The Gaming Lovers Podcast

It's the end of the road for The Gaming Lovers Podcast for now, but we are going out in style after the long awaited launch of New Pokemon Snap finally happens! Jem gives all the details about how this nostalgic ride has met all of her expectations after many years of wishing and waiting for it. Plus, Brendo reflects on Yakuza: Like a Dragon's lovable protagonist, and The Gaming Lovers chat about what they are looking forward to in the future of gaming. So long, farewell, and thanks for all your support over the past three amazing years.

Another year, another batch of April Fools Day Pranks! 2021 unleashed some memorable ones on the public and The Gaming Lovers have rounded up the best of the video game related April Fools just for you. Brendo and Jem also say farewell to a beloved but nearly obsolete gaming device.

Better late than never! The Gaming Lovers are back from a short break and here to catch you up on four weeks worth of Gaming Goals including Kingdom Hearts III and Persona 5 Strikers! Brendo and Jem recap Four in Feb 2021, and then break down Sony's Play at Home initiative. Free games for all including Subnautica, The Witness, Moss, Horizon: Zero Dawn and so much more!  

A Ghost from Gaming Past has returned to throw all hope for Four in Feb 2021 out the window! While the Gaming Lovers have had some success busting their backlogs and chat happily about Paradise Killer and Bugsnax, is there any hope to complete two more games each in the short time left in February?   Plus, Brendo and Jem give their opinions on the highlights of the first full sized Nintendo Direct of the year, talking Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, Project Triangle Strategy and more!

Super Nintendo World is open and we literally can not visit it! :( Instead, Brendo and Jem dream up some great new video game related theme park attractions from series such as Pokemon, Sonic the Hedgehog and Silent Hill. Plus in Gaming Goals, #FUFIF is in full swing with Jem finishing up Persona 5 Royal and Brendo explains his love/hate relationship with Hitman 3.

It's here again! The Gaming Lovers step up to bust that backlog by finishing up Four in Feb! What targets have Brendo and Jem set their sights on? Plus Brendo reviews the Resident Evil VIII 'Maiden' demo, Jem reports on her massive progress in Persona 5 Royal and what significant gaming accomplishment did Brendo forget to mention last episode?

Better late than never! The Gaming Lovers are here to discuss what games they are excited about in this new year, including Persona 5 Strikers, Hitman III and more! And in an extra discussion point, what's so special about how AEW is going about making a new wrestling game? Plus in Gaming Goals, more Overcooked: All You Can Eat, Jem goes bananas in Maneater and has Brendo's experience with Cyberpunk 2077 been positive or negative so far?

It's time for Brendo and Jem to pucker up and plant some big ol' Smoochie Awards on their favourite games they played in 2020!  From Best Party Game and Best Co-op Game to Best Story, and of course the precious Golden Smoochie for Game of the Year, which titles enjoyed by the Gaming Lovers this year will take the prizes home? Tune in to find out! Plus of course, Gaming Goals including Brendo's progress in Demon Souls, Jem enjoys some more Greedfall and the duo go back for seconds in Overcooked: All You Can Eat!

Geoff Keighley is up to his old tricks as he brings us new game reveals, updates to our faves and of course, The Game Awards! In this episode the Gaming Lovers talk about all the winners, some excitement for Jem as new entries of the Dragon Age and Mass Effect sagas are teased, and Brendo argues that Among Us has an unfair advantage this year. Also in Gaming Goals, quick updates on our progress in Demon's Souls, Tetris Effect Connected and much more!

Jem is up to her old tricks once again as she unboxes and (attempts to) set up the Xbox Series X while Brendo is at work! In this episode overflowing with next gen goodness, The Gaming Lovers share their first impressions with Microsoft's new console, including Jem falling in love with Tetris Effect: Connected.   Also in this episode, a double dose of Gaming Goals including the long awaited verdict on the PS5's Bugsnax, Human Fall Flat makes another appearance and which game is making a late run for Brendo's Golden Smoochie award for Game of the Year 2020?

