Concepts Archives

AppWizard

June 17, 2025

FBC: Firebreak review

Firebreak is a cooperative shooter set to be released on June 17, 2025, priced at £33, developed and published by Remedy Entertainment. The game features players as 'Firebreakers,' janitors in rubber suits tasked with resolving maintenance challenges while battling the Hiss, a hostile force. It is set within The Oldest House, the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control, and consists of five distinct jobs with various objectives. The gameplay emphasizes trial and error, with a mix of chaotic encounters and peculiar tasks, such as repairing air conditioning units and collecting sticky notes. Firebreak has been reviewed on an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 with an Nvidia 2080 Super and 32 GB RAM, and is verified for Steam Deck. The game lacks extensive tutorials, potentially disadvantaging newcomers. Balancing issues affect gameplay, with fluctuating difficulty levels and some jobs being less successful than others. A clearance system intended to enhance replayability may lead to player fatigue. Despite its current challenges, there is potential for improvement with future updates.

AppWizard

June 16, 2025

‘Minecraft’ Netflix Animated Series Gets Update at Annecy 2025 With Creative Team Announced

In May 2024, Netflix announced plans for a new animated series set in the Minecraft universe, developed by WildBrain. The series was confirmed on May 30, 2024, coinciding with the game's 15th anniversary. Dominique Bazay discussed the project at the Annecy Animation Film Festival, highlighting collaboration with Mojang Studios. Kevin Adams and Joe Ksander will serve as executive producers and showrunners, while A.C. Bradley will lead the writing team. Flying Bark, an Australian animation studio, is also involved in the project. The series aims to maintain the game's iconic aesthetic while enhancing the visuals. No character designs have been revealed yet.

Winsage

June 13, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651 (Dev Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651 (KB5060818) has been released to the Dev Channel, introducing new features and improvements. 1. New Agent in Settings: An AI-powered agent helps users find and adjust settings by understanding user intent and automating tasks. Currently available for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel devices coming soon. English is the primary display language requirement. 2. Recall Export Experience for EEA: Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area can export Recall snapshots with a unique export code, which is encrypted and requires Windows Hello authentication. Users can reset Recall if the export code is lost. 3. Bigger Clock in Notification Center: A new option to display a larger clock with seconds in the notification center is being rolled out, which can be activated in Settings. 4. Recall Changes: Users can now reset Recall and its data, with a new maximum storage duration for snapshots set to 90 days by default. 5. Click to Do Enhancements: New actions allow users to send text or images to Microsoft 365 Copilot and communicate via Microsoft Teams directly from recognized email addresses. 6. File Explorer Updates: Dividers have been added to the context menu for improved organization. 7. Voice Access Language Support: Support for Chinese and Japanese languages has been reintroduced in voice access. 8. Windows Share Options: New sharing options for OneDrive files are available when right-clicking to share. 9. Settings Search Box: The search box in Settings has been repositioned for better usability. 10. Fixes: Various fixes have been implemented for Recall, File Explorer, Start Menu, Settings, and other areas. 11. Known Issues: Issues include inaccurate build version display post-PC reset, non-functional reset options, and problems with Xbox Controllers via Bluetooth. 12. Reminders: Updates are rolled out gradually, and features may evolve or be removed before final release.

