I'm going to just come out and say it, but this is going to be a short one because I got incredibly ill this week, missed practically everything that aired this week, and was not able to follow any of the big announcements.
Once again, ads shouldn't be in the Premium podcasts anymore. This problem should have been resolved starting with the Giant Bombcast 830, and you should see the Premium tag reflected on the site and RSS feed from now on. If this issue is still impacting you, please head to "Site-Tech-Issues" on the Giant Bomb Discord or file a bug report on the Bug Reporting Board.
The previous issues with the RSS Feed also seems to be resolved, however, please still consider bringing this issue to the site's attention if you are still experiencing problems. Likewise, most on the Discord are reporting that the work arounds shared last week seem to have resolved their issues when trying to listen to podcasts on podcast apps.
Fore those that missed it last week, Pocket Casts has a whole process you need to do, but it should now be working without issues. Click the "RSS" link to the right of the feed you want. The URL of the page that pops up is the URL you want. If you use Overcast, if you pick the premium audio feed on the site and then copy the RSS on that version you can add it manually to the Overcast app. Another person on the Discord said "long-pressing the RSS icon" and going to Copy Link works for adding the premium feeds to the apps they use.
Finally, PAX EAST 2024 IS NEXT WEEK! Tickets are still available, but Saturday-only badges are sold out and Thursday-only badges are in low stock! If you plan to attend the event, BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW! Also, here are the PAX East 2024 panels that may be of interest to any Giant Bomb fans:
Jeff Grubbleton's Family Photo & Grubb Vanity Fair Cover (By: @kone)
Oh, British royals, when will you ever not give us goofy-ass breaking news? Regardless of what you think of the latest Kate Middleton news, Kone decided to imagine the Giant Bomb staff posing in this now infamous photo.
Likewise, Merry Kish pointed out that that Grubb's face in this image bore a striking resemblance to his Vanity Fair photo shoot, and Kone decidedly agreed with her.
@giantbomb Someone did @JeffGrubb dirty (may have to click the image to see it all) pic.twitter.com/YEYNfTRDl5
— John Appleton (@jaa0109) March 11, 2024
Can’t fool me, billboard. That’s @DanRyckert from @giantbomb. pic.twitter.com/HOsXniutax
— Marlin Wells (@MWellsComic) March 15, 2024
Tuned into the most concentrating stream I've ever seen @giantbomb pic.twitter.com/bo9x9Txgyc
— Dan Williams 🍕 (@videospacegames) March 15, 2024
(the best sales pitch for the Regency Solitaire games remains the old Giant Bomb QL of Alex having a blast with it) https://t.co/aDPoO6nOEO
— Colin Spacetwinks (@spacetwinks) March 15, 2024
So glad that when you google my name and "giant bomb", @frailgesture being drawn like one of your French girls is still a top three result... pic.twitter.com/RZLQgUmHYb
— lex luddy (kiryu's roommate) (@BasicalliLexi) March 15, 2024
The GB Album Club 055 - Choose Your Weapon by Hiatus Kaiyote (By: @unclejam23)
The latest edition of the Giant Bomb Album of the Week Club is for Choose Your Weapon by Hiatus Kaiyote! Have you ever given this Australian musical group a listen? If you haven't join the fun by clicking the link above!
Shadow Warrior 3 Is The 6th Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! Finish By March 25! Mark All Spoilers! (By: @bigsocrates)
Shadow Warrior 3 by Flying Wild Hog is the LATEST PICK of the Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club! What are your non-spoiler impressions of Lo Wang and Orochi Zilla's third outing? Join the discussion if you have played the game in the past or have been eyeing it recently.
What's the Greatest Video Game: Ghostbusters: The Video Game (By: @imunbeatable80)
For this edition of imunbeatable80's "What's the Greatest Video Game" feature, they revisited Ghostbusters: The Video Game! Is it the greatest video game? No, but as they discuss, it's still a fun experience with creative merit.
Lo-Fi Plays VII: Another Five Obscure Indie Games (By: @gamer_152)
In case you missed it, moderator Gamer_152 published a blog that looks at FIVE indie games you might not know about or possibly skipped! If you want indie video game recommendations, this is a definite read; just click the link!
64 in 64: Episode 40 (By: @mento)
Bust-A-Move '99/Bust-A-Move 3 DX/Puzzle Bobble 64 AND Yakouchuu II: Satsujin Kouru are the topics of Mento 's latest blog looking at the highs and lows of the N64! Give it a read if you have been enjoying the latest Blight Club.
Indie Game of the Week 361: This Way Madness Lies (By: @mento)
Likewise, This Way Madness Lies is the latest topic of their "Indie Game of the Week" feature on the site. Did they enjoy this largely comedic JRPG-styled game with a troupe of Shakespearean actresses? Read to find out!
The Number One Hawaiian JRPG Out There (By: @mooseymcman)
As the title of their latest blog on Giant Bomb suggests, MooseyMcMan feels comfortable calling Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth the "number One Hawaiian JRPG out there." Read their thesis and what they mean!
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle And The Satisfaction Of Finally Finishing An Old Game (By: @bigsocrates)
After picking away at it for a few years, bigsocrates penned an essay on Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle and why finishing the game underscored the importance of seeing games in their backlog to their conclusions.
Need Examples Of "I Already Did That" (By: @marino)
Marino put out a call about a new concept page in the Giant Bomb wiki that recently got added! We are STILL looking for more examples of games doing this! If you can think of anything here's the current thread!
Merlin Bird Bonanza 2024 (By: @splodge)
Well, largely thanks to Dan, we now have a thread on the site where y'all can post pictures you've captured using the Merlin birding app and also share their experiences using the app!
Without Spoilers, What's The Last Most Impressive Feat You've Seen In A Video Game? (By: @topcyclist)
We all clearly enjoy video game live streaming, otherwise, why would we be here? Therefore, what is the most impressive thing you have seen while watching a video game livestream or while watching a Let's Play video series?
What Are The ESSENTIAL Games On The PS5 So Far, And Coming Up? (By: @sombre)
Who's to say if we are actually nearing the wind down of the PlayStation 5. If we are nearing the PS5's lifespan, what games do you consider its "essential titles?" Whether you want to recommend big AAA games or small indie titles, join the community discussion!
Do You Enjoy "Mature" Stories More In Video Games? (By: @topcyclist)
What kind of mood do you need to be in to properly engage in a darker video game? Whether its a classic like Silent Hill 2 or a modern title like The Last of Us, how do you approach mature video game stories?
Is Hollow Knight: Silksong Officially Vaporware? (By: @sombre)
What is your confidence level that we see or hear any positive Hollow Knight: Silksong this year? Next year? Also, how do you draw the line between being patient with the game's small team and frustration?
1980s Top 20 Favorite Games (By: @edsone)
While it definitely makes you want to curl up into a ball, most of the games on this list by edsone are nearing their 40th anniversaries. Can you think of any 80s games that you still enjoy playing? If so, consider making a list of your own!
As mentioned in the discussion threads area, we have a new concept page on Giant Bomb and we need YOUR HELP making it even better! With the pitch being "When a game has specific or unique dialogue for when the player has already completed a task before being given a quest to do that task," can you think of any new or old examples?
Also, feel free to add some text to this very clearly "Too Cool For Wikipedia" concept page!
]]>Obviously, the big thing that needs to be discussed is the situation with Premium Podcasts having ads as well as the Podcast RSS Feed not co-operating with podcast apps.
First, ads shouldn't be in the Premium podcasts anymore. If you check Giant Bombcast 830, you should see that the Premium tag is reflected on the site and RSS feed now. This should have rolled out to apps like Pocket Casts later today.
As per TurboShawn, who has been investigating the problems with the podcasts feeds, if anyone still has ads on Bombcast 830, it's probably because they never re-downloaded the episode after it was fixed. As for the other feeds, GMM and the VMDT should be good as of this week's episodes. Borked episodes will probably still be busted on the RSS feed until a site issue is fixed, but direct downloads SHOULD work now for those who like archiving.
As for adding those feeds, that varies per app. Pocket Casts has a whole process you need to do, but it should now be working without issues. Click the "RSS" link to the right of the feed you want. The URL of the page that pops up is the URL you want. If you use Overcast, if you pick the premium audio feed on the site and then copy the RSS on that version you can add it manually to the Overcast app. Another person on the Discord said "long-pressing the RSS icon" and going to Copy Link works for adding the premium feeds to the apps they use.
The other big news stems from a programming change with Giant Bomb's PAX East 2024 plans. Previously, Giant Bomb's Dandoko Dare Live! and Voice Mail Dump Truck Live! panels were set to air back-to-back on Friday. This week, the Voice Mail Dump Truck Live! was moved to Saturday, March 23rd. If you need the times and exact date for this as well as the Giant Beastcast Reunion panel, here's a handy graphic @marino made:
Superdan 64 x Superman III (By: @Pixel_Perverts)
With Superman being a more than questionable game, why not mash it with a slightly questionable Superman film, (i.e., Superman III)! Over on Twitter, Pixel_Perverts went ahead and made that happen and I think we can all agree the end result is awesome.
Truth, Justice And The Ryckert Way! (By: @jearum)
jearum joins the field in embracing the community in celebrating Dan's efforts to defeat Superman 64! With this work, they added Superdan to their Hall of Blight Cub Superfriends. It just has me wondering what the Blight Club Legion of Doom looks like.
Blight Club Presents: Superdan 64 (By: @StickerChamp)
StickerChamp made this incredible work of art to celebrate the start of Dan's Superman 64 Blight Club, and if you can send them some thanks, please do so when you have the time. Support artists however you can.
Bizarro Dan (By: @chucktowski)
With most in the community imagining a friendly and helpful version of Superdan, chucktowski couldn't help but wonder what his evil doppelganger would be like.
Blight Club Balatro Joker Cards (By: @kone)
Well, I bet these cards wouldn't be any worse than Hiker or Castle, but I don't want to even imagine what Dan's Sonic cosplay card would do in a game of Balatro.
FLAWFULL VICTORY - A Giant Bomb Blight Club Animated Series (FULL SEASON) (By: Pickle Giraffe)
Though Mike's misadventures with Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero might be over, Pickle Giraffe isn't exactly done with their efforts to animate their misery. This week they created a handy super cut of every episode their animated series for Mike.
After 96 Mario Kart races on @giantbomb, these are the scores without any bonus points. Just pure, raw points where lowest is best (1st place = 1). pic.twitter.com/SOuGnDvs1r
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) March 9, 2024
i think this bit from giant bomb's endurance run of persona 4 has stuck with me forever. i saw this like 15 years ago. https://t.co/RnUkzH3DEU pic.twitter.com/emMnHvWiCt
— soap (@soapbelt) March 8, 2024
it was noted that akira toriyama hated "dragonball: evolution." here's the legendary giant bomb quick look of the shitty psp game. pic.twitter.com/rr9OvEigyr
— kate bush's husband (@airbagged) March 8, 2024
@JeffGrubb always talks to @DanRyckert like hes dying in a movie and it cracks me up.
— Eric Wicker (@EricWicker) March 6, 2024
Dan: “Arnold is still the most popular thing worldwide right??”
Grubb: “Yeah he is bud….yeah he is…” *stares into setting sun*@Tolkoto @giantbomb @_janjerome @jeffbakalar
On this day 13 years ago, the first gameplay footage of Skullgirls was released as part of Giant Bomb's Quick Looks series. The full footage can be watched with the provided link:https://t.co/13BanhL989
— Fighting Game Anniversaries (@FGAnniversaries) March 3, 2024
A segment of the footage is shown below. pic.twitter.com/rOlHE1eD8m
The GB Album Club 054 - String Quartet No. 8 by Dmitri Shostakovich (By: @unclejam23)
The Album of the Week Club IS BACK and this time it's is listening to: String Quartet No. 8 by Dmitri Shostakovich. Give it a listen and also discuss one of the most controversial figures in modern classical music!
Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club Voting Thread For Cycle Starting March 11 2024
It's time to send in your latest round of votes for the Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club! Here are the nominees to pick from this week and remember you can VOTE FOR TWO GAMES you'd like to see picked next!
Brotato Is The 5th Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! Finish By March 11! Spoilers? What Are Spoilers?(By: @bigsocrates)
Brotato by indie developer Blobfish is the latest pick for the Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club! Have any of you played this game yet? If you have, what are your tips and tricks? What are your thoughts about it? Join the discussion!
Mega Archive: Part XXXIX: From Wonder Library to F1 (By: @mento)
Moderator Mento has some weird ones for their latest "Mega Archive" post! If you are a fan of the Genesis/Mega Drive, read their write-ups about titles like Columns III: Revenge of Columns, Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt!, and The Chaos Engine.
Indie Game of the Week 360: Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (By: @mento)
Also, as always, Mento has a new edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" feature on the site and this one tackles Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion. With the Game Pass Game Club playing the other Turnip Boy game, is the community warming up to this series?
On Its 7th Anniversary Switch Is Poised To Be The Biggest Selling Console Ever. Why Doesn't It Feel Like A Bigger Deal? (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates penned an essay on the Nintendo Switch. As they ask, with the console likely to become the best selling video console is history, why aren't we talking about it more in the pantheon of all-time greats?
What's the Greatest Video Game: Wintermoor Tactics Club (By: @imunbeatable80)
imunbeatable80 is back with a new edition of their "What's the Greatest Video Game" feature and this episode is all about Wintermoor Tactics Club! Does it separate itself from a crowded field of SRPGs?
Persona 4 Golden Review-In-Progress Chapter 1: The Master Between The Dead Lad And The Joking Lad (By: @infantpipoc)
After having a blast with Persona 3 Reload, infantpipoc broke out the Vita to play Persona 4 Golden! What did they think of the game's first three and a half hours and changes from the original? Click the link below to find out!
A Nuanced Take on Japanese and Western Platformers, and a Positive Message for the Future (By: @alianger)
Are there divergent schools of thought when it comes to Western and Japanese platformers? alianger thinks so, and you can read and discuss their thesis by clicking the link above! What do you think? Join the conversation!
Balatro, A Game With No Actual Gambling, Has Been Re-rated And Pulled From Some Shops Due To Gambling (By: @bigsocrates)
Balatro, a game with no gambling, has faced delisting and ratings struggles because some have determined that it depicts gambling. And now... it seems like the game isn't going to get delisted from most marketplaces. What do you make of the news and surrounding controversy?
David Zaslav Strikes Games! You (Likely) Only Have 60 Days To Buy Most Adult Swims' Games Before They Get Delisted (By: @zombiepie)
Well, it seems like David Zaslav, one of the most hated figures in entertainment, is overlapping into video games. It sounds like a good portion of indie games published by Adult Swim Games will be delisted and impossible to buy. Read up on the news and share where you stand.
Akira Toriyama Has Died At 68 (By: @zombiepie)
Join the community in mourning the passing of Akira Toriyama. The the rest of the community in honoring his legacy and indelible mark on manga, anime, and video games. Please be mindful this thread is a place for sharing grief.
Monster Jam Showdown Announced (By: @gtxforza)
MONDAY! MONDAY! MONSTER TRUCK RALLY! Well, actually, there's a new Monster Truck themed game coming out! Will it have Grave Digger? Find out here! Also, if that intro sentence got any of you, let out a yelp! 90s kids STAND UP!
Corded Mice That Don't Suck? (By: @sparky_buzzsaw)
Sparky is asking for corded mice recommendations. What are you using right now? Share your favorite mice still on the market as well as the ones you are using right now in the thread!
After Calling Suicide Squad A "Disappointment" WB Games Boss Doubles Down on Live Service Games (By: @zombiepie)
The boss of WB Games has indicated that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was a "disappointment" and that the gaming division is pivoting towards games as a service. What are your impressions of their statements?
What Was Your Last 4AM Game? (By: @spacemanspiff00)
Alright 3AM crew, you're calling into the Voicemail Dump Truck at the correct times, but when was the last time you played a video game during the early AM hours? Share the game and circumstances with the community!
@pauljeremiah booted up the original PlayStation and gave Castlevania: Symphony of the Night a whirl. Does it hold up? Of course it does! But why? That's one of the questions he answers with his latest retro review!
@pauljeremiah also started a retro review retrospective on the reboot Ninja Gaiden games and this week covered Ninja Gaiden (2004) and Ninja Gaiden II (2008)! Do you prefer the first or second game? Check out his reviews to see where they stand!
The MK 1 Hybrid Characters, Ranked from Worst to Best (By: @captainofthestars)
captainofthestars has played a good amount of Mortal Kombat 1 and they decided to rank all of the "hybrid characters" from the Armageddon ending of the story mode from best to worst.
Best Games of 1997 (By: @adrenaline)
With the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Adrenaline decided to go back to 1997 to create a GOTY list and see where OG Final Fantasy VII would rank. It's only #3, but what about you? Make a list and drop me a link!
With Toys for Bob regaining its independence, let's throw things back to one of the best and most important games in their catalogue! That's right let's talk about Star Control II and the amazing wiki page we have for the game!
]]>The issue with non-premium videos being tagged as premium has been fixed. Also, some people are saying the site video player is better and previous issues are gone. Chime in over here if that's not the case for you!
Speaking of videos on the site, the video player seems to be working for a vast majority of people now. If you are still having issues with the video player, please continue sending in your experiences.
When it comes to listening to podcasts via podcast apps, @turboshawn is investigating the issue and trying to work with the popular apps many of you are saying are not working. They found that last week's issue seemed to be Pocket Casts-specific, while the issues this week with the VMDT and GMM RSS Feeds seems to be with the RSS feeds specifically. For now, please try downloading directly from the site and TurboShawn will try to have the feed issues fixed as soon as possible.
Grubb made a writing contribution to XboxEra's 20 year retrospective on the Xbox platform and the ups and downs of Microsoft's console gaming efforts. You may recall that one of the people running XboxEra is a long-time Giant Bomb fan.
Finally, for those of you planning on attending PAX East, be aware you should buy your badges SOON! Saturday-only tickets are now sold out! You can currently still get a 4-Day badge though. And for those of you that missed the news for the past two weeks, the Giant Bomb staff will be at PAX East with numerous appearances!
TurboShawn With His Best Friend + Miquanchi x Balatro (By: KONE)
TurboShawn is not a fan of Chadley. So, why not have him smiling right next to him? That's exactly what Kone was thinking! Likewise, Kone also imagined Mike in his Quan Chi getup as a Balatro card!
Grubb In The Woods Meme (By: @RaginTombo, @D3rachi, and @Kone)
Earlier in the week, Grubb humorously tweeted that he was walking in a wooded area in Ohio and thought it reminded them of a video game level. A few of the usual suspects decided to have "fun" with the photo they posted.
Finale-less Victory - A Giant Bomb Blight Club Animated Clip (FINALE) (By: Pickle Giraffe)
THE GRAND FINALE IS HERE! Many thanks to Pickle Giraffe for doing this animated series and seeing Mike's adventures in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero to the very end with these animated highlights. As thanks, head on over to YouTube and give them a follow and maybe they continue on with future animated videos of Blight Club.
Finishing up the big finale for the @giantbomb blight club animated series. Until then @Tolkoto will just have to wait here. @DanRyckert @JeffGrubb pic.twitter.com/Qqbe0RWbo7
— Pickle Giraffe (@Pickle_Giraffe) February 29, 2024
Thanks to @giantbomb's @JeffGrubb and @DanRyckert for having me and @haleyfax on Voicemail Dump Truck to talk about dates, crushes, hidin' booze, and all of the important things in life. https://t.co/a2yfQwNoDM pic.twitter.com/2ZP9IlKzHV
— Ben Hanson (@yozetty) March 1, 2024
MK Mythologies Bloopers - https://t.co/gVdQZ8ZD3R @Tolkoto @JeffGrubb @DanRyckert @giantbomb @_janjerome @jeffbakalar
— Eric Wicker (@EricWicker) February 28, 2024
At an old Giant Bomb/Cards Against Humanity Panel, someone suggested to Ryan that a good joke for a card would be “laughing without smiling”. I think about that all the time.
— Matt Kessler (@MattBodega) February 27, 2024
I cant believe its been 9 years since the first Film & 40s @giantbomb @drewscanlon @DanRyckert pic.twitter.com/xcDs6pvcYm
— Cristian Rodríguez (@cristian_rarg) February 27, 2024
It's always a good day when a game reminds me of one of the weirdest concept pages I've created. pic.twitter.com/P8snCn1Ee7
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) March 2, 2024
Brotato Is The 5th Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! Finish By March 11! Spoilers? What Are Spoilers?
Brotato by indie developer Blobfish is the latest pick for the Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club! Have any of you played this game yet? If you have, what are your tips and tricks? What are your thoughts about it? Join the discussion!
Rollerdrome Is The 4th Game Of Year 3 Of The Game Pass Game Club! Finish by February 26! (By: @bigsocrates)
The Game Pass Game Club has officially opened its discussion of Rollerdrome to SPOILERS! Do any of you have thoughts about the game's story? Were there any late-game missions that had you struggling? Discuss away!
The GB Album Club 053 - Sanguivore by Creeper (By: @unclejam23)
The latest edition of the Giant Bomb Album of the Week Club is here and this time the group is listening and reviewing Sanguivore by English rock band, Creeper! Are you familiar with this group? Regardless, join the fun NOW!
Mento's Month: February '24 + Indie Game of the Week 359: Depths of Sanity (By: @mento)
Moderator Mento made the most of their Leap Day this year. You can read about it on their monthly wrap-up blog! What was their favorite game they played last month? What was their favorite indie gem? Read to find out!
Mento also has a new edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" feature and this episode is all about 2019's Depths of Sanity! Is this Metroidvania about investigating mysterious noises at the bottom of the ocean any fun? Check out their blog to find the answer.
Finishing Final Fantasy III [Part 2]: Dear GOD, This Might Be The Worst Endgame In Franchise History! (By: @zombiepie)
While everyone is enjoying Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, moderator ZombiePie decided to play something considerably older and worse: Final Fantasy III. Read why they think its reputation as being brutal is earned, but with caveats.
Diving for Friendship... and LIBER-TEA! (By: @mooseymcman)
In case you missed it, friend of the site MooseyMcMan wrote a FANTASTIC essay about Helldivers II and its ongoing "war." Read why they have a blast playing it with friends, enjoy its cooperative nature, and appreciate its satire.
I Never Expected Kirby's Return To Dreamland Deluxe To Restore My Zest For Gaming (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates ended up picking up Kirby's Return to Dream Land on the Switch to see how that version would translate the original Wii mechanics. Read why it ended up as the best gaming pick-me-up they have had this year!
All Jaguar Games in Order: 1994 (Part 2) (By: @borgmaster)
borgmaster returns to remind you that the Atari Jaguar was a real thing! This week, they played Checkered Flag, Club Drive, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, and Doom! Could you imagine playing a version of OG Doom with no music?
Death Wave: Cities: Skylines and Simulatory Failure (By: @gamer_152)
Moderator Gamer_152 penned a new essay and this one looks at Cities: Skylines! This blog looks at how the game simulates "death waves" and how the game simulates failure when you make misinformed decisions when making a city.
Sony Announces Cuts To Gaming Worldwide. 900 Laid Off. Guerilla, Insomniac, And Naughty Dog Impacted (By: @zombiepie)
Many are still reeling from Sony's massive layoffs in its gaming divisions. Get a summary of the news and share your thoughts. What do you think about some pointing out how Sony's public statement says a lot about US worker rights?
Article From Forbes On Tech Layoffs (By: @skuski)
skuski noticed an article by Forbes that explored the recent layoffs impacting the tech and gaming industry and is hosting a community discussion about its findings. Feel free to give the article a read and share if you buy Forbes' conclusions.
EA Just Laid Off 5% Of Its Workforce Or ~670 People (By: @zombiepie)
Electronic Arts announced that they would be laying off about 5% of its workforce or about 670 people as well as cancelling some of its projects. Get a summary of the layoffs and join the conversation about the brutality of 2024.
Endurance Motorsport Series Announced (By: @gtxforza)
A new racing game, Endurance Motorsport Series, got announced and you can catch the trailer here! Isn't it a little weird to see KT Racing announce a new racing game while Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown remains MIA?
Balatro Seed, Tips, & Tricks Sharing Thread (By: @zombiepie)
Our Balatro tip sharing thread and community guide is coming along well! If you have had found an especially powerful combos or Joker cards, feel free to share them with a handy comment! Also, don't forget to chime in with seeds that might be easy for newcomers!
@geimers has a review of the Genesis version of the Cutthroat Island movie tie-in video game! Cutthroat Island is best known for being a box office bomb that killed an entire movie studio, but did you also know it was a bad action platformer?
Top 19 Games Of 2023 (By: @invisible)
It might be mightily belated, but Invisible finally got around to making a 2023 GOTY list! However, they really felt like ranking nineteen games they enjoyed rather than the standard ten!
With the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, let's take a look back at the many forms of FF7's protagonist. Cloud Strife has been on many adventures and not just in the Final Fantasy universe!
]]>I greatly appreciate those of you taking the time to read these even it means taking a break from fawning over Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's Tifa. Also, this week saw an almost record-breaking number of blogs in the span of one week! It would be fantastic if everyone who read this showed their support for some of these blogs with a supportive comment! Spread some love and do a kind thing when you have the time!
The Giant Bomb staff and friends really made the rounds this week.
Dan guested on the MinnMax show to talk about Helldivers II and Balatro and you can catch the VOD over on their YouTube account.
Lucy helmed a new retrospective on Final Fantasy VII on GameSpot that is worth a watch if you are excited about the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
Tam did an interview with Sports Illustrated's video game division where he discussed growing up on a council estate, battling depression, and struggling to get into games media.
Last week, I mentioned the staff's PAX East plans have been officially announced via the PAX schedule and it looks like a back-to-back PAX panel on Friday night, March 22nd, at PAX East! The staff will be hosting a live in-person VMDT and then follow it up with Dandoko Dare live! This will be streamed live on https://twitch.tv/pax2
However, there's one more new addition to the PAX East schedule you might want to be aware about. There's going to be a Giant Beastcast Reunion! That's right! Alex, Vinny, Dan, Abby, AND Jeff Bakalar are getting back together to host a one-hour panel about one of the greatest podcasts to ever hit the internet! Unfortunately, the Condor Theatre is not set up for live streams.
Dan's Blight Club Fate WWE Edition (By: @kone)
Dan has all but confirmed that the next time he is a victim to the whims of Blight Club, the game he will be playing will be Superman for the Nintendo 64. Seeing a chance to turn this into something "special," Kone made this work of Photoshop goodness.
Techno Syndrome (Minotti Mix) (By: DMonk52)
With Mike's Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero edition of Blight Club being one of the early highlights of 2024, maybe what you need in your life right now is the Mortal Kombat theme with the words MIKE MINOTTI chanting over and over again!
Nine years ago, I put @patrickklepek through hell with a trilogy of nightmare Mario Maker levels. With the Wii U servers shutting down soon, it's time for @JeffGrubb to give them a shot.
— Dan Ryckert (@DanRyckert) February 23, 2024
1pm Eastern at https://t.co/WQSYkGid2Z https://t.co/HY3jW5oDF7 pic.twitter.com/8gSMQwYMvz
Ten years... pic.twitter.com/bNQFDn6KOw
— Moosey. (@MooseyMcMan) February 22, 2024
@GBDudersFeed my cat is really into @DanRyckert pic.twitter.com/pA1tm1EqB2
— Frankenberry🎃 (@Ultrawham) February 21, 2024
I am grateful for this ridiculous life. Thank you, Joy Z! https://t.co/D1nspCM1pJ
— Mike Minotti (@Tolkoto) February 21, 2024
We have a ton of awesome videos leading into the launch of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth that we’ve been planning for a long time.
— Tom Caswell (@GreatBriTom) February 20, 2024
It kicks off today with @lucyjamesgames and the History of FF VII, from the original game, to spinoffs, movies, and remakes. https://t.co/1HoaJevIXy
Giant Bomb's @danryckert joins @leovader and @yacobg42 for some fun in Helldivers 2... but they just can't stop thinking about @BalatroGame. https://t.co/PgCH51bzoh pic.twitter.com/hhZUWqUPf4
— MinnMax (@MinnMaxShow) February 22, 2024
Rollerdrome Is The 4th Game Of Year 3 Of The Game Pass Game Club! Finish by February 26!
Don't forget that Rollerdrome is the latest pick for the Game Pass Game Club! If you put Rollerdrome on your 2023 GOTY lists, now is your time to shine! Just click the link below.
Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club Voting Thread For Cycle Starting February 26 2024 (By: @bigsocrates)
It is time to send in your votes for the next pick for the community-run Game Pass Game Club! Here's a list of the nominees and remember you can VOTE FOR TWO from the list!
The GB Album Club 053 - Sanguivore by Creeper (By: @unclejam23)
The latest edition of the Giant Bomb Album of the Week Club is here and this time the group is listening and reviewing Sanguivore by English rock band, Creeper! Are you familiar with this group? Regardless, join the fun NOW!
Why Does Superman [64, Which Isn't Really In The Title] Have Such An Enduring Legacy?
With the growing popularity of Blight Club, why is Superman (aka Superman 64) one of the most commonly suggested games? Why is it so many people's go to example of a bad game? bigsocrates attempts to figure it out.
Both Microsoft And Sony Are Starting To Talk New Hardware And It Just Seems Profoundly Unnecessary (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates has been following the gaming news cycle about the possibility of new video game consoles and they relay on a blog on why they have zero enthusiasm for new tech in the gaming sphere.
ZombiePie returns to blogging with an essay on why they were overall disappointed with Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and why that disappointment clouds their ability to get excited for Team Ninja's next project, Rise of the Ronin.
A Review Of Demos From The February 2024 Steam Next Fest Event I Played [Part 1]: Yes, This Blog Talks About Balatro (By: @zombiepie)
It's late, but ZombiePie also published the first part to a two-part series talking about the February Next Fest event and if any of the demos they played have them excited! Also, yes, this blog talks about Balatro.
Moderator Mento is back with a new episode of their "64 in 64" feature on the site! This time, they played Gauntlet Legends and Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Volume I in a very Midway-based edition of their blog!
Indie Game of the Week 358: Costume Quest 2 (By: @mento)
Likewise, Mento has a new episode of their "Indie Game of the Week" feature and this one is all about Double Fine's Costume Quest 2! Read why they found the game perfectly "fine," just like the first.
What's the Greatest Video Game: MDK 2 (By: @imunbeatable80)
For the latest edition of their "What's the Greatest Video Game" series, imunbeatable80 looks at MDK 2! What do they make of this forgotten title from BioWare's catalog? Were they a fan of its well-known difficulty? Read on!
I Finished Trails of Cold Steel IV (By: @bowl-of-lentils)
After burning out on the series a few years back, Bowl-of-Lentils writes about their long journey finishing The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV and what they think about the final PS4 installment of the Trails of Cold Steel story arc.
Suicide Squad, And Why I Love DC's Weirdos And Losers So Much. (By: @mooseymcman)
On a whim, MooseyMcMan decided to give Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League a shot and they penned a massive blog on why they ended up enjoying it thanks to the lovable cast of misfits you follow in the game's story.
Navigator: Potion Craft and Information Spaces (By: @gamer_152)
Moderator Gamer_152 recently penned an essay about Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator and discusses how Potion Craft and other games use "Information Spaces" to process visual information and data. Learn more on their blog!
Persona 3 Reload Review In Progress Chapter 4: Night Herself (By: @infantpipoc)
infantpipoc finally completed Persona 3 Reload and their playtime came in at around 62 hours! Read who they ended up romancing, why they still hate the Nyx battle, and what they thought about the game's ending OBVIOUS SPOILERS!
Helldivers 2 - Are You Doing YOUR Part? (By: @glots)
Helldivers II is one of the biggest gaming success stories of 2024, but have you tried it out? What are your impressions of the game and its story thus far? Any issues with the servers? Favorite stratagems?
Balatro Seed, Tips, & Tricks Sharing Thread (By: @zombiepie)
People are still struggling to beat Balatro or finding certain rare cards, so I created a thread where people can drop comments to add to a permanent guide table! Send me suggestions and I will update the table!
Do Most Live Service Games (Especially Those That Are Not PvP Focused) Actually Provide Much In The Way Of Service? (By: @bigsocrates)
Inspired by the release of Skull & Bones, there's an interesting discussion on the forums about what people expect as a "service" with live service games? Can you think of examples that have done the live service model well?
Vice Media and Vice.com Are Essentially Dead (By: @zombiepie)
In a blow to quality journalism, it appears that Vice Media and Vice.com are dead. Do any of you know of places to go as alternatives? Is anyone matching Vice's quality of reporting about the rise of extremism?
Switch 2 Seems Delayed. Nintendo Doesn't Have Much Coming For Switch. What Remasters Or Remakes Would You Like To See? (By: @bigsocrates)
With the recent Nintendo Direct putting an emphasis on them, remasters are growing part of the OG Nintendo Switch's portfolio. What are the remasters you still are hoping for on the platform? Give me a port of Strange Journey, you cowards!
@infantpipoc finally published their overall review of Persona 3 Reload after cover the game on the site in the form of several in-progress blogs! Check out why they think the game is for Persona 3 veterans and newcomers!
My “Flask” Collection: A Look Back On Handhelds Of The Last 2 Decade (By: @infantpipoc)
With the Steam Deck and its many clones reviving portable gaming, infantpipoc decided to review and rank every single portable gaming device they have ever owned. Read their handheld highs and lows over here!
Favorite Metroidvanias (By: @edsone)
Some new games in the genre have come out since they last published their list of all-time favorite Metroidvanias, so edsone had a go at updating their list! Which recent titles cracked their top ten? Give it a read and feel free to make your own list when you have the time!
Do you remember the rare SNES games that would release in large cardboard boxes with an officially sanctioned game guide? Well, we now have a concept page documenting this very phenomenon! The list looks pretty complete right now, but feel free to add examples that might be missing.
]]>Noted Detroit sports fan Jeff Grubb made a guest appearance on the Remap podcast to talk about the Lions' miracle season and the absolute heartbreak of how their season ended. For those of you that enjoy the NFL, this is obviously right up your alley.
@jearum, who has previously created some incredible Giant Bomb artwork and some of which you can still buy in the Giant Bomb Store, is going through a rough patch. To get through it, they are offering commissions at $40 for full color and background illustrations with an unlimited number of revisions. Whether you want them to make some Jan, Mike, Dan, or Grubb-based art or something completely unrelated to the site, they are open!
Finally, someone reached out to me to share that Giant Bomb stuff, including the Community Spotlight is appearing in the GameSpot News sidebar on GameFAQs and elsewhere on the Fandom network of websites. I was under the impression that this was not going to happen for another week or so. But, GOOD NEWS EVERYONE, Giant Bomb stuff is getting cross-posted across various Fandom sites. I can't reveal what the next steps are for this experiment, but based on my previous conversations with Fandom higher-ups, things are exciting.
Miquanchi x Travis Kelce (By: @kone)
The Super Bowl sure did happen last weekend and it was a blast for like... the last ten minutes. Regardless, Kone decided to combine Blight Club with one of the more memorable moments from the world famous sporting event.
Miquanchi Valentine's Day Card (By: @ogto)
Valentine's Day might be past us, but that's no excuse to not "bless" your significant other with a Valentine's Day card with Mike's fully dresses Quan Chi get-up! This is a real test of one's relationship!
Alolan Version Of Mike, Dan, and Jordan Middler As Digglets (By: @KinguAmoz)
To promote the Bombcast Revengance on Twitter, Giant Bomb edited a photo of Mike, Dan, and guest Jordan Middler as three bald Digglets just hanging out. KinguAmoz decided to have some fun with this and I encourage more of you to do the same!
Fire-less Victory - A Giant Bomb Blight Club Animated Clip (Episode 3) (By: Pickle Giraffe)
EPISODE THREE IS HERE BAYBEEE! For those of you that missed the previous episodes of this fan-made animated adventure with Miquanchi through Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, here's episode 1 and episode 2!
