MANILA, Philippines – 2022’s Steam Deck has seen some success, enough of it that it has jump started a sort of new-ish product category: handheld gaming PCs.

There had been attempts more than 10 years ago to make a portable PC gaming experience. A little digging reveals the crowdfunded Linux-based OpenPandora of the late 2000s, made for homebrew games and emulators. In 2013, there was the far more mainstream Windows 8-based gaming tablet that slotted into a controller device, the Razer Edge.

Brave efforts, but these were merely the first evolutionary steps for a new organism looking for its place in the gaming ecosystem. And the Steam Deck appeared to be its eureka moment, having found its niche, resulting in units sold in the “multiple millions.” 

More than the sales numbers, the Deck has had quite the market impact because, in its wake, several household PC gaming brands have put forth their own attempts at a PC handheld: the ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and the MSI Claw. 

These brands sell gaming laptops. The Steam Deck presented a threat. They had to get on the boat. And so we consumers find ourselves at an exciting moment where the brands are still trying to find out the best configuration, and we get to enjoy a bunch of wild choices. 

There’s of course the sensible Steam Deck, the most affordable, designed for just enough power for an unplugged portable gaming session. Then the ROG Ally upped the ante with more processing power, and brought Windows to the fray (the Steam Deck uses the Linux-based SteamOS). 

Then the Lenovo Legion Go came along, just supersizing everything – the display most of all. It has the biggest display of them all, including the upcoming MSI Claw. It’s that dinosaur that chose to go big in an attempt to eat everything that moved in the Cretaceous. 

It’s the XL choice in the current crop of handheld PC gaming systems. I have no point of comparison as I haven’t tried the other systems, but all I can say is that while it is still portable, the most comfortable way to play it for longer sessions is to have your arms propped up on a table or legs while playing. It’s a big device.

It has the biggest display among all the devices at 8.8 inches, with the highest resolution at 1440p, and a 144Hz refresh rate. MSI and ROG’s devices have a 7-inch Full HD display at 120Hz, while the Steam Deck OLED has a below full HD 800p screen at 90Hz. Colors look rich, the dynamic range looks satisfying, and it looks very crisp.

Beyond just screen size, the Legion Go is also quite possibly the boldest and most inventive right now. It has detachable controllers like the Switch. (And speaking of the Switch, this PC category probably owes a lot to the Nintendo console too.) You can also take the right controller, put it in a magnetic, disc-like apparatus included in the package to let you use it as a mouse for first-person games. It’s pretty neat, but I can’t say yet whether it’s something that I can really get acclimated to.

I also like the built-in kickstand, and the included case even has a tiny hole through which you can course the charging cable, so you can charge it while in its enclosure – so that’s really thoughtful.

The ROG Ally, as I’ve read, doesn’t come with a case. The Steam Deck does. 

Solid hardware, but future versions need a specialized user interface

The Legion Go and the ROG Ally share the same APU (accelerated processing unit): the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme. There are lots of in-depth performance reviews already out there. But a quick search on the ROG Ally subreddit compares the Z1 to being a tad below 2020’s high-end Ryzen 5800X CPU with the graphics prowess of 2019’s midrange Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU. 

You have to dial things down a bit for the latest AAA games for this generation of PC handhelds. For example, a demanding game like Alan Wake II, per our testing, had to be dialed down to about an 800p resolution or slightly below for it to be a playable 30 frames per second.

As is the case with laptops, you’ll have your best chance of hitting high frame rates on less demanding esports-style titles or older games, so you can take advantage of the 144Hz display.

The MSI Claw, expected to come out before the first half of 2024 is over, will be introducing Intel chips to this product category, with the newer Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. We’ll have to wait and see which is better.

OS, some bugs

What the three devices need the most right now though is on the OS side. Windows 11 on these devices isn’t that user-friendly. The icons are tiny, there’s just a bit of a learning curve to get acclimated, and while the Legion Go has made some efforts with its own app that lets you quickly access the popular game storefronts such as Xbox, Steam, and Epic, it’s not quite there yet.

The overall experience before you get to jump into a game is not yet completely intuitive – understandable since this is new territory. It more or less feels like a shoehorned Windows 11. It’s not intuitive to access functions like alt-tabbing or ctrl-alt-deleting. The virtual keyboard didn’t automatically pop up on the Epic game launcher.

The OS acts up sometimes, and simply stops responding. Often, if you’re a laptop user, you’d know what to do to resolve things, but here it can be a little more frustrating because, first and foremost, you don’t have a traditional mouse and keyboard to work with. Sure, you can attach one, but that just takes you closer to laptop territory, so I think, long-term, UI polish is the key.

Once you get into a game, though, the experience is pretty stable, although there were three games – Hades, Psychonauts 2, and Alan Wake II – that sometimes didn’t detect the controller, and switched to a keyboard configuration. I needed to restart those games, and I’m not sure how many games are affected by this.

It can be done, but the overall polish, especially on the software side, needs improvement.

Maybe wait for the second generation devices?

But there’s indeed potential here for these devices to be quite impactful like the Switch, which proved that graphical horsepower isn’t all there is to gaming. Might this new PC form factor do the same to a platform that has always called itself the master race?

I’m excited that this is something that would be easier to take around, or play while in bed. This coming year is one to watch with the MSI Claw coming, and some already good beginning efforts from ROG and Lenovo. 

And, all things aside, the Legion Go just gives you a new way to experience PC games. It’s so cozy to play in bed, and surprisingly immersive. And it might be a fun thing to bring at, say, a coffee shop for when you want to play your Steam games outside the house. It might be good for long bus rides (premium buses to Baguio, anyone?) or plane rides, but the general two-hour battery life means it’s not a play-until-your-thumbs-fall-off portable affair.

Just for opening up those new experiences (and I really love the big screen), the Legion Go’s already a dream device, but personally I feel like I want to wait for the next iteration, instead of making a first-gen splash.

If future iterations can really fine-tune the user interface and software, and really find that sweet spot between size, display, battery life, and power, more might just shift from gaming laptops to this new legion of handheld PCs/high-powered tablets that can play Windows games. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – I’ve been using the Honor Magic V2 for about two weeks now, in anticipation of its February 21 launch, so I’ve been able to take note of what I’ve liked and not liked about it so far. 

The thinness does matter 

I already mentioned in a recent video that the phone being 9.9 millimeters thin, making it the world’s thinnest foldable, is something that matters because it makes it feel just like a regular phone.

In my short time using it, I sometimes even forget that I’m using a foldable because it’s just so perfectly usable in its folded form. And then you remember that you’re using a foldie, and you go, “Oh yeah, I have all this extra real estate too” for maybe when you’re reading a manga with really nice art, and that’s a great feeling.

I haven’t used a lot of foldables – just this, the Galaxy Fold phones, and some time with Huawei’s Mate X series. But it’s the Fold that I’ve had the most time with. I was impressed with the thinness of the latest, the Fold5 which was launched in mid-2023, but the Magic V2 blows it out of the water. 

Actually, the bigger issue with the Fold, in terms of its usability as a regular phone, is its long and slim form factor. It squeezes everything in, and makes you miss a standard phone’s display aspect ratio. The Magic V2’s aspect ratio doesn’t have that problem. 

I didn’t know that I had an issue with the Fold5’s Snickers bar-style form factor until I got time with the Magic V2. 

