With Christmas not that far away, we take a look at the Marvel Legends Series Hank Pym (Giant-Man) & Janet Van Dyne (Wasp) pack.
Bring the excitement and wonder of the Marvel Universe to your collection with Hasbro Marvel Legends 6-inch Hank Pym (Giant-Man) and Janet Van Dyne (Wasp) figures! In celebration of the Avengers 60th anniversary, these collectible figures are detailed to look like the characters from Marvel’s Tales to Astonish comics. 6-inch scale Marvel figures are fully articulated with poseable head, arms, and legs. Marvel action figure set comes with 11 accessories, including alternate hands and an alternate head for each figure. Hasbro Marvel action figures’ 6 inch scale make them great for posing and displaying in fans’ collections. Reimagine Avengers comics-inspired scenes on your shelf with Marvel Legends action figures.
6-inch Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne figures are inspired by the characters’ appearance in Marvel’s Tales to Astonish comics
Figures have comics-inspired design and deco, featuring their classic red Avengers costumes and removable wings for Wasp
This officially licensed Hasbro Marvel Legends action figure set comes with 11 accessories, including an alternate head and hands for each figure, removable lab jacket, lab equipment, and miniature Quinjet
Featuring a window box package, fans and collectors can display these premium figures designed at the Marvel 6 inch action figure scale (15 cm)
Each collectible action figure features over 20 points of articulation with fully poseable head, arms, and legs for dynamic poses on your shelf
Look for more Avengers 60th Anniversary -inspired Marvel Legends Series figures to build your own Marvel Comics Multiverse
The set includes 2 figures and 11 accessories and is aimed at ages 4 and up.
The Marvel Legends Series Hank Pym (Giant-Man) & Janet Van Dyne (Wasp) pack is available now priced around £59.99.
With Christmas not that far away, we take a look at the Gastronogeek Gothic Recipes book.
Gastronogeek chef Thibaud Villanova presents 40 original recipes for experts and beginners alike inspired by hit gothic TV series, films and computer games.
Venture into the twists and turns of flavours and wander the corridors of gluttony, before delighting in a devilish meal… Discover 40 deliciously horrific recipes inspired by the gothic realms of popular TV series and films, perfect for culinary beginners and experts alike. Thibaud Villanova, the chef behind best-selling series Gastronogeek, explores the chilling worlds of Edward Scissorhands ,The Addams Family, Dracula, The Sandman, and many more. Discover a new culinary perspective with recipes such as Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies from Sweeney Todd and Captain’s stew from Pan’s Labyrinth.
Find traditional dishes to share, desserts, drinks and snacks dedicated to 36 cult references of the supernatural and the strange:
• Beetlejuice • The Witches • Demon Slayer • Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness • Casper • Dark Shadows • Supernatural • Hellboy • Batman • Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street • Bride of Frankenstein • Pan’s Labyrinth • Dracula • The Lost Boys • Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood • Luigi’s Mansion • Castlevania • The Sandman • Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children • Penny Dreadful • It • Edward Scissorhands • Sleepy Hollow • The Addams Family • Wednesday • Charmed • Carnival Row • Buffy the Vampire Slayer • Locke and Key • Crimson Peak • The Shape of Water • Carrie • The Magicians • Hocus Pocus • Ash vs Evil Dead • Evil Dead
Gastronogeek Gothic Recipes is available now priced around £24.99, it has 144 pages and is published by Titan Books.
With Christmas not that far away, we take a look at the Gastronogeek The Book of Potions book.
Over 70 recipes inspired by the most popular cult universes, from Indiana Jones to Alien, from chef and pop-culture expert, Thibaud Villanova, author of Gastronogeek Anime Cookbook and The Unofficial Ghibli Cookbook.
Board the Gastronogeek ship and immerse yourself in an incredible culinary voyage. Gastronogeek Book of Potions explores six classic universes of geek culture: science fiction, fantasy, horror, comics, manga, and video games.
Re-discover the most popular geek universes with more than 70 creative gourmet recipes (cocktails, milkshakes, smoothies, soups, sauces, etc.) accompanied by tips from chefs and mixologists, from Star Trek Romulan Beer to Naruto Ramen Ichiraku.
