Your justification for starting as a salmon man in a barrel is that you are trying to get up the waterfall. This is, of course, something actual salmon do. So it follows from developer Valem Studio that it is something a salmon man in VR should do too.

Salmon Man blends genuine fun and desire to keep going with the gut-wrenching pain of a tiny mistake ruthlessly chopping away at swathes of progress in a helpless instant. Paddle locomotion, it seems, has a frustrating charm almost tailored for the viral Internet landscape of modern gaming. Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy took over the gaming zeitgeist from its release in late 2017 on Steam and its inspirations here aren't subtle. You can play the same basic style of game in your browser right now, or take a look at what this idea is like in the trailer below.

As you’re not walking around each level yourself, you traverse by way of boat paddle, using it to push yourself from the ground and latch yourself from place to place across increasingly death-defying obstacles.

Far from the first game to take this style of game to the format, Salmon Man finds a thematic way to justify its concept and embed it into the core gameplay loop of this rage-inducing platformer. With the minimal introduction of simply being the titular Salmon Man in a barrel, you’re dropped into the beginning and left to your own devices to get through the perilous journey ahead. That's a rough way to start what is a challenging game and not very accessible.

What gives Salmon Man additional depth and difficulty is the jump to 3D for this genre. It creates a new layer of depth to the formula as you aren’t solely trying to use momentum and physics to get to the next platform, you instead push yourself off side walls and use the full space to get that extra bit of distance. It increases the flair and excitement of each bit of progress, but it makes things somehow more challenging, never mind the steep learning curve for these controls. As you physically move a full rod through your hands in order to grasp onto platforms at your side, behind or in front, lightning-fast reactions are necessary to get by even some of the earlier obstacles, while later ones pose even more of a threat.

It’s rewarding to make it through to a new section, especially knowing there’s always a risk of losing more than a little bit of progress if you hit the water as you helplessly flow with the current. Yet that risk also brings with it a degree of frustration that steps beyond the awkward, challenging charm one would expect from these games. Even after clearing the game the first time and facing numerous setbacks, I never found myself fully accustomed to the shape of the paddle that serves as your way of movement and projection through the environment. It never impeded the game to the point of making me want to quit, but there were occasions where the punishing loss of progress didn’t feel like my fault, or times where it sometimes seemed more useful to wave my arms aimlessly and hope for the best rather than logically try the correct method and hope I could execute it.

I also found the lack of any external narration, dialogue or secondary recognition of your progress to be a notable absence. This is a developer choice and far from necessary, sure, but one that can make the journey feel a little lonely and lacking a bit of character and charm. Beyond a few tinges of music in themed areas (pirate music near the wrecked ship, for example), I found myself even hoping I could hear one of those dreaded, all-too-common sarcastic self-quips from a player character cracking awkward jokes, just to break the silence.

If you do clear the game, a lava difficulty replaces water with lava ensuring a forced restart for failure. That wasn't for me. With the noted lack of comfort to the controls, I can only imagine any mistake would be exacerbated when attempting the latter areas in particular in this mode. I experimented with some early sequences and the first death left me satisfied with the fact I did, at least, clear it once in the normal way.

That being said, even if, like me, a lava-infused playthrough isn’t your speed, there’s still plenty to keep you coming back beyond the initial challenge. Standard route through the game seems a bit too simple? Why not see if you can jump off the main path to more off-beat areas to find an array of hidden rubber ducks! The initial clear isn’t enough? There are achievements with in-game rewards and, if you want to brag, there’s a leaderboard for time trials where you can compete with other players for the best time. You can lose 45 minutes or an hour trying to make progress without even realizing, or keep retrying to get the best time possible. Hidden under the surface is a surprising amount of stuff to get to, but it's not perfect.

Salmon Man - The Final Verdict

Salmon Man is a worthwhile use of your time if you’re in the market for this sort of game. It’s somewhat ironic to say this as a games reviewer, but more than most titles, you can tell at a glance whether this is for you. Did you enjoy Getting Over It? Can you handle a turbulent VR experience? Do you want to combine those ideas? This is for you. If not, perhaps it’s ok to give this game a miss. If you do give it a go though, there’s a good degree of value and fun to be had here.

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UploadVR uses a 5-Star rating system for our game reviews – you can read a breakdown of each star rating in our review guidelines.

CD PROJEKT RED executive Jan Rosner posted on X that the Luke Ross Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod could return as a free release.

After being issued a notice to take down a Cyberpunk 2077 VR mod, the mod on the Luke Ross Patreon was removed and Ross made an announcement that was shared widely. Rosner, a CD PROJEKT RED executive, confirmed that they had issued a strike because it was infringing on their Fan Content Guidelines, which prohibit "monetization" of their work. In other words, according to the developer of Cyberpunk 2077, the critical issue here is that Ross placed the mod behind a subscription paywall.

“We’d be happy to see it return as a free release," Rosner wrote, noting The Witcher 3 publisher is a huge fan of mods.

“I'm sorry, but I don't believe you are within your rights in demanding that my software needs to be free," Ross replied. "That said, I'm all for finding a win-win solution that makes it possible for your fans to keep enjoying Night City from the inside, in VR.”

Other VR mods from Ross previously released include Doom Eternal, Ghost of Tsushima, Elden Ring, and more. Flat2VR, meanwhile, known for porting flatscreen games to virtual reality, made a passionate plea to CD PROJEKT RED to officially port Cyberpunk 2077 to VR, calling it “a dream game to port.”

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured the most intricate view yet of the Helix Nebula, offering a sharp, infrared glimpse into the final moments of a dying sun. Affectionately nicknamed either the "Eye of Sauron" or "Eye of God," the Helix Nebula, located 650 light-years away, has been an astronomer favorite for ages. However,

It's not controversial that Fractal Design makes some of the nicest looking PC cases on the market (as well as other gear, like the Scape headset we reviewed). From what we can tell based on press imagery, Fractal Design's new Pop 2 Air case lineup is no exception. Underneath the sleek styling, however, the focus is on copious airflow, particular

2025 was a strong year for video games and yet despite this, one title seemed to suck all the oxygen out of the air when it came to the awards season – with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 taking home hundreds of Game of the Year awards. With a majority of award shows having now come and gone, Expedition 33 has officially broken the record for the greatest number of GOTY wins; currently sitting at 436.

As collated by ResetEra user Angie, with a total of 436 Game of the Year awards Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has officially dethroned FromSoftware’s Elden Ring (429 wins) as the title with the single highest number of GOTYs.

While certainly an impressive achievement, it is worth noting that each year has seen new publications popping up and offering GOTY awards – meaning it is becoming increasingly easier to break the record.

For context, so far there have been over 620 GOTYs given away for 2025 compared to 529 in 2024 and 537 in 2023; and so comparisons between the years isn’t quite an apples-to-apples situation. Still, there is no denying that Clair Obscur is the definitive Game of the Year for 2025.

The top 5 most awarded titles of all time is as follows:

1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – 436 wins
2. Elden Ring – 429 wins
3. The Last of Us Part II – 326 wins
4. Baldur’s Gate III – 288 wins
5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – 281 wins

KitGuru says: Was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 your GOTY for 2025? If not, what game was? Will GTA VI be the first title to surpass 500 GOTY wins? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dethrones Elden Ring for the most GOTY wins ever first appeared on KitGuru.

In an era where digital literacy is no longer elective, Dell has unveiled a massive expansion to its education portfolio, designed to survive both the rigors of the playground and the demands of the modern AI-integrated classroom. Part of this expansion includes new Dell Pro Education and Chromebook 14 laptops that boast easy battery replacement

Ayaneo is sharing a few more details about its Pocket S Mini gaming handheld that it unveiled in September of last year. We now know that it will feature a premium full CNC metal frame instead of a plastic housing, and a display with a "graduation-level" 4:3 aspect ratio that is reminiscent of gaming on old school CRT televisions. We also

With the initial announcement for The Elder Scrolls VI being well over 7 years old at this point and no release date in sight, many indie studios have taken on the mantle of trying to offer their own entry in this underrepresented sub-genre of immersive fantasy RPGs. One of the most notable is Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon; having now officially surpassed 1 million copies sold.

Making the announcement via their Steam page, the teams at Questline / Awakened Realms confirmed this new major milestone, writing:

“Hello, everyone! We hope 2026 has been treating you well so far! We kicked the year off with an incredible milestone, and now it's time to share that…Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon has sold over 1 million copies across all platforms! As always, thank you so much for all the love and support throughout this journey! After all, it's literally you who made this achievement come to life!”

In case you missed it back when it was released in May of 2025, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a first/third person open world RPG set in a “dark reimagination of Arthurian legend”. Featuring character customisation, choices and plenty of roleplaying opportunities, the game resonated with many fans of The Elder Scrolls and other immersive early  2000s RPGs.

While it launched with a number of issues, including some progression-halting bugs, Tainted Grail has received plenty of updates since May, including a whole new expansion and a bunch of bug fixes.

If you are not one of the 1 million players, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon and its expansion are currently on sale for 20% off.

KitGuru says: Have you checked out Tainted Grail? Does it scratch that Elder Scrolls itch? What’s the best Scrolls-like released so far in your opinion? Let us know down below.

The post Scrolls-like Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon surpasses 1 million copies sold first appeared on KitGuru.

Zotac is taking its Magnus Zbox mini PC lineup to the Max. As in, AMD's Ryzen AI Max and Max+ processors based on Strix Halo, which in and of itself makes these new compact systems notable. Depending on the model, however, you're also getting gobs of RAM to go along with a potent processor. The top SKU comes equipped with a whopping 128GB

Announced all the way back in 2019, Crimson Desert is an ambitious open-world RPG in development at Pearl Abyss – the studio behind the popular Black Desert Online MMO. Initially planned to arrive late last year, the game was pushed back to 2026 citing “longer than expected timelines”. Finally however, Crimson Desert is almost upon us, with the game having now officially gone Gold ahead of its March release date.

Making the announcement via Twitter, the official Crimson Desert page shared the following message:

“We're thrilled to announce that #CrimsonDesert has gone gold! On behalf of the team at Pearl Abyss, thank you to our fans around the world for your support and for reaching this milestone with us. Stay tuned for more news, and see you in Pywel on March 19!”

For the uninitiated, ‘Going Gold’ means that the Crimson master disc has been submitted to Pearl Abyss’ publisher (in this case, themselves). Discs can then be pressed with finalised software and digital storefronts can upload the 1.0 version of the game ready for release.

It’s a process that every game in development goes through, and means that (aside from post-launch patches and DLC) Crimson Desert should be complete and ready to play.

Crimson Desert is an ambitious game, and one which many fear will not be able to live up to the expectations set by its gameplay demonstrations. Regardless of whether it will be the next big thing or not, the game should hopefully have no issues hitting its target release date.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for Crimson Desert? Do you think it’ll live up to expectations? Let us know down below.

The post Crimson Desert officially goes Gold ahead of March release date first appeared on KitGuru.

After what was an incredibly strong start, EA / DICE have not been able to maintain Battlefield 6’s momentum, with the game’s first Season seeing a lukewarm reception and Season 2 being delayed by nearly a month. In the lead up to BF6’s second Season the team have detailed some of what players can expect when it goes live on the 17th of February.

Publishing a community update blogpost, the team at Battlefield Studios offered some details on BF6’s Season 2 content. While still a bit early for the full roadmap, DICE spoke on the return of their Battlefield Labs program, writing:

“We’re using Labs to further polish and refine Season 2 content, validating changes and making final tuning adjustments ahead of launch while continuing to apply what we learn as we evolve the experience. In this next session, we’ll be testing content on one of Season 2’s new maps: Contaminated.”

Though we did not get a full breakdown of the map, it was confirmed to be similar in size to that of St. Quentin Scar from Battlefield 1 or Arras from BFV. Other aspects of Season 2 set to be tested first in Labs include the upcoming AH-6 Little Bird vehicle – “allowing us to evaluate how it fits within the broader vehicle ecosystem and how it performs across different combat scenarios.”

Beyond this, the team confirmed that they will continue to monitor “aircraft and vehicle combat systems” alongside “adjustments to weapons such as RPGs and TOW launchers”. Most importantly however the game’s “hit registration and overall combat consistency” will be seeing notable improvements.

Though not explicitly stated to be launching in Season 2, the team confirmed that Battlefield 4’s Golmund Railway will be coming to BF6 at some point in the future (beginning with Labs testing).

Last but not least, the team is said to be “continuing internal and exploratory testing around Battle Royale Solo play, as we evaluate how different player configurations impact pacing, balance, and the overall Battle Royale experience.”

Described as being “part of our ongoing effort to make informed decisions about how Battle Royale is structured and presented over time, rather than committing to a single permanent configuration” it appears as though solo queuing will make its way into RedSec eventually; though the question of when remains unknown.

Battlefield 6 came swinging out of the gate, but unfortunately they have so far been unable to capitalise on its success. Hopefully the team at Battlefield Studios are able to find a workflow which allows for consistent and high quality updates. Don’t expect too much from Season 2 however. The full blogpost can be found HERE.

KitGuru says: What did you think of BF6 at launch? Have DICE / BF Studios fumbled their post launch support? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Battlefield Studios detail upcoming additions coming to BF6 in future Seasons first appeared on KitGuru.

Devs United Games said Real VR Fishing sold one million copies across all platforms since its launch in September 2019.

Devs United Games CEO Mark Choi took to X to announce that Real VR Fishing reached one million sales across all platforms. Available on Quest, Steam, Pico, and Galaxy XR, the title sees regular post-launch support, including new events, features, and DLC.

Choi mentioned that a new mastery-based system called Fly Fishing is on the way as well as an expanded campaign with other features requested by the community to add more depth. New leagues and tournaments to increase the game’s longevity are also planned.

Drip-feeding content since release, developers added new maps recreating parts of Mexico, Japan, the United States and Europe. Most recently, the title made its way to Samsung Galaxy XR with hand tracking support late last year, fully supporting cross-play in the latest version of the game. On Apple Vision Pro, the developers explored hand tracking technology on the device with Fishing Haven, but it lacked most of the features of Real VR Fishing that make the game such a standout.

We'll be looking to test out updates to Real VR Fishing in the year ahead and to see what else Devs United Games has in store. Real VR Fishing is out now for Quest, Steam, Pico, and Galaxy XR.

Looking for an ergonomic chair under €300? You might be interested in the Sharkoon OfficePal C50, which offers plenty of adjustability features, such as 5D armrests, though it still has some shortcomings. But is it worth considering?

AOC has officially expanded its B3 series lineup with two new QHD monitors: the 23.8-inch Q24B36X and the 27-inch Q27B36X. These displays bridge the gap between standard office work and gaming, ensuring that everyday tasks like scrolling through documents feel fluid, while gaming remains crisp.

Both monitors use IPS panels to provide accurate colour reproduction and wide 178-degree viewing angles, making them well-suited for professional multitasking and media consumption. In addition, both offer a 2560×1440 resolution at a 144 Hz refresh rate and a claimed 0.5 ms MPRT response time.

The 27-inch Q27B36X provides a pixel density of 109 ppi with wide colour coverage reaching 118.5% of the sRGB gamut, whereas the more compact 23.8-inch Q24B36X offers a sharper 123 ppi. Both models support Adaptive-Sync to eliminate screen tearing, while they accept HDR10 signals too. For long-term comfort, AOC has included Flicker-Free technology and a Low Blue Light mode to reduce eye strain.

Connectivity options include a single HDMI 2.0 port and a DisplayPort 1.4, ensuring compatibility with modern desktops, laptops, and consoles. These monitors are scheduled for release this month, with the Q24B36X priced at £109.00 and the Q27B36X at £129.00.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: AOC is making high-refresh QHD displays more accessible than ever with these new additions to the B3 series. By providing gaming-grade motion performance at an office-friendly price point, these monitors offer a compelling “all-in-one” solution for users who do not want to spend too much.

The post AOC expands B3 series with QHD 144Hz monitors for work and play first appeared on KitGuru.

The latest addition to Seagate's large range of external hard drives is the Astro Bot Limited Edition Game Drive, designed for use with PS5 (storage only), PS4 (playback) and PC. It's got a 5TB capacity and is priced at £150/$170. We find out if it's worth buying.

The limited-edition drive is covered in artwork inspired by Astro Bot, winner of the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024.

Using the CrystalDiskInfo utility, we see that the drive inside the 21.5 x 81 x 122.5mm plastic enclosure is a 5TB Seagate Barracuda (ST5000LM-2U8170) 2.5in hard drive. The ST5000LM-2U8170 has a spin speed of 5,400rpm with 128MB of cache. The transfer rate for the drive is quoted as up to 140MB/s, and the drive uses a USB 3.0 Micro B interface.

Seagate backs the drive with a 3-year warranty.

Physical Specifications:

• Usable Capacities: 5TB.
• Interface: USB 3.0 Micro B.
• Form Factor: external.
• Dimensions: 21.5 x 81 x 122.5mm.
• Drive Weight: 266g.

Firmware Version: 0003

The post Seagate Astro Bot Limited Edition Game Drive 5TB Review first appeared on KitGuru.

AMD has introduced a major update to its software ecosystem with the AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition AI Bundle, a new stack designed to remove the technical hurdles associated with setting up a local artificial intelligence environment. Historically, developers and creators have had to manually configure complex stacks involving graphics drivers, Python environments, and various frameworks. This new bundle integrates directly into the Adrenalin Edition application as an optional install, allowing users to deploy a fully functional AI development environment with a single click.

The bundle includes a selection of essential tools, most notably bringing PyTorch to Windows as a native part of the AMD software suite for the first time. It also features ComfyUI for visual image generation workflows, Ollama for running LLMs locally, and LM Studio for easy model parameter tuning. Additionally, the bundle includes Amuse, a text-to-image application optimised for AMD hardware. By hosting these workloads locally on the user's hardware, AMD is positioning it as a cost-efficient, privacy-focused alternative to subscription-based cloud AI services.

Hardware compatibility is centred on AMD's latest architectures to ensure optimal performance with the ROCm platform. The AI Bundle is supported on systems equipped with an AMD Radeon RX 7700 series graphics card or newer, as well as the latest generation of processors, including the Ryzen AI 300, 400, and AI Max series. By leveraging the dedicated AI accelerators found in these RDNA 3 and RDNA 4 GPUs, users can build, train, and run models without the latency or security concerns typically associated with off-system processing.

To begin using these tools, users need to download the latest version of AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition and select the AI Bundle option during installation (or update). Once installed, applications such as Ollama and PyTorch can be launched directly from the software interface.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Even if you're not that into AI, given how easy it is to set up a local environment using the new AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition AI bundle, it might be worth trying it out. That is, of course, if your system meets the requirements.

The post AMD streamlines local AI setup with AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition AI bundle first appeared on KitGuru.

Throughout 2025 we saw an increasing number of leaks and rumours surrounding Ubisoft’s long-awaited Prince of Persia The Sands of Time Remake, with recent reports claiming that the title is scheduled to launch as early as this month. While this may have been the case at one point, Ubisoft have now announced “a major organizational, operational and portfolio reset” which includes the cancellation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake and 5 other projects.

Making the surprise announcement via a press release, Ubisoft unveiled the details of their “major organizational, operational and portfolio reset” designed “to reclaim creative leadership and restore sustainable growth.”

While there is of course plenty to dig into with this press release (including details on the publisher’s “accelerated investments behind player-facing Generative AI”) by far the most surprising part of the announcement was the fact that half a dozen in-development projects have now been cancelled as a result of this restructure, with them writing:

“Ubisoft has discontinued 6 games that do not meet the new enhanced quality as well as more selective portfolio prioritization criteria at Group level. These include Prince of Persia The Sands of Time remake as well as 4 unannounced titles, including 3 new IP’s, and a mobile title.”

As mentioned, many were expecting Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake to be released this month, with various leaks and rumours late last year indicating as much. Additionally, just last week the ESRB published a listing for the game alongside an official content rating; suggesting that its release was indeed imminent.

Given the fact that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake was delayed multiple times, changed studios and rebooted in order to ensure a quality product, the news of its sudden and unexpected cancellation is highly disappointing to see.

KitGuru says: Were you looking forward to The Sands of Time Remake? Did you have high hopes for the project? At this point, would you have rather the original remake been released back in 2021 when it was initially planned? Let us know down below.

The post Ubisoft unceremoniously cancels 6 games including Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake first appeared on KitGuru.

Fractal Design has officially unveiled the Pop 2 Air, the next generation in its Pop series. Engineered with a focus on high-performance cooling and modern aesthetics, the new chassis features an open-mesh front with a cubic pattern, a ventilated top, and an integrated GPU air guide that directs cool air to the centre of the main chamber.

Out of the box, the Pop 2 Air comes equipped with three swept-blade fans to ensure airflow through the interior. The exterior maintains a sleek profile, detailed with a fabric tab and decent front I/O, including USB-A/C (5 Gbps) and audio ports.

The case is built to accommodate modern enthusiast hardware, supporting graphics cards up to 416 mm long, PSUs up to 180 mm long, CPU towers up to 175 mm tall, and top-mounted radiators up to 360 mm. Motherboard support ranges from Mini ITX to ATX. Lastly, there's space for a 3.5-inch drive, up to 3x 2.5-inch drives, and 7x 120 mm fans.

The building experience has been further refined with tool-free panels, dedicated cable routing spaces, and bracket-free SSD mounts for a cleaner, more straightforward setup. Fractal is offering the Pop 2 Air in multiple variants, including solid, tempered glass (TG), and RGB models, the latter of which features dedicated on-case lighting control buttons in the front I/O.

We will have a review of the Pop 2 Air in the coming weeks so stay tuned for that.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: The original Pop series was a standout for its value and unique features, such as the hidden storage drawer. With the Pop 2 Air, Fractal is improving upon its predecessor with some adjustments, improving a winning recipe with new features. Depending on its price point, it could easily become the new go-to for mid-range and high-end airflow builds.

The post Fractal Pop 2 Air series launches with integrated GPU air guide first appeared on KitGuru.

The Berlin administration is facing a fundamental change of course in its IT policy. With its newly presented open source strategy, the city-state is attempting to gradually break away from its decades-long dependence on proprietary software solutions from international technology corporations. What was long considered a pragmatic decision in favor of stable and feature-rich systems […]

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Asus will not be making any more smartphones for the time being. This was confirmed by CEO Jonney Shih at an event in Taiwan. Officially, the company is referring to a “break” rather than a permanent exit. In practice, however, this is exactly what it amounts to. A return is neither scheduled nor strategically plausible. […]

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There is no respite for AMD’s AM5 platform. After earlier Ryzen generations had already attracted attention due to voltage problems, there are now increasing reports of sudden total failures of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. After the phenomenon was initially observed mainly on motherboards from another manufacturer, AM5 boards from ASUS are now also in the […]

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Apple’s long-standing special status at TSMC could be at a turning point. The background to this is the changed revenue structure of the world’s largest contract manufacturer, which is increasingly benefiting from the boom in AI accelerators and data center chips. While Apple has been the most important single customer for many years and was […]

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With version 0.97.0, Microsoft is releasing another major update for PowerToys. The focus is clearly on productivity, improved usability, and greater integration between the individual modules. Particular attention is paid to a new mouse tool called CursorWrap and a comprehensively revised range of functions in the Command Palette. CursorWrap is primarily aimed at users with […]

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In 2026, companies will continue to face a tense and highly dynamic threat situation. Current evaluations by security researchers at Ontinue show that cybercriminals are evolving strategically and adapting their methods specifically to changing work environments and technical protection mechanisms. The analyses are based on observations from underground forums, criminal networks, and real attack scenarios, […]

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