Design

The RodeCaster Pro II is a sleek bit of kit which is comprehensive yet understandable on the face of it. From a top-down point of view, you’ve got a 5.5-inch HD touchscreen with haptic feedback, six channel fading sliders with corresponding channel buttons above them (with dedicated mute and monitoring below), as well as a rotary encoder dial, dedicated recording button, and eight physical smart pads on the right-hand side. Suffice to say, you’re certainly getting the full gallery experience here, with this setup proving immediately familiar to anyone who has ever been inside a recording studio or radio desk. 

Turning the RodeCaster Pro II around and you’re presented with all the connectivity options that you would hope to find in a premium mixing desk / interface combo such as this. Power is delivered through USB-C, and there are two dedicated further USB-C ports for connectivity for devices such as your computer, and phone as well as iPad or other gaming tablets.

There’s also an Ethernet port for those wanting a wired connection. As far as outputs are concerned, you’re spoiled for choice here with 4x 1/4-inch outputs for headphone monitoring and left and right outputs for speakers or external devices. You can even record directly to Micro SD.

The aesthetics of the RodeCaster Pro II match the overall clean and straightforward design language that the Australian audio brand is known for and, on the surface, isn’t immediately too different from the first model from nearly four years ago. My particular review unit came with a specially engineered plastic hard cover that lightly sits on top of the interface (which retails for $50). While certainly a nice to have and non-essential add-on, I’d recommend the cover to anyone wanting to keep the various buttons, dials, pads, and sliders dust-free.

Features

Living up to the promise of being the ‘world’s most powerful all-in-one audio production solution’, you won’t be surprised to hear that the RodeCaster Pro II is full to bursting with features for just about any use you can think of. The quad-core audio engine, complete with 512MB of internal flash memory, powers the Studio-grade Aphex audio processing and Resolution preamps for low noise to high gain pickup which I’ll explain in detail a little further on.

For PC streamers, you’re also to connect to two computers at once through USB-C running separate audio sources which will no doubt be ideal for the hardcore streamers using the main rig and a laptop for chat monitoring, too. This is also useful for those wanting specific control over their volume mixers for the likes of Discord, Apple Music, your game audio, and microphone input, but more on that later. 

One of the most useful features of the Rodecaster Pro II is how it integrates with the Rode Central desktop application which can be used to tweak your settings, customize the RGB lighting, and save your specified presets as well as download firmware updates. New features are coming all the time, with a major update being released in my time testing the unit, so you’ll want to be connected to the internet if possible here for the best software version possible. For maximum compatibility, the device is also MFi certified for iOS devices, and can connect through Bluetooth as well.

Performance

In my extensive testing with the RodeCaster Pro II, I’ve been continuously impressed with what this all-in-one production interface can do. I should clarify that while the main purpose of this device may be aimed at podcasters, I have been using it in everything from streaming across Twitch and YouTube, to recording music, and as my main setup for voice calls alongside the Rode NTH 100 and Rode PodMic. If you’re already immersed in the Rode ecosystem for any of the Australian brand’s gear, then you’ll be well catered to with this interface. 

There’s a level of versatility and control to the RodeCaster Pro II that makes it ideal for streaming, and that’s perhaps going to be the greatest strength of this device when compared to some other audio interfaces. For example, while the unit has six physical sliders which can be dialed to your desired level, you can then further fine-tune more specifically with options in the touchscreen interface. I found in my testing that using the specifically engineered ‘PodMic’ setting in the operating system made by mic be picked up cleanly with strong control over the pre-amp and dampening settings. It’s worth noting that other Condensor / cardioid microphones, such as the Shure SM7B are included, too, so you’re not just limited to Rode-only gear here. 

You can make things as easy or as complicated as you want here, and for me, that meant moving the gallery-style slider up roughly 3/4 of the way to avoid any clipping, and then scaling back the sensitivity in the software. This is where those Revolution preamps come into their own, with an accurate, and clean sound profile meaning I didn’t have to use a booster or crank the gain to be heard accurately. A small touch, but one that in all my years of using interfaces and XLR microphones is certainly appreciated here as a quality of life upgrade. 

We’ve briefly touched on Smart Pads above, innovating on the original’s sound pads with a new level of customizability here. Not unlike the Elgato Stream Deck and other powerful live streaming shorthand bits of kit, these colored pads can be programmed to do a wide range of different things. Through the Rode Central software, you can upload and program your own sound effects, modulation, and sound bites onto these. While I cannot speak as to what other people will use them for, I used these pads with a fade-in and out feature as well as utilizing the Back Channel Mode to cleanly check in on my feed without having to mess around with my physical settings. You could very easily use them as hotkeys for donation notifications, bits, subscriber jingles, or whatever else appeals in a pinch. 

The four Neutrik combo inputs on the front (either for XLR or 1/4-inch jack) proved to be very effective for tracking electric guitar. I was surprised to find specified settings for running instruments through the RodeCaster Pro II, and the same extent in volume, gain, and level control very much applies to direct signal as well. The suite of preamps and post-processing effects can be tailored to your preferences, but in my testing, I choose to keep things as clean and ‘dry’ as possible. I did notice that the Revolution pre-amp made by guitar sound a fair bit brighter and louder without coming in too hot when tracking through Cockos Reaper and using plugins like Bias FX 2, Bias AMP 2, and EZ Mix 2. My previous interfaces to the RodeCaster Pro II, a Behringer U-phoria UMC202 HD, and before that the Focusrite Scarlett Solo really do pale in comparison here.

What’s particularly powerful about the Rodecaster Pro II for musicians is how you can use the deck’s physical and software-based mixing features to delicately balance the sound of your instruments and vocals being tracked at the same time. While many audio interfaces do give you options to plug both (or more) in at once, I’ve never felt the confidence to mix on the fly so effortlessly as what I’ve heard through this unit.

Should you buy the Rode Rodecaster Pro II? 

If you’re someone who wants to take content creation in any form to the next level then the Rode Rodecaster Pro II is an easy recommendation for musicians, podcasters, live streamers, and anyone else who wants more control over their audio. If you’re someone who already has experience with the original Rodecaster Pro from December 2018, I personally believe that there’s enough new here to justify an upgrade to the latest and greatest, too. 

How we tested the Rode RodeCaster Pro II

I’ve been using the RodeCaster Pro II for around three weeks in everything from producing music in programs such as Reaper using plugins from Bias and Toontrack, to live streaming in OBS Streamlabs. I have also been using the RodeCaster Pro II to power my PodMic microphone through the 48V Phantom Power to talk with friends on various desktop applications as well as speak to colleagues through Google Meet. 

Complete your setup with one of the best webcams, best green screens, and best ring lights on the market. 

The Verdict

5

5 out of 5

Rode Rodecaster Pro II

The RodeCaster Pro II innovates on the original model as an all-in-one powerhouse interface and audio production studio. Whether you’re a streamer, musician, or podcaster, the brand’s latest effort is an encompassing solution for all creators.

The post Rode RodeCaster Pro II review: “An encompassing solution for all creators” appeared first on Game News.

BenQ’s GS50 was released in October 2021 but now is the perfect time to pick one up for a great summer of outdoor viewing. BenQ has long been a leading name in projection and has made a fuss about this launch: boasting that the GS50 is the first smart portable outdoor projector with 2.1-channel Bluetooth audio. Is it a leap forward for portable projection?

Design & Features

The GS50’s casing is tasteful and slightly quirky. It looks more like a posh case for picnic equipment you’d get from a high-end retailer rather than a case for a top projector for gaming contender – but the smart white casing of the main section means that on the shelf it blends in well with home décor. The carry handle on the side makes it easy to carry around, as does a rugged feeling carry case which could be mistaken for a cool bag before closer inspection. It needs a bag, as it’s far too big to slip into a pocket. The plastic case is hardwearing, rated to withstand a fall of over two feet (carrying height), and it’s splash resistant.

The little leg at the front which enables you to tilt the unit up to 15 degrees is a smart and very fun feature that is very well integrated. The GS50 is overall extremely easy to set up – start-up is very quick while keystoning and focus are automatic on launch and can be easily updated via the remote should the projector get moved slightly. Just point it at a surface, switch it on and within seconds you can begin spending twenty minutes arguing about what to watch.

The sound is really excellent, with two 5w tweeters and one 10w woofer. At home, we kept the volume comparatively low – 10 out of 50 for the most part. This is key for an outdoor projector: you don’t want to have to lug around a set of speakers as well. The GS50 provides unbelievable volume from its fairly small case, and even with the sound blaring there’s no notable distortion.

Battery life is stated at two hours, but I managed closer to three using the low power mode and an HDMI input, so easily enough time for most films. But if you want to watch the Snyder Cut around the campfire you can further power it with a USB-C battery pack. There’s also 16GB of internal storage to download content to – a rare boast even for portable projectors. Like the vast majority of portable units, there’s no zoom so picture size entirely depends on placement.

The operating system is Android 9.0, which is becoming a default for this generation of smart projectors. It works smoothly and has a wide range of apps available. But, as ever, there are key apps missing – most notably Netflix (unless you want to do some complicated workarounds). At this point, I’m more annoyed that I have to keep writing this than I am about the practicality of needing to boot the PS5 to watch Queer Eye. I beg Netflix to license the app for more projectors, if not for the sake of their consumers but for us pampered reviewers who have to keep explaining it’s not the manufacturer’s fault these apps don’t have permission to be used on their units.

Performance

Picture quality is a sharp HD, with smooth motion even for quick sports. The colour is lush and immersive too which is particularly great when using it as a projectors for PS5 and in RPGs. We’re used to portable projectors running 720p, so true 1080p here is impressive. This might not be the best picture you get for the money but it’s truly great for a portable unit. It was only when A/B-ing against a 4K projector that I noticed any drop in picture quality and depth of colour, otherwise I was very happy with this image for casual watching and gaming.

Unusually for BenQ, there’s no dedicated gaming mode, and input lag is stated at 62ms. It’s fine for casual gaming – I got through the drinking contest rhythm games of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla without issue and my performance on FPSs was no worse than usual – but hardcore or competitive gamers would want faster, and should probably look to something like the BenQ X1300i. Darker areas were a slight strain with ambient light, but there were no complaints in a dark room.

The image stands up well to ambient light – looking great even in the afternoon sun with patio windows open. When outdoors and even on a poor surface with the sun out, the projector produced a picture that would be watchable, and, of course, after sunset, it really excels.

Overall – should you buy it?

Everything about this feels built for quality portability. Yes, there are trade-offs in being “only” Full HD, but the picture is easily good enough for casual home-usage. But don’t think of the GS50 as a good Full HD 1080p projector at a premium price. The excellent battery life and truly exceptional sound make this a great projector to take out and about. The price is slightly higher than a good HD home projector, but it’s available slightly cheaper than one of its recent portable rivals: the also excellent XGIMI Halo+, with features like carry case and internal storage which the Halo+ lacks (albeit the XGIMI is much smaller in form).

It might not end up replacing my home projector, but I wouldn’t expect a portable projector to do so. However, we did use the GS50 in place of that for most of the last month, which is a real vote of confidence for it. I definitely wish I’d had this to review while on glamping trips over the last few summers!

How we tested the BenQ GS50

We put the BenQ GS50 through it’s paces in a number of ways, but a large amount of time spent casual watching dominated – a Charmed binge and re-watching Gravity Falls in the evenings, plus All Elite Wrestling Dynamite action led the way. The battery was put to the test by streaming the last day of the season Match of the Day on a sleepy Monday morning, with sport mode helping the picture. For games, I’m working my way through Assassins Creed Valhalla’s newer content (the landscapes looked fantastic) and for a co-op replay of Borderlands 3 (with the cartoon graphics as colourful as ever).

Outdoor testing happened by projecting onto the side of my block of flats from the street while hoping no one asked what on earth I was doing. If a projector can look good in that position, it’s really quite something, and the GS50 passed that test.

You can read more about our holistic approach to gaming tech in our hardware policy, and read more about how we test gaming projectors at GamesRadar+ here.

If you are shopping for a projector this year, don’t forget to pick up one of the best projector screens or one of the best outdoor projector screens if you’re looking to embrace the summer too.

The Verdict

4.5

4.5 out of 5

BenQ GS50 1080p Wireless Projector

The BenQ GS50 is a big step up for portable projectors, giving true HD picture and amazing sound.

The post BenQ GS50 review: “Built for quality portability” appeared first on Game News.

Obi-Wan Kenobi isn’t hanging around. Fresh from a beating (and a burning) at the hands of Darth Vader, the defeated Jedi is put on the Bacta Tank Treatment Plan and is back on his feet in no time. With just six episodes in the series, it’s a move that could be seen as surgical – a swiping cut that does away with any bloat. Instead, it hurriedly sets the scene for a so-so episode that counts as the series’ first real minor disappointment.

Leia has been whisked away to Fortress Inquisitorius, a location that will be familiar to fans of Jedi: Fallen Order. The premise – essentially a prison break, aided by an Imperial spy – also proves familiar. It’s here where the episode falls down, namely because it’s a pale imitation of two far stronger episodes of The Mandalorian in ‘The Prisoner’ and Bill Burr’s double agent turn in ‘The Believer’.

With Tala on distraction duty, Kenobi swims in and just about outmanoeuvres on-duty troopers. In his sights? Leia, who is being interrogated by Reva for the location of the Path and all those who hide within it. The moxie of Leia (“Is this a staring contest?” she quips) proves to be one of the episode’s highlights, though there are just one too many scenes of Reva – supposedly the Inquisitors’ shining light – trying and failing to get information from a ten-year-old for these scenes to really hold much weight.

There is still plenty to like dotted throughout the episode. There are a few breathless moments as Obi-Wan and Tala sneak into the Fortress, especially as their responders cackle, drawing the attention of Stormtroopers. Later, too, when Obi-Wan rescues Leia, his attacks in the dark showcase the Jedi slowly finding his feet again in a visually arresting scene that acts as a warped mirror to Vader’s own rampage in Rogue One. Coupled with the tunnel fight later in the episode, the episode shows just how capable Deborah Chow is at handling all sorts of action in a galaxy far, far away.

