Save Your Game

So. We had already decided we were going to spend the entire episode ranking Adventure Games – many of which, we've never played – but then, we decided to start out by talking about piss for 15 minutes. Matt and Roses bring a bizarre, chaotic energy and a true EXPERTISE on Adventure Games to this ALL-RANKING episode! Plus, we talk about some games we've been playing and some newly released games! Please don't give this one The Flush ™ TOILET DECALS COMING SOON (or not. idfk) Email us mattandroses@gmail.com PFLAG Resources: https://pflag.org/find-resources/ Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860 LGBT National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564 Games Mentioned: * Death of the Reprobate * Chicken Police: Into the Hive * Rise of the Golden Idol * Mythargia * The Abandoned Planet * Another World * Myst * Blasphemous 2: Mea Culpa DLC * Case of the Golden Idol * Pajama Sam 2: Thunder and Lightning Aren't so Frightening * We Were Here Forever * Cosmonavtes: Escape Reality * Voyage: Inspired by Jules Verne * The Crystal Key * Embracelet * To The Moon * Baker Street Breakout: A Sherlockian Escape Adventure * Ankh: Heart of Osiris * The Slaughter * Mission: Critical * The Pawn * Five Magical Amulets * James Peris: The Fountain of Eternal Drunkenness * Lily Looking Through * Limbo of the Lost * Doctor DuMont's Wild P.A.R.T.I. * Portal 2

Hey everyone, we're not doing an episode this week, so we just thought we'd throw you a quick episode to tell you how we're not doing an episode. So, sorry there is no episode, but here's an episode about that. And, while we were here, we thought, to apologize for not having an episode, we'd answer a few listener questions. In conclusion, there is no episode. So here is your episode about how there is, in fact, not an episode this week. Episode.

Very weird cold open this week (aren't they all?), and then Roses and Matt get some gripes about GAMING CULTURE™ off of their chests before talking about some really amazing games! Matt played a promising demo for War of the Western Deep and an amazing short indie game called The Dark Queen of Mortholme. Roses and Matt both get excited about games that are either discovered or released during the recording of the show. And then, after a brief recollection of Strange Horticulture, we go in deep to talk about all the things we loved (and it's pretty much all the things) about Strange Antiquities! Games Mentioned: * Leisure Suit Larry * Hollow Knight: Silksong * Plumbers Don't Wear Ties * Cabernet * War of the Western Deep * Brok the InvestiGator * Date Everything * The Dark Queen of Mortholme * Dad's Monster House 2: Medal * Strange Horticulture * Strange Antiquities * Stardew Valley * Papers Please Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com AND join our brand new DISCORD SERVER  https://discord.gg/rEwuSmfU

This week, Roses's Google Home becomes possessed and Matt cannot stop talking about Little Problems. The game, not his PERSONAL little problems. Then, Matt and Roses discuss a much-anticipated title from Grundislav Games - Rosewater! And well I'll be, it sure was a fun romp in the American Frontier.  Games mentioned: * Hollow Knight: Silksong * Little Problems * The Golden Idol games * Callahan's Crosstime Saloon * Rosewater Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com

Ok, let's address the spider in the room: We could not find a way to play the Naked Gun game BUT we do come to you this week with stories of black jelly beans aand Roses dumping a scooter. Also, Matt is playing Hollow Knight: Silksong and has a lot to say about it. Then, Matt recently got to play a PushingUpRoses favorite, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon! Some come on a journey with us and Jake Stonebender through time and space and a cozy little bar while we SAVE THE UNIVERSE! Games Mentioned: * Hollow Knight: Silksong * Blasphemous * Unbound: Worlds Apart * Lone Fungus * Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus * Nine Sols * Rosewater * Callahan's Crosstime Saloon * Jezzball * The Journeyman Project * The Naked Gun: I.C.U.P. Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com

WHY DON'T THEY HAVE WRESTLING MATCHES IN PUMPKIN PATCHES!? This isn't the set-up to a street joke, this is a genuine question that Matt has. Roses watched a fake movie starring Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson. Matt played a "stealth team tactics game" with ghost pirates. BUT the real story here is that PushingUpRoses and Matt replayed a classic game from their youths that features a live-acted Christopher Lloyd in a fully cartoon world.  It's called Toonstruck and it rules and the only bad thing about it is that they never released a sequel. Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com GAMES MENTIONED: * The Naked Gun: I.C.U.P. * Rusty Lake Series * Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew * Sword Game * Toonstruck * Grim Fandango * Torin's Passage

We begin by answering the BIG question: What happened to Sobe? And then we talk about video games, I guess. Because that's what you demand of us. THIS WEEK we rank a bunch more adventure games – WHETHER WE'VE PLAYED THEM OR NOT. After Matt tells everyone about a free Rusty Lake game, we dive into the List ™ and throw 10 new games on our DEFINITIVE list! Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * The Beekeeper's Picnic * The Drifter * The Dagger of Amon Ra * The Mr. Rabbit Magic Show * Rusty Lake Series * Turlock Holmes * Toska * Rosewater * Reviver * Quantum Witch * Session * Neon Hearts City * Expelled * Canteloupe Chronicles * New Mage * Urban Myth Resolution Center * Slender Threads * Time Paradox * Helheim Hassle * Forgotten Hill Tales * Softporn Adventure * Saint Kotar * The Shine of a Star * Love: A Puzzle Box Filled With Stories * American Arcadia * Cleopatra: Riddle of the Tomb * The Labyrinth of Time

Deep down under, Roses and Matt cast off their possessions and hop a freight train car into a  world of HIGH OCTANE EXCITEMENT and POINT AND CLICK PUZZLES. We're talking about the Drifter. And we played a couple of other very good games. Lot of hyped-up energy this episode! Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * The Beekeeper's Picnic: A Sherlockian Adventure * Öoo * Bomberman * The Drifter * Sanitarium * Return of the Obra Dinn * Myst

GOOD ARTIST. We're back again to give you a dive so deep on Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer that MAYBE one of us cries! Who's to tell? Matt played a straight-up action/arcade game and a weird little puzzle game. Roses went to the circus! And what's that? We get to move one of our rankings?? Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com * Games Mentioned: * Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound * Isoland Pumpkin Town * Sunset Hills * Checkers * Space Quest IV * Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer * Pine Hearts

We have a bit of a different episode for you today. This is the story of Adventure Gamers: A decades-old website dedicated to Adventure Games and their fans that was recently bought out by a mysterious compaany and hollowed out for the promotion of online gambling and cryptocurrency. Matt and Roses chat with John Walker, Timothy Malmros, Jack Allin, and Emily Morganti to help to provide insights into what Adventure Gamers meant to them, what the hell happened to it, why it happened, and what the future is for Adventure Game fans looking for a home. Email us: mattandroses@gmail.com You can read John Walker's article here: https://kotaku.com/adventure-gamers-forums-gambling-ads-jack-allin-1851784764 You can read Timothy Malmros's coverage of Click Out Media here: https://recleudo.com/under-googles-blind-eye-a-growing-parasite-ecosystem-is-flourishing/ In case you haven't heard of it, Jack Allin's new website: https://adventuregamehotspot.com/ Game Boomers: https://www.gameboomers.com/ The infamous Old Man Murray article: https://www.oldmanmurray.com/features/77.html Emily Morganti's website: http://emilymorganti.com/ And here is some other coverage we used to prepare for this episode: https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/06/developers-saddened-by-beloved-adventure-game-sites-pivot-into-world-of-online-gambling https://aftermath.site/adventure-gamers-online-casino-gambling-website-sale-parasite-seo Games Mentioned: * Beekeeper's Picnic * Baldur's Gate II * Dune Awakening * Sins of a Solar Empire II * Frostpunk * Ixion * Keeper * Shadow of Destiny * Peasants Quest * Universal Paperclips

Uh oh, everyone. We're BACK! And we have a pretty strange episode for you all. You'll just have to hear what happened for yourself. Matt also finished Clair Obscur, and Roses finished her move and little clay worm, so… We talk about that. Regardless, wish Matt luck on his last week of college and wish Roses luck on her vacating the black mold from her lungs. Email Us! mattandroses@gmail.com Instagram: @saveyourgamepodcast Games Mentioned: * Fall Guys * Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 * The Abyssal Zone * The Abyssal Zone * Chop Suey * Magnus Imago * The Suicide of Rachel Foster * Corpse Party: Book of Shadows * Lunar Axe * Sleuthhounds: The Halloween Deception * Nancy Drew: Treasure in the Royal Tower * Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy * The Room VR: A Dark Matter

There's an important moment in every podcast's life where they finally have to broach that inevitable conversation… The chomping/champing at the bit conversation. And Matt and Roses finally get there as Matt discusses his favorite new French RPG, CLAIR OBSCUR. Then the gang discuss a hilarious, cozy new detective game DUCK DETECTIVE: THE GHOST OF GLAMPING. Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * Blue Prince * Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 * Chrono Trigger * Thank Goodness You're Here * Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping * Duck Detective: The Secret Salami * Rosewater * Expelled! * Neon Hearts City * Near-Mage * Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer * Rue Valley * Strange Antiquities * The Mermaid Mask * Foolish Mortals * Perfect Tides: Station to Station * Greenhearth Necromancer

Matt's been digging into some old RPGs on his Retroid Pocket, but this pales in comparison to PushingUpRoses' excitement for a CHICAGO POPE! Also, we do a deep dive into Wadjet Eye's new epic point-and-click adventure OLD SKIES, which somehow devolves into a long discussion of cake. Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess * Chrono Trigger * X-Men: Legends * Old Skies * Wanderstop

