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Top 10 trending phones of week 36
4:03 am | September 8, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE made its official debut this week and briefly managed to dethrone the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max from the top of our trending chart. We have little doubt the next Apple flagship will return to the top next week as it also goes official, but this round goes to Samsung. [#InlinePriceWidget, 14042, 1#] In third we have another new arrival with the Motorola Edge 60 Neo, while the Galaxy A56 managed to retain the fourth position once again amidst all the surrounding action. Galaxy S25 Ultra came in fifth, while the Galaxy A17 makes it four Samsung phones in the...

I tested Belkin’s affordable Switch 2 screen protector – and it’s hard to find fault with
1:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Consoles & PC Gadgets Gaming Nintendo | Tags: | Comments: Off

Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2: review

The Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector is designed for anyone looking to defend their Nintendo Switch 2 from knocks and scratches.

Made from tempered glass, covered with an anti-reflective surface and treated with an anti-fingerprint coating, it promises to keep your handheld console crack-free, while not diminishing your gameplay experience; a big swing, particularly given its relatively affordable $24.99 / £14.99 / AU$29.95 price.

The process of applying the screen protector to our Switch 2 was easy, thanks in no small part to Belkin’s simple system. Once you’ve popped the supplied frame over the Switch 2’s screen, the screen protector naturally nestles into its exact position on the glass, without the hesitation and second-guessing often experienced when applying screen protectors.

All I then had to do was peel back the top layer of film and coax all of the air pockets to the edge of the display; this took all of about 20 seconds, which is far faster than with some of the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories.

Admittedly, a few stubborn bubbles remained, but I’ve applied a lot of screen protectors in my time – I’m both an early upgrader and horrendously clumsy – and I’ve always found that these eventually get squeezed out over the first few days of use.

As long as you’ve ensured that your Switch 2’s screen is sufficiently clean before applying the protector, it really is hard to imagine how you could go wrong here.

Once it was applied, I was genuinely impressed with the quality of Belkin’s screen protector. Thanks to the tempered glass it’s fashioned from it feels sturdy to the touch – rather than the plasticky feel of some products, you get all of the hardness of standard glass without the brittleness. And its bevelled edges mean it can have a decent thickness to it while not having a pronounced lip around its rim, allowing it to blend seamlessly into the device.

Sometimes this kind of protection can come at a bit of a tradeoff, giving you peace of mind at the cost of increased reflectivity, but Belkin’s anti-reflective treatment seemed to minimize the amount of reflections cast across the screen. It didn’t seem to hurt the pop of the Switch 2’s gloriously vibrant display at all, with Mario Kart World’s colorful palette still looking as hyperreal as ever.

Even under the harsh lighting of our photography studio, I had to spin it to pretty extreme angles for reflections to significantly affect the viewing experience, and you’re unlikely to encounter conditions this unfavorable under real-world use.

The Nintendo Switch 2 with the Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector applied; it's at an extreme viewing angle and yet it's easy to still see Mario Kart World loaded up on the screen.

(Image credit: Future)

Being this well designed doesn’t mean anything if a screen protector cracks under pressure though. So how did the Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector perform under testing conditions?

Pretty capably, it turns out.

Out of the gate, I wanted to make sure it was going to actually go the distance – it doesn’t matter how hard your screen protector is if it peels off long before it sees any action. Rubbing the corner didn’t cause any layers to come away and, even when I got my nail in there, it didn’t easily lift away from the screen. My impression is that the Belkin should hang on in there for the long haul.

Simulating multiple years of cumulative wear and tear isn’t all that easy, so it’s important that we subject these screen protectors to a level of abuse I’d hope you wouldn’t subject your own console to.

Taking my keys to the screen protector, I started trying to scratch it, gingerly at first and then, when it resisted my efforts, rather less gingerly. No matter how hard I tried to score the glass, the keys in my hand just slipped off it, so while I imagine it will sustain damage from direct blows, you can rest easy knowing that it’ll laugh off regular scuffs and scrapes with ease.

