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Punished Series
In The Punished Podcast Episode 10, we discuss our most anticipated games of fall 2024! We also do our Fantasy Gaming waiver wire pick-ups.
What makes DLC worth it? How does the expectation of DLC change our experience? We discuss all things DLC, including the best DLC out there.
Latest Articles
In The Punished Podcast Episode 10, we discuss our most anticipated games of fall 2024! We also do our Fantasy Gaming waiver wire pick-ups.
What makes DLC worth it? How does the expectation of DLC change our experience? We discuss all things DLC, including the best DLC out there.
In The Alters, players can find a new movie in Act 3 — Secret Message from Earth — that is heartwarming and funny.
On the fence about Nintendo’s latest console? Six of our writers sat down to share our initial Nintendo Switch 2 impressions.
The summer may be hot, but the games are even hotter. Here’s the latest news and shake-ups in our Fantasy Gaming league.
In this podcast episode, we discuss why we replay video games, what changes between playthroughs, old games versus new ones, and much more.
At the core of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a story about family. How family can manipulate us, destroy us, and heal us all at once.
In our Date Everything! review, find out if you really can date (or friend-zone) everything and whether it works as a game.
Reviews
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In our Cookie Cutter review, learn whether this punk-rock-inspired Metroidvania does enough to stand out in a competitive genre.
In our Bionic Bay review, learn whether this Limbo- and Portal-inspired puzzle-platformer offers an inventive experience of its own.
A tale of empathy told through the lens of Southern folklore, South of Midnight is one of this year’s best video game stories, with incredible art direction and music to boot.
In our BLEACH Rebirth of Souls review, learn why your enjoyment with this anime fighter depends on your love for style vs. substance.
The Punished Podcast
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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.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we discussed romance in games. Learn our favorite romance mechanics, characters, subplots, and more.
Punished Notes
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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.
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.
Punished Chat
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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!
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?
Punished Favorites
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In 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.