We look back on our collected experiences together, dear digital friends, as we crown our Game of the Year before an unfortunate (and hopefully brief) pause. What We're Playing 01:39 Caitlin: Miscellaneous catchup 02:38 Caitlin: Dogpile (Studio Folly, Toot Games, & Foot, 2025) 11:17 Mark: Terminator 2D: No Fate (Bitmap Bureau, 2025) Season 1 in Review Special Categories 18:34 Thanks for Introducing Me 33:04 SHOUTS that Panned Out 37:48 "I Didn't Think I Liked that Genre" 42:28 Our New Backlog 48:18 Our New Digital Best Friend 53:35 Host-Specific Categories 58:41 Biggest Disappointments 1:03:22 Biggest Pleasant Surprises 1:08:16 A GOAT that Holds Up 1:12:56 AMBFAD Shrugs 1:16:10 Game of the Year 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of Mark's obscure arcade favorites is Change Air Blade, a bizarre little shooter/fighter hybrid. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is our latest narrative-focused diversion. Also, Caitlin has conquered Metaphor: ReFantazio! Let her achievement spur greater and greater successes. What We're Playing 00:53 Mark: Demonschool (Necrosoft Games, 2025) 13:34 Caitlin: Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero, 2024) 16:48 Caitlin: Guild Wars Reforged (ArenaNet, 2025) 25:07 GOOF: Change Air Blade (Sammy, 1999) 33:46 Feature Game: Lost Records: Bloom & Rage (Don't Nod Montréal, 2025) SHOUT 1:03:11 Mark: ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN (Grasshopper) 1:06:06 Caitlin: Human Fall Flat 2 (No Brakes Games) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who is a more grounded, realistic, fleshed-out character--Wario in WarioWare Gold, or any of the humans in Detroit: Become Human? What We're Playing 01:00 Caitlin: Fellowship (Chief Rebel, 2025) 12:58 Mark: Silent Hill 2 Remake (Bloober Team, 2025) 26:07 GOOF: WarioWare Gold (Intelligent Systems, 2018) 39:32 Feature Game: Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream, 2018) SHOUT 1:01:47 Caitlin: REPLACED (Sad Cat Studios) 1:02:47 Mark: Free Stars: Children of Infinity (Pistol Shrimp) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Caitlin's love/hate relationship continues with Silent Hill, and we talk about all kinds of shameful love in Persona 5. What We're Playing 00:51 Mark: Skybolt Zack (DEVS MUST DIE, 2019) 13:39 Caitlin: No, I'm Not a Human (Trioskaz, 2025) 20:51 GOOF: Silent Hill (Team Silent, 1999) 39:12 Feature Game: Persona 5 Royal (P-Studio, 2019) SHOUT 57:49 Mark: Persona 4 Revival (P-Studio) 58:49 Caitlin: My Card Is Better than Your Card (Utu Studios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another horror game, namely Clock Tower, for someone who claims not to like horror games, namely Caitlin. Then, Mark finally tries the cultural juggernaut that is The Witcher 3. What We're Playing 01:04 Caitlin: Quantum Witch (NikkiJay, 2025) 09:53 Mark: Neon Inferno (Zenovia Interactive, 2025) 21:35 GOOF: Aliens: Infestation (Way Forward Technologies, 2011) 34:39 Feature Game: The Witcher 3 (CD Projekt Red, 2015) SHOUT 58:14 Caitlin: Guild Wars Reforged (ArenaNet) 59:13 Mark: Terminator 2D: No Fate (Bitmap Bureau) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're not really doing the fighting this week, we're mostly telling other people to do violence and/or die--both in Ogre Battle from the SNES and Dispatch. What We're Playing 01:11 Mark: Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (Ubisoft, 2005) 13:25 Caitlin: My Little Puppy (Dreamotion Inc, 2025) 21:24 GOOF: Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen (Quest Corporation, 1993) 39:12 Feature Game: Dispatch (AdHoc Studio, 2025) SHOUT 59:02 Mark: Wolf Among Us 2 (Telltale) 1:01:38 Caitlin: Grimshire (Acute Owl Studio) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We return to the Aliens franchise and the Nintendo DS with Infestation, where #squadgoals run smack into permadeath. Meanwhile, your power fantasies in The Outer Worlds 2 run smack into the reality of your character's