Kinda Funny Gamescast: Video Game Podcast - Kinda Funny's Game of the Year 2024 - Kinda Funny Gamescast

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

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What's up and welcome to Kind of Funnies game of the year, 2024, the biggest annual production we do here at Kind of Funny. Of course, I am your host, Tim Gettys. I'm joined today by blessing at E.Oye Jr. Good day, Tim. Greg Miller. Hi, Tim. Paris, Lily.

Hi, Tim. Snowbike Mike. What up, Tim. Roger Percorney. Yo, Tim. And Andy Cortez. Hello, Tim. And of course, running the show is Barrett Courtney on the ones and twos.

All of us have voted. We've all submitted 10. games are 10 favorite games of 2024. Barrett has taken those lists. He's done the math. And he came up with the one list to rule them all that will represent kind of funny's taste in video games in 2024. We're going to go through those starting with number 10.

Going all the way to number one. We do not know what these games are. We do not know the order that they will be in. We're going to find out live with you. And it's going to be a very, very good time. If Indiana Jones is on this list, Paris and I are walking off. That's the agreement. The only two people in the video game industry who called it like it was, you know?

We're already starting with this type of. Called it like it was. Called it like it was. The decisions have been made. There will be no arguing. There will be none of that. This is all just for the positivity. It's all love.

It's all love. It's all love here. There's so many great. Look at the speaking of love. What's going on. Andy. What an amazing set. So cool.

You're so cool, Andy. You know what? You get the prize. I was wondering who would. get it, you get it. Oh, wow, thank you. Oh, yeah. A piece of cheese. A piece of cheese from Greg Miller. Thank you. And then of course, shout out

to Barrett so much for making such an amazing production here. Moving to J. We have some fun stuff going on. It's going to be great. So, thank you for all the extra hard work putting here. Thank you to everybody showing up for this big event because it's going to be a blast. Remember, we are an 11-person business

all about live talk shows. We just did an episode of Kind of Funny Games Daily, our daily video game news show that you can check out. It was me and Mike breaking down the newest, latest switch two rumors. And then after this, we actually have a very special thing as well. We're going to be doing a stream of Hyperlight Breaker. Andy and Bless are going to sit down with the Debs and check that out. You're excited for that?

Super stoked. Hell of you. Really, really cool. So right after this, you can see that. If you're a kind of funny member, you can get today's Gregway. You can also get the Kind of Funny podcast this afternoon and tomorrow on YouTube and podcast services. I need to tell you, of course, about the kind of funny membership. You get the show's ad free.

You can watch them record them live. and you get a daily exclusive Gregway. You can now get the Kind of Funny membership on Patreon, on YouTube, on Apple Podcast, or on Spotify. And even if you want a Kind of Funny member, you can now get video on Spotify. Thank you all for showing up for that.

It's been great. You can comment and stuff. It functions a lot more like YouTube. It's cool. Very cool to see. And some big housekeeping, a big announcement to make right now. Y'all wanted the kind of funny

10-year anniversary merch. You're getting it. It's live right now. Kindoffutty.com slash store. Greg decided to get the entire team, the cool water bottles you see Roger and Andy have, and also the controller, some of the notebook, right? Yep. It was what you got people?

You can now get that yourself. You can get the T-shirt in two different color ways. Of course, Kind of Funny Blue or the Orange of the Golden Gate Bridge there. Kind of funny blue like the tattoo. Exactly, like Greg's tattoo, which is wild. And also you can get the basketball merch there. So Kindoffony.com slash store for a whole bunch of super cool stuff. Thank you to our Patreon producers, Delaney Twining, and Carl Jacobs.

Today we're brought to you by Nvidia, GForce, BetterHelp, ExpressVPN, and Meundis. We'll tell you all about that later. Real quick, I would do want to say if you want to be part of the show, YouTube Super Chat In, let us know what your game of the year is. If you have any qualms with our list or whatever, super chat in and we'll get to those. Impossible to have qualms with this list. It's all about positive. You ready to start?

I'm so nervous. Let's go. I'm ready. Just really quick before we get into it for anybody who's new here the way our voting system works. everybody who votes their game of the year on their top 10 list gets 10 points. Their number 10 game gets one point and every which way in between. I calculate it all together, meaning that if a game was miraculously, our game of the year would get 80 points. And then I guess the least amount a game could get is one point.

And then I order them and the games that have the 10 best scores make the list. And if there's a tie, we let it ride. And if there's a tie for game of the year, there's a plan and play. place for that. But we'll talk about that at another time. We don't do that weird shit where it's like, you know, number one might be number one, and then the next three are all tied for number two.

And the fifth one is number five. No. We don't do that. No. For game of the year, again, there'd be a plan in place for if there was ever a tie game of the year. But again, we would talk about that at a delay. Secret Delights. I love little secret delights. But I also love our number 10. What is it. This is

Kind of Funnies game of the year list for 24. Number 10. Tech and 8. Oh! Congratulations, Bless. This wasn't on on the know yet. Oh! Wow.

I love this show. I'll take it. I'll take it. Les, let's start with you. Talk to me about Tech and 8. Yeah, Tech and 8 was my game of the year. That was my number one video game. Like, yeah. Yeah. I think it really came to fruition for me when I was talking about it on Alana Pierce's stream, where she had a bunch of us on, and we talked about

like our objective arguments for what is the game of the year, right? I think on a personal level, it is the fact that I've played for, what, 120 hours, 130 hours, like, and I don't get tired of TekkenA, right? I am still playing TechN8. Just this week, I had to pull myself off of TechNate because I'm playing it so

much, right? So like, it is my personal game that I put in the most hours into this year, the game that I probably had the most fun with this year. The game that I think has provided the strongest sense of community this year when I talk about going to Evo and hanging out with people and like, you know, running into people

where I've met friends this year that are like, yo, hop in our Discord, hang out. You know, we got a crew that plays Tekken 8 and it's always an exciting thing of, oh shit, there's a new person that I get to play TechNate with. We had Xavier Woods in and Kofi Kingston one day this year where like they came through and we started talking about TechNate

and that led to us playing on stream, right? It is for me this community game that has such a strong sense of you know, bringing people together, and it's always been there, but I think Tekken 8 has elevated that even further. But then when I talk about the game itself, it is how good the game looks. It is how jam-packed the game is with content, right?

You have multiple story modes. You have, you know, you have multiple story modes in the sense of, like, the moral combat thing of cutscene to cutscene, but then you have, like, character episodes where all the characters that are in from launch have their unique sequences. You have a arcade quest mode that almost functions like an arcade, fighting game arcade Pokemon style thing where you have like your cute cheby characters and that mode essentially teaches you how to play the game and takes you from like the arcade experience all the way up

into like the professional experience right like tech and eight does so much in terms of content but then it is the music it is how mechanically satisfying and solid it is it is the the character selection right has such fantastic characters and you know we finally got a third party character um yeah the game is just doing everything for me and i think easily easily easy easily easily is the most fun I've had in a video game this year and is like I don't know it's the hardest I can ride for a video game this year I love that did anyone else have Tekkenade on their list? I I had it right at the back end of the list mainly from it's all the single player content I love when fighting games have fun stories and yeah the little character vignettes is really what pushed it over the edge for me I love how mortal combat does it stuff but tech and you're right

I think kind of elevates it to a different level and it's just such a fun game to play and it's one of those games that don't take off my PS5 just because I get tricked into playing it so often because when you're blading over and that music hits on the menu, I'm like, all right, well, I got to get a couple matches in here. So yeah, I think it was my number 10, but it was your number nine.

Number nine, baby, number nine. Oh, that makes sense. Also want to shout out Tech and A, I think, for even pushing me to be a bit of a better gamer, right? Just in terms of like, that is, I've had to push myself. I get to certain ranks where I'm like, all right, I think that's it. I think I've hit my ceiling, and then I I come back a month later and I push through it.

And it is such a fantastic feeling. It makes you feel the way I felt when I played Bloodborn for the first time. And I kept putting it off because I was like, ah, it's too tough, too tough. Like, this game has me pushing limits in ways that I didn't know it was possible for me. And so, yeah, it's a special video game. Hell yeah. Techin at number 10. But tied with TechNate, we have Call of Duty.

Roger. Hi. Yeah, DeCall the Blackop 6 was my number five on my game in your list. And honestly, it probably would have been higher other than a few issues that multiplayer is having right now. So that's what's holding it back for me. But Black Up Six, what a game, right? This is a game that I think I have had more fun in, honestly, this might be the most fun of had in a video game all year, right? Like, I'm always going back to just the way that you talk about Tekken 8, right? Like, I'm always going back to Call of Duty Black

Up Six, running free for all, hanging out with the homies, even playing some zombies here and there. We got to talk about the campaign, right? Steakout 24-7. Yeah, stakeout 24-7. Yeah, Stakeout 24-7, Newtown all the time, right? Oh, my gosh. But here's the thing, right? the campaign is just so incredible, right? Raven Software really hit it out of the park. It is so out there. It is so bizarre. But it takes all the things that they've been doing since the remake of modern warfare

and really taken up to a level that I hope that they can match and surpass for the next few years because it's going to be a hard bar to follow after that. But yeah, I've been playing free for all the time. I've been booting it up every single day playing a little bit here and there. It is just such an incredible experience and one that I am hopeful. for the future of Call of Duty, but it's definitely number five. One of my games of the year. Yeah, how exciting to see Call of Duty and Tekin on a kind of funny top 10,

a fighting game and a Call of Duty. That's crazy. Two firsts for Kind of Funny Game of the Year. That's a big deal. Yeah, I put Call of Duty, I think number six, somewhere right in the middle for me. But like Roger said, I could play Call of Duty each and every day. And what Black Ops brought to the table was a full package, right? The Return of Prestige Mastery, which I love Prestaging,

all the way up to level 10. So much fun. The Call Duty Zombies maps have been fantastic. The idea of what they brought to Call Duty zombies with two maps, having that be able to hit the pause button and come back to it with your own little save file to go from there, having the new experience where they guide you through it so you can learn about the Easter eggs and the lore instead of just hoping to God you survive while you're one friend shoots that rock four times and then runs up here and grabs a plane

propeller, runs back over there. Now I got a super gun. And you're like, I don't know how you did that. I'm fighting for my life to the campaign, which was fantastic, like Roger said. This campaign took you places, gave you some wow spectacles with their big popcorn bombastic moments to some creepy moments. I think they really stretched themselves out for that you haven't seen the call of duty title before where it was scary. It was fun. It really brought it to life and did something different that I absolutely loved.

I mean, the tie-in with Warzone always will be there. But the multiplayer package was fantastic. added prop hunt a little bit later on. And prop hunt is one of the most fun multiplayer games that you could play with your friends. It's full of laughter. You run around and just laugh the whole time, jumping, trying to survive. I mean,

called you Blackop Six, nailed it this year. I'm really pleased with it. They really do. Go ahead. No, I was just going to say like Omni Movement also. Omni Movement changes. It changes everything, but also doesn't change anything in the way that you pick up the sticks as a Call of Duty veteran. I've been playing Call of Duty since I was 12 years old, right? I pick it up and like, oh, this doesn't feel different. And then you start to play

another call of duty. You're like, oh, this just feels right. Like, this is how Call of Duty should have always felt. I forget what is Omni movement? It adds the ability to run backwards, do dolphin dive sideways. Like, just do everything in between, right? Like, it is not just running straight or sliding straight. You can do

up, down, left, right, backwards. It doesn't matter, which is awesome. And it's super helpful. And just on a personal note, really quick, like, this is my favorite call of duty the last decade because it has all the little specifics that I grew up with, right? And, like, all the cheesy little dumb things like noob tubing like a grenade launcher under your guns like people running around

with knives like it is the perfect amount of like I'm pissed off in a multiplayer game but it is exactly what I wanted because it is call of duty right all the good and the bad um so yeah it's incredible sorry first um and I don't want to repeat what what they just said but I'll simply say that I had it at number 10 on on my list and it was the multiplayer stuff that held it back because they got some technical issues they need to iron out yeah but I think the one thing I want to stress on this is we take call to duty for granted because it's just the juggernaut that comes out every year. But this was the year where I played the campaign and I felt very satisfied by it. In my opinion, probably the best one since the first black ops, right? Obviously, the multiplayer is what it is.

