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Greatest Hits
Punished Series
Latest Articles
Greatest Hits
This wonderful Friday, we celebrate the somber, melancholic, and utterly engrossing music of Hollow Knight. Composer: Christopher Larkin.
We delve into the ending of Horizon Forbidden West, and explain how it prioritizes a hurried sequel setup over saving the world.
I share my thoughts on the cancellation of E3 2022, the upcoming PAX East 2022, and the overall state of video game tradeshows.
Hiromitsu Maeba’s composition includes 25 seconds of a sweeping, wistful violin: a dream yet unfulfilled. It’s not just a song, but a story.
For this Friday Fortissimo, in honor of the release of The Radical Dreamers Edition, we celebrate the music of Chrono Cross.
In honor of the release of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, we look back 17 years to when the original LEGO Star Wars first released.
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Weekend at Dave's
View AllIn 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.
To 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.
Punished Notes
View AllIt’s a special edition of Punished Notes, as we celebrate Volume 30! To honor the occasion, here are 30 notes for your reading pleasure.
Every time I turn on TOTK, a million thoughts pop into my head that I could potentially write about. Honestly, I’d rather just keep playing.
In 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.
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 AllAll great games start somewhere. In the wake of Starfield’s “start gate” controversy, here are eight of the best video game start screens.
Looking 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…