The Short Game

The Short Game kicks off its 2026 IFComp coverage with a new three-episode format, along with a brief chat about custom IF engines and the comp's new AI rules.0:00 - Intro and IFComp Basics5:00 - How We Are Covering IFComp This Year10:54 - 9 Days in a Van with Your 3 Best Friends by Nathan Leigh25:55 - Sidetrack: Custom Engines, AI, and IFComp29:41 - Forensic Necromancy: A Murder in Nineveh by Daniel M. Stelzer45:10 - Ryan Veeder's Agatha Christie's The Murder on the Orient Express57:39 - Wrap Up (00:00) - Intro and IFComp Basics (05:00) - How we are covering IFComp this year (10:54) - 9 Days in a Van with your 3 Best Friends by Nathan Leigh (25:54) - Sidetrack about custom engines, AI, and IFComp (29:41) - Forensic Necromancy: A Murder in Nineveh by Daniel M. Stelzer (45:10) - Ryan Veeder's Agatha Christie's the Murder on the Orient Express by Ryan Veeder (57:39) - Wrap Up

Shane and Laura played The Incident at Galley House, Evil Trout's remake of William Rous's TypeHelp. Before the spoiler break they discuss the game's deduction interface and some gameplay highlights, then they had so much to talk about they needed TWO spoiler breaks: one for "what's going on", and one for Act III's shift into **************************. (00:00) - The Incident at Galley House (00:05) - Intro (01:16) - Elevator Pitch (04:34) - Development History (22:20) - Spoiler Break & Patreon (22:30) - Story Discussion (44:14) - Act 3: Modern Timeline (01:04:41) - Outro

This week, Nate, Laura, and Shane play Pizza Possum — a chaotic arcade game that's stealthy and snackable. We talk about the gorgeous Italian countryside, dog cops, difficulty spikes, and the little bits of polish and shine that make this one sing. Plus possum stories, pizza tales, and a literary return of What's Making Me Happy.(00:00) - Pizza Possum (01:55) - Pizza Possum Background (04:08) - The Basics (10:03) - This game didn't have to go this hard (on the polish) (14:33) - The little details (20:33) - Replayability (23:44) - Have I told you guys about when a possum got in my house? (26:43) - More possum stories! (27:49) - We've discussed possums, let's discuss pizza (33:16) - What's Been Making Us Happy (Besides Pizza) (41:42) - Outro

We return to you with our extended coverage of indie phenomenon Deltarune, now in it's 5th episode.

This week, Shane and Laura talk about some Short, and Not So Short Games.(00:00) - Grab Bag: Short Games and Not-So-Short Games (00:06) - Intro (00:58) - Hermit and Pig (07:59) - Little Guardsman (10:02) - Split Fiction (12:51) - Dispatch and Hugo Video Game Nominees (18:11) - Map Map (22:45) - Dorfromantik (26:02) - The 7th Guest Remake (32:48) - Fallout: New Vegas (33:40) - Death Stranding 2 (35:06) - Sky Rogue (38:00) - Minish Cap (39:30) - Outro