Pixel Parents | A Video Game Podcast

Physical games were about more than owning a disc. 

Game shops, midnight launches, manuals, trade ins and lending games to friends all helped make gaming feel like a visible culture.

This week, we ask what digital convenience has cost us, what today’s younger players may never experience and whether physical gaming is already beyond saving.

We also share our first impressions of Gears of War E Day, including its horror atmosphere, incredible opening act and why it feels like the Xbox game we have been waiting for, plus:

In this episode:

• Gears of War E-Day 
• Ghost of Yōtei Echoes of Sekigahara
• Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave
• PES 6 Master League
• The Vale Lostbound
• Pixel Picks Replay
• Gamer Court 

Subscribe for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamer parents.

https://www.youtube.com/@PixelParentsPodcast

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code BMB591ST2JKNHXWE

#GamingPodcast #TheWitcher3 #GamingPodcast

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 What we lose when games go digital

00:42 Butter in the beard

03:22 Welcome and housekeeping

04:25 PES 6 Master League

07:56 The Vale Lostbound

09:24 Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave

15:28 The value of comfort games

21:50 Ghost of Yōtei Echoes of Sekigahara

33:22 Moonlighter 2 and card shop life

35:18 Gears of War E Day impressions

42:18 Gears becomes survival horror

49:26 Why the Locust feel frightening again

57:26 What we lose without physical games

01:00:31 What physical gaming meant to us

01:08:08 Manuals, game shops and discovery

01:14:07 The death of midnight launches

01:20:01 What younger gamers may never experience

01:28:24 Is physical gaming already dead?

01:32:19 GoldenEye 007 Pixel Picks Replay

01:33:55 Gamer Court puts PT on trial

01:39:29 Was the seventh generation gaming’s peak?

01:41:39 Thanks for listening

—

Write to us: [email protected]

Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social

Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

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What are the nine games that made you the gamer you are today?

Scott and Liam join the social media trend, but the grid only tells part of the story. 

We explain how these games shaped our tastes, friendships, families and different stages of our lives.

These are not simply our nine favourite games. They are the games that made us.

In this episode:

• Minecraft Dungeons II review
• Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave
• Control Resonant
• Star Wars Zero Company
• FC 27
• The Witcher 3 Remastered
• The Last of Us Part I in Pixel Picks Replay
• October 2026 Pixel Picks Replay selection

Subscribe for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamer parents.

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GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code BMB591ST2JKNHXWE

#GamingPodcast #TheWitcher3 #GamingPodcast

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 The nine games that made us

00:41 Welcome to Pixel Parents

07:06 Minecraft Dungeons II review

15:42 Onimusha and Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave

24:22 Control Resonant first impressions

30:18 Star Wars Zero Company

38:34 Is FC 27 worth returning to?

42:14 The Witcher 3 Remastered

47:00 Gears of War E Day review leak

49:26 Will we see more GTA VI?

52:30 Scott fights back against scam callers

55:52 The nine games that made us

57:44 The games that started everything

01:06:49 Games that shaped our tastes

01:11:11 Games tied to friendship

01:14:18 Games that helped us through life

01:17:09 Our most surprising choices

01:23:38 The final games

01:32:23 The games that missed out

01:35:37 Pixel Picks Replay

01:36:21 The Last of Us Part I

01:44:00 October’s game revealed

01:45:20 Closing

—

Write to us: [email protected]

Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social

Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

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Gaming has rarely been better, but the industry behind it has rarely looked more unstable.

Another 268 Xbox jobs have been cut, Halo is moving to a new team within Activision, and more studios face uncertain futures. But this feels much bigger than one company making bad decisions.

Scott and Liam discuss the rising cost of making games, unsustainable expectations, the future of AA development and why the next console generation could leave normal players behind.

Are we taking one of the best periods for playing video games for granted while the foundations underneath it change?

Elsewhere, Scott gives Onimusha: Way of the Sword a nine out of ten and prepares for a brutal platinum run. Liam finishes The Blood of Dawnwalker and Marvel’s Wolverine before becoming dangerously invested in Star Wars Zero Company.

Gamer Court also returns with more outrageous claims from the dock! Who will be guilty of a horrendous take?

Join our free Patreon community
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Subscribe for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamers.

