New show notes  This week’s episode is about the WASD video game festival that happened in London last weekend. It was super fun to go a showcase like this for the first time – I met up with some developers, games industry folks, and podcasting pals, and got to play tonnes of exciting unreleased games on the show floor, including: NanoApostle, Pine Hearts, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder, Paper Trail, Zephon, Data Garden, Echo of the Waves, Wax Heads, and Crackernuts. And as always, many...

This week's episode is a little roundup. We start with the Nintendo Indie World Direct, including previews of Lorelai & The Laser Eyes, Yars Rising, Bzzzt, Sticky Business, and some other show highlights, before moving onto a 1000xResist preview, and a featured game review of Lucas Pope's Playdate offering Mars After Midnight. There's also a little preview of WASD Live at the end, which I'll be attending in London next week. Some links mentioned in the show: 1000xResist demo review...

This week we look at "the feel-bad game of the year", the grim and compelling magic bullet snipe-fest: Children of the Sun. In the roundup: Botany Manor, Pepper Grinder, Broken Roads, Dragon's Dogma 2, and a look at the Triple-i Initiative's first showcase. If you enjoy the show, find more like it on the YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild. You can support the show on Patreon from $1 a month, to get extra podcasts, a patron Discord invite, and other fun perks:...

This week's episode is a roundup of demos you can try right now: Stellar Blade, Minishoot' Adventures, Dystopika, Indika, and Valley Peaks. In the roundup: this month's Game Pass, PS+, and Epic freebies, including The Outer Worlds, Kona, Ghostrunner, Immortals of Aveum, and more. Check out the YouTube for some fresh videos at: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild. And many thanks to the show’s newest patrons Zibby, Daniel and Fergus! If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on...

Return To Grace is a perfect game for Game Pass: short, interesting, and done in a couple of hours. It's a sci-fi walking sim that raises some interesting questions about the future of AI. I also got addicted to Marvel Snap. In the April release roundup: Botany Manor, Children of the Sun, Broken Roads, Harold Halibut, Pine Harbour No Rest For The Wicked, Tales of Kanzera ZAU, SandLand, Another Crab's Treasure, Manor Lords, and Stellar Blade. Links I mention: Deckbuilder video:...

This week's show is a grab bag episode. We start off with a few updates, some Dragon's Dogma chat, a look at FFVII REbirth's fidelity patch, and some first impressions of the Playdate console. The back half of the show is some impressions of demos from GDC & Pax East. Games covered: The Wreck, Whitewater Wipeout, Casual Birder, Mars After Midnight, Harold Halibut, Hauntii, Animal Well, Phantom Spark, SandLand, Always In Mind, Anger Foot, Sorry We're Closed. And check out my Youtube...

I've been making a few video essays over on YouTube lately, and had a couple of requests for them to be added to the podcast feed. So I'm trying it out. If you're on Spotify, you can watch video with this episode, and if not, I hope you enjoy the audio here. This one is a short essay about the Horizon series, which seems blessed with high sales and critical reception, but cursed in being critically overshadowed by era-defining games that released just weeks away. The YouTube video for...

This week's show looks at FFVIIR Intermission and the newly released Rebirth, a cute cabin builder called Summerhouse, and a bullet heaven called Geometry Survivor. In the roundup: WASD Live, Enshrouded, Solium Infernum, Snufkin; Melody of Moominvalley, Pepper Grinder, and Floramancer: Seeds & Spirits. I also talk about the fun of making YouTube videos about games. See some recent videos about things like video game stories, the lasting appeal of Horizon Zero Dawn, and indie games with...

This week's show is a roundup episode. There are some thoughts after seeing credits on FFVIIR, and impressions of Pacific Drive, Akka Arrh, and Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game. We run through the March indie releases, and finish with a review of the addictive joker poker phenom Balatro. I also talk about being laid off in the video game industry, and about the process of making more stuff for the pod's YouTube channel. And a big thank you to the show’s 67 patrons, including the newest members...

This week's show is an interview with Hugo Bille from Hadoque, the developers of Ultros. We talked about video game ecosystems, Metroidvania design tricks, audacious gardening mechanics, and lots more. And a big thank you to the show’s latest patrons, ScheiGuy and NikolaiAtKnight, If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. Patrons get access to a catalogue of bonus episodes, and an invite to the show’s...

Ultros is a dazzlingly creative indie game that revitalises the Metroidvania genre. The prismic visuals and symphonic score are a sensual treat, and the game’s ingenious ecosystem slowly blooms into a map-spanning meta-puzzle that demands patience, observation, curiosity, and creativity. It's the first must-play game of 2024. In the roundup: Nintendo Direct, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, Ender Lilies, and more. And a big thank you to the show's newest patron, ScheiGuy! Join them and 60...

Gaming In The Wild podcast is four years old and 200 episodes deep this week! To celebrate the landmark, the show's patrons and listeners suggested a Q&A episode. So I opened up the floor, and had over 50 questions submitted from Discord and social media, about video games, film, travel, books, Iceland, and life generally. Which video game smells worst? What games would I take into space to introduce aliens to humanity? Have a listen to find out. ...

This week I dived into Steam Next Fest, covering demos for: Ultros, Flock, Beastieball, Hauntii, Albatros, Arco, Summerhosue, Pacific Drive, Pepper Grinder, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, ZAU, and more.  And as always, many thanks to the show’s 56 patrons! If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. Patrons get access to a catalogue of bonus episodes, and an invite to the show’s lovely Discord...

This week's episode starts with a look at the month ahead, including new and upcoming PS+ and Game Pass additions, Steam Next Fest, and some highlights of the Feb release calendar. In the roundup: new twin-stick shooter Go Mecha Ball, the Constance demo, and Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon. And as always, many thanks to the show’s patrons! If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. Patrons get access...

This week’s show is a roundup episode of some newly available Steam demos. Namely: Beastieball, Helskate, Harold Halibut, and The Cub. In the roundup: the Immortality Design Works book, and Prince of Persia - The Lost Crown. And as always, many thanks to the show’s 59 patrons! If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. Patrons get access to a catalogue of bonus episodes, and an invite to the show’s...

Lies of P is a deeply impressive Soulslike with tight combat, beautiful environments, and a nightmarish gothic-horror world. It makes some welcome player-friendly tweaks to FromSoft's punishing formula, but is held back when it adheres to the genre's dogma. In the roundup: Sephonie, Suica Game, En Garde. And many thanks to the show’s 58 patrons! If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. Patrons get...

It's time for the big indie game preview for 2024! Ganes featured (24, funnily enough): The Cub, Ultros, Pacific Drive, Open Roads, Mina The Hollower, 1000xResist, Harold Halibut, Still Wakes The Deep, Nine Sols, No Rest For The Wicked, Nivalis, Earthblade, Animal Well, The Plucky Squire, Hyper Light Breaker, Summerhouse, Neva, Pepper Grinder, Sword of the Sea, Henry Halfhead, Schim, Naiad, Death Trash, Hollow Knight: Silksong. And many thanks to the show’s 58 patrons! If you'd like to...

2023 was a great year for games, and after three great guest episodes covering the big swings, hits, and misses of the year, it's time to share my own favourite games of 2023. The list has been laboured over, and feels a bit less critically tidy and a bit more personal than previous years. I hope you enjoy it – I truly loved all of these games. And as always — many thanks to the show’s 57 patrons! If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month at...

This week's episode is a big one! It's the third in the 2023 Games of the Year series, with special guest Steve aka Blinkoom of the Indie Quest & Polykill podcasts. We run through Steve's game's of the year, before revealing the results of the Discord/patron GOTY vote. Here's where to find Steve: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Blinkoom Polykill: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1351234 Indie Quest: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1425403 And many thanks to the show’s patrons! If you'd...

This week's GOTY special brings return guest Ciarán Daly to talk about his games of 2023, including Small Saga, DREDGE, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and more. We also talk about Lies of P, Remnant 2, Starfield, Wild Hearts, Assassin's Creed Mirage, Marvel's Midnight Suns, Hypnospace Outlaw, and more. Here's a link to BlockBusters!, a game jam game that's mentioned: https://dotbigbang.com/game/0c4038a5fe064711ba339b1e1c2bbd74/dbb-summer-jam-2023---blockbusters And many thanks to all the...

It's GOTY season, and what better way to kick things off than with special guest and friend of the show Brad Gallaway, co-host of the So... Videogames Podcast. We went long and had a great conversation about everything from big hitters like Zelda, Starfield, and Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 to indie gems like Lamplighter's League, DREDGE, Birth, and many more. And as always, many thanks to all the show’s patrons! If you'd like to join them in supporting the podcast on Patreon, you can do so from $1...

This week's bumper episode runs through the big winners at The Game Awards 2024, with a rundown of my top 10 new game announcements, including Pony Island 2, Big Walk, Lost Records, and more. I also give in-progress reviews of three games I've been playing: Inkle's A Highland Song, Ubisoft's Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and a viral Kickstarter hit called Backpack Hero. And many thanks to all the show’s patrons! If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on Patreon, you can do so...

Sludge Life 2 is an extremely welcome sequel that gives us more of the original’s winning formula. It’s an improbably enjoyable game that mixes high-speed first-person parkour with tagging, urban exploration, puerile humour, a wavy soundtrack, and a bleak world full of hilarious NPCs just trying to get through life. In the roundup: Jingle Jam 2023, A Highland Song, December releases, Backpack Hero, and more. And many thanks to the show’s 59 patrons! If you'd like to join them in supporting...

This week's show is a little grab bag of demos and new releases, including Teardown, Coral Island, Wordless – and a super intriguing sci-fi mystery game called 1000xRESIST. In the roundup: Sludge Life 2. And many thanks to Steve, the show’s new patron! If you'd like to join them in supporting the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. Patrons get access to a catalogue of bonus episodes, and an invite to the show’s friendly Discord community....