Announced in 2020, Pragmata has finally arrived. Capcom’s new third-person shooter puts you in the boots of a space marine-type who must overcome evil robots on a moon covered in 3D-printed skyscrapers. Which comically sounds like a pretty standard video game premise. But this isn’t your standard shooter. You must solve puzzles in the middle of combat, team up with an adorable robo-kid, and navigate some classic 3D platforming in low-gravity. Kinda Funny’s Andy Cortez joins us to discuss this odd delight!

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Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, The Resties discussed Runato, a game that is not what it claims to be! Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 70 episodes!

Games discussed:

Shattered Pixel Dungeon on iOS, Marathon, AYN Thor, The King Is Watching, Exit 8

Movies discussed:

Exit 8, The Super Mario Bros. Movie

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Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

Where Do Video Games Go From Here?

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Pragmata (Celebrating 8 years on Twitch) (Andy Cortez on YouTube)

• The Street Fighter movie trailer (YouTube)

• Let’s Just Make Our Own Steam Machine (Retro Game Corps)

• Trapped in a loop: How Unemployment Simulator 2018 brilliantly represents depression (Mothership)

• Paddington The Musical perform ‘Marmalade’ | Olivier Awards 2026 with Cunard (Paddington)

How do you talk about a film as strange as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie? You call in backup. Get Played’s Matt Apodaca joins us to talk about the blockbuster sequel. Does a film need a story? What’s the worst sin in adapting a video game? And which voice actor stole the show? Plus, Raccoin!

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Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, Frushtick and Plante talk about one of the biggest surprises of the year — as in this game is not what it claims to be. Hear about Rubato and much more on The Resties! Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 80 episodes!

Games discussed:

Raccoin, the Resident Evil series, Mewgenics, Chrono Trigger DS

Movies discussed:

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Books discussed:

Partially Devoured

Hardware discussed:

AYN Thor

Have questions for The Besties?

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Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: EMBARGOED!

Video Games Are Art. Are Museums Ready?

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Donald Glover Discuss Yoshi Biology and Spoil Movies w/ Get Played! (Get Played)

• Mio: Memories in Orbit [Review] (One More Round)

• 10 big announcements from the jam-packed Triple-i Initiative Showcase (Polygon)

• Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve - Official Strangereal Evolution Episode 1 Trailer (YouTube)

• NYU Game Center Lecture Series Presents Chris Plante (NYU Game Center)

  

Listen to this week’s episode

This week, the Besties chat about two relatively low-priced games that have won over huge audiences: Creature Kitchen and Scritchy Scratchy. In the back half, we talk through the recent PlayStation price hikes and consider what alternatives gamers have as the hobby gets more and more expensive.

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Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, The Besties Battle Bracket returns with one of the most chaotic episodes yet. “Which Franchise Roster Would Best Compete in an Intergalactic Space Jam-style Competition?” Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 70 episodes!

Games discussed:

Creature Kitchen, Scritchy Scratchy, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, GameHub Lite

Mr. Big songs discussed:

“To Be With You”

TV discussed:

Jury Duty: Company Retreat, Last One Laughing UK, Neighbors

YouTube discussed:

Tom Scott

Have questions for The Besties?

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Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

2026’s Fantasy Masterpiece Took 8 Years, 4 Attempts, and 1 Disco Elysium

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Gelli Haha - Klouds Will Carry Me To Sleep (Official Video) (Gelli Haha)

• Devils on the Moon Pinball – OUT NOW (Panic)

• Are Indie Games Developing a Gambling Problem? (TWIV)

• 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Making A Movie (Patrick H Willems)

• Baby Steps Fans Think the Game Might Secretly Be a Fan-made Uncharted 5 (IGN)

Frushtick and Griffin were Destiny dudes, and yet it’s Plante who has fallen in love with Bungie’s new extraction shooter. What’s so appealing about Marathon? Is the extraction genre’s difficulty a dealbreaker? Who is this game even for? Plus, we open the Besties mailbag!

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Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: A fresh episode of Resties is now live! Frushtick and Plante talk about Screamer, a game that revives the four-player splitscreen thrill of arcade racing. Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 80 episodes!

