Explore every episode of the podcast Grumpy Gamers

It is with a heavy heart that all mediocre things must come to pass. Unfortunately, this will be our final episode. Life sometimes gets in the way of a good time, and episode 172 seemed a fitting number to end it on... But at least we have one last recap to do after last week's Sony State of Play! Thanks to everyone that has listened over the past 3 years. We really do appreciate it, else we would have given up a long time ago. Take care of yourselves and much love. GG.

It's a Ben and Eddy pod as Pete is off.  Managed to keep the train on the tracks though, not to worry. Our features talks about the big games coming over the next few months.

What We've Been Playing:
Palworld
FF7 Remake

Palworld has taken the world by storm, let's talk about it! We've played the new Tarkov map, Prince of Persia and the LOU2's No Return mode. Our feature recaps the Xbox Developer Direct.

Still waiting on the big news of the year to start coming in, but at least week have Xbox's Developer Direct this week to keep us going:

What We've Been Playing:
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Prince of Persia: Lost Crown
VR Golf

The 3 of us are back together for the first time in 2024. Still a slow news week but at least we have new releases! We also discuss our most anticipated games of 2024.

What We've Been Playing:
Ghosts of Tabor
Against the Storm 

2 person pod yet again, but don't worry, Eddy and Ben will welcome you into the new year!

It's our GOTY show and we're joined by Punk to see through deciding the completely objective, absolute, best game of the year!

Punk joins us in the first of two GOTY related episodes. We run through the top rated games per Metacritic in 2023, ignoring those that feature in our GOTY selections, which we'll reveal at the end of the episode. Next week marks our GOTY episode, where we will discover the completely objective, number one game of 2023!

Back to a 3 person strong team, but will we learn why Pete was playing Stellaris rather than on the podcast last week? Don't bet on it. We have breaking news on the pod, with instance reactions to The Day Before shut down. Pete's played multiple news games and we recap The Game Awards 2023:

What We've Been Playing:
Cocoon
TW: Three Kingdoms
COD Warzone
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Back to a 2 person episode with Ben and Eddy. We discuss the highly hyped GTA 6 trailer and what Phil Spencer has had to say on Xbox. Our feature talks about disappointing game sequels.

What We've Been Playing:
Stranded: Alien Dawn
Alienation
Alan Wake 2

There's more advertising in gaming, PlayStation pricing comes under fire and Call of Duty's next campaign could be an improvement. Also, does the Xbox Tax really exist? We discuss the facts and where the idea comes from in our feature.

What We've Been Playing:
Anvil Saga
Robocop: Rogue City
Alan Wake 2
Rimworld

Eddy and Ben take on the challenge of a 2 person show but still deliver the usual dose of gaming news and moderately hot takes. We've played Modern Warfare 3 and also Eddy tells us about his game of the year. Our feature recaps the Nintendo Indie Showcase.

What We've Been Playing:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Wartales

We talk about Fornite's recent successes, Bungie lay offs, and advertising in gaming. Plus we have a smorgasbord of new games to talk about. Lovely. Our feature recaps last weekend's Blizzcon.

What We've Been Playing:
City Skylines 2
Alan Wake 2
Dave the Diver

Pete's back so expect more structured nonsense! We have news on the PlayStation Slim and a load of new releases to get through. Our feature recaps the Xbox Partner Preview event.

What We've Been Playing:
Spider-Man 2
Football Manager 2024
Jagged Alliance 3

Ben and Eddy are joined by Dony and discuss Spider-Man 2 and Jagged Alliance 3. Our feature revisits the game length vs price debate in the wake of Spider-Man 2.

What We've Been Playing:
Lords of the Fallen
Jagged Alliance 3
Spider-Man 2

Not to worry, as promised, we have guests this week! Dony and Punk join us in bickering about video games, in a stacked show. We've actually played new games! Our feature is a play along at home Spider-Man quiz... you may be able to beat at least one of us...

What We've Been Playing:
Lords of the Fallen
Forza Motorsport
Lies of P
Assassin's Creed: Mirage 

Another 2 person show, but don't fret, we have guests in the coming weeks! We talk through all the Naughty Dog news that's circulating this week, and discuss the impact of the latest Redfall update. Will it make a difference? Our feature asks what are our favourite key games features... abstract or otherwise!

What We've Been Playing:
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
EA FC 24

Big news this week with Jim Ryan set to leave Sony, Epic are now laying off staff, and the KOTOR remake looks to be in trouble. However, there are plenty of new releases to brighten the spirits! Eddy gives his thoughts on Starfield, now having played many more hours, and the Cyberpunk: Phantom Liberty appreciation is in full flow. Our feature asks us what makes a good action game?

What We've Been Playing:
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
EA FC 2024
Starfield 

Ben and Kirk chat through the latest news and new releases in a 2 person show! We've played Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 and EA FC 24, plus our feature discusses the potential remakes and reboots we'd like to see!

