The Video Games You Should Play This Weekend – July 24, 2026

25 years after we first crash-landed on that intriguing ringworld of Halo, Campaign Evolved has returned with a wealth of updates and changes to modernize the game while keeping the core experience intact. Early access has already started for the game, while other players will be able to dive in on July 28. It’s strange to say, but you can enjoy the game on either Xbox or PS5, so longtime Sony faithful may finally have a chance to experience the game. The game is also available on PC, but I’ll share that some of our staffers have had mixed experience with the technical experience on PC for this one. Regardless, the core game remains a ton of fun, offering the same chaos and relentless action that made Halo a household name all those years ago. Play it solo, co-op with a friend (or your kid) on the couch, or up to four-player co-op online; just don’t go in expecting competitive play, as that feature has been stripped out for this release.

Game Informer’s Halo: Campaign Evolved review

Splatoon’s single-player content has always been an underrated component of the series. Splatoon Raiders does away with the competitive multiplayer the franchise is known for and draws inspiration from the looter-shooter genre, as well as its own wave-based Salmon Run mode, to create a satisfying gameplay loop whether you’re tackling the raids alone or with three other kid-squid hybrids. Thanks to deep customization systems, incredible gameplay feel, and a challenging post-game, Splatoon Raiders is a difficult game to put down.

Game Informer‘s Splatoon Raiders review

We’ve had quite a few tie-in tag fighters hit the scene: League of Legends’ 2XKO, Invincible Vs., Avatar Legends, and now, Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls, which has an open beta this weekend. Arc System Works is taking an almost-maximalist approach to tag fighting, opting for four-on-four combat and quite a few mechanics around utilizing those extra hands during the fight. Despite the potential for chaos, though, my early playtime with the open beta has shown it to be a surprisingly approachable game. Most strings and intense mechanics can be relegated to single button-presses or auto-combo strings, for the button-mashers. Still, there’s already some depth being found; Magik’s teleportation portals make it easy to show off, and I’m loving the reinterpretation of Marvel Vs. staples like Doom and Iron Man. Few multiplayer experiences can match the vibes of a fighting game night with pals, and Marvel Tokon’s open beta is a good excuse to host one this weekend.

Poinpy is one of my favorite mobile games ever. Originally released as a part of the Netflix games subscription, it was unavailabel for the last year, but this week, Devolver re-launched it for free. A platformer designed by the mind behind Downwell, your goal in Poinpy is to collect fruits and veggies to create juice to sate a hungry beast chasing you upwards. The catch is that you only complete the recipe if you collect each ingredient before touching the ground, so you have to chain together leaps and bounces to collect enough produce before it’s too late. Across a handful of biomes, you’ll jump off enemies heads, get blasted out of various cannons, and bounce your way as high as you can go. It’s got the precision of my favorite platforming games mixed with a Kirby-like charm, and now that I’ve redownloaded it, I realize how much I missed reaching its colorful flow state. While it’s the kind of game you can theoretically play forever, it’s worth noting that the game does have an ending, and it’s a very cool one at that. It’s out for free today on iOS and Android.

This just-released light strategy project is just the ticket if you’re looking for a beautiful game to bring to the table that isn’t going to scare away newcomers or less experienced players. Players are alchemists who are simultaneously growing and maintaining two separate gardens using the strength of both moonlight and sunlight. Tactically, that means that when plants are placed on one side, you must simultaneously place plants in a mirror location on the other side, leading to an arresting focus on balance. 

Visually, the game includes some beautiful watercolor art that helps the table pop during play. Give it a look if you want something lowkey but featuring some novel mechanics.