Diablo IV

Play it on: PS4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
Current goal: Don’t die

Back when Diablo IV had its March beta, we wrote that it was “the perfect head empty, kill shit game.” That may be true, but I’ll be honest: I don’t care much for games that don’t force me to be attentive and involved. I’m not here for games that just wash over you like a warm bath while the numbers go up and you get showered with rewards for absent-mindedly pushing buttons.

That’s why I’ve been playing on Diablo IV’s Hardcore setting, where characters have only one life to live. Should they perish, you can recall them fondly in your Hall of Fallen Heroes, but their days of slaughtering goatmen and snagging loot are over. And because even mobs of easy enemies can kill you if you’re totally checked out, this means that I approach every encounter as if it could be my last. I’m not saying that killing a group of ghouls requires a lot of tactical consideration, but just knowing I could face some very serious consequences if I go “head empty” keeps me on my toes. I’ve already lost two Hardcore characters, and I suspect it’s only a matter of time until I lose my third. But while I’m playing, the game sure has my attention. — Carolyn Petit

And those are our thoughts on what games you might enjoy checking out this weekend. Which ones have caught your attention?