cartel Archives

AppWizard

February 17, 2026

High on Life 2 review – skateboard-powered sequel is much easier to like than its painful predecessor

High on Life 2, the sequel to Squanch Games' first-person shooter, features advancements despite ongoing technical issues. Players return as an intergalactic bounty hunter following the defeat of the G3 cartel, now tasked with dismantling Rhea Pharmaceutical. The game introduces a variety of missions involving eccentric billionaires and mad scientists, with a notable mission set on a convention planet. The gameplay includes skateboarding, enhancing movement and combat. The sequel's tone is improved, with better character development and less abrasive humor, although the shooting mechanics remain lacking. Technical challenges persist, including significant bugs, but accessibility options have been added to enhance inclusivity.

AppWizard

December 23, 2025

Struggling tactical FPS reinvents itself with lengthy free trial and major update that makes it a more realistic mil sim

Exfil debuted to mixed reviews on Steam at the end of 2024 and has struggled to regain traction since its release. The game is making efforts to win back its audience with a free trial from December 22 to December 31, 2025, and a comprehensive update. The update includes two new maps, eleven new weapons, nine new attachments, eight new gadgets, enhanced FPS mechanics, reworked ballistics, improved audio and visual effects, helicopter support, and smarter enemy AI in PvPvE modes. Accessibility features such as a field of view slider and colorblind modes have also been introduced. Exfil is available for free on Steam until December 31 and is offered at a 30% discount until January 5. The game remains in early access.

AppWizard

November 29, 2025

Darktide’s new Hive Scum class can transform into a nigh-on immortal John Wick with infinite bullets—it’s no wonder Fatshark’s nerfed it before release

The Hive Scum class in the Warhammer 40,000 universe is a formidable ranged class, initially deemed the most powerful before adjustments were made to its capabilities. It features enhanced dodges, melee immunity while sliding, and immunity to ranged critical hits. A key ability, Enhanced Desperado, allows players to become immune to all ranged attacks, gain increased sprint speed, and reload without consuming ammo, although its cooldown has been adjusted from 30 to 45 seconds. The class also has strong melee combat potential and support capabilities through abilities like Stimm Supply, which provides team-wide benefits. Each character can access a 'Stimm Lab' tree with various stimm options that have specific effects and cooldowns. The class includes customizable cosmetics reflecting different gangs from Tertium, though these designs are criticized for being basic and generic. Overall, the Hive Scum class offers significant build potential and mobility, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience.

Tech Optimizer

November 6, 2025

DragonForce Cartel Emerges Following Conti v3 Ransomware Source Code Leak

Acronis Threat Research Unit (TRU) analyzed the DragonForce ransomware cartel, which emerged in 2023 as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operation and transitioned to a cartel model. DragonForce utilizes leaked Conti v3 code and has similarities with LockBit Green in encryption and backend configurations. By early 2025, it rebranded as the “DragonForce Ransomware Cartel,” offering affiliates 80 percent profit shares and infrastructure support. The cartel has over 200 victims from various sectors since late 2023 and is known for its attack on Marks & Spencer, collaborating with Scattered Spider. DragonForce employs bring-your-own-vulnerable-driver (BYOVD) techniques to evade endpoint protection and has improved its encryption methods. The group has spawned offshoots like Devman and Mamona, which utilize its enhanced encryptor.