The KiiBoom x Strawberryjam1986 Strawberry Jello Switch Set comes with 35 5-pin switches. These are linear switches compatible with MX keycaps. Rated for up to 50,000,000 keystrokes, these switches are built to last. These switches were also built to perform and take on any workload with its ideal actuation and high-accuracy feedback. Most importantly, the housing promises a comfortable typing experience with that satisfying typing ASMR enthusiasts seek.
Sound Test
Review
I used the Strawberry Jello switches to replace the ones that came with one of my budget keyboards. I did not know how budget the keyboard was until I started taking it apart. These switches were a fantastic upgrade, and made an a very usable keyboard into a delight. I first noticed the soft creamy sound that I have come to crave when I am typing. I then noticed how much more comfortable the switches were to use. Each press felt softer and I felt my hard hurt less and less the more I used this keyboard. I did not notice any change in performance. The previous switches did the job, and these handled my workload just as well. The only real difference is that the old switches feel cheap, and I have no intention in putting them back.
If you are looking for a set of switches to either give new life to an old mechanical keyboard or if you’re building a brand new one, these are the KiiBOOM Strawberry Jellos are a great place to start. They are easy to install, they are well crafted, perform well, and they are very cute. If you’re looking to build a cozy setup, you can’t go wrong with KiiBOOM stuff, especially with these switches.
I was sent a free copy of Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.
You are the new principle of a school for aspiring heroes. As principle, it your job to recruit the best the land has to offer and train them to be the heroes the realm needs. You will have to start from zero, as you build your school, expand its facilities, and improve its accreditation. Do you have what it takes to make your school the most prestigious of the land? Will your heroes define the future of the realm?
Gameplay
The game is split into three different loops: school management, party management, and adventuring.
As principle of the school, players will need to upgrade and manage their facilities to provide them most for their students. The structures and rooms that fill the walls of the school will help level the students for adventures, boost their stats, and boost resource production. Knowing what room or facility to build is kind of important, but there isn’t a real need to play optimally. The game feels very forgiving to a point. There will also be random events that pop up around the school that give random rewards and a bit of flavor. The game will ask players if they want to give a pop quiz and reward the player based on their answers.
Students who go to the school earn XP by going to class or visiting the different facilities. This is all automated. Gearing, party creation, and a students acceptance is up to the player. Players will need to craft weapons for their players, assign their classes, and fill the party with eager students. The hard part is leveling and gearing players enough to successfully complete missions and ultimately graduate from the school. A school earns prestige based on the graduates. You are attempting to generate fame and a legacy.
While students can earn XP and level by attending class or using the many facilities, nothing beats earning real world experience. Players can send their students on quests that scale in difficulty. Players can manage multiple parties and fill those parties with different types of units. Participating in quests earn units XP, and completing quests earns players resources. Players must learn how to manage their parties efficiently to progress through the story.
Review
I am sure Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story has its niche, but the game is really boring. What kills the game for me is the grind. Everything, even in the earliest stages of the game, feels like it takes forever. I don’t mind a grind, even if it is very repetitive, but i found each gamaplay loop basic and uninteresting.
So as a village management game, there really isn’t much to do. I don’t like that there isn’t a fast forward function, especially since the game feels slow from the beginning. I appreciate the casual approach to the genre, but it almost feels too casual with very little depth. I messed up really early and graduated all my good units and all I could do was wait around a long time before I could properly take on quests again. This destroyed any interest I had in the game, and it made it hard to want to keep playing.
Gearing and party management is an very interesting concept, but the implementation is on the simpler side. This wouldn’t be a problem if farming for the materials didn’t take so long, and the grind is very boring. I do like that i had to discover and unlock new weapons by playing the game, but it just takes so long to get to anywhere meaningful.
The adventuring loop is probably my least favorite part of this game. Quests feel repetitive and combat isn’t interesting until you can unlock classes. Unlocking classes takes too long, and leveling every single student starts to feel like a chore. I kind of wish this part was also automated because I didn’t feel like it added much to the game. I would have preferred to build my school, prepare my students, send them on quests, and wait for them to return with rewards. Of course, I would have loved to be able to fast forward through all of this process.
That said, there are parts of this game I do like. I love the game’s whimsical artstyle, and the music that fills the world. I like the idea of building up my school and student body, but the execution doesn’t vibe with me. I can see this title being a fun casual game you pull up when you are in the mood for some cozy gaming, but there are also better options. It isn’t a bad game, but I wouldn’t get it at full price.
