colony Archives

AppWizard

January 19, 2026

Arc Raiders’ huge success gives Embark the “opportunity to do bigger things” and cook up a more “ambitious” roadmap

12.4 million copies of Arc Raiders have been sold. The success has provided Embark Studios with new resources and opportunities to expand and enhance the game. The studio is reevaluating its roadmap to cater to a diverse player base, including casual PvE players and competitive PvP players. Plans for multiple map updates throughout the year are in place, which may include revamps of existing areas and new maps. There is interest in enhancing the trading system, particularly the NPC trading system. The possibility of transforming the underground colony of Speranza into a more interactive hub has been discussed. Future developments may introduce new circumstances and threats to deepen gameplay and player interaction.

AppWizard

January 12, 2026

This week in PC games: Hytale, Quarantine Zone, a weird Batman sim, and a fresh batch of RPGs and shooters

The Maw can manifest in various forms, including a blinking cursor or unreturned messages. New PC game releases include: - Big Hops: A 3D platformer featuring a frog with jumping and tongue skills. - Confidential Killings: A detective game that could use a more imaginative name. - Quarantine Zone: The Last Check: Players act as a border guard during a zombie apocalypse, exploring moral dilemmas. - Hytale: A sandbox building RPG now in early access, developed by Hypixel Studios. - Hank: Drowning on Dry Land: A whimsical narrative game featuring a drunken, time-traveling character. - Cassette Boy: An action RPG puzzler with retro visuals and themes of object permanence. - Streetdog BMX: A game with children performing stunts on bicycles across colorful maps. - The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon: The thirteenth installment in an RPG series. - Tabulo: A roguelite chess game. - Craftlings: A blend of Lemmings and colony-building elements. - The Fortress: A first-person turn-based dungeon-crawling RPG. - NEUROXUS: A fast-paced mech shooter with a neon aesthetic. - Moving Simulator: A game reflecting the moving experience. - Lunar Ascendant: Players become the first mayor of the Moon, navigating social media and factions. James and Julian will attend preview events, while Mark and Ollie are excited about Hytale's launch. A review for Pathologic 3 is being crafted.

AppWizard

January 8, 2026

With The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has finally delivered the RPG that Fallout New Vegas fans have craved for 16 years

The Outer Worlds 2 is a sequel that builds on its predecessor's foundations, featuring impactful decision-making and refined gameplay. Set in a different galaxy, players take on the role of an agent of the Earth Directorate, tasked with investigating catastrophic rifts threatening the galaxy, particularly the Arcadia colony. The game critiques hyper-capitalism while being developed under Microsoft, incorporating satirical elements. Players' choices significantly influence gameplay, with character builds affecting the narrative and challenges faced. The revamped flaws system introduces both positive and negative effects based on player actions, encouraging exploration. The game features expertly crafted quests that intertwine with the main storyline, leading to unique outcomes. Companions add emotional depth to the experience, each with distinct personalities. While initial planets showcase engaging quests, later areas feel less vibrant, and combat lacks depth, often becoming repetitive. The crafting system allows for customization but may not be fully utilized due to the game's ease. Performance is strong, running smoothly on high-end hardware. Overall, The Outer Worlds 2 emphasizes meaningful player choices but reveals a need for improved combat mechanics.

AppWizard

January 2, 2026

Ark Survival Ascended’s future DLC tests “every risky feature” in its far-off sequel, but I’m wondering if we already have Ark 2

As of late 2025, Ark Survival Ascended released the Lost Colony DLC, its first expansion featuring new content instead of remastered elements from Survival Evolved. Studio Wildcard announced a roadmap for the next two years, promising seven releases, including revamped game modes and expansions leading to Ark 2's launch, now expected in 2028. Jeremey Stieglitz, co-founder of Studio Wildcard, noted improvements in meeting deadlines, with Lost Colony now managed by the live-support team and a pirate-themed expansion, Bob's True Tales: Tides of Fortune, set for late Q2. A World Editor tool for user-generated content is also in development for early Q3. The reboot of Survival of the Fittest aims to enhance player experience with features like meta progression and background matchmaking. Upcoming expansions include Dragontopia in late 2026 and Atlantis in 2027, created with modder 'Nekatus.' The final expansion, Legacy of Santiago, will test new gameplay features in a live environment, potentially bridging to Ark 2.

AppWizard

December 6, 2025

Every space and sci-fi game at the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2025

The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2025 stream showcased several upcoming space and sci-fi games, including: - High On Life: A sequel featuring a vibrant universe, quirky humor, and a new skateboarding mechanic for traversing alien landscapes. - Remnant Protocol: A space flight simulator with full VR support, focusing on a galactic rebellion with procedurally generated missions. - Lunar Strike: A narrative adventure set on the Moon’s South Pole in 2119, where players navigate a colony facing sabotage, emphasizing survival mechanics. - Luna Abyss: A single-player adventure exploring a derelict megastructure with intense shooting mechanics, inspired by 'bullet hell' genres, with a demo available on Steam. - Down with the Ship: A strategic auto battler where players design spaceships and engage in combat, available in single-player and multiplayer modes with a demo on Steam. - Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!: A game featuring nostalgic bug-hunting action with retro visuals and FMV cutscenes starring Casper Van Dien as Johnny Rico. - Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes: A roguelite game combining narrative-driven gameplay with real-time tactical battles, focusing on managing ships and crews. - SOL Shogunate: An action-RPG described as a "samurai space opera," set on the Moon with vast cities and epic battles among samurai families.

AppWizard

December 3, 2025

Forget High Elves, the winner of Total War: Warhammer 3’s Tides of Torment DLC is the Norsca glow-up, featuring troll waaaghs, burrowing beasties, and finally actual melee cavalry

Sea Lord Aislinn's campaign in the Tides of Torment expansion focuses on supporting Asur supremacy, requiring players to capture and gift settlements to High Elf factions and establish outposts. These outposts generate resources called Dedication and Elven Trade. A key feature is the creation of an Elven Colony, which can be expanded by investing Dedication or upgrading it at Ancient Elven Colony sites. Elven Trade is used to construct buildings within the Elven Colony that produce Dragonship Supplies, necessary for enhancing Dragonships. The campaign will be available for play starting December 4.

AppWizard

November 20, 2025

Ark Survival Ascended confirms exact release date of its most ambitious expansion yet and unleashes a new beast

The Lost Colony expansion for Ark: Survival Evolved has been rescheduled for release on December 16. It will introduce new features such as skill trees, tames, and base-building tools. The expansion includes a new creature called the Ossidon, a large prehistoric primate with unique abilities. Additionally, it will feature NPC thralls, allowing players to control NPCs in new ways. Voice actors from the Netflix series Ark: The Animated Series, including Michelle Yeoh and David Tennant, will reprise their roles. Studio Wildcard aims to release Ark 2 within the next two years.

AppWizard

November 8, 2025

Surviving Mars: Relaunched is a solid but inessential remaster for one of the best city builders around, but I’m extremely excited about what comes next

Surviving Mars: Relaunched is a remaster of the original game released in 2018 by Haemimont Games and Paradox Interactive, which received positive reviews and an 80% rating. The remaster includes significant enhancements, such as improved underground maps, a refined train system, and quality-of-life improvements. A new engine has been developed to enhance visuals and performance, allowing for future DLC without the constraints of the original game. Upcoming expansions include Feeding the Future, focusing on food production, and Machine Utopia, introducing automated colonies. The Martian Assembly expansion is included from the start, allowing players to pass laws for benefits and choose political systems. The relaunch aims to attract both new players and previous ones, although the value for seasoned players may be less clear due to the upgrade fee.