Crossplay Conversations: A Video Game Podcast

Episode Notes This week, the crew is joined by special guest Jenny Windom (Wholesome Games, Geeks & Grounds, and The Indie Council) to chat about the best frightfully fun, slightly spooky, and truly terrifying indie gems to play this Halloween season! The crew also delves into the origins of Wholesome Games. Settle in for a delightful chat full of fall vibes. Check out Jenny Windom and her awesome projects: Jenny on Bluesky: @kimchica.bsky.social Geeks & Grounds on Bluesky: @geeksandgrounds.bsky.social The Indie Council Website: @theindiecouncil.com Wholesome Games Official Website: https://wholesomegames.com Games Discussed During Today’s Episode: Penko Park: https://store.steampowered.com/app/852090/Penko_Park/ Well Dweller: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3699590/Well_Dweller/ Bugsnax: https://store.steampowered.com/app/674140/Bugsnax/ My Friendly Neighborhood: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1574260/My_Friendly_Neighborhood/ Mars After Midnight: https://www.marsaftermidnight.com/ Birth: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889040/Birth/ Jusant: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1977170/Jusant/ Cursed to Golf: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1726120/Cursed_to_Golf/ Welcome to Elderfield: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3195440/Welcome_to_Elderfield/ Miniatures: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2428840/Miniatures/ Tick Tock: A Tale for Two: https://store.steampowered.com/app/790740/Tick_Tock_A_Tale_for_Two/ Before Your Eyes: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1082430/Before_Your_Eyes/ What Remains of Edith Finch: https://store.steampowered.com/app/501300/What_Remains_of_Edith_Finch/ Beacon Pines: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1269640/Beacon_Pines/ Bokura: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1801110/BOKURA/ Bokura: Planet: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3126150/BOKURA_planet/ Stray: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1332010/Stray/ A Little to the Left: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1629520/A_Little_to_the_Left/ Grunn: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2720950/Grunn/ Creature Kitchen: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3097300/Creature_Kitchen/ Strange Horticulture: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1574580/Strange_Horticulture/ Strange Antiquities: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2885870/Strange_Antiquities/ Lil Gator Game: In the Dark: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3205060/Lil_Gator_Game_In_the_Dark/ CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3570370/CARIMARA_Beneath_the_forlorn_limbs/ Find Timestamps for this Episode Below: 0:00 - Intro 2:36 - Ice Breaker Question: What is Wholesome Games and how did it come to be? 19:16 - Main Topic: Best Wholesome Games to Play During Halloween Season 21:45 - Penko Park 24:02 - Well Dweller 27:57 - Bugsnax 32:03 - My Friendly Neighborhood 34:36 - Mars After Midnight 36:27 - Birth 39:38 - Jusant 43:28 - Cursed to Golf 45:17 - Welcome to Elderfield 49:10 - Miniatures and Tick Tock: A Tale for Two 53:08 - Before Your Eyes 56:28 - What Remains of Edith Finch 59:30 - Beacon Pines 1:00:47 - Bokura & Bokura: Planet 1:03:11 - Stray 1:04:41 - A Little to the Left 1:06:05 - Grunn and Creature Kitchen 1:10:05 - Strange Horticulture 1:11:58 - Lil Gator Game: In the Dark 1:13:07 - CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs 1:16:39 - Outro Find us on BlueSky for show updates and more: Podcast: @crossplayconvos.bsky.social Podcast on Instagram:@crossplayconvos Jacob: @jacob.bsky.social Luke: @lukewarmlewis.bsky.social Claire: @clairebearrose.bsky.social Joseph: @th3hoopman.bsky.social CantPause on Instagram Check out our other shows: Player Player Podcast Left Behind Game Club The LukeWarmGames Podcast Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie Podcast Video Game Trivia

Episode Notes This week, the crew is joined by special guest Kyle Stephenson (The Trophy Room and Crowbar) to celebrate physical media in gaming and make some predictions about the future of the sweet sweet discs and carts that they love so dearly! Prepare for show and tell, story time, gaming memories, and a whole lot of good vibes! Check out Kyle Stephenson and his awesome projects: Kyle on Bluesky: @mrkstep.bsky.social Crowbar on Bluesky: @crowbar.diy The Trophy Room on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PSTrophyRoom Check out Joseph’s new video on CantPause: https://youtu.be/AP501m0Ipfw?si=QZY4IRGrmansqZH9 Find Timestamps for this Episode Below: 0:00 - Intro 5:29 - Ice Breaker Question: What does physical media mean to you? 15:36 - Highlight games from our personal collections 24:56 - Unique or unusual games from our personal collections 47:56 - The future of physical media 01:13:23 - Outro Find us on BlueSky for show updates and more: Podcast: @crossplayconvos.bsky.social Podcast on Instagram: @crossplayconvos Jacob: @jacob.bsky.social Luke: @lukewarmlewis.bsky.social Claire: @clairebearrose.bsky.social Joseph: @th3hoopman.bsky.social CantPause on Instagram Check out our other shows: Player Player Podcast Left Behind Game Club The LukeWarmGames Podcast Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie Podcast Video Game Trivia **

This week, the crew is joined by Kyle Stephenson to review the brand-new TOEM 2 from Something We Made. It's out today! Check out Kyle Stephenson: Kyle on Bluesky: @mrkstep.bsky.social Crowbar: https://crowbar.diy/ The Trophy Room on YouTube: ‪https://www.youtube.com/@PSTrophyRoom Find Timestamps for this Episode Below: 0:00 - Intro 1:15 - Jacob's written review of TOEM 2 2:25 - Kyle's overall impressions of TOEM 2 4:00 - Graphics and Music 4:45 - Puzzles and the New Tool Mechanic 8:50 - The original TOEM & collaborations with other indies 14:10 - Critters and Game Structure 17:30 - Wrap-Up and Outro Find us on BlueSky for show updates and more: Podcast: @crossplayconvos.bsky.social Podcast on Instagram: @crossplayconvos Jacob: @jacob.bsky.social Luke: @lukewarmlewis.bsky.social Claire: @clairebearrose.bsky.social Joseph: @th3hoopman.bsky.social CantPause on Instagram Check out our other shows: Player Player Podcast Left Behind Game Club The LukeWarmGames Podcast Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie Podcast Video Game Trivia

Episode Notes This week, the crew is back from PAX West 2026 and are joined by special guest Bret Griffen (The Relatively Gaming Podcast) to unpack their favorite games from the show. Get your wishlists ready and settle in for a good time! Check out Bret Griffen and the Relatively Gaming Podcast: Bret on Bluesky: @enigma9011.bsky.social Bret on Twitch: twitch.tv/enigma9011 The Relatively Gaming Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/@relativelygaming Games Discussed During Today’s Episode: Wrestle Story - Tic Toc Games Lazy River - Mike, Kevan, Jake, Joel, Karlee Thank You Bus Driver - Double Fine Productions Abyssal Merge - Time Flies Studio Inc. GigaTurtles - Weird Dog Games I NEED SPACE - Khayalan Arts It Takes Paws - Awoo Studio The Final Cut of Lilith Cunningham - Causeway Studios Fugue Shot: Minigame Roguelike - Rare Dialect Remaining Grace - ambedo studios Poly Fighter - HeartLoop Games Clay-Time Master Beef - S.C.A.T. Bleu Bayou - Bokoyoss Games Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered - Pipeworks Studios Blocks for Babies - BunkSoft Interactive LLC Finding Polka - lidlocks Ladder Lad - BUCK Games, Antfood Dreampainters - Stability Games Valor Mortis - One More Level Malice in Wonderland - Slyglass Games Piroker - HABBY.FUN Rebounder - ThirtyThree Fairy Circle - Play Hooky Dungeon Lurker - 13AM Games Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse - KONAMI, Evil Empire Stepwell - Jeff Krause, Alex Krause, Tim Fowers, Adrian Graumann WOLFHOUND - Bit Kid, Inc. TOMMYROT - LMNOP Fractured Blooms - Serenity Forge Resources for Today’s Episode: Joseph’s Shroom and Gloom Preview Article: https://theindieinformer.com/2026/09/15/shroom-gloom-preview-craving-for-more/ Find Timestamps for this Episode Below: 0:00 - Intro 1:06 - Welcome to special guest Bret Griffen! 2:12 - Ice Breaker Question: How was PAX West 2026 overall? 10:42 - Our Game of the Show Awards 25:33 - Abyssal Merge 30:33 - GigaTurtles 33:26 - I NEED SPACE 37:39 - It Takes Paws 43:21 - Fugue Shot: Mingame Roguelike 45:42 - Remaining Grace 49:55 - Poly Fighter 53:33 - Speed Round Shout Outs 01:11:20 - Joseph Hooper gives his overall thoughts on PAX 2026 01:18:51 - Rebounder 01:23:19 - Fairy Circle 01:27:01 - Dungeon Lurker 01:29:52 - Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse 01:33:17 - Stepwell 01:35:07 - WOLFHOUND 01:36:57 - TOMMYROT 01:42:22 - Fractured Blooms 01:46:45 - Joseph shouts out Blocks for Babies 01:47:33 - Outro Find us on BlueSky for show updates and more: Podcast: @crossplayconvos.bsky.social Podcast on Instagram: @crossplayconvos Jacob: @jacob.bsky.social Luke: @lukewarmlewis.bsky.social Claire: @clairebearrose.bsky.social Joseph: @th3hoopman.bsky.social CantPause on Instagram Check out our other shows: Player Player Podcast Left Behind Game Club The LukeWarmGames Podcast Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie Podcast Video Game Trivia

This week, Luke, Joseph, and Jacob break down their time playing the FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION demo during PAX West. Stay tuned for more coverage from PAX West 2026 very soon! Find Timestamps for this Episode Below: 0:00 - Intro 1:00 - What did we play and what was the structure of the demo? 04:30 - New Characters 10:32 - Exploration and the Open World 16:02 - Outro Find us on BlueSky for show updates and more: Podcast: @crossplayconvos.bsky.social Podcast on Instagram: @crossplayconvos Jacob: @jacob.bsky.social Luke: @lukewarmlewis.bsky.social Claire: @clairebearrose.bsky.social Joseph: @th3hoopman.bsky.social CantPause on Instagram Check out our other shows: Player Player Podcast Left Behind Game Club The LukeWarmGames Podcast Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie Podcast Video Game Trivia