Series Archives

AppWizard

May 18, 2026

You can thank a bad Dungeons and Dragons DM for one of Shin Megami Tensei’s coolest mechanics

A British Doom reviewer once expressed a desire to converse with monsters in first-person shooters, which was already explored in the 1987 game Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei, featuring a negotiation system. Former Atlus developer Kazunari Suzuki was inspired to create this system after being denied permission by his Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master to engage goblins in conversation instead of combat. This experience led Suzuki to the idea of creating new rules, resulting in the negotiation mechanic that became a hallmark of the Megami Tensei franchise.

AppWizard

May 18, 2026

D4vd’s League of Legends Arcane song seemingly removed from the official soundtrack on Spotify

Riot Games has removed the track "Remember Me," performed by D4vd, from the League of Legends Arcane Season 2 soundtrack on Spotify due to the artist's legal issues, including a charge of first-degree murder. D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is currently pleading not guilty and is held at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles. The soundtrack now transitions directly from "Paint the Town Blue" by Ashnikko to "Isha's Song" by Eason Chan, omitting "Remember Me." Burke's original version of the song is also unavailable on Spotify, likely due to Riot Games holding the rights. Other industry responses include fashion brands removing Burke from campaigns and Kali Uchis requesting the removal of their collaborative single from Spotify. Players have petitioned Epic Games to remove Burke's character skin from Fortnite, but Epic has decided to retain it while offering refunds.

AppWizard

May 18, 2026

After fixing a family friend’s phone, I realized Google Play Protect is not doing enough

An elderly relative and a friend were misled into downloading problematic apps due to deceptive advertisements that appeared as system notifications. These ads led users to the Play Store under false pretenses, resulting in the installation of apps that generated excessive ads and altered user interfaces. In one case, a user unknowingly installed a launcher app disguised as a messaging application, which compromised her device's functionality and privacy by requesting excessive permissions. Google Play Protect failed to identify the problematic app, which continued to generate ads even after its removal. The app's misleading title and vague description contributed to the confusion, highlighting the need for improved safeguards in the Play Store to protect less tech-savvy users.

AppWizard

May 18, 2026

The time to replace your current Xbox / PC game with ‘REPLACED’ is now | All sci-fi fans get on deck for this stunning experience.

REPLACED is a 2.5D platformer and side-scroller developed by Sad Cat Studios, set to be released on April 14, 2026. It will be available on Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Game Pass for a price of .99. The game features an AI named R.E.A.C.H. that leaves its host, Warren, trapped in his body, leading to a quest for assistance while evading the Phoenix Corporation in a dystopian setting. The game is noted for its vibrant pixel art, dynamic gameplay mechanics, and a rhythm-based combat system. Players will experience Warren's memories through R.E.A.C.H.'s connection to his body as they uncover secrets of the Phoenix Corporation.

Winsage

May 18, 2026

MiniPlasma zero-day gives SYSTEM access on fully patched Windows 11

GitHub has introduced enhancements aimed at improving security and user experience on its platform. Key features include a more robust authentication process to protect user accounts, improved monitoring tools for tracking changes and vulnerabilities in repositories, a streamlined interface for easier navigation, and new collaboration features such as integrated chat options and real-time updates. Additionally, GitHub has launched initiatives to encourage user feedback to ensure the enhancements meet the needs of its user base.

AppWizard

May 18, 2026

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s director weighs in on the real-time versus turn-based debate, saying that younger players ‘increasingly favour more real-time experiences in games’

Naoki Hamaguchi, director of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, noted a trend towards real-time mechanics in RPGs, suggesting that action-oriented games are gaining popularity while turn-based strategies are seen as "legacy genres." He appreciates games that allow for strategic deliberation but acknowledges the growing player desire for a blend of turn-based tactics and real-time decision-making, as seen in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Despite the shift towards real-time mechanics in newer Final Fantasy titles, there has been a resurgence of turn-based gameplay, evidenced by the success of games like Persona and the Yakuza series' transition to turn-based combat. The preference for gameplay styles may depend more on player expectations than demographic trends, with modern titles often featuring high production values aligned with real-time action, while isometric or top-down RPGs typically favor turn-based mechanics.

AppWizard

May 18, 2026

Dark Souls 2 Free Remaster Gets New Release That Completely Transforms The Game

Dark Souls 2 has received a free path tracing mod called DS2LightingEngine SotFS, enhancing its graphics significantly. Originally released in 2014 without path tracing technology, the mod introduces improved lighting, dynamic shadows, volumetric fog, ambient occlusion, HDR, enhanced material rendering, new meshes, and texture replacements. The mod is still in beta, which may result in rendering errors and unexpected quirks. Additionally, there are texture packs available that improve character appearances. Dark Souls 2 was initially launched in 2014 and later remastered as Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin in 2015.

Winsage

May 17, 2026

New Windows ‘MiniPlasma’ zero-day exploit gives SYSTEM access, PoC released

A cybersecurity researcher, known as Chaotic Eclipse, has released a proof-of-concept exploit for a Windows privilege escalation zero-day vulnerability called "MiniPlasma," which allows attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges on fully patched Windows systems. The vulnerability affects the cldflt.sys Cloud Filter driver and was reported by Google Project Zero in September 2020, assigned the identifier CVE-2020-17103, and claimed to be resolved by Microsoft in December 2020. However, Chaotic Eclipse asserts that the vulnerability remains unpatched. Testing confirmed that the exploit works on Windows 11 Pro, enabling command prompt access with SYSTEM privileges from a standard user account. Will Dormann, a vulnerability analyst, verified the exploit's effectiveness but noted it did not work in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Canary build. The exploit leverages the undocumented CfAbortHydration API to manage registry key creation improperly. Chaotic Eclipse has previously disclosed other Windows zero-day vulnerabilities and claims their actions are a protest against Microsoft's handling of vulnerabilities.

AppWizard

May 17, 2026

What would be your go-to gaming soundtrack to recommend to a non-gamer?

Videogame music plays a significant role in many people's lives, often unnoticed by non-gamers. Critical Hit is a platform that explores and celebrates videogame music and audio design. A recent discussion on Reddit's r/gamemusic focused on recommending original soundtracks (OSTs) to entice non-gamers. Personal experiences shared include introducing captivating videogame tracks to friends and family, such as vocal tracks from Persona 4 and calming music from Final Fantasy 10. The discussion also highlights the use of relaxing background music as an introduction to gaming music. Examples of tracks mentioned include "Kitsch" from Tekken 5 and the main theme from L.A. Noire.

AppWizard

May 17, 2026

Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick doubles down on GTA 6 date

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed that GTA 6 is set to launch on November 19, despite rumors of potential delays. He acknowledged that the project is approximately 18 months behind its original schedule. Currently, the release is confirmed for consoles only, with PC gamers awaiting confirmation for their platform.