TECHMASH

Tag: #PCGaming

  • Set Sail for Liberty: World of Warships Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary in Update 15.5!

    Set Sail for Liberty: World of Warships Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary in Update 15.5!

    Wargaming is pulling out all the stops to celebrate a massive historical milestone. To honour the 250th anniversary of American Independence Day, the developer and publisher of the world’s leading naval multiplayer game, World of Warships, has officially launched its highly anticipated Update 15.5.

    From a heavily decorated New York Port to a deep-dive narrative campaign and highly anticipated customisation features, there is a wealth of fresh content waiting for Captains to deploy.

    Here is everything you need to know about what’s dropping in the latest patch.

    The Centrepiece: “Dawn of a Nation” Narrative Campaign

    History buffs and competitive players alike have a major reason to log in this week. Update 15.5 introduces Dawn of a Nation, a brand-new narrative campaign spanning four consecutive, weekly-unlocking chapters.

    Players will follow the personal stories of four characters from different nations to experience how the Thirteen Colonies forged their path to independence.

    What are the Rewards?

    By progressing through the campaign and completing weekly combat missions, you can earn exclusive patriotic rewards, including:

    • Historical U.S. Commanders: Recruit John Glover and the legendary John Paul Jones to helm your fleet.
    • Premium Ships: Earn the Tier VIII American Premium cruiser Congress.
    • Exclusive Cosmetics: Unlock the Betsy Ross flag, unique “Thirteen Salvos” and “Pride of Philadelphia” enemy destruction effects, and the rare “Minuteman” permanent camouflage for the Supership Maine.

    250 Years of Independence Event Pass

    The anniversary celebrations extend into a dedicated two-line Event Pass loaded with American-themed gear.

    • The Free Line: Open to all players, offering rewards like the Statue of Liberty Commander (complete with an individual voiceover), the Stars & Stripes permanent camouflage, and the Freedom permanent camouflage for the Baltimore.
    • The Premium Line (2,500 Doubloons): Unlocks an additional progression track where players can earn the U.S. Premium battleship Arizona, the Old North State permanent camouflage for the North Carolina, and unique destruction effects.

    Bonus Just for Logging In: Wargaming is giving away a free Independence Day Gift in the Armory after your first battle in the update. It includes the “We the People” permanent camouflage for Tier X ships, the Pride of Philadelphia destruction effect, and 3x Artillery Chests.

    Long-Awaited Feature: Custom Ship Decals Arrive!

    Beyond the patriotic festivities, Update 15.5 delivers a massive feature that the World of Warships community has been requesting for years: Decals.

    This new customisation system allows players to place historically-inspired symbols, mottos, and unique artwork directly onto their ship hulls.

    In this first iteration, Decals can be mounted on Tier IX ships (expandable to other tiers in future updates) via the Exterior Editor. They are distributed through Decal containers earned via special combat missions.

    Graphics Overhauls & Continued Early Access

    Wargaming hasn’t forgotten about technical performance. Update 15.5 brings significant improvements to shadow mapping. Expect softer, more natural-looking shadows, drastically reduced shadow jittering on lower presets, and cleaner ambient occlusion during high-octane battles.

    Additionally, the update carries forward the Early Access to Italian Submarines (Pietro Micca and Pietro Calvi), giving captains more time to master their unique Exhaust Smoke Generators and semi-armour-piercing (SAP) main guns.

    Final Thoughts

    Whether you are looking to deck out your Tier IX ships with brand-new decals, grind through a gripping historical campaign, or simply enjoy the fireworks over the digital New York Port, Update 15.5 is one of Wargaming’s most ambitious thematic updates of the year.

    Man your battle stations, Captains—freedom is calling!

    Find out more here

    #WorldOfWarships #Wargaming #US250 #IndependenceDay #PCGaming #NavalCombat #GamingNews #TechMash

  • Welcome to Île Saint-Hubert: Jurassic World Evolution 3’s Rebirth Expansion Roars into Action!

    Welcome to Île Saint-Hubert: Jurassic World Evolution 3’s Rebirth Expansion Roars into Action!

    If you thought your dinosaur theme parks were finally secure, think again. Frontier Developments has officially dropped the highly anticipated Rebirth Expansion for Jurassic World Evolution 3, and it is easily the game’s most ambitious, chaotic, and thrilling update yet.

    Serving as a prequel to the upcoming blockbuster film Jurassic World Rebirth, this premium expansion transports park managers to the uncharted territory of Île Saint-Hubert. Packed with mutant predators, ancient ruins, and groundbreaking scientific features, this DLC is a dream come true for digital palaeontologists and management sim fans alike.

    Let’s dive into everything you need to know about what’s waiting for you inside the gates.