The episode is also a treat for Jedi: Fallen Order fans, with the location, troopers, and even the final act’s flood and escape sequence feeling like fun nods to the 2019 video game. Obi-Wan’s discovery of the Jedi tomb – a twisted monument to Order 66 – also brings in a deep cut Clone Wars character. If nothing else, it proves Lucasfilm has become more adept at casting a wider net around Star Wars’ legion of side stories and spinoffs and is now capable of weaving them into a ‘main’ narrative without feeling like throwaway fan service. Instead, this is a rich, full galaxy that Obi-Wan Kenobi exists in.

Aside from the Fortress’ beautiful interiors – Star Wars’ retrofuturism has never looked better – there’s something oddly cheap about the assault and escape on the Imperial base. That’s best seen in an awkward sequence involving Reva deflecting blaster shots while clearly not in eyeline with the rebel ship. When looking at The Mandalorian and even the cinematic quality of the Andor trailer, it stings to see Obi-Wan occasionally feel like a B-tier show when it should be the main event.

Vader does, however, swoop in and provide the episode with a much-needed jolt of energy. His confrontation with Reva is as terrifying as anything we’ve seen so far in the series, though his limp excuse for keeping her alive less so. Reva, presumably, is still breathing for plot purposes – but Vader has never been one to suffer fools gladly. The show’s failure to reconcile immediate story with established canon, then, is something that could work against it moving forward as it continues to fill in more gaps.

Obi-Wan, Tala, and Leia eventually escape but, with Reva’s tracker firmly in place on Lola, it’s clear they’re not in the clear yet. The Empire – backed by Vader’s fury – promises a more vicious response next time around and should make for a stronger episode. When the season is over, it’s likely that this will feel like an anomaly – an episode that doesn’t quite match up to what’s come before it.

For more on Obi-Wan Kenobi, check out our interviews with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen on their favorite memories filming the show and how their characters’ relationship has changed, as well as Christensen on why he didn’t speak to George Lucas before returning as Darth Vader and Moses Ingram on playing the galaxy’s newest villain, Reva.

For everything else coming soon from the galaxy far, far away, see our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

The Verdict

3

3 out of 5

Obi-Wan Kenobi

While Leia’s prison break at Fortress Inquisitorius contains a handful of engaging scenes, the episode stands out as the weakest of the bunch so far thanks to redundant Reva scenes, tough-to-swallow Vader logic, and wobbly CGI.

The post Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 4 review: “Doesn’t quite match up to what’s come before” appeared first on Game News.

Pitch it to me again

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Mario Strikers: Battle League starts with a fairly in-depth tutorial explaining all of its footballiest mechanics, and they’re respectably deep. There are multiple kinds of passes, stamina mechanics, several varieties of tackle and a nice little rhythmic element wherein timing your passes and strikes perfectly gives them some extra oomph.

That was the bulk of the tutorial… followed by a brief, perfunctory handwave about items and the cinematic Hyper Strikes that filled the advertising material, as if to say “oh, and there’s also some kooky Mario stuff in there if that’s your thing I guess”. This very much set the tone of the experience, which was a distinct sense that I’d come into Mario Strikers expecting something from it that it wasn’t willing to provide.

Red flags and yellow cards

Honestly, Mario Strikers: Battle League is a slightly thin experience overall. No story campaign, only 10 playable characters, six items (including the completely broken Mario Invincibility Star, which might as well equate to a free goal), and a bunch of other odd design choices that feel hollow enough to leave an empty echo when you tap them. 

For example, actually keeping track of the ball is often frustrating amid the constant chaos of color, with no UI element to highlight it – an issue that gets worse when you switch to handheld mode. The goalkeepers are always completely AI-controlled (because it’s not like you’d want to have any actual input in your final line of defense), so scoring often feels less about skill than the game rolling dice for the keeper’s reflexes. There’s gear to customize your players’ stats, but considering these hats and gloves just shuffle the numbers around, there’s no need to boost Luigi’s raw power when you could skip past it all and just pick a preset heavyweight like Bowser or Wario instead. And there are multiple single-player tournaments hard-coded in, but even now I’m not sure what the difference between most of them was, or if the game was just presenting me with different trophies for doing the same thing over and over. 

The one that really threw me is that there’s a cool feature that allows you to choose and customize your half of the Stadium around the pitch – Bowser’s Castle, Mushroom Kingdom, etc – and watch it fuse together with your opponent’s choice. That’s a cool idea, and in fact, the first thing that happens every time a match begins is the grand, dramatic merging of these two landscapes… 

But it doesn’t do anything! The game mechanics don’t change, it doesn’t alter how you play, and 95% of the time you can’t even see the Stadium you’ve chosen because you’re looking solely at the pitch via a top-down perspective. I kept checking through the tutorials and in-game guide, convinced I’d missed some essential element about this or the other gameplay elements that seemed to be lacking substance. If I was missing something, I never found it.

It’s a fundamental shift in design philosophies that feels at odds with its madcap, excitable tone. In sibling games like Mario Kart and Smash Bros, the zany, arcadey elements are the whole point, the twist on the formula that brings them to life and makes them memorable. But in Mario Strikers, it’s the opposite – the footballing is central, and the Mario elements limply hang off it like party streamers off Jürgen Klopp’s spectacles.

Bend it like Bob-omb

All of which is not to say there’s nothing fun about Battle League. In certain moments the meatier football mechanics come together with some energy, and there’s always something satisfying about the one-two-three ricochet of passing the ball between players, finally leading to a weighty kick that coils in the air around the goalie’s reaching fingers and stretches the net behind him.

I also really liked the animations, at least until they started repeating themselves. They’re colourful, dynamic, full of personality and excess, and have a flourish that gives the characters energy and identity. When Rosalina does a Hyper Strike, the ball orbits around the moon before coming back to her for the follow-up kick, frozen in crystalline ice. When Donkey Kong wins a game, he swings about the field on jungle vines, whooping and dancing. When Peach sees the enemy team score, it’s charming watching her take deep breaths and try to cool her temper before she does something to disgrace the monarchy.

I just really wish that joie de vivre had carried over to the gameplay of Mario Strikers, which at its core is an average football arcade game with a few Nintendo-brand bells and whistles resting on it. I guess I had fun at times, but I suspect deep down that if I’d paid full retail price for it, I would’ve come away feeling a lot less charitable about the whole thing. Maybe snatch it up when it’s discounted and you’re looking for a household party game – otherwise, all but the most fervent football fanatics can probably skip this one.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch OLED with a code provided by the publisher.

The Verdict

2.5

2.5 out of 5

Mario Strikers: Battle League

Though occasionally likable and basically inoffensive, Mario Strikers: Battle League struggles to build on its ideas and ends up feeling pretty undercooked as an experience.

The post Mario Strikers: Battle League review – “A slightly thin experience overall” appeared first on Game News.

That, as anyone who watched the previous two seasons knows, is an understatement. And yet, in the new season, it soon becomes clear from the psychopathic leader of the Seven’s wide, unblinking eyes that we’re about to see Homelander at his most unhinged. And what a treat that is.

The Boys season 3 picks up a year after last season’s finale. The Seven are attending the premiere of their latest movie, The Dawn of the Seven, a satirical nod to the very real movie Justice League (complete with its own hashtag, #ReleaseTheBourkeCut, poking fun at the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign). Vought’s heroes are suited and booted as they walk the red carpet and attempt to rewrite Stormfront and Homelander’s romance as a case of “a man falling in love with the wrong woman”. 

