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9 Android Features You Should Be Using Every Day

This article is sponsored by Samsung.

Android phones are renowned for their customization and versatility, which means your device boasts a tonne of features, and can do a heap of things, you probably have no idea about.

In order for you to get the most out of your phone, we’ve rounded up nine tricks and features you should know about in order to get the most out of your Android. And if you don’t own an Android and you’re tempted to make the switch over, Samsung has just released the Galaxy S22 range, which offers three models to choose from.

For some of these options, we’ve offered a guide to where to find them on your phone, but models and iOS differ. If our directions aren’t right, try Googling the feature alongside your phone model.

9 Android features you should be using

1.One-handed mode

If you’re working with a Galaxy SS22 Ultra, Google has a custom keyboard you can download and set up as your default — if you hold onto the comma key, it’ll transform into a smaller keyboard that’s much easier to quickly type on.

2.Glide typing

While we’re on the topic of Google’s keyboard, if it offers a faster way to type, where instead of pressing each letter you can drag your finger (or S-Pen, if you have an S22 Ultra) to each letter. The impressive tech will speed up typing considerably.

3.Smart Lock

Any tech expert will tell you how important it is to set up a PIN code or biometric scan to lock your phone and protect your data, but let’s not deny that it’s a little time-consuming. But Androids offer a location-based service where your phone automatically removes the lock if it detects you’re, for example, at home. It can also remove a lock if your Bluetooth is connected to a trusted device, like a car. To set it up on a Samsung, head to Settings, then Security, Advance Settings and choose Smart Lock (other Androids might differ slightly).

4. Add lock PINs to apps

But that’s not all when it comes to customizing your security. We’ve all felt that slight sense of horror when a friend or co-worker borrows your phone to look at something, knowing that a few swipes away could reveal way more information than you’re willing to offer.

App pinning lets you lock one app to your screen until you re-enter your pin, meaning the person with your phone is stuck in whatever app is open when you give them the phone. You’ll need to set it up in advance, but it’s easy to use: open Settings, Security, Advanced Settings then App pinning. Afterwards, you can access it in any app by swiping the bottom of your screen, selecting the app, and voilá! No more anxiety when you’re handing over your phone.

5. Set your own default apps

We all have our preferred web browsers, but the same goes for messenger apps, maps, emailing and more. Androids let you customize your default app for all kinds of tasks — just head to Settings, Apps, then Default Apps. There, you can make WhatsApp or another messenger service your default rather than SMS messages, as well as a heap of other options.

6. Bring back lost notifications

Sometimes, you might swipe away a notification by mistake. Thankfully, Androids keep an easy-to-access log of all your notifications, meaning you can go back if you have a nagging feeling you accidentally archived an email or missed an important text. Searching ‘notification log’ will pull it up, or you can make a shortcut via the Widgets app pretty easily, too.

7.Disable animations

Androids have in-built animations for their menus and apps, like shrinking them as they close. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, which is why it’s easy to disable: there’s an option to turn them off under the Accessibility list in Settings. You’re welcome!

8. Split your screen and run apps side-by-side

This handy tool lets you split your screen in half, either vertically or horizontally depending on your screen orientation, meaning you can work in two apps at once without flicking back and forth. It’s incredibly useful when you’re working with data from two sources, or just multitasking! It’s particularly great on the S22 Ultra, considering the generous 6.8-inch screen size.

To put it to use, open up the app carousel, and press the circular button on top of the app of your choice — a menu should appear with ‘split top’ as an option. (If it doesn’t pop up, the app’s developers have blocked the option.)

9.Become a developer

This list proves that Android phones are endlessly customizable, but this is really just the tip of the iceberg. All Androids offer a ‘Developer Mode’ that frees up your phone to customization even further, from homepage skins to rendering and debugging. It’s a whole big world that only takes a few clicks to access — it’s slightly different across models, so we’d recommend Googling “developer mode” + your phone.

And there you have it, nine features you should be using on your Android.

This article has been updated since it was first published.

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Review: Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro Wired features 3000 lumens brightness and 360 degree 2K video camera

I’ve been testing the Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro for several months. On paper it offers a unique feature set of 360 degree pan and tilt camera, tunable 3000 lumens LED array, AI-powered human detection and auto-tracking, no subscription fees and 8GB onboard storage.

Read on to find out how well it worked in real life.

unboxing

Inside the box, you’ll find the Floodlight Cam 2 Pro, install hook and string, charging cable, junction box, plate screws, central screw cap, central screw, various security stickers and a quick start guide.

You can unbox yourself, but once you’ve connected it to the internet (2.4ghz Wi-Fi only), it has to be hard-wired by an electrician; ignore the American sites that say you can wire it up to your home switchboard yourself.

Installation

Apart from that warning by me, the Quick Start guide and installation video provided by Eufy is very easy to follow. The Floodlight Cam 2 pro can be mounted on a wall or on a ceiling up to 3m off the ground max.

What’s good at

As soon as it connected to my Wi-Fi, Alexa automatically recognized the camera and floodlight and allowed me to interact with it by voice, the Eufy Security app and Alexa app/smart displays. It is also compatible with Google Home but not with Apple Homekit.

Weather protection is IP65, and so far it has survived dusty winds, blown rain and accidentally being jet sprayed by my hose as I cleaned my back wall.

The Floodlight Cam 2 Pro records motion-activated events using three motion detectors that spotted humans up to 11 meters away on my fence line (which is closed to the claimed 12.19m range). This is not a 24/7 continuous recording solution.

The color temperature tuneable floodlight emits up to 3000 lumens (across three individually panels adjustable via the eufy Security app) is even better as it brightly lights my whole back yard from edge to edge, making dragging the bins and other evening or early morning tasks super easy.

eufy Security
eufy Security

The lights are clever enough to detect the time and level of light outside so they reliably only turn on triggered by sensors between sunset and sunrise or when I tell Alexa to turn them on.

The 360 ​​degree 2K resolution security camera and its three sensors are super customizable via the Eufy app. You can control the camera up, down, left, right, and center with the arrow keys on the live view app page.

Once the camera detects a person, it moves to record them and follows them walking around your yard until they leave. Thanks to 3 sensors even if the camera is pointing elsewhere it will be triggered and pan around to capture what is happening.

You can add preset locations to jump to view them quickly, and you can adjust left, center and right to have separate sensitivity depending on how far you need them to be able to detect.

Mentioning these the 3 independent PIRs on the left front and right of the device has three types of sensitivity settings: standard, advanced and automatic.

  • Standard: three PIR sensitivity set together.
  • Advanced: three PIR sensitivity set separately.
  • Automatic: the sensitivity of the three PIRs is automatically adjusted according to the accuracy of each trigger.

You can set activity zones to exclude unnecessary video event alerts or recording of unnecessary footage eg: and exclude above the top of your fence line if the camera can partially see into your neighbour’s land.

what could be better

The first issue for some people is looks. The Floodlight Cam 2 Pro is only available in white and is not the prettiest device with multiple light panels and the 360 ​​pan and tilt camera. In my case my walls are white, and the device is white so it fits in well.

The second issue is that video is only stored in 8GB non-expandable onboard. It’s puzzling that Eufy doesn’t allow users to pair it to a Eufy Homebase 2 storage unit if you have one already, as I do for storing Eufy doorbell video clips. Optional paid cloud storage is available, and you can send videos to NAS storage if you have it.

For some people, the cost may be too high once electrician install fees are paid on top of the purchase price but bear in mind this is an all in one very powerful 3 direction floodlight as well as 360 degree security camera. If a similar spec security camera and floodlight were purchased and wired in separately the cost would likely be much higher.

Should you buy it

The Floodlight Cam 2 Pro is the brightest floodlight with 2K video camera available in Australia (to the best of my knowledge) and comes with the bonus of not requiring a paid subscription forever to enable all it’s features and store video.

These features and allowing lots of software customization result in it being highly recommended by me.

The Floodlight Cam 2 Pro is available for $449.95 from it’s Australian distributor, as well as from JB Hi-Fi etc.

Disclosure Statement

Eufy has allowed Ausdroid to retain the product as hard wiring it to the house electricity supply was done at a significant expense

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This Week In Games Australia: Welcome To The Rollerdrome

Welcome back to This Week In Games Australia! This week: rollerdrome leads another week of exceptional indies. We’ve got Animal Crossing likes in catizensstyle makeovers in Fashion Police Squad, Fall Guys antics in Kirby’s Dream Buffet, and much more! What are you playing this week? Let us know in the comments below.

