Kamis, 31 Agustus 2017
Microsoft Mixer adds an app for broadcasting on the go
Microsoft has just released Mixer Create, a new iOS and Android app for its recently rebranded game streaming service that lets streamers chat with fans, broadcast on location and even stream mobile games.
Separate from Mixer's primary app, which allows fans to tune in and interact with their favorite streams, Mixer Create is intended for broadcasters to help supplement their shows.
For starters, the big draw of Mixer Create is the ability to stream mobile games directly from your phone. Should you want to show off your Hearthstone decks or Clash Royale skills to the world, you can instantly start beaming gameplay (along with a camera feed of your face) without any extra add-ons or hardware.
Mobile game streaming is available for any software title on Android, though Mixer Create on iOS will only be able to stream games with the operating system's ReplayKit functionality turned on.
Never stop streaming
Mixer Create also gives broadcasters the ability to stream live video blogs using their mobile device's camera — even when they're away from their games.
Be it at a convention or just out for a bite to eat, streamers can use the companion app to start an impromptu broadcast, check in on fans and even contribute to the conversation, similar to Facebook Live or, to a lesser extent, Twitch's latest app update.
Should you prefer the traditional method of broadcasting from your PC or Xbox One, Mixer Create also offers special controls to streamers to moderate the chat room, send out messages and even accept co-streaming invites from other users.
Additionally, should broadcasters need to make any changes while on the air, Mixer Create also lets users edit their profile or change settings without having to get up or stop streaming.
While Mixer Create's features (particularly in-phone streaming) are definitely huge conveniences for game broadcasters, it's uncertain if it'll be enough to make Microsoft's Mixer streaming service stand out against other big names, like Google's YouTube Gaming and Amazon's Twitch — especially if those services put out a similar companion app of their own one day.
- Mixer vs Twitch vs YouTube Gaming: Battle of the streaming services
August 31, 2017 at 11:00PM
Parker Wilhelm
Nintendo Switch Nindies showcase: 12 game trailers you need to watch
Though new releases were few and far between just after the console's launch, the Nintendo Switch's games library has grown exponentially over the last few months, solidifying the hybrid console as the perfect home for indie gamers and developers.
That trend seems certain to continue well into next year, too, with a huge lineup of new indie titles announced during Nintendo's 'Nindies Showcase' livestream today.
For those who don't have time to watch the entire PAX showcase, we've taken the liberty of gathering up the best trailers released by Nintendo today.
Here are the Nintendo Switch indie game trailers from today's Nintendo Direct that you definitely shouldn't miss.
With a gorgeous anime-inspired 2D art style and a unique mix of platforming and puzzle-based cooking mechanics (you have to battle an assortment of creatures to collect ingredients), Battle Chef Brigade from Adult Swim Games seems like it will fulfil our cravings for bite-sized gaming. Check out the trailer below.
Release date: run-up to Christmas
This unique 4 vs 4 multiplayer shooter sees your avatar constantly morphing and shape-shifting as they shoot enemies or get hit. Shoot an enemy in the head, and their head shrinks while yours gets bigger! In the background stands an enormous Morphie for each team, which grows as you land successful hits against the opposing side. The team with the biggest towering Morphie at the end of the match wins. Sounds a little like Splatoon if you ask us, which is certainly not a bad thing. Check out the trailer below.
Release date: This winter in the UK and US, or summer in AU
A charming rhythm game that sees you take part in breakdancing battles, Floor Kids sports beautiful hand-drawn animation from JonJon and hip-hop beats from Kid Koala. Fans of old-school hip-hop, break beats and b-boy/b-girl dancing are sure to be in (rhythm) heaven with Floor Kids. Check out the trailer below.
Release date: run-up to Christmas
Meat fans rejoice! After years of waiting, we're finally getting a true sequel to Team Meat's challenging twitch-oriented platformer with the release of Super Meat Boy Forever. The game will get harder and harder the more you play it, so get ready to be dropped right into the meat grinder when Super Meat Boy Forever launches on Nintendo Switch. Check out the trailer below.
Release Date: 2018
The first SteamWorld Dig game developed a rabid following when it was released a few years back, so its sequel, SteamWorld Dig 2, is bound to send those same fans into a digging frenzy! Best of all, the game releases in less than a month, so you won't have to wait long to get your hands on it. Can you dig it? Check out the trailer below.
Release date: September 21, 2017
Who's ready for a violent arcade-style brawler in the tradition of Golden Axe and Final Fight? Wulverblade is set to provide just that, with a cinematic storyline based on historical events and some truly gorgeous 2D graphics, to boot. Not only that, but Wulverblade will be available first on Nintendo Switch, arriving some time in the next month.
Release date: September 2017
A side-scrolling shooter with a focus on underwater exploration and the hunting of sea monsters, Earth Atlantis promises to be a challenging title that fans of 'shmup' games will surely get a kick out of. Also, is anyone else getting a Game Boy vibe from that terrific art style? Check out the trailer below.
Release date: Fall/autumn in the US and UK, or spring in AU
An utterly adorable game from developer Neckbolt Games, Yono and the Celestial Elephants promises to be packed with adventure, puzzles, light combat and an assortment of cute characters. I mean look at him – he can blow fire out of his trunk! Check out the trailer below:
Release date: October 21, 2017
Still want even more bullet hell action than Earth Atlantis can seemingly provide? Well, take a gander at Dimension Drive, a unique shoot 'em up that sees you simultaneously play two games at once! Now that's sure to be a very challenging take on this popular genre. Check out the trailer below.
Release date: Fall/autumn in the US and UK and spring in AU
Mulaka is an impressive-looking 3D adventure title that sees you exploring the landscapes of northern Mexico. It's based on the history of the indigenous culture of the Tarahumara, who successfully evaded Spanish conquerors in the 16th century. Sounds cool to us! Check out the trailer below.
Release date: Early 2018
Despite having dual thumbsticks, there's been a real shortage of first-person games on the Nintendo Switch, but thankfully, Away: Journey to the Unexpected should help alleviate that. An adventure game with rogue-lite elements, it employs a beautiful and colorful art style with some anime-like animated cut scenes. We can't wait to get our hands on it. Check out the trailer below.
Release date: Early 2018
Fans of visionary game-designer Suda 51's ultra-violent No More Heroes series have waited on a third instalment for what feels like an eternity. Well, he's finally back with another sure-to-be insane entry. Travis Strikes Again sees series protagonist Travis Touchdown back and ready to kick some bad-guy butt, and thankfully, he's brought his beam katana along for the ride. Check out the trailer below.
Release date: 2018
August 31, 2017 at 01:34PM
Stephen Lambrechts
Rabu, 30 Agustus 2017
Want to save on a 2017 iMac? Apple is now selling refurbished editions
For over a year, Apple's refurbishing initiative has allowed buyers to grab like-new products like iPhones and MacBooks for a slight discount, directly from the Cupertino tech giant itself.
Now, Apple is adding its latest iMac model — released just this past June — to the list of refurbished electronics it sells, giving potential Mac owners a shot at a still-current iMac without having to pay full-price.
The refurbished 2017 iMacs currently start at $1,099 for the 21.5-inch, 3.0GHz quad-core version of Apple's latest desktop with a Retina 4K display, and up to $1,269 for the version with an improved processor and graphics chipset.
Both models are currently listed at 15% off the never-been-used price — a fairly consistent discount for most re-issued electronics on Apple's online store.
In case you're hesitant to buy refurbished products from Apple, the company ensures all re-sold products are rigorously inspected, repackaged and given a one-year warranty that can be extended through AppleCare+.
Barely used, definitely cheaper
To contrast, $1,099 could still buy a 21.5-inch 2017 iMac brand-new, but getting one with Retina 4K starts at $1,299 — essentially meaning that refurbished buyers can get an improved display without paying the two extra Benjamins.
For those looking for a refurbished iMac and care more about saving money than 4K, Apple also sells its 2015 iMac models starting at $849, with discounts up to 21% on certain versions.
If you've got the money to burn on the latest-and-greatest iMac, Apple is also gearing up to release the iMac Pro this coming December, which aims to be the company's most powerful desktop yet — though with a hefty $4,999 price tag to match.
Via MacRumors
- iMac Pro vs iMac 2017: What's the difference?
August 31, 2017 at 03:21AM
Parker Wilhelm
Acer just announced an 18-core CPU, quad-GPU gaming desktop monster
Dell might have gotten exclusive dibs on AMD Ryzen Threadripper, but that isn’t stopping Acer from teaming up with Intel to create an 18-core monster.
The Acer Predator Orion 9000 fires a shot across the bow of the Alienware Area 51 mothership with an Intel Core i9 Extreme Edition processor that packs more cores and thread than even the AMD Rzyen Threadripper 1950X. What’s more, Acer is promising users will be able to configure their system with up to four AMD Radeon Vega GPUs in CrossFire or two Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti’s in a SLI configuration.
To cool this beast, the Acer Predator Orion 9000 features an all-in-one liquid cooling solutions. Acer has also introduced a patented IceTunnel 2.0 airflow management that includes up to five intake fans to create a positive pressure air channel – so much cool air is sucked in, heat is simply pushed through ever crevice.
The Acer Predator Orion 9000 gaming desktop will arrive this December with prices starting at $1,999 (about £1,550, AU$2,510) – which is surprisingly low given that Intel’s 18-core processor would account for more than half the cost. We’ll have to see what the base model comes equipped with before we can decide if it’s a worthy buy.
