What are you playing this weekend?

Despite the lovely weather, some of us plan to stay inside and play games.

Why am I always talking about the weather? It might have something to do with age. That, or I have nothing concrete to talk about other than the nonsensical ravings of my lunatic mind. But you don't want to hear about those, so we'll stick with the weather. It's much safer that way.

This weekend, we're visiting an old friend, celebrating birthdays, playing something secretive, trying something for a second time, and lamenting paying full price for a game that went on sale not so long ago.

Connor Makar, Staff Writer - TOP SECRET

I can't tell you what I'm playing this weekend. Just know, the game is under embargo, and I'll be immersed in it every waking minute. Sorry that I can't provide more information.

Wish me luck.

James Billcliffe, Guides Editor - Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade

My obsession with starting a million 100-hour RPGs simultaneously continues.

I, incredibly stupidly, bought the Final Fantasy 7 Remake for full price at launch, played it for a while, but fell off when other stuff came along. Then, when the free PS5 upgrade was announced, I lost the impetus to pick it up again.

However, for whatever reason, now is the time for my return. It looks great, feels great to play, and there's not much more to say than that. But will I make it to the end this time? Who knows - I'll probably download Red Dead Redemption 2 or something equally huge next week.

Jim Trinca, Video Editor - Jedi: Fallen Order

In preparation for Jedi: Survivor, I'm attempting to replay the first game, Jedi: Fallen Order, from scratch: now in its lovely current-gen incarnation on PS5 and runs beautifully.

Unfortunately, they didn't bother with the other standout feature of this gen, the Dualsense's haptic feedback, which I'm sincerely hoping they rectify for the sequel: imagine "feeling" the weighted sensation of your lightsaber swishing through the air, or a satisfying CLUNK whenever you move a Big Object with your force powers. It could be marvellous. Unfortunately, outside of a few standout titles when the PS5 launched, the Dualsense has rarely been made the most of.

That is sort of this gen's problem in microcosm: the machines aren't used to their full potential and, for the most part, only play host to fancier versions of things that work perfectly well on their predecessors.

Even the super-fast SSD in the PS5, long touted to signal the end of loading screens, rock shimmying, long corridors, and the various other coping strategies that games have developed over the years to work around slow storage, has failed to manifest any real revolution in game design. Things load quicker, certainly, but all the old workarounds are still widely utilised, probably with half an eye on future PC ports, which generally have to run on everything from five-grand gaming rigs right down to your uncle's wheezing old nonsense box that he built in 2013 to play Bioshock Infinite.

What was I saying? Yes, right. Jedi: Fallen Order is good. I'm in a very Star Warsy mood following the Mandalorian Season 3 finale, which stuck the landing to cap off another wonderful season of the best show on streaming TV. Yes, it's still good. No, it didn't fall off, you weirdo. Not everything has to be Andor.

Kelsey Raynor, Guides Writer - Valorant, Fire Emblem Awakening

This weekend, I plan on playing some Valorant in an attempt to rank up before the Act ends. That probably won't go to plan, but I might as well try.

Aside from that, I'll be spending some time celebrating my friend's birthday in the sun and finishing off Fire Emblem Awakening. I should've finished it last week, but I made a few mistakes that I had to go back and undo. Once that's finished, I still plan to check out Fire Emblem Three Houses, but I've also got my eye on Xenoblade Chronicles. I highly doubt I'll have any time for that with Tears of the Kingdom just over the horizon, though.

Stephany Nunneley-Jackson, News Editor - Lord of the Rings Online (again)

Outside of planting hostas and mulching the flower beds this weekend (if it stops raining), I plan to play Lord of the Rings Online. The game is celebrating its 16th Anniversary, and the festivities have commenced. It's hard to believe that I have devoted that many years to something that isn't sentient, but here we are.

My first taste of the game came when I was assigned to play the 2006 beta while working for FileFront. That was ages ago, wasn't it? LOTRO was the first MMO I ever delved into because the idea of playing games with others outside of couch co-op was a bit novel to me, and I wasn't interested in playing with a bunch of internet strangers. Plus, I had heard about the absolute jerks one could encounter while playing WoW or EverQuest.

But, the bug bit me, and I was hooked. When the game was released the following year, 2007, I was again tasked with writing about it as an MMO newb in a weekly column - and I have played the game ever since.

Sure, I have stopped playing it here and there over the years. Once for an entire year, and most recently, two years; however, I always seem to return. I mean, where else can one, as a massive Tolkien nerd, completely immerse themselves in Middle-earth outside the books? LOTRO is perfect for that, and let's not forget that despite its age, it is still a rather gorgeous game with plenty to do, see, and enjoy. Plus, depending on the server you choose (always pick Landroval!), you will find a mature community full of folks willing to help you when in a pinch.

If you ever consider playing the game, it's free to download and play with no risk, so give me a shout, and I'll take you on a short tour. My main is a Hunter, and I can port you almost anywhere.

That's what we're up to over the next few days. What about you? What are you playing this weekend?