August 16

catizens (PC)

If you played Animal Crossing and thought, this is great, but it would be better if everyone was a catthen good news. catizens is here to give that. Sort of. There’s more of a city-builder element going on here than there in AC, and I don’t remember my villagers having to defend against raids from rat people trying to take their stuff. Check out the trailer. You’ll know right away if this is up your alley or not.

Fashion Police Squad (PC)

One of my favorite demos from this year’s Steam Next Fest moves into full release this week. Fashion Police Squad combines the Build engine aesthetic of Duke Nuke and the camp drama of drag racing. You’re not shooting to kill, you’re shooting to slay. Every enemy you shoot with your weapons of high fashion takes their outfits from drab to fab, improving their lives and saving them from the menace of boring wardrobe. A fantastic idea, brilliantly executed. Get around it.

Monster Tribe (PC)

Monster Tribe is a hybrid of creature collector with a classic, SNES-era RPG. But also, there’s crafting and an element of dungeon crawling as well? This one is doing a lot, and I’m keen to check it out. With all these ingredients in the pot, can it carve out an identity for itself? I’m excited to see.

Way of the Hunter (PS5, XSX, Xbox)

I don’t like the idea of ​​killing animals for sport. I think it’s a fucked up thing to embrace as a hobby, so I was never going to play this. If games like Call of the Hunter are your thing, no judgment, I’d rather you shoot digital animals rather than real ones.

August 17

rollerdrome (PS5, PC, PS4)

I think this one’s gonna be our game of the week. The latest title from Roll7, the creators of the excellent Olli-Olli series, is a game about skating around and shooting guys. I know people are going to make comparisons to Normal Jewison’s rollerball, and that’s fine. I’m keen to see if rollerdrome can stand on its own.

August 18

Kirby’s Dream Buffet (NS)

Ruby’s personal game of the week, and let me tell you: she cannot believe Nintendo is giving her two kirby games in the same year. It’s kirby meets Fall Guys, which is a very Nintendo way to approach the brawler royale space. This will be a digital-only release so unless Limited Run wants to get involved down the line, you’ll only be able to get it from the Switch eShop.

Robo Revenge Squad (PC, NS, PS4, XBO)

This looks like a combination of Robot Wars and tower defence. Should make for an interesting multiplayer experience, I think, but the trailers aren’t doing a great job of conveying what the game es. Keen to check it out and see what’s going on here.

August 19

The Ascent: Cyber ​​Heist DLC (PS5, XSX, PC, PS4, XBO)

Throwing this one on the list because The Ascent is great, and I will take any excuse to reinstall and play more of it.

Cursed to Golf (PS5, XSX, PC, NS, PS4, XBO)

I know, for many people, myself included, golf can feel indistinguishable from being trapped in hell. The team at Chuhai Labs may feel similarly because their new game Cursed to Golf is all about golfing your way out of purgatory. Upgrade your little guy with abilities that let him defy physics, like adjusting the ball’s trajectory mid-flight, and get the hell out of hell.

Expedition Agartha (PC)

Expedition Agartha is a first-person dungeon crawler with Chivalry‘s sense of swordplay. There’s also a kind of Borderlands-like soft cel-shaded look to the visuals going on? I don’t know what that’s about in the context of its world, but it certainly looks cool. If you’ve been done with Kingdom Come: Deliverance for a while and craving more, maybe this will scratch that itch for you.

Madden 23 (PS5, XSX, PC, PS4, XBO)

Wait, wait, wait. I know we’re Australians and most of us don’t give a shit about American football, but don’t scroll past. Years of reviewing any game I could get my hands on taught me that sometimes, trying a game you don’t think you’ll enjoy can be beneficial. the Madden series was one of those games I found really enlightening. It taught me a lot about American football and how the game actually works, and it’s actually very, very good at this. Moreover? Getting to grips with this bizarre, mutant form of football was super fun. I’m just saying, if you’re partial to a sports sim, consider it. I think it’s generally a lot better than most Aussies give it credit for.

RPG Time: The Legend of Wright (NS)

Imagine being back in primary school and your friend drawing a kind of ad-hoc D&D campaign for you in their notebooks. That’s the thrust of RPG Time: The Legend of Wright. This one’s cute, and will be fun to play with your kids.

We Are OFK (PS5, PC, NS, PS4)

We Are OFK is an interactive narrative adventure game about a band putting an album together. You’ll have to bicker over lyrics, argue in texts, get to know each bandmate, and step through interactive music videos on your way to musical stardom.

August 20

Figment 2: Creed Valley (PC, NS)

This is one of the better trailers I’ve seen in a little bit. figure 2 is a very self-aware, puzzle-adventure game about imagination and musical boss fights. I really like the vibe of this one, I’m gonna be checking it out. There’s a demo on the Switch eShop if you want to get a taste before diving in.

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Gamblers accused of cheating in casino card game on Gold Coast win fight against Star

An experienced gambler who exploits sloppy dealers and flaws in games has won a legal battle against casino giant Star after it accused him and a friend of cheating at a Gold Coast establishment four years ago.

Mark Timothy Grant and his friend, Nathan Trent Anderson, were given exclusion notices by The Star Entertainment Queensland Ltd (Star) in March 2018, after playing the game Pontoon, also known as Spanish Blackjack.

The notices banned the pair from entering the casino giant’s Queensland venues.

In 2020, Mr Grant and Mr Anderson sought a review of the notices by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).

‘No grounds exist’

Earlier this month, the notices were set aside after QCAT found “no grounds exist” for the pair to be excluded from casinos on the Gold Coast or in Brisbane.

Star alleged Mr Grant engaged in “edge-sorting”—an illegal form of play under the Casino Control Act, which involves looking at cards for manufacture defects that may cause some edges to be marginally shorter than others or prints to be asymmetrical.

Playing cards fanned out, featuring a 'four-of-a-kind' King of hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs.
The two main card games played share similarities with poker and blackjack, the researchers say.(pixabay)

The defects can be present on specific card numbers in a deck.

The judgment said, during the Pontoon games that triggered the exclusion notice, Mr Grant was sitting close to the dealer but not playing, using hand gestures to indicate to Mr Anderson which cards to play.

“Star contends … the behaviors it has identified, including collusion and edge-sorting are behaviors which when viewed objectively are dishonest in nature and affect or have the potential to affect the integrity of gaming,” the judgment said.

Wide shot of the Star Casino on the Gold Coast
Star Casino on the Gold Coast, where the pair was playing in 2018.(ABC News: Steve Keen)

“[Star’s] opinion is that Mr Grant and Mr Anderson used an error or a fault in the gaming equipment to obtain a benefit.”

Advantage play not dishonest

The court heard Mr Grant had previously been investigated by Star for his gameplay.

But the judgment said the man described himself as an “advantage player” and argued playing this way was “not a threat to casinos where the staff are competent, and the games are operated correctly”.

Front of the deserted Treasury Casino in George Street in Brisbane city on January 11, 2021.
The players were also banned from Treasury Casino in Brisbane city.(ABC News: Chris Gillette)

“He submits that advantage play is not cheating or dishonest,” the judgment said.

Mr Grant told the court players often collaborated in an effort to get the dealer to “bust”.

According to the judgement, he denied “edge-sorting” saying the practice was impossible in Pontoon “because players do not touch the cards”.

“Mr Grant said that he is a very competitive player, and he will take into account all legally and publicly available information and that he is allowed to make assumptions about what card is coming next,” the judgment said.

“I noticed that the cards were asymmetrical and [said] he is free to speculate on what the next card is, just like any other player at the table who has that information, but at no time did he know exactly what the next card was.”

Broadbeach sign in the foreground of the Star Casino on the Gold Coast.
Mr Grant told the court he often visited Star Casino on the Gold Coast.(ABC News: Steve Keen)

Playing card defects

The court was told cards used in the game were “Angel” playing cards.

The judgment said the cards had previously been the subject of discussion in another court case where the manufacturer argued any anomalies were “within a contractually specified tolerance of up to 0.3mm”.

In Mr Grant’s case, the judgment said Star was aware of the anomaly associated with Angel cards and 96 of the cards used during the game were irregular.

QCAT found the pair had not engaged in “edge-sorting” at Star on the Gold Coast in 2018.

The judgment said Star was aware of defects in the cards but continued to allow them to be used.

“I find that the conduct of Mr Grant or Mr Anderson did not involve any form of dishonesty, involving lying, cheating, stealing or fraud by the ordinary meaning of the word, or that they were not honest,” the judgment said.

No ‘leg-up’ from conduct

It later said Pontoon was not a game of “chance.”

“Noting an asymmetrical back on a card is of no use unless one knows what lies beneath,” the judgment said.

“A range of skills must be applied by Mr Grant to make his guess.”

QCAT noted in this case, 33 per cent of the cards in play had asymmetrical backs and 20 per cent of them had a low value, while 13 per cent had a high value.

“Gaining any sort of ‘leg-up’ in those circumstances would seem to be extraordinarily difficult,” the judgment said.

“The cards were in plain view of the dealer and subject to the casino’s inspection regime.

“Mr Grant, the dealer and the casino had the same information.”

The court ordered the exclusion notices to be revoked.

.

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Zoom’s latest update on Mac includes a fix for a dangerous security flaw

Zoom has issued a patch for a bug on macOS that could allow a hacker to take control of a user’s operating system (via MacRumors). In an update on its security bulletin, Zoom acknowledges the issue (CVE-2022-28756) and says a fix is ​​included in version 5.11.5 of the app on Mac, which you can (and should) download now.

Patrick Wardle, a security researcher and founder of the Objective-See Foundation, a nonprofit that creates open-source macOS security tools, first uncovered the flaw and presented it at the Def Con hacking conference last week. My colleague, Corin Faife, attended the event and reported on Wardle’s findings.

As Corin explains, the exploit targets the Zoom installer, which requires special user permissions to run. By leveraging this tool, Wardle found that hackers could essentially “trick” Zoom into installing a malicious program by putting Zoom’s cryptographic signature on the package. From here, attackers can then gain further access to a user’s system, letting them modify, delete, or add files on the device.

“Mahalos to Zoom for the (incredibly) quick fix!” Wardle said in response to Zoom’s update. “Reversing the patch, we see the Zoom installer now invokes lchown to update the permissions of the update .pkg, thus preventing malicious subversion.”

You can install the 5.11.5 update on Zoom by first opening the app on your Mac and hitting zoom.us (this might be different depending on what country you’re in) from the menu bar at the top of your screen. Then select Check for updates, and if one’s available, Zoom will display a window with the latest app version, along with details about what’s changing. From here, select update to begin the download.

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Motorola Moto Razr 2022: a tough rival for the Z Flip4 with the same power and cleaner software

Foldable day. Yesterday, Samsung unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4. Xiaomi has followed them with its new Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, and now Motorola officially presents its Moto Razr 2022. This is the successor to the first Moto Razr, now touching the high-end and being more ambitious.

Motorola Moto Razr 2022 technical sheet

Motorola Moto Razr 2022
Dimensions and Weight
Screen Primary: 6.7-inch, FHD+, 144Hz
Secondary: 2.7-inch, 800 x 573, 60 Hz
processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
Memory 8, 12, or 18 GB of RAM
128, 256, or 512 GB of internal memory
rear-camera 50MP
13MP UGA
front camera 32MP
Software android 12
Battery 3,500mAh
33W
connectivity 5G SA/NSA
NFC
WiFi AC
Price 5,999 yuan

Overdose of power and secondary display

Motorola Moto Razr 2022

This new Moto Razr 2022 arrives with the best Qualcomm processor, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 with TSMC process. The processor is accompanied by 8 and 12 GB RAM configurations, with a base memory of 128 GB. We can upgrade to 256 or 512 GB, the same configurations found, for example, in Samsung’s Z Fold4.

The battery, as we are used to seeing in this type of device, is somewhat scarce. We are talking about 3,500mAh with 33W fast charging, a figure that will have to prove whether or not it is enough for the 6.7 inches of the device. The format is similar to that seen in the previous Razr: clamshell type with a panel that folds vertically.

When the mobile is folded, we find a secondary screen of 2.7 inches. This has a lower resolution than the main one and refreshes at 60Hz, instead of the 144Hz of the main screen. It is more oriented to allow us to see notifications and interact lightly with the phone.

Motorola Moto Razr 2022

Finally, indicate that this foldable has a dual camera of 50 + 12 megapixels, with the ultra-wide-angle as a secondary camera. The selfie is 32 megapixels. Of course, it arrives with Android 12, customized with Motorola’s lightweight layer.

Pricing and Availability of the Moto Razr 2022

The Moto Razr 2022 has been presented in China at 5,999 yuan. It remains to be seen how it is, in case it arrives in the international market.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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How much warranty does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 come with?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is now official and it builds upon the already great Galaxy Z Flip 3 from last year to deliver a more refined experience. This new clamshell-style foldable has a slightly different hinge, a more durable foldable display, and better internals. The company has indeed made a lot of improvements which is impressive considering it starts at the same $999.99 price tag. If you’re planning on buying this new foldable and are wondering how much warranty it comes with, then you’ve come to the right place.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4, just like a lot of other phones on the market, comes with a one-year limited warranty by default in the United States. So if something goes wrong with your Galaxy Z Flip 4 within a year of the purchase date, then Samsung will repair or even replace it depending on the issue. This will obviously be done free of cost provided it’s still under warranty, and the problem wasn’t caused by an external factor. The external factors, in this case, include dropping the phone by accident, water damage, a broken screen due to some sort of external force, etc.

If you happen to have an active lifestyle or if you think you’re a bit clumsy with phones or other devices in general, then we recommend you purchase the Samsung Care Plus protection plan. Samsung Care Plus, in case you don’t know, extends the warranty of your device and covers accidental damage as well. So if you drop your phone and end with up a shattered screen, then Samsung Care Plus will cover the screen replacement cost for you. You can purchase Samsung Care Plus for your device while buying the phone from Samsung.com. You can either choose to pay $8 a month with the flexibility of canceling anytime or lock yourself in with a 2-year plan for $149. There’s also Samsung Care Plus with Theft and Loss which will get you a replacement device when the phone is lost or stolen. This comprehensive plan, however, will cost you $18 per month, so it’s more expensive.

Smartphones, in general, are a big investment for most people, so it’s always best to spend a bit more money upfront and buy the Samsung Care Plus protection. Foldable phones are still quite fragile than the traditional slab phones, so we think it’s well worth the money.

    Samsung Galaxy ZFlip 4

    The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 comes with a one-year limited warranty in the US. However, you can purchase Samsung Care Plus with the device to extend the warranty period and get additional coverage for a monthly or an annual fee.

In regions where it is mandated by law to provide a longer, two-year warranty, Samsung abides by the relevant regulations.

If you’re interested in buying the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 then you can use the link above to purchase it along with Samsung Care Plus. Alternatively, you can also check out the best deals for it to see if you can snag a free Samsung Care Plus coverage. If you’re confident that you don’t need a Samsung Care Plus plan for your device, then we suggest you at least pick up one of the best cases for it to protect against accidental drops and bumps. And if you haven’t already, pick up a charger for the Flip 4 too!

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Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s Teen Heroes Turn a Good Game Into a Great One

All narrative-focused video games live and die on their cast of characters, and nowhere is this more true than in RPGs. Just as it’s easy to get swept up into an interesting world by the party members and supporting cast you meet along the way, it’s just as viable to realize the characters in the game are a burden or worse, deeply uninteresting. Fortunately, the teens who make up the party of Monolith Soft’s recently released JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles 3 are great.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is set in the world of Aionios as the kingdoms of Agnus and Keves have been locked in a years-long war. On both sides, soldiers are vat-grown and given a ten-year lifespan, during which they train and before going right into battle. Soldiers killed on the battlefield have their essence absorbed into the other faction’s giant mecha, who are powered by a device called a Flame Clock. If a Flame Clock runs out or gets destroyed, then the soldiers associated with it will instantly die, and that subsequent energy goes into the other faction’s mech. From there, the game opens on a trio of Kevesi soldiers: Noah, who plays his flute to help fallen soldiers move on to the next life, medic Eunnie, and defender Lanz.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3's Teen Heroes Turn a Good Game Into a Great One

Regardless of genre, it can be very easy for video games to get teenage or young adult characters wrong. Making teen characters feel authentic is something the medium — much like Hollywood or television — can struggle with, even with the best of intentions. That’s not the case in Xenoblade 3. The game opens with Noah’s group, and they’re compelling right from the start. Before the game has its occasionally overly long flashback cutscenes, you can tell that the trio’s time together has been just as full of loss as it has been ensuring one another survives their battles. They bicker and listen to one another like they’ve known each other for years, and the game succeeds in making you feel like you’re there with them.

