I truly hope the sun has got his hat on this weekend as I’m cycling out to family in the countryside and I’d rather not arrive soaked through by rain. Granted, I will be arriving soaked through with sweat, but I am happy with this outcome. For reasons I can’t quite fathom, self-wetted clothes are bearable, weather-wetted clothes are intolerable.

While I try to get to the bottom of this distinction, let’s see what the team will be playing this weekend.

Ollie
I said last week that I’m thirsting for a factory game again, and I think I might have found it – unexpectedly – in Modulus. I tried the demo way back and it didn’t grab me, but I’d also heard things have changed since then. Can’t really remember the demo well enough to determine what’s different, but this time I can see the appeal, and I can feel its hooks starting to pierce me. Like a happy, salivating cat making biscuits into my flesh, it knows it has me.

Mark
I’m one of the few folks in the treehouse who’s not tried Crimson Desert yet. I’ve seen videos on the net of a train in it. Why’s there a train in Crimson Desert? Beats me, but I might try stopping it. Also, Thomas and Friends: Wonders of Sodor is calling to me.

Edwin
This weekend I’m watching/playing asses.masses – a live interactive theatre production in which an audience of unemployed donkeys try to get their jobs back. Haha I certainly find nothing relatable in this premise. They’re calling it “Animal Farm meets Pokémon meets Final Fantasy”. Picturing seven hours of capturing Tidus in a ball so that I can ship him off to the glue factory.

James
I’m still on [Embargoed Game], which sums up my whole week, really. Skulking around in the dark, tape over my mouth and guns held to my typing fingers. Sometimes, in unguarded moments, I pull out a tattered Polaroid of the ‘Publish Article’ button, just to remember what colour it is.

Jeremy
This weekend, I certainly will not be playing any more Crimson Desert, which drove me nuts and is now fueling the same frustrations for all players across the globe. Is that vindication I feel as I witness the Subreddit implode on itself?! I don’t know, because in order to properly feel vindication (according to the control scheme of this outrageous game) I’d need to first press L1, then aim correctly, press X, hold down R2, and finally press both L2 and R3 at the same time.

Callum
It is with great solace that I admit I’ve been infected with the dreaded Pokopia bug, and this plague has taken everything from me. It was meant to be a bit of harmless fun on a lunch break. Now I’m spending hours of my life arguing with Bulbasaur because he keeps telling me the vibes are off with the VERY COOL elevated seating area I built in his house. It’s not my fault he can’t wrap his stupid little head around aesthetics! I should probably play more Crimson Desert for work. It’s the Spring Sale on Steam, so a lot of games there. But I will probably be hammering together housing for the ungrateful little cartoon rats I’ve “befriended,” fully knowing they’ll immediately reject my efforts in favour of sleeping on the floor.

Julian
I’m not sure I’ll be able to play much this weekend as I’m visiting family, but if I get time alone with the Steam Deck I’m giving 9 Kings another try. My first attempt at the game I bounced off, not because it was too hard, but because I completed a run of the autobattling roguelike on my first attempt. I want to see how it evolves the more you play, as I’ve heard it’s only in later battles it comes alive.