Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (6th November)

The weekend has finally arrived, and we’re set to enjoy some games… after we summarize this week’s major highlights, of course!

Without a significant Animal Crossing revelation, this week seemed a bit calmer than the previous one, though there was still much to be thrilled about. The Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension DLC secured a December launch date, and we received a new Mystery Gift event along the way. A fresh Nintendo Store app was launched on iOS and Android, the Resident Evil Pro Controller opened for pre-orders with a frightening price tag attached, and Nintendo’s recent financials revealed Switch 2 off to an astonishing start during its initial four months.

This week also marked a new Zelda release, prompting us to share our comprehensive opinions on Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, examine the technical details from our colleagues at Digital Foundry, and uncover the free updates that are already in the pipeline.

Anyhow, what’s everyone planning for this weekend?

Ollie Reynolds, Staff Writer

I’m quite thrilled about Resident Evil Requiem at the moment, so I’ve revisited some of the classics: Resident Evil, Resident Evil 4, and yes, Resident Evil 6. Given Alyssa Ashcroft’s appearance in the upcoming title, I wish Capcom would offer a genuine way to Resident Evil: Outbreak on modern consoles, but regrettably, I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

We’ve got Yakuza Kiwami and Kiwami 2 coming up, so I’ve revisited Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut for a bit. Honestly, alongside Street Fighter 6, this may actually be my favorite launch title for the Switch 2.

Have a great one!

Jim Norman, Staff Writer

I’m in the delightful position of being between games after finishing Pokémon Legends: Z-A earlier this week, and holding off on splurging on any other ‘AAA’ titles until Metroid arrives. BALL x PIT continues to occupy all my free time (of course), but maybe this is my time to sneak in something smaller before the year’s end. Absolum has been staring at me from my wishlist for a while now, so perhaps it’s finally time to dive in.

Oh wait, I just recalled that I’ve paused Clair Obscur while I concluded my time with Pokémon. That’s my weekend plan settled, then.

Gavin Lane, Editor

I’m aiming to finish Blippo+ this weekend. I’ve found myself playing/watching a bit every morning over breakfast, reminiscent of channel-surfing before school as a kid. It’s a remarkable little piece of software – expect a review soon!

Additionally (while following the early ’90s theme), I redownloaded Fortnite just to explore the Simpsons content. After dying twice in quick succession early on, I enabled gyro and reached #2 on my third jump from the bus. First loser! Fortnite feels odd these days, but I thoroughly enjoyed most of those 20 minutes. I might revisit that.

Gonçalo Lopes, Contributor

Hades II illustrates that each setback serves as a chance for learning and advancement, just like in reality. Although there has been no progress since last weekend (except, of course, making Melinöe stronger with each defeat), I aim to reverse the trend this weekend. Plenty of high-energy arcade fun awaits as well, when Arcade Archives 2: Tokyo Wars‘ simple single-player experience transforms into an exhilarating split-screen multiplayer celebration (I miss Wii U’s Tank! Tank! Tank! …) and both volumes of Toaplan’s Arcade Collection.

UFO 50 report: 50 out of 50 games completed! The final five titles are absolutely fantastic! ‘Combatants’ (a clever play on words!) focuses on real-time tactics involving combat ants, ‘Quibble Race’ finally made me grasp the Japanese enthusiasm for horse racing simulations, ‘Seaside Drive’ is pure shmup joy, ‘Campanella 3’ is the final installment in the series and embraces full Space Harrier, while ‘Cyber Owls’, the multi-genre offering, is what I hope to finish this weekend. What an extraordinary collection; part of me wishes for ‘Super UFO 50’ to exist, complete with SNES-style visuals and music… one can dream!

My game of the week is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. As a huge enthusiast of this spin-off series and appreciating the enhanced hardware capabilities of the Switch 2, I foresee nothing but a delightful experience ahead. Do you find the entire Musou gameplay oddly calming and an excellent stress reliever? Just me?

Nile Bowie, Contributor

I must confess, Pokémon Legends: Z-A has captivated me more than I anticipated. The criticisms about the repetition of the environments and the somewhat stiff NPCs are entirely justified, yet I still find it hard to set down. I particularly enjoy seeking out Alpha Pokémon and having a massive creature trailing me. The battle system feels refreshing and smooth — and sometimes challenging, which provides a nice variation. I was genuinely surprised by the impressive visuals of the Mega Dimensions DLC. It seems to cater well to high-level play, even though I’m not exactly pleased about the pricing.

I’m also entirely engrossed in BALL x PIT. It gets me into that flow state I adore, satisfies the Vampire Survivors craving, and introduces something new and mechanically intriguing that isn’t often seen in other Survivors-like games. It’s such a refreshing and satisfying gameplay loop.

I’ve also been revisiting Luigi’s Mansion via Nintendo Switch Online. I missed it back in the day, but I now comprehend what people mean about the eerie atmosphere of this first installment compared to the subsequent two. The original really captures that haunted house essence better than Luigi’s Mansion 3, which is objectively a superior game in nearly every aspect.

Well, that’s what we have planned for this weekend, but what about you? Share your choices in the following poll.