Within an hour or two, the game’s plot kicks in when Noah, Lanz, and Eunnie cross paths with Agnus specialists Mio, Sena, and Taion. After fighting each other and then teaming up to fight a mech monster, the teens find that specific pairings of their group can fuse to become different mechs, and all six of them are freed from their respective Flame Clocks. Now removed from the literal biological clocks that help dictate their lives, the teens find themselves forced to stick together.

Through the power of friendship, let's beat this dude's ass!  (Screenshot: Nintendo/Monolith Soft)Through the power of friendship, let’s beat this dude’s ass! (Screenshot: Nintendo/Monolith Soft)

More than the combat or the bigness of the world, the banter between the party is what’s made Xenoblade Chronicles 3 so enjoyable across my current 16 hour, three-chapter playtime. The teens are just fun in the way that anime typically excels at. For every moment that they’re cool in player-controller combat or a cutscene, there’s another moment where you’re reminded of how young they literally and figuratively are. Combined with the curiosity they share about their new lease on life and the larger world around them, they become endearing pretty quickly. Noah and Mio are clearly billed as the game’s protagonists, and I do like them, but it’s Sena, Taion, Lanz, and Eunnie that have my heart.

Unity and “friendship is magic” are well worn tropes at this point, especially in anime, but I will damned if that doesn’t still work on me. The cutscenes where the teens first fuse into their mech forms — Noah and Mio get it early on, followed a chapter later by Lanz and Sena in one form and Eunnie in Taion in the other — feel earned, and in gameplay, it can be incredibly satisfying to watch AI-controlled party members fuse of their own volition. When an AI-controlled “Hero” character bestows their class to a particular party member after a specific side mission, it can be fun trying to figure out who’s going to be The One, and it’s satisfying when it’s eventually revealed who that special someone is .

One of my favorite games of 2021 was Bandai Namco’s scarlet nexus, an anime action-RPG that also featured a cast of soldiers forced to band together in the midst of a war. Both it and Xenoblade 3 place an emphasis on making the characters connect to each other both on a narrative and gameplay level, with nexus relying on gift giving and visual novel-style sequences where the cast would hang out or fight together. Xenoblade 3’s approach to bonds is a little more literal, and doesn’t allow you to cheat its systems like nexus did At campsites, you can watch the cast sit together and eat, or have them train to get stronger. When finding the bodies of fallen soldiers in the open world, Noah or Mio can play their flutes to send those soldiers off to the next life, and occasionally, they’ll play their respective melodies together.

Image: Nintendo/Monolith SoftImage: Nintendo/Monolith Soft

At all times, it feels like the teens are on the path to becoming friends, if they already aren’t already. So strong are the vibes that even the recycled dialogue lines in combat and the open world continue to have a certain charm to them. (That’s right, Sena, you are the girl with the gall.) The game isn’t subtle about its ambitions, but considering the pretty messed up world these teens live in, it’s nice that the game reinforces how hopeful they are and want to be about their situation .

Given how long Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is said to be, I know that I’ll feel that length at some point or another. So it’s a good thing I’m spending it all with such a great cast of characters who are worth being around.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is available now for the Nintendo Switch.

Want more Gizmodo news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and starwars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TVand everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.


Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the US, but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.

Categories
Technology

How to download the Tower of Fantasy APK file

Tower of Fantasy is intended to be played on Android or iOS devices, but players can get their hands on a PC port of the mobile version. The open-world gacha adventure is taking the gaming world by storm, rivaling the extremely popular Genshin Impact. This has players trying to access it by any means necessary.

Those who want to give the mobile version to go on a PC have to download an APK file. This file will include the game and all of its assets, allowing Windows and macOS users to enjoy the experience on their computers rather than their phones.


How to install APK file for Tower of Fantasy

APK is short for Android Package Kit. It is a file format used by Android systems to install games and apps. APKs are often used to bypass the need to use the Google Play store to download applications for the purpose of running them on a PC.

When it comes to Tower of Fantasy, there are quite a few APK files already available. There are several sites that allow users to download files of this type. A trustworthy name in this regard is APKCombo, which can be accessed through a PC browser or a web browser on a mobile device. The download size for the game is around 950 MB and will include everything it has to offer.

This is what the APKCombo site when you're about to download Tower of Fantasy APK (Image via APKCombo)
This is what the APKCombo site when you’re about to download Tower of Fantasy APK (Image via APKCombo)

Here is how to download the APK file and install it on PC:

  • Head to the APKCombo page to get the game’s APK file.
  • Install an Android emulator on the PC (the APKCombo page recommends LDPlayer and has a download link available).
  • Download the APK file on the PC.
  • Follow the instructions given in the chosen emulator to drag and drop the APK file into it.
  • Wait for it to be installed into the emulator.

The steps for installing an APK file on an Android-based mobile device are very similar:

  • Go to the APKCombo page and tap on the file to begin downloading it.
  • Tap on the file if it appears in the notification drop-down menu or navigate to the device’s download folder.
  • Accept the installation of the APK file and then follow the on-screen prompts for the specific device to complete a full installation.

After following the steps and getting the APK file for Tower of Fantasy installed, players can dive right in. They just need to open the file on mobile devices or select it through the emulator on PC.

This method of downloading and installation works well for many different mobile games. Moreover, gamers who want to pre-download a title that may not be available in their region yet can do it using the steps mentioned above.

If for whatever reason the APK file does not work, try and search for another trustworthy source to download it to use with the emulator. If that still doesn’t do the trick, the problem could be the emulator itself, so download a different one and try again.


Edited by Soumyadyuti Ghosh

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Categories
Technology

Weekend PC Game Deals: Heroes from Gotham, bundled horrors, and much more

Weekend PC Game Deals is where the hottest gaming deals from all over the internet are gathered into one place, every week, for your consumption. So kick back, relax, and hold on to your wallets.

Humble Decades of Horror bundle promotional poster

Horror fans are in for a feast as Humble and Capcom brought forward the Resident Evil Decades of Horror bundle this week.

The bundle begins with copies of Resident Evil, Resident Evil Revelations and Revelations 2 Episode 1 in the $1 tier. If you go for the $10 tier it puts up Resident Evil 6, Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition, Resident Evil 0, and Revelations 2 Deluxe in addition to what’s in the previous rung.

The bundle throws five more horror items at you in the third and final tier costing $30, which has Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Resident Evil 4and a 50% off coupon for Resident Evil Village.

At the same time, if you’re more about tactical combat games, Humble’s other gaming bundle of this week may be the way to go. It all titles like Sniper Elite 4, Call of Arms, Verdunand four more games for $15.

Cook Serve Delicious key art with Epic Games Logo

Epic Games Store brought a freebie for casual game fans this week with a copy of Cook, Serve, Delicious 3 being offered, replacing the unrailed giveaway from last week.

The cooking and management title has you taking over a food truck in a post-apocalyptic setting. A hectic campaign with hundreds of levels and co-op support is available here, with a separate “Chill” mode to slow down the pace for a more relaxed ingredient assembling experience.

the Cook, Serve, Delicious 3 giveaway is available to claim through Thursday, August 18. Coming up next is not a game, but a premium pack for the new free-to-play battle royale rumbleverse.

big deals

Since there seems to be no free events happening this weekend, we go straight to the big deals section. The hand-picked list this time has been populated by discounts for games featuring the Caped Crusader, THQ Nordic publisher deals, and much more:

DRM-free Goodness

Your dose of DRM-free deals arrives from the GOG store, filled with games that offer a good challenge and others:

Keep in mind that availability and pricing for some deals may vary depending on the region you’re in


And that’s it for our pick of this weekend’s PC game deals everyone, and hopefully, some of you have enough self-restraint not to break the bank adding new games to your ever-growing backlogs. Of course, there are an enormous number of other deals ready and waiting if you comb through the interwebs hard enough, so keep your eyes open for those, and have a great weekend.

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