Halo has come to the world of footwear, with Halo Infinite developer, 343 Industries, partnering with shoemaker Wolverine to produce a limited edition boot inspired by Master Chief himself.
The officially licensed shoe is designed to riff off the classic color, shape, and style of Master Chief’s armor in Halo Infinite . That means it's shaped to look like armor plating, colored a military green, decked out with the United Nations Space Command insignia, and emblazoned with the number 117 (Chief's Spartan number) on its heel.
It also features the Materials Group logo on its outsole, as a nod to the in-game manufacturers of Master Chief’s Mjolnir armor. The shoe itself is made of full-grain leather, though, rather than a titanium alloy.
It’ll cost you a pretty penny, too. You’ll need to splash out $225, which is about £170 / AU$300, to grab them, although Wolverine doesn't usually ship outside the US. With only 117 pairs being made the likelihood you’ll be able to pick them up is pretty slim.
According to a press release, the boot didn’t start its life as an official Halo shoe. Fans reckoned another of Wolverine’s designs – the Hellcat – looked like something out of the Halo universe and asked for an official, licensed version. After a year in the design room, the final product is here.
“Given our roots in military science fiction, we've often heard from our fans that there is an appetite for a boot inspired by the Master Chief," said John Friend, director of Halo and Xbox consumer products at 343 Industries. "So, when Wolverine approached us about a collaboration, we were ready to answer the call.”
“The limited-edition boot gives Halo fans a chance to step inside (the boots) to become Master Chief and bring the Halo universe into their everyday life, and we’re eager to see how fans react to the collaboration and forthcoming launches as part of our partnership with Wolverine.”
The Wolverine x Halo: The Master Chief limited-edition boots will go up for sale on March 29 at 9am PT / 12 pm ET / 4pm GMT which is March 30 at 3am AEDT on the Wolverine webstore .
Halo is no stranger to strange licensed products. Earlier this year, 343 partnered with nail polish brand OPI to produce a slate of Xbox-inspired colors . The offer is live until March 30, and buying the nail polish lets you unlock exclusive rewards in Halo Infinite as well as Forza Horizon 5 .
How e-bike conversion kits work
If you’re thinking about buying an electric bike then there’s no end of choice. From budget models that come with a basic specification and little in the way of frills, through to high-end two-wheelers with all the trimmings.
Models like the budget Ampler Curt will do the job, but premium e-bikes including the Cowboy 4 and Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 are dream machines. Unfortunately, they’re expensive, so remain just that for anyone with little in the way of budget to play with.
Therefore, many of us have to head back in the direction of a more budget solution. While cheaper e-bikes like the ones above will get the job done, another option is to transform your existing bicycle into an e-bike. Demand for affordable e-bike solutions has seen a growing range of electric bike conversion kits being developed by inventive companies who’ve spotted a potentially lucrative gap in the market.
Throughout the land there are thousands of bikes laying unused in sheds, garages, hallways and spare bedrooms. We’re now being actively encouraged to resurrect these where possible. In fact, the UK has announced a Fix your Bike Voucher Scheme, which can bag you a £50 voucher towards the cost of getting your tired old two-wheeler roadworthy again.
However, behind the attractive headline, the rigmarole involved in getting the money-off deal might mean bypassing that and simply doing it yourself. So why not go the whole hog and make your bike electric. Turning your old pedal-powered bike into an e-machine might not necessarily be easy or cheap, but it is doable. Converting a conventional bike into an electric one can be done in a few different ways, depending on the type of bicycle you’ve got to work with and your budget.
Types of conversion kit
There’s the powered wheel route, which switches out a front or rear wheel for one with a motor in it, usually in the hub. Alternatively, in some cases it's possible to add a drive unit or motor to the bottom of the frame.
A variation on that theme is to mount a motor over the rear wheel to propel the bike and yourself along. You can even get kits that mount inside the frame for a more inconspicuous though expensive option.
For a relatively painless transition, Swytch is a good place to start. This is an e-bike conversion kit that its creators say will fit any bike, and there's a special version for Brompton folding bikes, which makes it a favourite option for commuters. Whether you own a hybrid or conventional-style cycle, a folding number, a road bike or MTB, all bases are seemingly covered. You can even convert a trike.
