'Afro Samurai' released on the Xbox 360 & PS3 17 years ago today (1/27/09) in North America. This action game developed by Namco Bandai is based on the manga/anima series of the same name. It received moderate reviews and sold about 420,000 copies across the US and Europe.

16 years ago today (1/26/10), 'MAG' released in North America on PS3. This game holds the Guinness world record for "Most Players in a Console FPS" with 256 players. The servers for the game shut down on January 28th, 2014, making the game completely unplayable today.

'Dead Space 2' released on X360/PS3/PC on this day 15 years ago (1/25/11). The 2nd mainline game in the series follows Isaac Clark as he deals with the Necropmorphs & his debilitating mental illness. The game sold almost 2:1 compared to the orignal. "Make us whole."

What do you think the next genre will be that over saturates the market? 10 years ago it was battle royale. The last 5 it’s been rogues. What’s the next big craze for the industry in your mind? Post your thoughts in the comments below & we’ll discuss on the next podcast!

9 years ago today, 'Resident Evil 7: Biohazard' released on Xbox One, PS4 & PC. This was the 1st game in the main series to use a first-person camera perspective. It also returned the game to its classic roots of survival horror & exploration. It sold over 15 million units.

'PaRappa the Rapper 2' released 24 years ago today (1/23/02) on PS2. This rhythm game is actually the 3rd in the series are the original & the spinoff title, 'Um Jammer Lammy'. It was criticized for lacking the charm of the original game as well as a lack of improvements.

19 years ago today, 'Hotel Dusk: Room 215' released on the Nintendo DS in North America. This point-&-click adventure was unique, because players would hold the DS sideways like a book while playing. The game reviewed favorably, despite its linear nature & simplistic puzzles.

‘MIO: Memories in Orbit’ from Douze Dixièmes is a good, albeit difficult Metroidvania. It’s not perfect, but it doesn’t need to be perfect. Relle checked out this title on Switch, but it’s also available on Xbox, PlayStation & PC. Full written review in comments

The Gaming Outsider Podcast’s latest episode is live, and we hope you’ll give it a listen. This week, we discuss our gaming resolutions and check in with how we did on last year’s. You’ll also hear Relle’s impressions of ‘MIO: Memories in Orbit’

28 years ago today (1/21/98), 'Resident Evil 2' released on PlayStation in North America. The sequel tells the story of Leon S. Kennedy & Claire Redfield as they escape Raccoon City, whose citizens have been turned into zombies. It sold 4.96 million copies on PS alone.

'Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II’ released 22 years ago today (1/20/04) in North America on PS2/Xbox. This direct sequel to the 2001 title is a 3D hack-and-slash game set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of Dungeons & Dragons. It was ported to modern platforms in 2022.

Our Editor-in-Chief, Scott Clark, put together his personal favorite video games he played in 2025. Click the link in the comments to see what made his cut. He would love to hear your thoughts on the list. Any he's convinced you to give a shot? Any others that you think don't deserve its spot?

The Gaming Outsider Podcast records its latest episode LIVE tonight at 7:30 PM CST! Join us as we discuss the week's news & discuss the games we've been playing. This week, we're sharing our New Year's resolutions for 2026. You'll also hear impressions of 'MIO: Memories in Orbit'.

16 years ago today (1/19/10), ‘Dark Void’ released on Xbox 360, PS3 & PC. This 3rd-person shooter had a cover system similar to ‘Gears of War’, but allowed you to take cover while in flight as well. It was referred to as a “vertical cover system”. It received average reviews.

Resident Evil Requiem is shaping up to be a massive new chapter for the franchise, blending classic survival horror with intense action and two playable protagonists in Leon Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft. Showcase revealed all. Are you ready to face the horror when it launches on February 27, 2026?

What are you video game goals or resolutions for 2026? The Gaming Outsider Podcast will be discussing this very topic on our upcoming episode, and we want to hear YOURS. If you post in the comments below, we might read it on the show when we record LIVE on Monday at 7:30 CST!

