Anyone using a Mac in the workplace knows its a productivity powerhouse. Not only do Macs run business staples like Microsoft Office and Googles suite of online software but, thanks to Apple Silicon chips, modern Macs are absolute workhorses capable of driving advanced design, media creation, and scientific apps with ease.But a Mac is more than just the apps it runs when it comes to productivity. The operating system that powers the Mac, macOS, is packed with little productivity features throughout. Some of my favorites, which users often overlook, are found in the Mac menu barthat srtip that runs along the top of the screen and lets you access both individual app commands (such as File>Save) and shortcuts to system-wide tools.Here are the three menu bar shortcuts I find most invaluable during the workday.Passwords on the menu barIn September, with the release of macOS Sequoia and iOS 18, Apple introduced the new Passwords app. Passwords is a password manager that allows you to organize and sync your passwords across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and PC. And if you use multifactor authentication (MFA) for your online accounts, Passwords is where you can find the six-digit codes you need to enter whenever you log into an account.Passwords is nearly identical on the Mac and iPhone, but, the macOS version of the app has a hidden feature that the iOS version does not: a Passwords menu bar shortcut. Click on the key icon in the menu bar, and verify with your fingerprint or password in the small drop-down menu that appears. Youll then have access to a quick searchable database of all your passwords and verification codes, no matter which app you are currently working in.Clicking on any password entry in the menu will display all its details, including the username, password, and verification codes associated with the account. You can copy any of those items to your clipboard for pasting into other fields. I use the Passwords menu bar shortcut to quickly copy and paste my VPNs MFA code when the app requests it.Apple hides the Passwords menu bar shortcut by default. You can turn it on by opening the Passwords app, selecting Passwords>Settings from the menu bar, and checking the Show Passwords in Menu Bar box in the settings window.FocusFocus is the name of a feature on Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watch that lets you quickly silence distractions or receive notifications from only those you want to hear from. It is a great way to use your iPhone as both a dedicated work phone and personal phone. On the Mac, Focus mode lacks some advanced iPhone features, such as customizable home screen layouts based on the Focus you select. However, it is still beneficial for silencing notifications from specific apps and people while you are working.But activating Focus mode is hidden in a Control Center menu by default on the Mac. But you can put the Focus control in the Macs menu bar so it is front and center and just a click away when you want to enter or switch into a Focus. From the menu bar, click the crescent moon icon and then select any Focus you want. My new favorite focus is called Reduce Interruptions. It uses Apple Intelligences AI to determine which notifications should be allowed to interrupt you while silencing the ones it deems unimportant.By default, the Focus menu bar shortcut is hidden from the menu bar when not in use. But you can force it to always show in the menu bar so you can easily activate a Focus mode. To get the Focus shortcut to appear in the menu bar, open the System Settings app on your Mac, click Control Center, and by the Focus icon, select Always Show in Menu Bar from the drop-down menu.Apple Intelligence-powered Siri with ChatGPT accessSiri has long been a Mac staple, but thanks to Apple Intelligence, its received a massive upgrade. Siri is now smarter than ever, and you can interact with it via text instead of speaking, making it much less awkward to use in the workplace. In macOS 15.2, out now, Siri also gains ChatGPT support.This means that Siri is now an incredibly useful productivity tooland one you can access directly from the Macs menu bar. Simply click on the Apple Intelligence Siri logo in the menu bar to activate Siri. By default, Siri will wait for your spoken query. But if you click the Talk to Siri field that appears below the menu bar, it will change to a Type to Siri text entry field. You can then silently type your query to Siri.One of the best new Apple Intelligence-powered Siri features in macOS 15 is that Siri now contains robust knowledge about Apples own products and software. So, if your boss asks you to send him that Word document as a PDF and you dont know how to convert the file format, you can just ask Siri, How do I save a document as a PDF? and Siri will give you step by step instructions right below the menu bar.To make sure the Siri shortcut is showing in your menu bar, open the System Settings app on your Mac, click Control Center, and by the Siri icon, select Show in Menu Bar from the drop-down menu.

