The Gangcast

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time playing Pokemon Pokopia, both together and on their own. Janet played a bit around launch but Isaiah was late to the party, and as you’d expect, Isaiah somehow lapped Janet in hours played. Listen to find out their thoughts on the game so far, what they would like to see improved, and if they think they’ll keep playing long term ( GAMES ). Then the gang talks...

Janet and Isaiah dive into the games, announcements, and demos they got to spend some time with at Summer Game Fest 2026. This year Isaiah was able to join in on the fun and attend so they talk about what going in person is like compared to following online ( GAMES ). Then, Isaiah’s birthday just passed so they talk a bit about what they did for it, how they like to celebrate, and what birthday tr...

Janet and Isaiah have an episode all about their habits when it comes to redoing things. First they talk about what games they’ve replayed multiple times, what was the last replay they’ve done, and what modern game they think might become a goto replay for them in the future ( GAMES ). Then they talk about their re-consumption of other media. What books might they reread, what tv shows or movies d...

Janet and Isaiah talk about Pragmata, the latest sci-fi arcade shooter from Capcom (with a bit of Resident Evil DNA if you ask Isaiah). They also talk about their goal of beating Slay The Spire 2 together playing as the same character and how that journey has been ( GAMES ). Then they talk about travel. Having just came back from Chicago they go over their travel habits, tips, tricks, worst moment...

Janet and Isaiah talk about some comfort games they’ve been playing lately. Isaiah relaxing with the “Picross meets Minesweeper” game Proverbs and Janet getting things done with Spirit City: Lofi Sessions ( GAMES ). Then they talk about having sports on in the house, what did they watch growing up, how do they watch games now, and what sports personalities might they try to watch together in the f...

Janet and Isaiah talk about going from really disliking a game to eventually liking it, is it something that’s happened to them, and how likely is someone to go through this. They also talk about their time playing NBA The Run as part of the (semi) open playstest, if they liked what they played, how does it compare to NBA Street, and if they’re planning on playing more once it’s finally out ( GAME...

Janet and Isaiah talk about what they’ve been playing. Isaiah dives into extraction shooters with Marathon and Janet gets the jump on things revisiting Hollow Knight Silksong’s Act 3 and Pragmata ( GAMES ). Then they talk about wrapping up the Demon Slayer saga in the house. Having now seen the Infinity Castle movie when it returned to theaters, they go over what it was like (re)watching the show,...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time with Resident Evil Requiem, the latest in the survival horror franchise. First going over things spoiler-free then diving into the nitty gritty on what they liked and disliked ( GAMES ). Then they talk about concerts. One loves them, the other not so much, but they go over their history with concerts, what about live music do they like the most, and who they’...

Janet and Isaiah talk about jumping into Slay the Spire 2 now that it’s finally out in early access! They go over their history with the game, what they like about the sequel, what’s new, and how it compares to the first ( GAMES ). Then they talk about how they’re back from their moving break. Packing up your life and moving to another apartment is never easy, but this one really took a lot out of...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time playing Love Eternal, a gravity flipping difficult platformer, and God of War Sons of Sparta, a surprise 2D metroidvania entry set in the world of God of War  ( GAMES ). Then they talk about going to a Resident Evil x Porsche launch event and their time riding in a very, very expensive and fast car ( NOT GAMES ). Poll of the Show: https://gamesandnotgames.com...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their recent PC Gaming renaissance happening in the house, what sparked this interest, what games they’ve been playing, and what they think isin store for them in the future ( GAMES ). Then they talk about going to sleep. They’re on a quest to find their ideal bedtime routines to get the best sleep they can and talk about what those routines are, how they try to track t...

Janet and Isaiah try to figure out what does it mean to be an exceptional game, what does it mean to innovate in a game, and ultimately try to decide if innovation is a requirement for making an exceptionally good game ( GAMES ). Then they talk about their media consumption, how many things they try to consume at once, and what media are they consuming and when ( NOT GAMES ). Poll of the Show: htt...

