Mass Effect Archives

AppWizard

January 12, 2026

This week in PC games: Hytale, Quarantine Zone, a weird Batman sim, and a fresh batch of RPGs and shooters

The Maw can manifest in various forms, including a blinking cursor or unreturned messages. New PC game releases include: - Big Hops: A 3D platformer featuring a frog with jumping and tongue skills. - Confidential Killings: A detective game that could use a more imaginative name. - Quarantine Zone: The Last Check: Players act as a border guard during a zombie apocalypse, exploring moral dilemmas. - Hytale: A sandbox building RPG now in early access, developed by Hypixel Studios. - Hank: Drowning on Dry Land: A whimsical narrative game featuring a drunken, time-traveling character. - Cassette Boy: An action RPG puzzler with retro visuals and themes of object permanence. - Streetdog BMX: A game with children performing stunts on bicycles across colorful maps. - The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon: The thirteenth installment in an RPG series. - Tabulo: A roguelite chess game. - Craftlings: A blend of Lemmings and colony-building elements. - The Fortress: A first-person turn-based dungeon-crawling RPG. - NEUROXUS: A fast-paced mech shooter with a neon aesthetic. - Moving Simulator: A game reflecting the moving experience. - Lunar Ascendant: Players become the first mayor of the Moon, navigating social media and factions. James and Julian will attend preview events, while Mark and Ollie are excited about Hytale's launch. A review for Pathologic 3 is being crafted.

AppWizard

January 10, 2026

As Anthem breathes its last, I still find myself mourning just how close it came to being the BioWare game of my dreams

The BioWare Anthem servers will shut down on January 12. Anthem was launched nearly seven years ago but never fully realized its potential. Despite initial excitement and captivating gameplay mechanics, the game suffered from a lack of mission variety, limited equipment options, and slow narrative pacing. BioWare announced in February 2020 that it would halt seasonal updates to focus on a "substantial reinvention," but a year later confirmed that Anthem was effectively dead. The game is remembered for its promise and the nostalgic experiences it offered to players.

AppWizard

January 5, 2026

You’ve got 1 week left to play Anthem, the game that mortally wounded the one-time king of RPG studios

BioWare's decline is often attributed to the 2019 launch of Anthem, a live-service co-op looter-shooter that received a poor reception, with a review rating of 55%. Following Anthem, BioWare attempted to reinvent the game, but development was halted by EA in 2021. Prior to this, Mass Effect: Andromeda had already damaged the studio's reputation due to bugs. David Gaider, a former BioWare veteran, noted a shift in the studio's focus away from its loyal RPG fanbase towards a broader audience. After Anthem, BioWare released Mass Effect Legendary Edition, which was well-received, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which received mixed reactions. The future of BioWare is now dependent on the success of the upcoming Mass Effect game.

AppWizard

January 3, 2026

The Mass Effect spiritual successor I can’t wait to play just lost its studio head, but he doesn’t want you to worry

James Ohlen, the former studio head of Archetype Entertainment, announced his departure from the company in December, following the release of the latest trailer for the sci-fi adventure game Exodus. He stated that his decision to step down was made last summer, was amicable, and had the full support of Hasbro. Ohlen emphasized that Exodus is "in a good place" and expressed confidence in the team's ability to continue the project under the leadership of trusted colleagues. He will remain with Wizards of the Coast as a creative consultant, focusing on tabletop RPGs and his own venture, Arcanum Worlds. The game Exodus features a time dilation mechanic where players experience long journeys at near-light speed, with a planned release date set for early 2027.

AppWizard

December 29, 2025

I’ve played the Warhammer 40k Dark Heresy alpha and it’s basically grimdark Disco Elysium

Owlcat Games is releasing downloadable content for Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader and has announced a new RPG inspired by The Expanse novels. They have launched a publishing division producing titles like Rue Valley, with contributions from Disco Elysium writer Robert Kurvitz. The alpha test for Warhammer 40k Dark Heresy is available to players who pre-ordered specific editions, lasting approximately eight hours and allowing exploration of different narrative outcomes. The game features a detective system and an Inquisitorial Journal for gathering clues. Dark Heresy emphasizes investigation over combat, which is currently seen as the weakest aspect of the demo. The game includes a character named Ra'ahkti, who may have a role similar to Kim Kitsuragi from Disco Elysium, and there are hints of potential romantic interactions.