Zombies. I kind of got into that this year. I've been dipping my toe into war zone. We got to do it on on stream. Yeah, yeah. But it's it's the game that I felt like this was the first time in probably a decade, like you were saying, where everything clicked of all the modes, where it felt really good to play, had a lot of fun, the story was engaging and, you know, see the next call of duty this coming this year. But this one was fantastic. It was really good. Just fix for you for all y'all. That's the only game mode I fucking play and it's just broken. Just fully broken. I lose a match that says I win. I win a match. It says I lose it. And I understand. It's number five. I get it. Like, that's really high for a game that's broken, but also I fucking love it. So I'm going to keep it.

Yeah. What a fantastic one. It's the best, Tim. It's top five campaign of all time. It's top five call of duty of all time. Like this is going to go down as one of the moments where it's like, oh, that was called duty at its very best. That campaign was super special. It just missed out on my top ten, but it was like, it was such a special campaign that I almost thought just for that alone. This should be in a top ten somewhere.

It was just a couple of other titles that edged it out. Edging. Shit. Let's get to it. Number nine. Number nine. Dragon Age, the Veil Guard. Timothy,

Dragon Age, the Veil Guard is a great video game that got drowned out by the headlines surrounding it. Both, oh, the writing's terrible, or it's trying to do too much for DEI or any blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But also, the headlines of,

this isn't a Dragon Age. This isn't what the hardcore of the hardest of hardcore dragon age people want it i don't like the art style i don't like this all of that you know as a conversation and is the thing in obviously a discussion a critical discussion to be had but i feel like that smoke covered up what a great game this actually was moment to moment gameplay so good so fluid so much fun to be this character your rook and choose your background and go into the thing and then what you're going to do and how you're going to do in the combat and this the level design just being top notch of cool you're in this area and you have to go that way

but if you go that way, you're going to find a secret, you're going to find a treasure, you're going to find something else there. Again, removing the personal bias of what you'd want from a Dragon Age or, you know, what you're getting into in terms of a story, I think the characters they give you, the connections you have with them, the dialogue options there. You can sit there and be like, I don't like that way it's written or whatever, but for me, worked so well.

It was so engaging, so interesting. A cast of characters I truly did love in Wanna Rock with the entire time. Like, Dragon Age Valgar, a very special game, I mean, very great game, but I think a game that just got lost Andy in terms of baggage. Yeah, 100%. Other than that, it was nice to kind of, you know, it was nice to experience a Dragon Age that I had been missing for a long time. It was nice to just be back in that world and in that mythos and experiencing a lot of cool cast of characters that

some at first kind of was like, oh, if that dude's going to be annoying, maybe I don't want to really vibe with them. And then suddenly their side stories would kind of, it'd be really really. really, really tough not to fall in love with them. And yeah, I had a great time with the character creator and some of the most combat I've had this. Some of the most fun I've had with combat. Yeah. All the combinations of stuff and learning like, do I want this person in my party because I think they're fun? Or should I choose that person because they have an awesome move that combos with my moves?

They're going to combo so well together and this is the thing and get in there. These guys are weak to that kind of thing. So I know I need a load out in terms of people that'll work that way. Yeah. And I totally agree. with the level design. I was really impressed by how things kept on opening up and expanding and almost that sort of Metroidvania aspect where an NPC would have a special ability that would then allow you to open up that door that you hadn't been able to get to this whole time and what's

behind there. I just thought it was a really awesome video game and I had a lot of fun with it. This was number six on my top 10. I had a great time with this video game and was so good that I kept on wanting, I kept on having to fight back not doing an extra run because there was just so many games out that were coming out that it was like, oh, I still want to play Dragon Age more. And I had to keep on fighting that urge to go back to it. Yeah, I think, you know, again, there can be critiques about writing. I didn't have them personally. Story wise, though, right? Just the overall narrative and stuff. I have been shocked that I've never gone back to Dragon Age of the Alguard because I felt like the narrative was so good and ended so well. Like, yeah, I wish if we had more time

with the review, I would have gone and done all the side missions and done everything 100% of da-da-da-da-da. But even not doing that, jumping in and having the story that I had of, this person lived, this person died. This was the McGuffin, da-da-da-da-da. The way it ended it, I felt like I really did close the book and put it back on the shelf and I was completely satisfied with them. Really fun spoiler cast we had. What, Barrett, this was number three for me, I do believe? Yeah, thank you very much. Really fun spoiler cast we had as well with me, Mike and Greg and, you know, we get to the end of it. And I'm like, here's how my story. ended out. Everybody was like, what the fuck?

How did that happen? I think there's just a lot of cool variables that can happen with the game. And yeah, I just I think that it was such a tough task for them to have a game that's, you know, 10, 8 years or whatever after it was having Dragon Nade's Inquisition. How are we going to live up to what Inquisition

was able to do? How are we going to try to, you know, have BioWare, you know, have that name that you all loved and recognized from back in the day? Can we sort of reclaimed any of that greatness and I think they did a fantastic job with them. Agreed and it gets me so excited for Mass Effect.

What's going to come next from them? 1,000%. Adam, two times Super Chats didn't say my birthday today and I get to, I get this to end it. What a treat. Shout out to my 2024, Game of the Year top three, going to Astrobot, Stellar Blade and Dragon Age, the Vail Guard. Oh yeah, happy birthday.

And yeah, happy birthday. Was Dragon Age on anyone else's top 10? No. That's the power of numbers, everybody. The power of numbers. Wow. Number nine. Power math. Next up.

Number eight. Number eight. Nine Soles. Yeah. All right. Look at that. Very exciting. Barrett.

I want you to kick off with this one. I would love for Andy to kick off this one. Nine Souls is a side-scroller, Metroidvania, that lost me at first. And it's a game that I wanted to love, but something about it was just kind of pushing me back. I didn't love the way the exploration worked out in the game. And it was when you're having issues like that with the Metroidvania

and you're trying to go back to a game that you haven't opened up in a while, that could add to the frustration. And then I was just like, you know what, let me just have this be the game that I'm playing right now and not really try to split my time between a lot of different things and get confused by what mechanics are in what game. And I really fell in love with it. And it's not only the combat, that is extremely good. I knew that.

I knew from the demo two years ago that the combat in this game is superb. It's Sekiro, Perry's, deflections, learning the rhythms of the combos from these really awesome moves as that these bosses have. But then, if that's all the game was, I don't think it would have been in my top 10. But they added to it with a really kind of compelling story with awesome characters and sort of that, you know, that Dark Souls thing where every person you beat has a really cool backstory to it. And I really enjoyed the writing in this game. I enjoyed, you know, learning these really depressing sort of prepare to cry moments from a lot of these different bosses that you would take on.

And I think the story is really awesome and it has some great character development. So not only was it the awesome combat and great, Not only was it that, but it was packaged with all of the other, here's this great, you know, world and an incredible story that you can experience. Yeah, Nine Souls was my number four, and I believe it was Andy's number four as well. Yeah, this is an incredible game. I've been talking about it most of the year. I think, I forget what show it was at, but there was just something very striking about the art style for it that drew me in. You play as this adorable little cat boy.

and yeah, it's a solid, you know, Metroidvania where a lot of the combat is very Sekiro inspired. It's a lot of parrying. It's a lot of building up parrying. And then the way the mechanics in combat works, you can build up parries to then use this dash mechanic that does more damage, the more like parrying you stack up and all this stuff. And I thought the different builds you could have, the amount of different abilities that

you could unlock throughout the game. We're just so fascinating, learning how people were taking on different bosses, watching Andy's one stream where you're taking on, like, the two siblings, right? And seeing how different you played that versus how I played it, right? And, yeah, that combat is so satisfying. I would say the final boss of this game is, like, one of the most satisfying boss fights in a video game for me in recent memory. And it was just so smooth and solid in the exploration I personally dug.

Andy, I don't know if, like, you, like, ended up up to it. Yeah, if it grew on you and stuff. But, like, just like going throughout this entire, you know, small, very small early spoilers, like spaceship and going through all these different areas and playing around with the traversal, which I always love when, you know, a lot of the traversal is built off of the combat mechanics, stuff like Guacamayle and a lot of Metroidvenias do that. But I think this game does it so well as well.

so exploring everything, getting, like 100% in this game, you know, playing it all through on Steam when it first came out, and then when it finally came to consoles a couple months ago, I played through it twice to get the platinum. I think that just showcases like how much I really fucked with this game. And the story is honestly like very impressive, something I wasn't really expecting. I think like one of the kind of core themes of it is like the responsibilities of leadership.

in times of turmoil. A lot of this game is about a pandemic. And so what the kind of leaders of this species decided to do in the wake of that. And I think that's all, it's all written and kind of dissected very well. Also, while having very heartwarming character growth and relationship growth moments that, yeah, it gets you tearing up at the end. Swan Swan is my fucking, he's my little baby. boy, I love him. I'll die for that little child. And yeah, there's really nothing else I can say

other than, like, this is the game that finally got me to play Sekiro. And that's why I played, like, Sekiro all within, like, a week this year. It is Hollow Night Securo. If you have not played it, absolutely do if you're waiting for Silk Song, because this is that game. And I'm so happy it made it on the list. I was not expecting this. I already told Chad, people were wondering how Stella recorded her VO. I gave her a script like a month ago and gave her, like, a list of like 20-ish games that I thought were contenders. I had to hit her up this last week to do pickups for Nine Souls and Tech and Eight, because I did not guess either of those making our list.

So I had to make the Nine Souls video and the Tech and Eight video. I had to make from complete scratch just within the last week. So, yeah, there you go. Over the Christmas break, just, you know, brute force Nine Souls. And I had a, my dad would, you know, I was at my parents' house for Christmas. my dad would just be like, man, what were you yelling about over there? I was just fucking nine souls. Guys, boss fight. It's about a

pandemic, dad. It's a lot. Cognitive clip, super chat, saying gotta drop a super chat for nine souls. So good. Pickle joystick says, I don't usually watch live because of time zones, but I had to make it for the big show. And then the Brit list says, just leaving this here in the hopes it'll be read out. And my fiance will understand the self-control it's taking to stop

watching live so we can watch it together tonight after work. Hi, future me. Hi, Brit. That's awesome. All right. Next up. Number seven. Hades 2, Early Access. Holy shit. Hell yeah.

Who wants to kick it off? You go, Kim. I'll go. I'm so excited that this is on the list. Again, I've said this many different times. I think the early access kind of puts this in a weird spot because it is definitely my most played game this year. And I love it. I think that Hades 2 is going to end up just being one of the best games ever made.

It is absolutely just spectacular. The presentation, the feel, the difficulty ramps, the fun of every single unique weapon, every boss, every enemy you're encountering. Like this game is just, it's perfect, man. And I feel like it's this low on the list, high, depending on how you want to look at it, because it's early access. Like I would have ranked it way higher on my personal list. I don't remember where I put it, but I would have put it way higher had to spend a complete game, obviously. But this was your number four. I never four. And it's like for a year that had a lot of Tim games. This is a standout. And Hades 2 does everything Hades 1 does well. Just so much better. Can't wait for this game to fully come out and just lose even more hours to it. I feel like it is a perfect example of why I play video games. You start playing. Time goes away. You can just keep going. Every single run is just as satisfying as the last spectacular stuff.

