Staying In

0:00 - Dan's going to be running a fantasy football league, and is hoping you'll take part! Prove him right by heading to fantasy.premierleague.com, nabbing an account, and entering 1089139-244175 as the code to get involved! 5:00 - Kris has gotten himself into a pickle with a christening card. No, we didn't think it was possible either. 13:35 - Should The Mind have won the Spieles des Jahres for 2018? Maybe! Sam certainly makes a good case for it. 22:17 - Yorkshire puddings and toffee sauce, the concept of “post-modern snacking”, and why you need to think like a child to truly appreciate genius. 28:15 - Look, yes, sure, we talk about Civilization V AGAIN in this episode, but it's a good game! Unless you're a complete beginner, which is one of the subjects around that title that we try and tackle. 37:30 - Another subject is how games can encourage you to learn through failure, and why that can work if done well, like in Cities: Skylines. Sam and Peter have been hard at work managing their citizens need

01:06 - We've not talked about it before, but Sam absolutely LOVES vinegar. So much so that he gives his chips a "double soak", which is about as eye-wateringly acidic as you think. 05:24 - What we HAVE talked about before is seasonal playlists for music, and it being Summer, we think Loffee is the perfect accompaniment to this time of year. 10:23 - Kris went to Dortmund and had a lovely time of it, but he discovered two shocking things. 1) that he actually does like beer (when it's accompanied by fruit and / or vodka), and 2) that you can swap out the sausage from “pigs in blankets” for an entirely unexpected ingredient and it's pretty hecking tasty. 16:05 - XCOM 2 is "probably my favourite game" says Sam, and it's got to partly be due to the fact you can name your characters. And on that note... 17:58 - Dan's been playing FTL: Faster Than Light and Sam's been playing Into the Breach, both of which are from Subset Games and in both of which you can re-name your characters (so that's an immediate thumbs

Take me down to time stamp city, where the times are stamped and it's not actually a city; 0:00 - We find out all about a very special carb-based de-stress routine and a very exciting (?) Bristol corner shop. 4:40 - It's back to the late 80s and early 90s for a spot of reminiscing on Seinfeld, as well as Peter's secret favourite subject, Gain Ground, on account of him currently playing SEGA Mega Drive Classics. There's also an explanation of how evolution works that probably has Darwin spinning in his grave. 20:35 - Yeah yeah, E3 2018 is long gone, but by jove Kris wants to talk about Spyro Trilogy Reignited as he's a huge fan of that purple dragon. We also decide that both the Resident Evil 2 Remake and the Final Fantasy VII Remake are poisoned chalices, and relate all this to Gus Van Sant's 1998 remake of Psycho, because we're fancy like that. 32:00 - More E3 chat here, focused on some god tier trolling by certain video game studios, and Dan's love of the look of The Last of Us Part II. We go into the

We're doing time stamps now? How F.A.N.C.Y. 0:00 - We kick things off with hot takes about pomegranate juice and other awful concoctions that only fools and children would make, like blackcurrant and milk, and apple juice with orange juice. There's also a combination that only Kris's brother would make, and you'll find out about that in this section too. 2:50  Then it's off to the UK Games Expo at Birmingham's NEC for “the best convention I've been to” according to Peter, and the first part of our report from the show floor. First up it was By Fire and Sword, a teeny tiny historical wargame that looked like amazingly complicated fun. 14:20 - Then it's on to Wreck & Ruin, a post-apocalytpic vehicle combat board game that is a) pleasantly surprising, b) very accessible, and c) looking for your money on Kickstarter right now. 17:30 - There's a quick excursion by Kris to Lumino City, which pretty quickly gets wrapped up in a conversation about... 20:38 - … Pokémon Quest on Nintendo Switch, and the subj

  Everyone remembers Kuri Kuri Mix, right? Sure you do! Just as well, as we'll refer to it when talking about A Way Out, the latest game from those folks at Hazelight Studios. And on the subject of making a getaway, we've also been playing various entries in the Exit: The Game series, which are essentially tabletop game escape rooms. Elsewhere there's a whole bunch on the Games Media Brit List Awards, which we went along to and where we had a lovely time. A big Staying In Pat On The Back to our pal Adam Rosser from BBC Radio 5 live for his win in the podcast and radio category, and congratulations too to our Kris for managing to eat an entire pizza during the event. We continue to get to grip with our thoughts on Magic: The Gathering Arena, partly in relation to the latest set of Dominaria cards, but also in relation to indestructible horses. And then there's Deadpool 2, an excellent film that you should definitely turn up late to. All this, plus a full ten minutes of discussion about rocks, with Dan (@Th

