Razer Edge on the way--It's here!

 If you've been following for a while, you know that I haven't been happy with the Google Pixel 6a.  It was much less powerful than my OnePlus 8T, but compatible with my Razer Kishi V2.  Obviously, I play too many games.

I had been looking for a Razer Phone 2 for a long time, but those days are long gone.  The Razer Edge is only available as a phone on Verizon, and I'm not switching.  Since Android 14 on the Pixel 6a wiped my data, I haven't had an Android phone.  I've been using it on Wi-Fi only.  The Wi-Fi only Razer Edge will be just fine.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon G3X Gen 1 will be so much better than the SoC in either phone.  The Snapdragon 865 in the OnePlus 8T was fine and I got it specifically because the Snapdragon 888 was overheating in several phones.  Hopefully, I won't experience that.

The 144 Hz refresh rate of the OLED display is faster than the 120 Hz of the OnePlus 8T or the 60 Hz of the Google Pixel 6a.  I'm betting not much is ready to use it, though.  There don't seem to be many "holy shit!" games on Android.

 However, even the ligher ones tax the Pixel 6a, which is why I wanted something better.

Newegg has a deal on the Razer Edge with a coupon for US$100 off US$299.99.  Getting a product for 66% is good.

I'm guessing that with Steam Deck doing well and ASUS and Lenovo creating competitors, plus the previous Windows-baseed handhelds, Razer Edge hasn't been the big seller that they had hoped.

The only thing that might be a problem for me is that not all games use Google Play Games for their status updates.  The good thing for me is that, since Android 14 wiped out the other information, I won't be worrying about those other games.  I will likely have to transfer my music from my Google Drive backup.

Update 2024.07.20: It has arrived.  The device directed me to connect the two devices with a cable to copy information.  It connected to my main Android account easily.  That set off the Google warnings immediately.

Then, it updated some system software, asked for permissions, etc.

The strange thing is that it's only using Android 12.  It also didn't copy my second user account and barely copied any of the apps.

There doesn't seem to be a way to add another Home screen to host my games.  I really don't want to use the apps drawer every time I want to start them.  They probably think that everyone is going to use their Nexus app, even when the Kishi V2 Pro is not connected.  I'm not sure that is a good choice.  By the way, the Kishi V2, Pro or otherwise, takes power from the USB type-C port.  If you're not well charged, you could go into the danger zone quickly.

The newer controller seems better with controls that are easier to find while playing.

They refer to the Edge as a tablet.  It's certainly big but what is a tablet these days.  Is a 6.8 inch display big enough for a tablet?  My Google Nexus 7 tablets were just a bit bigger but there are a lot of phones on the market that are almost the same size.  I don't know I'll be putting it in my pocket to game out of the house.  This one is Wi-Fi only and, while I can provide an internet connection from my phone, it wouldn't be wise to have two devices without power.

It's almost charged to a good level again.  Once I get my apps downloaded, I'll see how powerful it is.

It's powerful enough.  It's like the Snapdragon 888 with a GPU upgrade.  Device warms up too much.  Graphics flow smoothly.  I suppose it's a good thing that they didn't upgrade to Android 13 or Android 14.  Perhaps, the 5G version is capable of being upgraded.  It's a bit sad that it only has 128 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM.  My OnePlus 8T had 256 GB and 12 GB, respectively.

There is a huge black frame around the display.  People talk about bezels but this feels more like an artificial frame that has nothing to do with the actual display.  However, it's rounded in the corners and covers some of the display so it's difficult to press buttons.

Kishi V2 Pro feels like the older version, but with force (haptic) feedback.  It's quite responsive on Asphalt 9 Legends/Legends Unite, although the game seems a bit sluggish since its re-design.

I've tried all of my Netmarble games and they work fine.

Those would be: Tower of God: New World, Seven Knights II, Solo Leveling: Arise, and Grand Cross:Age of Titans.

Black Clover M and Sword Chronicles: Awaken are also working just fine.

There are a lot of little, strange things about the interface that don't make sense but I suppose they wanted everyone to have the Nexus app running as their main interface.  If you want a machine that isn't a phone, this is a good device.  If you need a phone, buy something from OnePlus or Samsung, especially if you can get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8, Gen 3.  For the price I paid, it was an easy choice, US$100 for the controller and US$100 for the device.

Update 2024.08.02: Something was odd when I was updating a game.  There wasn't enough space.  I've been using a Google Pixel 6a with two accounts on 128 GB of storage.  The Edge only has one account on 128 GB of storage.  It's certainly possible that the games have become larger.  However, there seemed to be plenty of space and I removed some screenshots and it was fine after that.

 I just can't imagine that one account has suddenly become bigger than two accounts put together.  Maybe, it's Android 12, although I had two accounts on the OnePlus 8T but I had 256 GB of storage.

Solo Leveling: Arise after two months

 I'm at character level 60 and Reputation level 27.  It's been about two months.  I'm slowing down compared to the first month, but I didn't see that level with Honkai: Star Rail until about eight months.

