Gaming

NieR: Automata (Switch) review: A smooth(er) operator

Experience 2B in handheld

Published

November 4, 2022

Luigi Leonardo

Five years ago, Nintendo launched the Switch. The handheld console ushered Nintendo fans into a new generation of gaming. However, despite the promise of a fresh start for Nintendo, the Switch never looked like a proper contender against the beefy graphics of a PC or a PlayStation.

Around the same time, a new sci-fi game, called NieR: Automata, quietly made waves. Though it wasn’t an instant hit from the first day, the title eventually made its way into the annals of gaming history as an enthralling experience for sci-fi fans. That said, as a notable title released in 2017, it still wasn’t anything you’d expect on the Nintendo Switch. Shows how little we knew back then.

Now, the Switch is home to a surprising variety of capable ports such as Apex Legends, DOOM, and The Witcher 3. Impressively, each title works surprisingly well on the handheld console. If you haven’t had enough of big titles on the console, make way for — you guessed it — NieR: Automata.

Just like old times

The title’s port is action-packed from the get-go. Instead of just the base game, players will enjoy The End of YoRHA Edition which includes all additional downloadable content. It’s a great deal for the price you’re paying for.

Now, whether you’re playing docked or handheld, NieR: Automata plays as it was back then. The port does not cut content. If you’ve played the game before, it’s the same game. However, if it’s your first time playing the title, you’ll enjoy the game as if you bought it back in 2017.

Regardless of where you find yourself, here’s a refresher for the game’s plot: Almost ten thousand years into the future, the world has been taken over by a race of anthropomorphic robots. Aided by 9S (an android modeled after a boy), 2B is on a mission to take the planet back and fight the robots.

Rather than a straightforward RPG shooter, NieR: Automata mixes and mashes different mechanics into a wonderful postapocalyptic package. From an open-world exploration stage, players can find themselves thrust into 2D platformers and bullet hells in a single chapter. Not one stage feels out of place or overstays its welcome.

A compromise for graphics

As you might expect, the Switch port does compromise on a few technical aspects to get the game running on the console. However, it’s a good compromise.

From the first chapter, you’ll notice a difference in display quality compared to more robust consoles. However, it’s not just a matter of the hardware being unable to run the game. There are some downgrades. For example, texture quality is considerably lower compared to the original games. Rocks look chunkier, and foliage is sparser. At the very least, you won’t see it as much if you’re playing in handheld mode.

To compensate for the drop in texture quality, the Switch port has more antialiasing. Despite the less organic textures, edges are smoother. It’s a welcome addition to the Switch, which often does terribly with tearing for games with larger resolutions.

Additionally, NieR: Automata handles framerates a lot better than the original versions. Years ago, the title, amid all the fanfare, did not come off as the most polished game due to framerate stutters happening throughout the entire game. Now, the Switch port feels right. Though the port is locked at 30fps, the lack of any substantial framerate drops makes for a more immersive experience compared to one that tries and fails at pushing things to 60fps.

All in all, porting NieR: Automata is an impressive feat. For a title over five years old, the Switch port still feels fresh and right at home with the rest of the console’s library of games.

NieR: Automata The End of YoRHA Edition is now available for the Nintendo Switch, selling at US$ 39.99 through the Switch store.

Gaming

Valve unveils price of the Steam Frame

The VR headset starts at US$ 1,059.

Published

September 15, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The trifecta is complete. Almost a year after announcing their new hardware, Valve has finally unveiled the price tag of the Steam Frame, complementing the Steam Machine and Steam Controller revealed a few months ago.

Whereas the Steam Machine is a console of its own, the Steam Frame is a traditional VR headset with a pair of controllers for both hands. Unfortunately, despite being in a different segment, the headset is not immune to the rising prices of technology. The Steam Frame will start at US$ 1,059 for a 256GB model and can go up to US$ 1,299 for the 1TB model. On the plus side, each box will come Half-Life: Alyx packaged along with the headset.

Here’s a more detailed rundown of what you’re getting. The Steam Frame will ship with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 16GB of RAM. Each eye comes with a 2160 x 2160 LCD screen, putting out images at up t0 a 144Hz experimental refresh rate. As mentioned above, the headset will start with 256GB of storage but can go up to 2TB. It will come packaged with SteamOS 3 and a rechargeable 21.6Wh battery.

This might be a hard buy for some. The industry currently has more affordable options, for one. Also, virtual reality isn’t the most thriving segment of gaming today.

If you’re still decided on buying one, however, Valve is using its lottery system. Interested customers can sign up from now until September 17. The company will then randomize the purchasing order. Those who draw the first ones in the lottery can get a purchase email as soon as September 18. Meanwhile, anyone who registers after September 17 will automatically be put at the back of the queue.

Gaming

BlizzCon 2026 announces World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V

StarCraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and more also get news

Published

September 14, 2026

GadgetMatch

Blizzard Entertainment kicked off BlizzCon 2026 with a packed Opening Ceremony featuring new games, major expansions, updates, and other announcements across its biggest franchises.