As a stylist, Law Roach has helped stars like Zendaya, Celine Dion, and Anya Taylor-Joy stand out on the red carpet, dressing them in his signature mix of haute couture and vintage finds from designers such as Bob Mackie. Roach is also the author of How to Build a Fashion Icon, a guide to developing personal style. After announcing his retirement from day-to-day styling on Instagram in 2023, he launched School of Style, an educational program intended to help new stylists build a portfolio and get a foothold in the industry.Whats your best habit, and whats your worst?My best is getting lots of sleep. My worst is caving in to my cravings; when I find something I like, I want to eat it every day until Im sick of it. Right now Im obsessed with gochujang sauce.What do you do when youre creatively stuck?Ill just take a nap.Is there a businessperson you admire?Theres a photographer and stylist I admire named Wisdom Kaye.Is there a buzzword you never want to hear again?Diversity and inclusion. I wish we could get to a point where thats not even a thing because everybody is treated fairly and everybody has the same amount of equality and equity.Whats the best mistake you ever made?Retiring. When I wrote a now-infamous Instagram post, it was a way for me to take a breath. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. It gave me a chance to become happy.How do you unplug?I delete all social media off my phone.Is there a book you recommend to everyone?My book, How to Build a Fashion Icon. It teaches you that confidence can carry anything.Which advice are you glad you ignored?My first job was at a mental health facility. I wanted to quit and start my career in fashion. My grandmother told me not to because the job had healthcare benefits. Im happy I didnt listen to her.What advice would you give your younger self?Trust yourself.Did you have a career fork in the road?Working with Celine Dion put my name on a global level.Do you have a wardrobe staple?An oversize white button-down shirt. I get the cheapest brand in the biggest size off Amazon. I love being swallowed up by it. Its versatileI could wear it with a belt or with jeans or wrap it around me. I let it drop off my shoulder when I want to feel demure.Who is your style icon?Grace Jones.Whats always in your bag?Floss, La Roche-Posay Cicaplast lip balm, and a travel-size fragrance. Right now Im wearing Good Girl Gone Bad from Kilian.Do you have a favorite object in your office?A Kehinde Wiley portrait of a young Black girl.How do you exercise?Shopping. Especially in Soho.What TV show are you mid-binge on?Emily in Paris. I feel like I should be on that show.Do you have a mantra?The universe always protects and provides.What is your go-to food for fast fuel?Peanut butter M&Ms and a sip of Pepsijust enough to get that carbonation in my tummy.Is there a meal you still fantasize about?Dovetale, in London, has a sweet corn ravioli that I cant stop thinking about.What do you send to congratulate someone?White flowers. A white bouquet or a single white orchid is so chic to me.Is there a meeting you never miss?I never miss any meetings.

Its safe to say that air travelespecially holiday air travelis back.According to online travel agencyHopper, more than 32 million people are currently scheduled to depart from U.S. airports between December 23 and New Years Daya 2.4% increase compared to this time last year. Deloitte, too, is finding that the average number of trips is rising, with 33% of Americans planning a trip that is a week or longer, versus 25% in 2023.Hopper just published a deep dive on what to expect from holiday travel this year. A few key takeaways? If you havent purchased tickets yet, get on it. Last-minute domestic airfare for Christmas is averaging $371 per round-trip ticket, up 8% from last year. Prices have risen 10% in the last five weeks, rising by $35 on average, and are set to spike as the holidays draw closer, writes Hayley Berg, lead economist and travel expert at Hopper.All that is to sayairports are going to be crowded. So Fast Company has turned to travel expertsfrom flight attendants to hotel executivesfor tips on navigating packed airports, delayed flights, and more.1. You can fast-track customsIf youre traveling internationally, customs is often the first hurdle after deplaning. During peak season, the wait at customs can be more than an hour long, says Henley Vazquez, CEO and cofounder of Fora Travel. Using the customs concierge service to expedite the process is a worthy splurge.The service is available through some luxury hotelsVazquez says both the Ritz Paris and La Reserve Paris offer the service to fast-track travelers through customs and get them to and from the airport. She recommends checking if your hotel offers the service, as it might make a room upgrade worth the money.Outside of hotels, there are companiesincluding Global Airport Concierge and Royal Airport Conciergethat offer a fast-track customs experience as part of their VIP airport offerings.[Photo: simonkr/Getty Images]2. Major airports can be closer to each other than you thinkHoppers Berg says big hub airports like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Dallas-Fort Worth International, and Denver International will be the busiest this holiday seasonand they had the highest disruption rates this past October. Some potentially good news: If youre scheduled to fly from a major city and your flight gets canceled, its still possible to travel from an alternate airport. If youre stuck at OHare, for example, Midway could have a flight thats on time. If youre stranded in cities like New York, Chicago, and Dallas, your ticket home may be just a train or Uber ride away, Vazquez says.2. Know what youre getting intoNigel Goode, chairman of London-based design firm PriestmanGoode, has been working with advocacy group Air4All to make air travel more convenient and less stressful for people in wheelchairs. The firms first-of-its kind airplane seat, expected to be installed in select airplanes next year, will allow customers to remain in their own wheelchairs for the entire journey. The process has taught him that its critical for travelers, not just those with mobility constraints, to plan each stage of the journey before heading to the airport. The more you find out beforehand, the less anxiety there will be on the day, Goode says.3. Essentials should be easily accessiblePaige Davis, president of AdventureWomena travel outfitter with more than 60 trips planned for 2025always flies with a small, easily accessible pouch at the top of her carry-on. In it, she packs earplugs, an eye mask, a pair of comfortable headphones, and a USB cable to keep devices charged. Ill also toss in a mini tube of lip balm and hand sanitizer, because comfort and hygiene at 30,000 feet are a must.