Intel developers are already hard at work optimising the open-source Linux drivers for the company's next-generation “Panther Lake” mobile CPUs. A new series of changes has just been merged into the Mesa 3D graphics stack, designed to fix performance regressions and promising a significant performance uplift for the new Xe3 integrated GPUs.

According to Intel's own internal lab tests (via Phoronix), these compiler fixes have a tangible impact on gaming performance. While many games saw a healthy uplift in the mid-to-high single-digit percentages, peak performance gains were recorded at up to an impressive 18%. The fixes primarily focus on improving compiler scheduling and thread-level parallelism to better suit the new Xe3 architecture's behavior.

Image credit: Kevron Rees

However, these runtime gains come with a couple of caveats. The first is a direct trade-off: the new optimisations result in shader pre-compilation times that are roughly 25% longer, a price Intel has deemed worth paying for the smoother in-game frame rates. More concerning for now are some stability issues that were discovered during testing. The developers noted that a few games caused occasional GPU hangs, with one particularly demanding title having to be removed from the test suite due to a recurring GPU hang.

These fixes are currently in the Mesa 25.3 development branch but are planned to be backported to the 25.2 stable branch closer to the launch of Panther Lake hardware later this year. This means that Linux users who pick up one of the new laptops will need to ensure they are on an up-to-date Mesa package to get the best day-one experience and avoid these regressions.

KitGuru says: It's great to see Intel being so proactive in optimising its open-source drivers well ahead of a major launch. While there are clearly still some stability kinks to iron out, these performance gains are a promising sign for the gaming potential of the upcoming Panther Lake iGPUs on Linux.

The post Intel Panther Lake gets performance uplift with latest Mesa update first appeared on KitGuru.

PC case manufacturer darkFlash has a new microATX chassis with a very distinctive aesthetic. The new Floatron F1 features a unique “floating base”, which the company claims not only gives the case a unique look but also significantly improves airflow for your components.

The most standout feature of the Floatron F1's design is its elevated base. The main chassis sits on top of an expanded platform, creating a gap underneath that allows for unrestricted airflow to the bottom-mounted fans. darkFlash claims that this vertical air duct architecture and improved GPU ventilation can result in a 5-7°C drop in graphics card temperatures compared to traditional designs. The base also doubles as a display platform for personal decorations or custom lighting.

Despite its relatively compact microATX footprint, the Floatron F1 boasts some impressive hardware support. It has room for three SSDs/HDDs, ITX and mATX motherboards, tall CPU air coolers up to 185 mm in height, and graphics cards up to 350 mm long. The cooling potential is equally good, supporting up to nine case fans in total and featuring a 360 mm radiator in the top panel. darkFlash has also included a few builder-friendly touches to improve the user experience, featuring a tool-free side panel, a screwless clamshell design for easy access to your components

Available in both black and white, the Floatron F1 is offered in standard or back-connect editions. Both versions feature a modern front I/O, including a USB-C port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and an HD-Audio port.

KitGuru says: The darkFlash Floatron F1 appears to be an intriguing option for builders seeking a distinctive aesthetic without compromising on cooling potential. Do you like the aesthetics of darkFash's new case?

The post The darkFlash Floatron F1 case showcases fresh design in mATX format first appeared on KitGuru.

Asus has taken the wraps off its latest high-end professional display at the IBC 2025 trade show in Amsterdam. The new ProArt OLED PA27USD is a 27-inch monitor that combines a 4K QD-OLED panel with a suite of professional-grade features and connectivity, designed for content creators, video editors, and colour-critical work.

The new ProArt monitor (via Guru3D) features a 27-inch 4K QD-OLED panel that promises top-tier colour performance, with a claimed 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut and true 10-bit colour depth. For professionals who demand accuracy right out of the box, each monitor is factory pre-calibrated to a Delta E value of less than one. The monitor also comes with a built-in colourimeter that supports automatic hardware calibration and is compatible with the major professional calibration suites from Calman and Light Illusion ColourSpace CMS. It supports multiple HDR formats, including HDR10 and HLG, with a peak brightness of 1000 nits.

What really sets the PA27USD apart from consumer displays is its I/O. In a move that will please video production professionals, Asus has included a 12G SDI input, a high-end connection rarely seen outside of dedicated and high-end production monitors. This is complemented by a Thunderbolt 4 port that provides video input and 96W of power delivery, as well as a second Thunderbolt 4 output for easy daisy-chaining of other devices. A built-in USB hub and standard HDMI ports are also included.

The monitor also comes with a fully flexible stand offering a choice of two different mounting options for optimal positioning, and an included screen hood helps to reduce reflections from ambient light.

KitGuru says: With such a feature set, the ProArt OLED PA27USD will likely be a bit too expensive for the majority of users. However, this same majority probably wouldn't need most of the features this monitor has.

The post Asus’s new ProArt OLED PA27USD comes with a rare 12G SDI port first appeared on KitGuru.

In a surprise announcement during the latest Nintendo Direct, developer Supergiant Games has confirmed that its critically acclaimed sequel, Hades II, is officially leaving early access. The full 1.0 version of the game is set to launch in just a couple of weeks, on September 25th.

Alongside the 1.0 launch on PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store), the game will also be making its console debut on the Nintendo Switch and the new Switch 2. Supergiant has confirmed that the Switch 2 version will feature a high-performance mode, running at 120 fps when in TV Mode, while the original Switch will target 60 fps. For now, it appears to be a timed console exclusive, similar to the launch of the original game, with PlayStation and Xbox versions likely to follow later.

Moreover, the Switch versions will support cross-saves. This will allow players to seamlessly transfer their progress from PC save files to their Nintendo console, enabling them to take their progress on the go.

The game first launched into early access back in May 2024 and has been met with an overwhelmingly positive reception from both critics and players. Supergiant has been signalling that the 1.0 release was imminent, with a series of major updates over the past few months that have brought the game's content to completion.

KitGuru says: Have you been waiting for Hades 2 v1.0 to play it, or have you already delved into it?

The post Hades 2 is leaving Early Access this month first appeared on KitGuru.

The long wait for Xbox and Nintendo fans is finally over. Square Enix has announced that the console exclusivity for its Final Fantasy VII Remake saga is ending. The first part of the trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, is officially coming to Xbox Series X|S and the Nintendo Switch 2 on January 22, 2026.

In an even bigger reveal, Square Enix confirmed that this is not a one-off port. The entire trilogy, including the critically acclaimed Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and the currently in-development third and final game, are all confirmed to be launching on Xbox and Switch 2 in the future.

These new versions of Intergrade will also launch with a brand new “streamlined progression” setting. This is essentially a “god mode” that gives the player limitless HP, MP, and special attacks, with every hit dealing 9999 damage. Director Naoki Hamaguchi explained that this was added for “players who want to be able to enjoy the battles and exploration more casually while they really focus on that story”, effectively creating an easy story mode for those who find the hybrid combat system challenging.

Like the console and PC versions, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade bundles the original 2020 RPG with its Intermission DLC, which stars the fan-favourite ninja, Yuffie Kisaragi.

KitGuru says: Have you already played Final Fantasy VII Remake? Will you do so now that it's coming to more platforms?

The post Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy confirmed for multiplatform release first appeared on KitGuru.

Hot on the heels of its wood-accented View 270 Plus WS, Thermaltake has unveiled another new case featuring a touch of natural material, the S370 WS. Unlike the previous release, which was a refresh of an existing model, this is a brand-new chassis design, featuring vertical wood slats on a high-airflow mesh front panel.

The S370 WS is a fairly large mid-tower with a sleek yet stylish design available in black and white. Vertical wood strips flank the mesh front panel, and the case itself is elevated on high feet, creating a large air gap underneath for bottom intake. One potentially divisive design choice is the placement of the front I/O ports, which are located at the very bottom of the front panel. This may be ideal for users who place their PC on their desk, but it could be awkward for those with floor-based setups.

Internally, the case is spacious, accommodating up to an E-ATX motherboard and 6x storage drives (4x 3.5″ + 2x 2.5″ or 1x 3.5W + 5x 2.5″). It's also fully compatible with modern back-connect motherboards for an ultra-clean build, but using one will render the 2x 3.5-inch drive bays unusable. There's plenty of clearance for high-end components, with support for GPUs up to 410 mm long and CPU air coolers up to 175 mm tall. The PCI brackets can also be rotated for vertical GPU mounting.

Cooling is clearly a priority, with four of Thermaltake's CT120 fans included right out of the box (three front, one rear). Additionally, there's space for five more 140/120 mm fans. For those looking to build a custom loop or use an AIO liquid cooler, the S370 WS can accommodate two 360 mm radiators simultaneously, one at the front and one at the top. The Thermaltake S370 WS is already available at some European retailers for €120.

KitGuru says: The wooden accent trend strikes once again, but on the S370 WS, it does so in a more conservative manner. Would you prefer a bit more of it or no wood at all?

The post Thermaltake launches yet another mid-tower with wooden accents first appeared on KitGuru.

In one of the most unexpected product updates we've seen in a long time, Intel has quietly added a new processor to its official Ark database. But this isn't a new Arrow Lake Refresh or a sneak peek at Nova Lake. Here, we're talking about the new Core i5-110, a 6-core CPU based on the five-year-old “Comet Lake” architecture and the venerable 14nm process node.

As first spotted by @momomo_us, the Core i5-110 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor for the older LGA1200 socket, featuring a base clock of 2.9 GHz and a maximum turbo of 4.3 GHz. It also features the integrated UHD Graphics 630. For all intents and purposes, this is a re-release of the Core i5-10400 from back in 2020, now with a new, somewhat confusing model number.

What makes this launch truly bizarre is the price. The Core i5-110 has a retail price of $200. In today's market, that is a tough sell, as Arrow Lake CPUs can be found for less.

KitGuru says: How do you feel about the ongoing trend of re-releasing CPUs for generations long-past? 

The post Intel Comet Lake-S reportedly set for a comeback first appeared on KitGuru.

Earlier this month, we reviewed the MSI DATAMAG 20Gbps, a magnetic, external SSD capable of impressive speeds. Now, MSI is bringing an even faster version to the market, the DATAMAG 40Gbps.

The MSI DATAMAG 40Gbps utilises a USB4 40Gbps interface to further increase speeds. This model will be capable of up to 4000MB/s read speed and up to 3600MB/s write speed. This is more than double the unit we reviewed previously, which had transfer speeds of up to 1600MB/s and 1500MB/s read/write.

The MSI DATAMAG 40Gbps will be available in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities. Through a dedicated DATAMAG app, you can manage your storage, check capacity, create backups or restore old ones. The magnetic design is in place for creators, creating a secure fit for the device on laptops, tablets, smart phones or a desktop PC case.

The DATAMAG is also purpose built for compatibility with mobile devices. For instance, you can use it for ProRes recordings, a feature available on the latest iPhone Pro models, so you can capture and store new footage directly to the drive. A 4TB model would be capable of holding up to 143 minutes of 4K/120FPS footage.

If you ever run into an issue, the MSI DATAMAG is backed by a 5-year warranty, so their support should be able to help. The MSI DATAMAG 40Gbps will be available via Amazon and SCAN, with prices starting at £112.99 for the 1TB model, going up to £174.99 for the 2TB model. Pricing for the 4TB version has not yet been announced.

KitGuru Says: We were impressed by the 20Gbps model. If you want a better idea of what it is like to use a DATAMAG, you can find that review HERE. 

The post MSI doubles speed with DATAMAG 40Gbps first appeared on KitGuru.

It has been eight long years since Metroid Prime 4 was first announced. The game is finally coming out this year, but Nintendo has been quiet on the release timing for months. That finally changed during today's Nintendo Direct showcase, with a new trailer for the game dropping, alongside an early December release date. 

In Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Samus is targeted by the deadly sharpshooter, Sylux. The two will clash on the planet Viewros, which is also inhabited by dangerous creatures that Samus will need to battle as she looks to fix up her high-tech space bike and escape the planet.

Metroid Prime 4 was first announced in December 2017, just months after the Nintendo Switch first launched. It is fitting that the game will now release on December 4th, almost exactly eight years after the first reveal, and several months after the launch of the new Nintendo Switch 2 console.

While Metroid Prime 4 will be a major Switch 2 title, it is also releasing for the Switch 1. It is highly recommended that you pick it up on Switch 2 though, as the game will run at 60FPS as standard, with an option for up to 120FPS in docked mode. First-person shooters like Metroid Prime greatly benefit from the extra responsiveness afforded by the higher frame rate.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on December 4th 2025 for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.

KitGuru Says: Are you going to be picking up Metroid Prime 4 in December? 

The post Metroid Prime 4 December release date revealed in new gameplay trailer first appeared on KitGuru.

With Metroid Prime 4 finally coming out, many Nintendo fans have been wondering what the company has in store for us in 2026. At the end of today's hour-long Nintendo Direct, Nintendo revealed exactly that, with a teaser for the next mainline Fire Emblem game. 

