Latest Articles
Latest Articles
The One Zelda Game Nobody Talks About The Legend of Zelda is one of the most famous and highly regarded franchises in the history of video games, but that doesn’t mean every entry in the series gets its proper due. Sure,…
Double Tribal, Double Trouble Come on in guys! This is the big one, the game-changing twist, the classic Survivor double elimination episode. How does it all shake out? We’ll get to that in a moment. But first, let’s regroup after tribal,…
Darius Gets a Brutal Awakening in This Chilling Chapter of Atlanta Atlanta has brought us many things in its first and second seasons. Comedy. Drama. Heartbreak. And yet, despite the wide range of emotions and topics that the show has…
Was This Ever Really the Best Gaming Could Do? Before I begin my parade-raining, dream-crushing, actually-what-you-like-is-bad analysis of one of the most popular video games of my lifetime, let me make something clear: I like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.…
A Tutorial on Self-Destruction Come on in guys! Don’t mind the fresh dirt, the castaway voted out this week just finished digging their own grave. Yes, this week featured a self-inflicted blowup that was oh so easily avoidable. But alas,…
Not Just a Fucking Stick Come on in guys! Hopefully you all have good gag reflexes because a classic Survivor challenge has returned. But, we’ll get to that in a bit. First we need to adjust to life without The Noble One.…
Get Those Wallets Ready for September Another month, another fantasy update. If January saw some massive releases and February some unfortunate delays, then March made up for its lack of quality games with sheer numbers. Six important fantasy picks have…
The Noble One Come on in guys! Congratulations on making it all the way to the Survivor: Ghost Island merge episode; this is a huge milestone in reading these recaps. We are now in the individual portion of the game, and…
The Punished Podcast
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In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we reflect (and debate) the games that should be prioritized in our backlog in 2026.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the role of review scores in the gaming industry, especially for us as critics.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss and listen to the best video game soundtracks, composers, and sound design.
Presenting the most anticipated video games of 2026, but in a stylish package: our annual Fantasy Gaming league. New year, new season.
What are the games that still hold a special place in our heart, even if we think they’re bad games? Why do they have a hold on us?
Video game adaptations are everywhere — shows, movies, books, board games, music, and more. But what makes them work? Let’s discuss.
Punished Notes
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In a Punished Notes dedicated entirely to Resident Evil Requiem, Sam wonders if the post-zombification of the game’s world bears a resemblance to our own post-pandemic one.
In his latest Punished Notes, Sam gets into some New Year’s Gaming Resolutions, as well as a few predictions (and hopes) for some big gaming anniversaries coming up. Also: Wuthering Heights?
In the latest Punished Notes, Sam covers Doritos and Mountain Dew games, Kirby Air Riders, and… the blues?
In this edition of Punished Notes, Sam discusses how the incredible fall game release lineup is kind of killing him, among other thoughts
In the latest edition of Punished Notes, Sam talks about Lumines, visual novel and Roger, and other random thoughts from random games.
In this Punished Notes, Sam dives into how the latest Bethesda shooter harkens back to a simpler time in AAA gaming, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and more!
Punished Chat
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As part of our Game of the Year coverage, here are some DIFFERENT awards for the year’s best games!
Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of this year’s biggest new releases. What do the writers at The Punished Backlog think of it so far?
From the classics to new releases, we discuss the “Big Three,” the best anime ever, and what makes these series stand the test of time.
Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the biggest game releases of 2025. Does it work? Does it deserve its score of 91? We share our thoughts.
On the fence about Nintendo’s latest console? Six of our writers sat down to share our initial Nintendo Switch 2 impressions.
After a drama-packed premiere, our writers got together to share our The Last of Us Season 2 impressions so far.
Punished Favorites
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To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Game Boy Advance, here are The Punished Backlog’s favorite GBA games of all time!
The Punished Backlog writers have already covered their favorite Pokémon games. But what about our actual favorite pocket monsters?
In our list of the best Pokémon Games, find out how the generations stack up in honor of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.
In our list of the best GameCube Games, see how classics like Metroid Prime, Melee, and Double Dash stack up.
While we here at The Punished Backlog could not be more excited about a new Nintendo console, we also figured it now is the right time to pay tribute to the first Switch and all its best games!
Indie games are labors of love, and this year, it looks like there will be a lot to love! These are our most anticipated indie games of 2025.