Weekends are for promising yourself that you’ll engage in the great big cosmopolitan city that you call home – exhibitions, music, pubs, life, it’s all out there, just waiting to be absorbed!
But then you open the curtains, see that it’s drizzling, ask Alexa to confirm this, and content yourself knowing that you did absolutely everything in your power to go outside, so can get on with gaming all weekend guilt-free.
Here’s what the DualShockers lot are playing this weekend.
Robert Zak – Lead Features Editor
I’m still going to be plodding through my Shocktober Spookmas selection, The Evil Within 2, which is a great showcase of open-world horror done right. It turned out that Silent Hill: Downpour was such a dripping mess that it only made me want to dive into the Silent Hill 2: Enhanced Edition mod project on PC, which is a technical marvel.
I also picked up The Case of the Golden Idol, which is some kind of deductive investigation-based ‘Obra Dinn-alike,’ which I’m a total sucker for. It’ll be a perfect chilled wind-down from my Halloween exploits.
CJ Kuzdal – Evergreen Editor
Marvel Snap is definitely on my docket. I’m a huge fan of Marvel and Card games, so I was very excited (but also understandably hesitant) about a mobile game that meshed the two. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the game so far and am relieved that it hasn’t been monetized into the ground.
I think the game is great, and it has consumed the majority of my waking hours since its release, though I’m a bit biased when it comes to anything superhero-related. I am one of the few people who really enjoyed Marvel’s Avengers, so I may not be the best authority on what constitutes a good Marvel game.
Jack Coleman – Lead News Editor
I’ll be picking up Square Enix’s newest title, Harvestella. Life sims aren’t usually my thing; I don’t particularly like Animal Crossing and I quickly grew bored with Stardew Valley but something about Harvestella has drawn me in.
Maybe it’s the interesting seasonal mechanics or the fact that there’s an existential danger to the world operating in the background of my crop cultivation. The inclusion of a full-fledged combat system is a nice bonus. If the game actually does end up being a combination of a role-playing game and a life sim, I think I’ll be well satisfied. I’m excited.
Kyle Knight – News Editor
It’s weekend number two of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 BABAAAYYY! The grind never stops, and I’m trying to pump as much time as possible into multiplayer prior to the release of Warzone 2.0 on November 16th, but you just know that no matter how many weapons you max level, the ones you don’t will be the new meta.
I also recently purchased a Steam Deck and was inquisitively scrolling through the Steam store when I was reminded that I’ve always wanted to try out Minecraft Dungeons…now I’m obsessed. So when I need to de-stress from Modern Warfare 2, I’ll be jumping into the slightly more peaceful world of Minecraft Dungeons.
Chris Harding – Multimedia Editor
It’s a weekend with the little guy for me, so the Nintendo Switch will be taking priority. So far, the plan is to play some Mario Kart, have a tantrum. Play some Mario Strikers, have a tantrum. And play some Kirby’s Dream Buffet, and of course, have a tantrum. The tantrums will be mine, by the way, because I’m awful and my hands need something more substantial than a tiny little Joy Con to do their best work.
But, when the lights go down and the tyke rolls into bed, I’ll be firing up some Football Manager 2008 and reliving the glory years when Manchester United weren’t the embarrassment that they are today. And when I inevitably lose a league cup match to some no-name minnows, I’ll hop on FIFA 23, set the difficulty to amateur, and make myself feel better by thrashing Accrington Stanley 9-0.
Damien Lykins – Managing Editor
I’m practically drooling over Warhammer 40,000: Darktide‘s release toward the end of the month, so I’ll be assuaging my immense overstock of hype by dipping back into some Vermintide 2 this weekend. I’m going to admit that Warhammer Fantasy takes a firm backseat to Warhammer 40,000’s space opera for me, but it’s still grim, it’s still dark, and it’s still a great bit of hyper-violent cooperative fun. It’ll scratch the itch, if barely.
It’s also an auspicious time to do so — it’s currently a free giveaway on Steam, see, and I originally ground my way through it on Xbox. That means I’ll get to enjoy that fresh day-one-progression feeling all over again. Or… find myself absolutely frustrated at how absurdly underpowered I am against even the most pathetic of the Skaven hordes, throw a fit, and reinstall it on my trusty console. Either way, I’m sorted for the weekend. Might even go and nab the Grail Knight DLC for kicks — “For the Lady!” and all that.