Review: Techno Banter

Developer – Dexai Arts Publisher – Crunching Koalas Platforms –   PS5, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch, PC (Reviewed) Review copy given by Publisher Listen up, pal. I’ve been workin’ the door at the Green Door for years, and I’ve seen it all. Drunk punks, wannabe ravers, and fashion disasters who think they’re hot stuff. But Techno Banter? This game’s got the guts to step up to my velvet rope, and I’ll tell ya—it’s got the right vibe to get in. First off, the streets of Rainbow Drive are my kinda turf. Neon lights, bass so deep it rattles your teeth, and a crowd that’s either electric or a total dumpster fire. You play as Nil, a washed-up DJ turned bouncer, and let me tell ya, this gig ain’t for the weak. You gotta have a sharp eye, a sharper tongue, and the guts to tell someone their outfit looks like it got mauled by a rabid glowstick. The gameplay? It’s all about reading the crowd. You’ve got a parade of freaks, geeks, and wannabes lining up at the Green Door, and it’s your job to decide who’s got the juice to keep the party alive. You’ll size ‘em up—check their threads, their attitude, their backstory—and then either let ‘em in or hit ‘em with a verbal haymaker that’ll send ‘em packing. The insults? Chef’s kiss. Clever, cutting, and sometimes downright brutal. If you’re not quick on the draw, you’ll let some real losers slip through, and trust me, that’s a one-way ticket to ruining the vibe. But it ain’t just about the door. Rainbow Drive’s got secrets, and Nil’s got a story to uncover. The city’s alive, man. Dark alleys, shady characters, and a techno beat that never quits. You’ll upgrade the club, turn it into a rave paradise, and maybe—just maybe—find out what really went down with Nil’s career. Now, let’s talk about the soundtrack. If the music ain’t right, the party’s dead. Techno Banter gets it. Real-life Berlin DJs bring the heat with deep house and techno tracks that’ll make you feel like you’re in the middle of Berghain. The bass drops, the crowd moves, and you? You’re the gatekeeper, the kingmaker, the guy who decides who’s worthy. But here’s the thing—this game ain’t perfect. Sometimes the dialogue gets a little repetitive, and the pacing can feel off when you’re stuck dealing with too many duds in a row. But when it hits? Oh, it hits hard. So, here’s my final call: Techno Banter earns its spot on the guest list. It’s not VIP status, but it’s definitely on the list. It’s got style, attitude, and a killer soundtrack. If you’ve got the guts to step into Nil’s shoes and keep the party alive, this game’s for you. But if you’re just here to coast? Beat it, pal. The Green Door’s got no time for slackers. Now, step aside—I’ve got a line to manage.

Devil May Cry Vergil Voice Actor Pokes At Potential Remake For His Role From 2004

Although Capcom has already illustrated its commitment to legacy support with modern collections of its repertoire, the firm is also active in remaking its hallmark releases too. For instance, Resident Evil has done so already with three titles so far and even more is reported to be on the way. Additionally, the firm also appears to be modernizing its games too with both Resident Evil 5 & Resident Evil 6 being list on ESRB recently alongside Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny too. Not to mention legacy sequels on the way. In December at The Game Awards, Capcom announced two anticipated titles – Okami 2 as well as Onimusha: Way of the Sword. And, this is just the start of it according to the publisher. According to a press release, Capcom is searching for new ways to “re-activate dormant IPs” from its library. And it appears that Devil May Cry is also part of this game plan as well. Although a new installment is nowhere to be seen, there is still room for the remake treatment like its sibling Resident Evil series. When speaking at Power Morphicon 2024 last year, Vergil voice actor Dan Southworth disclosed revisiting is portrayal of the character from 2004. You can watch the segment of panel in the video below: “Over the years I have changed the ways I use my voice and its- in fact, I just finished video game two weeks ago […] they hired me to play this character – I don’t want to say any titles or anything because I’m known for my spilling the beans. But, they asked me to do my voice the way it was back 2004 or whatever. ‘Can you do the younger Vergil version?’ So that was challenging. “I had to kind of find where my younger voice was and I had to sort of keep playing until I got to this place where my voice sounded really sort of boyish kind of tone.” Although Power Morphicon 2024 did take place back in August, traction recently resurfaced the clip. The last portrayal of Vergil was in Devil May Cry V: Special Edition where the character was featured as an add-on for the 2018 title. From our review, we scored the game a 9.5/10 at Rectify Gaming. “Overall Devil May Cry 5, like Resident Evil 2 and Monster Hunter World before it is a fantastic entry in a classic franchise.  Modernizing the visuals and story while maintaining the combat depth the series is known for leads to the best case scenario for veterans and newcomers alike.” You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited to hopefully see a return to the classic Devil May Cry games?

