The Game Informer Show

Latest Episodes:

The Best Indie Games of 2026 (So Far) Aug 01, 2026

Show notes

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, the crew highlights the best indie games of 2026 so far. No, this isn't an exhaustive list, but after listening, you'll likely have several new video game recommendations to play. Highlights include The Mermaid Mask, Into The Grid, Super Battle Golf, and Helix: Descent N Ascent. Are there a couple of games that are technically not indie on this list? Yes, but they embody the spirit of small games made by smaller teams.
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry.
Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Watch the video version: YouTube
Follow our hosts online:

Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken)
Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)
Wesley LeBlanc (@WesleyLeBlanc)

Jump ahead using these timestamps:

00:00 – Intro
03:15 – Best Indie Games of 2026
54:35 – Small Teams, Big Potential (Upcoming Indie Games)
58:18 - Ad Break
58:19 - Scarlet Deer Inn (Adventure Game Made of Embroidery)
01:06:00 - Helix: Descent N Ascent (Monochrome 2D Puzzler)
01:11:00 - Listener Questions

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Cover Story, Plus Halo and Splatoon Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

It's a new week on The Game Informer Show, and we've got a new cover story! Eric and Wesley are back from Japan, where they played Capcom's impending revival, Onimusha: Way of the Sword. They chat about the game itself, the insights they got from the team, and even the real-life historical locales they visited that are also present in Onimusha.
Then, Brian takes up the lead with some early impressions of Halo: Campaign Evolved and his review of Splatoon Raiders. Whether you're a samurai, Spartan, or squid, there's a little something for everyone on The Game Informer Show this week.
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Jump around using these timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
02:52 - Onimusha: Way of the Sword
36:46 - Halo: Campaign Evolved
55:54 - Splatoon Raiders

Castlevania Returns With Belmont's Curse + Denshattack! Review Jul 17, 2026

Show notes

It's a hot one on The Game Informer Show this week, as Charles, Marcus, and Kyle gather to discuss the sheer smorgasbord of new games they've been playing to beat the summer heat. We lead off with the return of Castlevania from the makers of Dead Cells, as Charles has some impressions of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. From there, we've got Kyle's review of the blisteringly fast new indie that's been making waves, Denshattack!
After the break, we get into the co-op shenanigans of Heave Ho 2, and several puzzling mysteries in D-topia, The Incident at Galley House, and The Mermaid Mask. There's no shortage of new games to play, so if you're trying to stay inside and out of the heat, you've got plenty of options. Hear all about them on this week's episode!
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Jump around using these timestamps:

00:00 - Intro
05:45 - Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
33:20 - Denshattack!
46:57 - The Incident At Galley House
1:04:29 - Heave Ho 2
1:17:48 - D-topia
1:37:41 - The Mermaid Mask

Is Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced A Good Remake? Jul 10, 2026

Show notes

Ahoy! It's the dawn of a new day on The Game Informer Show, and we've got a salty crew of sea-dogs ready to tackle the biggest news and games out right now. First up, the video boys Alex and Eric discuss their experiences seeing Summer Games Done Quick in person. And Wesley LeBlanc has a few opinions about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time too, after finishing a fresh replay.
Then, we dig into Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced with Wes and Charles Harte, to determine whether this fresh take on a pirating classic is a treasure or not. Alex and Marcus Stewart both have some indies to discuss, too: Don't Let It Starve and Cat Mail Co., to be specific. It's a podcast packed to the gills, so settle in, get some grog, and sing a shanty as we debut another episode of The Game Informer Show!
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Jump around using these timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
4:50 - Summer Games Done Quick 2026
16:59 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
46:35 - Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
1:09:16 - A Very Special Surprise Segment
1:25:40 - Don't Let It Starve
1:33:38 - Cat Mail Co.

PlayStation Ending Physical Discs + Our 2026 Favs So Far w/ Ben Reeves Jul 03, 2026

Show notes

Special guest (and former host) Ben Reeves joins The Game Informer Show to discuss the big PlayStation shake-up, our favorite games of 2026, and Kyle's Rhythm Heaven Groove review. Finally, we close the show with listener questions! Grab a cold beverage, stay indoors from that summer heat, and join us for another episode of The Game Informer Show.
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Use these handy timestamps to jump around:
00:00 - Intro
5:59 - PlayStation News
33:14 - Rhythm Heaven Groove
43:08 - Best Of 2026 So Far
1:18:20 - Listener Questions

Star Fox Remake, Steam Next Fest, And The Adventures Of Elliot Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show podcast, special guest Patrick Susmilch joins the crew to discuss the remake of Star Fox 64, Steam Next Fest demos like Penguin Colony and Duskfade, Charles' review of The Adventures of Elliot, Dark Scrolls (no, that's not a typo), Saros, and more.
Susmilch performed on Last Comic Standing (you'll never guess which famous comedian liked his set), but is undeniably best known for his appearance here at Game Informer in 2014, where he discussed making terrible XNA games for Xbox with his friends. He also developed a narrative game about performing bad stand-up comedy, Open Mic Simulator.
Oh, also, everyone's favorite Star Fox character, Yaru de Pon, is a guest for the duration of the video show, but we don't like to talk about it.
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry.
Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Follow our hosts online:

Kyle Hilliard (@kylehilliard.com)
Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)
Charles Harte (@chuckduck365)
Patrick Susmilch (@the_patrick_susmilch)

Jump ahead using these timestamps:

00:00 – Intro
12:25 – Star Fox Remake
40:16 – Next Fest Demos
56:30 – The Adventures of Elliot Review
01:14:19 – Dark Scrolls
01:28:40 – Saros

Halo: Campaign Evolved Exclusive Details + Xbox Studios Reportedly In Trouble Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, the crew dives into reports of several Xbox studios at risk of closure from Microsoft, including (but not limited to) Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, and Ninja Theory. After the 30-minute discussion, host Alex Van Aken and Brian Shea discuss the awkward timing of our new Halo: Campaign Evolved cover story before diving into exclusive details about Xbox's upcoming release. Finally, we round out Game Informer's weekly gaming podcast with a quick indie game recommendation: Meccha Chameleon, a hide-and-seek asymmetrical multiplayer title with an amazing texture painting tool for camouflaging yourself from hunters.
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry.
Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Sponsored: Logitech G just changed the game again with the new PRO X2 Superstrike. This isn't just an upgrade; it’s a total reimagining of the mouse click. Stop playing fair and start playing faster. Go to LogitechG.com and enter code GAMEINFORMER25 at checkout to save 25% off Logitech G products.
Follow our hosts online:

Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken)
Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)
Brian Shea (@BrianPShea)

Jump ahead using these timestamps:

00:00 – Intro
04:13 – Reports of Upcoming Xbox Game Studio Closures
29:45 – Ad Break
31:29 – Halo: Campaign Evolved Exclusive Cover Story Details
56:35 – Meccha Chameleon

Summer Game Fest Special Episode w/ Jason Schreier, Janet Garcia, + More Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Summer Game Fest 2026 has come and gone. But while the GI crew was out in Los Angeles, we took the opportunity to invite a few of our games media pals up to our studio to chat about everything: the state of the industry, how SGF has grown and changed, and of course, all the games we've played (that we can talk about right now).
Join us for an extra special, extra-long episode of The Game Informer Show, live from Los Angeles, brought to you thanks to Rode and their excellent equipment which powered our entire studio setup. Thanks for the sponsorship, Rode!
Sponsored: Logitech G just changed the game again with the new PRO X2 Superstrike. This isn't just an upgrade; it’s a total reimagining of the mouse click. Stop playing fair and start playing faster. Go to LogitechG.com and enter code GAMEINFORMER25 at checkout to save 25% off Logitech G products. https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/shop/p/pro-x2-superstrike-mouse.910-007700?utm_source=Direct-to-Publisher&utm_medium=Digital-Video&utm_campaign=Logitech_FY27_Q1_NAM_GA_B2C_Amaze-Media_Direct-to-Publisher_na
Timestamps:
00:00 - Game Informer Editors Alex Van Aken, Marcus Stewart and Eric Van Allen
33:52 - John Carson, Myles Obenza, and Jason Schreier
1:06:30 - Jessica Cogswell, Imran Khan, and Jesse Vitelli
1:38:10 - Liss the Lass, Janet Garcia, and Jill Grodt
Support Us -- Buy Game Informer Magazine:
https://gameinformer.com/subscribe
Follow Us on Social Media:
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/gameinformer.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/GameInformerMagazine
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@game_informer
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/GameInformer
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/officialgameinformer/

God Of War Laufey & PlayStation State of Play Reactions | The Game Informer Show Jun 06, 2026

Show notes

It's a huge week for games, so Sony kicked it off with a fittingly huge State of Play on June 2. From Wolverine to God of War Laufey, join hosts Alex Van Aken, Eric Van Allen, and Charles Harte as they break it down game by game and discuss the best and the worst of PlayStation's State of Play.
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Sponsored: Logitech G just changed the game again with the new PRO X2 Superstrike. This isn't just an upgrade; it’s a total reimagining of the mouse click. Stop playing fair and start playing faster. Go to LogitechG.com and enter code GAMEINFORMER25 at checkout to save 25% off Logitech G products.
Follow our hosts online:

Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken)
Charles Harte (@ChuckDuck365)
Eric Van Allen (@Seamoosi)

Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
08:10 – State Of Play Reactions / Wolverine
27:31 – Marvel Tokon
37:04 – Boncho The Chef
39:58 – Kemuri
43:06 – Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
51:23 – State of Play Lightning Round
59:33 – Ace Combat 8
01:15:55 – God of War Laufey

Summer Game Fest Predictions, 007 Review, Mina The Hollower May 30, 2026

Show notes

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, special guest Luis Gutierrez (IGN, GameSpot, Polygon) joins us to share Summer Game Fest predictions (watch with us next Friday) before diving into our recent game reviews of 007 First Light and Mina the Hollower. The crew then discusses developer HoYoverse's take on the cozy life-simulation genre with Petit Planet, and finally, what's new with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
Sponsored: Before ink met page, Super Heroes rose from American ideals. Now, these virtues take on a powerful new form in America’s Comic Art Coin and Medal Program – a historic collaboration between the United States Mint and DC! Collect Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman coins and medals with limited-edition designs in 24K gold and fine silver. Explore the collection at the US Mint site here.
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Follow our hosts online:

Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken)
Kyle Hilliard (@KyleHilliard)
Charles Harte (@chuckduck365)
Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)
Luis Gutierrez (@ImLuisGutierrez)

Jump ahead using these timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
09:17 – 007 First Light Review
33:17 – Modern Warfare 4 Preview
45:13 – Mina The Hollower Review
01:07:01 – Petit Planet (HoYoverse's Cozy Life Sim)
01:19:34 – Summer Game Fest Predictions

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected