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Submit Your Question For The MinnMax Show Podcast (Patreon)

Published:
2025-05-20 18:00:07
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

Heads up that The Deepest Dive on the middle section of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is recording tonight at 7:30pm Central on Twitch, it'll be up on YouTube and the bonus podcast feed on Wednesday. Also, due to some scheduling challenges there isn't a New Show Plus happening this week BUT we have some fun bonus videos going up in its place. Thanks for your patience on that front!

This week for community questions on the podcast, we'll have Ben Hanson, Kyle Hilliard, Jeff Marchiafava, Jacob Geller, and Janet Garcia. It's your turn to make the show better by leaving a question, news story, BetterQuest goal, or anything else for us to read on the show as a comment below! We’ll choose our favorite and iam8bit will ship out the great prize below for the winner! We'll stop pulling questions around 8am Central on Wednesday.

On this week’s episode we’ll be talking about...

The most underrated games of 2025

Deliver At All Costs

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown

Sea of Stars DLC

Blades of Fire

Everybody at the Backstage Pass tier can watch us record the show live on Wednesday at 1:30pm Central, with an exclusive pre and post show. The unedited archive will be available to view after the fact. You could do us a favor by subscribing to the audio version of the podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app, telling a friend, leaving a review, and subscribing to our YouTube channel!

https://apple.co/3lRbzbE

https://www.youtube.com/minnmax

You can also find the Hades vinyl soundtrack for sale in iam8bit’s online store, and you can use the promo code ITSGONNABEMAY for 10% off everything under $100. Psst… please don’t post that promo code anywhere else on the internet. It’s a MinnMax-exclusive thing. https://www.iam8bit.com/collections/all

Files

Comments

Travis in Fargo

With all the stories of megacorps like Embracer and Tencent gobbling up smaller companies, and Giant Bomb unexpectedly acquiring themselves, it got me wondering: will MinnMax ever acquire another outlet or company? Maybe an artisanal hot sauce or soda company? Maybe a streaming service, and re-re-rebrand it HBO MinnMax?

Jacob Mazanowski

What’s your video game element? I always seem to go with Fire or Poison

Bloody Waffle

Have you gotten into a new genre of music because of a game's soundtrack?

Travis in Fargo

All that triple A, double i, B game talk last week got me thinking: how would you handle battery size renaming? Enough of that triple A, double A nonsense, right?!

Bob Buel

Is there a minor change to any of your projects, businesses, final works, etc that you wish you could go back in time to change? Like, a minor edit to a video Hanson did from 10 years ago? Or does Kelsey wish the pink gorilla logo had sunglasses on?

Chree McGee

Hey Minnmax: Here’s a game for you. Is It Overrated or Underrated?: Objective Truth Edition! We all know objective truth comes from the critic’s discerning eye- so for each of the following games, you have to tell me if it’s Overrated (meaning the Metacritic User Score is higher than the Critic Score) or Underrated (the Critic Score is higher than the User Score). Super Mario Sunshine [Underrated- Critic Score is 92 and User Score is 82) Silent Hill 2 Remake [Overrated- Critic Score is 86 and User Score is 91] One of the Top 5 Switch Games According to Minnmax, Pikmin 4 [Overrated- Critic Score is 87 and User Score is 90] Dragon Age: The Veilguard [Severely Underrated- Critic Score is 82 and User Score is 39] Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 [Overrated- Critic Score is 92 and User Score is 97]

Kraven Morcome

Hey MinnMax, What are your thoughts about AI Vader in Fortnite? I saw a video where he asked Sabrina Carpenter to "bounce on it crazy style" and I don't think video games are going to get better than that.

resnet

Yo MinnMax! If you were all playable characters in a fighting game, what would your idle animations before battle be?

Vilas

Hey Minnmax! I just turned 30, and as an old man I decided to play some retro games for a few weeks. My first choice was Chrono Trigger for the first time ever and I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying it. It holds up really well, and listening to the deepest dive every few days makes it even better. What else should I play on this retro journey?

Infinite

Given the unfortunate direction that larger gaming sites/media companies have been going, the most encouraging signs are the independent gaming media companies. With this as a backdrop, do you think that there will be an increase industry wide to shift to collaboration between companies doing content, as opposed to competition for eyes and dollars?

