Idle Game Chat: The Video Game Podcast

With PlayStation stepping on rake after rake after rake, their PR and Branding has taken a hit inside the enthusiast community. Marvel’s Wolverine was supposed to be an opportunity for them to say “All of that doesn’t matter, we make great games!”. Well, that didn’t go to plan either. Comparing their previous tentpole titles, the critical response for Wolverine can only be chalked up as a disappointment. But that’s the critics, what do we think? Adkins stayed the course a powered his way to a Platinum Trophy. Armed with this has the demise of Insomniac and PlayStation’s First Party Studios been greatly exaggerated? It’s been an impossible year to keep up with new releases and September might have been the hardest. Apps didn’t have The Blood of Dawnwalker on his roadmap, but a spontaneous purchase sucked him into a world of Witchcraft and Vampires. Obvious comparisons are being made with the classic The Witcher 3, but does Dawnwalker come with enough new ideas to stop it being listed as a pale imitation? After making his debut on Bonus Stage, marketing extraordinaire Jeff Carter returns to share his two playthroughs of Cronos: The New Dawn. Does Bloober’s new IP and follow up to Silent Hill 2 hit the same heights? Day 1 Game Pass drop, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is the third entry into the Plague Tale franchise. This prequel opts for a new setting and drastically overhauls the focus of game. Stealth is gone, now its combat! Apps investigates to see how these changes land and how it stacks up to previous entries. Big Walk came outta nowhere for many gamers. This co-op only, adventure puzzler forces friends to communicate and work together to solve the mysteries of the unique island. Not exactly the strongpoint for the Dimp crew, but Logan, Paper & Apps gave it a go! Timestamps 00:00:00 Marvel’s Wolverine 00:46:08 The Blood of Dawnwalker 01:57:47 Cronos: The New Dawn 02:47:31 Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy 03:35:39 Big Walk

In this special "Bonus Stage" edition of Idle Game Chat, Apps is joined by marketing and brand expert Jeff Carter to dive deep into the state of the "Big Three": Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. With nearly 30 years of experience in branding, Jeff offers a unique consumer-first perspective on how these gaming giants navigate a fractured digital landscape, the rise of AI, and the ever-changing relationship with influencers. The conversation covers: - PlayStation's "Top-Down" Strategy: Analysing the recent backlash over their all-digital future and whether the "hubris of the market leader" is starting to show. - Xbox's Underdog Identity: Discussing Microsoft's pivot toward "Software as a Service," the dilution of the Xbox brand, and whether their "gamer-friendly" approach can win back fans. - Nintendo's Different Game: Why Nintendo remains immune to the console wars by playing on nostalgia and cross-generational appeal. - The Cost of the Future: Exploring the potential breaking point for console pricing and how the economy is shaping the next generation of hardware. A big thanks to Jeff for making the time for us!

Hell has finally frozen over! Halo has landed on PlayStation with a remake of the original Halo called, Halo: Campaign Evolved. To many XBOX green bloods this will have been a bitter blow in the console wars. The blue blood PlayStation fans will claim the spoils of this battle and get to experience one of the most influence games of all time. It’s not without controversy, visual tweaks, game play mechanics and even bonus missions have been added, how does this all hold up? We sent Biff to investigate! It’s remake heaven for Biff as he also renders his verdict on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. One of the most beloved entries into Ubisoft’s long running franchise can Biff tolerate the trappings of Creed to enjoy pirate paradise? Pokémon Pokopia has new life injected into it with Part 1 of its Expansion Pass in the form of Bubbly Basin. Apps returns to his beloved Pokopia to see exploring the ocean floor goes down in Pokémon. Undoubtedly the crown jewel in the XBOX stable, Forza Horizon, drops it’s 6th entry with a trip to Japan. A location that has been at the top of fans lists for years, including our very own Adkins. He gets behind the wheel to see how Playground Games have evolved the franchise. With Control Resonant just around the corner, Apps returns to Alan Wake 2 for some unfinished business in the form of a Platinum Trophy, New Game + (dubbed The Final Draft) and the Expansion Pass. Does a return to the Dark Place hit the same as 2023? Our permeant Japan dweller, Evan, joins Apps to talk through Neva: Complete Edition in a rare UNCHAINED SPOILER FILLED chat! If you have not played BEWARE! Timestamps: 00:00:00 Halo: Campaign Evolved 00:20:57 Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced 00:35:10 Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass Part 1: Bubbly Basin 01:00:55 Forza Horizon 6 01:43:21 Alan Wake 2 02:26:55 Neva: Complete Edition (UNCHAINED SPOILER CHAT)

One of the highest rated and beloved games of the decade, Baldur’s Gate 3 has avoided the eye of Dimp, until now! Apps plunged well over 100hrs into this instant classic and returns with all the gossip. Whilst primarily designed around PC, Apps rolled the dice and went to his trusty PS5 Pro…how does the game translate to a console controller? Also in the episode, Adkins comes back with OlliOlli World! The third entry into the OlliOlli franchise is Roll7’s most ambitious attempt yet! Logan finally gets round to Valiant Hearts: Coming Home, with DLC announced Apps checks the box for Mafia: The Old Country, Logan closes the episode with Epic Game Store freebie, Botany Manor. Timestamps 00:00:00 Baldur’s Gate 3 01:20:55 Valiant Hearts: Coming Home 01:54:18 OlliOlli World 02:16:29 Mafia: The Old Country 03:36:08 Botany Manor

Biff headlines another edition of Idle Game Chat to return with his verdict on Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. A seasoned veteran of the Arkham Trilogy (and Origins) and various transmedia Batman products, Biff dives into the good and bad of this latest Lego game. PlayStation announced that from 2028 Physical Games will be no more. As Dimp’s most proficient Physical Game trader, Biff goes in on this proposed change. From Pony Island to The Hex and now to Inscryption, Daniel Mullins has quite the portfolio of indie titles. Inscryption is the final stop on Apps’ Daniel Mullins Games tour and it’s high critical acclaim sets expectations high. Over two years after first starting, Adkins is finally able to put the second part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake to bed. Rebirth is a gigantic game and Adkins explored it from head to toe and is ready to share his thoughts. Dimp’s resident Resident Evil expert, Adcock closes out the episode with a full spoiler review of Resident Evil Requiem. Dubbed as an “Unchained” review, Apps joins in as they dissect Requiem piece by piece. The do also share thoughts on other entries in the series, so beware…this is a full SPOILER discussion. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Lego Batman: 00:29:18 PlayStation KILL Physical Games! 00:45:55 Iscryption 01:41:25 Final Fantast VII Rebirth 02:45:57 Resident Evil Requiem UNCHAINED (Game & Series SPOILERS) YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/PeHnoNXxrOg