Pixelated Playgrounds
- Episodes
- 182
- Released
- every two weeks
- Latest episode
- Oct 30, 2026
About the podcast
Taking one game per month (old, new and everything in between) and talking though an in-depth examination of narrative, mechanics, theme, and the interplay between the three.
Episodes 182
The Blood of Dawnwalker
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Clint sink their teeth into The Blood of Dawnwalker! Developed by Rebel Wolves, the studio founded by Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Witcher 3: Wild …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Clint sink their teeth into The Blood of Dawnwalker! Developed by Rebel Wolves, the studio founded by Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and head of production on Cyberpunk 2077, the game is pitched as the first installment in an eponymous series and a dark fantasy “narrative sandbox” built around non-linear quests.
You play Coen, who is human by day and vampire by night, in the fictional mid-14th-century kingdom of Vale Sangora in the Carpathian Mountains. The Black Death is spreading, and the ancient vampire Brencis has seized control of the kingdom, demanding a “blood tax” from its people. After a failed attempt to turn Coen into a willing henchman leaves him a Dawnwalker, he has 30 days to rescue his family before Brencis’s coronation as Prince. Time only moves forward when you take on quests or plot-affecting actions, so every choice and sacrifice counts. Listen in as we talk through the game’s excellent writing and worldbuilding, compelling quests, and engaging combat. So grab your sword, watch the clock, and settle in!
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - A Fresh Perspective
Clint - Bloody Good Time
Persona 3 Reload
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh make the most of the Dark Hour with Persona 3 Reload! Developed and published by Atlus, Persona 3 first arrived on the PlayStation 2 in 2006, the start …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh make the most of the Dark Hour with Persona 3 Reload! Developed and published by Atlus, Persona 3 first arrived on the PlayStation 2 in 2006, the start of the modern Persona era for a franchise rooted in the Shin Megami Tensei series. After a trip through Persona 3 FES and Persona 3 Portable, which added “The Answer” epilogue and a female protagonist route, Reload arrived in 2024 as a full ground-up remake with updated visuals, an overhauled UI, and refined mechanics.
You are the leader of SEES, the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, balancing school days, part-time work, and friendships with nightly trips into Tartarus to fight Shadows. Each full moon brings a Major Arcana boss and another push toward the story’s larger mystery. Persona 3 was Josh’s intro to Persona, while Bryan comes in to complete the modern Persona trilogy. Listen in as we compare Persona 3 to Persona 4 and 5, dig into the ritual of building Social Links, and weigh how the game’s edgier imagery (coffins, guns pointed at your own head to summon a Persona, and a steady theme of self-annihilation) shapes its tone. We’ll go through the SEES roster, from Junpei’s search for purpose to Mitsuru’s burden as heir to the Kirijo Group and the Shinjiro arc, and talk through the Reload additions: extra Linked Episodes with your party, the new Theurgy mechanic, Persona fusion, and the Tartarus climb that slowly uncovers what happened years ago. Along the way we’ll share our favorite S-Links, discuss the music, and the thematically apt progression of the main story arc. So grab your Evoker, mark your calendar, and settle in!
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Seize the Day
Josh - Shadows and Moonlight
Wingspan
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh flock to Wingspan! Originally released as a board game in 2019, Wingspan was designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games, the St …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh flock to Wingspan! Originally released as a board game in 2019, Wingspan was designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games, the St. Louis studio behind Viticulture and Scythe. Hargrave built the game after visits to Lake Artemesia near her Maryland home, choosing birds as a theme because, in her words, there were already too many games about castles and space. In 2020, Monster Couch adapted the tabletop hit into a digital version for Windows and Mac, translating its engine-building card game into a lush, birdsong-filled interactive space. Players take on the role of birders assembling a network of wildlife preserves, laying bird cards across forest, grassland, and wetland habitats to rack up the most points over four rounds. What starts as simple card collection quickly becomes layered engine-building: birds already on your mat trigger powers that make later turns in that habitat stronger, so early choices snowball as the game goes on. Listen in as Bryan and Josh talk through Monster Couch's digital presentation (hand-drawn artwork from Ana Maria Martinez Jaramillo, Natalia Rojas, and Beth Sobel, plus bird calls and Cornell Lab-sourced trivia), compare Wingspan to other board game adaptations, and dig into whether a "bird bureaucracy" simulator can really carry the same tension as more traditional game theming. Habitat specialists, bonus-card drafters, and egg-laying completionists all get their say, so grab your binoculars and settle in.
Show Notes:
Bird-Watching Will Blow Your Mind | PTFO
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Ornithology and Chill
Josh - Beautiful, Bountiful Birds
Star Fox
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Clint and Bryan strap back into the Arwing for Star Fox, Velan Studios' remake of the 1997 N64 classic, released for the Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2026. Velan built the …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Clint and Bryan strap back into the Arwing for Star Fox, Velan Studios' remake of the 1997 N64 classic, released for the Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2026. Velan built the game on their own in-house Viper engine, and it's a studio with real pedigree hiding in its origin story: founders Karthik and Guha Bala previously ran Vicarious Visions (GBA ports, Spider-Man, Tony Hawk, Skylanders) before it was folded into Blizzard, where it went on to work on Call of Duty and Diablo 4. Here, they've taken the original Star Wars-inflected premise, animal mercenaries running trench runs through the Lylat System and rebuilt it with a new art style while keeping the level design, story, and rail-shooter structure fully intact.
