The Poncies 2025 - Game of the year 2025

The suits were sharp, the jokes were chaotic, and the wings were hot—perfect conditions for the Ponsies, our annual Game of the Year awards engineered by Seb’s “committee” of number-crunchers. We opened the books on four very different gaming diets and found a story that spanned cozy farms, roguelike obsessions, comeback ports, and a JRPG that might define a generation.

Our Switch 2 streak is undeniable, but the data went deeper: indie love runs strong, platform diversity got its due, and yes, we called out retro comfort when it smothered discovery. After tiebreak fireworks, the top ten settled into a shape that actually makes sense: Persona 4 at #10 for its lasting impact, Mafia: The Old Country at #9, and a surprisingly excellent Cyberpunk 2077 port at #8 that finally lets you enjoy the dream without patches. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar brought a fresh market-day loop at #7, while Witcher 3’s “Switcher 3” mystique refused to die at #6.

Then the momentum hit hard. Pokemon ZA fought its way to #5—underrated, heartfelt, and worth your time. No Man’s Sky reclaimed #4 on the strength of its transformative Corvette update, a masterclass in live-game redemption. Expedition 33 soared to #3 with world-class design and a new bar for JRPGs. Ball XP broke the internet in our little universe at #2—breakout-meets-roguelike with pinball-flavored mid-run strategy and “one more run” magic across platforms. And the Ponsie for Game of the Year? Hades 2. Leaner file size, deeper systems, immaculate performance, and that irresistible loop that defines why we play.

We locked in new rules to keep the Ponsies sharp—no repeat nominations without real evolution and a five-year eligibility window—while spinning forward to 2026: GTA 6 if it lands, Fable as a sleeper, Wolverine as a prestige swing. Looking for a to-play list you’ll actually finish? Start with Ball XP, give Pokemon ZA a fair shake, make time for Expedition 33, and clear a week for Hades 2.

If this ride made you laugh, argue, or add a game to your queue, tap follow, share with a friend, and drop your own top three. Which pick would you move up?

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:20

Hello and welcome to the Fish Controller Podcast. Yes, that's right. We made you wait. It's episode 302, and it's the Ponties. Now, you may think, George, your master ceremony's not for the Ponties, my friend. We bring in our equivalent of Jeff Keeley. Mmm, God, yeah, look at him with all that sexual healing. He's done the number crunching, he's done the stat running, he's made sense of what I submitted this year. And if he's made sense of that, I would say he needs a promotion, a raise, uh, and whatever else people get when they do well at work. Maybe a licorice or sort, I'm not even sure. It's 2026, probably an iPhone. I'll make it work for you, Seba will. But let me introduce my co-hosts. We've got the fabulous Scott from Marathon Gaming. Uh, he's every now and then, or I'd like to see him more on the regular, but he dainters with his appearances. Very special man, very beautiful man, probably Essex's finest man, if I may be so bold. Uh Scott, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 1:19

I'm very well, thank you. It's great to be back. I'm so happy to see these happy faces in front of me. Very, very excited for what an epic, romantic night we have ahead of us. A tradition. The biggest tradition of the year. I had to say romantic. I had to, because it is. This means a lot to me. It means a lot to the people. I'm holding back the tears. I'm trying not to get too emotional too early on. I don't want to talk too much. George, let's get on with it.

SPEAKER_03 1:47

Wonderful. It's good to have you back. Um oh, he just brings a new dynamic. He got the memo about the dress code. So I guess the attendees, I'm wearing my dickibo, ladies and gentlemen. I'm wearing a hair piece, aka a hat for the balding middle-aged man that's not brave enough to buy a toupee yet. A man that's not hidden behind a toupee because he doesn't need one. It's a fabulous RGT. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_06 2:13

I am absolutely marvellous, especially looking forward to this as well. The Ponsies. This is the show of the year. I love this show. This is my favourite show. The way Zip does it. Yes, come on, let's get going.

SPEAKER_03 2:25

I just want to say I might reuse some of this footage, you know, for dub it and do like a fake interview with like a failed Chip and Dale, a bit washed up, still wearing a dicky bow, still doing the performance at night time for his wife. Do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_06 2:38

I mean, I would have been a very, very failed Chippendale that has really hit rough times. I'll be honest, mate. For me to be gyrating round some middle-aged housewife, that's not a good look.

SPEAKER_03 2:49

I think you probably set your sights a little low. I think we need to slick your hair back, send you out exactly as God intended, and get you back into the guilt scene. I think you'd you'd clean up, pal. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_06 3:01

Well, I'm after a few sort of hidden gems at the minute, so the money would be handy. So dust off the old thong. I don't I never discuss paying you.

SPEAKER_03 3:15

Always money, aren't you? For the love of the show. Fine, that's more like it.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

We really do look like speed that like a homosexual speed dating meet cert de soleil. That is literally what we look like. It's incredible.

SPEAKER_03 3:29

It just took me a hot minute to do the thought experiment that was that, and uh, you're absolutely right. That's exactly what we look like. Well, yep, let's save the listeners eyes and ears because it's time to hand over to the legendary, the fur K of the industry, the number cruncher, the MC, the host with the most. It wouldn't be the Ponzi with Hmm. Mumsey, file a couple of inches off me teeth. It wouldn't be the Ponsies without him.

Enter Seb And The Winged “Committee”

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Seb, the floor is yours. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, finally. I said finally, the king of the Indies has come back to the Ponsies Awards. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm your host, Sebastian, and today I got a hell of a show for you. You see, normally we can these these guys, they they basically give me a list, so to speak. We call it the list of ten. They give me their top ten list, and whatever is on their number one and what whatever's on their number one, we score it and we go, you know, in descending order from there. And we did that again this year, but I knew it the task was too big for me alone. I decided to up the Annie because, like, why do the same thing over and over again without you know raising the bar? So I called up 10 people, that's right, 10 people, and had them meet at a local wing establishment, and all of us sat down and calculated the awards this year. I called them the committee. And the committee and I not only calculated the game of the year awards for the Ponzies, but we also calculated several different awards that we're going to be handing out in this episode tonight. So, ladies and gentlemen, the members of the committee and I sat around a glorious table eating wild wings, eating honey buffalo, eating barbecue, eating french fries, eating jalapeno ranch, eating mango habanero. Hold on, Scott, I'll get to you in a second. And eating jalapeno poppers and such like that. We we they asked us if we want to watch the game. We said, nah, we got business to attend to. Business. That's B I D Ness. Business to attend to. We ordered our drinks. We sat around this bar for five hours calculating these scores, and the committee and I are have finally reached a verdict. And you know, the crazy thing is when the committee submitted me the Google Doc and such like that for what is our game of the year. And I'm just flabbergassing. I really I didn't see this one coming. So, with all that said, gentlemen, are y'all ready? I am ready.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

I was just gonna say, I mean, you've called them the committee, it was a perfect perfect chance. Can we not rename them to the wingmen? Because they are the wingmen. And you were in a wing shop, eat chow and chicken.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

That was that's a good one. I'll I'll have to bring that up to the committee for votes on that.

SPEAKER_01 6:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:31

For votes on that. For the committee to vote on the wingman name.

SPEAKER_03 6:35

Yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_06 6:36

And just bear in mind everyone, these are games that we've played within the year, not games necessarily released in 2025. So you'll probably you'll probably realize that when you see what George has been playing.

SPEAKER_03 6:48

I'm nervous to see what's hoisted up the flag as number one, I have to admit. It's a terrifying concept.

SPEAKER_01 6:56

Seb already knows, I take it.

SPEAKER_00 6:58

You already know they're I yeah, I yeah, you know, I can't open the document out. I can see it in his eyes.

SPEAKER_01 7:05

I've worked it out, I've worked it out, I can see it in his eyes.

How The Awards And Scoring Work

SPEAKER_00 7:07

All right, so basically, as RGT said for you listeners, for the first if this is your first time ever, you know, joining us here, you know, they give me their top 10 games. No, their number 10 game on the list, you know, scores one point and it goes up, it goes basically down from there. Number nine, you know, scores two numbers, you know, goes down, and then their number one game scores the game ten points. I can't they calculate all this up at the committee and such like that. Then the committee, you know, debates what what about what happens when there's a tie? Because inevitably there's gotta be ties, right? So the committee and I just sat around, they were talking, drinking beer, and debating what what game actually deserves to go over the other games. Does it matter if the game's newer? Does the game does does that automatically give it? What if it's a legacy game, a game that's like a Hall of Famer? Should that get the vote in a tie? And I said, I don't I'll I'll bring this up to the guys, but you know, we'll have to go, we'll have to kind of talk about that as it comes out. So, but I want to give our first award for the the day, you know, skipping ahead to that. Our first award goes to the Platform Dominance Award. That is the platform that appeared the most as the most played platform by the four of us. Gentlemen, would you like to take a guess?

SPEAKER_06 8:28

I reckon switch two.

SPEAKER_00 8:31

All right. Anyone got any other guesses?

SPEAKER_01 8:34

Is it on ours or is it on just a majority of per host of what they're doing?

SPEAKER_00 8:40

Okay, so so all these awards, by the way. Let me let me preface this by saying this. All these awards are calculated by the statistics of just the list that y'all provided me. Right. Okay. So it's basically what platform y'all played this game on, because I asked you to give me the list of games, the platform you played it on, and your top three, in your top three, I asked for a paragraph on why these top three games made your top three. And so from all that data, we were able to compile multiple awards from that. So we're only strictly working with that specific set of data. So based on that data, the platform dominance award. Anyone got any other guesses?

SPEAKER_01 9:20

I'd say PS5, if not switch two. I think the switch two would be my first guess, and then I'd say PS5.

SPEAKER_04 9:26

Yeah. Although George.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

Imagine if it's Xbox after we've been slagging it off the last six months. Imagine.

SPEAKER_06 9:34

Yeah, well, the way George has been bladder's probably PS2.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

That's what I'm thinking.

SPEAKER_06 9:38

He's got 10 10 10 submittance for PS2.

SPEAKER_01 9:44

Hey, you you can pipe down RGT with your Evercade, messing up the analytics.

SPEAKER_03 9:48

Yeah, see a filthy dog. Yeah. Uh let's look put it put us out of a he's not sponsored. Oh, go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 9:57

Unbelievable. In third place, uh, in third place was the PC. And then in parentheses, they uh the committee has wrote mostly carried by Sebastian. And thank you, said the runner up was the PS5. The committee wrote strong, but concentrated mostly with George and RGT. And in first place, the platform of choice was the Switch slash switch two. Because some on some of your list, you didn't specify whether it was the switch to or the switch. So we're just gonna go the switch family with a total of 16 appearances between the four list. Um, yeah, so the breakdown was seven with Scott, RGT with six, George with six, and Sebastian, parentheses, actively hostile with zero.

SPEAKER_05 10:50

Which is switched.

SPEAKER_06 10:53

I knew that'd be zero. I was hoping you were gonna say, well, there was one switch game on my thing. I was gonna be like, yeah, Nintendo's getting it back. Can they pull it in back?

SPEAKER_01 11:02

Thank God for Seb though. We'd lose so much audience if it wasn't for Seb. We need the PC. Please don't leave us, PC gamers. Seb's still here, please. The king of the indies is here, he's here for you.

SPEAKER_00 11:13

The committee wrote Switch 2 is objectively the podcast game of the year platform of 2025 for the unofficial controller podcast. All right, so our next award um is that should be the thumb now. Get that image up, which what Seb just said. That's great. Our indie game analysis, aka I'm doing it. Who's really about that indie life? And this award goes to in third place, winning the bronze. Scott.

SPEAKER_03 11:53

Yeah, strong showing.

SPEAKER_00 11:55

I thought it might be. Well done. Mostly, mostly double A and indie hybrids, but a a few um pure indies uh in his list. The runner-up RGT, strong showing this year. Oh my goodness. Strong showing. Oh, it's George! It's George. No.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

They love me, they really love me. It was that eight-bit farming series.

SPEAKER_05 12:20

Was there many um indies on the PS2? I don't know. I can't remember.

SPEAKER_00 12:26

I show you my slipper. And the most indies played, which is probably a shocker to everyone, was Sebastian. Um, approximately eight indies are indie adjacent titles. That's impressive. Yeah, yeah, pretty much. The committee wrote, you clearly enjoy emotional damage and mechanical ambition, while also seemingly trying to avoid all types of basically the corporate, the corporate overlords. Um, you kind of feel like a guy who's trying too hard, where they say, I collect uh I collect records. All right, so the committee aren't holding back, are they really? No, no, they're savages. No, no, these is these old men are savages. Now, um, okay, so the next award, platform diversity. Who actually moved around? So, not just one person stuck in one single platform. This was yeah the person that kind of bobbed and weezed all the different platforms here. This is my time. All right, so keep in mind by platform, this is based on the list that we gave. I'll say RGT if we guess him based on the list we gave. The the least diverse, Scott. It said the Switch family and the PS5. Parentheses, the comedian wrote, Nintendo loyalty card was fully punched here. The next runner-up was George with the PS5, Switch 2, and old ass consoles. It was apparently they said respectable, but stayed very cozy into what into the language that he knows. With three, I that's right, three um on the list, there was me with Xbox PC and PlayStation 4. I don't know why I'm player. What's up?

SPEAKER_03 14:46

Have you and the committee taken these awards to one side and come up with loads of awards where you just win everything? Or because in the UK now we don't like competition so much, so we like to even if a kid like falls over at the start line of the sprint, they get a prize, uh a a pass the parcel, if you will. Yeah, take yeah, every single wrapping of the parcel's got a suite in it, so everyone feels like it's everyone's a win away. Like a participation award, yeah. Yeah, well that yes, I didn't want to say that out loud so brutally, but yeah, that I I I I wondered maybe you know, if if if I want to win something.

SPEAKER_00 15:27

Oh well, tough tea to go to kidding, because in this war daddy's talking, Sebastian.

SPEAKER_04 15:34

I want to win. I am winning something.

SPEAKER_01 15:38

I'm just so glad after you said uh the the least diverse, you said my name. I'm so glad it wasn't full stop. I was really worried about getting labelled a racist. I'm so glad you carried on and you and you finished the sentence.

Platform Dominance And Indie Tally

SPEAKER_02 15:49

I thought, well, there's the headline UCP Scotty. Least diverse diverse.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

No, the most diverse, um the most diverse gamer between going from platform to platform this year was RGT. Who had this the Switch 2, Switch, PS5, PS3, yes, really, in 2025. And he had four different platforms, including the legacy console on this list. So he is taking home that award. Now, the the award for old ass games, aka Shame Award. Oh, wonder who this is Shame Award. Please be skilled. The least guilty, which is myself, uh, at almost entirely current year releases were on my list. So very much maximum recently bias is what the community wrote. Um, on the runner-up for this award was RGT with GTA 4 on his list, and that was the PS3 game, which in 2025 may be a little diabolical there, if I'll be it honest. But here we also had another game that was a little bit outside of this current release calendar. But the ashamed Elder Gamer Award this year goes to none other than George, whose games who had games on his list that were five to fifteen plus years old. Fifteen plus years old. By the way, here's a statistic that was thrown out by the committee. 50% of his list is is basically historical preservation at this point.

