If you’re a cool, cool person, you are probably already subscribed to the Destructoid Changelog Newsletter. After all, not only does it give you a weekly wrap-up of all the best features, news, and reviews from here on Destructoid, but it also comes with a near-lethal dose of yours truly. If that’s somehow not enough to convince you to sit at the popular kids�lunch table, then maybe a chance to win a PlayStation 5 Slim will entice you.

That’s right! Sign up below to subscribe to the newsletter, and you’ll be eligible to enter the Giveaway with a chance to win a PS5 Slim. If you’re already subscribed, you still need to enter the contest below. Unless you’re under 18. Sorry, junior. You can even enter regardless of where you live in the world, except for a few spots where they don’t? allow such things (“Void where prohibited by law,�in case a lawyer? is listening.) The full terms and conditions can be found in the embed below.

PS5 Slim Edition

That’s all there is to it. If you’re subscribed, you can enter to win a PlayStation 5 ?Slim. If you’re not subscribed, you should subscribe so you can ent??er.

I mean, as if you needed further incentive to sign up for an already awesome newsletter, right? Each Friday, you’ll get the quick deets on what went on over the week, focusing on the weird and the retro, as well as a blurb about what weird thing I was using to occupy my time (like Steel Battalion or Bio Warrior Dan). It’s your own extra dose of Destructoid. Plus, if you refer a friend using a special link given in each newsletter, you can get in on our monthly special edition, where I interview some rad developers. Folks like Ben Cocuzza from Puppet Combo, Jack King-Spooner of Judero fame, and TheCatamites, creator of Anthology of the Killer. There’s no reason not to sign up, and now you m??ight even win a PlayStation 5 Slim.

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Hello again. I’m here to remind you that the Destructoid Changelog Ne??wsletter still exists, and you can still sign up for it using the text box somewhere on this site. It’s free! It’s also written by me, which is maybe a good thing or maybe not.

You can decide for yourself before signing up, because all back issues of the newsletter are available on this site. If you haven’t signed up, you can only view ??the first few paragraphs which is maybe the least exciting part. You’ll just have to take my word for it that below those words is a blurb about something I played for the week (often weird, usually retro) and a recap of the best news and all the review for the week.

Also, we’re doing a thing where if you refer a friend using a link that arrives in the newsletter, you get access to our exclusive monthly special edition that arrives on the last Monday of the month. It will include an interview with someone interesting. This month, it’s TheCatamites, the creator of Anthology of the Killer. It’s not your average interview. Learn what desperation dr?ives someone into game development.

I hope to see ?you there (figuratively). And if you have any feedback on how to make the newsletter better, ??the comments below are a good place to drop it.

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Once you’ve unlocked the Raccoons in their Cindersap Forest home in Stardew Valley, you’ll have requests to complete in order to unlock further family members. The first of these, Mrs. Raccoon, c??omes with her own? shop, and you don’t need Gold to purchase her wares.

Unlike other vendors in Stardew Valley, Mrs. Raccoon has ??no use for Gold and instead chooses to use a barter system. In exchange for junk and other items, you can get some rare items and se??eds. 

Everything sold at Mrs. Raccoon’s Shop in Stardew Valley

After completing the first request for Mr. Raccoon, his wife will show up the following day, and you’ll have access to her shop. The stock of her shop expands after completing each request for Mr. Raccoon, although she starts out with a selection of seeds that are usually obtained from Seed Spots??.

In some cases, it’s possible to start with one item and ??barter up to much more useful items, such as the following:

• Cave Carrot > Mixed Seeds > Raccoon Hat
• Mystery Box > Golden Mystery Box > Magic Rock Candy

Here’s everything that she eventually sells, along with which re?quest you’ll need to complete in order to unlock each item for purchase:

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I do these reminders/bumps for the fantastic/amazing Destructoid Changelog Newsletter every two weeks/fortnight, and it can be difficult to figure out how to rephrase w??hy you should sign up. But I’m not a coward, and only cowards use copy/paste. I just flex my wrinkly writer brain to churn up some new words.

Have you heard that the Destructoid Changelog Newsletter is a hit at parties? Maybe! I don’t get invited to parties. It arrives every Friday and comes packed with a recap of all the week’s reviews, weird articles, ??and retro stuff that I like. It’s like me showing up at your doorstep every week, except you can just close the tab instead of calling the police to get me to leave.

That’s right! Not onl?y will I wish you a good week and draw your attention to some cool things you might have missed, but I’ll also tell you about what I’m playing that week. I play a lot of weird stuff. It’s what I do instead of going to parties.

And this is just between you and me, but we’re also cooking up some sort of monthly surpris??e for anyone signed up. What is it? I don’t know, it’s a surprise! Also, I haven’t settled on anything yet. The next time I do one of these reminders/bumps, I’ll probably have something more solid to tell you, but it will be cool. Cool in a “get off my doorstep, Zoey,�kind of way.

Tell your friends! Tell your therapist! Tell me (what you’d like to see in the newsletter by leaving ??a comment below)! Is your Friday ready for this!?

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When I was a child, Saturdays were the best days of the week. That was when cartoons would air, one after the other, in blocks we knew as “Saturday Morning Ca??rtoons.�However, like all joy that can be found in our meaningless existences, Saturday Morning Cartoons were swallowed by ??the internet.

It’s too late to save Saturdays. We must instead take refuge in Fridays. Here, we will build our defenses from the ?internet? to prevent history from repeating. To strengthen the bulwark, we have the Destructoid Changelog Newsletter. I know emails are through the internet. I didn’t think this whole thing through. I just kind of make stuff up as I go along.

If you like hearing me make stuff up as I go along, the Destructoid Changelog Newsletter is a great way to do it. Every Friday, I gather together my thoughts on the site’s weirdest and most interesting articles, features, and reviews. On top of that, I’ll tell you all about the weirdest game I’ve been playing that week as a newsletter-exclusive bonus for all my friends. A couple of weeks ago, it was Germs: Nerawareta Machi. Then it was Dandy Dungeon: Legend of Brave Yamada. I’m still having flashbacks!

So what are you waiting for? The end of this post? That’s sweet. I like spending time with you, t??oo. But if you want to start receiving this newsletter, it’s free. Just plop your email address into the white box that should be between a couple of paragraphs on this article. You’ll get a confirmation email, and then the newsletter will start dropping into your inbox every Friday.

Also, if you have any suggestions for the new?sletter, feel?? free to drop a comment below. It would be appreciated because the comments on the previous few articles have been pretty depressing. Yes, I read them.

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If you’re the type that thinks Fridays are the best day?? of the week, you’re absolutely correct! I had a co-worker once who said that Wednesdays are best, but that guy is a jerk. Fridays are the best, and that’s because it’s when the Destructoid Changelog Newslette??r gets delivered.

The Destructoid?? Changelog Newsletter is a fascinating look at the site’s weirdest and otherwise hippest new articles for the week. I, personally, hand-pick the ripest word clumps and hurl them at you in on??e easily digestible wrap. You’ll get a handout of reviews, features, and news that will help add a bit of color to your world. Find out what you missed through the magic of bespoke summaries and hyperlinks.

As a bonus, I’ll tell you about the ?strangest games I’ve been? playing that week. Am I always playing a weird game? You’d probably be surprised. Perhaps even shocked! Maybe even concerned.

It’s completely free and only requires your email address. You have nothing to lose unless you have finite inbox space. Just plop your email address into the designated?? and well-labeled text box that should be somewhere in the middle of this article to subscribe to another distraction that will help you make it to the weekend.

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Good news! The Destructoid Changelog Newsletter has arrived to direct you to all the week’s most interesting articles. If you sign up, you’ll receive an email ev?ery Friday containing a nice summation of the weirdest, most amusing, and otherwise fasc?inating things to hit the site.

It’s tough to keep up with everything these days. Not for me, because I live here. I assume it can be difficult for most people who have lives outside the internet. I imagine most folks have a lot goi??ng on, like, I don’t know, sorting their recycling, paying their taxes, calling their mom. I don’t do those things. But if you do, you maybe don’t have time to read Destructoid every day.

That’s why there’s the Destructoid Changelog Newsletter. We’ll?? condense, chew, and digest everything for the week, so you can quickly catch up with all the best the site has to offer and get back to cleaning your pool. You’ll see weird news, interesting features, and insightful reviews. I’ll give you a quick rundown on what the article is about, and set you loose on some hyperlinks.

Worse yet??, it’s completely free! All you need to do is sign up, and a new issue of the newsletter will hit in the vicinity of your inbox every Friday. Try it out! You can unsubscribe at any time. It won’t hurt our feelings. Mostly.

The post Sign up for the Destructoid Changelog Newsletter and stay up-to-date with gaming’s weirdest and hottest happenings appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 6/17 to 6/23/2023

-Exber analyzes the impor??tance and impact of fourth-numbered sequels for game franchises in general.

-Eggs&BrewsterJr reviews Ico after playing it now for the first time.

-Queen of Philosophy discusses new details we learned about Mortal Kombat 1.

-ctg867 reflects on the death and legacy of E3.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force and classical music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force 2 and Blues and Ragtime music.

-Inquisitive Raven reveals his ??2023 Art Commission prices, take a look at his work.

-ChronoLynxx opens? this week's TGIF com??munity forum for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section?? right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and?? you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post What is your favorite Sega Mega Drive soundtrack? appeared first on Destructoid.

