The Video Games And More You Should Play This Weekend – October 23, 2026

I spent the early hours playing Final Fantasy Resonance trying to figure out precisely why I couldn't put it down. I eventually realized that the game manages in a very purposeful way to answer that quiet need I've so frequently had: "I wish I could experience a game just like Final Fantasy IV or VI again, for the first time, but with a new cast and story." That's pretty much what you can expect here; Resonance is a very purposeful throwback experience that harkens to the early days of FF pixel adventures, but with several modern conveniences, graphical flourishes, and depth added into the mix. It's a big and refreshingly wholesome journey of entertaining party members, summoning giant creatures, flying an airship across the world, and fighting turn-based battles that include absurd spell effects. It's one of my favorite games of the year, and well worth the time it will take to explore. Read our full review for more.

Expect to hear a lot of people proclaiming this as "one of the good ones," as Modern Warfare came out swinging this week with a strong campaign, compelling additions to competitive multiplayer, and an impressive extraction shooter mode in the form of DMZ. I've already been impressed by the first few hours of the campaign, which offers a tense, harrowing, and often disturbingly brutal story that bounces between a number of character perspectives. The gunplay feels tuned in, the traversal and melee is satisfying, and the narrative beats grounded in excellent actin performances. Our reviewer has spent even more time with the full game, and can share their full perspective to help inform whether you want to take a dive into this year's installment.

The Nintendo Sports franchise, which began with Wii Sports in 2006, has never been about the single-player experience. That remains true 20 years later in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. But this time around, Nintendo has boosted the amount of content beyond what the series has typically provided, appealing to all player counts, all while retaining its trademark approachability. Whether you're joining together with three friends for some friendly competition across the package's 12 sports or you're trying to climb the Island Crown ladder by beating increasingly difficult single-player opponents, Switch Sports Resort is a great motion-controlled collection.

Halloween is around the corner. As you’re buying overpriced candy, deciding which version of the Joker to dress up as, and debating between watching Obsession and Backrooms over a cup of cider, it’s the perfect time to replay old horror games or dive into new ones. 2026 has a solid roster of choices for the latter thanks to releases like Resident Evil Requiem, Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, and Silent Hill: Townfall, but Tenebris Somnia shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re looking for a cool indie throwback.

Part retro-inspired adventure game, part live-action indie horror film, you’ll uncover the mystery of a nightmare-induced apartment building and battle horrors to rescue your trapped ex. The gameplay is survival horror 101, but it’s executed well, with consistently clever and inventive puzzle-solving as a highlight. It may not be a graphical powerhouse, but Tenebris Somnia still maintains a creepy atmosphere thanks to solid scares partly delivered by effective and well-made live-action cinematics. If you’re going to binge horror films, you may as well play one too. You can read my full review here.

Full disclosure: I have not played One Piece: Grand Gourmet. I was trying to finish up Castlevania: Belmont's Curse when a review game landed in my lap that I've had to give my full attention. That said, I have watched a lot of the One Piece anime, have a cat named Nami, and dog named Luffy. 

Pictured: Luffy having a bad day because he ate one of Nami's toys when he wasn't supposed to.

I don't know if One Piece: Grand Gourmet is any good, but I like the premise and pixel graphics. One Piece is a very malleable franchise (which is why its live action adaptation is pretty good), so the idea of managing a restaurant as Sanji feels like it could be a very good fit. I plan on climbing aboard with all my hopes and dreams soon. And it is out now, which is good to know.

Similar to the entry above, I have not yet played Stupid Never Dies yet (there are too many video games!), but we like to use this weekly article to call out the new video games of the week. I am eager to check out Stupid Never Dies primarily because of its pop-punk soundtrack and 2000s aesthetic. I think it has the potential to be a fun, nostalgic throwback to my youth when I was learning Blink-182's "Dammit" on guitar and playing Devil May Cry.

The Blood of Dawnwalker has been out for just over seven weeks now, but I wouldn't blame you if you haven't finished it – or even started it – yet. A lot has come out! But if you need a reason to jump back in, this week's 1.1 update is a great excuse – the devs have added hundreds of bug fixes and other minor improvements, so it should run better than it ever did before. There's also an even easier difficulty mode if you want to cruise through without worrying about combat, and a new in-game potion that lets you respec all your skill points. I stalled out about halfway through (when I started playing Wolverine), but I'm planning to jump back in this weekend.

Oh, and you can pet dogs and cats now. Maybe I should have led with that.

Multiplayer physics mountain-climbing game Peak became one of the most viral co-op experiences of 2025 (I refuse to use the term friendslop), but only PC players have enjoyed its wacky shenanigans. That changed this week as Peak is now available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2. Either alone or, preferably, alongside up to three friends, you’ll try to ascend procedurally generated, absurdly unrealistic mountains riddled with dangers. Working together is key, a tricky prospect thanks to the in-game proximity chat that necessitates sticking together, but griefing each other, intentionally or otherwise, is just as entertaining – maddeningly frustrating at times, but entertaining. Peak on consoles includes all post-launch content and, best of all, supports crossplay for all platforms.

The original Azul remains one of my all-time favorite games even after many years, but it just misses the bar with its strategic complexity to be one I'd pull out to play with the kids. That why I was especially delighted to find that Azul Kids is one of those rare "adapted for children" projects that turned out extremely well.

Players take on the roll of creative young artists building mosaic displays with various colored tiles. The concept remains simple enough to work for even very young players of age five or six, but the whole family should have fun with the approachable strategy implications of choosing tiles and completing your masterpiece.