Teaming with 57 essential references from pop-culture, this gourmet tribute will immerse you in astounding geek universes:
• Science-fiction: Star Trek, Firefly, Back to the Future, Star Wars, Dune, Doctor Who, Terminator, Stargate, H2G2 and Alien
• Fantasy: Camelot, Hook, Conan, Willow, The Cardinal’s Blades, Harry Potter, Discworld, Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons
• Manga: Attack on Titan, Dragon Ball, Naruto, Candy Candy, Saint Seiya, One Piece, Princess Monoke, City Hall, Sailor Moon and Black Jack
• Fantastical: Night of the Living Dead, Cthulhu Mythos, The Goonies, Highlander, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones, The Addams Family, Dracula, Beetlejuice and Big Trouble in Little China
• Comics: Superman, Batman, Hellblazer, Hellboy, Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Scott Pilgrim, Deadpool and Hulk
• Video games: Final Fantasy, Fallout, Zelda, Monkey Island, Super Mario, Pokémon, Prince of Persia, Donkey Kong and Assassin’s Creed
Gastronogeek The Book of Potions is available now priced around £29.99, it has 192 pages and is published by Titan Books.
With Christmas not that far away, we take a look at the Gastronogeek Cult TV Cookbook.
Discover 37 delicious recipes inspired by classic and newcomer cult series, from Star Trek to Game of Thrones, from Thibaud Villanova, author of Gastronogeek Anime Cookbook and The Unofficial Ghibli Cookbook.
From the classics such as The X-Files, Star Trek, Lost, to newer fan-favourites including Westworld and Stranger Things, discover 37 delicious recipes from or inspired by essential series. Gastronogeek Special Cult Series explores five classic universes of geek culture: From Infinity and Beyond, Terrible and Monsterous, Pop-Culture, Fantasy, and Super-Heroes.
Thibaud Villanova, author of Gastronogeek Anime Cookbook, offers us a gourmet revisit of the pearls of the small screen. From Twin Peaks Cherry Pie to Stranger Things Waffles, Buffy the Vampire Slayer chocolate bars to Vikings’ land-sea stew.
Teaming with pop-culture references, immerse you in the world of the cult series:
• To infinity and beyond: Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate SG-1, Westworld, Firefly, Real Humans and Doctor Who
• Terrible and mounstrous: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Fringe and Supernatural
• Pop culture: The Big Bang Theory, X-Files, Six Feet Under, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Hannibal, Vikings and Sherlock
• Fantasy: Twin Peaks, Game of Thrones, Lost, Sense 8, The OA, Once Upon a Time, Charmed, Highlander, A Series of Unfortunate Events and Pushing Daisies
• Super powers: Daredevil, Gotham, Heroes, Smallville, The Flash and Jessica Jones
The Gastronogeek Cult TV Cookbook is available now priced around £22.99, it has 92 pages and is published by Titan Books.
Here is our review of the ATOM Keychain Controller from CRKD.
A one-of-a-kind Keychain Controller compatible with Nintendo Switch, PC/Mac, Mobile/Tablet, and Smart TV gaming. It’s the ultimate on-the-go companion for both casual gamers and collectors. Whether you’re a devoted gamer or an avid collector, ATOM is the perfect duo, allowing you to game anytime, any where, any place in true retro-modern fashion.
More than just a gaming tool, the ATOM doubles as a distinctive accessory. Attach it to your keys, backpack, or any gear, and add a unique flair to your everyday essentials. With its standout design and versatility, the ATOM is the mini collectible controller you didn’t know you needed but won’t want to live without.
What’s in the box?
The box contains the ATOM, a charging cable, instructions and a wrist strap.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The ATOM Keychain Controller is tiny and very lightweight. It’s designed to be carried with your keys, or on your bag, or in your pocket.
Charging it up is very easy – just use the supplied cable and charge away. On a full charge you can get about 10 hours of usage from it, so that should keep you going for a while.
You connect the ATOM controller using Bluetooth to the device you want to use it with, including Nintendo Switch, Smart TVs, mobile devices and tablets to name a few. Connection is really easy and you can be playing in no time at all.
There are four shoulder buttons which can be used like a normal controllers bumpers and triggers.
Although the controller is very small, its fairly easy to use – and the smaller the hands, the easier it is to use – just ask my trusty 8 year old helper who got on better with it that I did!
It’s also compatible with the CRKD app if you want to use that.
The ATOM Keychain Controller from CRKD is available now priced around £19.99 and comes in 8 different colours. The one reviewed here is Yuzu Yellow. This would make a great stocking filler at Christmas.
With Christmas not that far away, we take a look at the So Sensory Light Up Unicorn World from Canal Toys.
Explore a new sensory experience as you get creative, making your own Light-Up Unicorn World! Hours of fun creating your dream world with cute characters, clay, sand, foam, gems, beads, pompoms, a backdrop and cut outs and more.
Decorate the world with stringlights, fun compounds then add in charcters and decorations to complete your design! Discover lots of different sensations.
Once decorated, add the dome and select your favourite light setting. Wow it’s magical!
The box contains:
1 Dome with a string light
4 Clay Bags
1 Sand Bag
1 Foam Bag
3 Characters
Decorations
2 Big rocks
1 Bag small rocks
1 Cutting Mould
1 Backround card
1 Arch
The So Sensory Light Up Unicorn World from Canal Toys is available now priced around £19.99 and is aimed at children 6 years and up.
With Christmas not that far away, we take a look at the Slimelicious Slimepresso Machine from Canal Toys.
Make delicious looking creations with the Slime ‘Presso Machine. Using the DIY powder, pour water from the machine, start the battery operated mixer and create colourful slime. Add the pre-made slime and decorations.
BATTERY POWERED MIXER: Use the battery powered mixer to create and mix your slimes!
SO COLOURFUL: Use the mix machine to make amazing slime!
STRETCH & SQUISH: Our slimes are super streachy and fun to squish!
ALL IN ONE: DIY and readymade slime included!
3 x AA (not includeded)
The box contains:
1 Electronic Mixer
10 Slime powders
5 Slimes Premade
8 Decoration bags
3 Cups
3 Straws
1 Recipes Card
This is a lot of fun, and will keep your child happy for hours!
The Slimelicious Slimepresso Machine from Canal Toys is available now priced around £24.99 and is aimed at children 6 years and up.
TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials is a refined racing game designed to enthral lovers of the franchise. Furthermore, it returns to a classic racing experience as arcade mechanics sit front and centre. Though this may not appeal to racing purists, it is great if you want an outlandish fantasy game.
This arcade racer was developed by 3DClouds and published by Outright Games. Furthermore, it is a single-player or couch multiplayer title. As such, there is a competitive edge if you have a good group of friends. Alternatively, the computer players offer a challenging layer as you work through the ranks and compete at the highest levels.
TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials tells a tale of woe.
The AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS always find something to fight about. Unfortunately, the evil dudes are always up to no good, and humanity and the universe rely heavily on the protection of the good guys. This classic mindset will never get old and I love the clichéd good vs evil approach.
TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials ups the ante with its tale of destruction and doom! Evil NEMESIS PRIME has stolen the Prime Relics. These ancient artefacts bestow incredible powers to those in their possession. Yet, the AUTOBOTS can not allow this atrocious act to pass and they destroy Evil PRIME’s ship as he makes his escape. The Prime Relics are scattered across the universe and the race to rescue them has begun.
Not a tale for a racing game.
Though the story is dramatic, it doesn’t match the racing genre. This strange approach doesn’t impact the gameplay but it felt more action-adventure than high adrenaline racer. The Galactic Trials comprise a handful of races of varying difficulty. During each event, you are given unique tasks to complete for an XP boost. Luckily, you can avoid the additional quests, but you must tick off the main mission or you’ll fail that race.
At the beginning of each event, you must pick a relic and weapon. The relics increase your stats and change the way you race. As the game unfolds, you unlock new and more powerful relics that give you a match-winning edge. Each event has 2 distinct gameplay elements. The racing is self-explanatory and you must drift and race across boost pads to take the lead. As you compete, you may shunt your opponents to take them down. This mechanic is often unfair and gamers will get frustrated as they are smashed into walls and lose their lead.
The second mechanic is a run-and-gun gauntlet. During this section, you must destroy guards, turrets, drones, and much more. This felt more like the game I was expecting and it was a welcome and challenging element that broke up the rudimentary racing. Though I enjoyed the run-and-gun idea, purists will wonder what is going on.
TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials isn’t a next-gen game.
Unfortunately, TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials lacks a wow factor. Visually it isn’t as impressive as I hoped and the level design is somewhat understated. Moreover, the character models lack detail and everything blurs into one colourful mess. This was a shame as I wanted the fantasy edge to create some truly magnificent racing memories.
The audio is loud and energetic, but equally unsurprising. If you closed your eyes, the sound effects and soundtrack could be from any recent racing title. The only elements that were distinctly TRANSFORMERS by design were the sound bites. The one-liners were good and my kids recognised each character.
Simple controls.
Thankfully, the control system is easy to understand and quick to master. The controller layout is basic and you’ll be up and running in no time. Drifting and high-speed curves take some practice on the tighter courses. Accordingly, some advanced driving elements must be tackled.
TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials has a basic character upgrade system and plenty of robots to unlock. Each of these unlockable characters is hidden behind challenges and race progression. Consequently, you must be invested if you wish to unlock everyone. This approach increases replay value and will make its intended youthful audience return for more.
TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials doesn’t break the mould.
Though I enjoyed TRANSFORMERS: Galactic Trials, it doesn’t break the mould. It’s a familiar racing game with an interesting adventure twist. Sadly, neither of these layers excels and this was a shame. However, it does enough to keep you interested as you test your driving skills. Accordingly, though it wasn’t spectacular, I recommend buying it here! Can you gather every Prime Relic? Pick your racer, choose your perks, and win every race.
