How Long To Beat

The end has come and the season finishes up with this final episode where Josh and Paula take a look to the future. What are they keen to finish? What’s been sitting on the backlog begging to be played? What new releases are they looking forward to in the future?

Thanks to everyone who contributed and helped support season three and make it fun. It was a blast to put together, but all good things must come to an end. Who knows what will happen in the future, but for now, it’s done!

Thanks for listening.

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:36 - Backlog Games We’re Hyped to Finish

00:18:32 - Backlog Games We’re Hyped to Start

00:43:41 - Upcoming Releases We’re Hyped For

01:36:54 - A Look Back On Season 3

01:45:04 - Final Thoughts

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Dredge, Starfield, Paradise Killer, Need For Speed Heat, Outer Wilds, Republique, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes, The Operator, Terminator: Resistance, Coffee Talk, Coffee Talk 2, Deliver Us Mars, American Arcadia, Steelrising, Metal Gear Solid Master Collection, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, Grand Theft Auto 6, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Death Stranding 2, The Wolf Among Us 2, The Sims 5, Doom: The Dark Ages, Light No Fire

Paula: The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kindgom, Wargroove 2, Shin Megami Tensei V, The Cruel King and the Great Hero, Elden Ring, Fire Emblem: Engage, Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling, Radiant Tale Fanfare, Lakeburg Legacies, Taisho X Alice, Catherine, CharadeManiacs, JackJeanne, Ace Attorney: Miles Edgeworth Invetigations Collection, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Meiji Tokyo Renka Full Moon, 9 RIP, Virche Evermore: Epic Lycons, Steam Prison: Beyond The Steam, Bustafellows Season 2, Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Utakata no Uchronia

In this penultimate episode of season 3: Josh has been battling insane robotics, meditating with pixel art, and tweaking hardware in search of stability, while Paula continues to catch them all, and till the land in pursuit of abundance and anime.

Then they have a special showdown to decide who really is the crowned champion of their guessing game. So far they’ve each won a round, but can a final battle sort the wheat from the chaff? This isn’t Stardew Valley…

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:06 - Beaten

00:11:57 - Retired

00:15:02 - Playing

00:51:17 - The Final Showdown

01:45:01 - Final Thoughts

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Atomic Heart [PC], High On Life [PC], Coloring Pixels [PC], WRC 8 [PC], Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty [PC], Lords Of The Fallen [PC], Win 11 Minesweeper [PC]

Paula: Pokemon Scarlet [Switch], PokeRogue [Browser], Fields of Mistria [PC]

The time has come! Paula’s tenure as educational administrator is at an end, but at what cost?! Has she done enough to justify the hard decisions and moist frogs that frequented the journey? Are we finally witnessing the liberation of indentured students?!

Meanwhile Josh has made it to the end of his own journey, but even a murder case in court seems poultry by comparison. Add to that some hard moral decisions and wartime carnage, and he still doesn’t seem like the worst dictator we’ve seen.

Finally, the topic this week turns to the HLTB Game of the Month, which Josh is definitely a fan of and has a lot to speak on and in no way leaves it all up to Paula.

Enjoy the episode!

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:39 - Beaten

00:56:08 - Playing

01:22:56 - GotM - The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

01:43:28 - Final Thoughts

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney [PC], WRC 7 [PS5], été [PC], Field Hospital: Dr. Taylor’s Story [PC], inbento [PC], Beltmatic [PC], WRC 8 [PC], Command & Conquer: Remastered [PC]

Paula: Let’s School [PC], PokeRogue [browser], The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening [Switch]

Is it a myth? Is it real? Can you actually do that amazing thing in that popular game? This week we’re talking about the rumours and myths that make up gaming folklore. Has the internet taken away the mystery? Or are there still exciting surprises to be had? We raise some questions, but do we manage to answer them?

Plus, Paula continues her spiral into darkness as she manipulates students for her own benefit, and rules her colony of beavers with an iron fist. Before diving back into an old favourite for some more Otome adventures.

Meanwhile Josh has been trying some new things and making new friends after finding them in a strange new world. He’s still convinced that he’s nearly reached the end of the ongoing courtroom drama, and has been avoiding nightmares while fishing for gold in the fog.

All this and more in this latest episode!

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:25 - Beaten

00:06:14 - Playing

01:00:41 - Videogame Preservation

01:47:41 - Final Thoughts

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Beltmatic [PC], WRC 7 [PS5], Flock [XSX], Dredge [PS5], Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney [PC]

Paula: Beltmatic [PC], Timberborn [PC], Let’s School [PC], Norn9: Last Era [Switch]

Welcome to the shortest episode description ever, because Josh is tired and the words aren’t working.

This week the talk is all about games, and videogame preservation.

Enjoy!

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:25 - Beaten

00:06:14 - Playing

01:00:41 - Videogame Preservation

01:47:41 - Final Thoughts

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Ship Graveyard Simulator [PC], WRC 7 [PS5], Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney [PC], Ete [PC]

Paula: Zodiacats [PC], Timberborn [PC], Let’s School [PC], Beltmatic [PC]

Come sail the seven seas this week as gaming piracy is up for discussion, with all its swashbuckling and spicy takes. Is there a moral imperative to bend the rules from time to time? Or is it simply misguided righteousness in this topsy-turvy world of easily obtained loot and booty?

