narratives Archives

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

Old Skies review

Wadjet Eye Games will release the adventure game Old Skies on April 23, 2024. The game is set in a futuristic New York City in the 2060s and follows Fia Quinn, a ChronoZen agent who guides wealthy tourists through time manipulation. Fia is chronolocked, remaining unchanged by the timeline's fluctuations, which contrasts with her clients' evolving lives. The gameplay features accessible puzzles that encourage logical thinking, including a scenario where Fia must create a life-saving drug from non-existent ingredients. The game departs from Wadjet Eye's traditional pixel art style, using bold colors and comic book-inspired designs. It features a jazzy score by Thomas Regin and explores themes of love, loss, and human emotion. Fia's character development highlights her struggle for agency in her role, with her experiences portrayed through Sally Beaumont's performance.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

Crusader Kings 3 has hit 4 million sales, but all that tells me is that not enough of you have played the best game

Crusader Kings 3 has surpassed four million sales just over four years after its launch. The game is noted for its unique storytelling capabilities and has a vibrant modding community. The latest expansion, Roads to Power, is considered one of Paradox's finest DLCs, enhancing RPG elements. An upcoming expansion, Khans of the Steppe, will allow players to lead a nomadic horde. The game continues to evolve in depth and complexity since its release in 2020.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

PC Action Games Market Size and Outlook by Application, Type, and Geographic Scope

The global PC Action Games market is expected to grow significantly from 2025 to 2032, driven by increased demand for interactive entertainment, particularly among younger audiences, and advancements in technology. Key factors contributing to this growth include the popularity of competitive action games, improved gaming equipment, faster internet, and the rise of digital distribution platforms. Challenges include high initial investment costs, regulatory complexities, supply chain disruptions, market saturation in developed regions, and intense competition. Emerging trends involve the integration of advanced digital technologies, a focus on sustainability, and a demand for personalized offerings. The competitive landscape features intense rivalry, with companies prioritizing innovation, strategic partnerships, and regional expansion to enhance their market positions.

AppWizard

April 22, 2025

16 Games Like The Last Of Us That Will Invade Your Mind In 2025

The Last of Us and its sequel, The Last of Us Part 2, have significantly impacted video gaming through their storytelling and post-apocalyptic narratives. They feature deep character interactions, stealth gameplay, and horror elements, leading to a successful HBO adaptation. The gaming landscape includes many titles that echo the themes and mechanics of The Last of Us, focusing on deep storytelling, intense gameplay, and horror experiences. A curated list of 16 games and franchises captures various aspects of these experiences, contributing uniquely to gaming narratives.

AppWizard

April 19, 2025

‘Minecraft’ movie mayhem raises alarms for America’s youth, ‘bad for society’: expert

Fox News is providing free access to premium content for users who enter a valid email address and agree to its Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. "A Minecraft Movie," based on the popular video game, has become a hit in theaters, attracting young audiences and generating significant social media buzz. A scene featuring Jack Black has led to enthusiastic reactions, including fans throwing popcorn and even a live chicken during screenings. Some theaters, like Springs Cinema & Taphouse in Georgia, have faced extensive clean-up due to the rowdy behavior. Director Jared Hess noted the humorous nature of the screenings, while Raymond Arroyo expressed concerns about safety and order in theaters. The film has grossed million worldwide, and Regal Cinemas plans special "Chicken Jockey" screenings to encourage fan engagement while promoting respectful behavior. Arroyo highlighted a cultural shift in entertainment from superhero films to video game adaptations, suggesting a growing trend in Hollywood.

AppWizard

April 19, 2025

The Best PC Games Right Now (2025)

PC gaming in 2025 features a mix of innovative remasters, indie titles, and new intellectual properties, providing a wide range of experiences for gamers. The most played games on Steam include Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and Dota 2, with Counter-Strike 2 leading in player engagement due to its esports scene. Notable new releases include Blue Prince, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and Promise Mascot Agency. Other popular games outside Steam are Minecraft, Fortnite, and Valorant. Genre-specific leaders include South of Midnight for action, Myst (Remastered) for adventure, and Street Fighter 6 for fighting. Upcoming anticipated titles include Grand Theft Auto 6 and Elden Ring: Nightreign. Trends in 2025 highlight esports engagement, indie innovation, purposeful remakes, and cinematic storytelling. Last Epoch's Season 2 update has revitalized player interest with new content and enhancements. The year 2019 was significant for PC gaming, with acclaimed titles like Resident Evil 2, Control, and Disco Elysium, and marked by the influence of digital distribution platforms.

AppWizard

April 16, 2025

Best Single-Player PC Games to Play in 2025

Single-player PC games are thriving in 2025, featuring captivating narratives, intricate gameplay, and stunning visuals. Notable titles include: 1. Blue Prince - An indie roguelike puzzle game with a Metacritic score of 93, set in a shifting manor where players solve interconnected puzzles. 2. Assassin’s Creed Shadows - Set in feudal Japan, this game features two protagonists with distinct playstyles and has been praised for its narrative pacing and environmental design. 3. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - A cinematic first-person adventure focusing on exploration and puzzle-solving, released on PC in late 2024. 4. South of Midnight - A magical adventure following a girl with weaving abilities, notable for its claymation art style and emotional depth. 5. Avowed - A first-person fantasy RPG with choice-driven storytelling, set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity. Upcoming games include: - Blades of Fire (May 22, 2025) - A Soulslike combat game with a focus on cinematic storytelling. - Cairn (TBA 2025) - A survival climbing simulator emphasizing precision control mechanics. - Hell Is Us (September 4, 2025) - A narrative-driven action game that eschews traditional open-world design. - Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream (Late 2025) - A stealth-adventure game featuring orphans uncovering a conspiracy. The PC platform remains the best for single-player games due to mod support, performance flexibility, a vast library, and indie innovation. The evolution of gaming technology has led to cutting-edge graphics, immersive storytelling, and innovative exploration mechanics, enhancing player engagement.

AppWizard

April 15, 2025

Gemini Advanced, Whisk users pick up Veo 2 for shareable cinematic video clips

Google has launched Veo 2, a video generation technology available for Gemini Advanced users and Whisk experimental testers, which converts text descriptions into eight-second video clips suitable for platforms like YouTube Shorts and TikTok. Users can create diverse video content by providing detailed text prompts. A new "Share" button facilitates uploading to social media. Each video will be tagged with SynthID to indicate it is AI-generated, and Gemini Advanced users will have a monthly limit on video creation. Veo 2 is also featured in Whisk, which includes "Whisk Animate," allowing users to animate images into cinematic-quality videos. Access to Whisk Animate is limited to Google One AI Premium subscribers. Whisk encourages users to generate content by providing images based on subject, scene, and style, while also offering a "Review & Edit" feature to refine AI outputs.

AppWizard

April 14, 2025

“Video games franchises are now ripe for the picking” – why A Minecraft Movie could lead to games taking over Hollywood

A Minecraft Movie was projected to generate between million and million during its opening weekend in the United States but instead earned million and surpassed the 0 million mark globally by its second weekend. The film's success is attributed to its built-in audience, the popularity of Minecraft with over 300 million copies sold, and a star-studded cast including Jack Black and Jason Momoa. It was released in April 2025, strategically timed for spring break with no significant competition. The film's open-ended narrative appealed to both fans and newcomers, despite mixed reviews from critics. The success of video game adaptations, including the Mario movie, indicates a shift in how studios approach this genre, although experts caution that not all adaptations will succeed and emphasize the importance of respecting the source material.

Winsage

April 12, 2025

Brian Eno’s Windows 95 start-up sound just got preserved forever in the US Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden described the National Recording Registry as a reflection of America's diverse history and culture, with this year's entries showcasing significant audio works across various genres. Microsoft, during its dominance in the computer market, invested heavily in the launch of Windows 95, notably using The Rolling Stones' “Start Me Up” for its advertising campaign at a cost of one million dollars. Additionally, composer Brian Eno was commissioned to create a distinctive sound for Windows 95, facing the challenge of producing a piece under three and a quarter seconds long. Eno ultimately created a six-second composition, which Microsoft accepted despite exceeding the time limit, highlighting the innovative nature of his work.