What we’ve been playing – “The dev team all moved to Hawaii to make this one, and you can tell”
Eurogamer’s regular “What We’ve Been Playing” feature sees four writers reflect on games they have recently enjoyed, ranging from a relaxing shop-management title to expansive role-playing adventures and nautical horror. The piece matters chiefly as a set of personal recommendations and impressions, highlighting how different games suit different moods, from brief moments of calm to long-term completionist play.
Marie recommends PC game Thrifty Business for its colourful art and light retail-management systems, while Connor is revisiting Dragon’s Dogma 2 on PC, valuing its slower exploration, oxcart journeys and collecting. Dom returns to Final Fantasy X/X-2 on Switch 2 as Final Fantasy X marks 25 years since its July 2001 launch, praising Spira’s Hawaiian-inspired world and the remaster’s progression and speed options; Kelsey’s contribution concerns a cosy but nautical-horror experience.
- Eurogamer writers share personal gaming recommendations.
- Thrifty Business offers calm, colourful shop management.
- Final Fantasy X’s 25th anniversary prompts a fond revisit.
New here? Start with this
Video games range from short, low-pressure experiences to long adventures that can take dozens of hours. Personal recommendation columns often bring these different styles together, with writers explaining what they enjoy rather than offering a single definitive verdict.
Management games usually focus on organising a business or space, while role-playing games let players explore fictional worlds, develop characters and collect equipment. Some people return to older games through updated versions, which can add modern conveniences such as faster play or altered progression systems.
Final Fantasy X is a Japanese role-playing game first released in 2001. It is set in Spira, a fantasy world whose scenery and culture drew inspiration from places including Hawaii, and it remains one of the better-known entries in the long-running Final Fantasy series.