Swytch is a combination of a replacement front wheel with hub-mounted motor and a removable power pack. There’s even a pedal sensor that delivers a dynamic level of assistance based on the level of cadence. The design is compatible with both rim and disc brakes, will get you up to the legal speed limit of 15mph UK / 20mph US and offers up to 50km of range. The only thing is that stock levels seem to fluctuate although pre-order from the fresh products they’re expecting and get 50% off.
There are others though. In fact, you’ll find many variations on the theme from a wide variety of unknown brands online, with prices that start from about $130 / £100 / AU$180.
Don't make the mistake of turning your bike into a twist-and-go model though as there are kits that let you do this, but you subsequently enter into a world where tax and insurance comes into the equation in many territories. If you’re new to the world of e-bike conversions, it's best keep it simple.
Cytronex is another good example that offers compatibility with many cycle types, though as always it’s vital that you check its C1 system will work with your model. Their wheel conversion kits come with about 25 miles of range although the price is just under a grand, so if you’re looking for a budget solution then this may be an issue.
Really, this underlines why you need to choose between converting an existing bike or selling that (if it’s worth anything) and heading straight for the best budget e-bikes , which start at under a grand.
However, all is not lost as Conv-e and Cyclotricity are two brands worth exploring if you want lower cost e-biking. As an example the former has a hub and battery combo kit that costs around $950 / £750 / AU$1,300. Meanwhile, Cyclotricity has a similar option that lets you convert for about $570 / £450 / AU$800.
Taking a different tack might be another option. Rubbee has a couple of options that use a motor mounted behind your saddle to push the rear wheel along. It’s a bit quirky but comes with modular batteries that deliver different levels of range. Rubbee prides itself on the easy-to-install and use design, with a base-level model starting at €499 (about $570 / £450 / AU$800).
The appropriately named ONwheel is an alternative on the friction wheel idea, and it too has a retrofit kit that works on the same principle. ONwheel can be configured to work using more power in areas where this is legal, but getting that flexibility means the price starts heading northwards again. Kits start from €749 (about $860 / £670 / AU$1,200).
Finally, another route worth considering, if you’re still up for a weekend spent tinkering with an old bike, is to opt for a mid-drive conversion kit.
Bafang is a name that’s been around for a while and offers several products for converting your two-wheeler into an e-bike using a motor mounted to the bottom bracket where the pedals are situated. Expect to pay at least £350 (about $440 / AU$630) for this option, but there are numerous variants of the idea available online. TongSheng , for example, offers similar kits for around $380 / £300 / AU$540.
If you like the idea but want a premium example, then something from the Pendix eDrive range will be good, but pricey at over €1,000 (about $1,100 / £900 / AU$1,600). All these bottom bracket motor kits certainly have potential, but being so low means they're also prone to damage, and can be costly to repair if they get water inside them from being in such a vulnerable position.
Things to bear in mind
Remember too though that all of these options for turning a conventional bicycle into an e-bike will add weight. Batteries are heavy, as are motors, so by adding extra kit to a bike that wasn’t designed that way will change its characteristics.
You’ll probably get a bike that handles differently, depending on where the accessories have been added. In fact, the range and speed of all these options is a little bit academic. The main consideration is to be on a bike that feels safe to ride.
The only trouble with that is you’ll need to carry out the conversion in order to check. Which really rather brings us full circle, because with an off-the-shelf e-bike that’s been designed and built to be just that, you know exactly what you’re getting. A decent bike shop will also let you try it out first, which is one of the possible downsides of buying online. There’s quite a lot to consider and it’s not just about saving cash.
Ultimately, converting a standard bicycle into an electric one can be done, but it’s not without hurdles. The price might be the most off-putting aspect as some of the kits we’ve looked at negate the point of doing it yourself. If you don't mind a bit of tinkering and aren’t fazed by a weekend of fettling then an e-bike conversion kit could make sense. But if you fancy a fuss-free e-bike experience then you might be better off heading straight for the best e-bikes you can buy right now.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2: everything we know so far
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is officially in the works and 2022 looks to be the year we'll find out more solid details about it.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a re-imagining of classic '90s JRPG Final Fantasy 7 but, rather than releasing the remake as one single title, developer Square Enix has opted to release the remake as a series of games instead - with the first part having released in 2020.
