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  • Iron Core: Mech Warrior – it’s Vampire Survivors with mechs – but is it any good?

    Iron Core: Mech Warrior – it’s Vampire Survivors with mechs – but is it any good?


    Iron Core

    Okay, so you may already know I am slightly obsessed with Survivor-type games. Vampire Survivors, especially on Steam Deck, is still a go-to of mine, especially when traveling, but initially, I turned my nose up at it when it first came out and completely ignored it.

    It was only by getting into the genre by accident, by stumbling across Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, that I revisited Vampire Survivors, and the rest is history.

    Now I find myself trying to keep abreast of the genre and having a dabble at any such game that comes along, and boy oh boy, there are a lot of them.

    This weekend, I discovered Iron Core: Mech Warrior, which was released a day or so ago on Steam and seems to tick a lot of boxes that dorks like me might be interested in. Survivor mechanics. Check. Mechs. Check – did you say mechs? I certainly did. Iron Core is Vampire Survivors with big, hulking mechs. Baby. I’m all in.

    Iron Core: Mech Warrior is more graphically intense than Vampires and more akin to the flashiness of Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, and it’s probably fair to say it borrows from a few of that games’ more esoteric mechanics, too.

    There are some differences, certainly at the start. This is a twin-stick shooter from the off, where the left trigger fires and the right stick spins you round. My terrible coordination doesn’t help here, but once you start levelling up your mech and get add-ons such as drones and the like, things start getting more familiar.

    Nice new territory as well comes in the way of a game mechanic stolen from Battle Royales such as Fortnite, where the gameplay area continues to close in “the Storm” style. You can keep this at bay, but it offers something else to think about.

    You can also change the perspective from the usual Survivor games, making things more third-person. It’s a real box of tricks this one.

    Some people on Steam seem to be complaining about crashes and performance, but I had no such issues, even playing on a mid-rig. I haven’t tried on Steam Deck yet, but there’s enough here to make me think I will enjoy it if I do.

    Don’t think of this as a review because it is not, but it is definitely a recommendation of something to pass the rest of the weekend and beyond with.

    I am looking forward to seeing where this ends up as the updates roll in. The genre probably needed to see some fresh ideas, so Iron Core is a welcome addition, and one I wasn’t expecting.


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  • Space Marine 2 drops new details about its brutal, mech-infused PvP mode

    Space Marine 2 drops new details about its brutal, mech-infused PvP mode


    Last month, Saber Interactive confirmed that Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2 would be getting a second year of post-launch support – hardly surprising, given it’s remained hugely popular and that Space Marine 3 is a long way off. Still, it was reassuring to hear that more content was on the way, and from what Saber initially revealed, it sounds pretty epic. When Year 2 and Patch 10 arrive in September, Space Marine 2’s delayed PvP mode, Helbrute Onslaught, will also hit the co-op shooter, and now we know how its mech-infused gameplay loop will work.

    Fresh off of dropping Patch 9, the team behind Space Marine 2 has today released a new blog post that shares some more information about what’s coming in Patch 10, and Helbrute Onslaught is undoubtedly the highlight. Initially meant to be in players’ hands already before getting hit with a delay, it sounds like this new PvP mode will be worth the wait. Giving players plenty of unique experiences is one way to cement your status as one of the best co-op games, but giving them mechs will (in most cases) get you there even faster.

    We already knew that Helbrute Onslaught would be a Chaos versus Chaos competitive mode, pitting two teams against each other in an objective-based battle for control of a Helbrute mech. Thanks to these new details from Saber, we now know how you’ll get the chance to pilot the monstrous machine.

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    “The first team to take control of an objective gets to control the Helbrute, until the opposite team takes it down,” Saber says. “One player gets to control the Helbrute at a time, and this player will be picked randomly among players who participated in securing the control point. To have the Helbrute on their side, the team that failed to secure the first control point will need to slay the Helbrute before securing a new designated control point. Controlling the Helbrute grants the team a strong advantage, but killing it will also reward points to the opposite team.”