Big Man in a Little Suit

Morning, friends & lovers, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? You find your good pal Moyse with a rumblin' stomach and a distinct lack of Jaffa Cakes, having been committed to a ?diet for the past? few weeks. Weight loss has always been a huge problem for me, naturally large framed, mentally "comforted" by food, and heading into middle age. But I'm back on the wagon, as it were, due to an impending August event and a completely foolish plan to show up in cosplay.

It's very weird, I'm simultaneously committed and non-commital about rolling up to VSFighting XI this August dressed as a fictional character. I have the gear, and it fits me just fine, but my weight is such a concern, and I can only roll up to an arena full of strangers if I'm exuding the confidence of a person who believes they "loo??k good" in character. Wish me luck, and if you're struggling with your own sense of self-esteem, just know that you are free of judgment here. We're all pals, and w?e've all got you.

On the ?good ship Destructoid, you are always at you??r very best.

Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

The plan this weekend, (whether it actually happens or not), is for me to travel a little ways out of town for a small Street Fighter 6 tourney, which will be my first offline meet since the new sequel dropped. It's always a bit nerve-wracking entering a tourney a couple of weeks into a new fighter's life, as you essentially get to see how well you're really doing on the? competitive scene. It can sometimes boost your confidence, but it can also shatter the pride you've built up in?? those early weeks.

Should I go �Juri in tow �it will be an eye-opener, and a more literal realization of how quickly my SF6 progress is going Vs. typical online play. Everyone plays differently offline, and you can find your habits coming back to bite you, while your expectations for other characters can be g????reatly undermined. Oh, it's also a lot of fun, and, if you hadn't noticed, I have a tendency to focus on the Super Seriouz stuff and forget to just, well, enjoy myself. Hopefully, should I get out there today, I will zero in on the latter.

Famous last words.

Don't Go Breaking My Heart

With that, I need to get back to the rewarding world of weight loss and crushed dignity, (Look, I just don't want to go 0-2, y'know?). BUT, before I hit the road and you hit the weekend, I want to hear all about you, your world, and, of course, Whatcha Been Playing? So whether you're still pushing your way through some of 2023's finest offerings, pacing yourself with some backlog chicanery, (not a euphemi??sm), or even if you put vidya gamez to one side to focus on some movies, comics, or chainsaw ice sculpture �Tell us all about it, and let's make this weekend's comments section a real banger!

Oh, and have a wonderfu??l ?weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

The Heat is On

Goooood morning friends and lovers, and welcome to a? particularly sorchio Whatcha Been Playing? Summer has finally hit Blighty, bringing with it a face-melting heatwave and those Sticky, Sticky Nights that Kiss never sang about. I'm here for it, frankly, as it saves on heating bills and helps my body shed the excesses of meat. Of course, it makes sitting in the office writing about games a little uncomfortable, but as long as I have an excuse to eat ice-cream, I'll take it.

And speaking of Summer, we have reached the end of Summer Game Fest, just in time to start gearing up for Gamescom. Because now E3 is no longer around, these things roll out for weeks, and weeks, and weeks. SGF 2023 was pretty good, all things considered, and I thought we got to see a lot of pretty exciting titles, all of whic??h are either launching in?? September or in mid-2024 with absolutely no in-between. Hope you saw some interesting-looking games that piqued your curiosity.

If so, tell us about it below! I wanna hear what you'?re gonna buy so I can be a trendsetter.

The Beat is On

This here section where I tell you what I personally have been playing is about to hit something of a standstill. As I essentially intend to play Street Fighter 6 and Diablo 4 for the next three years. Of course, by nature of the job and my interest in gaming, there will be other title?s featured. And given the absolutely Jack Stacked fall season, there are a lot of cool-looking releases to get through.

Until those days, however, my spare time is dedicated to those two titans �Especially given that tournament season is just heating up. Oh, but you should check out my early thoughts on Neowiz' Lies of P right here. A massively intriguing titl?e that already seems to be finding a divisive role within circles.

The Feet (Juri's) is on (Me)

BUT ANYWAY. It is time to get your weekend underway. Hope that you have a lovely one planned at that you'll be getting your summers off to a wicked start. Of course, before you hit the beach, the mall, the Galleria, or the ice cream social, I'd love it if you could take a few moments to jump into the comments and tell us all Whatcha Been Playing? As I said last week, there are a metric ton of great games on the market right now, and our backlogs have never been fuller. So I and your fellow Dtoid community members are allllllll looking forward to hearing from you. Have at it! Oh, and don't forget your SGF reco??mmendations!

Have a wonderful weekend, fr?om? all of us at Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

Juri Duty

Gooooood morning to you all, friends and lovers, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? You'll have to forgive your pal Moyse for the flying visit this week, as it has been an incredibly busy week, complete with some weekend working - *sadface* - in order to be prepped for this huge launch week. Both Capcom's Street Fighter 6 and Blizzard's Diablo IV are currently swooping into battle, and I have a fair old bit to do ahead of these releases. Still, this weekend should be a bit lighter for me.

I hope that this week's ?entry of WBP? finds you all in a good place, and that you all have equally calmer weekends lined up. If you're free for the next couple of days, I hope that they are joyful, and that you get some quality R'n'R emboldened by quality entertainment. And if you are, unfortunately, Workin' for The Man today, (not Becky Lynch), then know that we're sending you good vibes for a smooth shift, and I hope that you get home to something that's all for you very soon.

Be kind to yourselves, f??riends. And make the most o??f your spare time on this double-dayer.

Juri Booty

This week has been dominated by Street Fighter 6, I game that I have been very excited about in the run-up to and am extremely pleased with on its release. It has its own share of slips and falls �World Tour is strangely formed and oddly written, and the specter of monetization hands over the title �but the characters, visuals, technical prowess and, of cou??rse, the fight itself are all S-Tier elements. ??I plan to spend this weekend eating donuts and finally playing the new scrapper not for the site, but for me.

Prepared to feel some crushing defeat, but I have? to have a better mental focus on this title. Street Fighter V frustrated and depressed me, and as such became a game I played for over 600 hours despite it often making me very unhappy. I gotta ensure this doesn't happen again. It's not fun or healthy. But I'm digging SF6 and its mechanics so far, and I'm hoping that it will bring me more of the sporadic fun times?? and great weekends that its predecessor was able to.

Let's go, Juri, we got a lotta skulls to collect.

Juri... Foot-y..?

Huh, it wasn't a flying visit at all... I guess I just can't help myself, y'all are just so magnetic. I hope that you'll take the time to jump into the comments and share all of the hits 'n' pieces that you've been, (or will be), enjoying this week. Whether you write 100 words or just a single sentence, it matters to me and to your fellow community members. So whether you running around the Sky Islands, battling out of Hell, or simply battling your way through your backlog, tell us all about it. We ha?d something of a drop-off in comments last week, but I just appreciate y'all being here.

Thanks for showing out, it means a lot.

Have a wonderfu??l weekend, from all of us in Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

Back on the Street

Goooood Weekend, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? I hope that this has been a wicked one for you all, and that this weekend is wickeder, wicky-wicky-wickeder. You join me as a hit Day Two of a long weekend, which is something of an amazing rarity for The Industry's Chris Moyse, and I'm very happy ?to be only half thinking about work, preparing for a series of major game launches as well as the coming tidal wave of live streams and dopey summer shows.

Still, I'm hoping to face it with a fresh sense of vigor �powered by the fact that my horrible gout bout has mostly cleared up, and enthused with the coming launch of Street Fighter 6 and Diablo IV, two titles that are going to beat the ever-loving shit out of my calendar for the next couple of years. Still, games that you actually are happy to dedicate years to is a fine problem to have. I hope SF6, in particular, brings me even more long-term enjoyment, adventures, and new friends, as SFV did.

Won't be hard on the former at any rate.

Back on the Beat

Speaking of Street Fighter 6, I'm going to be spending most of this weekend running aroun' the new open beta, getting into scrapes and wondering why I'm not automatically winning because "I'm excited about the game". To be fair, I'm actually more than competent at Streets, and great on the right day. But given the fact I've been playing since NINTEEN NINETY-ONE, I probably should be much better.

When not throwing fists this week, I have spent some time tearing up the kingdom in Zelda: Tear up the Kingdom. That's a pretty rad game, right? I just like t??he c??ooking, really. And the gluing together, and Link in his pants. I'm in no doubt that many of you have also been enjoying Nintendo's latest, and I'm sure that you're about to tell me all about it in the comments. Looking forward to hearing about your builds and adventures.

But hey, teacher, leave those Koroks alone.

Back on the Feet (Juri's)

So before you, yourself get stuck into a totally tubular weekend of gaming, or movies, or comics, or even just trying to recharge your energy cells, please take a moment to jump into the comments and share with me and your community member friends Whatcha Been Playing. While I'm sure a helluva lot of you are going together poorly constructed rafts, ladders, and catapults, we are a diverse crew here at Destructoid, and there are no rules to your own entertainment. So whatever you're up to this weekend, tell us a bit about it. ?long form or short. I just wanna hear from you, friends. Thank??s for stopping in.

Have a wonderful weekend, from all of us at Destructoid?.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

Marge, may I play Devil's Advocate?

Hi, I'm The Industry's Chris Moyse, you might remember me from articles such as 10 Best Lawsuits Filed Against Activision Blizzard and Juri's Soles: Delicious but Deadly, but today I'm here to talk to you about America's favorite animated, non-prehistoric family: The Simpsons.

In the 35+ years that The Simpsons has been on television �only 12 of those being years being Good �Captain Wacky and his family have taken a delightfully satirical stab at practically all forms of art, entertainment, and globa?l services. From comic books to m?ovies, cartoons to pop music, and even services such as Uber and esports in episodes that you haven't seen because you tuned out years ago.

