PC ports Archives

AppWizard

April 1, 2025

The Last of Us Part II Remastered Coming to PC On April 3, 2025

“The Last of Us Part II Remastered” will be released on PC on April 3, 2025, available on Steam and the Epic Games Store. This marks the first time Windows users can access the game, which previously received over 300 Game of the Year awards on PlayStation. The remastered edition includes enhancements such as improved graphics, performance, and new content, including a roguelike mode called “No Return.” Pre-orders are currently available. The PC version will support customizable graphics settings, ultrawide monitor support, and full DualSense controller features. New playable characters Bill and Marlene will be introduced in the “No Return” mode, alongside a Guitar Free Play mode and restored cut content. The game will require a minimum of an Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1300x processor and 16GB RAM.

AppWizard

March 23, 2025

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is hands-down one of the most beautiful PC ports I’ve ever seen

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows is noted for its stunning visuals, comparable to Cyberpunk 2077 post-launch. It is one of the best-looking games on PC, though it has performance challenges, particularly with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 struggling to maintain over 60fps at 4K max settings. The game's enforced Ray Traced Global Illumination (RTGI) in the 'Hideout' area contributes to its demanding hardware requirements. The reviewer experienced smooth gameplay at an average of 74fps using an Asus TUF Nvidia RTX 4080 Super OC Edition and an Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED ultrawide monitor, with zero stutters. Recent Nvidia drivers have caused some performance issues, leading the reviewer to use version 572.47 for stability. DLSS Frame Generation is effective in optimizing performance, despite some ghosting. The game's visuals are highlighted as a key feature that justifies its performance demands, and Ubisoft's choice to skip last-gen consoles is seen as prudent due to the game's requirements.

AppWizard

March 18, 2025

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PC is a bug-filled web of disappointment

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, released by Insomniac Games, features new elements like additional collectibles, skill trees, and two playable Spider-Men, but does not significantly innovate beyond its predecessor. The game has been criticized for its lifeless open world, repetitive side activities, and a dual protagonist mechanic that feels superficial. The PC version suffers from frequent crashes and performance issues, occurring approximately every 25 minutes, which detracts from the gaming experience. Despite its impressive visuals and refined core mechanics, the game is seen as lacking in narrative depth and engaging world design. It is available on Windows PC and PlayStation 5.

AppWizard

March 15, 2025

PlayStation PC Games Are Over 50% Off At Fanatical, Cheaper Than Steam Spring Sale

PlayStation's catalog of PC ports features several titles on sale during Steam's Spring Sale, with discounts of 50% on games like The Last of Us Part 1, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Fanatical is offering Steam keys for PlayStation games at lower prices than Steam, including Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, The Last of Us Part 1, Returnal, God of War, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure. Newer titles like God of War: Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition are priced at .19 and .99, respectively. Until Dawn is available for .19 on Fanatical. Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is priced the same on both platforms at .99, while Death Stranding: Director's Cut is .39 on Fanatical. The Silent Hill 2 remake is .39 on Fanatical compared to .99 on Steam.

AppWizard

March 14, 2025

Rise of the Ronin review

Rise of the Ronin, an action RPG set in the Edo period developed by Team Ninja, is now available on PC for £40 after its successful launch on PS5. Players have reported performance issues such as fluctuating frame rates and slow-motion movement, particularly in crowded areas, which detracts from the gameplay experience. The game features layered combat mechanics and a narrative focused on the final days of the Shogunate, where players rid villages of bandits and develop connections with NPCs. Despite initial smooth gameplay, performance deteriorated during missions, leading to inconsistent experiences. While some players have enjoyed smooth gameplay, many have faced optimization issues, raising concerns about the game's overall quality and the effectiveness of an upcoming patch from Koei Tecmo to address these problems.

AppWizard

March 13, 2025

Rise of the Ronin is another crappy PC port, performance patch coming ‘soon’

Rise of the Ronin was released on Steam a year after its PlayStation 5 launch, but players are experiencing significant performance issues, including stuttering, low frame rates, crashes, and input delays. Koei Tecmo is investigating these problems and developing a patch. The game has received a "mixed" rating on Steam, with only 44% of user reviews being positive. Many users express disappointment with the game's graphical quality, and while some report satisfactory experiences, frustrations are prevalent. Koei Tecmo acknowledged issues with FPS drops and model rendering when using the Ultra graphics preset and suggested lowering the graphics settings and FPS limit as a temporary solution.

AppWizard

March 8, 2025

Why is PC gaming so expensive? A lesson from Hideo Kojima

PC gaming requires significant financial investment, with high-end components like the Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU costing nearly three times that of a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S. Many PC games suffer from bugs and performance issues, as developers often neglect optimization for the platform. Hideo Kojima is noted for producing well-optimized PC ports, exemplified by Metal Gear Solid V, which runs smoothly on modest hardware despite being nearly a decade old. In contrast, newer titles like Monster Hunter Wilds have struggled with performance. The reliance on AI upscaling technologies, such as Nvidia’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR, has not compensated for poor game design, leading to player frustration. Developers often rush game releases to meet profit targets, prioritizing financial gain over quality, which has resulted in a demand for better standards in game development. Gamers expect high-quality experiences that justify their investment, and there is a call for patience in the release of polished titles.

AppWizard

March 4, 2025

Sonic fans are leading the charge on a new preservation tool that can help give any Xbox 360 game a native PC port

Sonic Unleashed has been released on PC after 17 years, enabled by a tool called XenonRecomp, which allows fan developers to convert Xbox 360 executables into C++ code for various platforms. This tool simplifies the process of creating adaptations, although it is not as simple as dragging and dropping a .iso file. The current focus is on Unleashed Recompiled, which features enhancements like higher native resolutions and unlocked frame rates. The emulation options for Xbox 360 are limited, with the unofficial emulator Xenia supporting only a small portion of the library, while many Xbox 360 games have previously received official PC ports or were available on the PlayStation 3. The potential for new native PC ports offers the promise of improved performance and gameplay adjustments compared to emulation.

BetaBeacon

March 3, 2025

Forget emulators, native ports of Xbox 360 games are closer than ever

Emulation has advanced with the development of new static recompilation tools, allowing for native PC ports of Xbox 360 games. The first fan port showcasing this technology is Sonic Unleashed, offering various enhancements. The project requires original game files, an Xbox 360, and an Xbox 360 hard drive for operation. The tool is currently limited to x86 devices, but there is potential for native Android ports in the future. This development marks a significant milestone in retro game preservation and could change the landscape of Xbox and Xbox 360 emulation on PC and Android platforms.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

Ex-President of SIE Pushed Sony To Port First-Party Games To PC

Sony is considering expanding its PlayStation-exclusive titles to the PC platform, influenced by Shuhei Yoshida, the former President of Sony Interactive Entertainment. Yoshida argues that releasing games on PC can maximize revenue by reaching new audiences, particularly in regions like China where console gaming is less popular. He highlights that porting games to PC is less expensive than developing new titles, providing a significant financial incentive. However, he acknowledges that PC versions typically release a few years after their console counterparts, which may concern existing PlayStation owners.