player experience Archives

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

‘In a very interesting way, it actually reduces the work’: Destiny 2’s director explains why reinventing the wheel with The Edge of Fate was actually the easier option

Destiny is set to release a new expansion titled The Edge of Fate on July 15, following the success of The Final Shape. The expansion aims to revitalize player engagement and introduce innovative gameplay mechanics, including an expanded buildcraft space and a new gear tiering system for armor and weapons. Bungie is working on enhancing Darkness subclasses and introducing Solo Ops for single-player experiences. The developers emphasize balancing challenge and reward, ensuring that players earn rewards through meaningful challenges. A new World Tier system will apply to the Kepler destination, allowing casual players to navigate the campaign at their own pace. Bungie is cautious about introducing a rarity tier above exotic items to maintain a balanced loot system. The team is also considering the return of class items from the original Destiny.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

Singleplayer Elden Ring Nightreign is no longer hell to play, but it’s still a compromised game of 30-minute boss runbacks

The author, known as Mr. Antisocial Souls, typically prefers solo gaming, especially with FromSoftware titles, but found Elden Ring Nightreign's multiplayer aspect engaging. Initially expecting to play solo, they discovered that the single-player experience highlighted the game's flaws. Recent patches have improved solo gameplay, making it more enjoyable, although challenges remain, such as navigating the interface and dealing with punishing RNG. The game’s boss encounters are designed for teams, making solo play feel more difficult and disheartening. Improvements include balanced self-revivals and enemy health adjustments, enhancing solo playability. However, the author suggests limiting solo play to 15% of total gaming time for optimal enjoyment, as the experience is better with a team.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

Elden Ring Nightreign is the first FromSoftware game that I honestly wish I could play on easy

Elden Ring Nightreign features a fast-paced, randomized gameplay experience that contrasts with traditional FromSoftware titles. Players face high-stakes encounters against powerful bosses, with a focus on survival and defeating Nightlords. The game lacks a progression system, leading to frustration when players are defeated without rewards. Critics have labeled it a cash grab, but it diverges from genre conventions. The absence of difficulty adjustments and varied gameplay experiences limits player engagement, though there is hope for future content that could introduce new characters and mechanics.

AppWizard

June 1, 2025

‘The journey was long’: two years later than planned, boomer shooter Project Warlock 2 blasts out of early access with a 50% discount and a request to submit your own loading screen tips

Project Warlock 2, a sequel to the nostalgic first-person shooter Project Warlock, was unveiled at the PC Gaming Show in 2021 and has recently re-emerged from early access. The game features three distinct campaigns, 36 levels, 54 unique weapons, various perks and spells, over 50 monsters, and a "realmshift mode." It is currently available at a 50% discount, priced at £6.74, until June 11. Additionally, players can submit game tips to be featured on the loading screens, fostering community engagement.

BetaBeacon

May 30, 2025

Thank the Meta Quest for resurrecting another Peter Molyneux classic

Peter Molyneux is known for games like Dungeon Keeper, Theme Park, Populous, Fable, and Black & White. A new VR game called "How to God" combines virtual pet training mechanics, village building, strategy, and an alchemy system. The game is set to launch as a single-player experience with the potential for multiplayer in the future.

AppWizard

May 24, 2025

‘We’re gonna do right by you’: Splitgate 2 CEO apologizes for server meltdown after the open beta goes live

The open beta for Splitgate 2 was launched on May 22 but faced significant challenges, leading developer 1047 Games to take the servers offline shortly after. CEO Ian Proulx expressed disappointment over the situation and acknowledged that the team had hoped for a smoother rollout. Technical difficulties include slow matchmaking and delays in experience points and progress gains, with player experiences varying widely. The in-game shop is active, but players have faced delays in receiving purchased items, which will be honored upon the game's return. Proulx assured that all transactions have been recorded. The team is addressing various bugs during the downtime, but a timeline for the game's return has not been established. A more comprehensive update is expected later today.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Revenge of the Savage Planet hits 1m players

Revenge of the Savage Planet has attracted over one million players within ten days of its release on May 8th, as reported by developer Raccoon Logic on Steam. Raccoon Logic was formed by former members of Typhoon Studios, which was acquired by Google in 2019 and faced challenges due to the Google Stadia project's fallout in 2021. The developers expressed gratitude to players and are committed to improving the game with regular updates and a roadmap for future features. The game is available through Xbox Game Pass, but no distinctions have been made between purchased copies and those accessed via the subscription service.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Live service games are ‘innovating’ all the way back around to what worked 20 years ago, except way worse

Epic Games is introducing a free toolset for Fortnite that allows users to create and publish their own games, accompanied by a revenue-sharing program based on player engagement. Teravision, a studio using the Unreal Engine for Fortnite, has successfully released a roguelike game and plans to develop two more titles. Fortnite's multiplayer approach is shifting away from traditional matchmaking systems, aiming for a more creative environment reminiscent of past games like Garry's Mod and Team Fortress 2. However, the UEFN initiative has been criticized for lacking community spirit and producing low-quality content, with many games focusing on monetization rather than enjoyable gameplay. This trend reflects a broader issue in gaming where progression systems overshadow the core enjoyment of games.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4: Fighting game on wheels

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is set to launch on July 11 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, and will be available on Game Pass on day one. The game features enhanced gameplay quality and playability, making it more enjoyable. A preview by Mike Nelson highlights the need for practice to master the game, which involves combining button presses with analog stick movements. The THPS Fest in May showcased new levels, skaters, and features, celebrating the franchise's legacy. The Official Xbox Podcast includes a discussion with developers about the remastering process and new content for players.

AppWizard

May 20, 2025

A week after launch, my new favorite gungy, Condemned-style horror-brawler has its first patch and the promise of yokai-punching spiked knuckles on the way

Labyrinth of the Demon King is a strong contender for game of the year, alongside Avowed and Oblivion Remastered. The game is a survival horror dungeon crawler developed by a small team, which plans to release enhancements shortly after launch. The first update will include framerate cap options, a fix for the torch equipping issue, a quick equip button for the lantern, corrections for language display errors, a spelling fix in the Kings Court Puzzle, and resolution of status effect display issues. Upcoming features include a new spiked knuckle weapon and a cursed blood katana. PCG Australia editor Shaun Prescott rated the game 81% and described it as "the most potent weird horror we're likely to see in 2025." The game is currently available at a launch discount on Steam until May 27.