Ultimate Playstation Trivia Book. Vol. 6

We’ve gathered together over one thousand of the juiciest facts, figures and shocks from the world of playstation to educate your brain and tickle your funny bone. Topic 501-600.

501. The original PlayStation charged a token $10 licensing fee to encourage third party developers.

502. In Driv3r, ‘Timmy Vermicelli’ is a hidden enemy wearing water wings who can be killed. He’s an obvious reference to GTA Vice City and that character’s inability to swim.

503. In return, GTA : San Andreas features a character playing a videogame who says, “This sucks, I mean, how could Refractions mess up so bad? You suck Tanner!” referencing both the developer and main star of Driv3r.

Nocs NS500 Aluminum

A stylish and affordable pair of earphones that ultimately lack finesse

Although excellent sound quality is without doubt the most important feature to look for when investing in a pair of earphones, with so many viable options on the market, it also takes a great design to help differentiate a product from the competitors. The primarily white NS500 Aluminum earphones are the latest from Swedish manufacturers, Nocs, and cut a remarkably svelte figure when being handled. A beautifully thin layer of aluminium surrounds each bud, while the tangle-free cable is a good long length and includes a handy module with playback controls. There aren’t any clear markings on the playback module to signify what each button does, but with a bit of guessing you’ll find basic volume controls and a pause button. A prolonged press on one button will activate the earphone’s mic capabilities, a useful addition when needing to make calls on the go, and there’s even an included clip to attach the mic to your shirt.

Sesame 2 Wireless Proximity Lock

Add another layer of security to your Mac with this miniscule proximity lock

There’s a multitude of choice when it comes to selecting how you want to protect your Mac from potential harm while you’re using it, but the choices are dramatically reduced when you’re away from your device. All it takes is for someone to figure out your login password and they’ll have instant access to whatever is stored on your desktop. To combat the lack of choice, Sesame has recently launched a proximity lock to help keep the contents of your Mac safe and secure while away from it.

Blue Mo-Fi headphones

Blue’s audacious and triumphant first attempt at the headphone market

When a company branches out into new sectors, results tend to bemixed. Youwill have read about Blue in these pages before – we highly recommend its USB mics and always use them when we’re in the recording studio – so howdoes its first attempt at the premiumheadphonemarket fare?

Lenco DR-05 BT

Sometimes big isn’t always best, despite Lenco’s best efforts

We reviewed the massive Lenco 3D speaker recently, and while we were impressed by the surround sound effect, the sheer size of the device was a put off. The same could be said of this retro radio from Lenco: just where does it fit in your home? It isn’t a speaker that would sit next to your TV and home entertainment system; it’s more likely to be used in the kitchen or the bedroom. And it isn’t a svelte design, but rather chunky and cumbersome – it’s going to be a hefty windowsill or bedside table that houses this speaker.

My three hours with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Geralt of Rivia is always searching for something. Whether he’s looking for work, deadly monsters, or his memories, Geralt is constantly throwing himself into danger and overcoming the odds. At the end of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, he recovered his lost memories, finally remembering his last moments with his love, Yennefer. Now he’s out to find her.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt begins with Geralt tracking down his beloved sorceress, but this story isn’t just about their reunion. CD Projekt RED surprised fans at the Game Awards in December with a trailer debuting a new second playable character: Ciri. After playing the opening three hours of Geralt’s latest adventure, we discovered just how important Ciri is. She’s not just another person to find; the fate of the world rests on Geralt keeping her safe. by Kimberley Wallace

Call of the wind

Tempered by tragedy, Lara Croft has grown into an experienced treasure seeker. Now she’s hot on the hunt for the secret of immortality in one of the coldest places on earth. By Ben Reeves

The world’s secrets are hidden in the most remote and hostile places on the planet. If they weren’t, we wouldn’t need people like Lara Croft to find them. Lara’s previous journey taught her how to adapt – how to fight for her own survival. But in Lara’s next outing, the globetrotter is no longer reacting to imminent danger; she is actively throwing herself into a series of harrowing situations, putting her life and credibility on the line as she faces off against a secret society in the forgotten corners of the world. Everything that came before has been a training ground for this journey. Lara is about to embark on her first real tomb-raiding expedition.

Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide

The world of Warhammer is being invaded by the Skaven, as the dirty ratmen emerge to usher in the End Times…

Rat Shark’s offices are being invaded.

There are armies on the march, vile Skaven inhabiting showcases, shelves, and desktops. A couple of giants and a band of ogres have taken over the larger meeting room, and there are more evils lurking in boxes all over the joint.

The company has, basically, gone Warhammer mad.

It’s been a while coming, too. Since the formation of the company, before it was even an independent game publisher, its staff played Warhammer Fantasy Battles as a way of relaxing after work, and a lot of staff kept at it even after they moved to other companies. But even back then, as Fat Shark moved from supporting other companies to making their own titles, there was one game that everyone wanted to make – and now Fat Shark’s dreams have come true. Enter Warhammer – The End Times: Vermintide.