While Square Enix announced in November 2019 that development on Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 had started, we still don't have a release date, with the developer only providing teases of what to expect from the highly-anticipated next chapter. Fortunately, though, it sounds like Square Enix is ready to start sharing details, with producer Yoshinori Kitase announcing during a 25th anniversary live stream for Final Fantasy 7 that more news will be announced this year.
Want to find out more? We've rounded up everything we know about Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 so far, including news, rumors and what we're hoping to see in the second game.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2: cut to the chase
A release date for Final Fantasy Remake Part 2 hasn't been confirmed, nor have the platforms it will arrive on but we do know that the title was in full production as of July 2020, with director Tetsuya Nomura telling Famitsu (via VGC ) that he was aiming for release "as soon as possible". Seeing as that was two years ago, we're hoping there's not long to wait until we get our hands on the highly-anticipated second chapter.
While Final Fantasy 7 Remake didn't release until five years after it was announced, we're not expecting another five-year wait for part 2 as Square Enix has now built the foundation of the game. In addition, a Square Enix representative told IGN that "the development team is planning the volume of content for the second part of the series, and that the team anticipates that the development of the second game will be more efficient".
Square Enix has previously compared Final Fantasy 7 Remake to Final Fantasy 13 - which released (essentially) in three parts, with roughly a two-year gap between each of the entries. If Final Fantasy 7 Remake is going to be anything like that, then we're looking at around a two-year wait until part 2 - which means we could see the game as early as this year.
In terms of platforms, a PS5 release is almost certain but we expect Final Fantasy Remake Part 2 will also land on PS4 (though this is less certain). As Final Fantasy 7 Remake was a timed PlayStation exclusive, we expect part 2 to be the same - with a PC release likely to come at a later date. It's unlikely the game will come to Xbox Series X , for at least a few years. After all, two years since the release of part 1, it's still not arrived on Xbox consoles.
Preparing with Intergrade In an August 2021 interview on the Unreal Engine blog , the Final Fantasy 7 Intergrade development team delved into the ways they utilized current-gen hardware to make the game look better. The interview touched on the game’s faster loading times and its improved visuals as well as what the team learned. Of interest to fans hungry for news of Part 2, co-director Naoki Hamaguchi said that his biggest goal with the update to the latest consoles "was to get a first-hand feel of the performance of the next-gen hardware leading up to the next installment of Final Fantasy 7 Remake".
According to Hamaguchi, he was "able to learn several things, like how much load is feasible using 3K and 4K rendering resolutions, or what the threshold is for loading high-quality assets while allowing players to play without stress, since the I/O bottleneck is now gone due to the implementation of the high-speed SSD". The process has, he added, led to "very meaningful experiences for our developers working on our next title", which is presumably Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2. It seems, then, that Intergrade has enabled the team to bridge the gap between parts technically as well as narratively.
Talking maps In an interview with The Gamer in July 2021, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 co-director Naoki Hamaguchi touched on what players might be able to expect from the game in terms of its world-building and map. "I understand that there are lots of fans out there who want to see a world map," Hamaguchi explained, "and we want to challenge ourselves to leverage the breadth of the world in the next game of the overall project, so you can expect great things to come".
Denying that Fort Condor mini-games are a sign of anything, Hamaguchi said: "There is no connection between Final Fantasy 7 Remake not having a world map and Fort Condor being included. We wanted to include some kind of mini game in the Yuffie episode from the start of development, and felt that it would be better to have something that paid homage to the original and be nostalgic for those who had played it, rather than include something new."
News coming in 2022 During a special live stream to mark Final Fantasy 7's 25th anniversary, producer Yoshinori Kitase confirmed that news on Final Fantasy Remake Part 2 will be announced: "later this year".
Kitase didn't say exactly when we can expect this news, but we're hoping it involves the reveal of a release date for the highly-anticipated second part of Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Using elements from Intermission Aspects of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade’s Intermission chapter could feature in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2, according to the game’s co-director. Speaking with The Washington Post (via VGC ), Naoki Hamaguchi said that some of the combat and gameplay enhancements introduced in Intergrade will likely be in Part 2, more specifically, Yuffie and Sonon’s team-up moves from Intermission.
