The 2025 Kinda Funny Smileys Award Show - Kinda Funny Gamescast

Summary

Kinda Funny Gamescast: The 2025 (Third Annual) Smileys Award Show

Episode date: January 9, 2026

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Episode Overview

The Kinda Funny crew gathers for the Third Annual Smileys— their offbeat, “Kinda Funny style” alternative to typical Game of the Year awards, celebrating a broader range of 2025's games. The Smileys highlight hidden gems, genre standouts, personal favorites, and fun community moments. Hosts Blessing Adeoye Jr., Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller, Andy Cortez, Roger McCorny, and Snowbike Mike break down their most beloved experiences, with input from the extended crew (including remote shout-outs from Tim Geddes and Barrett Courtney).

The crew’s chemistry, irreverence, and real passion for gaming shine throughout, balancing sharp analysis with inside jokes, audience interactions, and off-the-cuff banter.

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Table of Contents

1. Setting the Scene & Smileys Introduction
2. Best Hidden Gem
3. Best Style
4. Best Old Game
5. Best Multiplayer
6. Best Story
7. Best Mechanic / Feature
8. KFGPP: Kinda Funny Games Preferred Partner
9. Best Trailer
10. Best Studio
11. Memorable Moments & In-Jokes
12. Notable Quotes
13. Closing Thoughts & What’s Next

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1. Setting the Scene & Smileys Introduction

[00:21–06:00]

• Blessing welcomes the crew, notes Tim’s absence due to illness (“He’s at home sick. He caught a cold...” [01:21]).
• Recap of Smileys history: Created to honor a wider breadth of games than just GOTY top 10.
• Andy describes Smileys’ spirit: “It's to kind of show off all of our different tastes and the things that we're into in video games and also just celebrate the most amount of developers and creations out there in the games industry.” [03:41]
• New and returning categories are outlined, with Bless emphasizing variety and community participation.

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2. Best Hidden Gem [09:00]

Nominees & Highlights:

• Dead Take

  • Lovingly described as “FMV done right” (Barrett and Blessing’s pick).
  • “There's a very interesting story being told here about Hollywood and the nature of performance and the nature of art and putting ourselves into art.” – Blessing [09:48]

• Keeper

  • Deeply atmospheric, emotional, with Double Fine’s signature art and design.
  • “The visuals and the sounds were the big ones for me... I had a good time with this.” – Snowbike Mike [11:53]
  • Tim's sick day written into KFG lore ("by the way, you're right about Keeper..." [12:24])

• And Roger

  • Mini-game anthology with emotional narrative, cryptic Florence-style storytelling.
  • “It’s heartbreaking. It's beautiful. I loved it.” — Greg [13:54]
  • “If you want interesting mechanics telling you an interesting story... it’s what I love about video games.” — Greg [15:30]

• The Alters

  • Unique clone-management, survival game; deep character work.
  • “This is probably the most unique game of the year ... these clones of yourself are all different personalities ... made a different decision in your life in their version of your life.” – Andy [17:10–18:58]

Community shout-outs:

• Ender Magnolia (Lucid Dream); Andy extols its Metroidvania design [20:07–21:12]

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3. Best Style [21:40]

Nominees & Highlights:

• South of Midnight

  • Striking visuals, music, and southern US setting.
  • “One of the best looking video games of this generation … it just feels like this really beautifully art directed world.” – Roger [22:09]
  • “I adored the soundtrack… just the ambiance music ... you can see it seeping through this. This is a great pick.” – Greg [22:49]

• Claire Obscure: Expedition 33

  • Vivid scale, visual effects, “particle effects with a purpose.”
  • “Things just look really, really awesome all of the time... they listened to Andy’s lessons of what makes a game look cool: floating rocks.” – Andy [23:52, 24:51]
  • “It doesn’t come off as noise, it comes off as art and design with a purpose.” – Blessing [25:14]

• Death Stranding 2

  • Next-level realism, surreal “homey” style, emotive environments.
  • “If I were to rank highest fidelity video games ... Death Stranding 2 is number one.” – Roger [27:13]

• Doom: The Dark Ages

  • “Fucking in your face action. Heart pumping. It’s got everything I want.” – Snowbike Mike [28:57]
  • Standout for bullet-hell visuals and monster design.

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4. Best Old Game [35:30]

Nominees & Highlights:

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Remake

  • A nostalgia-fueled triumph.
  • “The fact they were able to come back and deliver something that captures that glory ... is pretty incredible.” – Greg [35:56]

• Metal Gear Solid Delta

  • “To have it be as good as it was and such a great reminder of what Metal Gear was and I guess is.” – Greg [38:22]

• Dark Souls

  • Rediscovered, lauded for its endurance and depth.
  • “As somebody who's currently playing Dark Souls, I will tell you, what a special game.” – Blessing [41:33]

• Hollow Knight

  • Revisiting before Silksong and rekindling metroidvania love.
  • “It was so good and such an amazing experience ... it was such an all-encompassing gaming experience.” – Roger [43:17]

Also-ran: Final Fantasy X (Snowbike Mike’s homage to “laughs, tears, the hug… Blitzball...that shocking realization" [47:46])

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5. Best Multiplayer [51:05]

Nominees & Highlights:

• Elden Ring: Night Rain

  • Unites solo and co-op magic; “FromSoft multiplayer done right.”
  • “It’s just still so magical... you think, could it lose the mysticism? It just didn’t.” – Andy [51:13]
  • “[It’s] the messiest multiplayer game possible—in the best way.” – Blessing [54:08]

• ARC Raiders

  • PvPvE thrill, hunting the human element.
  • “It will always be my I'm coming after you game.” – Mike [56:35]

• Marvel: Cosmic Invasion

  • Cross-play, drop-in/out, family-friendly mythos.
  • “Cross play ... throw out a friend code into the ether ... what a great multiplayer system.” – Greg [57:44]
  • Greg played it with his son: “He was my co-pilot out there.” [58:57]

• Schedule One

  • Janky, emergent chaos—growing and selling drugs with your crew.
  • “Playing with my brother is some of the most fun we've had playing a video game in years.” – Roger [59:30, 61:10]

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6. Best Story [63:47]

Nominees & Highlights:

• Claire Obscure: Expedition 33

  • “Twists, choices ... the journey is incredible. The concept grabs you immediately.” – Blessing [64:08]
  • “It's the almost boring choice, but it's the right choice.” – Roger [65:18]

• Citizen Sleeper 2

  • “A game about hope … built so that you have to be okay with failure ... how you're gonna learn and grow from this.” – Andy [65:46, 66:49]

• And Roger

  • “It does what I love about games... let's put you in someone else's shoes.” – Greg [67:42]
  • “You can use gameplay mechanics to tell stories in unique ways that movies and TV can't.” – Blessing [68:23]

• Octopath Traveler 0

  • “Three movies in one... it just kept mutating and changing. I just love this game.” – Greg [68:53–70:36]

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7. Best Mechanic / Feature [71:10]

Nominees & Highlights:

• Player Plattering – Hell Is Us

  • Clue-based navigation, “not handing you the game on a silver platter.”
  • “You have a map, but it's not gonna fill in ... just the littlest amount of digging... I adored that.” – Greg [71:10]

• Destruction System – DK Bonanza

  • Environment-smashing DK mechanics.
  • “Inspired and really different… I really loved this as a system.” – Blessing [72:22]

• Dice/Stress System – Citizen Sleeper 2

  • “It feels like going through some tough times in life... it affects your choices and your decision making.” – Andy [74:56]

• Musical Boss Fights – South of Midnight

  • Boss vocals tell story mid-fight; “That's one I compliment all the time—such a special, brilliant little thing.” – Greg [75:54]

• Invasion System – Sniper Elite Resistance

  • “I just invaded kids throughout their campaigns... chasing them, listening for alerts ... testicle shots. That rules.” – Snowbike Mike [76:21, 77:24]

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8. KFGPP: Kinda Funny Games Preferred Partner [85:48]

A new category for favorite sidekick, companion, or memorable character.

Nominees & Highlights:

• Oyuki – Ghost of Yot

  • “A very interesting story … in relation to the Yotei Six. They did a great job.” – Greg [86:33]

• Hornet – Silksong (ultimately “vetoed" in favor of Shurma)

  • “I love her look, moves, voice, outfit, animations. 10 out of 10.” – (Tim, via Blessing) [87:30]

• Invisigal – Dispatch

  • “What a great arc ... chemistry with protagonist Robert … one of the reasons this character is nominated for DICE Awards.” – Greg [87:56]
  • Blessing on “Twilight for men” theory and romance mechanics [88:23]

• Rick – Kirby Air Riders

  • “The way he'd just be running. His alt is ... he gets off the board, he just be running. He's going crazy mode.” – Roger [90:21]

• Mike – Baby Steps

  • “Not afraid to ask for help ... shout out to Mike for always being prepared.” – Snowbike Mike [91:13]

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9. Best Trailer [92:13]

Nominees & Highlights:

• Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic

  • Huge community reaction; surprise Old Republic return with Casey Hudson.
  • “Bringing out Old Republic ... it kept getting crazier.” – Greg [93:12]

• Unbeatable

  • “Trailer that pulls at the heartstrings, gives an emotional tone, and sells the original music.” – Barrett [95:00]

• Clockwork Revolution

  • “Gives Deus Ex/Dishonored vibes; great deep-dive trailer, explains mechanics and vision.” – Blessing [96:45]

• Tides of Annihilation: Mirror Combat Trailer

  • Stunned by technical prowess, even with frame drops. “Doing wild stuff with tech ... so far, awesome.” – Andy [98:42]

• Wolverine

  • First real look: “Brutality, EM rating, claws, a different kind of superhero game from Insomniac.” – Greg [100:51]

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10. Best Studio [110:45]

Nominees & Highlights:

• Team Cherry

  • “After nearly a decade... they managed to deliver an all-timer and exceeded expectations.” – Andy [111:09]
  • “Put out this game for $20 that ends up as being a favorite of the year amongst people.” – Blessing [112:26]

• Obsidian

  • “The workhorse of Xbox Game Studios ... putting out consistent things ... really great games.” – Greg [114:03, 114:32]

• Sandfall Entertainment Interactive

  • “Who the fuck is Sandfall? ... and then it so greatly exceeded [expectations] … just incredible stuff.” – Greg [115:03]
  • “Becoming pop culture.” – Roger (on seeing their hoodies in public) [116:05]

• Hazelight

  • “Locked the fuck in ... able to make video games at a pace that is really respectable ... forefront of gameplay and tech.” – Roger [116:37–118:09]
  • “Creative studio doing it right now.” – Blessing [118:48]

• Round 8

  • “What I think is one of the best DLCs ever made ... characters, side quests had me in tears ... this studio has it.” – Andy [119:09–120:24]

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11. Memorable Moments & In-Jokes

• Tim out sick, remote contributions referenced throughout.
• The “shoes off” comfort segment—crocs, socks, and bare feet in the studio banter [04:25–07:36].
• Extended, hilarious food order clip: mashed potatoes crisis at The Cheesecake Factory, coconut shrimp misadventures [103:09–110:41].
• Sidebar awards for “most concerning undiagnosed ADHD moment,” “heartbreaking Nuzlocke deaths,” and “worst meal ordered.”
• Audience superchats woven directly into the show.
• Regular reminders: “No spoilers!” policy.

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12. Notable Quotes

“It's to kind of show off all of our different tastes and the things that we're into in video games and also just celebrate the most amount of developers and you know, creations out there in the games industry.” – Andy Cortez [03:41]

“I think it's such a good marriage of gameplay and what the story is they're telling.” – Blessing (on And Roger) [15:58]

“This one holds a special place in my heart.” – Snowbike Mike (on MGS Delta and the abandoned alligator meat for their stream) [40:50]

“I, like, literally can't. Now here's the deal. Let's sweeten it up one more time for you, you know? Stop.” – Mike, pleading for mashed potatoes from the Cheesecake Factory [110:11]

“A game about hope … you're not really ever supposed to 100 this perfect ... you are going to fail. The game gives you the best couple of paragraphs of how you're going to learn and grow from this.” – Andy (Citizen Sleeper 2, Best Story) [66:49]

“Locked the fuck in ... able to make video games at a pace that is really respectable ... the forefront of gameplay and tech.” – Roger (Hazelight, Best Studio) [116:37–118:09]

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13. Closing Thoughts & What's Next

[121:38–122:51]

• Blessing and Andy celebrate “Video games rock. 2025 rocked as a year for video games.”
• The Smileys reaffirmed as a beloved Kinda Funny tradition for its wide lens and personalization.
• Teaser: Monday’s big GOTY top 10 show incoming.

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Summary

The 2025 Smileys award show is equal parts celebration, chaotic fun, and heartfelt critique. The Kinda Funny team highlights both the mainstream and the overlooked, mixing games industry commentary with their signature humor and transparency. They reinforce that the medium is more vibrant than ever, touching on community, personal milestones, and pure love of games.

If you missed the broadcast, this summary should get you caught up on every meaningful category, moment, and meme—setting the stage for the highly anticipated GOTY countdown to come.

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Transcript

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[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yo, what's up? Welcome to Kinda Funny Gamescast for Friday January 9, 2026. I'm one of your host Blessing Adioye Jr. Alongside the Nitro rifle Andy Cortez.

[Greg Miller]

Crushed it, crushed it, crushed it.

[Snowbike Mike]

There it is, there it is.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Right next to Andy, of course we have the legend, Greg Miller.

[Greg Miller]

You look great. Bless.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You look great, Greg.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. You said you haven't worn this since the old studio.

[Greg Miller]

Haven't worn this apparently since the movie Monsters episode of Debatable. Another show is still in the pocket. So excited to be here in my Witcher Mario outfit and earn it now that I'm such a Nintendo fan.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Of course, of course. Next to Greg Miller, we have the lock. Roger McCorny.

[Roger McCorny]

Happy to be replacing Tim. Finally.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Happy to have you replacing. We never have you on this show, Roger. And last but not least, we have the master of hype, Snowbike Mike.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thanks for having me here. You look great. Andy, you look fabulous as well. Very excited for the third annual Smileys. I'm here baby.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And if we can get a round of applause for Tim Geddes.

[Roger McCorny]

Yes.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yes.

[Greg Miller]

It's finally happening everybody.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Finally. He's at home sick. He caught a cold and so he

[Greg Miller]

wasn't able to come in if you party mode. Apparently that's when it hit him, he said. And so I was too busy all over.

[Andy Cortez]

I noticed, I noticed a drop in energy from him but I thought he was just sad because of the game.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yes, I watched it back. He went dead silent. Where we ended one world. And I was like, we're playing one more. And he shot me the death look. I'm like, no, Mike. And I was like one more.

[Andy Cortez]

Dying right now.

[Roger McCorny]

We all felt that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Of course if you're watching live, you can be a part of this show by super chatting in on YouTube.com kind of funny games. Remember, we couldn't do this without our producers over on patreon.com kindafunny so thank you to Carl Jacobs, Omega Buster and Delaney the Psalm twining For now, let's begin with topic of the show. We're doing the 2025 third annual kinda funny Smileys. If you're watching this for the first time, you might be wondering what are the smileys? Of course on Monday we're doing our game of the year top 10 where each of us voted in. We'll count down our top 10 games of the year until we crown our number one game of the year. That is happening on Monday. But a few years ago, Andy Cortez came to me with an idea. We wanna honor the games, just the wide breadth of games that came out in 2025. Of course we honor the top 10 on Monday. But there are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of video games that come out throughout the year that we love, that we wanna talk about, that we wanna celebrate. And we figured it'd be a fun idea to do categories to dress up, make it fancy, have a fancy set that Andy makes handcrafts himself. And that's what we're doing today. We're gonna honor a lot of the releases that came out in 2025.

[Greg Miller]

Yes, Greg, I have a question for you. This is something for the table to discuss and figure out. I like when you say third Annual Kind of Funny Smileys. Is this year three of it or year four?

[Andy Cortez]

This is year three.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you. Someone tried to pull this shit on the inaugural KFGD Awards. Let em know next year it's not gonna be the second annual, it'll be the first annual technically. And I'm like that.

[Andy Cortez]

I don't like it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's confusing.

[Greg Miller]

I pivoted to the inaugural thing cause somebody pointed out you can't be the first annual. I was like that's fine. I'm not confusing the matter that way. When you see third Annual go, oh, it's the third year. Act kind of funny. Third annual means third year. I don't want any shit. When the KFGD Awards roll around next year or the fourth Annual Kind of Funny Smileys roll around.

[Snowbike Mike]

I like that.

[Greg Miller]

Beautiful. The motion passes.

[Andy Cortez]

I love it.

[Greg Miller]

Him off his deathbed to vote also.

