Dead Space - Organizer

I time-travelled to save the world in Cronos: The New Dawn and it felt like going back two decades to play Dead Space again

5:00 pm | September 3, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: Dead Space, Resident Evil | Comments: Off

A few hours into Cronos: The New Dawn, I saw it. A corpse slumped against the wall, a message scrawled in blood above him: “Don’t let them merge”. If it wasn’t already clear that the latest survival horror game from Bloober Team was drawing from some of the genre's greats, that warning, a nod to “cut off their limbs” seen in equally foreboding lines of jagged crimson in Dead Space, hammered the point home as subtly as a boot stomp to the skull.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac
Release date: September 5, 2025

A feeling of déjà vu was a running theme in my time playing through Cronos. Here’s the main character, gun hoisted high in Leon S. Kennedy’s iconic pose from Resident Evil 4. Here are my limited crafting resources straight out of The Last of Us, ones I must choose to make either ammo or health items. Here are my gravity boots, pinched from Isaac Clarke’s locker on the USG Ishimura.

It’s perfectly fine to be influenced by other works, especially when they are as iconic and genre-defining as the ones I’ve listed above. But when it just feels like you’re retreading the same path with less confidence and not bringing enough new ideas, what’s really the point of it all?

Following in their footsteps

The main character from Cronos looking at a message written in blood on the wall — (Image credit: Bloober Team)

Now, that opening may read like I came away massively disappointed by Cronos: The New Dawn. In some aspects, I certainly did. It is painfully derivative in many areas, to the point where it made me question if anything has changed in sci-fi survival horror games in the last 20 years.

But, unsurprisingly, given its influences, it’s also a game that plays well. Combat is tense, shooting is solid, resource management is challenging, exploration is unsettling, and the environments drip with atmosphere. And there are kernels of ideas that, if only they were more fully realised or executed better, could have elevated the game beyond a decent – if standard – survival horror.

Let’s start with the premise: you play as the Traveler, an undefined being encased in a cross between a spacesuit and a diving suit. The game starts as you're activated by a mysterious organisation known as The Collective and told to travel through time to extract important survivors after an apocalyptic infection dubbed the ‘Change’ turns most people on Earth into grotesque and amalgamated monstrosities.

The nexus point of the disaster is Poland in the 1980s, which at least makes for a unique setting that’s far from the spaceships and abandoned mining planets we usually find ourselves stomping around. There’s an inventiveness to the world design, too, which not only sees the infestation overrun dilapidated buildings, roads, and subways with a gloopy and pulsating biomass, but also fractures entire structures to create floating, twisted, and mind-bending new forms.

Add to that violent sandstorms and heavy snowfall, and safe to say, it’s not a pleasant stroll. I had to seriously pluck up some courage to carefully inch forward in many locations, especially towards the latter half of the game, when everything is so consumed by the effects of the infection and dotted with poisonous pustules that you feel suffocated by it – even if this trap is overplayed a dozen too many times.

Skin-crawling

An enemy approaches in the distance in Cronos The New Dawn — (Image credit: Bloober Team)

Visually, it is disgusting (in all the right ways), but huge credit has to go to the audio. It masterfully ramps up that oppressive and stomach-churning atmosphere with all sorts of sloshing and wheezing and bubbling that gives a terrifying sense of life to the coagulated mass that surrounds you. One of the best gaming headsets is recommended.

If Cronos was all just trudging through fleshy corridors, then Bloober Team would have smashed it. Unfortunately, other parts of the game don’t excel in the same way and are merely fine or disappointing in comparison.

Combat is one. The gimmick here is that dead enemies remain on the ground and can be assimilated by other creatures to become larger and stronger foes – hence the bloody message of “don’t let them merge”. Fortunately, you come equipped with a torch. Nope, it’s not a bright light, but a burst of flames that can incinerate corpses and stop this merging from taking place.

Best bit

An out of order elevator in Cronos The New Dawn — (Image credit: Future)

Cronos: The New Dawn finds its identity more as the game progresses and the section in the Unity Hospital is when the game hits its stride. It’s one of the scariest and creepiest places to explore, as you descend further into the bowels of the building, where the infection has taken even greater hold and you uncover some horrifying secrets about the impact of the Change.

That leads to the main flow of combat. Take down targets with your weapons, then prevent any survivors from merging by setting the bodies ablaze. It’s a setup that can create some tense encounters – ones where you’re busy dealing with one target, only to hear the awful sounds of two bodies smushing together in the distance (shoutout to the audio design again), and knowing there’ll be an even greater threat if you don’t introduce them to the cleansing flames immediately.

The problem is that I could count on one hand the number of times I felt seriously threatened by the risk of enemies merging. Too many encounters had too few enemies, were in too small spaces, or were littered with too many (respawning) explosive barrels, that I could comfortably handle the situation. It was only towards the end of the game when I felt overwhelmed in some encounters, needing to more strategically pick my targets, hurriedly craft ammo on the fly, and regularly reposition to burn dead enemies so they couldn’t merge.

Burn, baby, burn

A hidden cat in Cronos The New Dawn — (Image credit: Bloober Team)

It isn’t a disaster, just a shame that Cronos doesn’t really make the most of its main idea. Instead, the overwhelming feeling I had was that I was just playing Dead Space again, swapping between the limited ammo in my pistol, shotgun, and rifle to blast away everything. Outside of rare encounters, the mechanics of merging and burning feel like massively underused and unimpactful parts of the game.