"I am rather satisfied with this final form, in which the strategic element of the command-based battle from the original co-exists with the real-time, action-oriented battle," he said. "Additionally, with ‘Intermission,’ there’s another element introduced: combo moves where Yuffie and Sonon team up … which makes for a different feel in battle strategy. I would like to leverage these, including other elements we tried out in ‘Intermission,’ in our next story."
Leveraging the “vastness of the world” In an interview with IGN , Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 co-director Motomu Toriyama offered some tantalizing teasers for the game while talking about Intergrade’s recent Yuffie DLC. Toriyama couldn’t offer much in the way of details but did say, "as for improvement, or should I say 'change,' moving forward — because the next installment will involve Cloud and company to leave Midgar and explore the world map, our next challenge will be to create gameplay that leverages the vastness of the world, unlike what we did in this current title".
Starting directly after Intergrade During a Square Enix livestream in 2021, in which a new trailer was released for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Tetsuya Nomura was able to give a tiny insight into the second part of the remake. Nomura confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 will pick up where Intergrade ends, adding that development on the game continues "smoothly" and that announcements will be made when "the time is right".
A different director It has been confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 will have a different director as Tetsuya Nomura, director of the first part, has stepped down. In an interview with Famitsu (via GamesRadar ), Nomura cited his work on an "unprecedented number of projects" as his reason for stepping down.
The directorial role is being taken over by Naoki Hamaguchi, who was Nomura’s co-director for part one of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Nomura has confirmed that he will still occupy the role of creative director.
FF7 Remake Part 2 will utilize the PS5's power Final Fantasy 7 Remake fans excited for what the PS5 upgrade might bring will, unfortunately, have to wait for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 to see how Square Enix can fully utilize the PS5’s hardware features.
The news comes from a Famitsu interview translated by VGC with Final Fantasy 7 Remake co-director Tetsuya Nomura, who said that PS5 hardware features, namely the DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers, will only be “partially supported”.
While Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade’s PS5 release boasts a quality-of-life feature set you’d expect from a current-generation upgrade, such as a higher frame rate and better image quality, Nomura confirmed that we’ll have to wait for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 for the full PS5 hardware experience. He said: "in terms of using all of the features of PlayStation 5, please wait for the next game where we can start from scratch".
Production has already started In November 2019, director Tetsuya Nomura announced that work on Final Fantasy 7 Part 2 had already started.
"We’ve already begun working on the next one as well, but I’m confident that playing through this title will expand your expectations just like the world that extends beyond Midgar," Nomura said.
Hints in Final Fantasy Remake about what's coming next In an interview with Famitsu (translated by DualShockers ) Final Fantasy 7 Remake producer, Yoshinori Kitase, teased that there are hints in the game that allude to what may happen in the second part.
"With this first game, we showed how there is great potential for the future, and we included many hints regarding what’s coming next," Kitase said. "I’m looking forward to seeing the fans’ theories on social media regarding what could happen now."
More playable characters While it was definitely fun to control Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Aerith in the first installment of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, there's a whole cast of characters in the original that we would like to be able to control. We don't know about you, but playing as the pistol-wielding vampire Vincent sounds like an excellent time.
Some wild story turns With how Final Fantasy 7 Remake ended, we're expecting Tetsuya Nomura to reshape the classic game into something entirely new. While some fans may want a faithful recreation of the original game, we're kind of interested to see how exactly the story may shift in the upcoming installments. We don't want to see anything coming.
Chocobo racing Because the next installment of the game is likely going to be open world, we want to see a super robust chocobo racing mini-game. In the original game, this side activity was needed to unlock some of the most powerful materia in the game, and with how fun it was in Final Fantasy XV, we can't wait to see what it looks like in the next iteration of the remake.
All kinds of minigames We already can't wait to see what the Gold Saucer looks like in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, as it's this big shiny amusement park full of mini-games. But, with technology coming so far in the 23 years since the original game came to market, we want to see even more activities in this area.
Next-generation visuals and ray tracing Because we're likely going to see the next installment of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake on next-generation consoles (and hopefully PC), we would love to see the game look even better than the first installment. With ray tracing becoming more and more popular, we would love to see the fantastical scenery come to life in a huge way.