Even though I’ve spent a lot of money on screen protectors over the years, the Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2 still impressed me. It’s easy to apply, well made, and should guard your handheld console against all but the most severe abuse.

Once you factor in the aforementioned price – just $24.99 / £14.99 / AU$29.95 – it becomes a bit of a bargain, especially given that you shouldn’t have to replace it for trivial reasons, like superficial scratches or premature peeling. If you want to safeguard your Switch 2, it’s a very safe bet.

A close-up of the bottom-left corner of the Belkin Temperd Glass Anti-Reflective Screen protector applied to the Nintendo Switch 2.

(Image credit: Future)

Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2 review: price & availability

  • Launched June 4, 2025
  • Retails for $24.99 / £14.99 / AU$29.95

First released on June 4, 2025, the Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2 is Belkin’s first foray into the gaming screen protector space. Priced at $24.99 / £14.99 / AU$29.95, it’s a very competitive option – although it is worth noting that some rivals’ offerings include two protectors for the price of one.

Still, I would argue that the value you’re getting here is pretty decent. Two screen protectors over one sounds like a bargain, as long as they don’t last half as long, effectively negating their cheaper price. Based on Belkin’s track record in this space, and how durable its screen protector proved in our testing, this one should last you a decent while, making it still a smart investment for the price.

The Nintendo Switch 2 with the Belkin Temperd Glass Anti-Reflective Screen protector applied in front of a pink background.

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2?

Ease of application

The frame makes it a cinch to fit it in place, and getting an essentially bubble-free seal only takes a few swipes.

4.5 / 5

Design

Bevelled edges allow the protector to have a decent thickness without rough edges, while reflection-reducing and fingerprint-resistant design ensures the screen remains visible even in direct light.

4.5 / 5

Toughness

Thick, robust tempered glass that neither peels nor scratches easily – our testing didn’t leave a single mark on it.

5 / 5

Value

Priced at the cheaper end of the market and designed to last, although some rivals offer two protectors for their higher price.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want tough, durable protection
Belkin’s screen protector stood up to all of the abuse I could dream up. It doesn’t easily peel off, it shrugs off fingerprints and, try as I might, I wasn’t able to scratch it.

You struggle to apply most screen protectors
Thanks to its handy frame and effective adhesion, Belkin’s screen protector is very easy to apply. Even if you’re as ham-fisted as I am, you shouldn’t find it too hard to get it on straight.

Don’t buy it if…

You want a backup in case things go wrong
We all make mistakes – especially when it comes to applying screen protectors. So if you want a backup screen protector in case you mess one up, it’s worth picking up one of the options that includes two protectors for the price one.

You also need a bunch of other accessories
If you’re also on the hunt for a case, silicone grips, stick caps and headphones on top of your screen protector, you might find an all-inclusive option like the Snakebyte Starter Kit S2 for Nintendo Switch 2 suits you better.

How I tested the Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2

  • I applied the screen protector following the instructions
  • I tested how it affects brightness, shows fingerprints, and how easy it is to damage
  • I relied on decades of handheld gaming experience

Since TechRadar has started testing Nintendo Switch accessories, it’s been important for me to work out a standardized process for how we test them. First off, we apply the screen protector to a Nintendo Switch 2 to see how easy it is to adhere. Then we test how the screen protector affects the brightness of the screen and viewing angles, before seeing how it copes with smudges and fingerprints.

I also wanted to make sure that we checked how well the screen protectors cope with damage. While I wasn’t quite brave enough to drop a flagstone onto our testing Switch 2 and see whether it survived until the release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, I did try several methods to test the hardiness of the Belkin Tempered Glass Anti-Reflective Screen Protector. I tried scuffing the edges of the screen protector and peeling it with my nails to see if it would come loose, before attempting to scratch it vigorously with my keys.

In terms of experience, not only have I been gaming on the go for most of my life – Imma OG Game Boy right here – but I’ve been writing about tech and gadgets on and off for almost 15 years. My reviews team tests a wide array of gaming accessories from controllers to wireless headsets – and perhaps most relevant, I’ve broken more screens than I can count.

  • First reviewed: September 2025
  • Read more about how we test
What to expect from Apple’s ‘awe dropping’ September 9 event
12:09 am |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Apple's all-important fall event is now just days away, so let's take a look at what's coming. It's Apple's most anticipated event of the year and will bring us the new iPhone 17 lineup. But there will be more hardware as well. Apple's 'awe dropping' event will likely feature a new iPhone model altogether, new smartwatches, and new earbuds. The event kicks off at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET), and Apple will livestream it on its YouTube channel and on Apple.com. We'll, of course, cover the announcements from it here on GSMArena,com. Apple Watch...

What to expect from Apple’s ‘awe dropping’ September 9 event
12:09 am |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Apple's all-important fall event is now just days away, so let's take a look at what's coming. It's Apple's most anticipated event of the year and will bring us the new iPhone 17 lineup. But there will be more hardware as well. Apple's 'awe dropping' event will likely feature a new iPhone model altogether, new smartwatches, and new earbuds. The event kicks off at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET), and Apple will livestream it on its YouTube channel and on Apple.com. We'll, of course, cover the announcements from it here on GSMArena,com. Apple Watch...

I’ve spent a month rocking with the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller and it’s taken me back to the golden era of rhythm games
12:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller: one-minute review

The CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller is a brand-new guitar controller for use with rhythm games like Fortnite Festival, Rock Band 4, and Clone Hero. CRKD was founded by former Red Octane staff who were responsible for the Guitar Hero series' controllers, and as such this feels very in line with the peripherals for those games, taking on the best elements of each to make one of the best guitar controllers I've ever used.

It comes in two variants, the LP Black Tribal Encore Edition and the LP Blueberry Burst Pro Edition. The Black Tribal edition comes with standard fret buttons and a mechanical click strum bar, with a slightly gaudy tribal design. Meanwhile, the slightly more expensive Blueberry Burst is functionally the same guitar but with mechanical frets, a Hall Effect strum bar with haptic feedback, and a blueberry burst design. If you prefer one set of buttons over another, the necks are interchangeable too.

On top of those two versions, each version has an Xbox edition, which makes it compatible with Rock Band 4. The multi-platform edition does work with Xbox through the KeyJam mode, however, it acts as a keyboard, meaning it is compatible with Fortnite Festival through button mapping but not Rock Band. The multi-platform edition works with Switch, PC, PlayStation 3-5, and Android too.

The guitar itself feels great to hold; it takes on the form of the fan-favorite Gibson Les Paul design that was previously used with Guitar Hero 3, while the strum bar is longer and easier to pinch, like the "Genericaster" design from Guitar Hero: World Tour and Guitar Hero 5 (my personal favorite guitar controller of all time). It lacks the lower fret buttons found on Rock Band guitars and the PDP Riffmaster; however, a separate neck attachment is being released later with this option.

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller

(Image credit: Future)

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller: price and availability

  • Prices range between $114.99 / £109.99 / AU$199 and $134.99 / £129.99 / AU$224
  • Available in the US via the CRKD website
  • Available in the UK via CRKD, Argos, and Amazon
  • Available in Australia via JB Hifi

The CRKD Les Paul launched in June 2025, with the Xbox editions set to release in late September. The price is higher based on whether you have the Xbox-compatible edition, with the Blueberry Burst version being more expensive than the Black Tribal one. However, the Blueberry Burst is only $10 / £10 / AU$25 more expensive, while buying the mechanical frets separately is $39.99 / £39.99, so I would personally go with the Blueberry Burst.

While you may be able to get the PDP Riffmaster on sale now, its regular price is more expensive than the Blueberry Burst, with the CRKD being what I feel is the better guitar (however, this more likely comes down to your preference between Guitar Hero and Rock Band-style instruments).

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller review: Specs

Price

$114.99 / £109.99 / AU$199

Dimensions

9.96 x 29.13 x 1.37in / 253 x 740 x 35mm

Compatibility

Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, Smart TV, PS3, PS4, PS5 (Xbox in Fortnite Festival only)

Connection type

Wired (Type-C), wireless (Bluetooth + 2.4GHz dongle)

Software

CRKD App (iOS, Android)

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller

(Image credit: Future)

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller review: design and features

  • Guitar controller designed for rhythm gaming
  • Based on the iconic Gibson Les Paul Guitar
  • A dial allowing you to program different profiles

As the name suggests, the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller is based on the iconic Gibson Les Paul guitar. This design was previously used for the Guitar Hero 3 guitar controller, with this one being roughly the same size.

The two available versions are Black Tribal and Blueberry Burst. Black Tribal is a black plastic base with a glossy black tribal design on top of it. While it's appropriate, as the mid-2000s was the perfect time for guitar controllers and tacky tribal designs (shoutout to the tribal Game Boy Advance SP), I frankly think this design is ugly. Blueberry Burst, on the other hand is fine looking; the actual blue burst design is nice and akin to its namesake guitar, but it's a decal that looks a bit low quality at close inspection.

Meanwhile, since the necks are detachable, both are just regular black plastic with small lights up the neck. These will light up in a color corresponding with which fret button you press.

The guitar features a d-pad on the top of the neck and two sticks. One is a little dial that is clicked in as your start button, and while it's not the end of the world, it can be a little awkward to pause with it. Meanwhile, there's a tone switch-style stick on the upper half of the guitar, which has a ring of buttons around it, allowing you to access the face and trigger buttons.

Under the strum bar is the whammy bar – which allows you to earn extra points when playing sustained notes – and the CTRL button, which is typically bound to Star Power activation. While not as long as the one found on the Genericaster, it's placed well so it's very easy to hit with your wrist and not compromise your strumming.

While not a complete game-changer, the mechanical frets and Hall Effect strum bar found in the Blueberry Burst edition feel fantastic, and given the price isn't significantly higher, I'd recommend going with that version over the Black Tribal.

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller

(Image credit: Future)

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller review: Performance

  • Solid battery life
  • Works right out the box
  • Comes with custom profile dial, customisable via the CRKD mobile app

The CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller works straight out of the box with either a USB-C cable connection on PC or via a 2.4GHz dongle (both of which are included with the guitar). You can also use Bluetooth to connect to devices that can't support a USB option. From my month of testing, only the Blueberry Burst edition has run out of battery with me using it for at least 15-20 hours without charging it out of the box.

There's a knob that acts as the on switch when pressed and features a dial that allows you to use one of 9 profiles (the first four being preset to default settings and the Fortnite Festival difficulties). These bindings can be changed via the CRKD mobile app, with the Blueberry Burst edition allowing you to alter the level of sensitivity and haptic feedback on the strum bar.

This is essential for Fortnite Festival. While the default mode is usable in the mode, the CTRL button is mapped to the Select button, which opens a menu in Fortnite. You can't remap this in-game, so you'll need to turn the dial to number two to make it work in Fortnite's pro modes.

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller?

Buy it if...

You want to play guitar games or Fortnite Festival's Pro Mode
If you want to play these classic rhythm games, then you'll want a guitar controller to go with it. It's wide range of compatibility makes it a solid choice for any game you want to play across PC, PlayStation, and Switch, with the Xbox version working for Rock Band 4 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

You were a Guitar Hero diehard
This guitar was made by the people behind the Guitar Hero instruments and feel spot on to the classic instruments. I had my Ratatouille food critic moment playing this for the first time as it took me right back.

Don't buy it if...

You liked the Rock Band guitars better
While both were plastic guitars, Guitar Hero and Rock Band have very different feeling guitar controllers. Ultimately if you preferred the Rock Band guitars, the PDP Riffmaster is the way to go for you.

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller review: Also consider

Still not sold on the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller? Here’s how it compares to the other guitar controllers on the market.

CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller

PDP Riffmaster

CKRD NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition

Price

$114.99 / £109.99 / AU$199

$129.99 / £129.99 (around AU$199)

$59.99 / £59.99 / AU$119.95

Dimensions

9.96 x 29.13 x 1.37in / 253 x 740 x 35mm

10.51 x 21.38 x 3.23in / 543 x 267 x 82mm

5.9 x 3.5 x 0.78in / 150 x 88 x 20mm

Compatibility

Multi: Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, Smart TV, PS3, PS4, PS5

Xbox:Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Android, Smart TV, iOS

Xbox: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

PlayStation: PS5, PS4, PC

Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam Deck, iOS, Android, Smart TV

Connection type

Wired (Type-C), wireless (Bluetooth + 2.4GHz dongle)

Wireless (2.4GHz dongle), wired (Type-C)

Wireless (Bluetooth), wired (Type-C)

Software

CRKD App (iOS, Android)

PDP Control Hub

CRKD App (iOS, Android)

PDP Riffmaster
This is a great alternative because CRKD was founded by former RedOctane staff – who created the original Guitar Hero controllers – as such, CRKD’s model feels in line with those games. If you preferred the feel of the Rock Band controllers back in the day, you're going to want the PDP Riffmaster. However, I personally find Rock Band buttons unsatisfying, so CRKD is my go-to.

For more information, check out our full PDP Riffmaster review

CKRD NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition
This is a great alternative if you're unsure about rhythm games and don't want to drop over $100 on a full-blown guitar controller. The NEO S is a solid controller in its own right, and the guitar attachment allows you to play these games, albeit with a smaller control method. It doesn't stand next to the full-blown ones, but it's a solid entry-level guitar controller.

For more information, check out our full NEO S Purple Wave 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition review

How I tested the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller

  • Tested for around 20-25 hours
  • Used to play YARG and Fortnite Festival on PC
  • Used both editions of the guitar

I've been using the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller since I received it in early August 2025 (so around a month). I did play a decent amount of Fortnite Festival (especially when they added the Power Rangers theme song), but I've mainly been playing YARG, which is a fan-made recreation of the Rock Band games, allowing you to import custom songs to the game.

I played a variety of songs and genres with it, from the likes of some of my favorite bands, Ween, They Might Be Giants, and Jellyfish, to harder rock bands like Iron Maiden, Mastodon, and Primus. I also played a selection of game soundtracks (mostly Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Guilty Gear Strive) and some outright goofy stuff like Weird Al Yankovic, the South Park movie soundtrack, and the Spider-Man 2 pizza theme.

First reviewed September 2025

Read more about how we test

Deals: Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and Tab S11 are here, we also look at alternatives
8:52 pm | September 7, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Samsung announced the Galaxy S25 FE this week, a more affordable variant of its flagship S-series. Also new this week are flagship tablets, the Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S11 Ultra. Let’s have a look at what kind of offers are available. There’s no pre-order for the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, the phone went on sale immediately. You can pick up a unit right now with a free storage upgrade (128GB to 256GB) and a $100 Amazon Gift Card. Just last week, the Galaxy S24 FE was down to $460 for the base 8/128GB model. However, those offers have dried up. They may come back if there’s enough stock, but...

Galaxy S25 FE, Tecno Spark Slim and Pova Slim arrive, Week 36 in review
5:41 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE going official was the most important story of week 36. The phone packs a 4nm Exynos 2400 chipset with 8 GB of RAM, and up to 512 GB of storage. Despite the mostly unchanged SoC, the S25 FE packs a 10% larger vapor chamber for cooling. Another update is the bigger 4,900mAh battery. The phone is a svelte 7.4mm thin and weighs some 23 grams less than its predecessor at 190g. The Galaxy S25 FE is available for purchase in four color options - Icyblue, Jetblack, Navy, and White. It starts at €749 ($875) for the 8 GB/128 GB variant. The 8 GB/256 GB option is...

Oppo K13 Turbo Pro hands-on: a 7,000 mAh battery phone with a built-in cooling fan
2:31 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Oppo unveiled the Oppo K13 Turbo and Oppo K13 Turbo Pro in China in July, which were later introduced in India. Both smartphones have similar designs and specs, with the most significant difference being the chipset. We've received the Oppo K13 Turbo Pro, so let's take a closer look at this mid-range smartphone. [#InlinePriceWidget,14022,1#] The Oppo K13 Turbo Pro comes in an attractive purple-colored retail box, which includes a SIM ejector tool, some documents, a protective case, a charging cable, and an 80W power adapter. The Oppo K13 Turbo Pro has a 6.8" 120Hz 2,800x1,280-pixel...

Lost Soul Aside is Final Fantasy meets Devil May Cry… and some jank
2:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Consoles & PC Gadgets Gaming Playstation | Tags: | Comments: Off

Lost Soul Aside has come a long way since its initial promotional video went viral back in 2016, with super slick combat and visuals being enough to catch Sony’s attention. Nine years later, the final product is a PS5 console exclusive that mostly lives up to the exhilarating battles and landscapes that were shown that day.

Still, its shallow story and poor performance on PC makes Lost Soul Aside sometimes feel like a husk of an action adventure game.

Lost Soul Aside follows a young man named Kaser as he joins a resistance group named Glimmer against the empire. It starts off as a potentially intriguing and politically engaged story, but quickly devolves into a generic adventure about saving the world against interdimensional monsters called Voidrax and their commander, Aramon. The plot twists are obvious, so it’s hard to really stay invested, even when the stakes are increased when the Voidrax steal the soul of Kaser’s sister, Louisa.

Along the way, Kaser joins forces with a floating dragon-shaped Voidrax creature named Arena, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed their banter together as they traveled across different biomes and dimensions. Arena expresses regrets about his past actions and vows to make amends by giving Kaser the ability to fight back against the Voidrax. Learning more about Arena’s backstory kept me engaged with the game outside of the combat even when the story itself was a plodding bore.

DMC meets Final Fantasy

Lost Soul Aside.

(Image credit: Sony)

The gameplay is where it really shines. Its real-time action combat plays most like Devil May Cry with its heavy emphasis on combos, and you’ll gain access to more weapons as the game progresses. Between Kaser’s four options, a sword, greatsword, spear, and scythe, it’s immensely satisfying to seamlessly switch between each of them during the heat of battle.

While the pace at which the spear and scythe are unlocked later in the game may be a bit slow, there are plenty of combos to execute with the sword and greatsword during the first half. This is due to the excellent upgrade system. Kaser has a skill tree for each of his weapons, and each node provides a stat boost or some sort of follow up attack to his combos. It isn’t necessarily revolutionary, but its straightforward nature gets the job done. This helps to alleviate the pacing gap between unlocking all of Kaser’s weapons.

Lost Soul Aside gets even more of a visual spectacle by giving Kaser his own Voidrax-infused special attacks with Arena. They switch up the gameplay enough so it’s not a constant button mashing affair. Kaser can equip up to three at a time and they vary quite a bit.

My favorite ones include Breath Barrage, which summons two floating smaller Arena-shaped heads that automatically fire like turrets. Lifeforce Bestower summons a tree that slowly heals Kaser as long as he remains within range.

Best bit

Lost Soul Aside.

(Image credit: Sony)

Lost Soul Aside is at its best when you've unlocked all of Kaser's weapons. The combat is the most refined aspect of the game and being able to switch between weapons on the fly makes battles feel like butter, even with the less than ideal frame rate. The weapon trinkets and accessories that Kaser can equip have a compounding impact on the moment-to-moment action, adding a surprising amount of depth and customization to combat.

These powers also add a more strategic element to the fights. After breaking an enemy’s shield, I’d activate Breath Barrage so that I can maximize my damage output before they can recover, and Lifeforce Bestower lets me reserve my own healing potions as long as I play conservatively for an amount of time. Experimenting with how Arena’s powers could synergize with Kaser’s combos gave the gameplay a new dimension to have fun with.

Kaser can also augment his weapons with accessories found throughout levels in chests or rewards for story progression. They give various effects like simply increasing your damage output by 5% or restoring some amount of HP when landing a critical hit. At first, these don’t really seem to make immediate changes. However, as you accumulate more weapon accessories and even stronger ones, their impact becomes apparent. It really scratches the min-max part of my brain even though there’s no traditional stat upgrade system.

