Checkpoint Radio: A Video Game Podcast Checkpoint Radio

In our final episode for 2023, we take a look back at the year in gaming and discuss all the good, bad and everything in between. From the massively hyped GTA VI reveal, to Redfall, from Baldur's Gate 3 to The Day Before, it's been a year full of incredible highs and some real lows too.
We've seen arguably the best year for high quality releases in some time, but we've also had constant news of redundancies, studio closures and swathes of layoffs across the industry. Google Stadia was put in the bin, Microsoft finally closed the Activision deal, the Steamdeck got an upgrade and so much more.
But 2023 was also a big year for Checkpoint Radio! As we discuss the year through the lens of gamers, we also take the time to reflect on our own highs and lows as we look back at the first year of doing this show. We're incredibly proud of what we've done this year and we are grateful to everyone who has listened and supported the show on here and on YouTube.
We will be taking a short break over Christmas and New Year, with episode 22 arriving on January 12th 2024! We hope to see you there.
For now, thank you so much for your continued support, and be sure to check out these links for more Checkpoint Radio content!
If you prefer, you can send us an email here: hello@checkpointradio.co.uk
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor and James.

Alan Wake 2. Baldur's Gate 3. Spider-Man 2. Starfield. The Legend of Zelda, Tears of the Kingdom. Resident Evil 4. Dead Space. Hogwarts Legacy. Dredge. Forza Motorsport. Hi-Fi Rush. Dave the Diver. The list goes on...
When we look back on 2023, it's safe to say this will be remembered as one of the iconic years in gaming. It feels like there has been a major release every month since the turn of the year, and after an extremely dry 2022, gamers will have their hands full with the amount on offer.
In today's episode, we take a look at some of the standout games from this year, as we shine a light on the year's biggest event - The Game Awards! Join us as we discuss the nominees, predictions, and celebrate the outstanding achievements in the gaming industry. From jaw-dropping moments to ground-breaking innovations, this episode is a celebration of the passion and creativity that has made 2023 an incredible year for gaming.
Enjoy!🤘
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to hello@checkpointradio.co.uk
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor and James.

We've got a bumper episode today as we take a look at some recent news before heading into our main topic for this week!
The release of Modern Warfare 3 has got Call of Duty fans in a spin, and we question what's next for this once iconic franchise. Valve give the Steam Deck a massive new upgrade as they surprisingly announce a refined version of the popular handheld device - an insult to early adopters, or a good move? And we take a look at Bungie's struggles as the Destiny developer lays off over a hundred members of staff, adding to the ever growing list of budget and personnel cuts across the entire gaming industry.
Later in the episode, we get into cloud gaming! We've been testing the various offerings from the likes of PlayStation, Xbox and Nvidia, as we dive into the world of video game streaming and ask ourselves if cloud really is the future of gaming.
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to hello@checkpointradio.co.uk
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor and James.

The Hall of Fame is back! For part 3 of this ongoing series, we're officially adding CD Projekt Red's incredible open world action RPG The Witcher 3 to our greatest games of all time list.
The Witcher 3 is a special game for many people, and in this episode we get all gooey eyed and mushy over one of our all time favourites. From the writing to its characters, the open world design and truly impactful player choices, The Witcher 3 is a game you can tell was made out of the pure love of creating video games, and this epic adventure has given us hundreds of collective hours of enjoyment, tears and laughter. It is a game truly worthy of being discussed as one of the greatest achievements of all time in gaming.
Also in this episode, we talk a little about Alan Wake 2 and it's incredible reception, as well as discussing our time on Embark Studio's latest open beta for the hotly anticipated squad based objective shooter The Finals.
Enjoy!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to hello@checkpointradio.co.uk
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.

Welcome to Checkpoint Radio's Halloween Special!
Join us as we chat about our love-hate relationship with the weirdest holiday of the year! We'll be exchanging our own spooky ghost stories, reminiscing about Halloween growing up in 90s/00s Britain, and of course, talking about horror games!
While we may not be avid players of horror games due to certain technical limitations (cough, definitely not complete scaredy-cats), we truly value the unique contribution that horror games make to the gaming world. The profound psychological impact that a well-crafted horror game can exert on players can be quite intense, often necessitating a courageous heart to immerse oneself in them, with headphones on, in a dimly lit room, all alone. So, we aim to delve into the factors that make horror games so spine-chilling. Furthermore, we delve into our personal preferences regarding the most iconic monsters, creatures, and antagonists from the renowned titles in the horror game genre.
👻🎃⚰️🐈‍⬛💀
Hope you enjoy 🤘and if you would like to see more, then check out the links below!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to hello@checkpointradio.co.uk
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.

From Goldeneye on the N64, to Call of Duty, from Battlefield to Halo, the First Person Shooter has had a long history of consistently delivering some of the greatest games of all time. But lately, it feels as though something from this genre is lacking...
Thanks to the likes of Battle Royales like Warzone and Apex, shooters are arguably at their peak in terms of popularity, with these games alone consistently achieving active player counts in the hundreds of thousands. That number quickly rises if you also throw in Counter Strike and Valorant, two hugely popular, ultra competitive shooters in their own right.
But with gamers growing disgruntled with the over reliance on battle passes, a lack of originality across the whole genre, not to mention the problem of cheaters, griefers, and a seemingly higher-than-usual toxic environment, is the quality of shooters slowly declining?
In this episode we're talking about the state of shooters in 2023, the lack of satisfying and competitive gameplay, and how paywalled content and micro transactions are ruining everyone's fun.
Join us as we talk about some of our favourite FPS games, why we think shooters generally just stink nowadays, and what we'd like to see improve going forward!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to hello@checkpointradio.co.uk
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.