How Long To Beat

As Josh fumbles around with PC hardware and cobbles together this edit, Paula has been expanding her horizons and trying new things in the world of gaming. Meanwhile Josh actually finished a few short adventures, a pretty bad racing game, and a brand new climb to the top of a very nice mountain. Back in the real world, Paula has been enjoying a symphony of video game classics, prompting a chat about favourite game soundtracks and recommendations. Finally, can Josh scrape together a little bit of a useful memory and gain some point in our guessing game? The answer may surprise you!

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

00:00:58 - Beaten

00:22:06 - Retired

00:23:55 - Playing

01:02:05 - Game Music We Love

01:41:32 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Wallace & Gromit Episode 2: The Last Resort [PC], Wallace & Gromit Episode 3: Muzzled! [PC], NFS: The Run [PC], Looks Good [PC], Rusty Lake Hotel [PC], Jusant [PC], Sea of Stars [PS5], Assassin’s Creed: Mirage [PS5], Cocoon [PC]

Paula: Piofiore: Episodio 1926 [Switch], FIFA 23 [Switch], Jackbox Party Pack 6 [Browser], Project Zomboid [PC], Quarantine Circular [PC]

This week Paula’s been getting deeper in mafia business and repeatedly dying while trying to survive the apocalypse. Meanwhile Josh has been finishing off a co-op adventure and taking the time to tidy things up before falling further into the Rusty Lake universe. What really matters though, are the comfort games we hold dear to our heart, so we have a bit of a chat about some perhaps unexpected titles that always make us feel good.

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

00:01:05 - Beaten

00:15:29 - Playing

00:40:23 - Comfort Gaming

01:29:57 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: It Takes Two [PS5], Poems & Codes [PC], Looks Good [PC], Rusty Lake Hotel [PC], Tiny Bang Story, Doom/Quake, Journey, PowerWash Simulator, Glass Masquerade, Assassin’s Creed, Assault Android Cactus,kane & Lynch: Dead Men

Paula: Piofiore: Fated Memories [Switch], Project Zomboid [PC], Piofiore: Episodio 1926 [Switch], Code Realize: Guardian of Rebirth [plus the 2 fandisk], TLoZ: Majora’s Mask, The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince, Fire Emblem: Awakening, A Short Hike, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, Pokemon

After the onslaught of demos in the last episode, things have relaxed a little and we have a handful of titles to talk about. What happens though, when you get overwhelmed with choice and have to decide what to play, or maybe you just can’t put down that hot new game in spite of other interests?! Our discussion this week focuses on gaming droughts and gluts, and our own experiences. Finally, it’s Josh’s turn to attempt a bit of redemption and put some points on the board in our HLTB guessing game!

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

00:01:00 - Beaten

00:20:01 - Playing

01:00:38 - Gaming Droughts & Gluts

01:20:37 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Storm Boy [PC], Cube Escape Collection (The Mill) [PC], Poems & Codes [PC], Cities: Skylines II [PC], Baldur’s Gate 3 [PC], “Windows 11”

Paula: The Runemaster’s Diary [PC], A Tiny Sticker Tale [PC], Piofiore: Fated Memories [Switch], Diablo II: Lord of Destruction [PC], Detective Pikachu [3DS]

Get ready for a gauntlet of games to excite the senses! Josh got COVID and spent his time playing a lot of small games, while Paula polished off one she’s been working on for a while. Plus, the titles keep coming after Steam’s latest NEXTfest event provided a heap of interesting demos to try out, but were they really worth it?

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 - Beaten

00:23:38 - Retired

00:25:53 - Playing

00:49:55 - Steam NEXTFest Demos

01:47:58 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery [PC], F.E.A.R. [PC], Cube Escape Collection (Harvey’s Box, Case 23) [PC], Lords Of The Fallen (2014) [PC], The Adventures Of Bertram Fiddle: Episode 2 - A Bleaker Predicklement [PC], Safecracker: The Ultimate Puzzle Adventure [PC], Find All [PC], Find All 1, 2, 3, and 4 [PC], Project Cars 3 [PC], Lapin [Xbox Series S], Need For Speed: The Run [PC], Poems & Codes [PC], From Space [Xbox Series S], Tori Dori [PC], a shit-ton of demos

Paula: Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo [Switch], Golf Peaks [PC], Piofiore: Fated Memories [Switch]

In this special irregular episode, we discuss the wide range of things we've learned from playing video games. The stories and experiences we've encountered through gaming are often a conduit to life lessons and discovering the world around us. They enrich our lives and teach us in unique ways that have lasting effects.

Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk

Email - [email protected]

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

Graphic design – M4thew and Pokepaw

The Otome is strong with this one, as Paula stays hooked on threads and colours, while Josh has been coming to grips with pan-dimensional orbs and Tokyo-based hauntings with full mouse and keyboard support. Plus, this week we’re talking about some of those games that we love, but everyone else seems to hate, and why that could be. Followed by an unexpected result in this week’s guessing game!

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

00:01:24 - Beaten

00:08:41 - Playing

01:09:23 - Some Games We Love

01:48:00 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Cube Escape Collection (Seasons, The Lake, Arles) [PC], It Takes Two [PS5], Gotham Knights [PC], Cocoon [PC], F.E.A.R. [PC], Kena: Bridge Of Spirits [PS5], Ghostwire Tokyo [PC], 

Paula: Wargroove 2 [Switch], Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo [Switch], 

It’s October, which brings the HLTB Triple Creature Feature for Game of the Month! Josh and Paula have a chat about the games featured for the month, and what the community are saying. Meanwhile, Paula starts theorising about sticks and strings, while Josh struggles against a janky little 3D platformer. Of course, none of that matters in the end, as it’s Paula’s time to try and gain an even larger lead in our guessing game, but could she have met her match? Have a listen and 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

00:01:33 - Beaten

00:19:36 - Retired 

00:25:27 - Playing

01:07:27 - Topic

01:20:41 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Lies of P [PC], Adventures of Bertram Fiddle: Episode 1 - A Dreadly Business [PC], Toren [PC], Lords of the Fallen [PC], Kena: Bridge Of Spirits [PS5], Sea Of Stars [PS5], F.E.A.R. [PC], 

Paula: Café Enchanté [Switch], The Wandering Village [PC], Hamtaro: Rainbow Rescue [GBA], Golf Peaks [PC], Detective Pikachu [3DS], The Runemaster’s Diary [PC], Winter's Wish: Spirits of Edo [Switch],

What happens when you finish a meaningful gaming experience and are left with a void to fill? This week Paula and Josh discuss this phenomenon, along with their own ways of dealing with the end of a good thing. Meanwhile Josh has been getting emotional and is in love with a puppet, while Paula found herself stranded and poisonous, but still managed to protect her crown, in more ways than one.

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

00:01:03 - Beaten

00:42:08 - Retired

00:50:23 - Playing

01:33:20 - Coping With The Void

01:48:17 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Vampire Survivors [PC], Last Call BBS [PC], Moonscars [PC], Disney Dreamlight Valley [Xbox Series S], Lies Of P [PC], Baldur’s Gate 3 [PC], 

Paula: Kingdom: New Lands [PC], Subsurface Circular [PC], Stranded Deep [PS5], Café Enchanté [Switch], The Wandering Village [PC]

NB: I was going to link the Café Enchanté soundtrack video, but since the podcast recording, the video has been taken down from YouTube.

After diving into the world of souls-bourne rings and knock-offs, this week Paula and Josh are talking about how far they’d go to “get good” and really put in the time to skill-up in difficult games. Then Paula comes in and shows just how good she is at guessing those games in our weekly guessing games… again. I mean, it’s getting ridiculous at this point… we need a nerf.

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

00:01:03 - Beaten

00:11:55 - Retired

00:24:36 - Playing

01:18:35 - Getting Good

01:37:27 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: When The Past Was Around [Xbox Series S], Iris Fall [Xbox Series S], GTA Online [PC], GRID Legends [Xbox Series S], Lapin [Xbox Series S], Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty [PC], Lords of the Fallen (2014) [PC]

Paula: Cut the Rope [Android] (a.k.a ad hell), Café Enchanté [Switch], Elden Ring [PC], Kingdom: New Lands [PC], Just Dance 2023 [Switch], Yono and the Celestial Elephants [Switch]

This week Paula has multiple games added to her retirement list, while Josh has delved into Todd Howard’s wonderful world of marketing BS. Together we have a chat about playing sequels, and whether it’s worth playing an entire series to get up to speed. Then of course, Josh attempts to follow up with a perfect guess after last week when Paula nailed the game and achieved a maximum score!

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

00:01:09 - Beaten

00:28:11 - Retired

00:38:50 - Playing

01:01:07 - Preparing For A Sequel

01:19:18 - Guess The Game

Games Mentioned:

Josh: Journey [PS5], Metal: Hellsinger [PC], Starfield [PC], Baldur’s Gate 3 [PC], Elite Dangerous [PC], GTA Online [PC] 

Paula: A Short Hike [PC], Lover Pretend [Switch], Townscaper [PC], Ben There, Dan That![PC], Café Enchanté [Switch]