It fulfills being a standard phone first, and then adds on the amazing usability of a mini tablet screen. Meanwhile, the Fold5 made me want to just use it in tablet mode more often because its phone mode was a little too slim for my liking. 

I’m working from memory here though so I can’t completely remember if I was really that irked with Fold5’s long-ish display, but that the Magic V2’s phone-mode display felt really new and great to me must mean something. 

And again, its thinness is important. For instance, if it had the regular aspect ratio but was thick, it wouldn’t have felt like a regular phone, and I would’ve been grumpy-old-man-yells-at-cloud about it. 

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Amazing build

I’m really surprised with the build of the Magic V2 as well: slim, rounded metal corner, a back with a premium-feeling matte finish, a cool, understated camera array design, and an included back case with a faux leather finish and kickstand. It’s a really confident design that belongs in the top tier. 

No wonder, they’re really going after current foldable leader Samsung with the #MagicBeyondtheGalaxy hashtag, referring to Samsung’s Galaxy branding. Well, that, and the fact that there aren’t really a lot of choices yet when it comes to book-style foldables that are officially here in the Philippines – I believe it’s just the Galaxy Fold, the Huawei Mate X, and now, the Magic V2.

The included kickstand on the case is really thoughtful. With it, you can prop up the phone anywhere, and it’s great for watching Netflix or reading comics or mangas. 

Speaking of reading, it’s generally a great experience on the V2 because it’s also relatively light, and the weight balance feels really good when in tablet mode. It’s so nice to lay in bed, pop it open in tablet mode, and read. 

The Magic V2 displays look crisp too with deep colors and nice contrast, and most importantly, the front one’s brightness goes up to 2,500 nits so it’s still usable under the sun. By comparison, the flagship Samsung S24 Ultra recently just went to 2,600 nits from last year’s 1,750 nits on the S23 Ultra. 

But to be clear, the inner screen of the Magic V2 has a lower rating of 1,600 nits. 

Lower price?

I’m also expecting the Magic V2 to be priced lower here in the Philippines than the Fold5 as has been the case internationally. The Fold5 launched at a staggering P98,990 for the cheapest 256GB model in August 2023. The Magic V2’s 512GB model launched in China in July 2023 for about 10,000 yuan or about P78,000 converted via current rates. Still expensive but less so, and I guess that’s a step in the right direction for book-style foldies, right? 

(UPDATE: The Honor Magic V2’s price has been set at P79,999 for the sole 512GB model.)

I’m going to mention the battery life too. The V2 has a 5,000 mAh battery with 66W fast-charging (brand-claimed full charge in less than an hour) while the Fold5 has a 4,400 mAh battery with 25W fast-charging (brand-claimed full charge in about 80 minutes). 

The pictures look good too. Here are some samples below. You can click on the photo to enlarge:

My main complaints so far

Probably my main gripe with the Magic V2 is that it uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and not the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. That’s because it was initially launched in July 2023 in China, and is coming late here in the Philippines. If I would buy something in this price range, I would really rather have something with the latest processor, which is likely something the Fold6 will have. 

The Fold5 has the Gen 2 as well, but we have Gen 3 flagships right now.

Another thing that the Fold5 has over the V2 is water resistance. The former has an IPX8 water resistance rating, while the V2 has none. Keep that in mind if that feature is important for you.

I have a few other gripes too. When shooting a video, you can’t switch the camera from rear to front or vice versa, which is something that Samsung phones let you do. I’ve seen some instances where the Facebook app didn’t switch from tablet mode to phone mode and vice versa, causing display issues and a few other bugs. 

Because of this experience, perhaps it would be good to read up on whether the phone bugs out on the apps you use. In my own experience, it was only the Facebook app that had issues. Something that I would check out further if I were to review the phone longer is its software and user interface.

There’s no 16:9 aspect ratio when shooting a photo (just a full screen one), although there is one when shooting a video. 

The fingerprint reader on the power button is sensitive. You press it to lock the phone, but don’t let your thumb linger there because you might unlock it again accidentally. The included screen protector also showed some bubbles in my short time using it. 

But apart from these, the Magic V2, even if I weren’t in the market for a book-style foldie, would make me want to consider whether it’s time to get on the foldables train. It’s sexy and slim, and priced lower than the competition – even though there really aren’t many official local choices out there, with competing models from other brands not yet officially here in the Philippines.

I think many Filipinos still see Samsung and Apple as the premium brands, but you’d be remiss not to give this one a serious look. – Rappler.com

I’ve been playing games my whole life. What started with a Super Mario game has led to a lifelong hobby that I’ve enjoyed to the fullest, showing no signs of stopping. Throughout the years, I realized that I’ve been living a privileged life, not in terms of monetary resources but simply because I can pick up and play anything I wish to with both hands.

Not everybody can enjoy this luxury. With the topic of accessibility in games being thrust into the spotlight over the past few years, it’s become more apparent that there’s a need to place further efforts into making gaming a more inclusive industry.

The PS5 Access Controller is not the first accessory to fill this need, but it is a step in the right direction for Sony as they follow up their exemplary accessibility efforts from titles like The Last of Us Part II and Spider-Man 2. For gamers like streamer Kevin Maglaqui, better known as One Hand Gaming, the PS5 Access Controller could take his gaming hobby to the next level.

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Having a handicap is something Kevin has had to deal with for a long time. Facing a condition that has left him with one hand to do the heavy lifting, so to speak, when it comes to playing games, he’s learned to adapt and make use of what he has to keep his gaming and streaming passion alive.

“Challenging siya, siyempre. Kalaban mo dalawang kamay ang gamit sa laro. Pero, naeenjoy ko siya kasi may mga tao na naappreciate na kaya kong sumabay sa kanila in terms of gaming.” (It’s challenging because your opponents have two hands that they can use to play, but I enjoy it because people can appreciate my skill and how I can keep up in terms of gaming.)

For Kevin, who streams regularly, his gaming habits span more than just the regular Call of Duty Mobile sessions. He is a console gamer too, and after using the PS5 Access Controller, he says that it has helped him play and enjoy more games. Not that his disability has ever stopped him before, because he even uses his left foot to help him play his favorite games.

In fact, the PS5 Access Controller makes playing certain games easier, says Kevin, which he displayed during a couple of Tekken 7 matches where he displayed a skill level that was proficient enough.

“May mga ibang games na mapapadali ka sa paglalaro, tulad ng mga 1v1 games.” (There are some games that are easier to play, like 1v1 games.)

The unique setup of the PS5 Access Controller allows for a fully customizable experience. With interchangeable buttons, a bevy of expansion ports, buttons with different form factors, and even the hardware being adjustable in form, disabled gamers like Kevin can make the hardware work for them instead of the other way around.

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Playing NBA 2K24 with Kevin was an eye-opening experience. Seeing him clutch the controller with one hand and use his lap and foot to not only support the hardware but also control the analog stick was something I thought I’d never personally see. I admired not only his dedication to improving and working on his craft but also his passion for gaming, something that he picked up while playing with family members growing up.

“Ito talaga yung favorite namin nilalaro, yung NBA. Dito lumalabas yung competitive side namin, yung asaran pag natalo. Hindi nila alam pero nagpapatalo ako minsan, nagpapahabol ako para intense yung laro, mas exciting.” (This is our favorite game, NBA 2K. This game brings out our competitive side, along with jeers when someone loses. They don’t know this but sometimes I lose on purpose, I let them catch up so the match is exciting.)

