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I'm very into this Papers, Please-esque puzzle game about identifying traitors to the socialist motherland
AppWizard
July 22, 2026

I’m very into this Papers, Please-esque puzzle game about identifying traitors to the socialist motherland

Players assume the role of Aleksey Lutomski, a recruit at the security service of a fictional 20th-century communist state, in the game What Awaits, Aleksey?. Set in 1970, the game involves examining evidence such as coded letters, covert photographs, and wiretapped conversations to identify members of an underground dissident cell called the KNOT network. The gameplay emphasizes a balance between challenge and engagement, with players needing to present findings to superiors who critique their work. The game features a 1970s setting with mechanical tools like calculators and tape recorders that enhance the investigative experience. Players must navigate misleading clues and make critical decisions that affect their allegiance, potentially choosing between siding with conspirators or remaining loyal to the state. The game explores themes of loyalty, identity, and moral dilemmas within a historical context.
I've helped 100 cats mail parcels in Cat Mail Co. which is why I can safely say it's one of the best management sims I've played in a very long time
AppWizard
July 14, 2026

I’ve helped 100 cats mail parcels in Cat Mail Co. which is why I can safely say it’s one of the best management sims I’ve played in a very long time

Cat Mail Co. is a management simulation game where players act as a postmaster on Cat Island, responsible for delivering mail to feline residents. Players must sort packages based on various criteria such as weight and type, while also deciphering vague requests from cats. The game involves collecting packages for delivery by a Captain who has a variable schedule, requiring players to manage stock and organize items strategically for transport. As players progress, they unlock new areas and face increasingly complex delivery logistics. The game also allows for multiplayer interactions, adding an element of chaos to the cozy gameplay experience.
Improving Windows Search Box, with less clutter and more control
Winsage
July 14, 2026

Improving Windows Search Box, with less clutter and more control

Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel are beginning to receive phased enhancements to the Windows Search Box. Key improvements include a streamlined home screen to reduce visual clutter, clearer context for search results indicating their source (app, setting, file, web result, or Store suggestion), and the removal of promotional content from web results. Users can control the display of web and Microsoft Store results through a new setting. Local results are prioritized when relevant, and the search function has improved its handling of typos and partial words. Ranking enhancements for settings results and better file search capabilities have been implemented, along with increased reliability and reduced crashes. Feedback is encouraged through the Feedback Hub.
I've played countless Doom engine games, so believe me when I say this one that combines the FPS with JRPG combat might be the coolest one in 30 years
AppWizard
June 26, 2026

I’ve played countless Doom engine games, so believe me when I say this one that combines the FPS with JRPG combat might be the coolest one in 30 years

End of Starchild is a free standalone game developed by Em Essex, notable for its unique levels and aesthetic diversity. It features beautifully animated title cards, impactful weaponry, and an exploration-focused gameplay experience with hidden secrets and a challenging super-boss. The game takes approximately 15 hours to complete and is recommended for both Doom fans and newcomers, with adjustable difficulty settings available. Some virus scanners may mistakenly flag the game as containing a trojan, but this has been identified as a false positive.
Path of Exile 2 director says players exploiting system to become in-game millionaires 'ruined Christmas for me' and joked that he's 'lost all sympathy' for everyone who took advantage of it
AppWizard
June 20, 2026

Path of Exile 2 director says players exploiting system to become in-game millionaires ‘ruined Christmas for me’ and joked that he’s ‘lost all sympathy’ for everyone who took advantage of it

The player trading economy of Path of Exile 2 experienced turmoil due to a new loot-gathering technique that allowed players to quickly accumulate in-game wealth. This led Grinding Gear Games to interrupt their holiday break to address the issue. The introduction of the "temple" feature enabled players to construct dungeons and exploit the system for excessive rewards by locking characters in the campaign and resetting levels. Mark Roberts, co-director of PoE 2, expressed frustration over the need for emergency patches and highlighted ongoing player exploits related to the temple. A patch was released to mitigate a temple strategy that threatened the game's economy. Roberts indicated a lack of sympathy for the temple due to the critical nature of the exploits. Players often aim to accumulate wealth for upgrading builds, but solo self-found mode limits access to rare items. The incident raises questions about future league launches during the holiday season.
Microsoft confirms Windows 11 Search will find your apps, not Bing results, even if you make typos
Winsage
June 18, 2026

Microsoft confirms Windows 11 Search will find your apps, not Bing results, even if you make typos

Microsoft has released the Insider Experimental Preview Build 26300.8687 for Windows 11 on June 12, 2026, which improves the Windows Search functionality. The update allows the search tool to accurately locate applications even with misspellings, omitted letters, or partial words. For example, typing “utlook” will yield Outlook as a result. Enhancements in the ranking of settings search results ensure that the most relevant options appear at the top. The update also improves local file search, allowing users to find files like “Severance-S2E5” more effectively. A new feature is being tested that will let users turn off web results in Windows Search, focusing exclusively on local content. Currently, disabling Bing results requires navigating through the Windows Registry, but a toggle in the Settings menu is being introduced for easier access. The June 2026 update has already implemented search enhancements, including returning file results after just two characters and a feature called Search by Substring, which allows users to find files using any segment of a filename.
I dug through the Windows 11 Insider builds for June 2026 and found 7 features worth paying attention to
Winsage
June 17, 2026

I dug through the Windows 11 Insider builds for June 2026 and found 7 features worth paying attention to

Microsoft rolled out several preview builds of Windows 11 in early June 2026 as part of the Windows Insider Program, focusing on refining existing functionalities rather than introducing many new features. A new Beta channel for version 26H1 was launched, featuring: - Screen Tint: An accessibility feature that provides a system-wide color overlay to reduce eye strain, accessible through Settings > Accessibility > Vision > Screen Tint, offering six preset colors or custom hues. - Low Latency Profile: Temporarily boosts processor frequency for 1 to 3 seconds during interactive tasks, improving application launch times by up to 40% and interaction times by as much as 70%, operating automatically without manual toggles. - Widgets Experience Update: Widgets now open without hover activation, Taskbar badges are off by default, and alerts are limited until user interaction. The dashboard displays Widgets under "widgets," and badging aligns with the system accent color. - Magnifier Enhancements: Users can input specific zoom percentages directly and access additional zoom presets ranging from 5% to 400%. - File Explorer Changes: Improvements for compatibility, performance, and reliability, including support for paths with double backslashes and quotation marks, and middle-click support for opening folders in new tabs. - Windows Update: Unification of drivers, .NET, and firmware updates with monthly quality updates, reducing required restarts to one per month. - Windows Search Enhancements: Improved handling of typos, missing letters, and partial app names, prioritizing accurate search results even with input errors.
A Brief History Of Unix Commands On Windows: CoreUtils (Again)
Winsage
June 16, 2026

A Brief History Of Unix Commands On Windows: CoreUtils (Again)

The interaction between Unix/Linux and Windows has historically been marked by significant differences in their architectures and philosophies. Unix uses a fork() function for process management, while Windows employs CreateProcess(), complicating the implementation of Unix-like tools on Windows. Early solutions to bridge this gap included the MKS Toolkit, which provided Unix-like commands for Windows, and UWIN from AT&T Bell Labs, which aimed to create a Unix interface layer on Windows. Cygwin offered a compatibility DLL to run Unix software on Windows, but required rebuilding from source. Microsoft's initiatives included POSIX, Interix, and later Services for UNIX. The introduction of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) allowed users to run a Linux userland directly on Windows, with WSL 2 incorporating a real Linux kernel. Recently, Microsoft released Coreutils for Windows, providing native builds of Unix-style tools to enhance cross-platform consistency.
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