Running through dirty, sterile corridors, lost in the void of space. You don't know who to trust. Anyone could be the killer at this point. It's only a matter of time before the monster onboard finds you and kills you in the most grotesque way imaginable. Yep, it looks like your days as a short, round, jelly bean-like figure are numbered…

Wait, what? Among Us sounds like a deranged spin on John Carpenter's classic horror The Thing because that's exactly what it is, but you probably know that already. Well, you do if you happen to be one of a billion players who have downloaded the original online game since Innersloth released it back in 2018.

The mega party hit asks players to vote for who among the crewmates, each distinguished by a different colour, is secretly an alien imposter out to kill the rest. As video games go, Among Us wasn't exactly screaming out for a TV adaptation in the same way that more cinematic counterparts like The Witcher or The Last of Us have. Still, that didn't stop Infinity Train creator Owen Dennis from taking a crack at it, bringing his unique vision to this space-set murder mystery.

Unfortunately, Dennis doesn't seem to have much luck when it comes to streamers. Back in 2022, he openly criticised Warner Bros. Discovery for removing Infinity Train and plenty of their other animated shows from streaming platforms. Two years later, his next project, Among Us, was completed, yet little has been heard of the show since, despite being slated for release on Paramount Plus. Fast forward another two years and Among Us has finally arrived on that very same streamer out of nowhere, much like the identity of the killer when you load up a new game sesh.

Prime SUS-pect

But how similar is this show to the game? While there's plenty of fun to be had with a murder mystery format, it's not like there's a ton of depth to the original lore. Even the characters are simply named after their designated colour, defined by the role that they play on the ship. These parts differ a bit between the game and show, though. There is some crossover with Lime, the engineer, for example, but the likes of Tracker and Guardian Angel have been replaced by new roles such as Kimiko Glenn's Gemologist and a rich contest winner voiced by Patton Oswalt.

With only different colours to distinguish these characters and no actual faces to speak of, the voice cast are forced to do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to making us care about these little jellybeans. Thankfully, this is where Among Us excels most. There's no weak link here as each cast member is quick to establish their character's drive and all their eccentricities, even if the motivation of some remains rather surface-level.

Yvette Nicole Brown is an instant highlight as Orange, the head of human resources, who drily says at the start that she's pleased Elijah Wood's unpaid intern has joined the crew. "We’re so happy to have you amongst us. Or among us? I always forget which one is grammatically correct," she says, playfully poking fun at the show's name. That playfulness can be felt throughout in a show that never takes itself too seriously, even when crewmates are decapitated or have their faces chewed off by an unknown entity.

You really will believe it when everyone starts swooning over Dan Stevens' Doctor, for example, and it's purely down to the sexiness of his voice. Because let's face it, there's nothing particularly sexy or even memorable about each character design, each of whom remain faithful to the original game. Wood's enthusiasm as the intern who will do anything for pizza and Randall Park's captain who will do anything for approval stand out too, doing the utmost with somewhat slight characterisation.

Color coordinated

Where Among Us innovates more is in the humor, which helps keep the pace up in these brisk 13-15 minute episodes. Dennis and his team squeeze in way more jokes than you might expect from a space glob murder mystery, thereby helping to justify the existence of this adaptation in the first place.

Let's be honest, it's not like anyone was crying out for a narrative spun out of these video game skirmishes, and by switching mediums in this fashion, there was always a risk of losing the fast-paced momentum that one billion+ players have become used to. Even with these short episode runtimes, there are occasions where the story does lag, but then the characters will pull you back in various outlandish ways.

One bizarre kumbaya session stands out in particular, where the gang all trip at a party, which ends up playing around with a video game perspective, too. Here Dennis really flexes his creative muscles in ways I won't spoil, except to say these scenes are almost as trippy as the otherworldly carriages he and his team once designed for Infinity Train. Fans of that incredible show will also spot other glimmers of that same potential from Dennis here, although Among Us never rockets to those same heights.

There's only so much you can do with such a thin premise, after all. To be fair, it feels like Dennis and his team really have done just about everything they can with this property, which is far more entertaining than it has any right to be. But still, when you boil it down, the Among Us show is about as throwaway as a quick round of the original game. Fun to dip into, but it won't stick with you for long, much like the various crewmates who are quickly bumped off as the story progresses.

Among Us is streaming now on Paramount Plus. For more, check out our list of the biggest upcoming videogame movies, or see if you agree with our countdown of the 10 best videogame movies.

Gothic is rated 18+, but that's nothing to do with the content in the game. It's because of the endless torrent of red-faced swearing it inspired from me when playing it. In fairness, Gothic enjoys swearing at me too. Almost as much as it enjoys killing me, confusing me, withholding crucial information from me, and wasting my time. Stick with it and you'll find an incredibly rewarding remake of a true original. But dear God, who wanted a game that was like Kingdom Come Deliverance except less user-friendly?

Unlike Kingdom Come, we're very much in fantasy land here. The King is at war with an army of orcs, and he's got all the prisoners in some grim mining colony endlessly collecting ore to make weapons. But, a magical explosion suddenly leaves all those prisoners trapped beneath a one-way magic dome. An uneasy truce is forged between the King's forces and three rival camps all living under this literal thunderdome.

You play a criminal who's lowered into the dome and you've barely landed before a thug greets you with a punch to the face. You're called the 'Nameless Hero', but you're not a hero. You're nothing, and Gothic never lets you forget it. Dare to leave the starting camp's walls and you'll be mauled to death by a monster in two hits, three if you're lucky. I'd strongly recommend glueing your finger to the quicksave key.

Weapons barely help. You're about as clumsy with a sword as it's possible to be without operating it with your nostrils. You're slightly better with a bow, but even then you can't hold a shot for long without starting to shake like a freelance writer getting Gothic code on Monday and suddenly remembering the review is due Friday.

Tuition fees

Improving your skills isn't simply a matter of leveling up and picking from a skill tree (yawn). You have to find someone willing to teach you new abilities. And you better have enough learning points, and often a large chunk of money. I blew a ton of valuable ore and an even-more-valuable learning point just to learn how to loot teeth from the wild animals I was constantly fighting, as I was assured by the teacher that they'd fetch a high price from traders. Next time I see him, remind me to pluck out and sell his teeth…

I spent my opening hours desperately snatching up everything that wasn't nailed down and then selling it in the hopes of buying a half-decent weapon. Agonizing over whether to put my learning points towards combat skills or making the lockpick minigame less complex than brain surgery. When I discovered that the person I needed to speak to to get my strength skill up was one of the very first NPCs that talks to you in the game, I strongly considered quitting games journalism and becoming a war correspondent instead. Less stressful.

See, Gothic's true currency is information. The game encourages you to talk to every named character in its massive cast, mentally noting any facts you find. The map, when you finally obtain one, has no markers on it. Want to know where the other camps are? Better put on a pot of coffee and get gossiping. Or why not wander around in the forests and hope for the best? Ha! Yeah, good luck with that…

The benefits of being treated this horribly is that every victory in Gothic feels like winning the lottery on the same day all your childhood bullies file for bankruptcy. When a wolf attacked me and all-but bounced off my first set of decent armour, I practically wept with joy. By modern standards, the open world is tiny, but it's so ruthless that it feels massive.

I loved risking my way through its ferocious forests. Sometimes I'd stumble upon a hideout, and read the last words of a toymaker, then pretend to be moved by his plight while already planning to sell his life's work. Sometimes I'd find a hermit who'd teach me to climb if I brought him enough weed (yep). 99% of the time I'd find a quick, painful death, but that 1% was so good that I always wanted to continue playing.

It's got great dungeons, too. Enemy design is so-so but the environments are terrific and the sound design is truly evil. The horrible scratching sounds in the mines will be soundtracking my nightmares for months. Your arc from being a talentless dolt into a mighty warrior capable of conquering this land is about as good a power curve as I've enjoyed in a game.

None More Black

Given the title, premise, and brick-wall of a difficulty curve, you'd be forgiven for expecting a grimdark mopefest. Actually, Gothic is a lot funnier and more interesting than that. The prisoners have split into three camps. You start in the Old Camp, who still trade ore with the King each month. The Swamp Camp believe in a God called the 'Seeker' who they think will release them from this prison (and you'd believe that, too, if you smoked as much swampweed as this lot). And then there's the New Camp, searching for a way out and perhaps the most dangerous of the three.

The Swamp Camp is a great mix of sincere religious followers and people who clearly just prefer getting high to mining ore all day. They're ridiculously trusting, even when I was 'undercover' but still wearing the uniform of a rival camp, which is what happens when you don't enjoy your herbs in moderation, kids. Tensions between the camps start poor and only get worse. It's much more compelling than the usual humans-rule orcs-drool nonsense. There's some great stuff off the critical path, too. I can't remember the last fantasy RPG that asked me to become a drug dealer.

So the dialogue is fun, the gameplay is tough but fair, and it tells an original tale. What's the problem? Well, this is a remake of a 25-year-old game that was considered janky even in 2001. Unfortunately, I think this redo has been a little too faithful to some design choices that were crap 25 years ago, and prison-worthy now.

One quest involved a Swamp Camp guru wanting me to recruit more of the Old Camp populace to their religious cause. OK, so logically I should head back to the Old Camp, try talking to some of the NPCs, and see if they'd prefer smoking grass all day to back-breaking manual labor. Right?

Wrong. The actual solution is to stay in the Swamp Camp, talk to an NPC called Melvin who had previously escaped from the Old Camp, and ask him if he knows one specific person who might be interested in escaping. Huh? You'd have to be clairvoyant or the quest writer to follow that train of anti-logic.

Think I'm just an idiot? Agreed, so let's have a worse example. A woman in the Old Camp feels threatened by a guy called 'Bullit' (can't imagine why). I offer to take care of him and she tells me that Bullit likes to drunkenly wander around outside the camp every night, crucially out of sight of the guards. Perfect!

Everyone's on a unique daily routine, you see. That means you can rush eagerly into the forge, only for the selfish blacksmith to be too busy sleeping to buy all your stolen weapons. You can wait around for time to pass, which is as exciting as it sounds, or you can go to sleep to pass the time. Where's the only bed in each camp you're allowed to use then? Oh, dear, sweet, naïve reader. After everything you've learned about Gothic from this review, do you really think it's going to be forthcoming with that information?

The hero is so horribly incurious, too, that he only bothers to ask one NPC in the Old Camp where that bed is. Gah! This isn't an uncommon problem, either. Countless times I'd be speaking to someone who clearly had information I wanted, like the whereabouts of a location or crucial story character, but be offered no dialogue option to check.

Get Stuffed

Anyway, I slept until nightfall, sought out Bullit, then waited patiently for him to begin his nightly drunken jaunt. A wait made excruciating by the fact he wouldn't stop barking "ahhh, that's the stuff." Every. Few. Seconds. Gothic hates silence. The soundtrack never stops blaring and everyone keeps yelling gibberish constantly. Nonsensical barks that are too often incoherent with what's currently happening in the game.

One NPC who you briefly team up constantly tells you to "STOP!" even though he doesn't actually want you to stop, or even speak to you. Quest givers will thank you for helping them and then tell you to piss off in the same breath. It's really hard to ignore this when the game is demanding you wait around to learn someone's schedule and have a stupid repeated soundbite drilled into your skull.

Sometimes the jankiness of the affair is more endearing. Like when I plotted with a woman to abandon the Old camp and betray its leader, without the leader realizing, even though he was sitting right next to us. I celebrated by breaking into the chest on the other side of his chair and stealing all his stuff, all while he somehow still remained none the wiser.

But, other times the jankiness makes you long for a less faithful remake. When Bullit finally tired of informing me that was the stuff, he got up to leave and then wandered drunkenly around the camp for several laps before leaving, at a pace that would embarrass snails. He never seemed in any danger of noticing me or even caring I was following him, so there was no skill being tested here except saint-like patience. Tailing missions in games are almost always terrible, so it's borderline impressive to deliver the worst one I've ever endured.

Shame, because when the immersive sim magic does cohere, Gothic is glorious. I thought I'd locked myself out of a quest because I'd lost a fight I needed to win. My rival was now refusing to even speak to me, let alone challenge them to another bout. Turns out I was being too polite, and the solution was just to punch them in the face and get another fight going (God how I wish that was the solution to Bullit's quest…) There's a terrific RPG remake in here, but it would've benefited from more polish and being less afraid to rework the bad bits.

Yet giving it anything less than four stars feels like a crime worthy of being lowered into the colony for. Few RPGs are this ambitious and engrossing, or willing to suddenly kill off major characters and lock you out of quests permanently based on your choices. If that sounds like Hell to you and you bounced off Kingdom Come, don’t you dare come within fifty feet of Gothic. But if you’re able to look past some jank and put the work in, you’ll find a fantastic experience like no other. Even if it’s probably for the best it’s like no other…

Gothic 1 Remake was reviewed on PC, with a code provided by the developer.

Take a look at our best RPGs list for more adventures to get lost in!

The way Asus handles creativity, curiosity, and experimentation is why it's one of my favorite gaming laptop brands on the market. A dual-screened machine with two OLED panels, an RTX 5090 sandwiched between them, and a kickstand wouldn't have made it past concept-product status if it was in the hands of Razer or Lenovo. Asus has put the Zephyrus Duo on my desk (and on store shelves) for three weeks now.

Listen, I spend my days trying to find the best gaming laptops you should actually buy. A bi-product of that, though, is that every now and then I get sent a machine most of us absolutely shouldn't fork out for - but still leaves me grinning ear to ear.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is a tower of terror, a rip-roaring beast of over-indulgence and a beautiful machine to behold. But it's only ever going to make sense in the hands of ultra-wealthy power users.

Configurations

This stack of screens comes in two flavors; RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti, ultra-premium and slightly... less... ultra-premium.

The top-shelf configuration I've been testing comes stacked with an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H CPU, 64GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD, running you $5,499.99 - about the same as the 4K MSI Raider A18 HX A9W. Should you shift gears slightly, you'll be paying $4,499.99 to swap out that graphics card for an RTX 5070 Ti.

Performance

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo isn't the most powerful RTX 5090 configuration I've tested, coming behind the far slimmer Razer Blade 16 in more demanding tests and understandably faltering behind larger 18-inch rigs like the MSI Raider A18 HX A9W and Asus ROG Strix Scar 18. It also drops back behind the 16-inch MSI Raider 16 Max, when the latter is set to its full 300W power capacity.

It's not exactly weedy, either. You're still covered for 60fps+ in Cyberpunk 2077 RT: Ultra at QHD+, with plenty of headroom in FHD in-game benchmarks as well.

Synthetic benchmarks, taken across 3D Mark Time Spy, Fire Strike, and Steel Nomad, match the same trajectory. In the more demanding (and realistic) Steel Nomad run, the Duo is at the bottom of my RTX 5090 pack, with its 5,285 score coming in lower than some RTX 5080 models (the HP Omen Max 16 and MSI Vector A18 HX A9W).

It's not a performance-first device, it's a true work / play hybrid, but if you're looking for something that's going to push your games as hard as it can I'd take that $5,500 and put it somewhere else.

What I loved about the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo

Feels fantastic to use

There's not a lot of room for gaming laptops to surprise us anymore, but the Zephyrus Duo managed to liven up my initial set up experience with a massive array of new controls, display widgets, and additional functions. Opening up the Duo for the first time, I'm taken on a tour around the second half of the screen. Underneath a slimline portable keyboard, held in place (and charged) by a set of pogo pins, the Duo yields an entire second panel. This isn't the keyboard-addition seen on the previous Duo 16 in 2023 - it's a full 16-inch OLED.

From creating Discord, YouTube, and system-level control schemes to keeping walkthroughs and streaming controls at eye level, this screen is brimming with potential. It's the potential for overkill, but it's certainly potential.

I didn't find this all-screen clamshell form factor too comfortable to work through. Reaching over the keyboard to hit a slightly raised touchscreen for tertiary widgets and controls never felt truly natural or smooth. However, with both screens propped up (using the attached kickstand), I had a full dual-display work and gaming station at my disposal at all times. Again, that's incredibly cool - and likely incredibly unnecessary.

The hinges and kickstand move with a confident tension, never feeling fragile in the hands (no matter how terrified I was when first unfurling them). There's a glide and pull to every movement that keeps the Zephyrus Duo feeling sturdy and stable, even if my laptop-trained brain was screaming whenever I moved it.

Asus hasn't skimped on that keyboard either. While it's not going to give you the depth of a traditional inbuilt deck from other premium models, the 1.7mm key travel still offers a surprising tactility under the fingertips. I could type on this all day and never know it was actually a 5mm add-on. Its lightly textured, soft-touch material supports the wrists and palms nicely, while an expansive (and buttery smooth) touchpad offers excellent controls during ad-hoc productivity tasks.

Overall, though, it's the sheer luxury of this build quality that's had me in its clutches over the last three weeks. It's clear Asus has poured everything it's got into making the Zephyrus Duo look and feel like a high-end rig with no sacrifices in its chassis, hinges, or inputs.

Still manages to keep things fairly low key

Fully extended into its two-screened behemoth state, it's obvious the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is something special. If I walked past it closed on a coffee shop table, though, I wouldn't think anything of it.

Lying dormant, this looks like pretty much any other gaming laptop you'll find on the market. Peering a little closer, it's obvious there's something going on (the side thickness is larger than you'd expect from a modern Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 or ROG Zephyrus G14). You'd also know pretty something was afoot pretty quickly if you picked it up - at 6.2lbs it's double the weight of many mainstream rigs.

It's still thinner than I expected it to be, even with that keyboard sitting in between its two screens, and its softly rounded corners, smooth matte finish, and subtle aesthetic work hard to keep the Duo from looking garish in use.

While its 2023 ancestor was a chunky unit, this is a machine that could look like any other gaming laptop.

All about those displays

As the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo's shining feature, you can bet the brand has outfitted its rig with two of its best panels. Both 16-inch screens run with Nebula HDR and a sturdy 1,100 nits of peak brightness, sticking with a high-end 2880 x 1800 resolution.

They are limited to 120Hz, which the RTX 5090's benchmark numbers can easily blow past in lighter games - but considering we're already at overkill in other areas, I'll forgive the step away from 240Hz.

What matters most is these screens absolutely sing in-game. I've spent most of my free time running Forza Horizon 6 on this rig and it's been glorious. Everything from the more nuanced cherry blossom trees to the gorgeous reflections on Japanese supercar glamor shots springs from the screen, with natural color handling and a vibrant, punchy tone.

Smart thermals

Popping a screen on the keyboard side of a gaming laptop presents a lot of challenges. Most rigs use extra airflow vents underneath the hinge while expelling heat out the sides - none of that can happen with a 16-inch OLED panel taking up all the space.

And yet, in all my stress tests and longer Forza stints, I never noticed a single skipped beat, or watched any throttled line graphs plunge down the range. The Duo manages to keep its cool when the heat is on (though you'll certainly hear about it), thanks to excellent airflow designs around the underside of the chassis with additional insulation underneath the OLED display itself. Neatly hidden vents and heatsinks around the back are working hard in this respect as well.

Not the battery hog you might think it is

Powering two OLED displays, a light bar on the back, and an RTX 5090 GPU is going to be a tall order for any battery, and while the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo won't beat any productivity-minded machines in endurance run it performed slightly better than I had expected. I managed to run a few Chrome tabs with Spotify in the background and both screens enabled for around four and a half hours before needing to plug in. Sticking with the one panel for some Forza, I was slogging along for around an hour and a half before my first battery warning.

Perhaps more impressive, though, I didn't even know I was on battery power for that Forza session. My connection between the outlet and the adapter had unknowingly slipped out over the course of the day, but nobody told my performance. While lesser gaming laptops will stutter to a halt as soon as that internal battery is unsupported, the Zephyrus Duo trucked along just fine.

What to consider about the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo

Lofty price point compared to other similar specs

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is a fantastic machine, there's no denying that. It's just stacked full of expensive features that simply won't be necessary for most players. As a result its price tag is wildly inflated over more traditional RTX 5090 rigs.

