Grow Up Level Up

🔥 NEW MERCH DROP: https://growuplevelup.com/en-cad

Stay cozy in Samson’s favourite hoodie — embroidered and designed by The French Dip Design.

In this episode of Grow Up Level Up Podcast, hosts Samson and SirDrJM share their Game Awards 2025 predictions, from Game of the Year and Best RPG to Best Adaptation and Most Anticipated Game. They break down every category with personal stories, industry insights, and some wild guesses (will 50 Cent or KATSEYE show up?!).

Whether you’re here for gaming news, Game Awards coverage, or just good laughs — this episode’s packed with energy and opinions you don’t want to miss.

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🎧 Chapters

00:00 Intro – Game Awards Predictions

02:51 Weather & Personal Updates

05:37 Vancouver Game Expo Experience

08:22 Prediction Format & Rules

14:27 Best Adaptation & Celebrity Appearances

26:05 Best RPG & Multiplayer Predictions

39:22 Best Action/Adventure & Indie Highlights

50:49 Ongoing Games & Games for Impact

59:56 Surprise Announcements & Game of the Year

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Sunset Selects Canadian Black Friday special from Vancouver, BC! Samson and Jordan dive into top gaming deals on Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, and Steam (CAD pricing), plus a major Grow Up Level Up merch reveal!!! New designs to support the show. Stay till the end for the exclusive merch discount code! They preview Vancouver Game Expo tomorrow (Nov 29, Roundhouse Community Centre, 11AM-6PM), share indie shoutouts, and reflect on community gratitude.​

Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Sunset Selects
01:31 Black Friday Deals Overview
05:38 Merchandise Reveal and Discussion
09:04 Exploring eShop Deals
15:54 PlayStation Store Black Friday Highlights
43:30 Vancouver Game Sale on Steam!
52:04 Steam Deck and PC Gaming
01:01:01 Thankfulness and Closing Thoughts

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Follow Samson:
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In this episode of Grow Up, Level Up, hosts SamsonXP and SirDrJM chat with artist and designer Cameron French, known as The French Dip Design. Together, they unpack Cameron’s creative journey from early love of video games to building a career in art and design that bridges community, storytelling, and play.

Cameron shares how his passion for creativity reignited during the pandemic and how drawing every day helped him rediscover his artistic voice. The discussion explores the role of community in creative work, how games inspire imagination, and the rise of indie developers shaping the future of gaming.

They also dive into Cameron’s latest film project, *Pancake Skank*, a story that blends queer identity, personal growth, and visual storytelling. Along the way, the conversation touches on crowdfunding, collaboration in design, and the importance of staying curious and trying new things.

🎮 Topics Covered:

- The story behind The French Dip Design

- Growing up with video games as inspiration

- Creating *Pancake Skank* and exploring queer storytelling

- The importance of community support and collaboration

- How indie creators are redefining the gaming world

- Finding creativity in everyday life

Follow The French Dip Design: [https://www.instagram.com/thefrenchdipdesign/](https://www.instagram.com/thefrenchdipdesign/)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests

02:57 Cameron French: The Journey of a Designer

24:31 The Magic of Gaming and Artistic Passion

34:52 The Renaissance of Gaming After Dark Times

36:39 Artistic Journeys and Personal Projects

47:13 Rediscovering Art During the Pandemic

49:03 Unveiling the New Brand Kit

51:01 Collaboration and Creative Process

55:08 Exciting Future Projects

01:00:00 Closing Thoughts and Words of Wisdom

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Explore 10 iconic games that shaped Jordan's gaming journey and friendships on Sunset Selects. From World of Warcraft to Animal Crossing, Jordan shares his 10 games and why they shaped who he is!

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Sunset Selects
04:04 Jordan's Gaming Philosophy
05:59 Jordan's 10 Games
08:14 World of Warcraft Journey
20:07 Transition to Overwatch
24:35 Nostalgic Gaming Memories
30:43 The Impact of Spyro 2
35:46 Kingdom Hearts: A Gateway to RPGs
40:01 Persona 4 Golden: Emotional Connections
45:48 Call of Duty 4: A Game-Changer
56:18 Console Wars and Gaming Preferences
01:03:03 The Impact of Animal Crossing
01:08:03 Reflections on Gaming History

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In this episode, hosts Samson and Jordan kick off a special two-part series revealing the games that define them. This week is all about Samson’s 10 defining games, with Jordan’s list coming in next week’s episode. From Overwatch to Pokemon Go, Samson dives into the titles that shaped his gaming journey. Don’t miss out—subscribe now so you’ll be the first to catch Jordan’s top 10 next week.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

06:02 What We've Been Playing

08:52 Upcoming Games

23:50 Games That Define Us

24:19 Overwatch

31:18 Pokemon Go

36:28 Pokemon Trading Card Game Live

39:37 Pokemon Black and White

42:26 Hearthstone

45:50 Marvel Snap

50:07 The Rest

58:46 Teasing Jordan's List for Next Week

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Follow Samson:

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Originally uploaded October 17 2025

Samson is gone for the third week in a row so this time we've got special guest Gianni DiCrosta on to settle the debate, once and for all: Which video game console is the best?In this week's episode it's the return of SirDrJM's favourite game where we build the Museum of Gaming. Tune in to see which consoles deserve to be featured on the second floor of Grow Up Level Up's Museum of Gaming.Don’t forget to thumbs up and subscribe! Stay connected:BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/growuplevelup.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/growuplevelup/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@growuplevelup?lang=enFollow Samson:BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/smsn.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/samsonxp/Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/samsonxp_⁠Follow Jordan: https://www.instagram.com/sirdrjm/Follow Gianni:Twitch: https://twitch.tv/giannidicrostaTwitter: https://x.com/giannidicrostaYoutube: https://youtube.com/@giannidicrostaJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/Fmzgcxar5bSubscribe and follow for more: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@growuplevelup Spotify: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/growuplevelup⁠

Samson's back and he's ready to yap about his unforgettable journey through Japan, sharing about the vibrant gaming culture — from the bustling streets of Tokyo to hidden retro game shops. Samson shows off his top gaming finds, unique souvenirs, and the thrill of exploring Japan's gaming scene. From plushies to rare consoles, don't miss this one!

👍 Don’t forget to give a thumbs up and subscribe!

Chapters
00:00 Welcome Back from Japan
03:06 Gaming Adventures During the Trip
06:02 Exploring Pokémon Centers
08:59 Shopping for Retro Games
12:10 Universal Studios and Nintendo World
14:57 THE HAUL
49:12 Tokyo Game Show Experience
52:42 Pokémon Legends ZA Launch Event
01:12:21 Cards?!
01:17:45 Reflections on Gaming and Travel
01:20:50 Outro

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Are you a gaming parent? Perhaps you're a parent with kids who game! This week’s episode sees these two dads talk about all about having a kid and gaming. How do you control those rug-rats and keep their gaming in line when you also love to game? Tune in, to find out!Don’t forget thumbs up and subscribe! Stay connected:BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/growuplevelup.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/growuplevelup/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@growuplevelup?lang=enFollow Samson:BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/smsn.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/samsonxp/Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/samsonxp_⁠Follow Jordan: https://www.instagram.com/sirdrjm/Catch Up with Chris: https://lyteforce.ca/Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/Fmzgcxar5bSubscribe and follow for more: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@growuplevelup Spotify: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/growuplevelup⁠

Ghost of Yotei has released and Jordan has been playing it since it dropped! This week, Highscoreweekly's Josh joins Jordan as they dive into everything Ghost!If you're debating picking up Ghost of Yotei, take a look!

Follow Highscoreweekly: https://www.instagram.com/highscoreweekly?igsh=MWMxcDY2Y3NvcWcyZg== @HighscoreWeekly  C

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Stay connected:BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/growuplevelup.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/growuplevelup/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@growuplevelup?lang=enFollow Samson:BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/smsn.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/samsonxp/Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/samsonxp_⁠Follow Jordan: https://www.instagram.com/sirdrjm/Follow Josh: https://www.instagram.com/highscoreweekly/https://www.instagram.com/highscorebites/Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/Fmzgcxar5bSubscribe and follow for more: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@growuplevelup Spotify: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/growuplevelup⁠

This RPG about growing up hit us harder than we expected. In this Consume Me game review, Samson shares his thoughts on the life sim RPG that blends gameplay, storytelling, and cultural representation in a powerful way.

Consume Me explores themes of self-image, relationships, and choices that shape a character’s life. The game features comic-inspired art, mini-games that mirror real challenges, and multiple endings based on decisions. It also carries the personal touch of the developer’s own experiences, which makes the story even more meaningful.

In this video, we cover:

• What makes Consume Me stand out among indie RPGs

• How the soundtrack and art style shape the experience

• The emotional impact and cultural relevance of the story

• Our take on whether it’s worth playing

If you enjoy indie games, life sims, or story-driven RPGs, this review is for you.

Have you played Consume Me? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

#ConsumeMe #GameReview #IndieRPG

Thank you to Popagenda, and the team at Hexecutable (Jenny and AP Thomson), for an early review copy of the game!

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Consume Me
03:05 Gameplay Mechanics and Structure
05:57 Character and Story Overview
08:50 Themes of Self-Image and Growth
11:55 Resource Management and Game Dynamics
14:50 Replayability and Multiple Endings
18:06 Personal Reflections and Relatability
28:17 Exploring Religion
35:36 Life Lessons and Personal Growth
38:29 Art Style and Music in the Game
40:10 Tension and Discomfort in Gameplay
43:57 Critiques and Suggestions for Improvement
47:54 Final Thoughts

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