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.
In this week’s episode, the new Apple iPad Pro 2021 review happens, Mass Effect Trilogy gets a redux and Assassins Creed: Valhalla gets an expansion.
Does the Apple iPad Pro 2021 take the best tablets crown? Is Mass Effect Legendary Edition a blast from the past? And are druids more wrathful than assassins? All is revealed in the latest episode of the Totally Rated show, which can be watched directly below.
First up, in tech, Apple has finally released the 2021 version of the Apple iPad Pro. Complete with the new M1 chip and 5G connectivity, Apple promises that this will be the fastest iPad yet.
Henry T Casey of Tom’s Guide said: “The Apple iPad Pro 2021 is a speed demon with its M1 chip.
“It turned in huge scores in geek bench 5 and a great time on our adobe premiere rush test.
Upgrade to smarter living
Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.
“Over at Tom’s Guide we gave it a 4.5 and an editors choice award for everything being great. The 12.9 inch has the HDR liquid retina display and you are going to get the best benefit out of that on HDr content. So you are probably going to want to know what has HDr and what doesn’t.”
And James Peckham of TechRadar agreed: “The new iPad Pro 2021 is a best-in-class experience.
“This is the best tablet you can buy right now. The real question is do you actually need it. This is for only certain people.
“The M1 processor is incredibly powerful and if you go for the right option you will get 5G connectivity and it has a great mini LED display as well. Do you really need it though? It has a very high price tag but it is a phenomenal experience.”
In gaming, one of the most influential trilogies is coming back. Mass Effect Legendary Edition is out for Playstation, Xbox, and PC, and with this remake it's never too late to visit the space exploits of Commander Shepard.
“If you have never played the Mass Effect trilogy, now’s the best time to get your feet wet,” said Jordan Palmer of Tom’s Guide.
“You’ll lose a decent chunk of your life to these games, but there’s a reason that fans like me love the original trilogy.
“Mass Effect Legendary Edition is absolutely worth your time and money. The value proposition — three massive games for a total of $60 — is out of this world.”
GamesRadar’s Alyssa Mercante said: “Even if any of these games don’t look that much better than the original, I would still tell you this bundle is worth it.
“Listen, Mass effect, we all know how the faces look. They don’t look the best. But the textures look really good.
“And the lighting looks really good. Overall it looks so much better. The only reason I deducted a fraction of a point from my review is because there is no Mass Effect 3 multiplayer and I miss Mass Effect 3 multiplayer.”
Sticking with gaming, the first major expansion to Assassins Creed Valhalla is out with Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids.
What many call the best game on the XBox right now can expect the same type of action, which can be a good or bad thing, as Android Central’s Jennifer Locke explains: “If you're wondering whether or not you should buy Wrath of the Druids, you need to ask yourself how much you enjoyed Valhalla and how much more you want from it.
“I know plenty of people who put in 60+ hours and said that was enough, but I also know some who are well over 80 hours in and are eager for more.
“For those in the former category, I don't think Wrath of the Druids will be enough to draw you back in. Having more of the same isn't necessarily a problem in a game that's 20 or 30 hours long, but in a 50+ hour game like Valhalla, an expansion needs to differentiate itself better.
“That said, I personally had a lot of fun with it, even if the opening hour or two was too slow for my liking. The Children of Danu were an interesting cult I looked forward to fighting, and Ireland is just as gorgeous and full of wonder as England.”
Marshall Honorof from Tom’s Guide liked it, but found it to be almost identical to the previous game: “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids is an easygoing expansion with nothing to prove.
“It has basically all the same strengths and weaknesses as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, with just one substantial addition. I can’t imagine that series fans will be talking about this one for years to come, but I also can’t imagine that they’ll walk away disappointed.
“If you’ve got $40 to spare and are eager to see what the Season Pass will bring next (Wrath of the Druids is the first of two major expansions; the next is called The Siege of Paris), Wrath of the Druids is a fine investment.
“If you already tried sinking dozens of hours into Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and bounced off before the end, though, Wrath of the Druids probably won’t lure you back in.”
New episodes of Totally Rated will roll out every week.
- These are the best tablets for kids
Rob has been writing about computing, gaming, mobile, home entertainment technology, toys (specifically Lego and board games), smart home and more for over 15 years. As the editor of PC Gamer, and former Deputy Editor for T3.com, you can find Rob's work in magazines, bookazines and online, as well as on podcasts and videos, too. Outside of his work Rob is passionate about motorbikes, skiing/snowboarding and team sports, with football and cricket his two favourites.
-
Apple finally opens up to third-party app stores, but only if you win the postcode lottery
iPads are getting a more open ecosystem in Europe
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
OnePlus Pad Go review: going for affordable
OnePlus' stripped-back tablet delivers well for a cut of the original slate's price
By Mike Lowe Published
-
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ review: premium looks, mid-range performance
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ brings the price down, but keeps the quality high
By Chris Hall Published
-
New iPad Pro models get a new rumoured release date
Launch pushed back, but still before WWDC
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Huawei to hold "global event" next week, but what will it launch?
An early Christmas present?
By Andy Sansom Published
-
New Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids tablet is lighter, thinner and more family-friendly
Amazon launches new Fire HD 10 Kids tablets and Echo Pop Kids
By Bethan Girdler-Maslen Published
-
5 reasons to buy a tablet instead of a laptop for school or university
Tablets are the devices that make a lot of sense for many students – here's why and which to buy
By David Nield Published
-
Not buying an iPad? These are the only 3 Android tablets to consider
Google, Samsung and Amazon have you covered for tablets
By David Nield Published