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Tech Reviews

The Fifine AM8 is the Best Budget Streaming Mic on the Market

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I was sent the Fifine AM8 Streaming microphone for free 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. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a fantastic gaming headset, check out my review for the Fifine H9s. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What’s in the Box

The Fifine AM8 comes in simple, but well put together packaging. In the box, you get:

  • Instruction manual
  • AM8 Microphone
  • Table Stand
  • 6.5 ft (2m) USB-C to USB-A chord

Sound out of the box

https://churapereviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/am8-natural.mp3

Sound Quality

I am pleased by the sound quality. Out of the box and without any processing, you can get a solid sound from this cool looking device. I am very impressed with how good at is at filtering background noise. There will be some bleed, but it is far better than other mics at a similar price point. With some 3rd party filtering and a better acoustic, I’m sure you can manage a better sound. It isn’t going to be studio mic quality, but good enough if you’re on a budget or are just starting out in the space. I do recommend you pick up a mic arm for the best results.

Build

The AM8 is a well-manufactured device. This mic looks fancy out of the box, with a very nice machine finish. The foam that covers the mic not only looks nice, but it is of a nice material. The RGB lighting is soft, and it looks nice. The touch controls for both the RGB settings and mute are very responsive and easy to use. The same goes for the volume controls. The nobs have a smooth glide, and being able to control the volume for the mic and headphones is a very cool feature. Most importantly, the AM8 is built sturdy. I’ve already dropped the device a few times, and haven’t noticed any damage or loss of function. I am very clumsy, so dropping the AM8 shouldn’t be an issue, even if you only use the stand it comes with.

Review

I love the AM8 streaming mic, and have made it my default setup. The sound is great for the price point, and it makes a decent DAC. You aren’t getting a professional audiophile sound stage through this setup, but it is a lot better than the onboard sound you’d get otherwise. The mic looks cool on my desk, and I love that I can turn off the RGB when I don’t need it. Most importantly, I like how easy it is to mute with a touch of a button.

When it comes to mics and headsets, you are usually paying that gaming marketing premium. You’re paying for that gamer aesthetic, buzzwords, and RGB. This isn’t the case with Fifine products. With the two products I’ve got to try out, I am impressed with how much of their promises they can deliver at the price point they exist in. If you’re looking for your start in streaming, podcasting, or content creation, grab yourself a Fifine AM8 streaming microphone. The AM8 also has an XLR port for those who need it. I didn’t get to test this feature, but it is nice to have for those who need it.

If you’re looking for a quality budget streaming mic, you can’t go wrong with the Fifine AM8. You can pick up your Fifiine AM8 Streaming microphone in Black, Pink, or White for $64.99 ($46.74 as of writing this) on Amazon using my affiliate links.

video game reviews

S.O.L. Search of Light is an Interesting Little Puzzler

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I was sent a free copy of S.O.L Search of Light to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions of the game. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a good budget gaming headset, check out the Fifine H9s using my Amazon Affiliate link. You can check my full review here. 

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What is S.O.L. Search of Light?

S.O.L. is a puzzle adventure game with unique tower defense mechanics to keep things interesting. The game is out now on Steam, Switch, and PlayStation. 

You find yourself alone in a dark and strange world. As you make your way through your journey you will uncover strange new technology that will help you find a brighter future. Build your base, search for resources, solve puzzles, and fight off monsters. Most importantly, keep your base safe. What secrets will you uncover in the darkness?

Gamplay

S.O.L. is split into three phases: build, adventure, and defense. 

In the build phase, players use their farmed resources to bolster their base’s defenses. They can construct buildings, upgrade existing ones, or assign roles to their hired drones. This stage is pretty straightforward. I don’t believe you’ll need a build guide, but you should be mindful of your resources. Resources are limited, and wastefulness will be punished.

Once a player is done with their build phase, they can set off on adventures. Adventures are set up in typical randomized roguelike fashion. Players have the choice of paths and activities they can do. They can solve puzzles for coins and materials, fight monsters for resources, or recruit drones to work at their base. There are also randomized events that will either grant a player a boon or give them a punishing debuff. Resources do influence a player’s decision, but the game never feels like a railroad. Most importantly, the RNG seems fair and the runs never feel repetitive. 

