Yakuza Archives

AppWizard

March 4, 2026

Lost Judgement fuses serial killings and a skateboarding detective. You should play it.

Lost Judgment features a narrative centered around a serial killer targeting former school bullies, exploring the consequences of bullying. Players engage in various light-hearted activities such as skateboarding, building battle robots, and participating in dance tournaments, contrasting with the game's darker themes. The storyline follows Yagami as he investigates bullying in a school, focusing on motivations behind crimes rather than just solving them. The game includes rich side activities, such as advising a high school club and participating in competitions, enhancing player engagement. Combat mechanics feature three fighting styles: Crane, Tiger, and Snake, allowing for strategic gameplay. The Kaito Files expansion introduces new combat styles and a substantial storyline. The future of the Judgment series is uncertain due to issues surrounding the actor's image rights and the departure of a key developer.

AppWizard

February 18, 2026

How often do we see game sequels totally shift genres?

Remedy Entertainment is known for its third-person shooters and has released a new game following the success of Control, which features telekinesis and a shape-shifting pistol, emphasizing rich narratives and immersive environments. Ryu Go Gotoku Studio has transformed the Yakuza franchise from traditional brawling to an open-world, turn-based RPG format, introducing a new protagonist and quirky gameplay elements. Valve's Half-Life: Alyx has shifted the franchise to a VR experience, showcasing the company's commitment to innovation despite mixed reactions regarding VR accessibility. The Red Dead series began with Red Dead Revolver in 2004, evolving from a level-based shooter to open-world storytelling in Red Dead Redemption and its sequel. Return to Zork marked the transition from text-based to graphical adventure games, expanding storytelling possibilities while sparking debates among purists. Dune 2 transitioned from an adventure game to a real-time strategy format, influencing future RTS titles and highlighting genre-blending potential. Grand Theft Auto 3 redefined open-world gameplay, allowing players significant freedom and interaction, greatly impacting the gaming landscape and solidifying Rockstar's reputation.

AppWizard

February 11, 2026

The 10 Best Funny Games

Games often feature unintentional humor, such as NPCs delivering lines amidst chaos or characters in absurd costumes. Some games intentionally embrace humor, effectively combining player agency and comedic timing. Promise Mascot Agency is a mascot management simulator with a narrative filled with quirky characters and absurd situations, where players manage a mascot business while navigating organized crime. Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery involves players solving lighthearted mysteries in Cowboy County, featuring humorous scenarios like a haunting sloth and a vandalized sign for an invisible wizard. South Park: The Stick of Truth is an RPG where players engage in LARPing, featuring juvenile humor and absurd combat mechanics, with contributions from creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Octodad: Dadliest Catch allows players to control an octopus pretending to be a human, with humor stemming from its physics-based gameplay and emotional stakes. The Stanley Parable is a meta-narrative game where players make choices in an empty office, exploring themes of choice and consequence through clever writing and humor. West of Loathing is a 2D side-scrolling adventure set in the wild West, filled with jokes and witty dialogue that reward player exploration. Portal 2 features witty dialogue and absurd scenarios, with the character Wheatley providing comedic relief as players solve puzzles. Time Gentlemen, Please! is a point-and-click adventure where players seek to watch a Magnum PI marathon, leading to absurd plot developments. The Secret of Monkey Island follows Guybrush Threepwood, a bumbling pirate, and features humor through insult sword-fighting and pop culture references. Disco Elysium presents a hungover protagonist navigating a chaotic world, blending humor with deeper themes of pathos and tragedy.

AppWizard

January 22, 2026

January Xbox Update: Xbox Expands to Arm-based PCs, Game Save Sync Indicator, and More

Xbox is introducing updates to enhance gaming experiences, including the Xbox PC app for Arm-based Windows 11 PCs, allowing downloads from the Xbox PC app catalog and access to Xbox Game Pass. A new Game Save Sync Indicator feature provides real-time visibility into cloud save status for seamless gameplay across devices. Xbox has partnered with Hisense and V homeOS to enable cloud gaming on select Smart TVs. The Handheld Compatibility Program highlights games optimized for portable play, with recent additions such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. The Xbox Play Anywhere initiative now supports over 1,000 games for cross-platform play, including titles like Abyss DX and Cyberpunk Hacker. The Stream Your Own Game feature allows Xbox Game Pass subscribers to stream from a library of over 1,000 owned games, including Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. Xbox is reviving retro classics through a collaboration with Antstream Arcade, featuring over 100 titles and community challenges. Support for mouse and keyboard navigation has been expanded to over 230 games, and touch controls are available on cloud. Community feedback is encouraged to shape future developments, and players can join the Xbox Insider Program for early access to new features.