SPEAKER_03 17:45

It's been a strange year. It's been a strange year.

SPEAKER_01 17:48

Hey, what a great time to plug the uh flashback. Get it in now, George.

SPEAKER_03 17:53

You know what? Someone came up with a bright, some bright spot came up with the idea of launching a show about retro video games on top of the show that we already do. Now, someone decided that that would involve some research. Another colleague did not. Uh hence I got served up like a fresh sa uh halibut with a bit of lemon in my mouth today, having played nothing but games from 4,000 years ago. Uh he takes his research seriously. But if I'm gonna win a trophy for something, if I'm gonna win an award for something, let it be this. Uh thank you to my mum and dad. I see no one else did an acceptance thing. Thank you to um my wife. Uh yeah, we're just to make more humble. Uh what's next, Step?

SPEAKER_00 18:38

Okay. George, hold on, George's face. That's just gonna be George's face. Oh, go ahead. Go ahead, Scotty.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

I'm making myself laugh and be old jokes. George's uh tasted video games the past six months have been so old, it's not even been Pong, it's been actual table tennis. That's how old it is.

SPEAKER_00 18:58

Sorry, Sarah. At this point, one of the most stacked years.

SPEAKER_03 19:05

Who says that the UCP isn't tone deaf?

SPEAKER_00 19:08

No one. So the committee actually wrote a quotation they wanted me to read out. They said brother wasn't even playing Game of the Year contenders, he was curating a museum this year. He was curating a museum this year. I was I was, I was alright, so so they hold on really quick. A bird just hit my window. But like, no kidding. A bird just hit the window, and um, anyways. So, alright, here we go. Um alright, we do have some I'm gonna do some rapid fire before we actually get to the top 10. These are just awards for games, not specifically for gamers here. Alright, so I swear. Where it's important award goes to Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. Because this game was submitted, not because anyone played it, but because one person specifically said, I swear, based on the game that I the first game that I played, I gotta say the second one's gotta be a beggar at this point. So I swear it's important award. Didn't actually play it himself, but you know, submitted it anyways. Quote unquote, pure faith-based placement was on the list.

SPEAKER_06 20:31

Faith-based placement.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

Yes. The most defended game out of all of our list, based on what was written about this game, was Pokemon Legends ZA. Quote unquote, the committee wrote, the person who submitted this vote just they pleaded with their heart for this game to be better than what it was. They were prepared for violence to stand on business for Pokemon ZA. But let's go. But but on this point in time, this person was so passionate about writing about Pokemon ZA that I swear it almost made me want to buy the console. Almost like that. Yeah, you you won some people over in the committee. Um all right, so the other one. Um, of course, some of these are gonna be spoilers, so I'm gonna skip those. But I swear this game is okay. This other one. The award for oldest game that people probably should have given Game of the Year to the first time around, but you know, maybe that maybe they weren't able to back then, so they're gonna give it to them now. It's GTA 4. GTA 4.

SPEAKER_03 21:59

GTA 4. We champion that game like nobody else on this show, and for good reason, it's a high watermark for the GTA franchise from a connoisseur's point of view. And if you're listening to this show and you're like, oh, this this this award series a bit upside down, we value quality. You can't tell that from the camera, you can't tell that from the recording equipment, and I'll be honest with you, you can barely tell it from the script, but it's a hallmark of what we live for. GTA 4, quite right getting upon team 2026. Uh this makes um Scott the Waz's uh GameStop awards look like Mickey Mouse.

SPEAKER_00 22:37

All right, so gentlemen, we do have business to attend to in tenth place for our game of the year.

Shame Awards And Retro Revelations

SPEAKER_03 22:46

Oh, gentlemen, if we have a budget, surely now is the time to do fireworks, have a snip of silver hook electrical contact cleaner, bury ourselves down amongst the celebrities as we this now hush across the room now. There's gaming developers across the world, their knees are clacking together, they are nervous, they know that their shareholders will not be happy unless they bring a Ponzi home, Seb.

SPEAKER_06 23:15

Saying that some of them probably forgot they made the games that you've nominated.

SPEAKER_03 23:19

That is what a nice wake-up call in 2026, that is RGT Seb. Would be, would it?

SPEAKER_00 23:25

Oh, give it to us. Now, the uh winner for ranked the number 10 ranking was actually a three-way tie. It was a three-way tie. Now my god. The committee has submitted this. The committee has submitted this. They said on the show, y'all can figure out how to do your ties. But if the committee was voting, the award for number 10 is going to be Persona 4. Persona 4. Submitted by George. The committee wrote this. The reason why we're voting between the top between this game, between these three games, Persona 4 is because out of all the lists, it was a top three placement, and because it's cultural and emotional impact sealed its spot. That's what the committee wrote. Now, very kind committee, very kind, very, very peaceable of you. Now, in real and they said we could settle this amongst ourselves if we don't agree with that, but like the the games that tied were Persona 4, The Alters, and Mafia, the Old Country.

SPEAKER_01 24:37

Oh. Give it to Mafia.

SPEAKER_03 24:40

So, gentlemen, do you have is there any opportunity for Mafia to be entangled in this further up if we let it slide now, or if we don't give this award to a game from 2025 and retain some form of credibility within the show? This is his only chance. Put it like this.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

So I think that's mine. We had definitive edition. I feel like it was right at the start of the year as well, just before. Did we not? We have them re the remaster of the remaster. It's been a mafia year early last year.

SPEAKER_03 25:15

So so are we gonna give this to Mafia Old Country?

SPEAKER_06 25:18

Why don't we go round and eat you know, just each one of us say what we think should win? Do it on a vote system there you go.

SPEAKER_01 25:24

Was Persona 4 2008 released? So maybe earlier than Persona.

SPEAKER_00 25:32

So all right, so between let me just recap a little bit. Number 10, uh, for the number 10 placement, we had a through red tie between Persona 4, the Altars, and Mafia the Old Country. Scott, what is your vote for which of these three games do you think deserves the nod for number 10?

SPEAKER_01 25:51

Now I have played some persona games, however, I've also played some mafia games, and I would much rather play a mafia game than go into a persona game. Also, persona is just Spanish for the word person. Next time you have a title for a game, put some more thought into it, please.

SPEAKER_00 26:07

I'll be right back. While y'all are debating, I'll be right back. So Scott, give your debate. RGT, you're next, George, you're you're the caboose.

SPEAKER_01 26:16

That's my uh that's my one vote goes to Mafia, the old country.

SPEAKER_03 26:21

The thing is, I I want I know we're meant to be here because teachers said that we need to be discussing um what game it is out of persona, altars, or all the mafia, but I'm more intrigued the fact that Seb had a bird hit his window. Now I know he's got a penchant for barbecue and uh smoking uh meat, just to get that in there. Uh, and that's not a euphemism for anything. Um so I'm wondering, has he gone out to collect this little weak songbird that's sort of very weak in a in a Texan winter? To is he now butchering it on his back step?

SPEAKER_01 26:55

He stood up like he stood up like Elmer Fudd. And I he grabbed it.

SPEAKER_06 26:58

I was gonna say that's gonna be slavery in barbecue sauce, and that is now on the barbecue.

SPEAKER_01 27:02

I'll tell you what, if you want someone to take a bird down, you want to get hold of some of them Winchester boys shooting that bird from the sky.

SPEAKER_06 27:11

One shot.

SPEAKER_01 27:12

Here he is. RGT.

SPEAKER_06 27:15

Right. My um my argument is I am going with Mafia the old country. Um, I played this game, I think it needs a bit of credibility for being a shorter game, a very affordable half-price game. They've done a great job, um, great graphics, great story. Um, really good, and I think it deserves to be on this list. Um, not some 10-year-old persona game.

SPEAKER_03 27:40

Alright, so George, yeah, let the uh the decider of the vote have a decide. So, you know. Uh now I look at this two ways because I brought Persona 4 to the table because me and my new wife, we've had a wonderful experience with the game. We played it on Switch, so it isn't the PS2 original, admittedly, so it you could argue is is only one gem behind. I'll argue as I like. And JD Georgie full effect at the Ponces. Um, but in all that is decent and RGT, because this year, as soon as you're full assistant to the associate associate um tea lady to the producer, I would say that you need to probably pop into Farmerton trophy store, buy 10 trophies, and we will send these. So get Mafia's address, we'll say, Oh, you've won 10th place in the Ponces, you wanna, you know, we'll do it. I think that's how we go viral.

SPEAKER_06 28:40

Yeah, but I like how you say we'll do it. You basically say me do it.

SPEAKER_00 28:46

Um I got lost there. Oh, is Mafia the the winner at this point?

SPEAKER_01 28:51

Sorry, Daddy. What do you want us to do, Daddy? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:55

Right now, Daddy, Daddy thinks that we should just decide on mafia.

SPEAKER_07 29:03

I was like, okay.

SPEAKER_02 29:06

Yes, all right, cool.

SPEAKER_03 29:07

Great start, great with with a lot of power comes great responsibility, and I almost sort of took a wrong step very early in my power hungry career. So, yes, we'll go with mafia.

SPEAKER_00 29:17

I want to set dirty announcement. Number 10. And number 10 officially goes to Mafia, the old country.

Rapid-Fire Gags And Side Awards

SPEAKER_04 29:28

Where did you dig up that voice? That was banging.

SPEAKER_03 29:33

That's how we need to do them all when we decide now. That's what we do. We do our homework on the school bus. We could have met before, but no, we do it on air.

SPEAKER_01 29:41

That's how we do Fat Zangeef in 2032, baby.

SPEAKER_03 29:45

Well, just to the long your pain, RGT sent the sub list, and contractually, we've got to do a Zangeef at least. So um, quite how I'll be feeling by the time we've done the first number one award. That Zangief's gonna roll out pretty stiff, if I'm honest.

SPEAKER_00 30:03

Alright, so here we go. Um this next one is another another tie here. But we have uh a big decision to make, gentlemen. A big decision to make indeed. Because in a twist, I was gonna be gracious and basically surprise you with it all this, but we have a tie between Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Mafia the Old Country, the altars and Persona 4. So it's the twist. He lied to us. Yes, I did on purpose here. Because now, gentlemen, and uh the A Ponzi's first, y'all get to decide two placements of a game, which one of these should be eight? I mean, well on number nine and number ten.

SPEAKER_03 31:09

Do you know what I really like about this is if we keep this narrative going and I keep saving persona? No, sacrifice that sacrifice, it could be number one. I have been played in an absolute blind way. Well, unless we all agree to persona.

SPEAKER_01 31:26

Yeah, do we just get rid of it now? Has Seb got more tricks up his sleeve? Do we get rid of it?

SPEAKER_03 31:29

How do you cancel people off a call?

SPEAKER_00 31:31

Uh so uh gentlemen, now let's let's be honest here. All right, so we have Mafia of the Old Country, we have Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, we have the Altars, and we have Persona 4. Guys, do you have a strong preference on what should be number nine, what should be number 10? So can we start with you? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:59

I would write my highest vote out of those three games to be Kingdom Come Deliverance because it's a lovely bit of first person adventure, bit of RPG, bit of medieval, bit of swords. I love the first one. Spoiler alert, never played this one. It's sitting behind me in plastic still, but give it the spot.

SPEAKER_00 32:20

I think we heard the disqualifying argument there. Never played it yet. Never played it yet.

SPEAKER_03 32:25

Let me get behind that. Let me get behind that like a 21-year-old's first strip.

SPEAKER_01 32:31

One more thing, Charles, before I pass it over. Okay. Now, we're we're at the UCP of family. Now, the reason why I feel like I've played the game is a good friend of mine, Retro Ed UK, played this game. So that's what made me buy the first one. He was enjoying the second one. We were talking about the games at the same time as I was playing one, he was playing the other. He is part of the UCP family, therefore he's played it and I've played it. I'll rest my case.

SPEAKER_06 32:57

You sold it to me there.

SPEAKER_00 32:58

All right, so full disclosure, I was gonna wait till we did this afterwards. There is three awards that are that I would like us to vote on at the end of the show, but we could have one of those spots available now. The award was games on the list that I think that people should play. It's recommended backlog or recommended backlog um award. This is the games on the list that people probably should, including the other co-hosts, actually go play this coming up year. There is, and I was I brought that war award up because I think that fits Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 perfectly, especially considering none of us have played this game. You're now removing two hours.

SPEAKER_03 33:46

You're now gonna remove that from the table, leaving us to pick between what Scott's lefty, so I don't want to be involved with Mr. Barkley anymore. I just pulled it all out about retro ed, and now you want to give it a special contribution prize.

SPEAKER_01 34:01

Right, I'm back. I've just installed the game. I've played three seconds of it in a menu. That counts.

SPEAKER_03 34:10

Right, okay. So number nine, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. You say he hasn't played it. We've tried and keep pushing persona. If I was that intelligent, one would think I don't know what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_00 34:28

I will be honest. Number one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight are locked. They are completely locked. There was no tiebreakers. Oh, good.

SPEAKER_06 34:38

So Persona's gone then.

SPEAKER_00 34:39

No means he's on the table again. No lies is like whatever nine and ten is, they're the only legit tiebreakers. Because I like the committee and the committee gave like there was another tie, but the committee gave a very strong argument on which one should be like above the other one. And I'm like, I I think that's it. It's when I explain it to you, I think you'll be like, okay, that is a good argument for it, you know.

SPEAKER_06 35:05

So we voted on this ninth place now, are we?

SPEAKER_00 35:07

So you're voting on nine and ten. That's it.

SPEAKER_03 35:10

Well then we're at I think we are at the position where to retain some form of credibility. Seeing as Scott made the ultimate sacrifice, he ran off.

SPEAKER_00 35:23

Scott's gonna get blessed later, by the way, should I say? I'm just spoiling alert, Scott's gonna eat out like a bandit later, so.

SPEAKER_03 35:31

Um I would say the term eat Scott out like a bandit probably didn't survive the transatlantic trade wins so well. Uh, but you know, you do you. Uh hey, listen, I was like, make out like a bandit, right?

SPEAKER_00 35:49

Oh, make out, though. I thought you said eat out. I thought you said eat out as well. I was like, he's gonna eat good later. He's gonna make out like a bandit. That's he put the shaving stuff away.

SPEAKER_01 36:00

He didn't say that.

SPEAKER_03 36:01

No, sorry, but now you're gonna make out like a bandit.

SPEAKER_06 36:04

So anyway, um, what should we do for 10 and 9 then?

SPEAKER_03 36:09

So Mafia, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. Let's get actually stuck into the weeds of what we've decided by what we've played and voted for, what everybody else has, because it sounds like my game's got crushed into the dirt like a little bug.

Tiebreak Chaos For #10 And #9

SPEAKER_00 36:22

My recommendation, and this is what the the committee wrote as well: if y'all do have an argument for which one's nine nine and ten is nine should be Mafia of the Old Country. The game actually came out this year, and then 10. The I in 10 it based on it being a top three placement, should be Persona 4.

SPEAKER_06 36:43

I think Persona 4 should be 10 as well, because we haven't really played Kingdom to Come Deliverance 2, but George has sunk a lot of hours in Persona 4, so I would say Persona 4 10, and then I would say Mafia the Old Country 9.

SPEAKER_00 36:59

I anyone else in agreement with the the placement?

SPEAKER_03 37:05

I am gonna roll over like um insert random, randomly created comedy moment here, uh make it look good, editor. Uh I want something decent coming out of my mouth in this moment. Um, yeah, whatever you want to do. Go with RGT's plan. It sounds like it's got merit.

SPEAKER_00 37:25

All right so he has, yeah, because you've been at number leader 10. In number 10, we have in a twist persona 4. Persona 4 is the top 10 game of the UCP for the year 2025. In number nine, mafia the old country. Now in number eight, yes, they're real meat and veg of it, isn't it? The first switch game to make the list. Yes. Does anyone have a guess?

SPEAKER_01 38:06

Not the last, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_03 38:08

Um I would say this could be cast and chill on the switch too.

SPEAKER_06 38:17

Cast and cast. I'd say cattle country, not you.

SPEAKER_00 38:22

Oh, I could start playing that this weekend. Cast and chill. Scott, do you have a guess?

SPEAKER_01 38:29

I have got three well. This could be this this could be Pokemon Legends, because another two Switch games which I'm expecting to score higher, but in one of them is crossplay, so I'm not sh I'm not sure to be honest. So I'm gonna mumsy the word and keep quiet for this one. Mumsy the word.

SPEAKER_03 38:51

That all right, so needs to be a t-shirt. Uh Captain Scarlet, if you're listening, free reign, mumsies the word. So, what was the official guess?

SPEAKER_01 39:01

Scott, I'm just gonna um, as I said, mumsy the word and just uh pass on this one.

SPEAKER_00 39:07

Okay, gotcha, gotcha. Alright, alright. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 39:09

Pokemon Legends, Pokemon Legends, we're gonna Pokemon Legends.

SPEAKER_00 39:15

Okay, and ladies and gentlemen, this give me one second. And the award goes to Cyberpunk 2077. I forgot I threw this in there.

SPEAKER_03 39:39

Yeah, this I'll be honest, if I may uh just put some words to this for a moment. This game, yes, alright, it's released under the platform some time ago, but it came to the Switch 2 in such an eloquent fashion. Um, instantly playable as a handheld game. Whoever thought you'd want To play cyberpunk while heaving out uh some excretement. But hey, now you've got the chance if that should deem to be an acceptable pastime to you, and you can get full cyber literally anywhere, upside down in the in the bath, 360 inverted while you're listening to the show, whatever you want to do. Um pretty much no compromise. I think it's a deserving eight slot, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_01 40:25

Yeah. Can I just say it's a lot of I know we joke about the Switch and you're playing a game that's you know three years old or whatnot, or could run on a previous generation, but at the end of the day, this game, it was the timing that done it. So there was so much hype. Cyberpunk came out, a lot of its loyal fan base was so disappointed that there were so many patches and so many things wrong. By the time they got everything by the time they got everything done, it came out on the switch like there was nothing more to be done, and it ran it managed to run on there. I just think it's just great timing, really.

SPEAKER_06 40:56

All on the cart, all on the cart.

SPEAKER_00 40:59

I love that. I I love how my 2020 game is the Oscars. It's like crowding jet with a time set. You know, I was like, man, I love you know, I it makes me like really understand y'all a little bit more because I'm like, uh, y'all switch people, y'all like all these stuff come like way later, and you're like, oh my god, this is revolutionary, and we're gonna be more like we're just happy it runs on it.

unknown 41:27

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 41:29

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 41:30

Great game to play in the bath.

SPEAKER_03 41:32

Yeah, I I think in the year of the Switch 2, um, successfully executed port. I agree with Scott. It you know, it it came having paid the tax on every other platform, myself included, who played it on whatever the hell platform I played it on. It wasn't pretty. Um played it on the Switch. Yeah, it might have been a late PS4 Pro uh PS5 game for me. I can't quite remember. Um, but yeah, even there it was it was flawed masterpiece, but now it's a no-compromise, so yeah, well deserving. I'm I'm feeling um slightly reinvigorated by by the charts that we're serving up. So happy days. Here's the number one not being true crime streets of LA.

SPEAKER_06 42:26

Oh god magic.

SPEAKER_00 42:29

I I I have a guilty sauce by my heart for that.

SPEAKER_01 42:33

I I do as well. I love that game. Played it at college, it was brilliant. I had the steel tin case and everything.

SPEAKER_06 42:39

Well rose tinted spectacles, guys. Rose tinted spectacles.

SPEAKER_00 42:43

Yeah, yeah. Um I've gotta go back and play it and see if it actually holds up.

SPEAKER_03 42:47

Listen, we're playing Sleeping Dogs on the uh seventh gen playthrough, and that is technically true crime three.

SPEAKER_00 42:56

So all right, so number seven. Number seven goes to this game right here. Story of seasons, Grand Bazier. Grand Brazier. Wow.

SPEAKER_06 43:17

That's not the version I played, said, but Grand Bazaar.

SPEAKER_03 43:21

If you've got a copy, descend it my wife. Don't we'll never get him back.

SPEAKER_00 43:27

Yeah, yeah. Alright, so story of seasons, Grand Bazaar. What did you think about this? It was someone's number two ranked game. That and I believe that was RGT. Exactly.

Cyberpunk On Switch 2 Lands At #8

SPEAKER_06 43:41

Yeah, um, yeah, I put this game highly, I put a lot of hours in this last year. Um, I was looking forward to release of this. I found the Harvest Moon Story of Seasons games very hit and miss when they were being released. Some were graphically not great, some were quite basic, and I'd some were okay, but um, I'd heard a lot of good things about this. I actually ordered the collector's edition of this when it came out. Um, really enjoyed it. Great little collector's edition. The game itself, great artwork. Um, it released almost perfect to me. Um, ran brilliantly, great little story. Yes, it's a farm and life sim. They all have those tropes, but these were all just slightly different. So, you know, you used windmills to help you create things, and you had that market stall aesthetic. So at the end of the week, whatever you'd produced or made, you could make anything from jewellery to farming things to you know, um, having your animals, you could then go to your bazaar and sell and make your money to help the town thrive, help the town grow the bazaar, the market, and I thought it was a lovely touch, really sets a scene, um, and just a nice little spin-off on the farm and life sim, which I put a lot of hours in. Um, yeah, and I think it's a great little game. That's nice to see a lot of story of seasons game be a bit different, release with really good graphics, looks really great, plays well with a great story. So, yeah, I was all over this, and I'd highly recommend it if you like these sort of games. So, yeah, chuffed a bits is on the list.

SPEAKER_01 45:15

If you could sum up the story of seasons in one word, what would that word be to describe the story of all the seasons? Superb.

SPEAKER_03 45:25

Oh, that's two words, mate. That's two words. Super B.

SPEAKER_00 45:33

So is anyone else gonna uh check out the story of seasons in the days to come? Or is that just um nav in your wheelhouse?

SPEAKER_03 45:43

There's only one man for the cutesy farm in Sims, and I'll tell you, there's not a three-point linkage in sight, and it's RGT chowing down on all these good games. Uh fair play to him.

SPEAKER_06 45:55

Yes, it it's good. If you like anything like Stardew or you played Harvest Moon back in the day, definitely check this out because that's a good cross of everything. So, very, very good. All right, mate.

SPEAKER_03 46:05

All right, calm down. You've heard you've a sponsor ship a deal now.

SPEAKER_06 46:09

Available at all good video games.

SPEAKER_03 46:11

Did I mention silver contact cleaner? You're expecting me just to bring the collector's edition in then. I wasn't expecting, I was damn near just knew it would happen.

SPEAKER_00 46:26

Okay, okay. Alright, so um, by the way, do you remember what platform you played this on? Switch 2. Yep, he was a part of the a part of the movement that they helped Switch 2 become the the official game of the game of the year console for for us here.

SPEAKER_03 46:44

And we're at that age in life where we're happy for any movement. This is good news.

SPEAKER_00 46:50

Alright, guys, do you have a guess on what's gonna be number two? I mean what the next PLED!

SPEAKER_06 46:56

I was gonna say, don't doze off then.

Story Of Seasons Bazaar Takes #7

SPEAKER_00 46:58

What's happened to me? Number six. Is it six? It is number six, yeah. Um it is also a Switch game. Mario Kart World Tour. Six. Oh, okay. What about you, Scott? Any guesses?

SPEAKER_01 47:20

I'm just gonna keep saying Pokemon because uh I forgot about Cyberpunk, and it's another two games which I'm expected to be in the top three.

SPEAKER_00 47:27

Oh wow, expected.

SPEAKER_01 47:29

I'd expect nothing less. And uh in fact, I I can predict the top three games. I don't want to say it now. I will write them down on a separate piece of paper. Oh yeah, he's confident.

SPEAKER_03 47:42

I like this thing. Stunning, he knows how to hold your retention. People who don't know how to fast forward to the bit ray holds up the paper, they're gonna sit here for hours. You want me to take notes?

SPEAKER_00 47:55

Uh RTT. Yes. I've got a bunch of I want I want you to do the same. I want you to do the same.

SPEAKER_06 48:03

What write down my top three, you think?

SPEAKER_00 48:05

Yeah, write 'em down or or feel like you you put 'em in put them in like a I think I know what number one is.

SPEAKER_06 48:11

I'm I'm pretty sure I know what number one is.

SPEAKER_00 48:13

Type it out or or whatever you got to do.

SPEAKER_06 48:16

I think number one is.

SPEAKER_00 48:18

In the meanwhile, while while y'all are getting your notes together, I'm gonna introduce number six.

SPEAKER_07 48:26

In sixth place is The Witcher 3.

SPEAKER_03 48:40

Little Ginger Kid wakes up, wants to play a bit of the Witcher. Yeah, no problems. He takes it outside and plays it in his bedroom. Uh that's the sort of upgrade I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_06 48:50

Fair play, yeah. Fair play with that, because I think that was yes, I know it's on the Switch, yes, it is probably the draw distance of about two metres, but it gave Switch owners an RPG to play and a massive one.

The “Switcher 3” Rolls In At #6

SPEAKER_03 49:03

It gave Switch 1 owners. This is only here because of me, and I've got to wade in with a hell of a lot of parentheses here. This this game shouldn't be on this list. This game should not be this far up this list. But sadly, sir, you are MCing and paying homage to my uh personal whims and indulgences. That's kind of what that's going on here. Now, the Witcher I recognise is well, this particular version that we colloquially know on the show as the Switcher 3 is possibly the worst place to play this game you could possibly imagine. But I caveat this with when the Switch 2 came out, it became almost playable to the point where I doubled down on that game more than I had on any other platform and took it through. Now there's something now that appeals to me about the Switcher 3's graphical art style, the washed-out colours. It looks like a painting. The way that the other day I decided to go back to it to start the DLC. I was going along a path and bam, out of nowhere, I was in a forest. No word of an exaggeration, absolutely real thing that happened to me. I thought, oh, the sun's gone, and then the trees loaded in, and I was in a very detailed wood out of nowhere. That to me is the magic of the Switcher 3, and that's why it's this high on the game of the year award of the unofficial controller popcast.

SPEAKER_01 50:30

That was absolutely disgusted in you. I feel like I'm getting I feel like I'm getting deja vu because I've just gone back in my phone and my notes, I've typed in Ponsies, and on the 7th of January 2025, I submitted my list for I guess 2024, and my number fifth game, I've wrote which are free brackets switcher.

SPEAKER_00 50:52

Yeah, it is I looked in the analog and the records.

SPEAKER_01 50:58

I think it's been in this might be four years running, guys.

SPEAKER_00 51:02

It is, it is, and it's so bad in May, it's so bad. And I showed like I showed the Hall of Fame records to the committee, and they were like, You gotta just put a rule in place. You gotta it you gotta put the switch rule in place.

SPEAKER_04 51:16

What is this? We've now got one Arak shill beats.

SPEAKER_01 51:20

Which switch chart is like it's like the ball and door of they need like its own, it's not the ballon d'or of the football awards, you know. It's the that's the epic.

SPEAKER_03 51:32

I believe in it, and I believe in you. I believe in Scotty for creating a UCP piece of piece of law with the switch of three. Anyone else who uses that, they owe him five pounds every single time they say it. I'm already in debt to him, probably my house and at least one of my children. So he's getting a bit awkward at this point. Um, but fair play to him and it. Uh, and if you've got a switch two and you pick up the Witcher in sale, I think you'd be okay with it.

SPEAKER_01 52:02

Could we all agree not to bring it up next year?

SPEAKER_00 52:05

Oh man, there's rules in place next year. We're we're putting rules down next year. Hold on. Is this rules from the committee or is this is it? There's rules down next year. So uh we can talk about that after we after we get through the.

SPEAKER_03 52:19

I'm about to embark on the DLC. If you do not think this will not factor into my game of the year for 2026, you've got another thing coming, Sebastian.

SPEAKER_01 52:27

Here in the past. Okay, okay, we'll we'll bring up this rule.

SPEAKER_00 52:35

You cannot hell yeah. Going forward, you cannot re-vote for a game that was already voted for the previous year. Oh done. So I'm like, the rule is if our like let's say RGT votes for Mafia the Old Country this year, unless there's some big I'm talking about drastic evolution of that game, he cannot just go back and vote for it the following year again. So I'm like the now, if it's a if it's a live service game, he can vote for it again if it had a drastic expansion or something to that nature. But you can't just say, I played the Witcher, I played The Witcher, and then oh, I now just now got to Blood Hunt, the expansion, even though Bloodhunt has come out and been available to you for that whole entire time. You can't vote for it again that next year.

SPEAKER_01 53:26

Now, Seb, on a technicality, you use the word if the game has had an evolution. Now, Pokemon Legends Ed to A, there is many evolutions.

SPEAKER_00 53:35

We got Bulbasaur, Venusaur.

SPEAKER_01 53:39

Yeah. So what I'm thinking is, is it free to bring up any Pokemon game on any year? Can I bring up okay?

SPEAKER_03 53:48

Okay, what what about this? What about this? What about this? What about this? What if I bring up the sequel to Here Comes the Pain, WWE SmackDown versus Raw? Because that's got the evolution in it. Now I bring that I bring that next year and every subsequent year after that, and it's got an evolution in it. Is that is that acceptable to you? Can I bring 2006 Dave Bautista?

Pokemon ZA Defended Into #5

SPEAKER_00 54:12

That brings up the net the next following rule. Only games within five years can now be nominated. Anything you nominate outside of that five-year-old. Who is this shady committee? Outside of the five-year-old window goes into a new set of awards that we're doing next year. Flashback called the R the Retro Awards for next year. Sponsored by Flashback. Yes. Yes, the Flashback Retro Awards. So anything. It has to be within this generation of consoles. So you have to vote for it within this generation of consoles going forward next year for this specific award show. For the new award show of specifically about retro games, that's where they'll live. Good. And then is that fair?

unknown 55:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 55:05

The way this is going, guys, we're going to be doing the flashback Ponsies with a dedication to like the game of the year from the UCP audience that's like whatever's Claire Obscura 33 or something.

SPEAKER_00 55:18

We need to play a little more modern games, is all I'm saying. The show's inverted on itself. I don't think we even know who we are anymore. Alright, so number five. The fifth game is officially. Please be good. Oh no. Gotta catch them all. It is Pokemon Z A. Oh, this is acceptable.

SPEAKER_06 55:41

Oh, I had I had that higher.

SPEAKER_00 55:45

Pokemon ZA was someone's second-ranked game. Scott. And the committee wrote a strong critical and emotional defense when in the paragraph that explained why it was their number two game. It was one of the few high impact Switch 2 titles, is what another committee wrote committee member wrote. And another committee wrote, you know what? For all the hate it gets, I'm gonna say it, it's underrated. Vastly underrated.

SPEAKER_03 56:17

So I'm thinking the committee's what? Lord Ponselbury got to be Pastor Longhorn.

SPEAKER_00 56:28

It's Pastor Longhorn, Ray, Ray Jr., Lord Ponselbury. OJ.

SPEAKER_03 56:35

Who was the Mexican um drug lord that bought the show?

SPEAKER_06 56:40

Oh ZMX.

SPEAKER_03 56:41

Z Max Media. Uh uh El Buccio. El Buccio. He what? He's probably on the committee. They need a book. Yeah, we do.

SPEAKER_06 56:55

That'd be bigger than a double dragon adventure.

SPEAKER_00 56:59

So let's give it up for Pokemon ZA. I would like to accept an award on its behalf is the person who nominated. Scott, would you like to say a few words? Who needs, if for whoever hasn't played this game already, who needs to play this game and why do you think it deserved to be number five on the game of the year list?

SPEAKER_01 57:18

Uh all honestly, I would say for anyone who wants to get into a Pokemon game who isn't a fan of Pokemon games, I would always say to go in Legends Arceus to go into there. I think the main issue I had with defending this game so highly, because it is a very good game, and like you said, a very underrated game, is our own Pokemon. That's a comedian, by the way. Hey, you wear many faces and hats. Listen, our own Pokemon core fans seem to disown this. So it was like we've been spoiled, and that's what I said. We've been spoiled on the Switch. We've been having every year a Pokemon game come out, and there's been made some great changes, and there's been some great games, and they just keep bringing these games thick and fast, and we become really, really spoiled. But us older gentlemen from a different generation, there was didn't there was a big gap. We had gaps in these games, so there's been so many games coming since we've had the Switch back in whenever it was 2017 when it came out, and I just feel like so many people haven't got this game because they're like, oh no, I've heard no one's tried it, everyone's just listened to a couple of reviews and not tried it for himself. Just because one person says it's bad doesn't mean it's bad. And on that note, just because I say it's good, don't take my word for it. Go and play it your bloody self.

SPEAKER_00 58:36

I feel like this game is good. You told me why reviews are subjective.

SPEAKER_06 58:42

Scott needs to do one minute reviews short for us on YouTube because they're brilliant.

SPEAKER_03 58:46

That was great. All right, so wow. I've I'm nervous because I've I'm writing names all over my piece of paper, by the way, because I keep remembering games that I put forward and then also shuddering in shame and thinking, well, gonna be another Switch video coming up on Seb's uh video share in a moment. So we will see. We will see indeed.

SPEAKER_02 59:09

Uh will we?

SPEAKER_00 59:11

All right, so next cast and chill. Micro Micro Machines 2. I'd be I would be so proud if it was Cast and Chill. I really would I'd be so proud. All right, here we go. The number four on the UCP Ponsies Game of the Year awards goes to No Man's Sky. No way. This should that geez is exactly how I how I said it when I saw the list. That's exactly what I said when I saw the list.

SPEAKER_06 59:48

Now, which one of us voted for this?

No Man’s Sky’s Big Comeback At #4

SPEAKER_03 59:50

Let me just say sit down and just listen in for a moment. Because if you were lucky enough to have acquired this game all the time. Those years ago, or possibly picked it up secondhand. This is the game that free off charge keeps on giving. I had the game at launch, I bounced off it, I enjoyed it. I wasn't a hater, I actually enjoyed that very sort of alone, isolated take on universal travel. Then we got the bases, then we got the freighters, then we got a slot of the vehicles and adaptables and new ways of paying playing, and vehicles and underwater bases. This game does subnautica if you want it to. It's got story within it, and this year they brought out the Corvette pack where you can literally build the ship of your dreams and live in it and have it as a mobile base. I'll be honest with you, I sunk over 150 hours from my reckoning back into No Man's Sky in 2025 alone, off the back of that update, and fell in love with it all over again. The VR on it is about the only thing worth dusting the VR2 off to sit in your spaceship that you've made and just wallow in the glory of it all. It is one hell of a package for what you get. It's also available on the Switch 2 in that full fat extravagance. I don't play it there, I play on PlayStation 5 because it looks absolutely awe-inspiring. And it keeps looking better and better each time. They won't leave it alone. I've I've done with my puff piece. I think Sean Murray is literally looking like a drained raisin after that absolute mouth job I gave him. I would say that's probably the journey of redemption that he was hoping for this whole time.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:51

I do have to say, like, looking at the gameplay footage, I actually like a lot what it of what I see, but I also acknowledge that I do, all jokes aside, this to me is way more valid than Witcher Switcher being on the list in the Year Our Lord 2025 because it did have a substantial like expansion this year.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:13

I mean, if you could put 150 hours into an expansion, yeah, a whole new game itself. So yeah, fair play. And George is probably you're probably pushing a thousand hours in total on this game over the many different things. I know, I think you'll be shocked because you've had two or three good stints of 200 hours plus, so I think you'd be quite surprised on that. But I think fair play because you love this game, and I remember you could stop talking about it with this Corvette update and how much fun you're having with it. So I think, yeah, brilliant. Fair play.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:49

I mean, it completely changed it, changes a lot of the game, too. So I'm like, I I think this is a a sound addition to the list. I I was shocked to see that it got this high, but you know, that's although it could crumbled.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:03

This is me regaining my credibility. Scott, you had a question for me.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:07

I did have a question for you, my uh furry little friend. Um imagine you're on holiday, imagine you're on holiday, you're relaxed, OG's there, you know, he's probably suing his pecs with some baby oil, you know, you're having a good time.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:19

Hey, Daniel, it's only it's only a week ago or two weeks ago, but the fact that you called him OG, yeah. I fucking love you like a brother, Scotty.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:30

I was listening, I was listening to that show and I thought to myself, do you know, Seb, I agree, right? We've got OG, we've got RGT, we've got OG, R G, one G, and then Seb's an OG, but I'm not sure what I am yet, so we've got to work that one out. Anyway, that one lesson was you. It was worth it.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:47

One G.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:47

One G. Um, right, so you're on a holiday. Uh there's some oil being massaged in the pets. Right, so anyway, out in the sea, you've left your three babies there, they're drowning. You can only save two of them. You've got to let one go. VR Kayak, No Man's Sky, and Anno. You can only save two. Which one you're letting them drown?

SPEAKER_06 1:04:08

He's got to save your children.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:10

No, I tell you what, mate.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:12

He's saving no man for sure. Yeah, it's gotta be no man's. I've clutched up no man, I've looked at kayak, it knows what I know, and it knows that the weak die. And then I scoop up Anno. Oh a silent tear runs down my face as the wave takes away kayak, and we both salty. It's indistinguishable from the sea. I barely even know. I'm crying at this point. It's like, well, fuck it, I've got these two now, we're soid. Another update comes on No Man's.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:49

It's not just running down his nose and such like that.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:53

Well, I would there would be a moment for kayak, don't get me wrong. It's like, oh uh, but eh. Come on, boys.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:00

I think it would have been a harder choice if you put outlaws as the third game, Scott, instead of kayak. Now that's that's a that's a triple threat. I want to see right there. See you, Outlaws.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:17

Don't tell me that's that's not in this list. Hold on, that might be in his list. Hold on. Rule number four now. That was no man's sky. Don't tell me that's number three.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:25

All right, so gentlemen. Welcome to hell. Your top number one side.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:30

This is the meat and meat.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:32

The top three games of the year. You got it written down, right? Yeah, y'all got it written down. The guesses are all tablets. Yeah, yeah. The gyrations have started. Everything's every it's a go time now, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:44

I've only written two games down. I did a miscalculation. Oh no! You didn't count to three! I couldn't count to three, guys.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:53

Alright, Scott, do you wanna you wanna count to three real quick? Um based on the information that you know. I've just got two. Okay, got two. Do you know what order you got them in? Yes. I do. Okay, cool, cool. RGT, you got yours calculated? Got three, yeah. Got three. And George, you're just ready to be shocked and amazed.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:15

I've just basically spewed up over a piece of a side of an Amazon parcel I tucked away to the side with some uh uh crayon I found. So professional as always.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:27

Yeah, here we go. I like it. Number three. And the third. I guess the bronzy? Are we gonna call it the bronzy? The bronzy. The third place award goes the bronzy of the pond.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:43

If we call it the bronzy, what are you gonna call the silver and gold?

SPEAKER_00 1:06:46

I have no idea. The Goldie. Goldie sounds nice for yeah, but I don't know about the silver. Silverado.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:58

Silver back gorilla.

Expedition 33 Breaks Through At #3

SPEAKER_00 1:06:59

Yeah. It's gotta be. Ladies and gentlemen, our third game is for those who come after it. It is Claire Obscure Expedition 33. With seventeen points. 17.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:18

I I put it up there myself. I don't know. I I forgot.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:22

With seventeen points. Here's some here's and then now we're getting to some stats because they they gave us some stats based on our list. Oh wow. Expedition 33 has one number one overall pick, according to the four of us. It is officially wins the award for JRPG breakout hit of the year. It is R. In two of our lists, it is a top four placement. In two of our lists, surely placement. And yeah. And it only appeared, only didn't appear basically in one game, in one person's list. It was, it looks like. Absolute craziness of domination here.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:11

Did you put this in, George?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:15

No, I put it in. You can't believe I pulled it in. Uh I didn't. Did I put it in? No, no, I'm no, I'm playing. It was only on two people's lists. Oh, okay. I'm playing. It was only on two people's lists. That was me being very aspirational, if it was. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:31

I figured you must have played that in not three days.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:34

Uh all right, so Scott and I were the only ones who actually played the game. And Scott, do you have anything you want to say about uh you know Expedition 33?

SPEAKER_01 1:08:47

Uh I can say similar about Expedition 33 as I have for Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. No, you have not. My game has been very, very briefly played. I've uh spent a lot of time watching my friend play it. Uh he's been successful, that's successful. It's been he's been he's been holding the controller, and I've been holding his stick, if you know what I mean, and we've been playing it together, baby.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:12

The analogue gadget. Oh, that's romantic.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:14

Yeah, yeah. I've been yeah, it's a bit stick drift, but you know, put the clutch down, stick it back in, it's fine.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:20

Sticky flam down, flip it in reverse it, Scotty baby. So I have gotten um extremely hands-on with this. I've I've rolled credits, and I think this is the best RPG, probably JRPG for sure, of the last like five years. I think this game is going to be remembered as the Final Fantasy VII of this generation. Like, to where we revere Final Fantasy VII as like a video game community. I think we're going to look back at this game in that same way.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:49

I think you're right. I I haven't even played it, but it just seemed to have taken over everyone that's but I've never heard a bad word about it. Everyone that's playing it, it took people by surprise, I think. Um a lot of big YouTubers and that that played it were just you know who are into this style of game was just blown away by it. I think it's for an indie game, it's uh a real, real success, I think. And uh yeah, fair play of the game.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:11

I think let's be real. I've yeah, I think it's gonna be on I think it's gonna be on the lists next year. I think the honesty is like you say, everyone who's played it says how good it is, you won't hear a bad thing. The truth is, if we had all played it, this would be number one. It could have been number one, and I already know that this game will probably feature mid-table pretty decent next year because it's got some legs on it. It is absolutely astonishing, and even like really highly critiqued editors and everyone, everyone is just you won't find much negativity around this game, it's almost pretty much flawless and very original. Yet, like you say, it's taken different great bits from different games, and the fact that it is kind of like a an indie studio, it's just for me, I think like it's just come out of nowhere, really. It's such such a big important game of 2025, and this could have been number one, and I think it's gonna win a lot of awards. I'm sure it already has, to be honest.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:07

It has officially outside of the Ponzies, it has officially broken the Guinness World Records for a game. A most game of the year is won in a single year.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:16

This is our moment, RGT. So get them on the phone, get that trophy, that and get the most Mickey Mouse looking trophy you can find.

SPEAKER_06 1:11:25

Like, yeah, but the problem is everyone else is everyone else is given game of the year, and we give it third, third, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:32

But that shows that shows that shows the level of competition out there and how that we still value it. We go, is it third place? That's like wow, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:11:40

And then when the developers say to me, Oh, okay, we got third what one, oh true crime streets of LA PS2.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:47

Wait, what are worse, what else was on the list? And you're like, Persona 4.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:54

Hey, no, at this point, they're just looking to hoover up any gongs they can get their hands on. So yeah, RGT, get get on, uh get on to Farmerton trophies, get uh put it on the account. I'll add it to the list.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:06

Nah, but yeah, this game is absolutely sensational. And for those of you who haven't oh, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:12

Sorry, I was just gonna say for anyone who hasn't heard much about this game and haven't caught up with a back catalogue, it was so many months ago when Seb was describing this game to George, and it's got to be the funniest 10 minutes ever because George is trying to pick the story up and he just kind of started questioning things. He was going, Hold on a minute. So, could there be one where they get to be toddlers and then they die? And then like it was absolutely hilarious. I really enjoyed that. So get in the back catalogue, there's some great stories.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:39

I remember that now, like Expedition 3, if it keeps going badly, and technically that could be a thing.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:44

I think it does go badly, it does things do go south, but yeah, it's it's such a good story. Uh, it's I think this game is like it's going to revolutionize the way that emie games are developed going forward as well for a lot of the studios. So yeah, I I I can't I can't say enough good things about this. I think like phenomenal work. I think um it looks awesome, by the way.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:08

Yeah, uh this is why I said I think I think you um the more on the I would absolutely love it. And I know I've just got an insane battle of stuff I need to work through. Maybe this just puts it!

SPEAKER_04 1:13:19

The witcher on Switch.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:22

I've still got PS1 games I haven't finished, Sebastian. What do you want me to do?

SPEAKER_00 1:13:28

As Kylo Rand said, just put put them to the side. Let them die. Let them die. Let it die. But um, no, it's nah, it's it's one of those to where like I I fully feel like I'm gonna face like uh the what I'm feeling when I see the game of the year list where I was like years ago was it's like y'all need to play cyberpunk, cyberpunk needs to be on this list, dog. And I'm like, I'm gonna, there's gonna be a future in three years where this is gonna make the list very strongly because y'all are now just playing it. Because y'all are now just playing it.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:04

We're real gamers. With real gamer problems, we've got more games than sense.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:12

I think it's the fact that y'all go back to cozy, the cozy games. Y'all, y'all are and y'all don't want to eat at a new restaurant, y'all like just give me my fast food that I've been eating for a long time.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:23

We're all like really loyal men. Look at us.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:26

This was some of the diversity. Just this week, I played Playboy on the PlayStation 2, and I also played Spice World on the PS1.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:34

That's why that's why we all we all that's why we haven't got around to playing all these games. That's a Sony exclusively developed title, Spice World, by the way. Yeah, that's so funny. That's so collective.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:46

If you've got a one fight, you're collecting Seb. The fact that you asked me why, I'll tell you why. I was flicking for a cheat book and I come across a cheat for the game, and I went, Oh, that's interesting. I watched your short on this. It's so funny. Yeah, it was a cheat to remove the clothes from the Spice Girls, and it actually worked.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:04

Yeah, whoa M G. Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:08

George is on CEX.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:10

I've already got it, dude. Oh, no. I just need to know the cheat.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:13

Madness, madness.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:16

Have you not got it, RGT?

SPEAKER_06 1:15:18

Oh, no. I had a yeah, I sold it. I want games I'm gonna play. I want games I'm gonna play.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:25

Listen to me. In an off-air call between you and I, you will end up rebuying that game.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:30

No, I will thousand percent. No, no, spice world. Come on, George. You're a coming.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:36

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, uh, for our silverback gorilla award.

SPEAKER_07 1:15:39

You're a gonna serve games! How damn it's gonna be a good one.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:42

Which is our second place award for the Ponzi of the Year. Ladies and gentlemen, coming in at number two is Let me guess the pit itself.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:54

Ball X Pit.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:57

I thought this was one. I thought this was winning.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:00

Ball X is my number two ball X Pit.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:04

Ball X Pit is number two.

SPEAKER_06 1:16:07

I couldn't win.

Ball XP Ascends To #2

SPEAKER_00 1:16:09

With a number, with a whopping 21 cumulative points, appearing on three people's list. The first game out of the list so far to appear on three lists, one overall number one pick, very strong, and strong cross-po cross-platform love. It is the most is the game that has appeared on the list across multiple platforms the most. So that means like we were playing this all over the place. Now, that is absolutely insane. Bollock's Pit is the number two game on the list. George, as the person who hasn't played this game, do you have anything to say?

SPEAKER_03 1:16:54

I I've heard this talked about obviously in the what you've been playing section of the show. Various people have uh brought this to my feet, laid it down. Uh the next coming of Jesus. And look, I get it, it looks great. Um, it's just probably not my cup of tea. Um equally so I didn't think Vampire, um, whatever it was called, was my cup of tea, but I spent a lot of time on that in the end. So whatever it was called, vampire survivors, uh survivors for sure. And you know, I can see the appeal for this, so but I I'll be honest with you. I was expecting this to be Star Wars Outlaws Switch edition, so I'm I'm a little bit disappointed that it's it's this. So, yeah, it's deserving second place of the Ponces, I guess. You probably ought to speak to someone who's played it to be fair.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:54

I think the reason why it done so well, yeah. I think the reason why this done so well is obviously Seb is king of the Indies, right? He always finds his games first, and then years later, they get passed along, and then me and RGT will play them on a lesser version. Well, I will especially. Now, I think the reason why this hit popularity so high is it very quickly came over to the Switch. At one point, it was trending number three in the charts, higher than any triple A Nintendo game. It did the rounds of the UCP universe. I talked about it on my YouTube. Seb was waxing lyrical about it on the single player experience. At one point, he described it as he was seeing um ball evolutions in his dreams, he said at one point. Yeah, for sure. It was literally one of those games, you know, where and you saw you said about it last week on the show, um, RGT and George. You know, when you get stuck into a game and you're thinking about it when you're at work, I can't wait to get back and play it. And for me, this was one of those games. And RGT, you always describe these roguelikes as the same sort of feeling I have. It's perfect for everyone who's got limited time because it's just, I'll do one more run, I'll do one more run. Don't need much focus, quick 10-15 minutes, and it was brilliant. And a bit like you're seeing on the screen now for those who are watching on YouTube. This part of the game reminded you a bit of like Cult of the Lamb, where actually was something to do between runs. Not all of the um uh that sort of genre game has that element to it, so it was quite nice to sort of have your little village that it was building before you go out, and all the different unlockable characters. There was a lot to it. It is a really, really phenomenal game. If you take one thing from this show today, that should be the game. If you haven't heard nothing about it, just go and get it. I think it's under 15 pounds, and I can guarantee you you will not be disappointed. You'll definitely get your money's worth. Very good game.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:46

It is, it is extremely good. Um, what were you gonna say, Argentine, about it?

SPEAKER_06 1:19:50

Um, I had this as my number one um for basic reason. Um, great, great value of money. Um Great value for money. Um, a real unique roguelike. Um, I described it as sort of like uh breakout across the game ground. People probably don't know what game ground is because I'm sure my age, but like Scott said, that that inner world of when you finished a run isn't just something to look at between games, it's another game in itself. So you're not just running, come about, doing a run, come about, you've got that there as well to build up to help you on your runs, are such a clever idea. Um, and also from a game which is like an um automatic move and breakout clone roguelike to then have a almost city building pinball game in the middle for you to gain materials to improve your character's genius. I think it's absolutely brilliant. It's more in-depth than you give it credit for, but it's easy to pick up and play, and you learn as you go along. There's no wrong way of doing it. Um, I think it's brilliant, and exactly what you know, second what Scott says, in a time when I was very busy and struggling to play a big hundred-hour RPG, this slotted in an absolute treat to keep getting those little runs, 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there, you know, half an hour before you go to bed. Absolutely brilliant. Um, I think this was uh yeah, an absolutely brilliant game of 2025.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:16

So I've I've got a question, if I may, for Scott in particular. Is this a warming embrace after a hard day at work? Is it like uh give me a bit of ball XP? This is what I want. This is and all your problems just dissipate out the window because you're just focused in on this in that one more run. Is it a cosy feeling? Is it somewhere nice to escape to?

SPEAKER_01 1:21:39

Yeah, it's it's no stress, it's not like high pressure. Even when you get say the enemies come right down the map because you're you're sort of moving up, they're coming down at you. A bit like devilish sort of thing on the game gear. What a throwback to Game Gear. No one's heard that game Scott. Move on, get with the times. You don't when it gets to that. I'm already on it, like a rash. Nice all over it, but thank you very much. But yeah, when you have that moment of realizing, oh no, this is it, I can no longer hold on. Again, because you've got that inner game after, you know you'll be able to come back stronger and then go out again. It's not the end of the world, and you try out these different characters, and you might not have you might have got further before. It's not the end of the world, it's just it is the enjoyment in the run. It's not like it's all doom and gloom, and you know, there's other games, and I'm sure they're gonna be coming up very soon.

SPEAKER_06 1:22:29

Yeah, it's just that one analogue stick, you know. This that you're watching this now thinking, oh, this is like a bullet hell shooter, but it's not, it plays so well, and you're just cruising round with the analogue stick round to keep going in and out of the bullets, it's brilliant. It plays so well, you know. It's not it's not as hectic as it looks on there to actually play. It's very, very good.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:48

Very, very if you was very good, you could actually turn on you. Um, because it's automatically turned off. The it's it's automated, isn't it? You can turn it off if you're not too.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:57

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:58

I mean, cool, not for me, but we're going.

SPEAKER_06 1:23:01

Yeah, brilliant.

Hades 2 Crowned Game Of The Year

SPEAKER_00 1:23:02

And also you can like it. This can be as stressful as you want it to be, because like there is a mechanic that I think you unlock it fairly early in the game, but it allows you to adjust the speed rate of like oh yeah, yeah, yeah. So I'm like, uh, so I'm like, you can make the balls come at you fast and furious, or you can, you know, take this you know, very slowly, like a waltz. And it is like it's such a unique combination of things we've already seen before in video games, and I think that's like it takes like the arcade-ness of rogue, uh, of like the rogue genre, and puts it on just just tiny bits of things that you have seen before, and and combines that all like such in a good fashion that it feels good to play and it and the progression feels very satisfying. And one of the things I really love about this game is the fact that like you're unlocking all these characters um through the mini-game that you play outside of the world, and all these characters play vastly different, and so like all your like your strategies change every single run. Yeah, and then there's like there's mechanics that help you evolve. Eventually, you'll be able to take like multiple people with you on your journey, multiple characters, and that also changes and formulas different strategies. And so it is like um I think it was Kenny's son or Kenny Smith um who like designed this game, and it it's such it's such a cool concept to see it come to life. And yeah, I can't I can't say any more good things about this game other than the fact that I look I it's I played this game to completion and I'm so excited that he's putting out more of it for free. I'm like, he's already added the first big installment of this game, I think like this this past week. So I'm like, yeah, if you haven't played this game and you feel like you love rogue rogue games, whether it be like um um Bro Tato, um, whether it be like Slay the Spire or anything else, like this is one game that you can probably just pick up and play on your mobile PCR, your your Switch, whichever one you prefer. So, yeah, that is our number two game, everybody. Oh, now I'm super nervous. Number one. We all know what it is. Oh my goodness. We all know we know what it is. Come on, guys. Number one. Alright, before we get to this, we do have we do have some though, we do have some other awards called the extras. The ex the extras, so to speak.

SPEAKER_06 1:25:40

Shout out the massage parlor. He's in he's giving he's leaving us hanging here, leaving us hanging.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:46

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:47

Um in I'm even in here now looking and I'm like.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:52

I call this the side quest. So, our most passionate pick, aka the most passionate pick that that was submitted, No Man's Sky, the biggest indie um consensus uh was Ball X Pit. The uh biggest surprise hit of the year, Ball X Pit. The best JRPG or turn-based game, Claire Expedition 33, the Legacy Game of the Year, Legacy Game of the Year, The Witcher 3, the Switch 2 MVP, Ball X Pit.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:25

So here comes Hogwarts Legacy on a Switch 2.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:32

That is so funny. Alright, our number one, our number one game of the year is and the Ponti goes to Hades. Yeah, it's gotta be Hades.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:49

Oh, look at this.

SPEAKER_06 1:26:51

I thought there'd be a lot of votes for this.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:53

I thought there'd be a lot of votes for this. Gentlemen, yeah, winning the ballad by only two points. Only two points is Hades 2. It appeared in three people's list. It was a top two placement for two list. It is by no means imaginable. Our clear, consistent uh consistent one number one game of the year, Hades 2. Ladies and gentlemen, voted on three people's list. And viewer, just take a moment. Guess who didn't put this on the list?

SPEAKER_06 1:27:32

Just um I'd imagine he's got a cap on back to front.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:37

Just guess who didn't put this on the list. So guys, George, um, as the person who committed blasphemy and didn't put it on the list, do you have any excuse why you didn't play Hades 2 this year?

SPEAKER_03 1:27:51

I've been disconnected from most ecosystems, to be honest with you. I've just sort of moving house, just not really feeling like a commit to any game, so just blindly through hundreds of hours into drivel um people's eyes.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:10

Interviewing the losing squad in the world cup. I'm starting to get a lot of people. Let me finish. Let me finish. Let me finish.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:18

The reason why I asked this question is because the committee the committee wrote out this. Um, can you ask this man why he didn't have this game on his list? He might he might mention he might mention the fact that he did not have he, you know, maybe he was this wasn't the platform of choice, maybe it wasn't available on his platform, but that can't be the case because the Witcher 3 switched to his most played system of the year, switched to according to the list. Hades 2. It's a big game, some would say the biggest. Switch two game. George, what is going on here? You had to play it. You it was on your console, your most played console of the year, according to your list. Why didn't you play the bollocks pit or Hades 2?

SPEAKER_03 1:29:14

Like I say, I just happy are playing this my my little my happy games. Um I know, you know, some years I'm others seeing the Zight Guys this year. Like Scott says, you know, what makes a bad dad, eh? Uh I don't know. There's a dark one for you. Stephen Graham reference again. Two in a row. Let me tell you. Anyway, um, what can I say? No excuses. Uh, as a host of a mainstream podcast about modern video games, I will be honest. I'm glad that I've got co-hosts that carry me and keep me relevant. You know, I'm just here for the odd innuendo these days and probably stare at the wall a little blankly. So I'm I'm glad to be on the Ponzies if I'm honest with you. Uh you're making the tea next year.

unknown 1:30:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:13

When do we get an invite? So, George, the comedian and I did a little digging before we show called Flashback occasionally. George, the comedian and I did a little um digging, and we um calculated everyone's list uh since the inauguration of the Ponce Awards. Is this further pain? Yeah, yeah, a little bit. It's a little bit. Yeah, it's a little bit of a call-out. It's a hostile takeover if a monster. It is a little bit you, the committee and all of this, yeah. No, no, no. So so you've done according to the statistics, you know. Only 13% out of all the games you submitted, only 13% of those games are not triple A games. Well would you say that you have a preference, sir? Yeah. Does it have to have a budget behind it?

SPEAKER_03 1:31:12

The message. Let's what what message is this? Just refresh me on this. Is this a good message? So I'm a double A person.

SPEAKER_00 1:31:17

No, no. I I think you're I think you're just the king of AAA. Maybe, maybe if it doesn't, if it isn't like big bold and flashing, you're not touching that bad boy. Yeah, I'll roll like that. Yeah, I'll roll it. I was like, maybe that's it. I was like, you need can chill this year.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:36

Seb not for me to want to bring in a bucket and douse the flames that I think you're trying to fan in my direction. I appreciate that. No, no, I'm just curious. Uh but it wasn't that long ago. I sat here with my arm up on the microphone stand like this, talking to you very deeply about a game called U-Boat. And I don't think that's flashy. I certainly don't think it's triple A. So I'm now the king of the Indies. This is how this is showing up. You're the king of the Indies. Let me flip the narrative because this is what we did. This is how the only way I survive.

SPEAKER_00 1:32:12

That is so funny. That is so funny. Um, but we did uh before we talk about Hades 2, guys, we did um some more stats here, and it showed Scott, you are out of all the games that you submitted since you've been submitting games, 80% of those have been Switch games. No, but RGT man. RGT, you have been sensational at being multi-platformed. Out of all the games you out of all the games you submitted, you do have a preference, but 59% across multiple platforms. Amazing, man. Amazing. You're getting around. No problem, Seb. Thank you very much. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:32:55

And then who had who had sorry. Oh, go ahead, go ahead. I was gonna say who had who had the most games succeed? I feel like 80% of my my list was in here very highly. But who's the game of mine wasn't?

SPEAKER_00 1:33:10

I do have I do have that stat. I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you, I'm I'm gonna tell you after after we're done. Um, before we begin with that though, guys, Haiti 2, Hades 2, game of the year. Uh RGT, where's where do you feel like do you feel like this is like you're appropriate? You had this game ranked pretty high on your list.

SPEAKER_06 1:33:28

Yeah, I well, I had this at seven. The reason I had it at seven is when I when I put the list, I was still um early into the game.

SPEAKER_00 1:33:35

Yeah.

New Rules, Predictions, And 2026 Hopes

SPEAKER_06 1:33:36

Um, and I keep chipping away at the game. Now, this would have been higher, this could have been a number one if I'd have played up to where I am now. Hades two for me, um Hades one is just a superb game. The music, the setting, the cell-shaded graphics, the way it plays. So I always thought this is going to be a high bar to set, as me and George say, difficult second album. Um, so then when I bought it, I got it on Switch 2, which surprised me straight away because my TV's telling me 120 frames per second. I thought, right, brilliant for this game, that's what we need. Runs absolutely smoothly, looks gorgeous. It's got that music which isn't overpowering, but you always know the songs. Um, it's got the story, yeah. It's got Hades, but it's Hades and added on. I haven't gone crazy, you haven't tried to change a whole formula. You've still got the Hades you love, but you've got these little extra bits, you've got a little bit of crafting, a little bit of spells you can do in your cauldron. All these little things add up to making it the ultimate Hades experience, but you still have that lovely artwork, you still have that lovely music, you still have an awesome gameplay, which you just want to keep going and going and going. Um, it's what I would call one of the king of roguelikes, um, as as a you know, big brother before it. So, yeah, it's a great game. I'd recommend anyone to get it on whatever platform you can get it on. It's very addictive, and there's hours and hours of fun to be having with this great, great game. So, yeah, Hades 2 is well deserved of this award.

SPEAKER_00 1:35:08

Scott, you had this game on your list as well. Do you have any any glowing things to say? How do you feel about this game being number one of the R.

SPEAKER_01 1:35:15

Yeah? I mean, I I echo what RGT says, but to sum it up in much fewer words, for me, Hades was a game of the year, and Hades 2 delivered exactly what Hades did. However, it it did improve, and I we we all couldn't see how it could improve. We was like, if it just gets close to it, we'll be happy with another game. But they did all of that, made it look better, added more to it, added more depth. So I knew I mean it sounds ridiculous, at a minimal, it had to be because Hades 1 was a game of the year contender, and it's delivered more than that, it overachieved.

SPEAKER_06 1:35:51

And what I will say as well, which is very rare, sorry to jump in there, Scott, is it's a game that when it released, and I popped in message to just play perfectly. The game does, it was a finished game. There's you didn't there wasn't like glitches, there wasn't no slowdown, there was nothing, it just played perfect, which is hats off to them. Well done.

SPEAKER_00 1:36:11

And you know the crazy thing about that is it's like you had you just put popped it in and played for perfectly. It's also a smaller file size than Hades 1. Yes, it is, yeah. That is absolutely insane. It's so much more content, it is such like so much more content, clever programming that.

SPEAKER_03 1:36:28

Yeah, or is that a result of it being onto newer platforms and therefore they can compress the files and yeah, they compress a bit now, don't know. They upload them a bit quicker, so you only need one asset instead of 10.

SPEAKER_00 1:36:39

So um the developer did an interview about this, and he basically said it's because like um the first game used pre-rendered 2D models, and the second game it's actually 3D models. And interesting. Yeah, it's actually modern 3D models, but it's been but considering they're smaller and more compressed, and they were able to add more content and make the file size smaller. Because like on those 2D models, if they had to keep stacking and stacking and stacking files in there to make everything work. On the 3D models, it was basically just like you know, the rendering is a lot different with 3D models versus 2D modeling.

SPEAKER_03 1:37:17

So I think that, yeah, so combined with the new file read systems, then that's that is actually the case. It's interesting. Because if you're doing those passes and those renders and hand-drawn renders, you've got to go grab them every single time.

SPEAKER_00 1:37:31

There's a lot to do. Yeah, so I'm like, it went from like Hades 1 being like I think it was like 20 gigs last time I looked at it, and Hades 2 is like 8 to 10. And it is it's that it's absolutely insane. Guys, before we get to our final awards here, our final stats, we do have, you know, some patrons we need to shout out. Do we want to go ahead and do those real quick? Let's let's do that.

SPEAKER_03 1:37:56

So in my mind, we should announce these as winners. I think we should come up with an award for each person.

SPEAKER_01 1:38:05

That's a great shout.

SPEAKER_03 1:38:07

Seeing as it's the Ponces. I don't know where it came from. I think you're right, it's not a bad idea. Uh probably RGT subconsciously implanted it in my brain two weeks ago. Uh so who wants to go first?

SPEAKER_06 1:38:21

Um I'll go first if you like. Yeah, the marvellous and brilliant guy working behind the scenes all the time, 24 hours a day. It's Captain Scarlet. Um and I am gonna give him the the award of the UCP workhorse underdog for all what he does, and he never really says a word about it. He just joins in with the Discord, he joins in with down on the show, but uh in the background, this guy is doing stuff daily for us from websites to graphics, and I just think you deserve your little award. So well done, Captain Scarlet.

SPEAKER_03 1:39:02

Okay, I'm spiralling, I don't know what to do. So who wants to go next? Or would you like me to? Because I just don't know.

SPEAKER_06 1:39:10

You go next, George.

SPEAKER_04 1:39:12

Ooh, now that feels like a I'll take it.

SPEAKER_03 1:39:16

So up next, an award uh to a great man. The award, I think you've got to do the award first as well, because it puts you on the spot a bit more. Uh you gotta do right, so this man's won an award for the uh greatest retro short creator while also being one of the most handsome men to ever grace a picture with Scott and Pete Arnoir. It is the only winner, it's retro ed. What an absolute legend. Did I get his name right? Did I pronounce the French properly Scottish or not? How would you say?

SPEAKER_06 1:39:56

Oh nice, good. Next. Scott.

SPEAKER_01 1:40:02

Uh this next man is written down as Carlos, but we all know him as the one man. Is it the one man George fan club? Is that the club?

SPEAKER_03 1:40:12

One man army fan club. I need no others but many call to his banner.

SPEAKER_01 1:40:19

So I can't agree. The award we should be given Carlos, really, is the award of I I mean he's just solely supporting you, really. I mean, how would you do that?

SPEAKER_06 1:40:35

That should be a lifetime achievement award, really.

SPEAKER_03 1:40:37

Yeah, it's maybe he wins the award for most masochistic listener.

SPEAKER_01 1:40:48

Most sincere. It's like he's took an injured dog to a vet, and the dog's unwell, it's a bit injured, it's playing up games, it's not played ball expit, it's not played Hades 2. He's thinking I should probably put this dog down, but he's like, No, right. Oh that dog is me! He's got a few more years left in him. I'm gonna support him. Yes, so much, I'm gonna start a fan club. Yeah, I don't know what award I've just described, but Carlos, we just award.

SPEAKER_06 1:41:20

There you go.

SPEAKER_03 1:41:20

The Battersea Dogs Home for Caring award goes to Carlos. Absolutely. What a legend.

SPEAKER_01 1:41:25

Yeah, and a great pair of nipples.

SPEAKER_00 1:41:30

So you're up next. And the award for I'm just gonna say it like this. One of the best supporters in the business, ladies and gentlemen, the award goes to Ferb Returns. He got boost just because you did it in such a highbrow way. Bit of a I'm I'm I'm gonna commit to every single one.

SPEAKER_06 1:41:56

I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do a double award for the next one. That's gonna be another lifetime achievement for how long they've been supporting the show. Show was done from their restaurant. We're gonna go with trestles in New York.

SPEAKER_01 1:42:12

And there's rumours going around that the committee gathered in there to slang us off.

SPEAKER_06 1:42:18

They were eating wings, all in black hoods round a special round table. Bobby's in the committee. Chairman.

SPEAKER_03 1:42:27

Mind blown. I listened to the unofficial controller movie. I don't know why, because it cropped up that someone in El Paso had listened to the El Paso episode. And I thought seeing as some time has passed, what does that sound like to me? It was like, yeah, that's a ride.

SPEAKER_06 1:42:49

Yeah, that's a trip.

SPEAKER_03 1:42:53

Uh oh, crikey, is it me? Uh right, okay. Up next award for the the sexiest displayed Dreamcast collection and finest dedication to the Yakusa franchise, including adorning himself in the Yakusa ink itself. It's the handsome, it's the most beautiful man north of the border. In fact, some would argue everywhere. Great family man, love to you all. It's Roe Space Monk. Superb keeper of the peace.

SPEAKER_01 1:43:34

You're up next, Scott? Well, it's next award goes to the spaghetti eating, the Forza Horizon driving, the football shirt wearing, the Italian maestro man himself. He's a bad, bad man. It's a bad pink star.

SPEAKER_00 1:43:51

Oh, I like that, the delivery and everything. Ladies, ladies and gentlemen, spaghetti eating those are all small. Yeah, I was like, I was about to run through a wall for that man. I was like, let's go. Oh man, that's gonna be a tough fact to follow. And the award for the best alliteration of the list, he is the best, best, best sounding name to actually say uh out loud because it has a little fun little little little thing you can do at the end of it. It does, it really does. It is tingle tuna. Big Duna.

SPEAKER_03 1:44:34

Uh who's next?

SPEAKER_06 1:44:36

That's me next. Yes. Next up, we have one of them goddamn Winchester boys. He's like a supernatural reference.

SPEAKER_04 1:44:49

I'll tell you, I say one thing once, and my god, you it's to regret it.

Patron “Awards” And Closing Toast

SPEAKER_06 1:44:54

There's AI artwork at this a lot. Um green, and I'm gonna give him the ward um as the quiz master because this guy has done he's now got a little quiz section on there where he drops quizzes in every now and then we can do when we're at work. He has done an awesome quiz for our 300 fep legends and done a great prize for that as well. He has done challenge accepted persistently every month for us. Um absolute beast. He's dedicated, he's a great guy, he is the quiz master, he is Digital Monkery. Thank you for all you do, young man. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 1:45:30

I'm scared of the lore that I've created about him being a copycat saw killer, and the artworks appeared today. I just see the most devious traps being laid. Little friendly now to lull you in, but sooner or later there's gonna be a console look for grabs in the dark room. Sorry, sorry.

SPEAKER_06 1:45:50

Yeah, no, what I was thinking was for Lord George, get it gone if this goes so fast, the documentary will become between you from the start of it. I never meant for this to happen.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:05

I never meant for any of this to happen. Who's what's next?

SPEAKER_06 1:46:10

That's you now.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:12

Yeah, I feel I'm being cakewalked into a corner here, but I get the legendary. Uh, this is the award for the Tony Hook's award for dedication to skateboarding throughout your life. All the skins, all the grazes, all the pain, all the 360 inverted. In fact, he's 360 inverted more than any other human being, so he's technically listened to more of the show than anybody. It's all boredom.

SPEAKER_06 1:46:40

Bubba long board, surfboard, skateboard. He's done it all and still keeps doing it.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:45

So ironing board skirting board as well, is he?

SPEAKER_06 1:46:50

Yeah, he's done surfing, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:52

Skirting board, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:46:54

Yeah, yeah, skirt and board, absolute legend of skirt and boards. Yeah, absolutely brilliant. Iron and board, he'll kick flip back.

SPEAKER_03 1:47:01

That's for you on the realists, Scotty. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:47:04

So that took me a second, that one. Sorry, yeah, bodyboarding a lot. Right, let me channel my energy up. Who have I got that? This next award goes for the cosplay wearing, ghost face caring, camouflage wearing, call of duty slaying, the OG of the UCP, going brown like a derelict seafront town. Oh is Boba.

SPEAKER_06 1:47:26

That is superb. You're spitting the lyrics.

SPEAKER_04 1:47:29

Get that on a t-shirt and boba wearing that.

SPEAKER_00 1:47:34

Yeah, Mrs. Intel. You're about to make me throw my glasses.

SPEAKER_06 1:47:39

I was waiting for Scott just to drop his mic, then. Yeah, for real.

SPEAKER_03 1:47:45

Something happened though, where a bit of interference came and he almost channeled like some spectral being into it. Yeah, he did.

SPEAKER_02 1:47:52

He went full Max Edricks, incredible. Oh brilliant, thank you. Seriously, I'm tired of going after this man, right?

SPEAKER_00 1:47:58

Oh I think it's the bow tie. I think that's what it is. You man, they need you as a ringing out of the next big fight night. The bow tie just Easter egg. Make sure you got them all. That was so good. All right. Um help me out, guys, because I don't want to be. Why who's next? Is it me? It's me.

SPEAKER_03 1:48:23

Oh, award for the most loving stepson, not in a relationship with his stepfather anymore, but still loved very much by him.

SPEAKER_06 1:48:31

Or say that or the platinum king because he's now on well over 700 platinums and places. Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 1:48:38

I love that. Ladies and gentlemen, the the this next award goes to the king of the platinums. It is the one, the only ginger. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 1:48:50

I think that's actually croppable and used as his ringtone.

SPEAKER_06 1:48:54

Yes, probably. Um, next up we have the Lord of Darkness himself. I am gonna give him an award for the best dressed supporter in our Discord. That goes to Harvey Retro. The man is pure class, absolute pure class, and thank you for your long-term support as always. Thank you. Thank you to everyone. Have we got next to George?

SPEAKER_04 1:49:30

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 1:49:32

Wow. Um, the award for the most amazing person that's travelled worldwide promoting the show. Most definitely is a very most exclusive lady. You won't find her on any of your two penny apps. It's a wonderful, magnificent thank you for all your support. All joking aside, Emma, it's incredible. Emma Sharp.

SPEAKER_01 1:50:00

No longer on the apps, we must clarify on behalf of OG.

