Between Levels Podcast

Between Levels Podcast
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Video Games

Between Levels is a weekly gaming podcast hosted by WheelieAverage, Sarthe, and FightinCowboy. Each week, the trio dives into the latest releases, gaming news, industry trends, and audience questions, bringing together three distinct perspectives from across the gaming community. From blockbuster launches and hidden gems to in-depth discussions and special guests, Between Levels is where passionate gamers come together to talk about the games that matter most.

  1. 16h ago

    Phantom Blade Zero Might Be BETTER Than Sekiro | Between Levels Podcast Ep. 18

    Could Phantom Blade Zero actually be better than Sekiro? This week, FightinCowboy and Sarthe share their first impressions of Phantom Blade Zero, and the early verdict is VERY positive. Cowboy is approaching ten hours with the game and believes its combat comes closer than almost anything else to capturing the back-and-forth dance that makes Sekiro so special. We discuss its huge weapon variety, challenging optional bosses, exploration and why some players may be approaching the game with the wrong expectations by treating it like a Soulslike. We also get into a much bigger debate about what actually makes a video game great. Is gameplay always king? Can narrative-driven games, walking simulators and visual novels be just as compelling with less traditional interaction? And how much do graphics and presentation really matter? Then we answer your questions about gaming backlogs, whether reviewers and content creators would play as many games if it wasn't their job, and which recent releases we'd actually recommend if you could only afford one game. Plus, Sarthe is finally back, Wheelie prepares for his first-ever World of Warcraft experience, and Cowboy and Sarthe inevitably end the show nerding out over WoW add-ons. Featuring WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Welcome to Between Levels Episode 18 01:17 – Phantom Blade Zero First Impressions 04:24 – Could Phantom Blade Zero Actually Top Sekiro? 07:14 – Why the Combat Gets Better and Better 13:46 – Phantom Blade Zero Is NOT a Soulslike 18:13 – Difficulty, Power Fantasy & Optional Bosses 24:45 – Phantom Blade Zero Early Game Tips 31:33 – Could This Define a New Genre? 33:54 – Calling Out Bad Creator Behaviour 36:47 – Is Gameplay Always King? 40:20 – Can Games With Less Gameplay Still Be Great? 45:29 – Your Comments & Questions 46:05 – Do Content Creators Have Gaming Backlogs? 51:30 – Would We Play This Many Games Without Our Jobs? 55:41 – Which Games Are Actually Worth Your Money? 58:34 – If You Could Only Buy ONE Game... 1:01:57 – Wheelie Picks Call of Duty 1:03:20 – Cowboy Picks Phantom Blade Zero 1:04:11 – World of Warcraft Forever Is Coming 1:05:00 – Cowboy & Sarthe Nerd Out Over WoW Add-Ons 1:10:47 – One Final Community Comment 1:11:15 – Outro

  2. Oct 23

    Stranger Than Heaven Hands-On & The End of BioWare | Between Levels Podcast Ep. 17

