Windbreaker

40 Episodes
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By: Second Wind

Windbreaker is Second Wind's premier gaming podcast hosted by Yahtzee Croshaw, Marty Sliva & JM8. Join the trio (and occasional guests) weekly to discuss everything industry wide from current news, to recent releases and wider trends.

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What to Do When Genre Fatigue Sets In | Windbreaker Podcast
What to Do When Genre Fatigue Sets In | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#145
Today at 2:00 AM

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, Marty, and JM8 chat about genre fatigue.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Horror Mechanics Need a Refresh | Windbreaker Podcast
Horror Mechanics Need a Refresh | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#144
10/12/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, Marty, and Jesse G chat about the current state of horror games, and how they could use a mechanical refresh.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


When a Developer “Levels Up” | Windbreaker Podcast
When a Developer “Levels Up” | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#143
10/06/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty use the 15th anniversary of Dark Souls to take a look at specific games throughout history where it felt like a given developer had “leveled up” at the time.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


How Could the Zelda Movie Actually Be Good? | Windbreaker Podcast
How Could the Zelda Movie Actually Be Good? | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#142
09/29/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty take a look at the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie, and what it would need to do in order to be an actually good video game adaptation.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Some Games Shouldn't Be Games | Windbreaker Podcast
Some Games Shouldn't Be Games | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#141
09/22/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty take a look at games throughout history that might've worked better in an entirely different medium instead.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


The Etiquette of Remakes | Windbreaker Podcast
The Etiquette of Remakes | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#140
09/15/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty use the news of Nintendo's upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to discuss the etiquette of remakes.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Let's Have a Nice Chat About Grand Theft Auto VI | Windbreaker Podcast
Let's Have a Nice Chat About Grand Theft Auto VI | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#139
09/01/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about the recent Grand Theft Auto VI showcase, and the staggering scale that Rockstar is attempting to achieve.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


The Most Relaxing Spots in Video Games | Windbreaker Podcast
The Most Relaxing Spots in Video Games | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#138
08/25/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about their go-to relaxing spots in games where they can just take a beat, slow down, and soak in the vibes.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


The Worst Ways To Make Us Want Something | Windbreaker Podcast
The Worst Ways To Make Us Want Something | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#3
08/18/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about the worst ways that a game can make them want something.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


The Obscure Games We Love | Windbreaker Podcast
The Obscure Games We Love | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#136
08/11/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about the obscure video games they love, a topic voted for by our wonderful Patrons.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Final Fantasy IX and the Struggle of Going Back to Your Roots | Windbreaker Podcast
Final Fantasy IX and the Struggle of Going Back to Your Roots | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#135
08/04/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about Final Fantasy IX, whimsy in games, and why it's tough to recapture the magic of your roots

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Asymmetric Horror Games And Why They're Good | Windbreaker Podcast
Asymmetric Horror Games And Why They're Good | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#134
07/28/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Jesse Galena discuss about the wonderful world of asymmetric horror games.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Let’s Make Yahtzee and JM8 Choose Their Favorites | Windbreaker Podcast
Let’s Make Yahtzee and JM8 Choose Their Favorites | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#133
07/21/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty have to choose their favorites in a bunch of different topics.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


2D vs 3D | Windbreaker Podcast
2D vs 3D | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#132
07/14/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty tackle the topic of 2D vs 3D -- our personal preferences, which genres work best in which, and the design freedoms/restrictions that stem from each.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


The British Games Are Coming! | Windbreaker Podcast
The British Games Are Coming! | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#131
07/07/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty gab about the long history of British-developed video games.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


The Art of the Time Loop | Windbreaker Podcast
The Art of the Time Loop | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#130
06/30/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty gab about the art of the video game time loop.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Why Are Cards Everywhere In Games? | Windbreaker Podcast (ft. Jack Packard)
Why Are Cards Everywhere In Games? | Windbreaker Podcast (ft. Jack Packard) episode artwork
#129
06/23/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee is on holiday, so Jack is joinging JM8 and Marty to chat about the rise of card-based video games.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Building Our Indie Game Mount Rushmore | Windbreaker Podcast
Building Our Indie Game Mount Rushmore | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#128
06/16/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty build their own personal Mount Rushmore of indie games.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Catching Yahtzee Up on the Big Summer Game Fest Announcements | Windbreaker Podcast
Catching Yahtzee Up on the Big Summer Game Fest Announcements | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#127
06/09/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty dip back into their annual tradition of running down the list of the big trailers, reveals, and announcements from this past week's Summer Game Fest showcases.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


OurFavorite Video Game Expansions and DLC | Windbreaker Podcast
OurFavorite Video Game Expansions and DLC | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#126
06/02/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty use the news of The Witcher III getting a new expansion 12 years (!) after its initial release to chat about their own personal favorite video game expansions and DLC throughout history.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠⁠


Let's Talk About Metal Gear Solid | Windbreaker Podcast
Let's Talk About Metal Gear Solid | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#125
05/26/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about how the original 1998 Metal Gear Solid remains a singularly weird and wonderful experience.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Hey Games, Cool It With the Text Logs | Windbreaker Podcast
Hey Games, Cool It With the Text Logs | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#124
05/19/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about text/diary/journal/audio logs in video games -- the good, the bad, and the weird.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


How to Keep a Franchise Feeling Fresh | Windbreaker Podcast
How to Keep a Franchise Feeling Fresh | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#123
05/12/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about what it takes to keep a franchise feeling fresh in 2026.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Games As Comedy Engines w/ Jack Packard | Windbreaker Podcast
Games As Comedy Engines w/ Jack Packard | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#122
05/05/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Jack Packard joins the regular crew to chat about games as engines for comedy.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Let's All Have a Good Cry | Windbreaker Podcast
Let's All Have a Good Cry | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#3
04/28/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty want to expand on the topic of games that have made us cry, which Yahtzee covered in his most recent Semi-Ramblomatic.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠⁠


Is Hand-Holding Really a Gaming Sin? | Windbreaker Podcast
Is Hand-Holding Really a Gaming Sin? | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#120
04/21/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty unpack the current state of hand-holding in games.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠⁠


The Problem With Trilogies | Windbreaker Podcast
The Problem With Trilogies | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#119
04/14/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty dig into trilogies in video games -- which have soared, which have stumbled, why capping off a trio of stories tends to be so difficult for so many franchises, and why we see so few “Part 3s” nowadays.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


The Problem With Trilogies | Windbreaker Podcast
The Problem With Trilogies | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#3
04/14/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty dig into trilogies in video games -- which have soared, which have stumbled, why capping off a trio of stories tends to be so difficult for so many franchises, and why we see so few “Part 3s” nowadays.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Let’s Talk About Resurrection | Windbreaker Podcast
Let’s Talk About Resurrection | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#118
04/07/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty dig into the act of coming back to life in video games. Twists on the mechanic that have worked, ones that haven’t, and ideas that we haven’t seen tried out yet.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


The Highs, Lows, and Spoilers of Pokémon Pokopia | Windbreaker Podcast
The Highs, Lows, and Spoilers of Pokémon Pokopia | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#117
03/31/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, JM8 and Marty dig deep into Pokémon Pokopia -- what they liked, what they didn't, and what lessons Game Freak should crib from it.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Let's Fix Your Boring Fantasy World | Windbreaker Podcast
Let's Fix Your Boring Fantasy World | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#113
03/24/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty dig into fantasy settings in games -- which work, which don't, and how you can make a boring one feel more alive.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup


Resident Evil Requiem Spoilercast | Windbreaker Podcast
Resident Evil Requiem Spoilercast | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#115
03/17/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty are going full spoilers on their Resident Evil Requiem thoughts. The good, the bad, the lickers, and everything in-between.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠



What Makes the Perfect Zone Out Game? | Windbreaker Podcast
What Makes the Perfect Zone Out Game? | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#114
03/10/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty bounce off recent examples like Pokemon Pokopia, Hades 2, Slay the Spire 2, and Mewgenics to chat about the elements that go into a great game to just zone out to.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠



We Forced Yahtzee to Watch the New Silent Hill 2 Movie | Windbreaker Podcast
We Forced Yahtzee to Watch the New Silent Hill 2 Movie | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#113
03/03/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty watched Return to Silent Hill, the 2026 film based on Silent Hill 2. And oh boy, do they have some thoughts.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠



How Will Xbox Be Remembered? | Windbreaker Podcast
How Will Xbox Be Remembered? | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#112
02/24/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty take a look back at the 25 years of Xbox, and how its games, consoles, and legacy will be remembered.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠



Our Favorite Video Game Couple Is Better Than Your Favorite Video Game Couple | Windbreaker Podcast
Our Favorite Video Game Couple Is Better Than Your Favorite Video Game Couple | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#111
02/17/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty celebrate Valentine's Day by talking about their favorite couples in gaming, what makes a good video game relationship, and why so many stumble.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠



The Wide, Weird, and Wild World of Mods | Windbreaker Podcast
The Wide, Weird, and Wild World of Mods | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#110
02/10/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty chat about their history of mods in games, from '90s shooters and MMOs, to PC ports of Nintendo classics.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/SecondWindGroup⁠



How to (Not) Do Climbing in Games | Windbreaker Podcast
How to (Not) Do Climbing in Games | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#109
02/03/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty use the new game Cairn as a jumping off point to chat about the history of climbing in video games.


Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup



Choosing Our Favorite Games From 5, 10, 20, and 30 Years Ago | Windbreaker Podcast
Choosing Our Favorite Games From 5, 10, 20, and 30 Years Ago | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#108
01/27/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty are trying something they call the 5-10-20-30 -- they'll each built a video game playlist by picking one game from the years 1996, 2006, 2016, and 2021.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup



Will VR Gaming Ever Really Break Through? | Windbreaker Podcast
Will VR Gaming Ever Really Break Through? | Windbreaker Podcast episode artwork
#107
01/20/2026

On this week’s episode of Windbreaker, Yahtzee, JM8, and Marty dig into the current state of VR gaming in 2026.

Second Wind is fully independent, employee-owned and fan-funded. Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month at patreon.com/SecondWindGroup