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But 155 sites added in updated 2024 list, including a 15th century school house which survived an arson attack by suffragettesSaltdean Lido has been removed from the Heritage At Risk Register following a restoration by Conran & PartnersHistoric England has removed Saltdean Lido from its Heritage At Risk Register following a restoration programme but named an additional 155 sites in need of attention.The heritage advisor has published its annual roundup of historic sites deemed to be at risk due to neglect, structural deterioration or the risk of redevelopment.Richard Jones streamline moderne lido in east Sussex, completed in 1938, is among 124 sites removed from the list due to being considered no longer at risk.Added to the register in 2011, the grade II*-listed building has been restored by Conran & Partners, working for a local community action group, with the project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.It is now home to a caf, restaurant, gym, public library, and multiple work and exercise spaces, and hosts a wide variety of events in its art deco ballroom.The painted hall at Sherborne HouseOther buildings removed from the list include the grade I-listed Sherborne House in Dorset, which has been transformed into an arts venue by local architect Spase.Built around 1720 for Henry Seymour Portman, it features a grand hall with murals by James Thornhill, the Dorset-born artist whose other works include the Painted Hall at the Royal Hospital in Greenwich and the inside of the dome of St Pauls Cathedral.The Sherborne House Trust acquired the building in 2018 and plans for its transformation into an arts venue were approved in 2021.The grade II-listed Abney Park chapel and graveyard in Stoke Newington, London, has also been crossed off the list following a 5m restoration funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Lottery Community Fund, Hackney Council and Historic England.The grade II-listed Abney Park chapel and graveyard has been removed from the listThe early 19th century site had been on the list since its creation in 1998, with Historic England describing its removal as a major achievement.The graveyard boasts a new cafe, community room and workshop spaces, while the chapel now hosts events and has held its first ever wedding.A total of 4,891 sites are on this years register, 20 more than last year. They include 1,442 buildings and structures, 969 places of worship, 103 parks and gardens, three battlefields and four shipwrecks.Recently added sites include a rare Victorian windmill which, while still in working order and producing flour, has been found to be in need of urgent repairs due to water seepage and rotting timbers.Volunteers from the Waltham Windmill Preservation Society are repairing the Victorian windmill, which is still in operationThe mill is run by dedicated volunteers from the Waltham Windmill Preservation Society who regularly hold fundraising events to help pay for ongoing maintenance. Repair work is already underway, helped by a 63,000 grant from Historic England.The early 15th century Kings Norton Old Grammar School in Birmingham has been added to the list despite winning a restoration award just 20 years ago.Kings Norton Old Grammar School survived an attack by two suffragettes in 1913Believed to have been originally built as a priests house, it was remodelled in the 17th century before surviving an intended arson attack by two suffragettes in 1913.The campaigners had left a note on a blackboard explaining that they had been so charmed by the building that they had decided to refrain from their design of destruction.However, the building is now deteriorating as external panels are detaching from the frame, allowing in damp and rainwater.The grade I-listed Tamworth Castle is also in need of further repairs after initial restoration work was completed last year.> Also read:Save Britains Heritage adds 86 new entries to Buildings at Risk registerOne of the best preserved motte and bailey castles in the UK, it has a history going back well over a thousand years, the site having been occupied by a palace for the Kings of Mercia before the 9th century Viking invasions.It was rebuilt as a castle after the 1066 Norman Conquest, captured by Parliamentarians during the English Civil War and has been a museum since 1899.Historic England said the site had seen its fair share of battles and needs some attention before it is fighting fit once more.Tamworth Castle is in need of a further round of repairs following an initial restoration completed last year

Councillors said schemes tenuous community benefits did not justify proposed two-storey roof extensionCGI of Makes proposals for the 48 Chiswell Street siteMake Architects is facing another delay on a major project following Islington councils vote to defer a decision on a redevelopment scheme near the Barbican.Councillors voted to kick the 48 Chiswell Scheme into the long grass due to an egregious failure to meet a range of planning policies including Islingtons tall building policy.Representatives from Make were told to go back to the drawing board and remove the top storey of the scheme, which proposed a two-storey roof extension on top of an existing building which is already considered to be at the height limit for the area.Make is also currently waiting for a High Court decision on the 500m redevelopment of ITV Studios, which has been beset by a series of planning