If you like the art and want a village management that isn’t a huge commitment, sure. Otherwise, the game is boring and you can do a lot better.
Epomaker sent me the TH108 Mechanical Keyboard with the Sea Salt Silent switches for free to review for my blog. While I am very greateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. Make sure to check out my latest reviews for the HE68 and the HE80 keyboards. I’ll be using my Amazon Affiliate link where possible. It really helps me out if you use it.
What’s in the box?
Epomaker TH108 Full Sized Gaming Keyboard
USB-C to USB-A cable
Wireless 2.4Ghz Wireless Dongle
2 x Extra Switches
Key/Switch Puller
User Manual
Features
The TH108 is a stylish full-sized keyboard mechanical gaming keyboard. It comes with 108 keys that are easily hot swappable and customizable. The keyboard comes with the Epomaker Creamy Jade switches for the users who want that satisfying thack when they type, or they can opt for the Sea Salt Silent Switches for when they want something a bit more subtle. No matter what switch you choose, you are getting a stylish well machined machine that is available in all black, or a very pretty subtle blue. With the that beautiful south facing RGB as the perfect accent, this keyboard will truly shine on any desk.
But the TH108 is more than just its looks and many keys, it is ready to perform and take on any work load. The TH108 comes with an impressive 8000mAh battery, which means you won’t be reaching for that chord unless you really need to. The 5-layer padded gasket gives the keyboad its satisfying sound and comfortable feel. The switches, whichever you choose, along with the cherry profile keycaps and the perfect adjustable typing angle ensures an almost universally comfortable typing experience. All the glamour and comfort is of course meaningless without the keyboards high speed low-latency wireless and wired connections. The TH108 is ready to upgrade any station, no matter what it’s for.
Sound Test
Review
Users will be impressed by the emasculate build of the TH108. The keyboard may be on the lighter side, but it does not feel cheap. The gasket and switches all look well machined, and the printing on the caps is clear and crisp. I received the blue variant and the color scheme is very pretty. If you are looking for a mechanical keyboard but don’t like the sound, it doesn’t get any quieter than the Sea Salt Silent switches. These things are quietest switches I’ve ever used, and I am sure my wife appreciated every minute of them. If you do enjoy the keyboard ASMR, the Creamy Jade switches are solid and have a very satisfying sound.
The TH108 is also very comfortable. I thought the Sea Salt Switches were a little on the stiffer side, but once I got used to it, I prefer the feedback. Each keypress felt impactful and it didn’t destroy my hands. While I do appreciate the adjustable height, the default typing angle is excellent. I wouldn’t say this keyboard is the ergonomic solution you are looking for, but most users will find it very satisfying. I need special ergonomics for my hands, but the TH108 is very good contender for what I keep in my rotation.
But the keyboard is more than just its pretty aesthetic and silent gimick. This keyboard performs well. It was able to handle all of my gaming and workload without issue. Most importantly, I rarely had to plug it in. I got about 10 hours of use out of the box, and I can’t remember charging since. The wire connection is nice if I want to be competitive, but anything that cuts down my wire clutter is a winner.
If you are in the market for a full-sized keyboard, the TH108 is a fantastic budget option. This keyboard looks good and works great. You can pick up your TH108 on the official Epomaker store, or on Amazon through my Affiliate link.
I was asked to cover Monmusu Girls: Autobattler and was given free ingame items for my review. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. I also did not redeem any of the in-game items until I was done with my review. I wanted to see how free-to-play friendly the experience was.
Collect your army of cute monster girls and face off against the Demon King’s army. Upgrade your units to make them stronger, go on different quests and missions, and make a few friends along the way. How far will this magical journey take you? What will your team look like in the end?
Review
Monmusu Girls: Autobattler is a phone app that has been ported as a steam game. As a result, some of the controls are clunky. Playing it on the Steam Deck is preferred because this game works great with the touch screen. The gameplay loop is simple. You click through the different screens, collecting cute anime girls and sending them to earn materials. There is a story, but it is poorly written and not the reason to play the game. You are playing the game for the art. I love the art, but you are getting a censored version of what they show in the promotional images on Steam. The girls are a lot more covered up, but that doesn’t ruin the game. I personally like that I can play the game in public without it ever getting to lewd.
