Surprise! Kim and AJ sat down and discussed their games of the year in the context of the themes that jumped out to them! What will be crowned Theme of the Year by the end of it?? Only one way to find out!
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Discussed in the episode (🚨Spoilers for games and themes, but no spoilers for the TOTY winner🚨):
Exercising Power and Control in the Face of Hegemony
Fear and The Mind
Life's Weird, Huh?
Why Do We Puzzle?
Work is Terrifying
Environment's Fucked
Artificial? Intelligence??? (slash Technology)
Legacy
Sometime It's Just Nice to Go Fishing
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Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Today we're talking about 44 video games by a bunch of different people! Join us as we arbitrarily draft all the games we've played this year! Thank you so much for listening! See you next year!!!!!
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Discussed in the episode
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Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Timecodes:
Alton Brown is BACK makin' Good Eats-style videos on YouTube. I really think th-- what? Oh right this podcast is about video games sorry.
Today we're talking about Bubumbu by An Otter Team! A game about solving puzzles and making a penguin happy by giving it a little bowtie.
Get Bubumbu on Steam. Follow An Otter Team's work on their website!
Discussed in the episode:
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Support us on Ko-fi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Timecodes:
What would you do if your boss was actually a giant bug? Something to think about.
Today we're talking about Sub-Verge by Interactive Tragedy, Limited! A game about listening to people and trying not to drown.
Get Sub-Verge on Steam or itch.io. Follow Interactive Tragedy, Limited's work on their website!
Links:
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Support us on Ko-fi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Members got a special segment about the Wikipedia page on Tier Lists this week. Like and Subscribe to our Ko-fi for exclusive content like that. (Also shoutout to our friends on Total Party Skill (a good podcast) for drawing attention to the page!!!)
Today we're talking about Pine: A Story of Loss by Made Up Games! A game about learning how to let go and replacing the grass in your roof so it doesn't leak.
Get Pine: A Story of Loss on Steam, Switch or iOS. Follow Made Up Games' work on their website!
Links:
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Visit our website!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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It's really hard to type when your entire body has been hollowed out by a video game.
Today we're talking about and Roger by Tearyhand Studio! A game about waking up in a strange place and going to a bakery.
Get and Roger on Steam or Switch. Follow Tearyhand Studio's work on their Steam page!
Links:
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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"Git gud"? How about "git empathetic"? "Git compassionate"?
Today we're talking about The Dark Queen of Mortholme by Mosu! A game about killing the hero and killing the hero and killing the hero and killing the hero and waiting for the hero and killing the hero and killing the hero and waiting for the hero and... waiting.......... for the hero.............. and......................... waiting..................................
Get The Dark Queen of Mortholme on Steam or itch.io. Follow Mosu's work on their itch page!
Discussed in the episode:
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Sometimes the game makes you feel so bad that you can't make a joke about it.
Today we're talking about Without a Dawn by Jesse Makkonen! A game about being alone and looking out the window.
Get Without a Dawn on Steam.
🚨CONTENT WARNING: HALLUCINATIONS, PARANOID DELUSIONS, OBSESSIVE THINKING, SELF-HARM, DISTURBING IMAGERY🚨
Discussed in the episode:
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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It just dawned on me that all of the spooky games this year are about having a job.
Today we're talking about The Cabin Factory by International Cat Studios! A game about walking around scary BUT NOT HAUNTED cabins and also haunted cabins.
Get The Cabin Factory on Steam.
CONTENT WARNING: CHILD ABUSE.
Nothing is shown, but it is addressed repeatedly throughout the narrative of the game.
Discussed in the episode:
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Help...
Today we're talking about The October 2025 Next Fest!
The demos:
Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Hello, if you are reading the show notes I want you to know that I (AJ) had to rerecord my entire side of the podcast because of an audio issue. It was one of the most out-of-body experiences I've ever had and I hope you can't tell. Thank you for being here<3
Today we're talking about Last Report by Monopixel Games! A game about working at a national park and drinking from your big coffee mug.
Get Last Report on Steam. Keep up with Monopixel Games on their Steam page!
Content warning at the top of the game:
This game features scenes with flashing lights and intense violence, including blood, murder, and hanging, strong language, and occasional references to alcohol.
Discussed in the episode:
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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No YOU forgot that we call it Octoadber.
Today we're talking about DEAD LETTER DEPT. by Mike Monroe and Belief Engine! A game about typing and having a super normal dayjob.
Get DEAD LETTER DEPT. on Steam! Check out Belief Engine's other work on their website!
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Visit our website!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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This week is our first SUPER-ZIPPY. Submit super-zippies on our website below :)
Today we're talking about shutdown. by kalechips! A game about making choices when you have none. This game was suggested by Bluzo! If you'd like to suggest a game you can do so on our website!
Play shutdown. for FREE on itch.io! Check out kalechips' other work on their itch page!
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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I can't believe I wasted my one wish on THIS podcast... should've at least wished for TWO podcasts......
Today we're talking about Many Nights a Whisper by Selkie Harbour and Deconstructeam! A game about practicing until you say "Fuck it. Pepperoni pizza".
Get Many Nights a Whisper on Steam or itch.io! Check out Selkie Harbour's other work on their itch page! Check out Deconstructeam's other work on their itch page!
Check out all of Robin's link on her website!
Listen to Girl Mode Episode 126 - A Beautiful Summer on Trash Island to hear about Selkie Harbours other games!
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Timecodes:
Imagine if your child gave you a box that made you look back on every tough thing you've ever done. Kinda messed up tbh...
Today we're talking about Leila by Ubik Studios! A game about drifting through the shores of your life and doing little puzzles.
Get Leila on Steam, Switch, or Playstation! Check out Ubik Studios' other work on their website!
Quote from the dev about the possibly triggering imagery in one part of the game:
One chapter in the game contains self-harm gore, but the player is given the option to skip the chapter with a trigger warning before entering the chapter. Don't worry, we will give you a non-violent summary of the chapter you skipped, so you won't miss the story.
Discussed in the episode:
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Finally a NICE game about GOOD things!!!
Today we're talking about Kabuto Park by Doot and Zakku! A game about summer vacation and fighting children for bragging rights.
Get Kabuto Park on Steam or itch.io! Check out Doot Tiny Games' other work on their itch page!
Jill's links on Linktree - https://plottwists.carrd.co/
Listen to Paws and Clause! - https://pod.link/1685879748
Listen to In Sequence! - https://pod.link/1830499236
Discussed in the episode:
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Timecodes:
A sad game about generational cycles of trauma??? Not on this podcast.
Today we're talking about The Wake: Mourning Father, Mourning Mother by Somi! A game about decoding messages left by a loved one and split-flap displays.
Get The Wake: Mourning Father, Mourning Mother on Steam! Check out Somi's other work on their website and listen to our No Case Should Remain Unsolved episode with Lex!
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Okay yes we're doing more "thinking" today sorry. Someday we'll play Solitaire or something.
Today we're talking about qualia by CMY2K! A game about deciding who is human anMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOWMEOW.
Get qualia FOR FREE on Steam or play on itch.io! Check out CMY2K's other work on their website or on Kit Corsac's film review site!
Discussed:
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Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Timecodes:
Gang I don't even know what to say. Maybe just mark this episode as "listened" and do something else (don't do that, that's a reference to the game pls don't go we need more people to talk about this game with PLEASE)
Today we're talking about Centum by Hack the Publisher! A game about being human and seeing how it all ends.
Buy Centum on Steam, Switch, or Playstation! Check out Hack the Publisher's other work on their website!
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Support us on Kofi!
Visit our website!
Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Timecodes:
I had a funny joke to put here, but then Kim mentioned Marvel's Avengers(tm) and I forgot what it was.
Today we're talking about of the Devil episode 0 by Nth Circle Studios! A game about proving someone's innocence and confusing rookie detectives. This game was suggested by (co-host of today's ep) bluzo! If you'd like to suggest a game head over to our website!
Buy of the Devil on Steam! Check out Nth Circle's other work on their Linktree!
Listen to The Worst Community Report!
Discussed in the episode:
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Check out The Worst Garbage Online!
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Art by Tara Crawford
Theme music by _amaranthine
Additional sounds by Boqeh
Produced and edited by AJ Fillari
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Timecodes: