Podcast Title: The Besties
Episode: Revisiting our "Most Anticipated Games" of 2024
Release Date: November 8, 2024
Hosts: Chris Plante, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Russ Frushtick

1. Reflecting on 2024 Game Predictions

The episode kicks off with the hosts evaluating their predictions made at the beginning of 2024 regarding the most anticipated video games. They candidly discuss the accuracy of their forecasts, acknowledging both hits and misses.

• Griffin McElroy admits his predictions were off:
  "I'm going to go ahead and admit this because I'm a big enough man to admit when I put up some real stinky bricks. And I think that my hit rate was low and my miss rate was incredibly high." (09:00)

• Russ Rush points out the challenge of predicting breakout titles, especially those that gain popularity post-launch:
  "A lot of the games on this list are like bigger games. And it wasn't necessarily the best year for big, big games." (09:54)

2. In-Depth Game Reviews

The hosts delve into specific games they had anticipated for 2024, analyzing how these titles performed against their expectations.

Dragon's Dogma 2

• Griffin McElroy shares mixed feelings about the game’s technical aspects:
  "Has that one gotten any... I love it from Capcom. I mean my position on Dragon's Dogma 2 is there's a lot of stuff I really, really like in here and then some stuff that makes me want to pull my fucking hair out." (11:41)

• Justin McElroy praises the game for delivering on its promises:
  "My take is you can't say it didn't deliver on what you wanted Dragon's Dogma 2 to have in it." (12:17)

Unicorn Overlord

• Christopher Thomas Plant expresses surprise over the game's niche appeal:
  "I should have known that it wouldn't be my sort of game because it is a hardcore tactics game and that ultimately was a huge barrier for me." (13:22)

• Griffin McElroy appreciates its mechanics but notes its limited audience:
  "There are systems to do that in Unicorn Overlord, but it's not like a fire emblem where..." (13:33)

No Man's Sky & Metaphor

• Griffin McElroy shares excitement about his increased engagement with No Man's Sky:
  "I got into No Man's Sky more this year than I ever had. Doing just like the Expeditions and playing the game sort of the way it was meant to be played. It was real fucking fun." (23:25)

• Justin McElroy highlights the community's role in enhancing the game experience:
  "When everybody had finished the game and then it was just full fucking scavenger hunt mode to see, like, what other deep, deep, deep coded secrets we could find..." (26:08)

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

• Griffin McElroy voices strong criticism over the game's departure from the original:
  "There's too much bullshit in this game, gang. There's too much baloney happening. Just do me a favor and remake Final Fantasy 7." (26:35)

• Russ Rush concurs, expressing disappointment in the narrative and gameplay changes:
  "The open world stuff was also not great." (27:33)

Persona 3

• Griffin McElroy discusses his lukewarm reception of the remake:
  "There's just something about the setting and characters and plot that don't really hook me in the same way that the other Persona games do." (29:17)

Hades 2

• Justin McElroy remains optimistic about the sequel's potential despite limited updates:
  "There's a lot of games that are looking at your lunch. The plate that says Greg, they're trying to eat it." (30:41)

Alone in the Dark

• Griffin McElroy anticipates the episode's discussion becomes self-referential as Justin plans to play the game post-podcast:
  "You guys better hope it's not, because that will be. It's going to be an itchy November for you boys trying to avoid playing it." (57:11)

3. Holiday Gift Guide for Gamers

Transitioning from game reviews, the hosts provide a comprehensive guide for holiday gifting tailored to different types of gamers.

Gifts for Parents

• Griffin McElroy suggests the Great Deku Tree LEGO Set:
  "You can build it to either look like the Great Deku Tree in Breath of the Wild or the Great Deku Tree in Ocarina of Time." (37:22)

• Russ Rush recommends the Zen Grip Ronin for Nintendo Switch enthusiasts:
  "This is the only grip that I've used that actually allows you to still put it in the dock so you don't have to like de grip it." (39:31)

Gifts for Teenagers

• Christopher Thomas Plant highlights the Undertale Kitchen Collection:
  "It's a full kitchen set. If you're getting into cooking and you just want something adorable, I think this is your best bet." (40:16)

• Griffin McElroy recommends the Divoom Ditto Pro Retro Pixel Art Device:
  "It's a little device where you can make pixel art animations or download other people's. It's an absolute slam dunk." (40:58)

Gifts for Indie Gamers Who Have Everything

• Christopher Thomas Plant suggests "Crimson Diamond" and "How a Game Lives":
  "'How a Game Lives' is the annotated essays by Jake Geller for all of his YouTube videos." (46:23)

Gifts for Old School PC Gamers

• Russ Rush recommends Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Accessories:
  "For them, that's basically what I wrote down was Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Accessories." (47:50)

Gifts for Console Gamers

• Justin McElroy envisions the Sega Genesis Mini as a hit among console enthusiasts:
  "A room full of eight kids just like pounding through the entire new Splatter House. It was astounding." (41:56)

Secret Santa Suggestions

• Griffin McElroy and Justin McElroy emphasize fun and functional gifts like pillowcases and DIY trinkets:
  "For $35, they can get a kiss of the good life with two ultra-soft comfort flannel pillowcases." (50:20)

4. Notable Insights and Humor

Throughout the episode, the hosts interject humor and personal anecdotes to keep the conversation lively and engaging.

• Russ Rush humorously reflects on unexpected game performances:
  "Every single person who plays it is on board and it's dynamite." (25:09)

• Griffin McElroy shares playful banter about subscriptions and gift shopping stress:
  "Us gamers got a game and there's nothing that can stop us." (33:38)

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with the hosts expressing excitement for future discussions and thanking their patrons. They tease upcoming content, including a new bracket battles episode, ensuring listeners have reasons to return.

Notable Quotes:

• "I think a lot of my favorite games of the year I did not clock." — Griffin McElroy (09:19)
• "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth... Too much bullshit in this game." — Griffin McElroy (26:35)
• "The experience that we had in the... ...the social experience of reviewing that game was really, really cool." — Griffin McElroy (25:35)
• "You just don't need to cross the finish line until you have finished the beer you opened right before starting the race." — Griffin McElroy (58:54)

Timestamp Reference Guide:

• [09:00] – Reflecting on Prediction Accuracy
• [09:54] – Challenges in Predicting Big Games
• [11:41] – Dragon's Dogma 2 Technical Feedback
• [12:17] – Justin on Dragon's Dogma 2 Delivery
• [13:22] – Unicorn Overlord's Niche Appeal
• [13:33] – Limited Audience for Unicorn Overlord
• [23:25] – Griffin on No Man's Sky Engagement
• [26:08] – Community Enhancing No Man's Sky
• [26:35] – Critique of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• [27:33] – Open World Issues in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• [29:17] – Persona 3 Remake Reception
• [30:41] – Justin on Hades 2 Updates
• [37:22] – LEGO Set Recommendation for Parents
• [39:31] – Zen Grip Ronin for Nintendo Switch
• [40:16] – Undertale Kitchen Collection for Teens
• [40:58] – Divoom Ditto Pro for Teens
• [46:23] – Recommendations for Indie Gamers
• [47:50] – Flight Simulator Accessories for PC Gamers
• [50:20] – Secret Santa Pillowcase Suggestion
• [58:54] – Karimart Drinking Rules in Mario Kart

This detailed summary captures the essence of "The Besties" episode on revisiting their most anticipated games of 2024, offering insights into their predictions, game evaluations, and practical holiday gifting advice for gamers of all types.