Tag: ‘still
Spotify still market-leader in premium streaming, though Chinese services scoring impressive growth
Jane Moore still living with ex and will spend Christmas together after shock split
Uber’s Las Vegas Robotaxies Still Need Chaperones (For Now)
Testing a robotaxi along the strip in Vegas with the drunken crowds and bright lights and occasional escaped lion seems like a natural fit. If they can handle that, other cities should be a breeze.
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Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion review: One of the most impressive remasters ever, but still a PSP game at heart
The marketing for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion has been a little bit cheeky, for my money. Square Enix has taken to calling this re-release of a PSP classic “more than a remaster”, which feels like a rather liberal interpretation of what this game is – but by the same token, god damn if this isn’t one of the most impressive remasters I’ve ever seen. The best visual remaster ever? Maybe. More than a remaster? Not quite.
So, for the avoidance of doubt, let’s start this review that way: by making clear what the game is. Crisis Core Reunion is a huge visual overhaul of the 2007 PSP game, so significant and overarching that one would be forgiven for thinking this was a ground-up remake. But it isn’t: beneath the hood, beyond the veneer of visuals and character models that have been directly borrowed from FF7 Remake or spec-built to match it, the structure of the game is largely identical.
So, for instance, Crisis Core still features relatively bite-sized play, where all but a few chapters of the game last no more than an hour. Side missions can be accessed at any time from any save point, and there’s over 300 of them to unlock – but these missions are designed to be played on the train in a bite-sized fashion; few last more than a couple of minutes, most feature relatively generic rewards, and all of the 300 missions take place on just a handful of tiny maps, meaning that for side quests you’ll be seeing the same level layouts over and over again.
Help My Career: People still afraid of catching COVID-19 are costing the U.S. economy billions of dollars
Jonathan, the World’s Oldest Tortoise, Turns 190 and Still Wants to Mate – CNET
We are still failing to learn the most important lesson in cybersecurity. That needs to change, fast
The Nintendo Switch still deserves our respect
I’m never doubting the Nintendo Switch again.
Last week, like many Americans, I traveled home for Thanksgiving. I chose not to bring my Switch with me because, well, I’ve sort of moved on. It’s old and underpowered compared to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and, besides, the last couple years of being a homebody (thanks to lockdowns and remote work) have rendered its portability meaningless to me.
And then I actually caught (a very mild case of) COVID and was stranded in Kansas for an extra week with no video games. Readers, I’ve never appreciated the Switch more than I did when it would have saved me from a week of extreme boredom. After thinking on it, I’ve realized Nintendo’s long-in-the-tooth handheld hybrid still deserves our love, even in a world of Game Pass, PS5s and Steam Decks.
Low on horsepower, high on great exclusives
Credit: Nintendo
When the topic of the Switch comes up in enthusiast circles these days, the discussion usually (and quickly) turns to how behind the times it is technologically. But this was always the case. It was already obsolete at launch, given that it’s running on tablet hardware. Now, to be fair, plenty of folks don’t care about this; the Switch has sold 114 million consoles worldwide and, anecdotally, continues to be the console of choice for people who have interests outside of video games. But to those for whom gaming is a passion, the march of progress has left the Switch behind.
One simply has to look at the recently released Pokémon: Scarlet and Violet to see what I mean. They’re very good games that do a lot to revitalize that particular franchise, but they frequently produce ugly visuals and uglier performance. Texture quality is low across the board, Pokémon frequently appear and disappear right in front of the player, and the game straight up runs in slow motion at times. Nintendo even specifically promised to fix these problems, something the company usually doesn’t do. Even more casual players who don’t know the difference between frame rate and resolution can tell that something is off there.
Pokémon may be the most egregious recent example, but other Switch exclusives like Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Metroid Dread have had similar issues.
But in discussing problems with Switch exclusives, it’s easy to overlook something important: They’re still Switch exclusives. It’s not like there’s a superior PS5 version of Pokémon out there that smooths out the performance problems. You need Nintendo’s console to play Nintendo’s generally excellent games. Hell, Xenoblade 3 is my favorite game of the year and I played the bejesus out of Elden Ring.
Along similar lines, the Switch is still a great home for pick-up-and-play indie games. It’s still my preferred platform for Stardew Valley, since that’s a game perfectly suited to short play sessions. 2020’s best video game Hades came to Switch before other consoles and that just made sense. You turn it on, play for 20 minutes, and then move on with the rest of your day. Players took a shine to it as well, as Hades dominated the Switch eShop sales charts when it came out.
Oh, and Nintendo’s still not done with its major Switch releases. The Legend of Zelda: Tears to the Kingdom launches in May 2023. Remind me to book a month’s worth of PTO for that.
Portable prowess
Credit: Dustin Drankoski / Mashable
Of course, plenty of people like to play games on the go, even if I don’t. I hardly ever pull my Switch out of its dock, but a majority of my friends exclusively play their Switches that way. Broadly, the userbase is split. According to Nintendo’s own stats, about 20 percent of people play mostly docked, 30 percent play mostly handheld, and the rest use a mixture of both.
The only problem with the Switch’s signature portability is that it’s not the only game in town anymore thanks to Valve’s Steam Deck.
And on paper (as well as in practice, in many ways), the Steam Deck is superior to the Switch. It’s much more powerful, allowing users to play newer, more visually complex PC games. Its game library also isn’t restricted to what’s available on Steam, as damn near everyone I know who has a Steam Deck uses it for emulation of other consoles. The Steam Deck is a veritable jack-of-all-trades.
It’s also way more expensive, coming in at $400 for the cheapest model and going all the way up to $650 if you want all the bells and whistles. By comparison, the most expensive OLED Switch model is just $350. Some models of the Steam Deck are also subject to supply constraints and can take weeks (or months) to show up, while the Switch is much easier to find.
Oh, and the Steam Deck’s portability is undercut some by its battery life. PC Gamer’s testing found that you can drain the battery in less than 90 minutes by playing games like Forza Horizon 5, whereas I’ve never gotten fewer than three or four hours (not great, but better) out of a Switch.
Family fun
Credit: Nintendo
The last major thing the Switch has going for it over Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam Deck is its extreme family friendliness. Nintendo’s games are generally cute and colorful, of course, with the likes of Mario and Kirby gracing the Switch while mature games like Call of Duty are relegated to other platforms. However, it’s not just about aesthetics. Nintendo builds most of its games with family play in mind.
Everything from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and even Kirby and the Forgotten Land supports local multiplayer in some form or another, whether it’s competitive or cooperative. You can always just pull the Joy-Cons off the console and instantly have two (tiny, uncomfortable) controllers to use. I gotta be honest: I’m not even sure how to connect multiple controllers to my PS5 because I’ve never played a local multiplayer game on it. In contrast, almost all of the local gaming I’ve done in the last six years has been on Nintendo’s hardware.
Of course, not everything is rainbows and butterflies on the Switch. Xenoblade 3 is about war and propaganda, if you need something a little more serious.
This is all to say that I regret my decision to not bring my Switch with me on a cross-country trip and I won’t make the same mistake again. I’m sorry to the little console that could for overlooking it in favor of more expensive, shinier toys.
I just wanted to fill out my Pokédex while I had COVID.
Samsung’s Cyber Week deals are still live
A ton of deals are up for grabs during Samsung’s Cyber Week, available through Dec. 4:
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BEST TV DEAL: The 75” Class QN85B Samsung Neo QLED 4K Smart TV (2022) offers the biggest discount in this list — $1799.99
$2599.99(save $800) -
BEST WATCH DEAL: The Galaxy Watch5 is available at a discount, and you can also trade in a smartwatch from multiple brands to receive in-store credits — $289.99
$359.99(save $70) -
BEST VACUUM DEAL: Clean up your home in style using the Samsung Jet 60 Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum — $199.99
$329.99(save $130) -
BEST GAMING MONITOR DEAL: Optimize your gaming experience with the 49-inch Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor — $899.99
$1499.99(save $600)
Whether you’re looking to completely overhaul the tech used in your home, or simply want to purchase a smartwatch or gaming monitor as a holiday gift, then Samsung’s website can definitely cater to all your needs. The Korean tech giant is offering its Cyber Week deals on nearly all premium products for a few more days (through Dec. 4), so take full advantage of these savings while you still can.
Best TV Deal
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Our pick: 75-inch QN85B Samsung QLED 4K Smart TV
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Why we like it
The 75-inch giant can give you a great cinematic experience. The full HD resolution stuns you with its lifelike graphics, and the QLED display with HDR (High Dynamic Range) support provides you with great brightness and crisp color tones so that you never have to squint again while watching a movie. The Samsung Neo QLED 4K TV’s 120Hz refresh rate makes it ideal for gaming, while the 60W speakers provide some stunning background support. With Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, you can use your remote hands-free to enhance your viewing experience.
Best smartwatch deal
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Our pick: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
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Why we like it
If you’re looking to better your relationship with sleep, then the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 can become your personal coach. It tracks your time spent across various sleep stages, while the Advanced Sleep Coaching feature gives you suggestions to improve your sleep performance. Samsung claims that its BioActive sensor gives you a more accurate assessment of your heart rate, which could give you a better idea of your heart health. The Watch 5 is one of the few on the market to offer a body composition analysis, which can give you info on your basic metabolic rate, body fat, and skeletal muscle. As an added bonus, if you’re willing to trade in an old smartwatch from a major brand like Fitbit, Fossil, Garmin, or Apple, then the deal price can go as low as $124.99.
Best vacuum deal
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Our pick: Samsung Jet 60 Pet Cordless Stick
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Why we like it
If you’re looking for all-around cleaning across an array of surfaces, then the Jet 60 Flex Cordless Vacuum is your go-to device. The 5-layer filtration trap clinches even the most minute dirt particles, while the 150AW suction power is more powerful than that of the average cordless vacuum cleaner. In case you’ve forgotten to charge the device, worry not — the drained battery can be removed for charging while you swap it with a spare. Additionally, you can also maneuver this device to clean hard-to-reach surfaces thanks to its lightweight design and 180-degree head rotation capability.
Best gaming monitor deal
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Our pick: 49-inch Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor
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Why we like it
If you spend hours looking at your screen while gaming, and are looking for a monitor that ergonomically matches your eye shape to reduce strains, then the Odyssey G9 could be a top pick for you. With a 240Hz refresh rate, the frames load super fast on-screen without any lags, and the Quantum Dot technology provides more immersive gameplay. With the 32:9 aspect ratio, you essentially have two 27-inch QHD monitors rolled into one, without worrying about the uniformity or contrast differences when using two different pieces.