Gaming In The Wild - Video Game Reviews

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 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 community. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild.  All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. 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 check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

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. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild.  All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. If you enjoy the show, you can come say hi on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch - find all the links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

Goodbye Volcano High is a lushly produced visual novel about a high-school band at the end of the world. Playing as a hot goth dino called Fang, we navigate crushes, fallouts, band practice, and roleplaying sessions, all via dialogue choices & light rhythm gameplay. It’s an absorbing story game lit up by sparkling writing, sensuous art, and a dreamy guitar-pop soundtrack.  Also: The Game Awards nominees – Starfield SNUBBED! :') And 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 community. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild.  All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. 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 check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

A blockbuster sequel long in the offing, Alan Wake II offers an original, cutting-edge audio-visual presentation. But its ambition as a showpiece and a spectacle is mirrored by a surprising lack of creativity in other areas, that makes it a uniformly dull – and sometimes frustratingly illegible – gameplay experience. In the roundup: Goodbye Volcano High, Thirsty Suitors, November release. And 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 community. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild.  All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. 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 check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

Jusant is a chill, mechanically innovative climbing game, in which a nameless protagonist climbs a huge rock tower in a dry, deserted word. The wordless story adds some intrigue, and the methodical, tactile, handhold-by-handold climbing really shines. Also: first thoughts on Remedy's Alan Wake II. And many thanks to the show’s 53 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 community. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild.  All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. 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 check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

This week I talk about the fun experience of visiting video game hotspots in Tokyo, my experience as a PC gaming newbie with the ROG Ally handheld, and playing the opening hours of the imaginative, colourful, supremely entertaining Super Mario Bros Wonder. And many thanks to the show’s 53 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 community. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild.  All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. 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 check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

Nour: Play With Your Food is a bizarre physics-driven rhythm game that's all about... well, playing with food. The player rains food items into a scene, hitting buttons in time to responsive music, and… seeing if anything happens? As it all devolves into a chaotic spectacle, sometimes it seems like there's a game structure trying to emerge. Ultimately, not much is clear – except that it’s fun. In the roundup: some first impressions of sensible racer Forza Motorsport, and a quick look at the rune-translating indie game Chants of Senaar. Music: Oxenfree II, Night In The Woods. And many thanks to the show’s 52 patrons! If you'd like to support the show on Patreon, you can do so from $1 per month (or more, if you like!) at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. Patrons get access to a catalogue of bonus episodes, and an invite to the show’s lovely Discord community. All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. (You can also send a one-off tip via ⁠Ko-Fi⁠ at ⁠http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild⁠.)  Follow the show's social media - Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch - and find all the relevant links at http://gaminginthewild.com. And check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

Under The Waves is a narrative-driven underwater adventure about a deep-sea diver dealing with loss. It shines brightest during its mesmerising ocean-floor exploration in a tiny submersible craft, which made for some epic moments. In the roundup: Dead Space Remake, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, The Crew Motorfest, and more.  And many thanks to the show’s 52 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 community. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild.  All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. 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 check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

Cocoon is an enigma. As a green-winged bug, we hop between dimensions, facing puzzles that are in turn intricate and frustrating. It’s slick, polished, and impressive, but uneven, demanding, and narratively vague. In the roundup: Station To Station, Wargroove 2, Under The Waves, Jusant, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Alan Wake 2, Spider-Man 2, and other October release highlights.  And many thanks to the show’s 50 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 community. All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. You can also send a one-off tip via ⁠Ko-Fi⁠ at ⁠http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild⁠.  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 check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!

Gunbrella is slick, snappy, vibey action-platformer with a surprisingly affecting story, and some welcome adventure game elements. It’s heavy on style, and short in runtime. In the roundup: Baldur's Gate 3 impressions at 4hrs played, Cyberpunk 2077 2.0, Cocoon, Saltsea Chronicles. And many thanks to the show’s 50 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 community. You can also send a one-off tip via Ko-Fi at http://ko-fi.com/gaminginthewild.  All proceeds go into the podcast, covering things like equipment, games, music, editing apps, and so forth. I really appreciate the support, it helps make the show better. 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 check out this Steam curator page made by podcast supporter DovetailTrue: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/   Thanks for listening!