desert Archives

AppWizard

June 16, 2025

This week in PC games: FBC Firebreak, alt-history XCOM and the chance to date your toilet

A remastered trilogy of GEX has launched, along with a co-op climbing game called Peak and a game titled Nightmare Frontier, which combines elements of weird western and XCOM. The first-person action game Blessed Burden features players as the last surviving priest in hell, while Crown Gambit is a strategic deck-building game involving paladins. Broken Arrow is a real-time strategy game set in the Baltic states with over 300 units, contrasting with the pixel art adventure Vessels Of Decay, set in post-apocalyptic Scandinavia.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

The 10 Best Steam Next Fest Games You Need to Wishlist

The Steam summer sale is approaching, and Valve is hosting the Summer 2025 Next Fest, showcasing various indie games. Notable titles include: - Dead as Disco: A beat 'em up game where players control Charlie Disco in a rhythmic combat system. Release date is not announced. Platforms: PC. - Voidbreaker: A first-person shooter focused on environmental destruction, set to launch on August 20. Platforms: PC. - Morsels: A twin-stick shooter roguelike featuring magical cards and strategic combat, set to release in 2025. Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch. - Dragon March: An arcade adventure with a mecha-dragon protagonist, release date unconfirmed. Platforms: PC. - House of Necrosis: A survival horror game with a turn-based system, release date not revealed. Platforms: PC, Linux. - DuneCrawl: A cooperative hack-and-slash game for up to four players, set for release in 2025. Platforms: PC. - Hell Clock: An action RPG based on Brazil's War of Canudos, launching on July 22. Platforms: PC. - 1000 Deaths: A platforming game exploring pivotal life moments, set to release on August 7. Platforms: PC. - Passant: A chess roguelike with unique mechanics, available on August 11. Platforms: PC. - Under The Island: A 2D RPG hack-and-slash game inspired by Zelda, release date unannounced. Platforms: PC.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

I’ve played 2 hours of MindsEye and it’s not great so far, I’m afraid

Tyler Wilde, the U.S. Editor-in-Chief, experienced the Summer Game Fest and played an upcoming shooter titled MindsEye, which is set to release in 2025. He found the initial two-hour gameplay experience unengaging and reminiscent of early 2010s Call of Duty campaigns. The game's director, Leslie Benzies, previously served as president of Rockstar North. MindsEye is currently available on Steam and has received mixed user reviews, starting with a "mostly negative" reception. Wilde noted the game's concept of mod tools and level editors but expressed skepticism about the quality of user-created missions. The protagonist, Jacob Diaz, has a troubled spec-ops background and a mysterious brain implant, leading him to a chaotic job at a local robot factory in the desert city of Redrock. Wilde criticized the lack of depth in characters and narrative coherence, questioning the game's reliance on dream-like logic and its ability to deliver thought-provoking themes about profit-driven technology.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

I can’t stop watching these Dune: Awakening videos showing players having butt-puckeringly close calls with angry sandworms

In Funcom's survival MMO, Dune: Awakening, players face the threat of sandworms, known as Shai-Hulud, which can lead to a complete loss of inventory if swallowed. Encounters with these creatures transform desert traversal into a high-stakes experience, requiring players to be vigilant. Escaping a sandworm is more about being quicker than other players than about speed. The sandworm can also consume bystanders if it targets another player. Players have shared experiences of close calls, where unexpected encounters with sandworms can create chaotic scenarios. The game emphasizes tension and excitement as players navigate the desert while avoiding the ever-present threat of the sandworm.

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

Dune’s New Multiplayer RPG Just Broke A Major PC Gaming Record

Dune Awakening, a survival MMORPG, attracted nearly 100,000 players within 24 hours of its advanced access launch on PC, with a peak concurrent player count of 93,634. The game has an 81.57% approval rating from approximately 4,000 reviews and is currently the top trending and second best-selling game on Steam. Players have reported server stability issues, prompting Funcom to implement hotfixes. The game features a unique narrative where Lady Jessica gives birth to a daughter instead of Paul Atreides, allowing for new storylines and political dynamics on Arrakis. Funcom plans to provide regular free updates and new features, avoiding a monthly subscription model.

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

A long-lost Duke Nukem prototype resurfaces after 24 years

The Duke Nukem franchise has seen a resurgence with the release of a prototype for the unreleased PlayStation 2 game, Duke Nukem: D-Day, developed by n-Space. This prototype, dating back to 2001, features twelve playable levels and has been made available on the Internet Archive. The game is described as "90% complete," though it lacks cutscenes and voicework. Players start in a strip club and engage in a time-traveling mission against the Third Reich and aliens. The controls are reminiscent of older gaming systems, and while the game framework is present, it lacks polish. To play the prototype, users need a PlayStation 2 with third-party software or an emulator like PCSX2. The game was in development until 2003, indicating that a more refined version may still exist.

AppWizard

June 5, 2025

Dying by sandworm in Dune: Awakening is way, way worse than any other death you might face

In Dune: Awakening, players face the threat of sandworms, which can sense footsteps and cause significant fear. If a player is consumed by a sandworm, they permanently lose all items in their inventory, including weapons, armor, tools, and resources. Players on vehicles, such as sandbikes, also lose their vehicles if devoured. Some players reported receiving compensation in the form of bike parts after being eaten, but this was inconsistent. Upon respawning, players receive a single worm tooth for crafting a knife, though many recommend finding other materials instead. The best strategy for survival is to avoid sandworms.

AppWizard

June 5, 2025

Summer Game Fest 2025 preview: The big games and developers to expect at Friday’s livestream

E3 has transitioned into the Summer Game Fest, led by Geoff Keighley, featuring a livestream on June 6 at 2 pm Pacific on YouTube. New developers include Raw Power Games, working on a medieval sandbox game, and Soft Rains, developing a sci-fi action game. Big studios like 505 Games, 2K Games, Bandai Namco, Capcom, CD Projekt, Embark, IO Interactive, Square Enix, Techland, Xbox, PlayStation, Epic Games, Pearl Abyss, and Sega are expected to showcase new titles or updates. Additional partners include 1047 Games, Amazon Games, Annapurna Interactive, Atari, Bellring Games, Blumhouse Games, Coffee Stain, Devolver Digital, Dotemu, Dreamhaven, Enhance, Focus Entertainment, Frontier, Funcom, iam8bit Presents, Kakao Games, Kinetic Games, Kuro Games, Level Infinite, Magic the Gathering, Megabit, Meta Quest, Mundfish, NCSoft, Nekki, Neowiz, Netmarble, Niantic, Nintendo Switch 2, Nuverse, Playstack, PlaySide, PM Studios, Razer, Supermassive Games, Xsolla, and Yacht Club Games. An "intense body horror" game titled ILL and beta access to Soulframe will also be featured, with Hideo Kojima confirmed to attend.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

GTA-style action meets Minecraft-style creation: Everything we know about Everywhere

Leslie Benzies, the former lead developer of the Grand Theft Auto series, is set to release his first game, MindsEye, on June 10, available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. MindsEye is an action-adventure game set in the world of Everywhere, an upcoming open-world, massively multiplayer online game developed by Benzies' studio, Build a Rocket Boy. Everywhere features a futuristic city called Utropia and allows players to create their own experiences using a system called Arcadia. MindsEye follows the story of Jacob Diaz, a former soldier in a desert metropolis, and incorporates elements reminiscent of GTA gameplay, including driving, shooting, and exploration. The release of Everywhere is dependent on the success of MindsEye, which is currently in its testing phase.

AppWizard

May 26, 2025

3D platformer action adventure game Big Hops announced for PC

Big Hops is a 3D platformer where players control Hop, a young frog kidnapped by a spirit named Diss. The objective is to reunite with Hop's family by gathering Airship Parts while navigating challenges such as infiltrating the Gulley Gang’s Hideout, rescuing workers from DrillCO, and sneaking past cultists. The game features self-contained narratives in each world, with dynamic gameplay mechanics centered on movement and frog-tongue interactions. Players can use various Veggies for creative problem-solving, and collectibles enhance gameplay and customization options. The game includes four main worlds—Forest, Desert, Ocean, and Mountain—offering diverse environments and challenges. Chris Wade, the creator, aimed to modernize the 3D platformer genre, drawing inspiration from various games and shows.