Kerby is a great street game to play after dark, we all know that. That's obvious. Bushido from GCT Studios is pretty strong too it turns out, as is that God of War jam from Santa Monica Studios. The latest performance of Macbeth by the RSC? That's good too. And so are Anthony Horowitz's The Magpie Murders, Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem, and Frank Herbert's Dune. All the things mentioned? They're all just smashing. But you know what's the best? The absolute BEST? The fact that we managed to get a handful of decent coffee-based dinosaur names thought of within the space of about an hour. Honestly, it's the greatest. So join Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner) for a grand old chat about nice things, plus puns. Something else that's good: transparency. So on this point, we do occasionally use Amazon affiliate links in these descriptions where we think it makes sense. You can find out all about what they are and what they do, right here. And h

Oh good lord, where to begin? You should know straight off the bat that there are huge Avengers: Infinity War spoilers in the last 30 minutes of this episode - which happens to be our longest ever episode! But don't worry, we give you plenty of advance warning before they hit. Seriously though, don't listen to that section if you haven't seen the film yet. Also the language used in this episode is pretty blue at times, as the last few weeks have been... hectic, to say the least. We're experimenting with bleeping the worst of that stuff out from now on, and you'll hear why. What have we been doing? Well, apart from watching Marvel's MCU crossover spectacular and engaging in The Great Cineworld Grift, we've also been on holiday to Salzburg, Vienna, and Budapest, and we'll tell you a bit about what we got up to there. The beta for Magic: The Gathering Arena is currently in-progress and we've netted ourselves access to it, so we've been diving back into the world of slinging spells and walking on planes jus

We do our best to not be absolutely insufferable about our Games Media Brit List nomination in this podcast. Are we successful? Probably not. What else? Oh yes! We've been playing The Battle of Polytopia's multiplayer for months now - since the beta even - and we're ready to talk about how this update adds to our impressions of the single player offering. Be prepared for INTENSE DISCOURSE. On a similar note, there's a load in here about our recent experiences with Civilization V. Things like “how it's a great tool for telling stories with gameplay” and “why we now don't much care for the Aztec people”. We also talk about the perfect games to take with us on an upcoming holiday where we (affectionately) throw Rahdo under the bus, plus why Alex Garland's recent work - Annihilation - should have had a cinema release. All this, plus far too much food thanks to Easter in Slovakia, and using sayings that don't actually exist, with your pals Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner)

Up for some hot new video games action? Well tough, because we're talking about why the shooting in Titanfall 2 is so gosh darn good. Sorry to pull a fast one on you like that. We cool? Cool. There's also Assassin's Creed Origins talk too, that's kind of new, right? Regardless, it's providing us some excellent opportunities to wander around Egypt and partake in a little digital tourism, a thing we're also up to with the astonishing Yakuza 0. We were lucky enough to be joined by Dave Ryan from Link to the Cast on this episode, and he brought a wealth of knowledge and insight into the topics we covered, including how history is portrayed in games versus how history is taught in schools, plus the indie game development scene in Ireland, and specifically a great-sounding point and click adventure called The Darkside Detective from Spooky Doorway. Then there's a big old chunk of Ready Player One discourse about the book and film and how we're hoping its numerous references to all sorts of stuff in geek cultur

Games, games, and even more games: that's the general theme of this episode. There's a big discussion about Cosmic Encounter and why you probably need to play it twice to really start appreciating its galactic strategy. And when we're not ruling the universe, we're mucking about on a boat in one of our favourite RPGs: Ten Candles from Cavalry Games. We also hook up to PlayLink on the PlayStation 4, checking out Hidden Agenda from Supermassive Games in the process, which is a tense game of deception and mystery where you use your mobile phone, via the console, to choose the outcome of a scene and shape the narrative as it progresses. Plus snow. Plus Babycham. Plus exercise. It's a whopper. Sound good? Great! Check in with Sam (@MrSamTurner), Dan (@ThisDanFrost), and Kris (@DigitalStrider), all recording together, with Poppy watching on, supervising. Thanks for downloading the podcast. If you'd like to do us a big favour, we'd love it if you left us a review. Also, hey, you know those Amazon affiliate li