    But what use is stomping around in a mech if you haven’t got some ridiculous weaponry to use as well? Thankfully, the Helbrutes in this new mode come equipped with a Thunder Hammer for powerful melee attacks and a Plasma Cannon for ranged attacks. Delicious.

    Away from Helbrute Onslaught, Saber also confirms a new PvP mode is arriving that will facilitate all of Space Marine 2’s competitive modes. While we haven’t got a name yet, the studio has shared some screenshots (including the one below), confirmed it’s set Avarax, and described it as having “a mix of close quarters and long hallways.”

    Space Marine 2: A screenshot of a PVP map set in an industrial yard

    Another brand new weapon has also been revealed. When the Year 2 news first broke a few weeks ago, Saber said that the Power Axe would be coming to Space Marine 2. Now we know that it’ll be joined by the fiery Pyrecannon.

    On top of all this, we also get a first look at the new Majoris enemy, the Chaos Spawn, which will have “three different variations, each with their own moveset and abilities.”

    Space Marine 2 Patch 10 will arrive in September as a free update, kicking off the game’s Year 2 content. There will also be a new premium Year 2 Season Pass, packed with cosmetics and exclusive items. If you want to read Saber’s blog in its entirety, head here.

    Until then, go and see what Space Marine 2 already has to offer, or try out some of the other best Warhammer 40k games. If you want to leave the Warhammer universe for a bit, but still want to do some galactic stomping, head to our best space games list.

    You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.



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  • Grounded 2 breaks its predecessor’s Steam peak record after mere hours

    Grounded 2 breaks its predecessor’s Steam peak record after mere hours


    Grounded is an excellent survival game that is absolutely deserving of a sequel – it’s just that I, and many others, didn’t expect it to get one so soon. Bogged down already this year with Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, I was shocked when Obsidian announced Grounded 2 a couple of months back, and was even more surprised to see a July 29 early access launch date too. Well, today’s the day, and despite Grounded 2’s inclusion in Game Pass, it’s performing very well on Steam – so well, in fact, that it’s already blasted past its predecessor’s all-time player peak on Valve’s platform.

    Given that the original Grounded – a worthy inclusion on our list of the best survival games – only dropped in 2022 and was still being regularly updated and played, Grounded 2 is still a rather unexpected sequel. It follows the same four protagonists (albeit a couple of years on from the events of the first game) and still revolves around a very familiar gameplay loop of exploring, base building, bug battling, and ultimately uncovering the secrets of your shrinking.

    However, Grounded 2 does make some innovations – could they have been big upgrades to the original game? Perhaps. But collectively, these changes will make for a sequel that feels noticeably different.

    The new world of Brookhollow Park is bigger than the previous game’s and contains more biome variety. Dashing has been added as a new movement and combat mechanic, both for you and your insectile foes. Bugs can now be captured and turned into rideable mounts. The UI has been refreshed. It’s all aiming to bring the beloved gameplay of the original up to new heights, and even though it’s launching today in an early access state, it’s proving very popular.

    Grounded 2: A graph showing the Steam player count over time for Grounded 2

    On Steam, Grounded 2’s debut has resulted in a peak concurrent player count of just under 50,000. This is impressive, given it’s immediately available at no extra cost for millions of Game Pass subscribers. That peak player count is also well above the original Grounded’s all-time record, which sits at around 32,000.

    While the player counts look healthy, it’s worth noting that on Steam its early user reviews sit on a 64% positive ‘mixed’ score. Most negative reviews are calling out its PC performance, but given it’s hours old and is in an early access state, Obsidian will likely get things running a lot smoother for everyone in no time at all. I’d be surprised if, over time, that review score didn’t improve by a significant margin.

    If you want in, Grounded 2 is available right now on Steam and Windows Store for $29.99 / £24.99 or as part of your Xbox or PC Game Pass subscription.

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    If Grounded 2 is tempting you into picking up a sub, check out what else you’ll be able to play with our list of the best Game Pass games. If you are going to this new world in miniature, we’ve got loads of guides to help you out, such as this one on the Grounded 2 briefcase combinations.

    You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.



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  • Grimdark survival game The Forever Winter adds its most upsetting enemy mech yet

    Grimdark survival game The Forever Winter adds its most upsetting enemy mech yet


    As terrifying as they can be when things go wrong, survival games such as Valheim, Once Human, and Sons of the Forest have an underlying goofiness to them that keeps things light. Project Zomboid is more oppressive, at times relentless in its pressure, while Escape From Tarkov threatens you with the ever-present fear of a bullet from the shadows. Of late, however, I’ve had a particular penchant for The Forever Winter. Its grimdark, future sci-fi world is an unforgiving, hostile place as you claw for scraps in the shadow of giant mechs tearing the landscape apart for their respective megacorporations. Now, Fun Dog’s July update delivers a new broken cityscape to explore, along with its most horrifying foe to date.

    The Forever Winter July update adds a lot of new features to the table, as developer Fun Dog continues to hone its promising-but-flawed creation into what could become one of our best survival games. The impressive worldbuilding and atmosphere was hampered at its early-access launch by bugs, clunkiness, balance issues, and a general feeling that it was a little undercooked. As we near the one-year mark, however, regular updates have continued to hone and refine it, and this new patch includes further, fundamental changes to movement and game feel.

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    Fun Dog has improved the sense of character, rig, and gear weight, fine-tuned movement and acceleration/deceleration speeds, and tweaked jumping to feel more natural. Adjustments to reload rates will “allow for much smoother ‘fire, reload, fire’ gameplay,” and small arms such as pistols now equip far faster than their larger counterparts, allowing you to respond to situations quickly. Gaz would be proud. Target marking has been made more precise, and there’s also the new ability to mash buttons to speed up mantling, climbing, or getting back up when knocked down.

    The ruined city of Lost Angels is now available to explore, along with a fresh crop of region-specific quests. It promises to be a valuable source of supplies, but you’ll need to watch your corners, as you aren’t the only one roaming the streets. What has me most afraid, however, is the arrival of Stiltwalker 1.0, Europa’s “multi-legged destruction machine.” Perhaps it’s the spider-like movements, or maybe it’s the combination of direct-fire missiles, guided ATGM munitions that can home in to obliterate any foe, and a point-defense system that keeps it safe from incoming explosives, but the mere sight of this thing strikes fear into my heart.

    Alongside this comes some additional weapon customization options, with several guns being equipped with new hardguards and the ability to attach the likes of flashlights. Among the smaller but still significant tweaks, enemy soldiers will no longer take random ‘pot shots’ at targets they shouldn’t be aware of; squads will better spread out in an attempt to surround suspected threats; recruits have been made more responsive to your commands; and larger enemies can now be briefly stunned if you manage to hit them hard enough. Fun Dog has also continued to work on performance improvements and optimization.

    The Forever Winter July update - The ruined streets of Lost Angels.

    The Forever Winter July update is out now. You can read through the full patch notes courtesy of Fun Dog Studios. “Note the file size on this update is fairly large,” it warns, “thanks for tolerating that and we are working on cutting this down in future updates.”

    Looking for more of the best co-op games for you and your friends to enjoy together? We’ve rounded up our top picks for 2025, along with a guide to the best gaming headset for PC to make sure your communication sounds crystal clear.

    You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.



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  • Ludology: Ludology 343 It’s Alive!

    Ludology: Ludology 343 It’s Alive!


    Welcome!

    Welcome to Ludology, an analytical discussion of the hows and whys of the world of board games. Rather than news and reviews, Ludology explores a variety of topics about games from a wider lens, as well as discuss game history, game design and game players.

    We post a new Ludology episode every other week. In these episodes, hosts Erica Bouyouris and Sen-Foong Lim deep-dive into a single topic within game design, often with a well-regarded guest from the game industry. We generally focus on tabletop game design (mainly board games and RPGs), but we often pull in experts from all forms of games, from video games to escape rooms to slot machines.

    On weeks where there is no flagship Ludology episode, we will alternate between two smaller mini-sodes. Erica and Sen are happy to announce that Sarah Shipp of Shippboard Games and Stephanie Campbell of TTRPGKids will be joining us for the next year, providing additional content between our longer episodes.

    Sarah’s segment, Thinking Beyond Mechanisms, is a monthly feature that dives deeper into the other aspects of games beyond the dice and cards we’re all familiar with.

    Stephanie’s segment, TTRPGKids, explores how parents and teachers can use role playing games with children in the home and in the classroom.

    We hope you enjoy the additional content!

    Our History

    We aim for most Ludology episodes to be timeless, so you are welcome to explore our entire catalog. Most of it should age quite well. The podcast was started in 2011 by Geoff Engelstein and Ryan Sturm, with Mike Fitzgerald taking over for Ryan in 2015. Gil and Scott joined the show in 2017 when Mike stepped aside, and Emma joined in 2019 when Geoff ended his tenure as host. Emma left in 2021, and Erica and Sen joined us. Since then, Scott stepped down in 2022 and Gil will be hanging up his mic in 2023, leaving Erica and Sen to carry on this amazing legacy.

    Erica and Sen are working to bring new voices to Ludology and have some great things to announce as gaming expands to include even more people!

    Contact Us 

    Have your own thoughts about our topics? We encourage you to visit us at our guild on Boardgamegeek to get involved in a continuing discussion.

    You can also email us at hello@ludology.net.

    Ludology is part of The Dice Tower Network, the premier board game media network.

    If you have questions that you’d like answered on Ludology, let us know by filling out this Google Form; you can also leave an audio question that we can use on the show, if you wish! 

    Burning Questions for Ludology

    Burning Question

    Support the Show

    Ludology is made possible through the support and donations of listeners like you.

    We currently have 3 “First Listen” series that will go out to Patrons well in advance of the audio being released to the wider audience.

    • The Memories that Made Us (monthly) – memories about gaming experiences that helped shape the people that bring modern games to life
    • Tales from the Designer Toolbox (monthly) – tips and tricks from industry pros learned from both success and failure
    • Ludology Live – recordings from conventions around the world

    Patrons will also get extra consideration for any giveaways that we might have!

    Become a Ludology Patron

    Become a patron

    You can also make a one-time or monthly donation here. The link will take you to Erica’s account. People who donate in this way will not have access to the Patreon page – sorry!





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  • Star Valor is one of Steam’s most overlooked space RPGs, and it’s getting better

    Star Valor is one of Steam’s most overlooked space RPGs, and it’s getting better


    The very best space RPGs can inspire a sense of wonder and scale unlike anything else. Games like No Man’s Sky and Starfield, when they are at their best, offer a magnificent sense of smallness and an equal embracing of freedom. That feeling goes to back to some of the best retro RPGs like Wing Commander: Privateer. Continuing in this legacy, Star Valor is a overlooked throwback. An upcoming DLC centered around base building looks to make it even better.

    In Star Valor – Base Building, you can do exactly what it says on the tin: manage and construct your own bases. The DLC adds multiple station types, like mining stations for extracting minerals from gigantic asteroids or production facilities to boost your economic power. You can even start with a base instead of a space ship in a new mode, battling waves of enemies to preserve the center of power. Like the best space games, Star Valor offers multiple approaches to play, letting you become an intergalactic trader, a pirate warlord, and much else besides.

    For the unfamiliar, Star Valor is a space-based RPG in a procedurally generated galaxy. No two games of Star Valor are alike; the game redraws the map every time you start a new game. You’ll start on your own, but as you level up and get cash, you can hire crew members to pilot bigger ships or entire fleets. You’ll barter, argue, fight, and ally with seven different factions.