The scene is the show at its very best, riffing on the idea of modern superhero movies and the status we give them in society while, at the same time, giving us a glimpse at what the supes are really like. It’s what you expect from creator Eric Kripke and his writing team.

And then there are The Boys themselves. Following a bloodbath of Stormfront’s creation, the remaining members of the eponymous vigilante team are working with the government to keep the supes in check. Hughie (Jack Quaid) is Victoria Neuman’s (Claudia Doumit) coffee boy, and Butcher (Karl Urban), to everyone’s surprise, is toeing the party line. We meet them again on their latest mission hunting down supes and it gets messy – to put it lightly, it’s one of the show’s boldest, erm, openings yet. As you may suspect, it’s not enough for Butcher. He craves more direct action and, after learning of a mysterious Anti-Supe weapon, they find themselves on a mission to work out what happened to Vought’s first superhero, Soldier Boy.

Amazon’s releasing the first three episodes all at once, and they are a great way to be catapulted right back into the world of The Boys, and the show’s shock value has not worn thin. Despite a long break, or perhaps because of it, there’s a whole lot to gasp at during these episodes. 

However, there’s still an understanding from Kripke that we’re not just here for blood, guts, and gore. There’s some nice character work, too, with Tomer Capone and Karen Fukuhara’s Frenchie and Kimiko being particular highlights and their relationship giving the show some real heart. Urban’s Butcher is still bloodthirsty, yet he’s still reeling from the death of his wife and has been slightly subdued following the events of season 2.

Speaking of continued great performances, Starr is excellent as Homelander, relishing the unhinged direction the show is taking the character. Chace Crawford, who plays The Deep, has some hilarious moments, bringing most of the laughs in this sometimes somber show.

As the series continues, though, not every member of the growing cast is given much to do. Dominique McElligott’s Queen Maeve is one of the casualties, being very little more than a narrative plot device. The mysterious Black Noir also barely appears, while Giancarlo Esposito could do with being given some more screentime – the same could be said of almost anything the Breaking Bad and Mandalorian actor appears in. And then there’s Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy, who has been hyped as the new season’s big bad. We don’t see a lot of him, and you have to wonder why. So far, there’s been a lot of setup without any real action – three episodes in, you would hope to really be in the thick of it by now.

With five episodes of gory goodness still on their way, there’s every chance the best is yet to come. I get the feeling bringing in Soldier Boy may be a really bad idea for Butcher and the gang. Just call it a hunch…

The Boys season 3 will premiere with the first three episodes on Friday, June 3 on Amazon Prime Video. New episodes will be available each Friday, leading up to the season finale on July 8. Looking for more to stream? Check out our guide to the best shows on Amazon Prime Video to watch right now. 

The Verdict

3.5

3.5 out of 5

The Boys season 3 episodes 1-3 review: “The show’s boldest opening yet – but when does the action start?”

The Boys season 3 is back doing what it does best – balancing shock and gore with moving character development. Antony Starr’s Homelander steals the show, but he could be about to meet his match in Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy…

The post The Boys season 3 episodes 1-3 review: “The show’s boldest opening yet” appeared first on Game News.

Design

The Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo should be familiar to anyone who has had their hands on any of the brand’s video card lines before. That means there’s the company’s outstanding build quality, aggressive styling, and efficient cooling here. The key difference with this model that separates it from others, though, is the size and weight of the thing itself, being considerably larger, and much heavier, than that of the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Amp Holo. The same angular tried-and-true triple fan setup is very much in full force here, with the added exception of a frankly ridiculously-sized heatsink. You won’t be shocked to hear that the BFGPU refresh suitably lives up to its name-sake in this respect. 

The Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo utilizes a 12-pin power connector as opposed to the Founders Edition’s new 16-pin, with an adapter included in the box. Unlike the RTX 3090 or other high-end Ampere GPUs, this new model needs 3x 8-pin connectors to get powered up, whereas most graphics cards only require one or two. In my testing, this meant having to unscrew my power supply from the back of our build, route an additional PCIe cable through the back of the case, and then hook up the RTX 3090 Ti. After all, this video card is the first to be PCIe 5.0 ready and it shows. Nvidia recommends an 850W minimum PSU, but I would personally say that you want at least a 1000W to give yourself the overhead (as is in our test machine).

GamesRadar Test System

CPU: Intel Core i7-12700K
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 GAMING X ATX
RAM: Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 16GB @ 5200MHz  
CPU cooler: Corsair iCue H150i Elite RGB 360mm
PSU: Corsair RM1000x
Case: Corsair iCue 5000T

As expected for a graphics card that’s this heavy, the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo comes with an RGB GPU support bracket in the box to help the GPU from sagging under its own weight. Depending on which PC case you have this behemoth inside of, you may need to use it, too. Our GamesRadar test PC is built inside of the Corsair 5000T, so thankfully we had more than enough room in the larger-than-average Mid Tower to accommodate the card with its three-slot requirement. If you’ve got a smaller chassis to work with then you may need to look elsewhere for your next video card as I would personally recommend a larger Mid Tower or a Full Tower for a GPU like this.

Speaking of its weight, the metal RGB LED Backplate fused to the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo is suitably heavy-duty. As with the rest of the Amp Holo line, lighting is a big feature of what makes these Zotac video cards so popular in the first place, and the RTX 3090 Ti doesn’t disappoint. There’s a large light strip on the side and the backplate illuminates brightly when powered up.

Features

The Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo features a slightly higher boost clock than that of the Founders Edition model, able to reach up to 1890 MHz as opposed to the original’s 1860 MHz. It may not sound like much, but could squeeze out an extra frame or two when overclocking. There’s also support for the FireStorm Utility program for this very purpose of fine-tuning, as well as being Nvidia NVLink compatible should SLI be a priority for you.

You’ll find your standard fare of connectivity options with 3x DisplayPort 1.4a and 1x HDMI 2.1 here, so you’ve got all the necessary connections that your gaming monitor needs. This means support of up to 4K120 with HDR or 8K60, at least theoretically. 

As for the RTX 3090 Ti itself, it’s very much a minor and iterative upgrade over the original BFGPU that launched nearly a year ago. This model features the same 24GB GDDR6X memory and 384-bit bus width, but does benefit from 256 extra CUDA cores (10,752 total), two extra RT cores (84 altogether), and eight more Tensor cores (336 total). This very minor increase means that the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo is capable of 1,008 GB/s Bandwidth (just shy of 1TB/s) and 21 Gbps effective memory clock, being the fastest consumer video card for gaming you can get. 

Performance

Those are certainly some impressive figures, but they wouldn’t mean much if the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo didn’t deliver, and it certainly does for the most part. The BFGPU refresh is billed for its ability to deliver the highest-end 4K gaming, and this model didn’t have any trouble with anything I threw at it in my testing, with the notable example of Cyberpunk 2077. It should be said, however, that said title is rather woefully unoptimized, but more on the specifics a little later. 

RTX 3090 Ti benchmarks

Time Spy: 20,176
Time Spy Extreme (4K): 10,531
Fire Strike Extreme (1440p): 24,842
Fire Strike Ultra (2160p): 14,189
Port Royal: 14,809

Our test system is geared out with the latest PCIe 5.0 compatible hardware to give the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo access to as much bandwidth as possible, and the figures don’t lie. Both native 1440p and 2160p performance was critically evaluated in my testing as well as utilizing Nvidia DLSS in Performance mode in the interest of parity where available.

