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The Back Page: A Video Games Podcast
Episode 62: Pokémon Games (with Jay Baylis)
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Cassette Beasts co-developer Jay Baylis joins us to discuss the long history of Pokémon games, subjecting Matthew to his idea of torture. Hear about the best games in the series across different categories from a genuine expert.
This week's music is from the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl soundtrack by Shota Kageyama, Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato and Morikazu Aoki, the Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby soundtrack by Shota Kageyama, Minako Adachi, Hideaki Kuroda and Hitomi Sato, and the Super Smash Bros Ultimate soundtrack by Shota Kageyama, Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato, Junichi Masuda and Minako Adachi.
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Mailbag
01:53:26|What if IO Interactive made an Austin Powers game? Which game has been called overrated and underrated so many times that it's now just 'rated'? And why do some big games only get 1-page reviews in magazines?All that and more as we melt to death in the endless UK heatwave.
What We've Been Playing (Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, Star Fox, Rhythm Heaven Groove)
01:32:56|Our monthly attempt to make a normal video games podcast.Games played this week: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, Star Fox, Rhythm Heaven Groove, Duskfade, Super Scram Kitty, Dimhaven - The Lost Source, Virtue and a Sledgehammer (mistakenly referred to by Samuel multiple times as 'Virtue is a Sledgehammer', the buffoon).Here's the thread on naming games by Hannah Flynn, as discussed at the end of this episode.
Games Court – Judge Castle Decides Edition
01:55:21|The worst format in podcasting is back, fresh from the Castle Island Backrooms. This time, we've got even more moral conundrums for Judge Castle to figure out.Find the image referenced in this episode here.
Two Giant Men Play Grand Theft Auto V
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The First-Person Draft (with Jeremy Peel)
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Our 10 Most Anticipated Games from Summer Games Fest 2026
02:00:56|We all survived another week-plus of marketing livestreams! These were our picks of the best upcoming games, including our thoughts on the PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo showcases.
Mina the Hollower, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight + Mailbag
01:43:46|Bond is done! Now for some other great games that landed in May, plus the new Onimusha demo.
Two Giant Men Play 007 First Light
01:49:19|It's here – the James Bond game we've been waiting almost six years for! How much Hitman is in First Light? And how successfully does IO borrow from Naughty Dog? We discuss these subjects and many more across almost two hours.We've done our best to keep this episode free of spoilers. You'll hear about none of the major story beats in this one.
Forza Horizon 6, Mixtape, Titanium Court + Mailbag
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