Gaming

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut: Expanding a legend

The definitive version

Published

August 19, 2021

Ghost of Tsushima is already one legendary experience, but that same experience is elevated further with PlayStation 5 improvements and a new tale exploring Jin Sakai’s past with Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut.

Prominently featured in this expanded version of the game is the Iki Island story arc. The island is located Southeast of Tsushima and is being conquered by another Mongol invader named The Eagle. Throughout the story, you’ll learn that the Eagle’s methods are a little different from Khotun Khan. This particular method sets the story of Iki Island in motion.

The Eagle

The PS5 upgrade

Right from the get go you immediately feel the difference between using the DualSense vs the DualShock controller. Whenever you’re running, whether that’s on foot or on your horse, you’ll feel each step and each gallop on the DualSense controller.

Certain things also respond differently. For instance, if the DualShock controller can only vibrate a certain way, the DualSense provides a gamut of vibrations that immerse you even further in the game. The different vibrations provide a different sense in certain story moments that was just brilliantly executed.

Ghost of Tsushima_20210818002242

In terms of loading times, I thought the original game on the PS4 was already pretty fast and only really suffered from the different outfits loading. The load time on the Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is certainly faster but the different outfits still took some time to load in some instances.

There are also different controller layouts available so you can play the game the way it would make most sense to you. There’s also now an option to lock-on to a target which wasn’t in the original game.

Iki Island is no vacation

Iki Island is a sight to behold

For those who have already completed the main campaign, the Tales of Iki will immediately be available in your journal. For those who are starting the game from scratch, the Tale opens up as you enter Act 2 of the main game which is the Toyotama region.

While this may be the case, our advice is to complete the main campaign first before heading to Iki Island. Why?

Some story beats might not make sense if you haven’t finished the main campaign
The enemies on Iki Island will waste you in no time if you don’t have enough skills unlocked. The game warns you about this.
You won’t be able to freely go back and forth between Iki Island and the main Island of Tsushima until you get to a certain point in Iki Island.

There are a few new enemy types. Mostly brutes with multiple weapons. But the most promiment one is The Shaman which boosts the bloodlust of the Mongols. They will relentlessly attack you and deal more damage while the Shaman is still around.

The Shaman

More skills to unlock, more animals to pet

Your horse joins the fight on Iki Island. Previously just a spectator, you can now have your horse charge at Mongols. It’s easily one of the most satisfying gameplay additions on Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut. Running over oppressors is this writer’s kink.

Speaking of animals, Iki island is more biodiverse than the main Tsushima island. Previously, you only really encountered a bird that guides you from quest to quest and foxes that lead you to a shrine to improve the charms that aid you in battle.

Yes, you can pet cats now

Iki island is also home to three important animals you’ll encounter — monkeys, cats, and deers. Each one has a shrine that will give you charms and charm upgrades. You also don’t simply bow to the shrine to gain these upgrades. You have to play the flute for these lovable creatures.

The flute playing mechanic is done by tilting the DualSense controller to follow the pattern on the screen. It’s a mini, and really easy, rhythm game that adds depth to the overall gameplay.

Play the flute for the monkey

Mythic and other Tales

To preserve the experience, we won’t say much about this part. Just know that yes, there are Mythic Tales available in Iki Island. The first two that you’ll encounter will yield armor that will prove to be very useful in completing the Tales of Iki campaign.

Get ready for some flashbacks

Just like the main game, the many Tales of Iki build upon the main Iki Island campaign. There’s several of them throughout the island and there will be plenty more to explore should you decide to finish the main story first before tackling the other Tales or sidequests.

Iki Island and The Eagle

I don’t think there’s any way to discuss the main campaign story without divulging some spoilery details. So, let this be your warning. Read on if you want to be cued in on some mild spoilers for story details.

As mentioned earlier, The Eagle isn’t exactly the same type of conqueror that Khotun Khan is. Where the main game’s antagonist is more direct with his brute force approach, The Eagle dabbles more in the chemical and psychological.

Through these methods, The Eagle is able to coerce the people of Iki to join the Mongols’ cause. Make no mistake, this leader is still bloody and brutal, just in different ways.

A bloody beheading

Jin Sakai is immediately exposed to these methods and while the mission is still to free the people of Iki, The Ghost will also deal with other matters about his relationship with his past.

Overall, it’s a solid story that sees our hero grow in ways that are different from the main game’s original narrative. While the Ghost of Tsushima main game has Jin adapt to the situation despite it being against the ways of the Samurai, the Tales of Iki will have him dealing more with grief and guilt. =

Expanding a legend

The Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is a wonderful expansion on an already masterpiece of a game. The additions are worthwhile and enjoyable, and the new story is mostly tightly told that it only adds to the legend of Jin Sakai — the Ghost of Tsushima.

The Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut will be available starting August 20.

Gaming

AMD FSR Upscaling 4.1 now available for Radeon RX 7000 Series

Update drops earlier than expected, powering more than 300 supported games

Published

June 24, 2026

GadgetMatch

PC and handheld gamers can officially skip the wait, as AMD has launched its FSR 4.1 upscaling technology for Radeon RX 7000 series (RDNA 3) GPUs.

Computing and Graphics Group Senior Vice President and GM Jack Huynh made the announcement on X (formerly Twitter). This development brings machine learning powered gaming to millions of players across more than 300 games.

By downloading the latest AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.6.2 driver, users can unlock the new AI upscaling suite on existing RX 7000 series desktop graphics cards.

(The driver can be downloaded here.)

The update drastically sharpens image reconstruction, delivers far superior temporal stability, and keeps motion ghosting to an absolute minimum. That’s across a massive library of supported titles.

