Oi, you! Yes, you, the sun. There’s no hiding. I saw you creeping up over the hill at 6am and staying there for nearly a whole 12 hours yesterday. Stop looking sheepish, you’re not in trouble. Why, in fact, I think I might spend this weekend outside and enjoy your almost springly warmth.

I might play some games, too, but only if it’s near an open window where I can feel the breeze on my face.

How about everyone else?

James
Having been charmed by Resident Evil Requiem’s spin-kicky action segments, I’m revisiting the Resident Evil 4 remake. I was mad to move on from this so quickly in 2023 – even with the shooting focus, it’s deviously good at applying tension while granting you just enough space and resources to keep pushing through regardless. There you go, Resi 4 is good. There’s your incisive and groundbreaking games criticism for the day.

Jeremy
I am forsaking games this weekend, as I’ve got a few days off next week to recover from the gut punch of covering Nioh 3 and Resident Evil Requiem in rapid succession. Instead I’ll be enjoying dim sum and I don’t know, reading a book or something. Maybe finishing painting my office and rearranging all of the shelves my wife kindly helped me assemble over the last few weeks! Fun, healthy times ahead.

Edwin
I’ll be dipping my face gingerly into Slay The Spire 2. Never played the first, but I’ve been haunted by its legacy in the shape of a million emails about roguelike deckbuilders. I’ve also scooped up some builds for embargoed things you might be reading about next week.

Mark
I’ve been dipping back into Forza Horizon 5 a bit lately in preparation for Horizon 6’s arrival later this year, so maybe more of that. Also, I may end up giving one or both of this week’s big releases – runny shooter Marathon and spire slayener Slay the Spire 2 – a go.

Callum
I’ve reached the for real, we promise, one hundred percent FINAL Mewgenics thing that I’ll likely wrap up. But while browsing the horror section the other day, I realised SCP Containment Breach silently got a Steam release last month, and it activated some long-dormant childhood memories. Specifically, the one where the monster that looks like a malformed peanut followed me around, only moving if I blinked, and how avoiding him while playing at a sleepover made me scream so loud my mate’s dad told me I couldn’t stay over anymore. I think I’ll revisit it as a grown man with years of spooky monster experiences under my belt, and probably scream so loud my flatmate will tell me I can’t live here anymore.

Julian
I’ve only had the chance to play a couple of hours of Marathon since it came out and I am keen to dive into its world. (I also note that Ghost In The Shell is coming back to the Prince Charles Cinema – if I play enough Marathon, surely I can go during work hours and call it research?) I’ve found that Slay The Spire 2 works well on the Steam Deck and I can just about read its smallest text, so I’ll also be playing too much of that before going to bed each night. And when I wake up. And while I’m waiting for the coffee to brew in the kitchen.

Ollie
Marathon’s out now, and I’m busily tearing through the opening contracts to try and discover the new stuff. I do feel slightly guilty at some of the gleeful violence I’ve committed against other players already in order to get ahead. Slightly.

Edit: I’m sneaking back into work at midnight on Saturday morning to add that I just got 15 kills in 2 games. Go ahead, say it. I’m the scourge of Tau Ceti IV. Durandal ain’t got nothing on me. -Ollie

And you, reader dear, what are you playing this weekend…?