Gunslinger Soulslikes and Bucket-List Classics: What We're Playing This Week
Key takeaways
- FTL proves satisfying after years of neglect; creative mechanics like airlock fire-fighting deliver strategic joy.
- Guns of Eschaton (releasing December 8) attempts first-person Soulslike gunplay but struggles with control clarity and distance-based parry demands.
- Team also explores VR mini golf, tabletop RPGs with kids, and exotic environments across multiple platforms this week.
This week's gaming rotation spans retro roguelikes to experimental Soulslikes. Connor finally boots up FTL after years of library neglect, discovering the joy of creative problem-solving—like using airlocks to fight fires. Sherif spends two hours with Guns of Eschaton, the December 8th-launching first-person Soulslike set in a supernatural Wild West. While intrigued by the gunslinger fantasy, Sherif finds the parry-based revolver combat disorienting, especially with unexpected controller mapping. Matt revisits Walkabout Mini Golf's multiplayer putting, while also exploring a South Pacific volcano setting and Jim Henson-inspired environments. Bertie discovers tabletop RPGs with children offer surprising entertainment value. The team's varied picks show gaming's breadth—from roguelike strategy to VR sports to indie genre experiments.
The bigger picture
Guns of Eschaton represents the kind of genre-blending risk that rarely lands cleanly. Its core tension—rewarding precision and parrying while forcing distance-based gunplay—sits uneasily alongside Soulslike tradition. Competitors like Elden Ring's ranged options never felt this central. Early player feedback mirrors Sherif's hesitation, suggesting Eschaton needs control refinement or clearer design communication before December. Watch whether developer Eschatology Entertainment adjusts difficulty curves or input handling in response to demo criticism.
We love a good 'what we're playing' roundup because it reminds us that gaming isn't monolithic. Connor's FTL archaeology, Sherif's honest skepticism about weird hybrids, and the crew's VR exploration all matter. This is how players actually experience games—messy, curious, sometimes frustrated. We wanted to share that authentic mix.
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