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    The Base Building DLC for Star Valor will launch on July 27, 2025. The price has not yet been announced.

    If you are looking for more richly defined, speculative worlds, take a look at our list of the best RPG games. If you want to wander through endless possibilities, check out the best open-world games.

    You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.



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  • Which card has the highest number of mana symbols in its mana cost?


    Color doesn’t matter. No Un-Sets. In case of a tie, one card tied for highest number suffices. I need such a card as a test case for a computer program involving MtG cards.



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  • It’s time to revisit Amiga emulation as famous emulator gets huge new update

    It’s time to revisit Amiga emulation as famous emulator gets huge new update


    Amiga 500

    It’s been a little over two years since the last full version update of the best-known and loved emulator for the Commodore Amiga landed, and now, with that amount of time passed, we have just got WinUAE 6. Now, for Amiga fans, this is hugely exciting, especially if you don’t have access to original hardware or space to leave them set up.

    Real hardware fans could still sometimes tell the difference between their beige boxes and Amiga emulation, but now with the release of v6 this gap has closed exponentially. Even as advanced as it was, WinUAE could still cause inconsistencies in certain games due to chipset timings, so news that we now have a, “Major update to custom chipset emulation. Internally, almost everything in main chipset emulation has been rewritten.” means we are closer than ever to perfect emulation of this classic piece of hardware,

    There is a ton of other changes under the hood, and we will start seeing this version filter into the front-end packages that rely on it soon enough. In the meantime, you can check out the video below for a deeper dive into what’s new.

    The Amiga was a machine that is largely responsible for my entire career in games journalism, so I have a very soft spot for it in my heart. Even though we are in 2025 now, it seems Commodore news is coming thick and fast and will only develop further in the coming months.

    If you want to get into the world of Amiga emulation with minimum fuss, there is also a new version of Cloanto’s Amiga Forever software that uses the new WinUAE update.

    WinUAE 6 – highlights

    You can read the full changelog for WinUAE 6 right here, but we have picked out a few tasty paragraphs that caught our attention.

    • Custom chipset emulation (Agnus/Alice and Denise/Lisa) almost completely rewritten. Almost every part of chipset emulation is now internally cycle accurate.
    • Custom chipset Denise/Lisa emulation is now running in separate thread for large performance increase in accurate emulation modes compared to previous versions.
    • Default configuration is now cycle-exact A500. Previously default was approximate A500.
    • CD32 CD reads should be more real optical drive friendly, when CD32 is reading data sequentially (playing CD streaming animation or video), host side CD sector reads are now also sequential, without periodically re-reading part of previously read sectors.

    The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy



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  • It’s time to switch to ultrawide gaming for a new outlook on your games, so we check out this 32:9 monster from Innocn

    It’s time to switch to ultrawide gaming for a new outlook on your games, so we check out this 32:9 monster from Innocn


    A new monitor is one of those purchases most people tend to make when their old one either packs in or they finally decide they want a bigger one.

    Over the years, I have had double-monitor and triple-monitor setups. I’ve toyed with portable monitors as a second screen and even projectors. Much of this has been led by my penchant for driving and flight simulations, where extra screen real estate can be beneficial. But the problem is, with working at the same desk as well, it also has to fit right for my writing needs, so that means dangling stuff at weird angles doesn’t always work for me.

    A couple of years ago, when the Samsung G9 came out, I really wanted one but simply couldn’t justify the cost – you can buy a first car for a teenager for that price – trust me, you can. As tech moves forward, though, we see a lot of prices coming down, especially in the TV and monitor spaces. The speed at which new panels are developed is pretty astounding. All this means that tech that was out of the price range of the masses not that long ago is now more than in reach.

