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Review: Mortal Kombat 1

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The new Mortal Kombat’s fast-paced action is backed by a good story 
Prices vary; Sony PS5 (reviewed), Xbox X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC

Mortal Kombat has carved a niche for itself in the fighting game genre despite some solid competition. In its thirty years of existence, Mortal Kombat games have introduced new elements while staying true to its original premise – gory and fast-paced action. 

The Mortal Kombat 1 carries the mantle ahead with a wonderful story, over-the-top action and non-stop fights. MK1’s story continues after the events of MK11 with Lui Kang, the Keeper of Time stitching a newer, peaceful timeline. This peace, of course, is short-lived as we discover playing through a tight 5 to 6-hour-long Kampaign, and admittedly, it feels like a long movie with fights thrown in between, but it’s certainly not a bad thing. 

The alternate timeline premise allows the game to experiment with some of the characters’ storylines that are introduced in a series of chapters giving MK veterans fresh and an interesting perspective while giving context to new Mortal Kombat players. Overall, the storytelling is engaging and keeps you hooked while advancing through the story. 

Crucial to the narrative is MK1’s fights, and the game nails it beautifully. Button mashing works for a few odd fast-paced fights but it’s the combo moves that will help you advance. The good thing for newer MK players is that they are not difficult to remember. Another major addition to MK1’s combat is the Kameo system. This lets you pick another character from a separate roster that can help you gain extra damage or break the attacks with a press of a button. However, the use of Kameos are limited so the players can use them sparingly and strategically.

Moving from the story, MK1 offers a few other ways to enjoy the game. It has the Invasions mode that brings RPG elements, and enhanced challenges for different fights with unique rewards. There’s also a variety of multiplayer options to get the MK1 fight fix. 

As a fighting game, MK1 looks similar to its predecessors, yet it is so different. It tells a story that keeps players immersed with its twists and turns while delivering a satisfying fighting experience with the new Kameo system. 

RATING

WE’RE IMPRESSED Story, visuals, combat
WE’D IMPROVE Story length
THE LAST WORD Mortal Kombat 1 is a strong entry in the franchise that not only offers an engaging story but an improved fighting experience

TEGC completes 10th year in 2023

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Excellence Gaming Cup (TEGC) 2023 is back in India. TEGC – the longest-running esports championships in India – will complete 10 years in 2023, and the celebrations surrounding the coveted championship promises to be bigger, better, and bolder.

On September 12, Taiwan Excellence (TE) unveiled details of the elimination rounds, the grand finale and other interesting aspects of the sought-after championship at a special press conference held at Four Seasons, Worli, Mumbai.

This year the event will, for the first time, bring together all former TEGC champions from India on one stage. TEGC has also tied up with leading tech influencers to livestream the event, and the same will be available on the TE YouTube handle. A brand-new website was unveiled during the event, signalling the opening of the TEGC registration for gamers with many interesting prizes up for grabs in the finale.

TEGC also announced its plans to have an interesting contest between India’s top 10 female gamers. This battle will play out at the same time as the TEGC grand finale scheduled to be held in November. 

TEGC 2023 will also be promoted at several college and gaming festivals where visitors will get a first-hand experience of Made in Taiwan products during the festival period and in another first, TEGC will join hands with an NGO working with underprivileged children as part of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The tie-up will allow the kids to spend a fun-filled day interacting with influential gamers playing educational games and understanding the importance of sports for their holistic development.

Speaking at the launch of the 10th edition of TEGC, Mr. Poyi Edison Hsu, Director of Taipei World Trade Centre Liaison Office in Mumbai (TAITRA – Mumbai) said, “Esports is not just about gaming, it is a passion, a career and a way of life for some of the brightest minds in this country,”.

“From 500 participants at its debut, the TEGC has come a long way with the 10th edition expected to have over 25,000 young Indian gamers battling it out to be the champion,” said Mr Edison

Terming TEGC’s 10th edition as ‘extra special’, he added, “To celebrate 10 years of TEGC, the grand finale will see all former TEGC champions on one platform. For the first time, the TEGC finale will also have a special event to acknowledge women power in esports with India’s top 10 women gamers showcasing their gaming prowess.”

Commenting on the future of esports in the country, Mr Edison said, “India’s demographic advantage, growing IT infrastructure and resultant internet and smartphone penetration augurs well for the future of the gaming industry.”

Review: Ride 5

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Superbikes paradise
Rs. 4,799; PS5 (reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PC

Motorbikes don’t get as much love as cars in racing games. However, Italy-based Milestone srl is an exception in the industry where they have been consistently releasing bike racing games. Ride 5 is their latest release that aims to make the franchise bigger and better.

Ride 5 is a racing simulator that gives players a vast roster of motorbikes to ride on and more importantly, how realistic they behave. The initial lineup is over 230 motorbikes from 20 different manufacturers with the count expected to cross over 270 in the coming months with DLCs. 

Ride 4 brought impressive visuals to the fore and Ride 5 elevates it. The bikes have impeccable attention to detail. The 44 real and fictional racetracks are well-detailed and with volumetric clouds and Dynamic Weather system, it adds a layer of realism while you’re burning rubber around the track at high speed. The game works without any hiccups or stutters on the PS5 and utilises DualSense’s adaptive triggers exceptionally well with instant feedback while applying brakes or riding on a kerb, gravel or grass. 

The physics of a two-wheeler works differently than a car and you’ll soon realise how difficult it is to master if you have no experience with it. One braking or turning error and you’d fly around the track as a ragdoll. To combat this steep learning curve for a newcomer, the game comes with riding aids. This is not turning down the difficulty setting but rather a detailed and customised riding aid that lets you change different aspects of riding so you can master them, which will help to earn higher rewards. 

There are multiple game modes starting with the career that brings over 200 races segregated between primary and secondary events. The aim is to be the world’s best racer which can be monitored with the progress you make on the leaderboard. The endurance mode lets you ride the bikes for hours, test their durability and manage pit stops. Interestingly, this mode lets you save in-race if you cannot complete a race in one session. 

Playing with friends and family is possible through the conventional split-screen interface or if you’re looking to play with other Ride 5 players, there’s online multiplayer. Online races work cross-platform as well. 

Despite being evolutionary, Ride 5 is a step in the right direction with a vast motorcycle selection and different playable modes. Now all we need is a Forza Horizon-type game for bikes!

Rating

WE’RE IMPRESSED Graphics, Couch co-op
WE’D IMPROVE Difficulty for new players
THE LAST WORD Ride 5 delivers a well-packaged racing simulator for motorcycle enthusiasts

ASUS Introduces Never Stop Gaming Event at Gamescom 2023

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ASUSRepublic of Gamers (ROG) announced news of its ongoing Never Stop Gaming event, which is currently being held August 22–23, at E-Werk in Cologne, Germany. The event includes exciting new ROG gaming products, plus loads of fun activities on the side such as a press event, product showcases, ROG Talk, and ROG Party. Gamers and ROG fans have been treated to refreshed Z790 motherboards, OLED gaming monitors, and the latest ROG x Evangelion co-branded products.  

ASUS Z790 motherboards

During the event, ASUS unveiled the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero, ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II, and TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi motherboards which support Intel® Core™ 12th Gen, 13th Gen, and Next-Gen processors. These motherboards offer PCIe® 5.0 and DDR5 memory support, providing users with enhanced connectivity, performance tuning capabilities, efficient cooling solutions, and a host of other features.

The ROG Z790 Dark Hero and the Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II feature Intel WiFi 7 technology and the latest ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna, both of which enable significantly faster speeds by packing more data into each transmission. Specifically, the ROG Z790 Dark Hero offers up to 320 MHz bandwidth, while link speed can reach up to 5.8 Gbps. The TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi offers WiFi 6E support and includes the latest ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna for enhanced wireless performance and convenient setup. 