After delays in parcel deliveries (thanks to the pandemic triggering super high online shopping numbers) Brendo and Jem didn't think their new PlayStation 5 would arrive for several more days at least...   ...until a surprise knock on the door changed Jem's plans for the day! Sorry Brendo.

On the eve of the arrival of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, Brendo and Jem say farewell to the current generation of consoles and pick out some of their personal fond memories as well as a few regrets! Plus a Big Bang Burger sized Gaming Goals segment, as Spooky Month draws to a close we get Brendo's final verdict on Resident Evil 6, Little Nightmares, Stories Untold and Dark Pictures: Little Hope. And if that wasn't enough, the Gaming Lovers pick through the highlights of the latest Nintendo Direct Mini, including Part Time UFO, Hyrule Warriors, cloud versions of popular games and so much more!

Less than a month until the next generation of consoles arrives! But what games will be leading the launch day charge for the PS5 and Xbox Series X? Plus, continuing through Resident Evil 6 and Little Nightmares, Spooky Month 2020 continues for Brendo as two more games are added to his to-do list, Jem continues her replay of Mass Effect: Andromeda and Fall Guys continues to inflict pain on The Gaming Lovers!

Brendo and Jem have an unfocused talk about anything and everything that comes to mind in this wild episode, from Xbox Series X pre order blunders to Settlers of Catan, from Fallout 76 to Steve arriving in Smash Bros Ultimate! Plus, SPOOKY MONTH is here! Brendo kicks off with Resident Evil 6 and has a friend join him once again for another shot at Little Nightmares.

No sooner are the Playstation 5's launch details announced that the world goes crazy trying to pre-order their consoles! Will we face worldwide shortages? Or is it all just overreaction, just like panic buying toilet paper? Time will tell! Also in this episode, Brendo breaks down the PS5 Games Showcase, including Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon Souls Remake, Hogwarts Legacy and more! (Get well soon Jem!)

Nintendo dropped a whopping amount of Mario game news to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., including the must have Super Mario 3D All Stars for the Switch containing Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy! Plus so many more Mario games coming to the Switch! Also, the absence of news about the next gen of consoles has the duo feeling unsure about a Day One purchase. Plus Gaming Goals featuring the lineup of Fall Guys, Dark Souls 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Resident Evil 5 and more!

In this episode The Gaming Lovers have a chuckle at unfortunate mistakes and errors left in games when they were released, including Microsoft Flight Simulator, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Hitman: Blood Money and more.   Plus some snippets of gaming news, Jem flips out as Untitled Goose Game gets multiplayer, and an update on Brendo's quest for glory in Fall Guys!

Can't get enough of those Bugsnax details! The Gaming Lovers discuss the Playstation State of Play from August 2020, featuring Spelunky 2, Crash Bandicoot 4, Bugsnax and more!   Plus in Gaming Goals, Fall Guys makes an impact and why has Dark Souls 2 stolen Brendo's attention?

The same week in which a head of Xbox claimed that exclusives go against the spirit of gaming community, Microsoft revealed a bunch of titles coming to Xbox Series X, and some of them are.... you guessed it.... exclusives!   In this episode, Brendo and Jem discuss a bunch of games including Halo: Infinite, The Medium and a new Fable game. Plus a chat about the Nintendo Direct Mini, and Brendo's initial thoughts about Ghost of Tsushima.

The Gaming Lovers review all the latest news from Ubisoft Forward. From actual real gameplay footage of Assassin's Creed Valhalla to Giancarlo Esposito's chilling performance in the cinematic trailer for Far Cry 6.  Plus Brendo reveals how he is managing to squeeze in more gaming time, even with a newborn baby!

The Last of Us Part Two has arrived and Brendo has his impressions on Naughty Dog's latest game, but it's the announcement of New Pokemon Snap at long last that has Jem out of control with excitement! Nintendo dropped heaps of new and strange game reveals for the Pokemon franchise (Pokemon Smile, what the?!) and some of them well received but not all. Plus, which beloved video game is on it's way to Netflix as an animation?

The Gaming Lovers have levelled up and Player 3 has officially joined the team! Join an extra tired Brendo and Jem as they discuss the recent PS5 news with their new baby boy in the booth. Can you guess which gaming announcement has them both pumped? 

It's raining Video Games! As The Summer (or Winter?) of Gaming builds up steam, there will be so many video games launching and gaming events airing in the month of June and beyond! Brendo and Jem chat a little about the hype for The Last of Us Part Two, Sony's plans for revealing some PS5 games very soon, and The Sonic Movie drops on Blu-Ray! Plus in Gaming Goals, The Gaming Lovers enjoy a pleasant few rounds of What The Golf?!

It's Heroes versus Villains in this week's episode of The Gaming Lovers podcast. Brendo and Jem have 16 male names from various video games duking it out in a tournament to decide what they will name "Player 3". What could possibly go wrong... Plus, has Jem finally made some progress in gaming goals?

The Gaming Lovers podcast turns 2! Celebrate with Brendo and Jem as they answer some of your questions and take a quick look at the past two years of the podcast. Also, the Aussie duo break down the gameplay footage from Sucker Punch's new title: Ghost of Tsushima. A gameplay trailer with actual gameplay? What a novel idea! Plus reviews of Moving Out and Totally Reliable Delivery Service all jam-packed into this special episode of The Gaming Lovers podcast.

Fans have hit back after some misleading build-up for the "gameplay" trailer of Assassin's Creed Valhalla was complied of cinematic shots and cutscenes. That wasn't the only mishap during Xbox's recent 'first-look' live stream.  Brendo and Jem reflect on the digital event - the good, the bad and the overlooked details.

After the nifty reveal for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla has Brendo and Jem excited for another entry in Ubisoft's long running franchise, The Gaming Lovers take a look back at the entire mainline series. Which one's get the nod of approval from fans? And what major issues caused the fans to lose some interest in the saga? Also in this episode, we find out what games have led Brendo away from fully focusing on Final Fantasy VII: Remake. 

After Brendo completed one of his many games on his backlog this week, he was inspired by the use of some licensed music throughout the game that was able to bring him to tears! So The Gaming Lovers take a look at some of their favourite songs in video games that weren't created especially for the game. Also, did Jem complete her gaming goal from this past week and get her delicious reward?

After recently discovering and then promptly binge-watching the Girlfriend Reviews YouTube Channel, Brendo and Jem discuss their favourite destinations for gaming fun on the video streaming service. What will make their list? Plus in gaming goals, Brendo defeated one of the remakes he was playing, but which one? Resident Evil 3 or Final Fantasy VII? And what roadblock is causing Jem some issues in her gaming life?

As the world continues to adapt to our new normal of working from home, even big gaming companies are broadcasting the latest news from their living rooms. Brendo and Jem look at the highlights of the more casual Inside Xbox digital showcase. Plus, Brendo compares the two recent remakes that are both competing for his attention - Final Fantasy VII and Resident Evil 3. Is one re-done better than the other?

After Brendo finally got around to playing Death Stranding, it didn't take long for new releases to turn his head and distract him from his promised gaming goals. With Aussies getting super early access to Final Fantasy 7 Remake, plus the Resident Evil 3 remake launch - how is a gamer to resist?

Hip Hip Hooray! Brendo and Jem celebrate the 100th episode of The Gaming Lovers Podcast by answering 100 questions about video game genres, memories and preferences!  Plus, Nintendo dropped a small Direct Mini this week with a few newsworthy snippets that caught our attention. Also in this super sized episode, our Animal Crossing adventures on Dango Island continue, Brendo shares his progress in Death Stranding, and what game made it into Jem's hot little hands a whole week before launch date?

The specs are out for the upcoming new generation of consoles - the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. If you couldn't stay awake for the presentations, don't stress! Brendo and Jem have the details (and much higher energy levels) ready to share with you.  Looking for some free games to add to your collection during this crazy time? Several stores and even gaming studios have come up with some great deals and freebies to help make isolation more fun. Plus, The Gaming Lovers review Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Death Stranding! 

