What to play this weekend: Returning classics to consume your relaxation time

Happy Friday, Watchers, and welcome to July! Were you melting in celebration of the US Independence Day yesterday or embracing the maple leaf of Canada on Monday? No matter how you spent your week, it’s time to take a nice deep breath, settle in at your most comfortable of temperatures inside, and play some video games.

(Re-)release of the week: Riven (puzzle)

Receiving a significant glow-up is the newly re-released Riven, a sequel to the incredibly popular (and also re-released) Myst. Riven was a gorgeous puzzler, likened to a “majestic piece of art,” on its original release in 1997 and if all the reviews are to be believed the remake does the original justice. Journey through a truly magnificent world of jungles, caverns, and monoliths, exploring “a world bent to the whims of a man who sees himself as a god.”

As a remake, this version of Riven has received some tweaks, including free movement in the real-time 3D environment (pretty much impossible in 1997), a deeper story and accompanying visuals, and “a journey that stays true to the original release while also expanding on Riven’s breathtaking world.” This is one of the few times that reviewers universally agree — Cyan Worlds has done a truly fantastic job of remaking this iconic puzle game.

Get Riven for $34.99 for PC on GOG, PC and Mac Steam, and the Mac App Store.

Coming soon: House Flipper Dine-Out DLC (cozy sim)

House Flipper is part of the mighty Steam Summer sale right now, which is a perfect time to acquire the base title if you are interested in its coming DLC — House Flipper Dine-Out. Due to release in 2024, this new content pits your remodeling abilities against the restaurant industry. This DLC includes lovely new features, such as leasing your freshly renovated spaces, a new multi-function universal cooker, and more precision for your purchases. We may not be able to master the economy in real life, but in House Flipper, we can be real estate gods.

Head to Steam to read more about the coming House Flipper Dine-Out DLC and maybe acquire some existing DLCs to tide you over to the release.

Steal of a deal: The Recollection Collection Sale at Nintendo

Besides being an absolute tongue twister, the Recollection Collection Sale currently running at the Nintendo store covers 50+ games for your Nintendo Switch. There are some absolute gems up for grabs that are greatly loved by the Blizzard Watch Staff:

• Cuphead, normally $19.99, is now $13.99 (30% off)
• The Diablo Prime Evil Collection, normally $59.99, is now $19.79 (67% off)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, normally $59.99, is now $14.99 (75% off)

Some additional sales, such as the Devolver Digital and Capcom Summer Sales, are worth eyeing on the Nintendo site while the Recollection Collection sale runs. Really, if you’re a Switch owner, run to the site the next week — there’s almost guaranteed to be a deal for you.

The Recollection Collection sale runs from July 3 to July 14 at 11:59 pm Pacific.

Bonus round — ending this weekend!

Just tossing out a quick reminder that both Summer Games Done Quick and the Steam Summer Sale are wrapping up this weekend. Check out our must see picks for SGDQ, running through tomorrow, July 6. Meanwhile, you have until July 11 at 10 am Pacific for the Steam Summer Sale — if you’ve got a wishlist like our esteemed Anna Bell, this is the event for you!

Now tell us, Watchers — what are you playing this weekend? Share in the comments below, and we’ll feature your new interest in next week’s round-up!