We talk through what's changed and what hasn't: the new cutscenes, the recut voice work that gives Fox and Falco a little more edge without losing too many of the iconic one-liners, and how well those three-minute, branching missions fit the Switch's ability to succeed with games that allow for a short, staccato pace. The Arwing still flies exactly like you remember, snappy and arcade-tight, and the mission variety, planet-side runs, all-range dogfights, subs, tanks, memorable boss fights, still hold up. We also dig into where the age shows and why the game keeps pulling us back anyway. It's not an experience that reinvents Star Fox 64 so much as it lovingly restates it, and we get into whether that's exactly the right call.
Three Word Reviews:
Clint - Switch 2 Seller
Bryan - Nostalgia, Locked On
Hades 2
In this episode Josh and Bryan are talking about Hades II, developed and published by Supergiant Games and released in September 2025 for Windows and Mac, alongside Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, with …
Show notes
In this episode Josh and Bryan are talking about Hades II, developed and published by Supergiant Games and released in September 2025 for Windows and Mac, alongside Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions following in April 2026. Picking up after the events of the original Hades, the sequel casts players as Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld, as she trains to take down Chronos, the Titan of Time, and restore her fractured family. Where the first game asked you to escape the Underworld, this one asks you to defend it and the surface world above across two distinct paths, each stacked with new weapons, boons, and a crafting system deep enough to make the Crossroads feel like its own small civilization. With Jen Zee's art, Darren Korb's music, and Greg Kasavin's writing all operating at full strength, Hades II is Supergiant leaning into more of everything that made the original a phenomenon. Join us as we dig into the game's run-based structure, its sprawling cast of gods and companions, the effectiveness of its story, and whether "more" is always the right way to follow up a masterpiece. Death to Chronos!
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Compelling, Cluttered Homecoming
Josh - Back for Seconds
007: First Light
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Clint and Bryan are strapping in for their first mission with the world's most famous spy, tackling IO Interactive's origin story reboot, 007: First Light. Developed …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Clint and Bryan are strapping in for their first mission with the world's most famous spy, tackling IO Interactive's origin story reboot, 007: First Light. Developed and published by IO Interactive, the studio best known for the modern Hitman trilogy, First Light rewinds Bond's story to age 26, when he's still a hotheaded Royal Navy recruit, voiced and performed by newcomer Patrick Gibson. We were curious to see how much of the Hitman DNA would carry over, and the answer turned out to be a lot, in the best way: sprawling, densely detailed levels built for multiple approaches, whether players want to talk, sneak, or shoot their way through.
Where the game really won us over was in the smaller character beats between the big set pieces, the training compounds, the casinos, the rooftop chases, all of it stitched together by a Bond who's still learning what kind of spy he wants to become. It's not a flawless espionage thriller, and we get into where the pacing and mechanics stumble a bit, but as a reintroduction of 007 to games after a long absence, First Light earns its number. We also talk about what a sequel could build on if IOI gets another shot at Bond.
Three Word Reviews:
Clint - A New Trick
Bryan - Bond Is Back
Titanium Court
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh take the throne in Titanium Court! Developed by New York-based creator AP Thomson and published by Fellow Traveller, Titanium Court is a strategy game …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh take the throne in Titanium Court! Developed by New York-based creator AP Thomson and published by Fellow Traveller, Titanium Court is a strategy game that mashes match-3, tower defense, and roguelike mechanics together as you command the eponymous Court in battle against the enemy. Between runs, you retreat home for visual-novel-style story beats, courtier interactions, and a slow unraveling of exactly what this strange, fairy court actually is.
Winner of the Seumas McNally Grand Prize and the Excellence in Design award at this year's Independent Games Festival, Titanium Court has earned a reputation for writing that's genuinely funny without leaning on snark, and for a genre mash-up that is singular rather than derivative. Listen in as Bryan and Josh dig into how the match-3 and tower-defense layers actually talk to each other mechanically, whether the randomness undercuts or reinforces the tactics, and whether this IGF winner lives up to the hype. So grab your keys, you're going home! Eventually. Maybe.
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - World’s a Stage
Josh - Keeps You Guessing
Show Notes:
The Roottrees are Dead
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dig through decades of dirt to reconstruct an American dynasty in The Roottrees are Dead! Originally developed by Jeremy Johnston during Global Game Jam …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dig through decades of dirt to reconstruct an American dynasty in The Roottrees are Dead! Originally developed by Jeremy Johnston during Global Game Jam 2023, the game began as a free browser title before being remastered for a full Steam release in January 2025 with hand-drawn illustrations by artist Henning Ludvigsen and expanded content courtesy of developer Robin Ward and studio Evil Trout. In The Roottrees are Dead, a private jet carrying the wealthy Roottree family crashes in 1998, triggering a massive inheritance dispute worth billions. A mysterious client hires the player to verify every legitimate blood descendant, a task that starts as a simple three-sibling family tree and explodes into a five-generation saga spanning 50 relatives and counting.
In the tradition of games like Return of the Obra Dinn and The Curse of the Golden Idol, progress comes through careful reasoning rather than action: discover a clue, search the archives, verify the evidence, and lock in your answer before moving on. The investigation is anchored in Butler County, Pennsylvania, home of the Roottree Candy Company, and the game uses the constraints of '90s internet to deepen the immersion in ways that feel both nostalgic and genuinely clever. So listen in as Bryan and Josh bust out their dial up modems and solve a family mystery in The Roottrees are Dead!
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Genealogy as Gossip
Josh - Dialup Era Deductions
Esoteric Ebb
Video Game book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Esoteric Ebb by Christoffer Bodegård.
Dispatch
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh suit up for Dispatch, the 2025 superhero workplace comedy developed and published by AdHoc Studio, originally released on PlayStation 5 and Windows …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh suit up for Dispatch, the 2025 superhero workplace comedy developed and published by AdHoc Studio, originally released on PlayStation 5 and Windows. Founded by Telltale Games alumni including Michael Choung, Nick Herman, Dennis Lenart, and Pierre Shorette AdHoc brings their episodic storytelling DNA to a story about Robert Robertson, a powerless third-generation hero who, after the destruction of his Mecha Man suit, lands a job as a dispatcher for the Superhero Dispatching Network, managing a team of dysfunctional, reformed villains known as the Z-Team. It's a tale as old as time featuring a group of screw-ups slowly becoming a found family, but Dispatch pulls it off with so much craft and confidence that it feels fresh all over again.
We dig into what makes Dispatch tick as both a game and an interactive series, examining its tight episodic structure, its gorgeous animation, and the way its licensed needle drops lend it the rhythm and credibility of a prestige streaming show. We also talk through the tension at the heart of the experience: this is a game that is, at times, less played than watched, and we explore whether the dispatching mini-game with its spiderweb stat graphs, skill-matching, and ongoing mission storylines does enough to make you feel meaningfully invested in the heroes you're sending into the field. Standout voice performances, particularly Aaron Paul's restrained but surprisingly expressive take on Robert Robertson, and a genuinely well-written ensemble help carry the load. The humor occasionally veers crude or cliché, but that's half the charm. So clock in with Bryan and Josh as we take the call on AdHoc's confident, polished, and wonderfully familiar Dispatch.
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan — Clichés Executed Flawlessly
Josh — Its Super Effective
Death Howl
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh journey through the afterlife in Death Howl! Developed by The Outer Zone and published by 11 Bit Studios, Death Howl is a deckbuilder that merges …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh journey through the afterlife in Death Howl! Developed by The Outer Zone and published by 11 Bit Studios, Death Howl is a deckbuilder that merges deliberate exploration, demanding combat, and stark, minimalist storytelling. Set in Mesolithic Scandinavia, the game features a mother named Ro who ventures into the spirit world to reclaim her lost son. Death Howl sets its self apart aesthetically with a rough, impressionistic pixel art and vibey sound design to its layered mechanics and themes. Interestingly its often billed as a “souls-like deckbuilder” a label that originated with the community rather than the developers. As ambiguous as the ‘souls-like’ term can be the game captures the spirit of the genre in meaningful ways: its bonfire-like sacred groves, its tense death mechanics that are both punishing and forgiving, and its constant encouragement to explore every corner for secrets and advantages, among other things.
With tense combat focused on positioning, deckbuilding strategies, and the satisfaction of repeatedly crafting powerful synergies rather than settling into just one, Death Howl also succeeds on a mechanical level. The aesthetics and mechanics all stand in service to a game that is telling a story about death, loss, and what it means to confront sorrow. By blending its aesthetic and mechanical strengths to suit this story, Death Howl leaves a lasting emotional impression. So listen in as we go on a journey worth remembering in Death Howl!
Three Word Reviews:Josh - Constrained Card Crafter
Bryan - Soulslike, Not Derogatory
Resident Evil Requiem
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds Bryan and Clint are diving into Resident Evil Requiem, and coming at it from two angles: Bryan jumped on board with the series starting at Resident Evil 7, while Clint …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds Bryan and Clint are diving into Resident Evil Requiem, and coming at it from two angles: Bryan jumped on board with the series starting at Resident Evil 7, while Clint has been a lifelong devotee. Developed and published by Capcom, the game showcases a studio operating at full strength. We were struck immediately by the visual fidelity and the sound design, which is as tense and reactive as anything in the genre. The story follows FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft and returning series icon Leon S. Kennedy as they investigate deaths tied to Raccoon City, and right away we get a sense of the game’s defining idea: two protagonists, two playstyles, and a deliberate split between survival horror dread and full-throttle action.
Its a novel approach to solving the problem that often causes Survival horror games to fall flat as the player becomes more powerful. Grace’s sections lean into vulnerability, limited resources, puzzle-solving, and slow, nerve-wracking exploration, while Leon’s segments let us cut loose with bigger weapons and chaotic combat. That push and pull gives the game a rhythm we found incredibly compelling, constantly resetting tension and payoff. Resident Evil Requiem doesn’t reinvent the series so much as perfect its modern form, elevated zombie camp executed with precision, and a reminder that Capcom has been quietly mastering this formula for years.
Three Word Reviews:Clint - Old Meets New
Bryan - Elevated Zombie Camp
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
In this episode, Bryan and Josh check into the Hotel Letztes Jahr to discuss Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Developed by Simogo and published by Annapurna Interactive, the game marks a clear step in the studio’s …
Show notes
In this episode, Bryan and Josh check into the Hotel Letztes Jahr to discuss Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Developed by Simogo and published by Annapurna Interactive, the game marks a clear step in the studio’s evolution from mobile hits like Sayonara Wild Hearts toward a slower, more contemplative experience inspired by survival horror and art-house cinema. Following Lorelei Weiss through the hotel’s labyrinthine halls, we dig into its nonlinear progression, dense numerical puzzles, and layered storytelling. From the intricate mansion layout to its striking black, white, and magenta aesthetic (and the unsettling presence of the maze men) the game creates a constant sense of discovery as each puzzle leads to several more.
The conversation also explores the game’s deeper structure and themes, including its puzzle design, the necessity (and chaos) of note-taking, and the friction created by its one-button interface. More than just a puzzle game, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes emerges as a meditation on art itself, particularly the tension between creative expression and commercial pressure. So listen in as we reflect on an experience defined by confusion, discovery, and creeping unease… a discussion that aims to be as thoughtful and layered as the game we’re unpacking.
Three Word Reviews:
Josh - Fractal, Fracture, Forgiveness
Bryan - Puzzles Beget Puzzles
Cairn
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Clint begin our ascent with Cairn, the 2026 climbing survival game from The Game Bakers. Drawn in by early buzz, we both quickly found ourselves absorbed in …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Clint begin our ascent with Cairn, the 2026 climbing survival game from The Game Bakers. Drawn in by early buzz, we both quickly found ourselves absorbed in its uniquely demanding approach to traversal, one that treats climbing not as spectacle, but as a deliberate, moment-to-moment act of decision-making. At the center of this unexpectedly introspective game is Aava’s ascent of Mount Kami, a journey defined by precise limb placement, resource management, and a constant negotiation between control and chaos. The game’s tactile mechanics balancing grip, stamina, and positioning create an intense gameplay loop that feels both physically and mentally immersive, often pushing players into a near-meditative flow state.
We also talk through Cairn’s effectiveness as a narrative and thematic experience, examining its sparse storytelling and emotionally distant protagonist. Aava’s motivations, her strained relationships, and the ambiguity surrounding whether her climb is driven by ambition, obsession, or something closer to depression kept us guessing. Cairn is a powerful meditation on freedom and control, but the game’s greatest achievement is how it makes the player’s personal journey inseparable from Aava’s, turning every slip, recovery, and decision into a story that feels uniquely your own. So climb up to the existential peaks of Kami with Clint and Bryan as we plot our route through the harrowing journey that is Cairn.
Three Word Reviews:Clint - Can’t Stop Now
Bryan - Control and Freedom
Donkey Kong 94
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into Donkey Kong (1994) for the Game Boy, a game that begins as a nostalgic homage to the original arcade classic before quickly transforming into …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into Donkey Kong (1994) for the Game Boy, a game that begins as a nostalgic homage to the original arcade classic before quickly transforming into something far more ambitious. After briefly revisiting the familiar opening stages from the 1981 Donkey Kong, the hosts explore how the game expands into a sprawling puzzle-platformer with nearly one hundred additional stages across nine distinct worlds. What makes Donkey Kong ’94 unique is Mario’s surprisingly expansive moveset and the game’s inventive level design. From handstands and backflips to wire spins and careful key-carrying mechanics, we examine how the game encourages experimentation and player expression long before such ideas became common in platformers.
Each world introduces new mechanics such as ropes, switches, wind, slippery ice, or environmental puzzles; while intermittent boss encounters with Donkey Kong echo the arcade roots of the series. Its an early expressive platformer and its emphasis on movement mastery and player creativity foreshadows later titles like Super Mario 64. So listen in as we reflect on the legacy of Donkey Kong 94 as a quietly foundational handheld title and a fantastic experience even three decades later.
Three Word Reviews:Josh - Bingeable Harbinger Platformer
Bryan - Expressive Platformer Blueprint
Show Notes:
Astro Bot
In this episode Bryan and Clint dive into Astro Bot, the 2024 PlayStation 5 platformer developed by Team Asobi and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Building on the foundation of the pack-in hit …
Show notes
In this episode Bryan and Clint dive into Astro Bot, the 2024 PlayStation 5 platformer developed by Team Asobi and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Building on the foundation of the pack-in hit Astro's Playroom, the studio expands the concept into a full-scale adventure that celebrates three decades of PlayStation history. The guys explore how the game blends inventive platforming, playful level design, and clever uses of the DualSense controller into a tightly paced quest where players rescue lost robots and rebuild their PS5 mothership so the Astro Bots can get their interstellar dance party back on track.
Astro Bot balances nostalgia with accessibility, appealing to longtime gamers while remaining instantly readable for kids and newcomers. Listen in as we revisit the game’s joyful structure, colorful hub worlds, creative abilities, spectacular boss battles, and homage levels inspired by iconic PlayStation franchises like God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Uncharted, and Ape Escape. Astro Bot is a rare AAA platformer bursting with wonder, a game that captures the pure joy of play and bridges generations of players through curiosity, creativity, and delight.
Join for the dancing robots, stay for the testimonials from budding, young gamers (AKA Clint’s sons)!
Three Word Reviews:
Clint - Pure Gaming Joy
Bryan - Wide Eyed Wonder
Promise Mascot Agency
On this episode Bryan and Josh drive into Promise Mascot Agency, developed by Kaizen Game Works, the team behind Paradise Killer. Released in April 2025 for Windows, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, the game …
Show notes
On this episode Bryan and Josh drive into Promise Mascot Agency, developed by Kaizen Game Works, the team behind Paradise Killer. Released in April 2025 for Windows, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, the game blends open-world driving, management sim mechanics, visual novel storytelling, and crime drama into an experience Bryan called his Game of the Year 2025. Set in the cursed town of Kaso-Machi, the story follows exiled yakuza lieutenant Michizane “Michi” Sugawara (voiced by Takaya Kuroda) as he attempts to repay a debt by rebuilding a failing mascot agency alongside his chaotic, foul-mouthed assistant Pink, a literal severed finger with a heart of gold. We explore how the game’s “PS2-feeling” open world, bizarre truck physics, card-battling support system, and management mechanics shouldn’t work on paper but absolutely do in practice. Buoyed by an infectious east-meets-west soundtrack from Alpha Chrome Yayo and Ryo Koike, Promise Mascot Agency delivers a potent dose of earnest absurdity.
From negotiating mascot wages and launching Pinky out of a truck-mounted cannon to debating civic policy and upgrading town landmarks, every system feeds into a larger story about found family, labor, accountability, and rebuilding community. So hop into your mascot laden truck and listen in as Bryan and Josh discuss Promise Mascot Agency!
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Uplifting Offbeat Sincerity
Josh - A Rambling Tale
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
In this episode, Bryan and Clint ride off into Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Picking up directly after the first game, Warhorse Studios’ historical RPG returns us to early 15th-century Bohemia, following …
Show notes
In this episode, Bryan and Clint ride off into Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Picking up directly after the first game, Warhorse Studios’ historical RPG returns us to early 15th-century Bohemia, following Henry’s journey from blacksmith’s son to reluctant man-at-arms amid political chaos, feudal power struggles, and deeply human moral choices. Along the way, we examine how KCD2’s simulation-driven design—living villages, reputation systems, punishing swordplay, and obsessive historical detail—creates a world where the player always feels like a small cog in a very large, uncaring machine.
We also examine the series’ fixation on historical accuracy, immersion, and realism, and how its simulation of everyday medieval life firmly grounds the game’s themes. Bryan and Clint unpack the game’s uneasy relationship with war, its unflinching portrayals of atrocity, religion, and power, and its often uncomfortable parallels to modern politics and class structures. Through character studies of Henry, Hans Capon, Jan Žižka, Father Godwin, and a sprawling ensemble cast, the game strips away fantasy and leans into human truth. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II tells a story that doesn’t just feel real, but revealing.
Three Word Reviews:
Clint - Bohemian Bastard Simulator
Bryan - Veritas Ex Fabula
Baby Steps
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Josh Galecki and Bryan Skursha tackle Baby Steps, the 2025 overly literal walking simulator developed by Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy and published by …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Josh Galecki and Bryan Skursha tackle Baby Steps, the 2025 overly literal walking simulator developed by Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy and published by Devolver Digital. Known for games that turn basic movement into existential comedy (QWOP, Getting Over It, etc.), the team delivers another strange, hilarious experiment in control and patience.
We embody Nate, a 35-year-old basement-dwelling failson, who is dropped into a vast mountain wilderness and must literally learn how to walk using deliberately awkward controls which turn every footstep into a small triumph or a catastrophic pratfall. Along the way we dig into the open-ended world design, the absence of a map, the optional “gamer bullshit” challenges like hats and dares, and why Baby Steps is less about rage and more about embracing failure, exploration, and weird little stories that only happen because you fell down a hill the wrong way. So listen in as we learn about patience, humility, and how sometimes the only way forward is face-planting, laughing, and taking one more careful step on the path.
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Victory in Defeat
Josh - Enjoying the Journey
Games of the Year 2025
Happy New Year! To kick things off in 2026 we recorded a quick episode on our individual Top 5 Games of the Year for 2025! So listen in as the guys discuss the top 5 games they enjoyed in 2025 among others …
Show notes
Happy New Year! To kick things off in 2026 we recorded a quick episode on our individual Top 5 Games of the Year for 2025! So listen in as the guys discuss the top 5 games they enjoyed in 2025 among others, take a look forward to 2026, and just generally chill out and reminisce on a year of gaming!
Here’s what we talked about:
Look back at 2025
The Top 5’s
5’s
4’s
3’s
2’s
1’s
Honorable Mentions
Games you missed in 2025 and still want to play
Things you’re looking forward to in 2026/Games we have our eyes on to cover
Take Care and Keep on Gaming in 2026!!!
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The 5’s
Josh Game #5 - Slay the Princess
Clint Game #5 - Battlefield 6
Bryan Game #5 - and Roger
The 4’s
Josh Game #4 - CYPHER ZERO
Clint Game #4 - Hollow Knight Silksong
Bryan Game #4 - Hollow Knight Silksong
The 3’s
Josh Game #3 - Blue Prince
Clint Game #3 - The First Berzerker: Khazan
Bryan Game #3 - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
The 2’s
Josh Game #2 - Baby Steps
Clint Game #2 - ARC Raiders
Bryan Game #2 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The 1’s
Josh Game #1 - Hollow Knight Silksong
Clint Game #1- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
Bryan Game #1 - Promise Mascot Agency
Hollow Knight: Silksong
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan, Josh, and Clint finally arrive in Pharloom and dive deep into Hollow Knight: Silksong. We all fell in love with Hollow Knight when it launched in 2017 and even …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan, Josh, and Clint finally arrive in Pharloom and dive deep into Hollow Knight: Silksong. We all fell in love with Hollow Knight when it launched in 2017 and even covered it on the show back in 2019, making Silksong a long-anticipated return. Team Cherry—Ari Gibson, William Pellen, and Jack Vine—have come a long way since the original Kickstarter, and Silksong’s journey from planned DLC to full sequel reflects a uniquely protracted and unconventional development cycle. Just as notable is the team’s decision to remain intentionally small, preserving creative control, efficiency, and passion while collaborating with key contributors like composer Christopher Larkin to elevate the experience.
Silksong represents a major shift from its predecessor, most notably through Hornet, a fully voiced and evolving protagonist whose presence reshapes both narrative and gameplay. The game emphasizes speed, verticality, and tool-driven combat, with Pharloom’s design flipping Hollow Knight’s downward descent into a constant upward climb. We dig into the game’s layered storytelling—Hornet’s personal arc, the history of Pharloom and its people, and the larger cosmic forces at play—alongside its thematic focus on song, memory, and organized religion. Along the way, we debate difficulty, movement quirks, crest builds, boss design, and the shard system for tools. We also discuss Silksong’s ambitious three-act structure, multiple endings, and whether it not only lives up to the original Hollow Knight. So join us as we close out the year exploring Team Cherry’s world of bugs, beasts, beauty, and bosses.
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Smooth as Silk
Josh - Flight in Fight
Clint - Solid Send Off
Loop Hero and Ball x Pit
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Josh and Bryan dive into a Roguelite Roundup double feature with Loop Hero (2021) and Ball x Pit (2025), exploring how each game twists genre conventions in its own …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Josh and Bryan dive into a Roguelite Roundup double feature with Loop Hero (2021) and Ball x Pit (2025), exploring how each game twists genre conventions in its own eccentric way. They start with Loop Hero, the 2021 auto-battling, world-rebuilding oddity from Four Quarters, unpacking its eerie DOS-inspired aesthetic, its “zero-player” design origins, and its signature loop structure that blurs the line between dungeon-master and adventurer. Bryan and Josh break down the tension between player strategy and character automation, how tile placement shapes risk and reward, and why the game’s intentionally opaque systems are both fascinating and frustrating.
Next we turn to Ball x Pit, the recently released brick-breaker–meets–city-builder from Kenny Sun and Friends. We discuss the game’s gleefully chaotic blend of chunky 3D constructions and crisp pixel effects, its two intertwined gameplay loops, and its ever-expanding roster of characters, buildings, and more than sixty ball types. The conversation digs into the fusion, fission, and evolution mechanics that make every volley unpredictable, the strategic timing involved in choosing upgrades, and the playful experimentation the design encourages. With its brisk metaprogression, flexible buildcrafting, and constant sense of discovery, Ball x Pit feels tightly crafted and refreshingly energetic.
Three Word Reviews:
Loop Hero:
Bryan - Around in Circles
Josh - Loops Within Loops
Ball X Pit:
Bryan - Not the Pits
Josh - Leans Too Far
and Roger
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into and Roger, a short but emotionally powerful experience from developer TearyHand Studio. Initially framed as a horror story, the game follows a …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into and Roger, a short but emotionally powerful experience from developer TearyHand Studio. Initially framed as a horror story, the game follows a girl who wakes to find a stranger in her home, with disorienting minigames and high-contrast visuals amplifying her fear and confusion. They discuss the game’s unusual narrative delivery, its WarioWare-like micro-interactions, minimal text, and evocative sound design. What begins as a tense mystery gradually reveals deeper questions about the protagonist, hinting at something more intimate than danger.
Later on they explore how the game’s story revelations transforms earlier gameplay into poignant commentary through mechanics rather than exposition. Its notable that while the game concludes with a Bible verse, its message remains universal, human, and deeply felt. And Roger is a memorable, compassionate experience less about fun and more about understanding, which showcases how interactive storytelling can reframe emotions in a remarkable way.
Notes:
One of 2025's Best Games, And Roger, Is About God, Love, and Loss (Patrick Klepek, Remap)
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Revelation and Reframing
Josh - Confusion and Uncertainty
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
In this episode, Bryan and Josh dive deep into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the 2025 dark fantasy RPG from French studio Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive. This is the first outing of …
Show notes
In this episode, Bryan and Josh dive deep into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the 2025 dark fantasy RPG from French studio Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive. This is the first outing of director Guillaume Broche, formerly of Ubisoft, featuring a powerhouse voice cast including Jennifer English, Ben Starr, and Charlie Cox, and a wildly eclectic soundtrack by Lorien Testard and Alice Duport-Percier that spans classical to dubstep. If that wasn’t enough to draw you in the premise of the game alone is one of the more intriguing in recent memory: For the last 67 years, the island of Lumière has endured the “Gommage,” a ritual in which an ethereal being known as the Paintress erases everyone older than a mysteriously dwindling number. Expedition 33 sets out to confront the paintress, them embark on an exploration of how art, death, and memory intertwine within the game’s Belle Époque-inspired world.
Bryan and Josh also unpack the game’s richly layered writing and worldbuilding, noting how the prologue perfectly sets the tone and how the setting pulses with French cultural flair, even down to battling a mime in the opening minutes. Clair Obscur features a truly memorable cast, contributing to a story that’s equal parts tragic and hopeful, and while the combat system’s balance of dodge, parry, and unique “Pictos” and “Luminas” mechanics met the challenge of keeping combat snappy and engaging. However, at the end of it all, Clair Obscur’s core themes of death and grief give it both its weight and its beauty, cementing its place as one of 2025’s standout video game experiences.
Notes:
The impossible (true) stories behind the making of Clair Obscur Expedition 33
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | Lumière
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - What Comes After
Josh - Overcaffeinated, Moving, Obscure
Pyre
In this episode Josh and Bryan are talking about Pyre developed by Supergiant Games and released in 2017 for PC, Mac, Linux, and PlayStation 4. Pyre is considered by some to be Supergiant’s most experimental …
Show notes
In this episode Josh and Bryan are talking about Pyre developed by Supergiant Games and released in 2017 for PC, Mac, Linux, and PlayStation 4. Pyre is considered by some to be Supergiant’s most experimental and heartfelt title, a mystical mix of visual novel and ritualistic sport. From the creators of Bastion, Transistor, and Hades, Pyre stands apart for its boldness a “mournful revolution” where victory means saying goodbye to a beloved comrade, and every loss fuels the greater cause of rebellion. With lush art by Jen Zee, music and sound by Darren Korb and Ashley Barrett, and the powerful writing of Greg Kasavin, Pyre delivers a story of loss and revolution. Join us as we resurrect this lost episode of Pixelated Playgrounds to discuss literacy as rebellion, the beauty of bittersweet freedom, and why even in defeat, there’s purpose in pressing onward.
Show Notes:
Gamedeveloper.com - How Supergiant Games aggressively prototyped its way into Pyre
Darren Korb going hard as usual (Never to Return, Supergiant In Concert)
Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Rites, Remorse, Revolution
Josh - Single Player Sport
UFO 50
In this episode Bryan and Josh are diving into UFO 50, the long-awaited indie collaboration from Derek Yu, Jon Perry, Eirik Suhrke, Paul Hubans, Ojiro Fumoto, and Tyriq Plummer. It collects fifty original games …
Show notes
In this episode Bryan and Josh are diving into UFO 50, the long-awaited indie collaboration from Derek Yu, Jon Perry, Eirik Suhrke, Paul Hubans, Ojiro Fumoto, and Tyriq Plummer. It collects fifty original games into one sprawling anthology made by a fictional company called UFO Soft between 1982 and 1989. They explore its meta-narrative, collective authorship, its “lost console” aesthetic, and how its ambitious scope becomes a keen commentary on the experience of creating games across a console generation. From the clever chaos of Party House to the moody depths of Porgy and the sprawling weirdness of Grimstone, we’ll talk about which games could stand alone and which thrive because they exist in conversation with the rest. Not every game shines equally, but together they form a unique love letter to game-making and retro gaming.
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Crafty Creative Cornucopia
Josh - A Design Feast
Show Notes:
TIGsource - The Indie Game Source
Monument Valley
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh explore the impossible geometry of Monument Valley, the 2014 iOS puzzle classic from ustwo games that transformed the mobile landscape with its serene …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh explore the impossible geometry of Monument Valley, the 2014 iOS puzzle classic from ustwo games that transformed the mobile landscape with its serene vibes, minimalist Escher-inspired design, and ingenious visual mechanics. Listen in as the guys dive into the game’s meditative atmosphere, its sparse but evocative storytelling through Princess Ida’s journey, and the meticulous development process that focused on polish over size. They also reflect on how Monument Valley stood apart in an era of noisy, ad-driven free-to-play titles, becoming a landmark “art game” that proved mobile experiences could be elegant, premium, and profoundly moving—all while sparking a legacy that continues to influence indie design today.
Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Platform Perspective Shift
Josh - Delightful Puzzle Box
Show Notes:CIPHER ZERO
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into Cipher Zero, the minimalist logic puzzler developed by Boston-based indie studio Zapdot and released in July 2025. Beginning life as a Ludum …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into Cipher Zero, the minimalist logic puzzler developed by Boston-based indie studio Zapdot and released in July 2025. Beginning life as a Ludum Dare entrant, Cipher Zero has evolved into a sprawling collection of nearly 400 handcrafted puzzles, each one teaching players through experimentation rather than exposition. With its sleek UI, geometric art, and reactive industrial soundtrack, the game communicates ideas wordlessly, then layers and recombines them to expand what’s possible within its puzzle language. The guys explore its satisfying rule discovery, linear progression, and the elegance of its design choices while also considering where its lack of hints or philosophical pretension set it apart from genre peers. Spoilers abound after the first 29 minutes, so join us as we pick apart how Cipher Zero turns tile toggling into a gamified learning curve full of gratifying “aha” moments.
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Gamified Learning Curve
Josh - Start with Silence
Show Notes:
Josh’s Talk for Roguelike Celebration 2023
A Monster’s Expedition: Through Puzzling Exhibitions & Snakebird
Spirit City: Lo Fi Sessions and Rusty's Retirement
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into the cozy corner of gaming with two titles redefining what it means to “play” in the background: Rusty’s Retirement, the low-screen-real-estate …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into the cozy corner of gaming with two titles redefining what it means to “play” in the background: Rusty’s Retirement, the low-screen-real-estate Stardew that keeps your crops thriving while you multitask, and Spirit City: Lo-Fi Sessions, a beautiful blend of productivity and play that turns your to-do list into an aesthetic experience. We’ll unpack how these games fit (or don’t fit) into our lives, explore why ambient gaming is on the rise, and debate whether these functional, low-pressure titles are the future of the cozy game trend or just a passing vibe. Along the way, we’ll touch on the fascinating stories of their developers, the design philosophies behind these multitask-friendly experiences, and how they blur the line between tool and entertainment. Tune in as we break down what makes these experiences so compelling even as they push you away to go do other things.
Three Word Reviews:
Spirit City: Lo Fi Sessions
Bryan - Chill Life Admin
Josh - A Different Drummer
Rusty's Retirement
Bryan - Second Screen Stardew
Josh - Chill Garden Party
Music Used:
To the Beach by Mondo Loops
Vermillion Cliffs by Odem Medo
Last River by InternalEye
When Stars Lit Up the Sky by lost.mindd
Lars Asger - Carrot
Lars Asger - March of the Machines
Lars Asger - Seven Minus Two
Lars Asger - Sun Beam
Lars Asger - Stream
Early Garden - Secret Messages
Coastal Moods - MujjO
Metal Garden
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds Bryan and Josh explore Metal Garden, a short but atmospheric indie FPS from solo Croatian developer Alexandra Herout aka Tinerasoft. Set in a crumbling megastructure …
Show notes
In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds Bryan and Josh explore Metal Garden, a short but atmospheric indie FPS from solo Croatian developer Alexandra Herout aka Tinerasoft. Set in a crumbling megastructure reclaimed by nature, the game blends old-school shooting mechanics with immersive environmental storytelling, subtle lore, and haunting mid-2000s aesthetics. Ammo scarcity, limb damage, and weighty weapons make every encounter tense, while double-jump platforming and cryptic logs reward exploration with glimpses into a forgotten Dyson-scale civilization. The game’s sparse dialogue and ambient sound design evoke a sense of isolation and scale far beyond the game's runtime. So tune in as we dive into Metal Garden's bleak beauty and brutal combat while pondering the lingering question: Why do we keep descending?
Three Word Reviews:
Bryan - Subtlety is Key
Josh - Small Rusty Flower
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