Stray Archives

AppWizard

September 15, 2025

Game review: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC (PC)

Bethesda has released a DLC expansion for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle titled The Order of Giants. This expansion allows players to explore catacombs beneath Rome as Indiana Jones searches for a legendary Crusader helmet belonging to the Nephilim giant, Gibborim, while facing a mysterious cult. The DLC integrates into the main game after completing the Vatican level and offers an additional four to five hours of gameplay, featuring cutscenes, puzzles, and a new boss encounter. It emphasizes exploration and puzzle-solving, with new environments primarily set underground. The expansion utilizes enhanced graphics on PC, achieving a photo-realistic quality. Troy Baker reprises his role as Indiana Jones, delivering a performance that captures the character's essence.

AppWizard

September 11, 2025

Brutal, realistic Vietnam FPS makes the US overpowered, leaving the Vietnamese with one tactical advantage

Hell Let Loose Vietnam is a sequel to the original game, shifting the setting from World War II to the Vietnam War. The game features immersive gameplay with intense first-person shooter mechanics, enhanced sound design, and a focus on survival. Players must navigate the battlefield with caution due to low health and high bullet damage. New battle mechanics include speedboats for both Vietnamese and US forces, with US players utilizing helicopters for air support and Vietnamese soldiers able to dig tunnel networks for strategic advantages. The game is set to launch in 2026.

AppWizard

September 8, 2025

With Silksong in our hands, Steam’s new reigning wishlist kings are both kind of basket cases: The partially-released Deadlock and lawsuit lightning rod Subnautica 2

Subnautica 2 is currently the most wishlisted title on Steam, following Hollow Knight: Silksong and other anticipated releases. It is facing a legal dispute due to a fallout among senior staff at Studio Unknown Worlds, which was acquired by Krafton in 2021. The game was originally set for an early access release this year, but uncertainty has arisen after the replacement of key leadership figures, including CEO Ted Gill and designer Charlie Cleveland. The ousted developers claim their termination was unjust and aimed at avoiding a substantial bonus, while Krafton argues that they failed to meet critical milestones. Other notable titles in the wishlist include Valve's Deadlock, Battlefield 6, Borderlands 4, and Light No Fire.

AppWizard

August 29, 2025

LEGO’s 2025 Advent Calendars Are Available for Preorder, Including a New ‘Minecraft’ Set

Six new LEGO advent calendars will be released on September 1, with pre-orders currently available. The calendars include: - Star Wars Advent Calendar priced at .99, featuring characters like BB-8 as a snowman and a Jawa in a holiday sweater. - Harry Potter Advent Calendar priced at .99, featuring eight minifigures in holiday attire, including Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood, along with magical beings like Buckbeak. - Minecraft Advent Calendar priced at .99, featuring characters such as Alex, Steve, a Creeper, a zombie, and a Santa villager. - Friends Advent Calendar priced at .99, themed around a holiday sleepover. - City Advent Calendar priced at .99, embracing a traditional Christmas party atmosphere. - Frozen Advent Calendar priced at .99, showcasing characters like Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven, along with a mini Arendelle Castle. These calendars are designed for ages 6 and up but attract a significant adult collector base, especially the Star Wars editions, which include exclusive holiday minifigures.

AppWizard

July 29, 2025

Grounded 2, even in early access, is one of the best survival games I’ve ever played

Grounded 2, developed by Obsidian in collaboration with Eidos Montreal, launched in early access on July 29. The game features a vast first area comparable in size to the original game, but it has performance issues, with limited graphics settings and frame rate challenges even on high-end systems. The game retains a colorful cartoon aesthetic while improving lighting and textures. New mechanics include the ability to befriend bugs that serve as mounts and allies, enhancing exploration and combat dynamics. The introduction of the Omni-Tool simplifies resource gathering. Grounded 2 encourages exploration and adventure, with quests from human characters and a mysterious hacker element. The combat system has evolved with new mechanics and a variety of new creatures, while familiar foes have revamped designs. Despite some bugs during gameplay, the overall experience is enjoyable.

Winsage

July 26, 2025

You’ll never worry about leaving your PC unlocked again, Microsoft’s phone app just solved it

Microsoft has updated its Link to Windows app, allowing users to lock their Windows PC directly from their Android phone with a simple tap. This feature enhances security by enabling remote locking, which is useful when users leave their devices unattended. The app also provides insights into the PC's status, such as battery level and Wi-Fi connectivity, and has streamlined the setup process. This update reflects Microsoft's responsiveness to user feedback, offering a proactive approach to device security.

AppWizard

July 20, 2025

The game where you build a symbiotic village on the back of a giant monster is finally done

The Wandering Village has launched its 1.0 release, featuring an animated trailer that showcases life in a toxic world. The game, developed by Stray Fawn, has been in development for five years and entered early access in 2022. Players build their village on the back of a six-legged creature named Onbu, with options to befriend, worship, or exploit it, raising ethical questions. Stray Fawn plans to release a 1.1 "Quality of Life/UX" update and a 1.2 "Onbu Update" to enhance player interactions. The game is available on Steam and at thewanderingvillage.com.

AppWizard

July 12, 2025

The 5 rarest PC games you’ll never own

PC gaming is a significant part of the video game industry, with both digital and physical releases appealing to gamers and collectors. - Dark Souls III (Prestige Edition): Released in 2016, this edition includes an art book, a metal case, and a 40cm Lord of Cinder figure. Loose versions can sell for around , while complete editions can exceed ,000. - Garage Bad Dream Adventure: A point-and-click horror game released in 1999 with only 3,000 copies produced. Complete copies are valued between ,500 and over ,200. - Rockford: An arcade game from 1988 adapted for home computers. Loose copies are valued over ,000, while complete-in-box versions can reach upwards of ,500, and sometimes exceed ,000 at auction. - Wolfenstein 3D: Released in 1992, this first-person shooter has loose copies valued around 0 and complete editions averaging around ,200, often fetching higher at auction. - Nora Princess And Stray Cat Heart: A 2016 adult visual novel with limited physical release. Loose versions exceed ,000, and complete-in-box editions can reach prices as high as ,000 at auctions. Physical releases in PC gaming are increasingly rare and valuable, often requiring significant financial investment to acquire.

AppWizard

June 24, 2025

‘I’m gonna crash out’: New climbing game Peak has sold 1 million copies in less than a week, outperforming its developer’s most popular game

Peak, a co-op climbing game developed by Aggro Crab and Landfall, has received over 10,000 very positive reviews on Steam within six days of its release, reached an all-time peak of 102,799 concurrent players, and sold 1 million copies. The game originated from a game jam where the two studios collaborated to create it in a short timeframe. Players can team up with up to three friends to gather supplies, navigate hazards, and explore diverse terrains while managing stamina. The game features humorous moments and visually stunning graphics, making it an engaging experience for players.

Winsage

June 19, 2025

Windows 11’s new Start menu falls short in one key area – and it’s making people angry

Microsoft is testing a redesigned Start menu for Windows 11 that includes new layouts for the app list, such as a grid and category view. Users will not be able to create personalized category types, as Windows 11 will determine app categorization, potentially leading to an 'Other' section for apps that do not fit defined categories. Users cannot move apps between categories, which limits customization. The Start menu is still in testing, and there is hope for future enhancements, including drag-and-drop functionality, in the upcoming Windows 11 25H2 update.