    So, in this growing landscape of ultrawide monitors, the INNOCN 49Q1R stands out immediately — and not just because of its size. This is a 49-inch monitor aimed directly at users who want a huge, immersive workspace or gaming setup without the eye-watering price tag of some better-known brands. It’s still not exactly cheap, but compared to rivals like Samsung’s Odyssey G9 series, it’s priced pretty well at a good level. The big question is whether it delivers enough quality and performance to make it a worthwhile investment. The answer, after a couple of months of use for me, is a resounding yes, with a few caveats.

    Design and Build

    Unboxing the 49Q1R – and it is huge when it arrives. It’s not that it is heavy per se, but with the box and secure packing inside, a second pair of hands is useful to get it to its final resting spot. It’s hard not to be impressed, and possibly a little intimidated, by its sheer footprint.

    This is a 32:9 aspect ratio display with a resolution of 5120×1440, essentially two 27-inch 1440p monitors fused together by magic with no bezel gap. The curve (1800R) helps make that size manageable on a desk, though it still demands a fair amount of space — you’ll want a deep desk to get the full benefit without craning your neck. I have it on my Flexispot, and I dispensed with the previous monitor arm I was using and went with the included stand for ease – mainly because I couldn’t find an Allen key. This takes up a bit of desk real estate but is decent and allows height and swivel adjustment, and I had no problems getting it exactly where I wanted it.

    The build quality is solid enough. It’s not flashy — mostly matte plastic with minimal Innocn branding (while I’m on the subject, doesn’t it need an extra vowel – what do I know?) — but nothing feels cheap or flimsy.

    Ports are generous. You’ve got two HDMI 2.1 inputs, one DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C with 90W PD, and several USB-A ports for peripherals. The USB-C charging is a nice touch for laptop users, and it’s good to see full-fat HDMI 2.1 support for console gamers. They, like most monitors, are not the easiest to get to, and with the sense of this thing reaching around the back, it is not as simple as I would love it to be. A little breakout box would be a fabulous addition. I pre-empted future issues by attaching all the cables I might ever need before finishing the setup, but if I ever need to change it, it will be a pain, I know it will.

    As you can see in the image below, the screen is also backlit with some ambient lighting. This doesn’t change with what’s on screen and in practice, somewhat weirdly, even in a dark room, I don’t even notice it is on. I discovered it by accident when I was messing around the back a few weeks into this review. I don’t really understand how they are that dim.

    Image Quality

    This is where things get interesting. The 49Q1R is a low-cost OLED panel, and it delivers the sort of deep contrast you’d expect to pay a lot more for. Blacks are genuinely dark, and there’s decent colour pop out of the box. INNOCN rates it at 95% DCI-P3 coverage, and while we didn’t run lab-grade tests because nobody but the dorks really cares, it looks stunning in games that truly support the 32:9 aspect ratio on offer here.

    The amazing Blade-Runner-esque city builder Distopika, which you haven’t heard of but you need to buy on Steam immediately, is mind-blowingly beautiful spread across all 49 inches of screen.

    Having said that, I’ll be honest, the HDR setting didn’t do it for me. It seemed to wash things out, and I much preferred the 49Q1R’s normal settings. Still, HDR support is there, and in practice, it makes a subtle difference in well-lit scenes and games — just don’t expect OLED-style contrast or blooming-free highlights because you won’t get them. Corners have had to be cut somewhere for the price, and this is an example of that, perhaps.

    Productivity and Workflow

    For work, this monitor is a dream. The pixel density is the same as a 27-inch 1440p monitor, so text remains crisp, and you’ve got acres of horizontal space for multiple windows. Whether you’re video editing, coding, or juggling multiple browser tabs, the workflow advantage is immediate. I have Windows tracking analytics, Google Docs, Discord, and Plexamp up and running with plenty of space to spare. Windows 11 is much better equipped for snapping your windows into place where you want them these days, so fiddly resizing is a thing of the past.

    The panel also supports Picture-in-Picture mode, which effectively turns it into two separate displays. This is genuinely useful if you’re working across two machines, like a desktop and a laptop — you can keep both onscreen at once without any external switchers. You might think who does that, but I did and had a Raspberry Pi 5 in one window and my main PC in the other.