[Photo: Getty Images]4. The airport can be a destination, tooFew know the highs and lows of plane travel better than flight attendants like Renae Grady with Alaska Airlines. Given the amount of time she spends in airports, she says shes learned to enjoy them. She suggests holiday travelers try to think about the airport as a destination on its own.Allow extra time for your trip so you can relax with a good book or noise-canceling headphones and a great playlist, she says. It can make the overall airport experience more enjoyable for everyone, travelers and airline workers alike, when passengers are more relaxed. Patience and kindness during this busy travel period can really make someones day, Grady says.Drew Richardson, president and CEO of PADI Worldwide, embraces a slower approach to holiday travel. My advice is to adopt an ABC mindset when traveling. In other words, always be chill. Part of the charm of travel can be the unexpected. Adjust your expectations situationally, be aware of your emotions in the present, and enjoy the experience, he says.5. Or you can avoid it entirelyPatrick Goddard, president of train operator Brightline, may be biased , but he believes the ease of getting on a train versus a plane is worth the trade-off in travel time.[Photo: Kohei Hara/Getty Images]Passengers get through security faster, keep their bags with them, andin the case of Brightlines in-route experiencehave charging stations at every seat and free Wi-Fi.Amtrak will have a fleet of new trains running between Washington, D.C., and Boston launching in the spring. Along with USB plugs and winged head rests, the trains will offer 25% more capacity. Theyre also quieter and faster than ever, running at up to 160 miles an hour.And if travel in general makes you queasy, staying home is always an option to save up for travel when airports will less busy. The best time to travel is during the shoulder season, AdventureWomans Davis says. The airports are less chaotic, cities breathe easier, and popular attractions arent overrun with selfie sticks. Bonus: Overbooking is your enemyAvoid filling your travel calendar to the brim, advises Fora Travels Vazquez. This can be tempting, especially if youre exploring a new destination or this is your one big trip a year. Try to set aside some time for true relaxation instead, she suggests, whether that means booking a full spa day or simply giving the alarm clock a rest. The last thing you want to do is return home on January 2 even more tired than when you left.

New York-based designer Billy Cotton has blended art deco, futurist and brutalist references inside this restaurant in Lower Manhattan.For the first restaurant interior in his two-decade career, Cotton has designed Bridges as an homage to lively Parisian bistros while including plenty of "New York character".Banquettes built from cherry wood and featuring black leather cushions surround the main dining room at Bridges"The space blends art deco history with a more innovative futurist edge, creating an atmosphere with all the old school charm of so many classic Parisian and New York restaurants but with a decidedly memorable, new-age twist," said the restaurant team.Named for its Chinatown location between the entrances to the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, the French-Basque restaurant is owned by chef Sam Lawrence and operator Nicolas Mouchel, with creative direction by Josephine Stuart.The warm cherry wood pops against the white tableclothsGlass-block partitions around the entrance vestibule are influenced by the geometry of the nearby brutalist development Chatham Towers by Japanese-American architect George Shimamoto.A gap in the translucent blockwork leads to the bar, which is formed almost entirely of cherry wood and features curved edge detailing.Glass-block partitions reference the nearby brutalist Chatham TowersOpposite, a pair of booths built from the same wood variety and topped with black leather cushions are nestled against the textured concrete wall.Another glass-block partition demarcates the entrance to the 50-seat main dining area, where black leather upholstery is repeated across the banquettes that run along the walls. Here, textured, minimal wallpaper by Gracie Studios echoes the textured concrete of the front.Read: Nine design-forward restaurant interiors in New York CityPolished concrete floors throughout the space are inlaid with vibrant red tile, playing off the warm tones of the wood that pop against the white tablecloths.Bridges also includes a private dining room that seats 10 to 14 covers, with an additional 12 spots available in the bar area.The wood bar features art deco detailsThe 2,300-square-foot (214-square-metre) restaurant is illuminated by chrome light fixtures, some of which are vintage and others sourced from locally based studio Blue Green Works.These "play against the overall design schema of the space to create both a unique and cohesive dining experience" according to the team.Chrome-finished lighting fixtures include sconces by local studio Blue Green Works, which illuminate booths in the bar areaOther relative newcomers to New York City's culinary scene include San Sabino in the West Village and Cecchis in Chelsea.We recently published a round-up of nine design-forward eateries in the city, which includes Italian-influenced Cucina Alba, Korean spot Oiji Mi and fried-chicken specialist Coqodaq.The photography by Adrianna Glaviano.The post Billy Cotton adds "new-age twist" to Bridges restaurant in Manhattan appeared first on Dezeen.

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Last-minute holiday deals are in effect now at Best Buy, with doorbuster pricing driving Apple products down to $22.99 and up.Last-minute holiday doorbuster deals are going on now - Image credit: Best BuyMacBooks, AirTags, Apple Watches and more are heavily discounted as Best Buy and Amazon compete for your last-minute shopping dollars. Save up to 30% on products at a variety of budget points, with prices starting at $22.99. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Cyberpunk 2077 recently celebrated is four-year anniversary, and though for most single-player games a four-year anniversary would be well past the point where they would still be getting substantial updates (or really, updates of any kind), CD Projekt RED clearly didnt get the memo. Update 2.2 recently went live for the once-troubled first-person action RPG, adding several new features and tweaks that wont change the way you experience the game in any meaningful way by themselves, but do enhance various aspects nonetheless.Primarily, Update 2.2 is focused on adding more options for cosmetic customization on several fronts. Released only for the games PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC versions (as has been the case with the last handful of updates), it adds as many as 112 new customization options for players to choose between when creating or customizing their Vs appearance, in addition to an improved Randomizer. A new feature now also allows customizing your owned vehicles appearance, something that you can even do while youre diving one. Interestingly enough, if you change your cars colour during a police chase and no cops were close enough to see you do so, you can shake them off faster.Beyond that, the update also adds a bunch of additional Photo Mode options and features (like new frames and a Drone Mode), new purchasable vehicles, as well as other neat tweaks that wont affect gameplay, but will definitely to the general vibes of the game, a department Cyberpunk 2077is already pretty strong in. For instance, when driving around, theres a chance that Johnny Silverhand will now appear in the passenger seat next to you, where hell sit and take in the sights while you cruise through the neon-drenched streets of Night City.Again, none of these are updates that will changeCyberpunk 2077sgameplay experience in any meaningful way, but not only is it a substantial enough update in its own right nonetheless. its also an update that no one was expecting, especially for a four-year old single-player game that, according to the gaming history books, has long since completed its redemption arc. And yet, here we are, with CD Projekt RED pushing out a new update that comes as yet another pleasant surprise forCyberpunk 2077fans- and is also indicative of the excellent support that the game has consistently received over a prolonged period of time.Technically, of course, support forCyberpunk 2077was supposed to end with the double punch of Update 2.0 andPhantom Libertya little over a year ago in September 2023. That was the moment that sawCyberpunk 2077finally managing to climb over what once seemed like an insurmountable hump in the form of its disastrous launch and its fallout. CDPR persisted in its support for the game, however, and last year, withPhantom Libertyand Update 2.0 (which came on the back of years of improvements and enhancements), it finally turned Cyberpunk 2077into a legitimately excellent game with no caveats.After that remarkable turnaround, most would have assumed that CD Projekt RED was done with the game at along last, especially with early pre-production also having kicked off on the nextCyberpunkgame, currently codenamedProject Orion. However, not long afterward, the developer released Update 2.1, which was surprisingly substantial as well. The long-requested Metro system was the headlining addition, but the update also brought with it new vehicles, the ability to listen to music while on foot, improvements to boss fights, new accessibility features, and more.At that point, it was clear thatCyberpunk 2077would receive no further patches- or not any major ones, at any rate. A patch did arrive in January of 2024, and then another one in February, both bringing several more minor fixes and additions, but it seemed to be the end of the road. Hell, in March, game director Gabe Amatangelo himself confirmed in an interview withGame File that thoughCyberpunk 2077might receive some small updates here and there, for the most part, work on the title had wrapped up, with the team having moved on to either The Witcher 4or the nextCyberpunk(the former being much further along in production). And then, of course, came Update 2.2, marking the years end with another unexpected boost for CDPRs RPG.Obviously, the ideal scenario forCyberpunk 2077would have been a smooth launch, eliminating the need for CD Projekt RED to have to redeem the game and restore its own heavily damaged redemption entirely. When youre paying full price for a big, long awaited release, as players, you naturally hope for a game that values your time and money, and honestly, nothing is ever going to change the fact that at launch back in 2020,Cyberpunk 2077was a complete and utter disaster. But though it may be all too common for games with tough launches to be abandoned before any real attempt can be made at recovery, CDPR chose to stick with what many deemed to be a lost cause, and managed to truly turn it around into the unequivocally great game it is today. And once that was done, the studio just kept going.Incredibly enough, when you think about it, theresstillroom forCyberpunk 2077to get at least a couple of not-so-insignificant updates in the relatively near future. For instance, one feature that many have been hoping to see added in for a while is New Game Plus, while many have also been hoping to see PS5 Pro enhancements released for what