Fire Emblem is Nintendo's long-running strategy RPG series. While Fire Emblem Engage moved away from the added social elements of Fire Emblem Three Houses, this new game appears to borrow from Three Houses, with a portion of the trailer showcasing exploration.

Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave also borrows from Three Houses in one other major way. At the very end of the trailer, we see Sothis, a goddess first introduced in Fire Emblem Three Houses. This time around though, she is much older, so we will be in a very different time period compared to Three Houses, although the medieval-inspired world remains intact.

There is no release date yet for Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave, but the game will release on Nintendo Switch 2 consoles sometime next year.

KitGuru Says: Fire Emblem Three Houses was my favourite game of the entire Switch generation. Hopefully this new entry can raise the bar further. 

The post Nintendo reveals Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave for Switch 2 first appeared on KitGuru.

While VR headsets are quite common nowadays, back in the 90s, VR tech seemed like a distant idea. That didn't stop Nintendo from releasing the Virtual Boy in 1995. While the peripheral has largely been lost to time, Nintendo is reviving it soon, with the release of the new Virtual Boy peripheral for Switch consoles. 

The Virtual Boy returns in 2026. This time around, the peripheral is a simple plastic shell with lenses, which you open up and slot your Switch or Switch 2 console in to. It has been designed to work exactly like the original Virtual Boy, so that includes the ugly desk-stand, rather than including a strap to attach the headset to your face.

The Virtual Boy will be joined by an expansion to the Nintendo Switch Online emulation service. Switch Online subscribers will get access to 14 Virtual Boy titles in total, including Wario Land, Galactic Pinball, Red Alarm, Teleroboxer, Mario Tennis, Vertical Force, Mario Clash, Golf, Tetris 3D, Virtual Bowling, Space Invaders and more. These games won't all be dropped in one go though, Nintendo plans to release them ‘over time', so there is no telling when each game will become available.

The Virtual Boy for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 officially launches on February 26th 2026.

KitGuru Says: While this might be cool for 20 minutes or so, there is a reason the original Virtual Boy failed – it wasn't very good. 

The post The Nintendo Virtual Boy returns in 2026 first appeared on KitGuru.

Dragon Quest 7 stands out as one of the most interesting games in the franchise, in large part due to its unique structure and worldbuilding. Next year, fans will be able to re-experience the game, with Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined now announced for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.

Dragon Quest 7 begins with the player on a lone island, known to its inhabitants as the only known land in the entire world. As the hero, you will find ancient shrines to travel back in time and restore lost continents, with each continent coming with its own story arc. As you progress through the game and restore lost continents, you will be able to visit those lands in the present-day time to see how your choices reshaped the future.

Dragon Quest 7 also has an extensive job system, so players will be have lots of abilities to mix and match in search for the most powerful party setup. Unlike the recent Dragon Quest 1-3 HD-2D remakes, this game will feature a different art style entirely, opting for 3D over HD-2D.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined will release for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 in February 2026. The game is also expected to release on PC, Xbox and PS5.

KitGuru Says: Did you play Dragon Quest 7 back in the day? Is there anything you would like to see changed in this newer version? 

The post Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined announced for PC and consoles first appeared on KitGuru.

Just as promised, Nintendo went live this afternoon with the longest Direct showcase ever. This time around, Nintendo opened up the show new announcements for the Super Mario Bros. 40th anniversary, which kicks off tomorrow, September 13th. 

The Mario 40th Anniversary segment began with announcements for the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan, where an art gallery is displayed showcasing decades worth of sketches and concept art used to create the games. Nintendo will also be sponsoring next year's Kyoto Marathon, which takes place in February.

The bigger announcement was a teaser for the next Super Mario Bros. movie. The original smashed records at the box office and now, a second film is in the works, with most major cast members returning. This time around, Mario and friends will be venturing off into space for Super Mario Galaxy.

It's not just the film getting announced though. Nintendo has also revealed plans to re-release Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 for the Nintendo Switch consoles. Rosalina's story book, a feature introduced in Super Mario Galaxy 2, is now available in both games with expanded content.

Next year, Mario fans on Switch 2 can also expect a new Mario Tennis game, titled Mario Tennis Fever, which comes out on February 12th 2026. Super Mario Bros. Wonder, one of the final major exclusives for the Nintendo Switch, is now getting a Switch 2 edition with new multiplayer game modes packed in. This new version of the game won't be arriving until ‘Spring 2026'.

The final announcement for the long Super Mario segment of today's Direct was for a new Yoshi game. In this game, Yoshi will jump into the pages of a book to learn more about the plant and wildlife of the Mario world. As you complete levels, more of the book will be filled out. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book will release in Spring 2026.

In all, the Super Mario 40th Anniversary segment took up around 20 minutes of the hour-long Nintendo Direct.

KitGuru Says: Nothing announced here was particularly exciting, as there was no truly new Mario game to reveal. 

The post Nintendo announces Super Mario Galaxy movie and video game remasters first appeared on KitGuru.

Each week, the Epic Games Store gives away a title or two for free to all those with an Epic Games account. This week, in a moment of generosity, three games are being given away – including the high-octane first-person parkour ‘slasher’ Ghostrunner 2.

Available to add to your library from now until the 18th of September at 4PM UK Time, three titles in total are free to claim on the Epic Games Store, namely:

• Ghostrunner 2
• Monument Valley 2
• The Battle of Polytopia

Easily the headliner for this week is Ghostrunner 2 – the sequel to 2020’s fast-paced first-person parkour title which feels like a blend between Mirror’s Edge and Hotline Miami, in which you “slice your enemies with a monomolecular katana, dodge bullets with your superhuman reflexes, and employ a variety of specialized techniques to prevail.”

Expanding on the first game, the sequel offers new mechanics; skills; progression; boss fights; game modes and “nonlinear levels with complex motorbike sections.”

Monument Valley 2 meanwhile is a perspective-bending and geometric-focused puzzler which serves as a sequel to the award-winning 2014 mobile game. Released back in 2017 on mobile (and 2022 for PC), Monument Valley 2 was praised for its atmosphere and presentation.

As mentioned, all three titles are available to claim right now, and will remain so until the 18th of September – at which point they will be replaced by Project Winter and Samorost 2. Of course, once they have been added to your library, they’re yours to keep forever.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this week’s offerings? Did you manage to pick Ghostrunner 2 up back when it was offered for 24 hours? Let us know down below.

The post Ghostrunner 2 is free on the Epic Games Store first appeared on KitGuru.

At KitGuru we often focus on top-of-the-range and expensive gaming hardware, but it's always good to have a reality check by looking at something more affordable. Today we review one of the most budget-friendly bits of hardware you can buy – a small four-heatpipe, single-fan CPU air cooler that costs under £20! The Montech NX400 is aimed at users with low-power CPUs, so let's check out its performance on the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 65W CPU and throw in a be quiet! Pure Rock 3 for comparison.

Features:

• Four copper direct-touch heat pipe design with fifty-two aluminium cooling fins and a high-static-pressure fan, available in black or white colour schemes with or without RGB.
• ARGB versions come with an included 120mm fan featuring ARGB fan blade illumination, both ARGB and non-ARGB have 28mm thick frames, a fluid dynamic bearing and detachable anti-vibration pads.
• The heatsink top is covered with a striped and translucent cover and the included interchangeable bracket system supports a wide range of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1851 and AMD AM5.

Specifications:

• CPU Socket Compatibility: Intel LGA115X / 1200 / 1700 / 1851, AMD AM4 / AM5
• Dimensions: 120x74x156mm (Cooler) / 150x115x188mm (Package)
• Net Weight: 874g
• Heat pipes: 4 x Direct Touch Copper
• Fan Dimensions: 120x120x28mm
• Fan Speed: 800~2000RPM (±10%)
• Fan Airflow: 85.09CFM
• Fan Air Pressure: 3.35mmH2O
• Fan Noise: 34.17dBA
• Fan Connector: PWM 4Pin & ARGB 5V3Pin
• Bearing Type: Fluid Dynamic Bearing
• Fan Rated Voltage: 12V
• Warranty: 1 Year

Montech ships the NX400 and NX400 ARGB in a small cardboard box with an image of the cooler printed on the front. On the sides of the box are diagrams, specifications and key features listed.

NX400 is available in regular or ARGB fan versions and in black or white colour schemes. Both are equipped with a high static pressure 120mm fan, the ARGB version has illumination of the fan blades.

Dimensions of the cooler are 120x74x156mm. It’s a 4x copper heat pipe design with 52 aluminium fins, so quite compact.

The base of the cooler has an aluminium cold plate but with copper direct touch heat pipes; no thermal compound is pre-applied to the cold plate from the factory, but a small sachet is included.

Fans included with the NX400 are Montech E28 PWM, so 28mm thick, PWM control with high static pressure, ideal for use on heatsinks. ARGB versions come with illuminated fan blades/hub and connect to standard 3-pin 5V headers.

On top of the heatsink is a plastic cover with a striped and translucent design which gives it a finished, sleek look from the top.

Montech includes all the mounting hardware needed to install the NX400 on current Intel and AMD platforms, plus a small sachet of thermal paste and installation guide.

The post Montech NX400 / NX400 ARGB CPU Air Cooler Review first appeared on KitGuru.

Following weeks of rumours and speculation, Nintendo finally announced that they would be hosting a Switch 2 Direct this month – going live later today. Ahead of the digital showcase, one insider has offered a potential look at a couple of the planned announcements, claiming that Resident Evil 2 and 3 Remakes are ‘unquestionably’ coming to Switch 2, and will include feature parity with other current-gen systems.

As reported by known industry insider Nate the Hate in a Nintendo Direct predictions podcast, the leaker offered a titbit of information regarding the upcoming showcase. Alongside his predictions, Nate claimed to have heard that Capcom’s Resident Evil series of games will be coming to Switch 2 in the future, stating:

“That’s not a question…Resident Evil 2, 3, 7, these are Switch 2 bound. It’s just a matter of when they will be announced and when will they release.”

Whether these remakes wind up being announced at the Direct or not, we will have to wait and see. But regardless, when they do arrive on Switch 2, RE2 and 3 are said to be pretty uncompromising ports, with Nate claiming:

“From what I’ve been told, games like Resident Evil 2 and 3 are going to have feature parity with the PlayStation and Xbox version”. Elaborating further, the Switch 2 ports will reportedly support the likes of ray-tracing and 120fps.

Of course, the remakes were originally released on the 8th-generation of consoles – meaning Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Still, if the Switch 2 versions of Resident Evil 3 and 4 do end up supporting ray-tracing, 120fps and the rest, then it could be another welcome 3rd party addition to the line-up…assuming the price is appropriate.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for the Nintendo Direct? What do you expect to be announced? What 3rd party titles would you want to see ported? Let us know down below.

The post Insider offers details on unannounced Switch 2 versions of RE2 and RE3 Remakes first appeared on KitGuru.

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is the next title from Naughty Dog and game director Neil Druckmann. Initially announced during last year’s Game Awards, little has been officially shared regarding the ambitious title so far. That said, during a recent interview, Druckmann offered some slight teasers on what to expect.

In an interview conducted by Variety, Naughty Dog President and Creative Director Neil Druckmann sat down to discuss HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us Season 2, the upcoming 3rd Season and his current work on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

When asked about the current state of the game’s development, Druckmann claimed to be “in the thick of it. We're making it, we're playing it. We're firing on all cylinders,” adding that “It's the most ambitious game we've ever made. It's the most expansive game we've ever made, maybe the most expensive, by the time we finish it.”

Unfortunately, we did not gain any new insight on when the game will be shown off next. That said, Druckmann did tease the evolution in gameplay which players can expect from the upcoming title, stating:

“You could look at our previous titles and see the evolution of going from ‘Uncharted,’ where we're really cutting our teeth on realistic character-action game, third-person shooter, combined with emotional storytelling.”

He continued, “With ‘The Last of Us,’ we added some RPG elements, we started playing with wide linear layouts. Continue that trajectory forward, add sci-fi and you start to get the sense of what we're doing, and then we've gotten even more ambitious than that.”

In many ways, The Last of Us Part II offers the best and most complete form of 3rd-person shooting/combat – thanks to both its mechanics and flawless animations. With not a single stain on the studio’s 30-year-portfolio, it will be highly interesting to see what Naughty Dog has in store for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

KitGuru says: What did you think of the initial announcement? Are you excited for the game? When do you think we’ll get a taste of its gameplay? Let us know down below.

The post Neil Druckmann offers update on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet first appeared on KitGuru.

In order to fulfill its early Kickstarter promises, Team Cherry opted not to give out early review codes for Hollow Knight: Silksong. Given its ambitious scope, it’s taken some time for critics to get through the long-awaited sequel. With early reviews finally trickling out, Hollow Knight: Silksong is now currently sat at the top of 2025’s highest rated games – right alongside Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

With a Metacritic score of 93, Hollow Knight: Silksong is currently tied for first place as the highest rated game of 2025 alongside Josef Fares Split Fiction and the hit RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

It is worth noting that Split Fiction and Clair Obscur both feature far more critic reviews than Silksong, with the three titles sitting at 110, 83 and 17 reviews respectively. As mentioned however, this is due to reviewers not receiving codes for Silksong early – and so as additional reviews pile in we should get a more complete picture of the consensus.

That said, user reviews for the game tell a similar story, albeit at a grander scale, with Silksong currently resting at 9.1/10 on Metacritic based on almost 3,000 reviews. In a similar vein, Silksong’s score on Steam is equally high with a 91% very positive rating across 56,000 English reviews.

Of course, regardless of its final score, Hollow Knight: Silksong is already one of the most successful games of 2025, with its launch breaking pretty much every digital platform while going on to surpass 500,000 concurrent players on Steam alone during its first 24 hours. It looks like we might have another Game of the Year contender on our hands.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Silksong so far? Is it your GOTY? What would you score the game? Let us know down below.

The post Early reviews put Hollow Knight: Silksong as the joint-highest rated game of 2025 first appeared on KitGuru.

Sony has a new mobile app designed to help parents manage their children's gaming habits more easily. The new ‘PlayStation Family' app, available now for iOS and Android, acts as a dedicated remote-control centre for all the parental control features available on the PS4 and PS5, without needing to touch the console itself.

According to the blog post, the app offers a range of tools for managing playtime and spending. Parents can set daily time limits for gaming sessions and establish monthly spending caps for the PlayStation Store directly from their phone. There's also an interactive feature that allows children to request extra playtime from their console, which then sends a real-time notification to the parent's phone for approval or denial.

The app also gives parents granular control over the type of content their child can access. Age ratings for games and other media can be set using pre-configured profiles or customised individually for each child. Parents can also manage their child's privacy settings and who they are allowed to communicate with on the PlayStation Network.

To provide a clearer picture of their child's activity, the app can send notifications to a parent's phone whenever the child starts playing a game. It also generates daily and weekly activity reports, showing how much time has been spent gaming and which titles are being played the most, so parents can have a better insight into their children's habits. The app is now available for free on the App Store and Google Play in most regions.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Do you have kids playing PlayStation 4 or 5? Will you consider using PlayStation's new Family App to manage their playtime and spending?

The post Sony launches new PlayStation Family App to simplify parental control first appeared on KitGuru.

Cougar has announced its new “Cooling Evolved” range, a comprehensive lineup of new PC cooling hardware that includes new cases, AIO liquid coolers with large LCD screens, and single-frame fans. The new ecosystem is designed to offer high performance with a focus on ease of installation, airflow, and aesthetics.

Headlining the “Cooling Evolved” launch is the CFV235 case series, which is built around a “Floating Ventilation” structure that creates an open, suspended area below the main chamber to improve airflow. The series comes in four distinct flavours: the standard model, Mesh, Vision, and Mesh Vision. The “Vision” models feature a large 9.16-inch, 1920×1080 IPS LCD for system monitoring. All models also support back-connect motherboards for a clean look.

Also new are the Poseidon Vistek Pro ARGB liquid coolers. These AIOs feature a large, 3.95-inch square IPS display on the pump head with a 720×720 resolution, which can be customised to show system stats or custom graphics. The coolers are available in 240 mm and 360 mm sizes and utilise Cougar's new single-frame fans for simplified installation and cable management.

Rounding out the ecosystem are the new Unity single-frame PWM ARGB fans, which are used on the Poseidon Vistek Pro ARGB series. These units will be sold separately and combine two or three 120mm fans into a single, rigid frame, meaning you only need to connect two cables (one for power and one for ARGB) for a complete set of fans. They are available in 240 mm and 360 mm sizes and in both forward and reverse blade versions to suit different intake and exhaust needs.

This new lineup from Cougar is scheduled to launch in November. The pricing is competitive across the board, with the Unity single-frame fans starting at just $29, the Poseidon Vistek Pro AIOs starting at $129, and the CFV235 cases starting at $139.

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KitGuru says: Interested in any of Cougar's new “Cooling Evolved” PC components?

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Arm has unveiled its next-generation mobile platform, the Lumex Compute SubSystem (CSS). The new platform is built around the brand new Arm C1 CPU and Mali-G1 GPU architectures, and it's designed from the ground up to enable powerful, real-time on-device AI for next-generation smartphones and tablets.

The new Lumex platform features the Arm v9.3-based C1 CPU cores, which will be offered in four distinct arrangements to cover the entire mobile market. The flagship is the C1-Ultra, promising a 25% single-thread performance uplift over the Arm Cortex-X925, while the C1-Premium offers the same performance in a smaller, more efficient package. Then there's the C1 Pro, promising a 16% sustained performance increase compared to the Cortex-A725, and lastly, the C1 Nano, which is 26% more efficient than the Cortex-A520.

On the graphics side, we have the new Mali-G1 GPU. Designed for 3nm process nodes, this new architecture is scalable from 10 to 24 cores and offers a 20% uplift in general graphics performance over the previous generation. A significant focus has been placed on ray tracing, with the introduction of a new Ray Tracing Unit v2 (RTUv2) that Arm claims can deliver up to double the performance of its predecessor.

As part of the Lumex platform, these new CPUs will support Scalable Matrix Extension 2 (SME2). Arm claims that this new instruction set can boost AI performance by up to 5 times and dramatically reduce latency for speech-based workloads, such as live translation and voice assistants. Moreover, Arm is ensuring that developers can easily tap into this new AI power via its KleidiAI libraries, which are already integrated into major frameworks, such as PyTorch and Microsoft's ONNX Runtime. This means that many popular apps will be able to leverage the SME2 acceleration without requiring significant code changes from their developers.

We can expect to see the first smartphones and tablets powered by the Arm Lumex platform, featuring its new C1 and Mali-G1 cores, arriving sometime in 2026. Arm also noted that similar processor technology for laptops will be released under the “Arm Niva” branding.

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KitGuru says: Like most chip makers at this stage, Arm is also heavily focused on AI. 

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Intel has confirmed its desktop CPU plans for the near future at a recent Goldman Sachs Technology conference. As it appears, we're initially getting a minor refresh, followed by a major new architecture. A company executive stated that an update to its Arrow Lake CPU line will arrive next year, with the next-generation Nova Lake architecture launching before the end of 2026.

Speaking at the event (via Wccftech), John Pitzer, Intel's Corporate Vice President of Investor Relations, admitted that the desktop front needed to be addressed. He positioned the 2026 Arrow Lake update as the first step to address this but acknowledged that the final answer is Nova Lake. This refresh has been rumoured for months, although the general consensus is that it will bring small clock speed boosts to a select few SKUs.

The timing of this refresh, however, is still surprising, as it will come almost two years after the original Arrow Lake launch. These refresh CPUs won't have much time to soak up the spotlight though, as Intel also plans to launch the first Nova Lake processors before the end of 2026. The Nova Lake processors will also arrive with a new motherboard socket.

While Intel is clearly confident in its long-term roadmap with Nova Lake, Arrow Lake Refresh finds itself in a challenging market position.

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KitGuru says: Does it make sense to you for Intel to refresh Arrow Lake this late? Can Nova Lake help Intel make a comeback?

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For years, there have been leaks surrounding multiplayer Far Cry spin-offs. So far, none have come to market, but Ubisoft did recently confirm that moving forward, the Far Cry IP will be moving in a multiplayer direction. 

GameFile and VGC report that Ubisoft CEO, Yves Guillemot, recently spoke at a conference. When the subject of Far Cry came up, he explained the plan to focus further on multiplayer moving forward, and to make sure multiplayer features are more predominantly pushed in marketing.

This lines up with leaks from previous years, which claimed that a standalone Far Cry extraction shooter was in the works. Far Cry 7 is also believed to be deep into development at this stage and may see the series switch over to the Snowdrop engine.

Far Cry 6 released in 2021, so we should be getting an official Far Cry 7 announcement next year.

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KitGuru Says: Do you think Far Cry should focus more on multiplayer moving forward? 

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After several weeks of rumours, Nintendo officially confirmed plans for its next Direct showcase this week. Fans have plenty to be excited for too, as this is set to be the longest Nintendo Direct ever. 

As announced yesterday, the next Nintendo Direct broadcast will take place tomorrow, September 12th, at 2PM BST. The show will go on for a full hour, which ranks this upcoming Direct as the longest ever for Nintendo.

Nintendo Direct streams, which typically contain a mix of first-party and third-party game announcement, normally last between 40 and 45 minutes according to Video Games Chronicle. With that in mind, it appears that Nintendo has been saving up quite a lot of news for this particular show, which could be the last major Direct of the year.

There are a few good reasons for this particular Direct to be longer. For starters, Nintendo will soon be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Super Mario, and we still don't have a release date for Metroid Prime 4.

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KitGuru Says: There will be a lot of Nintendo Switch news hitting the feed tomorrow. Is there anything you are hoping to see announced at this Nintendo Direct? 

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