I’ll cut to the chase and tell you that, yes, the RTX 3090 Ti is slightly faster than the original model, with roughly a 9% maximum increase over the first BFGPU when we had our hands on it inside several of the best gaming PCs in the past. With its extra 100w power requirement over the stock RTX 3090, though, requiring 450W (29% more than the original’s 350W), I’m not entirely convinced that the slight boost in performance is actually worth it, leaving the price hike aside.

Zotac GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Amp Extreme Holo game benchmarks

Here’s how the Zotac GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Amp Extreme Holo got on when pushed to its limit in demanding ray tracing titles

Cyberpunk 2077: 

2160p Ultra (Psycho ray tracing) DLSS on: 60 FPS
2160p Ultra (Psycho ray tracing) DLSS off: 21 FPS
1440p Ultra (Psycho ray tracing) DLSS on: 91 FPS
1440p Ultra (Psycho ray tracing) DLSS off: 43 FPS

Control:

2160p Ultra (ray tracing) DLSS on: 80 FPS
2160p Ultra (ray tracing) DLSS off: 48 FPS
1440p Ultra (ray tracing) DLSS on: 122 FPS
1440p Ultra (ray tracing) DLSS off: 85 FPS

Metro Exodus (PC Enhanced Edition): 

2160p Ultra (Extreme ray tracing) DLSS on: 114 FPS
2160p Ultra (Extreme ray tracing) DLSS off: 70 FPS
1440p Ultra (Extreme ray tracing) DLSS on: 155 FPS
1440p Ultra (Extreme ray tracing) DLSS off: 90 FPS

Guardians of the Galaxy: 

2160p Ultra (ray tracing) DLSS on: 120 FPS
2160p Ultra (ray tracing) DLSS off: 107 FPS
1440p Ultra (ray tracing) DLSS on: 120 FPS
1440p Ultra (ray tracing) DLSS off: 120 FPS

All games tested at their highest possible settings; DLSS set to ‘Performance’ mode unless otherwise stated. 

Native 4K performance (no A.I. upscaling) provided more-than-playable frame rates averaging around 70 FPS if you take all the games tested on the whole. Keep in mind, though, that’s with ray tracing maxed out, too, which really is best served when used in tandem with Nvidia DLSS. Switch that tech on, and the numbers noticeably skyrocket to well above the 100 FPS mark, as is evidenced in the likes of Control and Guardians of the Galaxy. However iterative, that’s very impressive, with the latter title maintaining a solid 4K120, which is likely to become a very popular resolution/framerate pairing in the future of PC gaming sooner rather than later.

Revisiting Night City again in 2160p reveals just how small of a jump we’re talking between the RTX 3090 (which gave us just shy of 60 FPS consistently when inside the Acer Predator Orion 7000) and the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo’s rock-solid 60 FPS with DLSS enabled. Native performance in this title still isn’t good, as I recorded frame rates of around 21 FPS through the game’s benchmark feature that was added in Patch 1.5; not exactly setting the world on fire for a $2,099.99 GPU. Regardless, 4K120 is absolutely within reach, and even far exceeded in demanding games, like Metro Exodus‘ average of 114 FPS shows.

You’re paying one hell of a premium for that performance advantage though, but it goes give a good indication of what the bandwidth afforded by PCIe 5.0 can do on the platform. This means that you no longer have to drop the resolution in order to keep the frame rates higher than 60 – which isn’t really possible from any other video cards right now in 2022. 

Should you buy the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo? 

The RTX 3090 Ti is the fastest and most powerful graphics card aimed at gamers, however, it’s also incredibly difficult to recommend due to how little of an improvement it is, and just how late in the day this GPU was released. It’s no secret that the RTX 3090 Ti was supposed to be released earlier than it was, having been teased at CES 2022 back in January, and yet even that feels too little too late. 

With its $2,100 price tag, $600 more than the first BFGPU was at launch, the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo just doesn’t provide enough of a performance boost to actually justify the high cost. The GPU is clearly pushing the limits of Ampere on its GA102 board, however, with the RTX 40 series likely releasing this year, it’s a very bitter pill to swallow. The RTX 3090 Ti feels like it’s just testing the waters of what the next generation of graphics cards is going to be with its PCIe 5 compatibility, and in my opinion, this almost makes those who adopt this video card beta-testers.

Just like how entry-level Ampere was able to keep up with previously flagship Turing models, the RTX 30-series’ successor line will likely boast significant performance improvements across the board. If you want the best of the best for right now, then there’s no harm in investing in the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo for those who can afford it, as its prowess is undeniable, it just feels as though its too much and too late for most people. 

There is a silver lining, though, for those gamers who want to find RTX 3090 Ti stock as the newest Ampere GPU is available at MSRP in both the US and UK, so availability certainly isn’t a problem here. Considering it’s still challenging to find RTX 3090 stock nearer to actual retail value, the option is there. 

Buy if… 

• You want to achieve 4K120 
• You’re after the most powerful GPU that money can buy 
• You’ve been meaning to upgrade for a long time

Don’t buy if…

• You want good value for money 
• You can find the RTX 3090 nearer MSRP 
• You have a smaller gaming PC case / PSU

How we tested the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo

I used the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Extreme Amp Holo inside of our GamesRadar test system over the span of a week, benching the video card in demanding games as well as through 3D Mark, too. Evaluations were made based upon the card’s 1440p and 4K prowess, and our rig was connected up to monitors of both resolutions. 

You can find out more about how we test graphics cards in our full GamesRadar Hardware Policy. 

The Verdict

3

3 out of 5

Zotac GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Amp Extreme Holo

The RTX 3090 Ti is the most powerful and fastest graphics card for gaming on the market, but it boasts such a minimal increase over the original at such a high price and power draw that it’s really hard to recommend. With the new line of Nvidia graphics cards likely to be released this year, the Zotac GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Amp Extreme Holo is a case of too little, too late for the vast majority of PC gamers.

The post Zotac GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Amp Extreme Holo review: “Too big, too much, too late” appeared first on Game News.

The Aerox 9 largely succeeds, due to the fact that it’s one of the only gaming mice on the market to prioritize weight while also offering a 12-panel series of programmable buttons. To see just how well this device stacks up against all the best gaming mouse models on the market, though, I put this 89g rodent through its paces. 

Design

The only thing that differentiates the SteelSeries Aerox 9 from the slightly cheaper Aerox 5 Wireless is that slab of additional macro buttons on the side. That means you’re still getting the solid build quality and premium materials featured across the range. 

The shape remains as well, however. I have fairly small hands, so the longer form factor here doesn’t work as well for me as it may do for someone with a little more space around their palm. In particular, the long slope towards the back nestles in a little too tight, which sometimes leaves aim feeling sluggish – like I’m dragging everything from the pad of my palm, rather than the tips of my fingers. This was only noticeable during particularly close shots, of course, and particularly in a sniper position. 

However, I still appreciate the softer material running across the honeycomb shell. Unlike many gaming mice utilizing this design to achieve a lower weight, there’s no coarse roughness to this surface texture and it even offered a little extra grip along the main click buttons as well. Those running with a finger tip grip will struggle to stay comfortable here, however, by virtue of both the length and the fact that the honeycomb texture reaches just above the main body of the mouse. 