Games discussed:

Marathon, Diablo 4, Pokopia

Movies & TV discussed:

Last One Laughing UK Season 2, Project Hail Mary, Shoresy Season 4

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

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Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: TBD!

Why Pinball Moved from Bars to Basements

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• My Favorite Twilight Knockoff (Jenny Nicholson)

• I was the untitled goose in Big Walk, the balmy new open-world co-op puzzler from House House (RPS)

• Star Wars Zero Company is more than just ‘Star Wars XCOM’—it feels like Mass Effect but with turn-based tactics and permadeath (PCGamer)

• Finally, a football card game that doesn’t cost your soul (Eurogamer)

Welcome to The Besties March grab bag. There are simply too many new games, so to cover as much as possible, we split up the workload. Griffin talks about the surprisingly complete Early Access release of Slay the Spire 2. Plante, of all people, explains how to get into Marathon. And Frushtick… well, he found a big hole.

Plus, in the B-segment: a Resident Evil 9 spoiler convo!

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Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, The Resites discuss Screamer, the return of the arcade racing genre — now with 50% more anime! Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Slay the Spire 2, Berry Bury Berry, Marathon, Pokopia

Anime discussed:

Delicious in Dungeon

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Marathon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Games Can Save Us from the Hell of Silicon Valley Optimization

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Share In The Incredible Moment An Indie Dev Discovers His Game Made $250,000 (Kotaku)

• Baby Steps’ level design was hugely inspired by a custom map in Mirror’s Edge and Japanese skateboarder Gou Miyagi (PCGamer)

• Marathon’s Time To Kill Is Unforgiving, Unfair, and Utterly Brilliant (IGN)

• His Majesty’s Pop Life: Prince Interactive (shy.center)

Plenty of companies have torched their fortunes trying to smelt together a collection of hit games and genres, hoping to recreate others’ success. Understandably, many folks (ourselves included) approached Pokopia with a cold skepticism. A Pokémon, Animal Crossing, Minecraft, and Viva Piñata combination? It sounded too good to be true.

Friends… they did it. Pokopia isn’t just a collection of great ideas; it’s also a wholly interesting and original thing. We can’t wait to tell you about this wonderful game. Plus, we look at Nintendo’s peculiar plan for the rest of 2026.

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: This past Tuesday, The Resties talked about Esoteric Ebb, an incredible role-playing game inspired by Disco Elysium and D&D that will be in the GOTY conversation later this year. Trust us, you’ll want to hear more about this! Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Pokopia, Slay the Spire 2, Death Stranding 2 on PC, Esoteric Ebb

New Griffin book discussed:

The Stowaway

TV discussed:

Survivor 50, Traitors Australia

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

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Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: End of Winter grab bag!!

The ESA Saved Video Games Once. Can It Do It Again?

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Shovel Knight team’s homage to Zelda is going to be a very big deal (Polygon)

• I sure hope the Resident Evil Requiem DLC is all about Grace, the best thing to happen to Resi in years (Eurogamer)

• Blizzard vet Rob Pardo closed this year’s GDC keynote by urging executives to cool it with the layoffs: ‘The game team is more valuable than the game itself’ (PCGamer)

• “Valve does not cooperate with gambling sites” - Counter-Strike publishers issue rare public defence of lootbox mechanics, following New York lawsuit (RPS)

• They Might Be Giants - Doctor Worm (Live on KEXP) (YouTube)

Scott Pilgrim EX is a spiritual sequel to a Netflix animated series from 2024, a Scott Pilgrim movie tie-in game from 15 years ago, and an underrated beat ‘em up series that debuted on the NES. Or to put it another way: Scott Pilgrim EX is deeply nostalgic, not for one moment, but for the breadth of the millennial gamer experience. Is that… fun? It will depend on your love of Scott Pilgrim, Rivert City Ransom, and the ongoing renaissance of a long-dormant genre.

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: This past Tuesday, a new Besties Battle Bracket went live. We select the best bespoke peripheral! You can hear a preview at the end of today’s episode. Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Scott Pilgrim Ex, Shotgun King, Rune Dice demo, Lil Gator Game: In the Dark, Minishoot’ Adventures, Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! demo

TV discussed:

Wonder Man

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Pokemon Pokopia

What is fictosexuality?

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Matthew Lillard’s Wing Commander nightmares and FIFA dreams | Shelf Quest (Polygon)

• Control Resonant First-Look Preview – This Is No Soulslike. It’s Faster (IGN)

• Lost Fallout: New Vegas post-ending dialogue has been found and restored (PCGamer)

• Just Dance 2026 gameplay - Born to be Alive (Stop Motion) (YouTube)

Resident Evil Requiem has the misfortune of following Resident Evil: Village, one of our favorite games of all time. How does a game live up to that high bar? It becomes more than just one game. This week, to avoid major spoilers, we talk about the first act of Requiem, roughly the first 5-7 hours set in a classic Resident Evil-style location. We also chat about the top-level shifts in tone and pacing.

In the coming weeks, we’ll do a “full spoilers” segment digging into the unusual, lore-soaked places the game goes in its second and third acts. I suppose you could say it’s like a book club, but for video games.

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, a brand new Besties Battle Bracket: the best bespoke controller! Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 exclusive episodes!

Games discussed:

Resident Evil: Requiem, Super Battle Golf, Vampire Crawlers demo, Lil Gator Game

Movies discussed:

Pokémon season 1, Rental Family, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Scott Pilgrim EX

The Resident Evil Auteur in His Own Words (Paul W.S. Anderson)

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• The Final Author (Gameservatory)

• Billions of dollars later and still nobody knows what an Xbox is (The Verge)

• RPGFan Chapters Review: Boss Fight Books ‘Legend of the River King’ by Alexander B. Joy (RPGFan)

• Secret Places of Pain: a review/interview of Perfect Tides: Station to Station (Unwinnable)

16 years ago, Limbo launched on Xbox Live. It wasn’t the first puzzle-platformer, but its molasses-thick layer of fairy tale horror inspired a generation of grim, mostly wordless contemporaries. Arguably, the most successful of the bunch has been the Little Nightmare series, created by Tarsier Studios. Today’s game is the latest evolution of this sub-genre. With Reanimal, the Tarsier team adds co-op to the mix. Is playing with friends (or a computer companion) a clever addition or does it undermine the horror of being alone in a cruel, dark world? We have conflicting answers! Plus, The Besties pick through Sony’s recent State of Play and share their favorite announcements.

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Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, The Resties swoon over a bunch of new and overlooked games, including Romeo Is a Dead Man, Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, and Mario Tennis Fever. Okay, so maybe that last one isn’t “overlooked.” Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Reanimal, Mewgenics, Board

State of Play games discussed:

State of Play announcements

• Beast of Reincarnation

• Castlevania Belmont’s Curse

• Control Resonant

• Death Stranding 2

• God of War Trilogy remake

• John Wick

• Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered

• Legacy of Kain: Ascendence

• Marathon

• Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2

• Pragmata

• Silent Hill: Townfall

• Star Wars: Galactic Racer

• Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls

Anime discussed:

Delicious in Dungeon

Have questions for The Besties?

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Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Resident Evil: Requiem

Edmund McMillen Wants You to Ask the Uncomfortable Questions

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• 6 Years To Build BIG HOPS - Dev Dive Documentary (YouTube)

• Diablo IV PC Cooled With Real Human Blood Is Still Going Strong Two Years Later, Says Guy Who Won It (Aftermath)

• Styx: Blades of Greed review - a sneaky feast for stealth lovers (Eurogamer)

• Train! Stunt! Game! Denshattack! Has! A! Demo! On! Steam! (RPS)

• Mirror Stage (Bullet Points Monthly)

How do we celebrate a new release from one of the most acclaimed indie game designers of all time? With Ron Funches, of course! The fifth Besty joins us to chat about Mewgenics, a tactics-RPG about cats, breeding, hoarding, and well… eugenics. Plus, Ron shares what it was like to approach his time on Traitors as a gamer.

