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Steam Week in Review: A torrent of janky retail sims continues to flood Steam, and there's no end in sight
AppWizard
July 27, 2026

Steam Week in Review: A torrent of janky retail sims continues to flood Steam, and there’s no end in sight

The retail simulator genre on Steam has gained significant popularity since late 2024, with 14 new titles launched last week. "Mall Together" attracted over 1,000 concurrent players and is notable for allowing players to construct entire shopping malls. PlayWay, a major publisher, released two of last week's titles and has launched four games since July 20, with 474 products listed on Steam. Critics have labeled some titles as shovelware, but PlayWay has also produced successful games like "House Flipper 2." Smaller studios are contributing to the genre, indicating demand for well-crafted retail sims. The top sellers on Steam from July 14-21 included "Counter-Strike 2," "Palworld," and "Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced." "The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu," released on July 15, received nearly 1,500 "mostly positive" reviews.
Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered review (2018)
AppWizard
July 26, 2026

Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered review (2018)

The Geo-mod destruction feature in Red Faction: Guerrilla allows players to dismantle walls and pillars, leading to the collapse of entire buildings. The game includes mechanics such as crashing vehicles through enemy bases and detonating mines, providing a chaotic gameplay experience. The recently released Re-Mars-tered edition offers enhancements like improved textures, better lighting, and native 4K support. The campaign mode features significant destructive opportunities, while the Wrecking Crew mode serves as a casual alternative. Despite the game's unique destructible environment, no other titles have successfully emulated its approach, although elements of destruction appear in games like Battlefield, Minecraft, and Just Cause. The sparse Martian setting enhances the experience, and there is a strong desire among players for open-world games that allow for environmental manipulation.
Valorant's Neon is losing some pep from her step, and shotguns haven't escaped the nerf hammer
AppWizard
May 8, 2026

Valorant’s Neon is losing some pep from her step, and shotguns haven’t escaped the nerf hammer

Riot Games announced adjustments to the character Neon in Valorant, aiming for a more balanced gameplay experience. Changes include disabling the speed boost from jumping while using her High Gear ability, adjusting mid-air movement to match melee speed, and modifying fuel regeneration from kills to only apply when her ultimate is active. Additionally, all shotguns will experience decreased accuracy while moving, with standardized movement inaccuracy and a flat 15% crouched accuracy multiplier. The Bucky's pellet damage will be reduced at distances up to eight meters, while the minimum pellet spread for the Bucky and Judge will be increased. Buffs for the Sentinel class are planned for Patch 13.0, and adjustments to Initiators' cooldowns are being considered. These changes will be staggered across multiple patches to facilitate player adaptation.
There's an extreme lack of good quality, easy-to-find video game figures, and after seeing people make their own I'm tempted to try it myself
AppWizard
May 3, 2026

There’s an extreme lack of good quality, easy-to-find video game figures, and after seeing people make their own I’m tempted to try it myself

The author is new to figure collecting and enjoys searching for figures, particularly Hatsune Miku, at shops like Surugaya and Book Off. They highlight the creativity in customizing figures, mentioning a transformation of a Mizuhara Chizuru figure into Mari from Omori by yumenikkis, which involved detailed alterations. Another creator, Fallen Petal Studios, makes clay figures from scratch, including characters from various video games and shows, showcasing intricate details and craftsmanship. The author considers the possibility of customizing some of their own figures, particularly those that are less visible in their collection.
Epic keeps jamming more incredible shotguns into Fortnite, and it might be the best meta ever
AppWizard
April 25, 2026

Epic keeps jamming more incredible shotguns into Fortnite, and it might be the best meta ever

In Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2, the shotgun category has expanded to four options: the Chaos Reloader, Iron Pump, Super Shredder, and Dual Hammer. The Chaos Reloader delivers 150 damage per shot but requires precision and careful management of reload time. The Iron Pump has a 2x headshot multiplier but lower body damage per second. The Super Shredder is versatile but complicates close-range engagements due to its aiming requirement. The Dual Hammer, while consistent, lacks one-shot power against agile opponents. This season emphasizes diverse weapon choices and playstyles, enhancing gameplay variety and strategic loadout decisions. The introduction of SMGs further enriches the loot pool, making shotgun selection crucial for individual and team dynamics.
Portal 2: Community Edition promises to take the game's modding potential to new heights, and it's out in open beta now
AppWizard
April 18, 2026

Portal 2: Community Edition promises to take the game’s modding potential to new heights, and it’s out in open beta now

Portal 2 has approximately one million user-generated levels available on its Steam Workshop. The recently released Portal 2: Community Edition is in open beta and is a community-maintained build that enhances the existing experience without overhauling the core gameplay. New features include new lighting technology, volumetric effects, support for more detailed textures, custom campaign support, expanded scripting capabilities, and an improved Hammer map editor. Community Edition is built on Strata Source, a fork of the CS:GO engine, and has already inspired innovative mods. The mod's workshop page includes Half-Life 2 maps, enhanced texture assets, and an original puzzle titled Lesbian Kissing. The team is also working on an original campaign for the mod.
Intel's first CPU with an integrated Nvidia GPU to be called Serpent Lake, suggests leak
AppWizard
April 8, 2026

Intel’s first CPU with an integrated Nvidia GPU to be called Serpent Lake, suggests leak

Intel is developing a new CPU codenamed Serpent Lake, which is expected to integrate Nvidia graphics technology directly into standard CPUs for gaming laptops, handheld devices, and compact PCs. This follows a strategic alliance between Intel and Nvidia aimed at enhancing CPU capabilities. Serpent Lake is anticipated to be a variant of Intel's Titan Lake design and is considered a distinct branch of the Titan architecture. The name "Serpent Lake" emerged from discussions on social media, particularly from user @jaykihn0. Details about the internal specifications of Serpent Lake, including the GPU architecture and CPU core design, are still unclear, but it is projected to debut around 2028. The focus of these CPUs may be on mobile and compact devices rather than traditional desktop gaming setups.
Bungie brings the nerf hammer down on Marathon's problematic 'rich get richer' gun
AppWizard
April 4, 2026

Bungie brings the nerf hammer down on Marathon’s problematic ‘rich get richer’ gun

Bungie is addressing concerns about the Marathon Biotoxic Disinjector, a powerful weapon that combines a trace rifle and grenade launcher, which has been criticized for creating an uneven playing field in the game. The weapon is particularly effective in close-quarters combat, capable of nearly eliminating opponents with a single grenade hit. Game director Joe Ziegler acknowledged its overpowering nature and announced a 35% damage reduction as a temporary nerf, with plans for further balance adjustments. The weapon's exclusivity, available only to players who excel in challenging encounters, exacerbates the advantage for those who possess it. Prominent community figures have expressed concerns that the weapon could deter players from engaging with the game. Other content creators have noted its overwhelming effectiveness, with suggestions for additional measures to level the playing field, such as disabling the weapon in certain game modes.
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