Gaming

Gran Turismo 7: For car enthusiasts

Car simulator extraordinaire

Published

March 2, 2022

Gran Turismo is considered the de facto racing game for the PlayStation console. I know I’ve played my fair share of the franchise on the original PlayStation. As a dumb child-person-thing at the time, I only saw it as nothing more than a racing game. It wasn’t super appealing to me as I preferred the more bombastic, anime-inspired Bakusou Kyoudai Let’s & Go!! Eternal Wings. But times have changed, and so the Gran Turismo franchise and I grew up as well.

For its 25th anniversary, the franchise is making a grand comeback with Gran Turismo 7. It’s the first main line game since 2013’s Gran Turismo 6. There was a Gran Turismo Sport for the PlayStation 4 in 2017, but it didn’t offer the full experience expected of a GT game.

GT7 is a triumphant return, offering top-notch racing and driving mechanics, while offering an expanded experience. An experience that I think car enthusiasts or even just car curious people will enjoy.

Racing and driving still at its core

There are no ifs and buts about it. The racing and driving experience is still the main draw of Gran Turismo 7. The sound of the engine, the way each car handles, and the diversity of the terrain. Polyphony Digital, the game’s developer, took its sweet time making this and it shows.

The game is friendly whether you’re a beginner who’s not used to racing or driving games or you’re a seasoned pro. There are plenty of controller options and settings that you can tweak to your liking to really make the game work for you.

When getting started, I picked the beginner mode on normal difficulty. Beginner mode turns on driver-assist settings that I wish were present in today’s smart vehicles. It’s especially helpful for someone like myself who has road trauma. Not only are there braking assists, this mode also turns on road indicators warning you of turns, where to brake, and where to position your vehicle.

I got smug after a handful of wins on the racetrack and decided to turn-off driver-assist. The controls are easy to pick up. You hold down R2 to accelerate, L2 to brake, and the left stick to steer. You press the cross button (X) to go up a gear, and press square to go down a gear. If you’re not at all used to driving, mastering this while knowing exactly when to change gears or hit the breaks is a nice challenge to overcome.

Ultimately, I went back to beginner mode because I’m a noob and I suck. But I’m not putting this game down until I get good at driving, so long as my work schedule allows.

A guided campaign

There’s a lot of handholding in the beginning of the game. Gran Turismo 7 takes great care in making sure no player is overwhelmed from the get go. What initially feels like a lengthy tutorial slowly turns into some kind of an educational tour of what the game has to offer.

You begin by buying a used car. You then make a go round at the Café where you’ll get most of your campaign objectives. These are called menus and they’re tightly organized. Each menu introduces you to a different mode of the game as well as teach you about the cars available in the game.

The game slowly opens up until you learn what each mode has to offer. From there, you can slowly climb up the ranks, upgrade your licenses, modify your cars, and the really fun part – build your car collection.

Car Collection

I imagine this will be the most rewarding experience for anyone who picks up Gran Turismo 7. Nearly every facet of the game is geared towards the player building and completing the Car Collection.

There are a multitude of brands and cars here including those from top brands we know and love. You have Ferrari, Audi, Totoya, Ford, Lexus, and many, many more. The Car Collection can be sorted by country, manufacturer, and more.

When you go into the collection, you can click on each car to learn more about it. This whole learning about cars is actually integrated into the campaign through the menus. You’re given objectives to complete and a lot of times it involves races to win cars. These cars are grouped together in a common theme and you learn about them after you complete objectives.

Naturally, you can acquire cars in different ways. There’s the used cars store mentioned earlier, and then there’s Brand Central where you can buy them shiny and new. If you don’t have funds yet, you can always add certain cars to your wishlist.

An audio and visual treat

Part of the allure of the game are the many locations in which the races take place. While this isn’t Forza Horizon levels of visual prowess, there’s more than enough here to make you feel that you’re actually playing a next-gen game.

You can choose Performance or Ray Tracing Mode but the game takes it upon itself to choose which one suits certain modes best. During my playthrough, I found Performance mode to be most ideal while shifting to Ray Tracing every so often to take in the view.

The photo mode is rather unique. Instead of pausing during your gameplay, it offers the option to take your cars to a selection of scenic locations. From there you can customize the look and feel of the photo like you would in other games. Photo mode fans might feel limited by this, but the breathtaking locations are truly eye candy.

