We're less than a month away to launch day, and if you're on the market for the ultimate GTA 6 setup, I've got you covered. Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer to the game and want to see what the hype's about, you need not only the best gaming console, but also the best headsets, controllers and TV.

I review gaming peripherals for a living, and I play video games in my downtime, too. I've given it much thought and after hours of doing so, I've come up with the quintessential peripherals you'll need for the best GTA 6 setup. And if you haven't done so already, there's still time to pre-order GTA 6!

Console

The first thing you'll need, naturally, is a console. On 19 November, GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. While the PS5 Pro is currently out of stock everywhere, the base PS5 is available, as is the Xbox Series X.

SSD

GTA 6 is reportedly going to take up 210GB of space, and I don't know about you, but I'll need to delete a lot of stuff off my 1TB PS5 to make room for it. The solution? An external SSD!

TV

Great, you've got your console! But wait, do you have a TV to hook it up to? Fret not, some of the best gaming TVs are currently on sale, and these should arrive right in time for GTA 6's release.

Soundbar

If you want to feel like you're playing games at the cinema, you need one of the best soundbars, and I've picked my two favorites for both small and big spaces. They get very loud, though, so try not to use them at night.

Controller

Whether you're after a first-party limited edition GTA 6 controller or a third-party gamepad with Hall Effect triggers and sticks for enhanced precision, these are my top picks.

Headset

When you can't use your soundbar or don't want to disturb your partner or housemates, you can't go wrong with one of the best gaming headsets. I awarded both of my top picks 5-stars each in their respective reviews, so you know they're good.

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• I'm replaying Red Dead Redemption 2 to prepare for GTA 6 — 5 features that need to return
• GTA 6's Ultimate Edition is the real full game — and the rumors of it costing $100 were true after all
• GTA 6 — everything we know so far, including release date and latest trailer

Nintendo is marking the 40th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda with a remake of one of Link’s most legendary adventures, Ocarina of Time, and the release of a limited-edition Nintendo Switch 2 console and matching Zelda-themed Pro controller. We still have to wait an extra week for the remake's launch, but the console and controller arrive today (Oct. 29).

Anything Zelda tends to be popular, and when the stunning console and controller went up for pre-order in early September, available stock was snapped up in mere minutes. However, now that launch day has arrived, there’s a good chance we’ll see restocks of these items.

As of now, there is no Zelda Switch 2 restock available. Nintendo restocked the console earlier today but quickly sold out. Target has confirmed it will restock next week (Nov. 5 in-store, Nov. 6 online), and Best Buy will also have fresh stock on Nov. 5 during its in-store midnight launch events for the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake game.

I’ve been covering pre-orders and restocks at Tom’s Guide for more than five years, and in that time have helped thousands of gamers get their hands on hard-to-buy items. I’m putting all that experience to good use today to (hopefully) help you pick up some Zelda goodies.

Quick links

• Switch 2 – Zelda Edition: check stock @ Amazon
• Switch 2 – Zelda Edition: check stock @ Best Buy
• Switch 2 – Zelda Edition: check stock @ Walmart
• Switch 2 Pro Controller - Zelda Edition: check stock @ Amazon
• Switch 2 Pro Controller – Zelda Edition: check stock @ Best Buy
• Switch 2 Pro Controller – Zelda Edition: check stock @ Target
• Switch 2 Pro Controller - Zelda Edition: check stock @ Walmart
• Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Switch 2): $69 @ Amazon

Zelda Switch 2 console pre-orders

Zelda Switch 2 Pro controller pre-orders

Zelda Ocarina of Time remake pre-orders

U.K. pre-orders

• Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition:  check stock @ Amazon
• Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition: check stock @ Nintendo
• Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition: check stock @ Smyths Toys
• Switch 2 Pro Controller — The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition: check stock @ Amazon
• Switch 2 Pro Controller — The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition: check stock @ Nintendo
• Switch 2 Pro Controller — The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition: check stock @ Smyths Toys

Live updates

If GTA 6 is going to truly justify the thirteen long years of waiting since we first set foot in Los Santos, it cannot rely solely on scale, high-speed chases, or satirical noise.

Instead, it needs to look closely at its western cousin and adopt the patience that made New Austin feel so real. Here are five features that Vice City ought to inherit.

1. Meaningful downtime that exists outside the criminal hustle

Rockstar has long understood that the quieter moments between shootouts are what transform an expansive map into a place that feels genuinely lived in. San Andreas gave us gym workouts and awkward dates, GTA 4 had Niko dragged to bowling alleys, and GTA 5 introduced sprawling golf courses.

Yet RDR2 elevated this concept into something meditative, allowing players to lose an entire evening to a poker table, a friendly game of dominoes, or an eccentric vaudeville performance in Saint Denis.

Vice City needs this same commitment to low-stakes immersion, particularly given its focus on Jason and Lucia. Providing opportunities to step away from high-stakes robberies and simply spend time together.

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FSR, or FidelityFX Super Resolution, is AMD's version of NVIDIA DLSS or Intel's XeSS 3, both of which have been eating AMD's lunch in the last year. Basically, FSR renders the game you're playing at a lower resolution and then utilizes AI to generate a better image.

Importantly, it makes the graphics card more efficient, meaning any savings can be put straight back into performance. It's a big step up over previous versions of FSR, which didn't use machine learning to optimize performance.

With this update, AMD is partnering with Microsoft to bring FSR 4.1 not only to the Xbox Series X but also to the Series S and the Xbox Ally X and X20, both of which should benefit immensely from huge performance boosts.

Notably, a release date for this feature was not provided in any announcement videos or posts we could find. Presumably, the Xbox Ally X will get FSR 4.1 before the end of the year. Xbox consoles are listed as "coming soon." Unfortunately, the vanilla Xbox Ally handheld does not appear compatible with FSR 4.1.

While cheaper, the Series S has been a boondoggle for developers due to its weaker hardware, so maybe FSR 4.1 will be able to do some of the hard work.

It's not just Xbox

AMD also revealed that FSR 4.1 will be coming to Radeon RX 6000 and Ryzen AI Max graphics cards and processors. It should also feature on AMD Ryzen AI 9-powered laptops like the Asus TUF Gaming A14.

Gaming handhelds powered by the Ryzen Z2 Extreme and Ryzen Z2A, which are basically just the Xbox Ally handhelds right now. AMD also said that it's working on bringing FSR 4.1 to more APUs.

Outlook

This is a much-needed, and probably overdue, update from AMD, which has been losing to NVIDIA and DLSS 4.5 this year. In one study, nearly half of gamers picked Nvidia over AMD (and native rendering) in a blind gaming test. AMD even lost to native rendering, nabbing 15% of the vote compared to 24% for native.

At Tom's Guide, my colleagues Jason England and Tony Polanco are putting FSR 4.1 through its paces, so keep us in your tabs to see how our testing shakes out.

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Nintendo Switch Sports Resort brings the series’ iconic motion-fueled gameplay to the Switch 2 with polished visuals, a couple of new sports and, of course, the return of fan-favorites like golf and bowling.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, this new, tropical-themed entry in the series builds on the groundwork laid by 2022’s Switch Sports. Of the 12 total activities in Switch Sports Resort, seven are directly from its predecessor. While Miis make a return as well, so too do Nintendo’s more modern and detailed Sportsmates avatars. However, instead of grinding online to earn Spocco Points to unlock new outfits and in-game items, you can now do so through both single-player and local multiplayer too.

In addition to changing its look and layout, Nintendo has added new ways to explore Wuhu Island. While you can fly around the island in a prop plane, you can also do so by water on a jet ski or even on the ground with your skateboard. Although these various traversal methods provide a nice break from the action, I still wish we had some other new sports besides skateboarding, thumb wrestling and the warm-up game jump rope. We might see some additional sports and activities added in a future update, though.

Having spent the past five days putting the game through its paces, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is an absolute blast for both returning players and newcomers alike. But is it one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 games and a must play? Find out in my full review.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort: The Basics

• What is it? The latest motion-party game in Nintendo’s popular sports franchise, packing 12 different events across the iconic Wuhu Island.
• Who is it for? Series veterans looking to revisit classic sports with upgraded visuals, as well as newcomers wanting an active, motion-controlled showcase for their Switch 2.
• What’s the price? Nintendo Switch Sports Resort costs $49 for the digital version or $59 for the physical edition.
• What other games has the developer made? Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is from the same internal Nintendo team behind 2022’s Nintendo Switch Sports and other active Switch titles like 1-2-Switch and Ring Fit Adventure.
• What games is it similar to? It combines the modern structure of 2022's Nintendo Switch Sports with the tropical setting, island exploration, and event roster of Wii Sports Resort.

Seeing Wuhu Island with new eyes

Although Switch Sports on the original Nintendo Switch was a massive visual leap, taking in the revamped Wuhu Island on Switch 2 in crisp 4K at a steady 60 fps is even more impressive.

From the first time I booted up the game, it was clear that Nintendo put a lot of polish into the visuals—from the island’s vibrant scenery all the way down to its crisp menus.

Switch Sports Resort retains the fun, cartoony look of its predecessor, but details like clothing textures and water reflections really pop on the new hardware. Character models feature noticeably smoother edges, and the courses you compete on look cleaner than ever thanks to enhanced anti-aliasing.

While this is fundamentally a return to Wuhu Island, the care and attention to detail across the board almost make it feel like you’re experiencing this classic tropical resort for the first time, even as a veteran player.

Exploring by air, land and sea

Taking to the skies in Prop Plane to shoot down balloons was first introduced in Wii Sports Resort, but thanks to key tweaks and more responsive controls, it feels even better than before. This time around, you also collect photographs of key landmarks around Wuhu Island while holding a single Joy-Con 2 flat in your hand like a paper airplane.

Both my 4-year-old son and I had a lot of fun trying to see and collect everything in Prop Plane. However, this isn’t the only way to traverse Wuhu Island. Aboard a jet ski in Power Cruising, you can do the same thing on the water while holding two Joy-Con 2 controllers extended in front of you like handlebars. Twisting one controller up like a throttle for a quick speed boost never got old, either.

Finally, you can take to the streets (and even the grass) on your skateboard to explore Wuhu Island from the ground. This uses a Joy-Con 2 in mouse mode, and my son took to this control scheme almost instantly after playing Drag x Drive on the Switch 2. Far from an accurate portrayal of skateboarding, this activity’s arcadey feel provided a great break from competing in the rest of the game’s traditional sports.

Sharper slices, tighter controls

There have been plenty of games — from Donkey Kong Bananza to the excellent port of Cyberpunk 2077 — that showcase the Switch 2’s added power and graphical capabilities. However, Switch Sports Resort is the first to really highlight what its Joy-Con 2 controllers can do.

Much like the jump from Wii Remotes to the original Joy-Cons, the Joy-Con 2’s enhanced motion tracking makes every sport and activity in this game feel significantly more responsive. Outside of my time on the golf course, this upgrade stood out most while playing Table Tennis. Quick wrist flicks to return a fast serve felt almost instantaneous, and thanks to the tighter tracking, shots I didn't think I'd reach somehow landed right on my opponent’s side of the table.

Chasing the Island Crown

One of the biggest criticisms of Switch Sports was how the game focused heavily on online multiplayer. Though you could play by yourself, there wasn’t much incentive to do so — you couldn't collect Spocco Points unless you were playing in the game’s restricted Trial Mode. Fortunately, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort fixes this with a dedicated single-player mode that offers a clear progression path.

In Island Crown mode, you take on increasingly difficult CPU opponents across nine different sports — from Archery to Volleyball — to boost your rank. Once you reach the top of a sport's ladder, you go head-to-head against formidable Island Champions, including returning Wii Sports Mii legend Matt.

While you can occasionally jump multiple spots when playing particularly well, each sport features 20 distinct opponents to defeat. Given the sheer depth across all nine sports, I focused primarily on Golf. Climbing the bottom ranks by playing three-hole matches was breezy enough, but things got noticeably tougher — though never unfair — as I closed in on the Island Champion.

Even if you don’t have family or friends nearby or an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, Island Crown mode delivers a beefy single-player campaign to keep you coming back for more. It’s also a good way to practice before your next game night.

Local parties, global lobbies

With just a single Switch 2 console, you can play Switch Sports Resort locally with up to four players. When playing head-to-head sports like Tennis, Table Tennis, and Volleyball, a single Joy-Con 2 per player is all you need. If you don’t want to pick up an extra pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers, you can also use Joy-Cons from your original Switch to play every sport except Skateboarding — which makes local couch co-op a whole lot more accessible.

Even though this was his first time using motion controls, my son took to Switch Sports Resort quickly. After trying out a few activities on his own, we each grabbed a Joy-Con 2 and played through several matches together. While we had a blast with Table Tennis, his favorite was Boxing. There’s a fair bit of strategy with blocking and weaving, but he happily delivered punch after punch until both he and his avatar were out of breath.

Given that I played Switch Sports Resort ahead of its official launch, my online multiplayer sessions were spent alongside fellow journalists and Nintendo representatives. We had a great time bowling, golfing, aiming for targets in Archery, and stepping into the boxing ring. In Golf, for instance, I joined an eight-player match and managed to come out on top after a few tight holes. Then in Knockout Bowling, a full 16-player roster was whittled down round by round until I once again emerged victorious.