What We've Been Playing:
Cyberpunk 2077
EA FC 24
Armored Core 6

Leaks a plenty today from Microsoft... let's discuss. Plus 3 presentations last week for us to talk about; Nintendo Direct, Sony State of Play and CD Projekt's Cyberpunk 2.0 show. It feels like E3!

What We've Been Playing:
Starfield
F Zero 99

More Switch 2 rumours... not quite news, or big news? You decide. Eddy and Pete give their first opinions on Starfield and we discuss how the hell we're going to fit the remaining games we want to play into this year!

What We've Been Playing:
Starfield

Dony guests this week as our feature is a loooong discussion on our first impressions of Starfield. Even Kirk has played it! In other news, PlayStation did a price increase and set a release date for their Portal device.

What We've Been Playing:
Farworld Pioneers
Starfield

Starfield and Xbox dominate the news, but we are mere days away from release! At least there's Armored Core 6 to keep people busy in the meantime! Our feature recaps last week's Gamescom Opening Night.

What We've Been Playing:
Armored Core 6
Railway Empire
Dead Space Remake

We talk about a lot of people getting angry about a lot of things in the news... the internet is the problem! But don't worry, the new releases are stacked this week. We've played more Baldur's Gate 3. Can it survive the cull with all the big games coming out? Our feature discusses DLCs and compares that to games which get annual new releases.

What We've Been Playing:
Baldur's Gate 3
Escape From Tarkov
Exoprimal

Shock, horror, Forza Motorsport doesn't have split screen?! We talk about it. Red Dead Redemption is getting a direct port, so it must be cheap, right? Right?! Oh, and there's potentially a new PS5 model... 2 of us have played Baldur's Gate 3, does it live up to the hype? Our feature asks what makes a great RPG?

What We've Been Playing:
Baldur's Gate 3
Escape From Tarkov

Pete's away so Eddy, Kirk and Ben have no leash on the conversational path... musicals anyone? We're entering big game season and our feature looks at the games we're most looking forward to across August-October!

What We've Been Playing:
Remnant 2
Exoprimal
Total War: Warhammer 1
Dead Space

Full house for the episode, a rarity these days! We discuss the Ratchet and Clank SSD controversy, more gaming industry lay offs and Final Fantasy 14 finally coming to Xbox. We've played Remnant 2 and it inspired our feature discussing the most underrated gaming franchises.

What We've Been Playing:
Remnant 2
Going Medieval
The Wandering Village
Transport Fever 2

Loads of PlayStation hardware rumours/leaks this week to go through, plus weighing up the Final Fantasy XVI sales numbers. We've finished Oxenfree 2, played more Exoprimal and Eddy gets into a 2022 GOTY contender in Vampire Survivors. Our feature taps into our gaming regrets. We buy a lot of games, which ones do we regret the most?!

What We've Been Playing:
Oxenfree 2
Exoprimal
Diablo 4
Vampire Survivors

We discuss the latest Microsoft/Activision/Blizzard deal progress in and amongst a more varied week of news! A good week of news releases is capped off by discussing Oxenfree 2 and Exoprimal from last week. Also, has Kirk finally played Dead Space? Our feature discusses the Activision/Blizzard games/franchises that we are looking forward to with the deal.

What We've Been Playing:
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals
Exoprimal
Fifa 23
Dead Space

We went to London at the weekend, we're one man down and the rest of us are feeling the after effects of a good time! Time for a high energy pod! Huge Microsoft/Activision/Blizzard deal news as the verdict is in. The much anticipated review from Eddy on Redfall is also upon us! It's Wimbeldon, let's talk about tennis games in our feature

What We've Been Playing:
Redfall
Only Up
Diablo 4

More Microsoft vs FTC news, playing older PS4 games in what we've been playing, and a feature discussing the pros and cons of min/maxing in games. What's not to love.

What We've Been Playing:
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Death Stranding
Diablo 4

Eddy's back from his holiday... and he has notes. We go over the interesting trial news with Microsoft and the FTC and have a brand new game to talk about. It's not Final Fantasy XVI though... how about Aliens: Dark Descent? Our feature recaps last week's Nintendo Direct.

What We've Been Playing:
World of Warcraft
Aliens: Dark Descent

Honorary Grumpy Gamer, Dony, returns as we attempt a more PlayStation focused podcast... let's see if we managed it! Also, Kirk graces us with his presence for the 2nd week running in the absence of fan favourites Pete and Eddy.  We discuss more Diablo 4 as well as that damn good Final Fantasy XVI demo. Our feature talks about the PlayStation exclusives that we've been most surprised by... good and bad.

What We've Been Playing:
Diablo 4
Final Fantasy XVI

This time Eddy is away, but don't worry Pete makes a valiant effort with the new releases. Plus Pete's bought a full price game! Imagine that. In our feature, it's showcase season, so we recap Summer Game Fest and the Xbox Showcase including Starfield.

What We've Been Playing:
Diablo 4
Horizon: Call of the Mountain

No Kirk this week, but regardless we have big things to talk about. It's 'E3' season and the showcases are round the corner. Let's talk hopes and dreams!

What We've Been Playing:
Diablo 4
Planet of Lana
Wo Long

Kirk's back and just in time to review the May PlayStation Showcase. This week we've all played Planet of Lana, so let's be positive about that below delving into that presentation!

What We've Been Playing:
Zelda: TOTK
Planet of Lana

Eddy's Real Deal is back... but for Game Pass. A twist on a classic? We chat about what Jeremy Hunt had to say on the CMA's decision over Microsoft/ABK, Zelda news and that there's a new PlayStation showcase very soon!

What We've Been Playing:
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Total War: Three Kingdoms
Rimworld
World of Warcraft

The European Commission have approved the ABK deal... we live in interesting times! We have a stacked week of new releases from Indie studios and our feature asks which game franchises we should have given more time.

What We've Been Playing:
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Two Point Campus

Eddy is hungover, enjoy listening to him stumble over everything! We go over the Phil Spencer interview everyone is talking about, we have more Star Wars Jedi: Survivor chat, and our feature focuses on games that we feel should get sequels!

What We've Been Playing:
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Clanfolk
End Zone: A World Apart 

Dony joins us to talk over the worst week for Xbox in recent memory. We talk new games and have played Jedi Survivor as well as Redfall. But the main event is the blocking of the Microsoft/ABK deal by the CMA. Let's talk what it means for Xbox now!

What We've Been Playing:
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Redfall
Surviving the Aftermath

Eddy's back in a 3 person show, as Kirk's busy. Regardless it's action packed with the latest news and recap of the Nintendo Indie World presentation.

What We've Been Playing:
Total War: Warhammer 3
Narcos: Rise of the Cartels

Eddy's got a week off this time. Can Pete leads the charge with the new releases section this week with appropriate vim and vigour? We'll find out. We talk all things Redfall and 30 fps, follow up on EA PGA Tour 2023 chatter from last week, and revisit Warzone DMZ in Season 3. Our feature this week asks what is it about Nintendo that makes them so good?

What We've Been Playing:
Resident Evil 4 Remake
EA PGA Tour 2023
Warzone 2.0: DMZ
Mighty Doom

Kirk's off but the rest of us power through. The ABK deal edges towards a close and PlayStation have some rumoured new hardware on the way. We chat about the Mario movie, playing the new PGA Tour game in the spirit of the Masters, and Eddy sings the praises of Starbound. Our feature discusses jump on and play games for gamers with limited time at the moment!

What We've Been Playing/Watching:
 The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Starbound
EA PGA Tour 2023

E3 has been cancelled, the PSVR2 isn't doing so well, but there was a Zelda Nintendo Direct... so it's not all bad. Join us for chats on the latest news and new releases. And we've played Dredge, is it as good as everyone's been saying? Our feature is Eddy's Real Deal part 2, where we play the £1 games Eddy picked for us 2 weeks ago.

What We've Been Playing:
Dredge
F1 Manager
Resident Evil 4

Pete's finally back and order has been resumed. We have a genuine Microsoft ABK deal update, Redfall news and a big new Turtles game is on the horizon. We've played both Resident Evil 4 remake and more Diablo 4. Our feature looks at the biggest games in Q2 2023!

What We've Been Playing:
Diablo 4
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Stalker Anomaly

Pete makes his absence 4 weeks on the trot, we address some constructive feedback, and discuss all the latest gaming news, including the potential PS5 Pro and the ABK deal latest. Ben's played Diablo 4, be prepared to hear about a great game! Our feature has Eddy pick top draw £1 games for the others to play.

What We've Been Playing:
Stalker Anomaly 
Diablo 4 

No Pete, no guests... it's a 3 man pod, law and order thrown to the wind. We talk about Jim Ryan's latest comments on the ABK deal, all the delays going on, and Xbox's terrible start to a generation. We've played the Resident Evil 4 demo and our feature talks about our favourite developers.

What We've Been Playing:
Resident Evil 4
LOU2
Sheltered 2

With Pete away for a 2nd week we have DeadbeatPunk, a.k.a. Christopher Love, a.k.a. host of WTFDYW podcast, back as our guest. A lot of insults flying in this one and we do talk about both Wo Long and Atomic Heart. There's a lot to love. Our feature looks at a few current Game Pass games that you may have missed!

What We've Been Playing:
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Atomic Heart
Pharaoh
Last of Us: Part 2

Pete's away for 3 weeks, so our first guest is the returning Dony. We have the standard weekly ABK deal updates along with big news on Nintendo and E3. Dony and Ben have both finished Hogwarts, we get their final thoughts, and Kirk has finally started LOU2! Our feature recaps the Sony State of Play from last week.

What We've Been Playing:
Hogwarts Legacy
Dead Space
The Forest
Last of Us 2