We really should have had an account set up sooner, but no time like the present, and at the start of the new year! Welcome to Quick Save, where @joerichardswrites.bsky.social and @stephenage.bsky.social talk games, sometimes. Every two weeks, or so, to be precise. Thank you for being here!

2. ian, you old dog, you old troll, you still got it.

Forget gaming’s Citizen Kane, with HORSES we finally have the medium’s Salo.

The survival horror of Silent Hill: Homecoming is surviving the horrors of this busted PC port. It’s unstable, you have to guess what buttons to press (it gives a prompt for a button but doesn’t tell you which one) and the controller option in the game is entirely fictive.

Well, this Derry Girls spin off is certainly different.

Finally getting round to the Silent Hill games… these are GOOD.

A delight to discuss Fuller with tremendous company!

Silksong asks the question of ‘do you like down attacking onto small buds but you’ll also down attack at an angle?’ To which I answer, no, not really.

When they do a definitive edition of The Old Country, they should just take out all the knife fights. This cutting content should be cut content.

Early in The Old Country but really like the gunplay. You expect quick stop-and-pop cover shooting but guns take a moment to aim and steady. It’s more about lining up a shot in the right window to hit before your foe lines up theirs. Gives a really methodical pace to combat that fits cover shooting.

Having played through Mafia 1-3 this week, it’s such a fascinating series. The first is an of its time proof of concept, with good storytelling and fun set pieces — great atmosphere. The second elevates all of this. …

Video game podcast time! The best takes on Death Stranding 2, Atomfall, THPS 3 + 4 and moooooore!! As always, with @joerichardswrites.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/5Lg6...

I’m behind on sharing stuff as I’ve been too busy. But.. here’s a video games podcast with Deltarune, Doom the Dark Ages and Mario Kart World… oh and to a T. The highlight though is a story of why I uninstalled Civilization 7. With @joerichardswrites.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/1p8S...

@stephenage.bsky.social and I discuss the wonderfully strange Pavements and music on film on this week's podcast - open.spotify.com/episode/2AhZ...

Finally getting round to Atomfall. Certainly the most Stephen game of the year. The hilarious amalgamation of British stereotypes that’s charmingly specific certainly appeals. However, this is S.T.A.L.K.E.R meets the open ended, emergent structure of Fallout 1 and 2. Precision tooled to my interests

Thoughts on the, very sadly, deeply disappointing to a T stepprinted.com/to-a-t-serie...

You can indeed do this.

28 Years Later reminds us Garland is a better writer than he is a director… But still not a great writer.

Yes, you get some very raw and personal conversations inspired by The Rehearsal; yes, you get an in depth discussion of Wes Anderson’s distinct language of film… But we know you’re really here for the… CHICKEN JOCKEY. A Minecraft Movie, covered here. Next ep, Hurry Up Tomorrow. We treat you.

Well that’s all of Deltarune for now. The objective kindness vibe still slightly grates on me but it’s still a completely masterful game.

Playing through Deltarune. Those first two chapters are good to great but feel very much in line with what you expect. Finished chapter 3 yesterday and just adored it. Manically creative and full of swings; great blend of ideas and interactivity. So excited for what 4 brings.

Full thoughts on the — lightly underwhelming — new Doom game. stepprinted.com/doom-the-dar...

My thoughts on the truly excellent The Phoenician Scheme stepprinted.com/the-phoenici...

Here, I deconstruct the often brilliant, and often maddening, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. A game that persistently gets in its own way. stepprinted.com/clair-obscur...

I really hated the film Warfare. And here is why.

Seeing as Lars Ulrich is one of the drummers on the Sinners score, can somebody re-edit the movie and add the St Anger snare, please? I will pay anything.

The thing is, with tariffs the way they are, you gotta get a US pope if you want to be able to import Catholicism into the country.

Video game podcast!! A remaster, perhaps a remake, perhaps a reboot. Thoughts on Switch 2 announcement, Monster Hunter Wilds, Avowed, A Game About Digging a Hole, new Katamari, Like a Dragon… AND MORE.

Rumour has it that the Oblivion Remaster will only release when grey smoke comes out of the Vatican chimney.

I have now hit credits on Blue Prince. Which led to the reveal I could have actually hit credits on the game a good 15 hours earlier but was just ignoring a room because I presumed there was more to it. In this time, I discovered so much more and the game blew my mind several times. A masterpiece.

A review of the excellent Avowed from @obsidianent.bsky.social. Read it on Step Printed (and sign up to the newsletter to get this and more to your inbox).

Just solved a Blue Prince puzzle that reveals the rumoured Oblivion Remaster. Translate the 3rd letter of every 5th chess piece seen into Esperanto on the 7th of a month with 30 days, Patrick Stewart appears and says he knows you from his dreams. Anyway, the Dark Brotherhood quest is still great.

I wrote a piece on Tetsuo the Iron Man for @stepprinted.com. You should read it. Yes. You. stepprinted.com/the-anarchic...

Another video game review for Step Printed! This time: A Game About Digging a Hole. Read how it does what it says on the tin and in doing so lightly critiques the medium as a way of actually spotlighting why games work. A dialectic on the ontology of games? Check. Digging a big ass hole? Check.

I joined one of my favourite podcasters, @rafstitt.bsky.social, to talk about Brazil (a wonderful film)… and the whole… Terry Gilliam thing…

why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near? just like me, they long to be fed & praised

Any list with The Exigency on it is a good list. Read about @stepprinted.com’s best recent discoveries and revisits. stepprinted.com/february-202...

I’m taking up the video games beat over at Step Printed. Read my review of Monster Hunter Wilds now! stepprinted.com/monster-hunt...

That's a wrap on the Sight and Sound 2022 Greatest Films of AlI Time Critics' Poll, and Season 1 of What a Picture! This week, we and friends are going through some favorites and superlatives, and announcing our Season 2 plans! Check it out

Say hello to my Monster Hunter Wilds character, Lydia Tár

There’s a new Kitano film and you may not even know it. Check out @stepprinted.com’s review and sign up to the mailing list to keep the good words coming. stepprinted.com/broken-rage-...

Check out a review of a great film on a great website. Exciting times.

@vicious696.bsky.social @godfree.bsky.social shooting my shot to help bring some visual energy to Gamertag Radio! I loved your interview with Phil today, and I'd love to use my graphic design skills to help you all with some thumbnail design for the show! Here's a quick mockup I made for GTR.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is profoundly disappointing. Here’s why.

BAFTA are now in the situation where they might have to give Kneecap best British film, while also having to deal with the optics of rewarding that film for being British. This is going to be fun. Also, watch Kneecap, it’s amazing. Brits Out.

@stephenage.bsky.social from The Stacks podcast joined me to talk about an Italian zombie slasher that’s obsessed with the big game! It’s ABSURD (1981)! Hopefully, this provides a laugh to someone who needs it. I ♥️ LA Find it on your preferred player here 👇 badmovieswelove.captivate.fm/listen

Frankly, I think it’s appalling that we’ve allowed James Corden to appear on TV again. And on Christmas Day? This should be illegal.

Wallace and Gromit continues to be superb. All is good in the world. All.

Remember on this day that, canonically, George Bailey’s re-discovery of the value of his life takes place at the same time as the failed hit attempt on Vito Corleone.

This is not a drill, new Wallace and Gromit in 15 mins. The UK has never been this united — especially since Brexit.