Whether I was on the golf course — playing classic holes from Wii Sports mixed with courses from Switch Sports — or on the lanes, I really enjoyed watching other players take their turns while throwing up emoji-style reactions between shots. Online play felt remarkably smooth without any noticeable lag, offering a fun, lively change of pace from local co-op and Island Crown mode.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort review: Verdict

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is a triumphant return to form for Nintendo’s active, motion-based gameplay, complete with crisp, upgraded 4K visuals. Exploring the redesigned Wuhu Island by air, land, and sea helps break up the action, while the new Island Crown mode gives you a genuine reason to keep playing when friends go home or you're offline. While I certainly would’ve liked to see a few more sports added to the initial lineup, Thumb Wrestling is a blast and the way Skateboarding utilizes the new Joy-Con 2 is genuinely clever.

Although you can play several of these activities in Switch Sports, Wuhu Island’s tropical resort setting ties everything together beautifully. Whether you’re a seasoned Wii Sports veteran or looking to introduce your own kids to the joy of motion gaming, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is a delightfully polished experience — one that will likely only get better as future updates arrive.

If you’re curious about the ROG Xbox Ally X20 but aren’t sure whether to buy it, I’ve outlined the key reasons to consider buying this gaming handheld, along with the top reasons to skip it.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20: Reasons to buy

That sweet OLED

Let’s start with the star of the show—that gorgeous OLED panel. This is arguably the main thing folks have asked for in each new iteration of the ROG Ally, so it’s great that Asus finally answered. As with the Steam Deck OLED, this will no doubt be the deciding factor for folks.

I played Forza Horizon 6 on the X20 and was floored by the OLED panel’s brightness and bold colors. Whether it was the vast countryside, packed cities, or the cars inhabiting them, everything looked incredible on the 7.4-inch 1080p display. The 120Hz refresh rate also ensured that even the fastest races moved buttery smooth.

Words can’t fully convey how good games look on the X20’s stellar OLED panel, but it’s the best I’ve seen on a gaming handheld. As I said, for some, the OLED alone will be enough of a selling point. It’s really that impressive.

Sleek ergonomics

The original ROG Xbox Ally is the most comfortable handheld to actually hold thanks to its Xbox controller-inspired grips and smart weight distribution. Asus could have left this aspect alone, and I wouldn’t have complained. Instead, the company took what was already great and made it even better.

The X20 features rubberized grips that make it easier to hold during long gaming sessions. Rubber grips aren’t new to gaming controllers, but few gaming handhelds feature them, so their inclusion here is especially appreciated.

Regarding the hardware redesign, the TMR joysticks move smoothly, while the shoulder buttons feel more tactile and the rounded face buttons feel better under your thumbs. I’m also a fan of the D-Pad, which you can rotate to act as a 4-way D-Pad for side-scrolling games or an 8-way D-Pad for fighting games. These are small design tweaks that make a big difference.

The best Windows handheld experience

Like the ROG Xbox Ally systems, the X20 features the Xbox UI. That shouldn’t surprise you, since the Xbox UI was designed for handhelds, but it's worth mentioning in case you were worried you’d get another clunky Windows 11 experience.

Like SteamOS, the Xbox UI is a slick, easy-to-navigate interface. If you want to dive deeper into the settings, you can do so at any time. That last point matters, especially if you’re a PC gamer used to tweaking settings to get games to look and play just right.

One reason the Xbox UI runs so smoothly is that, when it’s open, the Windows desktop stops running—making the handheld purely optimized for gaming instead of running unnecessary background processes that impact performance. This makes a meaningful difference in both performance and battery life.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20: Reasons to skip

A steep price

Let’s not dance around it. The ROG Xbox Ally X20 is a seriously expensive handheld. While the Xbox Ally X’s $999 price tag wasn’t exactly cheap, it seems like a bargain compared to the X20’s $1,299 asking price.

Before you think I’m being unfair, I’ll admit that this handheld’s price isn’t an anomaly. For instance, the phenomenal MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ will set you back a crushing $1,799 thanks to its larger 8-inch display and 32GB of RAM, compared with the X20’s 24GB.

Still, it’s clear that the halcyon days of just 3 years ago, when Windows handhelds started as low as $599, are long over.

Under performer

The Xbox Ally X20 has the same AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip and 24GB of RAM as the Xbox Ally X. As a result, you get similar performance—for better or worse.

As the table above shows, Asus’ handheld can’t match the performance of the Intel Arc G3-powered MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, even at 35W TDP. You’ll need to tweak settings seriously to get the best per-game performance on the X20.

Bottom line

Despite the upgrades, the X20 is still an Xbox Ally X and is already getting long in the tooth. The ROG Xbox Ally X was the best Windows handheld when it launched. Now, it faces stiff competition from MSI and other handhelds packing an Intel Arc G3 chip. The fact that it costs so much for the same performance and battery life only makes it harder to recommend.

But despite its flaws, the X20 offers exceptional image quality for a handheld, along with fantastic ergonomics. If you want a great overall Windows handheld and still have extra cash on hand, you won't walk away disappointed.

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This isn't the first time we've heard of Sekigahara. Atsu, the katana-wielding protagonist, mentions it a few times in the base game. She fought in and earned her laurels at the Battle of Sekigahara, but that's all we're told.

The Echoes of Sekigahara DLC takes you to Ashoro Foothills, located in the eastern part of the fogged-out map, and introduces you to Nagato from Atsu's past. What unfolds is a touching (albeit short) tale that sheds light on Atsu's humanity and emotions, and left me wanting even more Yotei.

Ghost from the past

Echoes of Sekigahara starts in Ezo. You pick up a bounty from a bounty board on a man called Nagato the Handsome. Turns out, Atsu knows him from her time during the Battle of Sekigahara, so she travels to Ashoro Foothills in the east. This isn't a very big area, and you can explore every aspect and complete all side activities in under 10 hours.

Though Atsu is at first reluctant due to their past, she teams up with Nagato to cut off resources to Lord Saito's army. You take on a new kind of enemy faction: the Vipers, the Snakes' followers, now without a leader (Atsu kills the Snake in the base game's intro).

There's a lot of infighting as mini-bosses, known as Snake Contenders, are vying to replace their slain leader. You seek them out and, of course, vow to put an end to them. You can wield heavy weapons (which break after about four or five hits), and I'll leave it for you to explore just how fun that is.

There are plenty of side activities to partake in, too, such as finding fox dens and hot springs, as well as a lovely Mythic Tale starring your wolf companion. Ashoro Foothills is visually stunning, and what I love a lot is that you see it flourish as the expansion pans out. At first a deprived area having been plundered by the Vipers, you rebuild Ashoro Springs, the main town, by helping the locals secure food supplies.

The story expansion explores Atsu's more intimate side. The Atsu we know is fuelled by vengeance, and she has no space for personal relationships — that much is clear in the way she treats Jubei, her brother, still being alive and having a daughter.

Echoes of Sekigahara humanizes her as we explore her and Nagato's relationship through playable flashbacks. The story feels a little predictable, much like the base game, but it's told in a compelling manner, and it still hits you like a ton of bricks, thanks to the somber music and original Japanese lyrics soundtracking their encounters.

Ezo's Most Wanted

While the Echoes of Sekigahara story expansion mode is fantastic, it's the DLC's Most Wanted mode that had me hooked for a few days after I wrapped everything up. This is a new roguelike combat-survival mode where you play as one of four characters: Atsu, Oyuki, Nagato, and everyone's favorite samurai, Jin Sakai.

You then pick up bounties on the Yotei Six and fight your way through waves of enemies. Ever wanted to fight the Kitsune as Oyuki, the one who held the mantle previously? Now you can.

Each character has their own unique play style. For instance, Atsu starts each bounty hunt with dual katanas, while Oyuki wields her trusty kusarigama. As the hunt continues and you defeat waves of enemies, you unlock new passive or active perks that aid in combat by triggering certain effects, like lightning strikes after every successful parry counter.

Most Wanted is seriously addicting. You face off against different types of enemies and mini bosses — agile archers, heavy brutes, you name it — and do whatever you can to best them. Fighting the members of Yotei Six, especially as Jin Sakai, was incredibly fun. While I love Ghost of Tsushima's story, I much prefer Ghost of Yotei's fluid combat system, and Jin's stances fit right into Yotei's world and Most Wanted's combat gauntlets.

But Most Wanted isn't for the weak. Waves of enemies can quickly overwhelm you and you can't always brute-force your way out of it. Instead, I had to think tactically, and choose my perks wisely.

My favorite, which I mentioned earlier, was triggering lighting strikes, and having my weapon set on fire after, say, hitting an enemy four times with my yari. It's ridiculously fun, and even if I was beaten by a mini boss before getting to the main bounty, I was compelled to try again — and this is coming from someone who sucks at punishing Soulslike games!

Worth coming back to

Echoes of Sekigahara is the story expansion Ghost of Yotei desperately needed. I loved the base game, but I know it didn't tell the strongest story, and it couldn't scratch the itch like Ghost of Tsushima did. The DLC slots in like a puzzle's missing piece. It massively aids Atsu's character development, and I'd recommend playing it before you head into the final quests in Oshima Coast.

Personally, I wasn't expecting to like Nagato as much as I did. He's sly and you don't know if you can trust him, but after finishing Echoes of Sekigahara, I kept wishing he was in the base game and that we got to know him more.

Regardless, the story expansion as well as the oh-so-fun Most Wanted mode have reaffirmed one thing for me: Ghost of Yotei is one of the best games of this generation, and one that keeps you coming back for more.

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Thanks to RAMageddon, the Windows gaming handheld market has officially entered its ultra-premium era. If you’re looking to upgrade from your Steam Deck to something with real horsepower, the newly launched Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 ($1,299) and the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ ($1,799) are likely at the top of your list.

Both devices cost more than some actual gaming laptops, but they target two very different types of gamers. Asus is banking on that stunning 1080p OLED display and refined ergonomics, while MSI is flexing the raw power and extreme battery efficiency of its Intel Arc G3 Extreme architecture and 32GB of RAM.

But with a massive $500 price gap between them, which one actually deserves your money? I’ve stress tested both handhelds while traveling across the globe to find out.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 vs MSI Claw 8 EX AI+: Specs

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 vs MSI Claw 8 EX AI+: Price and value

Let’s address the elephant in the room: neither of these are cheap.

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 has received a $300 markup from the previous Ally X, which Asus attempts to justify with its translucent design, OLED screen, rubberized grips and re-engineered buttons. The internals remain the same.

MSI’s Claw 8 EX AI+ pushes the boundary of portable pricing even further — launching at $1,799. For that extra $500, you are getting a bigger 1920x1200-pixel display (only IPS though), that Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip and 32GB of RAM (over 24GB in the X20).

Winner: Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20. While $1,299 is steep, it’s less than $1,799.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 vs MSI Claw 8 EX AI+: Design and display

Asus has taken a massive leap ahead in the visual department. The ROG Xbox Ally X20 is armed with a beautiful 1080p OLED display that’s bright and vivid, and makes games explode off the screen in a flash flood of color.

And this is the most comfortable handheld you can use with its smaller size making it easier to reach buttons, rubberized grips reducing hand fatigue, tactile improvements to the buttons and bumpers, and that rotatable D-Pad for either 4-way control for platformers or 8-way for fighting games. Asus has really thought of everything here.

That’s not to say MSI hasn’t with the Claw 8 EX AI+ — the company was pretty clear in telling me its form factor is inspired by the Xbox controller too. It feels nice in the hand, and that 8-inch 1200p display is bigger. But it’s IPS, lacks HDR, and the bigger size may not be for everyone.

Winner: Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20. The OLED screen and superior physical ergonomics give it the win here.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 vs MSI Claw 8 EX AI+: Gaming performance

This is where the tables flip and MSI really starts to show its teeth. Quite frankly, the Claw 8 EX AI+ absolutely bullies the Ally X20 in demanding titles, both at the full wattage and when dialed back to half the power too.

Take Red Dead Redemption 2 on Medium settings at 1080p. The X20 manages 22.8 FPS at 35W. The Claw at the same power hits 63.8 FPS. Even when you restrict it to just 17W, it still pumps out 48.8 FPS — more than double the performance at a fraction of the power.

The real differentiator is the raw grunt of that Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip surpassing the AMD Ryzen Z2 AI Extreme, the raised roof of RAM to 32GB (probably causing that jump in price), and the XeSS upscaling capabilities embarrassing AMD’s current version of FSR on handhelds.

For example, Cyberpunk 2077 can run at a respectable 30-40 FPS if you tweak the settings on the Ally X20 and use FSR, but in our lab benchmarking, it chugs at an unplayable 11.8 FPS natively. The Claw, meanwhile, hit 36.2 FPS at 35W, but with XeSS upscaling and multi-frame generation set to 4X, that goes to a staggering 171.5 FPS.

Winner: MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. There’s no better way to say this — MSI just dominates here.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 vs MSI Claw 8 EX AI+: Battery life

Raw power usually drains a battery fast, but Intel clearly didn’t get that memo. MSI has seemingly worked magic with this chip in the Claw 8 EX AI+

In our gaming battery rundown test, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 came just shy of three hours, which is fine — one of the stronger numbers when you look at past machines. But the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ blew past it at over four hours.

That’s a difference between your device dying mid-flight and actually finishing your gaming session. And considering the MSI can throttle down to 17W and still out-perform the Asus in many titles, its endurance is unmatched.

Winner: MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. An extra hour and 20 minutes is huge.

Verdict: Which should you buy?

So awkwardly, this is a tie. But that also highlights two very distinct audiences here in deciding who wins.

If you're an immersion junkie: Looking for the best screen and ergonomics, and you mostly play less pressuring AAA titles and indies? The ROG Ally X20 is the better buy. You save $500, get one of the best OLED screens ever put on a handheld, and holding it feels superb.

If you’re a performance purist: Want to play AAA titles smoothly wherever you are? The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ earns its exorbitant price tag. Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme delivers performance that Asus simply cannot touch. Add in a massive 4+ hour gaming battery life, and the MSI Claw proves that sometimes, paying a premium actually buys you a true generational leap in handheld gaming.

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Capcom’s Switch 2 support this year has been phenomenal, and that continues with the acclaimed remakes of Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 4, all launching on Nintendo’s second-generation hybrid console this week (October 16).

These are three of the finest remakes ever made, bringing three unquestionable survival-horror classics into the modern age. They were already essential games on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and that remains true with these new Nintendo Switch 2 versions.

I’ve now tested all three Resident Evil remakes on the Nintendo Switch 2 and compared them to the same games on the PS5 Pro. You won’t be surprised to hear there have been a few technical sacrifices, but the good news is that, overall, all three Resident Evil remakes remain as essential on Switch 2 as they are anywhere else.

Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil 2 kicked off the modern remakes in style. It set the blueprint, replacing the PS1 original's fixed camera with a third-person over-the-shoulder perspective that brings the horror into sharper focus. Plus, the iconic Raccoon City police department building has never been more unnerving, yet fun to explore.

On Switch 2, the game looks excellent. For starters, it runs at 60 fps even in handheld mode, and I strongly recommend enabling HDR. Texture quality takes a hit compared to the native PS5 version; this is most noticeable in character hair — a slight annoyance, since you spend the whole game looking at the back of Leon or Claire’s head!

Objects and environments in the distance also lose some detail, but up close they snap into focus. Crucially, I didn’t encounter any texture pop-in, even when quickly shifting my crosshair between in-game objects. Overall, it’s an impressive port of an already impressive game.

On the Nintendo Switch 2, you get the “Deluxe Edition” as standard, which includes a load of character costumes and a few extra weapons. It’s nice cosmetic DLC, but nothing substantial, and really, you’re going to play the whole game in Leon's cop outfit anyway.

Resident Evil 3

Resident Evil 3 remake is more of the same as Resident Evil 2 remake, which makes sense; the second modern remake reportedly began as a DLC for its predecessor before being spun off into a separate release.

Everything I said above applies to Resi 3. It looks great and runs well (again, 60 fps, even handheld, is a boon). I should note that the Switch 2’s HD rumble is used to great effect in these remakes. The trigger jolts when you fire a pistol, which I found satisfying.

Resi 3 moves into larger city street environments, but I didn’t notice any reduction in image quality. The neon signs, flashing lights, and raging fires of a Raccoon City plunged into chaos all look great. But you do get a slightly cleaner look on the more powerful PS5 Pro, as expected; it's got beefier components.

The “problem” with Resident Evil 3 Remake (and I use that word loosely; it's still great) is baked into the core game, like its short length (an average playtime is a breezy six hours), and this 2020 remake removes several sections from the PS1 original.

Resident Evil 3 didn’t receive much in the way of post-launch DLC, so on Switch 2 you get the standard addition and a single cosmetic costume for each of its characters, Jill and Carlos. At least its smaller scale and scope are reflected in a lower price point.

Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 Remake is the best of the bunch for many Resi fans, a stunning reworking of one of the most influential video games in history.

Disappointingly, it’s also the most technically compromised of these new Switch 2 ports. In handheld mode, environment textures are noticeably downgraded compared to Resi 2 and Resi 3 on Switch 2. Even objects in close proximity are a little blurry, but they sharpen when you focus your crosshair on them. Plus, the fuzziness of Leon’s hair intensifies, and the problem extends to foliage, which is a frequent sight in Resident Evil 4’s initial rural village setting.

The framerate is mostly stable, though I’ve experienced occasional drops. I haven’t seen the adventure through to its conclusion on Switch 2. These might become more frequent in the game’s back half, when the action gets even more intense.

Still, it’s a perfectly playable port, even if the visual downgrades on the Switch 2 are apparent. You’re getting the Gold Edition as standard, which includes the must-play Separate Ways story DLC, The Mercenaries mode, and a long list of outfits and extras.

Which Resident Evil remake should you buy?

When I covered the modern Resident Evil trilogy arriving on Switch 2 in the spring, I cheated this question by saying you should get all three via the Resident Evil Generations Pack. Disappointingly, there’s no bundle here, though I am still tempted to say you should buy all three. Each remake is amazing and plays well on Switch 2.

However, if you’re pushing me for a definitive answer, Resident Evil 2 is the standout, given both the base game’s quality and its excellent transition to the Nintendo Switch 2. Resident Evil 4 is a close second, but the visual and performance downgrades are more noticeable. Resident Evil 3 isn’t far behind, but its short length and lack of incentive to replay see it settle for the bronze medal.

Overall, I’m thrilled that Capcom’s impressive Switch 2 support continues, and every modern Resident Evil game is now available on the platform. If six Resi games in a year aren’t enough for you, it’s been confirmed that next year’s RE: Code: Veronica remake is headed to Nintendo. The Switch 2 is rapidly becoming a Resi machine.

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The latest handheld games console from Blaze Entertainment, it’s a device that harkens back to a simpler era. Arguably a better time. When you’d buy a game, insert it into your console of choice, and start playing. No downloads. No online connection. No fuss.

It also represents a few firsts for the Evercade lineup. The Nexus boasts the largest display of any Evercade device, and is the first to sport dual analog sticks. It’s also fully compatible with the existing range of more than 80 Evercade cartridges, which offer titles from the very first generation of video games up to the 64-bit era.

The Evercade Nexus can’t compete outright with the best gaming handhelds, such as the Asus ROG Ally X or the Nintendo Switch 2. However, it’s not trying to outmuscle these devices and match their also compelling pitch of blockbuster games on the go. Instead, Evercade Nexus looks to the past to celebrate the best of what video games used to be. Find out more in my full Evercade Nexus review.

Evercade Nexus review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? The latest handheld hardware in the Evercade lineup, the Nexus is the biggest redesign of the range in four years, designed with 32-bit and 64-bit games in mind.
• Who is it for? Nostalgia gamers and retro collectors, and anyone who’s ever uttered the phrase “they don’t make them like they used to.”
• What does it cost? $199 / £169
• What’s good? The focus on retro play, physical cartridges (which you actually own), the addition of dual analog sticks, solid battery life, and it comes bundled with Banjo-Kazooie
• What’s not? The lack of built-in grips can make long play sessions uncomfortable, the absence of a suspend feature, and weaker specs make boot-up times lengthy

Evercade Nexus review: Specs

Evercade Nexus review: The ups

The Evercade Nexus is a dream handheld for retro gaming fans. It’s simple to use and doesn't demand extensive setup and game installations. It's compatible with 80+ cartridges and offers the best play experience on any Evercade device to date thanks to its dual analog sticks. Plus, it comes bundled with two platforming classics.

Back to basics

Switching on the Evercade Nexus for the first time was a surprisingly novel experience. Turn on a brand new gaming device in 2026, and you’ll typically be required to sign in to an online account (or create one), run through a series of setup menus, and then likely spend your first couple of hours with your new hardware watching a download bar slowly crawl along.

Not with the Nexus. The setup was short and simple. I connected the device to my home Wi-Fi network, installed a small system firmware update, and then was let loose to start playing. No need to enter personal information, select an online ID (the good ones are always taken), or endure pop-ups encouraging me to sign up for any form of subscription service.

Evercade Nexus strips away the hurdles that have come to define modern gaming. It harkens back to an era when you bought a console, inserted a disc or cartridge (depending on the era), and then could be playing your shiny new game within moments.

Cartridge collection

The Evercade Nexus doesn’t even have a digital storefront on its homescreen. And the only digital game available is a rotating “Game of the Month” — as I write this, it's a simple side-scrolling platformer called “Flearun!”. There are more than 700 games playable on Evercade Nexus, but these are all found on physical cartridges, rather than downloadable from a digital store.

Cartridges are the crux of the Evercade ecosystem, and there is plenty of choice. There are carts for legendary franchises, such as Tomb Raider, DOOM and Duke Nukem, alongside collections dedicated to games published by Activision, Visco, NeoGeo, Piko, Atari and Interplay.

Once you buy a cartridge, it’s yours to treasure. Or loan to a friend. Or sell to somebody else. It's your choice. You own the game and can do as you wish. There's no digital license that can be revoked, or need to download anything. Just plug in and start playing.

Each Evercade cartridge is also compatible with the entire Evercade device range, from the newest Nexus down to the original Evercade handheld released in 2020.

Banjo-Kazooie Bundle

At launch, the Evercade Nexus comes bundled with the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack, a collection comprising two 3D platformers released on the Nintendo 64: Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tootie.

I’ll fully admit a nostalgic bias towards the iconic bear and bird — Banjo-Kazooie was the first video game I ever played — but even putting this youthful fondness aside, the games make for a great showcase of the Nexus.

The lush greens of Spiral Mountain, Banjo-Kazooie’s starting area, look vibrant on the device’s 5.89-inch display, and they’re games designed around analog sticks, which brings me neatly into one of the Nexus’ biggest upgrades…

Dual analog sticks

Okay, so a handheld with dual analog sticks is hardly a revelation in 2026. The PSP and Nintendo 3DS days of single sticks, which functioned more like cumbersome analog nubs, are long gone.

However, the Nexus is the first Evercade handheld device to sport two analog sticks. This not only allows games like Banjo-Kazooie to be controlled as they were originally designed, but also more closely approximates the feeling of playing on an arcade cabinet, handy because there are several arcade collections in Evercade's cartridge library.

The sticks themselves are smaller than on, say, a PS5 DualSense controller, but still feel sturdy, with a chunky click when you press them down, which I personally love.

Battery life

Evercade claims the Nexus boasts a battery life of “5+ hours,” and while in my testing it’s been closer to 4 hours when playing Banjo-Kazooie with LED brightness at its default setting, that’s still a lot more time than you’ll get from the Switch 2 or Steam Deck OLED.

In my Nintendo Switch 2 vs Steam Deck OLED battery life test, I got 2 hours 40 minutes from the former, and a mere 2 hours 9 minutes from the latter. So, the Evercade Nexus wins in this category and should last you a domestic flight or train journey.

Of course, rival handhelds are running significantly more graphically complex games, so you would expect the Evercade Nexus to win here. But still, 4 hours is a solid overall battery life.

Evercade Nexus review: The downs

I appreciate Evercade’s celebration of all things retro, but a few modern features wouldn’t have gone amiss, and due to its flat design, it’s not the most comfortable handheld to hold.

Lack of built-in grips

The back of the Evercade Nexus is sheer black plastic. It looks slick enough, but it means your fingers have nothing to grip, resting on the back of the device. This isn’t a problem in shorter bursts, but over multi-hour play sessions, it can become pretty uncomfortable.

I had a similar issue with the Nintendo Switch 2, and resolved it by housing my handheld in a dBrand Killswitch case. Maybe third-party accessory makers (or Blaze Entertainment) will release a similar case for the Evercade Nexus. However, I wish the design had taken some inspiration from the Steam Deck OLED, which gives you something to grip with your resting fingers.

No suspend feature

My single biggest frustration with the Evercade Nexus is the lack of a suspend feature. Being able to put your handheld to "sleep" and then pick up right where you left off is such a common feature in modern devices that I didn’t realize how much I now rely on it.

On the Nexus, your options are on or off, and that’s it. This can be a major pain in games like Banjo-Kazooie when you're halfway through a level and need to pause for a period; it means either leaving it running (wasting battery life) or shutting down and losing your progress.

A little underpowered

The Evercade Nexus isn't running blockbuster games, so naturally it's not as powerful as some of the mainstream handhelds out there. It doesn’t need to match their specs. However, this comparative lack of power is felt beyond games, such as in the Nexus’ lengthy boot-up, an annoyance exacerbated by the lack of a suspend feature.

In my testing, the Nexus boots up in 39 seconds, whereas the Nintendo Switch 2 takes nine seconds. Similarly, when loading into actual software, the Nexus took 16 seconds to begin Banjo-Kazooie, whereas the Switch 2 started the new Resident Evil 2 remake port in just six seconds. This is merely to start up the software as well.

Evercade Nexus review: Verdict

The Evercade Nexus is a handheld for a very specific type of gamer. Anybody who wants a play experience rooted in classic games and who feels a little fed up with the baggage of modern gaming will almost certainly fall in love with this nifty retro handheld.

At an appealing $199 price point, it gets an awful lot right, and with a vast collection of cartridges available and Banjo-Kazooie as a pack-in, you won’t be short on great games to play. I do wish the design was more ergonomic, and at least a few staples of current-generation handhelds, like suspend, would have been appreciated.

Still, the Evercade platform has been described as “the vinyl of retro gaming,” and like with listening to vinyl records, perhaps some of the friction is part of the charm. So, if you fall into Evercade's niche, there's no reason not to step into the Nexus.

But the Barracuda V2 Pro enters a crowded market, and it takes a lot to stand out. Unfortunately, its mic performance is middling and the build quality doesn’t feel as premium as its $199 price tag. But if all you care about is sound and money is no object to you, it’s hard to fault the Barracuda V2 Pro.

To find out if this is the best gaming headset for you, read my full Razer Barracuda V2 Pro review.

Razer Barracuda V2 Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A mid-range gaming headset for PC and consoles
• Who is it for? Gamers who need a headset with ANC
• How much does it cost? $199 / £199
• What do we like? The comfortable and practical design, strong ANC, detailed in-game sound, and dual companion apps
• What don’t we like? The middling mic performance and subpar build quality

Razer Barracuda V2 Pro review: Specs

Razer Barracuda V2 Pro review: The ups

From its practical and comfortable design, to its good ANC and detailed in-game sound, the Razer Barracuda V2 Pro is a competent gaming headset.

Low-key and practical design

The Razer Barracuda V2 Pro is an unassuming, low-key headset as there’s nothing flashy about its design — which is great news for people who prefer their gadgets free of RGB lighting. It looks like any other set of cans: all black with minimal branding, fit for wearing when you’re out and about, too. I personally prefer the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro’s ($249) aviation-style design, but it certainly draws attention to itself (which the Barracuda V2 Pro doesn’t).

I love the Barracuda V2 Pro’s practicality. Its earcups fold down to make it easy to carry and travel with, and I was able to fit the headset in my already full-to-the-brim backpack. What I love most about the Barracuda V2 Pro’s design is its dongle slot, located underneath the magnetic faceplate on the left earcup.

As someone who tests many, many keyboards, mice and other gaming peripherals, I often find myself complaining about the lack of dongle storage, as many brands don’t offer replacements if you lose the original. Thankfully, the dedicated dongle slot on the Barracuda V2 Pro means you don’t have to worry about losing the 2.4GHz receiver… unless you’re forgetful; I can’t help you there.

Extremely comfortable

I’ve always stood by the belief that there’s no point in spending any amount of money on a gaming headset if said headset makes your ears or head hurt. Well, the Razer Barracuda V2 Pro is an extremely comfortable set of cans, I can tell you that for nothing! The Barracuda V2 Pro utilizes plush leatherette memory foam cushions as well as a soft headband, both of which make the headset perfect for all-day wear or long gaming sessions.

The Barracuda V2 Pro isn’t very heavy to wear for extended periods of time either, weighing just 10.05 ounces. It feels weightless, really, and is lighter than the competition, like the Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed ($249, 12.5 ounces), HyperX Cloud III S Wireless ($179, 12.05 ounces), the Fractal Design Scape ($199, 12oz) and the Asus ROG Delta II ($229, 11.21 ounces). I wore the Barracuda V2 Pro for six straight hours and didn’t feel any discomfort whatsoever.

Simultaneous multipoint connectivity

I think multipoint connectivity is great, as it enables you to swap between two (or more) sources as and when needed. But you know what’s even better? Simultaneous multipoint, like on the Razer Barracuda V2 Pro. Basically, for instance, if you have the headset connected to your console over 2.4GHz and connected to your phone over Bluetooth, you can listen to both at the same time. No need to pause your game when you get a call, or press a button to switch to Bluetooth when you want to watch YouTube Shorts between gaming sessions.

Audio mixing, surprisingly, isn’t a common feature on gaming headsets, as you won’t find it on the likes of the Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed or the Fractal Design Scape — but it’s there on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 ($199). It’s so convenient, and I think every manufacturer should start implementing it.

Detailed in-game sound

The Razer Barracuda V2 Pro costs nearly $200, and for that price, you’re getting outstanding and immersive in-game sound. The cans are fitted with 40mm drivers — Razer’s proprietary TriForce Bio-Cellulose drivers, if you want to get technical. According to Razer, these keep audio distortion-free and deliver rich mids, deep bass and crystal clear highs. I can confirm that that is, in fact, true. I tested the headset by playing a few of my favorite games on the PS5 Slim.

In Ghost of Yotei, the clash of katanas cut cleanly through the mix as the treble remained crisp and sharp. Every parry, deflection and finishing blow had a satisfying edge. I also liked how the swish of incoming attacks helped make the swordplay feel fast and reactive. Exploring Ezo felt immersive, too, as the higher frequencies brought out subtle environmental details, like rustling of leaves and the hiss of the wind sweeping across the open landscapes.

To test the Barracuda V2 Pro’s spacious soundstage, I played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and I was very impressed with how the cans handled the game’s orchestral score and atmospheric effects. The power ballads didn’t overwhelm the combat sounds or dialogue, maintaining good separation throughout. Timing your parries in Expedition 33 has you relying on visual as well as audio cues, and even with the background music playing loudly, I was able to clearly hear said cues.

If you’re gaming on PC, you get access to THX Spatial Audio+ 7.1.4 which essentially creates a three-dimensional soundstage, and it can give you a competitive advantage in games like Counter-Strike 2. When I tried it, footsteps, reloads and distant gunfire felt separated rather than compressed into a flat mix. Everything sounded like it was coming from above or around me, and I was able to pinpoint enemy positions before engaging, which helped me sneak up on other players.

The Barracuda V2 Pro really doesn’t give you much to complain about in the area that matters most for a gaming headset.

Good ANC performance

One of the features that sets the Razer Barracuda V2 Pro apart from the competition is the presence of active noise cancelation (ANC). You won’t find it on many gaming headsets in this price range — it’s absent from the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2, the Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed and the Fractal Design Scape.

ANC on the Barracuda V2 Pro is fairly strong — though it doesn’t block out the world like the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro does. Still, it’s great. Indoors, my partner had to tap on my shoulder to get my attention, and I couldn’t hear the kettle boiling when I was standing right next to it either. Outdoors, the headset did well to block out idle chatter in the store and on the bus — although I could still hear the bus’ rattling, which the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset ($229) completely cut out. Still good, though!

Given that the Barracuda V2 Pro is advertised as the perfect gaming headset for mobile gaming, even on the move, I’m pleased it boasts good ANC performance to keep you locked in.

Extensive customization

There are two ways of customizing the Razer Barracuda V2 Pro: either via Synapse on Windows, or the Razer Audio app on mobile. Razer Synapse offers extensive customization, enabling you to adjust the 10-band equalizer, toggle and adjust THX Spatial Audio, adjust the mic’s EQ, and apply sound profiles to all the games on your PC. The software sports a clean interface with everything being easy to understand.

Then you’ve got Razer Audio — which I tested on my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL — for on-the-fly customization. The app is user-friendly and gives you quick access to EQ presets and adjustments, ANC level, and mic monitoring. It’s basically a condensed version of Synapse and the only feature you miss out on is THX Spatial Audio, which works only on Windows anyway.

Many headsets lock you out of customization if you don’t have a Windows laptop to hand, like the HyperX Cloud III S Wireless or the Asus ROG Delta II. It’s a nice touch on Razer’s behalf to add mobile app support for the Barracuda V2 Pro — although the Fractal Design Scape uses a web-based app, which makes it even more versatile.

Razer Barracuda V2 Pro review: The downs

The Razer Barracuda V2 Pro isn’t perfect as its mic performance isn’t the strongest, and the build quality doesn’t match the premium price tag.

Middling mic performance

The Razer Barracuda V2 Pro’s mic performance isn’t anything to write home about. The headset is fitted with dual beamforming mics, and it comes with a detachable boom mic, too. The beamforming mics sound… fine, and are good to have if you’re gaming on the train and don’t want to draw much attention to yourself. When I tested them, my voice sounded flat and neutral but slightly tinny.

I’d recommend using the boom mic as it makes you sound better — but I don’t think you sound like you’re talking into a headset that costs $199. My voice sounded a little clipped, so I wouldn’t recommend using the Barracuda V2 Pro’s alone if you’re a streamer or content creator, though those you’re playing games with online should be able to hear and understand you just fine. If you want a headset with a crystal clear mic, the Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed utilizes a Blue Yeti microphone and boasts strong performance.

Build quality doesn’t feel as premium

My biggest issue with the Razer Barracuda V2 Pro is that it doesn’t feel premium — which would have been absolutely fine if the headset didn’t cost nearly $200. For the retail price of $199, the headset feels overly plasticky and lightweight at just 10.05 ounces.

My go-to headset is the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, which costs $50 more than the Barracuda V2 Pro — but the difference in build quality feels night and day. The slightly pricier Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset and Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed (both $229) feel so much better than the Barracuda V2 Pro. What gives, Razer?

Expensive

This is probably a pre-purchase consideration rather than an outright dealbreaker: the Razer Barracuda V2 Pro doesn’t come cheap. This headset retails for $199 / £199. Now, this isn’t outrageously expensive like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite ($599), but it’s a crowded market the Barracuda V2 Pro enters. It faces fierce competition from the likes of the Fractal Design Scape ($199) and the HyperX Cloud III S Wireless ($179).

You’ve also got heavy-hitters like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 ($129) and the Asus ROG Pelta ($129) offering excellent performance at much lower prices — so does it still make sense to buy the Barracuda V2 Pro? Well, you’re getting active noise cancelation, extensive customization, and one of the most comfortable fits around.

Razer Barracuda V2 Pro review: Verdict

The Razer Barracuda V2 Pro makes quite a splash, delivering immersive and detailed in-game audio, strong ANC indoors and outdoors, and exceptional comfort in a practical design. Its wide and spacious soundstage steals the show, whether you’re exploring vast grasslands or trying to sneak up on opponents. Razer’s desktop and mobile apps offer extensive customization, too.

However, the Barracuda V2 Pro isn’t quite perfect. Though it costs $199, its plasticky build quality doesn’t feel premium enough for the price. Mic performance is also merely adequate. Still, if comfort, ANC and immersive sound are your priorities, the Barracuda V2 Pro is easy to recommend, and true to its name, it’s got some bite.

The Lightspeed sounds fantastic, with a bright and expansive treble. It’s tuned for competitive play, but its drivers are super capable and a 10-band EQ lets you dial in the sound for a variety of different game genres. It’s lightweight, built well, and features impressive wireless range.

So is this the best gaming headset for you? Well, it isn’t perfect. While comfy, it gets a little hot. Its battery life is mediocre, and there are some crucial features missing given the high price. Find out more in my full Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed review.

Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A premium gaming headset from Logitech
• Who is it for? Competitive gamers
• What does it cost? $249 / £229
• What do we like? The bright, detailed sound, custom EQ, lightweight design and long range
• What don’t we like? The earcups get hot, battery life is mediocre and I’d like more for the money

Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed review: Specs

Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed review: The ups

The Pro X3 Lightspeed sounds great, with an FPS-oriented default tune but capable drivers and an excellent custom EQ. It’s light, comfy, built well, and has an impressive 98-foot range.

Detailed sound quality

You can tell immediately that the X3 Pro Lightspeed was designed with and for competitive FPS players. The default tuning is all treble, which is incredibly bright and expansive. Imagine is very solid, at least stereo-wise. Both characteristics proved excellent for FPS titles like “Wardogs” and, more importantly, “Counter-Strike 2” — I could easily detect and locate enemy cues like reloads and footsteps.

Supposedly this is a 7.1 headset, which is kinda misleading. There aren’t 7 surround speakers and a sub, so it’s not 7.1. This is just Logitech marketing speak for the fact that the Lightspeed is supposed to emulate a 7.1 channel surround system and therefore be good for surround sound gaming. Honestly, while I found stereo imaging great, 360 imaging was fairly run of the mill.

But back to that default tuning and treble. The emphasis on top end can be a little fatiguing, as the higher frequencies get a little harsh and piercing. Combined with a lack of mid-range clout, the Lightspeed sounds a little tinny and misses the depth I wanted for more atmospheric games like “Dune: Awakening”, “Valheim” and “Total War: Rome II”.

Thankfully, there’s a 10-band parametric EQ in the G Hub companion software, with a range of presets to tweak the sound. And extra thankfully, the Lightspeed’s drivers are really, really excellent, so they’ll handle pretty much anything you can EQ their way.

There’s a ‘Detailed’ preset which boosts the top end and, frankly, isn’t needed. The ‘Media’ preset solved most of the issues I had with harsh treble, while boosting bass. But it still missed the mid-range definition I wanted to make the melancholy, futurist synths of the “Dune: Awakening” soundtrack sing. I simply created a custom EQ based off ‘Media’ with some extra power in the mids.

Bass reproduction in particular is very impressive, with super warm, deep bass and even rumbly sub bass to make my ear drums quiver. The huge quakes of Dune’s sandworms smashing out and back into the sands of Arrakis was impressive to behold.

Supremely lightweight and comfortable

This is a seriously comfortable headset. The headband and earcups are thickly padded, making them gloriously soft and squishy. Earcup-wise, I prefer the slightly more spacious cups of my daily driver, the Fractal Design Scape ($199), although I find the Lightspeed’s headband more comfortable over longer stints.

While not as lightweight as the 10-ounce Razer Barracuda V2 Pro ($199), the Lightspeed is still fairly light at 12.5 ounces, and I experienced no neck fatigue even after eight hours of gameplay. My Scape is a touch lighter at 12 ounces, but there’s really not a lot in it. Neither weighed me down like the enormously heavy, 1.2lb Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC ($429) — after testing that, anything lighter feels like a blessing.

The Lightspeed’s clamp force is really gentle, too, so I’ve not experienced any temple pain. The Scape is ever-so-slightly clampier, but again, there’s not much in it. Contrast both of these to the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 ($199) and Nova Pro Omni ($399), which sometimes start to hurt my temples after a few hours — remember, though, that mileage will vary in this regard based on individual head anatomy.

My only comfort issue is around breathability, which I’ll come onto later.

Yet built beautifully

Despite that low weight, the X3 Lightspeed is built beautifully. The earcups feature milled metal plates. The earcup hangers are lightweight aluminum with adjustment markings on the outside and divots on the inside so you can quickly check the fit before putting it on, regardless of how you’re holding it. The soft leatherette headband features an embossed “PRO” logo, and there are curly cords linking the two earcups, like an old telephone — I’m a real sucker for that.

Admittedly, I prefer the Scandi sophistication of my Fractal Design Scape, and I think the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro ($249) looks a little sharper, but this is mainly because my test headset was in white, which I always think looks tacky. In black, the Lightspeed is particularly fetching and a rival to the BlackShark, although I wish Logitech had sent me a magenta version to match my pink X2 Rapid keyboard and X3 SuperStrike combo.

Typical Blue Yeti microphone quality

The Pro X3 Lightspeed features a Blue Yeti microphone, which is hardly surprising given Logitech owns Blue Yeti. Now, this is mostly for marketing purposes — don’t expect the microphone performance of a professional Blue Yeti standalone streaming mic. The X3 Lightspeed features a typical, rather small headset boom mic, so it’s not really comparable.

That said, as headset boom mics go, the X3 Lightspeed’s is pretty good. It’s omnidirectional, like the one on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni. That means it picks up sound from all directions rather than just the direction of your mouth. The downside is that other unwanted sounds can make their way in; the upside is that all your vocal tones are captured, giving your voice a natural tone. This is better for broadcasts, making this headset a decent choice for streamers.

As you can hear from the first voice clip above, the mic sounds acceptable in the default EQ. My voice is a little thin and tinny, but it’s clear and acceptable for game chat. However, enabling the Blue Voice setting (which opens up the mic equalizer and noise processing sliders) and switching to the Broadcast 2 EQ, my voice sounded much louder, fuller and richer, albeit with a little extra noise from the added gain (which can be tweaked via a noise processing slider). Broadcast 2 is my favorite EQ and I’d say good enough to be a stand-in for new streamers until they can afford their first proper mic, like the Shure MV6.

Impressive connectivity range

Before I’d even looked at the tech sheet Logitech sent me for the Lightspeed, I was astounded at the headset’s range. While testing, I had to run downstairs to get a delivery. At my door, with one earcup pushed back, I still had the glorious “Dune: Awakening” soundtrack playing in my left ear.

Compare that to two headsets I regularly use, the much pricier Arctis Nova Pro Omni and Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC: those two won’t even stay connected if I dash across the hallway to my bathroom for a lightening-fast pee while waiting in the game lobby for the next match to start.

When I checked out Logitech’s tech sheet, there it was: the Lightspeed has a 98-foot/30m range. That’s obviously a best case scenario assuming no interruptions, but I can believe it.

Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed review: The downs

For all its praiseworthy features, the Lightspeed has some drawbacks. I found its earcups rather hot, the battery life is mediocre, and similarly-priced competitors offer way more features.

Not very breathable

Unfortunately, I found the Lightspeed’s default leatherette earcup pads way too hot. I have something called Eustachian Tube Dysfunction — basically, my inner ear tubes don’t open and close properly, making it easy to get ear infections. Hot ears exacerbate this to a serious degree, so breathability is paramount for me.

After a few hours gaming with the Lightspeed, my ears felt hot and I started noticing the telltale signs of an early infection — in-ear pain and sensitivity, plus worsening tinnitus. My ears had overheated.

I tried switching out to the included fabric earcups, but they let in a lot of ambient sound and the plush material was sticky and uncomfortable in a warm room. My Fractal Design Scape’s pads are a coarser cotton-esque fabric rather than plush. They’re still super soft and comfortable, but much more breathable, with better passive noise cancelation. A win for the Scape.

Battery life: not great, not terrible

The Pro X3 Lightspeed offers up to 50 hours of battery life. While that’s not terrible, it isn’t great either, especially given the price tag. The Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, Barracuda V2 Pro and Alienware Pro ($229) all offer up to 70 hours with their ANC off — and they’re all similarly priced to the Pro X3 Lightspeed. The $199 SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2, meanwhile, offers 54 hours.

The $199 Fractal Design Scape can manage only 40 hours with its RGB off. However, there are a couple of mitigating factors. Firstly, the Scape comes with a wireless charging dock, which is a big deal in real world usage. I never forget to put the Scape back in its dock because it tidies my desk, so the headset is always freshly charged. By contrast, I have to remember to plug the Lightspeed in each time, which I often don’t. Secondly, the Scape is cheaper at $199, although often on sale for around $169.

I’d expect more features at this price

Annoyingly, the Lightspeed is missing some key features I’d expect to see given the premium price of $249 / £229. Basics first: there’s no game/chat mix dial, so you can’t adjust levels on the fly. There’s also no simultaneous connection either, so you need to manually switch between 2.4G and Bluetooth — annoying if you want to take a call over Bluetooth on your phone or laptop while gaming.

Now, Logitech touts this headset as ‘designed by pros’ and therefore competitive play. So I kinda understand the reasoning behind a lack of simultaneous connections. The game/chat mixer though? Come on, Logitech, that’s just fundamental.

Getting cynical for a minute, though: all that ‘designed by pros’ stuff is just marketing bluster to make general consumers (i.e. you) more likely to buy. In short, forget all the talk of pro esports players — you think Logitech is gonna make profit from a market that small? No, Logitech markets this headset at the mass market; knows it will be bought by the mass market; and wants it to be bought by the mass market. So I’d have liked to see basic quality of life features for, oh, the mass market.

And then there’s the ANC, or lack thereof. For less money, you could pick up the Alienware Pro or new Razer Barracuda V2 Pro, both of which have ANC. For the same money, you could grab the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, which also has ANC. Sure, the Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 and Fractal Design Scape don’t have ANC, but they’re $50 cheaper — and cost even less on sale.

Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed review: Verdict

I like the Logitech G Pro X3 Lightspeed. Sound quality, comfort, build, range and customizability get a headset quite far in my book, which is why I’ve awarded the Lightspeed an overall positive review.

But alas, I can’t award one of our highest scores, and at the core, it all comes down to price. The $249 mark is an incredibly competitive area for headsets. There’s a lot of truly fantastic competition out there, from Razer especially, which essentially makes the Lightspeed look like bad value. Almost $250 for no ANC, no simultaneous connection and no damn chat mix dial? Come on.

Look, if you’re primarily concerned with sound quality and comfort, and you either own other Logi gear or have spare cash burning a hole in your pocket: sure, the Lightspeed is a decent headset. It’s just not exactly value for money.

Then the price got announced: $1,299. Being real, that’s not as bad as I thought it could be in the age of RAMageddon. Plus with the ergonomic improvements, translucent aesthetics and that gorgeous OLED screen, I believed this was the slightly-weaker-but-better-quality-alternative to what we’re seeing in the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and others.

And then, I took it on my press trips across the globe over the past couple of weeks, and I’m left feeling a little mixed. The internal specs remain exactly the same (AMD Ryzen Z2 AI Extreme, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD), and while Asus did mention evolved ROG Intelligent Cooling, the performance hasn’t moved an inch.

At $999 with nothing else really competing in the market, that level of performance was the absolute best you could get. Now Team Blue’s in town, that price increase becomes harder to swallow.

In all fairness, this may improve over time, as AMD has announced FSR 4 is going to be coming to its handheld silicon. I’ll be keeping a close eye on that, but then we’re back at that same issue again — with the OG ROG Xbox Ally X at the $1,000 mark, are these upgrades worth the cost increase?

ROG Xbox Ally X: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? Asus’ latest premium Windows gaming handled — aiming to fix the minor gripes of the previous Xbox Ally X, while adding a major screen upgrade.
• Who is it for? This is for the PC gamers who want a premium, portable Windows 11 machine and value screen quality and ergonomics over the highest performance.
• What does it cost? $1,299 — a full $300 more than the launch price of the previous ROG Xbox Ally X.
• What do we like? The new translucent design looks fantastic, the rubberized grips make long play sessions a joy, and the rotatable D-pad is a massive win for fighting game fans. The 1080p OLED display is exceptionally bright and vivid.
• What don’t we like? The price. It is incredibly hard to shake the feeling that the physical tweaks are just a smokescreen to absorb the cost of the pricier memory. At this price point, native performance on demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 is also sluggish.

ROG Xbox Ally X: Specs

ROG Xbox Ally X: The ups

And so, I take off from Heathrow for another long haul to an event that I can’t tell you about (yet). Firing this up and getting into a bit of Silksong showed me the absolute best of what these upgrades bring to the table.

An OLED display that steals the show

The immediate standout feature that you’ll notice about the Ally X20 is its new 7.4-inch OLED display. This is a mesmerizing flash-flood of color that really brings a game to life on-screen — be it the vivid world of Japan blurring past at over 200MPH in Forza Horizon 6, or the dark, immersive world of Silksong.

And as you can see from our display results, it’s bright, it’s colorful, and it leaves a lot of its Intel counterparts in the dust. Make no mistake about it: if screens are very much your make-or-break when it comes to getting a handheld, this is a winner. But of course, gaming devices are about so much more than that.

Ergonomics done right

Last year, I said that the ROG Xbox Ally X is the best-feeling Windows gaming handheld you could get. That is still absolutely the case with its even weight distribution, the Xbox-inspired controller grips and the perfectly-placed buttons for your thumbs to naturally rest around.

This year, Asus has listened to some of the feedback and made small but significant tweaks to make it feel even better. The new transparent chassis isn’t just visually striking; it features highly effective rubberized grips that drastically improve grip and reduce hand fatigue during long sessions.

On top of that, the TMR joysticks feel silky smooth in operation and guarantee much better longevity of the hardware, the improved bumpers have a more satisfying tactile tap to them, and the rounded face buttons feel better sculpted to the thumb.

Then there’s the D-Pad, which is more than just a cool party trick. It’s ideal for switching game genres on the fly and getting your best performance out of them. It starts with a rubber and metal dome hybrid beneath the directional buttons that improves its preciseness and tactility.

But that rotating function can change it from a 4-way D-Pad (perfect for platformers or quick weapon selection in FPS games) to a 8-way (exactly what you need for fighting games). It’s this kind of versatility that makes it stand out in terms of overall comfort from the competition.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20: The downs

And as I played more and more when I really should’ve been working (sorry boss), it became clear to me that while these upgrades are nice to have for sure, the lack of improvement in performance while charging $300 more is a tough pill to swallow — especially when 007 First Light comes to a crawl.

The $300 smokescreen

The previous ROG Xbox Ally X was a 4-star device, with my primary complaint being its $999 price tag. The X20 pushes that to an eye-watering $1,299.

While the OLED screen and new grips are great, those same performance stats that I saw from last year’s handheld are hard to justify a $300 leap in price when you can still get that OG model with the same internals for that same price.

Instead, these upgrades feel like a smokescreen to pass the higher costs of that 24GB RAM array directly onto you. Of course, how you feel about that depends on how much you care about OLED and ergonomics in balance with performance.

Struggling under the weight of AAA

And that (alongside the debut of Intel Arc G3 Extreme) paints the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme in a different light. You see, while it can handle moderately demanding titles well, native performance on heavy hitters can crawl.

Of course, you can rely on upscaling and tweak the settings to play the heaviest titles, but while we wait for FSR 4, the past generation frame gen and upscaling tech can be rather noticeable — especially with the improved clarity of that OLED panel.

And then there’s the battery, which as you can see hasn’t really budged either from last year’s model.

With Team Blue managing to hit similar frame rates at half the power, while also offering vastly better efficiency, it makes this tricky to recommend when a little more investment can futureproof you against future AAA titles.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20: Verdict

The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 is a frustrating paradox. In one way, it is an undeniably better physical device than its predecessor — the OLED screen is stunning, and tweaks to the ergonomics make it a joy to hold.

But at $1,299 (and with Intel handhelds offering a whole lot more for the power players), the value proposition falls apart.

You are paying an ultra-premium tax for a handheld that requires heavy upscaling to play the latest AAA games, and trails in rivals in endurance.

If your eyes lit up at the idea of OLED, congratulations: this is the device for you! But for the rest of you, this is a gorgeous piece of hardware that’s tricky to recommend for the price.

My grade school lunch breaks and recess sessions were filled with passionate debates about Crash Bandicoot vs. Super Mario 64, why the PS1 is the ultimate RPG console while the N64 isn’t and how Nintendo’s 3D console was the king of wrestling games (unlike the PS1).

At one point, I finally abandoned my fanboyish ways and tried the N64 at my best friend’s house. One of the first games I played was The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.

I know that sounds insane—playing the second N64 adventure in Link’s famed series before the first one, which is regarded as the GOAT, is wild. What’s even crazier is that I didn't play The Ocarina of Time until this year, through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. After making my way through Hyrule Field and Kakariko Village, I finally realized all the hype about the quintessential action/adventure game was well warranted.

With fresh memories of the original swirling around in my head, I went into the Switch 2 remake of Ocarina of Time with extremely high expectations. And after making my way through three sections of the game, I walked away with even more anticipation for its November release.

Searching for a sword and a shield

The start of my foray into Link’s remade adventure kicked off with me helping Link search for his first sword and shield.

As I ran (and jumped!) around Kokiri Forest, I compared the graphical presentation of the remake to the N64 original and even the 3DS version. The porcelain doll look of Link and the rest of the Kokiri people felt a bit off to me at first when I watched the initial reveal trailer for this remake. But seeing Young Link and his fellow forest denizens in motion convinced me that the remake’s visual presentation looks pretty damned good. The forest’s more detailed woodland locales are equally impressive, as are the inner sanctums of the village’s populace.

Watching the initial cutscene unfold where Navi navigates toward Link’s hut is a bit different this time around, as the first-person viewpoint gets switched to a third-person one. I have no qualms about that one bit, especially cause the instance of Navi flying into a gate comes off a little bit more humorous with that viewpoint switch up (no pun intended). All the familiarities of this section, such as dodging that massive boulder to pick up the Kokiri Sword and buying the Deku Shield he needs to get past Mido, are intact as expected.

And thankfully, the spruced-up visuals do enough to make those nostalgic activities feel a bit fresh while retaining what made them so endearing in the first place.

Venturing through Hyrule Field and Hyrule Castle Town

Once I made my way out into the iconic Hyrule Field, I couldn’t help but be taken aback by just how much more expressive it looked this time around.

Fully detailed shrubs of grass, the presence of a noticeable mist floating through the air, patches of colorful flowers, towering trees and dirt roads make up the entirety of this remake’s newly realized pasture.

The same feelings of excitement and amazement remained intact once I finally entered Hyrule Castle Town.

I couldn’t help but crack a nostalgic smile at the sight of that dancing couple near the watering hole, who looked expectedly better than their N64 and 3DS variations. The use of loading screens between the town’s many areas wasn’t much of a bother, even though I’d prefer it if there were seamless navigation in this remake. Hyrule Castle Town’s vibrancy is on full display and is proof of just how jaw-dropping this new version of Ocarina of Time truly is.

I’m sure I’ll spend a few moments watching the NPCs move through their daily routines, chat with them to see what new bits of dialogue they may have and roll & jump around every corner of their wholesome town once I get the full game in my hands.

Exploring the Forest Temple

The furthest I made it into the OG version of Ocarina of Time thus far is the famed “Forest Temple,” so I was pretty hyped to find out I’d be getting the chance to hop into its remade rendition.

I was surprised by just how amazing it looked on the inside and outside. Coming to blows with rabid Wolfos, using Link’s trusty Hookshot to knock Blue Bubbles out of the air and carefully picking my spots to do damage on Stalfos soldiers felt good from a combat standpoint.

Landing precise sword swings, blocking and flinging bombs brought with it a nice sense of impact, which appeals to someone like me who’s big on action games that deliver an appropriate sense of combat feedback. I spammed Link’s spinning sword attack far too many times than I can count, which is proof of just how much more I liked smacking around his foes in this remake compared to the original.

Running through the Forest Temple showcased a much moodier atmosphere, thanks to the remake’s darker lighting. That brooding feeling I couldn’t shake was even more apparent once I ran through the temple’s signature twisting hallway, which led to another moment where I was more than impressed with the remake’s visual flair.

While I didn’t have enough time to solve all of Forest Temple’s puzzles and clash with Phantom Ganon, I got more than enough of a sense of just how much better this area looks and sounds in its remade form.

Final thoughts

It’s funny to think that playing the Ocarina of Time remake now has me excited to jump back into the original, so I have even more of a memorized reference guide to go to once this Switch 2 exclusive arrives on November 5, 2026.

I have a few weeks to get it done so I can hop right into one of the most anticipated video game remakes ever made.

The porcelain doll-like characters, revised musical arrangements, eye-popping graphical presentation and impactful combat all came together during my demo time to convince me Nintendo has something special in its hands that I can’t wait for you all to experience for yourselves.

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• Evercade Nexus hands-on report — this new handheld might be the perfect retro gaming device
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I felt this arcade racer was in danger of slipping under the radar, lost in the ludicrously packed sea of new releases landing in September and October as every publisher under the sun tries to get new games out before GTA 6 arrives. I was wrong. Galactic Racer is making quite the splash, and after getting behind the wheel (yoke?) of a speeder myself, I totally see why.

This racing game set in a galaxy far, far away offers a white-knuckle sense of speed that few racers can rival. Skimming through the deserts of Jakku, the frozen wasteland of Ando Prime, or the lush jungles of Lantaana is a joy. Of course, it helps that the game looks and sounds phenomenal while doing it — even if you don’t have time to stop and admire the views.

However, it’s not the tight controls, authentic audio and visuals, or even the chance to try my hand at pod racing that has won me over. Star Wars: Galactic Racers' best aspect is its surprisingly engaging single-player campaign, which is, in a nutshell, a Star Wars racing rougelite. And it's as awesome as it sounds.

Galactic Racers’ single-player is super special

Galactic Racer’s sci-fi story is a simple one: you play a lightly customizable character named Shade, who enters the dangerous Galactic League not seeking glory, but revenge. You have beef with the league’s top dog, Kestar Bool, and plan to humiliate him on the track by taking his champion crown.

In a conventional racing game, this story might play out over a series of races and events, each victory giving you some form of XP or currency, slowly accruing enough to upgrade your garage and take on more challenging races, and repeat until you unlock the big showdown with Kestar Bool.

While in Galactic Racer, you do indeed earn rewards after each race — the higher your placement, the bigger the spoils — but progress isn’t quite so linear. That’s because its single-player campaign is built around a roguelite structure. Flame out of an event (and I mean that literally; the crash animations are quite explosive), and you have to start over at the bottom.

All your vehicle upgrades and unlocks are stripped away, and you start again in a whole new league season. It’s a wonderfully compelling loop that makes each race and event feel like a desperate sprint not just to the finish line, but to keep your run alive. Failure doesn’t just mean a quick restart; it could mean your run is over, and you have to start again at the bottom of the ladder.

Successful roguelites do have to walk a delicate balance between giving every encounter (or race, in this case) stakes and not demoralising the player by forcing them to pound a brick wall for hours only to make minor progression. But Galactic Racer walks this line nearly perfectly.

The story is split into three individual acts, with a major showdown race capping each. Once you complete an act, it’s finished for good. You only restart back to the beginning of the act you’re currently playing. And even in failure, there is still reward, as you are given the chance to unlock permanent upgrades that tip the odds of success in your direction next time around.

Runs are also kept interesting with randomised upgrades dished out after each event. This adds an element of build-crafting; for example, in a recent run, I found myself constructing a speeder that was slow off the mark and couldn’t take tight corners, but it was a total speed demon in the straight. In my next run, the vehicle I create will likely be different based on upgrades.

This rougelite structure is a great way to make players experiment with different racing styles and vehicle configurations, and ensures that no races feel unimportant or only necessary for XP grinding; every time you’re out on the track, you’re just a wrong turn away from losing (almost) everything.

I typically find in a racing game, the real excitement comes when racing online or competing with friends in split-screen, but Star Wars: Galactic Racer has found a way to make playing alone feel just as intense and high-stakes as competing against other human players. That's worthy of the podium.

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• The best PS5 games in 2026
• How to watch the Star Wars movies in order — and the shows too

That’s where the Logitech G Pro X3 SuperStrike comes in. On the surface, it’s a fairly typical competition gaming mouse: lightweight, fairly unergonomic, with two buttons on the top and two on the side. This mouse, however, like its predecessor, has some handy tech within. Specifically, magnetic switches under the mouse buttons, which allow adjustable click actuation and rapid trigger.

So should you buy this mouse? Admittedly, it isn’t perfect. There’s no ergonomic variant available, no onboard DPI switch, and rivals have the edge in key areas. But the Logi is still doubtless one of the best gaming mice around. Find out more in my full Logitech G Pro X3 SuperStrike review.

Logitech G Pro X3 SuperStrike review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Logitech’s latest elite esports mouse
• Who is it for? Competitive gamers, especially FPS and MOBA players
• What does it cost? $199 / $169
• What’s good? The quick, haptic clicks with rapid trigger, plus the lightweight design and customization options
• What’s not? There’s no DPI button or ergonomic version, and (clicks aside) rivals offer more features for less money

Logitech G Pro X3 SuperStrike review: Specs

Logitech G Pro X3 SuperStrike review: The ups

The Logitech Pro X3 SuperStrike is an elite gaming mouse through and through, packing adjustable click switches, rapid trigger and 8K polling. It’s lightweight, customizable and looks rather fetching in hot pink.

Elite click performance

Core to the SuperStrike’s performance are its HITS switches. They’re magnetic, like you’d find in one of the best gaming keyboards (including the Logitech G X2 Pro Rapid keyboard released at the same time). They offer customizable haptic feedback, which is neat — honestly, I don’t find this too beneficial, but it sure feels good.

Adjustable actuation

More importantly, the switches open up adjustable actuation for LMB and RMB, meaning ultra fast, responsive clicks. The downside is unwanted clicks, leading to accidental shots in games like Counter-Strike 2.

I got used to the increased sensitivity pretty fast though, so this wasn’t a problem for long. The upside is ultra quick click registry, which is ideal for FPS players — that millisecond of time you get over an enemy using typical optical switches can be the difference between you headshotting them, or them you.

Logi's G Hub software features an actuation test to see how much faster you'll click using the HITS switches versus traditional optical or mechanical switches. My result was 17ms faster. Competitive players will probably see even more of a difference, and it could be enough to have potentially game-changing results.

Rapid trigger

My favorite feature, though, is rapid trigger — after actuating, the switch doesn’t need to reset like a mechanical switch would in order to actuate again. This means you can spam repeat inputs without resetting the mouse button, which is ideal for MOBA players. In theory, this speeds up your repeat clicking versus non-rapid-trigger switches.

The difference for me was subtle, but I still noticed it straight away. I took back to back tests on cpstest.org, which averages clicks over 30 seconds. My overall average clicks per second (CPS) were more or less the same over 30 seconds on the SuperStrike versus the SteelSeries Rival Pro (optical switches, with no rapid trigger). This is because over 30 seconds, my fingers tired and I slowed down (I’m no MOBA player).

Importantly, though, my realtime click speeds in the opening few seconds went from just over 6CPS (Rival Pro) to 7CPS (SuperStrike). When initially opening up on a semi-automatic weapon, that means I’m getting an extra click per second on the SuperStrike, and therefore an extra shot — a big advantage in a 1v1.

I found this especially useful for semi-auto or high recoil weapons on Counter-Strike 2 and Wardogs, like the AK47. Firing single shots or short bursts controls recoil better — being able to chain more of those together in quick succession helped me shoot more frequently and accurately, scoring more kills than I usually would. I went from my usual upper-mid scoreboards on Counter-Strike 2 to top three. That’s a result.

Rapid quick succession clicks are also obviously ideal for MOBA players who need to spam clicks constantly, but I’m lacking the joint health for that these days.

Ultra sensitive

When it comes to keyboards, I stand by my position that 8,000Hz polling is snake oil. In a competition mouse, though, it’s vital. A mouse moves incredibly quickly and accurately. Greater data transfer is therefore required to ensure no latency, and that every tiny movement or adjustment is translated properly so that your cursor lands exactly where it’s supposed to.

Thankfully, the SuperStrike packs 8K polling, which is as fast as it gets these days, giving you peace of mind about all the above (well… almost — as I’ll discuss in the cons). The SuperStrike’s sensitivity also maxes out at 48,000 DPI, which is extremely fast, enabling rapid movement.

Lightweight and flickable

The Pro X3 SuperStrike weighs 61g or 2.1 ounces, which is the same as its predecessor, the Logitech G Pro X2 SuperStrike. Compare that to other elite mice and the SuperStrike starts to look a little heavy.

It doesn’t feel like it, though. The SuperStrike also has up to 90G of acceleration (up from 88G in the prior model), meaning more cursor movement from less hand movement — that’s greater than the 70G acceleration of the Rival/Sensei Pro, which can counteract the weight difference between the two. If you want the lowest weight combined with the highest acceleration, though, check out the Razer Viper V4 Pro and 49g + 90G acceleration.

Of course, this will kinda depend on preference. Some players prefer a little extra weight in their hand. And besides, I’ve found the SuperStrike adequately lightweight and flickable.

Fairly customizable

As I’ll cover below, I think Logitech is lagging behind software-wise. That said, the SuperStrike is still a highly customizable mouse, so praise where it’s due.

The G Hub software is fairly slick and reliable, and lets you customize lots of aspects. You can change actuation, enable and tweak rapid trigger, assign binds and macros, and tailor DPI and poll rates. That’s all you really need, although I’d appreciate a few more nice-to-haves.

Importantly, you can set custom configs in addition to the range of per-genre presets. This is vital for me, as I like to bind both side buttons to crouch and prone, which differs per game.

Decent battery life

The SuperStrike offers up to 135 hours of battery life. Of course, that’s an ‘up to,’ and polling at 8K, you can forget anything near that. It’s a little short of the Viper V4 Pro’s 180 hours, and, in my opinion, pales in comparison to the zero-downtime system in the Rival/Sensei Pro. But safe to say the SuperStrike’s battery life has been long enough for me to not have to think about it much.

That hot pink

I know looks don’t really matter, but damn do I find it refreshing to see mice that aren’t just available in black or white. I’m a huge fan of the green Razer Viper V4 Pro and the two orange Fnatic-collabs mice — the Lamzu Maya 8K ($119) and Sony Inzone Mouse-A ($149). Likewise, I absolutely love the SuperStrike in hot pink, especially when paired with the Pro X2 Rapid keyboard.

Weirdly, Logitech hasn’t yet released a white variant of the Pro X3 SuperStrike, despite releasing it alongside the Pro X2 Rapid keyboard and Pro X2 Lightspeed headset — both of which come in black, white and the same hot magenta. If you want an all-white trio, you’re out of luck, unless you go for the last-gen X2 SuperStrike.

Logitech G Pro X3 SuperStrike review: The downs

I mostly love the Logitech G Pro X3 SuperStrike. However, it’s available in symmetrical guise only and there’s no onboard DPI switch. I also think SteelSeries has a couple of legs up over the SuperStrike with its latest elite mouse.

Symmetrical only

If, like me, you’re a palm gripper, you may well prefer an ergonomic design. Unfortunately, the SuperStrike only comes in symmetrical guise, which tends to benefit claw and finger grip styles.

Obviously, those are just general rules, so mileage may vary. However, after playing with the SuperStrike for a week instead of my ergonomic mouse, I’ve noticed some pain and stiffness in my right wrist and pinky finger. If you want a cutting edge ergo mouse, check out the SteelSeries Rival Pro or Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro.

No onboard DPI switch

We had this problem with Logi’s last generation of gaming mice, the X2 SuperStrike and X Pro SuperLight 2 — there’s no onboard DPI switch. I get that it’s tricky to fit one on the body of a competition mouse, but come on… just put one on the base like SteelSeries and Razer.

So what happens when you want to switch DPI in game? Logitech seriously expects you to a) keep G Hub running while gaming; and b) either switch apps in game to change DPI, or remap one of your two precious side buttons to DPI switch. Come on. Sort it out, Logitech.

Falling behind the Rival?

As great as adjustable actuation and rapid trigger may be, elsewhere I think the SuperStrike is a tier (okay, maybe half a tier) below recent rivals. Hear me out.

SteelSeries’ Rival and Sensei Pro use UWB 6GHz connection instead of the typical 2.4GHz used on the SuperStrike, Viper V4 Pro and, well, virtually all other peripherals. This reduces connection dropouts caused by your mouse hunting for a free 2.4GHz lane, resulting in (theoretically) greater accuracy. I’d love to see more elite mice use this tech — imagine the SuperStrike’s buttons with UWB!

I also find Logitech’s software features and companion app pretty basic versus my Rival Pro. There’s no angle snapping, no acceleration curve customization, no separate click and sensor polling. You get all of this on SteelSeries’ GG. To be fair, though, I much prefer using G Hub to Razer’s Synapse, which I’m really not a fan of.

I also prefer the zero-downtime battery life of the Rival Pro. I’ve already had to use the SuperStrike while wired charging, which is something I never have to do with the dual swappable batteries of my SteelSeries. I suppose, in short, the SuperStrike feels simply like a minor improvement on an old formula, while other brands are trying harder to innovate, yet at $199 / $169 the SuperStrike is the most expensive of all the competition.

Logitech G Pro X3 SuperStrike review: Verdict

I’ll admit, competition at the top is fierce. There’s not much separating the elite esports mice these days. All the top contenders are super light, super sensitive and super fast — the Pro X3 SuperStrike is no different.

As I mentioned above, though, it kinda feels like Logitech has rested on its laurels somewhat since the Pro X2 SuperStrike and failed to address the issues with that mouse, or to build on it in any different, innovative way. It’s for that reason I’m scoring this lower than the recent SteelSeries Rival Pro, which, while not as fast clicks-wise, offers loads of cool features to make up for that and puts itself ahead.

In the end, though, it’ll come down to the features most important to you. If you value that edge on click speed above all else, the Pro X3 SuperStrike is easily top dawg.

Banjo-Kazooie on the Nintendo 64 was the first video game I ever played as a youngster, kickstarting an obsession with gaming that shows no signs of dissipating even as I enter my 30s. The Evercade Nexus, releasing October 30 for $199 / £169, comes bundled with a copy of the Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack (containing the 1998 original and its sequel, Banjo-Tooie). Consider me sold.

I’ve now got my hands on the Evercade Nexus, and have started my umpteenth playthrough of Banjo’s legendary first adventure — I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve 100% completed this classic 64-bit platformer. I still need to put the portable through its paces a little more before I can deliver my full review, but I’m already eager to gush about the Nexus. So, these are my first impressions of the latest Evercade after spending two days with it.

Evercade Nexus might be the perfect retro device

Described as “the vinyl of retro gaming,” Evercade’s mission is to return gaming to its roots, to the time before mandatory installs, always-online requirements, and purchasing a digital license. The latter point is particularly compelling in the wake of Sony’s announcement that it plans to stop producing physical discs for PlayStation consoles in January 2028.

Evercade already has several devices under its belt, including home consoles, portables and tabletop arcade cabinets. But in steps the Evercade Nexus which is quite possibly the company’s most appealing handheld yet. For starters, it’s the first Evercade portable with dual analog sticks and comes sporting a high-resolution 5.89-inch IPS display, which, while not OLED levels of beauty, still catches the eye.

When you first boot up an Evercade system, you’ll notice there is no digital storefront. Evercade hardware and the new Nexus are built to exclusively play physical cartridges. There are more than 80 available. Beyond Banjo, there are cartridges for classic Tomb Raider, Doom, Duke Nukem, and a host of retro collections from Atari, Activision, Interplay, Neo Geo and more.

Each cartridge works on any Evercade device, from the entry-level Super Pocket to the shiny new Nexus. And once you buy a cartridge, it’s yours. There’s no digital license that can be revoked, or requirement to download most of the game from a server that could be shut down. Your collection is a tangible thing to treasure. Or loan to a friend. Or sell to someone else. The choice is yours. Evercade Nexus puts you in complete control of your library.

Banjo is back and better than ever on Evercade

Less than two minutes after booting up the Nexus for the first time, I was pottering around the lush green fields of Spiral Mountain, Banjo-Kazooie’s starting level. Unlike booting up a current-generation console/handheld, I didn’t have to create an online account, install new firmware, and then wait what feels like an age for software to download and install. I just switched the Nexus on, plugged in the Banjo cartridge, and off I went on my adventure.

It’s a deeply nostalgic throwback to a simpler — to many, better — era of gaming. And the version of Banjo-Kazooie brought to the Evercade range of devices is perhaps the best port of the N64 classic to date. Developed directly by the team at Blaze Entertainment, in collaboration with Rare, the British studio that birthed Banjo, this is no rushed emulation job.

On a technical level, you’ll find improved resolution and a smooth 60 fps framerate, alongside a host of quality-of-life features. These include deeper control options — key if you’re playing on an older Evercade device that lacks dual sticks — and useful QoL additions like the ability to return to the hub area from the pause menu. Plus, there's bonus content like new cheats, and the (in)famous Stop 'n' Swop feature actually functions in this port.

Evercade’s Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack has clearly been crafted with great reverence for the original games, and while boosted resolution and minor QoL updates smooth out some rough edges, these two platforming greats have not been dramatically overhauled. That’s no criticism. Evercade’s cartridge library is about celebrating past games, not remaking them.

I still want to spend more time with the Evercade Nexus before delivering my final verdict — look out for my full review on Tom’s Guide shortly — but my first impressions of this nifty retro device are very good. It helps that the portable is launching with an excellent collection of two games close to my heart. However, even when looking beyond the powerful pull of nostalgia, the Nexus makes a strong initial impression. It might be a retro gamer's dream.

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On the surface, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival might look like the latest in a long line of online games cashing in on a classic horror IP. But unlike those aforementioned games, it’s not an asymmetrical multiplayer experience casting one player as Hellraiser’s Pinhead and the rest as fleshy humans. No, it’s a single-player survival horror title.

A narrative-driven, single-player, survival horror experience set in the brutal world of Clive Barker’s original “Hellraiser” movie? Sign me up.

However, after playing through the entire 10-hour campaign on PS5 Pro, I'm disappointed. I love the intent behind Hellraiser: Revival, but the execution is all too often a whole lot more pain than pleasure.

We have such sights to show you

You play Aidan Lynch, a gruff (somewhat unlikable) biker who unwillingly summons Pinhead and his Cenobites — extradimensional beings who are described in the films as “demons to some, angels to others” — during a raunchy evening with his girlfriend, Sunny, when they activate a strange box known as the Genesis Configuration.

Pinhead and his grotesque pals whisk Sunny away to the depths of their hellish dimension, and it’s up to Aidan to rescue his lost love — even if flashbacks suggest that the couple's relationship was anything but blissful. It’s your routine “save the girl” story, but because this is Hellraiser, the whole narrative is coated in a thick soup of blood, guts, and seriously graphic sights.

It will come as no shock to anybody familiar with the “Hellraiser” movies, but Revival is extremely graphic. And I don’t just mean in terms of violence (though there’s a lot of that). There is so much extreme sexual content here that I felt obligated to forewarn my partner about it before starting, just in case she accidentally walked in on me playing.

On the one hand, I commend the developers at Saber Interactive for being willing to push the boundaries of good taste — one early objective has Aidan collecting sex toys at the request of a woman decked out in a full leather outfit. To have presented a watered-down Hellraiser experience would have been inauthentic. But pretty quickly, the frequency of sexual content starts to feel like a shock-value play.

This felt most keenly in the game’s most meaningful original contribution to the Hellraiser canon, the Scarlet Church. A Cenobite-obsessed cult that you spend the vast majority of the game hiding from and then butchering with sharp melee weapons and powerful firearms. The Church adds an extra wrinkle, but is often used as a vehicle to shove yet more graphic scenes in the player’s face. Which, at the very least, does make thinning their ranks rather cathartic.

A revival, but certainly not a gameplay revolution

Like many modern survival horror games, from the Alone in the Dark reboot to The Sinking City 2, Hellraiser: Revival’s is a close approximation of the recent Resident Evil games.

I’m okay with this; Resident Evil is among my favorite series in gaming, and I’m happy to play games that pinch its best ideas in between new RE releases. As Aidan, your goal is to slowly make your way through each area of the Scarlet Church’s vast compound, picking up items, fending off foes, and finding keys that open more doors, and repeat.

Enemies can be engaged head-on, not always wise due to limited ammo and breakable melee weapons, or you can take a stealthy approach. The Genesis Configuration is added to your arsenal, giving you supernatural powers like controlling flame, or best of all, telekinesis, letting you throw all sharp objects at enemies, impaling them on walls.

It’s a compelling enough loop, and Hellraiser: Revival largely works on a moment-to-moment basis because of this. But what’s particularly disappointing is that the sporadic occasions where the game strikes out and tries to be its own beast are among the best sections.

After major story beats, you’ll usually find yourself in the Cenobites labyrinth. These levels have you solving basic puzzles or trying to escape from the demon fans refer to as the Chatterer, which are comfortably the most intense parts of the game. There’s also a riff on the (in)famous PT demo, which is simple but effective.

In fact, I had to wonder why the whole game isn’t set in the labyrinth instead of the generic corridors of the church’s base, which become very repetitive.

The most hellish part isn’t Pinhead

Hellraiser: Revival spends a lot of time showing you hellish sights or forcing you to come face-to-face with repugnant characters, both the Cenobites and the sadistic leaders of the Scarlet Church. However, the fear they strike in you is nothing compared to the terror I faced thanks to constant glitches.

Unfortunately, on a technical level, Hellraiser: Revival is rough. At its best, the game looks and runs to an acceptable standard. It’s never a graphical showcase, but interiors are detailed, and characters closely resemble their movie counterparts. However, Hellraiser: Revival is only rarely at its best. Far too often, the cracks show, and then start to widen.

If I listed every bug and glitch I encountered, this article would triple in size, but the lowlights include textures frequently taking several seconds to appear, particularly after a loading screen, enemy bodies regularly morphing into furniture, which admittedly was quite funny, and noticeable framerate drops during large combat encounters.

Adding to the pain, the game gets increasingly unstable as you delve deeper. In the final three hours of my playthrough, something would break around every corner. A late-game save station refused to work, the in-game storage box ate my revolver pistol, completely robbing me of a powerful weapon for late-game levels, and the final boss became totally unresponsive not once, but twice, forcing a reload both times.

If all that wasn’t enough, Hellraiser: Revival waved me off with a final cutscene glitch. Character dialogue began looping. Each line repeated over the next. And so, the culmination of the game’s story descended into barely comprehensible audio gibberish. Talk about ending on a real low.

Should you play Hellraiser: Revival this Halloween?

With Halloween on the horizon, there’s no doubt an appetite for new horror games, and I’d hoped to declare Hellraiser: Revival the perfect gaming experience for Spooky Season.

Sadly, in its current state, I simply can’t. However, I do want to acknowledge its $39 / £34 price point, which I appreciate, making it a more cost-effective option in an era of $69 games.

Maybe by Halloween 2027, the technical shortcomings will have been smoothed out, and at that point, Hellraiser: Revival might justify a purchase, at least for dedicated fans of the horror franchise.

Still, in a year that has seen truly essential horror games like Resident Evil: Requiem and Silent Hill: Townfall, it’s hard to recommend in its current state. Hellraiser: Revival might beat its contemporaries for disturbing content, but that’s about the only area where it wins.

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Forever Ago follows Alfred's road trip adventure after the death of his wife, who he has been married to for several decades. Told in a beautiful graphic novel art style, you play as Alfred, revisiting all the places he had been with his wife. You take photos, meet various NPCs with different points of view on life, and even make an uncanny friend along the way.

In some places, Forever Ago is funny and it makes you smile, but the overarching themes of grief, loss, love and redemption are omnipresent. Though it's a very short game, it's a must-play for anyone who enjoys emotional and reflective narrative adventures. As soon as the credits rolled, I knew this was one of my favorite indies of all time. Let me show you why.

Minor spoilers to follow.

The power of memory

Forever Ago is a gut-punch from the get-go. At the beginning, you play as a young Alfred who has only just begun dating Audrey. Audrey finds a camera at a yard sale and starts taking photographs, but as you learn throughout the story, Alfred was the one who took to photography more than she did. You don't see Audrey much in the game — but her impact is lasting, as she passes away from a long illness, and an ageing Alfred is left to grieve on his own.

The premise of the game is simple: Audrey wants Alfred to visit all the places she'd been with him when they were together. As you travel to different locations through the game, the narrative builds. Each location has sets of orange petals you can collect, and completing each set reveals a memory, triggered by Alfred taking a photo.

Armed with Audrey's journal and a camera attached to his satchel, Alfred sets off on a road trip, hoping to reach Wilhelmina Peak in the north. Audrey's journal specifies your objectives and you can refer to as and when needed. As you visit different places, you capture photos and are limited to just 12 per level if you want to print them out to stick in your journal at the end of each chapter.

