classics Archives

BetaBeacon

May 19, 2025

Retroid Pocket 5 Gaming Handheld Is Now Available At Amazon

The Retroid Pocket 5 is a powerful Android gaming handheld device with a 5.5-inch 1080p touch screen, two thumbsticks, D-pad, and standard gaming buttons. It is equipped with an Adreno 650 GPU, Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB RAM, and 128GB internal storage. The device is compatible with high-end native Android games, retro games, and sixth- and seventh-generation console games. It is available on Amazon for with free shipping, but due to high demand, there may be delivery wait times of around two weeks.

AppWizard

May 18, 2025

You’ve got to play my dark horse GOTY candidate if you too are a sicko for one of the ultimate RPG gimmicks: a trash level 1 sword that can be forged into a god slayer

Labyrinth of the Demon King is a first-person dungeon crawler that combines elements from classic survival horror games. Key tips for new players include: always kick for defense, use consumables like talismans, prioritize stamina upgrades, and be patient with weapon upgrades. Players can repair a broken katana by providing an intact sword, with the repair quality depending on the sword used. Multiple versions of the katana can be created, resulting in different models and stats, with the prison sword being a notable example. The game features hidden layers and intricate weapon upgrade mechanics. It received an 81% rating from Shaun Prescott and is available on Steam, with a launch price that will increase on May 27.

AppWizard

May 16, 2025

Weekend PC Download Deals for May 16: Epic Games Store MEGA Sale

The Epic Games Store is offering a free copy of Dead Island 2 and discounts on titles like Alan Wake 2's Deluxe Edition, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chonobyl, and Until Dawn. The Humble Store has a Spring Sale with markdowns on games such as Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Life is Strange: Double Exposure, and WWE 2K25. Steam is hosting the Creature Collector Fest featuring games like Palworld, Bugsnax, and Tinykin, along with discounted early access titles like Windblown, Enshrouded, and Timberborn. Fanatical allows gamers to build their own Bethesda Bundle with options for acquiring 2, 3, or 5 titles at varying prices. Green Man Gaming offers a 15% discount on any PC game with the coupon code MAY15. Humble Bundle invites subscriptions to Humble Choice for .99 per month, with May offerings including The Thaumaturge: Deluxe Edition and Amnesia: The Bunker. Ubisoft is providing discounts with the coupon code LEGEND, though restrictions may apply.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

Modders use reverse engineering to bring Mario Party 4 to PC, more GameCube games to follow

The gaming community has seen a rise in reverse-engineering source code from retro console games, particularly from the Nintendo 64 era and earlier, leading to native PC ports. The decompilation of Mario Party 4 is nearly complete, making it the first fully decompiled GameCube title, which will facilitate unofficial PC ports. A port of Mario Party 4 with online multiplayer is in development. Other GameCube titles like Super Smash Bros. Melee and Metroid Prime are also being targeted for decompilation. An unofficial PC port of the Xbox 360 game Sonic Unleashed has been completed. Previous titles such as Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time have received PC ports with enhanced features. Modders are experimenting with advanced technologies like ray tracing for classic games. A modding tool has improved the recompilation process, but technical challenges remain. Nintendo has not taken legal action against these decompilation efforts, and modders use clean room tactics to avoid legal issues, requiring ownership of the original game for PC ports.

AppWizard

May 13, 2025

Save On Hundreds Of Awesome PC Games During Humble’s Spring Sale

The Humble Spring Sale 2025 is ongoing until May 28, offering significant discounts on various PC games, primarily Steam keys. Notable deals include: - Borderlands 3: Ultimate Edition available for .99, down from .99, including the base game and Season Pass content. - Our Metaphor: ReFantazio, rated 10/10, priced at .99, reduced from .99. - Persona 5 Royal available for .99, down from its usual price. - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Complete Edition for .99, reduced from .99, including the base game and additional content. Other games on sale include Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, Cyberpunk 2077, and Space Marine 2, with their prices not specified.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

How to get free games on PlayStation, PC and Xbox

The Epic Games Store offers a free game every week, featuring indie titles and blockbuster games like GTA 5 and Death Stranding. Amazon Prime Gaming provides free games for subscribers, including titles like the Mafia trilogy and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Xbox users can access free games through Amazon Prime Gaming and occasional offers on the Xbox Store, with current availability of Minecraft Legends. Microsoft also provides older titles for free sporadically, while Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers a vast library of games for a monthly fee. On PlayStation, free games are primarily found through free-to-play titles like Fortnite, with PlayStation Plus offering access to a catalog of games, including The Last of Us Part I and Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut.

