What are you playing this weekend?
Thankfully, the workweek has ended, and it's time to throw back a few, relax, and pick up a video game controller. Or mouse. Or smartphone.
Some of us are a bit busy doing other things this weekend, so playing games will not be a huge part of the equation, still, there will be a bit of time to pop in a game or two.
This weekend, we're going to be walking around a near-future Prague, catching creatures in balls and forcing them to fight, reaping a few souls, and giving a game creation game a second try.
Alex Donaldson, Assistant Editor: Sniper Elite VR, Pokemon Unite
My weekend will mostly be taken up with real-life stuff - we currently have some house renovations going on and are living in a brutally glorified building site - but I plan to find some time for a bit of gaming here and there.
First, I've been experimenting a bit with Sniper Elite VR on my Oculus Quest 2, and it's pairing with a few other cool VR experiences to help reignite my interest in virtual reality somewhat. Also, it's hardly news, but going back to the Quest 2 - it really is a very nice piece of equipment. Probably the best VR headset out there on balance of value and functionality, right? Shame about the ties to an evil corporation and all that.
Speaking of evil deeds, I'll also be forcing cute animals to fight each other in Pokemon Unite. And to follow through on the evil thread here, I can't quite believe how devious the monetization is in this game... but the thing is, the game itself is absolutely lovely, and so I'm finding it hard to dislike it too much. I never really thought a Pokemon MOBA would work - and yet here we are, and it's deliciously addictive and surprisingly well balanced in mechanical terms, respectful to both the genre and the broader concepts of Pokemon.
As is often the case, I'm also working on a couple of secret things, playing games that I can't yet talk about. But stay tuned to the site for more on those.
Dorrani Williams, Video Producer – Death's Door, Pokemon Unite
This weekend I'll be playing Death’s Door. I've only played one or two hours of it so far and I can already tell it's going to be a great game.
It's a game that reminds me of why I love gaming. None of the fancy photo-realistic graphics or convoluted gameplay mechanics, it's just a crow with a sword trying to reap some souls and that's all I need right now.
I think Devolver Digital shot themselves in the foot by not releasing Death’s Door on Nintendo Switch as well, but my Switch is being put to use this weekend with the newly released MOBA game Pokemon Unite. I've never been a huge Pokemon fan but I've been playing MOBA's for years so thought I'd give it a go. And it's a lot of fun, to be honest. I don't see myself playing it forever, but it's still a pretty solid game and my Cinderace is a force to be reckoned with so watch out.
James Billcliffe, Guides Editor - Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
You're never supposed to go back to games you enjoyed in the past, but this weekend I'm reinstalling Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
The troubled, but ultimately underrated immersive sim flopped so hard it killed the series - which you have to think is doubly a shame with cyberpunk back in vogue in such a big way.
Slinking around the rain-slick streets of a near-future Prague was a ton of fun back in 2016, and I'm interested to see how the mid-era PS4 graphics translate to the PC version. What's more, apparently there's a load of DLC that I never knew existed, and which I also apparently picked up for pennies when I grabbed the game in a (not so) recent sale.
If you need me, I'll be sat in a dark room wearing a trench coat and mirror shades to really complete the experience.
Stephany Nunneley, News Editor - Pokemon Go (again)
Like last weekend, I plan on mainly playing Pokemon Go. Pokemon Go Fest is over, but thanks to players completing global challenges, the first round of Ultra Unlock bonuses is live. From now until August 3, Dialga will be appearing in five-star raids, and Pokemon from various eras will be appearing more often. Then you have a new batch of Pokemon appearing in both three and one-star raids, which I am thankful for because you can only fight so many Espurr and Wobbuffet before you get a bit tired of it.
The next Ultra Unlock bonus will feature Palkia appearing in five-star raids, and Alakazam, Kangaskhan, and Heracross appearing in three-star raids. I really want an Alakazam for the sole purpose of adding it to my Pokedex, because I don't have enough candy at the moment to evolve it from Kadabra. During this time, Red-Striped and Blue-Striped Basculin will also be appearing and I don't have either of those.
A third Ultra Unlock bonus is also coming, but Niantic is being quiet about that one for the time being. Oh, and then there's the August Community Day coming up starring Eevee, and I am pretty excited about it.
Tom Orry, Editor-in-Chief - Dreams, PS5
I bought Dreams in Early Access what seems like years and years ago, but haven't booted it up in a long time. The lure of the new collaborative MegaPenguin project lured me back in, and I really like what's there so far.
Hopefully, new additions from the community will arrive at a regular pace so the whole thing doesn't lose momentum, and fingers crossed that there will be an element of trying to outdo each other that results in some brilliant slices of game.
I also had a look at the Mercedes x Dreams project, which is an odd little thing. It feels a bit early-Xbox-Arcade-game-from-the-360-era, but I played it through the completion and don't regret giving it a whirl.
So, that is what we're up to this weekend. What are your plans? Trying anything new, still trying to finish your current game, or are you planning to revisit an old favorite?