Pixels to please
Every overpowered gaming PC needs a good display to go with it and it’s no coincidence that Acer also announced the Predator X35 gaming monitor. This 35-inch ultrawide monitor sports a brilliant WQHD resolution of 3,440 x 1,440 and supports Nvidia G-Sync to smooth out game play at a high 200hz refresh rate.
Thanks to Acer’s HDR Ultra and quantum dot technologies, the company claims this monitor also provides its best possible contrast quality with high dynamic range. The Taiwanese electronics firm has yet to disclose pricing, but the Predator X35 is slated to arrive in the coming months.
- IFA 2017 is Europe's biggest tech show. The TechRadar team is in Berlin to bring you all the breaking news and hands-on first impressions of new phones, watches and other tech as they're announced.
August 30, 2017 at 04:35PM
Kevin Lee
Bethesda starts charging for mods as Creation Club launches for Fallout 4
Bethesda’s Creation Club, a system of curated and paid-for mods announced earlier this summer, has now gone live for Fallout 4 on the PC, as well as the Xbox One and PS4.
The Creation Club – which will also be arriving for Skyrim Special Edition next month – caused quite some controversy when it was first revealed, as gamers rebelled against the idea of having to pay for mod content which has previously always been free to download.
For its part, Bethesda argues that free mods are still available as before, it’s just the content in this particular club which you have to pay for. In other words, it’s a case of you pays your money, or you don’t – a two-tier mod system is now in operation, with free mods in one lane, and Bethesda’s curated paid-for mods in the other.
Let us Prey
The club’s initial batch of Fallout 4 mod content includes Hellfire Power Armor, Power Horse Armor, a prototype gauss rifle, homemade shotgun, modular military backpack, and a load of paint jobs for various items. You can also buy Morgan’s space suit (as seen in Prey).
As a sweetener, Bethesda is throwing in 100 credits for free, the currency used to purchase these mods on Steam (or Xbox Live/PSN). Although that won’t get you much…
And the overall response to this initial batch of content has been pretty muted, to say the least.
Doubtless some chunkier mods are in the pipeline, as the Creation Club promised a whole gamut of custom content when it was first revealed, including new gameplay modes. Meanwhile, Bethesda promises that “more content [is] coming soon throughout the upcoming months”.
- Perhaps you’ll taste these Fallout 4 mods on one of our best gaming laptops
August 30, 2017 at 04:10PM
Darren Allan
Bethesda starts charging for mods as Creation Club launches for Fallout 4
Bethesda’s Creation Club, a system of curated and paid-for mods announced earlier this summer, has now gone live for Fallout 4 on the PC, as well as the Xbox One and PS4.
The Creation Club – which will also be arriving for Skyrim Special Edition next month – caused quite some controversy when it was first revealed, as gamers rebelled against the idea of having to pay for mod content which has previously always been free to download.
For its part, Bethesda argues that free mods are still available as before, it’s just the content in this particular club which you have to pay for. In other words, it’s a case of you pays your money, or you don’t – a two-tier mod system is now in operation, with free mods in one lane, and Bethesda’s curated paid-for mods in the other.
Let us Prey
The club’s initial batch of Fallout 4 mod content includes Hellfire Power Armor, Power Horse Armor, a prototype gauss rifle, homemade shotgun, modular military backpack, and a load of paint jobs for various items. You can also buy Morgan’s space suit (as seen in Prey).
As a sweetener, Bethesda is throwing in 100 credits for free, the currency used to purchase these mods on Steam (or Xbox Live/PSN). Although that won’t get you much…
And the overall response to this initial batch of content has been pretty muted, to say the least.
Doubtless some chunkier mods are in the pipeline, as the Creation Club promised a whole gamut of custom content when it was first revealed, including new gameplay modes. Meanwhile, Bethesda promises that “more content [is] coming soon throughout the upcoming months”.
- Perhaps you’ll taste these Fallout 4 mods on one of our best gaming laptops
August 30, 2017 at 04:10PM
Darren Allan
Selasa, 29 Agustus 2017
HyperX's Alloy Elite gaming keyboard is out in Australia (and won't break the bank)
If you’re looking for a sturdy gaming keyboard that’s heavy on features and light on price, then news that HyperX’s latest Alloy Elite keyboard (which we recently praised in our review) has landed in Australia should bring you some joy.
We were previously very impressed with HyperX's first gaming keyboard — the simple, solid and affordable HyperX Alloy FPS — and the Alloy Elite is an alternative that extends on the latter in some impressive ways. A comfortable wrist rest, dedicated media controls, and 16-zone lighting bar join the Cherry MX mechanical switches and plug-and-play simplicity to make for a solid gaming keyboard.
You can now buy the HyperX Alloy Elite with either Cherry MX Blue or Cherry MX Red switches from PCCaseGear, and if you get in quick you’ll get a bonus US$20 Steam gift card until stock runs out.
- Not convinced? Check out our list of the best gaming keyboards of 2017, although you can expect to see the HyperX Alloy Elite on there.
August 30, 2017 at 08:31AM
Harry Domanski
The 25 best VR games for PC, consoles and mobile
Update: This holiday season, you’ll finally be able to escape the terrors of actual nuclear warfare by departing this world and entering the Wasteland on HTC Vive. Read on to the next slide to find out why we’re looking forward to Fallout 4 VR and when you can expect it!
Now that the Oculus Rift is on sale for $399/£399 and Samsung’s next headset is clearly on its way, VR has grown even more compelling. Don’t get us wrong, VR is still niche – only 1 million units of the most affordable gaming headset, PlayStation VR, have been sold to date.
However, developer interest in the new tech is virtually unprecedented, with the top VR games opening the floodgates for commercial prosperity. But then, what are those games that you’re supposed to be playing once you buy a headset?
Through even VR’s earliest phases, we’re making it our duty to highlight all of the best VR games you can buy right now, with 25 of them making our rankings so far. From the team-based Star Trek: Bridge Crew to the action-packed Raw data, here they are.
Joe Osborne and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article
In hindsight, Fallout 4 wasn’t the follow-up we were hoping for when Bethesda stealth announced it in 2015. Sure it had all the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks in place, allowing you to upgrade your customizable character as you saw fit during your time in the Wasteland, but it was lacking that new-gen polish that a PS4, Xbox One and PC game at the time was expected to have.
In VR, however, Fallout 4 could find new life on a platform it’s more suited for. That’s because, although the HTC Vive performs great when paired with an adequate enough PC, even the best VR experiences are kind of rugged looking when put up against a crisp 4K monitor. That, combined with Fallout 4’s impeccable optimization for PC, makes it a no-brainer for the Vive.
Fallout 4 will arrive on Steam, exclusively for the HTC Vive, on December 12 for the full retail price of $59 (£39, around AU$76). Until then, you can pre-order it and observe with lustful eyes as it sits solemnly untouched in your Steam library. Or you can put that cash towards a now-cheaper HTC Vive headset if you aren’t taking shelter in one already.
Expected: December 12, 2017
It may be over thirty years old, but the Elite franchise is still alive and kicking, thanks to creator David Braben's fight to reacquire the license.
Drawing elements from the first game – e.g. trading, exploring and engaging in combat within a massive, procedurally-generated universe – Elite: Dangerous is an Elite game for the 21st century crowd. It's even represented as such in its depictions of our galaxy in the future.
Oh, and did we mention the gameplay is massively-multiplayer? Navigating the next frontier has never felt so real and connected. Elite: Dangerous is a game best experienced online and in VR.
Assuming you know somebody generous enough to print the 23-page manual, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is the new Mario Party, at least in the sense that it will make your friends hate you. Developed by Steal Crate Games, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes requires careful attention from a recommended 2 to 6 players. While one player works to defuse a bomb, the others have to provide clear instructions on how to do so.
Demanding some intense cooperation from your peers, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a fun game with the right group of people, and it's even more enjoyable in VR using either a Samsung Gear VR or Oculus Rift headset. Keep in mind that while a gamepad is optional with the Gear VR version, the Oculus Rift version must be paired with a controller.
In the year 2050, 21st century careers – like "chef" and "mechanic" – naturally, no longer exist, having been replaced years prior by the likes of programmers and the AI they create. Job Simulator takes it upon itself to transform the jobs of the modern day into museum exhibitions to be experienced as simulations by the player.
Of course, this means the museum, which doubles as a theme park, is operated by robots who can't quite recall things accurately. As a chef, for example, pizza is made by microwaving a slice of bread toppled with a block of cheese. In total, there are four jobs to select from: Office Worker, Gourmet Chef, Store Clerk and Auto Mechanic, each seasoned with a uniquely sardonic twist.
Mechanically, Rick and Morty Simulator: Virtual Rick-ality is very similar to Owlchemy Labs' previous VR game, Job Simulator.
But beyond the simple puzzle-come-adventure-game mechanics of combining objects in your environment to solve puzzles is the same razer-sharp wit that makes Job Simulator such an essential VR experience, and now it's even better thanks to the voice-acting chops of Rick and Morty star Justin Roiland.
Whether Virtual Rick-ality is an essential experience will depend entirely on whether you're a fan of the show or not. If you've ever enjoyed the cartoon then you owe it to yourself to try the VR game, but if you've yet to give it a watch, or if you've done so and aren't a fan of its irreverent brand of humor, then the Rick and Morty Simulator might be one to miss.
With most of even the best VR games being bite-sized, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a breath of fresh air, even if it’s a simultaneously horrific one. Despite the ability to play it otherwise on PC, Xbox One and PS4 proper, this is the first installment in the Resident Evil series that you could say was designed with virtual reality in mind. That’s because, unlike the entries before it, Resident Evil 7 is played using a first-person perspective.
