puzzler Archives

AppWizard

February 26, 2026

The Epic Games Store’s new, free puzzler is all about boxes, and I can’t believe I’m more excited about it than Marathon

Powerwash Simulator, American Truck Simulator, and A Game About Digging a Hole are popular titles in the gaming industry that offer relaxed experiences. The Epic Games Store is currently offering the free game Boxes: Lost Fragments, developed by Big Loop Studios, where players act as a legendary thief solving puzzles in a mysterious mansion. The game features an Art Deco-inspired aesthetic and has received an average score of 91% on Steam and a rating of 4.5 on the Epic Games Store. Additionally, My Night Job, an arcade-style zombie beat-'em-up, is also available for free on the Epic Games Store until March 5.

AppWizard

February 16, 2026

This week’s new PC games are a treasure trove of the scary, eerie and occult, plus a charming Star Trek game

A diverse array of new PC game releases includes: - Book Smugglers: A point-and-click adventure set in 19th century Tsarist Lithuania focused on forbidden literature. - Stormbridge: A combination of tower defense and city-building elements. - Dobbel Dungeon: A turn-based tactics game using dice rolls in an ogre-battling setting. - Astrobotanica: An early access puzzle and survival game featuring an extraterrestrial botanist on prehistoric Earth. - Alien Morgue: A game where players conduct autopsies on extraterrestrial beings. - Under The Island: A top-down dungeon puzzler with six distinct biomes. - Ritual Party: A multiplayer experience blending humor and horror. - Placid Plastic Deck: A Quiet Quest: A card-battler with a suspicious premise. - Beyond The Doors: A surveillance simulation involving mysterious requests. - Roach Post: A roguelite puzzler using cockroaches to assemble postage stamps. - Forgotlings: An action-adventure game set in a world of sentient objects. - Blank: A platforming experience in a cavernous origami world. - Kill The Witch: An early access 2D action platformer featuring a witch with a baseball bat. - The Killing Stone: A cursed board game set in the Arctic. - Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown: A strategy management game based on the TV series. - FUR Squadron Phoenix: A space simulation game with vibrant gameplay mechanics. - PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse: A mystery horror novel about ghastly fishwomen. - Demon Tides: A platformer inspired by the N64-to-Gamecube era. - Styx: Blades Of Greed: An open-world goblin stealth game. - Love Eternal: An introspective horror platformer. - Key Fairy: A hand-drawn, pacifist bullet-hell game. - Nightsoil: A game exploring turd collection in an emotive context. - Ys X: Proud Nordics: An updated entry in the Ys series with bumpslash combat mechanics. - Horripilant: An incremental dungeon clicker with grotesque creatures.

AppWizard

January 12, 2026

This week in PC games: Hytale, Quarantine Zone, a weird Batman sim, and a fresh batch of RPGs and shooters

The Maw can manifest in various forms, including a blinking cursor or unreturned messages. New PC game releases include: - Big Hops: A 3D platformer featuring a frog with jumping and tongue skills. - Confidential Killings: A detective game that could use a more imaginative name. - Quarantine Zone: The Last Check: Players act as a border guard during a zombie apocalypse, exploring moral dilemmas. - Hytale: A sandbox building RPG now in early access, developed by Hypixel Studios. - Hank: Drowning on Dry Land: A whimsical narrative game featuring a drunken, time-traveling character. - Cassette Boy: An action RPG puzzler with retro visuals and themes of object permanence. - Streetdog BMX: A game with children performing stunts on bicycles across colorful maps. - The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon: The thirteenth installment in an RPG series. - Tabulo: A roguelite chess game. - Craftlings: A blend of Lemmings and colony-building elements. - The Fortress: A first-person turn-based dungeon-crawling RPG. - NEUROXUS: A fast-paced mech shooter with a neon aesthetic. - Moving Simulator: A game reflecting the moving experience. - Lunar Ascendant: Players become the first mayor of the Moon, navigating social media and factions. James and Julian will attend preview events, while Mark and Ollie are excited about Hytale's launch. A review for Pathologic 3 is being crafted.

AppWizard

December 18, 2025

The Best PC Game of 2025

In 2025, PC gaming showcased a diverse range of titles, with the IGN team voting on the top five games. Honorable mentions included Europa Universalis 5 and Anno 117: Pax Romana in the strategy genre, as well as first-person shooters like Doom: The Dark Ages, Arc Raiders, and Battlefield 6. The indie scene thrived with games such as Ball x Pit, Megabonk, and Monster Train 2. The runner-up titles were: - Hollow Knight: Silksong, known for its difficulty, stunning visuals, and engaging narrative. - Blue Prince, a roguelike puzzler that combines unpredictability with skillful gameplay. - Hades 2, recognized as the best action game of 2025, expanding on its predecessor's legacy with new features. - Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, an expansive RPG with meaningful choices and consequences. The winner of the Best PC Game of 2025 was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a French RPG with innovative turn-based combat and a polished launch.

AppWizard

November 17, 2025

The Game of the Year nominees have arrived, with 12 nominations for the RPG you’re all rooting for

The nominees for this year's Game of the Year include Clair Obscur Expedition 33, Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and Donkey Kong Bananza. Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has received 12 nominations across all categories, including three for voice performances. Notable omissions from the nominations are Ghost of Yotei, Battlefield 6, Arc Raiders, and Split Fiction. Battlefield 6 has received nominations in best audio design, best action game, and best multiplayer categories, while Arc Raiders is recognized in the multiplayer category. In the Games for Impact category, indie titles Despelote and Consume Me have been acknowledged. The Game of the Year website is now live for voting.

AppWizard

November 14, 2025

New Spin-off Minecraft Blast Is a ‘Minecraft Meets Candy Crush’ Puzzler You Can’t Miss

Mojang, in collaboration with King Studios, is developing a mobile puzzle game called Minecraft Blast, currently in early testing phases exclusively on the App Store in Malaysia. The game is free-to-play and involves matching blocks by color or type, with unique challenges and limited moves per level. Players can use boosts like pickaxes, swords, and shovels, unlock themed areas, and construct structures inspired by the Minecraft universe. Progress from early tests will not carry over to the final version of the game. The development of Minecraft Blast will not affect updates for the original Minecraft game.

BetaBeacon

October 22, 2025

Gaming On Samsung Galaxy XR: Every Android XR Game Confirmed So Far

The fact described in the text is that the Samsung Galaxy XR headset will come with a 'Explorer Pack' from Google for those who purchase it by the end of 2025. The pack includes various items such as NFL Pro Era, Asteroid, 12 months of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, NBA League Pass, 3 months of YouTube TV, Project Pulsar from Adobe, and Calm.

AppWizard

October 20, 2025

Launch apps leak: MLB, Synth Riders, FitXR coming to Android XR

Samsung is set to launch its Project Moohan Android XR headset, which will be revealed online tomorrow night. The headset will feature partnerships with Adobe, the MLB, and the NFL, offering a variety of spatial applications at launch. Users will have access to popular apps like FitXR, Synth Riders, and Cubism, which have been successful on Meta’s Quest VR headsets. The Google Play Store will showcase dedicated Android XR apps marked with a “Made for XR” badge, indicating their optimization for the new headset. A list of launch titles is being compiled, promising a diverse content library for early adopters.

AppWizard

October 16, 2025

A brutal and haunting take on WW1, one of our 2023 GOTY picks is free to keep right now

Amnesia: The Bunker is a World War I narrative game developed by Frictional Games, recognized as one of the best releases of its year and currently available for free. It follows the story of Henri Clément, a French soldier in a bunker during the First World War, who must navigate dangers with limited resources. The game features a mechanical dynamo flashlight and emphasizes a haunting atmosphere of terror and storytelling. It has received a 94% positive rating on Steam and is available for free on the Epic Games Store from October 16 to October 23.

AppWizard

September 27, 2025

This browser game transforms the reviled reCAPTCHA into a delightfully silly puzzler

The text discusses the experience of dealing with reCAPTCHA, particularly the challenge of identifying bicycles in images, which can lead to frustration and existential questioning. It mentions Neal Agarwal's game "I'm Not a Robot," which humorously amplifies the absurdity of reCAPTCHA. Agarwal is known for creating playful Internet games, including the Password Game. A 2023 study indicates that traditional reCAPTCHAs primarily function as a tracking tool for Google, generating significant revenue. Agarwal's games provide a lighthearted alternative to the frustrations of online security measures.