wrangles since it was first put on ice by the secretary of state more than two years ago.The existing building is already at the maximum height for the area under Islingtons tall buildings policyThe 48 Chiswell Street scheme, designed for Berkeley Estate Asset Management, is proposing the partial demolition and refurbishment of a 1980s office on the fringe of the City of London.It had been recommended for approval ahead of yesterdays planning committee meeting, with Islingtons planning officers arguing a breach of the areas policy on tall buildings was outweighed by the schemes high quality architecture and a range of community benefits, including affordable workspace.But while committee chair Martin Klute said the scheme was exciting and welcomed the retention of the existing buildings structural frame, he described its claimed community benefits as tenuous.Of particular concern as a purported mitigating factor for the height policy breach was the proposed affordable workspace, which was not considered to be particularly lettable because it was located in the sites basement, Klute said.The additional benefits that this [proposal] grants.seem very vague and ill thought through, he said.The committee is used to having projects of that sort linked to the building closely described, valued and knitted into the purpose and function of the building. This all seems very tenuous.The height of the proposals had been consistently criticised by Islingtons design review panel and by the Greater London Authority throughout the pre-application process in comments described by Klute as very pointed and clear.The proposals, on the rear left of the CGI, are on the fringe of the City of LondonHe said: Building heights are always being significantly challenged by developers trying to gain extra height, and in other cases where we have allowed extra height, this has always been coupled with a balance of exceptionality.Councillor Paul Convery added: When a building proposal is significantly non compliant we want to see something that significantly knocks our socks off, that really is exceptional, that really does tilt that balance of harm by a very significant package of benefits, and to be honest I dont think that is whats available here.Councillor Toby North called for the scheme to be reduced in height, adding I cant see any justification for the egregious failure to meet a number of policies.> Also read:Sluggish economy and rising tax bill send Makes numbers into reverseThe submitted scheme would have seen a comprehensive overhaul of the existing 1987 building, including the demolition of its prominent pentagonal entrance tower, replacement of external facades and adjustments to internal layouts.The project team includes cost consultant Turner & Townsend Alinea, project manager Blackburn, structural engineer Elliott Wood, planning consultant Gerald Eve and landscape architect Townshends.Make and Berkeley Estate Asset Management have been contacted for comment.The sites pentagonal entrance tower would be demolished under the proposals

Our Experts Written by James Bricknell Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Why You Can Trust CNET 16171819202122232425+ Years of Experience 14151617181920212223 Hands-on Product Reviewers 6,0007,0008,0009,00010,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,000 Sq. Feet of Lab Space How we test CNETs expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. What to consider Posture Avoid back, arm and wrist pain with good posture. Sit back in your seat and support your feet the best you can. Chair posture A chair with lumbar support will help keep your lower back from getting sore. If it doesnt have support, roll up a towel and put it behind your back. Wheel Quality It may not feel important, but an office chair with wheels that roll well will make your life easier. Look for strong wheels or invest in an upgrade. Table of Contents Our Picks $466 at Branch Furniture Best overall office chair The Verve chair by Branch View details $466 at Branch Furniture View details $240 at Amazon Best low-price mesh back office chair Sihoo Doro C300 View details $240 at Amazon View details $733 at Oak Hollow Best mesh office chair Oak Hollow Aloria Series View details $733 at Oak Hollow View details $77 at Amazon Best value office chair Amazon Basics leather-padded swivel chair View details $77 at Amazon View details $249 at OdinLake Best office chair with full control OdinLake Upgrade 518 View details $249 at OdinLake View details $200 at Eureka Best budget executive office chair Eureka Galene executive chair View details 5% exclusive CNET offer applied at checkout $200 at Eureka View details $1,897 at Anthros The most comfortable office chair I've ever used The Anthros chair View details $1,897 at Anthros View details $450 at Amazon Best mid-priced office chair Hon Ignition 2.0 View details $450 at Amazon View details $300 at Flexispot Best office chair with a headrest Flexispot C7 View details $300 at Flexispot View details $857 at Steelcase Best build-your-own office chair Steelcase Karman View details $857 at Steelcase View details $210 at Amazon Best office chair for bigger gamers EasySMX Big and Tall gaming chair (Update: Out of Stock) View details $210 at Amazon View details $1,300 at Amazon Most comfortable high-end office chair Herman Miller Mirra 2 View details $1,300 at Amazon View details $200 at Amazon Best office chair for posture Nypot Premium ergonomic kneeling chair View details $200 at Amazon View details $290 at Ikea Most durable office chair Ikea Markus chair View details $290 at Ikea View details $1,165 at Amazon Best standing desk office chair HAG Capisco adjustable standing desk chair View details $1,165 at Amazon View details Table of Contents A great office chair can cost $1,000 or more, but not every ergonomic chair will work for every person. If you're looking for adjustable lumbar support, a foam seat cushion or head support, our CNET experts have found the best office chairs to meet all those needs and more. Read more: Best Gifts for Gamers for the Holidays 2024Despite the many chairs on the market, not all of them will support your body properly -- which is absolutely necessary if you sit in a chair for long periods. Getting the right gaming and office chair means having proper lumbar support, seat depth and comfort to avoid back and neck pain. Are you a fan of gaming chairs? Do you want something fancier, like an ergonomic office chair from Herman Miller? Or maybe youre looking for a budget chair? We've tested a huge range of chairs, from $50 to $3,000; and these are the best office chairs.What is the best office chair of 2024? Verve Chair by Branch is the overall best office chair. BranchIf you spend time working, gaming or doing anything that involves sitting for a long time, you need a high-quality, supportive chair. Our top pick, the Branch Verve, is a great midrange option that's comfortable, durable and looks great.Getting the right support while you're sitting can help with your posture as well as the muscle soreness that can stem from a bad chair. During the pandemic, many of us at CNET had to turn parts of our homes into offices, which gave us a chance to test a lot of office chairs. Today, remote and hybrid work is sticking around, making a good chair imperative. We've been testing office chairs at CNET for over nine years, and I've been sitting on them for decades. That means we can help you make an informed decision about where to rest your rump.Note: Prices vary on third-party sites, so prices quoted here may change. We'll regularly update this list of the best office chairs to reflect the most accurate prices. Best office chairs of 2024Filter by Showing 17 of 17 Results

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November 15, 20247 min readThe Tooth Is Stranger Than FictionAnglerfish have invisible fangs, narwhal tusks are extra-long canines, and more facts from the weird and wonderful study of teeth will astound youBy Zane WolfIn this bridled parrotfish (Scarus frenatus) beak, layers and layers of teeth can be seen compressing into an incredibly stiff conglomerate structure. Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock PhotoDo you think teeth are boring or gross? From the iron-laden teeth of Komodo dragons to the horns on unicorns of the sea, the animal kingdom is filled with marvelous dental adaptations that will have you thinking again.Sharks are covered in toothlike scales called denticlesColored micrograph of shark skin showing the complex three-dimensional structures of its denticles.Gregory S. Paulson/Getty ImagesOn supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Cartilaginous fishes such as sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras grow three-dimensional scales on the surface of their skin. Each toothlike scale has a pulp cavity containing blood vessels and nerves and is covered in a mineralized, enamel-like tissue called enameloid. These scalesvery unlike bony fishes flat dinner-plate-like scalesare called denticles and have widely different shapes and features, not just across species but also in an individual fish. Denticles found on a sharks nose might be flat and round, resembling the patched surface of a soccer ball. But elsewhere on the body the denticles might look like overlapping cupped hands with ridges and points.These denticles can serve a variety of functions, such as decreasing drag while swimming and perhaps even increasing thrust directly, explains Purdue University biomechanist Dylan Wainwright. We think theyre also functioning in some way as protection for sharks, Wainwright continues. They may protect from both big things like bites from other sharks [and] from small things like ectoparasites. (Some fish have been observed rubbing against sharks rough skin to scrape off their own parasitic riders.)We still dont know where teeth come fromTwo competing theories about the evolutionary origins of teeth have been battling back and forth for decades, vacillating with the latest supporting discoveries in developmental biology or the fossil record. The outside-in hypothesis suggests that toothlike dermal scales with pulplike centers covered in hardened mineralsimilar to denticles found todaygradually migrated across the bodys exterior surface over successive generations of fish before moving inward to take up residence in our ancestors jawbones. The inside-out hypothesis suggests that teeth originated internally before migrating forward in the oral cavity to become oral teeth.An investigation of a fossilized sawtooth sharks rostral denticles (the teeth on the fishs sawlike bill) showed complex internal structures incredibly similar to those found in shark teeth. This discovery suggests that the developmental gap between dermal scales and teeth is smaller than originally thought, edging the outside-in hypothesis ahead of inside-out once more. Given the inherently spotty nature of the fossil