If I could just jump on that really quick to say it's not on my list because it was early access. And the way I did my top 10 was it's only games I've completed. So there would be certain games that won't be on my leisure and be like, well, what the F, I didn't complete it. That's pretty much same for me. Yeah, yeah. But to your point, this, when it is 100% complete and comes out, it's going to be a game of the year contender, absolutely, because it's so freaking good right now, just the way it is

in early access. So I wasn't shocked to see it on the list at all because it's that good. But, yeah, I mean, the complete game is probably going to be even higher when, we get there. I said this on some show recently, but something I really love about it is we often talk about, oh, it's the perfect switch game, it's the perfect Steam Duck game, is the perfect, Hades-Sews is the perfect game to play

anywhere, whether it's on a TV, a computer monitor, ultra-wide, portable, like, it is just so scalable, and I think that that is something that deserves some praise, because I feel like they're, the game's just fun. The game is just addicting and the game is available in so many different places

as well. So, yeah, I love Hades, too. Andy? Sorry, I'm talking on Barrett right now in Slack. Yeah, this is pretty high on my list as well. I forget exactly where I put it. But it was one of those where it's like, I'll put it on my list if others are going to be putting on their list.

If not, I probably won't do it. Just stand for something. You know, believe in the games you believe. Getting back to cheese, you don't earn it. We did have a conversation. We did have a meeting about like what was allowed for the game of the year. And it was pretty, it boiled down to, like, I personally don't love having early access on the top 10,

but the argument being like it was something new that came out this year that Debs have been working on, it's eligible. So, yeah. Yeah, it's one of those where it's like, I didn't want to not put it out there and just have it die. You know, like, have it die on our list. And I knew Tim was going to put it on his list, so it's like, I might as well do so as well.

And yeah, it's definitely the game that I've played the most this year, I think. I would put it up there with deadlock in terms of just playtime. I have about 60-something hours in it. And it's one of those that I put around 35 plus hours when the game first came out. And then when we had this newer update drop where Ben Starr plays the role of Prometheus, came back to it and I've put another 15 to 20 hours into it. I can't stop playing the game. It's the game that I just keep going back to.

And every time I try to play a game for review in bed that's on my Steam deck, a game like Citizen Sleeper 2 that I've been playing, I look at Hades. I'm like, might as well just fire it up for a run. Unfortunately, the runs are getting really, really, really long now. I kind of wish that there was a, you know how in returnal you'd be able to skip certain earlier levels and they'd give you like, here's a little voucher for like level of points or whatever, like a Disney Fast Pass or something. It's not a bad problem to have more Hades, but the runs are getting so long now when they're in the 40-minute mark.

I was like, okay, this is getting a little unwieldy, and I'm glad that devs have kind of agreed that, hey, rogue lights should just have safe states. You shouldn't have, you shouldn't be penalized if you're, you know, 40 minutes into a run and you want to quit. That shouldn't be on you because not everybody has that much time.

I remember back in the day with certain roglights, you'd have to just end a run and the run was over. And I'm glad we've kind of woken up and been like, no, let's, let's allow people to quit mid run. It's, yeah,

it's a game that I will continue to play forever and forever. And I totally agree with Tim that this will be one of the best games of all time when it's all set and done. It's crazy to think about how good Hades 1 is, and Hades 2, I think, improves on it in almost every single way. Like, I fucking love how refined it is mechanically. Like, the upgrade system is great. They changed how the cast thing works, right?

Like, they replaced it with more of an area of effect, hex kind of thing that I'm using way more that I think is way more fun to use. And this is, like, one of the difficult ones where I played so much of it at launch, like probably maybe 20 to 30 hours, somewhere in that realm. And I got to a certain area where I was, like, like, oh, this is going to open up a lot more of the game. I'm just going to wait until the full thing comes out. And so, like, it's that weird thing where I'm sure if I kept playing it, I'd be where,

you know, Andy and Tim are as far as, oh, this is a top 10 for me. But whenever this does come out, right, I'm going to play it. And it's probably going to be a top three for 2025, 2025, 26, whenever they finally push 1.0. I can't wait for it. Let's get to the next one. Number six. Animal Well.

Yeah. There you go, Ratchee. Everybody. Good stuff. Exciting, everybody. Roger. Yeah, Animal Well is my number two. Whoa.

What? Shocking. A little bit of a spoiler right there. But yeah, number two on my game in your list is Animal Well. A game that fully came out of nowhere, right? Like it was, you know, there was trailers out there. Of course, it was being published by Big Mode, Dunkie Publishing Units. So I was like, okay, I was aware of it, but it didn't really look like my type of game.

A Metroidvania, but it is, I booted it up and just lost myself, lost my entire. entire soul and just became obsessed with the Metroidvania for the first time of my life. Being able to find different secrets and come into work every day and talk to Andy and be like, hey, did you find this thing? He's like, no, I found this other thing. The thing I love about this is the lack of combat, right? Like, I talked about that on the Smiley's a little bit, but the idea that this game has no traditional combat, you are just essentially trying to survive inside of this animal kingdom and just trying to not even get powerful, just trying to get sneakier, right? Like it is like Animal Planet when you watch like the prey who just is able to adapt and to camouflage and to burrow under things.

Like that's what you're doing with household objects. It's a very unique and interesting video game where you're picking up a bubble, right? A bubble blower. And that is changing the way that you play this game completely fundamentally. It is such an interesting and deep video game in terms of how much there is to it, how many secrets there are. Even though I did finish it, I could just tell that there are so many little things that I was not. not noticing and it's all right in front of you, right? Like every single thing in this game, every, all the design, everything is just right in front of you. You just have to look a little

bit or change the way that you look at things. It is a masterclass in game design, in level design, and how to make a Metroidvania. Like it is, it is really impressive. Where was it on your list? Was it on your list? It was number, yeah, it was number seven, I believe, on my list, or number six. And yeah, super fun, Metroidvania that I think some of my favorite experiences while gaming are when I I'm able to figure out a secret or some sort of cool discovery and then go, damn, that is so smart. This developer is so damn smart.

And I could never ever think of making or thinking of how to even think of how to make this puzzle work. Super smart and just weird as hell, right? It's a very odd game that feels like it would be one of those titles that you would experience in UFO 50, where it's just, it feels like a lost game that somebody discovered on an old hard drive somewhere. and it's so odd in how it is designed with all of these rant. Here's a yo-yo and a bubble blower and all these weird. Like you were mentioning household objects that you just would not have expected to be in this video game.

And it's one that kind of you immediately find out what they're trying to do. And you're kind of on board or you're not. And for me, I was just so in immediately. And yeah, some of the puzzles and the discovery are just incredibly smart. and again, you mentioning how you and I went totally different paths with this. Totally. Having those school yard moments of, I went left and you went far right. How the fuck did you go far left? I didn't even see an option to do that. And once the map starts opening up and you're starting to discover, okay, here's a little entrance that I haven't found yet.

And throughout the whole experience, continuously having those holy shit, I can't believe that thing does that. And it's been a very important. front of my face this whole damn time. You have so many of those moments. And it's, it's not only just the aesthetic that makes me feel like this is so old school. There's just something so like old and, like a game of legend that you hear people talk about. When I think of games like Act Razor or stuff like that,

this feels like of that era. That's funny. Yeah, this is also my number seven. And it's to everything that you guys both just said, right? Like, I think when you talk about what makes a game special to me, like secrets is high on the list. secrets and discovery when I think of like Mario 64 or Zelda Breath of the Wild or you know Metroid Prime

right like discovering something where it is oh I can't believe that I've passed this room a hundred times I didn't notice this one detail that you know would end up looping back around later on in the game right I know that is the Metroidvania ethos but there's something about animal well and its visual design that I think

really doubles down on like surprising you and delighting you and this game has saucer days as far as just the style of it you know like I think there is like 2D Metroid Vaneus for me can oftentimes be a like I've been there done that right like I've played Metroid I played XYZ game and so you know I played all of them but Animal Well does something as far as like I don't know just the vibe in the tone like it has sauce as if it was like a 3D game like there's something about just the art style the I played with like the scan lines mode on right like you look at it and it's like wow this game looks good but also sounds good and there's like an echo and a vibe that is The particles when you explode something. Yeah, like the firecrackers like blowing up and shit. The sound design there was really fantastic.

And it totally breaks those those Metroidvania norms because you're because it is so unique, whenever you play a Metroidvania, you know, all right, when's my double jump coming? When's my air dash coming? When am I going to get this one ability that you see in every Metroidvania ever?

And this one does, kind of does that, but in a much different, different way that you would ever expect. Your character never powers up, right? Like, it's just all about the things that you get, right? In the way, like, the game, I also love games that, like, you kind of break them if you want to, right? Like, there are certain items that I got where I'm, where I get to a place and I'm so stuck. I am like, man, I cannot figure out how to get to, like, the next ledge or whatever. And the main reason is because I wasn't supposed to

get to the next ledge yet. I didn't have the right item, but through just sheer perseverance, I found a way to, like, use the item. I can't say it on the show because I don't want to spoil any of the item uses, but, like, there was one where I was, like, once I figured out how to get to that ledge without getting the right item for it. I just felt like God. I love game. The powering up is you understanding more and more of like what the items do and how they can be, uh, they can be utilized.

Uh, I just, I just like talking about this game. It almost made my list. It was very close to making my list. It got edged out by, uh, something else. But, uh, yeah, I thought this was a,

a great Metroidvania. Um, I wasn't as in love with it, uh, as you, Raj, but like, playing through it and like,

playing through it and like, playing, through it, I think, after y'all did, like, I could very much understand it of like, yeah, this is a fantastic time, and it's crazy that, like, was it one person that worked on this, or it was like a small-ish team at least? Yeah, one person, Billy Basso. Yeah, one person, Billy Basso,

made the entire engine, all the sound effects, everything in this game, I think it took like a decade to make this game. So yeah, it's incredible stuff, and there is this, I won't spoil the moment, there's one moment in this game that I think everyone that has played this understands there, where all of the knowledge of the game happens, and you have to

really be on it, and I'll never forget playing through that moment and going through and being like, okay, okay, shit, well, this thing's going to happen. Well, I got to make sure I know every single ledge here and I'm going through and I'm practicing and then you finally have that moment and you go through and it was like this big explosion

climax of the game. I was like, holy shit. This is really incredible and this is something I'm going to remember forever. This is one of the all-timers for me. Yeah, I'll just add and it did make my list because I didn't start playing it until the holiday, but this is goddamn perfect on the steam deck. Perfect. As he

perfect device to play this game. It's great. It reminds me of cocoon last year. Yeah. Yeah. It's a great one. We are halfway through the list. I want to get through a bunch of your super chats of some of your favorite games of the year. Jeff C. pops in saying entire stream's invalid because only Roger played Silent Hill too. Wow.

It's true. I started it. Docs the Fox says All-Star Indiana Jones in the Great Circle. We'll see if it makes the list. We have five spots remaining. Remember, ties can happen. So maybe more than games we'll be talked about. Abdiya says, I want to put in a vote for Nikki Goddess of Victory for Mobile Game of the Year, just saying.

Luke A.G. says, my game of the year would be Colt of the Lamb Unholy Alliance. Devonte's Aitchism says, my game in the year is Concord. R.P. Me too. Me too. It was number three on one. Then we talking back about Dragon Age. Nanopazo, ITA, says, spreading Dragon Age love, making a necromancer made the connection with Emerich. Emrick? Emmerich, Special. he was a big brother mentor to my rook and that felt incredible

and then Mr. Kyle says Lorelei in the Laser Eyes is my game of the year. Puzzle game set in a creepy mansion remedy-esque story amazing soundtrack, wild visuals it's one gig download. Wendy all play it. I think Kirk from the best way someone pitched it to me

is I think Kirk from GameSpot said it's like the best silent hill game that isn't a silent hill game. I haven't heard of any of that. I've heard the Remedy -esque thing. Oh shit. I'm playing this fucking game. It's really going to make you think of, it's going to be the make or break of like,

do you really like puzzle games? But everything else besides that is very that. Every single thing I hear about Lorela is like, oh, this is my kind of game. I booted it up twice now, though. And both times I'm like, not now. Not now. I have to be in the right state of mind for this game.

Yeah. Well, everybody, you can get the kind of funny membership on Patreon, YouTube, Apple Podcast, or Spotify. And that'll get you the show at, free but for everyone else here's some words from our sponsors kind of funny's game of the year twenty four is brought to you by invidia it's undeniable the twenty four was a great year for gaming and we saw a ton of innovation and honestly mind-blowing advancement in graphics our friends over at invidia g4s had a hand in that and we're not just looking back we are looking forward with them

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BetterHelp.com slash kind of funny. And we're back. Let's get to our number five. Number five. Eldon Ring, Shadow of the Earth Tree. God, look at Rilana. Just popping out back there. looking great

Andy Cortez Let's go Andy Cortez kick me off Let's talk about Shadow of the Earth tree Was it your number one? As long as that music's playing

I'm like Is there about me another time What this shit's going on? I think it was Yes it was my number one Wow Talk to me about it It just rocks man

Like you know They made a full ass video game That just took so much more of your time in frustration and gave you extra white hairs after these incredibly difficult boss fights. But there's just, there's such a feeling of discovery still while exploring this DLC. And these areas are massive and uncovering secrets from these random NPCs just sitting out in the middle of nowhere.

What's this dude's deal? I want to find out. And I, I don't know, there was just something still so special about this experience that somehow lived up to the expectations. After all of the years waiting and like, is there going to be a DLC? maybe it's not going to happen. And the fact that it did come out and they still were somehow able to

exceed any and all expectations, adding new weapons, adding new enemies, new incredible bosses, boss fights that could definitely rival any of the boss fights that you experienced in the core video game. I think Mesmer,

fighting Mesmer is still one of the coolest boss fights I'll ever experience in any from software video game. I freaking love this game. Had a great time. it played through it during the review period, played through it with so like Mike, co-op, and it's just like

it always delivered. It continued to deliver and I'm still like halfway through on another play through where I'm doing like a no-summon run. Incredibly fun. Yeah, everything they do was just gold. I had it as my number two because of everything

Andy said it was a fantastic experience. It was so much fun. I was blown away by the size and scope of the DLC. I really didn't think that they were going to put something out like that, I thought maybe three to five bosses we'd see, really smaller contained area. No, they went just like they did with Ellen Ring and they blew me away. I had so much fun sharing the experience with Andy.

I know a lot of you all know my list always is a lot of multiplayer games because I love video games with my friends and sharing the frustration, the fun, the late nights of yelling one more time, one more attempt. Face two boys. You know, different bosses. It was amazing, right? and, you know, the scattered trees or whatever the heck, the new mechanics that they added to level up and stuff like that

was a whole lot of fun. I will always remember Shadow of the Earth Trail. I'll remember the memories that we made. The fun bosses, just the laughter, the dying, the frustration. Really cool. I mean, the hippo boss, still one of my favorites to think about, that crazy purple guy on the horse, still one of my favorites to think about. The guy, the rhino.

I mean, it's like you could just go down the little, that crazy sunflower. I mean, oh my gosh. So much fun. And the soundtrack. Yes, exactly. Come on. And we almost missed Tim's wedding because of this.

You know, if we didn't beat that final boss, we weren't going to go to Tim's wedding. And that was a big deal. So face two boys for life. It was a lot of fun. Face two boys. Did shout with the urge to make anyone else's list. This was probably the toughest cut I had to make on. Oh.

Yeah. This was one of those ones where throughout the entire year, I thought it was a given. Like, as the year goes on, I keep an ongoing list of what I think my top ten is going to be. I think for the entire year, I had Shadow the Eritory on there. And in December, as I was looking at my list and I was like trying to figure out the final list, there were too many good games this year that was like, I couldn't bring myself to be like, ah, the DLC to Eldon Ring is going to push off some of these other games that I think really deserve to be on the list. And so like I made the really, really tough decision to not include it on the list. But still, even with that, right, like you got acknowledge how masterful this is as a DLC in the same way that we taught that I mentioned Hades. the fact that Hades II was able to uplift it in every way.

I feel like Shadow of the Earth Tree took so many of the elements of OG Eldon Ring and push that stuff further. The amount of verticality there is on the map is so impressive. The way that you'll enter a cave and enter out of like an entirely different area that looks so dynamically different. The Boss Fights are super cool, right? Like Shadow of the Earth Tree gave me more Eldon Ring in such a delightful way. But yeah, it was a tough thing of like more Eldon Ring, even though it's spectacular,

versus some of the other things that I really cared about that I wanted to be on my top 10. Yeah, I was in the same boat as you, Bless. It was very close to making my list. And it was just that same, like, this is probably the best shit that is now in Eldon Ring, in terms of level design, in terms of boss fights, in terms of music, in terms of, like, storytelling as well. I thought, like, they improved upon that a lot. It felt like you were actually in a lot of action story was happening, evolving with you

in the world, which I found very refreshing. compared to like the base game. But yeah, there's just so many other games I was like way more passionate about. And like the further we got away from Shadow of the Earth Tree, I was like, it's so hard, it's so hard to vote for it. Yeah.

Any final thoughts on Earth Tree? That's scary swamp. Awesome. Just in game. Tim. Tell me about fucking. Tell me about fucking Prince of Perkins. He made a stealth section in Elvenry.

It was crazy. In the game. Yeah. He's just, right. He's right. He's right. Exactly. He's totally right. I won't forget it. I am so happy the Prince of Persia lost crown

made the list. Did you think it was going to? I did not. I did not. It is my number one. I've talked about this a lot. This is, again, a very Tim Getty's year for video games. It was hard for me to choose a number one because when we have

games like Astrobot or Final Fantasy 7 rebirth that are just so my shit. But Prince of Persia lost crown stands out. And the reason is I grew up loving Prince of Persia. And I think that as a video game franchise, I don't know if I can think of another one that has

reinvented itself as much as Prince of Persia and I've loved every evolution that it's had. Like, thinking back to the original 2D games, some of the first video games I ever played at Kevin's house on his computer and just being blown away by like what it was and just the

thinking about a platformer that was more of a puzzle than it was like a Mario type experience and thinking about the combat in a way that was very difficult. It's like you would go up against the sorcerer and like I got my ass kicked. And it was one of the first times that a game beat me and I was like, oh, I need to get better to be able to play this. And I love that experience. Obviously the Sands of Time trilogy, that is my prince. That is the prince for me that I'm like that entire trilogy I loved. That was a game that I would wait every year. I'd pre-order it

and be at EB games like the moment it drops so I can get home and play through and I loved everything about it. For this game to be announced and it being a Metroidvania and to kind of be a little let down by that from the announcement because I was like, I want, I want the more a 3D game. I wanted to go back to the Sands trilogy or something like that to get this game and start playing through it and not vibe with it in the initial 30 minutes or so, but then the more I played it immediately being like, oh my God, this is blending everything I loved about the Sands of Time trilogy with that old school classic 2D platforming puzzle style with Metroidvania's and really pushing that, I think as far as a 2D Metroidvania can possibly go.

Earlier Andy was talking about, we know Metroidvania as you get the double jump or whatever. The fact that you don't get the double jump in this game until damn near the end of the game, I think just shows a confidence in them knowing we got the stuff. We have abilities in this game that are going to really, really, really blow your mind in terms of combat and traversal and combining those two things.

The style of this game is just through the freaking roof. I can't believe that as a character, Sargon is now my prince Like I look at it's like this is my favorite Character of the Prince of Persia and that's Unbelievable to me as somebody that has art prints of Sands of Time in my house Like I love this franchise But the boss fights in this game are just so

Fucking cool They every single one is unique Every single one uses the environment in ways In a 2D game that I've never seen done The closest is Ori and the Will the Whips and the Mind Forest as well But the creativity of a 2D boss fight in a Metroidvania is just taken to such a different level

and you're adding on these abilities that are straight out of Marvel versus Capcom hyper moves and everything. And it's just so much fun and the fact that the map just keeps going and growing and in ways that are so unique and you were saying this earlier, you love when the game feels smart.

The amount of decisions made here where I'm like, oh my God, they're doing this and they pull it off. It's so special. I'm going to think about this game forever. I think I'm going to replay this game many times throughout my life. Like Prince of Persia lost crown is very, very special. It is my number one.

Who else had it on their list? Because someone must have. So, Barrett, where did I have this on the list? She went to two? Four, number four. I know it was like three or four. But it's, I mean, echoing everything that you said in my personal, like, let me start this way.

It's crazy to think that game is about it was a year ago. It's been a year since that game came out. and it was kind of kicked off 2024 as the first big game of the year. And it stayed at, that was like my game of the year for a long time. I'm like, this is the game in year, it's a game to year, it's a game in a year. For everything that you said, because this is probably one of the best 2D Metrovanians I've ever played. I think the boss battles were fantastic. I think the traversal, the combat, the level design, the art style of what they were able to do.

And I'm not a big Prince of Persia guy. I don't have the love for it that you do, but I've learned to appreciate it. with lost crown. I just thought it was phenomenal. And if anything, I think it's probably underrated in 2024 because I don't think a lot of people got to experience it,

but I think anyone that did play it can appreciate everything that you said. We always see those, like, Twitter videos. Is it Sunni legend, right? They're just like popping off with like crazy action games. They're just like, look how cool this combat system can look if you're incredibly good. And you rarely see that for 2D games.

But Prince of Persia, even if you're not that good, games, it looks like your SUNY legend, playing a game. Like, it's just mixing the different abilities together, specifically some of the, like, the time-based ones. It's just like, it's just freaking cool. It's straight up some of the coolest fighting game combat in a 2D platformer with, you know, and I talked about this before, but when we went to Summer Game Fest and I was able to preview

were placed with, or not preview, but me and Paris were able to sit down and play replaced that sort of really cool noir, HD, 2.5B sort of looking game, I immediately had the muscle memory of Prince of Persia combat. And when I didn't have that, I was kind of dissatisfied. Because the combat in Prince of Persia plays as you kind of want it to feel, right? If you hold up and hit melee or hit the attack button, the end. enemy is going to get sent up into the ground. If you jump up, double jump into the air, knock them down, they're going to fly back down. And if you happen to use the ability where you put your clone self in the sky and then you hit

that button to rewind back to that clones, it's just so creative and with how deep it gets. This is number nine of my list. I beat it during the Christmas break as well and was so happy that I did. It honestly probably would have made the list had I not beaten it just because I was so impressed with everything I had experienced thus far, but the, uh, the boss fights being as creative as they are and having to utilize your full kit. And there was one boss fight where I was like, I don't know what to do with this attack. And I don't have the experience with it so far, because I haven't played this game in a while. And I YouTube, how the hell do you? And I was like,

oh my God, that is some of the most impressive smart stuff I've ever seen in a game. Now I got, now I get to use this kit and in this move that I kind of forgot existed. Um, Yeah, it's so good the way the traversal intermingles with the combat and knowing all those spots you get to go back towards to once you unlock that new ability. It's so good. And I just, I think I would have loved it a lot more had it gone more for, regardless of how hype the 2D sort of or the 3D sort of animation stuff is whenever you do a special ability and the camera zooms in and you have this like sick ass animation. regardless of how hype that is, I wish that the game had been a little bit more in terms of Hollow Night, the way it does its storytelling, where it's all very obtuse and you're kind of just having more of a singular experience with it. And I think that would have made everything else

shine more, but because it tried to be a bit more storytelling and like it tried to be a bit more modern in how it tells a story, and that made me kind of realize how much I don't care about a whole lot of these characters or these cut scenes that are happening. But everything else was just so damn good that I was like, how can I not put it in my top 10? It's so impressive. We have Kurt Shafe writing insane. Prince of Persia is my number one,

watching from the first phase of pilot training, sorry, watching from my first phase of pilot training for Canadian Air Force, but had to be here for the big show. Congrats. Be safe. Thank you for joining us. And then Joe Isher says,

Prince of Persia boss fights honestly felt like Smash Brothers to me at times. It has that good game, that good game feel slash combat. Yeah, in my review, I mentioned Smash Brothers a lot where this does so many of the, even just enemy encounters, feel like a good 1 v1 Final Destination, Smash Brothers fight, and I love that so much. If anyone liked Subspace Emissary in Smash Bros. Brawl, the single player mode, this is just, this game's just the best version of that possible. So play it.

