The Besties
It's Game of the Year meets King of the Hill as four of Earth's best friends – Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Chris Plante, and Russ Frushtick – rank and review their favorite video games. Because shouldn't the world's best friends pick the world's best games?
Episodes (52)
Silksong is an Exceptional Metroidvania (If You Endure its Challenges)
After years of anticipation, Hollow Knight: Silksong has arrived. And it’s difficult! The Besties talk about what makes the game so appealing, the early spike in difficulty, and the appeal of...
Metal Gear Solid Delta is Peak Remake
With practically every “important” PlayStation 2 game being remastered, remade, and reimagined, it wasn’t a surprise when Konami announced Metal Gear Solid Delta. The question wasn’t “would it...
Herdling is Beautiful, But is it Fun?
This week, The Besties wrangle fantastical beasts in the new herding game, Herdling. It’s a beautiful throwback to the atmospheric games of the PS2 era. But your enjoyment will depend on your gaming...
How video game movies got good: A Post Games bonus
Filmmaker and video essayist Patrick H. Willems makes sense of 30 years of video game movies. Learn how Mario went from box office poison to Hollywood's favorite blockbuster!
Sword of the Sea is Like Journey on a Hoverboard
Sword of the Sea is the closest game yet to a Journey sequel. The new game from Giant Squid sends a silent, heroic character through a desert on a magical sword that fills the world with life-giving...
Mafia Is One of the Strangest, Messiest AAA Games Ever Released
Mafia: The Old Country is one of the most visually extravagant AAA video games we’ve ever played. And yet, there’s very little game to be found in this strange, disjointed, but decadent tale of...
A Great Game for Every Genre
Want a prehistoric riff on Metroidvanias? Crave a life-consuming multiplayer survival adventure? Yearn for the olden times of point-and-click adventures? This week, The Besties spotlight new...
The Year of the Video Game Ninja
The first of two new Ninja Gaiden games has arrived! The developers of Blasphemous have produced a 2D retro-inspired action game worthy of the original entries on the NES. Are we living in a golden...
Mario + Hulk + Red Faction = Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza isn't the game we expected Nintendo would create to launch the Switch 2. But we're so glad they made this weird, wonderful, and inverted platformer. Who needs to jump when you can...
Want a New GBA-style Zelda? Try This Indie Game
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo looks and feels like a lost Game Boy Advance game, but with all of the quality of life improvements of a modern game. We talk about what makes it a great game to fill a...
Deltraune Isn’t Finished Just Yet, But You Should Play It Now
This week, The Besties talk about Deltarune Chapters 1-4. Though a few more chapters are on the way, now’s a great time to try the Undertale follow-up. We explain why. Plus, the gang brings a bundle...
In The Alters, Life Comes at You Fast
The Alters is one of the year’s most interesting games, blending experimental sci-fi narrative with a clever management simulation. The Besties talk about how the game’s mechanics clock together, why...
Death Stranding 2 Adds Fun, Subtracts Frustration
This week, the Besties deliver an episode on Death Stranding 2. It’s a big and heavy one, but we were happy to hike across the internet and leave it on your podcast app of choice. Plus, we dig into...
Don’t Miss the Switch 2’s Hidden Gem
Mario Kart World is getting all of the attention at the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. But if you look deeper into the Nintendo eShop, you’ll find another excellent racing game for a fraction of the price....
The Big Switch 2 Episode – Plus the Best of SGF
Nintendo’s new console is finally here. With Plante undergoing a colonoscopy (which was all okay!), the crew invited long-time friend of the show Chris Grant to discuss the Switch 2. In the back half,...
A Golden Age for Card Game Sickos
This week, The Besties shuffle the deck and deal a hand of fun new video games. First, they discuss two new card games that have little in common beyond the cards themselves: Monster Train 2 and...
Tired of the World? Try a Fantasy Life
The cult 3DS game Fantasy Life returns, now on all major platforms and PC. The sequel blends Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and action-RPGs. Plus, we live the life of Teen in To a T, the new game...
Doom: The Dark Ages is a (Shotgun) Blast
Doom: The Dark Ages is a surprisingly bold departure from the formula of its predecessors. It’s also quite fun — if you can vibe with its slightly slower, parry-heavy gunplay. In the back half, the...
Open the Besties Treasure Trove
Due to technical issues, our Doom conversation has been delayed until next week. The good news? We finally had time to dig into our backlogs! The boys brought a bag of beautiful bits and bobs. A...
Revenge of the French RPG!
This week, the boys have two new games to share with you. First, Griffin and Plante go deep into the wilderness of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an exceptional RPG. Then, Hoops and Frush report on...
Let's Save Cats From Oblivion!
The Besties talk about the brand new, ultra indie immersive-sim Skin Deep. Then they revisit the world of Oblivion. But none of this matters because Plante got a CRTV to play Promise Mascot Agency.
Runescape and a Competitor to Limbo? It's a Grab Bag, Y'all
On this episode of The Besties, we're checking out some stellar smaller games: Bionic Bay, Sunderfolk, and Runescape Dragonwilds. We've also got an update on the latest and greatest in Japanese...
Promise Mascot Agency is an Escape From Life’s Headaches
Promise Mascot Agency is like running errands on a cool summer day, the radio blasting killer tunes and a good friend riding shotgun. Justin and Plante talk about what makes this a great example of a...
Blue Prince is the First Must-Play Game of 2025
We will try to convince you to play Blue Prince without spoiling Blue Prince. But first, we need to talk about the Switch 2: the games, the price, the canceled pre-order date, and everything else.
Chilling in the Grab Bag with Kingdom Come Deliverance 3
Usually, we talk about the latest and great video games. But this week, what if we try the greatest of the not-so-latest? That’s right, it’s finally time to talk about Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and...
Assassin's Creed Shadows Delivers on an 18-Year-Old Promise
Assassin's Creed Shadows finally takes the series to Feudal Japan. But is Ubisoft too late? Or does their AAAA mega release slice through the competition like a hidden blade to the neck of an...
Repo and Inzoi Will Terrify You – For Very Different Reasons
We’re talking REPO. (Not the genetic opera! Not the Emilio Estevez movie!) The co-op horror game blends laughs with thrills by dropping some deeply strange characters into a terrifying world. Plus, we...
Wanderstop Performs an Autopsy on the Cozy Game Genre
Wanderstop is the new game from developer Ivy Road, founded by Davey Wreden, Karla Zimonja, and C418. What looks like a farming game is an exploration of burnout, anxiety, and the "to-do" list nature...
Split Fiction is everything fans want (and more of what critics fear)
This week, the Besties play Split Fiction, the latest game from the creators of It Takes Two. It tells the story of an evil corporation that uses AI to steal creative ideas and create generic sci-fi...
Monster Hunter Wilds is Surprisingly Great in Single-Player
Over the past 12 years, The Besties have — one by one — fallen in love with the Monster Hunter series. The latest entry, Monster Hunter Wilds, is the most welcoming version yet. It’s still a...
The Pirate Yakuza Game Has Something for Everyone – Even Newcomers
Ahoy, besties! This week, the crew sets sails with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, a video game that’s as silly as its name suggests. Unlike its predecessor — our best game of 2024 — this...
Is Avowed Too Good for Our Brains to Comprehend?
The Besties discuss Avowed, the new game from Fallout 76 developer Obsidian. It is extremely our shit. Perhaps… too much so? What does that even mean? Listen to find out!
The Best Combat in a Metroidvania . . .Ever
2025 already has a fantastic Metroidvania, errrr, Search Action game! Ender Magnolia combines Metroid, Nier, Mega Man, and Pokémon into a single, beautiful 2D experience. Technically, this is a...
Citizen Sleeper 2 Blends Game and Story Into One Complex Dish
We loved the original Citizen Sleeper, but were intimidated when we first heard the news of a sequel that would be more complicated — and presumably more difficult. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector...
The Switch 2 and "Vampire Survivors+RPG"
Nintendo finally announced the Switch 2. So why do folks seem a bit disappointed by the reveal? We discuss what we know so far… and what’s to come. Plus, one of our most anticipated games of the year...
