Another week, another edition of our weekend guide, where we help you figure out what to play during your time off–be that this weekend, or any other free time you may have to spare.
Like last week, we’ve got a couple of horror recommendations to go well with this spooky time of year. But in case digital frights aren’t a delight for you, we’ve got some other flavors of game to suggest as well.
Let’s get into it.
Play it on: Switch, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Unknown”)
Current goal: Get my space feelings out of my system
We’re less than a week away from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, so very soon I’ll be spending all my free time in Lumiose City . Before that happens, I was hoping to start something that wouldn’t be a massive commitment, and then I stumbled upon Battle Suit Aces, the latest game from Battle Chef Brigade developer Trinket Studios. While it maintains the previous game’s gorgeous, anime-inspired hand-drawn art, it’s a completely different kind of game than the beat-em-up match-3 hybrid. It’s a space-faring adventure that’s also a card game with social elements. I’m still early, but I love me a story about a ragtag group of weirdos traveling through space, uncovering a mystery, and becoming closer in the process. It’s not quite a Guardians of the Galaxy romp, nor does it reach Mass Effect levels of space opera, but it’s somewhere in the middle, and I’m curious to see where it lands by the end. Don’t be intimidated if you’re not a card battle fan; its battles aren’t so elaborate that they become overwhelming, and most of the time it feels more like a turn-based strategy RPG with a card game aesthetic. I’m enjoying it a lot, and you should give it a shot. — Kenneth Shepard
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: Unsupported)
Current goal: Maybe finally finish The Final Draft?
Alan Wake 2 remains one of my favorite games of the last few years. Few games, horror or not, since its release in 2023 have hit me like this lush, dark trip into the fractured mind of an author who can shape reality with his ideas. Stalking through the dark woods of the Pacific Northwest and a twisted dreamscape of New York City, beating back the darkness with a flashlight and a gun, makes for an intense and immersive experience. The game’s play of light and shadow, the hybrid presentation that mixes gameplay with live-action sequences, and the liminal uncertainty that permeates the mood of this fantastic game are to die for.
It’s all the more odd that, despite my undying love of nearly everything this game has to offer (yes, including those gorgeous, shock-to-the-system jump scares), I haven’t finished its New Game Plus mode, The Final Draft. I started a run a while back after ramping the difficulty up to hard (which I found a little easy, to be honest), but life got in the way, as it all too often does.
This isn’t the first time I’ve had this happen, with a Remedy game too, no less. I fell in love with Control when it shipped all the way back in 2019. And despite how much I loved it, I rarely revisited it for the newer content.
Maybe these games hit me so powerfully the first time through that I unconsciously want them to just be singular experiences? Or, at least in the case of Alan Wake 2 certainly, maybe the personal feelings this game brings up aren’t so easy to just dive back into. Regardless of why it takes me so long to revisit these beloved games, it’s spooky season, so I have to play Alan Wake 2 at least once before the month closes out. – Claire Jackson
Play it on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Playable”)
Current goal: Sink my teeth into a new character
I’ll be honest, VtM: Coteries of New York could’ve had more going for it. I know, that’s not much of a recommendation right off the bat. But that’s perhaps only because I think Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest was a better fusion of visual novel and RPG mechanics. Still, Coteries of New York is a solid way to immerse yourself in the World of Darkness setting, especially if you’ve always been curious about the world of Vampire but have been intimidated by the homework involved in learning its lore.
Like any good Vampire story, Coteries of New York is all about who you can trust among a group of people who otherwise give you all the signs that they are anything but trustworthy. I would’ve welcomed some more flexibility in the story, as it’s rather rigid for a visual novel in which it seems like you should have a greater diversity of outcomes. But the intensity of a night spent in a World of Darkness still comes through, especially if you play it at night in low lighting yourself. – Claire Jackson
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Unsupported”)
Current goal: Convince my friends to play
I’m finally burnt out on Elden Ring Nightreign. I can’t even bring myself to boot up Destiny 2 these days. I’m in desperate need of a new game to play with the boys and I’m hoping Battlefield 6 might be it. I’ve played a few matches and started grinding, and it feels good to be back in the loop of spawn, find a vehicle, and try not to die horribly before getting to the objective.
“At its core, the focus on objective-based modes and the enjoyment that comes from taking any part in such large-scale matches means that even the lousiest player can get something out of the multiplayer,” Reid McCarter wrote in his review for Kotaku.
I’m not sure if any multiplayer military shooter in the year 2025 has the juice to keep itself nestled in my friends’ rotation long enough to convince everyone it’s worth the plunge, but so far Battlefield 6 feels like the closest thing to what that felt like over a decade ago. – Ethan Gach
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Playable”)
Current goal: Get the true ending
I love beat ‘em ups. I’m a bit more skeptical when it comes to roguelike grinds. I enjoy learning and improving alongside a steady and persistent stream of upgrades and power-ups. Absolum feels fresh on both ends. The fantasy setting, while not that deep, is a nice departure from the usual urban punch-fests. On the power-up side, it definitely helps propel you forward the more you grind. For anyone who wants to beat runs on skill alone, well, that might be a drag. But so far I’ve found it to be a satisfying mix of repetitive action, fun unlocks, and the knowledge that I’m slowly conquering the game across runs. Plus it’s very slick looking. It’s a nice side-scrolling, slow-burn alternative to Hades 2 at the moment that I don’t plan on putting down anytime soon. – Ethan Gach
And that wraps our picks for the year! Happy gaming!
