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TL;DR: This near-mint MacBook Pro (2020) delivers strong performance, a sharp Retina display, and all-day usability for just $429.97 while stock lasts.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Macbook Pro 2020 (Refurbished) $429.97
$1,999 Save $1,569.03   Get Deal

Not every MacBook needs to be your “handle with care” device. Sometimes, you just want something powerful, reliable, and ready to go — without worrying about every scratch or spill. And this near-mint Apple MacBook Pro fits that bill.

It’s built to handle real work. With a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a fast 512GB SSD, it’s more than capable of juggling everyday multitasking, creative projects, or even some heavier workloads like video editing or coding.

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Apps launch quickly, files move fast, and everything feels responsive.

The 13.3-inch Retina display is still one of the highlights, offering sharp resolution and vibrant color with True Tone for easier viewing throughout the day. Pair that with the Magic Keyboard, the Touch Bar’s easy-access shortcuts, and Touch ID login, and you’ve got a setup that feels both familiar and efficient.

It’s also surprisingly versatile thanks to four Thunderbolt 3 ports, giving you plenty of options for displays, accessories, and fast data transfers. And with up to 10 hours of battery life, it’s easy to take it on the go without constantly thinking about charging.

This Grade A refurbished model is in near-mint condition with the possibility of light scratching. Get MacBook Pro performance for just $429.97 (reg. $1,999) while stock lasts.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Secure lifetime access to ChatPlayground AI for $74.97 (reg. $619) through May 10 and evaluate 25+ leading AI models side by side in a single workspace.

Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $74.97
$619 Save $544.03   Get Deal

Switching between multiple AI tools to test the same prompt is a common yet inefficient workflow. Since each model performs differently depending on the task, comparison is valuable—but managing tabs and subscriptions isn’t. ChatPlayground AI centralizes top models into one interface, allowing you to review outputs simultaneously without the friction. Lifetime access is currently discounted to $74.97 through May 10 (reg. $619).

GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, Gemini, DeepSeek, Llama, Perplexity, and more — all in one clean interface. It’s built for people who iterate fast, test variations, and actually care about optimizing results.

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Beyond comparisons, ChatPlayground AI includes prompt engineering tools to refine outputs, image and PDF chat for context-aware responses, saved chat history for ongoing projects, and AI image generation powered by leading models. There’s even a Chrome extension to integrate it directly into your browsing workflow.

The Unlimited Plan means unlimited messages per month, making it ideal for startups, product teams, marketers, and prompt engineers who run experiments nonstop. You also get priority support and early access to new features and future models.

If you’re already paying for multiple AI tools — or constantly switching between them — this consolidates everything into one streamlined platform.

Grab lifetime access to ChatPlayground AI Unlimited for $74.97 before May 10 and stop juggling models for good.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get eight apps for life for just $29.97 with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows deal (reg. $219.99) now through May 3.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $29.97
$219.99 Save $190.02   Get Deal

Remember back in the day when you didn’t have to pay monthly to use software? If you’d like to take a trip down memory lane, this Microsoft Office lifetime license is for you. Not only does it include some of the classic programs from decades ago, now available as apps, but you also pay once and enjoy them for life.

This Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license is yours now for just $29.97 (reg. $219.99) — less than $5 per app — now through May 3.

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If you miss actually owning your favorite work tools, you’ll appreciate this Microsoft Office deal. It helps you avoid monthly subscription fees, allowing you to download your apps outright and work offline on your PC whenever you need to. And you get each tool for less than $5 with this lifetime license.

Feel like it’s the ’90s all over again with permanent access to classics like Word for all your document needs, Excel for building spreadsheets, PowerPoint for creating presentations, and Outlook to manage your emails.

You’ll also get newer Microsoft Office favorites like Access, which helps you manage large databases, and Publisher, which makes creating professional documents easy. There’s Teams to keep you connected with coworkers, friends, and family, and OneNote rounds out the suite to help you upgrade your note-taking routine.

Don’t be deceived by this edition’s 2021 label. These apps have been redesigned and are ready to help everyone from designers to data analysts. There’s also a ribbon-based interface that gives you easy access to features, tools, and customizations.

Just note, your computer needs to be running Windows 10 or 11 to be compatible.

Lock in a lifetime of savings with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows deal, now $29.97 (reg. $219.99) through May 3.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

There are a lot of valid reasons for looking for a hookup and you certainly don't need to justify your quest for a fling to us.

If you want to protect your privacy or at least keep a low profile while you swipe through sexy singles in your area, there are a few different approaches you can take, some general guidance that works across all apps and sites, and some more targeted advice depending on the service you're using.

General tips for browsing hookup apps discreetly

The following tips work well across all hookup sites. Think of them as general guidelines for limiting your exposure:

• Sign up using an alternative email address. Not only does this spare you in the event of a data breach (and trust us: they're more common than you would think), but it also means that no one who catches a glance at your inbox will ever find out which hookup sites you frequent.

• Anonymize your photos as far as possible. You don't have to blur your face, but neither should you be taking photos of yourself that could show someone what neighborhood you live in or where you work. Additionally, ensure you leave out any identifying marks, such as unique tattoos, from any of your profile photos.  

• Don't link your social media in your profile. Too many people share their Instagram pages or TikTok handles in their profiles, but doing so dramatically increases your exposure, since every image and story you post there could inadvertently contain identifying information about you, from who your friends are to where you hang out.  

• Take advantage of gift cards or prepaid credit cards. If you opt to purchase a premium membership to a hookup app or site, the paper trail linking your bank account or credit card to the service is a definite liability. To maximize your anonymity, use a prepaid card or purchase a gift card rather than using your main credit or debit card to register your membership. 

App-specific tips to retain your anonymityFeeld

For the privacy-conscious dater, Feeld’s Incognito mode is a game-changer: you can scout the Discover feed without leaving a digital footprint, remaining invisible to anyone you haven't explicitly "liked." The app also supports private photo vaults that only unlock for confirmed connections.

Tinder

Tinder offers a few unique features that can help you lower your profile, even as you swipe away. First, consider turning off Discovery mode when you're trying to keep a low profile. This will make it impossible for new people to find your profile in search without preventing you from speaking to the people you've already matched with.

If you really want to take things up a notch and you already have a Tinder Plus, Gold or Platinum membership, you can use Passport Mode to browse singles in a nearby city, or a place you're travelling to for work or on a vacation. This is a great way to prevent your local friends and family from accidentally coming across your profile. 

You can also block phone numbers if you really don't want certain individuals coming across your profile, like your boss or sibling.

Grindr

The first line of defence on Grindr is a relatively new feature called Profile Hide that works on one user at a time. Say, for example, you come across a co-worker on the app, and don't want them to know you're also using it. Simply click on their profile and find the Hide icon. If you tap this, your profile will become invisible to them and their profile will become invisible to you, like magic.

If you want to take things up a notch, you'll need a Grindr Unlimited membership, which unlocks a really useful privacy feature called Incignito mode, which essentially allows you to use the service in total secrecy, without anyone knowing you're there until you initiate an interaction. 

AdultFriendFinder

AdultFriendFinder is like the Wild West of hookup sites, a place where seemingly anything goes, but that carefree attitude can also be a privacy nightmare. We strongly recommend you limit the amount of identifiable information you put on your profile, including being very selective about which photos you choose to share.

One good way to strike a balance between total anonymity and a modicum of privacy is to take advantage of AFF's many photo features, specifically their photo permissions options. You can make your main profile photo something reasonably discrete, such as a full-length picture of you wearing a hat or a photo shot from a distance or even a photo with your face blurred out, but then you can create a photo album of more identifiable, personal photos that you choose to share only with friends. 

That way, you become the final gatekeeper over your photos, allowing you to be selective about who you share them with.

Mother figures are the backbone of the world. They teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain. So when it comes to showing your appreciation with a Mother's Day gift, the game plan involves more than a generic mug or the last wilted bouquet from CVS.

There's something so priceless about a gift that was obviously picked just for her, regardless of its actual price. Whether it's something to make a part of her life easier, something she's mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a queen, there are opportunities for truly thoughtful gifts for mom on any budget. Here are our best Mother's Day gift ideas for 2026:

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A song.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

CAROL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Balled up.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 26, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

FETAL

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

A tropical fruit.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 26 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 26, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

MANGO

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Related to sound.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SONAR

Final Hurdle hint

Exchange.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

TRADE

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

We're now in the Waxing Gibbous phase of the lunar cycle. This means most of the Moon’s face is lit up at this point, making it especially bright in the night sky. Read on to see what details you can spot tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, April 26, the Moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. Tonight, 73% of the moon will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

If you're looking at the Moon with just your naked eye, you should be able to catch a glimpse of the Mare Crisium, Copernicus Crater, and Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, the Mare Frigoris, Posidonius Crater, and Apennine Mountains should also come into view. And, finally, with a telescope you'll see all this plus the Apollo 17 landing spot, Rupes Altai, and Rupes Recta.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon is predicted to take place on May 1, the first of two in May.

