Game of the Year Archives

AppWizard

April 29, 2026

Routine is an intense Alien Isolation-style experience, and it is cheaper than ever

Routine is an indie horror game that has been in development since its announcement in 2012 and is now available. It features claustrophobic hallways and a lurking predator, creating a tense atmosphere similar to Alien Isolation. The game emphasizes stealth and has a tight level design that encourages a slow, deliberate approach. Players take on the role of a basic worker in a sci-fi universe, with environmental storytelling replacing a traditional narrative. Routine includes elements inspired by SOMA, such as terminals and puzzles, and features menacing foes like Type-05 security robots. Critics have praised the game, with a review rating of 9/10, and it has been included in Game of the Year 2025 lists. Routine is currently available for .74 at Fanatical, the lowest price to date.

AppWizard

April 27, 2026

New Survival Game Beats Crimson Desert and Pragmata to #1 Best-Selling Steam Game

Steam's best-selling game is now Windrose, an indie title that has displaced Crimson Desert. Developed by Kraken Express, Windrose is a pirate-themed PvE survival adventure that launched in Early Access and has received an 89% approval rating from over 13,000 user reviews. The game features classic survival gameplay elements, including building, crafting, and naval combat, and has a peak concurrent player count of 222,134. While not Steam Deck Verified, it is classified as "Playable" on the device.

AppWizard

April 18, 2026

Xbox Game Pass is your key to some of the year’s most nominated games

Award season for Xbox Game Pass highlights six standout games of 2025. 1. Doom: The Dark Ages - Introduces melee-centric combat with a battle axe, praised for its visceral gameplay, and received recognition for Innovation in Accessibility at the Game Awards. 2. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - Features voice talent Troy Baker, who has received accolades for his portrayal of Indiana Jones, with the game being recognized as "MachineGames' best game to date." 3. No Man's Sky - Transformed through 35 updates, enhancing base building, space combat, and exploration, showcasing fluidity and creativity in gameplay. 4. Rematch - A five-on-five soccer game from the creators of Sifu, noted for its addictive arcade-style gameplay that is easy to learn yet challenging to master. 5. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - Acclaimed RPG that won PC Gamer's Game of the Year, known for its intricate interactions and challenging difficulty, being hailed as a classic.

AppWizard

April 18, 2026

This is not a drill: All-timer weirdo game Deadly Premonition now playable on Linux as of Valve’s most recent Proton beta, plus 17 others and your EA library (until EA breaks it again)

Proton 11 beta 1 has been released by Valve, enhancing the Steam Deck and Linux desktops, and incorporating features from Wine 11. This update includes an initial Arm64 version of Proton, with plans for implementation in the upcoming Steam Frame. Some Windows games may perform better on Linux with this update. Newly playable games include "Unknown Faces," "Gothic 1 Classic," "X-Plane 12," "Breath of Fire IV," and "Deadly Premonition." The update also fixes various issues, such as video playback in "She Sees Red," rendering problems with the Ukrainian language option in "Chambers," and voice chat issues in "Phasmophobia." Improvements have been made in VR support for "No Man's Sky," and many other gameplay and performance enhancements have been implemented across various titles. Proton 11 beta 1 is based on Wine 11.0 and includes updates to several components, including vkd3d, dxvk, and Wine Mono.

AppWizard

April 17, 2026

Kingdom Come 2 director welcomes LGBT award nomination, then spends around 175 words explaining that it doesn’t make him ‘Woke’

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been awarded Game of the Year for 2025 and is nominated for the "Gayming Fan Favorite Award" at the 2026 Gayming Awards, with character Hans nominated for "Best LGBTQ+ Character Award." The game's director, Daniel Vávra, emphasizes the importance of authenticity in representing the relationship between characters Henry and Hans, which explores gay romance in a nuanced way. Vávra believes the game's approach contrasts with other titles' heavy-handed methods and highlights player agency. The development team aimed for a realistic depiction of the Middle Ages while allowing for personal expression through gay romances. Despite positive reception, Vávra's past associations with certain gaming communities have led to backlash from some groups due to the inclusion of diverse characters. He expresses frustration with what he sees as "forced 'woke' nonsense" while advocating for authentic storytelling.

