Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers

Join Dylan Wren and special guest Dave Jackson from Tales from the Backlog and a Top 3 Podcast for an in-depth, down-to-earth conversation about Capcom’s latest action RPG sensation, Monster Hunter Wilds! Our hosts team up for a wide-ranging breakdown of everything Monster Hunter — from the perspective of a lifelong fan and a series newcomer.

They cover the series’ unique “prep-and-hunt” gameplay loop, the depth of combat, gear grinding, and the surprisingly nuanced evolution of the Monster Hunter formula in Wilds. Hear about first impressions of the open world, new weapon changes, the impact of in-game quality of life im...

Join Andrew, Dylan, and special guest Jordan Rae for a lively and inspiring discussion on all things nerdy and creative! In this episode, we welcome cosplayer, streamer, graphic designer, and fledgling podcaster Jordan Rae to the show. Jordan shares her journey from designing logos in college to building a community through cosplay, streaming, and her new horror-themed podcast, Read It and Reap.

We dive into the challenges and surprises of getting started as a creator, how conventions and streaming have helped Jordan build confidence, and what it’s like to find your place in the geek community. Jo...

Ready to take a trip down memory lane? In this episode, your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers—Andrew, Dylan, Aubrey, and special guest Braedon—revisit the formative video games that shaped their childhoods and left a lasting impact. 

From educational staples like Reader Rabbit and trial-by-fire PC demos, to the glory days of handhelds and console favorites like GameCube, DS, and Xbox, they share hilarious stories and heartfelt nostalgia. The crew unpacks obscure games only they seem to remember (Nanosaur, anyone?), the wild west of early online multiplayer, and the titles that cemented their lifelong love for gaming. 

Alon...

In this episode of the Neighborhood Watch, Andrew, Aubrey and Dylan share their thoughts on the following games:

Then, the FN Discord Community shares the games they've been playing and enjoying recently as well. We hope you enjoy!

Support the sho...

We finally have a ton of information about the Nintendo Switch 2. In this episode, Andrew and Dylan share their thoughts on the recent Nintendo Direct dedicated to the new Switch. 

Talking points include:

Let us know what you thought of the Switch 2 Direct by joining our Discord or leaving a comment on YouTube.

Welcome hunters! It's time to return to the streets of Yharnam and kill some beasts because Bloodborne turned 10 this year! In this episode, we discuss one of our favorite games of all time. 

Topics include:

Video games have always been attempting the most realistic visuals that hardware and software allows. But over the last couple of generations the cost to value ratio of this pursuit seems to be diminishing. Games are taking longer to create and the advancements in visuals are sometimes barely noticeable or require hardware the average gamer doesn’t even have. Is this worth it?

In this episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers, Andrew and Dylan discuss this topic and share their thoughts and opinions on the state of the industry, specifically when it comes to gr...

In this episode of "Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers," hosts Andrew Kimball, Dylan Wren, and Aubrey Sommer are joined by special guests Braeden and Abi Kimball for a heartfelt and nostalgic deep dive into Animal Crossing: New Horizons, five years after its remarkable release. 

The crew reflects on the game's explosive impact during the COVID-19 pandemic, explores the cozy charm that captivated millions, and shares personal island stories and memories. Aubrey leads the conversation into what made New Horizons a legendary title and what they hope to see in future installments. 

From discussing hidden mechanics, memorable ch...

**This conversation is full spoilers**

In this episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers, Andrew, Aubrey and Dylan are experimenting with a new format for episodes focused on a single game. For the pilot episode if this format, they are discussing Banishers: Ghost of New Eden!

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a title crafted by the renowned studio DON'T NOD, known for their acclaimed works Life is Strange and Vampyr. Immerse in an unforgettable action RPG that takes you on an exhilarating journey between life, death, love and sacrifices.

You assume the roles...

On this edition of the Neighborhood Watch, Andrew and Dylan are here to talk about the games they've been playing lately! The episode kicks off with a fun question, "How would you try to get someone into the hobby of gaming if you could only show them one game?"

Then the episode shifts into what our hosts have been playing. Andrew and Dylan have both previewed games that aren't out yet! Dylan played a game called Stash: A Card Looter and Andrew played the 33 Immortals beta. 

Then, the conversations s...

Andrew and Dylan got to play Elden Ring Nightreign early and they're here to talk about it! Listen as they share the experience they had playing the network test for one of the most anticipated games of this year!

Talking points include:

Keep up with us here:<...

Welcome back to Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers! In this episode, hosts Andrew Kimball and Dylan Wren are joined by the host of the Good Playing With You Podcast, Dan Whitehill! 

Welcome back to Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers! In this episode, hosts Andrew Kimball and Dylan Wren are joined by Phil Barrera from the Wait For It Podcast to dive deep into the world of live service games. We explore the impact these types of games have had on the current generation of gaming, discuss the phenomenon of industry giants chasing the "Fortnite model" and evaluate whether this pursuit has led to wasted potential in the industry.

From PlayStation's recent cancellation of several planned live service games, to Ubisoft's attempts to integrate live service elements into beloved franchises...

On this episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers, hosts Andrew Kimball, Aubrey Sommer, and Dylan Wren dive into the games they've been playing recently in the latest installment of "The Neighborhood Watch."

The episode kicks off with an in-depth discussion about the recently announced Nintendo Switch 2, diving into their impressions of the announcement trailer, hardware speculations, potential new features, and the types of games that might be on the horizon for the next generation of Nintendo's beloved console.

The trio then shares their experiences with some of the games they've been enjoying:

On this episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers, Andrew is joined by Phil and Eric from The Wait For It podcast to talk about a game that has taken the world by storm, Marvel Rivals. 

Talking points include:

Check out The Wait For It podcast here -  https://linktr.ee/waitforitpodcast

Welcome back to Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers! In this special New Year's episode, hosts Andrew Kimball, Aubrey Sommer, and Dylan Wren sit down to share and discuss their gaming resolutions and goals for 2025. From finishing AAA titles to diving into unexplored game genres and tackling backlogs, the trio lays out their ambitions for the coming year in gaming.

Does Aubrey have what it takes to finally conquer some AAA titles? Will Andrew persevere through Baldur's Gate 3? Can Dylan catch up on PlayStation exclusives he's missed? Tune in to find out and be inspired to set your own...

A new year means a new draft in our Fantasy Critic League! Phil, Eric and Stefan from the Wait For It Podcast crew and Jay Davis from Super Bracket Bros. are back again to talk about the results from last year's league and to draft the games for 2025's league!

Follow the league with the link below and check out the other shows represented in this episode with their links below as well!

Wait For It info -  https://linktr.ee/waitforitpodcast

Super Bracket Bros info -  https://superbracketbros.buzzsprout.com/ 
 

It's finally time for another Neighborhood Watch episode! This is the format where we talk about all the games we've been playing recently. Games discussed in this episode include:

We hope you enjoy the discussion! If you want to be part of our community and future episodes, join our Discord with the link below. 

Join hosts Andrew Kimball, Dylan Wren, and Aubrey Sommer as they wrap up an incredible year of gaming with the highly-anticipated FN Game Awards for 2024! This episode is packed with surprising gaming revelations, heartfelt community engagement, and in-depth discussions on your favorite and not-so-favorite titles.

Highlights of the Episode Include:

It's back...

Welcome to the Fifth Annual Podcast Holiday Crossover Special! We have Super Bracket Bros, Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers, Game of Groans and The Wait for It Podcast all joining together to bring holiday cheer from the Super Bracket Bros Cinematic Universe (SBBCU). 

If you enjoy this bonus episode, let us know! And please check out all the podcasts represented on this episode! Thank you, and we hope you had a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Super Bracket Bros

https://superbracketbros.buzzsprout.com/

In this episode, we look back at the predictions we made for 2024 to see who got the most correct. Whoever wins, gets to pick a game that the other hosts have to play and we'll record and episode about it! 

After that, we take a look forward and make predictions for gaming in 2025! Some are probably gonna happen, others are completely wild! Listen in and see if you agree with our thoughts. 


SPOILERS FOR FF7 REBIRTH - 06:51 - 7:17

We're talking about The Game Awards 2024! First, we discuss our thoughts on the show overall. How was the pacing, the awards, the Muppets?? We poke fun at the cringe, try to figure out why Snoop Dogg was there, and the fact that Astro Bot won!

In the second half of the episode we discuss the real reason we all tune in, the announcements! The show kicked off with the announcement of the new Witcher game (where Ciri is confirmed as the protagonist) and a new co-op game in the Elden Ring universe. The middle of the show...

We made it, episode 150 is in the bag! We take a look back at the past year of episodes and YouTube videos and talk about the highlights, what we've learned and more!

Then, we answer questions that our awesome community submitted to us on Discord! It was a lot of fun and we greatly appreciate everyone who submitted questions for the episode!

Here's to another 150!

Welcome back to "Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers"! In this exciting episode, hosts Andrew Kimball, Aubrey Sommer, and Dylan Wren are joined by special guest Joe Sommer (KhazakDK) from Wowhead. Strap in as we dive deep into the ever-evolving world of World of Warcraft (WoW), with insightful commentary and nostalgic reflections.

What We Cover:

On the final episode in the FN Game Swap month, we're talking about Yakuza: Like a Dragon! Listen as we discuss the interesting combination of the whacky gameplay mixed with a serious character driven story. We also discuss the turn-based combat system (a series first) along with the many side activities the game has to offer. 

Thank you so much for listening to our Game Swap this month, we hope you've enjoyed it! Please let us know in Discord what your favorite episode in the swap was and if this is an idea we should revisit in t...

For part 2 of the FN Video Game Swap, we're talking about Lost In Random! Lost in Random is an action-adventure game developed by Zoink and published by Electronic Arts. Part of the EA Originals program, the game was released 10 September 2021. It was the final game developed by Zoink prior to their consolidation into Thunderful Development. It received generally positive reviews from critics. A sequel titled Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is in development at Thunderful and is scheduled for a 2025 release.

We talk about the card-based combat system and how it's a super interesting idea that...

On the first episode of the FN Game Swap, Aubrey takes over the hosting seat as the crew discusses a Gameboy Advance game, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team! The conversation includes talk about this game being one of the earliest roguelike games, the interesting twist of playing as a Pokémon, who the target audience of Pokémon games actually is, nostalgia affecting your opinion of a game and more!

On this episode, we are kicking off our Game Swap Month! We took the game swap idea that we tried a while back and blew it out into something bigger and hopefully better! Each of the hosts brought a game to the swap that the other two hosts will have to play. Then, we are going to dedicate the rest of this month to doing full episodes on those games. 

In this kickoff episode, the hosts are announcing the games that they are bringing to the swap. Andrew is bringing Lost in Random, Aubrey is bringing Pokémo...

Andrew, Aubrey and Dylan are joined by Joe, Delaney, and Abi to talk about the most recent game from Supermassive Games (not counting the Until Dawn Remake), The Casting of Frank Stone! The reason there are so many voices on this episode is because the whole gang played through the game together!

Listen as they discuss minimal gameplay, pointless collectibles, a lackluster story, the ties to Dead by Daylight, and more! They also rank this game among the other Supermassive games they've played and give their verdicts on the FN Gamers Review Scale. This episode is full...

Continuing our month of spooky Halloween themed episodes, Andrew, Aubrey and Dylan are discussing their top three favorite spooky/scary video games on this episode! First, our hosts talk about what qualifies a game to be on our scary/spooky lists. Then, they give their honorable mentions some time in the spotlights and discuss why they didn't make the cut. 

After that, it's finally time to dive into the lists! Andrew isn't a fan of horror so his list is a bit on the mid side but still includes some fantastic games. Aubrey went for vibes, so h...

In this episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers we ask the question, "which characters from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate would last the longest in popular horror movies?" To determine this, we each picked a character from the roster and let AI decide which one would come out on top!

Additionally, we asked our Discord community to give us their picks for which character would survive in The Night of the Living Dead. Find out who the winner is by listening to the episode. And be part of future episodes by joining our Discord server with the link...

It's finally time to talk about the weird world and gameplay from the mind of Kojima, Death Stranding. Dylan has finally finished the game that he had to play for losing the predictions bet at the start of the year. Now, he and Andrew are gonna talk about it. 

The spoiler-free first half of the conversation covers hiking mechanics, half-baked stealth and gunplay, interesting online components and more! The spoiler-filled back half of the discussion covers the weird cast of characters and poorly explained scifi world the game is set in. 

What do you think of...

In this  episode of "Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers," Andrew, Aubrey and Dylan delve into the complex world of live service games.  This discussion takes a critical look at the highs and lows of this controversial gaming model.

Failed projects like Anthem are dissected to understand how poor execution derailed games with promising potential. The hosts touch on historical MMO failures, such as those attempting to rival World of Warcraft in the mid-2000s, and discuss the how that compares to the current trend of live service games.

The conversation broadens to general games industry trends, sc...

On this episode of The Neighborhood Watch, Andrew and Aubrey are joined by friend of the show and host of The Video Game Lounge podcast, Jon Haig! Andrew talks about the new, stylish, 2D roguelite game Elsie that he reviewed on our YouTube channel (shoutout to Playtonic for the review code!) while Aubrey discusses $2.00 search and find games that she finds on the Nintendo EShop.

Jon has recently been playing and enjoying Tales of Kenzera: Zau, a metroidvania from EA Originals. He also recently played through Final Fantasy XVI and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (which he got...

Andrew and Aubrey aren't here this week so Dylan calls in his sister Delaney to help out. On this episode, they discuss the recent updates to Diablo IV and the things they are enjoying along with  a few areas the game could improve.

After that, it's time for the main topic! Our hosts pick a handful of Olympic events and decide which characters should compete. Then, they ask AI which of these characters would win. It goes about how you would expect...

Let us know which video game characters you think should compete in the O...

On this episode of the show, Aubrey and Dylan have to decide who will be named the best side character of all time! Andrew created a list of beloved side characters from the games that we all know and love. Then, he created a bracket and put all of those characters in it. Aubrey and Dylan were then tasked with with deciding which characters would move forward and which ones would go home. 

Who do you think is the best side character of all time? Let us know by joining out Discord server with the link below!

In this episode of "Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers," hosts Dylan Wren, Andrew Kimball, and Aubrey Sommer dive deep into the world of spoilers. The conversation navigates through the challenges of avoiding spoilers, the socially accepted time periods for discussing spoilers, and the differing impacts within friend groups versus on social media.

The hosts share personal stories of how spoilers have influenced their media experiences, debate the responsibility of avoiding or providing spoiler warnings, and emphasize personal accountability when consuming content. They also touch on the gaming industry's unspoken rules about revealing content, the hesitance to spoil due...

**Some Night in the Woods spoilers at 44:26**

On this episode, Andrew, Aubrey and Dylan do a video game swap! Each host brought a game to the table that the other two had to play and now they are going to talk about it.

Aubrey brought Night in the Woods, Andrew brought Sunset Overdrive and Dylan brought the Dead Space Remake. Listen to find out what the crew thought about the games they were forced to play!

TIMESTAMPS
06:35 - Sunset Overdrive
25:08 - Dead Space
43:15 - Night in the Woods<...

** Spoiler Warning** 19:49 - Hades Spoilers

Welcome back to the neighborhood! On this episode, Aubrey officially joins the show as a permanent member of the podcast! We are very excited about the perspective she will bring to our content!

This episode is packed with fun conversations about a bunch of games we've been playing recently including, Hades, The Chant, The Last Faith, Dead by Daylight, Bluey the Videogame and more!

What have you been playing lately? Use the link below to join our Discord server and let us know!
<...

On this special episode of the Friendly Neighborhood Gamers podcast, Andrew, Dylan and Aubrey each host a trivia game for the others to compete in. 

Andrew hosts a game called I Got It From ChatGPT, Aubrey hosts a game of Synonym Roll and Dylan hosts a simplified version of Got It From Google with a bonus How Many Smash Bros. Characters Can You Name? at the end!