Overthinking Games

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[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Thanks to Jake from the Pre-Order Bonus Podcast for joining us! Find the Pre-Order Bonus Podcast where ever you get podcasts. Send us an email with your thoughts! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

RogueLike vs RogueLite CriteriaThe episode wherein Professor Seth gives us a primer on what ACTUALLY constitutes a roguelike, with the sole intention of proving Katie wrong about Peak.What do YOU think constitutes the criteria for a roguelike?Send us an email with your thoughts! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

Here is our interview with Skate Story creator Sam Eng. [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

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What are our plans for the new year? Yay 2026!!Email us at: [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

[email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

12 Games of Christmas Oh GOTY Games, Oh GOTY Games, how lovely are your pixels!Join the four of us as we discuss the GOTY awards- sure, the “real” ones, but also the ones that really matter; our personal round up of the best games we played this year! Send us an email with your top game of the year! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Nature vs. NurtureThis episode evolved like a Pokemon. What started as “what makes for a game with mass appeal for kids and adults, or non gamers and gamers?” shifted to “how do people tend to become gamers at all?”Every now and then, we just gotta go on a wild hare.Send us an email with your thoughts or suggestions! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

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What video games can't do. [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

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AdaptationsWith more and more movie and TV show adaptations of video games, join us as we dig into what is lost or gained when games are adapted to the big screen. Dempsey, our resident film expert, has some strong opinions, Katie is excited about allusions, and Brett would love an adaptation of Mass Effect (the book….not the game…).What game adaptation is your favorite or least favorite?What game do you wish they would adapt?Send us an email with your thoughts! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

When do we quit? [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Morality SystemsThis week, we discuss morality systems in games: from the simplest, binary choices in Bioshock, to the non-linear, complex, and unpredictable branches of Detroit: Become Human, morality systems have been a tool used by game developers for ages to evoke emotion, create disparate narratives, and make their players feel like paragons of virtue and heartless villains.Do you go for the morally-bankrupt, but often rewarding, options, or are you “Lawful Good”, choosing your own moral compass, or even an idealized moral compass, when faced with difficult in-game choices?Send us an email with your thoughts, and if you have any suggestions for topics, we’d love to hear them! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Check out our YouTube!We’ve got more Shorts and content coming your way!Share your thoughts, or suggest a topic for our next episode by sending us an email! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts SpotifyTik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Empathy and GamesMaybe it’s just because Seth and Katie teach teenagers, but it seems that there’s a bit of a crisis of empathy…”back in my day, I could put myself into somebody else’s shoes! Kids these days…” - Katie as the oldest member of the team, the next step is “get off my lawn!” Jokes aside, this week we look at empathy and gaming; are video games a good medium for encouraging/teaching empathy?What ways do games and gaming culture discourage empathy? Plus, Seth says we’re overthinking things (it’s in the title, man!)Check out our YouTube! We’ve got more Shorts and content coming your way! Share your thoughts, or suggest a topic for our next episode by sending us an email! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

A very horny [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

LonelinessJoin us as our loneliness diminishes because Brett, of Lore’d to Death, joins the whole gang for a regular episode of Overthinking Games!We discuss loneliness in videogames; dissect isolation vs. solitude; repeatedly talk over each other as we learn to be a 4-person band; and everyone wishes they could just play Silksong instead of being adults with jobs.Also, check out our YouTube!We’ve got more Shorts and content coming your way! Share your favorite lonely-vibes game, tell us which game helps you feel a little less lonely, or suggest a topic for our next episode by sending us an email! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Its Silksong Day!!! [email protected] us on: Youtube Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

We finally talk about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Check out Ran's Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ranran.words?_t=ZT-8zXGsP3jqY3&_r=1

This week, Katie picked yet another topic she didn’t really understand well, and maybe we all will understand it a smidgeon better by the end. Maybe… Teleological thinking is “means to an end” kind of thinking, and non-teleological thinking is more like “the journey, not the destination” thinking.We discuss the way these two kinds of thinking can influence the games we play and how we play them, and also, and also a rather-longwinded discussion of how the way one approaches gaming relates to chores….Do you approach games the same way you do the dishes? Are you goal- or vibes-oriented?Send us an email with your thoughts! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

This week, Dempsey and Katie play shoulder advocates on either side of Seth’s quandary: should he get a Nintendo Switch 2? This existential question leads us into the question of “value,” and what it takes for something to be “worth it.”Katie continues to be alarmingly anti-Nintendo, Dempsey wants to watch the world burn, and Seth is not helped much by either one.Are you getting a Switch 2? Why or why not? Send us an email and let us know what you think! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

This week, Dempsey’s real-life action adventure game called “being a documentarian” leads us into dark, claustrophobic caves, wide open worlds, environmental story-telling, and the power of setting in video games.Send us an email with your favorite video game setting, or a place you’d love to see a game set; we’d love to hear from you! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

What do Celeste, The Binding of Isaac and Hellblade have in common? Interesting approaches to talking about mental health, of course!This week we get into the weeds about mental health in games, the relationship between player mental health and games, and society’s portrayal of and broader conversation about mental health.Games also discussed: Elden Ring: Nightreign, Balatro, Crush House, Arcade Paradise, and, at some length, Death Stranding.Send us an email with your thoughts on this week’s topic, a suggestion for an episode, or whether you think themes are real or not!We’d love to hear from you! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Tik Tok/Instagram BlueskyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Waiting sucks! Except for when it…doesn’t.Why can waiting for an upcoming, scheduled release feel like Advent (thank Seth for that one), but waiting for Silksong incites insanity among its fanbase? Is there a difference between delayed gratification, and gratification delayed(that one was Katie’s fault…)? How does player agency tie into all this?Join us as we discuss waiting and video games, as well as the decline of the human attention span, and Elden Ring: Nightreign.If you’d like to send in your thoughts about a recent episode, we’d love to hear from you! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Bluesky (Follow us on Bluesky, Dempsey would feel extremely gratified!)Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

In this special episode, we miss Seth, and Dempsey and Katie are joined by Nicholas Crawford, philosopher and author of the upcoming book, "Where We've Made it Dark," a literary apocalypse novel available at Barnes and Noble on October 21st, 2025.Nicholas has been making excellent content on Tik-Tok about The Last of Us season 2, and we take the opportunity to go into a deep dive with him about identity, subjectivity, and more with regards Joel, Ellie, and the violent world they inhabit.Find Nicholas Crawford at: www.nicholascrawfordauthor.com https://www.tiktok.com/@nicholas_crawfordSend us an email with your thoughts on the video game vs. tv show adaptation! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Bluesky (Follow us on Bluesky, Dempsey would feel extremely gratified!)Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses 

Games and GenderThis week, we circle back round to a topic that continues to be a font of curiosity and conversation: games and gender! Are games gendered? (Dempsey repeatedly says “girl games”, much to Katie’s chagrin) How does a person’s identified gender impact their relationship or interaction with games?We don’t know, but we had a good time talking about it! We also share a listener email from the fantastic cohost of The Old Switcharoo! If you’d like to send in your thoughts about a recent episode, we’d love to hear from [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Bluesky (Follow us on Bluesky, Dempsey would feel extremely gratified!)Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

We need Katie back :(

Katie usually does this. 

Like games but on the side. 

Nintendo Direct Welcome to Overthinking Games, a…current events podcast??? Nah, not really, but this week, we give it a shot because we needed to discuss the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct! (Including a 2 second shot of Silksong…we feel that maybe Nintendo didn’t understand the impact that was going to have on their audience)Also discussed: Dempsey has played a lot of games in the past few weeks, and they’ve been real bangers! Katie loves books-level boring games, and Seth has unlocked a new achievement in the game of life!Are you a fan of Nintendo, cautiously optimistic for new hardware, or coldly cynical of the capitalist tycoon?We’d like to hear from you! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Bluesky (Follow us on Bluesky, Dempsey would feel extremely gratified!)Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

This week's topic was suggested by Seth's girlfriend, thanks for your great idea! This week, we discuss character creation- do aesthetics matter? (hint: yep, they sure do...sometimes) Who do we want to be in games - idealized versions, accurate representations, outlandish others?What kind of representation makes us more engaged in a game?  Also discussed: Cat Needs, Black Ops Zombies, Minecraft, and the Rocky Mountains.If you have ideas for a topic you'd like us to discuss, or thoughts on this week's topic, send us an email!  [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Bluesky (Follow us on Bluesky, Dempsey would feel extremely gratified!) Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

A new episode. Kind of a filler episode bth. 

Bigger Number, Better PersonThis week, we discuss our tried and true mantra of "bigger number, better person," its role in video games, and how it ties into real life, from support roles in Marvel Rivals, racking up kills on Warzone, merit-based pay, and good grades in school.  Also discussed: Bokura, Magic the Gathering, and "The Case for Mars" If you have ideas for a topic you'd like us to discuss, or thoughts on this week's topic, send us an email!  [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik TokBluesky (Follow us on Bluesky, Dempsey would feel extremely gratified!) Theme music is copyright free and from:https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

The One Where We Forgot the Topic Was Procedural GenerationWelcome to this week’s episode, where Katie brings a topic she doesn’t know much about, and everyone argues about definitions! No, really, this week we try to talk about procedural generation vs. curated design, and end up embroiled in roguelikes, as one does.  Also mentioned: Final Fantasy 7, Marvel Rivals, and games that are boring but we love. If you have a better understanding of procedural generation and spent 20 minutes yelling at us through your phone, you can send us an email and share your wisdom! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Bluesky (Follow us on Bluesky, Dempsey would feel extremely gratified!) Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Katie wasn't here and show notes are hard. Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

This week, we are joined by special guest Rob Jonas, a vocational rehabilitation counselor, the original 3rd member of Overthinking Games and rehabilitation therapist, to talk about accessibility and gaming! Games discussed: Assassin's Creed, Star Wars Outlaw, Astrobot, Warzone (of course), Runescape (of course), Fromsoft Games, and a myriad other titles! Send us an email and tell us about your experiences with accessibility; what accessibility functions have made a difference for you or someone you know? What functions were you surprised you found super helpful?  [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

Record Dec 6th, 2024Simulation  This week, we discuss simulation in games; when is it fun, when is it tiresome?Why do we love to simulate eating and petting dogs? Is it the avaricious dragon of resource hoarding that lives within us all? In our Honorable Mention, we get unexpectedly into current events, and Dempsey is thinking about starting a cult.Let us know your thoughts on simulation  Send us an email and let us know what you think about simulations, cults....but probably not current events... [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik TokTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

 It's our favorite time of year when we recap the greatest (and a few of the least great) games we played this year! Our GOTY list runs the gamut from new releases (Astrobot, anybody?) to golden oldies (The Long Dark came out HOW long ago?!), and everything in between. Join us as we gush over our favorite games, then send us an email with your favorite games or gaming experiences in 2024, and what games you're looking forward to in 2025! [email protected] Find us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok Bluesky (Follow us on Bluesky, Dempsey would feel extremely gratified!)Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

This week, we discuss gaming with nongamers; the joys, the pitfalls, and perhaps a system of progression to help nongamers join our ranks…One of us! One of us!  Big shout out to Katie’s good friend, Ro, who embarked on her first video game adventure with Little Nightmares and made the experience all the richer for her unique perspective and enthusiasm! What’s the best game to introduce to nongamers? What game helped you bridge the gap to become a gamer?Send us an email and let us know! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok, BlueSky, Theme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses

This episode, we discuss what makes for a game you can’t quit playing. Whether it’s Warzone, RuneScape, or Slay the Spire, there are games we’ve put hundreds (thousands?) of hours into. What makes a thousand hour game? What is the pull that keeps us coming back, and why don’t these games tend to actually be our favorites? Join us as we dig into these questions and more. What game can you pour hours into? Is it your favorite game, and if not, what is? Let us know at the email below! [email protected] us on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Instagram/Tik Tok and BlueSkyTheme music is copyright free and from: https://www.youtube.com/@Pixverses