Unlock the Thrill of Unconventional Gaming: Forgotten City Builders to Helpless Chickens

What We’ve Been Playing

February 1st

Hey there, and welcome back to our weekly feature where we share some of the games we’ve been playing recently. This week, we’ve been exploring the dark and mysterious world of Dawnfolk, revisiting the thrilling universe of No Man’s Sky, and concluding our adventure in Resident Evil Village.

What about you? What games have you been playing lately?

If you’re curious about what we’ve been up to in the past, check out our What We’ve Been Playing archive for all the latest updates.

Dawnfolk, PC

Dawnfolk is a unique city-building game that my friend at Eurogamer recommended. It’s tile-based, with a charming pixel art aesthetic. The game appears to be a typical citybuilder at first, but it slowly reveals its darker and more intriguing side as you progress.

The game is all about building and managing your city, but with a twist. You start by constructing houses and resource-gathering structures, just like in other citybuilders. As you expand, you’ll discover adjacency bonuses for certain buildings and even mini-games to engage in, such as hunting deer or chopping down trees.

However, the game takes a sudden turn when a storm hits, and you must work to rebuild and protect your city. It’s a fascinating and oppressive experience, with the game’s name, Dawnfolk, perfectly capturing the essence of its creepy and lovely atmosphere.

No Man’s Sky, PC

Hello Games, you’ve done it again! After not keeping up with No Man’s Sky’s numerous updates last year, I finally had the chance to dive back in over Christmas and catch up on the Expedition Redux events. While I was initially skeptical about the limited-time nature of these events, I was thrilled to discover that No Man’s Sky’s Expeditions are addictive and wonderful.

The game has released its first update of 2025, which has been a real treat. It explores long-standing story threads and introduces a new feature that allows players to shape the universe in their own image. It’s a thrilling concept, and I’m excited to see where it takes the game.

The update also includes various systemic refreshes, making old corners of the game feel new again. And let’s not forget the new content, such as gas giants, jungles, and planets with ancient archaeological wonders. But the real highlight for me is the addition of proper water worlds. These vast oceans are intimidating and beautiful, with their endless depths and strange, glowing sea creatures.

Resident Evil Village, PS5 Pro

I’ve now finished Resident Evil Village, and overall, I think it’s a great game. The only aspect that felt underwhelming was the final boss battle. The game also throws some absurd storytelling at you towards the end, but I’m fine with that, as Resident Evil isn’t about grounded realism.

My favorite parts of the game include the fish man and the doll woman, as well as the claustrophobic corridors of the factory. On the other hand, I found it hard to shoot the chickens for their meat. They seemed so helpless, and I felt bad about it for days.

So, what about you? What games have you been playing recently?