Staying In

Marvel’s Star Wars homage / Kevin Bacon delivery vehicle The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special gets dissected, boardgame reviews of Luna Capital (place tiles, build an engine, reach the Moon) and Lacrimosa (Mozart’s dead, figure out his legacy), and going back to a genre-definer with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Plus we enter The Christmas Zone, and give each other our traditional Secret Santa gifts. 00:00 - The Christmas Zone. 07:01 - Secret Santa: Part 1. 13:56 - Luna Capital and Lacrimosa. 26:46 - Secret Santa: Part 2. 29:56 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. 43:36 - Secret Santa: Part 3. 47:42 - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. 58:47 - Secret Santa: Part 4. All that, and a bloated mass of content, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if you like. Links to where you can find us - StayingInPodcast.com

00:00 - Kris's birthday, celebrated not with a song, but a goldfish. 10:09 - Just to be clear, The Bear is not for kids; it’s an intense black comedy drama, shot on a small budget, all about the pressures of running a sandwich shop. 27:27 - Coffee Talk is from Toge Productions and has you brewing up hot beverages for fantasy creatures. It’s a pretty laid back visual novel, and it’s perfect for bedtime. 41:04 - Context is key, and sits at the heart of Immortality, an interactive movie (of sorts) from Sam Barlow, Half Mermaid, and Netflix, all about a movie starlet gone missing. 56:56 - Indeterminate growers. All that, and sandwiches, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost) and Kris (@DigitalStrider). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if you like. 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 th

00:00 - True crime. 08:47 - Marvel Snap from Second Dinner and Nuverse doesn’t necessarily reinvent the genre’s mechanics, but what it does with card battlers, it does better (and faster) than pretty much all the others. 22:50 - A slower-paced, smaller-scale movie that’s ghoulish, perhaps even Shakespearean, The Banshees of Inisherin is a dark and funny and profound film you should go out of your way to watch. 36:44 - [Ad] Go check out our pals at Overtired. 37:57 - There’s nothing horrifying about Horrified: Universal Monsters and Horrified: American Monsters from Ravensburger. They’re excellent co-op games with a horror theme that manages to capture the feel of the monsters brilliantly. 51:31 - Picking up onions and peppers over 20 minutes with Point Salad, and building homes for teensy peeps with Tiny Towns - both of which are from AEG. 1:00:44 - The Banshees of… Ed Sheeran? All that, and eventful hairdressers, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner)

00:00 - Alexa, play Staying In Podcast! 07:11 - Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is… just completely out there! We explain why, even if you don’t care all that much about flying games, you need to invest some time in Bandai Namco’s latest entry in the series. 16:44 - Learning, adapting, and trying again is the order of the day in foxy isometric adventure Tunic from Tunic Team and Finji. Like Zelda? Like Heaven’s Vault? You need to play it. 26:41 - The mean, green Marvel machine rolls on with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law now streaming. The TV show comic book adaptation joins the rest of Disney’s line up as an excellent addition, and below its jade-coloured surface is a season of depth and surprises. 37:03 - A while back, Games Workshop took Blood Bowl and made Blitz Bowl, a faster-paced, beginner-friendly take on the core idea of fantasy American football (emphasis firmly on fantasy). With Ultimate Edition now out, we take a look at the previous iteration: Season 2. 49:55 - Fog of Love implies awkwardness, but result

00:00 - DIY, Oodies, a birthday, and an aversion to wool. 05:51 - PlayStation 4 corker The Order: 1886 (as discussed in Ep156) continues to impress. 10:24 - Everdale (last chatted about in Ep136) is closing down its servers, and now we’re in a sentimental mood, discussing games experiences now gone forever. 17:10 - A special early look at the asymmetrical, pirate-themed board game Ahoy from Leder Games. Lighter than Root, but scratches that itch in a very similar way. 28:51 - Dungeons, Dice & Danger is Ravensburger and Richard Garfield’s new roll and write, and it manages to give maths real personality. This isn’t “just another” roll and write, this is something special. 45:09 - One Page Dungeon Contest is an annual RPG adventure writing competition, asking writers to create a system-agnostic piece of content that fits on a single side of A4, and it’s a great time. 55:57 - Binge shaving. All that, and Fat Willy's, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTur

00:00 - Listener pal Ben asks us for some gaming recommendations for new parents; exactly which games CAN you play with one hand?  10:27 - Manchester played host to Tabletop Gaming Live 2022, so naturally we were in attendance too. What a great event! 17:56 - We only get to speak about Quarto from Hachette for a little bit, but that’s fine because our feelings about it are simple: you should for sure play it. 19:20 - Osprey Games delivers the goods yet again with Village Rails. In it, you’ll usher in modernity and the age of steam by building a network across the British countryside. 27:14 - You can feel the money dripping off the screen when you watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which we’re enjoying a fair bit - but is there a danger in “fantasy” become “mundane”? 43:42 - Acram Digital are one of the greats when it comes to digital tabletop adaptations, and that’s definitely the case with the excellent Unmatched: Digital Edition. 58:42 - We made you a game! You can get What's Better than a Ho

00:00 - Shoot for the Stars: Round 1. 05:04 - justfortherunofit asks us a very important question. Crumbs… 13:34 - Shoot for the Stars: Round 2. 14:18 - RRR has the best bromance, has the best disclaimer, and just might have the best set of abs. 25:49 - Shoot for the Stars: Round 3. 27:44 - Oceans uses the world of science in conjunction with cardboard fishies to create a lightly educational engine builder. 39:28 - Shoot for the Stars: Round 4. 42:26 - It’s been years in the making, but now Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman is on our screens and it’s a dream come true. 57:26 - Do we need a sign-off? Alright then. All that, and two squeezes and out, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if you like. 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 sk

00:00 - Case. Closed. (thanks, McVitie’s) 07:13 - Kris rides a horse. 10:13 - An arctic whatnow? Thoughts on completing Tough Mudder. 15:34 - War Boys VI kicks off with V-Commandos. 17:56 - More drama, strategy, and conflict, with the Undaunted Series (especially Undaunted: Normandy). 21:16 - And yet more War, with the Boys, as we take to the battlefield with Hogs of War The Miniatures Game. 30:20 - Nope is a conversation - an essay, maybe - and the less you know about it going in, the better. 41:57 - It’s a Floodgate Games special, with the expectedly excellent puzzley dice game Sagrada, and the brilliant passive aggressive decorate-em-up Décorum. All that, and the right way up for a chocolate digestive, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if you like. Links to where you can find us - StayingInPodcast.com Note: sometimes we'll ha

00:12 - The creation of “Bubble Boyz presents The Staying In Podcast presents Hot Tub the game”... or something... we should probably come up with a better name at some point. 12:10 - Going ape at Go Ape. 19:24 - Oink Games’ In a Grove is all about solving a murder using deduction, prediction, and a spot of luck, in a tiny little box with wonderful component quality. 27:00 - Need more murder? In Vino Morte is a rioja roulette of social deduction, with wine, poison, and lots of bluffing. 31:20 - The Orville: New Horizons took us completely by surprise! Seth MacFarlane’s previous work is a world away from this sci-fi comedy with heart. 41:02 - Big Potato Games delivers yet again with Sounds Fishy. It asks you to find the correct answer to a series of superb trivia questions, within a sea of “red herrings”. All that, and heading off to bed, with Kris (@DigitalStrider) and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, i

00:00 - Pogs are back, maybe? 05:20 - Ready at Dawn’s The Order: 1886 was an early title on the PlayStation 4 that lots of people seem to have slept on… but they shouldn’t have, as gorgeous-looking steampunk shooty bang bangs are the order of the day. 20:08 - Having a hair cut in the same way a cake is iced. 21:44 - War Boys VI: The Road to Valhalla; it’s that time of the year again, when we play a whole bunch of wargames. We got a little bit of time with the gigantic Hogs of War: The Miniatures Game, but quickly moved on to Godtear, a combination of competitive miniatures game and DOTA. We had a blast. 42:34 - Rent, Shuffle and Roll is a board game rental service that’s the Netflix of tabletop games. We’re really impressed with the service, especially because it’s the perfect way to try games before you buy… games like Fury of Dracula. 53:51 - Robin Z popped us a question. All that, and The Whiff of Dracula, with Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist bri

00:00 - A letter to DEFRA. 03:56 - Thor: Love and Thunder is Taika Waititi second go with the Asgardian and while it’s lost a bit of the danger felt in Ragnarok it’s still distinctive and well worth watching. 23:32 - FUT! We dip our football-booted toe into the wonderful world of perfect chemistry, aka FIFA Ultimate Team, thanks to Mr. Jones. 43:45 - Eating biscuits the right way… or was it the wrong way? 49:32 - We get on board with, er, Get on Board: New York & London; a roll and write where everyone shares and contributes to the same play space, from Coiledspring Games. 55:13 - Two roll and write reviews in one episode? Oh yes! And it’s Hachette’s Trek 12: Himalaya, with robust core game and a well thought out legacy mode. 58:41 - Pete's fan is from John Lewis. All that, and when it’s too early for a slushie, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if

00:00 – It’s time to investigate. 05:06 – Ms. Marvel is wonderful. It’s a celebration of cultural identity, with nuance, laughter, wisdom, community… we love it. 28:30 – Lifting the curse with shuffleboard at the Bristol Craft Beer Festival. 32:36 – Disney Villainous from Prospero Hall and Ravensburger is genuinely kind of incredible. The art and component quality is staggering, the asymmetrical play works really nicely, and it’s easy to teach to new players. 49:16 – Crescent Moon is from Osprey Games, Steven Mathers and Navid Rahman. It’s a slightly weird proposition, having a very specific player count. But the asymmetry is streamlined, the game leans into its theme to great effect, and the whole thing has us wanting to play it over and over. All that, and why we’re bonkers for pollen, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if you

00:00 - What crisp are you? 03:36 - Top Gun: Maverick is really good. Really REALLY good. And it’s not just a simple nostalgia trip, it’s a well-told story with incredible action scenes, that everyone needs to watch. 26:03 - We’ve loved them since we first saw them, and now the Jackass folks are back with Jackass Forever. And again, while nostalgia plays a big factor, it’s really the bond between the people on screen that keeps us watching. 36:56 - We confirm that in There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension there is no game. 55:29 - The real beginning of r/Mum. All that, and why we feel so tense, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), and Peter (@XeroXeroXero). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if you like. 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 re

00:00 - The worst place to stage a stag do. 02:49 - Everything but the act of reading. 05:25 - Gran Turismo 7 is the sequel to… Gran Turismo 2? It’s an expectedly gorgeous simulation racer that goes back to one of its earliest entries for its inspirations. Is this the perfect audiobook game? 21:20 - “Do you think anybody will notice?” 26:00 - Everything Everywhere All at Once is the greatest multiverse movie, one where you just should not even try to comprehend what’s going on that, no matter how wild it gets, always manages to return to a very human story. 36:33 - A return to Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, as we check in with Russell Hobbs. 40:25 - Marvel: Remix turns card drafting into an extremely compelling superhero-based spin on Fantasy Realms from WizKids, with a simplicity to it that is immediately, and overwhelmingly, appealing. It’s a joy. 46:24 - Messing about in the water. 47:43 - Long Shot: The Dice Game is a roll and write and gambling game from Perplext that we’ve been after for quite a while now.

00:00 - We talk skin care regime and why it’s important for us fellas. 07:45 - Ready Brek: it’s good. 09:41 - The latest Dr Strange movie is out, we’ve seen it and, generally, we like it - it’s a solid entry in Marvel’s cinematic universe and expands on some of the concepts that have been developed over the last few films. Plus horror. 33:01 - Merchants & Marauders is Z-Man Games’ highly thematic title all about pirates and privateers (and a little bit of “cronch”). It’s a big sandbox of roleplaying, deal-making, and battling, and we like it. 42:51 - The Accord. 44:55 - PlayStation Plus is… fine? But is it good enough when compared to similar services? 50:14 - Joe Richardson’s follow up to Four Last Things is The Procession to Calvary, another point and click journey through a hilarious renaissance world, formed of real paintings from the era. All that, and thir-hy-si, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lot

