It’s time for the weekend once again. The best time of the week. That time when we can finally put down the controller and stop writing about games, so we can actually just play some games for fun. No matter if we’re jumping into the latest installment in a yearly sports franchise or jumping into games we haven’t touched in years, it looks like we’ve got some incredible plans for the weekend. Also, if I can somehow convince the crew to play some PEAK with me, I know it’ll be better than ever. Let’s dive in and see what our crew is getting up to over the weekend, shall we? Welcome back to the 30th Edition of Waypoint Weekend, somehow already.Screenshot: EA SportsAnthony Franklin II – contributor (AKA THE BIRTHDAY BOY)My weekend will be full of College Football 26 (review coming soon). Saturday is my 35th birthday, and I’ll be building my Eastern Michigan dynasty up. Bubba, it’s TOUGH. Other than that, I’ll be digging into a couple of indie games that I have reviews coming for. Both of which I’m insanely excited to talk about. Can’t yet, though. Maybe next Waypoint Weekend. It’s going to be a great weekend for me. Might even go see Superman and run through some Zelda again.Screenshot: Kojima ProductionsBrent Koepp – ContributorThis weekend, I’m going to be playing Death Stranding 2. I know, I’m a really slow player! For some reason, it can take me a few weeks before I really get hooked into a game. However, when it clicks for me, it really clicks for me. And that’s where I’m currently at with DS2. In fact, I’ve reached that zen-state where all I think about is playing the game, and I’m itching to get off of work just so I can jump back into it. What can I say that hasn’t already been said about Death Stranding 2 from every critic and journalist?At least in my experience so far, I agree with everyone saying it’s infinitely better than the first game. For starters, the story is easy to follow this time around. Which, if you know Hideo Kojima, is quite the feat! I care about the core cast of characters so far, and the plot has me absolutely hooked. I just had my first encounter with Neil (Luca Marinelli), or AKA “totally not Solid Snake.” The sequence with him at The Beach was nothing short of stunning. I literally had to pause my game several times just to take in all the sparklers and fireworks exploding around me.Less Walking, More Talking, and Much More V-Tuber???????I’ve also wasted far too many hours rebuilding the highway and monorail system in Australia. I know this was present in Death Stranding, but I just find it so much more satisfying this time around. I also love all the gadgets and upgrades you get in Death Stranding 2. I just unlocked the sticky arm attachment for my four-wheeler off-roader. So every time I drive around the overworld, I automatically pick up cargo off the ground. And I’m currently on a mission where I’m about to have Sam throw down with a wild bunch of Brigands. Literally, I can’t wait to dropkick them with my combat boots. If nothing else, I feel like Death Stranding 2 is proof that Kojima took the “it’s a walking simulator” insult seriously. Because so far, this game rocks.Screenshot: NetherRealm StudiosMatt Vatankhah – ContributorAt any given time, it’s pretty much guaranteed I’ll be invested in a fighting game. Whether Street Fighter 6 – my main squeeze – or Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, or most recently, Mortal Kombat 1. I’ve never been a die-hard MK fan, and the new Kameo system certainly had me doubting that I’d even enjoy the latest entry. But, I can’t turn down a good deal, so I picked up the MK1 Definitive Edition during the Steam Summer sale.I’m glad I did, as I’m pretty damn surprised at how much I’m enjoying it. The Kameo system isn’t nearly as invasive as I’d assumed, but instead adds an interesting dynamic to each fight. Combos – er, “Kombos” – feel great, simple to execute, and stupidly fun to watch in action. One thing I really appreciate is Mortal Kombat 1‘s robust tutorial mode, which breaks down everything from the basics of throwing a punch all the way to frame data, dealing with pressure, and playing in neutral. It’s surprisingly thorough and, if I were new to fighting games, I imagine I’d find it incredibly useful for learning the fundamentals of fighting games.GET OVER HERE… At Least During Waypoint WeekendNot to mention the sheer amount of content available. I’ve gotta give MK1 props, there are so many single-player modes to try, and a ridiculous amount of in-game cosmetics to unlock to deck your profile and fighters out with. Good stuff, Mortal Kombat 1. Very toasty.Screenshot: CD Projekt RedSHaun Cichacki – COntributorI have a gaming confession to make. I haven’t played Cyberpunk 2077 since I beat it shortly after launch on PC, so I’m going to dive back into this during the weekend. I recently picked up a copy for my Switch 2, and while I honestly don’t remember what I was doing, I’m going to start cleaning up some of those side missions after I port my progress over. I remember genuinely liking the game a lot, but I wore myself out by playing it right after launch. If you were there, you know exactly what I’m talking about. While my experience wasn’t as abhorrent as those on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, there were still plenty of issues that plagued the game. I’m hoping that this Switch 2 launch is a bit easier to deal with overall. Otherwise, I’m hoping to jump into some more Real VR Fishing with my brother over the weekend, especially if we can’t go fishing IRL tomorrow. It’s supposed to be yet another rainy weekend here in Wisconsin, so I’m hoping that we’ll finally catch a break so we can go catch some bass or whatever is in the lake near my house. We didn’t have much luck last year, but at least we can fall back into Real VR Fishing if we aren’t lucky enough to get something. Thus Ends Another Waypoint Weekend. Thanks for Tuning InRegardless of whether we’re hanging out together or doing our own thing, it’s always great to see what the crew is getting up to. That’s why Waypoint Weekend is one of my favorite segments; it reminds me to check in with the folks I care about and see what’s going on in their lives. Plus, the chance to finally step away from the computer, until I return to the computer to play more games. You win some and lose some, I guess. Regardless, we’ve all got quite a set of games to play through this weekend. But I’m hoping we can find time to play together soon. The post Waypoint Weekend Episode 30: A Whole Lotta Episodes At This Point appeared first on VICE.