SPEAKER_06 1:50:04

Never was, so carry on.

SPEAKER_01 1:50:06

Never was never. Still got it that didn't get said, but okay, we'll move on. Right. I did say it. I did say it in a gentle way. I I I was rolling around in my car, George. I really appreciated that. I really do. And I apologize for another year. Right. Who we got next? Up next, we have the award for where is he? He who can't be seen. He who can't be found, faster than light, speed, combined, and sound. All we know is he's nowhere to be found because he's not in Berlin. Where is he?

SPEAKER_06 1:50:40

This is legendary, Scott. I don't know how you'll write lyrics, is quick.

SPEAKER_01 1:50:47

That's what I do.

SPEAKER_03 1:50:49

I can't even compute what just happened. Um, but I love it. Uh okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:50:57

Who's next? Seb. Ladies and gentlemen, next we have the mommy of the UCP. The we would just say the mommy of the year, according to the UCP. Damn straight.

SPEAKER_04 1:51:09

Ma mumsey. Wow.

SPEAKER_03 1:51:15

That's got a big one.

SPEAKER_02 1:51:18

No, it's mumsey.

SPEAKER_06 1:51:22

Wow. Right. Next up we have. Oh, this has fell right rather well for me.

SPEAKER_07 1:51:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:51:31

We have the greatest fan club of all time, the greatest fan club we've ever had. It is the RGT fan club, and they get an award for money saving. They get a money saving.

SPEAKER_04 1:51:46

The most frugal mate.

SPEAKER_06 1:51:47

Yeah. They knew they couldn't afford the top dollar on their own, so they combine forces to make sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:51:54

Look, I want to see more of it in 2026. Um, there's gonna be 20,000 names on this list, so they're gonna need to ratchet up and combine to make it work. Yes, yes. So um so there might only be another two extra people, but there's ten thousand each in the neutral.

SPEAKER_06 1:52:11

So thank you, RGT fan club, as always. We got next to George.

SPEAKER_03 1:52:16

That's getting outrageous. Okay, up next. Uh an award for a man that is so strong that the other day he sneered in revulsion at someone who'd parked in a space he was trying to reverse into. And that that sneer sent shockwaves around the earth and caused a mudslide somewhere in Thailand, killing two.

SPEAKER_02 1:52:44

Damn.

SPEAKER_03 1:52:45

Award for that dark, bad dark award for most people killed with a sneer, Pete Brocklehurst.

SPEAKER_06 1:52:53

Wow. Damn.

SPEAKER_03 1:52:56

Unknowingly, unknowingly, unknowingly, unknowingly.

SPEAKER_06 1:52:59

That is unknowingly. That's bought the atmosphere down a bit.

SPEAKER_03 1:53:02

For real.

SPEAKER_06 1:53:03

Yeah, save us. Yes, anything cheerful award will do.

SPEAKER_01 1:53:10

I'm gonna about to blur the lines of PG yet again. This next award goes to spread me, lick me, taste me, tease me, dip me in garlic dip, baby, because I'm not cheesy. All we do know is he's got a big willy, and we call him Billy. It's Billy Marmite. Oh my god. I didn't have enough time with that one, I'll be honest.

SPEAKER_02 1:53:34

That was that was perfect. Thank you. Was that his award?

SPEAKER_01 1:53:40

Uh his award is just for having an absolute huge dong. Yeah, that's what I've given him. Awesome.

SPEAKER_03 1:53:45

I remember when the show's clean.

SPEAKER_01 1:53:48

Hey, hey, you said no, you said no swears, and I've stuck to that.

SPEAKER_03 1:53:54

No, you have, and I didn't, and I've let loose. I've I've yeah, you're right. So hang on a minute, we've got one last person.

SPEAKER_00 1:54:02

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the last name needs no further introductions. He needs no awards. He, because he gets an award every single week, he deserves it. He gets his name chanted out like a god among men. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Fred Z.

SPEAKER_06 1:54:29

Oh, the balls! Oh, is that a double bust? Whoa. Even even the mic went, I can't I can't air this. I can't air this. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 1:54:41

I think it was a ghost thief because he was doing getting all tantric like sting, and then that last bit was the full hit.

SPEAKER_06 1:54:48

I actually saw him leave his body then, just from the thief, he left his body, his eyes rolled.

SPEAKER_01 1:54:54

For the audio listeners, Seb's recording this in Texas. I'm in the southeast of England, but somehow I ended up in the wet seats.

SPEAKER_00 1:55:05

It'll do that to you.

SPEAKER_06 1:55:06

It'll do that to you. Thanks for everyone though, subs. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 1:55:11

Thank you. We laugh, we joke, but you know what? You make a difference. Um, we're very grateful. And to be fair, it's it's it all gets ploughed back in and more in terms of the bits we try and give you and prices and all that sort of stuff. So, and the shows they're hosting and everything, so it all makes a massive difference, and hopefully it means we can keep spreading the joy. We're not greedy, we want to share. So, thank you to everybody. Uh support a box support a thingy update RGT on air on the spot. That's what I like to do. I totally forgot until now.

SPEAKER_06 1:55:44

Uh sorry, but you caught me off guard here.

SPEAKER_03 1:55:47

The 300th episode support art.

SPEAKER_06 1:55:52

Yes, um, we've um just about decided on what we're gonna send out now. So we've had a few samples done. Um, so I reckon that will be going out within maybe the next two weeks. So a little extra something for the subs to say. Thank you very much for all you do. Um, it's not much, but it is a little something to say, thank you. Um, and with some special limit edition artwork, so yeah, brilliant.

SPEAKER_00 1:56:17

All right, guys. All right, guys. We got to get back to the niggrity. We only got two uh two little things I I have to do before I let us up out of here. All right, first thing is predictions. Guys, what do you think? The committee wanted me to ask you this. What do you think is going to be game of the year for 2026, according to the UCP? Oh, are you asking me? Um it's it's a free for all question. Going around in a circle, we're gonna start with Scott. What is gonna be our game of the year next year?

SPEAKER_01 1:56:51

I'm gonna lie to myself and be very optimistic and pretend GTA 6 won't get delayed. Okay, but let's be honest. You don't think Mario Zelda's gonna take him down? Nah, I'm not bothered about that. Uh to 2026 Marathon Gaming, he's left switch in 2025. I'm moving on. Call me Prince of the Indies, baby. Oh wow, give me my Steam Deck.

SPEAKER_02 1:57:19

I'll adopt you as my own. I'll adopt you in just my India.

SPEAKER_00 1:57:24

Give me my Xbox fridge. Thank you. The cult of the Indies is growing.

SPEAKER_03 1:57:31

Oh dear. This took an unexpected turn. I have to say, the Ponces, it's kind of uh took a bit of a dark turn, hasn't it? Where I've kind of been what sort of foisted by the Emperor here. Seb is pulling people into the indie Steam Deck cult. There's just me left hanging on the side of a PlayStation 1. To be fair, playing Spock World.

SPEAKER_00 1:58:00

You know, according to the according to the stats, like uh according to like the stats uh that you've submitted, I think this year has like the potential to be the most George year in a very long time. Because it's a lot of triple A big in big games versus like last year in a lot of people's you know, top five to top tens were all indie games. You know, a lot of them indie games were like cleaning the clocks of triple A last year. Even like Yote, no one talks about it. You know, like no one talks about the Xbox games.

SPEAKER_03 1:58:34

OG brought that up as uh and made a solid point, I think, on the 300th episode. Um kind of just got lost in the ether somehow. Um but this this year is is looking very exciting, mate. I'll be honest with you. Knowing me, I'm probably gonna foist up you boat in the number two spot, completely waste of vote, but you know, particularly intrigued by uh I think we talked about obviously we're all excited to be ready to be hurt again with a delay for GTA 6. I mean, you know, I'm actually I have been doing some research across every open world crime driving game you could imagine in every kind of perceivable subgenre that that would fit in, including mercenaries and destroy all humans and bits and bobs like that. It's been interesting to what I've been playing about, what I've been up to. Uh and I've been preparing myself for GTA Sixland so I can go at it full critique if I may be so bold. I'm very excited to get my teeth into that. I think the industry needs it. Whether we're gonna get it or not, I don't know. Um, but the arrival of a rock star game once a generation these days is certainly the kind of shot in the arm that the industry kind of maybe needs, uh, which is exciting. Get some hype up in the casual audience. And then personally, you know, you know, it was the second pick, it I think Wolverine's. Definitely, definitely doubled down on that coming this year as well. So it'd be nice to see. Again, I was doing some research on the absolute powerhouse that was Insomniac and what they've squeezed out over the last 20 years, even. And there's an absolute stack of games there, just the studio that keeps on giving. Yes, they've slowed down production a little bit, but my goodness gracious me. So yeah, quite excited to see how that fits within the legacy. Um RGT. RGT.

SPEAKER_06 2:00:29

Well um to remind you of there's a lot of games that are interesting me. Um like I say, Marvel's Wolverine 007 coming out, that quite interests me. Falls Horizon 6 driving game. I'm always going to be interested in that.

SPEAKER_00 2:00:43

Um, obviously, if you now release date just now.

SPEAKER_06 2:00:47

Uh really.

unknown 2:00:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 2:00:50

Superb. Um then there's even like ones that have I'm sort of looking at, I'm thinking like um what is it, Crimson Desert?

SPEAKER_03 2:00:57

That looks yeah, it's okay. That looks absolutely incredible. I just hope it can it can. I mean, I've heard good things, it can stick the landing. Um, I hope it can. I just hope it's got the legs to be to be up there.

SPEAKER_06 2:01:11

And then we you know, we've even got fable coming. You know, let's get back in that fable world. Let's hope that's a big banger. Um, I think if GTA comes out, it will be. I don't think it will come out. I think it's a 2027 game. I think that's written all over it. Um so yeah, it's gonna be interesting. I think there's gonna be some I think there's gonna be more big kitty's than it was this year, and I think there's gonna be quite a few buying for that top spot. I'd also I think with not necessarily just next next year, it's a bit early for that, but with the success of Expedition 33, a lot of these smaller indie studios who would like to make a game like that, and they're thinking we could do that, we can make a game like that. Hades 2 was smashing it this year, ball expit, all these indie games, you know. Let's get these, yeah. Let's get these studios, you know, keep churning out. You don't need to be a triple A studio now to get a 10 out of a 10 award. So, yeah, that's it's looking good for uh 2026 this year. So looking forward to it. What about you, Sam?

SPEAKER_00 2:02:06

So your your official answer, uh you think GTA?

SPEAKER_06 2:02:09

I if GTA releases, um, I think it will be GTA. Um, if not, I I I've got a bit of a feeling about the 007 game. I think it could be a bit of a hitter next year. I really do.

SPEAKER_03 2:02:22

I've been doing research on that.

SPEAKER_00 2:02:23

Bold that is bold.

SPEAKER_06 2:02:26

I know, but I there's just something about it. I've got this Inkland that I think they might have nailed a 007 game. So we'll see. We'll see.

SPEAKER_03 2:02:34

I think I need to get that character model looking like James Bond because it looks like an absolute pleb. He looks like PS4 Spider-Man pre pre-patch. Yeah, I like the pre pre-patch Spider-Man to be honest.

SPEAKER_00 2:02:47

But I I digress. I know if you see him now, he looks like a ghoul. Yeah, but so yeah, um dang. Knowing that that question is like, know the audience though. So I'm like, y'all y'all probably aren't gonna play some of these games.

SPEAKER_06 2:03:06

Recommend it's helpful though.

SPEAKER_00 2:03:08

What about the Scott? Uh Scott Gives Scott Gavis GTA.

SPEAKER_01 2:03:14

Yeah, I expect it, I think the latest was October or November. I'm expecting it to go back again. But if it if it is, I think it will be. But like I say, uh yeah, I mean I haven't actually heard much about the Wolverine game, but I'm sure that'd be big. But I think yeah, a lot of people talking about the James Bond game, but I tend to just try and live under a rock a little bit. I like them capture me by surprise. So yeah, it's fun, isn't it? Get out of the PS Peter, and you know what? Indiana Jones is coming to the Switch too, I think. So that could be game in a year, who knows?

SPEAKER_03 2:03:47

Hey, listen, I would be so my stomach if that was the case. It's a prediction from me. Switch to full next gen upgrade for which of three top three game of me, top three game for me in 2026. You can't vote for it. I can do what I like.

SPEAKER_00 2:04:11

It's a new version. It is the same exact game, sir. Hang on, I haven't announced that yet, so it's the same exact game, sir. Um Fable was. Yeah, Fable was just announced for Autumn, by the way, autumn of this year. So I'm going to say just to be contrarian to everybody, I'm gonna say Fable because I think more people out of I the reason why is because I think out of the four of us, I think that's the the next game on the list of games that are guaranteed that at least three of us are gonna check out. Oh yeah, no, no.

SPEAKER_03 2:04:52

I just I just George isn't gonna check it out though, but no, mate. I've played every fable game. Um there's gonna be four out of four of us. But it needs to hit certain criteria for me because as I have played every fable game, I have also been I've been hurt. So I'm approaching this, you know. It just feels like they got a little bit desperate one afternoon, went to the locker and went, what's got a little bit of credibility left in the exclusives that we've got? Well, you know, I suppose we haven't dragged Fable out to get murdered by the dogs for a while. Yeah, well let's give an X-Gen version of that. Uh you know who's involved in it from the original studio? Probably barely anyone, probably a couple of things.

SPEAKER_00 2:05:44

That's a good thing, though. That's a good thing in this case, though. Oh, for sure. Think about it like this. It's like uh the original studio, um, no one's involved in it, but now you have a news, fresh new studio that speaks to a new audience. Speaks to a new audience, a new generation, and also the only studio in your portfolio that's actively winning awards with playground games doing it.

SPEAKER_03 2:06:10

They're only gonna disappoint the still fable. They're only gonna disappoint the people that would have actually bought it.

SPEAKER_00 2:06:15

Not only if it's bad. I do think maybe you might need to watch the trailer just game out and it might change your mind. It might. I was just like, it might change your mind. But I digress.

SPEAKER_03 2:06:29

If I get Chicken Chaser in the trailer, I'm all in.

SPEAKER_00 2:06:33

Yeah, uh apparently, according to the the trailer, you know, do you have any potions or food? It is while it isn't a full revival, this is the this is the excerpt of what they just published. This is the first seamless open world game in the season, like the series, where the world is ever uh ever evolving. The playground space is populated by over 1,000 fully voiced UPCs. Um they're always watching and always looking at whether or not you do things heroically or villainous, with each of those factors having their own uh their own menu, apparently, their own bar. So each you you have a hero bar and you have a villain bar, as opposed to being one separate bar. And then you could still have multiple marriages, multiple kids, and everything that you love from the original Fable game. Whether or not you want to be a action and what is it saying? Action fast-paced combat, or you lose hours in living your best life, becoming known as a property baron or business tycoon, that's up to you. Fable is in your hands for the old, for the old gamers, and for the new ones alike. Well, I mean, playground games, too. This is the only studio from their portfolio that I mean only that's won any awards in the last 10 years. Probably didn't.

SPEAKER_03 2:08:05

Like I say, I'm ready to be hurt again. Yeah. I am. But it needs to be fable that I know, and I'm a little bit nervous that going for this new audience may make me feel a bit alienated.

SPEAKER_00 2:08:17

But what you've just said appeals to me, but it needs to have the bits that I want in it. The last thing, the last thing I was gonna ask of you um that was written out, out of all the games that were mentioned today, which of the games on the list do you that you haven't played would you actually go back and play and check out from someone else's list?

SPEAKER_03 2:08:38

Oh, definitely a thousand percent, and I've hovered around it but never dialed to the hero. Clare expedition 33. Okay. I would play that.

SPEAKER_06 2:08:48

Um again, Claire Expedition 33, and um you're probably all gonna be shocked with this, but um Cyberpunk 2077.

SPEAKER_03 2:08:59

On Switch.

SPEAKER_06 2:09:02

That's the only place to play it.

SPEAKER_03 2:09:03

Have you played it? You're sure you've played it on other stuff.

SPEAKER_06 2:09:06

No. I played no, I'll tell a lie, I played the f I played the two R demo on the PS5 about two and a half years ago, and it didn't grab me. But the more you guys talk about it, and now it's on the best gaming system in the world, the Switch 2. Play it on the toilet. Yeah, you did yeah, it's yeah. I mean, where else would you want to play it, you know? So it's the ultimate.

SPEAKER_03 2:09:28

So you know the Switch 2. Uh-huh. If it's charging pool ever got dusty or maybe a little bit of dirt in it, you'd probably want to use the silver hook uh electrical contact cleaner to Yeah, you use actually use it for what it's meant for. To clarify it's cleaning electrical goods.

SPEAKER_06 2:09:44

Yeah, there we go. Yeah, so yeah, probably either Cyberpunk or definitely Claire Expedition. I really want to play that game. That's not even normally my genre, but the more I keep seeing and the more I hear of this game, I need to play it. So yeah. How about you, Scott?

SPEAKER_01 2:10:00

Uh for me it would be math of the old country, because I obviously I got lost in definitive, yeah, I got lost in definitive edition, and I will. And the reason and again, a bit like what George said earlier, the reason why I haven't is purely it is just time. So what I it's hard because things are very, very busy for me at the minute, but I kind of need to just like dedicate a week on each game, knuckle down, because as soon as a couple of games come out, I'll forget about them, and then I'll I'll I'll they'll pass me by, and I really don't want that to happen because I want to experience them. Um, so I I need to jump on them, but the same way as I need to do Kingdom Come, the difference of two, and actually get on uh Create Expedition 33 and actually play a good chunk of it myself. Um, so yeah, there's a lot of big games there, and I just don't want to leave them in last year. I want to play them before this year's come because it they get soon forgotten, don't they? That's the problem. We're in a real spoiled era where there's this yeah, privileged positions. Yeah, we are very privileged is the right way of saying it. We're very privileged.

SPEAKER_03 2:11:00

Yeah, I think if I was to have a New Year's resolution, it would be to follow Seb's mantra, not of the Steam Deck, not of the indie, but maybe it's time to accept that the backlog as it stands, it's time to let the pass die. How refreshing would it be for me to sort of wander into the game room now? Being everything new, leave everything off the hard drive and spunk down money and spend some money on a game and just dedicate fully to it. But brand new, it's gotta be brand new, it could be indie, it could be a great game, the biggest game, someone to the best game. I would play that, and then that's what I should do. Wipe the slate clean, go in guilt free. So why change that?

SPEAKER_06 2:11:46

Get all your old games, sell them. 2026, clear the deck, sell a lot.

SPEAKER_00 2:11:50

Burn them. Burn them. A little extreme, guys, but I like the spirit. Yeah, yeah. A little extreme, but no, I think for me it would be um I've I've been holding it off, and I know that I need to at least to consider myself a hardcore gamer, at least try out Final Fantasy VII remake. So I think this year is gonna be the year I'm gonna dive into Final Fantasy VII remake. But I feel like I've done myself a disservice now because I played X Edition 33 first.

SPEAKER_03 2:12:24

No, hang on a minute. This has played in perfectly. You need to prove to yourself that you're a hardcore gamer, so you've got the credibility to look someone in the eye and say you've played Final Fantasy VII remake. It's just come out and switch too. So imagine the optics of this. You're getting yourself you're getting yourself a switch to Final Fantasy, it's the perfect place to play it. You could go play it on the port pipe. Doing a brisket, got the switch. Now you steam that your treasure, you've got to all careful because the ports might get dirty or whatnot. You throw this you can throw the switch down in one of biscuits dogdoes, mate, and it's fine.

SPEAKER_00 2:13:01

Yeah, but no, I I can't do this switch. I it's the button button placement as well that I can't I can't mess with. It feels yucky. The X and Y is ass backwards, the A B is ass backwards. I'm like, I can't do it. I just can't. It feels disgusting.

SPEAKER_03 2:13:16

Listen, everyone feels that at first, but then when you go in there and you kind of touch the underclef and it does something else, and then you think, no, actually, let me back up, and you're like, hang on a minute, what's this? No, and you're into it, you know it, you like it. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 2:13:31

I like that. Uh this is the right button placement. Don't get don't hold it like that. Maybe that's it.

SPEAKER_01 2:13:37

You can hold it, don't forget, you can you can hold it upright as well, you can hold it down.

SPEAKER_00 2:13:42

Like sometimes I'll rest up.

SPEAKER_01 2:13:44

I'll rest it on my shoulder, play it like a violin. Sometimes I play it like this, like a recorder, sometimes like a flute. Imagine the alternate universe. We get imagine this happens, right? This is a scenario, right? Seb Seb's gonna jump in now, play a bit of Final Fantasy VII on the screen. He's gonna enjoy it so much, he's gonna go back and play it on the PS1, the free disc version. Oh he's gonna enjoy that so much, he's gonna go, hold on a minute. What else have I missed? Fast forward 12 months, we're in the Ponzi's 2022. Oh my god, and every nomination from Seb has not been an indie title, has not been a current gen title, it's all been from the PS Vita.

SPEAKER_06 2:14:25

Oh my that'd be incredible.

SPEAKER_00 2:14:27

I like the Vita, by the way. I I'm I'm a Vita person. I just I just I'm not I'm not one of those people who's like down for the the switch at all. It's like wait till you discover the end gauge. Yeah, I'm like, I like the P I like that, but um no, um I wonder, yeah, um like I wonder if Final Fantasy VII remake is I wonder how that's going to appeal to me after playing Expedition 33 on the back of like I did not get into all the other three-dimensional Final Fantasy games that I played. I wonder if this will be the one versus where Expedition 33 felt like almost it was like a modernized clean slate of like I don't have to know why I were riding on the back of these giant chickens. Like, why are where these chickens come from? Like, what is like I don't have to know about like all these crystal things that seem to power the universe around me and and just have like the lore dump that is Final Fantasy because there's a tons of things they they they it's like it's common knowledge of Final Fantasy, but they don't explain it to newcomers, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_06 2:15:36

Yeah, this is Final Fantasy remake's very good at explaining that it's very well paced, it's just an individual game on its own, and you learn the characters as you go through. It's very well done. I I mean I'm not a Final Fantasy person at all, but loved the game, and I've jumped straight into rebirth, and rebirth is now even better. Is very horizon. Oh that's good. I love the same way across. Yes, if you like.

SPEAKER_01 2:16:03

Is it action RPG though, seven? They were sorry, um RGT over than turn-based.

SPEAKER_06 2:16:08

They're action RPGs with turn-based elements, so you can you can use you so you could be fighting the action combat is very, very good. Um, and then you can press your press your X button on the PlayStation and you'll bring up your menu, and you can use a spell, or you can use abilities, so heal yourself or use a special move, which they will then carry out. But you'll also have on there, if you have the materia on your sword of um um access, you can you can use that, monitor the enemy you're on, and that will tell you all where their weaknesses are, and then you can use the magic or the spells against them that will make them weaker. So it's he loves it. Look at his face, he loves it.

SPEAKER_00 2:16:47

Yeah, he's he's glowing. Is it did you beat Rebirth, or are you still playing it?

SPEAKER_06 2:16:51

No, I'm about 15 hours into rebirth.

SPEAKER_00 2:16:54

Okay, you've got a long way to go.

SPEAKER_06 2:16:55

Yeah, I'm absolutely loving it. A superb game, really good. Rebake was brilliant, bit more linear, smaller map. Rebirth is bigger.

SPEAKER_03 2:17:04

Rebirth like your current like go-to, you get in, you bang that on, or are you playing it around some other games as it literally just took you by the scruff of the neck and says you can't come up for air?

SPEAKER_06 2:17:14

Rebirth, just rebirth at the moment. And obviously, we're playing sleeping dogs on the Discord at the moment, so between those two, that's all all on plan. A little bit of everk, but yeah, rebirth is uh that's the one for me. I just keep thinking about it. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 2:17:25

That's the finger the Evocade in here, didn't you?

SPEAKER_06 2:17:28

Anyone to think I'm sponsored by them?

SPEAKER_03 2:17:30

But you know, that's the choice for retro gamers if they want to spend a fortune. Sponsorship, I'm sponsored by some third-party medical cleaning company from bloody derby.

SPEAKER_06 2:17:42

I sort of jump on the Evocade uh. I love that controller. Yeah, it's a cheap bit of plastic.

SPEAKER_03 2:17:49

Yeah, whatever Scotty said, get behind him. I feel totally bullied this episode.

SPEAKER_06 2:17:54

There was handy cartridges.

SPEAKER_00 2:17:57

You know, oh come on now. So so George, take us home. I I'm done with uh my hosting duty. You've done with it, AI to be fair at the moment. I don't think you could have said it any better yourself.

SPEAKER_01 2:18:08

Uh thank you, Seb, so much, mate. Really appreciate it, thank you.

SPEAKER_06 2:18:12

Oh, and we've got to thank the wingman. Thanks, Wingman Committee, for all you've done.

SPEAKER_03 2:18:17

Yes, thanks to the shady background committee, the El Buccios. Yeah, we know you are. Uh like I say, they're controlling me from above still to this day.

SPEAKER_06 2:18:25

Yep, they certainly are.

SPEAKER_03 2:18:26

Uh where can we go from here? Well, I'll tell you where we can go from here. But I want to start off by saying, said, thank you so much. The Ponzies wouldn't be the Ponzies without you. You take the numbers, you crunch them, you make it look sexy, you come up with awards and new rules that kind of keep us on our toes. If it wasn't for you, I'd be bull rushing these guys into putting Persona 4 or possibly even Scarface on PlayStation 2 as best game of 2025. But actually, because of you, you arrive with an air of credibility. We all put on our best suits and ties.

SPEAKER_07 2:19:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:19:01

And uh, yeah, you've made the Ponzi's not only special to us as now listeners, but I think actually, do you know what? Just nudging the meniscus of the radar of rewards that people care about in the wider universe. I know it to be true. They might not say it out loud, but these developers they listen in, they say, I hope I get a mention. Unfortunately for me this year, you didn't get a whisper unless you're Sean Murray. Uh, but do you know what? It's all good. So, Seb, thank you very much uh for everything that you do and that you've done. Thank you for being the guy that can get the committee together. Don't forget if you want to find a little bit of Seb, he's got the single player experience. Uh jump in the Discord, there's links all over the place. Uh YouTube, uh, Spotify, all those places, you can find him. Uh he's uh king of the short material as well, so he's always got something going on. Ah, there's so many of them now. I must say, there's so many. So all of them to walk through. Talking of shorts, but he's not short, he's tall, he's Beautiful, he's got more Switch games than I've got any chance of ever seeing in my life. He's not only stunningly beautiful, but inside, and he can't hide it with his raw edge and all that sort of stuff. He is insanely beautiful as well, and that does come through on the show. And he's in his own content, uh Marathon Gaming on YouTube. He's got his own Discord, you can find him everywhere. He's a wonderful man. His content is what I would say the peak of Switch content. I know, oh, what about these guys? They are nothing, they've sold out their shills. If you watch their content, I'd say you're a loser. What makes you a real man is if you follow Scott and Marathon Gaming. Scott, thank you so much for coming on for your support to everybody, both of you and RGT begrudgingly, for your support during the year. It's absolutely wonderful. Um, thank you, Scott.

SPEAKER_01 2:21:00

Thank you, George. I love you so much.

SPEAKER_03 2:21:03

I I love you. I don't tell you all the things.

SPEAKER_01 2:21:05

I don't want to make this awkward, but I love you so much. I love you, George. No, George. No, George. I love you, George.

SPEAKER_00 2:21:13

Very romantic episode. I really love you.

SPEAKER_03 2:21:16

I love you as well. I don't show my I don't show myself properly. I think I probably do wear my heart on the sleeve too much. I don't know. Uh this is me, this is raw me. RGT, I say begrudgingly, I'm only joking. I think I hope everybody knows that you're the arsehole and I'm the good guy. So, you know, whatever. Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_06 2:21:35

I believe it myself, mate.

SPEAKER_03 2:21:37

No, I'll be honest with you. The truth is I'm an asshole. RGT is an absolute legend. He puts up all my diva like tantrums. If you thought OG was a badass, well, you know, before I am an absolute diva. Just redesign that. Hang on, hang on for an audience. Hang on, what are you doing, George? Hang on, chill out. Uh RGT, you're a legend. Uh, what more can be said? You were the wind beneath my wings, and here we are. It's another round of Ponsies, my friend. And uh You're too kind. I know, but yeah, it has to be said after I've been kind to Sad and Scott, didn't it? Really? And because I'll give you that tennis, so yeah, I'll spend that on crack. Um I didn't, I didn't I didn't I didn't do that.

SPEAKER_06 2:22:18

No, no, he did not.

SPEAKER_03 2:22:21

On that note, I spent it on expanding foam to fill my crack. There you go. There we go. In the wall. In the wall. Yes. In the wall. On that note, yes, on that note, I think we've brought the poncies to an end. So if you're a developer and you've listened through all of this and you've been a you've won an award, get in contact with RGT and uh we'll if you listen through all that, you know the award you're gonna get. So uh hurry, hurry. The time is now, slap it on your box. Big game sales boost for 2026, and that's all we have time for this week, listeners. As always, thank you for your time. We'll look forward to the pleasure of speaking to you again next week. Until then, happy gaming! And remember, there's nothing wrong with being given the unofficial controller, it's what you do with it that counts. See you, man. Laders. Thanks, listeners.