Prepare thy brow, because it is about to be situated much higher than usual (when listening to this podcast at least). While it might not be from THAT game company, Sword of the Sea from Giant Squid continues its genetic lineage and - dare we say it? - improves upon its legacy in a multitude of ways. On the tabletop, Ravensburger’s latest spin on the modern board game classic is Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons and, yeah, it’s very VERY good. Plus a charming change of pace with some dinosaur pet pals, via the child-friendly BalaDino from Kiwizou. All that, and controversial (???) feelings about pumpkin spiced lattes, on Ep233.

Feeling old? You might do after this episode. A classic old Nintendo series has had a big new twist, and it’s got us asking “is Mario Kart World made for us?”, plus heading back to the nineties with Humongous Entertainment and Mega Cat Studios and the re-release of Backyard Baseball ’97. In case that weren’t enough old video games, there’s more action from Hamster’s Arcade Archives series, with a look at Namco’s Air Combat 22 and Aqua Jet. Away from the screens, over to the tabletop, and headed back in time to mythological Greece, Cyclades Legendary Edition from Open Sesame Games is another classic by Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc that’s been given a loving restoration. Tired? Do what one of us has done, and treat your poor old back to a Herman Miller Mirra 2 Butterfly office chair. All that, and a dolphin in need, on Ep232.

It’s all about games, games, games (and apples) on this episode. There’s a review of Jungo by Cocktail Games and thoughts on Agatha Christie's Death on the Cards from Modiphius, both of which got lots of outings in the most appropriate space for them: while on holiday. If you’re after a bit of virtual tourism and/or you reckon yourself handy with a DSLR then Matt Newell and Annapurna Interactive’s Lushfoil Photography Sim is very much for you, and if you want to live another life entirely (well, lots of lives, actually) then you’ll want to give Time Flies from Playables and Panic a go too. And after all that relaxation, you might need to get on with some work, in which case may we recommend you Focus Friend by Hank Green and Honey B Games. All that, and glass grenades, on Ep231. 00:00 - Apple updates 05:48 - Holiday games 10:56 - Agatha Christie's Death on the Cards and Jungo 17:26 - Time Flies 27:23 - Lushfoil Photography Sim 50:05 - Focus Friend On this episode were Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), and Peter (@XeroXeroXero). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Links to where you can find us - StayingInPodcast.com Note: sometimes we'll have been sent a review copy of the thing we're talking about on the podcast. It doesn't skew how we think about that thing, and we don't receive compensation for anything we discuss, but we thought you might like to know this is the case.

In the running for the best film of the year is Weapons from Zach Cregger and co., providing truly unsettling horror without the typically gorey schlock. Maybe not podium material, but Marvel’s latest Fantastic Four flick First Steps is feeling like a return to form, plus lovely words about the lovely Ultimatch from Fireside Games, and OK Play from Big Potato Games forces us to consider a brand new award genre. All that, and ensuring there’s an “O” in the spelling, on Ep230. 00:00 - Recycling Barry 03:42 - Listener Question (thanks Damien!) 14:25 - The Silmarillion of Cider (Cider Country by James Crowden, fact fans) 18:09 - Weapons 38:38 - OK Play and carabiner games 42:20 - Ultimatch 46:44 - The Fantastic Four: First Steps On this episode were Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero) and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Links to where you can find us - StayingInPodcast.com Note: sometimes we'll have been sent a review copy of the thing we're talking about on the podcast. It doesn't skew how we think about that thing, and we don't receive compensation for anything we discuss, but we thought you might like to know this is the case.

Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey. Plus a barrel-thumping good Nintendo game, a stupendous release from Hamster Corporation, and Osprey’s brilliant Day of the Dead-inspired competitive card-placement game. All that, and saluting the flag, on Ep229.

Straight out of Japan - specifically Hobby Japan - comes Gibberers: The Word Game of Language Invention and Civilization Development, and it’s probably one of our favourite games? Like… ever. On the big screen we’re watching a man leap a building in a single bound, as well as a lot more, in the new Superman movie from James Gunn, and on a smaller screen we’re watching something King of the Hill fans will want to check out: Adult Swim’s Common Side Effects. All that, and the man from Del Monte, on Ep228.

On the anniversary year of The Chinese Room’s BAFTA-winning Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Kris sits down with creative visionary Dan Pinchbeck to talk about this ground-breaking walking sim. In an interview that covers a multitude of topics - full timecodes below - the two talk about the power of agency in games relating to character development, how the team was forced to include a feature that became their biggest regret, the sheer emotional force of Jessica Curry’s music, and much more.

We start the episode off with a Summer tradition, and - in a somewhat similar vein - we talk Hot Streak from CMYK. And we get all starry-eyed for Galileo Galilei from Capstone Games, plus take a walk through Kamurochō with SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Judgment. All that, and a strawberry sandwich, on Ep227.

Tom Cruise and co are back for another unlikely operation in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning and we, of course, have opinions. Over on the tablecloth, we’re letting The Sandcastles of Burgundy from Ravensburger wash over us, “enabling” others with Kinfire Delve from Incredible Dream Studios, and all the lovely stuff we got up to and saw at the biggest board game event in Blighty: UK Games Expo. Plus a smidge, just a smidge, of this little new device from some plucky upstarts at a company called “Nintendo”. All that, and an inspiring new desk, on Ep226.

