Janet and Isaiah talk about when is it time to give up on a game, what are reasons you abandon playing a game to the end, and what games are on the chopping block to get dropped by them? They also compile a quick list of all the reasons they think someone might commonly abandon a game (GAMES). Then they talk about The Matrix movies. Isaiah only having seen the first 1 and Janet only having seen 2 - 4, they come together to talk about which of the movies are good, which are bad, and ultimately decide which are even worth watching in the first place (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up
• 02:22 Games / When do you give up on a game?
• 01:18:31 Not Games / The Matrix movies
• 02:04:35 Poll of the Show
• 02:07:19 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about Janet going international to attend Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, Germany. From Opening Night Live, to playing indie games, Janet and Isaiah recap some of the announcements and go over what games caught their attention (GAMES). Then they talk about their trip to Minnesota, trying out the (in)famous Juicy Lucy, seeing some Gangcast fans at the MinnMax meetup, and exploring the Mall of America (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up
• 02:40 Games / Gamescom 2025
• 01:12:27 Not Games / Visiting Minnesota
• 02:04:49 Poll of the Show
• 02:11:20 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about Janet maybe starting Monster Train? Having Slay the Spire experience under her belt, they touch on if they think it’s a good time to pick up something new. They then pick a handful of games studios and try to find out what’s the best game from each one, touching on their history with the studio, its franchises, and more (GAMES). Then they talk about their past, present, and future with pets. Going over what pets they had growing up, sharing some fun and not so fun stories with pets from their childhood, and dream about what animal friends they may have in the future (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up
• 05:12 Games / Janet starts Monster Train?
• 11:48 Best games from each studio
• 01:03:02 Not Games / Pets (our past, present, and future)
• 01:54:31 Poll of the Show
• 02:11:16 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about the latest updates in Janet’s Slay the Spire journey. They then talk about if they’re bananas for Bananza, their thoughts on the latest DK game, what they like, what they don’t like, and how they think it sits against other games in the genre (GAMES). Then they talk about cooking in the Garcia-Smith household. They go over what their goto meals are, their best recipes, and how they want to grow their skills in the kitchen (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up
• 01:22 Games / Slay the Spire (Check-In)
• 16:53 Donkey Kong Bananza
• 49:00 Not Games / Cooking and Recipes
• 01:28:19 Poll of the Show
• 01:38:07 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about Slay the Spire, a modern classic roguelike deckbuilder that’s captured Janet’s attention while playing around with Nintendo Switch 2’s virtual game card sharing. From poisoning foes to building energy, Janet seems to be really enjoying her runs so far. Lets just hope this doesn’t take a turn for the worse (GAMES). Then they talk about attending Anime Expo 2025 in the Los Angeles Convention Center. They managed to catch a panel about Janet’s newest anime love Frieren, listened to some NASA scientist discuss if anime science is based on fact or fiction, share their Artist Alley flops, and come to terms with the fact that some Persona 5 music fans are just plain better than them (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up
• 02:53 Games / Slay the Spire
• 50:52 Not Games / Anime Expo 2025
• 01:37:47 Poll of the Show
• 01:44:42 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about finding time to game. With recent changes to their day-to-day schedules and their backlogs continuing to pile up, they go over what gaming time used to be like for them, what its like most recently, and what they hope to transform it into in the near future (GAMES). Then they talk about just what has caused the recent changes in their day-to-day life, Isaiah getting a new job! They touch on how the new job has changed their sleep patterns (for the better?) as well as what going “back to work” shopping was like when you mix a shopper and non-shopper together (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up
• 00:50 Games / Finding Time to Game
• 49:05 Not Games / New Job, New Routines
• 01:38:51 Poll of the Show
• 01:47:47 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. First with a review of the game, what they liked, what they didn’t, and everything in between while keeping it spoiler-free. Then they go into full blown spoiler cast talking story, mechanics, favorite strategies, and their overall thoughts on how the game plays out (GAMES). Then they talk about going to their first swim lessons (Janet a complete beginner and Isaiah having a light history with swimming). What their first lessons were like, their expectations, and if they’re excited for more lessons  (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up
• 03:22 Games / Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review (Spoiler Free)
• 57:40 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Spoilercast
• 01:49:12 Not Games / Learning To Swim
• 02:20:11 Poll of the Show
• 02:30:05 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time with the Switch 2 so far! Janet wishes she could be playing more while Isaiah goes on a rant about Mario Kart World. They also talk about their Summer Game Fest 2025 highlights, from announcements at the live show to rapid fire thoughts from hands-on time with games (GAMES). Then they talk about going to see an LA Dodgers vs NY Mets game before SGF formally kicked on, their history with baseball, and finish with chatting through some recent pulls they had opening up some trading card packs (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up
• 04:35 Games / Switch 2 Is Finally Here
• 50:16 SGF Highlights
• 01:12:56 Not Games / Dodgers vs Mets
• 01:40:09 Trading Card Collecting
• 02:02:08 Poll of the Show
• 02:07:39 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about what it’s like when one hates a game the other loves, what it means to “Hate Finish” a game, and what do we know when the other likes/hates a game (GAMES). Then they play a new game of “Guess The Character”. They decide to make it a special “all pets” edition in honor of everything going on with their pet Bruce (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up (Google accounts mini-rant)
• 07:05 Games / Loving games the other hates
• 01:12:42 Not Games / Guess The Character (Pets Edition)
• 01:33:32 Poll of the Show
• 01:43:07 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev

Janet and Isaiah talk about their Game of the Year contenders so far. From indie driving strategy games to wacky split-screen adventures, they go over what they think will ultimately make their Top 10 by the end of the year (GAMES). Then they talk about recent developments in Janet’s anime journey! They go over the recent shows they’ve tried, what worked, what didn’t, and initial thoughts on the latest show they’re diving into (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:18 Catching Up (Bruce Updates)
• 13:21 Games / Game of the Year Checkin
• 01:25:36 Not Games / Anime Taste
• 02:30:47 Poll of the Show
• 02:32:29 Outro

Send your questions and topics to the email address [email protected]
For more Games And Not Games:

• YouTube.com/@GamesAndNotGames
• Twitch.tv/GamesAndNotGames
• BlueSky: @GamesAndNotGames.com
• TikTok, Instagram, Threads: @GamesAndNotGames
• Twitter/X: @GamesAndNot

Follow the hosts:

• Janet: @gameonysus.bsky.social
• Isaiah: @isaiahsmith.dev