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On this episode we dwell on that most violent of video game protagonists, Kratos, as we discuss the latest two games in his much storied franchise. We discuss these games' positions as both sequels and reboots, and their intimate character work and stellar combat, while also wondering if maybe they went too far in certain places.

On this episode we take a look at the two modern classics in the The Legend of Zelda franchise, discussing their boundless creativity and making comparisons to other open world games, while also being a tad wistful for the Zelda games of yesteryears.  

This episode takes a look at 16th entry in the beloved Final Fantasy series, a game that ended up being quite divisive due to the big swings it takes against the established formula of the franchise. Topics bounce between exhilarating kaiju battles, to milquetoast side quests. From amazing voice acting and localisation, to a story that tends to spin its wheels. There are no major spoilers for the game, but the whole story is covered in vague terms in order to pick out the things that work in this game, and the things that really don't.  
 

This week Kev shines a light on some "hidden gems" from 2023, and takes a look at some of the best games that you may have missed from last year. The games covered range from first-person horror games and weird visual novels to cute climate-themed climbing capers. Check it out to see what you might have missed. Or maybe you've played them all already, in which case your Cool Gamer pin is already in the post.

Transport back to the days of waggling remotes, as we take a look at Nintendo's colossal console success story, the Wii. We get nostalgic about playing Wii Sports on Christmas morning, soaring through the cosmos in Super Mario Galaxy, and much more. But we also question the Wii's legacy, and we wonder, despite its success, did it actually change the industry for the better?

This week for the pod we welcome a very special quest, Stephanie! Steph has been an avid gamer since she was young, and today we chat about her early exposure to games via educational games, Animal Crossing, and, of course, the Mass Effect universe. 
 
We had a few issues with sound on this one, so apologies!