Don't know what games to play this weekend? Don't worry, we've got you: here is this week's selection of video games to play: welcome to The Weekend's Finest!
Welcome to The Weekend's Finest, your weekly guide to what games are worth playing at the moment. Whether you’ve got a few hours or a whole weekend to spare, we’re here to point you to the games everyone’s talking about — new releases, hidden gems, and titles with seriously good game design.
No long reviews, no filler. Just quick, honest suggestions from us to make the most of your weekend.
This weekend, we've got some games that prove how unique and experimental game design and strong storytelling can create true pieces of art that stick inside people's head long after playing it.
Our Weekend's Finest Game: The Alters
The Alters, produced by the makers of Frostpunk, feels like a playable episode of Black Mirror. You are Jan Dolski, the only survivor of a spaceship crash on a foreign planet. To survive and escape, Jan uses a substance called "Rapidium" to create alternate versions of himself, called "Alters", each shaped by different decisions from his past.
The game has some resource management and crew dynamics with Frostpunk's DNA, as well as a strong narrative focus while you make tough moral choices. There’s real emotional depth in how you confront the past traumas of your Alters, and it’s impressive how effectively 11 bit Studios tells this story despite working with limited resources. The resource management mechanics are similar to games like Satisfactory and the base building reminds a bit of 11 bit's This War of Mine.
The Alters is definitely a mix of many genres and games. It borrows some of the best ideas from other games, but still manages to feel like something completely new.
The Alters is available for $34.99 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S
Our Weekend's Finest Indie:
Despelote, for me, is the definition of indie charm. It proves you don’t need ultra-realistic graphics, complex mechanics, or 60+ hours of gameplay to create something truly memorable.
The game tells the story of a young boy named Julián, growing up in the football-obsessed city of Quito, Ecuador, in 2001. It’s a deeply personal retelling of developer Julián Cordero’s own childhood, an experience you get to play through. Despelote perfectly captures the playful, nostalgic, and curious lens through which kids see the world.
You will play this game for about 2 hours of playtime, but the game will stay in your head for much longer than that.
Despelote is available for $13.99 on PC, PlayStation 4&5 and Xbox Series X/S!
And that's all for this week! Thank you for reading The Weekend's Finest and come back next Friday for more! Also let us know what games YOU think are worthy to be EarlyGame's Weekend's Finest for our next issue!