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Best Anker Solix deals this week Best overall Solix deal Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 $397.99 (save $401.01) Get Deal Best weekend camping deal Anker Solix C200X $168.99 (save $131) Get Deal Best Anker Solix pre-order deal Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 $749 (save $750) Pre-Order Here

A portable power station can be useful year-round. Take it along to the campground on 4th of July weekend, use it in the yard for landscaping projects, and keep the refrigerator cooling during a power outage. These are all examples of why a portable power station is well worth its weight in gold. But when it comes to price, portable power stations tend to fall into that category of "these are almost always on sale." That's really great, yes. But it makes it a challenge to distinguish between a pretty good sale and a massive sale.

Rest assured these Anker Solix sale prices we've compiled sit in massive sale territory. Many of these beat previous record-low prices at Amazon and one is a brand new model that's on a major sale during pre-orders. Whichever you choose, you'll be in for a great deal while gifting yourself (or someone lucky) portable power. In our modern world, that's a pretty awesome present.

Best overall Anker Solix Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 $397.99 at Amazon
$799 Save $401.01   Get Deal Why we like it

In testing, I was pretty smitten by the functionality of the original Anker Solix C1000, but the newer Solix C1000 Gen 2 is a refined model. It's both smaller in overall dimensions and lighter weight, but it offers a similar power capacity at 1,024Wh. While the Gen 2 lacks the lightbar I love on the original model, the weigh difference and smaller size make the Anker Solix Gen 2 perfect for camping or for keeping around the house in case of a power outage. It's a great size to keep in the living room during an outage to power a lamp and keep phones charged up.

October Prime Day saw a record-low price on the original C1000, but the new C1000 Gen 2 was kinda left out of the party. However, today, you can snag it for $397.99 at Amazon, which is a record-low. And that's just in time to get prepared before fall storms hit.

Best weekend camping deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C200X $168.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $131   Get Deal Why we like it

Lightweight and compact, the Anker Solix C200X even comes with a convenient carrying strap for all of your adventures. Coming in with 230.4Wh of capacity with 600W surge, the small Solix C200X is an economical choice for taking along on the weekend camping trip for keeping phones recharged. It comes with three USB-C ports, and two of those are capable of 140W.

If you're not camping again until the warm weather returns, the C200X is also super portable for if the lights go out this fall or winter. You'll have three AC ports for lights, and this model includes a great lightbar on the unit, so it can serve as your hallway flashlight when it's time for bed. Like the Solix C1000 Gen 2, today's sale price on the C200X is the lowest we've ever spotted at Amazon.

Best pre-order deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 $749 at Anker
$1,499 Save $750   Pre-order Here Why we like it

The soon-to-be-released Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 comes with an impressive 2,048Wh of capacity while clocking in at a moderate 41 pounds. This model could be really great for power outages at home since Anker says it can keep a 190W refrigerator going for 32 hours or keep the WiFi router on for 105 hours.

Anker is offering an incredible deal on pre-orders which can score this new unit for $749 instead of the list price of $1,499. That's a 50% discount for the latest model that includes a 30amp plug.

More good deals on Anker Solix portable power stations

• Anker Solix C1000 — $379.99 $799 (save $401.01)

• Anker Solix F2000 — $839.99 $1,999 (save $1,159.01)

• Anker Solix F3000 — $1,468.99 $2,599 (save $1,130.01)

• Anker Solix F3800 — $2,308.99 $3,999 (save $1,690.01)

Reddit claims it caught Perplexity doing something it shouldn't have.

The popular message board website filed a lawsuit against Perplexity, a notable AI firm, alleging that Perplexity engaged in improper data scraping to feed its AI program. The complaint (courtesy of The Verge) lists Perplexity alongside three data scraping firms: AWMProxy, Oxylabs, and SerpApi. According to Reddit, Perplexity does business with at least one of these companies, allegedly using them to get data from Reddit without the site's permission.

