Reviews
Podcasts
I don’t know about you, but I feel like the invention of podcasts might be one of the best to come out of the entertainment industry within the last decade or so. I listen to them while I work, while I’m driving, or just when I’m relaxing while I play video games. With the most popular of podcasts coming from people like Adam Corolla, Kevin Smith, and Marc Maron, I thought I should shed some light on gaming podcasts. So, here are my top 5!
5. Married to the Games
Out of all the podcasts on this list, I feel like this one might be the most unique. It is hosted by Gabe Patillo, Tim Hall and Tim Rauter as they cover current events in gaming while incorporating stories about their daily lives. Unlike most of the other podcasts on my list, this one is not hosted by people in the game industry through one way or another, and it thrives because of it. You can tell these three guys are fanboys and that they are actually having fun recording this, even if they’re dead tired. The best way I could pitch it is as the “Howard Stern of gaming podcasts, just not as vulgar.” The second you hear Gabe Patillo’s intro of “OHHHH! YES, YES, YA’LL! Yes, yes, ya’ll!” you will be welcomed into their world of kids and wives, and 9 to 5’s.
4. Final Fantasy & Kingdom Hearts Union
I recognize this is a solely Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy podcast, so there’s a good chance that will be uninteresting to a good portion of gamers. However, if you are a fan of one or both of these properties, this might be the best podcast out there for you. This show releases every other week with the shows alternating, so you get about one Kingdom Hearts Union a month and one Final Fantasy Union a month. It is definitely a strange release schedule, but considering that it’s not like news on these properties are dropped every week, the schedule actually works for the shows advantage. The show’s hosts are all enthusiastic geeks who really know their stuff on the topics they cover, more than the average fan at least. The strong point of the shows are that the hosts really are pros when it comes to making the podcast fun when there isn’t any big news at the time of an episodes release. Also, their interaction with their fans is spectacular. So, if you want to feel closer to the fanbase of Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy, this podcast will certainly do the trick.
3. Podcast Beyond
Beyond is hands down the best Playstation podcast ever, and it hardly ever stays focused. It’s a conversational podcast, which means it derails every few minutes or so, and that’s part of its charm. Each episode is guaranteed to inform you on the weeks Playstation news while simultaneously making you burst into laughter. Currently hosted by IGN’s Marty Sliva, Max Scoville, and Brian Altano, this podcast has a certain rhythm that will easily hook the listener into the lunacy of the hosts. Before you realize it, you will be wrapped up into the show and their fanbase, screaming nonsense at each other like “Brap! Brap!” or just the usual “BEYOND!” You really don’t have to be a Sony fan to like this podcast either, as long as you have an interest in video games and comedy, this might be the perfect podcast for you.
2. Kinda Funny Gamescast
The Kinda Funny Gamescast is hosted by the Pure One, Tim Gettys and the Coolest Dudes in Video Games, Greg Miller and Colin Moriarty. Aside from being a great listen, the fanbase is also fantastic. The fanbase, dubbed “the Best Friends”, are quite possibly the most welcoming and nicest group of people to ever roam the internet. Just being a part of the community would be reason enough to listen, but the fact is that the podcast uniting them is equally as great. Offering their own special brand of humor, the hosts know what they’re talking about and instead choose to cover “topics” rather than go through different news stories. Much like Beyond, which Miller and Moriarty used to host, this podcast is highly conversational, derails quickly, and is equally as hilarious. However, this podcast is not as silly as Beyond. The hosts are all really sophisticated individuals in their fields of work, and their knowledge is shown to great lengths in each episode. Their understanding of the way the industry works enables them to properly break down and analyze everything they cover. That being said though, it still remains to be very funny and entertaining. Even though this is a relatively new podcast, starting back in January of this year, it certainly has the legs to last for a very long time. Oh, and lastly, just remember: Colin Was Right.
1. The TOVG Podcast
TOVG stands That One Video Gamer, which is the company that produces this podcast along with YouTube shows like The Dex, The Completionist, and Super Beard Bros. This podcast offers the news from the perspective of the YouTubers. Hosted by Sunder, MattVisual, and Super Bunnyhop, this podcast is one of the few I’ve been following since day one. It mostly centers on topics covering indies or controversial gaming news. It always maintains to be the most entertaining video game podcast due to the banter between the hosts. While there was a stint about 6 months ago when each episode was mostly spent discussing Smash Bros and Resident Evil, their topics are returning to be more diverse (though I did love when they talked about those games). I’m not really sure what else to say about it, it’s just an awesome podcast that deserves all the attention it gets and more. While you’re at it, the YouTube channels of these guys are also really great and entertaining. Hopefully this didn’t just sound like a plug for their YouTube channels, I just really love this show.
So that’s it, I hope after reading you check out at least one of these shows as they are all amazing.
