<p>We’re jumping into 2026 with our first new game of the year, both comparing our thoughts on 3D platformer Big Hops and how it mixes up the genre by tools and tongue. Plus reading recommendations of game blogs and more.</p><p><strong>Topics Discussed</strong></p><p>Board Game Beat, games media as marketing, Outer Wilds as anti-nihilism, Big Hops, Blame, The Works of Vermin</p><p><strong>Timestamps</strong></p><ul><li>Start: 0:00:00 </li><li>Appetizer 1: 0:01:45</li><li>Appetizer 2: 0:10:03</li><li>Appetizer 3: 0:11:51</li><li>Main, Big Hops: 0:13:27</li><li>Dessert 1, Blame (manga): 0:54:35</li><li>Dessert 2, The Works of Vermin (novel): 1:01:09</li><li>Outro: 1:04:19</li></ul><p><strong>Links</strong></p><p>W. Eric Martin’s Board Game Beat</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">⁠https://www.wericmartin.com/</a></p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">⁠</a>Critical Distance</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">⁠https://www.critical-distance.com/</a></p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">⁠</a>If You Ask Nicely</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">⁠https://autumn-wright.com/if-you-ask-nicely/⁠</a></p><p>Rocket Science and Marshmallows</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">⁠https://lia-sae.net/articles/2026/01/rocket-science-and-marshmallows.html ⁠</a></p><p>Kimimi the Game-Eating She-Monster<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">https://kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/⁠</a></p><p>Daniel’s review of The Talos Principle 2</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">⁠https://backloggd.com/u/Seryn/review/4060182/⁠</a></p><p>Get updates on Bluesky</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">https://bsky.app/profile/omnigamers.bsky.social</a></p><p>Follow Daniel</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamefeast.bsky.social</a></p><p>Follow Mark</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">https://bsky.app/profile/markyuasa.bsky.social</a></p><p>Send your questions, feedback and comments to</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/6947932115050618226/2117168488294819414#">[email protected]</a>. </p><p>Watch the podcast on Youtube</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/mFt9gMQxOB8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><br></a><br></p><p><br></p>