Just a Game Podcast

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby bring their final games, and battle it out for the last 5 places on the Just a Game Top 10 games list! Happy Christmas, and Happy Holidays!This episode is spoiler free! (But as always, use the chapters below if you're keen to hear nothing about certain games...)Podcast Chapters[00:00:00 - 00:05.46] Welcome! Barnaby is in trouble... (XCOM & Control Resonant)[00:05.46 - 00:07.55] Recap of the existing games on the list[00:07.55 - 00:11.07] Outer Wilds[00:11.07 - 00:14.17] Horizon Zero Dawn[00:14.17 - 00:17.24] Inscryption[00:17.24 - 00:21.33] The Witcher 3[00:21.33 - 00:25.05] Crash Bandicoot 2[00:25.05 - 00:29.09] Inside[00:29.09 - 00:33.07] Person 5 Royal[00:33.07 - 00:36.27] Astrobot[00:36.27 - 00:42.38] Final Fantasy 10[00:42.38 - 00:47.18] Clair Obscur Expedition 33[00:47.18 - 00:49.22] Round up[00:49.22 - 01:10.57] Now we must choose![01:10.57 - 01:15.39] The final list

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby tee up the first half of their Top Ten video games of ALL TIME! We will be battling it out for the last five spots in the next episode..... Plus! We share the games we're planning to play over the holidays. This episode is spoiler free! (But as always, use the chapters below if you're keen to hear nothing about certain games...)Podcast Chapters[00:00 - 08:00] Hello! And what are we playing? (Thank Goodness You're Here, Ghost of Tsushima, XCOM)[08:00 - 10:05] Kicking off our Top Ten list[10:05 - 13:24] Overcooked 2[13:24 - 16:21] The Last of Us Part Two[16:21 - 19:04] Baldurs Gate 3[19:04 - 21:56] Hades[21:56 - 25:20] Mass Effect 2[25:20 - 28:15] What games is Sarah playing this Christmas?![28:15 - 33:01] What games is Barnaby playing this Christmas?![33:01 - 34:58] The list completes...on Christmas Day!

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby dive into the many reasons we are compelled to replay video games! Got a huge backlog of games but started up that other game again for a 5th run through? You're in the right place friend. Welcome!Podcast chapters[00:00 - 05:15] Hello! And what are we playing? [05:15 - 10:26] Capitalism![10:26 - 12:35] Nostalgia[12:35 - 16:36] Romance options[16:36 - 18:57] Recapturing a feeling & foresight[18:57 - 20:27] Game design specifically for replays[20:27 - 24:50] New Game +[24:50 - 28:53] Trophies[28:53 - 32:26] Challenge[32:26 - 37:39] One more run vibes (XCOM, Baldurs Gate 3, Persona 5)[37:39 - 48:07] Should we be replaying games?[48:07 - 50:29] Closing out

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby discuss the deck-building, strategy puzzle game that is Blue Prince! Join us as we get into how the game made us feel, our favourite puzzles, and how the story and mechanics can retain and/or lose the player as the game progresses. SPOILER WARNINGWe start this episode spoiler free, and then dive in to full spoilers. Use the episode chapters below (not the auto-generated ones!) to help you skip the bits you're not ready to hear yet!Podcast Chapters[00:00 - 06:06] Hello! And what are we playing? (FF7 Rebirth, Cryptmaster, Dispatch)[06:06 - 12:11] SPOILER FREE - What is Blue Prince?![12:11 - 15:16] SPOILER SECTION BEGINS[15:16 - 20:16] Our experience with the story[20:16 - 28:33] Can a story this piecemeal stick the landing? [28:33 - 43:09] Favourite puzzles and secrets![43:09 - 53:17] When the going gets hard - what changes would we make to the game?[53:17 - 59:05] Final thoughts

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby dive into difficulty settings. When they're included by game creators, difficulty settings help a game reach a wider audience so that more people can enjoy all aspects of a game from story, to exploration, to combat. But what does that mean for the games intended experience? How do settings enhance or reduce what a player can get out of a game? And why does what difficulty setting you use seem to matter so much? Please check the podcast chapters below for spoiler warnings. (Not the auto-generated chapters!)Podcast Chapters:[00:00 - 06:23] Hello and what are we playing?! (Banishers & Silk Song)[06:23 - 11:09] Why do games have difficulty settings?[11:09 - 21:26] Reducing difficulty[21:26 - 26:53] Increasing difficulty[26:53 - 30:00] Game play style as difficulty[30:00 - 33:37] The one time Sarah completed a brutally hard game[33:37 - 35:12] Flow state and the reward of challenge[35:12 - 37:20] Why some games don't offer difficulty settings[37:20 - 41:12] Platformers and difficulty[41:12 - 43:46] Arcade games & the rise and fall of difficulty in home gaming[43:46 - 49:20] Vocal opinions on difficulty settings[49:20 - 53:41] SPOILER Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth anecdote (we discuss the ending)[53:41 - 55:13] Enjoy your games![55:13 - 57:30] Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby close out their three-part exploration of The Last of Us Part 2 video game. We're in Act Three! Join us as we unpack the culmination of this epic, harrowing and inspiring story. Spoiler Warning!We will discuss story moments from the entire video game, including the finale. If you haven't played the full game of TLOU2, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!Podcast chapters:[00:00 - 04:03] Hello! And what are we playing? (Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden)[04:03 - 12:56] The Farm[12:56 - 17:59] Lev, Abby & the Rattlers[17:59 - 22:01] Ellie & the Rattlers[22:01 - 27:06] Finding Abby[27:06 - 31:16] Alternative Ending[31:16 - 35:39] Dina & Joel[35:39 - 43:27] Predictions43:27 - 46:09] We love this game.