What will ruin the game is its gameplay, it is very simple. I am sure there are some nuances I wasn’t catching, buffs I wasn’t maximizing, and I was very wasteful with my resources, but you really are just clicking until you run out of resources. Resources in the beginning are bountiful, and leveling feels fast. This is a little shady tactic common in gacha games to get people hooked, and the game does it well. The problem I have with the game is that once you get past this grace period, the game stops. You stop winning battles and don’t have the resources to level up without grinding. Luckily, you can grind in the background, but that jarring shift in tempo is going to turn off people to the game. I wish this progression was done a little more casually so people are eased into it, but the goal is to make money from people who don’t want to wait for the grind.
Leveling in this game sucks. Players have to buy levels for their Valkyrie with essence material they earn by completing missions. Weapons need to be leveled by cannibalizing other items. There are extra special levels you can buy for each Valkyrie by pulling their puzzle pieces. These are systems put in place to slow players down, and once you run out of resources, it essentially locks you out of the game.
Leveling Valkyrie by buying levels is a terrible system. There are important progression missions that require players to own a certain amount of Valkyrie at a certain level. Once you get past the grace period, it takes a very long time to level each required character. God forbid you pull a character you like more after you’ve invested all your resources leveling something you will end up replacing. There are also events that forces players to use different teams, and that means you’re facing off these challenges with a few level 1s with no gear. I wish I could level characters through normal XP gain with the option to buy ascensions like other games in the genre. This would just make the grind feel less wasteful because I would want to build a powerful themed team to earn better rewards.
Valkyrie also have extra levels that can only be leveled by exchanging enough puzzle pieces. That means players will have to continue to gamble until they have enough puzzle pieces to max out their character, and that feels greedy.
items in this game are pointless. They don’t do much except offer buffs, and leveling them is a worse experience than leveling the units. It would be cool if legendary items would be craftable, and I wish they had abities like poisons and debuffs. Then I would be forced to decide what items to cannibalize instead of mindlessly clicking for my power level to go up. It takes a lot of resources to do this, and the changes don’t feel as impactful as leveling.
To earn puzzle pieces to turn in, Valkyrie to fight for you, or weapons to equip or cannibalize you need to buy chests. Chests all use the same currency and that means you will need a lot of it to level up your team to do better content. The grind for this after you pass that grace period feels bad, and good luck pulling what you need.
Where this game will lose players is that you can skip all of this with real money. You can buy essence to level your team, weapons to gear them up, and puzzle pieces to max them out. You can even buy powerful units and weapons that are guaranteed. How do I know this? Because the game doesn’t stop bombarding me with ads for special deals or notifying me of parts of the game that I am missing out on. I get that they are trying to make money, but this gets annoying quick. It also kind of sucks that the PvP part of this game is going to be dominated by the folks who spend the money, leaving the poor folks to click towards what I assume will be an ever moving goalpost.
So what did I think of the game? I have a very healthy addiction to gacha games, so I will probably keep playing. The art is cute and I already feel invested. For the record, what I was given for free only gave me a few levels of progress, now I am stuck grinding with the rest of them.
I do like that the game developers are actively working to make the experience better. At least they are actively working on fixing the bugs. I also like the music and artstyle. What I don’t like about the game is how pay to win the game can be if you let it. If you’re playing casually here and there, the bottle neck shouldn’t be a problem. If you like the game and have the means, you should support them financially.
So should you get this game? Well if you like the art and want the thrilling gameplay of collecting waifus, sure. You can through this in the background and click your way to victory. However, if you want a deep RPG with cute anime girls, this isn’t it. It is free to play, but the end of the day, it is a gacha game designed to take your money.
Epomaker sent me the HE68 Lite Hall Effect Gaming Keyboardfor free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. Make sure you also check out my reviews for the Magcore87 keyboard and the EK21 keypad. I will also be using my Amazon Affiliate link where possible. It really helps me out if you use it.
What’s in the Box?
HE 68 Lite Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard
3 Additional Switches
Screws for Adjustments
Hand Strap and Strap Accessories
USB-C to USB-A Cable
Key/Switch Puller
User Manual
Features
The HE68 Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard is a 65% portable wired keyboard that does not break the bank. Its light weight and compact design make it perfect for travel, and the included hand strap makes it much more convenient. With a total of 68 programmable backlit keys, users can enjoy a versatile gaming solution for only $40. Users can customize the polling rate and actuation of the HE68 Lite for an experience that not only fits their gaming style, but takes it to the next level. It is also SOCD and DKS ready for those who need that extra edge. With the ability to easily program macros, the HE68 proves to be a powerful machine in a small package. Some people may be disappointed by the lack or wireless support, but a wired connection is unparalleled when it comes to performance and reliability. Luckily, the HE68 lite promises to do both at a very reasonable price point.
