PC Archives

AppWizard

October 19, 2026

Beyond These Stars | | PAX Australia 2026 Preview

Beyond These Stars is a city-building game where players construct settlements on the back of a space whale named Kewa. Players manage resources, build pathways, and maintain the whale's health and happiness. A demo at PAX 2026 included a tutorial and gameplay focused on expanding settlements and nurturing the relationship with Kewa. The game features a charming aesthetic with 3D modeling and a hexagonal grid layout, making resource identification and navigation intuitive. Beyond These Stars is set to launch on October 17, 2026, on Steam.

AppWizard

October 19, 2026

23 devs teamed up to make a free game of ‘innovative yet questionable volume sliders,’ and it feels like browser-based WarioWare

Volume.art is a free online collection of 29 microgames that explore the manipulation of volume sliders. The gameplay includes "A man named Bow" by Alice Bottino, where players aim a bow and arrow to achieve a perfect volume level; "What's This About" by Akuma Kira, which involves navigating dialogue choices to persuade a potato character; and "Ctrl+Alt+Date" by Iodine, a parody of dating games with emotional dialogue options. One game, "In the Zone," takes players to a 3D environment inspired by the STALKER series, where they follow a Geiger counter to find the highest volume. The entire experience takes about an hour to complete and offers a nostalgic and innovative approach to gaming.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

Frozen Trail finally puts the ‘raid’ in Arc Raiders

Arc Raiders has introduced two new raid-style activities: the Frigate and the Fallen Emperor. The Frigate features a team of 15 players battling flying robots on a flying fortress, emphasizing teamwork and strategy, while allowing players to upgrade their outpost and craft powerful weapons. The Fallen Emperor offers a more solitary experience with randomized encounters, puzzles, and hazards. There is a growing demand for a PvE-only mode to enhance enjoyment and reduce frustration from PvP elements. The community is excited about the potential for future content and epic raids.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

Should you limit your FPS in games? Here’s when it makes sense

Capping in-game frame rates (fps) can enhance GPU performance, reduce screen tearing, and lower GPU load, leading to quieter fan operation and decreased power consumption. It is generally advisable to cap frame rates to maintain stable performance and minimize screen tearing, especially when using a Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) monitor. Setting a frame rate cap prevents in-game action from exceeding the monitor's refresh rate, which can reduce latency. Screen tearing occurs when a new frame is sent to the monitor before the previous one is fully displayed, causing visual disruptions. To cap frame rates, users can utilize built-in fps limiters in games, NVIDIA Control Panel for NVIDIA users, AMD Adrenalin for AMD users, or third-party software like Guru3D RTSS RivaTuner. The recommended cap is typically three or four frames below the display's maximum refresh rate. V-Sync synchronizes the game's frame rate with the monitor's refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing but introduces input lag, which varies by refresh rate. Fast V-Sync is an alternative that reduces lag while maintaining a tear-free experience, though it may not be compatible with all games.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

Dark Souls 2 dataminer shows off massive prototype coliseum level from early development

Unused levels from Dark Souls II were discovered by dataminer Doneda, indicating a more ambitious vision for the game that was ultimately not realized. These levels were discarded early in development and suggest an interconnected area, with some elements possibly linked to the final game's Undead Crypt. The discovered locations include a grand coliseum zone, adventurous mines, a peculiar underground tower designed as arenas, and a crypt section contributing to the game's dark lore. Doneda has previously showcased other early iterations of Dark Souls II content. The development of Dark Souls II faced challenges, including a divisive new combat system and significant story rewrites, while Hidetaka Miyazaki was focused on Bloodborne. The final game also received backlash for downgraded lighting compared to early trailers, highlighting the tumultuous development process.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

No soundtrack does it like Hades 2

Darren Korb composed the soundtrack for Hades 2, which enhances gameplay and lingers after playing. Key tracks include "Edge of Erebus," "Spider Silk," and "The Song of Sirens," showcasing a blend of mythological themes and modern rock. The soundtrack features songs like "Coral Crown" and "I Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes then Drown You to Death)," which weave a narrative and include humor. "The Titan of Time" is notable for its use of a ticking clock as percussion, while "The Sightless Shepherd" includes a saxophone solo and has sparked community discussions. "Olympus Aflame" captures the chaos of a boss fight with orchestral elements. Korb's work in Hades 2 is considered a high point in his discography, with the soundtrack remaining impactful even after completing the game.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

The Outlast Trials’ initial playtests went poorly: Designer says 6-year development took ‘a fking long time’ and ‘a st-ton of prototypes’

Philippe Morin, co-founder of Red Barrels, discussed the six-year development journey of The Outlast Trials, highlighting the extensive effort and numerous prototypes involved in creating the game. The success of The Outlast Trials has shifted focus away from Outlast 3, which is now less prioritized. The game's reception has also prompted discussions about the use of AI-generated imagery in game design.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Released with PC Problems

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse has returned after nearly two decades, developed by Konami and Evil Empire. The console version has received positive feedback, while the PC version has faced technical issues, resulting in a 71% positive rating on Steam compared to an 84% average score on Metacritic. The game peaked at over 21,000 concurrent players on Steam, indicating strong interest despite the challenges.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

Demon’s Souls runs on PC at 60 FPS, while God of War Ragnarok still blinds players – PlayStation games tested on KyTyPS5 emulator

The KytyPS5 emulator, version v20261017, demonstrated impressive performance by achieving over 60 frames per second (FPS) on a setup with an MD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor and GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card while testing the Demon's Souls remake. With frame generation activated, the FPS increased to 120. The emulator currently supports a maximum resolution of 1440p, but stutters are still present. In contrast, God of War Ragnarok experienced performance issues, running at 10 to 25 FPS with graphical glitches. However, Astro Bot successfully runs on PC at approximately 60 FPS.

AppWizard

October 17, 2026

This game about grinding mute lumps of shapeless flesh has made me realise I’ve been hornswoggled by capitalism

Flesh Grinding is a labor simulator game set to release in the fourth quarter of 2026, where players process grotesque chunks of flesh into minced products while managing time and resources to meet daily quotas. The gameplay involves integrating machines to optimize workflow and produce potions for IV drips, reflecting real-life work experiences and the pursuit of efficiency. The game explores themes of productivity and burnout, drawing parallels to the struggles faced in various careers. It features unsettling imagery and serves as a commentary on the societal expectations surrounding work and compensation.