The Game Informer Show

The new issue of Game Informer celebrates the best in co-op gaming. In this podcast, we discuss our picks and the reasoning behind our Top 30 Co-Op Games of All-Time list.Excerpt] Host Matt Helgeson is joined by GI's Ben Reeves, Matt Miller, Andy Reiner, and editor in chief Andy McNamara for a freewheeling segment on the joys of playing together. (Please visit the site to view this media)

The summer drought is almost over, and we've got some interesting new releases to discuss, including a full breakdown of Microsoft's Summer of Arcade lineup. First off, Matt Miller, who writes our downloadable column Impulse, Matt Kato, and Tim Turi help host Matt Helgeson break down this year's Summer of Arcade, the annual Xbox Live Arcade promotion. It's generally one of the highlights of the year in downloadable and independent games; tune in to find out if this year's roster (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, The Wreckateer, Deadlight, Hybrid, and Dust: An Elysian Tail) stacks up to past Summer of Arcades. Next up, Adam Biessener and Kyle Hilliard discuss Robot Entertainment's Orcs Must Die 2, a brawler/tower defense hybrid that is one of the year's most exciting games. Finally, Bryan Vore and Kyle delve into the mysterious Kingdom Hearts storyline to figure out where Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance fits in. The game sets the stage for the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 3, so fans of the series would be wise to listen in. (Please visit the site to view this media)

This week we delve into some recent mobile releases, and celebrate the return of Back Cover Blurb Trivia. Kicking things off, host Matt Helgeson is joined by GI interns Ali Rapp and Jack Gardner, who have been doing some weekly mobile roundup on the website. They clue us in on some recent smartphone and tablet games that are worth your time and money. In the second segment, we celebrate the return of the Back Cover Blurb Trivia Challenge. Matt bows out this round, so Ben Hanson serves as the host and game master. Joe Juba, Dan Ryckert, Tim Turi, and Jeff Cork are on hand to compete for the title. Who reigns supreme? You'll have to listen to find out. (Please visit the site to view this media)

We take a break from our usual format to debut "10 Questions" -- where we ask the GI staff some discussion-provoking queries about video games. This episode is hosted, as usual, by Matt Helgeson and GI Show regulars Joe Juba, Adam Biessener, and Tim Turi. We're also pleased to be joined by special guest, Game Informer intern Ali Rapp, who talks about games and her somewhat sad lunch. (Please visit the site to view this media)

We discuss the new Ouya Android console, which has already raised over 4 million in Kickstarter pledges, plus two new releases. The show kicks (no pun intended) off with the Kickstarter sensation Ouya -- a console that promises to upend the traditional console market with an open-source, free-to-play system priced at $99. While it has grassroots support online, is this an idea that has legs? Host Matt Helgeson is joined by Andy Reiner and Matt Miller to discuss. In the second segment, Matt Kato swings by to talk about his review for NCAA Football 13, the latest in EA's longrunning sports franchise. Finally, Matt Miller returns to talk about The Secret World, a new MMO that promises something different from the usual sci-fi and fantasy tropes. (Please visit the site to view this media)

It's the slow season for new releases, but the topsy-turvy world of video games gave us plenty to talk about this week. First off, we catch up with a game we weren't able to include last week: episode 2 of Telltale Games' The Walking Dead adventure series. Ben Reeves reviewed it for Game Informer, and stops by to tell you (and host Matt Helgeson) why even non-adventure fans should check this game out. He also plugs his new book -- the techno-thriller Kill Screen (available on Amazon). In the second segment, Matt Miller delivers one of his semi-regular indie/downloadable scene reports. Between a handful of recent releases and some standout titles that appeared at E3, he has a lot to talk about. Finally, GI head cheese Andy McNamara and editor Matt Bertz engage in a wide-ranging discussion about the future of free-to-play games, Sony's acquisition of the game streaming service Gaikai, and the changing landscape of the industry. (Please visit the site to view this media)

Gears of War fans are a vocal bunch. We turned to our readers for questions about the game to ask Epic's director of production, Rod Fergusson. He swung by the Game Informer office to record a special Gears of War: Judgment podcast, where he answers the big questions about Judgment. In this special edition podcast Game Informer editors Dan Ryckert and Tim Turi present the community's questions to Rod, and slip in a few of our own. Rod also reveals some juicy information about what Gears of War fans can expect at Comic-Con 2012. (Please visit the site to view this media) Click the banner below for more exclusive Gears of War: Judgment coverage

Listen in for everything you need to know about a dark new military shooter, new Skyrim DLC, BioWare's answer to the Mass Effect 3 ending controversy, and the final episode of Roseanne. Matt Bertz, who reviewed Spec Ops: The Line for Game Informer, is up first. The game is trying to deliver a darker, more thoughtful look at war -- and largely succeeds. Next, Andy Reiner and Matt Miller talk about Dawnguard, the vampiric new DLC for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Finally, Joe Juba stops by to discuss the new endings for Mass Effect 3 that BioWare released this week. There's a variety of new content for fans that were unsatisfied with the original ending, and Joe feels that the new content does a good job of complementing the original game's finale. Also, we talk about the last episode of Roseanne. It's really weird. (Please visit the site to view this media)

This week's Game Informer Show is brought to you by guest host Adam Biessener. Big surprise: Civilization V: Gods & Kings is a major topic of discussion, even if we lead the show with the highly anticipated platform/puzzle game Quantum Conundrum. The Quantum Conundrum discussion, featuring GI reviewer Ben Reeves and general conundrum enthusiast Kyle Hilliard, comes packaged with the first GI show appearance of Ben's ghost friend Charles Groden (who knows; we're talking about Ben here). Next up, Adam pretty much gushes at Ben and Matt Bertz for a quarter-hour straight about the just-released Civilization V expansion and why he loves it so very much. Finally, Andy Reiner and Jeff Cork join for a segment on Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes. If anyone figures out anything about Charles' mysterious origins, please do leave a comment below. (Please visit the site to view this media)

The Game Informer crew has recovered from E3, and they're here to analyze the show, plus answer your questions about gaming's biggest event. In the first segment, Adam Biessener, Matt Bertz, and Bryan Vore join host Matt Helgeson to give their take on E3 2012, what it meant for the industry's biggest players, and which games stood out from the crowd. In the freewheeling second segment, we bring you a special E3 Reader Mailbag, with Matt Miller, Ben Hanson, Dan Ryckert, and Andy Reiner checking into the studio to answer your questions about the show. Also, there's a really heated argument about cheeseburgers. (Please visit the site to view this media)

Listen in as game director Matt Firor and creative director Paul Sage answer the Game Informer community's questions about the upcoming MMORPG from Zenimax Online Studios and Bethesda Softworks. Host and cover story author Adam Biessener is joined by GI compatriot Ben Reeves as they pepper Sage and Firor with hard questions about the pressing issues our vigilant community members demand answers on. Either that, or people want to know what kind of mounts are in the game. One of the two. (Please visit the site to view this media) Be sure to visit our Elder Scrolls Online hub by clicking the banner below for easy access to all the exclusive information we could dig up on our recent cover trip.

The GI Show kicks off with an interview with Spec Ops: The Line writer Walt Williams, who discusses the game's ambitious storytelling which gives players a wide range of moral choice. Williams and the team were inspired by such cinematic classics as Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket, and hope Spec Ops will provide a darker, more conflicted view of modern-day war. In the second segment, host Matt Helgeson is joined by Jeff Cork, who reviewed Dragon's Dogma, an interesting take on the action/RPG genre. The game's combat is more complex than you'd expect and there are a few other interesting design elements worth discussing. Finally, longtime series fan Matt Bertz stops by to talk about his review for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, the lastest in the storied tactical shooter series. (Please visit the site to view this media)

Two of the biggest releases of 2012 dropped this week. Listen in as we break down the latest from Blizzard and Rockstar, and stick around for Minecraft 360 impressions. In the first segment, Adam Biessener and Matt Miller join host Matt Helgeson to discuss Diablo III's troubled launch and amazing gameplay. While our review hasn't posted yet, suffice it to say that the gang is pretty excited about this one. Next up is a discussion of Max Payne 3, the return of Rockstar's venerable noir shooter. Andy Reiner, Tim Turi, and Ben Reeves sing the praises of the game's expert storytelling and finely honed gunplay. Finally, as promised, reviewer Jeff Cork is back in the office so we break down last week's release of Minecraft on Xbox Live. Joe Juba, Dan Ryckert, and Jeff Marchiafava also drop by to give their impressions of the latest version of Mojang's phenomenon. (Please visit the site to view this media)

Game Informer's new podcast game show, Back Cover Blurb Trivia Challenge, returns with some new contestants. Host Matt Helgeson is back to defend his title, and is joined by judge Ben Hanson, Tim Turi, Ben Reeves, and a special appearance by GI bigwig Andy McNamara. The game doesn't quite go as planned, thanks to a stunning performance by one of the contestants. Who's the secret trivia genius at GI? The answer may surprise you. These trivial antics are followed up by a more serious segment, in which reviewer Jeff Marchiafava drops in to break down his review of Starhawk, a new PS3-exclusive spiritual sequel to Warhawk. (Please visit the site to view this media)

343 Industries creative director Josh Holmes calls in to answer our readers' questions about Halo 4. That's really all you need to know. The show is hosted by GI editors Matt Miller (who wrote our Halo 4 cover story) and Bryan Vore. (Please visit the site to view this media)