GLARE OBSCURE

The art of PC gaming feng shui

- Phil Iwaniuk

Unpacking, that miraculously engrossing little puzzle game from back in 2021, taught us a great many things. That you can tell someone's life story by inviting the player to root through their stuff. That there’s a remarkable tranquillity in arranging environments in an orderly manner, probably a throwback to our caveman instincts to keep our habitat ordered so that we could better scan for predators. And, above all, that it really, really matters where you place your PC in the room.

Whether you're talking about the isometric tower PC you just picked up from a pretend packing box or your own machine, there are a lot of permutations and nuances to where you might place it and its peripherals for maximum immersion and joy. A truism that didn't strike me until I played Unpacking, five years late.

When it comes to picking a gaming keyboard we're more than willing to observe and evaluate the options at an almost microscopic level. Yes, this one has the exact key switches I like, and produces the specific tactile feedback I have a preference for. Yes, its keycaps are double-shot textured PBT. But what material's the backplate made out of, for goodness sake? Do you think I'm just going to pick up any old keyboard and use it? Oh, where do I want my PC setup? Just drop it down anywhere that doesn't have a window behind it.