AppWizard

May 11, 2025

The best FPS of 2024 simply cannot stop adding new maps, introducing 37 new arenas, 4 new weapons, and a ‘Horrible Smelly Head’ in its latest update

Straftat is a micro-first-person shooter developed by the Lemaitre brothers, featuring a fast-paced 1v1 duel format. The game includes dozens of unique weapons, 150 creatively designed maps, and a variety of hats, all available for free, with an optional £4.29 DLC that nearly doubles the map count and adds features. Continuous updates have introduced new maps, a training area inspired by their previous game Babbdi, an optional weapon randomizer, and exclusive DLC cosmetics. Future features teased by the developers include a 4-player free-for-all mode and a 2v2 Team Deathmatch, with some new maps designed for larger player counts.

AppWizard

May 11, 2025

MechWarrior 5’s beefy story expansion is out, and it has the most videogame title I’ve ever had the pleasure to read

The latest expansion for Piranha Games' mech shooter, MechWarrior 5: Clans, is titled MechWarrior 5: Clans – Ghost Bear: Flash Storm. This expansion introduces eight new pilotable mechs, including four OmniMechs: Night Gyr, Ebon Jaguar, Fire Moth, and Huntsman, as well as four battlemechs: 100-ton Kodiak, 35-ton scout Jenner IIC, 50-ton Hunchback IIC, and 65-ton Rifleman IIC. Players can customize these mechs in an expanded mechlab. The expansion is available for £16.75. PC Gamer contributor Jonathan Bolding previously praised the original MechWarrior 5: Clans for its focused narrative campaign, despite the lack of sandbox play.

AppWizard

May 9, 2025

The Minecraft Movie on Blu-ray & 4K, plus new Imprint, KLSC, and BFI announcements & Tron screens in 4K with Dolby Vision at the Academy Museum on 7/3!

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment will release Jared Hess’ The Minecraft Movie digitally on May 13, 2024, followed by physical formats on June 24, including a Limited Edition 4K Steelbook. The 4K disc will feature Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio, along with five featurettes. Kino Lorber Studio Classics will release Bob Giraldi’s Hiding Out (1987) on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on July 29. Via Vision will release several Imprint Films Blu-ray titles on July 30, including a double feature of Blue (1968) and Fade In (1973), along with other classic films. Paramount will release Clue (1985) and Aeon Flux (2005) in 4K Ultra HD Steelbook format on October 7. The British Film Institute will release Women in Love (1969) in 4K Ultra HD and Bhaji on the Beach (1993) on Blu-ray on July 14, and Human Traffic (1999) in 4K Ultra HD on July 21. Eureka! will release The Tattooed Dragon (1973) on Blu-ray on July 21. Film Movement will screen Shanghai Blues (1984) in theaters on June 20, and the Academy Museum will screen Tron (1982) on July 3, with a physical 4K Ultra HD release expected later this year.

AppWizard

May 7, 2025

I pride myself on keeping up with Steam’s under-the-radar gems, but April was packed with enough new games to keep me busy for the rest of 2025

In April 2025, over 100 games launched, with notable titles including Blue Prince and Clair Obscur, the latter receiving significant attention. Clair Obscur was released on April 22nd and has a 94% rating from 39 reviews. Maliki: Poison Of The Past, inspired by a French comic, was released on April 20th. Mythical Concept Starnaut, a narrative-driven game, was released on April 28th with a 97% rating from 45 reviews. Bionic Bay, a stylish platformer, was released on April 17th and has a 90% rating from 264 reviews. Asura The Striker, released on April 23rd, has a 93% rating from 49 reviews. Traveler's Refrain, an action RPG, was released on April 11th with a 92% rating from 26 reviews. Voidborn, a low-fi shooter, was released on April 7th with a 90% rating from 262 reviews. I, Robot, a reimagining of an arcade classic, was released on April 17th and has a 95% rating from 20 reviews. Lab Rat, a dystopian comedy, was released on April 15th with a 97% rating from 188 reviews. Peppered: An Existential Platformer, released on April 7th, has a 95% rating from 266 reviews. Repose, a workplace horror game, was released on April 14th and has a 90% rating from 74 reviews.