Thousands and thousands (and thousands) of pages later, we’re ready to share thoughts on Kodansha’s wine and food manga The Drops of God. Over on the tabletop, we take a deep look at The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game from Office Dog Games, which effortlessly captures the spirit of The Lord of the Rings. Plus the only review you need of Libellud’s Harmonies. All that, and remembering to take care, on Ep225.

Don’t be a chicken; give our latest a listen. There’s a return to form for the MCU with Marvel’s Thunderbolts*, the lush board game adaptation of the video game which is a card game in Contention Games’ Slay the Spire: The Board Game, and the calming influence of Very Very LITTLE Studio’s Hidden Cats 3: Steampunk. All that, and delicate editing, on Ep224.

Let’s get fancy, shall we? First there’s talk of a lovely trip to Egypt (and talk of the less lovely “Pharaoh’s Revenge”), plus the supremely shmancy Nintendo Switch 2. Then it’s off to a murder mystery in the White House with thoughts on Netflix’s The Residence. Keeping within high society we’re rubbing shoulders with Dogubomb’s Blue Prince, and then it’s back to the more sandy landscapes for CMON’s Dune: War for Arrakis. All that, and too many towel changes, on Ep223.

It’s all the twos on episode two two two, as two of us chat about… uh… two times two (four) big topics. The chaps talk about football (!!!) and why it’s so neat to go to events you might not normally attend. Back in much more familiar territory, we bring you a battle report from Salute 52; a miniatures wargames event run by South London Warlords. If that weren’t more than enough, then we’re also talking about the wonderfully wordy Landmarks by Floodgate Games, that combines vocab with map exploration to great effect (and may well lead to heated arguments between you and your friends, honestly). Plus Enigma Quest’s Escape Arcade is like a modern Crystal Maze you can explore (and hopefully escape). All that, and probably some more twos we haven’t thought of, on Ep222.

Head to the tabletop with us, as we review the piratical Captain Flip from PlayPunk, and the fiendishly family-friendly EXIT Kids: Riddles in Monsterville from Kosmos. Plus a dissection of what makes The Ultimate RPG Game Master’s Worldbuilding Guide from James D’Amato such worthwhile advice to read. All that, and what Jurassic Park is really all about, on Ep221.

It’s a bumper episode, so let’s get straight into it: we played so many games and saw so much stuff at AireCon, so Ep220 is all about it. There’s dexterity push-you-luck Strike, Witcher spin-off Gwent: The Legendary Card Game, the gorgeous Australis, nostalgic Divide & Conker, and smile-inducing board games like G.R.I.M. INC. and Things in Rings. And Fishing. And new hotness Daybreak. And incredible paints from Two Thin Coats. AND one of our favourite RPG experiences ever in The Ghost and Tales from the Loop. All that, and even more AireCon miracles, on Ep220.

On the tabletop, us four oldies take to the battlefield with the deeply strategic and surprisingly accessible Battalion: War of the Ancients from Osprey Games, and dive beneath the waves in Pacifica from Thames & Kosmos. Meanwhile, in the courtroom, we take a look at Capcom’s shockingly generous compilation Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, and then pronounce judgment on Marvel’s latest, Captain America: Brave New World. All that, and getting some paint on the brush, on Ep219.

Having your world turned upside down is one thing, but having a whole new dimension added? The Plucky Squire from All Possible Futures digs into this idea with approachable puzzles and tricky action. Meanwhile Wizards Cup from Pandasaurus Games is a two player magical duel with gorgeous art and a tight little footprint. Speaking of footprints, Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River from Osprey Games has ones in the shape of bear paws, as grizzlies compete for the ultimate prize: fish (of course). And Medical Mysteries: NYC Emergency Room from Identity Games has us playing House, diagnosing patients cooperatively in a race against time. All that, and the perils of neat squash, on Ep218.

Is Civilization from Avalon Hill and Gibsons Games still able to command 10 hours of your attention more than 40 years after its initial release? Can The Roottrees are Dead outdo Hypnospace Outlaw at Internet nostalgia and Return of the Obra Dinn at amateur sleuthing? Blending poker and heists, do we have a good enough hand to win The Gang? Are Ritz crisps? You have questions, we have answers. All that, and a bag of cola, on Ep217.

We find out why Fireside Games’ co-op boardgame Castle Panic remains a masterpiece and how its wonderfully welcoming all-ages version My First Castle Panic brings in younger players while remaining entertaining for adults. Then a look at why the sheer amount of planning for a weekend playing Avalon Hill’s Civilization has been an early part of the overall joy of running this epic length event game. And the reasons why 100 years of Nosferatu has done nothing to take the sting out of the vampire’s bite. All that, and Nora going door-to-door, on Ep216. 00:00 - Two Tuna Buses in a row, plus our favourite bedtime readers 08:48 - Nosferatu 26:01 - Preparing for Civilization 44:29 - Castle Panic and My First Castle Panic On this episode were Kris (@DigitalStrider) and Peter (@XeroXeroXero). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Links to where you can find us - StayingInPodcast.com Note: sometimes we'll have been sent a review copy of the thing we're talking about on the podcast. It doesn't skew how we think about that thing, and we don't receive compensation for anything we discuss, but we thought you might like to know this is the case.

Logging on to our (impressive!) virtual reality future with Meta Quest 3S, why we’ve head back to Stardew Valley after the embarrassment of riches included in the Stardew Valley v1.6 update from ConcernedApe, and returning to a classic with Amanita Design’s Samorost. All that, and a sheep (or a pariah?), on Ep215.