interactive storytelling Archives

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

Obsidian vet Carrie Patel has joined Netflix

Carrie Patel, former director of Avowed, has joined Night School Studio, a subsidiary of Netflix, as game director. She previously worked at Obsidian Entertainment for nearly 12 years, contributing to titles like Pillars of Eternity, The Outer Worlds, and Avowed. Night School Studio was acquired by Netflix in 2021 and is known for the game Oxenfree. In February 2025, Netflix announced layoffs at Night School Studio amidst broader changes, including the closure of its Blue studio and leadership reshuffling.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

Xbox Game Studios bundle launches at Humble, and includes eight PC games for £7.80

Humble has launched an Xbox-themed bundle featuring eight Xbox-published PC games available on Steam, priced at £7.80. The bundle has two tiers: a £3.90 option that includes three games (Broken Age, Sunset Overdrive, and Battletoads) and a £7.80 option that includes all eight games (Wasteland 3, Quantum Break, As Dusk Falls, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, Broken Age, Sunset Overdrive, and Battletoads). Proceeds from the bundle support charitable causes, raising over £43,000 for Gameheads, a charity focused on training low-income youth in game development. Notable titles include Sunset Overdrive, praised for its unique style, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, recognized for its emotional depth, and As Dusk Falls, which offers a fresh approach to interactive storytelling.

AppWizard

May 1, 2025

The Story Of Ecstatica, The Groundbreaking Survival Horror With Plenty Of Balls

In the early 1990s, the video game industry was transitioning from 2D to 3D gaming, with titles like Star Fox and Doom emerging. The small UK studio, founded by Andrew Spencer and Alain Maindron, released the groundbreaking game Ecstatica in 1994 after five years of development. Spencer created a unique game engine using ellipsoid graphics, which provided a lifelike quality to characters, inspired by traditional animation techniques. The game received an 8/10 rating from EDGE magazine for its emotional engagement. Spencer expressed ambitions for sequels using his innovative engine to explore new gaming landscapes, but challenges, including the departure of key personnel, led to the shelving of the sequel. Spencer later shifted his career towards academia and research, hinting at ongoing ideas for new projects that have not materialized.

AppWizard

March 29, 2025

37-year-old studio behind iconic PC game Myst and one of the longest-surviving indies in the world just laid off “roughly half the team”

Cyan Worlds announced a reduction in its workforce, laying off twelve team members, which is approximately half of its staff. This change will take effect at the end of March.

BetaBeacon

December 26, 2024

Top 25 best text-based games for Android phones and tablets

- Unmemory is a thrilling text-based game where players track down the man who murdered their girlfriend while dealing with memory loss.

AppWizard

November 15, 2024

Best PC Games to Play (2025)

PC gaming is thriving with a wide variety of titles catering to different tastes. Notable PC games include: 1. Baldur’s Gate 3 - Features deep role-playing mechanics and engaging storytelling with turn-based combat and character customization. 2. Elden Ring - An action RPG with challenging combat and an expansive open world, including a new DLC titled "Shadow of the Erdtree." 3. Cyberpunk 2077 - Set in a futuristic world, it combines action with narrative depth and character customization. 4. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Offers a richly detailed open world and compelling narrative in a Wild West setting. 5. Disco Elysium - A detective RPG focused on dialogue and decision-making within a unique world. 6. Hades II - A fast-paced roguelike where players battle through the underworld. 7. Half-Life: Alyx - A benchmark for VR gaming with a gripping narrative. 8. Doom Eternal - An intense first-person shooter against demonic forces. 9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - An epic RPG with an expansive world and intricate quests. 10. Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Features strategic turn-based combat and cooperative multiplayer gameplay. Top games currently on Steam include: 1. Counter-Strike 2 - 563,733 current players, 1,442,806 peak players. 2. Dota 2 - 312,401 current players, 797,599 peak players. 3. Banana - 212,617 current players, 483,731 peak players. 4. Call of Duty® - 208,292 current players, 313,313 peak players. 5. Rust - 90,821 current players, 182,603 peak players. 6. THRONE AND LIBERTY - 84,819 current players, 229,014 peak players. 7. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS - 83,168 current players, 755,939 peak players. 8. Grand Theft Auto V - 61,381 current players, 172,551 peak players. 9. Baldur’s Gate 3 - 55,111 current players, 107,242 peak players. 10. Factorio - 48,876 current players, 118,166 peak players. PC Gamer’s Top 10 Games of 2024 include: 1. Baldur’s Gate 3 - 97% rating. 2. Disco Elysium. 3. Elden Ring. 4. Minecraft. 5. Persona 5 Royal. 6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. 7. Half-Life 2. 8. Balatro. 9. Stardew Valley. 10. Doom (1993). Popular multiplayer games include Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, Apex Legends, and Among Us. Free-to-play games with critical acclaim are Dota 2, Fortnite, Path of Exile, and Warframe. Classic PC games include Half-Life 2, Portal, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Minecraft. Recommended games for low-spec hardware include Stardew Valley, Terraria, FTL: Faster Than Light, Celeste, and Undertale.

