The Game Awards 2023 brought another year of exciting announcements, weird celebrity cameos, and a frustrating lack of awards time. The brothers review the show, tally up their predictions, and share their 10 favorite reveals. To make this week’s news even busier, the brothers also discuss Grand Theft Auto VI’s reveal and Fortnite’s huge week!
The Game Awards 2023 Predictions
Do you need help filling out your Game Awards cheatsheet? Sam and Jake have you covered as they make their predictions for the big winners of the 2023 Game Awards. What wins Game of the Year? What game had the best art direction? What game had the biggest impact? Who knows, but we are here to figure it out.
Game Shopping Memories
Black Friday is right around the corner, so in honor of everyone’s favorite capitalist holiday, the brothers share their favorite game shopping memories, including console purchases, retro game discoveries, gaming gifts, and more.
2023 Year-End Predictions
2023 is almost over, which means it’s time for some last-minute predictions! What will be the top 10 selling games of the year? What will the six GOTY nominees be at The Game Awards? What will get snubbed at The Game Awards? We predict all of that and more! In addition to predictions, we discuss a CRAZY news week, including GTA6 and the announcement of a live-action The Legend of Zelda movie.
Weirdest Licensed Game Bracket - Cartoon Edition
The brothers kick off a new bracket series pitting the all-time weirdest licensed games against each other, and in honor of this week’s launch of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, they start with cartoon games. Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, The Simpsons, and more – the list gets weird with fairy tale ripoffs, Tomb Raider parodies, and so many exclamation points!
PlayStation Wellness Check
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, PlayStation’s blockbuster fall release, is finally out, and it’s a critical and commercial success. That means it’s time to put the stethoscope to Jim Ryan’s retired body and check on the health of PlayStation. Was 2023 a great year for the platform? What does their future look like? We answer all of this and more on our final 2023 wellness check!
Starfield Impressions
Jake spent his birthday week playing several hours of Starfield, his first-ever Bethesda game. Sam interviews him about his first impressions of the game, how it performs as a shooter, space adventure, and RPG, and how it stacks up against other 2023 releases.
The “Barbenheimer” of Video Games, Part 2 (2003-2012)
With the blockbuster releases of Super Mario Wonder and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 this week, the brothers continue their journey through the “Barbenheimer” of video games. This time, it’s the best release date combos from 2003 to 2012.
Ultimate Gaming Backlog (2013-2015)
The boys return to the Ulitmate Backlog this week and pick the games they want to play most from 2013 to 2015, including Grand Theft Auto V, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Bloodborne, and more.
Nintendo Wellness Check
Last week, Nintendo aired what is likely their final Direct of 2023 and possibly the final Direct without mention of the Switch 2. Before Nintendo enters its next era in 2024, the brothers diagnose Nintendo and their massive post-Wii U comeback. They discuss Nintendo’s incredible success throughout the Switch’s lifecycle, its upcoming slate of games, and more!
Xbox Wellness Check
Starfield is Xbox’s biggest game of the year, Bethesda’s first new IP in 25 years, and the supposed "starting gun" for first-party Xbox games. What does its launch and reception mean for the future of Xbox? The brothers diagnose Xbox’s success in the industry this year, the state of Game Pass, its upcoming slate of games, and more.
Question Block: Why Are Modern Games So Big?
With massive games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Tears of the Kingdom out, and Starfield releasing this week, video games keep getting bigger. Even franchises that were once 10 hours are now 25-hour adventures. Jake and Sam discuss why the industry is trending toward larger games, what games justify their length, and which ones should have scaled down.
Best and Worst Franchise Comebacks
Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon marks the grand return of the Armored Core franchise, so in honor of the series’ revival, Jake and Sam break down gaming’s best and worst comebacks. They debate what qualifies as a comeback and run down their favorite examples, including Doom, Crash Bandicoot, Tomb Raider, and more.
Remnant: From the Ashes Mini-Review
Jake shares his opinion on a much-overlooked third-person shooter in a mini-review of Remnant: From the Ashes.
The Thriving Trend of Indie Torchbearers
This week, Jake and Sam invent a new gaming term. “Indie torchbearers” are indie games that carry the torch of beloved older titles. In honor of the upcoming releases of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (inspired by Jet Set Radio) and Sea of Stars (inspired by Chrono Trigger), the brothers discuss these passion projects, their favorite examples (Shovel Knight, Stardew Valley, and more), why many torchbearers seek crowdfunding, and their dream indie spiritual successor.
2017 Video Game Draft
2023 is one of the best years in video game history, so Jake and Sam travel back in time six years to look at another fantastic year - 2017. They draft their elite lineup of games and compete to see who can build the better team!
“Barbenheimer” Review
The boys ran long this week because they had so much to say about this summer’s movie blockbuster trifecta – Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. Listen to their reviews here, as well as Jake’s takedown of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
The “Barbenheimer” of Video Games (2013-2023)
Everyone is talking about “Barbenheimer” – the shared release date of two of the year’s biggest movies, Barbie and Oppenheimer. So what are the Barbenheimers in video game history? The brothers run down the biggest shared release dates from the last ten years, including “Doom Crossing: Eternal Horizons” and “Dark Ratchet & Dark Clank 3.”
Most Anticipated Games for the Rest of 2023
The boys move out of the past and into the future with their most anticipated games for the second half of 2023. With a five-team draft and a good ol’ round of OpenCritic predictions, Jake and Sam break down the second half of one of the best years in video games.
Ultimate E3 Bracket Finale
The boys bring their five-part ultimate E3 bracket series to a close by selecting the all-time best year for the gaming showcase extravaganza. They also discuss the juiciest headlines from the FTC v. Microsoft trial, their favorite reveals from the latest Nintendo Direct, and what they should play on vacation.