Don’t assume you can just run and gun your way through the game, however, as Capcom has taken Resident Evil back to its survival horror roots with Resident Evil 7. As such, you’ll have to think tactically about how you manage to survive encounters with the game’s freaky enemies. As Ethan Winters, a resident of Dulvey, Louisiana whose wife went missing three years prior, you’ll be tasked with exploring a creaky old deserted house in an effort to find her.
The silver lining is that there’s only one location throughout the game, so don’t expect anything too chaotic beyond a generous helping of jump scares.
Remember that early launch game on the Nintendo 64 where you soared through the clouds and jumped through both literal and figurative hoops to complete objectives? Eagle Flight is like Pilotwings but you play as a minimalistically rendered eagle instead of an uncanny caricature of a what a person should look like.
Available for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, Ubisoft’s VR debut Eagle Flight gives players the chance to take to the skies and explore Paris like never before: 50 years after humanity has died out. Even better, pair up with a few buddies and you can engage in dog, err, bird fights in one of two multiplayer modes.
Though the franchise may have already concluded on conventional platforms, Batman: Arkham VR is the follow-up to Arkham Knight virtually none of us were expecting. Not long after Rocksteady Studios revealed its third entry in the Batman Arkham universe would be its last, the developer announced this exclusive to PlayStation VR that would later make its way to all three headsets.
Batman: Arkham VR is more of a self-contained detective story than a canonical sequel or prequel to the established Arkham mythos. You won’t be knocking goons unconscious with a VR-reimagined version of Rocksteady’s signature combat mechanics. However, what you can expect is not much more than a 90-minute, DLC-sized story mission at a fraction of the cost of a full-priced game.
Lengthy VR experiences are pretty thin on the ground as it stands, and that's part of what makes Arizona Sunshine such an enjoyable experience.
The game, which sees you exploring a zombie-infested Wild West, is a refreshingly lengthy experience that you can really sink your teeth into, which contrasts with the more arcade-like experiences offered by other games.
Movement is handled by teleporting yourself around the environment which handily allows you to cover great distances without motion sickness, and you reload and change weapons by moving your weapon to your ammo belt.
Out of any of the experiences we've played so far, Arizona Sunshine feels like what VR games might eventually become once developers have the time and money to craft full-length virtual reality experiences.
But in the short term searching old mine shafts with a six-shooter in one hand and a blinking flashlight in the other is just plain cool, even if you'll have to keep your play sessions to half an hour at a time just to hold your nerve.
Like Alien Isolation, Surgeon Simulator 2013 is also centered around aliens. Instead of fleeing from them, though, you're chipping away at their insides. Similar to objectives in Job Simulator, Surgeon Simulator 2013 banks on your incompetence at performing advanced surgical procedures, such as heart and brain transplants, exacerbated only by the unique interface of a VR headset.
The game supports VR natively with Oculus Rift, though it requires a pair of Razer Hydras to attempt heart transplants. A separate version, entitled Surgeon Simulator VR: Meet the Medic, is available as a free Steam download for HTC Vive.
Although it’s merely in early access for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, Gunheart is a co-op shooter built specifically with VR headsets in mind.
Clearly drawing inspiration from Borderlands, in Gunheart, you and your friends will blast alien bugs in the face in order to collect loot and upgrade your arsenal of weapons and upgrade abilities. Featuring hours of insect-riddled combat, Gunheart ditches the reluctant teleportation mechanics seen in other VR games in favor of a thrilling way to fast-travel.
Complemented by heavy concentrations of ordnance including everything from auto-locking SMGs to laser crossbows, Gunheart is every bit as much about transportation as it is bloodshed. Portraying a group of robotic bounty hunters, your squad of teammates can move quickly and surreptitiously either to avoid attacks or inflict them faster.
It's official: the world's most popular block-'em-up has finally arrived on VR. Minecraft Windows 10 Edition is now out on the Oculus Rift, but you won't need to splash out $599 / £499 / AU$649 (the cost of the Rift) for the experience. That's because it's also available on the Samsung Gear VR, with all of the Oculus version's features in tow. What's more, there's even a theater view in case it makes you sick just thinking about 360 degrees of lego brick terrain.
We're not sure what excites us most about exploring Minecraft in VR — legging it from creepers in the dead of night or burrowing into the landscape like goggle-wearing, pickaxe-wielding mole. A bit of both, probably.
Hover Junkers started revving our VR engines when its first gameplay videos surfaced a couple of years ago. Its story makes little sense: Earth has nearly run out of water, so naturally everybody is pelting it around on crudely made hover barges firing rounds into each others' heads. We'll forgive that, though, as Junkers' gameplay is manic multiplayer action – and great fun to boot.
Waving around the two Vive wands and your headset to look and move around, you have to shoot the enemy while taking cover on your barge to avoid incoming fire. The sheer freedom of movement makes the game very different to non-VR shooters - you can troll people by flipping the bird and even shoot yourself in the head, should you wish to. That's the videogame moment we've all been waiting for, right?
Yes, Eve: Valkyrie will make you feel at least a little bit sick. But isn't any epic gaming experience worth a bit of pain? What started out as a spectacular tech demo for the Icelandic developers of Eve: Online has evolved into a fast, squad-based dogfighting simulator set in deep space.
That focus on combat allows the game to be much less realistic and more visceral than its competitors - and it's more arcadey as a result. It may not be able to deliver long-term thrills, but if you're looking to be dazzled by what the Oculus Rift has to offer at this early stage, look no further than Eve: Valkyrie.
Ever wanted to play pool with your friends without leaving the house to go to a bar? With SportsBar VR, nothing about the billiards experience is compromised – yes, even beer-chugging remains intact. At long last, the HTC Vive proves you don't need a gamepad to play pool.
So get ready to throw barstools, chairs and empty beer bottles at the wall when you lose because SportsBar VR is the most comical and somehow realistic depiction of everyone's favorite tabletop sport. And, hey, it's not just pool you get to experience – developer Cherry Pop Games gives you the whole bar. Yes, you can even go for a few rounds of darts if you're so inclined.
Virtual reality gaming doesn't get much more social than this, a game in which you and three other players team up to pilot a Federation starship from the long running Star Trek franchise.
Although the game includes a single-player mode it's definitely an experience best enjoyed with friends, where you'll soon fall into a rhythm of anticipating each other's every need and tailoring your actions accordingly.
If you don't have friends with the same headset as you then you don't need to worry, as Ubisoft has also included cross-platform play, so PlayStation VR, Oculus, and Vive players should have no problem teaming up to tackle the Klingons together.
I've never really been a petrolhead - though I do know that red ones go faster - so I can't comment on how good a game Assetto Corsa is.
Suffice to say that my Petrolhead friends say it's one of the best car games out there, and the reviews agree. The key point is its moddability, which has allowed gamers to add all sorts of fancy new cars and tracks onto its superb driving system.
It supports Oculus natively and, like Elite, it makes perfect sense to be able to look around when racing, whether rallying or in an F1.
VR is wonderful at providing a sense of presence in a world - but not so good, as yet, at interacting with it. Which is perfect for 'walking simulators' like this.
Dear Esther is an exploration game, where you walk all over a remote Scottish island, plumbing its depths and heights, as your character whinges about his life. It may sound like an art-house adaption of a J.G. Ballard novel, but the game is utterly beautiful to wander.
- Empty list
It may have taken a pricey PS VR Aim Controller to achieve, but with Farpoint, Sony has proven that a full-on first-person shooter campaign can feel right at home in VR. Clocking in at about 5 hours long, Farpoint doesn’t overstay its welcome, but don’t confuse longevity with quality. In every aspect, Farpoint feels like a fully furnished shooter, complete with a variety of enemies and analog stick options that add an additional layer of control to the experience.
Unlike a lot of other games built for VR, Farpoint won’t be confused for a tech demo. The story, told through fixed-camera cutscenes, isn’t exactly enthralling, but it is at least decently well-written. Plus, if solo shooting isn’t compelling enough, there’s two-player online co-op and challenge levels designed for players to compete for high scores. And if the Aim Controller gets too tiring, you can always switch back to a DualShock 4.
As far as VR showcases go, it doesn’t get much simpler than Raw Data, a first-person action game that puts you up against waves of enemies in a controlled environment. Don’t expect any overtly complex RPG elements added to the mix, however, as Raw Data prioritizes refined combat mechanics and digestible controls over gameplay variety.
Raw Data itself doesn’t consist of much more than choosing a hero, whether Bishop, Saija or Boss, and going in guns (or swords) blazing against hordes of challenging enemies. It only gets more difficult when you go online with a friend, with communication limited to body language and simulated eye contact. There’s so much attention to detail in Raw Data that picking up and loading your gun is a task in and of itself.
Subnautica looks like it should be a simple diving game - but then you realise you don't recognise any of the 'fish'... or the sky or the sun.
It's actually a survival game on a distant ocean world, where you have to craft equipment, pilot submarines, and terraform the aquatic undersea for humankind - whilst surviving hostile wildlife, volcanoes, and aircraft-sized jellyfish. It's still in Early Access, so the Oculus Rift support is limited but effective.
Lucky's Tale is one of two games (the other being multiplayer dogfighting shooter EVE: Valkyrie) being bundled with the Oculus Rift, and it's an intriguing little platformer. Think Mario 64 spliced with Crash Bandicoot, viewed with a third-person camera angle that you can manipulate by moving your head, and you'd be halfway there.
The VR element lets you peek at more of the level as you go along, which sounds gimmicky but actually introduces an exploration element as you tilt your head to reveal secrets in the level. It may not blow you away like other VR games will, but Lucky's Tale proves that VR can breathe new life into old, ostensibly dead genres.
ADR1FT is the closest thing we'll ever get to a video game adaption of the movie Gravity. How it works is simple, albeit thoroughly engaging and original. In a first-person view, you'll be tasked with navigating a zero gravity setting with an oxygen limit that's realistic enough to keep you from taking off and exploring too far.
Like an underwater level of a Sonic game set in space, you'll need to survive on as little oxygen as possible without letting your character die. To make matters even more challenging, you're simultaneously tasked with completing a series of puzzles throughout five different areas all while listening to a soundtrack that was composed by developer Adam Orth and the band Weezer. (Because why not?)
Not to be confused with the Miley Cyrus hit single, The Climb comes from Crytek, a developer widely known for making your graphics card sweat (see: 'But Can It Run Crysis?' meme). The Climb is no exception. Beautifully rendered scenery makes extreme hiking less of a chore in a game that's basically Uncharted without any of the combat. And that sounds rad.
If you're looking for the game to showcase VR to your distant relatives at a family event, don't exempt The Climb from your considerations.
Think you have what it takes to climb Mount Everest? Everest VR might cause you to rethink your confidence. Like The Climb, Everest VR is a literal climbing simulator. Only this time, you're pushed right in the middle of a mountain cold enough to freeze off your limbs.
Sure, Everest VR can't emulate the weather conditions over an HTC Vive, but what it does well is bringing a fierce reality to the forefront of a headset for the first time ever. Like the antithesis to a certain 1999 track by Santana featuring Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, man, it's a cold one in Everest VR. Yet, at the same time, it's a suspenseful and emotional one.
Shooting Showdown 2 reimagines the first-person shooter concept for VR. You aim by tilting your head to move a crosshair in the middle of the screen, hitting a button on a Bluetooth controller to take out objects strewn across the level. They can be anything from shooting range targets to a robot carrying a bucket or traffic lights that require you to shoot the green light.
Regarded as one of the best games for the Samsung Gear VR, its head-to-head mode pits you against human opponents to see who can rack up the highest score.
August 29, 2017 at 09:58PM
Dan Griliopoulos
The 12 best horror games on PC and consoles to play right now
There are few things that will provide the life-affirming rush of adrenaline from the comfort of your home quite like playing a horror game. While there are, of course, horror movies (and we've gathered together the best of them here) games have the edge in that they put you squarely in control.
When you're the one holding the controller and making the choices that could mean life or death, every moment is tense and significant.
We're now better at scaring ourselves than ever and games have moved beyond simple gore and jump scares. Though these elements still play an important role in the genre, our approach to horror has more nuance than ever.
What follows are what we think are 12 of the best horror games that you can play on PC and consoles today. Go ahead and spook yourselves silly.
Little Nightmares is a great example of a game that manages to inspire fear and disgust without using traditional blood and gore.
The game puts you in control of a young girl called Six and has you navigate a a frightening world that's far too big for her, populated by a wide array of giant and grotesque creatues.
You don't have to fight these creatures, you just have to sneak around world and hide to get past them in what is absolutely a platforming puzzle game.
Little Nightmares is a great horror game in that it perfectly creates a feeling of helplessness while making it clear that you're capable of escaping. It takes familiar and the domestic areas of the home which should be comforting and turns them on their head by making them repulsive and unsafe.
Little Nightmares can be played now on PC, Xbox One and PS4
We've all watched a teen slasher movie at some point (it's hard to escape them) but they're surprisingly uncommon in the gaming world. Probably because it'd be so hard to get it right.
Fortunately, Until Dawn is a game that tried the trope and got it right by combining both game and movie elements.
This PS4 exclusive game follows a group of teenagers going on a trip to a remote cabin in the mountains where, shockingly, there's a frightening presence interested in picking them off one by one.
It's up to you to make decisions for the characters in the game which means whether or not they live or die is entirely down to you. Make the wrong decision and your favorite could meet a very grizzly end. Until Dawn is a great horror game because although it'll genuinely scare you, you get a sense it's having a lot of fun doing it.
Until Dawn can be played now on PlayStation 4
After so long away, Resident Evil's return could have been something of a disaster but fortunately for fans of the series the seventh installment was a great success.
Resident Evil 7 was a much needed breath of fresh air for the series, bringing in a modern understanding of both horror movies and games while managing to retain that very distinct Resident Evil feel.
By moving the perspective from third to first person it also made the fear feel closer and more immediate and it also made it possible to include a genuinely frightening VR experience to the game.
With a great story and tight gameplay, Resident Evil 7 was the addition to the horror series we all wanted and feared we would get. Read our full review here.
You can play Resident Evil on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Dead Space, three games published by EA and developed by Visceral Games, is among the contemporary classic horror games. The story, first set on an abandoned space vessel (duh), takes terrifying twists and turns – most of which involving zombified aliens waiting around said turns.
Following the formula established by Ridley Scott's classic "Alien" certainly helped – besides, the first Alien game to pull it off didn't release for another few years. (See all about that one in a few slides.)
All in all, Dead Space was one of the pioneering horror games of the modern era, inspiring a renaissance in the genre that hasn't yet died down. That comes down to some simple tenants: a compelling story, believable visuals and proper pacing.
You can play Dead Space on Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows.
Released in mid-2012, Slender is based around long pauses followed by sudden movements that are totally unexpected. In other words: jump scares. Essentially, it is a horror film in video game form. It's a bit cheap, but – boy – does it work.
Your mission is simple: Don't get killed, collect the eight pieces of a book and run. The "thing" pursuing you – known as Slender Man (directly inspired by the meme) – is a faceless, eerily (unnaturally) lanky man in a pinstriped suit.
Basically, he's the perfect horror game villain.
The game relies heavily around the player having virtually no resources beyond a flashlight and the ability to jog. Naturally, both of which are limited for obvious reasons, making escape all the more difficult.
Overall, Slender is a fun, not-so-clever horror game that is guaranteed to scare you senseless nevertheless.
You can play Slender: The Eight Pages on Windows and OS X.
While Left 4 Dead came first, the second version saw Valve nail original creators Turtle Rock Studios' vision. Set in a world overrun by zombies, the game follows four characters in their mission to survive through several cooperative and competitive online modes, which – in conjunction with mods on PC – make for a veritable ton of replayability.
Our friends at PC Gamer have ranked it among their top FPS games of all time. We're pretty certain that most PC players would agree with that.
The game was originally banned in Australia due to its graphic content, a de facto seal of approval, if you will. The ban has since been lifted, and so lovers of hardcore horror games are sure to rejoice in its gross, lengthy scenes of devastation and destruction worldwide.
You can play Left 4 Dead 2 on Xbox 360, Windows, OS X and Linux.
Outlast and Outlast 2, developed by Red Barrels Studio, are now must-plays in the horror genre. Both games put players in control of investigative journalists but while the first is set in an asylum for the insane, the sequel takes place in the much more open location of a dilapidated rural part of Northern Arizona.
What helps make the Outlast games, well, last is that they follow a cardinal rule of horror games: don't empower your players too much, otherwise it's no longer a horror game.
Offering a refreshing break from zombies and aliens, Outlast and its sequel are fine games to play if you want a longer – and arguably scarier – break from your average gun-toting jump scare-fest.
You can play Outlast and Outlast 2 on Xbox One, PS4, Windows, OS X and Linux.
Of the countless games to use this precious creative license over the years, developer Creative Assembly is the first to actually create a game that lives up to it. The game takes place 15 years following the events of the 1979 Ridley Scott film, putting players into the space boots of Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda Ripley.
Taking on a first-person perspective and squaring you off with a single xenomorph hunting you across a vast space station in darkness, Isolation nails what it felt like watching the film for the first time. The vibe is so much of what makes an amazing horror game, and Isolation feels as if you're playing through the movie.
Throw in excruciatingly clever artificial intelligence afforded the alien, and an absolutely gripping virtual reality experiment, and you have the trappings of a modern horror classic.
You can play Alien: Isolation on Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4, Windows, OS X and Linux.
SOMA, released in 2015 by Amnesia developer Frictional Games, is a thoughtful – and thought-provoking – game that could easily be considered an interactive film. Are you sensing a theme here at all?
The game contains neither zombies nor aliens, but instead a shift between 2015 and 2104, when humans have been wiped out by a comet and what's left of humanity must fight to survive underwater in an abandoned research facility gone rogue.
While SOMA may not be as outright scary as, say, Amnesia, it is still a fantastic game, thanks to its brooding atmosphere, surprisingly fresh subject matter (for horror games) and incredible audio design.
You can play SOMA on PS4, Windows, OS X and Linux.
Five Nights at Freddy's is – undoubtedly – a different kind of horror game. With a premise seeing players "surviving" a night in a kid-themed pizza parlor, it's unlike almost anything else in the genre.
However, it's a surprisingly fun game to play, once you can get past the terrifying visage of an animatronic teddy bear guitarist come to life in the dead of night. Generally, players combat these twisted, possessed figures with security cameras – what? Poltergeists don't like leaving evidence.
The game is the work of Scott Cawthon, an independent developer, who released it in 2014. Since then, there have been three more direct sequels, all of which have received positive reviews. Talk about staying power.
You can play Five Nights at Freddy's on Windows, iOS and Android.
As the name would suggest, this game is about forgetting things – but the only thing the player will not forget is how damn scary this game is. The game is based around a series of puzzles, which the player can opt-out of with dramatic consequences (usually a gruesome death).
Made by Frictional Games and preceding SOMA, Amnesia follows a protagonist – i.e. you, from the first person perspective – trying to figure out what is going on after waking up in a torturous dungeon. If you don't, you get slaughter by some disgusting, slack-jawed humanoid creature, and that's that.
Our friends at PC Format once said, "[it] isn't a game, [but] a trip into the human psyche's darker spaces. Not for the faint of heart, but horror junkies will lap it up." You can't really give much higher praise than that.
You can play Amnesia: The Dark Descent on Windows, OS X and Linux.
One corner of the gaming medium that has never managed to pull off horror well is two-dimensional, or 2D, games. With Superflat Games' Lone Survivor, that changes now.
Driven by its unique gameplay style and ambiguous character placement, the game is immersive, curious and surprisingly unsettling given its visuals. The ending, too, is a break from gaming convention and just highlights how different Lone Survivor is from the pack.
In this game, you are the last survivor of an epidemic that has to wear a mask at all times in order to survive. There are so many unanswered questions in the game – for instance, the lead character's name – that it becomes a horror-within-a-horror: you jump at every attack and at your own revelations.
You can play Lone Survivor on PS4, PS Vita, Wii U, Windows, OS X and Linux.
August 29, 2017 at 05:38PM
Joe Osborne,Max Slater-Robins,Emma Boyle
The 12 best horror games on PC and consoles to play right now
There are few things that will provide the life-affirming rush of adrenaline from the comfort of your home quite like playing a horror game. While there are, of course, horror movies (and we've gathered together the best of them here) games have the edge in that they put you squarely in control.
When you're the one holding the controller and making the choices that could mean life or death, every moment is tense and significant.
We're now better at scaring ourselves than ever and games have moved beyond simple gore and jump scares. Though these elements still play an important role in the genre, our approach to horror has more nuance than ever.
What follows are what we think are 12 of the best horror games that you can play on PC and consoles today. Go ahead and spook yourselves silly.
Little Nightmares is a great example of a game that manages to inspire fear and disgust without using traditional blood and gore.
The game puts you in control of a young girl called Six and has you navigate a a frightening world that's far too big for her, populated by a wide array of giant and grotesque creatues.
You don't have to fight these creatures, you just have to sneak around world and hide to get past them in what is absolutely a platforming puzzle game.
Little Nightmares is a great horror game in that it perfectly creates a feeling of helplessness while making it clear that you're capable of escaping. It takes familiar and the domestic areas of the home which should be comforting and turns them on their head by making them repulsive and unsafe.
Little Nightmares can be played now on PC, Xbox One and PS4
We've all watched a teen slasher movie at some point (it's hard to escape them) but they're surprisingly uncommon in the gaming world. Probably because it'd be so hard to get it right.
Fortunately, Until Dawn is a game that tried the trope and got it right by combining both game and movie elements.
This PS4 exclusive game follows a group of teenagers going on a trip to a remote cabin in the mountains where, shockingly, there's a frightening presence interested in picking them off one by one.
It's up to you to make decisions for the characters in the game which means whether or not they live or die is entirely down to you. Make the wrong decision and your favorite could meet a very grizzly end. Until Dawn is a great horror game because although it'll genuinely scare you, you get a sense it's having a lot of fun doing it.
Until Dawn can be played now on PlayStation 4
After so long away, Resident Evil's return could have been something of a disaster but fortunately for fans of the series the seventh installment was a great success.
Resident Evil 7 was a much needed breath of fresh air for the series, bringing in a modern understanding of both horror movies and games while managing to retain that very distinct Resident Evil feel.
By moving the perspective from third to first person it also made the fear feel closer and more immediate and it also made it possible to include a genuinely frightening VR experience to the game.
With a great story and tight gameplay, Resident Evil 7 was the addition to the horror series we all wanted and feared we would get. Read our full review here.
You can play Resident Evil on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Dead Space, three games published by EA and developed by Visceral Games, is among the contemporary classic horror games. The story, first set on an abandoned space vessel (duh), takes terrifying twists and turns – most of which involving zombified aliens waiting around said turns.
Following the formula established by Ridley Scott's classic "Alien" certainly helped – besides, the first Alien game to pull it off didn't release for another few years. (See all about that one in a few slides.)
All in all, Dead Space was one of the pioneering horror games of the modern era, inspiring a renaissance in the genre that hasn't yet died down. That comes down to some simple tenants: a compelling story, believable visuals and proper pacing.
You can play Dead Space on Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows.
Released in mid-2012, Slender is based around long pauses followed by sudden movements that are totally unexpected. In other words: jump scares. Essentially, it is a horror film in video game form. It's a bit cheap, but – boy – does it work.
Your mission is simple: Don't get killed, collect the eight pieces of a book and run. The "thing" pursuing you – known as Slender Man (directly inspired by the meme) – is a faceless, eerily (unnaturally) lanky man in a pinstriped suit.
Basically, he's the perfect horror game villain.
The game relies heavily around the player having virtually no resources beyond a flashlight and the ability to jog. Naturally, both of which are limited for obvious reasons, making escape all the more difficult.
Overall, Slender is a fun, not-so-clever horror game that is guaranteed to scare you senseless nevertheless.
You can play Slender: The Eight Pages on Windows and OS X.
While Left 4 Dead came first, the second version saw Valve nail original creators Turtle Rock Studios' vision. Set in a world overrun by zombies, the game follows four characters in their mission to survive through several cooperative and competitive online modes, which – in conjunction with mods on PC – make for a veritable ton of replayability.
Our friends at PC Gamer have ranked it among their top FPS games of all time. We're pretty certain that most PC players would agree with that.
The game was originally banned in Australia due to its graphic content, a de facto seal of approval, if you will. The ban has since been lifted, and so lovers of hardcore horror games are sure to rejoice in its gross, lengthy scenes of devastation and destruction worldwide.
You can play Left 4 Dead 2 on Xbox 360, Windows, OS X and Linux.
Outlast and Outlast 2, developed by Red Barrels Studio, are now must-plays in the horror genre. Both games put players in control of investigative journalists but while the first is set in an asylum for the insane, the sequel takes place in the much more open location of a dilapidated rural part of Northern Arizona.
What helps make the Outlast games, well, last is that they follow a cardinal rule of horror games: don't empower your players too much, otherwise it's no longer a horror game.
Offering a refreshing break from zombies and aliens, Outlast and its sequel are fine games to play if you want a longer – and arguably scarier – break from your average gun-toting jump scare-fest.
You can play Outlast and Outlast 2 on Xbox One, PS4, Windows, OS X and Linux.
Of the countless games to use this precious creative license over the years, developer Creative Assembly is the first to actually create a game that lives up to it. The game takes place 15 years following the events of the 1979 Ridley Scott film, putting players into the space boots of Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda Ripley.
Taking on a first-person perspective and squaring you off with a single xenomorph hunting you across a vast space station in darkness, Isolation nails what it felt like watching the film for the first time. The vibe is so much of what makes an amazing horror game, and Isolation feels as if you're playing through the movie.
Throw in excruciatingly clever artificial intelligence afforded the alien, and an absolutely gripping virtual reality experiment, and you have the trappings of a modern horror classic.
You can play Alien: Isolation on Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4, Windows, OS X and Linux.
SOMA, released in 2015 by Amnesia developer Frictional Games, is a thoughtful – and thought-provoking – game that could easily be considered an interactive film. Are you sensing a theme here at all?
The game contains neither zombies nor aliens, but instead a shift between 2015 and 2104, when humans have been wiped out by a comet and what's left of humanity must fight to survive underwater in an abandoned research facility gone rogue.
While SOMA may not be as outright scary as, say, Amnesia, it is still a fantastic game, thanks to its brooding atmosphere, surprisingly fresh subject matter (for horror games) and incredible audio design.
You can play SOMA on PS4, Windows, OS X and Linux.
Five Nights at Freddy's is – undoubtedly – a different kind of horror game. With a premise seeing players "surviving" a night in a kid-themed pizza parlor, it's unlike almost anything else in the genre.
However, it's a surprisingly fun game to play, once you can get past the terrifying visage of an animatronic teddy bear guitarist come to life in the dead of night. Generally, players combat these twisted, possessed figures with security cameras – what? Poltergeists don't like leaving evidence.
The game is the work of Scott Cawthon, an independent developer, who released it in 2014. Since then, there have been three more direct sequels, all of which have received positive reviews. Talk about staying power.
You can play Five Nights at Freddy's on Windows, iOS and Android.
As the name would suggest, this game is about forgetting things – but the only thing the player will not forget is how damn scary this game is. The game is based around a series of puzzles, which the player can opt-out of with dramatic consequences (usually a gruesome death).
Made by Frictional Games and preceding SOMA, Amnesia follows a protagonist – i.e. you, from the first person perspective – trying to figure out what is going on after waking up in a torturous dungeon. If you don't, you get slaughter by some disgusting, slack-jawed humanoid creature, and that's that.
Our friends at PC Format once said, "[it] isn't a game, [but] a trip into the human psyche's darker spaces. Not for the faint of heart, but horror junkies will lap it up." You can't really give much higher praise than that.
You can play Amnesia: The Dark Descent on Windows, OS X and Linux.
One corner of the gaming medium that has never managed to pull off horror well is two-dimensional, or 2D, games. With Superflat Games' Lone Survivor, that changes now.
Driven by its unique gameplay style and ambiguous character placement, the game is immersive, curious and surprisingly unsettling given its visuals. The ending, too, is a break from gaming convention and just highlights how different Lone Survivor is from the pack.
In this game, you are the last survivor of an epidemic that has to wear a mask at all times in order to survive. There are so many unanswered questions in the game – for instance, the lead character's name – that it becomes a horror-within-a-horror: you jump at every attack and at your own revelations.
You can play Lone Survivor on PS4, PS Vita, Wii U, Windows, OS X and Linux.
August 29, 2017 at 05:38PM
Joe Osborne,Max Slater-Robins,Emma Boyle
Senin, 28 Agustus 2017
Jumat, 25 Agustus 2017
The 30 best indie games on PC and consoles
Update: After being delayed four years from its originally planned Q2 2013 release date, A Hat in Time is a little more than a month away. Find out why we’re cautiously excited on the next slide!
In case Microsoft’s conference at E3 2017 wasn’t enough of an indication, indie games are a bigger deal than ever. No longer being overshadowed by the Halo’s and Gears of War’s of the world, it was neat seeing projects like The Artful Escape and Super Lucky’s Tale being used to push the limits of the new Xbox One X just as prominently.
That’s because, these days, a game doesn’t need to come from a multibillion dollar conglomerate to be compelling both visually and in gameplay. However, instead of bearing a 1:1 resemblance to real life, many of the best indie games are heavily stylized and simplistic in their mechanics, frankly a pleasant change of pace from their high-budget counterparts.
The trickiest part about indie games is that when anyone can make a game, a lot of shovelware enters the mix. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and filtered out all the trash – sifting through piles of the top indie games on the market to uncover only the most noteworthy gems. From the inspired Braid to the competitive Nidhogg, these are all the best indie games you can buy.
Joe Osborne, Kane Fulton and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article
At Gamescom 2017, we saw a lot of promising titles from smaller developers. However, after raising over $296,000 (about £230,00, AU$ 373,000) through its Kickstarter campaign back in 2013, A Hat in Time is one to look out for, especially since, after four years, its October release date is just around the corner.
Coming to PS4, Xbox One and PC, A Hat in Time was inspired by 3D platformers of the Nintendo 64 era, like Banjo Kazooie and Super Mario 64. It features open levels harboring collectibles, puzzles, enemies and – best of all – no time limits. On top of all that, A Hat in Time can be played cooperatively with a friend both locally and online.
Expected: October 5, 2017
Jonathan Blow's masterpiece first appears to be a simple pastiche of Super Mario Bros, with a middle-aged curmudgeon replacing the titular plumber but still seeking to rescue a princess.
But as you spend time with it, it reveals more of itself, moving from a series of time-bending puzzles to quiet reflective texts – which doesn't stop it being the smartest puzzle game until SpaceChem. Blow himself has hinted that the ultimate story might be something to do with the atomic bomb.
First released as PC freeware by Japanese designer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya back in 2004 after five years of 100% solo development, Cave Story predates the recent indie renaissance by a few years. Because of when and how it was first released, it's often forgotten in discussions of indie gaming.
But this classic deserves to be on every best-of list for its loving homage to the classic action platforming games of the Super Nintendo era, its incredible music and its incredibly vibrant world. Oh, and don't forget the hugely intuitive controls, gobs of secrets and weapons that are entirely too fun to use. If you've yet to enjoy this one, just put it on your backlog already.
Most mainstream games are escapist power fantasies, where the player grows their capabilities until they dominate the game's universe - and then the game ends. Yet many indie games are dis-empowerment fantasies - like the IGF award winner and misery sim Cart Life.
Papers Please is similar to Cart Life - it's also an IGF winner with elements of misery about it - but it's better, being a smart, weird sim about the compromised life of a border guard under a totalitarian regime. It's ugly and desperate, but also innovative, uproariously funny and terribly smart.
Among the hardcore gamers of my acquaintance, Spelunky is the go-to drug. Even today, several years after its release, some of them still play it every day, despite having completed it many times over. That's because Spelunky, an ostensibly rogue-like platformer with a definite end, is tough, varied and highly randomized.
It also has more dark secrets than a presidential candidate, meaning there are many, many ways to finish it, and its daily challenges are a sure-fire way to public humiliation.
Humor is often something absent from games, mostly being restricted to slapstick comedy or crude one-liners. The Stanley Parable, by contrast, is hilarious without dumbing down. Players follow (or don't) a very English narrative voice who changes the world around you, depending on your decision.
No decision is punished, every play-through throws up new humor and weirdness. Being trapped in the closet in the Stanley Parable is more moving and funny than 9/10 other games.
- Further reading: Retro-me-do! Digitiser's Mr Biffo on his top PC games of all time
Nine years in the making, Owlboy was well worth the wait. Originally contrived for PCs and released in late 2016, the clever masterpiece of an indie game is now available to experience on Mac and Linux as well. Owlboy centers around a race of owl-human hybrid characters called Owls. Of them, you helm control of an Otis, an Owl who is censured by his mentor for his inept flying abilities.
The story sees Otis’ village dismantled by pirates who clearly have conflict with the Owls. As a result, Otis has to work with an assortment of villagers in-game to take out enemies. Of course, when boss battles arise, you’ll need to manage allies accordingly, as each character comes with their own set of unique skillsets to use in conjunction with one another. If you’ve ever played and enjoyed a Kid Icarus game, this is one for the books. Otherwise, play it anyway.
Like The Stanley Parable, Gone Home falls into the unofficially deemed "walking simulator" genre. Unlike the simultaneously clever and philosophical Stanley Parable, however, Gone Home is less fixated on the lighter issues and more concerned with some of life's more difficult realities.
After getting home from a stay overseas, you play as 21-year-old Kaitlin Greenbriar who is greeted by a vacant residency. While gameplay in Gone Home is mainly limited to scavenging through notes to find out where the protagonist's family has ventured off to, the gripping story exhibits a rollercoaster of emotions, if you keep an open mind.
Only SpaceChem has mingled education with entertainment as successfully as The Kerbal Space Program. The game is simple - design and build spacecraft to take the cutesy Kerbals to the Mun and beyond.
Yet its focused use of real physics means that you'll find yourself following NASA in building multi-stage rockets, space stations and exploring the Kerbal's strange universe on EVAs, before bringing your discoveries back to research on the Kerbal planet - that's if you can get off the ground at all. It's a huge, complex, challenging and fun game, that's smart without being preachy.
The exact opposite of the Kerbal Space Program, The Binding of Isaac is an action roguelike par excellence. Matched only by the equally visceral Nuclear Throne for replayability, you play as a young boy attempting to kill his damned siblings, his Mom, and possibly the Devil, using only his tears. Which he shoots from his eyes, of course.
With hundreds of weird modifiers to discover, endlessly touch procedurally-generated levels, and secrets galore, Isaac is a very dark take on the exploratory model established by Spelunky.
Though you may be turned off by the pixel art graphics, Undertale isn't a game that could easily have run on the Nintendo Super NES. That's because, in Undertale, your personal decisions play a huge role in how the game ends, and moreover, how it continues in New Game Plus.
One of the first things you'll notice about Undertale is how much freedom the game gives you. Despite its cleverly integrated boss matches, you can play through the entire 9 or so hours of Undertale without executing a single kill. Plus, when you complete the game, you'll be pleased to discover that you can play through Undertale again, this time bearing the weight of your consequences from the previous run.
From developer Playdead, Inside is comparable to its predecessor, Limbo, in some ways but with an added layer of depth that inspires frequent wonder. This is mostly a result of the unspoken narrative, which revolves around yet another nameless boy. In Inside, however, the boy in the story is running away from a group of men who – if you fail to stay out of their sights – will try to mercilessly kill you.
Though it isn't quite clear why the boy is running from these men or why you should even care since you don't know who he is, Inside will leave you begging for answers. The bleak, lifeless setting of Inside is more than worth the price of admission. Its minimalist art style alone is avant-garde enough to feel right at home in a museum. Add in a game that's both fun to play and dripping with curiosity, though, and Inside is one of the best indie games money can buy.
Developed single-handedly by Eric Barone, Stardew Valley is undoubtedly a technical feat for that little facet alone. If you’ve ever played a Harvest Moon game, you’re already familiar with the premise of Stardew Valley – you may just not know it yet. Stardew Valley is an addictive farming simulator which sees you interact with townees to the point where you can literally marry them.
Stardew Valley isn’t just one thing; it’s a whole bunch of things at once. You can engage in crafting, fishing, cooking and even exploring procedurally-generated caves to mine for items and even take on monstrous enemies. However, do keep in mind your health and energy as you’ll need to make sure your character is in tip-top shape in order to avoid suffering from exhaustion. Lose health and you lose a considerable amount of money and items you’ve worked hard to attained. Stardew Valley will have you hooked for hours on end, for better or worse. (Better, definitely better.)
From Canadian game developer Alec Holowka, the creator of the award-winning Aquaria (also featured on this list) and independent artist/animator Scott Benson, Night in the Woods is an unconventional side-scrolling adventure game centering around a 20-year-old protagonist named Mae who drops out of college to move back in with her parents.
Featuring a story largely based around dialog choices and mini games that put a spin on mundane tasks like carrying boxes up the stairs and eating perogies, Night in the Woods is a timeless coming-of-age tale. Not only get to experience middle class America through the eyes of a personified cat, but virtually every interaction in-game will have you laughing aloud.