    WheelieAverage has played three hours of Stranger Than Heaven, and RGG Studio might have created one of the strangest combat systems we’ve ever seen. This week, Wheelie and FightinCowboy break down Stranger Than Heaven’s unusual limb-based combat, weapons, executions, accessibility concerns and story spanning five different decades. We also return to Valor Mortis now that Cowboy has played significantly more of the game. He explains why he currently sits around a 4/5 despite the bugs, while Wheelie discusses his final 7/10 review and why he thinks the game could become much easier to recommend after a few patches. Then we discuss the closure of BioWare, the legacy of the studio behind Mass Effect and other iconic RPGs, EA’s role in its struggles and why celebrating developers losing their jobs is something we simply cannot understand. Elsewhere, we talk Dragon’s Dogma, the rising cost and risk of AAA development, whether buying games later hurts developers, community comments, our Fantasy Critic battle and The Bonus Level’s Final Fantasy Resonance roundtable. Featuring WheelieAverage and FightinCowboy. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Welcome to Between Levels Episode 17 01:38 – Wheelie Has Played Stranger Than Heaven 02:08 – More Valor Mortis Impressions 04:46 – Cowboy’s Valor Mortis Verdict So Far 06:12 – Wheelie’s Final Valor Mortis Review 07:44 – Why Dragon’s Dogma Feels Like a True Adventure 11:18 – The End of BioWare 14:42 – Stop Celebrating Studios Closing 17:14 – Why Making Games Is Such a Financial Risk 22:49 – Stranger Than Heaven Hands-On Impressions 24:52 – The Combat Is VERY Hard to Learn 26:09 – Weapons Completely Change the Combat 29:11 – Stranger Than Heaven’s Accessibility Concerns 30:35 – How Do You Tell a Story Across Five Decades? 33:04 – Yes, Snoop Dogg Teaches You How to Roll 33:23 – RGG Is Letting Its Next Generation Cook 35:01 – Your Open-World Comments 36:15 – Not Every Game Needs to Be for Everybody 38:05 – Oblivion, Morrowind & RPG Freedom 42:23 – Does Buying Games Later Hurt Developers? 46:43 – Does FightinCowboy Promote Between Levels Enough? 53:06 – Fantasy Critic Is Coming Down to the Wire 1:00:30 – The Bonus Level & Final Fantasy Resonance 1:02:42 – Why Cowboy Struggles With Turn-Based Games 1:05:53 – The Internet Made FightinCowboy Bald 1:08:37 – Can Open Worlds Feel TOO Aimless? 1:10:18 – What Happened to Fun Sports Games? 1:11:34 – A Future Between Levels Tournament? 1:14:34 – The “Beat Down Wheelie” Stream 1:16:10 – Our Game Awards & GOTY Plans 1:16:57 – Outro

  3. Oct 20 ·  Bonus

    Final Fantasy Resonance Review Roundtable | Between Levels Podcast: The Bonus Level

    Welcome to The Bonus Level — an extra Between Levels episode outside of our normal numbered weekly podcast. WheelieAverage is joined by Dom from Dom’s Roundtable and Danreb Victorio from SmashPad for a special Final Fantasy Resonance review roundtable. Wheelie has finished the main story and spent around 40 hours with the game, Dom has put more than 70 hours into it and explored virtually everything, while Dan joins us from the middle of Chapter 6. That gives us three very different perspectives on Square Enix’s return to old-school, turn-based Final Fantasy. We discuss the HD-2D presentation, characters, story and the Vision system, which lets you combine abilities from iconic Final Fantasy characters in some ridiculous ways. We also get into Resonance attacks, the soundtrack, how successfully Square Enix transformed a former mobile game into a full premium release, endgame grinding, Espers, technical issues and whether Final Fantasy Resonance really is a must-play JRPG. Finally, we look beyond Resonance and ask where Final Fantasy should go next. Should Final Fantasy XVII remain 3D? Could turn-based combat make a full comeback? And what influence could games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have on the future of the franchise? Featuring WheelieAverage, Dom’s Roundtable and Danreb Victorio of SmashPad. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Welcome to The Bonus Level 01:20 – The Final Fantasy Resonance Review Roundtable 02:11 – Wheelie’s Final Fantasy Resonance Impressions 03:07 – Danreb’s First Impressions 05:00 – Dom’s Thoughts After 70+ Hours 06:16 – How Wheelie Got Into Turn-Based Games 10:01 – The Vision System Explained 15:06 – Resonance Attacks & Breaking the Combat System 18:06 – The Problem With Unlocking Visions 19:28 – Final Fantasy Resonance Is a Museum for the Franchise 20:31 – Final Fantasy’s Iconic Music 23:39 – Gilgamesh & Classic Final Fantasy References 24:51 – You’d Never Know This Was a Mobile Game 28:18 – Is Final Fantasy Resonance a MUST-PLAY? 30:27 – What Doesn’t Work? 32:14 – The Endgame Grind 34:43 – The Hidden Vision That Makes Grinding Easier 36:20 – Taking 16 Turns & Dealing Over a Million Damage 37:03 – Are Espers Too Weak? 39:16 – Technical Issues 41:05 – Quality-of-Life Features We Want 42:43 – Why Fast Travel Works So Well 47:15 – Where Does Final Fantasy Go Next? 52:35 – Final Verdicts 56:43 – Guest Coverage & Outro