Of course, video games were another medium that did not escape the satirical eye of The Simpsons' writer's room, and even the earliest of seasons feature a veritable treasure trove of arcades and home console releases, at once completely original and highly familiar. And while all of these titles might not actually exist in the real world, in many cases, they probably should. I'd sell my soul to Milhouse for the opportunity to visit the Noiseland Video Arcade, or for just one round of Robert Goulet Destroyer.

No mom, you idiot...

When "Simpsons-mania" first kicked into high gear in the early 1990s �an era defined by either Bart Simpson or Michaelangelo's face slapped onto every single purchasable item in existence �the gaming community was hit with a tidal wave of frankly rubbish Simpsons tie-in video games. But while writing "The 15 Best Simpsons Games of All Time" would be something of an oxymoron, I'm far more interested in looking at the fictional titles that, for the most part at least, only exist within The Simpsons universe.

So, pour yourself a Frosty Chocolate Milkshake, and let's take a look at The 15 Best Video Games that Exist in The Simpsons Universe �Each and every one of them is worth up to and including $70, while all being a darn sight more entertaining than Bart vs. The Space Mutants...

...or Escape from Kamp Krusty,

...or Bart vs. The Juggernauts,

or...

15. Triangle Wars

First Appearance: "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'em"

Video games had to start somewhere, even in The Simpsons universe, and when Bart visited the run-down arcade center "Captain Blip's Zapateria", he was greeted with some of the formative video games of his generation, including Click Clack, Unipede, Remington Steele: The Game, and Triangle Wars; a thinly-veiled clone of real-world classics such as Asteroids and Joust.

Bart, a filthy casual, is non-plussed with the vector graphics and si??mplistic sound effects, ultimately bemoaning the fact that?? he wins a free game and is forced to keep playing.

"Now my ship is pooping more triangles!"

A fun side-note, this scene also features a glimpse of the legendary urban myth arcade, Polybius.

14. Halloween Hit 'n' Run

First Appearance: "Special Edna"

When The Simpsons visited the EFCOT Center to attend an award ceremony for the show's best and hottest character, Mrs. Edna Krabappel, her beau, Principal Skinner, also tagged along, hoping to prevent Edna from becoming too successful and thus growing "out of his league". Hoping to entice Bart into sabotaging the award ceremony, Skinner surreptitiously meets his nemesis in a sit-in cabinet for coin-op Halloween Hit 'n' Run.

We don't see much of the game in action, but gameplay seems to consist of simply driving through the suburbs on Halloween night, mowing down as many costumed Trick or Treaters as possible. "Oooh, this game is going to receive some disapproving clucks" intones Skinner. Interestingly enough, the similarly titled Simpsons Hit 'n Run launched in the real world the same year this episode aired. And while it isn't quite as violent, it is considered one of the best-ever Simpsons video games.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qause0z??-9tM&ab_channel=ChrisBarker

13. Kevin Costner's Waterworld

First Appearance: "The Springfield Files"

Kevin Costner's Waterworld is an arcade adaptation of the staggeringly expensive movie of the same name, which premiered in 1995, and was the highest-budgeted film of all time to that point, costing somewhere in the region of $180 million USD. The film famously bombed at the box office, failing to recoup its costs for many years, on??ly making back its stratospheric budget after years on the home video market.

The arcade version costs Milhouse 40 quarters ($10) for a credit, and only sees the protagonist take a couple of steps before the game demands more cash from the player. A series of real-life Waterworld games existed on SN??ES, Game Boy, PC, and??, bizarrely, Virtual Boy.

Today, much like the Star Wars prequels, revisionist history states that Waterworld was misunderstood, but, also like the Star Wars prequels, it's actually Just Rubbish.

12. Grand Theft Walrus

First Appearance: "The Simpsons Movie"

Appearing in the Focus-Grouped-to-Death big-screen release, The Simpsons Movie, Grand Theft Walrus is briefly seen during Homer's trip to, sigh, "Eski-Moe's" in Alaska. In the game, a sports car drives Walrus pulls up to the curb, where he is entertained by a Happy Feet-style dancing penguin. The Walrus then bl??ows the penguin throw the window with a s??hotgun.

Speaking of Blows, this scene says a lot about The Simpsons Movie's methodology compared to regular TV Simpsons. Grand Theft Walrus isn't stylized to look anything like an actual video game, with the clip essentially being a Family Guy-esque "cutaway", shot with standard animation. Additionally, rather than be a bespoke title, it's simply a full-on Grand Theft Auto spoof, complete with Rockstar font.

As those who have studied the development of The Simpsons Movie can attest, producers were obsessed with ensuring that every single joke/reference would be fully understood by every single member of the audience, everywhere. This led to a nightm?are production of endless producer notes, constant character redesigns, frequent scene rewrites, and a thoroughly miserable experience for everyone involved.

Spider Pig. Brilliant.

11. Panamanian Strongman

First Appearance: "Boy Scoutz n' The Hood"

This bizar??re, but awesome title puts the player in control of what appears to be a King Kong-sized version of Panamanian dictator Manuel Norieg?a, as he battles World War II biplanes while scaling the Panama Capitol Building.

Despite Bart's mantra of "Be In the Game, Not Of the Game", the Panamanian Strongman falls from the tower, where he is kicked repeatedly by a digi??tized George Bush, who delivers the solemn and iconic arcade slogan of the '80s: "Winners Don't Use Drugs". Bart declares out loud that he is out of quarters, which leads to the activation of a high-security system of alarm bells and electric do??ors, culminating in the Squeaky-Voiced Teen informing the friends that they must leave.

No Es Bueno.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uqRRuckLjI&am?p;ab_channel=ChrisTho??mpson

10. Let's Make a Baby

First Appearance: "This Little Wiggy"

Unfortunately, we don't get to see any gameplay footage of this particularly extravagant game, which is played by both Homer and Krusty the Clown during a visit to the Springfield Science Museum. We have t??o include it purely for its top-tier theme and hi-tech cabinet, however, which sees the player operate a fully mobile, raised chair, firing digi-sperm at a screen in the hope of helping the target to conceive.

"Ovulate, Damn You! Ovulate!"

Sadly for Homer, a sultry voice informs him that he is out of sperm, and he sadly slinks away from this wonderment of physical game design. Of all the games on this list, this is most assuredly the one that this writer would be particularly terrible at. Well, that's decades?? of SSRIs for you.

9. Earthland Realms

First Appearance: "Marge Gamer"

In 2007, someone in The Simpsons writer's room heard that World of Warcraft exists, and thus set out to dedicate an entire episode to MMO culture, less than a year after South Park had already pulled the same gag (even roping in developer Blizzard to help with the episode's production). The Simpsons' take on MMOs sees a bored Marge dive into the fantasy world of Earthland Realms, an obvious pastiche of the WoW/Everquest-style online RPG.

We soon discover that almost everyone in Springfield is an Earthland Realms player, all of whom live in fear of the terrifying Shadow Knight, who has been killing off their characters with reckless abandon. It turns out that The Shadow Knight is, in reality, Marge's Special Little Guy. Marge is accidentally killed by Bart's character, who then expends his own ??health in order to revive her. Though The Shadow Knight is then killed by the other players while in his weakened state, the resurrected Marge goes on a vengeful rampage of her own.

Wow, The Last of Us was right, revenge is cyclical. You're deep, Druckmann.

8. Touch of Death

First Appearance: "When Flanders Failed"

After Bart decides to take up karate classes, he quits minutes into the first lesson once he realizes that he isn't going to be trusted with throwing stars and death blows anytime soon. Instead, he takes a trip down the mall concourse to the arcade, where he indulges in a few rounds of ninja battler Touch of Death. After?? landing a few blows, Bart hits the titular Touch of Death button, which immediately kills his opponent and sees his soul leave his body.

Later, when asked what he's learned in Karate class, Bart tells the family he learned "The Touch of Death", demonstrating the made-up technique on Lisa, ("Bart, don't use The Touch of Death on your sister.") Bart's lies catch up with him later, however, when he gets his ass handed to him by Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney. It's funny how sometimes two wrongs can make a right.

While Touch of Death appears to be a Mortal Kombat pastiche, Midway was still two years away from releasing the violent scrapper, so ToD is more just a??n amalgamation of various fighting games.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apne-itN6gE&a??mp;ab_channel=eexot

7. Larry the Looter

First Appearance: "Radio Bart"

During Bart's brilliantly shit 10th birthday party at Wall E. Weasel's pizzeria, ("You're the birthday boy or girl"), we get to see him play a round of Larry the Looter. T??his pretty simpl?e and anarchic title sees the player indulge in a spot of smash and grab, breaking into store windows and stealing goods, unfortunately, just seconds into the game, Larry is taken down by a heat-packing street vendor, who blows the thief's head clean off his shoulders with a double-barreled shotgun.

Larry the Looter is a pretty important title in The Simpsons universe, as it would define the show's general approach to satirizing video games, depicting them mostly as overly violent, short-lived, expensive, and generally rewarding the player for committing criminal acts. Additionally, Australian indie developer GumpyFunction recreated Larry the Looter as a Flash title in 2014.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=?s4Noo9xXKf8&ab_channel=Jos%C3%A9RuizD%C3%ADaz

6. Cat Fight

First Appearance: "Bart Star"

As a dedicated Skullgirls player, Cat Fight might be my favorite fighting game to appear in The Simpsons universe, located at the Local 7/11 We No Longer Talk About, Cat Fight sees two young women battling it out at the local mall, complete with dea?dly maneuvers such as slapping, (with nails, obviously??), hair pulling, and biting. The game also features some pretty radical cabinet art, as well as some surprisingly clear digitized speech.

The graphics and animation shown here are a massive step up from other fighters featured in the series. Just look at it, this is Street Fighter 6 to Touch of Death's Kasumi Ninja. And one can only imagine the awesome roster, ?con??sisting of a Soccer Mom Grappler, a mid-range Stage Mom, as well as the particularly aggressive rushdown character, High School Clique Girl.

5. My Dinner with Andre

First Appearance: "Boy Scoutz n' the Hood"

Man cannot live by shooters and GTA clones alone, and that's why we have cerebral titles like Disco Elysium, Superliminal, Papers, Please, and My Dinner With Andre. Based upon Louis Malle's 1981 drama, this video game adaptation has Wallace Shaw and Andre Gregory settle down for a deadly battle of?? wits and entrees, ??with the player conducting the flow of conversation via a unique control system that includes "Trenchant Insight", "Tell Me More", and an ice-breaking "Bon Mot".

This is one of Noiseland's least popular games, as demonstrated by the lack of a queue behind Martin Prince, but that's because all of you just want to play Fortnite and Candy Crush Saga all the fucking time. What do you want? It's not my? job to broaden your horizons. Sorry ??your parents didn't do better.

4. Dash Dingo

First Appearance: "Lard of the Dance"

When Lisa finds herself too sick to go to school, despite pleading otherwise, (Stupid Lisa Science Queen), Marge suggests that she instead play some video games to pass the time. Choosing into-the-screen platformer Dash Dingo, Lisa is initially disgusted by the game's DownUnderVerse setting and Nunchuk-wielding koalas, "What?! Those aren't even Australian!"?.

However, Dash Dingo's compelling gameplay kicks in, and Lisa finds herself borderline addicted to this suspiciously familiar adventure, ultimately abandoning her reading assignment in order to continue our hero's quest to find and devour the Seven Crystal Babies. I mean it was only The Wind in The Willows: Toad steals a bunch of motor?? cars and everybody gets really middle-class about it. The?? End.

3. Super Slugfest

First Appearance: "Moaning Lisa"

One of the best-remembered arcs from The Simpsons' terribly-voiced first season sees Homer desperate to beat his son at the ultra-violent boxing title Super Slugfest. Having failed to land a single punch in the pair's many matchups, Homer goes looking for professional help, hitting the local arcade and asking Springfield's best Super Slugfest player for some advice. It's essentially The Simpsons predicting MetaFy.

Returning home, Homer proceeds to pound the tar out of Bart, exposing him as the total fraud we all know he is. Sadly, however, Marge pulls the plug just as Homer is about to deliver the death blow. Bart then retires from the game "undefeated", setting a standard for all those FGC players who frequently fail to turn up to nati?onals once they get word that folk who bea?t them online will be in attendance.

Super Slugfest itself is a real icon of The Simpsons, well remembered for its ridiculously violent approach to the sport of kings??, complete with uppercut decapitations and in-??ring grave dancing.

2. Bonestorm

First Appearance: "Marge Be Not Proud"

Notable episode "Marge Be Not Proud" gave us what is arguably THE two best video games from the entire Simpsons canon. Bonestorm, a clear Mortal Kombat clone complete with Pit stage, Goro-alike, and techno music, is considered the must-have title for all video game fans in Springfield. Even Bart's best friend Thrillho has a copy, such ?is the mass appeal of this violent one-on-one fighter.

Buy me Bonestorm or Go to Hell.

Unable to purchase a copy for himself, and egged on by Mario and Sonic, no less, Bart indulges in a spot of five-finger-discount and steals the game from the local Try and Save, leading to an encounter with security guard Don Brodka. Don't smart mouth him, smart guy. Jesting aside, this episode is a pretty good satire of pester power marketing, FOMO, and Hype vs. Quality, (Thrillho quickly gets bored of Bonestorm, choosing instead to dedicate his spare time to?? ??Cup and Ball).

Marge Be Not Proud is rightly remembered for its good pacing, sharp scripting, and genuine heart. But what this famous episode is best remembered for isn't Brodka, or Thrillho, or even Bonestorm...

//www.youtube.com/watch???v=zVXLok6fOU0&ab_channel=SimpsonsClips

1.  Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge

First Appearance: "Marge Be Not Proud"

There is no more iconic title in the world of The Simpsons than the iconic, imitable, and endlessly iconic Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge. It is a game Marge mi?stakenly buys Bart thinking that it is the must-have title of the season, and while Bart does a good job of hiding his disappointment, he has no idea that he has actually received a true piece of?? gaming history.

This GOTY-contender features a series of incredibly simplistic golfing putts, guided by none other than Lee Carvallo himself, who offers the player club suggestion?s and other general tips �Many of which revolve around "feather touch". A ton of work has gon??e into the title, including the implementation of pointless clubs and drive strengths, as well as the full rendering of the course's parking lot, where your ball will most assuredly end up. Plus you get a Scoring Pencil!

Still referenced by fans decades after its debut, Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge would be recreated in as a real-life Flash game by developer Aaron Demeter. An adaptation that would receive promotion on Twitter from no less than long-time Simpsons writer Bill Oakley. Given its cultural impact, the constant referencing by fans of both The Simpsons and video games, and the fact that people are still finding out today that Lee Carvallo is, in fact a fictional character...

Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge is, without a doubt, the best video game in The Simpsons' universe.

Would you like to read again? You have selec?ted "No."

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Ain't no foolin'

Good evening, friends, and welcome back to Whatcha Been Playing? Ha ha! It's actually the morning! April Fools I got you good. Well, hardly, but then... I couldn't fool someone on the foo??lingest day of my life if I had an electrified fooling machine. I'm no good with tricky. I only deal in cold, hard realities. Life has made me that way... And Sertraline. But anyway, 'tis April 1, so be wary of the headlines that you might see floating ?around the Information Superhighway, as it might just be somebody yankin' your chain. Chance would be a fine thing.

Anyway, it's awesome to see you all here again, and I'm looking forward to hearing all about how you're doing and what you've all been up to. We gather on the pretense of gaming of the video persuasion, but we're more than that. We're a community, we're supporters, we're colleagues, we're friends. And, as friends, we have interest in each other's interest. It's why Whatcha Been Playin??g remains the most commented Destr?uctoid article week in, week out, and why we, beyond a doubt, are the finest community in gaming. And there ain't no foolin' about that one.

A Fool and his Money

I've been pretty busy this last week with work-related shenanigans, and right now I'm not even in the office. I'm in The Big Smoke, (that's "London"), checking out some of the fine titles on display at the cosy WASD expo. I'm hoping to play a selection of big (and not so big) releases that will be winging your way in 2023, while also taking time out for another shot of Street Fighter 6 �truly a "Hook it To My Veins" meme if ever there was one. Other than that, I've been playing the localized release of GrimGrimoire OnceMore, but I'll be leaving it to my pal CJ Andriessen to tell you all about that one.

Anyway, that's enough about me, I'm off to a London lo?cal to buy ?a £9 sandwich and a £12 beer.

Lovefools

It's time to hear all about you, beautiful people. So before you dive into your weekend �defending yourself from tricks and related chicanery from any and all directions �jump into the comments below and tell us all what games, movies, books, or general good times have been gobbling up your spare hours this week. Whether you're mashing through your eighth NG+ run of Resident Evil 4, frantically attempting to start up the now-closed Diablo IV beta, or simply spending some quality time with... I dunno... Sakuna: Of Rice & Ruin?? �Share ?your thoughts and experiences with me and your fellow Destructoid readers. Have a wicked morning, my darlings.

Have a wonderful weekend, from all o??f us at Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't burn the place down

And just like that, it's February. Welcome to Whatcha Been P??laying? friend?s, and you join me on the cusp of starting an actual "week off", a system wherein you "don't go to work" for a little bit, and it's apparently "fine". I can't imagine this working out at all, but I'm always willing to try trendy new ideas.

Of course, even when I'm off work, you can still find me right here this fine Saturday, joining you all for another round of well-wishes, work exorcism, and the welcoming of what I hope will be a ??brighter month for you, me, all of us. So, before I start sitting on my sofa, staring blankly at the walls, twiddling my thumbs, and hopefully not opening Slack, let's get this week's edition of Whatcha Been Playing underway. Thanks, as always, for turning up and keeping this scene alive. We the real?? ones, ya dig?

Don't forget to feed the cat

This week has mostly been... Well, honestly, it's not been too much fun at all. I'd rather not go into it (I'm ok though, don't worry!). In between a lot of site work and the onboarding of various freelance folk, (be sure to say hi!), I have also got to rockin' 110 Industries borko-batshit hack 'n' slasher Wanted: Dead. I have to stay on the hush-hush for now, but you?? can expect a review whence I return.

Other than that, I finally rolled (second) credits on the excellent Hades, having reached the game's epilogue. There are still a few trophies to unlock and a little more Titan Blood to spill, but I'm en route to that golden 100%, and I have, for the most part, enjoyed every last second I've spent with this marvelous game and its swelteringly hot cast of bad boys 'n' gals. I'm in a conundrum where I don't know whether to jump on Hades 2 as soon as it hits Early Access, or give it a year o??r two and hit it when it's "finished".

Hmmm... I guess it will all come down to willpower... and how much I fancy the characters, ??of course??.

And keep the place tidy, yeah?

And so, it's time for you to enjoy your weekend and for me to start this "week off" that I've been hearing so much about. Oh, and don't sweat it, I will, of course, pop back in for next week's Whatcha Been Playing? If you are kind enough to roll in on your Saturday morning, then I can do the same. Anyway, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Jump into today's comment section and share with the community all of the light entertainment that you've been enjoying over the past seven days. I'm looking forward to sitting back with a cup of Joe and your personal who's who of all things gaming i?n 2023.

Have a wonderful weekend, from all of u??s at Destruc??toid

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

Magic Cat's in the Cradle

Good morning, good weekend, and welcome? to Whatcha Been Playing? It has been a month of a week, and literally a month of the year, and, frankly, I'm quite ready to hit the bi??g reset button and give 2023 another go. I sort of stumbled out of the starting blocks, as did much of the wider world, and here's to hoping the remainder of the year goes a little more smoothly. I hope that the year has started well for all of you, regardless.

And, as we enter the final weekend of January, I'm very happy to see you show out for our weekly get-together. It might not be a live stream, we might not all be in a chat window smashing dat lyke button, but we're?? here in our own time, at our own pace, and surrounded by our fellow vidya game fans. Such is the beauty of being on board the good ship Destructoid, ya dig? It's great to see all y'all!

Unforspoken

It was a rough old week for yer pal Moyse. Not only was I simply busy as all hell, but I spent last weekend cramming Forspoken for a Monday morning embargo. And while I'm very happy with my review, the wider online narrative �from players and media �did sour me a little. It wasn't that I thought the public consensus disagreed with my write-up, more that this pre-determined narrative of "I will hate this game when it launches, no matter what"??, had been decided before release day.

I now know the power of an 18-second Twitter clip versus an entire week spent playing and constructively reviewing a game to the very best of a person's abilities. Forspoken is flawed. No doubt about i?t. But social media went overboard. It is what it is.

Anyway, between hopping around Athia to clean up some trophies and the like, I have also stepped into the wild world of 110 Industries Wanted: Dead �A title I've had my ey?e on for quite some time now and am grateful to finally get some time with. Obviously, I can't talk about it r??ight now, but you can expect a review for this batshit hack 'n' slasher come February.

Keep on Freerunnin'

Anyway, if anybody needs to bail, I need to bail. I'mma fixing to do that right now. But before I go, it would be remiss of me not to kindly ask all y'all to jump into the comments and let us all know Whatcha Been Playing? It's fantastic ??to see how "conversational" the comment section has become for this weekly soiree, and I always make sure to run the gauntlet of your thoughts come Sunday.

You aren't speaking into the void, everyone is checking out what you have to say. Because we're family like that, and we're interested in you. So, whether you're playing a brand-new title or a classic from yesteryear, let us know. It can be a sentence, it can be a paragraph �A?ll that matters is that you're a part of the get-together x

Have a wonderful weeken??d, fr??om all of us at Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

The finger thing means the taxes

Good morning, friends, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? I hope that your year has gotten off to a fine start and that this is a really happy and prosperous weekend for you. My weekend, unfortunately, will be spent with my arch-enemy, Maths. It is January, and that means that the tax office is breathing down my neck even though I paid it last year. How much money do they want? The answer is all of it. Still, this is why the ??trains run on time, there are fleets of fire engines on our streets, and our beloved, devoted NHS service is fully funded �with all its workers fairly? compensated... Hmm...

Any??way, after that grumpy start from yer boy, let's get to matters of all things gam?ing!

I'm here, I'm queer, I don't want any more bears

So far this young year, most of my spare time has been taken up with movies, rather than games. I have just as large a backlog in flicks as I do in digital adventures. I have spent a chunk of time with the newly released Breakers Collection, a very joyful '90s fighter given a new lease of life via QUByte Interactive. I have also spent some time online with our very own Occams, mashing our way through a selection of classic Capcom brawlers such as Battle Circuit and Final Fight. Oh, and we also played some Tekken 7, where I was introduced to his uns??urprisingly baffling range of custom characters.

The tail-end of January an??d the start of February brings with it a selection of new releases, which I will no doubt be checking out for this here website. Some of these I'm looking forward to. Others, not so much. But I'm still grateful that we get them at all. After all, you gotta take the rough with the smooth �It just makes finding those true gems all that mu??ch sweeter. Ya hear me?

I'm a write-off

Anyway, I have to get back to crunching those numbers, lest Irwin R. Schyster comes knockin' on my door. But, if you want to cheer me up, then can do so quite easily. Si??mply jump into the comments below and let me (and your fellow community members) know Whatcha Been Playing? With a new year comes a new opportunity to crack that backlog, so whatever it is you're playing, share your thoughts with us. I'm really enjoying how long-form some of y'all go with this. And while it only takes three minutes, it provides entertainment and interest to our many, many readers. We're ready to believe you.

Have a wonderful weekend, from all of us at?? Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

It's that time of year again

With the New Year ahead of us, and everyone's 2022 GOTY awards locked in, we're looking forward to the incredible lineup of games that will be releasing in 2023. We've set our sights on what the next year has in store, not just for our normal lives, but for the games industry as well, and there's some awesome stuff on the horizon. Whether they're sequels to our favorite franchises, or new properties altogether, it's all there, and it's gonna be tough to choose what we want to play first. I'll admit that it'll be a bit sad to say goodbye to the year that included the unadulterated joy surrounding Trombone Champ or the mind-boggling beauty of Immortality, but all? good things must come to an end, I guess.

As we do every year, we've rounded up our writers to ask which games they're most anticipating in 2023. One of the things I love most about Destructoid is that everyone on our site runs of the gambit of different backgrounds and tastes, so for posts like these, we get a huge variety of genres and vibes represented. If you're looking for any recommendations for the coming months, or simply want to see if any of us share in the excitement for your favorite upcoming release, check out this list �we've got pretty much all of the bases covered! �Noelle Warner

Noelle Warner: Hades II

My highlight of all the Game Awards announcements in December was absolutely Supergiant's reveal of Hades II. Hades is still one of my favorite and most-played games of all time, because it was one of those games that feels like it was made for me. The Greek mythology setting, the character art, the colors, the music �it felt like they tapped into my brain ??and figured out exactly what I wanted. It's also been an influential title for me when it comes to how I approach gameplay because it was the first time I really challenged myself and invested a lot of time and effort to mechanically ge?t a lot better at the game. I ended up beating 32 heat before signing off at around 350 hours, but it's a game I still think about years later.

Hence my overwhelming enthusiasm when I saw the Supergiant logo come up on the screen. While the game will maintain the Greek myth setting that we know and love, we're getting a whole new cast of characters, including a new protagonist: Melinoë, who is actually Zagreu??s' sister. I'm looking forward to seeing what the developers carry over from the first game, and what they add on to enhance the experience. Either way, this is the first time Supergiant has ever made a sequel to one of their games, and if they're willing to start now, I have to believe that it's for a good reason.

Eric Van Allen: Baldur's Gate 3

This is a legitimately difficult question because next year looks stacked. We have a new Zelda, a new Bethesda RPG, a new Final Fantasy, and even more. But all of that has paled in comparison thanks to Baldur's Gate 3.

In some ways, I'm really glad I didn't hold off on the Early Access for Baldur's Gate 3. The pedigree is certainly there, as Larian has proven itself a few times over with the Divinity series. With Baldur's Gate 3, though, the studio is firing on all cylinders. There's a fantastic party of companions, a malleable and strategic battle system, and some solid story beats already present in the first chunks of Act 1. The actual role-playing is engaging, too; as virtual RPGs have been incorporating more and more ideas from their tabletop counterparts, Baldur's Gate 3 is captur?ing all the grandeur of a deep, intense campaign and giving the player a ton of ways to manipulate it. Pushing the plot off a cliff feels fantastic.

Picking up the torch of one of the most well-remembered series in western RPG history can't be easy. But Larian isn't pulling back on the bat with this one, and I'm hoping we see it knocked out of the park when Baldur's Gate 3 lands sometime next August.

CJ Andreissen: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Honestly, I feel kind of bad going with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. As a writer for a gaming website, we get a lot of emails from publishers and developers asking us to include their games on lists like these. And really, the last thing a mega AAA title like this needs is more free publicity from the jackwagons like me. I should be using this space to write about Loop 8 or Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord or Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2, which was originally going to be my pick. But I’d be fooling myself if I wrote about any other title in this spot. Because following Final Fantasy VII Remake, there is nothing I want more in the world than to see where this reimagining of Final Fantasy VII goes.

Brett Medlock: The Wolf Among Us 2

It’s kind of a miracle The Wolf Among Us 2 is even in development. As I’m sure you know, the original Telltale Games doesn’t exist anymore. A brand new team under the same name took over the reins of this fan-favorite IP. That alone is scary, but I’m happy they’re taking a swing at it. The Wolf Among Us 1 was inc?redible and ended on such a major cliffhanger; I’d rather a new team? continue the story than get nothing at all.

Thankfully, the first official trailer for the sequel that Telltale shared earlier this year did not disappoint. The art direction retains the exquisite comic book style but offers much more detail in the environments and character models. Not to mention the fact that the performance looked silky smooth in the trailer, an area previous Telltale games lacked in. Adam Harrington is also back as Bigby Wolf. So far, on all accounts, the new Telltale looks to be respecting the original game on all fronts, while also showcasing some exciting new elements. 

I can’t wait to see how Snow and Bigby’s relationship is handled in The Wolf Among Us 2. For now, ther??e’s no release window aside? from a big ol��023� Let’s hope it’s sooner rather than later!

Timothy Monbleau: Final Fantasy XVI

Once upon a time, Final Fantasy set the standard for all console RPGs. When a new game in the series came out, anyone making RPGs took notes to copy its success. This trend tapered off after Final Fantasy X, and now the series is in a full-blown identity crisis. Final Fantasy XIII and its sequels were massively divisive. Final Fantasy XIV was so bad at launch that its remnants still haunt it years later. And Final Fantasy XV wasn’t even originally intended as a numbered Final Fantasy!

For me, Final Fantasy XVI is a do-or-die moment for the series. Naoki Yoshida and Creative Business Unit III hold nearly all the goodwill this series has, and they have a lot riding on this title. Optimistically, this is the team to get Final Fantasy back on track. Final Fantasy XIV has successfully intertwined nostalgia for the classic games with fresh new ideas, and this approach could make Final Fantasy XVI a trendsetter we haven’t seen since the PS2. Pessimistically, Square Enix is a mess. Between multiple live service failures and a ridiculous fixation with NFTs, it’s like the company is trying to?? ?speedrun its own demise so Sony can buy them out of pity.

I don’t know if Final Fantasy XVI will be my favorite game of next year, but I’m deeply curious to see how it’ll turn out. I’ve had an incredible time playing Final Fantasy XIV, so I want to believe Final Fantasy XVI will be the one to get me excited for single-player Final Fantasy games again. If Creative Business Unit III isn’t just an MMO one-trick pony and upper management can get out of its own way, I think Final Fantasy XVI can pull it off. Otherwise�well, maybe they can get Tomoya Asano to rebrand the next Bravely Default as Final Fantasy XVII.

Zoey Handley: Pikmin 4

At this point, I've been anticipating Pikmin 4 for so long, I don't feel I could rightly choose anything else. It was first announced back during the Wii U days, where we were told it was totally almost done. Then we were later told that, yeah, Nintendo was just waiting for the right time. Now we're deep ??into Switch territory, and finally, we're being told that it's going to drop.

Of course, despite ?the protracted development period, the only information we have to go on is that there will be a new camera angle. You know what? That's a good start. I'm not a fan of the top-down perspective. I think having it lower to the ground can only increase the wonderment of being a tiny being in a big world. As for what I'm hoping for; I'd like to see co-op make a return. I also want to see the purple Pikmin back with more prominence in your ranks.

Now whether or not ?it actually makes the 2023 release period is up in the air. Nintendo can be kind of hit-and-miss with these things, and, again, all we've seen? are a teaser and a screenshot.

Sam Arthurs: The Last Case of Benedict Fox

I cannot wait to play The Last Case of Benedict Fox. Maybe it isn’t the most anticipated game of the year for the gaming world, but it has  everything that draws me t?o a game. So much so that it kind of feels like someone asked what my fa?vorite game elements are and then made a one out of them.

The Last Case o??f Benedict Fox is a Lovecraftian Metroidvania that follows the unofficial detective, Benedict Fox, and his demon companion. The two solve murders by visiting the memories of the victims, sli??pping between deminsions and collecting clues. They will also have to fight off monsters and cult members.

As usual, the art draws me in first. The electric purple, red, and black of the demon and monsters give it a dark, otherworldly feel, but then it’s grounded by the Gothic style of the house and Benedict’s outfit. It looks like dark academia but warped. The Gothic manor looks overly large, but ev??en that seems to add to the appeal for me, as the mansion seems foreboding. Then t??he alternate dimension Benedict explores is surreal and teeming with Lovecraftian monsters. I dig it so much.

I’m also a fan of Metroidvanias and murder mysteries. While I completely understand why people enjoy open worlds, when there’s a story involved, I like how a Metroidvania will lead you through it. It’s this nonlinear but purpose-d?riven “find the clues and fight the bad guys�style that will be more likely to keep me in my seat for hours. And I’m really looking forward to exploring that big house.

Finally, I’m a fan of the Lovecraft-inspired weirdness. I have a friend who likes to listen to Lovecraft audiobooks while w?e draw or color, and it’s honestly one of the most fun hangouts I look forward to. And I’m really looking forward to this game too!

Sorrel Kerr-Jung: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Final Fantasy VII Remake is a very special game �in fact, it’s one of my favorite AAA titles of the last several years. I love Final Fantasy VII, I love stories about stories, and I love the works of Tetsuya Nomura, so it was always going to connect with me. I have basically no idea what Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is going to be, but I’m along for the ride n??o matter what.

2022’s Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion really s?old me on Zack Fair, and I’m especially fond of his relationship with both Aerith and Cloud. The first trailer for Rebirth suggests that it’ll dive a little deeper into Zack’s character and those dynamics, so I’m pumped to see what happens?? there.

I also can’t wait to see a little more of the world of Final Fantasy VII. Midgar is great, but we’ve been returning to Midgar for a while, and I’m ready to revisit spots like Wutai and the Gold Saucer. I’d also be down to finally catch a c??hocobo, if Square Enix would be so kind.

Mostly, though, I’m just excited to spend more time with the Final Fantasy VII Remake party. I think the first game has some truly incredible character writing, both adapting and elevating the already phenomenal Final Fantasy VII crew, and I can’t wait to just settle in and spend a few dozen more hours with them. I’m particularly fond of what they’ve done with Barret, whose brazen eco-terrorist streak has taken center stage, but I also love emo nice guy Cloud, certified homie Tifa, and Aerith, who is always grea??t. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll get some more Yuffie and a bit of Vincent this time around. Part of me is already dreading the third game. I don’t want to say goodbye to?? these folks!

Anthony Marzano: Like a Dragon: Ishin

Like many others, I used Yakuza 0 as my entry point into the long-running titular series. Even though it took me almost two years to beat, it converted me into a fan of the series. Its amazing ability to jump from searing crime drama to a lighthearted slice of life made it a go-to for me when I needed some joy while also getting the grit I craved. So when I, a lifelong fan of jidaigeki saw that we were getting a remake of what is essentially Yakuza: Samurai, I was over the moon. Doubly so since Sony refuses to bring Ghost of Tsushima to PC, leavin??g me in a barren w??asteland with no interactive samurai kino.

It's also nice that we got the exciting announcement nary a few months before the planned release. Only have to make it halfway through a long Midwest winter, then it's comfy time as I slice through dishonorable men. While I'm not expecting Kurosawa levels of storytelling here, just the ability to roam around a late Edo period hub-world is enough to make Ishin my most anticipated game of the year. Still waiting on word about if we'll have any type of m??anagement mini-game in it though...

Jonathan Holmes: Resident Evil 4 Remake

Horror games are all about building anticipation and then releasing that pent-up energy with a big intense moment. The Resident Evil 4 remake has already done a great job of instilling that feeling of anticipation in players, and it’s not even out yet. The original game is one of the most respected, and successfully re-released games of all time, having been ported to every major console of the past 20 years. People already know it and love it. The highly successful Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes used it as a blueprint, as did the Resident Evil Revelations side games in the franchise, so for fans of the franchise, the game is practically a religious text. And for this writer, a 46-year-old man who aged out of the target demographic for AAA games about 15 years ago, Resident Evil 4 was the las?t AAA game that I felt was truly made for me??.

So will Capcom be able to bring me back into the AAA fold with this loving reimagining of my all-time favorite Survival Horror title? Like Leon cautiously walking forward in a decrepit European Village adorned with bear traps and insect-infected farm hands, I’m both dreading and delighting at the possibilities of what lies around the corner. My cold, calloused hands haven’t felt much from a big blockbuster game in almost two decades (unless you could count well-known but not well-played niche franchises like Bayonetta and No More Heroes) but if things go my way, the Resident Evil 4 remake will blow minds with new content while still sticking to s??cript enough to feel like a sweet homecoming.

Chris Moyse: Street Fighter 6

Anyone frequenting Destructoid this past year will react with zero surprise to my entry. I first approached Capcom's mysterious announcement of a new Street Fighter with understandable trepidation, given the juggling of management behind the scenes and with the terrible launch of Street Fighter V still fresh in my mind. But, with each new trailer, announcement, and sneaky leaky, I became more and more intrigued �convinced that ?perhaps the veteran developer had learned from its?? past mistakes.

And then ??I got my hands on the title, (and, importantly, on my gurl Juri) and? that intrigue turned to raw excitement.

From demos played at trade shows, to two betas in the comfort of my own home, I am incredibly confident in Capcom's handling of Street Fighter 6. From its dazzling visuals and smooth movement, (thank you, RE Engine) to its excellent online functionality, and plethora of promised modes, features, and side activities, Capcom appears to have taken all of the vitriol rightly directed at SFV's launch to heart, and seems determined to prove exactly why Street Fighter is, after all of these years, still the title to defines the genre. Surrounded by so much positivity it seems Capco?m's game to lose. Stay the Course.

The post Destructoid’s most anticipated games of 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

The Final Countdown

Good morning??, good day, good weekend, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? In fact, the final Whatcha Been Playing of 2022, as today will see another year shuffles off out of door, shrugging its shoulders and probably blaming you. I'??m very grateful to all of you for showing up this weekend, and hopefully you've recovered from the festive carnage of last week in time to wreak further havoc this evening.

I myself had a fine and quiet Christmas, which was exactly what I was looking for. I ate too much and re-visited No Time to Die and Gremlins. So, in a sense, I spent my Christmas with Ana de Armas and Phoebe Cates and nobody can tell me otherwise. It was perhaps the most chill day I have had in a very, very long time, and I hope that however you spent the holidays, it brought you the rest and joy you deserved. Here's hoping that this weekend will be equally rad for you and yours.

Winter Brainaches

Unfortunately, yer boy got kinda sick following the big day, waking up with a bizarre insta-cold on the 26th and a headache that pressed forward into a miserable, full-blown migraine come Thursday �The first I've had in well over a year, but health will do what health will do. As such, I haven't gotten around to a whole lot of gaming this week. I did squeeze in some Streets of Rage 4 with Destructoid's own CJ Andriessen, which was a lot of fun, and less stressful than the struggles we've had with the obnoxiously unpredictable teams of Overwatch 2 �Now there's a title that has really done an about-face.

It's a shame I cou??ldn't end the year with a big ol' gaming marathon, but it's fine. There's always tomorrow. After all, gaming is for life, not just for Christmas.

Happy New Year, friends

A?nd so, before I send you all off galivanting into the final day of 2022, I'd like you to take this final opportunity, (this year), to tell me and your fellow community members Whatcha Been Playing? I don't think you need me to reiterate this, but it has been my pleasure to bring you another 52 straight weeks of Saturday morning get-togethers, and while I don't always have the spirit or time to get the job done, you'll always find me here come the weekend. At least, as long as I'm on Destructoid's deck, of course.

Thank you for turning out here, week after week, thank you for sticking it out during the rougher periods, and thanks for showing the staff, the management, and even the drive-by commentators exactly why we remain the best video game community on the information superhighway. We aren't perfect, not by a long shot, but we do our ?best for you. And will continue to do so, into 2023 and beyond.

Have a? wonderful weekend and a very happy new year, from all of us at Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing the final week of 2022, Destruct??oid? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 12/24 to 12/31/2022

-TheBlondeBass writes a retrospective about all the games he completed in 2022 and a personal update as w?ell.

-Taterchimp ranks all the games they played in 2022.

-TroyFullbuster celebrates ??game rando??mizers and writes about why you should give them a try.

-Virtua Kazama details his hopes and expectations for Virtua Fighter in 2023.

-Dinokaiser does a deep dive into Midgard (1998)on the PC, an ear??ly 3D Action-RPG with a unique history.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy VII and Soul/Gospel music.

�strong>PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy IX and traditional Irish Music.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for random d?iscussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, not just this week, but for the entirety of 2022. We really do appreciate each and every one of them. Thanks to Lord Spencer for their tireless work in ensuring that they are recapped weekly for their appearance right here on t??he front page.

As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party for the discourse of 2023, (and there will be discourse), then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week. We are aware that the editor has been incredibly testy this year, and for that, we apologize. We hope we ??can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it in the new year.

The post Did you get to all of the releases you wanted?? to in 2022? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 12/16 to 12/23/2022

-Queen of Philosophy sheds the light on some characters they want to feature in Hades 2.

-Virtua Kazuma writes about the importance of offline events in keeping the Virtua Fighter scene alive.

-Lord Spencer continues his Mega Man series retrospective blogs with this blog on Mega Man X2.

�strong>TheBlondeBass updates everyone on the progress of his game, Mirama, in this dev blog.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy VII and Soul/Gospel music.

�strong>PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy IX and traditional Irish Music.

-The Amazing Shenazin r??eturns to posting in Dtoid after a very long hiatus.

�strong>Beatlemaniaxx goes over everything they read or watched t??his year.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week'?s TGIF?? community thread for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the r?ecap. If you wanna join in on the HOT ??TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Who is your favorite character in Hades’ fantastic roster? appeared first on Destructoid.

Festive cheers and best wishes to our community

It's that time of year again, in fact, it's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year again. Yes, it is indeed The Holidays (tm) and I hope that this festive weekend finds each and every one of you happy, healthy, and, at the very least, enjoying some well-earned �hard-earned �rest and relaxation.

??This weekend should present the opportunity for good times, good company, and, of course, some good gaming. I often find that the holidays provide one of the few chances I get in the entire year to sit down and play some games "for me", Y'know? This particular year has seen me playing games for "work-related" reasons perhaps more than ever before, leaving me little opportunity to check out many of 2022's offerings. A shame, because it's been a preeetty ace year for gaming, truth be told.

//www.yout??ube.com/??watch?v=VF82Df1Yt1E&ab_channel=AlteReklame

I will be taking the opportunity today to watch some of the films that have passed me by this year, and I may find the time to get stuck into Marvel's Midnight Suns, which has been sitting patiently on my hard drive since launch day. Oh, And to truly get into the spirit of the season, I will be revisiting The Blob (1988), as it somehow never truly feels like Christmas has begun until Kevin Dillon and Shawnee Smith jump a gorge on?? a speeding motorcycle while escaping an all-consuming gelatinous mass.

Speaking of which, I am also aim??ing to eat my own weight in Pringles and Toffifee before lunchtime.

It goes without saying that whether you're celebrating Xmas or not; whether you are activating Max Chill mode or grumbling your way into work; or whether you are surrounded by faces or simply enjoying your own company �you deserve to take time for yourself. It's been another tough year, and you made it through once again. I knew you would. You always do. You are more than welcome to join us on Destructoid today �whether hanging out in the comments or Qposts, chatting with your fellow community members, or checking out our recent GOTY winners. We understand that the holidays are not for everybody, but Destructoid is a place for everybody. You are always among frie?nds here.

??Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, from all of us?? at Destructoid!

Ladies and Gentlemen... Topy & Robo.

/??/www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_vcZBwv2ZA&ab_channel=AreSoundsElectrik%3F

The post Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays from Destructoid! appeared first on Destructoid.

Live A Live

When I first covered the rumor that Square Enix was reaching well into its own past to dig up long-lost Super Famicom release Live A Live, I will admit that, despite being pleased with the preservation element, I didn't really think that the endeavor would amount to much. After all, various '90s classics have been resurrected time and again, only to fall short of their former glories or, in the worst cases, miss the point entirely.

But Live A Live was something different. Live A Live, launched in 1994 at the tail-??end of the 16-bit reign, was both ambitious and way ahead of its time. The unknown release featured a slew of characters and worlds, multiple backstories, and a fascinating chrono-conundrum set against the backdrop of eight different time periods �from pr??ehistory and Imperial China, to the American Midwest and the far-flung future.

To build this complex story �complete with wildly different stylistic settings �for the humble Super Famicom was an incredible feat, and conceptually beyond anything available on the console at the time. A feat readily achieved by director Takashi Tokito (Parasite Eve, Chrono Trigger), designer Nobuyuki Inoue (Sword of Mana, Mother 3), composer Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts), a?nd the rest of Square's talented RPG se?ctor known as Development Division 5.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbzZl4??9kklU&??amp;ab_channel=Destructoid

And yet, despite the high praise received for the title at launch, Live A Live would never officially see the light of day outside of its native Japan. Launched just too late for the suits, already eyeing up the fledgling 32-bit market, Live A Live would not be localized for western audiences, spoken of only via word of mouth, gaming magazines, and newsletters...? And now, it is readily available for Nint??endo Switch.

Developed by Square's Team Asano, and overseen by Tokita himself, the Live a Live remake wisely avoids tampering with the original title too much, merely cleaning up the visuals, accurately translating the dialogue, and offering small tweaks to elements of its gameplay, control, and U.I to better present the title on modern technology to modern audiences. The delightful characters and worlds were redrawn by Naoki Ikushima, while Shimomura, having lost the master tapes, recomposed the entire soundtrack by ear �a task she admitted held momentous weight, given fans' love of the game's score.

Finally released in the summer of this year, the Live A Live remake retains all of its power to capture and charm an audience's imagination. Importantly, it finally cements over a large pothole in the history of developer Square Enix, and sees one of the most pioneering and ambitious RPG releases ever developed to players young and old, many of whom now have the opportunity t?o experience this fine adv??enture for the very first time.

It may have taken almost three decades, but Live A Live can finally bask in its long-deserved spotlight.

The post Destructoid’s award for Best Remaster/Remake of 2022 goes to… appeared first on Destructoid.

G.O.T.Y.

[Update: We were able to get jbsgame.comments reinstated beneath articles now, so clicking "Join the Conversation" will no longer open comments in a sidebar or pop-up. We pushed hard for this and hope it encourages more chatter!]

G??ood day, friends and lovers, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? As Bing once told us, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I hope that n?ext week will bring you some holiday and respite from the daily grind. The holidays have whizzed up on me this season, mostly due to how insanely busy I've been on the Good Ship Destructoid as it continues to adapt to its shiny new regime. There's a long way to go, but at least we've gotten started (behind the curtain at least).

This week has been a really busy one for yer boy, with multiple reviews, tons of news, some meetings, and the rollout of Destructoid GOTY nominations for 2022. I wonder what's got your pick? It's been pretty much non-stop for me, and I'm very g?rat??eful for both the weekend, and for spending Saturday morning with all of you, my fellow Whatchas. Have a cool couple of days.

D.I.F.H.

So the last week or so has seen me crashing through several games for review, including 3goo's long-lost scrapper The Rumble Fish 2, Electronic Arts' dazzling and energetic Need for Speed Unbound, and WayForward's confusingly released brawler River City Girls 2. All three are a mishmash of ups and downs, with perhaps NFS being the one truly great release. These games represent the last of my review offerings for 2022, (what a year), but I'm eager and?? ?excited to get next year's schedule underway.

Speaking of, having finally cleared the slate, I can and will use the weekend to get back on board with the returning Street Fighter 6 beta. I'm so excited to get back in the ring and feel the game out a little more, while adapting the muscle memory to its alternate pace and overhauled controls for dear old Juri Han. I'll never physically recover from the June release date, but at least I have something to look forward to, and that's something we all need.

G.O.A.T.S.

Anyway, it's time for me and my gurl to get back to it, (and by "it", I mean "losing"), but even though my main squ??eeze and I will be spending the whole weekend taking ass and kicking names, I'll still be sure to jump back into this here thread and find out Whatcha Been Playing? There were a whole bunch of feature-length replies last week, longer than usual, and I really appreciate that you dedicate so many words to our humble little weekend gathering. I won't lie, the comment count has been down the past month, which glums me out a bit. But it isn't your fault, (or mine), and I still appreciate ev?ery one of you.

Have a wonderful weekend, from all of ?us at Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

If you haven't played it, it's new to you

One might assume that the dawning of a new gaming generation would ess??entially bring an end to the flurry of remasters and remakes that we saw flood the market in the most recent decade. But of course not. Much like the film industry, the concept of taking a second pass at some beloved (and even not-so-beloved classics) is clearly here to stay �with no sign from the cash registers that it isn't still a hugely lucrative endeavor.

2022 contained two very extreme examples of the remaster/remake concept, namely in the form of Square Enix sliding-door RPG Live a Live and Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part I. On one hand, we had a long-lost RPG dating back to 1994 and Nintendo's Super Famicom, while on the other we had a remake of a game less than 10 years old �one that had already been remastered at that.

It will be interesting to see how blurry the lines become in regards to how long is "long enough"? And while I have zero problem with the concept of remakes and remasters per se, it's worth raising an eyebrow at t??he idea that each new generation of hardware immediately requires the re-establishment of the previous generation's best-selling games. Not franchises. Games. Time �and the creativity of the next wave of studios, developers, and players �will tell.

Here are the nominees for Destructoid’s Best Remaster/Remake of 2022

• Live a Live
• Metal Max Xeno Reborn
• Pac-Man World Re-Pac
• Tactics Ogre: Reborn
• The Last of Us Part I
• The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
• World of Warcraft Classic: Wrath of the Lich King

The post Nominees for Destructoid’s Best Remaster/Remake of 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

PC indeed

As someone who heretically prefers to play games on a controller, PC may not always be my first choice. But even I have to admit that it's a platform that has some of the most compelling releases of the y??ear, every year. When it's easier for small, independent teams to publish to platforms like Steam or itch.io, the cream usually tends to rise to the top, so that PC is always one of the most stacked "best of the year" categories, in my opinion. 2022 was no exception, because this banger-filled list is making it really difficult to try and decide which game is gonna take my vote.

First you've got Signalis, which is not only an awesome tribute to classic horror games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, but also one of the most stylish and heart-wrenching games I've played in a long time. Everything from the art style to the soundtrack to the puzzle design elevated the creepy, slow-burn atmosphere, and it's a?? game I've been left thinking about weeks after having put it down.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KFiOp2o4L8

Citizen Sleeper is yet another innovative title that released in 2022 among a swath of other games that are moving the medium forward. Its focus is on a tabletop-inspired, dice-centric narrative, and it executes that premise with all ??of the polish you can imagine. What it is able to achieve in unique yet somehow familia??r gameplay, it also wins you over with its stories, even after leaving us with some mysteries to explore on our next adventure.

For all the shoot 'em up fans out there, Vampire Survivors has you covered. The game has minimalistic art and gameplay design, but with good reason �the gameplay loop is so well-designed and lean, it doesn't need any of the extra fluff. It's one of those games that's perfect to sit down and play in little bouts, but every time you do, you know you're gonna have a blast. Vampire Survivors snuck up on me for s??ure,?? but it did indeed turn out to be one of the highlights of 2022.

Trombone Champ is the obvious stand-out of the year. At a glance, it's not a game I think any of us would have expected to appear on a list like this, but when you look more closely, it's all there. It's simply a well-designed rhythm game (going so far as to actually imitate how it feels to play a real trombone with a scary amount of accur?acy), the visual style is downright hilarious, and the soundtrack has the perfect lineup of songs that you're eithe??r super familiar with, or make you go "I know this song but I never knew what it was called."

It was one of those ideas that the team would make or break in its execution, and they absolutely nailed it. If nothing else, the entire gaming community's reaction to Trombone Champ is enough to warrant its place on this list, I think, because there was something magical about seeing a game collectively bring all of us joy upon its rele?ase.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpQ8a3c7EAQ

If you're not a speedrunning person, you will be after playing Neon White. While you can really take or leave the story, the gameplay alone is enough to land Neon White on this list. It's bombastic, it's creative, and of course fast-paced, and it'll make even the most tepid players (aka me) twitching to set a new record. This title is really able to capture the raw, tactical fun that only tightly-designed gameplay can really deliver, and is maybe the best game to do so since the release of Hades.

Then there's NORCO, which is easily one of the weirdest games of the year, in the best way. It's a Southern Gothic point-and-click narrative set in the marshlands of New Orleans, and let me tell you, it is one wild ride. NORCO has absol??utely beautiful prose and breathtaking pixel art, and then you'll encounter one of the most strange set pieces you've likely seen in a game in a while. I found the game incredibly moving, and easily one of the best narrative games of the year. If nothing else, it simply deserves more eyes on it, because it was an absolute delight to play.

Last but certainly not least, we have Victoria 3. It may not be for everyone, but for those who are fans of grand strategy games, the newest release from Paradox Interactive is considered a truly great title. The cult following of the Victoria series has been long-awaiting the series' third installment, as Paradox themselves call it "one of the most anticipated games in Paradox’s history." The general consensus is that Victoria 3 did in fact live up to the hype, making it ??one of the best ??grand strategy games to come out in recent years, and certainly in 2022.

Here are the nominees for Destructoid’s Best PC Game of 2022:

• Signalis
• Citizen Sleeper
• Vampire Survivors
• Trombone Champ
• Neon White
• NORCO
• Victoria 3

The post Nominees for Destructoid’s Best PC Game of 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

Can you even buy a PS5 yet?

2022 has been a pretty action-packed year for Sony's premier gaming brand. And while arguably the first year that saw its two-year-old platform, PlayStation 5, accelerate its sales past the 25 million mark, the past 12 months have sti?ll seen a wide variety of new releases squeezed onto its best-selling predecessor, PS4, hardware that simply refuses to go gently into that good night.

Even visual stunners such as Guerrilla Games' Horizon Forbidden West and Sony Santa Monica's God of War Ragnarok were causing the PS4's modest CPU to sweat away, ensuring that the full transition to the ninth generation remains mired in a strange limbo. It's a good situation for the players, as the PS4 has an incredible install base of over 100 million users. But, as someone who previously worked retail for many generations, I can't remember a gaming generation that took this long to become mainlin??e.

Still, there were some PS5-only releases, many of which boasted incredible visuals, dazzling effects, and very welcome high-speed load times. All in, it's a pretty good time to be a PlayStation owner. Many new titles are still compatible with PS4, while its bigger brother spearheads the charge into the next half-decade of gaming... Even if the physical console itself is still far, far too large for anybody's TV stand.

Here are the nominees for Destructoid's Best PlayStation Game of 2022:

• Cult of The Lamb
• Elden Ring
• God of War: Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Sifu
• Stranger in Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
• Stray

The post Nominees for Destructoid’s Best PlayStation Game of 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

Remember, Remember...

Good morning, friends and witnesses, and welcome to this week's Whatcha Been Playing? May I start out by thanking everybody for their very, very kind birthday wishes last weekend. I had a pretty cool day, even if it was a little quieter than usual. I'm a busy fella, y'see? Still, I had a delicious donut and watched Sunset Bo??ulevard for the 180th time, so it could have gone a whole lot worse. What really made it special, however, was the kindness shown to me here, in the Qposts, and on Twitter, so thank you.

I hope that your November has gotten off to a ?rollicking start, and as the year starts wheezing to its conclusion, I hope that November offers up some great memories �gaming or otherwise �to carry you into the coming holiday season. Go out and end this year with a bang. It's yours for the taking.

Fall Brawl

I wish I had more to say about video games right now, but I'm frankly just too swamped with work. I've been forcing myself to try and enjoy Overwatch 2, but something just isn't clicking. As many of you know, Overwatch is easily in my Top Five of all time, and I think the pseudo-sequel looks and plays brilliantly, (in regards to visuals, controls, smoothness). But the satisfaction just isn't there. I feel redundant as Support, I feel hugely overpowered as a DPS, and nobody seems to give a shit about?? using your shield when you Tank. Add to this the dull-as-dishwater Battle Pass and, s??omewhere down the line, the pieces have started falling off of the payload. Still, there is plenty of time to turn this around...

...Well, there's a little bit of time. Once Street Fighter 6 drops, I'm gone like Enron.

Halloween Ends

Anywhoooo, it's your time now, so I'd like to see all y'all jump into the comments and share with your fellow community members all of the games, (or perhaps other forms of entertainment), that are keeping the pulse-pounding and the cortexes firing as we hit 2022's final furlong. Whether this is your first time here, or you're a beloved regular, you're as welcome to ta??ke par?t as anybody. So, before you get your fine weekend underway, take two minutes to tell us all, with feeling, Whatcha Been Playing?

Have a wonderful weekend, from all o??f us at Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.