The Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is a timely reminder of just how great Nate and Chloe's adventures were all those years ago. However, the upgraded collection is also the perfect showcase of how the PS5 's unique features can substantially impact the overall experience. And boy, do they make a difference.
Both games now include a 60fps ‘performance’ mode and 120fps ‘performance plus’ mode (a first for a PlayStation Studios game ) that completely transform each game's look and feel. There's also satisfying DualSense controller support, seriously snappy load times, and the ability to import your PS4 save file so you can watch all the trophies you previously earned pop once again.
But it's the more understated PS5 upgrade that's left the biggest impression during my playthrough. The PS5's Tempest 3D audio implementation in Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is genuinely remarkable and makes both games feel like I'm discovering them for the first time.
A real treasure
If you're new to Sony's proprietary spatial audio technology - dubbed Tempest 3D audio - it's a sophisticated type of virtual surround sound that cleverly tricks your ears into thinking that audio is coming from all around you.
PlayStation 5's 3D audio, similarly to Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone: X , can also add height cues. That means a helicopter no longer sounds like it's hovering a few hundred feet away from you but instead can sound as though it's flying directly over your head.
It’s a dramatic improvement over PS4 ’s 3D audio, which could only replicate around 50 unique sound sources at a time, compared to the hundreds of sound sources PS5’s 3D audio can replicate – and at higher quality to boot.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is the perfect source material for 3D audio to shine, then, as it involves countless lines of dialogue that can often come from all directions, a lot of verticality during combat, and some awe-inspiring set pieces. However, I didn't expect it to sound so real .
Binaural adventures
When you're clambering across the face of a cliff, hundreds of meters above the ground, you can distinctly hear the sea thrashing violently below you. Move through the lush flora of India's Western Ghats, and bugs will buzz past your ears, almost making you instinctually swat them away. Fire a gun, and you'll hear the shots reverberating from the other side of the canyon.
But it's not just firefights and the games' death-defying moments that benefit from 3D audio. It can also be surprisingly subtle. For example, the auction scene in Uncharted 4 sounds noticeably different from how I remember it. The auctioneer's voice echoes around the marble halls, which makes it feel as though you're standing directly alongside Nate, Sully, and Sam as the bidding begins.
The games' stealth sections, which tend to be the weakest parts of any Uncharted game, are far easier to navigate, too, as 3D audio helps you determine where an enemy is before you accidentally expose your position. You can also get a better grasp of where a treasure is hiding in Uncharted: A Lost Legacy if you've got the Queen's Ruby bracelet, which hums when a collectible is nearby.
And then there's the voice acting. It was already sublime, but it's now crystal clear in the PS5 versions and is no longer muddied or drowned out by other noises, despite how hectic the onscreen action can get. I often found myself hanging onto every word during cutscenes, despite having heard it all before.
Chart-topper
Audio is often woefully underappreciated in video games, and I'm keen to see more titles invest in Sony's Tempest 3D audio tech as the generation unfolds. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection isn't the first PS5 game to take advantage of 3D audio, of course - Resident Evil Village , Returnal , and Demon's Souls all sound great - but it's easily one of the best implementations of the tech I've heard yet. Nate and Chloe are a real treat for the eyes and ears.
Garmin Instinct 2 vs Garmin Venu 2: pick the best watch for you
The Garmin Instinct 2 and Garmin Venu 2 are two of the best Garmin watches around right now, and here at TechRadar we rate them both very highly – but which one is the best for you?
There's very little difference in price, so it all comes down to exactly what you want a watch for. If you're mostly looking for a smartwatch that you can use to track occasional workouts, but also works as an extension of your smartphone for playing music, taking calls, and navigating then the Venu 2 or Venu 2 Plus is the watch for you. Both these watches look great, with a smart design that won't look out of place with smart or casual outfits, and are packed with handy tools like Garmin Pay for making contactless payments, and on-board music storage.
However, if you're looking for a tough sports watch then the Instinct 2 could be the watch for you. It's packed with advanced training tools (particularly for running, cycling, and swimming), has a rugged fiber-reinforced resin case, and has exceptional battery life – particularly if you opt for one of the solar models.
If you've already decided which one will suit you best, we've rounded up the best prices from around the web for you right here. If not, read on for more details on what makes each of these two watches stand out.