As someone who loves photography and even tests the best cameras for a living, the photography aspect in Forever Ago hit me like a truck. Alfred and Audrey immortalized many of their adventures through this medium — like I do in my life — and Alfred continued to do so after his beloved wife's passing, too, only because she didn't want his love of adventure to die.

The importance of slowing down

As someone who loves action adventure games and RPGs, like Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I wasn't expecting much from Forever Ago, and I certainly wasn't expecting it to leave its mark on me in the way it has. But then again, I've also cried over indies like Neva and Endling: Extinction is Forever.

Unlike the fast-paced titles I love playing, Forever Ago is a slow game. Alfred can't sprint or run — the most he can do is walk briskly on certain surfaces. He can't jump or crouch as and when he wishes either. Though he has a final destination to reach, there's no sense of urgency that makes you want to rush.

This isn't a very long game — it took me about five hours to complete — and I took my time admiring the art style, exploring every part of every level, allowing every dialogue that was spoken to wash over me, and matching Alfred's pace, really. Forever Ago is an important lesson to us, the gamers, that it's okay to slow down and take your time, and that a short game can be just as impactful (if not more) as a long one.

Grief, loss but also redemption

Throughout the majority of the game, Alfred is grumpy and doesn't want anything to do with anyone, and he has every reason to be. Grief isn't an easy emotion to deal with, and you don't just "get over" the passing of a loved one overnight. Alfred's loneliness comes across with great clarity through his interactions with NPCs.

Asking a grocery store attendant to leave him alone, struggling to accept help from a young woman who offers to fix his camper van, and even making comments like, "I have no one left to call" — it's clear that Alfred is all by himself.

But he doesn't have to be, and it's something he eventually realizes as the game progresses. A dog is a man's best friend, and Forever Ago drives this message home by introducing a fluffy four-legged companion who refuses to leave Alfred's side. You get to name her, play fetch with her, pet her. Alfred's cold demeanor eventually melts.

He also makes friends with a man hiking with his ageing dog during one of the levels. It's a brief encounter, but it tugs at your heartstrings through exceptionally well-written dialogues, and of course, photographs, which Alfred makes sure to take plenty of.

Even when Alfred is at his lowest, crying out for Audrey to come back, and on the verge of calling quits on his road trip, it's certain encounters with NPCs in the game that keep him going. The brains behind Forever Ago have done a fantastic job of showing that human connection is important, and perhaps more important than ever when you're bruised and beaten like Alfred is.

Forever Ago might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I truly believe it's a game everyone has to play at least once. The art style, storytelling, writing and calming music are just so charming that they draw you in instantly and make you feel like you're part of Alfred's world.

I didn't think a story of grief and love told through photos and memories would have me feeling existential for a whole evening, but that's the kind of power Forever Ago holds.

Forever Ago will be available to buy on Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, starting 8 October.

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The company's website currently shows pre-owned and refurbished PS5 Pro consoles for $1329, a nearly $500 markup on the current $900 MSRP. Unfortunately, GameStop isn't the only place with absurdly high prices.

Tom's Guide checked Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg and Walmart where third-party sellers who sell through those online platforms are showing similar prices with some as high as $1700.

We reached out to GameStop and PlayStation for comment on PS5 Pro availability and these new prices. We will update this article if either company responds.

PS5 Pro restock — Quick links

• PS5 Pro: check stock @ Amazon
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ Best Buy
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ Walmart
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ Target
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ GameStop
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ PlayStation Direct

Used

To be clear, all of these prices are for used, refurbished or "open box" versions of the PS5 Pro. As far as we can tell new PS5 Pro consoles are out of stock everywhere including the official PlayStation Store.

Every retail site we checked lists the PS5 Pro as a high-demand product, probably related to the imminent launch of GTA 6. With ongoing tariffs and the AI-caused memory shortage, Sony has been struggling to meet demand.

Resellers have tended have higher prices since the Ps5 Pro was launched and especially after the $150 price increase earlier this year. But at these prices you could get a decent gaming PC even in the current climate, like the Dell Tower Plus which is "only" $1693 on Amazon right now.

Where can you get a PS5 Pro?

If you absolutely must have a PS5 Pro in anticipation of GTA 6, then your current best bet is to check out eBay. No, you won't find any consoles at MSRP, but I found several bundles that are cheaper than these third-party sellers and get you a few extras.

For example, this listing gets you the console and a controller for $1,049. This one comes with eight games, a media remote and a couple of charging stations for $1,387, cheaper than the resellers by at least $100.

Normally, eBay isn't your friend when it comes to tech, but right now, in this specific PS5 Pro instance, it just might be.

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Without question, at the very top of my "list of gaming shame" is Kingdom Hearts. For years, I’ve been curious about this action-RPG mash-up of Disney and Final Fantasy — which has now morphed into its own beast since its 2002 debut on PlayStation 2 — but at some point, I started to feel like the Disney-shaped ship had passed me by.

But when Square Enix announced the Kingdom Hearts Collection, it felt like a package designed for somebody like me, and I got hold of the collection on Nintendo Switch 2 a little early. I can now officially say that I have played a Kingdom Hearts game. Okay, so I’ve only played a handful of hours of the very first one, but it's a start!

Kingdom Hearts has spawned an extraordinarily passionate following, so I have little doubt that dedicated fans will flock to this new collection for an excuse to replay the series. But if you’re in a similar boat to me and have never played Kingdom Hearts before, let’s dive into why this collection is the perfect opportunity to give the series a shot.

So, I guess this is Kingdom Hearts…

The opening to Kingdom Hearts is rough. Obviously, it looks and plays like a PS2 game. Even if the Final Mix version, which is what’s been ported to Nintendo Switch 2, bumps the resolution and framerate, it’s not a ground-up remake; Kingdom Hearts looks and feels its age.

But this didn’t bother me; I started playing games during the PS1 era, and still regularly replay some of my childhood favorites in 2026. No, Kingdom Hearts’ less-than-stellar introduction comes down to some questionable level design. You start the game by being introduced to young protagonist Sora, as he dreams of escaping his small island.

And from there, you are forced to complete a series of dull fetch quests to retrieve a host of items for your friends. It’s not exactly a thrilling introduction to the sprawling Kingdom Hearts universe. I wasn’t totally sure what to expect when playing Kingdom Hearts 1 in 2026, but collecting a stockpile of coconuts and looking for old rope wasn’t it.

Mercifully, after a little trouble locating a seagull's egg (another item on my checklist), things began to pick up. Soon darkness spread over the tropical island; Sora was entrusted with the series’ iconic Keyblade, and the spiked-haired character was quickly transported to a new setting.

It’s here, in the new location of Traverse Town (which serves as a sort of hub), that it feels like Kingdom Hearts truly begins. Sora meets a couple of iconic Disney characters, and a few familiar faces from Final Fantasy VII as well. At this point, the ponderous opening section faded from my memory, and I found its narrative hooks starting to latch onto me.

A couple more hours later, and these hooks are only embedding deeper the more I play. Even if the gameplay, which feels particularly clunky compared to modern action-RPGs, adds a degree of friction, the intriguing story and lovable characters, both familiar and original to the game, have me invested. Even if the game feels mechanically dated.

And from what fans tell me, the best is certainly yet to come. I hear the later games are a real step up in terms of gameplay. Particularly 2005's Kingdom Hearts 2, which many consider the best Kingdom Hearts title.

Kingdom Hearts Collection was made for players like me

I’m still a Kingdom Hearts newbie. There’s a long road ahead before I can consider myself well-versed in this franchise. But that’s what makes the Kingdom Hearts Collection so appealing. It includes basically everything released to date, from the three mainline games to the numerous spin-off titles, which I’m informed are all canonically key.

The collection covers 10 Kingdom Hearts titles. 7 are fully playable games, each remastered to varying degrees, while 3 have been reworked into HD movies. Considering Kingdom Hearts games aren’t exactly short either, with an average playtime of about 30 hours per title, for $74, that’s an awful lot of game crammed into a collection.

In fact, there’s so much to experience that, to start, it's more than a little overwhelming. I imagine this must be what it feels like to be somebody trying to catch up on the MCU before “Avengers: Doomsday.”

Kingdom Hearts also feels at home on the Nintendo Switch 2. As there’s so much content to experience here, being able to chip away at a title while playing in the console’s handheld mode is a huge selling point compared to picking up the collection on PS5, Xbox, or PC.

While I can speak to performance on later titles (I’ve heard the newest title, Kingdom Hearts 3, is a little spotty on Switch), the first game runs great on Nintendo’s system. But then again, it is a remastered PS2 title.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently set for a late 2027 release, which is helpful because it might take me the best part of a year to make my way through the collection. So, if you’re a newcomer to the series like me, this collection was basically designed for us. It offers the perfect opportunity to dive into Kingdom Hearts and get all caught up.

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Just about every console has deals right now including PS5 games and accessories are on sale from $6, and you'll find Xbox Series X games and accessories from $9. More of a PC gamer? Amazon has gaming laptops, monitors and keyboards on sale from $36.

If you haven't picked up the Switch 2 yet, right now the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundle is available for $549. The recent price increase sucks, but you're still saving $37 with this bundle versus buying each item separately.

Keep reading to see all of my current favorite Prime Day gaming deals. (And don't forget to sign up for an Amazon Prime membership to get ready for more discounts!)

Quick Links

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• Xbox Wireless Controller: was $69 now $54
• 8Bitdo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller: was $69 now $57
• Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip 14": was $799 now $499
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Last week, Sony sent me a Lego PlayStation, and over the weekend, I spent five hours putting it together brick-by-brick. Assembling the 1,911-piece set was a surprisingly calming experience. Certainly more relaxing than my youthful experience trying to beat some of the best PS1 games. As a young kid, my gaming skills were pretty appalling.

Once the final piece was in place — I made one mistake, which forced me to backtrack and redo a section — I admired my work and spent several minutes trying to find the perfect place to display the finished Lego model. My partner point-blank refused to have it in the living room, and so it’s taken up a spot on my home office windowsill instead.

Available for $179 / £139, it’s a great pick-up for any long-term PlayStation fan, particularly those who discovered their love of gaming in the PS1 era. But best of all, it’s not just a boxy Lego model; there are a few nifty little surprise features hidden within its iconic grey exterior.

Press to open

Modeled after the original PS1 (rather than the 2000s slim redesign), the Lego PlayStation does an admirable job replicating the real thing. This includes the top buttons actually functioning (well, “Power” and “Open” do; “Reset” is just a static plastic piece). Click “Power” and a small green piece will lift, simulating the console’s power indicator. However, it’s “Open” that is most novel; press it down, and the Lego PlayStation’s lid will rise just like the real thing. The buttons have a clickiness that feels very close to the actual console as well.

Two hidden PS1 dioramas

Obviously, the Lego PlayStation can’t play PS1 games; it’s just a plastic model. So underneath the lid you won’t find a disc tray. Instead, there are two dioramas depicting scenes from fan-favorite PlayStation games, Gran Turismo and Ape Escape.

GT was an obvious choice; it’s the best-selling PS1 game of all time, but Ape Escape is a strange one. I’m not questioning its storied place in the PS1 library, but it was released specifically for the DualShock controller, which added dual analog sticks. The PS1 console given a Lego makeover is the launch model, with a pad lacking sticks.

Still, these miniature dioramas are a nice touch and can be pulled out of the console to be admired or displayed separately, if you wish.

Remember wired controllers?

Anybody who grew up in an HD console world doesn’t know how good they’ve had it. Back in the day, wireless controllers were the stuff of science fiction movies.

The Lego PlayStation displays this; it comes with an original PS1 controller model connected via a rubber wire. Fortunately, the cable is short, so it won't get tangled and twisted as all my controllers did back in the 2000s.

Even better, the controller can be detached from the main model; just like the real thing, you can even swap it between the two front-facing ports. This reminded me of the (in)famous Psycho Mantis boss battle in Metal Gear Solid, which required you to swap the controller from Port 1 to Port 2 to prevent the telepathic foe from reading your button inputs.

An Astro Bot extra

As part of the Lego PlayStation’s launch, early buyers were able to get a small Astro Bot set for free, as part of Lego’s “gift with purchase” program. This model might be even cooler than the PlayStation console. The already-charming PlayStation mascot looks even more adorable in plastic brick form.

Sadly, as of now, the promotional period has ended, and the Lego Astro Bot is no longer available on Lego.com. However, your nearest physical Lego store might still have stock, and the Astro Bot set was made available for purchase separately on PlayStation Direct for $24.

It sold out super fast (no doubt scalpers are partially to blame), but I’m hoping Sony will restock, as I definitely want one of my own.

Should you buy the Lego PlayStation?

So, after spending most of my Sunday building a Lego PlayStation and a couple of days admiring it from my desk, is it a set worth picking up?

If you’re a dedicated PlayStation fan with heaps of nostalgia for the console that started it all, then probably. I should also note that the actual building process was intricate, but enjoyable throughout.

However, as a display piece, it’s perhaps not the most eye-catching model Lego has ever made. Remember, the PS1 was a console designed to sit underneath a television, so its grey box appearance is hardly striking. The Lego version faithfully recreates the machine’s iconic look, but to the uninformed eye, it just looks like a grey box.

Lego has definitely made some PlayStation-themed sets that are more aesthetically pleasing, like the awesome Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck set (since retired, it's harder to find these days). But still, if you ever owned a PS1 console, this new set is a dose of pure nostalgia.

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