Laughing Hyena
  • Home
  • Hyena Games
  • Esports
  • NFT Gaming
  • Crypto Trends
  • Game Reviews
  • Game Updates
  • GameFi Guides
  • Shop
Category:

Gaming Gear

YouTube TV could lose Fox channels this week
Gaming Gear

NBCUniversal’s new YouTube TV deal includes some shows on YouTube

by admin October 3, 2025


They didn’t reveal the dollars involved, but a press release mentions that it includes an agreement for some full TV shows, clips, and highlights on regular YouTube, as well as confirming the relaunch of NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) after it shut down four years ago.

“We’ve secured long-term access to our full portfolio of broadcast and cable networks on YouTube TV, and we’re advancing our Peacock strategy with an upcoming launch on YouTube Primetime Channels and ongoing presence on Google TV,” said NBCUniversal exec Matt Schnaars.

The details revealed today are:

As Awful Announcing points out, while NBCUniversal has been snapping up sports broadcast rights for Peacock, relaunching the NBCSN channel to put it in subscription packages could let it make money from people who don’t sign up for Peacock after it spins off its other cable networks with Versant.



Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Henry Quick Corded review: a robust vacuum that punches above its cheap price tag
Gaming Gear

Henry Quick Corded review: a robust vacuum that punches above its cheap price tag

by admin October 3, 2025



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Henry Quick Corded: two-minute review

The Henry Quick Corded is one of the most unique vacuums I’ve tested. It’s a stick vacuum, but it’s also both corded and bagged. And it has a face. In terms of features, it’s far from the flashiest model on the market; but it’s solidly built, functional, and comes with an extremely affordable price tag.

Corded vacuums tend to offer more power than cordless models, and that’s just about true here. The Henry Quick Corded isn’t the suckiest vacuum I’ve used, but it still packs enough power to offer a solid clean in low-traffic homes (although it does have an unfortunate tendency to sometimes spit out dirt it previously cleared).

The bags and cord will divide opinion. The emptying process here is pleasingly free from clouds of escaped dust (good news for allergy-sufferers) but I’m not thrilled about the extra waste being created, nor would I necessarily trust myself to remember to replace the bags. Similarly, while I love not having to worry about running out of charge mid-clean, using the Henry Quick Corded in a four-storey house meant more instances of the cable becoming tangled and a therefore a great risk of trip-hazards than I was comfortable with.

Incidentally, both might be good news in terms of longevity – corded vacuums often last much longer than cordless ones, and the presence of a bag means there’s far less danger of ultra-fine particles making their way into the motor and causing issues. Add to that the chunky, robust build (from a brand that’s known specifically for making indestructible canister vacuums), and I’d predict the Numatic Henry Quick will last far longer than the average budget vac.

I like the fact you could turn the brushroll on or off – switching it off is the way forward when tackling chunky debris, because it meant more dirt was sucked up and less was flung across the room. Other vacuum brands should take note.

The lack of anti-hair-wrap features turned out to be a bit of an issue, though – my armpit length hair started to become tangled around the brushroll almost immediately, needing to be ripped out with the aid of scissors. I haven’t had to clear hair like this for some time, and it was quite the unwelcome blast from the past.

There are some compromises, but I still think you’re getting solid value for money here – the Henry Quick is one of the best cheap vacuums I’ve used. I also applaud Numatic’s trend-bucking approach. Most modern vacuums look exactly the same and offer similar features – it’s very rare to see cords and bags in the stick vacuum space, and both have their place as an option.

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

That’s the short version; read on for my full Henry Quick Corded vacuum review.

(Image credit: Future)

Henry Quick Corded review: price & availability

  • List price: £160
  • Launched: September 2025
  • Available: UK

The Henry Quick Corded launched in September 2025, and is available in the UK only, exclusively at Argos. With a list price of £160, it sits firmly in the budget price bracket, and is the cheapest vacuum I’ve tested in a long time. The fact that it isn’t available at a range of retailers means there might not be quite so many discounts available – although, at time of writing, there was already £30 off at Argos, just a couple of weeks after the product launched.

I think you’re getting a really solid product for that price. If you’re not fussed about fancy features and don’t need ultra-powerful cleaning, it’s an especially strong recommendation.

In terms of what’s around in a similar price bracket, the Dreame R20 is often available for around £200. This model is cordless and has an Auto mode where the power will intelligently ramp up and down. If you want a corded stick vacuum, you’ll find a model in Shark’s range – but what’s available and at what price is a bit of a Wild West. At the time of writing, it’s the Stratos Pet Pro for £250.

  • Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Henry Quick Corded specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Weight (total):

9.3lbs / 4.2kg

Weight (body only):

4.3lbs / 1.9kg

Bin size:

1L (bagged)

Cord length:

32.8ft / 10m

Dimensions (H x L x W):

48 x 10.6 x 9.4in / 122 x 27 x 24cm

Wattage:

500W

Henry Quick Corded review: design

  • Corded stick vacuum with regular and “+” power modes
  • 1L bags made from recycled material; easy-empty system
  • Vacuum is solidly built, but rather long and heavy

The Henry Quick Corded is that rarest of things: a corded stick vacuum. So it looks roughly like your average cordless stick vacuum, except you plug it into the wall. The cable is 10m long, which is probably the most common length for corded vacuums, although some brands go shorter.

That gives you plenty of room to maneuver, without feeling like you’re too tethered to the wall, and there are clips on the wand around which you can wind the cable when the vacuum isn’t in use.

Corded vacuums tend to be more powerful than cordless models, and they often last longer, too. So if you can cope with the slight inconvenience the cable brings, there are potentially big benefits.

(Image credit: Future)

That’s not the only unusual thing about the Henry Quick Corded: it also uses bags to collect the dust. The “pod” holds a generous 1-liter of dust before it needs replacing, and I received several spares in the box with the vacuum. It’s released via a chunky flap on the main part of the machine.

Again, there are pros and cons of bagged vs bagless vacuums. Bags create less mess and can be a good choice for those with allergies, who are looking to minimize opportunities for particles to escape back into the air. They can also be better at trapping very fine particles. However, there’s the cost and annoyance of having to purchase bags, and the extra waste created. To Numatic’s credit, the Henry Quick pods are made from up to 65% recycled material, and “climate positive” as the brand is carbon offsetting all its pods, globally.

(Image credit: Future)

The iconic smiley Henry face is present and correct, although it doesn’t work quite as naturally here as it does on the brand’s canister options. The machine itself feels very tall for a stick vacuum. With the floorhead flat on the ground, it measures in at around 126cm tall, whereas my Dyson Gen5detect is 114.5cm, and the Dyson V8 is around 113.5cm. You can see all three below, for scale.

When placed next to a Dyson Gen5detect (middle) and V8 (bottom), the Henry Quick looks seriously chunky (Image credit: Future)

Interestingly, this vacuum turns on and off with a one-press button rather than a trigger. Overall, the controls are basic: there are no whizzy screens here. The power button launches standard mode, and pressing the “+” sign unleashes the higher-powered mode. There’s no automation and no low-power option, as you might find on a pricier model. There’s also no battery indicator – it isn’t needed.

The iconic Henry face is present and correct… if a slightly awkward inclusion (Image credit: Future)

Unusually, there’s a third button to switch the beater bar (brush roller) in the floorhead on and off. I’ve never seen this option before on a modern vacuum, but I guessed it was for tackling delicate floors or hard floors (the roller is mostly to agitate the carpet fibers and loosen dirt hiding within, so it’s not required so much on hard floors where all the dust is sat on the surface). On test, I found it was also great for tackling chunky spillages – more on that in a second.

There’s a headlight in the floorhead, which is on by default, but switches off when you disable the brush roller. I’m not sure the logic of that decision, but it’s so dim that it doesn’t make a difference anyway.

The roller in the floorhead can be switched on and off (Image credit: Future)

Thoughtfully, Numatic has added microfiber strips across the front and underside of the floorhead, the former presumably to prevent scratches if you accidentally hit a wall, and the latter to help sweep dust on hard floors. The roller doesn’t come with any anti-hair-wrap features; but if you press the red button you can release the roller to cut hair off as required. A chunky slider lets you adjust the amount of air that can get in, to make it easier to push.

It comes with a Crevice tool and 2-in-1 brush tool for detail work, and like all stick vacuums can be dismantled and reconfigured for use as a handheld.

  • Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Henry Quick Corded review: performance

  • Decent suction on hard floors and carpet, but can spit debris back out
  • The ability to switch the roller off is great for handling chunky debris
  • Hair wraps around the roller

In general use, the Henry Quick Corded felt a little heavy but easy enough to maneuver. There are pros and cons to the button operation – it’s great for longer vacuuming sessions, but annoying if you want a quick clean-up and don’t have a hand free to press the button (here it feels especially far away from the hand grip).

You’ll need a second hand free to reach the On button (Image credit: Future)

The thing with having a bag is that you can’t see how much dust you’ve busted. However, it felt like the Henry Quick Corded was doing a solid job of clearing dirt and pet hair from my floors.

I turned out to be a fan of the no-brushroll mode, because it’s much better for tackling chunky spillages without pinging particles all over the place. The boost mode is clearly a lot more powerful than the standard mode – I could hear things amping up considerably when I switched it on.

Clips help keep the cord tidy when not in use (Image credit: Future)

In general, I didn’t find the cord too annoying. However, testing in my home with four floors meant there were plenty of stairs to navigate, and at that point I did find myself wishing I was using something that was less of a trip hazard (and if I’m honest, lighter and smaller, too). I appreciate that Numatic has added a neat storage solution for the cable when the vacuum isn’t in use, though.

Hair began wrapping around the brushroll after cleaning a single room (Image credit: Future)

This vacuum does a decent job of sucking up pet and human hair. However, the lack of anti-hair-wrap features on the floorhead was immediately noticeable – my armpit-length hair quickly tangled itself around the brushroll. After testing numerous vacuums that don’t have this issue, it felt like an unwelcome blast from the past to have to painstakingly remove the roller and dig out the kitchen scissors to cut away the tangles.

Suction tests

To gain a more objective view of this vacuum’s suction power, I ran a series of standardized suction tests to see how well it coped with fine (loose, dry tea) and chunky (oats and dry lentils) debris.

On carpet, the Henry Quick Corded pulled up most of the tea on the first pass in standard mode, leaving a light sprinkling that took a few more passes to remove completely. It also picked up most of the oats and lentils, again leaving a smattering that required a few more passes to fully clear. However, it did spit a few oats and lentils out from its floorhead once I’d finished the cleaning session.

Henry cleaning tests on carpet

Image 1 of 4

Tea and oats/lentils on carpeted floor ready for the suction test(Image credit: Future)The remaining tea after a single forward pass with the Henry Quick Corded in standard mode(Image credit: Future)The remaining tea after two passes in standard mode with the Henry Quick Corded(Image credit: Future)The remaining oats/lentils after a single forward pass with the Henry Quick Corded(Image credit: Future)

That’s a decent result. (Later, I found that the vacuum picked up chunky debris slightly better with the brushroll turned off, because the rollers didn’t flick bits everywhere.)

I ran the same test with a Dyson V8 cordless alongside, and the pickup in standard mode was very similar with both machines. You can see the results below.

Comparison: Dyson V8 cleaning tests on carpet

Image 1 of 2

The remaining tea after a single forward pass with the Dyson V8 in standard mode(Image credit: Future)The remaining oats and lentils after a single forward pass with the Dyson V8 in standard mode(Image credit: Future)

I repeated the test on a hard, tiled floor. This time, I switched the brushroll off, and it cleared everything in a single pass. Not a complete win, though, because I could see bits of debris lingering in the floorhead. I switched the roller back on to try to encourage it to make its way up the wand. This worked to a certain extent, but when I came to lift up the vacuum it still dropped a light sprinkling of tea onto the floor.

Image 1 of 2

Oats and lentils, and tea, on a tiled floor ready for the suction tests(Image credit: Future)The Henry Quick Corded cleared everything in a single pass(Image credit: Future)

I used a mixture of the same products to test how well the vacuum coped with cleaning up to the edges of rooms. It took a few passes to clear everything, as you can see in the video below, but the Henry Quick got decently close to the edge of the room.

Overall, some solid, if not wildly impressive, cleaning results from the Henry Quick Corded. I’d probably recommend it to someone whose home has more hard floors than carpet, and who isn’t dealing with tons of dirt or pet hair. I especially like the extra level of control available by being able to switch the roller on or off to suit the situation.

  • Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Henry Quick Corded?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Firmly in the budget bracket, and the cheapest vac from a trusted brand I’ve seen in a long time. Basic, but still strong value for money.

4 / 5

Design

Corded, bagged stick vacuum. The build is sturdy and functional, but feels rather heavy and tall.

3.5 / 5

Performance

Decent cleaning on carpet and hard floor, and the ability to turn off the roller is useful. However, it can spit out some previously cleaned particles.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Henry Quick Corded review: alternatives to consider

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Model:

Henry Quick Corded (reviewed)

Dreame R20

Shark Stratos Pet Pro Upright

Type:

Corded, bagged stick vacuum

Cordless, bagless stick vacuum

Corded, bagless upright vacuum

Weight (total):

9.3lbs / 4.2kg

6lbs / 2.7kg

14.7lbs / 6.7kg

Bin size:

1L

0.6L

1.3L

Cord length:

32.8ft / 10m

N/A

26ft / 8m

Max runtime:

Unlimited

90 mins

Unlimited

Wattage:

500W

570W

750W

How I tested the Henry Quick Corded

I spent a couple of weeks using the Henry Quick Corded as my regular vacuum cleaner. I used in a four-floored house with mostly carpeted rooms, but also some engineered wooden flooring and tiled bathrooms and kitchens. It’s home to one long-haired and one short-haired human, and a Cocker Spaniel that likes to molt everywhere.

As well as getting a general feel for its cleaning performance – including how well it handles hair – and ease of use, I also ran a series of standard suction tests. For these, I sprinkled fine (dry tea) and chunky (oats and dry lentils) debris onto hard floors and carpet, and recorded how efficiently the vacuum cleared them. I ran the same tests alongside an older and newer Dyson cordless stick vacuums to see how the three compared. I also assessed how the Henry coped with cleaning along the edges of rooms.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

  • First reviewed September 2025

Henry Quick Corded Vacuum Cleaner: Price Comparison



Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
'The industry isn't dying, it's splitting into two different models': What experts are saying about the EA buyout
Gaming Gear

‘The industry isn’t dying, it’s splitting into two different models’: What experts are saying about the EA buyout

by admin October 3, 2025



The leveraged buyout of EA, which will see private equity firms and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund take control of the megapublisher for $55 billion (and saddle it with $20 billion in debt), has us all wondering what the new owners are going to do with it.

As games industry analyst Mat Piscatella said this week, no one really knows, but the speculation we’re hearing from analysts and corporate finance experts is that EA’s new owners aren’t likely to shake things up in the immediate future, and will probably do what you’d expect: focus on its existing live service moneymakers as it pays off that $20 billion in debt.

Philip Alberstat, managing director at DBD Investment Bank, doesn’t foresee a Toys ‘R’ Us-style descent into bankruptcy as a result of the new debt on EA’s balance sheet.


Related articles

“EA generates approximately $7.5 billion annually from franchises like Apex Legends, Battlefield, and FIFA [now EA Sports FC],” said Alberstat. “That flow of cash gives EA a real capacity to service the $20 billion in debt. The Toys ‘R’ Us comparison gets thrown around, but in reality that was a dying retailer. EA has sustainable revenue from live services across multiple platforms.”

Beyond its sports games, being freed from the scrutiny of public investors could “in theory give EA breathing space to push innovation in new IP and titles,” says Phylicia Koh, general partner at investment firm Play Ventures, but Newzoo director of market intelligence Emmanuel Rosier—a former EA strategist himself—also notes that “consolidation often brings more cautious portfolio management.”

“Publishers may double down on proven franchises rather than taking risks on experimental projects, which could narrow the creative pipeline over time,” wrote Rosier in a recent newsletter about the buyout.

EA’s biggest moneymakers are unsurprisingly its sports games, according to Newzoo. (Image credit: Newzoo)

Consolidation, and the resulting layoffs and studio closures, has been the theme of the 2020s games industry, with Microsoft, Tencent, Embracer and others snapping up studios left and right. Rosier says that “opportunities may grow for AA studios and indie developers to stand out” as a result of that trend. That’s the thinking of Alberstat, as well, who says that gaming is “moving into a new phase where the biggest players need serious capital to compete,” and are even more risk averse as a result.

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

“We’ll see more consolidation at the top, but also more room for focused studios doing what large publishers can’t: taking chances on new ideas,” said Alberstat on gaming’s future. “The industry isn’t dying, it’s splitting into two different models. You have capital-intensive blockbusters on one side and creative independent development on the other. Both can thrive. The question is whether the consolidation leaves enough buyers in the market when those independent studios are ready to exit.”

On the topic of what large publishers will and won’t take a chance on, BioWare is in a precarious position. EA already tried to get the struggling RPG studio to make a live service hit with Anthem and it didn’t work, and it’s hard to imagine the politically progressive Mass Effect and Dragon Age creator thriving under the ownership of Jared Kushner and Saudi Arabia. Its staff is worried.

Judging by Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of mobile developer Scopely, EA may be allowed to operate independently “in the short-medium term,” Koh said, adding however that the publisher has a challenge ahead as it balances the wants of its three primary owners: “I imagine PIF will want some job creation for the Saudi market.”

For Rosier, “the future of Battlefield, The Sims, Apex Legends, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age is less clear” than the future of the sports games at the top of the pile. “These IPs could be streamlined, spun out, or restructured through partnerships, depending on how the new owners assess profitability and growth potential, as well as the post-closing portfolio decisions,” he said.

Best PC build 2025

All our favorite gear



Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Enterprise' Archer Spinoff Would've Been About
Gaming Gear

Enterprise’ Archer Spinoff Would’ve Been About

by admin October 3, 2025



Over the summer, we learned a little about how Star Trek: Enterprise‘s Captain Archer himself, Scott Bakula, had worked together with producer Michael Sussman on a pitch for a new Trek spinoff set after the events of the show called Star Trek: United. And now, thanks to Sussman, we have a little bit of a better idea of what the series might’ve entailed… and one day still could.

Speaking to TrekMovie‘s All Access Star Trek podcast recently, Sussman revealed more details about the proposed setup for United, which would’ve built upon Enterprise‘s brief revelation in the season four Mirror Universe two-parter “In a Mirror, Darkly” that one day Captain Archer was destined to become one of the first presidents of the nascent United Federation of Planets. The series, which Sussman had previously described as being tonally akin to the Star Wars political thriller tension of Andor, had been pitched to Paramount with Bakula’s involvement, only to be turned down due to a broader cutback in streaming funding ahead of the company’s recent sale to Skydance, as well as perceived familiarities to the upcoming Starfleet Academy show, which will also be primarily set on Earth.

According to Sussman, United would’ve balanced Archer’s political duties navigating the early years of the Federation’s existence with exploration of his family life. “Archer would be in a place in his life where Scott [Bakula] kind of is right now, where Scott is a family man. He’s got four adult kids,” Sussman explained. “And so I gave Archer four adult kids, and the story is as much about them as it is about him, because he [Archer] lived this life of diplomacy … his family sort of grew up with this sense of service. So he’d have these adult kids, one of whom is part of the diplomatic corps, another is in Starfleet, somebody else is in Federation Intelligence. So his adult kids could be brought into this story in a way that felt very organic… They would be integral to the story we were telling.”

Although the desire would’ve been to include familiar faces from Enterprise in meaningful ways, Sussman noted that United would’ve focused on Archer and a younger cast of new characters, rather than picking up with other Enterprise characters. But one thing the writer-producer did want to pick up on was a plotline that Enterprise would’ve built on itself if it had not come to an end after four seasons: the outbreak of the Federation’s war with the Romulans, a significant, largely still unseen piece of Star Trek backstory that plays into one of the most iconic original series episodes of all time, “Balance of Terror.”

The aftermath of the Romulan War, which leads to no one from the Federation actually seeing a Romulan until the events of “Balance,” and exploring how that could ultimately be the case, would’ve been a key element of United. “Something that has become clear to me from feedback since we first started talking about [United] is fans saying they never got to see the Romulan War,” Sussman explained. “We were waiting for it, and you guys just kind of skipped over it [in the Enterprise series finale]. And I share their frustration. So I would want to show [some of] that, and a particular pivotal moment that’s not just pure fan service…”

“…It almost seems like the Federation, or the people of Earth as well as the Romulans, don’t want the Vulcans to know who they are,” Sussman continued. “And why would that be? I think that’s a very intriguing question.”

Unfortunately, we may never know, given that Paramount already turned down United once after early talks. But now that Paramount is owned by Skydance and has a supposed renewed focus on streaming—and, beyond Starfleet Academy and a couple more seasons of Strange New Worlds, Star Trek‘s own streaming TV future is up in the air—Sussman still has a glimmer of hope that United could potentially see the light of day.

“It is encouraging, as a fan of the franchise, that they seem to be saying ‘We want to do more Star Trek streaming, we want to do more movies,’” Sussman concluded. “I don’t know what their plans are, but if their plans involve expanding the footprint of Star Trek on streaming, then perhaps something like this could be a part of it. I mean, for me, crazier things have happened.”

And crazier things have happened for Star Trek itself in this streaming renaissance, too. What’s another familiar face’s return at this point?

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.



Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Toilet in bathroom
Gaming Gear

Toilet Time With Your Phone Could Give You a Real Pain in the Butt

by admin October 3, 2025


We use our smartphones just about everywhere, even in the bathroom, though we may not want to talk about that part. A recent study of colonoscopy patients revealed that most used their phones on the toilet at least once a week — and that those phone-on-the-toilet users showed a 46% increased risk for hemorrhoids.

The cause and effect are clear. Caught up in news or games or social media, bathroom users stay seated on the throne longer, with research showing phone users tend to spend more than 5 minutes doing their business. The study says that hemorrhoids are associated with prolonged sitting on the toilet, as well as constipation and increased straining.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

The 125 colonoscopy patients at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Study who participated in the study answered questions about their bathroom phone habits, and endoscopists evaluated their hemorrhoids (just in case you think you have a bad job). Of all the respondents, 66% used smartphones while sitting on the toilet, and those participants tended to be younger than those who didn’t. More than one-third (37.3%) of smartphone users spent more than 5 minutes sitting on the toilet per visit, while only 7.1% of those without smartphones spent that long seated.

When the numbers were adjusted for age, sex, BMI, exercise activity and “straining and fiber intake,” results showed a 46% increased risk for hemorrhoids. Men were more likely than women to spend 6 minutes or more on the toilet, in case you wondered.

Those who used smartphones while on the toilet also admitted to getting less exercise than those who didn’t, which the researchers said “could signify a higher level of engagement with technology and a more sedentary lifestyle outside of the toileting environment.” (Yes, “toileting environment.” Otherwise known as just “the toilet.”)

The most common toilet phone activity was reading news, with 54.3% admitting to doing so, and 44.4% saying they were participating in social media while on the toilet.

The study didn’t directly connect constipation with time spent on the toilet, but Dr. Eamonn Quigley, chairman of gastroenterology at Houston Methodist, told The New York Times that it’s likely those who sit hunched over their phones while on the toilet might be more likely to experience constipation.

If you’re grossed out by the idea of your phone being in close connection with toilet time, you’re not alone. Doctors told the NYT the obvious: Fecal material can get on your hands while you’re wiping and be transferred to your phone, and flushing with the toilet lid open can also spray fecal matter onto your phone. Sure, you wash your hands, but now the stuff is on your phone, so it jumps right back on your hands after you dry them and start scrolling again.

In short, you’re probably going to scroll your phone while occupied in the bathroom. But this study notes that you should be aware that the phone’s fun distractions might make you sit there longer than you planned, and that could have painful consequences.



Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
The 36 Best Movies on HBO Max Right Now (October 2025)
Gaming Gear

The 36 Best Movies on HBO Max Right Now (October 2025)

by admin October 3, 2025


As the birthplace of prestige TV shows like The Sopranos and The Wire, HBO—and, by extension, HBO Max—is best known for its impressive lineup of original series. The network has also been upping the ante with feature-length content that is the stuff of Oscar dreams.

Below is a list of some of our favorite films streaming on HBO Max—from Oscar-winning epics to dystopian sci-fi classics. If you decide you’re in more of a TV mood, head over to our picks for the best shows on HBO Max. If you’re looking for even more recommendations, check out our lists of the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

Prime Minister

Very little about Jacinda Ardern’s tenure as prime minister of New Zealand could be described as quotidian. She became the country’s opposition party leader just weeks before election day. After she won she discovered she was pregnant and gave birth while still in office, one of very few heads of state in history to do so. During her tenure she navigated the Covid-19 lockdowns and the Christchurch mosque shooting. This documentary, directed by Michelle Walshe and Lindsay Utz, chronicles her meteoric rise, resignation, and life after her time in office.

Bring Her Back

A24’s partnership with HBO continues to ensure that a never-ending stream of fascinating new(ish) indies from around the globe find their way into the Max library. The latest is a totally deranged Australian horror film starring two-time Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins in what might be her most unhinged performance yet. Following the death of their father, teen step-siblings Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong) are sent to live in a foster home with Laura (Hawkins), an odd but seemingly well-meaning older woman who is also currently tending to a young mute boy named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips). But Andy comes to learn that Laura is harboring some serious trauma of her own—and that he and his fellow foster kids are part of a wild plan to restore normalcy to Laura’s life. The movie takes viewers to dark, unexpected, and often gruesome places as it dissects the power that trauma can have over our lives.

Hereditary

Ari Aster made a splash—and one unfortunately memorable splat—with his 2018 directorial debut, which took psychological horror to new heights. Annie Graham (Toni Collette) is an artist living a seemingly contented life with her psychiatrist husband (Gabriel Byrne) and their two teenaged kids, Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro). But any sense of normalcy disappears almost immediately following the death of Annie’s mom, with whom she had an often strained relationship. Is Annie crazy? Is her husband a terrible shrink? Is Peter a terrible person? Why does Charlie make that clicking noise? What’s that in the back seat of the car? These are all valid questions that are answered by Aster, whose deft directorial style has made him an instant Hollywood icon. Aster’s follow-up films, 2019’s equally disturbing Midsommar and 2023’s surrealist Beau Is Afraid, are also both available to stream.

The Witch

Anya Taylor-Joy was a 19-year-old Hollywood newcomer when she delivered her breakthrough performance as Thomasin, the young daughter of a family that is banished from its Puritan community in 1630s New England and forced to live in solitude in the wilderness. Soon they begin experiencing a series of eerie encounters that they believe to be supernatural in origin—and they very well may be right. The film, which burns slowly but brilliantly toward a conclusion that rewards viewers’ patience, marked the feature directorial debut of writer/director Robert Eggers, who has gone on to wide acclaim for similarly moody flicks like The Lighthouse (2019), The Northman (2022), and Nosferatu (2024).

Shame

Two years before nabbing the first of two (and counting) Oscar nominations for his work on Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, Michael Fassbender and McQueen collaborated on the criminally underseen Shame. To be fair: the film’s NC-17 rating certainly didn’t help its chances at becoming a box office behemoth, but the controversial rating was necessary in order for McQueen to deliver such a raw and honest portrayal of addiction. Brandon Sullivan (Fassbender) is a handsome and powerful executive living the good life in New York City, all while attempting to hide a debilitating sex addiction that has quickly taken over every part of his life. But when Brandon’s sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) shows up at his apartment unexpectedly, she forces him to confront the ties—and trauma—that bind them.

Friendship

Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson both do what they do best—be impossibly likable and incredibly unhinged, respectively—in this dark comedy bromance. Craig Waterman (I Think You Should Leave’s Robinson) is an awkward marketing executive who is surprised when his new neighbor Austin Carmichael, a local TV meteorologist, invites him over for a beer one night. The two strike up an unexpected friendship that has the typically homebound Craig seeing the world in a whole new way—one filled with guys’ nights and male bonding. But when Austin decides to call off their brewing brotherhood, Craig cannot handle the rejection. And will go to wild lengths to mend their relationship.

Se7en

What’s in the box? If you don’t know, you’re about to find out. If you do know, it’s still worth rewatching. Gwyneth Paltrow was simply known as Brad Pitt’s girlfriend when this clever thriller was released in 1995, and Kevin Spacey was a hot commodity fresh off his Oscar win for The Usual Suspects. How times have changed! But this David Fincher classic, about a serial killer whose North Star is the seven deadly sins, remains a gritty masterpiece that has lost none of its potency in the 30 years since its release. Warning: It’s scheduled to leave the service on October 31, so get to (re)watching.

Final Destination Bloodlines

Twenty-five years after Final Destination arrived in theaters, and more than a decade after the last installment, the newest entry in the so-bad-it’s-good horror franchise just delivered what is undoubtedly its best chapter. While the story follows the same plot that fans have come to know and love—a group of people manage to cheat death, so Death comes back to finish the job—this one gives some history to that familiar rubric. While that gives this entry a more emotional level, it’s also quite clever in the new ways it chooses to off those whose fate was predetermined. And while it’s gory as hell, there’s something subtly comedic about the whole affair.

Sinners

Hot on the heels of some of the best, and most successful Marvel movies ever (that would be the Black Panther films), writer-director Ryan Coogler found a whole new way to blow cinephiles’ minds with this gorgeous vampire tale. Set in 1930s Mississippi, the film stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, two World War I veterans who return home from Chicago with mob money with a plan to run a juke joint. Opening night of their new establishment, however, goes terribly wrong when a group of blood-sucking white musicians shows up at their door. Lush and full of beautifully shot action scenes, Sinners is already headed to the top of most Best of 2025 lists. In addition to the original theatrical release, HBO Max is streaming the film in Black American Sign Language (BASL).

Get Out

In 2017, Jordan Peele went from one half of Key & Peele to an Oscar-winning screenwriter (not to mention the first Black writer to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and the first Black filmmaker to be nominated as a producer, writer, and director in one year). Eight years later, the impact of Peele’s Get Out is still just as impressive. Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) has been invited by his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), to spend the weekend at her parents’ home in upstate New York. While Chris worries that her seemingly upper-class parents won’t be accepting of an interracial relationship, Rose assures him it won’t be a problem—and she’s right, but for all the wrong reasons. With Get Out, Peele cracked the code on making a film that was a horror movie, psychological drama, and telling commentary on race all at once.

Parasite

Even if you don’t care about awards, the fact that Parasite is the first—and still only—non-English-language movie to win a Best Picture Oscar should tell you something about the universality of its themes. The Kims, a family struggling to make ends meet, set their scheming sights on the Parks, a well-to-do family with plenty of problems of their own, but also plenty of money to muffle their dysfunction. At least for a time. Just when you think you know how class warfare is playing out in this black comedy, it changes course to reach an unexpected conclusion. As always, director Bong Joon-ho knows just how to lead his audience down one path, only to open a trapdoor into another.

Mountainhead

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong just might be today’s foremost chronicler of the world’s 1 percent. He stays in that lane with Mountainhead, his feature directorial debut, which follows an unexpectedly eventful weekend gathering of four of the tech world’s most powerful men at the new mountain retreat of Hugo “Souper” Van Yalk (Jason Schwartzman), the only non-billionaire of the bunch. While it’s meant to be a friendly get-together between old pals, everyone has an ulterior motive for blocking the weekend on their calendar. But all plans go out the window when the social media platform owned by Ven Parish (Cory Michael Smith), the world’s richest man, sends the world into upheaval as the result of a fast-tracked AI feature that’s spreading disinformation at an alarming rate. Which everyone but Ven sees as an opportunity to increase both their power and net worth.

Babygirl

Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman) is a high-powered CEO with a husband (Antonio Banderas) who does not excite her and two teenage daughters she adores. But her life is turned upside down when one morning, while walking to her office, she is nearly attacked by a dog. A handsome young stranger (Harris Dickinson) steps in and manages to avert the attack, which leaves Romy shaken—and curious. Later, that same young man is introduced to her as Samuel, one of her newest interns, who seems to keep finding ways to push the boundaries of appropriate workplace behavior. Eventually, Romy gives in to Samuel’s advances, and his taste for BDSM-ish kink. Despite Romy’s concerns about the unfair power dynamic, Samuel insists that he’s the one who holds the power in their relationship, as she is the one with everything to lose. He might be right about that.

The Brutalist

Adrien Brody earned his second Best Actor Oscar for this historical epic from director Brady Corbet about László Tóth (Brody), a Bauhaus-trained architect who emigrates to America after surviving the Buchenwald concentration camp. Tóth settles in the Philadelphia area and must rebuild his life by working menial jobs for little pay. But Tóth’s talents don’t go hidden for long. A wealthy industrialist, Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), learns about Tóth’s past and commissions him to design a huge project. He also helps to speed up the immigration of Tóth’s wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), whom he has not seen since his incarceration. But Tóth soon learns that the American Dream comes at a price. While, at its heart, The Brutalist is a frank depiction of the immigrant experience, it’s also a heartbreaking statement on the pain that comes with processing trauma. The film won three of its 10 Oscar nominations, and is completely deserving of each.

House

Prepare to have your mind blown by this trippy 1977 horror-comedy from Japan. Gorgeous (Kimiko Ikegami) is the daughter of a famed film composer who returns from a trip to Italy with a surprise: a new wife. In an effort to avoid the awkwardness of the situation, she asks her aunt if she can stay at her creepy old mansion for the summer, then brings along six of her closest friends. It doesn’t take long for weird things to start happening. Disembodied head attacks, homicidal pianos, and possessed cat portraits? This thrillingly bonkers cult classic has it all!

Gimme Shelter

Legendary documentarians Albert and David Maysles reinvented the rockumentary with this riveting first-hand recounting of the final days of the Rolling Stones’ 1969 US tour, which led to their infamous Altamont Free Concert. The concert, which attracted an estimated 300,000 people to California’s Altamont Speedway on December 6, 1969, was a disaster from the get-go—especially given the band’s decision to bring in the Hells Angels as the show’s security (one member famously said they were reportedly paid in beer). The Stones weren’t the only artists, but by the time they took the stage the crowd was out of control. At one point, one of the Angels stabbed a man, Meredith Hunter, right in front of the stage—a moment that the filmmakers later realized they had captured on film. Seeing the band’s reaction to watching the footage themselves makes for a truly compelling perspective on rock stardom.

Sing Sing

Colman Domingo proves yet again why he is one of today’s most acclaimed actors with this Oscar-nominated performance. Divine G (Domingo) is an inmate at New York’s infamous Sing Sing prison, serving time for a crime he did not commit. During his imprisonment, he finds purpose and joy in the prison’s theater group, part of its (very real) Rehabilitation Through the Arts program. By tapping into his inner thespian, Divine G is able to connect with his emotions, and he becomes determined to prove his innocence. But his undeniable acting talent, which inspires some of his fellow inmates, ends up posing a problem when it comes time for a parole hearing. Ultimately, Divine comes to respect the transformative power of the arts in helping him and some of his fellow inmates to overcome their past traumas. Making the film even more powerful is the fact that many of the actors are formerly incarcerated men who took part in the program.

Heretic

Hugh Grant earned some much-deserved awards consideration for playing so far against type in this religion-themed psychological thriller. Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are two young Mormon missionaries who are desperate to find someone—anyone—who will let them speak about their religion in an attempt to convert new members to the church. When Mr. Reed (Grant), a seemingly kind older man, invites them into his home in order to deliver their spiel to him and his wife, it quickly becomes apparent, at least to Sister Barnes, that something is amiss. And that Reed doesn’t so much want to hear about religion as he does talk about it—and force his own beliefs on the young women in increasingly bizarre, and deadly, ways.

We Live in Time

Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh ignite the screen with their chemistry in this romantic tearjerker that follows the couple over the course of a decade, from their meet-not-so-cute (she hits him with her car) to their journey into parenthood and, eventually, facing the ultimate curveball that threatens their happily-ever-after. Garfield and Pugh are two of the most acclaimed actors of their generation, and We Live in Time proves why.

Juror #2

Up until now, most of what you’ve heard about Juror #2 is how it’s one of Clint Eastwood’s most accomplished directorial efforts—and yet somehow it got shafted when it came to its theatrical release. Now’s your chance to see what all the fuss is about. Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) is a journalist and recovering alcoholic who is making every effort to maintain his sobriety. That becomes a bit of a challenge when he’s put on the jury of a high-profile murder trial … only to realize that he may have inadvertently played a part in what happened. Hoult is fantastic in this edge-of-your-seat legal (and ethical) drama.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

It has been nearly 40 years since Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice stormed the late ’80s box office. In the decades since, we’ve often heard rumblings that a sequel was in the works. Or might be in the works. Or most definitely was in the works. Or might not be in the cards at all. Well, in 2024 it finally happened, and it was as if Michael Keaton had never stepped away from the role at all (eternal life has a way of doing that to you). This time, however, Lydia (Winona Ryder) is still doing her best to forget her rendezvous with the bio-exorcism pro. But when she returns to her childhood home, it’s her own badass daughter (Jenna Ortega) who finds a way to bring him back into all their lives.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

In addition to the all-new Superman movie, audiences have James Gunn and his DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran (partly) to thank for bringing this long-overdue documentary about the ultimate superhero actor to worldwide audiences. Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui deliver a heartfelt, moving tribute to Reeve—as an actor, yes, but even more so as a person who never gave up. Alexandra Reeve Givens, Matthew Reeve, and Will Reeve—Reeve’s children—share their own stories about their dad, giving the project yet another layer of intimacy. No, you’re crying.

Watchmen: Chapter I

Brandon Vietti (Batman: Under the Red Hood) directs this innovative animated adaption of Alan Moore’s Hugo Award-winning graphic novel about an investigation into the murder of Edward Blake—better known as a superhero named the Comedian. When the police come up empty in terms of suspects, the costumed vigilante Rorschach (Titus Welliver) decides to take the case into his own hands, and eventually comes to believe that someone is attempting to knock off superheroes. So he enlists the help of a group of them in order to put a stop to the killing spree.

MaXXXine

MaXXXine is the third film in writer-director Ti West’s X trilogy, which began with X and Pearl. It’s set immediately after the events of Pearl: Mia Goth’s Maxine Minx is desperate to escape her upbringing as a preacher’s daughter and make the move from porn to more mainstream movies. She gets her chance when she lands the lead in a horror movie, The Puritan II. Then her friends start getting murdered. Ultimately, Maxine is forced to confront the sins of her past and find a way to achieve the fame she so desperately dreams of.

Civil War

In the not-too-distant future, the United States has transformed into an all-out battlefield between an authoritarian government, headed by a third-term president (Nick Offerman), and a stream of secessionist movements that threaten to destroy the country as we know it. But a group of journalists (led by Kirsten Dunst) is determined to document the downfall of America at any cost, so they set about heading to the White House in order to interview the embattled president. Which is much easier said than done. Oscar nominee Alex Garland (Ex-Machina) writes and directs this dystopian drama that often hits uncomfortably close to home.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Furiosa may have been dubbed last summer’s first box office “bomb,” but don’t let those dollar-focused headlines deter you from this one. Anya Taylor-Joy, who is undoubtedly one of the most versatile actors working today, shines in the role of Imperator Furiosa, a badass emancipator who dares to challenge gender conventions in a dangerous, postapocalyptic world where (no surprise at all) men make the rules. Taylor-Joy does an admirable job embracing the role that Charlize Theron memorably originated in Mad Max: Fury Road.

Love Lies Bleeding

English writer-director Rose Glass follows up her BAFTA-nominated Saint Maud with this twisty, hyper-violent love story. It’s 1989 in a rural New Mexico town where gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) is doing her best to stay under the radar and keep an eye on her sister Beth (Jena Malone), who is in an abusive relationship with her husband JJ (Dave Franco). But Lou’s life is turned upside down when Jackie (Katy O’Brian), a gorgeous young bodybuilder, begins coming to Lou’s gym to train for an upcoming competition in Las Vegas. The two fall in love—and then Lou’s hidden family secrets come tumbling out of the closet and threaten her life, and the lives of those she cares about.

Faye

“I’m Faye Dunaway. That’s who I am.” That’s the way the Oscar winner introduces herself in the trailer for Laurent Bouzereau’s feature-length documentary. But what the film reveals is that there’s a lot more to Faye Dunaway than the glamorous image associated with the legendary star of Network. Dunaway opens up in a way that has rarely been seen before, discussing her childhood and family, her struggles with bipolar disorder, and how the characters she has played continue to impact her. It’s a fascinating portrait of a true Hollywood icon.

Quad Gods

Jess Jacklin’s feature documentary follows the fascinating journey of Blake, Prentice, and Richard—three individuals with quadriplegia who meet in a neuro-rehabilitation lab at Mount Sinai Hospital and launch a plan to create the world’s first all-quadriplegic esports team. It’s a noble pursuit, but one fraught with challenges as they break down the doors of ableism. At its heart, Quad Gods is a story of friendship, perseverance, and survival.

Am I OK?

Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a thirtysomething living in Los Angeles, constantly failing at relationships and wondering why she doesn’t have everything figured out yet. After drunkenly sharing the story of the time she kissed a female friend as a teen, she begins to realize that the problem in her love life might not be the men she’s choosing, but that she’s choosing men at all. Former Saturday Night Live writer Lauren Pomerantz penned the script for the film based on her own experience of coming out in her thirties. Tig Notaro and her wife Stephanie Allynne do an admirable job as codirectors, treating Lucy’s journey of self-discovery with the respect it deserves—and plenty of humor.

MoviePass, MovieCrash

For better or worse, millions of film fans will remember 2012 as the year of MoviePass. For $25 per month, you could basically live in a movie theater—which was great for audiences, not so great for movie theaters (which were already struggling), and eventually disastrous for the company itself. For anyone who still has their MoviePass, this revealing documentary tells the real story of all that went wrong behind the scenes, and shares the story of the unsung heroes who really did just want to create a product that movie lovers could embrace. By the way: If you do indeed still have your original MoviePass, this doc has made it a worthwhile piece of memorabilia—with some selling for north of $1,000.

Dune and Dune: Part Two

Since breaking through with the Oscar-nominated Incendies (2010), Denis Villeneuve has continued to prove that he’s one of the most talented filmmakers working today. As if making a Blade Runner sequel that didn’t suck wasn’t enough, Villeneuve then went on to crack the cinematic code on Frank Herbert’s Dune series—something that true visionaries like David Lynch and Alejandro Jodorowsky had attempted before him, albeit largely unsuccessfully. Both the 2021 original film and its sequel are streaming on HBO Max—as is Lynch’s 1984 adaptation (which has become a bit of a cult classic over the years). The film follows the fate of the planet Arrakis—and its supply of melange, a unique spice and the most valuable substance in the universe—which rests in the hands of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), the untested son of a powerful duke. Looking for more Dune action? The prequel series Dune: Prophecy, starring Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, and Mark Strong is streaming in full.

The Zone of Interest

In 1943, Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) was the commandant of Auschwitz who spent his days playing god with the lives of the concentration camp’s innocent prisoners. But what happened when Höss went home? That’s the reality Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar-winning film examines, and the answer is: Not much. Höss lives right next door to the camp, in the so-called Zone of Interest, with his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) and their five children. Within those four walls, they strive to build a dream life for their family—while the sound of gunshots, incoming trains, and furnaces being lit are just a part of daily life. Yes, it’s every bit as brutal—and necessary—as it sounds.

Barbie

Greta Gerwig is a master of breathing new life into old properties (see: Little Women). With Barbie, she has ignited a revolution. Barbie (Margot Robbie) is living her best life in Barbieland—until one day, when her perfectly plastic world, and heels, suddenly begin to collapse. To get her fabulous life back, Barbie must travel to the real world—well, Los Angeles—to determine who or what is causing her existential crisis. The film grossed nearly $1.5 billion worldwide, meaning you’ve already seen it. But even if you did, it’s absolutely worth a second watch—if only to lament its many Oscar snubs.

Reality

In 2017, an intelligence report about Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election was leaked anonymously. One year later, former NSA translator Reality Winner (yes, that’s her real name) was sentenced to more than five years in prison for the crime—the longest sentence ever received by a government whistleblower. HBO’s reigning muse, Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria, The White Lotus), shines in this gripping true story, which plays out mostly in real time as the FBI knocks on the 25-year-old’s door and spends more than an hour questioning her.

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Finding success in one’s lifetime might seem like the dream of every artist, but Nan Goldin has bigger ambitions. Though she’s a photographer by trade, she’s an activist by calling and has long used her camera to capture painfully intimate moments of America in crisis, including extensive work focused on the HIV/AIDS and opioid epidemics. But All the Beauty and the Bloodshed reveals the artist in conflict: Should she allow her work to be showcased in one of the prominent museums or galleries that have received endowments from the Sackler family—the Big Pharma family that many blame for America’s opioid crisis? It’s a moving portrait of an artist willing to risk it all for her beliefs.



Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
DAAPrivacyRightIcon
Gaming Gear

Game Pass Ultimate is still $20 a month if you buy pre-paid codes

by admin October 3, 2025


Microsoft may have made the unfortunate decision to raise the price of a Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to $30 a month, but you don’t have to live by the company’s rules — at least not yet. Most online retailers are still selling codes for prepaid Game Pass subscriptions at the original $20 a month price. That means you can pay $60 for three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, stack your codes and keep your subscription without having to downgrade or cancel.

Xbox

You can still purchase pre-paid Game Pass codes at their original price.

$60 at Amazon

As the highest tier in Game Pass, an Ultimate subscription gives you the ability to download and play a library of over 200 games on your PC or Xbox. With Xbox Cloud Gaming, you can also stream the majority of those games to other devices, too, whether it’s a smartphone, LG TV or in-car display. It’s worth noting, though, the benefits of Ultimate did change with the introduction of the higher price. Microsoft shared that Ultimate subscribers will now also receive the benefits of an Ubisoft+ subscription at no additional cost, a $16 a month value that unlocks access to a back catalog of Ubisoft games from franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. Starting in November, the new Ultimate subscription also includes access to Fortnite Crew, Epic’s $12 a month plan that gives you V-Bucks, battle passes and more in Fortnite.

While those new benefits might justify a higher price monetarily, whether that’s a convincing reason to stay subscribed is a separate question. This likely won’t be the last time Microsoft will raise the price of its subscription service. Avoiding those fees by buying pre-paid Game Pass codes seems like an excellent way to try out the new Ultimate before committing to cancelling your subscription, downgrading your plan or sticking with Microsoft’s new price. You can purchase three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $60 a month. Stacking four three-month codes should come out to around $240.



Source link

October 3, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
It’s your last chance to snag the Xbox Series S and X at its current price before they rise tomorrow
Gaming Gear

It’s your last chance to snag the Xbox Series S and X at its current price before they rise tomorrow

by admin October 2, 2025


Sadly, the prices of the Xbox Series X and Series S are set to rise in the U.S. starting tomorrow, October 3rd, 2025. That makes today your last chance to snag an Xbox Series S — either the 512GB model for $379.99 (which is even cheaper on sale for $329.99 at Amazon) or the 1TB model for $429.99 (Amazon, Best Buy) before the list price of both increases by $20. You can also grab the Xbox Series X Digital Edition for $549.99 (Amazon, Best Buy) or the standard 1TB model for $599.99 (Amazon, Best Buy) before they each jump by $50. The Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition is also still available for $799.99 (GameStop), before its price increases by $70.

If you need help figuring out which console to buy, here’s the quick breakdown: the Series X is the more powerful option, capable of native 4K support, faster performance, and starts with 1TB of built-in storage, which is double what you’ll get with the smaller, less expensive Series S. The Series S, meanwhile, is designed for 1440p gaming and offers less built-in storage at 512GB. Notably, like the Xbox Series X Digital Edition, it also lacks an optical drive, so you can only play digital games.

Other than that, though, both consoles play all the same games and work with Xbox Game Pass, so whichever one you choose, you’ll still get access to the dozens of new titles recently added, ranging from Hogwarts Legacy and multiple Assassin’s Creed games to Hades, Cities: Skylines – Remastered, Stardew Valley, and more.



Source link

October 2, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Key artwork for Hades 2
Gaming Gear

Hades 2 review: a faithful yet boldly reinventive sequel that somehow improves on perfection

by admin October 2, 2025



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Though it’s only been five years since its predecessor, roguelite game Hades 2 feels long-awaited. The weight of expectation on developer Supergiant to surpass the massive success of Hades must have loomed more dauntingly than the sword of Damocles itself. So, how do you build on a game ranking among the best roguelites in modern history?

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
Release date: September 25, 2025

With a refreshed cast of Grecian heroes and gods, Hades 2 carves its own take on mythos, making for a game that feels both familiar and wildly different to Zagreus’ tale.

For one thing, gameplay mechanics have been boldly reinvented, and there’s a whole lot more variety in each run. In Hades 2, range and placement can make or break your strategy; the addition of Magick gives Melinoë an entirely different moveset to Zagreus, and with less mobility than her brother, it’s all to play for on the battlefield.

The stakes are immediately high, and nothing encapsulates the shift in priorities better than the art and world-building Supergiant is so famed for. An inventive array of new foes, friends, and plenty of frenemies make for a captivating narrative that rarely strays into “wall-of-text” territory, and it’s a breathtaking journey from start to finish.

With war brewing at the home front in Tartarus and on Olympus, a war of the gods has begun once again, but will the Princess of the Underworld be able to defeat Time itself?

Generational trauma

(Image credit: Supergiant Games)

The game begins at a crossroads – the crossroads, in fact, between the surface and the road to Tartarus. Readying for battle in this liminal space between life and death, Melinoë, daughter of Hades and Persephone, prepares to battle primordial powers to rescue her family.

Your foe is Chronos, the Titan of Time and father of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades – for the nerds, yes, that’s an amalgamation of Chronos, the primordial concept of time itself, and Kronos, the leader of the Titans; two different figures from mythos. It’s fine, I’m not mad about it.

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Before the events of the game, Chronos captured his chthonic son, along with Persephone, Zagreus, and a host of other underworld dwellers. Thankfully, Melinoë was whisked away just beforehand and into the care of Hecate, Witch of the Crossroads, to be trained in the art of witchcraft and, hopefully, rescue her relatives – and thus the story begins, and the generational trauma continues.

For your first few runs, you’ll venture towards Tartarus through Erebus (and Oceanus, if you can trounce the first guardian), but after these first two more linear levels, there’s a lot more diversity in chambers and encounters.

However, you’ll also quickly unlock access to the Surface, where Chronos’ goons are mounting an attack on Olympus. Having two options to venture keeps the game feeling fresh, removing the frustrating feeling of repeatedly falling at the same hurdle, and it’s a welcome change to the formula.

(Image credit: Supergiant Games)

There’s a lot of ebb and flow to the game’s two pathways, and each region offers dynamic maps with plenty of ways to progress by gathering resources, meeting with allies, and finding familiars to recruit. Some regions can feel a little gruelling; Tartarus’ Fields of Mourning, in particular, forces you into repetitive waves of enemies to cash in on multiple rewards per encounter, but you often only really want one of them.

However, other levels like the City of Ephyra play on the level design to push you to think harder about your build’s foundations, choosing six of ten possible rewards; both examples dismantle the classic two-door choice convention and keep the game varied.

Along the way, various gods from Hades – plus some new faces – will appear to deliver Boons: powerful upgrades to your attacks, movement, weaponry, chance modifiers, and beyond. These feel improved on Hades’ strong foundations; there’s a great variety on offer, and it’s rare that I really need a re-roll to find something useful.

Another noticeable difference is the increased focus on resource gathering. Doing away with the trade mechanics makes for much more rewarding progression materials, and there’s a lot more to find within each region. Your familiars can help you here, with each specializing in a different resource (spirits, seeds, fish, and foliage) as well as helping out during combat.

Which witch is which?!

(Image credit: Supergiant Games)

Oft characterized in non-game lore as the goddess of ghosts, spirits, and sometimes nightmares, Melinoë is a wildly different protagonist from her brother Zagreus. She bears a glowing, enhanced arm capable of wielding various Arcana card power-ups, and can use Magick to charge and cast enhanced abilities through Omega spells.

Like your regular abilities, Omega spells have a further set of Boons, allowing you to build around your powerful charged attacks instead of just amping up your base damage. Alternatively, you can pretty much ignore your spells altogether if you prefer button-mashing your standard attack, special, and cast; the game rewards you for playing well, not for playing every feature.

Now, the cast has switched to an area of effect (AoE) crowd control move; you can sit in it to slash at enemies on the border or build it up to be a damage-dealing trap for your enemies. This is vital, and certainly the most significant change to combat at a base level. Using it well, and often, is key to surviving with enough strength for bigger battles, especially in later levels where you’re contending with hordes of the undead or fiddly ranged attackers.

There’s a great, gradual progression arc to power up throughout the game, and I found myself genuinely surprised on multiple occasions that there was still more to unlock.

Once again, there are keepsakes, weapon unlocks, and enhancements you can build into your runs to make your attacks hit even harder.

Best bit

(Image credit: Supergiant Games)

Eris is a real pain to tackle the first few times, but hoo boy, is it fun to thrash her once you learn the ropes. She’s not as punishing as late-game bosses like Prometheus, but there’s a satisfying knack to timing your dodges and landing hits.

From an enormous, badass battle-axe to skulls that land with a “BOOM!”, Melinoë uses a mix of ranged and melee weapons to tackle her foes, but with way less mobility than her older brother. There’s no more double dash, but you can always use the new infinite sprint to zoom away from danger. Still, combat feels satisfyingly snappy, just with a greater emphasis on positioning.

Mel also swaps God Calls for Hexes, gifts from Selune that can be upgraded via a skill tree as you journey onwards. Personally, I’m a fan of the health regen Hex, which can be leveled to stack across regions and deliver huge amounts of health; particularly useful when you’re running with a squishier Mel build.

Each of these changes feels meaningful, and not just to differentiate Hades 2 from its successful predecessor. Plus, there’s so much variety and depth to each run that there’s no point in banking on specific builds; your Keepsakes can help pave the way for specific Boons, but you’re up against greater odds than in Hades.

That’s doubly true when you contend with the great variety of enemies, mini-bosses, and bosses. There’s no one way to play Mel, and the combatants want you to remember that; some punish you for an over-reliance on dashing, some for sitting too still or getting too close; others, you just have to hope you’ve built around strongly enough to kill before they can get you first (Prometheus, I’m looking at you. I’m judging you, in fact. Relentlessly.)

On the road again

(Image credit: Supergiant Games)

Calling the crossroads a liminal space feels at odds with the teeming life, love, and emotion housed in the battle camp Mel and her associates call home, but perhaps that’s exactly the point. Here, in a space designed for passage, a band of heroes, villains, and gods alike from mythos find refuge and comfort from a world in a perpetual state of pre-apocalypse. Of course, that’s all tinged by the undertones of the dysfunctional Olympian family tree, but if you can look past the bickering siblings, Mel and Hecate’s mommy issues, and, of course, the many mortals left in the wreckage of godly pettiness, there are some beautiful bonds formed at the crossroads.

From shopping to decorating and even gardening, there’s a lot to do between runs. Hecate’s cauldron offers permanent upgrades both in and out of runs, and there are more interactive spaces like the salt baths and the fishing pier. There’s a huge amount of unlockable content and interactions here; characters react to the outcome of the previous run and even the items Mel takes with her to the field, making it genuinely rewarding to sit through dialogue.

Eris, Nemesis, Moros, and Icarus are the romancable options (at least, the only ones I’ve encountered), but I’d really encourage forming bonds with all of the main cast. Deep secrets and connections to other figures in mythos mean characters like Dora expand the universe even further and teach you more about Mel’s history and identity. Greg Kasavin was not messing around when he put pen to paper for Hades 2, though I do share some fans’ criticisms of the slightly rushed ending.

(Image credit: Supergiant Games)

The world is, of course, more than its writing. Darren Korb’s tremendous musical talents are once again in full force, providing a dramatic underscore to the on-screen action with even greater zeal. Jen Zee also delivered with some excellent refreshed character designs, each with subtle hints to the more militant themes in the game.

Even Aphrodite now bears arms (though clothing still appears to be optional), and Zeus is armored up in preparation for the great battles on the horizon. New animations for character cards breathe life into the designs, aided of course by another stellar cast of talented voice actors.

Rolling credits for the first time is only the beginning; there’s a lot more you’ll want to eke out of these relationships on your road to the ‘true’ ending, and that’s the real magic of the Hades 2 formula. It takes repetition and makes it a thematic driver, pulling you deeper into the world of the Gods and their follies.

Hades 2 absolutely surpasses its predecessor in almost every way, building on its success reservedly but meaningfully, and it’s a must-play game for all to enjoy. It’s a masterpiece in its own right, though Mel’s story is inseparable from Zagreus’ successes in more ways than one.

Should Supergiant choose to revisit the land of the gods with a sequel, I’m once again left wondering how it could withstand its legacy, but with a fresh confidence that they can once again go the distance.

Should you play Hades 2?

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility

Within the settings, you have the option to toggle ‘God Mode’ under the Gameplay tab, which reduces the difficulty in the game, offering more damage resistance the more often you die. Alternatively, you can customize features like Auto-Fire/Auto-Sprint, Aim Assist, Dead Zones, and more to make gameplay more accessible. There are subtitles for both speech and song, as well as changeable vibration settings and visual effect settings.

(Image credit: Supergiant Games)

How I reviewed Hades 2

I got 50 hours of the game, unlocking both the main ending and rolling credits on the ‘true’ ending of Hades 2 using a Nintendo Switch 2. I played it in both docked and undocked mode to see if legibility or performance is impacted by the screen size, comparing my experience against other roguelites, including Dead Cells, The Binding of Isaac, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, and, of course, the original Hades.

I tried different settings, including God Mode, to see the impact on the game’s accessibility and performance, and tried playing both with a Corsair Void Max Wireless v2 headset and through the Switch 2 speakers.

First reviewed September 2025

Hades 2: Price Comparison



Source link

October 2, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Epic Games logo behind the Epic Games Store
Gaming Gear

Holy cow, the Epic Games Store supports preloading now

by admin October 2, 2025



It’s hard to believe I’m writing this in the year 2025 CE, but I’ve double-checked and it sure seems to be right so here we go: The Epic Games Store now supports preloading.

“Preloading is now available for PC pre-purchase products on the Epic Games Store!” developer Local Bald wrote in the Epic Games Store forums (via Reddit). “This new feature allows players to download titles they have pre-purchased up to five days (120 hours) prior to release via an encrypted build. Preloading ensures that players can jump into the game quickly on day one, which is especially beneficial for titles with large downloads.”

Preloading is a practical feature but not very glamorous as these things go; what makes it notable here is that it’s been available for years on Steam. Yet Epic, despite being hell-bent on breaking Steam’s nigh-monopoly on the PC digital market, hasn’t seen fit to add it until now.


Related articles

And it’s not as though Epic isn’t aware that the absence of preloading, and other such mundane but useful features, is a problem. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney and EGS general manager Steve Allison both acknowledged in May of this year that the Epic Store sucks—or, as Allison put it more politically, that “there’s still a ton of work to be done to deliver a world-class experience.”

He’s not wrong, but as PC Gamer’s Joshua Wolens noted at the time, the Epic Store went live in December 2018, which means it’s almost seven years old now, yet it still lacks a lot of functionality that we take for granted on Steam. And that doesn’t get into issues with the Epic launcher, which Sweeney said is “clunky,” a characterization I would describe as a tremendous understatement.

Epic has built a user base for its store primarily through its extremely generous weekly game giveaways, which has cost the company untold truckloads of cash, but I can’t help thinking that by now, the thrill has worn off and it’s time to start pouring some of those resources into the store itself. It’s a little weird to be thinking of preloading functionality as a significant improvement, but for the Epic Store it is—and hopefully we’ll be seeing more such baseline functionality following soon.

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.



Source link

October 2, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • …
  • 96

Categories

  • Crypto Trends (1,098)
  • Esports (800)
  • Game Reviews (728)
  • Game Updates (906)
  • GameFi Guides (1,058)
  • Gaming Gear (960)
  • NFT Gaming (1,079)
  • Product Reviews (960)

Recent Posts

  • One of Borderlands’ most hated characters seems to have been cut from Borderlands 4
  • Dyson Is Offloading Its V8 Plus Model, Now Cheaper Than Entry-Level Cordless Vacuums
  • Nintendo posts cute and mysterious animated short film, but is it teasing Pikmin?
  • Best FC Mobile 2nd Anniversary players tier list
  • PowerWash Simulator 2 launches later this month

Recent Posts

  • One of Borderlands’ most hated characters seems to have been cut from Borderlands 4

    October 7, 2025
  • Dyson Is Offloading Its V8 Plus Model, Now Cheaper Than Entry-Level Cordless Vacuums

    October 7, 2025
  • Nintendo posts cute and mysterious animated short film, but is it teasing Pikmin?

    October 7, 2025
  • Best FC Mobile 2nd Anniversary players tier list

    October 7, 2025
  • PowerWash Simulator 2 launches later this month

    October 7, 2025

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

About me

Welcome to Laughinghyena.io, your ultimate destination for the latest in blockchain gaming and gaming products. We’re passionate about the future of gaming, where decentralized technology empowers players to own, trade, and thrive in virtual worlds.

Recent Posts

  • One of Borderlands’ most hated characters seems to have been cut from Borderlands 4

    October 7, 2025
  • Dyson Is Offloading Its V8 Plus Model, Now Cheaper Than Entry-Level Cordless Vacuums

    October 7, 2025

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

@2025 laughinghyena- All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Pro


Back To Top
Laughing Hyena
  • Home
  • Hyena Games
  • Esports
  • NFT Gaming
  • Crypto Trends
  • Game Reviews
  • Game Updates
  • GameFi Guides
  • Shop

Shopping Cart

Close

No products in the cart.

Close