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In this episode:

• The Blood of Dawnwalker 
• Marvel’s Wolverine 
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword
• Star Wars Zero Company
• Fire Emblem Fortunes Weave
• Main Topic: Great games, broken industry
• Gamer Court

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code BMB591ST2JKNHXWE

#GamingPodcast #TheWitcher3 #GamingPodcast

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 Gaming is brilliant, but the industry is struggling

00:55 Welcome to Pixel Parents

04:26 Onimusha: Way of the Sword final verdict

10:15 Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave

18:16 Finishing The Blood of Dawnwalker

19:36 Marvel’s Wolverine final verdict

25:36 The pull of Control Resonant

27:19 Star Wars Zero Company impressions

31:27 Solitaire, Frasier and comfort gaming

32:45 Xbox cuts another 268 jobs

34:03 What is changing across Xbox

37:12 What happens to The Coalition?

40:59 Is Xbox preparing to be sold?

42:01 Why buy an Xbox now?

48:21 Great games, broken industry

50:43 Gaming in 2026 has been brilliant

54:37 Can a creative year still be a failure?

57:51 Why making games feels so unstable

59:40 Are huge games becoming unsustainable?

1:03:26 Creativity versus financial success

1:07:28 Have player expectations gone too far?

1:12:02 Will this be our last console generation?

1:17:49 Can you trust a free hardware review?

1:20:23 PlayStation and Xbox have lost our trust

1:23:37 Is the backlog gaming’s future?

1:24:56 What we want gaming to become

1:32:24 Pixel Picks Replay

1:33:29 Gamer Court

1:33:52 Do we need another Elder Scrolls or Fallout?

1:36:34 Far Cry 3 deserves more respect

1:39:46 Closing the show

—

Write to us: [email protected]

Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social

Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

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PlayStation is still the default place to play for millions of people. 

But after an uneven PS5 generation, rising prices and a failed live service push, Sony appears to have lost some of its identity.

We look at what PlayStation still gets right, where its confidence has gone and the changes we would make before PS6. That includes more creative games, better communication, new franchises and a return for the studios and ideas that once made PlayStation feel different.

Liam also shares his early verdict on Marvel’s Wolverine. It is polished, violent and refreshingly linear, but does it justify its £70 price?

Elsewhere, Scott continues his Onimusha Way of the Sword obsession, Liam gives The Blood of Dawnwalker his final verdict and Folk Hero earns the highest possible recommendation. It is ideal for playing on the cludgie.

And of course, we’re back in the dock with this week’s Gamer court!

Subscribe for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamer parents.

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In this episode:

• The Blood of Dawnwalker review
• Marvel’s Wolverine Impressions
• Onimusha Way of the Sword
• Folk Hero Review
• Main Topic: Fixing PlayStation
• Gamer Court

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code BMB591ST2JKNHXWE

#GamingPodcast #TheWitcher3 #GamingPodcast

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 This week on Pixel Parents

00:48 Scott returns

04:38 Onimusha Way of the Sword

09:27 The Blood of Dawnwalker review

21:27 Folk Hero review

27:24 Finding time for Fire Emblem

29:25 The return of Solitaire

30:33 Marvel’s Wolverine impressions

50:56 Fixing PlayStation

52:19 Where PlayStation stands today

57:24 The identity of PS5

1:07:19 Revive Japan Studio and Bluepoint

1:11:50 PlayStation, Kojima and Physint

1:16:18 The live service problem

1:23:26 PlayStation needs to communicate

1:28:29 How PlayStation gets its confidence back

1:33:17 The exclusive PlayStation needs

1:37:06 Pixel Picks Replay

1:37:34 Gamer Court

1:41:20 Are gaming subscriptions essential?

1:44:23 Closing the show

—

Write to us: [email protected]

Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social

Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

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We all have gaming opinions that aged badly. Scott has six of them.

In this solo episode, he admits he was wrong about Fortnite, game difficulty, digital ownership, Nintendo, Early Access and video game remakes. 

He also looks at how age, parenthood and limited free time have changed what he wants from games.

Scott also shares his first impressions of Onimusha Way of the Sword, reacts to Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time remake and the latest Nintendo Direct, and discusses Xbox stepping in to publish Hideo Kojima’s Physint after PlayStation cancelled its involvement.

#GamingPodcast #Onimusha #NintendoDirect

Subscribe for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamer parents.

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In this episode:

• Onimusha Way of the Sword
• Nintendo/Zelda Direct 
• Kojima Productions and XBOX partner for Physint
• Scott becomes Frasier Crane

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code BMB591ST2JKNHXWE

#GamingPodcast #TheWitcher3 #GamingPodcast

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 Gaming opinions that aged badly

00:43 Scott takes over the podcast

03:08 Onimusha Way of the Sword impressions

14:57 The Legend of Zelda Direct

17:23 Ocarina of Time remake gameplay

22:13 Nintendo Direct reactions

24:37 Professor Layton and Metroid

29:18 Persona 4, Persona 6 and Kirby

31:45 Xbox saves Kojima’s Physint

34:09 Does the move actually matter?

36:33 PlayStation’s troubling direction

40:47 Gaming hot takes that went cold

43:08 Difficulty does not make a game better

45:34 Digital games won

47:58 Scott was wrong about Nintendo

50:21 Early Access and unfinished games

52:46 Remakes are not inherently lazy

55:13 Age and parenthood changed everything

57:38 September’s next big releases

01:02:23 Sign off

---

Write to us: [email protected]

Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

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Should developers stop abandoning successful single-player games after one expansion pass?

The Witcher 3 is returning with Songs of the Past, giving players a reason to revisit Geralt’s world more than a decade later. This week, we ask which other finished games deserve the same treatment.

Scott wants more Sekiro, Red Dead Redemption 2, Super Mario Odyssey and Days Gone. Liam makes the case for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Batman: Arkham Knight and another Bloodborne expansion.

We also endure PlayStation’s latest State of Play, deliver our final thoughts on Starfield for Pixel Picks Replay and take Sonic the Hedgehog to Gamer Court.

Which finished game deserves one more expansion? Let us know.

Subscribe for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamer parents.

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In this episode:

• Our first impressions of The Blood of Dawnwalker
• Surviving September’s packed release schedule
• Final Fantasy VII Revelation and PlayStation’s latest State of Play
• Scott’s long-awaited Starfield verdict
• Gamer Court

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code BMB591ST2JKNHXWE

#GamingPodcast #TheWitcher3 #GamingPodcast

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 Which finished games deserve more DLC?

00:34 Scott returns after the sleep regression

05:45 What we’ve been playing

06:18 Scott finally plays Parasite Eve

11:29 Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo

15:05 Liam returns to Marvel Snap

16:14 A Plague Tale Legacy

18:04 Ghost of Yōtei platinum

19:30 The Blood of Dawnwalker first impressions

24:19 Surviving September’s new releases

29:36 PlayStation State of Play reactions

31:48 Final Fantasy VII Revelation

38:12 Until Dawn and Ghost of Yōtei updates

44:23 The State of Play verdict

45:48 Which games deserve one more expansion?

46:51 Why The Witcher 3 can return

54:31 Sekiro

55:09 Metal Gear Solid V

57:33 Red Dead Redemption 2

59:29 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

01:03:35 Super Mario Odyssey

01:06:42 Batman: Arkham Knight

01:10:34 Days Gone

01:14:03 Bloodborne

01:20:56 Starfield Pixel Picks Replay

01:31:54 Gamer Court

01:33:42 Has Sonic ever had a good game?

01:38:12 Should gaming showcases happen once a year?

01:43:28 Sign-off

---

Write to us: [email protected]Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

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Has GTA VI finally shown us what this console generation can really do?

GTA VI’s extended look may be the best demonstration yet of what the current console generation can achieve.

Liam reacts to Rockstar’s 27-minute presentation, including the return to more methodical Red Dead Redemption 2-style gameplay, the extraordinary lighting and world detail, Jason and Lucia’s relationship, changes to the wanted system, new activities and the soundtrack.

The presentation left him astonished, but it raised a larger question. If GTA VI can run on PS5 and Xbox Series X, what would make us buy another generation of consoles?

With console, accessory and handheld prices continuing to rise, Liam admits that he may not buy the next PlayStation or Xbox at launch. Could a dedicated PlayStation handheld, cloud gaming or simply keeping the PS5 Pro offer a better alternative?

We also look back at Gamescom and Opening Night Live, including Gears of War E Day, Warlock Dungeons & Dragons, Stage Tour, Final Fantasy VII Revelation and several hours that could have used a good edit.

Elsewhere, Liam returns to Mad Max, Shadow of War and Marvel Snap. The Last of Us becomes September’s Pixel Picks Replay game, while Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth face Gamer Court.

Would you still buy a new console on day one, and what is the highest price you would accept?

Follow for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamer parents.

