No matter what job you work, the weekend is always the best part. Getting to finally take a break and dive head-first into the things you want to do? Pure bliss, absolutely great stuff. For us, that means playing more video games in between our responsibilities. And for this episode of Waypoint Weekend, we’re diving into sports games, indie darlings, and everything in between. Sit back, relax, and see what’s on the docket for another exciting episode of Waypoint Weekend.
We’re Heading To The Ball Park for Waypoint Weekend
Anthony Franklin II – contributor
This weekend is the most excited I’ve been in a while as I get a game I’ve been dying to play. So, that’s most of what I’ll be playing with some MLB: The Show 25 in between to clear my mind. I’m also playing it because I’m not sure how much longer I can endure this season of Brewers baseball. I’m also going to work on finishing my playthrough of Lil Guardsman and a couple of other indies to get that plate clear. Busy weekend on deck.
Ana Valens – Contributor
I’m not really sure what’s going on with Skin Deep, just that it seems to be an incredibly immersive and intricately designed FPS game. Blendo Games of Quadrilateral Cowboy fame is behind it, and I think that’s all I need to know. “Stalk through a vast non-linear starship,” Skin Deep‘s Steam page teases, “and sneak, subvert, and sabotage to survive in this stellar sandbox. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and have no shoes.” Reviews remain quite positive for the game on Steam, and I’m curious to see if Skin Deep is just as enticing as the hype around it on social media suggests. Only one way to find out: Boot up the game this weekend and get lost inside a world where there’s literally a sneezing mechanic. Incredible.
Brent Koepp – Contributor
This Waypoint Weekend, I’m playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m going to be honest with y’all—I don’t see myself playing anything else for at least another couple of weeks. This game has its hooks in me badly. The last time I felt this way about a game was maybe Persona 5 back in 2016. And for that one, I pretty much locked myself in my room for a month and went into hibernation. What can I say about it that hasn’t already been said?
Clair Obscur is absolutely gorgeous, with a unique world I want to get lost in. Its turn-based combat system puts other RPGs to shame. I seriously can’t explain how awesome the dodge, parry, and counter system is—it adds a thrilling layer to battles that keeps me on my toes. And it works so well because Sandfall Interactive did an incredible job creating varied enemy types, each with its own animations that you have to learn.
“Omelette Du Fromage” Or Something like That
I could also go on for days gushing about Clair Obscur’s open-world map design. Seriously, I’ve missed this kind of mechanic in JRPGs for years. And it’s not just a hub to get to the next level—Sandfall Interactive has gone above and beyond to make the overworld packed with secret areas that unlock as you progress through the game. However, it’s the story of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 that has me truly obsessed. Without getting into spoilers, I haven’t felt this much dread, emotion, and excitement since Attack on Titan. Which is funny, because I see a lot of similarities between the popular anime and Clair Obscur. So yeah, I can’t recommend this game enough. If you have any interest in it, it’s available right now on Xbox Game Pass and only costs $49. Which is absolutely insane, because it feels more AAA than most AAA games.
SHaun Cichacki – COntributor
This Waypoint Weekend, I’m about to dive back into Palia. I’ve got some catching up to do before the next expansion and biome are available to play in, and I want to make sure I’m as close to this point as possible before the 13th. I think once the game lands properly on PlayStation 5 and Xbox, it’s going to become a far more played experience in this household. Plus, I’m excited to see how it’s going to look in proper 4K, more than anything. It’s already an incredibly pretty game, but that extra visual polish isn’t going to hurt anyone.
I also redownloaded Fallout: New Vegas, alongside the Wild Card Mod List. I’ve been itching to play this one again, but trying to get it running properly on modern PCs is a nightmare. It keeps the spirit of the original game alive and well, all while sanding away some of those rough edges. I can guarantee the game is still going to be a buggy mess. But that’s the charm of these older Bethesda titles. Right? Either way, I’m excited to get back into the Wasteland, and I may need to give Fallout 76 a run for its money one of these days to see how that’s holding up as of late.
Thus Ends Another Episode of Waypoint Weekend
I can’t believe we have another Skin Deep sicko on the team, but I’m all for it. We’ve all got quite the packed weekend ahead of us, but getting to just vibe out and enjoy the games we love? That’s what it’s all about. Thanks for tuning in once again, and keep on keeping on.
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