Escape Archives

AppWizard

September 4, 2026

PC gamers can grab a sci-fi hit in 7 day time-limited free offer

The Epic Games Store offers a selection of free games every Thursday. This week, players can claim the game Alone With You for free until 4 PM BST on Thursday, September 10. Alone With You, developed by BancyCo and launched in 2017, is an adventure game set in a doomed space colony, featuring a robot AI companion. The game typically retails for .99 and takes approximately 6.5 hours to complete the main storyline, or 11.5 hours for full exploration. It has a 'Mostly Positive' rating of 78% on Steam, with players praising its puzzle elements and narrative. Once claimed, the game remains in the player's library, but it is only available for PC.

AppWizard

September 4, 2026

How to escape Xanthe’s trap in The Blood of Dawnwalker

To escape Xanthe's trap in The Blood of Dawnwalker during the siege of Griefberg Castle, players must follow these steps: 1. Confront and defeat the enemies in the main chamber. 2. Proceed through the door directly ahead and to the left. 3. Pull back the bookcase to reveal a hidden hole and descend into it. 4. Return to the main room, eliminate any remaining foes, and find the door with the triangular, downward-pointing, tentacled-eye banner. 5. Drop down through this door. This process should be repeated until the player successfully escapes the trap.

AppWizard

September 2, 2026

Marketplace Content September 2026

During a summer internship at a fireworks factory, the author noted that celebrations are enhanced by vibrant colors. The Rainbow Eclipse PvP Pack by CubeCraft Games includes animated swords and armor with various colors, low fire, and short swords. The Steampunk - Original Textures pack by The Craft Stars features a retrofuturistic steampunk aesthetic. Pastel Adventures by Pathway Studios offers a pastel color palette, a custom user interface, adorable mobs, and 12 unique pastel skins. The Cube Chaos texture pack by Pathway Studios captures the essence of classic comic books. The Cherry Bonsai Treehouse by CrackedCubes provides a treetop base with cherry blossoms and unique textures. The Cute Cozy House by Heropixel Games features a dreamy design and adorable furniture. The Cityscapes Las Vegas pack by Octovon allows exploration of iconic landmarks and opulent resorts. The City Life pack by Kora Studios showcases sprawling apartment complexes and bustling city streets. The Cursed Woodland Mansion by Pathway Studios is a cleverly designed escape room set in a haunting woodland mansion. Space Mini-Golf by Waypoint Studios includes 100 distinct holes for intergalactic golfing. Mega Prehistoric Parkour by Jigarbov Productions combines parkour with baby dinosaurs. The Cute in Pink! pack by Pixel Squared offers 10 fashionable pink skins. Sakura Bliss by Yeggs features 12 cherry blossom-themed skins. The Angels vs Devils pack by Pixel Squared includes 12 skins embodying heavenly or hellish aesthetics. The Spooky Season pack by StudioU provides 13 eerie skins for Halloween. Additionally, there is a selection of Character Creator items crafted from gold.

BetaBeacon

August 31, 2026

Earn a Million and Escape: Fortune Mill Released on Android and iOS

Fortune Mill received 81% positive reviews on Steam and has been released on mobile platforms almost three months after its PC release. The game involves earning a million to escape Fortune Mill by mastering different mini-games in five rooms.

AppWizard

August 31, 2026

This open-source Android launcher is my new Niagara Launcher replacement

Niagara Launcher is appreciated for its minimalist design but is not open source, prompting the exploration of alternatives like Escape Launcher, which is available on F-Droid. Escape Launcher features a text-only interface, presenting favorite apps in a list format and allowing users to swipe left for all installed applications. It emphasizes thoughtful font selection and spacing, creating a curated experience. Users can customize fonts, color themes, and basic clock styles, and hide unwanted apps. While it lacks some features of Niagara Launcher, it is favored for its minimalist approach and reduced distractions.