(If you’d like to hear Plante’s interview with Edmund McMillen, it’s currently available on the Post Games Patreon and goes live on the main feed on Monday!)

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: This past Tuesday, The Resties talked about Relooted, the new heist game that lets you steal artifacts from Western museums and return them to the African continent. Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Mewgenics, World of Warcraft, Romeo Is a Dead Man

Ron links:

RonFunches.com, Ron’s YouTube Channel

TV discussed:

Wonder Man on Disney +

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Reanimal

The Best Heists Are Also History Lessons

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Rest in peace, Bayonetta (Mothership)

• The biggest gaming series are going indie. Could it save the games industry? (Polygon)

• Though Beast of Reincarnation is all about “loneliness”, Game Freak doesn’t want it to be sad: enter “warmth”, “reliability” and your dog pal (Eurogamer)

• High on Life 2 review (PCGamer)

• Yoshi Mario Galaxy Popcorn Bucket Looks Like He Ate A Crazy Edible (Kotaku)

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined makes one of the longest, most ambitious RPGs into something more manageable: a swashbuckling sprint through a book of fractured fairy tales. Whether or not you like that change of temp likely depends on your history with the series. Meanwhile, Nioh 3’s first boss is the skill check from hell. Why would game designers build a wall between the player and the fun?

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: We just published the latest Besties Battle Bracket: the best video game hubs! And on Tuesday, Frushtick and Plante chat about the killer new heist game: Relooted. Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined, Nioh 3

TV discussed:

Fallout Season 2, Star Trek Starfleet Academy, Make Some Noise on Dropout, Nirvana: The Band: The Show (Update Day - Nirvana The Band The Show)

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Mewgenics

A History of Dragon Quest (and Why To Try It Now)

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Menace wants you dead (Jank)

• We spoke to queer Nigerian gamers about the identities they hide online (Mothership)

• GameShare just took me from interested in Switch 2’s beautiful co-op space opera Orbitals, to overwhelmingly excited (Eurogamer)

• My Madden simulation predicts a Patriots win in Super Bowl 2026, though I should point out I used the Madden game from 1988 (PCGamer)

• Nioh 3 review - A superb blend of soulslike splendour (RPS)

• Epic’s free games program is only going to get bigger (Polygon)

Climbing games have become a trend over the past few years, ranging from the AAA mountains of Death Stranding to the indie polygonal crags of Peak. But no climbing game has been as loyal to the actual physical experience of ascending cold, hard rock as Cairn. The guys report on their time on the cliffs. Plus, Plante shares his feelings about the brilliant adventure game, Perfect Tides: Station to Station. You can hear more about that game in Plante’s recent interview with its creator, Meredith Gran.

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, The Besties Battle Bracket returns to choose the best video game hub world! Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Cairn, Perfect Tides: Station to Station, Banjo Recompiled, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Archipelago.gg

Live shows discussed:

Taskmaster Live

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined

Nintendo Gets the History Book It Deserves

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Modest Mouse - Float On but with the SM64 Soundfont (Something is Real)

• Konglelujah (DK Rap + Hallelujah) (skim a cube)

• Africa by Toto but it’s a bunch of Animal Crossing villagers trying their best (Mako Ray)

• 도치의 숲 (Doechii - DENIAL IS A RIVER + Animal Crossing ) (동숲윤)

MIO: Memories in Orbit is competing in one of the most crowded genres in video games: the Metroidvania. Sorry, "Search Action Game." But trust us, this one's worth pulling from the pack. It blends the aesthetics of Nier, Citizen Sleeper, and oil paintings into something surprising and beautiful. Plus, the boys return to their Animal Crossing islands for the big Switch 2 update.

