If you watched the below trailer and though the song sounds familiar, then you have a great taste in music.

The trailer is featuring a slightly different version of the Kiwi classic Kai Tangata by the excellent band Alien Weaponry.

If you haven’t heard them before you should check out the excellent Kai Tangata in full below.

About the game:

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is an ARPG where you play an eco-terrorist werewolf who has been banished from his tribe and fights a large US corporation responsible for serious pollution. 

The game is coming in February, 2021 to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC. 

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Want a free headset?

I’m sure you do, well our friends at SADES have hooked us up with 2 SNUKs to giveaway to 2 of our lucky readers.

Click HERE to enter now!

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I loved The Last of Us: Part II as shown by my spoiler free review, which covered the mechanics and lightly touched on the story.  Here I am going to dig into the story and it is going to be filled with spoilers. If you don’t want the ending ruined I recommend you stop reading now.

Ready? Snape killed Dumbledore. 

A tale of II badass women

The Last of Us: Part II is a brilliantly structured narrative.  The first half where you play as Ellie, witnessing the death of Joel at the hands of Abby triggering her to take a journey through Seattle to hunt her down is exactly the kind of sequel I expected.  I mean I didn’t expect Joel to be beaten to death in the more violent version of WHAT THE GOLF? but the revenge story felt appropriate for the series.

What I didn’t expect was the second stage where right after Abby confronts Ellie with a gun pointed at her. Here the game jumps back in time so you play the same days as Abby, after she finally got revenge for the death of her father at the hands of Joel.  Initially it felt like it was going to be a short backstory making you feel sorry for her seeing the death of her loving father, but it becomes so much more.

House of Wolves

As Abby you see her as part of the wolves you had been slaughtering, as the community is trying to survive while dealing with a dangerous cult at their door.  Despite there being a truce the bodies of their soldiers are being brought in by the dozens, presumably by a certain Ellie and Tommy. 

As we see Abby is dealing with being in love with her ex, while his pregnant partner rejects Abby, and she eventually creates a friendship with a couple of scars.  All of them being rejected from their homes, make their plan to leave the city for good when the murderous Ellie kills Mel and Owen while Abby is out looking for medicine.

The hunter becomes the hunted … then the hunter … then the hunted.

As Abby’s story progressed I started to feel sorry for her for being hunted by Ellie, but even still when the scene came for Abby to try taking Ellie out, I struggled with trying to kill her.  Regardless of how much of a rage fueled antagonist Ellie was, we have spent too much time with her for me to feel comfortable in that scene. 

When Abby leaves Ellie to live again, she proves she is the lesser of these two evils and Ellie gets to enjoy her undeserved happy ending with Dana on a farm.

In that fight Abby takes a knife to Dana’s throat and Ellie cries that she is pregnant.  Abby says good, because her pregnant friend was killed by Ellie, and Lev calls out and stops Abby killing her.  In that moment I felt Abby should have said something that told Ellie she had killed a pregnant woman too because I felt like Ellie’s conscience got to get off scot free there.  From Ellie’s perspective this moment would make Abby seem more like an evil antagonist, and less like a revenge bent rage monster like Ellie is.

Can you feel, the evil tonight?

Ellie isn’t haunted by what she has done in killing lots of innocent people, but by the death of Joel which doesn’t sit right in the context of the game.  Because she lost one person, she took so many people from their families so she could try to kill one person.  She could have seen the Wolves organisation as not being a good one, but she knew Joel was flawed and couldn’t see how what she was doing was so evil.

The number of encounters with humans and clickers does a disservice to the story.  Four or so hours could have been cut out of the game as by the end they started to feel more like an inconvenience between the major plot moments.  The small open area when Dana and Ellie first leave fits well into the narrative, but the repeated combat encounters didn’t fit as well with the annoying number of them.

Shiv me baby one more time

Other little things annoyed me like the shivs.  Ellie finally upgraded to a knife rather than breakable shivs in the first game which makes so much sense, of course she would have a knife. Abby on the other hand crafts shivs despite being a soldier in a well armed army, if anyone should have a knife it would be her.

Yet despite some flaws and a big slice of ludonarrative dissonance (I have always wanted to use that term), the story is as depressing as it is outstanding.  At the end of the day Abby gets away, though beaten and battered plenty, which she proves herself to be deserving of as she keeps showing some level of mercy. 

Whereas Ellie who even after facing off with Abby and losing, gets to live a happy ending making a loving family home with Dana, and throws it away at another chance for revenge, and ends on her own, unable to even play her guitar because of the fingers she lost in her final fight.

