This is the episode where we talk about Drip in videogames. What is it? Does the flavor of the week game Palworld have it? How do we find it? See what the 6-hour discord convo was all about! Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.com Follow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.c…

You know, sometimes goty awards are better from a bit of a distance. We cover some fresh categories for the year including "Most Video Game Videogame," "Fastest time to skeleton," "Openest world," "Least Scrutable Game," and of course our classic "Oh Yeah, That Came Out??" We also decide on an ACTUAL goty, obviously. Check out our merch on the merc…

Keeping it chill with some warm-to-spiced takes as we ramp up for the GOTY roasts that are sure to come. Starting with the asymmetrical hijinks of Lethal Company, the somewhat unsatisfying puzzles of otherwise-vibey-as-hell Cocoon, and 13 Sentinels, which I immediately regret having missed a couple years ago. Check out our merch on the merch tab at…

Bad end is back and I guess we decided to wear our curmudgeon hats today because we're tossing wet blankets on two more of the most hyped games of the year: Alan Wake 2 and Super Mario Bros Wonder. Honestly, we really do like these games. We're simply giving a voice to those stray dissatisfactions rattling in the back of your brain. Check out our m…

Starfield is out, and there's nothing to worry about folks, because this one doesn't pose any sort of threat to our already stacked GOTY lists. We talk about Bethesda's latest IP, in addition to Disney's new card game Lorcana and the flash-released F-Zero battle royale, F-Zero 99. Also: Armored Core 6, Unity drama, Subway Surfers, Densha De Go, and…

Kyle's back from Gamescom, and we're discussing both the biggest game conference of the year, and apparently one of the most exciting games of the year in the form of Armored Core 6. It's a good one, folks, and we've got a lot to say about the elegance of old-school game design, the excess of open worlds, and where we might possibly go from here. A…

We thought the auto-goty massive RPG of the year came out a couple months ago. Looks like we may have been wrong! Special guest Reid McCarter joins us to talk about Baldur's Gate 3 - the latest installment in the legendary series that manages to feels bigger, richer, and more important than any of us could have envisioned. It's spoiler free, so fee…

Get into the loop and strap yourself in, gamer, because we're talking about Dave the Diver and Halls of Torment - two new flavors of the month that are just begging to be played over and over again. Also: Diablo 4 and the challenges of games-as-goods vs games-as-services / AAA games aping indie aesthetics and philosophy to surprising success / The …

Video games are so fricking back. This week, we're talking Diablo IV and Battlebit Remastered, which hail the ongoing comeback of our beloved medium. We think. Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.com Follow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideo Supp…

You know why we're here. We're tossing out new ideas, angles, themes, and insights about the hot game of 2023 and the sequel to the first game BAD END ever discussed in depth: Tears of the Kingdom! Stick around after the ending song for a mini solo-cast Josh recorded while Kyle had to step out. A few other topics discussed: - TotK as exploration of…

We're talking about two free games, one delightful and the other... well... a conversation-starter at the very least. Also: A Hat in Time, the Mario movie, and Boneraiser Minions. Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.com Follow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/su…

We've seen the new Zelda trailers and are hyped for the possibilities. Not so keen on a Resident Evil remake being the big seller once again this year, though. But maybe perma-deja vu's not so bad? Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.com Follow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://ww…

We're back. Together again. Same Bad End you know and love, but now one of us has a kid. We talk about the ~year it's been since Kyle's been on the show, the meteoric rise of video games / slow decay of gaming, and the inherent limits of rhythm action set in 4/4. And also a game called Pizza Tower. Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the to…

BAD END's end of the year special continues. We're joined by listeners to talk about the games, trends, and battle passes that kept us going this very rough, suspiciously quiet year. Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.com Follow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c…

It's been a minute but BAD END is BACK for our end of the year special! Kyle's still on admin leave, so we're joined by listeners to talk about the games, trends, and anime that kept us going this year. We'll be back with part 2 in two weeks! Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.com Follow BAD END Videos at…

We're joined by video essayist Jacob Geller and editor/Superculture homie Zack Kotzer to discuss the strange impulse to dub every Zelda the "darkest ever," with other thoughts on VR, The Stanley Parable, Not for Broadcast, videogame aesthetics, and escape rooms. Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.com Foll…

The cat game is very pretty and cute but not quite everything we wanted. But still cool! Also: Film and its many connections with games. We're talking Annapurna, movie tie-ins, product placement, and Oscars-themed listener questions. Featuring special guest JJ Bersch, researcher at Blank Check Podcast. Support us on Patreon to join us live and gain…

Game Informer's Blake Hester joins us as we discuss the clean speed of Neon White, nostalgia for games we missed out on, pleasurable rehashing via Rogue Legacy 2, and rock punching games. Support us on Patreon to join us live: https://www.patreon.com/badend BAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to…