    One minor gripe: while the on-screen display is functional, the controls (located underneath the bezel) can be fiddly to use. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s one area where more premium monitors offer a smoother experience. You are restricted to a single button, which takes you into the menu. You will mostly use it for on/off, but if you are messing around with PiP or input modes, it can occasionally frustrate.

    Gaming Performance

    The 49Q1R supports up to 144Hz refresh rate with Adaptive Sync, and gaming on this thing is undeniably immersive. The wide field of view in racing sims and FPS titles feels genuinely next-gen, and you get the smoothness benefits of high refresh, assuming your GPU can handle pushing 5120×1440 at those frame rates.

    Input lag is low, and response times are decent, if not blistering. This isn’t a monitor aimed at esports pros, but for most gamers, me included, it’s plenty fast enough. There is a bit of smearing in dark transitions, but my eyes are so bad these days I barely notice — but nothing that ruins the experience.

    If you’re on a PS5 or Xbox Series X, you’ll want to double-check game support for ultrawide resolutions. Most console titles will fall back to 16:9 and leave black bars on the sides. PC gamers, meanwhile, will get the full benefit in titles that support 32:9, which not all do. When you find something that does it well, though, you will want to show off your new toy, and settings for 32:9 are becoming more readily available out of the box. This is more of a monitor you will be interested if you game on a PC though.

    Verdict

    The INNOCN 49Q1R gets such a lot right it still makes me smile. It offers a massive ultrawide experience with strong contrast, good colour accuracy, and solid gaming credentials — all at a price that undercuts the big names in the space by several hundred of your local dubloons. It’s also on sale at the moment in this iteration. You can pick one up for $799 or £586 directly from the manufacturer.

    It’s not perfect: HDR is limited, occasional smearing is present, and the physical footprint may be a challenge for smaller desks. But for the price, it’s madness. In the arena of new screens, you shouldn’t be afraid of going with a brand you may never have heard of. You are paying a premium for certain name tags, and, if funds are more limited, or you are simply more frugal with your cash but still want a close approximation of what you get from a Samsung, the INNOCN 49Q1R is highly recommended.


    The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy



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  • Rainbow Six Siege X is live, and it’s already sparked a surge for Ubisoft’s FPS

    Rainbow Six Siege X is live, and it’s already sparked a surge for Ubisoft’s FPS


    It’s been nearly a decade since Ubisoft first launched Rainbow Six Siege. In the time since, the multiplayer FPS has improved enormously, attracting a devoted audience and cementing itself as one of the best options in a genre that also includes PUBG, Valorant, and Marvel Rivals. To keep that momentum going into its tenth year and beyond, Ubisoft has put out a sweeping overhaul of Siege with today’s launch of Rainbow Six Siege X. Even though it’s only been out for a few hours, this decision seems to have been a good one, as the game’s already attracted a massive player base and strong reviews on Steam.

    Rainbow Six Siege X takes the long-running FPS game‘s foundation and revitalizes it with a number of changes. Most immediately noticeable is a rework of its visuals, applied to five maps at the time of launch, and tweaks to the core design of the game, including the ability to shoot and destroy objects like pipes and fire extinguishers. The relaunch also offers a new 6v6 mode called Dual Front and allows previous Siege players to carry over their progress, receive rewards based on how long they’ve been playing, and keep their ability to get into modes from before X launched.

    So far, Siege X is going over well with players. Not only have its user reviews shot upward in the hours since launch, but it’s also hit its highest player count in more than a year. At the time of writing, the game has 134,366 active players, down from a 24-hour peak of 142,025 earlier today. That 24-hour peak represents the most active players since April, 2024, which reached 156,080.

    Rainbow Six Siege X is out now. You can download it for free on Steam right here.

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    Or, you can find more like it to play with our picks for the best co-op games and best multiplayer games on PC.

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