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Shortcuts App on iOS devices was first introduced with iOS 12 and ever since its introduction, people have been using it to get their work done quickly. Shortcuts allow you to automate your tasks on iOS and get the work done with a single tap. For example, if you want to play your favorite playlist on Apple Music you’ll have to run Apple Music first and then navigate to the playlist before you can play it. However, with the help of Shortcuts, the same work can be done with a single tap and in addition to that, you’ll be saving your time.Shortcuts App on iOS allows you to create your own shortcuts or choose directly from the Gallery. The Gallery on the Shortcuts App allows you to directly add prebuilt shortcuts that are based on your everyday iPhone or iPad use. You can also browse through the Featured shortcuts that offer you some additional features without any App Installations.Now as you know how the Shortcuts App works like, let’s get started with the guide and see how you can play around with the shortcuts and get things done. While the Shortcuts Gallery offers you a lot of prebuilt shortcuts, it may not have the Shortcuts that you actually need. Hence it is important to learn how you can manually create shortcuts and get your work done in a single tap. Looking at the app, It may look like creating shortcuts manually is a tough job but trust me it’s easier then you think. Just follow the steps given below and you’ll be ready to go.Step 1: Bring up the Shortcuts App on your iPhone or iPad and tap on “New Shortcut”.Step 2: Once you are in the New Shortcut section tap on “Add Action”. Doing this brings up an all-new screen that allows you to choose from Apps and Tasks for which users can create shortcuts. Have a look at the image below to see how it looks like. Select the action that you want to perform with the shortcut. In our case, we are creating a shortcut for playing music but you can choose whatever you like.Step 4: Tap Next and give your shortcut a name. The shortcut name you give can also be used to control Siri. For example, if you say “Hey Siri, Play My Favourite Song” Siri will play the song that you’ve selected while creating the shortcut.Step 5: Once you’ve given a name for your Shortcut simply press “Done” from the top right corner and your new shortcut will be ready.Have a look at the image below to see how it’s done. From Meeting Notes to Reminders the Shortcut Gallery offers you hundreds of useful shortcuts that you can use in your day to day life. As these are prebuilt shortcuts users can save their time and add them with a single tap. Have a look at the step by step instructions given below to see how you can add shortcuts from the Shortcuts Gallery.Step 1: Open the Shortcuts App on your iPhone and head to the Gallery section.Step 2: Search for the shortcut that you want to add and tap “+” to add it to your shortcuts.Step 3: Go to My Shortcuts and run the shortcut you’ve added. That’s all for this guide folks. For more updates on the latest smartphones and tech, follow us on our social media profiles.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (PlayStation 4) Developer: Vanillaware Publisher: Atlus Released: September 22, 2020 MSRP: $59.99 Back in August, I wrote up a preview of Vanillaware's 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim that focused on the prologue to the full adventure. In my post, I said I'd written down several notes to keep track of everyone in the game and the respective years they traveled from to reach Japan circa 1985.Turns out, most of those notes were useless. They were a waste of paper really, because no matter how close I paid attention in that prologue, how much I studied the review guide I was sent by Atlus, nothing could prepare me for what this game had in store. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a game that loves to keep the player guessing. It wants people to keep asking questions as it slowly peels away its layers and blindsides you with pressing new mysteries. This is a dense piece of soft science fiction, with multiple character motivations and relationships to explore throughout a range of eras that include World War II, the 1980s, and the future's future.The bulk of the game takes place in 1985 and follows a group of high-school-age teenagers, most of whom attend Sakura High School. In the prologue, you actually start the campaign near its end. Giant kaiju are attacking the city and it's up to these 13 heroes to band together in their sentinels to destroy the monsters and save the city. You meet all of the central characters in these opening hours and discover their initial motivations. Before any of that though, each story section begins with a quick fight in the game's battle mode that introduces you to the ins-and-outs of its unique system.Once you get past the prologue, 13 Sentinels splits into two distinct experiences. There is Remembrance, which is the narrative-focused adventure mode where you'll spend the bulk of your time. Then there is Destruction, which contains the various battles you fight against the kaiju invasion. Both of these split sections feed into one another as the further you advance in one, the more you'll unlock in the other. Wanting to get the most of that sweet Vanillaware art direction, I dove headfirst into Remembrance, bouncing around from character to character, slowing unraveling the plot. Do not be surprised if you find yourself lost in the opening hours of the narrative. Not only are there several characters to play as -- you don't unlock all 13 until later in the game -- but their storylines don't necessarily run even with one another. You might witness a scene with one character early in the game, only to see it again from another character's point of view hours later. Not only that, but some characters have multiple names, and there are dream sequences that might prophesize events in the future or even the past.If it were told linearly, the story for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim would easily be one of the best science-fiction stories gaming has given us. But by breaking it up in a non-linear fashion, there is a greater reward for those players who pay close attention to the dialogue and actions of these characters. Mixing its pieces around adds an element of surprise and allows the writers to offer up twists that might not have otherwise been possible if this story were a straight line. This is a seriously gripping narrative, a stay-up-until-2:00 am-reading-subtitles-because-you're-so-damn-hooked caliber of storytelling. It may be intentionally complex, but it's that complexity that enriches the overall experience in ways few other games can manage.It also has a beauty few other games can match. That signature Vanillaware art direction has reached new levels of detail in its elegant recreation '80s Japan. The settings are magnificent, and its use of light and color enriches what would otherwise be drab, gray buildings. Certain areas are soaked in the pinks of sunset or glowing in neon greens, and so many points found around this city simply take my breath away. This is the best art Vanillaware has ever done, though if you're really into the fan service of the developer's past titles, know that there's very little of that in the game. Some of that art direction carries over to Destruction, though it's very minimal. The kaiju each have a more detailed illustration you'll see when they're introduced for the first time, and each attack you can equip to your sentinels has a tasty little animation that illustrates what it looks like. Unfortunately, you don't get any of that in the heat of battle. The sentinels and kaiju are both represented by simple block graphics that, while not visually stunning, are very representative of the types of arcade games that would not be uncommon when this game is set.Destruction is divided up into different areas of the city, each requiring the completion of multiple battles. You'll have access to all 13 characters when you get through the prologue, but you can only take up to six into battle at once. The remaining sentinels guard the aegis, which is the ultimate goal for each battle: protect the aegis or it's game over. Before each fight, you'll pick the characters you want to take into combat, and there are four different generations of sentinels to consider. First-generation sentinels are ground-based, heavily armored, and deal out massive damage. Second- and third-generation sentinels are also limited to the ground, but have attacks and support skills that are useful against a wide variety of enemies. Fourth-generation sentinels can fly and are ideal for taking down massive swarms of flying kaiju, but have far less HP than your other options.At the end of each battle, you'll earn a ranking based on how you did in protecting the city, the aegis, and your sentinels. You'll also see how exhausted each character is from battle, which forces you to routinely rotate your line-up. Each successful battle will net you Meta Chips, as does completing story sections in Remembrance. These chips are used to enhance your sentinels with new and stronger attacks, and your terminal, which gives you access to effects that can change the course of a battle. Your characters also level up separately of the Meta Chips, unlocking new abilities that can encourage you to experiment with your team builds. Each battle also has a set of unique challenges associated with it that, if completed, earns you extra rewards.Whereas the narrative isn't afraid to throw players for a loop, the battles of Destruction are extremely straightforward. Kaiju attack and you kill them. While there are different types of kaiju to contend with, each with their own weaknesses, strengths, and functions, it's not too difficult to have a team that's perfect for every situation. These battles play out similar to a real-time strategy game, but combat pauses each time one of your sentinels can perform an action. This gives you a chance to properly analyze the battlefield, check where the next group of kaiju is going to drop, and make any shifts in your strategy that are warranted. Honestly, I didn't need much time for strategizing until I reached the last section of battles. On normal, these fights are fast-paced, intense, and pretty enjoyable, but they don't offer much of a challenge or a steady difficulty curve. There is a harder difficulty available for those who really want it, but you can also make it easier if you just want to focus on the story.And honestly, I don't blame anyone who sets these battles to easy so they can cruise through them and get back to Remembrance. It's easily the strongest half of this package, and if I have any complaint about 13 Sentinels, it's that the structure Vanillaware chose for this game, separating the story from the action, lacks cohesion. Pre- and post-battle dialogues do reference some of the revelations made in the narrative -- as well as occasionally spoil future plot points -- but because these battles are not sewn directly into the storyline, they often feel like an unwanted diversion from the far superior and simply enthralling Remembrance.Had Vanillaware crafted a title where the story and the action wove into one another flawlessly, we'd be looking at the greatest game the developer has ever made, without question. Unfortunately, that's not what this game is, and while what is here is great, it's crushing to see just how close 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim came to perfection.[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

Learning English would now be easier for people with impaired speech and hearing as a group of scholars of Punjabi University, Patiala, has developed a software that will translate English text into video interactive animation in Indian Sign Language (ISL).Talking to The Tribune, Deepali Goyal, a PHD scholar in computer science at the research centre for technology development for differently-abled persons, Department of Computer Science, Punjabi University, who developed the software with other scholars said: "Our team has worked really hard to introduce this software that will help deaf and dumb learn English through animated videos in Indian Sign Language. Learners can simply insert the text in English in the software and click on a button to watch animated interactive videos explaining its meaning in sign language. The software will also help them learn even complex and compound sentences in a hassle-free manner."Goyal, who originally hails from Bathinda, said: "The project was guided by centre coordinator Dr Vishal Goyal and his research mate Dr Lalit Goyal. Scholars Amandeep Kaur, Gurdeep Kaur and ISL interpreter Karishma were part of the team."Though the software was officially launched on World Disability Day on December 3, as per the developing team members they would continue to work to improve the effectiveness of the software.

English-language viewers now have a new option for viewing an international news and lifestyle channel, this time from an Asian perspective.NHK World-Japan announced today (December 😎 that Vancouver-based Telus has added the 24-hour English-language international TV channel to its lineup.Telus is the first Canadian operator to carry the Japan-based broadcaster. Telus will provide NHK World-Japan to viewers in Western Canada for free for three months. and the channel will be included in the international news package on Telus’ Optik TV.Japan International Broadcasting president and CEO Shiromoto Masaru called it “an important milestone” for NHK World-Japan, in a news release from Tokyo.NHK-World Japan is the only public broadcaster in Japan and is the largest domestic and international TV network in Japan.It offers hourly live international news from Japan and overseas, and programs on current affairs, lifestyle, culture, food, travel, sports, technology, science, and history.

They look nothing alike, they weren’t manufactured under the same roof and they’re aimed at a completely different target audience. Finding the answer requires peeling off the body: Both are made on the same basic architecture. You can also find it by peeking under a third-generation Ford Mondeo, among other models.Platform-sharing is common in the automotive industry. Companies offset the increasingly high cost of developing a car by spreading their investment across several brands, including some they don’t own or normally do business with. Join us for a look at the surprising cars that were

PixelJunk Eden 2 (Nintendo Switch) Developer: Q-Games Publisher: Q-Games Released: December 10, 2020 MSRP: $14.99 It delights me to see Q-Games add more entries to the PixelJunk series, especially a sequel to Eden.It's arguably not the best of the bunch, but Eden – a minimalistic platformer about catching plumes of pollen to reinvigorate garden landscapes – has long been a favorite of mine. It's a hypnotic experience.Whether you missed PixelJunk Eden on PS3 and Steam or you simply miss it, period, this is such a great way to close out the chaotic year. Turn on your Switch, pump up the volume, and melt into your chair. PixelJunk Eden 2 is a simple but effective game, one I see myself coming back to again and again. Playing alone or with a local co-op partner, you'll hop and swing around abstract levels infused with the audio-visual essence of Baiyon. The techno music and visualizer-like backgrounds put a spell on me.While some of the finer details are different for the sequel, in general, this is largely the same soothing experience as the original game. In each garden level – all of which have their own aesthetic and song – your goal is to collide with floating Pollen Prowlers to pop them open, catch the sinking remnants to grow nearby seeds, and use towering plants as platforms to ultimately reach a Spectra collectible.Missile-firing and gravity-shifting foes appear in some situations, but largely speaking, PixelJunk Eden 2 doesn't push back all that much. You don't "die." There is a time limit in the main story mode (which you'll refill by flinging yourself into physical checkpoints), but it's rarely an issue if you aren't going for 100% seed completion, and there's a timer-less mode that's intended for more meticulous play.I primarily played Eden 2 in co-op, and I think that's the way to go if you can manage it (although playing solo does have its meditative merits). With two players, you'll collect pollen quicker, and it's a little easier to pull off risky maneuvers and leaps of faith. If someone falls too far off-screen, they'll reset at the other player's safe location. If both players plummet, there's just a short respawn to sit through. PixelJunk Eden 2 feels subtlety snappier, faster, and more alive than Eden 1, but the sequel's biggest change is the way levels are doled out and how the Grimp protagonists vary from one to the next.Each Grimp comes with its own set of levels and its own particular gameplay-affecting ability or trait, which you can further alter with one-time-use Spice items. The basic flow goes a little something like this: hop into a garden, explore to find the far-off Spectra, and rinse and repeat until you've cleared them all. Some Grimps come with a couple of levels, while others have a set of several to complete.Aside from grabbing pollen to grow plants and reach new heights, you'll also want to collect crystals to unlock Spices. They're just temporary optional items (you can bring up to three of them into an individual level attempt), but they're useful. They have benefits like extending the length or duration of your swing-inducing silk string, diminishing the effects of gravity, or adding more time on the clock. My go-to Spices helped me find the Spectra more easily and expanded my pollen-collecting range.When you finish a set of levels, you'll get another Grimp to play as but not necessarily a "brand new" area – just a different batch of levels. (There are 10 total gardens.) As such, you can expect to see a lot of repeating stages, albeit with several alternate Spectra locations to mix things up a bit. I wasn't thrilled with this format – it started to feel repetitive toward the end – but it mostly works.There are 20-plus characters to unlock in the main mode, and they all have a gameplay-modifying twist (some good, some decidedly less good) to help them stand out. One of the Grimps has unlimited jumps, but makes it so Pollen Prowlers are less plentiful. Another Grimp is heavy enough to "bend tall plants by swinging or landing." One of my favorites can only equip one Spice perk but won't "consume" the item. This isn't a short game, and for some – particularly players who try to power through it in the span of a few evenings – it might outstay its welcome, but I didn't quite reach that point. Part of that is on the Switch itself (handheld play is perfect for Eden 2), part of that is on the relaxing gameplay style, and part of that is on Baiyon's talent as a game director, composer, and visual artist. He's a triple threat.I spent close to a dozen hours with the main progression path in PixelJunk Eden 2, and I've hardly dug into the unlimited-time "choose your garden and Grimp" free-play mode. Whenever I feel the gotta-catch-'em-all collectathon itch, I'll be sure to head there first since that mode has its own achievements. You can't tell me the total number of seeds in each level and not expect me to hunt them down.PixelJunk Eden 2 is one of 2020's few pleasant surprises, and I'm so thankful it exists.[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

DELHI: As many as nine states have completed One Nation One Ration Card reform following which the central government has allowed them to raise an additional Rs 23,523 crore, said an official release on Wednesday.The states which have successfully completed the Public Distribution System (PDS) reforms are Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh.Uttar Pradesh is the biggest beneficiary with an additional borrowing window of Rs 4,851 crore, followed by Karnataka Rs 4,509 crore and Gujarat Rs 4,352 crore.Department of Food and Public Distribution in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is the Nodal Department to certify that a State has met the conditions sti[CENSORED]ted for this reform, the Finance Ministry statement said.Further, to become eligible for additional borrowing, the States have to complete the reforms by December 31, 2020, it said, adding, it is expected that many more states will complete this reform before the sti[CENSORED]ted date.In addition to the One Nation One Ration Card, it said, other reforms specified as a precondition to avail additional borrowing are : ease of doing business reform, urban local body/utility reforms and power sector reforms.In view of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic for mobilisation of financial resources, the Indian government has strengthened the hands of the States through multiple measures including grant of additional borrowing permission of 2 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) during 2020-21.This has enabled the States to mobilise additional financial resources to fight the pandemic and maintain the standards of service delivery to the public, it said.However, it said, to ensure long-term debt sustainability and prevent any adverse impact on future, a part of the additional borrowing was linked to the States carrying out reforms in the sectors critical for service delivery to the citizens.One of the sectors identified for reforms is the Public Distribution System, it said, adding, out of the additional borrowing limit of 2 per cent of GSDP, 0.25 per cent is linked to implementation of "One Nation One Ration Card system".This was aimed to ensure that the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and other welfare schemes, especially the migrant workers and their families, get ration from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country.Other aims of the intended reform were to better target beneficiaries, elimination of bogus/duplicate/ ineligible ration cards and thus enhance welfare and reduce leakage, it said.For this, it said, the reform conditions sti[CENSORED]ted Aadhar Seeding of all Ration Cards, biometric authentification of beneficiaries and automation of all the Fair Price Shops (FPS) in the State.

I recall a Christmas morning when I was just 5. Under the tree, I saw it — the blue tea cup set with a pattern of white florets surrounding the trim that had been on my list for Santa. The red and green gift tag read: "To Susan from Santa." It wasn’t china, simply a plastic toy replica of the English-style Waterford china, but I loved it as if it were the real thing. And, knowing how much Daddy loved his coffee, I wanted the tea set so I could have coffee with Dad. I always wanted to be near my Dad. He was a special Dad, Gerard Fischetti, a handsome gentleman who sang to me, always there to protect me.That Christmas morning I thought I would surprise him by serving him a cup of coffee from my new tea cup set. With tea cups in hand for Dad and me, I dash off to the kitchen, smelling the Savarin brand ground coffee brewing. Dad only drank the Savarin coffee brand. Back when we grew up in the 1960s, I remember how my sisters and I all called Dad the "El Exigente," connoisseur of coffee, the demanding one for Savarin ground coffee, our take on mimicking the po[CENSORED]r television commercial.As I enter the kitchen, I break the rules to reach for the coffee pot. At the age of 5, I wasn’t allowed to touch anything hot on the stove. I carefully poured the coffee, then added a bit of milk and sugar — the way Daddy liked it. I poured myself a drop of coffee (I was told I was too young to drink coffee) with a lot of milk, so Daddy and I could have a "tea party," although it was with coffee because Dad didn’t drink tea.Sprinting cautiously, carrying the tray with our tea cups and saucers to the living room, I find Dad relaxing in his favorite soft brown chair smoking a cigarette. I proudly serve him his coffee "Daddy your coffee is served…," I announce, thinking I sound just like an English butler.Dad glances up at his little daughter holding a tray with plastic tea cups. Always the gentleman, Dad thanks me: "How nice, young lady. Thank you," and reaches for his coffee tea cup.I notice the tea cup seems too small for my Dad’s grip — though it was just the right size for me — as I joined him for our tea party.I drank my milk with coffee as Dad sipped his coffee.

Remember the hydrogen sipping cousin of the Toyota Prius? Well, it went from being an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan. The new 2022 Toyota Mirai looks virtually identical to the stunning concept Toyota showed off in 2019. Gone are the stout body and awkward proportions, the new model is a skeel & sophisticated sedan you would actually want in your driveway. Things also look nice on the inside, with a panoramic sunroof and wood and leather upholstery giving it a premium the first generation deserved. For power, Toyota has bumped Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles' powertrain output by around 30 HP, meaning the new car makes around 182 HP and 247 lb-ft of torque. The range also got a similar 30% upgrade, with Japan's JC08 test cycle giving it a range up to 850 km. Does this car have what it takes to challenge the BEV market? We don't know, but we would love to see it try.From a car that turns hydrogen to water to one that turns petroleum into glorious engine note, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR got its 2021 refresh. The 5.0-liter supercharged V8 still makes around 550 HP but the torque output has been increased from 502 to 516 lb-ft. The extra torque allows the bulky SUV to shave a chunk of its 0-100 time, which went 4.1 seconds to just 3.8. The top speed also got a slight bump, with Jaguar added 4 more km to is 283 kph top speed. Jaguar also took the opportunity to tweak the car's styling a bit, with the newer model featuring slightly thinner headling and a reworked front fascia. On the inside, a new 11.4-inch infotainment replaces the old 10-inch one while the old gear lever has been swapped for a stumpy one. To somewhat make up for this, the driver now gets zinc-alloy paddles shifters and a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen. Smashing!

NEW DELHI: India is set to launch auction of coal blocks for commercial mining purposes on June 18, a month after the Union Cabinet approved the new revenue-sharing model which puts an end to the monopoly of state-run Coal India.“We are launching first-ever commercial coal auction in the country on June 18. The launch of auction will be with the theme “Unleashing coal: New hopes for Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, the coal ministry said in a statement on Thursday.The renewed focus on commercial coal mining will allow domestic firms like Essel Mining, Sesa Goa, JSW Energy, Vedanta, Adani and global giants like Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Glencore to mine, sell and help ramp up coal production from India’s huge reserves — the world’s third-largest at a whopping 350 billion tonnes. About 25 per cent of the demand, however, is met through imports, shows an official data.The government believes that private participation will be a major boost for increasing revenue of coal mine-bearing states, but officials say that the investments will be accrued only over time.“The plan is to keep the revenue share low to have active participation from companies but it’s a tough time to get fresh investments. Potential investors including multinationals aren’t willing to stretch their balance sheets,” said an official privy to the development, adding the floor price for the bid shall be kept at four per cent of the revenue and bids will be accepted in multiples of 0.5 per cent till the share in revenue touches 10 per cent and thereafter in multiples of 0.25 per cent.With this methodology, prices will become more market-oriented and supplies would increase but the key would be to address the inordinate delays in land acquisition and the need for quicker statutory approvals. So far, it may be noted, just a handful of the blocks which have been auctioned are operational.Earlier, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said nearly 50 coal blocks will be offered immediately for auctions and these mines would be in three categories: small, medium and large.The proposed auction also has business-friendly terms and conditions, including reduced upfront amount, adjustment of upfront amount against royalty and liberal efficiency parameters to encourage flexibility to operationalise the coal mines.Besides, 100 per cent FDI through automatic route has been allowed.

Corruption is one of the most complex social, political and economic phenomena which has affected all countries in the world. So to spread awareness regarding the issues and the role of convention in fighting it, we observe International Anti-Corruption Day every year on December 9.On 31st October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Assembly also designated 9th December as International Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and the role of the convention in prevention it and it was only in 2005 that Convention came into force.As per UN statistics, every year USD 1 trillion is paid as bribes while an estimated USD 2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption which is a sum equivalent to more than 5 per cent of the global GDP. Not just this, as per the United Nations Development Programme, the funds lost to corruption in developing countries are estimated at 10 times the amount of their official development assistance.The United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are at the forefront of these efforts. Governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, the media and citizens around the world are joining forces to fight this crime.The theme of the day is, ‘United Against Corruption’ which focuses on corruption as one of the biggest obstacles to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will continue to support the 2030 Agenda, which forms the backbone of the campaign, not just this, the campaign will also have a youth component. Mobilising and empowering Youth For Justice is key for ensuring sustainable solutions to fight corruption.

There are a number of potential roadblocks to the UK government's plan to stop the sale of pure-petrol and diesel models by 2030 - but one seldom discussed is the lack of mechanics trained to work with EVs.Professor Jim Saker and Steve Nash, CEO and president respectively of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), have today released an open letter claiming the country "urgently" needs a "concerted, ongoing workforce development strategy" to ensure the planned sales boom in electrified cars isn't met with a lack of people qualified to work on them."Right now only 5% of the technicians working in garages and dealerships are appropriately qualified to work on these [hybrid and electric] vehicles," says the letter. "This is the real context of the government's Green Plan. Unless we start to discuss these issues, that plan will be compromised."The IMI estimates there are currently between 13,000 and 20,000 technicians qualified to service and repair the approximately 380,000 plug-in electric or hybrid cars on UK roads. "Ramp up the numbers based on the government's Green Plan and the capacity is simply not there to support the transition the government wants," the letter continues.The Covid-19 pandemic has made matters worse, it is claimed. While 6500 certificates for working on electric vehicles were issued in 2019, that number was down by 85% throughout the second quarter of 2020 due to lockdown. The UK was forecast to need at least 75,000 EV-trained techicians to meet the number of hybrids and EVs expected to be sold in 2030."The automotive workforce is already behind in the skills required for these emerging technologies - through no fault of its own," the letter claims. "Embattled employers need support and incentives to get more of their technicians trained, and to reignite recruitment and apprenticeship plans."

The Princess Guide (PlayStation 4, Switch [reviewed]) Developer: Nippon Ichi Software Publisher: NIS America Released: March 26, 2019 (NA) March 29, 2019 (EU) MSRP: $39.99 One of the things I quite enjoy about Nippon Ichi Software is it's always willing to try new things. Each year, you can depend on the developer-cum-publisher to release one or two titles that are completely unique from everything else in its catalog. Sometimes, those games are a surprise success.Other times, they're like The Princess Guide. The Princess Guide casts players in the role of a seasoned warrior looking to step away from the battlefield and begin their life anew as a mentor. With books and various articles written about their exploits, the warrior is well known throughout the kingdoms and right away they get the opportunity to train four princesses from four different regions. There is the voracious Liliartie, the cruel Veronica, the humble Monomaria, and the spiritual Alpana, who I'm pretty sure is trying to start a cult. No matter which princess players choose, they'll actually get their hands on all four of them, as well as the mentor, as they work to complete quests and guide the girls through their individual storylines.Each girl also has her own individual fighting style. Monomaria is armed with a Gatling gun blade that damages foes near and far, Alpana zips across the screen striking down enemies with her twin daggers, Veronica casts spells from a distance, and Liliartie is quick with her axe. When you include the mentor and their sword, players will have five different fighting styles to become accustomed to and they're unique enough that I had to actually change my approach to each mission, depending on who I was controlling.While The Princess Guide has the look of an action RPG, the best way to approach this game is to treat it as if it's a shmup. There is no block or shield function available to players, and refreshing health is limited, so the best way to survive each mission is to avoid taking any damage at all. That can be difficult to do. Often times, the game will overwhelm the screen with enemies and it can be easy to lose track of your character, let alone see if a creature is about to attack. While every monster in the game has a "tell" of when it's about to strike, it's not always obvious and can be easy to miss.During each mission, as long as you're not playing as the mentor, you have the ability to praise or scold the princess you're controlling. Either choice will enact a change that could help lead you to victory. For instance, if she's low on health and you praise her, she'll regain a good chunk of her HP. If she's good on health but surrounded by baddies, scolding her might pump up her attack power to overcome the odds. It's an interesting system, but honestly, I just used the praise function whenever a princess was low on health. With items barred from use during missions and very few options to restore HP, I saw the system as more of a last-ditch effort to save my ass rather than how I believe the developer's pictured players using it. It's not just the princess health I have to worry about. During each mission, you'll also have limited action to a squad of up to six footsoldiers. As you progress in the game, you can recruit different soldiers to your team, but the default grunts for each princess are actually pretty decent. They have two attacks: a limited use special attack and a group rush attack that can make monsters woozy, allowing you to strike them down with your far more powerful princess. There are different soldier formations to mess around with, but honestly, this feature didn't get much use out of me. I primarily focused on using my soldiers to take over relics.Each mission map is littered with different relics players can commandeer. The one I was most thankful to see in every mission was the mana statue that refilled my squad's health. Most other relics are traps that can hurt you until you take them over, at which point you can control them to strike your enemies. It's a pretty clever gimmick and leading a squad of monsters to your thornbush that'll take them out is a real Pied Piper moment. My favorite memories from the game all involve me leading a group of enemy soldiers directly into the line of fire for a laser beam I have control of and watching as their bodies fly.The mentor and princesses also have their own special attack and I really like how this feature is implemented. Special attacks aren't restricted to individual characters, rather they're attached to the gear you acquire. Gear can be equipped to anyone, so for the longest time, I was just pairing each of my characters with the strongest equipment available. However, strong gear might not mean a strong special attack, and as you get further in the game, you may have to really think about which gear is most useful for the task at hand rather than which is the strongest in your arsenal. All of what I've mentioned above, I really like about this game. It's a unique take on the action RPG genre with a fun hook and a decent-for-NISA story. The problem is, the game all of this is attached to isn't very good. Some features, like the save system, are archaic, while others, such as the materia system, aren't explained all that well. The Princess Guide did crash on me once, losing about three hours of progress, and on more than one occasion, it said I had failed a mission even though I most certainly did not.One instance that stands out in my mind happened early in the campaign. I was tasked with protecting a building for a certain number of in-game hours. Right away, the building was attacked by monsters and I fended them off, winning the battle. The building was attacked by another group of monster and again I fended them off. I was told I was successful, and then promptly failed the mission. It didn't make a lick of sense.In addition to those random fails -- which I'll admit only happened to me three times during my playthrough -- the smaller and more repetitive issues really stuck in my craw the longer I played. There is an inconsistency on how much time at the end of each mission you get to collect any coins or chests lying around. Certain missions are unreliable when it comes to spawning enemies and I nearly failed one because it wasn't pumping out demons fast enough. The button that activates the group rush attack is the same button that takes over relics or uses one you're already in control of, leading to quite a few mishaps when I was completely surrounded by relics and enemies.The relics, for as good of an idea as they are, are poorly implemented. There is no rhyme or reason to their placement and The Princess Guide doesn't do a well enough job of spacing out those healing statues. For most of the game that isn't an issue, but the difficulty curve here is so haphazard, so unpredictable, that their poor distribution can really bite players in the ass. Most of the missions found here are an absolute breeze, but when I started hitting the late game content with its cruelly unforgiving difficulty, I really began to question the design decisions for this game. As I mentioned earlier, there are no items you can carry into missions, so you're at the mercy of what you can find in each map. It's not uncommon to go a great deal of time without healing up, and with groups of enemies attacking all at once, damage comes swiftly. Later enemies absolutely soak up your attacks and can be quite the nuisance. One late-game creature is just an egg that is tiny, hard to hit, and takes a lot of strikes to kill. Some mid-boss fights will absolutely decimate your footsoldier squad, and once a soldier is killed, you don't get them back until you withdraw from a mission back to home base.Some of the difficulty issues I encountered were able to be overcome with a few hours of grinding, but I don't think The Princess Guide is the type of game that should be pushing players to slowly level up their squads. There isn't much variety in the mission structure or enemy choice, so a lot of battles end up feeling like a rerun. Others are just straight-up repeats of encounters I fought moments before, down to the same dungeon layout, enemy choice, and placement of relics. And while I am encouraged to run through this game with each princess to get their individual endings, once through is honestly enough for me.The Princess Guide is a game I enjoy less and less the more I play it. There is a sound structure here and some really clever ideas, but the weight of all its small issues really burden what should a fun and frivolous experience.[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

Turok: Escape from Lost Valley (PC) Developer: Pillow Pig Games Publisher: Universal Studios Interactive Entertainment Released: July 25, 2019 MSRP: $14.99 I'm not a fan of short intros where reviewers bluntly tell you to avoid a particular game. There are many different factors for why a title can end up so bad that you want to chug battery acid instead of playing it. Sometimes things don't come together as expected or a team lacks experience, which makes being overly harsh a pointless endeavor. Reviews should serve as a way to give feedback instead of venting your frustrations on the world.That being said, Turok: Escape from Lost Valley is likely to end up the worst game I review in my career as a critic. For all intents and purposes, avoid this at all costs. It is not worth the frustration it takes to see the ending for yourself. You're better off assuming the video game series ended in 2008 with that stupid rebooted game by Propaganda Games.If you must learn why I'm saying this, though, read on. In a refreshingly streamlined move, the title of Turok: Escape from Lost Valley tells you exactly what this game is about. Titular star Turok is looking to escape from the "Lost Valley." That's precisely all this game is about as there are very little cutscenes and dialogue boxes to clue you in to what is going on. Born from a contest that Universal held for smaller teams to do something with one of its IPs, this almost feels like the exact type of game you'd see spring up from a Game Jam session. It's light and to the point.In a bold move from the shooters that came before, Escape from Lost Valley is an isometric action game that has more in common with Bastion than anything Acclaim ever released. You have a basic melee attack, a ranged bow attack, a dodge roll, and the ability to jump/climb certain ledges. It's all simple and, on paper, should make for an easy game to pick up and chill out with. Even the level design is rarely taxing, progressing in a mostly linear fashion with slight deviations from the main path for upgrades.I also want to make note of the art style, which is another stark departure from what fans of the '90s games are used to. Turok, his friend Andar, and all of the enemies resemble Saturday morning cartoon characters instead of the dark, grisly interpretation that the shooters had. It's exceptionally cute, looks very sharp in HD, and is undoubtedly charming. It's also the best aspect of the game, giving a new look to an old classic that feels like a creative interpretation instead of just regurgitated nonsense. Sadly, that's about all the positives I can give for this game. Trailers and footage won't do Escape from Lost Valley justice, because it is probably the most broken and frustratingly slow game I've ever played. As is the problem with most isometric action titles, judging the distance between you and foes is a crapshoot. It doesn't help that Turok's basic melee attack seems to go three inches in front of him, but oftentimes you'll be behind an enemy and unable to gauge where you are on the screen. Couple that with the dodge roll that somehow leaves you open to attacks after use and each system never coalesces into more than a massive migraine.The actions are all simple and accomplished with basic button presses, but trying to execute them while hordes of foes are on top of you causes a lot of pain. The first level doesn't properly prepare you for how soul-crushingly difficult Escape from Lost Valley is, which is not something I was expecting from this art style. For the record, I'm fine with games being as difficult as the developers want them to be, but Escape from Lost Valley seems to have confused challenge with being plain unfair.If you remove how often you'll be dying to sloppy controls, poor visibility, and punishingly awful bosses, the levels in Turok: Escape from Lost Valley would probably take about 15 minutes each. There are only six in the game and it seems effort was spent on bumping up the difficulty instead of providing honest challenges for the player. I'll give credit to each area having a different theme and presenting unique foes to the player, but they all function the same way and are often thrown at you in overwhelming numbers instead of complementing each other. The best (worst?) example I can give comes from the third level. Your perpetually inept partner Andar – speaking of which, this game somehow does not feature co-op play – gets captured by "Monkey Men," so Turok has to fight them off to save him. While it starts off with only two enemies attacking you, the game increases that number twofold for five different waves of enemies. Their movement patterns are erratic and without repetition, so you have no idea where they'll be going. They sling vines at Turok that tie him up when they connect. Instead of letting the player smash buttons to get out of this trap, Turok sits there like a dumbass for a few seconds, which gives the enemies ample time to strike.Regardless of the difficulty you've selected, the enemies attack you for three hit points of your health bar. I don't think I need to tell you how irritating this becomes after a while. You can't predictively move to dodge these attacks, getting the enemies to even open themselves up takes forever, the stupid intro dialogue box appears every single time you restart, Turok's attack has such a limited range that you'll often miss and leave yourself open, the dodge roll is almost worthless since enemies can ignore it, the arrows are pointless as the enemies move too quickly…I know I'm rambling here, but the thoughts racing through my head and the words leaving my mouth during that moment nearly made me want to drop kick my door off the hinges.This doesn't let up for the entire game, either. As I said, instead of providing a healthy challenge to the player that requires skill to overcome, it seems Pillow Pig Games cranked up the "difficulty" to compensate for the obscenely short levels. Even knowing how to combat these threats doesn't make said moments any easier. The game is just unfair with how it taxes the player at any given turn. Worse still, it actively wastes your time in certain moments by having you repeat unskippable moments of dialogue or cutscenes. I could almost forgive some of this, but the true moment that took the cake for me was in the last level. To accurately describe the anguish I went through, I need to set the stage a little better. When I first started Turok: Escape from Lost Valley, I selected "Hard" because I was seriously not expecting much. The first boss destroyed me, so I falsely assumed that mode was balanced for co-op play. Co-op isn't an option (as stated above), so it's really meant for masochists. I dropped it down to "Medium" and was able to progress to the third level. I was promptly flattened by the third boss. Since I hate myself a little and really wanted to give everyone the best review possible, I restarted a second time, swallowed my pride, and put the game on "Easy."So after all of this, I managed to progress to the final level after four-and-a-half hours and came across a boss fight with two invisible lizards. You can see their tracks on the ground, thankfully, but they often popped up from behind me as I was aiming at what I thought was one of them. Andar, my ever-valuable friend, would peg me with an arrow and interrupt my attack. At that same moment, a lizard would spring up and bite me from behind while I was unable to move. Trying to dodge roll to escape more damage, I ran straight into the second lizard I couldn't see who bit me again and sapped my health to near half. Since the game wasn't done devouring my existence with that, the original lizard hit me a third time and left me with a single point of HP. Why not just kill my family, while you're at it?Did I ever finish the game? As a matter of fact, I did.After cursing up a blue streak, shutting the game off for the rest of the day, and punishing myself at the gym for a few hours the following morning, I managed to topple the bastards after five more attempts. I have no idea why I was so determined, but the deed is done. Shortly after, the final boss was in front of me and he was comparatively a joke. Turok: Escape from Lost Valley can't even keep its BS consistent. But really, the idea of this title isn't a bad one. I don't see why Turok can't be a cutesy action title having more in common with the comic line than the '90s shooters. I even really dig the art, which hurts me to write about how awful everything else is. I know this was made by two people and conceived from a contest, but this really is not an acceptable release.My only hope with writing this is that people honestly read the words I've put down. I really don't want anyone to take a quick glance at the score and go, "I knew it! My childhood is dead and these developers are jackasses!" I loved Turok as a kid and those games still exist as they were. I don't feel that Escape from Lost Valley is a betrayal of my youth or anything melodramatic. I mostly am just upset that this brilliantly adorable game turned out so shockingly poor.So unless you're in the mood to ruin your day and possibly take a few years off of your life, do yourself a favor and skip Turok: Escape from Lost Valley. Whatever the core concept was, it has not turned out well.[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB

The first case taken up by Facebook’s independent Oversight Board that will have immediate relevance to India revolves around a Hindi-English post that was taken down by the social media giant over concerns that it posed a threat to French President Emmanuel Macron.The board, often referred to by the media as a quasi Supreme Court, is an expert panel that will have the last word on what is acceptable speech on the digital platform. The body thus has the power to effectively overrule even content moderation decisions taken by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives.This week, the recently constituted oversight board announced the first six cases it would take up for review. The first batch that was announced did not include incidents that were connected in any way to India, but a new case was added on Friday morning after one of the cases was dropped.The new case was referred to the board by Facebook itself and is described as such:“A user posted a photo in a Facebook group, depicting a man in leather armor holding a sheathed sword in his right hand. The photo has a text overlay in Hindi that discusses drawing a sword from its scabbard in response to “infidels” criticizing the prophet. The photo includes a logo with the words “Indian Muslims” in English. The accompanying text, also in English, includes hashtags calling President Emmanuel Macron of France “the devil” and calling for the boycott of French products.”According to the case description, this content was removed by Facebook on the grounds it violated its policy on ‘Violence and Incitement’.“In its referral, Facebook stated that it considered this case to be significant, because the content could convey a ‘veiled threat’ with a specific reference to an individual, President Macron. Facebook referred to heightened tensions in France at the time the user posted the content,” the Oversight Board noted.“Facebook further indicated that although its policies allow it to determine a potential threat of real-world violence and to balance that determination against the user’s ability to express their religious beliefs, it was difficult to draw the line in this case,” it added.

Kaal Bhairava Jayanti is one of the important festivals of Hindu culture that is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Bhairav, a fearsome and wrathful manifestation of Lord Shiva who is associated with annihilation. Also known as 'Bhairava Ashtami' and 'Bhairava Jayanti', this festival is celebrated on the eighth Ashtami of Krishna paksha in the Hindu month of Kartik. This year, Kaal Bhairav Jayanti will be observed on December 7.Kaal Bhairav Jayanti 2020 Date, Time and Shubh Muhurat:The auspicious festival of Kaal Bhairav Jayanti will be celebrated on December 7 this year. The Ashtami will begin at 6.47 pm on December 7 and continue till 5.17 pm on December 8.What is the history and importance of Kaal Bhairav Jayanti?Kaal Bhairav Jayanti is observed in honour of Lord Shiva's manifestation Bhairava. As per the Hindu legends, Bhairava, who is also known as 'Dandapani', had cut one of Lord Brahma's five heads after Lord Shiva felt insulted by the remarks made by him. Therefore, devotees of Lord Shiva worship Bhairava on this day to seek his blessings.On Kaal Bhairav Jayanti, various rituals are performed by the devotees of Lord Shiva. They generally wake up early in the morning on this day and clean their houses. Hurting dogs is forbidden on this day and people do not sleep during the daytime. Some people also observe a fast on Kaal Bhairav Jayanti to seek his blessings. It is noteworthy to mention that Kaal Bhairav should only be worshipped along with Goddess Parvati.

They wave to each other, you know. Jeep Wrangler owners, that is. I didn’t know at first, but after a few months of remembering to wave back, I’ve got into it. US Wrangler fans refer to themselves as Jeepers. Like a Caterham or a motorcycle, the Wrangler is a recreational or hobby, not utility, vehicle. An off-road sports car, if you like.And it’s an enjoyable one. This Wrangler arrived in July in full hobbyist Rubicon specification, which means uprated axles, better off-roading angles and beefier tyres than lesser models in the Wrangler line-up. Those and a £50,000 price tag. It’s the purist’s choice, perhaps, although in the Wrangler’s home market, the US, loads of Jeeps are modified within a few weeks of being delivered, with lift kits and even more hardcore axles and bigger tyres, so a base starting point there would matter less.As standard off-roaders go, though, a Wrangler Rubicon is as tough as they come. Which was the point of us running one: to see if the original 4x4 is still the best car off road, and whether that compromises its on-road performance. Answers are: it’s there or thereabouts in the rough and bearable on road, at least for me. It arrived with 18,000 miles on and leaves with more than 25,000, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to find out. In effect it came and went as a used car, but was serviced before its arrival so needed no attention and no oil – and not even AdBlue – while it was with us. So, sadly, I can’t tell you too much about the ownership experience.

Rights and Equality Sandwell has received £72,000 from the National Lottery for Project Shield.Three community liaison workers have been hired to help communicate Covid guidance with people from ethnic minorities.The workers go out into communities delivering leaflets and work with Sandwell Council, businesses and other organisations.See more coronavirus news hereTwo officers work with people from European backgrounds while one works with people from Asia.Between them, they speak12 languages.Asma Rhaza, the support worker for Asian people, said: "Our services are required more than ever. It is essential and vital especially during the pandemic and lockdown."People are scared, they are a bit sceptical. Are we going to go out? Should we not go out? If we have got problems, have we got anyone to contact?"That is where I think our role is crucial. It is just trying to get out there. In the pandemic, people are still confused."Before taking this role in October, I conducted a survey within the community I love in order to get a major understanding of how people are feeling."Especially the people who can't speak English and their first language is not English, how are they going to understand the message from the governing bodies."Hence the reason we are in place so if they have got issues we try and help them."

Knowing about your future can make your daily plans successful. Astrology offers us interesting and accurate insights about how our day will pass. They can also help us prepare for the day as the placement of our stars play a big role in what happens in our life and thus knowing the astrological predictions for the day becomes important. So read here to check out what’s in store for you today:Aries: Today will be a happy day for you. Your professional, as well as your personal life, will witness good news during the day. Your relationship with your spouse will also get better. Stay health-conscious.Taurus: You are expected to have a good day at your workplace. Professional life will get better. You are also expected to hear good news from your spouse. Avoid negativity to enjoy the day.Gemini: You can achieve the desired success in your profession with dedication and hard work today. With the help of a friend, difficult works can be completed. Do not sign any documents without having proper read.Cancer: Your reputation in your family will witness an increase today. Ongoing efforts in the field of livelihood will be successful. Help will be given from ruling administration. Do not leave any work incomplete today.Despite the mixed effect in the property, there is hope to benefit in the profession and economic matters today. Activeness has to be increased in the professional field. Do not ignore the feasibility in the schemes.Virgo: Today the time will be favourable for those doing business in partnership. There is also a possibility of change in the field. Do not be negligent in the use of vehicles etc. today.You can feel comfortable during the job. There will be mobility in income or wealth. A new contract can also be found. Do not take any decision in haste.Scorpio: Today it will be a happy day for you. A trip with friends and relatives are on the cards. Do not let your concentration be disturbed. You may also visit some religious place for seeking peace.Sagittarius: You can start work on new projects. There is a possibility of the desired improvement in income. Today guests can arrive at home. Do not use strong language in dialogue.Capricorn: It will be a good time for lovers. Efforts will have to be accelerated to improve the professional life. Do not invest in shares etc. today.Aquarius: You will find the solution to your problems related to property. Religious feelings will increase. You will also get interested in yoga. Do not be part of any kind of debate today.Pisces: The hurdles in your professional field will automatically go away. There is a possibility of a job transfer. The economic situation will improve. Do not argue with your seniors today.

Italian coachbuilder Zagato is marking its centenary with the unveiling of the V12 Zagato Heritage Twins - an exclusive pair of rebodied Aston Martin models of which just 19 sets will be made.Based on the previous-generation Vantage V12 S, the Twins will be built by Warwick-based bespoke manufacturer R-Reforged, known for producing the limited-run Vanquish 25 for ex-Aston designer Ian Callum's new independent design consultancy.Each pair, costing £1.75 million, comprises a Coupé and a Speedster variant, both with carbonfibre bodyshells and heavily reworked design from front to rear over Aston's original. The Coupé is largely familiar, having first appeared in 2011, but today's unveiling marks the Speedster's debut.Active aero functionality is one of several new additions for the duo from R-Reforged, which claims to have introduced more than 500 tweaks. It is said to "transform the cars' balance", with minimal impact on the overall design. Visual changes include a reshaped front splitter and new front wing designs, but the Coupé's distinctive double-bubble roof and protruding rear lights remain. The Speedster, meanwhile - as the name suggests - swaps the hard-top for an open-roof design that brings prominent buttresses along the rear deck and a longer, sleeker windscreen.The changes go under the skin, too: the Vantage's 5.9-litre 12-cylinder motor has been boosted from 525bhp to 600bhp by way of modifications such as aluminium air intakes and a new titanium exhaust system.Performance details remain under wraps, but with the power boost - and a likely substantial weight drop courtesy of the lightened body - both are likely to improve on the standard Vantage's 3.9sec 0-62mph time and 205mph top speed.In addition to the power hike, the Twins also sit 10mm closer to the ground than the standard Vantage, have a 20mm wider track and sport new 19in centre-locking forged wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.Inside, the premium Bridge of Weir leather upholstery can be specified in an "almost infinite range of colours, bespoke patterns and textures" and unique details, including a colour-coded horn button, are evidence, said R-Reforged, of its "forensic approach" to creating the cars.Each car is said to take 12 of R-Reforged's workers 16 weeks to assemble in a process that starts with stripping down the base car, refreshing all worn components and rebuilding with the new body. A new optional 'visual carbon' paint finish adds 400 hours to the build time.

Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia (Switch) Developer: WayForward Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Released: November 3, 2020 MSRP: $59.99 For this review, I went a little above and beyond. I did some training. Training with Bakugan toys: to really get into the vibe of this new Switch game.Seriously! Ahead of the review period, the publisher sent me a box of Bakugan balls and an arena. How could I not try it?! My wife and I spent round after round battling it out together, chucking these things into a ring and comparing stats. I can see the appeal.Unfortunately, the Switch iteration doesn't quite capture most of the fun of the physical game. In real life, the aim is to roll Bakugan and best your opponent by either opening while their toy remains closed, or beat them via higher base stats for your chosen creature plus whatever modifiers you earn in the arena. There are multiple rulesets and variations, but that's one of the most common ones. Various games have attempted to adapt this formula over the years, and Champions of Vestroia is the latest. I love that I get to talk about Bakugan in a review: this is a bucket-list moment.It's important to note that Champions of Vestroia, like many Bakugan works before it, is very much aimed at kids. All of the protagonists are kids (and much more child-like than say, Nate, of Yo-Kai Watch fame, or even Red/Ash in Pokemon). They all watch the po[CENSORED]r platform "ViewTube" that tells them how cool Bakugan creatures are. I n this world, Bakugan kind of just...exist already and are part of society.You know it's just a normal kind of day: kids creating giant energy barriers to protect the environment from the devastation of huge kaiju fighting each other for sport. Vestroia is not a great introduction if you're coming in cold, but for fans, it cuts right to the chase. Don't ask too many questions about why Bakugan are legally able to brawl whenever they want. That's just the way it is. The setup is a lot like Yo-Kai Watch, one of my favorite new RPG worlds in recent years. And of course, the granddaddy of creature games: Pokemon. But this time you're in the shoes of a custom protagonist, which doesn't allow for a whole lot of leeway in terms of a personal journey. As a blank slate, you'll acquire your first Bakugan in the first five minutes of the game, as you speed toward a very relaxed narrative amid a collective of sidequests.It's a very straightforward RPG. The San Barbaras Hub has a clear map, with annoying 10- to 15-second load times between zones. At first you're going to be doing a lot of quests like helping your classmates turn in homework or picking up soccer balls on a field. It's a bit aimless, but relaxed. You hang out with your friends and muse about Bakugan. That might actually be how you spend your Saturdays and this could be extremely relatable stuff here: I don't judge.To battle, you'll walk around the arena as your avatar (next to giant hulking monsters) and grab flashing "Bakucores" on the ground while you boss your creature around. The idea is that you're acquiring energy with these cores to boost your abilities and lighten their cooldowns, but as a twist, you can strategically try and steal them from your opponent. While some of the cannon-fodder battles are very rote as winning is an inevitability, the idea itself is sound as there's some form of tactical nuance in controlling a human and a monster simultaneously. From there, you have to start delineating between the different types (elements) of Bakugan, which counter each other. You'll also start customizing their abilities as you acquire more, with a variety of different concepts like healing, buffs, debuffs, straight damage, or piercing damage, which cuts through shields. You pick up new party members at a decent pace, so swapping them around and setting their loadouts is painless and fun.The actual fights are kind of cool too. The creature animations in particular can look fairly detailed, adding to the vivid feel of combat and the sense of scale. But combat isn't all that deep even as the game progresses. The "active time" style of play is still very slow, and the campaign doesn't throw enough curveballs at you to warrant a drastic change-up in terms of how you approach battles. That said, there's also an online battle component, but we weren't able to cover it for this review (which we re-iterate below).For all its shortcomings, I wouldn't mind seeing WayForward get another crack at this series with a more concerted effort to bring in non-fans, with more depth. Bakugan is a world worth exploring. For now, you may want to stick with the physical game.[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. It covers the single-player portion of the game.] CPU: Info CPU SPEED: Dual Core CPU RAM: 4 GB OS: Microsoft Windows 7.1/8/8.1/10 VIDEO CARD: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities PIXEL SHADER: 4.0 VERTEX SHADER: 4.0 FREE DISK SPACE: 3 GB