Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (13th July)

Image: AtariCan you believe we’re basically in the middle of July already? Madness… Well anyway, days of the year be damned, it’s time to play some games.

It’s been a relatively quiet one this week, arguably boosted by the strange and ominous ‘Emio’ trailer posted by Nintendo, indicating that the company may be dipping its toes back into the world of horror gaming…

Nintendo hasn’t taken its foot off NSO for the Switch either, and has introduced three new GBA games in the form of the Starry trilogy, previously only available in Japan. We also looked at how the Switch 2 might stack up next to the absurd success of Nintendo’s current console, along with how the company could potentially improve the divisive eShop experience.

For now, let’s check out what team NL is up to this weekend. Be sure to leave a comment in the usual place with info on what you’re planning to boot up over the next couple of days…

Jim Norman, Staff Writer
As with last weekend, I will mostly be pouring my heart and soul into Hades over the next couple of days. I am still yet to complete a full run (I had to take a break for my own sanity after making it to Hades’ second attack phase before dying) but I’m determined it will come soon. Pretty neat little game, huh?

I have also gone back to A Link Between Worlds since the Echoes of Wisdom trailer got me thinking about the last original top-down adventure. It’s got to be said, Nintendo knows how to make a game! The puzzles are still glorious, even 10 years on, and the art style is so unbelievably charming. Go on Nintendo, give us a late-life port to Switch…

Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer
I recently picked up Jeff Minter’s Akka Arrh along with a few of the Atari Recharged titles, so I’m very much in the arcade space at the moment. Akka Arrh has a somewhat confusing onboarding process (as does most of Minter’s games, to be honest), but once you ‘get it’, there’s really nothing else quite like it.

Elsewhere, I’m dipping my toes back into Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. I’ve yet to complete it, but I figured instead of attempting to pick up where I left off, I’m best off just starting from scratch. There’s a reason many consider it to be From’s best work to date; it’s brutal, but wonderful.

Kate Gray, Contributor
This weekend I am free of family obligations, which means… I get to play games again! Except this time, I’m playing TWO games for review, so… that’s what I’m playing. And I can’t talk about them.

Over on Steam, I got a few things in the sale! Subnautica 2, Noita, and The Painscreek Killings. I’ve only dipped into Subnautica so far, and it was a good time. I stole a baby alien penguin from its parents and now I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with it. Oops?

Oh, and this week, I finished Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. It’s as incredible as I remember it, further proving that I’m always right about video games and everyone should listen to me. A couple of the chapters are very backtracky (looking at you, Boggly Woods) but it’s not too bad with all the shortcuts they added in the remake! Now I can play Super Mario RPG, which I bought with a game voucher during that “buy game vouchers and get a ton of gold points” offer. Yay!

Gonçalo Lopes, Contributor
Did you know that I am addicted to a particular tone of the colour blue? It only occurs during the Summer, just before midday, the sky turns into a deep shade of deep blue that stretches on forever. But what is this annoying buzzing sound interrupting my trance? Ah, the missile lock warning. Some Erusean fool is trying to put a missile up my tail. The peaceful blue skies will have to wait.

You guessed it, my entire weekend will be spent (re)playing Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown – Deluxe Edition to tackle on my most challenging mission yet: to write-up the most comprehensive review ever for the most improbable/impossible Switch conversion yet! Keep watching the (virtual) skies…

Alana Hagues, Deputy Editor
My gaming time has consisted of a lot of Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail or Elden Ring, and will continue to until I get bored (FFXIV) and until I beat the DLC (Elden Ring, of which I’m not even at — curse you, Maliketh!). In terms of the Switch, a lot is going on there too, largely older stuff this time around!

The Starfy drop on NSO means I’ll be checking out a series of games I’ve always wanted to play. What a nice little idea to drip some easy-to-understand Japanese-only titles on NSO. Certainly better than nothing. And I’m going to be replaying Undertale in preparation for a podcast with some friends. It’s still one of my favourite indies of all time, so I’m excited to revisit it. Have a good one!

That’s what we have planned for the weekend, but what about you? You can let us know what game you’ll be maining in the following poll and then take to the comments to share what else you have on the cards.