Gaming In The Wild - Video Game Reviews

Hollow Knight: Silksong is here! Join me as I recount my fraught and torrid journey through the kingdom of Pharloom. It's a wondrous place — immersive, vast, absorbing — but it's held within a game that's ruthlessly difficult, and trolls the player in a way that I've found difficult to enjoy.In the roundup: Time Flies, Lumines Remastered, Snakebyte Switch 2 accessories.Support the show on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildRead the Myrkur article: https://grapevine.is/mag/2025/09/15/echoes-of-the-end-inside-the-biggest-icelandic-video-game-of-2025/Read the VGC Silksong review: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/review/hollow-knight-silksong/Follow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWildFollow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!

Herdling is another vibey journey through a forlorn world from the young Okomotive studio. The shepherding gameplay is alternatively fun, clumsy, endearing, and frustrating, but overall, it’s a three-hour journey that is a must for indie game fans.In the roundup: Hollow Knight, and Silksong pre-game!Support the show on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildFollow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWildFollow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!

Sword of the Sea is like playable dream. It combines the simplicity and wonder of Journey, the oceanic splendour of ABZU, and the searing speed of The Pathless into a mesmerising new form — it's the apotheosis of the Matt Nava formula.Support the show: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildFollow the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWildFollow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!

Wheel World is a free-flowing cycling game that's met with a surprisingly mixed reception, given the demo hype. It starts off well, but it's a game of two halves, in quite an unusual way.In the roundup: Haste, Cipher Zero, Artis Impact, Ovis Loop, Heistgeist, Donkey Kong Bananza, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, and more.See the videos: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWild Support this show: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildFind the Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialRead my recent articles: https://grapevine.is/author/john-rogers/Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Thanks for listening!

Word Play is an ingenious new puzzle-roguelike that crosses the streams of Balatro and Scrabble. The result is a compelling little game with big potential.In the roundup: Cipher Zero, Haste, Driftwood, Ritual of Raven, Time Flies, Death Standing 2, Wheel World, and more.Here's that video of the Word Play dev talking about making his game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHKRWmfcMBwHere's the Ludocene site (best used in a phone browser): https://www.ludocene.comJoin the Patreon for bonus episodes: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildSub to the YouTube channel for more stuff: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWildFind my on Bluesky, Insta, Steam, etc: http://gaminginthewild.comHere's my Medium page where I post article I write: https://medium.com/@johnbrnlvrogersThanks for listening!

It's the Year of Kong! Nintendo's first "proper" (don't @ me, Mario Kart fans) Switch 2 blockbuster is here, and it's one for the books. Donkey Kong is now a fully realised modern Nintendo mascot as he smashes, dances, and chomps his way through a series of wonderfully designed, multi-layered levels that are simply a joy to experience. A couple of minor-ish quibbles stop it from being an unreserved 10/10, for me at least — but that doesn’t detract from the headline: it truly is Donkey Kong’s time. In the roundup: Cipher Zero, Wildwood Down, Wheel World, Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson, The Drifter, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.Indie Quest guest appearance: https://indiequest.buzzsprout.com/1425403/episodes/17508234-episode-115-keep-on-questin-indie-people-with-john-of-gaming-in-the-wildSupport the show on Patreon to get a load of bonus episodes, a Discord invite, a thank you on the pod, and more: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Get more Gaming In The Wild stuff on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GamingInTheWild.Follow me on Bluesky, Insta, Steam, etc: http://gaminginthewild.com.Thanks to boss tier patrons KingChamp and ShyGuy — and thanks for listening!

This week's pod is a roundup episode featuring Blade Chimera, Midtris, and Death Stranding 2. In the roundup: Tron Catalyst, Tiny Garden, Preserve, Wheel World.I also talk about moving the podcast's hosting away from Spotify, given the unforgivable actions of the CEO, and discuss removing GITW from Spotify completely. For the record — Pocketcasts does it just as well; and YouTube Music has you covered if you have a YT Premium subscription.Links mentioned: My Grapevine cover story: https://grapevine.is/mag/feature/2025/07/04/the-summer-ring-road-around-iceland-in-12-days.The latest Gaming In The Wild YouTube videos: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.Support me on Patreon for bonus episodes, Discord, blogs, and more: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Find the BlueSky, Instagram, Steam curator page, etc: http://gaminginthewild.com.Thanks for listening!

Hey folks! This week's pod gives some initial thoughts on Kojima's new joint Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, then runs through over 20 demos from the recent Steam Next Fest, including Ball X Pit, Herdling, MIO: Memories In Orbit, Hirogami, Death Howl, Gecko Gods, and more.Join the Patreon for extra stuff: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildSteam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Video version of the Next Fest section: https://youtu.be/zdqXD205SIk?si=y9ZZus1JclKr92K1Death Stranding 1 episode: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gaminginthewild/episodes/62-Death-Stranding-with-special-guest-Ciaran-Daly-e13qrur/a-a61t7f8Other stuff: http://gaminginthewild.comSpecial thanks to boss tier patrons Shy Guy, King Champ and essywoods. And thanks for listening!

Post-Hades roguelikes are a dime a dozen, but Lost In Random: The Eternal Die stands head and shoulders above the pack. It matches the gold standard set by the Supergiant classic with its strong art style, tight combat, satisfying progression, and build variety. Unlike much of the genre, it also respects your time, and it takes luck, thought, and skill to craft a winning build, and earn a winning run.In the roundup: Next Fest, Gecko Gods, MIO: Memories In Orbit, The Drifter, and more.Support the show, get extra stuff, and help me to 150 patrons! http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildHear the original Lost In Random review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7lVYw1sOSM See the June indie release video: https://youtu.be/dTxqYRvC7zc?si=rvcZ0AC6jWoq9mEf Follow me on Bluesky, Steam, and all the other places: http://gaminginthewild.comThanks for listening!

Hello folks! Here's a little bonus episode taken from a YouTube video I put out this week — it's a rundown of some of the most interesting games spotted at the summer showcases so far, including Summer Game Fest, Day of the Devs, State of Play, the Xbox Showcase, and the PC Gaming Showcase.If you're listening in Spotify, you can see game footage as you listen. If you're listening elsewhere and wanna see the games, have a look over here: https://youtu.be/JvxovKLmM9IThanks for listening as always! Come be a patron if you'd like more bonus stuff: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild. And you can find all kinds of useful pod and YouTube and Steam curator and social media links here: http://gaminginthewild.com.

Switch 2 is here! This week's show reviews Nintendo's brand new hardware, and the launch lineup — and wonders whether Switch 2 can become another indie game powerhouse. There's also a review of Spilled, a lovely little eco-game about cleaning up waterways and making the world a better place.In the roundup: Symphonia, Star Overdrive, Tainted Grail, Pipistrello & The Cursed Yoyo, Fast Fusion, Mario Kart World.Support the show on Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildCheck out my Pages of Play guest slot: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4anESwtFMWEUYwEbJlK1waCheck out the Best Ever Switch Indies video: https://youtu.be/48f-zXDkuaUAnd thanks for listening!

This week's episode looks at the hot new deck builder sequel Monster Train 2, and does a deep dive into the muddled but enjoyable Dragon age: The Veilguard. In the roundup: Star Wars Outlaws 'A Pirate's Fortune' DLC.Join the Patreon for a suite of patron-only bonus podcasts: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildGet extra GITW over on Youtube: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewildFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Find me on Bluesky etc: http://gaminginthewild.com Thanks for listening!

This week's show is a roguelike roundup, as I play some chilled out turn-based games as a Clair Obscur comedown. Reviewed: Star Vaders and Drop Duchy. In the roundup: To a T, Monster Train 2, Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon.If you'd like more GITW episodes, there are 16 patron bonus episodes you can unlock for a couple of bucks at http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Watch the videos I make on YouTube: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.Follow the podcast's Steam curator page to see if games you're browsing come pod-recommended: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/.And thanks for listening, as always!

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterfully wrought FRPG (or J'RPG?) that combines a romantic high fantasy world with a bold, vivid, original big-swing story. The From-inspired combat veers between pulse-racing and frustrating — but for a game of this sky high quality, it's worth gritting your teeth and parrying your way to the remarkable finale.In the roundup: Star Vaders, Drop Duchy, Monster Train 2.Become a patron for extra episodes! http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.I'm a BlueSky main these days: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.social.Thanks folks!

This is the final part of the KRZ community playthrough, looking at the excellent interlude Un Pueblo de Nada, the gorgeous sun-soaked village of Act V, and the optional epilogue, Death of the Hired Man.Thanks so much to everyone who has played along and sent in comments! This won't be the last time I play KRZ, but it might be the most special.Join the Patreon to support the show and get 15 bonus podcasts: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Find me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialGet more stuff on YouTube: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.Thanks everybody!

Promise Mascot Agency is a pocket-sized open world like no other. Playing a disgraced Yakuza consigned to a dying former mining town, it's part open-world collectathon, part management sim, and part visual novel. But none of that does justice to game's truly bizarre charm, or the unrestrained chaos and humour that make it ones of the best indie games of the year so far.In the roundup: Clair Obscur, South of Midnight, Blue Prince, Drop Duchy, and more.Join the Patreon: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Follow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaminginthewild.bsky.socialSee videos on YouTube: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewildFollow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/Thanks for listening!

London Games Festival 2025 was a packed event this year, with events including New Game+, Now Play This, Good Game Dev Club, Darkfield At The Ditch, the BAFTA Awards, and more. I was in London for the festivities, and this episode is my report on the festival.Games covered: Herdling, Will: Follow The Light, Passant, Beyond The Board, Battle Suit Aces, Gunboat God, Button Man, Moroi, Henry Halfhead, Time Flies, Wheel World, Lushfoil Photography Sim, All Will Rise, Treeplanter, and Vapourwave Pinball. Check out the Steam demos of some of these here: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/LondonGamesFestival2025.In the roundup: Blue Prince, Promise Mascot Agency.Thanks to Genny Dixon, Fergus Craig, Kim & Nathan, New Game+, and Ciaran Daly.Become a patron for bonus episodes and loads of fun perks: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild.Find me on Bluesky, YouTube, the Steam curator page, etc: http://gaminginthewild.com.Thanks for listening!

Your host is off galavanting at the London Games Festival this week, so this episode a little inbetweener. It's a look back at the Nintendo Switch — which was *the* place to play indie games on console, for a while — and the great indies it'll be remembered for.In the roundup: Lushfoil Photography Sim, Promise Mascot Agency, Koira.This episode's audio is from a YouTube video you can watch here: https://youtu.be/48f-zXDkuaUPlease consider supporting the pod by becoming a patron! You get 15 bonus podcasts, a patron Discord invite, and more: http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildFollow the Steam curator page here to see recommendations while you browse games: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!

Act IV of KRZ takes the form of an epic river journey that feels like the centrepiece of the game. It's a voyage down the Echo River aboard the Mucky Mammoth, with the player no longer behind the wheel. We drift between the various members of our ragtag group, deepening our understanding of Ezra, Will, Junebug & Johnny, Shannon, and the ailing Conway, who seems to be losing his grip on the world.As per this play along series, the pod is sprinkled with comments from patrons, pals, and listeners: thanks to Dovetail, Lenka, Zanem, Ray, Skogstokig, and Dave for chipping in. Y'all outdid yourselves in the act.You can join this playthrough (and future ones like it) at ⁠http://patreon.com/gaminginthewild⁠. You also get 15 patron bonus episodes, an invite to the Discord community, and the warm feeling of knowing you're supporting me in making this podcast. I'm away from my home studio for a couple of weeks starting tomorrow, but there's some Gaming In The Wild scheduled for YouTube later this week: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.And I'll be posting on social media from the road: ⁠http://gaminginthewild.com⁠.Thanks for listening, back soon!

This week we really do run the gamut of indie to AAA with reviews of tile-based solo dev strategy game Dawnfolk, and the latest Ubisoft blockbuster Assassin's Creed Shadows. Thanks to both developers for supplying review codes!In the roundup: Everhood 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, Promise Mascot Agency.Support this podcast for the price of a coffee each month, and get loads of perks and extras for your generosity! http://patreon.com/gaminginthewildCheck out the YouTube for more GITW content: http://youtube.com/gaminginthewild.Follow the Steam curator page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43457463-Gaming-in-the-Wild-%2528unofficial%2529/And thanks for listening!