A top-end configuration of the MSI Raider 16 Max will set you back $4,299.99, while Lenovo's Legion Pro rigs stick to around $4,500 and Acer's 18-inch Predator Helios comes in at a similar rate. The Duo's outlandish feature set adds a grand to the final figure - and while the extra panel is certainly exciting, that kind of cash just isn't worth it for most players.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo?

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo made me giddy with excitement in a way gaming laptops rarely do these days. It's a phenomenal device, balancing its conservative (for an RTX 5090) power while running two OLED displays at once and still looking and feeling swish at the same time. It's obnoxiously stacked with features and style and yet it's almost never going to be pushed to its full potential by the majority of everyday users.

Having a dual-screened productivity laptop is a luxury in itself. Having an RTX 5090 gaming laptop is another. Pairing the two is a niche use case that simply won't make sense for $5.5K, especially when it's sitting towards the bottom of the RTX 5090 performance scale.

Don't get me wrong - anyone with the money to spend and a need for a multi-screen setup wherever they are should absolutely feel confident in placing this order. You'll need to really know you'll make the most of it though.

The competition

How I tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo

I used the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo over a period of three weeks, taking the laptop for all my daily work and play activity. I tested for two weeks with the laptop sitting solo on my desktop, in both dual-screen and single-screen mode, with another week spent connected to an external monitor setup.

I ran in-game benchmarks across both 1080p and 1600p resolutions in each title's high and highest settings, using Shadow of the Tomb Raider for a lighter run, Total War: Three Kingdoms for more on-screen effort, Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered for a step up in difficulty, and Cyberpunk 2077 as the final boss. I ran each test three times, taking final average framerates as my end result.

I tested synthetic performance across 3D Mark Time Spy, Fire Strike, and Steel Nomad, again running each benchmark three times and taking an average of each as my final score.

For more information on how we test gaming laptops, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I'm also testing all the best Razer laptops and the best Alienware laptops. For more ROG, check out the bests Asus gaming laptops on the market.

Despite the series' perennial popularity, Masters of the Universe has never held much power on the big screen. In fact, 1987's Dolph Lundgren-starring MotU, for all its low-budget charm, was a turkey of such magnitude that it scared Hollywood off He-Man for decades to come. Well, almost 40 years later, Amazon is having a second stab at the muscle-bound blonde, and while this latest adaptation isn't as strong as you'd hope, it's an enjoyable and self-consciously silly take on outdated source material.

More Marvel than MotU '87, director Travis Knight's simple take on He-Man is simply not to take any of it seriously. The tonal and aesthetic cousin of Thor: Ragnarok, it's a film where the relentless need to crack jokes engulfs any sense of stakes. Masters of the Universe is here to show you a good time, and is at its best when doing just that, with confused attempts to ride the hopecore wave and re-align He-Man around the idea of radical empathy falling flat. He-Man just isn't that deep.

He-Man may not be deep, but Masters of the Universe is definitely bloated; it's the best part of an hour before Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) raises the Power Sword aloft and transforms into the loincloth-sporting super-man – so be warned. Instead of hitting the ground running, MotU imagines a world where Skeletor wins, plunging the fantastical planet of Eternia into tyrannical rule. During Skeletor's siege of Eternos, a young Adam flees through a portal with the Power Sword, but loses it en route to Earth.

Cut to: 15 years later. Adam is a social outcast, obsessed with the idea that he comes from another world, still desperately searching for the sword that will be his ticket home. One day, rather anticlimactically, he finds it and is retrieved by his former childhood friend, Teela (Camila Mendes). Skeletor still rules Eternia with a, er, skeletal fist, but when Adam finally transforms into the hero of legend, he brings renewed hope to Eternos' colorful insurgents – most notably the capital's once-great war chief, Man-at-Arms (Idris Elba), who has fallen on hard times in the years since.

Man of the hour

To its credit, Masters of the Universe is self-aware enough to know that you're probably not going to take characters like Fisto, Ram-Man, Meckaneck, and Trap Jaw seriously, and smartly plays into the absurdity of the world. One fun, postmodern idea: all those ridiculous character names come from Adam's own, imagined nicknames for them dreamt up during his isolated childhood on Earth, as he tried to hold onto the memory of Eternia. Galitzine's performance is the anchor point; as Adam, he's more Rick Moranis than Dolph Lundgren – a bumbling klutz in way over his head. His take on He-Man is more traditional, and Galitzine certainly looks the part. But the idea to incorporate more modern ideas of talking things out doesn't really make sense when your arch-enemy is an evil skeleton man who likes to turn people into goop with his magic staff.

Speaking of which, we're as surprised as anyone to report that after delivering one of the more blandly self-serious performances in recent blockbuster history in Tron: Ares, Jared Leto's arch Skeletor is a riot. With a plummy British accent and an impressively expressive CG-animated face atop an equally impressive practical costume, Skeletor looks and sounds amazing. As in the original Filmnation cartoons, he's a petulant, power-hungry evildoer who treats his fearful underlings, like Evil Lyn (Alison Brie, somewhat miscast), with as much contempt as his enemies. Even the cackle is great.

Similarly aware of exactly what movie he's in is Idris Elba, who lends the film some gravitas amidst the zaniness as fallen war hero Duncan/Man-at-Arms, who turns to booze to numb the pain of his greatest failing. His strangely sweet relationship with homicidal robot Roboto (Kristen Wiig) is a treat, while his enervated demeanor highlights how much his daughter, Teela, has it together. As the movie's lone straight (wo)man, Camila Mendes isn't given the opportunities to pop off screen like those around her, but she holds her own during the film's dynamically staged action.

Power ballad

For all its irreverence, Masters of the Universe delivers on blockbuster spectacle where it matters. Hand-to-hand fight scenes have the kinetic energy of a child smashing two action figures together and imagining the fireworks. A more generic, forest-based chase with some rough compositing is a noteworthy misstep, but Knight's history in animation is apparent elsewhere, the camera pirouetting impossibly around swinging blades and flying fists. It even incorporates other diverse techniques, like anime-style impact frames, to striking effect.

Also terrific is Daniel Pemberton's thunderous glam rock score. Boasting Queen's Brian May as part of the musical ensemble, whose electric guitar wails over what feels like every scene, He-Man is given a suitably larger-than-life theme for an '80s icon.

Whether the film's tone – almost gratingly eager to make you smile – works will come down to personal taste. If the Taika Waititi-directed Thors turned you off, then be warned this dials up the comedy even further (it even lifts a few key plot points from Ragnarok). And as with many first entries in budding franchises, after a rote two-hour origin story, there's a frustrating sense that the movie you really want to see is the one teased in the last 20 seconds, with a major mid-credits cameo promising the appearance of a fan-favorite character in a sequel we may never get if the movie's underwhelming tracking proves correct.

Still, there's no denying this is a valiant effort to make Masters of the Universe relevant again on the big screen some four decades after its '80s heyday, made by filmmakers with sincere affection for the source material. Whether younger viewers will respond to an outmoded character like He-Man amidst the paradigm-shifting wave of horror movies drawing crowds right now remains to be seen, but we'll soon know where the real power lies.

Masters of the Universe releases in theaters on June 5. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies, or plan out the rest of your movie-going year with our 2026 movie release dates guide.

When it comes to gaming mice, I'm what most brands would call a tricky customer. I have pretty bizarre tastes that don't align with the competitive FPS games I tend to use mice for on PC, and ones that certainly don't align with the Esports design a lot of companies lean into these days. My daily driver is an MMO mouse with numbered buttons along its left side, adjustable weights, and a dedicated groove for your ring finger and pinky, so it pretty much couldn't be further from the ultra-lightweight mice most FPS players are using to glide around their massive deskpads.

• Pre-order | $259.99 at Best Buy

So, trying out the Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20, which has just been revealed at Computex, was quite the transition. Compared to the other lightweight mice I've tried, this feels very different. Lightweight rodents for me usually translate to a lacklustre-feeling accessory that, while speedy, don't exactly give me the feedback and comfort I like. This is a different story. This gaming mouse combines a celebratory anniversary look along with really robust-feeling side buttons and a scroll wheel that you just know will last a lifetime. Or at least, I'd hope it would, because it will set you back $259.99.

As much as I missed my 12 extra function keys and dedicated finger grooves on my MMO mouse while testing this, there's no disputing that the customization, glide, and all-around competitive brilliance of this mouse improved my FPS gameplay.

Design

The ROG Harpe II Extreme 20 is a semi-ambidextrous, 82g Esports mouse that builds upon the company's previous Harpe Ace II, Harpe Extreme, and Harpe Mini outings. Being a celebratory release for two decades of the ROG brand, this takes the design language up a few notches, with a 24K gold-plated metal frame that resides under a blackened crystal clear shell. The gold scrolling wheel and side buttons lure your eyes to see the gold hues within the chassis, and the transparent shell gives it a touch of class and an understated feel.

RGB is used within to show a specialized ROG 20 logo, and subtle bits of branding are peppered around the mouse, making it undeniably a ROG product.

Turning it over, things stay just as luxurious. The mouse feet, or skates, as they're often referred to, are made of Corning Gorilla Glass, which provides a stupidly easy glide around pretty much any mouse surface. I tested it with all the speeds of the SteelSeries QcK+ Performance mouse pads, as well as a pretty slick one that came with my Couchmaster CYCON2, and the mouse slid around so easily that they all felt like glass pads.

The Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 utilizes a ROG AimPoint Pro 65K sensor with 65,000-dpi <1% deviation, and for those with those harder surface mouse pads, it features track-on-glass technology.

The shape will be familiar to anyone who has used a Harpe mouse previously. It's 39.7mm high, 126.1mm long, and 63.9mm wide, with a beautifully crafted curve to rest your hand on. It's been designed with finger tip and claw grips in particular, though, so palm-grip players like me aren't necessarily as catered to - I'll say more on that in a little bit.

The black and gold design philosophy is so strong, but you can tell Asus has meant this to be a proper showpiece, or collector's edition peripheral thanks to its packaging. The box it arrived in folds out to reveal it like some sort of exotic flower, and a sturdy, transparent case means you can take it with you without fear of the surfaces being scratched.

Features

Perhaps the only thing more impressive than the packaging is the Harpe II Extreme's expansive list of features and settings options. There's tri-mode connectivity here through wireless USB, wired USB, and Bluetooth pairing. The ROG Optical Micro switches are quoted for a 100 million click lifespan, and with a max polling rate of 8,000Hz, you know there's plenty of futureproofing for such an expensive peripheral.

Using the wireless dongle, you get access to ROG SpeedNova connectivity so that 8K polling rate isn't limited to a wired connection only. There's an impressive (quoted) 195 hours of battery life here too, which I haven't managed to actually find an end to yet in my hands-on time with it. Depending on what polling rate you set it to, your mileage will vary, but the Harpe II Extreme has a clever trick up its sleeve where it will determine interference in the surrounding wireless environment and boost its signal to maintain a steady connection.

If you're not one for spending loads of time in settings menus for your gaming peripherals, Asus has included a Zone mode on this mouse, which simplifies things for competitive players. Alongside 5 stored profiles you can configure, Zone mode will optimize things specifically for competitive play. With it on, you'll see a polling rate boost, increased sensor responsiveness, as well as sensor frame rate and wireless transmission power optimizations.

Performance

I've built more than one gaming PC with an ASUS motherboard, and I've tested its Raikiri controllers in the past, so this isn't my first run-in with a peripheral from the now 20-year-old ROG brand. One thing I have to admit is that dealing with the Armory Crate app is always my least favorite part of the ROG experience. This app always feels clunky; it usually involves subsidiary downloads to actually customize the product you have, and I worried an Asus mouse would involve me needing to download it. To my delight, that wasn't the case.

Upon connecting it to my PC via the wireless USB dongle, I was immediately met with a pop-up notification that invited me to a browser tab where I could fully customize the Herpe II. Everything from its button mappings to its polling rate, to its DPI and wider suite of settings and features was covered without the need for an additional download, and I loved how speedy the process of getting set up with it was.

Having just tested the GameSir G7 Pro 8K, I was curious to see how an 8K polling mouse would compare. Turns out, an 8,000Hz polling rate on any gaming peripheral seems to present itself in the same way. I play with a relatively high DPI of 2,300 compared to a lot of FPS players these days. But bumping the polling rate up to 8K meant that it felt a little more unruly than I was used to. Unbelievably smooth thanks to those Gorilla Glass skates, even with a (somewhat limited by today's standards) 144Hz refresh rate display, but would certainly take a while to get used to, as every twitch, pivot, and slip in any direction is registered.

Thankfully, while the 8K polling rate was a bit too hot to handle for my liking, the settings gave me loads of scope to fine-tune. I could try as low as a 150Hz speed, and ended up settling on a 1,000Hz speed after a few brief tests with 1,400Hz. There's a lot of scope to make this mouse the exact speed and sensitivity for you and your playstyle. If you like putting DPI all the way down and attacking CS2 players with massive swipes across your desk, there's loads of scope for you here.

My main FPS game is the Extraction Shooter GOAT, Hunt: Showdown, and so naturally, the bayou became my testing ground for the Harpe II. When the game's intense sound design has you completely immersed in a 3v1 western shootout, your heart can frequently pound out of your chest, and your palms start getting clammy. The shape and design of the Harpe II Extreme was excellent for keeping my grip, but one thing I will say is that the surface texture doesn't hold up all that well to those sweaty, intense gameplay sessions. There were a few moments where I felt my palm starting to slip in places, and the design of this mouse is so stunning that I worried my sweaty hands were going to stain or mark it and spoil its look. The aesthetics of this mouse are going to be a huge win for any gaming setup, but a little extra thought over actually gripping this peripheral would have been welcome, even if it is an anniversary showpiece.

While I do love the shape and look of the Harpe II Extreme, I do wish it catered to my palm grip a little more. My MMO mouse, and every mouse I've used for the last six years, has had a pinky groove, which I feel is so important in keeping my hand comfortable through long hours of remote work or intense gaming sessions. Yes, this is a niche taste with mice these days, but one I find very hard to go back to not having. One reason I don't gravitate to the ultralightweight mouse market is that I don't feel my whole hand is catered to, and I do wish Asus did a little more. My ring finger and pinky barely manage to hug onto the side of the Harpe II, and while I appreciate it's not exactly designed for a mouse grip like mine, a little more real estate on the right-hand side of it would go a long way.

Additionally, I get that this mouse is never going to compete with my 12 MMO keys, but more than two extra side buttons would have been welcome for the amount of money this rodent costs.

I can't fault the side buttons and scroll wheel that are here, though. They all feel so robust, like they'll last the next 20 years of the ROG brand. In fact, from reviewing the best PC controllers, the closest comparison I can make to the side buttons is that they feel almost as good as the most cushioned microswitch buttons I've come across. Pardon the pun, but this is the gold standard.

For reference, playing solo vs trios in Hunt, I usually average out around three or four kills per round. I may or may not have been having a good day when I did a longer session with the Harpe II Extreme, but I played three matches in a row, scoring four kills, then six, then seven, so I'm entitled to give some of that credit to the high-performance mouse I was using.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme 20th Anniversary Edition?

I have a lot of reservations about recommending controllers that cost $200 most of the time, so trying to justify a price of $259 for a mouse gives me a lot of anxiety. For reference, that RedDragon mouse I use cost me under $40, and is frequently on offer down to $25.99, so I'd argue you really don't need to spend this much to get a good clicker. Even for competitive gaming in the ultralightweight market, the SteelSeries Aerox 9 tops out at $189.99, so that should give you an idea of how much most people will likely be budgeting.

On the other hand, compared to those other lightweight mice I've tried, I think the Harpe II Extreme offers a much more premium feel. I don't feel I'm compromising as much on feel or build quality here, and I don't feel like the brand behind it is charging more for less of a product. The exhaustive list of settings and features arms you with so many ways to make this mouse work for you, and with premium parts used to craft it, you can sort of see where the price tag comes from.

Reservations about pricing aside, I think Asus has absolutely knocked it out of the park with the design of this 20th anniversary timepiece. Fans of this brand will not be disappointed by the aesthetic, build quality, lighting, and finer details of this mouse. It's a strong showing of why Asus ROG has been around for 20 years, and might stick around for a few years more.

• Pre-order | $259.99 at Best Buy

How I tested the Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme 20

I put the Harpe II Extreme to work in my gaming setup for a few weeks before writing this review. I tested it on different mouse pad surfaces and in various games, but since it's an Esports peripheral, I mainly used it in FPS games like Hunt Showdown. I drew from my own experience of using other gaming mice to make my feedback, and used the prices of similar mice to assess its value. I used the Gear Link browser app to customize the mouse's settings and get a feel for how its various features can impact its performance.

For more on how we test gaming mice, take a look at our hardware policy.

Want to compare with what else is out there? Take a look at the best wireless gaming mouse, the best TMR controllers, and the best Razer mouse.

If you've ever been served one of those videos that goes up the price range of different gaming keyboards and compares how they sound, you'll likely relate to my first experience with the Asus ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20. As someone who has only really dabbled with the depth of the keyboard world, I always figured that yes, there'd be a difference in the feel of the more expensive options, but surely not as much as the true keyboard nerds make out.

• Pre-order | $599.99 at Best Buy

I've been typing on a DROP LOTR Elven keyboard for the last year or two, and I love its mechanical feel and faithful design, especially as someone who hammers down pretty hard on his keys; it has an excellent weighty actuation to it. The Azoth Extreme Edition 20 sounds, feels, and actuates about 20x better than what I'm used to, so I finally understand the appeal of the most expensive sounding keyboards in those videos I see in my feed.

That much has been true of pretty much any Azoth board we've tested, but this is no regular Azoth. It's an anniversary timepiece that helps mark 20 years of the ROG brand, and with some seriously premium frills, it costs no less than $599.99. It's no keyboard for the faint of heart (or wallet). Whether you're typing or gaming, it's one of the most premium you'll find. It's certainly the best I've come across, but this keyboard range's price tag is becoming a bigger and bigger pill to swallow.

Design

The original Asus ROG Azoth has been sitting pretty atop our best gaming keyboard lists for a while now, with each iteration wowing us in different ways as their prices increase.

For this version, Asus has donned a black and gold aesthetic along with a "bladed metallic" texture. The chassis is a full aluminium alloy, and the frame is metal, giving it a noticeable weight compared to a lot of other keyboards you'll have tried. It's a fully customizable/hot-swappable 75% keyboard with RGB lighting. In the top right corner, there's a small OLED display with a switch you can use to set different colors and programmes for the color of the lights - a solid continuation from the Asus ROG Azoth 96 HE.

Turning it over is where things get a bit silly. There's room for detachable magnetic feet (of differing heights) to give it more of a raised angle, which is something I never found necessary, even when pairing the board with its companion wrist rest. In the middle, though, is a 24K gold-plated, laser-engraved, polished ROG nameplate, which is as extra as it sounds. It is removable if you want to put it on display somewhere, but it certainly will contribute to the cost of this thing. Lurking underneath it is a USB dongle and a paddle switch for the adjustable gasket mount.

Speaking of, that clever switch will let you adjust the typing feel of the Azoth Extreme to be a tad firmer or softer, which may suit you if you're like me and tend to type pretty hard. What will contribute to that typing feel a lot more is the architectural choices that went into the product as a whole. For starters, the carbon fibre positioning plate has a firmer rigidity to stop vibrations on the top layer of the chassis. Then, underneath is a three-layer dampening system. First up are two PORON layers, then underneath it all is a silicone pad to absorb vibrations and minimize switch pinging and echoes.

Features

Getting to the finer details, the ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 features ROG NX Snow mechanical switches that are hot-swappable and come pre-lubed. They have a refined clicky and refined linear feel, depending on how you configure them, which complements the adjustment Asus has made to the inner workings of the switch.

Below the upper housing is a stem material made of composite POM material that adds a bit more smoothness to the keystroke. It has a walled stem design to protect from dust intrusion while also adding some more stability. Then, on the very bottom, you have a POM bottom housing for a deeper keystroke sound.

In terms of connections, the tri-mode connectivity from the previous Azoth boards carries over, and the Azoth Extreme 20 is equipped with a ROG Omni receiver that allows connections to multiple supported devices with a single USB dongle - perfect for if you have an Asus mouse or other peripheral that already supports it. That means fewer USB ports are used up without compromising on high-polling gear.

Speaking of which, the Azoth Extreme sports a maximum polling rate of 8,000Hz, but only if you have a ROG Polling Rate Booster. In wireless mode, the Azoth Extreme can last you a quoted 1600 hours with RGB lighting and the OLED display off, 245 hours with the OLED display on and the lighting off, or a still impressive 96 hours with both on.

You can customize the board using Gear Link, without the use of Armory Crate.

Mystery Keycap Set

Launching alongside both the mouse and keyboard is a fun twist on the ROG anniversary - a new form of collectible called the Mystery Keycap Set. These provide a fun unboxing experience for long-term fans and are excellently crafted tributes to some of the most well-known products in Asus ROG's history.

I have to admit, I'm not one for mysterious collectibles like this because so often they end up being fodder for resellers to make a fortune off of, but the attention to detail here is unreal. The Chariot keycap actually spins as one of the best gaming chairs should, the Claymore deck and Raikiri controller keycaps sport all the right textures.

Each ROG Keycap Mystery Box reveals a random collectible keycap, and the full set includes tributes to the Chariot chair, Raikiri controller, Claymore keyboard, Delta headset, and variations on the ROG 20 logo. In one box you'll find: 6 x Mystery Keycaps, and 6 x nameplates (randomly selected with no duplicates; and it may include a special edition version)

According to the press materials I've been issued, the probability of finding all of them is as follows:

• ROG Claymore: 1/6
• ROG Gladius: 1/6
• ROG Chariot: 1/6
• ROG Delta: 1/6
• ROG Raikri Pro:1/6
• ROG Logo: 7/48
• Special Edition Keycap: 1/48

One box sets you back $24.99, which isn't bad considering the hand-crafted design of the keycaps inside - although it may seem bad to those who have already splashed down $599 on the Azoth Extreme 20.

The mystery keycaps are made with a Cross-based structure (Cherry MX-based stem), which should give them wide compatibility when it comes to switches to put them on. Each keycap is made with Resin material before being hand-finished with intricate paintwork.

Performance

As I've mentioned, I'm pretty hard on my switches when it comes to typing. I don't know what happened in my younger days while I was learning to type that compelled me to hammer down as hard as I do. However, using the Azoth Extreme Edition has felt like a formative experience. Its premium switches, the way their sound is dampened with each keystroke, and the featherweight it takes to actuate them if you aren't using their firmer actuation, is unlike any other keyboard I've used. It feels like it's taking me by the hand and asking who hurt me, encouraging me to be nicer to whatever keyboard I type on next.

There are ups and downs to lots of Azoth's qualities for me, though. Its lighter actuation means it's super easy to translate your reaction time to whatever game you're playing. But there have been so many times when I've been gaming or typing when I thought I was just resting my finger on a key, only to see something happening on screen and realise I was putting too much weight on it. That's awesome for gamers who need the slightest bit of press on their keys to register, but that can also, in my case, cause mis-presses where you don't want them.

Secondly, there's no denying the build quality of this keyboard. Hell, there's 24K gold plating on it and a fully metal body - something so many other keyboards forgo because they're worried about performance. No guess as to why it weighs as much as it does!

That kind of build quality doesn't come around often in any category of gaming hardware, and it absolutely reinforces the experience of using it. With such a hefty deck underneath it, the switches all feel so stable and cushioned. Each press, no matter how hard you tap, is safe; it doesn't feel like I'm damaging anything or that I'll be wearing down the switches the more I use it like that. But with so much weight to it, it does make it feel a bit like an immovable object to keep on your desk, so if you like to shift your accessories around often, this isn't very agile. More, if you've spent a lot on a desk mat, be prepared for it to suffer marks and potentially dents under the sheer heft of this sitting on it.

Even the flashy design has its utility drawbacks. For a celebratory piece like this, there will almost certainly be form-over-function issues, but there are some basic errors I wish were stamped out. The white key symbols on the bottom sides of the keycaps aren't very legible when the RGB is shining through from underneath, and slightly blinding you thanks to transparent edges on the keycaps themselves. This would hardly be a dealbreaker, but for a 75% board where you are likely to search for the Fn functions lurking on some of the keys, it's likely an annoyance you'll run into.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20?

In years of testing all sorts of gaming tech, there have been few with the kind of premium build quality and luxurious feel of the ROG Azoth Extreme Edition.

The Azoth Extreme has been made to mark 20 years of ROG accessories, and its latest flagship keyboard, as well as its mystery keycap set, is easy to recognise as a labor of love. Its lightweight actuation has a calming effect on a hard typer like me, will offer speed to competitive gamers, and a design that will make anyone (gamer or not) see why the maker has lasted this long.

Like with any gaming peripheral of this cost, I'd remind you that you don't need to spend this much to get something good, or even usable. Even with all its 24K gold-plated flourishes, it's going to be very difficult to justify a keyboard this expensive, and there's no way around that. That said, for the Extreme users who want a showpiece, it doesn't come much better than this.

• Pre-order | $599.99 at Best Buy

How I tested the Asus ROG Azoth Extreme 20

This keyboard sat on my desk for around two weeks before I wrote up my thoughts in this review. I used it for typing, video editing, and gaming every day in that time to put it through its paces. I compared it to other keyboards I've used, and I read up on previous Azoth offerings to get a feel for what this line represents.

For more on how we test keyboards, take a look at our hardware policy.

For more on peripherals, check out the best PC controllers, the best gaming mouse, and the best hot-swappable keyboard.

It’s always felt as though Elgato is a brand that knows its audience and what they need, sometimes even before they knew they needed it. That approach has seen it steadily grow its range of creator-focused gear from the iconic Stream Deck to microphones, lighting, cameras, and capture cards. There are plenty of creators who rely on Elgato across their setup, so when it announced a chair in 2025, it felt like a left-field, yet logical decision.

The Elgato Embrace isn’t just for creators, though. It’s an ergonomic chair designed for anyone who spends hours at their desk, whether that’s gaming, creating content, or simply working. That premise is familiar enough, and at $499.99 / £499 it’s priced in a pretty familiar way too. That number puts it squarely in the midfield of the best gaming chairs. It’s easy to spend more, but it’s easy to spend a fair bit less, too.

So what makes this chair interesting is how Elgato pitches it. The initial launch took aim at gaming chairs, their pricing, and their setup process, while being pretty bold in directly calling out other brands at the same time. I’ve got no problem with self-confidence, but you need to be ready to back it up if you’re going to come out talking the talk. So the question, then, is whether the Elgato Embrace is ready to walk the walk in a very competitive desk chair market. Is this self-branded “Studio Chair” really that different from what’s already here?

Design & Assembly

I’ve put together more than my fair share of gaming chairs at all points across the budget spectrum. It’s hardly my favorite activity, but it’s never been a source of impending dread either. It’s only a chair, after all; they’re really not that hard to put together.

In its launch of the Embrace, Elgato went full TV shopping network with its portrayal of the ‘normal’ experience and made a point of highlighting how simple the Embrace was in comparison. In fairness, Elgato does leave you with a very simple building process, though I’m not sure it’s that much easier than any modern gaming chair, just quicker to get done. The main improvement is not needing to attach the seat cushion to the base yourself; that comes pre-attached and saves a chunk of the hex key work. Instead, you just pop the wheels into the base, perch the seat on the gas cylinder, and slot the backrest on. It genuinely took about two and a half minutes, so points to Elgato for that.

With it put together, the Embrace is exactly what Elgato promised in the looks department. It's a clean, understated, black office chair. It’s a grown-up’s seat that, dare I say, is almost a little bit boring and certainly quite generic looking; whether that’s for better or worse is a matter of taste. The only Elgato branding sits discreetly on the back of the headrest, which means it looks equally at home on a Twitch stream or a Teams call. It only comes in one color for now, which is a shame but not a problem, and only in one size, which is a shame and slightly more of a problem for some prospective sitters.

It may look like an adult chair from a distance and in marketing materials, but up close, it’s an awkward teenager when it comes to build quality. With the exception of the main seat unit, this is an entirely plastic chair. That’s not necessarily an issue as there's no creaking or obvious flex, but it lacks any premium feel with no real payback. It’s like it doesn’t know what it wants to be. When I’ve seen other brands opt for plastic components, it’s been in the name of cost-saving on their budget lines, and that makes sense. Here, it has the vibe of a chair that's been designed with sustainability in mind but without actually making any specific claims.

Features

The Elgato Embrace comes with the full set of ergonomic adjustments you’d expect to see on a premium chair: seat height, seat depth, lumbar support, a five-step recline system, 4D armrests, and a detachable headrest.

The mesh backrest is breathable and flexible, with a material that feels noticeably softer and less scratchy than some other mesh options I’ve tested before. If you're someone who runs hot during longer sessions or works under studio lights, it does its job perfectly well. Lumbar support is adjustable for both height and depth, and while I’ve never been one for aggressive lumbar support, the Embrace’s is a decent showing. I just wish the vertical adjustment range went a little higher. I’m about 180cm (5’11) and at its highest point, I would have still liked to go a little further; taller users may struggle to get the lumbar positioned exactly where they need it.

The five-step recline uses a tilt limiter rather than a true tilt lock, which is a deliberate ergonomic choice, but it does feel a little prescriptive. You can tighten the resistance so the backrest requires a pretty deliberate lean to move, but you can't dial in a specific angle and fix it there. It’s also worth noting that only the backrest moves, and this is independent of the seat cushion, so your lower half stays where it is regardless, which can be an odd feeling if you’re used to a more traditional tilt.

The included headrest, while fine when you’re reclining, isn't especially useful day-to-day. It's prone to shifting around and can't be completely locked in place, even when you tighten the hex bolts as hard as they'll go. The armrests are a bigger problem. The padding is thin and hard, which is not particularly comfortable on your elbows, but the real frustration is that they simply won't stay put. Height adjustment locks in solidly, no complaints there, but the rotation, forward-backward, and in-out movements have no locking mechanism at all, meaning they shift out of position at the gentlest touch. It's a problem that plagues plenty of chairs at this price (and above), but Elgato has fallen into a common trap with a chair it promised would solve all my annoyances with its rivals.

Performance

After using it as my daily driver for work over the last couple of weeks, I can tell you as far as comfort goes, the Elgato Embrace is entirely adequate without ever being particularly memorable. If you're expecting a plush, welcoming kind of comfort that draws you in, that's not what this chair is. If you’re expecting an incredibly ergonomic experience that’ll solve all your aches and pains, that’s not what this chair is either. I wasn’t disappointed by how it felt to sit on for extended periods, but a bit like its looks, the Embrace is just very standard.

The seat cushion is relatively soft and relatively shallow, too. The foam isn’t particularly dense, with a fast spring-back that leaves it feeling more like a standard mass-produced office chair you'd find in a corporate hot-desking setup than anything particularly premium.

The shape is nice, slightly sculpted but with a flat overall profile and waterfall edge intended to avoid cutting into the back of your legs and promote circulation. It’s a nice change from the aggressively-bucketed seats with high sides that you often find on gaming chairs. The seat is reasonably narrow, however, so larger users should consider other options, and there’s no XL option on offer, I’m afraid, so you’ll need to look elsewhere.

All in all, I don’t have a huge amount of criticism of what the Elgato Embrace is like to use as a studio chair, but it does feel like a chair I’ve sat in hundreds of times before. There’s nothing wrong with that; not every chair needs to be groundbreaking in one way or another, and often brands seem to add features for the sake of saying they’re different. I don’t need built-in air conditioning in my chair, thanks in advance. But the truth is, I came into this expecting more from a chair that had promised so much about shaking up the market and delivering what others haven’t. This is, in essence, a pretty basic mesh office chair trying to cosplay as a premium one.

Should you buy the Elgato Embrace?

The Elgato Embrace is a functional, comfortable-enough ergonomic chair that looks smart on camera and assembles in minutes. If those are your top priorities and you're an Elgato superfan, then there's logic to picking one up. But at $499.99 / £499, the Elgato Embrace has a value problem that it told everyone it was solving. Elgato's entire pitch was about delivering premium, full-featured ergonomic comfort at a more accessible price than the established brands, but what I'm sitting on feels closer to a $250-300 office chair with better branding. The Embrace isn't bad, it's just not $500 good.

In our list of the best gaming chairs, and even outside it, there are better options for one reason or another. Maybe they’re cheaper, maybe they’re more comfortable, maybe they’re a little better executed. The Elgato Embrace is trying to position itself as a premium alternative to both gaming chairs and high-end office chairs, but the build quality, materials, and overall feel don't fully back that up. For a first attempt at furniture from a tech peripherals brand, the Embrace shows promise, but I just wish they’d made a quieter entrance to the market.

How we tested the Elgato Embrace

I used the Elgato Embrace as my primary desk chair for a couple of weeks, using it for a mix of gaming, content, and general productivity. Testing covered extended sessions of four-plus hours at a time, and I paid particular attention to comfort, build quality, and adjustability. I assembled it myself on a carpeted floor and used it with a standard plastic chair mat underneath.

For more details about how we test gaming chairs, take a look at the hardware policy.

There's more where that came from. Check out the best gaming desks, the best standing desks, and the best console gaming chair.

Razer has been in the gaming chair market for a while now, but at the time of writing, it finds itself in a tough spot. Yes, it's facing the same old competition as it always has from the mainstay brands like Secretlab and Herman Miller, but it's the newer, emergent brands and "smaller" names on its flanks that are starting to eat into its market share. Desk chairs, including the best gaming chairs, are in an innovative renaissance right now, and the worst thing a brand can be at a time like that is stagnant.

Razer now has to contend with the likes of LiberNovo and its viral dynamic backrest; it has to deal with AutoFull offering a floating backrest, heating and ventilation, Shiatsu massage features, and 720-degree armrests. Razer has to go up against a million and one ergonomic "office" style chairs that dip into the gaming market, and scrappy brands like Eureka Ergonomic and AndaSeat that try to offer as many features as possible for a more affordable price than you'll find elsewhere. And Razer's answer? Doubling down on the Iskur V2 it came out with over two years ago.

The Razer Iskur V2 NewGen commits the sin of not feeling "new" at all, because while all the other brands duke it out with impressive attributes and innovations, Razer is sticking its hand in the air and shouting, "Hey, remember our chair though?" I certainly do remember the original Iskur V2, as well as its full price tag of $649.99/£649.99, and I'm not sure slapping that sticker back on the "NewGen" version is going to do Razer any favors.

Price

Floating backrests and dynamic lumbar systems are becoming a common theme in the gaming and desk chair market at the moment, and for good reason. It feels as though designers are finally waking up to the fact that adjustability is one thing, but human beings move frequently when they sit down all day, so we need something that can keep up without needing loads of manual adjustments. Razer was one of the first big brands to offer this with the original Razer Iskur V2, which had one of the best lumbar support systems we had come across at the time.

It had an issue, though. It was $649.99/£649.99, which put it at a more expensive cost than the likes of Secretlab (before adding any extras onto the Titan Evo). Even worse, $649 then became a price point to avoid for any smaller brand, so it looked expensive versus newer rivals like the Corsair TC500 Luxe. Eventually, as more innovations started emerging and floating backrests became more commonplace, the Iskur V2 started to look limited compared to something like the AutoFull G7, or indeed the AutoFull M6 Ultra.

I got the impression from covering the gaming chair market in the years following the Iskur V2's release that, while it offered quality, it suffered because of its high price. When a chair starts drifting further and further away from its launch price and into discount aisles more often than not, you get the impression it's struggling to keep up with the competition. Soon enough, I started seeing the Iskur V2 in the discount aisle during Prime Day, Black Friday, and pretty much every other seasonal sale on the calendar. Then, all of a sudden, it was nowhere to be seen - I could barely find stock to recommend it at most of the big e-tailers.

Its cheaper alternative, the Razer Iskur V2 X, meanwhile, seemed to show that the brand was prepared to offer a simpler, more affordable gaming chair than usual, and I had hoped this was a sign of things to come for the inevitable Iskur V3. Lo and behold, the Iskur V2 NewGen was announced at CES 2026. Truth be told, it had Benjamin, our incomparable Tabletop and Merch Editor (who reviewed the original Iskur V2 for us), and me scratching our heads. Costing the same $649 as its predecessor did, its big selling point was a new, more breathable leatherette upholstery and... not much else?

I remember asking Benjamin if he's ever had an issue with the leatherette on the Iskur V2 not being breathable enough. He said no, and he's sat in it since reviewing it. I looked online to see if folks on Reddit had been complaining about temperature control issues in the Iskur V2. I couldn't see anything, so I'm a tad perplexed at this refresh.

Thankfully, Razer isn't charging more for this new model than it did previously. But I can't help but look at this as a way to discontinue the frequently-discounted Iskur V2, bring back the original price, and sell again with the premise of "New".

Design & Features

Because there's no avoiding it, the Iskur V2 NewGen is essentially the exact same chair as the original. In many ways, it feels like an answer to the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition. It's essentially the same product, but the emphasis on refreshing it has been through using a new upholstery, a more breathable cushioning setup, and slightly widening the dimensions.

To actually determine what is different about the NewGen model, I've scoured the product pages for both versions of the Iskur V2. The original's hyperflex backrest was called the "World's First 6D adaptive & adjustable lumbar support", while the NewGen model rebrands it to the "World's First Razer Hyperflex Lumbar Support System" - from the descriptions, both do the same thing. Similarly, both chairs are said by Razer to use "Dual-Density, Cold-Cured Foam Seat Cushions", but the new model has a breathable, perforated design. By the looks of it, the seat on the NewGen edition has also been widened slightly both in its shoulder curvature and seatbase.

Of course, the Razer Gen-2 EPU Leather with Cooltouch Technology is the biggest departure, and is apparently 13x more durable than regular PU leather. Elsewhere, all the listed designs and features of both seats are identical.

I do think only adding a new upholstery and some color options (the NewGen edition is available in Black and Green, Black, Quartz, and Light Grey) is a bit of a copout, even if there are other minor changes. But I don't misunderstand that new upholstery can make a big difference to any chair. People don't realize it, but one upholstery versus another can fundamentally alter the comfort and plushness of a seat.

If a leather or a fabric material is put together with too tight a weave, then it won't have the stretch it needs to really bend into the cushioning under your weight. Similarly, if the fabric is too loose, the hard work a brand has done finding the exact cushioning firmness they want will be compromised. Don't use a premium material, or don't use the right amount over each chair section, and it'll fray and damage over time. There's a lot to think about with gaming chair upholstery, so I don't mistake how big a change it can make.

From my experience with the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen, I don't feel upholstery alone can make a big enough difference on its own, though. For its NanoGen model, Secretlab went back to the foundations and added a whole new level of cushioning at the same time - and even then, it didn't make a massive difference for me personally. From all the marketing and press material I can see, it doesn't seem as though Razer has added new cushioning to this seat, just made it more breathable.

Carrying over from the original, you get 4D armrests, reactive seat tilt, and 152 degrees of recline.

Assembly

One thing I do have to applaud is Razer's assembly process, not because it's any more streamlined than your average gaming chair, but mainly because of the consolidation of packaging and the unique charm and personality given to the process. Upon first opening the box, you'll be met with a whimsical placard and a pair of nylon gloves. Razer is clearly catering to its audience here with nerdy Thanos references as well as some excellent sitting position warnings. A+ for humour - it's not something I've seen in any other gaming chair assembly process.

Jokes aside, the addition of a pair of gloves actually comes in really handy during the build. They're not going to save your fingers from being crushed, but I have broken skin a couple of times while putting one of these things together. Not only that, they help to keep the chair clean, and your hands free of any oils that might be put on the metalwork for lubrication purposes. Maybe this is something brands like Secretlab should add to their included toolkits.

Assembly was fairly easy, the standard steps of how to build a gaming chair, so not anything to really report here. I did manage to build it myself, but then again, I am a professional, so if you struggle lifting heavy parts, a co-op partner can come in handy.