What are Moon phases?

NASA says that the Moon completes a full orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, during which it passes through eight stages. Although the same face of the Moon is always turned toward us, the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as it travels along its path, producing the familiar cycle of full, half, and crescent shapes. These variations are referred to as lunar phases, and there are eight altogether:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 26, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 26, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for April 26 Pips

Number (9): Everything in this purple space must add up to 9. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically; 4-2, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Every domino half in this red space must have 6 pips. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Every domino half in this yellow space must have 1 pip. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for April 26 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this purple space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this red space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): The domino half in this light blue space must have 6 pips. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this yellow space must add up to 3. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this green space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this purple space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for April 26 Pips

Equal (2): Every domino half in this purple space must have 2 pips. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically; and 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this red space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Every domino half in this light blue space must have 6 pips. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 1-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically; and 6-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Every domino half in this yellow space must have 0 pips. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed horizontally; and 0-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): The domino half in this dark blue space must have less than 4 pips. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this green space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Does Not Equal: Every domino half in this purple space must have a different number of pips. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Every domino half in this red space must have 1 pip. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Every domino half in this blue space must have 5 pips. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed horizontally.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a singer.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

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SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 26, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Disclaimer

• Green: Singer traits

• Blue: Popular TV stars

• Purple: Geminis have two

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Stipulation

• Green: Vocal characteristics

• Blue: Characters in "Dick and Jane"

• Purple: Things with faces

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1050 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Stipulation: CATCH, CAVEAT, FINE PRINT, STRINGS

• Vocal characteristics: PITCH, RANGE, REGISTER, TONE

• Characters in "Dick and Jane": DICK, JANE, MOTHER, SPOT

• Things with faces: BUILDING, CLIFF, CLOCK, POLYHEDRON

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 26, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're good at debating.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 26, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Get into it

The words are related to disagreements.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe bumping heads.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Lock Horns.

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NYT Strands word list for April 26

• Bicker

• Squabble

• Argue

• Lock Horns

• Differ

• Quarrel

• Wrangle

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a shining star.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 26, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 26, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Sheen.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter S appears twice.

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Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

GLOSS

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

Even a Times reporter qualified for the event, which caused outrage last year for providing access to President Trump in exchange for investment in one of his family’s crypto ventures.

A new ouroboros in the tech world has emerged: There's now an AI tool to "undo" AI writing.

Sinceerly is a Google Chrome extension to edit AI-generated (or human-written) emails. The aim is to add in errors that are typically scrubbed away with AI tools and change some of the obvious AI text "tells," like the phrase "not just X, but Y." Em dashes fall into the latter category, too — but as a longtime writer, I'm fond of them and abhor how it's apparently become a signal of AI. Regardless, Sinceerly will kill the em dash, as it states on its website.

SEE ALSO: Claude can now connect with Spotify, Uber, and a lot more apps

The tool has three modes: subtle, human, and CEO. Each render text more and more casual, where "CEO" mode doesn't even have correct punctuation but does tack on "Sent from my iPhone," of course.

Sinceerly is free for three email rewrites and works within Gmail. But if you want to pay $4.99 per month, you get unlimited rewrites, can switch instantly between modes, and can cache results so you can reopen them instantly.

Ben Horwitz, an investment partner at venture capital firm Dorm Room Fund, created Sinceerly, according to the website.

The concept of using AI to generate text, only to have another AI tool make it sound more human, is pretty absurd, but it might be a perfect encapsulation of popular opinion towards AI-generated copy in 2026. (Last month, major publisher Hachette dropped the novel Shy Girl due to allegations that it was AI-generated and/or poorly written.)

It might just be easier to — gasp — write text yourself.

This week, a class-action lawsuit was filed in Washington, D.C. against Meta, alleging that the company deceived Facebook users about scam advertisements and profited from it.

Tycko and Zavareei LLP and Tech Justice Law filed the complaint on April 21 under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act on behalf of the Consumer Federation of America and Washington, D.C. Facebook users. The complaint states that while Meta publicly claims to fight scams, internal documents (published by Reuters in Dec. 2025) show it's making billions off of them.

SEE ALSO: Fake AI-generated shops, ads flourish on Facebook

The documents show that in 2024, Meta projected that around 10 percent of its revenue — around $16 billion — would come from advertising scam and banned products. Users are apparently exposed to 15 billion "high-risk" scam ads each day, per the documents. Meta apparently charged these high-risk advertisers more while rejecting 96 percent of valid user fraud reports.