How did Kris's mum accidentally get involved in the Copenhagen drug scene? Could Sam figure out who "not the guy with the bolts" was? Which one of them manages to casually drop the phrase "Chekhov's Gun" into a conversation? If you'd like to know the answer to these questions, give this episode a listen. And there's some other stuff too... Like why one of us is absolutely head-over-heels in love with Hunt for the Ring from Ares Games, and how that lovely little Lord of the Rings-based board game compares with the much darker Whitehall Mystery from Fantasy Flight. And how Monikers is a great little party game. And how Dixit is ALSO a great little party game. And how Dixit might just have the edge on Monikers. Then strap in for a good long discussion on Marvel's Black Panther and why it's funny, progressive, and extraordinary. All that and more on episode 50, with Sam (@MrSamTurner) and Kris (@DigitalStrider) and occasionally Poppy, having a lovely little bit of nerd chat. Oh and since you're the bes

Should 30 year old men be allowed to say “sick” and “dope”? By the end of this podcast the lads will have convinced you that no, no they absolutely should not. But light DIY tasks and watching Hey Duggee? Oh yes, that's very much more in our wheelhouse. There's a fair bit of LEGO in this episode too. Not only is there a contender for the worst LEGO sets ever created - Final Duel II - but there's also our very divided opinions on The LEGO Batman Movie. Then it's off to the concert hall we go, discussing Dear Esther Live, Vivaldi, Beethoven, and whether you need to listen to a 30 hour lecture series - like the one by Dr. Robert Greenberg that Peter listened to - before entering the auditorium. And it's off into Victoriana-themed space with Sunless Skies, the excellent follow up to Sunless Seas, that is currently in Early Access on Steam. It's not sold as well as the last game for some reason, which is baffling, considering you get to fly about among the stars in a steam-punk train rocket! All that and mor

✓ Board Games ✓ Video Games ✓ Good Books ✓ Invasive Medical Procedures It's another textbook episode of Staying In. There's chat about a new fitness thing they're all doing (well... almost all of them), a couple of minutes where they gush about My Brother, My Brother and Me, and a couple more minutes after that where they basically just rip off My Brother, My Brother and Me's whole thing. Plus thoughts on Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust (and why it's better than Harry Potter), a big heap of bleh as we discuss the disappointing Metal Gear Survive beta, and why some very meaty games are on the horizon for us as a group, including Cosmic Encounter from Fantasy Flight, Hidden Agenda from Supermassive Games, and Ten Candles from Cavalry Games. So pop the kettle on, make yourself a brew, and settle in for another serving of the podcast where a group of pals talk about the geek stuff they love and the ***** that have been up their *****, with Sam (@MrSamTurner), Dan (@ThisDanFrost), and Kris (@DigitalStrider)

It's 2018 and we're talking about Noel's House Party A WHOLE LOT. That show was great and the board game is... well you'll find out when you listen to the podcast... cheers, Robin. We also get to grips with the Nintendo Switch, Overcooked, Snipperclips, and think about why non-gamers might find it difficult to get into video games. Being the avant-garde gamers that we are, we then go on to talk about Fortnite and how we're using our winning "hunkering" tactic (hiding in corners), and taking flight in musical exploration game InnerSpace (which is NOT the 1987 fantasy sci-fi flick). All this, plus puffins, Porgs, and why we don't get invited to the cinema anymore, with Sam (@MrSamTurner), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Kris (@DigitalStrider). Oh by the way, if you're not subscribed to us on the platform you're listening to us on right now then we'd really love it if you did. We're available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Mixcloud, Stitcher and basically everything else too, and we're always thankful when you lea

Pretty sure this episode is a good candidate for the "Most Gaming Chat on a Podcast" award which I just made up just then. There's Stardew Valley's farming loveliness, the chilly magic of Winter's Day in Guild Wars 2, and the serenity of painting Bushido wargaming miniatures. Then there's some very even-handed loot box chat, why PlayStation VR might just be better than Vive VR, and building and running dungeons in Boss Monster, Dungeons 3, and Dungeon Keeper. All that, plus New Year's resolutions and more discussion about milk than you'll know what to do with, from Alix (@EruditeWolf), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Greg (@GregGiddens). As noted at the end of the podcast (and in that paragraph you just read) we're joined by special guest Greg Giddens, who can be found writing at ThisIsXbox.com, plus doing all sorts of other fancy things with words, video, and audio over on GregGiddens.com. As always, a big thanks to you for downloading the podcast! If you're not already doing so then do please subscribe to

