We dive into the world of PC gaming with the Aftershock FLOW : LVL 7 PRO, then check out Magic: The Gathering – Duskmourn: House of Horror and Black Myth: Wukong.
Gaming is in a bit of a strange space at the moment. PCs are gaining access to more previously exclusive console content than ever before (think Spider-Man, God of War and Starfield) while at the same time, consoles are becoming more iterative (and expensive) like PCs than ever before.
What that means for you, the humble gamer, is that there’s perhaps never been a better time to jump into the wild world of PC gaming, but for those who find the whole process confusing and daunting Aftershock is here to help with their FLOW : LVL 7 PRO machine. But let’s take a step back for just a moment.
A big player in the gaming PC Space, Aftershock (founded in 2018) typically provides two types of services. The first is custom gaming machines where you can choose the parts to specifically suit your needs, be that speed, graphical horsepower, or a balance between the two. The other is more bespoke, pre-built machines that take all the guesswork out it. I trialled one of the latter options with the ready-made, ready-to-ship FLOW : LVL 7 PRO and it felt like a real game-changer.
The first thing you’ll note when carefully getting the FLOW : LVL 7 PRO out of the box is just how insanely sleek it is. Thanks to the white Gigabyte C102 Glass Ice it allows the machine to be relatively compact while still keeping that modern look. It’s got a tempered glass panel on the side to allow you to see your flashy internals and a magnetic front panel for better accessibility as well as a removable dust mesh. The only downside is that the top of the unit only features two USB-A ports, with a single USB-C connect at the rear, which is slightly inconvenient considering most companies are making the move to the newer format.
Under the hood you’ve got an Intel Core i5 14600KF CPU, 32GB of RAM, and an Asus RTX 4070 graphics card. For the uninitiated those are some beefy specs, so to help keep things chugging along without creating a fireball you’ve also got a whopping 7 fans and Aftershock Glacier Mirror cooling system – packing enough RGB to light up your PC like a Christmas tree. I was honestly impressed by how neatly constructed the components were, how clean the overall finish was and how light the tower was to carry around the house.
Even better though was just how easy it was to get the FLOW : LVL 7 PRO up and running. From carefully pulling the tower out of the box, all I had to do was unscrew the glass case in order to remove a healthy serving of protective foam around internal components, then plug up the wireless receiver at the back (that came inside the box).
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With that all sorted it was merely a case of hooking up power and HDMI cables to my monitor and I was off the races configuring my version of Windows that comes pre-installed with the machine. You don’t need to fiddle with graphics cards, there’s no additional installation, you’re just ready to go. Coupled with the fact that you don’t need to worry about actually sourcing each part and making sure it’ll all play nicely together, it’s the biggest boon for using Aftershock and perfect for anybody wanting to get into hardcore PC gaming without any of the prerequisite knowledge.
When it came to actual performance, the FLOW was no joke. I threw a number of titles at the machine throughout my testing period, but perhaps the most challenging test came in the form of the freshly released Black Myth: Wukong. Getting the game set up was a breeze and the machine was easily capable of handling the game at max graphics settings and 60 frames per second with DLSS tuned on. That said, after some tinkering with NVIDIA’s settings I even managed to push my framerate well over 100, which would make most console gamers blush. When paired with my OLED LG television, everything looked an absolute treat.
As I then moved onto the likes of I Am Your Beast, Squirrel With a Gun and The Plucky Squire, things never missed a beat. Likewise, even the particle-heavy PC port of Returnal chugged along greatly at near max settings. You’re obviously paying for the premium performance, but it’s truly night and day to be able to step away from the current generation of consoles which often make you choose between pretty graphics or smoother framerate.
I should point out that when I did push the FLOW : LVL 7 PRO it did send the numerous fans into a whirlwind, so expect a bit of noise to emanate from the machine. It’s nothing incredibly outlandish and with headphones on instantly vanishes, but it’s something to expect all the same. That said, all those fans helped keep the machine incredibly cool at all times so it never felt as though my gaming room tuned into a hotbox which is a serious boon.
The other big obvious benefit here is that you can also double the FLOW : LVL 7 PRO as a personal workhorse as well. Whether you’re jumping onto Discord or Zoom calls, making the most out of Microsoft Office or even booting up Photoshop, the whole experience feels buttery smooth and is a helpful purchase justification in case you needed one.
Currently priced at $2695, the FLOW : LVL 7 PRO is obviously not a cheap unit. The plus side here though is that unlike the upcoming PS5 pro (which itself will set you back a rather tidy sum of $1200) the machine is obviously multipurpose and is more than capable of doubling as most people’s work setup as well.
I also love Aftershock’s 3 years warranty, lifetime customer support and the fact that the unit is fully tested out of the box. If you’re looking to take the dive into more hardcore PC gaming, this is an excellent way to do it.
You can browse the huge range of custom and pre-built gaming PCs from Aftershock on their website here.
Also out now…
Magic: The Gathering – Duskmourn: House of Horror
You’ve got to hand it to the fine folks at Wizards of the Coast – they sure aren’t afraid to pivot. So with the cute and cuddly creatures of Magic: The Gathering’s latest set, Bloomburrow, in the rear window, we now have Duskmourn: House of Horror. Perfectly timed for spooky season, this fascinating set takes place on a plane unlike most others players have seen before – a true terror of a haunted house filled with all manner of deadly delights.
But being inspired by horror media of the ‘80s and ‘90s all the way to modern day, the story focuses on Nashi, the son of the Planeswalker Tamiyo, has vanishes through a mysterious door and ends up in a plane-enveloping house filled with horrors. Capable of bringing fears to life and all sorts of twisted terrors it’s an interesting switch-up for the series and should do well to bring a whole new horde of fans to the game.
The horrific spin also allows the art team to go completely buck wild with the new theme and it seems like they’ve embraced the challenge wholeheartedly. There are plenty of tentacles, claws and ghastly ghouls, but it manages to carefully balance between the new vibes while still retaining the signature Magic look and feel.
In an interesting development, House of Horror also introduces what are being dubbed “Japan Showcase cards”. These extra special cards (which can be nabbed if you shell out for a Collector Booster) are as Wizards put “an homage to globally beloved art styles commonly found in Japanese hobby stores”, so just in case you wanted to set your collector tendencies into overdrive this should do the trick.
In terms of gameplay, the most interesting new addition is Rooms, which plays straight into the nature of the house’s constantly shifting nature. A new enchantment subtype, each ‘Room’ comes with two halves (or doors). Choose one of the pair and you’ll trigger the abilities of that half, essentially ‘opening’ it. If you eventually want the second half as well you can unlock it by paying its mana cost as a sorcery. It’s yet another wrinkle in the ever-evolving strategy, especially combined with other new add-ons like Manifest Dread, Survival and Eerie.
All in all, Duskmourn: House of Horror is one of Magic: The Gathering’s most refreshing sets in some time. If you’ve been wanting to get back into the game or jump in for the first time, it’s a scarily good time.
Black Myth: Wukong (PS5, PC)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but here’s a Souls-inspired action game all about tough-as-nails challenge, beautiful boss battles and a slightly overwhelming story. But while in many instances, Black Myth: Wukong marches to a familiar drum, it also makes some big pivots that make it feel wholly unique.
Based on the famous 16th century novel Journey to the West, Black Myth lovingly embraces a great deal of Chinese mythology as you set out as the Destined One, battling foes exploring new lands and learning all about an ancient legend. If you’re not well-versed in the lore of Journey to the West there’s a high chance you’ll end up like me and feel pretty lost in the narrative of Black Myth, but honestly it never felt like a massive issue during my time with the game, merely helping lead you towards your next duel.
And duels there are aplenty – leading to Black Myth’s other key differentiator. While bosses in the Souls games are carefully doled out, this game feels like much more of a boss rush as you hop from one epic encounter to the next – all of which are very reliant on your use of dodges (there’s no parry here).
Yes, these can often feel brutally difficult and yes there are bonfire equivalents, but mercifully Black Myth feels more forgiving by not completely punishing you for dying. Instead experience you gain from each attempt is retained, allowing you to continue to grow stronger if you persist.
It’s also worth pointing out that if you’ve got a beefy machine capable of handling it, Black Myth: Wukong’s visuals will absolutely blow the socks of you and is unquestionably one of the prettiest games of the year. That’s just another feather in Black Myth Wukong’s cap, and rounds it out as a solid package that’s absolutely worth checking out.
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