critical acclaim Archives

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

Today’s Android app deals and freebies: LIMBO, Underground Blossom, Rusty Lake Roots, more

- Google Play store has new deals, including a 0 reduction on the 1TB unlocked Pixel 9 Pro smartphone. - Samsung's 2024 The Frame TVs have discounts up to ,600. - Galaxy Watch 7 models are available with direct 0 savings. - Notable apps on sale include LIMBO, Underground Blossom, Rusty Lake: Roots, and Milo and the Magpies.

AppWizard

May 2, 2025

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is selling more than twice as fast as other JRPGs on PC, analyst says

Sandfall Interactive's game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has sold one million copies within three days of its release and surpassed 785,000 copies sold on Steam in its first week. It has also sold over 350,000 copies on PlayStation. The game has more than 1.5 million wishlists on Steam. Its success is attributed to quality visuals, a rewarding turn-based combat system, a compelling narrative, and a strategic pricing decision. The game is available on Xbox Game Pass, which has positively impacted its sales through increased visibility and word-of-mouth promotion. Expedition 33 has outperformed recent titles in the Japanese RPG genre, including Atlus's Metaphor Re:Fantazio, and has even surpassed Oblivion on Steam's global sales charts.

AppWizard

April 28, 2025

‘Stories are our bread and butter’: Larian is building a special team to lay out the plot of its games years in advance

Larian Studios is developing two new projects simultaneously, with a focus on storytelling. CEO Swen Vincke stated that they are creating a backlog of stories for future games. The studio is working on a new role-playing game codenamed "Excalibur" and has established a dedicated storytelling team. Their previous titles, particularly Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Baldur's Gate 3, received critical acclaim for their character-driven narratives.

AppWizard

April 25, 2025

Resident Evil 4 remake hits 10m sales

Resident Evil 4 Remake has sold over 10 million copies and is the fastest-selling title in the Resident Evil franchise. Launched in March 2023, it has received critical acclaim and won multiple awards. Previous entries in the franchise include Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 2 Remake, which have sold over 15 million copies combined, Resident Evil Village with over 11 million units sold, and Resident Evil 3 Remake, which has also surpassed 10 million copies. The Resident Evil franchise has sold over 167 million copies since its inception in 1996.

AppWizard

April 19, 2025

The Best PC Games Right Now (2025)

PC gaming in 2025 features a mix of innovative remasters, indie titles, and new intellectual properties, providing a wide range of experiences for gamers. The most played games on Steam include Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and Dota 2, with Counter-Strike 2 leading in player engagement due to its esports scene. Notable new releases include Blue Prince, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and Promise Mascot Agency. Other popular games outside Steam are Minecraft, Fortnite, and Valorant. Genre-specific leaders include South of Midnight for action, Myst (Remastered) for adventure, and Street Fighter 6 for fighting. Upcoming anticipated titles include Grand Theft Auto 6 and Elden Ring: Nightreign. Trends in 2025 highlight esports engagement, indie innovation, purposeful remakes, and cinematic storytelling. Last Epoch's Season 2 update has revitalized player interest with new content and enhancements. The year 2019 was significant for PC gaming, with acclaimed titles like Resident Evil 2, Control, and Disco Elysium, and marked by the influence of digital distribution platforms.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

StarNotes: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ is much, much worse than we thought

The film "A Minecraft Movie" has a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has sparked a significant increase in meme creation and sharing, particularly among younger audiences. Despite its poor critical reception, it has resonated with its target demographic, leading to a surge of user-generated content that reflects the themes and characters of the "Minecraft" universe. This phenomenon demonstrates how films can influence popular culture through social media and meme culture, regardless of their critical success.

AppWizard

April 16, 2025

Best Single-Player PC Games to Play in 2025

Single-player PC games are thriving in 2025, featuring captivating narratives, intricate gameplay, and stunning visuals. Notable titles include: 1. Blue Prince - An indie roguelike puzzle game with a Metacritic score of 93, set in a shifting manor where players solve interconnected puzzles. 2. Assassin’s Creed Shadows - Set in feudal Japan, this game features two protagonists with distinct playstyles and has been praised for its narrative pacing and environmental design. 3. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - A cinematic first-person adventure focusing on exploration and puzzle-solving, released on PC in late 2024. 4. South of Midnight - A magical adventure following a girl with weaving abilities, notable for its claymation art style and emotional depth. 5. Avowed - A first-person fantasy RPG with choice-driven storytelling, set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity. Upcoming games include: - Blades of Fire (May 22, 2025) - A Soulslike combat game with a focus on cinematic storytelling. - Cairn (TBA 2025) - A survival climbing simulator emphasizing precision control mechanics. - Hell Is Us (September 4, 2025) - A narrative-driven action game that eschews traditional open-world design. - Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream (Late 2025) - A stealth-adventure game featuring orphans uncovering a conspiracy. The PC platform remains the best for single-player games due to mod support, performance flexibility, a vast library, and indie innovation. The evolution of gaming technology has led to cutting-edge graphics, immersive storytelling, and innovative exploration mechanics, enhancing player engagement.

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

Tequila Works selling off games and IP after going bust

Spanish developer Tequila Works is auctioning its games and intellectual properties on Escrapalia due to financial challenges, having filed for insolvency in November 2024 after layoffs. The auction includes publishing rights for titles like Deadlight, Rime, Gylt, and The Invisible Hours, upcoming projects such as Brawler Crawler, Dungeon Tour, and The Ancient Mariner, additional creative concepts, and corporate identity assets. The trademark and IP for Rime and Gylt are particularly sought after. Tequila Works was founded in 2009 and is known for its game-development philosophy.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

As ‘Minecraft’ Eyes Over $65 Million 2nd Weekend, Revenge, War and Jesus Offer Box Office Alternatives

Warner Bros./Legendary’s “A Minecraft Movie” is set to release this weekend, competing against films like Disney/20th Century’s “The Amateur” and Angel Studios’ “The King of Kings.” “Minecraft” has already achieved a domestic opening of 3 million, surpassing “Barbie,” despite a 47% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Exhibitors expect a second weekend drop of less than 60%, projecting total earnings of at least million, with speculation it could exceed million. “The King of Kings” is projected to earn between and million, having generated around million in presales. Disney/20th Century’s “The Amateur” is expected to open with around million from 3,300 theaters, with a budget of million. A24’s “Warfare” is projected to earn around million from 2,650 theaters, while Universal/Blumhouse’s “Drop” is anticipated to open with -7 million from 3,000 theaters.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

Lost Ember studio reveals its next game, and dang, it’s got some really good snow

The trailer for Ikuma: The Frozen Compass showcases a realistic depiction of snow. The game is set in the Arctic in 1864 and follows a cabin boy named Sam and his sled dog, Ellie, as they navigate an uncharted island while surviving with limited resources. They will uncover remnants of a lost expedition and a dark secret. Developed by Mooneye Studios, known for the critically acclaimed Lost Ember, Ikuma is anticipated for its narrative depth and gameplay mechanics. The game's CEO, Tobias Graff, expressed excitement about sharing the project after five years of development. Ikuma: The Frozen Compass is scheduled for release in 2026, and players can add it to their wishlists on Steam.