Oh, what? They're talking about Zelda AGAIN!? Yes. And if you listened to the last episode, you'd know that. Stop playing dumb. We left you with half of the Zelda's to go and in this ep, we finish 'em off.  Plus, Roses and Matt both played games by former guests of the show. Matt played some of the new* Indiana Jones. And a game that falls short of its demo? Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned * Old Skies * Rosewater * Blue Prince * Indiana Jones and the Great Circle  * Deck of Haunts * Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping * Final Fantasy VIII * Zelda: Four Swords Adventures * Zelda: The Minish Cap * Zelda: Twilight Princess * Zelda: Phantom Hourglass * Zelda: Spirit Tracks * Zelda: Skyward Sword * Zelda: A Link Between Worlds * Zelda: Breath of the Wilds * Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Zelda is the story of a little blonde elf boy named Zelda who go on adventure and kill a big green pig man to save the princess who is named Princess. Join us as we, Zeldo expert, talk about the boy Zeldo and his big mighty sword and all the Princess he save with him boom-o-rang. Join us as we seek the Triforce and scour some dungeons with our main man Tingle I mean Zelbo I mean Zelda. PLUS: Roses is back from Mexico! Matt, your next Pope(??), played a weird game about pimping out mascots. Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * "Christ Fighter" * Bibleman * Promise Mascot Agency * Blue Prince * The Legend of Zelda * Zelda II: The Adventures of Link * A Link to the Past * Link's Awakening * Ocarina of Time * Majora's Mask * Oracle of Seasons* * Oracle of Ages* * Four Swords* * Wind Waker

On this podcast, we're not afraid to venture the bravest, boldest opinions. The opinions THEY don't want you to hear. Opinions like: Myst should have a jump button. A LOT of Chicago talk in this one, because Roses had a birthday and Matt went out to celebrate. We talk about pizza, Malort, a weird collectibles store... you know, Chicago stuff! But the TRUE STAR of this episode is our now-infamous list of EVERY ADVENTURE GAME EVER where we pull games up at random and rank them whether we've played them or not! In this episode, we reach 100 games! Enjoy and feel free to email us to argue if we get something wrong! Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned - Look, it's way too many to list, so this time? I'm just gonna list the three we talk about that don't have to do with our ranking list: * Myst * Blue Prince * Rosewater

Listen, the first 15 minutes of this podcast are about hair. We understand the inconvenience this may cause you. You expect a certain level of non-hair content from us, and we have failed to fulfill this responsibility. We will take accountability and reflect on our actions (and our hair) and, while we cannot promise that we won't do it again, we can promise that we had fun when we did it. In addition to this, Matt has more to say about Blue Prince, and both hosts have more to say about Wanderstop. Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * Myst * Blue Prince * Animal Well * Wanderstop * Stardew Valley

A very sleepy Matt and a very inspired PushingUpRoses welcome an incredible guest onto the show to talk about one of the weirder games we've ever played. Musician, video producer and hella talented dude Neil Cicierega is on the show to talk about playing adventure games as 90's kid -- your dad bringing home shareware adventure games to install on your Windows 3.1 PC and the entire family puzzling over it over weeks, months, and years -- and how to pass that experience on to your kids. We also do a surprisingly DEEP dive into a bizarre 1993 game Cliff Bleszinski designed in Visual Basic when he was 17, called Dare to Dream. It goes... places. Like literal Hell. Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * King Quest VI * Icon Architect 1.0 * Dare to Dream * Hugo's House of Horrors * Freddy Pharkas Frontier Pharmacist * There Is No Game * Unforeseen Incidents * Day of the Tentacle * The Dig * Wanderstop * Blue Prince * Palace of Deceit * Jazz Jackrabbit * Curse of Monkey Island * Monster Breeder

This week, Matt and Roses are joined by the first developer we ever talked about on this show, MEREDITH GRAN, the creative force behind Perfect Tides and the upcoming Perfect Tides: Station to Station. We take some time to discuss our feet before discussing art, nostalgia, and the creative decisions by – let's face it – one of our favorite frickin' games. Then, we spend a LOT of time talking about a game that is FAR from our favorite: Freddy Pharkas, Frontier Pharmacist. And we're sorry*. *we aren't Email Us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * Perfect Tides * Perfect Tides: Station to Station * The Dig * Freddy Pharkas Frontier Pharmacist

It's been a wild (sic) since we've done a Q & A, so we address topics like our favorite references in games, games that we liked as kids but disliked as adults, Roses' favorite Carmen Sandiego, and what franchises we'd like to see as adventure games! But first, we talk about our thoughts on Wanderstop, which is an incredibly unique and interesting game. And Matt drinks a lot of tea. Email us! mattandroses@gmail.com Games Mentioned: * Fields of Mistria * Wanderstop * Hugo's House of Horrors * Conker's Bad Fur Day * Spyro the Dragon * Sonic the Hedgehog * Grim Fandango * Curse of Monkey Island * Dreams in the Witch House * Callahan's Crosstime Saloon * Discworld * Batman: Arkham Asylum * Spider-Man * Marvel Midnight Suns * The Abbey of Crime * The Abbey * Daria's Inferno * An English Haunting * Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? * Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? * Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego? * Excavation of Hob's Barrow * Scarlet Hollow * Backfirewall * Smile for Me * Roadwarden * Legend of Kyrandia II: Hand of Fate * UFO 50 * Indiana Jones and the Great Circle * Atomfall * Avowed * Wayward Strand * Torin's Passage * Star Trek adventure games * Heaven's Vault * Blazing Dragons * Pentiment * Hypnospace Outlaw * Kentucky Route Zero * Silent Hill 2 * Cat Café Manager