We discover if LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the game you’ve been looking for, and go hands-on with the new Sony LinkBuds.
It’s a bloody great time to be a Star Wars fan at the moment. With the celebrations of May 4 still waring off and a new Obi-Wan Kenobi show on the way, the force is mighty strong. But while there’s a few more weeks before that series kicks off, now is the perfect time to use LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga to catch up on the story so far. Let us explain…
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, XBO, PC)
It’s absolutely incredible to think that the first LEGO Star Wars game came out a whopping 17 years ago. For context, that’s even before Marvel had taken over Hollywood. Wild. What we’re trying to say is that although the brick-based games have been steadily releasing since then, The Skywalker Saga is perhaps the series’ best.
The amount of content on offer here is downright staggering. With three movie trilogies to take advantage of, how and when you start is totally up to you. If you’re keen on the new Obi-Wan show though, we recommend kicking off with the prequel trilogy.
What’s most impressive isn’t how the game continues to creatively embrace its LEGO aesthetic, but how much damn content there is on offer here. Each trilogy is a meaty experience and packs in some of the most varied gameplay we’ve seen thus far. From space battles to lightsaber duels, you’ll do it all while continuing the pure collect-a-thon the game offers. By embracing more of a hub-world design there’s even more to collect as well, so don’t expect to be done quickly with this one.
We’re glad to report that the series’ signature humour also remains firmly intact and isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself along the way. Good, this game is.
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Nobody Saves the World (Switch)
We quite enjoyed Nobody Saves the World when it first debuted back in January, but this Switch port might just be the best way to play it.
The randomly-generated levels of this dungeon crawler just lend themselves wonderfully to the pick-up and play gaming that the Switch offers, so if you get frustrated it’s easy to simply put things down and come back to it later or while on the go.
The game’s quirky art style still shines, especially if you have an OLED model, and swapping between forms (like a horse, rat or magician) is still fun, flexible and creative.
A perfect investment if you’re looking for solid combat backed up by a wonderfully inventive premise.
LEGO Builder’s Journey (PS5)
When we last talked about LEGO Builder’s Journey it was on iPhone and we said this: “It’s charming, touching and emotional all at once and is backed up by a score so good you can even listen to it on Spotify.”
Now the game has made its way to PS5, and it’s worth continuing to sing its praises. This unexpected brick-filled tale about a father and son is short in length, sure, but don’t let that change your mind. The puzzler is wonderfully creative and looks beautiful on a big screen TV with some exceptional lighting effects at play. The soundtrack also continues to impress no matter how many times you’ve played it.
Well worth the investment for kids and adults alike.
Hands on with the Sony LinkBuds
Considering the sheer competition on the earbud market at the moment, it almost helps to be a little bit weird. So when we attach that moniker to Sony’s latest offering, the LinkBuds, we truly do mean it with the best of intentions.
At first glance they look like an alien spacecraft blended with a fidget spinner, but we’ll be damned if there isn’t something strangely alluring about that design choice. Utilising an open-ring design isn’t conventional, but it’s a bold choice that also allows for the LinkBud’s other interesting move.
Where so many companies would love to close off the world around you with noise cancellation tech, with these little wonders Sony wants your ears wide open. Whether you’re chatting with a mate, waiting for a doorbell or just really want to hear your general surroundings, the LinkBuds never get in the way. In amongst enjoying Banks’ Serpentina or sitting back with a podcast we could easily keep track of our environment at all times, so it certainly ticks that box.
The big selling point of the LinkBuds therefore, is that they’re designed to stay in your ear throughout the entire day, and the good news is that they’re totally comfortable enough to allow that. Still, the unique design choice will definitely take some getting used to, and we’ll admit to having to look into a mirror the first few times to make sure the buds were snuggly set in each ear. After a few practice rounds though it became easy muscle memory and were a surprisingly great fit. In fact, what’s interesting is that they fit so well, we could even go for a light jog without fearing one would tumble down a drain halfway through.
Where the LinkBuds will let you down though is bass. While the general audio quality is strong and does well to pump out a decent sound considering how much background noise you’re letting in, the bass does take quite a hit. There’s just that noticeable lack of thump you get from even Sony’s own stellar WF-1000XM4s.
We haven’t even mentioned the implementation of Wide Area Tap which allows the LinkBuds to recognise face taps to control your audio which is just downright wild.
It’s also the perfect example to highlight who these might actually appeal to. If you’re down to take a shot on some buds that are trying a number of new things, or just aren’t a fan of the suction-like feeling noise cancellation can provide, the LinkBuds could be the purchase you’ve been looking for.
You can buy the LinkBuds for$249 from the Sony Store.
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