procedural generation Archives

AppWizard

August 14, 2025

I dove deep into Steam’s 4X Fest, and these are the six best games on discount you should grab before the sale is over

The Steam 4X Fest is currently running until August 18 at 10 am PT, focusing on 4X strategy games. Notable titles featured include: - Age of Wonders: Planetfall (2019, Triumph Studios, .19 / £8.49): A sci-fi 4X game with quirky factions and mod support. - Stellaris (2016, Paradox Development Studio, .99 / £8.74): A complex game set in space, offering unique playthroughs through procedural generation. - Galactic Civilizations 4 (2023, Stardock Entertainment, .99 / £15.24): An approachable 4X game allowing players to craft spaceships and choose various strategies. - Age of Wonders 4 (2023, Triumph Studios, .99 / £25.19): Features asymmetrical factions, cross-platform multiplayer, and customization options. - Civilization 6 (2016, Firaxis Games, .99 / £4.99): A popular entry in the series with engaging gameplay and expansions that enhance replayability.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

Peregrino: A Brutal, Yet Stylish, Survival-Management Game

On August 6, a new survival-management game titled Peregrino was announced for PC. The game features isometric gameplay where players guide a caravan of pilgrims through a harsh landscape, making decisions that significantly impact the group's survival. It includes a cast of characters with unique motivations and emotional backgrounds, and players must manage resources while facing moral dilemmas. The game emphasizes emotional and strategic implications of choices, contrasting with lighter titles in the genre. Visually, it employs a painterly aesthetic with a muted color palette and haunting soundscapes, enhancing the immersive experience. Peregrino focuses on endurance and adaptation rather than empire-building, with characters evolving based on player decisions. The game is currently in development and does not have a confirmed release date.

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

This brilliant dark and moody cyberpunk city builder is my kind of cosy game—and for less than $7 you might as well see if it’s yours too

Dystopika is a low-pressure city-building game that challenges traditional cozy aesthetics by offering a darker, more complex experience. Players construct megacities filled with towering structures and vibrant holograms, evoking a unique sense of coziness amid a harsh environment. The game features a simple interface, allowing players to focus on creativity with customization options for colors, sizes, and personal images. It incorporates procedural generation, enabling smaller buildings to emerge organically, creating a vibrant ecosystem. The developer, Voids Within, has released updates that introduce new districts, props, and a synth soundtrack. Dystopika is priced under £6, providing an accessible and uncomplicated escape for players.

AppWizard

April 19, 2025

Dwarf Fortress sells 1 million copies on Steam, so now Bay 12 Games can afford that ‘little party’ it planned

Dwarf Fortress has sold over 1 million copies on Steam since its launch, as announced by publisher Kitfox Games. The game, previously available for free for nearly two decades, gained popularity after its Steam release in late 2022, selling half a million copies in two months. The updated user interface and hand-drawn tiles attracted both new and long-time players. Following an adventure mode update, sales predictions were confirmed less than three months later. Tarn and Zach Adams, the game's creators, have hinted at celebrations for this milestone. Kitfox indicated that the game is entering a new development phase with a focus on new features and enhancements. Ongoing projects include improvements to siege mechanics, site building in adventure mode, and revisions to subterranean layers.

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

March 16, 2025

Developer Releases Template That Lets You Create Procedurally Generated Minecraft World in Unreal Engine 5

Developer Greg Coulthard has introduced UnrealCraft, a template for creating Voxel Worlds in Unreal Engine 5.5, featuring an Infinite World map for procedurally generated environments similar to Minecraft. Key features include a block building system, NPC support with NavMesh, item drop mechanics, biome diversity, liquid propagation, a rigged main character, a dynamic weather system, and game save functionality. Users need a powerful machine with an RTX-capable GPU and 16GB of RAM to utilize UnrealCraft, which is currently available for purchase. The project also includes maps for procedural worlds using various data sources.

AppWizard

March 16, 2025

Unrealcraft Is Minecraft in Unreal Engine 5, Free Demo Released

Greg Coulthard has introduced UnrealCraft, a template for Unreal Engine 5.5 that allows users to create Voxel Worlds using blueprints. Key features include a procedural map generator, a block building system, NPC support with NavMesh, biome support, a liquid propagation system, and combinable noise functions. UnrealCraft features The Infinite World map, which offers a procedurally generated landscape similar to Minecraft. A demo version is available for free download, requiring an RTX-capable GPU and 16GB of RAM. A video showcasing UnrealCraft is also available. Greg Coulthard is known for his ports of Skyrim and Oblivion into Unreal Engine 5. Other free fan-made demos for Unreal Engine 5 include projects based on Superman, Halo 3: ODST, Spider-Man, STALKER, Blood, Halo: Combat Evolved, Attack on Titan, and a Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. Additional tech demos for high-end GPUs include a Witcher-like environment, a recreation of an Italian town, a demo of King’s Field 2, and various remakes of popular games.

AppWizard

February 23, 2025

PUBG creator’s goal for his new open-world project is to make “realistic Minecraft” complete with real geology

Brenden Greene, known as PlayerUnknown, is developing a simulation game at his new studio that aims to create a "realistic Minecraft" with geological features resembling Earth. His two upcoming projects, Project Artemis and Project: Go Wayback, utilize advanced procedural generation technology. Project: Go Wayback seeks to redefine the survival genre by removing typical conveniences, requiring players to gather resources and craft solutions authentically. Players will navigate the world without helpful icons or markers, relying solely on their instincts and skills to reach objectives.

AppWizard

September 23, 2024

Shadows of Doubt review

Shadows of Doubt is an immersive simulation game developed by ColePowered Games and published by Fireshine Games, scheduled for release on September 26, 2024, priced at in the US and £20 in the UK. Players take on the role of a cash-strapped private investigator in a procedurally generated city filled with crime, tasked with solving neglected murders and kidnappings. The game features a "social credit" system that allows players to advance socially and aim for retirement in a location called The Fields. The city can vary in size and population, with around 600 residents. The game emphasizes atmospheric design, utilizing environmental sounds and a synth soundtrack to enhance immersion. However, it faces challenges typical of indie games, such as vague side quest clues and repetitive elements in investigations. Gameplay mechanics involve deduction and exploration, allowing players to gather clues and connect them on a caseboard. Players must also navigate encounters with law enforcement, with a focus on non-lethal strategies. Despite its strengths, the game lacks a social dimension in interactions, limiting character engagement. Performance issues may arise in larger cities, affecting gameplay. Shadows of Doubt aims to provide a unique experience within the immersive sim genre.