In between adventures, monsters will invade a player’s base. Players must defend their base against a wave of enemies. The portal closes when all enemies are defeated. Hopefully, your base doesn’t get too destroyed and you don’t die. Dying or losing your base means restarting from zero. This stage is very manageable, and I always felt there was enough time to prepare between invasions. My only complaint is that the AI for the drones is dumb, and they will run into enemies and die. In a game where resource management is important, this can be a bit annoying. This isn’t a deal breaker, but it is a noticeable issue. 

Combat in this game is pretty basic. Players have access to a basic melee attack for adventure and defense phases. In the defense phase, towers and traps will do most of the damage, but well-placed melee attacks are appreciated. Enemy AI can be outsmarted, which is nice. 

The puzzles in this game are challenging without being impossible. I love puzzle games, and S.O.L. is no exception. The blend of genres keeps the game refreshing. My only complaint is that it is possible to get stuck in a puzzle where you have to reset the whole game to get free. I wish there were a way to reset just the puzzle, but that would take away some of the pressure from the survival aspect of this game. 

Review

The game is fun and addicting. I was either stressed about building the perfect base or stressed about staying alive. This stress made the game engaging, and even though I wasn’t good enough to make it to the end, I had fun trying. 

If you’re looking for a unique puzzle game with neat flavor and interesting mechanics, S.O.L. Search of Light is a solid choice. Its cute, its fun, and its different in a good way. S.O.L is the type of game you want to pick up for a fun couple of hours, but don’t want a long term commitment.

You can buy your copy of S.O.L. Search of Light Steam, Switch, and PlayStation for $19.99.

video game reviews

Action Fubuki was Okay, but not Really Worth the Time or Money

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I was sent a free copy of Action Fubuki 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. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a great budget headset, pick up a pair of the Fifine H9 Gaming headset using my Amazon affiliate link. Check out the full review here. 

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What is Action Fubuki?

The Evil Elon Dusk, CEO of the EXE Company, is using his power and influence to conduct harmful experiments on innocent people. You have been recruited by the Special Action Agency (SAA) to stop his plans and save his victims. Armed with your famous Goro Taijutsu, you must fight your way through hordes of his minions. Do you have what it takes to save the world from his wrath?

Gameplay

Action Fubuki has a simple gameplay loop. Players enter a room where they must defeat all required enemies before advancing to the next stage. The difficulty increases between rooms, and progress is reset after death. Combat is chaotic, full of explosions and flashy animations, but the performable actions are limited. While there is some story for flavor, it doesn’t matter. The goal of Action Fubuki is to get as far as you can without dying while collecting all the points. 

Impressions

While Action Fubuki has some charm, I can’t recommend this game. None of the overly flashy animations can distract from the fact that this game isn’t finished. Combat feels clunky and unoptimized. While I had fun for the first few minutes, it got old quickly. Once you look past all the explosions and flashing lights, you really aren’t doing anything. There might be skill involved in this game, but the lack of optimization will ruin runs. I saw noticeable dips in the game’s performance when I tried to record it, and the game crashed a few too many times for my liking. It isn’t an unplayable piece of shovelware, but you can be spending your money elsewhere. 

I didn’t hate this game, but it’s not worth recommending in its current state. What’s more, Action Fubuki seems to be an abandoned project. The game’s official Twitter has been deleted, and the game’s last update was in February. I am all for supporting the little guy, but this gamble doesn’t seem worth the investment. At least not for $11. 

You can pick up your copy of Action Fubuki on Steam for $10.99, but I wouldn’t bother. 

gaming news

Now is the Time to Jump Back into Destiny 2

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The Final Shape expansion hits Destiny 2 on June 4th. In preparation, Bungie has made a few of their older expansions free for everyone. Now is the perfect time to jump into Destiny if you’re missing key weapons like Parasite (The Witch Queen), Lament (Beyond Lignt), and anything else you missed out on. 

Parasite (The Witch Queen)
Lament (Beyond Lignt)

The Final Shape expansion hits Destiny 2 on June 4th. In preparation, Bungie has made a few of their older expansions free for everyone. Now is the perfect time to jump into Destiny if you’re missing key weapons like Parasite (The Witch Queen), Lament (Beyond Lignt), and anything else you missed out on. 

