NPCs Archives

AppWizard

February 23, 2026

This bloody medieval carve-’em-up has me praying the devs deliver a holy gaming experience

The game "1348 Ex Voto" features a female knight named Aeta, who is trained in swordplay and accompanied by her companion Bianca. The combat system requires players to carefully judge enemy attacks, creating a tense experience. The game world is designed to be desolate and cinematic, focusing on a predetermined path rather than open-world exploration. Players can find items to enhance gameplay, such as health-restoring food and skill books. The visuals, powered by Unreal Engine 5, depict detailed medieval Italian settings. The game is set to launch on March 12, 2026, and aims for authenticity in storytelling and character development, with a completion time of under 20 hours.

AppWizard

February 23, 2026

Minecraft Modpack Released with a Post-Apocalyptic Fallout-Style World, NPCs, and Weapons

MrFazCraft has released a modpack for Minecraft called After The Nukes, set in a post-apocalyptic world inspired by the Fallout franchise. The modpack features a 2048 x 2048 block world with dungeons and abandoned cities, over 60 interactive characters, and more than 50 customizable weapon types. It is available for download on CurseForge.

AppWizard

February 20, 2026

PC Users Can Claim 2 Free Games, Save Over $30

The Epic Games Store is offering two free games until February 26. The first is "Return to Ash," an indie visual novel developed by Serenity Forge, typically priced at .99, which allows players to guide Ashleigh through her afterlife with choices affecting her story. The second game is "STALCRAFT: X Starter Edition," a sci-fi MMO developed by EXBO, usually costing .99, set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, featuring various gear to enhance gameplay. Both games can be downloaded for free until 8 AM PST / 4 PM GMT on February 26.

AppWizard

February 19, 2026

These games made us all upgrade our PCs

PC enthusiasts often delay hardware upgrades until necessary, but certain games can compel upgrades due to their advanced technology and demanding graphics. Half-Life 2, released in 2004, introduced real-time physics and advanced graphics, leading to a surge in demand for GeForce 6600 and Radeon X800 graphics cards as players sought smoother performance. Grand Theft Auto IV, released in 2008, required robust quad-core processors for optimal performance due to its CPU-intensive simulations, prompting players to upgrade their CPUs. Crysis, launched in 2007, set a new standard for graphical fidelity with its advanced features, becoming a benchmark for PC performance and prompting gamers to upgrade their systems. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, released in 2015, utilized cutting-edge technologies that made midrange builds struggle, leading players to upgrade for better performance and visuals. Cyberpunk 2077, released in 2020, created a surge in demand for NVIDIA's RTX 20-series GPUs as players sought to experience its high graphical fidelity, prompting many gamers to upgrade their systems.

AppWizard

February 16, 2026

I thought Fishing Shop Simulator was a joke after I saw mechs in ancient Rome, but after two hours with its demo, I’m hooked

Fishing Shop Simulator is an indie game developed by solo creator Sinqnew, blending survival and resource management in a post-apocalyptic setting. Players select bait from card packs and fish in waters that combine historical and fantastical elements. They can catch rare fish to enhance their shop's aesthetic and unlock upgrades in a tech tree, including better equipment and hiring assistants. Players must manage wages and taxes, with an airship collecting taxes every few days, adding strategic depth. The game features a crumbling town that evolves with player progress, and while the demo is basic, there are plans for expansion with new biomes and gameplay mechanics.

AppWizard

February 15, 2026

Free PC Game Released on Steam Has a 100% Rating

A new free PC game titled Blemo has been released on Steam, developed by Blippin Bloppy Games, and has achieved a 100% approval rating from users. The game has received two dozen user reviews, all positive, and is described as a “casual interactive story” where players navigate a compact map and engage with NPCs to solve a secret puzzle. The gameplay can be completed in under ten minutes, though some players report longer playtimes. The game's compatibility with the Steam Deck is marked as “Unknown.” Players have praised its unique art style, sound design, and whimsical humor.

AppWizard

February 13, 2026

My favorite action game of the last decade and its excellent DLC is now 91% off in this sale

Middle-earth: Shadow of War takes creative liberties with The Lord of the Rings lore while maintaining engaging gameplay. It follows Talion, an undead ranger, as he forges a new Ring of Power, which is seized by Shelob. The game features combat mechanics inspired by the Batman Arkham series and introduces the innovative Nemesis System, which allows players to interact with orc and uruk captains in unique ways. The Definitive Edition includes the base game and expansions, available for .39 / £3.59, representing a 91% discount.

AppWizard

February 11, 2026

Poking around Hytale’s unfinished sandbox is the first time I’ve felt hope for a voxel RPG since Cube World broke my heart (twice)

Cube World is a voxel-based, procedurally generated RPG released in 2019 that failed to meet player expectations due to a lack of engaging content, minimal NPC interaction, and monotonous exploration. The game was criticized for its hollow adventure and mindless combat. In contrast, other titles like Dragon Quest Builders and V Rising successfully combine survival, crafting, and narrative depth. Hytale, developed by Hypixel Studios, aims to learn from Cube World's shortcomings, offering a voxel world with dynamic combat and a promising adventure mode. Hytale features engaging combat mechanics and has a strong focus on modding, with nearly 4,000 user-generated mods available. The game has rekindled interest in the open-world survival crafting genre, standing out as a promising contender.

AppWizard

February 11, 2026

The 10 Best Funny Games

Games often feature unintentional humor, such as NPCs delivering lines amidst chaos or characters in absurd costumes. Some games intentionally embrace humor, effectively combining player agency and comedic timing. Promise Mascot Agency is a mascot management simulator with a narrative filled with quirky characters and absurd situations, where players manage a mascot business while navigating organized crime. Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery involves players solving lighthearted mysteries in Cowboy County, featuring humorous scenarios like a haunting sloth and a vandalized sign for an invisible wizard. South Park: The Stick of Truth is an RPG where players engage in LARPing, featuring juvenile humor and absurd combat mechanics, with contributions from creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Octodad: Dadliest Catch allows players to control an octopus pretending to be a human, with humor stemming from its physics-based gameplay and emotional stakes. The Stanley Parable is a meta-narrative game where players make choices in an empty office, exploring themes of choice and consequence through clever writing and humor. West of Loathing is a 2D side-scrolling adventure set in the wild West, filled with jokes and witty dialogue that reward player exploration. Portal 2 features witty dialogue and absurd scenarios, with the character Wheatley providing comedic relief as players solve puzzles. Time Gentlemen, Please! is a point-and-click adventure where players seek to watch a Magnum PI marathon, leading to absurd plot developments. The Secret of Monkey Island follows Guybrush Threepwood, a bumbling pirate, and features humor through insult sword-fighting and pop culture references. Disco Elysium presents a hungover protagonist navigating a chaotic world, blending humor with deeper themes of pathos and tragedy.

AppWizard

February 1, 2026

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Got a Remastered Mod

Ubisoft announced the cancellation of the remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which was initially unveiled in September 2020 and faced multiple delays. The project was ultimately halted due to not meeting quality standards. In response to this cancellation, a mod called Sands of Time Remastered Mod has been released for PC gamers, enhancing the original game with high-quality textures and improved HD cutscenes. The mod also revamps the Dagger of Time's appearance and allows for additional visual enhancements using Reshade. The mod is available for download, but installation instructions can be found on the NexusMods page. Screenshots of the mod have been shared, showcasing the improvements.