Kraven

This weekend I’m playing a few different things. First up:

Diablo III (Xbox Series X) - I just reached Act II at level 40 on hard difficulty, and sometimes switching it to expert. The moment to moment gameplay is so satisfying. The game encourages player agency each time due to its randomly generated map and quest system. I’ve heard people knock on this game due to its story, but I find it quite serviceable and compelling. I really can’t wait for Diablo IV.

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge (PS5). I’m chipping away at the Platinum trophy. I just got the trophy for the 250-hit combo without being touched (I did it legitimately, too, which was a pain), so now I need three more trophies. This game is absolutely excellent. Each character feels unique and are fun to learn, but Casey Jones is the best behind Michaelangelo. I would love to see the developer tackle an X-Men beat-‘em-up some day.

Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes (Nintendo Switch) - I haven’t touched my Switch in months, but this game intrigued me. I’m a fan of Musou games dating back to Dynasty Warriors 2, and particularly 4, in which I used to play cooperatively with my best friend on the PS2 for hours a day during summer vacation.

Neon White (Nintendo Switch) - I started the game last night and it is absolutely incredible. I haven’t been able to put it down. Before I knew it, four hours had gone by. Everything about this game is so well done. The writing and characters are goofy; the controls are tight and responsive; the soundtrack is fantastic; and overall the game is incredibly addicting. I haven’t played a game like this before, and it’s very special. In fact, it might be my GOTY so far.

I have gotten around to cleaning up my backlog, and finishing up games I had started but stopped playing for one reason or another.

On the PS5 front, I have beaten Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and Sifu - both of which are excellent games; and thank god for the difficulty options for Sifu because that is one reason I bounced off of it initially.

As for my Xbox Series X; I’m now going to try and finish the campaign in Sniper Elite 4 before 5 drops on Game Pass next week. I’m also playing Spec Ops: The Line and Enslaved Odyssey to the West - two games I never got around to during the 360-era because I was deep into Halo 2/3 multiplayer. EOttW looks absolutely gorgeous for a game that releases in 2009. It’s a shame that it has taken me this long to play these two gems because they are incredible, and even unappreciated.

@ChessboardMan Don’t you know - if a game is top down or challenging in any way combat wise, the description will always include Zelda or Dark Souls on this site. It’s very annoying, but they get clicks that way and they don’t care.

This has been one of my most anticipated games since I first saw the trailer. I can't wait to play it.

I’m happy to see Dungeon Encounters on the list. If anyone hasn’t played the game yet, I strongly encourage you to.

@Zuljaras The game is amazing. I played through it this year and loved every minute of it. I need to replay the game with its DLC.

I have Eastward, Road 96, and Cyber Shadow. All three are excellent games. Cyber Shadow was in the running for my GOTY. It’s a shame that Unsighted isn’t on this list. It’s a phenomenal game and deserves more recognition.

SMT V for me, but Metroid Dread is a close second. Cyber Shadow is also very high on my list.

This weekend I won’t be playing anything … maybe. This morning I’m headed to Florida for vacation. I’ll be there for roughly two weeks. I’ve never been on a plane before, nor have I been to Florida. I’ll be visiting Hollywood Studios, Disney World, Magic Kingdom, and a ton of other places. This is going to be a much needed break from the tedious job I do - and a great way to decompress.

With all of that being said - I just finished Shin Megami Tensei V on my Switch and loved every minute of it. It moved Guardians of the Galaxy out of the way for my GOTY. I am bringing my Nintendo 3DS with me on vacation and might start SMT IV on the flight.

There isn’t many games releasing next month that interests me - but I am intrigued by Loop Hero. That might be the only game I purchase on the Switch next month.

I haven’t finished the game but I have put six hours into it and it’s pretty damn good. There are flaws, such as the platforming sections, backtracking significantly, and the movement is relatively slow. You think you’d be able to move faster considering rats/mice are quick. Other than those two things, the game really is fantastic. It’s hard as hell, too. Prepare to die .. a lot.

I played this game for the first time a couple of months ago and loved every second of it. I can’t wait for the upcoming DLC.

I played this game on my Series X and it’s one of my favorite games of the year. I am definitely picking up the Switch version, and will be playing this quite a bit when I want to take a break from Shin Megami Tensei V.

I’m playing Shin Megami Tensei V and Halo Infinite! I’m not sure how far I am in SMTV, but all of my characters are level 45 and I haven’t even fought Lahmu yet. I was somewhat grinding and collecting demons and doing a lot of fusing.

I’ve been playing all day. I’m still in the first area, and I’m grinding somewhat a bit, but I’m having a blast! I enjoy the exploration and it’s constantly rewarding. I’m about to fight the first major boss, so I am excited about that.

This is amazing! I played and beat the game on the Series X, and now I can’t wait to 100% the game on the Switch. This honestly made my day.

I completed Circle of the Moon 100% and now I'm playing Metroid Dread all weekend. Is there any other answer?

@Zeropulse Yeah, thankfully you get that upgrade quick. That’s my biggest gripe - I wish you could have it permanently on because it makes some of the platforming sections a little frustrating.

@anoyonmus Was it that obvious? Lol.

I love Aria of Sorrow like the majority of people, but Circle of the Moon is my favorite of the bunch; I prefer its art style and soundtrack over AoS. My only complaint for CoTM is how slow your character walks, and getting the speed boots to move faster should have been implemented from the start.

I'm still playing through Tales of Arise on my Xbox Series X. The game is fantastic and I'm on the fourth Lord.

I'm also playing through Castlevania Advance Collection. Aria of Sorrow is a masterpiece, and I think I consider it better than Symphony of the Night. The only place it doesn't do better is its art style, but that's because of the console limitations.

@P3nguinpris0N I agree - this Direct was fantastic and had a lot of great announcements. The Castlevania Advance Collection and Actraiser has dropped on the eShop, so I’m definitely gonna have a good night. I can’t believe people thought this direct was disappointing.

I cannot wait to dive into Aria. I remember playing that game religiously back in the day.

Also, it is ridiculous to constantly see people complaining about the content announced and released from the (entire) Direct. Good lord, the amount of entitlement I see from gamers these days is insane.

This weekend I’ll be playing Eastward - the game I’ve been looking forward to for nearly two years now. I’ve played a couple of hours of it so far and it’s absolutely fantastic, albeit a slow burn (which I like).

I will also be continuing my journey through Tales of Arise. I just beat the second lord, found the hidden chamber in Cyslodia, mopped up a few side quests, and now making my way to the third region. I’m really loving this game.

@Poodlestargenerica Many reviews came out a couple of days ago and the game is getting a lot of praise.

@Benjinat Why are you waiting for the review for Eastward on this site in particular? The game has been reviewing incredibly well from a lot of outlets. It’s safe to assume the game is great and worth the purchase price.

I'll probably pick this game up to play when I need something soothing and relaxing. Nice review.

@Chocobo_Shepherd Seriously? Can’t you separate your views and just have fun with a game? I don’t understand why people have to get so political about everything.

This is great news! I love this franchise and was hoping for a return.

Easily Japan.

@BloodNinja Don't forget the greatest game of all time, Minesweeper.

All I want is Nier: Automata on the Switch. That game is perfect for portability.

I’m playing Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition which is fantastic. I’m also trying to unlock all playable characters in Streets of Rage 4 while also attempting to get an S rank on all levels. Spoiler alert: It won’t happen. Lol.

I just beat Magnamalo in Monster Hunter Rise, but I'll be continuing that game with more hunts because I'm addicted now. Other than that, I'll be playing some Streets of Rage 4. The new DLC trailer got me hyped, so I'm returning to that fantastic beat-em-up.

I'm glad to be one of those to purchase a Nintendo Switch Lite (even though I own a Nintendo Switch) and Monster Hunter Rise. This is my first MH game and I am in love with this game. In fact, it might actually be my favorite Switch game of all time. I'm genuinely addicted to this game.

I work all day today and have plans for tomorrow with friends and family, but I am playing Monster Hunter Rise as much as I feasibly can. It's my first MH game and I'm loving every minute of it.

I finished The Ancient Gods Pt. 2 yesterday on my Series X, so now I’m gonna attempt my first ever Monster Hunter with Rise. Other than that—I might be sleeping a lot because I had all my wisdom teeth taken out two days ago and I’m in agony.

Man, I've been dying to get this DLC for a very long time. I'm glad we've gotten more updates on its status, as this game is still one of my favorites on the Switch.

This will be my first time playing any Monster Hunter game , so I'm pretty excited.

I've actually never played the game, but I did recently buy it and have it sitting in my New Nintendo 2DS XL. I might start it up this weekend. I've heard great things about the game, and read many positive reviews. The only thing I'm worried about are the controls, but I'll probably get used to them pretty quickly.

@anoyonmus I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it coming to Xbox either. In fact, I’m very excited to play the game and get some achievements for it. I enjoyed the game on my Switch, but I’m definitely going to replay the game.

@Kevember Your logic is flawed, though. Blame Microsoft or Square Enix, not the gamers. It’s not as if Xbox gamers were clamoring for the game or anything of that nature. Your anger, or at the very least, your frustration is directed at the wrong place.

I'm still playing through the fantastic Persona 5 Strikers on my Switch, and about to dive into the third jail. I'm also playing The Division 2 with my friend on the Xbox Series X. That game is so good.

I'm playing Persona 5 Strikers! I have the day off work, so after I work out, grab a bite to eat with some friends, I'm going to be spending the rest of my day playing this fantastic game. I'm nearly done with the first jail--it's longer than I expected, and I was up until 2am trying to make as much progress as I could before I fell asleep. Lol.

I've been playing the game in short bursts over the weekend and I'm loving it! It actually does feel like a sequel to Persona 5 and not just some hack and slash spin-off. I can't wait to play more when I get time away from my job.

"Familiar locales await you." Yeah, as if anyone ever got past the first stage. Lol.

I was loving the game, but once I finished the first dungeon I lost all interest in it. It's not bad, but the combat is not the greatest. The framerate was also horrible, and I'm not the type of person that really "cares" about FPS.

I used to be huge on physical copies, and I still am to some extent, but I'm honestly been going the digital route and it's so much more convenient. As a result, I decided to purchase the deluxe version digitally. I can't wait to play the game this weekend.

@k8sMum That's a totally fair point. I didn't mean to sound condescending.

@ukaskew Same here! I was actually pleasantly surprised by the announcement. I never played the game and I could any time I want (I have an Xbox Series X and Game Pass) but I haven't yet. I'm not sure if I should wait for the Switch version or go ahead and play it on the Xbox. Either way, it's awesome to know it's coming to Nintendo.