From now until June 3rd, console players can enjoy some of the older expansions including Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, and the Witch Queen. Steam players will gain access on May 21st. All Guardians also get access to past seasons including Season of Defiance, Deep, Witch, and Wish. If you have never played Destiny, or haven’t played it in a while, now is the perfect time.

I was sent a free copy of The Final Shape and will be doing my best to catch up for its release. Bungie does a decent job at getting new players caught up to the new content, but there is a bit of stuff I still need to grind for. If you end up liking any of the expansions available, I would wait for a sale. The expansions go on sale regularly for pretty cheap. 

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video game reviews

Adore is a Refreshing take on the Creature Capture Genre

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I was sent a free copy of Adore 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 of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials. 

What is Adore?

Adore is a top-down creature collecting game out now for PC. The God of Creatures has died, leaving a vicious curse to run rampant amongst his creations. As the curse spreads over the land of Gaterdrik, there is still hope. The God of Creatures has chosen you as his vessel. Together with unique creatures you capture along the way, quest across this cursed land and resurrect the dead God. Can you save the world, or will it rot under this cruel and unusual curse? 

Gameplay

You play as a creature tamer. You can collect up to 75 unique creatures, but can only carry four at a time. Each creature has unique abilities that are activated on cooldowns. It feels like a top-down MOBA, but it is a dungeon crawler. 

Creatures can be leveled either through combat or a unique crafting system. Sending a creature to fight helps level them up. You will occasionally find materials or items that either buff your creatures or give them new abilities. The trick is finding a combination of creatures with solid synergy, but I always ended up only using creatures I thought looked cool. 

The tamer will also level as you play. You can find random permanent upgrades in dungeons like you would in a roguelike, and you can buy items with buffs at the shop. The game has enough strategy and complexity to keep things engaging, but I don’t think you need a guide to beat it. Finding the right combo or min-maxing will be rewarded though. 

Only creatures you own attack. The tamer and creatures can be damaged and die. The trick is to efficiently summon your creatures to attack and deal damage while being mindful of your tamer’s health. The monster’s attack patterns are predictable, but I never felt like the game got too easy. Fights leading up to the boss fights don’t feel like a grind, and the boss fights are challenging. 

Impressions

I loved this game. The art is cute, the gameplay is fun, and the flavor is fantastic. The summoning and capturing mechanics are unique, and a lot of fun. The gameplay reminds me a lot of the summoner class in PSO 2, and summoner was one of my favorite classes. 

Adore is a unique and interesting game that you should play at least once, especially if you’re a fan of top-down MOBAs. The game offers a nice amount of challenge, a decent story, and a fresh take on the creature capture genre. You can pick up Adore now on Steam for $19.99, or try the Demo if you don’t believe me. 

digimon tcg

Digimon TCG: Digimon Liberator set (EX07) Spoilers are here!

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The first chapter of Digimon Liberator was released on the official Digimon website, and Bandai has botched its release. If you can get the comic to load, it’s off to a strong start, but I gave up when it stopped loading halfway through. The comic is supposed to bring new people into the hobby with its compelling narrative, memorable characters, and story-inspired product. Unfortunately, botched releases like this continue to hurt the growth of the Digimon fandom. While long-time fans will find ways to struggle through the official content or find fan-driven alternatives, newer or casual fans will give up. I hope that Bandai listens to its fans enough to fix the comic moving better, but I read through Digimon Seekers and know better. 

That said, the Digimon TCG is getting a Liberator themed set sometime in September, and we got some spoilers! The cards look sick! I was ready to give up on the comic, but after seeing some of these cards, I might struggle through or find an alternative.

Always support your LGS, but you can always pick up Digimon, like the upcoming Beginning Observer set on TCG Player through my affiliate links. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials! I am currently doing pack openings of Battles Spirits Saga on my YouTube and TikTok.

video game reviews

Rauniot is a Nifty Little Point-and-Click Puzzle Game I Enjoyed

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I was sent a free copy of Rauniot 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. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is Rauniot

Rauniot is a post-apocalyptic point and click puzzle game out now for PC.

A natural disaster has destroyed civilization. Continents crumble, pollution fills the air, and supplies run scarce. Those lucky few left on earth must now survive with whatever is left. Aino is one of those lucky few, but everything you do now in this new world is dangerous.

Aino searches for Toivo who hasn’t returned from his last mission. What secrets will her search uncover? Will she fine Toivo, or has this cruel world taken another victim? 

Gameplay

Rauniot is a top-down point-and-click game. Players must click around to explore the world, find clues and items, and solve puzzles. Puzzles are creative. They aren’t difficult, but missing clues or items in exploration means you can’t progress. Some clues are well hidden or hard to see, but I don’t think you need a guide to complete the game. This is a game you pick up when you want to sit back, enjoy a decent story, and solve some decent puzzles. 

Impressions

I enjoyed Rauniot for what it is, a chill puzzle game that isn’t a huge commitment. While it isn’t a genre-defining amazing game that gamers should flock to, it does some interesting things in its space that are worth seeing. Rauniot has an interesting world design, a solid story, and decent gameplay. The English translation is rough in some places, but it is by no means unplayable. I enjoyed listening to the Finish dialogue even though I understood none of it. The game plays well, although some of the clues and items can be easy to miss because of the lighting or colors. None of these issues are deal breakers, and I recommend this game if you’re looking for something in this genre. 

The game does introduce a unique save system where you have to go to the main menu, select a floppy disk, and save manually. I might have missed the instructions, but I didn’t save assuming it would Autosave and I had to start over. It wasn’t a huge deal because this is a short game, (about four hours) and I remembered where everything was. 

You can pick up Rauniot on Steam for $17.99. I wouldn’t go out of my way to play it, but it is a solid option if you’re looking for something new to play. 

Other TCGs

Akora TCG: World Beyond Collectors Box and Promo Announced!

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World Beyond has officially been announced, which means we have a few new spoilers to get excited about. World Beyond will be the first direct-to-consumer set, which is an exciting development. Collectors should especially be excited because there are some beautiful cards you’re going to want to get your hands on. World Beyond will release with two new theme decks, a collectors box, and a blister pack. The set breakdown:

  • 9 NEW Akora Chains
  • 9 Full Art Akora
  • 10 Full Art Alchemy
  • 10 Full Art Battlezones
  • 41 Holographic Akora/Alchemy Cards
  • 10 Holo Relic Shards
  • 100 Mechanically Unique Cards
  • 9 Stage 1 Akora Extended Art Box Toppers
  • 10 Character Relic Shards
  • 18 Stage 2 & 3 Extended Art Akora
  • 9 Stage 2 Extended Art Akora
  • 9 Stage 3 Extended Art Akora
  • 2 Serialised Generational Rare Akora
  • 1 Serialised Box Topper
  • Ancient & Secret Rare Cards (Limited to 5 copies each)

Make sure you join the official Akora Discord if you want to stay on top of all the news. Check out the official post for all the details.

Collectors Box

The World Beyond collectors box will be up for preorder on April 26. There will only be 100 of these available, so make sure you get yours before it is too late. Collector boxes will include new exclusive art rares, and they are beautiful. These will look amazing in a binder and are a fantastic way to bling out your deck. 

Instagram Post

Buy a Box Promo

The Buy a Box Promo card has also been announced, and it is beautiful. I am a huge fan of the Akora artwork, and it continues to blow me away. 

2 New Theme Decks

Conclusion

I can’t wait to see more spoilers, but I am excited. I might at least get the decks to play with, but I’ll have to see how much money I can get together by then. If you want to pick up any Akora to begin your collection, pick it up on TCG Player with my affiliate links. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials! I am doing daily pack openings of Spellbound Wings on my TikTok and YouTube.

video game reviews

SolForge Fusion Falls Flat as it Attempts to Redefine CCGs

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I was sent a free copy of Solforge Fusion to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Buying cards from TCG Player through my affiliate link is also a great way to help me out. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is Solforge Fusion?

SolForge Fusion is a CCG card battler out now on Steam. The game features single-player and PvP modes where players face off against opponents with uniquely fused decks. Do you have what it takes to outmaneuver your opponents and come out on top?