Goody two-shoes

The story is as horrible as it is brilliant.  There aren’t many ‘good guys’ in the story except maybe side characters like Dana and Jesse, and the bad ending for Abby and Ellie is exactly what they deserve. Despite being awful people, both Abby and Ellie are such well developed characters that makes the shocking story such an important journey.

In the end the terrible and unsatisfying ending is what makes the game so damn brilliant, even if I did prefer the ambiguous ending of the first game.

The post The Last of Us: Part II spoiler review – A tale of II bad as women appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

You read that headline correctly.

We have all made jokes about how our smart phones have so much more power than the computers that powered the space rockets, but now Oppo is proving their cameras can rival DSLRs.

Michaela Skovranova and OPPO recently ventured on a 10-day expedition to Antarctica, capturing the wilderness on the smartphone maker’s latest flagship device, creating a film series which is set to air on NZ screens from today.

The extreme adventure, titled ‘Uncover Antarctica’, saw Skovranova capture the raw and true beauty of one of the greatest challenges known to man and technology entirely on a smartphone; setting a new benchmark in the world of film and photography.

This production really brings to life the quality of the most premium smartphones available and shows us what’s possible from the technology sitting in our back pockets.

Joining forces with award-winning photographer and filmmaker Michaela Skovranova and National Geographic, OPPO made an expedition to the Antarctic, capturing the wilderness on the smartphone maker’s latest flagship phone, the Find X2 Pro.

Proving just how capable its latest 5G-ready flagship smartphone is, the Find X2 Pro thrived in the extreme climatic conditions with minus degree temperatures, heavy winds and ice and snow, producing sharp and detailed footage, rival to professional cameras.

Titled ‘Uncover Antarctica’, the excursion demonstrates the latest features of the X2 Pro device to the extreme – including its Ultra Vision Camera system with an optical 10x hybrid zoom and 60x digital zoom, its Ultra Steady Mode 2.0 which combats any professional action cam, its 120Hz Ultra Vision display offering excellent image reproduction, and Ultra Night mode which ensures clear and powerful images in even the darkest settings, like underneath the starry night skies of the Antarctic.

Morgan Halim, OPPO New Zealand Managing Director says, “I was genuinely blown away by the footage and what the crew managed to achieve in such tough conditions. It really shows the calibre of the current most premium smartphones available, and what the future holds for photography and film.”

The adventure of extremes saw Michaela Skovranova capture the unique beauty of the white continent in breathtaking photos and film, using the X2 Pro in ice and snow, underwater, darkness and under strong wind conditions. Setting a new benchmark in the world of film and photography, the videos and photos impress with their outstanding quality – confirmed by professional photographer Michaela Skovranova.  

“The camera sensors allowed me to take photos that I never thought possible with a smartphone. It’s simply spellbinding when a humpback whale takes a deep breath and dives back into the water. And thanks to the always-ready smartphone, I didn’t miss a single moment,” says Skovranova.

The pictures produced are of the best possible quality with the camera using a customised flagship sensor, the Sony IMX689 which is the largest sensor size among all 48MP mobile camera sensors. The powerful sensor combined with dual native ISO technology and f / 1.7 large aperture, brings powerful low light shooting capabilities.

10x Hybrid Zoom – Zoom in to capture natural beauty in clarity

“Spotting the first icebergs in the sea definitely stirred up some emotion in me. And this is why it is even more important to use the right features to capture moments like this. The 10x Hybrid Zoom can achieve a precision that I – as an experienced filmmaker and photographer – would never have thought possible. It’s simply spellbinding when you zoom in and discover details of the icy structure or birds in nosedive across the picture. Colour temperature sensing and image fusion algorithms combined with the 10x Hybrid Zoom don’t let you miss a single bit of the action,” says Skovranova.

48-MP ultra-wide-angle lens – With high depth of field

“I really like the impressive large and clear field of view with a maximum wide angle of 120 degrees. It can capture an even wider range of scenery without any distortion – and all in high definition. The depth of field is already very high at a low f-stop. This means that the double 48-MP lenses capture images with continuous sharpness from foreground to background as with the group of gigantic ice rocks that rise majestically out of the water. I was using the ultra-wide angle every day during the trip and I believe it could be one of the most favourite features for every travel enthusiast.”

Underwater magic

It was important to go beyond the limits, not only in a special location but also to the technical equipment. The X2 Pro made it possible to capture the true beauty of the underwater world with its IP68 rating for splash, water, and dust resistance.