On to what truly makes the SteelSeries Aerox 9 unique, though – the buttons. While it’s excellent to see a 12-button array featured on a mouse designed with weight in mind, their placement does render some of them unusable. Interestingly, this is a frustration I also found with the Aerox 5’s paddle and sniper options. In both cases, there’s just far too much actuation force required to hit these buttons reliably and in a high pressure setting. 

In the case of the Aerox 9, I do appreciate a heavier switch here – the panel is always going to be under your left thumb so it’s nice not to have to worry about accidental clicks. However, SteelSeries has gone too far in this direction, to the extent that I could only actively use three quarters of the macros available to me (numbers 1, 2, and 3 are positioned too far away to even attempt hitting those heavier switches). 

Features

Essential Info

Price: $149.99 / £139.99
Form factor: Right-handed
DPI: 18,000
IPS: Up to 400
Switches: Golden Micro IP54 Switches
Connectivity: Wired / Wireless (2.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.0)
Feet: 100% PTFE
Weight: 89g

While the SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless was a little too heavy at 74g to really be considered an “ultra lightweight” gaming mouse, the Aerox 9 has a get out of jail free card up its sleeve. Yes, it’s even heavier – at 89g – but this is a MOBA / MMO mouse. There are only a few pointers with this level of macro customization available right now. The wireless Razer Naga Pro weighs in at 117g, and even the wired Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite clocks 122g. 89g is starting to look seriously impressive considering the level of macro control open to you – it’s the only option for those currently on the hunt for a lightweight MMO wireless gaming mouse. 

Elsewhere, you’re picking up a solid 2.4GHz connection, as well as Bluetooth and wired options. I generally only used the 2.4GHz option, save for a few wired sessions while charging. Those were rare, though – SteelSeries’ assertion that there’s a 180 hour battery life packed in here certainly rings true. I ran for a week of regular use without needing to charge, though RGB was firmly shut off during that time. 

You can opt to run a light show through the bottom of the SteelSeries Aerox 9, but I found that most of the LEDs were strangely situated on the underside of the device. Plus, even the small panel at the rear of the mouse was covered by my hand during use. 

Of course, all your configurations will be run through the SteelSeries Swarm software. I have my own gripes about this program; it’s a very crowded affair, with a swathe of product ads to wade through before you can easily find your own gear. Still, it’s comprehensive and will give tinkerers plenty to play with when fine-tuning their experience. 

If you’re concerned about grime and grit falling through those honeycomb holes, it’s also worth noting that the Aerox 9 features “AquaBarrier technology”. That’s a fancy way of saying that any dust or liquid that does slide through the cracks won’t harm the circuitry underneath. I couldn’t see any signs of build up on my own test device. 

Performance

Design gripes aside, I found the SteelSeries Aerox 9 to be smooth and reliable in battle. The skates lining the underside of the pointer worked hard to keep everything floating along nicely, allowing me to easily swing the camera and take some particularly last-minute panic shots in Apex Legends. The sensor maintained its precision and tracking even with DPI notched up, though I comfortably sit at under 4,000 DPI anyway. 

While the extra length of the design meant more intense sessions felt a little more cumbersome, I wasn’t undershooting all that much once the feel was ingrained into muscle memory – I just had to work a little harder to line up particularly finnicky targets. In fact, I averaged a 95% accuracy rating when really pushing the Aerox 9 to its limits on 3D Aim Trainer (opens in new tab) – just 1% down from my score with the blindingly fast Razer Viper V2 Pro at the helm. That’s slightly higher than my general score in such mini-games with my daily driver – the Razer Basilisk V3. 

Programming each of the 12 side buttons is a manual job, creating a preset for each game yourself. It’s easy enough to do, but don’t expect to jump into ready-made profiles for your favorite MMO / MOBA straight away. 

Should you buy the SteelSeries Aerox 9? 

The SteelSeries Aerox 9 is an impressive device, but it’s only a must-see for those on the hunt for a wireless MMO / MOBA title that doesn’t pack the usual weight of such a design. If you’re after an everyday device, that $149.99 price point does look a little high, especially considering there are far lighter (and cheaper) gaming mice on the market. The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro may be a little older, but it comes in at just $79.99 and offers a good level of additional customization on top. 

If it’s those extra buttons and don’t mind picking up a heavier device, we’d recommend taking a look at the Razer Naga Pro as well – the MSRP is the same, but it’s regularly found on sale for under $100. 

How we tested the SteelSeries Aerox 9

I tested the SteelSeries Aerox 9 over the course of one week, alongside testing of the slightly cheaper Aerox 5. I used the Aerox 9 for both work and play during this time, testing speed and response times on Apex Legends, macro functionality and ease of use on Sea of Thieves. 

For more information on how we test gaming mice, and how we make all our recommendations, take a look at our full GameRadar+ Hardware Policy. 

We’re also rounding up all the best Razer mouse models on the market as well as all the latest cheap gaming mouse deals as well. Or, for a full setup, take a look at the best gaming keyboards available now.

The Verdict

4

4 out of 5

SteelSeries Aerox 9 review: “The lightest MMO / MOBA mouse we’ve tested”

The SteelSeries Aerox 9 is an excellent piece of kit worthy of any MMO / MOBA fan’s attention. Combining a lightweight design with excellent battery life and a buttery smooth overall feel, there’s plenty to love here – though those with small hands may struggle for full control.

The post SteelSeries Aerox 9 review: “The lightest MMO / MOBA mouse weve tested” appeared first on Game News.

What’s perhaps more surprising is that few other games attempted to follow this novel idea. Bureau of Investigation has finally picked up the baton by giving the concept a neat twist. As you may have guessed from the title, in this board game you’re not Sherlock Holmes; you’re the FBI, delving into the mysteries of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos.

What is it, and how does it work?

Essential info

– Game type: Co-op mystery
– Players: 1 – 8
– Difficulty: Moderate
– Lasts: 90 mins
– Ages: 14+
– Price: $40 / £38
– Play if you enjoy: Consulting Detective, Arkham Horror, Cthulhu mythos, escape rooms

Inside the box, there are five case booklets which begin by describing the mystery you are being asked to solve. There is also a relevant newspaper clipping for each, a double-sided map, and a gazetteer in which you can look up names and businesses. Both the numbers on the map and the names in the gazetteer correspond to codes that you can look up in the scenario booklet, a bit like an adventure book.

The difference is that while an adventure gamebook will instruct you where you can go from a given paragraph, Bureau of Investigation is open-ended and relies on you joining the dots. This is hard to explain without spoilers, but let’s try. In the first scenario, there are three dead bodies but only one gives you a code to go to the site where it was found. For the other two, you’ve got to scan the text for clues and work out for yourself, using the accompanying documents, what the relevant locations are.

Once you’ve got a site, you have the choice of either interviewing the people there or staking it out for observation. Each action has a separate entry in the scenario book and can yield different information. But you need to make the choice sparingly because you only have a limited number of actions you can take before you run out of time and the scenario ends (though sometimes, the results of one action can extend the number of actions you have overall).

When you run out of time, you have to choose three locations to send officers to try and resolve the mystery. At the back of the book, there’s a page to tell you whether the chosen locations are correct or not, and it awards you a points value for each. Score four or more to win, seven or more for a commendation. There’s also a full explanation of the mystery if you want, mainly because it’s quite possible to avert the danger and get a good score without fully grasping what’s going on. If so, and you don’t read the explanation, you can try playing again for additional clues to work it out yourself.

Is it any good?

Bureau of Investigation can be played solo or as an addition to your collection of cooperative board games, with the latter meaning players take turns deciding on what actions to undertake. It works fine both ways, but the latter highlights what an odd bird this is. Unlike almost every other cooperative game you’ve played, there are no ‘right’ answers. Rather, there is genuine cooperation as players discuss the clues they have and try to reach a conclusion over which is likely to be most productive. This makes it stand out in the sea of identikit puzzle or narrative-based co-op titles.

For some, that’s reason enough to walk away from this. If you stick with it, though, you’ll uncover quite a novel experience. The first two cases are relatively easy to crack so long as you’re paying attention. After that, things become more difficult. Although this never reaches the mind-bending levels of the Consulting Detective series, the later cases can still leave you stuck in a frustrating rut with no leads to follow. The addition of the mystery, leaving you able to delve again to try and resolve the full story, does give it a bit of extra mystery and replay value, though.

After the first case, further scenarios introduce further wrinkles to the formula. The second case has a time-based element, where you can revisit scenes and interviewees for possible additional information as the investigation progresses. The third and fifth both add elements of spatial movement to the challenge, while the fourth is something of an information dump. It’s a good amount of variety to get your teeth into. In all of them, the action limit, an addition to the Consulting Detective formula borrowed from another game called Mythos Tales, helps to inject some much-needed tension into proceedings.

The other major addition, the split between interviews and investigation at each location, is less successful. Often it rewards sensible decision making, such as a public official. You might expect such an individual to give you useful information, but without a suggestion that they’re corrupt, tailing them is unlikely to turn up anything helpful. However, this is not always the case, and the mechanic can waste those valuable actions. Worse, it can lead to nonsensical situations such as tipping off a criminal they’re under investigation with an interview, only to find they’re still operating freely for you to stake out their hideout.

In a similar vein, Bureau of Investigation: : Investigations in Arkham & Elsewhere often poses some rather unlikely problems in the name of trying to make an engaging game. As an FBI agent you would not, in reality, have to spend time trying to work out where the local police station is; you’d either know, or your superiors would have told you. But here it’s something you have to sort out for yourself. There are examples of these kinds of improbably pedestrian puzzles littering all five scenarios, and they’re frustrating in addition to removing you from the narrative.

As such, the writing is fine. Given you’re going to spend a lot of time reading and analysing the text then, ideally, you’d want it more than ‘fine’, but it suffices to deliver character and atmosphere to proceedings. The publisher is French, however, and while the English translation is both passable and parsable, it contains idiosyncrasies that can make a native speaker stop and re-read. Which is perhaps not a fault in a game that rewards close reading and analysis.

Overall – should you buy Bureau of Investigation?

Whether this is a game for you or not depends on your reaction to two things. The first is the idea that it requires neither strategy nor luck, but a mixture of textual interpretation, good notes, and making conceptual links. The second is your tolerance for the mythos of arch-racist H. P. Lovecraft. Not that there’s anything problematic in this game, but many find his ideas repellent and hackneyed enough to reject anything related to them. 

If neither applies to you, then, despite a few issues and a limited replay value, Bureau of Investigation is worth your time as a clever novelty.

The Verdict

3.5

3.5 out of 5

Bureau of Investigation

Bureau of Investigation offers enough co-op fun to warrant a look, but there are cracks beneath the surface.

The post Bureau of Investigation review: “A clever novelty” appeared first on Game News.

With its numerous nods to movies The Voyage Home and First Contact, and Deep Space Nine two-parter ‘Past Tense’, Star Trek: Picard’s second season hasn’t been shy of homaging previous Trek missions. Now it’s the turn of classic The Next Generation finale ‘All Good Things’ to provide inspiration, as this closing installment makes it clear that the whole of this year’s arc has been built around an eerily similar premise. 

In the last-ever episode of TNG, Q jumped Captain Picard backwards and forwards through time to save reality from a bizarre spatial anomaly. In ‘Farewell’ we learn that the whole of Jean-Luc and co’s jaunt back to the 21st century – including all those flashbacks to the tragedy at Chateau Picard – has been an extremely round-about way of rescuing the Alpha Quadrant from a “galactic event”. 

Despite the familiarity of the premise, it’s a clever – and poignant – piece of plotting. There’s a neat symmetry to the idea of Q – who’s had humanity on trial since the TNG pilot – returning to point the older Jean-Luc Picard in the right direction to fix a problem of galactic importance. More importantly, Q’s involvement provides an emotionally satisfying climax to the story arc that – while occasionally contrived – makes this wonderfully entertaining season’s few narrative missteps feel like they were part of a grander plan.

‘Farewell’ takes its time getting to the point where those plot threads coalesce, however, and the messy opening act is far from convincing. Ensuring Renée Picard blasts off on the pivotal Europa mission is, unsurprisingly, the priority, but the story’s in such a rush to get her into orbit that the episode struggles to build any tension. It also gets bogged down in the idea of prophecy, a plot device that feels totally at home in Star Wars, Game of Thrones, and Doctor Who, yet feels more awkward in the harder sci-fi worlds of Star Trek. 

Picard himself is appropriately skeptical about the Borg Queen’s assertion that “to succeed there must be two Renées; one who lives and one who dies”, but Tallinn takes her words as proof she needs to sacrifice herself to ensure the young astronaut fulfills her world-saving destiny. The shock reveal that she was impersonating Renée when Dr. Adam Soong delivers a lethal, neurotoxin-infused handshake is a neat twist, but it also feels like it’s been lifted from a Mission: Impossible movie.

Perhaps Tom Cruise’s blockbuster movie franchise is where Soong got the idea for the stunt, though he continues to be the most problematic element in the show. When he was introduced as a morally questionable scientist, he was a plausible addition to the ensemble, but as the season has gone on, he’s evolved into the sort of mustache-twirling, cat-stroking Bond villain you might have encountered before things got serious in the Daniel Craig era. In his quest to shape the dystopian future we saw in ‘Penance’, he’s rolling out weaponized drones, demanding a pre-launch audience with the astronauts, and playing assassin – away from Austin Powers, it’s rare to see anybody who relishes being evil quite this much.

After Soong’s dastardly schemes have failed once and for all – and Renée is safely on her way – there’s a last gasp effort to make him feel essential to Star Trek lore, courtesy of a secret file labeled “Project Khan”. It’s currently unclear how a rogue geneticist like Soong will tie into the origins of Trek’s greatest ever villain – in the original timeline, Khan was a dictator in the late ’90s, a quarter of a century ahead of the events here – but right now it feels like an ill-conceived effort to plug a gap in the canon that really doesn’t need filling.

Although Soong is having something of a ’mare, things are looking up for his daughter, Kore. Having been a relatively minor player this season, her exploits erasing her creator’s hard drives are enough to get her noticed by a familiar face from The Next Generation.

