The Besties

This week, we're diving into the Portal-esque Viewfinder, a game all about taking photos and then using those photos to, well ... it's hard to explain in the description of a podcast. We also talk about some of our favorite photography moments in games. 

For the full list of games we talked about on this episode, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, which can be found at besties.fan. (We sometimes drop free game codes in there, as well!)

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!

Consider this your official warning: If you haven't finished Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom yet, you might wanna just give this one a skiperoo until later -- unless you don't care about that kind of stuff, of course. Today's discussion is a no holds barred, spoiler-filled look at the year's best game so far!

Also discussed: Paranormasight, Trust, Marie Antoinette

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!

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BattleBit Remastered plays like Battlefield, looks like Robolox, and is one of the most technically impressive indie games of all time. Frushtick and Plante do their best to survive the virtual war ground while explaining how this little miracle came to be. In the back half, the pair pick six Switch games you should try after Tears of the Kingdom. Games discussed: 13 Sentinels, Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation The Endless Seven-Day Journey, Tinykin, Cadence of Hyrule, Immortals, Fenix Rising, Tunic, Final Fantasy 16, Laya’s Horizon, Mars First Logistics, and BattleBit Remastered. Frushtick also talks about his time with the Razer Moray IEMs.

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!

We're halfway done with this great experiment we call 2023, and hot dang, there's been some certified club bangers in the mix, huh? We're spending this episode going over the best of the best, the biggest blanks in our backlog, and the most anticipated titles still to come!

Games discussed: Fire Emblem Engage, Dead Space, HiFi Rush, Metroid Prime Remastered, Like a Dragon Isshin, Wo Long, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Have a Nice Death, Dredge, Pizza Tower, Tchia, Paranormasight, Rusted Moss, Mr. Sun's Hatbox, Meet Your Maker, Dead Island 2, Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Boltgun, Laya's Horizon, Diablo 4, Street Fighter 6, Final Fantasy XVI, Super Mega Baseball 4, Mars First Loigistics, Battlebit Remastered, Honkai Star Rail, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, Shoulders of Giants, Sun Haven, The Caped Crusade, Starfield Controller, Past Lives, King Kong, Siren: Survive the Island

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!

On this episode of The Besties, the gang dive into the massive new RPG, Final Fantasy 16, what with its F-bombs and Mothercrystals. We're also discussing Nintendo's latest Direct presentation, which featured one of the most ridiculous Mario trailers ever. 

Other games discussed: Detective Pikachu Returns, Super Mario RPG, Wario Ware Move It, Super Mario Bros Wonder, Mythforce, Diablo 4, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Asteroid City (the movie)

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!

The Resties Required Reading List continues with games from 2015-2020. Yes, dear listener, it's time to pick some games that you've probably played -- and that we've definitely discussed! 

Our goal is to curate a "must-play" list of 25 games released between 1980 to 2020. Think of it like Video Games 101.  Where do modern hits fit into a list of all-time classics?  Let's find out!

Previous picks:

85-89 - Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, SimCity

95-99 - Super Mario 64, Pokemon Red and Blue, Final Fantasy 7, Starcraft

00-04: Counter-Strike, GTA3, WoW

05-09 - Resident Evil 4, Wii Sports, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Demon’s Souls

10-14 - Minecraft, Spelunky HD, Hearthstone

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!

This week, what’s old is new again in System Shock Remake — and what’s new is ALSO new, by which we mean a bunch of stuff got announced during the recent slate of summertime gaming press conferences. Let’s talk about all of it!

Also discussed: My House, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Diablo 4, Jury Duty

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!

Boltgun is the latest game in the Warhammer 40k universe. But good news: you don't need to know a single thing about Warhammer to enjoy this little surprise. In fact, this new shooter will more likely click with fans of Doom, Quake, and Duke Nukem. We dig into the latest "boomer shooter," and then reminisce about the early days of the FPS. Was Plante accidentally buying pirated games? Can Frush explain shareware? Learn the answers to those questions and more on this week's episode of The Resties.

Discussed on the show: Boltgun, Wolfenstein 3D, Rise of the Triad, Doom, Hexen, Toy Story, Chex Quest, Super Mega Baseball 4, and the NYXI Wizard Wireless Joypad for Switch.  

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!

