Every month, we get dozens of new video games for the PC, PS5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch. And while many of these new titles are great, we’ll often dive into older games, too.
The Tom’s Guide gaming staff recently had a revelation. In spite of the fact that we review the latest and greatest titles in gaming, we’re just as often catching up on our backlogs, or revisiting old favorites. The best games to play right now aren’t necessarily the ones that just came out. In fact, sometimes, the best games to play right now are the ones that you meant to play three or four years ago.
That’s why we’re launching “What Tom’s Guide is playing this week.” (If we think of a catchier title, we’ll let you know.) In this weekly column, a handful of Tom’s Guide staffers will discuss what we’re currently playing, and why the game has held our attention. Sometimes it’s brand-new stuff; more often, it’s a game we missed out on back when it first came out.
With this series, we hope to give readers better insight into our gaming habits and preferences, as well as which reviewers share their tastes. If we play something great — or terrible — we’ll let readers know. It’s a helpful way to recommend (or recommend against) games that didn’t come out within the past few weeks.
With that out of the way, let’s get down to our first set of games. If you have suggestions for the format or coverage style, let us know, as we want this column to evolve over time.
Control
Control has been sitting in my library since it came to Steam and GOG in late 2020. I’ve been meaning to play it, and I even started it at the beginning of the year, but it just didn’t click with me. I decided to give Control another go earlier this week on GOG, only to come across a game-breaking bug in the third mission. I wasted several hours with reinstallation and starting over, only to encounter it every single time. But then I installed the Steam version of the game and suddenly had smooth sailing.
I’m glad I gave Control another try — and went through the headache of dealing with this annoying bug — because I’m hooked. Thanks to my 2080 Ti GPU and its DLSS feature, my version of Control looks amazing. The voice acting and motion capture are absolutely fantastic, and I love how the game feels. Combat is satisfying, especially when you throw objects at enemies. I just got the Levitate power, and I have to say, I enjoy the power fantasy of being the godlike Director of the Federal Bureau of Control.
Control is an action-adventure game with Metroidvania elements. It’s not as lonely as something like Super Metroid or Hollow Knight, but I like the isolation of exploring the Oldest House. I also like the backtracking, making mental notes to come back to an area once I’ve unlocked a new power or clearance level. Control has a lot to offer, from the well-designed levels to the fun combat, and I look forward to playing it each night once I’ve finished my work and personal obligations. Come this weekend, you can bet that Control is at the top of my list of things to do. – Jordan Palmer
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
I’ve never been one for Zelda games, but after purchasing a Switch and seeing everyone rave about how great Breath of the Wild was, I decided to pick it up for myself. But I started playing on a nine-hour flight across the Atlantic, and promptly got stuck.
All I can remember is that I had to run around to three different temples on the starting plateau and do… something. Unfortunately I couldn’t quite figure out how to get through the snowy mountains without freezing to death. Since I was 30,000 feet above the ocean, and had no internet access to help me, I turned off my Switch and watched a movie instead.
My girlfriend has always talked about playing more video games together, so this weekend, our plan is to ride out the heatwave by adventuring across Hyrule. And since she’s a massive Zelda fan, who has played countless hours of Breath of the Wild, I’ll have someone to point out that spicy peppers stave off the cold for a few minutes. At the very least, the internet will be able to help out — and this time, no airline will ask me to pay $8 for the privilege. – Tom Pritchard
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
Back when The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword debuted on the Wii, I insisted that it was one of the very best games in the franchise. However, I also insisted that the motion controls might make the game borderline unplayable for some fans.
Ten years later, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has finally solved that problem. Now, instead of fighting with the imprecise controls every step of the way, you can simply sit back and enjoy the game’s gorgeous visuals, ingenious puzzles and excellent story. The dungeons in Skyward Sword HD are some of the best in the series, requiring you to use all of your items and abilities in creative ways. While some of the explorable areas in the game are small, they reveal hidden depths as the game progresses, making the world feel much bigger and more mysterious than it lets on.
The most impressive thing about Skyward Sword HD, though, is that I sunk more than 20 hours into it in a single weekend for my review — and even after that, I can’t put the game down. I’m excited to finish it, but also a little sad, because there are no more traditional Zelda games on the horizon right now. Maybe we can finally get those Wind Waker and Twilight Princess Switch ports. – Marshall Honorof
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