AppWizard

November 24, 2025

We’re finally seeing more of Hasbro’s forgotten space game, and I’m hoping it’s a worthy Mass Effect challenger

Hasbro's vice president of investor relations, Fred Wightman, confirmed that development on the sci-fi RPG, Exodus, is ongoing and that more information will be shared during The Game Awards next month. Although Exodus is not nominated for any awards, it remains a key focus for Hasbro. The game previously received promotional attention through weekly lore drops and an appearance in Amazon Prime's animated series, Secret Level. While no specific release date was provided, speculation suggests it could be about a year away, with some anticipating a potential holiday release in 2026.

AppWizard

November 18, 2025

Mass Effect 3 redeemed to glory as modder puts its ME1-style elevator back in

The Mass Effect series, particularly its third installment released in 2012, sparked intense discussions about its endings and player choice impact. A mod called Glorious Elevators (LE3), developed by Linkenski, aims to restore the elevator experience from the original Mass Effect, which was cut from Mass Effect 3 due to technical limitations of the PS3 and Xbox 360. The mod allows players to experience the Normandy's lifts in real time, enhancing gameplay and rekindling nostalgia. Linkenski claims it improves upon the original elevators and adds to the seamlessness of Mass Effect 3.

AppWizard

November 14, 2025

The Turnip Boy devs just announced a sudden left turn into horny territory: A dungeon crawler where you ‘rizz up’ monster girls

Snoozy Kazoo has announced a new project titled Rizz Dungeon: Skeleton Key to My Heart, a first-person dungeon crawler that combines adventure and romance. The game features quirky characters and allows players to build relationships that enhance gameplay, similar to the Pokémon mechanic. Producer Mollie Taylor described the game as filled with eccentric humor and enjoyable gameplay. Rizz Dungeon is available for wishlisting on Steam, while another Turnip Boy title is also in development.

AppWizard

November 10, 2025

‘He was scared s***less’: Baldur’s Gate director was so panicked after playing Final Fantasy 7 that it changed the entire shape of Baldur’s Gate 2 (and nearly every RPG since)

Final Fantasy 7 significantly influenced the development of Baldur's Gate 2, as revealed by Trent Oster, CEO of Beamdog. The success of Final Fantasy 7 inspired BG2's director, James Ohlen, leading to a more intricate game structure and deeper character development. In contrast to the original Baldur's Gate, where characters felt replaceable, BG2 introduced complex plotlines for companions, fostering emotional connections similar to those in Final Fantasy 7. This evolution laid the groundwork for loyalty missions in future RPGs like Mass Effect 2. Additionally, BG2 featured a dynamic experience with diverse environments, moving away from the monotonous landscapes of its predecessor. Oster emphasized the lasting impact of Square's innovations on BioWare's design philosophy.

AppWizard

November 10, 2025

No Man’s Sky is rerunning all of its expeditions from 2025, while also giving players another chance to add Mass Effect’s Normandy to their spaceship collection

No Man's Sky has continued to engage its community in 2025 with updates including Worlds: Part 2, which reworked the universe simulation, and the Relics update, introducing space palaeontology. Players can manage stellar towns in the Beacon update and design multi-crew spacecraft in Voyagers, attracting the highest number of concurrent players since the game's launch. Hello Games is reintroducing all four expeditions linked to each update, allowing players to revisit past adventures. The Titan expedition focuses on new planet types and offers a "living ship" as a reward. Following Titan, the Relics expedition will begin on December 2, followed by the Corvette expedition starting December 17, where players will build a Corvette-class starship. The year will end with a redux of the Breach expedition. Co-founder Sean Murray hinted at more content planned for 2026, including a new project called Light No Fire, which will feature an Earth-sized planet with real oceans and require large boats and crews for exploration.