We invited frequent Bestie and renowned demonologist Ron Funches to help us break down Diablo 4, a therapeutic loot-grinder for casuals and lonely hearts alike! Also discussed: Across the Spider-Verse, The Holy Mountain, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

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!

We weren't really sure if we'd have much to say about Street Fighter 6, given our lack of experience in the fighting game scene. Fortunately for us, it features an open-world single player mode that is the most unapologetically goofy thing ever.

We're chatting all about World Tour mode, as well as: Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Barry, Succession, And a Bunch of Arcade Classics

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!

E3 is dead. Now what? Without one video game event to rule them all, video game publishers are trying a variety of approaches. This week, Sony held its big digital event, showing a bundle of games coming to PlayStation hardware, including a lengthy gameplay clip from Spider-Man 2. Ubisoft also released a trailer for its new Assassin's Creed. What should we make of this news? And what we can expect from the upcoming announcements from Xbox and others? The Resties have the answers!

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!

Welcome back! We're diving a little deeper into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom this week, chatting about our first dungeon experience, our spooky time in the depths and our general feelings about the game before we move on to the next big title. 

Also discussed: A Matter of Life and Death, Sisu, Barry

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!

It's Here! The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been out for a week, and in that time we, like you, have flung approximately three dozen Koroks to their deaths. But how's the rest of the game? Spoiler alert: (Very good.) 

Also discussed: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

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!

Yes, it's Zelda week, but we still need some time to play Link's new adventure before we share our opinions. In the meantime, we want to spotlight a delightful new game that most folks missed. Rusted Moss gives the Metroidvania genre the one thing it needs: a killer grappling hook. We also talk about the Asus ROG Ally, the first legitimate Steam Deck competitor. Honorable mentions: PHoop Dreams, Blackberry, and Breath of the Wild.

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!

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is out today, which probably means you're playing it right now and not necessarily in a podcast listening mood. Hey, we get it. We're in the same boat, probably, since we didn't get early access. We chat a bit about Zelda in this one, but mostly, we're focused on the glut of great mobile games that have dropped over the past few months! 

Also discussed: TMNT: Splintered Fate, What the Car, 10 Dates, Zen Pinball: Garfield Table, Honkai Star Rail, Grand Mountain Adventure, Resident Evil 4, Rusted Moss, ROG Ally, Jury Duty, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Bull, 3000 Years of Longing

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!

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor brings back Cal Kestis for another interstellar romp, blending Souls-like combat and Uncharted-like exploration in great measures. How has his Jedi technique evolved in the intervening years since Fallen Order? And what's like, the grossest facial hair you can unlock?

Also discussed: Meet Your Maker, Are You There God It's Me Margaret, Have a Nice Death, Psychonauts 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!

The Resties Required Reading List is back, baby! Our goal is to curate a "must-play" list of 25 games released between 1980 to 2020. Think of it like Video Games 101. This week, we've selected games from 2000-2004. Join us as we revisit our high school and college days of video games! Previous picks -- 1985-89: Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, SimCity. 1995-99: Super Mario 64, Pokemon Red and Blue, Final Fantasy 7, Starcraft. 2005-09: Resident Evil 4, Wii Sports, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare; 2010-14: Minecraft, Spelunky HD, Hearthstone.

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!

We're taking a trip back through time with the remake of Advance Wars 1 and 2: Re-Boot Camp. Also, Griffin took a trip into the world of Tron at Disney and is here to share how he feels about being digitized.

Also discussed: Meet Your Maker, Have a Nice Death, Rusted Moss, Beau is Afraid, Spirited Away: Live on Stage, Resident Evil 4 Remake.

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!

From outta nowhere comes one of the weirder titles we've played this year: Mr Sun's Hatbox, a "slapstick roguelike." Joining us to discuss is Steven Spohn, the Senior Director of Development at Able Gamers.

Also on the episode: Dead Island 2, Meet Your Maker, The Strange (Ballingrud), Red Rising (Brown), My Neighbor Totoro, and much more!

For more information about the Able Gamers Gala, head over to: https://ablegamers.org/gala/

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!

