What We're Playing This Weekend: Hyper Festa Edition
The US Army developed an in-house disaster response video game called Disaster Sim (the initial scenario deals with responding to an earthquake in Guatamala). Pope Francis doesn't want you to be a video game-playing couch potato, he wants you to engage in social activism and politics to create a more just world. And somebody is designing a point-and-click adventure game based on Netflix's summer smash, Stranger Things (a cease and desist letter is probably, unfortunately, already in the mail).
What are you playing this weekend?
Russell Archey, Staff Writer, @NeoScyther
For probably the first time since I started working retail, I took a full two weeks off work. That means my gaming backlog is going to love me. First on my list is Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim. I've come close to finishing Ys Origins, making it to the final boss before getting annihilated multiple times, and I'm not fond of the combat system of the first two games in the series, so I decided to skip ahead to the sixth. So far I'm really enjoying it. I've also been working through WWE 2K16's My Career Mode and chronicling my journey over on YouTube. Within five months I've captured the NXT Championship, but decided to stay on NXT to work on improving my character. If I can somehow retire with a Hall of Fame induction just by being NXT Champion, I'd be all for it. A major Hall of Fame requirement is holding any title for a full year, not sure if NXT title counts, though.
Sean Colleli, Staff Writer, @scolleli
While I understand Randy's dilemma, I'm trying to keep from spoiling too much No Man's Sky for myself. With prerelease copies in the wild and the typical clickbait brigade shouting gloom and doom, I'm keeping distracted by replaying Deus Ex: Human Revolution in anticipation for Mankind Divided in a couple weeks. Human Revolution is one of my all-time favorite games, and it looks like Eidos Montreal is outdoing themselves with the sequel.
Chapel Collins, Staff Writer, @ChapelCollins
It's looking like a Bethesda-heavy weekend for me. I finally got around to getting DOOM from the Bethesda sale, and as I was downloading it, I was reminded that I never quite finished Fallout 3's. I may try to finally wrap that up, eight years later.
Jeremy Duff, Senior Staff Writer, @Duff3c
You mean people actually play something other than Pokemon GO? Yes, I am one of those people who is helplessly addicted to the game. I spent quite a bit of time blaming my relationship with the game on the fact that I have a young daughter. But I am afraid that I just can't hide behind that anymore. My daily routine now consists of evening strolls through Columbus's various local parks in an attempt to add just one more Pokemon to my ever-growing roster of creatures. Sure, the game has a lot of technical problems, but I am enjoying every second of both the gaming experience and the local community playing alongside of me. When I am not out exploring the world and looking for imaginary creatures, I am going to be digging into A.W.: Pheonix Festa on the Vita. I love a good action-RPG, and am hoping that this anime-based adventure is strong enough to captivate me. We shall see in my upcoming review.
Charles Husemann, Editor-in-Chief, @chusemann
This weekend I'll be joining nearly 7,700 bicycle riders for the Pelotonia ride to raise money for cancer research. It's a pretty amazing event as the route is lined with cancer survivors and their families who cheer you on as you pass. This year I'll be riding for my Aunt Mary who had a brief but difficult battle with lung cancer last year. She was an amazing and funny woman who was taken from us way too soon. I'm still riding Sarah (https://www.gamingnexus.com/FullNews/Meet-Sarahs-Mech---Two-Wheeled-Edition/Item30664.aspx) the bike with stickers from the MechWarrior Online fundraiser and I'll probably get a few sessions in on Sunday after I recover from the ride.
Randy Kalista, Staff Writer, @randykalista
I clutch my chest and cough up blood. It pools around my feet. I have visions of oily rain falling up into the sky, and inhuman creatures stalking my dying breaths. I am the Hyper Light Drifter. And I am Randy's favorite new game this year. That is, until the No Man's Sky hype train finally hollers, "All aboard!" to the millions of us waiting in the station until next week. Until then, I've seen Randy flipping frantically through sci-fi classics on his library shelf, trying to shoehorn in literary parallels to his future experience with No Man's Sky. He's going to turn this place into a thinkpiece hell.
John Yan, Senior Hardware Editor, @TheJohnYan
So this weekend I have the in-laws coming, which means I won't get much playing time in. But, I'll probably fire up Fallout 4 and try to do a little construction in making an ammo factory. I run out of my .45 a lot shooting my favorite weapon that I've named, Spray 'N Pray. If there's any time left in the weekend, maybe some Out of Ammo and Pool Nation VR will be in order.
