character Archives

AppWizard

April 25, 2026

With Silent Hill 2’s source code still MIA, a dedicated fan has decided to restore the game’s CGI renders: ‘Takayoshi’ Sato’s work was incredible for its time’

The remake of Silent Hill 2 by Bloober Team has sparked renewed interest in the classic game, but fans desire a remastered version of the original. However, Konami has lost the source code for the final version of Silent Hill 2, making a remaster challenging. A fan named Rashmunchel from the r/silenthill community is working on restoring the game's CGI artwork, originally created by Takayoshi Sato. This restoration includes model renders, in-game images, cutscene stills, and animation frames, with a focus on a close-up of protagonist James Sunderland. Rashmunchel used a generative AI upscaler to enhance the low-quality images but refined the results in Photoshop to maintain authenticity. This grassroots effort aims to preserve the legacy of Silent Hill 2 in the absence of an official remaster.

AppWizard

April 25, 2026

I can’t stop winning with this Vampire Crawlers build that basically plays itself

Mortaccio is a skeletal Crawler character in Vampire Crawlers that becomes available after defeating 444 skeletons. He starts with Bone cards and an armor card, which increases the Amount stat when blue cards are played. The strategy involves using armor cards and the Your Shield My Liege Arcana to make Mortaccio invincible. Securing a Spellbinder card at the start of each run is crucial, as it extends Mortaccio's Duration. Playing armor increases Bones, which are free to play, and combining them with Golden Armor enhances defenses. Duplicator cards amplify offensive capabilities, while gems that boost Might, Area, and Amount are essential for upgrading the strategy. The Reverse Combo gem is valuable with Golden Armor for additional damage. For single-target encounters, a card costing two Mana, such as the Holy Wand, is recommended. Accumulating gems like Echo or Copy allows for more Bones each turn, and a Clover card can help find powerful gems. Enhancing hand size with a Bracer and including more blue Armor or Pummarola cards triggers Mortaccio's skill.

AppWizard

April 25, 2026

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 celebrates first anniversary with new cosmetics, and it’s shipped over eight million copies

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has celebrated its first anniversary, surpassing eight million players. Sandfall Interactive has released an update introducing new hairstyles for characters, available at specific merchants in the game. The update also fixes minor bugs, including an issue with character outfits and allows players to open rest points without interruptions. Official merchandise featuring characters is now available, and there is a 20% discount on Steam.

AppWizard

April 24, 2026

This composer just remade the entire soundtrack of the first Elder Scrolls game: ‘It really gives you a sense of wonder and adventure’

The Elder Scrolls: Arena was released in 1994 on MS-DOS, featuring a soundtrack by Eric Heberling, who faced technological limitations of the time. He used General MIDI instruments and a Roland Sound Canvas for composition, which led to compromises in the audio quality. In 2011, Heberling reflected on these challenges. A modern artist named Martin has reimagined the entire original soundtrack, making it available on platforms like Spotify. Martin has a personal connection to Arena, describing it as a cherished part of his gaming history, and emphasizes the importance of providing a modernized version of the music. He appreciates the original soundtrack's thematic similarities to Daggerfall and its retro-RPG vibe, noting its grandiose and varied nature. Martin takes pride in his remakes, particularly the character creation track and the intro theme, aiming to capture the essence of the original while using contemporary software.

AppWizard

April 24, 2026

FF14 Evercold will “unite the stars” in January – here’s everything Yoshi-P said in his massive Fanfest keynote

FF14 Evercold, the upcoming expansion for Final Fantasy 14, is set to launch in January 2027, marking the start of "The Godless Realms Saga." Players will explore the Fourth realm, dealing with ice-related challenges. The gameplay structure will shift to a weekly-based system, allowing more flexible engagement. New character customization options will be introduced, along with improvements in public field content and questing, including a new difficulty level for eight-player raids and same-region player matching. Two new jobs—a tank and a physical ranged DPS—will be added, along with a level cap increase to 110, new enemies, dungeons, and an eight-player raid series. There will also be a crossover alliance raid with Evangelion.

AppWizard

April 24, 2026

Larian publishing chief aims to ‘absolutely demolish’ Steam with the studio’s next release

Larian Studios is developing a new role-playing game, Divinity, which aims to surpass the success of Baldur's Gate 3. The game will feature a larger world, deeper sequences of consequence, more engaging fail states, enhanced character customization, and complex NPC relationships. Michael Douse, Larian's publishing director, expressed a desire for Divinity's launch to significantly impact Steam, humorously stating he hopes it will "utterly destroy Steam." The game was announced with a trailer at the end of 2025 and is expected to enter early access, though no specific timeline is provided. A 2027 release for Divinity seems plausible based on the development timeline of Baldur's Gate 3.

AppWizard

April 24, 2026

AsiaOne

Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue is taking place at Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore from April 24 to September 13. The experience features eight rooms inspired by the Minecraft universe, where participants work in groups to save a village from zombies. Each participant uses an Orb of Interaction to mine materials and craft items. The crafting room is a new addition exclusive to Singapore. Ticket prices vary, with adults and children aged three to twelve charged different rates on weekdays and weekends, while children under three enter for free. An Obsidian Kit - Ultimate Minecraft Collector’s Bundle is available for purchase. The address is 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826, with opening hours from 11 am to 7 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 8 pm on weekends. Admission is by allocated timeslots.

AppWizard

April 24, 2026

Everything announced for Xbox and PC at the ID@Xbox and IGN April 2026 Showcase — new indie games on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Play Anywhere, and more

Microsoft's ID@Xbox program supports indie game development and recently showcased new titles in collaboration with IGN. - Beastro: A roguelike RPG where players are chefs for heroes, releasing on May 21 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, available on Xbox Game Pass. - Deep Dish Dungeon: A survival exploration game set for Fall 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud, with Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere support. - Albion Online: A free-to-play PvP MMO now available on Xbox consoles, offering perks for Xbox Game Pass members. - Lofsong: An audio-based game with no announced release date, available on Xbox Series X|S and PC, supporting Xbox Play Anywhere. - Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School: A puzzle adventure game set for 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Cloud, with Xbox Game Pass support. - Kalanoro: An action-adventure game featuring lemurs, releasing this summer on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere support. - Vapor World: Over the Mind: A narrative-driven platformer launching on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud, with a demo in June and Xbox Game Pass support. - inKONBINI: A management simulation game releasing on April 30, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Game Pass availability. - Echo Generation 2: A sci-fi deckbuilder RPG launching on May 27, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud, with Xbox Game Pass support. - Starseeker: A spinoff of Astroneer, available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5, and Switch 2, with Xbox Game Pass support. - Tears of Metal: A co-op roguelike hack-and-slash game for Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere compatibility. - Crashout Crew: A co-op game centered around forklifts, releasing on May 28, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Steam, with Xbox Game Pass support. - RV There Yet?: A comedic co-op adventure expected to launch in May for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud, with Xbox Game Pass support. - Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive: An action game set to launch on Xbox Series X|S in Q3 2026. - There Are No Ghosts at the Grand: A musical-themed hotel and ghost hunting game for Xbox Series X|S, PC, Cloud, and other platforms, with Xbox Game Pass support. - Golf With Your Friends 2: The sequel to the party golfing game, releasing on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch this fall. - Mistfall Hunter: An extraction RPG launching in July on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Game Pass support. - Totopia: A free-to-play party game supporting Xbox Play Anywhere. - SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed: A competitive racing platformer scheduled for July on multiple platforms, with Xbox Game Pass support. - Vampire Crawlers: A deckbuilding spinoff from Vampire Survivors, now available on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Game Pass support. - Screenbound: An action-adventure game where players control a character in both 3D and 2D, available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Cloud, with Xbox Game Pass support.

AppWizard

April 23, 2026

Mouse P.I. For Hire review: a monochrome tale with a ton of personality

Mouse P.I. For Hire is a monochrome first-person shooter that features Jack Pepper, a mouse detective, who navigates a gritty world while solving a mystery involving missing damsels and shrew plots. The game draws inspiration from classic FPS titles like Doom and Half-Life, offering straightforward gameplay with a rich environment. Players return to a hub area to interact with locals and gather clues. The game includes various missions that involve navigation, clue discovery, and boss confrontations, set in diverse locations such as a harbor and haunted village. The visual style employs rubber hose animation, and the voice acting by Troy Baker adds depth to the character. The shooting mechanics are adequate, with some weapons feeling less impactful than others. The game is recommended for fans of vintage cartoons, classic shooters, and cheese puns.

AppWizard

April 23, 2026

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is finally out this summer and “it is not an RPG”

Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced is set to launch on July 9. The remake features enhanced visuals and modernized gameplay, utilizing Ubisoft's Anvil engine for improved combat mechanics, including parries, blocks, and finishing moves. The parkour system has been updated for smoother movement, and the game eliminates the insta-fail tailing missions, offering players options to fight or negotiate. The world design allows for seamless exploration without loading screens. While some original content, such as DLC and multiplayer, has been removed, the focus remains on the single-player narrative. New features include three new officers with unique questlines, the option to adopt a cat or monkey as a ship companion, new shanties, and additional quests for Blackbeard. Preorders are available.