Winsage

August 31, 2026

Why Windows stopped including fun games like Minesweeper, Solitaire, and Pinball

Microsoft integrated games into the Windows operating system from its early versions, starting with Reversi in Windows 1.0 in 1985 and introducing Solitaire in Windows 3.0 in 1990. Over the years, various versions of Windows included a range of built-in games, peaking with Windows Vista and Windows 7, which featured titles like Chess Titans and Mahjong Titans. However, with the release of Windows 8, Microsoft removed classic games from the operating system and transitioned to an app-centric model, directing users to the Windows Store for gaming. The Microsoft Solitaire Collection became a single app, while other games were made available as separate downloads. This shift marked a change in how Microsoft approached gaming, moving from integrating games as part of the OS to treating Windows as a platform for independent applications and services.

Winsage

August 29, 2026

I finally found out what Windows does during “Getting things ready” — and I’m no longer annoyed

Windows Patch Tuesdays often lead to uncertainty for users due to the "Getting things ready" screen, which lacks a percentage bar or estimated time of completion. During this time, Windows is performing complex tasks managed by the Update Orchestrator, which assesses applicable components of updates, prepares necessary files, and stages them for installation. The servicing stack, including Component-Based Servicing (CBS), ensures that only relevant parts of an update are applied at the component level. The update process involves checks, package handling, staging, installation, and finalization, influenced by each PC's unique configuration, installed components, optional features, and drivers. The variability in wait times is due to these factors, and while Microsoft does not provide precise completion times, clearer messaging about the current task could improve user experience. The lack of information can create confusion between necessary updates and a system that appears stuck.

AppWizard

August 27, 2026

Poppy Playtime studio reveals its next survival horror game, and this time it’s co-op

Mob Entertainment has announced a new game titled Escape from Playtime, which allows 1 to 4 players to participate in a cooperative horror adventure set in the Playtime Co. toy factory. Players will encounter characters like Huggy Wuggy while navigating the factory's corridors. The game is scheduled for early access on Steam and aims to enhance the gameplay experience with cooperative mechanics, building on the success of its predecessor, Poppy Playtime. An announcement trailer was showcased at the Future Games Show during gamescom 2026 and is available for viewing on Steam.

AppWizard

August 25, 2026

A game dev spent 40 days in the wilderness to make this new Steam survival game

Wordless Forest is a newly launched FMV survival game available on Steam, created by solo developer Dogus Cagrici. The game features stunning visuals from a 40-day hiking expedition across four Turkish cities and has no dialogue. Players navigate the protagonist's journey after a head injury, making critical choices that affect the story's outcome. The gameplay includes dilemmas like whether to consume food found at an abandoned campsite or investigate a dark cave. Early reviews are mixed, noting that the game offers about 45 minutes of gameplay with limited choices, leading some to view it as a short interactive film. It is currently available at a 10% discount for two weeks on Steam.

AppWizard

August 24, 2026

This week in PC games: Gamescom and GTA 6 fight for our attention, but don’t forget Folk Emerging, MGS4 and the horror game about balancing a cake

This week marks the arrival of Gamescom, featuring a highly anticipated documentary on GTA 6 set to stream on August 27th via Rockstar and Netflix. Notable new PC releases include: - Burned Horizons (early access): A military simulation game set in a fictional 2002 war in Europe. - Money for Girls: Amortized: A horror detective visual novel by Porpentine. - 1666: Amsterdam (early access): A time-bending witch game from Patrice Désilets. - Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2: A cooperative game for 1-4 players. - Astral Court DX: A bullet hell game with 189 levels. - Blood Dungeon: A frantic platformer by the creators of Nidhogg. - Sokogram: A hybrid puzzler with sokoban mechanics. - Western Rye (early access): A survival game combining cowboy simulation and zombie encounters. - the cabin game (early access): A multiplayer experience in a haunted cabin. - Lou's Lagoon: An adventurous platformer on an archipelago. - Star Wars: Zero Company: A squad tactics game set in the Ahsoka era. - Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2: A remastered package featuring MGS4 and Peace Walker. - Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy: An installment set on an island with light-based puzzles. - Captain Tsubasa: A return to the football franchise. - Don't Drop The Cake: A game where players balance a tray in a chaotic environment. - Alice's Gaze: A blend of autobattling and spooky mansion exploration. - A Little Age: A laid-back city-building game. The coverage approach for Gamescom this year will focus on in-depth stories rather than liveblogging, with a team on-site in Cologne and others covering news from home.