God damn, and now I got to play it. I love Suspace Emissary. Got it. Next up. Number four. Number four, Belatro. Yeah. Who thinks they had Belatro highest on their list?

I got to check my list. I think I had it two? Go for it, Paris. I think I had it two. Yes, you did. Okay. So I started playing this over the holiday. I wasn't, I played it a little bit on Apple TV, and I knew it was really good.

But over the holiday, I was sick, and I loaded it up on the steam deck. This game is cocaine. I don't know any other way to say it. It is so addicting. It is truly a card game roguelike. How else do you explain it? Where, oh, you think, oh, I'm playing poker. But once you start getting into it and you understand the multipliers

and you got to get the jokers and get the celestial cards and the spectral cards and you get the different card decks that you need and the difficulty just ramps up and up and you've got to get the antis and you can keep it going, there's just so much here that you would think, oh, it's just a dumb card game. This is better than Gwent. It's better than Queen's Blood. Whoa. This, in my opinion, that's a crazy statement.

He's got the mic. He's got the four bearers. Stand it down. But in my opinion, this is the best card game that I've ever played because it's really not a card game. You're just using the cards as a way to get into this rogue like, and you have to be strategic about the different abilities, so to speak, that you're getting with all the Joker cards and then the multiplayer is that you may add to your standard

decks and as you get to the difficulties, do I want to have extra hands? Do I want to have extra discards? Do I want to have more slots, you know, for my celestial cards and things or the jokers? There's so many different variables that go into it. And I was playing last night after the bucks lost and I was saying. And I was like, oh man, this is going to be one hell of a run. I'm doing my thing. This is for you, Baker. Yes. And they threw a boss blind at me that just completely screwed up my strategy because I had loaded up on clubs or something like that. And then what do you think the boss blind was? All your clubs are debuffed. I was effed and then I lost and I was mad. Or there would be one where they would say all your face cards are face down. The hell. So you got to discard because you can't use them more. Or you put the gambling, the risk aspect into it. And you just risk it all and you'll play them and hopefully you'll get something out of that.

But it's those different variables that I swear if I would have played this earlier, it'd probably be number one for me. That's how much I like Bellatro. Bear, you might just tell me where I put this on my list. I think it might be number six. Yes, I believe that's right. Yeah, I'm like to jump off of Paris, right? Because I agree every single thing Paris said except for one part, right? I think the reason why Bellocro is special is because it is such a card game, right?

Like, it is, no fair for it. I think it's one of the best things done with a 52 deck of cards. And that is saying something, right? Like, think about all the 52 deck of card games we've played, right? Over the years, we've played go fish. We've played war. We play Egyptian rats for you. You play speed.

We play spoons. You play, like, there are so many things that have been done with a 52 deck of cards. And I think Bellatro might be the best. Like, that is fucking crazy. It is a game that I think, in the way that Solitaire came with every fucking Windows computer. This is a game that I wish, I hope somehow, I hope. hope they are able to talk to like the higher-ups, talk to Satya Nadella, I don't know who you need to find, but figure out how to get this game pre-installed into every computer.

Like, it is that good. It is nearly a perfect video game, right? And like, I think the thing that is special about card games is, like, you're working almost purely with systems. It's not mechanics. It's not like you press a button to punch. It's not like, you know, there's like a physical skill you have to apply. It is all based off of, what does this card say, what does this other thing say? How do I make these things interact to give me the best possible thing and the way that they're able to take those numbers, right? Take the king, the jack, the queen, and take the fucking like the hands of Joker and figure out how to spin that into something that feels limitless and feels so addicting and feels pretty

much pitch perfect for what cards are. Like it is something to be commended. It is incredible. Anyone else? I mean, I put this high on my list. It's got the click. You and it sings and it's the best feeling ever in a video game. You and I had it at both a number.

number five, Mike. Yeah. I really, really enjoyed Blacho. I loved every moment when I was absolutely ripping it apart and just tearing through a run or when I'd hit a wall and get absolutely destroyed and I'd have to restart and go, okay, how do I pick up the pieces? What do I want to try this time?

You have so many different ways of playing it. You don't always have to rely on the same trick that you had, the first run that you beat it. And so it is fun to experiment and try new things. I love the system of, hey, have you done this a thousand times? you can skip a couple blinds if you want to, but there's risk involved in that one. You don't have to play every single hand. And I think that's like Andy said with some rogue lights, right?

Like you sometimes just want the passive. Well, put me back to where I was, right? But there's risk involved in that because you're not as strong as you once were. But I love this game. This is a great one. But that again goes back to where I was talking about the strategy of it. Because like I was the play session I had last night, I was building my runs off of straights and flushes, right?

So I'm using the planetary cards to build up those type of, you know, type of poker hands. And then when they throw a boss blind at you, that completely nullifies that. I'm screwed. Yeah, they're like, they're reeling you in because they know they're like, oh, you're going to take this little line here and we're going to beat the shit out of it. But that's the beauty of because there's that risk of it. You never know at what point during the run where the strategy that you had is going to go sideways. And you have to try and have contingencies to prepare for that. yeah, I love Belladro.

Yeah, and to echo, yeah, this was my number five to echo what Blessings said. It's not just like have it pre-installed on every, like, PC. Have it pre-installed on everything, because that's what I have right now. It's on my Switch. It's on my Steam Deck. I'm, maybe not actual consoles, but it's like also on like my, my PC at my desk. And it is so addicting. It's on my phone as well.

And the, I think when I recently got into my. recent, like, addiction to it, because it comes in waves and cycles. I got really into it on my phone and, like, finally unlocked all of the different decks, finally, like, at least beat the, like, entry-level difficulty with all of the decks, and it's just so satisfying, like, once you get bored of, like, a certain flow with a certain deck, just change it up and see what those rules are or go up at difficulty and see, like, what those rules are. I just learned recently, like, the difficulty stuff had changed. Like, I think, uh, I think, um, you know, um, you. originally when the game had come out,

it was just like blinds were just higher, but there's different things now where they updated it sometime in the last six months, I think, where once you amp up the difficulty on a deck, it's like, okay, some jokers you buy are just rentals and they'll run out after like 10 hands or something like that. Or some jokers you buy, you have to stick with and you cannot sell for the rest of the game and all this stuff.

And just that level of how many different variables you can have. and then also being able to share runs with your friends of like share the little code of like I just tried this and I either failed or beat it I want to see if like my buddy can do the same or do better than me. I think it's just really fucking rad. And again, made by a dude who was like,

oh, this will be something nice to have on my resume and now this is just his life is fucking crazy. It's awesome. Thoughts a bear for using the Ben Star image. I think that's the one I never sent you in the list of images you requested. I requested a lot of video game images from you. Andy and let me tell you I had to make a lot of

my own. Oh really? And I'm not good at Photoshop ladies. You did great. You did great. All right. Oh, sorry. I was just going to say that this is the one that I didn't make my list. It was number of 10 originally and I thought about it and I was like I love Bellotro and had a great time at Belanchro.

I just don't think it ever really clicked with me, right? I never had that like full deep obsession that I know so many people that I introduced Belotro to ended up being like I have 147 hours. Like I never had that right. I had a great time it but yeah for some I would always get to that final blind and I'm just a skill issue never good enough never never never able to break through but yeah I had a great time with it and yeah

echo everything you guys say definitely one of the game of the years but not my top 10 so here we are the final three for kind of funny's game of the year 2024 hit me number three metaphor refunds whoa y'all fucked up man y'all suck man y'all suck I was watching the These ships fall and I'm like, metaphor is going straight to the top. Metaphor is going straight to the fucking top. You don't. You have a fucking fantastic video game right in front of you and you let it go down to number three. How dare you?

Go down in number three. Congratulations. Metaphor number three. I didn't have a spare 190 hours. I mean, you're like, y'all can be like a surprise. I'm fucking just glad it made the list, you know? Like we, Blessing and I, you know, obviously played it for revoke. you fell in love with it.

We've talked about this game to death. But for a long time, it was just blessing in myself. And yes, Tim, you were playing it a little bit. Greg, you had checked it out. Andy, you had checked it. I was proud of all of you. Mike, you played and, you played it.

You played the demo. I played the whole entire demo, and people never thought, and I'll tell you what, I had a great time. That's a big thumbs up from me. But I knew, like, none of that was going to be substantial. I knew none of that was really going to matter

in terms of game of the year voting. So the fact that it's on the list, and at number fucking three I was like hell yeah I'm so fucking happy about this because in past years it just wouldn't have made the list knowing who we are

and knowing the intention span of so many of us and you know turn base not being everybody's thing like I'm just I'm happy it's here I love it so much it is my game of the year you know there's something not cathartic but just something very you know emotional about playing a game about an election in an election year

and seeing the commentary that Studio Zero under Atlas had to talk about democracy, but then also their meta-commentary on art and why art matters to real life, and it's not just we play it for escapism, because art is about being a mirror to real-world problems and real-world politics, and the people who fucking complain about keep politics out of my video games, this game gave a big middle finger to you and we're like, games can be inherently political. Shut the fuck up.

We're going to sit you down and we're going to explain to you why. I fucking adore it. The combat system might not be the most new outside of persona and stuff, but I think it really amped up the strategy of what a persona can be because this studio is made up of a lot of people who used to work on persona. I'm just so happy with this game. I hope they continue with metaphor as a franchise. It fucking kicks ass. But here's the thing. It wouldn't have been nearly as high on this list

if one person hadn't voted for it. Roger, take it away. Metaphor Refantazio is my game of the year. Wow. You get the cheese. I think any... It was a toss-up, right? Between Animal Well and Metaphor,

I was going back and forth, but over the break, I got really, really deep into it, and it just blew my mind. I think that story is so special, right? I'm not necessarily, you want the cheeseback. I'm just going to put it on display for you. Oh, okay, thank you. The story just really brought this game up for me,

because even though I'm not a turn-based person necessarily, that's not even, even by the end of this game, I was like, I could take it or leave it when it comes to the combat. I had some things about it that I enjoyed, but the story is just so special, right? Having this main character that I just didn't really care about, oh, he's just kind of like a whatever character. just like a self-insert character.

And then by the ending of it, I'm like, oh, this is special, like what they are trying to convey. And it's so tough talking about this game, right? Because there's so many spoilers and there's so many ways that I can approach it. But the idea, the political side of it is really amazing, but the connection with idealism and, like, our thoughts and our beliefs and what we want out of this world meeting reality, right? And how those things can interact.

And specifically with fiction and just with trying to be better to the next person that you meet. It is such a beautiful thing, and I know that this group of characters are going to live with me for a very long time. This is my group of characters, right? Like, I see Holkenberg, I see someone mention, I just start smiling, right? When you're showing the gameplay for the B-roll during the Smilies, right? Like, I'm just, I'm getting emotional looking at these guys. I'm like, God, this is my crew.

Like, these are my people. Heismay is an incredible character. Basilio is an incredible character. Like, this is my crew, this is my world, and I hope that this gets a sequel. I hope that we can continue down this role. this rabbit hole because, man, I don't know if I will ever go back to Persona 5 because this was during, I did finish this game

like yesterday and like it was just like, it was still a lot of the last 10 hours of just like trying to beat it and like, I'm not good at the turn base game. You texted me on Saturday. I was like, uh-oh. Yeah, I know. First thing I heard you talking about today was complaining about it. Yeah, exactly. Five hours were miserable.

I got a text from Roger on Saturday and was like, I think I softlocked myself in this final boss fight. Yeah, because I'm so bad at the game. I'm so bad at the actual like turn base of it all that I was just like that last boss is so hard. But power through it and I still was tearing up, right? I was like, this is a special experience.

Power friendship? Yeah, power of friendship, honestly. Yeah, unbelievable, cannot believe that I even finished this game, started the game, finished it, and it's my number one. Just complete left turn. Power of friendship and power of collective action. God fucking. It's incredible.

I fucking love that game. Bless you. Yeah. And here's the other thing. We were the only three who voted for it, and this is the highest a game has ever been on our list with only three people voting. Oh, yeah. So again, I will take that win.

Yeah, this was my. number two, this is another one that was like, it was number one after I played it. And then I did have to sit with myself and look at this and Tekken and be like, 100 years from now, I mean, 100 years, let's say 30 years from now, looking back, like if I had to pick one game from 2024, that really made my year, that really stuck with me. I feel like Tech and 8 kind of edges it out.

And like, I think part of it is I played enough Atlas games now to like kind of be in the formula. Because as I hear Roger talking about it, it reminds me, I think the thing that delights me about Roger being like, this is my cast of characters right here, is that it brings you back to playing persona for Golden. back in like, I played it late, so 2016. All of us have our first Atlas group. Yeah, it's like mine, by the way.

It's the way where, you know, the first Mario cart you play usually ends up being your favorite Mario cart, right? Like the first persona, the first, I guess, Atlas game you play, I think, sticks with you in a different way. But even regardless of all that, right? You guys talk about the themes, guys talk about the stories and characters, right? All that stuff, fantastic. I'll talk about the combat.

I'll say it. Combat 10 out of 10. Fantastic. Fuck the haters, right? Fuck people who are like, oh, there's been job systems before. I don't give a fuck. Because, like, the way that it works, this game is so fucking good. I love the upgrade system. I love the archetype system. I love how

it interacts with the social systems in the game and with like, you know, the social links essentially, right? I think they call them followers in this game, right? Like how all of it loops together. It works like so many other previous Atlas games, but I think they've found this stuff. I think they've found a flow with it. I played persona 3 reload during break, which was kind of tough for my brain to readjust to you after like playing 60 hours of reload, hopping into metaphor, playing 100 hours of metaphor, hopping back into reload, right? But even going back, right?

Like, it's the thing of, oh, man, yeah, I really, really love the combat system and persona, but there's something about metaphor where I am locked in and I am strategizing in ways that I'm like, man, this is what it's about, right? Like, I did, there's like a final set of side quests that I think Barrett missed and I think Roger missed as well that I did

that like pushes it to like the nth degree. And the ways in which I, I had to adjust my thinking and go, all right, I'm really going to think about status effects. I'm really going to think about lowering defense and hiring my offense or whatever. Like the things that you do in JRP's, but also the things that I think oftentimes we look at and we're like, ah, fuck this shit. I'm going to attack. Right? Like that.

Those like end quest things before the final boss, I was like kind of had to admit, especially with how deep we were in and like in the review cycle period. I was like, I'm too stupid for this right now. I don't have that strategy level thinking. Growl in Pokemon, no, I'm tackling. I'm not using no fucking a stand attack.

Like, no, man. Mutzap, let's do this shit, right? But, yeah, like, the ways in which I'm really thinking about, like, oh, fuck,

all right, this thing that I'm fighting is doing an X, Y, Z thing. I really got to figure out the perfect, like, spending 30 minutes

in a menu before a fight being like, how do I figure out the perfect formula for this and it being so satisfying. Oh, so good. So, and also just all the things they've done to like improve on their on their stuff right the side quest the unique unique

going to unique locations for the side quests um how it feels like way more of a globe trotting journey right like when uh we're in the review period i remember barrett uh describing this game as like it feels like this generation's file fantasy seven and i'd say that fully knowing full well that rebirth came out this year and remake came out a few years ago but i also think there is such a strong context to it when you say that right like it is the feeling of adventure. It is the feeling of journey. It is the feeling of togetherness in a party. And that is, those are the things that you look for in RPGs, both Western RPGs and G-R-P-G-R-G-Gs. And this game captures it, like maybe some of the best that I've seen a game capture that specific element. So shout-out metaphor. And Louise is just, uh, Sephiroth, you know, just this generation,

just really ridiculously hot, uh, blondeish dude who, you know, just wants to see the world burn. It's crazy. Alicard. Suisse, Sephiroth. I'm not going to say more. That's a crazy three-side. Why did you just tell us your porn up church? Al-A-Qaeda.

I love that. All right. This is telling. Holy shit. Number two. Number two. Final Fantasy Seven.

What a song. Is it time? You pick the right song. She deserves it. Goosebunks. We're air with everybody. This is my crew.

You know what you mean? This is my crew that I've been hanging out with for decades at this point. Final Fantasy 7 rebirth, number three on my list. I had to do a lot of thinking about, I mean, come on, guys. Prince of Persia, Astrobot, hard times for your boy. That's fair. Hard times, meaning the best times ever. Nico.

That was the worst, but not bad by. No, my own best of the day, Astrobot is a better video game. It's in terms of quality. Final Fantasy 7 rebirth, I think that there are. are things that nitpicks that I have and not everything about it is utterly perfect but what is perfect and there's a lot of it is so my shit

the combat in this game is probably my favorite RPG combat ever I think that combines turn-based with action in such a great way. It took everything that remake did and just ups the ante. I feel like the different movesets of different characters in fact all the new characters in this adding Ufi who was also an integrated but into the core game of this

I think added so much, and I had so much fun switching my team out. And pretty much everyone but Kate Sith, I was like in love with their moves. What's wrong with me, Ladi? I mean, I like him as a character. It's not so much to play.

But yeah, I mean, this game, you just, it is cheating to have the songs and have the characters and have the story beats and all that. Yeah, we get it. But how it made me feel despite going into this, knowing everything and knowing

how they might take things and what they might do. The amount of times I've thought about the Scarlet boss fight Like the first game never gave a shit about that stuff But I think about that fight so much from a gameplay perspective Presentation perspective But character story moments like the way that Cloud dodges things That's all I'm gonna say. The way Cloud dodges things

That makes me feel shit Andy and it shouldn't but it does The sound effect of breaking You know going into like the stunts date. Everything about, like, this game was, I think, number two on my list, I'm pretty sure. And I just, I totally agree with you where I think it is my favorite, like, RPG combat. I can't get enough of this combat system, even though I still know such little things about it. Like, there's still so much that our chat had to help me out with when me and Mike are going through our Mako freak out and playing through the rest of that video game where there's still so many

little elements about it that I love how creative they get with it. I'll never forget taking on trying to unlock more summons. And one of the summons I wanted to unlock was Odin just because he looks sick as hell. And it's such a weird fail sort of a state thing where you can't unlock Odin unless you dodge enough of his attacks. Because if you get hit by enough of his attacks early on, he gets bored and hits you with the ultimate just end the fight move. And that's such a stupid thing, but I love it. Like, if you get hit by like three attacks, he's like, all right, you're not worth this. You're not worth this battle, so I'm just going to end it right now.

I love that. And unlocking the different summons adds so much more excitement to these fights, but also the the elemental switching up of things and kind of having a puzzle fight within a combat scenario. was just so cool and unique. The cast of characters, not only are where there are so many emotional, amazing character moments, but super hype over-the-top action things that just make you, like, you know, fist-pump in the air, to go along with just really awesome, like emotionally resonant moments and softer kind of scenarios where you're not expecting

to see emotion out of certain characters, and you do it, wow, like you start to kind of fall in love with everybody in this casting crew. I loved the journey I think that there's a lot of extra bloat that I didn't have a whole lot of fun with and even then I still have this game this high on my list because it was like that special

of an experience for me and got to spend it with Snowbike Mike and you know power friendship power friendship power friendship you know I feel like one of the big things that has to be talked about is the relationships and like

the dynamics between characters but obviously there's all the shipping and all the like you know that stuff And that is fun. And I feel like this game leans into it in such an amazing way, like even more than the original date of like the date scenario, right? Of like all of us, the conversations we had in this office about who we went on the date with and all that.

Like there was like real anger in like how some of it went. Like that's awesome. And that doesn't just happen. That is by design. But I think one of the relationships I love the most in this game and how it's presented is Ayrth and Tifa together as friends. Yes. Like every time you see them like high five or just like look at each other.

There's just so much loving care into making sure that these characters feel fleshed out, and they're not just like, oh, we know how they were, and we've built them up over these years or whatever. It's like, they feel like authentic people.

Like, it's very, very cool. Barrett, I saw you pop up. Yeah, I just wanted to echo the, the relationship stuff. And also the date were, I think, I got Barrett, which I was annoyed by. But then as that date goes on, I'm like, no, this actually kind of fucks.

And I feel like, to me at least, should be the canon version just because like, let's be honest Cloud can't get no bitches like let's be in like dude that dude sucks man, man, and he meets all the fuck that happened. I got the best one then

I got Tifa and like let me tell you I'm not like I'm not somebody who ships usually when it comes so like media I'm not somebody who's like oh these two people need to end up together you can tell how good blessing thinks his point is by how much he cocks his head yeah when he's about to spit fire everybody. Kick your feet up.

right now. It's just the things that I saw in that cut scene. It had me like fucking like fist balled up just at my desk like I can't believe they did it. I can't believe they did like

I can't believe I'm watching this cutscene right now. This shit means something to me man. This was my number three. I had this actually above Astrobat. Right. And this was one that I think would have been my number one

had maybe some different story choices been made right and had like I think I think this game is flawed but regardless of it like it still is masterful at the same time. It is one of those things where I struggle to find the best comparison to, I think, describe how grandiose this game feels as you play it. Like, it feels like it's special.

One of the things I mentioned earlier is, like, you know, the game bathes in its source material. The game does so much to uplift what it is and where it comes from and how much it knows people already love the source material that is working with. And as I'm playing it, the music, the presentation, like how they take their time and cut scenes between characters and how they, like, like really make every moment feel like something important. It feels like it feels like Disney. It feels like Star Wars. It feels like Lord of the Rings, having not seen Lord of Rings,

but it feels like something that is bigger than life as media. And like, you know, there is something about that that really stuck with me as I played through it and that like I couldn't let go of. And I think, you know, I say all that and, you know, I bring it back to even the open world design. And, you know,

what we talk about with Queen's Blood and how Queen's Blood isn't just a, it's not just a side. game. It's not just like a side card game. There is a quest that's involved that makes you care about things, right? There's, you can collect music and play things on the piano. There's like so much I love when open world games find things that are so unique as far as like discovery and like, you know, things that are like shit. I can't believe I'm doing this activity and it is like a regular thing and this loops back on itself, right? Like I just love how much goofiness

and like how much playfulness. I think playfulness is the what I'm looking for. Playfulness that playfulness there is in the open world. Yeah, I think this is a special one. And yeah, I think it fully deserves the number two slot here. You touched on something there. Once I did the source material thing and how much it bades in it. Like, I feel like they do the most with every single moment. And I think that that does add to the bloat and that does add to how big this is

and some people not loving every single bit about this. But I love that they treat the face off of Cloud and Sephiroth or the date of the T for whoever as big as they treat them going to the beach. You know what I mean? It's just like, it's so crazy, like how hard they go with every single choice and like that's special to the people that care.

Mike? Oh, no, I was going to piggyback off a blessing, say something dumb. But I put it at number 10 for me. I loved this game. I've never been a fan of the combat.

It just really hasn't clicked for me, but I'm in it for the story. I'm in it for the music, the characters, the journey. And somehow I have fallen in love with Final Fantasy because of this remake and rebirth.

So yeah, I loved every moment that we got to spare with me. finishing it up to we know who can't see this man who the hell is that number who the fuck is that cat? Who the fuck is that cat? It's a blast. It's a great game. Yeah this was another one that was a contender for me. I am known as

a remake hater slash doubter and rebirth I really liked. I'm actually a weirdo who likes rebirth more than remake but still recognizes that rebirth is a way messier game in terms of its open world and stuff and I did think about this game a lot. It didn't make my top 10 but yeah it's just like the

nostalgia of going across this world and going to Cosmo Canyon, learning about Red 13, all this stuff. It's like it did. It made me think a lot about it in terms of actually putting it on my top 10. The combat, I really clicked with in this one much more than I did in remake. And Ufi, shout out to, you know, Ufi being broken as hell and being fun as hell to play. But here's the thing is that, like, you know, this is the first year that we don't have. one Janet Garcia on the panel.

So I don't feel like there's enough shit talking. And so the reason it did make my list is like the last two hours of rebirth, like really just kind of soiled that entire experience for me, the more I got away from it. And just like it felt like a very coward's way out in terms of storytelling. I know there's a lot of plot things you could describe to me, but it was just, I think Jacob Geller from Minmax said it very well where so much of remake and rebirth is about the ending of rebirth. And when you fumble the ending of that, it's just like, oh, what are we doing here?

But, you know, I still love my experiences with, like, Queen's Blood and going out and doing, you know, the escorting dog side quest. Bow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Like, fucking awesome shit. Uh, I can hate it, but I can also love it. All right. We have a couple super chats for Falunfans. I want to talk about those before we get to our number one. Yeah, that pregnant pause.

I thought we were going to crown the king. Dean 8149 says, just saw the rebirth orchestra this weekend. What a soundtrack. Oh, my God. God, yes. Co-op 64 says Rebirth is my favorite game ever. Wow. The best cast with the best soundtrack in all of gaming on a globe-trotting adventure. This is Nick from Co-op-O-Ox4.

That was another thing I meant to mention. I forgot to mention is that, like, yeah, I think this is one of the best casts of characters all time, right? Like, it is this, the Meligerer franchise and the Modern God of War games for, like, the best cast ever in a video game. All right, y'all, it's time for Kind of Funnies. Game of the Year. And Kind of Funnies, Game of the Year is. No way. It had to be. It had to be.

I forgot about this one. Did it? I was holding my breath as we got up here. I mean, like, once I saw Metaphor go three, I sighed. I was like, all right, Astros got it. You know what I mean? Metaphor, I know came on strong with Rod Shear at the end. Obviously with Bear at the entire time, obviously, even with Bless.

But it's one of those that I think Astrobot reminds me a lot of Zelda from last year, where it was like, yeah, it's great. It's awesome. Whatever. But then you start looking for other things and talking about the other things and trying to shine lights on what personally resonated with you so much. And Astrobot just resonated so much with me. I'm so happy to see it, of course, for haters in the chat,

obviously because I'm a PlayStation fanboy and would only vote for that for Game of the Year. For everybody else, just because it's an immaculate game. Like, what a joy to play. And again, I am not the leaderboard. I am not the speed run. I am not the guy who wants to have himself kicked back down the mountain and work your way back up. But the challenges they did put in Astrobat, that final master level, right, where I'm going to start at 1130.

I'll be done it in bed by midnight. and it's 12.15 and I turned it off. I'm like, I got to go to bed, and I'm going to fucking go to bed, and I'm going to fucking shit up. And come back and do that and have that vibe and that feeling that rush to it. Like, so fucking good, let alone the fact that this, you know, me and Tim have talked about it off air and through text. Like, Astrobot is Ben's Super Mario Brothers.

Wow. Like, he sits there on my portal and plays Astrobot. When we're downstairs, he wants to, he's done playing Forza, and he's now done playing Sonic. He wants to play Astro. And to see him run and jump and he's got an Astrobot charm. on his backpack now that was on the Christmas tree that you guys brought back from Japan for him.

Like his connection to it as a child versus my connection to it as a gamer and everywhere in between and how good this game is. And again, to be a PlayStation person and like have seen this as, you know, a PlayStation VR game that was so siloed, windowed, if you knew you knew kind of thing. Then to get playroom, then to finally have the call answered in 2024 to get a, hey, we are doing a mascot platformer to actually have it come out and be as good as it is, especially with PlayStation, and

you know, their jump to live service, elimination of some smaller studios, moving away from what I think PlayStation is being weird, right? To come out here and have this and have, I didn't even even touch on the love of PlayStation for it, right? But the secrets, the nods, the things to run through. I mean, like, come on, Astrobots

just fucking perfection. You know, I'll add to this and say, it was my number one. It was my number one too, obviously. I'd been screaming it since September when it came out. I can't even remember the last time I was in the studio what it was for,

but it was right before AstroBlock came out for review. And we were all in here. Everybody just had a smile on their face. Everybody was just, excuse me, grinning from ear to ear about this game

about how much they loved it. And to me, look, I get it. It's a love letter to the Mario games. It's ripping off 3D Mario. We get all that. But it's executing it so well. It's just a fun-ass game to play.

Yeah. And there's the like you mentioned, the challenge levels as you get to the end game of it. Sure, it starts off easy and, you know, you got the cool uncharted levels and the God of War levels, but man, when you get to those challenge levels, they're going to have you cussing at 3 o'clock in the morning because I know

I was trying to play this game. But when you complete them, there was that sense of satisfaction as well. The production values of it was so good. The music of it was so good. It was just a great video game. And when I think about the industry, when I think about all the games

that have come out in the past few years, this was such a breath of fresh air to go, hey, let's just get a fun platformer that everybody can enjoy. And I would say that, like, you know, because you see all the discourse on social media. And I can always tell when someone hadn't played it.

Oh, it sucks. I don't know. Oh, you didn't play it. Because it's like everybody has played. Yeah. Everyone that's played it, and I mean played it to completion, they get it.

It's just a fun-ass game. It was the most fun that I had this year playing a video. game of the year. When we did Alana Pierce's Game of the Year thing where Greg and Bless and Tim were on, Janet was on there as well and she made a really, she made a point about how we just don't take 3D platformer series and we just get, like for some reason they just get put in a different category because they are lesser

than or preconceived as being lesser than. And I kind of compared it to 3D animated shows or it's like, oh, that's a movie for kids though, right? It's like, well, no, it's not. Like, it may, for some reason, we've just kind of collectively thought that this is not to be consumed by adults or to be taken seriously as adults. And I'm so glad that Ashtabat came out and just showed everybody that, yes, you can come out with a game like this and it will still bring a smile to anybody's face. And it's so hard to not just be completely joyful while playing this video game. I was just so impressed by all the secrets and any time uncovering a new thing, just couldn't help but smile.

Love this video. again. It's no secret. Like, I take 3D platformers very seriously. Like, they, I love them so much. I, whether they're good or bad, I still love them. And this just does it right. It does everything right. Like, I feel like they took it seriously. And they really were like, hey, let's make a game with Nintendo Magic, but have the tech of the PS5. And they showcase the tech of the PS5 so brilliantly. Like, the use of the dual sense adds to this game so much, the entire experience. And just having the sound design be as impeccable as it is. And the mics, all the stuff from the dual sets itself, it adds so much to me.

I said this on the Smiley's last week, but the octopus boss fight, the phases of that and just the way that it progresses, like, it's just thrilling. It is like, this is why I love video games, this fun, all of this coming together. Like, it makes me emotional thinking about that boss fight. And I always just like pointing that out because it's not really that special of a moment. It's just an example of the entire video game. But it gives you God of War 2018 and Ragnarok level of

set piece sort of like grandiose shit where cameras flying and Astros kind of flying and lands in a new spot and here you are for this next phase. It's so well done. Every time you're giving a new gimmick, right? Every time you're going to get large, you're going to get small you turn a metal ball here. It's like, oh man, like yeah, this is so much fun. Yeah, to build off a year point, Greg,

of just like, yeah, it's a great game, cool, fucking whatever. And like the more I got away from it, like the less I was thinking about it, and it almost didn't make my top 10, and it was originally Animal Well at my number 10, but then the Christmas level came out, and I played that Christmas level, and it was like, all of it came back and it was like, fuck, no, this game is so fucking good. I think the Christmas level was like an example of, like, what I would have wanted to see more from this game of actually, like, interweaving power-ups in within levels. I felt like there's a lot of

just like, uh, filtering of like, all right, you're doing kind of this one thing per level, maybe two, if I'm remembering correctly. But yeah, it's such a delight. And then all the collectible stuff, which, like, yes, like a big criticism of that is like, ah, it's an ad for PlayStation. And it's like, yeah, if that, if this was a PlayStation exact directive, I feel like that would have been the case. But you can really tell from this team that it was just them wanting to celebrate.

And maybe in their own way, again, you can never know of like what conversations there have of like trying to remind and shake the execs of being like hey remember how fucking great our history is like let's maybe bring some of this shit back and like let's have a whole like kind of uh segments talking about the love of studio japan that like our japan studio that they fizzled out and then mainly went into this team where you had two levels dedicated to shit that they specifically made with uh ape escape and then what was the other local roco local And once I got to the loco roco level, I was like, fuck, man, like they, they really care about this shit. Because if it was an exact PlayStation advertisement thing, those five special levels would have all been like, things that are getting remastered and you can buy on PC.

Yeah. And I mean, granted, we did have an horizon level, an uncharted level, a god of war level. But they like, they did what they could to like really showcase of like, hey, this is PlayStation's history, but a little bit of our personal history as well. And that very, very much got to me. I joke that Herman Holtz had everybody at gunpoint there. I was like, you better make a Horizon level. The loco-roco thing is one of my favorite moments. It's actually from Andy's stream.

Like, you didn't play loco roco, right? I mean, on a display at Best Buy, whenever I would go to Best Buy, one of those things. But watching you get to that level and immediately kind of just be like, oh, this is, you know, it's a PlayStation level, so what's it going to be? And it's this weird kind of thing. Seeing you, there's video footage of this,

you can watch on your YouTube channel of like you seeing the gimmick the smile on your face of just being like oh this is what we're doing this is what we're doing I think that is what this game's all about it's just that that magic and joy of like the wonder of this gameplay is making me happy and I thought I just so that moment was special like randomly tuning into your stream seeing that but like it was just awesome that definitely like the least known of the the PlayStation IP levels but even that for somebody that hasn't doesn't have that nostalgia for it, it's so hard. And becoming a believer in the dual sense, like as a control that I've never really cared for, the gimmicks on it, I've never cared for the haptic feedback and all the cool vibration stuff. It's never, ever moved the needle for me.

But whenever you walk up to the wall and you launch yourself up and you unzip the wall, that was one of the most satisfying feelings I've ever felt of feeling the vibration match up with every, dude, dude, It's so awesome. Feeling the like feet lasers break like glass underneath you? Unbelievable.

Unbelievable. And I want to acknowledge just like how big of a W this game is for Timosobi as a studio. Because, you know, we talk about, uh, or bear brought up like, you know, the corporate energy or like, you know, people may be feeling that way as far as like, oh man, this game is just marketing material for the entirety of PlayStation. PlayStation, as far as what it feels like to me personally, right? Like, I don't think PlayStation greenlights games like this like off the bat, right? You look, you trace back the history of Timosobi.

and it was like, all right, here's a thing and another thing. All right, here's a little demo in like the PlayStation VR compilation game. All right, I guess we'll make a VR thing. And like, you know, with each of their projects, they keep proving that like, oh, they got stuff. Like, super capable. There is something, they are super capable, but also I think they have a vision. It's like when you find a dime in the rough of like, oh, this is somebody that has a vision that has like an idea that has the stuff that like, you just need to give them the freedom to do it. Right?

Because it was, all right, now here's Astroa Rescue Mission for VR. all right now you can do a i guess like a launch pack in tech demo it's two hours long in the playstation all right here's a full game and they get game of the year for that the game awards right it's like yo y'all y'all should have been given them this like this should have been a thing but what about concord what about fair games what about and this other thing we think's gonna make us money hand over fist it should not have taken this long for astrobot to have come out 100% if you saw what team of so we had this game should have we should be on astrobot 3 by now yes we should so for the fact that like they finally got in here i think it's special and yeah like

I think this is a game that should be celebrated as loud as possible and like and not be taken lightly. Not be taken lightly and should be shown to like the PlayStation higherups and Sony people would be like yo like this is the one like y'all got something here. But I also think that this game is so good because they've been working on this character for so long. Sure. They understand Astrobots so deeply in a way that no one else does.

And yeah, my thing, I had a similar experience with Barrett, right, with my thing where I had it probably like number eight or whatever and then I played the holiday, the Christmas level. and I was like, oh, fuck, I was taken for granted just how amazing this game is. Like, I'm playing it and it's like, it feels like, it's almost like cheating because I feel like it's almost like a Disney ride, right?

Like, because you have like the controller doing all this amazing stuff. Like, I was waiting for Astrobot to spill water in my face or something, right? Like, it's an incredible, like, theme park experience. And you put it down and you're like, oh, this was great. And then you forget about it because you're so amazing, right? And then you come back to like, oh shit, like this is so special once you're removed from it. Yeah, just what a special experience?

And one of the special wants to like share with anybody and everybody, right? like you know you can give this to somebody that isn't that much of a gamer, right? Leanza loves video games, but she knows video games in a different way that I do. But, you know, as soon as I boot up the game, she's like, let me hold that controller. Let me play it. Let me actually get into it because it is, it is just such a beautiful and welcoming experience for everybody of every age group. So yeah, it's not just a children's game. And I'm in the same camp as Roger and Barrett as far as the Christmas level, like,

reminding me of, oh, man, no, this is special. And I do, I'm kind of with Barrett as far as like, I hope Astrobot 2 does have more levels like the Christmas level. if I'm getting into my 3D platformer brain and like my preference I guess as as 3D platformers I like the openness right like I prefer something that has a bit of exploration to it and solve puzzle solving a bit to it right

and like I think the what we got of Astrobot 1 is like special and like kind of perfectly designed right and I love it as like a linear thing but playing those Christmas, playing that Christmas level I think there's something there that I want to see them tap in more into and just like the amount of polish

like that's insane like it's what was it 70 people working on this game, something like that. Like, seven animators, every single thing is animated. Every single thing has a secret. Like, if you have any combination of ability, there's something there for you to explore and just, that is something that you don't really see many times in games like this. And on top of that, there's no options of performance mode or quality mode. It just works. It just works. It just works. But maybe let's update it with it. Let me spin the camera a little quicker. You know, let me get a little faster cameras spin in there.

Just fucking your ADHD for d brain. I'm trying to see in front of me You're not playing a first person shooter The field of you, 120 Let me crank some shit up I'm not even as for that, just simple camera spin, you know Kenneth Fox writes in and says As a reviewer Astrobot was the first 10 out of 10

score I gave with impeccable game and level Design, it was a clear game of the year for me. Congrats Astro Daughter says I back to back played Astro Astro Playroom into Astrobot and was one of the greatest one-to-punches of video game experiences that I've played since God of War saying all this with a really underwhelming enemy cast as well

like this is such a special experience and I don't even understand what the rhyme and reason was for any of these enemies and I didn't care it was just I mean I did care but it was like it was still so such an awesome thing I still stand by I still stand by yeah I think man astrobat to you like get this game a doctor robotic or a Bowser or like some iconic villain give these random bots like a mustache or something. You know what I mean?

Like, give that something weird to do. I need this slime UFO guy to be in the retirement home. Give him a mustache. Give him a mustache. And then Street Shadow says, Astrobot is my game of the year. It gave me the feeling that I had

riding home reading game manuals or when I opened my PS2 for the first time. It's unmatched. So where was it on everyone's list? I think it was my number four. Number two. Number one.

Yeah, I'd one. Number five. Number three. Number eight, I believe. Somebody said, Mike, it was your number seven. Number seven. Yeah.

Somebody in the comment said let Nebulax get to the level. That's his name, Nebulax. That's not real. He made that up. It's like the one thing where I'm like, man, yeah, y'all could have gone harder. Andy was your number eight, blesses your number three, and then Tim, number two, Mike, your, yeah, you're number seven. My number 10, Roger's number three. I don't think it was my number three.

Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Re-tabular. Oh, four. Okay. I was about to say. It's like metaphorging with ears. I'll get into the numbers in a second.

It's like last year when we got to the, when we did all of our solo rankings after the fact, and Paris was like, damn, I forgot to put Star Wars on the list. I was like, Paris,

come on. I need to do this. I will say, in terms of forgetting to put things on the list. Uh-oh. I really blanked on never. I messed up on that one. No!

Yeah, it deserved to be there, but I messed up on that. Speaking of all the individual's ones. In the chat, near Aoshi says, I need to know where Hell Divers 2 was on everybody's lists.

When are we talking about personalists? Throughout this week, we're going to be doing all of our top 10 game of the year list on Gamescast. So stay tuned. Throughout the week, we'll be getting through those different combinations of this panel is going to get together and talk about our individual lists. Maybe some of that changes depending on a Switch 2 reveal, we'll have to see. So, you know, you'll hear from us throughout the day. But the idea is by the end of this week, you'll know all of our personal topics. We're redoing this fucking episode because, Tim, you fucked me on Neva, Tim.

I did. Wednesday games castes at 4 p.m. 2 for something cool. Very, very cool stuff happening on Wednesday. But enough about the future. Let's talk about the now. Talk to you with the numbers. Roger McCorn, do you know what one of my favorite courses I took in college was? Is that same?

That's right. Statistics 101. Welcome, everybody, to your yearly statistics breakdown for Kind of funniest game of the year. First, we're going to break down the points of our top 10 list. then we're going to get into one honorable mention because obviously the rest of the week we're going to be talking about the overall personal list of a bunch of honorable mentions then we got some fun facts and all that good stuff

so for our top 10 list let's bring it back up here for number 10 Call of Duty black op 6 and Tekken 8 both of those came in at number 10 with 12 points which I think is the lowest amount of points a number 10 game has ever had.

So there's going to be kind of a story here of how split we were this year. At number nine, Dragon Age, the Vail Guard coming in with 13 points, and then eight, nine souls with 14 points. And then Hades 2 Early Access with 15 points. And then number six, Animal Well, with 17 points. It was real close for a long time.

All our places mattered. And as every year, Andy Cortez is always the last person to vote. But he voted on time this year. I will give him that credit. Honestly, I forgot it was that day. When Roger was like, Andy, you can figure out your top 10 yet? I was like, no, not yet, man.

And I looked at the count and I was like, ah, it's today. But compared to last year, he actually sent it in on time because I sent him to a due time and he gave it in five minutes before. Nice job. Yeah, so round of applause to Andy. There are so many different versions of this list. I think at one point, yeah, Tech and 8 wasn't on here.

like I said, like the only two games I did not guesimate possibly being on here were Tekken 8 and nine souls. And so it's funny with that intro video using the Tekken music. I had selected that music four months ago. And then it just so happened that Tekken 8 came in at number 10. So I was like, oh, this is perfect. Now I can just use this song to go right into Tech and Eight, which was fun. So yeah, very close with the bottom half of our list. Then we have number five with Prince of Persia, the Lost Crown, and Eldon Ring Shadow the Urtree, tying with 19 points of still very close to the rest of the list here. And now we start to see a little bit of a jump.

Four with Bellatro coming in with 26 points. Metaphor Refantazio coming in at number three with 29 points. Final Fantasy 7 rebirth coming in at number two with 34 points. And Astrobot coming in as our game of the year with 52 points. So not as of a commanding lead as, past years like God of War, uh, Ragnarok or Tears of the Kingdom, but a pretty sizable lead. And yes, as usual, not always, but as usual, it was the one game that was on everybody's list. And I was, I decided to do a little bit of an experiment once I saw these final results because

everybody, uh, you know, in our, uh, Reddit and YouTube comments are always like, oh, it's going to just be the one game that's on everybody's list. That's the only reason why these games win game of the year. And so I did compare Astrobot to a year like Ratchet and Clank ripped apart, where Ratchet and Clank also won a game of the year for 2021. That being another game that was on everybody's list. And there is a stark difference there. I took away points from both games that weren't on a person's list that was top three or higher. And if I took away Astrobot's points for list that it wasn't on the top three, it still would have won game. of the year. It still would have gotten like 37 points above Final Fantasy

7 rebirth were compared to Ratchet and Clank. If I took away the non-top three points of Ratchet and Clank, that would have been like number nine on our list. So, you know, different years and all that stuff, but AtroBot did still have a lot of the passion this year. So I just wanted to call that out. And then we've got our honorable mention up next. Obviously, we're going to be talking about so many games that we are personally passionate about for the rest of this week. This game that we're going to shout out

as the official honorable mention, we can also save for those conversations as well. Again, I just pre-made a lot of videos, so I wanted an excuse to play this video that I made like three months ago. For our official honorable mention, coming in at 11th place with 11 points, just one fucking point away

from getting onto our top 10 list. It was. Persona 3 Relo. Whoa! Let's fucking go Wow Let's fucking go I could tell by his inflection

That's what it was going to be Yeah fuck hell that receipt Let's go We did it We did it We did bear it The chat's been Killed me with that

Like do you Is this your first time Watching kind of funny content How many I'm the only person Who plays Hellminer Of course I didn't make the list Damn I should have to hire

Yeah it was It was very close There was a little bit of time Where it was on the top 10 And I just I knew It was like sitting right at 10 And I knew I was like It's not gonna hang

But you know I made that video like Months ago thinking it might have a chance of being our top 10. I just wanted an excuse to play that. So with that being our official honorable mention, let's get into some fun facts around this out.

Something that was fun. I know the Reddit has been doing their kind of funny community subreddit game of the year for the last two years, I believe, or a bunch of people vote. I think it's a similar voting system to ours. The top five of the kind of funny

subreddit game of the year was almost identical to the top five of our game of the year. They don't do ties, but their top five was Eldon Ring, four, Bellatro, three, metaphor, two Final Fantasy Seven Rebirth, and one Astrobot. So that was, I found that very funny

seeing those results all come together. So that was a fun, first fun fact for you there. Let's see, this year, we had a total of 45 games voted in, which is the most amount of games we've had voted in for a game of the year voting. Me and Mikey making a half it out there.

Well, let's talk about that for a second because I think a lot of people always assume every year that Mike Howard is going to have the most wild list, the least amount of games from his personal top 10, on the official top 10. And I think something that shows off 45 games being voted on, this was the most split year, right? We had five games on this top 10, top 12 list

that were only voted in by two people, which has never happened before for games. of the year. And I think that showcases like just how many different types of games that we were playing this year. Andy came in with the most of his personal games making the top 10 list. I believe eight of

his games from his personal list made it to this top 10. Congratulations. Trendsetter. Thank you. Jesus. She stands alone. And usually everybody assumes it's Mike Howard, but Mike Howard did actually talk

a bit today. The person who talked the least today because Mike Howard had five of his personal games on this year's top 10 list. It was Greg Miller with only two of his games coming in onto the... Holy shit. Greg is the cheese. But Kind of Funny

is so homogenous. They all have the same opinion on games. And I believe I believe that's all I have. So there you have it. That was this year's Statistics 101 for Kind of Funnies game of the year. Everybody. Great job, everybody.

Great job, Barry. Great job, Barry. Great job, Barry. great job Andy. Congratulations to Astrobots. Kind of Funnies. Game of the year for 2024. Like I was saying, the games cast this week will be our personal top 10 list getting into all of the games.

Some of them that we talked about today, but a whole bunch of them that we didn't get to talk about. Who's tomorrow? Tomorrow is going to be Greg Miller and Paris Lilly. Yeah, you got that right. It is. I can't wait.

Indiana Jones, you're fucking dead to us. I can't wait to talk about my number seven. Oh. Oh. I can't wait. Holy shit. And hey, the fun doesn't stop.

If you're on Twitch, stay where you are. If you're on YouTube, you need to make the jump to the new link where we're going to stream a little bit of Hyper Light Breaker. It's going to be awesome. Thank you so much for hanging out with us today. Of course,

this is kind of funny. You should subscribe to us, whether it's on YouTube, on Twitch, on podcast services, wherever you are. Please follow, like,

any of the positive things. And if you have Amazon Prime, you have Twitch Prime. It's true. Thing is on. Don't forget that if you have Amazon Prime, you have Twitch Prime. Love it all. Bye. That's good.

Great job.