It’s a common feeling. Take your main objective of ‘rescuing’ the specific survivors. I use quotation marks there because the actual process of saving them is kept ominously vague, and is instead best described as extracting and absorbing their soul to gain the knowledge needed to save humanity.

It’s here when I thought Cronos might step up from its clear inspirations with some fresh ideas. Not only is there a morbid mirroring at play (wait, are we the baddies?), but those other lives bouncing around inside your head lead to all sorts of different visions and hallucinations, depending on the characters you choose to save.

In its cleverest moments, who’s knocking about in your noggin can influence the environment or completely change how you perceive things in the world to create some genuinely spooky moments. Once again, though, outside of less than a handful of instances, this idea isn’t explored any further when it’s rife for some really interesting, exciting, and unique possibilities.

It frustrates and disappoints me more than anything. I really want to be clear that Cronos: The New Dawn isn’t a bad game: it plays fine, looks good enough, and runs well. Although I’d stick to performance mode on consoles if you can to get a smooth 60fps, as the quality mode feels far too jittery.

I just can’t help but feel that with the way it relies so heavily on what worked in classic survival horror games from yesteryear, I may have travelled back two decades myself to play it.

Should I play Cronos: The New Dawn?

A time anomaly in a building in Cronos The New Dawn — (Image credit: Bloober Team)

Play it if…

You’re looking for your next survival horror fix
Survival horror fans who are craving a new game will find enough to enjoy here, even if it’s mostly just playing the hits.

You want a different setting and an intriguing story
Signalis this ain’t, but the setting, story, and commentary in Cronos does tickle the brain in new ways, even if some aspects are too enigmatic

Don’t play it if…

You want an action game
This isn’t the bombastic and set-piece rollercoaster of a modern Resident Evil. Cronos is tense, slow, full of dread, and light on ammunition.

You have any aversion to body horror
Cronos relies heavily on body horror for its story, enemy design, and environments, so if you find this overly unsettling, then it’s best to avoid.

Accessibility

Cronos offers a range of standard accessibility options, including three color blind modes for green, red, and blue color blindness, as well as the option to add clear interaction indicators and subtitles in multiple languages that can be fully customised in terms of size and color.

The game has one Normal difficulty setting, with a Hard mode unlocked after you finish the game once. To customise the difficulty, though, you can adjust settings to get a more generous aim assist and alter whether you hold or tap for quick time events.

A center dot can be added to help alleviate motion sickness, while the game also provides options to reduce or turn off camera shake and sway.

How I reviewed Cronos: The New Dawn

I played Cronos: The New Dawn for around 16 hours on a PlayStation 5 Pro on a Samsung S90C OLED TV using a DualSense Wireless Controller. I mainly played in Performance mode, but I also tried Quality mode for a brief time and found the graphical improvements minimal compared to the benefits of a smoother frame rate.

I swapped between playing audio through a Samsung HW-Q930C soundbar and a SteelSeries Arctic Nova 7, and I definitely suggest headphones for the best experience.

I completed the main game and spent a lot of time exploring the environment to uncover as much of the story and as many hidden extras as I could find.

Asus ROG Delta II headset review: spatial audio shines in a headset catered to PS5 and PC gamers

12:06 am | September 25, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: Dead Space, PC | Comments: Off

Asus ROG Delta II: two-minute review

Asus ROG Delta II gaming headset with ear cushions stacked atop each other — (Image credit: Future / Mark LoProto)

The ROG Delta II wireless headset is the latest in the Asus Republic of Gamers line of audio peripherals for gaming. The set maximizes comfort without diminishing audio quality in a lightweight, over-ear headset that’s clearly made for all aspects of gaming. While gaming peripherals from companies like ROG or Razer can feel gimmicky for streamers or, at the very least, don’t stand up to higher-end, general-purpose counterparts, the Delta II is surprisingly versatile and even excels beyond something like the costlier Audeze Maxwell. With so many different headsets on the market, ROG had to find a way to separate the Delta II from the crowd, and despite its general simplicity, it succeeded in most ways.

The biggest surprise is the comfort level. The lightweight design, forgiving band, and plush mesh or PU leather ear cushions minimize the occurrence of headaches. Even with a looser band, the earcup creates a seal that cuts down on external noise despite no active noise cancelation.

Asus ROG Delta II gaming headset's ear cushions — (Image credit: Future / Mark LoProto)

While on the higher end of the price spectrum when compared to other Delta models, the Delta II’s $229 / £219 / AUS$368 price tag stings less when you start noticing audio cues that may have been otherwise drowned out through TV speakers or a lower quality headset. The plug-and-play compatibility with the PS5 (via USB-C dongle) and Xbox Series X/S (via 3.5mm cord) are vitally convenient and provide the best gaming experience, whereas use via PC (Bluetooth or USB-C) can be tweaked and customized using the Armoury Crate software.

Asus ROG Delta II: Price and availability

When is it available? Available now
How much does it cost? $229 / £219 / AUS$368
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and AUS

The ROG Delta II officially launched on September 12, 2024, at a price point of $229 / £219 / AUS$368. Though fairly high, especially for a gaming headset, the Delta II justifies the cost with a build that makes the Delta S and its 50mm Asus essence drivers obsolete. Titanium is where it’s at for a fuller audio experience that elevates game audio design to ensure even the most subtle cues aren’t missed.

There’s a market for the ROG Delta II; it just may not be the casual player who picks up a controller every few weeks. Someone willing to drop $229 on a wireless headset when there are options for more than half the price will better appreciate the enhanced audio provided by the 50mm titanium drivers. Though the headset does work quite nicely for PC, it almost feels like a console-specific accessory, especially since connecting any headset to an Xbox or PS5 isn’t as simple as establishing a Bluetooth connection, and compatibility isn’t guaranteed.

What really justifies the price is how well the headset handles the PS5’s spatial audio to suck players in. With that being said, that’s only good for PS5 players, leaving Xbox gamers to once again deal with the antiquated 3.5mm audio plug. That’s when it gets difficult to recommend a $200-plus headset because while the drivers work wonders, I can’t help but wonder if the much cheaper, 3.5mm-compatible Delta Core could get the job done for very casual players.

Value: 3.5 / 5

Asus ROG Delta II: Specs

Asus ROG Delta II: Features

DualFlow Audio for simultaneous device use
Tri-Mode connectivity with ROG SpeedNova
Few features lend to a user-friendly experience

ROG didn’t go too heavy on features for the Delta II, which is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it allows the headset’s base audio quality to shine without forcing you to navigate a sea of button presses and app integrations. The Delta II caters to a plug-and-play crowd, especially for consoles. It also supports the notion that this headset isn’t meant for audiophiles, and even casual players can get the most out of the titanium drivers without fuss.

Then again, an older competitor like Razer’s Kaira Pro (2022), which retails for only $30 less (for the PS5 model), is brimming with different audio-enhancing features. Along with haptic feedback, the Kaira Pro includes a toggle that swaps between improved bass, amplified audio, and a gaming profile for a more diverse user experience. You may be wondering why you’d spend more for what seems like less, but the Delta II’s success is that it hones in on a well-rounded build to render all of those enhancements unnecessary.

Of course, you can still control your sound design on a PC. The Delta II connects with ROG’s Armoury Crate software to optimize sound with toggles for an equalizer, reverb, and virtual surround sound along with slides for bass boost and compression. You can also choose between preset profiles for movies, music, gaming, and communicating, which change the necessary settings to adjust sound for each application.

One of the Delta II’s more interesting features is DualFlow Audio. Using both the 2.4 GHz wireless and Bluetooth, it feeds audio from two devices simultaneously. That may sound like chaos, but it’s a great way to game on a PS5 and still be able to use Discord (or TeamSpeak, if you're still using it) or chat with viewers on the PC without a mixer or additional equipment. The input audio skipped infrequently, but the rare hiccup is worth dealing with for something so simple and useful.

None of this matters all that much if the headset is dead within hours of charging. Thankfully, ROG found a way to prolong the life of the Delta II to up to over 110 hours (using 2.4GHz wireless without RGB lighting). I tried to run the battery dry, but it’s quite resilient and looks like it does live up to at least a sizable portion of that 110 hours. ROG also boasts a quick charge, where you can squeeze 11 hours of use time after only 15 minutes on the included USB-C charger.

Features: 4 / 5

Asus ROG Delta II: Sound quality

Asus ROG Delta II gaming headset's microphone extended — (Image credit: Future / Mark LoProto)

Full-bodied audio that struggles with deeper bass
Binaural audio is immersive and crystal clear
Detachable microphone could use some work

After running a simple online bass test, I realized there were a few hiccups in the Delta II’s sound quality. While that should be a negative mark, it really indicated that the headset was specifically designed for gaming, especially since the worst offense was vibrating drivers at a low frequency I wouldn’t expect to hear in a video game. Some music with deeper bass may cause the drivers to vibrate, but the Delta II isn’t really made for music. Sure, you can connect to your iPhone and blast your favorite tunes, but ROG cares more about making sure you feel like you’re in the middle of Liberty City. Across most of the games I tested the Delta II with, I discovered the immersion I was missing by using TV speakers.

My favorite experience with the Delta II was Returnal. Having heard the game through the TV and the Audeze Maxwell, I was not prepared for how different it would sound with the titanium drivers. It engulfs you in the alien world in a way video games should, with every bit of audio, big or small, sounding like they were in the room with me. Even Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 sounded better, to the point where I could hear the faint flapping of Spidey’s wings while gliding.

On PC, I toyed with Armoury Crate’s settings but pretty much always returned it to the preset gaming mode. It provided the fullest audio of the lot, making games like Dead Space 2 infinitely more horrifying.

Asus ROG Delta II gaming headset's detachable microphone and pop filter — (Image credit: Future / Mark LoProto)

Playing on PC also highlighted Delta II’s weakest feature: its microphone. Though clear (and made clearer with Armoury Crate’s noise reduction setting) it had a tendency to stutter. It did seem to run fine on the PS5, though, and teammates could hear me clearly each round of Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

Sound quality: 4.5 / 5

ASUS ROG Delta II: Design

Asus ROG Delta II gaming headset against a white background — (Image credit: Future / Mark LoProto)

Interchangeable plush ear cushions
Flexible but durable headband
Flimsy microphone design

There’s little to complain about with the Delta II’s design. Both ear cushions are very cozy and create a good seal to minimize external noise without pressing too hard against my head. The fabric and PU leather cushions were equally as soft, though I did sweat slightly with the latter.

Adding to the overall comfort is the headband. I’m used to headsets that squeeze and feel tight around my head, but the Delta II’s band doesn't share that aggression. It does feel a little cheap, with very minimal padding at the top of the head, but it was comfortable enough to wear for several hours at a time without discomfort.

ROG kept things very simple with its button layout. The left earcup features controls for the volume and 2.4GHz dongle. Opposite that are the controls for Bluetooth connectivity and volume. Function buttons on both sides can control music based on how many times they’re pressed, making for a very user-friendly design.

Design: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Asus ROG Delta II?

Buy them if...

You own a PS5 and love immersion

A lower-quality, cheaper headset or TV speakers don’t do the PS5’s spatial audio any justice. ROG’s Delta II, on the other hand, thrusts you into the action with titanium drivers and a stable wireless connection that’s smooth and crystal clear.

Headsets tend to be uncomfortable for you

Both included ear cushions and the band design come together for a surprisingly comfortable wear. Though the band is nothing to write home about, it’s not tight and won’t squeeze even larger heads. The Delta II’s comfort also doesn’t hinder its ability to keep outside noises from polluting the audio, as the plush cushions create a strong, albeit cozy, seal.

Don't buy them if...

You only game on an Xbox

This is mostly Microsoft’s fault, as it’s difficult to justify spending so much for a 3.5mm connection that tethers you to the control and, shockingly, doesn’t provide the same audio quality as the Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz connection. On Xbox, you can’t take advantage of DualFlow audio.

Audio isn’t all that important to you

There’s no point in spending so much money if you’re not “Wow’d” by immersive, clear audio. You could easily spend less than $100 if all you care about is a simple wireless headset that gets the job done. Even a lower-cost ROG wireless headset could satisfy your needs for a wallet-friendly, feature-light audio experience.

Also Consider

Logitech Pro X 2 Lightspeed

50mm graphene drivers steer Logitech’s Pro X 2 Lightspeed in a good direction in this lightweight headset. Connectivity options, a sizable frequency range, surround sound, and good battery life lend to a positive user experience, particularly for competitive gamers.

Read our full Logitech Pro X 2 Lightspeed review

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless

Comfort and a long battery life ensure prolonged gaming sessions with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless. Ample customization and neutral sound quality help justify a higher price tag, which still comes in a little cheaper than the ROG Delta II.

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless review

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro

A premium headset with audio amplified by 50mm drivers, active noise cancelation, and multiple connectivity options, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is both versatile and capable of delivering crystal-clear audio.

Read our full Turtle Beach Stealth Pro review

How I tested the Asus ROG Delta II

Tested for two weeks
Used for games on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S
Used in an open-walled home office with varying degrees of noise

I put ROG’s lightweight headset through a rigorous process. More so than visuals, I value sound design in video games, so I focused on games with fantastic audio across the primary platforms. This included Returnal (PS5), Dead Space 2 (PC), and Alan Wake 2 (Xbox Series S). By using different platforms, I could test audio quality across the USB-C 2.4GHz dongle, the 3.5mm cable, and the Bluetooth connection. Using each game’s base audio settings, I swapped between the Delta II, my Audaze Maxwell, and the speakers built into my Samsung TV to pinpoint basic audio quality and how well individual audio cues and background noise came through across each device. I also performed an audio/microphone test via Phasmophobia (PC), Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (PC), and Killer Klown’s from Outer Space: The Game (PS5) to test the clarity of the microphone and how well the headset mixed in-game audio and other players. Finally, I ran the headset through a bass test designed to gauge the quality of the drivers.

First tested in September 2024

Quantum Error review – playing with fire

5:00 pm | October 30, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: Dead Space | Comments: Off

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: November 3, 2023

Quantum Error is a cosmic horror shooter action game from TeamKill Media that has a very original premise, one that I’m surprised hasn’t been explored more in games: putting you in the boots of a firefighter and having you utilize their specialist skills and tools.

You are Jacob Thomas, an accomplished firefighter Captain. On a regular search and rescue fire mission that goes south - and spookily supernatural - you soon become stranded in a research facility and have to rely on your distinct firefighter skills as well as the weapons you find on-site. Throughout the adventure, you'll need to save employees, liaise with survivors, and find out what’s at the heart of a cosmic horror nightmare - all while confronting terrorists and otherworldly monsters.

Quantum Error is an intriguing horror game that’s well done, uses the PS5's DualSense controller smartly, has robust weapons, and deploys its firefighter USP terrifically. However, frustrations affecting pacing, progression, gunplay, and art direction hold the game back.

Fanning the flames

Screenshot from cosmic horror action game Quantum Error — (Image credit: TeamKill Media)

Quantum Error’s setup is a mix of original and familiar. The former is the concept of being a stranded firefighter in a high-tech facility, trying to save lives, find your crew, and rely on your vocational talents and tools to get to the bottom of a dark mystery. The familiar part is quite familiar, however: a solo protagonist, cut off from their team, is on a rescue mission gone wrong and must navigate a dark and mysterious facility taking on terrorists and supernatural enemies with whatever tools they can find. This gives Quantum Error some particularly strong Dead Space vibes, making protagonist Jacob reminiscent of Isaac, the frontman of EA's own seminal sci-fi horror series.

The meat of the game is set in the 22nd century at the Monad Quantum Research Facility, an installation on the cutting edge of quantum travel. You traverse multiple floors of the Monad, following objectives and uncovering information, but there’s no strong USG-Ishimura-type sense of place here. It’s rather monotonous and samey by design, and unfortunately, a lot of the Monad is just too dark to appreciate. The approach in Quantum Error does seem to be ‘more dark = more scare’. However, the darkness also helps reinforce the sensation of Jacob being alone and isolated which ramps up the fear factor. It still successfully gives you the jumps when hearing cries or whispers in the distance or rounding a corner and getting rushed by an enemy. Skulking around the corridors and rooms of the Monad is rewarding, too, offering the chance to find new weapons, resources, or even NPCs to save. Some of the side quests to rescue folks are particularly enjoyable to pull off, and it’s always satisfying to solve a puzzle using your firefighter's brain or lead stranded Monad employees to escape points.

Jacob's face in Quantum Error — (Image credit: TeamKill Media)

Several well-designed and helpful safe spaces throughout the Monad facility help Jacob survive, along with plenty of resources and ammo to assist your journey through each zone: Firewings and armories offer safe rooms in which to stock up, change your suit depending on the specific fire or damage resistance you need, and upgrade your weapons (with the firmware resource found throughout the game); and ARGUS (Advanced Retinal Global Unity System) sites provide place to upgrade Jacob and to save progress. A mysterious substance called ‘quintessence’ - introduced to you without comment, somewhat frustratingly - is used to upgrade Jacob’s stats, and overall, his personal and weapon upgrades are pleasingly simple and streamlined - there are no branching skill trees here, just good old-fashioned numbers that you can make bigger.

The healing system is particularly satisfying to use. Jacob can boost his health with a syringe (the ‘E.M.I’) but you can store healing items up to ‘stock up’ said syringe. This means you can gather healing packs to both top yourself up in the short term, and prepare for future encounters in the long term. The game encourages you to maintain full health and stock up so Jacob is in the best possible condition and position going forward.

A lot of Quantum Error plays as a straight-up action shooter, that can be played first-person or third-person. The firefighter tools are weighty and brutal when used in melee combat; smash the fire axe or halligan into enemies and you’re met with heavy and satisfying thuds which yield explosive results. Most of the guns are cool in and of themselves, and deliver solid punches and satisfying blows on enemies. The shotgun. great for cutting enemies in half, and the spitter (a heavy-duty shotgun-type gun that fires clusters of ammo) are definite highlights, and I had great fun laying into all the different enemy types with them too. However, the actual gunplay is a bit sluggish: fire rates and reloads are very slow, weapon switching takes an age, and there are no automatic reloads when you get to the end of a mag. At best this could be interpreted as something to remind you that Jacob is only a firefighter, not a soldier, but at worst (and most of the time) it slows down the action, is frustrating, and can leave you helpless in a fight if you’ve emptied a clip.

Burning bright, and burning dim

Best bit

The DualSense reflecting and assisting with firefighter skills is always very cool - receiving localized rumble when checking the temperature of doors, performing CPR compressions and mouth-to-mouth with the triggers and mic, and feeling the intense rumble when porting open doors with the halligan are particular highlights of the tech.

Where Quantum Error shines brightest, however, is when you can go hard on playing Jacob as a firefighter. There are a host of firefighting tools at your disposal which are so cool, and that are implemented very successfully. From simple things like working out how to restore water supplies to hosepipes when fires are blocking the way ahead or using a mallet to slowly close heavy-duty valves, to more specialist abilities like identifying gas flows and pinching the pipes off with the jaws of life, prying open closed doors with a halligan bar, checking doors to avoid backdrafts, and venting rooms with a saw, are all incredibly well done and satisfying, adding to the immersion. So much so that these are some of the best bits of the game - something further enhanced when putting some of those specialist tools to very good effect against bosses; knocking a boss down and then laying into them with the K12 saw is grimly satisfying.

These tools and skills are then terrifically deployed with the PS5’s DualSense controller: when checking to see if a door is hot with Jacob’s left hand (to work out if a deadly backdraft will occur if you were to pry it open), the left wing of the DualSense will subtly vibrate to indicate that the door is hot, and the room on the other side needs venting first; the adaptive triggers will resist and then rumble intensely as your halligan jams into and then opens doors; the haptics will alter according to the intensity of flames and how you’re approaching them; and you can blow through the microphone to deliver breaths when performing CPR.

There are a host of firefighting tools at your disposal which are so cool, and that are implemented very successfully

However, it’s not all white hot. Quantum Error’s art direction is very over the top at times, to the point of being cringeworthy. It feels like it's trying to be so cinematic and cool with the amount of lingering close-ups on character faces, super slow-mo sequences, and forced faux-dramatic delivery of lines. The eyebrow-raising art direction also extends to the characters: Jacob is another member of the wooden-voiced, blank-expression protagonist club, for starters. Elsewhere, especially in cutscenes, there are strange poses, weird animations, inaccurate lip-syncing, and very wooden voice work and facial expressions, all of which are jarring and falter the immersion and storytelling.

The pacing throughout the game is strange, but also annoying at times. Especially in the first few hours, the story is hard to follow due to the implementation of flashbacks, and elsewhere cutscenes can just suddenly appear in areas of otherwise normal game time, causing you to be on hold for a few minutes. I also had to wait for what felt like an age to get the second main weapon in the game. The pacing also affects some levels with long gaps between save points making for frustrating checkpointing - some particular enemies that are thrown at you along the way make this even more annoying and can quickly ruin progress.

Quantum Error’s use of Unreal Engine 5 is splendid and gives the game a slick and chic finish, but, overall, the title does show some signs of its small-scale development. I’ve had multiple instances when the weapon and item menus would just not appear when pressing the appropriate buttons; Jacob often struggles with ladders and has strange transitions between standing, crouching, and going prone; and, at one point, I managed to skip a level’s whole main objective by using a save point. When I booted up after this save, the companion I was escorting disappeared and I could only go into the final area of the level with the game starting the end boss fight as if nothing happened.

Quantum Error is a well-executed mystery horror game that realizes the childhood dream of “being a firefighter”. Broad chunks of it are robust, such as its guns and Jacob’s specialist skills, but numerous frustrations hold it back. In the year of Dead Space Remake and Alan Wake 2, Quantum Error struggles to burn as bright as its contemporaries.

Accessibility features

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Screenshot of the menu from Quantum Error — (Image credit: TeamKill Media)

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There are no dedicated accessibility features in Quantum Error. Subtitles are present but small and there is no way to change subtitle size which is a huge problem at early points in the game where some tutorial boxes are unbelievably text-cramped and hard to read - so much so that I had to get close to my TV to read them. Elsewhere, the best-looking features that would benefit accessibility - ‘cheats’ offering things such as infinite oxygen and health - are unavailable until you finish a playthrough (this qualifier is not displayed).

How we reviewed Quantum Error

I played Quantum Error on PS5 for nearly 15 hours enjoying its full technical capabilities on a Samsung Q6F QLED TV. I explored as much of the Monad facility as I could in my time with the game following the main story as well as exploring and finding side missions. I used as many weapons and tools as I could find to get a handle on all that the game offers in that respect, and I enjoyed the game’s creepy audio on both a soundbar and with a PS5 headset.

If you’re looking for more inspiration for PlayStation 5, then check out our guides to the best PS5 games and best PS5 exclusives.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series review – the cold equations of survival

11:24 am | July 27, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Dead Space, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One | Comments: Off

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Release date: July 27, 2023

Nothing good has ever come from exploring a derelict spaceship – except great stories.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series doesn’t reinvent the adventure genre, instead streamlining and refining many of its conventions. That it does so while providing a relentless and engaging story is a testament to the smart decisions taken by developer Deck Nine, which has scraped away much of the extraneous features of graphic adventure games to reveal their underlying appeal.

The game is a prequel to the cult show of the same name. Despite that, it feels very much standalone, with a story that provides insight into one of the show’s main characters while being wholly accessible to newcomers.

As such it is in the execution of the story that The Expanse lives or dies. Happily the game doesn’t overload the player with exposition, relegating much of the backstory of the setting to lightweight audio and text logs found scattered throughout its world. It shows rather than tells the impact of that setting through the interactions of main character Camina Drummer and her supporting cast, all of whom feel fully realised right from the off.

Characters that in less assured hands would feel cliched instead feel like genuine products of their environment. Khan, the irascible and tetchy pilot of the Artemis – the game’s primary location – can be humanised considerably throughout the first two episodes, transforming from a silhouette in a pilot’s seat to a tormented ally to Drummer.

A real scrap

Screnshot from The Expanse Telltale game — (Image credit: Telltale)

It’s a neat way to integrate the characters’ occupations as scavengers into the narrative while also reiterating that space in the Expanse-verse is inherently hostile to humankind. That fact plays into the story repeatedly, from the threat of execution through being ejected from an airlock to the impact it has upon the psyches of Belters – a faction who have no affiliation to any planet within the solar system.

That hostility is at the core of the story. Over the first few episodes Drummer and the crew of the Artemis discover the existence of a valuable item from a derelict ship, the mere knowledge of which makes them the target of pirate attacks and in-fighting within the crew themselves. It provides impetus for the decisions that you-as-Drummer have to make in order to keep the crew alive, while also emphasising the lack of value placed on human life that is integral to the setting.

The game mixes up the exploration sequences with scenes of relatively calm relationship development and QTE-based sections similar to those of previous Telltale Games. It provides welcome variety within each episode – and it doesn’t hurt that the action sequences have stellar art direction, making each shot and impact feel visceral. Those looking for reaction-based action won’t find it here, however: the timing on QTEs feels very forgiving by default, and the alternate settings are even laxer.

Despite the variety, each episode itself feels relatively short. Even seeking out everything in the environments it took me about 90 minutes to complete episode two, while actively seeking out every obtainable item in the zero-gravity section. These scenes are always fun, reminiscent of a more chilled-out Dead Space 3’s debris field section, but if you rushed through them the total playtime of each episode would be severely curtailed.