00:00 - The foundations of a hot tub. 03:03 - Coiledspring Games’ Photosynthesis sets a new standard for gateway games and feels like it might genuinely be a good option for getting people into the hobby. Plus we get talking about how challenging that actually is. 21:57 - A sauna. The Red Zone. Fika. 34:11 - Hot Lap League reminds us, very deliberately, of TrackMania Turbo which we covered back on Ep4. This slick racer brings time trial-based high precision competitiveness to Android and iOS, and we’re here for it. 45:33 - A very VERY funny joke. Oh and our thoughts on new book-turned-TV-series Reacher. 56:31 - Free Radicals from WizKids Games sure isn’t a gateway game, but its bold use of colours is admirable, and even if it does get utterly silly at times that’s all part of the fun. All that, and a silent scream, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk abo

00:00 - Hot dogs: awkward sandwiches? 03:08 - Is it Cake? Well? Is it? 08:09 - Cryptid: Urban Legends from Osprey Games shakes things up and presents a very different two player experience to the original. It’s tense, mechanically tight, and encourages repeat play. 21:52 - The worldwide shortage of Lorne Sausage. 24:14 - Darby DNA. 27:51 - Our review of Sobek: 2 Players from Hachette and Catch Up Games. It’s a set collection game that breezes by in about 20 minutes, with bright and colourful art, and hints of other classics like 7 Wonders Duel, Jamaica, and Juicy Fruits. 40:33 - Nostalgia reigns with The Matrix Resurrections and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. 54:02 - House of Food All that, and stacking lasagne, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Sam (@MrSamTurner), and Richard (@WereNotWizards). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if you like. Links to where you can find us - StayingInPodcast.com Note: sometimes we'

00:00 - The great debate, aka “do you eat or drink soup?” 02:49 - The Batman, a spoiler-free review. 25:50 - AireCon: origins. 37:04 - AireCon: the bring and buy sale. 42:09 - AireCon: meeting up with Hachette, and playing Sobek 2 Players (Catch Up Games) and Ganymede (Sorry we are French). 44:25 - AireCon: our thoughts on Switch & Signal (Kosmos). 58:00 - The Batman, more thoughts, but with loads and loads of spoilers. All that, and semantic enigmas, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). Our Spotify Playlist brings together lots of great thematic music inspired by the stuff we talk about. Go check it out, if you like. 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.

00:00 - Happy. Birthday. To. You. 07:49 - Kris and Sam’s adventure in a broken car. 15:37 - Forget the discourse: FromSoftware’s Elden Ring is filled with Lovecraftian-ish creatures, rune gathering, wonderful exploration, and becoming increasingly okay with the idea of losing a lot of progress. Also it reminds us of the OSR. ALSO also: there’s a guy called Angry Pumpkin Head, apparently? 37:17 - What are our thoughts about black holes? What about rainbows? More importantly, after that tangent, what about Black Hole Rainbows from June Dune Games Production? It’s a 2-6 player, quick-playing and fairly light game that has absurdly high production values, and took us a bit by surprise by just how good it is. 48:18 - After a little faffing around time on Reddit, we’ve been checking out Eyes : Nonogram from Gamefox. If you’ve played Picross or Murder by Numbers, you’ll be in familiar territory, and it combines excellent presentation with easy interactions and loads of puzzles. 56:34 - The story of the old ma

00:00 - “I’ll allow a Magnum”. 08:34 - It’s been in development Hell, but Uncharted’s tale of stealing a lost treasure is fun. It stumbles here and there, but the thrill of seeing the series on the screen, and some fleeting moments of excellence, means we’re excited for the inevitable sequel. 19:00 - The Blustery Day. 27:09 - Being back in the world of Aloy is lovely, as long as you’ve played the first game… and we have, so we’re really enjoying Horizon Forbidden West. And gosh it looks glorious with some incredible acting and character animations. 35:06 - High Score lets you gamble in a safe space (it’s a push your luck dice game), with that typical level of polish and quality you’d expect from Reiner Knizia and Kosmos. 39:43 - Almadi is from Funnyfox, via Hachette, and while it’s a teensy bit like Carcassonne, a smidgen like Wingspan, but it’s definitely its own experience. 44:42 - Roll Camera!... oh my word. This is quite possibly the most well-implemented themes-to-mechanics board game we’ve playe