Latest Articles
Latest Articles
Examining the Best and Worst of Romance in Games Happy February! Valentines’ Day recently came and went, and Anna and I decided to celebrate in the traditional fashion—arguing! We have pretty different opinions on romance mechanics in games—here are our…
In our OlliOlli: Switch Stance review, learn whether Roll7’s two classic skateboarding games hold up in the move to the Nintendo Switch.
From Sports to Esports and Vice-Versa It’s not unheard of for actual sports stars to get into the esports scene, as demonstrated by former NBA player Rick Fox who owns the esports organization Echo Fox. They’ve signed on several big…
Super Smash Bros. Melee and Ultimate Can, and Should, Sustain Each Other Going Forward Genesis 6, the latest in the long-running Super Smash Bros. super-major series, came to a close at 3 a.m. Eastern on Monday morning, five hours after…
Hi. You probably don’t know me. Without getting too into it, I’m a friend of the Punished Backlog team. The other day, as we were discussing our beloved Patriots heading to another Super Bowl, halftime got brought up. Rumors are that Maroon 5 may be putting on a tribute to SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg, which lead to a controversial opinion within our ranks on the matter. One thing led to another, and I started telling everyone which halftime show was best, but it got too complicated and turned into a full-length article and now we’re here. Fun times.
Looking Back on an Impressive Year for Games 2018 has come and gone, and boy, what a year it was, for better but also most certainly for worse. Like the years before it, what you made of 2018 depends largely…
Happy Complete Solar Orbit! I don’t know about you, but for me this particular trip around the sun felt uniquely… eventful. Read: 2018 can actually choke on my dick. Man, oh man, was this the roughest one in my books, folks.…
You Asked For This Go big or go home. Here’s the play: two lists in one. First, let’s rank every game I bought with a 2018 release. Then, let’s rank the games I actually played in 2018 (let’s say 20+…
The Punished Podcast
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In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we reflect (and debate) the games that should be prioritized in our backlog in 2026.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss the role of review scores in the gaming industry, especially for us as critics.
In this episode of The Punished Podcast, we discuss and listen to the best video game soundtracks, composers, and sound design.
Presenting the most anticipated video games of 2026, but in a stylish package: our annual Fantasy Gaming league. New year, new season.
What are the games that still hold a special place in our heart, even if we think they’re bad games? Why do they have a hold on us?
Video game adaptations are everywhere — shows, movies, books, board games, music, and more. But what makes them work? Let’s discuss.
Punished Notes
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In a Punished Notes dedicated entirely to Resident Evil Requiem, Sam wonders if the post-zombification of the game’s world bears a resemblance to our own post-pandemic one.
In his latest Punished Notes, Sam gets into some New Year’s Gaming Resolutions, as well as a few predictions (and hopes) for some big gaming anniversaries coming up. Also: Wuthering Heights?
In the latest Punished Notes, Sam covers Doritos and Mountain Dew games, Kirby Air Riders, and… the blues?
In 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!
Punished Chat
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As part of our Game of the Year coverage, here are some DIFFERENT awards for the year’s best games!
Hollow 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.
Punished Favorites
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To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Game Boy Advance, here are The Punished Backlog’s favorite GBA games of all time!
The Punished Backlog writers have already covered their favorite Pokémon games. But what about our actual favorite pocket monsters?
In our list of the best Pokémon Games, find out how the generations stack up in honor of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.
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.