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Punished Series
In our 10th (and final!) episode of Weekend at Dave’s, we hold a 2023 mid-year gaming check-in and conduct our Fantasy waiver wire pick-ups.
To help usher in the new year, The Punished Backlog editorial team hosts a 2023 gaming preview extravaganza, complete with a fantasy draft!
Latest Articles
Punished Series
In our 10th (and final!) episode of Weekend at Dave’s, we hold a 2023 mid-year gaming check-in and conduct our Fantasy waiver wire pick-ups.
To help usher in the new year, The Punished Backlog editorial team hosts a 2023 gaming preview extravaganza, complete with a fantasy draft!
In our The Last Caretaker preview, learn why this game inspired by Subnautica, Zelda, and other greats is worth keeping on your radar.
After going back to Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, I’ve realized that permadeath, which I used to hate, is essential to what makes the series great.
Where The Last of Us Part II challenged players by making them think, Season 2 of the HBO show is catering to the lowest common denominator.
PAX East is back in Boston, and we’re scouring the show floor for hidden gems. Here are the best games of PAX East 2025.
In our The Horror at Highrook review, learn why this TTRPG-inspired occult game is much more than the sum of its parts.
In our Cookie Cutter review, learn whether this punk-rock-inspired Metroidvania does enough to stand out in a competitive genre.
Reviews
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In our Eternal Strands review, learn whether this RPG from former BioWare and Ubisoft talent lives up to its spiritual forebears.
In our Dead Letter Dept. review, we take an ode from this horror game’s unique hook and share our critique the old-fashioned way: by letter.
In our Citizen Sleeper 2 review, learn how Starward Vector builds on its award-winning predecessor while maintaining the same heart.
In our Dreamcore review, learn whether this psychological horror game based on liminal spaces is bone-chilling or bone-dry.
The Punished Podcast
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In The Punished Podcast Episode 20, we talk about all the hottest gaming news that broke this summer. Plus, our Fantasy Gaming league!
In this podcast episode, we discuss the history of video game difficulty, what makes a game “fun,” Clair Obscur, Souls-likes, and more.
In this podcast episode, we discuss why we replay video games, what changes between playthroughs, old games versus new ones, and much more.
In the latest episode, we go through the best (and worst) video games of 2025 so far, and provide a Fantasy Gaming league update!
In The Punished Podcast Episode 16, we discuss the best old school games, what retro even means, preservation, and much more.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we discussed romance in games. Learn our favorite romance mechanics, characters, subplots, and more.
Punished Notes
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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!
In this new Punished Notes, Sam talks about the mystery behind Avowed’s dialogue options, what it means when you say a game takes time to “get good,” and more!
For this edition of Punished Notes, Sam lists some brief and simple New Year’s resolutions, shares some games from 2024 that just missed the deadline for his tier list, and discusses his latest TV binge being on… CBS?!
So far, there hasn’t been a game that has pulled me out of post-election despair, and maybe that’s not a bad thing.
Punished Chat
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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.
Let’s see how The Punished Backlog’s excellent writers feel about that explosive Nintendo Switch 2 reveal!
Punished Favorites
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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.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the Nintendo DS, check out the very best Nintendo DS games ever created.
From straight-up horror games to RPGs and cute indies, here are some of the best horror game moments of 2024 so far!
Waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong? Make the wait easier by reading and playing our picks for the best Metroidvania games ever made.