Mainstream

What is a game without it's soundtrack? Meena Shamaly, composer and host of ABC Classic's The Game Show joins Gianni for a musical journey through some of the best sounds in video games. Check out the full list on our website: The Best Video Game Soundtracks of 2022 with Meena Shamaly Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER.Support the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's our bumper Game of The Year special, we've got six different games for you as well as a bunch of honourable mentions from the SIFTER team. It was a very hard choice this year with lots of incredible games. You can read a full write up of our favourites on the SIFTER website. SIFTER's 2022 Games of the Year Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER.Support the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PENTIMENT is the sort of game that I don't expect is going to appeal to everyone, the point and click narrative game from Obsidian Entertainment (THE OUTER WORLDS, PILLARS OF ETERNITY) is very dense and it takes its time unfolding. Fans of history and the evolution of culture are in for something pretty special as you walk the labyrinth in contemplation of God, each decision weighing heavily on you, each decision determining what survives and what gets painted over. Read a written version of this story on the SIFTER website: PENTIMENT is one of the most surprising games of this yearSupport the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GOTHAM KNIGHTS is an intriguing experiment - a superhero action game that is torn between being a solid narrative experience and something else entirely that is soured with odd loot systems, uninspiring character ability trees and a fundamentally flawed mission and world design that feels cut and paste and repetitive in the worst ways. Read a written review on our website: GOTHAM KNIGHTS is a frustrating open world adventure which isn't as fun as just being Batman A copy of GOTHAM KNIGHTS on PC and Xbox Series X|S was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review.  Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER.Support the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OVERWATCH 2 brings the team based shooter into the free to play era with some pretty questionable monetisation but ultimately extremely fun multiplayer gameplay. Adam Christou, Mitch Loh and Gianni Di Giovanni share their first impressions of Blizzard's once legendary game. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORESupport the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Playing THE LAST OF US PART 1, the PlayStation 5 remake of the original game makes me wish this was the very first time I was playing the series, taking my first steps into post apocalyptic cordyceps infected world. But this game is for better and worse the ultimate version of that 2013 title, which means if you've experienced Joel and Ellie's first story, you've played this excellent game. Read our written review on the SIFTER website: THE LAST OF US PART 1 will make you wish this was your very first playthrough Thanks to Edmond Tran of GamesHub for joining us on this episode A copy of THE LAST OF US PART 1 was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORESupport the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CULT OF THE LAMB is one of the best single player games of the year, you'll feel compelled to keep moving through both combat and base building modes as you aim for that next attainable upgrade or giant boss to defeat. Chris Button (Byteside) joins Mainstream to discuss Massive Monster's excellent cult simulator. Read our written review on the SIFTER website: CULT OF THE LAMB is devilishly addictive game with lots of fun systems to play with A copy of CULT OF THE LAMB was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORESupport the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

STRAY is a new perspective on a post-apocalyptic science fiction, and playing as a cat through this story is a blast. Heavily drawing from cyberpunk aesthetics and some of the anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist themes common in the genre it does however fall into some of the same pitfalls. Heavily influenced by the neon streets of Hong Kong and Kowloon walled city, the game doesn't meaningfully engage with the orientalist imagery in a deep level, as Sisi Jiang from Kotaku succinctly identifies, it can feel a bit uncomfortable. Read our written review on the SIFTER website: STRAY is at it's best when you're just being a cat roving through the world SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORESupport the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FIRE EMBLEM WARRIORS: THREE HOPES takes the best part of the Warriors franchise and effortlessly mixes it with the core elements of the most recent Fire Emblem series – the dramatic Game Of Thrones style storyline, a charismatic cast of characters, a likeable new protagonist and a strong focus on managing and commanding your troops in the heat of battle. Read our written review on the SIFTER website: FIRE EMBLEM WARRIORS: THREE HOPES is a welcome return to Fódlan and a fun twist on the WARRIORS series A copy of FIRE EMBLEM WARRIORS: THREE HOPES was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORESupport the show: https://sifter.storeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE QUARRY by Supermassive Games is a masterwork of genre fiction and really cleverly written ode to those eighties and nineties teen slasher flicks. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by heading to the SIFTER STORE Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab your joycon, tighten your wrist strap and bowl, smash or spike your way to victory. If you had a Wii you almost certainly played  WII SPORTS, the 2006 title sold 82 million copies by the end of that console's life in 2017. NINTENDO SWITCH SPORTS is a slick sequel with plenty of innovation and polish that could become another cult classic. Read our written review on the SIFTER website: NINTENDO SWITCH SPORTS is a stylish and fun multiplayer game, but online progression for cosmetics is a chore A copy of NINTENDO SWITCH SPORTS was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TREK TO YOMI's crackling and popping of a dusty film reel samurai film aesthetic hits you quickly when you first load into the game.This is a serious cinematic experience. We're doing everything in black and white, there's using gorgeous camera angles.   Read our written review on the SIFTER website: TREK TO YOMI, a side scrolling samurai epic and a visual treat A copy of TREK TO YOMI was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You won't have played anything quite like 13 SENTINELS: AEGIS RIM, this multi-protagonist mecha anime game is so compelling and layered it's actually mindblowing how well all the parts work together.  Step into the highschool drama of budding relationships, interschool rivalries in Sakura High School just before the world ends and you need to jump into the cockpit of a Sentinel robot to defeat the mechanised kaiju.  Read our written review on the SIFTER website: A masterful branching scifi story, 13 SENTINELS: AEGIS RIM is a must play on Nintendo Switch A copy of 13 SENTINELS: AEGIS RIM was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KIRBY AND THE FORGOTTEN LAND the new platformer in the long running Kirby Series from HAL Laboratory is both familiar and new enough to have something for all players.  Fiona and Gianni explore this fun new adventure for the most powerful pink ball around which is out now on Nintendo Switch. Read our written review on the SIFTER website: Get absorbed in KIRBY AND THE FORGOTTEN LAND SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heartfelt writing that comes from a deep love of tabletop gaming, and some stellar performances from Ashly Burch, Andy Samberg, Wanda Sykes and Will Arnett makes TINY TINA'S WONDERLANDS a fun take on the tried and true looter-shooter format. Gianni a relative newbie to BORDERLANDS series joins Mitch a long time veteran as they enter the Wonderlands which performs a lot better on new consoles. A copy of TINY TINA'S WONDERLANDS was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord Check out Lightmap our game developer interview podcast Check out Walkthrough our weekly video game news podcast Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WolfEye Studios' debut game is a creative isometric action rpg that sees you exploring a world rich with interactivity and intricate systems to exploit. READ OUR REVIEW: WEIRD WEST wants you to play creatively and experiment with its systems WEIRD WEST wants to push back at you. It wants to make every step you take through its dust covered; occult landscape feel layered with consequence. Who are you?  How does the world react to you and your choices?  Are the people you've wronged going to get their revenge? Why did that witch give you a mysterious box and should you open it? Adam joins Gianni to share this action RPG that plays more like an immersive sim. ' A copy of WEIRD WEST was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made T-Shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you want to experience the nostalgia of visiting Tokyo, there are few other games that capture the feel of that city like GHOSTWIRE TOKYO, but it's a city devoid of life emptied of the thrum of humanity. This action adventure game set in a world of spirits and magic, is an ambitious departure for Tango Gameworks (THE EVIL WITHIN) but while you can explore much of spooky Shibuya there isn't much motivation to do so, as you find yourself repeating similar tasks over and over. Edmond Tran, Managing Editor of Gameshub joins Mainstream to share thoughts on a game that does a lot of things right, but feels conflicted in it's design. You can read Ed's review of GHOSTWIRE TOKYO here A copy of GHOSTWIRE TOKYO was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made T-Shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ELDEN RING, the latest game from Japanese studio FromSoftware, has sold over 12 million copies since its release in late February. This massive, open-world adventure-rpg continues to build on the legacy and foundation of FromSoftware's previous works in DARK SOULS and BLOODBORNE, throwing players into a dark fantasy world filled with rich lore and difficult boss fights and challenging encounters to overcome. Sifter producer Adam Christou joins Gianni for a chat about his time in ELDEN RING, having just finished the game to completion, defeating every boss in the lands between over the course of 110 hours of gameplay. Note: this is a very light chat as far as spoilers go, you should be fine to dive in with minimal discussion of locations, plot resolutions and lore.  SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made T-Shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST is the blockbuster sequel the 2016 title HORIZON ZERO DAWN, a third person action game with wonderfully designed elements that keep you hooked. An early contender for one of the most beautiful games ever produced this game takes the open world exploration and combat of the first game, and fills in the gaps to make a believable human world. John Rogers of Gaming in the Wild joins Mainstream to share stories of this hard scifi world and the 4GB of captures taken in this stunning visual feast. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made T-Shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pokémon series celebrated 25 years last year and this year POKÉMON LEGENDS ARCEUS is one of the biggest departures from the tried and true format. In a semi-open world where danger is all around you, this game feels like the closest to actually living the world of the anime series. Mitchel Loh and Gianni Di Giovanni share their thoughts on their adventures in the ancient land of Hisui. A review code of this game was provided to SIFTER by Nintendo Australia. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made T-Shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Walkthrough SIFTER's brand new weekly news recap show. Each Sunday we'll highlight some of the biggest stories in video games to keep you up to date. Your host on each episode of Walkthrough is Kyle Pauletto, an accomplished journalist with a keen interest in bringing you the best gaming stories each week  THIS WEEK: Nintendo outlines 2022 and beyond in it's first Direct - Fire Emblem Warriors, Mario Kart 8 DLC, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Earthbound GTA V sells 160 million copies ahead of PS5 Xbox Series X re-release Activision Blizzard games will remain on Playstation after Microsoft acquisition EA won't release Sims 4 My Wedding Stories in Russia due to restrictions on LGBT+ content Halo composers try to requst injuction on release of Halo TV series due to remuneration dispute Inside the Team17 after announced then cancelled Worms NFT project Indie video game marketplace calls NFTs "a scam" SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made video game inspired shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might be just a nobody, but it's up to you to take up the heroic mantle in Drinkbox Studios' (GUACAMELEE) new rogue-lite roleplaying game NOBODY SAVES THE WORLD. In this game you change form into bodybuilders, rats, mermaids and necromancers to complete quests, delve through dungeons and fight off the calamity facing everyone. Adam is joined by guest reviewer Chantelle McColl (GamesHub, Byteside) to discuss this game with both fantastic and frustrating design elements that has work its way into their brains and their hearts. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our Australian made video game inspired shirts Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's that time of the year, where we sit down and consider all the amazing games we've played in 2021. This is part two of two episodes featuring the SIFTER team. Gianni Di Giovanni has been loving the historical touches and puzzle solving narrative of THE FORGOTTEN CITY by Modern Storyteller Adam Christou has become lost in the beautiful desert world of science fiction adventure SABLE by Shedworks Daniel Ang has strapped on the armor and jumped head first onto Delta Halo in HALO INFINITE by 343 Industries. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch Support the show: https://sifter.store See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's that time of the year, where we sit down and consider all the amazing games we've played in 2021. This is part one of two episodes featuring the SIFTER team. Nicholas Kennedy shares the genre-subverting MUNDAUN by Hidden Fields, a horror game that brought a lot of joy Fiona Bartholomaeus teams up with a rag tag crew in Marvel's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY by Eidos-Montreal Mitchel Loh takes time to put everything in it's right place in UNPACKING by Witch Beam Games SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HALO INFINITE is a game that has had a rollercoaster ride, first anticipated, then derided then delayed and now lauded, it's one of the best HALO games ever and perhaps one of the very best first person shooter campaigns.  With a semi open world structure, 343 Industries pulls from your memories of what HALO was like to play and reframes it in a modern context. Guest reviewer Chris Button (Gameshub, Byteside, Mobile Arcade Club) joins Mainstream again to jump back into the shoes of the Master Chief. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DEATH'S DOOR is a delight to look at, inspired by games like the 2D titles in the LEGEND OF ZELDA series, Acid Nerve's isometric adventure makes us question the nature of morality and death. Take on the role of an unnamed crow as you reap the souls of the dead, in a game that's part rogue-lite part, bullet-hell, part narrative adventure Guest reviewer Chris Button (Gameshub, Byteside, Mobile Arcade Club) joins Mainstream to share his thoughts on a game he throughly enjoyed. A copy of DEATH'S DOOR for Nintendo Switch was provided to SIFTER for the purpose of this review SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. Join the SIFTER Discord Support SIFTER by buying our merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SABLE is a third person adventure game drawing inspiration from the artwork of iconic French visual artist Jean 'Moebius' Giraud, the films of Studio Ghibli and the wanderlust evoked by games like THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD. SIFTER's Adam Christou and Gianni Di Giovanni don their Ibexxi clan masks and head out into the wild deserts and mountainous locales of Midden to talk through the success of this unique coming-of-age adventure experience by North-London games studio Shedworks. SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

METROID DREAD is the first 2D sidescrolling game in the iconic series in almost 20 years, which continues directly on from the 2002 title METROID FUSION for the Gameboy Advance. Games journalist Chantelle McColl (GamesHub, Byteside) and METROID series veteran joins Mainstream to share her thoughts on the game. A challenging entry into the series with lots of new features, there is plenty here to love, but some challenging controls and old fashioned legacy design in parts might leave some new players scratching their heads. SIFTER is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KENA: BRIDGE OF SPIRITS is the debut title from visual effects company turned game developers Ember Lab exclusive to Playstation and PC where you play as Kena a spirit guide who helps the deceased move from the physical world into the afterlife. A beautiful unparalleled visual feast that feels like you're playing in an animated feature film and an impressive debut, KENA: BRIDGE OF SPIRITS is not without it's limitations James Morrison speaks to Adam Christou about what they loved and what left them wanting on this episode of our podcast Mainstream. A copy of this game was provided to SIFTER for the purposes of this review. SIFTER is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deathloop is the new immersive sim by Arkane Lyon (Dishonored, Prey) set in a stylish 1970s themed time loop where you must die and repeat the day to break a timeloop. Adam has spent hours replaying the same day over and over, and it's been enough to shift his scepticism around a genre that they didn't usually gel with. Over the top voice acting and outstanding design make for a special game for Playstation 5 and PC players. A copy of this game was provided to SIFTER for the purposes of this review. SIFTER is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hi my name is Gianni, and this week marks the sixth year that I've been the Executive Producer of a podcast called Pixel Sift. In 2019 we won the Australian Podcast Award for the gaming category, and it's still one of my proudest achievements. In 2019 with a video game review show called Mainstream and shared our experiences with some of the bigger higher profile titles that everyone was talking about.   What I'm most proud of is that often one of the very first interviews that a developer does with the press was with us, and we've worked hard to highlight teams of all shapes and sizes. I'm really pleased to announce that today we're starting a new chapter. Welcome to SIFTER. It's a new consistent look and a new name, but one I think you'll be pretty familiar with. That's not the only thing with a new name, if you've refreshed your podcast player today you'll notice that our interview podcast is now called Lightmap. It speaks to what we're trying to achieve with this show, illuminating conversations on the creative process, a guide to what some of the most interesting and creative teams are working on , and discussions around the intersections of culture and interactive games. Starting with episode 181 we'll officially be in season 2 of the show. Our review podcast Mainstream keeps it's name but is sporting some new paint. You can follow us on social media where our handle has updated as well, we're now sifterhq on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch and YouTube. We've revamped our website, that's now at sifter.com.au and you can find collections of games that we've covered and look at all the stories, gameplay videos and head straight onto the stores to pick them up and support the teams, read news, reviews and more. And coming up on the 2nd of October we're hosting a launch party, it's called the SIFTER SHOWCASE and I want you to be a part of it head to sifter.games for more information. We've got a bunch of interviews with the teams behind games like Cult of The Lamb, Broken Roads, Knuckle Sandwich and Heavenly Bodies. It's going to be a lot of fun so we'd love to see you there. We've said this a bit over the years, but honestly the best free thing you can do support the show is to recommend us to your friends, get them to listen to Lightmap or Mainstream or share an article or video you enjoyed. Here's to the next chapter, until next time have fun. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dive into Russian folklore and the nature of the self with card battler Black Book by Morteska with Nick, and Adam explores twin stick shooter The Ascent which actually asks a few smart questions about the nature of hypercapitalist cyberpunk future by Swedish developers Neon Giant. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Turbett and Anthony Sweet of Perth's Black Lab Games are no strangers to big franchises, they made the critically and fan acclaimed strategy game Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock, but when the opportunity came to work on one of the biggest science fiction universes Warhammer 40,000 they leapt at the challenge. Warhammer 40,000 Battlesector is that game, which has been released this week to rave reviews exploring the stories of the Blood Angels Space Marine chapter in their clashes with the beastial Tyranids. WATCH A VIDEO VERSION THIS STORY HERE:Warhammer 40,000 Battlesector - How a small team in Western Australia made one of the best 40K games Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicholas jumps into new franchise Scarlet Nexus by Bandai Namco which is capital A Anime to the core and Adam needed no excuse to jump back into the remastered Bioware RPG Mass Effect Legendary Edition. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gianni, Fiona, Adam and Nick sit down to discuss the completely online E3 2021 streamed around the world for all to enjoy. We've found our highlights and can't wait to share them with you, but why not share yours with us by visiting https://www.pixelsift.com.au/discord to join our Discord server. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gianni jumps into the NEO-ONE for the on-rails photography adventure New Pokémon Snap that firmly ticks the nostalgia boxes, as our first Mainstream guest Games Journalist Nicholas Kennedy (JB HiFi Stack Magazine and The Big Issue) head into a spooky town full of werewolves and big lady vampires in Resident Evil Village. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gianni relives his JRPG playing youth on his phone with the new game from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's Mistwalker Studio in FANTASIAN, as Adam zips around riding big dogs hunting beasts in Monster Hunter Rise by Capcom out now on Nintendo Switch. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Romero is a pinnacle of the game development industry and most people know or love his work. Titles such as Doom, Wolfenstein, Commander Keen and his newest game Empire of Sin have been delighting players for years. Speaking as part of the XRWA conference in Western Australia, John shared lessons from his decades in the games industry, how things have changed and what he thinks about the Bethesda acquisition by Microsoft of which Id Software the company he co-founded is now a part. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Green is an ESL Australia shoutcaster and is one of the people behind the university Valorant tournament Red Bull Campus Clutch and he says now is the perfect time for you to get involved. He shares what the competitive scene for Valorant is like, how it feels that esports events are coming back in person, and what he does to prepare for a match. The Red Bull Campus Clutch is open to University teams across the countrywith online qualifiers which running from April 8 to April 16, and you can register on the Red Bull Esports website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam is placing cards, making runs and taking risks in the retro inspire rogue-like Loop Hero and Gianni is picking up rocks building houses and trying to survive the nordic afterlife in Valheim. Pixel Sift is produced by Mitch Loh, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gianni tries not to get too spooked in the split-screen spirit world of  The Medium by Bloober Team and Adam collects monsters and jumps around platforms in the metroidvania styled Monster Sanctuary by Moi Rai Games Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gianni, Adam, Mitch, Fiona and Daniel explore their favourite games of 2020, a year with a stack of amazing titles. Gianni: Umurangi Generation by Tali Faulkner Adam: Hades by Supergiant Games Daniel: Ori and the Will of the Wisps by Moon Studios Mitch & Fiona: Moving Out by SMG Studio Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gianni knows how it's going to end but fights on anyway in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Mitch finally picks up a Nintendo Switch and proceeds to play a GameCube game in Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gianni faces the worst and best of the Greek mythological underworld in Hades by Supergiant Games and Adam jumps into the longboat to raid dark ages England in our first next gen review of Assassin's Creed Valhalla by Ubisoft. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gianni lights up for The Last Campfire, a colourful puzzler from No Man's Sky developers Hello Games and Mitch jumps rolls and curses his team mates in Fall Guys by Mediatonic. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Adam embraces the way of the ghost in Kurosawa inspired Ghost of Tsushima and Gianni dances up a storm on his new farm in Badgetown in Ooblets! Thanks to Glumberland and popagenda for providing Pixel Sift with a review code for Ooblets. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

A new study from New Zealand’s Massey University found that in many cases there is no reason to believe violent video games cause violent behaviour. Senior lecturer at Massey University and lead author of the study Aaron Drummond said there has been a rise in exposure to violent video games, and that in the highest quality studies, the effect is so small that it is indistinguishable from zero. You can read a written version of this story on the Pixel Sift website: Study of 21,000 participants finds violent video games have no significant effect on behaviour This episode was reported by Jason Head and Mitchel Loh. Edited by Jason Head. Gianni Di Giovanni is the Executive Producer. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Australian YouTuber Daniel Harrison has just clocked up 1 million subscribers but it hasn't been without it's ups and downs. He says that keeping ego in check, knowing how to externalise his worries, seeking help when he needed it and leaning on that strong support network is what made him what he is today. This episode of Mainstream is hosted by Mitchel Loh, edited and produced by Mitchel Loh and Gianni Di Giovanni. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Well you probably have heard the news by now, PAX Australia won't be going ahead in October this year, joining PAX West which has also been cancelled for 2020. In its place is PAX Online, a new digital festival that runs over 9 days between September 12 and 21, streaming content 24 hours a day. Luke Lancaster of ReedPop Australia shared what it was like when he realised that physical conventions just wouldn't work in 2020 due to COVID-19. Music in this episode is "Shopping for the Future" by Bit by Bit Bert and you can find it on itch.io This episode of Pixel Sift is hosted, produced and edited by Executive Producer Gianni Di Giovanni

Viv starts a new lifestyle habit with Ring Fit Adventure as Gianni fights his way through Creepers, Endermen and more in Minecraft Dungeons. Thanks to Mojang Studios, Double 11 and Microsoft Game Studios for providing Pixel Sift with a review code for Minecraft Dungeons. Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Mitch Loh, Daniel Ang, Viv Thum & Adam Christou. Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music.

How do you shape a competitive League of Legends player into an esports star? Chris Lee is a coach at the Chiefs Esports Club Academy, his job is to find the up and coming talent and shape them into professionals.  He’ll be working with the Australian winner of the Red Bull Solo Q tournament, a unique format of the League of Legends game where two players face each other one on one, as they take their skills to the world. Read a written version of this story here: Scouting for the next League of Legends champion: Coach Chris Lee of Chiefs ESC This episode of Pixel Sift is hosted by Mitch Loh and produced by Gianni Di Giovanni. Music in this episode is Flute of the Traveler by Harris Heller