On this weeks episode - after the final update on the Fantasy Critic League for the year - Ric, Paula, and Alex talk about what makes boxart good (or bad), and well as discuss about trends and share their favorite and least favorite box art pieces! As always, they talk about games they've beaten, retired, and are currently playing. Finally, they top it all off with yet another round of 'How Long To Beat? The Game!'

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:13 - A Public Service Announcement

00:02:10 - FCL update - ft. Abatage

00:06:29 - Games Beaten

00:49:20 - Games Retired

00:52:42 - Games Playing

01:20:20 - Boxart!

01:50:20 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Alex: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy [Xbox], The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles [Switch], New Pokemon Snap [Switch], Rhythm Heaven [DS], Monster Hunter Rise [Switch], LEGO Harry Potter Collection [Switch], Tales of Arise [Xbox]

Ric: The Blind Prophet (PC), Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair (PS4), Risk of Rain 2 (PC), Risk of Rain 2 (PC), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC), The Witcher (PC), Crimson Gem Saga (PSP), Chicory (PC), Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (Vita)

Paula: Luna's Fishing Garden [PC], ISLANDERS [PC], Cupid Parasite [Switch], Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War [NSO|Switch]

After a few special episode weeks, Ric, Paula, and Alex spend an inordinate amount of time getting caught up on the games they've beaten, retired, and are currently playing. If you're drinking, do a shot every time Paula's finger slips... Next on the agenda is a summation of their respective Black Friday hauls, and another game of 'How Long To Beat? The Game!' rounds out the episode.

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:37 - Games Beaten

00:39:17 - Games Retired

00:43:24 - Games Playing

01:21:33 - Topic: Black Friday Sales and Strategies

01:35:24 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Alex: Metroid Dread [Switch], Assassin's Creed Unity [Xbox], Vanquish [Xbox], Unsighted [Xbox], The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles [Switch], New Pokemon Snap [Switch], Rhythm Heaven [DS], Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy [Xbox]

Ric: Distrust (PC), HarmoKnight (3DS), Alt-Frequencies (PC), Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS), Metrico (Vita), Risk of Rain 2 (PC), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC), Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (PS4), The Witcher (PC), The Blind Prophet (PC), Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier (Android), Timespinner (Vita)

Paula: Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem - Heroes of Light and Shadow [DS], Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery [PC], Samsara Room [PC], Poly Bridge [PC], Age of Empires IV [PC|Gamepass], Cupid Parasite [Switch], Pokemon Shining Pearl [Switch], Shin Megami Tensei V [Switch], Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War [emulated]

Time for the next instalment of New Game +! This is a series where we occasionally revisit a topic from the podcast in more depth for an unedited mini-episode. These episodes run around 45 minutes to an hour. Sometimes our lives get in the way of our recording but we always want to make sure you've got something to enjoy each week! These aren't released on a regular schedule but on an as-needed basis.

If there's a topic we've covered before that you'd really like to hear us expand upon, then let us know on the HLTB forums, Discord, or at [email protected].

In this episode of NG+, we discuss gaming's evolution from toys to entertainment and the political ramifications of that transition. What games get deemed as "political"? What games seem to avoid that designation?

Boy, do we have a special episode today for you! We're joined by Studio Voyager, the team behind the upcoming game What Lies in the Multiverse? being co-developed with IguanaBee and published by Untold Tales. We played the demo for What Lies in the Multiverse? a few episodes ago and had burning questions for the team! Aaron and Vice shared their gaming history with us, talked about what they're playing, and discussed the development of What Lies in the Multiverse? with us before playing everyone's favourite game: How Long to Beat? The Game!

You can learn more about the game and our guests here:

What Lies in the Multiverse? Website: https://play-multiverse.com/

Studio Voyager's Twitter: https://twitter.com/StdoVoyager

Aaron's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/aaronfrenkel

Aaron's Twitter: https://twitter.com/AaronFrenkelS

Vicente's Twitter: https://twitter.com/picvice

Send the pod a question:

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:23 - Meet Studio Voyager!

00:32:08 - Games Playing

01:18:30 - What Lies in the Multiverse? Developer Interview

01:52:08 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Aaron: Call of the Sea [PC], Eastward, Piofiore, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles [Switch]

Alex: Forza Horizons 5 [Xbox], Assassin's Creed Unity [Xbox], The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles [Switch], Rhythm Heaven [DS], Tetris 99 [Switch]

Ric: Distrust (PC), Rocket League (PC), Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC), Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (PS4), The Witcher (PC), The Blind Prophet (PC), Metrico (Vita)

Paula: Poly Bridge [PC], Animal Crossing: New Horizons [Switch], Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective [DS], Age of Empires IV [PC|Gamepass], Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem - Heroes of Light and Shadow [DS], Cupid Parasite [Switch]

Vice: Legends of Runeterra, Animal Crossings: New Horizons [Switch], Jenny LeClue - Detectivu [Switch]

Ric - this week helped and hindered by pre-recording drinks - is joined by Paula and Alex to talk once again about what they've beaten, retired, and are currently playing. This week's topic considers the new release of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy and the seeming resurgence of licensed AAA singleplayer games, with another game of 'How Long To Beat? The Game!' rounding out the episode.

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:30 - Fantasy Critic League: November Update

00:06:12 - Games Beaten

00:32:05 - Games Retired

00:44:02 - Games Playing

01:20:17 - Topic: Friendship ended with microtransactions, now single-player games are [AAA licensed games'] new best friend

01:39:21 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Alex: Pixel Puzzle Makeout League [Switch], The Forgotten City [Xbox], Batman Arkham Knight [Xbox], River City Girls [Xbox], Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow [DS], Hot Wheels Unleashed [Xbox], Disco Elysium [Xbox], The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles [Switch], Metroid Dread [Switch], Rhythm Heaven [DS]

Ric: Devotion (PC), IMSCARED (PC), Stubbs the Zombie (PC), NeuroVoider (Vita), LBX: Little Battlers Experience (3DS), BattleZone (PSP), Distrust (PC), Rocket League (PC), Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC), HarmoKnight (3DS), Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (PS4), The Witcher (PC)

Paula: Nightshade [Switch], The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Switch], Poly Bridge [PC], Animal Crossing: New Horizons [Switch], Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective [DS], Age of Empires IV [PC|Gamepass]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! It has been 1 full year since season 2 began! Join Ric, Paula, and Alex as they reminisce about this past year, and talk about their personal highlights. As usual, they talk about what they've beaten, retired, and are currently playing and they finish off the episode with the one and only 'How Long To Beat? The Game!'.

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:29 - Games Beaten [Part 1] - cecile richard's "i am still here"

00:08:06 - Games Beaten [Part 2]

00:28:03 - Games Retired

00:30:29 - Games Playing

01:02:49 - Topic: 1 Year Anniversary Special!

01:34:24 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Alex: Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime [NDS], Batman Return to Arkham: Arkham City [Xbox], i am still here (Browser), Hot Wheels Unleashed [Xbox], Disco Elysium [Xbox], Batman Arkham Knight [Xbox], Pixel Puzzle Makeout League [Switch], Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow [DS]

Ric: Max Gentlemen: Sexy Business! (PC), Alan Wake's American Nightmare (PC), GAG (PC), Aerial_Knight's Never Yield (PS4), i am still here (Browser), Exile's End (Vita), Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC), Distrust (PC), Devotion (PC), Stubbs the Zombie (PC)

Paula: i am still here (Browser), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Switch], Nightshade [Switch], Poly Bridge [PC], Animal Crossing: New Horizons [Switch], Shuuen no Virche - Error Salvation [Switch],

Join Alex, Paula, and Ric as they once again discuss the games they've beaten, retired, and played this week before talking about all things spooky in games to celebrate Halloween. They actually manage to take a listener question this week too! Don't forget to send in any questions you might have to our email! Once again, they finish things off with a round of How Long To Beat? The Game!

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:07 - Games Beaten

00:21:47 - Games Retired

00:26:32 - Games Playing

00:53:17 - Topic: Horror in Video Games

01:24:38 - Listener Question

01:38:01 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Alex: Batman Return to Arkham: Arkham Asylum [Xbox], Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime [NDS], Hot Wheels Unleashed [Xbox], Disco Elysium [Xbox], Batman Return to Arkham: Arkham City [Xbox]

Ric: VA-11 Hall-A (Vita)[replay], Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP/Vita), Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC), Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC), Alan Wake's American Nightmare (PC)

Paula: New Pokemon Snap [Switch], Shuuen no Virche - Error Salvation [Switch], Animal Crossing: New Horizons [Switch], The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Switch]

Ric, Paula, and Alex - now back to their regularly-scheduled recording slot - talk once again about what they've beaten, retired, and are currently playing. This week's topic is a look at a 'Gamer Motivation Profile', which you can take at the link below. As always, the episode is rounded out by the latest instalment of 'How Long To Beat? The Game!'.