  4. Oct 16

    Valor Mortis Impressions & Street Fighter Movie Reactions | Between Levels Podcast Ep. 16

    Valor Mortis takes centre stage this week as WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe dive into the game, its aggressive first-person combat, build crafting and some of the technical issues Wheelie encountered during his playthrough. Wheelie has finished Valor Mortis, while Cowboy is around five or six hours into the game and having a much more positive experience so far. We compare impressions, break down Cowboy’s parry-focused build and discuss what works — and what doesn’t. Wheelie also shares his thoughts on the new Street Fighter movie after attending a special screening with Paramount Pictures. That quickly turns into a much bigger conversation about video game adaptations, whether games are the best form of entertainment and why translating an interactive experience into film can be so difficult. We also discuss whether Castlevania needed to evolve, why franchises have to change, annual sports games recycling old features, Hogwarts Legacy, Lord of the Rings games, the Nemesis System and whether developers should prioritise accessibility or depth when adapting major IP. Later, we get into gaming fatigue and open-world design, including Rise of the Ronin, Nioh 3, Mad Max, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Red Faction Guerrilla, Crimson Desert, Outer Wilds, Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption 2. Finally, we discuss Cyberpunk 2077’s remarkable recovery, whether No Man’s Sky did it even better and some of gaming’s seemingly endless development cycles. Featuring WheelieAverage, FightinCowboy and Sarthe.

  5. Oct 9

    Phantom Blade Zero Hands-On & Hellraiser Is BRUTAL | Between Levels Podcast Ep. 15

    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.

  6. Oct 2

    Gears of War: E-Day Is Xbox's Best Game Since 360 & Galactic Racer | Between Levels Podcast Ep. 14

    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.

  7. Sep 25

    World of Warcraft Forever Is Taking Over | Between Levels Podcast Ep. 13

    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. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Between Levels Episode 13 01:56 – World of Warcraft Has Taken Over the Podcast 03:00 – Cowboy Played 50–60 Hours of WoW in Under a Week 05:05 – Why World of Warcraft Is So Addictive 08:36 – Is WoW Forever Going to Be Massive? 09:21 – Cowboy’s Wife, Plants & Retirement Plans 😂 11:33 – Cowboy’s WoW Forever Character Plans 13:27 – Every WoW Class Explained to Wheelie 18:49 – What Class Should a New WoW Player Choose? 21:27 – Wheelie Chooses Hunter 22:03 – Hunting Rare Pets in World of Warcraft 26:31 – Why Wheelie Is Waiting for Launch 29:44 – WoW Controller Support & Accessibility 31:39 – Who Else Is Playing WoW for the First Time? 34:38 – Fantasy Critic Update 36:04 – Silent Hill: Townfall’s Review Score Surprises Us 37:31 – Sarthe Finally Checks His Fantasy Critic Team 39:19 – 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 Divided 47:49 – 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 GOTY 58:59 – Community Comments 1:02:25 – Does Wheelie Talk Too Much Trash? 1:06:00 – Did Cowboy & Sarthe Actually Twist Wheelie’s Words? 1:07:43 – Why Between Levels’ Banter Works 1:09:41 – Cowboy Challenges Wheelie in World of Warcraft 1:10:12 – The One-Handed WoW Fight Is Happening 1:15:22 – Waiting for WoW Forever Launch 1:17:07 – Cowboy Starts Judging Kids’ Pull-Ups 😂 1:20:06 – Somehow We Ended Up Talking About Parenting 1:20:16 – Outro & What’s Coming Next

  8. Sep 18

    Control Resonant Review & Wolverine Debate ft. Jesse From DayOne | Between Levels Podcast Ep. 12

    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.

See All (19)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Between Levels is a weekly gaming podcast hosted by WheelieAverage, Sarthe, and FightinCowboy. Each week, the trio dives into the latest releases, gaming news, industry trends, and audience questions, bringing together three distinct perspectives from across the gaming community. From blockbuster launches and hidden gems to in-depth discussions and special guests, Between Levels is where passionate gamers come together to talk about the games that matter most.

Information

  • Creator
    Between Levels Podcast
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Between Levels Podcast

You Might Also Like