September Staff Picks: Mid-Travel Pitstop

Discord’s September Staff Picks highlights employees’ favorite recent releases and reliable travel games. Their choices range from major titles like Astro Bot, Space Marine 2, and Black Myth: Wukong to portable strategy, puzzle, cozy, and indie games. Across the interviews, the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck emerge as ideal companions for long journeys.

Recent Games Getting Attention

• Astro Bot impressed Armando with its creative level design, joyful presentation, and resemblance to the best moments of Super Mario Galaxy.
  • He completed the platinum trophy in one weekend and considers it a strong Game of the Year contender.
• Into the Breach offers tense, turn-based strategy that feels like a combination of mini-chess and a roguelite.
  • Its portable format makes it especially well suited to the Nintendo Switch.
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been a favorite for Tracie, who enjoys battling Tyranids with friends in the campaign and Operation Missions.
  • Character customization lets her represent the Blood Angels Space Marine Chapter.
• Matt has been playing a wide range of new releases, including:
  • Black Myth: Wukong
  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
  • Satisfactory 1.0
  • Astro Bot
  • Inscryption
• Inscryption stands out as another staff favorite, combining card-game mechanics with a distinctive and absorbing presentation.

Reliable Games for Travel

• Armando frequently travels with his Switch and returns to games that remain enjoyable after many hours:
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Dead Cells
  • Balatro
• He also recommends mobile puzzle games, especially 2048, which is available on some airplane seat-back screens.
• Tracie prefers comforting games during stressful travel, particularly:
  • Stardew Valley
  • Pokémon Scarlet/Violet
• She notes that Stardew Valley’s 1.6 update was announced for consoles in November.
• Matt plans to use his Steam Deck during a flight to Japan, with a large backlog including:
  • Inscryption
  • Dome Keeper
  • Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
  • Final Fantasy VI
  • Dead Cells
  • Nine Sols
  • ANIMAL WELL
  • Melatonin
  • Fallout 4

The staff’s recommendations suggest that the best travel games are portable, replayable, and easy to enjoy in short sessions. A Switch or Steam Deck stocked with a mix of cozy games, roguelites, strategy titles, and puzzle games can make long flights and other journeys much more enjoyable.