Nick Jr Party Adventure is a wholesome experience that is perfect for primary school children. The familiar characters, short levels, and high-energy aesthetic are enough to keep them entertained. However, the simple puzzles will not test older children and this creates an unfortunate niche. Despite the limited appeal, I believe that younger children will fall for its charms.
This puzzle adventure title was developed by Melbot Studios and published by Outright Games. Furthermore, it is a single-player and couch cooperative title. Therefore, if your children need help, you can jump in and give them a hand. Alternatively, they can go it alone and complete every puzzle they encounter.
Nick Jr Party Adventure tells a simple tale.
The action is divided into 6 unique worlds. Each area has 12 levels and 3 collectables per stage. On top of this, some familiar antagonists wish to spoil the fiesta. These villains can be stopped easily and this is a key element in the more advanced stages. As you explore each world, you collect cosmetic items to customise your character. Though this has no impact on the gameplay, it was fun nonetheless.
Dora is throwing a fiesta and she wants her friends to come. Unfortunately, though, they are stuck in their worlds and need a hand to escape. This is where you come in! You’ll navigate each puzzle and help the guests get to the party. Each area is small and completing the tasks was simple for an adult. However, young children will have to use their brains to complete every objective.
Easy mechanics.
Each world has a unique backdrop and objectives to complete. You’ll have to control gates and power springs. Furthermore, you must move platforms and adjust pathways. As you progress, you’ll be expected to leap chasms, avoid obstacles, and thwart each antagonist. Thankfully, you can speed up or slow down the action.
This was perfect as the gameplay is pretty slow. Accordingly, once the puzzle is solved, you don’t want to hang around as each team member walks across the stage. What I love about Nick Jr Party Adventure is the lack of violence or a fear of failure. If you make a mistake, the game reverts you to a safe location and you try again. This approach was ideal for younger minds as they can experiment without concern.
Nick Jr Party Adventure is colourful but rough.
I had low visual expectations when installing this. Most child-friendly titles focus on the gameplay rather than the graphics. Unsurprisingly, Nick Jr Party Adventure is colourful but rough around the edges. The low-key graphics will not wow you. However, its vibrant colour palette and fun characters were pleasant to look at. Moreover, the stage design was interesting and my kids enjoyed each varied backdrop.
The audio is a little annoying. The repetitive soundtrack outstays its welcome pretty quickly. Yet, my daughters loved the sound bites and the fun sound effects. Consequently, it is a mixed bag and will drive adults mad.
Simple controls.
Like the puzzles, the controls are simple and easy to follow. The basic controller layout and clean UI ensure that youngsters require little assistance. However, if they need help, there are helpful prompts and voice notes to keep them on track.
Replay value and longevity are unfortunately limited. Once you hammer through every stage, there is no reason to return. This was unfortunate as the 72 levels come and go in a flash. Yet, the bite-size levels are perfect for short attention spans.
Nick Jr Party Adventure is nice but flawed.
I tested a pre-release build that unfortunately has some flaws. Visual glitches and an issue with save files undermine the current status. I’m assured that these issues will be ironed out before release and my opinions are based on this promise. Subsequently, despite its problems, it is a fun game for youngsters. Additionally, the puzzles are well-balanced and will test primary school kids. Accordingly, I like it and I recommend buying it here! Can you rescue every guest and make it to the fiesta? Design your hero, explore every world, and avoid the villains.
A problem, brought up by Gimmick 2, is how you approach difficulty as a reviewer. You don’t want to slam a game for being unfairly difficult, only for everyone else to breeze through. It’s a bit of an embarassing moment, that. Reviewers aren’t known for being skilled players, after all. My measure of difficulty is to take a look at a selection of deaths and apportion blame: did I screw up or did the game screw me over? I’d say Gimmick 2 falls in the first camp, though it’s a close-run thing.
That’d be because Gimmick 2‘s biggest gimmi- uh, gameplay mechanic is both a blessing and a curse. It’s gameplay based around physics, which means that you can pull off trick shots. You can also screw up and be left desperately trying to figure out what’s going on. Still, Gimmick 2 is a sequel to a game from the early nineties and the chaos fits in well with that era. Fortunately, it’s been given modern touches, and controls wonderfully. Gimmick 2 feels like a NES-era game given a beautiful coat of paint.
Star Power
Gimmick 2 features the return of Yumetaro, a green blob-like little fella. He’s peacefully asleep alongside the girl he lives with, when a strange wizard teleports in and kidnaps her. Night having been thoroughly ruined, Yumetaro sets off to rescue her. He’s armed only with his plucky courage and the ability to conjure a star from nothing, which admittedly is pretty powerful. The twist is that the star has physics, so you need to predict its bouncing and momentum in order to hit enemies and flip switches. When paired up with some precision platforming, it brings in quite a significant amount of challenge. I rather like it.
