The Game Informer Show

From Valve's hardware announcements to the wonders of Tokyo, we cover the big news of the week. The hype surrounding Valve lately is the biggest story; the reveal of SteamOS and partnering with manufacturers to create Steam Machines mark the first two announcements, with all signs pointing to Friday being a Valve-produced controller reveal. Video producer Ben Hanson (who fills in for regular host Matt Helgeson) is joined by Jeff Cork, Dan Ryckert, and Kyle Hilliard to talk about the potential of Valve invading our living rooms. We then get the nomadic Tim Turi and Kim Wallace to talk about their adventures in Japan while covering the Tokyo Game Show, and they paint a nice picture of this mystical foreign land. Enjoy! (Please visit the site to view this media)

This week saw the launch of what will likely be the year's best-selling, and one of its best reviewed, games: Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V. We talk about this huge experience on this week's show. GTA V has been a long time coming, and it's largely lived up to the hype, earning strong reviews and raking in $800 million dollars in its first 24 hours on sale. Host Matt Helgeson welcomes reviewer Matt Bertz and Jeff Cork to the podcast booth to talk about the game's ambitious heists, three-protagonist structure, and revamped gameplay. It's a big segment on a big game. In the second segment, GI news editor Mike Futter calls in from New Jersey to talk about the appointment of a new Electronic Arts CEO, Andrew Wilson. Many were surprised (Mike included) at his nomination for the job, and we speculate on what this means for EA as a whole. (Please visit the site to view this media)

It's a jam-packed episode of the GI Show this week! Come and get it! We start off the show this week with Tim Turi and Ben Reeves, who talk about two new horror games, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and Outlast, which are gripping and flawed in equal measure. Next up, GI news editor Mike Futter calls in from sunny New Jersey to talk about Sony's surprising home microsconsole, the PS Vita TV. It's an interesting experiment, and only announced for Japan at the moment, but it has a lot of potential - and a lot of challenges ahead of it. Suddenly, Futter gets cross-checked into the board by resident jocks Kim Wallace and Matt Bertz, who want to talk about macho stuff like EA Sports' NHL 14. Both of them are hardcore hockey fans, and both are frustrated by the series lack of progress in recent years. Finally, it's time for something completely different. This interview with YouTube video game acapella sensation, GI's Kyle Hilliard asks Smooth McGroove about his video game musical inspirations and astonishing success. That's a whole 'lotta podcast folks, see you next week. (Please visit the site to view this media)

This week is an action-packed show with a report from last week's PAX convention, and discussion on two high-profile new games. In the first segment, Matt Bertz and Tim Turi report back from all the mania that occurred at PAX – from the announcements to the games. Next up, Adam Biessener is on-hand to talk about Creative Assembly's Total War: Rome II. Also, Adam has some BIG NEWS! Finally, we have a full house as reviewer Jeff Cork, Matt Miller, Dan Ryckert, and Ben Hanson pack into the podcast booth to talk about Rayman Legends, which is shaping up to be perhaps the best 2D platformer of this year, possibly this generation. (Please visit the site to view this media)

Nintendo surprised us with a new handheld this week, so we talk about! We also break down Madden 25 and Diablo III for consoles. First up, Dan Ryckert and Ben Hanson stop by to react to Nintendo's odd new console. It's definitely not what we were expecting and it leads to some interesting discussion. The second segment revolves around Madden 25. It's a landmark anniversary for the series, but is the game up to the occasion? Matthew Kato lets you know. Finally, Jeff Marchiafava and Adam Biessener join the show to talk about the long-awaited console version of Diablo III. One of the guys loves it and one of them acts like a big PC snob about it! Can you guess who? Tune in to find out. (Please visit the site to view this media)

This week, we talk about an ambitious new initiative from Disney Interactive, and talk about Sony and Microsoft's showings at Gamescom. First up is Disney Infinity, which was likely inspired by Activision's Skylanders toy/game franchise but offers a whole lot more. Host Matt Helgeson is joined by reviewer Andy Reiner, who is excited for what Infinity is now, but even more optimistic about its future. In the second segment, Reiner sticks around and is joined by Jeff Marchiafava, who reveals that he doesn't want to kill anyone that he works with and has a lot of things to say about Sony and Microsoft's presentations at Gamescom. It's a wide-ranging and interesting discussion. (Please visit the site to view this media)

In this week's GI Show, we talk to 2K Marin creative director Morgan Gray about The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and discuss's Volition's gonzo Saints Row 4. We start things off with a long interview with Morgan Gray, who's been leading this long-in-development XCOM project for some time. The game has gone through a lot of twists and turns on its way to retail, and will finally release next week. Host Matt Helgeson and Matt Miller ask Gray about the game's evolution and what it hopes to add to the storied XCOM franchise. In the second segment, Matt is joined by Joe Juba and Jason Oestreicher to break down the latest (and craziest) entry in the Saints Row series. (Please visit the site to view this media)