[Andy Cortez]

But it's one of those things where the whole point of this wasn't just to give one award to the one thing because all of our tastes are so different. It's to kind of show off all of our different tastes and the things that we're into in video games and also just celebrate the most amount of developers and you know, creations out there in the games industry.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And so we have a list of categories here and I have narrowed down to four, sometimes five winners for each of the categories based on write ins from the Kind of Funny crew. Last year we did five for every category and had 12 categories. It went a bit long, you know, of course we had to kind of like pace ourselves more quickly than I think we ideally wanted and so I tried to get down to about four

[Greg Miller]

winners but we canceled the stream today. This is the stream. We're.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, hanging out, having a good time.

[Snowbike Mike]

I ordered Starbucks. We're going to be here for a while. Let's take shoes off.

[Greg Miller]

Chad, you're not going anywhere.

[Andy Cortez]

Shoes off.

[Roger McCorny]

Everyone take our shoes off right here at the stage.

[Snowbike Mike]

Ready?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Let's all do it at the same time. The shoes.

[Andy Cortez]

Mine feels good.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, I didn't. I don't know.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean I purposely just brought my Nikes because I didn't want to be uncomfortable.

[Greg Miller]

Now, Mike, do a shoe with whatever is in your Pikmin cup.

[Roger McCorny]

No, no, don't tell him to do that.

[Snowbike Mike]

He'll do it for the third annual.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Smiley, you say whatever is in his Pikmin cup. Do you not think it's water?

[Greg Miller]

I didn't know if it's coffee or a chai latte.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay, I can see. I can see.

[Roger McCorny]

Dogs are out, everybody.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

So this is socks off.

[Andy Cortez]

Whoa.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Swap socks.

[Snowbike Mike]

Swap socks.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is the list of categories we have for this year for the Smilers. Of course we switch it up a little bit every single year. This list looks like this. We have best hidden gem that's for a fun surprise or not widely known game that excelled beyond expectation. We have best style the game encompassing an outstanding combination of visuals, music and or fidelity. We have best old game a non 2025 game that reserve that deserves recognition could be for a remake, remaster, resurgence or something we relate to the game on Best multiplayer the best games to play with a group of people. Best story the game that displayed outstanding storytelling and writing. Best mechanic slash feature that is honoring a game mechanic or feature that was unique and or pushed things forward. We have as a new1kfgpp that is or aka kinda funny games preferred partner a side character, companion or character in general this year that stood out from the package. We have a new one for this year. Best trailer. Of course react all the time. We watch all the showcases. So that's a big part of the identity of kind of funny. So we wanted to talk about trailers this year. That's for a trailer that presented incredibly well and evoked a strong reaction. And finally we have Best Studio. The studio that earned MVP status in 2025. Of course if you're watching live, you can super chat in with what your picks are for these categories, category by category. We'll check in with you, the audience, see what you guys have to say and have a conversation. All right. Before we get In. Do we have anything left to say? Any final words?

[Roger McCorny]

Feels nice not to have shoes on.

[Andy Cortez]

It does.

[Roger McCorny]

It does feel kind of really nice.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Feet are getting a little bit cold, though.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

Oh, really?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I've thin socks.

[Andy Cortez]

Can we get heated fours installed?

[Snowbike Mike]

What if we all wore crocs inside the office? The crocs are nice.

[Greg Miller]

Crocs are super comfortable.

[Roger McCorny]

Are you not wearing socks with the crocs?

[Snowbike Mike]

I wear socks with the crocs. Socks with the crocs in case my toes. He gets cold.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Do people usually wear socks with the crocs? I feel like this. I got the croc.

[Greg Miller]

I think it all depends on how you're using the croc. My crocs are at the back door and my ghostbuster crocs so that I can walk coal or take the trash out. So I'm just. I'm in socks in my house. I just put my socks into the crocs and go that way. If I regret that when I got the animal crossing crocs, they were very. I don't know if you know this. They were only made for women. Women's sizes. That's offensive to male animal crossing fans.

[Roger McCorny]

Sure.

[Andy Cortez]

Frankly, is that two sizes above or below?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I was below. Below.

[Greg Miller]

Anyways. Anyways. So, like, I was gonna wear those as my indoor crocs and there. I would have been happier to be barefoot or whatever. But no, I sock it up in my croc, but I don't wear the crocs out. Except for when I got trekked into going to the grocery store.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You got tricked?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, I made a mistake of taking out. I was in my bib jeans. I'm in my ghostbusters, and I'm wearing a hat. I look disgusting. I've been working on the attic all day long. I'm sweaty, disgusting. I went out and I'm like, all right, cool. I'm gonna drop these clothes off at one of the donation bins. Not even like a center.

[Snowbike Mike]

Just drop it.

[Greg Miller]

And Jen was like, well, while you're out, go to the grocery store. I'm like, mother, walking around this high end grocery store.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Dress up to go to the grocery store, though, because I feel like there's not.

[Greg Miller]

Okay. Again.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

I'm wearing ghostbuster crocs and socks. Bib jeans that are covered in dirt and shit from the attic.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Greg Miller]

Some worn out, kind of funny T shirt. I'm sure that I wasn't. It's not dressing up like this. It was like, I didn't look like I was human.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

But also the fear is like, do you run into people in your dressing room?

[Greg Miller]

Of course.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

All the time.

[Roger McCorny]

So I ran into. I had an embarrassing mom. I never told the story. While I was at a target. Me and Lianza were in the. We're in the ball ball section of the target. Bouncing balls.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

Bored. And then Jonathan Door Bush walks by,

[Snowbike Mike]

and I've never felt so embarrassed. Oh, hi.

[Roger McCorny]

And we're just bouncing balls like little children. So then after that moment, I'm like, I'm buffing.

[Greg Miller]

You should invite him in. Dormush would have done the exact same thing with you.

[Snowbike Mike]

Come down.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

People running into dorm. Me and Greg ran into Door Bush randomly at the Korean grocery store that opened up nearby.

[Greg Miller]

He's everywhere. He's everywhere in San Francisco?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

Were you bouncing balls there too?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

No, we were looking for sushi. All right, without further ado, let's get into it. Let's start off with our first category, which is best hidden gem. Again, this is for a fun surprise or not widely known game that excelled beyond expectation.

[Greg Miller]

What I think is really exciting is I don't remember what I wrote down

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

for any of these stats.

[Greg Miller]

You were reading categories. I'm like, I don't know.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I voted well. Our first pick for best hidden gem, Again, this is in no specific order. Our first game here is Dead take.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, Dead Take. Oh, nice.

[Snowbike Mike]

Of course, clap it up.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is one that was written in by both me and Barrett. I'm sad Barrett's not here to talk about. Of course, Barrett's working really hard for on game of the Year happening on Monday. But this is a game that me and Barrett streamed together. It was one that we were looking forward to, of course.

[Greg Miller]

Abu, right?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is Abu and his team. You know them previously. They worked. Yes. Zal Tails Gara or Tails Gara Zao. Yeah, I think you got it right and I think you got it right.

[Greg Miller]

But I'm still going to try to correct you.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

But, yeah, this is a game that is following up what was a 2D metroidvania inspired by African mythology. And from that, they pivoted into a first person horror game with like kind of walking sim mechanics, kind of like escape room mechanics a little bit. You're trying to discover and figure out what's going on in this mansion that you've been invited to. There's a very interesting story being told here about Hollywood and the nature of performance and the nature of art and putting ourselves into art. That I think is very well done. And I think even beyond that, something that I Love in video games a lot is fmv. I'm down to play an FMV video game, whether it's Whales interactive, whether it's immortality. Right. Or something like that. I'm so into the use of fmv and Dead Take, I think, takes that and really does a good job with figuring out how to implement FMV in a way that is engaging and interesting and actually like a fun gameplay mechanic when you're going through different tapes and stuff. Like shout out to the cast as well here.

[Greg Miller]

Exactly. Yeah. You know, obviously Ben Alana's in this too. This is one that's a heartbreaker. I haven't gotten to. You know how much I love the FMV video right next. Or game right next to you, but it's just been such a crazy fucking year that I never got the chance to actually boot up Dead Take. But I. For the people who love this game, like, I love these kind of games. I only heard good things.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. Did anybody else check out that take?

[Roger McCorny]

No.

[Andy Cortez]

No. It's a pretty short one though, right? Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's one that me and Barrett beat in one stream, but it was also one that me and Barrett stayed a little bit late to beat this game.

[Roger McCorny]

You guys were locked in.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, we were locked in. You're in that zone.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

You think I would like it? I feel like this is the game that I might like.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I think you'd like streaming it.

[Roger McCorny]

Okay.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I think you'd like having the experience with people around you. Okay. For sure. Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

All right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Moving on to our second pick for best hidden gem, we have Keeper. Oh, this was one that was written in.

[Snowbike Mike]

Coming up, I got it written in

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

by Tim Geddes, which surprised me because this is.

[Andy Cortez]

That.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I guess I'll. I'll talk about this again. Right. This is one that I loved. Right. I was there. Me and Mike reviewed this together.

[Andy Cortez]

Reviewed it?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Uhhuh. Absolutely. Adored Keeper. I have so many good things to talk about with Keeper, but I want to start with Mike. Mike.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah. Keeper's a special one. Keeper's a really fun, just experience. Right. And I think the team over at Double Fine is known for their design, their art. They're just kind of wacky out there. Nature. And this game mixes all of it into kind of a. An emotional tale, one that you can share in a night. You could share over a course of like eight to 10 hours, depending on how deep you want to get in. But I just had fun just getting lost in the visuals, really. The visuals and the sounds were the big ones for me. I. I I had a good time with this.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I'm sad that Tim is home sick because there was one just random day, I think me and him finished a KFC or on a games cast or something where he turns to me off Mike and he's like, by the way, you're right about Keeper, like letting me in on the fact that he had played it and really enjoyed it.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

You guys did such a great Gamescast review of Keeper last year. That got me so excited for it. But again, I never got the time. But I remember Blessing, I think for you. What I think I want to say you gave it an 8 and you're like this, but it's an 8. I love like a 10 or something. And it was like, yeah, you sold me so much on the journey of what this game is.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I forget exactly what I gave it but like this is one that the art really hit me. Even though there are small things here and there that I didn't really love as far as where it goes and like how it changes up certain gameplay mechanics. That said, I think the art here is beautiful. I think the visuals here are wonderful. I think even just the gameplay of the tower and how it moves and how it sounds in the, like the audio design of it I think is so well done. The music, the soundtrack of it, I think is so well done. And we had Paris on that episode, I believe. And Paris, I think made a good observation talking about the story and how it connected with him as somebody who's a father. Right. I think the game has like a really interesting perspective on Community and like what it means to be a part of. Part of Community and taking care of one another. That is really cool. Seeing told via a lighthouse. Just walking around.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. A little bird.

[Andy Cortez]

We miss you, Tim.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

We miss you, Tim.

[Greg Miller]

We miss you.

[Roger McCorny]

Parris.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our third pick for best hidden gem is. And Roger.

[Greg Miller]

Ah, yeah. Fuck yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is what you wrote in with Greg.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you very much.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thank you.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you for reminding me. I like just being a fan of games, so I'm not afraid to put a. Yeah, Tim, I know also obviously all about this game. He talked about it recently on what the last Gamescast he was on. I think this is a tough one to talk about because you don't want to spoil it. There's a bigger narrative going on than may seem. But yes, you wake up in your house and there's a person in it and you have to figure out if you're going to try to sneak out, if you're going to talk to Them what you're going to do. And obviously things are not as they seem. The most apt comparison I think is Florence. It is a bunch of little mini games and little things going on that are telling you an emotional tale as you go. Uh, it's heartbreaking. Uh, it's beautiful. Uh, I loved it like I, I love Dan Roger and it's always so hard to talk about it and not talk about it. Uh brought me to I think, I don't know, I forget if I cry cried during it but I definitely teared up during it. And I had a similar moment to Tim of when I realized what it was about because I was lucky enough to come in and not have it ruined for me. Of what are we doing here? Oh okay. Oh shit, we're doing this. And it's something I've long known information about. I don't want to spoil anything, you know what I mean?

[Andy Cortez]

I'm glad, I'm glad earlier you mentioned, you know it's hard to talk about this one without spoiling it. There will be no spoilers for all of this show so don't worry about anything. You know we last year, two years ago we had like best boss fight and all that stuff can get a little bit spoilery so there will be none of that here.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. And Roger, you know I think we all think of it if you, if you thought about it as a PC game. I do know it's out on Switch and I think it's cheap. It's a smaller game buy which on the Nintendo Store. Five bucks. Yeah, five bucks on Steam over there. So yeah, you see them over here too as well.

[Andy Cortez]

About a two hour journey right or something.

[Greg Miller]

It might even be less than that. Yeah. 4.99. I would encourage you all to go get it if you're that kind of gamer. If you want interesting mechanics telling you an interesting story and you know it's what I love about video games. When you hear me go on and on about Florence, about Gone Home, it's being able to put yourself in somebody else's shoes and really get a different kind of experience.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, this is one that I had streamed and I didn't cry while playing it but I think I held it back because I'll stream. Yeah, I'm not sure. I'm not trying to.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, I'm not trying to.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah I'm not trying to have somebody clips out but it's one that really spoke to me for all the reasons that Greg talked about and I think the comparison of Florence is really apt Just for a game that does a lot of similar things with both kind of its art style, but even so, even so, how you interact with it and how it uses, like, unique forms of puzzles and just like, unique scenarios that you're trying to solve the thing or put the thing to this thing to, like, tell the story that it's telling and touch on the subject matter that it's touching on. I think it's such. Such a good marriage of gameplay and what the story is they're telling.

[Roger McCorny]

I've gotten the subject matter spoiled for me. Should I still play this 100?

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. In fact, early on, I think I had kind of known earlier before I played this game, but I just forgot.

[Greg Miller]

It's one of those that. I think if you are cognizant of the subject in general, when it starts, you. You. It's really quick.

[Snowbike Mike]

It's not like.

[Greg Miller]

It's not like the credits rolling. Like, wait, it was what? No, you. It's revealed way before. Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like five minutes. And I think I predicted it. And then it kept going. I was like, okay, maybe I'm wrong. And then it looked back and I was like, okay, no, this is exactly what it is. And so knowing the subject matter will not ruin this game for you. Of course. Those are our picks for best hidden. Oh, no, we have one more pick, actually. Sorry. We have one more pick, which is the alters.

[Andy Cortez]

Yay. Alters is so good. 11 bit studios with a really unique story and unique gameplay elements. I think this is probably like, in my opinion, the most unique game of the year. Marrying a bunch of really neat elements from a lot of other styles of games that I'm into, whether it be decision making, whether it be resource management. You are an astronaut named Jan Dolski, and you crash on a planet, and the whole concept is, hey, you're the only one here. And if you're going to try to do all this stuff to survive alone, it's kind of impossible. So you need more help. And you sort of take it upon yourself to use the technology aboard your ship to create clones of yourself. And these clones of yourself are all different. They're all different personalities. They're pretty much just different people with, you know, maybe the same backstory of, you know, here's what's happening with your mom, here's your relationship with your father. But every one of these clones took a different. Made a different decision in your life in their version of your life. Right. So their lives changed drastically. And all of these characters all have different quirks about Them. Some of their. Some of them are really into, you know, science. Some of them are really into just feet as well. Yeah. Oh, some of them are just insane. Like there's like, it. It goes a lot of different wild places with a lot of cool surprises. And yeah, I think the story it's telling, along with all the characters involved are really, really cool and interesting.

[Greg Miller]

We've talked a lot about the altars, and I have a question over here from grad Ant. In the chat, does the authors have a definitive ending or is it endless management sim? I gave it a few hours one day. Enjoyed the story, but not the mechanics so much.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, yeah, no, it has a. Yeah, like the game ends, you hit credits, it's over. Over. Yeah. Very, very cool video game. I suggest everybody check it out. Yeah, I see Marty. Pixel Rod says it's like Mickey 17 kind of. Yeah, it's very similar to that. You. You are trying to survive with these diff. And not only resource management, but employee person management because these are all people who are like, hey, you're the leader here. You're running shit. But I hate that we don't have good food to eat, man. And you're like, oh, damn, I gotta make sure he's happy. And then suddenly your altars are like at one point, you know, or at many points might go, hey, we're gonna, you know, we're starting a rebellion right now. We don't really like how you're managing this and we think you're doing a terrible job. It's really awesome the way that you sort of manage all that stuff and sometimes, you know, become really good friends with them and it's, it's tells a really beautiful story.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, yeah. Well, those are our picks for best hidden gem. Congratulations to these picks. Got Dead Take Keeper and Roger and the altars. Of course. I did ask you guys to write in. We got a super chat in from Lucid Dream who says my hidden gem, Ender Magnolia. Are you guys familiar with Ender Magnolia?

[Greg Miller]

You know the name? I couldn't pick it out of a lineup.

[Andy Cortez]

I almost beat it. I think I'm like two boss fights away.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. The Steam page describes it as decades after the events of Ender Lily's Humanuculi. There you go. Humunculi.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Sorrowful artificial life forms roam the land in this dark fantasy Metroidvania. Face formidable enemies and explore a bewitching post apocalyptic world. Oh, this is one that you checked out that you. That you almost beat.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. I got to the very, very end I don't really have a good reason for not finishing because it. Because I. I dug it. I think I just moved on to other things. But It's a. Yeah. 2D side scroller metroidvania with really cool characters and if you remember the trailer for Tides of Annihilation, how the whole thing is like you are commanding the Knights of the Round Table or whatever. It's kind of a similar thing where whenever you attack your. The people attacking for you are like phantoms.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

And so they're all different personalities and yeah, it tells really kind of a neat story with cool boss fights and cool mechanics. I should finish it. I'm really close. Like right there at the end.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

We got one more from Rogue four who Resonate says, does the altars run well on Steam Deck? Anybody tried it on Steam Deck?

[Andy Cortez]

I. I think it runs like not great. I preferred to play it on. I think that was maybe one that I started doing GeForce now with because it was running a lot like I. I didn't have a great time with how it has to kind of look really, really lo fi, you know, in order to run smoothly.

[Greg Miller]

No, it doesn't really answer your question, but I played an hour of it on Rog Ally X and it was fine.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

There you go. Let's move on to our next category. Best style. This is for the game encompassing an outstanding combination of visuals, music and or fidelity. Fidelity. Our first pick for best style is south of Midnight.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. What a great pick. Who all nominated this one?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This was one that was written in by two different people. Tim Gettys and Roger Corny.

[Roger McCorny]

Roger. I mean what a gorgeous video game. Looking back on this, I.

[Greg Miller]

It didn't.

[Roger McCorny]

When I was making my top 10 list, it did not get anywhere around it because I think that gameplay just kind of really destroyed my experience there. Destroyed quote unquote. But the style of this game held it back. Destroyed its chances rather of the top 10. But this game is just. It's one of the best looking video games of this generation. It perfectly kills the puppetry, low frame rates, vibe of everything. It doesn't hurt your eyes. It just feels like this really beautifully art directed world. Some really unique character designs, enemy designs. It is really up there with some of the best looking video games of this generation. It's really impressive.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. And style as you said, encompasses everything. Right. As you ran through it. I think the music is so incredible in this game. I adored the soundtrack to this. Both the original generated song or written songs and perform songs for the bosses. But also Just the ambiance, music. And when we're talking about style, you can see it seeping through this. This is a great pick.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. I also think it really takes advantage of the setting.

[Roger McCorny]

Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is a game that takes place in the south and when you talk about the south, right. You're talking about a lot of the cultural density that exists there. And I think that's an area that's not as represented in video games. And south of Midnight, looking into that and going, all right, we're going to take a really dynamic art style. We're going to take the music that Greg's talking about, but we're really going to represent the south with it and tell a story that is using unique characters and unique ideas that come out of the South.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I, I think is very well done and the execution of it is top notch. Like Roger says, this is one of the best looking games of the generation.

[Roger McCorny]

Absolutely.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

All right, our next pick for best style is Claire obscure Expedition 33.

[Greg Miller]

Course.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, duh, like, yeah, this game just kind of does it all, man. It looks gorgeous. It has a soundtrack that can be so varied at, you know, at any moment. It's going to hit you with different genres at all, at all times with its music. But I, I also just love the environments and the boss fights and the characters. And there are just some stunning visuals in this game that are, are really, really awesome to look at. When I, I think about some of the, the way that they play with scale with that one boss that's like, you know, spinning around with this, you know, the crazy like, like fabric all over the place. Things just look really, really awesome all of the time. And I think they, they went, they listened to, to Andy's lessons of like, what makes the game look cool is like if you just have floating rocks, that's awesome. Floating rocks are really cool in your, in video games. And yeah, I think this game always looks stunning and lighting wise, everything it does is super beautiful.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I want to shout out particle effects with a purpose. You know, Andy, one of the controversial things you always talk about is metaphor D Fantasio and the art style not doing it for you. And I, I agree and disagree, but the part where I agree is that I think that game has too many particle effects. It's like they fucking tripped. They're like holding a bucket of particle effects stripped and they're like, oh shit, it's all over the place.

[Roger McCorny]

It becomes noise at a certain point.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, it becomes noise. And I think you talk about the floating rocks, right? I think there's a point at which Claire obscure Expedition 33 could have been doing too much with art style. Because you look around in this world and it's like, oh, this thing's floating over here. Oh, this is happening over here. Oh, I parry. And this thing happens and fucking, you know, the black sprays through the screen and it looks like graffiti. Like there's so much happening, but it doesn't come off as noise. It comes off as art and design with a purpose. And I think, you know, that's something that also loops in with the story of the game and the narrative of what's going on. And like, you know, again, no spoilers in the show. But I think that is just so well done when you're talking about just the art of it in the visual perspective and just the style of it as a whole. Also shout to the music.

[Greg Miller]

Of course.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Music's so good. Our next game that we have for best style is Death Stranding 2.

[Greg Miller]

Come on. You want to talk about style? That's Kojima son.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Come on.

[Greg Miller]

The music, the way it again, fucking hits of you setting off on your journey, getting ready to climb some mountain. It pops up. Caroline Polach, whatever. It's going to be just that, I would say washed out, gray, blue look of the entire world. Right. And how weird and surreal it is. But also I was shocked by how homey it felt to come back to this after doing Death Stranding 1. To come back to this where I'm like, all right, I remember this and that. Putting on your pack and the way everything felt and looked and what it was good stuff.

[Roger McCorny]

And going into the other world and seeing the whole particle effect situation there is just mind blowing. Yeah. It's visually so crisp and gorgeous. Even on a base. PlayStation 5 runs incredibly. The music's great. Yeah, this is. If I were to like rank, like highest fidelity video games that are going for realism. I think Death Stranding 2 out of all time. I think Death Training 2 is number one. And like Red Dead Redemption 2 was number two. I mean, that's my. Those are my top two right there.

[Snowbike Mike]

Talk about the ste. The style, the characters. Look how good that baby was, man. This thing had style for days, man. Every moment. There's a wow factor to it all. Every. Every time you go somewhere. I loved our experience with the R. We had so much.

[Roger McCorny]

We had a unique one, but yeah, we had a unique experience.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The moment that Kevin just had pulled up in the trailer where he's overlooking all the mountains and stuff and you see can and see like the ripples of the mountains with such detail. I remember seeing that in the trailer and us all being like, God damn. And I think part of me when I see trailers like that, I'm like, all right, but it's a trailer. It's not gonna look like that. And the game fucking looks like that. Yeah, like that's the thing that blows me away about it. Of course we're talking about people that roll in with the games. Like I mentioned, south of Midnight was Roger and Tim. Expedition 33 was Andy and Death Training 2 was my write in. Mainly because to the point of that Roger just made. I would put this up there with one of the best looking games. Fidelity wise of all. When you're talking about character models, when you're talking about environments, when you're talking about different types of, I guess, elements that come into play in environments. Whether it be water and you see the sinking in and. Or like the low prints. Well, yeah, the footprints, the lowering and rising tides based on the weather, the fire that they made such a big deal about in this game. All of it looks so immaculate. And then you get into certain cutscenes with characters like Tomorrow that just look and sound so fucking sick. I think the soundtrack of this game is incredible.

[Greg Miller]

And again, style, like to get to that and no spoilers but Higgs to get to Higgs stuff. And the way the game ends and boss fights, like, incredible.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our final pick for best style is Doom the Dark Ages.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is the one that was written in by the one and only Snowbike Mike.

[Snowbike Mike]

Hell yeah, Mike.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Tell me about the style of this game.

[Snowbike Mike]

Fucking in your face action. Heart pumping. It's got everything that I want, right? It's got that Dune or that do mentality of like over the top action. Ferocious monster design, Ferocious monsters, awesome design. And all the enemies that you're going after. And then on top of that, just that bullet. Hell of all the different colors coming in your face, right? It's like I loved Dune so much or Doom so much and like every moment made me smile and every moment goes, man, this world, this narrative that they creative, this thing is so cool to look at and be a part of. And so yeah, I had to put the Doom Slayer on this because he's just badass and he oo his style and that Captain America shield, he hawking it at people and then get stuck in their chest and it's chainsaw on them. It's like nobody had that. Nobody got that.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. The soundtrack, I would say obviously doesn't hold up to older ones, but, like, it's still kicked ass in a lot of moments to go along with the awesome visuals and the, you know, that action when you're surrounded by so many freaking enemies. I think they do really cool stuff near the. Near kind of the end of the game with our direction where things change up quite a bit and you know, you're. You're always kind of used to lava and hell and fire all over the place. And they do some really cool different stuff near the end that I really enjoyed.

[Roger McCorny]

And the kaiju stuff as riding the dragon.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Come on. Of course. Those are our four winners for best style.

[Andy Cortez]

Congratulations.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I will shout out hollow silksong that nobody happened to ride in with which. Which, like, I don't know the protocol. Maybe that's something we figure out for next year of like, hey, nobody wrote in with this thing. Are we sure we want to leave it out?

[Andy Cortez]

I think next year we. We vote for three things and then.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, I like that.

[Andy Cortez]

Get all the, you know, I like that. That would have been one of mine. But, you know, clear obscure was my,

[Snowbike Mike]

you know what I wanted to vote on, Greg.

[Greg Miller]

What?

[Snowbike Mike]

Create your own style. Skate.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, wow.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm the steeziest skater.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, man. I'll tell you what, man. You really want to bring out the haters universally. I hate Fortnite, Love fortification.

[Snowbike Mike]

They don't get it. I'm talking about my Steve's okay when I nose grind that rail and I'm going down at a 45 degree angle when I hit that mega jump and I'm Christ staring through a goddamn church window. Like that's called. Yeah, I don't care about what you think. That's Steve.

[Andy Cortez]

That'll be a separate category called Besties.

[Greg Miller]

We know Mike and I know how well skate's going to be represented in Kind of Funny's top 10. That's why we kept it off of this.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Go for it.

[Andy Cortez]

Go for it. I was going to say we'll move on to category number three. Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Category number three. Andy, do you want to talk about this one?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, sure. Sure thing. I, you know, I want to kind of like also include some fun moments through the kind of fun of year, but also some maybe concerning moments that we should kind of look at and maybe be aware of. And you know, this category may not come back next year. Maybe it does. It depends on, you know, us cat cataloging and getting good clips and things like that. But this category is the most concerning undiagnosed ADHD moment of the year. Got it roll.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay,

[Snowbike Mike]

what are the rules that the audience will see today? Okay, so we talk. We've been talking about this for about a week. Snow Bike Mike.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And originally we're like, should be best on best.

[Greg Miller]

And you said relay race, and of

[Snowbike Mike]

course, that's the most fun. And then we were testing our setup, and we quickly realized that.

[Greg Miller]

Hard to believe we lose all these competitions when the team is just locked

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

in at the same time.

[Snowbike Mike]

So the rules are going to be

[Greg Miller]

a relay relay race race.

[Andy Cortez]

We're going to do two rounds where

[Snowbike Mike]

each person gets 10 minutes. Hold on, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff. Hold on.

[Andy Cortez]

Hold on, Jeff. Nick Scarpino, can you get off your phone and listen to the rules? Can you listen to the rules, please?

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, they're.

[Roger McCorny]

These are not serious people grab.

[Snowbike Mike]

These are just.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's embarrassing.

[Greg Miller]

Why do we even entertain this?

[Snowbike Mike]

Are you guys a little bummed we didn't get taken up to the father last week?

[Greg Miller]

I will err on the side of caution. My foot's not.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, sorry.

[Snowbike Mike]

Why is my foot.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

All right?

[Roger McCorny]

Turn your body.

[Snowbike Mike]

I hate it so much.

[Greg Miller]

Grub.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This one made the cut off.

[Greg Miller]

Oh. And so it begins. A confluence of war.

[Andy Cortez]

I'm gonna need you to stop looking at magic cards on a website.

[Snowbike Mike]

Close the goddamn laptop. This guy's been scrolling. He's like Subway Serpent. He's just scrolling a web page looking at magic decks and cards. It's not my servers. It keeps me entertained. It is Nick Scarpino looking at Panther in the Cattle Bunny podcast. I see that little fucking thumb just scrolling on the touchscreen.

[Andy Cortez]

You have a problem. There we go. There we go.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Good.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's good. That's good.

[Greg Miller]

I agree. Nick is a problem. Yeah. Nick's phone should be removed. Nick's phone should be removed when he's

[Andy Cortez]

in the streaming room.

[Greg Miller]

He has lost phone privilege for the Smilers.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay? If I don't get invited to be on the show, you can't fucking throw shade at me from the other room. Those clip. I don't know.

[Andy Cortez]

I don't know who edited that.

[Snowbike Mike]

Number one. Number two, I can't help it if Giant Bob's boring.

[Andy Cortez]

Damn, that's accurate.

[Greg Miller]

Accurate. Winner of sight of the year on the kind of funny Games Daily Awards. Giant Bomb.

[Andy Cortez]

Very much out of sight, out of ears, out of mind for Nick. You didn't hear them. They weren't there anymore. But yeah, that was a our third category for this year. Bless. And looking forward to more for the

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

rest of the show, of course. Thank you so much for that, Andy. Of Course, you know, kind of fun is a lot about the video games. We have so much to reminisce and talk about when it comes to 2025 and video games. But also there's lots to talk about in terms of 2025 and kind of funny. And so maybe look out for more of these categories throughout the show. Oh, our next category. Oh, God damn. What?

[Greg Miller]

I'm waiting to eat these egg bites. When you go to ads, I keep hoping the next one's gonna be ads.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I can throw it, right? No, no.

[Greg Miller]

Do you think I'll do one more

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

than go to ad for you? Our next category, best old game. This is for a non 2025 game that deserves recognition. Could be for a remake, remaster, Resurgence or something. We relate to the game on. Our first game to win best old game is Tony hawk's Pro Skater Plus 4 remake.

[Snowbike Mike]

Damn. RIP it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. I wonder who wrote it.

[Andy Cortez]

Who's that here?

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Greg Miller]

Everyone knows how much Tim loves this. Everyone knows that Tim doesn't get many dreams to come true because he keeps losing game showdown to me, right? But getting this and having it be as good as it was, having it be that added content, having to be the skaters as they look now like Tony Hawk was such a powerhouse back in the day, the fact they were able to come back and deliver something that captures that glory reimagines it. I guess, for lack of a better term for so many different people now is pretty incredible.

[Snowbike Mike]

One of my biggest heartbreaks in gaming is I lost a touch on these games and I've moved fully in the skate that now when I try these awesome new remakes, I don't have the skill, I don't have the flow anymore like I used to back in the day as a kid who adored these games that every time I pick them up, I immediately turn them off and go, I don't. I don't have it. I've lost it. So, yeah, really, it hurts to see all these awesome remakes and go, man, back in the day, I love this stuff.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I did play the out of this. When this came out, I played. I played the Tony hawk's Pro Skater 3 campaign like five times just off of this remake. Partly because my save kept not transferring. Like my cloud save for Steam wasn't

[Greg Miller]

like the right way again. Run it back.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, it's funny. I mean, it brought me back to childhood to where I would rerun the campaign of Pro Skater 3 all the time. And so in a funny way, like the save not sticking kind of like made me Relive these moments from childhood where I'm going faster, right? To where it's like, okay, now I know where the objectives are, so let's see how fast I can do it. First playthrough might have taken me three to four hours. Now this playthrough is taking me one hour. Now my next playthrough is taking me 30 minutes. Right. Like Tony Hawk's, that kind of game that is more about, I think, the muscle memory and, you know, kind of like trying to lock in what your path is going to be, what your line is going to be, more than anything. And so returning to this was really fun for that. But on the other hand, I, growing up, didn't play Tony hawk's Pro Skater 4. I skipped that one. Jumped to, like, the Thug game. Specifically Thug, too.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, yeah, Thug.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Hell yeah, Thug. So this was my first time experiencing Tony hawk's Pro Skater 4. And I know this is like a different version of it because they change certain things based off of what Tony hawk's Pro Skater 4 was, but there's

[Andy Cortez]

never been a better time.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, there's never been a better time to hop into Tony hawk's Pro Skater 4 because this made me fall in love with those levels as well. And so shout out to Tony Hawks, Pro Skater three plus four. I love that we're shouting it out here because otherwise this is one that, for me personally, would have gotten lost to the AM25.

[Greg Miller]

Totally. That's the beauty of the smileys.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Exactly. Our next game for best old game is Metal Gear Solid Delta.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, oh, hey.

[Greg Miller]

Now this is one that I wrote in with. Of course I love Metal Gear Solid. Everybody knows that reviewed them. I've been lucky enough to be around a long, long time. And so yeah, for three to be my least favorite. And I say that of course, least favorite.

[Roger McCorny]

Not that it's.

[Greg Miller]

That's the worst, just not the one that I loved to get in and jump in and have it be gorgeous and have it not be fucked up. You know, it's not Kojima touching it. It is virtuous coming in and doing it. Have it be as good as it was in Such a great reminder of what Metal Gear was and I guess is. You know what I mean? You put. I remember playing it and coming in the next day and be like, you really forget that we don't get these anymore. You know what I mean? Like, Metal Gear has been Metal Gear for so long, but we're, you know, with no Kojima. We're just not getting them to Jump back in here to have David Hayter, to have the Kodak noise. Like what a treat this was to have it so faithfully and lovingly recreated and brought over. To have it be so gorgeous, so much fun. Like just a great time. That again, for me personally on my top 10 of the year, I didn't feel like giving it a place there because it's Metal Gear Solid three.

[Roger McCorny]

Sure.

[Greg Miller]

Okay. It's a known quantity. We knew it was going to be. We hoped it would be great. It was more the fact of coming here for an old game is old category. I had such a great time here.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, I echo everything you talked about. I think the thing that really hit for me was reliving the moments of MGS3. I think somewhat even more than the gameplay of MGS3 because I think I had rude awakening moments as I was playing this game where I'm like, oh man, this is shorter than I thought it was. Oh man, this section I could just run through. I didn't realize some of the gameplay things that might not live up or age as well over time. But when you are experiencing the HALO jump or when you are experiencing some of these cut scenes or experiencing like the ending moments with the boss, the

[Greg Miller]

pedals in the air.

[Roger McCorny]

Come on.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh my God. That hit his like crack. So shout out to MGS3.

[Snowbike Mike]

This one's special to me. As Greg said, like, right. Me and Barrett went through all the metal gears together, but I was the co pilot. So it was finally time for me to jump in. And I haven't done that yet. It is so high on my list. It's funny. Mike and Roger over here, we put a lot of effort into trying to make a Metal Gear Solid remake mega stream. But of course shout out to Andy and Hollow Knight came in and saved the day, which was awesome to have. But man, we had alligator meat that we're gonna have that rotted.

[Roger McCorny]

That was.

[Snowbike Mike]

We had that in the freezer for months. We were gonna shout out to the

[Roger McCorny]

company that sent it to us for

[Andy Cortez]

free, by the way.

[Roger McCorny]

So I rated.

[Snowbike Mike]

We gotta eat it. One day we called up an indoor play place gym to go have the Ninja Warrior gym.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, we try to do that.

[Snowbike Mike]

Greg do that. Like we. We were gonna go all out for that. So this one holds a special place in my heart.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, one day I'll play it. I love Peace Walker and I never play this one.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, man.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Greg Miller]

Volume two. Where's Volume two?

[Roger McCorny]

There's supposed to be a Volume two?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

Oh, a piece. Oh, okay. Gotcha I thought you said this would be Peace Walker Volume 2.

[Greg Miller]

No, I mean for the Metal Gear collection.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's basically Solid five.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Also true.

[Roger McCorny]

Break him.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our third game for this category, best old game, is Dark Souls, which funny enough, was not written in by me because I played during break and I played mostly.

[Andy Cortez]

I just assumed it was you.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

No, this was written in by Barrett Courtney.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, good job.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. Who played Dark Souls earlier in the year. Looking at people look half asleep.

[Snowbike Mike]

Deep in the numbers, man. You gotta get deep into the numbers here.

[Andy Cortez]

Damn. I didn't know he wrote that.

[Snowbike Mike]

I just.

[Andy Cortez]

You. You had done that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, this was. I wrote it with outer wilds, which I didn't put on the final thing but like shout outer wilds. But as somebody who's currently playing Dark Souls, I will tell you, man, what a special game. Yeah, this one is really hidden for me. We gotta do put on the calendar, if there's time on the calendar, a Dark Souls review.

[Andy Cortez]

I have to.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I need an hour to talk about this.

[Snowbike Mike]

That was Andy and Bless playing. I was only staring at you right now. I was like. I played this here. What happened?

[Roger McCorny]

A coke in the middle of.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's what I look tired of. What's happening here? Take up that.

[Andy Cortez]

I remember that being a very busy. Like we were all kind of tired for some reason.

[Snowbike Mike]

A lot going on there. I think Carl came in. There was a lot happening. Whatever that must have been NBA all star break then. That would have been. If he was here. That would have been February.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah. Stuff was going on.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Stuff was.

[Andy Cortez]

I didn't know Bear beat that. Beat that this year.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. I mean, I remember Bear coming in every day and being like, bless you gotta play Dark Souls and talk. I remember here overhearing him talking to you about Dark Souls and how cool it was. So good for Barrett for being for us. We're playing it on stream and then falling off of it. But I'm back and you're playing. I'm loving it. Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

You're gonna be ready for review, you think on the 20th. Tuesday, the 20th.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I'm beating this game tonight.

[Snowbike Mike]

Got it.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Snowbike Mike]

This game tonight.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, I just beat the DLC last night. Let me tell you about this guy, Artoria. Let me tell you about the other thing in the DLC that's not artorious. It goes kind of crazy. Oh, man.

[Andy Cortez]

Good time.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Dark Souls. Our fourth and final game. Our fourth and final pick for best old game. Hollow Knight.

[Greg Miller]

The first Hollow Knight.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is one that was written in by the one and only Roger Bercorni. Oh, Hollow Knight. I got slapped.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, as you all know, I was slapped on a plane while playing Hollow Knight.

[Snowbike Mike]

This is special.

[Roger McCorny]

Kind of just changed my entire brain chemistry, everything about me. JetBlue has never reimbursed me for anything or messaged me back after the incident. But of course I played Hollow Knight in the beginning of last year and

[Andy Cortez]

it was really that.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, I thought much longer crazy when

[Andy Cortez]

I saw when Bless sent me the winners the answers. I thought Tim wrote it.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, for some reason, no, I adored this game. I tried to play the first four hours of it probably five times and then this was the time that actually stuck with me. It was so good and such an amazing experience. But it was such like an all encompassing gaming experience for me to the point where by the time Hollow Knight Silk Song came out maybe about six, seven months later, I was almost like I was hollow knighted out. It was crazy. So. So that kind of affected my game of the year list. I probably would have put way more time it's a Silk Song if I hadn't played this this year. But I still had an amazing experience. I'm happy I did it in this order because if I waited I would have just played Silksong and never played this game. So this game is such a special experience. I love how different the main character feels comparatively to Hornet in Silksong. It is a complete night and day difference and I actually like being underpowered and so small. I thought that was a really, really interesting fun experience and it kind of was perfect because I played Animal well the previous year and that was like kind of my first real big like Metroidvania that I put all my heart into. And going into Hollow Knight here was such a such a beautiful experience and yeah, I didn't get too lost. I will say I didn't get too, too lost, which was nice. So I think the, the reports of being super lost in Hollow Knight are kind of overblown.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I think this is a great write in for this year especially like partly for us because we a lot of us revisited Hollow Knight this year. But even for I think gamers at large in the industry at large that might have missed out on Hollow Knight the first time but with all of the hubbub around Silksong coming out, went back and revisited. I'm sure so many people got to go back and check out Hollow Knight for the first time and maybe fall in love with it. A lot of chat mentioning no Final Fantasy 10.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, did Mike that Is I play

[Snowbike Mike]

a lot of games this year and I was surprised I didn't know which one I wrote in because I think I was feeling spicy that day. Everybod knows Final Fantasy 10.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

He wrote a game I've never heard of.

[Snowbike Mike]

Tell me, tell me.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

He wrote a game called Carry the Glass.

[Snowbike Mike]

Carry the Glass. That was fun as everybody blame Mikey10 on there.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I'll be like, oh, yeah, that's the pig.

[Snowbike Mike]

It's like, I think about it, it's like, here's Snow Mike. Mike's best game. Best old game of the years. Ready for this? Devil may cry 3.

[Andy Cortez]

Woo.

[Snowbike Mike]

Man, that game goddamn rocks. Dante and his brother David. What a great time those two were doing. Man, that shit was lit. Okay, then after that, I go down the list. I go Half Life one, Half Life two, Half Life one better than Half Life two. But both those games must play games right there. I can't wait for Half Life Alex on the VR to play that.

[Greg Miller]

And then good news, you're getting Half Life 3 this year.

[Snowbike Mike]

I was going to say Greg and Roger keep yelling that Half Life 3 is real. I guess I'll be ready for that.

[Roger McCorny]

You can also play Half Life Alyx without the VR.

[Greg Miller]

Now.

[Roger McCorny]

People have modded it if you want to do that.

[Snowbike Mike]

Really?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

Fully from start to finish.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You gotta add Mike not having final fancy's head written here to

[Snowbike Mike]

number three, Pokemon Emerald. Oh, man, I fell off Pokemon at a young age after Pokemon Gen 1, right? So like going into Emerald, doing the Nuzlocke rules and fully like, committing to it, right? Where if you lose all six and you fade out, that's the end of the run. I did that seven times and I'm happy to say that I conquered it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I did it, man.

[Snowbike Mike]

That was awesome.

[Andy Cortez]

It's an impromptu category right now.

[Snowbike Mike]

It's a true special one. Greg's like, mike, just let me eat these eggs. I'm like, how special that was to develop the bonds with your Pokemon to strategize in those early gyms of what do I need here to only be able to catch one Pokemon? The first Pokemon you see on the route was insane, right? Of like rolling the dice, hoping that I would get that goo baby that ralts. You know what I mean? It's like that psychic Pokemon. I need that goo baby right now, right? And then you don't. You get a poochie again. You're like, I don't need this hyena, but I'll take the hyena. Man one, experience Alzheimer. Okay? Number two, number two, Final Fantasy 10. That game changed my life, man. I will always remember the laughter. I'll remember the tears. I'll remember the hug. I'll remember Blitzball. I'll remember the characters. I'll remember Final Fantasy 10 2. That one day I'll play. But that shocking realization, you know what I mean? Like this game.

[Andy Cortez]

I would have prepped the graphic for this.

[Snowbike Mike]

I love this. Okay, man. Final Fantasy 10 is gonna stick with me forever. The characters, Yuna.

[Andy Cortez]

Gosh, this is like when he forgot to give me the bonus Star at game showdown that one time. Oh, yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

And then number one.

[Roger McCorny]

Oh, number one.

[Snowbike Mike]

Number one.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Best old game, Carry the glass.

[Snowbike Mike]

Mike and Chris, they're carrying the glass. You know what I mean? I challenged my friends, I said, give me one night. We're gonna play one of these super difficult only up games. And I'm gonna make you pull your hair out. Let's play this together. And Chris Anka stood up. He said, mike, I'll carry the glass with you. I said, that's my boy, Chris.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. Hell yeah.

[Greg Miller]

I got no hair to pull out.

[Andy Cortez]

We were.

[Snowbike Mike]

We were working on different angles, right? You got to go up, you got to go down. You got to tilt it, you got to run real fast, you got to jump, you got to balance, you got to. You got to. You got a little. Do a little sippy shake. Carry the glass.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Best experience.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Thank you for that, Mike.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thank you.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Remember patreon.com/kind of funny and YouTube.com/kind of funny games is where you can go to get the kind of funny membership which allows you to get shows ad free. And what else, Greg?

[Greg Miller]

Well, as you get a Greg Way from me.

[Roger McCorny]

Greg Way commentaries as well. The Die Hard one should be up soonish if it's not already out.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, there you go.

[Greg Miller]

Tight runnership we are.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, exactly. A lot of fun stuff you can get with the kind of funny membership. But guess what? If you don't have it, that means that you're about to watch Mads right now.

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[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

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[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Mike gave that like, beautiful speech. I still don't know what Carry the glasses.

[Roger McCorny]

That's exactly what you think it is.

[Andy Cortez]

It's one of the multiplayer games.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's.

[Roger McCorny]

It's just two friends holding.

[Andy Cortez]

It's one of them, like, tied together tight, you know, it's one those, like, you're supposed to rage type of games, you know, Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. Only a co op sort of thing.

[Snowbike Mike]

You would like it. Wait until you see what me and Nick play soon. I offered it to Joey. So Joey got another really great game, but it's one of those ones. And she said, Mike, you can save that for you. And Nick, you ride a tandem bicycle. Only up on a tandem bicycle with you and a friend.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Good for you. I love that. All right, let's move on to our next category, which is best multiplayer. The best games to play with a. And our first winner here is Elden Ring. This is written in by three different people.

[Snowbike Mike]

Whoa.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Andy, Mike and Blessing.

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I wrote in with Night Rain as well. Who wants to take it away?

[Andy Cortez]

What a good time. I mean, we've just had so many laughs. It's such a difficult game. It'll make you rage, it'll get you angry. But like, it's just still so magical. I was always worried about this game not being able to capture the fromsoftware magic. And, you know, let's just make like a multiplayer version of it. Is it gonna lose any of that sort of, you know, mysticism about it? And it just, it just didn't. It. It still holds up and it does some amazing with boss fights. And this game has some of my favorite fromsoftware boss fights. And throughout all their whole sort of History. So yeah, I'm still having a great time with this game. I hop in and run solos alone. I play with Mike. I play with you here. It's a great freaking time. This game rocks. Melissa with the wise Shout out Melissa

[Snowbike Mike]

our hard carry Shout out Mel Big carry Mike.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is your favorite from soft game.

[Snowbike Mike]

This is my favorite from I really love this game. I have so much Fun sharing the FromSoft experience with friends is the big one, right? Of like I love this get good. Hey, learn the boss pattern mentality. Practice and you'll be the best you can be type video game and doing that with friends is awesome, right? To be able to strategize with Melissa and Andy, to be preparing from night one into night two. Being aware of your passives and all the items that you grab throughout the run, knowing that certain different characters need certain things, grabbing flasks. That sense of discoverability in the map is always something special to me because I, you know, I just want to play the new map but I love going back to the old map. I like that they have variations on the old map. I think they did a really good job with this one and I can't wait to see what they do in the future with Dust Bloods.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Right?

[Snowbike Mike]

Like the idea of adding a PvP into this is so much fun to me. I'm very excited because of course I've always loved the Invades mechanic inside of Dark Souls and like the idea now that we will be playing on a map and you're going to look at me and I'm going to look at you and we're going to figure out are we stepping to one another, are we running away and saving it for a different time where maybe I'm going to be stronger than you or you'll be stronger than me. Like this is going to lead to some really fun gameplay, you know. So yeah, this game is great.

[Andy Cortez]

It really wasn't until the this DLC drop in early December that I thought like, I just want this game to keep on going forever. I want this game to be developed for the next many years because once I saw what the DLC could be and what content and additional content could be in the future, it's like, oh my God, if we can get like new map variations with new boss fights, getting like random NPC invaders every now and then, that change up your whole run and really throw a wrench into all of your plans. But overcoming that challenge is so awesome. It's like, dude, just keep whoever the Night Rain team is just Keep doing more. Like, I want to see another DLC next year. I want this game to continue.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The thing I really love about this game is the fact that it's a game coming from FromSoft, who is now in the top tier of video game developers who have so much budget, who have so many resources, and they made the messiest multiplayer game possible. Like, Night Rain could have been like, all right, what's another multiplayer game that exists? And let's copy and paste. Let's just make a battle royale or let's just make a regular roguelite or whatever. For some reason, they're like, let's make something that is weird and, you know, even kind of, like, messy in some bad ways. But I think in a lot of ways that allows them to really allow the player to have experiences that you can't get anywhere else. Where it is me and Andy playing, and we're playing with, like, one random player who shows us a volcano, they can go down. We're like, oh, if we come here, we can, like, upgrade our weapon to the highest thing. That's cool, right? I think the shifting lands mechanic is so interesting and allows for. For that discoverability that Mike is talking about. It being in this open world area having, like, all these different cool bosses that you have throughout FromSoft. FromSoft's games, at least like the Dark Souls and Elden Ring games. Insane, incredible stuff. Shout out Elden Ring. Now our next game for this category is Arc Raiders.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Written in just by Greg Miller.

[Greg Miller]

Hi, everybody. Yeah, our creators. I didn't. I mean, compared to most of you or Mike and Andy, for sure I scratched the surface of. Right? I Forget if it's 15 or 20 hours. I got in by the end of it, but it's like the one I. I miss having the time to invest in these games. I don't mean as Ben's dad. I mean is like, remember when Helldivers 2 dropped? And it was that perfect time where I was like, you know what? We're streaming it every day, and every day I find a reason to get in there and I pulled myself off shows. Monster Hunter.

[Roger McCorny]

All right?

[Greg Miller]

I'm in there every day streaming, making a thing do it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like our creators.

[Greg Miller]

I tried solo, and I just didn't have the vibe of when we were in that streaming room. This is one that I would have loved to have been able to get in that streaming room with y' all more for because it was so much fun to run around in grief. It was so much fun even when I did play Solo a couple nights on my Rog or on the actual computer or Xbox because crossplay and cross save and all that jazz. Like what a great time I had with this game and in it. You know, if we could have gotten in there stream more I think it could have really hooked me and really put some numbers on the board for it. But it's just such a competitive year with Greg ass games everywhere about narratives and single players and things. I really wanted to sink time into that. This is one that I vacationed in but would have loved to have lived in.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah yeah. This will always be my I'm on the hunt for you video game and I still played on my Rog Ally X in bed all by myself solo. And it's just like it makes me smile because I know a lot of people love especially here at this desk, love the PvE, love the kind of like fighting against the arcs, doing your missions. The blend of PvP has always been fun for us but for me it has always been I'm hoping to find you and I'm going to steal all of your stuff and I love that. Right. Me and Nick had so many good times from Hunt Showdown to Escape from Tarkov. We started to try all these games over the course of a week or two last year and now to have arc raiders and it be so successful. So fun to run so well. It's a blast. And I just love getting on voice comms, tricking people into them believing me and that I murder them. I love walking up to someone them looking around and that's going like it's on and popping. Here we go. It will always be my I'm coming after you game.

[Andy Cortez]

We're bad people.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our third game for best multiplayer is Marvel Cosmic Invasion.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, okay.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is one that was written in by the one and only Barrett. But I know other people here played Marvel.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, of course Marvel Cosmic Invasion didn't live up to the high goals I had for it, the high lofty heights I wanted for it. What am I looking for? Neither of those the expectations I had for it. But I enjoyed it and am excited for DLC and everything else to come to it. And for multiplayer. Yes, like what a great multiplayer system. Of course cross play. Of course you can just throw out a friend code into the ether, get people to come join you. And of course the drop in the dropout ness of it running through, being able to beat up on these things. And again, I think for people who might struggle with a boss on difficulty, you add people in especially because it's so easy. It's so much easier to. So easy to add people in. The fights themselves become so much easier. And it is such a different experience as a game. Playing one player, two player even versus four player was just chaos, destroying everybody.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah. Shout out to Lianza. I was playing this game alone. I was getting destroyed by the Venom boss. And I looked at her, I'm like, fucking suit up. Okay, we're doing this. And she's like, I don't want it. I'm like, you're gonna have to help me. You see how fucking you want me to do you want me to just be crying in the corner right now all night? We gotta. We gotta watch Andor. Yeah, she suited up, she helped me out. So it's nice to boot up and.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, you know, babe, we gotta watch Andor. We gotta watch Andor. Okay, stop making a sauce to come help me.

[Greg Miller]

No. Yeah, I mean, this is, you know, a Bend game, right? I talked about it, that this is the first game I've ever reviewed alongside my son. He played everything with me with the exception of the last two levels. He was my co pilot out there as wailing on people and he's like, today it was bring a book to school and a stuffed animal. He brought Meta Knight, the stuffed animal. And then in the book he brought this Marvel superhero book that we've read and he cracked a page like, wait, Silver Surfers in this. And he knows Silver Surfer from Cosmic Invasion.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's cool. Our fourth and final game for best multiplayer is Schedule one.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Fucking.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Written in by Roger.

[Greg Miller]

Thank you.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah. Schedule one is a special one. It's opened up. When did it come out? Like February, March?

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, early in the year.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, early in the year. I had a few great nights with it with Mike and my brother and my friend group from high school. And it is, for anyone who doesn't know, it is a very janky experience where you are making, growing, selling drugs in this kind of open world area. It is very reminiscent, if any real Gamers know of GMod Dark RP and any of those RP servers. I was obsessed with those servers back in the day where you would just literally this, you would just hang out, you would build your own house, you would get your own situation, you would, you know, people would be cops, people would be, usually me would be selling and making the drugs and then you would try to kind of avoid all the police and all that stuff. So it's kind of that, but a little bit more limited. Of course, you're only Booting up. You can play solo, but you can play with I think up to four friends. Correct. So it, it is a very janky experience. I'll continue to say that it is. As you can see, the art style is kind of all over the place.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The.

[Roger McCorny]

I've played this game at the beginning of the year and I'm playing at the end of the year and they haven't added much quality of life improvements. But. But what I can say is how much fun I am having playing with my brother is some of the most fun we've had playing a video game in years. It is so funny because him and I, we don't really, we don't really get. He's busy, I'm busy. We don't really get to catch up too much. Usually gaming is the way that we can catch up. We are not catching up playing this fucking game. It is like we boot on. I'm like, I'm going dead silent because I'm going to be growing the drugs. Okay. How much granddaddy purple do you got?

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Roger McCorny]

How much green crack do you got? Okay, you're the dealer, you're running around and we are like, like just, we are running this drug empire and last night or two nights ago we finally got crack cocaine. And that's a big deal for us.

[Snowbike Mike]

Wow.

[Roger McCorny]

We are, we are. We got a bungalow. I learned what a bungalow is. I thought it was just a hammock, but no, no, is a house. So we got a bungalow style of

[Greg Miller]

house and banana hammock.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, we are growing. So it's, it's very exciting. And again, I do, I know it's a small team. I think it might be one person honestly making this video game. So I understand it is slow going, but, but the core of what they have here is so fun. It is just pure video game fun with your friends. And again, it is broken. And for a co op video game sharing the money doesn't really work out well. It's kind of all over the place. You just kind of, when it drop in, drops out. It's just again, you're just sharing the money or sharing everything. So you kind of have to figure it out. But that's also part of the fun is like putting the money in the ATM and being like, oh fuck, I just put $10,000 in the ATM. Okay, you have to get the, you have to get the money out. Okay. And we're communicating. It's so much fun.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh my God. The experimentation of mixing the different drugs, trying different strains, mixing more into the strains, right? Like, you go to the gas station, you buy bananas, you buy sleep medicine. You. You mix all this stuff in, and then you go hand it to somebody, their head explodes.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

They turn a different color, and you're like, this is just so much fun. I love it.

[Andy Cortez]

Right?

[Snowbike Mike]

It's the. It's a blast. And yeah, it's perfect, Roger. Like you said, I love playing it with friends. And, you know, there's that moment in the night slash game session where all of a sudden we're all talking, we're catching up. Greg, how's the kids? How's life? And then everybody goes dead silent, and it's like, oh, we're all locked in. And there's J.D. neal dumping soil into the pot. You got Washburn throwing in seeds. I'm giggling. It's the best.

[Roger McCorny]

Talk about a gaming. Gaming journal. You have your nice little gaming journals where you write all this up. My gaming journal. If the feds break through my door, I'm arrested because it is just buy weed bags. More and more weed, but soil. I need this. I need grow tents. It is insane. So, yeah, this is beginning of the year and the end of the year. Bookmarking it. Incredible time.

[Snowbike Mike]

I love that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I want to bring in some super chats. One from Bluto who's asking Mike to do a shoei. Mike, you know how to do that.

[Greg Miller]

Don't do it.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay, maybe, then maybe the ending.

[Greg Miller]

Okay.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Rescue says, my best old game is Kingdom Hearts, Birth by Sleep. And my KFBPP is Chili's.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, nice.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Roger McCorny]

All right.

[Andy Cortez]

I like that.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's actually really good.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

Shout out to Chili's brother.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Lucid Dream says my hidden. Oh, we already read that one. Shout out Ender Magnolia. We have another one from Bluto who says, Snowbike Mike is my hidden gem, homie. And then one more from Octavio who says, I started and finished Death Straining. Thanks to your stream heart emoji. Let's move on to our next category, Best story. This is for the game that displayed outstanding storytelling and writing. And our first pick is Expedition 33.

[Snowbike Mike]

Of course.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Come on.

[Greg Miller]

Of course.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, good lord, man.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

So many themes. You know what I mean? Themes, themes. You love themes.

[Andy Cortez]

I mean, just crazy twists, man. By the end of it, you know, making your choice, this game just went so hard.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

So many different moments, I think to

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

try and talk about it without spoiling anything, Right? Even just the main concept, the big concept from the get go, the idea of the paintress and the expeditions going out trying to save the Day, the number counting down and people all that age fading away. So cool from the get go. A concept that in the prologue is delivered on so well and in a way that immediately grabs you as a player and then from then being able to keep up with that concept and twist it in very interesting ways and keep the player on their toes and not feel like a game that is, I guess, holding back in any way without wanting again without wanting to dive in too deep. I think the game is just really well written and really interesting and there's a reason why everybody loves this game and that is I think number one for the story. Of course the gameplay is awesome as well, but I think the story really resonates with people and you can tell by the conversation around it.

[Snowbike Mike]

Storytelling of the world of the other expeditions were always exciting to get that little audio log and find out like, oh, what did they do? What, what do you mean? We're at 33. There was a bunch before that and like learning about those guys, that was really, really cool.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yep.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, it's the almost boring choice, but it's the right choice.

[Barrett Courtney]

Right.

[Roger McCorny]

Like I was, I was looking through and again I am somebody who has said in the review, I love this game. I think it's really, really great. I didn't love where the story ended up, but I loved the journey.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Roger McCorny]

Like everything about it. It kept my interest and I, yeah, again looking through the entire year. This is the easy choice for best story. It's incredible.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our next winner for best story is Citizen Sleeper 2. And you want to talk about it?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, I mean I jump over the age made in my opinion like a masterpiece with Citizen Sleeper 1. And a game about, you know, a game about hope I would say is kind of like the main theme of a lot of what Citizen Sleeper is. And it's a game that built into its mechanics. When you are like rolling, you're rolling dice, trying to make decisions, you're going for that risky call while you know the, the space feds are on the way and they're trying to like take you out. But it's like, well, we really, really need this to save this one colony. There's just so many high drama moments. And I think that I love that the game has this built in thing of you have to be okay with failure because everybody will fail.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

And the, the, you're not really ever supposed to 100 this perfect with, you know, no mistakes ever. You are going to fail. And then when you do, the game gives you like the best couple of paragraphs of how you're gonna learn and grow from this.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's just.

[Andy Cortez]

It's so beautiful. I think it just tells an awesome tale of, like, the story. The. The story of, like, humanity and coming together and working together and why. That's like something we need to really focus and concentrate on. It's amazing.

[Roger McCorny]

I gotta play this game. It looks so good.

[Andy Cortez]

It's. It's so fantastic.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

They need to release a director's cut with voice acting so I can finally play it. I tried so hard.

[Andy Cortez]

I'll do it for you.

[Roger McCorny]

I still want to go back. Andy, you just record it for.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, please.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. I forget how many hours I did with it. I enjoyed myself, but yeah, it was one I just fell off of.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. Our next winner for best story. And Roger, this might be the Smiley's version of the Sweep. Greg, do you want to talk about it?

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, we kind of already talked about it. Did I submit this or.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is one that was submitted by. Oh, I submitted this.

[Snowbike Mike]

Shout out.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

AAN Roger.

[Greg Miller]

I'm happy to talk about it more if you want. Yeah. I mean, again, I'll start you off.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Go for it.

[Greg Miller]

Go for it. Picking up where I left off with AAN Roger. It does what I love about video games and fiction in general, but video games, especially of let's put you in someone else's shoes. You know, you wake up, there's a man in your house. What are you gonna do here? It's not your parents. I love that idea. Where's your dad? And then we go from there and figure out from this perspective what is going on.

[Andy Cortez]

Going on.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. And I think this one goes hand in hand with what we talked about. For trying to think of the category this came up in earlier, was it best style?

[Greg Miller]

No, it was under hidden gem.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Hidden gem. Yes. I think I said a lot of the same things, but in the way that I talked about how the gameplay and the art of it is used to tell stories so well. Right. Like, that shouldn't do a disservice for how well the story is told, like via those things. Right.

[Greg Miller]

One of the.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

One of the reasons I love story, I love games is you can use gameplay mechanics in really interesting ways to tell stories in unique ways that movies and TV can't. And, you know, could there be an and Roger movie? Sure. But it wouldn't be anything like the video game. Right. There's something.

[Greg Miller]

You wouldn't feel it the way you feel.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Exactly. There's something special about being able to play this experience and like, you know,

[Greg Miller]

it's such a great window into that world.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, exactly. Our fourth game for best story is Octopath Traveler 0.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thank you.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Greg's game.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, of course. Everyone knows I adore Octopath Traveler 0. It is my overall game of the year. And so, yeah, I hope I can. I hope. I hope it's one of those. I hope I can get it on the top 10 list just myself. But I doubt it. And that's okay. But I'm happy to have it here. You know, I think what I love about Octopath Traveler 0 and why it grabbed me overall, I mean, why it grabbed me is how good the story is. I think obviously anytime you can have a story that starts in one place very simply, right? It is the festival. Your town has been attacked. Now you need to rebuild it. I love that as just a jumping off point. But what I've talked about with Octopath is that it's one game, but it's distinctly three different movies. These could be Octopath 1, 2, and 3 or whatever. In terms of this part, creating your own character gave me stakes. Getting me into town and letting me form relationships gave me more stakes. And then you go on and that mutates and changes. And that end of the first movie in quotes, then bridged right in that second movie. And for me to start to be like, well, this isn't as strong as the first movie, but by the end, feel like, holy shit, it was. And then to see all the through lines from that that then pop up in the third one and keep going, like, I just love this game. And I think it came out at a, you know, the end of the year, which is tough to get people to go play stuff. I know JRPGs are humongous, so it takes a long time to get into it. But I felt so vindicated at the. The annual Miller's Christmas Eve party where I finally got to talk to Michael Heim in person. And I was like, oh, man, I saw you finally finalize your Octopath root and you took it up to a nine. And he's like, dude like that. I'm a. You know, Chaim is a student of that genre, right? Like he is Anthony Bourdain or whatever of that genre. And he was like, that thing does stuff in the end that no other game has done. And I was like, that's the power of this one.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Wow. Those are our picks for best story. Great list here. Great list. We move on to best mechanic slash feature. This is honoring a game mechanic or feature that was unique and or push things forward. And this is the start where we start picking games or we start picking five winners per category instead of four. Mainly because a lot of people had a lot of different things to say about different games. There wasn't any consensus here, so we stretched it out to five for these remaining categories. Our first pick for best mechanic slash feature is Player pattering in Hell is usually.

[Greg Miller]

Yes, thank you so much. I forgot I was another one where I stopped of. What did I put here? Hell is us is a game you also know that I adore. And I also know it didn't connect with certain people, didn't get played by a lot of people. It is very much one of those AA games. And when Rogue Factor was talking about this and what they were building, they talked a lot about player plattering. What that means is rather than handing you the game on a silver platter like so many games do. And I love those games as well. But, you know, you get the quest from some guy like, oh, you're gonna have to, you know, I'm playing Fallout New Vegas. You got to go talk to some people. I don't. I think they're over by the caves, and it drops the pin exactly where they are. So there's no, okay, I got a foul. Fast travel the closest thing. Walk over there, shoot what I got to shoot. I'm right on thing. This one being the, hey, it sounded way more intimidating than it ever turned out to be. But you have a map, but it's not gonna fill in. And you're not gonna have a magical compass, and you're gonna have to listen to what people say. You're gonna have to read the clues. Okay, it's over by the southwest. And look for this kind of sign and that. Like, you'll talk to NPCs and they'll say, oh, could you go investigate this person for me? But it doesn't pop up as a, hey, here's what you need to do. Here's what they say you have to do just the littlest amount of digging back through clues, objectives, whatever, to figure out what you're supposed to go do next. And I adored that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our second pick for best feature, or, sorry, best mechanic feature is DK Bonanza's destruction system. Yeah, this is one that I wrote in. I think this was such a bold, in somewhat even experimental choice for Nintendo to take a lot of what they established with Mario Odyssey as far as what they're doing with a modern 3D platformer and going, all right, now, how do we throw that? Like, how do we throw that on his head? Right. What do we do? How do we approach a DK3D platformer in a way that does the character justice? And by allowing you to destroy everything, of course. Hell yeah, I'm this big, brooding force. Hell yeah, I'm dk. I'm smashing things. That just feels good inherently. But to then mix that with these different materials and having them have different properties, I thought was a really inspired and really interesting way to go about making a Donkey Kong game and made this such a different experience than playing Mario Odyssey. And so I really loved this as a system. I want to see it pushed even further and whatever the next DK game is. And yeah, I thought this was just very inspired.

[Greg Miller]

Inspired, for sure. And also it was so easy to wrap your head around. I remember when I picked it up that first time I was streaming with Tim, I did the first hour, and he's like, cool. You know, whatever it is on the fucking Nintendo, right? The down, down face button is gonna smash through the ground. The mid one's gonna smash. Mid up is gonna smash up. I was like, ah, this is. I loved that and the idea of just jumping over here, it's such a

[Roger McCorny]

great mechanic, but it's sadly one for me that I don't feel, like scaled throughout the entire experience. For me, where by the ending of it, I was like, oh, I'm kind of bored of this. Like, I never, like, had the moment where I have an odyssey where it's like, oh, Cappy. It's like. It feels like it keeps on growing, and it's a get to the point where, oh, I'm in love with this feature. By the ending of it, I was like, oh, I'm actually kind of lower on it than where I started off, where it just kind of felt like a lot of noise. But I really love it. And especially the technical technological advancement of them being able to do this on a switch and runs pretty steady is incredible.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our next one, our third pick for this category, the dice slash stress system from Citizen Sleeper 2. This is one that was Barrett. Barrett, yes.

