September 7, 2024

Wine is known as the nectar of the gods and the right wine can certainly taste heavenly. Wine tasting is a great way to learn more about the subject and most importantly, to help you decide what type of wine you prefer.

There’s a certain mystique around wine tasting and the vocabulary used can be a little intimidating to the uninitiated. Here is a quick and easy guide to wine tasting at home.

A home wine tasting dinner — How to do a wine tasting at home

Your Guide to Wine Tasting At Home

To recreate a wine tasting at home, you’ll first need a selection of wine. Whether it’s bottles that you’ve been meaning to drink or wine that you’ve purchased specially for the occasion, it’s a good idea to choose a theme.

This could be something like Chardonnay wine from around the world or bottles dating from a particular vintage.

Wine Tasting At Home Essentials

Consider getting a group of friends together for your home wine tasting, who each bring their favorite bottle. Grape varietal specific wine glasses will help you to get the most out of the experience.

If you’re not intending on finishing each wine, then a jug or bowl to pour the remnants into will come in useful. Give each participant a pen and paper to record their impressions of each wine.

Provide everyone with plenty of water and water biscuits as these help to cleanse the palate.

It could also be fun to do a blind wine tasting. For this, someone who isn’t taking part in the tasting will need to cover each label with a tea towel.

Wine tasting tips for enjoying wine at home - read our full guide at luxurycolumnist.com — Wine tasting essentials

Why Wine Glass Shape Matters

The shape of a wine glass really impacts how the wine tastes and serving the same wine in different shaped glasses will give completely different tasting results. For example, champagne actually lends itself very well to a tulip shaped wine glass rather than a flute.

That’s because such a narrow vessel doesn’t allow the wine to oxygenate or the aromas to open up.

The coupe or saucer shape that you often see at parties is similarly not ideal as the bubbles are likely to dissipate quickly (along with all the wonderful scents!). However that shape is a good option for cocktails such as Martinis.

The shape of a wine glass impacts on a wine’s aroma, the texture or feel in the mouth, the flavour and finish or aftertaste, because of the way it guides the liquid onto your palate. These days you can find grape varietal-specific versions to get maximum enjoyment from your wine.

Grape varietal-specific means that the bowl shape has been designed to enhance the taste of a wine made from a specific grape – for example, a special shape for Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or Chardonnay.

Surprisingly, stemless wine tumblers work well for many wines. Essentially, they provide the same drinking experience with the same flow dynamics and wine delivery as a typical wine glass with a stem.

Stemless wine glasses are also a compact solution, as they are easy to stack and store if you’re limited on space at home. They’re great for parties, where stemmed glasses might get knocked over, as well as for picnics and generally have the advantage of being dishwasher friendly.

These days you can find specific grape varietal versions to get maximum enjoyment from your wine.

Wine Serving Conditions

Contrary to popular belief, white wine should not be too cold as that could mask faults in the wine and will make it harder to distinguish the aromas. A good general rule is a serving temperature of 10-15° for white wine, with the lower temperature being reserved for lighter wines and the higher temperatures for more full-bodied, or oaked wines.

If necessary, an ice bucket or wine cooler jacket will cool down wine quickly. As for reds, the fuller wines should be served between 16-19° whereas medium reds are generally best served under 16°.

For red wines of a certain vintage, a good wine decanter will prove invaluable. Many modern day decanters look like works of art.

Most importantly their function is to allow the wine to aerate properly so that when you come to drink it you’ll notice a fuller flavour.

You can even try a little experiment at home, by pouring one glass of wine into a decanter, leaving it for at least 30 minutes and comparing the taste of the wine with a glass from the same bottle that hasn’t been decanted.

Appearance of Wine

The visual appearance of wine is an extremely important factor in wine tasting. Pour wine into your glass, but don’t overfill or it will be much harder to swirl around.

The maximum serving recommended per glass is generally between 3 to 5 oz or 100 to 125 ml for a tasting. Take a sheet of white paper and tilt your wine glass in order to see the colour of the wine reflected on the paper.

How would you describe the wine in question? Is it a ruby red or more of a russet shade?

For white wine, is it a grassy green or a deep yellow? Does it look clear or hazy and is there any sediment floating in it?

Now swirl the wine gently around your glass. Does it leave any traces on the side? Known as “legs”, some believe that these ripple effects indicate alcohol content or that that the wine is full-bodied and will have a more concentrated taste.

Wine tasting guide - appearance of the wine - read our full guide at Luxurycolumnist.com — Wine appearance

Wine Nose

Have you ever noticed how wine and food is much less enjoyable with a bad cold? That’s because smell is perhaps the most important of all our senses for wine tasting.

Our nose has around 400 smell detectors and some scientists believe that smell accounts for more than 80% of taste. For our wine tasting, we suggest going through the following steps:

First pick up the glass and smell the wine without swirling. Does it smell light or intense?

Then swirl the wine and smell it as soon as it has settled. Is there a difference in aromas and quality?

You could also try a technique called active inhalation where you use your mouth and nose to smell the wine. Simply tip your glass forward by around 40° whilst leaning your head forward. Open your mouth a bit and breathe gently in and out.

The first thing that many people look for when smelling a wine is faults. Has the wine oxidized or is it corked?

What fruit aromas are you picking up? Common fruit qualities for white wines are gooseberry, peach, pear, apple and lychee.

For red wines, you might notice a hint of blackberry, raspberry or plum. In fact, the list of aromas associated with wine is almost endless, ranging from buttery to liquorice, biscuit and even pencil shavings!

Wine Tasting

Now you’re ready for the fun part, the tasting itself! Take a good sip and aim to swirl the wine inside the whole of your mouth by moving your tongue around so that it coats all your taste buds.

What are your first impressions? There’s a lot of fancy terminology linked to wine but don’t be intimidated by that.

Try to decide whether the wine tastes young or old and what flavours are present in the mouth. Does the wine appear to have been aged in oak barrels?

A woody, full-bodied taste is a possible indication of this. Would you say that it’s a young, fresh wine or a vintage with earthy aromas?

Wine tasting outdoors - read our wine tasting tips at luxurycolumnist.com — Wine tasting

Wine Characteristics

The main wine characteristics are fruit, body, sweetness, tannin and acidity. Whilst some people prefer rich and smooth wines, some acidity is generally a good indicator of quality.

That’s because the right balance of acidity gives wine longevity in the mouth. Tannin is the bitterness in a wine that originates from phenolic compounds in the seeds and skin.

Whilst too much tannin can lead to a dry sensation in the mouth, a balance adds structure and helps a wine to last. If your taste buds tingle when sampling a wine, this can be an indicator of sweetness.

A full bodied wine tends to be one with a higher alcohol level or ABV. You can count how long a wine remains on your taste buds after swallowing to get an idea of how full bodied it is.

Wine tasting at home — Characteristics of wine

Food and Wine Pairing

Pairing wine with food is another great way to get involved in tasting. There are certain wine rules that are made to be broken like always pairing red wine with cheese.

In fact, an aromatic white wine such as a Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc works well with goats cheese. Try to match the boldness of the wine with the vibrancy of the meal.

For example, a flavourful Shiraz will pair nicely with a curry. If you’re serving up a fruity dish, then opt for a fruity wine such as Viognier or Riesling.

Champagne and sparkling wines tend to work well with desserts.

How to do a wine tasting at home and a food and wine pairing — Food and wine pairing

Final Thoughts: How to Do a Wine Tasting at Home

Doing a wine tasting at home is a fun and interactive way to explore different vintages, regions, and styles. With the help of our recommendations, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of options that the world of wine has to offer and impress your friends with your knowledge. You may even discover new favorites along the way!

Enjoy your wines with good company, discuss what flavors you taste, and document your impressions so you don’t forget them. Overall, wine tastings can open up tantalizing new doors of flavor discovery and make for a fun evening spent in conversation with loved ones.

We hope you’ve found our wine tasting guide helpful and that you’re keen to try new wines and different ways of drinking them. Have you ever tried a wine tasting at home?

Be sure to check out our other articles on all things related to wine, from food pairings to viticultural regions.

Reviews Featuring ‘Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku’, Plus New Releases, Sales, and Good-Byes – TouchArcade

Gaming

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

September 6, 2024

Reviews Featuring ‘Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku’, Plus New Releases, Sales, and Good-Byes – TouchArcade

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 6th, 2024. Well, this is the last one. You’ll see one more special from me next week with a few reviews that have specific embargo dates, but this is the final regular SwitchArcade Round-Up for TouchArcade by yours truly. We’ve been at this for several years and I wish I could have seen the Switch through to its end with these articles, but circumstances dictate another course. We’re going out with another chunky one, with a pair of reviews from our pal Mikhail, a pair of Shaun reviews, a handful of new release summaries, and the usual lists of new and expiring sales. Let’s ride one last time!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU ($49.99)

After Imagineer’s success with the Fitness Boxing games that led to the hilarious but good Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star, I didn’t know what IP the team would work with for a new fitness game. When Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU was announced, I thought it was a smart collaboration, but was curious to see how the game felt after Fist of the North Star. I’ve been playing it over the last few weeks alongside Ring Fit Adventure and I’m impressed with Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU in many ways.

If you’re new to the Fitness Boxing series, these games, as the name suggests, use boxing and rhythm game movements to get you into shape through daily exercises, mini-games that also get you sweating, and more. With Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU, everyone’s favorite vocaloid gets in on the action and there’s even a separate dedicated mode for her songs in addition to the normal songs included in this release. Keep in mind that this is a Joy-Con only game so you can’t play it with a Pro Controller or any third party accessories as far as I’m aware.

As with other games in the series, there are difficulty options, a free training mode to do as you please, warmups, and tracking with reminders and the systemwide alarm that can remind you even if your Switch is in sleep mode. There are cosmetics you can unlock through the points you earn by playing as well. I can’t comment on the DLC yet, but as for the base release, I liked Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU more than Fist of the North Star aside from one issue.

The audio in Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU is great, but the main instructor’s voice isn’t great. I ended up turning this voice down because it felt out of place with the rest of the game, and just sounded a bit weirdly directed.

Just like the Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star release from Imagineer, Fitness Boxing feat. HATSUNE MIKU is a solid fitness-focused game that does a great job of bringing Miku to the world of Fitness Boxing to try and appeal to her fans. While it is a competent fitness game with its daily workout, customization, and tracking, I feel like it would be better as a complement to something like Ring Fit Adventure or your own other exercise routine rather than being the sole exercise you do during the week. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Magical Delicacy ($24.99)

Magical Delicacy from sKaule and Whitethorn Games is one I hadn’t paid much attention to until a friend of mine linked me to an Xbox Game Pass announcement for it. Since then, I’ve played it on Switch as well, but feel like it needs a bit more time in the oven. I adore Metroidvania-style platformers and cooking games, but it feels like Magical Delicacy takes the good bits of both genres while not putting them together in the best way possible. This results in a game I adore in parts, but one where the flaws hurt a bit more.

