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These best horror games of 2023 wore their inspiration on their sleeves, challenged genre expectations, and haunted players differently.
When games make me cry, it feels like proof to the haters that this is a serious storytelling medium. Here are 9 times I teared up in 2023.
In The Punished Podcast Episode 4, we discuss our favorite games of 2023 and tally the final results for our Fantasy Gaming league.
In our A Highland Song review, learn how this imperfect platformer from Inkle Studios nails the feeling of being on a dreamy adventure.
Video games are fantastical adventures, yet they don’t see a reality beyond frustrating men who refuse to evolve unless women sacrifice to help them.
Cozy games have become more popular than ever. Allison is an avid player of the genre; here are her favorite new cozy games from 2023.
Reviews
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After a long wait, and many Persona 4 spinoffs, how does Persona 5 play? Does the 100+ hour JRPG deserve a spot in your backlog? Click to read our thoughts.
In our What Remains of Edith Finch review, learn whether this long-awaited adventure game from Giant Sparrow leaves a lasting impression.
Review: The Legend of Zelda is a series that always seems to reinvent itself with each new entry. In Majora’s Mask, time-management was central to…
After five long years of development, thatgamecompany’s Journey is finally out for all Playstation owners to experience. Does it live up to the hype?
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.