Welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight. I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host as we look back at the site-related news and best community creations from the previous week.
And holy crap, the staff really started this week swinging and didn’t let up. As you can see in my weekly programming list below, we had a whopping 16 shows, livestreams, and podcasts and at least two new features (i.e., GB Kidz and Ryckert’s Roulette) that will be recurring fixtures moving forward. Likewise, for those of you that might be missing sets or in-person content, give the GameSpot cross posts a shot as they even have a couch! Regardless, join me in giving a hearty round of applause for the staff for making this happen.
Weekly List of Programming & Streams
There are a few other housekeeping items worth addressing before we jump into the meat and potatoes of this edition of the Community Spotlight. First, it should get a bit easier to find streamed content on Giant Bomb’s YouTube account as better attempts will be made to move them to the default “Video” page rather than having them tucked away on the “Live” tab.
Second, some people have noticed a few spambot comments and posts on the site that seemed to have dodged the recently debuted anti-spam protocol. I’ve even noticed this from time to time and can attest that the problem has been reported to Dylan and the Fandom engineers. Nonetheless, feel free to send a support ticket whenever you notice something getting past the blockers on Zendesk.
Finally, and I guess this a bit fun, but you can expect to see content with me in it on the site soon-ish. As you may recall from Dylan’s State of the Site post last month, he mentioned that a Modcast feature would debut in March and this weekend is when we will record the first episode. I won’t be the only person on this podcast, and it seems like it will have a fun assortment of GameFAQs, GameSpot, ComicVine, and Fandom mods introducing themselves and sharing their perspectives. No idea when the episode will air, but hey, at least you know the site is cooking.
BlueSky
https://bsky.app/profile/marinov1.bsky.social/post/3ljtlm2ulbc2q
https://bsky.app/profile/trbucket.bsky.social/post/3ljsikd5y5c2o
https://bsky.app/profile/janochoa.bsky.social/post/3ljckkpcg2s2b
https://bsky.app/profile/picklegiraffe.bsky.social/post/3ljps7dk7ek2l
Art
Jeff Jeff Bizarre Adventure Gaiden: Berserk! (By: @jearum)
JeffJeff’s is BACK BAYBEE and this time they are checking out Berserk 2002! If you gave the podcast a listen, you might have noticed that it is sporting some AWESOME promo art by jearum! If you want a better shot of their work, here you go and don’t forget to send them words of support when you can and if you need a commission, they are amazing!
Mitch’s Quest – Official Giant Bomb Seal Of Approval (By: Pickle Giraffe)
Pickle_Giraffe has an idea for a Mike Minotti’s next Blight Club pick: Fester’s Quest! Not only that, but they have the boxart for a Mike-helmed ROM hack version of the game down below for your enjoyment! Also, don’t forget to click the link below to thank them for their great work.
Video
ACTIVE SKELETONS – (Season 7 Episode 3) – An Animated Giant Bomb Blight Club Series (By: Pickle Giraffe)
It’s time to enjoy another wonderfully hilarious episode of Pickle_Giraffe’s Animated Giant Bomb series featuring Grubb’s continual struggles with Blues Brothers 2000! If you consider Dan’s phone bit an “All-Time Dan Moment” like I do, this episode is a banger!
Activities
Avowed Is The Third Game Of UUGPGC Year 4! Finish By April 1! Mark All Spoilers (By: @bigsocrates)
It won by a wide margin, so, this month’s Giant Bomb Game Pass Game Club pick is Avowed! Do any of you want to talk about how the game plays and looks? Are you digging the game’s vibes and combat? Join the fun over here!
The GB Album Club 080 – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill (By: @unclejam23)
It’s time to talk about a musical classic with this edition of the Giant Bomb Album of the Week Club! This week the group is checking out The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill! Is this still one of the greatest works of hip-hop and neo soul? What other works in those genres do you recommend?