Sony Schedules New PlayStation State Of Play For February 12th

After another year of hits from PlayStation in 2024, PlayStation 5 users are energetic to say the least on what the forecast looks like for the coming year. Currently, there are a few scattered titles on the way: Marathon, Fairgame$, and Death Stranding On The Beach to name a few. But, there is more that could be on the horizon as well. Recently, it was reported that work has already begun on the next God of War title over at Santa Monica Studio. According to DanielRPK, the next title is premised around Egyptian mythology which many fans have speculated since the original 2018 return for the series. Additionally, leaker NateTheHate also included that an organized State of Play is expected to come the week of Valentine’s Day (Feb 14th) as well. On Tuesday, Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially announced the next showcase is coming this week. This Wednesday a new PlayStation State of Play presentation will be held to feature the new lineup underway for PlayStation 5 owners. The livestream is told to be roughly 40 minutes in length. “State of Play is back tomorrow, February 12! Tune in live for news and updates on great games coming to PS5. The show celebrates a creative and unique selection of exciting games from studios around the world,” Sony Interactive Entertainment content communications manager Tim Turi writes in the PlayStation Blog post. As to what other reveals could be underway, many anticipate the already-promised Indiana Jones and the Great Circle version for PlayStation 5. Previously, Xbox Game Studios has revealed ports for Forza Horizon 5, Age of Mythology: Retold, and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited for this new PlayStation State of Play? PlayStation State of Play will be held on February 12, 2025 at 2 PM PST / 5 PM EST. Source: PlayStation Blog

Marvel Rivals Cancels Rank Reset For Second-Half Of Season 1

NetEase Games announced plans for the second half of Season 1 for Marvel Rivals which will begin February 22, 2025. Originally when plans were announced, there would be a rank reset when the second half started. However, the player base made their voices heard to have this rule overturned. Within 24 hours of the announcement, NetEase canceled the mid-season rank reset. Players will retain their ranks and scores from the end of the first half. To earn new rewards, players will need to complete 10 matches in Competitive mode and meet relevant conditions by the end of the season. Rewards include a new Gold rank costume and a variety of Crests of Honor, featuring distinct designs for Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and One Above All. The original plan for the hero shooter was to have rank resets after the first half of each season. But it looks like that will not be happening anymore. Marvel Rivals Season 1 has brought the Fantastic Four to the game. The second half of the season will bring Human Torch and The Thing as playable heroes. Marvel Rivals is available on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. The series has reached over 644K concurrent players on Steam and it’s continuing to grow.

Review: Robobeat

Developer – Simon Fredholm Publisher – Kwalee Platforms – PC, PS5 (reviewed), Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S Review copy given by publisher Have you ever thought about shooting your firearm to the beat? Going into a gunfight with a soundtrack of your choice? Robobeat answers both of those questions with a resounding yes. You are thrown into large rooms full of enemies with only a gun and a beat to guide you. Shooting wildly isn’t the way to go as you must time your shots with the music. Listen to the beat and fire to deal the most damage and bring down enemies while dodging their attacks. On paper, this sounds fun but tricky. In practice, it’s an enjoyable process where you jam to the music. While playing other music in video games normally clashes with the atmosphere, Robobeat takes a different path. You have cassette tapes with varying music types and tempos, letting you choose how you approach a battle. Combine this with weapons that match the music tempo to unleash powerful devastation. Gameplay feels similar to other FPS shooters but the music plays a big factor. You are still responsible for timing your shots to the beat or you won’t damage anything. Once your shots match the rhythm, you deal great amounts of damage to an enemy. This FPS rhythm combination is difficult to manage at first, but the payoff is satisfying. It’s hard to find a game where you feel in sync with every gunshot. There are also tons of weapons to experiment with and music that fits different playstyles. As you go through the levels, you unlock more weapons and music tracks. The weapons you get during every run are randomized but you eventually learn their quirks. Thanks to the variety, you can spend hours finding the right experience or practicing with weapons. This extends the playtime and helps you develop an appreciation for the gameplay. While the concept of Robobeat is fun, it has a number of drawbacks. The first is ironically its greatest strength; the audio soundtracks. Your shots are powered by the timing of the beat. Each shot is powerful if you sync it well, but they are ineffective or useless if you can’t match the timing. This means that if you don’t respond well to audio cues or aren’t musically inclined, Robobeat is difficult to play. There is a work-around in which you can look at the crosshairs and see the incoming beats. But it’s tough to match your timing with incoming sounds, enemy attacks, and general chaos. This is not a game that is accessible to the hearing impaired, at least not without great practice. As cool as the concept is, it’s difficult to learn if you aren’t willing to spend time on it. Unless you love the concept of shooting with the beat, the gameplay might be more frustrating than impressive. It also feels like more work went into the gameplay itself than other aspects. There is a story in Robobeat but you would be hard pressed to describe what it is. This is the game’s second flaw; the other aspects don’t feel properly developed. You wouldn’t think that people would play Robobeat for the story, making it feel more like an excuse plot. There’s also no motivation because the exposition doesn’t explain anything. The control scheme also feels somewhat clunky and less responsive than you would like. You can use several moves like a double jump or a ground slam to assist in combat. However, the PS5 controls don’t respond well when you are pushed into a combat situation. It’s more likely you can double-jump in one spot rather than use it as a dodge mechanism. This is the third aspect that introduces more frustration rather than being a cool addition. This doesn’t mean that Robobeat isn’t a fun and enjoyable experience. But at its core, its unique gameplay is the only selling point. If you love shooting to the music, you can’t go wrong with Robobeat. The gameplay on its own is enough to keep you entertained for hours. However, everything else is lacking and that means you must love the gameplay if you want to stay interested.

Snack Review: How Does Pikachu (Oreos) REALLY Taste?!

Some Days I Open my mailbox and find a mystery package awaiting me .. That means a Company somehow got my Address from a PR or mailing list, that I’m on and sent me something to review Un-Announced to me. Today that item is Pikachu ? Recently in Indonesia, Oreo has released a special Collaboration with Pokemon, releasing an “Oreo Special Pikachu Edition”, which is a “Golden Yellow” Oreo with a Pikachu logo imprinted on one side and the Oreo logo on the other , with a Chocolate and Banana Flavoured Cream inbetween. The Indonesian Pikachu Chocolate Banana Oreo offers a unique and playful twist on the classic Oreo cookie, combining the rich, familiar taste of chocolate with the sweet, tropical flavor of banana. The chocolate cookie layers provide a satisfying crunch, while the banana-flavored cream filling adds a creamy, fruity sweetness that complements the cocoa perfectly.  The banana flavor is distinct yet not overpowering, making it a refreshing departure from traditional Oreo flavors. The chocolate-banana combination is balanced, ensuring that neither flavor dominates, but rather, they work together to create a memorable taste that is both indulgent and light. While larger packages are available in Indonesia, that include Photocards , I was only sent the smaller snack-size pack , so wasn’t able to experience the Photocards at all. Overall, the Indonesian Pikachu Chocolate Banana Oreo is a treat that not only satisfies the taste buds but also brings a touch of joy and nostalgia. Its limited-edition status and Pokémon-themed design make it a must-try for collectors and fans, offering a unique snacking adventure that is as fun to eat as it is delicious.