The Long and Short of It

Welcome back to The 007 Film Vault. This episode we're revisiting Goldeneye (1995), the film that reinvented James Bond for the modern era. We discuss Pierce Brosnan's debut, Sean Bean's unforgettable villain, legendary action sequences, iconic gadgets, and of course, Bond's watches.

Licence to discuss granted. Welcome to a brand-new side series from The Long & Short of It, where we revisit every official James Bond film from beginning to end.We begin where it all started with Dr. No. Does Sean Connery's debut still hold up over 60 years later, and how well does the very first Bond film stand the test of time?

Before the tuxedo, before the gadgets, before the licence to kill. We follow a young James Bond's first mission and ask whether 007 First Light earns its place in the long history of 007.

Rescuing Teensies, dodging nightmares, and running through castles to the beat of the music. We revisit Rayman Legends to see whether this platforming masterpiece truly earns its place among gaming's greats...

Before immersive sims became a genre buzzword, Deus Ex was already doing it all. We revisit the cult classic to see if its freedom and ambition still hold up more than 20 years later.

From bizarre meme levels to genuinely impressive creations, Dreams lets players make almost anything. But does that freedom translate into a great game, or something easier to admire than actually play?

A dying forest, a tiny guardian spirit, and some of the most beautiful platforming of the last decade. We dive into Ori and the Blind Forest to see whether this emotional Metroidvania truly deserves its place among the greats.

A deck of cards, a handful of Jokers, and numbers that spiral into the millions. Is Balatro the ultimate ‘just one more run’ game, or clever maths dressed up as chaos?

We’ve already tackled MGS3, so now it’s time to revisit it in a new skin.A legendary story, rebuilt for a modern audience. We return to the jungles to see if Metal Gear Solid Δ enhances what made Snake Eater special - or risks tampering with something that never needed fixing.

We’ve already been down this road with Horizon 3. Now it’s time to see if shifting the festival to Britain and adding seasons makes Forza Horizon 4 the peak of arcade racing, or simply a very polished remix.

A sprawling Metroidvania that refuses to hold your hand. Is Hollow Knight one of the genre’s greats, or simply the most stylish way to get lost underground?

A short and stylish indie that tries to rewrite the rules of the rescue mission. Smart commentary or just another quirky experiment lost in the noise?

Following Dear Esther, we stay in walking-sim territory with What Remains of Edith Finch, a game of memories, loss, and imagination. Is it the genre’s masterpiece, or just another melancholy stroll?

Minimal gameplay, maximum atmosphere. We step onto a desolate Hebridean island to see if Dear Esther is a haunting masterpiece - or an overrated stroll.

Welcome back to Racoon City, with Resident Evil 2.CapCom brought back one of survival horror’s crown jewels with a fresh coat of paint. But does Leon and Claire’s nightmare still terrify - or is this remake more nostalgia than substance?

Ding Dong....The 90s served us a wisecracking gecko in sunglasses—because of course they did. But is Enter the Gecko a hidden gem or just channel-surfing nonsense?

Hello hello!Welcome back, where this week we go back to the beginning of the trilogy reboot of The Hitman Series.IO really went all in when they started slowly releasing this game back in 2016, but did it carry on the heritage and pomp of The Hitman Series, or was it a bit of a flop?

Join us this week with a foray into Paradiso & Inferno, where we tackle Bayonetta 2.One of the more unique games on our radar, with a very fierce fan following - we discuss where this game ranks amongst it's genre peers & if it deserves a spot in the OpenCritic List!

Welcome back, where this week we take a trip to Rainbow Road & discuss the 8th entry into the Mario Kart franchise.Surprisingly this game didn't appear on the MetaCritic list - so why is that? Should it have been there?

We're back with another biggie.Today we take a look at the newest remaster from Bethesda, Oblivion Remastered.We played the original Oblivion back in 2021 - so here we discuss the changes to the original and whether or not this is a god jumping off point for newcomers to TES series.

A different one today, with a text parser game, reminiscent of games from the 80's & 90's.Crimson Diamond is the topic & one we've not really tackled before.Murder mystery, or was playing this game just straight up murder...?

A slightly different episode for you, whilst we play through the next game!Join us for an extra episode, where we discuss the recently announced Nintendo Switch 2.From the exciting game releases coming up - to the contentious price point and game costs moving forward, join us for an off the cuff chat around the next big console!

Hoo boy, here's an episode with some potentially controversial takes.Join us on our trip back into the world of Final Fantasy, with the newest entry into the series 'Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth'.With this being a follow up to Laurence's favourite game of all time (kind of) - how did it land in the grand scheme of the world of FF7?

Well well well, here we are once again with an indie darling.This week, we find ourselves playing the dystopian indie game - Inside.From talks of themes, video games as art & gaming signifiers in general, join us for this deep dive on a slightly different kind of game.