One other game that Kevin looked forward to playing was Spider-Man 2, another title from Sony and Insomniac Games that has fantastic accessibility settings. While this is the case, Kevin found it challenging to play, especially during the parts that required multiple button presses in quick succession.

“Nahirapan ako sa part ng movement niya, kasi yung swing niya sa controller R2, nasa likod, pagkaswing mo kailangan mabilis ka pumindot. Mahirap din sa laban kasi yung kalaban mo 360 degrees, kailangan ng mabilis na pindot tsaka yung reflexes din. Pati yung camera movement, kailangan pa ng isang PS5 Access Controller.” (Movement was quite tough for me because to swing, you need to press R2, which is almost at the back of the controller. You need to be quick with button presses, especially during combat where enemies are everywhere, along with quick reflexes if you need to dodge. Even camera movement is hard, and you’ll need another PS5 Access Controller.)

It was pretty evident watching Kevin play that he was having a hard time even with the PS5 Access Controller, bumping into buildings while swinging, and even dying during a relatively easy combat sequence. A normal DualSense controller does not have the flexibility that the PS5 Access Controller has, especially when it comes to the placement of buttons and how interchangeable they are.

After a few tweaks to the settings, Kevin felt right at home. It takes a bit of work from the user as well, and the PS5 Access Controller is not some magical device that will solve everything, but its flexibility and customizability surely help a ton.

While playing with confidence is Kevin’s forte, things do not come easy for him. He’s been put down before, but he’s also learned to take everything in stride, especially when taking into account his condition. He revealed that he has experienced his fair share of bashers who would make fun of him. As with all things, Kevin has learned to look for the silver lining, saying that he’s proud that he’s inspired some other disabled gamers to be confident and pursue their passions, especially when it comes to gaming.

“Labas tenga. If iisipin mo yung iisipin ng tao, di ka magprogress, di ka mag move forward. Lalo kang mawawalan ng gana. Oo isa lang kamay ko pero at least may ginagawa akong way para mag improve as a gamer, as a streamer, and as a person.” (In one ear and out the other. If you think about what people will say, you won’t progress and move forward. I may have one hand, but I make an effort to better myself as a gamer, a streamer, and as a person.)

It’s for people like Kevin that developments in accessibility have been made, and it’s also the reason why Sony is doing their part to make gaming more inclusive. Before the release of the PS5 Access Controller, Sony made award-winning accessibility efforts in their first-party titles, particularly The Last of Us Part II. It’s a small step forward in a very long journey, but gamers like Kevin are hopeful that more improvements and advances in the way players like him can play will be made in the future.

“Nadedevelop every year yung technology. Dati yung cellphone Nokia at keypad lang, ngayon may touch screen na. Pwede din mangyari sa PS5 Access Controller.” (Technology is evolving every year. Before, cell phones were only from Nokia and only had keypads, but now it is mostly touch screens. Developments can be made to the PS5 Access Controller as well.)

It’s clear to me, along with gamers like Kevin, that Sony has done something right with the development of the PS5 Access Controller. While it can be improved, it also bears saying that the first step is usually the hardest one to take, and things will only move forward for Sony. Disabled gamers will get to play a whole new range of titles thanks to the controller, and as time goes by, more feedback will come in as to how the product can be improved further.

The dream is that everyone who wants to play will get to play games. With the software side of things seeing increased focus on accessibility settings, hardware is playing catch up, but it’s encouraging to see that more and more companies are finally taking that ever-so-important first step. Over the next few years, advancements in technology will allow gamers like Kevin to enjoy these games the way they were meant to be, but for now, getting them to go hands-on is already a win. – Rappler.com

The PS5 Access Controller is now available worldwide, with a suggested retail price of PHP 5,090 in the Philippines.

Helldivers 2 has a bit of a strange pedigree.

Its predecessor, Helldivers, was a cooperative, top-down, twin-stick shooter. The sequel is instead a cooperative third-person shooter set in the same chaotic universe as the first, and comes with the same basic storyline ideas as the first game.

Namely, you’re a soldier for Super Earth, tasked with spreading democracy across the cosmos by taking down alien bugs (think of the Starship Troopers movie) and malevolent machines (now, imagine Terminator but on a larger scale.)

Light on story, heavy on FREEDOM!

Helldivers 2 is light on story. The opening movie and tutorial point to the idea that the citizenry of Super Earth (yes, it’s really called Earth, but Super) have been conditioned into believing a state of constant war requires constant sacrifice – and possible, implied cloning – so that the Super Earth way of life continues and spreads.

After the tutorial, you’re given your own ship to travel the cosmos in search of a fight. Missions are done on a universal map denoting individual planets and zones requiring heavy applications of napalm and gunfire, and the gameplay consists of alternating between the ship and the action on a myriad of planets.

Take on missions to fight enemies to earn experience and ranks in an unending battlepass that doles out cosmetics and gear, and you have the makings of a rather simple concept that is lifted up by the cries of your soldier in battle, screaming, “For Democracy!” or “FREEDOM!” as they fire upon wave after wave of enemies.

But yes, after the basic concept is introduced, you’re free to take on missions of varying difficulty levels to your heart’s content.

Live, die, repeat

You can go into battles alone, call down random people to join your missions, or fight alongside friends. I’ve mostly played alone or with random players, including someone 20 levels higher than I was, but what I imagine makes this stand out as a cooperative shooter is the adrenaline rush of fighting and dying – and repeating the process – alongside your friends.

The game has friendly fire on, meaning you can accidentally (or intentionally) throw up a hail of satisfying gunfire and get a friendly caught in it in the heat of battle. That, or you could accidentally crush a fellow player when a drop pod (which brings you a fresh soldier to play as or new supplies and weapons) comes down from orbit.

Speaking of drop pods, the game emphasizes the use of stratagems – basically a set of directional codes, like up-up-down-down-right, that let you throw a beacon to summon a new soldier life or weapons and other goodies – to good effect. You have a set number of lives in a given mission, shared by the squad, and you also get a timer for when you can reuse a stratagem, so timing and coordination is important in higher difficulties if you want to succeed in a mission.

Some caveats

As a games-as-a-service title, you can expect there to be some monetization involved. You can buy Super Credits to purchase items in the in-game store, or earn specific items through the battlepass and a premium battlepass.

This battlepass system will likely be expanded upon in the future, but the rewards in the premium battlepass are mostly cosmetic or have minor advantages, but not enough to force people to be cranking out money for it. The developers have stated they want to earn the right to monetize by providing a good game first and making monetization optional rather than required.

Lastly, one caveat I’ve noticed is that armor may need a bugfix, as some heavier armor – which should be more resistant to damage – doesn’t actually let you take more damage before dying. For now, being able to run faster and farther using lighter armor is better, but here’s to hoping this gets adjusted in a patch.

Verdict-in-progress

Helldivers 2 is a solid game for those who want to add a little stress to their gameplay.

You can challenge yourself by doing higher difficulties solo, or just steamroll a bunch of bugs on easier difficulties with friends. You can hang out on the ship, turn voice communication on, and just discuss the state of affairs on Super Earth for a hoot.

But mostly? Mostly you’ll be having fun trying to complete objectives and then working with your team to extract from a mission safely without anyone dying, laughing about democracy as you gallivant across space with a rocket strapped to your back.

