#that ps5 design looks clean I love it

[itonashi]

Hiii can I request a Reo x reader who’s nagis sister like the last fic

YOU'RE KIDDING, RIGHT?

pairing: reo mikage x fem!reader

warning: reader is nagi's older sister, one-sided crush (lol), reo tried to flirt.

note: tbh, idk how to do these types of fics but trying even though i love these types of trope.

reo didn't expected for these to happened. having a crush on your own best friend's older sister? reo could still remembered the day he met her when he visited nagi's house.

now that nagi was playing soccer, reo planned on visiting nagi's house because of the rumours that nagi had a perfect sister and she used to school in hakuho. maybe he could meet the famous nagi's sister.

"your sister will never be like this!"

that's when he knew that nagi had a sister. seeing how the teachers keep comparing nagi with his sister — it must be that she was an amazing person at school. was she a student council president? maybe he should check the record.

"nagi, you really don't care when they compared you?"

"hmm? i don't care. my sister is amazing anyway."

"what's she like?"

"find out yourself. it's a hassle talking about it."

so this is nagi's house, it was quite big but smaller than reo's mansion. judging by the appearance, it was a clean house. following nagi to entered the house — first impression of the interior design, it was empty but comfortable.

"my sister is not home, yet."

reo could wait. he would do anything to received the things he want. "let's go to your room!" he was excited to see nagi's sister soon enough.

while playing some games nagi and reo could heard a motorcycle vroooommm nearing the house. nagi went and paused the game and got out of the room to greet his sister. 'is it his sister?' nagi wouldn't got up for no reason so reo soon went and followed and saw nagi's sister for the first time.

nagi's sister was patting nagi head and reo swore he could see bunny ears on nagi. nagi seishiro's older sister was very pretty. reo could understand the rumours on why they said that she was perfect. she was so cool, riding a motorcycle too?

"that is reo mikage, right?"

"mhm."

first eye contact with her and reo already knew he liked her.

this was the first time reo felt frustrated because you wouldn't even looked at his way! you were always so busy with other things. nagi had once mentioned before that your type was a basketball player but he already quit it! he felt like life was cruel to him.

he knew you were still single but he doesn't know if you have a crush on someone. reo want to bang his head onto a wall. reo had everything, why won't you look his way?

is it because he's younger than you...?

bang

nagi jumped because of the sudden noise that happened because reo punched a wall. 'what the hell is wrong with him..' reo was keeping his crush a secret from nagi because who knows what would nagi think of him now. nagi might even quit soccer after that and he loses all his chances to win world cup!

shrugging his shoulders nagi continues his grind on games at lunch time. reo was mumbling things but nagi couldn't careless, it doesn't bother him — ofc, it was weird for reo to lose his composure for some reason but he won't ask why.

nee-san: sei, do you want to go shopping tomorrow?

nagi: 50 minutes. i won't accept more than that.

nee-san: i will buy you games for your ps5. 1 hour and 30 minutes.

nagi: grrrrrr, fine :x

"reo, nee-san want me to go shopping tomorrow. you coming?"

reo turned his head to nagi slowly. wait what, shopping? you will be there? reo won't miss this chances.

"yes."

"uhhh... ok." nagi was getting suspicious of reo.

sending a text to you — you replied with 'the more the merrier :p' lunch break was over and reo started to drag nagi to the classroom. he will make sure tomorrow you look at his way.

today's the day. reo is determined to do this. he will make sure he pays for everything the nagi's siblings want. he's kinda like their unofficial money wallet. spending more times with you means knowing more about you.

arriving at the mall with nagi, you already saw reo there 'fast'. you greeted reo with a wave and a smile, and reo was resisting himself — nagi simply just nod his head at reo's presence.

you tug nagi's hand to drag him and nagi went ahhhhh. reo wished it was him that you were dragging — shopping with you was fun (any moments with you is fun) even though nagi and reo became the victim to hold the bags.

reo offered to pay everything and you weren't sure about it. you kept asking him if it was really okay and he just replied with 'im a billionaire.' and nagi agreed with reo. (nagi wanted reo to pay for everything because nagi doesn't want you to spend money on him.)

throughout the journey of you finding a clothes for yourself and nagi. reo was the only responsive through all your questions and remarks. nagi was basically just observing the you and reo at this point.

"nee-san, im gonna melttttt..." nagi was already slouching at this point. reo was practically holding nagi now with the bags and you felt bad.

"20 minutes left, sei. please keep on going." you said in a nonchalant voice because it was a normal occurrence to you by now.

"haha, nagi keep yourself up!"

nagi groan — he's feeling so lazy right now. why did he agreed to go with you? he could've just stay at home and reo wasn't helping either. whatever, anything for his overworked sister.

everytime yours fingers accidentally brushed against reo's hands, he couldn't hold out the excitement. your hands was soft. ahhhhh, he just want to hold it.

you kept on calling reo's name but he won't respond so you tap on his shoulder to get his attention. reo jumped at the sudden touch from you — "reo, what do you think of these dress?" you were showing the sky blue dress to him twirling around and reo thought that you were a princess (you are).

"[name], i think blue suits you the most. that dress is perfect for you. well, everything on you is perfect since you are beautiful."

"is that so? haha! thank you for the compliment, reo."

"do you want me to buy it?"

"thank you, reo."

nagi slouch on you, putting his head on your shoulder. he is attached to you like a koala. reo side glances to the both of you — he noticed how you two were actually very similar to eachother. your face, the way you talk too. the rumours about you being different from nagi was all wrong. you were basically nagi without the laziness. nagi could achieved it if he wanted too but he doesn't do it.

the two of you were talented.

"i have a question for you two.."

the both of you looked at reo. reo feels like he is the prey for some reason...

"what will you do to achieve the things you want?"

"isn't it obvious? with hard work. of course, there's some people out there that could achieved it with their talents but everything needs hard work."

"i haven't thought of it. i just go with the flow."

two different answers. your answer was the logical one and nagi being nagi. maybe, he should try to ask you out but would you reject him?

"nagi, i like your sister."

"huh."

nagi widen his eyes. ain't no way reo just said that to his face. nagi is not the type of guy to judge someone but this involved you. nagi cared for you.

"you're kidding, right?"

reo is staring at nagi's eyes so hard.

"ok, you're not."

nagi doesn't know what to do with this information. was he supposed to help reo ask you out or something. he doesn't know shit about love. his parents ain't even home most of the time only his sister was. how would he knows what love is?

should he tell reo the truth?

"reo, i don't think you're a match for her."

now this time it was reo to be shocked now. nagi was telling him that he's out of your league. blinking his eyes at nagi — nagi was looking at him with unreadable expression. did reo fuck up?

"why?"

"ehhh, no reason."

it seems like nagi is actually protective of you. he understands, he would also be protective of you if you were his and he was yours. maybe it wasn't his luck this time.

"whatever, no time wasting! nagi, let's go practice!"

reo was desperately trying to hide his sadness.

nagi was laying on the couch with his phone on his chest. you were on the other side and nagi called out to you.

"nee-san, what do you think of reo?"

"he's a good person."

he knew you would give short answer. you don't know how reo really is so you don't really have any opinion on him. if you know that person well, you would give essay of answers. nagi closed his eyes and suddenly he fell into a deep slumber.

'sleep already?'

note: LMAOO IM SO SORRY FOR DOING THIS TO REO 💀 forgive me.