It’s a deviation from the usual platformer mechanics of just jumping on enemies, or dispatching them by mashing a button. Hitting enemies before they get to you requires actual thought. Levels make good use of it, too. You start with simple jumping puzzles, and simple switch puzzles. Towards the end, you’re doing a mad dash through a tough platforming section, when it’ll sudden require you to summon a star and throw it at the right time. Completing a section really tests your abilities well. It helps that Gimmick 2 is butter-smooth to control, with jumping feeling great.
Beautiful Chaos
That said, the chaos that a physics based weapon brings in tends to cause issues when the pace slows down. A lot of the boss fights just spawn in waves of enemies, for one thing. That already feels like a cop-out, but trying to calculate your star’s trajectory at the same time as dodging hordes of bouncing enemies just feels irritating. The solo boss fights, however, don’t seem to know how to counter your star and crumble easily. The star is also the only real string to Gimmick 2‘s bow, too, so some of the levels in the middle feel a touch one-note. Bounce a star while sliding down one slope, bounced them all.
Still, there are a generous amount of collectibles to find, which all dress Yumetaro in cute outfits. They’re usually off the beaten track, so there’s a decent amount of replay value here. Speaking of cute, the whole thing is adorable. The checkpoints are little presents that open to reveal a balloon in the shape of Yumetaro’s face. You can’t be grumpy looking at something like that. Plus, it has a really pleasant artstyle and soundtrack. The world of Gimmick 2 is just a nice place to be. There’s a good variety of levels, too, though I’m a little sad we don’t get more enemies that aren’t just black blobs in different hats.
Gimmick 2 – A Thoroughly Pleasant Modernisation
As a last note, when you start up Gimmick 2, you’ll get a choice of difficulty – gimmick or assisted. I bring it up for two reasons. Firstly, turning on gimmick mode requires you to get to grips with the platforming – a nice idea. Secondly, I recommend you take the plunge and go with gimmick mode. It’s not too difficult – you still get three hits before you die. But I feel like Gimmick 2 is at its best when it’s challenging you. I died frequently – and almost rage quit some of the later levels – but I always came back. It’s the perfect formula of challenge, quick respawn and tight controls.
The pleasant atmosphere is just the icing on the cake. In many aspects, Gimmick 2 feels like a NES-era platformer dragged through the ages until it’s modern. It has the simplicity and cuteness of design of NES-era platformers. Then it has the pinpoint platforming, akin to something like Super Meat Boy, before being draped in the most pleasant graphics that modern technology can allow. The end result is a challenging, if sometimes one-note, platformer, which will always make you smile.
I’m of an age where retro gaming is cool and filled with nostalgia. Being a 40-something-year-old gamer, I’ve seen some incredible evolution throughout the years. However, no matter how realistic and remarkable modern games are, I always love to revisit old-school classics. This is where SUNSOFT is Back Retro Game Selection comes to the fore. This trilogy collection of games has never been released in the West. Accordingly, I was excited to get my hands on a copy and see what I had missed.
This retro arcade experience was developed by SUNSOFT and published by Red Art Games. Furthermore, it is both single-player and locally cooperative. As such, you can enjoy this with a like-minded friend. The Japanese 8-bit games took some getting used to. But once I got my head around the blocky graphics and cumbersome controls, I fell for their dated charms.
SUNSOFT is Back Retro Game Selection delivers 3 cracking titles.
I’ll admit that I had never heard of the following titles until I installed this game. The Wing of Madoola, Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido, and Ripple Island are the 3 cracking games that need to be defeated. Each one retains its original story and core concepts, but they have been reworked for a modern audience.
This reworking ensures that SUNSOFT is Back Retro Game Selection is more fun and palatable. The challenging action would have been horrible without this genius touch. Yet, though I enjoyed these particularly dated games, they will only appeal to a niche audience. The clunky gameplay, basic stories, and simple imagery won’t wow you. But if you can look past this, you’ll enjoy every ounce of the dated 8-bit magic.
Reworked magic.
The inclusion of a CRT filter, multiple aspect ratios and borders, and some quality-life features helps to enhance the dated titles. Moreover, the action is more forgiving because of the rewind and save state features. Consequently, you can be more aggressive without worrying about losing your progress.
These features worked well with the platforming titles. However, it wasn’t so essential when I played the RPG. This classic title was captivating but the rudimentary design took some getting used to. Once I undid my modern brain and reset it to my childhood SEGA mindset, I adored the simple approach. The same can be said for the platform titles. The clunky hitboxes should have been more accurate, but it mattered not. With a little practice, I could work my way through the stages and enjoy the vivid colour palette.
