Author: Blair Loveday

7
Gaming

When I first saw Lego 2K Drive, I was amped. After the chaotic brilliance that was the Forza Horizon 4: Lego Speed Champions DLC, an entire Lego Brick Forza game was all I wanted. It turns out Lego 2K Drive wasn’t quite as Forza Horizonish I hoped for, but it is still damn delightful. More kart racer than arcade driving game https://youtu.be/YikuvietZV0 I know it’s weird to expect a Lego game to be more serious, but let’s not forget I had unrealistic expectations because of the Horizon 4 DLC. The races have serious emphasis on drifting corners and you smash…

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When I checked out the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, I was sold. The flip phone craze isn’t a mere novelty, it is so damn useful. When the Oppo Find N Flip didn’t come to NZ, I was jelly, as I wanted to sample Oppo’s take on the phone. Well now, with the Oppo Find N2 Flip, we can finally taste Oppo’s flippyness in Aotearoa. The flip phone for you? https://youtu.be/RNl1oNS9ISI I have always rated Oppo’s phones above the competition. They tend to pack more bang for your buck against their competition in the same price range. When it comes to…

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When PSVR first launched, it was an affordable way to try VR. For around $600, anyone with a PS4 could try VR. It had its limitations, but given the price between that and the thousands others charged, it was damn good value, and I loved it. Now with the PlayStation VR2, a lot of those limitations have been removed, with a spike in the price point to $1k. It looks so much prettier https://youtu.be/u5L9Mvh7tAk I’m not talking about the outside; that still looks like a hunk of plastic on your face. I am talking about the worlds you look at.…

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When Front Mission 1st originally made its way to the west, tactical RPGs weren’t even close to something I was jamming. It turns out that was to my detriment because there was a gem here I wasn’t ready for. Probably because I was 20 and busy playing edgy games like God of War 2. Well, now, after an original Japanese release in 1995 and the western release in 2007, the game has been remastered for Switch in 2023, which is perfect for me. https://youtu.be/gY_DZ-dKDbc Front mission drops us into a conflict in Oceania. The two powers are the UCS and…

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Portable Bluetooth speakers can offer a hell of a lot of options these days. Whether you want something small and cheap, something that is a glorified stage speaker, or something in the middle, you can really choose from the lot. Well, JBL has released their latest Boombox, which is a bit of a jack of all trades, and it’s a damn fine speaker. Sound Quality https://youtu.be/qBul7TRh8R4 The JBL Boombox can get incredibly loud and uncomfortable. Like, I don’t want to be in the room because my deaf ass’s ears are hurting loud. For a portable speaker, that is no easy…

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After checking out the JBL Quantum 810 Wireless headset I was a bit giddy. It had its minor faults but on the whole it was pretty damn impressive. Well this time I have the chance to check out the JBL Quantum 910 Wireless Headset to see if it is worth the extra $150. Well an extra $150 if you are comparing the two devices. It’s an extra $549 if you bought the 810 already and are looking to upgrade to the 910. But I am rambling about semantics. Time to talk about the headset. Comfort https://youtu.be/_m9J4FElGx8 As with the 810,…

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When I checked out the Ring Battery Video Doorbell 4 I was one happy chappy. The ease of setup, installation, and access on your phone made this a slam dunk in my house. Well now the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus is out, with promises of more battery and more vision; from one angle anyway. Installation, setup, etc. This is exactly the same as with the Ring Battery Video Doorbell 4. So if you are looking to understand that process, then check out my review here. I won’t bore you repeating myself, but in short, it’s fast, easy, and versatile.…

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Let’s be honest: the Horizon series is one of PlayStation’s hottest IPs. The first two games are fantastic, with interesting characters and a much more interesting world. So when it comes to an IP that is a perfect fit for PSVR2, Horizon Call of the Mountain had me eager from the outset. This game doesn’t disappoint… unless you want heaps of Aloy. The mountain is calling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxvsl34f_HM You take on the role of a Shadow Carja called Ryas, who has been a naughty boy. He was caught by the Carja and brought to the settlement, Dawns Grasp. Here he is…

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LUSH has done a promotional line with Super Mario Bros. to celebrate the upcoming movie. I got the chance to take some of these products for a spin, and I must say, they are well worth a look. Question Block: 2 in 1 Bath Bomb One of the stars of the whole campaign are the Question Block bath bombs. These are big bath bombs that will change your bath a random colour that lines up with something you find in the games. Inside the bath bomb is a bar of soap that is shaped to fit that item. So, for…

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Last year, when I checked out the Galaxy S22 Ultra, there were quite a lot of things I liked about it. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra doesn’t break the mould too much, so rather than retyping what I wrote last year, I will focus on what has changed. Like the S22 Ultra in more ways than one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH7csS3SCIA If you have a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, then this phone will feel familiar. It has the same black, rectangular shape that I liked. It isn’t the easiest to use with one hand without a popsocket or something to slip your fingers…

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