If games are especially good at one thing, it's testing players' ability to figure out survival methods in harsh environments. Strategy projects like Frostpunk, Homeworld, Against the Storm, and Manor Lords all take place in settings, whether stretches of unforgiving wilderness or the lifeless outer reaches of space, that demand careful planning. Their premise is a natural fit for the genre, lending an inherent drama to the logistical challenges of founding and taking care of groups of people. It also seems to be a popular one, given that new space strategy game The Crust, which takes place on the surface of the moon, is already attracting a healthy player base and positive reviews on Steam. Continue reading New space strategy game The Crust debuts to positive reviews MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best strategy games, Best city-building games, Best management games

When we talk about the post-apocalypse there are only two names that tend to come up - Fallout and Mad Max. The latter of these is enjoying a renaissance following two recent very well received movies and while not an official crossover, Once Human is getting a new event that appears to be very much inspired by it. So if you’ve ever fancied yourself a road warrior, it might be time to head into the game and hit the highway. Continue reading Once Human meets Mad Max in new road warrior event coming soon MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sandbox games, Best open-world games, Best survival games

Another Domino Falls: Rep. Adam Schiff Calls for Joe Biden to Leave the Presidential Race

On the Scene at the RNC - Day Two Recap and Thoughts From a First-Time Alternate Delegate

'Go to Hell': MSNBC Host, NYT Ripped to Shreds After Snide 'Prop' Comments on Donald Trump's Ear Bandage

New Poll: Two-Thirds of Democrats Still Want Biden to Step Away

EPFL researchers drew inspiration from bats and owls to design a flying robot that crash lands with style. | Image: Nature Instead of hunting for a runway, researchers have built an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can land by crashing into trees or poles and wrapping its grippy wings around them to prevent a fall. It’s an unorthodox approach but one that could make it easier to position surveillance or inspection equipment in hard-to-reach areas. The UAV, which its designers from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) have called the PercHug, is yet another robot built to emulate a behavior seen in nature: bats and owls using their wings to both fly and climb or perch onto trees. The PercHug robot is designed with dual-purpose hinged wings that remain rigid and outstretched, allowing the UAV to fly, but... Continue reading…

C’mon, how cute is that. | Image: TinyPod If you’ve been feeling nostalgic for your old iPod lately, well, I have great news. TinyPod is a case you put on your Apple Watch — sans strap — so you can hold it and use it like your favorite vintage MP3 player. A $79 version includes a scroll wheel, which physically turns the watch’s digital crown. For $29, you can get a case without the scroll wheel and with a cutout so you can access the digital crown directly. But TinyPod could be more than just a way to turn your watch into a cute media player — it’s designed to make your watch a more capable companion to your phone. Recently, we’ve seen all kinds of gadgets and minimalist phones that promise to help you disconnect will still keeping you connected to the essentials. But largely,... Continue reading…

Robot vacuums with multifunctional docks that make cleaning virtually handsfree — like the Dreame L20 Ultra — are seeing some serious discounts this Prime Day. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Robot vacuums have come a long way since their bump-and-roll days, when they had to be rescued whenever they encountered a sock or a particularly scary-looking chair leg. Today, high-end robot vacs have advanced sensors that help them nimbly navigate your home, charging docks that suck the dirt out of the bin so you don’t have to get your hands messy, and self-filling water tanks so they can mop more of your floor in one clean. The problem with all these fancy features is that they can cost over $1,000 for the privilege of less hands-on time with your floor cleaner. However, this Prime Day, we’re seeing the first serious discounts on several of these high-end, multifunctional cleaning robots. iRobot’s Roomba Combo j9 Plus, Roborock’s... Continue reading…

Illustration: The Verge Google appears to be showing its AI-generated search results less often in recent weeks, according to a recent study from an SEO company. The data, collected by BrightEdge and reported on by Search Engine Land, suggests that AI Overviews dropped from appearing in 11 percent of queries on June 1st to 7 percent of queries on June 30th. BrightEdge’s data also indicates that AI Overviews cite Reddit and Quora dramatically less than they did before. Since the launch of AI Overviews in May, Google has had to make changes to address bizarre results like recommending that you put glue on pizza (which appears to have been pulled from a Reddit thread) and suggesting that you eat rocks (seemingly pulled from an article in The Onion). In response,... Continue reading…