What are you playing this weekend?
Time to enjoy a long weekend.
It’s a holiday weekend here in the states, and there’s no better way to celebrate having an extra day off than by playing games.
Between the cookouts, attending a Quinceañera, looking into wedding venues, and giving two stinky dogs a bath, we plan on getting into some virtual fun over the next three days. Some of us will be building a civilization, playing surgeon, trying to annihilate an ominous enemy, and refusing to bow down to The Syndicate.
Alex Donaldson, Assistant Editor - Mini Motorways, Humankind
I'm thinking it's time for something of a strategy game kick, at least for a week, especially when I have some huge RPGs on the horizon in the near future. As such, I'm going to spend a bit of time on Mini Motorways and Humankind this weekend.
Humankind is scratching that same itch that saw me put hundreds of hours into every entry in the Civilization series. The first time I saw the game pre-release, Sega reps described it to me as a "Civ Killer" - and while I don't quite think it lived up to that goal, it's a bloody good 4X strategy game that shows great promise as a franchise.
Then there's Mini Motorways. I reviewed this earlier this week, giving it five stars. It's about as close to faultless as a video game can come, I think. It's just lovely and relaxing. And I'll need relaxation this weekend as it's my NFL Fantasy Football draft. I've been prepping for this, so hopefully, I don't completely cock it up.
James Billcliffe, Guides Editor - Saints Row 3: Remastered
After Dorrani’s video giving us a bit of insight into the rebooted Saints Row, I decided to take a tumble with the remastered version of Saints Row 3.
I remember enjoying the more shameless GTA clone of Saints Row 2, and messing about with super powers in Saints Row 4, but had never played 3.
Well it turns out I did actually play 3 and it just got mushed in my memory - some parts I remembered as Saints Row 2 and some as 4 - which isn’t surprising because you can pretty much say it’s an amalgamation of the two.
I think Saints Row 4’s open-world lost its sense of scale because of the traversal and felt barren because of it. Let’s see if 3 has a better balance and if the funnies have aged so badly that I cringe out of my skin.
Stephany Nunneley, News Editor - Control: Ultimate Edition (maybe)
I have a super busy weekend planned, so I may not have time to play anything.
Tonight I have to go over to my mother’s for a cookout, as it’s my step-father’s birthday. And I refuse to miss out on one of his signature steaks, a baked potato, and some corn on the cob. Plus, my mother is making my favorite cake, and I can’t wait to have a piece.
Then, tomorrow, which is Saturday, I have three venues to look at for a wedding/reception. You see, after 19 years of being together, the man of the house finally decided we should get married and popped the question. It’s about damn time, too. So, anyway, we have set a date for October next year, and you have to book these places at least a year in advance, so I am checking a few out tomorrow. Wish my wallet luck, please.
Also on Saturday, our friend Julio’s daughter is turning 15, so we have her Quinceañera to attend (this is when a girl turns 15 and becomes a senorita). I have been told there will be plenty of food and the margaritas will be flowing like water, so I’m sure we’ll have a great time.
Sunday I have to give the dogs a bath and work on my terrible yard, so I will probably be too exhausted, and probably hungover, to play anything Sunday night.
But, despite all I plan on doing over the holiday weekend, I am hoping to have some time to play Control: Ultimate Edition on Labor Day, which is Monday. It is currently on sale for 60% off through Steam, and considering most of my friends recommended it, I figured I’d drop $15.99 on it. But, as I said, I may not have time. Or I may be too tired. We’ll see. At any rate, I bought it so I will play it eventually if I don’t get around to it over the holiday weekend.
Tom Orry, Editor-in-Chief - Surgeon Simulator 2, PC
I always meant to give the original game a whirl but never got round to it, so with the release of the sequel I jumped into the surgeon hot seat and gave my best Donald Anspaugh impression. Lovely dated reference there for those of you old enough to know of TV before the internet.
It didn't go well. At all.
Let's just say that limbs were flying, blood was spilling (?), and patients were dying. In fact, they all died. It was worse than that time Romano's arm met a helicopter blade. Another ER reference for the fans.
It's worth noting that Surgeon Simulator 2 is on Xbox Game Pass for console and PC, so if you're a member you can give it a go without having to pay extra to accidentally pull a man's leg off.
Those are our plans for the weekend. What will you be up to? Plan on getting into something other than games for the work holiday? Or will you be firing up your console/PC and diving into some virtual fun? Let us know! We love hearing from you.