The concept of a low fantasy game can mean different things to different people. Generally, low fantasy can be as vague as someone possessing magic in our reality. For example, the Harry Potter series is a fine book example, as wizards and witches exist among the normal dregs of society. Even though the wizarding world is fantastical, which players can enjoy via Hogwarts Legacy, its still a bit grounded.

For the Final Fantasy physical media sickos among us, today is a special day. For the eBay scalpers out there, less so, because pre-orders for the out-of-print ESRB version Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade for PlayStation 5 have appeared on some retailer sites, the results of a very welcome reprint.Final Fantasy 7 Remake made its long-awaited PlayStation 4 debut just six months before the release of PS5, making the platform exclusive a fitting swan song for the Sonys wildly popular console. And while it was no surprise that a PS5-enhanced version of the game was announced the following year, the distinction between the free and paid components was kinda confusing. To recap: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade included the PS5-enhanced version of the original game on a disc, as well as PS5-exclusive DLC featuring Yuffie as a code, while the free upgrade just included the PS5 enhancements and no DLC.Given the already wide release of Remake on PS4, the retail release of Intergrade on the just-released PS5 was far more limited which we know, because dang look at those prices, courtesy of Pricecharting.Things were pretty normal between Intergrades summer 2021 release and the beginning of 2023, when the price for a new copy spiked to an impressive $84. But the market went from spicy to Mako Reactor 1 explosion levels following the February release of the sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Things have since come back down to Midgar somewhat, if you consider $150 for a sealed copy reasonable.But thanks to a reprint, courtesy of Square Enix, you can snag a pre-order for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade at Canadian retailers VGP and PNP Games for $59.99 CAD ($41.75 USD), with an expected February 2025 delivery date. If youd rather wait for a U.S.-based retailer, Resetera user Jawmuncher says, It recently popped up on Amazon for like a second so its possible that this might be a large-scale reprint that happens at other retailers as well.This is not an exclusive VGP reprint. It's a SquareEnix reprint, but we like to think us bugging them monthly helped VGP Video Games Plus (@VideoGamesPlus_) December 19, 2024

Its an exciting time to be a Helldiver, with Arrowhead recently adding urban maps, a recon vehicle, and a third enemy faction to the game. At first, it looked like the story of the Illuminate returning to the galaxy would be one and done, told over the course of a weekend. The Illuminate arrived immediately after an announcement at The Game Awards and hit the planet of Calypso, and Helldivers narrowly defended Calypso with only moments to spare. Now the dastardly space squids have their sights firmly set on another target: the black hole where Meridia used to be.This requires a little bit of explanation. The games first two enemy factions are the Terminids and the Automatons. The Terminids in particular have proven to be a popular foe; even when Major Orders from Super Earth direct players to go fight robots, a chunk of players remain in Terminid space to live out their Starship Troopers fantasies. A little while ago, the Terminid threat responded to this attention with a series of fast, potent evolutions. And Super Earth intel identified that one world in particular, Meridia, was a Supercolony.Arrowhead ran a fun, limited-time event where players had to pump Meridia full of Dark Fluid, holding off the forces of the Supercolony in order to pull off this daring gambit. It succeeded, turning Meridia into a black hole. Theres the old trope of Chekhovs Gun: If you show a gun in the first act, it better fire before the end of the play. It seems that Helldivers are now encountering Arrowheads Black Hole if you open a weird hole in space, its going to attract the attention of some sinister squids.Now the Illuminate, unlike their fellow enemy factions, havent claimed a permanent portion of space. Instead, theyre engaging in hit-and-run attack on Super Earth worlds, starting with Calypso and moving eastward. At first, there wasnt much notable about that pattern and then fans noticed some weird stuff about Meridia. The black hole is now more purple, brighter, and seems to be sucking in debris at an alarming rate.So far, Helldivers have defended Terminid territory from the Illuminate which is a weird position to be in after spending months squashing bugs and have spanked the squids back. As of the end of Operation Squid Game, which ended at around 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, the Illuminate have vanished off the map again. But I dont think this unfolding story is over quite yet. It seems apparent there are some holes in the Illuminates roster, and I expect them to be filled with some new terrifying bio-organic horrors soon. At least players can now purchase the vehicle as a Stratagem and hit the road at any time. You gotta count your blessings while embroiled in a three-front intergalactic war for democracy.

After 26 days of escalating actions, striking workers at the Catalonian paint manufacturer Acrylicos Vallejo have won significant victories at the negotiating table. Vallejo manufactures the Game Color and Model Color line paints that are most popularly used for miniatures and wargames. According to a post on the Catalonian labor organization CGTs Bluesky page, a pre-agreement has been signed that would guarantee workers a salary increase, a parental aid package, new workplace harassment protocols, and occupational safety improvements.As previously reported by Polygon, nearly all of the 85 workers had begun a 16-day partial work stoppage in late November before escalating to a full strike on Dec. 11 a year after Vallejo had been purchased by investment firm ProA Capital for just under $53 million. In the days leading up to this announcement, CGT works council president Patricia Prez described the alleged actions of Vallejo management over the last year in an article first published in Catalan by Poder Popular and commissioned for English translation by Rascal News.VICTRIA SINDICAL A ACRYLICOS VALLEJO!Desprs de 26 dies de lluita i vaga, els treballadors i treballadores de Vallejo han aconseguit una victria histrica!Un orgull per la CGT: SENSE CONFLICTE NO HI HA VICTRIES! CGT Catalunya (@cgtcatalunya.bsky.social) 2024-12-20T18:02:08.148ZAccording to Prez, the alleged conditions at the Vallejo factory were not only dangerous, but not in compliance with Spanish law. In addition to a lack of employee showers (a requirement for companies which handle dangerous chemicals) and machinery in disrepair, Prez claimed that panels from the factory ceiling were often broken and falling, allowing rain to fall on the factory floor. The translation describes an alleged authoritarian work environment, with unreasonable expectations for worker productivity that led to CGT filing a lawsuit against Vallejo management. Prez also claimed that the companys safety protocols are biased and portray victim[s] of harassment as the perpetrator. One employee, who filed a complaint against the company, was allegedly fired three days later on the grounds of low productivity.Prez told Poder Popular that the labor actions had pushed Vallejo management to set aside any discussions of productivity and begin genuine negotiations. Though those initial wage propositions were presented as minimal in the Poder Popular article, the final agreements announced in the CGT social post include: a salary increase of up to 3000 per year, a social paternity package of 500 for the birth of a child, with 200 education allowance for each child below 25 years of age an amount which must be multiplied by 1.5 for single-parent families.This victory follows multiple years of ongoing labor actions across sectors, including the currently ongoing SAG-AFTRA Voice Actors strike, the Amazon Teamsters strike, and the Starbucks Workers United strike.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.As Lifehackers food editor, Im proud to be your doorway to interesting cooking tips, useful cookbooks, and fancy-shmancy appliances, but there are some things that dont fit into those categories that Im dying to tell you about. There are snacks, kitchen accessories, and even apps that have made my relationship with food better. Here are my favorite food finds from 2024.Edible findsLets start with the most notable finds that you can actually eat. These products made my list because they topped the charts in flavor.Ona cookiesAll store-bought cookies are loved by someone, but lets be real, some are better than others. Ona cookies are the best bagged cookies Ive had all year, and theyre gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and paleo-friendly. I identify as having none of these restrictions or diets and I couldnt get enough of these tiny bite-sized cookies. I loved the chocolate flavor best for its fudginess, and the oatmeal flavor as a runner up for its warming spice and knobbly oat texture. Ona Cookies Top Variety 4-pack, Ready to eat, Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free, Paleo $39.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $39.99 at Amazon Bettr BowlFrozen meals can be hit or miss, but Bettr Bowl pretty much knocked it out of the park in my book. Both the Birria Rice Bowl and Chipotle Chicken Bowl were easily revived in the microwave and served up a solid portion for a decent price of $3.99 each. The most notable thing is that the flavors were incredible. You can find Bettr Bowls sold at Aldi, and on Instacart.True primal soupsWhen youve got big canned brands to compete with, you cant win everyone over with just another soup. True Primal soups definitely give the eater something special to come back for. The flavors are savory and filling, and manage to avoid being bland without relying on a ton of salt. The same folks who make Ona cookies, these soups are also gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo-friendly. True Primal Souper Chicken Variety 8-pack, Ready to eat, Gluten free, Paleo, Pastured chicken, Whole30, Keto, Bone broth $57.