Blizzard Entertainment President Johanna Faries opened the event at the Anaheim Convention Center, celebrating the community behind the company’s games and the teams that bring its worlds to life.

World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V

The biggest announcement was World of Warcraft: Forever, a new World of Warcraft experience launching November 5 AEDT, with its beta beginning September 18 AEST. The new experience will feature three zones, more than 1,000 quests, nine dungeons, two raids, and a new Skyborne race.

Blizzard also officially announced Diablo V, marking the next era of the franchise. The game is set to launch in North America in Spring 2029, with Sanctuary having fallen and Diablo having won.

StarCraft is also returning with a new story-driven, open-world shooter. The game is currently planned for a Spring 2030 release in North America.

Beyond games, Blizzard revealed that an animated series set in the Diablo universe is in development with Netflix. The company says this is only the beginning of its plans to expand its universes beyond gaming.

For Warcraft III Reforged, the new Forsaken Kingdom campaign is available today. It marks the Warcraft RTS series’ first new storyline in more than 23 years and explores the fall of Lordaeron and the origins of the Undercity. The accompanying 3.0 update also brings graphical improvements and a revamped World Editor.

Heroes of the Storm is adding Xal’atath as its newest Hero. She arrives in the Nexus on September 29 AEST, with her PTR release scheduled for September 15 AEST.

Existing games updates

Meanwhile, Diablo IV is preparing for its next major content drop. Season of Hell’s Legacy begins September 16 AEST and celebrates the franchise’s 30-year history with the return of the Prime Evils and Deckard Cain, alongside themed rewards and gear.

The legendary Amazon class will also arrive in the first half of 2027 as part of Diablo IV’s first class pack. The Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection is additionally coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on September 16 AEST with cross-platform play and cross-progression.

For World of Warcraft, Blizzard teased the next major update for Midnight. Eclipse (12.2) will see Xal’atath move closer to her goal of claiming Azeroth’s Worldsoul. Blizzard also offered another look at The Last Titan, the next expansion in the Worldsoul Saga and a major culmination of more than two decades of Warcraft storytelling. More information is coming early next year.

Overwatch is getting a major update with Season 5. The season introduces new Support Hero Doctrine, reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, and the new Watchpoint: Grimsvötn map. It will also conclude The Reign of Talon, Overwatch’s first year-long narrative arc.

LE SSERAFIM & YOASABI

BlizzCon also featured performances from YOASOBI and LE SSERAFIM. YOASOBI will perform during the first-ever esports halftime show at BlizzCon, while LE SSERAFIM will return to the Main Stage to close the weekend. A new LE SSERAFIM in-game collaboration is available now, with another Overwatch Spotlight scheduled for February 2027.

Finally, Hearthstone is getting its first new class in more than six years. The Monk arrives in 2027, while the upcoming Reign of the Black Empire expansion takes players back to the earliest age of Azeroth. It introduces the Assemble keyword, which combines two cards into a new one. Battlegrounds is also adding Aberrations as a new minion type.

BlizzCon 2026 is now underway, with Blizzard promising more announcements and details throughout the weekend.

Gaming

Just Dance: Decades of Hits to launch on October 13

All-new Just Dance experience that brings every generation together

Published

September 12, 2026

GadgetMatch

Just Dance: Decades of Hits will launch on modern consoles on October 13, Ubisoft has announced.

This will offer fans of the franchise a new experience across eras of music. The game will be available on PlayStation5 , Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on the launch date.

Nintendo Switch 2 users, meanwhile, will be able to enjoy the title by November 10, 2026.

Just Dance: Decades of Hits brings together every generation to one dance floor with 25 iconic songs across six different decades:

Mamma Mia by ABBA
Uptown Girl by Billy Joel
It’s Tricky by Run-DMC
No Scrubs by TLC
Wannabe by Spice Girls
Bye Bye Bye by *NSYNC
Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz
Turn Down for What by DJ Snake and Lil Jon
Danza Kuduro by Don Omar feat. Lucenzo
Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter
NUEVAYoL by Bad Bunny
And more!

Bringing every generation together

Songs, visuals, and an all-new Adventure Mode are all designed to immerse players in the spirit that made each decade unforgettable.

From the funky ’70s disco floors and the electrifying ’80s rock scene to the glossy 2000s pop and beyond, travel through time and share the joy of rediscovering iconic moments with friends and family.

In Adventure Mode, follow Lyra, Dr. Gigavolt’s daughter, in a playful journey through time to rescue her father.

Explore the decades through six themed worlds, enjoy fun mini activities, and unlock exclusive rewards.

For unpredictable, chaotic fun where the rules change every round, players can jump into Party Mode. Or they can get moving with the Workout Mode, which tracks calories burned with each dance.

Up to six players can dance locally in the game, with no extra accessories needed.

In addition those who own Just Dance: Decades of Hits as well as Just Dance 2023-2026 editions will be able access all their songs in one place on the same console without having to switch games or separate menus.

This also includes songs from purchased Music Packs and songs available through an active Just Dance+ subscription.