A screenshot from the game CREATURE KITCHEN (developer: The Rat Zone) showing a raccoon sitting on a rocking chair on a dimly lit porch. Text reads: 8.9 out of 10, read our review at punishedbacklog.com and "I have never before played a game like CREATURE KITCHEN; it perfectly balances cozy with creepy."

I bought CREATURE KITCHEN (indie dev: @therat.zone) on a whim a few weeks ago. Even though I beat it in just a few hours, I'm still thinking about it. A v. unique #cozygame that brings new life to the genre! My review punishedbacklog.com/creature-kit... at @punishedbacklog.bsky.social

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire Review - Case Closed - The Punished Backlog In our MOUSE: P.I. For Hire review, learn how this infamous first-person cartoon shooter game lives up to the hype.

"Fumi Games and @playsidestudios.com have crafted something genuinely special with @mousethegame.bsky.social -- a game so fully committed to its aestheric, its world, and its characters that it's almost impossible not to fall in love with it."

Our review:
punishedbacklog.com/mouse-pi-for...

An Interview With Lindsay Barnett, CEO of Playground Productions After years away, Backyard Baseball is back. Ahead of its July 2026 release, I interviewed the new steward of the franchise, Lindsay Barnett.

For 20+ years, the @backyardsports.bsky.social games have uplifted fans and ushered them from childhood to adulthood.

At #PAXEast, we spoke with the series' latest steward, Lindsay, about everything Backyard ahead of @megacatstudios.bsky.social's July launch.

punishedbacklog.com/interview-li...

I Desperately Need You To Try This Stylish, Ace Attorney-Like Indie of the Devil, releasing episodically over the course of five episodes, is an excellent murder mystery game I can't stop thinking about.

I'm obsessed with @nthcircle.bsky.social's OF THE DEVIL. I already forced someone to listen to my passionate conspiracy theory about the story's eventual ending lol. Need more episodes asap. Great find at #PAXEast2026 @davidsilbert.bsky.social! More on my love: punishedbacklog.com/of-the-devil...

White text reads "The Punished Backlog x PAX East: Best of Pax East 2026," all on a teal-to-purple background. Then, in alphabetical order, the cover images for demos we tried at PAX East 2026: Aether & Iron, Aniimo, Bubsy 4D, CRKD's upcoming controllers, Do A Crime, Dreadmoor, G’AIM’E Lightgun, Gnaw, Grim Trials, Halloween, Jigrift, Kiln, of the Devil, Poly Fighter, Pokémon Champions, The Secret of Crystal Mountain, ShantyTown, Sprout, Valor Mortis.

Thanks for checking out our best of #PAXEast2026 coverage! Read our full list here: punishedbacklog.com/pax-east-202...

Screenshot of Dream Dock's game Do A Crime, demoed at PAX East 2026. White text reads "The Punished Backlog x PAX East: Best of Pax East 2026," all on a teal-to-purple background.

Best of #PAXEast2026 (20/20):

Do A Crime from Collywobble Games

"Do A Crime sets out to answer the question, 'What if Untitled Goose Game had a raccoon instead?' and unsurprisingly, it turns out we’d all be better for having played it."

Screenshot of Dream Dock's game Dreadmoor, demoed at PAX East 2026. White text reads "The Punished Backlog x PAX East: Best of Pax East 2026," all on a teal-to-purple background.

Best of #PAXEast2026 (19/??):

Dreadmoor from Dream Dock, published by Digital Vortex Entertainment

"Dreadmoor is gorgeous [like a first-person Dredge]... If you like fishing games, creepy crawlies, or anything with a distinctly mysterious style, this could be the one for you."

Screenshot of Redstart Interactive's game Gnaw, demoed at PAX East 2026. White text reads "The Punished Backlog x PAX East: Best of Pax East 2026," all on a teal-to-purple background.

Best of #PAXEast2026 (18/??):

Gnaw from Redstart Interactive

"Gnaw looks like a mashup of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jurassic Park, with visuals that would make any Saturday morning cartoon jealous. A metroidvania starring dinosaurs feels like a total no-brainer."

Screenshot of Revolutron's game The Secret of Crystal Mountain, demoed at PAX East 2026. White text reads "The Punished Backlog x PAX East: Best of Pax East 2026," all on a teal-to-purple background.

Best of #PAXEast2026 (17/??):

@crystalmtngame.bsky.social from Revolutron

"Sometimes you don’t even need the full allotment of time when playing a demo to know it’s going to be a hit... A mashup of Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time...My favorite demo from PAX."

Screenshot of Glory Jam's game Grim Trials, demoed at PAX East 2026. White text reads "The Punished Backlog x PAX East: Best of Pax East 2026," all on a teal-to-purple background.