    A Top-Secret Prequel Campaign

    Set before the dramatic collapse of the island in 2010, the new narrative campaign puts you in control of InGen’s top-secret operations. You won’t just be building a standard tourist attraction; you’ll be managing a shared cash balance across three distinct, high-stakes locations:

    • The Main Facility: The central hub of advanced research and containment.
    • The Ancient Valley: A massive ecosystem built for observing gargantuan sauropods.
    • The Riverside Lab: A specialised facility engineered for synthesising semi-aquatic wonders.

    Progress is driven by a flexible new Assignment system. Focus on your priority objectives to advance the overarching story, or take on optional side-assignments to unlock rare genomes, experimental genetic traits, and advanced research opportunities.

    Meet the New Stars: 4 New Prehistoric Species

    The headline of any Jurassic World DLC is the dinosaurs, and the Rebirth Expansion delivers some of the most terrifying and unique creatures ever seen in the franchise.

    • Distortus rex: A massive mutant predator that is the first of its kind. Imbued with extreme aggression and horrifyingly unique kill animations, keeping this beast behind fences will put your security protocols to the absolute test.
    • Mutadon: Combining the terrifying hunting instincts of a Velociraptor with the aerial dominance of a Pterosaur, this winged hybrid can cross terrain rapidly and launch devastating aerial ambushes.
    • Titanosaurus (Family Unit): The largest dinosaur currently in the entire JWE series. For the first time, you’ll be managing a complete family unit, including never-before-seen juvenile variants that will roam the Ancient Valley.
    • Aquilops (Family Unit): A small, quirky ceratopsian that shifts between walking on four legs and standing on two. Complete with striking tail stripes and distinctive adult dimorphism, they add some much-needed charm to the roster.

    Beyond the new species, the DLC introduces movie-accurate models and skins for fan-favourites like the T. rex, Spinosaurus, Mosasaurus, Quetzalcoatlus, Dilophosaurus, and Velociraptor, alongside sleek new Rebirth-themed vehicle skins.

    Revolutionary Science and Architecture

    Frontier hasn’t just added skins and species; they’ve overhauled how you build and power your facilities.

    • Geothermal Power Networks: Say goodbye to simple power grids. For the first time, you can harness natural geothermal energy on Île Saint-Hubert. You’ll need to strategically build and manage a complex network of underground pipes to keep power flowing and prevent catastrophic ecosystem failures.
    • Open Air Aviaries: Take your flying enclosures to spectacular new heights. These structures feature raised flying ceilings, no visual obstructions, and expanded terrain editing options so your Mutadons can fly freely (and hopefully stay contained).
    • Experimental Traits: Push the boundaries of genetics by applying experimental traits to your species. These genetic alterations introduce drastic social and behavioural shifts, forcing you to balance scientific curiosity with rigid park security.
    • Mayan-Themed Creativity: To give your park a distinct look, the DLC includes 387 scenery pieces and 37 blueprints, blending modern InGen technology with towering, ancient Mayan temples.

    Free Content: Update 1.3 Is Live!

    Even if you aren’t picking up the expansion right away, all Jurassic World Evolution 3 players receive the massive Update 1.3 for free. This update introduces semi-aquatic behaviour for the iconic T. rex, adds Cretaceous Cruise functionality inside your aviaries, and marks the triumphant return of the Cearadactylus family unit!

    Jurassic World Evolution 3: Rebirth Expansion is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S for £19.99 / $24.99.

    Are you brave enough to engineer the Distortus rex, or will your park go extinct? Let us know your thoughts on the new campaign in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #JurassicWorldEvolution3 #JWE3 #JurassicWorldRebirth #FrontierDevelopments #GamingNews #ParkSim #DinosaurGaming #PCGaming #PS5 #XboxSeriesX #TechMash

  • Flip, Nudge, and Destroy: Roguelike Pinball Sensation ‘Cult of PiN’ Locks In August Release Date

    Flip, Nudge, and Destroy: Roguelike Pinball Sensation ‘Cult of PiN’ Locks In August Release Date

    Move over Balatro and Peglin—there is a new heavy-hitting indie synergy addiction on the horizon, and it’s taking us straight back to the golden era of arcade cabinets and Windows 3D Pinball (Space Cadet).

    Independent developer KennyMakesGames has officially announced that Cult of PiN, the highly anticipated arcade pinball roguelike, will launch globally on Steam on August 10th, 2026. The announcement drops alongside an explosive new Release Date Trailer showcasing the game’s chaotic, high-intensity gameplay.

    Check out the official Release Date Trailer below:

    Pinball Physics Meets Modern Deckbuilding

    If you think this is just your standard high-score chaser, think again. Cult of PiN flips the classic genre on its head by turning pinball tables into battlefields. Instead of simply keeping the ball alive for points, your ball deals actual damage to the bumpers it strikes.

    Your goal? Demolish the handcrafted 3D tables, shatter cursed bumpers, and survive intense, gravity-defying showdowns against biomechanical Boss Bumpers.

    The real magic happens between rounds. Over a successful public demo campaign that has already captured the attention of over 120,000 players, the game has proven that its rogue-lite mechanics are incredibly deep. Players can draft from an expanding pool of over 130 unique upgrades, Glyphs, and Blessings to scale their damage multipliers into absolute absurdity.

    Key Features At A Glance:

    • True Build Synergy: Mix and match over 100 Glyphs to create game-breaking combos that turn your ball into a weapon of mass destruction.
    • 8 Playable Balls: Master distinct mechanics, specialised passive abilities, and powerful “Rituals” to trigger table-wide chaos.
    • Hand-Crafted 3D Tables: Discover 4 beautifully stylised, hand-drawn tables featuring hidden bonus zones, unique layouts, and unpredictable table mutations.
    • High-Intensity Sessions: Designed for quick 15-to-20-minute runs across 7 distinct difficulty levels, keeping the gameplay loop endlessly fresh.

    Play Anywhere: Full Steam Deck & Cross-Platform Support

    In a massive win for handheld gaming enthusiasts, KennyMakesGames has confirmed that Cult of PiN will launch with full native support for PC, Mac, Linux, and the Steam Deck.

    The game has been completely optimised for high-framerate portability, featuring native controller mapping and smooth performance built precisely with the Steam Deck in mind. Whether you are nudging your ball on a desktop or flipping targets on your morning commute, the tactile satisfaction travels with you.

    Pricing and Availability

    Cult of PiN will officially hit Steam on August 10th, 2026, for an incredibly reasonable $14.99 / £11.79 / €12.75. Even better news for early adopters: the game will feature a 15% discount during its launch week.

    If you can’t wait until August to start smashing tables, you can head over to Steam right now to try out the newly updated, heavily localised public demo and add the game to your wishlist.

    Find out more here

    #CultOfPiN #IndieGames #SteamDeck #GamingNews #Pinball #Roguelike #PCGaming #MacGaming #LinuxGaming #TechMash

  • Tiny Wheels, Big Secrets: Co-Op Adventure ‘WheelMates’ Drops Updated Demo Ahead of September PC Launch!

    Tiny Wheels, Big Secrets: Co-Op Adventure ‘WheelMates’ Drops Updated Demo Ahead of September PC Launch!

    If you’ve ever looked at your living room furniture and thought, “I could definitely do a sick flip off that bookshelf,” developer Firevolt has the perfect game for you.

    Revealed during the Future Games Show, the highly anticipated co-op adventure WheelMates has officially locked in its PC release date. Ready a fresh set of batteries, because this miniature, micro-sized journey is zooming onto Steam on Monday, 7 September.

    Even better news? You don’t have to wait until autumn to get behind the wheel. To celebrate Steam Next Fest, Firevolt has just deployed a freshly updated demo that you can download and play right now.

    Go Off-Road, Indoors!

    In WheelMates, you and a player-two answer a distress call from an eccentric, mysteriously missing scientist. The catch? The only way to navigate his massive, puzzle-filled home laboratory is by piloting a pair of tiny RC cars.

    This isn’t a racing game—it’s a true, collaborative physics playground inspired by classic RC games like Re-Volt and modern co-op masterclasses. You’ll need to work in tandem to drop vases from the kitchen table, whiz under the sofa, and turn mundane household appliances into epic stunt ramps.

    Co-Op over Competition: WheelMates features zero timers and no pressure to rush. It’s entirely focused on shared problem-solving, letting you and your co-driver uncover the house’s mysteries at your own preferred pace.

    What’s New in the Steam Next Fest Demo?

    Firevolt has listened closely to player feedback, packing this latest demo with massive quality-of-life upgrades:

    • Steam Deck Support: The demo now features full Steam Deck optimisation, making it absolutely perfect for a couch co-op night with a friend.
    • Upgraded Driving & Camera Controls: Expect much smoother handling options to make your RC car drift exactly the way you want, plus new camera controls (including a free camera) for a better view of the great indoors.
    • The Journal Feature: A brand-new story tracker that logs the clues you scan and collect throughout the house, helping you piece together the mystery of the professor’s whereabouts.

    Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

    As you delve deeper into the house—exploring the Kitchen, Garage, and Backyard—you’ll unlock wild experimental gadgets. From rope-swinging winches to magnetic wheels that let you drive upside down on metal surfaces, the game slowly unfolds into a miniature Metroidvania.

    Best of all, when the full game launches on 7 September, it will feature a Friends Pass—meaning only one of you needs to own the game for both of you to play online together.

    Head over to Steam, grab a partner, and test drive the updated demo today!

    Find out more here

    #WheelMates #Firevolt #SteamNextFest #FutureGamesShow #CoOpGames #IndieGames #GamingNews #PCGaming #SteamDeck #TechMash

  • Smash Piggies, Dodge Debt: ‘Bills Must Be Paid’ Locks In Official Release Date and Price!

    Smash Piggies, Dodge Debt: ‘Bills Must Be Paid’ Locks In Official Release Date and Price!

    If your real-life mailbox fills you with dread, Frankfurt-based indie developer Rike Games has the ultimate digital therapy for you. Their highly anticipated, deeply satisfying active incremental game, Bills Must Be Paid, finally has an official release date and price announcement—and the story behind its journey to launch is just as wild as its gameplay.

    Grab your hammers: Bills Must Be Paid is officially launching on Steam for PC and Mac on July 29, 2026.

    The Viral Story Behind the Launch

    If the title sounds familiar, it might be because the game accidentally went viral earlier this year under bizarre circumstances. A stolen build of the game’s demo was recompiled and uploaded onto Douyin (China’s TikTok), where it racked up massive views and ad revenue before Rike Games—a dedicated two-person studio—managed to successfully get the clone taken down.

    Now, the real, polished, and feature-packed version is ready to take its rightful spotlight.

    “We’re a two-person studio—I handle the code, my spouse handles the art,” the developer shared. “The last months have been quite crazy, and we are super excited to have the release date set now.”

    What is Bills Must Be Paid?

    The premise is beautifully simple yet addictively chaotic: You’re entirely broke, jumping piggy banks are taking over your desk, and you have bills to pay.

    Armed with a hammer, you smash various types of piggies (from “The Tourist” to “El Loco”) to collect random loot, rare coins, and cash. Every swing drains your stamina. When your hand gets too tired, the run ends.

    But don’t ignore the mail! If you fail to pay your bills, the debt collector will begin siphoning a cut of your earnings. Push it too far, and you’ll have to declare bankruptcy and start over under a completely new identity.

    What’s New in the Full Release?

    If you’ve played the free demo, Rike Games has added a massive haul of new content for the final build that the Chinese clone couldn’t dream of replicating:

    • The Prestige System: Earn special rings to customise your hand, unlocking unique power-ups.
    • The Desk Gadget Shop: Buy upgrades to automate your smashing and boost your stats.
    • More Hammers & Piggies: A wider variety of weapons, each with distinct trade-offs, and lazier or faster piggy variants to hunt down.
    • An Actual Ending: A concrete goal to reach beyond the infinite loop of debt.

    Price, Availability, and Launch Discount

    Rike Games is keeping this indie gem highly accessible.

    DetailInfo
    Release DateJuly 29, 2026
    PlatformsSteam (Windows & macOS)
    Base Price$6.99 USD (with regional adjustments)
    Launch Week Promo30% OFF during the first week
    Languages Supported12 (including English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese)

    Try the Demo Today!

    Can’t wait until late July? You don’t have to. A free demo is currently live on Steam right now as part of Steam Next Fest. Head over, test your grip strength, and add it to your wishlist to catch that 30% launch-week discount.

    Find out more here

    #IndieGames #GamingNews #BillsMustBePaid #SteamNextFest #PCGaming #MacGaming #RikeGames #TechMash #IncrementalGames #SupportIndieDevs

  • Dark Souls Meets The Witcher: ‘The Relic: First Guardian’ Locks In July Launch Date!

    Dark Souls Meets The Witcher: ‘The Relic: First Guardian’ Locks In July Launch Date!

    Soulslike fans, clear your calendars. South Korean indie developer Project Cloud Games and publisher Perp Games have officially dropped a brand-new trailer confirming that their highly anticipated dark fantasy action-RPG, The Relic: First Guardian, will officially launch on July 31, 2026!

    The game is set to hit PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam first, with Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2 versions arriving later this summer. For the physical media collectors among us, a boxed PS5 version is also locked in for September 4th.

    Check out the blistering new release date trailer below to see why this game has skyrocketed to the top of our wishlists:

    Reclaiming the Cursed Realm of Arsiltus

    In The Relic: First Guardian, you step into the shoes of a guardian tasked with surviving Arsiltus—a once-prosperous world completely swallowed by a devastating void after its great relic was shattered. To restore peace, you’ll have to explore a collapsed, semi-open world, piece together forgotten memories, and face a brutal lineup of over 70 unique, tragic bosses twisted by curses and starvation.

    Why ‘The Relic’ is Shaking Up the Action-RPG Formula

    Project Cloud Games may be a small studio, but they have massive cinematic ambitions. The Relic isn’t just another clone in a crowded genre; it’s actively tearing up the traditional RPG rulebook with some incredibly fresh mechanics:

    • Attack Without Limits (No Attack Stamina): In a massive twist for the genre, stamina is reserved strictly for dodging and defending. Attacks do not deplete your stamina bar, and skills operate purely on cooldowns. This means you can maintain an aggressive, fluid offensive flow without constantly backing off to catch your breath.
    • Say Goodbye to Traditional Levelling: Forget grinding for XP. Character progression is tied entirely to collecting “Relics”—emotional fragments of those who lived before. With over 70 unique passive Relics to collect, you can fundamentally alter your skill behaviour, combat tempo, and weapon styles on the fly.
    • One-of-a-Kind Unique Loot: The game completely reimagines loot structures. Every single weapon and piece of armour exists only once in the entire game world. Each item is a singular, unrepeatable legendary artefact that carries its own dark, inherited history.
    • Deep Class Customisation: With 5 distinct weapon types to master and 12 exclusive skill trees, players have total freedom to blend abilities and craft a completely unique class tailored to their exact playstyle.

    Mark Your Calendars

    With an art style deeply rooted in Asian mythology and folklore, heavy cinematic flair, and a combat system built for pure, unadulterated flow, The Relic: First Guardian looks like it’s going to be the sleeper hit of the summer.

    Prepare your build, sharpen your blades, and get ready to dive into the ruins of Arsiltus on July 31st.

    Are you ready to become the First Guardian? Let us know what weapon type you’re planning to main in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #TheRelicFirstGuardian #ProjectCloudGames #PerpGames #Soulslike #ActionRPG #PS5 #PCGaming #GamingNews #IndieGames #TechMash

  • King of the Hill: 150,000 Players Tear Up Funselektor’s ‘Over the Hill’ Steam Demo Over the Weekend

    King of the Hill: 150,000 Players Tear Up Funselektor’s ‘Over the Hill’ Steam Demo Over the Weekend

    If you spent your weekend getting bogged down in the mud, rescuing your friends with a portable winch, and taking polaroids of bald eagles, you definitely weren’t alone.

    Funselektor, the brilliant indie studio behind the critically acclaimed art of rally and Absolute Drift, just dropped the debut Steam demo for their highly anticipated 4×4 off-road adventure, over the hill. The response? Absolutely massive. Over 150,000 players traded the race tracks for the untamed wilderness over the weekend, proving that there is a massive appetite for a slower, more mindful kind of driving game.

    Moving at Nature’s Pace

    Unlike traditional racing games that demand white-knuckle speed and perfect apexes, over the hill shifts into low gear. This is a digital outdoor expedition simulator where the real enemy isn’t a timer or an aggressive AI driver—it’s the terrain itself.

    The Steam demo drops players directly into Emerald Lake, the opening area of the game’s Canada region. Inspired by the rugged, breathtaking beauty of British Columbia’s Valhalla mountain range, the map is a gorgeous blend of dense woodlands, tranquil lakesides, and treacherous, rocky alpine trails.

    Instead of hammering the throttle, players have to focus on:

    • Methodical Route Planning: Choosing the safest path through unpredictable environments.
    • Authentic Physics: Managing throttle control, momentum, and wheel placement across mud, rock, and steep inclines.
    • Resource Management: Utilising vital off-road gear like Repair Kits, Portable Winch Anchors, and Planks to cross dangerous gaps.

    “Over the hill lands closer to real love of the wheel: Funselektor understands it in a way that an awful lot of studios miss.” – PC Gamer

    4×4 Customisation and Co-Op Cruising

    The demo lets you test drive three classic off-road vehicles inspired by the golden age of cross-country expeditions (the 1960s through the 1980s). Each rig features its own distinct weight distribution, traction profile, and handling quirks. As you explore, you gather an in-game currency called “pebbles” and recover fallen meteorites to unlock cosmetic upgrades, roof racks, and fresh coats of paint at the local merchant.

    But the real magic happens when you bring a crew. Over the hill supports up to four-player cooperative multiplayer. You and three friends can venture out into the wild together, tackle gruelling Challenge Trails, or help pull each other out of a tight spot when someone invariably flips their rig trying to show off.

    When you need a break from the mechanical stress, the game features a built-in Camera Mode. Players have been flooding social media with gorgeous snapshots of the local wildlife—including moose, wolves, and black bears—to populate their in-game Compendiums.

    Community Feedback & What’s Next

    With 150,000 drivers hitting the trails simultaneously, the demo served as a massive stress test for the small indie studio. While the feedback on the game’s “cozy SnowRunner” vibes has been overwhelmingly positive, some players noted performance hitches on certain PC configurations.

    True to form, Funselektor has already been incredibly proactive. They’ve rolled out a hotfix patch addressing multiplayer bugs, fixing camera issues, and opening up a beta branch on Steam specifically aimed at testing early optimisation tweaks.

    Don’t Miss Out: The Clock is Ticking!

    If you haven’t played it yet, you need to act fast. This exclusive look at over the hill is part of Steam Next Fest and is only available until June 22nd.

    The full game is scheduled to launch on Steam later this year, with versions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and the Nintendo Switch 2 to follow.

    Head over to Steam, grab your winch, and go see what’s waiting just over the hill.

    Find out more here

    #OverTheHill #Funselektor #SteamNextFest #IndieGames #PCGaming #OffRoading #GamingNews #CoOpGaming #ArtOfRally #TechMash

  • Inventory Management Meets Bullet Heaven: Cloudbreaker Soars into Steam Next Fest!

    Inventory Management Meets Bullet Heaven: Cloudbreaker Soars into Steam Next Fest!

    The June edition of Steam Next Fest is officially underway, and indie fans have a massive new addiction waiting for them in the skies. Nova Scotia-based duo Ballast Games has officially launched the demo for Cloudbreaker, an incredibly stylish sky-world roguelite that brilliantly mashes up intense survival-like action with a puzzle-heavy inventory management system.

    If you’ve ever wanted to pilot a heavily armed airship while organising your inventory like a high-stakes game of Resident Evil grid-fitting, this is the title to watch.

    Check out what makes Cloudbreaker an unmissable stop during your Next Fest demo diving:

    The Mission: Save Haven from the Depths

    In the world of Cloudbreaker, the last remnants of humanity reside in Haven, a sanctuary floating high above a treacherous, cloud-covered world. Haven is sinking, and it’s up to you to take to the skies, descend through dangerous cloud layers, and recover a mythical Bloil Crystal to secure humanity’s survival for generations to come.

    Standing in your way are hordes of Biotes—the lingering, aggressive biotechnology experiments of long-dead civilisations.

    Tetris Meets Turbo-Charged Airships

    While the combat serves up pure bullet-heaven dopamine as you tear through waves of enemies, the real magic happens in your ship’s hangar.

    Defeating Biotes allows you to gather raw Bloil, which your ship converts into unique Engine Parts. To upgrade your airship, you must install these parts into your Engine Grid—a dedicated inventory management puzzle system.

    • Grid Synergies: It’s not just about what parts you have; it’s about where you place them. Different components connect and interact across the grid to unlock massive stat boosts and weapon synergies.
    • Unique Fleets: As you progress, you’ll unlock entirely new airships, each featuring completely distinct Engine Grid layouts and core abilities that completely alter your build strategies.
    • Deep Progression: Tailor your playstyle using dedicated upgrade trees for both ships and weapons, giving you the edge needed to take down punishing bosses and mini-bosses.

    Play the Demo Today!

    Cloudbreaker successfully blends the tactical satisfaction of a grid-based puzzle game with the frantic, fast-paced survival mechanics of the best roguelite action titles. With its crisp aesthetic, satisfying loop, and endless build variety, it’s easily one of our top recommendations for this week’s festival.

    The Cloudbreaker demo is live right now on Steam for the duration of June Steam Next Fest, featuring full keyboard/mouse and controller support. Take it for a spin, test your best buildcraft in Endless Mode, and don’t forget to add it to your Steam Wishlist to support the developers!

    Find out more here

    #Cloudbreaker #SteamNextFest #IndieGames #Roguelite #BulletHeaven #BallastGames #PCGaming #TechMash

  • MineGeon: Renegades Drops Massive Steam Next Fest Demo Update Ahead of July Launch

    MineGeon: Renegades Drops Massive Steam Next Fest Demo Update Ahead of July Launch

    Bullet-hell enthusiasts and co-op fans, it’s time to rally the squad. As part of the ongoing Steam Next Fest, indie developer Kickstone Studio has deployed a massive major content update for the MineGeon: Renegades demo.

    If you haven’t been tracking this one, MineGeon: Renegades is a high-octane, co-op sci-fi bullet-hell roguelite that challenges players to descend into the treacherous depths of the planet PAIMO. The mission? Fight off swarms of enemies, mine valuable resources, and make it out alive.

    With the full game locked in for a July 14 release, this expanded demo gives players a massive taste of the chaos to come. Here is a breakdown of what’s waiting for you in the new Steam Next Fest build.

    What’s New in the MineGeon: Renegades Demo?

    Kickstone Studio hasn’t just tweaked a few numbers; they’ve injected a wealth of new content that fundamentally expands how the game plays:

    • New Playable Class (Marshall): Joining the roster is Marshall, a heavy-duty Tank class built for high durability. If you prefer getting up close and personal, his ultimate ability unleashes devastating fist-to-fist combat to clear out crowded screens.
    • The Scavengers Mini-Boss Fights: Survival just got tougher. The update introduces three new mini-boss encounters featuring the Scavengers—hostile locals desperate to halt your descent.
    • Expanded Progression & Combat Synergy: The demo adds brand-new Gadgets, Ultimates, and Enhancements, giving players vastly more options to theorycraft chaotic, screen-clearing builds during a run.
    • Base Customisation (Ship Basement): Between intense expeditions, players can now unlock and access the basement of their spaceship, utilising a base-decoration system featuring props and themed objects.
    • A Brand-New Cooking System: Scavenge for ingredients during your runs to whip up meals back on the ship, providing crucial stat buffs for your next dive into PAIMO.

    Risk It All for Riches

    The core loop of MineGeon: Renegades revolves around greed and teamwork. You can brave the depths solo or team up with up to two friends. The deeper you go, the more valuable the minerals—but the more punishing the bullet hell becomes. Players must constantly balance the risk of pushing further for better loot versus banking their hard-earned materials safely back at the ship for permanent upgrades.

    The updated demo is available to play right now on Steam for the duration of Steam Next Fest. Grab your crew, test out Marshall’s fists of fury, and get a head start before the full launch on July 14.

    Are you diving into PAIMO this week? Let us know your favourite class build in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #MineGeonRenegades #SteamNextFest #IndieGames #PCGaming #CoOpGames #Roguelite #BulletHell #GamingNews #TechMash

  • PUBG Update 42.1 Is Live: Dynamic Smoke, Blue Zone Speedrun, and the SLR Metagame Shift

    PUBG Update 42.1 Is Live: Dynamic Smoke, Blue Zone Speedrun, and the SLR Metagame Shift

    PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is throwing down one of its most disruptive patches in recent memory. Update 42.1 isn’t just about minor weapon tweaks or fresh skins—it directly attacks the core gameplay loops that players have relied on for years. From the way you use utility to how you rotate across the map, Krafton is forcing a massive evolution in player behaviour.

    If you’re loading into the battlegrounds this week, here is the breakdown of the major shifts arriving in Patch 42.1.

    1. Dynamic Smoke Physics: No More Magic Walls

    For years, smoke grenades in PUBG have acted as an impenetrable visual barrier. Throw a canister, wait a few seconds, and you have a reliable white wall to heal behind or cross an open field. Not anymore.

    Update 42.1 introduces Interactive Smoke. Frag grenades, vehicle explosions, and heavy gunfire will now physically displace and disperse smoke clouds in real-time.

    • The Tactical Shift: Throwing a frag into an enemy’s defensive smoke screen will now momentarily blast a hole right through it.
    • The Risk: If you are healing inside a smoke cloud, a well-placed enemy grenade won’t just damage you—it will strip away your cover, leaving you entirely exposed to line-of-sight gunfire.

    2. Blue Zone Rebalance: Say Goodbye to Downtime

    If you enjoy the slow, methodical “edge-of-the-zone” camping playstyle, it’s time to adapt. Krafton is rolling out a massive revamp to Blue Zone timings and pacing across major maps.

    The Goal: Reduce the mid-game “lull” where players spend ten minutes driving around looking for action.

    • Faster Phases: Mid-game circles will now shrink more quickly and travel faster, forcing squads into closer proximity much earlier in the match.
    • Smarter Shift Locations: The algorithm has been tweaked to minimise extreme, unplayable hard shifts that leave squads entirely stranded by RNG. Expect tighter, faster, and more aggressive rotations.

    3. Weapon Tuning: The SLR Reclaims the Throne

    The DMR meta is getting a significant shakeup. The SLR has received a targeted balance pass aimed at making it a premium choice for long-range precision taps.

    • Recoil Recovery: Recoil centring speed has been buffed, allowing for faster follow-up shots without losing your target tracking.
    • Damage Profile: Minor adjustments ensure that the SLR retains its terrifying stopping power over distance compared to its 5.56 counterparts.

    To offset this, minor stability tweaks have been applied to the Beryl M762 to keep the assault rifle category balanced, ensuring that players have to work a bit harder to laser opponents at mid-range.

    4. The Wildcard: AI Companion Testing (PC Arcade)

    For PC players running high-end rigs, Patch 42.1 introduces an experimental Ally Duo mode in Arcade Labs. This mode utilises localised hardware acceleration (including RTX-specific optimisations) to give you an intelligent AI teammate. Rather than acting like a mindless bot, this companion responds to pings, syncs up pushes, and acts as a genuine co-pilot for solo players looking for a duo experience.

    TechMash Verdict

    Update 42.1 proves that Krafton isn’t content letting PUBG coast on its legacy. By introducing interactive physics to smoke and speeding up the match pacing, they are forcing veterans to unlearn old habits. It makes the game faster, louder, and significantly less forgiving.

    Drop into the comments below: Are you a fan of the new fast-paced Blue Zones, or did you prefer the classic tactical crawl?

    Find out more here

    #PUBG #GamingNews #Battlegrounds #PatchReport42 #PCGaming #Xbox #PlayStation #TechMash #Esports #BattleRoyale

  • Next Stop, Terror: Why This Indie Train Simulator is a Ticket to Pure Horror

    Next Stop, Terror: Why This Indie Train Simulator is a Ticket to Pure Horror

    Imagine this: You’re working the night shift on a cross-country train. Your biggest worries should be restocking the stale chips, keeping the coffee hot, and dealing with the occasional rude commuter. You push your snack cart down the narrow aisle, asking for IDs and tickets.

    But as you look closer at the passenger in seat 4B, you notice something is off. Their blink is a fraction of a second too slow. Their skin looks a bit too much like latex under the flickering fluorescent lights.

    Welcome to Only Humans On Board, an upcoming indie simulation game that takes the mundane dread of retail and mixes it with skin-crawling cosmic horror.

    The Ultimate Customer Service Nightmare

    At its core, Only Humans On Board plays like a twisted love child of Papers, Please and Dead Space. Your day-to-day responsibilities look normal enough on paper:

    • Inventory Management: Buy your supplies, budget your earnings, and stock your cart with the snacks passengers crave.
    • Customer Service: Walk the aisles, serve refreshments, and keep the passengers happy.
    • Ticket & ID Verification: Scan identification cards and check tickets to ensure everyone belongs on the train.

    The catch? Some of your “customers” are only pretending to be human. They want your snacks, but they might want your flesh even more.

    Spot the Discrepancy, Stay Alive

    As a train vendor, your scanner and your sharp eye are your only weapons. You’ll need to cross-reference IDs, look for facial anomalies, and listen closely to how passengers speak.

    If you do your job right, you flag the impostor, call security, and survive to see the next station. But if you get complacent—if you skim an ID too quickly or ignore that weird, guttural click in a passenger’s voice just to hit your sales quota—your shift ends very, very differently. Let’s just say management won’t be accepting your resignation letter.

    Why We’re Hooked

    What makes Only Humans On Board look so promising is how it leverages psychological tension. It turns a claustrophobic, familiar setting—a train carriage—into a gauntlet of paranoia. Every passenger interaction becomes a high-stakes puzzle where a single customer service mistake is fatal.

    If you love tension-building detective games and don’t mind looking at a commuter train the same way again, this is definitely one to keep on your radar.

    What do you think? Could you spot a monster disguised as a tired businessman, or would you accidentally upsell a bag of peanuts to a shape-shifter? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #OnlyHumansOnBoard #IndieGames #GamingNews #HorrorGames #GamingCommunity #PCGaming #TechMash

  • Solo Dev Magic: Tactical PvP Card Battler ‘Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel’ Hits Steam

    Solo Dev Magic: Tactical PvP Card Battler ‘Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel’ Hits Steam

    The indie card game scene is about to get a lot more competitive, and this time, it’s coming from a solo powerhouse. Developer ShootingStar has officially opened the Steam page for Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel, an upcoming free-to-play tactical PvP card battler that proves you don’t need a massive studio to build an ambitious, deeply strategic universe.

    If you are a fan of tight resource management, clever mind games, and deckbuilding, this is one indie title you need to add to your wishlist immediately.

    What is Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel?

    At its core, Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel is a turn-based 1v1 strategy game where board control and precise timing mean the difference between a glorious victory and a crushing defeat. Players choose a hero, manage a steadily growing mana pool, and fight to reduce the enemy hero’s health to zero.

    What sets it apart is the sheer variety of tools at your disposal across five major card types:

    • Characters: Your frontline fighters are tasked with attacking and defending the board.
    • Structures: Durable fortifications that shift the field’s geography and provide passive advantages.
    • Equipment: Direct stat-boosts and modifiers to empower your characters.
    • Spells: High-impact cards for instant damage, healing, or board clears.
    • Traps: Hidden, face-down cards that trigger on your opponent’s turn—perfect for baiting aggressive plays and completely reversing momentum.

    Build Your 30-Card Strategy

    The game skips over convoluted deck limitations in favour of a clean, hyper-focused rule: a legal deck consists of exactly 30 cards, with a maximum of 4 copies of any single card.

    When you first step into the world of Astralight, you’ll select one of three elemental starter paths—Fire, Water, or Forest—giving you a strong thematic foundation to experiment with. Combined with unique, mana-activated Hero Skills that can define your entire win condition, the tactical permutations are vast.

    A Massive Long-Term Vision

    While the game is launching as a tight, competitive 1v1 PvP battler, the developer has massive plans for the future. Astralight is designed to eventually evolve into a full online card RPG, with plans to introduce:

    • Co-op PvE roguelike expeditions
    • Auto expeditions and card trading systems
    • Shared social world features to connect the community

    Best of all? Every match you play—win or lose—rewards you with currency and crafting materials, keeping the free-to-play model firmly focused on progression and collection expansion rather than paywalls.

    Watchlist It Now!

    Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel is listed as “Coming Soon,” and the Steam page is officially live for wishlists. Head over to Steam, check out the trailer, and support a solo indie developer trying to reshape the CCG landscape.

    Wishlist Astralight: Pilgrim’s Duel on Steam

    #TechMash #Astralight #IndieGames #CardBattler #PCGaming #SteamGames #FreeToPlay #CCG #SoloDev