The Insert Credit Show

Editor Esper Quinn joins Ash and Brandon to cover the rest of 2025’s best games.

Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Ash Parrish and Esper Quinn. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Demonschool

1: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (02:28)

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Hyrule Warriors series

Linkle

Vampire Survivors

2: Soulstone Survivors (05:38)

3: Let Them Come: Onslaught (06:21)

4: Vital Shell (06:38)

5: to a T (07:39)

Keita Takahashi

Despelote

Perfect Tides: Station to Station

6: Ball x Pit (10:49)

Arkanoid

7: Shinobi: Art of Vengeance (16:20)

Blasphemous

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

Insert Credit Gaiden #14 - Arcadevania, with Ben Fiquet

8: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (18:11)

Blasphemous

9: Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles (19:46)

Fire Emblem series

Advance Wars series

Triangle Strategy

Dissidia: Final Fantasy NT series

Yasumi Matsuno

Ogre Battle

Tactics Ogre

Final Fantasy Tactics

Vagrant Story

Final Fantasy XII

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

Jeanne d’Arc

Disgaea series

10: Terminator 2D: No Fate (25:20)

Xeno Crisis

The Phantom

The Phantom (1996)

Macaw45

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time

Judge Dredd

Metal Slug series

11: Blade Chimera (29:03)

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth

12: Squeakross: Home Squeak Home (31:32)

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer

Jerma Streams - Squeakross: Home Squeak Home

13: Unbeatable (34:45)

14: Ambrosia Sky: Act One (37:06)

PowerWash Simulator

15: Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To (38:54)

Lofi Girl

16: Skin Deep (41:27)

Laura Michet

17: Angeline Era (44:43)

Ys series

Earthbound

18: Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. (47:39)

Tekken series

Hades II

19: Birdcage (51:24)

Doom: The Dark Ages

Radiant Silvergun

Sōkyūgurentai

Ikaruga

20: JAIL DICE: Roll to Break (53:17)

Devil Dice

21: Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™ (56:54)

The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth

Magic: The Gathering® | The Hobbit™

Assassin’s Creed

War of the Spark

Ep. 401 - Let’s Gather Some Magic, with Esper Quinn

22: Hell Is Us (01:03:59)

23: Hades II (01:13:47)

Hades

Pyre

Transistor

24: Shadow Labyrinth (01:16:42)

Pac-Man

Xevious

Mr. Driller

Secret Level

25: Doom: The Dark Ages (01:21:49)

Doom Eternal

Doom

Djent

26: The Dark Queen of Mortholme (01:26:30)

Blasphemous

Slay the Princess

27: Pokemon Legends: Z-A (01:30:00)

Pokémon Scarlet

Yakuza universe

Digimon Story Time Stranger

Pokopia

28: Hotel Barcelona (01:35:53)

Hidetaka Suehiro

Goichi Suda

Super Time Force

29: The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy (01:39:43)

Danganronpa series

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games

Kazutaka Kodaka

Kotaro Uchikoshi

Gnosia

30: Shujinkou (01:45:24)

Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection

Gunhouse

31: Haste (01:49:32)

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile

SSX series

Tony Hawk Pro Skater series

Peak

32: AI Limit (01:53:06)

33: Super Robot Wars Y (01:54:29)

Gunpla

Sentai

34: Routine (01:58:03)

Aftermath

Crow Country

35: Sid Meier’s Civilization VII (02:03:15)

Sid Meier’s Civilization V

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Endless Legend

Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth

36: Blast Rush LS (02:10:29)

Blast Rush

37: Advent Neon (02:12:37)

Socket

DeviantArt

Newgrounds

38: Donkey Kong Bananza (02:16:02)

Donkey Kong 64

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Mario Kart World

Super Mario Odyssey

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

39: Cronos: The New Dawn (02:23:03)

Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill f

40: Absolum (02:27:01)

Streets of Rage 4

41: Monster Prom 4: Monster Con (02:31:14)

LeahPlease

Monster Prom series

42: Dreams of Another (02:33:58)

The Unfinished Swan

Viewfinder

43: Date Everything! (02:37:49)

Gijinka

OS-tan

Hyperdimension Neptunia series

Hatoful Boyfriend

44: Kingdoms of the Dump (02:43:18)

Mario RPG series

Fragrant Story

45: Blippo+ (02:45:38)

Playdate

Yacht

Telefantasy Studios

Max Headroom

Blippo+ (NSW2) No Commentary

46: Full Metal Schoolgirl (02:56:39)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

47: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (03:00:40)

Suikoden

Brain Lords - The Backlog Games of the Year ft. Esper Quinn

Ben Starr

Matthew Mercer

Persona series

Faye Wong

It Takes Two

Outro (03:18:04)

48: Despelote (03:20:56)

Outro, Part II (03:21:24)

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Insert Credit nominates and ranks the fifteen best video games of the year 2025.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

Watch episodes with full video on YouTube

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

(Finalized list appears at the bottom of the show notes, don’t spoil yourself!)

