Friday Night Gamecast

Every year we sit down to discuss what we think is the best game of the year. Every year it's different. Sometimes we agree and many times we both unsheathe our blades and battle to the death over what is or isn't a good game. This year is no exception to the drama and the controversy! This Episode was Powered by: Buzz Ballz! (the weird chocolate flavor Will got at the discount section of Costco). Whether it be fighting the Paintress in Expedition 33, King Sigismund in Kingdom Come Deliverance or even big scary Monsters (getting Hunted) in the Wild...

The Yotei Three are here to give you a full deep dive review of the latest Sucker Punch title: Ghost of Yotei. Following up approx. 300 years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima we follow Atsu on a mission of revenge and spirit! This title was fantastic and we have lots of thoughts on how this game hit us. Too many birds? Too few wolves? Take some time with us this Friday to figure out what makes this game sing!

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Intro

4:06 - Histories w/ Ghost & Sucker Punch

You still love Pokémon. We still love Pokémon. And by golly, the Pokémon company and Game Freak are committed to providing you with as much Pokémon as you can stomach! This week I'm joined by a NEW friend of the show Jordan from Cognitive Clips to discuss the most recent Pokemon spin off title, "Legends Z-A!" This entry has us returning to the Kalos region from the Gen 5 Pokemon X / Y games but this time we're running around with our poke-pals in Lumiose City! I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, there's a lot in this game that...

There are some creators who live on the bleeding edge of online internet trends. Well let me be the first to tell you all that FNGC Pod is probably not one of them! We're coming at you all this Black Friday after Thanksgiving to give you 10 Games to get to know us and this one's a doozy! We're guessing each other's list this time around. I came through with some deep cuts and Will pulled some games onto his list I've never heard of in my life. It's worth jumping in just to find out which games made the...

There comes a time in every gamer's life when they have to reconcile that their favorite IP is immutably changed for the worse and it'll never be able to return to the pinnacle of greatness it once held in the social zeitgeist of the gaming world. This is true for Sonic, Metal Gear Solid, Need for Speed (who are we kidding NFS was probably never great) and now most importantly Halo.

In this episode, Will and I provide a full review of the Halo Infinite Co-Op campaign and are ready to share the good, the bad and...

It's that spooky time of year and a classic FNGC Episode is covering all the horror games we've been playing is here for you now! Our main game of the show is Alan Wake 2! But we're also covering a whole gambit of other titles - some of which may or may not have made Will very upset that I played without him. Which one was it you ask? Well strap in for this Halloween weekend and give it a listen!

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Intro

5:26 - Whatcha Playin

25:54 - Marvel...

Somehow I managed to drag William out of the shadows out of the darkness that is not recording video games podcast and have brought him into the light. He's been doing nothing but playing Marvel Rivals for months. Alas we have brought him back into the light that is FNGC. This week for our (second?) triumphant return we're talking about the games we've been playing and we have 2 full blown reviews for you all! Assassin's Creed Shadows & Wanderstop - two games that couldn't be more unalike each other! Cheers!

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Intro<...

Do you like sipping coffee in a cozy shop on a cold rainy day? Well we do too! This Friday we're back again joined by our great friends, Kate & Emily of No Small Games, to discuss the indie darling - Coffee Talk. Set it an alternate history full of elves, orcs, harpies and sirens we play the role of a mysterious barista who owns and operates the coziest late-night coffee talk with absolute vibes. We break down why Nick would be a terrible barista, why this game works and how you might want to engage with it as a...

Once in a while a game releases that changes the fabric of the gaming world. In recent history the likes of Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3, Breath of the Wild and even more have left their own indelible mark on the gaming industry and are still discussed in our communities to this day. Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is the next game to have this level of impact. We're joined by Rick Firestone of Pixel Project Radio to fully deep dive into E33 and provide you a critical analysis. So kick back, grab a drink and join us while we spill some...

We're Back! If you can believe it or not, we went to Boston again and had a fantastic time. Will and I take the chance to review our trip and our fantastic time covering all the incredible titles at Pax East 2025. Incredible indies, outstanding panels and a Boston city re-review are inbound for you to enjoy. We want to take another opportunity to give a huge shout out to all the incredible creators that we got to see like Emily & Kate of No Small Games, CGDannyB, the Patriarch of the Dojima clan: Dave Jackson, Joseph Hooper, Adam Gumbert, Jacob...

It's that time again and we're ready to bring the heat! It's the end of the year and Will has returned to join me in judging our Game of the Year 2024! So this year has been incredible, but we're switching up our formula for delivery. We're not only heralding what we think were our favorites of 2024 - we're giving plenty of other games their just due by awarding them "Best in Class" for their respective categories. Hot takes, spicy wings and non-stop caffeinated fun! Make sure you don't miss our Season 3 finale!

Time Stamps:
0:00...

One of the biggest JRPGs of 2024 deserves one of the biggest FNGC episodes of Season 3 and we are here to deliver! This week I'm joined by Same Heaney (of No Limits!) and Dave Jackson (Tales from the Backlog) to conduct a comprehensive analysis of Metaphor Refantazio. A fascinating title that expects much of the player and provides even more in return. We face idealism, nihilism, and a journey of the hero and the self as we travel with the protagonist across the Kingdom of Euchronia. We discover how real world politics have informed the sociopolitical discourse deeply imbedded in...

We're back folks!!! Coming back on this outstanding Friday to review one of the hotly anticipated WRPGs of 2024, Dragon Age: The Veilguard!! This week Nick is joined by Courtney to discuss the ups and downs of this infamous title. This game got a lot of flack in various internet pockets of "those who shall not be named" but Courtney did a great job joining me for this episode to talk about the complexities of this very large title. Whether you're completely new to the Dragon Age series, or a long-term friend - this episode is for you and we're...

This week, Nate & Jono return to the podcast to join us to review Star Wars Outlaws! The latest title from Ubisoft and an open world "Scoundrel Simulator" has all kinds of interesting things that the boys need to help us break down for everybody. Walk into the cantina with us to fully take in this hive of scum and villainy >:)

Please follow The Elder Trolls at all the below links!
https://linktr.ee/eldertrollspodcast

Music by: Wilber Roget II

If you want to reach out to Nick and Will personally to engage...

“On the path of Budo one does not strive for victory over an opponent... one strives to avoid defeat by one's own self.” - Akira Toriyama

This week we are joined by Jared from Play Along Pod to charge up our ki and review this incredible entry into the Budokai Tenkaichi franchise! Dragon Ball is Super (heh) important to all three of us and is a significant aspect of our formative years - like most millennial podcasters. But in this episode we're talking about the strengths of this game as the most modern arena fighter in this fran...

The boys have never been more back in the spookiest month of the year. We're coming at you with our perennial topic of covering some of the scariest games that we've loved either from this year or in the past. Whether it's running from the incredibly large castle mommy or learning about how time loops in Nowhere, we have you covered for this year. Happy Halloween to everyone!

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Introductions
02:08 - Housekeeping
03:49 - Whatcha Playing??
29:19 - Spooktober 2024
01:22:26 - Outro

Composer: Shoji Meguro
Metaphor Refantazio Battle...

For Glory & Honor, Nick and Will review Space Marine 2!! This week we have 40k on the docket to round out this action-packed fall season. In this episode Will and I both go in-depth on what makes this game sing on a technical level and how it offers a brilliant presentation worthy of being a hallmark entry into next gen consoles. From battling Tyrranid swarms to providing a proportionate response to heretical presence, we have you covered. The Emperor Preserves!

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Introduction
02:06 - History with Warhammer 40k & Space Marine Franchise(s)
06:39...

I AM ASTRO BOT!!! What's up everybody!!! Starting off our content for October we're coming in strong. Will, Jacob and I all platinumed Astro Bot and decided we had to join our forces together to give in a comprehensive review. From the platforming, level design, boss design and pure nostalgia baked in we're covering everything here!

Please follow Jacob at all his links below:
https://jacobmccourt.notion.site/Jacob-McCourt-26154cdfc49446148a763abf6d7f9129
https://twitter.com/JacobMcCourt

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Introductions & Billing
04:14- History w/ Astro Bot
08:47...

The review of 2024 is finally upon us. FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH IS HERE!! Want to say thanks to all our fans and listeners for being so patient for this release it means the world to us. This week I'm joined by Kolby Moyer from the Switch It Up Podcast and #1 Sephiroth stan to discuss this incredible title. This week we're digging into narrative structure, character highlights, mini games, open world map design and even uncovering the secrets to Dio's supplement routine! This is a jam-packed one so I hope you all enjoy

Please check out Switch it...

Hi Everybody! Surprise FNGC Drop for your Wednesday listening pleasure (remember every day can be a Friday if you Believe hard enough). This has been exclusive on Patreon for quite some time since April so on the cusp of posting our Asura's Wrath review over there, and in light of scheduling issues over here, now is the perfect time to let the world know if Rune Factory 4 is good or not!

This episode was so fun and gives a lot of insight into specifically what Will does/doesn't like! Lots of Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley & Cult of...

So you thought we were done talking about this era of retro gaming last time huh? WELL GUESS WHAT WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN!! This time around we have an outstanding guest, Chris Coplien, from Retro Hangover Podcast jumping on board with us to discuss his favorite aspects of one of the most iconic console generations - Gen 5 (so iconic it even deserves 2 episodes)...Anyway, lots of fun had here we dig into deep cuts like the 3DO, Atari Jaguar and even the Pippin??? (I still don't believe that was a real thing but refuse to research it). Give this...

This week Nick is joined by Jala - of Jala-chan's Place Podcast - to review what is arguably the most infamous title in the FE franchise: Fire Emblem Fates! This 2016 TTRPG is a fascinating game to dig into and I'm frankly astonished that it exists to this day. From the updated mechanics, the deceptively good(?) map systems to even the mind-boggling "face-petting" with that 3DS stylus - we got it call covered in this review! As always, let us know what we missed and who was your favorite character from Birthright, Conquest or Revelations!

Please find Jala...

Hey folks! It's the mid-year check-in time for the Friday Night Gamecast. Last year on the fortuitous day of August 3, 2023, Baldur's Gate 3 released and people were immediately clamoring on social media that it was the game of the year, and it wasn't even close! I wanted to get together with William and see - is there a game out there that already has secured the top spot for 2024? WE DEFINITELY THINK SO! So join us as we catch up from the past couple of weeks and deliberate on what title holds the top spot for this year! Cheers!
<...

It's time to talk about the incredible indie Metroidvania of 2024, Tales of Kenzera: Zau! Does this title have too many colons in it? Who tf knows?! This time around we're joined by ANOTHER brand new cast member to the show, CGDannyB to discuss what makes this title unique and important to the gaming landscape.  Make sure you tune in this week so, you too, can find your Baba!

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Introductions
03:44 - What Drew us Into Zau
06:51 - What is Tales of Kenzera: Zau
14:27 - Visuals & Gameplay
33:25 - Enemy V...

We're jumping back into the review season for the pod, we have a few lined up to be coming at you full force here pretty soon. We're joined this week by Matt Storm aka Stormageddon to discuss and do a full-blown analysis of Dragon's Dogma 2! This action RPG is pretty cool and quite polarizing for any who play it. We had great discussions surrounding the design ethos form the Itsuno-helmed team over at Capcom and what actually makes this experience special!

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Introductions
01:59 - Dragon's Dogma 2 Billing
02:49 - Background & History<...

What's up everybody!!! We are cooking this weekend. While you might think we're grilling in the backyard, nah Will and I are behind the mics and the keyboards making absolute magic happen. This week we're joined by Nave to do a roundup on the big 3 summer showcases (PS State of Play, SGF & the incomparable Xbox Summer Showcase)! This week is a little bit of a switch up - I'm using fun music from the trailers we were shown as a little change of pace for us this week. Also do not forget to stick around till the end so...

This week we are taking a quick break from reviewing games to not only duke it out amongst ourselves but also enrage our entire fanbase! This episode, we take the opportunity to catch up and dive into the worst games both of us bought day one. We want to hear from you all, were we right on the money with the worst games we got at launch or should we just stop moaning about it ;) Have a great weekend and make sure to keep gaming!

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Intro & Housekeeping
5:36 - Game Updates<...

After an extended break for us, the weekend is finally returned which means you get to enjoy our incredible review of Helldivers II! Helldivers II is the game that ignited social media for the beginning of 2024 and has maintained its prevalence in the gaming space this year. We're joined by our friend and patron,  Eric Gess,  returning to the show to deliver Freedom and Managed Democracy to all our wonderful listeners. Take some time while you're washing the dishes, cooking dinner, or mowing the lawn to show to YOURSELF what it means to be free!

Time St...