Echoes of the Fallen Echoes of the Fallen

Gaming

Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen

The race that defied the gods

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If you need a reason to head back to Valisthea, this may just be it. Announced at The Game Awards 2023, Echoes of the Fallen is ½ of the first paid DLC Expansion Pass of Final Fantasy XVI.  The second installment, The Rising Tide, will come later in Spring 2024. 

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD. 

SKIP IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE DLC WITH FRESH EYES.

The Fallen were often referenced in many parts of the main FFXVI story. Most prominently, they were mentioned in The Desert which featured a Niagara-falls like body of water. This was supposedly a result of the aftermath of the battle between The Fallen and Ultima. 

Echoes of the Fallen tells us more about this group of people and what they were able to achieve in their quest to challenge Ultima. 

To access the DLC, you must have already completed the following side quests: 

  • Cut from the Cloth
  • Phoenix Heal Thyself
  • Where There’s a Will
  • Priceless

These are available in the Back to their Origin segment of the Main Story.

Lore-building 

Echoes of the Fallen

The entire Echoes of the Fallen story is mostly just lore-building akin to the many side quests towards the tail-end of Final Fantasy XVI. However, it definitely feels larger in scale and takes longer to complete than any of those sidequests. 

As mentioned earlier, the DLC tells us more about the fallen. Specifically, we learn about what they did to challenge Ultima. An endeavor that ultimately failed. 

It’s hard to discuss the story details without spoiling so we’ll skip that. It does make you a little bit curious as to how the fallen developed the things you encounter in the game. 

Gameplay and stages 

Echoes of the Fallen

Like most DLCs, Echoes of the Fallen gives you more FFXVI. That is, to say, if you enjoyed the base game, there’s about enough here to warrant a trip back to Valisthea. 

Gameplay takes you from one story beat to the next fairly quickly. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself tussling against mini-bosses to uncover more of the story. 

If you haven’t played for FFXVI for a while, it’s a good idea to refresh your skills with the enemy fodder you’ll encounter along the way. That said, I can say I couldn’t reach the skill level I had when I first beat the game. Which is why I found myself struggling a bit against the DLC’s final boss.

Echoes of the Fallen

It’s worth noting that you do get a weapon fairly early on. After beating the DLC, you’ll have collected the materials to forge yet another weapon that would be perfect for a New Game Plus run or even just completing other tasks like clearing out the Hunt Board list.

Should you get the FFXVI Expansion Pass?

Echoes of the Fallen is a nice bit of lore-building for FFXVI. It doesn’t quite get the heights that the main story hits – which is understandable. But it’s a good enough reason to step back into Valisthea and tide you over until the release of The Rising Tide DLC which promises to be a larger encounter with the Eikon Leviathan

SEE ALSO: Final Fantasy XVI review: Reigniting the embers of a waning flame

Gaming

Silksong is getting its first major expansion next year

The expansion is called Sea of Sorrow.

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I still can’t believe that Hollow Knight: Silksong came out this year. After years of just waiting for the mythical title, it’s surreal to have it in my library. Now, barely waiting to catch their breath, Team Cherry is already working hard towards the next content drop, starting with Silksong DLC.

Just like the original Hollow Knight, Silksong is getting free DLCs to expand its story. The upcoming Sea of Sorrow DLC will be the game’s “first big expansion.”

The expansion’s trailer barely shows anything about the new content, besides vague allusions to what’s coming. At the very least, Team Cherry has confirmed, both via the announcement and the accompanying poster, that Sea of Sorrow will be nautical-themed.

It will feature new locations, new tools, and new enemies. By itself, Silksong is already a huge game. Adding more content then is a massive undertaking. Plus, Team Cherry says that this is just the first expansion, hinting at more coming in the future.

Sea of Sorrow will launch in 2026.

Besides the new expansion, the studio is also working on a Nintendo Switch 2 update for the original Hollow Knight. It will add higher framerates, resolutions, and more graphical effects. PC players will also get some upgrades to support larger screens.

The Switch 2 update, which will be free for those who already own the original game, will also launch next year.

SEE ALSO: Hollow Knight: Silksong finally releases on September 4

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Gaming

The Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro made me believe in wireless mice

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I used to turn my nose up at ultra-light wireless mice. I preferred the heft of a traditional mouse. The tactile sensation of pushing a heavier mouse makes me feel that my efforts are mechanically moving the cursor on the screen. In contrast, a lighter mouse eradicates that connection, making itself invisible. You no longer feel connected to your PC via a mouse; your hand itself becomes the cursor. I needed that connection.

It wasn’t until the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro that I realized how silly it is to keep that extra weight.

As if nothing was there

The Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro is built for pro gamers. It’s extremely lightweight and impressively fast through its wireless connection.

To be more accurate, the mouse itself, minus the wire and the dongle, weighs only 56 grams. Coming from a chunkier mouse, my hand just flies through my desk mat. It’s like taking off ankle weights and suddenly feeling the weightlessness of a run.

Despite the reduced resistance, I never felt disconnected from the cursor on the screen. The mouse has a maximum polling rate of 8,000Hz. Personally, I didn’t go beyond the default 1,000Hz much. It’s more than enough for casual to slightly more competitive gaming. And in any case, the higher settings are just there for those rare times I want to dabble in more intense games.

Immediately, the DeathAdder V4 Pro’s weight and polling rate were enough to melt my worries over ultra-light and wireless mice.

A simple, no-frills layout

As a competitive mouse, the DeathAdder V4 Pro sheds off any extemporaneous buttons that some gaming mice have.

For input, the mouse has the two traditional left-and-right mouse buttons, a scroll wheel and middle mouse button, and two extra buttons near the thumb. For non-gaming purposes, the two extra buttons can act as the back and next buttons.

Right near the bottom’s optical sensor, you can find a button that doubles for turning the mouse off and changing the sensitivity. I adore this layout. My previous mouse had its DPI button near my grip, leading to a lot of accidental presses. Now, I understand that the layout might favor some types of games, but it just wasn’t it for me. The DeathAdder V4 Pro keeps it out of sight and out of mind.

 

A remarkably useful app

Initially, I bristled at needing another seemingly unnecessary for a new peripheral. However, the Razer Synapse app is surprisingly useful.

It’s remarkably good with fine-tuning. In the traditional DPI settings, you can adjust all the way down to the last digit. It’s all about making the experience as tailored to your tastes as is possible.

Besides the sensitivity, the app also has settings for mouse mat surface calibration for when you lift the mouse off the mat. It also has dynamic sensitivity and rotation calibration to tailor mouse movement based on what angle you hold the mouse with.

Even the dongle is useful

Traditionally, a mouse dongle is just to ensure that the mouse is well connected to the PC. The DeathAdder V4 Pro’s dongle is more useful. For one, it uses the same USB-A to USB-C wire to charge the mouse, so you don’t need to take off the wire every single time.

Secondly, it has three LED lights for three customizable displays. By default, it shows connection quality, battery level, and polling rate. You can rearrange these three, take out one to add DPI stage, or turn them off altogether. To me, these displays are very useful. They even use multiple colors and shades, so it’s not just red, orange, and green to show the battery, for example.

Most importantly, it’s small enough to keep out of the way. Since the wire is long, you can just hide the entire thing.

Optional grip tape

This is such a small thing to add, but I love it so much. The box includes grip tape for the left-and-right mouse buttons and both sides.

Besides adding grip, the tape also keeps the main body clean from the dirt on your hands over time.

The best part is that it’s replaceable. Some mice have the rubber built in. So, in those other mice, when your finger inevitably rub them smooth, you’re stuck with a slippery rubber piece until you replace the entire mouse. The replaceable grip tape is such a godsend against this problem.

Battery for weeks

The DeathAdder V4 Pro lasts an absurdly long time. It took me two weeks before the dongle showed a color that hovered perilously closer to red. Even then, it still had juice to keep going on. For reference, I usually keep my PC on the entire day for five to six days a week. I also don’t turn the mouse off with the PC because it has a low-power state that preserves battery life.

If you keep the mouse at the default 1,000Hz, Razer promises that a full charge can last 150 hours. If you’re more diligent in turning the mouse off after every use, you can probably squeeze out a bit more, too. Alternatively, the lifespan at the maximum 8,000Hz is reportedly 22 hours, which isn’t too bad if you need the mode for long competitive sessions.

Regardless, it’s not too much of a big deal to charge the mouse. It can still work perfectly when connected to the included cable.

Is the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro your GadgetMatch?

The Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro made me eat humble pie. After years of snobbery towards ultra-light wireless mice, Razer’s latest peripheral mended my ways and convinced me to drop the weightier mouse.

But that’s just me. If you’re already a fan of wireless mice, the DeathAdder V4 Pro is a no-frills gaming mouse that brilliantly prioritizes function over form. It’s simple, fast, and reliable as a plug-and-play peripheral. But when it needs to be better, it can tailor your entire experience to give you a competitive edge.

The only aspect that might make you think twice is its price. At US$ 169.99, the DeathAdder V4 Pro asks you to pay for a bit more than other alternatives. It’s still within the range of its contemporaries, but the price tag is a heavy ask.

It’s still a Super Swipe for me, though. Price aside, it’s a perfect mouse for all occasions.

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Accessories

Genshin Impact DualSense controller coming in January

Sony, HoYoverse partner for better PlayStation 5 experience

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Sony and HoYoverse have partnered for the Genshin Impact Limited Edition DualSense Wireless Controller.

The timing couldn’t have been better as Genshin Impact Version Luna III approaches PlayStation 5. There is a new 5-Star Pyro character in Durin, and a new story chapter set to take place in Nod-Krai.

The specially-designed controller features the popular open world RPG’s classic elements. It has an ethereal white, gold, and green palette.

It is also adorned with arcane glyphs of a fantasy realm, including emblems of Traveler Twins Aether and Lumine. Trusted companion guide, Paimon, is also present in the peripheral.

The controller will be available in these markets, with preorders now available in select retailers:

  • Singapore: SG$ 119
  • Malaysia: MYR 419
  • Philippines: PhP 4,890
  • Indonesia: IDR 1,549,000

Naturally, players can expect an immersive experience with the PlayStation 5 and DualSene controller combo.

There’s haptic feedback, support for 4K visuals, and lightning-fast load times, allowing players to continue exploring Teyvat and uncover its secrets.

For Sony, the collaboration is the latest in a long list of partnerships that more recently include the Ghost of Yōtei PS5 bundle, as well as the God of War, Death Stranding, and Fortnite edition controllers.

Meanwhile, for Genshin Impact, the controller succeeds recent tie-ups with Duolingo and UGREEN.

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