In this episode of State of the Save, Michael finally plays Halo 3: ODST… but before he can even talk about the game, he drops a long-kept secret about his personal history with the Halo franchise that changes everything.

Eric takes on Return of the Obra Dinn, the critically acclaimed investigative adventure from Lucas Pope. With its meticulous logic puzzles and unforgettable art style, it pulls him in like a gripping mystery novel he can’t put down.

The guys also delve into the 2025 games they missed, along with the 2026 games worth looking forward to, the ways Call of Duty Black Ops 7 falls short, and Michael’s sudden obsession with Hypnospace Outlaw.

To wrap it up, they trade picks for the next episode—two flawed but fascinatingly ambitious games from the PS2/Xbox 360 era.

Follow @StateOfTheSave on Instagram and Bluesky for updates, and catch streams, clips, and highlights on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. Subscribe and leave a review to help more listeners discover the show!

Timecodes:

0:00 - Intro

3:15 - Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

9:00 - 2025 Games as the year wraps up

19:30 - Final Fantasy XVI

21:20 - Hypnospace Outlaw

31:54 - Return of the Obra Dinn

55:10 - Halo 3: ODST

1:30:15- Michael's Pick for Eric

1:34:30 - Eric's Pick with Michael