Performance

In a general sense, the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen is a really decent gaming chair with good build quality and a reasonable level of cushioning. Some chairs struggle to strike a balance between support and comfort, and the jury's still well and truly out on what is too firm and too soft - because every brand in the market has different ideas.

The Iskur V2 NewGen feels comfortable to fall into, and in the three or so weeks I tested it, I didn't notice myself with a numb rear end that made me shuffle into new positions often.

In a similar way, I really like the armrests. They have quite a plush surface to them and a really great shape that means your forearms have a flat surface to glide across while using mouse movements. There aren't infinite height adjustments, but I felt I had loads of scope to match up the exact level I needed for my desktop. I'd also like to applaud Razer for sticking to a more traditional 4D armrest system. Each dimension is controlled by a release catch, none of this clicky rotation nonsense, which never fails to fall out of position and infuriate me.

Overall, there's a lot to like about this chair, which is why, for all my reservations about its price and its lack of innovations, I would still recommend it. On the other hand, I do think this is a chair for gamer that's above my height.

There's a bit too much seat depth here for people under 6ft to really benefit from the ergonomics it offers. Don't get me wrong, I love having lots of seat depth and a bit more width to the seatbase, so I have the ability to cross my legs over or shuffle my weight onto one side if need be. But too much depth will start to encourage you outward from the back of the chair, moving your lower back away from where it's supposed to be, and sneakily introducing a slouching position as you sink deeper into it. That then makes the lumbar support less effective, and the chair's ergonomics as a whole suffer a bit.

Again, this is a problem I had as a 5'10 man, so your mileage may vary, but it completely threw the ergonomics Razer was clearly going for out of whack. I couldn't, for the life of me, find a lumbar adjustment that suited my back. Even at its lowest setting, I felt like my spine was being hyperextended. This Iskur V2 NewGen just feels to me like an XL chair that would suit larger frames a bit better.

This is where the price really starts to bother me, because I've tested more affordable gaming chairs, like the Eureka Ergonomic Python II, that offer almost an identical experience to the Iskur V2 (albeit without adjustable lumbar support) and do the entire ergonomic setup better. That chair comes in at half the price of the Iskur V2 NewGen, and has an even more substantial seat cushion, so there's very little excuse to be made for Razer charging as much as it does.

One thing I cannot understand going unchanged from the original Iskur V2, is the headrest. Back when my colleague Ben reviewed it, we raised the point that even back then, neck pillows with wraparound straps were out of date compared to more efficient magnetic ones. While testing the original, the headrest would continually shift out of position, and the new model suffers the same.

In fact, it pinged off the back of the NewGen model so often during testing that I decided the only way to remedy it was to take it off entirely. Without that neck pillow to encourage me to sit upright though, I felt my head falling forward far too often, again encouraging a slouched position.

It's 2026, and magnetic neck pillows are by far becoming the norm for gaming chairs, especially over $400. I cannot fathom why, if it were coming out with a NewGen model, Razer wouldn't look to make this change.

But instead, Razer focused on breathability, and if I'm totally honest, I'm not sure it shows. The leather material used on the NewGen edition feels premium and certainly cooling to the touch, but it isn't a perforated leatherette, which I would think of as a more breathable alternative.

Testing it in my Scottish flat as the temperature rises gently into the Summer months, a "breathable" option shouldn't have too much trouble staying cool. I still felt the backrest trapping heat, hugging my t-shirt, and I'd still have to peel myself away after a long period sitting in it. It really isn't as cooling as I think the brand intended, and I shudder to think how it would fare in countries that actually get warm during Summer.

If I get really nitpicky, it's also a bit infuriating when this leather material squeaks as you move around in the chair. Floating backrests can have this problem as upholstery needs to stand up to the friction of moving parts, but the leather used here is so much louder and doesn't fill me with confidence about longevity - even if Razer claims it's more durable.

Should you buy the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen?

Not at full price, no. I really do not think this is a chair that's worth $649/£649, and I expect Razer is going to find that out again as we see it start to drop in price. It may take a year, it may take a year and a half, but I don't see this almost identical design to the original Iskur V2 performing too well in a market that's moved on from it in many ways.

Further, I'd personally recommend that if you're under 6ft tall, you look at something else. Your mileage and somatotype may vary from mine, but this feels like a gaming chair designed for larger frames.

If you do manage to get it discounted by $100-200, I'd recommend it. There's a really decent chair here, with solid armrests and good cushioning.

How I tested the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen

I used the latest Razer Iskur as my chair for daily work and play for about three weeks before coming to a final verdict in this review. I usually like to test a chair for a full month, but seeing as we've already done longevity tests with the original model, I feel more confident taking less time with the new one.

I sat in it for around 8 hours a day and beyond when I was gaming at my desk on top of a remote working life. I assembled it alone, I configured the backrest and lumbar support in many different ways to get a feel for how it could serve both my and readers' bodies. I compared it against previous versions of the Iskur on specs and price, and compared it closely with my experience of sitting in loads of different types of gaming chairs over years of reviewing them.

For more on how we test gaming chairs, take a look at our hardware policy.

There's a lot of gaming hardware out there. Take a look at the best gaming desk, the best standing desk, and the best console gaming chair.

Dbrand has been all about providing niche accessory alternatives when there are none, even before the era of the Nintendo Switch 2. Shortly after the PS5 came on the scene, the edgey accessory maker launched its own series of faceplates when Sony had little of its own to offer, and it was among the first to release a case for Ninty's newest machine.

The best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories aren't shy of Joy-Con grips like that of its new Joy-Lock controller holder, but it's still providing something so many lack: customizability. The holder isn't stationary and can be adjusted to offer up a range of different angles, which in turn provides a pro-controller-like comfort that other brands haven't managed to grasp.

Design

In essence, there isn't much to the look of the Joy-Lock controller holder, but that's the same with any grip. At a glance, it looks not too dissimilar to a Turkey wishbone I used to snap with family members on Christmas Day growing up. Unfortunately, snapping open this doesn't grant any wishes, unless I made a wish for a 'new favorite Switch 2 accessory' that I wasn't aware of.

The controller holder is made up of two prongs that are held together by a large ratchet mechanism. The entirety of the accessory is all black to better tie into the Switch 2 Joy-Con once you snap them in place, and there are small cut-out squares at the sides to allow the illumination of the controller syncing process.

If this were from any other brand, that'd be all she wrote for this grip, but this is a Dbrand accessory. And as such, there are a couple of bizarre design elements on closer inspection. The first obvious one is the design on the front of the ratchet, which reads, "4026 All Rights Denied 4E5332 Archive Robot" with a circular logo underneath. Popping this into Google's search engine just pulls up the X (Twitter) post about the controller holder, but I wouldn't be surprised, knowing the brand's edgy marketing, if it relates to an easter egg found on the official Dbrand website. The opposite side features an Illuminati-style triangular logo, which feels very on-brand for Dbrand.

Features

In that very same X (Twitter) post I mentioned above, Dbrand refers to the Joy-Lock controller holder as a "fidget toy" for your Switch 2, and I can entirely see why. Cracking the ratchet open is satisfying. There are approximately five notches of adjustment in total, which you can switch to by simply holding your hands on each side of the device and pulling outwards.

That's essentially all there is to the gadget, but Dbrand did think to include some neat elements, from matching strips of neon blue and neon red color on the interior of the magnetic edges so you know where to attach what Joy-Con, to four small rubberized squares intermittently laid out on the back to allow the holder to stay firmly in place when left upon a coffee table, just like in my photos throughout this review.

Talking of which, you've likely spotted the fact that there's a pile of dbrand boxes sitting next to the Joy-Lock holder, and that's simply because you can order this separately, or pile on some extras to complete the Pro Controller-like experience. The holder is compatible with dbrand's Joy-Lock grips, and once attached, the edges will stay flush with the grip as they do with the brand's Switch 2 Killswitch case. This also means the holder is compatible with alternatives, so you don't have to stick with Dbrand grips for a true Pro-like experience if you don't want to.

Performance

The first time I cracked open the Joy-Lock Controller Holder, I was a little scared. There are no instructions in the box, and the loud sound that emanates from the accessory when you adjust it for the first time made me worried I had somehow managed to break it.

But my experience with Dbrand tech, from my trusty Steam Deck Killswitch case, to the brand's PS5 Faceplates, reminded me that the company's tech is known for being plenty robust, so I kept at it. After I had cracked the ratchet swivel a few times, I was on the right track, as this helped loosen up the grip and made adjusting all the easier. You literally just have to pull, though I found the best practice to be to gently place my thumbs at the top edge to give it more support each time I used it.

Once you do this a few times, adjusting becomes second nature. After a few days of using it to try and finally three-star all the GPs in Mario Kart World, I got far more relaxed when snapping it in place. During that time, the second position became my go-to. That level of adjustment doesn't point out the Joy-Con too far, yet it still allows my wrists to sit in a way that mirrors the way I hold premium Switch 2 controllers like the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 that I currently have in my setup.

Until the Joy-Lock controller holder arrived at my door, I had been using JSAUX's Ergonomic Charging Grip. It's a high-quality alternative to the official grip packed in with the handheld, but ever since I've tried Dbrand's version, I almost feel reluctant to pick it up again, if it weren't for its charging capabilities. Being able to adjust the position of a grip on the fly was a feature I never knew I needed, but it makes a lot of sense for someone like me with joint issues.

Without oversharing too much, I have a condition called hypothyroidism, which can affect my joints and make them stiff and painful. I particularly feel this in my fingers and wrists, where there's an underlying pain at all times. Its intensity comes in waves, but the customizability of the grip angle has meant I can now prepare for that. The other night, there was a lightning sharp sensation in both my wrists, so I kept the controller in its default position in order to help keep my arms and joints more stationary. Once I felt a bit better and my painkillers were doing their job, I was able to easily switch back to that second position I grew to love, which allowed my wrists to sit away from my body and be more naturally positioned.

As I had loosened up the ratchet mechanism plenty, the actual adjusting doesn't add to my wrist and joint pain either, which was a nice discovery. As was the fact that I could push the controller holder down to its default position in order to make it easier to store in my JSAUX All-in-One Switch 2 Carrying Case and other large cases like it.

Should you buy the Dbrand Joy-Lock controller holder?

Dbrand heralds its Joy-Lock Controller Holder as "more comfortable than a Pro Controller for a fraction of the cost" and sadly, I wasn't able to make that direct comparison.

I have yet to pick up Nintendo's Switch 2 Pro Controller for the simple fact that it's $89.99 / £74.99 MSRP is a little out of my budget. But honestly, when this alternative is just $19.95, I feel less inclined to grab Nintendo's first-party pad than ever.

The Joy-Lock Controller Holder provides the same comfortable experience as other premium gamepads I've used for the Switch 2, and each level of adjustment takes that a step further. Not only does it make it easier to store away, but the customizability has been a better experience on my achy wrists and joints as I can adjust it depending on what feels more comfortable on any given day.

My only main hindrance with the accessory is the same I have with all Dbrand tech, in that it's only available directly through the Dbrand online store. Over the past year, some of the company's products have made their way to retailers like Best Buy, but this is not one of them, and so availability is a bit more limited. The US retailer does ship to the UK and elsewhere, but that does come with the possibility of extra customs fees, and I'm aware not everyone is comfortable ordering from the US these days.

However, if you want the best Switch 2 grip I've used to date (that doesn't include charging) and don't want to fork out the exuberant cost of Nintendo's official gamepad, the Dbrand Joy-Lock Controller holder is the way to go. It's even better if you pick up the Joy-Lock grips, and even that new combined cost of $39.95 is still going to cost less than the Ninty Pro pad.

How I tested the Dbrand Joy-Lock controller holder

To put the Dbrand Joy-Lock Controller Holder through its paces, I used the accessory for a little over two weeks where it became my one and only Switch 2 controller. During that time, I played everything from Mario Kart World, Pokemon Pokopia, Donkey Kong Bananza and Tomodachi Life Living the Dream, aswell as older titles via the Nintendo Switch Online service including N64 games Pokemon Snap and Lylat Wars. For more information on how we test accessories for the Nintendo Switch 2, check out our full GamesRadar+ Hardware policy.

Our team has also rounded up the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases that can help contribute to the ultimate Ninty setup.

Yes, Mina the Hollower is a love letter to Game Boy Zelda titles. It's also a 2D Soulslike, a top-down Castlevania, and somehow, something all its own. You can probably find a precedent for every mechanic here, to the point where it's almost impossible to discuss Mina the Hollower without invoking other games. But it manages to avoid feeling derivative by offering a tremendous amount of choice and variety in how you engage with those systems.

Shovel Knight, the previous project from developer Yacht Club Games, found similar success in remixing ideas from many of the best games of the NES era. But while Mina the Hollower takes some obvious cues from classic handheld Zelda titles, you need to know right now: this is not just an indie follow-up to Link's Awakening. Mina is, well, meaner, and if you're looking for a Nintendo-style blend of breezy overworld exploration and lightly challenging dungeon dives, you're going to be disappointed. It's not a challenge on the level of, say, Hollow Knight: Silksong, but it will absolutely kick your teeth in if you're not willing to meet it on its own terms.

Mina the Hollower asks you to overcome an intricately designed world full of Gothic horrors and anthropomorphic animals – Castlevania by way of Looney Tunes – by taking your pick of a cornucopia's worth of weapons, perks, and other tools to get the job done. Creating your own character build is hardly an unusual concept, but here you get far more than the mild percentage buffs that are the bread and butter of other RPG-influenced action games. A single upgrade can completely change the way you play.

Have it your way

Those options start with your selection of one of three weapons at the beginning of the game, and each one completely changes the rhythm and pace of the action. The fast-swinging daggers instantly feel like the sword from Link's Awakening, and you'll need to make good use of it thanks to a host of equally fast moving and reactive enemies that'll have you chopping away at brief windows of vulnerability. The whip, on the other hand, makes combat more of a spacing game, as you have to set your feet for a beat before your attack comes out, very much like in classic Castlevania.

You eventually get access to all three weapons – plus a couple more – and while I usually prefer to pick one tool and stick with it forever in a game like this, each new acquisition was exciting enough that I had to stick with it for a few hours to see what all it was capable of. Add to that the sidearms, which are Castlevania-like subweapons that have limited ammo, and you've got even more to play with.

Regardless of the weapon you have equipped, as a Hollower you can always dive into the ground, and swim around like a land shark while briefly invulnerable to most enemy attacks. You pop out with a little extra momentum, letting you jump across wider gaps, making burrowing a tool for both combat and platforming.

You'll need to do everything you can to avoid enemy strikes, too, since healing is tough to come by. You get a pile of healing vials that refill at every checkpoint, but they'll only restore your health as far as your plasma meter has been filled – a gauge that you build by successfully striking enemies. It's a Dark Souls Estus Flask system combined with Bloodborne's Regain. You have to go out of your way to be aggressive simply to be able to heal, and even then you always have to weigh when you want to heal. Do you take a small heal right now, when your plasma is low, just to ensure you won't die within the next couple of hits? Or do you try to risk a few more attacks to build up for a full heal, taking your chances with death to ensure you're making the most of your next vial?

But you can revamp even these core aspects of the game, if you find the right items. Trinkets are hidden throughout the world, which you can equip to get new perks. Don't like the plasma healing system? Just equip the trinkets that give you boosted plasma and use vials automatically. Or spend those slots instead on trinkets that let you burrow in walls, keep an extra life in reserve, or a create swarm of deadly flies that circle you like a shield.

New game fuss

I could keep going on and on with examples of every way you can tweak your playstyle, because I kept finding new combinations that fundamentally changed my approach all the way through the 18 or so hours it took me to reach the end. There are far more collectibles I want to go back and find, and I still want to see how many different ways I can put together all these options. Luckily, there's a robust New Game Plus mode which will – depending on how many rounds of clears you've gone through – boost the difficulty, randomize item positions, mirror the world, or even shuffle enemy stats.

It definitely feels like the world you're exploring is intricate enough to stand up to the scrutiny of repeated playthroughs, too. Where Mina the Hollower's inspirations might distinguish between the overworld and dungeons, here the entire map is effectively one massive dungeon, with a variety of spokes pointing in different directions to the six MacGuffins you need to reach the final boss.

Here, too, the game lets you approach things pretty much however you like. A clever series of newspapers that appear after each area is completed will gently prod you in the direction you're "supposed" to go, but there are few actual gates on your progress. You'll have a tough time defeating enemies with your low attack and defense stats if you try to hit a late-game area too early, but you're welcome to try. The rare instances where I did a bit of sequence breaking to wreck the leveling curve for a bit were pretty satisfying, too.

There's wonderful variety in each of the areas, from the swamps where you need to use your burrowing abilities to swim through murky waters to the icy mountains that have you riding half-broken train tracks like it's Ratchet & Clank. My highlight is a Halloween-themed town where you're constantly stalked by an invincible monster worthy of the legacy of Mr. X from Resident Evil 2.

There are yet more comparisons I could make to other classic games – I can't not mention the ghostly enemy that chases you around like Phanto from Super Mario Bros. 2 when you pick up certain key items – but as I said at the beginning, Mina the Hollower is able to combine this massive pile of old, familiar ideas from across the vast history of gaming into something that still feels all its own. Yacht Club Games clearly understands what works about the classics, and Mina the Hollower is an incredible collection of tested ideas rebuilt in new ways.

Mina the Hollower was reviewed on PC and Steam Deck, with a code provided by the developer.

Going retro? Check out the best Game Boy Color games of all time!

Overkill or not, it looks as though the future of the best PC controller arena will be fought out by gamepads that have a polling rate of 8,000Hz or more. It all started when Razer launched an 8K version of its popular Wolverine V3 Pro. But GameSir was quick to bite back, announcing an 8K version of the G7 Pro back at CES at the beginning of 2026. Now, GameSir is on the verge of launching a whole new line of Tarantula Pro controllers, and two out of the three will have 8K polling rates.

It won't be long until other brands jump on this trend to stay competitive, and I'm sure a lot of folks will be asking the same thing: whether it's actually going to be worth it. Even competitively tilted mice and keyboards that have 8K polling rates are only really serving a niche in the market that cares about latency to this extent, and it's hardly the norm for most gaming mice to ship with a polling rate above 1-2,000Hz.

I set out to test the 8K model of the G7 Pro in the hopes of finding answers. Is an 8K polling rate overkill or not? Regardless of my findings, I'm just happy to see the new "upgraded" version of the G7 Pro stay in the same price region as the original. A boost from $79.99 up to $89.99/£99.99 isn't too bad in the grand scheme of things, and I've seen other brands charging a lot more for incremental upgrades to existing products. Even the special edition colorways of the regular G7 Pro can set you back more than this, so GameSir is doing a good job of inviting players to try out the cutting edge of controller speed without raising the price of entry.

Design & Features

I've already given a full rundown of the specs and features of the GameSir G7 Pro in my original review, so I'll give a shortened version here, seeing as the 8K PC version carries over basically all of them.

Obviously, when it comes to the design, the 8K model has a bit more pzazz thanks to more dramatic colorways. At the time of writing, the 8K model has an officially licensed Aimlabs colorway, an officially licensed Nioh 3 skin, or a black and gold "Champion Edition" which is tied to Esports fighting game athlete, Xiaohai. I'm testing out the Aimlabs model, which blends some lovely light blue colors with deep blacks. There's a subtle transparency to the grips, allowing you to just about peer into the chassis and catch a glimpse of the vibration motors. All the while, the grips don't lose their rubberized texture. Speaking of which, my favorite design flourish is a 3D texture to the face button symbols, which feels really satisfying under your thumb.

Beyond that, you get the same design points as you will on the Xbox-flavored G7 Pro. It's the same controller body with two back buttons, two extra clicky bumpers, a circular D-pad, and premium-feeling microswitch buttons. There's a wireless dongle, a charging stand, decent battery life, trigger stops, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

What does differ on the 8K version is an expanse of swappable parts. It's a shame that the carrying case GameSir announced at CES for the G7 Pro isn't included as standard on the 8K model, as it would have really helped it to feel like an "upgrade". Not to mention, with more swappable thumbstick tops in the box, it'd help to ensure you don't lose them all.

