choices Archives

AppWizard

August 11, 2025

4 PC-exclusive classics that deserve a modern remake

Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines (2004) is a flawed masterpiece that struggled with bugs and unfinished elements at release but features sharp writing and memorable characters. A modern remake could refine its dialogue and enhance gameplay. The first Witcher game, while adhering to the source material and featuring strong character development, suffers from clunky mechanics and performance issues. Rumors suggest a remake is in the works to update controls and accessibility. Half-Life 2 (2004) set a new standard for first-person shooters but has aged, particularly in visual fidelity. A modern remake could enhance graphics and AI, and address unresolved plot points. Thief: The Dark Project (1998) introduced stealth mechanics focused on subtlety and patience. A modern remake could improve its mechanics with advanced AI and ray-traced lighting, redefining the stealth genre.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

‘Let’s just kill everyone on the station:’ The videogame audio log was apparently invented to avoid ‘awkward’ RPG dialogue trees

Marc LeBlanc, a programmer from Looking Glass Studios, discussed the innovative design of audio logs in the game System Shock during a Nightdive podcast episode. The team aimed to move away from traditional RPG mechanics, avoiding the limitations of D&D-style stats and skills that could frustrate players. They rejected the idea of conversation trees with NPCs, seeking a more immersive narrative delivery. Designer Austin Grossman suggested using audio logs by having all characters dead, allowing players to access their diaries. This approach streamlined storytelling and enhanced player engagement. LeBlanc acknowledged that while audio logs can be overused today, they remain effective for narrative delivery, offering players choices in how they engage with the story.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

The follow-up to one of the decade’s best detective games will have you selling cursed antiques to Victorian weirdos next month

Strange Antiquities, the sequel to 2022's Strange Horticulture, is set to launch on September 17. The game allows players to sell eldritch antiques to various townsfolk in a curiosity shop located in the Lake District. The developer, Bad Viking, aims to enhance the experience by encouraging players to feel like investigators of the occult, focusing on exploration and deduction. The success of Strange Horticulture has led to similar games, such as Do No Harm, which features a doctor treating a town with unusual ailments and incorporates Lovecraftian themes.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

It’s 2025 and saving in absolutely every game still sucks

IStewieAI's Auto-Save Manager (ASM) for Fallout: New Vegas offers customizable autosave options, allowing players to set their own save intervals and maintain multiple autosaves. Users can choose to autosave at various intervals and create a list of saves that overwrite the oldest ones. This tool addresses the limitations of traditional autosave and quicksave systems, which often leave players with a single autosave and cumbersome navigation to access saves. The demand for more sophisticated saving systems in gaming is evident, with calls for features like dedicated quicksave and quickload buttons on controllers.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

Peregrino: A Brutal, Yet Stylish, Survival-Management Game

On August 6, a new survival-management game titled Peregrino was announced for PC. The game features isometric gameplay where players guide a caravan of pilgrims through a harsh landscape, making decisions that significantly impact the group's survival. It includes a cast of characters with unique motivations and emotional backgrounds, and players must manage resources while facing moral dilemmas. The game emphasizes emotional and strategic implications of choices, contrasting with lighter titles in the genre. Visually, it employs a painterly aesthetic with a muted color palette and haunting soundscapes, enhancing the immersive experience. Peregrino focuses on endurance and adaptation rather than empire-building, with characters evolving based on player decisions. The game is currently in development and does not have a confirmed release date.

Winsage

August 7, 2025

The mystery of the blank “app preventing Windows shutdown” — Microsoft engineer explains they were never meant to be seen

Many Windows users encounter an unnamed window that halts the shutdown process, often accompanied by a program labeled 'G'. This issue arises when the ShutdownBlockReasonCreate function is not called, leading to generic messages about apps preventing shutdown. Developers create these unnamed windows as "dummy" helper windows, leaving their titles blank since they are not intended for user interaction. The Blocked Shutdown Resolver can display the title of the unnamed program, providing clarity to the situation.

Winsage

August 6, 2025

Microsoft hopes to knock socks off with Windows XP Crocs

Microsoft is preparing to launch limited edition XP-themed Crocs, featuring a design inspired by the Windows XP Bliss desktop background and adorned with decorative charms like Clippy and the Internet Explorer logo. These Crocs are currently available for purchase by Microsoft employees before a wider release. Each pair comes with a drawstring bag, and the price point is unspecified. The collaboration has generated discussion among Microsoft employees on LinkedIn, although the company has not officially confirmed the release. Crocs, founded in 2002, have seen fluctuating popularity and are known for their practicality, while Windows XP has gained retro appeal despite criticism over newer versions.

AppWizard

August 6, 2025

Dark isometric survival management game Peregrino announced for PC

Inverge Studios has announced its new project, Peregrino, a dark isometric survival management game set to launch on PC via Steam, with no specific release date yet. Players will lead a group of pilgrims through a dangerous landscape, facing life-or-death decisions that impact their journey and the fates of their followers. Key features include brutal survival management requiring resource management, a horror journey confronting nightmarish creatures, character-driven gameplay with unique pilgrim stories, a customizable caravan serving as a home and defense, careful inventory management, and a gothic horror-inspired 19th-century aesthetic. An announcement trailer is available for viewing.

AppWizard

August 6, 2025

Peregrino, A Brutal Isometric Survival Game, Announced for PC

Inverge Studios has announced Peregrino, an immersive isometric survival game set in a 19th-century gothic environment. Players guide a group of pilgrims through a dark purgatory to reach New Eden, a mythical paradise. The gameplay involves hunting, combat, and scavenging, with resource management being crucial for survival. Each pilgrim has a unique identity, and their loss is permanent if they fall victim to nightly monsters. Players must upgrade wagons, fortify shelters, and make strategic path choices. Peregrino is in development for PC and will be available on Steam and the Epic Games Store.

AppWizard

August 5, 2025

System Shock 2’s alien ‘sphincter doors’ were made with photos from a dev’s colonoscopy

Nate Wells, an artist known for his work on System Shock 2, discussed the artistic choices that contributed to the game's unsettling atmosphere, particularly the design of the alien entity The Many. The Many is characterized by a grotesque, biological aesthetic, contrasting with the sterile corridors of the game. An unexpected source of inspiration for the textures of The Many came from colonoscopy imagery, which influenced the design of the sphincter doors. Wells noted the glistening, veiny appearance of these elements and acknowledged the remastered version's distinct puckered quality. His creative process aimed to balance fear with a sense of playfulness, contributing to the game's lasting appeal.