JP is finally settling in to his new life in Austin and we are so back with another episode of The Checkpoint: where we check in on our Video Game Book Club Progress. We begin the conversation with our belief in aliens? Then we quickly move to this month's game: Mina the Hollower. Regular viewers will be shocked that JP has actually played more of this game than Benny boy. Insane.

Next we discuss the Short Story of the month: Journey. If we had a nickel for every game we have played that involves climbing a mountain in 2026, we would have 3 nickels!

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us! Join us again at the end of June for our full length discussion on this month's game: Mina the Hollower.

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(0:00) Cold Open

(01:50) Intro

(03:30) Mina the Hollower Check-In

(15:45) Short Story: Journey

(38:30) Berry Bury Berry

(41:20) Other games

(48:00) Gaming Showcases

(58:30) Outro

#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames #journey #journeygame #indiegames #minathehollower

Video Game Book Club is back with another month episode! Thank you to our community and listeners for playing Esoteric Ebb alongside us and sending us questions and discussion prompts!

In this episode Ben and JP discuss the ins and outs of Esoteric Ebb. This game has so much depth, so many secrets to discover, and so many interesting conversations. Ben gave us a very thoughtful answer on whether sacrifices have any meaning for our greatest purpose in life while JP interestingly gave his best version of an Esoteric Slogdog.

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us every month, and join us again in a month when we discuss the June game of the month, chosen by our own JP: Mina The Hallower.

Discord: https://discord.gg/P9aRB5wEBS

Twitch: https://twitch.tv/buenalegames

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenale.games/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buenale.games

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BuenaleGames

#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #esotericebb #discoelysium #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames

(00:00) Intro

(03:45) What is Esoteric Ebb?

(13:52) Early Game

(52:43) Mid Game

(01:10:20) Late Game

(01:53:10) Viewer Questions

(02:46:40) June GotM Announcement

(02:49:25) Outro

We are so back with another episode of The Checkpoint: where we check in on this month's Game of the Month! We begin by checking in on this month's game: Esoteric Ebb, an eclectic and chaotic Disco-Like. Regular viewers will be SHOCKED to learn that JP has hardly started the game yet. From there, we discuss this month's Short Story: Celeste! JP spent WAY more time with this game than most mini-VGBC games, and Ben chimes in with his experience with the game as well. From there, we discuss all things from counter strike to gardening, and we wrap up by touching on some recent news from the games industry.

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us! Join us again at the end of May for our full length discussion on this month's game: Esoteric Ebb.

Discord: https://discord.gg/P9aRB5wEBS

Twitch: https://twitch.tv/buenalegames

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenale.games/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buenale.games

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gfZQ8jttLntPF6dARadVa?si=7da802979ec749d5

(0:00) Cold Open

(03:47) Intro and Special Announcement!

(08:08) Esoteric Ebb Check-In

(21:13) Short Story: Celeste

(54:25) Counter Strike and Gardening

(01:06:30) Gaming News

(50:15) Gaming News

(01:16:51) Outro

#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames #esotericebb #celeste #indiegames #mixtape

Video Game Book Club is back baby! This episode, we're talking about the April Game of the Month: Control, which was chosen by our community. Control is a mind-bending game full of action and subterfuge where our protagonist, Jesse, infiltrates the Federal Bureau of Control, a shadowy government agency who seeks to research all things paranormal. Listen in as we share our experiences with the game, our overall thoughts, and answer questions submitted by our community.

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us every month. Join us again in two weeks when we check in on our progress on May's game of the month: Esoteric Ebb.

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YouTube

#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #controlgame #alanwake #alanwake2 #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames

(00:00) Intro

(02:30) What is Control?

(06:00) Early Game

(30:35) Mid Game

(01:17:10) Late Game

(01:48:35) Viewer Questions

(02:21:55) Final Thoughts and Letter Grades

(02:29:09) May GOTM Announcement

(02:32:50) Outro

We are so back with another episode of The Checkpoint: where we check in on this month's Game of the Month! We start off by becoming the casting directors of our new movie Neon White: The Movie. From there Ben and I chat about the game of the month for April: Control.

This month's Short Story was: There is No Game: Wrong Dimension. JP has a lot of thoughts on this game so be sure to tune in for that. Finally we discuss pizzas and play station prices!

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us! Join us again at the end of April for our full length discussion on this month's game: Control.

Discord

Twitch

Instagram

TikTok

Youtube

(0:00) Cold Open

(02:04) Intro

(03:09) Control Check-In

(20:20) Short Story: TING:WD

(36:50) Celeste

(41:50) Books and Pizza

(50:15) Gaming News

(01:00:40) Outro

#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames #control

It's March of 2026 and Buenale Games is BACK with another episode of Video Game Book Club!

This month we played Cairn, a climbing centric video game where the task is simple: summit Mt. Kami. Along the way to accomplish this goal, we meet funny characters, climb some insane walls, and have our fair share introspective moments on the mountain. Listen in as we recap our full experience playing this game and we answer question submitted to us by our community!

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us every month. Join us again mid-way through April when we check in on our progress on the community's choice for April's game of the month: Control.

Discord: https://discord.gg/P9aRB5wEBS

Twitch: https://twitch.tv/buenalegames

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenale.games/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buenale.games

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gfZQ8jttLntPF6dARadVa?si=7da802979ec749d5

#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #cairn #climbing #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames

(00:00) Intro

(01:35) What is Cairn?

(07:25) Early Game

(33:23) Mid Game

(01:09:05) Late Game

(01:36:25) Viewer Questions

(02:17:58) Final Thoughts and Book Reports

(02:23:27) April GOTM Announcement

(02:26:52) Outro

It's the middle of March 2026 and that can only mean one thing: it's time to check in on this month's Game of the Month! We open talking about their time so far playing the March game of the month: Cairn. Ben is having a great, albeit stressful time trying not to fall off of the mountain, and meanwhile JP is still gathering the courage to leave the tutorial area...From there, we talk about this month's Short Story: Cocoon! We also talk about the other games we've been playing recently, both physical and virtual, and wrap up touching on a few recent news stories from the gaming industry

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us! Join us again at the end of February for our full length discussion on this month's game: Cairn.

Discord: https://discord.gg/P9aRB5wEBS

Twitch: https://twitch.tv/buenalegames

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenale.games/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buenale.games

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gfZQ8jttLntPF6dARadVa?si=7da802979ec749d5

(0:00) Cold Open

(01:27) Intro

(02:25) Cairn Check-In

(11:05) Short Story: Cocoon

(24:30) Slay the Spire 2

(31:50) Board Games

(38:30) Gaming News

(49:32) Outro

#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames #cairn #gameofthemonth

Video Game Book Club is back with another game of the month episode! Thank you to our community and listeners for playing AC6 alongside us and sending us questions and discussion prompts! In this episode Ben and JP discuss the ins and outs of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. This game exceeded our expectations tenfold and we felt so good gliding around in our mechs and delivering rubiconian handshakes to all those who opposed us. Ben performed some impressions of our most beloved characters in the game while JP finally spoke about who he would FMK between Carla, Walter and Ayre. Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us every month, and join us again in a month when we discuss the March 2026 game of the month, chosen by our own JP: Cairn. DiscordTwitchInstagramTikTokYouTube#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #armoredcore6 #armoredcorevifiresofrubicon #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames (00:00) Intro - What is Ac6?(09:18) Story Premise and Early Game(37:12) Mid Game(1:10:13) Late Game & NG++ (1:35:06) Viewer Questions and Questions for Each Other(2:22:08) Final Thoughts and Letter Grades(2:26:00) March Game of the Month(2:30:30) Outro

It's the middle of February 2026 and that means it's time to check in on this month's Game of the Month! We open talking about their time so far playing the February game of the month: Armored Core 6. Spoiler alert: it rocks. From there, we talk about an extremely goofy show and this month's short story: Thank Goodness You're Here! We also talk about the other games we've been playing recently, and wrap up touching on a few recent news stories from the gaming industry

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play and discuss the game of the month alongside us! Join us again at the end of February for our full length discussion on this month's game: Armored Core 6.

Discord: https://discord.gg/P9aRB5wEBS

Twitch: https://twitch.tv/buenalegames

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenale.games/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buenale.games

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gfZQ8jttLntPF6dARadVa?si=7da802979ec749d5

(00:00) Intro

(04:24) Checking in on Armored Core 6

(18:35) Short Story: Thank Goodness You're Here!

(32:38) What else we've been playing

(45:30) Gaming News

(56:18) Outro

#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames

New year new Video Game Book Club season! And we're starting it off with a community pick; Lies of P won! Shout out to our awesome community who picked this absolute gem of a game for VGBC this month. Ben and I had an incredible time playing this souls-inspire Pinocchio story. The boss fights were epic, the NPCs were interesting, the story felt elevated, the design was pretty perfect, and the P-organ was pumping.

Join the club using the discord link below to stay up to date with Buenale Games and to play the game of the month alongside us! It was Ben's turn to pick the game of the month and he chose Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon! If you like what we do, show us some love with the like button and in the comments and join the club!

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#videogamebookclub #gamingbookclub #soulsgame #soulslike #gamingpodcast #gaming #videogames #liesofp

(00:00) Intro

(02:06) What is Lies of P?

(07:53) Premise and Early Game

(52:00) Mid Game

(01:19:45) Late Game

(01:58:41) Viewer Questions

(02:23:20) Final Review and Letter Grades

(02:29:40) February Game of the Month

(02:36:11) Outro