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Punished Series
Weekend at Dave’s – PAX East 2019 Edition – Day 4: David talks Dreams, Bloodroots, Creature in the Well, Rad, Sayonara Wild Hearts, and more!
Weekend at Dave’s – PAX East 2019 Edition – Day 3: David talks Cyber Shadow, Mortal Kombat 11, Tunic, Samurai Shodown, and more!
Latest Articles
Punished Series
Weekend at Dave’s – PAX East 2019 Edition – Day 4: David talks Dreams, Bloodroots, Creature in the Well, Rad, Sayonara Wild Hearts, and more!
Weekend at Dave’s – PAX East 2019 Edition – Day 3: David talks Cyber Shadow, Mortal Kombat 11, Tunic, Samurai Shodown, and more!
In this interview with indie developer Kaizen Game Works, we asked about great characters, world-building, and how tricky truck physics are.
Even when you like a game, buying a mediocre port at full price can feel just a little shameful.
From cutting down on gacha to looking for hidden gems, here are Eithan Rosemberg’s top five gaming resolutions for this year.
Music can really help set the mood, including in gaming! Check out our list of six of the best romance songs in video games.
In The Punished Podcast Episode 14, we crown our Fantasy Gaming 2024 winner and host our 2025 draft—with a new dynasty format!
In our Eternal Strands review, learn whether this RPG from former BioWare and Ubisoft talent lives up to its spiritual forebears.
Reviews
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In our El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron HD Remaster review, learn whether this gorgeous yet imperfect wonder is worth a look.
In our Bread & Fred review, learn whether this hard-as-nails co-op platformer is worth the blood, sweat, and tears.
In our Cyber Manhunt 2 review, learn whether this often engrossing, occasionally unreasonable game about social engineering is worth a look.
In our The Tower on the Borderland review, learn whether this Resident Evil and Metal Gear inspired horror game lives up to its inspirations.
The Punished Podcast
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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.
In The Punished Podcast Episode 14, we crown our Fantasy Gaming 2024 winner and host our 2025 draft—with a new dynasty format!
For The Punished Podcast Episode 13, we recorded a Final Fantasy VII Rebirth spoilercast. Come for the ending analysis; stay for the music.
Punished Notes
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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.
In this edition of Punished Notes, Sam gets into his thoughts on the reveal of Gears of War: E-Day, his favorite part of Hellblade II, and other thoughts.
In this Punished Notes, Sam dives into Balatro, a replay of Fallout: New Vegas, and more.
Punished Chat
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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!
Avowed has taken the gaming world by storm in recent weeks. What do the writers at The Punished Backlog think of Obsidian’s latest so far?
We’re launching a new brand and logo for The Punished Backlog! Let’s take a look back through the years and reflect on our past logos.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has been out for about a month. How do the writers at The Punished Backlog feel about it so far?
Punished Favorites
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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.
As the 25th anniversary of the PS2 approaches, help us celebrate by checking out our list of the 23 best PlayStation 2 games ever.