Beat Your Backlog- Video Game Podcast

We are back in the world of Final Fantasy 16 with the brand new The Rising Tides DLC, exploring the beautiful region of Mysidia and uncovering the mysterious disappearance of the Water Eikon: Leviathan. Do you plan to check out the FF16 DLC or have you done so already? If you’re a Spotify listener, let me know by answering the question down in the description and if you are listening elsewhere, le...

This week we are aboard the starship Fedora 1, stranded at the bottom of the ocean on an alien planet, in Slowbros' magnificent hand crafted game Harold Halibut. This game is an absolute must play and is my favourite game of 2024 so far, so make sure you check it out! If you’re in the mood to experience another narrative driven indie game with a unique art style, check out episode 27 of the po...

This week I ‘suffer not the heretic to live’ in Warhammer 40K:Boltgun by Auroch Digital and Focus Entertainment. You may know this game as the DOOM-like 'boomer-shooter' set in the Warhammer 40K universe. Though the game looks visually stunning and seems a no-brainer for the mix of doom FPS and Warhammer 40K, is it actually any good? If you enjoyed this episode and you’re in the mood to li...

Venba just won the Seumas Mcnally Grand Prize at the Independent Game Festival but what is the game about and is it worth knocking off your backlog? Let's find out in this week's episode. In addition, I also give you my impressions of the SandLand demo that was recently released. If you enjoyed this episode and you’re in the mood to experience a bit more about Indian culture in video games...

Meg's Monster is an indie game hidden gem you need to check out. The game popped up a few times at the end of 2023 on peoples' Game of the year list, but why is it so good? Find out in this week's episode! Have you checked out Meg’s Monster already or is it still sitting in your backlog? If you’re a Spotify listener, let me know by answering the question down in the description and if...

Having seen the remaster’s high scores, enjoying most of my time with Metroid Dread and trying to get myself hyped up for Metroid Prime 4, I decided I should finally try out Metroid Prime for the very first time. I was interested to know, is the game really that good or is its acclaim based on nostalgia critics and fans have from when they played the original back in 2002? Let’s find out in this w...

We return to my game of the year for 2023 this week in the new Final Fantasy XVI DLC, Echoes of the Fallen. It felt great to return to the world of Valisthea and get back into the awesome story of Clive, Jill and Joshua. But since there has been six months or so since the game's release and the DLC coming out, is it worth your time to go back to? Let's discuss in this week's episode. I...

Goodbye Volcano High is an indie gem from 2023 I wish I'd played sooner. It's story is about a group of anthropomorphic dinosaurs faced with their senior year in high school also being their final year on Earth. The game is filled with believable and likable characters, top notch voice acting and a fantastic story about these Dino-Humans trying to find their way through life, which very so...

In a first for the podcast we are reviewing a game on the Nintendo Wii! The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is a classic and a game I have wanted to play for years. However, does it hold up after nearly 20 years and what is the experience like playing on an original Nintendo Wii? Find out in this week's episode. What was experience of Twilight Princess, is it still on your backlog? In addit...

This week we are checking out Thunderful's newest addition to the SteamWorld franchise, SteamWorld Build. The game is the SteamWorld version of a city-builder and like with other games in the SW franchise, it takes a pre-existing genre, adds a twist and the SW charm to it. and makes itself stand out from the competition. The game is perfect for city-builder newbs, especially if you have Xbox G...

2024 is here and in this episode I am looking forward to some of the best games coming this year! I've tried to make sure the list is a mix between AAA and indie and really want to should off what some of the best games coming out in 2024 are. There are games for all platforms too, from PC, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch, so there is something for everybody in this video game podcast. Let me kn...

2023 has been a fantastic game for video games, probably the best ever. In this episode I discuss my top 10 favourite games of 2023 and also list some games that I wish I had played this year, but didn't have the time for. If you're interested in the indies I mentioned here they are: Born of Bread, Goodbye Volcano High, VIDEOVERSE Small Saga, Backpack Hero, Lucky Hero, 2023 has been a grea...

Today we will be facing our seven-not-so-evil exes in Outerloop Games and Annapurna Interactives’ Thirsty Suitors. The best way to describe this game is a mix between Scott Pilgrim vs the World and the TV show Sex education, with turn-based battles and Tony Hawk-like skateboarding thrown in to add some spice to this already well seasoned game. Its story of a 20-something Indian-American woman call...

Indie or not indie? Well that is up to you. In this episode I will be discussing the hot potato topic of Dave the Diver and why the game didn't quite gel with me. Is Dave the Diver one of the best indie or independent games of the year? I don't think so. The game has a lot of positives; it looks great, has a cool concept of hunting fish to serve in a sushi restaurant and it has tons of cha...

Today we will be climbing, hand by hand, piton by piton up a sheer cliff in Don’t Nod’s Jusant and will be doing a quick round up of Nintendo’s recent Indie World presentation. Jusant- pronounced zhu-sahn is a French word meaning ‘ebbing tide’. Pretty much as soon as you enter Don’t Nod’s stunning new game, you realise why they gave it this name. The world is desolate, a place that once flourished...

Shocking, I know. As a kid I never grew up playing Mario games but tried to get into them as a teenager when the new 2D Super Mario Bros came out on the Nintendo DS. I never 'got' those games, they felt a little bit bland. . . so will Mario Wonder get me into 2D Mario games and is the game worth playing? Spoilers: YES! This game is fantastic, Wonder is up there with the quality of Odyssey,...

In this episode I am joined once again by Kaspar as we discuss our initial thoughts on Square Enix's Final Fantasy XVI and if it is the best Final Fantasy ever. Then I round up June's Annapurna Interactive showcase and discuss some of the best indie games shown during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase. There is many epic looking indies there and most are coming to Xbox Game Pass! Please r...

Nintendo came out and blew us away yesterday with their Mario mania Nintendo Direct. 2023 has gone from one of the weaker looking years for the Nintendo Switch to one of the strongest with the announcement of Super Mario Wonder, Super Mario RPG, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC and Pikmin 4. In this episode I also talk about my video game experiences during my holiday in Japan and what the Super Nin...

Ravenlok is the new indie game from Cococucumber that debuted on Xbox Game Pass earlier this month. It's an action adventure game set within the lore of Alice in Wonderland but has its own unique story and gorgeous art style that makes this game one of the best looking indie games, ever. However, the game is lacking in some respects like its combat and quest system but if you have a few hours...

In this weeks episode I commit the worst crime imaginable- tax evasion- in Snoozy Kazoo's wonderful indie gem- Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion. The game is a 2D Zelda-like with stunning art, bags of character and a fantastic story, which ends up in a completely different place to where I was expecting. Plus, the game only takes 2-3 hours to beat, so if you are looking to take a break from Tears...

It's dangerous to go alone, listen to this! ZELDA IS HERE and I spent all day yesterday playing it because I wanted to bring YOU my initial thoughts about the game as quickly as I can. The reviews have been outstanding for this game but there are a few things about Tears of the Kingdom that haven't quite won me over yet. Please remember to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed the ep...

13, unlucky for some. Maybe that's why I was so negative in this episode! I tried my hardest to play the most recent Xbox Game Studios release: Redfall. After about two hours I rage quit from the game and uninstalled it from my console. Redfall seems like a lot of good ideas taken from other games mixed into one but lacks any real focus, drive or direction. Its intriguing story and interesting...

Today, I’m traveling back in time and rekindling my love for a real time strategy classic- Age of Empire II. As a teenager, I was obsessed with the original Age of Empires II. I spent hundreds of hours playing the game back on an old PC that my grandad built for me, and would experiment with every aspect of the game from the story campaigns to building my own maps. I even remember buying the PS2 p...

In this episode I recap the recent Nintendo Indie World presentation and give me opinion on what indies coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2023 look the best! I remember these Indie World presentations used to be a huge deal when the Switch first released, back when they were called Nindie Presentations. So, I'm excited to see what indie games will becoming to the Nintendo Switch later this year...

In Dredge you play as a lonely fisherman, on a voyage to find better waters and greater prosperity in the isolated village of Greater Marrow. On your trip over the turbulent seas, your vessel gets lost in a deep and dense fog, leading you to crash on the jagged rocks below Great Marrow’s lighthouse. You survive the crash and are approached by the Mayor of the town, who is willing to sell you a bro...