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.
Developer Obsidian Entertainment is no stranger to crafting dense, well-directed open worlds to explore and engaging narrative experiences to remember. Fallout: New Vegas still stands as one of my favourite games of all time, so their latest project, Avowed, immediately grabbed my attention. While it doesn’t necessarily change or redefine the current RPG structure, Avowed…
With PlayStation’s slate for 2025 and beyond relatively unclear at this point, there was plenty of hype riding on yesterday’s showcase to reveal some long-awaited release dates on existing projects, while throwing a few new projects to boot. I wish we got something on Marvel’s Wolverine, which has been eerily quiet since its announcement in…
I’ve been a huge fan of the Sniper Elite series over the years, and have personally loved the gorgeous new locations and crazy missions that each instalment brings. While Sniper Elite: Resistance drops its predecessors’ numbered trend, it also makes this latest entry feel more like a side-step than a step forward. That’s not a…
PlayStation has announced their latest State of Play stream, for tomorrow the 13th of February. The stream will last for just over 40 minutes and according to Sony and PlayStation, will “celebrate a creative and unique selection of exciting games from studios around the world”. While we’re sure to get more on previously revealed games…
With both Nintendo and Xbox having their say in the early months of 2025, Capcom has joined in with their Capcom Spotlight showcase, highlighting their newest upcoming projects for 2025 and beyond. While many of these games have already been announced one way or the other, it’s simply nice to get a deeper look at…
I’ve been a big fan of movie tie-in games ever since I can remember, with fond memories of Goldeneye 007 and The Warriors being some of my highlights. While it’s no secret most of them have been average, we thought we would track down and discuss some of the better games that have rivalled the…
We recently had the pleasure of previewing Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and apologise if we repeat anything here by chance. That being said, we must reiterate that when the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance was released in 2018, we were pleasantly surprised with the amount of freedom given to players, to explore a detailed and vibrant…
Forza Horizon 5 will officially be released for the PlayStation 5 this Autumn. This announcement is huge news for PlayStation 5 owners, but what does it mean for Xbox and the future of its exclusives, games, and platforms? Let’s dive in and discuss. Forza Horizon 5 on the PlayStation 5 Firstly, let’s outline what PS5…
Xbox has hit the ground running in 2025 with its Developer Direct showcase, highlighting some of its biggest games set to land in 2025. We’ve unpacked every announcement from the show for you here. Enjoy! DOOM: THE DARK AGES GETS AN OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE AND COLLETOR’S EDITION NINJA GAIDEN 4 IS ON THE WAY NINJA…
The Nintendo Switch 2 was revealed only a few days ago, and while it was nice to see that this thing exists in the flesh, we have plenty of questions. The introductory trailer only highlighted a few things about its design like the new stand, larger screen and updated Joy-Cons. While a mix of rumours…
We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing several Anker products over the years, including the Anker Prime 250W charger, which is still at my desk, and their 10,000 mAh 30W Power Bank, which I had used up until this particular review. As great as that previous portable charger has been, the MagGo 10K Slim Power Bank…
We reviewed the first Kingdom Come Deliverance when it was released in 2018 and were pleasantly surprised with almost everything it offered. Near limitless freedom to explore a painstakingly crafted medieval open world felt like a worthy experience all on its own. But paired with numerous functional gameplay mechanics and systems, this is something worth…
It might have felt like the world’s worst-kept secret for a second there, but Ninetdno has officially come out and announced its next console, the Nintendo Switch 2. Firstly, we’re going to let the trailer do the talking (or showing) below: While there’s not much in the way of specs here, we can see that…
The time has rolled around once again for us to wrap up the year that was and summarise 2023’s best games. It never gets any easier, but we’ve had to extend this year’s list out to 10 games as opposed to the usual 5. That being said, let’s hit the ground running and jump straight…
I love Twelve South’s range of changing stands and still use the HiRise Deluxe 3 today. The HiRise Deluxe 2 follows in the footsteps of its slightly larger predecessor while bringing some new and interesting features to the fold. The new Qi2 charging certification certainly helps your services charge quicker, while the premium finish and…
The Game Awards 2024 has wrapped, and we would firstly like to congratulate every single nominee and winner. There were plenty of great games this year, and we would also like to congratulate Astro Bot, which took home the Game of the Year award. While this yearly event, now celebrating its 10th year, is known…
The Game Awards 2024 is fast approaching, wrapping up another year of the best games we’ve played, or should be playing. The show itself will be taking place for Australian viewers, on the morning of Friday, the 13th of December. We’ve outlined local times below for your convenience: Melbourne/Sydney/Canberra 11:30am AEDT Friday, December 13th Brisbane…
When we reviewed Microsoft Flight Simulator back in 2020, there was no doubt that we were playing something special. Something crafted for not only hardcore flight fans but also a new adventure for curious future enthusiasts to explore and experiment with. It’s something I can admit I never thought I would come to love, but…
Raiders of the Lost Ark is not only my favourite Indiana Jones movie, it’s one of my favourite films of all time. I also tend to soak up everything else this franchise has to offer. I’ve played the games, from Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Infernal Machine, and the Emperor’s Tomb, and have…
SteelSeries is well known not only for its fantastic variety of gaming peripherals and accessories but also for its consistent quality. From the Arctis Nova Pro to the Arctis Nova 5 and even the Arctis Nova 1, it’s safe to say their newer headsets have all been winners in their own right. The SteelSeries Arctis…
We’ve reviewed a bunch of Turtle Beach headsets over the past couple of years, from the high-end Stealth Pro to the more modest, yet value-packed Stealth 500. There’s no doubt that Turtle Beach is providing a wide range of features and price points across their headsets, and the newer Stealth 700 (Gen 3) is no…
We personally loved Stellar Blade when it was released earlier this year, and based on our review, still stand by the fact that it’s one of the better action games we’ve played this year. I’m also personally a huge fan of NieR: Automata, and it’s one of the first reviews I had ever written for this…
We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing multiple Anker charging products in the past, like the 10,000 mAh 30W Power Bank, which I still use today. However, The Anker Prime Charger differs from what we’ve seen before. In its newer 250W, 6 port form, this GaNPrime desktop charger essentially acts as your go-to charging station for…
If you’ve never played Stardew Valley before, we recommend immediately rectifying the situation and getting your farming hat on. For those who have, you’ll be familiar with the whimsical and relaxing soundtrack accompanying gameplay. Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons is heading to Australia in 2025, and will feature a whopping 35-piece orchestra, performing the most…
We’ve tested a few BlueAnt speakers over the past couple of years and can safely say that they’ve established a presence in the Australian market by providing versatility and value across their range of products. I’m still using the larger BlueAnt X6 speaker to this day. The BlueAnt X5i feels like a repackaged version of…
I admittedly play the new Call of Duty every year. While I prefer some more than others, I generally stick with the newest release and push forward for another year. While our review of Modern Warfare 3 was generally favourable for its solid multiplayer and satisfying gunplay, it ultimately disappointed us in the campaign department….
Can you believe it’s been 10 years since the last Dragon Age game? For as decent as Dragon Age: Inquisition is, I can understand the hesitation that many would feel when it comes to diving back into this, given developer BioWare’s recent track record. Mass Effect: Andromeda was average at best, while Anthem barely had…
It’s no surprise, but I’m sure many would consider the original Silent Hill 2 on the PlayStation 2 not only one of the best horror games to date, but also one of the best games that generation of consoles has produced. It probably broke much more ground at that time, but I would also argue…
While their popularity is certainly growing, I hadn’t tried open earphones until we reviewed the Shokz OpenFit headphones last year, and I was pleasantly surprised with the results. Certain situations do call for these nowadays. Be it cycling, working out, or simply being out in public and wanting to keep an ear on things, the…
I’ve dabbled in the Diablo games for almost two decades now. But I have to say, Diablo 4 still stands as my favourite. It simply refined and deepened every mechanic and aspect of the overall franchise, and kept me around for months after my official review. Over a year later, Diablo 4 has released its…