Not so smooth

Lost Soul Aside.

(Image credit: Sony)

On the graphical side, Lost Soul Aside is impressive. It’s got the hyper-realistic anime style that Final Fantasy is known for. The numerous biomes and environments are breathtaking to look at too. While levels can feel a bit railroaded sometimes, there are instances where you’re encouraged to explore and can find chests containing gold or sometimes even trinkets Kaser could equip on himself for passive effects.

There are also special combat trials called Dispersed Dimensions hidden throughout the levels that provide rewards for beating them under certain conditions like completing under a time limit or Kaser’s health constantly drains. The rewards were definitely worthwhile as the trinkets were rarer and had more powerful effects than the ones you’d find in chests.

However, the experience is mired by poor performance on PC. There are constant stutters and framerate drops everywhere, both in and out of battle. Even opening up the menu causes a bit of lag, and there’s about a second of a delay where the screen turns to black before returning back into the game, which is noticeably annoying. The performance is particularly detrimental considering Lost Soul Aside is a fast-paced action game and every second matters or you risk losing.

Lost Soul Aside.

(Image credit: Sony)

For example, there’s a specific Dispersed Dimension challenge where enemies can only be damaged by Arena’s attacks. With all of the particle effects activating simultaneously, this caused my game to slow down to a crawl, and even freeze for a few seconds before resuming. This same trial also gives a bonus reward if complete without taking any damage. With performance issues like these, meeting this condition was frustratingly impossible.

The stuttering can also be a huge problem during platforming segments. Missing a platform jump really gets on the nerves, especially when it sends you all the way back to the start of the section. The platforming itself is awkward as well. His jumping range fluctuates too much, causing me to miss more platforms than I’d like to admit. When Kaser’s feet touch the ground, it never feels quite right—the sensory impact feels too soft and doesn’t quite stick with the landing for me.

Lost Soul Aside arguably excels the most where it matters: the frantic and exciting gameplay, along with the pretty visuals. Everything else around it, however, isn’t really up to par. Its story isn’t all that interesting, and the performance issues on PC leave much to be desired. Its influences are certainly apparent, but it's clear that its blade isn’t nearly as sharp.

Should you play Lost Soul Aside?

Play it if...

You love character action games
If you’re a fan of Devil May Cry and recent Final Fantasy titles, you’ll enjoy Lost Soul Aside’s combat.

You love character action games
If you’re a fan of Devil May Cry and recent Final Fantasy titles, you’ll enjoy Lost Soul Aside’s combat..

Don't play it if...

You want a deep story
The story here gets the job done, but it's not particularly engaging.

You want a stable experience Right now, the PC version suffers from plenty of stuttering issues, so wait for a patch or update before diving in.

Accessibility features

Lost Soul Aside has disappointingly few accessibility features compared to other Sony-published games.

However, there are options for Colorblind mode (Red, Green, Blue) and a Colorblind intensity slider. There are also sliders for adjusting camera sensitivity and motion blur.

How I reviewed Lost Soul Aside

I played Lost Soul Aside on PC for 23 hours and finished the main campaign, along with doing a majority of the Dispersed Dimensions and finding as many collectibles as I could. I used an Xbox Wireless Controller.

Your first playthrough will also be on Normal difficulty, and both Hard and Nightmare difficulties are unlocked once you beat the campaign for the first time. You also get access to level replay.

My key PC specs include an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 8-Core Processor CPU, an AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT GPU, and 32 GB of RAM.

First reviewed August 2025.

Deals: Samsung Galaxy S25 FE launches, is joined by the Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S11 Ultra
11:21 am |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Samsung announced the Galaxy S25 FE this week, a more affordable variant of its flagship S-series. Also new this week are flagship tablets, the Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S11 Ultra. Let’s have a look at what kind of offers are available. There’s no pre-order for the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, the phone went on sale immediately. You still get a perk for getting in early, though, a free storage upgrade (i.e. 256GB for the price of 128GB). Offers for last year’s Galaxy S24 FE have dried up – we will revisit that in the coming weeks, maybe offers will return if there is enough stock. For now, let’s...

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