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In this episode:

• GTA VI Extended Look Reaction
• Gamescom and Opening Night Live Discussion
• Main Topic: The Big Next Gen Chat
• Pixel Picks Replay - September Selection
• Gamer Court

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code BMB591ST2JKNHXWE

#GTAVI #NextGenGaming #GamingPodcast

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 GTA VI and the future of gaming

00:27 Welcome to Pixel Parents

02:28 Liam’s new normal

04:47 Spider Man 2 deserves more respect

07:12 Returning to Shadow of War

09:36 Marvel Snap drags Liam back

12:03 GTA VI extended look reaction

14:17 Red Dead Redemption 2 style gameplay

16:44 Vice City looks astonishing

19:02 Wanted levels and open world activities

21:25 GTA VI soundtrack and final verdict

23:45 Opening Night Live was far too long

26:09 How to fix Geoff Keighley’s showcases

28:30 The best games from Opening Night Live

30:50 Final Fantasy VII Revelation

33:09 Xbox gets something right

35:34 A £1,299 gaming handheld

37:52 What should next gen gaming offer?

40:17 Did this generation ever truly begin?

42:41 Can consoles keep chasing PC?

45:00 GTA VI finally fulfils the current generation

47:29 What price is too high?

49:53 Are exclusive games still enough?

52:17 Liam might skip the next console launch

54:41 The PlayStation handheld changes everything

57:07 Fighting the launch day FOMO

59:28 Would you still buy a console on day one?

01:01:29 September’s Pixel Picks Replay

01:03:55 Final Fantasy VII enters Gamer Court

01:05:53 The verdict

Write to us: [email protected]Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

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Where does gaming fit when life gets hard?

After unexpectedly being made redundant, Liam found himself questioning whether he deserved to spend time playing games. It took a return to Spider-Man 2 to remind him that enjoying something during a difficult period does not mean ignoring what has happened.

Scott also reflects on returning to Death Stranding, and why its message of simply putting one foot in front of the other meant so much to him.

We discuss gaming as comfort, escapism and a small source of control when life feels uncertain. Games cannot solve serious problems, but sometimes they can help us feel a little more like ourselves.

We also answer a listener question about how we find time to play as parents, catch up on the alleged GTA VI gameplay leak and return to Gamer Court.

Elsewhere, Scott finishes The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess, shares his impressions of Kynseed and continues his strange new life as a miner in Starfield.

Where does gaming fit in your life when things become difficult?

Subscribe for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamer parents.

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In this episode:

• Kynseed
• GTA VI leaks
• Main Topic: Where Gaming Fits When Life Gets Hard
• Gamer Court

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 Where gaming fits when life gets hard

01:51 Scott takes control

04:15 Surviving the sleep regression

10:12 Liam shares his difficult week

12:17 Returning to Spider Man 2

14:43 Twilight Princess is still the best Zelda

16:35 Kynseed impressions

20:17 Scott starts Starfield

24:02 Becoming Starfield’s most boring miner

30:33 The alleged GTA VI gameplay leak

34:07 Gaming leaks are ruining everything

43:40 How do we find time to play?

47:24 Gaming with a newborn

50:15 The rule of three

54:48 Gaming when life gets hard

56:48 Feeling like you do not deserve games

59:58 Gaming as therapy

01:03:36 Finding control when life feels uncertain

01:06:28 Death Stranding, grief and keeping on

01:10:30 Why Liam returned to Spider Man

01:15:26 Handheld gaming provides an escape

01:18:52 Can difficult memories ruin a game?

01:23:52 Do not suffer in silence

01:25:22 Pixel Picks Replay

01:25:52 Gamer Court

01:26:54 Was PlayStation’s live service strategy bad?

01:33:39 Gaming discourse has lost the plot

01:41:23 Closing the court

Write to us: [email protected]
Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

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We’re predicting the review scores of 2026’s biggest upcoming games.

Liam and Scott lock in their scores for GTA 6, Marvel’s Wolverine, Silent Hill Townfall, Fire Emblem Fortunes Weave, Control Resonant, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 and more.

Before that, we share our early impressions of Marvel Tōkon Fighting Souls. Neither of us planned to buy it, but its accessible combat, brilliant presentation and love for Marvel won us over.

Scott also begins Starfield for this month’s Pixel Picks Replay and brings Bethesda’s inventory management before Gamer Court. Which prediction do you think will age the worst? Leave your own scores below.

Subscribe for weekly gaming discussions from two adult gamer parents.