#blue lock x reader #blue lock #nagi seishiro #you #bllk #nagi seishiro x reader #reo mikage x reader #reo mikage #reo x reader #itomlist!!✧ #itoworks!!✧ #itoanonss?!✧ #itoreqs!!✧

[kierancampire]

Even though this is my fourth time doing this, I only remember from looking at my memories. Once again a short reminder, I started this in 2020 cause it was such a shit year, and this year's have been difficult over all, that I needed to remind myself that good can still happen and I need to focus on that at least as much as the bad

In no particular order:

At the start of the year the girls both got spayed, and although both had complications, they both healed well and it went fine in the end! It was such a nice peace of mind having them done to stop all the issues! And they did love on me hard after the spays!

I won the Ombudsman case, a process that had taken almost 2 years and took everything from me, but winning the case was such a huge achievement. Swan still haven't sent me my apology, or dealt with the roof/mould, but at least I won the case, showed they are awful people, and got partially compensated for the heavy toll this all took on my mental and physical health

With that compensation obviously I got the PS5 which was a great treat for everything! It is such a lovely console and I am having so much fun with it! Then I also got my two tattoos, which the cat one I originally designed in 2017 so getting that done finally was a huge thing, plus the Winnie the Pooh one means a lot to me and I really do love how both came out thanks to Peyton

This year we finally did my living room, and while the rest of my flat needs doing, it's so nice to just have one room sorted and how I planned, I still constantly look at it and smile, it's nice to stay in here and imagine I actually like my home

Due to the Ombudsman, I finally got a new front door which has improved things drastically, sound and air no longer pour through a warped door. Then I also got a new bathroom essentially! I got a new shower, a new toilet that is no longer caked in mould, and a sink that I can actually clean and is no longer perpetually disgusting! It also got painted for me so it is no longer that god awful electric blue!

This is the year I finally got all my ornaments back, something that was unexpectedly painful and bittersweet. But it's so nice having them all back, especially my Baron Von Humbert Gikkingen music box! I love that one!

Then this also is the year I *FINALLY* started the autism process, after trying and failing for years, I am finally on the waiting list to get an autism diagnosis!

There potentially is more, but these were the things off the top of my head. Honestly, this year was hard again too with making this list, outside of the Ombudsman I had no huge victories, I met no friends, partially in purpose this ignores a lot of bad, also, seeing all the UC stuff and how I tick all the boxes for it being taken from me, I am terrified of 2024 and the coming years, I literally get so anxious I feel sick whenever I think of it, I am so incredibly scared. But I guess this is why this is so important, even through suffering in the year and fear of the future, good still happened and I need to remember that good, no matter how big or small that good is, as that's what keeps you going. If I remember anything else I'll edit it on later, but yeah, I just wanted to do this while I remembered

#personal

[secretfantasyspace]

Hello? Yes?

Anyone still alive after Horizon Forbidden West and Spiderman Miles Morales?

#sony #playstation #horizon forbidden west #that ps5 design looks clean I love it #and its standing yes!!!!

[thegamecollection]

‘RATCHET & CLANK: RIFT APART’ - REVIEW ROUNDUP!

Ohhh how we’re looking forward to this. Was it ever in doubt? That this unlikely duo would clean up on the review front before eventually blowing our minds at launch? Whilst the latter remains to be seen, we’re excited to share a roundup on the big names below that safely confirms its status as a hit with the critics... Ready? GO!

Eurogamer - Recommended

“This is it though, the character and the absurdity and the charm that Insomniac is all about, that the team kick-started with Ratchet and Clank in 2002 and continue to master with such faultless confidence in Rift Apart. It's just pure craft, pure fun, pure video games - all the brilliant, bizarre ideas this studio has just thrown at the wall and all of them sticking. The only thing it lacks - apart from maybe a tiny bit of restraint - is pretense. There's no self-seriousness, no po-faced melodrama, no insecurity about the form. A game that's happy to be a game, in a familiar, cuddly shape.”

Read the full review here.

Gamespot - 9/10

“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is flashy and technically impressive without feeling self-important. It's just as silly, sweet, and earnest as the Ratchet & Clank series tends to be, while the new generation of hardware makes this entry look and play better than ever. Like the heroes and villains and their dimensional counterparts, this one may appear different or carry itself with a new accent, but there's an underlying truth to the person underneath. At its core, it's still your trusty old pals on another grand space adventure. That's what's important.”

Read the full review here.

GameRevolution - 9/10

“Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is the first PS5 exclusive that I can recommend everyone go out and buy. It’s a cutting-edge masterclass of what the PS5 is capable of, but with the soul of the original R&C games, packaged with a comprehensive set of accessibility options.”

Read the full review here.

Destructoid - 9/10

“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart isn’t afraid to revel in its mascot-platformer roots, but it manages to knock so many of its competitors completely out of the water. The secret sauce? Insomniac knows that a strong presentation goes a long way, and they’ve stretched this formula about as far as it can go with plenty of customization and a compelling world to play around in. While it’s uneven at times, it’ll suck you into the universe of Ratchet & Clank all over again.”

Read the full review here.

Polygon - Recommends

“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart works on multiple levels. It’s an extremely impressive piece of software, designed to show off what Sony’s latest console can do. But more importantly, it’s a great entry in a nearly two-decade-old franchise, offering fans more wacky weapons, clever writing, and fresh biomes to explore. Rift Apart is an easy recommendation for any player lucky enough to get their hands on a PS5, for fans who can’t get enough of Insomniac’s heroic Lombax and his charming robot friend, and for players who want to meet a brave, new Lombax and go on an adventure with her, too.”

Read the full review here.

IGN - 9/10

“Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a stunner. It not only gives the latest generation of consoles a game that looks as beautiful as the improved tech promised, but it’s also a fantastic experience to play. Insomniac has been around the Ratchet and Clank block plenty of times before, but Rivet and other new characters add so much charm, wit, and heart to a franchise I’ve loved for most of my life. That’s coupled with series-best action-platforming gameplay and incredible art and sound design across the board. Rift Apart may not be the biggest adventure around, but its big heart, wild weapons, and incredible detail easily make it one of the most memorable of the year so far.”

Read the full review here.

Yeah we’d say that’s a good showing, wouldn’t you?! Waited until now to pre-order? Wait no more... There’s still time to secure your copy with us here at The Game Collection!

A friendly reminder - checkout with ZIP and the price gets split...

-Jack

#ratchet and clank rift apart #ps5 #review roundup #review scores #TGC #thegamecollection #gamers of tumblr #video game reviews #gaming news #sony #playstation 5 #insomniac games #ratchet and clank #video gamers #ign #gamespot #gamerevolution #eurogamer #destructoid #polyon

[aion-rsa]

Cyberpunk 2077 Review

https://ift.tt/3mI17m9

A preface: Cyberpunk 2077 has had one hell of a rocky release, and it’s almost impossible to play the game while also ignoring the controversy surrounding its disastrous console launch, among other points of contention. That being said, in my time with the game—which I reviewed on PC—I remained focused on assessing the game that was in front of me, period.

Cyberpunk 2077 is without a doubt a mixed bag, though its strengths ultimately outweigh its weaknesses. The game blew my hair back with its immersiveness, art and sound design, staggering scope, and production value (at least on PC). But its shortcomings are just as notable, although never catastrophic or deal-breaking. Gameplay has blemishes all over, the writing is tonally inconsistent, and bugs do mar the experience to a certain extent. This is far from a perfect game in its current state. But in spite of all this, part of me fell in love with the game for its ambition, boldness, and eye-popping presentation.

