immersive environments Archives

AppWizard

December 19, 2024

PC VR wizard is gearing up to weave his magic on Ubisoft’s 2023 open-world adventure

Modder Luke Ross has transformed popular PC games into VR experiences, including titles like Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Marvel's Spider-Man. His latest project is a VR mod for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, a game by Ubisoft. The game features visually stunning environments, and Ross noted that it looks incredible in VR and is resource-intensive. He plans to release an updated mod that will significantly enhance image quality without sacrificing performance. Access to his VR mod requires a subscription to his Patreon, starting at £8.50 per month, which includes a ZIP file with the VR framework and conversions of 26 PC games into VR.

AppWizard

December 13, 2024

The Last of Us Part II Remastered PC Announcement: Release Date In April 2025

Naughty Dog has announced that The Last of Us Part II Remastered will be released on PC on April 3, 2025. The remastered version will feature enhanced graphics, optimized performance, and additional content from the PS5 release. It will be available on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Key enhancements include higher resolution textures, uncapped frame rates, support for ultrawide monitors, and a new roguelike mode called 'No Return' with randomized encounters. The remastered edition will also include 'Lost Levels' and developer commentary. Pre-orders are expected to open in early 2025, with more details on system requirements and features to be shared later.

AppWizard

December 6, 2024

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

The latest installment in the Indiana Jones video game franchise, titled "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle," has received a range of reviews. VG247 and VCG both awarded it a perfect score of 100, praising its nostalgic Hollywood blockbuster feel. God is a Geek and HardcoreGamer rated it 80, highlighting its authenticity and gameplay while suggesting improvements in combat mechanics. PCGamer gave it a score of 86, comparing it to elite licensed games. GameSpot and IGN both rated it 90, commending its story and focus on stealth and exploration. The game is set in 1937, where players control Indiana Jones to stop sinister forces from obtaining an ancient power. It is developed by MachineGames, with Todd Howard involved in its design. Engadget noted that while the narrative is strong, the game could benefit from mechanical polishing.

AppWizard

November 20, 2024

Half-Life 2 review

Half-Life 2 received review scores of 96% in PC Gamer UK and 98% in the US edition. The game is set in City 17 and features meticulously designed environments that invite exploration. Its combat is characterized by impactful sound effects and a physics engine that allows for innovative interactions with the environment. The Gravity Gun is a key gameplay mechanic that enables players to manipulate objects creatively. The game includes challenges that require clever use of the Gravity Gun and encourages exploration through its pacing and side quests. Players encounter human allies and face formidable foes, creating an exhilarating atmosphere. Despite minor criticisms, the game is praised for its storytelling and design, influencing the video game industry significantly.

AppWizard

October 15, 2024

Tron: Catalyst Announced For PC & Consoles in 2025

Big Fan Games has announced the development of Tron: Catalyst, set to launch in 2025 for PC and consoles. The game is developed by Bithell Games and takes place in the Arq Grid, featuring a protagonist named Exo, who possesses the Glitch power. Players will engage in melee and ranged combat, using techniques like parrying and Disc kicks while riding Light Cycles. Progression involves collecting Data Shards to unlock new abilities. The storyline follows Exo, a courier whose life changes after a mysterious package detonates, granting him powers and putting him in conflict with a program named Conn. The game emphasizes exploration and combat within a richly imagined narrative. A trailer showcasing the game's action and visuals is available.

AppWizard

October 9, 2024

Silent Hill 2 Remake PC Performance Analysis

Konami has released a remake of Silent Hill 2, developed by Bloober Team, for PC, utilizing Unreal Engine 5. The performance analysis was conducted on a system with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor and various graphics cards, including NVIDIA and AMD models. The game offers customizable graphics settings, including options for colorblind modes and a nostalgic 90s filter, and supports technologies like Ray Tracing, NVIDIA DLSS 3, AMD FSR 3.0, and Intel XeSS. The game is primarily GPU-bound, with the NVIDIA RTX 4090 achieving around 200fps at Native 1080p with low settings. At 1080p with Epic Settings, an NVIDIA RTX 3080 is recommended for optimal performance. At 1440p, the AMD Radeon RX 7900XTX provided a smooth experience, while the RTX 4090 maintained over 80fps. None of the tested GPUs sustained 60fps at Native 4K with Epic Settings, but the RTX 4090 achieved over 65fps at High settings. Visually, the remake is praised for its immersive environments, although some critiques mention the fog effects could be denser. In-engine cutscenes are capped at 30fps, and players may experience traversal stutters, particularly in urban areas. The game compiles shaders in the background to avoid stutters during gameplay. While the remake has challenges at Epic settings, it offers extensive features and customization options for various gaming rigs. The absence of support for NVIDIA Ray Reconstruction or Frame Generation is noted, with potential for future updates to improve performance.

AppWizard

September 30, 2024

A Minecraft Movie new footage with Jason Momoa and Jack Black released

A team of producers, including Roy Lee, Jon Berg, Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Jason Momoa, Jill Messick, Torfi Frans Olafsson, and Vu Bui, is working on a new film. Executive producers include Todd Hallowell, Kayleen Walters, Brian Mendoza, Jonathan Spaihts, Pete Chiappetta, Andrew Lary, and Anthony Tittanegro. The cinematographer is Enrique Chediak, with production design by Grant Major, editing by James Thomas, and music composed by Mark Mothersbaugh. The film is set to debut in theaters on April 4, 2025.