is widely considered one of the most visually impressive and technically impressive games available on modern hardware. We got neither New Game Plus nor PS5 Pro enhancements with Update 2.2, however, which means wecouldget those things with future patches- potentially, at the very least.We realize were being greedy at this point, plain and simple, and honestly, it wouldnt be shocking in the slightest if CDPR chose tofinallymove on entirely fromCyberpunk 2077 and shift its full attention to future projects, of which it has quite a few in varying stages of production. But curiously enough, for the purposes of Update 2.2, CD Projekt RED partnered with Virtuos. An external team coming in to continue enhancingCyberpunk 2077while CDPR itself works on other projects wasnt something that many had given much (or any) thought to, but now that we know thats on the books, we cant help but wonder whether we might see more patches for the game in the future coming courtesy of external partners.The point, however, is that even if we dont,Cyberpunk 2077will have already gone above and beyond with- lets call them its post-post-launch efforts. After already having garner widespread plaudits for its miraculous recovery and the excellent high it ended (or seemingly ended) things on withPhantom Libertyand Update 2.0 last year, the game has continued to expand and improve, even when we keep expecting it to be finally put to bed. Were certainly not complaining, however- as weve learned with time, we (and millions of others) have developed a taste for coming back to Night City again and again and again.Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Since the release of Escape From Tarkov, the extraction shooter genre has largely been the realm of multiplayer games. While there are plenty of elements in the genre that have players take on AI enemies, a lot of the appeal for extraction shooter tends to come from the tension that players have to deal with since theres always a possibility that the loot you worked hard to scavenge might be stolen by another player that happened to sneak into the area and kill you before you could even notice them.It is curious, however, that few developers have tried to capitalize on the potential of the genre to offer up fun and interesting experiences to audiences that would prefer single-player or co-operative experiences. Most extraction shooters tend to emphasize their PvP aspects, and players that might prefer to go at it solo without having to worry about someone else definitely feel like an ignored audience."The core gameplay loop in The Forever Winter will be familiar to players that have experience with titles like Escape From Tarkov."The Forever Winter is a relatively new title, having come out back in September as an Early Access release by veteran developers at Fun Dog Studios that hopes to capitalize on the single-player and co-operative aspects of extraction shooters by doubling down on the tension by going for a more horror-based approach to its art direction. In The Forever Winter, players are put into the shoes of a simple scavenger with little else to their name aside from a gun and some bullets, and are tasked with setting off in a post-apocalyptic world that has been so thoroughly ravaged by war that its impossible to tell who won and who lost.The core gameplay loop in The Forever Winter will be familiar to players that have experience with titles like Escape From Tarkov; scavengers take on missions from various factions and set off into one of many available maps with one simple objective: get as much loot, be it new weapons, ammo, or even crucial supplies like water, and extract out of the map. Dying on one of these excursions means you lose pretty much everything you were carrying on you, including any fancy weapons you may have decided to bring along. Bit by bit, mission by mission, players are able to build out their arsenal, unlock new passive abilities like improved performance with specific weapon types, and better gears, making future outings on missions easier."Dying on one of these excursions means you lose pretty much everything you were carrying on you"With this gameplay loop, taking on regular enemies that goes from being a nightmarish ordeal where you would be better off hiding than fighting them, to instead being simple obstacles that you can take out with a couple of bullets. To keep up with a player getting more powerful, the missions also start getting more challenging, tasking you with taking on tougher enemies like tanks, and even mech suits. In The Forever Winter, despite how powerful you might actually get, death is an inevitability, and the game feels like it was designed around the idea that players might have to restart their progression from scratch, which comes with the territory with extraction shooters.When it comes to the moment-to-moment gameplay, The Forever Winter definitely has quite a bit of room for improvement. The core combat, while serviceable, doesnt quite feel as good as it should from a game where just about every fight you get into is going to be ranged. Unless you make enough progress to be able to buy a replacement for your ironsights, youre not going to find much in the way of accuracy either. The hit indicators also tend to feel off, since they take aspects like bullet drop into account. This means that you often dont know if youve successfully shot an enemy until its too late; the enemy has heard your shot, has called for backup, and is now focusing their attention on taking you down.The progression, on the other hand, doesnt feel too bad. You start off with incredibly weak weapons, but as you start making deeper incursions into the games various levels and take on more challenging quests, youll start getting better weapons not only as loot, but also through your home bases vendors that are constantly updating their stocks.As it currently stands, the enemy AI in the game is a mixed bag. While it can often be quite impressive, with enemy soldiers using complex tactics to try and flush you out of cover you might be hiding behind, at other times, those same soldiers will end up running up to you in a straight line, letting you kill them one after another with well-placed headshots."To keep up with a player getting more powerful, the missions also start getting more challenging, tasking you with taking on tougher enemies like tanks, and even mech suits."In fact, a lot of the games difficulty can be brought down by a considerable degree by simply teaming up with another player. There are obvious benefits to playing The Forever Winter in co-op, since all players get loot, you multiply your carrying capacity by the number of players in a mission, not to mention the fact that you can take on enemies with coordinated tactics.The Forever Winter also takes a curious decision with one of the core resources that players set off to find: water. The game starts out with water being the singularly most important resource you can get for your base, with many base upgrades needing you to have a certain threshold of water to even become available to purchase. Interestingly, water is an ever-dwindling resource, to the extent where your base even has a giant screen to track how many days worth of water you have left. In fact, this resource also dwindles even if youre not playing the game. Whether you decide to take a break from the game or keep playing every day, your water levels will go down, and once it hits zero, the concept of Water Death is kicked off.In the games original incarnation from a couple of months ago, Water Death meant that you have basically failed, and would have to restart from scratch. This means losing essentially every form of progression you might have made in your playthrough, be it character levels, loot, or equipment for a base. At the time, while the concept of Water Death was a novel one, enough of the player base complained about being punished for simply taking a break from the game for a few weeks or a month, and the studio eventually changed up how the mechanic works."In fact, a lot of the games difficulty can be brought down by a considerable degree by simply teaming up with another player."Outside of the water mechanics, progression as a whole in The Forever Winter feels quite solid. While it starts off as an incredibly challenging game, your character also improves with each successful extraction. This allows you to go into their skill trees and get improvements like the ability to have better aim and more damage with SMGs, for example. These improvements can also lean more on the utility side of things, such as the ability to carry more weight with you, allowing you to grab more stuff during a mission.At the time of writing this review, Water Death means that a player who has run out of all water will find their base invaded the next time they play the game. This allows players the ability to fend off Water Death if they can successfully defend their base from this invasion. Failing to defend your base will still mean that you have to start over. However, the current version of Water Death is definitely an improvement over what it was earlier, since players now at least have the chance of hanging on to what they might have worked hard to procure.This change in how Water Death works as a mechanic does highlight one key aspect of The Forever Winter: the studio does seem to have an ear on the pulse of what its players want. While the concept of a resource that dwindles even when the game is not being played is an idea the studio seems quite attached to, the fact that it took player complaints about losing all progress through no fault of their own to heart means that the studio is also likely looking to make other improvements to the game."The studio does seem to have an ear on the pulse of what its players want."While most of the gameplay is filled with interesting ideas like various characters with unique abilities and an enthralling world with cool lore behind it, the game still wears its status as an Early Access title on its sleeves. The minute-to-minute gameplay, while fun and tense, still feels quite stiff. While this matches up with the idea that the player character is far from the concept of a super soldier that can easily use any weapon they pick up, the gunplay feels like it has just enough jankiness to it to make it feel rougher than it should be.The Forever Winter absolutely nails one of its key aspects: art design. The post-apocalyptic world of the game is downright gorgeous in how horrifying things can look at times. While it doesnt really abuse blood and gore as set dressing aside from a couple of rooms in the base, the game is still able to instill a sense of dread in players thanks to other aspects, including enemy designs and the world around them. The strange way some enemies move, the insane scale of the war that still happens to be going around for some reason, and some of the larger things out there, like massive AI automatons, all tend to make for an experience that is as cool to look at as it is terrifying to imagine.The Forever Winter isnt a game thats shy about the fact that its in Early Access right now; in fact, the game seems to revel in it, constantly introducing refinements and new features through updates. While the game hasnt been out for too long yet, the fact it has already seen a major revision to one of its key mechanics owing to player feedback, and the very fact that the studio is keeping an eye on what its players want bodes quite well for the future of the game. It offers a tense solo or co-op experience, with plenty of stakes since you can lose all the fancy loot you found by messing up just once. Coupled with gorgeous art direction and a terrifying setting, The Forever Winter is definitely something fans of co-op shooters want to keep their eye on.This game was reviewed on PC.

