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AppWizard

April 1, 2025

The Last of Us Part II Remastered Coming to PC On April 3, 2025

“The Last of Us Part II Remastered” will be released on PC on April 3, 2025, available on Steam and the Epic Games Store. This marks the first time Windows users can access the game, which previously received over 300 Game of the Year awards on PlayStation. The remastered edition includes enhancements such as improved graphics, performance, and new content, including a roguelike mode called “No Return.” Pre-orders are currently available. The PC version will support customizable graphics settings, ultrawide monitor support, and full DualSense controller features. New playable characters Bill and Marlene will be introduced in the “No Return” mode, alongside a Guitar Free Play mode and restored cut content. The game will require a minimum of an Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1300x processor and 16GB RAM.

AppWizard

March 2, 2025

I wrote one-sentence reviews of over 70 Steam demos to help you decide which to try before Next Fest ends

During the recent Steam Next Fest, 83 game demos were explored, with impressions shared on 72 titles. Highlights include: - Monster Train 2: A more intricate version of the original. - Sandustry: A blend of Noita and Factorio with unique mechanics. - Nomad Idle: An action RPG mixed with idle game elements. - Deliver At All Costs: Early GTA-inspired package delivery game. - Machine Mind: Resource gathering and base defense in a Borderlands-inspired setting. - Mech Havoc: A top-down shooter combining Brigador and MechWarrior elements. - Solarpunk: A survival game lacking depth. - Tempest Rising: A revival of Command & Conquer. - Mecha Break: Overwhelmed by free-to-play design choices. - Void War: Combines FTL and Warhammer 40k. - Wizdom Academy: Falls short as a wizard school management sim. - Settler's Domain: A minimalist colony-builder that encourages rapid gameplay. - Behind the Sword: An indie grand strategy 4X game with a unique spherical grid. Additional notable titles include: - RoadCraft: Relaxed truck logistics game. - Grit and Valor - 1949: Dieselpunk mech micro-RTS. - Drop Duchy: City builder with randomization issues. - He is Coming: Lo-fi roguelike RPG. - Desperate Place: Sci-fi iteration of Thronefall. - Roman Triumph: Survival City Builder: Interesting city builder with subpar AI art. - Icaria: Worker-programming factory game. - Rise of Industry 2: Lacking gameplay mechanics despite appealing aesthetic. - Windward Horizon: Complicated crafting and RPG mechanics. - Guntouchables: Co-op action roguelike with potential. - Game of Thrones: Kingsroad: Brief and unengaging demo. - Darkwater: Potential premise hindered by discomforting field of view. - War Rats: The Rat em Up: Chaotic experience added to wishlist. Other games mentioned include Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids, Outworld Station, As We Descend, Railgods of Hysterra, City Tales: Medieval Era, Task Force Admiral, Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall, Dark Moon, Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone, The Horror at Highrook, Radiolight, Is This Seat Taken?, God Forsaken, Total Chaos, Nordhold, Missing Banban, Wheel World, I Am Legion: Stand Survivors, Labyrinth of the Demon King, Unyielder, Reignbreaker, Urban Jungle, Dagger Directive, Star Crafter, Blightstone, Redemption of Liuyin, Cybertaxi: Lunatic Nights, MechaKnights Legends, Jitter, Rock Crusher, Chaos Front, Savara, Pochemeow, Death Ring: Second Impact, Mystical Tactics, Uber Urban, Sweep, Anoxia Station, Starless Abyss, Scarecrow, Wanderstop, and Conquest Dark.

AppWizard

February 23, 2025

The Best VR Headsets for PC Gaming

In virtual reality, high-quality VR headsets paired with robust gaming PCs enhance the immersive experience, with most top-tier VR games benefiting from superior PC graphics and performance. The best VR headsets for PC include: 1. Valve Index: - Resolution: 1440x1600 per eye - Refresh Rate: 120Hz (144Hz experimental) - Field of View: 130° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.79 lbs 2. Meta Quest 3S: - Resolution: 1832x1920 per eye - Refresh Rate: 120Hz - Field of View: 90° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.13 lbs 3. HTC Vive Pro 2: - Resolution: 2448x2448 per eye - Refresh Rate: 120Hz - Field of View: 120° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.9 lbs 4. HTC Vive XR Elite: - Resolution: 1920x1920 per eye - Refresh Rate: 90Hz - Field of View: 110° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.38 lbs 5. PlayStation VR2: - Resolution: 2000x2040 per eye - Refresh Rate: 120Hz - Field of View: 110° - Tracking: 6DoF - Weight: 1.24 lbs Choosing the best VR headset involves evaluating technical specifications, comfort, and fit. A powerful PC is recommended for optimal VR performance, especially for demanding titles. Standalone headsets like the Meta Quest 3S and Pico 4 do not require a PC, while the PlayStation VR2 can connect to a PC with an adapter. VR headsets often go on sale during major shopping events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

AppWizard

February 14, 2025

Ubisoft Releases Assassin’s Creed Shadows PC & New-Gen Features Trailer

Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be released on March 20, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, set in 16th-century feudal Japan. The game features two protagonists: Yasuke, a historical African samurai, and Naoe, a skilled shinobi. It will not be available on older consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Key features include uncapped frame rates on PC, multiple performance modes on consoles, ray tracing, AI-driven upscaling techniques, and spatial audio technology. The game is powered by the new Anvil engine, designed exclusively for current-generation hardware, and will run at 60 FPS on consoles. Minimum and recommended system requirements for PC have been specified, and the game requires a constant internet connection for activation and online features. Pre-orders are open with multiple editions available.

