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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast Elden Ring is amazing, but it's also intimidating. Since we'll be talking about the game on The Besties throughout 2022, we wanted to help newcomers and lapsed Dark Souls fans take their first steps into this beautiful, but sometimes unforgiving world. Join us as we discuss the best starting class, where to invest upgrades, and the many unspoken rules you should know as you grow from a timid target to the one and only Elden Lord. Plus, more talk on Steam Deck and Valve's surprise, free Portal sp...
Mar 08, 2022•48 min•Ep 235•Transcript available on Metacast Consider the title of this episode a warning: Elden Ring is a game that we're gonna be discussing A LOT for the foreseeable future, starting in this very episode. Join us as we discuss what works about From Software's new open-world Souls-like, which is to say, everything. Other games discussed: Puzzle Quest 3, Steam Deck, Colin Farrell 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 m...
Mar 04, 2022•54 min•Ep 234•Transcript available on Metacast It's feast or famine out there, games-wise, and this week's a FEAST: We're talking about Sony's newest first-party blockbuster, Horizon: Forbidden West. Also, Destiny 2's new expansion is out! And it's pretty good! Other games discussed: Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Magic the Gathering Arena, Hollow Knight, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Celeste, Terraria, The Room Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/thebesties for ...
Feb 25, 2022•47 min•Ep 233•Transcript available on Metacast A great video game doesn't have to be expensive. Inspired by the $2.99 phenomenon Vampire Survivors, The Resties choose their five favorite "bang for your buck" video games. Then, Frushtick brings a surprise B-topic that has Plante reconsidering his obsessions! Discussed on this week's episode: Vampire Survivors, the Earth Defense Force series, Fire Emblem Heroes, Drop7, Fortnite, Stardew Valley, Red Faction Guerilla: Re-MARS-tered Edition. Plus, The Rescue on Disney+ and Doom Patrol on HBO Max....
Feb 22, 2022•48 min•Ep 232•Transcript available on Metacast To celebrate our tenth year of intractable debate over which video games are better than the other video games, we're doing EXACTLY THAT. For over an hour. We're pitting the best games of the last decade against one another, and only ONE survives. (One game, we mean. All the hosts are doing just fine.) 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!...
Feb 18, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep 231•Transcript available on Metacast This week we're discussing Dying Light 2, a game that poses a novel question: What if dead people turned into monsters and you had to hit them with pipes and stuff? Also, we calculate the precise amount of time games are allowed to not be fun before they get fun. Also discussed: OlliOlli World, Finding Drago, Vampire Survivors, Everyday Shooter 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 episode...
Feb 11, 2022•54 min•Ep 230•Transcript available on Metacast Here's an episode for everyone, whether you fell in love with video games on the Game Boy or the Nintendo Switch. In honor of the Steamdeck launch this month, The Resties construct the *perfect* list of the best portable games of all time. To accomplish this worthy task, they first uncover the key components of any magnificent portable game. Discussed on this episode: Spelunky HD, Hades, Tetris, Mario Golf Advance, Fire Emblem Awakening, Fire Emblem: Blazing Blade, Into the Breach, Mario and Lui...
Feb 08, 2022•51 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast Wondering what's next for the Pokemon franchise? Just how many games could they put out that are basically the same thing? Well, we finally have something pretty dramatically different! The gang dives into Pokemon Legends: Arceus and whether this is finally the game to recommend to newcomers to the franchise. Also discussed: Vampire Survivors, Station Eleven and, yes, Roblox. Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at www.besties.fan . Want more episodes? Join us at patreon.com/th...
Feb 04, 2022•57 min•Ep 228•Transcript available on Metacast 