SEE ALSO: Reddit request rate limited: Why you're seeing this message

While Reddit has signed agreements with other AI companies in the recent past, it has not done so with Perplexity. Reddit claims that it once sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity for scraping Reddit content. Per Reddit's complaint, after the letter was sent, Perplexity started citing Reddit even more than before, not less. Where this really gets juicy is how Reddit claims it caught Perplexity in the alleged act of stealing data. In Reddit's words:

"To confirm this hypothesis, Reddit created a “test post” – the equivalent of a digital “marked bill” – that could only be crawled by Google’s search engine and was not otherwise accessible anywhere on the internet. Within hours, queries to Perplexity’s “answer engine” produced the contents of that test post. The only way that Perplexity could have obtained that Reddit content and then used it in its “answer engine” is if it and/or its Co-Defendants scraped Google SERPs for that Reddit content and Perplexity then quickly incorporated that data into its answer engine."

Perplexity provided a statement defending itself to The Verge.

“Perplexity has not yet received the lawsuit, but we will always fight vigorously for users’ rights to freely and fairly access public knowledge,” the company told The Verge. “Our approach remains principled and responsible as we provide factual answers with accurate AI, and we will not tolerate threats against openness and the public interest.”

We'll have to wait and see how the lawsuit pans out, but at least Reddit's tactic for allegedly catching Perplexity in the act is funny, if nothing else.

We all like taking photos with our smartphones, and you've probably got plenty of old photos that you've scanned to preserve—long after the originals have faded. Yet, hard drives fail, cloud services go down, and it just makes sense to make hard copies of your most important photos part of your preservation strategy.

Shopping for gifts for gamers is a double-edged Master Sword. On the one hand, there are so many cool games, consoles, and accessories to choose from. But there's also just so much to choose from, to the point where you might feel under-leveled for the "simple" task of picking that just-right gift. That's where we come in.

To help you on your side quest to find the perfect present for a gamer friend or loved one, we've compiled a massive list of more than 50 gamer gift ideas for 2025 — including a bunch of games we've played and products we've tested ourselves. If you're gifting on a budget, you'll do well with a new accessory for your recipient's existing setup, a few months' worth of their favorite video game subscription service, or a copy of a popular game from the past few months. Leveling up over the $100 mark expands your options to high-end peripherals, while $200 and above unlocks current-gen consoles, bundles, and gaming laptops. We've peppered in a few limited-edition collectibles at different price points, too.

From weight loss culture to hemlines to current pop music hits, Gen Z is holding an open online conversation about recession indicators. But is the generation also in the midst of a sex recession?

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released last year showed a decrease in the amount of sex that Gen Z has compared to previous generations. Various reports over the years on this trend have snowballed into the interpretation that this decline in sexual habits is due to Gen Z's overall feeling of sexphobia (or fear of sex). 

SEE ALSO: 70 percent of Gen Z men say porn was first exposure to sex

From being named a population of "virgins" to being called sexless, the cultural conversation around these statistics has pushed the idea that Gen Z may be a sexually repressed generation. But is that really true?

Sexual culture in a chronically online world 

While the decrease in sexual activity for Gen Z can't be boiled down to one factor, the role of the internet and social media may be a huge catalyst for this new wave of sexual behavior. With 81 percent of Gen Zers using social media daily, and half reporting that they spend three hours or more on it per day, internet usage has become a constant influence for most of Gen Z. This undeniably contributes to their general health, well-being, and understanding of sex. 

This, however, is not a black-and-white story. Whether Gen Z is having less sex, and the function of the internet within this trend, isn't inherently good or bad. We are witnessing how aspects of ourselves and our relationships are affected by the conditions under which we are forced to create our values — such as for romance and sex. While medically accurate, comprehensive sex education is the most reliable gateway to explore those values for young people, it's not accessible to everyone. (Only 19 states require medically accurate information on any sex ed topic as of 2025.) 

The internet is offering a new — yet more complicated — route.

When internet and social media use become ingrained in the everyday lives of young people, the landscape in which they are exploring sexuality moves from physical to digital. This shift creates not necessarily a generational attitude of sexphobia at large, but a sexual culture shaped by the digital environment where they're immersed. 

For some, that leads to more open and authentic sexual lives, while others internalize repressive sexual messaging. 

A different kind of sex education

Gen Zers having less sex could be a result of seeing more perspectives around sexuality that are expanding their ideas of what sex can and has to be. 

When algorithms show social media users wide perspectives of real-life people who engage with sexuality in all types of ways, we see how "online spaces have given Gen Z free sex education, which has helped them feel more confident in listening to their desires, which can lead to having less sex," says queer sex therapist Ava Shakib. 

For individuals who discover that they are asexual or have experienced pressure to have sex, online sexuality discussions can offer "education around 'compulsory sexuality,' which can help explain parts of their experience. Feeling like an outsider can really tempt us into doing things we don't want to do," Shakib notes, which may have led to people in older generations consenting to sex they didn't really want to have.

When social media is able to show content to young people that broadens their understanding of sexuality, Gen Z engaging in less partnered sex can also be an outcome of less traditional definitions of sex. Sex educator Danielle Bezalel, MPH, says, "They may be defining sex as fingering, oral, anal, licking, kissing, masturbating, etc. This definition expansion around sex should be applied to sex for all people, as it's more inclusive and has less of an emphasis on straight cis-hetero sex." 

Consequently, lower reported sexual activity for Gen Z may also be a result of a growing gap between mainstream definitions of sex (partnered penis-in-vagina sex) and Gen Z's more expansive view on what sex can be (solo sex, sexting, kissing). When Gen Z sex statistics focus on heternormative partnered sex, there is no account for sexual activity that is happening for broader ideas of what sex can be. 

However, this expansive view isn't always the case. Content on the "For You" pages of social media is not immune to replicating in-person oppressive messaging around sexuality. "Some youth get affirming content, while others are funneled toward abstinence-only or purity-culture narratives. And beyond the algorithm, patriarchal and misogynistic culture is always in the background, reinforcing shame, silence, and control over young people's bodies," says sex educator, Irma Garcia, CSE. 

While social media access has the ability to deconstruct conservative sexuality narratives for some users, it also has the power to reinforce them. These algorithms can strengthen external shame around engaging in sex — in those cases, ultimately discouraging some Gen Zers away from it.

Some youth get affirming content, while others are funneled toward abstinence-only or purity-culture narratives. - Sex educator Irma Garcia

With increased online censorship at the hands of lawmakers and tech giants blocking or banning any sexual content, even medically accurate sexual health information, young people often don't have access to it. The Trump administration's demand to remove "gender ideology" from federally funded content, as well as emergent age verification laws that can block young people from accessing essential sexual health information, reveal how governmental efforts prevent Gen Z from coming into contact with inclusive, comprehensive sex education material. Meta's history of reportedly shadowbanning sex educators, specifically Black and queer content creators, also limits the perspectives on sexuality that young people are being directed towards — supporting monolithic or even shameful narratives around sexuality. 

Heightened anxiety around sex

Dr. Laurie Mintz, author of Becoming Cliterate and sexpert at the sex toy brand LELO, adds that increased access to sexuality via digital platforms such as social media and dating apps may magnify the commodification of people through allowing users to swipe away from potential dating situations based on a perceived flaw or imperfection. These circumstances often reward whiteness, thinness, and cis-heteronormativity, comments Garcia, making relationships more fragile and redefining intimacy for Gen Z. 

When digital platforms become the main space for exploration, this can also create more opportunity for anxiety and hesitation that may lead to less sex, specifically around rejection and perfectionism. 

Bezalel discusses the rise in the number of Gen Zers who use AI to write break-up texts, noting "that number is only going to increase if we continue to teach young people that using AI and getting something 'right' is more valuable than trying your best, even if that means experiencing failure or rejection."

Time online for Gen Z may also translate to comparison through "the constant exposure to idealized bodies, idealized romance, or porn-shaped expectations can [also] heighten anxiety and make some young people hesitant to act on their desires," Garcia says. Therefore, making complicated situations like sex too anxiety-inducing to navigate. 

This hesitation around sex for Gen Z can be shaped by hearing the complexity of sex talked about so openly online. Women, especially, may encounter "misogynistic messages about sex (e.g., body-count) that turn them off to engaging sexually, especially with men," explains Mintz. 

