casual Archives

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

A delayed review, a controversial GOTY pick, and Big Geralt: PC Gamer’s strange 10-year relationship with The Witcher 3

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt celebrates its 10th anniversary this week, marking its evolution from a niche title to a significant influence in modern fantasy storytelling, partly due to the Netflix adaptation. Upon release, it received a score of 92% from PC Gamer and was recognized as a top title in 2016, despite not winning the Game of the Year award in 2015. The game faced distribution challenges, with console versions prioritized over PC, leading to delays in review copies. The community has embraced various memes, including the "tub scene" and "Big Geralt," contributing to the game's cultural impact. The ongoing conversation about its legacy and anticipation for a sequel keeps the franchise relevant.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Games Inbox: Would you buy a PlayStation that was a PC?

The next-generation Xbox may resemble a standard PC, leading to speculation that Sony's PlayStation 6 or 7 could also adopt a 'PC in a box' design due to rising hardware development costs. This shift towards a PC-like architecture could allow Sony to focus more on game development rather than hardware. Players have expressed mixed feelings about recent titles, with some prioritizing gameplay over storytelling. The launch of the Sea Of Stars DLC has been positively received for its free availability, and there is interest in purchasing Hogwarts Legacy on the Switch 2 at a discount for existing owners. Anticipation is building for the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, with fans hoping for new cities to explore. The pre-order situation for the Switch 2 appears more favorable compared to previous console launches, indicating better management of supply and demand by Nintendo.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Live service games are ‘innovating’ all the way back around to what worked 20 years ago, except way worse

Epic Games is introducing a free toolset for Fortnite that allows users to create and publish their own games, accompanied by a revenue-sharing program based on player engagement. Teravision, a studio using the Unreal Engine for Fortnite, has successfully released a roguelike game and plans to develop two more titles. Fortnite's multiplayer approach is shifting away from traditional matchmaking systems, aiming for a more creative environment reminiscent of past games like Garry's Mod and Team Fortress 2. However, the UEFN initiative has been criticized for lacking community spirit and producing low-quality content, with many games focusing on monetization rather than enjoyable gameplay. This trend reflects a broader issue in gaming where progression systems overshadow the core enjoyment of games.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

‘I’m a PC gamer and there are 10 video games I’ve been hooked on since 2020’

Video games have over three billion players globally and are evolving into a dominant force in the entertainment industry. The following ten standout games were released for PC since 2020: 1. Elden Ring (2022) - An action RPG known for its stunning visuals and intricate storytelling, requiring over 70 hours to complete. 2. Split Fiction (2025) - A cooperative narrative game where players battle against a machine stealing creativity, released in March 2025. 3. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (2021) - A remake of the 1997 classic, featuring updated combat mechanics and breathtaking graphics. 4. Valorant (2020) - A tactical hero shooter with a vibrant eSports scene, released in early 2021, with over 1,000 hours logged by the player. 5. Fields of Mistria (2024) - An early access farm life simulation game that allows players to cultivate crops, raise animals, and explore mystical mines. 6. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025) - A turn-based RPG with a blend of traditional and real-time combat mechanics, released last month. 7. Hades (2020) - A roguelike game with fast-paced combat and Greek mythology-inspired artwork, released in 2020. 8. Overwatch 2 (2023) - The sequel to Overwatch, introducing new heroes and a 5v5 format, released in 2023. 9. Visions of Mana (2024) - The fifth main installment in the Mana series, featuring familiar gameplay mechanics. 10. Marvel Rivals (2024) - A game featuring 38 Marvel characters, allowing casual play with friends, released in 2024.

BetaBeacon

May 20, 2025

Android phones can now play the legendary Windows XP Space Cadet pinball game for free

- The classic game "3D Pinball Space Cadet" from Windows XP has been ported to Android devices for free. - Developer Kyle Sylvertre brought the nostalgic game to Android using a GitHub decompilation of the original game by k4zmu2a. - The game is available on the Google Play Store for fans to enjoy, but users may need to scroll down or use a provided link to find the free version.

Tech Optimizer

May 17, 2025

Do You Really Need Antivirus on Windows 11? Probably Not—Here’s Why

Windows 11 has robust built-in security features that may reduce the need for third-party antivirus software. Windows Security now offers comprehensive protection, including real-time malware detection, firewall protection, SmartScreen alerts, hardware-level security, account monitoring, and system health reports. According to AV-TEST results from January and February 2025, Microsoft Defender Antivirus scored 6.0/6.0 in protection, performance, and usability, effectively stopping advanced malware and phishing attempts with minimal system resource usage. Users of Microsoft Edge benefit from SmartScreen filtering, while those using other browsers receive system notifications for network protection. Basic digital hygiene practices, such as avoiding suspicious downloads and keeping software updated, are crucial for security. Third-party antivirus solutions may offer additional features but can lead to performance issues and privacy concerns. For casual users who maintain their systems and practice safe browsing, Windows Security is generally sufficient, while those handling sensitive information or needing advanced features may consider premium antivirus options.

Winsage

May 17, 2025

Windows 11 Home vs Pro for Gaming: Which One Should You Choose?

Upgrading from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro does not yield significant benefits in gaming performance, compatibility, or features for most gamers. Both editions provide identical gaming performance, supporting the same core gaming technologies such as DirectStorage, Auto HDR, and Game Mode. Windows 11 Home supports up to 128 GB of RAM and one CPU socket with 64 cores, while Windows 11 Pro supports up to 2 TB of RAM and two CPU sockets with 128 cores. Pro includes additional features like BitLocker encryption, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V virtualization, and Group Policy management, which are not typically utilized by gamers. The price of Windows 11 Home is lower than that of Pro, making it a more cost-effective choice for gaming. Both editions meet the hardware requirements for modern gaming, and compatibility with major games and platforms is consistent across both versions.

AppWizard

May 16, 2025

Today’s Android app deals and freebies: Bloons TD 6, Majesty Fantasy Kingdom, more

A new selection of Android game and app deals has been released, coinciding with the launch of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones and pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. Significant discounts are available on Sharge’s 30W 10,000mAh Pouch Mini power bank and the Hisense 2025 frame-style 144Hz Google smart TV. The game "Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom" challenges players to manage a kingdom, facing dilemmas such as gold turning into cookies and recovering stolen goods from trolls.

AppWizard

May 15, 2025

Chrome’s Android app will now let you zoom in on text without affecting the webpage

Google has introduced updates to enhance user experience on its platforms, focusing on accessibility and usability for Android users. The TalkBack screenreader now allows follow-up questions about images, enabling users to ask specific queries like identifying colors or materials. An update for Chrome on Android improves text zooming, allowing users to enlarge text without affecting the webpage layout, using a slider accessible through the three-dot menu. Google’s Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tool now automatically recognizes scanned PDFs on desktop, enabling text highlighting, copying, and searching. Expressive Captions provide real-time captions for audio content on Android devices, capturing spoken words along with tone and emotion, and are being rolled out in English across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia for devices on Android 15 and later.

AppWizard

May 13, 2025

Today’s Android app deals and freebies: Ticket to Ride, AceSpeeder3, Death Road to Canada, more

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge offers promotions including savings of up to 0, a trade-in credit of up to 0, a complimentary storage upgrade, and exclusive credits through designated links. Current Android app and game deals feature titles such as Ticket to Ride, AceSpeeder3, Drink Water Reminder, and Death Road to Canada. Ticket to Ride includes various game modes, allowing competitive online play, private games with friends, or asynchronous games that can be played over multiple days with notifications for turns.