Learn what makes Turtle Beach’s Stealth Pro II Gaming Headset so special, plus Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Belkin’s Charging Case Pro, Mixtape and Directive 8020.

Let’s not beat around the bush here, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II is an absolute winner. The follow up to the gaming company’s 2023 release, it smartly and confidently iterates and improves upon all the core features that made the headset a success in the first place.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Stealth Pro II is its pretty radical design change from its predecessor. Where the original felt like a traditional gaming headset with its thicker profile, the Stealth Pro II surprisingly takes a few cues from Apple’s AirPods Max. Much of that is due to the unit’s headband, which implements a thin mesh towards the top to allow for both breathability and flexibility. It does, however, raise questions around durability, but that’s a question only long-term use will really indicate, and if you’re careful, hopefully isn’t a problem.

That question aside, it’s a remarkably stylish bit of kit, and would fit right in should you decide to wear it around town – a rarity for a gaming headset. The floating mic can be detached at any point and there are nice metal finishes on the arms and ear plates, making it one for the nicest headsets in recent memory.

Once plonked on the head, the Stealth Pro II is pretty comfy – the reduced bulk helping prevent a large build-up of heat. The Dual-Layer Memory Foam Cushions allow for decent breathability of the ears and the revised headband never felt like it was digging in. For those with larger heads though, it’s worth noting there is a bit more clamping force than usual, so if you’re particularly sensitive you may want to try and test out the unit before committing to the $549 asking price.

If you do, the Stealth Pro II’s biggest win is with is connectivity options, allowing you to seamlessly flick between devices via 2.4GHz USB connection. Just hook up your CrossPlay 2.0 Transmitter Dock (which also happens to charge your additional battery) to one device, then throw your Transmitter USB into a second and you’re off the races.

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You can connect up to four devices at any given time, although doing so will require you to shell out for additional dongles (a price which is currently unclear on our shores). It’s also a little irksome that Turtle Beach still hasn’t moved to a USB-C dongle, meaning PS5 owners will need to faff around the back or invest in an adapter. Still, considering the flexibility you have, it’s a worthwhile trade-off, especially if you invest in the Xbox edition of the unit, which allows for compatibility across all the major consoles.

But all this compatibility is meaningless if the headset produces sound akin to a tin can, so thankfully the Stealth Pro II delivers exceptional audio courtesy of sizable 60mm Eclipse Dual Drivers. It’s also Hi-Res certified meaning you get some hefty boom, but not at the expense of quality. Playing Saros for example, it’s easy to enjoy the PS5’s full Tempest 3D audio with bass that delivered suitable oomph as you fire your arsenal of weaponry, without losing the unsettling environmental details of Carcosa present across the soundstage. Music and movies were also highly respectable during testing, but even if the default sound signature isn’t for you, jump into Turtle Beach’s Swarm II software and you can pretty easily tinker with EQ settings.

Add in the return of Turtle Beach’s quick-swap battery system which allows for a combined whopping 80-hour total across two batteries and the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II headset is one hell of a proposition. It’s certainly not cheap, but if you’re new to gaming or looking to upgrade, this might just have cemented itself as the new unit to beat.

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II Wireless Headset is available for $549.95 via JB Hi-Fi.

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Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (Switch 2)

Fresh off the back of his Super Mario Galaxy movie debut, Nintendo’s favourite green dinosaur is back mainlining his own game and it’s an utterly charming adventure from top to toe.

It all kicks off when Mr. E, a talking encyclopaedia, plummets from the sky and lands smack bang in Yoshi island. It doesn’t take long for you to befriend the new visitor who gives you the opportunity to start filling his many, many pages.

Much like the rest of Yoshi’s recent back catalogue, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book absolutely skews towards a younger player. As a result, combat takes a firm backseat here – instead placing the primary focus on exploration via ‘discoveries’.  These discoveries can often be uncovered by leaning into Yoshi’s classic bag of tricks in amongst some classic platforming antics. You’ll throw eggs, lick things or even just toss people onto your back for a quick journey, all in the hopes of seeing how each new creature ultimately reacts to your behaviour. Do well and you might even unlock further discovers – thus revealing the main drive of The Mysterious Book’s gameplay.

Not every puzzle/discovery is as creative as you’d hope from a Nintendo game, but the game does well to consistently harness a calm, relaxing vibe. The game’s paper-like visuals are also incredibly impressive, cleverly leaning into the storybook aesthetic, and continue Yoshi’s track record of being some of Nintendo’s prettiest games. The colours pop right off the Switch 2’s screen.

No, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book might not be for the most hardcore Nintendo fan, but if you’re looking for a simpler, cozier puzzler to relax to, this could be just the game for you.

Mixtape (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC)

Aussie developer Beethoven & Dinosaur might not be a household name for the moment, but the homegrown team has absolutely knocked it out of the park with the seriously sublime Mixtape.

In many ways, this coming-of-age tale is a far more approachable title than the team’s much quirkier debut game, The Artful Escape. By focusing on a group of three high school friends on their final day together before eventually breaking apart, it allows Mixtape to tap into its deep look into nostalgia and friendship by using an incredibly relatable situation as its foundation. It’s also incredibly well written and smartly never outstays its welcome, easily beatable within a 3-4-hour sitting.

With narrative as the main star here, it does mean gameplay in Mixtape is mainly relegated to taking part in minigame-esque setpeices like dodging police cars with a trolley or trying to indulge in (or refrain from) a cheeky French kiss. Each one is wonderfully unique and helps nearly guide you towards the next story beat. Gameplay purists aren’t likely gel with this approach, but for those who do jump aboard the adventure, it’s fun, touching and memorable long after the credits roll.

Backing it all up though is a truly outstanding soundtrack that includes the likes of Smashing Pumpkins, Silverchair, Iggy Pop and The Cure. It’s a carefully curated list and unquestionably gives the game its identity. Mixtape is one of the best games of 2026 and is an easy recommendation. Play it.

Belkin Charging Case Pro for Nintendo Switch 2

Belkin is no stranger to the Switch 2, having delivered a slew of accessories to coincide with its launch last year. But now the company is already revisting some of its initial designs, which brings us to the arrival of the Belkin Charging Case Pro.

So, what’s changed? A fair bit actually. While the 10K power bank remains (capable of charging the console up to 1.5x), Belkin has smartly revised the entire formfactor, building said power bank into a portable stand. That might sound confusing in theory but in execution it’s quite ingenious.

Simply latch your Switch 2 into the stand via the USB-connection, and your Switch 2 can immediately start charging while nestled neatly into your case. Should you want to play on the go you can easily flip the stand up you play in a secure table-top-style mode while continuing to charge. Belkin has even included an external LED indicator so you can keep track of how much juice you have, and can recharge both your Switch 2 and power bank from an external USB-C port. Worth noting though is that unfortunately there’s no way to avoid connecting to the stand should you want to avoid a constant charge, meaning you’ll need to remove the stand entirely and then have an additional item to lug around. That said, Belkin has done a great job at snuggly fitting all the components in, and thankfully the cutout for the Switch 2 console feels much more secure this time around.

All the extra bells and whistles (which also includes a 12x game storage sleeve and smart tracker storage pocket) do come at a cost though: namely bulk. Due to the case housing both the switch and a flip-up stand, the Charging Case Pro 2 adds more size and weight to its dimensions than Belkin’s own Travel Case and original Charging Case. For some that extra heft may prove to be too much, but if you’re a frequent traveller that likes to play on the go, it may just be a worthwhile concession to make.

At $149.95 the Belkin Charging Case Pro is an expensive case, but if you’ve got the money to spare, is a pretty nifty all-one-solution for those constantly on the move.

Directive 8020 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Directive 8020 may ditch the Dark Pictures namesake that has sruckqeijns the last few years, but the core gameplay remains largely the same here.

The biggest shakeup to this entry is perhaps it’s setting – Directive 8020 shooting for the stars as the crew of the Cassiopeia searches for a new planet to call home. Naturally things don’t exactly go according to plan, but without delving into story spoilers there is plenty of inspiration at hand from the likes of Alien and The Thing.

That’s some pretty hefty inspiration to draw from, but it does feel as though this horror can never quite live up to those lofty expectations, despite the best of intentions. Directive 8020, for example, does try to switch up Supermassive’s core decision and consequence gameplay, namely with the introduction of stealth sections. You’ll be creeping your way past searching foes or scurrying inside of airvents and many of these situations are suitably tense. It’s great to see Supermassive flexing some new muscles and does well to break up some of the more QTE scenarios. Conversely, the game starts to return to that well a little too often, making what initially felt fresh eventually become slightly repetitive.

Directive 8020 is by no means a bad game. There’s an entertaining sci-fi story at play here and it’s enjoyable to discover how your decisions shape the overall narrative. Likewise, round up a couple of friends for co-op and passing around the controller leads to an enjoyably chaotic affair. Just don’t expect this to sit amongst Supermassive shining stars.