiences worldwide, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom continues one of the most thrilling series in movie history with an adventure 65 million years in the making, captivating audiences of all ages with a stunning new chapter filled and more dinosaurs than any other Jurassic film.  Stars Chris Pratt (Jurassic World, Guardians of the Galaxy franchise) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World, Pete’s Dragon) return as Owen Grady and Claire Dearing with original cast members Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Thor: Ragnarok) and BD Wong (Jurassic World, “Law and Order: SVU”) reprising their iconic roles. Bring home the non-stop adventure, learn the incredible twist, and find out what happens when the park is gone.

In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom directed by J.A. Bayona (The Impossible, The Orphanage) and executive-produced by Jurassic titans Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow, Owen (Pratt) and Claire (Howard) return to Isla Nublar three years after the destruction of the Jurassic World theme park to rescue any remaining dinosaurs on the island from a catastrophic volcano that threatens to leave dinosaurs extinct once again. Owen is driven to save his lead raptor, Blue, while Claire makes it her mission to preserve the creatures that she has grown to deeply respect. When the lava begins to rain down, they soon discover terrifying new breeds of ferocious dinosaurs along with a conspiracy that could threaten the entire world. Joined by co-stars James Cromwell (Babe, The Green Mile) as wealthy entrepreneur Benjamin Lockwood, Dr. John Hammond’s partner in creating Jurassic Park, as well as Justice Smith (The Get Down) and Daniella Pineda (The Detour) as Franklin Webb and Zia Rodriguez, members of Claire’s Dinosaur Protection Group; this brilliant cast brings an extraordinary story to life as chaos erupts when Owen, Claire, and their team discover a most deadly endgame that could bring the planet back to prehistoric times.

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO 4K ULTRA HD & BLU-RAY:

  • Return to Hawaii – Cast and crew discuss shooting the film in Hawaii.
  • Aboard the Arcadia – Cast and crew discuss working with the animatronic dinosaurs.
  • FALLEN KINGDOM: The Conversation – Filmmakers and cast sit down for a candid and casual conversation about Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
  • A Song for the KINGDOM – Justice Smith sings for the cast and crew of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

BONUS FEATURES ON DVD, 4K ULTRA HD & BLU-RAY:

  • The KINGDOM Evolves – Filmmakers discuss how the second chapter in the Jurassic World trilogy pushes the franchise in a new direction.
  • Island Action – A behind-the-scenes look at the bunker scene and runaway gyrosphere sequence.
  • Start the Bidding! – A behind-the-scenes look at the auction scene.
  • On Set with Chris & Bryce – Go behind the scenes with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
  • Birth of the Indoraptor – An inside look at the genetically designed monstrosity known as the Indoraptor.
  • Death by Dino – Go behind the scenes as the Indoraptor faces off with a key character.
  • Monster in a Mansion – Director J.A. Bayona discusses how Jurassic Park and Dracula (1979) influenced his approach to directing the monster in a mansion scene.
  • Rooftop Showdown – A look at the terrifying showdown on the rooftop of the Lockwood Mansion.
  • Malcolm’s Return – Behind the scenes with the one & only Jeff Goldblum.
  • VFX Evolved – The team at ILM discuss their cutting-edge approach to creating dinosaurs.
  • Chris Pratt’s Jurassic Journals
    • Vivian Baker, Makeup Artist
    • Mary Mastro, Hair Stylist
    • Chris Murphy, 1st Assistant Sound
    • Dean Bailey, Stunt Edge Car Driver
    • Peter Harcourt, Diver
    • Daniella Pineda and Justice Smith, Actors
    • Jody Wiltshire, Set PA
    • Kelly Krieg, Assistant Script Supervisor
    • J.A. Bayona, Director
    • James Cox, Stunt Performer
    • Rachelle Beinart, Stunt Double
    • Bryce Dallas Howard interviews Chris Pratt, Actor

The film will be available on 4K Ultra HD, which includes 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and Digital. The 4K Ultra HD disc will include the same bonus features as the Blu-ray version, all in stunning 4K resolution.

    • • 4K Ultra HD is the ultimate film watching experience. 4K Ultra HD features the combination of 4K resolution for four times sharper picture than HD, the color brilliance of High Dynamic Range (HDR) with immersive audio delivering a multidimensional sound experience.
    • • Blu-ray unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.

Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

THQ Nordic announces de Blob 2 coming to Nintendo Switch this August

Chris Hare
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0
THQ Nordic announces de Blob 2 coming to Nintendo Switch this August

THQ Nordic has announced that the remaster of de Blob 2 will follow in the colourful footsteps of de Blob to launch on Nintendo Switch. The fan-favourite adventure has been inked in for an August 28th release and will be released both physically and digitally for £26.99/€29.99.

Comrade Black is back, and so is his war on Colour. There will be no stopping him or his brainwashed new cult from taking over Prisma City – that is until de Blob returns to re-ignite the colour revolution.

de Blob 2 is a platformer built around unique painting functionalities, classic platforming action and low-gravity space mechanics. Set a few years after the events of the first de Blob game, Prisma City and its residents are once again facing the threat of having all colourful individuality wiped from existence. It’s up to the player to join the Colour Underground and bring colour back to the world. Features include multiplayer support, 12 new single-player levels, new power-ups and epic boss battles.
• Imagine – Set off on an action packed colour adventure with 12 new single-player story levels where custom paints, patterns and music bring the world to life any way you want
• Laugh – Only the colourful prankster Blob can foil Papa Blanc’s evil hypno-plot to steal all the colour from Prisma City
• Wield power – Speed-smash through walls, jet-jump over skyscrapers and slam-squash Inkies with all new power-ups that turn you into a super Blob
• Explore – Paint your way past icy outposts, tropical bio-domes and distant space stations to free the fair citizens of Prisma City
• Transform – Inside, outside, above the Earth and below it, Blob embarks on mini-missions and epic boss battles to restore colour and music back to this rich universe
• Share – Recruit your friends to join the colour evolution in the two-player split-screen co-op mode

Tomb Raider Live In Concert with Orchestra – London Royal Festival Hall 17 September

Chris Hare
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0
Tomb Raider Live In Concert with Orchestra – London Royal Festival Hall 17 September

Shelley Blond, the original voice of Lara Croft, has been announced to compère a celebration of the music from one of the most iconic video games in history, Tomb Raider, as the franchise is celebrated at London’s Royal Festival Hall with a full live orchestra and choir.

Also added to the live concert is Lara Croft model Alison Carroll – the last ever real-life model of Lara, taking on the role between 2008-2010.

Joined by actor Tom George playing the role of Winston, Lara’s butler in the video games, the pair will take part in the show, as well as being available prior and during the intervals for fan signings.

Since the release in 1996 of the original 3D action/adventure game, the series, which introduced one of the most iconic female superheroines of all time, Lara Croft, has been an unprecedented and huge success.

By 1999, there had been three Tomb Raider games with combined sales of over 30 million copies worldwide. Lara Croft had become universally recognised and was not only being used to advertise products such as Lucozade, she even went on tour with U2.
But it wasn’t just Tomb Raider and Lara Croft that had attained universal popularity. The game’s remarkable music had itself become an integral part of the phenomenon. Written by internationally acclaimed games composer, Nathan McCree, the theme from Tomb Raider (1996) is as famous in the gaming world as James Bond is to film.

The Tomb Raider Suite is comprised of 24 fully orchestrated pieces of music written for the concert stage by McCree and is based on his original compositions for the first three games: Tomb Raider (1996), Tomb Raider II and Tomb Raider III
Audience members at the Royal Festival Hall will be engulfed by a full live orchestra and choir performing the unique and unforgettable score, alongside classic moments from the video games which will be projected on a giant screen behind the orchestra.

Tickets:
Ticket prices: £60, £45, £35, £29.50
Ticketmaster

Monday 17th September 2018
London Royal Festival Hall
Southbank Centre
Belvedere Rd
Lambeth
London
SE1 8XX

ID@Xbox Releases for this week

Andrew Edney
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0
ID@Xbox Releases for this week

Each week a number of new ID@Xbox titles are released. Here is the roundup of the releases for this week.

No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky is a science fiction game about exploration and survival in an infinite procedurally generated universe.

Inspired by the adventure and imagination that we love from classic science-fiction, No Man’s Sky presents you with a galaxy to explore, filled with unique planets and lifeforms, and constant danger and action.