AppWizard

January 2, 2026

The Biggest Games Coming in 2026

- January 15: Animal Crossing: New Horizons launches on Switch 2; 3.0 update for original Switch. - January 15: The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond The Horizon releases on all major platforms. - January 22: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade launches on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series. - January 26: Highguard, a free PvP raid game, becomes available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series. - January 28: The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin releases. - January 30: Code Vein 2 launches. - February 5: Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined releases. - February 6: My Hero Academia: All’s Justice and Nioh 3 launch. - February 11: Romeo is a Deadman releases. - February 12: Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties launches. - February 13: High on Life 2 releases. - February 20: Ys X: Proud Nordics launches. - February 27: Resident Evil: Requiem releases; cloud versions of Resident Evil 7 and 8 for Switch 2. - March 5: Pokemon Pokopia releases. - March 12: John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando launches; Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake releases. - March 19: Crimson Desert launches. - March 26: Screamer, a racing game, releases. - April 16: Cthulu: The Cosmic Abyss launches. - April 24: Pragmata releases. - April 30: Saros, a roguelite bullet hell game, launches. - May 8: Mortal Kombat 2 movie releases. - May 27: 007 First Light launches. - May 29: LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight releases. - September 8: John Carpenter’s Halloween launches. - September 12: Phantom Blade Zero releases. - October 16: New Street Fighter movie releases. - November 19: Grand Theft Auto 6 launches. - Sometime in 2026: Titles like Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, Super Meat Boy 3D, and Zero Parades: For Dead Spies expected. - To Be Announced: Zero Company and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 have no confirmed release dates.

AppWizard

December 28, 2025

The Recap: Bridgerton, Peaky Blinders, Minecraft x Stranger Things and More!

Netflix has released a trailer for the fourth season of Bridgerton, set to premiere on January 29, with the second part on February 26. A teaser for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man has also been unveiled, with the film releasing on March 20. A special Minecraft DLC linked to Stranger Things allows players to explore new chapters in the final season and features characters with unique abilities. SEGA and RGG Studio showcased Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, set for release on February 12. Persona5: The Phantom X's Ver. 2.7 update introduces new stages and characters, with an event ending on January 22. Wuthering Waves has launched its Chapter III update, adding new areas and characters. Gachiakuta: The Game has been revealed as a survival action RPG with cel-shaded visuals, focusing on combat and missions in monster-infested zones.

AppWizard

December 19, 2025

Steam’s winter sales are here, with incredible discounts on these amazing PC games

The Steam winter sales have started, offering discounts on various games until January 5. Notable offers include: - Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown for .79 (92% off) - Assassin’s Creed Shadows for .99 (50% off) - Avowed for .99 (50% off) - Crusader Kings 3 for .99 (70% off) - Dead Island 2 for .99 (90% off) - Devil May Cry 5 for .49 (75% off) - Doom: The Dark Ages for .99 (50% off) - EA Sports FC 26 for .99 (60% off) - Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves for .79 (67% off) - Forza Horizon 5 for .99 (50% off) - Halo The Master Chief Collection for .99 (75% off) - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 for .99 (50% off) - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for .99 (70% off) - Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii for .99 (60% off) - Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy for .99 (85% off) - Metaphor: ReFantazio for .99 (50% off) - Monster Hunter Stories for .68 (67% off) - NBA 2K26 for .99 (60% off) - Nioh Complete Edition for .99 (90% off) - Resident Evil Village for .99 (75% off) - Silent Hill f for .99 (40% off) - Tekken 8 for .99 (60% off) - Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 +4 for .99 (40% off) - V Rising for .74 (55% off) The sale format has changed this year, with a static catalog of offers instead of daily rotations or flash deals.

AppWizard

December 12, 2025

Everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 — Xbox, gaming handhelds, PC, and more

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2025. Decrepit, an indie title from Frame Interactive, is set to launch on PS5 and Steam in 2027. Audiomech, a bullet hell shooter by Dylan Fitterer, will have a free demo available on Steam starting December 12. PRAGMATA, an action-packed sci-fi adventure from CAPCOM, is scheduled for release on April 24, 2026, with preorders open and a demo available on Steam. Solasta 2 will enter Early Access on Steam on March 12, 2026. TankRat, a vehicular action game, is set for a Spring 2026 release on Steam. Bradley the Badger, an action platformer, is available for wishlisting on Steam. Stupid Never Dies, a zombie-themed game, is planned for release in 2026 on Steam and PS5. Casey Hudson is developing a new Star Wars RPG set in the Old Republic era. Larian Studios announced Divinity, a project larger than Baldur's Gate 3. 4:LOOP, a co-op game from Bad Robot, will release on PC and PS5. Ontos, a spiritual successor to SOMA, is slated for a 2026 release on Steam and PS5. South of Midnight, winner of the Games for Impact award, will be available on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 in Spring 2026. Order of the Sinking Star, a puzzle adventure game, is set to launch on Steam in 2026. Exodus, an RPG from Wizards of the Coast, is expected in Early 2027. WARLOCK, a dark fantasy action-adventure game, will launch on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5. Control Resonant, a sequel to Control, will be available in 2026. Gang of Dragon is an upcoming action game from the developers of Yakuza. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight will release on May 29, 2026. Tomb Raider: Catalyst is expected in 2027, while a reimagining titled Legacy of Atlantis will launch in 2026. Forest 3 is in development with limited details. Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred expansion will launch on April 28, 2026. Hogwarts Legacy is available for free on the Epic Games Store until December 18. No Law, an open-world shooter, is set for release on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5. Total War: Warhammer 40,000 is available for wishlist on Steam. ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE will launch in 2026. Star Wars: Galactic Racer is scheduled for release in 2026. The Wind Awakening is set for release on December 23 for multiple platforms. Phantom Blade Zero will launch on PC and PS5 on September 9, 2026. Mega Man: Dual Override is set to release in 2027. Highguard, a free-to-play multiplayer FPS, will launch on January 26, 2026.

AppWizard

December 8, 2025

This week in PC games: a skating demon tries to eat the moon and Terminator game appropriately rewrites history

Edwin has been consumed by The Maw after leaning in due to its deceptive sounds. New safety measures were instituted, including a no-petting policy and using a six-foot news pole for feeding. Mark performed The Last Post on his kazoo, and the 'Days since last accident' whiteboard was updated from '56' to '0'. Upcoming game releases include Skate Story, Yakuza 0 Director's Cut, Cat Named Mojave, Liminal City, Death Howl, Milano's Odd Job Collection, Unbeatable, Anxiety Puppy, Ashes of Creation, and Terminator 2D: No Fate.

AppWizard

December 3, 2025

Grab this Sekiro-style Metroidvania and six other great Steam Deck games for just $15, saving you over $156

Seven Steam Deck games are available through this month's Humble Choice subscription, including Nine Sols and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. The Steam Deck remains the top handheld gaming PC, with seven out of eight titles in the bundle receiving Steam Deck Verified or Playable ratings. The subscription costs .99 / £11.49 per month, providing access to eight games valued at .92 on Steam. The games included are: 1. Nine Sols - Steam Deck Verified 2. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name - Steam Deck Verified 3. Streets of Rage 4 - Steam Deck Verified 4. Lost Skies - Unsupported 5. Intravenous II - Steam Deck Playable 6. Dungeon Tycoon - Steam Deck Playable 7. Beholder Conductor - Steam Deck Verified 8. Godlike Burger - Steam Deck Verified Lost Skies does not fully support the Steam Deck, but can be played with keyboard and mouse controls.