For over a year, Stray has been one of the most anticipated games on Steam. Does it live up to the hype? For the most part, yes! We explain why you should give this virtual cat some cuddles. Then Frushtick and Plante share their three favorite games that let you play as animals. Prepare for obscure adventures about mosquitos! Discussed on this episode: Stray, Lion King, Lion, Mister Mosquito, Tokyo Jungle, Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers, Ecco the Dolphin, Tunic, Okami, Dead Cells, and The Empty M...
Jul 26, 2022•52 min•Ep. 265
With Justin and Griffin on tour, we've brought in Tina Sanchez (@teanah), who has worked on some of the biggest franchises in the games industry (and even hosted a podcast with Chris Plante ages ago!). She's here to teach us the magical world of video game producing and how the sauce all comes together into a bigger, better sauce. We're also diving a bit into our backlog, from Yakuza 0 to Outer Wilds and beyond. Other things talked about: Call of Duty, Apex Legends, God of War Ragnarok, Stray, D...
Jul 22, 2022•56 min•Ep. 264
We know that you, a diehard Besties listener, have heard us talk about all the great games that came out so far this year. But if you enjoyed all that jazz, you're gonna LOVE hearing us stack those games up against each other in our mid-year checkpoint special! Games discussed: Super Auto Pets, Wordle, Vampire Survivors, Nobody Saves the World, Pokemon Legends Arceus, Dying Light 2, Olliolli World, Horizon Forbidden West, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, Elden Ring, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Tuni...
Jul 15, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 263
The Resties Required Reading List returns! Our goal is to curate and contextualize a "must play" list of 25 games released between 1980 to 2020. This week, we've selected games from 1985-1989. Join us as we time travel to the premieres of mega-franchises like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and Tetris. Let us know what you think of the series and your personal reading list at @thebestiespod on Twitter. Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us...
Jul 12, 2022•58 min•Ep. 262
We hope you're hungry, because this week brings us Cuphead's shiny new DLC, The Delicious Last Course. Also, we bought egg sandwiches for everyone, and man, we just bought waaaay too many. Take as many as you want. Bring some home to your family. Other games discussed: Neon White, Hero Emblems 2, Teardown, Clap Hanz Golf, Fall Guys, AI Somnium Files 2 Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus ...
Jul 08, 2022•52 min•Ep. 261
This week, we're playing Supermassive's latest interactive horror movie-game-thing, which we played in a bunch of different ways, some less recommended than others. Also, we discuss the genre's origins in FMV at length, because ... of course we do. Other games discussed: Until Dawn, Heavy Rain, The Looker, Neon White, Card Shark, Stardew Valley Expanded Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonu...
Jul 01, 2022•55 min•Ep. 260
Neon White is a speedrunning game for people who've never tried speedrunning, a Dreamcast-like game for folks who never owned a Dreamcast, and a visual novel for gamers who rather play than read. It's a ball of contradictions and easily one of the best games of 2022. Frushtick and Plante also finish the business they started on the most recent episode of The Besties: cleaning out the overstuffed mailbag. Movies discussed: The Thing, Mad God, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Kuso TV discusse...
Jun 28, 2022•47 min•Ep. 259
We're serving up game criticism on a half shell and trashing like a million Foot Clan conscripts as we discuss TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Tribute's modern take on Konami's classic beat-em-up series. Also: Mailbag's full! Let's dump it on out. Also discussed: Fall Guys, Fortnite, Yakuza 0, Rogue Legacy 2, Pokemon Shield, Five Dates Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
Jun 24, 2022•55 min•Ep. 258
You know Mario, from Mario? He's so much more than a jumping plumber, you know. He's doing soccer now, too. I mean, he's been doing soccer, and a lot of other stuff, and we're going to be talking about ALL that while we share some thoughts about Mario Strikers: Battle League. Games discussed: No Man's Sky, Rogue Legacy 2, Path of Exile, Fortnite, Vampire Survivor, Yakuza 0 Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebe...
