The Video Games You Should Play This Weekend – November 14
November is sprinting along at a pace that does not make sense in terms of way time moves along. I have looked into who I should email to try and slow things down, but I have had no luck. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the sprint of major releases at the end of the year, but now the backlog is a mile high, and we need to start making some end of the year best of decisions.
Speaking of which, head here to vote for your favorite games of the year! I recognize it’s a little early to choose, but such is the burden of working in print. We don’t mind, though. We like magazines.
Anyway, it’s Friday and it’s time for the weekend and our usual recommendation of games and things you should check out! But before that, here’s a recap of the biggest stories of the week:
- Valve Announces Console-Like Steam Machine, Steam Frame VR Headset, And New Steam Controller
- Everything We Learned In Nintendo’s Direct For The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
- Metroid Prime 4 Hands-On: The Mouse Controls Are Mind-Bendingly Good
- Red Dead Redemption Is Coming To PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and Mobile Next Month With Free Upgrade Paths
- Horizon Steel Frontiers Is An MMORPG Set In Guerrilla’s Horizon Universe, And It’s Coming To PC And Mobile
- Best Video Game Soundtrack Grammy Nominations Don’t Include Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The Games You Should Check Out This Weekend
Vampire Survivors VR
In an announcement that was arguably more surprising that Valve sharing details about its upcoming console, VR headset, and new controller, Vampire Survivors is now inexplicably available for Meta Quest. I’m not the biggest VR proponent, but I am a big fan of seeing how familiar games get ported to the platform. I love Resident Evil 4 VR for Meta Quest and am sad that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas appears to be dead. Hopefully I am wrong.
In any case, I quickly downloaded it and played a few rounds and was charmed by it. Expectdly, it offers a new perspective on a game I have dumped a lot of hours into. Seeing the game (which is functionally identical to playing it on a 2D screen) layed out before with some limited stereoscopic layering to the pixel characters and monsters is neat. It is not the new way that I will play Vampire Survivors moving forward, but I am glad it exists and I want to see more unexpected games like this get ported to VR. My dream for a VR port? Metal Gear Solid with its 32-bit visuals intact.
You can see a little bit of gameplay from the VR version here.
Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment
I wrote about it last week, as well, but now I have finished it so I am prepared to recommend while linking my review. If you don’t like the musou genre (games structured like Dynasty Warriors), then Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment likely won’t convince you. But, I can confidently say it is my favorite musou game thanks to some little tweaks that make combat more engaging. I am also a sucker for being back in the world of Tears of the Kingdom. My biggest fear about the game (and my biggest critique of Age of Calamity) was that the story would not take the events of Tears of the Kingdom seriously. Thankfully, it does here.
Marvel Rivals
NetEase’s popular superhero team game continues to impress with the pace and breadth of its updates. Today brings the launch of the game’s fifth season, along with new playable hero Gambit. Gambit sweetheart, Rogue, is expected to arrive mid-season. The new content is also a celebration of the game’s first anniversary, and includes anniversary-themed rewards for players to acquire with play. Alongside new team-up abilities, a new non-combat social space in Times Square, and plenty of new balance changes on the way, it’s a good time to hop in and engage in some good old-fashioned superhero battles.
Winter Burrow
You’re a mouse, and you’re returning home in the depths of winter to your old cozy burrow, there to knit sweaters, cook foraged mushrooms, and explore the forest. While Winter Burrow is ostensibly a survival game, it’s an awfully adorable one, where the pace and tone are both decidedly light and friendly. Your mouse protagonist makes cute squeak noises as they dig in the snow. The gameplay loop mostly involves prioritizing a return to a warm fireplace at the end of every day of gathering. Noodlecake’s new game doesn’t break a lot of ground in terms of complex gameplay, but it’s a clear winner if you’re looking for your next zone-out and relax title to cozy up next to over the forthcoming cold months.