These motherboards are packed with ASUS-exclusive technologies including AI Overclocking, AI Cooling II, Two-Way AI Noise Cancelation, and ASUS Enhanced Memory Profile II (AEMP II) to simplify setup and improve performance. The boards feature numerous USB ports and fast-charging support on the 20 Gbps USB Type-C® front-panel connector with USB Wattage Watcher. Plus, installation is simple as these motherboards include DIY-friendly features including Q-Antenna, Q-LED, PCIe Slot Q-Release, and M.2 Q-Latch.

ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM

The ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM is the world’s first 32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitor, and it features a superfast 240 Hz refresh rate and 0.03 (GTG) response time. It takes advantage of QD-OLED technology to provide a peak brightness of 1000 nits, outstanding color performance, a wide gamut, exceptional contrast, and an improved sub-pixel layout for clearer, easily legible text. The PG32UCDM features a superb cooling design including a custom heat sink and graphene material to protect the OLED panel by reducing the risk of burn-in. The Smart KVM switch allows users to control two devices with one keyboard and mouse, without the need for additional hardware or software. Users can use PIP mode with keyboard hotkeys to switch devices by controlling with one keyboard and mouse. Lastly, the PG32UCDM offers rich connectivity options including DisplayPort™ 1.4, HDMI® 2.1, and USB Type‑C with power delivery. Its estimated on-the-shelf date is around Q1 2024.

ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM

The ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM is a 34-inch ultrawide (3440 x 1440), 800R curved OLED gaming monitor offers a 240 Hz refresh rate, 0.03 ms gray-to-gray (GTG) response time and includes a custom heatsink to lower operating temperatures and reduce the risk of burn-in. The PG34WCDM has a peak brightness of 1300 nits and is DisplayHDR™ True Black 400-compliant, while its G-SYNC compatible ensures supersmooth, tear-free visuals with low latency. The built-in Smart KVM allows users to control two devices with a keyboard and mouse, with USB 3.2 connectivity enabling superfast file transfers across two input sources. The PG34WCDM offers extensive connectivity including DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, and USB Type-C with 90 W power delivery. This model is expected to be available in Q1 2024.

ROG Swift OLED PG49WCD

The ROG Swift OLED PG49WCD monitor is a 49-inch super-ultrawide (5120 x 1440) gaming monitor, featuring an 1800R QD-OLED panel with 144 Hz refresh rate and 0.03 ms response time for immersive gaming experiences. For improved performance and to ensure the longevity of the QD-OLED panel, the PG49WCD includes a custom heatsink and graphene film for better heat dissipation to reduce the risk of burn-in and boost peak brightness up to 1000 nits². The built-in Smart KVM allows users to control two devices with a keyboard and mouse, all without the need for specialized software or additional hardware. Users can even transfer files across between the two input devices via superfast USB 3.2 connectivity. The monitor offers a range of connectivity including a USB Type-C port with 90 W power delivery, DisplayPort 1.4, and HDMI 2.1. The PG49WCD will be available in October 2023 and will retail at US $1499.

ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro WiFi 7 gaming router

The ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro is the world’s first WiFi 7 quad-band gaming router, and it leverages the full potential of WiFi 7 with 320 MHz channel support in the 6 GHz band to provide up to 160% faster speeds than previous-generation WiFi 6. In addition, 4K QAM modulation packs more data into transmissions, resulting in up to 20% higher peak data rates to deliver incredible speeds of up to 30,000 Mbps.

Furthermore, with two additional revolutionary features – Multi-Link Operation and Multi-RU Puncturing – the GT-BE98 Pro can deliver faster and more efficient wireless connections. The GT-BE98 Pro comes with gaming features including triple-level game acceleration, gaming port, and QoS that reduce lag and latency for gaming. Using GT-BE98 Pro with systems featuring WiFi 7 Z790 motherboards allows users to take advantage of the latest WiFi 7 features.

