whimsical chaos Archives

AppWizard

April 14, 2026

Co-op pirate survival game Windrose: should you grab it in early access?

Windrose is a co-op pirate survival game that combines base-building, ship-to-ship combat, and open-world exploration. Players begin the game shipwrecked on a desolate island after an encounter with Blackbeard, where they gather resources, craft a base, repair their ship, and rescue their crew. Key features include: - Hunger and thirst mechanics, where food buffs attributes but does not cause death from starvation. - Weather effects present, but no negative impacts observed. - Health is managed through a single meter, with potions and bandages for healing. - Only online co-op is available; no PvP. - PvE interactions with animals, zombies, and enemy pirates. - Crafting system that pulls from nearby storage chests. - Base-building similar to Palworld's system. - Custom settings for health and damage adjustments. - Limited farming options currently available. - No NPC companions, but players can hire NPCs to assist at crafting stations. - Death results in dropping raw resources but retaining crafted items. - Crew members sing sea shanties during voyages. - Shared progress allows joining friends' games. Fishing is not yet implemented, but planned for future updates. The ship-to-ship combat is engaging, while melee combat can feel repetitive. Windrose is expected to remain in early access for one to three years, with about half of the planned content currently available. The game is priced reasonably, with a 10% discount at launch, but players should anticipate a wait for additional content. Performance is generally stable, though there are occasional slowdowns.

AppWizard

April 10, 2026

If you loved Balatro, don’t miss your chance to get this indie deck builder at under $3

Fanatical's latest Platinum Collection features discounted Steam games, including "This Ain't Even Poker, Ya Joker," which combines cards and strategy with chaotic gameplay. Players battle a Jester, unlocking upgrades and creating unique synergies. The game allows players to bend rules, such as adding or eliminating cards. The collection offers a "build your own" bundle format, where players can select a minimum of three games, potentially acquiring "This Ain't Even Poker, Ya Joker" for under £3. Other titles in the collection include "Gloomy Eyes," "The Evil Within," "Outbreak Island," and "Metal Garden." The offer is available until Thursday, April 30th, and is subject to key availability.

AppWizard

December 30, 2025

CLOWN Defends AI, Praises His Minecraft Server & Takes A Shot At RICK RUBIN All In One Interview

M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan, the percussionist and creative director of Slipknot, has launched a custom Minecraft server called Vernearth, driven by a spiritual and creative necessity rather than financial gain. His gaming history includes experiences with various platforms and genres, and he views Vernearth as a significant artistic creation that combines music, coding, and personal culture. Crahan respects Minecraft deeply, having purchased it on its release day and watched its updates, and he finds it therapeutic for processing grief, including the loss of a child. He is open to embracing artificial intelligence, seeing it as a creative ally that can enhance his work, and believes that AI is an inevitable part of societal evolution. He suggests that younger generations may not share the same apprehensions about AI as older ones, emphasizing that life is moving forward with or without resistance to technology.

AppWizard

December 29, 2025

Slipknot’s Clown Calls His New Minecraft Server, “The Biggest Art Piece I’ve Made In My Entire Life”, Speaks On Embracing AI

M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan, the percussionist and creative director of Slipknot, has launched a custom Minecraft server called Vernearth, driven by a passion for creativity rather than financial gain. He has a long history with video games, starting with systems like Atari and Intellivision, and has engaged with various games that have influenced his creativity. Crahan views Vernearth as a significant artistic endeavor that combines music, coding, and community interaction. He has a deep respect for Minecraft, having followed its development since its release, and it has served as a therapeutic outlet for him. Crahan embraces artificial intelligence as a tool for enhancing his creativity, comparing it to a personal assistant that helps him express his artistic ideas. He acknowledges concerns about AI but believes it is an integral part of modern life and emphasizes the inevitability of technological progress.

AppWizard

December 14, 2025

Bargain Balatro-like deckbuilder launches to 91% Steam rating, and bundles with some of the best fake-gambling games

This Ain't Even Poker, Ya Joker, developed by Mash, launched on Steam last Thursday and has received a 91% positive rating from users. The game is priced at .99 or £3.99 and is marketed as an idle deckbuilding clicker game where players flip cards to earn money, expand their hand, purchase new decks, unlock upgrades, and aim to defeat the Jester. It offers a lighthearted alternative to traditional poker and is designed to be engaging and entertaining. The game is available at an introductory price until December 25, after which the price will increase by a dollar.

AppWizard

November 16, 2025

Black Ops 7’s finest “sickos” dreamed up a truly terrifying new Zombies enemy, but things will get even “crazier” in Season 1

Black Ops 7 features a Zombies experience with the debut round-based map, Ashes of the Damned, which is the largest in the series and pays tribute to the Tranzit map. It reunites iconic characters from Black Ops 6 with their Dark Aether counterparts, including Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen. Players can engage in four modes: Standard, Directed, Survival, and Cursed, with the return of Dead Ops Arcade. A new enemy, the Zursa, a zombified bear, introduces a fresh challenge, while Ol' Tessie, an upgradable pickup truck, serves as a significant navigational tool. The Cursed mode offers a greater challenge for dedicated fans. A new round-based map is expected to debut in Black Ops 7 Season 1, launching in early December.

AppWizard

August 4, 2025

This week in PC Games: a new Mafia, a bustling Homeworld homage, a cosmic lighthouse and some strange jigsaws

In the first week of RPS Post-Graham, the office atmosphere is chaotic, with a resident Viking serpent named Horace and a demanding news hub called the Maw. The wifi network frequently changes its name to "Execute Order 66." The staff is engaging in morale-boosting activities, including reminiscing about video game intros. New PC games introduced this week include: - Texnoplazm: A gun-fu brawl-o-shooter set in an urban landscape with sorcerous technology. - Tall Trails: An exploratron featuring a golem with a rocket-powered boot. - Static Dread: A game where players manage a lighthouse during a cosmic apocalypse. - Era One: A real-time space strategy simulation for fans of Homeworld. - Mafia: The Old Country: A game set in pre-WWI Sicily with car chases and shoot-outs. - The Royal Writ: A card game roguelite inspired by Inscryption and Monster Train. - Wildwood Down: A point-and-click comedy mystery featuring a protagonist with Down Syndrome. - Artis Impact: A pixel-art RPG with a unique aesthetic. - The Lilliput Workshop: An automation game inspired by Brio toy train sets. - Cleanfall: A game featuring a mining robot in a world of insects and airships. Staff activities include James creating buzzwords for graphics cards, Ollie working on a guide to Life, Jeremy lost in literary thoughts, and Mark battling his neighbors, the Ice Giants.