Latest Articles
Greatest Hits
Punished Series
Latest Articles
Greatest Hits
Punished Series
I ranked 105 NPCs in Hollow Knight (from the Mantis Lords to Hornet) based on my amusement, their battle skills, and their overall value.
Brütal Legend attempts to bring three unique game genres together as a cohesive whole. Here’s why it falls short of greatness.
Elden Ring’s Stake of Marika is a great mechanic that’s vastly underused. Let’s explore the missed potential for this accessibility mechanic.
Is simplicity good for game design? Learn the pros and cons through the lenses of Dragon Ball FighterZ, Final Fantasy XIV, and Evil Genius 2.
There’s nothing better than binging a game over a holiday. So, here are six of the very best short video games you can beat in a long weekend.
Is Diablo Immortal worth playing? Not at all, according to our recent time with the game — and that’s with or without microtransactions.
Reviews
View AllRobbin’ Season Starts Off Strong Donald Glover is no stranger to success. Initially a sketch comic during his studies at New York University, Glover quickly gained traction with his writing work on the show 30 Rock. In 2009, Glover took a…
Embracing the Weirdness Legendary Gary is delightful in its weirdness. The indie adventure game takes a casual approach to strategic combat and offers an experience that is half grab-bag-of-unrelated-styles and half touching mise en abyme. A Story of Two Worlds…
It’ll Do Just Fine. 2017 was the year of Zelda. While the Switch’s continued sales success and Super Mario Odyssey’s rave reviews help further the point that, yes, Nintendo has had a banner year, Breath of the Wild was the titled that kicked…
A Punny, Satisfying Adventure Through the Fantastical Kingdom of Felingrad In the land of Felingrad, there are cats, there are puns, and there is magic. This is the essence of Cat Quest, a 2D action-RPG from the Gentlebros (and published…
Greatest Hits
Weekend at Dave's
View AllTo help usher in the new year, The Punished Backlog editorial team hosts a 2023 gaming preview extravaganza, complete with a fantasy draft!
From Halo Infinite and Fable to The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield, here’s what you can expect from Xbox & Bethesda at E3 2021.
From Final Fantasy XVI to Guardians of the Galaxy rumors, we share our hopes, expectations, and dreams for Square Enix at E3 2021.
From the Breath of the Wild sequel to 2D Metroid rumors, we dive into Nintendo at E3 2021 and share our personal hopes and predictions.
Going through a stressful time? Take care of yourself by playing these video games that promote mental health and well-being.
The announcement that Gearbox is being acquired by a larger fish begs the question: Should video game industry consolidation worry us?
Punished Notes
View AllIn Vol. 18 of Punished Notes, I discuss a pair of gaming remakes, MLB The Show’s take on baseball history, and the Super Mario Bros. movie.
In this Punished Notes, I discuss Xbox’s latest hit, a classic from the Nintendo 64 era, HBO’s latest hit show, and more.
Welcome to Punished Notes, Volume 26! For this edition, I’ll be discuss one of this year’s biggest releases, God of War Ragnarök. I’ll start off with a spoiler-free mini-review of the whole experience, mention some random things I liked and…
In this Punished Notes, I review Sam Barlow’s new game Immortality, delve into Splatoon 3, and share thoughts on a host of other things.
In Vol. 24, I discuss As Dusk Falls (Xbox’s only notable 2022 exclusive), highlight a Game Pass hidden gem, and rip into Ryan Reynolds.
Learn how the Mass Effect trilogy defined a gaming generation with its role-playing choices, DLC controversy, over-marketed ending, and more.
Punished Chat
View AllWant a fun way to celebrate, laugh, and/or cry about your favorite games of 2022? Introducing The Punished Backlog’s first ever prop awards.
Favorite characters, problematic approaches to Manuela, figuring out what that whole goddess thing was about… we discuss it all.
We review the first 12 months of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, including best games, console features, and most anticipated 2022 games.
We celebrate the life and legacy of Microsoft’s second console by chatting about our top Xbox 360 games, moments, and memories.
Wondering what to expect from Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2? Want random speculation on when it’ll release? You’re in the right place.
For this edition of Punished Chat, we discuss the differences between PC and next-gen consoles, and what this means moving forward.
Punished Favorites
View AllLooking for a few more indie video games to play while enjoying the final weeks of summer? Look no further than these five gems.
Still hankering for some great indie video games to play over the summer? Here are five more excellent options available to you.
Think you’ve played all the best video games? Think again. Here are five great indie games that are criminally underrated.
An Eye for Detail Love ‘em or hate ‘em, seemingly every video game comes with a man, woman, or semi-autonomous vending machine more than willing to take your hard-earned gold (or credits/rupees/now-defunct German Marks). They may be shrewd, charming, devious,…
Coming Out Swinging Recently, the Punished Backlog team looked at the best video game end sequences in gaming. But an impressive opening level is just as important as a triumphant close. Whether it be an opening cinematic that instilled a…
Ending on a High Note You’ve spent the entire game learning new mechanics, upgrading your skills, fighting boss after boss after boss. It’s finally time to face the head honcho, the final boss, your game’s Bowser. Before you walk through…