AppWizard

April 16, 2026

Supergiant drops a Hades 2 patch with a bunch of new dialogue, better romances, and buffs to the game’s weakest god

Hades 2 transitioned out of early access in September of last year. Following player dissatisfaction with the game's conclusion, Supergiant Games released a patch in October to address concerns. Recently, they released another patch with various improvements to enhance gameplay. The ongoing enhancements reflect the studio's commitment to refining narrative and gameplay elements based on player feedback.

AppWizard

April 13, 2026

Hades 2, the Award-Winning Sequel, Lands on Xbox Game Pass Soon

Hades 2 has been recognized as one of CNET's best games of 2025, winning Best Action Game at the 2025 Game of the Year awards and Best Game on Steam Deck at the Steam Awards. It will be available on Xbox Game Pass starting Tuesday. Xbox Game Pass offers a library of games for a monthly fee, with the premium Game Pass Ultimate subscription providing access to hundreds of games, including new releases on launch day. DayZ, a multiplayer survival game, is now available on Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Essential, and PC Game Pass. Endless Legend 2, a fantasy strategy game, has been added to Game Pass Premium. FBC: Firebreak, a first-person shooter, is also new to Game Pass Premium. Planet Coaster 2, a park management game, is part of Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. Tiny Bookshop, a management game, is available on Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. Football Manager 26 has been added to Game Pass Premium. Hades 2 is set to launch on April 14, continuing the story of Melinoe. Replaced and The Thaumaturge will also debut on April 14. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered will be available on Game Pass Premium starting April 16, along with EA Sports NHL 26. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will launch on April 17. Little Rocket Lab and Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato will be new to Game Pass Premium on April 21, along with Vampire Crawlers. Kiln will launch on April 23. Game Pass Essential has added two new titles as of April 8. Five games, including GTA 5, will be removed from Game Pass on April 15.

AppWizard

April 11, 2026

Former Escape From Tarkov dev says “no amount of millions of dollars can save a weak product”

The shooter game market is currently saturated with both successful and unsuccessful multiplayer titles, making it challenging for developers to stand out. Dmitri Ogorodnikov, co-head of Nomion Games, emphasizes the importance of recognizing the complexities of creating a successful shooter. He points to the failures of games like Concord and Highguard, which struggled due to lackluster character design and muddled identities. Ogorodnikov believes that many big studios lose the essence of their games by relying too heavily on marketing and formulas. In contrast, Nomion aims to focus on quality gameplay and a clear vision for their upcoming title, Rush is Real, which is still in the prototyping phase. He asserts that the game will not be just another generic shooter and will prioritize unique ideas and quality over following market trends.

AppWizard

April 2, 2026

One of the Best Games of the 2010s Is Now Free for Millions of PC Gamers

XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a turn-based tactics game developed by 2K Games and Firaxis Games, is available for free to Amazon Prime members with a GOG account until July 1. The game, originally released in 2012, is a reimagining of the 1994 classic UFO: Enemy Unknown and has a Metacritic score of 91. Players can expect around 30 hours to complete the main storyline, with completionists potentially investing up to 70 hours. The offer includes the “Complete Pack” version, which features the XCOM: Enemy Within expansion and all previously released add-on content.

AppWizard

March 29, 2026

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 translator says he was ‘fired from Warhorse Studios and replaced with AI’

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 won PC Gamer's Game of the Year award and is currently involved in a controversy regarding the use of artificial intelligence in its development. Game director Daniel Vávra supported DLSS 5 technology on social media. A user named ThousandDemons claimed to have been a translator for KCD2 and stated he was replaced by AI. Investigations suggest ThousandDemons is Max Hejtmánek, a developer credited as "English Editor" on KCD2, who recently left Warhorse Studios. He detailed his contributions to the game and expressed opposition to AI translations, feeling betrayed by management after being informed his role would become "obsolete." He does not seek his job back but wants to share his experience. He also urged fans not to harass Warhorse staff.