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A Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater screenshot.
Product Reviews

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater review: as great as it was in 2004, just don’t expect anything new

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Konami’s 2004 stealth classic Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is one of the best games ever made. Yet the idea of a remake didn’t exactly conjure the joy that one would usually get from hearing their favourite game is getting remade. After the fallout between Konami and series creator Hideo Kojima and the 10-year series hiatus that ensued (not counting the dreadful Metal Gear Survive), I had my doubts.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5 Pro
Available on: Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, PC
Release date: August 29, 2025

And yet, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is fantastic; there are no awkward changes to the story or pacing like the Silent Hill 2 remake, or really any attempts to touch the game I love so much… because it is still that game.

Metal Gear Solid Delta is firmly in the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster or The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening camp of remakes as it is so beholden to the source material that it struggles to find an identity of its own outside of the fact that it looks pretty now.

Remember the Alamo

(Image credit: Konami)

Snake Eater represents the earliest point in the Metal Gear timeline, in which you play as Naked Snake before he goes on to become the legendary soldier Big Boss in the midst of the Cold War. A rescue mission gone wrong means he has to battle his mentor, The Boss, destroy the not-quite-a-Metal-Gear, Shagohod robot, and prevent the Cold War from becoming a hot one.

Naked Snake is by far the most compelling protagonist in the series, by the sheer virtue of being the most relatable. Both Solid Snake and Raiden were bred to be the greatest possible soldiers, while Naked Snake is just a guy.

Early on you see him pull a stupid grin because he realises he can drop a beehive on someone; he completely blanks out sleeper agent Eva’s advances because he’s so enamoured with the cool gun she gave him. These little touches make him a far more compelling character and allow for the finale to deliver an absolute gut punch at its emotional climax.

(Image credit: Konami)

Your main adversaries this time are the Cobra unit, a group of legendary soldiers like one who shoots bees out of his mouth or the sniper who is 100 years old and can die of old age if you save the game during his fight and come back later.

Then there’s the main antagonistic trio of Snake’s mentor, The Boss; series staple Revolver Ocelot in his awkward early years; and Volgin, a sadistic colonel who is as filled with pomp as he is an abhorrent human being.

There really isn’t a character in Snake Eater that feels underdeveloped. I’m not typically a big audio log person, but I found myself returning to the codec call screen to chat with Snake’s allies – even after beating the game many times before now – just because I love the banter between them.

There are even characters who appear for literally one scene – like the Soviet scientist Aleksandr Granin – and are unforgettable thanks to Kojima’s signature monologue and exposition sequences.

The mission, or your beliefs?

(Image credit: Konami)

Snake Eater moved the series away from its then-standard military base infiltrations – where stealth was more straightforward – and moved into the Russian jungles. Now that you’re dealing with foliage, caves, mountains, and the odd encampment, stealth is very freeform.

In Metal Gear Solid Delta, it’s all pretty much how you remember it, the only difference being that the game’s control scheme has been updated to be more in line with later entries in the series. It introduces the over-the-shoulder camera and crouch-walk from Metal Gear Solid 4 (which was implemented into the 3DS version of Snake Eater) and makes the controls more in line with a standard third-person shooter (triggers to aim and shoot, circle to crouch etc.). But you shouldn’t expect something revolutionary.

Snake Eater’s other major addition was that of survival mechanics. You could change camo to help you blend into environments, eat food (including snakes, funnily enough) to keep your stamina up, and heal various injuries and ailments. In the original these were accessed through the pause menu, but while that’s still the case, this time it’s been streamlined somewhat.

Holding up on the d-pad will open up a camo menu for you, showing some combinations that you can switch to in an instant; when you’re injured, pressing up will take you straight to the cure screen too. Again, it’s nothing transformative, but it’s a nice quality of life update. You also get an autosave every time you enter a new area, which makes doing the hardest challenge run – Foxhound rank – less obnoxious.

Best bit

(Image credit: Konami)

Snake Eater is a game filled to the brim with memorable moments, but the updated visual fidelity and foliage really add to the intensity of the sniper battle with The End. What was already one of the best boss battles in the series gets a boost from it being even harder to find your opponent.

But Metal Gear Solid Delta isn’t really doing anything new. All of the level layouts, enemy placement and items are the exact same as they were on the PS2. It’s so strictly beholden to the original that you can interrogate guards, and they will still give you codes to use in the PSP’s Metal Gear Acid, which isn’t even a game you can buy officially anymore. Plus the opening and closing credits are ripped straight from the original (a lot of Hideo Kojima name drops), with you having to go into the extras menu to actually see the new development team.

Granted, it does bring back some of the things I would not expect, including things that were taken out of later re-releases like the Snake Vs Monkey mode, which isn’t as fantastic as the other half of that Metal Gear x Ape Escape crossover, but it’s a fun little distraction.

Plus, there’s a “Legacy Mode” option that lets you revert to the original control scheme complete with fixed cameras, a visual filter, and the old versions of the opening theme and main menu.

Kuwabara kuwabara

(Image credit: Konami)

The other major change with Metal Gear Solid Delta is how it looks, with the Russian jungle rendered beautifully in Unreal Engine 5, and I really can’t fault it on that front. The character models do present an issue, though. On paper they look great, and some characters really take to the new style – like Volgin, whose facial scarring looks much better and more identifiable with the new tech. But others like Ocelot and The Boss, look somewhat uncanny at points, with their faces feeling off at certain angles.

This is paired with Metal Gear Solid Delta using the original voice recordings from Metal Gear Solid 3 with only minor new lines recorded to cover for the different control scheme and a couple of easter eggs during codec calls. Metal Gear voice acting is always quite over the top, and as such feels a little weird coming out of the mouths of these hyper realistic character models.

Metal Gear Solid Delta is in a weird spot. I don’t think a massive overhaul like the Resident Evil remakes would have gone down well in a post-Kojima release, so I get why Konami remade it this way (and frankly it’s probably the way I wanted to see it remade). But, at the same time, I don’t really get a sense of what the series looks like going forward like I could with the Silent Hill 2 remake because it is so faithful.

But regardless, it’s still a remake that feels great to play and (mostly) looks fantastic. It doesn’t do much to carve out its own unique identity, but as an entire package Metal Gear Solid Delta is as much of a masterpiece as the original Snake Eater was in 2004.

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater features a number of accessibility options.

The majority of these are control-based allowing you to swap held inputs into tap. For example, when dragging an enemy, you typically would have to hold the button the entire time, but you have the option now to tap once to grab and tap again to let go.

There are also in-depth subtitle options allowing you to choose sizes, backgrounds, and speaker names with separate options for gameplay and cutscenes. There are colourblind filters present, but these are specifically for the UI and don’t seem to have any effect in-game.

(Image credit: Konami)

I played 30 hours of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater on PS5 Pro on a Samsung Q60D TV and a Samsung HW-T450 soundbar.

During this time I completed a 16 hour run of the game on Normal in the New Style with the majority of hidden items and weapons collected, defeated every enemy and boss non-lethally, attained the Tsuchinoko rank, and learnt the parry timing of the final boss the hard way.

I also completed the Virtuous Mission in Legacy mode on Hard and completed the New Game+ on Extreme, attaining the Foxhound Rank which is the toughest challenge in the game – made a bit less extreme thanks to autosaves.

First reviewed August 2025



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What we've been playing - we've made a change but don't panic
Game Reviews

What we’ve been playing – we’ve made a change but don’t panic

by admin


16th August

Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we’ve been playing. This week, we’re making a slight change in an effort to get you a wider view of what the team – the entire team – has been playing. Expect to read more opinions on what we’ve been playing, but slightly shorter entries so we can fit them all in.

What have you been playing?

Catch up with the older editions of this column in our What We’ve Been Playing archive.

Mafia: The Old Country, PC

Don’t be Sicily!Watch on YouTube

I’ve been excited about this for a while because who doesn’t want to live their Al Pachina Sicilian Mafia dream? Those al fresco lunches are to die for. Sometimes literally.

The set-up here is turn of the 20th Century Sicily and you’re a hard-up miner who: has a mine collapse on them, gets into a fight, goes on the run, and ends up working with a Mafia family. So far it’s been linear and a bit boring. Gorgeous though – that scorched Sicilian landscape is to die for. Sometimes literally. (It’s the same joke Bertie.)

But I haven’t been able to experience anything else because the game keeps crashing on me. Six crashes in a row I had so I gave up. I expect it’ll be patched soon, but that a game can perform like this at all, at launch, is outrageous, and definitely not to die for.

-Bertie

Rocket League, Xbox Series X

In an attempt to prove to my son that I’m not an inept old man who can no longer accomplish things in my life, I played a few games of split-screen Rocket League with him. Of course, he won, but importantly I wasn’t rubbish and I did score quite a few goals. Well done me! Not time for the scrapheap yet.

-Tom O

The House of The Dead Remake, Switch 2

It’s been a very busy and stressful time, as you can imagine, getting ready for Gamescom and helping the new, updated version of Eurogamer get to its feet. So as I was browsing the Switch 2 eShop and saw The House of The Dead Remake was going for less than the price of a pint, I snapped it up. There’s nothing quite like the cathartic release of furiously tapping on a screen to blow the heads off zombies. It works just as well with your index finger as it ever did with a light gun.

-Dom

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, PS5

Wuchang, Wuchang.Watch on YouTube

I’m not sure if the Wuchang developers’ interest in sexy ladies with feathers and wings is down to the iconic status of Elden Ring’s Malenia boss battle, or if they just like sexy ladies with feathers and wings. Regardless, it’s a repeated design across the game, though it certainly speaks to the somewhat derivative nature of the game as a Soulslike. However, as I pointed out earlier this week it does have enough ideas of its own and a peculiar rhythm to combat that makes it stand apart. Annoyingly, I finished it a couple of days ago before the most recent patch came to console, with its much-needed balance tweaks and more controversial story adjustments.

-Ed

Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin, PC

Yes, Drangleic has called to me once more.

I don’t know exactly what it is about FromSoftware’s games, but there’s something about the intricate spaces it creates – the sheer totality of their design – that worms so deep into my brain. Every now and then, I get a yearning that feels impossible to ignore, and this time around it was the melancholy song of Dark Souls 2 calling me back to its blighted peaks and forsaken shores.

I appreciate I’m an outlier here, but I adore Dark Souls 2, warts and all; its sheer ambition, its idiosyncratic invention, and, yes, an atmosphere so overwhelmingly forlorn it practically seeps into your bones. This, I should say, is my very first dance with Dark Souls 2’s Scholar of the First Sin do-over, and it’s a lot like coming home after a long time away and seeing everything with brand-new eyes. Right now, I’m venturing hole-ward into Majula’s suffocating, accursed depths – perhaps the closest From has ever come to full-on horror. It’s good to be back, even if there’s still plenty of pain to come.

-Matt

Silent Hill 4: The Room, PC

This is the video Ian was making that prompted him to play The Room. While he was working in A Room.Watch on YouTube

During a recent edit for a video feature about Silent Hill f, I had to source some gameplay for Silent Hill 4: The Room. I remember playing The Room on the original Xbox at an ex-girlfriend’s house back when it released, but for some reason I never completed it. I’ve long since lost my original copy, but looking back at that footage inspired me to pick it up on GOG and give it another spin.

And you know what, I love the first-person stuff in room 302. It’s kind of a proto-P.T. with its slight, sometimes unnoticeable changes every time you return to the room, which adds more mystery to the experience. There’s some really neat touches too, like looking out of the window to see neighbours going about their business, through the windows of their homes across the street, or seeing handprints appear on the wall outside your room every time someone meets a tragic end.

The Otherworld stuff is definitely on the weaker side of the Silent Hill spectrum though, demonstrated in both its repetitive level design and the fact the game is full of bizarre stock sound effects that really don’t fit the atmosphere. Special shout-out to the nurse monsters that emit echoing Homer Simpson burps every time you hit them.

Despite its flaws, I love that The Room is doing something a bit different. I’m about five hours in and determined to see it through to the end, mainly to finally finish what I started 20+ years ago. But also because I severely doubt this one will get a Bloober remake!

-Ian

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition, PC

I picked up this returning classic yesterday after work and am, so far, a very happy chap. I remember being a teenager and blasting through Dark Crusade on my friends PC, so seeing a lot of those old models reworked with shiny new graphics, in a proper resolution, has been wonderful.

I’m not too far through it yet, having only completed the first three missions of the base games’ campaign, but I do reckon this’ll be a game I’ll chip away at over the next few months. Special shout out to the legendarily horrible yell during the game’s opening cinematic, a relic of the original game the folks at Relic Entertainment could have justifiably removed. It’s a proper AAARGH, one of the all time greats. Also, Chaos Space Marines forever.

-Connor

Tiny Bookshop, PC

Tiny Bookshop has been sitting at the back of my mind ever since I played the demo way back at EGX 2022. Yet, the more I longed for its release, the more a worry grew inside of me – would I enjoy the full game as much as I loved the demo?

Thankfully, the answer is a resounding yes. I’ve easily become completely absorbed in the world of Bookstonbury. In fact, it’s to the point that some evenings I’ve forgotten I can go outside and read at a real beach rather than sell books in a virtual one. Still, it’s a worthy price to pay if it means I can continue selling books and solving the occasional mystery in my little bookshop wagon. Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to sell this pile of travel books and discover who destroyed the shopmarket mascot at the same time…

-Lottie

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition, PC

After reading above that Connor is a Chaos Marines guy I had to include this one, if only so I could comment on how appropriate that is. Anyway, it’s an absolute treat of a game – look forward to a thousand-plus more words of waffle to the tune of that from me very soon. Alongside this I’m still chipping away at Pokémon TCG Pocket, and a couple of very, very good things that are under embargo, oooohhhhhh (sorry I realise that’s actually really annoying to do that and not say what it is, promise I won’t make it a habit).

-Chris T



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NFT Gaming

If You’re Selling Bitcoin Over War Fears, You Don’t Get It, Says Hedge Fund Manager

by admin



Bitcoin

rallied above $102,000 after briefly falling below $101,000 in a volatile session marked by unusually heavy trading, according to CoinDesk Research’s technical analysis model.

Market participants reacted swiftly to the dip, which pushed BTC near the bottom of its month-long trading range.

The reversal gained momentum as volume accelerated, leading to a strong rebound. The move coincided with a sharply worded post from James Lavish, a Managing Partner of the Bitcoin Opportunity Fund, who wrote on X: “If you are selling Bitcoin because of the possibility of the world going to war, you have absolutely no idea what you own.”

The $100K–$110K range has contained price movement for nearly a month. On-chain metrics suggest a balanced market with neither excessive profit-taking nor aggressive accumulation, while derivatives data indicates cautious sentiment with continued demand for downside protection.

Technical Analysis Highlights

  • A midnight push lifted BTC above $102,800 with trading volume peaking at 17,906 BTC.
  • Between 05:57 and 06:00, BTC climbed from $102,767 to $102,912, supported by volume spikes over 150 BTC per minute.
  • Peak recovery-period volume hit 184.24 BTC, helping drive price toward $102,990.
  • Minute-level consolidation around $102,680–$102,720 preceded the breakout.
  • A higher support level began forming near $102,870 as volatility decreased.

Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy.



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'I don't particularly think the game will be very good': The fans trying to get a never-released Chinese Borderlands MMO working are doing something so absurd that I love them for it
Product Reviews

‘I don’t particularly think the game will be very good’: The fans trying to get a never-released Chinese Borderlands MMO working are doing something so absurd that I love them for it

by admin



Back in 2014, an established Chinese game development studio called Shanda Interactive Entertainment started work on Borderlands Online, a Chinese-market-only MMO version of the two-games-deep Borderlands series. Gearbox was trying to get a jump on the growing Chinese PC gaming market, clearly, but the game didn’t happen: It was cancelled in 2015 when Shanda left game development entirely. All that remains now are some screenshots and (rather weird) trailers.

Now, on a passionate whim, some fans have dug up an ancient build of the game from virus-infested defunct Chinese websites and are hard at work on making a playable version of the long lost Borderlands game. (Which they wouldn’t have been able to play if it had been finished, because it wouldn’t have been released outside of China.)

In an interview with Eurogamer, project leader EpicNNG explained why they went on their quixotic quest to bring back a 10 year old unreleased game that—by their own admission—probably isn’t even very good.


Related articles

“I am a superfan of this franchise,” they said. “I’ll do anything I can to get my hands on this kind of thing. I won’t stop at Borderlands Online. Borderlands started my addiction to videogames, and wanting to be a developer myself.”

So, even though they “don’t particularly think the game will be very good,” EpicNNG just wants to play it, and hopes that the project “brings people together” during the wait for Borderlands 4’s September release.

Reverse-engineering software without its servers, its original developers, or any documentation is no mean feat for even the most skilled developers, though.

“It has been incredibly challenging,” said EpicNNG. “If you don’t know what you’re doing it can feel like trying to escape a maze blindfolded. I eventually reached my skill ceiling, and that realization was tough to accept.”

For those interested in the project, you can watch their request for help video on YouTube. You might also be interested in joining the project. They’re very clear, for the record, that this is a fan project they don’t believe breaches any copyright and that there would be no profit from releasing the build. They were also clear that they’re welcoming media attention to the project at this time.

Besides, they found de_dust2 in the files. Which rules.





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Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
Gaming Gear

Ready for an iPhone upgrade? Here’s why you (probably) don’t need to buy a Pro

by admin



At the risk of sounding like someone who’s old before his time, I have a fairly substantial list of tech pet peeves.

At the lower end of the scale, I don’t understand folks who hold their phone at a distance when having a conversation, nor am I a fan of using a phone without a case. But if there’s one thing that I just can’t get my head around, it’s the enduring popularity of Apple’s pro-level iPhones.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the likes of the iPhone 16 Pro. In fact, as a long-time iPhone user, I respect the device for being not just one of the best iPhones yet, but also one of the best phones, period. However, there seems to be a misunderstanding about who these top-tier iPhones are for.


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It’s a conundrum that feels far less pronounced in the Android world, particularly as, from my experience, I tend to see tons of people rocking well-priced mid-range phones like the Samsung Galaxy A56. With that in mind, I think it’s time to set the record straight among Apple’s closest devotees.

I’m talking specifically to those who have yet to pick up one of the latest iPhone Pros in the hopes that I can convince you of why you don’t need one, and how you can find a better deal overall by opting for a different Apple device.

The clue is in the name

The iPhone 16 Pro Max running iOS 18 (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

I will admit that there are some aspects of the iPhone 16 Pro that make it an alluring buy to an unsuspecting upgrader. As has already been discussed in detail on TechRadar, Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion display is gorgeous, and it’s a shame that Apple hasn’t yet seen fit to lift the refresh rate on the iPhone 16 beyond 60Hz.

The titanium build of the latest pro-level iPhones also sounds like a tempting concept, particularly if you fall into the category of those who prefer not having a case on their phone, or are liable to drop their handset on a somewhat regular basis.

These are great features to have, but you can’t tell me that they are worth the $200 / $200 / AU$250 upsell against the price of the standard iPhone 16. So, the question remains – what are you really paying for in a phone that costs $999 / £999 / AU$1,849? It’s the cameras.

I’ve been using the iPhone 16 Plus for some time now, and its dual camera setup hasn’t let me down yet.

The triple-sensor array on both the 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max is nothing short of exceptional, and while the triangular design they carry has become something of a status symbol in itself, I have to be honest – by going for a Pro, you’re only buying extra features that you don’t need, because the cameras on the iPhone 16 are already great.

I’ve been using the iPhone 16 Plus for some time now, and its dual camera setup hasn’t let me down yet. It’s held up by the constant refinement of Apple’s behind-the-scenes computational processing that makes it nearly impossible to take a bad picture.

The only thing missing on the standard 16/16 Plus phones is the ability to shoot in Apple ProRaw and the LOG video format, but both of these features can only be put to use properly by professionals. If you’re a content creator or a professional photographer, these features are well worth the investment as you’ll get stunning quality in return. But for the average consumer, they’re overkill.

Obsessing over cameras also overlooks the most crucial feature of all iPhones, the thing that keeps folks returning to Apple again and again: the software.

iOS is king for a reason

iOS 18 provides a great experience on all recent iPhones (Image credit: Apple)

Speaking for myself, there’s a reason why I’ve found it so hard to go back to Android, and it’s not just the digital ‘walled garden’ that Apple has created that makes such a feat trickier than it should be.

iOS is just easy to use, very intuitive, and brilliantly designed.

Even small things like the precise alignment of widgets are comforting – a feeling that’s exacerbated by Apple having some of the best versions of key apps around. The Weather app, for example, is clean and easy to understand, and Apple News is by far the most comprehensive app out there for staying on top of current events, particularly if you have a subscription to Apple News Plus.

This is why I can confidently recommend the iPhone 15 to friends and family in 2025, knowing that, in spite of the phone having a readily available successor, it can still provide a great overall experience thanks to the optimizations of iOS.

Plus, there’s a case to be made that the way to enjoy Apple’s ecosystem of services at their fullest is to invest in multiple products. So, to that end, I’d recommend picking up the iPhone 16 and putting the money you’ve saved against buying its Pro-level sibling towards a pair of AirPods Pro 2 or the highly underrated Apple Watch SE 2. You’ll thank me later.

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Ripple vs SEC XRP lawsuit news
GameFi Guides

XRP Lawsuit Finale In Weeks? Lawyers Say Don’t Count On It

by admin


Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Judge Analisa Torres is again being asked to reopen her own final judgment in the XRP lawsuit between Ripple Labs and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Yet in the corridors of crypto law the real debate is not procedural, but psychological: will the judge indulge the parties’ second-try joint motion, or will she signal—again—that settlement must occur on her terms rather than theirs? Two outside lawyers who know the record as well as anyone, Bill Morgan and Fred Rispoli, have laid out starkly different expectations.

Will Judge Torres Kill The XRP Deal Again?

Morgan, a pro-Ripple Australian solicitor whose X threads often go viral among XRP holders, cautions that timing alone could betray the court’s mood. “It only took seven days for Judge Torres to reject the last joint motion to modify the judgment to reduce the fine and dissolve the injunction. Less than seven days to decide the current joint motion may not be the best sign she will grant it,” he wrote on 15 June, warning an impatient community not to mistake speed for sympathy.

Despite that warning, Morgan sees a substantive hook the judge could grab if she wishes to end the four-year dispute: “The strongest argument in the joint motion is that the modification of the final orders of Judge Torres is a necessary condition of the settlement agreement between the SEC and Ripple, and that if the final orders are modified by reducing the amount of the fine and dissolving the injunction, the litigation will finally be at an end and court resources will be saved as this will bring an end to the appeal and cross-appeal.”

Even so, Morgan’s endorsement is hardly unqualified. He reminds readers that the parties themselves chose to hinge settlement on rewriting the judgment: “They could have simply agreed to end the appeal and the cross-appeal and lived with and moved on from the final orders… Ripple wanted more. The parties are really imposing a fait accompli on the court and hoping the Judge exercises her discretion… Intuitively, I think she will grant the motion but it would not surprise at all if she does not.”

Rispoli, a US litigator who has represented individual XRP holders but not Ripple itself, reads the joint filing far more bleakly. “I don’t like this filing based on how obvious it was from Judge Torres’ last ruling that she was pissed,” he posted on 12 June. Rispoli faulted the motion for brevity where contrition was needed: “I recommended a long, detailed motion explaining the SEC’s failures in crypto regulation (with Commissioner declarations) and some apologies from Ripple for what it got tagged on. Instead, we got one paragraph on the other SEC dismissals and a paltry mention of the SEC Crypto Task Force. Oof.”

For Rispoli, the dispositive issue is judicial discretion, not black-letter law. He concedes that “the parties cite enough law for the court to grant it,” yet concludes, “I don’t think this gets it done, sadly.” His prediction is grim: unless the parties supplement the record or Judge Torres decides she simply wants the case off her docket, the motion could meet the same fate as its predecessor. He nevertheless notes that a continued injunction is “not a death knell—Ripple can still sell XRP to institutions, just not in the same way it did pre-2018,” though more conservative counterparties would likely remain on the sidelines.

Taken together, the two analyses produce an unusually narrow probability band: Morgan’s guarded optimism tempered by procedural unease collides with Rispoli’s skepticism that any judge, once “pissed,” will bend twice. What both agree on is that the court now faces a binary choice whose commercial impact is outsized: either ratify a $50 million penalty with no injunction and end all appeals, or send the question back to the Second Circuit for another year of briefing and, perhaps, an eventual merits ruling that neither side wants.

At press time, XRP traded at $2.25.

XRP found support at the 200-day EMA, 1-day chart | Source: XRPUSDT on TradingView.com

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



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40% of Stellar Blade mods are NSFW, but don't worry, we've narrowed that down to three guaranteed to raise your heart rate
Game Updates

40% of Stellar Blade mods are NSFW, but don’t worry, we’ve narrowed that down to three guaranteed to raise your heart rate

by admin


Right, put your hands on the table. Please. I won’t ask again. Thank you. Stellar Blade arrived on PC as of June 11th, and naturally that’s brought a new lease of life the the modding community who’d only had a demo to play with up until that point. Around 40% of the game’s mods over on the Nexus right now are a bit risqué, so we’ve done you a favour and picked out the three filthiest on offer.

Don’t feel you have to thank us. Well, me. This is all part of the job description, alongside all of the holding power to account and providing a service to the consumer stuff. Odds are my Pulitzer’s already in the post.

Okay, you ready? Having searched through the 222 Stellar Blade works on Nexus Mods as of writing, I isolated the 90 tagged as ‘adult’, and calculated that those numbers meant the racy, lecherous, and bawdy stuff made up exactly 40.54% of the total. Then, my instincts kicked in. I began a search for the naughtiest of the naughty, the hardcore horniness-inducers. I found three things.

First of all, and promise me you’ll remain calm, I found the work of modder WTails358. I present to you, dear reader, their Casual Wear. As you’ll see if you click that link after making sure there are no kids or people with pacemakers nearby, this utterly smutty mod clothes Eve in an incredibly chic autumnal turtleneck-style jumper with a dragon design on it.

That sumptuous garment, which tastefully bares her midriff, is paired with delightfully retro chunky trousers that form the perfect constrast via their bright porcelain hue. Completing the look are a striking aquatically-themed belt buckle in gold, and a pair of understated boots that combine practicality with high fashion. Reader, just breathe, I know your temperature’s rising with every word, but you must maintain control.

If you’re alright to continue, I’ll introduce you to this Formal Wear. Steady now. Take deep breaths. I know, it’s an elegant suit and tie combo that allows Eve to cut an equally striking and refined figure that’d look at home on any of the catwalks in Milan or Paris. C’est magnifique, especially twinned with the rounded spectacles that cast Eve as a shrewd, sharp individual who knows what good vintage burgundy tastes like. Phwoar indeed.

However, you mustn’t get carried away, because I have one more totally pornographic mod to show you. It’s modder Tenshiken1’s Thomas the Tank Engine replacer for the stalker boss. Oh no. You’ve blown your whistle. You’vre chugged along the tracks and let out a deep, lustful choo-choo. I hope you’re proud of yourself. What would Sir Topham Hat think?

Well, at least you’ve got time to ruminate on your failings and appreciate the non-jiggly things in life while you wait for more info from Shift Up about Stellar Blade 2.



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Don't Expect PlayStation's Current PC Port Strategy To Change Anytime Soon
Game Updates

Don’t Expect PlayStation’s Current PC Port Strategy To Change Anytime Soon

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Amidst Xbox’s multiplatform publishing strategy, Sony is reiterating its commitment to prioritizing the PlayStation 5. During a recent Sony business meeting and “fireside chat,” PlayStation Studios CEO Hermen Hulst stated the company is taking a “very measured, very deliberate approach” when it comes to deciding if and when a first-party title appears on other platforms like PC.

Sony has been porting many of its marquee titles to PC for years. Some of its more recent live-service titles, like Helldivers 2 and the short-lived Concord, released day-and-date on console and PC, while tentpole single-player games like God of War: Ragnarok or Ghost of Tsushima typically release on PS5 first and arrive at least a year later on PC.

