About Darren
Darren Price
Consumer & Gaming Writer - Australia
Darren 'VicBStard' Price has been playing video-games for nearly 40 years and writing about them for the last ten. Darren hates sport, but loves sports video games - which he puts down to a mixture of being annoyingly contrary and extremely lazy. While he is completely tone deaf, he considers Rock Band and Guitar Hero to be his guilty pleasures. A geek from way back, Darren builds his own computers, collects comic books, owns several lightsabers and is a sucker for video-gaming merchandise. Since 2012 he has lived in Sydney where he writes reviews and reports back on the local gaming scene.
Stories by Darren
Deep-dive review: Asus ROG Xbox Ally X handheld gaming PC
Last week
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
steam
The ROG Xbox Ally X is a handheld Windows gaming PC, sponsored by Xbox, offering portable gaming with high-end AMD hardware and mixed user experience.
Game review: Anno 117 - Pax Romana (PC)
Last month
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
ubisoft
Anno 117: Pax Romana offers a tough Roman governor strategy on PC, blending structured campaigns and open sandbox for deep economic challenge.
Hands-on Review: iMP Tech Mini Arcade Pro Switch/Switch 2 cabinet controller
Last month
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
sega
iMP Tech Mini Arcade Pro transforms your Nintendo Switch/Switch 2 into a retro arcade cabinet with joystick, buttons and easy assembly.
Hands-on Review: Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI
Last month
#
gaming
#
surveillance
#
digital entertainment
Acer's Predator Helios Neo 16S AI is a powerful 16-inch gaming laptop with Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPU, and a vivid 240Hz OLED display.
Game review: Battlefield 6 (PC)
Last month
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
dice
Battlefield 6 delivers epic multiplayer battles with vast destructible maps and vehicles, but its single-player campaign feels rushed and underwhelming.
Game unboxing review: Ghost of Yōtei Collector’s Edition (PlayStation 5)
Mon, 27th Oct 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
sucker punch
The Ghost of Yōtei Collector's Edition for PlayStation 5 offers premium collectibles and exclusive in-game content, delighting fans with stunning detail and quality.
Hands-on Review: Asus ZenWiFi BD4 Smart Home Mesh
Tue, 21st Oct 2025
#
gaming
#
firewalls
#
vpns
The Asus ZenWiFi BD4 offers effortless setup and fast Wi-Fi 7 speeds, delivering robust wireless coverage across the home for streaming, gaming and more.
Game review: Borderlands 4 (PlayStation 5/PlayStation 5 Pro/PC)
Tue, 14th Oct 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
pandora
Borderlands 4 delivers an expansive open-world looter-shooter experience with seamless exploration and sharp cel-shaded visuals on PS5 and PC.
Hands-on Review: Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 gaming keyboard
Fri, 26th Sep 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
computer game
Corsair's Vanguard Pro 96 gaming keyboard packs multiple features into a compact design with magnetic switches, an LCD screen, and customisable controls.
Game review: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC (PC)
Mon, 15th Sep 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
dlc
The Order of Giants DLC expands Indiana Jones and the Great Circle with new puzzles and exploration beneath Rome’s catacombs, offering 4-5 hours of gameplay.
Hands-on Review: Alienware 32 Gaming Monitor (AW3225DM)
Mon, 15th Sep 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
alienware
The Dell Alienware AW3225DM is a 32-inch curved gaming monitor offering 180Hz, 1ms response, HDR400 and rich features at a reasonable price point.
Hands-on Review: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3x Wireless headset
Mon, 18th Aug 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
clean technologies
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3x Wireless headset offers versatile, high-quality audio with Xbox support, 40-hour battery life, and cross-device Bluetooth connectivity.
Hands-on Review: Sprout Harmonic 4.0 Bluetooth Headphones
Thu, 31st Jul 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
anc
Sprout Harmonic 4.0 Bluetooth Headphones offer rich sound, active noise-cancelling, and handy features like Duolink and a travel-friendly case.
Hands-on Review: SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 mouse
Wed, 16th Jul 2025
#
bluetooth
#
reviews
#
accessories
The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 mouse offers Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connection, stylish colours, and up to 450 hours battery life at a budget-friendly sub-AU$100 price.
Hands-on Review: Ecovacs Deebot T50 Max Pro ONMI robot vacuum
Mon, 14th Jul 2025
#
robots
#
smart home
#
home automation
The Ecovacs Deebot T50 Max Pro OMNI uses 3D LiDAR and an Omni Station for autonomous vacuuming and mopping with minimal user intervention.
Hands-on Review: Sprout Soundwave Bluetooth speaker
Thu, 10th Jul 2025
#
digital entertainment
#
speakers
#
reviews
Sprout's Soundwave is a portable, IP67 waterproof Bluetooth speaker with 14-hour battery life, crisp sound, and power bank function-ideal for outdoor music lovers.
Hands: on review: iGarden Pool Cleaner K Series
Mon, 7th Jul 2025
#
smart appliances
#
robot vacuum
The iGarden Pool Cleaner K Series is a sleek, user-friendly robot offering versatile cleaning modes to keep pools pristine even in the off-season.
Hands-on Review: Acer Predator X39 OLED monitor
Mon, 7th Jul 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
acer
Acer's Predator X39 OLED is a 39-inch ultra-wide curved gaming monitor with vivid colours, 120Hz refresh rate, and excellent HDR for immersive gameplay.
Hands-on Review: WD_Black SN8100 2TB Game Drive SSD
Wed, 25th Jun 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
western digital
The WD_Black SN8100 2TB Game Drive SSD offers blistering PCIe 5.0 speeds up to 14,900 MB/s, ideal for gamers with compatible high-end PCs.
Hands-on Review: Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 (Gaming Tablet)
Mon, 23rd Jun 2025
#
gaming
#
digital entertainment
#
lenovo
The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 is an 8.8" Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 tablet offering a sharp 165Hz display and robust gaming performance in a sleek, portable design.