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:25 - Games Beaten [Part 1]

00:05:37 - Cameo from Molly

00:07:06 - Games Beaten [Part 2]

00:49:24 - Games Retired

00:55:53 - Games Playing [Part 1]

01:15:15 - NSO Rant

01:19:16 - Games Playing [Part 2]

01:28:58 - Topic: Gamer Motivation Profiles (https://apps.quanticfoundry.com/surveys/start/gamerprofile/)

01:43:07 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Alex: Sumire [Switch], Metro Exodus [Xbox], Umurangi Generation [Switch], Visage [Xbox], Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime [NDS], Hot Wheels Unleashed [Xbox], Disco Elysium [Xbox], Batman Return to Arkham: Arkham Asylum [Xbox]

Ric: Forgive Me, Father//Ultra Age//Soda Crisis//Dread Delusion [demos](PC), Wario Land 4 (GBA), Sumire (PC), Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (Vita), VA-11 Hall-A (Vita)[replay], Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS), Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC), Rocket League (PC), Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP/Vita)

Paula: Olympia Soireé [Switch], Timberborn [PC], Nightshade [Switch], Animal Crossing: New Horizons [Switch], New Pokemon Snap [Switch]

Join Alex, Ric and Paula as they talk about the demos they've tried during the Steam Next Fest (and maybe find your next favorite game!). As usual, the three of them talk about the games they beaten, retired, and they finish off with the latest instalment of 'How Long To Beat? The Game!'.

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:53 - Games Beaten

00:34:55 - Games Retired

00:40:35 - Games Playing

00:45:30 - Olympia Soirée (Spoilers Incoming)

00:52:48 - Olympia Soirée (Spoiler section ends)

01:00:50 - Steam Next Fest!

01:29:24 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Alex: Yakuza: Like a Dragon [Xbox], Marvel's Avengers [Xbox], Little Nightmares [Xbox], The Procession to Calvary [Xbox], The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures [Switch], Marvel's Avengers DLC [Xbox], Little Nightmares: The Depths [Xbox], The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles [Switch], Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime [NDS], Hot Wheels Unleashed [Xbox]

Ric: LOVE HERO (3DS), Foreclosed (PC), The Good Time Garden (PC), VA-11 Hall-A (Vita)[replay], Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS), Wario Land 4 (GBA), Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC), Sumire (PC), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC)

Paula: Amnesia: Later [Vita], Olympia Soireé [Switch], The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Switch], Timberborn [PC]

STEAM NEXT FEST GAMES

•What Lies in the Multiverse

•TUNIC

•Transiruby

•Mazeman

•Bubble People

•B.I.O.T.A

•Monochrome RPG

•Settlement Survival

•Blind Fate: Edo no Yami

•Aztech: Forgotten Gods

•Night Reverie

•The Bookwalker

•《Drifting : Weight of Feathers》

•Haiku, the Robot

•Transiruby

•Anno: Mutationem

•Itorah

•Undungeon

•Who's Lila?

•Blackwind

•The Last Bastion

•Mechajammer

•Filmechanism

•Planet Cube Edge

•Teabat!

Link to SplatterCat's Settlement Survival preview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TkIM5HqmfA

After a brief hiatus that the crew skillfully hid from you all with prerecorded episodes (and definitely did not lose a recording of this episode and needed to re-record), Ric, Paula, and Alex are back! The gang talks about the multitude of games they beaten, retired, and are currently playing before taking a listening questioner about all those shitty shitty plot twists. And finally, they finish off with the latest instalment of 'How Long To Beat? The Game!'.

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

Discord - https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

Music - Ian Edward

Graphic design - M4thew

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:43 - Fantasy Critic League Update

00:06:36 - Games Beaten

00:38:30 - Games Retired

00:53:28 - Games Playing

01:32:15 - Listener Question: Bad Plot Twists

01:39:54 - Persona 5 Spoilers

01:42:28 - 13 Sentinels Spoilers

01:44:45 - Narita Boy Spoilers

1:45:15 - Pokemon Sun and Moon Spoilers

01:46:47 - How Long To Beat? The Game!

Games Mentioned:

Alex: The Artful Escape [Xbox], Superliminal [Xbox], Tomato Adventure [GBA], The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons [GBC], The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles [Switch], Yakuza: Like a Dragon [Xbox]

Ric: Telling Lies (PC), Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island (PS4), Vagrant Story (Vita), Kine (PC), VA-11 Hall-A (Vita)[replay], Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS)[replay], Wario Land 4 (GBA), Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC), Sumire (PC), The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC)

Paula: Lonely Wolf Treat [PC], Friendly Bunny Mochi [PC], Clever Fox Moxie [PC], Wandering Wolf Treat [PC], Dreaming Treat[PC], Mochi in Frosting[PC], Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia [3DS], Age of Empires IV (Closed Beta)[PC], Nightshade／百花百狼[Switch](replay), Amnesia: Later [Vita], Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective[DS], New Pokemon Snap[Switch], Olympia Soireé [Switch], The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Switch], Timberborn [PC]