The Gangcast

Janet and Isaiah spend almost a whole episode’s length diving into the many different sub-genres of "puzzle games”, what are various examples of each sub-genre, and what types of  games they would group together and why (GAMES). Then the gang talks about the new eReaders they each got! While both are cool in their own right, Isaiah can’t help but feel left out with his purchase and debates if he should join Janet with the Kobo brand vs his micro-reader (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah talk about being better people and learning to reject the dreaded “Hate Finish” that’s held them captive before. They also talk about some recent games they’ve been playing and how Janet is learning to love incremental games (GAMES). Then the gang goes over their Lock-Ins and Leave-Its from the beginning of the year and grade themselves on how they’re doing, what adjustments they need to make, and make some realistic pivots to make sure they end the year strong with their resolutions (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Janet and Isaiah talk about their time so far playing Big Walk, the new prox chat puzzle game by House House. While still pretty early, the gang tries their best to describe what they game is and what makes it so fun WITHOUT giving anything away so that you can experience it for yourself still (GAMES). Then they talk about the latest hobby in the house, Pokemon card collecting. What started off as a spur of the moment browse at Anime Expo has turned into the two going to all the local card shops in search of cards featuring...

Janet and Isaiah go over their time playing through Resident Evil 5 together. It’s a replay for Isaiah but a first for Janet so they talk about what they expected, how the game compares to some of the other Resident Evil games, and what’s next for the duo to co-op (GAMES). Then they talk about going to Anime Expo 2026! Having gone last year they generally know what to expect (or so they thought), but each year shows it’s going to be a little bit different from the year before. They talk about what changed this year, what panels...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time playing Pokemon Pokopia, both together and on their own. Janet played a bit around launch but Isaiah was late to the party, and as you’d expect, Isaiah somehow lapped Janet in hours played. Listen to find out their thoughts on the game so far, what they would like to see improved, and if they think they’ll keep playing long term (GAMES). Then the gang talks about going to not one, but TWO FIFA World Cup games! Being fortunate enough to live in LA which was the host to a few game...

Janet and Isaiah dive into the games, announcements, and demos they got to spend some time with at Summer Game Fest 2026. This year Isaiah was able to join in on the fun and attend so they talk about what going in person is like compared to following online (GAMES). Then, Isaiah’s birthday just passed so they talk a bit about what they did for it, how they like to celebrate, and what birthday traditions they follow going forward as a family (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah have an episode all about their habits when it comes to redoing things. First they talk about what games they’ve replayed multiple times, what was the last replay they’ve done, and what modern game they think might become a goto replay for them in the future (GAMES). Then they talk about their re-consumption of other media. What books might they reread, what tv shows or movies do they rewatch, and even what places would they like to revisit (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Time...

Janet and Isaiah talk about Pragmata, the latest sci-fi arcade shooter from Capcom (with a bit of Resident Evil DNA if you ask Isaiah). They also talk about their goal of beating Slay The Spire 2 together playing as the same character and how that journey has been (GAMES). Then they talk about travel. Having just came back from Chicago they go over their travel habits, tips, tricks, worst moments, and future goals (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah talk about some comfort games they’ve been playing lately. Isaiah relaxing with the “Picross meets Minesweeper” game Proverbs and Janet getting things done with Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (GAMES). Then they talk about having sports on in the house, what did they watch growing up, how do they watch games now, and what sports personalities might they try to watch together in the future (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Janet and Isaiah talk about going from really disliking a game to eventually liking it, is it something that’s happened to them, and how likely is someone to go through this. They also talk about their time playing NBA The Run as part of the (semi) open playstest, if they liked what they played, how does it compare to NBA Street, and if they’re planning on playing more once it’s finally out (GAMES). Then they go through with a segment that they’ve been sitting on for a minute and talk about perspective questions, see where they agr...

Janet and Isaiah talk about what they’ve been playing. Isaiah dives into extraction shooters with Marathon and Janet gets the jump on things revisiting Hollow Knight Silksong’s Act 3 and Pragmata (GAMES). Then they talk about wrapping up the Demon Slayer saga in the house. Having now seen the Infinity Castle movie when it returned to theaters, they go over what it was like (re)watching the show, how do they feel about the movie and where it leaves things, and ultimately try to figure out what’s the next anime for Janet (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time with Resident Evil Requiem, the latest in the survival horror franchise. First going over things spoiler-free then diving into the nitty gritty on what they liked and disliked (GAMES). Then they talk about concerts. One loves them, the other not so much, but they go over their history with concerts, what about live music do they like the most, and who they’d still like to see live before it’s too late (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah talk about jumping into Slay the Spire 2 now that it’s finally out in early access! They go over their history with the game, what they like about the sequel, what’s new, and how it compares to the first (GAMES). Then they talk about how they’re back from their moving break. Packing up your life and moving to another apartment is never easy, but this one really took a lot out of the crew. They go over how the adventure all began and how they feel about their new place now that they’ve had time...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time playing Love Eternal, a gravity flipping difficult platformer, and God of War Sons of Sparta, a surprise 2D metroidvania entry set in the world of God of War  (GAMES). Then they talk about going to a Resident Evil x Porsche launch event and their time riding in a very, very expensive and fast car (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah talk about their recent PC Gaming renaissance happening in the house, what sparked this interest, what games they’ve been playing, and what they think isin store for them in the future (GAMES). Then they talk about going to sleep. They’re on a quest to find their ideal bedtime routines to get the best sleep they can and talk about what those routines are, how they try to track their sleep, and what’s left for them to improve on (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Time...