Sound Test
Review
Users might be disappointed by the HE68 Lite at first glace. The keyboard feels like cheap plastic, but it looks well made. The keys are printed clearly and everything else is well machined. The light weight design does make it ideal for travel, and it does feel sturdy enough to survive a few trips.
Using the keyboard might bring a bit more disappointment. If you’ve used good switches before, the HE68 feels cheap. Typing sounds like plastic pieces banging against each other, so don’t expect that satisfying clacking you’d get from a nicer mechanical keyboard. The switches also feel a little stiff. Adjusting the actuation helps, but out of the box experience isn’t satisfying. That said, the keyboard is comfortable enough to use, even for long sprints. It may not be strictly ergonomic, but it didn’t trigger my repetitive stress injury like other cheap keyboards have done.
As for the keyboards performance, you are getting a powerful contender at the price point. There was ghosting and the HE68 proved very responsive. It was able to handle my level of competitive as well as my everyday workflow without issue.
At this price point, you aren’t doing much better. They keyboard works well out of the box and has a few interesting features that give it a respectable amount of versatility. If you are looking for an affordable gaming keyboard or something you can travel with, I don’t think you can find much better than the HE68 Lite gaming keyboard.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has officially hit the Universus tcg lineup and that means we got a new starter deck. Make sure you always support your LGS when buying Universus, but you can always pick up the new starter deck and other TCG product on TCG Player through my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do.
I was sent a free copy of Rally Arcade Classics to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.
Rally Arcade Classics is an arcade racer out now on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.
Hop into your favorite car and race across some beautiful trail in an authentic arcade rally car experience. This game puts its players behind the wheel of iconic cars from the era in a experience fit for veteran and newbies alike. Whether you are setting the course record, taking first place in a race, or driving through one of the other many challenges, you won’t be siting at idle. Can you master your control over the elements and be the best racer to hit the leader boards?
Review
Rally Arcade Classics is the best arcade racer you can pick up on PC. It has a fun ratro aesthetic that takes me back to the days I spent at arcades with a fun sound track to get me into the racing mood. The game runs very well. While it does feel like an arcade racer, I didn’t notice any game changing dips in performance. This is a game that fills its niche well. If you like rally cars and enjoy arcade racers, this needs to be in your library.
Personally, I felt the game was too repetitive. There is a grind as you work your way to faster cars. On one hand, this does a good job at easing players into the more complex mechanics of the more advanced races. On the other, it can get stale if you don’t love the car you’re driving or just want to go fast. I wish it let me experience other game modes without having to unlock so much, but there is also a good amount of content to work through.
This is a good arcade racer that is worth $20. If you like the aesthetic and don’t mind the grind, this should be in your library. I am pretty indifferent when it comes to racing games, but I enjoyed my time with Rally Arcade Classics.
You can pick up Rally Arcade Classics on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation for $19.99.
I was sent a copy of the Don’t Lose Aggro demo to review for my blog. I am very grateful and understand the game isn’t finished yet. While I will be a bit more lenient with my criticism, this will still be my honest review.
Don’t Lose Aggrois a unique twist on the survival action rogue-like coming to Steam.
Ever wanted the feeling of tanking in your favorite MMO but without any of the pressure? Well pick up your shield and your favorite ally and do just that in Don’t Lose Aggro. Fend off against waves of enemies and their bosses as you use your skills to keep allies alive. Do you have what it takes to beat the raid and unlock everything? Then check out the Don’t Lose Aggro today!
Gameplay
Players chose their shield and ally and load into a run where they defend against waves of enemies using their kit. All players start with the same shield, move pool, and ally, unlocking more as they play and beat challenges. During a run, players can auto attack in the beginning, but slowly learn new spells and abilities as they kill enemies to level. In typical rogue-like fashion, the spells are offered randomly at each level up, but the pool players choose from grows the more they play. Check out the trailer below for some gameplay footage.
Review
While the game does need a bit more substance and optimization, the game is fun and will find its niche. I like that I don’t have to learn dungeon mechanics or routs to jump into the fray. I especially love the lack of pressure to do well. The game does feel too hard at the beginning, and that kind of makes the grind feel worse. I get the idea is that the game will get easier the more you play, but getting through the first fight feels like it takes too long. This could be a skill issue.
The does feel a little bare, especially in the beginning. The maps are empty, except for enemies, and there aren’t enough choices. As a result, the game starts to feel very repetitive until you start unlocking new permanents that shake up the gameplay. That said, I don’t think this is a game you are meant to no-life, and picking it up here and there for few hours of fun has its value.
I had my fun with the demo and can’t wait for the full release. It has cool flavor, some interesting mechanics, and I love that I can play it on the Steam deck. If you enjoy MMOs and want to explore the wonderful world of tanking without any of the pressures that come with it, check out the Don’t Lose Aggro demo.
The HE80 is Epomaker’s budget solution to serious gaming. This light weight stylish wired keyboard is an efficient 75% keyboard, giving its user enough keys to play their kits. Each of its 82 keys are illuminated by a per key programmable RGB for some added flare. In addition, the actuation for each switch can be programmed for comfortable competitive fit of up to .02MM trigger with zero dead zone. The wired connection ensures a fast low latency connection at 8k polling and 32 scan rate. For those in need a bit more utility, macros and rebinds can be easily programmed with through the official web based driver. If you are looking to upgrade your gaming prowess without breaking the bank, the Epomaker He80 promises to do just that.
Sound Test
Review
Opening the HE80, users will be impressed by the keyboard’s sleek design. The black keyboard is cleanly machined with a couple clear purple keys to give it a bit of flare. Picking up the keyboard might disapoint some folks. There is a bit of flex to the light weight plastic body, but nothing that makes it unusable. The keyboard certainly does not feel cheap through use. The hall effect switches give the keyboard a soft and comfortable profile, although the sound is not as tacky as I would like it to. If you are looking for a keyboard with a satisfying mechanical keyboard sound, you won’t get it here.
What you do get here is a wired keyboard that performs well. Although I would have preferred not to clutter my desk with another wire, I do appreciate the low latency connection. I don’t compete at a high enough level in gaming to take full advantage of the keyboards high potential, but it handles my level of casual gaming without out issue. Being able to easily reprogram bindings and macros on the device is nice feature to have.
Most importantly, the keyboard is comfortable enough for my needs. The HE80 comes with a decent typing angle that will be fine for most users, but it is adjustable. The customizable actuation makes the keys as soft and reactive as you need them to be, for both that competitive and comfortable advantage. I wouldn’t say it is ergonomic because my hands did begin to get sore after prolonged use. Note that I do have a repetitive stress injury and use the keyboard a lot more than the average user. With my injury, I was able to get a respectable amount of work and play with the keyboard, normal users should be fine.
I was sent a free copy of Trials of Proelium Remastered to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.
The emperor of Proelium will step down, and only one of the lands masters can take his place. Play as Latha as she travels across the realm searching for the other masters and fighting anything that gets in her way. Go on various quests as you and your companions become stronger. What will her journey uncover? Does she have what it takes to become the next emperor of Proelium?
Review
Trials of Proeliumhas its quirks, but it is the quirks that give the game its charms. I love the awkward artstyle and sloppy map design, and I love the awkwardness of the writing. The game does have a slow start as it sets up its story, but it is well worth the wait. The writing may be awkward, but the story is good. It has interesting characters that I wanted to know more about and an world I wanted to learn more about. There is clearly a lot of passion put into this game, and it pays off greatly.
The game also has a solid loop. I love that it runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck because playing this game as a handheld just feels right. It does run great on the PC as well, but I like that I can take this game anywhere. The gameplay loop is what you would expect from your typical turn-based RPG. Players pick their moves, use up their resources, and try not to die. I like that encounters can be turned off, difficulty can be adjusted, and combat can be automated. There is a grind, but it honestly doesn’t feel bad because there are ways to adjust the experience. I particularly like how each character had multiple jobs and access to different move pools and the versatility that gave me with my strategy.
Most importantly, the world was a lot of fun to explore. The monsters were unique, the regions to explore felt diverse, and the bosses were fun. As flawed and awkward some of the bits of this game may seem at first glance, there is a decent and flavorful fantasy to explore. I recommend anyone play this game once, especially if you enjoy a good RPG.
