Season 2 of Totally Rated continues with big announcements from Nintendo and Sony, as well as a check-in on what's hot with gaming and some phone rumors for good measure.
Nintendo finally unveiled the long-rumored Nintendo Switch OLED to an admittedly mixed response, while Sony released its latest flagship phone, the Xperia 1 Mark 3.
In other news, iPhone 13 Pro rumors have ramped up surrounding its camera, and beloved stealth horror game A Plague Tale: Innocence receives a console upgrade on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
- Who is the Nintendo Switch OLED really for?
- Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch: what's the difference?
- iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro design could look something like this
Nintendo Switch OLED - be careful what you wish for?
The Nintendo Switch OLED, previously referred to colloquially as the Nintendo Switch Pro, was finally unveiled by Nintendo. Fans have been begging for a new Switch for quite some time now, hoping that an improved model would feature better battery life in handheld mode, 4K when docked, fixed Joy-Con drift and a better kick stand. The Switch OLED achieves just one of these.
OLED screens are indeed lovely (the PS Vita can attest to that) so you'd be forgiven for thinking the Switch OLED would be a huge step up over the base model. In reality, the OLED version sticks to the original screen's 720p resolution, bumping the screen size to 7 inches.
So what visual improvements is this actually going to give you? Put simply, OLED panels offer better contrast as well as truer blacks due to the fact that individual pixels can be switched off. As such, Switch games that can run well on the handheld at 720p have the potential to look superb.
Other upgrades include 64GB of storage on the console, an improved kick stand at the back as well as a LAN port for expanded local play. The Switch OLED will be available on October 8, 2021 for $349.99 / £309.99 / AU$539.
Sony Xperia 1 III - the company's best phone in years
Sony finally released the Xperia 1 III, its latest flagship smartphone, and it's easily the best phone the company's made in years.
TechRadar's James Peckham gave his thoughts about the latest Sony handset: "The Sony Xperia 1 III is the best smartphone the company has made for years, offering a top-tier smartphone display, great battery life and a versatile camera that’s easier to use than those on previous Sony handsets.
"It isn’t the right phone for everyone – there are some unique elements to Sony’s approach to handsets that means it may not be for you – but if you like Sony smartphones, or you’re willing to try something a bit different, this could be for you."
The Sony Xperia 1 III seemingly ends the company's run of middling smartphones, such as the Xperia 10 III and the Xperia L4. We're happy to see Sony once again bring out a competitive product in the space, and hope that the company continues to push its long-running Xperia brand to meet the quality of the best Android phones around.
A Plague Tale: Innocence is now better than ever
In gaming, A Plague Tale: Innocence has received a console upgrade on PS5 and Xbox Series X, with a Cloud version also available on Nintendo Switch. If you already own the game on Xbox One you get to upgrade your copy for free. It's also available to download for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, upgrade and all.
PS5 players haven't been tossed to the rats, though, as PlayStation Plus subscribers can add the game to their library as part of July 2021's free games.
Back in 2019, Zoe Delahunty-Light from GamesRadar wrote: "A Plague Tale: Innocence might be centered around a relatively adorable little boy, but it is grim.
"Telling the story of two siblings: the teenage Amicia and her five-year-old brother Hugo as they struggle to find a cure for Hugo’s mysterious illness, it’s a linear puzzle-stealth game which follows the pair as they flee from the Inquisition in Medieval France, who are set on capturing Hugo for some nefarious means.
"There are glimmers of something special in the linear yet substantial game, but A Plague Tale feels like it needs an extra push to make it truly come into its own.
"If you’re in the mood for a perfectly respectable, undemanding weekend game, A Plague Tale: Innocence is for you."
A sequel, A Plague Tale: Requiem, was also announced during E3 2021, and while little is known about it at present, the trailer showed that Amicia and Hugo will be returning. The sequel will launch sometime in 2022.
iPhone 13 renders show a curious camera
Finally, it's back to phone news, where iPhone 13 rumors started circling again, this time surrounding the device's sizable camera block.
Numerous changes have been rumored for the iPhone 13's cameras for quite some time, including improved telephoto range, more lens elements, changes in aperture, and the addition of sensor-shift optical image stabilization.
The above render is the best impression we have of the iPhone 13 yet, with a decidedly different appearance to that of the iPhone 12, featuring a diagonal placement of the main lenses.
Totally Rated features reviews and opinions of what's hot and what's not in the tech and gaming world.
Bringing together leading titles from across the industry, we hear first hand from those who have reviewed - and rated - the very latest games and products on the market.
New episodes of Totally Rated will roll out every week.
- Switch OLED won't fix potential Joy-Con issues, Nintendo confirms