The music of Gran Turismo 7 is chef’s kiss. Every track fits every game mode, location, and situation. During races, you’ll be treated to alternative pop rock tunes to get you pumped. There are even tracks that are reminiscent of background music in sports animé where the protagonist is about to bounce back. It truly gets you in the right mood, especially when you’re trying to overtake to win the race.

This kind of consistency remains throughout. Museums in Brand Central offer regal and majestic music. Meanwhile, the café will treat you to some jazzy tunes to get your mind at ease.

Is this your GameMatch?

There’s a lot to love about Gran Turismo 7 even if you’re not super into cars. The game draws you in slowly and teaches you everything, every step of the way. Before you know it, you’re looking up more information online about the cars that really caught your eye.

Performance-wise, it’s a truly next-gen game in presentation and experience. I already gushed about the visuals and music, but the controls and DualSense utilization are all on point.

Gran Turismo 7 is an easy game to get into. It’s a game you’re going to want to keep installed as sort of an in-between game when you’re taking a break from story driven titles.

Related Topics:Gran Turismo 7 PlayStation 5 PS5

Gaming

HP OMEN Max 16 review: Gamer-maxxing in deep black

Peripherals deemed necessary to max this out

Published

October 23, 2026

Gab Orlina

It’s not every day that you come across a machine that looks good and plays even better. Oftentimes, subtle aesthetics take a back seat to sheer performance and power. Whenever a gaming machine looks sleeker, it seems to lack the power to push it forward. Simply put, you can’t have the best of both worlds these days.

But what if you could have it all? Not just money, fame, and other fortunes, but also a machine with everything you’re looking for! Gone are the days of wanting only power to keep you playing all day or wanting to look good while playing. On paper, this is what the HP OMEN Max 16 promises: the best of both worlds.

Unboxing a beast inside

When you first take it out of the box, the HP OMEN Max 16 looks unassuming in its overall design. It’s bulky yet sleek in its Shadow Black colorway, with nothing too fancy or flashy while powered down. From the outside, the machine screams premium, even though its dark color can attract more visible dirt than lighter finishes.

Opening it up reveals a 16-inch OLED display with a peak refresh rate of 240Hz, seamlessly connected to a base with a full-sized keyboard and a large trackpad. The bright, seemingly anti-glare display makes colors pop when watching or editing videos on the go.

Furthermore, HP places the ports in convenient spots along the rear and sides of the laptop. This makes it incredibly easy to set up and manage external peripherals while providing more room for ventilation under heavy loads.

Of course, the device’s biggest features lie in the hardware powering it from within. An Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, 32GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU should give you an idea of how well this machine can perform. It’s also a great combination for demanding productivity tasks and creative work!

Power that AI can only hope to replicate

The HP OMEN Max 16 lived up to many of our expectations in terms of performance. From startup to shutdown, it delivered on what its hardware promised. You can watch videos for longer, edit photos and videos to your heart’s content, and enjoy casual gaming without slowing down. Furthermore, the wide display gives you plenty of space to accommodate all these activities.

When you step up to more competitive gaming, the machine doesn’t miss a beat. Most titles deliver high frame rates regardless of the quality or performance settings you choose. With more advanced visual settings enabled, the RTX 5090 does a fantastic job of keeping supported games within a solid 40–50 FPS range. Pair it with a high-refresh-rate OLED display, and you get crisp details and faster input response to help you get ahead in ranked games all day long.

If there’s one thing to complain about, it’s the extra optimization required through the OMEN Gaming Hub. Features such as network prioritization, automatic power-mode switching, and system optimization are useful, but you’ll need to spend time configuring them during initial setup. The laptop also comes with OMEN AI, which promises to maximize FPS with a single click. However, it was only okay at best.

Runs longer, cools off smoother

Surely, a gaming laptop this bulky and powerful can’t last that long on battery, right? Well, the HP OMEN Max 16 averages around three hours of battery life during intensive gaming, which gives you a decent amount of playing time. For general use, battery life extends to around five and a half hours with Balanced power settings. It holds up reasonably well if you forget to bring your charger.

When you do have the massive 330W charger with you, charging doesn’t take too long either. During our tests, a full charge took two hours, with charging progressing slightly faster when we left the laptop idle. Charging the battery to 50% took around 20 minutes, giving you enough juice to squeeze in another game!

Another factor in prolonged use is how the device expels hot air through its sides and rear. We touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating: the laptop provides plenty of ventilation through its vapor chamber and multiple external vents. Instead of directing heat toward the keyboard, it pushes hot air through the vents, where it can hit your hands or peripherals. At least the keyboard stays cooler, right?

Is this your GadgetMatch?

At PHP 229,990, the HP OMEN Max 16 is a sleek-looking machine with incredible power under the hood. Despite its initial bulk, it delivers impressive performance for both casual and competitive gamers. Inside and out, it packs plenty of hardware and features to let you tailor the experience to your needs.

If you’re looking for a gaming laptop with decent battery life, this is a solid choice, but don’t expect it to last half a day. Of course, you wouldn’t use this machine entirely on its own, even if the unboxing experience might suggest otherwise.

Peripherals such as the HyperX Cloud Alpha Air and Solocast 2 Pro can further enhance the experience.

Overall, this is a Swipe Right for its features, performance, and premium design. However, if you don’t have an infinite money glitch to buy it right now, you’re better off saving up for this beast of a machine!

Gaming

FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE now available across major platforms

FINAL FANTASY HD-2D is here

Published

October 22, 2026

GadgetMatch

SQUARE ENIX has released FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE. It’s a new role-playing game that brings the franchise’s classic pixel-art aesthetic into the HD-2D era.

The game launches on October 22, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The PC version will be available through Steam and the Microsoft Store on Windows starting October 23.

FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE reimagines the first story arc of the mobile game FINAL FANTASY Brave Exvius as a full-fledged RPG experience. It combines retro-inspired pixel art with 3D models and dynamic camera angles.

Strategic turn-based combat returns

Players will explore a world featuring familiar FINAL FANTASY elements, including crystals, airships, chocobos, espers, and moogles.

Combat revolves around exploiting enemy weaknesses to stagger opponents, break their defenses, and gain extra turns. Players can also unleash powerful Resonance attacks to turn the tide of battle.

The adventure features Visions, representations of familiar FINAL FANTASY characters who join the party with their own skills and abilities. These include Cloud, Tidus, and the Warrior of Light.

Beyond the main story, players can discover optional challenges and rewards, including encounters with the wandering swordmaster Gilgamesh, a monster-filled Colosseum, the Chamber of Arms, and Ultima Weapon.

Editions and platforms

FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE is available as a single-player RPG on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

A Digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game and the Magitek & Grimoire Deluxe Pack. The bundle features a Magitek Armor Key for a chocobo, an exclusive Archwitch’s Grimoire, a Mastery Ring, and consumable items.

A Collector’s Edition includes the physical Standard Edition alongside an acrylic block set, a pixel-art book, a 120-track original soundtrack on CD, and an exclusive FINAL FANTASY TRADING CARD GAME promotional card.

Availability and release timing may vary by region. Check local digital storefronts for purchasing details.

Gaming

Next Xbox might cost double the price of an Xbox today

The most expensive Xbox Series X costs $900. The next Xbox’s price might double that.

Published

October 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Buying a new gaming setup must be one of the most torturous things you can purchase these days. The rising price of chips has hampered the buying ability of many a consumer today. Sadly, that trend isn’t changing anytime soon. According to new reports, the next Xbox might cost double of what an Xbox costs these days.

The next console is currently codenamed Project Helix. Spearheaded by relatively new Xbox CEO Asha Sherma, Project Helix has hopes of being an all-around gaming machine capable of playing PC games besides console exclusives. Sharma obviously wants the platform to come back as a worthy destination for gamers.

That’s a monumental task, though, especially after the rising prices of chips are constantly threatening the prices of new devices. Now, according to a profile of Sharma published by Fortune, the next Xbox might cost as high as US$ 1,800. For reference, the limited 25^th anniversary edition of the Xbox Series X currently costs US$ 899.

Should Fortune’s estimate hold true, a new console in the coming years is double the cost of the most expensive Xbox Series X variant available today. The next generation of gaming might be even more of a luxury than it already is.

Unfortunately, things aren’t getting better across the board. Gaming on PC and on PlayStation aren’t going to be much cheaper as the RAM crisis continues.