Crab Champions is this season's unexpected Steam phenomenon. The $10 shooter-roguelike is based on a music video and delivers bluntly on the promise of its title. You play as a crab that seeks to be the champion by obliterating rival crustaceans and critters with a variety of military weaponry. The more you win, the more powerful you make your crab until you're reigning hellfire on these little unlikely targets. We broke the game on our first try. And that ruled. Plus, we dig deep into the mailbag to answer your questions!

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!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is out, which you already know, because everyone on Earth saw it and it made a bajillion dollars. Do you want to know what we thought about it? We're assuming so, because you're reading this. Great! Let's jam. 

Also discussed: Psychonauts 2, Dark Souls 3, Brotato, Resident Evil 4 Remake

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!

With the first three months of the year behind us, we're taking a beat to discuss our favorite games so far, and there've been a lot. Did you know there's a Peaky Blinders VR game?? 

Games discussed: Dredge, Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, Yakuza: Ishin, RE4 Remake, Forward: Escape the Fold, Paranormasight, Dead Space, Metroid Prime: Remastered, Octopath Traveler 2, Tchia, You Must Build a Boat, Dark Souls 3, Brotato Premium, Minecraft: Caves and Cliffs Soundtrack

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!

Dredge is one of 2023's best surprises, a fishing adventure mixed with Lovecraftian horror. Don't worry though: it's not too scary. In fact, Dredge's much more interested in the fishing aspect than you might expect from a game marketed around cosmic terror. Plus, Plante has become obsessed with Octopath Traveler 2. How does someone who dislikes turn-based combat fall in love with this sort of game? And is it recommended for everyone or just people who love RPGs? All that and more on this week's Resties!

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!

After glancing off the subject our last couple of episodes, we're finally ready to dive deep into Capcom's latest rejuvenation of their classic survival horror franchise, Resident Evil 4 Remake. Also, how buckwild does Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom look?!

Also discussed: Octopath Traveler 2, Dredge, Psychodyssey

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!

This week, we're joined by GameSpot's Tamoor Hussain to discuss the second installment in the Metal Gear Solid series. How well does the game's AI-controlled vision of the future match up with our own reality two decades later? Also, what's Raiden's whole deal? Like, what's he even DOING here? 

Also discussed: Diablo IV beta, You Must Build a Boat, Destiny 2, Octopath Traveler 2, ForeTales, There is No Game: Wrong Dimension, Dark Souls 3, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Dredge

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!

A few weeks ago, game developer Double Fine surprise-dropped a 22-hour documentary about the seven-year creation of Psychnoauts 2. At least that's the premise on paper. In reality, the stunning TV-length doc is a fearless look inside the day-to-day life of a video game studio -- warts and all. The documentarians, employed by Double Fine, have unprecedented access to practically every person and room . Frush and Plante talk about the series, called Double Fine PsychOdyssey, along with The Last of Us TV adaptation. Plus, a delightful new retro gaming book is a perfect gift for video game newcomers.

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!

In lieu of some big blockbuster release to discuss this week, we've decided to once again firmly grip the handles of the grab bag and upend it all over the dang place.

Games n' stuff discussed include: Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania, Destiny 2: Lightfall, Patch Quest, Sea of Thieves, Pizza Tower, Chained Echoes, Octopath Traveler 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!

The boys gather to discuss an interesting Souls-like from the Ninja Gaiden team in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, and Justin attempts to reignite his passions for the world of Destiny with the latest expansion, Lightfall.

Also discussed: Better Call Saul, Johnny Mnemonic, and a smidge of Fortnite for good measure.

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!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie hits theaters next month, but before you see Chris Pratt's rendition of the plumber, why not revisit the original Mario movie? Yes, it's time to watch the all-but-lost 1993 cult classic, starring Bob Hoskins as Mario Mario, John Leguizamo as Luigi Mario, and Dennis Hopper as Bowser. Considering the difficulty of finding a copy of Nintendo's wild first foray into film, our recap and breakdown may be the closest you come to a trip to Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel's Blade Runner-inspired version of the Mushroom Kingdom.

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!

Sometimes, in our hour of greatest need, a hero comes down like a shining beam of light from the heavens to save us. Sometimes, that hero is pink and round, and eats like a million owls and rabbits and stuff, like Kirby does in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.

Also discussed: Pokemon Sleep, Destiny 2: Lightfall, Bloody Hell, Paranormasight

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!

We continue our dive into the great and stealthy works of Solid Snake this week, as we've recently played Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel on the Game Boy Color. Does it hold up? We should probably stop asking that question of these things.

Also discussed: Atomic Heart, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Destiny 2, Physical: 100, Analogue Pocket

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!

The Yakuza series has a new name. "Like a Dragon" is a literal translation of the original Japanese title Ryu Ga Gotoku. Returning to where things started fits the latest release: a remaster of Like a Dragon: Ishin, an action-heavy spin-off set in the Late Edo. The historical setting and standalone story make Ishin a compelling starting point for a series we love. For the back half of the episode, Frush and Plante share their recommendations for listeners preparing to dive into the Game Boy and GBA games now available on Nintendo Switch Online.

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!

Just one week after our episode about surprise game releases, Nintendo went ahead and stealth-dropped a remastered version of the classic GameCube Space Pirate-slaying Simulator, Metroid Prime. But is it still fun after almost 20 years and an intensive graphical spit shine? I mean, yeah, we said as much in the title.

Also discussed: PSVR2, Forward: Escape the Fold, 20 Minutes Until Dawn, Knotwords, Dick Tracy 

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!

Nothing's better than when you don't know that a game exists, and then POOF! It's just right there on the homepage of whatever digital games distributor you use to get new games. Even better? When it's super fun, like Tango Gameworks' rhythm-based beat-em-up, Hi-Fi Rush!

Also discussed: Forward: Escape the Fold, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Physical: 100, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Season, Letterkenny, 20 Minutes Until Dawn

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!

We expected 2023 to be an incredible year for video games with Zelda and Starfield on the calendar. However, we didn't expect to have so many great games by early February. This week, we talk about Hitman's incredible "Freelancer" DLC and the meditative experience collection game Season. Plus, Nuclear Blaze and our favorite language-learning app: Busuu.

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!

Join us as we revisit the USG Ishimura, the pride of Earth's planet-cracking operations and, also, the extremely monster-infested setting of EA's remake of their classic survival horror title Dead Space. Does it still hold up some 15 years after its initial release? (Spoiler alert: Yes. Yes it does.)

Also discussed: Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario 64, Half-Life, Fable, Burnout 3: Takedown, Metal Gear Solid, Metroid Prime, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Freelancer, Time's Ours, You Pod to Win the Game, My Perfect Console, Teardown, Vampire Survivors, Paul T. Goldman, The Traitors, Yakuza: Like a Dragon

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!

Intelligent Systems' long-running series of strategy-RPGs gets even longer this week with the release of Fire Emblem Engage! Join us as we discuss the evolved tactics in this new installment, as well as the ethics of trapping ghost soldiers in Cracker Jack prize rings.

Also discussed: IGF Award Nominees, Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On, Futureport 82, &Juliet

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!

Today we're trying a new format called Better Know a Dungeon (a.k.a. Isn't It Levely). We pick an iconic stage or dungeon and perform an autopsy, revealing what makes it magical. For our experiment, we've selected Elden Ring's Stormveil Castle. For the back half, we help you pick which Persona to play, now that Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5 are widely available. 

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!

To kind-of-celebrate the almost-25th anniversary of Metal Gear Solid, we went back and played a couple different versions of the game to see how well Hideo Kojima's super spy thriller holds up. And hey, how's the pilot episode of HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us? 

Also discussed: Sea of Thieves, Traitors, Neon White, Industry, The Shout

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!

This week, we're joined by GameSpot's Lucy James as we discuss Squanch Games' joke-packed first-person shooter High on Life. How many full-belly chuckles did we experience during our time alien bounty hunting? Also, can J.B. Smoove do voices in every game? 

Also discussed: Disco Elysium, 100 Ft. Robot Golf, Towerfall, Overcooked, Portal 2, The Stanley Parable, Prey, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, The Past Within, Outpath: First Journey, Dragon Quest IX

Note: The day after we recorded this episode and just hours before it went live, NBC News reported that Justin Roiland, the head of High on Life developer Squanch Games, is facing charges of domestic battery and false imprisonment.

After a lot of debate, we decided to still publish the episode as is because we thought it wouldn’t be fair to the other people at Squanch Games, to our guest for this episode Lucy James, and to our listeners, to just not publish the episode.