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $57.99 at Amazon Big Picture Farm goat milk caramelsI mentioned these caramels in My Favorite Food Gifts article, and theyre worth mentioning again because the flavor and texture of these caramels is perfect. The flavors, like Maple Cream or Cocoa Latte, arent overpowering or artificial tasting, but subtle and authentic. The caramel itself is soft, not the type you need to gnaw through. Plus, this farm in Vermont gives each goat loving credit for the milk they produce to make their signature chocolates and caramels.Incredible, inedible food findsThese are my favorite helpful tools to make food more accessible and reduce wasteplus a fun appliance I've been enjoying all year for good measure. Too Good To GoToo Good To Go is an app that links you up with restaurants, bakeries, fast food chains, and grocery stores in your area that are selling their excess or soon-to-be-tossed (but not spoiled!) product at a steep discount. It started as a sustainability effort in Copenhagen, and is (fingers crossed) ever-expanding as more businesses sign up. Read more about it here. The app is free, so check it out.Dreo BaristaMaker Milk FrotherI always make room for coffee in my mornings and while I usually keep it simple, sometimes I want foamed milk. Not just agitated milk from one of those whisk-y things, but heated and foamed. The problem with steamer wands is that they can overcook plant-milk (which is what I use). The Dreo BaristaMaker, however, has presets that make perfect microfoam milk, plant or otherwise. My partner is absolutely smitten with it and uses it nearly every day. Dreo BaristaMaker Milk Frother, All-in-1, 27oz/800ml Hot/Cold Electric Foam Maker for Coffee, Latte Art-level Microfoam, Automatic Milk Warmer, Dairy/Plant-Based Milk, 30+ Drinks, Dishwasher Safe $99.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $99.99 at Amazon A reusable beeswax bread bagThese bread bags from Keeki (pictured above) are made of natural linen fabric with a special moisture-saving feature: the inside is coated with beeswax. If I have a large loaf of bread that I know Ill be snacking on, I can just pop it into the Keeki bag and pull the drawstring tight. The beeswax lining helps retain the breads moisture, extending its life more than a paper bag, and preventing mold, which can happen easily in a plastic bag. Simply knock out the crumbs and wipe out the interior and this environmentally-friendly bread bag is infinitely reusable.Reusable cheese bagsI love cheese all year, but from November to February I end up acquiring quite the collection. Ive given up using the crumpled up original plastic wrapping as a storage method for these Formaticum reusable cheese storage bags. Theyre designed to regulate the moisture in the bag so your cheese keeps fresher longer. Besides all that, they sure look a lot tidier than a drawer full of half-dried out bundles of plastic wrapped cheese. Formaticum Reusable Cheese Storage Bags | Size 5" x 11" | Professional-Grade Cheese Strorage Bag | Store Cheese, Sandwiches, and Charcuterie | Kitchen Organization | Manufactured in Germany | 10 Bags $19.50 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $19.50 at Amazon

Well, well, well. The hour is nigh, and youre in need of a last-minute gift. Perhaps you procrastinated a Secret Santa gift exchange, or youve been blessed with an unexpected guest, now in need of a present so they dont feel left out. Its too late for even the fastest online delivery, and most viable in-person store options are already closed. All thats left to do is invent an excuse to get out of the house and proceed to sprint to your local 24-hour drug store.Luckily, the last-minute drug store dash neednt be as dire as it sounds. With a little ingenuity, you can whip up a quick, budget-friendly gift for that special (or not-so-special) someone.Ive carefully categorized your gift options into three tiers. The first is for gift-givers willing to shell out a little extra cash in their panic in order to create something somewhat personalized. The second tier includes single-item purchases that are simply passable gift options. The third tier is a warning.Tier one: DIY signature collectionsLike a chef turning baskets of mystery ingredients into a three-course meal on Chopped, this category of gifts is all about your innovation. In these DIY arrangements, the sum is greater than its parts, which should all be available at most chain drug stores. Here are some of our ideas for themed collections, but feel free to customize at your convenience.Movie night: Popcorn. Funky popcorn toppings. Candy. Hot chocolate. Fuzzy socks. A little slip of paper with your Netflix login. You cant go wrong with a cozy movie-night theme.Treat yo self: Think spa day materials, like face masks, nail polish, and bath bombs. Throw in a candle to help set the pampering vibe.Health and wellness: Browse around for gummy vitamins, supplements, protein powder, and whatever else catches your eye in the fitness aisle. Be warned: This one can quickly get expensive. (Plus, we believe that vitamins are mostly useless, even if theyre personalized.)The Jetsetter: Pick from the array of travel-sized must-haves, including ear plugs and perhaps even a neck pillow (with a note about how to wear it right). The Techie: Head to the electronics section and go wild with whatever gadgets are available and within your price range. Portable chargers and speakers are quality gifts in their own right. Tier two: Its the thought that countsThese items arent necessarily bad gifts, but many will be easily detected as a last-minute purchase. The success of tier two drug store gifts will come down to the charm of the gift-giver and the chill factor of the recipient.Gift cardsCandlesCosmetic bagsTherapeutic massagerJewelryInsulated mugsCalendars or plannersNotebooksCoffee/tea bundlesWine and a corkscrew (depending on your states liquor laws)Picture framesElectronics, like ear buds or portable chargersTier three: Gifts that will do more harm than goodHey, buddy. All is lost, huh? Personally, I recommend a white lie about an imaginary gift that didnt arrive in time. Unless youre confident you can pull off a gag gift, proceed with caution should you opt to gift someone anything from the list below. Lottery ticketsCommand stripsBatteriesPregnancy testBeef jerkyLaxativesA toilet plungerLaxatives and a toilet plunger tied together with a bowThere you have it. If you have access to a drug store, you should be able to pull together a last-minute gift with moderate success.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.This week, an update to Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses introduced the option of substituting a celebrity voice for their generic AI voice. If you've ever wanted John Cena, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, or Kristen Bell to tell you your battery is at 33%, you're in luck. I really like my Meta Ray-Bans, as you can see from my review, but I really hate when celebrities are inserted where they don't belong. Back in the pre-smartphone days, I had a TomTom turn-by-turn direction device with the option of replacing the units voice, and I quickly learned that I do not want to take a road trip with John Cleese giving directions, in character as a stuck-up British doof. So it was with trepidation that I checked out Meta's crop of stars-in-your-eyeglasses. Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses $329.00 at Best Buy Shop Now Shop Now $329.00 at Best Buy Im happy (and a little shocked) to report that Metas AI's use of celebrity voices isnt totally annoying. Meta chose to have its new voices mimic the tone, inflection, and pitch of celebrities, but not try to ape the personality of celebrities, so you're basically just getting some new voices instead of a whole schtick. How to install celebrity voices on your Meta Ray Ban smart glassesInstalling the new voices on your glasses is easy. Heres a step-by-step:Open the Meta View app on your phone.Click Meta AI.Click Language and Voice.Make your celebrity selection, then hit save on the top right.Once they're installed, your glasses work exactly as they did before. Say "hey, Meta," and ask it to read a sign, give you a weather report, or tell you a joke, and it will, but with a different, semi-recognizable voice. Do Meta AI's celebrity voices really sound like celebrities?As a test of how close the AI comes to sounding like the celebrities its going for, I had my wife test out all four voices and see if she could identify who was speaking. She got all of them wrong. She was sure John Cena was Jon Hamm, and thought Awkwafina might be an NPR host.So they dont sound that much like celebrities, especially since they're not saying the things a celebrity would say. Meta Ray-Ban celebrity voices in order of least to most annoying Credit: Stephen Johnson While these star voices are not as annoying as they could be, they're still kind of annoying. Some celebrities are just better AI subjects than others. Here are my ratings, in order of least to most annoying. Awkwafina: AI Awkwafinas medium pitch and natural-sounding inflections sound the least like