The Besties – April 3, 2026

Episode: "Creature Kitchen Is an Alternative to Expensive Gaming"

Hosts: Russ Frushtick, Chris Plante, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy
Main Theme:
The Besties crew dives into two standout indie games—Creature Kitchen and Scritchy Scratchy—with extended discussion on how the rising cost of hardware (specifically the PlayStation 5) is pushing people toward less expensive, more accessible gaming experiences. The episode explores the appeal of cozy and incremental games, the implications of a booming nostalgia market, and practical tips for finding affordable ways to play great games today.

Episode Structure

• Opening Banter [00:00–02:13]
• Creature Kitchen Discussion [02:13–15:37]
• Scritchy Scratchy & Idle Games [17:19–32:58]
• Gaming & Gambling Mechanics Reflection [29:29–33:37]
• PS5 Price Increase & The State of Gaming Affordability [34:06–40:31]
• Cheaper Gaming Alternatives & Tips [40:31–51:24]
• Honorable Mentions & TV Recommendations [51:25–62:21]
• Closing Notes, Next Week’s Teasers, Recap [62:32–65:03]

Opening Banter [00:00–02:13]

• The crew indulges in playful movie-quoting and self-aware commentary on podcast banter.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Griffin: "Maybe you don't air that side [the slop] out here on besties enough, but tuck between every Criterion edition DVD, you'll sneak a fucking Encino Man in." [00:33]

Creature Kitchen: Indie Delight or Cozy Dread? [02:13–15:37]

What is Creature Kitchen? [02:13–04:32]

• Chris introduces Creature Kitchen as deceptively "horror-esque," but, "it's a cozy cooking game for a whole bunch of critters."
• Griffin and the group discuss the game’s PS1-style retro aesthetic—“This is nostalgia.” [03:07]
• The game’s environment and style evokes early 3D titles and indie trends.

Gameplay Loop & Mechanics [04:32–07:59]

• Chris: "The game is baby's first deduction game... you make critters food by deducing their favorites, Pokémon Snap-style." [04:32]
• Discovery is key: photographing animals tells you what dish to prepare; ingredients are scavenged, recipes collected.
• Russ: "The raccoon is like one of the first guys you see. If you feed him the three meals that he's requesting, he gives you a key." [06:29]

Tone & Atmosphere [07:03–08:59]

• The game delivers "a foreboding sense of dread"—think Inscryption, but without card mechanics.
  • Russ: "At one point...something knocks at the door...standing there is pants. And the pants run in, sit at your table, seem to want some sort of food. And when you take a picture of the pants, it adds it to your recipe book..." [07:30]
• Puzzles and escape-room elements lend depth; unlocking doors, collecting symbols, and unraveling gentle mysteries.

Who Is It For? [12:36–14:59]

• Chris: "It is a good game to play with a kid and also a good game to play if you’re just old—and for two different reasons…It looks scary and is not. It is Mr. Rogers levels of grade A material for teaching a young kid: I know this looks scary, but it isn’t." [12:36]
• Also appeals to adult nostalgia—evokes “spending time in a loved one’s home, the sound of rain outside.” [13:41]

Difficulty Curve & Enjoyment [14:59–15:30]

• Russ: “It gets harder…more opaque in terms of the puzzles…but not stuff you wouldn’t ease yourself into. I think it does a good job of easing you into that level of deduction.” [14:59]

Scritchy Scratchy and the Ethics of Idle Games [17:19–33:37]

Scritchy Scratchy: Overview [17:19–19:34]

• Griffin: "A really fun twist on the incremental idle game genre...a scratch-off lotto ticket simulator."
• Starts with a day job ("cleaning plates"), then earns money to buy, scratch, and automate lotto tickets.
• iOS version praised as a good fit for the genre.

Idle Loops & Innovations [19:34–22:36]

• The interaction: actual physical scratching (game even warns about wrist strain).
• Upgrades and automation: “You start to get into these loops…your coin gets way bigger, now you're playing way bigger tickets, way more expensive…then you unlock automation systems…” [21:19]
• Adds risk: certain tickets can bankrupt you if handled carelessly—adds engagement even late game.

Genre Reflections & Comparisons [22:01–28:09]

• Berry Berry Berry, Clover Pit, and Wizard Tower discussed for context—incremental games are evolving into shorter, denser, more narrative experiences.
• Griffin on the genre: "There's a burgeoning genre right now of idle incremental games that are... well contained... tight. And this game has some narrative happening in the background that seems arcane and sinister." [27:13]

Gambling Aesthetics & Game Design Ethics [29:29–33:37]

• Justin: “Every single fucking video game on the planet is gambling...Every loot box, that ship done sail.” [33:37]
• On weaponizing addictive feedback loops: "If a game is going to use—I'll use this term—weaponize this sort of dopamine mechanic, it's got to reckon with that first of all in the story." [33:35]
• Griffin: “My desire to scratch-off a lottery ticket has maybe decreased since playing this game.” [33:29]
• The group discusses opportunity for richer narrative and how abstraction in games impacts culture.

The PS5 Price Hike & Gaming Affordability [34:06–40:31]

Playstation 5 Price Jump [35:00–35:52]

• PS5 Standard: $649.99, Digital: $599.99, Pro: $899.00—a $100 increase across the board.
• "This is, from what I can tell, the first time in history where the major council's prices are going up as they get older rather than down." – Chris [35:52]

Supply Chain Woes: The RAM & Tariff Effect [36:44–38:11]

• AI-driven RAM price surge is the primary culprit, with global component shortages and tariffs hobbling game hardware availability (Valve's Steam Deck, Ayaneo, retro handhelds all impacted).

Alternatives & Tips for Low-Cost Gaming [40:31–51:24]

Embrace the Backlog & Classic Games [38:54–40:00]

• Justin: “There are so many ways to engage with the hobby...decades’ worth of video games on devices you already own right now—don’t give your money to anybody.” [38:54]

The Rise of New “Low Spec” Games [40:00–40:31]

• Russ: “More and more games—Creature Kitchen is a good example—not aiming for top-tier graphical hardware, allowing play on lower-end or older devices.” [40:00]

PC Gaming on the Cheap & MacBook Neo [41:07–42:22]

• Chris: “My number one tip is…try to find a used [PC]... there is the new cheaper Mac, the MacBook Neo, which plays emulation games very well; you can dual boot Windows or emulate Windows games easily.” [41:07]

Linux & Technological Flexibility [42:23–45:30]

• “The more I mess with Linux, the happier I am." – Russ [42:23]
• Linux distros (like Bazzite) lauded for reliability, fast wake/sleep modes, and not forcing AI integration.
• Justin: "Why not engage with something a little different and free yourself from some of these operating systems?" [44:51]

Android, Game Hub, and Playing PC Games on Phones [45:37–48:42]

• Griffin and Justin discuss Game Hub and Game Hub Lite—Android apps that bridge PC game collections and phones/tablets. Perfect for lightweight, non-3D titles.

Emulation and Old Game Archives [49:24–50:49]

• Justin: "If you can’t buy something, I think it’s wild to say you can’t obtain it...I'd much prefer people play [my old game]." [50:15]
• Mentions Amiga’s extensive gaming archives and relaxed stance on abandonware.

Libraries Offer Modern Game Access [50:49–51:07]

• Chris: "You can go to a library to play modern stuff." [50:49]
• Ribbing ensues, but it’s a real option!

Honorable Mentions & TV Picks [51:25–62:21]

YouTube & Engineering:

• Tom Scott’s Return: Ross highlights Tom Scott's new YouTube series, with a bell-breaking video especially recommended. [51:38]

TV Recommendations [52:16–61:20]

• Last One Laughing UK: Side-splitting competitive comedy returns, with high stakes due to returning champions. [52:16, 60:22]
• Neighbors (HBO Max): "One of the best things I’ve seen...little vignettes about two warring neighbors, [it's] a show about what happens when two people who are both big, strong personalities are forced to live next to each other." – Justin [53:22]
• Jury Duty: Company Retreat (Amazon): Real guy, everyone else is an actor. Season 2 is more improvisational, with the protagonist consistently choosing to stay and support fellow "employees," leading to hilarious scenarios. [55:00–59:29]

Gaming Picks:

• Sonic Racing Crossworlds: Chris boosts the game as a "Mario Kart alternative” with an all-star cast from Mega Man to Pac-Man and SpongeBob. [62:32]

Shoutouts & Patreon Supporters [62:51–63:36]

• Thanks to Patreon backers: Scant, Nathan H., Tom, and “Inclement Heather.”
• Patreon funds ensure the show’s continued existence.

Notable Quotes & Highlights

• "From the moment that boot screen loads up. Now, this—this is nostalgia." – Russ [03:13]
• "The game is baby's first deduction game. And I say that as a compliment." – Chris [04:32]
• “There are so many ways to engage with the hobby and...let history do its thing and go back and play the many, many, many classic games you could just download and play now…” – Justin [38:54]
• "If a game is going to weaponize this sort of dopamine mechanic, I think it's got to reckon with that in the story." – Justin [33:35]
• “It gets harder...not stuff you wouldn’t ease yourself into. I think it does a very good job of easing you into that level of deduction.” – Ross [14:59]
• "This is, from what I can tell, the first time in history where a major console's prices are going up as they get older." – Chris [35:52]

Episode Summary & Takeaways

• Creature Kitchen: A gentle, cleverly designed deduction/puzzle game with cozy-horror vibes, perfect for adults and kids, and emblematic of a current nostalgia wave for "indirect comfort" in gaming.
• Scritchy Scratchy: Delivers dopamine-driven idle mechanics—complete with meta commentary on gambling and the abstracted thrill loops that define modern games. Bursts of automation and risk manage to freshen up idle-game conventions while raising interesting questions about cultural normalization of gambling.
• PS5 Price Surge: Hardware is more expensive than ever, but the indie and retro scenes are thriving. The shift is inspiring both developers and players to focus on more accessible, inventive gaming experiences.
• Affordability Wins: The Besties emphasize downloadable classics, itch.io, emulation, open platforms like Linux, cloud streaming, and even public libraries as today’s best ways to play.
• Pop Culture Picks: Tom Scott’s YouTube return, Neighbors, Jury Duty, Last One Laughing UK, and Sonic Racing Crossworlds all earn host acclaim.

The episode’s message is clear: The cost of gaming’s cutting edge is daunting, but this is a golden era for inventive, affordable, and accessible play of every flavor—no matter what your hardware, wallet, or taste in weird cryptid raccoons.

Next Week:
Preview: The Besties will discuss the Super Mario Galaxy movie and debate whether to retire or revive regular movie quoting on the show.

[64:06] Chris Plant: "Next week we talked about Creature Kitchen, Scritchy Scratchy, last one, Laughing UK Neighbors on HBO Max, Jury Duty, Company Retreat, Sonic Racing, Crossworld's game, Hub Light, Mr. Big Song to be with you and that video. I helped break 142 year old bell. And that's okay."

For more:
Subscribe to The Besties Patreon for monthly bracket battles, bonus Restyz episodes, and other perks!