facility Archives

AppWizard

April 16, 2026

Pragmata PC performance tested: 18 GPUs take us to the Moon

Capcom's new sci-fi shooter, Pragmata, features a narrative centered on Hugh, the last survivor of a lunar rescue mission, and Diana, an android with hacking abilities, as they navigate a 3D-printed lunar facility. The game has locked out Radeon support, which has raised concerns about business motivations over technical limitations, despite the Radeon RX 9000-series cards performing well. AMD users can access FSR 3 upscaling, with FSR 4 available for RX 9000-series cards, while older RX 7000- and RX 6000-series cards are limited to FSR 3. The game supports various rendering modes, including rasterization, ray tracing, and path tracing. At 1080p, ray tracing performs well on most hardware, but at 1440p and 4K, higher VRAM cards show better performance. Path tracing requires upscaling and frame generation for optimal playability, with DLSS Frame Generation providing significant benefits for Nvidia users. The RTX 3070 lacks DLSS frame generation support, necessitating FSR 3 for testing, which results in lower image quality compared to DLSS. Overall, Pragmata is designed to leverage advanced graphics technologies, particularly for GeForce RTX 40- and 50-series card owners, while also offering a solid experience for AMD users, albeit with some limitations.

AppWizard

April 11, 2026

You can finally rescue Half-Life’s guards and scientists thanks to this mod inspired by Lemmings

Half-Life: Lemmings is a mod for Half-Life: Source that allows players to rescue up to 45 non-playable characters (NPCs), such as scientists and guards, within the Black Mesa facility. The mod features custom animations for rescuing NPCs, enhanced navigation capabilities for them, and upgrades for guards who can now use shotguns, MP5s, and grenades. The mod covers gameplay from the beginning of the Unforeseen Consequences chapter to the Apprehension chapter. It is available for download on ModDB, although Half-Life: Source is not listed on the Steam store but can still be purchased for £8.50.

AppWizard

March 30, 2026

YouTuber Constructs Dedicated Building To Preserve PC Oddities

Clint Basinger, known as the Lazy Game Reviewer, faced significant damage to his home and collection of PC gaming memorabilia due to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. While 5 percent of his collection suffered irreparable damage, the majority survived. He has constructed a dedicated bunker of 1,800 square feet for his collection, transitioning from renting storage units at 0 a month. Basinger has been a prominent figure in the YouTube gaming community for nearly two decades, sharing videos on video game oddities and niche hardware. He encouraged his fans to support community relief efforts following the hurricane. The new bunker is designed to protect his gaming treasures and is expected to become a showcase for his collection.

AppWizard

March 3, 2026

New VR Games & Releases March 2026: Quest, PlayStation VR2 & PC VR

- Iron Guard Salvation - March 5 (PS VR2) - Peak Rhythm - March 5 (Meta Quest) - Rager - March 5 (PS VR2) - DrumBeats VR - March 6 (PS VR2) - Bootstrap Island - March 12 (PC VR) - Parkour Labs - March 12 (PS VR2, Quest) - Perikoto - March 13 (PC VR) - SkyLeap - March 15 (PC VR, Quest) - Orbital Overdrive - March 16 (PC VR) - Prison Simulator VR - March 18 (PC VR, Quest) - GunX (Lock and Load) - March 20 (PC VR) - Maid of Sker VR - March 17 (PC VR, PS VR2, Quest) - Virtual Hunter - March 25 (PS VR2, Quest) - VMX - March 26 (PC VR, Quest) - Shop & Stuff - March 27 (PSVR2) - Star Trek: Infection - March 31 (PC VR, Quest)

AppWizard

February 28, 2026

Should you destroy or release Elpis in Resident Evil Requiem?

In Resident Evil Requiem, players face a choice to either destroy or release Elpis, which significantly affects the narrative and character fates. Destroying Elpis leads to a non-canonical ending where Leon dies after saving Grace, while releasing Elpis results in the canonical ending with an additional boss battle and a post-credits scene. In the latter scenario, Zeno transforms into an antiviral agent after injecting himself with Elpis, and Grace cures Leon, leading to a confrontation with Zeno and a hopeful resolution for Emily and Sherry. Players can revisit missed collectibles and are prompted to reconsider their choice after making a decision.

