Latest Articles
Latest Articles
Honoring the Best Publisher, Developer, and Game of 2017 The time has come. After weeks of deliberation, voting, and award coverage, we have arrived at the fourth and final wave of our Best of 2017 feature: Game of the Year!…
Breaking Down the Evo 2018 Lineup The Evo 2018 Championship Series lineup was announced last Tuesday (February 6th) on a livestream hosted by Red Bull Esports. The eight game lineup—down one game compared to last year—will consist of Street Fighter…
Big Releases and Big Delays Headline Month of January Our fantasy gaming league is off to the races! After an exciting draft, the Punished Backlog staff kicked back, relaxed, and watched the madness unfold for the month of January. The…
Are Loot Boxes a Form of Gambling? The battle over loot boxes continues to heat up as Germany’s Youth Protection Commission enters the fray. Citing a study by the University of Hamburg that concluded the business model constitutes as gambling,…
The Best of Each Platform in 2017 January has come and gone, and though it’s a new month, our Best of 2017 coverage continues! Having already shared our Industry Awards and Storytelling and Presentation Awards, today we’re announcing the recipients…
Out With the Old, In With the New I always feel like my comments about gaming will age me. I doubt that’ll really happen; I’m only in my early twenties. If anything, it shows how much gaming has evolved in…
Move Over Football. There’s A New Sheriff In Town I’m sure I’m not the only person on Earth who takes fantasy sports a little too seriously. From scouring stat sheets in preparation for annual drafts, to hunting for potential studs…
The Most Artistic Games of 2017 We’re back with wave two of our Best of 2017 awards coverage. Whereas last week we highlighted the winners of our Industry Awards, this week we’re paying attention to the most artistic games of…
The Punished Podcast
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In this Fantasy Gaming-centric episode, we recap the first half of 2026 before delving into our first waiver wire of the year.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the rise and fall of E3, game trailers, authenticity, and the big bucks.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the past, present, and future of games media and journalism.
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.
Punished Notes
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In the latest Punished Notes, Sam talks about Splatoon Raiders, Kingdom Hearts, Denshattack!, and…baking?
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.
Punished Chat
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Mina the Hollower released last month to rave reviews. How do the writers at The Punished Backlog feel about it?
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.
Punished Favorites
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Some of the best indie games and AAA games of 2026 are already here! Our list covers 18 (and counting) great video games.
From the bird and the bear to the earliest console shooters, here are The Punished Backlog’s top 16 Nintendo 64 games of all time!
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.