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Punished Series
In episode 1 of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the difference between remakes and remasters, then share memories of the Nintendo DS for the Punished Hall of Fame.
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.
Latest Articles
Punished Series
In episode 1 of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the difference between remakes and remasters, then share memories of the Nintendo DS for the Punished Hall of Fame.
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.
In our Blades of Fire review, learn whether the latest game from MercurySteam (Metroid Dread) lives up to the studio’s pedigree.
In our Ra Ra BOOM preview, learn what this robot-fighting, femme-powered adventure brings to the beat ’em up genre.
In our Arcane Investigations review, find out if this Ace Attorney-inspired magical mystery is worth an hour of your time.
In our latest Fantasy Friday, we recap the latest league developments, including our first waiver wire draft of the season!
In our Swapmeat preview, learn why this wacky shooter-slash-roguelike from PAX East 2025 is one that fans of either genre need to watch.
In our Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade review, learn why this Hades-inspired roguelike never quite reaches the depth it teases.
Reviews
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In our Kingdom Come: Deliverance II review, learn whether Warhorse’s massive medieval sequel measures up to its biggest inspirations.
In our Expelled! review, learn whether indie developer inkle Studios’ newest story-driven game stacks up to its other titles.
In our Split Fiction review, learn why Hazelight Studios and Josef Fares’ latest co-op adventure is their best effort yet.
In our Carmen Sandiego (2025) review, learn if Gameloft’s newest title lives up to the nostalgic hype. (Spoiler: It doesn’t.)
The Punished Podcast
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Video game adaptations are everywhere — shows, movies, books, board games, music, and more. But what makes them work? Let’s discuss.
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.
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.