You play as Flora who is a young witch in a story that’s equal parts mysterious, magical, and wholesome. Your aim is to cook meals and craft for various folks, and I was surprised at how well the exploration was implemented aside from the backtracking that annoyed me sometimes. I expected it to be lacking compared to the cooking and crafting, but the team nailed the Metroidvania elements. There are some issues with ingredients in the crafting and in how inventory is managed. This is made a bit worse by the UI that I took a while to get used to with interaction.

Magical Delicacy makes a great first impression with its gorgeous pixel art visuals, lovely music, and tons of settings. The latter includes UI scale and text options that are both very useful when playing on Switch in handheld mode. I feel like Magical Delicacy would have benefited a lot from an early access release or will from potential updates.

When it comes to the Switch version, it plays very well aside from some seemingly frame pacing-related hiccups. It has good rumble as well. Having played it on Xbox Series X, this is definitely a game I’d play more on a portable so a Switch or Steam Deck version would be best. I just play the genre more on handhelds.

Magical Delicacy is a game I should’ve loved given it is basically a blend of a Metroidvania and a crooking/crafting game, but it feels a little undercooked (I couldn’t resist) in parts thanks to some inventory and backtracking issues. While it is a very good game right now that feels at home on Switch, a few quality of life updates and polishing will make it an essential. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 ($5.99)

A lot of companies tried their hand at the whole mascot platformer thing in the 16-bit era in the wake of Sonic the Hedgehog‘s explosive success. Like, the sheer number of them is just baffling. Even more than I remembered. Not many of them managed to see sequels, but Aero The Acro-Bat is part of that elite few. How each member of that club got there is its own story, but in Aero’s case it seems to have been a combination of the first game going over well enough, and sheer force of will to try and make fetch happen. Sadly, fetch did not happen. Aero spin-off Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel launched several months after Aero 2, but outside of that Aero was never seen in another original title again.

Does that make Aero The Acro-Bat 2 a bad game? I don’t think so. It doesn’t seem like it was a big enough success to merit another follow-up, at the very least. But then again, Sunsoft’s parent company had recently lost a ton of money on a bad investment involving golf courses, and that certainly put it in a fiscally conservative mood for a while. Either way, I don’t think the fault can be placed on the quality of the game. It’s as good as the first game was, with all that implies. A more polished experience that in shedding some of those rough edges loses some of its character, but a decent enough platforming romp.

I was fully expecting this release to be in Ratalaika’s usual emulation wrapper, but much to my surprise there’s been an upgrade in the presentation. This feels a lot more tailor-made for the game, and in terms of both options and extras I think this is a far better experience overall. Box and manual scans, achievements, a gallery of sprite sheets, a jukebox, a bunch of cheats, and more. I frankly have no complaints at all about how the game plays and the suite of features here. The only nit I will pick is that you only get the Super NES version of the game here. I feel like the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive version should have been included too, just to keep everyone happy.

Those who enjoyed Aero The Acro-Bat should naturally give Aero The Acro-Bat 2 a shot. I even think those who were slightly put off by the first game’s quirks might have a better time here. I really have to commend Ratalaika for stepping up its game with the emulation wrapper for this release. Perhaps I’m being greedy, but I’d love to see the first game updated with a similar interface just for consistency. A fine release for Aero fans and those on the look out for 16-bit platformers to play, and one that makes me optimistic for the remaining reissues of this series.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Metro Quester | Osaka ($19.99)

I got quite a bit of enjoyment out of the original Metro Quester when it released a while back. It’s a bit of a bear to get into, but once you understand its rules and what you have to do, it’s an immensely satisfying dungeon-crawling turn-based RPG. Experimenting with party builds to try to find the optimal team was a task I truly enjoyed taking on. With that in mind, I was very happy to see that there was another game in the series coming. Metro Quester | Osaka feels a little more like an expansion pack than a proper sequel, but I’m more than happy with that given how much I got out of the original.

The story here is a prequel to the original game, and we’ve moved to Osaka as a setting. You get a whole new dungeon to explore, and some new character types to do that exploring with. Osaka is a much wetter location, so you’ll need to use your canoe to travel over the water in places. With the new dungeon comes new weapons, skills, and enemies to deal with. Definitely more to chew on here for those who have wrung out the original game, and if you had a good time there then you will enjoy this one, too.

That said, this game shares much of its broader mechanics with the original Metro Quester. If you need an explanation, please check out my review of that game for more details. Short version: turn-based combat, top-down dungeon exploration, and a whole lot of inching your way outward a little further each time before having to head back to camp. You know, the good stuff. Those who are careless will find themselves in hot water very quickly, as planning and cautious play is practically a necessity in this game.

Those who found themselves fully absorbed in Metro Quester will find plenty to enjoy in Metro Quester | Osaka, and new players should probably just skip right to this game. It’s more of an expansion pack than a sequel, but that in no way should be taken as a bad thing. Rather, it just seems like the designer wanted to send players on another adventure that pushes out the existing systems in some fascinating ways. It’s certainly a game you’ll have to be patient with to get the most out of, but those willing to invest the time will enjoy the dividends.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Select New Releases

NBA 2K25 ($59.99)

NBA 2K is back… in 25 form! You know, I find myself wondering something. What happens to the name of this series when we hit the year 2100? NBA 2K100? Just feels weird. We’ll have to talk about that when the situation arises, I suppose. Apparently this year’s version has improved gameplay, a new feature called Neighborhood, and some nonsense about MyTEAM. I’m not going to pretend to know what’s going on here, so instead I will just toss out the amount of space you’ll need on your memory card for this game and then move on. Here we go. 53.3 GB!

Shogun Showdown ($14.99)

Got room in your heart for another riff on Darkest Dungeon? This one has a Japanese-inspired setting, and there are a few bits in here that change things up a little. Setting all of that aside, this is very much a familiar style of game and I think it’s a decent enough example of such to be of interest to those on the hunt for another one.

Aero The Acro-Bat 2 ($5.99)

Well, there’s a review up above this section, but in case you’re in the habit of skipping down the page, let me fill you in. This is the somewhat more polished sequel to the successful Aero The Acro-Bat, all done up in Ratalaika’s emulator wrapper. Said wrapper was given additional effort for this release, and it looks good! The version of the game included is the Super NES one, and you can play the North American release or the Japanese one. I wish the Genesis/Mega Drive version was in here, but I can’t imagine Aero fans being unhappy with this overall outside of that.

Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection ($9.99)

Sunsoft is back! Okay, Sunsoft has been back for a while now, and you probably don’t need a trio of heretofore non-localized Famicom games to sell you on that. So instead let the games sell you on themselves, as you get a trio of unique and varied titles in this bunch. A side-scrolling action platformer, an adventure game, and an action-RPG of sorts. I reviewed this set a couple of days ago, so I advise checking that out if you need more details. Short version: if you like weird old games, this is a good pick-up.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Some fun stuff in the inbox today, including a really good price on the Cosmic Fantasy Collection. A little dear at its normal price, but at 40% off I think it is worth considering for retro RPG fans. I’ll also call out the enjoyable platformer Tinykin, which is at its lowest price yet. Have a good look through those lists and see what catches your eye.

Select New Sales

Zombie Army Trilogy ($8.74 from $34.99 until 9/12)Zombie Army 4: Dead War ($14.99 from $49.99 until 9/12)Wild Seas ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/12)Chants of Sennaar ($14.99 from $19.99 until 9/13)The House of Da Vinci 3 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/13)Warhammer 40k: Boltgun ($15.39 from $21.99 until 9/13)Toziuha Night: Dracula’s Revenge ($1.99 from $4.99 until 9/16)Monkey Barrels ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/19)Banchou Tactics ($15.99 from $19.99 until 9/19)Transiruby ($10.49 from $14.99 until 9/19)Picontier ($19.99 from $24.99 until 9/19)Kamiko ($1.99 from $4.99 until 9/19)Fairune Collection ($3.99 from $9.99 until 9/19)Alchemic Dungeons DX ($3.19 from $7.99 until 9/19)Ninja Smasher! ($6.39 from $7.99 until 9/19)Ninja Striker! ($1.99 from $3.99 until 9/19)

Great Ambition of the Slimes ($9.59 from $11.99 until 9/19)Shinobi Non Grata ($11.99 from $14.99 until 9/19)Let’s Build a Zoo ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/20)Owlboy ($8.74 from $24.99 until 9/20)Hakuoki: Wind & Blossom ($44.99 from $49.99 until 9/20)Omen of Sorrow ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/20)Dungeonoid 2 Awakening ($4.49 from $8.99 until 9/20)The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt CE ($23.99 from $59.99 until 9/22)Knights of Grayfang ($10.49 from $14.99 until 9/26)Gale of Windoria ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/26)Justice Chronicles ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/26)Armed Emeth ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/26)Jinshin ($10.49 from $14.99 until 9/26)Alphadia Genesis ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/26)Grace of Letoile ($10.49 from $14.99 until 9/26)

Tinykin ($6.24 from $24.99 until 9/26)Despot’s Game ($4.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)Cosmic Fantasy Collection ($29.99 from $49.99 until 9/26)Cosmic Fantasy ($15.90 from $26.50 until 9/26)Cosmic Fantasy 2 ($15.90 from $26.50 until 9/26)Spirittea ($15.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)Punch Club 2: Fast Forward ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)Railway Empire 2 ($37.49 from $49.99 until 9/26)Lil’ Guardsman ($11.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)Potion Craft Alchemist Simulator ($11.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)Euphoria ($1.99 from $14.99 until 9/26)Of The Red, the Light, & Ayakashi ($25.06 from $50.13 until 9/26)Modern Combat Blackout ($1.99 from $7.99 until 9/26)The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa ($8.99 from $14.99 until 9/26)Arrest of a Stone Buddha ($8.99 from $14.99 until 9/26)Fading Afternoon ($16.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)Astor: Blade of the Monolith ($14.99 from $24.99 until 9/26)Tamarak Trail ($8.99 from $14.99 until 9/26)Rigid Force Redux ($3.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)Yaga ($6.24 from $24.99 until 9/26)Rabi-Ribi ($13.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)

Sales Ending This Weekend

Dead in Vinland: True Viking ($2.79 from $27.99 until 9/7)Gunslugs ($4.79 from $7.99 until 9/7)Gunslugs 2 ($4.79 from $7.99 until 9/7)Heroes of Loot ($4.79 from $7.99 until 9/7)Heroes of Loot 2 ($5.99 from $9.99 until 9/7)Meganoid ($5.39 from $8.99 until 9/7)NOISZ re:||COLLECTION G ($19.99 from $24.99 until 9/7)Phoenotopia: Awakening ($6.99 from $19.99 until 9/7)Space Grunts ($8.39 from $13.99 until 9/7)Stardash ($5.99 from $9.99 until 9/7)Superhot ($9.99 from $24.99 until 9/7)Dormitory Love ($24.49 from $34.99 until 9/8)Dying Light: Definitive Edition ($9.99 from $49.99 until 9/8)Fur Squadron ($2.79 from $6.99 until 9/8)Tchia: Oleti Edition ($23.44 from $34.99 until 9/8)

That’s all for today, this week, this month, this year, and forever, friends. I haven’t been very loud about this, but this is not only the end of the SwitchArcade Round-Up, but also of my eleven and a half years at TouchArcade. I’ll still be writing here and there at my blog at Post Game Content as well as putting up exclusive articles on my Patreon, but other than that I think I’m hanging up the ol’ webs on this specific kind of work. Twenty-six years in this end of the business is a good run, and I’m ready for new challenges. Do look for me at one of the aforementioned places, hit me up on BlueSky and say hi, and if you’re a fancy executive looking to hire a very seasoned writer, I’m your guy.

With that said, I will extend the highest possible gratitude to all of TouchArcade’s readers for being with me on this leg of my life’s journey. I treasure all of you more than you can know. I wish you all the sincerest happiness in your lives, and forever and always – thanks for reading.

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Perfect bags for going back to Campus

Couture

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

September 6, 2024

It’s that time of year again—summer is over, and it’s time to trade in your beach totes for the perfect school bag. Whether you’re feeling excited, nervous, or a bit of both as you head back to campus, there’s one thing you can control: your style. We’ve crafted a guide to help you return to school feeling confident.

Why Tote bags?

Tote bags are practical for schools because of their spacious design, which easily fits books, laptops, and other essentials. Their open-top style allows quick access to your items, while strong straps ensure comfort and solidity for daily use. Plus, tote bags often come with additional pockets for organization, making them functional and convenient!

Here are our favorites – but we have plenty more, check the website!

The Louis Vuitton Everyday Tote is your perfect classroom companion. Its MM size holds everything from your laptop to books, and it’s reversible. Built to handle a lot, this stylish bag has delicate-looking straps that are stronger than they appear—just be mindful of your shoulder!

The Christian Dior Diorcamp Messenger Tote and Chanel Reverso XL Bag are perfect for back-to-school. This modern and relaxed look for Dior, has space and can be worn over the shoulder or crossbody, making it the perfect companion for uni.

The Chanel reverso XL has the right size for your books and computer, able to fit your essentials and have a timeless bag that fits with your outfits. It’s neutral color allows you to wear it with almost anything. Chanel ensures quality and longevity, make this one your perfect companion.

Christian Dior Diorcamp Messenger Bag Chanel Grey Reverso Boy Bag

This bag is for you if you like old-school luxury aesthetic. Produced in 2004, its brown and used look gives character to your outfit. This bag offers a unique and timeless aesthetic that modern bags cannot replicate. Own this design history and face your new decade with this two-decade bag.

Of course, school is the priority, but what is campus life without its nightlife?

Looking for a small bag big enough to fit your phone and your best friend’s phone? We’ve got you covered. This bag is also considered vintage, as it was made in 2001. To perfect your outfit, put this bag on your shoulder and have fun without worrying about it being stolen!

Or you could stick with the classic choice: a backpack. Always practical, with comfortable shoulder straps and plenty of space, a backpack lets you carry everything you need without straining one shoulder. Contrary to popular belief, backpacks can be stylish and make a great addition to your outfit without giving off a grade-school vibe.

Here are our favorites:

These two ensure style and practicality. The iconic LV monogram and its color make it a timeless and easily recognizable piece. These stylish backpacks are crafted of Louis Vuitton’s signature monogram-coated canvas. Large enough to hold a laptop, the dean backpack has inside pockets plus a zipped front pocket to keep everything neatly organized and easily accessible.

The Palm Spring is a little bit smaller and cannot fit a laptop, but like Louis Vuitton said: “it gives a fresh twist to a utilitarian staple, transforming it into an on-trend city bag. A chic and practical accessory for sporty urban nomads.”

On an ending note, you will do amazing whatever bag you choose, the most important is to feel confident and start the year with a good companion that will accompany you every day.

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NBA 2K25, ARCO, ODDADA, DATE a LIVE Ren Dystopia, Star Trucker, Skull and Bones, & More Reviews With New Verified Games – TouchArcade

Gaming

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

September 6, 2024

NBA 2K25, ARCO, ODDADA, DATE a LIVE Ren Dystopia, Star Trucker, Skull and Bones, & More Reviews With New Verified Games – TouchArcade

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Steam Deck Weekly. If you missed my Warhammer 40000: Space Marine 2 Steam Deck review, read it here. Today’s article focuses on Steam Deck impressions and reviews for many games I’ve been playing over the last few weeks with the Steam Deck Verified games and one notable set of discounts on right now.

Steam Deck Game Reviews & Impressions

NBA 2K25 Steam Deck Review

While many scoff at yearly sports releases, I’ve always been a fan of 2K’s NBA games despite the issues. NBA 2K25 is notable for a few reasons. The first is that this is the first time since the PS5 generation began that the PC version of NBA 2K25 is actually the “Next Gen” version rather than being based on the older consoles. The second reason is that the official PC FAQ confirmed that NBA 2K25 is optimized for Steam Deck. While it doesn’t have an official rating from Valve yet, this was great to see. Now that I’ve played NBA 2K25 on Steam Deck and also both consoles thanks to review codes and buying a disc, I’m more than pleased with the game, but it has some of the usual issues you’d expect.

If you’ve been playing NBA 2K on PC for a few years, the standout features of this year’s entry are the ProPLAY technology for improved gameplay which has only been on PS5 and Xbox Series X prior to NBA 2K25. WNBA also makes its PC debut with NBA 2K25 alongside the MyNBA mode. If you ended up skipping the last few years of NBA 2K games on PC in the hope of getting the full experience, NBA 2K25 is it for sure, and I hope it does well enough se we keep seeing not only the Next Gen version on PC, but also 2K doing good work on Steam Deck.

On PC and Steam Deck, NBA 2K25 has 16:10 and 800p support which is already a good sign. Beyond that, it has AMD FSR 2, DLSS, and XeSS support, but I disabled this. I’ll get into why a bit later. You can also adjust v-sync, dynamic v-sync that targets 90fps during gameplay and 45fps outside that (including The City), toggle HDR (yes it works on Steam Deck), texture detail, overall quality, and two shader options. I recommend letting the game cache all the shaders on initial boot for the best possible experience during gameplay. For some reason, NBA 2K25 on Steam Deck does a quick shader cache on each boot. It isn’t too long but is notable.

The NBA 2K25 PC graphics options have an advanced menu with many options including shader detail, shadow detail, player detail, crowd detail, NPC density, volumetric effects, reflections, era filters, global illumination, ambient occlusion, TAA, motion blur, depth of field, bloom, and max anisotropy. This is quite a feature packed PC port when it comes to settings. I left most on low or medium with turning off the upscaling since it made gameplay look a bit too blurry. The main settings I left at medium were player level and shader detail. I also capped the game to 60fps at 60hz using the Steam Deck quick access menu. This provided the best and most stable experience with better clarity than the defaults.

Speaking of the default, if you don’t care about adjusting any settings, the game has a Steam Deck visual preset which works fine out of the box, but it looked a bit too blurry for my liking. This is what made me play around with the settings over the last few days.

I was curious if NBA 2K25 is playable offline. I know many of the modes require an internet connection but what happens if you try booting up the game when not online? When trying this on my Steam Deck OLED in airplane mode with wifi turned off, the game booted up but didn’t let me load MyCAREER or MyTEAM. There’s a Connect option in the menu to retry connection, but I could get into quick play and eras fine while offline. I noticed some load times were quicker when offline as well.

When looking at the console versions, NBA 2K25 is a much better experience than Steam Deck technically, but I find myself playing it more on Valve’s handheld after years of enjoying these games on Switch and more-recently on Steam Deck. The biggest differentiator is the load times. Even on my Steam Deck OLED’s internal SSD, NBA 2K25 doesn’t load as fast as PS5 or Xbox Series X. It isn’t as bad as older systems, but this was a notable difference. Beyond that, keep in mind that there is no crossplay for the PC version with both consoles.

As with every recent NBA 2K, the microtransactions are still a problem. This is important if you want to play some of the modes that have a focus on them. If you just want to get this to have a great looking and playing basketball game, they might as well not exist, but keep that in mind when you make your purchase since NBA 2K25 is a $69.99 game on PC as opposed to being priced lower for the last few years.

With NBA 2K25, the Steam Deck now delivers a fantastic portable basketball experience at feature parity with PS5 and Xbox Series X. With a bit of tweaking, it looks and runs great, and I’m glad to see 2K finally bring all the features to PC after many years. If you own a Steam Deck and were hoping for a good experience with NBA 2K25, 2K and Visual Concepts have delivered. Just be aware of the microtransactions in some of the game modes though.

NBA 2K25 Steam Deck review score: 4/5

Gimmick! 2 Steam Deck Impressions

If you’re not familiar with Gimmick! 2 yet, read Shaun’s review of the Switch version here. I was curious to see how it felt on Steam Deck. As of this writing, Gimmick! 2 hasn’t been tested by Valve, but it runs fine out of the box. In fact, it even has a mention of Steam Deck and Linux fixes in its newest patch.

Gimmick! 2 is currently capped at 60fps on Steam Deck, and I even recommend forcing your Steam Deck screen to 60hz if you play on an OLED to avoid any jitter issues. There are no graphics options at all, but it does seem to support 16:10 display by default for the menus at least. When I forced the game to run at 1080p on the Steam Deck’s own screen, I wanted to make sure the game wasn’t stretching the visuals like some others do. I can confirm it indeed supports 16:10 properly after making sure of the aspect ratio of the UI and other elements. This only applies to menus though as the actual gameplay runs at 16:9.

While I was hoping to see Gimmick! 2 support above 60fps, it isn’t a deal breaker or even close. I wouldn’t be surprised if this gets Steam Deck Verified soon because it runs perfectly out of the box. As for the game itself, I definitely agree with Shaun’s review linked above. I’m just glad to see Gimmick! 2 run so well out of the box on Steam Deck.

Arco Steam Deck Mini Review

Arco is a game I adored from the get go, but it felt like it was a few updates away from greatness. The dynamic turn-based RPG with pixel art visuals and a lovely story hit PC and Switch a few weeks ago, and it has gotten a major update on Steam already fixing most of my issues. As of this writing, the update isn’t live on Switch and I decided to review the Steam Deck version since that is the most up to date right now.

When looking at Arco trailers, you might think it is just a nice looking tactical game. Well, it is a lot more than that, and the combat system is very interesting. In fact, the audio and story surprised me the most. Arco has you experiencing different stories with characters that have unique gameplay styles (in a way). While it is a turn-based affair, there are real-time elements. I saw someone call it Superhot meets a pixel art tactical RPG and I feel like that isn’t giving you the full picture, but it is a glimpse into the kind of blend of gameplay you can expect here.

On Steam Deck, Arco ships Verified from the get go, and I had no issues playing it on both my Steam Decks. It is capped to 60fps as far as I can tell and has 16:9 support only. The current build on Steam Deck includes an assist mode (beta) letting you skip combat, get infinite dynamite, and more. These are good to have if you want to skip the combat, but I’m happiest about the option to skip the first act when replaying the game.

On paper, Arco seemed like it would be very good, but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do now. It feels dynamic across the board with superb visuals, music, and a lovely story. If you want an interesting tactical RPG with a memorable story, get Arco right now. There’s even a free demo you can try on Steam right now.

Arco Steam Deck review score: 5/5

Skull and Bones Steam Deck Steam Deck Mini Review

Skull and Bones is an interesting release to cover. It launched on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC earlier this year, but wasn’t on Steam until just over a week ago. Having never played it before, I wasn’t sure what to expect aside from a friend of mine telling me he enjoyed it despite its many flaws on Xbox. I was also curious to see how it felt on Steam Deck as a current generation console title, but Ubisoft posting about it being playable gave me some hope. For this review, I’m focusing on the Steam Deck port more than the game.

On Steam Deck, Skull and Bones has an official Valve rating of being Playable. On booting it up for the first time, you have to login to your Ubisoft Connect account and this process isn’t smooth because the interface feels sluggish. I was hoping it would just pick up my details since I logged into Ubisoft Connect for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, but I had to do it again for Skull and Bones. Beyond that, the tutorial runs fine, but I wanted to get more stable performance. I set it to a 30fps frame rate limit and it runs at 16:10 and 800p. I opted for FSR 2 quality upscaling as well, though performance is more stable with the performance upscaling preset. I left everything else on low aside from textures which I set to high. I found this delivered a good experience overall.

As for Skull and Bones as a game itself, I’m still early on since I’ve only played it for just over a week now, but I see the potential here. If Ubisoft keeps supporting it, it will be an easier recommendation. It is already a better experience than before looking at what was added in recent updates.

Skull and Bones is a hard game to recommend at full price, but I do recommend checking out the free trial. I enjoy naval combat and open world Ubisoft games, and Skull and Bones with all its updates so far is good, but it has potential to be better. If you do plan on playing Skull and Bones on Steam Deck, keep in mind that it is an online only experience. I will likely grab it on console to also play there with cross progression.

Skull and Bones Steam Deck review score: TBA

ODDADA Steam Deck Review

I love interactive toys like Townscaper because they are excellent at letting me spend a few minutes trying to create something cool. When ODDADA was announced, it felt like the next great interactive toy for me, and that’s exactly what it ended up being with a small caveat in its controls.

ODDADA is not technically a game, but a music maker hybrid that feels like a game. The aesthetic reminds me of Windosill in a way, but it really is a gorgeous and elegant little toolbox with a plethora of ways for you to create something special. You interact with it using a mouse or touch controls on Steam Deck, and slowly progress through the different levels and instruments working your way to the end. The randomness element makes it so every creation sounds and feels different.

On Steam Deck, I mentioned ODDADA has no controller support yet, but it runs perfectly at 90fps out of the box. There are a few graphics options like resolution, v-sync, and anti-aliasing toggles. You don’t need to worry much about settings in this one, but the text in the menu is a bit small for Steam Deck.

Aside from the lack of controller support, I have nothing bad to say about ODDADA. I would argue that even with full controller support, it will play best with touch or mouse controls, but I know some folks prefer a controller across the board.

If you enjoy music, art, or just want to make your own music with a lovely little game, ODDADA is for you. In its current state, ODDADA doesn’t have controller support, but it plays perfectly with touch controls on Steam Deck. The team is working on getting it Steam Deck Verified so keep that in mind if you plan on purchasing it now or later.

ODDADA Steam Deck review score: 4.5/5

Star Trucker Steam Deck Mini Review

Sometimes, a game is released blending two genres together in a way that might not satiate either fanbase. These situations can result in a game that doesn’t hit as hard for anyone, but there’s also a chance that it manages to capture a new audience. I feel like Star Trucker is one of those with how it tries to do automobile simulation and space exploration at once, but without going too deep into either of those genres. This one hasn’t been rated by Valve, but I didn’t have any issues playing it on Proton Experimental right now.

Your aim in Star Trucker is to explore space, take on jobs, earn money, and unlock more to do on the massive galactic map. It includes many difficulty options and the ability to tweak things as you like before starting a new game. While I love the gameplay loop, the real highlights are the visuals, writing, and voiced banter on the radio.

On PC and Steam Deck, Star Trucker lets you adjust video mode, resolution (16:10 support included), refresh rate, v-sync, graphics quality, render scale, shadow quality, temporal anti-aliasing, ambient occlusion, mesh detail, and light shafts. I opted to use a custom preset with low shadows but left everything else at normal. I also turned off temporal anti-aliasing. This was good enough for a 40fps or so target. I’m sure someone will find a better compromise in visuals for improved performance, but I was happy with this while playing.

The major issues holding Star Trucker back are the controls that took me a good while to get used to. I hope these see some improvements in updates.

Star Trucker surprised me with its blend of truck simulation and its setting in a way I didn’t think was possible. This feels like a game catering to what I enjoy a lot in automobile simulation and exploration games. While it might not be for everyone, I’ve enjoyed playing Star Trucker quite a bit ever since I got review code on Steam Deck. I hope the developers optimize it a bit more for Valve’s handheld though.

Star Trucker Steam Deck review score: 4/5

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia Steam Deck Mini Review

Originally released in Japan on PS4 only back in 2020, Sting and Idea Factory’s DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia has made its way to the West only on Steam, and it is a great follow up to DATE A LIVE: Rio Reincarnation. If you’re not familiar with it, Date A Live is a light novels series from Koshi Tachibana with illustrations by Tsunako. DATE A LIVE: Rio Reincarnation was a great introduction to that world, and every fan of that release needs to play DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia.

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia has you playing as Shido who has a dream about a girl named Ren, and this is where the narrative begins with multiple paths and returning characters. There are many choices to make as you’d expect, and it is all accompanied by very good art from Tsunako. DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia feels more lighthearted across the board, and it serves as a perfect compliment and follow-up to DATE A LIVE: Rio Reincarnation. I’m just surprised it took this long to see it released in English.

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia runs perfectly on Stema Deck out of the box. I didn’t need to change anything. It has 16:9 support at 720p and plays all cut-scenes without issues out of the box. I recommend checking the system settings to ensure the confirm button is set to A and not B. Also make sure it isn’t stretching the 16:9 image to 16:10 in fullscreen mode.

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia is an easy recommendation for fans of DATE A LIVE: Rio Reincarnation with its lovely art, music, and memorable characters. I don’t recommend playing it before Rio Reincarnation though.

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia Steam Deck Review Score: 4/5

Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES Steam Deck Review Impressions

I can’t recall the last time I’ve seen a free game update or re-launch get a new store page on Steam, but that’s what happened with Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES. When SEGA reached out asking if I wanted to try the update early, I figured it would just be early access to the update, but not a brand new app on Steam. I always thought Total War: PHARAOH was good and had potential, but it clearly wasn’t ready for a full price launch when it debuted. Fast forward to today, Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES is exactly what the original should’ve been, and it is an easy recommendation on PC, but the Steam Deck version has some caveats.

Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES builds on the original by nearly doubling the main campaign content, adding in four new factions, the Dynasty system, and tons of improvements to existing areas of the game. If you already own Total War: PHARAOH, Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES will feel like a sequel in some ways, but also an enhanced re-release in others. It is a great game right now.

On Steam Deck, Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES still doesn’t have controller support, but it is playable with the trackpad and touch controls. I’m still playing it on and off to see how it feels, but my initial impressions are very positive as someone who enjoyed the original Total War: PHARAOH but thought it needed more work.

Pinball FX Steam Deck Impressions

Shaun has been talking about Zen Studios’ Pinball FX series so much over the years, that I’ve always wanted to check it out on a handheld. I ended up getting some of the tables for older games on Switch before, but with the new digital version of the game simply titled Pinball FX out on Steam since last year, I was curious how it would play on Steam Deck.

When the two new DLC tables were released, I downloaded the game on Steam Deck to see how it and the DLC tables felt. What surprised me the most is the PC port features, and how it plays on Steam Deck. I’ve not played every single DLC table so I can’t comment on how the game will run there, but having access to a lot of PC graphics options including proper HDR support on Steam Deck makes it hard to not recommend at least downloading the free client to see how you find it.

As for the gameplay, I’ve played about 7 tables since getting the game, and I love this release. I’m looking forward to covering more of these tables in the future, but Pinball FX feels like a love letter to the world of pinball. While not a review, Pinball FX is absolutely worth your time on Steam Deck. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, I recommend grabbing the free to play version on Steam to access a few of the tables at no additional cost. This will let you see how the game looks and runs on Steam Deck as well as sampling a bit of the many tables available as paid DLC.

New Steam Deck Verified & Playable games for the week

I’m surprised Black Myth: Wukong is marked Unsupported and not Playable given it performs better than a lot of Verified games. I’m glad to see Hookah Haze and OneShot: World Machine Edition Verified this week. I’m looking forward to playing them both.

Black Myth: Wukong – Unsupported (Read my review here showing it is playable)
F1 Manager 2024 – Playable
Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery – Playable
Hookah Haze – Verified
METAL SLUG ATTACK RELOADED – Verified
OneShot: World Machine Edition – Verified
Slash Quest – Verified
Syberia – Verified
Toree’s Panic Pack – Verified
Volgarr the Viking II – Playable

Steam Deck Game Sales, Discounts, and Specials

Check out the Games from Croatia sale with discounts on the amazing Talos Principle series and much more this week. This sale is on until Monday morning.

That’s all for this edition of the Steam Deck Weekly. As usual, you can read all our past and future Steam Deck coverage here. If you have any feedback for this feature or what else you’d like to see us do around the Steam Deck, let us know in the comments below. I hope you all have a great day, and thanks for reading.

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The Best Places to Dine and Drink During NYFW 2024

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Metaverse Fashion Week Online

September 6, 2024

The Best Places to Dine and Drink During NYFW 2024

New York Fashion Week is back, hitting New York City from September 5th-12th, 2024. Fashion enthusiasts from around the world will be gathering in NYC to view the latest collections, and we have the best places to dine and drink during NYFW- Check them all out here:

DOWNTOWN

American Bar

A West Village staple and still one of the hottest reservations to score (Bella Hadid and John Mayer have both been spotted here), American Bar is still one of the buzziest spot for good food and perfect drinks. Sip cocktails on the outdoor patio, or have a leisurely time in the sunshine yellow old-school dining room, outfitted with a brass-rail cocktail bar. Don’t miss the Tuna Tartare or Spicy Lobster Pasta. American Bar, 33 Greenwich Ave. NY NY

Holiday Bar

The latest from concept from Grand Tour Hospitality and Kyle Hotchkiss Carone, Holiday Bar brings back the 80’s with a mirrored back bar, retro banquettes and colorful accents. The seasonal coastal menu features favorites like Hamachi Crudo, Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice and Miso Black Cod. Bar Director Simon Sebbah has some fashion-forward cocktails to sip on. Holiday Bar, 10 Downing Street, NY NY

Gotham

For a sophisticated escape, head to NYC classic Gotham in Greenwich Village. Since its opening in 1984, this New York institution has been a cult favorite. The post-pandemic newly revamped space features a rotating series of contemporary artists curated by Emily Santangelo, sophisticated cocktails, carefully curated wine list and classic American cuisine by Chef Ron Paprocki in a stylish yet relaxed setting. Gotham, 12 E. 12th St. NY, NY

Join the ranks of Timothee Chalamet, Hailey Beiber and Justin Bieber and stop by Asian-inspired KYU in trendy Noho. The always stylish crowd can be found dining on woodfired cuisine like Mongolian Pork Belly and Stone Pot Fried Rice, Crispy Tuna, and the most decadent caviar sandwich. Don’t miss the bespoke cocktails or sake offerings. KYU, 324 Lafayette, NY NY

If you are looking to celebrate a great show or closing a deal, head downtown to the stunning Wall Street Hotel in the Financial District and indulge in a three martini lunch, curated by award-winning Beverage Director Amy Racine. Dine in decadence surrounded by rich colors and fabrics while nibbling on luxurious comfort foods like French Onion Soup Dumplings and Dover Sole by Chef John Fraser. La Marchande, 88 Wall St, NY NY

Maison Close

From the team behind the former Bagatelle in NYC, Maison Close brings an upscale energetic french vibe with approachable French cuisine, elevated beverages, and a celebratory atmosphere in the trendy SoHo neighborhood. Frequented by celebrity and fashion forward clientele, make sure to book early. Maison Close, 15 Watts Street, New York, NY

Momoya SoHo

After the Soho shows, guests can head to the new Momoya Soho, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows and a perfect view of Prince and Mulberry streets and maybe even catch some street style passing by. Momoya Soho, 47 Prince St, NY, NY

Sake No Hana

The sultry new modern Japanese restaurant from TAO Group Hospitality offers whimsical cocktails inspired by Japanese fashion and streetwear, perfect for #nyfw. Don’t miss the Nagatani Cowgirl (ketel one citroen vodka, giffard lychee, cocchi rosa, coconut) or the Awayuki Icon (awayuki strawberry gin, grapefruit rose vodka, yuzu, q mixer tropical ginger beer). Sake No Hana, 145 Bowery, NY, NY

Sant Ambroeus Soho

This elegant Italian fashion staple has been frequented by Prabal Gurung, Sarah Jessica Parker, Karolína Kurková, Linda Evangelista, Zac Posen, Lauren Santo Domingo, Diane Kruger, André Leon Talley and Olivia Palermo. The space was designed by New York-based designer Robert McKinley, and featured relaxed yet sophisticated indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Sant Ambroeus Soho, 265 Lafayette St, NY, NY

Spring Place

Fashion show attendees as well as Spring Place members can grab a bite at Spring Place Restaurant, which will be offering a special limited edition NYFW menu featuring light hors d’oeuvres including Tuna Tartare, Insalata Caprese, Gluten Free Buffalo Cauliflower, Ponzu and Sesame Young Greens Salad, and specialty pick-me-ups such as,Egg Coffee and Coconut Coffee. Spring Place, 6 St Johns Ln, NY, NY

Downtown classic Temple Bar is the place to be to sip on classic cocktails and new, soon-to-be favorites, like the Tom Ford made with Gin, Cocchi Rosa, Aperol, lemon, & seasonal tomatoes, Como Spritz (Cynar, passionfruit, lemon, & Champagne) and Olive Oil Martini (2:1 gin, olive oil washed dry and blanc vermouths, & olive). Don’t miss fashionable bites like the Wagyu Beef Sliders or New York Crudo . Temple Bar, 332 Lafayette St, NY, NY

Realmuto Alta Pasticceria

Celebrating their grand opening on September 12th and currently in soft opening, bright and airy Mariotti Studio designed Realmuto Alta Pasticceria in the West Village is the perfect escape for New York Fashion Week. The all-day venue serves up morning espresso, lunch, afternoon snacks and an evening aperitivo. With inspiration drawn from the Cova Milano and Gilli Firenze pasticceria of Italy, guests will get a glimpse of authentic Italian. Realmuto Alta Pasticceria, 117 7th Ave S, NY

The ROOF at PUBLIC Hotel

The ROOF is the perfect place to sip cocktails while watching the sunset after a long day of shows, and this season you can enjoy city views from the chic Ian Schrager hotel while sipping cocktail and nibbling on small bites. For other dining options, PUBLIC is also home to POPULAR (globally inspired Peruvian cuisine by Chef Diego Munoz) or Cantina & Pisco Bar. Public Hotel ,215 Chrystie St, NY, NY 10002

Great Jones Distilling Co.

Lovers of art, culture and style will appreciate Great Jones Distillery, located in downtown Noho. After drinks at the bar, don’t forget to take home a bottle of Great Jones for yourself. Great Jones Distilling Co., 686 Broadway, NY, NY 10012

Philippe Chow has been a mainstay for celebrity sightings, with a clientele that includes celebrities such as Rihanna, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Jay Z & Beyonce. Guest are fans of the decor, as well as the sharable Asian-fusion dishes like Chef Chow’s famous satays, honey glazed spare ribs, chicken lettuce wraps and lobster noodles. Philippe Chow, 355 W. 16th Street, NY NY

UNLISTED

This brand new rooftop space embodies the raw authenticity of New York City, and is the Lower East Side newest indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge. The 11th floor rooftop located inside UNTITLED Hotel at 3 Freeman Alley celebrates Lower East Side nostalgia, street art, and music paired with modern cocktail culture. You can’t beat the 360-degree views from every corner and the soft, colorful velvety furniture in hues of green, pink, and mustard yellow juxtaposed with industrial surfaces under a sparkling disco ball. Unlisted, 3 Freeman Alley, NY NY

Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York

For NYFW Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York, fashionistas love the Parisian-inspired decor of the luxe hotel. Located near Spring Studios, this is the perfect place to glamorously unwind with a quick bite in sophisticated ambiance. Grab a bite of East Coast Oysters, Artichoke Beignets or Classic Beef Tartare with ‘Coin de Rue’ Fries by Chef Pierre Gagnaire. Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York 456 Greenwich St, NY, NY

Vestry

For those looking for a fine dining experience, Michelin-Starred Australian-born Chef Shaun Hergatt creates an upscale seasonal menu using the best produce from world’s top harvesters, injected with Japanese flavors. Located in The Dominick, the black marble bar is the perfect place to grab a drink and people watch, and don’t skip the caviar service. Vestry, 246 Spring St, NY, NY

MIDTOWN

Bottino

Take a break from the hustle of New York Fashion Week over fresh, hamade pastas and a well-curated wine and cocktail list at mid-century modern Bottino in West Chelsea. A New York City favorite since its opening in 1997, the kitchen is helmed by Chef/Partner Jamie Kenyon, who perfects dishes like bavette cacio pepe, tagliatelle bolognese, and branzino. Bottino, 246 10th Ave, NY, NY

Casa Cruz

Casa Cruz is a stunning six story Beaux-Arts townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and one of the fashion industry’s go-to host spots, having hosted Stella McCartney’s Met Gala After Party, Bergdorf Goodman and Schiaparelli Met Gala Kick Off Event,the launch of David Yurman’s Sculpted Cable Collection hosted by Sofia Richie Grainge, and the Carolina Herrera Resort 2024 Collection. With the cuisine and cocktails recently taken over by Michelin-starred chef John Fraser, posh interiors with original artworks by Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, and Louise Giovanelli, and an award-winning wine list, Casa Cruz makes for a glamorous dining experience like no other. Casa Cruz, 36 East 61st St, New York, NY, United States, 10065

Hawksmoor

This fashionable London import located in the inside of the historic United Charities Building across the street from Fotografiska and nearby Gramercy Park is the place for anyone with an appreciation of a good cocktail menu, strong martinis, the perfect steak and clean eating (ingredients are sourced from upstate farms and local purveyors). Hawksmoor, 109 E. 22nd Ave, NY NY

Hoseki

If you need a shopping break while at Saks New York, head to the jewelry floor of the department store to hidden Omakase restaurant Hoseki. The perfect oasis for fashion-lovers who need to recharge between shows, dine on Sea Bream w/ Truffle Salt, Bluefin Lean Tuna, Bluefin Fatty Tuna w/ Pickled Wasabi, Wagyu Beef and more. Hoseki, 611 5th Ave, NY, NY

Koi Restaurant & Lounge

Take a moment to unwind at popular midtown hideaway Koi, with decadent sharable Asian dishes. Don’t miss some of Koi’s favorite dishes: Koi Crispy Rice, Creamy Shrimp Tempura, Kobe Beef Potstickers and the Koju Chicken Karaage. Koi, 40 W. 40th St., NY, NY

Monterey

After the shows near Bryant Park or Sony Hall, head to Monterey to sip on stylish drinks, like the create your own martini by choosing from gin or vodka, vermouth, type of bitters, as well as a garnish. The vast interior space highlights modern touches with classic elements with modern touches. Monterey, 37 E 50th St, NY, NY

The Lambs Club

After the shows at Sony Hall, head to the sultry art deco The Lambs Club, where you can join the ranks of past guests and fashion icons Michael Kors and Nicole Miller. The timeless elegance of the interior is heightened with a new menu of modern American cuisine by Chef Jack Logue, and an updated take on classic cocktails by Chris Miller. The Lambs Club, 132 W 44th St, NY, NY

seeyabajo

Located under relaxed Baja California-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant seeyamañana, is the newly opened seeyabajo. The subterranean music venue is serving up intricate tropical-inspired drinks like the Vamos a la Playa (reposado tequila, sotol, grapefruit, cocoa, mole and soda highball on ice with with grapefruit chocolate garnish) and raw bar dishes (like Coconut Ceviche, Baja Oysters and Yellowtail Crudo). The perfect hideaway to finish the evening. seeyabajo, 49 W 27th Street, NY NY

The Seville

Located under Scarpetta is nightlife staple The Seville, perfect for those looking for a cozy subterranean space, live music, bespoke cocktails with a true New York experience. The Seville, 22 E. 29th Street, NY NY

The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens

Located in the heart of Times Square, The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens by Chef John Fraser is a hidden garden oasis. The modern brasserie features a seasonal with locally sourced ingredients, and don’t miss the extensive wine list and cocktails curated by Amy Racine. The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens, The Times Square EDITION, 701 7th Ave., NY, NY

Music and fashion lovers will love the aesthetics of this husband and wife owned steakhouse. With 2,000 records lining the walls, a Chef-Driven menu as well as the four in-house sommeliers who will pair wines from all around the world with Vinyl Steakhouses’ extensive vinyl collection, this is a unique experience you won’t want to miss. Vinyl Steakhouse, 35 W 19th Street, NY, NY

This intimate, modern fine-dining restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen is the place to be for dishes that are as artistic as this season’s collections. Founded by Bolun Yao in celebration of his grandmother, the chic all-black dining room is the perfect blend of Chinese culture and urban sophistication. The Chef’s Counter is the place to watch the theater of the chefs at work in the open kitchen while indulging on dishes like foie gras with pluot, sichuan peppercorn, and baijiu. or kampachi topped with prickly ash pepper, buttermilk, and caviar. Yingtao, 805 9th Ave, NY NY

Zuma New York

A fashion week staple, contemporary Japanese izakaya restaurant Zuma New York is known for exceptional cuisine and hosting A-listers Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, and Leonardo Dicaprio. The two-story restaurant designed by Noriyoshi Muramatsu of Studio Glitt I s an elegant escape. Zuma New York, 261 Madison Avenue, NY, NY

UPTOWN

MR CHOW

Synonymous with glamour and known for being frequented by fashion’s trendsetters (Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Vera Wang) Mr. Chow is a dining experience that epitomizes glamour and elegance over its sophisticated Chinese cuisine. The iconic upper East Side restaurant should be . Mr. Chow, 324 E 57th St. NY NY

BROOKLYN

The Red Pavilion

The first of its kind, head to Brooklyn to experience a Chinese teahouse & apothecary by day, Asian neo-noir nightclub by night in the eclectic Bushwick neighborhood. The Red Pavilion was founded by creative director, Shien Lee and TCM chef and author, Zoey Xinyi Gong, along with cocktail shaman, Orson Salicetti and offers immersive theater and cabaret showcases, wellness workshops, alchemical sound journeys, live music, intimate dance parties, jazz fridays, weekend brunch and more. The Red Pavilion, 1241 Flushing Ave., Bushwick, NY

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‘NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition’ Headlines October 2024’s New Apple Arcade Releases With Three App Store Greats – TouchArcade

Gaming

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

September 6, 2024

‘NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition’ Headlines October 2024’s New Apple Arcade Releases With Three App Store Greats – TouchArcade

Apple just announced October 2024’s new Apple Arcade games with NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition as the headliner. Following yesterday’s news about Balatro, Apple confirmed that NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition will release on October 3rd with three App Store Greats. NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition is notable because it marks the debut of The Neighborhood on iOS letting you explore the immersive world, outdoor streetball courts, NBA legends recruiting, a new badge system, and more with limited-time quests planned. Check out the NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition gameplay screenshot below:

Alongside NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition, we have Smash Hit+, Furistas Cat Cafe+, and Food Truck Pup+ joining Apple Arcade as App Store Greats. I’ve only played the first of those before so I will be checking out the others assuming I can stop playing Balatro+. If you’d like to sign up to get the new games, check out NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition here on Apple Arcade. With Balatro+ and NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition this is definitely the best month in a while for the service. What do you think of the newly revealed Apple Arcade games?

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The 10 Best PlayStation 1 Games on Nintendo Switch – SwitchArcade Special – TouchArcade

Gaming

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

September 5, 2024

The 10 Best PlayStation 1 Games on Nintendo Switch – SwitchArcade Special – TouchArcade

Well here it is, friends. This will be the last of my retro game eShop lists, mostly because I am running out of retro consoles with a good variety of games to choose from. I’ve left one of the best for last, though: the PlayStation. Sony’s first whack at the ol’ console market succeeded beyond any expectations, and it’s little wonder it built a library so full of great games that we still see re-releases to this day. Sure, these games gave Nintendo a black eye a quarter of a century ago, but it’s all smiles now for everyone who can enjoy them on their platforms of choice. We’ve got ten of our favorites here, in no particular order of course. On with the PlaySta-Show!

Klonoa: The Door to Phantomile – Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series ($39.99)

Klonoa is a really great game that probably didn’t get as much attention as it deserved, but got enough that it didn’t go totally unnoticed. Probably one of the more successful 2.5D platformers on the console, even. You play as a little floppy-eared cat-creature who is navigating the world of dreams to stop a dangerous threat. Vibrant visuals, snappy gameplay, interesting bosses, and a surprisingly impactful story for what it is. The second game, originally released on PlayStation 2, isn’t quite as good as the first, but you have to get them as a set anyway.

Final Fantasy VII ($15.99)

This is one of the big ones, isn’t it? The Japanese RPG that finally woke the wider Western market up to the genre, Square Enix’s biggest success ever, and one of the main instruments of the PlayStation’s rocket to the top of the business. Sure, there is that remake of Final Fantasy VII out there, but I hope by now that people realize what that really is. If you want to play the original Final Fantasy VII story, you’ll have to risk getting your eye poked out on some sharp polygons. Still a very good game, and it’s not hard to see why so many people took to it the way they did.

Metal Gear Solid – Master Collection Version ($19.99)

Another very big name from the PlayStation, Metal Gear Solid dragged a franchise that was more or less dormant into the spotlight of a much bigger stage. The Metal Gear Solid series got a lot sillier over time, and perhaps started gazing into its own belly button a little too deeply. But it’s hard to argue with this first game, which feels less like a bizarre trip through Kojima’s philosophical musings and more like an episode of GI Joe. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a very fun game to play, either. And hey, if you enjoy it enough, both of the PlayStation 2 follow-ups are available on Switch too.

G-Darius HD ($29.99)

Alright, let’s venture into the weeds again just a little bit. G-Darius took Taito’s classic shoot ’em up series into 3D, and it’s amazing just how well it made that transition. Sure, those chunky rough-textured polygons haven’t aged as well as the sprites in the 2D games, but there’s a real charm to them. The vivid colors, enjoyable enemy-catching mechanic, and creative bosses make for one heck of a solid shooter.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition ($19.99)

I could almost fill this entire list with Square Enix games, but I’m going to leave it with this one and Final Fantasy VII just to give other games a chance. Chrono Cross had an impossible job: follow up one of the most well-liked Japanese RPGs ever made. And no, it couldn’t quite manage that task. People today do not speak of Chrono Cross the way they do Chrono Trigger, and that’s fair. But pull it away from that comparison and you’ll find a really clever and gorgeous RPG with a huge cast of (admittedly poorly developed in the main) characters to recruit and play with. Also, one of the best video game soundtracks of all time. Feel free to @ me, I’m right.

Mega Man X4 – Mega Man X Legacy Collection ($19.99)

I love just about every Mega Man game to some extent, but I am well aware that my vision is clouded by bias stemming from a severe case of childhood nostalgia. As such, when it comes to recommending games in the series with clearer eyes, there are only a few games in each series I feel good about putting in the hands of non-fans. With the Mega Man X series, it’s just two games: Mega Man X and Mega Man X4. While I enjoyed the games between them, X4 just feels like it has itself put together better than most of its siblings. This was a short-lived slice of balance, because things went off the rails again with the next game. But hey, don’t take my word for it – buy the Legacy Collections and see for yourself!

Tomba! Special Edition ($19.99)

You know, there were a lot of games published by Sony as first-party releases that it ended up not owning. I always assumed Tomba was as much a first-party property as Crash Bandicoot was, but… oh wait, I guess it was. Anyway, Tomba! is a really interesting platformer. It incorporates a lot of adventure game elements, but the action is on point too. Just don’t forget that that creator of Tomba! is the same guy behind Ghosts ‘n Goblins. It might seem breezy at first, but it’s going to challenge you as it goes on. Very neat game, and I’m glad it’s available again.

Grandia – Grandia HD Collection ($39.99)

Okay, technically Grandia was a SEGA Saturn game first, but the PlayStation port was clearly used as the basis of this HD release so I’m putting it here. Grandia comes from many of the same people who made Lunar, and it channels much of its spirit. In a time period where many RPGs were taking heavy cues from Evangelion, Grandia dared to be a bright and cheerful adventure. It also has a very satisfying combat system that builds on what Game Arts was doing with the Lunar games in strong ways. The other game in this set isn’t too shabby either.

Tomb Raider – Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft ($29.99)

Another true icon of the PlayStation era, Lara Croft had five adventures on the PlayStation by the time the console reached its end. The quality varied from game to game, and some of them were stronger at some things and weaker at others. If you asked me to pick the best one, I think I’d have to go with the original. It was more focused on actual raiding of tombs and less on action, and I think that was putting the best foot forward as far as the Core Design period of the franchise went. But this is another chance to make up your own mind, because you get the first three games here whether you like it or not.

moon ($18.99)

Let’s finish up with a deeper cut. Originally only released in Japan, moon was something of a deconstruction of the contemporary RPG. Indeed, its creators refer to it as an anti-RPG. In practice, it’s more of an adventure game than anything else, and it is very… punk? Can I call it punk? There are parts of the game that aren’t very fun at all, but it’s also not trying to be fun all the time. There’s an interesting message to this game if you see it through, and I’m glad we finally got to see this come out in English.

And that’s the list, friends. Are there any PlayStation 1 games you enjoy on the Switch? Feel free to sound off down in the comments and let us know what you’re thinking! It’s always interesting to hear the opinions of others on this kind of thing. I hope everyone has enjoyed this series of articles as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. As always, thanks for reading!

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Reviews Featuring ‘Emio – The Smiling Man’, Plus Today’s New Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

Gaming

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

September 5, 2024

Reviews Featuring ‘Emio – The Smiling Man’, Plus Today’s New Releases and Sales – TouchArcade

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 5th, 2024. Thursday already, eh? Where does the time go? We’re going in hard on the reviews again today. I have two for you, covering Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Our pal Mikhail chimes in today too, with his looks at Nour: Play With Your Food, Fate/stay night REMASTERED, and TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK. We then move into the finest new releases of the day, then sweep up with the lists of new and expiring sales. Ah, Thursday. I shall miss you when it is Friday. Let’s go!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)

It seems like the latest trend is making sequels to decades-dormant franchises. Video games, always trying to be like Hollywood. Nintendo has rather unpredictably decided to resurrect Famicom Detective Club, a series mainly known in the West through the “blink and you’ll miss it” remake of the first two games that came out on Switch a couple of years back. I feel like there may be a connection here. At any rate, for the first time this millennium we have a brand new Famicom Detective Club adventure! That’s nifty.

The challenge with bringing back an old brand is in deciding how faithful to the original the new game should be. The risk of being too faithful is that the game could be seen as old-fashioned or out of date, but change too much and there’s a chance fans could be completely turned off. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club leans more toward maintaining the style of the recent remakes, themselves hewing quite closely to the originals. It’s an odd blend, to be sure. The visuals are as good as anything you would see in similar games from modern times, and the story certainly pushes a little further than what the Nintendo of the 90s would have done even in Japan. But the gameplay feels very old-school, and I think that is a determining factor in whether or not you enjoy this game.

A student is found dead with a paper bag over his head that has a smiling face on it. This digs up some old unsolved murders from eighteen years ago that featured a similar calling card, which raises all manner of questions. Then there is the urban legend about Emio, a killer who promises to give his victims an eternal smile. Has a previous killer resurfaced after all this time? Is it a copycat? Is there really any such thing as Emio? The cops are stumped, so it’s time to call in the Utsugi Detective Agency! Using the powers of going around to places and badgering people, you’ll do what the law enforcement was powerless to: find the truth!

Basically, you’re searching around every scene for clues, talking to all of the people you meet (sometimes you need to press the issue and ask multiple times to get what you want), and trying to find the connections you’ll need to solve the case. Think of the sections of Ace Attorney outside of court and you’re not too far off the mark. Depending on how well you take to this kind of gameplay, you mind find parts of the game to be annoying or a slog. There are certainly bits I feel could have been handled more smoothly, and it feels like specific chains of logic needed just a little more signposting. Well, this is a Cat Hair Mustache genre, and I suppose by that standards Emio isn’t doing anything particularly egregious.

And you know what? That’s where I’m going to leave it. I have some criticisms of the story, but I enjoyed it on the whole. It was engaging, twisty, and well-written. Some of the plot beats didn’t hit me the way it seems they hit others, but I can’t really talk about that in detail without ruining the story. And I really don’t want to do that, because this is a tale that is best experienced fresh. I liked more than I didn’t, and when it picks up it really picks up.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is not the sort of thing we typically see from Nintendo, but if there was any rust on the team it assuredly doesn’t show. It’s perhaps a little too adherent to the original games in its mechanics, and while the plot is mostly excellent there are some times where the pace falls off or things resolve in ways I didn’t find as satisfying as I would have ideally hoped for. Still, these are minor complaints for what is otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable mystery adventure. Welcome back, Detective Club. Don’t stay away so long this time.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate ($29.99)

We’re starting to get a nice little set of TMNT games on the Switch, aren’t we? You can enjoy the Konami classics in the Cowabunga Collection, get an incredible modern take on the arcade beat ’em up formula with Shredder’s Revenge, bring the modern arcade home in Wrath of the Mutants, and now satisfy your urge for something with a little more home console flavoring in Splintered Fate. There are a couple more on the way, too. We’re swimming in Turtles! With Turtles? Turtles, they’re everywhere. So how is this one?

Not too shabby, actually. I mean, if you’ve played this on Apple Arcade then you know the deal, and if you’re reading this site then the odds are somewhat decent you have. But just in case, let’s go over the broad pitch. Basically, imagine taking a TMNT-style beat ’em up and blending it with Hades. Alright, that pretty much does it. You can go it alone in the usual roguelite style, or play with up to four players via local or online multiplayer. Mikhail and I did the online multiplayer thing together and it worked rather well, so that’s a good way to go. The game is fine when you’re on your own, but adding more people predictably improves the experience. That’s TMNT for you.

Anyway, some kind of shenanigans occur with Shredder and a mysterious power. Splinter is in trouble, and the Turtles have to try to figure out how to save him. When all you have is a katana, every problem looks like a Foot Soldier. Slice, dice, and/or bludgeon whatever enemies come in front of you, dash tactically to avoid attacks, pick up some perks that you can enjoy in your current run, and collect another currency to score some permanent upgrades. If you die, it’s back to the lair to try again. Roguelite beat ’em up. But with the Turtles, so it’s automatically better than it would be without them. It isn’t particularly inspired, but it does its job well enough.

I wouldn’t call Splintered Fate a must-have in general, but TMNT fans will probably enjoy this twist on the usual fare. The multiplayer is well-implemented, and it’s good to see that important TMNT element wasn’t passed over despite this being the kind of game that is usually played solo. Those without an affinity for the Turtles can find better roguelite games to play on the Switch, but with this being such an intensely competitive genre on the platform it’s to the credit of Splintered Fate that it can manage to keep pace at all. Not bad.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

When Nour: Play With Your Food originally released on PC and PS5, I was a bit surprised to see it not also released on Switch and mobile. It felt like a perfect fit for touchscreens as an experimental food art experience. I played it on PC and liked it quite a bit, but this isn’t a traditional game for everyone. If you enjoy playful sandbox-like experiences and love food, you will likely find a lot to love in Nour: Play With Your Food, but the Switch version is a bit lacking.

If you’re new to Nour: Play With Your Food, it has you playing with specific food types across different stages with interesting music and a lot of over the top nonsense (compliment). It feels like a combination of an interactive app made for those who love food and art equally. Initially, you only get access to the basics, but I found myself surprised at how much the developers added to let you literally play with your food as the name suggests. This is when I realized why it might not be as easy to play on a touchscreen.

I am disappointed in the lack of touchscreen support on Switch though. Aside from that, Nour: Play With Your Food was a bit of a heavy game on Steam Deck as well, and you can see the cutbacks on Switch to have it run decently. The biggest issue is the load times being long both docked and handheld on Switch.

Nour: Play With Your Food is worth experiencing if you love food, art, and interactive apps. While the Switch version isn’t the best way to experience it, Nour still feels best on a portable, and I hope it does well enough to get more DLC or even a physical release. We don’t see many releases like this in gaming, but games like Nour and Townscaper are the perfect compliment to more-involved RPGs and story-driven games. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Fate/stay night REMASTERED ($29.99)

Fate/stay night REMASTERED launched about a month ago on Nintendo Switch and Steam worldwide. I was hoping to have it covered sooner, but the month has been really busy and Fate/stay night itself is very long. Before covering the game itself, I want to take you on a bit of a journey. Many years ago, a close friend convinced me to watch Fate/Zero as one of the first few anime I watched from start to finish. Back then, I wanted to experience more from the universe, but there wasn’t really something interesting I could officially play in English. I ended up importing the PS Vita version of Fate/stay night Realta Nua just to own it, and since then have basically been playing whatever Fate-related release or Type Moon property we see in the West. This includes Fate/EXTELLA, Fate/Samurai Remnant, watching Fate/stay night, and even trying out Fate/Grand Order for a bit.

All of that led to me being very glad that Aniplex brought over Witch on the Holy Night and Tsukihime‘s remake recently, but there was the one game I was hoping we’d see released in English somehow. I didn’t bother with fan translations, and kept hoping we’d see Fate/stay night in English. Here we are. It still feels unreal that this is in English and on Switch. But is it worth your time and money? Well I can save you some time and say absolutely on both fronts with a few caveats.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is a remaster of the 2004-released Type Moon visual novel covering the story of Emiya Shirou, the Holy Grail war, and more. This is basically the best entry point into the Fate universe, and I know there are many who have only experienced it through anime and other games so far, so this is now a chance to see the origin of the series as it was meant to be. Fate/stay night REMASTERED even with its few quality of life features is still a 55+ hour experience at least, and that makes the low asking price shocking. I get that this is a remaster of an older game, but the volume of text and work done really makes it one of the best value releases on the eShop this year.

If you already played the original versions of Fate/stay night in Japanese, Fate/stay night REMASTERED does a lot to improve the experience. Obviously it adds English, but the 16:9 support is welcome. It also feels like a lot more work went into this than I initially expected. I’ve been playing a bit of the PS Vita release to compare, and the developers of this remaster have done a great job at making Fate/stay night look good on modern displays, but don’t expect the gorgeousness of Tsukihime‘s recent remake.

While I love Fate/stay night itself, I’m glad that the developers actually put in touchscreen support on Nintendo Switch. I played most of Fate/stay night REMASTERED on my Switch Lite (which is sadly busted now) and then synced it to my Switch OLED to play at home and also docked. It feels perfect on Nintendo’s hybrid system. Hopefully it gets more platform releases in the future like iOS and PS5 so more can experience it.

Speaking of more platforms, I also played a good amount of Fate/stay night REMASTERED on Steam Deck. It works perfectly out of the box. If you were wondering where to play Fate/stay night REMASTERED assuming you owned a Steam Deck or Switch, get it wherever you want but make sure you play it. It is that good.

There’s nothing really holding Fate/stay night REMASTERED back right now aside from no physical release on Switch, and I hope it does well enough to get one in the future to go on my shelf with Witch on the Holy Night and Tsukihime.

Fate/stay night REMASTERED is basically an essential for visual novel fans and I still can’t believe it is not only available in English, but also on both Switch and Steam. The low asking price makes it an even easier recommendation. While it may not look as good as Tsukihime‘s recent remake, Fate/stay night REMASTERED is still worth your time, and I’m glad I finally got to play it in English after all these years of owning the Japanese PS Vita release. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK ($49.99)

As someone who didn’t bother with VR outside of borrowing a PS VR headset on PS4 Pro years ago, I know I’ve ended up missing out on some great games. When looking at what my friends who own current VR headsets talk about, in addition to games like Thumper or Beat Saber, I used to see rumblings of TOKYO CHRONOS and ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos mentioned. Both were praised for their stories and also for being full experiences in VR. I never got to experience the stories until TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK hit Switch through Izanagi Games just over a month ago.

When you first boot up TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK on Switch, you get to choose which game you want to play. The first game has you experiencing the story of high school friends in an alternate version of Shibuya, lost memories, killers, and more. If you’ve played many visual novels or adventure games, the narrative here will feel very predictable in parts, but it isn’t bad. It has good visuals and I feel like trying it out in VR after seeing how it feels on Switch just for the novelty of a full visual novel in VR.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos on the other hand is a lot better with its production, music, writing, voice acting, and characters in general. It also goes beyond being a pure visual novel in parts, and I love when developers do this. Punching above your weight in a visual novel usually makes for a more memorable experience when coupled with important story beats. ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos is the standout of the two, but I think the pack is definitely worth buying if you’re ok with the controls and movement in the demo.

Aside from some aspects of the stories not hitting as hard, the Switch version has some performance issues when it comes to camera movement. These aren’t a dealbreaker, but it is distracting having that happen during first person and other encounters. The rest of the Switch features more than make up for it though with touchscreen support (my favorite feature in adventure games) and good rumble.

TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK is a great experience on Nintendo Switch with its touch controls and rumble support added to make it even more immersive. I’m glad I got to finally experience these stories since I never owned a VR headset, and I hope to see more from this team in the future. If you enjoy sci-fi stories, I urge you to download the demo at least to see how this one feels on Switch. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Select New Releases

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku ($49.99)

This might be the winner for the title that does the most clear and concise work in explaining a game’s content. At least for 2024, anyway. So yes, this is Fitness Boxing. Featuring Hatsune Miku. It has 24 songs from Miku and friends, plus 30 more from the Fitness Boxing series. Plenty of tunes to punch it out to, in other words. Mechanically, it looks like the other games in the series. No surprise there. Pick it up if you want a Fitness Boxing game featuring Hatsune Miku.

Gimmick! 2 ($24.99)

I reviewed this yesterday, but in case you missed that, allow me to bring you up to speed. This is a very faithful follow-up to the original cult favorite, building on its foundations a bit, bringing in a slick new presentation, and still as hard as that piece of a Subway pizza sub you lost under the sofa back in the 90s. If you don’t mind a challenge and enjoy clever platformers, you’ll want to check this one out.

Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost ($29.99)

Are you tired of switching between games based on whether you feel like playing a rhythm game or a bullet hell shoot ’em up? Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost is here to save you from the inconvenience! There are two modes in this game, and it kind of feels like peanut butter and chalk in some sense. But the Touhou theme ties them together, and for fans of the property I’m sure it will pass muster. At least you know the music will be good?

EGGCONSOLE Hydlide MSX ($6.49)

We’ve already seen one version of Hydlide release in EGGCONSOLE, but here’s another one for good measure. It came after the one we have, but before the NES one. It falls somewhere in between them as a result, and I suppose if you are a Hydlide super-fan then you’ll want to grab as many versions as they release. For everyone else, I’m not sure how much more you’ll get out of this MSX version if you already played the PC-8801 release.

Arcade Archives Lead Angle ($7.99)

Well, at least Hamster’s mixing it up a little. This is a 1988 Seibu Kaihatsu release, a follow-up to Empire City 1931. It’s one of those gallery shooters that were all the rage at the time, though I can say with some confidence that Lead Angle was not all the rage at the time. It’s a decent enough example of the genre though, so if you enjoy this sort of game you probably shouldn’t be too quick to push the plate away. Shooting gangsters! You don’t see that kind of theme all that often anymore either, come to think of it.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Not much excitement going on today, but No Man’s Sky is never a bad choice. The rest of the good games in the inbox are frequently on sale, so do what you will with them. Oddly, one could say the same about the outbox. I’ll leave all of that business to you today, as I don’t have any strong feelings on the matter.

Select New Sales

No Man’s Sky ($23.99 from $59.99 until 9/17)The Last Campfire ($1.99 from $14.99 until 9/17)XALADIA: Rise of the Space Pirates X2 ($8.09 from $17.99 until 9/18)Scars of Mars ($15.99 from $19.99 until 9/18)Die for Valhalla ($3.59 from $11.99 until 9/25)Moonlighter ($3.74 from $24.99 until 9/25)Thea: The Awakening ($5.39 from $17.99 until 9/25)Children of Morta ($5.49 from $21.99 until 9/25)Dungeon of the Endless ($3.99 from $19.99 until 9/25)Yes, Your Grace ($2.99 from $19.99 until 9/25)Hypnospace Outlaw ($4.99 from $19.99 until 9/25)Nowhere Prophet ($2.49 from $24.99 until 9/25)Soccer Story ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/25)Family Man ($1.99 from $19.99 until 9/25)South of the Circle ($6.49 from $12.99 until 9/25)Wingspan ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/25)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, September 6th

Ambition: A Minuet in Power ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/6)Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey ($2.39 from $15.99 until 9/6)Fear Effect Sedna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 9/6)Galak-Z The Void Deluxe ($2.99 from $14.99 until 9/6)Kingdom Rush ($5.49 from $9.99 until 9/6)Kingdom Rush Frontiers ($5.49 from $9.99 until 9/6)Kingdom Rush Origins ($8.24 from $14.99 until 9/6)My Time at Portia ($4.49 from $29.99 until 9/6)PowerWash Simulator ($17.49 from $24.99 until 9/6)Skulls of the Shogun ($3.99 from $19.99 until 9/6)Suhoshin ($4.49 from $14.99 until 9/6)The House of Da Vinci 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/6)Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 4 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/6)Ty the Tasmanian Tiger HD ($10.49 from $29.99 until 9/6)Violet Wisteria ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/6)What the Fork ($4.49 from $17.99 until 9/6)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow to finish things up, with more reviews, new releases, and sales to look at. Hey, did you know? I have an at-the-moment dormant blog that is going to get active again soon. You can find it at Post Game Content. If you like reading Shaun’s thoughts on games, you’ll certainly find some there. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!

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Razer Kishi Ultra Mobile Controller Review – The Best Mobile Controller in 2024? – TouchArcade

Gaming

Metaverse Fashion Week Online

September 5, 2024

Razer Kishi Ultra Mobile Controller Review – The Best Mobile Controller in 2024? – TouchArcade

Back in April, the Razer Nexus (Free) app on iOS and Android was updated with support added for an unannounced “Razer Kishi Ultra” controller boasting features like analog stick deadzone customization and more. Since then, Razer has announced and released the Razer Kishi Ultra with support for more than just phones. The Razer Kishi Ultra is also the most expensive mobile controller as far as I’m aware, but it offers more features than expected for specific devices. Having used the Razer Kishi and the Backbone One including the new USB-C versions for years now, I didn’t think I needed a new controller, but the Razer Kishi Ultra changed my mind in a way the Hori Split Pad Pro did on Nintendo Switch a few years ago.

Razer Kishi Ultra – what’s in the box

The Razer Kishi Ultra box included the controller itself, a few sets of rubber cushions to use depending on your device, a sheet of stickers, and an instruction booklet. For the price point of $149.99, I expected to have a carrying case or at least a pouch included. Beyond that, the box and casing for the controller in the box are good quality as usual from Razer.

The Razer Kishi Ultra rubber cushions come in pairs that are properly labeled for use with iPhone (Pair A), iPad Mini 6th generation (Pair B), and Android (Pair C). If you use a case, you don’t need to use any of these rubber cushions.

Razer Kishi Ultra compatibility – iPhone, Cases, Android, and iPad Mini

While most mobile controllers, especially the telescopic ones, only support iPhone and Android, the Razer Kishi Ultra also supports tablets like the iPad Mini 6th generation. We’ve also recently had some telescopic controllers ship with bluetooth support, but as for USB-C, this one seems to have some of the best compatibility. For the purpose of this review, I tested the Razer Kishi Ultra on my iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, and wired on my iPad Pro. I didn’t test on Android or Windows, but I did try it on my Steam Deck wired. It is detected as a generic Xbox gamepad, but it did work when I was playing NBA 2K25 on Steam Deck yesterday for review and it also supports decent rumble in games like Bakeru that I tested with.

Razer Kishi Ultra buttons, d-pad, and triggers

Before getting to the new features, how does the Razer Kishi Ultra actually feel and perform? I was a bit worried about the d-pad, but it ended up working great when I played games like Garou: Mark of the Wolves ACA NeoGeo or even newer ones like Hades and Hitman Blood Money Reprisal. Beyond the d-pad, the shoulder buttons and triggers work well just like Razer’s older controller. The analog sticks are comfortable and smooth to use with the face buttons being clicky albeit with more travel distance which I didn’t expect after the original Razer Kishi.

Overall, I have no complaints with the Razer Kishi Ultra d-pad, buttons, or triggers after considerable use including some sessions lasting a few hours where I played Zenless Zone Zero while charging my phone through the passthrough charging here.

In terms of feel, the textured finish isn’t rubbery, but it works well for a grip and remains very comfortable to hold even for a few hours. I don’t usually care for Chroma stuff on controllers, and just like the Razer Kitsune, I would’ve preferred if the lights could somehow match the gameplay on screen.

Razer Kishi Ultra – new features

The main draw of the Razer Kishi Ultra is the full-size form factor. Instead of feeling like a compact mobile controller as we’ve seen with Razer’s prior release or the Backbone One, the Razer Kishi Ultra is a full-size one that feels like you’re holding your phone in the middle of a good quality console controller. This may not be a plus for some looking for a compact solution, but it isn’t meant to be that. The full-size form factor makes this the comfiest mobile controller I’ve used by far.

The other features are the Chroma customization through the app, haptics (for Android and Windows), and virtual controller mode (Android only). The virtual controller mode is good for Android games since we see some notable ones skip adding controller support outside iOS on mobile like Genshin Impact.

Aside from the new features, the Razer Kishi Ultra has a 3.5mm headphone jack, passthrough charging (15W), and the L4 and R4 shoulder buttons.

Razer Kishi Ultra features missing on iOS – haptics and virtual controller mode

The haptics and virtual controller mode are only available on Android (or Windows as well for the former) and not available on iOS. I don’t really care about virtual controller mode, but I hope Razer can work on something to enable the haptics in some way for iOS devices as well. I love haptic feedback on PS5 and HD Rumble on Switch, so having something that tries to do similar things on iOS would be nice.

Razer Kishi Ultra price point – is it worth it?

I already think most folks are better off getting a PS5 or Xbox controller to play wirelessly on iOS as the best possible and cheaper option. If you do want a good controller that has a telescopic form factor and attaches onto your phone, the most popular options are already $99.99 so the Razer Kishi Ultra at $150 is definitely a more premium controller. Is it worth that much more? If you’re ok with the current Razer Kishi and Backbone One price point, this is definitely worth the extra price for the comfort, but the lack of the haptics makes it feel like a lesser experience on iOS compared to Android where you get the fully featured experience.

It remains to be seen if the joysticks on this one don’t drift over time as well.

Razer Kishi Ultra – the best mobile controller in 2024?

If you’ve not read my review of Razer’s older controller, check it out here. Moving from that more compact form factor that I’ve gotten used to for years across Razer and Backbone products to this big one has been interesting. Just like the Hori Split Pad Pro for Nintendo Switch, I find myself wanting both a full-size controller and a more compact one for iPhone.

The Razer Kishi Ultra is easily the comfiest mobile controller I’ve ever used, but I wish it was easier to travel with. I worry about how it might end up in my bag unless I carry it in the big box it ships with. I don’t know if the Razer Kishi Ultra will replace my normal Kishi or Backbone One when I travel, but I’m definitely only using it when I play at home.

At the asking price, I was hoping for hall effect analog sticks though. I’ve had drift issues with multiple controllers over the years and while it hasn’t happened to the Razer Kishi Ultra yet (or the Razer Kishi itself), but I can’t say how things might be in a few more months. This is more of a thing to keep in mind when you buy it.

Having now covered the Backbone One and Razer Kishi models, I definitely want to try out the GameSir lineup as they seem more than worth checking out. Hopefully in the near future.

Razer Kishi Ultra 2 wishlist

When thinking about what I’d like to see in an updated Razer Kishi Ultra, aside from hall effect sticks, I’d like some of the sharper edges like the passthrough charging port to be smoothed out a bit. Beyond that, while I love the L4 and R4 buttons as options, I vastly prefer having paddles on the bottom of the controller since they feel more natural to use. It would be good to have those as options given the premium price. Maybe even L5 and R5 as paddles on the bottom with remapping available in the Razer Nexus app. The final thing I want is a carrying case for this to come with the controller. When looking at the pro level controllers on console, they usually come with a nice hard case. Granted this one doesn’t cost as much as a DualSense Edge or Victrix Pro BFG, but it would be a nice addition to the package that wouldn’t cost too much.

Razer Kishi Ultra review

If you’re used to playing on traditional PS5 or Xbox Series controllers or basically any full-sized controller and don’t enjoy using the compact Joy-Con size buttons and sticks we usually see in mobile controllers, the Razer Kishi Ultra is perfect for you with its comfortable grip, great d-pad, and face buttons. The lack of full feature support on iOS is disappointing, but this is a great addition to the mobile controller space, and I hope Razer can build on this through the years while also offering a carrying case so I don’t have to worry about anything happening to this in my bag when I go out.

Razer Kishi Ultra review score: 4.5/5

Amazon Link: Razer Kishi Ultra

If you’re curious about the book in the header image, it is Andy Kelly’s upcoming book titled Perfect Organism: An Alien: Isolation Companion that I’m currently reading for review. You can pre-order it here.

Disclaimer: TouchArcade may earn a small commission from purchases made using the affiliate links above.

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Razer Kishi Ultra – what’s in the box

Razer Kishi Ultra compatibility – iPhone, Cases, Android, and iPad Mini

Razer Kishi Ultra buttons, d-pad, and triggers

Razer Kishi Ultra – new features

Razer Kishi Ultra features missing on iOS – haptics and virtual controller mode

Razer Kishi Ultra price point – is it worth it?

Razer Kishi Ultra – the best mobile controller in 2024?

Razer Kishi Ultra 2 wishlist

Razer Kishi Ultra review

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