Good luck, have fun, and don’t forget to salute your fellow soldier! FOR DEMOCRACY! – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – You’ve all heard it: it’s too early for a remaster of the 2020 PlayStation survival megahit, The Last of Us Part II. (You can read our full review here of the original.)

You can pixel-peep, and maybe see the tiniest bit of improvements, but the main graphical difference here is that the remaster now supports native 4K, as opposed to the older PS5 version that upsampled from 1440p to 4K. Frame rates have also been improved. That’s all well and dandy but for most of us, it’s hardly a big deal. 

Replaying TLOU2 via this remaster though, I’m reminded at how amazing the game looks. It’s been 4 years but this is still one of the most gorgeous games out there. And you know what they say, often a big part of the credit lies in having a strong, purpose-driven art style. 

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The game is a $10 upgrade if you already have the old game, whether that’s on PS4 or PS5. If you’re a big, big fan, it’s a no-brainer. This is the definitive version of the game, with the best visuals possible, and the few extras, which while nothing truly major, should make a fan happy.

The biggest of these extras is the new roguelike game mode, No Return. These feature randomized, branching stages where you are given a goal such as to kill all enemies, or survive multiple waves of them. At the very end of each run, you face a boss – one of several that you’ve seen from the campaign. Die once, and it’s game over.

You don’t carry over skills like say, Hades, that you can use for future runs. What you get are unlocks as you play such as new characters, new bosses, new enemies, and new in-game challenges called Gambits. 

The Last of Us Part II is known for having very intense, engaging combat and survival sequences. This mode puts that element front and center. Be warned: the mode is just as heart-pounding as I remember. 

It’s not the relaxing romp that you might want after a busy day, but rather a real challenge that no doubt will find a hardcore group of enjoyers. 

There’s also a free play mode for the guitar. I played it for a few minutes, and was done with it. But I know there’ll be a group of players who’ll be trying to do sick covers using this mode, just like some did in the original game. 

The other big thing is The Lost Levels mode. These are sequences in the game that didn’t make it to the final product. Director Neil Druckman provides some commentary, and what’s most interesting are the developers’ notes that you can activate as you play through these short sequences. It’s a nice little bonus, but nothing more. 

Whether you’ll appreciate all of these depends on how big a TLOU2 fan you are. I loved the original game, but I’m fine not experiencing the remastered version if I had to pay an extra $10, and would rather save that for a new game. 

If it’s going to be your first time playing through the game though, it’s available for $50. And the game holds up, with its enhanced visuals, and a memorable – and quite divisive – storyline. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is quite the phone. Of course, that’s almost always the case with Samsung’s Ultra models. But it’s not every year that they truly hit the mark. However, this year feels like the closest they’ve gotten to a bullseye in recent memory. 

The gist of it is that the S24 Ultra is great on both the hardware and software fronts. On the hardware side, it’s a refinement of last year’s S23 Ultra – and that phone got great reviews last year – with several key improvements. On the software side, there are, of course, all those fancy AI functions you’ve been hearing about. And all in all, it’s greater than the sum of its parts, making the S24 Ultra quite the object of tech desire. 

Of course, it’s not for everyone. Starting at P84,990, there are much more practical choices out there, even within the Ultra’s own S line. But where money is no object, it’s hard not to get excited about the S24 Ultra.

Display ditches the curves and is now flat

The S24 Ultra doesn’t look significantly different from the S23 Ultra: same size (6.8 inch display), and same rear camera array.

But there are changes. The S24 Ultra’s display is now completely flat. The S23 Ultra still had a slight curve. The side of the body still has a slight curve on the S24 Ultra, but it’s less pronounced than last year’s model. It’s a matter of taste, but I’m liking the flat display so far. 

The change is kind of bittersweet too though as curved displays had always been an S-phone signature. Does this officially mark the end for Samsung’s curved phones? 

Titanium build

The titanium back feels great to the touch, and feels and looks premium. Apple also touted the titanium in its iPhone 15 phones, but according to CNN, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max’s titanium can only be found on the frame, while the back remains glass. The S24 Ultra’s frame and back are made of titanium.

Interestingly though, while the S24 Ultra’s titanium use is found on both the frame and back, YouTuber JerryRigEverything’s teardown of the iPhone 15 Pro series and S24 Ultra showed that the former uses higher grade titanium than the latter, which is supposedly tougher. 

Still, I have no complaints on the S24 Ultra. It really feels great in the hand, although it will indeed feel too big for some. Make sure to test out the size at stores, and see if you’re comfortable with this phablet. The titanium back also appears to have some more grip, and less obvious fingerprint smudging than the S23 Ultra’s glass back.

Higher max brightness

The display has a major improvement too, with the S24 Ultra’s maximum brightness increasing to 2,600 nits from the S23 Ultra’s 1,750 nits. You’ll see the difference when using it in broad daylight. Its display is brighter than its rival, the iPhone 15 Pro phones at 2,000 nits.

For further comparison though, there are other flagships such as the OPPO Find X7 Ultra, whose display is at 4,500 nits and the Xiaomi 14 phones at 3,000 nits. But it’s not yet clear when these phones are coming to our shores.

The brightness level isn’t the only thing helping the S24’s display look better in bright scenarios, as its new anti-glare coating appears to be doing some good work too. We tried shining a flashlight on the displays of both the S24 Ultra and S23 Ultra, and there does appear to be a noticeable difference. 

Goodbye 10x optical zoom, hello 5x

On the camera end of things, the big change comes in the form of a new 50MP 5x telephoto camera. Three of the S24 Ultra’s cameras are the same as the S23 Ultra’s: a 200MP wide camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP 3x telephoto. Gone is the S23 Ultra’s 10MP 10x telephoto. 

You’re getting less zoom here but a higher resolution with the 5x telephoto. The Verge’s review notes that Samsung’s justification for this change is that the 5x optical is much more usable than 10x. Maybe Samsung indeed has data on what zoom level people use more, but to me, it still feels like a subjective matter, so just be aware of this change. 

Here are a few samples, but we’ll do a more in-depth camera review next time. You can click on the photo for a closer view.

For the processor, in markets outside the US, only the S24 Ultra will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The base and Plus variants will carry the Samsung Exynos 2400. Early benchmarking tests have shown the Snapdragon having slightly better performance than the Exynos. 

AI in focus

For at least a few months, Samsung’s AI features – powered by both in-house AI solutions and from AI partner Google – will be exclusive to the S24 line. That’s one of the appeals for the early adopter, and there are a lot of fun, and some genuinely useful AI features here. 

And even when the AI features do come to the older models, the S24’s newer processors are better attuned for on-device AI processing.

Circle-to-search is the most useful AI feature here, and I’m seeing this as something that changes the way we use and search for information on our phone. It just makes things so much easier. See something you want on your screen you want more information on? Just hold the home button, tap or encircle the particular object you want to know more about, and that’s it, you’re given a set of search results. 

The large display of the Ultra works really well with the new function.

And it works on nearly whatever the screen is displaying on. So far, only Netflix seems to have blocked usage of the feature. But when you’re on Instagram, Facebook, browsing on Chrome, chatting on apps, YouTube, or just on your home screen, you can call up Circle to Search. It can identify art, a pair of shoes, a restaurant, and all sorts of information except for information on people, which are limited. 

Using it is habit-forming, and whenever I switch to an older phone, I feel slightly annoyed that I can’t bring up the Circle to Search function. 