Jun 17, 2022•42 min•Ep. 257
Frush and Plante discover Sniper Elite 5 is great... if you turn off the grotesque violence. The Sniper Elite series has been active for over a decade, but its mix of gunfights and Hitman stealth never clicked with the crew until now. What changed? Plus, the games that got us through our Covid infections. Discussed this week: Yoshi Crafted World, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Fall Guys, JSA, and Frush's new book, The Book of Fun . Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.bes...
Jun 14, 2022•44 min•Ep. 256
Join us as we bust out our phones and apply for a high interest personal loan with Diablo Immortal! How does Blizzard's hack and slash RPG hold up on phones, and how close has it brought us to abject financial ruin? Find out within. Games discussed: Diablo Immortal, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Street Fighter 6, Final Fantasy XVI, Soda Crisis, Sniper Elite 5, Super Auto Pets, V Rising Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.co...
Jun 10, 2022•54 min•Ep. 255
Sure, E3 isn't "officially" happening this year, but there's still a lot of hot, hot gaming news dropping over the next couple of weeks! Join us as we discuss the evolution (and de-evolution) of the industry's (former) big summer event, and what we can expect from The Triple in years to come. Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
Jun 03, 2022•51 min•Ep. 254
This week, we launch a new mini-series: The Resties Required Reading List. Our goal is to curate and contextualize a "must play" list of 25 games released between 1980 to 2020. These aren’t the best games or even our favorite games. They’re the games that should be experienced by everyone who wants a fundamental appreciation of the medium. They’re the games that will give you a richer connection with every other game you play. Throughout 2022 and 2023 we'll publish new entries in the series, eac...
May 31, 2022•51 min•Ep. 253
This week, we're chatting about an up-and-comer on the Steam charts — the vampire survival sim V Rising. Find out why we're so smitten; with special guest Travis McElroy! Games discussed: V Rising, Everquest TLP, Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus, Vampire Survivors, Stardew Valley Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
May 27, 2022•50 min•Ep. 252
This week, we're circling back with some of the lil' guys you might have missed this Spring while you were traipsing in the bluebonnets, or collecting berries or whatever. Games discussed: Shotgun King, Vampire Survivors, Haiku the Robot, Mini Motorways on Switch, OlliOlli World, Dungeons of Dreadrock, Rogue Legacy 2, Peglin, Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus?, Songpop Party, Forager, Fall Guys, Citizen Sleeper Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more ...
May 20, 2022•55 min•Ep. 251
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga reminds us of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, in that it feels unsustainably grand. Its creators have crammed nine films worth of characters, planets, and stories, plus winks at corners of the expanded universe, into one game. A report on crunch at the studio, however, raises serious questions about its leadership's decisions to make the game bigger and bigger and bigger. What does it mean for good games to be made in bad ways? Individual creators hav...
May 17, 2022•47 min•Ep. 250
In today's episode, we're exploring the absolutely pristine history of Star Wars video games, and assigning each of them a grade in an EXTREMELY scientific and deliberate manner. It's a journey, y'all. Also discussed: Nobody Saves the World on Switch, Death's Gambit: Ashes of Vados, Fortnite, Rogue Legacy 2 Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
May 13, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 249
This week, we're tapping into the Old Ways of E-Bowling and Cyber-Tennis in Nintendo Switch Sports! It's like falling off a log, only the log is a sword, and we're using it to battle our children. Also discussed: Halo Infinite Season 2, Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe, Knotwords Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
May 06, 2022•57 min•Ep. 248
This week, The Resties revisit Rogue Legacy 2 after nearly two years in Early Access. The developer made great use of that time, delivering a worthy sequel to the original hit. In the second half, it's time to set goals for our summer gaming backlog. Discussed: Persona 4, Patrick’s Parabox, Perfect Tides, Outer Wilds, Unsighted, Fortnite, Halo Infinite, Dark Souls 2, and Uncharted Lost Legacy. Plus, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (on Hulu and Crunchyroll) and Atlanta (on Hulu). Get the full list of ga...
May 03, 2022•47 min•Ep. 247
Today on the show we're answering a long-requested question: What sorts of games do you play with kids? The Besties weigh in on some of their chosen diversions. Games discussed include: Monster Legends, ABCYa/ABCMouse/PBSkids, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Super Mario Odyssey, Kirby and the Forgotten World, Roblox, The Room, Humongous Games, and Chuchel. Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episo...
Apr 29, 2022•52 min•Ep. 246
With the McElboys on tour, Plante and Frushtick bring in a special guest, Kahlief Adams of the Spawn on Me podcast, to talk about just what makes a great video game movie, and whether we could narrow down five that best represent the medium. Also, what's up with those Goombas? Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
Apr 22, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 245
Do you have to finish a game to fully appreciate it? This week, The Resties discuss the huge time investment of our favorite hobby, and decide how much of a game is enough. In the back half, Plante and Frushtick use a fancy new mod for the original Doom to discuss ray tracing. Learn why the "big thing" in video game graphics still may be years from matter to most players. Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebes...
Apr 19, 2022•51 min•Ep. 244
Look, we told you we'd be talking about Elden Ring for a very long time, and here we are, doing just that. We're going to be talking about the game's first half, and then, after a brief interlude, the second half! And then we're gonna talk about it less in the future, probably! Other media discussed: Sonic 2, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Old Enough, Perfect Tides, Minx Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/the...
Apr 15, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 243
We're ditching the gruesome violence of the Borderlands franchise in exchange for the whimsical violence of Tiny Tina's Wonderlands; an exchange that then inspires us to reinvent Doom for an all-ages audience. Also discussed: The Afterparty, Dragon Quest V, Bloons TD 6+, All in the Timing Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
Apr 08, 2022•45 min•Ep. 242
Is the Gamecube controller brilliant or busted? The Resties rank the past 35 years of video game controllers in this fever dream of an episode. Then, the duo talks about NORCO, a new point-and-click adventure game set in a distant future Louisiana. Also, Speed Racer! Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
Apr 05, 2022•53 min•Ep. 241
This week we're diving into the latest installment of the long-running Kirby franchise, Kirby and the Forgotten Land. We'll also discuss Sony's attempt to take on the juggernaut that is Game Pass with its new PlayStation Plus service. Other games discussed: 13 Sentinels, Tunic. Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
Apr 01, 2022•42 min•Ep. 240
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins is by no means a Great Game, but we'll be gosh-danged if it hasn't charmed the Lv. 6 Shadow Pants off of us. Also, Justin breaks down the phantasmal weirdness of Ghostwire Tokyo! Also discussed: Tunic, Elden Ring, Drive My Car, Fortnite Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month!...
Mar 25, 2022•51 min•Ep. 239
This week, The Resties share their growing love of Tunic, an adventure game heavily inspired by the early entries of The Legend of Zelda. Without getting into spoilers, they also explain the game's similarities to indie hit Fez. In the second half, Frushtick and Plante run through Nintendo's mega-busy 2022 release calendar. Will we release get Breath of the Wild 2 this year AND another Pokemon? Our recommendations of the week: Paprika and The French Dispatch. Get the full list of games (and othe...
Mar 22, 2022•45 min•Ep. 238
Russ is left on his own and so he brought his old pal, Jeff Bakalar of Giant Bomb, to talk about another sort of game: PINBALL. Yes, Jeff knows a lot about pinball and is grilled for all his precious pinball knowledge. Jeff's top 5 tables to look out for at an ardcade: Funhouse, Addam's Family, Jurassic Park, Deadpool, Monster Bash. Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for three bonus episodes each month...
Mar 18, 2022•55 min•Ep. 237
As we approach the end of the first quarter of 2022, we take a look back at some of the classics that the first three months have brought us. Maybe spread the love throughout the year next time? Games discussed: Nobody Saves the World, Pokemon Legends Arceus, Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection, Olli Olli World, Super Auto Pets, Cyberpunk 2077 revival, Horizon Forbidden West, Dying Light 2, Destiny 2, Elden Ring and Dragon Quest XI. From the Ukraine Games itch.io bundle: TENNNES, A Short Hike...
Mar 11, 2022•51 min•Ep. 236