Best of #PAXEast2026 (16/??):

Grim Trials from @rollinggloryjam.bsky.social

"When you stumble upon a game with the level of polish that Grim Trials possesses [including with its snappy gameplay], you know you’re in for a treat."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (15/??):

#Aniimo from Pawprint Studio

"Aniimo may just be the #Pokémon evolution we’ve been waiting for — no pun intended. It's pretty and fun to play. I just hope the developers get the monetization right. If so, Aniimo will be an easy hit."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (14/??):

@polyfightergame.bsky.social from @heartloopgames.bsky.social

"Poly Fighter takes two genres that shouldn’t work well together and somehow defies the odds. It’s a fighting game that you can play at your own pace, without risk of embarrassing yourself at the arcade."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (13/??):

#GAIME Gun from Tassei Denki
and MyGAIME (licensed by @bandainamcousa.bsky.social)

"I was skeptical at first, but after trying it, I was sold. The G’AIM’E Gun feels similar in build to what you’d use at the arcade, and the tracking is surprisingly accurate."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (12/??):

#Kiln from @doublefine.com and @xbox.com

"I came away interested in how Kiln will come together. I’m sure it will be a great time with friends in a party setting. As for the overall shelf life, we’ll have to see."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (11/??):

Upcoming controllers from @crkd.gg

"I came away deeply impressed by the feel of the ATOM+ in particular. Designed as a portable Bluetooth controller, the ATOM+ stood apart from other micro controllers I’ve tried in the past."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (10/??):

#ShantyTown from #ErikRempen and #Kinephantom Games

"The game is absolutely gorgeous, and taking pictures of my diorama as the sun set was an easy highlight. Control issues aside, the allure of ShantyTown cannot be denied."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (9/??):

#Jigrift from @emptycastlegames.bsky.social and @whitethorngames.bsky.social

"The jigsaw concept alone sold me on Jigrift. Add in a gorgeous pixel art style, and you have a cozy puzzler that’s easy on the eyes yet tough on the mind. I’d have it no other way."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (8/??):

@valormortis.bsky.social from @omlgames.com and @lyricalgames.bsky.social

"Valor Mortis puts you in control of one of Bonaparte’s soldiers, back from the dead. Using swordplay, gunplay, and BioShock-esque magic, you’ll fight turncoats in great Soulslike fashion."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (7/??):

#ofthedevil from @nthcircle.bsky.social

"of the Devil pays homage to investigation games like Ace Attorney and Danganronpa. Strong writing brings each character to life, while a novel blackjack mechanic gives cross-examinations a unique flavor."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (6/??):

#Bubsy4D from @fabraz.bsky.social and @atari.com

"Bubsy 4D shares similar DNA to Demon Tides, from the cel-shaded art style to the unbridled sense of humor. I greatly enjoyed Demon Tides despite never playing its predecessor, and history may repeat itself here."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (5/??):

Aether & Iron from @seismicsquirrel.bsky.social and @chaostheorygames.bsky.social

"A&I is a rough story, full of rough people in rough times. But no life is only rough. There's levity and joy and color everywhere. Seismic Squirrel wanted to bring that, and it shows."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (4/??):

#Halloween from @illfonic.bsky.social and Gun Interactive

"Halloween could be the next social breakout. Based on my conversations with Illfonic, it’s clear the devs understand not just the property, but asymmetric multiplayer like the back of their hands."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (3/??):

Sprout from rabblegame.com

"Sprout takes the spirit of Wingspan, invites some friendly competition with its double-down mechanic, and strikes a beautiful mix between strategy and approachability. Plant lovers should love it."

Best of #PAXEast2026 (2/??):

#PokémonChampions from @nintendousa.bsky.social and The Pokémon Company

"I knew nothing about Pokémon Champions a few days ago. After demoing it, I see the appeal. If Nintendo can make it easy to build teams and battle without any prerequisites, count me in."

PAX East 2026: The Best Games From Boston's Expo So Far PAX East is back in Boston, and we're covering the event all through the weekend. Here are the best games from PAX East 2026 so far.

#PAXEast2026 is underway, and we've been scouring the show for gems of all kinds. Big publishers may be sparse, but the energy and creativity are as strong as ever.

Here's a running list of the best games and hardware from #PAXEast. (1/??)

Read here: punishedbacklog.com/pax-east-202...

The 14 Best Female Video Game Characters, as Picked By Female Gamers - The Punished Backlog Female video game writers reflect on the best female video game characters that inspire, challenge, and kick ass.

I asked all the #girlgamers at @punishedbacklog.bsky.social to name their favorite femme video game characters a few years ago for Women's History Month. We've just updated the list with four new baddies. Who's your favorite? punishedbacklog.com/best-female-...

Clint's 5 favorites from SXSW 2026:

- #ILoveBoosters, dir. by @bootsriley.bsky.social

- #Normal, dir. by Ben Wheatley

- #TheyWillKillYou, dir. by Kirill Sokolov

- #NoahKahan: Out of Body, dir. by Nick Sweeney

- #ForbiddenFruits, dir. by Meredith Alloway

SXSW 2026: The 5 Best Film Premieres - The Punished Backlog The screenings at this year's South by Southwest brought me joy, tears, and hope. Here are the five best film premieres I saw at SXSW 2026.

The @sxsw.com film festival is an annual highlight in Austin, TX, and 2026 was no exception. Our own Clint Morrison, Jr. enjoyed an array of innovative films, but these were his 5 favorites:

punishedbacklog.com/sxsw-2026-be...

#SXSW #SXSW2026 #movies #films #cinema #screenings

Resident Evil Requiem’s Post-Pandemic World Is All Too Familiar In the latest Punished Notes, Sam wonders if the post-zombification world of Resident Evil Requiem bears a resemblance to our own.

I wrote about Resident Evil Requiem, and how its Zombies With Jobs and approach to worldbuilding make it a kind of pandemic game, one that reminds me of the world we live in now in some ways: punishedbacklog.com/resident-evi...

Is Dragon Quest VII Reimagined a Good Remake? - The Punished Backlog 2026's Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a great RPG and a great game overall, but is it actually a good remake?

Forgot to promote cuz it came out while I was on vacation, but I wrote about Dragon Quest VII Reimagined and how I think it's a great game...but I'm unsure if it's a great remake: punishedbacklog.com/is-dragon-qu...