Girl Mode

This week, we remember the halcyon days of when we cared about Final Fantasy 14, experience what it’s like to watch a gaming awards show that doesn’t make you want to claw your own eyes out, and discover that every once in a while a lesbian with a sword isn’t enough to make your game good.Timestamps:(00:15) It’s all great over here(01:45) Remember when we cared about Final Fantasy 14?(07:40) The IGF Awards(21:15) No Games for Genocide(24:55) 1348 Ex Voto(56:10) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. getting a camera, Dragon's Dogma Online)  Mentioned this week:FFXIV Live LetterIGF AwardsIndie deckbuilder All Will Rise's dev joins No Games For Genocide boycott and plans to hand back funding it received from MicrosoftSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just because we haven't played Resident Evil: Requiem doesn't mean we can' talk about the discourse surrounding it and the franchise's odd position of rewriting vs reckoning with its past. Also: Silksong and Willa educating Robin on the Tom Cruise cake.Timestamps:(00:26) Daylight saving time kicks our ass (and then a weird rabbit hole of tangents)(05:56) Resident Evil… Requiem… discourse (lightest of spoilers throughout)(38:09) Resident Evil 2 Remake(45:35) Robin finally likes Silksong(56:10) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. getting a camera, Dragon's Dogma Online)  Mentioned this week:Kimimi The Game-Eating She-Monster on Resident Evil: Requiem Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk about Marathon and the state of live-service titles in this one, and we could not have predicted Highguard would announce its shutdown between recording and release. Then it's to the Spencer Mansion for Willa and to Next Fest for Robin.Timestamps:(00:18) Resident… Evil?(01:24) Marathon(15:14) Resident… Evil!(25:40) Robin's selected Next Fest picks(36:07) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Bridgerton season 4, putting yourself out there and making friends)(37:00) Bridgerton spoilers start(38:35) Bridgerton spoilers endMentioned this week:Kaile Hultner on Marathon SNL Iran cold openDotzip on Next FestSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, everything is bad in the world of AAA, and not just for the usual reasons. After running through the latest disasters at PlayStation and the sinking ship that is Xbox, Willa once again puts on clown makeup to await the next game from Yoko Taro, and Robin takes solace in games that are just okay.Timestamps:(00:30) The Olympics, etc.(08:50) Finally some gaming talk (it’s all bad)(17:15) RIP Bluepoint(30:10) A bunch of Yoko Taro news(44:10) Robin self-medicating with 7/10 games(57:33) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Love Story, A Year of Springs)Mentioned this week:The biggest gaming series are going indiePhil Spencer Retiring, etc.Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we do a quick Olympic check-in before running through the State of Play and its many (un)interesting announcements. Robin and Willa do, however, come up with a groundbreaking idea to fix 007. Then it's a pair of games, one new and one old.Timestamps:(00:38) More olympic talk(03:25) State of the State of Play(34:20) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Love Eternal , Verho - Curse of Faces)Mentioned this week:Willa's Love Eternal reviewSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we talk almost as much about the Olympics as we do about video games. Timestamps:(00:35) Video games? More like Winter Games(16:20) Nintendo Direct happened this week(25:45) Close enough. Welcome back, Dauntless.(28:40) More Bioshock talk somehow(35:00) Elden Ring with Seamless Co-op rips(37:55) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. The Starving Saints, Nothing)(45:10) Olympics talk repriseMentioned this week:Harvestella Review: Sometimes the best gourmet meals are the simplest dishesGore Verbinski's BioShock Movie Would Have Somehow Included Both of the Game's EndingsThe Korrasami fic Willa likesThe Aerti fic Robin likesSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Somehow Willa and Robin eventually get through the many detours of this episode (hand injuries, bisexual Zohran, etc.) to talk about some games. There is a report on Zoe saving the galaxy and heading to Rapture as well as Robin going up in Valkyrie Saga and Cairn. Timestamps:(00:11) Willa’s housewife injury(03:06) Cursed blades RANKED(04:06) Talking about not talking about critical discourse (06:21) More detours, this time about Zohran Mamdani(07:26) Mass Effect and BioShock in 2026(27:37) Valkyrie Saga and Cairn(46:10) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Recovery of an MMO Junkie , Journal with Witch)Mentioned this week:The Toxic Positivity Problem by Critical ErrorIf You Ask Nicely by Autumn WrightSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After taking a break for the longest week in human history (and the customary annual lay-off of one of our hosts), we’re back to talk about two interesting games: one we like and one we don’t. How novel. Timestamps:(00:10) The Gay Bachelor, etc.(04:50) TR-49 (mechanical and light story spoilers start)(23:30) TR-49 story spoilers start for real(26:30) TR-49 story spoilers start for real for real(40:05) Perfect Tides: Station to Station(50:50) Spoiler for a very fun moment in Station to Station(53:20) Spoilers end(56:25) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Dolls Nest, Love Through a Prism)Mentioned this week:Meredith Gran on Post GamesMeredith Gran AMAWilla on TR-49 and Perfect Tides: Station to StationSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's prediction time! First we tally up the scores from 2025 to see who the winner of an undecided prize is. Then it's into the future as Robin, Willa, and Zoe (via Willa reading her notes because we won't let her back on the pod) tell you what 2026 will hold for gaming with 100% accuracy.Timestamps:(00:35) Robin's dogs, the Pitt, and some Mets talk(03:43) Our 2025 predictions, which did not go as well as we hoped(12:47) Making 2026 predictions that will absolutely come true(26:39) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Hyperbeat, The Expanse)Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To ease into the new year Robin and Willa took it easy and are basically giving you the audio version of those lists every outlet puts out in January. We also talk about Zoe's exploits in Mass Effect and Robin's exploits in getting one over on her landlord.Timestamps:(00:12) It's raining cats and possibly ceiling debris(1:22) A lot of 2026 games getting namedropped(37:00) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. the Mass Effect Trilogy, letting Zoe cut your hair, The Twilight Zone, and violating your lease )Mentioned this week:dotzip on Perfect TidesDying MMO jam Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the Girlies! You know the drill. If you don’t, just listen and you’ll get it. It’s like an awards show but better.Thanks for listening this year!You can find a whole list of winners (with a couple of visual aids) here.Timestamps:(00:15) The Girlies!(51:30) Spoilers for Carimara and Old Skies(54:25) Spoilers end(1:22:00) Spoilers for Carimara and Silent Hill f(1:24:20) Spoilers end(1:37:25) GOTY discussion(1:43:30) Thematic spoilers for our pick(1:48:30) Major story spoilers for our pickMentioned this week:Neil Newbon being correct about generative AIJennifer English being incredible at the Golden JoysticksAdditional music this episode:Take me out to the ball game from Trombone ChampBaby Steps background musicEra Calling from Angeline EraNina Pasadena from Skin Deep I’m A Bitch, My Name’s Robert from DispatchI Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes then Drown You to Death) from Hades 2 Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the annual Girl Mode Game Exchange, the episode where we force each other to play one of our favorite games of the year, under penalty of death. This year, we chose Wanderstop and Baby Steps, two games about the struggle to find self-worth that take two very different paths to get there. Only one is obsessed with making you look at donkey dicks, for instance. This year, we were both pretty surprised by our reactions to our games and we didn’t even get furious with each other once, which I think is a first for one of these episodes!!Spoilers for all of Wanderstop and Baby Steps!Timestamps:(00:10) The Great Girl Mode Game Exchange, aka, what we’re doing this week(03:00) Wanderstop(1:06:00) Excerpt from “The Everything” by C418 on the Wanderstop OST(1:06:30) Baby Steps(2:19:30)  What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. a very fucked up situation at Critical Reflex, letting Zoe cut your hair, Pluribus)Mentioned this week:Robin’s Wanderstop reviewNicole Carpenter’s Wanderstop reviewGio Colantonio’s Baby Steps reviewWalter Chaw on Avatar (I can’t remember if our mention of this made the final cut but it’s too late to go back and check and it’s really good either way)I worked at the creepiest publisher in indie games (CRITICAL REFLEX)Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Willa and Robin run through all the announcements at The Game Awards, including: Tomb Raider for the straights, DILF Leon, and Control with a man. Boooooo. Also, more Old Skies talk because it's just that good!Timestamps:(00:12) Zoe probably wants to stab Willa (medically)(02:05)  A lot of time spent on Game Awards reveals  (45:00) Less time on Day of the Devs and Wholesome Snack(51:10) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Cheese Ball, Octopath Traveler 0, Old Skies)Mentioned this week:Everything announced at The Game AwardsEverything announced at Day of the DevsEverything announced at Wholesome SnackSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For what ended up being a shorter episode this week, Willa has returned to the land of chocobos and Robin has returned to the land of evil chocobos. Plus, skateboards, mechs, catgirl card games, and famous dead men.Timestamps:(00:15) Shoutout to Finland(01:45) Why are we not playing Final Fantasy 11 right now?(08:20) Skate Story(12:30) Outward 2: A game that hates you(18:40) Detective Instinct colon Farewell comma My Beloved(22:20) Mirage Miracle Quest and Queen’s Domain demos(25:50) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Tom Stoppard, Phantom Brigade)Mentioned this week:Sharon Begley on James WatsonSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsFinal Fantasy 11 chocobo sound effect from Sound FX CenterThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are talking gays in space (Metroid Prime 4) and gays in time (more Old Skies) and then Willa and Robin pick what games to exchange for the end of year season because the Girlies will be here before you know it!Timestamps:(02:00) Too much talk about Willa's Thanksgiving movie watching(07:10) Metroid Prime 4(31:04) HORSES not "Horses"(38:16) More Old Skies (also briefly Birdcage and Possessors)(49:14) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. The Matrix, Letters From Liselotte, Wicked and other Oz related media)(55:00) End of year housekeepingMentioned this week:Robin's Metroid Prime 4 reviewRobin on HORSESLetters From Liselotte  Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we start with hypothetically cool new hardware and Metroid Prime’s hot new feature: mansplaining. Then we move onto games we’ve played, focusing on anticipated talking-to-hot-women simulator Demonschool (unless it gets delayed again in the six hours before this episode posts).Timestamps:(01:45) The Girl Mode News Desk: Steam Machines(15:50) Note: Myles MacKenzie died on the way back to his home planet (30:00) Where are the Metroid Prime-likes?(36:20) Videoverse(47:00) Demonschool(1:09:40) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Old Skies, more Atelier Ryza)Mentioned this week:VGC’s Andy Robinson on Metroid Prime 4Maddy Myers on Super MetroidAlexa Ray Corriea’s “nag line discourse” postRobin on Videoverse and Demonschool   Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 148 - It's terrible, I could not recommend it moreThis one's got everything you love: Dunkalatte talk, Willa's neighbors doing construction in the middle of a recording, Robin playing a game where you are a little mouse, but the main event is – of course – Willa going on an extended rant about a game she hates that most people love.Timestamps:(00:14) Robin joins the Dunkalatte cult  (06:03) Blake Manor update and your reminder Lorelei and the Laser Eyes rocks(09:53) Winter Burrow (15:32 ) 20+ minutes of Willa ranting about Dispatch(23:12) Dispatch spoilers start(24:23) Dispatch spoilers end(38:18) Ambrosia Sky(48:55) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Blue Moon, stealing umbrellas, A Pizza Delivery, Verho, Atelier Ryza  )Mentioned this week:Alyssa Mercante on The Game A wards Future ClassEvery 10/10 Game Informer has givenWilla's Dispatch thread on BlueskyGio on Dispatch at Polygon    Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the week after Halloween and we’re finally talking about horror games. After an extended bullshit session to start, we work our way around to mousegirl soulslikes, talking to ghosts with your crush, trick or treating, finding yourself on Bajor, and being the nosiest bitches at the seance.Timestamps:(00:15) A bunch of nonsense(04:10) Anti-recommendation for Hinako Note(07:30) Gamer news: Simogo(09:30) Mouseward: A game for Robin(12:05) Fear the Spotlight(18:10) The Seance of Blake Manor(48:45) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival, The O.C.)Mentioned this week:Robin on The Seance of Blake ManorSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week it’s a lot of slop talk. Remakes are slop. Cozy games are slop. Law & Order Executive Producer Dick Wolf is slop. Everything is slop. We also check in on Hades 2 and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.Timestamps:(00:25) It’s all downhill from here(02:27) More Hades 2(06:35) Halo on PlayStation and why remakes suck(18:52) Dick Wolf presents AI cop slop(21:20) Cozy games discourse(32:23) Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2(46:50) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Dinner parties, the bad Earthsea TV show, weird shit in your neighborhood, the library, Six Seasons cookbook)Mentioned this week:Moises Taveras on game remakesJason Schreier on Xbox LayoffsPolygon interviews Wolf GamesA wholesome plane has hit the second cozy towerYou Should Play Bad GamesSupport us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus, it’s Next Fest again? Guess it’s time to talk about some demos.Timestamps:(00:20) Disrespecting Baja Blast(2:20) Next Fest(3:40) Opus Prism Peak(8:15) Skate Story(12:00) Sleep Awake(16:15) Reanimal(22:00) Constance(25:00) Winter Burrow(28:20) Ambrosia Sky(32:40) Verho: Curse of Faces(35:20) The Legend of Khiimori(40:45) Mosaic of the Strange(42:50) Dungeon Bodega Simulator(46:30) Moonsigil Atlas(49:20) Birdcage(53:45) What else have Willa and Robin been up to this week? (feat. Murder on the Orient Express, Murder on the Orient Express, Murder on the Orient Express, and Neuromancer)Mentioned this week:Ashley Bardhan on Sleep AwakeAshley Bardhan (again) on Fatal Frame 2Support us on Ko-fi!Check out the network at TheWorstGarbage.online!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Follow us and send us questions!Follow Robin!Follow Willa!Music Street Food by FASSoundsThings are bad right now, but you can help make them better. Please take some time to consider how you can help trans people, immigrants, and others targeted by our fascist government with this Big List Of Links. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.