"Meta has, as a matter of company policy, deliberately profited from rampant, inexcusable harm to users on its platforms," attorney and managing director at Tech Justice Law, Sarah Kay Wiley, stated in a press release. "Meta told its users it was fighting fraud. Internally, it was charging scammers a premium for access to those same users. That is not a failure of enforcement, that is a business model built on predatory deception."

A Meta spokesperson told Mashable, "These allegations misrepresent the reality of our work and we will fight them." 

"We aggressively combat scams across our platforms to protect people and businesses — last year alone, we removed over 159 million scam ads, 92 percent of which we took down before anyone reported them, and took down 10.9 million accounts on Facebook and Instagram associated with criminal scam centers. We fight scams because they are bad for business — people don't want them, advertisers don't want them, and we don't want them either," the spokesperson continued.

The complaint comes weeks after Meta announced new tools to fight scams on its platforms like Facebook and Instagram, including working with law enforcement. In recent years, Meta has reportedly rejected ads from legitimate businesses, like the sex toy shop Unbound (until they created fake ads targeted at men) and healthcare platform Daye.

On Friday, local news site Tumbler Ridgelines published an apology from OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman concerning a mass shooting.

The letter, dated April 23, is addressed to the community of Tumbler Ridge, a small town in British Columbia, Canada, where the alleged shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed eight people and then herself on Feb. 10. Van Rootselaar used ChatGPT, and her first account was suspended in June 2025 after it detected content that presented as "an indication of potential real-world violence." She was then banned, but OpenAI didn't report her to law enforcement, and she was able to create a second ChatGPT account that wasn't discovered until after the shooting.

SEE ALSO: Florida investigates OpenAI over deadly mass shooting

Weeks after the shooting, OpenAI announced it would change its safety protocols.

British Columbia Premier David Eby stated in March that Sam Altman would apologize and call for better regulations, and, as Tumbler Ridgelines pointed out, it's now here a month later.

"When I spoke with Mayor [Darryl] Krakowka and Premier Eby about this tragedy, they conveyed the anger, sadness, and concern being felt across Tumbler Ridge. We agreed a public apology was necessary, but that time was also needed to respect the community as you grieved. I share this letter with the understanding that everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time," the letter states.

Altman goes on to say that he's "deeply sorry" that OpenAI didn't alert law enforcement when the ChatGPT account was banned in June. "While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered," he wrote.

He also said he commits to finding "ways to prevent tragedies like this in the future."

"Going forward, our focus will continue to be on working with all levels of government to help ensure something like this never happens again," Altman wrote.

Eby posted on X that the apology is "necessary, and yet grossly insufficient for the devastation done to the families of Tumbler Ridge." Days prior, on Wednesday, he said that the investigation into the shooting has reached its final stages.

The apology also comes days after Florida's attorney general announced an investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT following a mass shooting at Florida State University in April 2025. A recent report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that eight in 10 popular AI chatbots assisted in planning violent crimes.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

X's long-anticipated WhatsApp and Telegram rival, XChat, made its standalone app debut Friday afternoon, landing on the iOS App Store after nearly a year since it was rebranded under its new name. The launch marks the full rollout of Elon Musk's overhauled DM platform, which emphasizes user privacy.

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Pre-orders opened last week, with X touting XChat's fully encrypted messaging as its flagship feature. Beyond end-to-end encryption, the app promises zero user tracking, no ads, and an array of in-message privacy tools — including the ability to hide photos from recipients after sending.

SEE ALSO: Lawsuit against Elon Musk threatens DOGE actions, survives early court challenge

There's a casualty, however. X's Communities feature is being axed to make way for XChat, a move that may sting for its niche but loyal user base. Communities functioned as X's answer to Reddit's subreddit forums, letting users follow curated feeds around specific interests — not unlike Bluesky's Feeds. But according to X's Head of Product Nikita Bier, the feature saw minimal traction: only 0.4% of users ever engaged with it, and those who did were largely "user-acquisition channels for Kick or compensated clipper communities."

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In its place, XChat will offer large-scale group chats — currently capped at 350 users, with plans to expand that ceiling to 1,000. Communities officially goes dark on May 30.

Pet hair pickup isn't the only bullet point to consider

While every pet parent needs a vacuum to quell the pet hair situation, some vacuums can take on even more pet-related responsibilities. There are robot vacuums that can avoid pet waste and toys, robot vacuums with livestream pet cameras, and a robot vacuum that comes with its own portable carpet cleaner (now we just need Roborock to expand the Saros Z70's robotic arm capabilities to pet toy cleanup). Manual cordless vacuums come with their own advantageous flexibility, like the option to go handheld and extend cleaning to furry furniture and staircases. I use both types of vacuums daily and wrote a whole buying guide for anyone stumped between a robot vacuum and a stick vacuum.

Other vacuums I've tested recently

I tested several other top robot vacuums in the past two years that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra, and various versions of the Roomba j7, were my top recommendations at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck. Most recently, in the last few months of 2025, I was impressed by the Roomba Plus 505 Combo, Plus 405 Combo, and Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra. They ultimately just weren't the most thorough vacuum cleaners in their price range.

New robot vacuums announced at CES 2026

Several top robot vacuum brands unveiled new flagship models at CES in early January. These include the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic and Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, and the Narwal Flow 2. I will be testing these at home as soon as possible and will update this guide accordingly once all are officially available for purchase.

How to choose a robot vacuum for pet hair

Let's dive a little deeper into the features that could make or break your experience with trusting a robot vacuum to clean up after pets.

Suction power and brush rolls

I recommend vacuums with at least 8,000 Pa suction power for effective pet hair pickup, though homes with heavy carpeting and more than two pets should consider suction power of at least 12,000 Pa. But the brush roll system is nearly just as important when choosing a vacuum for pet fur. In my testing, vacuums with dual brush rolls are far more effective. For reference, the most powerful robot vacuums in 2025 ranged between 20,000 and 30,000 Pa of suction power, and new robot vacuums coming out in 2026 bump that up to 35,000 Pa.

Automatic emptying

Pet parents should definitely opt for a self-emptying robot vacuum — so much fur being sucked up will lead to a full dustbin faster, and you won't feel like emptying it yourself every day. Even with daily usage, an auto-empty robot vacuum can last between one and three months before you need to empty the dustbin.

Mopping

If hardwood or tile is prevalent in your home, the best robot vacuum and mop combo for pet hair will be able to sanitize the floor while mopping and then wash its own mops to rinse off any lingering hair. Mopping is also much more likely to effectively wipe up other minuscule pet-related debris, like pet dander and kitty litter dust, that are too small to be inhaled by a vacuum's suction power.

Smart mapping

Some rooms or spots on the floor within those rooms get furrier than others. A smart mapping robot vacuum learns the layout of your home and can head to specific zones on command, which you can queue up right from the app. In my opinion, smart mapping is the most worthwhile robot vacuum feature, and should be a baseline even when searching for a cheap model — cleaning performance is a moot point if the vacuum can't get where it needs to go in the first place.

Small obstacle avoidance

Some advanced robot vacuums use cameras and 3D sensors to pinpoint any small roadblocks in the cleaning path in front of them. When successful, these vacuums save themselves from eating most pet toys, cords, laundry, or socks or shoes, avoid ramming into pet bowls, and even dodge pet waste.

What's in a name? It turns out Cosori was right to call its new $249 air fryer the "Iconic." With a polished stainless steel design, versatile cooking functions, and generally useful smart features, it's basically the Cadillac of basket air fryers. But that's not the only reason I think it's worth the splurge after several months of testing.

Unlike many other air fryers, the Iconic doesn't contain any plastic components that can leach microplastics at high temperatures, and its basket isn't coated in harmful forever chemicals, or PFAS, including PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, aka Teflon). As someone who's overly picky about kitchenware for the sake of myself and my pets — Teflon is super dangerous for my parrot — I have no qualms about firing up the Iconic on a regular basis.

Cosori Iconic Stainless Steel 6.5-quart Smart Air Fryer $249 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Cosori Shop Now at Best Buy Design and construction

Myriad air fryers have a stainless steel finish over black plastic construction, including other Cosori models, but the Iconic has a more premium build that's almost fully stainless steel inside and out. One exception is its basket handle, which is made from plastic only so you don't scorch your hand when you grab it. Most of its exterior gets hot to the touch when it runs on a higher setting for more than a few minutes.

There's no plastic in here. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The Iconic's other non-stainless parts are its basket interior and metal crisper plate, both of which have a ceramic nonstick coating. According to a chemical disclosure statement by VeSync, Cosori's parent company, it doesn't contain any Teflon. (I'll mention here that Cosori's top-selling air fryer on Amazon, the $119.99 TurboBlaze, does use Teflon.) Anecdotally, I didn't notice any weird synthetic smells when the Iconic was running.

