Asus recently unveiled their dual screen range of laptops this year, but many have focused on the Zenbook Pro, with its awe-inspiring 4K secondary screen. That is definitely for good reason, but I don’t think people should overlook the Zenbook 15. This is an impressively compact laptop that packs more punch than you would think at first glance, thanks to the 8th-generation Intel i7 and Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU. In fact, two weeks into testing and I still couldn’t believe just how much can be packed into something so small, and still be more than functional. This is an impressively compact laptop that packs more punch than you would think at first glance, thanks to the 8th-generation Intel i7 and Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU Specs: Operating System: Windows 10 HomeProcessor: Intel® Core™ i7-8565U processor 1.8GHz quad-core with Turbo Boost (up to 4.6GHz) and 8MB cacheGraphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 Max-Q 4GB GDDR5 VRAMDisplay: 15.6” LED-backlit Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 slim-bezel NanoEdge display/15.6” LED-backlit Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) 16:9 slim-bezel NanoEdge displayMemory: 8GB / 16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 onboardStorage: 1TB PCIe® x4 SSD/256GB/512GB/1TB PCIe® x2 SSDBattery: 71Wh 8-cell lithium-polymer battery 120W power adapterWeight: With anti-glare display: Approx. 1.55kg/With standard display: Approx. 1.65kgPrice: estimated R24,000 The Zenbook is as sleek and elegant as a modern ballroom dress, with subtle gradients in the colour that give off a more pristine finish. The Royal Blue paint job, sprinkled with gold accents make the Zenbook a fingerprint magnet, but it’s definitely worth the pain of giving the notebook a good wipe after each usage. It's simply gorgeous. That being said, the dainty colouring of the notebook is matched with a rather robust build. For something so lightweight, the notebook has little-to-no flex on the chasis and the Ergo-Lift hinge feels sturdy enough to not give you anxiety when opening the laptop in public. As for the form factor, there really isn’t much to complain about. The Asus Zenbook 15 is impeccably lightweight and just as thin. Carrying the notebook around won’t be a problem for those who travel often, as it takes almost no space and has a travel-sized power adapter. The Zenbook is as sleek and elegant as a modern ballroom dress, with subtle gradients in the colour that give off a more pristine finish To put it simply, this notebook is gorgeous and will definitely turn heads on looks alone. However, it’s not the only aspect of the notebook that will turn heads. The Zenbook 15 sports - among many other things - a secondary display. The secondary display also acts as a mousepad and boasts touchscreen functionality. The idea of a rather small secondary display may sound like a gimmick, but I found that not to be the case during the testing period. The secondary screen is a FHD 1920x1080 display, so it’s not something to just forget about. I used the display to watch movies, browsing the web, and general productivity, but that was just to have more space on my primary screen. It never once felt like it was the lesser of the two screens, but the size did impact reading certain forms of text. The secondary screen is a FHD 1920x1080 display, so it’s not something to just forget about Thankfully, it does make multitasking a breeze. Within the first day of using the Zenbook 15, it really becomes hard to imagine a life without a secondary mousepad-sized screen. It’s just small enough for you to still have a full-sized chiclet-style keyboard, but big enough to make sure you’re not squinting your eyes every time you use it The screen serves as more than just a reason to up the price. Much like a garden tool is an extension of a gardener’s hand, the second screen is an extension of the Zenbook’s functionality. It opens up new forms of multitasking on the go, that was never even considered in the past, outside of physically carrying a second screen with you wherever you go. Sure, you could argue that the secondary screen isn’t necessary, but that’s not the point. The second screen marks an innovative turn for the future of notebooks. The quality of life improvements that come from having that secondary screen are just too grand to ignore. Only after being without the notebook for a few days, did I start to notice how much I missed the second screen it offered. Much like a garden tool is an extension of a gardener’s hand, the second screen is an extension of the Zenbook’s functionality What’s the drawback, you ask? Well, there really aren’t any. The battery life is decent, with our testing getting between 4-8 hours of usage on a single charge. It was pretty heavy usage too. For those who fear how much battery the secondary screen will drain, you can always lock it into mousepad mode, or simply reduce the resolution and brightness. Then again, why wouldn’t you want to use the screen after spending so much on the notebook? That being said, this isn’t exactly a gaming orientated laptop. The Zenbook 15 comes with a 1650 Max-Q, but it was made with productivity in mind. If you’re a creative on the go, definitely put the Zenbook 15 on your shortlist. The notebook will handle almost every productivity-based task you have with ease, and even handle some light gaming. Even while doing some CPU intensive tasks, the Zenbook 15 gave me the confidence to continue without wondering if I would run into any stutters or lag of any kind. The fans are decent, keeping the notebook efficiently cool, all while maintaining near silence. Under a load you will hear the fans spinning, but it’s not going to disturb anyone. That being said, the notebook is incredibly thin. While maintaining that small form factor, Asus have given it a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C (up to 10Gbps), USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A (up to 10Gbps), USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, Standard HDMI, SD card reader,USB 3.1 Gen 1 audio jack, SD card reader, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, and a USB 3.1 Gen 2HDMI. Take notes Apple. That being said, this isn’t exactly a gaming orientated laptop. The Zenbook 15 comes with a 1650 Max-Q, but it was made with productivity in mind. If you’re a creative on the go, definitely put the Zenbook 15 on your shortlist Not once in my entire testing period did I feel like the Zenbook was missing something. The primary display is almost besselless and sports some clear imagery, boasting 100% sRGB color gamut. For such a small notebook, Asus managed to fit a lot of screen in the given space. Alongside all of that, there’s a decent set of speakers somehow slotted in. It’s enough to fill up a small room with clear audio, and the bass provided by the included subwoofer does a decent job of hitting the right lows. It definitely doesn’t disappoint, but you’re probably going to use headphones for most audio-related activities. Thanks to the aforementioned audio jack, you can secretly watch movies on your secondary screen with ease. People may wonder why you’re staring at your mousepad with a blank expression on your face after a few minutes. The amazing build quality, beautiful design, and fantastic secondary display are more than enough of a reason to fall in love with this notebook The Asus Zenbook 15 is a jack of all trades and master of some type of notebook. The amazing build quality, beautiful design, and fantastic secondary display are more than enough of a reason to fall in love with this notebook. While some may see the secondary screen as a gimmick, it takes productivity to the next level.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Metro Exodus earlier this year, even though the claustrophobic tunnels of the metro were mostly replaced with grueling trips across a hostile surface. That said, some of the most memorable encounters were still those that took you back underground, navigating mutant-infested tunnels by torchlight, counting every shot and impact, as your ammunition and medical supplies dwindled. The Two Colonels DLC doubles down on that classic tunnel-crawling design and then some, expanding upon the events in the rushed last chapter of Metro Exodus, and providing Colonel Miller with some much-needed closure. READ MORE: Review: Metro Exodus It’s worth noting upfront, The Two Colonels DLC has a strong narrative focus. In the three and a half hours it took me to complete on Ranger Hardcore difficulty, I probably spent a third of that time engaged in dialogue or exploring the Novosibirsk stations, eavesdropping on conversations to eke out a little more of the backstory. From the opening moments, you know 4A Games is going back to what made the prior Metro games great. Sadly, you don’t actually get to play as Miller - his journey plays out as cutscenes that transition into flashback sequences, placing you in control of Colonel Khlebnikov. You’ll discover what kind of father he was to Kiril (the small boy you encounter in Exodus), the political machinations that led to the downfall of Novosibirsk, his own conflicted morals, and his final mission to find satellite maps that offer the chance of finding a safe new home for himself and his son. Despite having no playable sections, Miller still gets plenty of time to ramble to himself (and therefore the player). You’ll witness his change from a soldier who spent his life putting the mission before parenting, to a father who realises everything he does is now for his children. Despite the ending of Metro Exodus touching on this transition, The Two Colonels fleshes out his final hours, as he retraces the steps and decisions of Colonel Khlebnikov, realising the impact it had on his son. Covering the fall of Novosibirsk also allows the writers to discuss the parallels between the political elite in Moscow and Novosibirsk, an element of the Metro 2035 novel that was touched on but swiftly forgotten after the prologue in Metro Exodus. The downfall of Novosibirsk makes for a dark tale. Don't expect any of the hopefulness that permeated Metro Exodus. If the narrative doesn’t interest you (why are you playing a Metro game?), you’ll still find the gameplay thrilling. Two of the three chapters return to the tense and claustrophobic tunnel-crawling that left you feeling so isolated and vulnerable in the prior games. Colonel Khlebnikov - despite his title and the respect he commands - is not afraid to get his hands dirty. The opening moments place you in a stairwell, descending into the slime-infested drainage tunnels around his home station, on the hunt for a fully-grown worm that stalks you throughout the chapter. For those having horrible flashbacks to the infested tunnels in Metro Exodus, rest easy. This time, you’re on foot and have a flamethrower - a weapon with a pilot-light that serves as your only source of illumination in the dark. As your only form of defence, you need scavenge and ration fuel, hunt for upgrades, and keep it clean; a simplified take on the crafting in the main game. For those who played the excellent “Spider Lair” DLC for Metro: Last Light, these chapters feel pleasantly familiar. Meet your new trusty friend – a flamethrower that sets slime and worms aflame (obliterating them with a satisfying popping sound), and sends Nosalises scampering away, on fire and howling. The second chapter is a mix of narrative and action as you witness the situation in Novosibirsk deteriorate into all-out war, before the final chapter sees Colonel Khlebnikov head into the bunker below the local satellite station, on the hunt for radiation maps of the Lake Baikal region - the same maps that Colonel Miller sets out to find after separating from Artyom in Metro Exodus. This mission once again leaves you alone in the dark, with only your trusty flamethrower, up against mutants far more threatening than slime worms. As with the prior games, playing The Two Colonels on a difficulty you find easy is doing a disservice to the atmosphere they're trying to generate. These games often receive criticism for their clunky movement and shooting, but they’ve never tried to be FPS games - they’re closer to survival horror, demanding you pay attention to avoid excess damage, while forcing you to scrounge around for every clip of ammunition you can get your hands on. You’ll want to pick a difficulty that challenges you, and remember, you can still quick-save on every difficulty except Ranger Hardcore. As with the prior Metro games, if you don't have the patience to stop and listen to the numerous NPCs, you're going to miss out on the fine details. The last thing to touch on is the presentation and, aside from some rare audio crackling I had on the Xbox One, The Two Colonels uses Metro Exodus’ upgraded engine to great effect. The subterranean tunnels and metro stations have never looked so good, or felt so atmospheric. The visuals are complemented by great audio and a musical score that echoes parts of Artyom’s final mission - tying events together and enhancing the impact of Miller’s final moments. For those who found technical issues an annoyance in Metro Exodus, the reduced scope of the environments and level-based structure ensures performance and load times are much-improved. All things considered, you’ll find very little wrong with The Two Colonels DLC, unless you didn’t enjoy the series to start with. I’d loved to have been able to play as Colonel Miller and spotted some Dark Ones again (maybe they’re there?), but it’s available for dirt cheap (R65 on Steam and Xbox Live; R129 on the PSN store because they’re idiots), offering up three hours of condensed Metro gameplay, and a narrative that both enhances the ending of Metro Exodus and fleshes out one of my favourite characters.

Dan Trachtenberg, the now-former Uncharted movie director, has departed the project, as reported by Deadline. Trachtenberg is one of the many directors who have parted ways with the project, but the studio is rumoured to be in meeting for a replacement. Thankfully, however, Tom Holland is seemingly set to star in the film, which is meant to start production next year. According to Deadline, PlayStation Productions will supposedly take on the role of production duties for the film, and Uncharted will be their first feature film. So far, we don't have a direct response from Trachtenberg regarding his departure, other than the shift to PlayStation Productions. Trachtenberg has spoken about the film before, though, stating that it will not be a direct adaptation of the video game, but will feature a younger Nathan Drake instead. There is no set release date as yet for the Uncharted film.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was set to launch its Gunfight 2v2 alpha build today, and while players could download the title from yesterday, the servers were assumedly only going to be live from today. However, Activision gave fans a lucky surprise, by activating said servers a full 20 hours before schedule. As expected, this caused a massive influx in players to the mode, but things went fairly simply considering there was a massive rush of people trying to get on. IF you are looking to jump in on the action, you can visit the PlayStation Store page for the alpha, and queue the download. Thankfully, for those who are worried, the alpha is free to download and does not require an acitve PS Plus account to play. As the weekend progresses, there will be more content unlocked. The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Gunfight 2v2 alpha is only available on PS4 at the moment, but the mode will be available on PC and Xbox One in the September Beta. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare releases on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 on the 25th of October.