Just a Game Podcast

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.

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby continue their exploration of The Last of Us Part 2 video game! Picking up where we left off, we talk through how Abby's Seattle days turn everything upside down, and how storytelling, mechanics and character arcs, challenge the player's views across both games. Spoiler Warning!We will discuss story moments from the entire video game, not just Abby's Seattle days. If you haven't played the full game of TLOU2, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!Podcast Chapters:[00:00 - 07:02] Hello & what are we playing?! (Cyberpunk 2077 and Metaphor: ReFantazio)[07:02 - 08:40] Abby's Dad's.....name?![08:40 - 15:55] Picking up where we left off & the rug pull![15:55 - 20:52] Playing as Abby[20:52 - 25:16] Relentless storytelling and first game parallels [25:16 - 26:58] Lev[26:58 - 33:05] How does the story try to shift opinions on Abby[33:05 - 37:56] The Rat King[37:56 - 42:03] The love triangle[42:03 - 46:59] Ellie boss fight[46:59 - 49:06] An inspiring story[49:06 - 54:03] Something not a game (Thinking in Systems & Schmigadoon)

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby catch up on their gaming year so far and, as a special treat to celebrate the start of Season 2, finally share the pilot episode with you! The episode that started it all!Podcast Chapters:[00:00 - 02:21] We're back![02:21 - 04:34] Toem, and nostalgia gaming feels[04:34 - 06:16] Dragon Age Inquisition & Case of the Golden Idol[06:16 - 08:47] Blue Prince, Steam Deck, & Date Everything[08:47 - 09.49] Favourite dateable objects in Date Everything (no spoilers unless you don't want to know what objects you can date!)[09:49 - 11:25] Cyberpunk[11:25 - 12:05] Split Fiction[12:05 - 12:56] Thirsty Suitors[12:56 - 14:46] Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Cryptmaster, & Karma: The Dark World[14:46 - 16:20] Two Point Museum, & Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag[16:20 - 18:40] It's the pilot episode! The theme is "cosy games".[18:40 - 21:10] What is a cosy game[21:10 - 23:12] Sarah's cosy game, (TLOU) & easy difficulty levels[23:12 - 25:15] Barnaby's cosy game (Ratchet & Clank) [25:15 - 29:32] Do we even like the traditional "cosy" games?[29:32 - 31:00] Lake, & balanced cosy games[31:00 - 32:50] Does Barnaby ever play traditional cosy games?[32:50 - 35:56] Unpacking game. Is it really cosy?[35:56 - 36:43] Can "cosy game" really be a defined genre? [36:43 - 42:33] Segment: Mechanics that irritate Sarah (fast travel & enforced walking)

In this episode, Sarah and Barnaby discuss the finale of Season 2 of the TV Show, The Last of Us!We were so excited for the culmination of Seattle Day Three - did the TV Show stick the landing? How did the character and story additions work for us? And have they managed to pull off a good enough ending to get everyone back for Season 3?Join us for our very special mini series!Spoiler Warning!We have played The Last of Us Parts 1 & 2 from start to finish and will discuss story moments from the video games as well as the TV show. If you haven't played both games, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!