The Punished Podcast

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The Punished Backlog

21 episodes

3 weeks ago

Welcome to The Punished Podcast. Each month, our team will discuss the latest trends and topics in video games. We'll also be inducting games (and systems) into our ever-growing "Punished Backlog Hall of Fame." Listen to us here, or read along over at https://punishedbacklog.com.

All content for The Punished Podcast is the property of The Punished Backlog and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Video Games

TV & Film,

Leisure

Episodes (20/21)

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 21 – Video Game Adaptations

Video game adaptations span far more than just TV. From Mario to Tomb Raider, so many of our favorite franchises have hit the silver screen — to middling results. For so long, video game movies have been seen as a bit of a curse. No matter where you look, there’s a Hollywood adaptation that seems to have lost the plot of a game series you grew up on.

Recently, however, it seems we’re at a turning point. The Fallout and Last of Us shows are great examples, but we’ve also seen an animated take on Castlevania, a gorgeous League of Legends side story in the form of Arcane, a Cyberpunk anime, and so much more. The world of gaming continues to expand, and the quality of these adaptations is only improving. Let’s discuss.

– David Silbert, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 21

David Silbert | Donovan Harrell | Sam Martinelli | Gary Wilson | Vaughn Hunt

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Note: This episode contains swearing and sexual references.

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Introductions

* 7:15 – Adaptations: What Makes Them Work?

* 16:32 – Devil May Cry Deep Dive

* 25:50 – Why Video Game Adaptations Are Difficult to Get Right

* 34:22 – What Do “Good” Adaptations Look Like and Why

* 56:30 – Mediums: TV and Film

* 1:16:00 – Mediums: Board Games, Music, Books, and More

* 1:27:40 – Adaptations We Hope To See

* 1:30:18 – Outro: Best Adaptations We Recommend + What We’re Watching + Playing

Music Credits

* Opening Theme Song for Season 1 of Fallout (2024) on Amazon, composed by Ramin Djawadi

* Trailer for Netflix’s Devil May Cry (2025) anime, which featured Papa Roach’s “Last Resort,” with composition by Power Glove

* Mega Ran’s “Cloud Strife feat. ConSoul” (2021) from Black Materia: The Remake Album, featuring music composed by Masashi Hamauzu and Mitsuto Suzuki from Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)

1 month ago

1 hour 40 minutes 16 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 20 – Summer Gaming News & Fantasy Waiver Wire

As has become our podcast tradition, we end the hottest months with a discussion of big gaming news and a waiver wire for our Fantasy Gaming series. This summer news cycle was no different, with, most notably, a release date of September 4, 2025, for Hollow Knight: Silksong. Like, for real. After drafting Silksong for two years in a row with nothing to show for it and finally letting it go this year… I did not handle it well, as you’ll hear in today’s episode.

– Amanda Tien, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 20

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Note: This episode contains swearing and plenty of shouting.

David Silbert | Sam Martinelli | Amanda Tien | Gary Wilson | Allison McDaniel | Zack Gulinello

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Introductions and Discussion: Close Combat, Far Combat, or Magic Combat?

* 7:15 – All the Big Gaming News from Summer 2025

* 29:08 – Year in Gaming So Far

* 41:45 – Fantasy Gaming Standings + League Lore

* 1:08:32 – Fantasy Gaming Waiver Wire

* 1:32:24 – What We’re Playing Now

Song Credits

* “Snake Theme” from Donkey Kong Bananza (2025), composed by Naoto Kubo

* “Ancient Sanctuary – Gestral Summer Party” from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025), composed by Lorien Testard

* “Gravity Bike” from Split Fiction (2025), composed by Gustaf Grefberg

* “Lace” from Hollow Knight: Silksong (2025), composed by Christopher Larkin

Fantasy Gaming Standings (Pre-Waiver Wire)

Need a visual guide as you listen to our Fantasy Gaming waiver wire pickups? Here’s a breakdown of the pre-waiver standings:

Fantasy Gaming Standings (Post-Waiver Wire)

Curious how our waiver wire altered the fantasy landscape? We’ve crunched the numbers!

See how the dust settled, below:

2 months ago

1 hour 38 minutes 52 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 19 – Video Game Difficulty

“Git gud.” Over the past few console cycles, this has become a rallying cry for those who enjoy a good challenge in their video games. From the emergence of the Soulslike genre, to challenging roguelikes and pixel-perfect platformers, there’s no shortage of self-humiliation in which to indulge.

But are difficult video games anything new? In the latest episode of The Punished Podcast, we unpack the history of video game difficulty — from the arcade cabinet to the modern console. We also explore what makes a game challenging, whether that concept equates to “fun,” and more.

The games we discuss may be tough as nails, but this episode is easy listening. You’re in for a treat.

– David Silbert, Editor and Host

The Punished Podcast Episode 19

Note: This podcast was recorded on May 15, 2025, a few days after we covered PAX East 2025 and several weeks before the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. If it sounds like we were obsessed with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at the time … it’s because we were.

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

David Silbert | Sam Martinelli | Gary Wilson | Kei Isobe

Timestamps

* 0:00 – 4:05: Intros + an icebreaker

* 4:05 – 6:26: A brief history of video game difficulty

* 6:26 – 19:16: Our personal histories with game difficulty

* 19:16 – 42:08: Do games have to be hard to be “fun” or “good”?