The Iconic has a tempered glass control panel. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Cleaner cooking aside, the Iconic's mainly stainless build makes a big aesthetic impact. It looks luxe and matches the other brushed stainless steel appliances in my kitchen. What's more, I was surprised to find that it doesn't cling to fingerprints very easily — unlike my stainless Samsung fridge, which is a smudge magnet. Any crumbs or food crud that gets on its surface is easy to erase with a dishcloth or a damp paper towel.

The Iconic's basket and crisper plate also wipe down nicely between food batches, and you can toss them in the dishwasher for a more thorough scrubbing at the end of a meal.

The Iconic STUNS in stainless steel. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

I'm usually very anti-countertop clutter, but the Iconic is so sleek that I can tolerate it sitting out. I also don't really have a choice because it's too big to fit in any of my cabinets. It weighs just over 14 pounds, stands about a foot tall, and has a footprint of about 15 by 12 inches, so it's a little bulky.

Cooking modes My Iconic creations. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

On the tippy-top of the Iconic, you'll find a glass touch control panel with six different cooking functions: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Dry, Proof, and Reheat. Each function has its own temperature and time presets ranging from 90 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and one minute to 24 hours. They also have set fan speeds; Dry and Proof are basically inaudible, while Air Fry and Roast whir the loudest. I'd say they're still less than half as loud as my hair dryer, the Shark FlexStyle.

If you need a reminder to flip your food, you can press a separate Shake button that makes the Iconic beep a few times halfway through an Air Fry cycle. (It only works with that mode.)

I tried all of the Iconic's cooking functions, and they work wonderfully. Air Fry produced a slightly charred, still-pink cheeseburger and crispy fries without any oil. Roast caramelized a medley of broccoli and red onions without burning them. I used Bake to make some crusty-but-fluffy brownies, and Dry to dehydrate Honeycrisp apples and bell peppers (some snacks for the aforementioned parrot). Reheat warmed up leftovers without making them soggy; it's put my microwave out of business.

Sometimes you don't want to fire up the grill for a single burger. I literally get it. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

I even made whole wheat sourdough in the Iconic. The dough formed an unsightly crust on top after proofing for two hours, but it disappeared in the shaping/baking process and left me with a cute little loaf of very moist, very edible sandwich bread.

While ninety degrees is technically too hot for proofing sourdough, or really any kind of dough, this little loaf turned out fine. (Ugly and a bit over-proofed, but fine.) Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The Iconic has a 6.5-quart basket, making it a good size for a small household. It comfortably fit a whole bag of fries, four single-serve brownies (in ramekins), and every sliced round of a fat apple (laid flat in one layer).

The Iconic is parrot-approved. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable Smart features

The Iconic supports smart controls via VeSync's mobile app if you connect it to WiFi, and they feel about 70 percent useful.

With the Cooking Functions feature, you can select settings from your phone and send them to the Iconic; they'll appear on its control panel in seconds. You can't actually start it remotely, but that's a safety feature. The app will show a timer once the cooking cycle begins and send you a notification when your food is ready.

The app will show you how much cook time is left. Credit: Screenshots via VeSync

If you're not sure how to cook a particular food, a Cooking Chart feature can suggest settings based on the serving size and "status" (i.e., whether a vegetable is chopped or meat is bone-in).

Get a little extra help from the app's Cooking Chart. Credit: Screenshots via VeSync

Hypothetically, you can also pull up settings by scanning bar codes on foods' packaging through the VeSync app, but it didn't work with most of the things I've tried. That includes Purdue popcorn chicken and every Trader Joe's snack I had in my freezer (hashbrown patties, falafel, breaded fish filets, and mozzarella sticks). I finally had luck with some frozen garlic breadsticks, which turned out well when I air fried them on the recommended settings — golden brown on the outside, soft on the inside.

Success. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The app contains a History list of your past cooking cycles in case you want to reuse settings. There's also an Achievements counter where you can see a weekly recap of your meals and any badges you've earned for cooking certain foods regularly. (I don't know anyone who would actually use this. Some things just don't need to be gamified!)

If you need some cooking inspo, there's a library of healthy air fryer recipes in the app under a Diet tab. It lets you add your own recipes and create shopping lists of ingredients.

Some alternatives

Other non-toxic, plastic-free air fryer options include the Ninja Crispi ($179.99), the Our Place Wonder Oven ($185 to $245, depending on the size), and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer ($349.99). The Iconic is in the middle of the pack price-wise, but it has the best warranty: five years to everyone else's one.