Finally, the man responsible for the incredible orchestral arrangement in the hit PlayStation game Journey is back with Abzu, the first game ever from indie developer Giant Squid Studios. Founded by former thatgamecompany art director Matt Nava, Giant Squid had little to lose with its video game debut on both PC and PS4.
Abzu is described as a "stylized swimming simulator" that accurately depicts the relationship between ocean life and its interactions with humans. Like Journey, the game is told linearly with a silent protagonist. Abzu manages to hold its own, though, drawing influence from popular role-playing games with the ability to upgrade equipment.
Though newcomers may be offput by its clearly retro-inspired, twin-stick shoot ‘em up design, Nex Machina is a gem for fans of the classics. Featuring a play-style that’s heavily influenced by arcade cabinets Robotron (1982) and Smash TV (1990), Nex Machina will feel familiar to anyone versed in the products of games industry veteran Eugene Jarvis.
That’s because Jarvis served as a creative consultant on this project, whose creation was helmed primarily by Super Stardust and Resogun developer Housemarque. Similar to Jarvis’ previous works, Nex Machina is played from a top-down perspective, with players taking out waves of enemies in order to protect human allies.
Introversions was one of the earliest 'indie' companies, releasing games like Uplink, Defcon and Darwinia whilst Vlambeer were still in short pants. After years of struggling, they've finally hit a huge success with Prison Architect, a game where you build, staff, outfit and manage a maximum security prison.
With smart prisoners who are willing to do anything to escape, you'll struggle to keep them all inside - or keep them from rioting - and turn a profit. It's still in alpha, but it's eminently playable right now..
While The Kerbal Space Program might actually take you (or at least those poor doomed Kerbals) to the moon, To The Moon is a game about wish fulfillment, and thrives on narrative. In terms of movies, Kerbal is Gravity and Isaac is Saw, To The Moon is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
You control two doctors who are exploring a dying man's memories to implant a false memory so he can die in peace. Which is all depicted in a classic 16-bit Zelda style. It's a rare, brave, adult game.
Dwarf Fortress is its own genre, its own industry. This is a game that, before you've even set foot in it, has to generate the entire geography, mythology and history of its massive world. Then it tracks every single one of the dwarfs you're managing down to the hairs on their legs and the particular horrible elephant murder that they witnessed and they're now carving on an ornamental chair.
Your task is to keep the dwarves alive as they carve out their subterranean kingdom - given that insanity, monsters, and starvation plague are thrown at them at every stage that's not easy. And dwarves, always, always mine too deep.
Run. Jump. Die. Repeat. That's the basic premise of Super Meat Boy, a fiendishly addictive 2D platformer that's also bloody hard, with an emphasis on bloody. Pints of the red stuff is spilled as the game's eponymous meaty hero leap over deadly drops, spinning blades and walking chainsaws in a bid to rescue his girlfriend, Bandage Girl, from the evil Dr Foetus. Obviously. Boasting tight controls, plenty of humor and color graphics, Super Meat Boy leapt onto the PS4 and Vita this year in style.
Limbo is a platformer with a difference. Five years after its initial release, the game's haunting storyline still affects us. You play The Boy, a child with glowing eyes who's cast into Limbo to find his sister. Making your way through a bleak and dangerous world full of hostile silhouettes, giant spiders and deadly gravitational fields, you'll need to think on your feet and time your movements to perfection to survive.
But Limbo is much more than a simple platformer: it's an experience, and one that has you pondering the very essence of life by the time it's over. Deep, profound and absorbing, it's one indie game everybody should take time out to play.
If you're yearning for a retro-styled multiplayer archery combat game (aren't we all?), TowerFall: Ascension is the pick of the lot. Fast, frenetic and teeth-gnashingly hard in hardcore mode, the game's mechanics are simple: fire arrows at enemies or jump on their heads to stay alive until the round ends.
Arrows that don't hit are embedded in walls, making for tense scenarios when you have to traverse the map while dodging enemies to retrieve them. As such, practicing until you achieve Robin Hood-esque levels of accuracy is recommended. Ascension is best experienced with friends in local multiplayer mode, which recalls Super Smash Bros' most manic moments.
Serving as a spiritual successor to a pair of staples in PC gaming history, namely Myst and Riven, Obduction carries on the legacy of traditional point-and-click adventure games focused on advanced puzzle-solving techniques. Unlike most modern adventure games, Obduction is the kind of game you'll have to take notes to complete, being hyperaware of everything in your surroundings to extract subtle hints from its environments.
Obduction has a gripping story that you'll have to exert a lot of brainpower to get through. It's not a game that'll hold your hand if you get stuck. Au contraire! Obduction isn't bottlenecked by the typical UI practices of conventional video games. No, you just have to go for it with no instruction at all, leaving it up to you to figure out how to get to the next point. Until you do, Obduction will mock you with its beautifully rendered HDR environments and Nvidia Ansel support.
This gorgeous, underwater world was created by independent studio Bit Blot and released way back in 2007, and it absolutely still holds up. Think of Aquaria as a cross between the old Metroid games and the Ecco the Dolphin games – in all the best, and most challenging, ways.
You are Naija, a humanoid sea creature (not a mermaid!) that is exploring a new world to her after awakening from a life-long dream. She soon gains the ability to manipulate The Verse, a supernatural force that pervades all of Aquaria, which gradually unlocks new abilities and locations to explore.
Picture the scene for a moment. Two pixelated fencers stand face-to-face underneath a giant swinging chandelier, ready to do battle. After 10 minutes of frantic dueling, the orange combatant successfully pierces his adversary in the chest before leaping over his head into the gaping mouth of a giant flying worm. That's right: the surreal Nidhogg makes about as much sense as a 2014 Spider-Man reboot, but damned if it isn't the most addictive local multiplayer fence-em-up, like, ever.
Esteemed indie designer Jon Blow's follow up to Braid may look like an entirely different adventure, being 3D and all, but the two are more thematically alike than you might think. The Witness, at its core, is another puzzle game that tells an interesting story through said puzzles.
This puzzler takes place in an almost equally impressionist – albeit heavily Myst-inspired – world, but it's story is far more nuanced and mysterious than Blow's previous. At almost every corner of this island that you've simply woken up on (or beneath), there is a clue as to how you got onto this island and why you're here.
A 2D action RPG based on the best 8- and 16-bit classics, Hyper Light Drifter was a big Kickstarter success. Now, we know that's because of its glorious pixel graphics and combat that's halfway between SuperGiant's seminal Bastion and an edgy Legend of Zelda revamp.
Despite appearances, it's a combat-focused game wherein you explore the unknown, ruined world of Buried Time, inspired by nightmares and dreams, where your Drifter is searching for the cure for a fatal disease that he or she is clearly suffering.
If you remember games like Contra or Jackal even a little bit, then BroForce will immediately speak to you. This four-player, side-scrolling cooperative shoot-em-up combines modern action game features, like destructible environments, with an obvious respect for the nostalgia many of us hold for these games.
Every level in BroForce is a race to the rendezvous point, and you're one of countless "Bros", goofy characters inspired by the real-life action heroes of today. Complete with a rescue system for Bros that have lost one too many lives, BroForce both parodies the bro-tastic action flicks that rake in millions and instills a fun level of camaraderie through clever mechanics.
Exploring a surreal wilderness seems like quite the trend these days in gaming, and developer Campo Santo's debut only serves to keep it going strong. Set in the wilderness of 1989 Wyoming, you're Henry, a fire lookout that's all alone in the woods after exploring something strange in the distance.
That is, save for your partner on the other line of a walkie-talkie: Delilah. She's your only point of contact as you explore the wilderness. Will you make it back alive? Will the decisions you make help or harm the relationship with your only lifeline to the outside world, your boss? Don't worry about those questions just yet – just look at those forestscapes!
Rust is one of the more successful indie titles of recent times. By the end of 2015 it had sold more than 3 million copies, which isn't too shabby considering it isn't even finished — the game has been on Steam's Early Access scheme since launching in December 2013.
Still, it seems people can't get enough of the Day Z-inspired survival sim. It sees you use your wits and bearings to survive its harsh open world, starting off with nothing but a rock. After gathering resources needed to build a house and weapons to fend off attackers (other online players, in other words), Rust gradually becomes more intense as you defend your growing base — or attempt to breach others'.
The latest from Supergiant Games, Pyre is an action role-playing sports game whose combat mechanics feel like an oddly sensational blend of Dota 2 and NBA Jam. Taking place in a high fantasy setting, Pyre won’t appeal to everyone, but if you like the idea of being exiled from society and teaming up with other exiles to take down your own kind, then you might enjoy Pyre.
Using on-screen passages to tell its narrative, Pyre is heavily based around choice and implements its morality systems in a way that is unusually intertwined with the gameplay. You can make the choice to release a member of your party for the sake of their own contentment or keep dragging them along and complete the game more efficiently on your end.
August 26, 2017 at 02:48AM
Dan Griliopoulos
Microsoft no longer sells the original Xbox One
While the 4K-compatible Xbox One X isn't being billed as a next-generation console, it's looking very clear that the first model of Microsoft's Xbox One is meant to be a thing of the past.
Months after being discontinued for manufacture, Microsoft has officially stopped selling original models of the Xbox One, according to Kotaku UK.
At the time of writing, Microsoft's UK store has marked the 'classic' Xbox One as unavailable, though the US store still has a few units left — but only as refurbished models.
This means that going forward, the slimmed-down Xbox One S and the upcoming Xbox One X will be the primary choices for prospective Xbox owners, which just makes things a lot easier, honestly.