Before that though, Josh and Paula work through a short list of games they’ve been playing and finishing, as is tradition. Paula continues to apply pressure on her students, design epic rodent-built towns, and play with a never ending parade of cats. Meanwhile Josh has finished his final race, uncovered complex hidden murder mystery facts, and pondered the existential meaning of cooperation.

Strap yourself in… and bring on the feedback!

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:22 - Beaten

00:16:14 - Playing

01:02:09 - Gaming Piracy

01:44:33 - Final Thoughts

Games Mentioned:

Josh: WRC 6 [PC], Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney [PC], Helldivers 2 [PC], Ship Graveyard Simulator [PC]

Paula: Cats Love Boxes [PC], Let’s School [PC], Timberborn [PC]

Yes, the hot rumours are true and the end of Season 3 has now been set to sometime in the next couple of months. While there are still a good handful of episodes left, the hosts would love to hear from anyone who may be interested in hosting the podcast into Season 4. So get in touch at [email protected].

Meanwhile, Paula is continuing her educational rampage of tyranny this week, while also manipulating felines and solving puzzles. All as Josh follows the mysterious trail of a relic with magic powers, and fights alien enemies on a planet far, far away.

Then the discussion focuses on Gaming Guilty Pleasures where tangents abound, and everything goes a little bit TED Talk for a while. Then again, does it really matter/ Are you having fun?

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:07:33 - Beaten

00:34:41 - Playing

01:08:42 - Gaming Guilty Pleasures

01:44:33 - Final Thoughts

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions [PC], The Case Of The Golden Idol [XSX], Golden Idol Mysteries: The Spider Of Lanka [XSX], Golden Idol Mysteries: The Lemurian Vampire [XSX], Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney [PC], Helldivers 2 [PC], WRC 6 [PC], Glass Masquerade [PC]

Paula: Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions [PC], Glass Masquerade 3: Honeylines [PC], Let’s School [PC], Timberborn [PC], Cats Love Boxes [PC]

In this episode: Paula brings back an out-dated form of employment, while satiating her power-hungry need for order and conformity. Josh dies repeatedly on alien planets, and dives deep into the lore of weird cults and relics that leave bodies in their wake.

Then the discussion turns to open world games, which was totally not a suggested subject that an AI bot came up with. Not at all.

Finally, the episode concludes with a big announcement that may or may not include puppies. Tune in to find out!

(please note, there are no puppies in this episode, the HLTB Podcast apologise for the inconvenience)

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:57 - Beaten

00:24:55 - Playing

00:55:25 - Open World Games

01:50:12 - An Announcement

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Sudocats [PC], The Procession To Calvary [PC], Helldivers 2 [PC], The Case of the Golden Idol [XSX], WRC 6 [PC]

Paula: Sudocats [PC], Hidden Capybaras with Orange [PC], Glass Masquerade [PC],Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions [PC], Let’s School [PC]

It’s all about games, games, and more games this episode as Paula and Josh have been playing, retiring, and completing a bunch of different titles. For some reason though, there seems to have been a lot of cats involved… which has to be a good thing, right?

Plus, it’s Steam sale time, so they both reveal the bargains they picked up and perhaps a few random additions along the way. The budgets are real, but there are some deep discounts that are worth taking a look at either way.

Just don’t think about the backlog…

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:52 - Beaten

00:29:54 - Retired

00:32:10 - Playing

01:04:51 - Steam Sale Pickups

Games Mentioned:

Josh: WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship [PC], Cats Organised Neatly [PC], Dogs Organised Neatly [PC], Glass Masquerade 3: Honeylines [PC], Rinse And Repeat HD [PC], Sword and Fairy: Together Forever [XSX], WRC 6 [PC], Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy [PC], The Procession To Calvary [PC], Helldivers 2 [PC]

Paula: LEGO Builder’s Journey [PC], A Tower Full of Cats [PC], PokeRogue [Browser], Sudocats [PC]

This week Josh has been spending most of his time scavenging parts from derelict ships, laughing at renaissance absurdity, and sticking his nose into a new criminal case. While Paula returned to the conflict of world domination, continued to catch them all, solved puzzles with bricks, and went rogue at the start of an epic adventure. 

If that wasn’t enough, the pair dive into a discussion about different video game business models and whether that subscription is really worth it, or if that DLC should have been part of the game in the first place. Can micro-transactions ever be okay?

Tune in to find out!

HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music – Ian Edward (intro/outro) and Abatage (incidental)

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:40 - Playing (Josh)

00:30:46 - Playing (Paula)

01:11:02 - Subscriptions VS Free VS Purchase

02:18:43 - Outro

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Ship Graveyard Simulator [PC], The Procession To Calvary [PC], Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney [PC]

Paula: Civilization V [PC] (multiplayer - Hot Seat), PokeRogue [Browser], LEGO Builder’s Journey [PC], Baldur’s Gate III [PC]