The weekend rolls around after yet another jam-packed week in the world of games!
There was a lot of big news this week - everything from Animal Crossing getting a free PC port, to Nintendo gamers facing a free Switch 2 feature getting a deadline before it’s locked behind a paywall for good.
So, after such a busy week, what are the GAMINGbible team going to be playing this weekend?
Pokémon Pokopia
Kate’s Playing… Pokemon Pokopia
I’ll confess, I tend to spend my weekends far away from the digital world which means I don’t actually game all that much when the working week draws to a close. After all, I’m only human and even too much a good thing can be just that, too much. The internet often jests about “gamers” needing to “touch grass”, but that’s essentially what I do. I spend my weekends out in nature, socialising with friends, and simply just unwinding.
That being said, there is one title I still can’t leave alone. Pokémon Pokopia has become a constant companion for me, and I’m sure I don’t need to explain why it’s such an incredible game. I’d estimate I’m close to 50 hours in now and all of my various lands remain in total disarray. You see, I opted to level up the environments in a rather messy manner to progress through the main story. Now, I can simply load it up in bite-sized chunks and chip away at a more thorough attempt of renovating. Even just spending 20 minutes collecting the last few bricks I need for a build or using the 3D printer to copy an item is 20 minutes well spent. It’s become quite a meditative experience that I doubt I’ll let go of anytime soon.
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Olly’s Playing… Thief: The Dark Project
I’ve got a fresh playthrough of Thief: The Dark Project lined up after covering The Dark Mod earlier this week. For the younger folk who might not be aware of it, it’s a PC stealth game from 1998 where you have to sneak into big buildings and evade guard patrols while stealing riches.
The Thief series has a really layered stealth system where you need to use darkness to cover your tracks and walk carefully across surfaces which generate loud footsteps. The level design is also peak, with several routes through each level giving you new options in how to approach each objective. I’d kill for Nightdive to do a remaster of this series.
Sam’s Playing… Thomas and Friends: Wonders Of Sodor
I’m feeling nostalgic this week so what better way to spend my weekend than revisit a series I grew up on, Thomas and Friends. I've played quite a bit so far and despite being my first train-sim game I’m having a surprisingly good time with it, and recounting fond memories from childhood at the same time. While it’s not as riveting as other big-name March releases like Crimson Desert I think we can all benefit from a more relaxed gameplay experience from time to time. Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor is just that, and I’m very glad to have given it a go despite probably not being the target audience anymore…
Rich’s Playing… Probably WWE 2K26
Two games are guaranteed: WWE 2K26 and EA Sports FC 26. Those are my go-to games every day. After that, it could quite literally be anything. I’m very compulsive by nature, and that extends to what video games I decide to play.
It could be Resident Evil Requiem, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, finally getting around to that Lost Judgment DLC or even start the Fatal Frame: Crimson Butterfly remake. I may even play Reanimal.
Honestly, I could indecisively play two or three games within a few hours. It’s practically impossible to say, because I never decide until that split second. Either way, I’ll have fun.
Sara’s Playing… Life is Strange: Reunion
Much like Kate, I spend so much of my week headfirst in the wonderful world of gaming, so I like to spend my weekends doing something a bit different.
This weekend is a big one, though - it’s the release of Life is Strange: Reunion. I loved the original Life is Strange series when I was growing up as a dorky photography major with blunt bangs. Yes, Max is literally me irl. Yes, my blue hair is somewhat inspired by Chloe.
It’s fair to say I wasn’t the biggest fan of Life is Strange: Double Exposure. I didn’t gel with Caledon the same way I did Arcadia Bay, and none of the new characters stood out to me. I missed Chloe. With this game, the last chapter in Max and Chloe's story, I’m cautiously optimistic.