That model was soooo 2013
Not only does paring down to just two models make it simpler for consumers, but we can also see the first-wave Xbox One being too redundant for Microsoft to bother keeping in stock.
The Xbox One S not only takes up 40% less space than its bulky predecessor, but also supports HDR streaming and movies. Meanwhile, the Xbox One X (planned to launch November 7) is being billed as a gaming powerhouse with native 4K gaming capability.
The only thing the original Xbox One really has going for it that the others lack is a built-in Kinect port. Even then, newer models can still make use of the once-mandatory camera using a special adapter. (Remember that brief period when you needed a Kinect to use the Xbox One? What a time!)
Should you already have your original Xbox One from 2013, congratulations — you now have a collector's item! Otherwise, we say avoid the temptation to save some cash on the older model and just spring for one of the newer (and in our opinion, better) consoles.
- Everything you want to know about the Xbox One X
August 26, 2017 at 02:35AM
Parker Wilhelm
Xbox One X pre-orders are fastest-selling in Xbox history, says Microsoft
Those excited for the Xbox One X are certainly making their enthusiasm known, as Microsoft claims its 4K-capable console has sold through its first batch of pre-orders in record time.
Just five days after opening up the Xbox One X Project Scorpio edition for pre-order, more units of the day-one version of the upcoming console have been pre-sold in that time than any other Xbox console before it, according to an Xbox press release.
While this makes the Xbox One X the fastest-selling pre-order in Xbox history, Microsoft did not reveal exactly how many units were reserved — making it difficult to compare the Xbox One X's pre-orders to other consoles', like the also-4K compatible PS4 Pro or the selling-like-hotcakes Nintendo Switch.
X gon' reserve it for ya
Additionally, those looking to add to those pre-order numbers may be out of luck as Microsoft claims that many countries are already sold out of their allocated Project Scorpio Edition consoles.
Thankfully, if you don't care about a special "Project Scorpio" decal on their new console, more details regarding another batch of pre-orders for the standard edition of the Xbox One X are set to be announced next month.
For the rest of you willing to take your chances on launch day, the Xbox One X hits shelves on November 7. Even if reservations for the high-powered console are filling up fast, we don't think finding one will be a nightmare on par with, say, Nintendo's SNES Classic Edition.
- Learn more in our Xbox One X review
August 26, 2017 at 01:32AM
Parker Wilhelm
10 best gaming mice: best gaming mouse to buy
Update: With the G903, Logitech has exhibited once again that a wireless gaming mouse can entertain cutting-edge performance, sans the caveats, this time by demonstrating that charging one doesn’t have to be a chore. Read on to number 2 on our list to find out more!
While AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper CPUs are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the processing space, and Intel’s 8th-generation Coffee Lake processors are just around the corner, it’s only a matter of time before you start rethinking the hardware that accompanies your PC. Yes, even the mouse.
On the other hand, determining the best gaming mouse for you is a tricky endeavor. After all, not everyone wants to spend a fortune on the low-latency but wireless Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum if it can be helped. On the other hand, most of us don’t want to settle for the cheapest of the bunch either when it means missing out on fancy lighting and high DPI sensitivity options.
Nevertheless, regardless of what’s right for you, you’ll find all of the best gaming mice right here. Each entry has undergone thorough vetting prior to its inclusion, even if they haven’t all been given a proper review. Read on down for an unadulterated list of what are, hands down, the best gaming mice you can buy in 2017.
The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is an unparalleled gaming mouse, both in price and performance. The low cost keeps it in line with what you would otherwise pay for a new, triple-A game release on Steam while its exclusive TrueMove 3 optical sensor, produced in collaboration with mouse sensor monopolist Pixart, makes it nigh-impossible to compete with. That’s because this mouse, with no preference when it comes to dexterity, exhibits some impressive real-world sensitivity results. What’s more, the jitter reduction component of the SteelSeries Sensei 310 aims to keep you from making erroneous moves after chugging an entire 2-liter of your preferred citrus-flavored soft drink.
Read the full review: SteelSeries Sensei 310
Undeterred by years of ridicule for their comparatively higher latency, the Logitech G900 of yesteryear proved once and for all that wireless gaming mice don’t have to suck. Though it’s merely a subtle iteration on that model, the Logitech G903 only reassures us of that conviction. Gracing a slightly altered G900 design with Logitech’s own PowerPlay mouse pad that doubles as a wireless charger, the Logitech G903 is an expensive, yet rewarding investment. On one hand, the cost might deter someone who wasn’t likely to buy it anyway, but on the other, you’re getting a high-DPI wireless gaming mouse that contends with even Razer’s best.
Read the full review: Logitech G903
Flashy and desirable, there’s no confusion as to why the Asus ROG Gladius II is a bit pricier than other gaming mice in its class. Boasting swappable buttons, a clickable scroll wheel and a sensitivity toggle, this mouse has all the bits gamers crave. There’s even top-to-bottom RGB lighting for an extension of its already-handy customization. Although it doesn’t feature the swappable weights that many others in its price range do, everything else feels comfortable and up to snuff. Better suited for first-person shooters than MMOs, the high DPI rating and 50g acceleration make the Asus ROG Gladius a feat to behold despite lacking features in areas where cheaper mice have conquered.
Read the full review: Asus ROG Gladius II
It’s obvious from the moment you look at the price tag that the Corsair Glaive RGB mouse was designed to go head to head with the Razer DeathAdder Elite. And while Corsair has had a ton of luck with its PC cases, keyboards, RAM, power supplies and cooling systems, a Corsair mouse is automatically a tough sell due to a lack of history alone. Luckily, the company’s latest gaming mouse effort is built for comfort, featuring a coating of soft touch paint and interchangeable thumb grips that augment ergonomics even further. At that point, the nearly perfect three-zone backlighting system and high-DPI Pixart sensor (not to mention the niftily included DPI status lights) are a mere bonus.
Read the full review: Corsair Glaive RGB
It’s not everyday that we see a company known for its sound cards try to take on companies as renowned as Razer and Logitech with a competent gaming mouse of its own. Creative’s Sound BlasterX M04 is exactly that, however, and it’s actually fairly impressive. The 12,000 DPI rating means you won’t need to use pointer acceleration to use the mouse successfully. The RGB lighting scheme, which is controlled using Creative’s own Sound Blaster Connect software, is displayed across a subtle accent at the base of the mouse. Clearly, the Sound BlasterX Siege M04 is a winner in both function and style.
Read the full review: Creative Sound BlasterX Siege M04
You know what you're getting with a Razer DeathAdder mouse, and this year's Elite model adds a new eSports-grade sensor and features the same right-handed ergonomic design as its predecessor that moulds into your hand, all while adding two new buttons beneath the mouse's scroll wheel to change DPI (or dots-per-inch) on-the-fly. While the DeathAdder Elite misses out on more advanced features such as the free-spinning scroll wheel that you'll find on Logitech's Proteus Core, the Razer's pretty RGB lighting (customizable lighting with 16.8 million color options through Razer's synapse software), big and accessible left-mounted buttons and grippable scroll wheel make it the best mice available in the price tier below.
SteelSeries has ventured where few gaming mice have dared by adding a black-and-white OLED display to its Rival 700. Of course, you can’t just add a screen to something without implementing some sort of functionality. That’s why, in Dota 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Minecraft, this rampant rodent can be used as a customizable tool to enhance your play sessions. In its less utilitarian form, it can also be used to display animated GIFs. Better yet, the Rival 700 hardware is modular, too, giving users the autonomy to snap covers on and off and even swap between a three- and six-foot USB cable. There are even tactile alerts in place, set to trigger vibrations when in-game resources are replenished. Overall, a distinct piece of tech.
In recent years, wireless gaming mice have cultivated a rather adverse reputation, mainly in response to their perceptible lag. With the G900 Chaos Spectrum, however, Logitech seeks to change your mind. Using some form of wizardry, the company somehow managed to get its polling rate down to 1 millisecond on a 2.4GHz connection. Accompanied by accelerated coverage of the entire DPI range, zero smoothing and filtering, this gaming mouse is prepared for everything from your next game of Hearthstone to tournament level Heroes of the Storm. That goes without mentioning an ambidextrous design ideal for left-handed players in addition to a modular button layout.
Featuring a grippable leather texture down the left-hand side, using the Corsair Harpoon is light slipping into a comfortable car with leather upholstery. Not a very expensive one, mind you, as the Harpoon is a budget offering that looks and feels cheaper than mice twice its price. Which is to be expected, of course, and with a snappy optical sensor and six programmable buttons including a center DPI switch and forward and back buttons on the side of the mouse, you have everything you need to game in any genre. Its average size makes it a good fit for both small and large hands, and Corsair's RGB-lit logo on the back makes it look rather cool when rested on your desk.
Logitech’s G502 Proteus Spectrum can be customized with up to six 3.6 gram weights, giving you a lighter or heavier mouse to wield, but it also packs surface-turnable gaming sensor packs Logitech's Delta Zero tech, which lets you use it on a wide variety of surfaces beyond your regular mouse mat. Clicking a middle mouse button lets the G502's scroll wheel spin freely, which helps prevent knuckle strain when navigating long webpages and forms. Add to that 11 customizable buttons including four on the left-hand side, a three-speed DPI shift under the scroll wheel and a logo that lights up 16.8 million colours in the dark using RGB backlighting, and you have one attractive, tech-stuffed gaming mouse.
Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article
August 25, 2017 at 09:00PM
Kane Fulton