For what it's worth, I also own and love the Crispi. It's easy to store and has glass baskets that double as storage containers for leftovers, though it has few settings and can't fit full bags of fries. Ninja's newer Crispi Pro has more settings, a bigger temperature range, and a larger basket than the original Crispi, but it costs $299.99. Neither model supports smart controls.

Cosori versus Crispi. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The Our Place and Breville models are both oven-style air fryers that let you cook multiple trays of food at once, which is super convenient. But the Wonder Oven doesn't have a companion app, and the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is expensive. Plus, its pizza pan has a Teflon coating.

If you're someone who likes traditional basket-style air fryers, wants smart features and recipe guidance, and you regularly feed at least two people, you'll probably prefer the Iconic over the competition.

Cosori Iconic Stainless Steel 6.5-quart Smart Air Fryer $249 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Cosori Shop Now at Best Buy

The leases on hundreds of thousands of battery-powered cars and trucks will end in the next three years, and many will end up on used-car lots.

Bungie is a world-class studio making some of the best first-person shooters in the world. In my initial hand-on piece on Marathon, I said the gunplay was impressive and the art direction enticing, but after fully playing through this title, I'm even more impressed — and that's no surprise.

From Halo all the way to Destiny, Bungie has a record of hits. For Marathon, the company brought back one of its older franchises to add to its shooter repertoire. It’s Bungie at its best and shows why the developer is still a top player in the video game space. From its incredible gunplay, level design, art direction, and soundscapes, there’s nothing quite like Marathon. 

Marathon takes place on the planet Tau Ceti IV, where human colonists have uploaded their consciousnesses to inhabit disposable cybernetic ones, turning them into “Runners.” As Runners, they constantly infiltrate Tau Ceti IV to scrounge up any resources, artifacts, and data to bring back to their factions. While Marathon doesn’t present its story front and center, the various factions are surprisingly interesting. It reminds me of Concord, where I actually found reading about its lore in the in-game encyclopedia much more fun than playing the actual game.

Credit: Bungie

In Marathon, there are six different factions to fulfill contracts with, and they all embody different aspects of Marathon’s universe. For example, the starting faction is Cyberacme, whose expertise is AI, while NuCaloric focuses on agricultural matters and basic needs. And the contracts that these factions dole out often have you playing Marathon in different ways. MIDA, the anarchist group, has you running around and triggering alarms. Sekiguchi, on the other hand, is the company behind the cybernetic shells and views Runners as experimental test subjects. Some of their contract requirements include taking a certain amount of fall damage. Marathon’s worldbuilding is told through clever gameplay and these factions.

Thankfully, Marathon has solid gameplay loops to back it up. It’s an extraction shooter, similar to ARC Raiders, where players jump into a map, collect items, and exfil out. If you’re an avid Destiny player, meaning that you’re used to going in guns blazing, Marathon will feel entirely foreign to you.

You’re limited in supplies, and any items that you bring with you or collect on the field will disappear if you die. You need to plan out your routes methodically and explore carefully in order to avoid fights at all costs. This creates a tense atmosphere of unpredictability that’s equally unnerving, yet exciting. Scattered across the field are both NPCs and other human players, and trust me, they’re hard. The robotic NPCs are durable, and other human players show absolutely no mercy. 

This makes Marathon feel so distinctly different from Halo, Destiny, and even ARC Raiders. If you try to take the NPCs in a gunfight, you’ll most likely get wiped, which is a stark difference from Bungie’s other shooters. In ARC Raiders, you’ll come across many friendly human players, but in Marathon, they won’t hesitate to just murk you. This contrast ultimately comes down to their themes. In ARC Raiders, humanity bands together to take on deadly machinations, while in Marathon, you’re at each other’s throats for scraps on Tau Ceti IV. It’s every Runner for themselves.

The way gunfights break out feels organic and leads to a lot of emergent moments, making Ceta Tau feel like such an oppressive but masochistically fun place to be. As expected of Bungie, the guns feel slick and impactful, making the moment-by-moment shootouts incredibly exhilarating.

Credit: Bungie

If you successfully exfil, then items that you bring back are automatically sold, and you can use the money to purchase guns and other equipment to give yourself an initial advantage when you deploy again. But don’t forget, you could very well die, even with your shiny new toys, and lose everything you brought with you.

This gives Marathon the “just one more fun” kind of loop. Even if you die, you never feel like you’re too far behind, and everyone feels like they’re on a level playing field. This is thanks to sponsored kits, which the factions provide to give you the most basic tools, like guns and healing supplies, to start a run. The downside is that you can’t use any other equipment. But even with the most rudimentary equipment, you can emerge successfully by playing well. Whenever that happens, there’s an immense sense of accomplishment when you exfil.

Looking at the Map Credit: Bunie Credit: Bungie

Marathon’s map design is impeccable as well. So far, there are four maps: Perimeter, Dire Marsh, Outpost, and Cryo Archive. Each of them is escalating in complexity, too. Perimeter is a fantastic starting point and is more beginner-friendly, as it has large, wide-open spaces. Dire Marsh increases the intensity a bit with fog and dense grasses, requiring you to be more careful. When a fight breaks out, it can be hard to figure out where bullets are raining down on you compared to playing in Perimeter. What I love about these two maps is that it’s easy to hop into them if you’re just looking to play a quick match.

Outpost is when things start to ramp up, as it's a smaller map with tighter corners. You’ll run into other human players much more often. Since players tend to have more valuable loot than the robot NPCs, the risk and reward ratio is higher. Plus, you’ll need to acquire special keyguards in order to get to the map’s center, the Pinwheel, where the most valuable loot is located. Unlike Perimeter and Dire Marsh, coming in with a communicative team will have you see higher levels of success than playing with randoms. If you’re really serious about Marathon, Outpost is a great way to test your skills — and your patience.

Credit: Bungie

But Marathon’s true test is its last available map, Cryo Archive. It's an unforgivingly cold and difficult labyrinth. To even access it, you need to equip gear with a total value of 5,000 credits, so you can’t just roll in there with a sponsored kit. And another kicker is that it’s only available to play on weekends. Basically, the idea of this is to play Marathon throughout the week to accumulate strong gear, and then head into the Cryo Archive when the weekend starts. And trust me, you’ll need to be as prepared as you can. Getting ready for this map shows how dedicated you are to Marathon, although the downside is that many casual players won’t ever get to feel how exhilarating and tense it is as the barrier to entry can be an issue.

In any case, Cryo Archive features an ingenious amount of level design. There are multiple clearance levels (up to level 5), and you’ll need to hack monitors and grab security tags off of players you kill. It’s such a complicated process that dwarfs anything you experience on Perimeter and Dire Marsh. You can’t even extract out the normal way as you would do in the other maps, either. You have to reach at least clearance level 3, and you’re also under a time limit. There’s a certain kind of satisfaction that goes into planning a Cryo Archive run. The winnings are astronomical, but the losses are just as extreme. Cryo Archive’s puzzle-like layout rivals that of Resident Evil Requiem’s care center puzzle-box. Even under a ton of pressure, I can’t help but marvel at the level design.

Going Back to the Future Credit: Bungie

What really ties Marathon together is the retro-futurism aesthetic that the game is going for. The font and menus look exactly like what Apple interfaces looked like in the ‘80s, deliberately referencing Marathon’s origins on Macintosh computers. The sound design is equally impressive. Audio cues are incredibly important in Marathon, as the ring of gunfire can give away your position. Even engaging in shootouts with the NPC robots is a risk. In the Cryo Archive, especially, you also need to be aware of the sound of your footsteps. Hearing the sound of glass breaking or the blaring alarms of a lockdown can really throw a wrench in your plans. Each run in Marathon is ever-changing, and it’s stunning how Bungie managed to pull this off with only four maps.

That being said, its biggest issues are its user interfaces and controls. They’re clunky as the similar actions don’t use the same input. For example, I’ll open up a box with the square button on my controller, yet I have to place the items from that box into my inventory with the X button. It messes with your brain and doesn’t feel intuitive. Even after dozens of hours playing, I still have to think about what to press sometimes. The font is hard to read too, even if you’re playing on a big screen. There are no options to increase the size or anything. Hopefully, that can be fixed in a later update.

According to Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Games, “A game for everyone is a game for no one.” Marathon is the exact opposite of that. It won’t have the widespread appeal that Halo or Destiny does. But it showcases Bungie at its absolute best, putting all of its knowledge and skills to create something extraordinary.

The verdict: A satisfying slow burn

Marathon has exemplary gunplay, level and audio design, as well as top-tier aesthetics that keep your eyes glued to the screen. Even the lore got me interested in its factions and overall universe. It may not be for everyone. It’s a hardcore game, and if you can meet it on its own terms, you’ll have one hell of a time.

Marathon is now available on Steam, PS5, and Xbox.