 

There are many obstacles still but here is something I just learned.  You can play the story in Hard mode and get Essence Stones and Weapon Enhancement material without destroying your progress in Normal mode.  I've been struggling with Gates to get all the enhancements I needed and suddenly, I've been able to get quite a bit by playing the first few chapters in Hard mode.  I still don't have enough credits to apply the enhancements but it helps.

I'm currently waiting for about 90 minutes for the newest update.  There is a new character and at least one new weapon, including a Fire-oriented SSR-ranked weapon for the main character.  I watched the live stream for the first time.

Hopefully, new weapons will be attainable without money.  I really don't like to spend and I didn't spend any money with Honkai: Star Rail or Genshin Impact, unlike most people who play.

Update 2024.07.10: Battle Tier is at level 15, after getting Aquamarine earrings for one of the top three characters and getting them to level 14, as well as getting her weapon to level 60. 

The 20 custom draws didn't get me the new fire-oriented weapon or the new character but I got some already-owned characters which makes the Advance multiplier rise.  I'm still trying to get everyone up to level 60, so it's better to Advance.  It would be good to have SSR-ranked weapons for the SSR-ranked Hunters.

Update 2024.07.11: I just noticed that the updated game has ignored my graphics and language settings.  It didn't mess with my progress, thankfully.  I'm guessing that they didn't test.

Got the Aquamarine earrings for the other of the top three characters and now, the total power is over 180,000 and I still can't start Chapter 15.  I continue to run out of time on the first episode, even with the wind-oriented weapon.

Update 2024.07.12: Character level is 61 and Reputation level is 28. Some of those delays with the blue progress circle that you dislike so much get worse at character level 60.

Update 2024.07.14: Character level is 62.  Is there more resistance at difficulty level 16?  I'm not always completing S-ranked Red Gates.  Then again, I'm finishing SSS on A-ranked Gates.  Who knows?

Update 2024.07.15: Reputation level is up to 29.  Got some custom draw tickets and got one Hunter SSR-ranked weapon and another for the main character, plus another Thetis' Grimoire, so that gives an Advance level progress.  The Grimoire is already powerful at level 80, but as I reach new difficulties, it will need to be even more.  Sadly, I didn't get a fire-oriented weapon for the main character and I'm still using an SR-ranked weapon.  The SSR-ranked water-oriented weapon I got is good, but not necessary.

I got Chapter 15 started.  I didn't complete the first two episodes as quickly as the award requires, but I finished.  Having a wind-oriented weapon at level 80, along with Thetis' Grimoire at level 80, things can be done.  The total power is a bit over 186,000.  Now, it says that you need 150,000 to start Chapter 15.  Am I not understanding?  If I had two wind-oriented weapons, it might have been smoother and quicker.

Update 2024.07.18: I'm up to Reputation level 30 and Character level 63.  The total power is a bit over 190,000, which is close to the next Battle Tier level.

 

I have two Hunter SSR-ranked weapons to get to level 80.  They're both around half that now.  I've got enough SSR-ranked Hunters that I need something special.  I keep wishing for a fire-oriented SSR-ranked weapon for the main character but that hasn't happened.  I got some Advances on the others, though.  Struggling is expected, though.  I'm not spending bunches of money.  I spent some money early in the game and didn't get as much as I had hoped.

Update 2024.07.22: I'm up to Reputation level 31 and Character level 64.  I tried Difficulty level 20 but that didn't go well and I've brought it back down to 18 for the moment.  Raising the Artifacts level is going slowly.  So few work and it uses up resources too quickly.

Update 2024.07.25: I'm up to Reputation level 32 and Character level 65.  Got Yoo Soohyun and her weapon.  Getting them up to the best levels.  She's looking powerful.  Sword of Light still the most powerful Hunter weapon at the moment.  Crafted the weapon for Silver Mane Baek Yoonho, which should make him much more powerful.

Update 2024.07.27: Since I've rearranged the weapons, Hunters are in different order.  Yoo Soohyun has low skill numbers, so she's probably the most powerful, once skills and artifacts and her weapon are at a higher level.

 

Update 2024.07.29: Character level is 66 and Reputation level is 33.  Hunters have been re-arranged a bit, as I've got the artifacts on Yoo Soohyun at a higher level.  Haven't got her weapon above level 75 because I'm trying to bring the main character's new weapon, Vulcan's Rage, up to level 60.  This is the first SSR-ranked fire-oriented weapon for Sung Jinwoo that is available.  I also haven't touched Demonic Plum Flower Sword at all, even though that is brand new.  I have two other SSR-ranked dark-oriented weapons.

It feels as though Difficulty 18 is back where I expect it.  I should be up a level or two soon.  (We use the word "level" a lot in these games, don't we?) 

Update 2024.07.30: There is maintenance tomorrow and since the end of the second month is about here, there should be another, bigger maintenance and changes the next week.  I'm sure they are still introducing all of the battle modes they originally planned.  They probably have a plan for the whole 12 months.  Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail were that way.  Hoyoverse has had a couple of weeks with Zoneless Zone Zero.  I seem to remember their crying for Genshin Impact players after a few months of Honkai: Star Rail.

Have you played other Netmarble games?  I'm playing Tower of God: New World, Grand Cross: Age of Titans, and Seven Knights II.  They're all good but very different.

Back to SLA, I need to get weapons to maximum.  I've managed to Level Break several weapons and I have enough weapon enhancement materials but I don't have credits and I don't want to spend real money.  I played 12 more gates this morning and that's helped, but increasing skills and weapons levels takes credit and the gates helped but it's not a perfect solution. 

If you haven't seen the latest codes from the live stream, here they are!

I'm waiting for Tower of God: New World to open up at any moment and another two hours or so for Solo Leveling: Arise.  Other games will be offline Wednesday but of course, I'm not playing them right now, for whatever reason.  Will I pay US$18.99 and get Sung Jinwoo's summer outfit?

 

Update 2024.07.31: New artifacts exist, and I've brought them up to level 15 and the Battle Tier power is over 200,000, putting the team at level 17.

Update 2024.08.02: Got another set of artifacts from the summer theme.  They're also in the 60s, rather than the 40s and maybe a 50 that I've been using.  Character level is 67 and Reputation level is 33.  Finished a couple of gates this week and the final damage total was over 1 million.  I wasn't quick enough to get a screenshot but it's happened twice.

Update 2024.08.04: Character level is 68 and Reputation level is 34.  Things have opened up again.  There was something about Reverse.  Smashing watermelons is interesting.  Out of 15 SSR-ranked characters, I have eight, including

• Amamiya Mirei
• Meilin Fisher
• Yoo Soohyun
• Alicia Blanche
• Lee Bora
• Woo Jinchul
• Choi Jong-In
• Silver Mane Baek Yoonho

That's quite a few but the second most powerful right now is an SR-ranked hunter, Lee Joohee, with quite a few duplicates making Advance a huge difference.  Making progress is slow but good.  These summer weapons are interesting.  The shark surfboard and there are also shark water guns are both SSR-ranked and in my arsenal now.  It's difficult to find enough weapons for the Hunters.

Update 2024.08.06: Reputation level is 35.  Amamiya Mirei is third most powerful Hunter right now.  Got her exclusive weapon and got it again, so she is strong.  I like the sweeping way her character moves.  Maybe, it's just some of the Summer battles but she seems so powerful.  It should be interesting to handle gates with her.

Update 2024.08.09: The character level is 69 and Reputation level is 36.  I've given Lee Joohee a Shark water gun that has a number of Advance progressions.  She was the most powerful Hunter again, until I had another Advance on Bunny BunBun and Amamiya Mirei is now the most powerful.  The Battle Tier is the same but at 222,000+ they're close to the next level.

Need so many resources to level up the weapons and skills.  Coming up on character level 70, skills can be enhanced further.

Update 2024.08.11: Character level is 70.  Never thought when I started the game that I'd go this far and it's been only three months.  Further upgrades to skills are available at this level.  Battle Tier is level 17 now, exceeding 228,000.  I'm not sure that the numbers for Sung Jinwoo really matter or it's just something to give us a sense of control.

Sword Chronicles: Awaken for seven months

 I've been playing Sword Chronicles: Awaken since the end of 2023.  I just hit level 100 today.

I changed my Japanese name to the Chinese equivalent.

 

 (Contrast that to Black Clover M where I'm still at level 25 with a load of characters at maximum levels and struggling to finish Chapter 5. I started both the same week.)

Sword Chronicles: Awaken takes place in feudal China, mentioning the Han dynasty, which is supposedly the best era for China, so my buddy named Han says.

The main character is given a Divine Weapon and very little else.  He meets various characters, ranked R to UR, that help him.  He eventually gets six characters to fight in a group as his soldiers.  You upgrade their gear, as you upgrade your Divine Weapons.  Later, you can upgrade the characters themselves.

There is a lot of automation available, depending on your level.  I've done it this way so long, I'm not sure I could work the manual controls quickly.  Around level 75, the Hare Assistant started helping me handle a lot of functions that I might not have even found.

 

Now, I have eight Divine Weapons, three pets, 71 characters of which five are ranked UR, two are ranked R, and the rest are SSR, many because of upgrades--awakening.  I only got one UR character SP Zhao Yun from the draw/pull.  Characters come with their own weapons.

Building characters in your squad takes time.  Building gear takes resources and time.

 Divine weapons have powerful graphic animation.

 

I not only have the typical track, Main Story, but also Elite since around account level 60.  If I'm stuck on one, I can usually get through the other.  However, I can go a couple of days without progress.  The Power of Fate is useful in making sure every character is productive and safe.  I'm now at level 35.

I've actually made it to level 102 since then.  I haven't upgraded my title, as I need to buy more of the Ultra Edict.  Gacha gotcha.  I don't remember if I ever spent real money on this.  There are other games out there that concentrate on good boobs and nothing else.  This has a story throughout the chapters.  There are recreational situations that get you closer to the heroes, such as feasts and hot springs.

Update 2024.07.30: The one year anniversary business keeps me guessing.  I'm trying just to increase everything and continue upward with bigger numbers.  I'm still getting a few defeats but many victories.  I think I'm at level 106 now.  I'm still confused about how to do some things or find some resources.  Regardless, it's not as bad as Black Clover M.