How to Get Started in Handheld Gaming with Retro Game Corps
Special guest Russ from Retro Game Corps teaches The Besties how to get into retro gaming handhelds. Here's you chance to become obsessed with the hobby! Plus, we finally catch up with Indiana...
The Most Anticipated Games of 2025
In the world of video games, 2025 will be an incredible year. The Besties collect over 25 games they can't wait to play in the coming months. We promise there's something here for you! And to think:...
Our Big Predictions for Video Games in 2025
Frushtick and Plante’s annual predictions episode returns. They revisit their predictions from January 2024, crown a winner, and draft new predictions for the year to come. Here’s your chance to know...
Best Console (Not Including the Games) (Patreon Bonus)
As a holiday treat, the Besties brings one of our most beloved Patreon bracket episodes to the main feed.
What is the greatest video game console of all time? Before you answer that, we have one huge...
What is the greatest video game console of all time? Before you answer that, we have one huge...
The Besties Game of the Year Is . . .
A year’s worth of video game podcasting has brought us to this moment. The Besties use their brains and brackets to select the Besties Besty of 2024. Plus, Frushtick, Hoops, Griffin, and Plante share...
The Besties Besty of the Year 2024, part 1
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The Besties have places 16 games in their annual bracket. By the end of this extra meaty episode, eight will remain. Will your favorite make the cut? Listen...
These Games Will Win at The Game Awards – Maybe!
Ahead of the annual Game Awards spectacle, Frushtick and Griffin make their predictions on which games will take home statues. Does Balatro really have a chance to win it all?
Half-Life 2's Patch Adds an Incredible Commentary
The 20th-anniversary update to Half-Life 2 turns the game into a masterclass in game design. The Besties talk about the in-game commentary along with the new feature-length documentary. No surprise:...
The Thanksgiving Buffet of Video Games
It's not the holiday yet, but we couldn't help ourselves from digging into a game that embodies a decadent feast. Echo Point Nova is a forgettable name for an excellent game. The open-world indie FPS...
The "Something Old, Something New" Week in Gaming
This week, The Besties host a double feature! First, we’ve got the Hades-like Windblown, the new game from the creators of Dead Cells. Then, Griffin and Plante celebrate the ultra-cozy Dragon Quest 3...
Revisiting our "Most Anticipated Games" of 2024
This week, the Besties pay tribute to the words of the great Huey Lewis and "gotta get back in time." How does their list of anticipated games from January look in the harsh light of November? Listen...
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Wants You to be Happy
After nearly a decade, a new Dragon Age soars into the world. The Besties grab their swords and spells, hop through the portal, and make a delicious meal of the colossal RPG. Plus, the squad helps you...
The Awesome Games of the Future
Crave the era of demo discs? It’s returned thanks to Steam Next Fest. This week, The Besties discuss 10 demos of anticipated games. Plus, we share some of your favorites. And we talk about a very...
Silent Hill 2 is the Psycho (1998) of Video Games
The new remake of Silent Hill 2 has painterly visuals, killer sound design, and genuinely scary surprises. But why does this remake feel different than Dead Space and Resident Evil 4? The Besties...
Yes, Metaphor: ReFantazio Really is Fantasy Persona
Half of The Besties adore Metaphor: ReFantazio. The other half? It’s complicated! Griffin and Plante talk about the new RPG that puts a fantasy spin on the Persona formula. And Hoops and Frush bring...
Is the New Zelda as Good as We Hoped?
New Zelda week! The Besties step into the shoes of Zelda (not Link!) in Echoes of Wisdom. With the help of a magical wand and a star, they summon countless tables and vases to save the world. Plus,...
UFO 50 with special guest Jason Schreier!
To pick through the 50 indie games stuffed into UFO 50, The Besties called in support: Bloomberg reporter and author Jason Schreier. We discuss our favorites from UFO 50 and the point of a collection...
About this Podcast
Copyright
2021
Language
en
Categories
Leisure, Video Games