Mike Miquanchi sings a song and then, naturally, falls - A Giant Bomb Blight Club Animated Clip (Episode 3) https://t.co/EFPinzv27r @giantbomb @Tolkoto @JeffGrubb @DanRyckert @GBDudersFeed
— Pickle Giraffe (@Pickle_Giraffe) February 17, 2024
"🎶Diglett dig, Diglett dig...🎶"https://t.co/WmMbYwBDol https://t.co/HGXegMSOUh pic.twitter.com/VOW0sp1EKB
— World’s Famous Giant Bomb (@giantbomb) February 16, 2024
Get your printers out and ready for Valentine's Day this Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/1sHsGs4W4W
— World’s Famous Giant Bomb (@giantbomb) February 12, 2024
The Detroit Lions. Heartbreak. The Super Bowl. And @giantbomb's @JeffGrubb. It's this and more on the latest episode of Sports!, available on your podcast feeds now. pic.twitter.com/4MBW8jcpTN
— Remap (@RemapRadio) February 15, 2024
MFW I have to wait a whole week for another Blight Club. @GBDudersFeed @giantbomb @Tolkoto @JeffGrubb pic.twitter.com/ClsPt9bvCV
— chucktowski (@theMaximumYeti) February 14, 2024
https://t.co/tVXyecoj35 pic.twitter.com/YYx88BMspx
— Murdoink (@Murdoink) February 15, 2024
I am so broke rn, anyone want a commissioned artwork? $40 for a full colored (or black and white if you like) with background, hi-res. Portrait, half-body, full-body whatever you want. Revisions to your heart's content. DM me. #fanart #anime #manga #cartoons
— "It is I, Jearum!" (Commission Open!) 🇵🇭 (@jea_rum) February 15, 2024
Rollerdrome Is The 4th Game Of Year 3 Of The Game Pass Game Club! Finish by February 26! (By: @bigsocrates)
Rollerdrome is the latest pick for the Game Pass Game Club! If you have any impressions of the game, whether it be its look, fast-paced gameplay, or eclectic music, join the discussion NOW!
Turnip Boy Robs A Bank Is The 3rd Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! Finish By February 12. SPOILERS OPEN!
Also, don't forget that the Game Pass Game Club has opened its discussion for Turnip Boy Robs a Bank to SPOILERS! Do you have any thoughts about this fun title by Snoozy Kazoo?
The Giant Bomb Album Club 052 - Horrified by Repulsion (By: @unclejam23)
It's time for something DIFFERENT with the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Album Club! This week the group is listing to the only full-length album from the grindcore band, Repulsion! That's right, we are listening to Repulsion!
Lantern Rite Made Me Cry (Quest Spoilers) (By: @cikame)
cikame took to the site to pen a quick but emotional essay on why Genshin Impact's recent Lantern Rite quest made them cry. If you have played the quest as well, share your thoughts on their blog linked above!
Anyway, Here's WonderSwan (Part One) (By: @mento)
The WonderSwan was a Japan-only handheld with an incredibly impressive library. This week, moderator Mento gives the device the blog series it deserves on Giant Bomb! Catch the first episode of their special trying the find its gems!
What's The Greatest Video Game: TMNT Shredder's Revenge (By: @imunbeatable80)
After a short hiatus, imunbeatable80 is back with a new entry in their "What's The Greatest Video Game" series! This week, they tackled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge! Where does it rank in terms of TMNT games?
Nights Of Hunters And Rescuers: Persona 3 Reload Review In Progress Chapter 3 (By: @infantpipoc)
infantpipoc finally crossed the thirty hour mark with Persona 3 Reload and they share their in-progress review of the game thus far! Read all about their impressions of the mid-game bosses and Mitsuru’s family arc!
Microsoft Has Confirmed 4 Xbox "Exclusives" Are Coming To Other Consoles. What Does This Mean For Their Future? (By: @bigsocrates)
Now that 4 Xbox exclusives are confirmed to be coming to other platforms, what do you think about the future of the Xbox brand? Did you feel like the 23 minute podcast answered more questions than it raised?
Skull & Bones Impressions Sharing Thread (By: @spacemanspiff00)
Skull & Bones is officially out! Crazy, right? That said, did any of you actually pick up the game? If you didn't, what held you back? For those that did, what are your thoughts so far?
Embracer's CEO States Layoffs Are "Something That Everyone Needs To Get Through" As Company Misses Q3 Targets (By: @zombiepie)
Embracer Group's CEO recently made comments in which they said: "Our overruling principle is to always maximize shareholder value in any given situation." What are your thoughts about these comments?
Sim City 3000 25th Anniversary (By: @aleen634)
There are a LOT of important video game anniversaries in 2024, but one that has gone completely under-reported is the 25th anniversary of SimCity 3000! Are there any Giant Bomb fans with fond memories of the game? Share them in this thread!
Will We (I) Inevitably Become Nostalgic Over Every Era Of Gaming Even If We (I) Didn't Love It At The Time? (By: @bigsocrates)
Here's a fun discussion thread on the forums! Do you think it is inevitable that we will become "nostalgic for every era of video games? Are there any eras of gaming you think will never be held in high regard?
Rise Of Ronin Will Not Release In South Korea. Some Point To Director Praising A Figure Popular With The Far-Right (By: @zombiepie)
So, a lot of people seem to be excited for the upcoming release of Rise of the Rōnin. However, the game's director has already made statements praising a historical figure popular with the far-right and the game isn't releasing in South Korea. Does any of this cloud your excitement?
One Piece Is In A New Golden Age (By: @sombre)
The latest story arc of the One Piece manga has definitely been polarizing, but what are your thoughts about it? More importantly, do you love or hate white-haired Monkey D. Luffy with god-like superpowers?
GOTY 2023 (By: @infinitespark)
In case you missed it earlier, InfiniteSpark finally got around to making a 2023 GOTY list on the site and they wrote a LOT for every game on their list! Also, feel free to keep me in the loop if you published a belated GOTY list as well.
Biohazard/Resident Evil List (By: @chatmonchies)
Despite being new to the site, chatmonchies decided to have a go at making a list on the site and started things off with a ranking of the Resident Evil games they have played! Give it a read and if you disagree with their list, consider making one of your own!
@yyninja is a long-standing fan of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise and finally got around to completing Yakuza: Like a Dragon! Read why they think the shift to roleplaying gameplay conventions is a breath of fresh air.
With Skull & Bones finally coming out, let's throw things back to the grand daddy of all pirate-themed video games! That's right, this edition of the Wiki Of The Week is for Sid Meier's Pirates! Check out our wiki page to learn why this Sid Meier game is still held in high regard!
]]>It's weird to say this, but this week marks the 15th anniversary of the Giant Bomb Persona 4 Endurance Run! It is undoutedly one of the most important, foundational video series in the site's history. Feel free to chime in about still naming your video game protagonists "Charlie Tunoku" or watching the series a second or third time? Do you have a favorite moment? The "I looooove them balls" moment still gets me to this day!
First and foremost, let's give @pugtato a HUGE "THANK YOU" for shelling out the cash to get Brian Cox to record their now legendary Cameo for Mike Miquanchi. It's simply incredibly seeing what all of you goofballs are willing to do to show your love for this website.
Hopefully everyone enjoyed the latest travelogue entitled Catch Me if You Dan, but there were some people asking about the impromptu reaction stream that Jan organized where other staffers watched Dan's travel video for the first time. While this promotional stream will not be formally archived on the site or YouTube, you can still catch it on the Giant Bomb twitch account.
Additionally, @jearum, a frequent creator of Giant Bomb related art, has updated their ko-fi account! If you want a blast from the past and are interested in seeing how long they have been making Giant bomb fan art, give it a gander. Also, if their art has ever brought a smile to your face consider sending them a donation.
Finally, with BlueSky now open to EVERYONE and not just to those that are able to snag an invite, here's a friendly reminder of how to follow the Giant Bomb staff and myself on the platform. I cannot guarantee that any of these will be people's preferred social media platform, but these are the staff accounts on BlueSky that I have been able to confirm are real. Also, if you find the Giant Bomb staff active on a different social media platform, drop a comment over here so I can update the list.
Mike Miquanchi got a letter...https://t.co/D4yO2z7620https://t.co/wsr66cCntn pic.twitter.com/Sk6XtEF00i
— World’s Famous Giant Bomb (@giantbomb) February 7, 2024
— Dan Ryckert (@DanRyckert) February 9, 2024
15 years ago,
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) February 9, 2024
On a cold dark night,
A news reporter was killed...
So we jumped into a television for a 155-day test of endurance. pic.twitter.com/XoGdDUFDnX
He was born for this.
— 🏳️⚧️ Creaky Legs 🏳️🌈 (@CreakyLegs) February 8, 2024
(Extended Audio Only below) pic.twitter.com/rxjhIbXAXB
This is the kind of prestige television we all need. @giantbomb @Tolkoto @JeffGrubb @DanRyckert @GBDudersFeed pic.twitter.com/GfhAMKPWJ5
— Pickle Giraffe (@Pickle_Giraffe) February 8, 2024
Dan Dan Dan Dan Dan
— "It is I, Jearum!" 🇵🇭 (@jea_rum) February 5, 2024
Dan Dan Dan
Dan Dan Dan Dan Dan
Dan-Da-Dan!
(eta 2025?) pic.twitter.com/ddAYFC5qIL
Where In The World Is Carmen Dandiego +
Giant Bomb's Blight Club: The Tortured Gamers Department (By: @kone)
With Dan traveling the world for everyone's entertainment, artist Kone played around with Photoshop to combine him with everyone's favorite continent explorer, Carmen Sandiego!
Likewise, if Blight Club ever decided to get into music-making, Kone has an album cover they could use that really captures the spirit of the series.
Blight Club NOW WITH MIQUANCHI (By: @jearum)
jearum is back with an updated version of their Blight Club x Super Friends image now with Miquanchi now joining the team!
Wild, Pure, Simple Life. (By: @theMaximumYeti)
This week marked the stunning conclusion to the site's coverage of Tail of the Sun! In honor of that, theMaximumYeti decided to imagine all of the staff in the series as characters from the game!
A Call For A New Mitch Meme!(By: @KinguAmoz, @LoungerLoun1, and @JupiterJazz92)
Last week, I put out a call to make meme art based on Mike pointing to the camera while wearing his Quan Chi makeup! Many thanks to KinguAmoz, LoungerLoun1, and JupiterJazz92 for responding to the call with these wonderful works!
Giant Bomb Jeff Grubb GIF + Giant Bomb Jeff Grubb GIF (By: @unusedcow)
Over on the Discord, UnusedCow decided to have FUN making an animated gif of Jeff Grubb that is bound to HAUNT YOUR DREAMS! They also made a Batt Grubb variant!
Also, consider joining the Discord to catch community-created goodies like this when they drop!
The GB Album Club 051 - Guns by Quelle Chris (By: @unclejam23)
The latest edition of the Giant Bomb Album of the Week club is for Guns by Quelle Chris! Have any of you given this album or any of their other works a listen? Click the link above to join the fun!
Turnip Boy Robs A Bank Is The 3Rd Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! Finish By February 12. Mark Spoilers! +
Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club Voting Thread For Cycle Starting February 12 2024 (By: @bigsocrates)
The community-run Game Pass Game Club has selected Turnip Boy Robs a Bank by Snoozy Kazoo as its latest pick! Have you checked out either of the Turnip Boy games? Click the link to join the discussion and fun!
Additionally, if you are reading this over the weekend, then there is still time for you to send bigsocrates your vote for the next edition of the Game Pass Game Club! There are some incredibly interesting candidates to vote for like Rollerdrome and Brotato!
Night School: Persona 3 Reload Review in Progress Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 (By: @infantpipoc)
infantpipoc is starting a new blog series wherein they play Persona 3 Reload in five hour chunks and then report on their progress and thoughts about the changes it made from the original. Check out episodes #1 & #2 NOW!
Mega Archive: Part XXXVIII: From The Addams Family to Shining Force II +
Indie Game of the Week 356: Suzy Cube (By: @mento)
Aero the Acro-Bat, Snake Rattle 'n Roll, Boxing Legends of the Ring, Haunting Starring Polterguy, Shining Force II and MORE headline the latest "Mega Archive" post by moderator Mento.
Mento is also back with another edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" and this time they played Suzy Cube! What's it like playing an indie 3D platformer under the backdrop of AAA representatives of the genre? Read their blog to find out!
Units: An Analysis of Pikmin 3 (By: @gamer_152)
Continuing their retrospective on the Pikmin series, moderator Gamer_152 tackles Pikmin 3 and assesses its many Wii U trappings as well as the attempt to translate it to the Switch.
Today Marks the 15th Anniversary Of The Giant Bomb Persona 4 Endurance Run (By: @zombiepie)
February 9th marked the 15th anniversary of the Giant Bomb Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Endurance Run! How did you first come into contact with the feature? What are your favorite moments? Are you still naming characters "Charlie Tunoku?"
Next Fest Demo Recommendations (By: @manburger)
A new edition of Steam Next Fest has started! Have you found any gems or buried treasures? Join the community discussion and share which games you strongly recommend other people check out before the event ends!
Skull & Bones Beta Discussion Thread (By: @spacemanspiff00)
The Skull & Bones beta has started and many are already talking about their thoughts on the forums! Have you tried the beta? Are things looking good? Does it seem like it offers any improvements to the Ubisoft formula?
Stephen Totilo Reports That Toys For Bob Might Be Closing As Part Of Microsoft/Activision Layoffs (By: @bigsocrates)
The reporting on Toys for Bob has changed, but what are your thoughts about the studio losing 80+ positions and going all-remote? Also, is putting the studio on Call of Duty support a waste of its talents?
IGN's Staff Move Forward With Effort To Unionize (By: @zombiepie)
IGN's staff are moving forward with unionization. Join the rest of the community in celebrating this courageous step and stand in solidarity with workers collectively fighting for appropriate wages and working conditions.
Funimation Streaming Is Being Rolled Into Crunchyroll, But Digital Purchases Are Not Going With It (By: @bigsocrates)
Funimation is being rolled into Crunchyroll, but digital purchases on Funimation are being deleted. Is this business direction a lawsuit waiting to happen? Join the community discussion and share if you are impacted,
EVO 2024 Roster Revealed; 3rd Strike On The Main Roster To Honor 20th Anniversary Of The Greatest Evo Moment Ever (By: @zombiepie)
Is everyone ready for the GLORIOUS RETURN of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike to the EVO Championship Series? Where do you stand with some saying there were game "snubs" like Dragon Ball FighterZ or Melty Blood: Type Lumina to the main event games selected?
Microsoft Is Reportedly Going To Put A Bunch Of "Exclusives" Out On PS5. Is MS Inevitably Going Third Party? (By: @bigsocrates)
The internet is buzzing about the possibility of Microsoft Corporation putting a bunch of "exclusives" out on PS5. Do you buy these rumors? If it happens, do you think it will signal Microsoft becoming a third-party publisher?
Most Infuriating Foes I've Ever Fought (By: @captainofthestars)
captainofthestars decided to have some fun with their latest list on the site by annotating what they consider the "Most Infuriating Foes I've Ever Fought!" Whether it be old or new foes, they have a fun spread of gaming baddies!
@doomocrat's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review declares the game a joy to play but one that misses the mark in entering the halls of greatness in the series. Read all about what their issues were while also reading about why they loved the cast.
@sbc515's The Last of Us Part II review shares why the game from top to bottom does not work for them. Neither the games characters nor its moody environments did anything for them.
I know... I have picked this wiki page before, but the 15th anniversary of the Persona 4 Endurance Run is important and there's no better page to mark this anniversary other than the AMAZING wiki page for the original game. Though edited several times since the series ended, this page speaks to the massive volume of quality work done on the wiki during the early phases of the site.
]]>First, as some of you are aware, multiple employees at GameSpot and Fandom were laid off last week. As Grubb and others have stated, these layoffs have not impacted any of the personnel associated with Giant Bomb, but some people let go were personal friends and associates to the staff. Please be considerate and reach out on social media to those still looking for help and support.
For reasons that are still unknown, notifications on Giant Bomb have been up and down. I actually had a meeting with the reps from Fandom last week and they indicated that previously, the notification system was busted across multiple sites and not Giant Bomb. This issue appears to be fixed, but feel free to let me or @dtoast know if it breaks again.
Speaking of that meeting, the topic of the video player came up and while I cannot divulge too much, I can affirm that resources and manpower is being relocated to address this problem. Likewise, while I cannot reveal everything, there are some ideas on how to get new traffic on the boards and site. I'm not going to say any of these ideas will get things back to a self-perceived "glory days", but it is something that's being discussed and will be tested in the future.
Author's Note: Definitely check out Lexi's Tweet thread this week. They fantasy cast every single Giant Bomb staffer present and historical as characters in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise and there's no denying how accurate they are. Just check out how they cast Rorie to get what I mean.
@giantbomb pic.twitter.com/ydJnDJ2xpR
— lex luddy (kiryu's roommate) (@BasicalliLexi) February 2, 2024
— Jan Ochoa (@_janjerome) February 2, 2024
teamwork makes the dream work pic.twitter.com/Cip4jGIF5g
— Steve Kim (@Fobwashed) February 2, 2024
Blight Club in-a-nutshell pic.twitter.com/hw6agHQtcs
— 🏳️⚧️ Creaky Legs 🏳️🌈 (@CreakyLegs) February 3, 2024
Another Fall-less Victory from Mike "Pitfall" Miquanchi - A Giant Bomb Blight Club Animated Clip (Episode 2) https://t.co/5faG3EYpXx @giantbomb @Tolkoto @JeffGrubb @DanRyckert @GBDudersFeed
— Pickle Giraffe (@Pickle_Giraffe) February 2, 2024
Robo Mitch lives !!!! @giantbomb @Tolkoto pic.twitter.com/2xXsG9wVfZ
— gary duddell (@GDuddell) January 30, 2024
God... this animated .gif of @Tolkoto sure captures January 2024 perfectly. pic.twitter.com/fEv7xhvKhn
— GB Duders Feed (@GBDudersFeed) January 30, 2024
Test Your Blight + Giant Bomb Meets Ichiban (By: @kone)
This week, Kone was on kind of an art-making roll! Obviously, people have been enjoying the most recent Blight Club and they went ahead and imagined all of the "wonderful" costumes we have seen as fighters in the original Mortal Kombat game. I love the palette swap on Dan.
Also, with everyone enjoying Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Kone imagined a world where some of the Giant Bomb staffers meet with and snap a selfie with Ichiban.
A Call For A New Mitch Meme! (By: Tosshi)
Everyone seems to be enjoying this current Blight Club where Mitch continues to get miserable with Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. So, why not make more memes from some of the hilarious moments from the feature! Tosshi, pulled this screencap and I think it has incredible potential!
Feel free to post what you made using this image in the comments and I promise to put it on the next Spotlight!
Fall-less Victory - A Giant Bomb Blight Club Animated Clip (Episode 2) (By: Pickle Giraffe)
Last week, you may recall that Pickle Giraffe made an INCREDIBLE animated interpretation of Mike's "flawless Victory" in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. Well, thanks to the positive reception they got, they went ahead and made a sequel based on new events that have been experienced by Mitch.
Turnip Boy Robs A Bank Is The 3Rd Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! Finish By February 12. Mark Spoilers! +
Steamworld Build Is The 2nd Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! SPOILERS OPEN! (By: @bigsocrates)
The community-run Game Pass Game Club has selected Turnip Boy Robs a Bank by Snoozy Kazoo as its latest pick! Have you checked out either of the Turnip Boy games? Click the link below to join the discussion and fun!
Also, the Giant Bomb Community Game Pass Game Club has officially opened its discussion for SteamWorld Build to SPOILERS! Feel free to discuss the game's final act and review how it compares to other SteamWorld titles!
The GB Album Club 050 - Love Over Gold by Dire Straits (By: @unclejam23)
A new edition of the Album of the Week Club is up and this time the group will be listening to and discussing Love Over Gold by Dire Straits! Do you consider them legends of their genre? Are any of you fans of Dire Straits? Join the fun by clicking the link!
I Finally Played Some Of The Crew And Found It Profoundly, Existentially, Depressing (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates was aware that The Crew would be impossible to play in the coming months, but they were not prepared for how depressing it would make them feel about the current state of online game and games-as-a-service.
Dark Pictures Anthology - House of Ashes (By: @monkeyking1969)
In light of Until Dawn getting a movie adaptation in the future, monkeyking1969 decided to give The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes a shot and they penned a quick essay on why they enjoyed their time with the game more than expected.
Paranormasight Had TWO Best Moment/Sequence Of 2023 Candidates That Got Completely Snubbed (By: @zombiepie)
ZombiePie isn't quite done talking about their gaming highlights from 2023 and this week talks about Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo and why they think it got completely snubbed during GOTY debates. Just be warned that this blog features major spoilers.
Indie Game of the Week 355: Golf Club Nostalgia +
Mento's Month: January '24 (By: @mento)
Moderator Mento ends the workweek with a new entry in their "Indie Game of the Week" series and this one looks at Golf Club: Wasteland! Read why they were intrigued by its premise, but disliked its golf sim gameplay.
Mento also is starting a new blog feature on the site where they run down all of their gaming highlights from the previous month! Here's one of the game awards they handed out for their gaming tomfoolery in January! Check it out!
All Saturn Games In Order: June 1996 (Part 3) (By: @borgmaster)
borgmaster returns to continue their effort to play every single Sega Saturn game that came out in North America! This episode tackles Shock Wave Assault, Shining Wisdom, Golden Axe The Duel, Worms, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3!
The Big Score: An Analysis of Pikmin 2 (By: @gamer_152)
Moderator Gamer_152 continues their retrospective on the Pikmin franchise with a look at Pikmin 2! Read all about what they think about the second game playing around with multiple protagonists, the items you collect, and Pikmin variety!
Persona 3 Reload Thread (By: @atheistpreacher)
Let's admit it, Giant Bomb and Persona have a history. So, how many of you are excited to play Persona 3 Reload? Are you noticing any common themes with the early reviews? Thoughts about the changes? Join our discussion about it NOW!
Microsoft Becomes Second $3 Trillion Company As It Continues To Eliminate And Consolidate Jobs In Activision-Blizzard (By: @zombiepie)
Microsoft has become the second company in human history to reach a $3 trillion market value. The company also announced another batch of layoffs and consolidation at Activision Blizzard, Inc.. Share how you are felling about the matter.
Ubisoft Allowed The Crew To Become Unplayable For Some Console Players Prior To Its Being Shut Down (Fixed...For Now) (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates reports how Ubisoft Entertainment has allowed The Crew to become unplayable for some console players prior to its being shut down. Read why they think this is a sign that Ubisoft is not messing around with game rights.
Eidos-Montréal Gets Struck By Embracer Malaise: 97 Employees Fired & New Deus Ex Game Canned (By: @zombiepie)
Eidos-Montréal is another game studio feeling the brunt of Embracer contracting. 97 employees have been let go and a new Deus Ex has been canned. Get the details and discuss what you think the future will hold for this studio.
Lewis Hamilton Switches From Team Mercedes To Team Ferrari For The Formula 1 2025 Season (By: @gtxforza)
The Giant Bomb F1 community wants YOU to join them in discussing the recent news regarding Lewis Hamilton switching from Team Mercedes to Team Ferrari! If you ask me, Tifosi are going to have a lot of soul searching to do.
Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog (By: @edsone)
We have an "interesting" user list concept that is looking for YOUR HELP! edsone is looking to create a list of every example of official game box art with the protag standing above fog.
My Favorite Franchises of All Time (By: @guip1408)
Plenty of games have come out that guip1408 decided to re-rank their "Favorite Franchises of All-Time" list! Which franchises went up and which ones went down? Click the link to find out! Also, consider making your own version!
@lord_anime's Final Fantasy XVI review relays why they were utterly impressed by the technical excellence of the game but ended up completely bored with its story and characters. Read why they think its bones are bad.
YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The Fate/stay night remaster is coming to the West! Finally, we get to enjoy "People die when they are killed!" in a proper English translation! To commemorate this news, here's a link to the wiki page for the original game which lays out why people like me still love the Fate/stay night series.
]]>Another week in 2024 down; another week of devastating layoffs in the gaming industry. For those of you impacted by these cuts and corporate redundancy efforts, know that you are loved and deserve an industry that does not swallow you into a dysfunctional relationship.
As mentioned last week, Giant Bomb will be attending PAX East in 2024! The hope is to have at least two Giant Bomb-related panels, but things are still in progress. The new news this week is that Tamoor will be joining the Giant Bomb staff in attending the event.
Last week, someone asked about DICE and if there would be any coverage of the event on the site. I got word from Jan that Tam and Lucy are definitely going and will be chatting with folks. Maybe you will see some things from them, but that seems like the ceiling.
Earlier this week, some people were wondering if non-commercial use of Giant Bomb's API, especially for video apps, was being changed as per new management and I got a hard confirmation that the API policy hasn't changed. If you need your API key fixed or reset, contact support.
Finally, on January 31st, 2024, I will be having a meeting with representatives from Fandom about the state of the site and progress regarding known issues here. I have already been told that there will be significant information to be shared about the video player. However, if there's anything you want me to bring up during this meeting, feel free to share it in the form of a comment down below.
An animation of the INCREDIBLE Flawless Victory from "Mike Miquanchi" @giantbomb @Tolkoto @JeffGrubb @DanRyckert @GBDudersFeed https://t.co/a2cX7jIpZm
— Pickle Giraffe (@Pickle_Giraffe) January 26, 2024
Spot the difference in this clip pic.twitter.com/DaOSTxM8Uw
— 🏳️⚧️ Creaky Legs 🏳️🌈 (@CreakyLegs) January 20, 2024
Ode to Tamoor Twocave, a real legend. Was he a man? Was he a bird? Who knows, but he was fatal to Mammoths! @giantbomb @JeffGrubb @DanRyckert pic.twitter.com/5Fj4NDWphh
— KOS39 (they/them) (@cosmicwhalefall) January 25, 2024
Watching @alex_navarro's "DLC DOA" stream definitely brought back a lot of memories of those nights during the pandemic. But, of course it also reminded me of the first time Rock Band DLC ended forever.https://t.co/SP5GUJA0SU
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) January 26, 2024
@Tolkoto After those heartbreaking defeats on @giantbomb's Blight Club, I had to make you this hype video. pic.twitter.com/7YSgd1T8Zr
— evie mae 🏳️⚧️ (@ethers_elixirs) January 25, 2024
We're playing through Tail of the Sun on @giantbomb and it made me find an old stupid thing I made when I played through it 13 years ago at @gameinformer pic.twitter.com/m9gP6TZ9hL
— Dan Ryckert (@DanRyckert) January 25, 2024
Minotti's Dungeon Of Doom (By: @BungleNoMore)
As to be expected, the Minotti x Quan Chi fan art did not stop coming out this week! This work by BungleNoMore imagines Minotti leading the Dungeon Of Doom.
Minotti As Paul Bearer (By: @jearum)
Imagining Minotti in his Quan Chi makeup as a figure in wrestling CONTINUES with jearum imagining them as the legendary wrestling manager, Paul Bearer! They even managed to pick out the perfect expression!
We Like Turtles (By: @kone)
And why not take Minotti's white face-paint getup and merge it with the most memed white face-paint-based moment in the history of humanity? Well... Kone has us covered in that regard!
Flawless Victory - A Giant Bomb Blight Club Animated Clip (By: Pickle Giraffe)
We don't always have a video to share on the Spotlight, but this one is very very very very special and I hope as many of you give it a watch! This user-made animation reimagines the INCREDIBLE Flawless Victory from "Mike Miquanchi" during a recent Blight Club for Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero!
Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club Voting Thread For Cycle Starting January 29 2024 (By: @bigsocrates)
SteamWorld Build is the 3rd pick for the Game Pass Game Club this year! Have any of you played this indie strategy and simulation game from the Steamworld universe and developer The Station? Click the link to join the fun!
Also, if you are reading this on the week, please remember that you still have time to submit a vote for TWO GAMES that you would like the Game Pass Game Club to play in the future!
The GB Album Club 049 - Perihelion by Sungazer (By: @unclejam23)
The Album of the Week Club has a new album pick! This week, the group will be discussing Perihelion by Sungazer! Share your thoughts in the discussion thread above! Personally, I enjoy the bass work in this album!
My Thoughts on Another Code Recollection (By: @bowl-of-lentils)
Bowl-of-Lentils is a participant in the fan translation community and a huge fan of the original, but they decided to write an essay on Another Code: Recollection about why playing Recollection gave them a surprising feeling of closure with the series.
Carry, Fight, Increase, and Be Eaten: An Analysis of Pikmin (By: GAMER_152)
In case you missed it, moderator Gamer_152 penned a lengthy essay on OG Pikmin! Read why they think there are merits in assessing it like a shooter as well as a strategy game, and that it should examined for its depictions of evolution!
My Favorite Non-Gaming Things of 2023-ish (By: @willin)
willin already published a traditional GOTY 2023 list on the site. So, this week, they decided to highlight their favorite non-gaming things that they enjoyed last year with their latest blog! Here's a hint of what to expect!
Am I Doing Something Wrong With BG3? I Want To Like It (By: @sombre)
sombre has a problem. They feel like they should "love" Baldur's Gate 3, but things are not working out that way. Check out their short blog to see what's the hitch-up and comment if you think it is worth it for them to continue on playing the game.
Indie Game of the Week 354: Ary and the Secret of Seasons (By: @mento)
Moderator Mento has a new 64 in 64 post! This is where they go through Nintendo 64 games in just 64 minutes before reviewing them! This week, Mento checks out Doom 64 and Heiwa Pachinko World 64! Guess which one cracked their top 10!
Additionally, it is time for another edition of Mento's "Indie Game of the Week" series and this episode tackles the sphere-summoning adventure game, Ary and the Secret of Seasons! Read why they were enjoying the game until they started butting up against some of its strange problems.
2023 Games of the Year! (By: @yeahbrother)
YEAHbrother might be a bit late, but they finally got around to writing a blog detailing their favorite games from the previous year. Just a friendly reminder to those of you that still have yet to publish a GOTY 2023 blog or list; I am still happy to showcase them! Just keep me in the loop!
It's Only January And Almost 6,000 Video Game Development Or Gaming Industry Related Jobs Have Been Eliminated (UPDATED) (By: @zombiepie)
It's only January and already almost 6,000 people in the gaming industry have lost their job. What does accountability for bad business decisions look like to you? How many of these cuts did you see coming?
Has Anyone Been Reading Any Good Modern Sci-Fi/Fantasy? (By: @sombre)
Have any of you been reading new science-fiction or fantasy books or novels? Do any of you have sci-fi/fantasy short story suggestions? Share your suggestion(s) with the community by dropping a comment!
Sega Is Charging People For A New Game+ Mode For Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (By: @brian_)
There's a minor storm of controversy regarding Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and how its New Game+ is locked behind a paywall. Is this a dangerous precedent?
What's The Most Anime Thing You've Seen In Public (By: @spacemanspiff00)
Here's a fun discussion thread on the Giant Bomb forums! What is the "most anime thing" you have seen in the wild? Have you seen any anime car decals? How about random cosplay out in the wild? Share your stories in the thread!
In The Most Bizarre Release Announcement Ever, You Have 3 Months To Play Love Live! School idol festival 2 MIRACLE LIVE! (By: @zombiepie)
In one of the most bizarre video game release announcements ever, Love Live! School Idol Festival 2 MIRACLE LIVE! had its global release and shutdown date announced. Does this speak to the state of gacha games?
What Do You Do For Fun Outside Of Videogames? (By: @sombre)
Trying out new hobbies is a common New Year's Resolution for a lot of people, but have you tried any non-gaming hobbies this year for the first time? What are your normal non-video game-related hobbies?
Is Palworld Using Generative A.I.? (By: @devoureroftime)
Should Palworld be added to Giant Bomb's "Generative A.I." concept page or do you think the game's use of other assets is something entirely different? Join the discussion and feel free to share evidence to strengthen your case.
Fan Translations Backlog (By: @frobos)
Frobos is making a resolution to play more games that only came out in Japan but have critically acclaimed fan translations! Here are some of the games they included on their list and consider making your own list when you can!
Huge props to @dochaus for creating this franchise page that I do not think a lot of people are aware of! Did you know that Lobotomy Corporation, Library Of Ruina, AND Limbus Company all exist in a shared universe? With the latter of those three coming out SOON, this franchise page might prove helpful to those of you wondering where the story stands right now!
]]>After a slight notification hiccup, Niki Grayson's 2023 GOTY list is up on the site. It is a great read that you should all check out especially those of you that feel unfamiliar with them.
This week marked the season finale of JeffJeff’s Bizarre Adventure: The Cowboy Bebop Gaiden. Over on our sister-site, GameSpot, Tam and Lucy announced that their show Spot On was renewed for a second season. If you missed the first season of their roundtable show, here's a link to a playlist.
Giant Bomb will be attending PAX East in 2024! The hope is to have at least two Giant Bomb-related panels, but things are still in progress. Also be aware for those of you planning to attend, all PAX East 2024 attendees (including Enforcers, exhibitors, staff, etc.) are strongly suggested to wear a face mask at all times while at the show. You will not be required to wear a mask, nor will you be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
Bakalar and Dan were both guests on a recent Never Been a Better Podcast Nextlander podcast. The podcast is mostly about things you should never do, eat, or probably even talk about. And... adorable pet kittens. Be aware that this is locked behind a paywall and Nextlander's $10 donation tier.
And considering that it has been a while since I last did, here are links to the unofficial Gaint Bomb Community Social Media Accounts I run and operate. If you are on any of these platforms, consider following them so you can be reminded of the cool stuff that is happening on and with Giant Bomb!
Other sites give their viewership one, *maybe* two Quan-Chis per stream... GB is different. pic.twitter.com/0kHAT812aB
— ᵐᵃᵗᵗ (@sharkosaur) January 17, 2024
@Tolkoto really going through it.
— chucktowski (@theMaximumYeti) January 17, 2024
another banger Blight Club from @giantbomb pic.twitter.com/fnDj3MxnCe
— Giant Bomb Out of Context (@GBombOOC) January 18, 2024
THERE'S A BEAR LOOSE AT AGDQ! pic.twitter.com/yEyLy2pE6n
— Grubb (@JeffGrubb) January 14, 2024
The new Hellraiser looks sick! pic.twitter.com/4OXdF02XH8
— 🏳️⚧️ Creaky Legs 🏳️🌈 (@CreakyLegs) January 18, 2024
Going to get some gay bud lights with the boys!
— 🏳️⚧️ Creaky Legs 🏳️🌈 (@CreakyLegs) January 13, 2024
(GIF version can be found via Tenor searching Jeff Grubb, Mike Minotti, Beef and Cheddar Boys, Game Mess Decides, or Giantbomb) pic.twitter.com/r9DvRNSW15
Is Mr. Slate @jeffbakalar? (featuring @JeffGrubb, @Tolkoto, @_janjerome) pic.twitter.com/PGh81VACn1
— Kone (@KoneBomb) December 23, 2023
Mike Minotti x Quan Chi Fanart From The Giant Bomb Discord (By: @ogto, el_paolo_loco, @propagandapanda, and Steven)
Mike Minotti x Quan Chi Fanart From Social Media (By: @WiLLoDavisRocks, @SeraphisCain, @FawfulEric, @ShinRoastBot, @KinguAmoz, @videospacegames, @kone, and @jearum)
OH MY GOD! The amount of fanart that came out this week in response to Mike's Quan Chi getup has been incredible! There's so much that I simply couldn't write intros to everything individually. Many of these works come from the Giant Bomb Discord, which you can join if you have not done so already.
If I missed some Mike Miquanchi fanart that you made, please feel free to drop a comment and I promise I will promote it next week!
Bakalar As A Peanuts Character (By: GB Discord member Steven/sjamcm)
Hey, the internet is still not done with imagining Bakalar as a cartoon character! This work comes from Discord where Steven applied the modern Peanuts look to everyone's favorite keyboard enthusiast.
Bakalar As The Ultimate Flintsones Character (By: @kone)
I have no idea how I missed this when it first released, but I did. Just goes to show how even I have gaps in my ability to prowl for Giant Bomb related works! Regardless, when we were trying to think of what Bakalar would look like in the Flintstones universe, Kone took things to the next level.