Watch models
Neither the Garmin Venu 2 nor the Instinct 2 is a single watch – they're whole ranges, with various different configurations. The Instinct 2 is particularly interesting; not only is it available in two sizes (40mm and 45mm), with or without solar glass to keep the battery topped up, it also comes in various special editions.
There's the Camo edition (which doesn't add any extra features, but has a stylish patterned band and bezel), Tactical (designed for service personnel), Surf (with tide times and a dedicated surf tracking activity), and Dezl (specifically made for truck drivers).
Here's a summary of all the various configurations you can choose from.
| Edition | 45mm case | 40mm case | Standard glass | Solar glass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Surf | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tactical | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Camo | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Dezl | Yes | No | Yes | No |
There's also some choice when it comes to the Venu 2. The classic Venu 2 is available in two sizes (40mm and 45mm), and in January 2022, Garmin launched the Venu 2 Plus , which has a new microphone so you can use your phone's voice assistant, or make and receive calls from your wrist. The Venu 2 Plus is only available with one case size: 43mm.
There's no solar version of the Venu 2, though that might be something we see in the future. Recently registered patents have revealed that Garmin is working on a way to integrate photovoltaic cells into an OLED display like that of the Venu 2 to optimize battery life.
Price
The Garmin Instinct 2 and Venu 2 are both mid-priced watches, though different models and configurations carry different price tags.
The Garmin Instinct 2 starts at $349.99 / £299.99 / AU$549 for the standard non-solar model. The most expensive watch in the line is the Instinct 2 Solar Tactical Edition, which retails at $499.99 / £429.99 / AU$749.
The Garmin Venu 2 costs $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$629 for both the 40mm and 45mm versions, while the Venu 2 Plus is $449.99 / £399.99 / AU$699.
Design
Both the Venu 2 and Instinct 2 have cases made from reinforced resin and come with soft silicone straps as standard, but the Venu 2 has a smarter overall look thanks to its brushed metal bezel.
The Venu 2 has just two physical buttons on the right-hand side of the case (one to select a menu option and one to navigate back). All other watch functions are carried out using the touchscreen, though this is locked by default while you're tracking an activity to prevent accidental presses. The Venu 2 Plus has an additional button in between these two, which activates the watch's microphone.
The Instinct 2 (like most Garmin sports watches) has five buttons: select, back, up, down, and backlight. It has no touchscreen, so all its functions are performed using these, but menus are easy to navigate as the small secondary display at the top right of the watch face always provides context.
You can give either watch a new look by swapping its quick-release band for a different silicone, woven, leather, or metal strap bought separately from Garmin.
Display
The most obvious difference between the Venu 2 and the Instinct 2 is the screen. The Venu 2 has a bright color AMOLED touchscreen, while the Instinct 2's screen is monochrome memory-in-pixel (MiP), and not touch-sensitive.
The Instinct 2's display is much lower-resolution than that of the Venu 2, but there's a small secondary display that can show a statistic like temperature or step count, and provides valuable contextual information when you're navigating through menus. It's thoughtfully designed, and works very well.
Both displays have pros and cons. The Instinct 2's grayscale screen uses much less power, but it's pretty poor when it comes to displaying maps as it simply can't show enough detail. The Venu 2 can display bright, clear maps, and its higher refresh rate means it can also show animated workouts for you to follow. However, it uses a lot more power, so the watch needs charging more frequently.
Battery life
As mentioned above, watches in the Garmin Instinct 2 range have much longer battery life than the Venu 2 thanks to their more energy-efficient displays. The solar Instinct 2 models will keep running even longer between charges provided they get a couple of hours in the sun each day, and Garmin claims that you could actually get indefinite battery life if you work outdoors (as a lifeguard, for example).
As with any sports watch, using features like GPS, music playback, and SpO2 tracking will use more power and reduce battery life,
This table shows Garmin's maximum battery life figures for the 45mm Instinct 2, Instinct 2 Solar, and Venu 2 watches, plus the 43mm Venu 2 Plus (which has a smaller battery due to its smaller case size).
| Mode | Venu 2 | Venu 2 Plus | Instinct 2 | Instinct 2 Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch | 11 days | 9 days | 28 days | Unlimited |
| Battery saver smartwatch | 12 days | 10 days | 65 days | Unlimited |
| GPS | 22 hours | 24 hours | 30 hours | 48 hours |
| UltraTrac / Max battery GPS | N/A | N/A | 70 hours | 370 hours |
Smartwatch features
The Venu 2 and Instinct 2 both work well for everyday wear, displaying messages from your smartphone on your wrist and alerting you to incoming calls, the Venu 2 has more to offer in terms of smartwatch features,
Both watches can be used to control music playback on your phone, but only the Venu 2 has storage for music so you can listen without your handset during workouts (it can store up to 650 songs).
Both watches allow you to download apps and additional faces through Garmin Connect IQ, but only the Venu 2 supports Garmin Pay for making contactless purchases.
If you have an Android phone, both the Venu 2 and Inspire 2 will allow you to reject calls with a text message, but only the Garmin Venu 2 Plus has a microphone so you can make and receive calls from your wrist, or use your phone's voice assistant provided your handset is within Bluetooth range.
Fitness tracking
Both the Garmin Venu 2 and Instinct 2 have on-board GPS for tracking your route and speed during outdoor activities, but the Instinct 2 is a much more sophisticated watch for outdoor sports – particularly running.
These include performance condition ratings, plus a race predictor that estimates your times for a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and marathon event. Increasing your fitness will reduce your predicted times. Instinct 2 owners will also get TracBack, which navigates back along a recorded route so you can find your way home, elevation profiles, an auto climb mode for trail runs, and total ascent/descent calculation.
The Instinct 2 has a lot more to offer cyclists as well. While the Venu 2 has a basic cycle tracking mode, the Instinct 2 has an array of different profiles covering road cycling, mountain biking, gravel cycling, e-biking, and touring to name just a few. It's also compatible with power meters, and supports speed and cadence sensors.
The Venu 2 has some swim tracking features, such as stroke detection and pool swim metrics, but the Instinct 2 also offers open water swim metrics, drill logging, a rest timer, and auto rest. It can even suggest pool swim workouts based on your past activity and fitness level.
The Venu 2 does have a couple of features that the Instinct 2 lacks, however. Its color AMOLED screen is capable of showing animations, and the watch comes with a set of animated yoga and pilates workouts that you can follow on your wrist, and 'muscle maps' that show you the muscle groups you've been working recently to help you balance your training plan.
Pokémon Go April Community Day: Stufful, event bonuses, and more revealed
The Pokémon Go April Community meet-up has been revealed, and Niantic has a lot in store for the upcoming in-person event.
Taking place on April 23 across three hours, the next Pokémon Go Community Day will introduce a new pocket monster to the game, an event bundle, and the usual slate of bonus buffs.
As the event's official blog post details, Fighting Pokémon Stufful is making its debut as part of the game’s current Alola Season of content. You’ll have a higher chance of spotting the bear-like critter during the event, as well as a higher likelihood of bagging a shiny version.
As with past Community Days, you’ll be able to bag the exclusive Stufful Special Research story for $1 (around £0.75 / AU$1.33), event bonuses will grant you extra XP, and a free event bundle will be available in the game’s online shop.
The three-hour event will run from 2pm to 5pm local time. That pivots from the six-hour Community Days that were introduced in response to the pandemic, something not all fans are happy with.
Find the full details of the Pokémon Go April Community Day below.
Pokémon Go April Community Day full details
Stufful The Alola Pokémon Stufful is coming to the game for the first time. It'll appear more frequently in the wild during the event, and if you evolve one into a Bewear during that time or up to two hours after the event ends, your new pocket monster will know the Charge Attack Drain Punch ability. You’ll need 400 Stufful Candy to evolve the critter.
Special Research Story You can pay $1 (roughly £0.75 / AU$1.33) to unlock Strong Stuff, a Stufful-themed Special Research story.
Event bonuses Plenty of buffs and perks will be activated for players across the event. They include:
Group Play Bonuses As in other Community Days, you’ll be rewarded for working with other Trainers. If sufficient Pokémon are caught from a Lure, a 4x XP bonus will activate in the vicinity around that Pokéstop.
Event Bundles You’ll be able to pick up a bundle containing 30 Ultra Balls for free in the game’s shop. Or, you can splash 850 PokéCoins on 15 Ultra Balls, 15 Pinap Berries, 1 Elite Fast TM, and 1 Remote Raid Pass.
Stickers Visit PokéStops or open gifts from Pokémon Go’s in-shop to earn event-specific stickers, too.