Janet and Isaiah create a new Backloggd account for Games And Not Games. In doing so they must come together and work out just what their shared Top 5 Favorite Games are ( GAMES ). Then they get into their financial life after being married and talk about what’s new, what’s been added, what’s just a little bit different, and what even is a credit union ( NOT GAMES ). Follow us on Backloggd ! Poll...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their history and goals with retro gaming. Having just went to a few stores in LA, they go over what they’re currently looking got, when they pull the trigger on a retro game, and when do they reach for… other means… to get their classic games ( GAMES ). Then they bring back a recent format and talk about their “lock-ins” and “leave-its” for the new year, helping each o...

Janet and Isaiah talk about what they’ve been playing during the holiday break and also go over what 2026 games they’re most excited to play ( GAMES ). Then they talk about going snowboarding together, what it was like, their experience with the sport, and if they’ll go again. Finally they talk about Janet finally going to The COSM to see The Matrix in “Shared Reality”, their thoughts on the exper...

Janet and Isaiah go over the second annual GANG of the Year awards. For each of the 7 "Games and not games" categories, Janet and Isaiah talk about their top choices, discuss what wins each category, and ultimately pit the 7 winners against each other to decide what walks away with the honor of being 2025's GANG of the Year! Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:18 Opening Ceremonies 02:06 Video Game of the...

Janet and Isaiah go over the results of The Game Awards 2025, share some of their favorite announcements and highlights, and tally up their prediction scores along with the GANG community to see how everyone did. Then they look forward into 2026 and share their Gaming Resolutions for next year ( GAMES ). Then they talk about what’s on their Todo lists before the end of the year, help each other de...

Janet and Isaiah go down the list of categories for The Game Awards 2025 and share their personal picks and predictions for who the winners will be ( GAMES ). Then they dive into what it’s been like getting back into reading, their reading habits, and what books they’ve been enjoying since picking the hobby back up ( NOT GAMES ). Poll of the Show: https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll Timestamps: 00:0...

Janet and Isaiah go over some games on the horizon that have them a little scared for one reason or another. Whether they think the game might be mad, a little disappointing, or just too massive, they walk through some of their fears and hopes for the titles ( GAMES ). Then, in the spirit of resurrecting the dead, Janet and Isaiah talk about some hobbies they’ve brought back out, what made them pi...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time with Hollow Knight: Silksong now that they’ve both had some major time to play it. What they think of the first act, how it compares to Hollow Knight 1, and if it lands on their Top-10 games of the year so far. They also both have started Pokemon: Legends  Z-A and share some initial thoughts on that adventure ( GAMES ). Then, it finally happened! Janet and Is...

Janet and Isaiah talk about when is it time to give up on a game, what are reasons you abandon playing a game to the end, and what games are on the chopping block to get dropped by them? They also compile a quick list of all the reasons they think someone might commonly abandon a game ( GAMES ). Then they talk about The Matrix movies. Isaiah only having seen the first 1 and Janet only having seen...

Janet and Isaiah talk about Janet going international to attend Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, Germany. From Opening Night Live, to playing indie games, Janet and Isaiah recap some of the announcements and go over what games caught their attention ( GAMES ). Then they talk about their trip to Minnesota, trying out the (in)famous Juicy Lucy, seeing some Gangcast fans at the MinnMax meetup, and exploring...

Janet and Isaiah talk about Janet maybe starting Monster Train? Having Slay the Spire experience under her belt, they touch on if they think it’s a good time to pick up something new. They then pick a handful of games studios and try to find out what’s the best game from each one, touching on their history with the studio, its franchises, and more ( GAMES ). Then they talk about their past, presen...

Janet and Isaiah talk about the latest updates in Janet’s Slay the Spire journey. They then talk about if they’re bananas for Bananza, their thoughts on the latest DK game, what they like, what they don’t like, and how they think it sits against other games in the genre ( GAMES ). Then they talk about cooking in the Garcia-Smith household. They go over what their goto meals are, their best recipes...

Janet and Isaiah talk about Slay the Spire, a modern classic roguelike deckbuilder that’s captured Janet’s attention while playing around with Nintendo Switch 2’s virtual game card sharing. From poisoning foes to building energy, Janet seems to be really enjoying her runs so far. Lets just hope this doesn’t take a turn for the worse ( GAMES ). Then they talk about attending Anime Expo 2025 in the...