Shapes of Gaming

We just got back from MAGFest and what a ride it was. From free arcades, live concerts to meeting fellow gamers and seeing dear friends sharing the same passion for video games. This event delivered in every way once again. In this episode, we break down what we did, what we saw, the lore created and why MAGFest continues to be one of the best gaming conventions out there. With special guests Cale...

It’s draft day. The League of Greatness is back for 2026, and it’s time to lock in picks, make bold calls, dread the counter picks, and stake our claim in the lineup that could give us the gold or dead last this year. This bonus episode is all about the strategy, the surprises, and the chaos that only the FantasyCritic draft can deliver. With special guests Caleb Shiff @AdmiralMerps, Bo Ben @BOrri...

2025 is officially in the books. In this first episode of the year, we look back at our personal PlayStation stats for 2025, reflect on the games that defined the year for us, and put a pin in what has been one of the biggest years in gaming. Thank you all for an amazing year. and we truly appreciate every single listener as we go into 2026. • Drinks and Life • What We’ve Been Playing -Alan Wake 2...

The dust has settled and The Game Awards are officially in the books. In this episode, we break down the winners, the biggest surprises of the night, and all the news and announcements that came out of gaming’s biggest stage. • Drinks and Life • What We’ve Been Playing -Alan Wake 2 -Metroid Prime 4: Beyond • Latest News Announcements -The Game Awards Winners • Thanks for Listening!

This week we’re gearing up for one of the biggest moments in gaming. Before the show hits, we’re breaking down our predictions, reacting to the latest news, and talking about what we think will actually happen versus what we want to happen. It’s almost here and we are hyped. • Drinks and Life • What We’ve Been Playing -Metroid Prime 4 Beyond -Ghost of Yotei -Alan Wake -Alan Wake II • Latest News A...

We’re jumping into one of the most legendary eras in gaming. The 32-bit generation that changed everything, storytelling, 3D worlds, cinematic, soundtracks, and the way we experienced games forever. This generation has some of or favorite gems when we were teenagers. In this episode, we look back at the games that defined the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and Sega Saturn as we pick our favorite 32...

It’s that time of year again. The nominees for The Game Awards are out, the debates have begun, and the voting polls are officially open for the show. In this episode, we go through the major categories, talk about who earned their spot, who got snubbed, and who we’re personally voting for this year. From the heavy hitters like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to the...

It’s that time of year again. The nominees for The Game Awards are out, the debates have begun, and the voting polls are officially open for the show. In this episode, we go through the major categories, talk about who earned their spot, who got snubbed, and who we’re personally voting for this year. From the heavy hitters like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to the...

We’re back with another week of gaming conversations, good drinks, and whatever else life is throwing our way. In this episode, we dive into the latest news, talk about the games we’ve been playing and have an awesome conversation with our special guests Caleb Shiff @admiralmerps and Bo Ben @BOrritoSupreme • Drinks and Life • Latest News Announcements • What We’ve Been Playing -Ghost of Yotei -Bal...

This week we jump into one of our favorite genres of all time. Metroidvanias have shaped the way we explore, discover, and get lost in the worlds developers create, and today we break down the ones that left the biggest impact. From side scrolling classics to modern masterpieces, we share our favorite experiences and what makes this genre so endlessly replayable. • Drinks and Life • Latest News An...

Every gamer has the backlog. The pile of incredible games we swear we’ll get to someday. In this episode, we finally face ours head on and reveal our Top 10 . The titles we’ve been meaning to play, replay, or finish for far too long. From classics we’ve missed to modern masterpieces still in shrink wrap, it’s time to confess our gaming sins. With special guest Caleb (admiralmerps)

A new chapter begins. After months of planning, testing, and building, Shapes of Gaming officially goes visual! We talk about the journey to launching video, the challenges of setup and editing, and how this evolution will shape the show going forward. It's short, raw, real, and just the start of something much bigger. Welcome to the next level of Shapes of Gaming. This podcast will publish in a d...

It’s that time of year again. The lights go dim, controllers tighten in sweaty hands, and the sounds in the dark feel a little too real. In this spooky special, we dive into our favorite survival horror games, the ones that scared us, thrilled us, and stuck with us long after the credits rolled. From haunted mansions to foggy towns, psychological terror to blood pumping panic, these are the games...

Nintendo clearly doesn’t care about Metroid (again), beloved video game developers are disappearing left and right, and Remedy might be losing their magic touch. In this episode, we discuss the heartbreak of watching major studios collapse, franchises get ignored, and creative momentum get squandered in a rapidly shifting industry. A mix of frustration, passion, hope, and maybe a little coping. En...

We talk all about the latest news this week in video games, an incredible live video game concert we had the pleasure of experiencing. A spicy rant and debate on if we are ready for the PS6, fall brews and good company all around. Enjoy the show •Drinks and Life -The Witcher Concert •Latest News Announcements •What We've Been Playing -Puzzle Quest Immortal Edition -Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivali...

It’s happening folks, it’s over. The console wars are done. We talk about the heavy rumors of Halo and the announcement coming this month. We go on rants about many things in the gaming world and rightfully so. Buckle up and get ready for this spicy episode. •Drinks and Life -Colorado Fall -TRON Ares •What We've Been Playing -Borderlands 4 -Metroid Prime Remastered -Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ival...

It is a dark day in gaming and we have some unfortunate news to discuss. With that said, there is hope in the amazing games that have released consistently this year and let’s hope that keeps up regardless of the shakeups in the industry as a whole. •Drinks and Life •What We've Been Playing -Borderlands 4 •Latest News Announcements •Thanks for Listening!

We cover all the recent news from Kojima, PlayStation and the industry as a whole. •Drinks and Life •Latest News Announcements •What We've Been Playing -Borderlands 4 -Hollow Knight Silksong •Main Topic •Thanks for Listening!

We talk about the Nintendo Direct News and everything announced. With Special Guest Ryan Barrett @metroiddatabase talking about everything Metroid, MAGFest and Nintendo and what it means to be a hug Metroid fan in one of the most exciting years for the series. •What We've Been Playing -Borderlands 4 -Hollow Knight: SIlksong -Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater  00:00:00 Introduction and Speci...

We do a deep dive into the strange, haunting world of Death Stranding 2 and crack it wide open. We talk at length about expanding the Chiral Network once again, our history with Kojima's past games and our experience with one of the greatest games to release this year. This one is another long one because there’s a lot of ground to cover, so feel free to listen in parts. We’ve broken it up into se...

We talk about drinks, video games, Hollow Knight Silksong and Borderlands 4. 00:00:00 Introduction to 'Shapes of Gaming' 00:01:16 Surprise and Anticipation in Gaming 00:02:45 Apple Event and Naming Conventions 00:04:07 Nintendo Direct Speculations 00:11:01 PlayStation's 30th Anniversary and Microsoft's Strategy 00:14:49 Nintendo's Legal Actions Against Genki 00:16:57 Impressions of Hollow Knight S...

The September whirlwind of games releasing this month.  00:00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:00:47 Beer and Gaming 00:03:33 Seasonal Beer Discussions 00:05:01 Life in Colorado 00:10:02 Labor Day Weekend Recap 00:16:23 Community and Fantasy Draft 01:05:54 Hollow Knight Excitement 01:09:43 Gaming Industry Insights 01:24:10 Metal Gear Solid Series Discussion 01:42:30 Kojima's Legacy and Game Aging 0...

We list the games that we love we would like to see Remakes or Remasters sometime soon. 00:00:00 Intro   00:00:24 Introduction and Podcast Theme  00:00:52 Beer Choices and Benefits   00:06:44 Podcast Growth and Team Members   00:12:02 Musical Appreciation: Dream Theater   00:18:25 Community and Support  00:22:27 Gaming Discussions: Gears of War and Army of Two  ...

We go over all the announcements and what turned out to be a pretty great Opening Show for Gamescom 2025 •Drinks and Life -OneWheel Adventures - ComicCon 2025 •Latest News Announcements •What We've Been Playing -The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales -Shinobi: Art of Vengence -Death Stranding 2: On the Beach -Sword of the Sea •Main Topic -Gamescom 2025 •Thanks for Listening!

Time to get nostalgic and take a trip back to the 90’s. We dig deep into the memories of our childhood and some of the games that were part of the golden age of gaming. Talking about our top 10 favorite 16 bit games with special gust Caleb Schiff! (admiralmerps) joining the conversation and rounding out a trio of season gamers that go back to the golden age of video games on this special episode....