Just Keep Gaming Diaries - September 2026

Another month, another period filled with so much gaming. It was also my birthday, levelling up to 29. Me and my fiancé took a 5-day break to Wales which was very relaxing. But more importantly, what gaming did I get through in September.

Currently Playing:

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

I started a replay of this back in August and just haven't managed to play as much this month. With newer releases coming out, I have put it on the back-foot for now.

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

I was introduced to the Fire Emblem series with Awakening on the 3DS. I was instantly obsessed with the tactical fun it offered. Fast-forward over a decade and we have Fortune's Weave, an expansive entry on the Switch 2. I'm roughly 10 hours into it so far and can safely say this will be one of the best in the franchise and one of the best games of the year. The combat is as engaging as ever, with a cast of excellent characters. I can't wait to see where the story goes.

The Blood of Dawnwalker

The debut game from Rebel Wolves, a studio made up of veteran developers that worked on one of the greatest games of all time (the greatest in my opinion), The Witcher 3. The Blood of Dawnwalker wears that legacy clear as day and with pride. It's style, aesthetic, and foundation is so Witcher 3 coded that I fell in love with the game so quickly. I'm about 12 hours into the game now and can see the quality oozing from it. It's not perfect, with a bit of jank here and there in combat, however, the story, characters and quests are strong.

The Witcher 3 Remastered

Talking of The Witcher 3, the remaster has just come out and it is free to all existing owners of the game (another thing that sets CD Projekt Red apart from its competitors). I have only managed a few hours since its release, but it is so good to experience this masterpiece all over again with much appreciated visual improvements. This is definitely a game I will be playing for months to come!

TCG Card Shop Simulator

I think I have been getting a bit into the 'Simulator' genre of games recently after finishing Waterpark Simulator. I saw TCG Card Shop Simulator advertise and with my growing obsession with collecting Pokémon cards, playing this game was a must. And again, this is another highly addictive title that begs you to play just another in-game day. Slowly growing your shop from meagre beginnings to a large one with lots of different and varied types of stock. I can't go a day without getting at least some playtime on this. Definitely recommend to others that like this genre.

Ball x Pit

A game that recently became included in the PS+ catalog. I downloaded in on a whim and like the previous game mentioned, has me hooked! Ball x Pit is a roguelite where you will command one of many characters in stages that have you shooting various types of balls at enemies in a vertical path as they slowly move towards you. With countless stages, enemies, characters, ball types, mutations/evolutions of those balls (I feel like I am saying 'balls' a bit too much) it never gets boring. If you like that repetitive type of gameplay and slow progression, this will be the game for you.

Finished:

Vampyr

I finished Vampyr early on in the month and enjoyed my time with it. I mentioned in the last diary that there was plenty of AA issues, and I stand by that. Visuals and combat definitely suffer from it, but it is still a solid adventure that tugs on that dark narrative and style that I love. If you can power through the clear issues, there is a decent game underneath.

Waterpark Simulator

I managed to not only finish Waterpark Simulator but earn the platinum trophy as well. It's such a simple, yet effective gameplay loop that will have you losing track of time as you get lost in crafting your waterpark into the best it can be. You might go slightly mad from the music playing on loop in the background (you can always turn it off if need be), but it's the perfect title to just switch off your brain to and get stuck in.

Hell is Us

Hell is Us was a game that had me intrigued when it was first revealed a few years ago. I never got around to picking it up (likely buried by other releases at the time) and noticed it was on PS+ recently. This is a soulslike that focuses more on exploration and some light puxxle solving instead of straight up combat. There are varied enough levels/locations for you to traverse, and some are fairly open as well.

The story is weird and it has an unsettling atmosphere throughout. It's a solid game, however, the enemy variety is severely lacking. While combat isn't as at the forefront as others in the genre, it is still present enough where the few enemy types become extremely repetitive. It's a shame as I think the combat and customisation is pretty strong. Definitely give it a go if you have PS+.

Star Wars Zero Company

Star Wars Zero Company had the potential to be one of the best games of the year for sure. I adored the strategic combat, it has a solid story and the characters are great. Unfortunately, it simply has too many technical problems to put it at the tope of the year's games. Regular crashes, camera probelms, performance woes and just constant glitches, make it feel unfinished. It can really get frustrating at times. A few more months of polish were sorely needed before release. It is a shame, as this game would certainly be a 9/10 game without the issues.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you have been playing in the comments and have a good month!