I found three extra sets of thumbstick tops in my G7 8K's box. One taller pair with domed heads, one indented pair, and a shorter domed pair as well.

Naturally, the biggest feature of this gamepad versus the standard G7 Pro is an 8K polling rate to help it make the most of its TMR controller potential. Essentially, TMR thumbsticks have a much higher resolution and communication speed than Hall effect ones, and so the thinking behind 8K polling controllers that utilize this technology is presumably that you can actually make the most of their speed. If you're not such a big fan of any type of thumbstick tech these days, the G7 Pro 8K is also fitted out with gyro aim features.

Something I'm happy to report is that, despite its faster polling rate, the G7 Pro 8K doesn't lose out on its rumble motors. Razer stripped back the Wolverine V3 Pro's rumble for its 8K version, and it completely uprooted the feel of the device, making it feel cheaper and a lot less premium. The G7 Pro 8K doesn't suffer from that, and I'm really glad because an increase in performance for competitive multiplayer games through a faster polling rate shouldn't mean you need to lose out on speed.

Performance

The first question on a lot of gamers' minds when I told them about testing an 8K polling controller was, "Can you actually tell the difference?" It's a tricky question to answer, because the difference between latencies of 250Hz, 1,000Hz, and 8,000Hz isn't really about an input delay that your human reflex speeds and nervous system can feasibly interpret. The jump between 1,000Hz and 8,000Hz really presents itself through an increase in sensitivity.

Going from a 1,000Hz controller with Hall sensor sticks to an 8,000Hz one with TMR sticks, I don't think a lot of people would be able to differentiate them, if I'm being honest.

However, jumping from Valve's Steam Controller (which polls at 250Hz with TMR thumbsticks and a zero deadzone mode) to the G7 Pro 8K in full-flung 8,000Hz mode with shortened deadzones from the out-of-box experience, I absolutely felt the difference.

Where Crimson Desert's inputs felt sluggish in places before, they now felt a bit unruly as the game suddenly registered every tiny piece of my inputs on the thumbsticks at record speed. It felt like a jump up in sensitivity, not so much a removal of latency, if that makes sense. I quickly got used to this, and it became clear that shoving the camera around in an open-world action adventure was hardly going to be a test for a controller like this.

It was in FPS games that things were really going to get interesting, and boy, did they. Describing the experience of playing my go-to testing shooter for controllers, Hunt: Showdown with the G7 Pro 8K PC is tough. In some ways, it's revolutionary. In some ways, it's unlocked an entirely new level of gamepad performance in a game that demands precision aim to combat veteran mouse players. In others, it's really not going to be necessary or, perhaps more importantly, wind up as the preferred choice for a lot of gamers.

If you've kept up at all with controller tech in recent years, you might have heard chatter about Hall effect thumbsticks being a little hot to handle when they first arrived on the scene. That can sometimes be the case, and still, depending on how they've been calibrated and tuned, and the tensions used on the controllers themselves, Hall effect thumbsticks can be a bit unruly. I've actually found that TMR sticks are a bit more balanced across all the ones I've tried, maybe because of their higher resolutions, leveling out the sensitivity with more accuracy. But the G7 Pro, with its taller right thumbstick attached, deadzones shortened, and 8K mode switched on, is no short of shit-hot.

Seriously, you really have to adjust and, in some ways, re-learn how to play shooters with this controller, because some of your instincts from using lesser ones will now be absolutely no use to you. In fact, they'll actually lead you to use this one in the wrong way.

For example, in Hunt: Showdown, I overcompensate in certain shooting tactics when I use a controller vs when I'm playing with a mouse and the Azeron Cyborg II. If I need to take a quick shot and then immediately get back into cover, it's pretty easy to ADS, take a precise but flicky shot, and then almost in the same motion, flick back the other way and move my hunter out of the way. With a controller in hand, the flick out of the shot can't be as aggressive and quick, so you end up snatching one direction or the other during the shot to get as close to the same level of speed. It's almost as though you use the sensitivity differential between ADS and shoulder aim to try to make up for your inability to turn around quickly.

If you "snatch" the camera away during the shot while changing from ADS sensitivity to shoulder aim sensitivity with the G7 Pro in 8K mode, you will end up looking back over your shoulder because you no longer need to compensate as much for the speed differentials.

Similarly, a lot of controller players in FPS games will compensate for a lack of precision with the aiming stick by keeping their aim relatively still and moving their player into position so the crosshair lines up on a target instead. That doesn't need to be the case with this pad, and in fact, flies in the face of its specialty: extremely smooth tracking.

I might catch flak for this, but the G7 8K is, in this way, the closest experience I've had to using a mouse to aim. If you need to track a target that's moving across, up, or diagonally around your display, a consistent and measured move of your thumbstick on any other controller might be tough to hold onto, and if there are any speed changes in what you're tracking, it's easy to fall off the target. With the G7 Pro 8K, it's off-puttingly easy to just keep your crosshair exactly where it needs to be.

This is what I mean. In some ways, you'll need to relearn how to use a controller like this. It'll feel unwieldy because of the increase in sensitivity, and you'll likely need to really take time to get used to it. For many, that may be a step too far, and it may never be something that people get used to if they're coming from a lifetime of using slower controllers. But for the competitive controller crowd who are already dialed into their aiming skills with a gamepad, this is going to make them unstoppable forces that will have even less trouble keeping up with mouse and keyboard players.

The skill gap between the peripherals feels as though it's been considerably narrowed in recent years, but with this type of controller, it's getting narrower still. Overkill or not, I can absolutely see 8K polling rates becoming a trend that other brands jump onto.

What I will say is that I struggled to really find a lot of value to an 8,000Hz mode outside of FPS titles. Yes, there are going to be gaming genres that rely on the right stick more than others, but from my testing across lots of them, besides an increase in sensitivity, you probably aren't going to notice much. The right stick is really where you feel the majority of the difference in polling rates.

Metroidvanias felt snappy and responsive, but I wouldn't say there was a performance boost enough to say an 8K polling controller is going to be worth it for fans of that genre. Racing around the streets of Forza Horizon 6 was easy with really smooth steering, but testing directly against the Xbox G7 Pro in 1,000Hz mode, I didn't honestly feel much of a difference while exploring virtual Tokyo City.

Should you buy the GameSir G7 Pro 8K PC?

So in the end, I'd argue that the 8,000Hz polling rate unlocked by this version of the GameSir G7 Pro is the new cutting edge of the controller market, but the problem with being on the cutting edge is that questions arise over whether you're actually necessary or not. In FPS games where ultimate aiming control is needed against mouse and keyboard players, this is going to be a new final boss on the shelves you need to consider. Then again, it's going to feel too sensitive to handle if you aren't willing to make some adjustments to your playstyle.

But for your average gamer, I'm not really feeling or seeing much of a difference, or at least enough of one across the board to say that everyone should rush out and buy an 8KHz peripheral. The good news is that the upgrades the G7 Pro 8K will provide you with over the original model aren't going to set you back much more money. That means that in the same light, there's also no real reason why not to buy the 8K model. It has the upgrades available for you to use if you want them, and the futureproofing not many rivals offer. A stretch of $10 more is hardly a lot to argue with. That said, Xbox players are going to lose compatibility with their console if they buy this version, so keep that in mind.

Whether the 8K polling rate is going to be overkill or not for you and the games you play, the GameSir G7 Pro 8K PC is still an enhanced version of one of the best Xbox Series X controllers that's been released in the last few years. It's a shame that there aren't more enhancements here to really bolster it as a flagship device for GameSir, but as is, there are few controllers that are going to service competitive and enthusiast gamers quite so well - especially for under $100.

How I tested the GameSir G7 Pro 8K PC

I adopted the GameSir G7 Pro 8K PC as my controller of choice for all gaming for around two weeks before writing this review. I played with it in both 1,000Hz and 8,000Hz modes in that time to get a feel for the differences and played around with its deadzone levels in the GameSir Connect software. I also tested it against other TMR controllers and the original G7 Pro to get more of a feel for how it compares to rivals on the shelves.

For more on how we test controllers, have a peruse of our full-length hardware policy.

Diving deeper down the rabbithole? Take a look at the best PS5 controllers, the best Switch 2 controllers, and the best gaming mice.

007 First Light is undoubtedly the most ambitious video game in IO Interactive's history. It's far wider in cinematic scale than the Hitman series, and more foundationaly solid than other studio side-quests like Kane & Lynch and Mini Ninjas. If you're willing to disconnect GoldenEye 007 from 30 years of nostalgia, there's a compelling argument to be made for First Light being the best of the James Bond games – not to mention a step above other spy thrillers operating without the licence, Alpha Protocol and The Operative: No One Lives Forever.

It's an occasionally excellent, albeit somewhat uneven, adventure. A slickly produced thriller that brings the best elements of a bygone era of action games together with one of the most challenging IPs in the world. You get a lot of the linear, blockbuster spectacle of the Uncharted series as Bond scrambles through firefights and wheels around lush locales in exotic supercars. There's a bit of the Sleeping Dogs lineage in the improvisational melee combat, as fists and feet connect with metronomic precision. A smattering of Hitman in a handful of showpiece missions, where you've free rein to wield gadgets, stealth, and social influence to burrow behind enemy lines.

IOI should be commended for how competently it has stepped outside of its comfort zone. There's a fluidity and flourish here that is leagues beyond the studio's towering Hitman: World of Assassination trilogy, although there are aspects which would benefit from some refinement. Traversal is a little static, particularly as Bond slowly navigates larger environments – 007 First Light lacks the finesse found in decade-old games like Rise of the Tomb Raider and Uncharted 4. Fistfights can be a little finicky, especially when managing multiple targets. Moments of spectacle are often governed by rather rudimentary quick time events; peril massaged into uninspired boss battles. Bond narrates every action, except for why, at the eleventh hour, he suddenly has the wherewithal to carry a third weapon.

Spy another day

007 First Light is at its best when IOI settles into more familiar rhythms. An early mission has you infiltrate the Grand Carpathian Hotel, nestled in the picturesque High Tatra Mountains of Slovakia. It's a stunning space, a layered labyrinth where you're afforded the freedom to use distractions, disguises, and overheard information to push beyond security checkpoints. This open-ended approach is the closest First Light comes to making you feel as if you are truly embodying the 007 role.

It's been nearly 15 years since the last James Bond video game, but this sequence alone proves why IOI was the right studio to take on the challenge. The pacing in this mission is phenomenal, transitioning smartly from tactical sandbox into more cinematic, guided sequences. Suspenseful spycraft across a layered playspace gives way to a thrilling car chase; an explosive airfield shootout shifts into a death-defying stunt fit for the Pierce Brosnan-era of theatrical espionage. 007 First Light never quite reaches these heights again, but it does come perilously close on occasion.

This blurring of guided and open-ended gameplay is precisely what has been missing in previous attempts to bring Bond to life beyond the silver screen. Part of the problem has always been that Bond games are effectively shooters at heart, where Bond's primary interaction with the world around him is a Walther PPK rather than a disarming smile. IO gets around this by combining an adaptable stealth system with degrees of social manipulation, and by implementing a strict interpretation of the License to Kill – you can only pull your weapon if enemies first show intent.

Ironically, gunplay is one of the best elements of 007 First Light; snappy, slapstick, and propulsive. There's also a truly wonderful mechanic where Bond is able to whip his weapon at an enemy, knocking rushing guards off balance once your clip runs dry. Sometimes the simplest touches sell the fantasy.

Capturing that sense of improvisational action that the character is known for like this is critical, because IOI put itself in a difficult position with the way 007 First Light is framed. Here you play as a young James Bond, one who is yet to earn his '007' designation.

The story is mostly fun and well-scripted, anchored around a fantastic performance from actor Patrick Gibson, but there are going to be occasions where you'll wish you were embodying the Bond you already know and love. Frankly, it's not all that dissimilar of a position Eidos Montreal found itself in when it rebooted Tomb Raider. Here's hoping IOI is similarly afforded the opportunity to make a sequel, if only to continue the character's journey towards more luxurious gadgetry and tailoring.

007 First Light is the start of something special. That's my prevailing thought after investing 15 hours into this adventure. It's an infusion of fresh energy into a genre in desperate need of it, and an ambitious foundation that leaves so much room for iteration and evolution in the future. First Light isn't without its flaws, but I certainly don't regret any of the time I spent with it. Hitman fanatics may come to resent the lack of tactical depth or replayability, but everyone else will delight in playing a James Bond game that not only understands the impulses of the character but finds a way to bring them to life like we've never experienced before.

007 First Light was reviewed on PS5, with a code provided by the publisher.

Keep an eye on our new games calendar for what to play next!

As a sap for nostalgia, the SIVGA M260 wired earbuds caught my eye pretty fast, and I'm glad they did.

There turned out to be far more to these best gaming earbuds contenders than their Y2K-inspired translucent detachable MMCX cable. They sound fantastic, and fortunately, nothing like the fuzzy and distorted mess that were wired earbuds from my actual early 2000s teenage years. Not only that, but they're one of the most comfortable buds I've ever used, even if they can tend to move around if the wire gets caught on anything.

As a result, these buds have earned a permanent place in my backpack for gaming and listening to tunes on the go. However, their tendency to prioritize high-frequency sounds and make them sound overpowered means I won't be hanging up the best gaming headsets any time soon.

Key specs

Design

The look of the SIVGA M260 earbuds is why I've labelled them as "Y2K-fueled," and it all has to do with their translucent wiring. Tech which you could see through was a big thing in the late 90s and early 00s, and I was utterly obsessed with it at the time. I still dream of one day owning an original 'Bondi Blue' Mac, which has that transparent plastic blue butt. But these earphones help fill that void in a more compact (and cost-friendly) way.

The MMCX detachable cable is the only part of these buds that is translucent, but they still look pretty great in spite of that. The heads of the buds have a metallic finish, with gold accents that contrast against the white-silver look of the wiring. The branding is used pretty understatedly too, just appearing across the tip of the USB-C cable and across the accompanying fabric carrying case, which helps contribute to the M260's classy and retro appeal.

Features

As wired buds, the M260's aren't fully clad with features like the SteelSeries Arctis Game Buds. Instead, they keep things simple by including 14.2mm dynamic audio drivers in each bud, which are powered by a copper ring-enhanced diaphragm to help combat audio distortion, and include that 4N silver-plated OFC MMX detachable USB-C cable in the box that I mentioned above.

The cable is fully removable at the buds, making it easily replaceable should any harm come its way. The pair is actually available to purchase in two plug configurations, so while I was provided with the USB-C version to review, you can instead pick up the 3.5mm L-shaped plug version for just $35 / £35 instead - which I'd recommend if you're a PS5 player. Or, if you have one spare, just attach it to these existing buds to save some extra cash.

The USB-C version is the most high-powered of the two, boasting a built-in Realtek ALC5686 DAC (digital audio converter) that supports up to 32-bit/384kHz Hi-Res audio. If you're on the hunt for a pair for gaming and music listening on the go, this is the version I'd recommend. Not to mention it's the only model with a highly sensitive microphone that you can use for Discord, GameChat on the Switch 2, or answering phone calls. There are also volume and call answer buttons on the USB-C cable to help with the latter.

Performance

I tested the SIVGA M260's in the opposite way that I would normally approach earbuds. Instead of seeing how my favorite games sounded, I was desperate to see how these handled music first and foremost. This was spurred on after seeing the wave of articles about how younger generations prefer old tech, and I'm glad I did it this way.

The M260's sound pretty snazzy. With large 14.2mm dynamic audio drivers, I did expect a loud and booming quality, but it still took me by surprise when I first popped the buds in my ears. Some of my favorite tracks in recent years, like Opr by Gesaffelstein sounded especially crunchy, which is exactly what you want when it comes to industrial EDM.

These earphones were also able to get plenty loud. While there's no ANC at play, I could still comfortably turn these up and zone out the world around me as I strolled down the sunny streets of Glasgow, feeling like a teenager again. Tracks like Masayoshi Takanaka's "Oh! Tengo Suerte" felt especially bouncy and invigorating during these days out. And just as SIVGA boasted, the copper ring diaphragm of the drivers managed to keep any distortion at bay. There was no warbling or audio issues, no matter what I listened to, which is how these low-cost buds have now ended up as my new go-to music accessory.

The only real issue with the quality that I noticed is that higher frequency sounds can tend to sound a bit grating to the ears. This was more prevalent when gaming, as the soundtracks to titles like Mario Kart World are a lot busier than a relaxing Masayoshi Takanaka guitar track.

When it came to replaying my favorite courses, the roaring of my kart's engine and the sound effects of Koopa shells that were hurling in my direction were startling. They didn't distort, but they sounded far louder than they should be, almost like the drivers were singling them out on purpose. This carried on to Donkey Kong Bananza, which I would much sooner recommend playing with one of the best Nintendo Switch headsets instead.

Using the Elephant Bananza's special move to suck up terrain sounded horrendous, as it was so loud and imposing. Even in Pokemon Pokopia, where the sounds are a lot more chill in comparison, still hurt my ears whenever a high-pitched cry of one of my Pokemon pals would sound off in the distance.

It's annoying, as these are still great-sounding earbuds, and ones I would recommend to Switch 2 players. Especially as they can easily pop into the extra USB-C port at the top of the handheld. The same goes for the PC. They don't sound bad, but games like Counter-Strike 2, where a lot is going on, are going to startle your eardrums. To give your ears a rest, I'd much prefer you use these for the odd Marvel Rivals match or two and music, than full-blown 10+ gaming marathons.

If you want to know what these are like for the PS5, I sadly wasn't able to test them with Sony's pixel-pusher. The USB-C model I reviewed wasn't compatible with the DualSense controller, and I wasn't provided with a 3.5 cable to use in its stead. If you do pick up that version, you shouldn't have any issue connecting to the console, other than the overpowering sound design permeating your eardrums.

If you are at all concerned about general comfort, you don't need to be. I have pretty sensitive lugs, and I found these to be pleasantly comfortable after hours of use. As you have that cable dangling, they will have the tendency to move around or even fall out if you're listening to music out and about. Yet, even the tiny amount of foam padding on the buds was enough for a pretty comfortable wear.

Should you buy the SIVGA M260 wired earbuds?

If your budget is tight and Gen Z's obsession with older tech has emboldened you to re-enter the realm of wires, the SIVGA M260 earbuds are a fantastic choice. For music, these have earned a forever spot in my backpack as they sound great, are comfortable to wear, and their wired nature means I don't have to spare a thought for battery woes while on the go.

For gaming, they sound just as impressive, though I'd only recommend them for small sessions. The audio that can be conjured up in these compact earphones is mighty impressive, and they contain some of the best bass I've heard in a wired form factor. However, the drivers seem to prioritize high-range sounds, which can make sound effects in games, from a barrage of bullets to the cries of Pokémon, sound a bit grating and unpleasant on the ears.

Making sure the buds aren't too loud can help, but you'll still get a surprise shock whenever you get blasted with a blue shell, or if a match of Marvel Rivals gets particularly loud, as they tend to do.

How I tested the SIVGA M260 wired earbuds

The SIVGA M260 wired earbuds became my only audio source for two weeks of testing, whether I was listening to music or playing my Samsung S24 smartphone, Nintendo Switch 2, or my gaming PC. As the USB-C sample I was provided with to review was not compatible with the PS5 via the DualSense controller, I spent many hours using the buds alongside my Ninty handheld while playing Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Pokemon Pokopia.

Afterwards, I tested the M260's while playing Counter-Strike 2, Marvel Rivals, Paranormasight The Mermaid's Curse, and Dead as Disco on Steam. When not gaming, the wired earphones were attached to my Samsung phone and used to listen to a huge range of music, from The Beatles to the EDM and industrial music stylings of Ninajirachi and Gesaffelstein. Plenty of TV was watched too, as I used the buds to play catch-up with the last episodes of The Boys on Amazon Prime and episodes of the anime series Witch Hat Atelier via Crunchyroll. For more information on how we test gaming headsets and earbuds, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

If you prefer some over-ear action, check out our guides to the best PS5 headsets, the best Xbox Series X headsets, and the best PC headsets for gaming.