2024 brought with it a cavalcade of visually stunning games, from long-awaited AAA megatons that took our breath away with their graphical advancements to much smaller productions that popped up out of nowhere and proved that you dont need huge teams and budgets to make games that look great. With the year coming to a close, here, were going to talk about 20 such titles that came out this year and made a mark with their visual prowess.#20. F1 24We tend to include theF1games in our annual lists of games with the best visuals pretty regularly, but thats because the series has this department on lock. Like its predecessors,F1 24is a beautiful game, touting stellar vehicle models with an impressive level of attention to detail, authentic lighting and weather effects lending new life to the courses, and more. Year after year, this series successfully delivers a realistic and comprehensive recreation of the real sport, and the presentation and visual fidelity play an important role in that.#19. BODYCAMBodycamhas a number of shortcomings in its current state that were hoping it will address over the course of its ongoing early access period, but one area where the game deserves all the props in the world is the way it looks. As its name suggests, its played from the first-person perspective of a bodycam on your character, and combines that with a hyper-realistic aesthetic that achieves quite a striking result. The game looks startlingly good at times, and were curious to see how it will continue to improve on the road to its full release.#18. EMPIRE OF THE ANTSHeres another game coming from a small time that ended up surprising a great many people with its graphics.Empire of the Antsis a decidedly small-budget game, but you wouldnt be able to tell from just looking at it. Sporting an impressive photorealistic style, the game transports players to a lush jungle where every single blade of grass, every leaf on the ground, every rock jutting out of the ground, and every single insect and critter that you lay your eyes on looks shockingly lifelike. Obviously, there are some rough edges here and there, but the overall result is nothing short of splendid.#17. GRAY ZONE WARFAREIndie studio Madfinger Games launched its multiplayer open world FPSGray Zone Warfarein early access this year, and though theres plenty of work for the developer to do to address feedback from the community, the games visuals are pretty much unanimously liked. Theres a good amount of rough edges that need sanding out, which is to be expected from a game of this size coming from a smaller team and still being in early access, but its open world map is also full of beautiful sights to see.#16. DRAGON BALL: SPARKING! ZERODragon Ball: Sparking! ZERObrought theBudokai Tenkaichiseries back with a bang this year, and though the list of things in the game worthy of praise is a long one, its graphics are high on it. As youd expect from a Dragon Ballgame,Sparking! ZEROrelies more on its stylized art style than on pure visual fidelity, but one way or another, the effect it achieves instantly catches the eye. In motion, the game looks particularly amazing, and watching explosive, map-destroying fights between colossally powerful characters attacking each other with everything theyve got never loses its charm.#15. LIKE A DRAGON: INFINITE WEALTHTheLike a Dragonseries has always straddled the line between high budget photorealism and mid budget stylization perfectly, andInfinite Wealthdoes the same, producing yet another Dragon Engine game that you cant quite tear your eyes away from. Given the scope of the game, its not surprising that not everything looks spectacular- but a lot of things to do, and everything else looks at least a minimum level of good. Overall,Infinite Wealthbrings its vibrant Hawaii setting to the screen spectacularly, and easily ranks as one of the years better-looking games.#14. STELLAR BLADEStellar Bladetook many by surprise for multiple reasons, but all of it could be boiled down to it coming from a relatively unknown studio with little to no AAA console experience. For it to turn out as well as it did was a pleasant surprise, then, as was the fact that it also ended up looking as gorgeous as it did.Stellar Bladetouts some of the most impressive visuals weve seen in a PS5 exclusive game so far (especially if you play it on a PS5 Pro), with everything from the dilapidated post-apocalyptic environments and the excellently designed monsters you fight to the Eves slick combat animations looking pristine.#13. DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARDLike pretty much everything else about the game,Dragon Age: The Veilguardsgraphics divided opinion, with many expressing their dislike of the new, more stylized art style. And though it is clearly a break from the more grimdark style past games used, we fall in the group that ultimately really likes what the game looks like.The Veilguardis a visual stunner in more ways than one, with a bevy of environments that are brimming with vistas that will take your breath away, not to mention some of the most impressive lighting weve seen in a game this year.#12. STAR WARS OUTLAWSCalling Star Wars Outlawsan uneven experience would be a huge understatement, but when the game is at its best, its really,reallygood- and in the graphics department, its definitely at its best. Yes, the game has its fair share of visual glitches and technical hiccups, but little of it detracts from just how stunning it looks more often than not. No matter where you find yourself in its open world multiplanetary setting,Outlawsfinds ways to take your breath away with its sights and sounds. Coming from the studio behindThe Division, that doesnt come as a huge surprise.#11. DRAGONS DOGMA 2Capcom has an admirable habit of cranking out a steady stream of AAA megatons that somehow all look spectacular.Dragons Dogma 2was the companys big centerpiece in 2024, and though it doesnt look as good as, say, the best-lookingResident Evilgames out there, it does look really,reallygood. From the detailed environments of its sprawling open world, to the incredibly lifelike (and vastly varied) roster of monster and creatures that you take on, to, of course, how oppressively impressive the games darkness feels, theres a bevy of things inDragons Dogma 2that illustrate just how visually impressive it is.