record, however, it is entirely possible that we will never know exactly where our oral teeth come from.Some fish species have not one, not two, but three varieties of teethMost fish have two sets of teeththe oral teeth located near the front of their mouth for grabbing and chomping and the pharyngeal teeth located in their throat for the slicing and dicing. But some fish, comprising a group known as osteoglossomorphs, have also developed a third set of teethbony plates formed by the roof of their mouth and their tongue (osteo means bony; glossi means tongue) that help crush and grind their food. It seems like fish just put teeth wherever they want, says Kory Evans, a fish biologist at Rice University, and fishes can continue making teeth throughout their entire life, which is really impressive.The most numerous vertebrate fossils on the planet are microfossil fish teethAs fish routinely replace their teeth, the shed teeth will fall to the bottom of the water column and become enshrined in the sediment. Unlike more porous bones, these hardened teeth are less susceptible to erosion and degradation. Given that fish have existed for 530 million years or so, it should come as no surprise that sediment from around the globe is chock-full of fish tooth fossils. But good luck spotting them in the wild. Theyre smaller than the human hair, but these little, teeny, tiny fish teeth can tell mighty stories, says Elizabeth Sibert, an oceanographer and paleobiologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.Resembling microscopic ice cream cones, these micro teeth can vary in thickness, length, curvature, presence or absence of barbs, and so on. From the relative abundances of these teeth over time and the geographic distribution of differently shaped ones, Sibert and her collaborators can make inferences about animal diversity, animal abundance and food webs from oceans long past. And just how many of these microfossil teeth might be out there? Certainly billions, Sibert guesstimates, and I think trillions might not be that far off.Parrotfish beaks, built from compressed teeth, have the stiffest biomineral ever foundHeavybeak parrotfish (Chlorurus gibbus) featuring an impressive beak.Ute Niemann/Alamy Stock PhotoMost parrotfish species munch through coral in search of polyps and algae (contributing to white sandy beaches), but biting through coral is no easy feat. Parrotfish beaks are composed of the stiffest biological mineral ever discovered, supplanting limpet (snail) teeth, the previous record holder.Parrotfish beaks form by compressing up to 1,000 teeth arranged in as many as 15 rows into one hard, conglomerate structure covered by a layer of enameloid. Crystals in the enameloid are woven together much like fabric but on the scale of two to five microns (smaller than a red blood cell). This woven structure affords one square inch of a parrotfishs beak the ability to withstand a force equivalent to the weight of 88 elephants.Deep-sea fishes transparent teeth may provide camouflageJagged, transparent fangs can be seen in the mouth of this deep sea Anglerfish (Melanocoetus sp.) female.Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock PhotoDeep-sea fish will never win beauty pageants, but surviving under hundreds of meters, if not several kilometers, of water is not easyand these fishes are brimming with incredibly bizarre adaptations that should definitely win them some awards. The long, spindly, transparent teeth of anglerfish, dragonfish, and the like are fascinating in more ways than one. First, while the long fangs may look sharp, these teeth are actually not designed to puncture but to trap! Many deep-sea fish species have depressible teeth that bend only inward and function like a one-way valve. Food can come in, but it cant go out. Additionally, research suggests that a dragonfishs smile doesnt exactly light up a room. Any ambient light (like that generated from luminescing prey) passes through the tooth structure instead of bouncing off a dense surface and reflecting outward, like it would from our own pearly whites. This lets the deep-sea nightmares sneak closer to prey without their exposed teeth giving away the game.Snake fangs evolved multiple times yet still all look identicalWhile most reptiles lack fangs and venom, many different snake species have evolved mechanisms to deliver venom through their teeth. Snakes display two main types of venom-delivering fangs: grooved fangs, in which venom runs down a backside channel, and tubular fangs, in which venom flows through an enclosed delivery duct within the fang itself. Tubular fangs have evolved in three separate snake families (vipers, cobras and burrowing asps). In a class of animals where fangs are not all that common, how is it that fangs evolved not just once but multiple times across disparate snake families and converged on roughly the same structures each time?The answer appears to have a root cause. Many reptilian teeth have a pattern of zigzagging indentations called plicidentine around their base, where they attach to the jaw. Scientists hypothesize that one of the zags eventually developed into a long channel running the length of the fang, which could then be fully encapsulated within the fang as a canal. The presence of plicidentine forms an evolutionary shortcut to venom delivery that made repeated evolution of that adaptation more likely.Nature evolved metal teeth long before humans invented the sawFor a few lucky critters, jaws of steel is not too far off from the truth. Some animals have evolved chompers that contain iron to reinforce and protect their teeth from wear and tear. Beavers are a prime mammalian example; their incisor enamel is enriched with iron and capable of withstanding the repetitive gnawing and chomping of fibrous plant tissue. Researchers recently learned that Komodo dragon teeth also contain iron strategically located along their serrated edges. This is particularly surprising given that Komodo dragons, like most reptiles, replace their teeth frequently. The metabolic cost of investing in and growing thousands of iron-laden teeth over their lifetime must be worth it.Narwhal tusks are overgrown canine teethNarwhal (Monodon monoceros) crossing tusks above the water's surface off of Baffin Island, Nanavut, Canada.Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock PhotoThe defining characteristic of the narwhal, or unicorn of the sea, is a long, spiraling tusk erupting from the animals forehead. But its not a hornits a tooth. Narwhals have two large teeth embedded horizontally in their skull, and one of them (usually the left tooth, though sometimes the right or rarely both) erupts from the skull to continue its growth into what we think of as a horn. And even more strangely, these tusks always spiral in the counterclockwise direction, even in the odd instances where a narwhal has two horns. This might be the mechanism by which the tusks of narwhals grow straight, compared with the curved tusks of elephants and boars and the impressively large, curving canines of walruses and hippos. Additionally, the tusks are not covered in enamel, as most teeth are, but in cementum, a more flexible mineral coating. Given that most narwhal tusks are grown by males, it is no surprise that they have been shown to play a role in sexual selection.Plaque-causing bacteria and fungi can walk across the surface of our teethWe have known for a while that bacteria residing on human teeth can cause surface damage leading to plaque buildup and tooth decay. But scientists made a few startling discoveries more recently that might provide the motivation to brush and floss just a bit more regularly. Not only did they discover fungi in the saliva samples of children with severe tooth decay, but they also saw the bacteria and fungi interacting under a microscope! These conglomerations are capable of spreading or walking across the surface of teeth and combining with other Frankensteinian bacteria-fungi colonies to grow larger and larger.

November 15, 20243 min readMiaou! Curly Tails Give Cats an AccentA genetic mutation makes some cats tail curl over their back, giving them something akin to an accent when they communicate with other kittiesBy Christa Lest-LasserreBaby the cat has a genetic mutation that makes his tail curl over his back in a spitz-like position. Erica HudsonOwning a cat with a trendy feature, such as a salty licorice coat color or the flat face of a Persian feline, might be the cats meow. But some trendsincluding a curled-back tail thats gaining popularity among ownersmay unintentionally complicate a kittys social life. These cute but unusual tails could give a feline a sort of nonverbal accent to other cats (or humans), researchers say.Cats have a large repertoire of body language signals. They arch their back, raise their fur and flatten their ears to communicate fear or stress. They squint, knead their paws and rub their head against someone when showing affection and trust. And one of their most common contentment cues is a simple straight-up tailheld vertical and sometimes a little curved at the tipwhich translates to other kitties as Hey there, friend!Morgane Van Belle, a feline ethologist at Ghent University in Belgium, was researching cat-to-cat interactions in peoples homes when she came across some surprising tails that bent completely over the cats backs. Participants sent her videos of two cats from unrelated households that could wave, swish, twitch and drop their tail but couldnt hold it straight up. The owners said their respective cats tail had always been this way, suggesting a genetic mutationone that is likely also involved in a new breeding effort to promote curly tails. The proposed name for the breed with this trait is the American ringtail (not to be confused with the small mammal from the raccoon family).On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Curious about how curly tails affect cats ability to communicate, van Belle and her colleagues watched 85 minutes of video footage of the two curly-tailed felines interacting with other cats that lived in their respective homes. Normal-tailed cats happily groomed, played, rubbed heads and slept with the odd-tailed kitties they lived withmeaning the animals had likely found some other way to communicate friendly messages, the researchers report in a new paper published in the Veterinary Journal.The curled tail gives a cat something a bit like an accent that may take some time and effort for others to understand, says Van Belle, who was lead author of the paper. Maybe theyre using other cues, like ear position or odors instead, she adds. Knowing each other very well probably also helps in the communication. It really shows how flexible cats are when communicating with each other.Erica HudsonSandra Nicholson, an animal behavior scientist at University College Dublin, who was not involved in the new paper, concurs. Theyre still signaling through other parts of their