Janet and Isaiah try to figure out what does it mean to be an exceptional game, what does it mean to innovate in a game, and ultimately try to decide if innovation is a requirement for making an exceptionally good game (GAMES). Then they talk about their media consumption, how many things they try to consume at once, and what media are they consuming and when (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah create a new Backloggd account for Games And Not Games. In doing so they must come together and work out just what their shared Top 5 Favorite Games are (GAMES). Then they get into their financial life after being married and talk about what’s new, what’s been added, what’s just a little bit different, and what even is a credit union (NOT GAMES).

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Poll of the Show:
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Janet and Isaiah talk about their history and goals with retro gaming. Having just went to a few stores in LA, they go over what they’re currently looking got, when they pull the trigger on a retro game, and when do they reach for… other means… to get their classic games (GAMES). Then they bring back a recent format and talk about their “lock-ins” and “leave-its” for the new year, helping each other decide what to bring forward into 2026 and what to ultimately drop (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamp...

Janet and Isaiah talk about what they’ve been playing during the holiday break and also go over what 2026 games they’re most excited to play (GAMES). Then they talk about going snowboarding together, what it was like, their experience with the sport, and if they’ll go again. Finally they talk about Janet finally going to The COSM to see The Matrix in “Shared Reality”, their thoughts on the experience, how does The COSM stack up against other movie-going experiences, and if they think its worth the money and hype (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Janet and Isaiah go over the second annual GANG of the Year awards. For each of the 7 "Games and not games" categories, Janet and Isaiah talk about their top choices, discuss what wins each category, and ultimately pit the 7 winners against each other to decide what walks away with the honor of being 2025's GANG of the Year!

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Janet and Isaiah go over the results of The Game Awards 2025, share some of their favorite announcements and highlights, and tally up their prediction scores along with the GANG community to see how everyone did. Then they look forward into 2026 and share their Gaming Resolutions for next year (GAMES). Then they talk about what’s on their Todo lists before the end of the year, help each other decide what to lock-in on and what to let go of (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah go down the list of categories for The Game Awards 2025 and share their personal picks and predictions for who the winners will be (GAMES). Then they dive into what it’s been like getting back into reading, their reading habits, and what books they’ve been enjoying since picking the hobby back up (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah go over some games on the horizon that have them a little scared for one reason or another. Whether they think the game might be mad, a little disappointing, or just too massive, they walk through some of their fears and hopes for the titles (GAMES). Then, in the spirit of resurrecting the dead, Janet and Isaiah talk about some hobbies they’ve brought back out, what made them pick these hobbies up again, how progress with things are going, and what they still hope to achieve now that the hobby is back (NOT GAMES).

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Janet and Isaiah talk about their time with Hollow Knight: Silksong now that they’ve both had some major time to play it. What they think of the first act, how it compares to Hollow Knight 1, and if it lands on their Top-10 games of the year so far. They also both have started Pokemon: Legends  Z-A and share some initial thoughts on that adventure (GAMES). Then, it finally happened! Janet and Isaiah talk about their wedding day, what it was like planning their wedding, what went well, what went wrong, and what advice they might have for others doi...

Janet and Isaiah talk about when is it time to give up on a game, what are reasons you abandon playing a game to the end, and what games are on the chopping block to get dropped by them? They also compile a quick list of all the reasons they think someone might commonly abandon a game (GAMES). Then they talk about The Matrix movies. Isaiah only having seen the first 1 and Janet only having seen 2 - 4, they come together to talk about which of the movies are good, which are bad, and ultimately decide which are even worth...

Janet and Isaiah talk about Janet going international to attend Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, Germany. From Opening Night Live, to playing indie games, Janet and Isaiah recap some of the announcements and go over what games caught their attention (GAMES). Then they talk about their trip to Minnesota, trying out the (in)famous Juicy Lucy, seeing some Gangcast fans at the MinnMax meetup, and exploring the Mall of America (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah talk about Janet maybe starting Monster Train? Having Slay the Spire experience under her belt, they touch on if they think it’s a good time to pick up something new. They then pick a handful of games studios and try to find out what’s the best game from each one, touching on their history with the studio, its franchises, and more (GAMES). Then they talk about their past, present, and future with pets. Going over what pets they had growing up, sharing some fun and not so fun stories with pets from their childhood, and...

Janet and Isaiah talk about the latest updates in Janet’s Slay the Spire journey. They then talk about if they’re bananas for Bananza, their thoughts on the latest DK game, what they like, what they don’t like, and how they think it sits against other games in the genre (GAMES). Then they talk about cooking in the Garcia-Smith household. They go over what their goto meals are, their best recipes, and how they want to grow their skills in the kitchen (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Time...

Janet and Isaiah talk about Slay the Spire, a modern classic roguelike deckbuilder that’s captured Janet’s attention while playing around with Nintendo Switch 2’s virtual game card sharing. From poisoning foes to building energy, Janet seems to be really enjoying her runs so far. Lets just hope this doesn’t take a turn for the worse (GAMES). Then they talk about attending Anime Expo 2025 in the Los Angeles Convention Center. They managed to catch a panel about Janet’s newest anime love Frieren, listened to some NASA scientist discuss if anime science is based on fact or fiction, s...

Janet and Isaiah talk about finding time to game. With recent changes to their day-to-day schedules and their backlogs continuing to pile up, they go over what gaming time used to be like for them, what its like most recently, and what they hope to transform it into in the near future (GAMES). Then they talk about just what has caused the recent changes in their day-to-day life, Isaiah getting a new job! They touch on how the new job has changed their sleep patterns (for the better?) as well as what going “back to work” shopping was like when...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. First with a review of the game, what they liked, what they didn’t, and everything in between while keeping it spoiler-free. Then they go into full blown spoiler cast talking story, mechanics, favorite strategies, and their overall thoughts on how the game plays out (GAMES). Then they talk about going to their first swim lessons (Janet a complete beginner and Isaiah having a light history with swimming). What their first lessons were like, their expectations, and if they’re excited for more lessons  (NOT GAMES).

Po...

Janet and Isaiah talk about their time with the Switch 2 so far! Janet wishes she could be playing more while Isaiah goes on a rant about Mario Kart World. They also talk about their Summer Game Fest 2025 highlights, from announcements at the live show to rapid fire thoughts from hands-on time with games (GAMES). Then they talk about going to see an LA Dodgers vs NY Mets game before SGF formally kicked on, their history with baseball, and finish with chatting through some recent pulls they had opening up some trading card packs (NOT GAMES).

Poll...

Janet and Isaiah talk about what it’s like when one hates a game the other loves, what it means to “Hate Finish” a game, and what do we know when the other likes/hates a game (GAMES). Then they play a new game of “Guess The Character”. They decide to make it a special “all pets” edition in honor of everything going on with their pet Bruce (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah talk about their Game of the Year contenders so far. From indie driving strategy games to wacky split-screen adventures, they go over what they think will ultimately make their Top 10 by the end of the year (GAMES). Then they talk about recent developments in Janet’s anime journey! They go over the recent shows they’ve tried, what worked, what didn’t, and initial thoughts on the latest show they’re diving into (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah talk about their journey trying to secure a preorder for the Nintendo Switch 2. Then they talk about their time playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, what they like about it, what they wish was better, and their overall thoughts on the game so far (GAMES). Then they talk about one of the hottest movies in theaters right now, Sinners. Starting with spoiler-free discussions before going into full spoilers, they talk about why they think this movie is killing it in the box office, who they think it’s for, if it’s “too scary”, and ultimately if they think yo...

Janet and Isaiah talk about all the latest info about the Nintendo Switch 2. They go over the price, launch window games, if its still a “must buy”, and even some of Janet’s hands-on experience. They then talk about the latest boat games they’ve been playing (strange coincidence) and Janet’s time with a pixel art city builder (GAMES). Then they talk about their unofficial sports filled week, getting their LA Galaxy MLS replica rings, going to their season ticket holder open practice session, and checking out their first NHL game with the LA Kings (NOT GAMES).

Poll...

Janet and Isaiah talk about what they’ve been playing. Isaiah recently finished Alan Wake II, Janet shares her thoughts on South of Midnight, and they both go over their time so far with the latest gaming craze Blue Prince and try to answer if this is a “dumb friendly” puzzle game (GAMES). Then they take turns having some fun doing blind rankings that the other has prepared for them (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah talk about their various attempts at making the best dual gamer setup for them, what worked, what didn’t, and what their current setup is now (GAMES). Then they talk about how they use the app You Need A Budget (or “YNAB”) to better manage their money, pay off their debt, and save for the future (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps:

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Janet and Isaiah take a drive up to San Francisco to go to the 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC), attend the Game Developer Awards, take a look at some Xbox indie games, and attend some amazing talks put on by industry friends and veterans  (GAMES). Then they talk about doing their first race of the year with the 2025 L.A. Chinatown Firecracker 10k, how prepared they were, and what their next running goals are (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
https://gamesandnotgames.com/poll

Timestamps:

Janet and Isaiah continue with part 4 of the “GANG Gaming Time Capsule”, coming together to choose games for the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, PSVR, and Xbox One (GAMES). Then they reach into their mailbag and talk about their relationship with distance running, how they got into it, what their goals are, and tips and tricks they recommend for people looking to try the hobby (NOT GAMES).

Poll of the Show:
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Timestamps: