Another month, and another line-up of PlayStation Plus games has been announced. Since June had a stellar month with both Borderlands: The Handsome Collection and Sonic Mania, July had a lot to live up to. Whether it does or not depends on your love for football. In July, PS4 owners can get their hands on Pro Evolution Soccer 2019, or experience some old-fashioned arcade fun in Horizon Chase Turbo. Pro Evolution Soccer 2019, and the PES series in general, is considered a worthy competitor to EA's FIFA series. Each entry has managed to maintain a decent player base, with more arcade gameplay than its biggest rival, yet deeply complex in its mechanics. If I had to personally pick a better football game between the two, then the PES series definitely scores top marks. On the other hand, Horizon Chase Turbo looks to be a lot more high-octane, reminiscent of titles like OutRun that takes us all the way back to the good old arcade days. While graphically it doesn't live up to some of the heavy hitters in the racing genre, it does offer a satisfying slice of nostalgia in the form of checkpoint-based races that kept our adrenaline high in the arcades. In case you might miss out on this month's current line-up, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, which bundles both Borderlands 2 (plus DLC) as well as Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and the awesome revitalization of old-school Sonic in Sonic Mania are currently available to download until July 1st. July's PS Plus titles will go live on July 2nd.

During the golden age of video games the primary definition of a sequel was ‘same thing, just more’. There were minor tweaks here and there, but the primary gameplay remained the same… only with an abundance of new content. Super Mario Maker 2 is a throwback to this era with improvements and additions to the original DIY Wii U predecessor in nearly every way. If you missed out on the original Super Mario Maker back in a few years back, the premise hasn’t changed in the sequel. It’s a Mario Bros. themed, 2D platforming and level-editing game that expands on the original with a host of new features, level styles, enemies and items. In addition to Mario, you are able to play as Luigi, Toad, and Toadette in both the single-player and multiplayer modes. The two stand-out features in Super Mario Maker 2 are the offline, single-player Story Mode and the new online multiplayer elements. In the Story Mode Mario is tasked with numerous jobs from the Toad builders of the Mushroom Kingdom. Each job rewards Mario with a differing amount of coins which he then uses to build various sections of Princess Peach’s new castle. The jobs are ranked in difficulty between one and four stars, the later earning more coins. The jobs come in the way of over 100 official courses pre-produced by the taskmaster Toad. All the jobs are unique and rather than acting as a tutorial show players what can be accomplished with the traditional and new features of Super Mario Maker 2. They can be seen as an inspiration lab for your custom course designs. Once Mario has rebuilt the Castle there are additional tasks that can be completed via non-playable characters such as Mr. Eraser and the infamous ‘Undodog’. Completing these levels will reward you with rare items that you can apply to your online profile to make you stand out from the crowd. The online hub in Super Mario Maker 2 is presented through the Course World; granting players the ability to find levels created (and shared) by other players. While this was available in the previous reiterations of the series it has now been significantly streamlined for a much more memorable experience. Players can view popular courses, search by course and user ID as well as use parameters such as style, theme, difficulty and region to make things easier to navigate. Once you’ve successfully completed a user’s level you can provide feedback on the course via text, a drawing, or a Mario-themed stamp. Players can also vote on courses and provide a positive or negative ranking using the "I like it!" or "Boo!" buttons. A clear rate and world record time for the level are also shown for every custom course. Players on the Course World are presented by a Mii with each profile showing the players VS rating, Maker Points and medal list for accomplishing different tasks. In this section you are able to apply different cosmetics to your Mii that can be unlocked throughout the various game modes. The Network Play feature allows you to join up to 3 other players both online in Global Play as well as Nearby Play where you can join 3 other Switch consoles. The Global Play consists of Multiplayer co-op and Multiplayer Versus. The online versus mode is a whole lot of fun and by far the best new addition to the series. Sadly, the same can’t be said for the Multiplayer co-op which is simply frustrating and overly chaotic. Much like the popular 100 Mario Challenge in the first Super Mario Maker an Endless Challenge has been introduced whereby you take part in completing as many random courses before you run out of lives. There are four different sub-sections to the Endless Challenge; Easy, Normal, Expert and Super Expert. If you manage to achieve a high score on any of the difficulties, you will make your way up the online global leaderboards. are ranked on the leaderboards. Newcomers to the franchise may want to try their hand at the comprehensive ‘Yamamura's Dojo’. This is a tutorial mode that provides Maker Lessons that are categorized for beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques. This also briefly showcases some of the newer inclusions to the game. Super Mario Maker 2 is a worthwhile sequel to the original but there is no doubt that the series felt more at home on the Wii U console. If you plan to play the game via anything else other than the handheld mode, you’ll have to sit through quite a frustrating interface learning curb. I used a general tablet/phone stylus which increased the accessibility of the coarse Maker section tenfold. Another disappointment is that not all the new enemies and/or items are available though out all of the themes even though they were included in the original games. This being said, there is a variety of different themes far larger than ever before with Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario 3D World all having ten sub-themes such as Sky, Ghost House, Airship and Snow; each with their own unique twist in gameplay. In the end what will make or break Super Mario Maker 2 is the online community and the quality of content it provides. Super Mario Maker 2 is both a homage to the games from the past that we know and love and a creative addition to the franchise. Let's just home that the Global Play levels aren't swamped with those Auto-Mario, "Don't move" levels that plagued the first game.

Cooler Master is not just branchiung out to better cater for gamers, but understand that gamers are professionals by day, and have thus created a keyboard geared towards your professional career during the day, as well as your gaming career at night with the new SK621 wireless, low-profile keyboard. The Cooler Master SK621 is a dynamic keyboard that allows users to use it no matter the situation. In a board meeting? The elegant aliminium brush finish with black keycaps looks classy in even the most corporate function. Gaming? Great, simply turn the RGB backlighting on - or not if you don't like it - and away you go. Cooler Master have also tought about the size issue of traditional gaming keyboards, as you don't really want to walk around with a giant mechanical keyboard wherever you go. This is why the SK621 is a 10-keyless keyboard that is 60% smaller, with smaller keycap spacing and programming almost every button to have a secondary function. For better comfort, the SK621 makes use of Cherry's new low-profile switches with lowered actuation points and a smoother key press overall. Furthermore, the Cooler Master SK621 is a wireless keyboard at heart, but you can use it wired if you so desire, perfect if you stop at a coffee shop to check in, or to keep your desk free from cluttery wires. Crazier still, is that Cooler Master has promised four months of battery life on a single charge, if you remove the backlighting, and 14 hours with the lighting on. Finally, the Cooler Master SK621 has fully programmable macro key functions with on the fly controls, as well as saving three separate devices for instant and convenient connection, which can be done on the keyboard itself. Everything can be programmed using the easy-to-use Cooler Master Portal software - just remember to update firmware for the SK621, and make sure to update the application as well. The Cooler Master SK621 is available now for around R1600, VAT included.

Time flies when you're playing video games. It just so happens that half of 2019 is already over, and with it came some great, memorable, and exhilarating gaming experiences. We've had to sift through some of our most highly rated video games of the year, taking into account several factors such as overall impact, our personal feelings, and general consensus to bring you ten of the best games of 2019 (so far). With so many great titles on the horizon, we thought it'd be fitting to reflect on what the year has already graced us with. From devil-slaying to Disney magic, here's our picks for the best video games of 2019 so far! Starting with... Honorable Mentions: Tropico 6, One Finger Death Punch 2, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled 10. Days Gone Review Excerpt: Days Gone is an absolutely brutal, rewarding, and phenomenal narrative experience, mixed with great action, and fun gameplay. Days Gone is the perfect combination of survival mechanics to make the title more intense, with natural characters, a rewarding storyline, and addictive gameplay. I was hesitant at the start of Days Gone, but I can honestly say that, while you won't get bullet-showered zombie action, you will get a beautiful story in a living world. Full review HERE. 9. Draugen Review Excerpt: Draugen is a stunning, emotionally resonant experience, and one of the best games I've played in 2019. For those unfamiliar with titles like Gone Home and Dear Esther (with a hint of BioShock), from which the game heavily lifts its inspirations, this might not be your cup of tea. It's a slow narrative-driven adventure that unravels its layered, fascinating mystery with conviction, brevity, and stellar writing. Full review HERE. 8. Tom Clancy's The Division 2 Review Excerpt: The Division 2 offers a fantastic loot-and-shoot experience, and one that doesn't actually make it feel like a grind to get to the Endgame, where all the good loot is. The story is serious enough to make tasks memorable, and the side content is fulfilling and contributes to the game's progression. The combat is fast, intense, and well-paced, with each battle a taxing sessions of keeping your wits about you. Full review HERE. 7. Devil May Cry 5 Review Excerpt: DMC5 is a fantastic game, one that is sure to please fans of the genre. It’s not without its issues, but the positives of the game far outweigh its negatives and is another great title from Capcom, who have been on a roll lately and have had a stellar start to 2019 with the release of Resident Evil 2 Remake, and now this. If Capcom can continue on this route, we are sure to have some amazing releases in the future. Capcom are back on top and Devil May Cry 5 further cements their status as one of the best developers in the industry. Full review HERE. 6. F1 2019 Review Excerpt: F1 2019 does an amazing job, once again, at making you feel like an actual Formula 1 driver, and the attention to detail is what has always set this franchise apart. The inclusion of F2 into the F1 campaign is fantastic, but it would be great to see it extended. The Classic content of old-school Formula 1 machines makes you miss the glory days, and is an excellent addition to your experience. Full review HERE. 5. Resident Evil 2 Review Excerpt: Resident Evil 2 is still an excellent survival-horror game that modernises the original in a myriad of intelligent ways, giving new players an incredible first experience and continuously surprising returning players. While not radically different, the inclusion of first- and 2nd-run campaigns, coupled with the 4th Survivor and Tofu challenges (and some free DLC modes coming), provide a ton of value. Full review HERE. 4. Metro Exodus Review Excerpt: Metro Exodus impresses from start to finish - successfully transitioning the game to the surface and open environments, without sacrificing the narrative-focus, grounded gameplay, and oppressive atmosphere the series is renowned for. The cross-continent journey feels suitably epic and engaging, leading into an intense concluding chapter, satisfying ending, and it all runs on a engine that both looks and sounds incredible. Full review HERE. 3. Kingdom Hearts III Review Excerpt: Kingdom Hearts III brings answers to a lot of the questions we've had since the ending of Kingdom Hearts II. During the course of your adventure, the story can become a bit boring, but thankfully these don't last very long and you're thrown into the action again. Great voice acting, fluid combat, fantastic graphics, and all the little details that are are easy to miss make Kingdom Hearts III the crowning jewel of the series and one every single fan should experience. Full review HERE. 2. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Review Excerpt: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is another spectacular entry into From Software’s growing library of instant classics. The gameplay, while brutishly tough, is extremely rewarding if you play by the game’s rules. It also features the developer’s fastest, most refined combat yet, where every single encounter is a test of wits, patience, and timing. Sekiro tells a more straight-forward narrative without the baggage of ambiguity (mostly), but it leaves enough to be desired for veterans while enticing newcomers to explore its refreshing twists and turns. Full review HERE. 1. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Review Excerpt: Why is Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night the best game I've played this year? Simply put, it has everything I want in a game: a large interconnected world to explore, a huge amount of power-ups and abilities to unlock and use, multiple types of weaponary that change the style of combat, loot, loot and more loot, interesting characters and boss designs. Boss battles are great fun and prove challenging at times, especially the secret boss fights. Addictive gameplay and mechanics make this game a must-play title. the world is scattered with secrets right to the very end of the game and beyond, finding everything will take well over 20 hours. Additionally, it has 3 different endings and 13 free DLC packs which contain new modes and even new characters to play as. Oh, and did I mention you can get the Shovel Knight armor which transforms you into Shovel Knight which comes equipped with his trusty spade? Full review coming soon. What's your personal favourite game of 2019? Let us know in the comments below!