* 42:08 – 1:03:21: How will difficulty influence game genres moving forward?

* 1:03:21 – 1:12:34: Let’s gush about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

* 1:12:34 – 1:15:18: Is modular game design the future of video game difficulty?

* 1:15:18 – 1:17:09: A quick shout-out to the “easy” side of game difficulty

* 1:17:09 – 1:18:55: Kei talks Elden Ring as a cozy game, Bill Simmons, and Jayson Tatum

* 1:18:55 – 1:23:08: Who Ya Got?! Difficulty Edition (Rounds 1-3)

* 1:23:08 – 1:28:28: Halftime Interlude!!! Let’s talk Souls-likes (and Clair Obscur again)

* 1:28:28 – 1:43:20: Who Ya Got?! Difficulty Edition (Round 4, Semi-Finals, and Final)

* 1:43:20: Outro: Whatcha Playin’?

Further Reading: Games & Concepts We Discussed

* Elden Ring (21:15) — Elden Ring Works Best When You Let Go (Sam Martinelli)

3 months ago

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 18 – Video Game Replays

We’re back from our extended spring break to talk about replaying video games, one of my personal favorite summer hobbies. We discuss why we replay video games, what changes between playthroughs, which games we find ourselves returning to over and over again, balancing new games with old games, the nuances of games that ask for multiple runs (like Nier Automata or Hades), and the best and worst games to replay. We also roast each other a fair amount — perfect timing for the heat dome.

– Amanda Tien, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 18

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

David Silbert | Sam Martinelli | Amanda Tien

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Introductions and Most Replayed Games

* 4:00 – Why Do We Replay Games?

* 12:25 – What Changes During Replay and Also Yelling About Games We Wished The Others Played

* 22:00 – Replays But Live Service, Roguelikes, New Game Plus, Updates

* 34:33 – New Games Versus Replaying Old Games

* 44:28 – Games You Want to Replay

* 49:43 – Best and Worst Games to Replay

* 58:40 – What We’re Currently Playing

Further Reading: Games We Discussed

* The Alters — Amanda shared her replay obsession with this new release; read her The Alters review

* Batman: Arkham series — Mark recently replayed Batman: Arkham Knight, and we’ve talked about the series previously, too

* Dishonored — Amanda once again hyped how good replaying Dishonored is

* Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest — Sam once again talked about the game he submitted to the Punished Hall of Fame

* Hotel Dusk: Room 215 — David wrote about this mystery gem on our best Nintendo DS games list

* The Flame in the Flood — Amanda hyped it on our best Nintendo Switch games list

* The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Sam wrote about how it broke his brain

* Nier: Automata — none of us Show more...

4 months ago

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 17 – Fantasy Gaming Q1 Check-In

Today’s episode is another exciting edition of our Fantasy Gaming series, our version of Fantasy Football where we draft video games based on projected Metacritic scores and try to get the best overall team by the end of the year. In Episode 17, we go through all of the best (and worst) games of 2025 so far that we’ve drafted, discussing what worked and what didn’t. Later in the episode, we discuss how the latest scores affect our league standings.

– Amanda Tien, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 17

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Note: It’s worth noting that we recorded this on March 30 and wow, it’s been a big first two weeks of April for gaming news. There was the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct (which made us feel a lot of things, especially after those three seconds of Hollow Knight: Silksong). Additionally, Microsoft’s South of Midnight and Raw Fury’s Blue Prince have received Metacritic scores. Stay tuned for a Fantasy Gaming piece from David this Friday, April 11, with updated standings.

David Silbert | Sam Martinelli | Amanda Tien | Gary Wilson | Allison McDaniel | Zack Gulinello

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Introductions

* 5:53 – Discussing 2025’s Best Games So Far

* 6:24 – Blade Chimera

* 6:41 – Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (read David’s preview)

* 8:33 – Sid Meier’s Civilization VII

* 10:08 – Avowed (read our impressions)

* 15:36 – Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 1

* 19:10 – Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

* 20:53 – Monster Hunter Wilds

* 24:57 – Two Point Museum

* 27:32 – Split Fiction (read David’s review)

* 30:15 – 33 Immortals

* 33:36 – Assassin’s Creed Shadows

* 35:44 – Big Picture Score Discussion, Citizen Sleeper 2 (read Amanda’s review), and New Releases

* 40:28 – League Rule Changes and Clarifications

7 months ago

1 hour 15 minutes 1 second

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 16 – Retro Games

Today’s podcast topic is retro games and retro gaming as a whole, a subject near and dear to my heart as The Punished Backlog’s resident Old Games Guy. As much as gamers constantly look to the future for the newest and coolest experiences, revisiting and revering the past remains a crucial part of gaming culture.

When I was growing up, the difference between what was modern vs. “retro” was fairly stark and easy to identify: pixelated, 2D arcade games or blocky, early 3D titles were easy to call old and retro (or, in some ways, “dated”) compared to things like Mass Effect, Skyrim, and Gears of War. As time has gone on, however, the lines have blurred, as it still feels weird to call games from the mid-to-late-2000s “retro” when they’re not quite as different from their modern counterparts.

In the latest Punished Podcast episode, we discuss the definition of retro, what retro games still hold up, what game companies owe to preserving game history, and much, much more. Plus, we even have a little WHO YA GOT competition based on retro gaming later in the episode!

– Sam Martinelli, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 16

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Sam Martinelli | David Silbert | Vaughn Hunt | Amanda Tien

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Introductions

* 3:49 – What Do We Define As Retro?

* 11:17 – How Gameplay Helps Define Retro

* 25:34 – Should You Play Older Games on Their Original Hardware?

* 29:40 – Retro vs. “Modern” Games

* 38:32 – Arcades, Culture of Retro, and Co-Op

* 46:00 – Many Games Don’t End These Days!

* 52:12 – Preservation in Games

* 1:01:35 – Who Ya Got: Retro Edition

* 1:20:00 – Outro: What’re You Playing Now?

Excerpts: Retro Video Games Podcast

Here’s a few quotes from throughout our conversation:

David: “I think there’s a public necessity to preserve these games and a way to partner with private companies to make it happen. But I would also argue that for the big publishers of the world—Amanda, you and I, we’re in marketing—it helps your brand to assure gamers that you care about your history because then gamers give a shit about your future.”

Vaughn: “It’s honestly embarrassing that big game companies lose source code. I’ve seen this stat that like 90% of source code from before 2010 is lost. Like, if you’re Square Enix, and you don’t have the source code for Final Fantasy VIII, and you have to rebuild it from someone’s copy? Like these games have won multiple awards. You don’t just have a copy of it on a disc in a case on a frame on...

7 months ago

1 hour 25 minutes 25 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 15 – Romance in Games

In honor of Valentine’s Day and because love is fun, we’re talking romance in video games in the newest episode of The Punished Podcast. I’m talking kissing, conversation options with hearts, longing looks, fades to black, all that good stuff.

We discuss how and why romance works in games, what the classic mechanics to relationship building are, and our favorite romance arcs. Toward the end of the episode, I even tried a little dating game among our guests—listen to find out who our most desirable bachelor is!

– Amanda Tien, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 15

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Amanda Tien | David Silbert | Gary Wilson | Allison McDaniel

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Introductions

* 5:45 – Why is Romance in Video Games?

* 11:30 – The Mechanics of Video Game Romances

* 21:27 – Our Favorite Romances in Games

* 44:12 – Games We Wish Had Romance

* 55:42 – Dating Sim Visual Novels

* 1:04:23 – Romance Shout-Outs

* 1:09:54 – The Dating Game: Punished Backlog Edition

Content warning: This episode is not particularly NSFW, but it does occasionally get M-rated and has some swearing.

Song Credits

* “Sayonara Wild Hearts” from Sayonara Wild Hearts (lyrics by Daniel Olsén and composed by Jonathan Eng)

* “Kairi I” from Kingdom Hearts (composed by Yoko Shimomura)

* “Dream Daddy Theme” from Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator (composed by Baths)

* “Sweet” from Persona 5 (composed by Shoji Meguro)

Want more romance content? Check out Gary’s list of the best romance songs in video games!

The Best Video Game Romances

We talked about many great titles in this podcast episode, but here were some of our favorites that we discussed passionately:

* Afterlove EP

* Coffee Talk

* Doki Doki Literature Club

* Dungeon Boyfriend

* Dream Daddy

* Life is Strange

* Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

* Final Fantasy X and X-2

* Florence

* Show more...

8 months ago

1 hour 22 minutes 27 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 14 – 2025 Fantasy Gaming Draft!

Happy February, folks, and welcome back to The Punished Podcast! We’re certainly barreling through this year, for better or worse. If you need a distraction from the madness on TV, look no further than the world of video games.

For The Punished Podcast Episode 14, we’ve got a fun ~90 minutes teed up for you. In this episode, we crown our Fantasy Gaming 2024 winner (yay!) and host our 2025 draft, complete with an expanded league (double yay!!). This year’s rules follow a new dynasty format, which I do my best to outline in the episode.

I’ll keep the intro at that! Dive in and watch us compete for fame, glory, and—most importantly—precious bragging rights.

– David Silbert, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 14

Which one of our 2024 contestants—Team Amanda, Team David, and Team Sam—ended up victorious? Who will be battling it out for the crown in 2025? Find out in this action-packed, expletive-laden episode. Enjoy!

Note: We recorded this episode on January 9, days before Xbox’s Developer Direct and loooong before PlayStation’s latest State of Play. Games have since been announced; release dates have since been set. We’ve even seen a few Metacritic scores pop up. Bear all that in mind while listening!

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

David Silbert | Sam Martinelli | Amanda Tien | Gary Wilson | Allison McDaniel | Zack Gulinello

Timestamps:

* 0:00 – Intro

* 2:46 – Welcome, Editorial Team!

* 3:23 – Thoughts on 2024 in Gaming?

* 5:38 – Recapping Fantasy Gaming 2024

* 11:57 – Our 2024 Winner Is…!

* 15:03 – Reflecting on the Results

* 19:39 – David Fails at Math

* 21:45 – Revealing Our Winner’s Fantasy Prize!

* 24:29 – Introducing Our Newest Fantasy Competitors!

* 26:05 – Explaining the New Dynasty Format

* 28:41 – Revealing the Draft Order

* 29:15 – Any Strategies for Dynasty?

* 30:24 – Setting Some Ground Rules

* 31:29 – 2025 Fantasy Draft Time!

* 1:35:58 – Post-Draft Recap!

* 1:39:19 – Parting Thoughts and Outro

Song Credits:

* “Show more...

9 months ago

1 hour 43 minutes 21 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 13 – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Happy Friday! After a week of Final Fantasy coverage for the site, we end back where we started—celebrating the PC release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

In episode 13 of The Punished Podcast, Amanda, Kei, and I dive deep into what makes Final Fantasy VII Rebirth such a special (though often frustrating) experience. Months have passed since the original PlayStation 5 release, and the gloves are off! Nothing is off limits, from the combat and characters to the mini-games, the soundtrack, and of course that wild ending.

Don’t worry! If you’re just playing Rebirth for the first time on PC, you can still listen. The first ~55 minutes of the podcast are spoiler-free, while the remaining hour and a half are for those already in the know. Regardless of your familiarity with the VII universe, we invite you to listen!

– David Silbert, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 13

I say it in the audio, but two quick notes about today’s episode:

* My audio levels are pretty atrocious (sorry in advance). Thankfully, things get a little better later on.

* Amanda, Kei, and I recorded this back in July 2024. So, we mention a few things (theories, GOTY commentary, etc.) that may be outdated. Even still, I think you’ll find most of what we talk about to be pretty topical.

That’s it! Have at it:

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Timestamps:

* 0:00 – Intro

* 4:21 – Our Final Fantasy Journeys

* 9:43 – Thoughts on Rebirth’s Structure

* 25:21 – TOO. MANY. MINI-GAMES!

* 28:22 – Favorite (& Least Favorite) Mini-Games

* 35:17 – Combat & Characters

* 43:56 – LIGHTNING ROUND!!

* 50:12 – How About That Soundtrack?!

* 55:45 – Spoilercast Time! Barrett, Dyne, and Cognitive Dissonance

* 1:04:13 – Discussing the New Party Members

* 1:12:23 – What the Heck’s Going on With Zack?

* 1:15:54 – Which Character Did You Date and Why?

* 1:27:40 – The Big Question: What Did We Think of the Ending?

* 1:53:18 – The Final Boss Gauntlet and Other Thoughts

* 1:58:14 – Rebirth’s Unparalleled Scale (and How It May Play Into Part 3)

* 2:00:32 – Loveless and “No Promises to Keep”

* 2:09:23 – Who’s Singing the Song in Part 3?

* 2:10:17 – Outro for Amanda

* 2:11:37 – Our Best Guesses on How Part 3 Will Be Structured (Full VII Universe Spoilers!!)

* 2:18:24 – How Will Cid and Vincent Play into Combat?

9 months ago

2 hours 38 minutes 7 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 12 – The Best Games of 2024 (Speed Dating Style)

What were the best video games of 2024? I need answers! I didn’t play that many games from the year (my life was very hectic!), and I want to know what to prioritize in my backlog. I turned to the contributors of The Punished Backlog and invited everyone to sign up for a speed-dating-like session with me to share one of their favorite games on the podcast.

This episode features about a dozen writers (myself included!) and their picks. Each mini-interview is about five to 10 minutes long. In each, I ask for a description of the game, what the writer loved most about it, and who else might enjoy it.

At the end, I include a LONG honorable mention list trying to recap every game anyone on our site liked in our Best of 2024 coverage, and I also got just a little emo at the end reflecting on my four years at the Punished Backlog! Hope y’all enjoy, and happy new year!

– Amanda Tien, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 12

Check out the latest episode below. A reminder that you can listen here, download the MP3 file, or catch us wherever you get your podcasts. Happy listening!

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Review the timestamps below to read more from these authors!

Timestamps:

* 0:00 – Intro

* 2:13 – David & UFO 50

* 13:37 – Allison & Turnip Boy Robs a Bank

* 17:28 – Zack & Balatro

* 27:00 – Vaughn & Tekken 8

* 33:00 – Joe & Buckshot Roulette

* 39:40 – Amanda & Thank Goodness You’re Here

* 46:56 – Sam & Astro Bot

* 56:55 – Alexia & Core Keeper

* 1:04:30 – Kei & Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

* 1:13:40 – Gary & Metaphor ReFantazio

* 1:24:05 – Ben & Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown & Stardew Valley 1.6 Update

* 1:33:51 – Outro: Honorable Mentions, Gratitude, and Looking Ahead

Song Credits:

The songs below, aside from the opener and outro, are all inserted before their corresponding features!

* Opening: “Amble” from Thank Goodness You’re Here by James Carbutt

* “Play Forever” from UFO 50 by Eirik SuhrkeShow more...

10 months ago

1 hour 43 minutes 31 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 11 – Visual Art Styles

We used an audio medium to talk about a visual one—art styles in video games! Was this a mistake? Only you’ll be able to decide when we start discussing the hands of Final Fantasy characters as an example of evolutions in graphical fidelity!