#10. INDIANA JONES AND THE GREAT CIRCLEIt may have been a while since MachineGames last major full-fledged AAA release, but as a studio that has always delivered visually impressive games, it did not disappoint with its return to the spotlight in the final days of this year withIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, a game that impresses graphically in more ways than one. It crafts its period setting with great alpomb, lets players explore a vast and varied collection of beautiful and highly detailed locations, and of course, does it all while capturing that classic Indiana Jonesaesthetic. It absolutely knocks the ball out of the park in this department.#9. SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUESuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguewas a disastrous game- theres just no two ways about it. But even the most disastrous games tend to have at least some redeeming qualities, and so, too, didSuicide Squad. Chief among the few was how good it looked, an area where Rocksteady Studios as a developer has never disappointed in the past. The game obviously has crippling issues that make it an absolute drag to play even at the best of times, but visually, theres a lot to be impressed with here, especially if its the games impressive cinematics youre talking about.#8. TEKKEN 8It wouldnt be an exaggeration to callTekken 8one of the best-looking fighting games ever made. Coming earlier this year as one of the biggest current-gen exclusive Unreal Engine 5 games so far, Bandai Namcos acclaimed fighter was promising to be absolutely astounding to look at in the lead up to release, and it unquestionably lived up to that promise. From the stages to the character models to the often explosive effects we see on the screen,Tekken 8has no shortage of tricks up its sleeve to make you stop in your tracks and marvel at its beauty.#7. WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2Space Marine 2is without a doubt one of the most technically impressive games weve played in a long, long time. For starters, it looks excellent, with gorgeously detailed environments, well-crafted character models, and excellent enemy designs. But of course, whats most impressive about it are the many sequences and moments where you find yourself facing overwhelmingly massive hordes of enemies, when literally hundreds upon hundreds of foes are on-screen together, all barreling in your direction while you stomp around and mow them down. The fact that the game accomplishes all of that without any significant issues with its performance just makes it that much more impressive. Its truly something of a miracle.#6. BLACK MYTH: WUKONGFor about four years prior to its launch, every time we saw more ofBlack Myth: Wukong, one thing that stood out above everything else was just how stunning it looked- something that stood out that much more given the fact that the game was coming from a lesser-known Chinese studio with a nonexistent AAA track record. When it launched in August,Black Mythwas thankfully exactly as gorgeous as it was touted to be. Varied environments, spectacularly designed bosses, and some of the most breathtaking vistas weve seen in games all year all come together in whats easily one of the best-looking games of this generation (even if it does have the odd technical rough edge).#5. FINAL FANTASY 7 REBIRTHTheres no end to the things aboutFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirththat we can praise endlessly, and its visual splendour is high on that list. Obviously, we cant ignore the fact that the game does suffer from some graphical inconsistencies, especially when played on Performance Mode. Even at its worst, however, Rebirthhas a knack of looking impressive, while at its best, its drop-dead gorgeous. Its staggeringly large world is crawling with beautiful sights that are begging to be sought out and taken in, while on a PS5 Pro in particular, it looks absolutely stunning with little to no caveats.#4. SILENT HILL 2Silent Hill 2sremake sparked a good deal of skepticism from many, which, given developer Bloober Teams spotty track record up to that point, was fair to understand, but the one area where even the games biggest skeptics knew it wouldnt disappoint was its graphics. Thats a department that always shines in Bloober games, and sure enough,Silent Hill 2is an absolute looker. The decrepit eponymous town and the horrors that it hide are brought to life in spectacular and terrifying fashion, whileSilent Hill 2sfamiliar cast of characters are given new life by the stellar fidelity that the game now boasts. And yes, the fog looks amazing.#3. MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2024Microsoft Flight Simulatortook our collective breath away when it launched in 2020, and still stands as one of the best-looking games around on any platform. Appropriately enough,Microsoft Flight SImulator 2024turned out to be somehow even more visually impressive. Marginally gains are definitely setting in, which is unavoidable, but at the end of the day, even the most jaded person cant help but be floored by the stunning level of detail, authenticity, and photorealism with whichFlight Sim 2024brings its grand vision to life.#2. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: HEART OF CHORNOBYLMuch like its predecessors, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2is a little rough around the edges, and with its slate of technical issues and its deliberately punishing nature, its definitely not a game for everyone. But boy oh boy is it a visual delight. GSC Game Worlds open world shooter is easily among the best-looking games to have been released this generation. It boasts a staggering level of detail and fidelity across ahugeworld with impressive consistency. The game deserves all the praise in the world for the lengths to which it goes to make its world feel authentic, and to immerse players in its deadly setting.#1. SENUAS SAGA: HELLBLADE 2Senuas Saga: Hellblade 2certainly has its critics, and there are many who argue that it doesnt hold a candle to its predecessor in a lot of ways that really matter. One area where it unquestionably makes huge strides, however, is the graphics department. Ninja Theory as a studio has always prided itself on pushing the envelope with what it does on the technological side of things, and this time, with the financial backing of Microsoft, the developer really went all out. Whether its its dark and grimy setting or the incredibly lifelike characters and their facial movements, the stellar lighting and the rich atmosphere it helps create or the spectacular animations that allow even gameplay moments to look like gorgeously handcrafted cinematics- from its first moment to its last,Hellblade 2remains a visual delight.