Gameplay

The gameplay loop is where this game becomes an acquired taste. You are either going to love SolForge or find it boring. The game is split into rounds where players can perform one action per turn. Players have two alternating turns in each round. During their turn, a player can cast a spell, summon a creature, or move a creature between spaces on the board.

At the end of a round, the cards auto battle depending on whether the player is defending or attacking. Creatures of attacking player will attack the opponent directly if there is nothing blocking them, players of a defending player can only attack adjacent enemy creatures.

Cards that aren’t used in a round level up and are shuffled back into the deck. The strategy seems to be choosing the right cards to hold onto for later in the game. Players also have access to a hero ability that also levels up as the game carries on. A player wins when their opponent’s life drops to zero.

In the roguelike single-player mode, players can fuse or choose a deck to make their run. The game plays like any other deck-building roguelike but without deck-building. Players earn special buffs and abilities along their run. The run is over when a player gets to the end, or their life drops to zero.

Review

SolForge Fusion is an interesting concept that is ultimately held back by its gameplay. I was intrigued by the random fusion deck building and found the boardlike game mechanics interesting, but found the game boring. Even with the animation turned up, the game feels slow and repetitive. These might be personal preferences, but there are more fun CCGs with a campaign I could be playing instead. Shadowvese has a neat one for free. 

Playing a card per turn makes the game feel more luck-based than your traditional card game. You either pull the cards you need to fill your board properly, or you’re just playing from behind. Movement is always an interesting concept, but I don’t think this game does it well. When choosing between moving or playing a card, it is almost always better to play a card. There are cards that do damage when moving which might be how they balance things, but it felt kind of like a pointless mechanic. 

The evolving card mechanic is an interesting one. You either play your cards for an early advantage, or you save your good cards for more explosive rounds later in the match. Finding a balance between what you play and what you level on top of keeping a healthy board state has the potential to create an interesting strategy. Unfortunately, the game just feels too slow and boring. 

The deck fusion mechanic is what is going to kill this game. While I love playing random decks, it doesn’t work in this game. You either get a decent deck to play or have to try again. This game already feels very heavily reliant on luck, I can only assume that the ladder is overrun by the luckier players. I understand that all card games have some luck involved, but it should at least feel like there’s some skill involved. I don’t think I would have minded the Fusion mechanic as much if it were just a roguelike, but there’s PvP and people want to build their own decks. 

SolForge is still in early access, and future updates may make this game fun, but the game didn’t create enough interest in me to find out. While I do believe it comes down to preference, there are better card games with similar mechanics out there. If you’re curious about the game, try the demo first. 

You can pick up SolForge Fusion on Steam for $19.99 (currently $14.99 until April 23). 

gaming news, Tech Reviews

GLYDR Announces Partnership with CRE8 for Revolutionary Controller

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I first wrote about GLYDR when it’s Kickstarter launched. It not only met its but blew past its goal by $70,000. In a bit of new news, GLYDR has partnered with leading design engineering firm CRE8 to complete the design and engineering of their revolutionary gaming peripheral.

What is GLYDR?

GLYDR is a unique gaming peripheral that aims to revolutionize the way we play games by giving players the ability to play with their feet. This controller features 16 programable actions designed to give your hands some much-needed relief. These actions can be saved into game-specific profiles that you can easily pull up through their software so you can always have the loadout you need. There will also be a library of community loadouts for those like me who are less creative. 

What the CRE8?

CRE8 is a design engineering firm tasked with the final consumer version of the peripherals. They are responsible for some well known gaming designs like Cougar Gaming products. While the Kickstarter prototype looks fine, I wouldn’t mind something with a deeper gaming aesthetic.

Impressions

I get pretty bad RSI after all the gaming and typing I do. It gets so bad that my hands become unusable. I’ve worked hard to find the perfect ergonomic set up for gaming and work, but the pain still comes through with certain games and tasks. Having something like GLYDR that takes away some of the strain from my hands seems like a fantastic addition to my arsenal. I will need to try it first, but I am at least curious. With the news of this partnership, I am excited to see the final product. 

If you’re looking for a way to unload some of that hand strain, GLYDR seems like a fantastic solution. If you missed the Kickstarter, you’ll be able to reserve your unit soon. Stay tuned for the official announcement. 

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!