ROG x Evangelion collection

ROG has recently unveiled the latest ROG x Evangelion co-branded products centered around the EVA-02 and Asuka characters from the renowned Evangelion anime series. PC DIY builders and anime lovers can now have premium ROG components and peripherals decked out in the classic EVA-02 red-and-orange livery with custom Evangelion-themed decals and graphics. These include an ROG Maximus Hero motherboard, ROG Strix GeForce RTX™ graphics card, ROG Ryujin AIO cooler, ROG Hyperion gaming case, graphics card holder, peripherals, and other gear.

ROG Hyperion GR701 White Edition chassis

The ROG Hyperion GR701 White Edition is an E-ATX computer case that offers 420 mm dual radiator support, four 140 mm fans, a metal GPU holder, component storage, ARGB fan hub, and dual front panel USB Type-C ports with 60 W fast charging. With its white aluminum finish to its internal wiring, the White edition offers a complete visual overhaul of the original GR701 Hyperion to complement other White edition ROG components and products. The event during Gamescom 2023 also showcased the new ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB White Edition and the ROG Strix 1000W Gold Aura White Edition.

ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card

The ROG Matrix Platinum GeForce RTX™ 4090 incorporates the industry’s first liquid metal thermal material on the graphics card’s GPU die, for breakthrough temperatures, superior sustained performance and less noise. Plus, a 360 mm radiator with innovative magnetic daisy-chainable fans, a more powerful pump and a larger full-covered coldplate on the graphics card also come together to deliver unrivalled performance and the highest out-of-the-box GPU boost clock. What’s more, this card features an incredibly bold and modern design, perfect for the most advanced gaming build setups.

ROG Loki SFX-L 1200W Titanium

The ROG Loki 1200W is a high-performance SFX-L PSU designed for small-form-factor (SFF) builds. With large ROG heatsinks for efficient cooling, it achieves 80 PLUS Titanium certification, offering over 90% efficiency from low to maximum loads. The axial-tech fan and ARGB lighting add style and functionality, harmonizing lighting effects across the system. Fully modular and ATX 3.0 ready, the Loki 1200W includes a 16-pin 12VHPWR cable for powerful graphics card support. With a 10-year warranty, it assures reliability and confidence, making it the backbone of any SFF build.

ROG NX Storm Mechanical Switches

ROG NX Storm mechanical switches utilize composite polyoxymethylene (POM) material for the stem and polycarbonate (PC) housing to provide ultra-smooth and tactile keystrokes. The walled stem design enhances stability and prevents dust intrusion. These switches are specially tuned and pre-lubed at the factory to ensure crisp and clicky keystrokes coupled with that familiar ‘clacky’ sound. ROG NX Storm switches are compatible with the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless and ROG Strix Scope II gaming keyboards.

ROG Moonstone Ace L

The ROG Moonstone Ace L is a tempered glass gaming mouse pad that offers super swift glides and effortless mouse movements. Made from 9H tempered glass, the surface of ROG Moonstone Ace L offers exceptional durability and tensile strength. An additional coating on the glass surface reduces sound so movements across the mouse pad stay quiet for distraction-free gaming. A fully silicone base complete with stylish ROG markings ensures the mousepad stays firmly in place.

ROG Raikiri Pro

The Raikiri Pro is a highly-customizable controller for maxed-out gaming experiences. It offers versatile tri-mode Bluetooth®, 2.4 GHz RF, or wired USB-C® connectivity to ensure compatibility with PCs and laptops, and can even be used with Xbox® via a wired connection. The built-in OLED display can be programmed to show custom animations and status indicators, or to switch controller profiles ― even while gaming. Additional intuitive rear controls include four left and right buttons that can be programmed for in-game commands or to make on-the-fly joystick sensitivity shifts, with dead zones customizable in the Armoury Crate software. The left and right triggers can also be set to short- or full-range modes.

