The Staying In Podcast - four pals talk video games, board games, movies, and nonsense

Alright, straight up, if this is the first time listening to the podcast, maybe go back and listen to another one instead, as this is a slight departure from our usual brand of talking about stuff what we like. Because this is our Christmas special and, as usual, we're doing our Secret Santa and waxing lyrical about this time of year. We discuss how we might fare at being three wise men, talk Christmas routines, weigh in on bread sauce, share presents, and reveal the greatest Christmas movie ever made (probably). All that, plus the reason why aeroplanes are not powered by farts, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner). OH YEAH and this is the part where we usually ask you to review us or visit some profile we've set up somewhere or whatever, but instead of that rot we're just going to wish you a fantastic Christmas. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, then whatever you're up to instead, we simply hope you have a great time and a wonderful end to your 2017. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.comFind us on Twitter - @StayingInPod

How do you do, fellow kids? Have you checked out Rhino Hero: Super Battle yet? Well we have and we think it’s lovely, and we tell you all about it on the latest episode. The equally lovely medieval city builder and tile-placing euro game Kingdomino gets a look-in too. If you’re after something equally breezy, then there’s also a discussion on why the cultural statements that Watch Dogs 2 attempts to make are at odds with its core gameplay, leading to a curious and jarring ludonarrative dissonance that rings false. We use the term "commedia dell'arte" at one point too, because we’re fancy like that. There’s a quick chat about why new comedy The Good Place is Michael Schur, Kristen Bell, and Ted Danson at their finest, why one of us has decided to run Twilight Imperium soon, and why Red Dessert Topping and severe eye wounds don’t really mix in darkly comic pen and paper roleplaying game Paranoia. And alright, look, it’s December, okay? I think it’s fine for us to start talking about our upcoming Secret Santa stuff... right? That’s all neatly packaged up into just over one hour of three pals talking into microphones for the hopeful enjoyment of others - those pals being Kris (@DigitalStrider), Sam (@MrSamTurner), and Peter (@XeroXeroXero). If you’d also like to be a pal to the podcast then you can leave us a review and rating on the platform you got this podcast because that sort of thing really helps us out. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.comFind us on Twitter - @StayingInPod

Thor and Hulk and Waititi, Batman and Snyder and Capullo - some combinations just work better than others, and we talk about them at length in this episode. Because first up there's what we thought of Thor: Ragnarok (spoilers: we liked it a whole bunch), then a little bit of Goddess of Thunder chat, plus a whole bunch of spoiler-filled splurge on DC's Dark Nights: Metal comics. Also one of us is going to see Above & Beyond, which immediately spawns a chat about illegal substances FOR SOME REASON, and one of us has been saving spiders and hanging out on a porch roof. And talking about animals, what do you think they dream about? And what do you dream about? And do you remember Shadow Man? And who is Gabriel Logan? And will we answer all these questions in the space of about, oh, ten minutes? Yes. We will. All of this and more performed in front of a live studio audience of exactly one house rabbit, with Alix (@EruditeWolf), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Sam (@MrSamTurner), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and the spirit of Dan. And hey listen, I know we ask this every episode, but for real this time, if you could leave us a review and rating on the platform you got this podcast, we would be ever-so grateful as it really does help us out a whole bunch. Especially you Gavin, you owe us one. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.comFind us on Twitter - @StayingInPod

If you're a fan of turn-based strategy then boy howdy are you in the right place. Because there's all kinds of tactics-based chat throughout, taking in Darkest Dungeon and the Crimson Court DLC, digital miniatures title Warbands: Bushido, and genre flagship XCOM 2. That's a lot of strategy gaming. We also delve into The Polybius Conspiracy, a creepy new podcast from Radiotopia that explores a video game that never existed... OR DID IT? There's also even more golf (it's the new Witcher 3!), scuba diving, planning a wedding, and some very serious pretending to be a nun on the run. Plus one of us exposed themselves to a bunch of strangers. Find out who as Alix (@EruditeWolf), Peter (@XeroXeroXero), and Sam (@MrSamTurner) talk about nerd stuff for an hour and a bit. And like always, we could really do with your help spreading the word about the show. There are two ways you can do this: a) tell the next person you see about the show, and b) review our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you're subscribed to Staying In. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.comFind us on Twitter - @StayingInPod