[Andy Cortez]

Barrett isn't here to talk about it, so I'll say.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I hated it.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, Kind of just to tag. To tag along with what I was mentioning earlier about how the game. You're not supposed to be perfect throughout all of your runs. And the. The way the game works is you have, you know, five dice that you will be rolling for a bunch of different missions, but over. Over time, as you incur more mistakes, you know, you kind of take that permanent damage and your dice will then slowly get more and more broken. And it kind of.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It.

[Andy Cortez]

It adds a lot. It. It kind of feels like going through some tough times in life while you just really took a big haymaker from something else in your life. And it's like, oh man, I have to deal with this really, really tough thing right now and I'm already super stressed and I'm already bummed out because this and this happened. It. It's like affecting your. Your play style in the game and I. And it affects your choices and your choice, your decision making because you're like, man, I. In any other world I would have gone for that thing. But I'm just so broken right now that I can't do this. And I think it's just an awesome kind of metaphor. And yeah, I think they really, really kicked ass with it.

[Roger McCorny]

Wow, that's incredible. I didn't know about that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our fourth pick is the south of Midnight boss fights. Specifically having music telling the story of what you're doing both in the fight and in the story.

[Roger McCorny]

I thought it was going to be

[Snowbike Mike]

skipping the boss fights, skipping the combat in this game.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is one that I believe was written in by the one and only Tim. Yes, it was written by Tim Geddes.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, this is one I compliment all the time. You know, I thought that was so special. I think in terms of video game moments. But for the job, video game preview moments, that's one I'll never forget is getting to that first tree boss starting to climb and then listening to the song as he kid. I was like wait, they're telling the story that I just pieced together. What a brilliant little thing to see them do that time after time. Two toe or two toed Tom, whatever it was.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And our fifth and final pick for this one, Sniper Elite Resistance. The invaded.

[Roger McCorny]

Oh man, my spot. Talk for 25.

[Andy Cortez]

I love.

[Greg Miller]

He's gonna give us the five runner up,

[Snowbike Mike]

man. Sniper Elite Resistance came out early in the year and I fell in love with this game. I fell in love with the invasion system so much that I actually didn't even play the real story of the game or any of the levels. I just invaded kids throughout their campaigns and I loved it and it was like so cool of like it is the invasion system that you've seen probably before. But to me it was special of like it would put you in parts of the map and if you had played enough like me, I would know exactly where in the mission you were located and what part you would be on. So I know if you're in the first fourth of it to the third fourth of it. And I'd be able to dissect that immediately by the moment you plopped me in and knowing the surroundings of the map going, oh, if I'm here, that means they're down there on that map looking for a phone call, because that's the second part of the map I'm going to find.

[Roger McCorny]

You didn't play the campaign. You have just reverse engineered the campaign through joining other people's games and ruining their day.

[Snowbike Mike]

I would start crouching around, I'd start running around and I'd be listening, right? Like the alerts the of. Of. Oh, there's gunshots over here. Or they've sounded the alarm on this side. That's where they're at. And I just chase you all around. And then just that cockbat that. Take a deep breath and then you'd snipe them and you'd get that Mortal Kombat slow mo X ray moment. And you're like, yes, testicle shots. That rules. And then they would have to restart from a checkpoint. And I would win. And I'd feel so good about myself because I was impacting other people's play and ruining my.

[Greg Miller]

Why are you so proud?

[Roger McCorny]

Say the quiet part out loud.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Impacting other people's plays. Like, why'd you say that? Like, it was a trailer.

[Andy Cortez]

You're so right. I mean, I think the only time we ever experienced this, Mike, was like, during part five, maybe from two years ago or something like that.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, maybe. I. I know me and Nick did a stream of it and it was a ton of fun with Nick because you can invade two on one, right? And so we had the advantage. And it'd always be wild of, like, I'd be yelling at Nick. Like, I see him. Like, help me. And Nick would be nick super unhelpful. 40 yards in the background. Not helping. And like, we had some really good moments of Nick clutching up some disasters, which was awesome.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Well, those are our picks for best feature slash mechanics. Congratulations to our picks for this category. Our next category is Most Heartbreaking Pokemon Nuzlocke Deaths.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Kevin, roll the clip.

[Andy Cortez]

We're gonna be here for a while, everybody.

[Snowbike Mike]

He's got one Pokemon. Richard, what you got? You would say, oh.

[Barrett Courtney]

Oh.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Charmeleon.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah. Okay, you got him.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I think you can hit him once with a good.

[Roger McCorny]

Soak him with that water gun.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, I'm gonna poop on him and see what happens.

[Roger McCorny]

But that's not a water type move.

[Snowbike Mike]

But he's.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

He gets hurt to that.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, he gets. No way. He gets hurt to that too. Dragon's rage.

[Roger McCorny]

That was really cool.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Why is it blue?

[Snowbike Mike]

Really scary.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Well, it's happened.

[Snowbike Mike]

Hit you with the dragon rage, dude. Damn, bro.

[Roger McCorny]

Bro, why wouldn't we just use. All right.

[Snowbike Mike]

It's the water type against fire. It's a water versus fire, bro. That's a good matchup right there, Rip. Rest in peace. She doesn't want water.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Move.

[Snowbike Mike]

You can tell we're missing someone in that room, Brendan. Oh, my God, dude.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This thing's insane.

[Snowbike Mike]

Here's the ball, bro. I gotta use it. Ultra ball it is. Yeah, bro. I want this. Far fetch. I go to your. It jumped out of the ultra ball. I go to your. Paralyze it. That's a good call. Who's got my paralysis move? I got sleep. Sky has sleep, right?

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah. Let's put him in.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Let's put him asleep.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah. This is a beautiful moment. We fucking around. You found out that was the stupidest thing I could have possibly done. You lose focus in this game for one second, maybe the both of us, we just stand up and stretch and we have time to reset. Let's just stand up and shake it out for a second. Okay, hold on. Let me shake it out. Shake it out. What is happening?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You leave the room for five seconds,

[Snowbike Mike]

we lose sky before the death.

[Andy Cortez]

What happens is the question of Nick sitting down and going, now, pidgey. That's a ground type.

[Snowbike Mike]

I read the wrong site. I read the wrong site. He's reading the wrong side the bird. A ground type. I read the wrong site. There's a lot of misinformation. He came in with an energy today, Andy. I want you to know that. Like he was looking shit up on the Loki. I was trying to. I was trying to do my own research, they say. All the reputable people that I follow say, do your own research, Andy Covid. Is it real?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Do your own research. Is Pissy a ground type?

[Snowbike Mike]

Never seen a fly. Fucking pissy.

[Andy Cortez]

It was a great reply, I said, but when it lands on the ground, it's a ground type.

[Snowbike Mike]

He hypnotized me.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay, well, we wake him up.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's why we saved those wake ups.

[Greg Miller]

Okay, okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay. That's a fire under our ass right there. You can tap him if we get a good move or else he's gone.

[Andy Cortez]

We can't swap out.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, you're stuck.

[Roger McCorny]

Okay.

[Andy Cortez]

Because he doesn't have any other heels.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh.

[Greg Miller]

Oh.

[Roger McCorny]

He Used the Shadow ball again.

[Snowbike Mike]

We have a lot of heels. Oh, what happened? Oh, we got a problem.

[Andy Cortez]

We have a problem.

[Snowbike Mike]

He was my favorite.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, he was really good.

[Snowbike Mike]

We're in a kerfuffle up.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Blow up already, dude.

[Snowbike Mike]

Well, he won't. I don't think it'll hit him though.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Though? Will that affect the game? Nobody knows.

[Andy Cortez]

It's only normal moves that can't affect Gengar, right? I thought muscle hit this guy.

[Snowbike Mike]

I don't know about muscle. All I know, I've already said early, dude. And Roger can be leaned upon as tanks. They're okay. You just. You just start pressing buttons, okay? I didn't finish my statement. Nobody can blame me on that. Give me a mean look.

[Roger McCorny]

He's.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Wait. Okay. Was that the right move? Oh, this hurts real bad.

[Roger McCorny]

I like that Pokemon a lot.

[Snowbike Mike]

Hot.

[Andy Cortez]

Me too.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I wanted schwants to die.

[Snowbike Mike]

You're fine. You're fine, you're fine. There's nothing to be worried about. We're. We're on even land right now.

[Greg Miller]

We can just.

[Snowbike Mike]

We can work through this.

[Andy Cortez]

What if you quick attack to get it out to go again?

[Snowbike Mike]

It's only normal moves that can't affect Gengar, right?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

No, but quick attack is a physical move.

[Andy Cortez]

Why did I tell you that, Nick?

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, yeah. Andy. Everybody stop for a second. We need to talk. Navigator, navicide, stop for a second. We need to talk. Okay, here's the deal. Gengar's bringing some unprecedented battling for us that we weren't ready for. We need. Oh, shit. We don't need this right now.

[Andy Cortez]

We don't need whatever this is right now.

[Snowbike Mike]

Need whatever this is.

[Andy Cortez]

This is.

[Snowbike Mike]

Get a slice. Get a slice, Big daddy. What is he in here?

[Greg Miller]

Going.

[Snowbike Mike]

Well, why did he dress like that?

[Greg Miller]

Andy, we got to do more videos together, brother.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thinking about. I think we got to hit him.

[Roger McCorny]

What?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

No, no, I think we got to

[Snowbike Mike]

hit him, and I think potion. Does he have another Pokemon after this?

[Roger McCorny]

Can we swat?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

No, he has one, but it's his weak one.

[Snowbike Mike]

Let me talk about talk. Let me talk for a second.

[Andy Cortez]

Let Mike talk.

[Snowbike Mike]

Max potion him to get full health. We will take the hit and be able to reset. That will give us one more move. But we have to max potion right now.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Counterpoint.

[Greg Miller]

Use the lemonade.

[Snowbike Mike]

If he gives me a mean look, we're fine. Okay?

[Andy Cortez]

You Shadow ball.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh. Oh, we're fine. But we're gonna. We should survive this. Oh, my God.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, my God.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm telling you guys, we gotta hit him. So hit him. Just know if this Mrs. Roger is dead.

[Andy Cortez]

Here's what I will suggest.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Andy Cortez]

We heal until we can't heal anymore. On the off chance that this idiot CPU decides to do a mean look. Oh.

[Snowbike Mike]

Then we can attack.

[Andy Cortez]

Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

The only thing I have now is the lemonade.

[Andy Cortez]

I think that'll take us.

[Snowbike Mike]

We'll click on it. How much does it heal? Heals. Okay, then we lemonade. The last time he hit me, I think it was a crit and it knocked me out. If he gets a crit on this, we're. Oh, no.

[Roger McCorny]

He's such a bully.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Look at him.

[Roger McCorny]

It hurts.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's what I'm saying.

[Snowbike Mike]

He's dead. We have to hit him's gotta go in. He's got to hit him.

[Andy Cortez]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Snowbike Mike]

Not the right move.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Was Erdie.

[Snowbike Mike]

Dude's gonna get one task. Svant's gonna hit him with the real move. Svant is asleep. Oh, he's asleep. We're fine.

[Greg Miller]

Flay wheel drive did.

[Snowbike Mike]

We'll talk to you later. We're going to talk to you later.

[Roger McCorny]

All right.

[Snowbike Mike]

Your Mr.

[Greg Miller]

Happy Finger is hitting.

[Snowbike Mike]

Quick attack immediately.

[Roger McCorny]

Can Dudikov hit?

[Snowbike Mike]

He's calling.

[Andy Cortez]

All right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay,

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay. Mistakes were made.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Chris.

[Greg Miller]

Chris, it's Greg. How you doing, man? You trace any more pictures of Coward?

[Snowbike Mike]

Damn it.

[Greg Miller]

Stop watching Pokemon Spider man movie. Oh, we want a new Spider man over here.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Why is he in here? Why is he in.

[Snowbike Mike]

What is this character?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, man.

[Andy Cortez]

A lot of. A lot of really good winners right there. Congratulations to all the nominees.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I'm sweating.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like, as somebody who didn't catch all of the nuzlocke moments, like, felt the stress, the way that I was, like, please, God, don't let Roger die. All right, let's move on to our next category. It is KFGPP.

[Greg Miller]

KFGPP. KFGPP. KFP. KFGB. Kind of funny, games, prefer partner. Kind of funny, games prefer partner. Kfgpp. Kfgpp.

[Snowbike Mike]

Kf.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Of course, this is kind of funny games for preferred partner for a side character, companion, or character in general this year that stood out from the pack. Our first pick for KFGPP is Oki from Ghost of Yot. Now, I'll remind the cast, no spoilers on this one. We don't want to talk about things that happen with this character and any of these characters that end up in this category. But Oyuki, of course, one of the major characters you meet throughout the game.

[Greg Miller]

Sure.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This is one of Greg's ride ins.

[Greg Miller]

It was one of my ride ins. Yes. I think a Very interesting story to her in her relation to Atsu, her relation to Yotei or the Yotei Six and everything else. It's just cool to see the history that they lay out in this story pay off. And I think that's why Ghost of Yotei is so great.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Right?

[Greg Miller]

Starting you from the Yote 6 showing up in Atsu's life, going all the way through, and the friends she makes, like, what's her. Her name? Thank you so much. Along the way, like, they did a great job. It's like, literally, I was just like, blank.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, yeah.

[Greg Miller]

You know why? Like, okay, cool.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Hell yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our next pick for this one is Hornet from Silksong. This is one that was written in by Tim Geddes, since Tim isn't here to defend himself. Tim did write in. Well, he says Hornet. I don't care. I don't care that she is the lead. I love her look, moves, voice, outfit, animations. 10 out of 10.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Tim didn't understand tomato.

[Andy Cortez]

Tim didn't understand great character, Great thing. I mean, she's rocked. But let's just move on.

[Greg Miller]

Why did he vote for style?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

He could have said Hornet in Hollow Knight. That would have worked.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, maybe.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, that would have worked out.

[Andy Cortez]

Let's give him.

[Roger McCorny]

Let's give him. Let's shoot him some bail.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

There you go. There you go.

[Roger McCorny]

He's sick.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our third pick for this one, Invisigal from Dispatch.

[Greg Miller]

Hell, yeah. Good to see Dispatch finally get on one of these categories. Invisigal, AKA Invisibitch.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah, Invisibitch.

[Greg Miller]

Laura Bailey. What a great character. What a great arc, what a great. Again, no spoilers choices throughout the game and seeing who she can evolve into for Robert Robinson. What can go on there? One of the reasons that this character is nominated for the DICE Awards as well.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Exactly. This is the one that I wrote in. I saw a TikTok over the break that cracked me up. That basically broke down how Dispatch is Twilight for men.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah. It was so accurate.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

So deeply.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Kind of just talking about the kind of like, the power fantasy of being Robert Robertson, a man who's just, like, bumbling around, but also all these. The hottest woman in the world just love him. Like, the hottest superpowered women, you know, just either want to either like him or tell him directly to his face. I want to. You type. Right. Hilarious.

[Andy Cortez]

But then also the level of grabbing the bulge, you know?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yes. That said, it's. It works for me. Right. Like, I'm somebody who. I'm so down for A choose your own adventure experience that gives me romantic options that I'm like, let's go. Right. I go with Blonde Blazer for the reasons I would go with Blonde Blazer or I go with Invisible and episode. I won't say I won't spoil anything, but I went with Invisible.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, it's awesome.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

For just pure heart reasons. Right.

[Greg Miller]

Like, and I think one of the things you talk about, you know, I'm often vocal, especially for my rpg, that I don't want romance options in game. Right. And I think so much of that is chemistry. This is the reason why I would want them. Right. Because this is a choose your own adventure. Like, you're saying all of Robert's lines are done amazingly by Aaron Paul. And then to have it either be Aaron for Blonde Blazer or have it be Laura Fern Visigal. Like, you have actual chemistry there. That makes so much sense and really does leave you in this place of how do you want to play this situation?

[Roger McCorny]

But also, like, in a friendship side of thing.

[Snowbike Mike]

Right?

[Roger McCorny]

Because I played with my brother and naturally, like, we just ended up with neither of them.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Right.

[Roger McCorny]

Like, it just became this thing of like, oh, we're just friends with both of them. And it was. It worked out super well. And that take, by the way, the Twilight take was from Twitch streamer Stormfall, so.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, she rocks.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, she's awesome.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And also to take it out of even, like, just the romantic context slash relational context with Robert Robertson, I think just what she means to the story and where the story goes for the overall arc of, like, great plots going, just great arc for this character and great choices that. That surround this character and what she's going through. Our next pick for KFGPP is Rick from Kirby Air Riders.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, he's my guy, bro.

[Andy Cortez]

I had no idea about this guy. Roger, you sold me, dude.

[Roger McCorny]

This is the thing that sold me on the game. Okay. Tim just sent me this photo and said, you're gonna love this guy. And I'm like, you know what? $70.

[Andy Cortez]

Bang.

[Roger McCorny]

This game rules. And Rick is my guy. The way that he'd just be running. His alt is just. He gets off the board, he just be running. He's going crazy mode.

[Andy Cortez]

He's super cute.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, he's super. Of course, shout out to also Doroch, the leader of the squeaks. Shout out to him as well. This is a goated video game. We'll talk about it later one day. You know, I mean, like, one of

[Snowbike Mike]

these games, one of those games.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This might be the last Time we

[Andy Cortez]

ever talk about it'll get the love it deserves.

[Snowbike Mike]

One day we'll talk about it and

[Roger McCorny]

you know what, you know your wrongs. Maybe I'll write them in my top 10.

[Andy Cortez]

That might be Roger. This might be my favorite nomination.

[Snowbike Mike]

Thank you so much.

[Andy Cortez]

I love this.

[Roger McCorny]

Thank you so much. The goat bro.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And our final one is Mike from baby steps.

[Snowbike Mike]

Nice. Yeah. Shout out to Mike, man. That's my guy.

[Andy Cortez]

I had to look this up because I thought it blessing just got it wrong of like Mike wrote in baby steps.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I thought Mike was like, you know how certain characters like a reflection of yourself.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Like, oh my God.

[Snowbike Mike]

No, I'm very Nathan. I'm very, very much Nathan. The main character. Of course, Nathan will meet many characters through his journey, but one of them is Mike, who is not afraid to ask for help, who is not afraid to take the safe route to follow instructions to prepare for the journey at hand. And of course Nathan or Nate, our main character does none of that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Right.

[Snowbike Mike]

He wants to do it all himself because he is afraid to ask for help. He does not want to put himself out there and thinks he can just handle the situation. So shout out to Mike for always being prepared.

[Greg Miller]

Good job, Mike.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And shout out to our picks. These are all our picks.

[Andy Cortez]

I actually I told Kevin to veto I that we're vetoing the Hornet pick. What the hell, Tim? Know know the instructions. You got to understand even what you're voting for. The preferred partner is Shurma from Silksong.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

There you go.

[Andy Cortez]

Come on.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Congratulations.

[Andy Cortez]

God, we love shma in this house.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Congrats, Sherma. Our next category is best trailer. Oh, this is the trailer. This is for a trailer that presented incredibly well and evoked strong reaction for us. This is a new category here. I'm very interested. This is when I was very interested to see the picks here and I really like the assortment we have. So we're starting off off with our number one, which is Star wars fate of the old. I said number one. Even though these aren't ranked. But our first pick that we have here.

[Andy Cortez]

What a moment this was.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And I think this is even one where Hudson. It's more of the reveal. Right. Like, I think, I think next year if we do this again, I'll tile it best reveal slash trailer. Because this one, this is one that I think evoked the biggest reaction from us in a showcase this year. And I think that's really saying something as far as just the magnitude of this announcement.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, it's so unexpected. Right? I think if coming into this, of course, we were always like, oh, you got to see Star Wars Eclipse eventually. See what Quantic Dream says they're doing. But then to get here, like, oh, it's a Star wars game. Okay. And then. And then it kept getting crazier.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Right.

[Greg Miller]

Of, you know, bringing out Old Republic to bring out the fact it's going to be this insane.

[Roger McCorny]

Should have been high Republic.

[Snowbike Mike]

It's crazy. Star wars has got the motion like that. No matter what Pod Racer, we freaked out. Yeah, Right. Like, it's crazy that Star wars has just got the motion.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

And, yeah, I think it's exciting.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. I think really seeing just the words, the Old Republic tied to it, like, is one level of hype. And then for me, like, Casey Hudson is.

[Greg Miller]

And that was one of those such an unexpected thing. Usually I feel like that's something you would see of. We see the trailer, then it's back to Jeff on stage, and he's like, I'm excited to tell you that Casey Hudson's working.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Right.

[Greg Miller]

The fact that they knew Casey's name would carry enough weight with this audience to put it in the trailer, Money.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our second pick, Unbeatable. Unbeatable. This is the game that. This is one that.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, no.

[Greg Miller]

CEO Junior's here. Tim Junior is here.

[Snowbike Mike]

Tim Junior's here. Rag.

[Greg Miller]

The real ass gamer is here.

[Snowbike Mike]

Look at him.

[Greg Miller]

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the man who just got back from the dentist, Barrett Courtney Parentheses. Evil.

[Barrett Courtney]

There's nothing more dastardly than showing up to your own company's award show late.

[Roger McCorny]

Wow. Wow.

[Andy Cortez]

And yes, I was at the dentist.

[Roger McCorny]

Clean teeth.

[Barrett Courtney]

I was at the dentist, but not. Not my dentist.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

I learned a lot.

[Barrett Courtney]

I learned a lot about Roger Piccorni's teeth to this morning.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Roger McCorny]

I got. I got 10 fillings one time.

[Barrett Courtney]

Next time you go to your appointment, if you feel a little bit more of a tug, Raj, don't question it. Don't question it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You gonna zoom in on Bear's earrings?

[Andy Cortez]

That's sick.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I love that.

[Andy Cortez]

Thank you.

[Barrett Courtney]

This was my game. Awards fit that I forgot to really take any pictures with. So figured I'd dress up nice today.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Good.

[Andy Cortez]

Today.

[Barrett Courtney]

Yeah, I just wanted to show up actually, just to talk about the unbeatable trailer.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Tell us about it.

[Barrett Courtney]

This final trailer for Unbeatable was kind of like the final story trailer we really got, and it felt like a different tone for the game. A lot of the previous trailers for this, it was a bit more hype, a little bit more cool, you know, flashy. All this stuff but the music came along with this final trailer, gave it a little bit more of that, like, emotional heart that I think the final game does have eventually near the end of the game. And it gives that tease of like, there's something a bit more emotionally going on here in this story, in the. In this tale with these characters. So this was one where I was like, oh, we're going. We might be going in a direction with this game that I wasn't expecting initially. And I think it's a testament to how strong the original music for this game is that it, like, really, I think, like, carries this. This trailer along with like the, you know already the incredible style, the editing for the. For the video and all that stuff. But yeah, the. It really pulls at the heartstrings, which I do think the. The peaks of that game definitely carry on with that promise, so.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Oh, yeah, yeah. That's the trailer that really like Evil Barrett.

[Greg Miller]

Evil Barrett, everybody. You know, the bear parentheses, evil.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

The trailers definitely.

[Snowbike Mike]

I like that.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Did their job for me, aside from the fact that I didn't play much of the game when it released. But, like, the trailers made me want to play this game. Right. The trailers made this game look like the coolest game on the planet.

[Snowbike Mike]

It.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Which is exactly what you want to do. Our next pick also. Thank you so much, Barrett, for gracing us with your presence. We got to get you your own entrance music, though, because I keep thinking of Greg Double walk from the back. God, he looks good. I like that though. I like that, though.

[Greg Miller]

CEO junior. You're allowed to use it. Yeah, he's part of my stable. The CEO part of his stable.

[Roger McCorny]

Who's the secret third man?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our next pick for best trailer is Clockwork Revolution.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh, okay.

[Greg Miller]

Oh, great.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This was my write in. I think this is one of the best game trailers of the last few years. I think one of the things I like about these write ins is they display the different things about trailers that can really hit for people. I think with Star Fate of the Old Republic, it was kind of like the magnitude of the reveal with unbeatable. It is the editing and how it encompasses that game in a minute. And with Clockwork Revolution, I think when you're deep diving, even if it is kind of a truncated deep dive because it's not like 20 minutes to 30 minutes, right? This was in like an Xbox developer direct type of thing, but within what, like six, seven minutes? They did such a good job of telling us what Clockwork Revolution is and what this game is. Is something that really speaks to me as somebody who, you know, has played quite a few Bethesda slash Obsidian games. But I think as I go, like Bethesda stuff has maybe hit less for me at least with like something like Starfield, Obsidian this year between Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed. Those didn't really hit as hard for me as I wanted to Outer World. And for somebody who also previously loved Deus Ex and Dishonored as well, there's something about Clockwork Revolution that is giving me the things I like about those games. But it also looks really good just visually and presentationally. And they break it down so well in the trailer, the amount of depth that they have here.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. And so I really hope it lives up to this trailer because this trailer was so good. What a head turner. Right to the top of like most anticipated for whenever this is coming out.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

When is it coming out?

[Greg Miller]

No idea. We have this conversation me and Mike today. Paris Lily, of course a 12 year old child in the chat said that we're all in mind. It feels like what we're gonna see next year. The big reveal for it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Chad not do the six, seven thing

[Andy Cortez]

on purpose by the way.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Apparently I said six to seven. Did not mean to do that on purpose, but I'll.

[Greg Miller]

Hey, it's over now.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Just. Our next pick for best trailer is Tides of Annihilation Mirror Combat gameplay trailer. This is written in by Tim Geddes who's not here, but you have other people in this at this table who also love this trailer.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, this one rocks. This is, you know, we had already seen kind of what the game was last year during a state of play. And then they showed this one off more recently as a way to say like, hey, we're still working on the game obviously and this is kind of what you should expect from the level of our productions or from the level of our, our production and the level of our like I, I would say budget. Because this game like does some really cool big stuff later on during this boss fight with the whole kind of the reflections in the sky and the mirror thing and it's doing a lot of really, really neat stuff and I hope that they continue to keep on working at it and I hope we see. I hope this isn't like the only boss fight in the game that has this level of kind of creativity and, and high production value because they, you know, if they could kind of do this three or four more times, like wow, we're in a really, really nice territory with it. But yeah, they're, they're doing Just some wild stuff with, with tech and hopefully it all runs well. And I think it's also really cool that, you know, you put this trailer out and no, there are a lot of frame drops. This is a game in development and I, I like that, that I like that vulnerability being able to show. Like, no, we're still working on this, but it's, it's awesome so far.

[Roger McCorny]

Still, it gets me more hyped when I see the frame drops because then I know it's a real video game.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Roger McCorny]

Because like this looks like such a fake video game. And then you see the frame drops, like, oh, wow. This is like really actually playing on a console or some type of hardware. Like, I actually like seeing kind of that vulnerability.

[Andy Cortez]

You're right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's nice that we're in a place where we're getting more and more video games that can look like this. Between this or Phantom Blade Zero or even if we go back to something like Eliza P or Black Wukong. Right.

[Roger McCorny]

Expedition to a certain extent.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Expedition to a certain extent. Like games are getting crazier and crazier and that's really dope and I hope that isn't like a signif, like a signal to, you know, I don't know, I. I feel like that can get crazy and weird in terms of budgets and like over overspecing of, you know, where the money goes or whatever. But regardless, I think it's cool that games can look this cool and be real.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah. Games cast.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That's a whole other conversation.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, I'm excited to have it though.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our last pick for best trailer is Wolverine. This is one that was written in by Greg Miller.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah, again, I think there were so many great trailers this year. Wolverine finally getting to get the spotlight though, and show us what this game is going to look like. It is real. It is coming. Here's the look, here's the vibe of it. And I mean, as you watch it right now, the brutality of it. I think we all had so many questions of what kind of Logan are we going to get? What kind of game are we going to get? And we're clearly getting an EM rated Wolverine game, which of course that's what it should be and how it should be for what we're getting. And so I was just stoked to finally see it. I think as we talk about the smileys here and being able to tip your hat to stuff like I think, you know, when we talk about most anticipated games for next year. Right. Obviously GTA is getting all of its due credit for whatever industry redefining thing they're going to do. But Wolverine just looks like a blast, right? Like, I want to get out there and I want to tear things apart with these claws. I want to see what they're doing doing in this neck of the spider verse that they've created. The insomniac game verse. I'm excited to see what they got up their sleeves and to do something different than spider man. Right. As Ben is now 30 more hours into Spider Man 2 just swinging around doing crimes. Like, I'm ready to see a different kind of gameplay from a superhero game from insomniac. After three very similar ones, I see

[Andy Cortez]

a comment in the YouTube chat from large hog gamer.

[Greg Miller]

Nice.

[Andy Cortez]

Who says Greg is very mutant coding. And I don't know what that means. I just like the idea of it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Greg showed up to work one day and like. Like, he had, like, I don't know,

[Roger McCorny]

hairy arms, long fingers.

[Snowbike Mike]

I would have made y' all steal. We're on fire.

[Greg Miller]

Okay, fair enough.

[Andy Cortez]

I like that.

[Greg Miller]

Back to Ben with his superhero book he was looking for Once he saw silver surfer on, like, the COVID or whatever, which he's had forever. I don't know why he just clocked it today. He started paging through it, trying to find it, and then he's like, I was doing the dishes. He goes, dad, who's this bald guy in a wheelchair? And I'm like, oh, that's professor X. And he goes, oh, does he turn into silver Surfer? I'm like, no, he's a different bald guy.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. Those are our winners for best trailer. Congratulations

[Andy Cortez]

and, you know, bless. Going into the next category, when we talk about games, like, and how much energy sometimes they required to play, you need sustenance. You need fuel. And so for the next category, this is going to be the best slash worst meals ordered at. Kind of funny during a lot of our game plays and so really, really excited about this cat.

[Snowbike Mike]

Who's ordering that?

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, we're dominant.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. Who's ordering it?

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Roll the clothes clip.

[Roger McCorny]

We better win.

[Snowbike Mike]

You know, all I want is just to go to In N Out. Like, I have the easiest. Like, just take me to In N Out life. Oh, wow, broccoli. Oh, yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

You're going to get a burger.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, you're going to get a burger.

[Roger McCorny]

Are we getting dessert too?

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, bro.

[Roger McCorny]

They have a peanut butter pie cake.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay.

[Roger McCorny]

They have molten chocolate cake.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, yeah. I already know.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's what I want. That's what I want. I want the molten chocolate cake. They're my favorite. They got fajitas. If you're on fajitas at Chili's, it's a Chili's night.

[Roger McCorny]

I did.

[Snowbike Mike]

I'm sorry. I told you, I'm a liability at this point. You know What, Roger? Death Stranding 2 Marathon Stream. We eat nothing but health food. Feeling good, big dog? Everything's good. No, I'm not doing. I'm afraid of that. No, Roger, no. What do you want me to do with this, Roger?

[Roger McCorny]

So this is the coconut shrimp, I believe.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, I that up.

[Roger McCorny]

You dip it. You just eat it. All right, that's it. You don't have to dip any. Honestly. You can take a bite first, but

[Snowbike Mike]

you can dip it. I want to dip it a little sweet.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, it's a little sweet.

[Snowbike Mike]

I don't want to dip it on that thing. Okay, you can dip it. Well, I'm looking at it.

[Greg Miller]

Okay.

[Snowbike Mike]

Raj, The coconut's too much. I don't want sweet. Damn, that's like straight up eating an Almond Joy. Give me a biscuit to clear my mouth.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Want split a biscuit?

[Snowbike Mike]

No, I want a whole ass biscuit. Yeah, don't with me.

[Roger McCorny]

This is the shrimp, this is the garlic shrimp scampi. You don't bite the entire thing. You bite from here. Look at me.

[Greg Miller]

You know how to use shrimp?

[Roger McCorny]

I think it's supposed to break it and then, like, rip out the meat. Oh, yeah, there it is.

[Snowbike Mike]

That's good.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Here you go.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, no, Fuck, no. Fuck, no. Fuck, fuck. No, no, no, no, no. Roger, Are you fucking kidding me? I'm not even trying that. That was fucking whack, Roger.

[Roger McCorny]

I would eat it with you.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, look at that.

[Roger McCorny]

Dip it in. You dip it in, too.

[Snowbike Mike]

Dip it in with me right here.

[Roger McCorny]

I've never had it before. That was lying.

[Snowbike Mike]

No, Raj. Fucking ice cold. All right, ready?

[Roger McCorny]

It's a delicacy.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Ready?

[Roger McCorny]

Dink it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

You and me.

[Roger McCorny]

Look at me. Look me in the eyes while we do it.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Okay?

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, that's good.

[Greg Miller]

He's not looking.

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, give me a biscuit asap. And why don't you bring up doordash on your computer. You ready for this? Raising canes. No, elb Bread. Butter on both sides. Bread.

[Roger McCorny]

Let's just also peel back the curtain a little bit. You did have a massive piece quesadilla five minutes ago.

[Snowbike Mike]

Now, have Mike and Roger already ate lunch? Yes, of course.

[Andy Cortez]

You know, there's that food truck that I love that does the hibachi.

[Snowbike Mike]

Can we take the stream irl?

[Roger McCorny]

I think you can order it we're

[Snowbike Mike]

not going to order hibachi and not see the guy. Hibachi?

[Andy Cortez]

No, no, no.

[Greg Miller]

It's a tr.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Food truck.

[Snowbike Mike]

Yeah, he's still doing it in the food truck.