Alright, straight up, if this is the first time listening to the podcast, maybe go back and listen to another one instead, as this is a slight departure from our usual brand of talking about stuff what we like. Because this is our Christmas special and, as usual, we're doing our Secret Santa and waxing lyrical about this time of year. We discuss how we might fare at being three wise men, talk Christmas routines, weigh in on bread sauce, share presents, and reveal the greatest Christmas movie ever made (probably). All that, plus the reason why aeroplanes are not powered by farts, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). OH YEAH and this is the part where we usually ask you to review us or visit some profile we've set up somewhere or whatever, but instead of that rot we're just going to wish you a fantastic Christmas. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, then whatever you're up to instead, we simply hope you have a great time and a wonderful end to

How do you do, fellow kids? Have you checked out Rhino Hero: Super Battle yet? Well we have and we think it’s lovely, and we tell you all about it on the latest episode. The equally lovely medieval city builder and tile-placing euro game Kingdomino gets a look-in too. If you’re after something equally breezy, then there’s also a discussion on why the cultural statements that Watch Dogs 2 attempts to make are at odds with its core gameplay, leading to a curious and jarring ludonarrative dissonance that rings false. We use the term "commedia dell'arte" at one point too, because we’re fancy like that. There’s a quick chat about why new comedy The Good Place is Michael Schur, Kristen Bell, and Ted Danson at their finest, why one of us has decided to run Twilight Imperium soon, and why Red Dessert Topping and severe eye wounds don’t really mix in darkly comic pen and paper roleplaying game Paranoia. And alright, look, it’s December, okay? I think it’s fine for us to start talking about our upcoming Secret San

Thor and Hulk and Waititi, Batman and Snyder and Capullo - some combinations just work better than others, and we talk about them at length in this episode. Because first up there's what we thought of Thor: Ragnarok (spoilers: we liked it a whole bunch), then a little bit of Goddess of Thunder chat, plus a whole bunch of spoiler-filled splurge on DC's Dark Nights: Metal comics. Also one of us is going to see Above & Beyond, which immediately spawns a chat about illegal substances FOR SOME REASON, and one of us has been saving spiders and hanging out on a porch roof. And talking about animals, what do you think they dream about? And what do you dream about? And do you remember Shadow Man? And who is Gabriel Logan? And will we answer all these questions in the space of about, oh, ten minutes? Yes. We will. All of this and more performed in front of a live studio audience of exactly one house rabbit, with Alix (@EruditeWolf), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Sam (@MrSamTurner), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and the s

If you're a fan of turn-based strategy then boy howdy are you in the right place. Because there's all kinds of tactics-based chat throughout, taking in Darkest Dungeon and the Crimson Court DLC, digital miniatures title Warbands: Bushido, and genre flagship XCOM 2. That's a lot of strategy gaming. We also delve into The Polybius Conspiracy, a creepy new podcast from Radiotopia that explores a video game that never existed... OR DID IT? There's also even more golf (it's the new Witcher 3!), scuba diving, planning a wedding, and some very serious pretending to be a nun on the run. Plus one of us exposed themselves to a bunch of strangers. Find out who as Alix (@EruditeWolf), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner) talk about nerd stuff for an hour and a bit. And like always, we could really do with your help spreading the word about the show. There are two ways you can do this: a) tell the next person you see about the show, and b) review our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you're

Bread. You love it. We love it. Some of us have been baking it. In Episode 41 you'll find out who the master bakers are and who puts the "ass" in "fougasse". If bread isn't your thing, maybe hard sci-fi is? If so, there's a breakdown of The Expanse and why the Netflix show is basically Babylon 5 for the noughties. Oddworld: Soulstorm is a big topic too, on account of our special guest knowing a thing or two about the upcoming game. It's sounding absolutely fascinating, especially for long-time fans of the series. We also talk about launching video games in today's market, which might be of interest, but if it's not don't worry, because pretty soon we also get on to talking about the fake obituary for Sean Connery one of us had to put together, plus whether or not a baby actually knows the difference between Shrek 1 and Shrek 2. And yes okay there's more golf chat in this episode and, spoilers, there's probably going to be some golf chat in the next episode too, but this time it's a three-way battle betw