In all seriousness, this fun episode of The Punished Podcast has us reflecting on why and how visuals shape our impression of video games, what art styles have longer staying power, which games are the most beautiful, and if Toon Link is better than Twilight Princess Link.

12/13/2024 Update: I meant to talk about Okami! Re-pushing the audio to include it 🙂

– Amanda Tien, Editor

The Punished Podcast Episode 11

Check out the latest episode below. A reminder that you can listen here, download the MP3 file, or catch us wherever you get your podcasts. Happy listening!

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Amanda Tien | David Silbert | Kei Isobe | Sam Martinelli | Vaughn Hunt | Zack Gulinello

Timestamps:

* 0:00 – 5:00 – Intros and Beautiful Games

* 5:00 – 34:43 – What Makes a Game Look Good, and Why Does It Matter?

* 35:48 – 50:00 – Visuals in Remasters and Remakes

* 50:00 – 59:19 – Indie Games and Standing Out Visually

* 59:20 – 1:08:30 – Uncanny Valley and Realism

* 1:08:31- 1:17:09 – Who Ya Got?! Vote and Debate

* 1:17:10 – Outro: What We’re Playing

Episode Intro by Sam Martinelli

“Let’s discuss video game visuals. While any video game experience centers on play and control, visuals and visual design have always been an essential pillar to the medium. After all, the main way companies build hype and excitement for a game is through visual media: trailers, screenshots, gameplay demonstrations, etc. But what exactly do players want visually from their games?

To some extent, graphical fidelity vs. art direction has been a subject of discourse for decades, but now that upgrades to hyper-realistic graphics are getting smaller and smaller and AAA budgets keep ballooning, the nature of that discourse seems to be changing. It’s also worth noting that we’ve seen somewhat of an indie game revolution over the past decade-plus, where smaller studios—most of which are unable to produce graphical fidelity on par with their AAA counterparts—are forced to be more creative and intentional with their visual design.

So to start, let’s go around and describe what we think makes a game look ‘good,’ and whether you think fidelity matters more or less than style…R...

11 months ago

1 hour 19 minutes 7 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 10 – Fall 2024 Preview

As the summer comes to a close, let’s reflect on some exciting video game announcements! In Episode 10 of The Punished Podcast, we discuss everything that excited us from giant publishers and indie studios alike. We also did waiver wire pickups for our Fantasy Gaming league, which is a fun way to stay in the loop about what’s hot and what’s (unfortunately for me, as you’ll find out) not.

There’s a lot to look forward to this fall, starting with this Thursday’s release! As Sam says in the podcast, “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is the Zelda game I’ve wanted for 15 years.”

The Punished Podcast Episode 10

Check out the latest episode below. A reminder that you can listen here, download the MP3 file, or catch us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Happy listening!

(Please note: This episode was recorded on August 15, 2024, prior to the releases of Star Wars Outlaws, Black Myth: Wukong, Astro Bot, The Plucky Squire, and Frostpunk 2.)

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Sam Martinelli | David Silbert | Amanda Tien

Timestamps:

* 0:00 – Intro + Favorite RPG Companions

* 03:57 – Biggest Video Game Announcements from Summer 2024 (Hosted by Sam)

* 26:50 – Deep Dive on 12 Exciting Indies Featured During Summer 2024 (Hosted by Amanda)

* 49:15 – Waiver Wire for Fantasy Gaming League (Hosted by David)

* 01:17:25 – Closing & Epilogue

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, by Ubisoft

Here’s an excerpt from our discussion:

* Amanda: “I feel so lame saying this, but I am so excited about Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars: Outlaws. I know they’re giant open-world games that are just doing the same Ubisoft shit, but I don’t care. I want it. The trailers look fun. I want to run the world around with my little alien guy in Outlaws, and in Shadows, it looks tight. The whole time [I was watching the trailers] I was fist-pumping. It felt very fan service-y… it’s a very simple yay! for me.”

* Sam: “Exactly—like, I know you like Assassin’s Creed, so I’m genuinely happy for you. Meanwhile, for me, I watched some YouTube reactions to some of these showcases. For the Xbox one, there was one group of people who were reacting like, ‘All these games look exactly the same, I don’t want any of this.’ Meanwhile, this is like candy for me. Give me more Starfield, give me more Perfect Dark.”

1 year ago

1 hour 21 minutes 40 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 9 – DLC

Ah, downloadable content, better known as DLC. It’s such a modern expectation in today’s gaming landscape that it’s an active surprise when a studio says it won’t release add-ons (no matter how badly we want it). Across games big and small, indie and giant, live service and single-player, DLC is everywhere.

But what’s the history of DLC, and how has it shaped current trends? What makes a piece of DLC worth it? When (and why) does it work, and when does it really not? Four writers from The Punished Backlog joined me to discuss these questions and much more. Join us for a DLC power-hour discussion!

The Punished Podcast Episode 9

Check out the latest episode below. A reminder that you can listen here, download the MP3 file, or catch us wherever you get your podcasts. Happy listening!

Download MP3 | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Amanda Tien | Zack Gulinello | Allison McDaniel | Anthony Franklin II | Joe Chivers

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Episode Intro and the History of DLC

* 3:10 – Our Favorite DLC and Why They Work

* Amanda: Fallout 4: New Harbor

* Zack: Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course

* Allison: Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Happy Home Paradise

* Anthony: God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla

* Joe: Fallout New Vegas: Dead Money

* 20:56 – Skins, Cosmetic Content, and Microtransactions

* 27:00 – The Trend of Only One Big DLC

* 35:24 – How Digital Storefronts Shape Games, Expectations, Endings

* 46:52 – Games We Wish Had DLC

* 56:23 – Looking Ahead: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

* 1:02:39 – Open Mic: Shovelware, Life = DLC, Balatro, Sports Games, ToTK

* 1:08:04 – Outro: What’re You Playing?

More Games We Discussed

Alan Wake 2, Apex Legends, Baldur’s Gate 3*, Battle Chef Brigade, Brink, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Control, Cult of the Lamb, Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, Deadpool, Deathloop, Eastwards, Fallout 4: Far Harbor, Fallout New Vegas: Dead Money, Horizon Zero Dawn: Frozen Wilds, Hades, Halo, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Madden, MarioKart 8, Marvel Snap, Mass Effect 3: Citadel**, MLB: The Show 24, NBA 2K Series, Splatoon, The Sims 1 through 4, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Stardew Valley***, The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine, Yakuza 0, Zoo Tycoon

* We have Show more...

1 year ago

1 hour 13 minutes 33 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 8 – 2024 Vibe Check

Welcome back to The Punished Podcast! In this episode of your favorite gaming podcast, we share our thoughts on 2024 thus far—including GOTY frontrunners, biggest disappointments, and more.

Later on, David walks us through the latest update for our Fantasy Gaming league. Amanda brings us home with a hot take that may or may not be absolutely scalding. Only one way to find out!

The Punished Podcast Episode 8

Check out the latest episode below. A reminder that you can listen here, download the MP3 file, or catch us wherever you get your podcasts. Happy listening!

Note: This episode was recorded on April 6, 2024.

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Sam Martinelli | David Silbert | Amanda Tien

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Intro

* 0:46 – Icebreaker: Favorite Console That Flopped?

* 5:12 – Grading 2024 (So Far)

* 16:19 – Our Current GOTY Frontrunners

* 26:34 – Biggest Disappointments of 2024 (So Far)

* 33:25 – Celebrating Women in Gaming

* 37:58 – Games We’re Looking Forward To

* 46:11 – Games We’ve Been Meaning To Try

* 50:14 – Q1 Fantasy Gaming Update

* 1:10:15 – Amanda’s Hot Take: Is the Switch 2 Coming Too Soon?

* 1:29:13 – Outro: What’re You Playing Next?

Fantasy Gaming 2024 — April Standings

Song Credits

* “Main Theme” (LouisF) from Balatro

* “Gongaga Region” (Mitsuto Suzuki) from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

* “It’s Going Down Now” (Atsushi Kitajoh, Azumi Takahashi, Lotus Juice) from Persona 3 Reload

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1 year ago

1 hour 30 minutes 57 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 7 – Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 won Game of the Year at last year’s Game Awards, and for good reason. Here at The Punished Backlog, the game made many of our own Best of 2023 lists, to the point that we just had to talk about it!

On the latest episode of The Punished Podcast, we explore the game’s relationship with tabletop D&D, and discuss our favorite characters, little magical moments, strengths and weaknesses, the gorgeous Patch 5 epilogue, those wild side quests, and much, much more.

The Punished Podcast Episode 7

As I explain in the episode’s intro, we encountered some technical and scheduling issues and had to record audio across multiple sessions. The end result? A mega, three-hour episode! If you loved playing a hundred (or more) hours of Baldur’s Gate 3, hopefully you’ll enjoy hundreds of minutes of our spoilercast discussion.

Spoiler warning: This episode is spoiler-heavy, but this post is not in case you’d like to read the excerpts below.

Content warning: This episode has swearing and often delves into NSFW content.

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Amanda Tien | Joe Chivers | Kei Isobe | Ben Rashkovich

Timestamps

By panelist:

* Full panel – 0:00

* Amanda, Kei, and Joe – 44:28

* Amanda and Ben – 1:14:17

* Full panel again – 2:53:00

By topic:

* Intro – 0:00

* Endings – 4:58

* Characters and Party – 9:52

* Romance (Part 1) – 29:30

* Favorite Moments and Acts – 34:00

* Lowlights – 49:20

* Companion Quests – 56:28

* The Emperor (Part 1) – 58:38

* Future of BG3 and Larian (Part 1) – 1:02:15

* The D&D movie, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) – 1:13:20

* Side Quests – 1:14:20

* The Emperor (Part 2) – 1:18:52

* Romance (Part 2) – 1:21:25

* Cazador’s Palace – 1:26:48

* Early Access & Patches – 01:28:33

* Finale and Act 3 – 01:34:20

* D&D Comparisons – 01:50:00

* Replaying – 1:58:00

* Save Scumming, Elden Ring, TOTK – 2:04:16

* Future of BG3 (Part 2) – 2:12:06

* Character Backstories – 2:20:26

1 year ago

2 hours 59 minutes 12 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 6 – Pokémon

The Pokémon franchise turns 28 this month (and 25 in North America, specifically)! The Punished Podcast crew celebrates Pikachu and co. with this 90-minute episode.

