There are already hundreds of games available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X even though the consoles launched only in 2020.
The current generation of consoles is still in its relative infancy, but the rate of new titles hitting the virtual and digital shelves is enough to make your head spin.
However, when it comes to getting the most fun out of either piece of hardware, these are the essentials you need to play.
Gran Turismo 7
Platform: PS5
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The forensic detail that has gone into creating this racing simulator makes it an absolute must for automotive fans.
Whizzing around famous tracks such as Germany’s Nurburgring in a ’66 Ford GT40 is a genuine thrill.
But it’s the nerdy depths of information about each of the manufacturer’s vehicles that will really appeal to petrol heads.
It’s like a playable encyclopaedia of the car industry — and it looks glorious, too.
Forza Horizon 5
Platform: Xbox Series X
Developer: Playground Games
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
For those that prefer their motor racing in bombastic fashion, Forza Horizon 5 is the game for you.
This open-world racer is set in a slice of pseudo-realistic Mexico that brings a festival feel to its vehicular action.
Powering through beautifully diverse landscapes, that include volcanoes and arid deserts, and navigating the ever-changing weather such as disorienting sand storms, makes Forza Horizon 5 a thrill ride from start to finish.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Platform: PS5
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The enduring duo of PlayStation since the PS2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the perfect game for all the family.
A cliche though it may be, this is as close as you’ll get to a playable Pixar/Disney movie on current consoles.
It mixes tongue-in-cheek humour and a range of fantastical weapons perfectly as you zip through galaxies and dimensions to rid the universe of evil.
This latest adventure introduces a new parallel universe version of our heroes, Rivet and Kit, to help along the way.
Halo Infinite
Platform: Xbox Series X
Developer: 343 Industries
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Xbox’s flagship hero, Master Chief, leaps back into the action for the sixth instalment of the Halo series.
This time he’s wielding some new tricks in his fight against the Banished such as a grappling hook.
This makes traversing the landscape much more fun — especially when you rain down hot plasma bullets on the unsuspecting foes below.
Brilliantly, the superb multiplayer is separate to the main game and free-to-play.
As such, you can always get taste of the action without paying a dirham.
Deathloop
Platform: PS5
Developer: Arkane Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Just like the movie Groundhog Day, Deathloop replays the same 24 hours of a day.
It’s set on a mysterious island in the middle of nowhere and unlike other first-person shooters, its greatness comes from the open-ended ways you can approach each mission.
Set traps, sneak in, go all guns blazing or use the Slabs that give you superhero like powers. It’s up to you.
It also has some of the very best voice acting around, as you can read about in our interview here.
Psychonauts 2
Platform: Xbox Series X
Developer: Double Fine
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
A sequel 16 years in the making eventually returns on Xbox.
It’s an artsy platform game where you get to play with pyrokinesis and telekinesis powers, but there’s a fairly serious tone underneath the flashy visuals.
The clever writing and gameplay sheds light on the complexities of mental health issues as you try to defeat conditions such as addiction.
Don’t worry, though, it’s not all depressing and there’s a large dose of humour that is present throughout the action.
Horizon Forbidden West
Platform: PS5
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Set in a post-apocalyptic North America, the sequel to surprise hit Horizon Zero Dawn, has huntress Aloy return to put an end to mysterious plague that’s set to finish off mankind for good.
There’s far more of an open-world feel this time around, which means more exploration of the treacherous lands.
It takes our hero to the top of a disused space rocket on an old launch pad to the depths of the sea, where she must face even deadlier machine/animal hybrids.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Platform: Xbox Series X
Developer: Asobo Studio
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Unless you’re an actual pilot, or training to be one, this is the closest you’re going to get to sailing across the skies behind the controls of your own aircraft.
It uses data from Bing Maps to recreate 3D plains of Earth. So one minute you can be taking in views of the Shetland Islands in prop plane, and the next soaring above the Burj Khalifa in a Boeing 747 passenger plane.
There’s also real-time weather to contend with along the way that makes sticking the landing on a runway a white-knuckle affair.
Elden Ring
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X
Developer: FromSoftware
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
From the pen (keyboard?) of George RR Martin (Game of Thrones) and the creative minds of developer FromSoftware is this zen-balanced action game that delivers on its hype.
You’re thrust into a land that has been corrupted and the only way to rid it of evil is to defeat those that hold fragments of the titular Elden Ring.
FromSoftware games are notorious for being tough from the off, but also fair. As a result, you’ll find the combat here incredibly rewarding.
Hades
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X
Developer: Supergiant Games
Publisher: Supergiant Games
Easy to pick up, hard to put down, that’s Hades in a nutshell.
Loosely based on Greek mythology, you play as Zagreus, who’s trying to escape the underworld and his father, Hades.
There’s a real arcade feel to the game as you slash and shoot your way through waves of undead enemies.
The Gods of Mount Olympus offer you random perks, such as Zeus’ lightning strikes, to help you escape, which means no two playthroughs are ever the same.
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did
We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
UAE%20Warriors%2033%20Results
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Mental%20health%20support%20in%20the%20UAE
%3Cp%3E%E2%97%8F%20Estijaba%20helpline%3A%208001717%3Cbr%3E%E2%97%8F%20UAE%20Ministry%20of%20Health%20and%20Prevention%20hotline%3A%20045192519%3Cbr%3E%E2%97%8F%20UAE%20Mental%20health%20support%20line%3A%20800%204673%20(Hope)%3Cbr%3EMore%20information%20at%20hope.hw.gov.ae%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
Heidi: Paddleboarding and swimming.
Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Scores
Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Notable Yas events in 2017/18
October 13-14 KartZone (complimentary trials)
December 14-16 The Gulf 12 Hours Endurance race
March 5 Yas Marina Circuit Karting Enduro event
March 8-9 UAE Rotax Max Challenge
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