To mark 5 years of The Long & Short of It, we thought we would mark the occasion with a celebratory game this week and cover the 2024 Game of the Year - Astrobot.This one kind of came out of nowhere ,but has bundles of charm and leaves a smile on the face - but where does it fit in the top games of all time?A side note - thank you to all our listeners, followers, subscribers who have been with us for the whole 5 years, or even if you are a recent listener - we appreciate you and we appreciate that we can share this journey with you!Here's to the next 5 years, cheers!

Welcome back, where this week we delve into the first of the Horizon games to show up on the list. Today, we are focussing on the 2016 game, Forza Horizon 3. As pretty much the midpoint in the series, this game is beloved by many, but also comes with some division, as some players think that this is where the games started to go downhill. Join us to hear our thoughts!

Join us this week, where we tackle the PlayStation indie classic - Journey. What is the legacy of this indie game & do others need to pay homage to what Journey created?

Happy New Year! As we enter 2025, we have a new format, new list & a new outlook! Join us for the first game in the OpenCritic top 100, where we tackle the fourth game in The Uncharted series. We hope you enjoy this fresh start, as we take on this new list! See you soon!

Here we are then, the final episode of this chapter of the podcast. Join us as we rank each of the 15 games we have brought to the table, as well as give an update on the state of the podcast and the plans for it going into 2025. Thanks so much for listening to us over the last 4.5 years, here's to the next 4.5! Cheers!

Here we are! The final game of our personal 15 each - with Dan's choice of Yakuza 0. This very unique Japanese game is a standout amongst the games we have played over the last 4 years. Does it stand out on it's own though, or is it too much like Grand Theft Auto? Join us to find out - as well as a little channel update at the end of the episode!

Welcome survivors, join us this week to talk about the zombie survival game - DayZ. Originally a mod, which has become it's own thing entirely, we question whether or not the critics got it wrong here & if this actually is a fun experience...

Welcome back, where this week we look at Shadow Man Remastered. Originally released in 1999, does this eerie metroidvania hold up to scrutiny, or is it better left in Dead Side? Join us to find out!

War, war never changes... Welcome back, where this week we delve into the Fallout universe and discuss the 2010 Obsidian game, Fallout New Vegas. Is this one of the better entries into the franchise, or not quite as good as it's predecessor, Fallout 3... Join us to find out!

Back with another sequel! This week looking at Gears of War 2 & asking the question of it is improves on it's predecessor and why Dan would choose this game for his list..

Time for a niche title! This week we discuss the 1998 PS1 game, Tomba (or Tombi if you're from the PAL regions). Is this game a classic of the PS1 & does it deserve it's upcoming remaster? Join us to find out!

Back, with a cult classic. Today we go back to 2004 with this Vampire based game. Does this stand out as a superb vampire RPG, or is it maybe overly praised for what it is?

Time for a unique game, with this weeks entry - 'Cuphead'. This 2017 can be maddeningly difficult, but also very satisfying, so where does it stand between the two of us?

Time to split! Welcome back, where this week we are travelling across time with TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. This noughties classic still has it's fans, but does it stand out amongst it's 2 prequels?

Well, not long after our episode on Final Fantasy 7, we follow up with Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Released in 2020 to much anticipation, does it live up to the standards set by its originator, or does it fall short?

Good Afternoon 47. This week we go back to explore Hitman Blood Money from 2006. Is this the highlight of the series, or just another in the series. Join us and see where it lands.

Finally, we are talking about Lara. Join us this week for a discussion on one of the faces of gaming in the 1990's, with Tomb Raider 2. Is this really a game series that should be held in high regard?

Welcome back, where this week we discuss 'Jade Empire', a BioWare game from 2005. Does this game belong up there with the BioWare royalty, or best left in the past?

Back, with a blast from the past! This week we tackle some Crash Bandicoot, with the N.Sane Trilogy. Does this trilogy still stand up as a classic platformer, or should it have been left in the 90's?

Back again, covering potentially the most controversial game that has appeared so far. This week, we look over Manhunt. Was it as extreme as people made out at the time, or was it all blown out of proportion?

A bit of a different one this week. Join us for 'Scott Pilgrim vs The World'. Is this a game that's inextricably linked with the film, to does it stand up on it's own?

Hello 2024! We open the year with 'Mass Effect 3' Does it stand up against number 2 and the famous final mission, or does it miss the mark?

A slower vibe this week, with a trip to the country for Stardew Valley. Labelled as a cosy kind of game, why does this genre not show up more in the top 100?

Time for an interesting game from 2001. Today we discuss 'Ico', a game that has garnered a real cult popularity and is highly regarded in 2023, but why isn't it in the Top 100?

After 3.5 years of Laurence making references and comments about it, we are finally talking about Final Fantasy 7. With it being one of the biggest JRPG's ever released and a real game changer for the industry, as well as the genre as a whole - we discuss why this game is heralded so much by critics, what makes it so special & why is resonates so much with those who grew up with it.

Halloween is almost upon us once again, so it is time for our 2023 Halloween special - this year focussing on 'The Mortuary Assistant'. Some dub this as the scariest game they've ever played, others judge it as a load of rubbish, what do you think about it?