When asked about the industry’s move towards multiplatform titles and how Sony is looking to protect the “value” of the PS5 console, Hulst indicated that Sony isn’t looking to change its current strategy.

“It’s important to realize that we’re really thoughtful about bringing our franchises off console to reach new audiences and that we’re taking a very measured, very deliberate approach in doing that,” Hulst said. “Particularly on the single-player side, our tentpole titles, they’re such a point of differentiation for the PlayStation console.”

He went on to say that Sony’s first-party titles are meant to be a showcase for the PS5 hardware, and that the company wants players to “get the best experience” from these titles playing on PS5.

“We’re very thoughtful about how and if and how we bring these titles to other platforms,” Hulst said.

It’s an approach that appears to be working, even as Microsoft doubles down on its multiplatform game strategy of releasing Xbox titles on PS5 with positive results. When asked about Microsoft’s strategy and whether or not it’s a good thing, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino said he believed competition in the industry is good and creates innovation, but that Sony is “confident and committed to our current strategy.”

In addition to discussing how its approaching platform exclusivity, Sony reiterated its commitment to live-service titles, with Hulst stating he doesn’t believe Bungie’s upcoming shooter Marathon will suffer the same fate as Concord.



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Roku Streaming Stick on table with flower
Product Reviews

Roku Streaming Stick review: the cheapest Roku streamer if you don’t need 4K

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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.

Roku Streaming Stick: Two-minute review

The Roku TV interface is easy to navigate, but we experienced some lag when making selections during our testing of the Roku Streaming Stick (Image credit: Future)

The Roku Streaming Stick is cheap, compact, and easy to use. As the cheaper of Roku’s two newest streaming sticks, the other being the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, it has its limitations – specifically, no 4K or HDR support – but the value proposition here is very good. If you’re trying to save money, it might be among the best streaming devices out there.

As far as competition goes at this price point, there’s really only the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD, which is slightly more expensive. Of course, if you care about getting the best performance and features and are willing to pay for it, I suggest going for the Roku Ultra (2024) instead.

The Roku Streaming Stick is literally just a stick with an HDMI port on the end, and is small even by streaming stick standards. When I reviewed the Amazon Fire TV Sticks that came out in 2023 ( still current models), I had trouble fitting their bulky bodies into the HDMI slots behind my TV, so the svelte design of the Roku Streaming Stick is welcome.


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The only visual difference between this and the Streaming Stick Plus version is that the Roku logo is purple as opposed to an etched design, making it look just a bit cheaper than its big brother. Otherwise, it’s identical, with the same somewhat convex case, with the HDMI male jack on one end, and the USB-C charging port on the other. There’s also a reset button, and that’s it.

It’s worth noting that Roku only provides a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging – there’s no power supply or adapter. When I first saw this on the Roku Streaming Stick Plus (again, they’re identical in this regard), I was a little upset that I was expected to pay extra for an adapter. But then I realized there was a good reason for the lack of an adapter, since you’re expected to use the USB port on your TV to power the streaming stick.

Because you’re powering the stick from the TV’s USB port, which is usually just a few slots over from the HDMI connections, there are no hanging cables from the device. This means you’ll end up with a cleaner-looking setup using the Roku Streaming Stick.

The Roku Streaming Stick comes with a USB cable and a remote with a voice control option (Image credit: Future)

  • Roku Streaming Stick (Black) at Amazon for $29.99

The included remote control is Roku’s voice remote. It has a slightly bulky body with a little bit of weight that makes it nice to handle while still being fairly compact. The buttons include dedicated play/pause buttons – a feature I appreciate over the navigation wheel layout that most remotes have. And there’s also a voice assistant button, which lets you make voice commands when holding it down. It’s not Roku’s best remote – that would be the one included with the Roku Ultra – but it’s good enough and about what one would expect at this price point.

The Roku Streaming Stick is intended to be an entry-level HD device, so there’s no 4K or HDR support. I tested it on a 65-inch TV, and the picture quality was still pretty good. If you’re getting this for a guestroom TV, it’s probably worth saving the few extra bucks.

The Roku Streaming Stick’s biggest sticking point is its performance. Given the stick’s low price, you shouldn’t expect the world, but it’s still worth noting. The actual streaming experience is fine and without interruption, but the Roku Streaming Stick has a slight delay when interacting with it, with the onscreen cursor moving just a fraction of a second after a button press, so you feel like it’s catching up.

It’s worth noting that the Roku Streaming Stick uses the old 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi standard, which is even slower than the 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) one used by the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. You probably don’t need the latest Wi-Fi standard for a streaming device, but the Streaming Stick’s slower and older WiFi standard is a potential reason why it runs a little slower.

The Streaming Stick’s interface is the usual intuitive one I expect from Roku. There are a few watch suggestions at the top, but the home screen is otherwise just a series of tiles for different apps. I appreciate its simplicity compared to the more congested interfaces used by Google TV, Fire TV, and other smart TV platforms. If you prefer that type of layout, Roku has a similar setup when you click on the “What To Watch” tab on the homescreen.

There’s a good amount of free content available to stream directly through the Roku interface. There’s also a Sports tab, but you still need a subscription to whichever service has the rights to your favorite sport. Otherwise, Roku’s interface here is its usual rock-solid self.

Roku Streaming Stick: Price and release date

The super-compact Roku Streaming Stick is powered by your TV’s USB port (Image credit: Future)

  • $29.99 / £29.99 (about AU$50)
  • Released April 2025

Thirty bucks or quid for a streaming device is impossible to beat. The closest to that is probably the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD that I mentioned earlier at $34.99 / £39.99 / AU$69.

The question you need to ask yourself is whether it’s worth saving ten bucks for this version over the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, which goes for $39.99 / £39.99 (about AU$70). The design of both sticks is the same, and so are the limitations in performance. If you’re trying to just get the cheapest streaming stick with 4K and HDR support (but not Dolby Vision), the Plus version is the one you’ll want. But if you have an older TV that doesn’t support those features, the basic Roku Streaming Stick will be ideal.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) is also a good streamer to look at as it’s regularly discounted to the same price as the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. And unlike Roku products, that model is available for purchase in Australia.

Roku’s remote control sits nicely in the hand and features a mic button for voice search commands (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Roku Streaming Stick?

Swipe to scroll horizontallyRoku Streaming Stick

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

HD streaming with Dolby Atmos but no 4K or HDR support

3/ 5

Performance

It’s fine when streaming, but it lags when interacting with the interface and menus, possibly due to using an older Wi-Fi standard

3.5 / 5

Design

It’s slim and is designed to get power from the TV it’s connected to, helping provide a cleaner, more tangle-free look

4.5 / 5

Value

Streaming doesn’t get cheaper than this. You just have to decide if you can forgo 4K and HDR support

5 / 5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Roku Streaming Stick review: Also consider

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Roku Streaming Stick

  • Used regularly for a week
  • Tested with various apps
  • Tested the remote

I used the Roku Streaming Stick regularly for a few days to evaluate everything it can do. I used it to stream Roku content and movies and shows from apps like Max. I also spent time using the remote and testing its various functions.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years, from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2025

Roku Streaming Stick: Price Comparison



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Phasmophobia crucifix
Gaming Gear

‘I don’t actually play horror games’: Phasmophobia’s lead developer had no intention of making a horror game but still kicked off a whole new genre

by admin



I’ll never forget the first time my friends and I played Phasmophobia. It was like nothing I’d ever played before, absolutely hilarious, and surprisingly terrifying—it still is. So it’s rather funny to me that not only does Phasmo’s creator not really play horror games but he didn’t intend to make one either.

“I failed to make a co-op puzzle game,” director and lead developer Daniel Knight told my colleague Andrea Shearon during an interview at Summer Game Fest. “Or a co-op puzzle horror game. I didn’t really settle to make a ghost-hunting game. It just ended up being the kind of perfect fit.

“But the main goal was to make a social co-op puzzle game where you actually had to stand next to your friends and figure the puzzle out together. And then the horror is kind of like the secondary part—it just happened to be the perfect fit.”


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Now Knight mentions it, I can totally see where he’s coming from with the puzzle idea. Trying to figure out what kind of ghost it is by working together as a team, using various tools, and having a checklist is just like solving a puzzle. It’s just a scary one which also involves you getting chased around a house by a red-eyed demon child.

Having a horror game that isn’t necessarily focused on being scary but instead works at being tricky to solve and an immersive experience for you and your friends may be what makes Phasmophobia so memorable. The best moments in Phasmo always come from someone messing up a test or a ghost surprising the team by doing something that we hadn’t accounted for.

Phasmophobia devs on mod support, 2025 updates, and more | Kinetic Games interview – YouTube

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I still remember playing on the Brownstone High School map with some mates where all the signs pointed us towards the ghost being in one of the rooms on the ground floor next to the stairs. We ended up having a massive argument as half of us didn’t think it was actually in this room after finding no physical evidence. It wasn’t until the ghoul appeared behind us that we realised the EMF Reader and Sound Sensor were actually pointing us towards the room directly above where we’d set up shop.

It may seem kind of weird at first, but maybe a horror game from someone who doesn’t massively love horror games isn’t such a bad idea. “I don’t actually play horror games,” Knight says. Although when pressed, he did admit that he’s dabbled in a bit of Content Warning.

I love Content Warning, and don’t get me wrong it can be absolutely terrifying when you’re being chased by the Snail Man or flipped upside down by the Ceiling Star, but it’s also probably the most tame co-op game to come out recently. But hey, a horror game’s still a horror game, and I don’t think Knight has to prove anything, not after making Phasmophobia.



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