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Punished Series
Weekend at Dave’s – Episode 1: David talks Spider-Man, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Octopath Traveler, and a little open-world game called Red Dead Redemption 2.
Latest Articles
Top Articles
Punished Series
Weekend at Dave’s – Episode 1: David talks Spider-Man, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Octopath Traveler, and a little open-world game called Red Dead Redemption 2.
A fiery comment on one of our reviews prompts a deep-dive into Mario Kart, DEI, anti-woke grifters, and the state of the world.
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!
Reviews
View AllIn our Ender Magnolia early access review, learn whether Adglobe and Binary Haze’s follow-up to Ender Lilies is currently worth buying.
In our Saviorless review, learn whether the debut title from Empty Head Games and “first Cuban indie game” lives up to its weighty honorific.
Kudzu’s reliance on charm and nostalgia fails to conceal its greater failings. Learn more in our Kudzu review.
The FIFINE AmpliGame H6 headset is cute, but the price point is even cuter. Read more about the product in our AmpliGame H6 review.
Top Articles
The Punished Podcast
View AllVideo game adaptations are everywhere — shows, movies, books, board games, music, and more. But what makes them work? Let’s discuss.
The Punished Podcast: Episode 20 – Summer Gaming News & Fantasy Waiver Wire
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
View AllIn 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
View AllHollow 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
View AllIn 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.