Live call translation and interpreter features are potentially very useful too. But the limitation here is that it’s useful for maybe short conversations, like asking for directions, or as we’ve demoed before, setting a reservation at a restaurant where they don’t speak your language. Longer conversations may feel tedious as while the translation isn’t slow, it’s not fast enough to make a conversation feel really natural.

Voice transcription is a favorite too, as often, such a service can be found online for a fee. It’s great that this can be done via phone. The Google Pixel, however, as The Verge has reported, transcribes in real time, while the S24 can only do so after the recording. Like anything AI-produced though, the transcript or summaries the phone produces is something that I would still double check for accuracy before completely trusting it or using it in my work. 

Of all the AI features, the most fun for me is the slow-mo AI feature for videos. With it, you can turn any video shot at either 30 frames per second or 60 frames per second to slow mo, with generative AI adding frames to achieve slow motion. It’s not flawless, and best results are seen when shooting videos that don’t have complicated elements or backgrounds. 

But when it works, it does look good, and it’s fun to look back at old videos and see how they’d look in slow motion, even if they weren’t shot in slow-mode to begin with. 

There are also image editing features that use AI such as a function that allows you to erase objects or move them around in a photo, or erase reflections. These are fun too but the results can certainly be improved. 

And by the way, the AI features are only guaranteed to be free until the end of 2025 – a decision that Samsung owes to the high costs associated with demanding AI cloud processing, and evolving AI technology – and we aren’t sure yet what sort of paid system Samsung will put up when that time comes. 

Must Read

The Samsung S24’s AI features will only be free until end of 2025 – here’s why

Aside from that, what’s notable is Samsung increasing software and security update support from the S23’s 5 years to the S24’s 7 years. That’s an excellent support guarantee for a phone at this price range, and that’s plus points to sustainability too as the longer you can hold on to your phones, the better it is for the environment.

All in all, with the display brightness improvement, titanium finish, this being the only Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset-equipped S24, and of course, its stage-setting AI features that are a mix of useful, experimental, and extended software and security support, the S24 Ultra represents a good upgrade year. 

Or if you can’t wait to dip your toes into mobile-enabled AI, the Ultra offers a strong package, if not entirely cohesive, as brands including Samsung are only now starting to figure out how to roll out AI-enabled features on their phones. 

Interested only in the AI features? The cheapest way you’ll be able to get your hands on those will be with the Galaxy S23 FE at P36,990. The update for the AI functions is expected to arrive by June 2024, and will be coming to the full S23 line, the Galaxy Tab S9, and the Flip5 and Fold5. – Rappler.com

Pre-order Samsung Galaxy S24 devices:

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There’s perhaps no better way to put it: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League feels like a big missed opportunity. Instead of it being a story-driven, single-player experience, which developer Rocksteady of Batman: Arkham fame is brilliant at, it’s a lifeless live service, multiplayer looter-shooter with fundamental flaws.

It’s such a shame the game chose to go that route since there are elements that are worth some praise, including the exhilarating combat and the high-production presentation. 

Whereas many were skeptical, I admittedly was optimistic, and even excited to play Suicide Squad leading up to its launch. I thought that on paper, the game had plenty of promise: an action-shooter where you play as members of the titular squad of anti-heroes, tasked to kill the Justice League, who have been possessed by Brainiac.

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I also held out hope that after an extended development cycle and multiple delays, the game could perhaps shake up the live service genre and win over gamers like me who prefer single-player experiences. 

But, alas, after playing about four hours of the game so far, that initial optimism turned into disappointment. While I don’t hate the game – far from it, actually – I don’t think it’s something I would strongly recommend that others play. 

A large part of my problem with it has to do with the always-online, live service model. 

In case you’re unaware, a live service game is a game that’s designed to keep you playing for years after release through seasonal content drops, from new cosmetics to in-game expansions. In theory, there’s nothing inherently wrong with live service games.

It’s just that over the years, game publishers have taken advantage of the model to implement predatory methods to lure gamers into parting with their hard-earned money by locking content behind a paywall. 

In Suicide Squad’s case, I don’t think the problem is in its business model since the only content locked behind a paywall are cosmetics. Rocksteady also said future seasonal content, which include new playable characters and environments, will be free for those who already own the game.

The problem with this game is that it leans too heavily into the live service model that it almost wholly forgets to deliver an engaging experience that gamers might actually want to play out of the gate. 

You see, the core loop of Suicide Squad revolves around doing missions where you shoot a bunch of purple aliens and collect new guns you could use to make your fearsome foursome hit harder. That gets old and tedious rather fast since there’s not a whole lot of variety to the missions, which mostly involve defending some point from waves of enemies.

And if I’m already feeling a bit of fatigue four hours in, it doesn’t bode well for a game that expects me and other players to stay engaged for months, if not years, to come. 

On top of that, I think the loot system is too complex for its own good. There’s a host of different resources you collect to upgrade your guns in unique ways. But so far in my playthrough, I have yet to feel compelled enough to engage with these intricacies. 

The combat is at least very enjoyable and I’d say the strongest part of the game. It combines traversal mechanics with traditional third-person shooter gunplay, which surprisingly works very well in tandem.

As Deadshot, for example, you could be jetpacking from one building to the next, finding the best vantage point to line up your sniper shots, while as King Shark, you’ll be up-close and personal, sending your enemies in the air with a melee attack and finishing them off with your minigun. 

Mechanically, each squad member controls very well, with attacks and traversal feeling both responsive and intuitive. Combining the two gameplay elements can take some getting used to, but once you get a hang of it, the combat starts to truly shine. 

Apart from the combat, the presentation is top-notch, highlighted by amazing art direction, stellar voice performances, and gorgeous graphics. The cutscenes are also well-crafted, with facial animations being a standout. These good elements, however, can be easily overlooked because there’s barely anything in the story or gameplay department to anchor them down. 

That previous statement actually rings true for much of the game – a lot of what’s good about Suicide Squad are lost in a fundamentally flawed experience that reeks of corporate meddling. It’s hard for me to believe that this is the very game that Rocksteady, the studio behind the highly innovative and timeless Arkham franchise, set out to make from the start.

Right now, I just wish they could improve the game over time, such as adding more varied mission designs. Even then, I’m not optimistic it can keep existing players to stay, let alone win over those who have yet to play. – Rappler.com

Sneak peek

• Release Date: February 2, 2024
• Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
• Genre: JRPG
• Similar Games: Persona 3 Portable, Persona 5 Royal
• Price: starts at $69.99

Persona 3 Reload, the remake of Atlus’ PS2 cult classic released back in 2006 that was widely considered to have revolutionized the franchise, is finally here. Well, it will have been a few days by the time you read this, but it already feels like a dream fulfilled for the fans ever since it was first announced.

While the later entries in the series featured a much lighter tone, I preferred Persona 3’s grounded and darker roots, not something many would have widely appreciated back in the day.

The main story stays the same: as the clock strikes 12, the Dark Hour occurs. During this time, humanity is placed in suspended animation, but those conscious during this hour become targets of the elusive shadows. Members of SEES, an organization made up of teenagers able to utilize Personas to combat the shadows, are out to save the world.

Spectacularly, this remake takes the best parts of more modern Persona titles and fuses them with the engrossing story of Persona 3, resulting in a marriage of style and substance, oozing with confidence and flair, that was truly worth the wait.