The Uncover Antarctica film will play on National Geographic and Disney+ from June 9 to  August 18th 2020.

The post The OPPO Find X2 Pro is rivaling DSLR cameras in Antarctica appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Oppos is releasing their X series phones next month in NZ, which brings 5G capability with it. Assuming the towers are still working to use it…

The biggest part of the announcement is the release of a mid-range powerful phone with 5G capability for $799 in the Find X2 Lite.

Oppos being Oppo means you are getting a lot more value for $800 but you can see all the info on that and the super powerful X2 Pro below.

Pricing and availability:

OPPO Find X2 Pro

• RRP $1,899 NZD
• Colours: Ceramic Black & Vegan Leather Orange
• Presale 29 May with all retailers
• On-sale 5 June at: Spark, Vodafone, Noel Leeming, JB Hi-Fi, PB tech, Harvey Norman, Heathcotes.
• Note: The Vegan Leather Orange colour will be available at selected nationwide retailers only.

OPPO Find X2 Lite

• RRP $799 NZD
• Colours: Moonlight Black & Pearl White
• On-sale 12 June at: Spark, Vodafone, Noel Leeming, JB Hi-Fi, PB tech, Harvey Norman, Heathcotes.

Hold the Phone! OPPO launches a $799 5G Smartphone
Find X2 Lite Brings Flagship Features to Mid-range 5G Market

OPPO has today released its much anticipated Find X2 Series in all its glory, adding an entry variation – the Find X2 Lite – to complete the brand’s first 5G offering in New Zealand.

The news comes just as the company has signed on major network carrier Vodafone as a partner, with both Find X2 models (Lite and Pro) available soon at Vodafone stores across the country.

The X2 Series is the latest ideation of OPPO’s renowned Find flagship Series, known for its pioneering and innovative spirit. While the Find X2 Lite shares many of the flagship features found on the hero Find X2 Pro, it is priced to make premium accessible to all Kiwis. At $799, the Find X2 Lite is currently the most affordable 5G smartphone on the market, and it’s jam packed with cutting-edge technology.

With a Snapdragon 765G 5G chipset, outstanding camera and video capabilities, the Find X2 Lite is a serious contender for Kiwis looking to unleash the era of 5G. Its lightning-fast VOOC charging, sleek look and shiny feel, makes the X2 Lite a must-have.  

“We’re on the cusp of the next explosion of streaming, gaming, browsing, and the proliferation of more everyday uses of smartphones, as 5G makes its way to New Zealand’s streets,” says Morgan Halim, OPPO New Zealand Managing Director.

“With its features mirroring the industry-leading X2 Pro device, the X2 Lite offers a superb experience. And its sub $800 price point means more Kiwis can access 5G and the latest smartphone technology to enhance their daily lives,” says Halim.

You can’t unsee this and why would you want to?
Today smartphones are integral to our lives for both work and play, and arguably, the quality of the screen sets the scene for the overall mobile experience. The Find X2 Lite sets the benchmark in its price range, with a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED 2400×1080 display, and an impeccable screen to body ratio of 90.8%.

While the Find X2 Pro leads the industry with an outstanding full spec screen, the X2 Lite holds its own with its crystal clear OLED display for an impeccable, silky smooth visuals when browsing the internet, watching videos, or playing games. The X2 Lite’s average brightness is 430nit, increasing to a maximum of 600nit, making it easy to see the screen in all light conditions, even harsh sunlight.

With a touch sampling rate of up to 180Hz when in game mode, the Lite delivers a super smooth and light interaction, stepping up to meet the demands of gaming and video. The OPPO Find X2 Lite’s screen is certified by TÜV Rheinland.

To round off the perfect audio-visual experience, the Find X2 Lite is equipped paired with the legendary sound quality of Dolby Atmos and consumers can experience truly immersive audio.

Big Punch, Light to Touch
Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon 765G mobile platform, the X2 Lite enables multi-gigabit upload and download speeds, with 8GB RAM and up to 128GB ROM.

It also uses a 360 degree smart antenna that works to locate the optimal network channel with the fastest speed, and can increase speeds by up to 30%. Additionally, the OPPO Find X2 Lite supports 5G + WiFi dual channels, allowing 5G mobile network and 5G WiFi to work online at the same time, achieving network speed superposition.

The OPPO Find X2 Lite boasts the latest in charging, with a 4025mAh large-capacity battery supporting 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0 from 3% to 50% power up in just 20 minutes and just 56 minutes for a full charge. In comparison, the X2 Pro can charge from 0-100% in just 38 minutes!

Take the Picture, let Lite do the Rest
The Find X2 Lite has left no stone unturned in its camera and video capabilities.

Its Ultra Clear Quad Camera set up includes a 48MP Main Camera + 8MP Ultra Wide Angle Macro Camera + 2MP Portrait Style Mono Camera + 2MP Mono Camera. Plus, a 32MP front camera.

The Find X2 Lite comes with OPPO’s built-in Screen Image Engine visual optimisation technology, which improves image saturation and contrast levels for better visuals and effects in third party apps. It is currently supported by apps including TikTok and Instagram.

The Find X2 Lite is kitted with the hearty Sony IMX586 sensor with a f / 1.7 large aperture for powerful low light shooting capabilities and beyond.

The 48MP and Ultra Wide Angle Macro Cameras have upgraded image stabilisation algorithms making it easy to capture steady wide-angle footage no matter the scenario. Have you ever tried to capture the tiny detail of the macro world?

Roam, Shoot, Play
The Find X2 Lite has raised the bar yet again for video stabilisation through Ultra Steady Video 2.0. Combining multi-sensor information with intelligent scenario detection for unfailable steady footage, whether general use or filming intense sports, top-quality video is guaranteed.

Ultra Night Mode creates exceptional nighttime images and AI noise reductions suppress the intensity of overexposure and improve detail and brightness of shadows.

In addition, the X2 Lite excels in functionality with digital zoom, auto flash, panorama, portrait, night scene and HDR photo mode. An LED flash and a smart editing suite means whether its natural scenery, retro portraits, black and white styles, or you’re shooting on the go, your canvas is a playground.

Style & Design
Aesthetically-pleasing design is synonymous with OPPO, and the Find X2 Lite is a testament to that. Made with glass back to front and an aluminum frame, its sleek and lightweight body weighs 180g and is just 7.96mm thick, for easy single-hand use, plus making it one of the world’s thinnest 5G smartphones.

The Find X2 Lite runs ColorOS.7 on Android 10  for a more modern and satisfying visual effect, as well as reducing overall energy consumption by 38%.

The Find X2 Lite is available in two colours: Moonlight Black & Pearl White from 12 June 2020.
The Find X2 Pro is available in Ceramic Black & Vegan Leather Orange from 5 June 2020.

The post OPPO is releasing its 5G phones in NZ, including the $799 Find X2 Lite appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

You know, some supposedly wise people may have said that only fools rush in. Well, I can’t help falling in love with the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom, and I don’t care who knows it.

This, my friends, is the phone you’ve been waiting for.

First off – what’s an Oppo?

There’s a lot to get used to when you make the switch to an Oppo. First, the bottom buttons are inverted by default, which will led to mishaps aplenty until you get around to changing it. The main issue? People asking what your phone is. Despite making seriously good phones, they don’t have the widespread appeal of other brands.And I can’t understand why.

I’ve been a fan of Oppo since I first laid hands on the R15 Pro. The AX5 blew me away with its affordability, as did the AX5s. The AX7 stayed on form, and hell, I use an R17 Pro as my everyday device, and have done for months. These are great phones, with phenomenal versatility, and a model for every person or occasion. You can enjoy them with the family, at the beach, or on the boat; wherever good times are had. 

None of them compare to the Reno.

How does it look?

The Reno comes in a variety of delightful colours across the visible spectrum… Well, two colours. You can go for the classic, timeless Black, or a slightly more ostentatious Aqua. Either way, they look gorgeous.

The long vertical camera strip is also very tasteful, and adds a nice feature to an increasingly homogenised marketplace. Seriously, if you put five top range smartphones on a table in front of you, would you be able to tell the difference anymore?

The display is excellent, with colours coming through vivid and bright on the 6.6 inch screen, with the option of a more muted mode if you prefer some more subtlety in your smartphone display. Most of the bells and whistles are there to customise the display, meaning you can really make the Reno your own.

Doing away with bezels, the Reno also has a hidden surprise; there’s no camera on the front. What the hell, I hear you ask. How are we supposed to take selfies with our friends, families, and random cats we meet on the street at 1am Well, first off, I shouldn’t be able to hear you, please get out of my home. Second, and more importantly, the camera is hidden in a motorised fin that pops up when you activate the portrait mode. Now, I’m not sure how many of you hate the idea of your phone’s camera staring at you the whole time, but if that’s a bother for you, this is for you.

It’s also cool as all hell.

What about the camera?

The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom features a 48MP camera at the rear, and 16MP on the front. They are some big numbers. Below are a couple of photos I’ve taken on a the Reno… Mostly of a cat and myself, granted, but you’ll get the point.

Need I say more? It’s incredible.

Not only is this cat the best boy, but that little fin that the front facing camera pops up in is fantastic. It’s like a tiny camera shark. Did I sing the Jaws theme to myself while taking selfies and watching the fin go up and down? Yes. Yes I did. And I challenge you not to do the same, because it was very entertaining. Plus, as mentioned, the selfies turned out great. 

I’m a little bit in love with myself now, to be honest.

Now, I’ve talked about beauty modes on cameras before. Most notably, I’ve talked about how they try to smooth my beard out and make me look like one of those high end ‘adult entertainment’ dolls. So naturally, you want to know about the Beauty mode, right? Well, it no longer makes me look like a ventriloquist dummy, so that’s definitely a plus. 

The Reno’s beauty mode has now taken me to the other end of the spectrum. Now I can’t look at myself in the mirror without a vague pang of disappointment. I’m so much prettier on the Oppo. SO pretty. Like Catfish pretty.

And the performance?

The Reno performs like a dream as well. 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will keep you busy for a while, and Color OS6 is so customisable and responsive as to make the whole experience effortless. Switching between apps is effortless, easily as smooth as the iPhone XR, but, you know, on Android. And even with Spotify and Pokemon Go actively running, with a few social sites and companion apps in the background, there was no slowdown. Like literally none.

Even I find it hard to believe, and I’m holding the thing right now.

OK, but what about the battery?

Battery is, while not as mind-blowing as the AX5 and AX5s, remarkable for a phone with so much going on. With 4065mAh, I tested this the only way I know how; watching Vine compilations and obsessively playing mobile games. But even after I put it through the paces with some Mini Metro, Plague Inc, a substantial run of Pokemon Go, and a couple of fairly long videos, it was still at 41% when I went to plug it in that night.

I’m not trying to imply that Oppo have discovered a safe and stable method of nuclear fusion and put it in the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom. No, that would be madness. I’m implying that they are literally wizards, because they’ve done things no one else seems to be able to.

C’mon man, there has to be SOMETHING.

Oppo haven’t always been top of the line, mind you. The main problems I’ve had with Oppo in the past have been around choppy Bluetooth, lack of NFC connectivity, and the archaic hanging-on to the micro-USB. 

The Reno? Yeah, it fixes all that. 

I managed to connect this phone to my headphones, the UE Boom and MegaBlast, my other headphones, my keyboard, my watch, my PokeBall Plus, my OTHER headphones; everything I threw at it, it was super OK with. Most of these things, by the way, I hooked up at the same time. And it didn’t have a problem crossing brands either, which some phones do and is a pain when it happens.

The USB-C is also great to see, and the charging speed is absolutely insane. An hour to 100%. Slightly less, really, but when I tested it I didn’t expect it to go that fast so I didn’t check it often. I’d try again, but I didn’t want to wait to drain the battery again, since I intended to write this before, ya know, August. 

Anything else?

Well hey, who likes NFC? Because it’s there now. That’s all there is to say on that, really, but damn am I pleased I can top my Snapper up on mobile again. No more awkward shrugs at the bus driver for me! Can you believe the iPhone doesn’t have an app for that? 

A fingerprint scanner built into the screen? I like your style Oppo. They’ve truly committed to the whole clean screen aesthetic; you wouldn’t even know the scanner was there unless you activate the constant display option. And if you don’t want to use your fingerprint, well our friend the camera shark is there to help out with fast, reliable face recognition.

Even the cover that comes bundled with the Reno has upped the game. No clear, fingerprint collecting plastic here; this is a nice, pseudo suede affair. It has that quality, solid, almost leathery feel that you used to get with some older phone covers, and I’m extremely into it. It feels and looks great, and really makes you feel secure. Plus it’s got a racing stripe down the middle; makes it go faster.

So you’re saying this is the best phone you’ve ever used?

You’re damn spiffy I am.

I’ve been racking my brain trying to find flaw with the Oppo Reno, and it simply doesn’t have them. Display and camera, performance and battery, even the accessories that come bundled with it, all are top notch. And the Reno doesn’t even HAVE a notch!

Look, I’m raving about this phone, I know. It’s almost unreasonable. But if I’m honest? There aren’t a lot of times that a reviewer gets to wholeheartedly praise something, so I guess this is my one. Hell, I wrote this whole review ON the Reno, so I must like it.

The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom is worth 10X the price, as far as I’m concerned. Oppo have done something truly special here, and I wholeheartedly recommend this phone. 

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