After a short break, we’re back with a fun (allegedly) holiday special to see out the year – featuring special guests, our favourite Christmas-themed games and the Back Page alternative GOTY awards.
This week’s music is from Bayonetta Origins, Final Fantasy 16, Fable 2 and Bully.
The energy of our past guests turning up in our Xmas special Image credit: RyanPlugs Naeslyn’s Wii Calendar
Guest GOTYs
- PowerWash Simulator (Ellie Gibson)
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Simon Cardy)
- Jusant (Joe Skrebels)
- Spider-Man 2 (Will Porter)
- Goat Simulator 3 (Will Porter’s son)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Jamie Smith)
- A Back Page drinking game (Simon Parkin)
- Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew (Katharine Castle)
- A Space for the Unbound (Lucy Blundell)
Alternative Awards
Best Hang
- Jun Erio from Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
- Luis from Resident Evil 4 (2023)
- Gav and Sid from Final Fantasy XVI
Worst hang
- All NPCs from Pikmin 4
- Danika from Spider-Man 2
The critics got this wrong
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Cocoon
Most surprsing game
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Exoprimal
- Baldur’s Gate 3
Most spectacular set-piece
- 3 summons at the end of Final Fantasy XVI
- the Titan fight in Final Fantasy XVI
- the massive drill on the desert planet in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- portals in Spider-Man 2
- last boss fight in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Colgera, the Wind Temple boss in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Best ox-patting
- Coney Island in Spider-Man 2
- Prison in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Did this need a remake or remaster?
- Layers of Fear (2023)
What a cool mechanics made just for this game
- Ascend in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Pullstring light in Amnesia: The Bunker
Best hub-world / area
- Koboh Observatory in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- various areas in Final Fantasy XVI
- the ship in Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew
Banger on the soundtrack
- Tomorrow is Mine from Affinity boss fight in Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
- On the Shoulders of Giants, the main boss theme in Final Fantasy XVI
Game I played for 10 minutes
- Redfall
- Venba
- Planet of Lana
The good for you award, a game which we’ve chosen not to particpate in
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Most cursed
- Forspoken
- Gollum
Biggest existential crisis triggered
- Killing myself in Pavlov
- The Weeknd in Beat Saber
Best virtual food
- Sea of Stars
Least satisfying side content
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Addison, aka Sign Guy, from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Worst discourse
- Mario’s voice
- Don’t expect BG3 from indie studios
- Being owed money for coverage
Not a horny podcast award
- Mean mum from Final Fantasy XVI
- MJ from Spider-Man 2
Most irritating hardware launch
- New colours for the Analogue Pocket
Doordash award
- Doordash during the Game Awards
Festive games
Matthew
- The Dig
- The Room
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Last Window: The Secret of Cape West
- Fable II
Samuel
- Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
- The Beatles: Rock Band
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
- Final Fantasy VII
- Bully
Lore
- Features a vocal rendition of the Back Page theme tune, a la “Anyone Can Fall in Love” by Anita Dobson.