SHOW NOTES:

Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure

“Displeased! If I breathe, if I live, I am displeased. Only the dead are satisfied.”

52 Pickup

Video Game History Foundation Digital Archive

Demonschool

1: Ash Parrish’s First Nominee (05:20)

South of Midnight

BDS

Ahmed Best

Jar Jar Binks

2: Brandon Sheffield’s First Nominee (09:27)

Yakuza series

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Ichiban Kasuga

Kazuma Kiryu

Goro Majima

Yakuza 0

Deadpool

3: Frank Cifaldi’s First Nominee (14:46)

Wanderstop

Davey Wreden

The Stanley Parable

The Beginner’s Guide

Animal Crossing series

4: Ash’s Second Nominee (20:34)

Blue Prince

Escape Academy

5: Brandon’s Second Nominee (24:50)

Asura the Striker

Space Harrier

OutRun

Darius

6: Frank’s Second Nominee (28:01)

The Roottrees are Dead

The Séance of Blake Manor

HowLongToBeat.com

7: Ash’s Third Nominee (32:37z)

Dead Take

Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Assassin’s Creed: Origins

Full-motion video

Ben Starr

Neil Newbon

Final Fantasy XVI

Baldur’s Gate III

Matt Mercer

Jeffrey Epstein

Harvey Weinstein

Alan Wake series

Sam Lake

Max Payne series

Palworld

Meet The Unconventional Publishers Trying To Unfuck The Games Industry

8: Brandon’s Third Nominee (37:53)

Call of Ponchy : Mahjong Warfare

Fortnite

D3Publisher Inc.

9: Frank’s Third Nominee (43:24)

Silent Hill f

Silent Hill 2

Sonic the Werehog

Bonk

Bubsy

Frank’s Top 5 Albums of the Year (54:01)

The Tune-Yards - Better Dreaming

Deep Sea Diver - Billboard Heart

Tunde Adebimpe - Thee Black Boltz

Wet Leg - moisturizer

Wet Leg: Tiny Desk Concert

Wednesday - Bleeds

10: Ash’s Fourth Nominee (59:31)

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

11: Brandon’s Fourth Nominee (01:05:41)

Hypogea

Quake

12: Frank’s Fourth Nominee (01:08:50)

Windswept

Donkey Kong Country

Kaizo

Super Mario series

Oh, Deer!

13: Ash’s Fifth Nominee (01:14:37)

News Tower

Citizen Kane (1941)

Game Dev Story

Home of the Underdogs

Superhero League of Hoboken

Mad TV

14: Brandon’s Fifth Nominee (01:22:01)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Promise Mascot Agency

Insert Credit Gaiden #13 - The Intended Game, with Oli Clarke Smith

15: Frank’s Fifth Nomination (01:27:41)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater

Hideo Kojima

16: Alex Jaffe’s First Nomination (01:33:29)

THE INSERT CREDIT GAME OF THE YEAR 2025 TOP 16:

Silent Hilf ($69.99) [14 hrs]

News Tower ($24.99) [9.5 hrs]

South of Midnight ($39.99) [11.5 hrs]

Wanderstop ($24.99) [10.5 hrs]

Hollow Knight: Silksong ($19.99) [28 hrs]

Blue Prince ($29.99) [26.5 hrs]

Dead Take ($14.99) [4 hrs]

Promise Mascot Agency ($24.99) [12.5 hrs]

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii ($59.99) [36 hrs]

Windswept ($19.99) [9.5 hrs]

Hypogea ($9.99) [2.5 hrs]

Asura the Striker ($14.99) [0.5 hrs]

The Roottrees are Dead ($19.99) [11.5 hrs]

Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater ($69.99) [12 hrs]

Call of Ponchy: Mahjong Warfare ($0.99) [??? hrs]

Demonschool ($24.99) [31.5 hrs]

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

Subscribe: RSS, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

The finest minds in video games discuss the evolution of turn-based combat, turning pixels into symphonies, and the devastating return of Violence Island.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

Watch episodes with full video on YouTube

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

Audacity

E3

Doctor Who

Doctor Manhattan

Blink

Tom Baker

Sherlock

Steven Moffat

Daliens

Cybermen

“Do you think people are happy in this wizard kingdom?”

Mega Man series

Clown Man

It

Nicole Kidman

Kid n’ Play

1: What tips you off that someone discussing video games has no idea what they’re talking about? (06:08)

New York Times

IGF Awards

Call of Duty series

Mega Man: Legacy Collection

Batman

Superman

Zack Snyder

Madden series

Daryl Hall & John Oates - Out Of Touch

2: How have turn-based battle systems evolved over 30 years? (11:58)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Shin Megami Tensei series

Valkyria Chronicles

Final Fantasy XII

Parasite Eve

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Kingdoms of the Dump

The Doors - Riders On The Storm

Final Fantasy X-2

3: On what occasions have you wished a game was harder? (17:27)

Soulslike

Gunstar Heroes

Bayonetta 3

Pokemon series

4: If we were to re-establish an official video game seal of quality, what would be the qualifying criteria? (21:41)

Official Nintendo Seal

Steam Deck

5: Syswivv asks, what kind of video game would Andy Warhol have made? (28:08)

Andy Warhol

Madonna

Fortnite

CD-i

Eric Idle

Starship Titanic

Harlan Ellison

Harlan Ellison: I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

CD+G

Sega CD

Empire (1965)

Peter Molyneux

MAGFest

GDC

Bubsy 3D: Bubsy Visits the James Turrell Retrospective

James Turrell

6: Describe Bubsy 3D: Bubsy Visits the James Turrell Retrospective to Ash (32:24)

Arcane Kids

Donut County

Bubsy series

7: What’s the best use a game has ever made of being able to click in the analog stick? (34:39)

The Godfather: The Game

Manhunt

God of War III

Oedipus

Yanya Caballista: City Skater

Katamari Damacy

Kinect

Ghost (1990)

Octodad: Dadliest Catch

8: Who is your favorite video game character to debut in the last ten years? (40:39)

Crow Country

Mara Forest

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hornet

Bayonetta series

Bayonetta

Nier: Automata

2B

Indika

Final Fantasy XV

Prompto Argentum

Ignis Scientia

Overwatch

Tracer

Baldur’s Gate III

Astarion

Balan Wonderworld

Balan

Concord

LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (46:02)

Recommendations and Outro (01:01:52):

Brandon: The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1993), Gnosia, yucca

Ash: Put chili crisp on everything, Support Laid-off Vox Media Workers

Frank: Lil’ baby potatoes

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Our heroes confront video game movie adaptations, how controversy sells games, and Tom Cruise in Sonic 3 & Knuckles the Porn Parody the Official Game of the Movie.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank “Baseball” Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

Watch episodes with full video on YouTube

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

The mushroom making people hallucinate dozens of tiny humans

Lilliputians

“If I was a creature made of stagnant water, I’d rather die and return to my bog.”

Mark McGwire

Michael Jordan

Sylvester the Cat

Yosemite Sam

Dennis Rodman

Akron RubberDucks

Ricky Henderson

Twitch banned Dr Disrespect after viewing messages sent to a minor, say former employees

1: What are some good games with built in breaks? (08:20)

Demonschool

Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy VIII

Hades

Loop Hero

Ball x Pit

Arkanoid

Hypogea

Quake

2: Which character has suffered the biggest design downgrade in video game history? (15:50)

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

Earthworm Jim HD

Arle Nadja

Overwatch 2

Ugly Sonic

Sonic Boom series

Sonic Adventure series

Cloud Strife

Ballz

Fat Pikachu

Bomberman: Act:Zero

Tomb Raider series

Mario

3: Who’s your Mario? (21:29)

Neo Geo Pocket

Sonic The Hedgehog Pocket Adventure

Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Bros. 2

Astal

Superstar Saga series

Alex Kidd in Shinobi World

4: Is the average video game based on a movie better than the average movie based on a video game? (25:42)

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Super Mario Bros. (1993)

Max Headroom

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

Return to Silent Hill (2026)

Fallout

Silent Hill f

White Day: A Labyrinth Named School

Sweet Home

Werewolves of London

5: SaveaSaturn asks, what game that you’ve never played would you take to a desert island with you? (31:39)

Mario Kart series

Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space

Magic: the Gathering Arena

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Baldur’s Gate III

Dezaemon 2

Dragon Quest series

Satisfactory

Super Mario Maker 2

NetHack

Caves of Qud

Make My Video: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch

6: What makes bad video games successful? (38:30)

Horses

Hatred

Fortnite

Super Smash Brothers series

Sonic ’06

Top Gun (1986)

Top Gun

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. 3

7: What is the “Maybe it will happen today” of video games? (44:17)

Mother 3

Duke Nukem Forever

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Beyond Good and Evil 2

SNK

Kingdom Hearts IV

Chrono Trigger

Fallout: New Vegas

LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Genshin Impact (49:54)

Recommendations and Outro (56:38):

Brandon: From the Fields granola, Dosa Chips, American Rickshaw (1989), please review Demonschool positively on Steam

Frank: Rate and review things in general

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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As has become tradition, Insert Credit ranks the best games of all time. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

Watch episodes with full video on YouTube

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

Digital Eclipse

Final Fantasy VIII

“If I die here alone, a miserable death, no one will bother to pick up my bones.”

Sonic the Hedgehog

Arator the Redeemer

World of WarCraft

Demonschool

Ryu Number

#IDARB

Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection

Aetherdrift

Bestow Greatness (the supposed Ash card)

Johnny Silverhand

Yakuza 0

EarthBound

Super Mario Bros. 3

Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei

Doom

OutRun: Online Arcade

Silent Hill

1: Frank’s Mom’s Favorite Game (08:56)

Super Mario series

2: Ash’s Cousin Eric’s Favorite Game (14:07)

Ms. Pac-Man

Sega Genesis

Mortal Kombat series

Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures

3: Brandon’s Partner Christina’s Favorite Game (19:45)

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Nintendo DS

Grand Theft Auto series

Game Boy Advance

Ivy the Kiwi?

4: Frank’s Co-host Ash’s Favorite Game (25:08)

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Overwatch

Bayonetta

Sonic the Hedgehog Part II

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

Sega Technical Institute

Mark Cerny

5: Ash’s Friend Nicki’s Favorite Game (34:34)

Pokémon Red Version

The Vision of Escaflowne

ACen

Pokémon Blue Version

Sega Game Gear

MissingNo

Sailor Moon

Street Sharks

Pikachu

6: Brandon’s Dad’s Favorite Game (39:52)

Military Madness

TurboGrafx-16

Famicom Wars

Advance Wars

Neutopia

Legend of Zelda series

Tetris

Spelling Bee

Sub Hunt

PalmPilot

Atari 2600

Circus

7: Frank’s Best Friend and Editor Esper’s Favorite Game (45:31)

Drifting Off with Joe Pera: A Sleep Podcast

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Final Fantasy VII

Phil Salvador

Sega Saturn

Final Fantasy VII: Remake

Barrett Wallace

Final Fantasy Got It Right With Two Black Fathers

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

8: Ash’s Friend Will’s Favorite Game (55:34)

Karazhan

Ventrillo

Hikikomori

Elwynn Forest

Dreadsteed

9: Brandon’s Friend Scott’s Favorite Game (01:04:38)

Final Fantasy VI

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Record of Lodoss War

La Blue Girl

Nobuo Uematsu

10: Frank’s Friend Lucy’s Favorite Game (01:11:42)

Mass Effect 2

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Fallout: New Vegas

11: Ash’s Cousin Jason’s Favorite Game (01:24:29)

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai

Dragon Ball Z

Vegeta

Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Super

12: Brandon’s Former Coworker Christian’s Favorite Game (01:32:36)

Ys: Book I & II

Tengai Makyō: Ziria

Bump System

The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls

13: Frank’s Wife Amanda’s Second Favorite Game (01:38:38)

Kickle Cubicle

Irem

R-Type series

Disaster Report series

Adventures of Lolo

14: Ash’s Husband Travis’s Favorite Game (01:42:33)

Contra III: The Alien Wars

Mana series

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Contra Hard Corps

Weenie Hut Jr’s

Super Castlevania IV

UFO 50

15: Brandon’s College Friend and Insert Credit Co-Founder Vincent’s Favorite Game (01:47:42)

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Puyo Puyo Sun

Bubble Bobble

Puzzle Bobble

16: Frank’s Pal Ian’s Favorite Game (01:52:31)

Killer7

Suda51

Cam Clarke

Resident Evil 4

No More Heroes

Shadows of the Damned

17: Ash’s Sister Alexis’s Favorite Game (01:59:53)

Uno No Mercy

Connect Four

Kingdom Hearts

Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit

Disney Channel

No Strings Attached

Katamari Damacy

18: Brandon’s Friend Chaz’s Favorite Game (02:06:00)

Shining Force II

N-Gage

19: Frank’s Other Friend Ian’s Favorite Game (02:10:48)

Super Mario World

Kaizo

Super Mario Maker

Disneyland

Walt Disney World

20: Ash’s Best Friend Abby’s Favorite Game (02:17:11)

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Baldur’s Gate series

Alistair

Sid Meier’s Civilization series

Cullen Rutherford

Miscegenation

21: Brandon’s Coworker Tara’s Favorite Game (02:28:43)

Aces Wild: Manic Brawling Action!

NieR: Automata

NieR

PlatinumGames Inc.

Final List (02:28:43)

View the finalized list right here!

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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