The story is set in the year 2077 in Night City, a Central California metropolis run by megacorporations, populated by millions of cybernetically-enhanced denizens, and poisoned to the core by deep-seeded corruption and crime. You play as V, a small-time crook who by seedy happenstance befriends another gun-waving lughead named Jackie. Together they take on a big-time heist that goes tragically wrong and results, impossibly, with the personality construct of a decades-deceased rockstar/terrorist named Johnny Silverhand (Keanu Reeves) implanted in V’s brain, chopping his remaining life expectancy down to a sliver. V and Johnny must work together to split their respective consciousnesses and take down the Arasaka corporation, whose borderline-demonic tech brought forth their doomed coexistence.

From this point on, you’re free to explore the city and get into all kinds of trouble. There are a multitude of slimy sleazeballs to meet, complete jobs for, and get into shootouts with, as well as all of the other side tasks you’d expect from an urban open world. You can buy/steal cars and motorbikes and use them to compete in street races, stumble upon police shootouts and join in on the action, or steal copious amounts of money and paraphernalia from warring street gangs. There’s A LOT to see and do in this game—the question is, is any of it fun?

The answer is complicated. In short, my answer is “mostly.” I find Cyberpunk 2077’s gameplay to be problematic at worst and, at best, reasonably fun. If the game didn’t look and sound so good, I don’t think I would have enjoyed the gameplay almost at all. I have yet to tire of playing Cyberpunk 2077, but I think that’s a testament to how much I love the audio-visual presentation and the characters, not the gameplay itself.

Before diving into the gnarled, twisted matter of gameplay, let’s get this out of the way: this game world is one of the greatest I’ve ever seen. Several studios have delivered amazing looking game worlds this year, but Night City is a serious design achievement that the folks at CDPR should be very, very proud of.

Looking up at the looming, almost monumental buildings that shape Night City’s skyline is breathtaking, but it’s what you see when your eyes come back down to street level that impressed me most. Trash bags piled up two stories high, plugging up alleyways with graffiti of cybernetic freaks scrawled across deteriorating walls. The environments are insanely detailed, but they tell a story, too: look up and you see big money, squeaky clean windows, and technological ambition; look down and you see a sea of sufferers, psychologically and physically wounded citizens bled dry in the name of corporate conquest. From a purely cosmetic perspective, the game looks phenomenal, but it’s the artistic intention behind the designs that really makes the visuals sing.

As far as technical prowess is concerned, the game is spectacular provided you have the right machine to run it. Texture quality is insanely high, the environments are absurdly detailed, and the game’s lighting, especially with ray tracing enabled, is incredibly realistic. The atmosphere in this game is as thick as I’ve ever seen, and combined with the game’s pulsating, evocative, synth-based score, it creates a mood that few other titles can rival. Simply taking a walk around Night City and soaking in the sights was my favorite thing to do.

The character models are another high point–from the detail of the models themselves, to the way they move, to the top-notch facial animation, every weirdo you meet in Night City is unique and expressive. An interesting thing I noticed was that during some cutscenes that I found to be banal from a narrative point of view were still captivating to a certain extent simply because the character animation and voice acting were so well done. Some of the writing is a little odd, particularly when characters who are meant to be thugs and grifters speak in an unusually formal tone, but overall, the voice actors and animators do enough to make the dialogue-driven moments engaging.

What I fear won’t be discussed enough about this game is its sound design, which is just as excellent as the graphics. Cyberpunk 2077 embeds you in its world better than any game I’ve played this year, and that sense of immersion can be largely attributed to the finely-tuned symphony of sounds that is constantly being streamed into your ears. From the squeaking of leather couches when you sit in them, to the muffled thuds you hear when you drive over speed bumps, to the way crowds sound in enclosed spaces versus outdoor spaces, the level of detail and care that went into immersing the player is incredible. The three-dimensional sound design actually makes the visuals appear more vivid and tactile than they actually are.

As for the gameplay, I found Cyberpunk 2077’s combat in particular to be clunky and a tad slow. It isn’t broken or imbalanced, but it isn’t snappy enough and there isn’t that x-factor that you find in most great shooters that keeps you obsessively coming back for more. To put it another way, The Witcher 3’s combat was so compelling and entertaining that I happily played that game for over 400 hours largely because of the combat. Cyberpunk 2077’s combat is absolutely not what pulled me through the game for the 60+ hours I played it, and there are many reasons why.

Release Date: Dec. 10, 2020 Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS5, XSX/S, PS4, XBO, Stadia Developer CD Projekt Red Publisher: CD Projekt Genre: Action RPG

Combat is of the typical first-person shooter variety, with both shooting and melee combat supported. There are a slew of weapons to acquire and upgrade via the game’s crafting system, and the weapons all look and sound pretty sweet but are somewhat forgettable, which is a shame for a game boasting such a breadth of artillery. The “iconic” weapons, which you earn at different points throughout the campaign, stand out the most and come with useful perks. But none feel exciting to wield are pack the punch of Doom’s BFG or Half Life’s gravity gun. I did however enjoy the smart targeting feature you can access through a combination of smart weapons and a handy body mod, which allows your bullets to find their target no matter what direction you aim and can save your ass if you’re cornered and hurting behind cover.

Then there are the other two pillars of combat: hacking and stealth. Hacking allows you to wreak havoc on enemy tech to sabotage or distract them long enough to give you an opening to pounce guns-a-blazing. You can frazzle a baddie’s optics while you sneak up behind them, take control of all security cameras on a given network, or turn on a flood light to manipulate enemy movements. The possibilities are innumerable, and it all sounds great on paper.

But in practice the hacking system just isn’t all that fun to use. I was amused for a time, as I got increasingly more creative with how I used my scanner to tag enemies and objects and sabotage them from afar. But after a while this system became tedious because it slows down the action to an absolute crawl, and the tactical aspects of combat just aren’t polished or engaging enough to make up for the pause. In the later hours of my playthrough, I found myself almost always resorting to in-your-face combat because, well, it solved problems more quickly.

Stealth feels even shoddier than hacking, unfortunately. In most missions, there’s a big emphasis on taking your targets out quietly, but for me sneaking around almost always led to bouts of frustrated groans and eye-rolls. For one, enemies’ lines of sight are really difficult to gauge—some will spot you from seemingly a football field away, while others won’t notice you cross a walkway mere feet in front of them. On top of this, the window of opportunity you have to grapple enemies from behind is finicky—I’d be standing right behind a guy ready to grab him when suddenly the “grab” prompt would disappear inexplicably, when neither of us had moved an inch. I’d move in closer to try again and he’d turn around and…you know the rest.

I believe that if the stealth and hacking were more polished and refined, or even de-emphasized to a certain degree, it would free up the shooting to feel a lot more kinetic and exciting. As is, the combat grows old over time, which is a real shame when you think of The Witcher 3’s combat system, which is incredible and only gets sweeter as you play.

Read more

Games

Cyberpunk 2077: Every Romance Option in the Game

By Matthew Byrd

Games

Cyberpunk 2077: The Best Cyberware Upgrades

By Matthew Byrd

There is a whole litany of gripes I have with Cyberpunk 2077’s gameplay. The driving—be it on four wheels or two—feels slippery and unwieldy. The menus are an eyesore. Melee combat is atrocious. The “braindances”–investigative crime-reconstruction mini-games–are headache-inducing…I could go on. But there were other aspects of gameplay that I did enjoy, like the streamlined stash mechanic, the flexible crafting system, the number and variety of missions available at any given time, and most of all, the well thought out RPG elements.

The character progression system didn’t immediately strike me as anything special, but the more I played the game and explored the five skill trees (Reflexes, Technical Ability, Body, Cool, Intelligence), I found that the omission of a traditional class system actually makes character progression more fluid and encourages experimentation as opposed to nudging (or shoving) you down a particular path of mastery. Although I didn’t always enjoy enemy encounters, I did feel like the different perks I acquired helped me succeed in combat in ways that were easily measurable. For example, the “Vanishing Point” perk, which increases your evasion stat for seven seconds after you dodge if you’re dual wielding a pistol and revolver, totally changed the way I approached enemies. I quit stealthing for quite a while because darting around with my pistols blaring turned out to be super effective for me.

Generally, I did enjoy Cyberpunk 2077’s story and the fact that it’s more character-based than plot-based. The relationships between the characters take precedence over the machinations of the narrative, and I appreciate that. As in most RPGs, you meet characters and complete various tasks and quests for them, but with Cyberpunk 2077, I felt that the characterizations were so strong that I was actually more compelled to find out how the relationships between V and his supporting characters progressed than I was to collect precious loot at the end of missions. 

I found all of the game’s characters to be memorable, which comes as no surprise considering the character work CDPR has done in the past. Rogue nomad Panam can be both compassionate and vicious; the dutiful Goro Takemura is almost comically stoic and serious; Jackie’s tight relationship with his family and friends permeates the game in a poetic way. And Reeves does a fine job as Johnny Silverhand, though his style of voice acting took a bit of getting used to for me, particularly when compared to the rest of the cast.

The nice thing about V’s relationships is that the more you explore the city and the more characters you meet, the more possibilities open up to you in the campaign’s final act. There are a multitude of endings that you can reach, but these outcomes are largely dictated by the people you’ve met and how close you are to them. 

What irks me about the game’s last act is how it plays out leading up to the ending. After playing for hours and hours in the beautiful game world that is Night City, I was expecting to be treated to even more imaginative environments and enemy encounters at the game’s conclusion. Without spoiling anything, the final enemy encounters and environments are almost laughably unimaginative and generic, and that was a big letdown.

I indeed experienced bugs during my time with Cyberpunk 2077, but far less than I’ve seen for other platforms online. A couple of crashes and a slew of visual glitches definitely cropped up for me, but they didn’t color my experience nearly as much as the game’s positive traits did, particularly in the visual department. The bugs that bothered me most were the ones that affected the narrative, like when dialogue options would be missing or when characters’ voices would drop out inexplicably. But overall I had a relatively smooth experience that was no more buggy than your typical open world game.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

My relationship to Cyberpunk 2077 is a fraught one. I have so many issues with this game that I couldn’t possibly fit them all into this review. And I have just as many positive things to say. The grandeur of the project is both what I love and hate about it. I do wish CDPR had tightened its focus and worked out some of the game’s more glaring issues before rushing Cyberpunk 2077 out for a holiday release. But at the same time, I deeply respect the scope of the studio’s vision. This is a game with a strong sense of identity, and that’s something that you can’t say about a lot of AAA open-world games these days.

Cyberpunk 2077 is problematic, but ultimately I’m a fan of it in spite of its flaws. And I think in time its flaws will be ironed out and my fandom will only grow.

The post Cyberpunk 2077 Review appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/the-2nd-gen-moto-razr-5g-surface-duo-reviews-drop-plus-more-tech-news-today/

The 2nd-gen Moto Razr 5G, Surface Duo reviews drop, plus more tech news today

Your tech news digest, by way of the DGiT Daily tech newsletter, for Thursday, 10 September 2020

1a. Moto Razr 5G: Is second-gen the one?

Motorola’s second-generation foldable, the Motorola Razr 5G, is here.

Like the second-generation Samsung foldable effort finally released a week or so ago, the second-generation RAZR really cleans up a lot of the early problems.

Some of those problems were just the competition.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip was a premium 2020 spec device, and cost less than the RAZR’s 2019 effort. It blew away the RAZR pretty badly, and was much more universally acclaimed.

But Moto is back, and is looking to redeem itself.

Let’s dive in with what’s new:

The new 5G RAZR is priced at $1,399, which is $100 off the previous model.

It’s no longer a Verizon exclusive which is a big deal in the US, and will be coming widely across North America, Europe, India, and so on.

Another big deal is the specs jump.

There’s a dramatically better processor, now running the much better Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G (like the OnePlus Nord, ZTE Axon 11 5G and LG Velvet), and ditching the two-year-old processor found in the first-gen.

There’s more RAM too: 8GB, up from 6GB.

There’s also a much, much better camera. The original foldable RAZR had, um, a weak camera to put it mildly. Now, there’s a 48MP shooter on the rear that should produce much better results, and a 20MP front-facing camera too, but you can snap selfies with the rear camera too.

That’s because the external screen on the outside – for when you shut the phone – remains, and is still a 2.7-inch G-OLED.

The fingerprint sensor is now on the back too.

And the battery has been given a boost. It’s now up to 2,800mAh which doesn’t sound amazing still, but I’ll leave it to the testing to judge.

Otherwise, the hardware is better. The hinge no longer squeaks, with improvements including better springs; Motorola says the new model will be able to last for five years of open and shutting 100 times a day.

The phone body also has an aluminum frame, and the back is glass, doing away with plastic, the screen itself will feel a little more-taut.

There’s also a round of software improvements, with Moto suggesting better functionality on the external screen.

So, what’s missing?

Only one camera means no wide-angle or telephoto lens, and there are no features like wireless charging.

Battery life may still be missing that extended range, especially with 5G demands on the power cell.

And the other missing element is a more affordable pricetag. Yes, $100 off helps, but $1,399 is still way out of reach of most people.

The one thing is that there may be deals! Moto did offer some big discounts, including a buy-one-get-one free offer back in May that effectively halved the cost of the original device.

1b. Surface Duo reviews are out!

Good news: Finally we have Surface Duo full reviews. And they’re fascinating, I love David’s introduction here.

Bad news: Uh-oh, it’s not good. The software experience is not good. Read on! or watch above! (Android Authority).

2. Report: Samsung is making a healthy profit on every Note 20 Ultra sold, with a full bill of materials listed. That said, hardware costs don’t include R&D, marketing, and so on (Android Authority).

3. You can now monitor your heart-rate via your Xiaomi phone camera (Android Authority).

4. Huawei’s Harmony OS 2.0 announced: The homegrown OS will debut on smartphones next year (Android Authority).

5. Hands-on with Huawei EMUI 11: Still working through the Google divorce (Android Authority).

6. Amazon has caused a ruckus by appointing the former head of the NSA to its board (The Verge).

7. Your move, PS5: Microsoft has gone first and revealed the cost of the next-gen Xbox. How will Sony react? (The Verge).

8. Google Finance will make it easier to follow TSLA rollercoaster with new design (Mashable).

9. “The sky is on fire in San Francisco, and we flew a drone through it” (The Verge).

10. Portland officials pass strict ban on facial recognition systems (Engadget).

11. Researchers demonstrate in-chip water cooling (Ars Technica).

12. AI ruined chess. Now, it’s making the game beautiful again (Wired).

13. Dune’s first trailer is a beautiful, unstoppable journey (Gizmodo).

The DGiT Daily delivers a daily email that keeps you ahead of the curve for all tech news, opinions, and links to what’s going down in the planet’s most important field. You get all the context and insight you need, and all with a touch of fun. Plus! Rotating daily fun for each day of the week, like Wednesday Weirdness. Join in!