SUNSOFT is Back Retro Game Selection is brilliantly pixelated.
It didn’t matter which game I picked, the level of detail was grim. This isn’t a complaint, just an observation. After all, how much detail can you expect from a decades-old computer game? Alongside this, the level designs are straightforward and you shouldn’t expect any surprises. The simplicity of this trio of games won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved the trip down memory lane.
The audio is just as rough. Shrill soundtracks and crass sound effects dominate the soundscape. The basic and chunky thuds will make you laugh. Yet, it works surprisingly well, especially when you play the RPG. The sense of drama was impressive and it was easy to lose yourself in the atmosphere.
Clumsy controls.
Unsurprisingly, the controls aren’t great. The 4 directional D-Pad is clumsy and it feels alien whenever you use an analogue stick. This was to be expected but modern gamers may struggle to undo years of muscle memory. Other than this, the UI is great and rewinding the action or saving the game is a piece of cake.
If you love retro gaming, SUNSOFT is Back Retro Game Selection will keep you coming back for more. The never-before-released games will make fans of Japanese titles salivate. There is something special about the gameplay and the artistry. However, they haven’t aged particularly well and it takes a forgiving mindset to overlook the clunky nature of each core element.
SUNSOFT is Back Retro Game Selection will make a niche audience happy.
Though this won’t fly off the shelves, SUNSOFT is Back Retro Game Selection will make a niche audience happy. The blend of genres and the faithful recreation of the Japanese games is great. Yet, I can’t help but think that it’s a little late to bring these back to life. Accordingly, I hesitantly recommend buying it here! Will you master each of these titles? Pick your favourite, learn the fundamentals, and enjoy every dated moment.
re you ready to fight for your immortal soul? You’d better be, as Far Far Games and Fulqrum Publishing are getting ready to whisk you away to a world of Slavic myths and folktales in their brand-new action RPG title Bylina, coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 next year!
Embark on an epic journey to the Far Far Kingdom and challenge Koschei the Deathless to save your immortal soul and become a true hero in Bylina, an action RPG rooted in Slavic folklore and myths.Take on the role of Falconet, a young bogatyr born without hero’s powers, shunned and underestimated by almost everyone around him. Conquer numerous ordeals, overcome insurmountable odds, and become a legendary hero whose tales will be told for ages to come.
Falconet dreams of following in the footsteps of his father, a fabled bogatyr – but during what seems like a simple task, he finds himself in the dark and mysterious Far Far Kingdom where he meets his demise. To his surprise, the young hero is revived by a mysterious spirit with whom he must now share his body. Falconet faces three daunting tasks: reclaim control over his soul, uncover an ancient mystery surrounding his new companion, and save the world from imminent doom.
About Bylina
Discover a vibrant and extraordinary world based on Slavic myths and legends. Journey through the Land of Cities, boasting diverse locales – from sunlit forests to gloomy dungeons and imposing castles, each with its own unique features and atmosphere. As soon as you open new areas, prepare to encounter strange local inhabitants, as well as countless challenges, treasures, and puzzles waiting to be solved.
Improve your skills by mastering unique techniques and spells, and engage in fierce battles with common bandits, terrifying legendary creatures, and brutal bosses in which every mistake could be your last.
Expand your arsenal, embracing mysterious magical powers as well as a variety of armaments, from swords and shields to spears and bows. Level up, increase your strength, create new items, find and experiment with rare types of armour, and fight back against an ancient evil.
The eternal struggle between good and evil is not as obvious and clear-cut as it seems at first glance in the world of Bylina; its inhabitants experience complex inner lives filled with their fears, anxieties, hatred, and scars left by past trials that have shaped them into who they are today. Falconet will have to face not only legions of powerful foes in combat; but also the emotions, feelings and struggles that make a true human soul.
Bylina will be launching on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2025.
Here is our review of the recently released diskAshur PRO 3 SSD encrypted drive from iStorage.
In a world where safeguarding your valuable data is a priority, the iStorage diskAshur PRO3 is the ultimate choice for ensuring top-of-the-line data security.
Introducing the iStorage diskAshur PRO3 – a state-of-the-art portable HDD/SSD that sets a new benchmark in effortless data security. With its sleek design and user-friendly interface, this brand-new device ensures unparalleled protection for your data.
The diskAshur PRO3 HDD/SSD is pending the new FIPS 140-3 Level 3 validation standard. The recent successful evaluation and issuance of the CAVP certificates demonstrates compliance with the latest U.S. government computer security standards for cryptographic modules.