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Burn my dread

As a longtime fan of Persona 3, I initially had mixed feelings about returning to this world. It was quite questionable as well since Persona 3 Reload didn’t include the additional features that subsequent iterations had, namely the female protagonist of P3P and the epilogue, called The Answer. After playing through the game, it’s easy to see that Atlus did a fine job of treating the source material with care, preserving the precious memory of how I felt when I first played it and even elevating the overall experience to new heights.

First off, and a quite important point to make: Persona 3 Reload is fully playable on a Steam Deck! Coming from our preview, which had obvious framerate dips and screen tearing, my experience with the game after a patch was absolutely flawless, devoid of said hiccups. Save for loading times, the game certainly feels at home on-the-go and is a big consideration for playing a title such as this.

Persona 3 Reload improves quite a lot of things apart from the obvious visual overhaul, key of which is how the soundtrack has been remastered for everyone’s listening pleasure. It’s easy to miss, but hearing the pitch changes to Mass Destruction and the addition of a new battle track, It’s Going Down Now, are just a few examples of how a masterful soundtrack enhances the overall experience.

Trying out both voice options, I did recognize that the English voice performances had noticeable improvements, almost enough to put it toe to toe with the Japanese dub. With almost every side character and minor character being fully voiced, Persona 3 has never sounded so good and certainly helps with being more engaged with the characters, their stories, and the journey they take together.

Returning to Persona 3 Reload’s combat brings you back to its roots, and while its core turn-based mechanics didn’t really change, the improved visual panache packs a punch by adding new combat animations and victory poses. Even the all-out attack now has a lead-up to its iconic beat-em-up animation, and it’s these improvements that make things more exciting.

Persona 3 Reload also updates the menu design with striking animations and transitions, eye-catching typeface, and completely redrawn character profiles. I’m a massive menu snob, but Atlus has mastered its stylish designs down to a T. Persona 5 had one of the best menu designs I’ve seen, bar none, and getting the uplift and extra flourishes applied to Persona 3 Reload did wonders for the overall experience.

The audiovisual leap truly makes Persona 3 Reload the definitive Persona 3 experience for both newcomers and fans. While I envy first-time players who will get to experience the depth of this installment with fresh eyes, longtime fans will be glad to know that it realizes and rekindles the magic of playing it for the first time despite the familiarity, something many similar efforts have failed to do.

The battle for everyone’s souls

Persona 3 Reload, somehow, feels fresh. I can easily attribute this to the impressive suite of quality-of-life improvements that polished a flawed gem to a brilliant shine, keeping its challenging gameplay intact while opening up the game to a wider audience.

One of the best additions is the fact that you can save anywhere on the map so long as it is not during a story mission or while traversing Tartarus. You can also use the rewind function to load a recent save point to try out another option, encouraging players to experiment with choices that they wouldn’t normally pursue. Trouble figuring out what social link to improve? Check out the network function and see what other players tried out!

Atlus has done well by taking this route, preserving the challenge while keeping the frustrating and dated mechanics at bay. You’ll still become exhausted and get sick if you overdo your Tartarus exploration, and you still need to manage your SP thoroughly to get the most out of your trips, but it feels more manageable this time around with the introduction of new combat mechanics such as Shift and Theurgy. Persona 3 Reload being much more approachable and less intimidating was the target and the devs have nailed it beautifully.

Persona 3 Reload introduces Linked Episodes and Dorm Life, adding more ways for your teammates to improve, learn new passive abilities in the form of Personalities, and even gain more stats when you spend time with them. Unlike the Social Links, there is no pressure to get the “correct answer,” so you can feel free to act the way you want your protagonist to act.

In Tartarus, many conveniences cut down on traversal time such as fast travel, the dash function, as well as speedy combat, and auto-recovery. The Great Clock, besides healing exhausted allies, will also speed up character progress later in the game. When you invest your hard-earned twilight fragments into the Great Clock; it will instantly level up your preferred allies’ levels, catching up to your level in no time.

The introduction of the Arcana Boost mechanic is also a great way to improve combat rewards. Your characters can gain more experience, boost Persona stats, and even select additional cards during Shuffle Time. These rewards are extra bonuses that will maximize your runs, ultimately making every run through Tartarus more rewarding.

The answer

Remakes are balancing acts that challenge creators to provide both a fresh take and a careful and thoughtful preservation of the original vision, even if it means making the difficult call to cull elements that have a strong emotional connection to fans.

The addition of The Answer and the Female Protagonist were novel experiments to Persona 3 FES and Persona 3 Portable when they came out. After playing through Persona 3 Reload, I’ve come to the realization that these experiments didn’t quite fit with the overall vision of the title, which is already a sore point for many of the original’s fans. Despite having “less” content, I feel confident saying that this latest release kept the right things, making for an engaging and worthwhile playthrough.

The game is an easy 80 hours for the first run, with even more to discover in subsequent replays as you unlock more social links, continually interact with your teammates, and discover the secrets of Tartarus such as the Monad Doors and Monad Passages.

If anything, playing Persona 3 Reload makes it difficult to look back at the original release and try it out. So much of it has been modernized that makes taking a trek back to the past a painful journey. Despite being such a beloved entry in the series, this realization only reinforces the fact that Persona 3 Reload is simply the best way to experience this phenomenal title.

What we liked

• The combination of Impressive visuals, added cut scenes, remastered music, and re-recorded audio provide a fresh experience
• Superior quality of life enhancements while still maintaining the charm and challenge of the original.
• Additions of Theurgy, Linked Episodes, and Arcana Boost make for manageable traversal across the world.
• Grinding is a little less frustrating.

What we didn’t like

• Previous iterations will be difficult to revisit with these new additions.

Verdict

9/10, Buy it!

Persona 3 Reload is a triumph, considering the degree of difficulty that Atlus was challenged with when they decided to remake such a classic. Through a combination of thoughtful upgrades and leaving behind dated mechanics, this title is ready to satisfy the evolving taste of franchise fans while catering to newcomers and introducing them to the world of Persona.

Persona 3 Reload proves that you can have both a challenging and accessible JRPG without losing Persona 3’s core identity; as it refines the dated designs and systems of the original by bringing it in line with Persona 5 Royal, offering a modern take that stands tall among its peers.

It is a privilege being able to bear witness as Persona 3 has matured from its flawed but subversive origin, its bold experiments with its various re-releases, and finally its ultimate rendition with Persona 3 Reload. The game is a brilliant reimagining, essential, and a fantastic example of a remake done right. – Rappler.com

Sneak peek:

• Release Date: January 26, 2024
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
• Genre: Fighting Game
• Similar Games: Soul Calibur, Street Fighter, Dead or Alive
• Price: starts at $69.99

It’s quite amazing to think about the current state of fighting games right now. We live in a time where the latest entries of some of the most well-known series in the genre stand side by side with each other. From Street Fighter 6, Mortal Kombat 1, Guilty Gear Strive, and many more, a new challenger finally takes to the stage in all its Unreal Engine 5 glory.

Tekken 8 is upon us. After nearly 9 years since the arcade release of Tekken 7, Jin, Kazuya, and the rest of the gang are back and bringing the heat, in more ways than one. With the new Heat System in tow, a ton of gameplay changes, and a renewed focus on introducing the game to a wider audience, the game is now ready for the bright lights.

Tekken 7 had a good run, but now it’s time to move over and let Tekken 8 take its rightful place at the top of the food chain.

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The Dark Awakens story mode

Tekken 8 is a direct sequel to Tekken 7 in terms of story. Taking place 6 months after the dreaded and well-memed volcano incident with Kazuya and Heihachi, Tekken 8 brings another father-and-son storyline front and center as Jin and Kazuya face off in an epic clash that escalates and signals the start of the next King of the Iron Fist tournament.

If there was ever a fighting game series that puts a serious focus on its story mode, it would be Tekken. It does hold the world record for the longest-running video game storyline and longest-running 3D fighting video game franchise, after all!

From the start of the story mode entitled “The Dark Awakens,” you’ll immediately notice the visual upgrade compared to Tekken 7. Tekken 8 is visually superior in most, if not all ways, and the attention to detail in the character models, their costumes, the levels, and even down to the VFX is a sight to behold.

Jin and Kazuya’s fight is a spectacle, and in between actual matches, we’re treated to explosive cutscenes and over-the-top dialog, conveying the story with such style that makes for an engaging and entertaining watch. Chapter One alone makes for an explosive opener, and true to Tekken fashion, the story just gets more ridiculous as the chapters go by. At some point, you’re fighting on top of a meteor, which absolutely makes no sense whatsoever, but we’ve got devils, bears, and headless robots, so that’s that.

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The story mode spans 15 chapters, and throughout my 4-ish hours of playing through it, I never got tired of the antics and the proceedings. The events leading to the end didn’t overstay their welcome, and there was one chapter that introduced a different mode that would remind you of something from the past. It’s extremely fun and entertaining, with a chapter select feature to replay some of the more interesting bits later on.

While Tekken 8’s story is mostly focused on Jin and his conflict with Kazuya, several characters make their presence felt and become major players, including newcomer Reina. She’s feisty and an extremely important cog in the story, but we won’t spoil the moment for you, so play on and discover for yourself!

Speaking of characters like Reina, players wanting to dive deeper into the lore of Tekken 8 can treat themselves to a great recap of past events to catch up, but the game also introduces Character Episodes which are a series of matches culminating in a short story skit that further elaborates on their motivations.

They are not overly serious and are a good way to break the ice and add a kick of personality to these characters. If anything, they add a good number of additional hours to the story proceedings, making for very good value in terms of gameplay hours.

Arcade Quest

Tekken 8 has a lot more to offer players than just an exciting storyline. For newcomers just getting their feet wet, there’s Arcade Quest, a mode that takes players through the ins and outs of the game as a whole, teaching various aspects such as combat tips, avatar creation and customization, and much more.

This is such a fantastic mode and I cannot state enough how much this mode can improve, to some degree, your gameplay just by playing through it.

One thing Tekken 8 does to great success is to onboard players in such a way that makes the whole process fun and engaging. While there is a bit of reading to be done, players will spend most of their time in exercises and actual immersion in the action which make learning such an interactive experience. You’ll run through the basics of combat, unlocking rewards along the way as you complete missions, all in an arcade environment that reminds us of how fighting game communities were formed during the arcade heyday.

While clearly aimed at newcomers, veterans can also run through this mode to unlock some rewards and familiarize themselves with the all-new Heat System, which we’ll get to later.

We’ve seen fighting games make a transition to interactive lobbies throughout the years, and Tekken 8 is no different. Players can create their avatars to use in a virtual lobby, showing off their style and personality with a wide selection of wardrobe choices and accessories. Creating an avatar is easy and intuitive, and the results can be as wacky as you want them to be.

While the more basic choices are free, some of the better ones are locked behind gold, which you can earn simply by playing through the game and doing various activities. It’s great that Tekken 8 has chosen to unlock these items with in-game currency over a more credit card-ey approach. Gaining currency isn’t even hard at all, and you’ll be unlocking things in no time, especially after being rewarded with so much currency just by playing through normally.

One of the more impressive customization aspects of Tekken 8 lies in its player and character customization suite. Like Tekken 7, this latest installment will allow players to modify things like HP bars, player portraits, auras, titles, and much more. Tekken 7 players will find that the choices here don’t expand too much, but the selection is vast and more than sufficient to give players their unique style. I can imagine that the team will add more choices over the years, so there’s a lot to unlock and play around with even during launch.

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Heat System

When it comes down to, Tekken 8 boils down to one thing – fighting. The series has gone on to be one of the most successful in the genre because of its explosive style, crunchy hits, and diverse list of fighters that sport their unique fighting styles.

Tekken 8 will offer 32 (!!!) fighters at launch, with mostly returning characters and fan favorites, but also some interesting newcomers. Their fighting styles are as diverse as their personalities, and players will likely find a character they’ll gravitate to within a few minutes. You have power punchers in Paul and Bryan, martial artists like Hwoarang, an MMA fighter in Azucena, and even a space ninja in Yoshimitsu.

Tekken 8 is a combo and juggle-based fighter, rewarding players who can string lengthy combos together while taking advantage of the levels, extending juggles because of wall and floor breaks that open up the stage for more variety. The 16 launch levels included in the game offer fantastic views and banging soundtracks, bringing players to arenas, a Peruvian coffee farm, an underground sanctum, and more. The level selection is solid and complements the wide selection of characters beautifully.

The central system encompassing Tekken 8 is the all-new Heat System. Focused on the key pillar of aggression, Heat rewards players who prioritize careful pressure with a consumable gauge that gives players special properties that give them an advantage. During Heat, players can inflict chip damage and even give their existing moves additional effects, making it an extremely important resource to manage during fights.

Depending on your preference, Tekken 8’s Heat System may be a bit controversial. Tekken 7’s meta evolved to such lengths that extremely defensive gameplay was the norm, making high-level matches a bit of a downer from a spectator’s point of view. I’ll go on to say that the Heat System solves that to a certain degree, with matches turning into an exciting affair especially when Heat is engaged.

Tekken 8’s Heat System is easy to activate, with multiple moves acting as Heat Engagers to start the proceedings. When activated, players can afford a Heat Smash, a highly damaging move that completely empties the gauge, a Heat Dash which is basically a manual cancel, and more. The development team did their homework here, adding these mechanically challenging advanced techniques and resulting in flashy matches that are as entertaining to watch as it is to play. There’s a simplicity to activating these attacks, but also a depth required to make it work.

Special Style

The Heat System can be complicated enough to reward hardcore players, but newcomers can still enjoy everything the game has to offer with the introduction of the Special Style control scheme, which I absolutely adore. Special Style can be instantly activated with a touch of a button during a match, and will allow players to pull off impressive moves and strings simply by repeatedly tapping any of the face buttons. This ensures that newcomers can step in and be competitive in a matter of minutes.

This type of simplified control scheme has been implemented in other fighting games as well to varying levels of acceptance from the community. Tekken 8 handles it with care, and while it is a bit more flexible than others by allowing players to input different moves with the addition of the D-Pad, the skill ceiling is still low compared to manually controlling every aspect of the character. Newcomers will certainly benefit the most here, and it’s great to see the game bring players to the fun part as fast as possible.

The best thing about the Special Style control scheme is that it allows players to jump in and out of characters with ease, dipping their feet to try out various characters to see if it fits their playstyle in a matter of minutes. Tekken 8 removes the burden of having to go through a long list of moves only to find out that you don’t jive with the playstyle. Of course, Special Style is purely optional, and it’s nice that there’s always that choice!