AppWizard

February 25, 2026

Proton beam therapy comes to Minecraft to help children prepare for cancer treatment at The Christie

Young cancer patients can now explore a virtual representation of the proton beam therapy centre at The Christie in Manchester through Minecraft, marking the first instance of a working NHS health facility recreated in the game. This initiative, developed by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Microsoft with input from clinical specialists, aims to familiarize children with the therapy environment to reduce anxiety before treatment. The virtual centre includes key areas such as reception, waiting areas, imaging rooms, and play preparation rooms, and features interactive elements like functioning MRI machines and hidden rooms. The Minecraft environment is scaled up to five times the actual centre for easier navigation. The project was primarily developed by Microsoft volunteers and has received positive feedback from young patients like 10-year-old Ramatulaye, who found it helpful in understanding the hospital layout.

AppWizard

January 26, 2026

Block by block: Johns Island middle school students bring future rec center to life in Minecraft

Sixth graders at Haut Gap Middle School designed a future recreation center for Johns Island using Minecraft as part of a month-long competition. The winning design, created by Colin White, Hart Anderson, Elijah Robertson, and Russell Thiem, was presented to the City Council. The center is planned to be a 50,000-square-foot facility featuring a 25-meter swimming pool, a therapy pool, a yoga studio, indoor courts for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball, as well as outdoor amenities like additional pickleball courts, a basketball court, a playground, and a splash pad. The students creatively adapted game elements in their designs, such as using spider webs for basketball netting and snowballs as basketballs. City Councilman Jim McBride acknowledged the importance of the students' input, and Mayor William Cogswell humorously requested a motion to approve the budget for the new center. The construction will be funded through a million bond referendum approved by voters in 2023, with an anticipated groundbreaking in October and an estimated 18-month construction timeline.

AppWizard

December 27, 2025

It was a good year for survival crafting sickos, and I’ll be playing some of these well into 2026

The author is actively involved in a community focused on survival crafting games, exploring various titles such as Dune: Awakening, Grounded 2, and Abiotic Factor. They have a nostalgic connection to Pax Dei, which features a grind-heavy, player-driven universe but faces challenges in player retention. Misery, currently in early access, offers a melancholic atmosphere with potential for future development. Recent updates to Rust, including a new jungle biome and blueprint system, have sparked renewed interest. Abiotic Factor, recognized as the Best Co-op Game of 2025, remains the author's favorite due to its charm and homage to the Half-Life series.

AppWizard

December 25, 2025

Sci-Fi Survival Horror Game Free on the Epic Games Store for 24 Hours

The Epic Games Store offers free games weekly, with a special holiday promotion providing a new free game every 24 hours. The latest free game, The Callisto Protocol, will be available from December 24th at 11 AM ET until December 25th at 11 AM ET. Players who claim it will retain access indefinitely. The Callisto Protocol is a narrative-driven third-person survival horror game set in a futuristic environment, where players escape a high-security prison while facing monstrous inmates. It received a Metacritic rating of 69 and mixed reviews on Steam, with praise for its graphics and narrative but criticism for combat variety. The Steam Winter Sale runs until January 5th, and the next free title from the Epic Games Store will be announced on December 25th at 11 AM ET.

Winsage

December 23, 2025

Microsoft bets on AI to rewrite Windows after code it wrote broke the OS

Microsoft plans to eliminate all C and C++ code from its products by 2030, as announced by Galen Hunt on November 25, 2025. This decision follows significant malfunctions in Windows 11 that began in July 2025, affecting core components like the Start Menu and Taskbar. The company aims to achieve "1 engineer, 1 month, 1 million lines of code" through AI-assisted rewrites. A patch to address these issues is promised for December 2025. The initiative is part of Microsoft's Future of Scalable Software Engineering group, with a focus on leveraging AI to manage and modify code at scale. A Principal Software Engineer position has been opened, emphasizing expertise in Rust. Microsoft is investing heavily in AI infrastructure, with plans to allocate billions for datacenter construction in 2025.