The Punished Podcast Episode 6

For episode 6 of The Punished Podcast, we chat about all things Pokémon. We discuss the strengths of the classic video game formula, reflect on our favorite ‘mon, debate innovations over the years, and share fond memories. And, of course, we had to talk about Palworld, a game that’s made news for being “Pokémon with guns.”

Whether you’re a longtime fan of the series or a casual player, a parent or a child, you’ll find something that resonates with you in this super-Lightning-Bolt-charged episode of the podcast.

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Amanda Tien | David Silbert | Kei Isobe | Sam Martinelli | Jason Toro

Some excerpts from our conversation:

* Kei: “Nintendo tends to struggle [with a balance between casual and hardcore players] because they make deep games which invites intense effort… Pokémon is probably the deepest turn-based competitive gaming experience out there right now. There’s so many variables. They’ve intentionally—or unintentionally—created a very, very layered and complex game. Maybe they wish they didn’t.”

* Amanda: “These are games that are ultimately–I think–designed for children, or meant to be easier. Pokémon is a game that’s can be accessible for young people as an entry point into gaming. Into battling, into more serious games. Can you level up? Can you gather and manage an inventory? Can you plan out and advance a [battle] strategy?”

* Sam: “The thing I really don’t like [in the series’ changes] is that, after Gen 2, they put a lot more effort into classic RPG storytelling. You’re not just a guy getting badges and trying to catch ’em all, but there’s also some meta plot happening. It’s not just Team Rocket. It’s some bigger deal happening. And to me, it’s never interesting. It’s never written well enough… It goes back to what we were talking about, that it’s hard to make a game that satisfies everyone.”

* David: “I accidentally released my starter into the wild, so I decided to main a Graveler and raise that to Level 100 throughout the game.”

* Jason: “I’ve been enjoying playing it with my group of fans. Palworld would be fantastic if it wasn’t for its attempts at being ‘evil.’ Palworld takes a lot of mechanics from other games…but it comes together in such a unique way that it’s pretty obvious as to why it’s so successful.”

Timestamps

* 0:00 — Intro

* 4:30 — What was your first Pokémon game?

1 year ago

1 hour 34 minutes 25 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 5 – 2024 Gaming Preview

Welcome to the first Punished Podcast of the new year! The Backlog crew is back and better than ever, and we’re excited to show you what we’ve been cooking up.

The Punished Podcast Episode 5

For episode 5 of The Punished Podcast, we’re taking a look ahead at 2024 in gaming—and running it back with our annual Fantasy Gaming draft.

Will Sam go back-to-back this year? What’s up with Hollow Knight: Silksong, and will Amanda strike out on it, yet again? Will David finally draft a decent team?

Take a listen and gauge for yourself.

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

(Note: We recorded this podcast on January 6, 2024, before the releases of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Tekken 8, and Persona 3 Reload. This podcast also predates Microsoft’s “Direct”-like showcase, which saw Hellblade II, Avowed, and MachineGames’ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle all get 2024 release windows.

You’re hearing our thoughts and analysis before ANY of the above occurred—so keep that in mind while listening!)

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Intro

* 3:15 – Thoughts on 2024?

* 7:53 – Unannounced or Speculated Games You’re Anticipating?

* 13:27 – Sam Rants About George R.R. Martin

* 18:28 – 2024 Fantasy Gaming Draft: The Rules

* 22:38 – 2024 Fantasy Gaming Draft: The Draft

* 57:01 – 2024 Fantasy Gaming Draft: Vibe Check

* 59:44 – Sam’s Hall of Fame Nominee

* 1:17:15 – What Are You Currently Playing?

* 1:20:28 – Outro

David Silbert | Sam Martinelli | Amanda Tien

2024 Fantasy Gaming Draft – The Recap

Want the Sparknotes version of our Fantasy Gaming draft? Here’s a quick play-by-play:

* David — Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

* Amanda — Hades II

* Sam — Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

* Sam — Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

* Amanda — Persona 3 Reload

* David — Dragon’s Dogma 2

* David — Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

* Amanda — Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

* Sam — Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

* Sam — Princess Peach Showtime

* Amanda — Hollow Knight: Silksong

* David — Rise of the Rōnin

* David — Avowed

* Amanda — Star Wars Outlaws

* Sam — The Plucky Squire

1 year ago

1 hour 22 minutes

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 4 – Best of 2023 Recap

Happy Holidays! Episode 4 of The Punished Podcast marks our final episode of the year, but fret not—we have an awesome show in store for you.

The Punished Podcast Episode 4

To close out the year, we brought five of our writers together to reflect on the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2023. Which games wowed us? Which games punked us? What are we excited to play in 2024? Listen along as we tell all.

For the latter portion of the podcast, our editorial team reconvened to tally up the final scores for our 2023 Fantasy Gaming league. Despite a competitive draft (and some smart waiver wire pick-ups), in the end, there could only be one victor. Get the full play-by-play in this month’s episode.

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Intro

* 2:03 – Grading 2023

* 11:02 – This Year’s Hidden Gems

* 18:16 – The Biggest Disappointments

* 25:00 – 2023’s Most Notable Trends

* 36:32 – Our Most Anticipated Games of 2024

* 38:14 – Fantasy Gaming 2023: The Finale

* 55:22 – The Results!

* 1:08:38 – Outro: Holiday Backlog Plans

Sam Martinelli | David Silbert | Kei Isobe | Allison McDaniel | Jason Toro

How Our Panelists Graded 2023

Allison — 4.5 out of 5

* Pros: Lots of bangers.

* Cons: Where’s Hollow Knight: Silksong? Metroid Prime 4?

David — 4 out of 5

* Pros: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Tears of the Kingdom.

* Cons: Got nothing on the goat, 2007.

Kei — 4.5 out of 5

* Pros: Huge variety of genres from a variety of developers. Global appeal.

* Cons: Lots of remakes. Didn’t have a marquee hardware launch like in 2017.

Jason — 4.5 out of 5

* Pros: Revitalization of the CRPG genre. 2D Mario games still rock.

* Cons: In a world where Breath of the Wild came before, will Tears of the Kingdom truly stand the test of time?

Sam — 4.5 out of 5

* Pros: Stellar new releases for beloved franchises: Zelda, Mario, Alan Wake, Street Fighter.

* Cons: Hard to top 1998, where Ocarina of Time, Half-Life, Metal Gear Solid, and Starcraft all pioneered their respective genres.

Sam Martinelli | Show more...

1 year ago

1 hour 12 minutes 15 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 3 – The Backlog

Welcome back to The Punished Podcast! In this episode, we talk about the gaming phenomena that inspired this site’s very name: the backlog.

The Punished Podcast Episode 3

You’ve got games to play, and so do we. Listen along as we discuss what’s in our current backlogs, the challenges to getting through that stack of games, and tips for newcomers looking to break into the hobby. Plus, hear our reactions to a spicy take from the site’s newest contributor, Zack Gulinello!

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Tips for Managing a Gaming Backlog

Here’s a brief summary of our strategies for managing the backlog:

* Create a two-in, one-out policy for yourself (i.e., you have to beat two games before you can buy one new one… though easier said than done).

* Find an accountability buddy to play the same game as you.

* Use a tool like HowLongToBeat to see how long a game takes the average player to complete, so you can plan accordingly.

* Adjust your expectations around what it means to “beat a game.” In his essay on Elden Ring, fellow Punished Backlogger Sam Martinelli encourages the perspective that you’re finished with a game when you’re no longer enjoying it—even if that’s before you roll the credits.

David Silbert | Allison McDaniel | Zack Gulinello | Amanda Tien

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Intro

* 3:00 – Discussing Video Game Backlogs

* 48:00 – Zack’s Hot Take!

* 1:05:30 – Outro: Episode 4 Preview, and “What’re You Playing Next?”

Games in Our Backlog

We discuss a wide range of games, new and old. In alphabetical order, here are some that dominated our conversation (and haunt our free time):

* Alan Wake 2 (2023)

* Coffee Talk (2020) and Coffee Talk Episode 2 (2023)

* Dave the Diver (2023)

* Elden Ring (2022)

* Hollow Knight (2017)

* Immortals: Fenyx Rising (2020)

* The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)

1 year ago

1 hour 9 minutes 38 seconds

The Punished Podcast

The Punished Podcast: Episode 2 – Game Length

Welcome back to The Punished Podcast! Before we dive into the meat and grits of this one, a heartfelt disclaimer: We recorded this one on August 27, right at the tail-end of Gamescom. That was seven weeks ago—an eternity in a year as fast-moving as this.

Back then, people were excited for Starfield. Anything was possible in the tantalizing reaches of space. Fast forward nearly two months, and the hype has waned. The game was good, not great; life moved on. Cyberpunk 2.0 came out. Maybe it’ll be enough to get Amanda to replay it. Who can say.

The point is, I dropped the ball, and I apologize. A special apology to my co-hosts, Amanda Tien and Sam Martinelli, and equal thanks for their patience as I ploddingly put this one together.

The good news? The content’s still fire!

The Punished Podcast Episode 2

This episode, we discuss the ideal game length. What makes a great two-hour game? A great 100-hour epic? Tune in for our thoughts, accompanied by a truly scathing take from yours truly.

Correction: At 43:26, I state that The Shawshank Redemption is a “crisp, 90-minute film.” That movie is two and a half hours, per IMDB. Clearly, I’m not a film expert. (Still a breezy film, though…)

MP3 Download | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Intro

* 2:59 – Discussing Game Length

* 52:08 – David’s Hot Take

* 1:05:16 – Outro

Every Game We Mentioned, Ordered by Play Time

Looking for your next big, medium, or small playthrough? Look no further. We went ahead and compiled every game we mentioned in this episode, then ordered it by “all styles” length on How Long To Beat.

Any title marked with an emoji is particularly great.

* Venba (1.5 hours) 🕹️

* Journey (2 hours) 🕹️

* A Short Hike (2 hours) 🕹️

* Inside (4 hours) 🕹️

* Smushi Come Home (4 hours) 🕹️

* Oxenfree (5.5 hours)

* Titanfall 2 (7 hours) 🕹️

* SEASON: A Letter to the Future (7.5 hours) 🕹️

* Halo 3 (9 hours) 🕹️

* Immortality (9.

2 years ago

1 hour 9 minutes 45 seconds