The announcement that the crew of the Enterprise-D are returning in season 3 unsurprisingly attracted headlines, but for the Traveler formerly known as Wesley Crusher to show up here is a wonderful surprise – especially after actor Wil Wheaton seemingly confirmed in his own blog (via ScreenRant) (opens in new tab) that he wasn’t coming back. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense that Kore would be selected to help police the tapestry of the space-time continuum – perhaps it explains why 24th-century androids Dahj and Soji look identical to Kore? – but it’s a fun nod to fans to confirm that Wesley is still out there protecting the universe.

It’s the last act of ‘Farewell’ that makes everything worthwhile, however, as Q finally reveals his true motives for interfering with Picard’s timeline – and goes some way to finding redemption for a lifetime of cosmic tinkering. In contrast to Boba Fett’s awkward journey from ruthless bounty hunter to caring man-of-the-people, Q’s shift from villain to antihero works remarkably well. At heart, this entire season has been about a dying man’s desire for his final act to make a positive difference, and Picard – a man for whom Q has obvious respect – is the beneficiary. While it’s questionable that a man as accomplished as Jean-Luc has been significantly held back by his childhood trauma – an issue seemingly manufactured for this season – it also gives Q the chance to belatedly reveal a layer of humanity hiding beneath the riddles and the mischief.

And besides, even a reformed Q would never have made it so simple that the mission was just about a man. The season therefore saves its best twist until last, as Q transports Picard and his crew back to the bridge of the USS Stargazer, resuming their encounter with the Borg Queen who demanded Jean-Luc’s presence at the start of the season.

It turns out that the Borg using Edith Piaf’s ‘Je Ne Regrette Rien’ as a hailing frequency was no coincidence, as the intruder reveals she’s the Agnes/Queen hybrid who left Earth on La Sirena 400 years earlier. She needs to coordinate the navy of Starfleet vessels to stop the anomaly destroying a significant chunk of the Federation, but such a truce would never have been possible had Picard not gone back in time. Suddenly, all the pieces of this cleverly plotted season – and Q’s grand plan – fall into place.

It’s also an excuse for some unashamedly happy endings, with Rios staying in the 21st century with Teresa and Ricardo, Elnor returning from the dead, and Raffi and Seven reconciling. It also looks like – in what could be a first for Star Trek – Jean-Luc might finally be lucky in love, as he comes clean with Laris about his feelings. Is the ending too neat? Possibly, but it would take a hard heart to begrudge Jean-Luc and his new surrogate family a few moments of joy at the end of such an entertaining run of episodes.

Star Trek: Picard season 2 has come to an end. However, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has only just started! Click through that link to read our review of the premiere. It’s Star Trek all the time!

The Verdict

3.5

3.5 out of 5

Star Trek: Picard season 2 episode 10 review: “Saves the best twist until last”

‘Farewell’ takes time to find its feet, but it grows into an emotionally satisfying conclusion to a cleverly plotted season. When Riker, Troi, Worf, Geordi and Crusher step back into the action in Star Trek: Picard’s third year, there’ll be some big shoes to fill.

The post Star Trek: Picard season 2 episode 10 review: “Saves the best twist until last” appeared first on Game News.

The Seiren BT is Razer’s first attempt at plugging that gap. Taking audio on the move with a tiny Bluetooth mic designed to give mobile streamers a quality, flexible option. On paper it’s ticking a lot of boxes, but does it stack up in the real world, or could it be used in a streaming for gamers set up?

Design & features

Officially the smallest microphone in Razer’s best microphones for streaming lineup (and possibly any streamer microphone lineup for that matter) the Seiren BT measures in at just over six centimetres. It’s an incredibly portable little unit weighing just 16 grams, and I even actually forgot that it was clipped to my collar after a couple of minutes. A largely metal casing is a surprising and welcome touch too, it keeps the Seiren BT from feeling like a toy and adds a premium finish.

It’s an impressive form factor that’s noticeably smaller and lighter than its main rival, RØDE’s excellent Wireless GO, and it makes all the difference when it comes to actually using it. Like RØDE’s offering, the Razer Seiren BT features an inbuilt clip on the back for attaching to your collar and, on the whole, it’s a good solution that makes it simple to get on the move. 

Unlike the extra bulk of the Wireless GO which meant it often pulled down my t-shirt collar and flipped over, there was no such drama with the Seiren BT which sat happily in place throughout. If I’m being picky, the clip on the Seiren BT is just a touch lower than I’d like though; it’s a minor thing but it would help keep the mic hidden away more on camera if it joined nearer the top.

Connecting to my phone was simple, even without Razer’s dedicated streaming app. My iPhone 13 Pro happily picked up the Seiren BT as a Bluetooth mic, but be aware: it will take over your audio output too so listening back to test recordings in the Voice Memo app is a chore. There is a 3.5mm aux jack which does get around the issue, but the input being on the top of the mic is somewhat awkward and prevents you from using either of the two included windsocks too.

Performance

Using the Seiren BT as intended and linking up with the Razer streaming app unlocks a handful of extra features including AI noise cancellation, live audio monitoring, and a low latency mode. You can track battery percentage here too, with Razer claiming up to six hours of battery life if you keep noise cancellation off or four if you leave it on. There are two levels of that noise cancellation, and while they do an impressive job of cutting out unwanted background sound this was a little aggressive at times and ate into the voice quality too.

That’s an issue because with the Razer Seiren BT you don’t have a lot of voice quality you can afford to lose. For everything this little device gets right across build quality, design and setup, it falls down at the most crucial junction, sound quality. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t sound good at all.

Given the tiny form factor and $99 / £99 price point of the Seiren BT this shouldn’t come as a major surprise and yet I am still left feeling let down by what it produced. It’s important to taper expectations when it comes to the performance of a microphone like this, it’s never going to be able to deliver perfect studio-quality vocals no matter how hard the AI tries. But what I was left with was a microphone that delivered somewhere in line with a headset microphone or Apple Airpods.

It just all sounds a bit rough. There is no depth to my voice and none of the ‘perfect vocal clarity’ that Razer promises. Running some test recordings and Discord calls with a friend, we both agreed my audio was considerably better using the iPhone’s built-in microphone over the Razer Seiren BT. Comparing it to the RØDE Wireless GO the difference was night and day (though, admittedly, the Wireless GO is twice the price).

Overall – Should you buy it?

This all leaves the Razer Seiren BT in a slightly strange position. It’s an excellent device that’s just not good at what it’s meant to do. It’s a Formula 1 car with the engine from a Fiat Punto.

Purely as a microphone and based on audio quality alone it’s hard to recommend, but as a complete package it begins to form a more useful offering. It’s built well, it’s simple to set up and the wireless freedom it brings is valuable. For IRL creators where flexibility triumphs over sound it might just fit the bill, but for those looking to properly turn up the quality, there are likely stronger options elsewhere.

How we tested the Razer Seiren BT

I used the Razer Seiren BT connected to an iPhone 13 Pro via Bluetooth both with and without the official Razer Streaming App. I tested sound quality recording in a number of environments, inside and outside, and while using a mixture of different gain and AI Sound levels.

Audio was recorded using the native Apple Voice Memos app and tested via Discord calls.

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The Verdict

2.5

2.5 out of 5

Razer Seiren BT

Disappointing audio quality from an otherwise impressive device.

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