body, with their face, their ears and their body position as a whole, she says. So its not just about the tailalthough obviously that [curled tail] is going to reduce some of their signaling ability.Unfamiliar felinesand even humansrisk misinterpreting curly-tailed cues. These cats could be sending confusing messages, Nicholson says. Indeed, tails that curl over the back dont even seem to exist in the kitty language repertoire because most cats cant make this move at all.Whether communication challenges exist among the approximately 70 breeds of curly-tailed spitz dogs, such as Pomeranians and Shiba Inus, remains to be explored, says one of the new studys co-authors, Daniel Mills, a veterinary behaviorist at the University of Lincoln in England. Breeds who only experience their own breed may be more limited in their ability to communicate across all breeds, he says, noting the importance of socializing a dog with a diverse range of breeds.On a broader scale, the cat study highlights the need to consider how fashionable breeding characteristics may affect not only animals physical health but their social health as well, says evolutionary ecologist Brittany Florkiewicz of Lyon College, who was not involved in the new paper. Snub-nosed animals such as pug dogs and Persian cats cant create all the normal facial expressions for their speciesin addition to struggling to breathe correctly.On a more positive note, Nicholson points out that the paper highlights cats ability to adapt to one anothers individual variations. These animals need to be supported and included and not disadvantaged as a result of their differences, she explains. Here we see theyre living their lives normally, and I find that quite inspiring.

What we've been playing - Lego horror, cheerful games, and others we just can't get intoA few of the things that have us hooked this week.Image credit: Lego / Epic Feature by Robert Purchese Associate Editor Additional contributions byTom Orry, and Tom PhillipsPublished on Nov. 16, 2024 16th NovemberHello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing over the past few days. This week, we cheer ourselves up by reliving the point-and-click adventures of old, we scare ourselves in a Lego game, of all places, and we try, and try again, to succumb to the charms of Horizon, but it just won't happen.Catch up with the older editions of this column in our What We've Been Playing archive.Lego Dark SpaceLego's probably not what comes to mind when you think of franchises ripe for first-person horror takes, but in Fortnite you can pretty much find anything, and this new experience comes courtesy of Lego's own digital designers.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Dark Space is the centrepiece of Lego's latest set of Fortnite mini-games, which have previously seen you rebuilding Tilted Towers, tycoon-style, while paying homage to Lego Island, and chasing cats and battling ninjas. Each subsequent experience has slowly grown in quality and presentation, which brings us neatly to Dark Space: a pretty enjoyable horror mini-game with shades of Alien Isolation and Among Us.The idea is simple: complete mini-games to progress around an abandoned space station and secure your escape, while avoiding several roaming monsters. Along the way you'll read log entries from the ship's former crew, which are kept light-hearted enough for Lego's wider audience, and you can also bring your friends to help (or to quickly get caught and lose lives).Completing Lego Dark Space while entering a code (which you can easily find online) will also unlock a bundle of digital Lego props that you can use in the main Lego Fortnite mode, which is a first for this kind of experience and, I admit, why I went to try it out. Overall, though, it was a pleasantly spooky way to spend half an hour as the nights draw ever closer in.-Tom PHorizon Forbidden West, PS5 ProWatch on YouTubeThis must be at least the fourth time I've tried to get into a Horizon game. First came Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4, then that game enhanced on PS4 Pro; then came the shift to PS5 with Forbidden West, and now that game again on PS5 Pro (and a bit of the remastered original on PS5 Pro to boot!). It gives me no joy to say that I think I might finally be at the point of giving up completely.This should be a series I enjoy. It's got vast areas to explore, it looks amazing (Zero Dawn and Forbidden West really pop on the PS5 Pro), there are cool mechanical creatures, neat gameplay mechanics, top voice work, and what seems like an intriguing story. And yet, I find it a real struggle to get invested in. In Forbidden West I finally made it beyond the intro (which took over two hours) and started on the main quest, but then I was hit by a wave of nonchalance. I had no drive to push forward. I felt stuck in first gear, so I hit the brakes.I know people who love the Horizon games, and to give them their due they would absolutely shine in a PS5 showroom, but sometimes things just don't click. I'm pretty sure I'd have enjoyed this a whole lot more when I was younger, but these days I clearly need a different kind of fuel to get me going.Oh, and where are all the cars?