Ghost Battles and My Replay and Tips

One other aspect of Tekken 8 that allows newcomers to shore up their techniques before taking on the next level is the addition of improved ghost battles and My Replay and Tips.

Ghost battles are nothing to scoff at in Tekken 8 as the addition of Q-learning makes it so that the improvement can be felt in just a few battles, with ghosts learning moves and tendencies, even as detailed as how often players drop combos. There’s a world where you can download ghosts of the greatest players in the game and get your ass whooped in the comfort of your own home. Beat the best to be the best, am I right? This is a game changer in the learning department, and even pro players will benefit from this.

Additionally, another learning tool Tekken 8 players can take advantage of is My Replay and Tips, a Tekken 7 feature making a much-improved return this time around. Watch some replays and the game will tell you what specific parts you can improve, like punishing the combo at a certain point, or what attack you could have used to maximize damage output. The attention to detail is crazy, and the team has pulled all the stops to bridge the learning gap for newcomers, which is something that’s almost been a constant complaint in almost all fighting games.

Have I not mentioned Tekken Ball yet? Yeah, Tekken Ball is back baby!

One thing Tekken 8 does as a whole is make the matches as exciting to watch as it is to play. The game is such an exciting spectator event, where millions around the world watch during huge tournaments like EVO. The Heat System makes it so that matches are fast and frantic while maintaining the mind games that up the stakes.

Overall, Tekken 8 is such a content-packed offering that in terms of breadth alone, is worth the admission price and much more. The game successfully straddles the fine line of catering to hardcore players with a slew of mechanically challenging and impressively deep systems, all while onboarding newcomers with an engaging loop that gets them up and running in as little time as possible.

What we liked:

• Packed with content
• Thoughtful features aimed at onboarding newcomers effectively and as fast as possible
• Stunning visuals and crunchy sound effects
• Impressive suite of customization options
• Mechanically deep systems for hardcore players
• Soundtrack is explosive and aggressive

What we didn’t like:

• Character customization options are very similar to Tekken 7

Verdict: 9.5/10

Tekken 8 makes the wait worth it by successfully introducing new systems that make sense and improve both the player’s and spectator’s points of view with explosive action. Newcomers will appreciate the thoughtful onboarding process while giving veteran and pro players a deep combat system to sink hundreds of hours into.

The content available on launch day makes this package even more eye-watering. This is as full-featured as it gets. With 16 levels, 32 characters, and an impressive list of features like Tekken Ball and much more, the game is packed from day one, offering a complete title that’s a full experience even without DLCs.

It feels like Tekken 8 has successfully taken the step to the next level, releasing an installment that’s not just a simple iteration but with significant updates and changes that make it feel fresh and fun. Time will tell if the team can successfully support it the way they have with Tekken 7, but this is an extremely solid launch experience that’s certainly ready for the big stage. – Rappler.com

When you purchase a Redmi Note smartphone, it was almost always a guarantee that you were getting close to, if not, the best specs within that price range. That reputation, however, might soon change if the Chinese electronics giant continues to pursue more premium features at the cost of affordability – at least for the top-end options of the series.

After getting some hands-on time with the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, it gave me the impression that it was suffering from a slight identity crisis, not knowing whether it wanted to be a budget-friendly release or a premium midranger.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot to love about the device, and I always appreciate the inclusion of premium features on more affordable releases. It’s just that, with a retail price of P23,999, the device falls into that unwieldy middle ground where it’s barely affordable enough to compete with budget releases and barely strong enough to compete with sub-flagships.

Still, it’s hard to deny how Xiaomi’s desire to make the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G look and feel premium elevates the experience it offers. Because it is, in my opinion, a smartphone that truly looks and feels premium, highlighted by an elegant curved display, a glossy glass back, and strong performance. It’s just that in terms of value for money, I think its Pro siblings are better choices.

Also worth noting, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is P2,000 more expensive than last year’s Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, which starts at P21,990.

Elegant curved display

What I love most about the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is the 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display, which is exclusive to this model and is a first for the Redmi series as a whole. The 3D curves not only look elegant but they also help mask the already thin bezels, delivering a more immersive viewing experience. On top of that, they make the device more ergonomic and easier for you to hold.

The panel itself features a 1.5K resolution with a peak brightness of 1,800 nits, along with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It also supports HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG. In-hand, the panel delivers clear and vibrant images, with the high brightness levels greatly helping in outdoor visibility. The variable refresh rate, meanwhile, enhances your gaming experience, allowing animations to appear smoother and with less friction.

There’s also an in-display fingerprint sensor, which works as advertised. But its positioning on the panel doesn’t feel as accessible as I want it to be for my thumb.

Strong performance

Housing an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra chipset and 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, performance-wise, is very capable. The chipset, in particular, is based on TSMC’s advanced 4nm tech, which a year or two ago was mostly reserved for high-end, flagship chipsets.

In daily use, you can expect apps and games to open in a flash and run smoothly. You can additionally multitask and have up to six to eight apps open at the same time without any hiccups. Performance-wise, I have zero complaints, especially for the price.

The software, however, is a different story. One, I wish the device shipped with the cleaner and the more feature-rich HyperOS software, Xiaomi’s next-generation operating system, over the existing MIUI. The device is sure to get updated sometime in the future, but, considering HyperOS has already started rolling out, it’s a bummer that it’s not pre-installed out of the box. Two, it comes with plenty of bloatware, which has become rather common among Xiaomi’s smartphone releases. While they’re easy to uninstall, it remains an annoyance that I wish I didn’t have to deal with when one is already paying quite a premium for the device.

For the battery, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G has a 5,000mAh cell that supports fast charging of up to a whopping 120W. While that type of charging tech is no longer new, it’ll always be impressive to see your device top itself from empty to full in just minutes. The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is able to do that with the included charging brick and cable in under 30 minutes, which is very fast.

As for how long the battery lasts, a full charge can last about a day of heavy usage, which is about par for the course with the chipset and battery capacity. You could probably get more use out of it if you lower the display’s refresh rate or close unused and background apps all the time. Then again, when you can charge the device very fast, you probably don’t have to worry too much about draining your battery, provided there’s a nearby outlet.

Flagship-grade cameras

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G comes equipped with a triple-rear setup, consisting of a 200MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. The main sensor, a Samsung ISOCELL HP3 with a f/1.65 aperture, is, as you might expect, the highlight of the system. The 12.5MP pixel-binned photos it takes have good dynamic range, natural-looking colors, and decent amount of detail. If you want more detail, however, you can opt for the dedicated 200MP mode that maximizes resolution and sharpness.

The combination of optical and electronic image stabilization features can help produce usable photos and videos even if you have shaky hands.

The focusing system also works great, locking onto human subjects in a snappy fashion. Plus, the inclusion of other photography modes and tools like a pro mode and panoramas make for a more robust experience.

Overall, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is another solid addition to Xiaomi’s ever-growing Redmi line, boasting a vibrant AMOLED panel, a 200MP main camera sensor, and a 4nm chipset.

At the same time, however, it’s on the pricier side for a Redmi release, so you have to weigh how much you’re willing to spend for those extra premium features.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, which starts at P16,999 also has a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel and 200MP main camera, as well as a 4nm chipset and a 5,100mAh battery. But the display here isn’t curved and its fast charging caps at 67W. Are those two extra features worth the P7,000 price different between the siblings? Your answer there should guide your purchasing decision. – Rappler.com

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