We're back from a hiatus and joined by Polygon's Toussaint Egan to discuss the miserable state of game design via the new hot Steam hit V Rising, the recursive present and "cancelled" future, and a bunch of different anime series, including beloved classics such as Naruto and My Dress-Up Darling. Support us on Patreon to join us live: https://www.p…

Elden Ring has been out for a minute, and we spend the entirety of this episode digesting it. From conversations about the baroque inspirations behind its arc, to discourse around accessibility, to a few surprising turns in the game's George R. R. Martin-tinged localization, we dive deep into what's likely to become one of our top games of 2022. Fi…

Let's be real, the first banger of the year (until Elden Ring) is/was Vampire Survivors, despite being a 3-dollar dodge-em-up that feels like a bastard child that could've come straight out of the Facebook ad-driven mobile shovelware camp. And yet, here we are in BAD END 112, praising it as one of the best games of the episode. Also included: the E…

Happy 2022 Gamers! It might be low season, but we're playing through some backlog games and some Steam top sellers to deliver you prime video game content. On the slate we've got the apparent GOAT contender SOMA (which we've just gotten around to), a latecomer for goty 2021 consideration in Ultrakill, the weeby moving wallpaper-esque Ender Lilies, …

It's a wrap on yet another year, and what better way to wrap 2021 than by gathering with friends and breaking down the many games and trends that kept us going this year? Sure there weren't many real Greats to speak of, but we looped through time and commiserated with online friends and saw glimpses of a couple genres at their best. So grab a glass…

This week on BAD END, we're diving into Riot's new animated series Arcane, which feels like videogame nerd fanservice (not the sexual kind) as an act of benevolence. We're also talking about Forza Horizon 5's magnetic, often overwhelming extroversion, and the half-baked tactical/arcade crossover that is Halo Infinite Multiplayer (prepared for the f…

BAD END is back talking about videogames, and with about a month since our last time discussing things we played, we got a lot to cover! This week, we tear into Metroid Dread (despite digging it quite a bit). Not a bad game, but it loses a bit of Metroid's soul in exchange for some great action sequences. We're also discussing the 4th wall-breaking…

In today's episode we're joined by two special guests - game developers Greg Kythreotis of Shedworks (Sable) and Gareth Damian Martin (In Other Waters). We discuss the game development process, the act of pitching and marketing a game in a world where streaming and Steam reviews exist, the beauty and nostalgia of in-game architecture, and the secre…

This week, we're diving into the sandy, Jbrekkie-soundtracked expanses of Sable, along with a Hades-like called Dandy Ace, the ending of Deathloop, and some board games. Which, by the way, are becoming more like videogames with every passing day. We're also covering some viewer questions about things like Far Cry, NPCs, desert island games, Twitch …

Is there an echo in here? This week we're digging into the time loopy antics of Deathloop, and not the time loopy antics of 12 Minutes, which we discussed last week. We're also talking about the 20-year cultural cycle and whether or not it applies to games. We've also got the war re-enactment-esque Hell Let Loose, and a bit of organizational feng s…

This week we've got our gamer plates full, but we're spending most of it airing out our grievances with 12 Minutes - a game so clunky (and occasionally desperate) that we can't help but laugh a bit at its expense. We're also talking about the brilliant Psychonauts 2, our tangled-up issues with Boyfriend Dungeon, and the spreadsheet-like antics of H…

Kyle's slammed with deadlines, and this week's BAD END features writer/art director/Superculture Network member Yussef Cole. We're discussing Halo Reach and the lost serenity of early Halo, as well as the so-good-it's-meh appeal of Death's Door. Then we're rambling about crit (again) with new Cyberpunk twin-stick-shooter The Ascent, and talking a b…

This week's episode is all about videogames' artsy, cool, well-dressed younger sibling: creative technology. We're joined by Nicole He, one of the finest in the space today, whose works include a mind-reading Tinder-swipebot, a voice-activated game that parodies CSI "zoom and enhance" sequences, and an AI that interviewed Billie Eilish for Vogue. W…

Welcome to BAD END 101! This episode, we tackle the draw-em-up metroidvania Chicory, the flailing and absurd attack animations of Nioh, and the weird (but fun) vibes of card-roguelike Griftlands. Find us on YouTube: Support us on Patreon to join us live: https://www.patreon.com/badend BAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcas…

It's our 100th episode, and to celebrate, we're finally revealing our definitive top 10 games EVER. We're also discussing the last 4 years in videogame journalism/crit, and where we want things to go from here. Thanks to everyone for listening to our show, and here's to 100 more. This is the same audio version you know and love, but this episode al…

Welcome to BAD END's first-ever video podcast! This is the same audio version you know and love, but this episode also lives on YouTube with video to go along with the sound. This week, we're talking about the paradox of fun survival horror in Resident Evil 8, along with the potential modern appeal of a Mass Effect Remaster. Since it's a video epis…

As life transitions back into the weird alien world of reality, we're dipping our toes into the post-quarantine world with New Pokemon Snap and the open fields of Nier Replicant... which we're now experiencing for a second playthrough. Maybe we're more ready for a return to normal(ish) life than we think. BAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE…

This week we're joined by writer and FUNLAND magazine creator Zack Kotzer to talk about the lost ethos of early gamer magazines, the amusing terribleness of Balan Wonderworld, and videogame genre-busting in Nier Replicant. Support FUNLAND at patreon.com/funlandmag, and follow the magazine's accounts on Twitter and Instagram @FunlandMag for more upd…

We're joined by journalist/streamer/podcaster Bijan Stephen to talk about gaming's greatest power fantasy: unalienated labor. We're also discussing the glorious perfection of Final Fantasy XIV, the ecstasy of shounen in 2021, and games like Bloodborne, Before Your Eyes, Valorant, Adios, and Deliver Us The Moon. BAD END is proud to be part of SUPERC…

We're back on our Normal Episode beat this week, talking about videogame core loops of all kinds - some peaceful, some way too complex for their own good, some infuriating. We're talking about Loop Hero, the new indie hotness that's taken the idle roguelike world by storm, the new demo for Monster Hunter Rise, and FFXII the Zodiac Age, an old class…

This week, we're joined by Lukas Frank (Storefront Church) and Cole Smith (DIIV) to talk about Thoughtseize Interviews, a new show where they interview artists and gaming personalities while playing Magic the Gathering. We talk about community-building, the value of art in an increasingly-monetized world, the crossover between music and games, tast…

Today we're joined by game creator and critic Gareth Damian Martin about In Other Waters, their new sci-fi exploration game. We discuss the interplay between game criticism and game design, the game development process as seen through the eyes of an outsider, and the discipline of architecture as it applies (and doesn't apply) to videogames. We als…

Now that we've been quarantined for almost a year, we're actually playing through our backlogs. We have a lot of games to talk about, including the new Steam bestseller Valheim, the weird beautiful stealth of Hitman 3, the mindless carnage of Gunfire Reborn, and more! We're also talking about videogame patents, and arguing whether or not stealth ga…

This week, we're joined by music label founder and musician Maxwell Allison AKA Mukqs to talk about videogame music, DIY and experimental spaces for music and games, a 2020 arcade-style game called Disc Room, and the inherent value of videogames (if there's any to be had). BAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websi…

This week, we're joined by Fanbyte contributor and The Game Awards Future Class member Natalie Flores (@heartimecia) to talk about Cyberpunk 2077's best character, an incredible 45-minute indie game called Promesa, the anime detective game AI: The Somnium Files, and maybe even a little K-pop... BAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network…

BAD END's long-awaited GOTY awards are here to conclude 2020. We're hashing out our favorite picks, recapping the trends that defined the year, and making way for the videogame landscapes yet to come. So lean in real close, keep your voice down to a whisper, and make sure the coast is clear. 2020 is finally gone, and we've got some crap to talk. BA…

The year's biggest game - Cyberpunk 2077 - is officially out, and we're doing our best to avoid crashes so that we can actually talk about it. We're also discussing recent backlash against the game's developer CDProjektRED, as well as a sweet little game about death called Spiritfarer. BAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podca…

This week we're joined by narrative designer, writer, and long-time friend Roy Graham. Get ready, because we're greasing up your cyberchips and dusting off our 20-barrel plasma guns to do an ADVANCE REVIEW of Cyberpunk 2077! It is satire so please dont get mad at us. We didn't actually play the game. We're also talking about the quietly brilliant n…

New consoles are out! Exciting new games are... potentially on the horizon! Joined by writer and game maker Emma Kidwell, we talk about a few recent games of interest and the inflated appeal of new videogame systems in these strange pandemic times. BAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the unde…

This week, we're joined by videogame critic Yussef Cole to discuss the motherly horror of the new Amnesia game, the compelling aesthetic mishmash of Paradise Killer, and the upcoming (?) "event" game Cyberpunk 2077. We also delve into the declining appeal of graphical fidelity, and the gradual fall of realism in mainstream gaming. BAD END is proud …

Promise yourself not to spend too much cash as we discuss Genshin Impact, the latest anime gacha craze, with producer/viral artist/streamer Yung Skrrt. We're also diving into the Mortal Kombat 11 scene, our inability to understand the appeal of "lying games," and the exhausting, lucrative world of Twitch streaming. BAD END is proud to be part of SU…

Caty is off to bigger and better things, so this is her final episode. To stave off the debilitating grief, we send her off with love from our listeners and some good ol' gamer talk. We're discussing a new all-time great roguelike/dungeon runner in the form of Hades, and Spelunky 2 - the sequel to one of the former best roguelikes ever. BAD END is …