For some, though, this may lead not to sexlessness, but rather a positive re-evaluation of wants around sex. Shakib says that, particularly for her femme clients, realizations around how sex can function as a means of validation may ignite alternate personal pleasure practices being prioritized. "My clients often find a fulfilling masturbation practice or find non-sexual activities, like dancing and reading, which fulfills their desire for pleasure."

Higher screen time, lower intimacy

More screen time for Gen Zers in comparison to other generations also means that in-person sexual experiences are getting pushed to the wayside. With most young people being raised in an era with social media and internet access being ingrained in everyday life, we can see how time spent on the internet might simply leave less time for sex. 

"Sunshine makes us more happy and horny! We're so often cooped up in our homes, at jobs, and in cars… and we're suddenly locked in a place where there isn't much mental or physical energy left to pursue horny endeavors," Shakib tells Mashable. Bezalel shares this sentiment in that time spent online is time "they could be spending with friends or a partner or a new hookup that they are likely spending alone."

Increased time on social media may also be intensifying a gap between interest in sex and engaging in it. Reports of Gen Z having less sex don't necessarily add up to sexphobia or a wide disinterest in sex as a whole; it could be an indicator of the internet creating a wedge between intrigue and action. 

Sunshine makes us more happy and horny! We're so often cooped up in our homes, at jobs, and in cars…there isn't much mental or physical energy left to pursue horny endeavors. - Queer sex therapist Ava Shakib

"Young people can explore desire through fantasy, porn, or conversation without moving immediately into partnered sex. For some, that gap is protective. It lets them be curious without being pressured, and that can be a positive shift." Garcia explains. 

"Yes, access to sex ed online can contribute to hesitation or delay. But it isn't simply fear or repression," Garcia continues. "It's discernment, survival, disappointment with the options available, and the complexity of navigating sex in a world where information is more visible than before, but safe conditions are still not guaranteed."

"They may receive the message that sex isn't the norm for everybody and that they can choose for themselves," notes Mintz. 

When young people have access to quality, comprehensive sex education classes coupled with exposure to shame-free messaging around sexuality online, sexual agency can look like having sex, not having sex, waiting to have sex, or exploring just because. 

A new email breach was recently revealed, and the number of affected accounts is pretty staggering. Some 183 million email accounts were reportedly compromised.

The breach was revealed by Have I Been Pwned, which notes it includes both email addresses and corresponding passwords. The breach occurred in April and was added to Have I Been Pwned this week. The email addresses and passwords were apparently stolen via malware.

While your email being breached might not necessarily mean you're going to be the victim of an attack of some kind, it's probably best to know if you were breached. Luckily enough, checking is pretty simple.

How to check if your email has been hacked

Simply enough, you can check on Have I Been Pwned, where the breach info was posted. They have a search page, where you just enter your email address and see if you've been hacked aka Pwned.

So, what do you do if your password has been breached? It's simple enough: Change your password and potentially enable two-factor authentication. When it doubt, it's best to be safe.

As a mom of two, I've spent many hours playing with my kids. I pay close attention to which toys and books bring them joy — and which get tossed into a corner. So when compiling this list of the best gifts for toddlers, I went right to the source. Part of our bigger series dedicated to finding the Best Gifts For Everyone, what follows is a list of the best toddler gifts, according to my 4-year-old and 1-year-old. What you won't see here is any distinction between genders: All toys are for all kids. Every single thing here is something that my kids play with often. And while the best gifts for big kids and teen girls can be heavily influenced by trends, the best gifts for toddlers are more timeless, encouraging open-ended play and learning. Every item here would make an excellent gift, whether it's Christmas, Hannukkah, a birthday, or otherwise.

SAVE $200: As of Oct. 23, get the iRobot Roomba 104 robot vacuum and mop for $249.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's a discount of 44%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon iRobot Roomba 104 robot vacuum and mop $249.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $200   Get Deal

Tired of spending all your time manually running a vacuum to clean up your place? Think a mop bucket may be one of the grossest things you have in your home? What if you never had to deal with either again and could count on a robot to handle all of that? Well, you can. And you can save some serious cash on a robot vacuum and mop combo that can do it all with gusto right now by shopping at Amazon.

As of Oct. 23, get the iRobot Roomba 104 robot vacuum and mop for $249.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's $200 off and a discount of 44%.

SEE ALSO: The top 5 robot vacuums for carpet all passed the cat hair test

This model uses 70x more suction than previous releases from Roomba, with a multi-surface brush, better edge and corner cleaning, an edge-sweeping brush, and a microfiber mop pad used to help tidy your hard floors. It can set up its own cleaning pathway thanks to LiDAR as well, so you don't have to be caught teaching it where to go and what to avoid since it can do all that on its own.

This combo robot vacuum and mop can even empty its own dustbin, with up to 75 days of hands-free cleaning for you. It will empty eveything into its dock with a bag that can trap up to 99% of allergens and pet dander, so when it handles its business at its dock, you're less likely to sneeze. And you can take the old bag and drop a new one in without having to see all the detritus.

With easy cleaning schedules, custom mop and vacuum modes, and other ways to change up the way this robovac works, it's a great option for getting your home tidy. And since you can save $200 on it right now, it's a no-brainer.

Luxury SUVs these days are all about bigger screens, more gadgets, and flashy eco-claims. The 2025 Lincoln Nautilus doesn’t need to shout—it shows confidence through smart design and smooth craftsmanship.

Have you noticed a certain clown dressed in black and white with nasty teeth this Halloween season? You might’ve seen him grace a few shelves of your local Halloween store. You might’ve seen a poster for one of his movies at your local cinema. Who is this clown, and why has he become so prevalent as a horror star?

The Stranger Things series finale will be getting a theatrical release, Netflix revealed today.

Season 5's feature-length final episode will play in over 350 theaters in the US and Canada on Dec. 31, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026. Screenings start at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 31, timed to the episode's global premiere on Netflix.

SEE ALSO: The 'Stranger Things' cast rewatching Season 3 will get you pumped for Season 5

"We’re beyond excited that fans will have the chance to experience the final episode of Stranger Things in theaters — it’s something we’ve dreamed about for years, and we’re so grateful to [Netflix CEO] Ted [Sarandos], [Netflix Chief Content Officer] Bela [Bajaria], and everyone at Netflix for making it happen," Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer said in a statement. "Getting to see it on the big screen, with incredible sound, picture, and a room full of fans, feels like the perfect — dare we say bitchin’ — way to celebrate the end of this adventure."

These theatrical screenings are a reversal from Netflix's original plans to keep the finale solely on Netflix. In a Variety piece about Stranger Things Season 5, Bajaria rejected the idea of a theatrical release, saying, "A lot of people — a lot, a lot, a lot of people — have watched Stranger Things on Netflix. It has not suffered from lack of conversation or community or sharing or fandom. I think releasing it on Netflix is giving the fans what they want."

However, Netflix has recently seen success with theatrical releases of titles that already blew up on streaming. Case in point: KPop Demon Hunters, whose summertime singalong event was so popular, it's coming back to theaters in time for Halloween.

Netflix will release more information about how to attend these fan events and what theaters they will be playing in at a later date. Mashable will report with more news on this story as it develops.

Volume 1 of Stranger Things 5 premieres Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix. Volume 2 premieres Dec. 26, and the series finale premieres Dec. 31.

Netbooks were at their peak popularity in the early 2010s, as cheap and compact laptops designed primarily for web browsing and light productivity work. I wanted to try setting up my Toshiba netbook as a modern computer for productivity work, and the results probably won't surprise you.

Verizon Home Internet is rolling out a brand new and affordable Lite plan to more communities across the country. If you've been stuck with older, less reliable options like DSL or satellite, the Home Internet Lite plan is likely going to be a good idea for you.

Google's Gboard is one of the most popular keyboard apps for Android, which is why the company often delivers new updates and improvements. While we've received several new features this year, the latest Google Keyboard update added some weird customizations, like removing the ever-important period key.

In my home, we've never spoken to Alexa or Siri, and I've never trusted Google enough to say "okay" out loud (don't get me started on Gemini). But I've welcomed in Nabu, a voice assistant who now waits in most rooms of my home.

If you've posted a Story on Instagram lately, you may have noticed Restyle — a new AI feature that lets users edit photos directly within Stories.

With Restyle, you can remove unwanted background elements (say, a photobomber or a stray thumb), add new ones, or customize parts of your image — like changing someone's hair color or swapping in a different sky.

Instagram is testing Restyle Text and rolling out a new batch of Restyle tools, and Mashable has the first look. The lineup includes Restyle Text, Restyle Video, and improved effect discovery, giving users even more ways to edit their Stories.

Restyle on Instagram Credit: Instagram

You can find all of the new Restyle tools by taking a photo or video in Stories and tapping the paintbrush icon. You'll then see options to add, remove, change, or apply themes.

Restyle on Instagram Credit: Instagram

There are also limited-edition seasonal themes and effects, including Halloween options like "ghost face" and "haunted mirror"; Diwali presets such as "fireworks" and "diyas"; and year-round effects favorites like "anime" and "sketch." You can browse or search these in the new effects browser.

Restyle on Instagram Credit: Instagram

Restyle Text, another new tool rolling out Thursday, uses AI to generate custom fonts for Stories. You can pick from presets like "chrome" and "balloon," or write your own prompt — for example, "Give all of my letters little hats."

Restyle on Instagram Credit: Instagram

Finally, Restyle Video adds AI-driven filters to motion clips, with preset effects like "snow," "underwater," "porcelain," and "golden hour."

Restyle Text is currently testing with a small group of users and will expand globally soon. The other new Restyle features are rolling out across the U.S., India, Pakistan, South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Australia, Ghana, Uganda, Singapore, Zambia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Malawi, and Canada.

Gamers are only as good as their equipment, which is especially true for those who play on a PC. And while the computer itself (boasting a powerful processor, tons of RAM, and a top-of-the-line graphics card) is at the center of a PC gamer’s setup, the proper peripherals ensure it performs as well as possible. Hardware shouldn’t make anyone rage-quit, and Redragon’s 95-key GALATIN PRO K719 mechanical keyboard is a taskmaster.

TL;DR: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Oct. 23. The Cozy Mystery eBook Blast offers you the chance to download 150+ free ebooks for your e-reader.

Opens in a new window Credit: Cozy Mystery eBook Blast Cozy Mystery eBook Blast (Oct. 23)   Learn More

We did warn you that the Stuff Your Kindle Day schedule is wild towards the end of October. We've only just recovered from Stuff Your Kindle Day: Crime Edition and now the Cozy Mystery eBook Blast has arrived to deliver a fresh batch of material for bookworms to enjoy.

The Cozy Mystery eBook Blast is live on Oct. 23, and does exactly what the name suggests by offering 150+ free cozy mystery reads from your preferred retailer. And better yet, the books that you download are yours to keep forever. You don't get much for free these days, so these special events always cause a stir.

SEE ALSO: The best Kindle accessories for reading in luxury

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

The Cozy Mystery eBook Blast takes place on Oct. 23. There has been a shift away from one-day events in 2025, but this latest book blast is going old school by only lasting through the day. You don't have the luxury of perusing all your options over a number of days. You need to act fast and download tactically, because the next Stuff Your Kindle Day is coming on Oct 24.

Who can take part in Stuff Your Kindle Day?

There are so many beautiful things about Stuff Your Kindle Day. Free books, obviously. But there's also a community of like-minded individuals who come together to celebrate lesser-known authors. And that's the truly great thing about these events: anyone can participate. Kindle, Kobo, and Nook readers can download these books for free. You can even download these books on your preferred app and read them directly from your phone.

Which e-books are free?

The Cozy Mystery Book Club is hosting the Cozy Mystery eBook Blast, and is making it easy for participants to find exactly what they need by organizing everything into three sub-genres on the hub page:

• Contemporary Cozies

• Historical Cozies

• Paranormal Cozies

The Cozy Mystery Book Club also includes links for alternative retailers, if you're looking to avoid the Kindle Store.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep forever, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time. There's no reason to hold back.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite + Kindle Unlimited (3-Month Plan)   Get Deal Why we like it

These popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle Paperwhite. Prices start at $159.99, but you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase.

VPNs help gamers escape ISP throttling and can boost privacy when gaming. However, data travels via an intermediary server when using a VPN, which results in slower connection speeds and increased latency.

Microsoft developer Obsidian Entertainment has had quite the year. In February, the studio launched Avowed, its fantasy RPG, followed by the co-op sequel Grounded 2 going into early access in July. Now, it’s rounding out the year with The Outer Worlds 2, a sequel to its highly acclaimed 2019 sci-fi RPG.

Obsidian’s games are known for their deep writing and worldbuilding, with an emphasis on player choice. In Avowed and The Outer Worlds, players are encouraged to pick their own paths when it comes to tackling story missions, solving side quests, and carrying out conversations. While The Outer Worlds 2 doesn’t do anything drastically different from its predecessor, it sticks with what worked the first time and does it well again. On the other hand, it has the same flaws, namely its heavy-handed writing.

The Outer Worlds 2 takes place in a new setting: a space colony called Arcadia. Here, the player works as an Earth Directorate agent, whose job it is to maintain the relationship between Earth and its other colonies. Rifts in spacetime have started appearing, and the player is sent to investigate it. After doing so, an astronomically destructive incident causes you to float around in space for the next decade before eventually being woken up. It’s a real attention-grabbing opener of a first mission.

Credit: George Yang / Mashable

Since then, Arcadia has been in a chokehold between two powerful entities: The Protectorate and Auntie’s Choice. The former has a monopoly over space travel technology, while the latter is a megacorp made up of two companies, the pharmaceutical firm Auntie Cleo and the manufacturer Spacer’s Choice. 

Throughout the game, these two forces are constantly at each other’s throats about how to use technology to control the rifts and use them for their own nefarious means. It’s an enticing setup, but it’s sometimes weighed down by the writing.

Laying it on thick

The criticisms of capitalism are too on the nose in The Outer Worlds 2. While the writing and dialogue choices are varied and entertaining, they often lack subtlety. During a side quest, I was tasked by Annie’s Choice to break a strike, and its vice president was disgusted that the workers had demands. My dialogue choices included snarky comments about collective bargaining and workers’ rights. While these themes can be explored well, such as in games like Bioshock, the holier-than-thou tone in The Outer Worlds 2 can come across as off-putting in many cases.

Credit: George Yang / Mashable

It’s also not lost on me how deeply ironic this tone is, given that the game is published by Microsoft and Xbox Studios, which has continually been laying off workers and simultaneously trying to go all in on AI. After Nintendo listed Mario Kart World at $80, instead of the standard $60 or $70 price point in the games industry, Microsoft seemed to follow the trend and raised the price of The Outer Worlds 2 to $80 before reversing the decision due to fan backlash. So the repetitive anti-capitalist quips in the game tend to lose their impact.

What really helps counteract and balance this tone is the game’s likable companions. There are six that you can recruit throughout, and they come with vibrant personalities. My personal favorites were Valerie and Aza. Valerie is a support drone that specializes in healing and damage reduction, and her personality is that of a typical dry robot who interprets what everyone says too literally. In one interaction, I asked Valerie how much she weighed to see if she could carry heavy items, but she took it as me trying to ride her like a transport vehicle. It's a different kind of sarcastic quip that’s actually a welcome change of pace to the game’s tone.

I asked Valerie how much she weighed to see if she could carry heavy items, but she took it as me trying to ride her like a transport vehicle. Credit: George Yang / Mashable

Aza is different from the other companions as she’s not affiliated with the Earth Directorate, Auntie’s Choice, or the Protectorate. Instead, she’s part of the Glorious Dawn, a cult that worships the rifts. She’s also wonderfully violent and bloodthirsty, which adds a real mean streak that reminds me of the aggressive humor found in Borderlands games.

You can also embark on companion quests, which provide deeper character development than what you'd typically experience by just sticking with the story missions. They’re always worth doing, as you’ll not only learn to appreciate the companions more, but also gain experience to level up and become stronger, and earn other valuable rewards.

Roleplaying goodness

The Outer Worlds 2’s other strong suit is its robust role-playing elements. The character creator has extensive cosmetic options, including changing your hairstyle, adjusting your head shape, and more. It’s easy to lose time trying to create your ideal character. But what makes it stand out more than other games is its trait and skill system.

You can pick up to two positive traits, such as Brawny, which gives you the ability to use brute force to open malfunctioning doors, and Lucky, which can sometimes allow you to solve sticky situations easily. For example, Lucky came in handy when I had to solve a math equation, and my character managed to get “lucky” and solve it on the first go. 

Depending on what traits you have, certain obstacles in the game can become easier or harder to clear. This simple choice made in the beginning can drastically change the trajectory of your playthrough, making each one different and increasing the game’s replayability. You’ll also have to pick. If you decide to go with two positive traits instead of just one, you also have to pick up a negative trait, like being constantly sick or dumb. The former decreases your maximum HP, while the latter permanently locks the number of skills you can learn. It’s an excellent trade-off that forces you to adapt.

The skill screen in Outer Worlds 2. Credit: George Yang / Mashable

You can also pick two skills to specialize in, which help gear your character to your specific playstyle. I like avoiding conflict and talking my way out of situations, so I chose Speech as one of my preferred skills. This lets me influence others in conversations and potentially convince them to give me store discounts. I can even skip boss fights entirely by persuading them to stand down if my Speech skill is high enough and I’ve collected specific information around the environment. Fortunately, you’re not locked to a specific playstyle, so you’re able to shift and invest in the other skills in case you discover a new approach that you enjoy more.

As you level up, you’ll also be able to unlock perks based on how many skill points you’ve allocated to certain skills. For example, after investing in the Lockpick skill, I learned how to Pickpocket, which came in clutch because, in some instances, I needed to complete a side quest to progress the story. Instead of doing what the quest giver asked for, I simply went behind them and stole what I needed from their back pocket.

There’s lots of room for synergy between the skills and perks. I loved sneaking around and killing enemies from behind, and the Sleight of Hand perk I unlocked by getting my Lockpick skill to level 8 not only made pickpocketing faster, but granted me bonus damage when executing sneak attacks. 

In fact, I spent so much time crouching and minimizing the sound of my footsteps that the game noticed, and I picked up a Flaw, an optional permanent trait that has both positive and negative effects. This particular one was called Bad Knees, and it increased my crouch speed, but every time I crouched, I would emit a cracking sound that would alert hostiles to investigate me. I decided that the pros weren’t worth the cons, so I declined the trait. There’s so much experimentation within these deep gameplay systems that makes every playthrough feel unique.

Credit: George Yang / Mashable Fighting words

Combat and gunplay were some of the weaker aspects of the first game, and that’s unfortunately the same story here. That’s partly why I also went with the stealth and speech routes that I did. I would pick off regular enemies one by one from behind, and then during boss fights, I’d convince them to step down so I wouldn’t have to attack them at all.

In any case, there are some marginal improvements. Like its predecessor, you can equip mods to enhance your weapons, such as reducing the ammo cost on certain guns. However, many of these mods make a negligible difference in the grand scheme of things, and I hardly felt these improvements during the moment-to-moment gunfights.

It’s a stark contrast to Avowed, which really showed off Obsidian’s combat systems at its best. The gunslinging in The Outer Worlds 2 just doesn’t have the same impact and satisfaction that the responsive magic hurling and swordfighting mechanics in Avowed impressed me with. Even when I started a new playthrough and picked more combat-oriented skills and perks, the shooting still felt flat and clunky in my hands.

Is The Outer Worlds 2 worth it?

If you enjoyed the first game, there’s really no reason you wouldn’t enjoy the sequel. Thankfully, The Outer Worlds 2 has an entirely new story and cast of characters, so you can jump straight in if you haven’t played the first. It’s got good writing and humorous writing, even if the anti-capitalist schtick is a bit overdone. 

The companions in Outer Worlds 2. Credit: George Yang / Mashable

The companions are genuinely deep and make the space odyssey much more bearable. And while the combat hasn’t improved much, the deep role-playing elements and the synergies between the skills and perks make the game fun to play.

The Outer Worlds 2 will be available on all platforms, including PC and PS5. It can also be played via Xbox Game Pass. With games like Keeper and Ninja Gaiden 4, the subscription is well worth getting for Microsoft’s releases this month, despite its recent price hike.