What do Celeste, The Binding of Isaac and Hellblade have in common? Interesting approaches to talking about mental health, of course! This week we get into the weeds about mental health in games, the relationship between player mental health and games, and society’s portrayal of and broader conversation about mental health. Games also discussed: Elden Ring: Nightreign, Balatro, Crush House, Arcade Paradise, and, at some length, Death Stranding. Send us an email with your thoughts on this week’s ...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 62
Waiting sucks! Except for when it…doesn’t. Why can waiting for an upcoming, scheduled release feel like Advent (thank Seth for that one), but waiting for Silksong incites insanity among its fanbase? Is there a difference between delayed gratification, and gratification delayed(that one was Katie’s fault…)? How does player agency tie into all this? Join us as we discuss waiting and video games, as well as the decline of the human attention span, and Elden Ring: Nightreign. If you’d like to send i...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 61
In this special episode, we miss Seth, and Dempsey and Katie are joined by Nicholas Crawford, philosopher and author of the upcoming book, "Where We've Made it Dark," a literary apocalypse novel available at Barnes and Noble on October 21st, 2025. Nicholas has been making excellent content on Tik-Tok about The Last of Us season 2, and we take the opportunity to go into a deep dive with him about identity, subjectivity, and more with regards Joel, Ellie, and the violent world they inhabit. Find N...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 60
Games and Gender This week, we circle back round to a topic that continues to be a font of curiosity and conversation: games and gender! Are games gendered? (Dempsey repeatedly says “girl games”, much to Katie’s chagrin) How does a person’s identified gender impact their relationship or interaction with games? We don’t know, but we had a good time talking about it! We also share a listener email from the fantastic cohost of The Old Switcharoo! If you’d like to send in your thoughts about a recen...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 59
We need Katie back :(
May 20, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 58
Katie usually does this.
May 12, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 57
Like games but on the side.
May 04, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 56
Nintendo Direct Welcome to Overthinking Games, a…current events podcast??? Nah, not really, but this week, we give it a shot because we needed to discuss the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct! (Including a 2 second shot of Silksong…we feel that maybe Nintendo didn’t understand the impact that was going to have on their audience) Also discussed: Dempsey has played a lot of games in the past few weeks, and they’ve been real bangers! Katie loves books-level boring games, and Seth has unlocked a new achievem...
Apr 25, 2025•2 hr 16 min
This week's topic was suggested by Seth's girlfriend, thanks for your great idea! This week, we discuss character creation- do aesthetics matter? (hint: yep, they sure do...sometimes) Who do we want to be in games - idealized versions, accurate representations, outlandish others? What kind of representation makes us more engaged in a game? Also discussed: Cat Needs, Black Ops Zombies, Minecraft, and the Rocky Mountains. If you have ideas for a topic you'd like us to discuss, or thoughts on this ...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 54
A new episode. Kind of a filler episode bth.
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 53
Bigger Number, Better Person This week, we discuss our tried and true mantra of "bigger number, better person," its role in video games, and how it ties into real life, from support roles in Marvel Rivals, racking up kills on Warzone, merit-based pay, and good grades in school. Also discussed: Bokura, Magic the Gathering, and "The Case for Mars" If you have ideas for a topic you'd like us to discuss, or thoughts on this week's topic, send us an email! [email protected] Find us o...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 52
The One Where We Forgot the Topic Was Procedural Generation Welcome to this week’s episode, where Katie brings a topic she doesn’t know much about, and everyone argues about definitions! No, really, this week we try to talk about procedural generation vs. curated design, and end up embroiled in roguelikes, as one does. Also mentioned: Final Fantasy 7, Marvel Rivals, and games that are boring but we love. If you have a better understanding of procedural generation and spent 20 minutes yelling at ...
Feb 23, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 51
Katie wasn't here and show notes are hard. Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 50
This week, we are joined by special guest Rob Jonas, a vocational rehabilitation counselor, the original 3rd member of Overthinking Games and rehabilitation therapist, to talk about accessibility and gaming! Games discussed: Assassin's Creed, Star Wars Outlaw, Astrobot, Warzone (of course), Runescape (of course), Fromsoft Games, and a myriad other titles! Send us an email and tell us about your experiences with accessibility; what accessibility functions have made a difference for you or someone...
Feb 11, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 49
Record Dec 6th, 2024 Simulation This week, we discuss simulation in games; when is it fun, when is it tiresome? Why do we love to simulate eating and petting dogs? Is it the avaricious dragon of resource hoarding that lives within us all? In our Honorable Mention, we get unexpectedly into current events, and Dempsey is thinking about starting a cult. Let us know your thoughts on simulation Send us an email and let us know what you think about simulations, cults....but probably not current events...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 48
It's our favorite time of year when we recap the greatest (and a few of the least great) games we played this year! Our GOTY list runs the gamut from new releases (Astrobot, anybody?) to golden oldies (The Long Dark came out HOW long ago?!), and everything in between. Join us as we gush over our favorite games, then send us an email with your favorite games or gaming experiences in 2024, and what games you're looking forward to in 2025! [email protected] Find us on: Apple Podcas...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 47
This week, we discuss gaming with nongamers; the joys, the pitfalls, and perhaps a system of progression to help nongamers join our ranks…One of us! One of us! Big shout out to Katie’s good friend, Ro, who embarked on her first video game adventure with Little Nightmares and made the experience all the richer for her unique perspective and enthusiasm! What’s the best game to introduce to nongamers? What game helped you bridge the gap to become a gamer? Send us an email and let us know! overthink...
Dec 29, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 46
This episode, we discuss what makes for a game you can’t quit playing. Whether it’s Warzone, RuneScape, or Slay the Spire, there are games we’ve put hundreds (thousands?) of hours into. What makes a thousand hour game? What is the pull that keeps us coming back, and why don’t these games tend to actually be our favorites? Join us as we dig into these questions and more. What game can you pour hours into? Is it your favorite game, and if not, what is? Let us know at the email below! overthinkingg...
Dec 15, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 45
This episode, we discuss the Game Awards, social status, and how good it feels to be in the know. In our Honorable Mention section, Dempsey tells us all about beavers…it’s interesting, and kind of bums us out at the same time. What game do you think should win Game of the Year? Send us an email and let us know! [email protected] Find us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 44
Inspiration and Video Games "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working,.." - Picasso This episode, we talk about the intersection between video games and real life, and the ways in which the two can influence or inspire each other. We also debut our new end-of-show segment which gives Dempsey some space to info dump whatever his current non-video game obsessions are, for Seth to geek out about Warhammer, and Katie talks about the book she's reading (Caliban's War!). What games have insp...
Nov 24, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 43
We talk about the game Inscryption. Email at [email protected] Find us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses
Nov 16, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 42
Spooky Season! [email protected] Find us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 41
Spoiled About Spoilers Can the fervent cry of “no spoilers!” go too far? Is it when our desire for novelty and discovery outweighs our desire for communal experience? Or is the individual experience of discovery a sacred journey that no spoilers should ever infringe upon? Maybe it’s somewhere in the middle… That’s our topic this week, along with an unusually lengthy and animated conversation about benevolent cult leaders and C.S. Lewis’ venture into science fiction. Leave us a review, and send u...
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 40
Special guest Josh, @TheGamersDrink, joins the crew to deep dive into Detroit: Become Human! This episode is full of spoilers! If you haven’t played it yet, listen to insert time stamp , stop, play the game, then come back and join us for our dissection of this awesome game. What DOES it mean to be human? Share your reaction, thoughts, and hot takes of Detroit: Become Human to the email below! [email protected] Find us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Theme music is ...
Sep 01, 2024•2 hr•Ep. 39
Hard to believe, but a year ago (at the time of recording…not the date of this episode’s release) Dempsey, Seth and Katie embarked on a podcast adventure… To be real with you, Dempsey wanted to talk about Detroit: Become Human ahead of our special guest spoiler-ful episode, but Katie wouldn’t let him, because fresh takes are the best takes. So, instead, the team reflects on a year of podcasting, and what might come in the future. Leave us a review, and send us an email of what you’d like to see ...
Aug 13, 2024•52 min•Ep. 38
Time Well-Wasted? Have you ever sat down to play a game and been hit with a case of the “I shoulds”? I SHOULD spend my free time in a more “productive” way, I SHOULD play a different game and clear my backlog, etc. etc.? What makes it time well-invested vs. time wasted? When is it time well-wasted? Who gets to decide the value? Join Seth, Katie and Dempsey as they try to figure it all out on this week’s episode! Leave us a review, and send us an email with your thoughts on today’s topic! overthi...
Jul 08, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 37
Side Mechanics & Mini-Games Whether it’s Gwent from “The Witcher,” the hacking game in “Bioshock,” or the myriad of fishing minigames across so many genres, games are seldom only made up of their primary mechanic. What makes for a fun, meaningful side mechanic? When is it just fluff? That’s what we try to figure out in this week’s episode! Leave us a review, and send us an email, we’d love to hear your thoughts about your favorite minigames and side mechanics! overthinkinggamespodcast@gmail....
Jun 29, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 36
Subversion If a souls-like is not dressed like a souls-like, is it even a souls-like? “Another Crab’s Treasure” begs that question and is the jumping off point for our discussion of subversion in video games and media! Leave us a review, and send us an email, we’d love to hear your thoughts! [email protected] Find us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses...
Jun 09, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 35
Tend and Befriend vs. Fight or Flight In this episode, we explore the topic of stress responses, framed in an article by Brie Code, previously a lead programmer for Ubisoft Montreal and now the head of True Luv Media, where she looks at the different responses people have to games, depending on their natural stress response. Find the article here: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/slouching-toward-relevant-video-games Do you notice your stress response? Does it impact which games you enjoy the most?...
Jun 02, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 34
What can video games do that board games, tabletop games or other physical games can’t? What makes for a good video game and/or board game crossover? Also, Seth and Katie 100% thought this was going to be an episode about digital games vs. physical disks or cartridges, but Dempsey had more interesting questions, as per usual! What’s a board game you’d love to see adapted for video games, or the other way around? Send us an email with your thoughts! [email protected] Find us on: ...
May 12, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 33