Short but sweet

That brevity also negatively affects the character development. You’ll find Drummer going from relative strangers to bosom buddies with other characters in only a few interactions. Likewise, the inevitable betrayals sting less than they should because of the short amount of time you’ve spent getting to know the characters. That’s mitigated by some fantastic performances from the voice actors – including Drummer’s original actor Cara Gee – and career-best facial animation from Deck Nine, but it does limit the impact of some game-changing interactions.

Best Bit

Navigating a vast environment in search of fuel, main character Camina Drummer explores her relationship with the other characters as much as the shattered skeletons of the fragile ships upon which they rely for survival. A perfect encapsulation of the setting and the cast – all in zero gravity.

Performance is never less than rock-solid even in the zero-g sections. That focus upon consistent frame rate and visual fidelity (a far cry from the Telltale games of old) is a huge part of what makes The Expanse feel so engaging: Deck Nine’s experience with the Life Is Strange series is paying dividends here, cementing the developer as a frontrunner in the graphic adventure genre.

There are the occasional muddy or repeating textures, as well as a bizarre glitch relating to audio levels I came across where Drummer’s internal narrative was roughly half the volume of her normal speech, making it seem like she was whispering in her own mind. One early graphical issue is also one of the most easily noticed, as an entire moon seems out of place due to texture resolution. Photos and posters dotted around the environment seem to have a default Photoshop filter applied to them, and though this is easily chalked up to a stylistic choice it still sticks out compared to the environments they feature in.

While the game’s physics never break, it is occasionally disconcerting to see Drummer nonchalantly bat a severed head through a zero-gravity environment as though it were a ping-pong ball, or to snap upright going from wall to ceiling.

Sidehead 3

The Expanse promises that most of the choices you make in the first three episodes will come home to roost in the fourth and especially the fifth episodes of the season. Given that I only had access to the first three for this review, it is impossible to say to what extent that is true. If, ultimately, the game’s choices dovetail towards a single canonical ending, that would be a disappointment given the numerous possibilities opened up during my playtime.

However, the fact that the game provides only one or two major choices per episode – helpfully signalled by a unique binary choice effect on screen – makes me believe the developers are deliberately avoiding that possibility. They promise that everyone aboard the Artemis can live, or all of them save Drummer can die. The first three episodes are a pared-back, streamlined story that seems to set up multiple branches towards the end, rather than a traditional adventure game diamond-shaped narrative structure.

That makes the choices you do make feel weighty. You dimly sense the shape of negative outcomes behind every decision: the game even lightly lampshades the fact that often there are no good options in as hostile an environment as space. The cold equations of survival are as much an antagonist as the pirates Drummer fights, and The Expanse makes you face them directly. It’s merciless, and the better for it.

At $39.99 for the base five episodes (with a bonus DLC episode to be released later), The Expanse’s success as an adventure game will be judged on how much those choices ultimately matter. While fans of the show already know the fate of some of its characters, as a standalone experience the game is compelling from moment to moment, a pared-back exploration of what makes adventure games so appealing.

Accessibility

The Expanse: A Telltale Series provides a welcome range of accessibility features that impact gameplay and playability. It offers three separate colourblind options, in addition to a number of warnings before scenes that use bright lights or loud noises.

In addition, the developers have included options for QTEs and critical decisions that either expand or remove time restrictions. These options are offered from the very start of the game, ensuring that there are no situations in which accessibility is an issue for any player.

How we reviewed The Expanse: A Telltale Series

The Expanse’s first three episodes were initially played over 4 hours, with a further 90+ minutes played to see how different choices played out within the first two episodes. I didn’t have review access to the final two episodes, nor the DLC episode. I played with first an Xbox controller and then a mouse and keyboard (preferred the controller, but both work well).

I haven’t watched any of the show upon which it is based, nor read the books, but have endured friends endlessly telling me to watch it.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series is out now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 review – Iteration over innovation

7:29 pm | April 26, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Dead Space, UFC | Comments: Off

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 is the latest console-focused headset from the boutique gaming manufacturer. Armed with the same 50mm TriForce Titanium drivers and HyperSense haptics as the original model, this minor revision, which features the brand’s Hyperspeed low latency wireless connectivity, makes for a solid product but doesn’t address our issues with the first Razer Kaira Pro for PlayStation.

If you’re after one of the best PS5 headsets in 2023, then the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 could be worth considering. However, it’s a little too expensive and lacking in wow factor to wholeheartedly recommend to anyone wanting a truly premium audio experience on the PS5.

Price and Availability

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 was released in March 2023 and is currently available in the US, the UK, and Australia for $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$369. It’s exactly the same price as the standard Razer Kaira Pro PlayStation model from 2022; a move that makes sense since this version effectively replaces its predecessor. It’s worth noting that, while no price increase has happened, you’re paying a platform premium compared to the Razer Kaira Pro for Xbox and PC, which sells for $149 / £149 / AU$259, a noticeable mark-up that’s hard to ignore.

Design and Features

Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed review — (Image credit: Future)

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed’s new addition to the established Razer Kaira Pro includes the Hyperspeed 2.4 GHz low latency dongle. It’s curved in such a way that you can slot it into the front of your PS5 console without obscuring the USB-A port to keep your controller charging or at the expense of your connection to the best PS5 external hard drives, if you’re lucky enough to have one.