BTF motherboard innovations

Never Stop Gaming attendees were also able to see revolutionary hidden-connector solutions with the TUF Gaming B760M-BTF WIFI D4 motherboard, TUF Gaming Z790 concept motherboard, and ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 BTF concept graphics card. The hidden-connector designs simplify cable routing for first-time builders and enhance overall aesthetics.

The ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 BTF graphics card boasts a design that eliminates the need for traditional 8-pin or 16-pin external power connectors on the card. It adds a new connector that allows power to be passed directly from the motherboard’s high-power graphics card slot. When combined with a hidden-connector motherboard and chassis, the build process and cable management are greatly simplified by eliminating visible cables on the front of the PC.

TUF Gaming LC II 360 ARGB

The TUF Gaming LC II 360 ARGB series of durable liquid CPU coolers delivers the performance and features needed to bring the best out of mainstream gaming builds. Coolant flows through an illuminated cold plate and reinforced 400 mm sleeved tubing before arriving at a high-capacity radiator cooled by three 120 mm ARGB fans – which are groove-bladed for optimal airflow and reduced noise.

Review: Final Fantasy XVI

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The latest Final Fantasy offers brings epic lore and engaging gameplay
Rs. 4,799; PS5

Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy series has garnered a loyal fan base since the introduction of the first game back in 1987. Over the years, the anthology not only experimented with the storyline but also the combat and gameplay features. The latest instalment – Final Fantasy XVI builds on the real-time combat system of its predecessor but brings story to the forefront making the game fun for long-time fans and accessible to new players.

Final Fantasy XVI takes place in a fictional region called Valisthea that houses different realms as they fight for survival against the blight and the control of mothercrystals, which is the main source of magic for all kingdoms. The whole Valisthean setup gives a Games of Thrones-ey vibe given the portrayal of complex relationships and overall a darker and mature setting. But unlike GoT, Final Fantasy XVI focuses on one – Clive Rosfield. You play as Clive who is a likable young prince of Rosaria and serves as a protector of his younger sibling Joshua but fails early on. While Clive is the game’s central character and the story revolves around him, the game does a very good job of subtly touching upon different topics like the treatment of Branded aka slaves and deep-rooted politics.

Final Fantasy XVI

Truth be told, given the vast story, it seems overwhelming to follow at first but the game has a nifty feature called the Active Time Lore comes. It is akin to X-Ray on Prime Video so you can long press the DualSense to pause the cutscene and see important information and the character background for a more immersive experience.

Complementing a great story and protagonist are side characters like Cid and Jill that are portrayed by talented actors like Ralph Ineson and Susannah Fielding. Although they are unplayable but accompany Clive on different missions to help him in fights along with Clive’s trusty pet wolf – Torgal.

Final Fantasy XVI

Combat is another area where Final Fantasy XVI shines. It brings real-time action that may initially seem like mashing buttons for a favourable outcome but it is more nuanced with the ability to earn extra damage by executing combos with melee and magic attacks and eventually staggering the enemy for more damage. The game also adds the ability to use Eikon powers which Clive accumulates over the course of the game and can be changed in real-time to suit your playstyle. Speaking of Eikons, the Eikon battles are terrific with breathtaking visuals. Players can also upgrade Clive’s moves and abilities.

Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy XVI looks stunning and plays well on the powerful PS5 hardware. There were some busy scenes where you could sense a drop in frames but not a dealbreaker.

Final Fantasy XVI is a worthy addition to the franchise. While it deviates from some of the original gameplay elements but the game brings improved gameplay elements and a powerful story that will potentially bring new players to the three-decade-old franchise.

RATING

WE’RE IMPRESSED Combat, story
WE’D IMPROVE Basic RPG gameplay
THE LAST WORD Final Fantasy XVI is a strong addition to the franchise with a strong narrative and a great combat system