We've got some great games to discuss this week, namely Pikmin 3, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Tales of Xillia, and Dragon's Crown. Host Matt Helgeson is joined by Jeff Cork, Dan "One Shoe" Ryckert, Kim Wallace, Joe Juba, and Tim Turi in this groundbreaking and harrowing video game podcast. This podcast will very likely win this year's Oscar for Best Original Podcast. (Please visit the site to view this media)

The GI Show crew sings the praises of some of the games that deserved more attention this year. Every year, it seems like more and more great title slip through the crack. Chalk it up to a crowded marketplace or the prominence of a few mega-blockbusters, but there seem to be a lot of great games that don't find a huge audience. Host Matt Helgeson is joined by Adam Biessener, Ben Reeves, Joe Juba, and Ben Hanson in a freeform podcast in which we pay tribute to a wide variety of games that flew under the radar in the first half of 2013. (Please visit the site to view this media)

Another week, another reversal of an Xbox One policy. This time, Microsoft is relenting and making the console more open to indie development. We also talk about two great new RPGs. First up, Game Informer's news editor Mike Futter calls in from New Jersey and joins host Matt Helgeson and editor Matt Bertz to discuss the latest Microsoft course correction. Mike and Matt Bertz broke this story on the Internet and discuss what it means for indie development on Xbox One – and how it might affect the long-term outlook on the console. Batting second is Matt Miller, who is here to talk about his review of Shadowrun Returns. It's one of the first high profile Kickstarter games to be released, and should please fans of old-school '90s RPGs. In the final segment, Game Informer's resident JRPG fanatic Kim Wallace makes an all-too-rare appearance on the GI Show to talk about Shin Megami Tensei IV, the latest in the daring series. Kim was impressed by the game's challenging combat and philosophical bent. It's definitely not your run of the mill JRPG. Listen in to find out why you should give it a try. (Please visit the site to view this media)

This week we asked you to submit all your burning questions about the world of video games. You asked, and now we're going to answer! The Game Informer Show host Matt Helgeson is joined by Andy Reiner, Matthew Kato, Matt Bertz, and Adam Biessener for a wide-ranging Q&A session. (Please visit the site to view this media)

In this week's GI show, we have an exclusive interview with the team behind the new Civ V expansion, plus talk about High Moon's Deadpool. In the first segment, we are joined by Firaxis producer Dennis Shirk and designer Ed Beach stop by to talk about the upcoming Civilization V expansion pack Brave New World. Host Matt Helgeson and Game Informer PC editor Adam Biessener ask them about the gameplay changes in store – and get the scoop on two of the game's new civilizations. We switch gears for the second segment, with a sunglasses-wearing Andy Reiner and Ben Reeves, who come by to discuss High Moon and Activision's game based on the gonzo gaming cult hero Deadpool. Sadly, it's a game that didn't live up to its considerable potential. (Please visit the site to view this media)

This week brought the news that Microsoft was reversing its controversial policies about used games and Internet connectivity for Xbox One. We discuss the fallout and also talk about the best games we saw at E3 2013. In the first segment, host Matt Helgeson welcomes Matt Bertz and Adam Biessener to the show, as the three break down what went wrong for Microsoft at E3 and how this new decision to change course might help right the Xbox One ship. It's certainly been a tumultuous month for the company. In the second segment, Matt Miller, Dan Ryckert, and Joe Juba stop by the studio to talk about some of the best games we saw at E3, including our game of the show, Titanfall. (Please visit the site to view this media)

Naughty Dog's dark survival The Last of Us is one of the year's greatest games. Listen in to get more of our thoughts on this masterpiece. Regular Game Informer Show host Matt Helgeson is joined by special guest editor in chief Andy McNamara for this special edition podcast devoted to The Last of Us. This podcast is SPOILER FREE. (Please visit the site to view this media)

This week, we have a pair of very different games to talk about: Capcom's Remember Me and Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Leaf. First up, Ben Reeves joins host Matt Helgeson to talk about Remember Me, the Dontnod-developer psycho-thriller that has a lot of promise, but spotty execution and design. It's one of those games that could have been great, but fall short. Next up is Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the 3DS, another version of Nintendo's adorable village sim. Basically, it has turned Dan Ryckert, Tim Turi, and Jeff Cork into crazy people that only talk about pears and hitting rocks with shovels. Host Matt Helgeson is on-hand to sort out all the weird details. (Please visit the site to view this media)