joy Archives

AppWizard

August 4, 2026

Minecraft-themed rice paddy art reaches peak viewing in Japan’s Gyoda

The rice paddy art at Ancient Lotus Park in Gyoda, Saitama, features a design inspired by the video game Minecraft. The artwork measures approximately 180 meters in length and 165 meters in width and can be viewed from the 50-meter tall Gyoda Tower. Around 1,000 volunteers planted rice seedlings in four colors, including the "Sai no kizuna" variety, to create recognizable characters from the game and a pixelated version of Gyoda Tower. The prime viewing period is expected to last until mid-October. Admission to the tower is 400 yen for high school students and adults, 200 yen for elementary and junior high students, and free for preschool children. Inquiries can be made to the Kodai Hasu Kaikan at 048-559-0770.

AppWizard

August 3, 2026

Communication is the biggest puzzle piece in chill co-op game Big Walk, so don’t take any shortcuts by using Discord

In March, the author played the co-op puzzle game Big Walk with friends Tyler and Morgan, completing over a dozen puzzles in about six hours. The game fosters camaraderie among players, and much of the game’s island remains unexplored. Big Walk is set to be officially released on August 4.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

One of Kerbal Space Program’s biggest inspirations was a promotional Flash game for Top Gear: ‘That was the most similar game to KSP that I could find back then’

Felipe Falanghe began his journey in PC gaming by playing Flight Simulator 4 on his father's laptop, which sparked his interest in modding and game development. In 2010, while at a marketing firm called Squad, he was given the opportunity to create Kerbal Space Program, which became one of PC Gamer's highest-rated games. Currently, he is playing the remastered version of Oblivion and enjoys the first-person shooter BattleBit, as well as Old School RuneScape, which he played back in 2005. He keeps Fragile Allegiance and Full Throttle installed on his system. Falanghe has logged nearly 2,000 hours in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 combined and considers Flight Sim and Fragile Allegiance as games he will never uninstall. He uses OBS for remote work and OneCommander for file management. His desktop is somewhat cluttered, with a preference for the classic Windows 10-style Start menu.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

Champion modder ports the OG ‘Father’ Nier back into the PC remaster, original voiceovers and all

Modder Elevna has released Nier Gestalt ver.1.22474487139…, which replaces the youthful protagonist from the 2022 remaster with the older version from the original 2010 game. The mod enhances the character model and integrates audio files from the original voice actor, Jamieson Price. It features reimagined alternate skins, repurposed voice lines, and includes original DLC content that allows players to engage in battles as different versions of Nier. The mod aims to provide a nostalgic experience for fans of the game.

Winsage

August 2, 2026

I still use Microsoft To Do — and I’m hoping one of my favorite daily Windows apps can avoid the graveyard of forgotten software

Users prioritize speed and efficiency in Windows applications, favoring tools that launch quickly and use minimal system resources. Microsoft To Do is highlighted as a simple task management app that serves as a modern version of Wunderlist, offering effective synchronization across devices. The app can help organize daily responsibilities, though its effectiveness varies by user. There are concerns about the future of Microsoft To Do, with speculation about potential integration into Microsoft 365. Despite the availability of alternatives, the author appreciates the functionality of Microsoft's in-house applications.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

I enjoyed this video of Oblivion Remastered actor Wes Johnson goofing around in a sound booth dressed as Sheogorath, but a patch for the PC version would be nice too, Bethesda

Bethesda has announced the release of Oblivion Remastered for the Nintendo Switch 2, set to debut in August. Wes Johnson, a voice actor from the Elder Scrolls series, will reprise his role as Sheogorath in the promotional material. The promotional video has received positive feedback, particularly for Johnson's return, but there are concerns about technical issues with the PC version, including performance problems and bugs that have persisted since the original release in 2006. Recent Steam reviews for the PC version have dropped to a Mixed rating, despite an overall Mostly Positive status. There is hope that the Switch 2 launch may lead to renewed attention to the concerns of PC players.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

Next Week on XBOX: New Games for August 3 to 7

- Beast of Reincarnation: Release Date: August 3; Availability: Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. - Kynseed: Release Date: August 4; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. - Detective Holmes: Hidden Objects: Release Date: August 3; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere. - Space Tail: Definitive Edition: Release Date: August 3; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. - Fading Clouds: Release Date: August 4; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. - Five Hearts Under One Roof: Release Date: August 5; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere. - Mate'Morphosis: Release Date: August 5; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere. - Aery – Surreal World: Release Date: August 6; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. - Herd Dispatch: Release Date: August 6; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. - Montabi: Release Date: August 6; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere. - Sokogem: Release Date: August 6; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. - Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint: Release Date: August 6; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery. - Yellowcreek Stories – The Cabin Watcher: Release Date: August 6; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere. - INK ENIGMA 2: Hidden Object Challenges: Release Date: August 7; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere. - John Fox: Release Date: August 7; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere. - Limbot: Release Date: August 7; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere. - The Relic: First Guardian: Release Date: August 7; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S. - Tailbreak: Release Date: August 7; Availability: Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Steam gamers have spoken: innovative indies like Palworld continue to thrive while traditional triple-A flounders for a foothold

In 2026, the gaming landscape shows a significant shift, with smaller development teams gaining popularity among PC gamers, while established franchises face challenges. Palworld 1.0 has become a major success, attracting over half a million concurrent players daily, trailing only behind CS2, PUBG, and Dota 2. Other notable releases include Meccha Chameleon, Windrose, Slay the Spire 2, Deltarune Chapter Five, and Mewgenics. In contrast, Halo: Campaign Evolved peaked at just over 25,000 concurrent players, significantly lower than The Master Chief Collection's peak of 161,000 in 2019. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced reached 104,000 active players, marking its best performance on Steam. The Summer Game Fest highlighted successful titles like Resident Evil Requiem and Forza Horizon 6, while smaller innovative projects like Vampire Crawlers and Super Battle Golf are also gaining attention.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Pirate-themed City Builder Corsair Cove is Out Now

Corsair Cove, a pirate city builder developed by Hooded Horse and Limbic Entertainment, is now available on PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store, as well as PC Game Pass. The game has over 500,000 wishlists prior to its release. Players can build their own island paradise and engage in narratives that involve confronting the Crown. It is localized in multiple languages, including German, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. The game is priced at .99 / £34.99 / €39.99 / ¥3,980, with a 25% launch discount available until August 13, 2026.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Corsair Cove Is Available Today With Xbox Game Pass, And Here’s What The Reviews Are Saying

Corsair Cove, a pirate-themed strategy game, has been added to Xbox Game Pass for PC users and has received a 'Generally Favorable' rating of 79 on Metacritic. Critics praise its engaging gameplay, charming aesthetics, and vibrant visuals, comparing it to titles like Sea of Thieves. The game features city-building mechanics that allow players to manage an island, raise a fleet, and govern a crew, although some reviewers note that the building mechanics may lack complexity for veteran players. Corsair Cove will be available on PC Game Pass at 4pm BST / 8am PDT / 11am EDT / 5pm CEST.