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, The Resties talk about the new indie platformer, Big Hops, and then share their video game resolutions for 2026. Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

MIO: Memories in Orbit, Animal Crossing: New Horizons update, Amiga games emulation, Illusion of Gaia on SNES, Powerwash Simulator on Apple Arcade

TV discussed:

The Boyfriend Season 2 on Netflix

Bidets discussed:

This guy's bidet YouTube channel

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Cairn

Adapting Life into a Video Game

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• TR-49 review - Inkle does it again with an eerie hunt for answers within a mysterious archival machine (Eurogamer)

• My 5 favorite ‘cozy’ games that don’t actually look like cozy games (PCGamer)

• Pathologic 3 is a sickly horror story about time pretending to be an ‘easier’ game (RPS)

• How Bandcamp became the “headquarters” for video game soundtracks (AV Club)

At first, we thought Terminator 2D: No Fate looked and felt like a flawless recreation of the movie tie-ins for the SNES. Then we watched gameplay of the actual Terminator 2 SNES game. Time does not favor the cash grabs.

In hindsight, developers Bitmap Bureau performed a modest miracle, perfectly recreating how we remember trashy retro games — without actually becoming one of them. This is the game that Terminator fans should remember

We talk about this side-scrolling confection, our fading memories of movie-to-game adaptations, and more!

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: Last Tuesday, the Resties made 10 bold predictions for video games in 2026 — and revisited their predictions from 2025. Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Terminator 2D: No Fate, The Thing: Remastered, Board, Pixel Art Academy: Learn Mode, ActRaiser, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

Book discussed:

There Is No Antimemetics Division

Logo discussed:

LJN

Have questions for The Besties?

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Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: MIO: Memories in Orbit / Pathologic 3

Mothership and a History of Women in Games Media

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the exclusive retro gaming history series, Past Games.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Save the Green Planet | Official Trailer | 4K (Arrow Video)

• Dunkey’s Best of 2025 (videogamedunkey)

• My anticlimactic return to Animal Crossing: New Horizons four years after I last logged in (Eurogamer)

2026 may be the year of Grand Theft Auto 6, but we’re partial to the nearly 20 other games on our most anticipated list. You like RPGs? Prefer point-and-click adventures? Crave some tactics, life simulators, or deckbuilders? Whatever your interests, we have you covered!

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: In the recent Besties Battle Bracket, the crew selected the best pet in video games. And in Tuesday’s new episode of The Resties, Frushtick and Plante make their big predictions for 2026 — after revisiting their predictions from 2025. Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

The most anticipated games:

• Resident Evil 9: Requiem - February 27

• Pokemon Pokopia - March 5

• The Duskbloods

• Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave

• Mina the Hollower

• The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time – Q1 2026

• Fable is getting cancelled / Fable is coming out

• Lil Gator Game: In the Dark

• Vampire Crawlers

• Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined - February 5

• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream - Fall 2026

• Witchbrook

• Deltarune Ch. 5

• Professor Layton and the New World of Steam

• Perfect Tides: Station to Station - January 22

• Pragmata - April 24

• Fields of Mistria

• Control Resonant

• Unannounced AP Thomson game

The extended list:

• Pathologic 3 - January 9

• Perfect Tides: Station to Station - January 22

• Cairn - January 29

• Nioh 3 - February 6

• Mewgenics - February 10

• Romeo Is a Dead Man - February 11

• Lil Gator Game: In the Dark – February 12

• Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Tides - February 12

• Resident Evil 9: Requiem - February 27

• Pokemon Pokopia - March 5

• Crimson Desert - March 19

• The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time – Q1 2026

• Marathon - Q1 2026

• Pragmata - April 24

• Saros (from Housemarque) - April 30

• Besmirch – May 11

• 007: First Light - May 27

• Midnight Horde - May 2026

• Phantom Blade Zero - September 9

• Marvel Wolverine - Fall 2026

• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream - Fall 2026

• Grand Theft Auto 6 - November 19

• Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve

• Beast of Reincarnation

• Bradley the Badger

• Control Resonant

• Dosa Divas

• The Duskbloods

• Fable

• Fields of Mistria

• Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave

• Forza Horizon 6

• Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls

• Mina the Hollower

• Onimusha: Way of the Sword

• Orbitals

• Rhythm Heaven: Groove

• Star Wars Galactic Racer

• Vampire Crawlers

• Witchbrook

Other games discussed:

Satisfactory, Dark Souls, Pikmin 4, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Alan Wake 2, Death Stranding 2

Movie discussed:

Hundreds of Beavers

Exo discussed:

eXo Win9x

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Terminator 2D: No Fate

2026’s Biggest Games, Trends, and Showdowns

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly history series celebrating the anniversaries of 2026. The most recent monthly exclusive revisits 1996, when gaming went 3D.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Holy Crap, Look At This Freaking Game About Giant Fantasy Mechs (Kotaku)

• Mario Tennis Fever Overview Trailer - Is This the Ultimate Mario Tennis Game? (IGN)

• Would Discord going public be good or bad for its users? We spoke to an expert to find out (Eurogamer)

• Free bad dating sim Don’t Stare makes me want to play an Elder Scroll where NPCs object to your gaze (RPS)

Hey Besties buddies! The Besties are on holiday break this week, but will return next Friday with our most anticipated games of 2026. We don’t want to leave you empty-handed, so we’ve made one of the best Patreon episodes of 2025 available for free. We can say “best” because it was picked by our generous, brilliant, and thoughtful patrons! If you enjoy this episode and would like access to a catalogue of over 60 additional episodes, including a dozen other brackets and all episodes of The Resties, you can subscribe for $5 at patreon.com/thebesties!

The Besties Battle Bracket: Bathroom Games

Everybody needs a little video game break now and then. Amidst the chaos of modern life, the most reliable, universal sanctuary is the humble bathroom. So, with today’s bracket, we want to help you make the most of your precious toilet time. Because when it comes to #2, you deserve #1.

The Rubric:

1. Which game is more conducive to toilet time

2. Which game makes you want to go to the toilet more

3. Which game would you be less ashamed to be discovered playing on the toilet?

The Contenders:

• Balatro

• Marvel Snap

• Tetris

• Chess.com

• Slay the Spire

• Merge Maestro (previously Super Auto Pets)

• Vampire Survivors

• Downwell

• Pokemon Go

• WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgame$

• Threes

• Wordle

• Super Stickman Golf

• Desert Golfing

• Tiny Wings

• Angry Birds/Cut the Rope

Honorable Mentions:

• Drop 7

• Tilt to Live

• What the Golf

• Pokémon TCG Pocket

• Retro Bowl

• Slice and Dice

• Flight Control/Planes Control

• Brotato

• Nonograms Katana

• Hotline Miami

• Super Meat Boy

• Luck Be a Landlord

• Easy Come Easy Golf

• Space Invader: Infinity Gene

• Helsing’s Fire

• Hook Champ

• Super Mega Worm

• Mushihimesama BUGPANIC

• Dodonpachi Resurrection

They said it wasn’t possible. A “best game” in the year of too many video games… how could one be chosen? They underestimated the powers of the world’s best friends to pick the world’s best game.

Today, The Besties pick The Besty of 2025.

Like the show? Leave a review!

This week on The Besties Bonus Patreon: The second annual Resties Awards is now available! You know the best game of the year. Now enjoy our bonus award program that hands out supleratives to our favorite (and least favorite) corners of video game culture.

What are your Top 5 games of the year?

We’d love to hear about them in the comments!

The final bracket:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 vs. Blippo+

• Silksong vs. Absolum

• Death Stranding 2 vs. Indiana Jones

• Baby Steps vs. Sektori

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

What 2025 taught us about video games

For this episode, Plante chatted with Phil Salvador from the Video Game History Foundation. The VGHF has preserved the Sega Channel, the 1990s predecessor to PlayStation Now and Xbox Game Pass. How the hell do archivists preserve such a thing? Listen to find out!

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and monthly exclusive episodes.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: The members of the Patreon have selected a bonus bracket to share with everyone on the main feed. The best bathroom games! We’ll return to brand new Besties releases on January 9th, 2026!

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• The Long Christmas Dinner by Thornton Wilder (YouTube)

• Toad Lang Syne (a virtual Toad Choir) (Louie Zong)

How do you pick the best video game of the year when over ten thousand games have been released since January? You bring together the world’s best friends, hand them a bracket, and hope for the best. Yes, listeners, it’s time for the Besties to pick the Game of the Year, or as we prefer to call it, The Besties Besty.

Will The Game Awards champion Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claim the most coveted prize in all of gaming? Or does another game have what it takes to battle for the crown?

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, we launch the 2nd Annual Resties Awards! Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 Patreon-exclusive episodes!

The contenders:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Dispatch

• Absolum

• Hades 2

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

• Ghost of Yotei

• Baby Steps

• Donkey Kong Bananza

• Hollow Knight: Silksong

• Wanderstop

• Blippo+

• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

• Avowed

• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

• The Roottrees Are Dead

• Sektori

Why your favorite video games owe a debt to anime

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and monthly bonus episodes explaining the history of 2026’s biggest gaming anniversaries.

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: We select the best game of 2025!

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• My Favorite Handhelds of 2025 (Retro Game Corps)

• Digital Foundry’s Best Game Graphics of 2025 (Digital Foundry)

• Dragon Quest III HD-2D-3D Remake (dunkview) (Videogamedunkey)

• 2025’s Trashiest Anime (Mother’s Basement)

Metroid Prime 4 is actually here! After a long development, including years of silence, the first-person Metroid series returns in the form of the Nintendo Switch 2’s big holiday release. But does it feel like a game from 2025 or 2015? Plus, Plante finally played the pseudo-metroidvania Ooo and can’t wait to tell you about this short, but sweet treat.

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: On Tuesday, a new Besties Battle Bracket x Monster Factory crossover and a Resties dedicated to the final indie game surprises of 2025. Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Metroid Prime 4, Metroid Dread, Ooo, Animal Crossing: New Horizons DLC, Rhythm Doctor, Bits and Bops, The Roottrees Are Dead, Dispatch, Death Stranding 2, Baby Steps, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Idle games discussed:

• Tower Wizard

• The Gnorp Analogue

• IdleOn

• Melvor Idle

TV discussed:

Pluribus

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: The Besties Besty of the Year Bracket, Part 1!!!

The history (and secrets) of The Game Awards

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Pixels to Pages - The Story of Electronic Gaming Monthly (My Life in Gaming/Game Sack)

• Anbernic RG DS Review: Better, but Flawed (Retro Game Corps)

• Sixty-forsaken: The Nintendo 64 | N64 Works 000 (Jeremy Parish)

• Light Up The Town Is The Perfect Cozy Christmas Lights Simulator (Kotaku)

• Day of the Devs The Game Awards Edition 2025: everything announced in the big indie showcase (Eurogamer)

Some of The Besties were skeptical of Dispatch, the spiritual follow-up to Telltale titles like The Walking Dead. But this new, TV-like superhero series won us over with each new episode. Plus, we share our predictions for winners and announcements at The Game Awards.

Like the show? Leave a review!

Now on The Besties Bonus Patreon: Last Tuesday, The Besties published the final bracket of the year: The Best Character Creator. It’s a Monster Factory crossover event! Been considering a subscription? The Patreon now features a back catalog of over 60 episodes!

Games discussed:

Dispatch, Sektori, Castle Crashers DLC, Donkey Kong Bananza, Routine

Movies discussed:

Stranger Things

Have questions for The Besties?

Drop them in the comments! We aren’t able to respond to every question, but we read all of them and answer some in episodes!

Subscribe to this newsletter for regular updates on shows, upcoming games, merch, and egg steam.

Next week on The Besties:

On next week’s The Besties: Metroid Prime 4

Two Blue Prince interviews, seven months apart

Post Games is now available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS. Watch shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Patreon subscribers get early access, weekly bonus segments, and the monthly video series Video Game Journalism 101.

Besties Merch!

Bonus links:

• Don’t look too closely at the best puzzle game of 2025 (RPS)

• And Roger flew under the radar, but is one of 2025’s hidden gems (Polygon)

• Horses review - WTF horror brings subversive cinema to video games (Eurogamer)

• The best PC games of all time in 2025 (RPS)