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

Everything Revealed During The PC Gaming Show 2025

The PC Gaming Show 2025 featured over 60 trailers in a nearly three-hour livestream, showcasing new titles and updates on previously announced games. Major reveals included world premieres of titles such as Ambrosia Sky, Ratatan, and The Alters, covering a variety of genres like roguelikes, co-op shooters, and survival sims. Key titles highlighted include: - Ambrosia Sky: A first-person sci-fi game where players confront an alien fungus in a space colony. - Far Far West: A co-op game where players are robo-bounty hunters in a Wild West setting. - Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition: Revives classic Dungeons & Dragons adventures with new features. - Fresh Tracks: A skiing adventure game with music elements. - Terminull Brigade: A co-op hero shooter set in a digital realm. - Ratatan: A rhythm-action game featuring online co-op battles. - Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth: A narrative-driven game about friendship and resilience. - Necesse: A sandbox action-adventure game focused on building and exploration. - Den of Wolves: A session-based shooter involving cooperative heists. - All Systems Dance: A game that combines dance battles with a dystopian narrative. - Spooky Express: A management simulation game set in a monster-themed theme park. - The Rogue Prince of Persia: A roguelite experience featuring acrobatics. - Enginefall: A multiplayer social sandbox aboard a mega-train. - EVE Frontier: A player-driven sandbox in a harsh cosmic environment. - Skyrig: A game focused on building rigs to extract gases in a stormy atmosphere. - Kaizen: A Factory Story: A factory design game set in 1980s Japan. - Dawn Apart: A colony simulation game on a destructible voxel planet. - Modulus: A factory-building game with customizable modules. - Generation Exile: A turn-based city-builder aboard a generation starship. - Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults: A co-op hack-and-slash ARPG. - Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault: Continues the story of its predecessor with action-RPG elements. - Barotrauma – Home & Harbor: An expansion for managing a deep-sea outpost. - No, I'm Not A Human: A narrative-driven game set in a dying world. - Botsu: A physics-based competitive gaming title. - No More Room In Hell 2: A co-op survival game in zombie-infested zones. - Farever: An online co-op action RPG in a fantasy world. - Mandrake: A narrative game about uncovering family mysteries. - Pizza Bandit: A cooking and shooting game. - Demonschool: A tactics RPG combining university life with battles. - The Last Caretaker: A survival game set in a flooded world. - Railborn: A game about building trains and managing resources. - Voyagers of Nera: A cooperative survival-crafting game in a magical ocean world. - Icarus: Great Hunts Campaigns: Offers nonlinear missions with unique stories. - Garbage Country: An exploration sim in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. - DarkSwitch: A vertical city builder around a great tree. - Sprint X Strike: A chaotic battle game in a post-apocalyptic setting. - Worship: A multiplayer roguelite about cultists performing rituals. - Stars of Icarus: A starship combat game emphasizing teamwork. - 007 First Light: A game featuring a young Bond's journey. - goblinAmerica: A game where players possess U.S. presidents to correct historical mistakes. - EverSiege: Untold Ages: A rogue-lite action-strategy game. - Pigface: A narrative-driven game about confronting the past. - TerraTech: An open-world sandbox adventure game. - Paralives: A life simulation game focused on building and managing lives. - Lost Rift: A cooperative survival game on an archipelago. - Hell Clock: A roguelike ARPG. - Militsioner: A narrative-driven escape game. - Arcane Eats: A roguelike deckbuilder. - Guntouchables: A cooperative survival game against mutants. - Ultrakill – Layer 8: Fraud: Details are yet to be revealed. - Stario: Heaven Tower: A game about building ecosystems. - Dispatch: A superhero workplace comedy. - Wheel World: An open-world mission game. - FBC: Firebreak: A cooperative FPS in a federal agency. - Anno 117: Pax Romana: A historical city-building game. - Baby Steps: A walking simulator exploring self-discovery. - Warhammer 40,000: Darktide – Arbites: Players enforce law in a Warhammer universe. - Endless Legend 2: A fantasy strategy game. - Berserk or Die: A survival game against overwhelming odds. - Mycopunk: A game about uncovering a fungal catastrophe. - Bippo Plus: An interactive experience for Playdate owners. - Morbid Metal: A roguelike with simultaneous character control. - Love Eternal: A psychological horror platformer. - Bus Bound: A public bus service management game. - Atmosfar: A survival and co-op road trip adventure set for early access in 2026. - Void/Breaker: A sci-fi FPS with destructible environments. - Grave Seasons: A farming simulation with a mystery element. - Eyes of Hellfire: A multiplayer horror game with puzzles. - Deadwire: An action game with hacking elements. - Dinkum: A life simulation game on islands. - Void Martyrs: An action game set in a grimdark world. - CloverPit: A unique gameplay experience set to release in summer. - Eclipsium: A title with intense visuals and gameplay elements. - Abyssus: A cooperative FPS adventure. - Ascendant: A multiplayer shooter with chaotic gameplay. - Mewgenics: An endless cat breeding RPG set for release on February 10, 2026. - Dead Reset: A sci-fi horror FMV adventure. - Bernband: A lighthearted cyberpunk game. - Wanderburg: A roguelike adventure with a castle on wheels.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

