There was a time when a secret agent didn’t necessarily need a tuxedo, a fancy sports car or an arsenal of high-tech gadgets. Sometimes, apparently, all that was required was a pair of flippers and a suitably British sense of humor. James Pond became one of the more recognisable platforming characters of the Amiga and home computer era, and System 3 Software is now bringing his adventures together in James Pond Legacy: The Pond Is Not Enough. Rather than reinventing the original games, this collection is primarily concerned with preserving them, offering multiple versions of four classic titles alongside a new presentation layer designed to put the whole series into context. After getting some hands-on time with an early PC build at Gamescom, there is reason to be cautiously optimistic that this could be a worthwhile trip back to the Pondverse. Continue reading “James Pond Legacy: The Pond Is Not Enough preview (Gamescom)”
HyperX Cloud Earbuds III S review
The HyperX Cloud Earbuds III S take a somewhat different approach to gaming audio than the increasingly common wireless headsets and earbuds. Rather than chasing maximum versatility, HyperX has designed these wired earbuds primarily around gaming, with a USB-C connection, integrated controls, a microphone and virtual surround sound built into a compact package. That focus makes sense, especially for players who want something lighter and easier to carry than a traditional headset, although it also means there are some compromises that become more apparent outside of gaming. Continue reading “HyperX Cloud Earbuds III S review”
Apidya’ Special review (PS5)
There is something wonderfully odd about a game in which the hero turns into a bee and takes to the skies to save his poisoned wife, but Apidya’ Special has always embraced that peculiar premise rather than trying to hide it. Originally released on the Amiga in 1992, the shoot ’em up returns on PlayStation 5 in a version rebuilt from the ground up by Team Apidya, preserving the basic structure of the original while giving its presentation and accessibility options a considerable overhaul. The story remains little more than a reason to send Ikuro through a miniature world filled with insects, creatures and increasingly strange obstacles, but that is hardly a problem for a genre where the action has traditionally mattered far more than the narrative. The opening and ending presentation does add some personality, however, and the wonderfully bizarre setup fits the game’s distinctly early-’90s character rather well. Continue reading “Apidya’ Special review (PS5)”
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve preview (Gamescom)
There is something inherently satisfying about taking a modern fighter jet into the skies, throwing it into a sharp turn and watching a missile streak past just a little too close for comfort. Ace Combat has been delivering that particular kind of arcade flight action for decades, and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve looks set to continue that tradition while bringing the series to the current generation of hardware. A short hands-on session at Gamescom gave us the opportunity to climb into the cockpit and experience a taste of what Bandai Namco Aces has been preparing. While the demo was brief, it was enough to show that the familiar combination of accessible flight controls, dramatic dogfights and cinematic presentation remains at the heart of the experience. Continue reading “Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve preview (Gamescom)”
Onimusha: Way of the Sword review
After spending nearly two decades in the shadows, Onimusha returns with Way of the Sword, but this is far more than a nostalgic attempt to recreate what worked during the PlayStation 2 era. CAPCOM has effectively used the long absence as an opportunity to rethink the series for a modern action game audience, retaining its fascination with samurai, demons and supernatural weaponry while building the experience around a much more sophisticated combat system. The result is an impressive comeback that feels accessible to newcomers without relying too heavily on familiarity with previous Onimusha games, although it occasionally struggles to make everything surrounding its swordplay as compelling as the swordplay itself. At its best, Way of the Sword is an intense and wonderfully tactile samurai action game; at its weakest, it reveals a certain amount of repetition that prevents the whole adventure from consistently reaching the same heights. Continue reading “Onimusha: Way of the Sword review”