Blogs
In Honor Of Dan Beating Drake of the 99 Dragons, I Played Everything From Idol FX (Part II: Nosferatu And A Hugo Clone) (By: @zombiepie)
ZombiePie continues their exhaustive look at every game made by Idol FX, the makers of Drake of the 99 Dragons, and this time has a two-for-one deal! This write-up examines Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi and LoopHole! How many European community members out there remember Hugo The TV Troll?
Indie Game of the Week 410: Carto (By: @mento)
For this edition of their “Indie Game of the Week” feature, Mento checked out Carto by Sunhead Games! Read why the game and its map/tile-based puzzle gameplay “blissfully” reminded them of Dark Cloud 2!
NamCompendium 15: Mouse Police, Chemicals, and Mushrooms (By: @electricviking)
After a hiatus, electricviking is back with a look at every year in Namco’s development and publishing history! Do you want to read one of the most extensive write-ups about the mousey cop, Mappy? Well, they have you covered this week.
All PS1 Games In Order: Part 035 (By: @borgmaster)
borgmaster has a new blog in which they play and review every game that released on the PS1 in North America! This week they talk about Project Overkill, Ridge Racer Revolution, Casper, Burning Road, and NASCAR Racing! If any of those names get you feel nostalgic, give it a read!
The Switch At 8 Is A Lion In Deepest Winter (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates thinks about the Nintendo Switch and how it still feels like “a lion in deepest winter” (i.e., the console is on its last leg) as it nears its eighth anniversary. Do you feel like the console’s decline is noticeable at this point?
Discussion Threads
What Are Your Couch Co-Op Recommendations These Days? (By: @topcyclist)
Hey, everyone! What do you make of the state of modern couch co-op? What are the best couch co-op games in the last three to five years? is it time to say something nice about It Takes Two? Share your game picks and if you think co-op is still kicking in games.
Act Surprised, But Square Enix Is Wrapping Up Their NFT Game, Symbiogenesis (By: @zombiepie)
Square Enix has announced they are concluding the story and new content updates for their NFT game, Symbiogenesis. Is this a blow to Web3 gaming or NFT games in general? Also, what do you make of the state of Square Enix in 2025?
Monster Hunter Wilds Discussion (By: @atheistpreacher)
It might not be a new thread, but with more people getting their hands on a copy of Monster Hunter Wilds, this thread continues to be as active as when it was first created. With that in mind, a lot of commenters are split on the game’s emphasis on story and narrative. What do you think?
Activision Sure Isn’t Being Subtle About The Next Tony Hawk Game Being A 3 + 4 Remake (By: @zombiepie)
So, I don’t know about you, but finding out the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 part of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 remake won’t be a one-to-one remake/remaster and the original’s freeform open-world nature will be modified so it has a two minute timer like the first three games in the main series took the wind out of my sails. But what do you think? Is it not that big of a deal?
Lists
Old Games I Want to Play (By: @wumbo3000)
Have you ever sat down and thought about all of the old games you know are good or great but have yet to play yourself? That’s the topic at hand with wumbo3000’s latest list and as you give their list a read, think about the games that would likely be on your own version. If you make one, let me know and I’ll be happy to showcase it.
Reviews
@pauljeremiah is back with a new retro game review and this time he is looking at Star Fox on the SNES! Click the link to read why they think its still holds up, including its unique 3D environments and graphics!
@pauljeremiah‘s Aero Fighters 2 review this week brings some Neo Geo love. Yes, this is the game where you can control a dolphin pilot, but besides the memes, does Aero Fighters 2 have any legs? Is it worth giving a shot in 2025? Read their review to see what they think.
@infantpipoc‘s Hades review looks at how the game plays on a Steam Deck and how it holds up as we draw closer to the release of its sequel! Does the game’s quick and visceral combat translate well on a Steam Deck? Give their review a read to find out!
Wiki Of The Week
We are coming up on the 30th anniversary of Panzer Dragoon! It’s the game that basically carried the Saturn in Japan for a year, but you can learn more about what makes the game so special and why some consider it one of the best games to release on the Saturn and one of the best on-rails games ever made!