-Tom OLoco Motive, PCLoco Motive is relentlessly cheerful, and that's a 2024 superpower, if you ask me.Watch on YouTubeI'd forgotten the charms of a good point-and-click adventure. It's easy to look at them and label them as quaint, I think, like they're something you dragged out of the attic from 20 years ago and "don't you remember when we used to play games like that?". But Loco Motive has brought into sharp focus how powerful the charms of these games can be.Right at the front of those charms is its enthusiasm, its relentless upbeat-ism - the kind we don't often see in games any more. They're so edgy now, so misunderstood. But there's never a moment when Loco Motive isn't plucky. Yes you're investigating a murder on a train, that's the general set-up, but it's never made out to be an ominous or serious thing. In fact, it's fairly routinely ridiculed. Nothing much in the game is taken seriously, come to think of it - it's all treated with a smile as big as the character's that you play, lawyer Arthur Ackerman. And it's infectious.Pair this with a bright kind of primary colour presentation, and an underlying determination to make you laugh - I will make you laugh, I will make you laugh - and it makes for a kind willing helplessness on your part as you eventually surrender to it. And do you know what? It feels nice. I feel uplifted after playing the game, and there aren't enough games I can say that about.(There's a demo still available for Loco Motive on Steam, by the way.)-Bertie

Five years in the making, World of Warcraft's player housing 'the most ambitious expansion feature ever', says Blizzard"We knew that we couldn't really phone it in."Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 15, 2024 This week's Warcraft 30th anniversary celebration certainly brought its fair share of news, but if one thing really got fans talking, it was the tease player housing is finally coming to World of Warcraft next year. And now Blizzard has shared a little more about the "most ambitious feature in a WoW expansion ever", promising "years and years" of further growth when it arrives."Player housing is something that the team has definitely thought about and discussed for a long, long time, "World of Warcraft game designer Ion Hazzikostas explained during a recent roundtable interview attended by Eurogamer. "It's certainly something the community has been asking for and wondering about for a long time, and that's not lost on us."Hazzikostas continued that while the team might previously have had some hesitation in introducing player housing, it wasn't a "philosophical" decision; rather, "We, frankly, were looking at what it would take to make it real and make it real at the quality level that our players expect and deserve... the customisation options, the underlying tech required to really have it feel integrated into the world. And in the past, many of those pieces just weren't there... That made us choose between doing housing or doing literally everything else that went into an expansion, and everything else always won out in that balance of resources."Blizzaed's World of Warcraft housing teaser.Watch on YouTubeDespite that, Hazzikostas revealed player housing is "something that we seriously began planning a design for and building out probably five years or so ago... We knew at the time this was not a feature that was going to fit within the development time frame of a single expansion, and so we've been kind of planning accordingly."And while Blizzard isn't yet ready to get into specifics of its new system, Hazzikostas teased its reveal trailer, although not a "100 percent accurate representation of what will be seen... captures the flavour and the spirit" of what the team is aiming for. "Dare I say it's our most ambitious feature in a World of Warcraft expansion ever," he continued elsewhere, "[which is] part of why it's taken such a long time to present it... We knew that we couldn't really phone it in and put out a bare bones foundation, even if we were going to build on it in the future.""I think anything we do needs to be great," he added, "but especially something with so much expectation and so much history across the MMO genre as housing. We know it needs to be excellent [and] it will be a foundation for years and years of further development and growth."Player housing comes to World of Warcraft as part of 2025's Midnight expansion, and Hazzikostas says Blizzard will "have a lot more details to share on exactly how it's going to work, what it is, what it isn't, [and] where it's going" over the year ahead. "But really we just wanted to pull back the curtain a little bit, give players a peek at what's coming on the horizon, and I think, a bit selfishly, kick off some conversation across the community about housing, about what they hope it's going to be, about what they want it to not be, so that we can kind of check our instincts, make sure that we're on the right track with our ongoing development."But while player housing might be the feature currently on fans' lips, Blizzard has plenty more in store for World of Warcraft before its arrival, including the upcoming Siren Isle, a revamped Winter Veil event, plus the return of WoW's battle royale-style Plunderstorm mode. And that's alongside next year's Undermined update, which continues the events of The War Within by taking players to the capital city of the goblin's trade empire, where - among other things - they'll be able to tear around the streets in fully customisable cars.Elsewhere in this week's Warcraft's 30th anniversary celebrations, Blizzard's launched its shiny new Warcraft 1 and 2 remasters. Although as Eurogamer's Robert Purchese recently opined, "I love World of Warcraft, but I wish Blizzard would stop looking backwards".