Specifications
Features
Incorporates a Common Criteria EAL 5+ certified secure microprocessor
FIPS 140-3 Level 3 Validated (pending)
FIPS PUB 197 validated encryption algorithm
Encryption keys are always encrypted whilst at rest
Brute force hack defence mechanism
Tamper proof and evident design
IP56 Certified – Dust and water resistant
Immune to BadUSB – diskAshur PRO3 HDDs/SSDs are not vulnerable to malicious attacks
iStorage is the trusted global leader of PIN authenticated, hardware encrypted data storage devices, that include: USB Flash Drives, Hard Disk Drives, and Solid State Drive formats. We deliver the most innovative products to securely store and protect data to Military specified encryption levels, safeguarding your valuable business information whilst ensuring compliance to regulations and directives.
The iStorage range of products are accredited across the range, include FIPS 197 (Advanced Encryption Standard, Computer Security Standard, Cryptography), FIPS 140-2 Level 2 (Tamper Evident, and seals), FIPS 140-2 Level 3 (Responding to attempts of a Physical attack), IP57 (Protected from limited dust ingress and water immersion up to 1M), CESG (National Technical Authority for Information Assurance), CCTM (Claims Tested Mark).
What’s in the box?
The box contains the diskAshur PRO3, instructions, two cables and a carry case.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
The diskAsur3 PRO is bigger than some of the previous iStorage USB drives we have reviewed. It’s still fairly lightweight though so you can carry it around without feeling like you are dragging a brick around!
Including a carry case is also a great idea – it not only keeps the drive clean but it keeps it safe too!
Using the drive is very simple – just enter your code and the drive is ready to use. When you have finished with the drive just remove it and it locks automatically.
One nice feature is the ability to have an Admin code on the drive, so if you forget your code you can use that one to gain access.
You may be wondering why the drive has a keypad and why you wouldn’t just use the keyboard on your computer to unlock the drive. It’s to stop keyloggers and brute force attacks from gaining access to the drive.
If you enter your code incorrectly 15 times in a row (for example if someone else is trying to guess your code) the user code is deleted. The only way to access the drive is to use the Admin code and reset the user code. If the Admin code is then entered incorrectly 15 times in a row that too is deleted and this time all the data on the drive is also deleted thus protecting whatever you stored on it, so you should feel safe in the knowledge that whatever happens your data is safe and secure.
The drive is recharged when it is plugged into a powered USB port, so don’t worry too much about it losing charge.
Using the drive is simple – once you have entered the PIN you use it just like any other drive, only everything stored on the drive is encrypted.
You can set your own unique Self Destruct PIN which can instantly delete the encryption key, all PINs, all data and then creates a new encryption key so that the drive is blank.
There is also an auto-lock feature which you can set. This will automatically lock the drive after a set period of time.
The keypad is even coated with a wear resistant epoxy so that you can’t tell which keys have been pressed more than others. When it comes to security, every little bit helps!
You also get a lifetime licence to Nero BackItUp software and a 1 year licence iStorage DriveSecurity free!
This is hands-down the best encrypted drive I’ve ever used and I can highly recommend it!
The diskAshur PRO 3 SSD encrypted drive from iStorage is available now in a range from sizes started at 512GB and going up to a whopping 16TB. The drive reviewed here is the 2TB version which retails for around £660. There are also HDD versions too if you prefer those to SSDs.
After its initial PC release a year ago, WitchSpring R hits consoles. Is this JRPG worth checking out? Or should it be banished for crimes of terrible witchcraft?
It’s A Wonderful Day For Pie
Developed by Kiwiwalks, (A three-person development team from South Korea), WitchSpring R is a remake of a mobile game of the same name. Released in 2020, the mobile version had its charms but now with its full console release, the developers have attempted to go bigger and better, with mixed results. The story centres around a ten year old witch named Pieberry, who lives alone in a small cottage in a secluded forest. Cut off from the world itself, the only life she has ever known is in the forest. This is because she is protected from it by her guardian who just happens to be a massive stone golem by the name of Balt. He has protected her from the villains of the game for years, the knights of the holy church who coincidentally hunt witches. This beginning helped me understand Pieberry’s feeling of loneliness, isolation and longing to explore, which all set up the main themes of the game. On a fateful day she discovers a black bird in her forest named Black Joe which propels Pieberry and the story away through the forest and beyond.
The aesthetic and charming nature of WitchSpring R fools you at first, but this story is unexpectedly mature and complex which I found fascinating. The theme I most resonated with in this tale is the reality of humanity itself. Its depiction of humanity as a power hungry force which will stop at nothing is far too similar to real life and thus it’s uncomfortable. The focus on the holy church is also excellently presented as the game touches on the theme of religion and how it can be all encompassing. The church views witches and other beings of magical power as demons and because the church says this, the knights blindly follow this. It’s a sobering tale of a world under a religious zealotry reign and one that has twists and turns along its roughly fifteen hour campaign. It is deep, thoughtful and impactful as Pieberry’s conversation and thoughts are displayed for the player to see. The story reaches a satisfactory conclusion to her tale and it’s a credit to the development team that they have successfully managed to alter my initial expectations of the game. They have created a strong mature tale wrapped inside a Disney like charm. Very impressive.
Turn-Based Tension
Gameplay in WitchSpring R is best described as deep and rewarding but not without its frustrations. The very first few moments of the game, when you can control Pieberry help show off the core gameplay loop. As you scour for items to craft, learn new spells to ward off enemies and train to gain attribute points, this game is a true old fashioned RPG. The crafting system is varied and complex, allowing you to create a variety of items from healing salves to magic buffs and even bombs! But it’s the training system that really caught my eye. The system allows you to focus on specific training modules to boost stats such as stamina, health and magic power. What makes this system so good is the mini games tied to each activity that are just a fun distraction to the main game. You can’t help but go back and do more. The system pairs well with the overall levelling structure and the battle system. I loved training so I could hone my skills and make Pieberry more and more powerful. And that’s a common theme in the gameplay- the rising power of Pieberry throughout the story.
The battle system gives and it takes away. I mean this in the sense that the experience points you earn through combat are scarce to say the least. This means every point you gain and where you place said point is impactful and stops the player feeling overpowered early on. The battle system becomes fleshed out the more you level up with abilities, unlocking summoning pets, more spells to cast and new abilities to master. Coupled with the battle system are weapon skill trees which allow you to cater your weapons’ abilities and stats to how you want to play.. As I mentioned, it has its frustrations as the sheer amount of menus and options in the game can be overwhelming for newcomers to JRPGs like myself. It’s daunting at first but I felt fulfilled and rewarded come games’ end.
These systems and functions all funnel into the combat which is a turn-based system. If you have played games like this before, the combat is pretty rudimentary and nothing that will stand out to you, but it does the job. You can use boosts, items, status effects and more. The usual suspects for turn-based combat are all here. Some abilities allow you to cast on multiple enemies which were my favourite moments. Other times, there were so many separate groups of enemies in one area, it felt like a true slog and slowed down the pacing of the story. If you are not into turn-based games this is very much not for you, but the system is serviceable and veterans of this gameplay style will feel right at home. Thankfully, no pets can be harmed in the combat!
A Mixed Bag Beyond The Forest
WitchSpring R is both beautiful and ugly at times in its presentation. You can certainly tell this game was once a mobile game as some environments look blocky and jagged. But that’s not the case all the time. Pieberry’s house looks wonderful and the majority of the areas hold up pretty well in this revamped version. There are different biomes on display from the beautiful forest, dark caves to soaring mountains and glistening oceans. The game has this subtle beauty to it but just small aspects such as trees and bushes look bad, making it hard to focus on the beauty. This is nit-picking as the majority of the game does look brilliant and should be commended due to the small size of the development team.
Pieberry herself looks wonderful and all the characters have been animated and created with care and love, all looking unique. Enemies look fantastic and the bigger creatures in the game become huge spectacles when they appear on screen. The animations for all the spells and combat moves also look impressive and you can see every hit, block and miss burst onto the screen during fights. With the game being told in Japanese or Korean through voiceover, there is a need for subtitles and thankfully these are wonderful with some minor hiccups through typos and grammatical errors. One of the worst parts of the game itself is its UI which can be utterly chaotic and can be a sheer eyesore. However, the presentation overall stays at a fairly consistent level.
What is unquestionably incredible are the music and sound design. When you are in your cottage or scouring for items, the soundtrack has this Disney-like feel to it. It is a charming and soothing theme that you can’t help but smile at whilst you wander the areas. Once combat begins, the tone of the score then shifts to a daunting brooding theme that creates tension whilst you plot your next turn. During the climatic boss battles, the score reminded me of classic Monster Hunter games mixed with a hint of Kingdom Hearts and I loved every second of this OST. Sound design is also particularly strong with every menu click pinging off the screen whilst popping potions or using fire and lightning spells sound powerful and impactful. Whilst presentation is a mixed bag, the sound design and score across the board are absolutely phenomenal.
Verdict
WitchSpring R is a thoughtful, deep and meaningful story which tells a tale of discovering oneself along with the perils of religion and bigotry. Pieberry is an engaging, thought-provoking protagonist who by journey’s end I had come to care for. Solid combat and great RPG mechanics and levelling systems helped keep me invested. It’s a shame that some areas felt too much of a slog at times and the sheer level of menus on offer can feel overwhelming. Visuals are mostly great and an absolutely stunning soundtrack and design help the game really feel unique. Charming is the word that just keeps coming to my mind when I think of this game. See you in the forest!