When our discussion doesn’t mention this alleged, abhorrent behavior, we wanted you to understand why. If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic abuse, help is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233. You can also visit their website at https://www.thehotline.org/

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!

Welcome to the second-annual Resties Video Game Predictions episode! Each January, Frushtick and Plante make six bold predictions for the upcoming year in video games. We also revisit the previous year's prediction and announce a winner. (The year's champion gets a new, soon to-be-revealed anime statue.) Will Tom Cruise appear in video games? Could cloud gaming go mainstream? Is this the year of AAA mega-hits?

Listen to the episode and find out!

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!

With last year's best games played and adjudicated, we look forward to some of our most anticipated releases of 2023. Sure, you got your Zeldas and your Starfields, but there's way more coming down the pipeline — some of which are out pretty soon!

Games discussed: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Starfield, Final Fantasy XVI, Diablo 4, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Atomic Heart, Judas, Suicide Squad, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Pragmata, STALKER 2, Fire Emblem Engage, Armored Core 6, Redfall, Alan Wake 2, The Wolf Among Us 2, Playdead's New Game

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!

We continue the ritual of making the ritual slightly different every year, when we bring the final eight down to the final four, and then introduce another contender before we rank the final five. And at last we’ll have the answer to the burning question: what’s the second-best game of 2022?

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!

IT BEGINS. Well, it ends. Okay, actually, both. This week, we're taking our top 16 games of the year and pitting them against one another in arbitrary combat until only eight remain. Next week, we'll get things sorted down to a nice, tidy ranking of the five best games of the year. Join us! But like, get comfortable, because this is going to take a while.

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!

Need for Speed: Unbound deserved a better launch than this. After a decade of middling entries, EA has returned NFS responsibilities to the exceptional racing developer Criterion Games. The team has produced a street racing game that blends Forza Horizon with the thrills of the Midnight Club games. And it just looks cool! Frush also got Prodeus off his backlog. It’s a solid retro FPS, ideal for playing on a portable like the Switch or the Steamdeck. Plus, we talk through the Besties 2022 bracket!

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!

This week, we're joined by beloved Besties guest host Ron Funches as we discuss the gory extravaganza called Warhammer 40K: Darktide. Is Left 4 Dead still fun when it's in space and there's religion and cyberskulls and stuff? Let's find out!

Also discussed: Elden Ring, OlliOlli World, Astronite, Need for Speed Unbound, Marvel Snap, Evil West, WCW Matches from 1991-1992.

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!

Marvel's Midnight Suns is a tactics game from XCOM developer Firaxis, only instead of shooting aliens a hundred times from behind cover, you play cards to beat ass with your best friend, Blade. This is, objectively, a very good idea, but how well does the rest of the game hold up? Also, what's on our backlog as we approach the GOTY proceedings? 

Also discussed: Dave the Diver, Pentiment, What the Bat, Binding of Isaac, Andor, Soccer Story, Peglin, Tiny Rogues

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!

The Resties Required Reading List strikes again! Our goal is to curate a "must-play" list of 25 games released between 1980 to 2020. Think of it like Video Games 101. This week, we've selected games from 2010-2014. Join us as we revisit the early days of our careers covering video games! Visit @thebestiespod on Twitter to see a full list of games from this week's episode. Previous picks -- 1985-89: Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, SimCity. 1995-99: Super Mario 64, Pokemon Red and Blue, Final Fantasy 7, Starcraft. 2005-09: Resident Evil 4, Wii Sports, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare;

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!

It's one of the biggest releases of the year and Justin paid his daughter, Charlie McElroy, to play it for him. Yes, it's Pokémon time once again and we're diving into Scarlet and Violet. We've also got way more to say about Pentiment.

Also discussed: Andor, Fargo Season 4, Spy x Family and Warhammer: Darktide.

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!

Sonic Frontiers, the open-world iteration of Sega's fast rodent simulator, is kind of a mess. But is it the fun kind of mess, like when a can of spray cheese explodes in your car, and it's gross and everywhere, but man it'll be a great story later? Let's talk about it, and also a random assortment of other new releases! 

Also discussed: McPixel 3, Somerville, Pentiment, GOTY Award Nominees, Reservation Dogs, Andor

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!