Every star is the light of a distant sun, each orbited by planets filled with life, and you can go to any of them you choose. Fly smoothly from deep space to planetary surfaces, with no loading screens, and no limits. In this infinite procedurally generated universe, you’ll discover places and creatures that no other players have seen before – and perhaps never will again.

Aces of the Luftwaffe – Squadron

The Aces of the Luftwaffe have returned! Dodge a hail of bullets and face their fearsome war machines in bombastic air battles and boss fights!

Every end is a new beginning! When Europe seemed to be freed, a secret German commando called The Aces of the Luftwaffe took their chance to strike back and invade the USA! It’s your duty to restore peace and liberty by climbing aboard deadly wings of steel and fight against their fearsome war machines in bombastic air battles! Experience an epic storyline and survive the bullet hail above US coasts and cities! Command your wingmen, fight as a team, fight as a squadron!

Bud Spencer & Terence Hill

The first OFFICIAL Bud Spencer and Terence Hill videogame!

Bud Spencer and Terence Hill in their first virtual adventure. A brand new story! Whether in the Western Saloon, Miami Downtown, at the fairground etc… you’ll get the full load of funny conversation, slaps and of course lots of mass brawls.

Slaps And Beans is a co-operative or single player scrolling beat’em up game with the addition of platform elements and mini-games in which you’ll interpret the characters of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill.

Gene Rain

Gene Rain is a next-gen 3D third person shooter game. The story is set in a futuristic world, with a linear narrative structure, and uses shocking visual effects to present a brand new world for the players ‘ enjoyment.

Super Blackjack Battle 2

Headup Games and Stage Clear Studios would like to welcome you to the greatest Blackjack tournament the world has ever seen!

Super Blackjack Battle II Turbo edition introduces a roster of 12 very different characters all competing to become the greatest Blackjack player of all time.

Remothered: Tormented Fathers

Remothered: Tormented Fathers is the pure and realistic survival horror videogame. A game by Darril Arts, directed by Chris Darril, developed by Stormind Games.

The story revolves around Rosemary Reed, a fascinating 35-year-old woman, who reaches Richard Felton’s house, in order to investigate on the disappearance of a girl called Celeste. The woman is greeted by Gloria, the nurse who takes care of the old Richard. When Dr. Felton understands Rosemary’s true intentions, the dread begins.

Candle: The Power of Flame

Candle is an adventure with challenging puzzles. Play as Teku, a young novice on a dangerous journey to rescue his tribe’s shaman from the evil tribe of the Wakcha. But the way is littered with sinister traps and difficult obstacles.

Banner Saga 3

Banner Saga 3 is the final dramatic chapter in the mature, story driven Viking RPG series which has won over 20 awards and has been nominated for 4 BAFTA awards. As the world continues to crumble around you, who can you trust, how will you protect your allies and what choices will you make as the Darkness draws near?

See you next week for another round-up of the new ID@Xbox releases.

Two Minute Review: Snakebyte Head:Set X for Xbox One

Andrew Edney
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0
Two Minute Review: Snakebyte Head:Set X for Xbox One

Here is our two minute review of the Head:Set X for Xbox One from Snakebyte.

True gamers know that gaming headsets are a must. The snakebyte HeadSet X for Xbox One X is what you need if you’re looking to get to that next level. Built in is a 40mm audio driver that allows for optimal sound quality. A removable mic with flexibility is perfect for coordinating with your teammates and trash talking your foes. Soft and comfortable design makes this perfect for gamers seeking the best in audio quality and comfort. The 1.2 meter cable provides freedom to move around.

Features

  • Removable mic with flexible design allows for a tailored fit and optional use
  • 40mm speakers perform at an optimal level of sound quality
  • Cushioned earcups allow for comfort and noise isolation
  • Volume control is attached to a 1.2 m long cable for easy access
  • Design matches the Xbox One color scheme

Who are Snakebyte?

Established in Germany 1997, the snakebyte group is a leading global provider of consumer electronics. The Company has offices in Germany, Shenzhen, the US and Hong Kong and develops and distributes a wide selection of products specializing in connected media devices, gaming, simulation, drones & RC products. In addition, the Company provides its services in the OEM/ODM sector, working with partners to realise their goals and stay ahead of the competition. The snakebyte group have high levels of expertise in hardware engineering and software development, experts at creating an ecosystem in which technology and media can co-exist and provide state-of-the-art experiences for the consumer.

What’s in the box?

The box contains the headset, detachable mic and instructions.

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

The Head:Set X is very lightweight and is foldable so that you can easily slip it into your pocket.

There is a detachable mic so it’s easy to use the headset with or without a mic depending on what you are using them for.

The ear cups are cushioned and so are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, although depending on the size of your head and ears the amount of time that is may vary.

The headset itself is green and black in order to match the Xbox colour scheme. May not seem like a big deal but for some it’s a nice added touch.

The sound quality for such a small headset is very good. It’s in no way meant to be a proper replacement for a high end set, these are designed to be portable and used on the go.

Available now, the Head:Set X for Xbox One from Snakebyte is priced around £17.95.

For more information, please visit mysnakebyte.com and follow snakebyte on Facebook, and Twitter.

Two Minute Review: Snakebyte Head:Set 4 for PS4

Andrew Edney
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0
Two Minute Review: Snakebyte Head:Set 4 for PS4

Here is our two minute review of the Head:Set 4 for PS4 from Snakebyte.

True gamers know that gaming headsets are a must. The snakebyte HeadSet 4 for PlayStation 4 is what you need if you’re looking to get to that next level. Built in is a 40mm audio driver that allows for optimal sound quality. A removable mic with flexibility is perfect for coordinating with your teammates and trash talking your foes. Soft and comfortable design makes this perfect for gamers seeking the best in audio quality and comfort. The 1.2 meter cable provides freedom to move around.

Features

  • Removable mic with flexible design allows for a tailored fit and optional use
  • 40mm speakers perform at an optimal level of sound quality
  • Cushioned earcups allow for comfort and noise isolation
  • Volume control is attached to a 1.2 m long cable for easy access
  • Design matches the PlayStation 4 color scheme

Who are Snakebyte?

Established in Germany 1997, the snakebyte group is a leading global provider of consumer electronics. The Company has offices in Germany, Shenzhen, the US and Hong Kong and develops and distributes a wide selection of products specializing in connected media devices, gaming, simulation, drones & RC products. In addition, the Company provides its services in the OEM/ODM sector, working with partners to realise their goals and stay ahead of the competition. The snakebyte group have high levels of expertise in hardware engineering and software development, experts at creating an ecosystem in which technology and media can co-exist and provide state-of-the-art experiences for the consumer.

What’s in the box?

The box contains the headset, detachable mic and instructions.

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

The Head:Set 4 is very lightweight and is foldable so that you can easily slip it into your pocket.

There is a detachable mic so it’s easy to use the headset with or without a mic depending on what you are using them for.

The ear cups are cushioned and so are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, although depending on the size of your head and ears the amount of time that is may vary.

The headset itself is blue and black in order to match the PlayStation colour scheme. May not seem like a big deal but for some it’s a nice added touch.

The sound quality for such a small headset is very good. It’s in no way meant to be a proper replacement for a high end set, these are designed to be portable and used on the go.

Available now, the Head:Set 4 for PS4 from Snakebyte is priced around £17.95.

For more information, please visit mysnakebyte.com and follow snakebyte on Facebook, and Twitter.

Review of the Jabra Elite Active 65t wireless earbuds

Chris Hare
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1
Review of the Jabra Elite Active 65t wireless earbuds

Here is the review of the Jabra Elite Active 65t,  wireless earbuds targeted for active sports usage.

The Jabra Elite Active 65t, these come in a compact carrying case that not only keeps it protected but also offers an extra two charges for the earbuds, giving you a total of 15 hours playback on the go, priced at £169.99 from Jabra/Amazon.

charges via a micro USB

Because they’re specifically built to be used for sport, the Elite Active 65t also features a secure-fitting design to ensure they stay in your ears while you’re working out.

Jabra Elite Active 65t earbuds

With an integrated accelerometer to help track your workouts more accurately, we’re told that these wireless earbuds are IP56 certified against sweat, water and dust too!

micro USB lead and extra earbuds ear tips

The earbuds really do take well to being thoroughly soaked or very sweating like it is at the moment in the UK with this heat wave. Also happy to report that they continued to play music fine after the ‘shower’.

Setup

Flip open the matte charging pod, place the buds in your ears, download the Jabra Sound+ app and pair with your phone. It’s that easy. After initial setup, the Jabras will detect when they’re in your ear and automatically switch on and will pause if one bud is removed. Occasionally they may not sync correctly but a quick press of the button on the side of the earbud will bring it to life.

Volume controls are on the left earbud, easily felt by two small notches. The right earbud has a single button for play/pause. Two presses will switch on HearThrough mode allowing surrounding noise to mix with your music. This is great not only from a safety point of view but handy if you need to talk to someone as you no longer need to remove your earbuds. Hold the right button down and you’ll have access to Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant.

The Jabra Sound+ app is well designed and easy to use, allowing customisation of your sound with some pre-set profiles and features a graphic equalizer

The left ear does the controlling of the volume while the right one does the tracks controls

The Jabra fit snuggly into the outer ear with the bud sitting comfortably in the ear canal. They are perfectly weighted to stay in place while exercising. Indeed, they are so comfortable that, on occasion, I’ve forgotten I’m wearing them. A small microphone extends towards your mouth to handle phone calls and HearThrough mode. They look good in the ear and are completely unobtrusive.

Performance

Most impressive though is the Bluetooth performance, which is rock solid. Minimal dropouts and when they do drop it’s only for the briefest moment. Hands-free calling also works very well although I still feel a little self-conscious taking a call in public – the buds are small enough that you can look like you’re talking to yourself.

There are now quite a few wireless earbuds on the market and not many of them work as well as the Jabra Elite 65t. The sound quality, Bluetooth connectivity and design are all top, but what really puts these at the top of the pile for me is the fact that once they’re in your ears, they stay there!

Pros:
Stylish design that stays in your ears.
Great sound
Volume controls on the earbud
Cons:
No active noise cancellation

Review: Death Squared

Diogo Miguel
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0
Review: Death Squared

There are plenty of puzzles out there which means that it’s necessary to come up with ideas that can make a new puzzle game stand out. Death Squared seems to have a couple of ideas that could make it stand out.

Continue

New Ni No Kuni 2 Season Pass Details

Diogo Miguel
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0
New Ni No Kuni 2 Season Pass Details

It’s been a couple of months since Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom’s release, but Bandai Namco has finally provided some details on what players can expect from the season pass.

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Surgeon Simulator Coming to Switch

Diogo Miguel
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0
Surgeon Simulator Coming to Switch

The Nintendo Switch has proven to be an excellent source of income for publishers that have ported their games since its launch. So it’s no wonder that Bossa Studios is celebrating the 5th anniversary of its popular Surgeon Simulator games with a Nintendo Switch release.

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Review: Shuttle XPC Cube SZ270R9 Barebone Mini PC

Andrew Edney
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0
Review: Shuttle XPC Cube SZ270R9 Barebone Mini PC

Here is our review of the Shuttle XPC Cube SZ270R9 Barebone Mini PC.

Shuttle, the leading mini-PC designer, introduces its new Gaming Mini-PC model SZ270R9, supports the 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and set to deliver the best perfrmance for gaming and VR use. With RGB lighting technology, the all-new R9 model can be truly adapted to represent your lifestyle by color scheme set up. Designed to performance enthusiasts, the SZ270R9 provides dedicated XPC Overclock Software and a hardware physical turbo button on the top of the front panel allows real-time overclocking using single button. Small as it gets, the new R9 chassis offers a space for up to four 3.5” Hard Disk and two NVMe SSDs, it is able to support large size dual-slot graphics cards. Built-in Dual Intel Gigabit LAN, 500 Watt 80 PLUS SILVER PSU, three M.2 and ten USB ports, the SZ270R9 comes packed powerful and expandability in a small package and it’s definitely a gamer’s pick to LAN parties.

Specifications

FORM FACTOR Shuttle Form factor
PROCESSOR Support Kabylake/Skylake 95W Core i3/i5/i7 LGA 1151 CPU processor
CHIPSET Intel Z270 Express chipset
MEMORY (4) DDR4 2133/2400MHz support dual channel up to 64GB (16GB*4)
VIDEO OUTPUT Integrated in CPU
AUDIO Realtek ALC662
5.1 channel High Definition Audio
ETHERNET Intel Chip i211*2
10Mb/s,100Mb/s,1Gb/s operation
Support Wake-ON-LAN function
STORAGE INTERFACE SATA 6Gb/s
ONBOARD CONNECTORS (2) 4 Pin fan connector
(4) SATA 6.0 connectors
(1) ATX main power (2*10)
(1) ATX 12V power (2*2)
(1) RS232 header
(1) Front USB3.0
(1) Front AUDIO header
(1) 2×5 pin USB header
FRONT PANEL (2) USB 3.0 Port
(1) External microphone jack
(1) External headphone jack
Power button
Power led
Turbo button
Turbo led
BACK PANEL (4) USB 2.0 Port
(4) USB 3.0 Port
(1) Line in jack
(1) Line out jack
(1) Audio MIC in
(1) HDMI+DisplayPort
(2) LAN
(1) CMOS clear button
(2) DisplayPort
(3) Antenna hole
DRIVE BAYS (4) 3.5″ HDD bay
*Support up to 8*2.5″ HDD by using 4*PHD3 HDD rack when system extra SATA or RAID card
DIMENSIONS 332(L) x 216(W) x 198(H) mm
POWER 80 Plus 500W power supply
Input:100 – 240V AC
Support 80 PLUS silver
ACCESSORIES XPC Multi-Language quick guide
XPC DVD Driver
SATA cable x4(For HDD)
CPU Thermail Grease
Power cord
Screw package
EXPANSION SLOT (1) PCI-E X16 slot
(1) PCI-E X4 slot
(2) M.2 2280 type M socket
(1) M.2 2230 type A,E key socket
OS SUPPORT Windows 7 & Embedded series O.S
Windows 10 & Embedded series O.S
Linux

Who are Shuttle?

From their website:

“Established in 1983, Shuttle Inc. is headquartered in Taipei Taiwan and is a global information technology and manufacturing leader. Established as a manufacturer of computer motherboards, Shuttle utilized highly regarded Research and Development capabilities and patented cooling technologies and expanded to offer computer products. Today, Shuttle XPC computers consisting of consumer and commercial products including; Cube (mini-tower), Slim (1.3L and 3L), Nano, and All-in-One PCs. Shuttle also offers Digital Signage Media Players, Notebook Computers, and Tablets.”

What’s in the box?

The box contains the XPC cube, some instructions, cables, screws and thermal paste for the processor.

A Closer Look

Final Thoughts

One of the first things you notice when you take the XPC Cube out of it’s box is the size – it’s quite small! Don’t worry that it may be small but it can fit a lot in it! It also looks very good too. There is sufficient airflow down both sides of the case as well. There are front LED’s that you can configure to be different colours if that’s your thing.

The top has a power button and a turbo button, along with two USB 3.0 ports and a headphone and mic socket. The rear of of the cube has all the other ports you need.

Gaining access to the insides is just a case of unscrewing two thumbscrews and slipping off the case – it’s really simple. And just as simple to put it all back together again.

The cube itself includes a power supply and a motherboard and also the CPU cooler, but you will need to supply your own hard drive, processor and memory, and you can also add your own graphics card too if you want to use something extra, two in fact, and if you are building a games machine you will probably want to do that so that you have the best graphics you can. The Shuttle website has a detailed list of supported components you can use, so make sure you check that out before you go ahead and buy anything.

Everything is already connected for you as well making it just a case of adding those components – everything else has been done for you which will both save you time and make it less fiddly.

I’m not going to talk about the performance of the cube because this will all depend on what you decide to use, but whatever you select it is very easy to fit into the cube and be ready to game!

I mentioned the turbo button, this is there to be used to overclock the cube when configured. You can then turn off the overlocking when you don’t need it just by pressing the button again.

So if you are in the market to build your own compact gaming PC but you don’t want to start from scratch then you should definitely take a look at the XPC Cube as it has everything you need to get you on your way to building a kick ass gaming PC – highly recommended, you should get one today! My one is currently sitting in pride of place on my desk.

The Shuttle XPC Cube SZ270R9 Barebone Mini PC is available now priced around £350.

You can learn more from the Shuttle website here.

Review: Flip Wars

Diogo Miguel
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Review: Flip Wars

There was a peculiar title called Flip Wars that stood out when Nintendo started announcing games that were in development for the Nintendo Switch ahead of the hardware’s launch. At the time it seemed like the sort of title that would flourish in hardware meant to be played anywhere.

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