As much of the world goes into self-isolation or quarantine because of the coronavirus, Brendo and Jem look for a silver lining amidst the chaos. While some are struggling to keep busy and pass the time in lockdown, gamers sure know how to stay indoors for long stretches at a time!  The Gaming Lovers are here to help give you some ideas for what games are best suited for isolation. From online games to help you stay in touch with friends from a safe distance to lengthy RPG's that will make time fly. Plus, the latest gaming news as COVID-19 impacts the gaming industry on multiple levels.

There is much speculation about the upcoming remake of Final Fantasy VII and with the demo that just dropped recently, we have some answers and even more questions. Brendo and Jem both played the demo this week. Brendo compares the experience to the original while Jem enters with fresh eyes, having never played it before. How well does the remake cater to both loyal and new fans alike? Will it be just part of the original story with more time fleshed out in Midgar or have they snuck in more content than revealed? So. Many. Questions. Plus, find out what 'season pass' DLC pack The Gaming Lovers bought, only to find out it didn't include all the DLC released!

The 4 in Feb challenge is finally complete! But who actually finished four video games in the month of February this year? Plus, it's Jem's birthday week so she gets to choose the main topic for this week's episode of The Gaming Lovers podcast. No surprise here that she wants to gush about the best video game Voice Actors and their most iconic roles to date.

It's finally here! As Sonic the Hedgehog arrives in cinemas worldwide, Brendo and Jem share their thoughts, predictions, hopes and fears before visiting the movie theatre! Then after actually watching the movie, The Gaming Lovers give their feedback on the hits and misses of their earlier comments, give a spoiler free review, talk about Jim Carrey's performance as Dr. Robotnik, and so much more!  Plus in Gaming Goals, how is the Four in Feb challenge for 2020 shaping up as the month's end closes in? Brendo talks about Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance importance to the series and Jem plays an unexpected game!

The Super Mario franchise is choc full of great games but even our favourite plumber has some shameful entries that Nintendo would probably prefer we all forgot about. Brendo and Jem look back at the worst ever Mario video games to date - Hotel Mario anyone? Plus, find out how our Gaming Lovers are doing in the 4 in Feb challenge so far.

It seems that 2020 is the year of delays for so many highly anticipated games! From The Avengers and Watch Dogs: Legion, to Cyberpunk 2077 and more, The Gaming Lovers take a look at what big titles have been bumped back on the calendar. Plus, the team check out some of the longest delays in gaming history. Surely these games won't take as long as The Last Guardian to arrive..... right? Also, in Gaming Goals Brendo gives his final verdict on AI: The Somnium Files, Four in Feb updates, and how smooth was Brendo and Jem's return to Overcooked 2?

It's that time of the year again! Join Brendo and Jem as they put together their rosters for the Four in Feb backlog busting challenge! Four games to beat in the four weeks (plus a bonus day!) of February 2020, what games will the Gaming Lovers choose to tackle and why? Plus in Gaming Goals, Brendo continues his enjoyment of AI: The Somnium Files while Jem revisits something fun and familiar. And as their Australian Bushfire Relief Fundraiser reaches it's final week, which game has Brendo been challenged to speedrun? All this and more in this episode of The Gaming Lovers Podcast!

In the past two weeks, a pair of Nintendo Direct showcases for Pokemon Sword and Shield and Super Smash Brothers Ultimate DLC plans have left the gaming community divided in their opinions. Have Nintendo themselves dropped the DLC ball? Or are the gamers themselves acting too entitled with their demands? Also in this episode, Brendo and Jem discuss their desire to visit the near-complete Super Nintendo World theme park in Osaka, Japan! Plus, the Australian Bushfire Relief Fundraiser Open Challenge continues! Join The Gaming Lovers in reaching their target of $1000 to support Aussie firefighters while challenging them to various video games at www.thegaminglovers.com 

The Australian Bushfire Relief Open Challenge Fundraiser is well on its way with nearly a quarter of the overall goal reached in the first week. Brendo and Jem share the details of their first challenge and figure out what to stream next after one donor said 'streamers choice'. Plus, Awesome Games Done Quick raises a record breaking figure, making The Gaming Lovers wish that they were any good at speed runs. To challenge Brendo and Jem to a game of your choice and help the Aussie Bushfire relief effort, donate at www.thegaminglovers.com today!

