Black Myth: Wukong Archives

AppWizard

May 20, 2025

What’s driving growth in the Chinese video game industry?

The Chinese game industry has experienced significant growth, with popular titles like Genshin Impact and Black Myth: Wukong driving global interest. Black Myth: Wukong sold 10 million copies within a week of its August 2024 launch and won Game of the Year at the 2024 Steam Awards. The single-player game market in China is becoming more sustainable, with a shift in focus due to the success of titles like Black Myth: Wukong. Developers are adapting their strategies, although challenges such as high production costs, competition, and issues related to work culture persist. Local governments are actively supporting game development through licensing, tax breaks, and grants, with initiatives aimed at integrating cultural themes into games. Despite layoffs in the industry, a robust social safety net exists to support affected employees.

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

Stellar Blade Devs Address PC Release Controversies

Stellar Blade has become highly popular on the PlayStation 5, topping the PlayStation Store charts and selling out merchandise. The game is set to release on PC on June 11th, following its transition from a former exclusive. The developer, Shift Up, has addressed community concerns regarding region locks, content parity between PC and PlayStation versions, and the necessity of a PlayStation Network account for the PC version. All content, including the Nier: Automata crossover, will be available on PC. The introduction of Denuvo DRM has sparked debate due to potential impacts on frame rates and offline playability, but the development team claims it is optimized to maintain performance. Stellar Blade is available for pre-order on Steam, with the base version priced at .99 and a Complete Edition at .99, which includes additional content.

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

The Best PC Games of 2025 So Far (Spring Edition)

Spring 2025 has seen the release of several notable PC games, including: - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: Released on April 24, 2025, by Sandfall Interactive, it sold over 1 million copies in three days and features a blend of French art nouveau aesthetics and JRPG combat mechanics. - Monster Hunter Wilds: Released on February 28, 2025, by Capcom, it introduces full narrative integration and dynamic monster interactions. - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered: Released on April 22, 2025, by Bethesda Game Studios, it attracted over 4 million players shortly after launch and features enhanced visuals and gameplay updates. Other early 2025 releases include: - Blue Prince (April 10, 2025) - Split Fiction (March 6, 2025) - Atomfall (March 27, 2025) - Assassin’s Creed Shadows (March 20, 2025) - Two Point Museum (March 5, 2025) - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (January 23, 2025) - Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (January 22, 2025) - Ninja Gaiden II Black (January 23, 2025) - The Talos Principle: Reawakened (April 10, 2025) Highly anticipated titles for later in 2025 include: - Grand Theft Auto VI (Late 2025) - Doom: The Dark Ages (May 15, 2025) - Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (August 28, 2025) - The Outer Worlds 2 (Expected 2025) - Borderlands 4 (September 12, 2025) - Marvel’s Blade (TBA 2025) - Hades II (Full Release later 2025) - Frostpunk 2 (Summer 2025) - Slay the Spire 2 (Early Access Expected 2025) - Anno 117: Pax Romana (Expected 2025) - Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 (October 2025) - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Expected 2025) - Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl (Expected 2025) In 2024, top-rated PC games included: 1. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree 2. Metaphor: ReFantazio 3. UFO 50 4. Tekken 8 5. Caves of Qud 6. Animal Well 7. Satisfactory 8. Balatro 9. Thank Goodness You’re Here! 10. The Last of Us Part II Remastered The PC gaming landscape in 2024 was characterized by significant hardware advancements, improved game integration and compatibility, and thriving online communities.

AppWizard

April 19, 2025

The Best PC Games Right Now (2025)

PC gaming in 2025 features a mix of innovative remasters, indie titles, and new intellectual properties, providing a wide range of experiences for gamers. The most played games on Steam include Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and Dota 2, with Counter-Strike 2 leading in player engagement due to its esports scene. Notable new releases include Blue Prince, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and Promise Mascot Agency. Other popular games outside Steam are Minecraft, Fortnite, and Valorant. Genre-specific leaders include South of Midnight for action, Myst (Remastered) for adventure, and Street Fighter 6 for fighting. Upcoming anticipated titles include Grand Theft Auto 6 and Elden Ring: Nightreign. Trends in 2025 highlight esports engagement, indie innovation, purposeful remakes, and cinematic storytelling. Last Epoch's Season 2 update has revitalized player interest with new content and enhancements. The year 2019 was significant for PC gaming, with acclaimed titles like Resident Evil 2, Control, and Disco Elysium, and marked by the influence of digital distribution platforms.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

The Best PC Games to Play Right Now (Spring 2025)

PC gaming in 2025 features advanced GPUs enabling ray tracing and AI-enhanced upscaling, with tools like Unreal Engine 5 facilitating diverse game development. Platforms such as Steam and Epic Games Store host tens of thousands of titles, with over 13,000 new games launched on Steam in 2024. Notable games include Baldur’s Gate 3, Elden Ring, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, Cyberpunk 2077, Valorant, Overwatch 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, Warframe, and Apex Legends. Key trends include cross-platform compatibility, free-to-play models, and game subscription services. Optimal gaming setups typically require a mid-range processor, a GTX 1070 or better graphics card, and at least 16GB of RAM. Popular multiplayer games include Valorant and Apex Legends, while highly rated titles include Baldur’s Gate 3, Elden Ring, and Disco Elysium. Classics worth playing today include The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Portal 2.

AppWizard

March 31, 2025

I played 5 games on an RTX 5070 vs RTX 5070 Ti gaming PC — is it worth paying extra

Both the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti GPUs are being tested across five demanding PC games to evaluate their performance. The RTX 5070 is priced at £529, while the RTX 5070 Ti is priced at £729. In Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 5070 achieved 17 FPS and the RTX 5070 Ti achieved 25 FPS at 4K Ultra settings without DLSS. With DLSS 4 enabled, both GPUs exceeded 100 FPS. In Forza Horizon 5, both GPUs showed similar 1% low performance. In Call of Duty Black Ops 6, the RTX 5070 showed limitations compared to the RTX 5070 Ti. Black Myth: Wukong revealed a noticeable performance gap between the two GPUs, while both performed well in Alan Wake II. The RTX 5070 Ti is recommended for multiplayer gaming, while the RTX 5070 may suffice for single-player experiences. Both GPUs offer enhanced performance for users with older hardware.

AppWizard

March 27, 2025

English is no longer the biggest language on Steam as Chinese gamers embrace PC gaming even harder after Black Myth: Wukong

Mandarin is the most widely used language on Steam, with 33.7% of users selecting it as their primary language, followed closely by English at 33.5%. Over 66% of Steam users have chosen a primary language other than English. The popularity of games developed by Chinese companies, such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, has contributed to this trend. Chinese game developers often have significantly larger budgets and workforces compared to Japanese developers. Additionally, Mandarin speakers are not only from mainland China but also from Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia, with reports of the language being encountered in South Korea and Vietnam in 2023.

AppWizard

March 24, 2025

The First Berserker: Khazan review

The First Berserker: Khazan is a cell-shaded soulslike game set in the Dungeon Fighter Online universe, where players control Khazan, a fallen general seeking revenge after being exiled and mutilated. The game features linear missions with checkpoints called Blade Nexuses and offers a diverse arsenal of three weapons, each with its own skill tree. Combat involves accumulating Spirit points through attacks and deflections, with a strict stamina system that allows for combo execution. Players earn Lacrima by engaging with bosses, rewarding them for learning and adapting during encounters. The game includes mechanics like timed deflections and unblockable attacks, with alternative skill paths for those who prefer dodging. However, the missions between bosses can feel repetitive, and the environments may lack diversity. The game showcases an anime-inspired art style and runs smoothly, but some areas may appear drab. A demo could help potential players understand the game's mechanics and narrative better.

AppWizard

March 21, 2025

PC Gamers Only Spent 8 Percent Of Their Time Playing New Games Last Year, Report Claims

Recent insights from Newzoo indicate that in 2024, only 8 percent of gaming hours were spent on newly released PC games, with players favoring older titles. Iconic games like Roblox, League of Legends, and Fortnite accounted for 67 percent of total PC playtime, while games released two to five years ago made up 25 percent. In contrast, new releases from 2024 captured only 8 percent of playtime. On consoles, 44 percent of PlayStation playtime and 49 percent of Xbox playtime were attributed to games released six or more years ago, with console gamers dedicating 15 percent of their time to new titles. The competition for player engagement is intense, making it difficult for new games to gain attention despite their quality.

AppWizard

March 20, 2025

Only 8 Percent Of PC Gaming Time Was Spent On New Games Last Year, Report Claims

Players are increasingly favoring older titles, with only 8 percent of PC gaming hours in 2024 dedicated to newly released games. The report from Newzoo indicates that PC gamers primarily engage with titles at least six years old, with games like Roblox, League of Legends, and Fortnite accounting for 67 percent of total PC playtime. Games released between two to five years ago contribute 25 percent, while new releases from 2024 make up only 8 percent. On consoles, approximately 44 percent of gaming time on PlayStation and 49 percent on Xbox is spent on titles released six or more years ago, with console gamers dedicating 15 percent of their playtime to new releases from 2024. The gaming industry saw over 18,000 games launched on Valve’s platform in 2024, indicating a significant increase in new releases.