Well, here we are, folks: our final episode of 2023! It's been a wild ride of a year and we've had some wonderful times recording podcasts and, of course, playing indie games. Lots and lots of indie games. So many, in fact, that our GOTY episode ran a little long despite our best intentions — but, since we're taking a slightly longer three-week break between episodes while we all head off for the holidays, we hope this feature-length episode will tide you over until we come back on January 11th!

Usually this is where we'd list the games we talk about in the episode, but since this is technically an award show we're running here today, we thought we'd build up the suspense a little and keep it a surprise for our lovely listeners. Here's a clue though: there are 13 games here on our collective GOTY list — including the one we've crowned the inaugural Indieventure GOTY — and we've podcasted about all of them at some point over the course of the past year! Even our hyperfixations this time around are shrouded in festive mystery, because trust me, they really went some places and we're sure you'll want to hear it.

All that remains for us to do is wish you a merry Christmas, happy holidays, or a peaceful winter break if you don't celebrate at this time of year. We are all so incredibly grateful for an amazing first year of podcasting, and it's all thanks to you that we get to keep on doing this! Thank you and see you in 2024! Happy new year!

(Music is, as ever, Cigarette Boat by Marc Torch!)

'Twas eighteen nights before Christmas, when all through the house,

We were recommending indies, to a skeleton and a mouse.

Jolly Saint Nick is a guest on the show,

Spreading good cheer with a wink and a ho.

His cough is persistent, a fun phlegmy hack,

But he gains a pile of indies to put in his sack.

The trio wraps up with some dinner guest chatter,

A parade of indie characters who feast from food platters.

When all's said and done, another episode out of sight,

We wish a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Oh also our hyperfixations this week are A Profound Waste Of Time by Caspian Whistler, What We Do In The Shadows and In Stars And Time.

Music is Cigarette Boat by Marc Torch.

It's Indieventure Episode 4, and this week we're doing things a little bit differently and having a freeform chat about how we measure success when it comes to indie games. Traditional success in the gaming space is, of course, financial: games that are a commercial hit and sell loads and loads of copies. But we also consider other factors, such as positive critical reception and the growth of a dedicated fanbase even in the absence of breakthroughs in term of money, fame, and accolades; meeting a dev's personal goals for the project enough to allow them to invest in creating future games; and games that launch quietly only to enjoy slow-burn success over the long-term (we're looking at you, Among Us).

We also take a quick dive into what we've been playing recently: Rachel's been building communities after the end of the world as we know it in Saltsea Chronicles; Rebecca's falling in love with an evil princess — yet again — in Slay The Princess; while Liam's time with Spin Rhythm XD has him not only reliving the glory days of Guitar Hero and DDR but wondering whether it's surpassed them both.

Meanwhile, the tech gremlins have invaded for the second episode in a row, so our apologies that Rebecca occasionally sounds like a robot this time! Her microphone's a bit broken but she hasn't been replaced by an extremely realistic AI, we promise; no machine could simulate just how fast she talks when she's getting excited about her nerd stuff.

Speaking of which, this episode's hyperfixations are all spooky indie games, it turns out! So stay tuned for some bonus geeking over the recent remake of Sherlock Holmes The Awakened, queer horror visual novel Mediterranea Inferno, and ultra-nostalgic zombie horror You Will Die Here Tonight.

Music is Cigarette Boat by Marc Torch.

In the third episode of the Indieventure podcast, the gang are all about those autumnal vibes, picking out some of our favourite indie games that are more cosy than sipping pumpkin spice latte dressed in a chunky knit sweater while kicking through fallen leaf piles in the park, or whatever.

In fact, the autumn air was so crisp when we recorded this that it got right into Rachel's microphone and made her audio a bit, erm, crispy. Which is my clever(?) way of saying sorry for some minor technical difficulties in this one! Don't worry, though, the whole episode is perfectly audible; you won't miss a second of our signature top-tier Muppet fashion chat. Oh, and we also talk about indie games, you can hear that too!

Our featured games this week are Cultic, Wytchwood, Beacon Pines, Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery, and the collected works of Rusty Lake and Madison Karrh.

This week's hyperfixations are Cyberpunk 2077, The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix, and an impulsive decision to learn some basic Japanese using Duolingo.

Music is Cigarette Boat by Marc Torch.

It’s episode 2 of Indieventure! This week the gang chat about their most-anticipated indies set to release at the end of 2023 and - thanks to October’s Steam Next Fest - some upcoming 2024 picks too.

This episode features Underground Blossom, Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue, Little Goody Two Shoes, SteamWorld Build, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, 1000xResist, and Another Crab’s Treasure.

Hyperfixations:  The Odyssey by Lara Williams, Castlevania: Nocturne, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Alice in Borderland.

 Music is Cigarette Boat by Marc Torch.

If you love indie games and love listening to friendly folks chat about indie games, congrats! You’ve found the right podcast! It’s the first official episode of Indiventure and after an exciting reunion Liam, Rebecca, and Rachel get right into what they’ve been playing recently. 

This episode features A Space for the Unbound, Goodbye Volcano High, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, Cocoon, The Case of the Golden Idol, and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (plus a bit of Gunbrella).

 Liam's video! 2023 Is An Unbelievable Year For Games.

Music is Cigarette Boat by Marc Torch