'The Punisher' released on PS2, Xbox & PC on this day 21 years ago (1/18/05). This third-person action-adventure game from Volition & THQ has you taking down criminals responsible for the death of Frank Castle's family. It received mixed reviews & sold a million copies.

21 years ago today (1/17/05), ‘Ape Escape 3’ released on the PS2 in NA. Released in Japan the previous year, the 4th game in the main series received generally favorable reviews & includes some fun tie-ins to ‘Metal Gear Solid’. It was rated for PS4 release but never happened.

Forgotten 23 delivers a haunting atmosphere and an intriguing time-loop mystery, even if it does not fully land for everyone. “The world feels lived in, lonely, and at times straight up bleak. The sound design is fantastic, with a score that adds to the feeling of isolation.”

Happy Friday, ya’ll! No, the ‘Prince of Persia’ Remaster didn’t release today, despite some crazy rumors. With that said, what ELSE are you planning to play this weekend? Pictured below (released 1/15): ‘The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon’ - Switch 1/2, PS4/5 & PC

Plummet headfirst into stylish, combo-fueled chaos with Freefall ’95. From indie developer S-Bend Games, this fast-falling, ’90s-inspired arcade experience is packed with tricks, power-ups, and a time-bending mystery. The Steam demo launches January 29th, with the full game expected this March.

Masters of Albion is officially set to launch on April 22, 2026, exclusively on PC via Steam. Developed and published by 22 cans under the direction of industry legend Peter Molyneux. Masters of Albion aims to reimagine the god game for a modern audience.

The Gaming Outsider welcomes Grant Henry to join in their annual tradition of determining the GO’s overall Game of the Year, this time for 2025. You’ll also hear predictions for 2026 as well as the games the crew is most looking forward to in the coming year.

13 years ago today (1/15/13), ‘DMC: Devil May Cry’ released on the Xbox 360 and PS3. This reboot of the franchise was developed by Ninja Theory by the request of publisher Capcom. Although the game was praised for its gameplay, many complained about the redesign of Dante.

The Gaming Outsider's GOTY episode is live on our YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook pages tonight!! Be there!!! The action kicks off at 7:30 PM CST & we’re welcoming Stemage as our special guest. We can’t wait to see you all again! www.tiktok.com/t/ZThjEgaeM/

22 years ago today (1/13/04), ‘NFL Street’ released on PS2, GameCube & Xbox. This American football game used licensed teams/players, but (as the name implies) had them playing street football instead of in stadiums. It had 2 sequels, the first of which released the same year.

‘Alpha Squad’ released 15 years ago today (1/12/11) on the Xbox 360 via XBLA. Developed by info studio DragonDivide, this twin-stick shooter had 4-player co-op both locally & online. The game is no longer available for purchase as the Xbox 360 marketplace has since shut down.

‘Resident Evil 4’ released on the GameCube in NA 21 years ago today (1/11/05). The was the first game in the series to use the over-the-shoulder perspective instead of the fixed camera angles of the first 3 games & impacted future shooters greatly. It sold 14.7 million copies.

First-person survival horror is calling, and Ebola Village looks terrifying in all the right ways. Old-school design, creepy enemies, tense exploration, and a chilling setup backed by a live-action short film. January 23 cannot come soon enough.

'Moonlighter: Complete Edition' is on sale on Switch/Switch 2 for $4.34. This was a personal favorite of our Editor-in-Chief, and he liked it so much, he bought it again. www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro... Here is Scott's review, if you're at all interested: thegamingoutsider.com/2018/07/02/m...

'Children of Morta: Complete Edition' is on sale on Switch/Switch 2 for $4.37. I adored this game, and this includes all of the DLC. I already own this game on Xbox, and I bought it anyway. www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...

Rovio and SEGA have announced a major shift in how Angry Birds licensing operates worldwide. SEGA will now manage global licensing for the franchise through its transmedia operations, unifying consumer products and location-based entertainment under one strategy.

21 years ago today (1/10/05), ‘The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap’ released on the GBA in North America. Previously released in Japan & Europe in 2004, the 12th game in the series was produced by Capcom & Flagship. It sold 1.76 million copies worldwide & was very well-received.

A playable demo for Nocturnal 2 launches January 27 on Steam, offering over an hour of flame-fueled Metroidvania action. Developed and published by SunnysideGames, explore an early section, unlock abilities, and test the combat system. Looks fantastic!

IO Interactive is teaming up with NVIDIA GeForce to deliver a PC-focused experience in 007: First Light, complete with DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation at launch. Built on IO’s Glacier engine.

As is typical for this time of year, new releases are pretty light this weekend. What's everyone playing over short break from the work week?

On January 9th, 2012 (16 years ago today), Larian Studios announced that they would be self-publishing all future titles. They would also retain the IP rights for currently-existing games in the Divinity series. Larian would go on to develop the award-winning ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ in 2023.

24 years ago today (1/7/02), 'Cel Damage' released on the GameCube in North America. This vehicular combat game featured 10 animated character competing in a demolition derby that airs on a fictional network called "Toon T.V." It's proposed sequel was cancelled due to poor sales.

The Gaming Outsider is taking a couple weeks off for the holidays, but we didn’t want to leave you with nothing. Enjoy a couple of our favorite “From the Outside In” topics from 2025 as well as impressions of the following new game demo: ‘Fatherhood’

‘Amplitide’ released on PS4 on this day 10 years ago today (1/5/16). This was a follow-up to the 2003 PS2 game by the same name, which was a sequel to ‘Frequency’. The rhythm-based game was a return to Harmonix’s roots & was a Kickstarted project met with middling reviews.

16 years ago today (1/4/10), ‘Darksiders’ released in NA on Xbox 360 & PS3. This was the first “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” game published by THQ and featured the character War in a third-person adventure very reminiscent of gameplay in ‘Ocarina of Time’, only darker.

29 years ago today (12/31/96), ‘Diablo’ released on Windows in North America. The first game in the popular dungeon crawler series sold over 2.5 million copies. It was eventually ported to Mac/PlayStation & spawned multiple sequels, the latest of which is ‘Diablo IV’ (2023).

The Gaming Outsider is taking a couple weeks off for the holidays, but we didn’t want to leave you with nothing. Enjoy a couple of our favorite “From the Outside In” topics from 2025 as well as impressions of the following new games: ‘Terminator 2D: No Fate’ ‘Taxi Chaos 2’

‘Dead or Alive 4’ released 20 years ago today (12/29/05) on Xbox 360. It was the last main fighting game in the series to release before the merger between Koei & Tecmo. It sold over 1.2 million copies. The game is also the first official game to have “zero point” achievements.

Blood: Refreshed Supply leans into its familiar Doom-inspired structure, blood splatter, and a thin excuse for carnage, while also carrying dated design quirks along for the ride. “I wanted a Doom-style shooter with a heavy dose of gore, and in that respect, Blood Refreshed Supply delivered.”

Terminator 2D: No Fate is a loving, confident throwback that celebrates arcade design, sharp presentation, and genuine respect for its source material. It feels thoughtfully crafted, energetic, and packed with personality from start to finish.

Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny leans heavily into its Nickelodeon roots, offering a wide roster of characters that will resonate with fans of the 90s and early 2000s era. “This is a game I recommend to people with nostalgia for this Nickelodeon era and/or who would like to introduce kids to it.”

WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers blends punishing combat with a striking world and some smart twists on familiar systems. “Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a well-made soulslike game in an otherwise crowded genre. If you enjoy soulslike games, you do not want to miss this one.”

7 years ago today (12/28/18), 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' released on Netflix. This interactive TV show followed a video game programmer in 1984 where players made narrative chioces to affect the story that has five different endings. The game was delisted in May 2025, however.