cutscenes Archives

AppWizard

October 15, 2026

I want to love the new Castlevania, but it just feels a little off

The game Castlevania: Belmont's Curse struggles to display on monitors with a refresh rate exceeding 120 Hz, which was resolved by capping the in-game frame rate at 120 fps. The gameplay features a mix of enjoyable elements and frustrating mechanics, such as a lengthy wind-up on Rose Belmont's whip and a limited invincibility frame for the dodge mechanic, leading to difficulties during platforming and boss encounters. The game includes tedious platforming challenges that require precise controls, and the timing for certain attacks feels misaligned. Belmont's Curse draws heavily from the Netflix Castlevania series, featuring some of the same voice actors, but the static artwork in early cutscenes feels underwhelming. The game improves after reaching Dracula's Castle, introducing clever platforming mechanics and engaging puzzles. Despite some control issues, the game includes satisfying hitstop effects and well-presented tarot cards that enhance the experience.

AppWizard

October 11, 2026

Squadron 42 has a Steam page

Game director Chris Roberts announced that Squadron 42, the single-player component of Star Citizen, will be released in Q2 2027 to avoid clashing with Grand Theft Auto 6. A dedicated Steam page for Squadron 42 has been created, listing the game’s system requirements and indicating an install size of 150GB. The game does not reference modern features like ray tracing or DirectX 12. High-profile actors Gillian Anderson and Henry Cavill will appear in cutscenes.

Winsage

October 8, 2026

Microsoft confirms a Windows update can close games that use AC-3 audio

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue related to a Windows update (KB5124010) released on September 22, 2026, which has caused unexpected closures of various games that rely on AC-3 audio decoding. This issue affects Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2, while server editions remain unaffected. The problem primarily impacts legacy applications that depend on Windows' built-in audio decoding, particularly older PC games using the Dolby Digital codec for pre-rendered cutscenes and licensed soundtracks. Microsoft has confirmed the issue but has not provided a list of affected titles, workarounds, or a resolution timeline. The status remains unchanged as of October 7, and the issue persists regardless of user action.

BetaBeacon

October 8, 2026

Original Metroid Prime Ported to Android and PC – GameCube Version Runs Without Emulator

An enthusiast named Odrannnn has created an unofficial native port of the classic game Metroid Prime for Android, Windows, and Linux systems. The port includes touch controls, radial menus, gesture-based controls, widescreen display support, adjustable field of view, mods, save transfers from the Dolphin emulator, uncapped frame rate, and customizable gameplay options. Users need a device running Android 9 or newer with ARM64 support and their own copy of the American version of Metroid Prime 1.00 for the GameCube to play.

AppWizard

September 27, 2026

After 8 years, Monster Hunter: World gets seamless co-op on PC thanks to a modder

Players of Monster Hunter: World can now experience a new seamless cooperative mode introduced by modder huntardy. This modification allows players to embark on quests, explore expeditions, and engage in story cutscenes together. A demonstration of the mod showcases its functionality, enhancing the monster hunting experience. Users are advised that each game launch with the modification creates a backup of the save file in a specific folder, preserving the last ten saves. The modification is available for free on Nexus Mods, and an in-game panel appears in Steam to guide users through the new features.

BetaBeacon

September 25, 2026

ARMSX3 PS3 emulator can finally run games at playable frame rates with new update

The ARMSX3 PS3 emulator update brings major improvements, including support for PS3 themes as library backgrounds, fixes for issues with several games, support for SIXAXIS motion on motion-enabled controllers, and touch-control features.

AppWizard

September 3, 2026

The Blood of Dawnwalker Suffers From Major Stutters and a 30FPS Cinematic Cap

Bandai Namco has released a new game titled The Blood of Dawnwalker, developed using Unreal Engine 5. Players are experiencing significant stuttering issues, particularly in the village area, which affects gameplay in this third-person action RPG. The game features a 30FPS cap on cinematic cutscenes, although some decision-based cutscenes run at an unlocked framerate. The prologue area runs smoothly, but performance deteriorates in the village, with frame rates dropping to 45-50FPS at Native 4K resolution. Enabling DLSS Quality allows for a consistent frame rate above 60FPS. The game's visual fidelity does not meet expectations for titles using the same engine, indicating potential optimization issues. A comprehensive performance analysis is forthcoming, testing various AMD and NVIDIA GPUs.

AppWizard

August 25, 2026

A disturbing ’90s point-and-click horror game about waking up in a rundown asylum with no recollection of who you are is getting a glow up in 2026

In 1998, notable PC games included Half-Life, Unreal, StarCraft, Thief, and Baldur's Gate, while console games featured Nintendo 64's Ocarina of Time and Banjo-Kazooie, and PlayStation's Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil 2. Sanitarium, an isometric point-and-click adventure game, was released in April 1998, focusing on the story of Max, an amnesiac in a sanitarium. A new version, Sanitarium Enhanced, is set to be released by Ziggurat, featuring widescreen support, controller support, an extras gallery, a new hint mode, bug fixes, and optimizations for the Steam Deck, with availability on Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles in 2026.

AppWizard

August 18, 2026

11 Of The Best Retro Emulators For PC Gamers

Emulators are applications that allow older gaming console games to run on modern PCs, making retro gaming accessible despite the scarcity of original consoles and unavailability of many classic games on modern platforms. Emulators like RetroArch provide a unified interface for various retro consoles, while Dolphin emulates GameCube and Wii games, MelonDS is known for Nintendo DS titles, mGBA is the leading Game Boy Advance emulator, Super ZSNES enhances SNES gaming, Rosalie's Mupen GUI is designed for Nintendo 64, Flycast is the top Sega Dreamcast emulator, PCSX2 is the best for PlayStation 2 games, PPSSPP is the go-to for PSP, MAME emulates arcade games, and DOSBOX Pure Unleashed is for MS-DOS games. Each emulator offers unique features and improvements over original hardware, enhancing the gaming experience.

AppWizard

August 17, 2026

Here are the PC game settings you should always turn on, and the ones to switch off

PC gaming allows customization of graphics settings to improve performance and visual experience. Certain settings can degrade image quality, while others enhance immersion. Settings to disable include: - Motion blur: Can create a blurry visual experience, especially during fast movements. - VSync: Synchronizes frame rate with monitor refresh rate but can introduce latency; alternatives like Adaptive Sync are more effective. - Depth of field: Can obscure details and consume resources, particularly in clarity-focused scenarios. - Chromatic aberration, bloom, lens flare, and film grain: These post-processing effects can detract from clarity and hinder performance, especially in competitive play. Settings to enable or tweak include: - ML-based upscaling (DLSS, FSR 4, XeSS): Enhances visual stability and boosts performance without sacrificing image quality. - Textures: Higher quality textures improve realism and detail, especially with sufficient VRAM. - View distance: A higher setting enhances immersion by rendering distant objects, reducing distracting pop-ins. - Shadows: Higher quality shadows add depth and realism, enhancing the overall visual experience despite potential performance costs.