[Andy Cortez]

You think he's doing the volcano in the food truck?

[Snowbike Mike]

Why would I order hibachi? Food truck?

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, it's like not coming for the chicken and rice is what the.

[Snowbike Mike]

What if we go there, I slide the guy a little. Little Benjamin, you come outside, tell him to flip a couple of shrimp in our mouth. Would you.

[Roger McCorny]

Would you catch a shrimp in his. In your mouth if Mike did it?

[Snowbike Mike]

Oh, my God.

[Roger McCorny]

100.

[Andy Cortez]

100.

[Snowbike Mike]

Let's order it. Just know I'm gonna come back with a spatula and some shrimp.

[Andy Cortez]

Please do. I'm excited.

[Snowbike Mike]

Flipping them into your mouth. I want you to throw a couple shrimp at me through the window if you can. I'm ready. I'll be right here. You just whip it right at me. Oh, it's hot. Okay, I'm ready. Here we go. Good throw. Give it to me. Yes, yes, yes. That's what's up, bro. You're acting like ordering food takes more than one minute. This kid thinks it's only take one minute.

[Roger McCorny]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's going to take five minutes.

[Roger McCorny]

I had a warm up.

[Snowbike Mike]

I love math. Mashed potatoes. Yeah, I love.

[Roger McCorny]

I like a chunky mashed potato.

[Snowbike Mike]

See, now here's the problem. There's not many places that do mashed potatoes.

[Roger McCorny]

We have to split our meals, right? What is a restaurant that gives you way more food than you want that also has every type of food you can imagine, including mashed potatoes?

[Snowbike Mike]

Cheesecake Factory. Oh, the factory has a chat.

[Roger McCorny]

And you know what the funniest thing is? Is that when I was thinking about mashed potatoes, in my head, I was thinking about their mashed potatoes and I

[Snowbike Mike]

didn't even realize, dude, avocado toast. Want a cheese toast?

[Roger McCorny]

Why?

[Snowbike Mike]

Baked brie, Truffle, honey butter.

[Roger McCorny]

Let's with that buffalo blast. Have you had these?

[Snowbike Mike]

You know what, Roger? I was trying to go healthy with the cauliflower. You know what? Get these instead. I want that. Get these, get them. Order us. What if we just get for an app, mashed potatoes for main course, mashed potatoes for dessert.

[Roger McCorny]

Mashed potatoes, potatoes.

[Greg Miller]

You forget this,

[Snowbike Mike]

Dude. Massive problem. Gonna upset you. No mashed potatoes, bro. They gave us chicken and three pieces of asparagus.

[Roger McCorny]

Are you curious?

[Snowbike Mike]

Dude? I'm not kidding, bro. You tell doordash to get on their and he these asparagus pieces, they're Awful looking. They're not stiff at all. Rog. Yeah. Take a photo and just say mashed question mark. Get on the phone with somebody.

[Roger McCorny]

I'm not gonna be rude to them. Of course.

[Snowbike Mike]

No, no.

[Roger McCorny]

I'm gonna be like, is there any way you guys can send us some over?

[Snowbike Mike]

I would never. And maybe an extra slice of cheesecake to make us feel better.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Cheesecake, San Francisco.

[Snowbike Mike]

Hey, man. This is Mike, bro. I just ordered from you guys, and I didn't get any mash potatoes with the chicken breasts. And I was seeing if you could help me out. So we ordered the main dish, the

[Roger McCorny]

truffle chicken hot sauce.

[Snowbike Mike]

Okay. Are you. Homie doesn't want to hear two voices. He just wants to hear me and talk to him. I saw that dish in there without the mashed potatoes and the to no mash told me I should have, like, called for it. So I'm really sorry about that. That's all right, buddy. If I order another round of mashed potatoes, can you maybe double it up for me? You have to tat with door dash

[Andy Cortez]

and have to process the refund and, like, redelivery and all that.

[Snowbike Mike]

I can't do anything. That's. That's why we say don't even talk about them. You know what I mean? We just say them. You and I on some real. I reorder the mashed potatoes. You take a look. Unfortunately, I. I, like, literally can't. Now here's the deal. Let sweeten it up one more time for you, you know? Stop.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Jesus.

[Snowbike Mike]

This is nice.

[Andy Cortez]

Wow.

[Roger McCorny]

That was beautiful.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Beautiful.

[Greg Miller]

We make art here, everybody.

[Roger McCorny]

It hurts to watch them all.

[Greg Miller]

Those doordash orders only cost us $3,000.

[Andy Cortez]

A lot of great stuff right there.

[Greg Miller]

Canceled out the entire point of doing marathons.

[Andy Cortez]

Shout out to Mike and Roger. The. The Stars 100.

[Roger McCorny]

We got our money back for the mashed potatoes.

[Snowbike Mike]

We got our hard girl.

[Greg Miller]

Math means we made money on that.

[Roger McCorny]

It was huge.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

That brings us to our very final category of the Smileys Best studio. This is for the studio that earned MVP status in 2025. We have five picks for this one. Starting off with our first pick of the category. Team Cherry, of course. Come on, clap it up for Team Cherry.

[Greg Miller]

Of course.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Andy, you want to take it away on this one?

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah, sure thing. I mean, Team Cherry obviously put out an amazing game many, many moons ago and then kind of just did their own way. I think that's the coolest thing about them is that that Jason Shire article was so awesome. Being able to learn more about Team Cherry and then being like, nah, man, we don't want to have a massive team. We like our team being small. That's why this game is taking so long to make make. We like doing things our own way. We're not really, you know, beholden to anybody. We don't have shareholders or whatever. We're just doing things at our own pace. And we love making this video game and that. That's kind of why things are taking so long. And after nearly a decade of hype and, you know, raised expectations, this game could have come out and been a stinker or it could have been a really, really awesome 8 out of 10. But still underwhelming, but they still managed to deliver an all timer and exceeded all of my expectations still somehow. And I. Yeah, they're just amazing at what they do and really looking forward to the DLC coming out probably in seven years. That's gonna come out this year.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Apparently it'll be a hundred hours.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

It'll turn to a new game.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

What's funny, I threw to Andy immediately because I assumed Andy wrote in with Team Cherry. No, the people that wrote in with Team Cherry were me and Barrett.

[Andy Cortez]

Oh.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

I wrote it with Team Cherry. Even not playing that much of Hollow Knight Silk Song. Right. Just for the story. You mentioned the Jason Sh article, which is a big part of it. But even the story of putting out this game for $20 that ends up as being a favorite of the year amongst people and being a game that is a beefy game. I hear people talk about, oh yeah, I'm this many. I'm 40 hours, 50 hours into hollow Silk Song and I'm like, damn, dude, like putting that out after, like being patient with your development, working on this game for years and years, not being rushed, not doing what XYZ thing and being able to put it out for a price point that is affordable for people. People flock to it. It does really well in sales. The whole story around Hollow Knight Silksong is a special one. And of course it's a studio that is following up against or following up after a game that was also very successful. And so they had the luxury of doing this. But I think what's powerful is that they were able to get that luxury by putting out Hollow Knight in 2017. And so shout out to Team Cherry for sure.

[Roger McCorny]

Hell yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Number two. Our second pick for best studio though, Obsidian. Hey, this is one that was written in by two people. This was Greg and Stone. Mike.

[Andy Cortez]

Mike. Nice.

[Greg Miller]

Come on.

[Snowbike Mike]

You know it. Gotta put some respect on that name that team is incredible. They continue to just be the workhorse of Xbox Game Studios. Three games one year, games in one year, and they keep going back. I mean, Grounded two is fantastic as an early access product. Coming out and following up Grounded one, kind of putting that to rest and saying, hey, hey, this is the full game. Go out there and have fun. We're going to start up in a new backyard. We're going to go out and take you into a new survival sandbox. There's a ton of fun. And then, of course, of out and outer worlds too, which is wild to say. Two big RPGs.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah. I think, you know, Workhorse is such a great way to talk about Obsidian. I would argue, as a fan, somebody who really loves Obsidian, they're not putting out nines and tens, but they're putting out consistently eights. They're putting out consistent things that are there for you to go enjoy, you to, you know, really pay off on the promise of Xbox game pass that you're going to get these games that are from this at a deal that is better than buying them all on PlayStation.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. A lot of people, a lot of devs want to put out one eight.

[Snowbike Mike]

Right, Exactly.

[Andy Cortez]

And that's. They constantly.

[Greg Miller]

When Obsidian speaks, I listen. I think they make out. They make really, really great games. And I think last year was an incredible year for them to, you know, have. If you to put out one of those games, I think you would have been incredibly proud of as a studio to put out three of those games to really own that year to start, do the middle and end. Great stuff.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. If you add it all up, they put up. They put out a 24 out of 10 video game.

[Greg Miller]

There you go.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Do the map. Our third pick for best studio, Sandfall Entertainment. Interactive.

[Roger McCorny]

Interactive.

[Greg Miller]

Interactive.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Interactive.

[Andy Cortez]

I don't know who wrote this one.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

This one was written in by Tim Geddes, but I think we'd all be on the same page here.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah.

[Greg Miller]

Nobody believes. When we first saw the Claire Expedition 33 trailers, we were like, what the fuck? That looks awesome. Who's making Sandfall? Who the fuck is Sandfall? Yeah, it's. What are we doing here? Who are these people? All right. Clearly this will never live up to the hype. And then it so greatly exceeded it with such a small team. Yes, they use contractors, of course, but everybody does, like, just incredible stuff here to have a vision to deliver on it and to crush it and then

[Andy Cortez]

to deliver DLC right at the end of the year as like a little surprise, as a thank you to the fans. Really, really awesome that they're, you know, continuing work on this while also wanting to work on the next thing as well. Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It's the similar thing that I mentioned with Silksong, except this is their debut.

[Greg Miller]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Being able to do this with their debut and have such. Have the biggest game of the year this year. Right. Absolutely insane.

[Roger McCorny]

And a game that broke out of all of our circles.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Roger McCorny]

Like again, my brother has never played an RPG of this caliber and he finished it, he consumed it so fast. I see people, I'm at target. I see someone with an Expedition 33 hoodie.

[Andy Cortez]

Right.

[Roger McCorny]

Like it's, it is becoming pop culture.

[Greg Miller]

If Tim was here, he would talk about his text group with all his

[Roger McCorny]

friends from high school.

[Greg Miller]

Right. The people he grew up with that don't play every hot new release, but have all fallen in love with this game.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And you talk about the origin of the people of, of the studio coming out of Ubisoft, right. Try to pitch a similar game or this game to Ubisoft and then being like, no, this isn't going to work. And then being able to put it out by yourself, betting on yourself. Super powerful stuff.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah. I think how long to beat tracked that this is the number one beaten game of the year.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. Insane.

[Roger McCorny]

Makes it sense.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Our fourth pick for best studio Hazelight.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, this was a last minute one for me because I went back and I'm playing Split Fiction. I always mix up their games title Split Fiction with Lianza finishing it off finally. And I was just so taken aback and just in awe with every single second of this game. The fact that they're able to make this happen in a split screen format on the PS5, 60fps, this looks this crisp. So many incredible gameplay mechanics that they're always cycling through and never feels boring, never feels stale. The fact that they have all of these side missions that have brand new worlds and mechanics that you can completely and utterly miss. This is a team that is locked the fuck in on their niche, that understands what they're going for. There's able to make video games at a pace that is really respectable in this sphere. I mean making a game every pretty much three to four years is incredible. Being able to have multiple games per console generation at this point is a huge pat on the back. Right.

[Greg Miller]

So many people do that.

[Roger McCorny]

Exactly right. So for them to be able to have, you know, it takes two, having a way out. And now of course, Split Fiction. This game I think came out in the beginning of the year. Hit was huge and Then we've kind of forgotten about it. But when you see how special, especially the ending of this game. Right. When you get towards the. What they're able to do visually and graphically and technically but also just gameplay wise is incredible. Yeah. This is a studio that I'm so excited to see their growth continuously and I'm excited to see what they put out next because they are at the forefront of gameplay and tech in this industry. It's. We got to put some respect on A's life for sure.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. We don't have a Best Moment of the Year category because we don't want to really dive into spoilers or whatever. But like the Roger talking about the ending of the game for me, that would be my immediate write in for moment of the year. Right. I think Split Fit. I would even stand by. I think Hazel. I won't say, I won't say they're underrated because they got Game of the Year with It Takes Two but I think we forget like, I think we forget how good these games are. Even with Split Fiction coming out and us playing in being like, yeah it was great and like it's kind of just as good as It Takes Two. But like It Takes Two was excellent. Of course there's things, there's story. I'm sure that don't. That doesn't resonate with everybody. I totally get that part. But I, I do stand by. I think Hazelight is one of the most creative studios doing it right now and so.

[Roger McCorny]

And I love their energy of just doing crazy things and meeting them at the Nordic Party. Right. Like that. I think that kind of colors a little bit but like being able to talk to them, the way that they develop games and seeing the behind the scenes of them prototyping it all, they're. They're working at a clip and I'm very excited for the next thing.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

And our fifth and final pick for Best Studio is Round eight. Yeah, this is an Andy write in.

[Andy Cortez]

Yeah man. To. To come out with lies of P and and see that a studio is able to do what FromSoftware is doing just as good and good and. And try to see a lot of other. Looking at a lot of other, you know, studios trying to do the FromSoft formula. And always, you know, in my mind round eight has always been the gold standard for. That's how you make a. A souls like or whatever. And they crushed it with Liza P several years ago. And then to come out with what I think of of as one of the best DLCs ever made. I think this what it does combat wise, what it does. Expanding on the formula while introducing amazing characters with wild story beats like this game and side quests that had me in tears. Like this game just this game is fantastic. This, the DLC for, for Liza P was phenomenal. And it immediately makes me like, all right, the next thing is something you have to watch out for because it's one thing to put out a banger of a game and then maybe you put out a DLC that's a bit underwhelming and you go, ah, maybe that was just like a flash in the pan. Nah man, this studio has it. They know what it takes, they, they know what they want to do and they, I don't know, they just deliver constantly.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Yeah. It's crazy how I think the standard of DLC has risen over the last 15 years of video games. It's funny having just beaten The Dark Souls 1 DLC last night night and like I blazed through it in like an hour and a half to two hours. Granted, I'm over leveled. Maybe it should have taken me more like six or seven hours but you know, I beat the. I beat Liza P overture over the break and that could have been a standalone video game, you know what I mean? In 20 in 2009, like if that came out, this would have been a game of the year contender alone. And it is fucking dlc. There is a crazy amount of quality in this thing. The music's incredible. Like, you know, I think Souls likes in particular are killing it as far as what they're bringing with DLC and, and to your point, Andy, yeah. Round 8 Studios I think is right in that conversation with from as far as like how good they're making. Souls likes, of course from are the is the studio that's innovating and pushing it forward each and every time. But like the fact that round eight is right there, you know what I mean? Like they're, they're killing it. And I think they absolutely deserve to be acknowledged in the best studio conversation right now.

[Roger McCorny]

Hell yeah,

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Chad. I promise I'm not doing the 6, 7 thing on purpose. It just keeps coming out.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah, it's coming, it's coming in from the back of your brain.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

It might be subconscious, I don't know.

[Roger McCorny]

Yeah.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

But that is it for the Smileys, of course. Congratulations to all of our different winners across all the categories.

[Roger McCorny]

Video games are fun.

[Andy Cortez]

Video games Rock.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Video games Rock. 2025 rocked as a year for video games. I'm looking forward to Monday to see our top 10 games of the year at Kinda Funny. So stay tuned for that tune in on Monday. What time do we get started with?

[Greg Miller]

We're doing games daily as usual and then following it up with that. And then it's another day where no stream. Right, Right.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

Correct me if I'm correct, I believe that's right.

[Greg Miller]

I think there might be a. There's a Feudy afterwards. Yeah.

[Roger McCorny]

So look out for that. Feuds will be on Monday now.

[Greg Miller]

Feudies are on Monday now.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

There you go. There you go. Of course, this has been Kind of Funny Games cast For each and every weekday we get together and talk about the biggest reviews, previews and topics in video games live on YouTube, Twitch and on podcast services around the globe. Remember to support us with a Kind of Funny membership. If you enjoyed the show, get on patreon, get on YouTube, Apple or Spotify. You can get the Kind of Funny membership on any of those platforms. Of course, Patreon is where it's at though. But get it anywhere that you are at. We'll see you Monday for game of the Year. And until next time,

[Snowbike Mike]

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[Roger McCorny]

Speak English, Mom.

[Snowbike Mike]

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[Greg Miller]

We help you reach your true potential.

[Blessing Adioye Jr.]

How are you feeling?

[Andy Cortez]

It's good to be Hawaii. Hey, new girl.

[Greg Miller]

Hey.

[Snowbike Mike]

Look at what you've done to yourself.

[Andy Cortez]

For a new plant to grow, the

[Snowbike Mike]

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