Unofficial Controller Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Final Fantasy VII Rebirth grabbed us by the scruff and reminded us how an open world can feel alive without drowning you in chores. We dig into why the new exploration loop works—think the curiosity of Breath of the Wild, the gathering rhythm of Horizon, and a dash of Xenoblade’s scale—then point to the quiet magic of Kalm, a bustling town that feels worth lingering in. Streamline...

Send us Fan Mail Three hundred episodes in and we still can’t shut up about games, community, and the wild lore that got us here. We kick off with the triumphant return of OG Tom, celebrate the 300th with heartfelt thanks, and then dive into a stacked “what we’re playing” that spans razor-sharp indies, comfort food cozies, and big-budget nostalgia. Silksong delivers a perfect late-game skill check...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wish a new release felt like the best parts of the 16-bit era without the grind or the guesswork? That’s the spark behind our deep dive into Terminator 2D: No Fate—an affectionate, modern-built throwback that marries beat-em-up grit, run-and-gun pacing, and side-scrolling driving with clever movie nods and genuinely meaningful branching paths. It’s the rare licensed game that...

Send us Fan Mail Hades 2 feels like the rare sequel that actually earns its extra systems. We dig into the above world’s health-drain tension, smart spellcrafting, and why a simple fishing rod supports progression without padding the grind. Then we pivot into Red Dead Redemption’s PS5 upgrade and make the case for “gentle touch-ups” over full remasters—60 fps and cleaner presentation that keep the...

Send us Fan Mail Ever have a week where you just want a straight hit of games, news, and honest opinions without the fluff? That’s the energy today. I kick things off with Hades 2 on Switch 2 and why its small, thoughtful touches—like audio cues that swell into boss fights—make it the perfect half-hour loop when life is busy. The Switch 2 port holds steady in handheld and docked, and those fast ru...

Send us Fan Mail This week George and the infamous RGT get stuck in with your latest weekly dose of the worlds favourite gaming podcast. They touch on what they’ve been playing with RGT struggling with a burgeoning Hades 2 addiction and George being George and he’s playing a broken simulator from 5 years ago that no one played even then. The boys bring you the latest news such as Switch 2 going he...

Send us Fan Mail A shooter can live or die by how it feels in your hands. That’s where we start: unpacking why Halo’s air control and sticky mid-jump chaos still feel unmatched, while Resistance 2’s heavier, cover-first design delivers a different kind of tension. From checkpoint pain to flow states, we break down how movement, framerate, and responsiveness shape the stories we remember long after...

Send us Fan Mail What if the best gaming experiences aren’t the biggest, but the most focused? We kick off with Resistance 2 and talk through how creepier enemies, smarter encounters, and a tighter campaign deliver more satisfaction than bloated epics. It’s a reminder that balance matters, and 12–15 hour games still hit a sweet spot when your schedule doesn’t. That idea comes alive when we return...

Send us Fan Mail A real-time Pokémon that actually feels dangerous, a breakout-bullet-hell roguelike we can’t put down, and a PlayStation handheld that just became useful overnight—this week goes hard on design, value, and where gaming is headed next. We start with Pokémon Legends Z-A, which swaps turn-based comfort for dodge-rolls, boss-scale Mega encounters, and a day-night cadence that pushes e...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes it’s best just to talk it out , Seb and George get stuck into some of gaming most interesting topics - why is George still not on steam deck , what’s happening with the current gaming subscriptions ?  Support the show Join our fantastic discord https://discord.gg/v7RFSUcG If link has expired then message us at questions@unofficialcontrollerpodcast.com or DM us on instagr...

Send us Fan Mail Big year. Bigger questions. We kick things off with that familiar tug between what we used to play and what actually fits life now — and it turns out single-player indies are meeting the moment. Expedition 33 becomes our touchstone: a sharp blend of turn-based planning and real-time timing that rewards mastery without punishing those who prefer defense builds. Its countdown mythos...

Send us Fan Mail Nostalgia just got teeth. We’re launching Flashback, a brand-new channel dedicated to jumping into specific months of gaming history—magazine covers, previews that never shipped, weird accessories, and those console wars that lit up schoolyards. Think time capsules you can listen to: March ’94 one week, 2006 the next, maybe 1979 after that. The main show stays free, and Sundays no...

Send us Fan Mail Retro joy met modern surprise the moment we put Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2 and saw a handheld punch way above its weight. We share what actually happened in docked and handheld tests, why performance felt close to PS5 at a glance, and where the cracks showed—two crashes tied to online checks that reminded us this era still leans on servers even when you’re playing solo. From th...

Send us Fan Mail A sleeper train, a leather PS1 bag with lockable carabiners, and a Switch 2 that refuses to leave handheld mode—this week we go full travel-nerd and full game-nerd at once. We start with a surprisingly great wired “travel dock” setup and land on the big takeaway: on a café table, inches from your eyes, the Switch 2 screen is a tiny theater. From there we dive into Grand Bazaar and...

Send us Fan Mail Scott takes the helm solo, sharing his current gaming obsessions while providing a Nintendo-heavy update on the latest releases and announcements. Without the usual supervision of his co-hosts, he embraces the opportunity to dive deep into his gaming passions and personal stories. • Dead by Daylight dominates Scott's gaming time with its new Thai folklore update featuring an...

Send us Fan Mail Flying solo this week, I take you on a journey through the strange territory of being a "gaming widower" – that peculiar state where your console has been commandeered by a loved one. With my wife happily immersed in Persona 5's stylish world and my daughter off to university, I've found myself reconnecting with forgotten corners of my gaming collection. My No...

Send us Fan Mail When your gaming partner discovers Persona, what's a dedicated gamer to do? This week, George flies solo on the Unofficial Controller Podcast as he navigates life as a "gaming widower" while his partner Rachel completes her Persona 4 journey. Rediscovery becomes the theme as George dusts off forgotten hardware – from his trusty PlayStation Vita to experimenting with...

Send us Fan Mail Switch 2's surprising power, the truth behind game key cards, and the subscription model debate take center stage in this week's gaming deep dive. Gaming's technological frontiers are expanding before our eyes, and nowhere is this more evident than with Nintendo's Switch 2. We explore why games like Star Wars Outlaws and Cyberpunk 2077 running on this pocket-si...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a gaming podcast host is left to his own devices? You get a delightfully chaotic journey through the gaming universe! In this solo adventure, George takes listeners on a meandering exploration of his current gaming obsessions, industry news, and the bizarre thoughts that populate a gamer's mind when there's no co-host to rein them in. The journey begins...

Send us Fan Mail Fresh from wedding bells and honeymoon bliss, George makes his triumphant return to the Unofficial Controller Podcast, reuniting with Scott for episode 282. The reunion sparkles with their trademark banter as Scott reveals his complete obsession with Harvestella – a game he can't stop praising for its beautiful music, compelling storylines, and perfect balance of farming simu...

Send us Fan Mail The gaming gauntlet has been thrown down! In our first-ever subscriber quiz special, Digital Monkery challenges five UCP community members to prove their gaming knowledge through 30 brain-teasing questions that span decades of video game history. From counting buttons on a PS1 controller to naming the ghosts in Pac-Man, our contestants battle through increasingly difficult trivia....

Send us Fan Mail Step into the heart of gaming culture with Timeless 25, Liverpool's premier gaming convention that tears down the barriers between fans and their heroes. In this in-depth conversation with event organizer Maggs, we explore how this beloved community gathering has evolved into the ultimate celebration of gaming passion. Maggs reveals the exciting new venue spanning multiple co...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Scott and RGT are joined by returning guest Seb to dive into a week filled with gaming disappointments and surprising industry moves. We kick things off with Scott's adventures at the Nottingham Video Games Expo, where he not only scored a boxed Sega Game Gear carry case but also connected face-to-face with a valued member of our Discord community – proving o...

Send us Fan Mail Step into the world of gaming with Scott and RGT as they hold down the fort while George enjoys his honeymoon! This week's episode is bursting with unexpected gaming gems and headline-making industry news that will have you reaching for your wallet. Ever wondered what it would be like if Red Dead Redemption and Stardew Valley had a baby? Look no further than Cattle Country, a...

Send us Fan Mail What if the most compelling gaming experiences aren't coming from $80 blockbusters, but from the thoughtfully crafted $30-50 titles that fly under the radar? This week, we're thrilled to welcome back Seb (Triple S) who immediately challenges our assumptions about where gaming's greatest joys can be found. Seb introduces us to "The Altars," a mind-bending s...