Author: Matthew Arcari

Matthew Arcari is the games and technology editor at The AU Review. You can find him on X at @sirchunkee, or at the Dagobah System, chilling with Luke and Yoda.

Code Vein 2 is functional and fun in certain places, and underwhelming in others

The first Code Vein didn’t really grab much of my attention when it released back in 2019, but I had gotten around to it some time later, with some surprisingly pleasant results. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it broke new ground within the Souls-like genre, but it certainly did enough to warrant…

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The Arzopa Z3FC is an affordable, versatile portable monitor

In today’s day and age, we do more on the go than ever. Whether for work, gaming, or a mix of both, the rise of portable monitors has arguably never felt more justified. We recently had the chance to take the Arzopa Z3FC portable monitor for a few weeks now, and have been pleasantly surprised…

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The Twelve South Curve Mini adjustable compact stand is a premium option worth considering

Tablet and phone stands are certainly plentiful in today’s market, so we don’t blame you for struggling to decide between what works and what’s best. In many ways, Twelve South has provided some serious quality across a range of phone, tablet, and laptop accessories, including the HiRise 3 Deluxe charging stand and AirFly Pro 2, two options that I…

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WWE 2K26 Attitude Era Edition and Monday Night War Edition covers revealed

WWE 2K26 is officially on the way, and has revealed covers for both the Attitude Era Edition and Monday Night War Edition over the weekend. The Attitude Era Edition cover was revealed on Friday Night SmackDown, while the Monday Night War Edition was revealed during Saturday Night’s Main Event. We also got a look at…

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Everything announced at the Xbox Developer Direct 2026

The Xbox Developer Direct has rolled around to kick January off with a bang, highlighting some fresh titles for 2026 and beyond. While many of these games have been revealed or shown off in some way, it’s always nice to get a deeper look at games we’re super excited for. Here’s all the announcements and…

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The Best Games of 2025

It’s hard to believe it’s that time of the year again. Christmas is here, Summer has come for us Down Under, and another year of content has wrapped at The AU Review. But we couldn’t leave without giving props to our favourite games of the year, and boy, were we spoilt for choice. It was…

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The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite Wireless Gaming Headset is simply the best that money can buy

We had the pleasure of reviewing the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Gaming Headset when it was released back in 2022, and had crowned it the undisputed champion of gaming headsets. I still use it to this very day on my Xbox Series X. It’s incredibly comfortable, provides great audio quality, and has a range…

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The Dreame Z30 Station Stick Vacuum and Dock is a wonderful all-rounder

With the list of stick and robot vacuums seemingly growing by the day, there’s no doubt that there are a multitude of ways to keep your floors clean at home. While the robot vacuum is always a solid option for the sake of convenience, there are some benefits to having a decent stick vacuum at…

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The GameSir G7 Pro Wireless Controller is a reliable, premium alternative

There’s no shortage of controllers on the market these days, but for the most part, I find myself looking for another controller when I need something more. Sure, an extra controller is great for gaming with others, but the recent rise of pro-centric controllers has made not only competitive gaming but casual gaming more accessible…

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Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection packs nostalgic punches in bunches

I can’t lie, I’m a sucker for Mortal Kombat. Call it nostalgia, brought on by the 1995 movie (insert MORTAL KOMBAAAATTT scream here), or the long list of arcade and console classics that inspired it. Now I get it, that movie doesn’t hold a candle to the games released before and since, but that was…

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The EPOS Impact 500 on-ear ANC headphones are a solid option for every workplace

We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing a few EPOS products over the years, most recently with the EPOS ADAPT E1 earbuds. While the EPOS range attempts to bring a general sense of quality and a list of premium features to workplace options, its expanding range seems to be ticking more and more boxes by the…

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Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a fantastic sequel that gets most of its pieces right

It feels like forever since I’ve played a new Metroid Prime game, and then I realised, that’s because it’s been forever since we got one. Not counting 2023’s admittedly stellar Metroid Prime Remastered, we last touched base with this particular series in 2007 with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on the Nintendo Wii. While it was far from…

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Here’s every announcement from The Game Awards 2025

Another year, done and dusted, as we usher in one of the biggest and most prestigious nights, celebrating all things gaming in 2025. Firstly, we would like to congratulate all winners and nominees here on an absolutely stellar year, along with Game of the Year winner, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.  That being said, The Game…

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The Secretlab TITAN Evo XL gaming chair provides a premium experience that justifies its price

Secretlab are no stranger when it comes to crafting some incredible gaming chairs over the years, and the TITAN Evo has been dominating as the popular premium option for a few years now. While I’ve never had one myself, I jumped at the opportunity to test the TITAN Evo XL option and have simply had…

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Goodnight Universe serves up a superb narrative that’s packed with heart

It’s crazy to announce it here in writing, but I can proudly say that my wife and I are expecting our first child. Am I excited? Of course. Am I also terrified? You bet. When Goodnight Universe came my way, I couldn’t resist the subject matter and felt compelled to give this one a shot….

