What to play this weekend: Return to Elden Ring or visit Dragon Age for the first time

After all the excitement of Summer Game Fest and Steam NextFest the last couple weeks it’s nice to have a weekend where you can relax and catch up on games. Of course just because those events are over doesn’t mean we’re not getting new releases or big sales to enjoy, so let’s get right to it!

DLC of the Week: Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

When Elden Ring released in 2022 it was greeted with a plethora of glowing reviews from both critics and players and won many “Game of the Year” awards, including from the Game Awards which are considered the most prestigious. As an open world “Dark Souls”-style RPG, Elden Ring is famous not only for its grueling boss fights that evoke its Dark Souls pedigree but also the setting and story that was crafted with the assistance of legendary author George R.R. Martin. Now over two years later the first (and only, if the developers are to be believed) expansion Shadow of the Erdtree is releasing.

Like the base game Shadow of the Erdtree is an open world RPG with dozens of boss fights (although a good number are optional). Also like Elden Ring it’s getting a ton of praise from critics, which makes it a must-buy for fans of the original. Shadow of the Erdtree is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

New release of the week: Tavern Talk

I talked about this game in Wednesday’s Queue but I have to give Tavern Talk more attention in this space — mainly because the release of Shadow of the Erdtree caused other developers to move their planned release date to avoid it. A “cozy” game inspired by the similarly-named Coffee Talk franchise, Tavern Talk has you taking the role of bartender in a fantasy-era inn where you meet a diverse group of characters to whom you provide drinks, quests, and inspiration. How you choose to serve all three of those to your guests can change the story, making this more of a choices matter game rather than a straight visual novel. It’s available on PC and Nintendo Switch.

Deal of the week: The Dragon Age franchise

Dragon Age: Veilguard finally got its big reveal during Summer Game Fest, renewing interest in the franchise. In order to attract even more attention to Veilguard, EA has massively discounted the games on Steam — 90% off! If you’re missing Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2, or Dragon Age Inquisition from your collection you can now get them for under $5 apiece. If you’re not sure which one to get, check out the first answer in today’s queue where Liz, our resident Dragon Age expert, helps break the options down.

Now tell us, Watchers — what are you playing this weekend?