Some of the stuff that's coming out about hate speech at the World Cup, like various fanbases routinely shouting homophobic/racist stuff, is really shocking. Good on the England setup for being vocal and unequivocal about it. It pushes FIFA to do more—fines, censures, etc.

Alabaster Dawn goes from strength to strength. A puzzle dungeon just really put me through my paces. I'm playing early access and it feels like a finished game. The gradual release of more chunks of game will be something to look forward to.

Now this

My favourite special edition controller is this Starfield one, I think. I don't normally buy them but it's super nice.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 is a nice lookin' game.

Why Apple Podcasts lost to Spotify in 13 seconds.

Things have come on a bit :)

Yeah they had badges and a patch with pre-order on the UK store, digital even, I was surprised!

The #AboutFishing demo wasn't what I expected. Like Twin Peaks if it was an earnest, semi-realistic fishing game. Memorable.

We're in the period of summer here in Iceland when the sun never sets. It messes with you — it never feels like time to go to bed. So I've started having a midnight demo hour for Next Fest. This from 12:20am last night.

A bit further down, this "have faith in the future" from the interviewer... what is that supposed to mean in this context? Seems like.. editorial support for the Gaza genocide

Remember Jim Ryan's "12 multiplayer games in development" announcement? Seven are cancelled. One shut down. Two released and running. Three still in development. It could be that Helldivers II is the only success, in the end. I wonder what the tab is so far on this initiative.

Next Fest pre-game: Rizz Dungeon has glorious art & a fun flirt-or-fight dungeon concept. The combat dialogue repeats a lot & could be randomised for variety, or punched up (eg. "Uh can't we just talk" gets a "GOOD POINT!" and I was like... no it wasn't 🥲). But a lot to like, super funny, super gay.

The Virtue And A Sledgehammer demo is really something. The total destruction is super satisfying, and feels wrong.

Damn, that #StarFox demo is so fun. It looks great, has a Star Wars cinematic feel, and seems like an entirely worthwhile remake. I haven't played it since the original SNES release, so it's a lovely mix of nostalgia and newness. Did u kno: it was called Starwing in the UK.

The Switch 2 version really nails it btw. Half the fun of this game is exploring and looking at posters, paintings, graffiti, neon reflecting in puddles, and murky vistas like this. It's about as good as I remember from my PS5 playthrough.

Stray on Switch 2 is a huge leap up from the fatally compromised Switch version. The lighting and mist are back, the textures are vastly improved, and it's a lot smoother and sharper.

#BlackJacket is a very cool deckbuilder. A million ways to cheat at cards, while being told a sad southern gothic tale through your opponents.

The indie game guide to June is out! youtube.com/watch?v=YZD216h1vrU ✨ Rhythm-battling at the end of the world in #Nocturne ✨ #Maseylia prioitises vibey exploration ✨ Exploring ancient Persian scripts in #LostInArt ✨ #StarCraft mixes NMS and Satisfactory ✨ Bonus takes: Mina, 007, OPUS, & more

The moment I knew the sad, serious, introspective, interesting vibe of GoW 2017 was very fuckin over:

Okay so it gets really, really good.

I got to see Patti Smith tonight. A force for good. Spirit and power. A real one.

New pod, for your weekend! This time: ✨ Mina The Hollower brings the pain ✨ 007: best tutorial ever? ✨ Prism Peak's sad reverie ✨ & More! Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/gaming-in-the-wild-video-game-reviews/id1498853997 YouTube: youtu.be/JasOy6Y1OhY Elsewhere: gaminginthewild.com

Sherma showed up!

A sense of disbelief that my team Arsenal just won the league after 22 years. Just wild. Really wish I was in North London right now.

The new pod is out! This week: ✨ #Pragmata is a game design masterclass ✨ #Mixtape plays the hits (and some misses) ✨ #Saros: high sheen, low charm ✨ #OPUSPrismPeak: Season meets Spirited Away? Listen here: redcircle.com/shows/33888f45-ee16-4537-928e-5654b19c0c62

I've only played Saros for a short while. It's super high quality—nice lighting, smooth movement, good UI, interesting art style, silky combat, very AAA—and also somehow doesn't exert magnetism on me in a way I find unusual and hard to explain. An issue of... ~charm?

Pragmata was such a satisfying game. Original hack-n-shoot combat, A+ level design, stunning environments, fun traversal, and scores of secrets to find, all with worthwhile rewards. And ofc, Diana, an unforgettable sidekick who rly deserves a sequel. Downsides were few. Full review to follow.

Doesn't it seem like this year in games really sprang to life in the last few weeks? Inundated with quality stuff to play.