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Here’s when and where you can watch The Game Awards 2025

It’s that time of the year again, when the best games of the year compete for the ultimate glory. In addition to the awards themselves, it’s also a great time for new announcements and trailers, with The Game Awards having gained quite the reputation over the years for some major news and surprises. The Game…

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Sydney to host very first Pokémon GO City Safari

Sydney is set to host the very first Pokémon GO City Safari this coming weekend. This unique experience will get fans exploring Sydney’s harbour, discovering new landmarks and hidden gems, all while meeting new friends along the way. The event will kick off this weekend and take place on December 13 and 14, 2025. We’ve…

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The Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow is an incredible robot vacuum for any home

I feel like everyone around me is beginning to adapt to robot vacuums for automated cleaning while at home and away, and I can definitely see why. I can’t believe I haven’t pulled the trigger on a robot vacuum just yet, but upon being allowed to review Roborock’s new Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, I’m glad…

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 provides some solid gameplay, but stumbles in its campaign

It’s no secret that the Call of Duty machine practically churns at the end of every year, working on the next annual project in hopes of moving the Modern Warfare or Black Ops series forward. Funnily enough, we got Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 one after the other, so it seems the next…

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The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard is an absolute dream for competitive gamers

We recently reviewed Corsair’s Vanguard 96 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, applauding it for its premium build quality, satisfying keys and general versatility. That being said, we would also like to mention up top that our review for the Vanguard Pro 96 Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard might draw similarities in certain areas, and while we don’t mean…

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The GameSir X5s Wireless Game Controller is a solid, affordable alternative for gaming on the go

Gaming has arguably never been more accessible, across a range of portable and dedicated devices. While mobile gaming has been popular for a while now, the era of cloud and console quality gaming on the go is upon us, and we must prepare accordingly. Sure, you’ve got something like the Backbone One, which has been…

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Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment makes for an engaging, action-packed sequel

The Hyrule Warriors series has made a decent impact on the Nintendo Switch as a formidable, Dynasty Warriors-infused Musou experience that builds on the lore of its existing mainline Zelda titles. While those previous titles lacked the performance required to handle multiple enemies on screen at any given time, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment finally…

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Valve announces new PC-console hybrid, the Steam Machine, along with a new controller and VR headset

Valve has announced it will be releasing new hardware in 2026, which we now know to be the Steam Machine. This new PC-console hybrid will essentially work like a PC in terms of its outright compatibility and versatility, but will be used more like a traditional console. That’s not all, however, as Valve also announced…

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Painkiller is a functional shooter that ultimately lacks variety and originality

Funnily enough, I actually have my original PC copy of 2004’s Painkiller, and while I was way too young to be playing it, I  enjoyed the first-person chaos. As you would imagine, I was actually incredibly excited to find out this underrated gem was getting a full remake. While 2025’s Painkiller is a functional shooter…

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Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed again

We hate to see it, but the news is now official. Rockstar has announced that GTA 6 will be delayed until the 19th of November, 2026. It didn’t feel like long ago that they had announced a delay to May of next year, but as it stands, we’ll have to wait another entire year to…

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The Outer Worlds 2 is a stunning sequel that outshines its predecessor in every way

I personally enjoyed The Outer Worlds upon its launch in 2019, as it felt like a solid Obsidian Entertainment game that many had felt they had played before, yet was built off the best bits of previous RPG titles. Even so, it did combine a few interesting elements for an entirely functional, engaging and at…

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Crash Bandicoot

Crash Bandicoot is reportedly getting an animated Netflix series

Crash Bandicoot might have been resting his eyes in recent years, but I’m not sure we would have guessed this kind of return. According to a report from What’s On Netflix, Crash Bandicoot will be getting his own animated series on Netflix, although a release window is not yet known. WildBrain Studios, the same studio…

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Ninja Gaiden 4 revives the classic franchise with top-notch action

Ninja Gaiden, as a franchise, might have existed since the NES, but my first experience with it was on the original Xbox back in 2004. In fact, it was one of the first Xbox games I had played. That revival, while fantastic, might have been a little too taxing for a 10-year-old back then, but…

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A keyboard

The Corsair Vanguard 96 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard serves as a solid all-rounder

In this increasingly saturated market of gaming and mechanical keyboards alike, it becomes a little hard to pick which one might suit your needs best. Do you prefer clicky switches or softer linear ones? Do you need the numberpad on the side, or would you rather opt for a mini or 60% keyboard for more…

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Halo Campaign Evolved has been revealed and is coming to the PS5

Halo Campaign Evolved has officially been revealed this weekend, serving as a full remake of the original game, launching on the Xbox Series X/S, PC, and, you guessed it, PlayStation 5 in 2026. This is a complete remake built with Unreal Engine 5, and will feature the original campaign, along with new missions, new weapons,…

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