Gaming In The Wild - Video Game Reviews

This week's show is an indie game roundup, featuring soulsy Zelda-like Tunic, the dreamy and melancholic Hindsight, and popular village-building puzzler Dorfromantik. In the roundup: new releases coming in October, and a couple of game demos that are in Steam’s Next Fest—the enigmatic Birth, and Season: A Letter To The Future. If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. Patrons get bonus episodes, and an invite to the show’s lovely Discord community. You can also tip me via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. All proceeds go into the podcast—equipment, music, the http://gaminginthewild domain, and other costs of producing the pod. I really appreciate the support! If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find all the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And as always, thanks for listening!

Immortality is an ambitious new interactive film game from Sam Barlow, in which the player turns detective to untangle the mystery of a missing young actress called Marissa Marcel. With an ingenious “match cut” mechanic and some very extra twists (hidden behind a spoiler break!) this is an absolutely unforgettable game. In the roundup: Moonscars, Dorfromantik, Foretales. Big thanks to The Short Game podcast for their two excellent episodes on Immortality—they helped me to form my thoughts on this game’s elusive story: Spoiler free: https://www.theshortgame.net/333-immortality-part-1-no-spoilers/ Spoilerful: https://www.theshortgame.net/334-immortality-part-2-spoilers-analysis/ If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month and get exclusive episodes, sale recommendations, and an invite to the show’s Discord community at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. You can also support the show via Ko-Fi: http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And as always, thanks for listening!

Deathloop is Arkane’s latest, and some say greatest game. Initially a Playstation console exclusive and 2021 GOTY contender, it’s now getting a second wave of attention as it arrives on Xbox Game Pass and PS+. I talk through the highs and lows in this episode, from the excellent audio-visual presentation, voice acting, movement, and level design—to its tangled, misfiring story and frustratingly didactic structure. In the roundup: Blossom Tales 2: The Minotaur King, Metal: Hellsinger, Fuga: Melodies of Steel, Dorfromantik. If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month and get exclusive episodes, sale recommendations, and an invite to the show’s Discord community – go to http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild for that. You can also support the show via Ko-Fi if that’s your preferred creator platform: http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And as always, thanks for listening!

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was announced this week, amidst a slew of game announcements from all of the big guns. This episode takes a look at some of the highlights from the Nintendo Direct, Sony State of Play, and Ubisoft Forward, before reviewing a cute little Game Pass title: Beasts of Maravilla Island. In the roundup: Bear & Breakfast, Rogue Legacy 2, Harvestella, Foretales, Blossom Tales 2, Nobody Saves The World: Frozen Hearth DLC. If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month and get exclusive episodes, sale recommendations, and an invite to the show’s Discord community – go to http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild for that. You can also support the show via Ko-Fi if that’s your preferred creator platform: http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And as always, thanks for listening!

Watch out Nintendo: Tinykin is coming for your gig! This Paper Mario meets Pikmin 3D platformer is all-but flawless: hear about why in this week's main review. I also talk about the opening section of crisp 2D roguelike action-platformer Rogue Legacy 2, and look ahead to some exciting upcoming indie console releases including Bear & Breakfast, Hardspace: Shipbreaker, Slime Rancher 2, and Dorfromantik.  If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month and get exclusive episodes, sale recommendations, and an invite to the show’s Discord community – go to http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild for that. You can also support the show via Ko-Fi if that’s your preferred creator platform: http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And as always, thanks for listening!

This episode was a strange one to make... how do you talk about a game that you're broadly enjoying, and playing daily – whilst also thinking every aspect of it is in some way strange, off, lacking, or flawed? That's the "gamefeel"-related terrain I attempt to navigate in this episode, all about the newest cutesy village-builder on the block: Ooblets. In the roundup: Slime Rancher, Assassin's Creed Valhalla. In the outro: Rogue Legacy 2, Tinykin, Immortality, Cult of the Lamb v1.01. If you'd like to support this podcast on Patreon, get bonus episodes, and join the show's kind and mellow Discord community, you can do so from $1 per month at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild if that's your jam. And please do come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find all those links and more at http://gaminginthewild.com. As always, thanks for listening!

Dicey Dungeons is a brilliant roguelike deck builder by Terry Kavanagh that rolls sixes on slick presentation, ingenious mechanics, and game-show atmosphere. In the roundup: Ooblets, Midnight Fight Express, We Are OFK, Turnip Boy commits Tax Evasion. If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month and get exclusive episodes, sale recommendations, and an invite to the show’s Discord community – go to http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild for that. You can also support the show via Ko-Fi if that’s your preferred creator platform: http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And as always, thanks for listening!

PRAISE THE LAMB! This week’s episode is a deep-dive into the bug-riddled but impressive indie hit, Cult of the Lamb. In the roundup: PowerWash Simulator, Steve Jackson’s Sorcery, We Are OFK, Cursed To Golf, Rollerdrome, and more. If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month and get exclusive episodes, sale recommendations, and an invite to the show’s Discord community – go to http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild for that. You can also support the show via Ko-Fi if that’s your preferred creator platform: http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And as always, thanks for listening!

This week I've been tending my flock in freshly-minted indie darling Cult of the Lamb, and running around in open world fan-fave Ghost of Tsushima. Expect a full Cult of the Lamb review this time next week! Also, a big thanks to the show’s newest Patreon patron Blake McKean. If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month and get exclusive episodes, sale recommendations, and an invite to the show’s Discord community – go to http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild for that. You can also support the show via Ko-Fi if that’s your preferred creator platform: http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And as always, thanks for listening!

This week I was derailed from my FFVIIR playthrough when my two "side games" just took over, and my poor old main game got kicked to the kerb for a bit. The games in question? Pocket-sized mech-tactics roguelike Into The Breach, and the most bizarre cult hit of the year: the chorecore dad-fest that is PowerWash Simulator. Thanks to the show's newest patrons, Dave Jackson (of Tales From The Backlog podcast) and Jacob (of The Pre-Order Bonus Podcast). I was a guest on the Pre-Order Bonus Podcast's Indie Impresison series this week for a 1.5hr Stray deep-dive, so if you're still not sick of the sound of my voice after this episode, you find that bonus episode on Patreon (set to public) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/indie-episode-33-70053055. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - find the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month and get exclusive episodes, sale recommendations, and an invite to the show’s Discord community – go to http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild for that. You can also support the show via Ko-Fi if that’s your preferred creator platform: http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild. And as always, thanks for listening!