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In this episode:

• Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls
• GTA VI reveal manifestation 
• Main Topic: Fantasy Critic Review Score Predictions, 2026’s biggest games
• Gamer Court

GET BONUS SHOWS AND MORE BY JOINING OUR ALWAYS FREE PATREON (www.patreon.com/pixelparents)

—

CHAPTERS

00:00 Predictions we will probably regret

01:21 Welcome to Pixel Parents

06:15 Marvel Tōkon Fighting Souls impressions

09:22 Why we both bought it

11:16 Combat and single player

15:44 Building the perfect team

20:51 Taking Marvel Tōkon online

23:34 A genuine fighting game surprise

29:51 DualSense, fonts and that soundtrack

34:02 Will we keep playing?

36:41 Scott returns to gaming

38:31 Starfield first impressions

40:55 GTA 6 is coming to Netflix

46:01 Fantasy Critic predictions

47:59 Star Wars Zero Company

51:44 The Blood of Dawnwalker

55:29 Orbitals

58:08 Onimusha Way of the Sword

01:01:58 Marvel’s Wolverine

01:05:20 Fire Emblem Fortunes Weave

01:08:06 Control Resonant

01:11:26 Silent Hill Townfall

01:14:30 EA Sports FC 27

01:15:24 Gears of War E Day

01:17:16 Castlevania Belmont’s Curse

01:17:44 Final Fantasy Resonance

01:19:14 Nintendo Switch Sports Resort

01:20:14 Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4

01:21:49 Phantom Blade Zero

01:23:21 Grand Theft Auto VI

01:26:43 Scott’s Fantasy Critic team

01:29:03 Gamer Court

01:29:42 Bethesda inventory must die

01:32:39 Did No Man’s Sky actually get better?

01:36:39 Closing the court

Write to us: [email protected]Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

New episodes every Friday.

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Have you ever bought a great game at completely the wrong time?

Scott bought Assassin’s Creed Valhalla alongside three other games for the PS5 launch. Liam bought Super Mario Odyssey, Wolfenstein 2 and Assassin’s Creed Origins shortly before becoming a parent. Neither plan went particularly well.

This week, we discuss the games we never gave a fair chance because life, other releases or our own buying habits got in the way. We also revisit the second attempts that changed our minds, including Dark Souls, BioShock and Alan Wake 2.

Scott delivers his full review of Sovereign Tower, a story-rich Round Table management RPG from Wild Wits Games and Curve Games. After playing it extensively on Steam Deck, he gives his score out of ten.

Elsewhere, Liam continues Halo Campaign Evolved and Denshattack. We discuss rising Xbox prices, the difficulty of fitting large games into family life, and whether we should stop buying games simply because they are new.

Gamer Court returns as Scott argues that Breath of the Wild has a bad open world. Starfield is also confirmed as our August Pixel Picks Replay game.

What game did you buy at exactly the wrong time?

Review code for Sovereign Tower was kindly supplied for coverage.

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In this episode:

• Sovereign Tower Review
• Halo Campaign Evolved 
• Main Topic: Right Game at the Wrong Time
• Gamer Court

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Great games bought at the wrong time

00:48 Scott’s strange advertising obsession

03:21 Liam’s week and Spider Man

08:35 Sovereign Tower review

16:01 Scott’s final score

18:24 Halo Campaign Evolved

21:08 Why Denshattack keeps delivering

24:35 Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls

27:51 Xbox layoffs and price increases

36:44 Games bought at the wrong time

37:54 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

39:11 The PS5 launch problem

41:58 Max Payne 3 and exam season

46:17 Games we loved on a second attempt

47:05 Scott returns to Dark Souls

49:36 Liam finally understands BioShock

52:00 Can handhelds rescue neglected games?

54:42 Games that arrived during major life events

58:50 Alan Wake 2 was worth the wait

01:01:41 Should we stop buying games at launch?

01:04:18 Do sales encourage bad purchases?

01:08:26 Is buying the game part of the fun?

01:10:15 Are modern games simply too long?

01:13:42 Surviving the September release rush

01:15:44 Every game could arrive at the wrong time

01:18:31 August Pixel Picks Replay

01:20:21 Gamer Court

01:21:19 Breath of the Wild on trial

01:27:13 Indie games against triple A games

01:29:56 Gamer Court is adjourned

01:31:10 Closing thoughts

Write to us: [email protected]Follow us on BlueSky: @pixelparents.bsky.social
Music & production by Sean Murray – barehandsdesigns.com

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