Gaming In The Wild - Video Game Reviews

This week's episode is a grab bag featuring some chat about the Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake, which is pretty true to the original, with some significant fixes; Cobalt Core, a nice little sick deckbuilder I picked up in the Steam Summer Sale; Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, another winning title in Capcom's banner year; and Vampire Crawlers, which won me over slowly...

This week's episode is about the June Steam Next Fest. It was another huge event featuring over 5000 (!) demos — the GITW community played about 150 of them, and the show features a rundown of my top ten, and then the community vote for Best of the Fest. In the roundup: Star Fox, Alabaster Dawn, Vampire Crawlers. You can join the show's Patreon for Discord ($1+), a free hand-picked indie g...

This week is a tale of two deckbuilders, with reviews of Moonsigil Atlas, and the excellent and surprising Black Jacket, which does interesting things with how cards games and narrative design intersect. In the roundup: Mina The Hollower, Summer Game Fest, gen ATLAS, Signet City, how to pronounce "Laufey", and more. Join Patreon for the Discord, and extras from me: http://patreon.com/gamin...

This week's pod is a grab bag of new games, including some warm takes on the much anticipated pixel art adventure Mina The Hollower, and the widescreen stealth-action blockbuster 007: First Light. Then we have some mid-playthrough thoughts on dreamy photography game OPUS: Prism Peak, and what's going on with promising deckbuilder Fame or Folly (which I'm actually helping out on, a litt...

This week's podcast is a double-header: we have a full featured review of the excellent, original, surprising Pragmata — and a pretty chunky look at the recently released and well-reviewed (and regrettably review-bombed) Mixtape. We're really in the thick of 2026 now, and the releases are coming thick and fast, so I decided to cover both games in one bumper hourlong episode. In the roundup...

This week I'm joined by AP Thomson, the developer of Titanium Court, to discuss the release of one of the most creative indie games of the year so far. We talked about magic and mania, fairy stories, developing during lockdown, and the NYC gamedev scene that AP is a part of. In the roundup: Pragmata, REPLACED, Dosa Divas, Mixtape. Join Patreon for Discord and extras from me: http://patreon.com...

This week's episode is a field report from the London Games Festival, including a glimpse of the industry-focussed events, and a report from the show floor of New Game Plus. Games played: Rewilders, Wax Heads, Dark Scrolls, The Florist, Mandrake, Please Watch The Artwork, Rhell, Hearth & Harbour, and There are No Ghosts At the Grand. Additional interviews: Jason from So Many Games, and Hil...

This week's episode is a very special one. It's a conversation with Oscar Rydelius, aka Ratvader — the composer behind the inspired, symphonic soundtrack of Ultros, and its stunning audio and ambience. This interview was originally recorded for Lost In Cult as part of my work on the Ultros: Design Works book. It was included in the deluxe edition on CD. Special thanks to Shaun and Lost In...

This weeks episode is a grab-bag looking at an assortment of recent releases, and some games we have to look forward to in the month ahead, including: Cursed Words, Dosa Divas, Moomintroll Winter’s Warmth. Gecko Gods, Aether & Iron, Fishbowl, RACCOIN: A Coin-pushing Roguelike, Fame or Folly, Eternal Afternoon, Starfield, Moves of the Diamond Hand, Dosa Divas, Gecko Gods, OPUS: Prism Peak, Prag...

This week's episode has an interview with Michael French, head of the London Games Festival. He dropped by to talk about the programme, the venue change, and the place of of games in culture — and to answer some lightning round questions like "Spyro or Crash?", "worst controller?", and "best ever indie game?". Find more info on the event at http://games.london . In the...

This week's episode is about the wildly creative, utter bonkers, critically divisive Romeo Is A Dead Man, the latest from Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture. It's a game that throws a huge amount at the wall, from classic hack 'n' slash ('n' guns) combat, to '80s pulp cinema, Japanese mythology, UK rock iconography, Lychian surrealism, and classical philosophy. For me,...

This week's podcast is all about February's Steam Next Fest — a feast of new games that myself and the GITW community enjoyed to the fullest. First we run through my impressions of the 20 or so games I played, then move on to a personal top five, and the community's top ten game picks. We had a record number of particpants, with over 150 demos played — thanks as always to patrons Slate...

Duskpunk is a quite brilliant "Sleeper-like" that came out at the tail end of last year. Set in the gritty, murky, war-torn city of Dredgeport, it casts those addictive, multi-functional dice and clock tabletop mechanics in a gritty Steampunk world. In the roundup: Romeo Is A Dead Man, Persona 5 Royal, Raccoin, REPLACED, and Steam Next Fest.  Join Patreon for Discord and extras and the Nex...

This weeks episode is a bumper one. First, there's a review Cairn, the ambitious granular climbing simulator; then, there's a 50-game guide ot the games we have to look forward to in 2026. In the roundup: Balatro (... yup, again), and Assassin's Creed Origins, of all things. Support the pod & join the patron community: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild YouTube channel: http://yout...

ARC Raiders is a multiplayer phenomenon and a surprise smash-hit that’s drawn in players not usually into that kind of thing: including me. To discuss, I’m joined by my ARC wingperson and MVP Ciarán Daly, to talk player behaviour, AI, emergent gameplay, and more. In the roundup: ROG Ally X, MIO: Memories In Orbit, Cairn, Cauldron. Watch me and Ciarán play the game: https://youtube.com/playlist?lis...

After spending December playing GOTY catchup and posting deliberations with various brilliant guests, it's crunch time. This episode is my personal games of the year list for 2025. Support the pod, join the patron Discord, and get a game code for 1000xRESIST, Citizen Sleeper, Ultros, or In Other Waters: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild . See the YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch...

The votes are cast and counted, and it's time to unveil the results of the Gaming In The Wild patron GOTY vote 2025! This annual fixture has slowly eclipsed my own GOTY list as the most-hype podcast of GOTY season in my mind. We had a record-breaking 50 voters, selecting 88 games, and one final winner. And to help me go through the results, I had one special guest: Blinkoom aka Steve from Indi...

This week's show is me catching up on a couple of intriguing late-year indie releases. Skate Story is a fantastical skating game where we play a demon skating out of hell to eat the moon — it's a masterclass in both skating mechanics and aesthetic. DISPATCH is the blockbuster visual novel that takes an original spin on a superhero story, with very human themes. Join the Patreon to support...

This week's podcast is a GOTY roundup with Brad Gallaway from the excellent So Videogames podcast. Brad brings a mixture of big hitters and hidden gems, including at least four games I hadn't even heard of before, so open your wishlists, and enjoy his picks! You can find the So Videogames podcast here: https://gamecritics.com/podcasts/ Hop into Patreon to support this show and join the lis...

GOTY season is upon us! This year's special guest series kicks off with Ben from The Mimic's Veil, who dropped by to talk Silksong hot takes, Clair Obscur, The Game Awards, Consume Me, and some of the indie gems that he's hoping to squeeze in before year end. Find the Mimic's Veil on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/themimicsveil.bsky.social . Support this podcast on Patreon (and...

This week's episode has a big November indie game preview section, as well as some chat about PowerWash Simulator 2, Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs, Possessor(s), Kirby Air Riders global test, Battle Suit Aces, Turtle Beach's Atlas 200 headset, and more. Enjoy! Support on Patreon:  http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild . November releases video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skEO-PmIa...

This week's episode is a an indie horror roundup, with mini-reviews of Buckshot Roulette and Clover Pit — the child (and grandchild) of Inscryption. The featured review is of Mouthwashing: a slowly unravelling space crew nightmare that's essential, but not for the faint of heart. Then finally, we have the community Next Fest roundup! Support on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild ....

BALL X PIT is close to perfect. It mixes diverse influences, from '80s arcade games, to '90s twin-stick shooters, bullet heavens, Balatro-likes, and the very best of the 2020s roguelike trend — all of which results in a compelling, addictive, and satisfyingly contemporary shoot ‘em up experience that stands shoulder to shoulder with its influences. In the roundup: Next Fest community event...

This week's grab bag episode includes first thoughts on Hades II, mid-game thoughts on the charming turn-based cartoon battler Wander Stars, and (spoiler free) final thoughts on Death Standing 2: On The Beach. In the roundup: all the news from the Tokyo Games Show, including the Nintendo, Xbox, Sony, and Annapurna directs that happened this month, and a light review of some Switch 2 accessorie...

Hollow Knight: Silksong is here! Join me as I recount my fraught and torrid journey through the kingdom of Pharloom. It's a wondrous place — immersive, vast, absorbing — but it's held within a game that's ruthlessly difficult, and trolls the player in a way that I've found difficult to enjoy. In the roundup: Time Flies, Lumines Remastered, Snakebyte Switch 2 accessories. Support th...