Between Levels Podcast

Phantom Blade Zero is getting closer, and after spending six hours with the latest build, Sarthe thinks it could be something very special.In Episode 15 of Between Levels, WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe dive deep into Phantom Blade Zero. Sarthe has now played the game five different times and breaks down its incredibly fluid combat, huge weapon variety, free respec system, level design, difficulty options, soundtrack and why S-GAME is so adamant that this is NOT a Soulslike.Cowboy hasn't played it yet, but Phantom Blade Zero has become one of his most anticipated games and everything Sarthe says only makes that anticipation worse.Wheelie also gives his impressions of Hellraiser, a survival horror game that combines familiar elements from games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill with an uncompromising approach to the body horror that defines Hellraiser.We also return to Gears of War: E-Day as Cowboy and Sarthe approach the end of the campaign, discussing its more open structure, co-op, horror influences and stunning Unreal Engine 5 visuals.Plus, we discuss the best video game music of 2026, 007 First Light, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Forever Ago, Control Resonant and just how difficult choosing our Game of the Year is going to be.Featuring WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe.

Gears of War: E-Day is finally here, and Wheelie thinks it might be Xbox's best game since the Xbox 360 era.In Episode 14 of Between Levels, WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe dive into Gears of War: E-Day, including why the preview may have shown one of the game's slowest sections, its early review scores and why games should be judged on what they actually are rather than what a reviewer wanted them to be. Wheelie's verdict? E-Day is a must-play.We then return to World of Warcraft Forever, with a major beta update bringing new levels, class changes and dungeons before getting into the growing controversy around streamer handouts, gold buying and whether Blizzard should be cracking down harder.Later, Wheelie and Sarthe give their impressions of Star Wars: Galactic Racer, including its incredibly fast racing, roguelike progression, build variety and multiplayer. Wheelie scored it 9.5/10, while Gears of War: E-Day earned his full 10/10.We also discuss Minecraft Dungeons 2, Castlevania, Phantom Blade Zero, Stranger Than Heaven, Fable, Final Fantasy VII Revelation and just how absurdly packed the next few months of gaming are.Featuring WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe.

World of Warcraft has officially taken over Between Levels.In Episode 13, WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe dive deep into World of Warcraft Forever, with Cowboy admitting he somehow managed around 50–60 hours of WoW in under a week.We break down why WoW is still so dangerously addictive, what makes Forever different, the classes and professions, PvP, pets, controller support and whether this is finally the perfect opportunity for completely new players to jump in. Wheelie is preparing to play WoW for the first time at launch, while Cowboy and Sarthe attempt to convince him that Hunter is the way to go.Then it's time for another Fantasy Critic update, with Fire Emblem, Control Resonant, Silent Hill: Townfall and plenty more affecting the standings before we ask the big question: Is 2026 one of the greatest years for video games ever?We also return to Control Resonant, including why some players are struggling with its progression and combat, whether Remedy went too far with its lack of hand-holding, and where it currently sits in our Game of the Year conversations.Finally, we dive into your community comments and revisit the ongoing debate over whether Wheelie talks too much trash or Cowboy and Sarthe keep twisting his words. Naturally, this ends with Cowboy challenging Wheelie to a one-handed World of Warcraft fight once they're both levelled.Featuring WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe.Chapters00:00 – Welcome to Between Levels Episode 1301:56 – World of Warcraft Has Taken Over the Podcast03:00 – Cowboy Played 50–60 Hours of WoW in Under a Week05:05 – Why World of Warcraft Is So Addictive08:36 – Is WoW Forever Going to Be Massive?09:21 – Cowboy’s Wife, Plants & Retirement Plans 😂11:33 – Cowboy’s WoW Forever Character Plans13:27 – Every WoW Class Explained to Wheelie18:49 – What Class Should a New WoW Player Choose?21:27 – Wheelie Chooses Hunter22:03 – Hunting Rare Pets in World of Warcraft26:31 – Why Wheelie Is Waiting for Launch29:44 – WoW Controller Support & Accessibility31:39 – Who Else Is Playing WoW for the First Time?34:38 – Fantasy Critic Update36:04 – Silent Hill: Townfall’s Review Score Surprises Us37:31 – Sarthe Finally Checks His Fantasy Critic Team39:19 – Can Cowboy Still Win Fantasy Critic?45:01 – Is 2026 the Best Year for Video Games?47:03 – Why Control Resonant’s Reviews Are So Divided47:49 – Does Control Resonant’s Combat Start Too Slowly?49:18 – Did Remedy Go Too Far With No Hand-Holding?52:35 – Is Control Resonant Less Forgiving Than Souls Games?53:09 – Cowboy Discovers How Healing Actually Works 😂55:18 – How Broken Can Control Resonant Builds Become?56:25 – Is Control Resonant a Game of the Year Contender?57:25 – Pragmata Is Still Cowboy’s GOTY58:59 – Community Comments1:02:25 – Does Wheelie Talk Too Much Trash?1:06:00 – Did Cowboy & Sarthe Actually Twist Wheelie’s Words?1:07:43 – Why Between Levels’ Banter Works1:09:41 – Cowboy Challenges Wheelie in World of Warcraft1:10:12 – The One-Handed WoW Fight Is Happening1:15:22 – Waiting for WoW Forever Launch1:17:07 – Cowboy Starts Judging Kids’ Pull-Ups 😂1:20:06 – Somehow We Ended Up Talking About Parenting1:20:16 – Outro & What’s Coming Next

Between Levels is back with Episode 12!This week, Jesse from DayOne joins WheelieAverage and FightinCowboy, with Sarthe joining a little later in the show.The main event is Control Resonant. Having all reviewed Remedy’s latest game, we break down its new melee-focused combat, open-world structure, powers, build variety, puzzles and exploration, as well as Dylan Faden’s development as the new protagonist. We also compare our review scores and discuss why the combat has become one of the most divisive parts of the game.Before that, we revisit Marvel’s Wolverine, including its linear structure, player guidance and combat, before catching up on The Blood of Dawnwalker and Onimusha: Way of the Sword.Sarthe then joins us fresh from BlizzCon to talk about Warcraft Forever, why it has pulled him back into World of Warcraft, and whether this could be the right time for new players to jump in.Plus, we discuss how reviewers and creators decide what games to cover, what actually counts as a first-party game, studio reputations, the return of the Wheelie vs Cowboy For Honor argument, and the latest Mortal Shell II accessibility discussion.

Sarthe is back from Gamescom for Episode 11 of Between Levels, joining WheelieAverage and FightinCowboy to talk about what he saw and played in Germany, including Tides of Annihilation and more.Then we dive into Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Cowboy has finished the game, Wheelie is near the end, and Sarthe has spent several hours with it. We discuss the combat, Issen system, difficulty, open areas, surprising humour, story and whether Capcom has delivered another must-play action game.We also go deep on The Blood of Dawnwalker. Wheelie and Sarthe have completed the game while Cowboy has started his first playthrough, leading to a huge discussion about its directional combat, vampire and human builds, witchcraft, the 30-day time system, genuine choice and consequence, multiple endings and how dramatically different two playthroughs can become.Plus, we update Fantasy Critic, predict review scores for Marvel’s Wolverine, Silent Hill: Townfall and Control Resonant, and finally choose the three winners of our Mortal Shell II Steam code giveaway.Our next giveaway will happen when Between Levels reaches 2,000 subscribers, when we’ll be giving away a PC copy of The Blood of Dawnwalker.Featuring WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe.