The Besties

I love Candy Box. I'd hate to spoil what Candy Box is. So trust me. Before you press that play button, click this link. Play Candy Box for a few minutes, then leave it open on a browser tab and return for the podcast. Follow these instructions precisely. Fun, right? Confusing, right? Great, let's get to the show. This week, we offend chiropractors, slay mystical beasts, fix the industry's piracy problem and Candy Box, Candy Box, Candy Box, Candy Box, Candy Box, Candy Box, Candy Box, Candy Box, Candy Box, Candy Box. Also, Candy Box. 3:00 - Best use of Blood Dragons (Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon) 9:50 - Best piracy prevention that is also ironic (Game Dev Tycoon) 19:50 - Half time: Chris goes back to school 26:10 - Best value of the week and also of all time (Neverwinter) 33:30 - Best something something Candy Box (Candy Box) 41:00 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3 Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Griffin couldn't help himself. Drunk off back to back wins, the Brother McElroy brought one of the most awkward topics to date. This business. I believe we discussed the topic with the greatest amount of grace and respect afforded a podcast that occassionally stars a talking giraffe. Speaking of, a certain Long Island zoo animal made an unexpected experience, uncovering Microsoft's elaborate plan to run his uncle out of business. I talk Monaco. Justin talks Star Trek. And Frushtick talks talking blocks. All that and more on this week's Besties. 2:30 - Best Star Trek game of the month (Star Trek) 13:15 - Best acting by a rectangle (Thomas Was Alone) 20:20 - Half time: The Pizza Hut app and special guest 26:30 - Best REDACTED ever (Dragon's Crown) 39:50 - Best love letter to Bonanza Bros. (Monaco) 46:30 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3" Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Griffin couldn't help himself. Drunk off back to back wins, the Brother McElroy brought one of the most awkward topics to date. This business. I believe we discussed the topic with the greatest amount of grace and respect afforded a podcast that occassionally stars a talking giraffe. Speaking of, a certain Long Island zoo animal made an unexpected experience, uncovering Microsoft's elaborate plan to run his uncle out of business. I talk Monaco. Justin talks Star Trek. And Frushtick talks talking blocks. All that and more on this week's Besties. 2:30 - Best Star Trek game of the month (Star Trek) 13:15 - Best acting by a rectangle (Thomas Was Alone) 20:20 - Half time: The Pizza Hut app and special guest 26:30 - Best REDACTED ever (Dragon's Crown) 39:50 - Best love letter to Bonanza Bros. (Monaco) 46:30 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3 Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Boy, am I happy to end this week. Over the past few days, I've struggled to write, think or care about video games. I've struggled to really do anything. Surely I'm not alone. What an awful week. What an absolutely awful week. And yet, some really amazing things have happened this week. Like this and this and this. Many people are really stepping up. So this weekend I hope you will join me in doing what we love: playing games. And I also hope you'll lend a hand. You could donate blood or money or anything. It's been an awful week, but I believe we can help to make next week better. That's all. This week's Besties doesn't talk about "this week." We tried to focus on the good, which has been the unspoken goal of the show since its creation. I hope you enjoy it. Let's talk about some video games. 4:30 - Best Nintendo Direct 14:30 - Best way to remind yourself how difficult Dishonored was (The Knife of Dunwall DLC) 21:30 - Half time - The recently canceled Ready for Love 25:45 - The best example that in-app purchasing will bring the end of the world (Dungeon Hunter 4) 31:00 - Best reason to throw a controller though a PC monitor (La Mulana) 39:00 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3" Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Boy, am I happy to end this week. Over the past few days, I've struggled to write, think or care about video games. I've struggled to really do anything. Surely I'm not alone. What an awful week. What an absolutely awful week. And yet, some really amazing things have happened this week. Like this and this and this. Many people are really stepping up. So this weekend I hope you will join me in doing what we love: playing games. And I also hope you'll lend a hand. You could donate blood or money or anything. It's been an awful week, but I believe we can help to make next week better. That's all. This week's Besties doesn't talk about "this week." We tried to focus on the good, which has been the unspoken goal of the show since its creation. I hope you enjoy it. Let's talk about some video games. 4:30 - Best Nintendo Direct 14:30 - Best way to remind yourself how difficult Dishonored was (The Knife of Dunwall DLC) 21:30 - Half time - The recently canceled Ready for Love 25:45 - The best example that in-app purchasing will bring the end of the world (Dungeon Hunter 4) 31:00 - Best reason to throw a controller though a PC monitor (La Mulana) 39:00 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3 Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Why hello there. This week on The Besties, we've decided to stick with the rules set forth in last week's episode because, hey, consistency has to rear its ugly head once in a while. And if Justin sounds quiet this week, it's because his internet is crap and he only heard about half of every conversation. Either that or he walked away from the mic for a really, really long time without telling anyone. 2:50 - Best reason that Russ Frushtick is an obsessive maniac (BioShock Infinite) 23:30 - Best mash-up of two genres you wouldn't think work well together but do (Guacamelee) 30:30 - Half time - Beard! 33:15 - Best Easter Egg that is better than the actual game it's in (Soda Drinker Pro) 41:00 - Best multiplayer mode for ruining friendships (BattleBlock Theater) 50:00 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3" Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Why hello there. This week on The Besties, we've decided to stick with the rules set forth in last week's episode because, hey, consistency has to rear its ugly head once in a while. And if Justin sounds quiet this week, it's because his internet is crap and he only heard about half of every conversation. Either that or he walked away from the mic for a really, really long time without telling anyone. 2:50 - Best reason that Russ Frushtick is an obsessive maniac (BioShock Infinite) 23:30 - Best mash-up of two genres you wouldn't think work well together but do (Guacamelee) 30:30 - Half time - Beard! 33:15 - Best Easter Egg that is better than the actual game it's in (Soda Drinker Pro) 41:00 - Best multiplayer mode for ruining friendships (BattleBlock Theater) 50:00 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3 Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