I'll be honest with you: I have superhero fatigue. I'm a little tired of seeing a plucky, likable guy (played by a plucky, likable guy in real life) with moral ambiguity, a dead or estranged significant other, and some kind of multiversal dilemma that culminates in a big ol' fight to the death with a predictable outcome. Enter Spider-Noir, which, from the very first line of the very first episode, wants to be the cure to your incurable superhero fatigue. You've heard of "With great power comes great responsibility," but how about, "With no power comes no responsibility?"

That's Ben Reilly for you: a hero that doesn't really feel all of the moralistic burden that comes with being a hero. He's a dude who solves mysteries (kind of badly) and wants to feel good. He's also played by a 62-year-old Nicolas Cage in his first lead television role, and it's not lost on me that this is the same man who played Ghost Rider, but always dreamed of being Kal-El from the planet Krypton.

Nicolas Cage's Spider-Noir is sort of the antithesis to Tom Holland's Spider-Man, and that's kind of what makes the series work. That, and a supporting cast that includes a no-nonsense secretary (who's a much better gumshoe than her boss) and a roving reporter with a heart of gold who believes in the power of the press. There's also the fact that Cage is fighting Brendan 'In Bruges' Gleeson, but more on that below.

You're an investigator... investigate

The year is 1933 and Ben Reilly is far from your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. In fact, he's kind of a jerk. But he's the Looney Tunes version of a jerk a la Daffy Duck or Yosemite Sam… which makes him entirely lovable despite his unyielding pessimism and inability to pay his own secretary, Janet (played by the bright and witty Karen Rodriguez). The show takes place five years after the death of Ben's beloved wife Ruby, and it's her death that made him hang up the suit and cease to be New York City's only superhero.

When we first meet Ben, the detective biz isn't doing too well, though he's too wrapped up in his own snarky misery to care. When a case comes across his desk that he can't pass up, however, he has no choice but to put on the suit (which he buried in the wall of the apartment he and Ruby used to share) and save the city from mob boss Silvermane (Gleeson), who has surrounded himself with a few superpowered villains that the avid comic book reader (and watcher of Spider-Man: The Animated Series) might recognize.

Cage has previously said that the character is a blend of Humphrey Bogart and Bugs Bunny, but that he mainly wanted to play Ben Reilly as "a spider pretending to be a human." As much as I think the latter is supposed to explain why Ben is a bit stiff and weird, I think Ben was probably stiff and weird before he got powers (we'll keep the precise nature of Ben's origins under wraps, as it's a fun surprise). And I love that about him. Cage even has that dramatic, Old Hollywood leading-man tone of voice down.

The rest of the characters don't feel very 1930s, but that in and of itself adds to the delightful campiness of the entire show, even if it does contribute to the overall inconsistency in tone. Cat Hardy (played by the enchanting Li Jun Li) thinks she's Dorothy Vallens in Blue Velvet, and Dirk Leydon, aka Megawatt (Andrew Lewis Caldwell), thinks he's Max Cady from Cape Fear, but he's actually Quint from Jaws. And you might be wondering: who the heck is Megawatt? Don't you mean Electro? Nope.

It would've been easy to incorporate the entire Sinister Six into the mix, because they're arguably some of the most recognizable among Spidey's Rogues gallery. Megawatt was introduced in a 1993 Spider-Man comic and has never been in an animated or live-action anything. And though his facial markings seem similar, that's not Rhino… that's Tombstone (Abraham Popoola). The most recognizable out of the bunch is Flint Marko aka Sandman (played by none other than Boardwalk Empire's Jack Huston). Each bad guy wears their powers on their face and arms in the form of veins that look lightning strikes or patches of sand that look like scales.

While I'm sure some might find the costumes, or lackthereof, underwhelming (as only Spider-Noir is allowed wear a proper superhero costume, it seems), I found it pretty unique. Though these features become even more muted in black and white.

Black and white and red all over

Speaking of which, the show has two viewing options: "Authentic Black and White" and "True-Hue Full Color." Now, the show was not filmed in black and white, and it was actually Cage who thought it'd be fun for the series to be shown in both black and white and color: the first option meant to emulate those truly gritty, pulpy noir vibes from classic movies, and the second meant to appeal to a younger viewers who aren't used to grayscale. I can't believe I'm saying this at my big age, but Cage made the right call in having color be an option (and it helps that the colors are very bright and comic book-y).

For some reason, my eyes have always associated black and white with "in memoriam," and it's harder for me to stay focused. I played around with switching back and forth while watching the series (nearly three times through, mind you), and I don't think the black-and-white option really adds to the 1933s, soft-boiled detective mood the show is going for. It's another element that makes the show unique, but it doesn't really do much else. Plus, you can't see Robertson's colorful attire, or Cat Hardy's absolutely stunning makeup and golden stage attire.

I don't know, I think he's still got it

There are a handful of moments throughout the season that are presented as big, dramatic plot twists to the viewer (and I won't share any of those here, as we're keeping this spoiler-free), but even the characters themselves don't seem very fazed by what's going on. I don't know if this is purposely meant to illustrate that each character lives in their own little world, nor do I know if it's the writing or direction that truly fails these moments. It could also be the way the show is paced. But it's the lack of gasps and wows that make the show more of a fun, low-stakes romp rather than say Marvel prestige TV.

Is that totally fine for what it is? Yes. Do I wish the show felt bigger, and maybe more on par with that of a Disney Plus or even a pre-Disney Netflix Marvel show? Also yes. The danger just doesn't hit the way I want it to, and that's okay. This is all part of the whole curing your superhero fatigue thing: it's all meant to hit differently.

And if you want something to hit differently, Nicolas Cage is definitely the man for the job. One of the highlights of the entire series is Ben's chemistry with Janet, who I loved more than anyone else and was genuinely delighted every time we cut to a scene of her sitting behind the front desk at Ben's office. I would happily watch a spin-off about Janet and her own wacky detective adventures.

Should a second season be greenlit, I hope we get something much, much bigger (and, if we're going by the Spider-Man Noir comics, I would really like to see 1933s Depression-era Norman Osborn enter into the mix somehow). But between Spider-Noir and Wonder Man, I hope this is a sign that superhero TV is moving into a different direction, ushering in a new formula-less era. Then again, I would also watch Nicolas Cage read aloud from an old phonebook for eight 45-minute-long episodes – even in black and white.

Spider-Noir premieres in its entirety on MGM Plus in the US on May 25. It drops globally via Prime Video on May 27. For more, check out our list of upcoming Marvel shows.

I won’t lie – I find the existence of The Spectrum White Edition pretty amusing. Let’s just say it’s giving “Star Wars alternate universe where Darth Vader lives after Return of the Jedi and switches from black to white armour to signify his fresh start.” Yet, there is a reason why Retro Games Ltd has re-released its plug-and-play ZX Spectrum, one historically linked to the man whose name is no longer on the microcomputer.

You see, The Spectrum White Edition is a nod to the “one millionth” ZX Spectrum produced. The commemorative unit was gifted to the microcomputer’s creator, Clive Sinclair, back in 1982, by the Timex factory that once stood in Dundee, Scotland. The now MIA machine featured a white shell instead of the usual black, and while I’m sure retro console collectors would rather find that lucrative original, this variant at least pays tribute to the fabled system.

It just so happens that this commemorative white version of The Spectrum is my first time testing the emulation-based microcomputer. That means it’s up to the clinical new colorway to convince me it’s worth the more expensive £129.99 / $199 price tag and give me a taste for the base plug-and-play innards within.

What’s in the box?

Retro Games Limited has a sort of rhythm in terms of box contents. Typically, you’ll get the same elongated box cloaked in a slip cover that reveals the star attractions. To the left, you’ve got “The Spectrum” itself in full squishy top-down keyboard view, while “The Joystick” in its matching white and red get-up is to the right. Unlike older releases like the C64 Mini, though, the included USB that’s obviously dubbed “The Microdrive” also gets a stage presence, and yes, it’s white.

Lurking beneath all that, you’ve got a wee compartment for the included USB and HDMI cables, alongside a tiny free copy of “Crash Magazine.” The free zine is packed with reviews, and while it’s a nod to the original that UK Speccy fans would have been reading back in the ‘80s, this is actually a taster for a mag that’s alive and well in 2026, published by Fusion Retro Books.

Everything from the matching white cables to that aforementioned free magazine prove are exactly what you’d want from a collectable like The Spectrum. The package doesn’t leave you wanting for anything when it comes to playing games on the microcomputer, but I am bummed that it doesn’t come with The Gamepad or even the newly released Quickshot II joystick remake. These would have been nice additions, especially if you’re double-dipping after grabbing the black 2024 release, but I’m perhaps asking for a little too much.

Sticking to the Spectrum design script

Retro Games Ltd has mastered the art of making tiny replicas of old microcomputers and systems, but The Spectrum isn’t a mini console. It’s actually a full-size remake of the original ZX Spectrum that, despite being white this time around, looks almost indistinguishable from the original. Naturally, it’s hiding a bunch of modern ports around back, but when it comes to mimicry, it feels like it’s comparable to the way the Commodore 64 Ultimate accurately reenvisioned the OG C64.

Of course, Retro Games Ltd does attempt full-size remakes from time to time, having previously made a to-scale C64 with a functioning keyboard. It feels like The Spectrum is a potential comfort zone for the microcomputer maker, as the OG machine is already notably small, and sticking with ROMs and emulation-based functionality somehow still feels true to the spirit of an original setup.

Before I get to running games, I do want to gush over The Spectrum’s build quality. My original ZX Spectrum is sadly in storage right now, but I have an everlasting sense for the microcomputer’s weighty blend of plastic and metal. Retro Games Ltd has absolutely nailed the look and feel with this remake, perfectly replicating everything from the textured finish on the top bezel to the metallic plate housing the delightfully upsetting rubber keyboard.

Let’s be clear: it’s the rubber keyboard that makes The Spectrum a ZX Spectrum. Even if you’re not into rattling out lines of code on something that feels like zombie flesh, being able to experience the early membrane keeb, albeit with fresher presses since it’s not 40 years old, makes this plug-and-play an interactive time capsule. I’m particularly nerdy about remakes retaining original physical elements, so getting to press down on accurately mushy plastic is a personal selling point.

I should take a moment to highlight the “White Edition” part of this specific Speccy. Naturally, I’ve only ever seen blurry archive photos of the late Sir Clive Sinclair holding his special Millionth ZX Spectrum, so I can’t really speak to whether it’s an accurate recreation. I guess not many people can, but the vibe I’m getting is that this version of The Spectrum feels more like a “what if?” retail replica rather than a representation of what the one-of-a-kind relic would have looked like.

The fact that photos online depict the OG white ZX Spectrum with a silver keyboard plate hammer home the differences with this remake. I’d argue elements like the red logo text on top signify that Retro Games Ltd isn’t really going for a 100% accurate recreation, though, which makes sense given that it can’t have the original “Sinclair” branding up top (you’ve got Alan Sugar, Amstrad’s purchase of the original company, and the fact Sky now owns the legacy brands to thank for that.)

The Spectrum setup is simple (until it isn’t)

I firmly classify The Spectrum as a plug-and-play console. That may upset some of you out there, and I can see why, since it largely functions like the original machine when you ignore the lack of cassette tape deck compatibility. However, it pertains to the sensation of whacking in an HDMI cable, hooking up the USB cable to a power source, and jumping into some crunchy 8-bit classics within seconds.

All of this largely rings true for The Spectrum, and it’s the main reason to pick up the microcomputer remake. This machine will save you from the torment of injecting old tape audio into the machine in real time, as all it takes is one mistranslation of the iconic squealing to be greeted with the dreaded “tape loading error” message. Instead, you’ll have the option to just dive into carousel-style library entries with full artwork and box descriptions, but there may be a silly power situation on your hands before you get to that.

For whatever reason, The Spectrum is extremely fussy with USB power. This is actually an issue that extends backwards to releases like the Atari 400 Mini, as Retro Games Ltd devices seem to be allergic to USB-C ports that use a Power Delivery protocol. Basically, using a USB-A to USB-C cable and a simple 5V charging brick is non-negotiable, and that’s pretty annoying if you’re like me and use a power hub that can easily send the right power over USB-C for everything these days.

I’ll admit, the lack of Power Delivery support is a small gripe, one that wouldn’t deter me from recommending The Spectrum. It does leave me wondering why a plug-and-play would choose to use such a restrictive power system in 2026, since it’s targeting collectors who’ll have more than one mini console at their setup. It’s situations like this where I feel like not including a specific USB power brick leaves room for complaint, as I feel like I’d have less right to moan about having to rummage through my big drawer of old wall warts.

Ports, ports, and more ports

Hiding around the back of The Spectrum’s accurate shell is a nice helping of modern ports. Normally, I’d take a moment to grumble about there only being an HDMI port rather than an old analogue connector for one of my many CRTs, but the original ZX Spectrum is actually a nightmare for connectivity. For starters, it only included RF, and if you’ve already checked out my guide on how to connect your retro console to a modern TV or monitor, you’ll know that means tuning it into a station,

Worse still, the first ZX Spectrum model doesn’t even have controller ports, instead relying on adapters that precariously cling to an edge connector. Therefore, I’m more than happy to instead use HDMI and four USB ports to hook everything up to The Spectrum, as while it’d be fun to use old 9-pin joysticks and hook up to an old CRT, those are impossible to include without disrupting the spirit of the original design.

Four USB ports might feel pretty generous, but they’ll be put to good use. The Spectrum benefits from pretty wide controller compatibility, not to mention the included Kempston-style joystick will occupy one off the bat. If you plan on using your own backed-up ROMs using “The Microdrive”, that’ll grab another, which leaves you with two spare for a secondary player or an external keyboard, should you fancy trying to code using Basic.

Forgive me, but I’m going to revert to previous grumblings and say I do The Spectrum had cassette tape inputs. I’m aware that adding the components required to actually input audio via a 3.5mm jack, then turn the analogue wave into digital data, would drive up the cost, and it’d probably result in a machine more like the FPGA-based ZX Spectrum Next (they’ll also set you back around £400 when they’re actually in stock). Still, I like the idea of dragging out my fruit box of dusty old tapes and playing them on this HDMI remake in the same manner as the C64 Ultimate.

Swinging into Speccy classics

As is tradition with Retro Games Ltd remakes and minis, The Spectrum will immediately present you with 48 built-in games via a carousel menu. If you’re new to the Speccy’s 8-bit library, you’re in for a treat since the collection features everything from bona fide classics to more recent releases that feel contemporary, but still feature those sickly 15 colors and hardware limitations.

I am fully aware that the ZX Spectrum is largely a UK phenomenon that gained momentum while the US was processing the video game crash. Yes, it did show up as the Timex Sinclair 2068 to take on other microcomputers like the C64, but there are still tons of games from the platform that are sort of region-specific. You’ll recognize some outings thanks to cross-ports, like The Hobbit, but I imagine players who didn’t grow up alongside the system in the ‘80s will have plenty of mysterious outings to dive into.

Even if you are well acquainted with classics like Manic Miner, Way of the Exploding Fist, Horace Goes Skiing, and Saboteur, you’ll have a few new and revamped favorites to try. Standout additions to the lineup include Alien Girl, a maze shooter that has you gunning down Xenomorphs, Shovel Adventure, a puzzle platformer that’s a bit like a more complex Dig-Dug, and El Stompo, a green blob on a platforming mission to fix broken TVs (wait, isn’t that just me?)

Basically, you’re getting innovative Spectrum outings spanning over 40 years, but I feel like the carousel could better honor that fact. While the menu displays game art, a synopsis, and even a little emblem representing the original media (i.e, tape, floppy, or cartridge), it avoids including release date info. Essentially, I would have preferred if all the game info within the included edition of Crash Magazine were attached to the carousel, as it would have helped it serve as a comprehensive archive.

Otherwise, I do think flicking through the baked-in adventures, quickly checking out their specific deets, then diving in is a satisfying experience. There’s enough going on with the 48 games to satiate your quick cravings for some microcomputer capers, or provide you with something a bit extra if you’re planning to give proper attention to the hits. If you’re worried you’ll get your fill from the plug-and-play setup too quick, though, you’ll be pleased to hear that The Spectrum will run your own ROMs, provided you’ve got your old games backed up.

That’s naturally why “The Microdrive” is included in the box. You can use your own stick, but the included rubberised 8GB USB has more than enough room to fit every commercially released ZX Spectrum game, and I reckon you wouldn’t even get halfway if you throw in the homebrews too. The only real gripe I have with the drive is that the rubber housing on mine came off upon trying to remove it from the system, but I could probably remedy that with some glue.

Being able to just whack in your own collection and harness the tailored emulation capabilities of The Spectrum is neat, but it’s not without wants. Upon popping in the drive, you’ll gain access to your ROMs via a simple text directory, but there’s no way to add them to the main carousel. The microcomputer would have gained points if there were a way to display files in the same manner as its built-in counterparts, complete with artwork. But alas, your own titles won’t receive the same integration.

On the flipside, I am pretty impressed with the boot options for custom ROMs, as the menu is pretty comprehensive. You can tweak everything from the ZX Spectrum model you want to emulate, tape loading speed (for if you’d rather listen to five minutes of screeching), and default joysticks.

Sparse Spectrum settings

I’m going to preemptively acknowledge the fact that The Spectrum has a “CRT filter” and some other display options before criticizing its settings menu. I’ve tested some retro consoles that feature fewer dials than that, but I couldn’t help but feel like Retro Games Ltd could have fleshed out its scanline types for this microcomputer.

For what it’s worth, the CRT filter does look a bit like an early ‘80s TV, featuring the aforementioned scanlines for some pixel separation and a slight blur effect to represent the messy look of RF video signals. Having been spoiled by the Analogue 3D with its far fancier overlays that mimic specific shadow masks and aperture grilles, I am left wondering if emulation-based plug-and-play devices could do more. At the very least, it’d be sweet to have toggles for things like sharpness, scanline thickness, or even the option for vertical separation, but I am wary that those tricks could gobble up more of the Allwinner H3 SoC’s processing power.

Credit where credit’s due, The Spectrum does leave room for various borders and the option to retain the colored overscan areas used by the original machine. You can also enable extended colors for modern games that ditch the authentic color clash technique. I’d just love to see future machines go a bit further, if for nothing else than to prove that more can be done to portray old graphics on new displays.

Getting jiggy with The Joystick

As much as this will horrify some of you, the “default” way to play games on The Spectrum is using the rubber keyboard. The black version used this as an excuse for not including a controller, but the white version specifically includes a matching version of The Joystick. I should note that most USB gamepads do work with the microcomputer, which is neat, but using an accessory inspired by an original Kempston joystick makes sense from a purist perspective.

Objectively, this version of The Joystick feels nicer than the one included with the C64 Mini. If you were previously offended by the mushier feel of the original’s membranes, you’ll be delighted to hear that this variant fully embraces the power of microswitches. Sadly, the result is something that is now just comically clicky and sort of unpleasant to use.

I was to stress the fact that it’s a subjective take, and it’s worth noting I’m not a fan of even the best original joysticks either. Nevertheless, slick switches fail to resolve some other inherent issues with the design, like the excessive height of the buttons themselves and the hollow clunk produced by presses.

Wide USB controller compatibility is The Spectrum’s saving grace, as it means if you aren’t into the accompanying joystick, you can use almost any pad you like. I’ve actually been making my way through the microcomputer’s library using the Retro Fighters Hunter, an OG Xbox controller with a wireless 2.4GHz receiver, and it even automatically mapped the buttons on my behalf.

No, it’s not remotely an authentic way to play, but it beats rattling around a microswitched stick awkwardly while trying not to ruin Horace’s skiing holiday by having him wrestle with traffic.

Should you pick up The Spectrum White Edition?

It’s pretty easy to love The Spectrum, and it makes for an excellent way to both dive into a collection of obscure classics or run your own romps. The white version is perhaps better suited to collectors who’ll appreciate the novelty of the colorway, especially since it’s a tad more expensive. But, that doesn’t change the fact that this microcomputer remake perfectly captures the physical essence of using an original ZX Spectrum, laced with modern conveniences that help elevate the overall experience.

I have no real grievances with The Spectrum. Instead, I’ve got more of a wish list of things I’d like to see from future microcomputers. Smaller matters, like hitting resolutions over 720p via HDMI, since we’re all using 4K TVs and monitors these days, are on that list, and I’d like to see the visual options fleshed out a bit more to satiate CRT-loving dorks like me. I’d personally also have preferred to get The Gamepad in the box over the included Joystick, but I’m wary of that being a specific preference.

I do think Retro Games Ltd should have a look at the way it approaches powering its minis and reemakes, though. This is something other device makers are guilty of, too, but by not including a power brick in the box, players instead have to worry about finding a compatible adapter since the fast chargers paired with most phones in 2026 won’t do (and even just basic USB-C protocols can be a pain.) Ideally, future devices will use standards like Power Delivery so that those of us with multiple machines can use hubs to keep everything powered at once.

All that aside, The Spectrum hits all the right notes when it comes to replicating the ZX Spectrum experience. The white version specifically makes sense if you’ve already got the old microcomputer, or that weirdly accurate USB keyboard remake from a few years back on your shelf, but I’d give the same praise to the previously released black version, too.

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Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship might not be as familiar to the masses as the X-Wing, TIE Fighter or Millennium Falcon, but among Star Wars fans, the bounty hunting vessel that spanned both the original and prequel trilogies is just as iconic. And yet, up until 2025, the ship’s striking-blue Attack of the Clones guise had only ever featured as a mainline set way back in 2002.

Lego was much more dedicated to delivering the vessel under the proprietorship of fan-favorite, Boba Fett, going so far as to release the UCS Slave I (75060) back in 2015. This representation of the starship as it appeared in The Empire Strikes Back has become a coveted UCS classic and one of the best Lego sets ever released. So much so, I found it hard to believe that the formula could be improved upon.

Still, as a self-confessed Fett superfan, I jumped at the chance to add Jango’s infamous ship to my personal collection. If you haven’t built a UCS set before, the Ultimate Collector Series is Lego Star Wars’ premium range, boasting its largest and most prototypically accurate sets. As such, I won’t hold back my judgment. After all, Lego has set the bar exceedingly high.

Lego UCS Jango Fett’s Starship (75409) Features

• 2,970 pieces
• 18+ age rating
• One exclusive minifigure

The Lego Star Wars UCS Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship (75409) retails for $299.99 / £259.99, which sits at the lower end of the price-per-piece average. Compare this set to, say, the UCS Lego Star Wars AT-ST Walker (75417) at £179.99 / $199.99, for roughly half the number of pieces, and it’s not a bad price for a Lego set in 2026.

It’s also worth remembering that Lego sets get discounted more frequently nowadays, and indeed, I picked this set up for a healthy discount, making it extremely good value. I’m a big fan of these mid-range UCS sets, because they’re big enough to be a real show-stopping centerpiece, while avoiding the extremely expensive price tags of giants such as the UCS Millennium Falcon (75192) and UCS Jabba’s Sail Barge (75397).

Lego Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship (75409) build

• 10-hour build
• A challenge to put together
• 25 stickers

If you’ve built the original UCS Slave I (75060) then Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship (75409) will feel somewhat familiar, but maybe not quite as familiar as you’d expect. While the protruding central structures are similar in concept, this latest incarnation’s ovular rear is much more accurate, and to achieve this almost perfect curvature, the designers have taken a noticeably different route.

What I can’t get my head around is that despite this set being roughly the same size as its predecessor, its piece count is increased by nearly 50%. That’s 2,970 pieces spread across 23 paper-bagged sections as opposed to just 1,996 pieces. When you pick this thing up, you suddenly realize where those extra pieces have gone – it’s heavy.

Unlike the UCS X-Wing Starfighter (75355), which is largely dominated by its gangly S-foils and the UCS AT-ST Walker (75417) with its large, hollow interior, Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship is dense. The hull is built by layer upon layer of Lego bricks and Technic pieces and don’t you know it when you attempt to pick this hefty lump of a set up.

Not to take anything away from Lego’s incredible designers here, but usually, when you build a Lego set, you at least know where it’s going. Most pieces slowly reveal the bigger picture, like a comic-book artist’s sketch. But building this UCS set is a little like watching Bob Ross splotch seemingly random blobs of paint all over the canvas, before the picture reveals itself later down the line.

I spent a good portion of this build marvelling as abstract collections of pieces slowly revealed themselves, which built anticipation, but would certainly struggle to hold the attention of Lego padawans. Speaking of, this set certainly earns its 18+ moniker. I’ve built a lot of Lego sets in my time, and this sits right up there with the UCS Republic Gunship (75309) as one of the hardest I’ve built.

The odd, questionable instructions diagram doesn’t help, but this is an advanced build nonetheless. It relies on a lot of Technic pieces to achieve some very tricky angles, as well as to securely hold sections together. As any Lego fan will know, Technic pieces don’t always play ball, so be prepared for a little trial and error when trying to get multiple axles to clip into place.

The often abstract nature of this build makes it easy to miss pieces, too. On several occasions, I had to backtrack because I ended up with a piece that was simply too large to be a spare at the end of a bag (one was buried very deep!). And yet, this is the kind of challenge you want with a UCS build. I was a model maker in a past life and Lego is never that challenging (I wouldn’t want it to be), but this set is utterly deserving of its UCS moniker, and I had a blast putting it together.

As far as fun build techniques go, this set makes great use of clips to subtly change a section’s orientation so you can get the perfect angle. There are a few creative instances where studs don’t actually connect and a piece is slotted into a position where it’s secured but not physically bound.

A lovely example of the designers’ ingenuity is two light green, triangular plates on either side of the ship’s entry ramp. You wouldn’t know it, but this crazy angle is achieved by pressing each plate onto a rod connected to a ball joint, which you can then angle into the desired position.

The entry ramp itself deserves a mention, too. Press it down, and the entrance to the ship is automatically raised, thanks to a hidden mechanism built using various Technic beams and pins. It’s a simple mechanism, but it works beautifully and is a step up from the hinged flap on the previous incarnation.

What I don’t enjoy when building a Lego set is stickers. I know they’re a necessary evil, but when it comes to the Ultimate Collector Series, I feel very strongly that stickers should be kept to a minimum and we should be treated to more printed pieces. There are very few printed pieces in this set. In fact, beyond the two minifigures and the plaque, I think that’s about it.

I can understand that exterior stickers are necessary to replicate the paint job – take care when applying two very long stickers, either side of the canopy – but I’m not impressed that all of the cockpit panels are stickers. I also really dislike having to add minuscule stickers to two-studded tiles. These are arguably the most challenging to apply neatly, and when the Lego Ideas Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (21360) gets five exquisitely printed golden tickets, I can’t understand why this set can’t get three printed Aurebesh tiles.

But the most egregious sticker faux pas regard that huge (and admittedly delightful) cockpit canopy and the seismic charge on the ship's rear. I thought cockpit canopy stickers were a remnant of the dark times. The UCS X-Wing has a printed canopy, the UCS Razor Crest (75331) has a printed canopy, heck, even the Dark Falcon (75389) playset has a one-off, gorgeous red-and-black printed canopy.

So you can imagine my surprise when I was faced with two (albeit small) stickers to place on the huge centrepiece cockpit canopy of Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship. And guess what? I was so focused on getting them lined up perfectly, I put them in the wrong place! Thankfully, I was able to carefully peel them both off and reposition them, but if I hadn’t been able to, it would have ruined this glorious-looking ship.

As for the seismic charge, it’s barely two inches long, and it features five stickers. Four of these stickers wrap around the pair of 2x2 domes. I applied them all on my first attempt (they weren’t stuck down and then reapplied), but a week later, I spun the ship around and found that each end of all four stickers had lifted. This simply isn’t good enough for an Ultimate Collector Series set.

Lego UCS Jango Fett’s Starship (75409) design

• Incredible accuracy
• Slide-out interior
• Premium Jango Fett Minifigure

This set looks fantastic. Despite the UCS Slave I being over a decade old, I really didn’t think that Boba Fett’s iconic ship needed to be revisited any time soon due to its incredible accuracy. The Attack of the Clones variant clearly gave Lego an excuse to return to the bounty hunters’ modded Firespray under Jango’s ownership and now that I’ve built it, it’s a definite step up.

The original UCS Slave I still looks incredible, but it’s not nearly as refined. I can liken it to already impressive last-gen graphics that have just been treated to a modern remaster. It’s only when you go back to the original that you realise how much has been improved.

The OG ship was always a bit of an outlier in regards to other Original Trilogy vehicles such as the X-Wing, AT-AT and Star Destroyer. Get past the battered paint job and you’re left with a sleek and curvaceous vehicle that’s more in line with prequel designs such as the Republic Gunship and Naboo Starfighter than the lived-in rust buckets of Star Wars' ‘70s and ‘80s roots.

This isn’t an angular AT-AT, it’s a very difficult ship to replicate in Lego form, and the designers have gone beyond what I thought possible. Gaps are minimal and curves are accurate, surely it can’t get any better than this? Even the rear of this ship is a real treat, showcasing just how well Lego has nailed the ovular shape.

The ship is full of lovely details, too. I particularly like the stabilizer fins on either side of the ship. Not only do they look fantastic, but they freely rotate depending on whether the ship is displayed upright or landed. The twin blaster canons at the base of the ship can be rotated by hand and share a fixed axle, so they spin in unison.

The back of the ship is almost as detailed as the front, with particular care and attention paid to the sublight engines, which feature a fluorescent-yellow coloring that really pops. An often overlooked touch is the transparent 1x1 square panels and 1x1 circular tiles that are evenly spread across 11 places on the ship’s rear. These subtly raise the ship when it’s in a landed position to give the impression that it’s hovering slightly, as per the movies.

The seismic charge can be hidden behind a pair of panels or the panels can be moved aside to reveal the weapon. Unfortunately, you have to physically move the panels by pulling them off and reattaching them. It’s easy to remove them when the hatch is open, but when it’s closed, you really need to pull down the flap beneath the hatch to prise off the doors.

I can’t imagine it would have been too hard to introduce a sliding door mechanism here, and indeed, there are mods out there that do just that. The charge itself is fiddly to remove, and if you’re not careful, it will fall into the belly of the ship. I can only assume that’s why Lego included the aforementioned flap, since you can open that up and tip the ship to retrieve a lost charge.

While I love building UCS sets, I’m a sucker for a good playset, and what I really like about Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship is that it has the rare distinction of being a UCS set that’s roughly minifigure scale. This means that both Jango and Boba fit neatly into the cockpit, and what a fantastic little cockpit it is. And while I stand by wanting more printed pieces, I do like the sticker that contains a yellow outline of the ship, this is actually seen off to Jango’s right in the movie, although I kind of wish the other sticker featured Obi-Wan’s Jedi starfighter, as per the movie, too.

You can fit three minifigures in the main bridge and below, there’s passenger seating for two more. A lovely touch is that the bridge slides out so you can easily add/remove figures. This does mean that it doesn’t rotate, like the Boba Fett UCS set, so that the cockpit is properly orientated depending on whether the ship is displayed on its stand or lying flat. But I think both the easier access and the passenger seating are a fair tradeoff.

You also gain access to a hidden back panel when the cockpit is removed, which features a small bacta tank and storage for Jango’s pistols and jetpack. There’s no official storage for the helmet, but I’ve found that you can slide it neatly onto the back of one of the seats and it’ll stay put.

I was initially concerned about how stable the ship would feel on the comparatively small stand, given its hefty weight. However, the stand does seem to be plenty sturdy. You do have to be careful when handling the ship itself, as there’s really no obvious way to grip it. I generally hold the protruding body of the ship while supporting the rear with my other hand.

When it comes to attaching the stand, there are two not-so-obvious gaps on the rear of the ship, where the stand slots in. I find it’s best to bring the stand to the ship (as opposed to the other way around). Once slotted in place, you can carefully rest both the ship and the stand on a flat surface.

As for the stability of the ship itself, I think it’s fine. I have seen complaints online of bits falling off, but I really haven’t experienced that. Despite the minifigure scale, it’s important to remember that this is first and foremost a set for display. It’s not built to be flown around the room like a playset.

You won’t find me complaining about the number of minifigures included in this UCS set. Jango and Boba are all we needed and they’re both here. But when it comes to quality, it’s a tale of two halves. I firmly believe that UCS sets should include definitive versions of each minifigure and while Jango is the best version of the Mandalorian yet, Boba is a downgrade in quality from the minifigure that was included in 2017’s Jedi Starfighter with Hyperdrive (75191).

Lego has never gotten the color of Boba or Jango’s purple-hued fabrics quite right, but the lighter sleeves on this latest incarnation of young Boba simply don’t look as good as the previous generation’s darker sleeves. I also preferred the predecessor’s mischievous face print, but perhaps the most egregious change is the young clone’s hairpiece. The 2017 figure’s medium-length middle parting was spot on, but for some reason, Lego has swapped this out for a messy side-swept fringe that makes Boba look more like the sixth member of My Chemical Romance than a Mandalorian clone…

Thankfully, Jango is everything you could ask for from a modern Lego Star Wars minifigure. He’s essentially the same excellent figure that featured in the Jango Fett’s Starship (75433) playset, but with one key difference: printed arms. If you know anything about Star Wars minifigures, you’ll know that the Fetts have a bit of history when it comes to printed arms, *ahem* Cloud City (10123), and already this minifigure is fetching a pretty price online.

You get exquisite printing throughout, face (front and back), torso (front and back), hips, legs and feet are all printed, and the helmet is beautiful. My only real critique comes from the Obi-Wan Kenobi minifigure in Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi Starfighter (75333). Kenobi’s face print features the headset that he wears in the cockpit, and it really would have been the icing on the cake if Lego had treated Jango in a similar fashion.

Should you buy the Lego UCS Jango Fett’s Starship (75409)?

I was ready to award this set five stars, something it deserves on so many levels. But I cannot get away from the fact that awkward sticker placements, a below-par Boba Fett minifigure, and the occasionally frustrating instructional diagram prevent a perfect score. And I don’t Force push that half a star away lightly. I’m always more critical of Ultimate Collector Series sets because of the investment in time and money, and also the incredibly high bar that Lego has set for itself.

Despite all that, this is still one of the most impressive UCS sets Lego has ever released. The UCS Slave I (75060) was supposed to be as good as it gets and it boggles my mind that Lego’s designers were able to go one better. Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship is a marvel of modern building techniques and is one of the most advanced models Billund has ever produced.

Other plus points include a sublime Jango Fett minifigure, a relatively reasonable price point, and a stunning little interior. Prequel-era UCS sets don’t come along often. If you’re a fan of Attack of the Clones, Jango or the prequels in general, this is one set you don’t want to miss. Jango might have been just a simple man, trying to make his way in the universe, but his starship is as complicated as it gets (in Lego form at least...).

Ratings

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Lego Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship (75409)

This review sample was purchased by me for my personal collection.

I built the Lego Star Wars UCS Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship (75409) in multiple sittings over the course of a week. I then displayed it in my study before photographing it – this gave me a chance to move the set around to test its stability and play features.

I’ve been a hardcore Star Wars fan since the late ‘90s, and have been collecting Lego since the beginning of the decade. From Pirates to Bionicle and beyond, you can rest assured that I’ve got the brick-building experience and Jedi training to critique Lego’s latest.

For more information on our procedure, take a look at how we test products.

For more from a galaxy far, far away, don't miss the best Star Wars toys.

I fondly remember playing with little green army men in the dirt when I was little, pitting the soldiers against all manners of horrors and nefarious foes, from the Ninja Turtles’ Shredder to Lord Zedd from Power Rangers, and more. I would often recruit the beat-up and battle-worn soldiers of my older brother’s G.I. JOE squads to help turn the tide of battle, with the likes of Duke, Snake Eyes, and Shipwreck – decorated heroes of the cartoon character wars in my backyard. When I saw that Renegade Games was bringing the forces of the JOEs and COBRA to the hexes of Heroscape, these long-dormant memories came rushing back, and I was ready to fight off the forces of evil with the familiar faces from my youth in this new battle arena.

Heroscape has seen a revival in recent years with entries like Heroscape: Age of Annihilation thanks to Renegade Game Studios, and the new G.I. JOE Heroscape: Rumble at the Rift set marks the first crossover content of this new generation. This latest release gives players not only prominent members of both the JOEs and COBRA to add into their armies, from the Greenshirt grunts and COBRA Troopers to the Baroness and Duke, but also fun JOE-inspired glyphs like the Jump Pack that lets a unit fly for a round. And for fans of the ninjas (and frankly, who isn’t), both Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are here too.

Heroscape G.I. Joe features & design

• A self-contained starter set for the wargame
• Adds beloved characters from the cartoon

In addition to some really neat new COBRA and G.I. JOE units, you will get some fun new terrain tiles to mix into your pool for building out your maps. An almost neon green version of your typical water and ground tiles, the dangerous Toxic Water and ground tiles reduce the defense of any unfortunate unit caught on them, along with the solid black Shadow tile that Storm Shadow utilizes to buff their defense. They all make for some great additions to any tub of Heroscape tiles.

Similar to the more recent sets that Renegade has put out, the G.I. JOE line includes both unpainted miniatures (with a slight wash on them to help details pop) or, for an extra fee, fully painted miniature options. That means whether you want to pick up the JOE or COBRA grunt army boxes, the strike boxes featuring extra heroes, or the self-contained battle box, Rumble at the Rift, you can enjoy surprisingly solid-looking painted figures right out of the box. All the colors and details pop, with Duke’s classic yellow top and the bright blue sleeveless suits of the Crimson Twins instantly taking me back to my childhood every time they hit the field.

Much like the ’80s-inspired looks, I found myself appreciating how the team has adapted the traits and personalities of these characters into the Heroscape format to really hit home the nostalgia. Abilities like Doctor Mindbender’s “Bend Mind 13,” which allows you to take control of one of your opponent’s units for the turn, or how Scarlet’s toolkit calls back to the classic saying that any kid who watched the show knows, with “Now You Know” and “Knowing Is Half the Battle,” both of which focus on learning about your opponent’s plans and, as a result, allowing her to exploit weaknesses and lower the defense of a unit she attacks. Perhaps my favorite of the bunch, though, is Cobra Commander’s “I’ll Get You Next Time,” strictly from a flavor standpoint – allowing him to escape to safety by moving a few spaces without taking leaving engagement attacks reminds me of the end of all those classic cartoons. So much personality is in these units that even if you have never played HeroScape before but just count yourself as a G.I. JOE fan, I think you will find something to enjoy here.

Gameplay

• An accessible yet engaging entry-point to wargames
• Provides everything you need to play
• A promising sign of things to come

I am someone who has really only gotten into Heroscape during its modern resurgence, so while I fondly remember the commercials from back in the day, my collection of miniatures and map pieces consists solely of the more fantasy-inspired armies. Seeing my polar bear warriors and dragons alongside the likes of army men and Cobra Commander has given me a bit of whiplash, but in the best way. This is also where the HeroScape system continues to shine due to the fact that all these new G.I. JOE units can be used with the rest of the Heroscape units and armies that have already been released.

As I mentioned back in my review of the big Age of Annihilation box set last year, one of the aspects I appreciate the most about Heroscape is how it manages to deliver an approachable yet still engaging tabletop miniature wargame experience, and the new Rumble at the Rift core box continues that trend. This box delivers an all-in-one Heroscape package with everything you need to get going right away, with G.I. JOE and COBRA armies ready to go, the tiles, and a scenario book to get you started. Even for longtime HeroScape players, the units in the box itself have some pretty neat abilities that will make it worthwhile to pick up, too.

While G.I. JOE never was at the top of my list of favorite cartoons, it is still one that I remember fondly growing up, but what this has got me most excited for is the prospect of Renegade Games releasing even more crossover sets for other properties. I would love sets that let me run Optimus Prime and other Autobots alongside the JOEs (something that has happened numerous times in the comics), or even perhaps squads of Power Rangers taking out Putty Patrols spread across Heroscape’s signature hex tiles.

Should you buy Heroscape G.I. JOE?

So much of this first crossover release for modern Heroscape has left me with a smile on my face and hopeful dreams of what is to come down the line. For Heroscape players, there are some fun new mechanics and characters to roll into your army lists, and for fans of the old G.I. JOE cartoon and comics, there is plenty to love and check out too, even if it’s just the neat-looking pre-painted minis to put on your shelf. Heroscape continues to be one of the most approachable and welcoming tabletop miniature wargames out there for new players of all ages, and G.I. JOE: Rumble at the Rift battle box and accompanying products only plant that flag deeper into the ground.

Ratings

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How we tested G.I. JOE Heroscape: Rumble at the Rift

This review was conducted using a sample provided by the publisher.

After familiarizing themselves with the rules for this specific expansion and comparing it to the core Heroscape system (which they were already familiar with), the reviewer tested the box's contents multiple times to get a better sense of how its armies handled.

For a more complete overview of our process, don't miss this guide to how we test board games or the full GamesRadar+ reviews policy.

Want more tabletop recommendations? Be sure to check out the best board games, the best card games, or the best tabletop RPGs.

“How about it, you lot,” Butcher says, looking at his team. “One last go?”

The miserable c**t was always blunt, but never on such a meta level. As with so many other finales, 'Blood And Bone' plays into this being the very end; every scene is loaded with knowing exposition, showrunner Erik Kripke attempting to stick the landing by calling back to the series’ beginnings, rounding off character arcs that started seven years ago, and reminding us how far – or how little – some of these Supes have come.

We start with the episode’s first eulogy, self-written by Frenchie, in which the deceased vigilante confesses to seeing everyone’s arseholes at one time or another, but, by knowing them all so intimately, they felt more like family. It’s a reminder of how the show balances the crude (many times cringeworthy) humor with a certain heart, and sets the tone for what’s to come: an ending that doesn’t shy away from sentimentality.

Butcher's way

Homelander flies to Ryan, his son, to invite him back to Vought Tower, where the two can reign over the world as gods. "The more powerful you get, the lonelier you become," Ryan says, neatly spelling out Homelander’s entire thematic arc – this is the finale, after all. Then, back to The Boys’ hideout, where Annie has her moment of enlightenment – she's no longer suicidal and wants to help the world – while simultaneously sending the Gen V kids on their way to a doomed season three. Seeing Marie Moreau again would have felt extra even without Gen V season 3's cancellation, but now it's almost completely superfluous (let's not talk about how the groundwork for Vought Rising was heavily laid earlier this season, too).

A couple more scenes to neatly tie narrative bows – Sage has her brainpower wiped and heads to Harry Potter World, The Deep is called out as a snivelling Homelander simp – and we're off to the races, Butcher's crew beelining to the White House.

It was inevitable that the season would come to this point, but it's strange how low-key it feels. When I interviewed Kripke before the premiere, he told me there would be no Game of Thrones-level battles, but that doesn't stop the final confrontations from being on the small side. The Deep and Annie disappear to a beach, surely strategically bad for Annie, unless she knew the fish would turn on Deep? A quick bust-up and that's over too quickly – but, then again, Deep hasn’t been much more than a punchline for a while now. Meanwhile, Hughie and MM are sidelined by Oh Father, an impactful Daveed Diggs, one of this season’s strongest performances. He dies from screaming into his kinky gag, introduced literally two scenes ago – an instant end to that threat.

And then Butcher and Ryan throw down with Homelander in the Oval Office, and only within those rounded walls, keeping everything feeling a little too tightly controlled. Perhaps it's because Thrones and Stranger Things had massive final set pieces that The Boys purposefully went the other way, yet you can’t help feeling like it should have gone bigger, for the White House to be torn to shreds and for Homelander to put up more of a fight. Not exactly the "scorched earth" that was promised.

Boys to men

Still, there are great moments littered throughout, none as funny as seeing Homelander trying to use his powers after they've just been eradicated. His little bounce as he attempts to fly has all the makings of another meme. Anthony Starr has given a powerhouse performance throughout the entire show's run; there was no way the series could continue without him, and no way it could not kill him. Again, it was inevitable we would get here, Homelander's brains blown out on the President’s desk, but it's still gratifying to see such evil brought to justice.

But that’s not all. Anyone who has read the comics will have a sinking feeling as Butcher's eyes glint after Ryan rejects him and his dog, Terror, dies. He does not, thankfully, start systematically killing all the other Boys, though he does try to unleash the Supe-killing virus that multiple seasons of both The Boys and Gen V spent a long time setting up.

Once more, we have a low-key confrontation, this time between Butcher and Hughie. To some degree, the pair's relationship has been treading water as the likes of Soldier Boy, Firecracker, and Oh Father stole the spotlight. Yet, as Hughie gives the episode’s second eulogy, it neatly concludes Butcher's story, casting a long look at the scope of the entire show. (A shoutout to Karl Urban, who managed to play hammy, sweary Butcher to perfection while also knowing when to do more subtle, emotional work.)

A montage of endings concludes the episode. First, MM takes in Ryan and finds his family, a significantly rushed plotline that hammers home that MM's story was pretty much finished a season ago. Kimiko heads to Marseille, in memory of Frenchie. And finally, Hughie turns down a government job to run an electronics store with Annie, who's now pregnant and fighting crime. It's hopeful in the way The Boys hasn't been in a while, and seeing Hughie look up at the sky, a smile on his face, is exactly what we wanted for him. Anticlimactic? Slightly. Inevitable? Certainly. Fitting? Just about. This was a mixed season that lasted a little too long and should have felt bigger, but, in the end, gave its titular motley crew a fitting end. Now, as Butcher would say, we can all f**k off.

The Boys season 5 finale is streaming now on Prime Video now. For a full breakdown of the finale, check out our The Boys season 5 finale ending explained or our The Boys season 5 episode 8 recap.

Razer and Logitech have been duking it out for generations now, but each brand's 2026 entries couldn't be more different. While Logitech went for reinvention with the X2 Superstrike's haptic switches, Razer went in the other direction.

One rolls the dice on a new way of interacting with your games, the other refines an already-winning formula. One is almost silent, the other is about as loud as you'll find. With both options occupying the high-end price range, the best gaming mouse for you will come down to how you hold your rodent and how you like your clacks.

Competitors

What I loved about the Razer Viper V4 Pro

Speed-focused design...

For particularly competitive players, there's a set of numbers that means more than everything else. The Razer Viper V4 Pro trims its waistline down to a solid 49g (in the black version I'm testing, the white option hits 50g). That's not quite the lightest gaming mouse on the market (check out the Corsair Sabre Pro V2 Ultralight for a reliable 36g option), but it's still pretty effortless in the hands. It's also easier to flick and spin than the Logitech G Pro X 2 Superstrike and its 61g form factor. The Viper range has always lived to become an extension of your arm, and this is the best we've seen so far.

Like its ancestors, the Viper keeps a flatter dome than many of its competitors and siblings. While the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro and Superstrike are by no means uncomfortable and accommodate a good range of grip types, there's a little extra wiggle room in this shape. There's more clearance to pivot the main body between the thumb and pinky during finer aiming moments in a claw grip, while taller mice will often bump into the base of the palm instead.

I do naturally prefer a greater curve on the thumb side than you'll find on either the Viper or the Superstrike, but that's only because I typically use the top of my thumb for a lot of the legwork. Everyone uses different muscles in their unique grip and control styles, so it's fairly subjective - if you find yourself working the thumb a lot more, though, something with a deeper gradient like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX offers a much more comfortable shape.

I was never cramped or forced into an awkward hold here, though. The softer matte finish isn't to my personal taste, but it's still grippy enough to withstand more frantic gameplay moments and feels luxuriously smooth in the hand.

... with the sensor to back it up

Nobody's expecting to come here and read that the Razer Viper V4 Pro is anything less than blindingly fast, but here we are. Whether or not the upgrade to a 50K DPI sensor, 930 IPS, and 90 G acceleration in the Focus Pro Optical sensor will be worth it for mere mortals is a question in itself. This isn't where Razer keeps its costs low, the Viper line is where it lets its tech rip - whether players need it or not.

The same can be said for its new 2.4GHz receiver, the same dome-shaped plugin we saw in the DeathAdder V4 Pro. It supports polling rates up to 8,000Hz - a speed that only the upper echelons of esports glory will be able to notice, let alone make use of. It's no reason in itself to buy the Razer Viper V4 Pro, but it's there for those who want it.

Sturdy battery life

Razer has historically done pretty well with the battery life of its rodents. While Corsair, SteelSeries, and Logitech tend to skew a little lower (averaging between 70 and 110 hours between them), even older releases like the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K have been punching at 110 to 150 hours. The Razer Viper V4 Pro ups the ante again, coming in at up to 180 hours in base 1,000Hz polling. That's the marketing number, but I've been running for two weeks (and that's been a two weeks of more gameplay than usual, with roughly 110 to 120 hours of work and gaming combined) and I still have 38% left on this charge.

Goodbye Synapse 4.0

Try as it might, Razer never quite managed to make its Synapse program the lightweight, stay-out-of-your-way software it needed to be. Thankfully, the brand is following a number of mainstream gaming hardware brands and taking its customizations to the web. That means no more downloads, crashes, and resource hogging. Synapse Web covers all the basics, including keybinding, DPI settings, sensor calibrations (and the nifty rotation and dynamic sensitivity tricks that come with them), and polling rates.

Unfortunately, it doesn't provide a fix for annoying Razer firmware updates - there are still far too many hoops to jump through in that department, and you'll still need to download the full suite.

Super tight scroll wheel

I do have to make special mention of this scroll wheel. Razer's done a bunch of fancy stuff with its encoder, swapping over to an optical sensor rather than a mechanical one. That makes for finely tuned precision in gameplay, but the actual mechanism behind this wheel is pulling just as much weight. There's a nice sense of heft to each rotation here, but it's a tactility that never gets in the way of speed. Notches clearly defined, comfortable, and easy to hit accurately. It's a small feature, but this is easily my favorite scroll wheel to date.

What to consider about the Razer Viper V4 Pro

The V3 Pro still looks pretty great as well

Unlike Logitech, Razer isn't doing anything revolutionary with this year's flagship. This is still the same shape and feel as you'll find in the Razer Viper V3 Pro. A better sensor, slightly lower weight, that gorgeous scroll wheel, and small tune up on battery life certainly makes it a worthwhile release for the true competitors among us, but there's nothing massive separating the V4 Pro from its predecessor.

Unless you're at the top of your leaderboard, there's nothing in here to pull you away from the older (and now much cheaper) previous generation.

You'll certainly hear it coming

I was taken aback by the sheer audacity of these main clicks when I first got the Viper V4 Pro on the desk - and I'm a fan of a sturdy snap. It's a large, brash, thunky sound profile that raises the decibels over pretty much everything else I've tested in the last year. These clicks are never hollow or pingy, but they're going to be noticed if you're sweeping and tapping in a quieter space. If you need your setup to stay quiet, they're loud enough to turn you away from the Viper entirely, running straight into the Superstrike's whisper-quiet haptic arms.

Should you buy the Razer Viper V4 Pro?

As with all flagship releases, the Razer Viper V4 Pro isn't actually made for the vast majority of players. Its tech, features, and FPS-first mentality just aren't justifiable for the budgets of cross-genre Steam generalists. If, however, you're a competitive player looking to up your game or support your skills with lightweight, super-fast hardware, that value comes into sharper focus.

The Viper V4 Pro succeeds in everything it sets out to do. It's supremely fast, effortless to wield, and holds its power for a particularly long time. Whether that's enough when the Logitech G Pro X 2 Superstrike is lumbering onto the battlefield is another matter.

If you're going for a classic FPS experience, where low weight, high reaction times, and fingertip grips rule all, the Viper V4 Pro is your go-to. It's a traditional esports gaming mouse dressed to the nines. If you want a new generation of main clicks, and you're happy to experiment with the possibilities afforded by the Superstrike, though, new technologies could prove more fruitful.

How I tested the Razer Viper V4 Pro

I used the Razer Viper V4 Pro for a period of two weeks, running the mouse for all my daily work, play, streaming, browsing, and everything in between. I tested specifically in Apex Legends and CS2, both on its own and side by side with the Viper V3 Pro and Logitech G Pro X 2 Superstrike, while also using the mouse for Mixtape, Planet Coaster 2, and High on Life 2.

For more information on how we test gaming mice, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

We're also hunting down all the best wireless gaming mouse models as well as more of the best Razer mice and the best Logitech gaming mice on the market.

When I boot up Yoshi and the Mysterious Book for the first time, I fully expect to step into another charming platformer from Nintendo. Now, after 10 hours of playtime, I can say it does live up to that expectation, but what comes as a very welcome surprise is just how refreshingly adventurous the green dinosaur's debut on Switch 2 feels – and that's thanks to the way every level is entirely driven by your own experimentation and discovery.

Breaking away from the more traditional, albeit creative, platforming fare of Yoshi's Crafted World, Mysterious Book invites me to explore the pages of a talking tome called Mr E (who rocks an impressive mustache and monocle). Broken up into chapters that are home to curious creatures, hovering over a critter with a magnifying glass opens up a level – each essentially serves as a habitat for one of the book's funny little guys. With their unique abilities for me to discover, I then have to puzzle out how to use their skills and behaviors to clear each stage.

With some set actions I can perform as Yoshi, it becomes a rewarding game of trial and error as I figure out how I can use any given creature. The variety of mysterious inhabitants also means no one level ever feels the same, and every time I step into Mr E's pages, I have no idea what discoveries I'll make, or what I have to do to complete the level. But therein lies the magic of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book: it's all about the playful way it encourages you to mess about and see what can happen when you do.

Popping into pages

When you first meet Mr E, you find out his real name is actually Mister Encyclopedia, and the mysterious creatures I'm tasked with investigating are the subject of his pages. After falling from the sky onto Yoshi's Island (the sight of which instantly fills me with nostalgia), he seems to have lost his knowledge of those that inhabit his chapters. So, with nothing else for it, Mr E asks the Yoshis on the island to step into his pages and learn about every critter so he can catalog them in true encyclopedic fashion.

With the option to play as Yoshi in a variety of colors (another Yoshi's Island throwback I appreciate), diving into the pages transforms the intrepid dinosaur adventurer into a delightful storybook style, as though he at once belongs within the book. With colorful level designs that also capture this aesthetic, there's almost a stop-motion quality to some of the movements that adds to the charm. Mysterious Book really does look wonderful on the Switch 2, popping off the screen just as the creatures appear to leap from Mr E's pages.

The first few levels really give you a feel for the overall experience, which is all about trying things out with Yoshi's set of moves. There's nothing too surprising in this department if you've ever played a Yoshi game before, with the green steed being able to tail flick whatever's nearby, use his tongue to gobble things up and turn them into projectile eggs, and jump flutter through the air. While this is all standard stuff, it's really the creatures that elevate Yoshi and what he can actually do on a level.

From tossing a creature on his back to holding them in his mouth to make use of their abilities, Yoshi can also directly jump on certain creatures to ride them like a mount and direct their movements. There's all kinds of surprising ways the creatures can help you navigate and overcome obstacles, which makes Yoshi's normal set of skills more playful and entertaining.

The controls, for the most part, work well, but it did take me a spell to get into the groove of it. It's so easy to accidentally fling a creature off your back when you mean to jump, and the ground slam ability, which smacks you down Mario-style, is tied to a flick of the analog stick, which I did find finicky to use as I wanted to during certain levels.

Adding shifting powers on top of Yoshi's regular abilities sometimes lacks the delightful simplicity the similarly power-absorbing Kirby often manages. I do, however, appreciate that the Mysterious Book includes controller settings which let you choose from a few different layouts, so there's a bit of room to find a set-up that works for you.

Creature collector

My first instinct every time I meet a new creature is to give them a taste. Yes, sometimes it means I simply learn their flavor profile (which honestly makes me smile every time) – or if I can gobble them up and transform them into eggs to lob at targets – but my taste testing routine can pay off in unexpected ways.

One time, for example, I give a surreptitious lick to a new wiggly creature in the ground during a later chapter. The appendage on its head latches onto my tongue like a rope, allowing me to pull its long form and stretch it over long distances. What I can do with this newfound discovery takes further investigation as I move it this way and that, but this is the great joy of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book: your experimentation is always rewarded in some way. It constantly pushes me to try out new things and think outside the box… or, well, book.

What if I use this creature's water on that mud? What would happen if I fling this sharp beaked insect-thing at that tree trunk over there? Your tests may not always pay off in the way you expect, but I've lost count of the number of instances that had me slapping my knees with joy because a creature either reacted to my actions in some way I didn't see coming, or I could use them in humorous or playful ways.

Every time you make a discovery – no matter how small – in any given level, it will get recorded by Mr E. Not only does this earn you stars that you need to gather in order to unlock later chapters, but it also logs them in a storybook sketch style, which gives me little bursts of serotonin. In a way, it's like seeing trophies mapped out for all the times you experimented and found out something a creature can do within its habitat.

Dinosaur discoveries

The main challenge of the Mysterious Book lies in me being able to figure out how to both overcome obstacles with the creatures, but also uncover and perform a particular discovery that then allows me to catalog them and add them to Mr E's index. Since making this discovery hinges on your exploration and experimentation, it can be quite head scratching at times to figure out what you need to do.

Certain levels can definitely be more challenging than others in this respect, causing some frustration when I can't figure out what's left to try. You can ask Mr E for suggestions, but he often states the obvious without giving you proper clues. There's also a hint system where you can spend any coins you've gathered on if you're really stuck, but it doesn't always make it obvious. I can imagine younger players finding it quite tricky in places, with some smaller (but often pretty breezy) boss fight scenarios at the close of chapters, too.

How satisfying the controls work also tend to be tied to the nature of a creature. Naturally, with so many different kinds of critters to investigate, some are more enjoyable than others, and you'll likely have your own personal highlights. I've got plenty of standouts of my own, including a bubblegum-like creature that immediately brought to mind my favorite pink puffball, Kirby.

With the option to name each and every one of the creatures you discover, I love the way this can make it feel more personal to you – that bubblegum friend is now called Korby forever more. You might recognize some of the creatures if you're a longtime Yoshi fan, too, and if you don't want to name them, Mr E will drop name ideas of his own (many of which are just downright charming and even sometimes familiar).

Yoshi isn't the only one delving into Mr E's pages to investigate these curious creatures, though. Bowser Jr and Kamek are flying through them to try and make a discovery of their own. While I can't go into what that discovery is, I do find myself wanting more from the game's overall narrative. With discovery shaping the experience, the story definitely takes second fiddle to the mysterious creatures in the book. The experimentation you're encouraged to do does lead to some delightful surprises, though, and the creatures themselves bring about some standout moments that do go some way to making up for it.

Like so many who grew up playing Nintendo, I've always had a special affinity for the little green dinosaur. From the days of Yoshi's Island on the SNES, right up until Yoshi's Crafted World, the adorable steed has had his share of memorable adventures. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is certainly a wonderful and more than welcome addition to his lineup, but with the likes of Super Mario Odyssey taking the famous plumber to new heights, and even DK's recent debut on the Switch 2 – which, in the words of our Donkey Kong Banzana review, is "one of the best inventions Nintendo has had for years" – I'm still hoping for the day we see Yoshi get even more ambitious.

Even so, I have to give a lot of kudos to the way Yoshi and the Mysterious Book breaks away from the more traditional platforming fare to deliver a creative experience that hinges exploration and discovery. Packed with delightful surprises, a little helping of Yoshi's Island nostalgia, and great level variety for good measure, Yoshi's latest adventure is worth diving into on Switch 2 if you've missed the dinosaur as much as I have.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book was reviewed on Switch 2 with a code provided by the publisher.

Look ahead to exciting future releases in our roundup of upcoming Switch 2 games.