The Backlog Check-in Vol. 423: 2/7/26: Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Edition

[jfissel]

Crisol: Theater of Idols (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – February 10
Mewgenics (PC) – February 10
Relooted (Xbox Series X/S, PC) – February 10
The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest (Switch, PC) - February 10
Romeo is a Dead Man (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – February 11
Starsand Island (Early Access) (Xbox Series X/S, PC) – February 11
Tokyo Scramble (Switch 2) – February 11
BlazBlue Entropy Effect X (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – February 12
Dear me, I was... (Switch, PC, iOS, Android) – February 12
Disciples: Domination (PC) - February 12
Killer Inn (Early Access) (PC) – February 12
Mario Tennis Fever (Switch 2) – February 12
Ride 6 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – February 12
Tomb Raider (iOS, Android) – February 12 – Read review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PC) – February 12
Clue: Murder by Death (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, PC) – February 13
High On Life 2 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – February 13
Reanimal (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC) – February 13
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) – February 13


Finished: Nothing

Now Playing: Once Upon a Katamari (trophy cleanup)

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 38 games

Getting close to the end of Katamari, which will lead right into Yakuza Kiwami 3 later this week (though this game was hard to find as a pre-order for some reason).

[argyle]

Games added: Nothing

Last week: Finished nothing, played HKIA, Fallout New Vegas, and dabbled with a couple others but nothing that "stuck"

This week: More of those 2

Started watching Season 2 of the Fallout show last week (now that it's all out so we can watch at our own pace), and that show always makes me want to play the game. Since this season is all about New Vegas, and it's been a minute since I played that one, I fired it up & got sucked in pretty quickly.

Had a pretty chill weekend of just relaxing & playing that, which I needed. Pretty rocky start to the year, but I'm sure it will be smooth sailing from here on out.

[canedaddy]

Played recently: Ball x Pit

Finished: nothing

Added to backlog: Ball x Pit


I grabbed Ball x Pit as a palate cleanser before my next bigger game, and it did the trick. Very fun time with a great loop. I will say I don't think the brickbreaker gameplay is quite as compelling/addicting as the crazy intensity that Vampire Survivors (the obvious comparison) provides, so I don't see it as something I'll play to completion right now. More likely just come back to it every once in a while to knock out another few runs and unlock more stuff.

My next game is probably going to be... Need for Speed Heat. !?? It's been a while since I played a fun racing game and I'm feeling the itch. I was tempted to grab Forza Horizon 5 since it's on sale, but then I read it has lame customization. Since there's no new Midnight Club to play, sadly, I'm going to give this one a try. (It was a PS+ game so if it doesn't hit, nothing will be lost.) I read it's in a faux Miami, so at least I can relive my college years for a minute.

[isthatallyougot]

Games added: Nothing

Last week: Finished nothing, played HKIA, Fallout New Vegas, and dabbled with a couple others but nothing that "stuck"

This week: More of those 2

Started watching Season 2 of the Fallout show last week (now that it's all out so we can watch at our own pace), and that show always makes me want to play the game. Since this season is all about New Vegas, and it's been a minute since I played that one, I fired it up & got sucked in pretty quickly.

Had a pretty chill weekend of just relaxing & playing that, which I needed. Pretty rocky start to the year, but I'm sure it will be smooth sailing from here on out.

Hehe

"Got my own theme music plays wherever I are." INDEED

One of QotSA's (many) great tunes. I really love the video editing in this one too and its synchronization to the audio is incredibly well done. A particular highlight is when he repeatedly references the "closed mind" concept towards the end of the song and the idea of exiting that state, followed by a flurry of confusion/disorientation and punctuated with Josh's head getting blown back in metaphor (death of the closed mind) along with a gloriously heavy and sticky riff.



Whew! Fantastic!

Don't do mushrooms kids...or?

[isthatallyougot]

I'm at the home stretch with DQ8, and as the subtitle suggests, it has been ****quite**** a journey. Really a wonderful thing!

Also, I'm gradually returning to my OOTP franchise - my USBL league. There only handful of games left before the post-season, and my team will, at worst, be the #2 seed and get a first round bye. Thinking about baseball and my passion for it since I first knew what it was, I was reminded of an incident that happened when I was still just a little guy. It was the 1979 season and the World Series was between the Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, when I was little, I had a hard time picking a favorite team and it was something that fluctuated from time to time, until I realized that I simply love BASEBALL - ALL of it, lol. But I considered myself an Orioles fan at that particular time. I also collected many of those old plastic baseball helmets you could pick up at the concession stand at stadiums (and elsewhere), and I always loved the Orioles smiling and silly/playful bird logo and I treasured that helmet, along with all the others in my collection. One like this:



Well, the Orioles were looking good, up 3-1, and I was expecting them to close it out. Well, as we all know, the Pirates came back and won it, taking the final 3 games. I also had a little problem controlling my emotions/passion when I was little, and when the O's lost I went into my room, took out the O's helmet and smashed it - much to my parents chagrin (and retroactively my own ), lmao. But, with distance, and in retrospect, the story was quite a thrilling one and I've come to really appreciate that 1979 Bucs team.

[crimson_tide]

Hey all!

Played: Street of Rage 4, River City Girls

Beat: Nothing

Bought: Nothing

Probably done with: Streets of Rage 4. That game has a bull**** last level and especially boss that is just bad. The game had such great flow and pacing and then they did...that. Ew. To quote Boy, the two year old in my household: NO WANT IT!!! So it's going to likely get sidelined if I can't get to the ending by like Sunday.

River City Girls is still fun. It's more straight up River City Ransom than I anticipated, thought it'd be more level based like Scott Pilgrim. But I like the RCR style so it's not a complaint. Finding a seat to play on the train has been dicey this week so I haven't spent much time playing my beat em ups as I would like. This week is midwinter recess starting Monday so I MIGHT try to get to something more substantial since the babies have day care (Thank. God.) and I will have some time during the week to actually play something. I was thinking Granblue Fantasy Relink because it's pretty and short apparently and lends itself to a post game that can be played in short 20-30 minute bursts. The last time I played was a year ago so I went to start it again this week and honestly forgot what I was doing so I may restart and try to buckle down to get it done this week.

Oh I also want to carve out time next week to do a combined 24-25 goty list mostly for my own amusement. Reflecting is fun! Call me out if I haven't started by Sunday please !

[isthatallyougot]

Oh I also want to carve out time next week to do a combined 24-25 goty list mostly for my own amusement. Reflecting is fun! Call me out if I haven't started by Sunday please !

Oh, great! I've been hoping you'd find a spare minute to share. I mean, hey, it's only 2026. Looking forward to it, and I will relentlessly hound you if you don't get it done with the swiftness. I was thinking that I ought to start putting together my own 2025 year-in-review, but I'd rather read yours, plus the labor pains of birthing things is taxing. Maybe I will be moved when it's time.