ARK Archives

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

Snail Games blames marketing team for Ark: Aquatica AI trailer

Lead game designer Matt Kohl clarified that the AI-generated animation in the trailer for Ark: Aquatica was created by the marketing department, not the development team, which did not use AI in the game's development. The trailer, unveiled at the Game Developers Conference, received significant criticism from fans, prompting Studio Wildcard to issue a statement distancing itself from the project.

AppWizard

February 15, 2025

FMV Psychological Horror Game ‘Hello Stranger’ Coming to PC in May

Aviary Studios is set to release the full-motion video psychological horror-thriller game "Hello Stranger" on PC via Steam in May 2025. The game, written and directed by Paul Raschid, follows Cam, a man whose life is dominated by his smart home and a video chatting app. The narrative escalates when Cam encounters a masked stranger during a chat, leading to a series of life-or-death games that depend on player choices. The game features a cast including George Blagden, Danny Griffin, Christina Wolfe, Kulvinder Ghir, Laura Whitmore, Yasmin Finney, and Derek Jacobi. It includes over four hours of filmed content, choice-based mechanics, and ten possible endings, enhancing replayability. "Hello Stranger" was showcased at the Dinard Film Festival 2024 and the Red Sea Film Festival 2024. It is priced at .99 and is available for wishlisting on Steam.

AppWizard

December 14, 2024

7 hardcore survival games that are great to play in peaceful mode

Vintage Story allows players to customize gameplay by disabling seasons, increasing resource deposits, and modifying mob behaviors, including options to eliminate hostile mobs. Project Zomboid features a sandbox mode where players can turn off zombies, focusing on crafting, building, foraging, and farming while managing potential injuries and illnesses. Ark: Survival Evolved can be played in a more peaceful manner by creating a cozy environment on private servers or in single-player mode, allowing for leisurely crafting and cooking. Icarus offers an outpost mode to disable predators, enabling players to cultivate crops, raise animals, and build their dream base while managing occasional threats. Sons of the Forest includes a peaceful mode that prevents the spawning of mutants and cannibals, allowing players to focus on building, hunting, and crafting without constant attacks. Raft features a peaceful mode that allows players to explore the ocean and enhance their raft without the threat of animal attacks unless provoked. Valheim's "Casual" setting enables players to explore without fear of being attacked unless they initiate combat, allowing for relaxed building and resource gathering.

AppWizard

December 4, 2024

Smilegate invests in Absurd Ventures

Smilegate has made a strategic investment in Dan Houser's Absurd Ventures, although the specifics of the funding are undisclosed. This partnership allows Smilegate to engage with Absurd Ventures' upcoming intellectual property. Dan Houser expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, noting a shared vision with Smilegate's founder, Kwon. Joonho Sung, CEO of Smilegate, emphasized the commitment to delivering engaging gaming experiences and described the partnership as a critical milestone in Smilegate's journey toward becoming a global IP powerhouse.

AppWizard

November 15, 2024

Best Android app price drops and freebies: Kingdom Eighties, Inked, Bad North, more

- GoPro HERO13 Black action camera is at its lowest price to date. - Best Buy has launched early Black Friday Doorbusters. - TCL Google Smart TVs are available at significant discounts. - Google’s Fitbit Ace LTE kids smartwatch is now at a lower price. - Samsung's 15W Wireless Fast Charger Duo is on sale. - There is a ,200 discount on Samsung’s 165Hz Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen 55-inch 4K gaming monitor. - Today's app and game deals include titles such as Kingdom Eighties, Inked, Kingdom: New Lands, Kingdom Two Crowns, Bad North: Jotunn Edition, and Super Onion Boy 2.

AppWizard

November 15, 2024

Here are the nominees for PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted

The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted will be broadcast on December 5 at 12 pm PST / 8 pm GMT across platforms like Twitch and YouTube. The show will feature a countdown of the 25 Most Wanted games, selected by a panel called The Council, which includes game developers and content creators. The selection process begins with a long list of over 100 unreleased games, narrowed down based on criteria such as game profile, premise, and creative direction. Only games set to release before January 1, 2025, or currently in Early Access are eligible. The final list is determined through a voting process using a 1-5 scale, factoring in Release Certainty and total votes. The nominees for the Most Wanted 2024 include titles such as Path of Exile 2, Deltarune, Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, and Grand Theft Auto 6, among others.

BetaBeacon

November 7, 2024

Rust, the hit PC survival game, is coming to mobile

Rust, a popular open-world survival game, is coming to mobile. It is known for its realistic gameplay and intense clan warfare. The mobile version is expected to be released no earlier than late 2025.

AppWizard

October 29, 2024

Hands-on: Xbox’s “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle” isn’t just shaping up to be a fantastic game, it might represent the Disney franchise’s future

Many gamers are skeptical of video game adaptations of established franchises due to a history of failures. Machine Games is developing a new title, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, scheduled for release on December 9, 2024, exclusively on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Windows PCs, with a PlayStation 5 version to follow in 2025. The game is set in 1937, between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, featuring historical antagonists like the Nazi regime. Players will control Indiana Jones as he investigates the theft of an ancient Egyptian burial vase with Marcus Brodie. The game emphasizes investigation and exploration, offering around 30 hours of gameplay filled with hidden objectives and challenging puzzles. It incorporates stealth mechanics and allows players to use everyday objects as weapons, with a focus on creativity and immersion. The demo showcased elements of dynamic gameplay and sound design reminiscent of the original films, although it had some graphical inconsistencies.

AppWizard

October 29, 2024

TI-84 CE calculator demonstrated playing PC games, slowly — Plays Sonic X Shadow Generations remaster at 2FPS

Footage of the remastered speedrunning platformer Sonic X Shadow Generations has been shared on Twitter/X, featuring gameplay controlled by a TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator at 2 FPS. The clip, part of a two-minute segment from a six-minute video on YouTube channel @Barcadepod, showcases the first two acts of Space Colony Ark, an HD remix of stages from Sonic Adventure 2. Player @DomDaTurtl achieved A ranks in both acts despite the limitations of the calculator setup. The gameplay utilized Calc2KeyCE, an application that allows TI-84 Plus CE users to send keyboard inputs and receive video streams from a PC. While the gaming experience is not optimal, the input lag was manageable on a PC monitor. Key binding challenges were noted, particularly for those used to traditional controllers. The text also mentions that dedicated handheld devices, like the Steam Deck, provide better gaming experiences, supporting Sonic X Shadow Generations and running the Doom series effectively.

AppWizard

October 12, 2024

With Throne and Liberty, can Amazon finally make Amazon Games happen?

Throne and Liberty is a free-to-play MMORPG developed by NCSoft and published by Amazon Games, available on Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The game features impressive graphics that stand out on higher settings, providing a vibrant and immersive fantasy world. The character creator offers extensive customization options, including preset faces and hairstyles, although the current lack of equipment variety in endgame content may limit character curation. The game's narrative follows a conventional "chosen one" arc with an underdeveloped storyline and lacks memorable characters. Throne and Liberty may appeal to players seeking a grind-heavy, guild-based PvP experience, but those looking for richer storytelling might consider alternatives. Amazon Games has a troubled history in game publishing, with previous titles like New World and Lost Ark experiencing varying levels of success. Throne and Liberty launched on October 1, 2024, achieving a peak of over 333,000 players. The game has modest hardware requirements, running on lower settings with an Intel Core i5-7700 and Nvidia GeForce GTX960, while optimal performance is suggested with an Intel Core i5-11600K and Nvidia GeForce GTX1660. Console players require only 40GB of available storage.