indie Archives

AppWizard

September 28, 2026

This ambitious Half-Life 2 mod asks: what if Iron Lung had a submarine and an airship?

Iron Lung is an acclaimed indie horror game that has inspired a film adaptation by Markiplier. The genre of vehicular horror is largely unexplored, with few titles like Barotrauma and Klekta. The Temple is an upcoming total conversion mod for Half-Life 2 that allows players to navigate a horror-filled submarine and expands the experience into space. It is part of MapLabs and promises over two hours of gameplay, featuring three vehicles and a visually impressive environment. The mod includes elements inspired by Amnesia: The Dark Descent, such as invisible water monsters and a talking crow companion. The creator, Klems, has hinted at a potential release "very soon, possibly next month."

AppWizard

September 28, 2026

Yes, Gabe Newell really had a “room full of knives and blades and swords” that he learned how to make himself, says Counter-Strike co-creator

Minh 'Gooseman' Le, co-creator of Counter-Strike, shared insights about Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve, highlighting his billionaire status, passion for yachting, daily engagement with Dota 2, and a humorous title as "bladed weapon maestro." Newell is described as a vibrant and sometimes contentious leader, deeply involved in the gaming industry and committed to his vision at Valve. He has been known to express frustration during discussions about platform policies, notably challenging Valve's top lawyer with a pointed question about his role. Despite stepping back from daily game development, Newell remains a pivotal figure in the industry, influencing Valve's direction with a mix of humor and intensity.

AppWizard

September 28, 2026

Steam Week in Review: Great, haystack slop is a thing now

Clones are common in the gaming industry, with many games mirroring successful titles. The original game "Needle In A Haystack Simulator" is set to launch in Q4 2026 and had about 23,000 players during a recent playtest. The game features sorting and incremental mechanics where players sift through hay to find a needle while uncovering sellable items. Two other haystack-themed games have launched: "Needle In A Haystack - A Time For Goats," which sold 1,000 copies in its first week, and "A Needle In A Haystack: Sorting Game," which received poor reviews. Another title, "Story of The Needle In a Haystack," is scheduled for release on November 28. The creator of "Needle In The Haystack Simulator" humorously referred to it as a "slop game," acknowledging the trend's absurdity.

AppWizard

September 28, 2026

Fans React To Minecraft’s Upcoming New Dimension ‘The Sift’

Mojang hosted Minecraft Live, revealing developments including Minecraft Dungeons II and new icy biomes. The most notable announcement was the introduction of a new dimension called "the Sift," which will be added after 14 years. The Sift features a vibrant, cotton candy-colored aesthetic with elements like pink weeds and a blue bunny, contrasting with the darker themes of previous updates. It will be included in the core game in 2027 but will first appear in Dungeons II. Discussions among players are mixed, with some expressing excitement and others skepticism about its design.

AppWizard

September 26, 2026

Manor Lords publisher isn’t worried about launching a game on GTA 6’s release date – PC players “looking to steal cars” might check out its new management sim instead

Hooded Horse is set to launch its medieval management simulation, Blacksmith Master, on November 19, the same day as the release of GTA 6. Despite industry concerns about releasing alongside a blockbuster, Hooded Horse believes that GTA will not negatively impact their game's release. The gaming industry has seen several high-profile games delay their launches to avoid the crowded November schedule, with the director of the Fable reboot indicating that GTA's release influenced its postponement until next year.

Tech Optimizer

September 26, 2026

Norton 360 for Gamers vs Bitdefender vs Malwarebytes [2026]

Norton 360 and Bitdefender Total Security achieved perfect scores from AV-TEST in June 2026, while Malwarebytes had a 100% real-world protection rate in AV-Comparatives’ testing but with a higher false-positive rate. Bitdefender Total Security is recommended for PC gamers as it minimizes frame-rate impact to 0-2% during gameplay. Norton 360 for Gamers includes features for streamers and competitive players but has a higher renewal price. Malwarebytes Premium is noted for its minimal resource usage but lacks a dedicated game mode. The pricing for Norton 360 starts at .99 for the first year and increases to .99 upon renewal, Bitdefender starts at .99 for a single device, and Malwarebytes Premium aligns closely with Norton’s entry price but does not include a VPN. In FPS testing with Cyberpunk 2077, Norton showed a 2-3% drop, Bitdefender a 0-2% decrease, and Malwarebytes under 1%. Norton uses a hybrid detection model, Bitdefender employs cloud-based scanning, and Malwarebytes focuses on behavior-based detection. Norton offers gamer-tag dark web monitoring and a bundled VPN, while Bitdefender has limited VPN features on standard tiers and Malwarebytes lacks these protections.

AppWizard

September 26, 2026

My favorite $6 RPG on Steam just got a beastmode free ‘Enhanced Edition’ update

FlyKnight is a first-person RPG inspired by classics like King's Field and Lunacid, priced affordably. It recently received a free update called the GOTY/Enhanced/Definitive Edition, which includes multiple difficulty levels, item and enemy randomization, four new weapon types, performance improvements for Steam Deck users, and various refinements. The game features a unique combat system with locational limb damage, allowing players to target specific weak spots. The gameplay is slow-paced and skill-demanding, focusing on distance control and perfect blocks. The game is currently available at a limited-time sale price until September 30.

Tech Optimizer

September 25, 2026

Norton 360 for Gamers vs Bitdefender vs Malwarebytes [2026]

Norton, Bitdefender, and Malwarebytes have adjusted their antivirus products to mitigate the negative effects on gaming performance. In June 2026, Norton 360 and Bitdefender Total Security both received a perfect AV-TEST score of 18 out of 18, while Malwarebytes achieved a 100% real-world protection rate in AV-Comparatives testing, though it had more false positives. Bitdefender Total Security is recommended for gamers due to its low frame-rate impact of 0-2%, while Norton 360 offers features for streamers and competitive players, and Malwarebytes serves as a lightweight secondary scanner. The value of gaming accounts has increased, making them targets for cybercriminals, with malware campaigns like Vidar 2.0 accounting for 41% of gaming-related malware detections. New malware families such as Katz and Bee specifically target Discord and gaming platforms. In terms of performance, Norton showed a 2-3% FPS decrease in Cyberpunk 2077, while Bitdefender's impact was only 0-2%, and Malwarebytes had less than 1% impact. Norton and Bitdefender are tied in detection capabilities, both scoring 18/18 in AV-TEST, while Malwarebytes had a 92.4% offline detection rate and 98.3% online. Norton includes a no-log VPN and gamer-tag monitoring, while Bitdefender offers identity protection without specific gamer-tag monitoring. Malwarebytes lacks a VPN and password manager. Pricing varies, with Norton starting at .99 for three devices, Bitdefender at .99 for one device, and Malwarebytes at .99 for one device. To switch antivirus solutions, users should back up their license keys, use removal tools, and ensure game-aware modes are active. Each product has unique strengths: Norton excels in gamer-tag monitoring, Bitdefender minimizes CPU usage, and Malwarebytes is lightweight but lacks additional features.

AppWizard

September 20, 2026

The latest co-op indie game to take over the internet is like one of my favourite board games, just with bombs

Bombanana is a cooperative game where players take on the roles of monkeys with restricted sensory abilities: one is blind, another is deaf, and a third is mute. This setup complicates communication and strategy, leading to chaotic gameplay reminiscent of Team 3. Players must work together to defuse bombs, with the sighted player observing the bomb's mechanisms and relaying information to the mute player holding the instruction manual. The game features escalating challenges and puzzles, creating a humorous yet tense atmosphere. Despite struggles and failures, the experience fosters laughter and camaraderie among players.

BetaBeacon

September 20, 2026

Wholesome shopkeeping game Trash Goblin out now on iOS and Android!

Spilt Milk Studios has launched a mobile port of their game Trash Goblin on iOS and Android platforms for .99, with a discount available for those who try the trial version first.