incompetence. What We're Playing 00:52 Caitlin: R.E.P.O.: The Monster Update (semiwork, 2025) 09:32 Mark: BALL x PIT (Kenny Sun & Friends, 2025) 19:48 GOOF: Aliens: Infestation (Way Forward Technologies, 2011) 35:01 Feature Game: The Outer Worlds 2 (Obsidian Entertainment, 2025) SHOUT 59:06 Caitlin: Star Birds (Toukana Interactive) 1:00:22 Mark: Alabaster Dawn (Radical Fish) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark remains in the iron grip of tactical RPGs, and so we revisit Vandal Hearts along with critical darling Keeper. What We're Playing 01:16 Mark: Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, 2025) 11:36 Caitlin: Sworn (Windwalk Games, 2025) 16:35 GOOF: Vagrant Story (Konami, 1996) 36:33 Feature Game: Keeper (Double Fine, 2025) SHOUT 48:14 Mark: MENACE (Overhype Studios) 49:12 Caitlin: Pokémon Pokopia (Omega Force) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Caitlin's guidance, Mark is slowly going through the generically-titled nineties SNES titles--this time it's Trials of Mana. Absolum is also a pretty weak name. Can the games overshadow their unilluminating titles? ALL WILL BE REVEALED What We're Playing 01:09 Caitlin: Hidden Folks (Adriaan de Jongh & Sylvain Tegroeg, 1998) 07:27 Mark: Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch (Ocean Drive Studio, 2025) 19:09 GOOF: Trials of Mana (Square, 1995) 40:57 Feature Game: Absolum (Guard Crush Games & Supamules, 2025) SHOUT 1:02:20 Caitlin: Threads of Time (Riyo Games) 1:05:23 Mark: Dispatch (AdHoc Studio) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The nineties are calling in a big way! Sonic, The Big Con, and Caitlin even manages to smuggle in an Evangelion reference. Radical. What We're Playing 00:53 Mark: Akane (Ludic Studios, 2018) 11:40 Caitlin: Phasmaphobia (LEGO, 2025) 21:40 GOOF: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Sega Technical Institute, 1994) 40:14 Feature Game: The Big Con (Mighty Yell, 2021) SHOUT 1:01:21 Mark: MagicX One 35 (MagicX) 1:04:55 Caitlin: Final Sentence (Button Mash) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We get dynastic AF here, with multi-generational dynamics galore. We breed dragon killers with Dragon Valor and look to rescue our dear, grim, chthonic papa in Hades II. What We're Playing 02:03 Caitlin: Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom, 2025) 11:12 Mark: Drift Survivor 2 (MEWSTURBO, 2025) 20:36 GOOF: Dragon Valor (Now Production, 1999) 36:20 Feature Game: Hades II (Supergiant, 2025) SHOUT 1:00:56 Caitlin: Dogpile (Studio Folly, Toot Games, & Foot) 1:02:10 Mark: AXERAS (Inverse Atelier) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a Game Boy-heavy episode, including the popular fan translation of Japanese-only RPG Mother 3. We follow up with the game if "improvisational chaos" I Am Your Beast. (We apologize for Caitlin's poor audio in this episode) What We're Playing 01:44 Mark: Fire Emblem: Vision Quest (Pandan [Fan Hack], 2022) 10:41 Caitlin: LEGO Game Boy (LEGO, 2025) 17:59 GOOF: Mother 3 (Brownie Brown/HAL Laboratory, 2006) 43:17 Feature Game: I Am Your Beast (Strange Scaffold, 2024) SHOUT 58:54 Mark: Possessor(s) (Heart Machine) 59:51 Caitlin: Grave Seasons (Perfect Garbage) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Growing up can be hard, so we explore some coping mechanisms--Road Trip to the End of the World suggests conjuring an adorable anthropomorphic fish, whereas Deception III endorses trap-based murder. Options! What We're Playing 01:06 Caitlin: Loop Hero (Four Quarters, 2021) 10:15 Mark: Lost Eidolons (Ocean Drive Studio, 2022) 24:29 GOOF: Deception III: Dark Delusion (Tecmo, 1999) 41:26 Feature Game: Road Trip to the End of the World (Alex Lee and Shark & Pelican Games, 2025) SHOUT 56:31 Caitlin: Rabbit and Steel DLC (mino_dev) 57:22 Mark: Spirit X Strike (Maicha Studio) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We, once again, have a shonen problem. Brave Fencer Musashi's abrasive overconfidence is in stark contrast to the cool professionalism of Aliens: Fireteam Elite. Stay frosty, people. What We're Playing 00:59 Mark: Metal Eden (Reikon Games, 2025) 12:06 Caitlin: Final Fantasy VI (Square, 1994) 21:59 GOOF: Brave Fencer Musashi (Square, 1998) 38:12 Feature Game: Aliens: Fireteam Elite (Cold Iron Studios, 2021) SHOUT 57:07 Mark: Hades II (Supergiant) 57:46 Caitlin: Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven (Massive Monster) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How six years can change an industry--from local deathmatch FPS being all the rage (Perfect Dark), to online co-op third-person cover-hugging (Gears of War: Reloaded). What We're Playing 00:52 Mark: Marfusha: Sentinel Girls (hinyari9, 2021) 10:16 Caitlin: PEAK (Team PEAK, 2025) 20:15 GOOF: Perfect Dark (Rare, 2000) 39:27 Feature Game: Gears of War: Reloaded (The Coalition, 2025) SHOUT 1:03:22 Mark: Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch (Ocean Drive Studio) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Metroidvania is a very popular formula. We see how much has it changed in the twenty years between its formalization in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and its indie apotheosis in Hollow Knight. What We're Playing 00:54 Caitlin: Coral Island (Stairway Games, 2023) 17:35 Mark: Mortal Sin (Nikita Todorovic, 2025) 27:05 GOOF: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Konami, 1997) 42:50 Feature Game: Hollow Knight (Team Cherry, 2017) SHOUT 1:00:49 Caitlin: Resident Evil: Requiem (Capcom) 1:02:04 Mark: Runa (Fennec) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pocky & Rocky scoffs at so-called difficult games like Soulslikes, and Artis Impact scoffs at the limitations of RPG Maker. What We're Playing 01:03 Caitlin: Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap (Robot Entertainment, 2025) 08:15 Mark: The Rogue Prince of Persia (Evil Empire, 2025) 18:31 GOOF: Pocky and Rocky (Natsume, 1992) 28:36 Feature Game: Artis Impact (Mas, 2025) SHOUT 53:03 Caitlin: Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes (Alt Shift) 54:25 Mark: Valor Mortis (One More Level) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Minigames abound in the WarioWare series (featuring a drive-by discussion of the Mario Party games), and then we ponder the corporate dystopia that is video gaming in Citizen Sleeper. What We're Playing 00:58 Mark: Deadzone: Rogue (Prophecy Games, 2025) 11:34 Caitlin: Hidden Capybaras with Orange (Whimsical Universes, 2023) 17:00 GOOF: WarioWare: Twisted! (Nintendo SPD, 2004) 34:04 Feature Game: Citizen Sleeper (Jump Over the Age, 2022) SHOUT 57:19 Mark: Drift Survivor (MEWSTURBO) 59:57 Caitlin: Coral Island Multiplayer (Stairway Games) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We check out a classic strategy RPG series with Shining Force II, then hurry up and die with Elden Ring: Nightreign. What We're Playing 01:03 Caitlin: Cryptmaster (Paul Hart, Lee Williams, and Akupara Games, 2024) 07:12 Mark: Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios, 2025) 19:38 GOOF: Shining Force II (Sonic! Software Planning, 1993) 36:02 Feature Game: Elden Ring: Nightreign (FromSoftware, 2025) SHOUT 55:16 Caitlin: Once Upon a Katamari (RENGAME) 57:12 Mark: Spine (Nekki) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vagrant Story is one of Mark's all-time favourite games, but is he ready to talk about Ashley Riot's butt? Can Caitlin cope with the madness that is JoJo? Or capybara feet? It's a whole lot. StarVaders allows us a break to focus entirely on the game of it. What We're Playing 01:29 Mark: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood (Anchor, Inc, 2006) 16:05 Caitlin: Capybara Spa (Cozy Bee Games, 2022) 22:31 GOOF: Vagrant Story (Square, 2000) 48:30 Feature Game: StarVaders (Pengonauts, 2025) SHOUT 1:05:24 Mark: 8bitdo Pro 3 (8bitdo) 1:08:37 Caitlin: At Fate's End (Thunder Lotus) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices