The Staying In Podcast - four pals talk video games, board games, and movies

Is Mixtape a “real game”? Honestly, who cares; we love this coming-of-age story set in the 90s, from Beethoven and Dinosaur, and Annapurna Interactive. It’s quick, it’s robust, and it’s memorable, and that’s what we’re after from narrative-focused experiences like this. Snackaroo is advanced Snap by way of Aardman, for up to 5 players, and while it’s a children’s game for sure, it’s got enough meat in the bun for the parents of those kids too. It’s from Rudi Biber and Ravensburger, and we really like it. Plus the wood glue is out for a QoL project to make a complex setup more simple, with the Descent 2nd Edition organiser from The Game Doctors, via Feldherr. All that, and being famous for five minutes on r/CasualUK, on Ep249.

If you’re looking for a great way to train your brain every morning, as well as understand how the devil a classic puzzle - the cryptic crossword - works, then Minute Cryptic should be on your phone. If that’s too much, but you still want something (surprisingly) cerebral then, yes, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is for you. It’s got a lot to say about the modern world for a film that, superficially, is about fashion. On the smaller screens, if you’re looking for something completely unique, yet probably a bit of a bargain considering it’s been out a while, we recommend Death Stranding, from Koj and the gang. All that, and flinging a Razzle, on Ep247.

On the tabletop we’re building up the walls with dexterity and memory game Castel Boom from Kiwizou by way of Hachette, and building up a case with MicroMacro Kids: Crazy City Park from Hard Boiled Games, also via Hachette. Away from the board games and into the realm of RPGs, we’re meeting up online with strangers and playing roleplaying game oneshots with StartPlaying (and the brilliant La Lionne Cosplay). After that it’s off to Germany - via Denmark - and building LEGO’s spin on Neuschwanstein Castle, plus we relax with a new season of a classic TV show; yep, we’re getting back into Scrubs. All that, and lawns, on Ep245.

We’re getting old, so the only kind of exciting rave we’re interested in on a weekday is Arcade Archives Rave Racer from Bandai Namco, by way of Hamster Corp - a game previously trapped in the arcades of the 90s, re-released for home consoles. Then we talk about another throwback, this time to a kind of genre that was massively popular a few years ago, that is getting a new spin: the flip and draw Flip Pick Towers from Osprey, Rob Fisher, Adam Porter, and Beatrix Papp. We round out the show with an unbelievably hot new boardgame called Eternal Decks from Hiroken and Mujunsha, which is a co-op experience with limited (but not zero) communication. All that, and revisiting the tuna bus, on Ep243.

It’s time to get a grip on mobile gaming, so we go hands-on with MCON from Ohsnap, a dedicated MagSafe controller attachment for your phone that’s perfect for Android and iPhone gaming, as well as emulation and game streaming. We also throw down with the latest from Big Potato Games, the old-timey-charity-donation-by-way-of-marbles-em-up, Whirly Derby. And then there’s Duel for Cardia from Hans im Glück, a lovely and super affordable simultaneous action card game that takes up no room at all - except for in our hearts. All that, and the many forms of baths, on Ep241.

We take a deeper look at two extraordinary MachineGames titles, the adventure straight from the silver screen Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Wolfenstein: The New Order, which features simply some of the best writing in video games. We also turn to two puzzle platformers, the classic time-bending of Number None’s Braid, and the co-op joy of LEGO Voyagers from Light Brick Studio, the only game that feels like playing with plastic bricks. Over on the tabletop there’s a good amount of time spent on the bright and punchy Tag Team from Le Scorpion Masqué and I-cut-you-choose cosy set collection of Agent Avenue by NerdLab. All that, and trending shakers, on Ep239.

Our Christmas episode is here, so get your nog on. And why not open an entry in a very special fantasy miniatures advent calendar slash tabletop game from Oakbound Studio - Once Upon A Time In The Woods. And when we’re not unwrapping gifts, we’re talking about Ecuador, 2001, and the grip of football with despelote from Julián Cordero, Sebastian Valbuena, and Panic, and the surreal, delicate, thoughtful adventure that is A Pizza Delivery from Eric Osuna and Dolores Entertainment. All that, and it’s all downhill from here, on Ep237.

It’s been board games Christmas of late with this year’s Essen Spiel having just concluded, PLUS we’re joined by board games industry bigwig Rob Trounce, so we use this as a wonderful excuse to talk about lots and lots of board games. In particular? Well, there’s Tax the Rich by Alion, which is a trick-taking game with politics at its core, as well as Night Soil by Grail Games which has… well… quite a different theme. And then there’s Joyride: Survival of the Fastest from Rebellion Unplugged, a racing game of driving fast and dirty. Away from the cardboard and plastic, we also get time to talk Japanese mystery Strange Pictures by Uketsu, plus more chilling tingles with The Séance of Blake Manor from Spooky Doorway and Raw Fury. All that, and being asked if we’re really sure, on Ep235.

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

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

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

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

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