The Besties

I’m nearing 40 and don’t have much time for video games anymore, but played a ton when I was younger. The last 5-6 games I’ve purchased were all based off of reviews I heard on the show, and they have all been a great fit. I very much respect the journalistic(ish) descriptions of gameplay, style, logic/mechanics, and storytelling - all without spoiling the fun. The show has helped me understand my own likes/dislikes in gaming and I never feel like I’m guessing as to whether the game is right for me. For anyone keeping score, Justin is my favorite.

Y’all should listen to it

I don’t play games that much. I don’t look up what these games look like. I binge this show every six months. All of their predictions are always wrong. 5/5 stars.

I’ve been listening to video game podcasts for 19 years ever since Gamespot’s The Hotspot in 2005. The Besties is the endgame of video game podcasts. They’ve found the perfect format and host configuration. By only focusing on one game a week, they don’t waste time talking about games that no one has played. They also tend to only focus on games that end up being important and considered for year end awards. 4 hosts is objectively the best number of people to have on a podcast. The hosts are also best friends, hence why the podcast is called “The Besties”. This also makes for great chemistry. The length of the podcast may seem short by 2024 standards but it’s actually the perfect length. By keeping the podcast under 1.5 hours, they ensure that discussion is meaningful and not overbearing. The McElroy brothers are experts at podcasting and utilize this technique on their own shows as well. The Besties may not be your average 3 hour long rambling show covering every new game, news and more, it’s the perfect video game podcast. If I could only have 1 video game podcast, it would be The Besties and it’s not even close. You could nothing but listen to The Besties for ~1 hour a week and you would have just the right amount exposure to modern video games.