Returning from the base Kaira Pro for PS5 model is the dual connectivity between the 2.4 GHz wireless and Bluetooth connection. There are also dedicated volume and microphone-monitoring scroll wheels on the rear of the left and right cups, respectively. Little has changed with the "HyperClear Supercardioid Mic", which is detachable and comes on a flexy arm, as the brand has been doing for many years now.

The earcups are plush and feature a leatherette feel as opposed to the mesh that could be found on the Xbox variant. You’ll note that the branding is spot on here, with the blue, black and white finish complimenting the PS5 well, meaning it will slot into your setup as easily as Sony’s Pulse 3D headset does.

You won’t be shocked to hear that the Razer TriForce Titanium 50mm audio drivers power the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 headset. These are drivers that have appeared in over half a dozen headsets since their introduction in 2020. It’s a case of if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. That’s been the approach with the HyperSense haptics, which first appeared in the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense and the Razer Kraken V3 Pro in late 2021. Tried-and-true really is the name of the game here; nothing is new or exciting, but that’s not necessarily a problem.

Performance

The cups of the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed — (Image credit: Future)

What’s good about returning internals in hardware like this is that you know exactly what you’re getting with the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5.he Razer TriForce Titanium 50mm drivers may be a fair few years old. However, they still do a great job of bringing out the distinction between the lows, mids, and highs, just as they did back in 2020 when replacing the original TriForce drivers.

The width of the 50mm drivers means that everything from the rumble of the micromachines in Hot Wheels Unleashed boosting around the orange plastic tracks, to the agonized screaming of Necromorphs mid-dismemberment in the Dead Space remake hits with the weight you would hope to hear on the platform. Thanks to the PS5 3D audio being available through every headset, the TriForce Titanium drivers do an excellent job of bringing the surround sound out in full force. They make listening to music nice, too. While no rival to some of the best headphones, spinning Cannibal Corpse’s Kill or Become and Vulvodynia’s Flesh Tailor hit with the right amount of weight in the bass and the drums.

What’s disappointed me as a fan and long-time user of the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense is how the haptics have translated here, going from wired to wireless. Regardless of which of the best PS5 games I was playing with the highest of the three settings and the volume dialed all the way up, the in-ear feedback didn’t quite live up to the intensity I was hoping for. Moments in UFC 4, such as a brutal double-leg takedown or that round-finishing spinning elbow, lacked the weight that a heavy strike should have.

While they work a good portion of the time, things are inconsistent with the haptics in Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5. There were times when the HyperSense and the 3D Audio, combined with the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller for a truly unrivalled experience. One such moment occurred when I took a tight corner in Hot Wheels Unleashed and felt the throaty roar of the engine mid-drift through the gamepad and headset at max volume. It was a truly immersive experience, but one that stood out more as an exception to the rule rather than the status quo.

The microphone and battery life have seen no improvement over the Razer Kaira Pro's base model. While Razer claims that you can expect around 30 hours of playback in total regardless of connectivity method, that’s only if you disable the RGB lighting and the HyperSense haptics entirely. The company suggests up to 11 hours with these features enabled, and that’s slightly more generous than I found in my experience. For the first few charges, I noticed around 10 hours, but I was charging this headset up between uses far more than with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ or the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition that I use on rotation.

The microphone on the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 is not great. It didn’t really matter which tweaks I made through the console’s settings or when plugged into my PC; things just sounded shrill and tinny. While completely serviceable for playing some of the best FPS games online with friends, this isn’t something that you’ll want to rely on as a replacement for one of the best microphones for streaming. It will get the job done, but I’ve heard better from cheaper gaming headsets.

Should you buy the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5?

Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed microphone and RGB — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

You want a stable wireless connection

The Hyperspeed 2.4 GHz dongle included with the new Razer Kaira Pro for PS5 works incredibly well and takes up little space on the console’s front ports.

You’re after strong audio performance

While the TriForce Titanium 50mm drivers are nothing new, they sound great at delivering distinctive audio when playing games or listening to music.

You want total immersion

While the wireless HyperSense in-ear haptics can be a little hit-and-miss, when they work alongside the 3D Audio and the DualSense controller, it truly feels awesome.

Don’t buy it if…

You want a PS5 headset with leading battery life

There’s no getting around the fact that you’ll be charging the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 up a fair amount if you want to use the RGB and haptics regularly.

You already own the Razer Kaira Pro for PS5

There’s very little that separates this from the original version, so it isn’t worth upgrading if you have the first version.

Best PS5 headsets for 3D audio: experience more immersive sound

Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed (PS5) review

4:34 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Dead Space | Comments: Off

If you’re after something with a smaller form factor than what we typically see from some of the best PS5 headsets then the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed for PS5 could be what you’ve been waiting for. Boasting a generous battery life, a cool design, and decent audio performance, these buds do just enough to distinguish themselves as some of the best gaming earbuds around.

Until very recently, it’s felt like achieving lossless true wireless with earbuds has been a tall order. Not so with the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed which delivers on the promise of lag-less sound without compromise.

It’s as instant as if they were plugged in, but there are some factors to take into account with popping in a pair of these as opposed to putting on a headset. Namely, the audio quality and connectivity are a little hit-and-miss at times which stops me from being able to wholeheartedly recommend them as a must-have product for PS5.