Nintendo is back in the conversation with a banger of a game with Donkey Kong Bananza. Exclusive to the Switch 2, Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the best platformers probably ever featuring fully destructible environments and dopamine hits with every smash of a rock you do. With Pauline by your side, venture down into Earth the planet's core through a variety of sublayers that represent different types of terrains and styles. It's a dense game with a ton of fun, charming characters, incredible tech and great music.

Jason also surprises us by picking up Death Stranding 2. Not only did he pick it up, he's clocked in over 45 hours so this is a more in-depth review from Jason digging into why Death Stranding 2 has quickly become one of his favorite games of the year. 

Brett plays Mecha Break which is a mech game with hero shooter style mechanics. It's free to play and you pilot a mech in 6v6 or 3v3 objective style missions or dive into a 3 player game in an extraction mode. The game looked ok but is suprisingly a ton of fun. The question...can it keep us engaged long term?

Austin dives into Atomfall that released earlier this year. With the hopes that it would bring back the feelings of Skyrim and Fallout, it unfortunately did not meet the standards Austin hoped for. It's a beautiful game but doesn't give the carrot on the stick he's looking for to keep exploring.

Lastly, we have our review of the video game adaptation Until Dawn. Now a movie, it's set in the universe but follows a new story with the same premise. Is it as good or better than the game? Listen to find out! 

Show Notes:
1:10 - Housekeeping
2:23- Donkey Kong Bananza Review
34:02 - Jason’s Review of Death Stranding 2
1:01:01 - Mecha Break Review
1:19:00 - Atomfall: Not the Fallout We Hoped
1:34:07 - Until Dawn Movie Review
1:43:19 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

We have a great episode this week featuring our first look at Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding 2. We dive into this beautiful world and explore the early hours of the strand game. 

Brett dives into Sloclap's Rematch. These are the developers of Sifu entering into the competitive scene with a soccer game. It's a paid title with some solid mechanics, but is it enough to keep us engaged?

We also review Thronefall on the Steam Deck. It just released on mobile devices, but this game originally released in 2024 and is an RTS/tower defense mix. It has a beautiful art style, great progression and a simple but complex loop that keeps you coming back for more.

Sony brought a big update with the upcoming Ghost of Yotei from Sucker Punch. This is the follow up to Ghost of Tsushima and we want to know if Ghost of Yotei can outshine Tsushima? There's a ton of new features coming to this game and a whole new set of ways to uncover the world and we're excited to get our hands on it in October.

Lastly, Brett rolled credits in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and it may be one of his favorite games of all time. This game has it all. A fantastic score, brilliant combat, an incredibly beautiful world and the most genuine team that crafted a masterpiece with an ending you won't forget. This game can't be missed!

Show Notes:
1:11 - Housekeeping
2:11 - Death Stranding 2 First Look
35:00 - Rematch First Look
50:34 - Thronefall Review
1:03:33 - Can Ghost of Yotei Outshine Ghost of Tsushima?
1:23:41 - A Love Letter to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
1:57:23 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

We have a returning guest on the podcast! Welcome back Joe Lambert from the Nerd Sloth Creative. He's here to talk about all the games we've been playing. Make sure and check out his podcast Indie Game Arcade, releasing weekly! 

We have an incredibly focused podcast today featuring 4 games. We start with Elden Ring Nightreign, the side project from From Software that takes us into a co-op experience in the Elden Ring universe fighting incredibly hard bosses in a battle royale style experience. Avoid the blue flames and fight to the center to face the boss and survive the day!

We also review Monster Train 2. This is the sequel to the 2020 roguelike deckbuilder. It's better in every way with brand new cards, new mechanics and enhanced visuals. It's a blast to play with tons of replayability.

Peak is a new game that is a collab between the team behind Another Crab's Treasure and Content Warning. It takes you and 3 other players to a mountain where you have to climb to a series of peaks, helping each other up and surviving the weather to reach the top and escape in a helicopter. It's so much fun and super cheap at launch!

Lastly, Austin revisits Warhammer 40k Darktide. There is a new, paid DLC that brings a new class and several updates that came for free to all players. Is the game worth diving back into 2025? 

Show Notes:
1:19 - Housekeeping
2:12 - Elden Ring Nightreign Review
25:56 - Monster Train 2 Review
50:15 - Peak Review
1:08:58 - Warhammer 40k Darktide Arbites Class Update
1:28:51 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

The Switch 2 is finally here! We've had it a little over week and talk about our first impressions of the hardware, the game library and what's coming. We also review Mario Kart World which is the premiere launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Jason reviews Mindseye, the new game from the larger experience Everywhere, but unfortunately the game doesn't quite deliver the big promise we had hoped. It has an interesting story and a beautiful world, but falls flat with the AI, gameplay and bugs.

There was also a ton of showcases for Summer Games Fest and we cover all the highlights. From Silent Hill f to Resident Evil Requiem, Clockwork Revolution to Call of Duty Black Ops 7, there's a lot to discuss and we share our favorite reveals from the State of Play, Summer Games Fest and Xbox Games Showcase.

Show Notes:
0:59 - Housekeeping
2:12 - Nintendo Switch 2 First Impressions
28:36 - Mario Kart World Review
53:15 - Mindseye Review
1:12:43 - State of Play June 2025
1:26:32 - Summer Games Fest 2025
1:47:28 - Xbox Games Showcase 2025
2:14:43 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

We have a surprise review this week for a game called Revenge of the Savage Planet. This game was not on our radar, but we're glad we got it and played it. It's a third-person collect-a-thon where you fight bugs and other creatures, capture them and collect eggs, spool and more to level up your character. It's on Xbox Game Pass and can be easily played with a friend!

We also dove back into the 8 year old Star Wars Battlefront 2. It's been getting some popularity recently because of Star Wars in Fortnite, Andor Season 2 and Star Wars Day. We quickly realized how much we enjoyed that game despite it's commercial failure due to poor business decisions. We hope the resurgence is enough to bring it back and do it right.

Splitgate 2 is officially out in open beta. They had some issues with the launch but after it was fixed, it feels good jumping back into this game. We predict when the game will release and talk about what we love and don't love about the sequel to the much anticipated arena shooter.

Lastly, we share our experiences both at Dreamhack Dallas and Dallas Fan Expo. One focused on gaming and esports and the other on nerd culture in comic books, sci-fi, anime and more. 

Show Notes:
0:55 - Housekeeping
4:35 - Revenge of the Savage Planet Review
28:44 - Why We Need Star Wars Battlefront 3
51:38 - Splitgate 2: Open Beta Launch Woes and Launch Predictions
1:07:56 - Dreamhack Dallas Recap
1:36:10 - Dallas Fan Expo Recap
1:59:07 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

Doom the Dark Ages is here from iD Software. It's a prequel to Doom 2016 and is much more grounded than the previous entries but just as intense. The visceral action in this game and the technical gameplay is unlike anything else out there. The chain shield, the shotgun, the skullcrusher and more make for an epic game with a gorgeous world.

Elder Scrolls Oblivion got a full remaster. Travel back in time to the 2006 RPG from Bethesda and play the game in 4K 60FPS graphics with a lot of new enhancements to the UI, NPC's and more. Austin shares his review of this beloved title.

Wildgate is a new game coming later this year from Dreamhaven, former Blizzard devs. We got a chance to play the community preview and it was way better than we expected. We had a blast commanding our ship with our crew, collecting loot in the procedurally generated world. Once we felt good with our loot, we engaged in combat with other ships to win either by eliminating all enemy ships or finding the artifact and existing the Wildgate. We had a good time and can't wait for the full release on this one!

In the news, we talk about Nintendo Switch 2's new EULA that seems to say they can brick your console if they find you doing something they deem resulting in piracy or unauthorized modification. Is this justified or too much reach for a corporation for a console you own?

Lastly, we talk more on Marathon with new details coming to light about how this could be Bungie's final mistake. 

Show Notes:
1:09 - Housekeeping
2:20 - Doom the Dark Ages Review
26:47 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
44:03 - Wildgate Preview: Nonstop Action and Jaw-Dropping Art Design
1:10:03 - Nintendo’s Switch 2 Warning: Break the Rules, Lose Your Console
1:27:53 - Bungie’s Final Mistake: Why Marathon Will End It All
1:55:54 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

This week we try a new AA game from former Ubisoft developers called Clair Obscur Expedition 33. It's inspired by Belle Époque France and JRPG's. This is the best game we've played this year. From the art style, to the music to the complex turn-based combat, this game has it all to make for a great game. The storytelling is incredible and the world they built is stunning. You have to see it to believe it. It will be hard to beat this game this year!

We also review Split Fiction, the follow up to the 2021 Game of the Year: It Takes Two. In Split Fiction, you play either Mio or Zoe. Both are writers, one of science fiction and the other fantasy who end up in a simulation of their own stories. They have to work together to escape. It has great gameplay, gorgeous graphics and is a fun ride start to finish.

Brett also gets his hands on the tech test for the extraction shooter Arc Raiders from Embark Studios. Embark is known for the game Brett is obsessed with called The Finals and this is their take on an extraction shooter genre. This game is hard but full of style. The graphics are incredible, the performance is outstanding and the world is very immersive with great sound design. We can't wait for this one to release later this year.

Lastly, we talk about Borderlands 4 and our hype from the State of Play. It is going more open world than before and we can't wait to see what's around the corner. It looks great! We also have some not so fun news from Xbox where they have announced price increases for their consoles and video games later this year. Will this make it harder to sell new games? Or will people gravitate away from AAA and towards the AA space?

Show Notes:
1:09 - Housekeeping
2:45 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review
40:05 - Split Fiction Review
57:48 - Arc Raiders: Proving What Extraction Shooters Can Be
1:31:57 - Borderlands 4: Do They Still Have What it Takes?
1:47:18 - Microsoft Xbox Price Increases
2:09:30 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

This episode gets a little off the rails. We talk about drug dealing in the game Schedule 1. It couldn't be more perfect that it falls on Episode 420. Schedule 1 comes from Tyler's Video Game Studio and it's a simulator game where you start as a low-level drug dealer and work your way up in the criminal empire to operate your own distribution system in Hyland Point. It has a silly art style that makes for lots of laughter about trying to get the whole town high as a kite on everything imaginable. 

Brett dives into his puzzle game obsession with Blue Prince. It's another indie game from a film studio turned game developer. The story revolves around you trying to reach Room 46 to get your inheritance left behind by your recently departed relative. This old estate has a lot of mysteries to uncover when everyday brings a new design and layout to explore to reach that final room.

Bungie has finally showcased gameplay for Marathon and it has people divided. The game has a really unique artstyle and some fantastic gunplay. No surprise there. However, we can't get past the extraction shooter being the focus. This feels too hardcore and niche for Bungie to tap into so we're worried it won't find the right sized audience.

Lastly, we're still hooked on Marvel Rivals. We talk about the latest from Season 2: the Hellfire Gala. We also talk about what's coming in future, shorter seasons and much more! 

Show Notes:
1:28 - Housekeeping
2:52 - Schedule 1 Review
39:36 - Blue Prince Review
59:47 - Marathon Has People Divided
1:36:04 - Diving Into Marvel Rivals Season 2 and Beyond
2:03:41 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

Assassin's Creed Shadows is here! We really enjoyed Valhalla but it was an incredibly long game that had way too much content. The team behind Shadows recognized this and toned it down and brought us a feudal Japan story that is much more focused with an open world that's vast, but managable. The comparisons to Ghost of Tsushima can't be ignored, but this game does manage to find it's own identity. It's not Tsushima by any means but it is a game that brings through a story and a world that feels surprisingly mature for Ubisoft. Is this a new direction for the franchise? We hope so!

We also look at a not-so-good experience with Fragpunk. This is a 5v5 hero shooter akin to Valorant which was inspired by Counter-Strike. The main mode is a plant the bomb style of mode and it's fun, but the game is plagued by predatory microtransactions and gambling style mechanics that it takes away from what is otherwise a good game. 

We also talk extensively about the Nintendo Switch 2 direct. We first discuss the hardware and what all comes with it as well as our feelings toward the price point and the reveals of how much games may cost on the device. We also talk about the games themselves which honestly look amazing. There's a lot of good stuff happening here and if we can stomach the price point of investment, it could be a worthy console to own.

Lastly, Dreamhaven is a studio you may not have heard of, but it's made up of some veteran talent including the former Blizzard CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime. They had a direct showcasing some new games, one being Wildgate that looks really good and we're wondering...will this bring some of the Blizzard magic back? Only time will tell.

Show Notes:
1:07 - Housekeeping
2:44 - Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review
53:59 - Fragpunk Review
1:21:14 - Nintendo Switch 2: A Mix of Hype and Concern
1:55:43 - Nintendo Switch 2 Games: Off to a Great Start
2:31:48 - Can Dreamhaven Bring Back the Blizzard Magic?
2:49:55 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64

You've played Lethal Company. You've played Content Warning. But you haven't yet played a game like R.E.P.O. This game is from a Swedish developer called Semiwork. It's an online, co-op horror game that supports up to 6 players. Find and retrieve objects to satisfy your creator. Use your physics hand to pick up things in the world and deliver them to the extraction zone. This game is a blast to play. With a variety of monsters, procedurally generated levels and hilarious talking robot characters, we're having so much fun playing with friends.

We also review Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. This is a standalone DLC ultimately for Infinite Wealth. It's a shorter experience with real-time combat and a new seafaring mechanic in ships. The game is good, but not quite as good as expected. Despite its flaws, its still fun to play and be a pirate for awhile in Hawaii.

We also talk about Xbox and their new initiative to bring AI to games in the form of CoPilot for Gaming. This is meant to guide you in installing games, finding games to play and ultimately making you a better gamer. It sounds neat but is this too much like training wheels for gamers? Isn't part of the fun discovering how to play the game?

Lastly, we have a special guest on the podcast again. This time we have Joseph Neville. He's a Fort Worth-based singer/songwriter who you may have seen playing shows around town. His most recent endeavor is Y2K Prom, a concert event where you get to go back in time to the year 2000, drop your phone at the door and enjoy a bit about what life was like 25 years ago with some amazing live music. His current project is a band Crying in the Car which is a mix of TLC and bands like Good Charlotte. In this conversation, we talking about how he got into music, his influences and a lot about the Switch and why it's a perfect console for casual gamers like himself. 

If you want to follow Joseph Neville you can find all of his social links on his website joepatnev.com.

Show Notes:
1:05 - Housekeeping
2:15 - R.E.P.O. Review
32:14 - Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review
59:07 - Xbox CoPilot for Gaming: Training Wheels for Gamers
1:18:32 - Joseph Neville Interview on the Switch, Making Music and More
2:24:52 - Upcoming Video Game Releases

Become a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.

Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.

Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64