early access phase Archives

AppWizard

April 28, 2025

‘There’s still a lot to do’: One year later, Slavic Magic reveals what’s next for Manor Lords, including AI progress, a new way to view records, and a team expansion

Manor Lords, a medieval city-building game, is undergoing significant development as it moves beyond its early access phase. Developer Greg Styczeń has expanded the team to ensure more consistent updates and a wider range of features. Upcoming enhancements include a refined user interface, new graphics inspired by manuscript art, and a river fishing feature that replaces pond resource nodes in certain areas. Recent updates have introduced geographical features like a towering hill on a new map, which is suitable for building a motte and bailey stronghold to improve defenses. The game aims to provide a more immersive experience with additional fishing spots and improved gameplay mechanics.

AppWizard

April 3, 2025

Google highlights smarter Gemini capabilities when integrating the Photos app

Google has introduced a support document detailing the integration of its Gemini AI with the Photos app for Android devices, allowing users to search for specific memories using details like places, faces, dates, and events. This functionality is currently being rolled out to a select group of invited users. Users can engage in natural language queries to locate photos, ask questions about locations and dates, and describe images they seek. Once identified, users can tap on the photo or album to view it in the Photos app. The features are available in the Gemini app for Android, but access is limited, and prompts must be in English. Users need to log into Gemini with the same Google account associated with Photos. The features resemble the "Ask Photos" test in early access through Google Labs, which integrates some of Gemini's functionality directly within the Photos app.

AppWizard

March 21, 2025

Frosthaven’s weighty tabletop tactics are coming to PC in early access this year

The game tutorial introduces players to key mechanics such as card selection for actions, the use of "burn" cards for temporary boosts, and the importance of positioning and teamwork. Players must manage their actions carefully, especially in prolonged battles. The author played as a "Banner Spear," a class that specializes in spear attacks and benefits from strategic positioning. During gameplay, the author learned the significance of advanced strategies and teamwork, particularly with a partner playing as a Deathwalker who utilized summons. An incident occurred where the author attempted to collect loot but forgot the rule that requires ending a turn on a hex to do so. The game's visual elements and user experience were praised, with expectations for improvements during the early access phase driven by community feedback.

AppWizard

December 28, 2024

Amid a tidal wave of new games in 2024, these 10 must-play deep cuts are cheap and will run on almost anything

Many gamers are facing a growing backlog of titles as they enter the new year. Instead of returning to popular games like The Witcher 3 or Persona 5, players are encouraged to explore quirky indie games that offer depth and creativity, are budget-friendly, and suitable for short gaming sessions. Eight standout indie games from the past year and two late entries from 2023 include: 1. Felvidek: Set in the Slovak highlands, featuring a disgraced protagonist investigating supernatural occurrences with a priest, utilizing sepia-toned visuals and retro turn-based combat. 2. Skald: Against the Black Priory: A DOS RPG-inspired game with pixel art and a rich soundtrack, offering modern hardcore CRPG mechanics. 3. Dread Delusion: A low-fi RPG with immersive world-building and exploration, captivating players since early access. 4. Anger Foot: An arcade FPS priced at , combining fast-paced action and humor, reminiscent of "Hotline Miami." 5. Judero: An action-adventure game with a druid protagonist in a whimsical claymation world, featuring surreal dialogues. 6. Mouthwashing: A claustrophobic narrative set on a marooned spaceship, known for its nonlinear storytelling and haunting atmosphere. 7. Straftat: A 1v1 FPS that combines classic map design with humor, serving as a contrast to live service games. 8. The Black Parade: An unofficial expansion for Thief Gold, featuring ten expansive missions that highlight immersive sim design. These indie titles offer a refreshing alternative to mainstream gaming, allowing players to enjoy unique narratives and innovative gameplay.

AppWizard

December 18, 2024

I played 27 new cozy games this year and my top 5 only includes 2 farm sims, I promise

This year, 27 cozy games were played, with notable titles including Fields of Mistria, Sky: Children of the Light, Infinity Nikki, Tiny Glade, and Rusty's Retirement. Fields of Mistria is a farm sim that evokes nostalgia for Harvest Moon games, featuring engaging characters and user-friendly elements. Sky: Children of the Light, a social MMO platformer, successfully transforms the single-player experience of Journey into a multiplayer format, offering a vast world and seasonal content. Infinity Nikki is an open-world adventure that combines outfit collection with platforming, while Tiny Glade allows for creative building with a procedural system. Rusty's Retirement is an idle farm sim that integrates gameplay into daily tasks. Additionally, The Garden Path is highlighted as a refreshing gardening simulator.

AppWizard

December 10, 2024

Fellow Diablo 2 snobs: Path of Exile 2 is the game we’ve been waiting for

Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2) entered early access on December 6, allowing players to engage with the game during a significant snowstorm. The game is an action role-playing game (ARPG) that combines elements of hacking, slashing, looting, leveling, crafting, and questing. Players can tackle challenges solo or cooperatively, with the initial act presenting a high level of difficulty. Enemy levels do not scale with the player's character, making strategy and skill essential for survival. Each boss encounter is designed to test player skill, and the game features a support gem system for creative playstyles and a customizable passive skill tree. Grinding Gear Games is addressing player feedback with hotfixes to improve gameplay, including adjustments to loot and currency drops, map systems, and dodge mechanics. PoE 2 runs smoothly on PC and is compatible with gaming handhelds, offering a visually stunning experience. It will be free-to-play after the early access phase.

AppWizard

December 7, 2024

Path of Exile 2 is already one of the top 20 most played games in Steam’s history even though it’s in early access and all the servers have been on fire

Path of Exile 2 has reached 480,000 concurrent players, surpassing the previous game's peak of 230,000 and ranking #19 in all-time concurrent rankings on Steam. The influx of players caused SteamDB to temporarily crash. The game combines classic ARPG buildcrafting with challenging Souls-like gameplay, attracting interest beyond typical gaming circles, including those who usually prefer single-player experiences.

AppWizard

December 2, 2024

Satisfactory gets weird for a month with the adorable, festive FICSMAS event

Coffee Stain Studios has released an upgraded version of the FICSMAS holiday event alongside the 1.0 update of their game, Satisfactory. The event features a new research tree for crafting festive items, including tinsel, ornaments, and a FICSMAS tree. Players can unlock special skins, craft whimsical toys like a gingerbread truck and a gift-wrapped drone, and share their creations with the community. Satisfactory is recognized for its blend of crafting, building, and factory management, offering a unique gameplay experience that combines strategy with fun.

AppWizard

November 29, 2024

PC gamers can download a free shooter for a limited-time, no strings attached

Epic Games is offering the game Brotato for free download until December 5, 2024. Brotato is a top-down shoot 'em up roguelite released in 2023, where players control a potato named Brotato who must survive on an alien planet after a spaceship crash. The game has an 'overwhelmingly positive' rating on Steam and allows players to wield up to six weapons simultaneously while crafting builds and selecting traits to enhance survival against alien enemies.

AppWizard

November 24, 2024

Official PC system requirements for Path of Exile 2

Grinding Gear Games has announced the PC system requirements for Path of Exile 2, launching in Early Access on December 6th. The game will not allow character and item transfers from the original Path of Exile and will feature cross-play and cross-progression. Minimum Requirements: - OS: Windows 10 - Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-7700 or AMD™ Ryzen 5 2500X - Memory: 8 GB RAM - Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 960 (3GB), Intel® Arc™ A380, or AMD Radeon™ RX 470 - DirectX: Version 12 - Network: Broadband Internet connection - Storage: 100 GB available space - Additional Notes: A GPU with at least 3GB of VRAM is required Recommended Requirements: - OS: Windows 10 - Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-10500 or AMD™ Ryzen 5 3700X - Memory: 16 GB RAM - Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2060, Intel® Arc™ A770, or AMD Radeon™ RX 5600XT - DirectX: Version 12 - Network: Broadband Internet connection - Storage: 100 GB available space - Additional Notes: Solid State Storage is recommended Players must secure an Early Access Supporter Pack to gain entry to the game.