While their home country of Australia endures one of the worst bushfires in history, Brendo and Jem reflect on the incredible ways the video game community has come together and raised money for disaster relief and medical breakthroughs over the years. While popular initiatives like Games Done Quick and Humble Bundle are fairly well known, The Gaming Lovers discuss some others too, including the wild adventures of the crew on the Desert Bus for Hope. Also, Jedi: Fallen Order discussion during Gaming Goals, another round of Zero Latency VR was enjoyed and Brendo and Jem make an interesting deal with each other regarding the rest of January...

It's time for the Smoochie Awards, where Brendo and Jem shower praises on their gaming highlights of 2019! Will the Gaming Lovers agree or disagree on some topics, such as Best Story, Best Performance or Best Party Game? And which titles will receive the coveted Golden Smoochie for Game of the Year? Also in this final episode for 2019, The Gaming Lovers reflect on how their podcasting adventures have progressed over the past twelve months.

In this episode, Brendo and Jem say goodbye to Gamerankings.com and observe the Top Ten highest rated games released in the past decade. So many incredible games we released in the 2010-2019 timeframe, but which ten make it to the top of the list? Plus, Jem reminds us all of some of the biggest blunders that got released in the same timeframe. And which Gaming Lover achieved their Gaming Goal from last week, and who fell short?

Although it's just one of many end of year gaming award shows, The Game Awards are growing in importance as not only a reflection of the greatest gaming accomplishments of the past year, but also as an exhibition of what great games are to come! In this episode, Brendo and Jem chat about the winners and losers of each category, the tough competition for Game of the Year 2019 and get excited for several reveals including The Wolf Among Us 2. And before they get into talking about the awards, The Gaming Lovers share some tidbits from Sony's State of Play presentation, including the interesting reveal of Resident Evil 3 Remake. All this fun stuff, Gaming Goals and so much more!

What do Dead Rising, King Kong and Fight Night Round 3 have in common? They are all part of Brendo's shameful gaming past as he talks about the highs and lows of being a recovering trophy addict and achievement hunter. Plus in Gaming Goals, Brendo's final thoughts on The Outer Worlds, and Jem makes more progress though Pokemon Shield.

Have you ever been enjoying a great video game and then just..... stopped playing it? Brendo and Jem reflect on their unfinished business and abandoned games of 2019, and try to discover the reasons why they sometimes can't bring themselves to play the games they were loving so much! Plus, more updates on The Gaming Lovers' runs of Pokemon Shield, and Brendo isn't quite happy at The Outer Worlds this week.

The Gaming Lovers dive into all the news coming from Microsoft's X019 Conference from London this week, with new projects from studios such as Rare, Obsidian and so many more. And with Microsoft doubling down on Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud, how successful do Brendo and Jem think the future of Xbox will be? Plus, will series such as Yakuza, Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts joining the Xbox family shift the balance in Japanese sales? Also during Gaming Goals, we give our verdict on the first few hours of Pokemon Sword and Shield! 

With all the quirky guest appearances littered throughout Death Stranding, Jem is inspired to compile a list of some of the most memorable and strange celebrity cameos in video game history.   From former U.S. Presidents to every pop star under the sun, there is a celebrity cameo to delight and amuse everyone!   Plus, what new mobile game has Brendo found himself addicted to now?!?

As news breaks that the Sony Playstation 4 moves up to the second best selling console of all time, Brendo and Jem take a look at the previous generations of head to head console warfare. Why do some consoles launch with fanfare while others don't fare as well? And how do handheld gaming systems like the Nintendo DS stack up? Also, The Gaming Lovers discuss the reviews for Death Stranding, Gaming Goals and much more!