#reviews #surface #today #Technology

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Ghost of Tsushima Review — My Precious Sense of Honor

August 4, 2020 10:00 AM EST

Way of the samurai.

Sucker Punch began this generation with one of the first major exclusives on PS4 in the open-world action game Infamous: Second Son. While it may not be the PS4’s best exclusive, it gave players a glimpse of what the Sony console could do. So, it only seems fitting that the Seattle-based studio’s newest game, Ghost of Tsushima, would be the PS4’s last exclusive before the PS5 hits this holiday season.

It is obvious Sucker Punch has learned a lot about crafting an open-world since its last game; the island of Tsushima is one of the most captivating and beautiful worlds I have ever had the pleasure of exploring. But with combat that is deceptively simple and a pretty weak main story, Ghost of Tsushima is more of a fun love letter to samurai cinema than a completely original take on the genre. Personally, I was hoping for the latter.

“Ghost of Tsushima is more of a fun love letter to samurai cinema than a completely original take on the genre.”

In Ghost of Tsushima, you play as Jin Sakai, a samurai and the leader of Clan Sakai. The story begins with Jin and his uncle, Lord Shimura, who is the jitō of Tsushima, defending their home against Khotun Khan and his Mongolian army. It does not end well for the samurai, as Khotun Khan is able to kill nearly all of them while capturing Lord Shimura and taking control of the island. Jin is fatally wounded but is saved by a thief named Yuna. Jin then proceeds to save his captured uncle at Castle Kaneda, but fails in defeating Khotun Khan, and is thrown off a bridge. It is at this moment Jin realizes he needs some help and seeks the aid of some friends to assist with a charge against the Mongolians to hopefully take back the island of Tsushima.

I’m not an expert in Japanese history, nor am I a Kurosawa enthusiast (which the game is obviously inspired by given its “Kurosawa Mode”), so I can’t really tell you how accurately it depicts this battle or how it utilizes its blatant inspiration from the lauded filmmaker. But as someone who plays a lot of story-driven video games and watches a lot of movies, this tale isn’t all that original.

The idea of getting a group of “misfits” to take on a major threat to save life as they know it isn’t anything new. Jin’s journey in becoming the “Ghost” and questioning the samurai code isn’t this new, either. Even when putting these two plotlines together, nothing quite novel comes about as a result. And because it doesn’t take this well-worn formula into any new territory, I kind of just lost interest in the main story after the first act. The narrative is told well, but it lacks any surprise or suspense. You can tell where Jin’s story is heading right from the beginning.

Despite its lackluster main tale, the side missions have some pretty compelling stories of their own. Without spoiling anything, Lady Masako and Sensei Ishikawa’s questlines are among the best-told stories in Ghost of Tsushima. I was way more invested in what was happening in their lives than I was Jin’s. Even some of the one-shot side missions have more interesting and original stories to tell. It’s awesome that the storytelling didn’t take a hit on these smaller quests. However, I wish that originality was more ever-present in the main story.

This notion of the lack of originality is also present in Ghost of Tsushima’s gameplay, albeit in more interesting ways than its storytelling. Combat is similar to the Batman: Arkham and Shadow of Mordor series. Essentially, it’s a slower-paced hack and slash that relies heavily on your ability to counter or dodge enemy attacks.

Initially, I really dug the combat. You really feel like a powerful samurai as killing enemies only takes a few hits. It also felt like I was unlocking new abilities at a good pace. From standoffs to the various stances, it felt satisfying as I progressed through the story. Having to switch stances to take care of enemies effectively kept me engaged with just about every combat scenario.

However, once I unlocked the Ghost stance (which is one of the coolest moments during Jin’s story), it didn’t really feel Jin was improving on much else. It also didn’t feel like I needed to improve at this point. Although I didn’t play this way, you could easily mainline the story, and still feel in control of every combat scenario. As long as you’re good with switching stances and utilizing some of the Ghost weapons, fighting off 5 or more enemies is pretty easy.

“The combat does feel good, it just doesn’t feel all that thoughtful.”

I also didn’t use many of the Ghost weapons that were available. Really, all I used were the sticky bombs and kunai. Both of these weapons were incredibly helpful in not only stunning the more annoying enemy types (I’m looking at you, staff boys) but also taking out anyone who was low on health. But other weapons, like the smoke, just didn’t see much use. A lot of it has to do with how clunky it feels to switch between different Ghost weapons on the fly. By default, I just made sure I had enough kunai for each fight. Otherwise, I didn’t really bother with ghost weapons unless I was really in a pickle.

All in all, those gripes are pretty minor. The combat does feel good, it just doesn’t feel all that thoughtful. There were points where missions definitely favored a stealthier approach but I was still able to charge in head-on and take care of any group of enemies pretty easily. My biggest gripe with Ghost of Tsushima’s combat is the lack of a lock-on feature. It really feels like I should be able to lock onto enemies, not just so I can single out certain enemies, but so I don’t have to also fight a camera, which does get a bit annoying at times. But once I got used to the combat, that gripe became pretty minor.

While Ghost of Tsushima’s gameplay and story may not be revolutionary, the island of Tsushima itself is the real star. I don’t think I have ever been so drawn to an open world. It’s odd, because there really isn’t much, in terms of the actual environment, that makes it stand out. There are even times when I look at a still, and it doesn’t look all that great. But how the world is designed and looking at it in motion is a sight to behold.

“I think some of the intricacies of Ghost of Tsushima’s presentation will be written off as novelties, but I really do think it boasts some of the smartest design I have seen in a video game.”

I think some of the intricacies of Ghost of Tsushima’s presentation will be written off as novelties, but I really do think it boasts of the smartest design I have seen in a video game. Using wind as an indicator for which direction to go would get annoying after a while. However, it never got old and is an awesome way to clear the screen of more visible indicators, like an arrow or a mini-map. The clean HUD allows you to take in the views, which again, look great in motion. Seeing the leaves fall, or grass moving in the wind really looks incredible, and at times tranquil. This is paired with an equally impressive photo mode that really showcases just how beautiful the island of Tsushima is.

Ghost of Tsushima may not be the perfect send off to the PS4 generation, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have a great time playing through Jin’s life-changing journey. The worst thing I can say about Sucker Punch’s newest game is that it lacks originality. It just barely stands out. But if you really love well-crafted worlds and taking gorgeous pictures, Ghost of Tsushima is definitely worth a playthrough.

August 4, 2020 10:00 AM EST

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Xbox Series X Review

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After spending over a week with Microsoft’s top-of-the-line next-gen console, one thing is clear: the Xbox Series X is a powerful machine, and an impressive hardware upgrade for anyone looking for a home console that can run games at 4K resolution and up to 120 frames per second. The Series X is also lightning fast thanks to its custom 1TB NVME SSD and Velocity Architecture, which seriously cuts down on load times, and the console also features many other quality of life improvements that make it the best way to play Xbox games in 2020. But even a console this fast can’t outrun its most glaring issue: a lack of next-gen exclusives at launch to justify making the upgrade on day one, even if its impressive 4K upscaling and Auto HDR technology does enhance the console’s vast library of past-gen experiences.

Before we jump into the games, let’s talk about the hardware itself. I covered the console’s physical attributes more closely in my unboxing article, but the short of it is that the Xbox Series X is a big, hefty piece of hardware. At about 5.9 inches wide and 11.8 inches tall, and weighing in at 9.8 pounds, the Xbox Series X isn’t quite PC tower size but it’s still massive when compared to most other home consoles. While its absolutely dwarfed by the 15.4 inch tall PlayStation 5, you may still have trouble finding a spot for the Series X in your home entertainment center. I certainly had to get creative with the Ikea TV stand in my living room, and ultimately had to lay the console on its side in order for it to (barely) fit in one of the shelves.

And while I find the Xbox Series X’s minimalist, monolith-shaped design to be eye-catching and a refreshingly clean look when compared to its next-gen competition and PC gaming rigs bathed in RGB lighting, Microsoft’s console looks much less cool when in its horizontal position. It’s true that putting the Series X in either its natural vertical or alternate horizontal position takes a lot less effort compared to the PS5’s removable stand, but I think Microsoft might have sacrificed a better horizontal solution for the sake of convenience to the player. When in the horizontal position, the Series X’s round stand sticks out of the left side of the console, a slightly ugly appendage that you can’t remove from the console’s otherwise clean shape. Maybe I’m seriously nitpicking here, but the point is that this console wants to stand in the vertical position, and I’d advise you to figure out how to display the Series X the way it was meant to be shown off.

You can check out the unboxing video below to hear way more of my thoughts on the console’s shape, size, and design:

Once you turn on the Xbox Series X, set up the console with your Xbox Live account, and sync it to the Xbox app on your phone — and I suggest you do so you can enable Remote Play and more Share options, which we’ll get to in a bit — the first thing you’ll notice is how quiet this machine is. Unless you put your ear real close to the vents at the top of the console, you won’t even hear a low hum from the Series X’s single “whisper-quiet” fan. In fact, the only time I was able to actually hear the Series X from the other side of my living room was while installing a game from a disc, the console’s 4K UHD Blu-ray optical drive working quickly to install the 32GB Mad Max. Still, the virtually silent Series X is a major improvement over the mechanical sound of the original Xbox’s hard drive and loud hum of the Xbox 360 and Xbox One’s fans.

Speaking of fans, the powerful airflow solution in the Xbox Series X is very good at keeping the console’s components relatively cool most of the time. Generally, what you’ll feel when putting your hand close to the console’s vents is a gentle breath of cool to tepid air. Things get a little hotter inside the Xbox when you’re playing Optimized for Series X titles like Gears 5 and Forza Horizon 4 at 4K 60fps, but the heat levels never felt all that alarming. I didn’t have a fancy thermal camera to test heat levels in the console, so I’d suggest you check out Digital Foundry’s excellent breakdown of the console’s power efficiency if you want to get into the nitty gritty.

The Xbox Series X’s specs have always been impressive on paper. Back in March, when we finally learned the specs of both consoles, we even speculated the Series X would be slightly more powerful than its next-gen competitor. It’s obviously too early to give a final verdict on the XSX vs. PS5 debate, but it’s not an exaggeration to say that Microsoft’s console has an advantage out the gate, boasting a more powerful CPU and GPU, even if the PS5’s potentially game-changing SSD has commanded much of the technical discussion.

Here are the main Xbox Series X specs you need to know:

Let’s talk about the console’s custom 12 teraflop GPU. While it might not be able to eclipse NVIDIA’s brand new line of GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs in terms of the raw specs, this is still an incredibly powerful graphics card when it comes to the home console market. Ever since it announced the Xbox Series X, Microsoft has had a clear mission: to make 4K 60fps the standard for all next-gen Xbox titles, while looking ahead at an 8K resolution future. After spending a bit of time playing Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, and Sea of Thieves at 4K 60fps, it’s clear that Microsoft has absolutely knocked it out of the park.

While the Xbox Series X has no first-party next-gen exclusives at launch, which may make some players pause when considering the console’s $499 price tag, this machine does a lot to improve the Xbox experiences you already love. Playing Gears 5 at higher resolution brings the game’s diverse landscapes to life like never before, with improved textures and particle counts, while the inclusion of raytraced shadows and lighting makes all of the environments more immersive than ever before. There is some seriously beautiful lighting in this game to begin with, but the Optimized for Series X version of Gears 5 feels like the most fully realized take on this world. The higher framerate provides a better gameplay experience as well, especially when it comes to shooting mechanics, which feel silky smooth, a major boon when taking on Grubs.

Players can also set the framerate of Gears 5 multiplayer to 120fps, which provides the best look at the Series X’s current graphical ceiling (while the console is 8K-ready, there aren’t any 8K titles out to actually showcase that resolution). While I’m not sure I can tell as much of a difference between 60fps and 120fps when compared to the absolutely massive framerate jump between 30fps and 60fps, the ability to play a game on a home console at framerates that were once considered possible only on PC is no less impressive.

Ultimately, the jump to 60- and 120fps is a much bigger improvement to the home console experience than 1080p vs. 4K resolutions, especially when playing competitive shooters, racing, and fighting games, which demand quick reaction times and low latency. The clearer 4K resolution is certainly an improvement worth commending — just look at how good Forza Horizon 4 and Sea of Thieves look in the 4K screenshots taken from my Xbox Series X — but I’d pay more attention to what games you can turn all the way up to 120fps.

Unfortunately, there weren’t many Optimized for Series X games to actually try during the review period — only the Xbox One version of Yakuza: Like a Dragon was available ahead of the embargo, for example — so it remains to be seen how new titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs: Legion, current-gen games that are also Optimized for Series X and will boast 4K 60fps visuals, will perform at launch. What I’ve seen from the three optimized games I tried so far bodes well for the rest of the Xbox Series X’s launch lineup, though.

As I said at the start of this review, the Xbox Series X doesn’t have any first-party next-gen games on its list of launch titles, so it’s impossible to say how the Xbox Series X will perform when true next-gen experiences arrive to push that GPU and SSD to its limits. With Halo Infinite delayed to 2021, and other first-party releases like Obsidian’s Avowed, Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, and Playground’s new Fable game still a way’s away, we may be at least a year out from seeing what the console can really do.

Fortunately, there’s a lot to play on the Xbox Series X until then. In fact, the Series X may be the most backward compatible and most bang-for-your-buck console ever released — as long as you already have a $15 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription (and you totally should, if you’re an Xbox fan). Boasting a library of hundreds of backward compatible titles from across all generations of Xbox consoles, you can bring all of your physical and digital games from the original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One with you to the Series X. And with Xbox Game Pass, you also get a selection of over 100 games to download and play right out of the box. When compared to the PS5’s backward compatibility options, which only include PS4 titles and what’s available on PS Now, the Series X’s library of games is absolutely stacked.

I spent some time playing Star Wars: Republic Commando (an absolute banger for the original Xbox), Fable Anniversary for the Xbox 360, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection (which is also getting an Optimized for Series X upgrade later this month) and Mad Max on disc for Xbox One. The Series X emulates the original Xbox and Xbox 360 experiences perfectly, while Xbox One titles run natively on the console, which is a nice touch for those who simply want to pop in a current-gen disc and play without worrying about a middle man.

But even that quality of life feature pales in comparison to the way the Series X is able to upscale 720p and 1080p experiences from the past to next-gen 4K and up to 120fps, while also seriously improving the picture quality of those titles through the console’s Auto HDR technology. While I spent a limited time trying out these backward compatible titles on the console, I can definitely say that Republic Commando looks and plays better than it ever did on the first Xbox, while I noticed a distinct choppiness in the framerate in Fable Anniversary and Mad Max (again, running on a disc). Digital Foundry said in its own detailed breakdown of the Series X’s 4K upscaling and Auto HDR for past-gen titles that this isn’t a “one size fits all solution – but when it works, it really works.” I should also note that Republic Commando did crash on me once at the start of my playthrough, but hasn’t given me any issues since.

Now, you can of course make the argument that people buy next-gen consoles to play next-gen games, and I tend to agree with you on that, but the vast backward compatible library on the Xbox Series X still makes this machine a hell of a deal for people jumping into home consoles for the first time as well as new gamers. The size of the Series X’s games library may very well be the best selling point for parents buying next-gen consoles this holiday season. You simply get way more options on Series X. And that’s before you even factor in the console’s Smart Delivery system, which allows you to upgrade select Xbox One titles to the Optimized for Series X version for free.

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Microsoft has also made the incredibly consumer-friendly decision to allow Xbox fans to bring their Xbox One accessories over to the Series X. Both the Xbox Wireless Controller for the Xbox One and the Xbox Media Remote will work on the Series X, for example. As a player who doesn’t like the idea of spending $60 a pop on extra controllers, this is a huge deal. Setting up to play a few rounds of Mortal Kombat X on the Series X, it was very easy to sync my white Xbox Wireless Controller with the next-gen console and jump right into the fight. If you already have an Xbox One and are upgrading this holiday, rejoice in the fact that you already have more than one controller for the Series X.

The only Xbox One peripheral I wasn’t able to sync with the Series X was my SteelSeries Arctis 9X wireless headset, which is supposed to be compatible with the next-gen console at launch. It’s possible that third-party peripherals weren’t compatible with the Series X during the review period, or that this is a bug Microsoft will squash at launch with a firmware update, but just a note of warning if you’re trying to bring your fancy headset over to the next generation.

I’ve waited this long to elaborate on the Xbox Series X’s SSD-powered Velocity Architecture and Quick Resume feature for dramatic effect — because this is where the console truly reveals itself to be an absolute showstopper. Not only does the Series X virtually eliminate load times in past-gen games like Republic Commando — no longer must you wait while different sections of a level load in the middle of the action — but seriously cuts down load times in Optimized for Series X titles like Gears 5 and Sea of Thieves. Gears 5, for example, transitions between cutscenes and gameplay almost seamlessly, while jumping into the campaign in the first place takes only a matter of seconds. Comparing load times between the Xbox One version and Series X port resulted in the latter winning every time. An unsurprising result considering the XBO uses an HDD, but a comparison worth making if you want to see the real difference.

Then there’s the Quick Resume feature, which allows you to switch between several games at once without having to stop and restart applications. With Quick Resume, you can play a few hours of Gears 5, switch to the Halo: Reach campaign in Halo: MCC, play a few quarters in Madden 21, and then go back to Gears 5 and pick up exactly where you left off without having to go through the game’s initial startup again. Loading back into Quick Resume-enabled games takes only a matter of seconds — and this goes for back-compat titles like Republic Commando, Mad Max on disc, and Gears 5 through Remote Play on my Google Pixel 3a XL, too.

The only two games I tried that didn’t seem to work with Quick Resume were Forza Horizon 4 and Sea of Thieves, which had to load from scratch again after switching to other games, but that might come down to the console’s pre-launch state or the fact that both of these games require logging into online servers. Every other game I tried seemed to be compatible with Quick Resume, though. Besides one hiccup where, after Quick Resuming, I lost all sound in Madden 21, this quality of life improvement, along with the graphics upgrade, is enough reason for hardcore Xbox fans to make the jump to the next-gen console.

You can see Quick Resume in action in the video below:

Meanwhile, not much has changed with the Series X’s UI, which has made an almost seamless transition from the Xbox One version. Yes, menus on the dashboard load much faster and everything feels much snappier and flows more smoothly, with little buffer between the dashboard and loading into Settings menu for example, but you won’t find a major UI redesign here. As someone who thinks that the current Xbox UI outpaces the competition, I’d say that continuity between generations is a good thing.

I have a few nitpicks regarding the UI, such as the unintuitive way you access recent screenshots and gameplay clips captured through the console’s Share function, but I’d hardly call this a deal breaker. I will say this: for a company so invested in making PC-level resolution and framerates a reality on a home console, Microsoft missed one key aspect of the PC gaming experience — the ability to quickly adjust graphics on the go. At the moment, you have to exit out of games and visit the console’s Settings menu to change resolution and framerates. The exception out of the Optimized for Series X games I tried is Gears 5, which lets you switch between 60- and 120fps multiplayer in its in-game graphics menu. While it’s true that developers themselves decide just how adjustable a game’s graphics are in-game, it wouldn’t have hurt Microsoft to have implemented more robust graphics options in its first-party optimized titles at least.

The above might not be something console-only gamers are really all that concerned about, of course, which would explain why Microsoft hasn’t done much about it. But when you tout 4K and up to 120 fps gaming so often, you should at least create a faster way to access graphics options on the console without forcing gamers to exit out of the game. Maybe some quick toggles in the Guide menu would do the trick?

Like the UI, the Xbox Series X controller brings pretty much everything you loved about its Xbox One predecessor back for the next generation. Microsoft has perfected its gamepad to the point where it’s also become the preferred controller on PC, so there’s no point in fixing what isn’t broken. I went into way more detail about the actual feel of the controller in my unboxing, but the short of it is that the Xbox Series X gamepad is comfortable, responsive, and features some neat improvements.

The first addition is its new D-pad. Microsoft has done away with the traditional cross-shaped design and replaced it with a new facetted dish inspired by the Xbox Elite Controller. While the new, rounder D-pad felt a bit odd at first, I’ve quickly grown accustomed to it, and have even started to prefer it over the Xbox Wireless Controller’s cross, which now feels a bit stiff in comparison.

The other big new feature on the controller is the Share button, which I had an absolute blast using throughout the review period. With one click of the button, you can now easily capture screenshots of your gameplay, while holding down the button allows you to record 30 seconds of 4K gameplay (you can record longer clips at lower resolutions). From there, you can upload the captures to your activity feed, message them to an Xbox friend, post to Twitter, or even save them to your phone through the Xbox app.

All of the images used in this article were taken with the controller’s Share button, and the results look pretty impressive to this very amateur game photographer. As I mentioned above, for the best experience, I’d suggest handling these captures on your phone once they’re uploaded to the cloud, as it’s easier to zoom and switch between them on the Xbox app than in the console’s Guide menu.

There’s no doubt that the Xbox Series X is a powerful console, one worthy of the next-gen label, but what will ultimately decide the console’s success is its games. Unfortunately, and this is absolutely no secret, the console’s launch lineup is a bit of a letdown. Leaning heavily on third-party Optimized for Series X titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and first-party next-gen ports like Gears 5 — most of which aren’t exclusive to XSX — as well as its Xbox Game Pass and backwards compatible library, the Xbox Series X doesn’t really have an exclusive next-gen title in its launch lineup to entice gamers who are on the fence. Even timed next-gen console exclusive Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be available on XBO, PS4, and PC at launch.

It does seem at the moment like Microsoft’s console will limp out of the gate when it’s finally toe-to-toe with the PS5. Without something truly new and exciting you can only play on the Xbox Series X, I’m not sure I can recommend you buy this console on day one unless you’re looking for raw power in your next-gen gaming. So who is this console really for at the moment? Hardcore Xbox fans who want the best way to play upcoming Xbox titles as well as Game Pass and backward compatible games.

For everyone else, getting an Xbox Series X right now is really an investment in the console’s future. With so much GPU and SSD power at its disposal, the Xbox Series X should prove to be an excellent canvas on which developers will be able to create great pieces of art. And what’s coming up from within Microsoft — Halo Infinite, Avowed, all upcoming Bethesda titles — certainly has me excited about the types of experiences we’ll eventually be able to play on the console. What I’ve experienced so far in terms of graphics and load times tells me that the future of Xbox is very bright.

But at launch, Microsoft wants you to feel like this is still the Xbox experience you love with some major upgrades to performance. Is this a good strategy when it comes to hooking PlayStation and PC gamers across the aisle? That’s up for debate. But as a celebration of everything Xbox fans love about the brand, the Xbox Series X absolutely succeeds and shows a ton of promise to boot.

The Xbox Series X launches on Nov. 10. The Series S, which wasn’t provided by Microsoft in time for a review, will also release on Nov. 10 for $299.

Stay tuned for more of our ongoing coverage of the Xbox Series X here.

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Xbox Series X Unboxed: Microsoft’s Next-Gen Console Isn’t a Fridge But It’s Definitely Hefty

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Reports of the Xbox Series X‘s size have been greatly exaggerated: you won’t find anything as big as Snoop Dogg’s monolith-shaped fridge inside the next-gen console’s retail box. But the first thing you’ll notice when unboxing this console in November is that it’s pretty heavy. Despite the countless memes and comparison pictures declaring the Xbox Series X an absolute chonk, I was still surprised by how hefty the console is.

At about 5.9 inches wide and 11.8 inches tall, and weighing in at 9.8 pounds, the console definitely has a commanding presence. Not quite PC tower (or fridge) height when in its natural vertical position, the Xbox Series X is just slightly taller than the Xbox One X if you were to stand it on its side but is nowhere near as tall as the PlayStation 5, which towers over the competition at 15.4 inches in height. The next-gen Xbox is also the third heaviest console ever made behind the PS5, which weighs 9.9 pounds, and the 11-pound PS3.

While you can certainly lay the Xbox Series X flat, the horizontal position is sort of awkward, with the console’s stand sticking out from the left side. This platform looks best when it’s standing, which might mean getting creative when it comes to finding a place for it in your home entertainment center. That’s definitely something I’m still trying to figure out for myself. For now, I’ve given my Xbox Series X, which was provided to me by Microsoft for review purposes, a home on a side table next to my desk.

As you can see, Microsoft’s heavy-hitter absolutely towers over the poor Hulk:

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I should note that I’ve not actually turned on the console yet, so I won’t be talking about any launch games, UI impressions, load times, how hot its components get, or the online experience here. That’ll come closer to launch. For now, what I can say is that the Xbox Series X is a sturdy piece of hardware that looks and feels deserving of its premium $499 price tag. While I wasn’t in love with the design of the Xbox Series X when it was first unveiled late last year, it quickly grew on me once I had the console in front of me.

Microsoft’s console designers clearly took a minimalist approach, one in stark contrast to the PS5, and it really works to the Xbox Series X’s advantage. I like that the front of the console isn’t so burdened by ports and that the outer shell has a smooth, clean finish. Even the vents at the top of the console, which have a bright green coloring on the inside that kind of makes it look like the Xbox is glowing, looks stylish.

One nice touch on the front of the console is the power button, which has a very satisfying click when you press it. I was never really a fan of the touch-sensitive power button on the original Xbox One that I too often grazed by accident, shutting down or turning on the console at inconvenient times. It might have sounded neat on paper, but I prefer a button you actually have to press down on. Anyway, when you power on the Xbox Series X, the Xbox symbol will light up and you’ll hear the familiar power-on chirp that Microsoft is reusing from the Xbox One.

As far as ports go, you’ll find the 4K Blu-ray disc drive as well as a single USB port on the front of the console. Above that USB port, you’ll find the bind button for your Xbox accessories that also doubles as an IR receiver for the Xbox One Media Remote. On the back of the console, clustered all the way at the bottom, you have two more USB ports, an Ethernet port, a port to plug in the power cable, an HDMI 2.1 port, and the expansion slot designed for the 1 TB SSD expansion card designed by Seagate. (That expansion card will set you back $219, but you can also plug in an external SSD to one of the USB ports.)

Just a quick note about the console’s power cable: there’s no bulky power supply attached to it, meaning that it’s easier than ever to run that cable through the back of your entertainment center. The external power supply was one of the most frustrating aspects of the original Xbox One, so I’m glad Microsoft went back to the drawing board on that. Of course, that power supply is now inside the Xbox Series X, which might be one of the reasons the console itself is so big. Still, a small quality of life improvement if you ask me.

The only accessory you’ll find inside the Xbox Series X retail box — and the only one you’ll need to start playing — is the Xbox Series X controller, which closely resembles the Xbox Wireless Controller for the Xbox One. Microsoft hasn’t changed very much about the controller for the next generation, and it has no reason to. The current Xbox controller is perhaps the best gamepad on the market, so why fix what isn’t broken?

That said, the controller still features a few quality of life improvements that should make it more accessible than it’s current-gen counterpart. For one, it’s noticeably smaller than the Xbox Wireless Controller and is slightly lighter, with a more ergonomic shape. A clear attempt has been made to make the controller more comfortable for players with smaller hands. Longtime Xbox fans should be able to feel the difference right away.

All of the buttons from the Xbox One controller have made their way to the Xbox Series X peripheral. But there are also two big additions. The first is the Share button located just below the View and the Menu buttons. With a press of the Share button, you can now capture screenshots and record short gameplay clips to share with your friends or on social media. It’s not a new concept — Sony rolled out this function for the PS4 in 2013 — but it’s one Xbox fans will certainly welcome.

The other tweak to the gamepad is the new D-pad, which is heavily inspired by the Xbox Elite controller. Replacing the traditional cross-shaped D-pad, the new facetted dish is designed to enhance the controller experience, allowing players to do things like “hit accurate diagonals or perform sweep actions,” according to Xbox senior designer Ryan Whitaker. I’ve not tried the controller with any games yet, but what I can say as someone used to the conventional D-pad of countless generations past, the Xbox Series X’s version feels a little weird on my thumb. It will probably just take a little getting used to.

Other, smaller additions include textured finishes for both the triggers and bumpers at the top of the controller. The gamepad also has a USB-C port, meaning you’ll no longer need your collection of Micro-USB cables to charge this controller. Unfortunately, this gamepad still needs two AA batteries out of the box, which seems antiquated compared to PlayStation’s rechargeable DualShock and DualSense controllers. (Like with the Xbox One controller, you will have the option to buy a Play & Charge kit for the Xbox Series X gamepad for $25.)

With everything unboxed but no gameplay impressions as of yet, it’s impossible to give a final verdict on the Xbox Series X. There’s still so much to see and do with the next-gen console (and its Sony competitor), and we’ll make sure to share more of our thoughts as soon as we can. For now, the Xbox Series X is truly a sight to behold, with a bold design that’s clever in its simplicity but also intimidating in scope. The controller is less of an innovative jump, but that’s okay when the console itself is such a different beast than what’s come before.

Stay tuned for our full review of the Xbox Series X closer to the console’s launch date on Nov. 10.

The post Xbox Series X Unboxed: Microsoft’s Next-Gen Console Isn’t a Fridge But It’s Definitely Hefty appeared first on Den of Geek.

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