Beyond optimized frame rates out of the gate for those two blockbusters, the release packs vital architecture stability improvements and bug fixes for the broader Radeon ecosystem.

Huynh added that AMD is actively engineering lightweight machine learning models to expand FSR 4.1 optimizations to a wider base of gamers. More details are to come.

Moreover, the driver for the FSR 4.1 upscaling technology will deliver day-one support for two highly anticipated releases: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced and DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations.

if you are wielding an RDNA 3 desktop rig or an RDNA 3-powered handheld, like the ROG Ally X or Lenovo Legion GO, simply open up the AMD Software suite, get the update, and test the new AI tech.

Gaming

GTA VI: New images unveiled as pre-order details, price finally announced

Highly-anticipated title to launch on November 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Published

June 24, 2026

GadgetMatch

Grand Theft Auto VI finally has a price. The highly-anticipated upcoming installment in the series is set to launch on November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Pre-orders will begin on midnight, June 25. Available versions are the Standard Edition at US$ 79.99 and the Ultimate Edition at US$ 99.99.

The Ultimate Edition amplifies the single player experience with an exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and action threaded across all aspects of Jason and Lucia’s story.

Here are some newly-released exclusive images:

Alongside the Standard and Ultimate Editions, all Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders and purchases before November 20 will also get the Vintage Vice City Pack.

This is a collection of items that flash back to when the neon burned brightest:

Players who pre-order digital versions of GTA VI will be able to begin pre-loading on November 12. This is to ensure they are able to play at launch on November 19.

The physical version, which contains a download code inside the box, will be available starting November 12 as well to support pre-loading.

Gaming

ASUS brings 2026 ROG Zephyrus Duo, G16, and G14 to the Philippines

New Zephyrus laptops arrive

Published

June 24, 2026

GadgetMatch

ASUS Republic of Gamers has announced the Philippine availability and pricing of its 2026 ROG Zephyrus lineup.

Headlining the range is the new ROG Zephyrus Duo, joined by refreshed versions of the Zephyrus G16 and Zephyrus G14. The latest models feature Intel Core Ultra processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs, upgraded cooling systems, and ROG Nebula HDR OLED displays.

The lineup is available through authorized retailers starting June 24, 2026.

ROG Zephyrus Duo introduces dual-screen gaming

The 2026 ROG Zephyrus Duo (GX651AX) is billed as the world’s first 16-inch dual-screen gaming laptop.

It features two 16-inch 16:10 touch displays with 120Hz refresh rates. Together, they provide up to 32 inches of combined screen space for multitasking, content creation, streaming, and gaming.

The primary display is a 3K ROG Nebula HDR OLED panel with up to 1,100 nits peak brightness, Dolby Vision HDR support, and 100 percent DCI-P3 color coverage.

A new 320-degree kickstand hinge enables multiple usage modes, including Laptop Mode, Dual-Screen Mode, Book Mode, Tent Mode, and Sharing Mode. ASUS ScreenXpert software manages display layouts and transitions between modes.

Powering the device are an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, 64GB LPDDR5X memory, and 2TB SSD storage.

ROG Zephyrus Duo price in the Philippines

ROG Zephyrus Duo GX651AX-SR071WSM (RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — PhP 559,995

The laptop comes bundled with an ASUS Pen 3.0, ROG Universal Backpack, ROG Gladius III Gaming Mouse, and ASUS warranty package.

ROG Zephyrus G16 gets RTX 5090 option

The refreshed ROG Zephyrus G16 (GU606) retains its slim aluminum chassis, measuring 1.49cm thick and weighing 1.85kg.

Configurations include up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU with up to 160W TGP. ASUS says the laptop supports NVIDIA DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation technologies.

The 16-inch display uses a 2.5K ROG Nebula HDR OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, VESA DisplayHDR True Black certification, and NVIDIA G-SYNC support.

Battery life is rated at up to 22 hours of video playback, while ROG Intelligent Cooling combines Tri-Fan Technology, liquid metal, and expanded ventilation for sustained performance.

ROG Zephyrus G16 prices in the Philippines

ROG Zephyrus G16 GU606AR-TB061WSM (RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 289,995
ROG Zephyrus G16 GU606AX-TB084WSM (RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — PhP 429,995

Both variants include an ROG Exclusive Sleeve and ROG Strix Impact Gaming Mouse.

ROG Zephyrus G14 focuses on portability

The ROG Zephyrus G14 (GU405) continues to target gamers who want a more compact machine.

It measures 1.59cm thin and weighs 1.5kg. Despite its size, ASUS equips the laptop with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU with up to 130W TGP.

The device sports a 14-inch 3K ROG Nebula HDR OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, NVIDIA G-SYNC support, and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification.

ASUS also redesigned the thermal system with thicker heat pipes, additional copper fins, and improved ventilation to boost cooling performance.

ROG Zephyrus G14 prices in the Philippines

ROG Zephyrus G14 GU405AP-SY057WSM (RTX 5070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 224,995
ROG Zephyrus G14 GU405AW-SY069WSM (RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 324,995

Each model ships with an ROG Exclusive Sleeve and ROG Strix Impact Gaming Mouse.

Warranty and launch promos

All 2026 ROG Zephyrus laptops sold locally come with ASUS’ No. 1 Quality & Service Program. This includes a three-year international and local warranty, one-year accidental damage protection, and Premium Care support.

Buyers also receive a gaming mouse, three months of PC Game Pass, an Office 2024 lifetime license, one year of Microsoft 365 Basic with 100GB cloud storage, and up to 700GB of ASUS Cloud Storage.

Meanwhile, the new ROG Slash Collection 4.0 accessories, including the Slash Backpack 4.0 and Slash Sling Bag 4.0, will arrive in select ROG stores starting July 2026.