alien Archives

AppWizard

July 30, 2026

Half-Life: Alyx gets ‘No VR’ mode, perfect for those without an expensive headset

Half-Life: Alyx has introduced a 'No VR' mode that allows players without virtual reality headsets to play the entire campaign on a flatscreen. Originally launched in 2019 as a VR-exclusive title, it faced criticism for being inaccessible to many fans of the series. The new mod enhances gameplay with interaction mechanics similar to those in games like SOMA or Amnesia, allowing players to engage with objects by aiming and holding down a button. Currently in testing, the mod covers only the first chapter of the game, with a public release expected soon. While the game is designed for VR, the mod offers an opportunity for those unable to use a headset to experience the narrative and gameplay interactively.

AppWizard

July 28, 2026

Xbox Announces Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, Metro 2039, Minecraft Dungeons 2 and More for Gamescom

Xbox will return to Gamescom from August 26th to 30th, featuring 25 playable titles including Stranger Than Heaven, Alien: Isolation 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Minecraft Dungeons 2, and Metro 2039. Players can engage with the multiplayer mode of Modern Warfare 4, and Playground Games will present a live demonstration of Fable's combat mechanics. Attendees will experience the campaign of Gears of War: E-Day before its launch. Other titles include Alien Deathstorm, The Blood of Dawnwalker, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Turok Origins, and Valor Mortis. Halo: Campaign Evolved and the Drift Attack mode in Forza Horizon 6 will also be available. Live broadcasts are scheduled for 7 AM PST on August 26th and 27th, featuring interviews and gameplay reveals. Gamescom Opening Night Live will occur on August 25th, showcasing titles like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past and Silent Hill: Townfall.

AppWizard

July 26, 2026

A classic Giger-inspired adventure game just got a sequel

Tormentum II is a standalone sequel to the original Tormentum: Dark Sorrow, which was heavily influenced by H. R. Giger's biomechanical art. The sequel, developed over eight years, offers a fresh narrative while maintaining similar thematic elements. It is currently available on Steam with a 15% discount, and a demo is also offered. The original game is on sale with a 67% discount.

AppWizard

July 19, 2026

Get 15 games for $15 in Humble’s 2K Megahits bundle, including Bioshock Infinite, Risk of Rain 2, and one of my favourite shooters of all time

2K and Humble have launched a 2026 'Megahits' bundle featuring 15 games for a minimum price, with notable titles including Risk of Rain 2, Borderlands 3, Mafia 2, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Homeworld: Remastered Collection, Bioshock Infinite, Tales from The Borderlands, The Quarry, Hidden and Dangerous 1 and 2, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour, Tribes of Midgard, The Darkness 2, and Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition. The bundle has a combined value of , and a portion of the proceeds will support Covenant House, a charity for homeless and trafficked youth in North and South America.

AppWizard

July 12, 2026

Weekend PC Game Deals: GTA, Borderlands, Kingdom Come, Stray and more

The Epic Games Store is offering two free titles this week: Nova Lands and Tattoo Tycoon, available until July 16, when Echo Generation and Luto will replace them. The July Humble Choice lineup includes eight games: Sea of Stars: Sunset Edition, TUNIC, Neon White, Police Simulator: Patrol Officers, Drop Duchy - Complete Edition, Sledders, Dicefolk, and Our Adventurer Guild, available for purchase until August 4. Additionally, Humble has released two game bundles: the Narrative Bundle, featuring 12 games, and the Squad Goals bundle, which includes cooperative titles. The GOG store has ended its DRM-free summer sale but continues with standard promotions. Availability and pricing may vary by region.

AppWizard

July 12, 2026

Roughly 192 Subnautica 2 players have drowned every minute since launch

Players of Subnautica 2 have collectively logged over 58 million hours of gameplay in under two months since its early access launch. During this time, players have recorded a staggering number of drownings, exceeding the average annual unintentional drowning deaths in the United States (4,083) by a factor of 3,829. Many players are equipped with oxygen tanks and exploring areas with breathable oxygen bubbles.

AppWizard

July 10, 2026

One of my favorite Warhammer 40,000 books is getting an unexpected sequel

Games Workshop has shifted its focus to explore the perspectives of various alien species in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Notable works include "Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh" for ork fans and "Voidscarred" for those interested in aeldari pirates. The novel "The Infinite and the Divine" by Robert Rath centers on the rivalry between two necrons, Orikan the Diviner and Trazyn the Infinite, who clash over an artifact and face various challenges, including confrontations with Exodite armies and xenos uprisings. Orikan and Trazyn will return in the upcoming title "The Wicked and the Warped," where they must collaborate to uncover the fate of a lost expedition on a Chaos-tainted planet. A reprint of "The Infinite and the Divine" in hardback format is forthcoming, and its audiobook version has received positive reviews.

AppWizard

July 7, 2026

You still can’t kill fish in Subnautica 2, but starting tomorrow you’ll at least be able to ‘stun’ them

Subnautica 2 has sold over one million copies within its first hour and surpassed four million in a week. The game features aggressive alien creatures and implements a no-killing policy, removing the knife from gameplay. Modders have created a combat mod, but an official update (version 1.1) will introduce a stun system that allows players to deter aggressive fish using a sonic resonator. This update will include "stun states" for various creatures, enhancing gameplay while maintaining the game's focus on exploration and survival without violence.

AppWizard

July 4, 2026

The best PC games of 2026 (that don’t need a graphics card)

Mina the Hollower is an indie game from the studio behind Shovel Knight, inspired by classic top-down Zelda adventures, featuring a mouse hero and RPG-like customization. Mewgenics, developed by Edmund McMillen, involves breeding cats and genetic manipulation in a tactical turn-based format. Typing Break combines typing skills with gameplay reminiscent of Space Invaders and Breakout. Dosa Divas features two sisters using a mech food truck to combat the fast-food industry, blending RPG mechanics with culinary creativity. Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator offers a satirical take on trading mechanics from the perspective of an alien day trader. Cardburners is a fast-paced card game with multiple modes for solo or online multiplayer. Cassette Boy features puzzle mechanics with an environment that players can rotate. Beatdown City Survivors combines bullet heaven elements with direct combat mechanics. Forbidden Solitaire adds horror elements to the classic card game format with roguelike mechanics. Replaced features a noir-inspired cyberpunk narrative with 3D environments and pixel art. You Have Billions Invested in Generative AI is a free-to-play indie game that satirizes technology investment.

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

After a delay in 2025 and two delays this year (plus two more short delays this morning) mech fortress-builder Sand has finally launched

Sand: Raiders of Sophie is a PvPvE extraction shooter set in an alien desert where players build and pilot mechanical bases while battling rivals and their own creations. The game's early access launch was initially scheduled for April 2025 but was postponed to March 2026, then to June 10, and finally delayed to June 22, reverting to an early access model. On the launch day, technical issues caused a delay of "an hour or two" before the game was released on Steam after a countdown. The game is currently available at a 21% discount for two weeks.