AppWizard

October 18, 2024

Here are the 10 Steam Next Fest demos you need to play before they disappear

Steam Next Fest is running from October 14th to October 21st, showcasing a variety of PC gaming demos. 1. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector - Developer: Jump Over The Age; Release date: 2025. Sequel featuring a narrative-driven experience in a gig economy with resource management using dice. 2. Rift of the NecroDancer - Developer: Brace Yourself Games, Tic Toc Games; Release date: 2024. A rhythm-based adventure where players control Cadence to battle monsters through music-infused gameplay. 3. Scarlet Deer Inn - Developer: Atty Games; Release date: TBA. Features character animations through embroidery and follows Elise, an innkeeper, as she uncovers a dark mystery. 4. Great God Grove - Developer: LimboLane; Release date: November 15, 2024. Players use a megaphone to manipulate speech bubbles while navigating an impending apocalypse as a mail carrier. 5. Keep Driving - Developer: YCJY Games; Release date: TBA. A management RPG combined with a road trip adventure featuring turn-based encounters and an indie rock soundtrack. 6. Wormhole - Developer: Pocket Moon Games, ThanaThan; Release date: October 31, 2024. A reimagined Snake game where players control a space-faring worm in a visually stunning environment. 7. Is This Game Trying to Kill Me? - Developer: Stately Snail; Release date: November 13, 2024. A first-person horror escape room game where player actions influence the environment in a haunted cabin. 8. Sorry We're Closed - Developer: à la mode games; Release date: November 14, 2024. A survival horror game set in a subway station with supernatural foes and a perspective-switching mechanic. 9. Wilmot Works It Out - Developer: Hollow Ponds, Richard Hogg; Release date: October 23, 2024. A cozy jigsaw puzzle game allowing players to assemble artwork without time constraints.

AppWizard

October 2, 2024

My 6 favorite creepy cozy games with autumn vibes

Reka is a classic illustrated text adventure game available on Steam and GOG, where players navigate a countryside filled with wildlife and townsfolk while uncovering trade opportunities and mysteries of magic. Kynseed, found on Steam and GOG, is a whimsical farming game that combines farming and folklore, allowing players to experience generational farming and forge relationships in a bizarre landscape. Potion Craft, available on Steam, GOG, and Nintendo Switch, focuses on potion-making, where players grind herbs and experiment with ingredients to discover new recipes. Wytchwood, also on Steam, GOG, and Nintendo Switch, is a crafting adventure game where players gather materials to solve puzzles in a storybook landscape filled with folklore. Beacon Pines, found on Steam, GOG, and Nintendo Switch, is a narrative adventure game where players collect words to craft their own story paths while guiding animal protagonists through a mystery in a quaint town.

TrendTechie

September 9, 2024

Nier Automata: аниме vs игра. Сезон второй. Серия 9 — Игры на DTF

The recent adaptation of a popular game has sparked discussions about its portrayal of sensitive subjects, particularly suicide among child characters. The game presents these themes abstractly, allowing players to feel the implications rather than see them explicitly, as they interact with mechanical beings whose significance is obscured. In contrast, the adaptation engages more directly with audiences, emphasizing the emotional and psychological aspects of the characters, particularly their childlike traits. This approach humanizes the characters and highlights the gravity of their circumstances, fostering a deeper understanding of the narrative's complexities and encouraging viewers to confront the realities of the characters' experiences.

AppWizard

September 6, 2024

80 games teams join SAG-AFTRA union

80 developers have officially joined SAG-AFTRA, including Studio Wildcard and Little Bat Games, amid a strike by SAG-AFTRA members concerned about AI's impact on their work. SAG-AFTRA aims to establish protections against AI in creative processes. Sarah Elmaleh, chair of the union's negotiating committee, emphasized the importance of these agreements for fair labor practices. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director, praised the companies for adopting tiered-budget and interim agreements, highlighting their role in preserving creativity in gaming.