

Gaming In The Wild - Video Game Reviews
John Rogers
A chill video games podcast about interesting and creative games, from indie to AAA. Your host: Iceland-based games critic John Rogers. Follow the show on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch to stay in touch and keep up with new episodes - find links at http://gaminginthewild.com. Gaming In The Wild is a listener-supported. You can support the show at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild to join the listener community, and get bonus episodes and other fun perks.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 9, 2025 • 44min
258: Switch 2! Plus Spilled, Symphonia, Star Overdrive & More
Switch 2 is here! This week's show reviews Nintendo's brand new hardware, and the launch lineup — and wonders whether Switch 2 can become another indie game powerhouse. There's also a review of Spilled, a lovely little eco-game about cleaning up waterways and making the world a better place.In the roundup: Symphonia, Star Overdrive, Tainted Grail, Pipistrello & The Cursed Yoyo, Fast Fusion, Mario Kart World.Support the show on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildCheck out my Pages of Play guest slot: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4anESwtFMWEUYwEbJlK1waCheck out the Best Ever Switch Indies video: https://youtu.be/48f-zXDkuaUAnd thanks for listening!

May 23, 2025 • 53min
257: Monster Train 2, Dragon Age: The Veilguard
This week covers the highly anticipated Monster Train 2, showcasing its strategic deck-building mechanics. Listeners explore the complex development journey of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, revealing its mixed reviews and intricate character customization. Also discussed is the balance between narrative and combat in Dragon Age. The episode touches on quality-of-life features enhancing gameplay experiences, while highlighting significant flaws in quest mechanics. Exciting updates about Star Wars Outlaws DLC add a thrilling cherry on top!

May 18, 2025 • 33min
256: Star Vaders, Drop Duchy, Tetris Forever
This week's show is a roguelike roundup, as I play some chilled out turn-based games as a Clair Obscur comedown.Reviewed: Star Vaders and Drop Duchy. In the roundup: To a T, Monster Train 2, Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon.If you'd like more GITW episodes, there are 16 patron bonus episodes you can unlock for a couple of bucks at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Watch the videos I make on YouTube: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.Follow the podcast's Steam curator page to see if games you're browsing come pod-recommended: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/.And thanks for listening, as always!

May 11, 2025 • 1h 2min
255: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterfully wrought FRPG (or J'RPG?) that combines a romantic high fantasy world with a bold, vivid, original big-swing story. The From-inspired combat veers between pulse-racing and frustrating — but for a game of this sky high quality, it's worth gritting your teeth and parrying your way to the remarkable finale.In the roundup: Star Vaders, Drop Duchy, Monster Train 2.Become a patron for extra episodes! http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.I'm a BlueSky main these days: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.social.Thanks folks!

May 1, 2025 • 1h 1min
254: Kentucky Route Zero - Act V
This is the final part of the KRZ community playthrough, looking at the excellent interlude Un Pueblo de Nada, the gorgeous sun-soaked village of Act V, and the optional epilogue, Death of the Hired Man.Thanks so much to everyone who has played along and sent in comments! This won't be the last time I play KRZ, but it might be the most special.Join the Patreon to support the show and get 15 bonus podcasts: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Find me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialGet more stuff on YouTube: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.Thanks everybody!

Apr 24, 2025 • 40min
253: Blue Prince, Promise Mascot Agency
Promise Mascot Agency is a pocket-sized open world like no other. Playing a disgraced Yakuza consigned to a dying former mining town, it's part open-world collectathon, part management sim, and part visual novel. But none of that does justice to game's truly bizarre charm, or the unrestrained chaos and humour that make it ones of the best indie games of the year so far.In the roundup: Clair Obscur, South of Midnight, Blue Prince, Drop Duchy, and more.Join the Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Follow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialSee videos on YouTube: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewildFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Thanks for listening!

Apr 16, 2025 • 1h
252: London Games Festival
London Games Festival 2025 was a packed event this year, with events including New Game+, Now Play This, Good Game Dev Club, Darkfield At The Ditch, the BAFTA Awards, and more. I was in London for the festivities, and this episode is my report on the festival.Games covered: Herdling, Will: Follow The Light, Passant, Beyond The Board, Battle Suit Aces, Gunboat God, Button Man, Moroi, Henry Halfhead, Time Flies, Wheel World, Lushfoil Photography Sim, All Will Rise, Treeplanter, and Vapourwave Pinball. Check out the Steam demos of some of these here: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/LondonGamesFestival2025.In the roundup: Blue Prince, Promise Mascot Agency.Thanks to Genny Dixon, Fergus Craig, Kim & Nathan, New Game+, and Ciaran Daly.Become a patron for bonus episodes and loads of fun perks: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Find me on Bluesky, YouTube, the Steam curator page, etc: http://gaminginthewild.com.Thanks for listening!

Apr 4, 2025 • 57min
251: The Best Switch Indie Games
Your host is off galavanting at the London Games Festival this week, so this episode a little inbetweener. It's a look back at the Nintendo Switch — which was *the* place to play indie games on console, for a while — and the great indies it'll be remembered for.In the roundup: Lushfoil Photography Sim, Promise Mascot Agency, Koira.This episode's audio is from a YouTube video you can watch here: https://youtu.be/48f-zXDkuaUPlease consider supporting the pod by becoming a patron! You get 15 bonus podcasts, a patron Discord invite, and more: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildFollow the Steam curator page here to see recommendations while you browse games: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!

Mar 31, 2025 • 1h 6min
250: Kentucky Route Zero - Act IV
Act IV of KRZ takes the form of an epic river journey that feels like the centrepiece of the game. It's a voyage down the Echo River aboard the Mucky Mammoth, with the player no longer behind the wheel. We drift between the various members of our ragtag group, deepening our understanding of Ezra, Will, Junebug & Johnny, Shannon, and the ailing Conway, who seems to be losing his grip on the world.As per this play along series, the pod is sprinkled with comments from patrons, pals, and listeners: thanks to Dovetail, Lenka, Zanem, Ray, Skogstokig, and Dave for chipping in. Y'all outdid yourselves in the act.You can join this playthrough (and future ones like it) at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. You also get 15 patron bonus episodes, an invite to the Discord community, and the warm feeling of knowing you're supporting me in making this podcast.I'm away from my home studio for a couple of weeks starting tomorrow, but there's some Gaming In The Wild scheduled for YouTube later this week: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.And I'll be posting on social media from the road: http://gaminginthewild.com.Thanks for listening, back soon!

Mar 20, 2025 • 37min
249: Dawnfolk, Assassin's Creed Shadows
This week we really do run the gamut of indie to AAA with reviews of tile-based solo dev strategy game Dawnfolk, and the latest Ubisoft blockbuster Assassin's Creed Shadows. Thanks to both developers for supplying review codes!In the roundup: Everhood 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, Promise Mascot Agency.Support this podcast for the price of a coffee each month, and get loads of perks and extras for your generosity! http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildCheck out the YouTube for more GITW content: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.Follow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!