We've read your comments. You miss the original concept of four best friends battling to the death to decide the best game of the week. Or maybe you want less nitty-gritty mechanic talk. Or you're the one soul on Planet Earth that yearns to hear the squeaky pitches of a certain European independent game design counterfeiter. We understand. After 50 episodes, we've decided to fiddle with the rules one (possibly) last time. As of today, four best friends will battle to the death to decide the best game thing of the week. That's right. We're no longer limited to games. We can bring news, songs, artwork, European independent game design counterfeiters, anything! All that matters is we genuinely believe our submission is the best. That way, when the show concludes a battle can be waged to determine the week's winner. Is this the best Besties yet? We sure hope so. 06:30 - Best ATV stunting (Defiance) 16:30 - Best local adversarial game at GDC 2013 (Samurai Gunn) 23:30 - Half time - A very special guest 31:30 - Best rumor that is probably not a rumor, but maybe it is a rumor (Always online Xbox) 43:30 - Best awards show in video games (2013 Game Developers Choice Awards) 50:30 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3" Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

We've read your comments. You miss the original concept of four best friends battling to the death to decide the best game of the week. Or maybe you want less nitty-gritty mechanic talk. Or you're the one soul on Planet Earth that yearns to hear the squeaky pitches of a certain European independent game design counterfeiter. We understand. After 50 episodes, we've decided to fiddle with the rules one (possibly) last time. As of today, four best friends will battle to the death to decide the best game thing of the week. That's right. We're no longer limited to games. We can bring news, songs, artwork, European independent game design counterfeiters, anything! All that matters is we genuinely believe our submission is the best. That way, when the show concludes a battle can be waged to determine the week's winner. Is this the best Besties yet? We sure hope so. 06:30 - Best ATV stunting (Defiance) 16:30 - Best local adversarial game at GDC 2013 (Samurai Gunn) 23:30 - Half time - A very special guest 31:30 - Best rumor that is probably not a rumor, but maybe it is a rumor (Always online Xbox) 43:30 - Best awards show in video games (2013 Game Developers Choice Awards) 50:30 - The winner is... Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3 Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Let's hear it for the supporting character! This week, we discuss two games based off the less popular sidekicks of major franchises. First, we have the Ballad of Baird, also known as Gears of War: Judgment. The fourth game in the Gears of War franchise has more of what you've come to expect from the franchise, which means hours of carefree body mutilation. Speaking of dead stuff, Justin leans over the campfire to tell us a scary story about the time he reviewed The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. Sticking to the ghastly theme, we finish the show with a Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, the second game in a series about the lesser-loved plumber turned ghost hunter. Is Dark Moon the 3DS's killer app? Does anyone care about 3DS when we have Super Stickman Golf 2 on our cellphones? Does the video game industry have a morbid fascination with our mutual fleeting mortality? Find out on this week's Besties! 03:00 - Gears of War: Judgment 16:30 - Half Time - The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct 29:30 - Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon 46:00 - What's next? Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3" Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Let's hear it for the supporting character! This week, we discuss two games based off the less popular sidekicks of major franchises. First, we have the Ballad of Baird, also known as Gears of War: Judgment. The fourth game in the Gears of War franchise has more of what you've come to expect from the franchise, which means hours of carefree body mutilation. Speaking of dead stuff, Justin leans over the campfire to tell us a scary story about the time he reviewed The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. Sticking to the ghastly theme, we finish the show with a Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, the second game in a series about the lesser-loved plumber turned ghost hunter. Is Dark Moon the 3DS's killer app? Does anyone care about 3DS when we have Super Stickman Golf 2 on our cellphones? Does the video game industry have a morbid fascination with our mutual fleeting mortality? Find out on this week's Besties! 03:00 - Gears of War: Judgment 16:30 - Half Time - The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct 29:30 - Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon 46:00 - What's next? Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3 Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

All mobile all the time. In the history of The Besties, when the gents end up bringing mobile games to the table, it doesn't bode well for the quality of said games. This week is the exception to the rule, as they're talking about two of the best games of 2013 (mobile or beyond!). In other news, Chris Plante literally got off a flight from Japan and recorded the podcast, so if he sounds drowsy, it's probably the sleeping meds coursing through his veins. 04:00 - Ridiculous Fishing 20:00 - Half Time 27:00 - Super Stickman Golf 2 47:00 - What's next? Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3" Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

All mobile all the time. In the history of The Besties, when the gents end up bringing mobile games to the table, it doesn't bode well for the quality of said games. This week is the exception to the rule, as they're talking about two of the best games of 2013 (mobile or beyond!). In other news, Chris Plante literally got off a flight from Japan and recorded the podcast, so if he sounds drowsy, it's probably the sleeping meds coursing through his veins. 04:00 - Ridiculous Fishing 20:00 - Half Time 27:00 - Super Stickman Golf 2 47:00 - What's next? Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3 Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Two big games, including one that works! This week on The Besties, Chris Plante is galavanting out in Japan for work (probably), so we've gone and found his temporary replacement: the incomparable Phil Kollar. Phil authored the Polygon review of Tomb Raider, so who better to detail the highs and lows of Lara's latest adventure. Speaking of Lara, one of her relatives calls in to discuss some qualms he has with her renewed success. And lastly, there's SimCity. Not a whole lot to say on that one. Pretty much controversy-free, that game. 04:00 - Tomb Raider 22:00 - Half Time 28:00 - SimCity 49:00 - What's next? Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3" Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes

Two big games, including one that works! This week on The Besties, Chris Plante is galavanting out in Japan for work (probably), so we've gone and found his temporary replacement: the incomparable Phil Kollar. Phil authored the Polygon review of Tomb Raider, so who better to detail the highs and lows of Lara's latest adventure. Speaking of Lara, one of her relatives calls in to discuss some qualms he has with her renewed success. And lastly, there's SimCity. Not a whole lot to say on that one. Pretty much controversy-free, that game. 04:00 - Tomb Raider 22:00 - Half Time 28:00 - SimCity 49:00 - What's next? Theme song by Ian Dorsch Get the show: Download MP3 Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Subscribe on iTunes