a computer. I made her voice my default. Verdict: not annoying.John Cena: The wrestler-turned-actor has a distinctive, deep voice that works well as an AI agent, but AI Cena occasionally sounds very fake and computer-like. Verdict: a little annoying.Kristen Bell: This actress has a naturally high voice, and her inflections and emphasis often take it into even higher registers. Theres something about the AI version of Bell that comes off as sing-songy too, like she's talking to a child.Verdict: annoying.Keegan-Michael Key: Im a fan of Key, so Im sorry to report hes the worst of the AI-agents. AI Keegan-Michael Key comes off as condescending and impatient, as if hes affecting perfect pronunciation to make you feel bad. Verdict: very annoying.What if you want your Meta glasses to have the personality of a celebrity?I was a little disappointed that Meta doesn't try to mimic the personalities of the celebrities whose voices it licenses, because that would be funny. But then I remembered that its an AI, so I monkeyed around with the prompts by saying things like this: Hey, Meta. Tell me a story using the personality of Awkwafina." This gave me the "why would anyone want this?" experience I craved, and I found that trying to get your eyeglasses to talk to you like a B-list celebrity is very of-the-moment. AI Awkwafina says like and bruh a lot, and told me this story: Bruh, I was at the bodega the other day and I saw this dude, right, and he was trying to pay with a coupon for a free cat. Duh. Verdict: annoyingly hip, and doesn't even make sense. AI Cena calls you brother a lot and seems to only talk about wrestling and himself as a hero. Sample story: I stepped into the ring, brother, and delivered a thunderous attitude adjustment to the villain, saving the day for the good people. Verdict: annoyingly egoistical.AI Bell tells domestic stories about her family, like so: I was trying to cook a romantic dinner and I ended up setting the kitchen towels on fire and my husband just laughed and said, I guess thats one way to get a spark in the relationship.' Verdict: annoyingly unrealistic story.AI Keys stories all have urban settings, and usually involve Key cattily commenting on someone else being lame. He's always hanging out at coffeeshops and parks. Example: OK. OK. OK. Im at the park and this guys playing fetch with his dog, and the dogs just looking at him like, youre doing this? Verdict: Annoyingly judgy.

On Friday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued four financial companies involved with Zelle. The CFPBs lawsuit (via CNBC) accuses Zelles operator (Early Warning Services) and three of the services partner banks JPMorgan Chase, Bank Of America and Wells Fargo of failing to protect consumers from widespread fraud on the peer-to-peer payment system.The CFPB says customers of those three banks have lost over $870 million during Zelles seven years as a payment service. The suit claims hundreds of thousands of customers who filed fraud complaints were denied meaningful assistance, with some being told to contact the fraudsters directly to recover their money. (Pro tip: Dont do that.)The nations largest banks felt threatened by competing payment apps, so they rushed to put out Zelle, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra wrote in a statement. By their failing to put in place proper safeguards, Zelle became a gold mine for fraudsters, while often leaving victims to fend for themselves.The CFPB says one of the systems loopholes is that its tokens (linked US phone numbers or email addresses) can be used and reassigned across different banks. The agency claims fraudsters can exploit this by connecting a victims number or email to the perpetrators deposit account, causing payments meant for the consumer to go to the scammers account instead.The suit accuses Zelle and the banks of allowing repeat offenders to bounce between financial institutions with impunity. Banks did not share information about known fraudulent transactions with other banks on the network, the CFPB wrote. As a result, bad actors could carry out repeated fraud schemes across multiple institutions before being detected, if they were detected at all.The CFPB also claims the defendant banks didnt heed red flags to prevent further fraud, report incidents consistently or on time, properly investigate customer complaints or take appropriate action.On Friday, Zelle framed the governments lawsuit as a political hit that would help criminals and force them to charge fees. The CFPBs attacks on Zelle are legally and factually flawed, and the timing of this lawsuit appears to be driven by political factors unrelated to Zelle, Jane Khodos, Zelle spokesperson, wrote in a statement. Zelle leads the fight against scams and fraud and has industry-leading reimbursement policies that go above and beyond the law. The CFPBs misguided attacks will embolden criminals, cost consumers more in fees, stifle small businesses and make it harder for thousands of community banks and credit unions to compete.In September, JPMorgan Chase wrote in a quarterly filing (via CNBC) that it would consider counter-litigation if the CFPB took action against the bank for its role with Zelle.Last month, The Washington Post reported that President-elect Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans plan to limit the CFPBs funding and powers, aligning with the agendas of large financial institutions. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, his government efficiency advisors, have said they want to eliminate the agency, which was established in 2011 in response to the 2007-08 financial crisis and resulting recession.Killing the agency would require a congressional vote that wouldnt likely pass, given Republicans thin majorities. But they could do what Trump did in his first term: appoint a new director to slow or stop regulatory actions, effectively kneecapping the agency as long as theyre in charge.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/the-us-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-sues-zelle-and-four-of-its-partner-banks-175714692.html?src=rss

The winter solstice is upon us, which means that Christmas is next up and that the clock for timely gift-giving is nearly expired. If you're gifting for a tech fan, something from Apple, Google, Samsung or another big brand is always at the top of the list. But be prepared for sticker shock once you look at the price tags for their latest and greatest devices. Thankfully, you dont have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a gift for someone that has all the cachet of a brand they know and love.Apple, Samsung, Sony and other big tech companies all have affordable gear that comes in at $100 or less, you just have to know where to find them. These are some of our favorites, but remember: you can often find alternatives that are just as good (and sometimes better) than these. However, for the people in your life for which brand names really do matter, these gifts will speak to them. Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-best-tech-gifts-for-100-or-less-to-give-for-christmas-from-apple-samsung-and-more-130038897.html?src=rss

The courageous story of Afghanistans first all-girls robotics team is coming to a theater near you.Rule Breakers is based on the true story of The Afghan Girls Robotics Team, who grabbed the worlds attention when they were denied member visas by the United States in 2017 while attempting to compete at the First Global Challenge international robotics competition. Fifty three members of Congress signed a petition and President Donald Trump intervened to give the girls travel documents on special humanitarian grounds allowing them to enter the US and compete in the robotics games, according to a New York Times profile.The story of the teams struggle to compete in the robotics competition goes much deeper than their attempts to enter the US. First Global founder Dean Kamen, who is best known for designing the Segway, put together his competitive robotics league as a way to spark interest in science and technology among high schoolers. He invited and enlisted Afghan tech entrepreneur and Digital Citizen Fund (DCF) founder Roya Mahboob to put together an all-girls robotics team for the competition nicknamed the Afghan Dreamers. A dozen girls made the cut forming the first team and worked on their robotic creation in Mahboobs parents basement using whatever they could find for tools along with parts donated by Kamen, according to the Times.The movie tells the story of the teams deep and perilous struggle to compete and pursue their passions. The Talibans return to power in 2021 reversed years of gender equality and strife for freedom by forbidding women from receiving an education in science and technology, forcing some of the team members to flee their country for their own safety and the right to pursue their future on their terms. Team member Sadaf Hamidi, who fled for Qatar in 2021, told NBC News last year that one of her sisters had to give up her dream of going to medical school saying This is heartbreaking for me and for them.Rule Breakers is directed by two-time Academy Award winner Bill Guttentag and stars Nikohl Boosheri as Mahboob and Fleabags Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The film hits theaters on March 7, 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/trailer-rule-breakers-will-bring-afghanistans-first-ever-girls-robotics-team-to-the-big-screen-on-march-7-170049854.html?src=rss