Games

Clocking in at 5.79 lb, Alienware’s 2019 m17 is the world’s thinnest and lightest 17″ gaming laptop, thanks to its copper and magnesium alloy case. It can be maxed out with Intel’s 8th gen Core i9 CPU and NVIDIA’s RTX 2080 Max-Q GPU. It drops 1/29/19 starting at $1649.

Alienware’s new desktop replacement gaming laptop. The beastly Area-51m can be maxed out with desktop-class Core i9 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 2080 Max-Q GPU… for now. That’s because you can swap out its CPU and GPU, as well as its RAM and battery. Drops 1/29/19 for $2549+.

If you loved Papers, Please, check out Do Not Feed Your Monkeys. It’s a simulation game where you play a new member of a club that gets its kicks from spying on people. Monitor your “monkeys”, gather information about them, and above all try not to feel for them.

ASUS’ GZ700 ROG Mothership gaming laptop borrows a trick from 2-in-1 hybrids. Its keyboard can be detached from the 17.3″ 1080p 144Hz display and used wirelessly or via USB-C. It has a six-core i9 CPU, an RTX 2080 GPU and up to 64GB RAM.

Nintendo’s workout game for the Switch combines boxing with rhythm gaming. Fitness Boxing has you punching to the beat of a variety of music. Play solo and track your progress, or workout alongside a buddy. You can even engage in a head-to-head match.

Any gamer needs this subscription box: it delivers official, exclusive gear and collectibles from the biggest and best gaming universes every month. Plus, take an additional 19% off a 3-month subscription The Awesomer Shop with code NEWYEAR2019 (valid through 1/7/19).

Don’t be fooled by its modest graphics. CrossCode is one of the most enjoyable action RPGs for Windows and Mac. It puts you in the shoes of a mute gamer in the future as she plays a virtual reality MMORPG. It has fast-paced combat, and hard but satisfying puzzles.

Yoz is a medieval cooperative adventure board game. Your goal is to collect gems to become more powerful, battle dragons and claim the treasure inside the castle before the thieves do. The map is made of 16 tiles that can be combined 20 trillion ways.

Shank Mods made an impressive portable handheld console using the brains of a Nintendo Wii. This allows the PiiWii to play any Wii and GameCube game. It also works with Virtual Console, WiiWare and Homebrew apps. Games are loaded on a microSD card.

The Japanese sibling of streetwear pioneer X-Large has just released a capsule collection featuring Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails. The ’90s collection features jackets, sweaters, shirts and pants knitted or printed with Sonic graphics.

Massdrop worked with Sennheiser to make an understated and affordable version of the latter’s Game One gaming headset. The PC37X uses the same drivers as the HD 598 and HD 600 headphones. They are also very comfortable and have a noise-canceling mic.

The design of James Donkey’s Tactical Master USB gaming headset was inspired by the headsets worn by pilots. It has 53mm neodymium drivers virtual 7.1 surround sound, a noise-proof microphone and memory foam ear pads, all without breaking the bank.

Good Smile Company and Sony teamed up to create PlayStation-branded carry-on luggage. They each have a capacity of 32L and are made of ABS plastic and polyurethane. They’re available in three designs.

If you’re a fan of Roller Coaster Tycoon, check out Parkitect. It lets you build and manage large theme parks with tons of different rides and decorations. Its roller coaster interface is smart and makes spotting problem areas easy. Available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Bandai Namco’s Jump Force is a 3D fighting game that feature’s some of the most famous anime heroes and villains from Weekly Shonen Jump. The characters include Goku, Luffy, Naruto, Gon, Deku, Ichigo, Yusuke and more. It also has a robust character creator.

Enjoy hundreds of 8-bit games on your modern TV screen with this compact gaming console. It comes pre-loaded with 600 clones of classic games, and two controllers. Grab one in The Awesomer Shop, and get an extra 15% off with code MERRY15 (valid thru 12/31/18).

“‘Twas the night before Christmas, all through Mother Base, not a genome was stirring, not even Skullface.” Solid Snake voice actor David Hayter teams up with Liquid Snake voice actor Cam Clarke to read a Metal Gear-themed variant of A Visit from St. Nicholas.

Platinum Games and CyGames are working on an action RPG based on the hit mobile game Granblue Fantasy. Granblue Fantasy: Relink will feature characters from the original game and will have the option for multiplayer. It will be released on PS4 and possibly Windows in 2019.

Girlfriend Reviews is a YouTube channel that offers a fresh take on video game reviews. Instead of analyzing the game itself, it looks at the value of a game from the perspective of a girlfriend who’s often relegated to watching her boyfriend play the game.

Kards is an upcoming free-to-play digital collectible card game being developed by former employees of CCP, the creator of Eve Online. It’s set in World War II and will feature iconic weapons and units from the War. The game will be released on Windows and mobile devices.

Enjoy a cup of joe in the head of one of the more recognizable video game characters of late. This officially-licensed Cuphead coffee cup comes with a jumbo-sized decorative ceramic straw, but we don’t recommend trying to gulp down searing-hot coffee through it.

Artist Fernando Reza aka “Fro” makes video game posters in the style of World War II propaganda prints. The games featured include Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt and The Legend of Zelda. Each print measures 18″x 24″ and is printed on Latex-coated matte archival paper.

Love city building games? Grab a great deal on the Mac version of the 2003 classic SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition. Build sprawling cities, balance budgets, grow empires, and then do you best to save them from disaster. It’s just five bucks in The Awesomer Shop.

(PG-13: Language) Back in 2016 game critic videogamedunkey talked about the pros and cons of fixed versus adjustable difficulty in video games. He revisits difficulty in this video, musing about how it should be paced or adjusted.

GAEMS’ console carrying case works with the Xbox One S, Xbox One X, PS4 and PS4 Pro. It comes with a 17.3″ 1080p IPS LCD monitor with an anti-glare coating. It also has chambered speakers and an audio jack.

Rob Jinman’s Pro Office Calculator looks like a normal calculator program when you launch it. But wait for it and you’ll see that it’s actually one giant Easter egg. You’ll need to solve puzzles if you want to find out the mystery behind it. Also on Steam.

From Obisidian, the developer of Fallout: New Vegas, comes a first-person RPG set in the future and in a space colony, like Mass Effect meets Fallout. The Outer Worlds appears to feature everything we loved about New Vegas. Drops 2019 for Windows, Xbox One, and PS4.

Sit back, grab a big bucket of popcorn, and gaze on as 3,000 T.Rex dinos take on an army of 23,000 lightsaber-wielding warriors for no other reason than to show that it can be done in Ultimate Epic Battle Simulator. Honestly, it looks like a rave gone really, really bad to us.

Developed by members of the Ico and Shadow of the Colossus teams, this beautifully-stylized adventure game puts you in the shoes (and wings) of character who can transform from a lost child into a bird, as you explore strange and wondrous lands. Coming to PS4 on 1/15/19.

From Supergiant Games, creators of Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre, comes a roguelike set in the Greek underworld. In Hades, you summon the powers of the Greek gods as you try – and try, and try – to make your way out of hell.