Released every Thursday, The MinnMax Show features former Game Informer employees and beyond talking about the week's most exciting games or game industry news before reading feedback from the Patreon community found at patreon.com/minnmax.
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MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Leo Vader, Janet Garcia, and Jeff Marchiafava assemble to share their early impressions of Battlefield 6's campaign. They also try to untangle the mystery of Dreams of Another from Q-Games, weigh in on "Balatro meets a slot machine" with CloverPit, and pick sides on LEGO Party versus LEGO Voyagers. Oh, and Leo has been enjoying Techland's Dying Light: The Beast and Janet finally beat Persona 5 Royal somehow! Then we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and...
https://www.patreon.com/minnmax - Unlock a benefit and directly support independent games media MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Haley MacLean, and Leo Vader are joined by Game Informer's Charles Harte to unpack the excellent Hades 2 from Supergiant Games. Then Kelsey Lewin and Sarah Podzorski join the show to talk about Consume Me, Silent Hill F, Blippo +, Road To Empress, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree. After that, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier joins the podcast to talk about EA going private and...
We'll DM you a Steam code for The Rogue Prince of Persia if you support MinnMax on Patreon at the $5 tier before 9/29/25. We'll post on social media if we run out. https://www.patreon.com/c/minnmax MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Kyle Hilliard, Jeff Marchiafava, Haley MacLean, and Leo Vader review the PlayStation 5's new epic from Sucker Punch Ghost of Yōtei (codes provided by PlayStation) launching on October 2nd. Then we descend into madness by talking about the physicis-driven Baby Steps from the creat...
We'll DM you a Steam code for Hauntii if you support MinnMax at any tier or upgrade your tier before 9/22/25! https://www.patreon.com/minnmax MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Jeff Marchiafava, Jacob Geller, and Leo Vader along with special guest Brendon Bigley from Into The Aether and Wavelengths share early impressions of Borderlands 4 and how the action compares to the new roguelite FPS Void/Breaker. Then we run through our favorite moments from the Nintendo Direct on Friday, including the reveal of Fire...
Ben Hanson, Janet Garcia, Kyle Hilliard, and Jeff Marchiafava share their personal Game of the Year selections, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Despelote, while also delving into the polarizing Hollow Knight: Silksong. They look ahead to potential dethroners like Ghost of Yote and Metroid Prime 4, and critically examine The Rogue Prince of Persia's quiet release and Kronos: The New Dawn's mechanics. The episode concludes with a lively Q&A covering iconic game quotes, media's jaw-dropping moments, and the best-selling PlayStation games.
We'll DM you a Steam code for the great game Spilled if you support MinnMax on Patreon or upgrade your tier before Monday, September 8th. We'll post on Discord, Bluesky, and Instagram if we run out of codes. https://www.patreon.com/minnmax MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Jacob Geller, Jeff Marchiafava, and returning champion Suriel Vazquez share their early review of one of the most-anticipated games of all time: Hollow Knight: Silksong. Then we rave about SEGA's revival with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance and...
https://www.patreon.com/minnmax - Unlock a benefit and directly support independent games media MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Jacob Geller, and Kyle Hilliard are joined by the founder and studio director of Camouflaj Ryan Payton to unpack Konami's series revival with Metal Gear Solid Delta. Payton talks about his experience working inside of Kojima Productions on Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence and on Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as an assistant producer and how that informs his perspective ...
https://www.patreon.com/minnmax - We're now out of Steam codes for Sunderfolk, but you can still directly support MinnMax on Patreon to unlock other benefits! MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Haley MacLean, Kyle Hilliard, and Jacob Geller unpack the best moments and biggest reveals from Geoff Keighley's Gamescom Opening Night Live before unpacking the unusual tone and situation behind Masahiro Sakurai's Nintendo Direct on Kirby Air Riders. Then we celebrate some great new games like Sword of the Sea, Öoo, ...
https://www.patreon.com/minnmax - Unlock a benefit and directly support independent games media MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Haley MacLean, and Jeff Marchiafava are joined by Michael Huber from Easy Allies to walk through our full review thoughts on Mafia: The Old Country from 2K and Hangar 13, Battlefield 6's successful open beta, JeffM's new Balatro-like obsession with Merge Maestro, and more! Then we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and award the iam8bit question of the week! Y...
We'll DM you a Steam code for Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 from Strange Scaffold if you support MinnMax on Patreon before 8/11/25, you can also upgrade your tier to get the game. https://www.patreon.com/c/minnmax MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Janet Garcia, Kelsey Lewin, and Jacob Geller assemble for the first time together in the MinnMax Studio! We talk about the emotional simplicity of the new game called And Roger, the 2D action thrills of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and the similarities to Dead Spa...
This episode covers the recent Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, analyzing its highlights, including new Switch 2 reveals and the strategy behind showcasing Switch 1 games. Ben Hanson shares his exclusive preview of Battlefield 6's multiplayer, discussing EA's big push and the game's nostalgic appeal. The hosts also delve into The Drifter, a pixel art adventure, and Wildgate, a unique sci-fi shooter, before answering diverse community questions.
This episode features a deep dive into Donkey Kong Bananza, exploring its innovative destructibility, camera challenges, and character dynamics. The hosts also discuss the surprising Pac-Man Metroidvania, Shadow Labyrinth, analyzing its unique design choices and the challenges of reinventing classic arcade IPs. Further highlights include Mark Brown's new word-based roguelike, Wordplay, and the quirky Pokémon Friends puzzle game. The team rounds out the show by tackling a wide array of community questions and sharing personal "Get a Load of This" stories.
MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Janet Garcia, Kyle Hilliard, and guest cohort Kyle Bosman debate the 5 greatest 3D platformers of all time. Which five games will we let into the club? Will any of them be hit by a poison shuriken? As we prepare to dive into Donkey Kong Bananza on the Nintendo Switch 2, we look back on the classics like Super Mario 64, Astro Bot, and Jak and Daxter. Then we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and award the iam8bit question of the week! You can win a prize...
The MinnMax crew and guest Kyle Bosman discuss their picks for the "Game of the Summer 2025," including Mario Kart World, Tamagotchi Plaza, and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. Kelsey makes a strong case for the visual novel tactics game, The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy. They also answer community questions covering topics from mech games and proximity chat to uncomfortable sleeping places and dream gaming events, plus another mysterious message from the Rumormeister.
Special guest Kyle Bosman joins the panel to tackle the challenging 2025 game release calendar using their unique six-shooter duel format to claim anticipated titles. The discussion also delves into Microsoft's recent significant studio closures and layoffs, followed by answering community questions and sharing personal recommendations in the "Get a Load of This" segment, bookended by a tease and reveal from the mysterious Rumormeister.
https://www.patreon.com/minnmax - Support MinnMax on Patreon to keep The MinnMax Show going for another 300 episodes and to unlock the early and ad-free version of the show! We've hit 300 episodes of The MinnMax Show and cannot thank you enough for sharing the show! MinnMax's Ben Hanson is joined by Kyle Hilliard, Jacob Geller, and Haley MacLean to unpack our spoiler-free thoughts on Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding 2 (codes provided by PlayStation). Then Jacob Geller raves about the DLC called Li...
The MinnMax team dives deep into Nintendo's Donkey Kong Bonanza Direct, shares their evolving thoughts and final verdict after two weeks with the Switch 2 console, and offers reviews on distinct titles such as the stressful management sim The Alters, the Picross-like Squeakross, and the co-op shooter FBC Firebreak. They also explore other new game releases and answer Patreon community questions covering topics from Switch 2 launch to gaming lore and culture.
The crew recaps their experience at Summer Game Fest 2025, discussing the overall event vibe, meeting people, and key game previews. They share impressions on titles like Mixtape, Ninja Gaiden 4, Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, and more, debate the SGF showcase lineup, and touch on industry trends. The episode concludes with community questions covering topics from developer shifts to dream GameCube ports and birthday ideas, plus the 'Get a Load of This' segment and upcoming MinnMax events.
This episode dives into the Nintendo Switch 2 launch experience, covering hardware impressions, the curious Welcome Tour, and the new Mario Kart World including its Knockout Tour mode. The crew also breaks down the PlayStation State of Play highlights like 007 First Light, Lumines Arise, Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster, and Marvel Tōkon. They also discuss Elden Ring Nightreign, The Last of Us Part 2's roguelike, Fantasy Life i, and answer community questions.
