Must-Play Video Games This Weekend – August 21, 2026

Happy weekend, everyone! We are dispensing with the usual pleasantries and long-winded preamble today—our team is flat-out preparing for a monumental slate of coverage dropping next week. Without further ado, dive into the top stories around the industry alongside the titles commanding our attention over the next two days.

Essential Reading & Headlines

• Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Spotlights One of Japanese History’s Most Influential Figures
• The Duskbloods Hands-On Preview: Dissecting FromSoftware’s Intricate, Highly Competitive Multiplayer Gambit
• FromSoftware Cuts First The Duskbloods Network Test Short Amid Server Instability
• Riot Games Halting Active Development on League of Legends Fighter 2XKO This December
• Gameplay Impressions: Deep Dive Into Our Time Playing The Duskbloods at FromSoftware
• Vote on Double Fine’s Next Big Venture During Their Upcoming Game Jam Broadcast

What We’re Playing This Weekend

The Sinking City 2

Impression by: Marcus Stewart

The original The Sinking City was widely regarded as an ambitious, albeit mechanically rough, Lovecraftian survival-horror piece. Luckily, its sequel operates as a standalone narrative with a fresh protagonist, making it remarkably welcoming to newcomers. A few hours into the campaign, I’m thoroughly hooked by its 1920s dread and atmospheric art direction. While the gunplay and resource management trail slightly behind Capcom’s genre benchmarks, its heavy emphasis on deduction, puzzle-solving, and piece-by-piece crime scene investigation sets it apart. If you appreciate unsettling cosmic horror and need a follow-up to this year’s Resident Evil Requiem, this title delivers a genuinely compelling ride.

Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter (Demo)

Impression by: Eric Van Allen

Hot on the heels of the first remake, Nihon Falcom is gearing up to release the second chapter of the revitalized Sky saga on September 17. Ahead of launch, a generous public demo is live—and crucially, your progression carries seamlessly into the retail release. A brief word of caution: make sure you see the credits roll on the first installment before touching this slice, as crucial narrative revelations arrive right in Chapter 1’s climax. For series enthusiasts, diving back into Estelle’s odyssey as a budding Bracer prodigy while peeling back the grand political intrigue of Liberl is pure JRPG bliss.

Dogpile

Impression by: Charles Harte

When Dogpile debuted on PC late last year, its vibrant aesthetic and tactile loop begged for portability. As of this week, that wish has been granted with ports across iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch 1 & 2. The core loop draws immediate comparisons to physics-drop puzzlers like Suika Game and spatial combiners like 2048: dropping matching canine breeds merges them into bigger, heftier hounds. Where Dogpile truly shines, however, is its roguelike deckbuilding layer. You curate a custom “deck” of pooches complete with positive perks—like bark bursts that shuffle the pen—and hazardous traits that hinder merging. It sounds eccentric on paper, but in practice, it’s effortless, addictive fun, and free to sample on mobile.

1000xResist

Impression by: Charles Harte

Having championed 1000xResist since its original release, I’m thrilled to see Sunset Visitor’s masterpiece arrive on Switch 2 this week. While the original Switch hardware struggled under the weight of murky textures and extended load times, the improved hardware brings performance closer to the crisp PC standard. Regardless of where you experience it, this remains an unmissable tour de force. Powered by brilliant voice acting, profound philosophical motifs, and exceptional character writing, it stands tall as one of the most inventive narrative accomplishments modern gaming has to offer.