AppWizard

February 14, 2025

Avowed PC Technical Report – Solid Work from Obsidian: 4K@200FPS with DLAA and Max Settings

Avowed is set for release on February 18, with early access available for Premium Edition owners. The game is developed using Unreal Engine 5 and is noted for its smooth performance, impressive expansive zones, and commendable visual fidelity. It features ray-traced reflections, particularly on water, and minimal stuttering issues when a frame rate cap is applied. Obsidian has implemented a shader generation process during initial loading to enhance gameplay smoothness. The game does not currently support NVIDIA’s DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation, but a workaround for subtitle ghosting was utilized. Performance testing was conducted at 4K resolution with max settings on a high-end rig, achieving an average of 200 FPS with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation set to 4x. The visuals are striking, although there is no native HDR support, which can be enabled through a workaround. The game supports the DualSense Edge controller, and Dolby Atmos performs well. The credits reveal collaboration with several supporting studios, including the Xbox Games Technology Group.

AppWizard

November 22, 2024

Stalker 2 best graphics settings to improve FPS

For optimal performance in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, players should adjust the following graphics settings: - Texture quality: Epic - Hair: Low - Object details: Epic - Effect quality: Epic - Materials: Epic - Post Processing: Epic - Antialiasing: Epic - Motion blur strength: 0% - Depth of field: Epic - Light Shaft: Enabled - Upscaling method: DLSS (Nvidia), FSR (AMD), XeSS (Intel) - Upscaling quality: Quality (or Performance/Super Performance for increased FPS) - FSR 3 Frame Generation: Enabled - Shading quality: Epic - Global Illumination: Epic - Reflections: Epic - Shadow quality: Low - Cloud: Epic - Fog: Epic - Sky: Epic - Foliage quality: Epic - Environment draw distance: Far or Medium Display settings: - Field of View: 90 - V Sync: Off - Frame rate: No limits - Nvidia Reflex Low Latency: Enabled These settings are recommended for GPUs like the RTX 3070, with adjustments suggested for lower-end GPUs.

Winsage

November 19, 2024

Meta’s Quest 3 Will Be Able To Turn Into A Windows 11 PC

Users of the Meta Quest 3 will soon be able to access the full capabilities of Windows 11 through their VR headsets, but the Quest 3 will not run Windows natively. Instead, it will stream content from a personal Windows 11 PC or a Windows Cloud PC via a Windows 365 subscription, aimed primarily at professional users. This feature will enter public preview in December and allows users to connect to a multiple-monitor workstation seamlessly. The Quest 3 series will compete with the Apple Vision Pro, which is marketed as a spatial computer. Users will be able to set up multiple virtual monitors in their field of view, and while gesture control details are unclear, it may draw inspiration from the Vision Pro. Current third-party applications like Virtual Desktop and Immersed are popular among Quest users for productivity. The Quest 3 has a contextual resolution of about 25 pixels per degree, compared to the Vision Pro's 34 pixels per degree, affecting the clarity of text-heavy virtual screens.

AppWizard

November 7, 2024

First Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered PC Patch brings performance and stability improvements

Nixxes has released Patch 1.1 for Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, which includes bug fixes and performance enhancements. Key fixes include resolving a crash related to mouse and keyboard controls, addressing disappearing or flickering shadows in Meridian for ultrawide resolutions, and correcting a floating bow issue during cinematics. The update also aligns the audio volume of pre-rendered cut scenes with gameplay. Improvements have been made to Steam Input, HUD markers for objectives, and various user interface elements, alongside general performance and stability enhancements. A PSN account is required to access the remaster, and there are no plans to remove this requirement. The update will be automatically downloaded via Steam.

AppWizard

November 7, 2024

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered PC Patch 1.1 Introduces Various Performance and Stability Improvements

A new patch (1.1) for the PC version of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered has been released, enhancing the gaming experience with several key fixes and improvements. The patch resolves audio issues in pre-rendered cutscenes, addresses a bug with disappearing or flickering shadows in Meridian on ultrawide resolutions, ensures HUD markers for objectives render correctly with custom field of view, and implements improvements to Steam Input. The development team is working on future patches for further refinements. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is available on PC and PlayStation 5 globally.

AppWizard

October 28, 2024

ROCKET-1 mines diamonds in Minecraft by seeing and tracking objects in real time

A team of researchers has developed ROCKET-1, a method to improve AI agents' precision in virtual environments like Minecraft by combining object detection and tracking with advanced AI models. The technique "Visual-temporal context prompting" enhances interaction capabilities without relying on traditional language or diffusion models. ROCKET-1 operates with a hierarchical structure that includes GPT-4o for planning, Molmo for object identification, and SAM-2 for real-time tracking and masking of objects. The system was trained using OpenAI's "Contractor" dataset, which contains 1.6 billion images of human gameplay. SAM-2 analyzes gameplay in reverse to identify and mark objects interacted with by players. ROCKET-1 has demonstrated high success rates in various tasks, achieving up to 100 percent success in seven tasks, although it struggles with objects outside its field of view or those not previously encountered, requiring increased computational effort.