Join Ben Hanson, Jacob Geller, Kyle Hilliard, and GameSpot's Tamoor Hussain as they dive into predictions for Summer Game Fest, covering potential reveals from Konami, Xbox, Capcom, Valve, Nintendo, and Square Enix. They share impressions of the new Elden Ring Nightreign game, discussing its unique design and multiplayer focus. The episode also tackles the recent cancellation of EA's Black Panther game and Cliffhanger Studios, reflecting on licensed game trends and industry challenges. Finally, they answer listener questions on Metal Gear quirks, fighting game mechanics, GTA's evolving open world, the Elden Ring movie, and more.
Ben Hanson, Jacob Geller, Janet Garcia, Kyle Hilliard, and Jeff Marchiafava dive into hidden gems from the first half of 2025, covering games like Starvaders, LOK Digital, Spilled!, and Maze Mice. They also discuss recent releases including Konami's Deliver at All Costs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, and the free Sea of Stars DLC. The episode concludes with a lengthy segment answering listener questions from Patreon and sharing notable "Get a Load of This" items.
The MinnMax crew dives into Remedy's new co-op shooter, FBC: Firebreak, discussing its gameplay and connection to the Control universe. They explore the soccer-centric indie game Despelote, praising its charm and Ecuadorian setting. Plus, they delve into Doom: The Dark Ages and answer community questions on various gaming topics.
The MinnMax crew discusses the GTA VI trailer, the downfall of Polygon and Giant Bomb, and the current state of the games media landscape. They also explore indie game publishing agreements, new games like Deep Rock Galactic Survivor and Revenge of the Savage Planet, and answer community questions on Patreon. Plus, they award the iam8bit question of the week and share their "Get A Load Of This" segments.
https://www.patreon.com/minnmax - Unlock a benefit and directly support independent games media Delayed Input's @KyleBosman rolls in as guest host this week to turn MinnMax's Kyle Hilliard, Janet Garcia, Haley MacLean and Leo Vader against each other with a violent debate on the top five Switch 1 games of all time. Then, Leo fundamentally disagrees with extraction shooter Arc Raiders and obviously adores goofball immersive sim Skin Deep. We also get into Kyle Hilliard's beloved Apple Arcade jigs...
The MinnMax crew reviews the RPG Clair Obscur, the Oblivion remaster, and Onimusha 2, plus discuss Bionic Bay, Sunderfolk, and Creepy Redneck Dino Mansion. They also tackle community questions and play a soda-themed trivia game.
MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Leo Vader, Janet Garcia, and Kyle Hilliard unpack the highlights and hot takes from the new Nintendo Direct covering Mario Kart World before we share our biggest surprises from playing the Nintendo Switch 2 at a recent event in LA. Then we leave Nintendo world behind and Leo Vader gushes about Rematch from the developers of Sifu and Wildgate. Then we answer questions submitted on Patreon by the community and award the iam8bit question of the week! You can win a prize and he...
The MinnMax crew unpacks a variety of games, including spoiler-free thoughts on Blue Prince, a review of Xbox's South of Midnight, and the Sims-inspired Inzoi. They explore the GTA-esque Schedule 1, debate the appeal of pixel art, and answer community questions, offering insights and recommendations.
We'll DM you a Steam code for Lorelei and the Laser Eyes if you support MinnMax at the $5 tier before 4/7/25! We'll post on social if we run out of codes. https://www.patreon.com/c/minnmax MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Kelsey Lewin, Janet Garcia, Jacob Geller, and Leo Vader unpack all of their thoughts and emotions on the big Nintendo Direct all about the Nintendo Switch 2. We talk about From Software's reveal of The Duskbloods and how closely it resembles Bloodborne, break down gameplay for Mario Kart ...
MinnMax's Ben Hanson, Leo Vader, Haley MacLean, and Kyle Hilliard talk about the miraculous revival of Game Informer magazine and Kyle's return as its executive editor, the PlayStation-published new first-person party shooter called Midnight Murder Club, more thoughts on Assassin's Creed Shadows, and former Blizzard developers getting together to create the sci-fi Sea of Thieves-esque Wildgate. Then Game Informer's editor-in-chief Matt Miller joins the podcast to answer community questions about...
The MinnMax crew dives into Assassin's Creed Shadows, exploring its gameplay, open-world design, and historical context, then discusses Atomfall's unique survival elements and GDC 2025 highlights, sharing impressions and experiences from the conference, and also highlights some of their community questions.