Bread. You love it. We love it. Some of us have been baking it. In Episode 41 you'll find out who the master bakers are and who puts the "ass" in "fougasse". If bread isn't your thing, maybe hard sci-fi is? If so, there's a breakdown of The Expanse and why the Netflix show is basically Babylon 5 for the noughties. Oddworld: Soulstorm is a big topic too, on account of our special guest knowing a thing or two about the upcoming game. It's sounding absolutely fascinating, especially for long-time fans of the series. We also talk about launching video games in today's market, which might be of interest, but if it's not don't worry, because pretty soon we also get on to talking about the fake obituary for Sean Connery one of us had to put together, plus whether or not a baby actually knows the difference between Shrek 1 and Shrek 2. And yes okay there's more golf chat in this episode and, spoilers, there's probably going to be some golf chat in the next episode too, but this time it's a three-way battle between Everybody's Golf, Golf Story, and FIFA 17's The Journey mode... it makes sense on the show, trust us. So join the usual group of Kris (@DigitalStrider), Sam (@MrSamTurner), and Peter (@XeroXeroXero), plus ultra lovely special guest Peter Chapman (@ColossalBlue) from Oddworld Inhabitants, for strong tea and light-to-medium geek bants. As always, if you feel like you want to help us out, do leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you downloaded this episode, as it really is the best way to tell other people about the show. Apart from, you know, telling people about the show. Do that too, if the fancy takes you. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.comFind us on Twitter - @StayingInPod

Where else are you going to hear all about Jamaica: The Crew, Cheap Golf, Little Mix, and how one of the hosts got trapped in their swimming costume in a single podcast? Nowhere, that's where. Then of course there's lots of chat about devious hidden movement game Whitehall Mystery, the sheer joy of true crime (podcasts), two more forms of golf than the one previously just mentioned, and the addictive Dungeons & Dragons clicker Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms. There's also holiday plans, fun with spreadsheets, and the very special delight that is Oxenfree, as Kris (@DigitalStrider), Lisa (@Lisa7989), and Peter (@XeroXeroXero) have the lovely chat with tea that is Episode 40 of Staying In. And hey, do you like our little podcast? If you want to help us out, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you downloaded this episode. Do so and you too will be as happy and amazing as this little chap. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.comFind us on Twitter - @StayingInPod

It's perhaps the most exhausting episode ever, as Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Sam (@MrSamTurner), and Peter (@XeroXeroXero) strap on some wristbands, limber up, and take our places on the starting grid for lots of chat about sports. We discuss why Frubes may not be the best mid-workout drink, all the while tackling The Great King Size Chocolate Bar Conspiracy. We find out why one of us has been watching Nick Faldo sink shots at Pebble Beach while in the company of Gary Sparrow, and who's been substituting their shin pads for copies of The Guardian. We also discuss why Everybody's Golf is a Nintendo game in disguise, how Zoo Ball captures the essence of great sporting events, and how it's not actually possible to overdose on squash (the drink, not the sport). Just in-case you thought we'd lost all our nerd credentials with all this talk of sport and such, we also manage to get in a fair bit of chat about the board game and digital edition of Eight-Minute Empire, and enthuse about The Adventure Zone from Maximum Fun. And stick around for the end of this episode for a very special announcement... For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.comFind us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod

From surprise engagements and having babies, to picking fantasy football squads and choosing the right shower gel, this episode of the podcast covers some of life's most important decisions. But we also can't resist talking, as usual, about the nerd stuff that has been keeping us busy recently. Dan (@ThisDanFrost) explains why Sonic Mania is the best game the SEGA mascot has been in in ages, Kris (@DigitalStrider) walks us through Playdead's Limbo spiritual sequel Inside, and Peter (@XeroXeroXero) talks about Naughty Dog's Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and why Chloe feeling more "real" is a good thing for the medium. Sam (@MrSamTurner) has been far too busy in command of a vessel for games and such. As always, a quick thank you from all of us to everyone who has left us a review so far - you honestly wouldn't believe us if we told you just how much each and every review means to us. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.com/Find us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod

We've not talked about wrestling since Episode 4, so we thought it high time to return to the topic, and this time we've brought in Simon Miller (@SimonMiller316) to provide expert insight into the world of WWE. With Dan (@ThisDanFrost) in Simon's corner you've basically got the ultimate tag team for insight into SummerSlam, the business behind the brawling, and the ludicrous high prices of wrestling gear. After that, Sam (@MrSamTurner) and Kris (@DigitalStrider) talk Dunkirk and explain why you have to see it in IMAX to do it justice, then there's a slightly less solemn, but still ever-so serious bit where Peter (@XeroXeroXero) makes a heartfelt apology to a game developer. If that weren't enough, there's also ab chat, we explain why Captain Sonar should be on your radar, the board game Luchador! Mexican Wrestling Dice, a report on Memoir '44, an absolutely gigantic spider, and one utterly amazing Jewish wedding. A huge thanks to Simon for appearing on the show. If you're not already, you should definitely be watching The Miller Report, as well as his wrestling work with WhatCulture Wrestling, and consider supporting him on Patreon too. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.com/Find us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod

Kris (@DigitalStrider) and Peter (@XeroXeroXero) helm Episode 36 of Staying In, as they talk about ground-breaking walking simulators, brand new mobile games, cutting edge cinema, and farming tools from the Iron Age. We've been making our first tentative steps into Albion Online the MMO from Sandbox Interactive, finding out what remains of Edith Finch in What Remains of Edith Finch, and discovering that we are simply not good enough at games to beat Miles & Kilo. Plus lots of chat about Baby Driver, imagining what Driver Baby might look like, and examining the scarily familiar world of The Circle. Did you know we have a Steam Curator page? You do now! Did you know we have a BoardGameGeek page? This you also now know! For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.com/Find us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod

It's the first ever completely "in-person" recording of the podcast, with Dan (@ThisDanFrost), Kris (@DigitalStrider), Sam (@MrSamTurner), and Peter (@XeroXeroXero) gathered round a table to speak into microphones about games we've been playing over a weekend together. We've been faffing about with a Ricoh Theta S, so we discuss the practical merits of 360 images and video, as well as how that medium might translate into a horror movie. It's not all high technology chat, as we talk about our experiences with the massive Lord of the Rings tabletop game War of the Ring, we walk through our most recent RPG tale of the fantastic Dread, and argue that Dark Stories is the best worst game. We've also been playing a lot of the Ticket to Ride app while in different parts of the UK, which we contrast with our time with Ticket to Ride Europe which we also played that weekend. As if that weren't enough, there's details of a trip to Greece, the worrying song lyrics found in Grease, Greek country line dancing, and a new contender for best crisp (also from Greece). And hey, we played oh so many more games over the weekend than we got to talk about, but we snapped loads of photos of them using the camera and uploaded them to Twitter. Pop on over to @StayingInPod to see images of Oh My Goods!, Colt Express, Ticket to Ride Europe, Flick 'Em Up, Captain Sonar, and Star Realms. You can even find moments of us recording and setting up, plus if you pop on over to our YouTube channel you can watch an unedited 360 video clip from the recording. If you've got a VR headset you can physically look around the room as we record, and if you don't you can still use a mouse to navigate about! For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.com/Find us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod

It's a matter of life and death and sheds for Sam (@MrSamTurner), and a matter of taste for Peter (@XeroXeroXero) and his Rainbow Drops, in our 34th episode. It's also a matter of fact that Kris (@DigitalStrider) thinks Wonder Woman is the best DC movie in years, and Dan (@ThisDanFrost) not wanting a Nintendo Switch after E3's game reveals should probably be a matter for the authorities. There's heated debate over the merits of the Xbox One X and gold-plated HDMI cables, before cooling off with some cucumber water... or was it a lime...? Plus one of us has gone all retro and purchased themselves a lovely new copy of Shenmue for the Dreamcast. And for anyone affected by the issues raised in our discussion of RAS Syndrome, feel free to GTFO out. Finally, a big congratulations to the winners of our Steam game competition that ran throughout June - winners have now been contacted via e-mail. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.com/Find us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod

We finally get round to talking about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as a group, as Dan (@ThisDanFrost) leads a nice chat about why we enjoyed it so much and how it's a breath of fresh air. Kris (@DigitalStrider) and Peter (@XeroXeroXero) have both been playing even more Star Realms, which is impressive considering they've been sinking a load of time into two other games too: namely Onirim and Yakuza 0. We touch upon a lovely little game called Spot It!, get pleasantly disoriented by Inherent Vice, discuss the sensational TV show The Sniffer (while writing our own version, but with doggos), confuse a man from a Tesco, and delve deeper into the pub crisp mythos. Quick reminder! We have a competition we're running that finishes at the very end of July, so make sure to get your entry in quick if you're planning on doing so. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.com/Find us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod

Who loves all things Gloom? Lisa Mart does! Find out why as she joins Sam (@MrSamTurner), Kris (@DigitalStrider), and Peter (@XeroXeroXero) to talk about everything games and geekery: from how Arkham Horror: The Card Game is the perfect way to prepare for a half marathon, to why Peter's stressing out with the responsibility of car ownership in Jalopy. There's also the end of Pandemic Legacy: Season 1, a delicious bit of New York Slice, graphic novel organising, and sorting a music collection by the weather. Plus old fashioned sweets, more phonics than you care to mention, the true hierarchy of crisps, and Portuguese tea. And as we mention at the top of the show, we have a competition we're running through June, so give the podcast a listen for how to enter for your chance to win some awesome games on Steam! For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.com/Find us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod

Like everyone else at the moment, we're talking about American Gods in this episode, celebrating the return of "appointment to view" television with Neil Gaiman's wonderful new work. There's also chat about how TV can be accessible to new audiences by following the examples of "adventure of the week" stories such as those found in Red Dwarf and Doctor Who. Sam (@MrSamTurner) and Kris (@DigitalStrider) both get to talking about Batman: The Telltale Series as well as Breakfast Games™, while Peter (@XeroXeroXero) goes through the minefield of social mores that is lending video games to your friends. Plus we take to the stars, as Kris explains why him and his partner are regularly dipping into No Man's Sky, and Peter and Sam have a galactic-sized discussion about Star Realms and why it's so stellar. In the show we mention that we think you'll really like We're Not Wizards, so if you fancy giving it a listen then do try the episodes that Sam and Peter have appeared on. For links to topics covered - http://stayingin.podbean.com/Find us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/StayingInPod