The GB Album Club 048 - Bless My Psyche by Sincere Engineer (By: @unclejam23)
Bless My Psyche by Sincere Engineer is the latest pick of the Giant Bomb Album of the Week Club! How many of you are familiar with Sincere Engineer? Join the fun and participate in the community discussion even if you are not a huge music fan!
Steamworld Build Is The 2nd Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! Finish By January 29. Mark All Spoilers! (By: @bigsocrates)
Steamworld Build is the 3rd pick for the Game Pass Game Club this year! Have any of you played this indie Strategy and Simulation game from the Steamworld universe and developer The Station? Click the link to join the fun!
ArbitraryWater's Favorite Games of 2023 (Which Didn't Come Out In 2023) (By: @arbitrarywater)
As many of you already know, ArbitraryWater plays a lot of old games. As a result, they decided to rank their favorite classic games that they played in 2023 separately from the 2023 releases.
Mega Archive CD: Part VIII: From Power Factory to NFL's Greatest (By: @mento)
Moderator Mento is up to their old tricks and is looking at the games that that released on the Sega CD in chronological order! This blog covers Sonic CD AND Power Factory Featuring C+C Music Factory! Guess which they think is better!
Indie Game of the Week 353: The Spirit and the Mouse (By: @mento)
Mento also has another edition to the "Indie Game of the Week" feature and this one is all about The Spirit and the Mouse by Canadian team Alblune! If you haven't heard of this 3D adventure game featuring a mouse with electrical powers, give their blog a read!
ZombiePie's End Of The Year 2023 Multimedia Extravaganza! (Part 2) (By: @zombiepie)
Moderator ZombiePie has the second and final part of their 2023 end of the year review. It's a fun mix of games, anime, and television shows they loved and hated!
Scavengers Regin Presents Desolation "Dozen" (By: @infantpipoc)
After a fairly long hiatus, infantpipoc returns to blogging about 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and continues to map its characters into the world of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind!
Standing Tall Between Big Brands (By: @infantpipoc)
infantpipoc also returns to reviewing anime with a review for Suzume! After avoiding the film for years, they finally bit the bullet to see if this warranted becoming one of the biggest movies in anime history.
StarvingGamer's Strange Year With Games (GOTY 2023) (By: @starvinggamer)
StarvingGamer finally got around to writing a GOTY essay. Which games did they play last year that did not entirely bum them out? Read their blog to find out!
All Saturn Games In Order: June 1996 (Part 2) (By: @borgmaster)
borgmaster is back with a look at every single game that released on the Sega Saturn in North America! This episode tackles Shellshock, Baku Baku, Gungriffon, Road & Track presents The Need for Speed, AND MORE!
2023: It Was a Year, and It Happened (By: @jeffrud)
jeffrud had a rough year last year. Here, you can read how he fought to find a balance between trying to find himself and continuing the gaming hobby. If you had similar struggles with work and gaming, feel free to share.
I'm The Least Enthusiastic About Gaming That I've Been In Many Years And I'm Not Sure Why. I Miss Being Enthralled. (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates is one of the more active bloggers on Giant Bomb and, this week, shares why they fear 2024 is already shaping up to be a year they care the least about for gaming. Read why that's the case and join their discussion.
Legacy Media In General Is Dying. Sports Illustrated Lays Off Its Staff. (By: @bigsocrates)
With massive layoffs hitting legacy media at Sports Illustrated, Pitchfork, The Baltimore Sun, and Los Angeles Times, it seems reliable and professional journalism that many rely on is dying. Are you supporting a local newspaper? What are your alternatives?
GameStop Fights Back The Memes (For Now); Plans To Close Its NFT Marketplace in February (By: @zombiepie)
GameStop is ending its NFT marketplace in February after traditional leadership appears to have beaten back meme shareholders. However, do you foresee a future for GameStop that doesn't involve them going away forever?
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Switch Version Announced (By: @gtxforza)
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is coming to the Nintendo Switch? Do you plan to check out this port of the game? Do you think the framerate and FOV will be a problem? Are you happy the AC team are owning up to the .jpeg dog?
End Of An Era - Harmonix Announces End Of DLC Songs For Rock Band 4 After Eight Years Of Post-Release Support (By: @zombiepie)
Next week, Harmonix will cease making new DLC for Rock Band 4, ending a program that has brought almost 3,000 songs to one of the last remaining plastic instrument rhythm games out there. Is Fortnite Festival an actual alternative? Share in the thread if you think so or not!
Turtle Beach Reveals Their First Sim Racing Peripheral (By: @gtxforza)
Who said gaming peripherals were dead? Turtle Beach just introduced their first sim racing wheel of the year and it's compatible with the PC and licensed for the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One!
Don't Ask Why, But An Until Dawn Movie Adaptation Is In The Works (By: @zombiepie)
It sounds like Sony might be working to make a movie adaptation of Until Dawn. David F. Sandberg is attached to the project and it seems to be a mid-tier production. Do you have high hopes? Does making an Until Dawn film adaption make sense?
Your Wish List For Video Game Products To Be Announced In 2024? (By: @gtxforza)
Are there any games that have yet to be announced that you are hoping to get a solid confirmed 2024 release date? How surprise announcements? Share your gaming release and announcement hopes!
Blue Collar Contract Killer Games (By: @warcat777)
warcat777 is working on a new list concept that's seeking to annotate every example of blue collar workers becoming or acting as contract killers. If any gaming examples come to mind, share your suggestions!
@pauljeremiah decided to test a Giant Bomb classic, Nidhogg, to see if the indie, one-on-one combat game still holds up these days! Read what they think about its modern viability in light of new possible alternatives.
@infantpipoc's Vanquish review explains why they think the game does not hold up as well as its online reputation would have you believe. Discover why they were not as enthused with the game as most are.
Game companies have been reluctant to be upfront about their usage of Neural Networks or AI systems to generate assets and media in their games, so, Giant Bomb's wiki now has a page where community members can track it!
We also have a forum thread wherein you can report suspected AI use in a video game and discuss fringe examples of the concept.
]]>It’s nuts that I’m writing a Game of the Year list. After getting laid off from Fanbyte last year, I kinda thought that I was done with these. Not in a bad way, mind you – but I thought that my window on having a voice about video games was closed.
I worked at Fanbyte for 3.5 years. I miss that website and team every day. I ran our internship program, which produced three incredible alums over the course of its run. A lot of what I tried to do with that program was answer big questions. Why does the industry work the way it does? Who are the people who you can trust? Who are the teams in this business that are doing the work in a way that is sustainable and healthy? There’s no playbook for working in an industry that is as diseased as this one. There isn’t one for working in video games either. To work at the intersection of those two things?
Good fuckin’ luck.
I thought my job *gestures vaguely* here was to create an environment where new folks could learn how to do the work because no j-school in the country is producing anyone who knows how the fuck you operate in this ever-changing, broken landscape. I thought that was going to be my job for a while. I was wrong, obviously. I had and still have a lot to learn. A few months after the layoff, I packed all of my shit into a crate, left Providence, Rhode Island, and moved back in with my parents. I was depressed and stuck.
What does one do when, at the age of 27, your passion and livelihood are both taken away from you by a corporation that doesn’t know you’re alive? I felt like my life was built on the back of answering questions, and all of a sudden I couldn’t answer the only one I had:
What do I do next?
The answer, for me, was to step away from video games. I didn’t play anything that wasn’t called Fortnite for the first six months of the year. (Did you know that Goku is in the game?) I started making stuff with my hands, I really committed to the podcast that I make with my friends (If You’re Driving, Close Your Eyes is available wherever you get your podcasts and we have a Patreon). But most importantly, I did a lot of therapy and fell in love with myself! The distance that I got from this space was one of the best things that could’ve happened to me because it gave me the space to figure out who the fuck I am away from it.
I am so grateful to Grubb, Jan, and Bakalar for thinking to bring me along for this ride right after Summer Game Fest and to the rest of the Giant Bomb team for welcoming me with such open arms. I’m grateful to Shawn for being a perfect social teammate, to Bailey for reminding me that actually, people in this business are fun sometimes, and to Dan for reminding me what it was like to have instant comedic flow with someone. And I’m appreciative of you, the Giant Bomb audience, for either welcoming me with open arms or being wholly nonplussed by this new Black queer on your feeds. It is my pleasure to delight and/or confuse you.
Anyway, here’s my list:
I made a few rugs this year! Extremely weird of me to do, but I did. I have been on a bit of a craft kick as I try to figure out what my physical art practice looks like. I started with candle-making in 2021. At the beginning of this year, though, after a few too many gin and tonics, a bunch of TikToks, and an intro class (taught by a TikToker), I bought a tufting gun and made a few pieces.
The craft just isn’t for me, though. I love the tactility of it (few things feel as good as stretching the base fabric across the frame and that first puncture through the taught fabric with the gun) but it is time and space intensive in a way that I could not support when I started and have not missed in the months since.
If you’re looking for a shit-ton of yarn and a tufting gun, I know a person!
Good game. When you walk into a room that feels like it sounds like it’s empty and made of metal it sounds like it’s empty and made of metal. It’s got a headcrab in it. You can fall in a hole. There’s a mod to get a million folks in the game at the same time, then you can all fall into various holes. It’s great.
I think the fact that there are now three complete games inside of Fortnite that individually have concurrent player counts higher than many games’ all time sales numbers is fucking nuts. I don’t feel like anyone is talking about it. That could be for a lot of reasons including brand fatigue and also the fact that Epic laid off 16% of its staff this year.
Anyway, the team that is still around, though, is consistently churning out some of the best live service stuff on the planet. The Battle Royale team running OG Fortnite back to back with the start of Chapter 5 made it abundantly clear how far they’ve come since the mode came out in 2017 as a hastily stitched together spin on PUBG. You can be Goku in it. The guy I don’t like from TikTok is in there. You can still be John Cena. The Harmonix team just put Rock Band in the game, straight up. The Psyonix team put a pretty good arcade racer in here. There’s a LEGO survival game now that legitimately does feel like a spiritual successor to Minecraft in some ways. It’s nuts.
playing Fortnite pic.twitter.com/049XTTvZNi
— niki grayson (@godsewa) January 26, 2023
I was poor at the age of 12 and getting games was really hard for me and my family. If there were free-to-play games as good as Fortnite is, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now, but I’m happy that people have something as robust and well considered as Fortnite is in 2023.
I’ve only played three hours of Alan Wake II because the TV in my Airbnb fucking sucks and I hate looking at it. It’s too far away, too high up, and is very clearly a Best Buy Black Friday special with bad HDR and a horrible color space. To play Alan Wake II on this screen would be sacrilege, so I got three hours in and then stopped.
I loved Control (it was my game of the year in 2019), and I am excited to play this video game after hanging out with the team in a very limited capacity between Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards. Sam Lake met Barley in June and I’m convinced that’s why the game is so good.
2020’s Game of the Year stands strong in the year of our Lord 2023, with a vibrant modding community adding every song under the sun at a rate that is, frankly, unbelievable. I stream this game most Fridays and it still hits just as hard as it did when I first played it at PAX East 2020. The DJ music mixing game continues to live on in its third iteration in Fortnite, but Harmonix captured magic in a bottle with this release and I’m happy that I’m still able to play it.
GB @ Nite is the only reason you’re reading this list, because it’s the only reason I am here. For years and years, I dreamed of being on The Couch™. And I did it! I was on the couch. My dog was on the couch. A dream come true.
Jeff Grubb is a blessing upon this business. He took on an impossible task and blew the bar out of the water. (I love a clunky mixed metaphor~). Jan is the best in the world.
Here are some of my favorite photos from the GB @ Nites this year.
That’s right! I’m talking about the same Zelda game that everyone else is talking about. :)
I did a classic Niki Grayson move (which is to say that I’ve done this once before, with God of War) where I replayed the first game before the sequel came out and then burned myself out on the whole thing.
I replayed all of BOTW (including the DLC) in the lead up to the release of Tears of the Kingdom and had a blast. Breath of the Wild fucking whips. I wasn’t, however, equipped to play another 40 hours of it when TOTK came out, so I didn’t! I’ll get around to it in 2024.
Before Wonder, I don’t think I’d ever rolled credits on a 2D Mario game. I think the one I played the most was New Super Mario Bros., and I spent most of my time in that game playing the Poker and Blackjack minigames. Mario’s supposed to be in 3D.
After playing Wonder, though, I finally get it. Mario can be in 2D. It is filled with light and love and joy. In a year where I did my best to embrace those things in my life, it was nice to see those reflected here. The race + multiplayer mechanics are great and add a degree of camaraderie that I feel is missing from a lot of games!
I started shooting film in high school. We had a darkroom on campus at my extremely weird (and now shuttered) school. I learned a lot in that first photo class, including the basics of film processing, and how useful a darkroom is if you’re a teenager trying to make out with another person for the entirety of a class period.
In any case, the most important thing I learned was how important the photograph is to our creation of memory. Literally capturing these moments in bursts of light is such an incredible thing. Shooting film is not cheap, but the moments that I captured – of my friends, my family, my dog, of outfits, of laughter, of tears – make that expense worth it. The consideration and care that I have to take with each shot (because they are finite!) makes me a more careful artist. I can’t wait to shoot more in 2024.
Spider-Man 2 is really good. It cost way too much to make and is representative of a way of making video games that is wholly unsustainable. They make Miles wear some bad shoes. It doesn’t do anything new, but it is a great video game! Sometimes you just need a great video game.
My game of the year is soccer. When I moved back to LA – the city I was born and raised in – I had no friends and a housing situation that I would describe as… precarious. I was looking for any way to meet people, to feel like I was part of something after feeling separated from any kind of community while I was living in Providence.
I found that community in Pandemonium, one of the supporters groups for Angel City Football Club. The season was a roller coaster for our girls. We started out horribly, fired our coach in the middle of the season, replaced her with an assistant, and then that assistant set the team on a monster unbeaten streak that landed us in the playoffs. Our last regular season game was against the Portland Thorns. It was roughly 1 million degrees outside and I was unbelievably drunk. Here’s what I looked like when we won that game 5-2:
Tears of joy in my eyes, and in shock that this squad battled back from a horrible start to the year to finish strong enough to knock one of the best teams in the NWSL on their ass and punch our own ticket to the playoffs for the first time in the club’s young history. It was catharsis. And now, looking back, I see a lot of my own year in ACFC’s year – started out poorly but finished out strong. I am grateful for this beautiful, silly game and for the people it has brought me.
Oh, I also went to the World Cup this year. That was crazy. I met so many people, watched the USWNT crash and burn in person, and saw so much of one of the most beautiful regions of the world.
Support your local women’s soccer team.
Thanks so much to you for reading this! I feel lucky and excited to be back in this space.
]]>First and foremost, let's give a big round of applause for @marino for organizing and tabulating this year's edition of the Giant Bomb Community GOTY voting! The results are in and congratulations to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for taking first place after over 700 of you voted. You can see a lot more stats and details in Marino's results post.
The notification system on the site should be fixed! If you @ someone, they should get a ping/notification that you said something to them. You should also be getting updates about reviews, blogs, and lists your friends posted on the site!
@dtoast has an update on what steps he has taken to report and advocate for a quick remedy to the current issues with the site's video players. It's not a massive update, but they do want you to know that he continues to bring up the problems you are reporting in every meeting and continuing to file reports about problems helps him strengthen his case.
In happier news, Jan is back and Jeff Grubb has defeated Ride to Hell: Retribution! If you missed this edition of Blight Club, the entire series is on the site as well as on YouTube! Relive all 15 hours of the glory whenever you want!
With all that in mind, let's start this edition of the Community Spotlight!
There is potential for greatness here.@Tolkoto @JeffGrubb pic.twitter.com/fzchm3masc
— 🏳️⚧️ Creaky Legs 🏳️🌈 (@CreakyLegs) January 12, 2024
wait now that I have this template, here's a @Tolkoto version pic.twitter.com/fyrcj4Z95K
— Sir5000 @ cohost.org/Sir (@Sir5000) January 11, 2024
Saw Smite 2 was announced. Here is my favorite memory of Smite. pic.twitter.com/GOFXo6EyIA
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) January 12, 2024
@giantbomb is playing the BEST VR game right now https://t.co/ulAd2tKZBB pic.twitter.com/IY1e7oBKtN
— Steve Kim (@Fobwashed) January 12, 2024
One of my favourite things about researching bad video games from the 2000s is how often the "Reception" section is just an @alex_navarro quote. pic.twitter.com/FWvx202dbh
— lex luddy (kiryu's roommate) (@BasicalliLexi) January 10, 2024
I just wanted to get on here and THANK @giantbomb for the 200 person raid! I might have cried for 5 minutes straight and my stream almost crashed because of the hype train.. I am forever grateful.. please go give him a follow.. he is amazing! 💜https://t.co/1UEKFryqNL
— WinslowsONLYHope (@WinnieDaPrinter) January 10, 2024
Mike Minotti As A Rocket Knight (By: @StickerChamp)
The news announcing that Rocket Knight Adventures Re-Sparked was coming to modern platforms definitely excited Mike Minotti and to honor their excitement, StickerChamp made this creation on Twitter.
Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club voting thread for cycle starting January 15 2023 (By: @bigsocrates)
For their first game of 2024, the Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club selected A Short Hike by adamgryu! Have you played this relaxing and peaceful exploration game? If you have any thoughts about it, just click the first link!
Speaking of the Game Pass Game Club, the group is taking YOUR VOTE for its next game pick! As long as you drop a comment with a vote before January 15th, there's a good chance that your top vote gets picked!
The GB Album Club 047 - Amanecer by Bomba Estéreo
The GB Album Club Presents... What's Your Favorite Album of 2023? (Or Thing You Listened to For the First Time in 2023?) (By: @unclejam23)
The Giant Bomb Album of the Week Club welcomes you to its latest discussion and the first new one of 2024! This edition of the group will be discussing "Amanecer" by Bomba Estéreo! Share your thoughts about the group and this album NOW!
Additionally, the Album of the Week Club might be done with its break this week, but that doesn't mean you should skip its discussion about the best singles and albums from 2023! What are YOUR musical highlights from the year? Share NOW in the second linked thread!
All Jaguar Games In Order: 1994 (Part 1) (By: @borgmaster)
After a hiatus, borgmaster continues their quest to play every single game that released on the Jaguar in North America! This week, they cover Tempest 2000, Wolfenstein 3D, Brutal Sports Football, and Alien Vs. Predator!
Indie Game of the Week 352: Itorah (By: @mento)
It is the start of a new month and that means moderator Mento is back on the forums with a new blog concept! They checked out the OoTRandomizer website and you can read about their incredibly cursed adventures in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time NOW!
Additionally, Mento has a new edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" series and this one tackles Itorah by Grimbart Tales! If, like me, you hadn't heard about this game until now, give their blog a read to learn all about this hand-drawn Metroidvania!
Field Report IV: Halo Infinite Twenty-Six Months In (By: @gamer_152)
In case you missed it last weekend, moderator Gamer_152 has another blog providing an update on how things are going in to world of Halo Infinite! They review why Infinite is STILL not a finished game and why the state of Firefight is NOT GOOD.
Riven, Cyan's Obscure Masterpiece; or, The Third School of Puzzle Design (By: @wollywoo)
Riven's remaster will (maybe) release in 2024 and that seemed like a good enough reason for wollywoo to return to the game. Read why they think Riven: The Sequel to Myst and Myst deserve credit for pioneering a new school of video game puzzle design!
Manburgian Candidates 2023 (By: @manburger)
Manburger definitely took an unorthodox approach with their 2023 video game wrap-up blog but that doesn't mean you should skip it! Find out what their favorite songs, retro games, and 2023 release were by clicking the link above!
ALLTheDinos' Favorite Games of 2023 (By: @allthedinos)
ALLTheDinos wrote a GOTY 2023 blog on the site and it is a great read! Check out the fun and diverse mix of games that came to define their 2023 by clicking the link above! Also, it's not too late to make your own GOTY 2023 list/blog!
Uncle Jam's (Album Club Guy) Top 10 Games of 2023 (By: @unclejam23)
UncleJam23 has been hosting the community Album of the Week Club and they welcome you to read about their ten favorite games they played in 2023! If you have enjoyed their Album of the Week feature, use this as an opportunity to thank them for their work!
Here's A Thread With Links To Every Single Staff & Guest GOTY 2023 List! Which Ones Did You Enjoy The Most? (By: @zombiepie)
Now that the temporary GOTY 2023 front page template is gone, feel free to use this thread or the site's Words section/tab to find staff and guest lists you may have missed. Were there any lists you personally enjoyed the most?
Winners of the Hottest Mess 2023 (GB Community Voting) (By: @allthedinos)
The Giant Bomb community voting for "Hottest Mess" have finished and the winner has been crowned. Would you be surprised to learn that Unity Engine's 2023 PR disaster was only a runner-up? Find out what ended up winning by clicking the link!
It Makes Sense But I'm A Little Sad That Giant Bomb Seems To Have Abandoned The "Quick Look" Term (By: @bigsocrates)
I want to commend most of you that have participated in this thread for sharing legitimate and honest criticisms while also relaying a love and appreciation for the current staff on the site. As the title suggests, do you miss the "Quick Look" label?
Amazon Has Laid Off 500 Twitch Employees, About 35% Of The Division (By: @bigsocrates)
2024 layoffs are already getting announced and Amazon/Twitch have laid off 500 employees on the popular streaming platform. Are you surprised by the announcement?
Pacific Rim Presents 3 Cancelations of and 1 Countdown to the Apocalypse (By: @infantpipoc)
Unrelated to the final batch of GOTY content on the site, infantpipoc decided to check out four games that reminded them of Pacific Rim and looks at where they improved upon Pacific Rim and where they came up short.
Games Of the Year, 2023 (By: @frontman12)
frontman12 not only wrote a GOTY 2023 list, but they also listed their favorite games from years that end in the number 3 and it is a sight to see! Where else can you expect to see a GOTY list these days with Cool Spot?!
Yours Truly's 2023 Game of The Year Awards (By: @genessee)
Genessee has a real fun mix of games that you might not have heard of before or maybe forgot about on their GOTY 2023 list! Give it a read by clicking the link and see if there are a few games you'd be interested in playing!
TFP's Top 10 Games of 2023 (By: @thefakepsychic)
TheFakePsychic is back with another highly comprehensive rundown of the video games they enjoyed playing during a year on this planet we call Earth. Here's the 2023 edition of this entertaining yearly tradition of theirs!
YYninja's GOTY List of 2023 (By: @yyninja)
yyninja played almost no games that actually came out in 2023, but they did not let that stop them from making a 2023 GOTY list this week! If you are in the mood for an eclectic mix of games, this is the list for you!
Top 10 of 2023 (By: @nateandrews)
nateandrews finally got around to writing a GOTY 2023 list and you can give it a read and see what their favorite ten games were from the year and their honorable mentions.
GOTY 2023 (By: @amlabella)
Games both big and small grace amlabella's GOTY 2023 list and you should give it a read in case you were following some of the more obscure indie games that came out last year! There are some real hidden gems on their list.
Best Games I Played In 2023 (By: @waiguobao)
WaiGuoBao couldn't limit themselves to just ten games from 2023 as they played more than ten great games from the year. As a result, their GOTY 2023 list has THIRTEEN games on it! It might be an unlucky number, but the games on it are not bad luck!
@infantpipoc's F.E.A.R. review articulates why they think you should still play the game as they consider it a "bookend to a bygone era" of PC game and game design. Also, remember how GODDAMN AWESOME the shotgun was in this game?
@pauljeremiah's reviews of the Borderlands series continue with an assessment of Borderlands 3! Read why he still had a blast playing the game even if he felt like the game felt more like "Pandora 2.0" more than anything else.
]]>As the final piece of the 16th Annual Giant Bomb Game of the Year, we are here to review the results of the community's vote. Before we get started, I want to give a shoutout to @rorie for keeping this tradition going for the last seven years and to @thatfrood who took it upon himself to run the voting process on his own for many years before that.
Over 700 people voted this year for a total of over 6100 votes (not everyone fills out all ten slots). Within those 6100+ votes, 647 different games were named. Today, we're going to look at the Top 50.
Last year, Elden Ring straight up destroyed the competition with nearly triple the weighted score of God of War Ragnarök in second place. But, as you'll see below, this year's race was a little bit tighter.
We fully relaxed the rules of Community GOTY this year and encouraged everyone to put whatever-the-hell they wanted on their ballot. The points are based on a weighted system where your #1 is worth more than your #2 and so on. I don't actually know what the math is on that because this "Community List" feature is built into the site. When the deadline hits, it just spits out a report, which I transcribed here. Someone would have to hunt down Dave to find out about the math maybe. Anyway... let's go!
With 66% of the community giving it a vote, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has now completed the trifecta. It has won the site's GOTY, the combined Guest List GOTY, and now the Community GOTY. In fact, the three different Top 10s were eerily similar. Among the thirty spots available, only twelve different games made the lists.
Many of you included classic and obscure games on your list, which resulted in over 350 games getting only one vote, and another 80 that only got two votes. In fact, only 69 games (Nice) got 10 votes or more.
Well, that about wraps it up for this year's GOTY content.
If you missed any of the 2023 GOTY festivities, you can find everything on the Giant Bomb Game of the Year 2023 wiki page including all the winners, podcasts, videos, staff lists, and guest lists.
If you enjoy statistics, be sure to check out my blog here: Data Dump: GOTY 2023 Staff & Guests Breakdown.
Until next time.
<>
]]>This weekend marks the end of Giant Bomb GOTY 2023 content on the site. If you have enjoyed the return of the Guest Lists, please send a HUGE "THANK YOU" to @marino! He put in hours of hard work editing lists and adding media to them to make them beautiful! So, if the return of guest lists brought you joy, thank him for transforming them from Word docs and emails to what you see today.
The Community GOTY results will be posted on Sunday as the true ending of GOTY 2023.
Speaking of which, Marino published a new blog that breaks down all of the cool stats associated with the Giant Bomb staff's GOTY lists as well as some fun stats associated with the guest lists. Did you know that both Grubb AND Jan made changes to their GOTY lists? Yep! Their lists are different from what they said in LA. Learn all about it by clicking that link!
You might have heard that Dan is suffering through a broken finger as a result of a tragic mac-and-cheese-related injury. To make sure he remains in good spirits, the Giant Bomb community is encouraged to flock to the Giant Bomb Discord and record a voice message in the q-and-a-questions channel on the Discord. If you are not already a member of the Discord, here's an invite link.
Likewise, Jan has been out sick and injured this past week. If you have any spare time, please wish him a speedy recovery!
When it comes to bug reports and customer service issues, @dtoast and the rest of Fandom's engineering team have returned from a Holiday and New Year break. While many of the bugs and issues with the site have already been logged and continue to be a priority, Dylan is now available to log issues with notifications being unresponsive, the Premium Podcast feed sending people the ad version, and video player issues.
In positive programming news, the "lost" third season of Friday Night Forking is live now on YouTube and efforts are being made to make it grace the Giant Bomb site as well.
Staff GOTY Roundup
Community GOTY Lists
Author's Note: Did you write a GOTY blog or list that I missed? For now, feel free to drop a comment with a link to your GOTY list or blog and I promise to get it on the next edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight!
Community GOTY Blogs
Ranking The Games Released In 2023 That I Played (By: @bigsocrates)
Instead of writing the standard Game of the Year blog, bigsocrates took all of the games they played in 2023 and ranked them! As the host of Giant Bomb's Game Pass Game Club, you will not be surprised to know that they have 25 games to rank!
Nodima Comments on a Nextlander Reddit Thread, Then Shares It Here for GotY 2023 (By: @nodima)
Nodima originally posted their GOTY 2023 write-up on the Nextlander Reddit, but they took the time to share it here as well! Read all about their gaming highs and lows from 2023 by clicking the link!
ZombiePie's End Of The Year 2023 Multimedia Extravaganza! (Part 1) (By: @zombiepie)
Before January ends, moderator ZombiePie finally takes you on a tour of the many sources of entertainment, both new and old, they partook in during 2023. Read on their blog which ones they recommend and which ones they think your should avoid!
My Top Ten Games of 2023 (By: @gamer_152)
In case you missed it, moderator Gamer_152 wrote a GOTY blog and as one of the more active essayists on the site, you should definitely give it a read when you have the chance!
SparkyB's 2023 End of the Year Extravaganza (By: @sparky_buzzsaw)
Sparky_Buzzsaw had some gaming ups and downs throughout 2023 and you can read all about them, including an emotional plea to not forget that Disgaea 7 came out in 2023.
ArbitraryWater's Favorite Games of 2023 (By: @arbitrarywater)
ArbitraryWater is one of the more active bloggers on Giant Bomb and finally got around to making a 2023 Game of the Year blog for your reading pleasure! Check out which games rocked their year and be prepared for some SURPRISES!
My Games of 2023 (By: @kyary)
Kyary has some real fun categories on their 2023 Game of the Year blog! Whether it be old or new games, it seems like they enjoyed a little bit of everything!
Panda Chuchu's Cafe of 2023 Video Games, Anime and Manga! (By: @propagandapanda)
Propagandapanda didn't just write a Game of the Year 2023 blog. They also reviewed their favorite anime and manga from the year! If you want game, anime, and manga recommendations, this is the blog for you!
Mento's 2023 End of Year Old Game, Blog, and Anime Round-Up Rodeo (Plus Alpha) (By: @mento)
Moderator Mento has been a blogging machine on the site all throughout 2023 and instead of taking the traditional approach with their GOTY 2023 write-up, they instead broke things down into their favorite games of every month! Check it out!
Game of the Year 2023 (By: @superharman)
Superharman joined the GOTY fever on the site and shares the games both big and small they enjoyed playing this year. Whether it be indie puzzle games or AAA sci-fi epics, they have a little bit of everything on their GOTY list!
The 2023 Moosies Video Game Awards: Part 1 +
The 2023 Moosies Video Game Awards: Part 2. (By: @mooseymcman)
MooseyMcMan has posted their annual "Moosies Video Game Awards" feature, but has broken into two highly enjoyable parts! For those unfamiliar, this is a fun yearly tradition of theirs where they bestow fun gaming superlatives!
My favorite things about putting almost all of the Giant Bomb guest lists into the CMS editor:
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) December 30, 2023
- Choosing screenshots
- Giving the lists a (mostly) uniform style
- Adding Oxford commas while proofreading
- Changing "videogames" to "video games"
- Changing numbers to numerals
🤣 pic.twitter.com/75xIKvMsaH
Look, Jerf might be onto something. pic.twitter.com/pOFzzm7Gef
— 🏳️⚧️ Creaky Legs 🏳️🌈 (@CreakyLegs) January 4, 2024
How it started, how it’s going.
— Jordan Middler (@JordanMiddler) December 26, 2023
It as huge career moment for me to say that my Game of the Year list has been published on @giantbomb. Can’t quite believe it.
Thank you to all Duders but specifically @JeffGrubb. I love that old man endlessly. https://t.co/IFJCjYSZEb pic.twitter.com/iwH1rkGQV1
— Giant Bomb Out of Context (@GBombOOC) December 25, 2023
CONGRATS TO MY BEST BUD @SAMOAJOE pic.twitter.com/xhpDK8huGu
— Dan Ryckert (@DanRyckert) December 31, 2023
Yaba Daba Duders! (By: @jearum)
To celebrate the holidays in grand fashion, artist jearum continued a meme of imagining the Giant Bomb staff as characters in The Flintstones. The old school CRT filter is what really makes this work of art pop for me.
Mike Mina'vi (By: @videospacegames)
Mike seems to be the one with impeccable knowledge about the world of Avatar and the cultural practices of the Na'vi that it seemed apt to make him into one!
Dan Meme Reaction Template & Results (By: Chron, @mynameisfatmike, Ratchet, and @alwaysbeclothing)
Over on Twitter, someone noticed fairly "iconic" shot involving Dan on a video and posited if the internet could turn it into a meme reaction template. The wonderful people on the Giant Bomb Discord immediately obliged.
Dan Ryckert - Secret Italians Saga (By: @alwaysbeclothing)
There's a new saga involving Dan and the fact that he might have Italian heritage. AlwaysBeClothing managed to compile all parts of this storyline into a single video in case you missed a part or two.
A Short Hike Is The 1st Selection Of The Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club Year 3! Mark All Spoilers! (By: @bigsocrates)
For their first game pick of 2024, the Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club selected A Short Hike by adamgryu! Have you played this relaxing and peaceful exploration game? If you have any thoughts about it, just click the first link!
Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club Year End Wrap Up and Change Suggestion Thread (By: @bigsocrates)
It was a fun and eventful year for the Giant Bomb Community Game Pass Game Club in 2023! Here's a directory to EVERY SINGLE GAME the group played this year! Also the Game Pass Game Club is taking suggestions for 2024!
The GB Album Club 046 - The Miraculous Mandarin by Béla Bartók +
The GB Album Club Presents... What's Your Favorite Album of 2023? (Or Thing You Listened to For the First Time in 2023?) (By: @unclejam23)
This week, the Giant Bomb Album Club is listening to The Miraculous Mandarin by Béla Bartók! Are you a newcomer to Bartok or classical music? Give it a shot! Also... THIS WAS MY PICK AND I'M FORCING THE ALBUM GROUP TO LISTEN TO CLASSICAL MUSIC!
Additionally, the Album of the Week Club is taking a break this week and is hosting a discussion about the best singles and albums from 2023! What are YOUR musical highlights from the year? Share NOW in the thread!
Kone's Top 10 Liked Tweets of 2023 (#1 Will Shock You!) (By: @kone)
To say that Kone has made some great works of Giant Bomb fanart in 2023 would be an understatement. They practically had something to make people laugh or haunt their dreams every other week of 2023! If you were curious to see which of these works got them the most traction on Twitter, check out this blog!
Metal Gear Scanlon Saved My Life (by: @MakoTitan)
MakoTitan went through a mental health scare and penned an essay thanking Drew and Dan's "Metal Gear Scanlon" series for saving his life. Content Warning: This blog includes discussions of depression and anxiety.
I'm Sure This Was News Years Ago, but MGSV Is Busted (Though Mostly Nicely!) (By: @nodima)
Nodima has been following the scuttlebutt about the second volume of the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection and also got a hankering to play some MGS and ended up turning to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
Logging The Backlog: 2023 Year End Review (By: @brian_)
At the start of 2023, brian_ made a promise to take their video game backlog seriously. Things did not go according to plan and you can read all about what happened and which classic games they did manage to play.
64 in 64: Episode 37 + Indie Game of the Week 351: Tower of Time (By: @mento)
It's time to return to the wild catalogue of games released on the N64 with moderator Mento on the site! This week they played Mickey's Speedway USA and Cruis'n Exotica? Are either N64 racing games worth playing today?
Additionally, Mento has a new edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" feature and this one looks at the indie tactics game, Tower of Time. Is there room for an indie tactics game when there are so many high budget ones? Read to find out!
2023's Best "Sicko Game" Is Eternights Because You Have To Be Truly Sick To Enjoy It. I Am And I Did And I'm Not Ashamed (By: @zombiepie)
Moderator ZombiePie continues to look at their 2023 gaming highlights with a blog on about Eternights! Click the link to read why they think this game is 2023's "Best Sicko Game" and how they mean that as a term of endearment.
What Games Are You Looking Forward To In 2024? (By: @atheistpreacher)
It is the first days of 2024 and to start things off on a positive note on Giant Bomb, what are your most anticipated games for this year? Whether it be Hades II or Persona 3 Reload, share the games you can't wait to play in 2024!
Gaming Resolutions 2024 (By: @bigsocrates)
How many of y'all are setting 2024 video game resolutions? Do any of you have retro video game "White Whales" you'd like to tackle in 2024? Feel free to share on the forums after clicking the link above!
Were You A Nintendo House Growing Up? (By: @sombre)
It is a reputation that has defined the company for decades, but was Nintendo the first video game company that led you into video game enthusiasm? When you were young, were you a "Nintendo Kid?"
Amazon Prime Video Introducing Ads Starting Jan 29 (By: @atheistpreacher)
Amazon Prime Video will be introducing ads in 2024! Get the details and feel free to share your thoughts about it! Did Netflix and Hulu set a precedent for all future streaming services and platforms to follow?
What Was The First Videogame You Played? (By: @sombre)
Do you remember your first game? Was it a good intro to gaming? If you do feel free to share it in the discussion thread about the topic? Don't quite know the name of it but know what you did? Some others will help you out!
What Are Your Best "Podcast" Games Of 2023? (By: @bigsocrates)
2023 was a STACKED year for games but what were your favorite "podcast games" from the year? Were there any games that were perfect compliments to podcast listening?
10 Games I'm Looking Forward To The Most In 2024 (By: @beachthunder)
2024 is upon us! That means beachthunder has whipped up a list of games that are their most anticipated for 2024! Consider making your own list of games you can't wait to get your hands on in 2024!
2023 Best Old Games (By: @shami_sansi)
Shami_Sansi played a decent amount of games on their backlog during 2023 and discusses their favorite old game experiences they had during the year! If you also played a decent amount of old games last year, consider making your own version of this list!
Welcome To The Pub, Those Came Along When I Was 14 (By: @infantpipoc)
As most of us welcome 2024, infantpipoc thinks back to 2004 and the games and platforms they were obsessed with twenty years ago? Remember how excited people were for Halo 2 and the PSP? Experience a trip down memory lane here!
@geimers gave Heavy Nova on the Genesis a shot after hearing several people call it one of the worst games on the console. Check out their review to find out why they ultimately agree the game is a failure despite its innovative ideas.
@pauljeremiah's Borderlands 2 review defends the game as still standing as one of the preeminent co-op experiences in video game history with plenty of legs. Get the details on why by clicking the link!
@sbc515 is starting a new bad retro game review series on Giant Bomb that would make even Dan turn pale! That's right, they are going to play every single Terminator video game and they started things off with The Terminator on NES, Terminator Salvation, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day on the SNES!
Giant Bomb Game of the Year 2023
This being the final week of GOTY content means there's one final reminder to enjoy on Giant Bomb's Game of the Year 2023 concept page! For those reading this after the fact, feel free to use this page to keep track of all the cool and wonderful guest lists that hit the site and remind yourself of what won Giant Bomb's awards in 2023! The programming agenda is PACKED this year!
]]>Kenny Omega is one of the co-founders of All Elite Wrestling and has held more championships than you can count. He's @KennyOmegaManX on Twitter.
Austin Creed is a member of the 12-time Tag Team Championship-winning crew known as The New Day. He is also the host of the gaming YouTube channel UpUpDownDown. He's @austincreedwins on Twitter.
In a dimly lit bedroom, on top of a Temperpedic™ California King-sized bed, a comforter rises and falls with the even breathing of an exhausted man. In this perfect setting for sleep, the room is still and serene. Suddenly the peaceful scene is filled with chaos as three children approach the bed from the air with the velocity that seems as if they could have only jumped from the rafters. Upon landing on the bed, with elbows and knees aimed for vital areas, they scream out in laughter as the man screams out in pain.
Kids: "WAKE UP DADDY!"
Feeling as if he was just hit by a train headed to Busan, the man is immediately ripped out of his dreams and is ready to fight. He begins to throw the children from the bed and screams...
"YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT THE KING OF THE MOUNTAIN!"
Austin Creed was now awake.
———
Within the soft glow of a distant barrel fire, we see an obscured figure - part spilled bowl of ramen, part sinewy Christmas tree. Our initial reaction is to call the authorities, but we decide to investigate. As we draw closer we now hear the sound of... loud clicks. Morse Code? Negative, these follow no structured pattern. We're now close enough to identify that this is indeed no crime scene - the sinew tree from before was simply the astounding back development from someone really good at building muscle but also everything else. The loud clicks? Complex button combinations that only a master at Street Fighter 6 could understand. And the ramen... a mane of curly blonde hair with such luscious length it'd have Rapunzel herself rolling in her grave. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is who we've been waiting to see - the true hero of the story, Kenny Omega!
Creed: ...You Done?
Kenny: W-Whaddaya lookin at me for?! I'm just reading what they sent me.
Creed: Who's "they"?
Kenny: The narrator! Err, the company? It doesn't even matter! And for the record, I thought I... I thought THEY did a much better job for that intro than you.
Creed: Give me that! [Swipes book back]
————
After defeating the gremlins that attacked his peace, Austin Creed wipes the sleep from his eyes and heads downstairs to make them breakfast. The smell of bacon, eggs, cheese grits, and biscuits fills the house. Everyone eats and the kids get sent off to school. Finally, the house is quiet again. Creed heads back upstairs to take a shower, and as the water hits his face he remembers…
Creed: OH CRAP! IT'S TODAY!
He quickly washes off his sweaty bits and jumps out of the shower to get dressed. After throwing on clothes he makes his way down to his basement door. Upon opening it he can see the pulsing blue light coming from below. Walking down the stairs he can feel a slight breeze flowing past him. Once at the bottom of the stairs the breeze moves a bit faster and the blue light shines much brighter. It opens only once a year and today was the day of the year where he could finally enter it. He thought back to the first year they realized its existence…
Creed: Let’s see what you’ve got this year…
Creed takes three steps forward and passes into the Portal of Years End.
—————
Omega wipes off a Vietnamese coffee moustache and steps through the portal.
————-
Both men exit their portals at the same time. They stand facing each other about six feet apart. This all began in 2016. Life had changed quite a bit for each man in that time. Both becoming more mature and experienced in wrestling and more importantly in life. They stared at each other for a moment. The forever rivals staring at each other, seeing how the past year has treated the other. Looking for new scars, bruises……. weak points.
With their guard up, their eyes narrow to slits and they exchange a slow, purposeful nod as a form of greeting. Creed is the first to break the silence.
Creed: “We all know you're on the shelf, but could you at least have changed outta the hospital gown?”
Kenny: “It's only you and I Creed, I ain't trying to impress anyone”
Creed: “Well clearly not, you're wearing the gown backwards"
Kenny: "Me?! Wearing the?! Oh no no no. Real funny, Creed! If I were actually wearing this robe backwards how would I even tie it up, huh? Nice try, you jakaninni”
Creed: “What?!? Kenny, never mind ... Wish I'd gotten you a car freshener for Christmas. You know, like one of those trees you hang in the mirror?"
Kenny: “Oh, you're a real hoot. Those are pheromones making you run wild, Creed, don't blame me for exuding manliness”
Creed: “I was wondering what that sewage smell was. You give a new meaning to "toxic masculinity"! Alright alright, I'm sorry, you were just on your death bed I should be more sensitive... How were umm... the accommodations? Have any roommates in the hospital...?'
Kenny: “Yeah 2. One, your wrestling career. Two, your gaming career. I'm getting a little pissed off here Creed can we start this list already?!”
Creed: “I mean, you shouldn’t skip foreplay, it’s pretty important but I guess we can just jump into it."
[A booming voice fills the air]
"Without further ado. Let us begin the top ten games from Kenny Omega and Austin Creed!"
"BEGIN!"
The Meta Quest 3 dropped this year and I’ve been loving it. Asgard’s Wrath is a gorgeous action RPG that feels like I’m playing God of War in VR. You get to sword fight, level up, solve puzzles, and run dungeons. If it would have come out earlier than December then I would have had more time with it before writing this, and I imagine that it would have been much higher on my list. But for now this game comes in as my number 10.
I love rhythm games, and I've loved Theatrhythm games since they first appeared on 3DS. It's been awhile since I've played and I wasn't sure if I'd appreciate this one as much as the others. Well, cutting to the chase, this became my preferred go to game before bed. Consuming some of the greatest video game music ever composed with cutesy battles (between a party you choose and enemies appropriate to the song selection) to timed button presses was fun, relaxing, and much like many entries in the FF series, never got old.
Full disclosure, I've gotta be a bit more critical to remakes from here on. I love them, I'm glad we get them, but the '94 GOTY shouldn't be winning the 2023 GOTY. They had their chance.
Creed: You damn right.
Kenny: What?
Creed: You do realize that this time of the year is the only time where we can find things that we can agree on?
Kenny: Well that’s because you decide to agree with my correct opinion.
Creed: No, its cause you agree with mi…
Kenny: Anywho, I was a huge Super Mario RPG fan back in the day and to hear that this title was being brought back with some changes had me incredibly excited. Most of the original version remains in tact story-wise and the visuals aren't much different either which i appreciated. The QOL changes are all useful and even though I worried about the reworked soundtrack, they did a fantastic job and blew every track outta the water. Oh yeah, love the triple attacks too.
I’ll be honest. My backlog is so big that this wasn’t even on my radar when it dropped. But I saw that it released and that it was 4 players which means I could play it with my kids. When I turned it on, it reminded me how much I really enjoy playing Mario games. The nostalgia was strong but all of the new additions make it even more satisfying to play. But the elephant power up is by far the best new part of the game. It’s a great addition to the franchise.
Here’s a game that I had been waiting on from the time that i heard it was coming out. I used to love playing Armored Core back in the day so to have this new version drop was awesome. The bosses ARE SO HARD. I saw people complaining about the tutorial boss and I'll be honest, it took me like four or five tries before I got him. But, once you get movement down, it becomes a totally different and way more enjoyable game. I do wish that the online had more to offer but the fact that we had the ability in 2023 to be playing a new Armored Core gave me enough happiness as is.
You all saw the disclaimer... Yeah, I know this a perfect 10 game and its way high on my greatest of all time list too. But I'm being real critical because not much was different from the original and we have to give the new blood a shot. Amongst the new tweaks though, the parry mechanic made for some real fun fights especially the inevitable showdown with Krauser. Can't wait for the next RE title!
So yes, Ishin fits into the remake category, but I didn't play the original. Being a Japanese title, I doubt too many of you played it either. There's also the most important thing that makes this one better than the first, and do you know what that is???.....*clears throat*
Creed: Okay, I'll bite. What's that, Kenny?
Kenny: It's me, you idiot. I'm in the game! Yup, super OP trooper card! Play the game and you'll know. Anyways, aside from the obvious, what i loved about Ishin were the parallels to actual Japanese history and how well it works within the RGG universe and its characters. It was the most fun edutainment I could have ever asked for.
As for Gaiden, I'll be honest and say that I think Ishin nailed the story much better. Gaiden won me over with Joryu's world, mini-games, and Castle locale. Both have incredible strengths in different areas and thus I'm just gonna call it a tie and be done with it.
As fun as this game is, the best part about it for me was getting back to regular game nights with some of my friends. This was one that we all wanted to play so it was easy to party up and spend hours playing and catching up. Running around as a party of barbarians was some of the most fun that I’ve had playing a Diablo game ever.
I tried to show one of my friends my favorite Leatherface kill from this game and they looked at me like I was insane. “You’re chasing people down and cutting them open with a chainsaw as Leatherface?” YOU DAMN RIGHT I AM. It’s horror, it’s tons of gore, and it’s working together as a team to win the game. All of these elements are things that I love. Having a team of three hunt down a team of four at first threw me off. But, once you get into the game and realize all of the perks that the different characters can have, then it begins to make sense why it’s like this. One of the big things that drew me to this game was, and yeah I know I’ll get judged for this, the cinematic kills. It at times reminded me of one of my favorite games… Manhunt. Some say it’s disgusting, I say it’s art. Also, my Leatherface will obliterate you.
Before playing Theatrhythm, this was my nightly unwind game. Traveling the lush and gorgeous world was never tiresome and there was never any shortage of quests regardless of where I ended up. The combat was tight and weapon breaks just allowed me to try new combinations more often. Gotta mention the physics system... the ability to make whatever you want, power it, and have it react appropriately within your world was an incredible accomplishment. A fun one at that, too. This allowed for a flexibility never seen before in puzzle solving aside from maybe The Incredible Machine (does that game still exist???).
Creed: YOU LIKE THE INCREDIBLE MACHINE?!?!?! I FREAKING LOVE THAT GAME. I didn't think that an uncultured swine such as yourself would enjoy thinking while playing a video game.
Kenny: Come on now, you're talking to the guy who keeps working with my competition whilst avoiding breach of contract so don't question my problem solving abilities, Creed.
Anyway, upon clearing a temple or helping a NPC in need, the game made me really feel like I'd found *my* answer to that specific problem. Fantastic experience and if I'd wanted to accomplish everything, I'd probably still be chipping away at TOTK to this day.
Nintendo is the king of first party titles, so SMBW was bound to be at least great. Upon viewing the original trailers, the new wonder gimmick had me chin scratching and eager to play, though at the end of the day I figured this would be more like the previous 2D entries (Wii, DS, 3DS, etc.) I will say after playing, that this is probably the best modern take on the classic 2D Mario style. The level design offers a ton of fun over all tracks/worlds and though some levels may be similar, each have their own unique personality. The badge system is also a fantastic way to add even more variety. With the abilities they provide, a badge can help to fine tune difficulty or completely alter the way a course is run.
Creed: Be cool if we had badges in real life, huh?
Kenny: Come again?
Creed: You know, so you can run faster or jump higher or whatever!
Kenny: I can already do all that.
Creed: Yeah but you could like… do it more.
Kenny: I'm faster than you and jump higher than you. What more do I need? Okay, what badge would you want, Creed? Lemme guess, one that makes you less of a stupid idiot? No no, better yet! One that helps get you back on the top seller merch list? lmaooooo GOT EM!
Creed: [under his breath] I mean I'd take that top merch seller badge… WOW! And I see you’ve already been wearing the badge that starts backstage fights for no reason.
Kenny: I didn’t start any damn fight, but I’m about to finish one if you don’t watch your mouth, if you catch my drift, Creed!
Creed: Calm down man! All that stress isn’t good for your body. Wouldn’t wanna be back in the ER cause of your little tummy ache.
Kenny: It’s not a tummy ache!
Here’s one that caught me off guard. Disney Speedstorm is a Disney kart racer that, at first glance, I just thought that it was a Disney Mario Kart clone. But, after a few races I realized that it wasn’t even close to that. The weapon system, boost activation, character classes, and character customization all set this apart from that. With characters from Aladdin, Toy Story, Mulan, Monsters Inc (shout out to Mike Wazowski), and a bunch of other titles, its cool to see how the different abilities all interact through the course of a race. And the music is unreal. It’s a ton of EDM remixes to Disney tracks. The "I'll Make a Man Out of You" remix made its way on to my workout playlist cause it hits that hard. Also, to me, the racing aspect feels more akin to Burnout Paradise for some reason. Anyway. I dumped a ton of hours into this one. I just wish there was more to do when you were playing offline.
First off, I would pay good money to just watch all of these cutscenes in a movie theater. The story is that good. This restarting of the universe shows us that destiny will always find you no matter how hard to you try to fight it. I got the chance to play in a MK1 tournament in Australia earlier this year. I went 2-2 with Sindel, shoutout scream queen, and the community there was amazing. Overall a great Mortal Kombat game that you can tell they put a ton of love into.
Upon playing the demo of the game, I'd thought to myself, "these guys clearly love Game of Thrones". The tone, the look, the feel, the characters. It seemed obvious. Whether it's true or not, I dunno, but for me it's a great way to describe the game to a FF fan who wonders what to expect from 16. Everything here is top notch and if we had separate categories for awards, FF16 would flat out win some and be a top contender for most. Eikon battles are insane, voice acting among the best one could ask for, bumpin' soundtrack from Soken (whose battle themes in particular here are all God Tier), and a great final boss. Oh, also a great DLC boss fight too. Of course, I had a few qualms - padding, pacing, fetch quests are maybe too abundant, easy fights... All that being said, I still platinum'd the game and enjoyed doing it.
Now we're talking. A return to form from Capcom as of late and the Street Fighter series received some of that 2023 love. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed SFV and wont speak ill of it. I have a lot of great memories, and even some with you too, Creed!
Creed: Okay, here we go.
Kenny: For example, CEO in Orlando when I beat you. E3 2018, fresh off of becoming IWGP champ, getting the chance to beat both you AND your friends.. You should have seen the look on their faces, they were so disappointed in you! Then.....Then...!!!”
Creed: Those are all the memories? You beating me? That's it?
Kenny: I mean, traveling the world for SFV commentary, grinding and growing until finally beating some of the world's best players... All that stuff was good, but seeing the look on your face after your failed everyone. lol. Brings a tear to my eye.
Creed: One month, Kenny.
Kenny: One month and then what? You beg for me to teach you my secrets? Pfft. I wouldn't even teach you how to Dougie, boner brain.
Creed: First of all, I guarantee you can't Dougie. And, secondly, you’re real mature. How about bring that energy over when Tekken 8 drops? We'll see who's laughing then.
Kenny: Oh you just drew a big TARGET on your chest, Creed. At least if wrestling doesn't work out, I know of a place you can apply!
Creed: Target? Real funny. PLUS, it really ain't so bad. Especially since I know there's no way you'd ever be my manager there!
Kenny: Son of a......
I heard people talking about how fun this game was so i decided to get it so I would have something that I could burn through on my Steam Deck while I flew, which is a lot. I didn’t realize that I was going to enjoy this game so much. Games that don’t take themselves so seriously usually pull me in a bit more because I really enjoy bringing down that fourth wall. So, with that and the protagonist giving off pretty heavy Spider-Man humor vibes made for a really fun ride. The combat in the game is great, with the ability to unlock new combos that give your offense more and more variety to keep you wanting to play. The cutscenes give enough of a story to understand the relationships between the characters without having to pour it on with 15-minute cutscenes. Not that those are a bad thing, but sometimes it’s nice to have a change of pace where things are more focused on the action that you’re creating while playing. Overall it put a huge smile on my face and that’s the main reason I’m playing any of these games in the first place.
I heard Capcom had a game where you shoot dinosaurs and was immediately interested. I don’t know who asked for this or how this idea even came about but that was enough to get me to try it. And I’m beyond glad that I did. Lemme break this down. There are three classes: tanks, assaults, and supports. Each class has multiple mechs to pilot so that there’s something for every style of play. You’re on a team of five against another team of five and both teams must complete the same list of objectives. The team that wins that round gets a head start on the second round, which could be another round of tasks, a head to head battle, or a co-op mission (10 mechs together) with a big bad. Through all of this, your main objective is to shoot all the dinosaurs! Sometimes you get to turn into one and terrorize your opponents. The feeling you get seeing their mechs explode under the feet of your triceratops should be illegal. Plus, as you go through the game you unlock pieces of the story bit by bit. And the story they cooked up was pretty awesome. So, I highly recommend this game if you ever feel like zoning out and blowing up dinosaurs with some friends.
Much like the Arkham series, there's so much to love in these games. I've said it before and I'll say it again: This, along with Spectacular Spider-Man (watch this on Disney app if you haven't!) are the greatest re-tellings of Spider-Man to date. Combine that with the ability to feel like Spidey while web slinging or fighting never stops being fun. Yes, some of the crime within the city gets repetitive and you'll foil what seems to be the same plans from the same criminals over and over again, but the stories that deviate from the generic crime you encounter are all fun, rewarding, and sometimes very emotional. Pigeon man, I'm looking at you. Anyway, stellar game, comfortable platinum, and I can't wait for what's next! Oh, black suit Spidey is so fun to play as.
This may catch people off guard, but SOS is my GOTY. For those around my age and who grew up gaming on the SNES, it's no secret that the console was a RPG powerhouse. Some of the most timeless classics that I still play from time to time are all on the SNES and the strength of its RPG library is probably why I call it the greatest console of all time. SOS is a stew cooked to perfection featuring ingredients from a handful of those legendary titles. The most obvious, of course, are the similarities to Chrono Trigger, but (whether intentional or not) I also see the influences from games like FF6, Super Mario RPG, and even more obscure games like Terranigma (best non-US SNES game ever, free).
Taking all that into consideration, SOS never loses its own identity nor feels like a tribute act. Its sprite work is gorgeous, and much like The Messenger that came before it, the writing is extremely entertaining and never a drag to read. Also, the music. I praised Soken earlier for his work on FF16, but SOS has valid arguments as the stronger OST, quite possibly. The range shown from the title track, to "The Mole Mason's", to "Encounter Elite!", to "Hills of Determination", to "Duplicitous Wrath 1 & 2", and many more take the player on a journey and help to elevate every fight/scene the player encounters. Yes, this is absolutely the indie game of the year, but the fun of the story and streamlined battle system combined with the music, visuals, as well as the heart and passion that I felt while playing makes this my straight up GOTY.
Obviously. It’s not really fair. I’d imagine this game would at least be in most peoples top 3 of this year and maybe of all time. Loved the first one. Loved Miles, but it was so short! And this one, it just felt like it wasn’t going to end, in a good way. There’s just something about web slinging through the city that will always feel good to me. Story wise it was incredible, getting to rock the Venom suit was incredible, switching from Miles to Peter whenever I wanted was incredible, and the fact that we got to see so much of Kraven was incredible. One of my favorite things about the game was having the shared and individual skill trees. Rather than just switching how Spider-Man looks, we really got the chance to explore both styles of Spider-Men. Also, getting the chance to run up on fools with Mary Jane was pretty fun. This was definitely a game that I was unable to put down once I started playing it and that can sometimes be difficult for me with so many games constantly dropping. I waited until I had the time to devote to it and once I did then this game became my life. Honestly, with how good this one was I am so curious what they are going to do to top themselves with the next one.
Kenny: So there it is, that's our top 10 this year, huh? All done? Done like dinner?
Creed: Yup, all done! I gotta hand it to you. You were surprisingly well, er, more behaved this year, Kenneth. Is this an older/wiser, let bygones be bygones type of thing?
Kenny: Nah, just making sure there isn't anything extra or umm, any kinda stuff in closing or whatever...
Creed: Hmm... Nope! All done!
Kenny: R...really? I mean, um, good! I'm GLAD it's done! Like, what a relief! Phew! Guess I'll just umm, go back home then... [begins to reluctantly walk away]
Creed: Whoa, Wait a minute... You're not... I can't believe this. [chuckles] Is the 'great' Kenneth Jerome Omega lonely?
Kenny: Me? Lonely?! Pfft! Get real, Creed. I can't wait to get outta here! I got like, a whole lotta people waiting on me back home and a TMNT arcade cab calling my name!
Creed: ...there’s no one waiting on you at home is there?
Kenny: I got people! Lots of 'em! Well, I got my cat, anyway... My other friends are just super busy!
Creed: I can't believe I'm about to say this... How about, I...
Kenny: How about you what?! Rub salt in the wound? Kick a dog while he's down?! How typical... I know we're mortal enemies, but I never thought you could be so insensitive!
Creed: But, I was gonna... You know what, Kenneth?! Enjoy your New Year's Day alone with your cat who probably doesn't even enjoy your company anyway! See you next year or not. I don't care either way!!!
Kenny: Okay...
Creed: Okay, what? Let's hear the snarky comeback! Lay it on me.
Kenny: I got nothin', man. You win. You're right. See you next year. Or...Or not.
And with that, Omega, a deflated shell of his former self advances towards the portal unknown as to whether we'll hear from him again, until...
Creed: Kenny. Wait up...
Kenny: Want one more laugh at my expense before I go...?
Creed: You said you had a TMNT cab...? I'm not due back until dinner and I umm... I could uhh come over for a bit?
Kenny: You wanna come over?! I mean... of COURSE you wanna come over! But, I haven't cleaned or anything! And I uhh need snacks! And ummm. Wow, this is all so sudden!
Creed: I call Donnie!
Kenny: No way you call Donnie! I'm Donnie!
Creed: Tell ya what... you can have Donnie as long as you change outta that freakin gown!
Kenny: DEAL! It was getting cold out here anyway.
Creed: Yeah. I could tell.
Kenny: You know something, Creed. For someone that's my sworn enemy - for someone who I'm supposed to hate because of where he works.... You ain't that bad. I mean, you're bad - terrible even - but... you're alright.
Creed: You may not be the nicest. And you clearly lack a sense of fashion and decency, but even with all that you're still my friend. I could never hate you because of where you work! Imagine disliking someone because they’re able to financially secure a better future for themselves and their families.
Kenny: Yeah that would be crazy…
Creed: Hey, after we beat this game, you wanna come over for dinner?
Kenny: Sure thing man.
]]>Omega wipes a single tear from his eye with his hospital gown before he tosses it over his shoulder. Surely, in his mind, he pictured a cinematic explosion, but there was no such silliness on this day. Afterall, he's trying to make this scene emotional.
Camera fades as a clothed Austin Creed accompanies a buck nekkid Kenny back through the portal. Still sworn enemies, yet united as friends through the magical power of video games.
Hey there! I’m Kevin Zuhn, the creative director and head writer at Young Horses Games. My notable work includes Bugsnax and Octodad: Dadliest Catch, which you’ve probably watched a steamer play at some point.
When it comes to games, I have a voracious appetite. By my count, in the year of 2023 I played over 170 games in total. How do I do it? I pretend it’s research!
But having played what my friends and coworkers call an ‘upsetting amount of games’ I find it harder than ever to narrow things down to a Top 10. After all, if I’d only played 10 games this year, the list would write itself! So this is me digging deep into what I love and what I find value in, and I hope that you find value in these games, too.
Look, do you really need me to tell you that the biggest, most successful, and most beloved games of this year were good?
…You do??
Well alright, then.
Frankly, my top 10 list is going to feature a lot of indies, mostly because I think it’s more fun to recommend games that might have flown under your radar! But heck, I still played all the big releases and they were pretty spectacular this year. If there are some notable titles missing from the list, those are games that I’ve started but haven’t finished yet. Tears of the Kingdom and Baldur’s Gate are really freaking long, I’m sorry!
Anyway, to whet our palates, here are my top 5 AAA games of 2023!
I’ve always wanted to like Street Fighter! Unfortunately, I’m terrible at fighting games and terrified of online play. But along came Street Fighter 6 with its ridiculous single player adventure mode; Where I’m free to brawl anybody I can see and hoover up special moves as I live out the Shonen tournament arc of my dreams! It’s an interesting fusion of fighting game and RPG systems, and I hope more fighting franchises give this approach a shot so I can finally like them, too.
I played the original Resident Evil 4 on Gamecube in 2005, and it left a huge impression on me. For decades I considered it one of the best games of all time, and I applauded its influence on the wider game industry. I never actually finished it. Hell, I didn’t even get to the castle! That’s, like, one fourth of the way in! So the Remake was my shot at absolution, a way to redeem my childhood crime. And dang, it was an absolute blast! My kid self was a fool, but at least they can rest in peace.
Mario as a series always seems to oscillate between wild experimentation and playing it completely safe; and it’s usually fallen to the 2D games to be the safe choice. So it’s cool to see a traditional Mario whose central mechanical gimmick is just “something unexpected will happen”. Every level’s an experiment of some kind, and there are tons of lil’ experiences in Wonder that I’d be happy to see fleshed out into full games!
After playing it, I wrote in my notes that I should absolutely not forget Hi-Fi Rush no matter what else came out this year. Games have been trying to crack the formula for rhythm brawling for ages, and at last we’ve got the secret; animate everything! Seriously, Hi-Fi Rush has some of the best character and environment animation I’ve seen in games, it’s entrancing. I also have a specific weakness for any game about tackling a series of colorful themed bosses. This is the Triple-A game that I’m least confident you played, and if that’s true, please correct that mistake!
In retrospect, I’m glad that Alan Wake 2 came from a post-Control Remedy, at a time when they seem utterly uninhibited. No other survival horror game would dare to have not one but two show stopping musical numbers! It’s all things strange and delirious, webbing together into some kind of Remedy shared universe that I’m now hopelessly tangled in. Was the combat always fun or fair? No. But I’ll happily struggle through the gunfights for gallons of wispy atmosphere and dread uncertainty. And more Ahti, bless that mysterious janitor.
One more relatively quick aside; DLC is getting really good these days. Enough so that I was more excited for these updates than I was for some full game releases! Even if the games themselves came out in years past, I don’t think my list would be complete without giving a respectful nod to some extra content.
The final update to Citizen Sleeper is a doozy, bringing the post-game trilogy to a close. It’s a harrowing story of space refugees fleeing a calamity of inconceivable scale, and your decision to escape with them or find a way to confront it. I’ll take any excuse to spend more time on the Eye, no matter how horrible the consequences of my actions can be.
Dang, the final encounter of Burning Shores is so bombastic and frankly ridiculous that it makes the end of Forbidden West feel kind of anticlimactic by comparison. One of the reasons I love these semi-standalone DLC is you get to see how much the team has learned through development, with all those lessons rolled up into a lean and focused adventure. Now with robot toads!
Here’s another one I probably don’t need to tell you about. According to the masses, Cyberpunk 2077 has finally caught up to its own potential. I mean, for me I was always in it for the storytelling, but I’m still plenty happy that the play experience has been brought up to par. And as far as the story, Phantom Liberty is awesome in its bleak terror and occasional hijinx.
Well, here we are. I can’t tell you what is best in life or in games, but I can tell you what I like!
As I said, it was a tough year to narrow down, and just for kicks, here are some other great games you oughta look into:
But while there are so many games I’ve enjoyed, what goes on the list are the games that inspire me, the ones I can’t wait to talk about. So without further ado, here’s my Top 10 of 2023!
I like it when an environment feels alive, but this is ridiculous! But really, it’s delightful how everything in Cocoon’s little world is squishy, wobbly, or sat on skittering legs. Every bit of interaction is that much more satisfying; it’s maximum possible juiciness. And that smooth and satisfying feel extends to the puzzles, the player guidance, the incredible sequence for diving between worlds, everything! As puzzle games go it’s not the most difficult, but as a lover of bugs it’s just a nice set of worlds to crawl through.
Speaking of satisfying, few games gave me the same feeling as finishing a level in HUMANITY and watching swarms of tiny people float and swim and jostle their way to the exit. It’s like I’m painting with a brush made of physics ragdolls! Combined with the synthwave soundtrack, the whole experience is hypnotic. However, more interesting to me is the way HUMANITY evolves; how, piece by piece, it transforms from a puzzle game into a stealth RTS, and suddenly I’m directing an army and drawing battle lines. Surprisingly pretty battle lines. Whatever form HUMANITY takes, it remains mesmerizing.
Here’s another treat for fans of animation! In contrast to my smooth and pleasant offerings above, Pizza Tower is everything chaotic, loud, and lumpy. I love the wild energy of Peppino’s moveset, crashing through the levels like a confused wrecking ball. It pulls off a wonderful balancing act of feeling manic while actually being finely tuned! And that curated chaos also shines through the inventiveness of the stages, and the truly surreal boss encounters. It’s so gratifying to see that somebody else played Wario Land 4!
My hunger for survival horror can’t be sated by AAA alone, and I was drawn in by this muppety take on the Resident Evil formula! And it does play the formula well, with maze-like corridors, ammo scarcity, and plenty of oddly themed keys. Despite its ‘mascot horror’ vibes, My Friendly Neighborhood has something that sets it apart from the pack: empathy. It turns out the broken Sesame Street setting is more than window dressing! It’s up to you, the player, to realize that there’s more going on in these monster’s lives than terrorizing you, and to reach out a helping hand. It tickles me knowing that you could play through the entire game without ever realizing there was a better way. (well, in theory, but not for you reading this now)
True to the barista-based fantasy of Coffee Talk, the sequel made me feel like I’d never left its world. The soothing atmosphere of rainfall at night, the chill beats to make lattes to, the mixture of fantastical customers with mundane stories, it all warms my soul! It helps that there’s strong character writing and a willingness to paint a larger picture from small strokes. As sequels go, this is the one genre where I don’t mind things changing slowly; it’s enough to have a few new visitors and a couple new drinks on the menu. Am I also biased because this story is mostly about artists struggling to decide the futures of their creative careers? Yes.
I expected a cute and lighthearted snack and came away with a heavy meal. On the one hand, Venba is a delightful set of cooking minigames where you shuffle ingredients around and do your best to work with imperfect instructions. On the other hand, Venba is a heartbreaking story of an immigrant family growing apart over time, and how cooking forms a cultural bridge that can keep their memories alive. It’s a subtle story, told through quiet and mundane days over many years, packing a dense amount of life into just a handful of scenes. It’s an emotional ambush, I tell you! But still, the cooking parts really are a joy to interact with. Venba is a pretty short game, so you have no excuses not to play it!
Nine years I’ve been waiting for this one, and I was not disappointed! Not that the sequel could ever kick my brain doors in the way the first game did, but it still carried forward with what worked; laser puzzles and philosophical robots. And Talos 2 went all-in on philosophical robots! Now there’s a whole society of ‘em just waiting to pitch moral dilemmas at me in between fanciful puzzle chambers. Jokes aside, the greater emphasis on characters really pulled me in as I got to know my adventuring squad and the mysteries surrounding the previous game’s protagonist. The puzzles are, well, they’re not as integrated into the overall themes this time but I found them as tricky as ever and still the nearest to Portal I can find. It’s nice to stretch my brain out in multiple directions, pondering questions about the mistakes of humanity’s past as I also try to figure out how to get a laser emitter past a giant fan. Is that everybody’s cup of tea? No, but it’s absolutely mine.
Shadow Gambit is now unfortunately the swan swong of Mimimi Games, but it was a hell of a way to go out. It may literally be the peak of this particular sub-genre of stealth strategy game. What strikes me most about Shadow Gambit, even over Mimimi’s other games, is its commitment to flexibility and openness. Your approach to each mission varies wildly based on which crew members you’ve brought, because their powers are situationally unique! Do you want to create stealthy hiding bushes anywhere in sight? Or would you rather possess guards and puppet them around? How about launching your allies out of a hand cannon? I swear this game never got old for me because I never had the same team makeup more than once. It’s just the raw joy of problem-solving as player expression, as filtered through some loveable pirate tropes! And god, that’s all without getting into how the quick-save system is a canon part of the story, and I guarantee you that it gets turned on its head in wonderfully metafictional ways.
If I’ve got one beef with visual novels, it’s that they often start off slow. In Paranormasight, I had barely survived a high-stakes game of death before the title even dropped. Yes, it’s a fast-paced and twisting story that can be creepy, tragic, or funny when it pleases. It’s also more interactive than you think, but only when you least expect it!
See, what makes Paranormasight work so well for me is both a narrative in mechanical hook; folks around Honjo, Tokyo have been endowed with curses that allow them to kill somebody instantly as long as they fulfill a specific condition. But you start the game with no idea what the conditions are, or who even has a curse to begin with. Everybody you meet is suspicious as hell, and I realized quickly that it was up to me to figure out their motives and what actions they were trying to trick me into taking. It’s a game of werewolf where everybody is the werewolf! And despite my vigilance, I was thrown curveballs at every step of the way. I also have to mention the incredible soundtrack, which does most of the legwork in building a suspenseful and/or delightful atmosphere. I recommend Paranormasight even to my friends who don’t really like visual novels, and that’s probably why it wound up so high on my list!
Okay, I admit it. As much as I’m driven to experience the new and unexpected, I am still weak to the magic of nostalgia. Chrono Trigger haunts me with its memory, and most RPGs I’ve played lack that special spice that made me fall in love with it. Sea of Stars is the closest I’ve gotten to feeling that magic again.
I’ve spent a lot of time dissecting my tastes in RPGs, and I can tell you it’s all about variety, momentum, and a general habit of ‘not wasting my time’. Battles that move quickly and unfold like puzzles, timed hit systems like in Superstar Saga, dungeons that have sensible layouts (and no damn mazes), a world filled with beauty and color and life, goofy-as-hell side content, and of course the most lovingly rendered pixels. Sea of Stars has all of that and a collectibles minigame. Cue the Junji Ito meme of the hole that’s made for me.
Not that it’s flawless! The plot is down to an awful lot of macguffin chasing, and some characters are thinly drawn. But when I’m enjoying myself on a purely aesthetic level like this, I’m fine letting narrative be an excuse to have more experiences. And hey, as the story moves on it sneakily builds to a set of emotional climaxes that hit me pretty good. But why am I trying to defend myself? It’s my list, and Sea of Stars was my favorite!
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