These two apps finally fixed my creative workflow

Notion is a flexible tool for managing structured tasks like invoices and project tracking but can feel restrictive for creative workflows due to its need for organization. Capacities, on the other hand, allows for free thought and creativity without the pressure to categorize ideas immediately. The author has found that using both tools together enhances productivity: Capacities is used for brainstorming and collecting ideas, while Notion is utilized for structured tasks and organization. Each application serves distinct purposes, with Capacities fostering creativity and Notion providing a reliable system for daily operations.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

The Edge of Fate will be the biggest change to Destiny 2 since it launched—an injection of fresh ideas, but also of ARPG grind

Bungie's upcoming expansion for Destiny 2, The Edge of Fate, introduces a tiered loot system categorizing new gear from one to five, with higher tiers offering enhanced perks and stat increases. The expansion features new weapon archetypes, including rocket sidearms and healing auto rifles, and introduces a Portal feature for selecting activities and customizing difficulty. Daily rotating guaranteed rewards for specific playlists aim to streamline the acquisition of tier 5 weapons and introduce set bonuses for armor. The expansion is set to launch on July 15.

AppWizard

June 1, 2025

This gravity-defying dungeon crawler is basically Legend of Grimrock meets Portal, and while the trailer had me dizzy, the demo made me feel like a genius

This week's Thinky Direct showcased a variety of new puzzle games, including a mystery game by a creator of Case of the Golden Idol and a time-loop adventure called "Metroidbrainia." The highlight was "He Who Watches," a dungeon puzzler that combines elements of Legend of Grimrock and Portal. Players navigate an underground labyrinth using a bow and arrow to interact with the environment instead of engaging in combat. The game features mechanics such as sticky boots for object manipulation and offers a demo version to reduce motion sickness. A trailer suggests a potential release in the autumn, although a specific date is not yet announced.

Winsage

May 29, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27868 (Canary Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27868 has been released to the Canary Channel. There are no plans to release SDKs for the 27xxx series builds. The voice access feature has been enhanced with a new in-product experience to highlight new features. A fix has been implemented for pen input issues on certain PCs, and problems with launching applications like Spotify from the Microsoft Store have been addressed. A rendering issue in the Group Policy Editor for some display languages has been corrected, and a SYSTEMTHREADEXCEPTIONNOTHANDLED bugcheck issue has been fixed. Known issues include potential loss of Windows Hello PIN and biometrics for Copilot+ PCs transitioning to the Canary Channel, an Administrative Templates error in the Group Policy Editor, taskbar display issues after upgrading, and audio problems with high sampling rate devices. Applications reliant on virtualization will require the "Windows Hypervisor Platform" component when Virtualization Based Security is enabled. Search and filtering options in Task Manager are currently non-operational. Insiders in the Canary Channel should note that builds reflect early development changes and may not align with any specific Windows release. Features may not reach the general public, and a clean installation is required to exit the Canary Channel. The desktop watermark is standard for pre-release builds.

AppWizard

May 24, 2025

The new $249 Google AI Ultra plan just put a gulf between me and I/O

The Google I/O event this year focused heavily on artificial intelligence, with the introduction of the Google AI Ultra plan priced at per month. This subscription includes access to the Gemini 2.5 model, Flow with Veo 3, early access to Project Mariner, 30TB of Google One storage, and YouTube Premium. The event's presentations were primarily aimed at developers, with limited consumer-facing innovations. Key topics like Android and Wear OS were presented in a pre-recorded video, suggesting a shift in focus towards AI and Search initiatives. The high subscription cost may deter average consumers from engaging with these new offerings.

Winsage

May 23, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161 (Beta Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161 (KB5058515) has been released to the Beta Channel for Windows 11, version 24H2. This update includes new features such as the Microsoft 365 Text Action in Click to Do, allowing users to draft content in Word by selecting recognized text. Lock screen widget personalization is now available globally, enabling users to customize their lock screens. The update introduces support for multiple dashboards in Widgets, enhancing organization and access to favorite widgets. Improvements include recommendations from the Microsoft Store in the "Open with..." dialog and a new PC-to-PC migration experience in the Windows Backup app. Various fixes have been made to the Start Menu, Task Manager, Narrator, and Voice Access. Known issues include incorrect build version display post-PC reset and Bluetooth issues with Xbox Controllers. Users are encouraged to provide feedback through the Feedback Hub.