Fancygraham

Expedition 33 has made me, a person in their mid 30s, reflect where I’m at in life. What I’ve achieved and what’s ahead of me. For those who this applies to: what’s the best and worst part about being in your 30s?

MarcusAuralius

I spent so much time in Stardew Valley that my wife and I built a nice little garden of our own, which currently overflowing with kale, spinach, and flowers. Though I still check in on my farm from time to time. Are there any games that inspired you to take up a hobby in the real world?

Mike Lynch

When Ben mentioned looking for the archive of Out Of The Game podcast last week, it reminded me how shocking it is, in 2025, to search for something on the internet and find *nothing*. Is there any specific information (or a video) you can't find online that you wish was more thoroughly cataloged?

MakeItUnclear

What's your favorite twist in a video game? Please describe it extremely vaguely because I haven't played that one yet.

john pinkerton

Hey MinnMax, Here's a fun game based on the games being discussed this week: Game of Of Games! I'll give you the Steam description of a game that follows the naming structure "___ of ___" and you have to name the game! 1. ___ of ___ is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics. It tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who will combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer. (Sea of Stars) 2. An immersive sandbox detective stealth game set in a fully simulated sci-fi noir city of crime and corruption. Think like a private investigator and take on jobs to earn cash on your path to catching a serial killer. If you don’t catch them - they will kill again… (Shadows of Doubt) 3. Start your new life! Build the farm of your dreams as you discover a world brimming with possibilities. Magic, romance, and adventure all await you in this nostalgic farming / life sim RPG! (Fields of Mystria, I hope everyone gets this one!)

Pelicanman

What video game take do you have that you fully acknowledge makes you sound like a philistine but still believe anyway? Mine is this: pixel art is ugly.

Neal McMahon

Hey Maxers, I love my Steam Deck to death, but to this day, I swear I still don’t know the back buttons apart—like R4 from R5. If I think really long and hard, by brain can figure it out but in the heat of the moment in a game, I still confuse those back rows. Anyone else still have this issue?

That's Mildly Raven

I recently came across the game GearGrit, which appears to be some indie devs asking "but what if Jak 2 was good?" What game or franchise do you want to see indies take into their own hands?

Tommy Carver-Chaplin

Hey cohorts. With things like the Precinct, Expedition, Crow Country etc, what game or tropes from your past are you hoping an indie studio or AA release revisits next?

Geebeesee

Hey Minnmax, A few years ago I spent 5 or so hours playing Kingdom Come Deliverance but then bounced off the game entirely. Cut to 2025, I decided to give its sequel a try and it ended up being one of my favorite games of the last several years! What’s the most notable time a game franchise won you back with a sequel? Cheers, Chris from Nova Scotia

Daniel Doran

What factors change your gaming habits the most? I’ve been playing exclusively VR for the past month because I feel like that’s not gonna be an option for a while after our son is born. Also, I’m more down for difficult games when I’m in a lighter work season…have you noticed changing preferences for platform, difficulty, or genre based on any consistent factor in your life?

mantaguy

Hey, MinnMaxers! This Monday was the 10th anniversary of The Witcher 3, and I'd love to hear all of your retrospectives on the game. Any favorite side quests, little details, or any overall thoughts?

Vilis

So in an alternate world where Giant Bomb is a cartoonishly villainous group of Games Journalists, ala Team Rocket, who are building an actual Giant Bomb, does MinnMax step in to take them down, or is the solidarity between independent games journalists too strong and you say "Well, surely they must have a good reason for building a Giant Bomb!" ?

sandeezy

🚨MISSED JOKE ALERT🚨 In the Dan Ryckert interview and a recent episode of the podcast, the phrase “paid handsomely” was said, and nobody chimed in and said “paid Hanson-ly”. going forward, if Ben is to say this incredibly funny joke, he should use that little meek dork voice that sounds like he’s pulling his collar. thanks gang

Shakenbake67

Hey Ben, On the most recent Fire Escape cast, Mike Mahardy impersonated you and also spelled your name wrong and Minnmax wrong in the episode description. This disrespect won’t last(jokingly) Could you and the crew impersonate the Fire Escape crew doing a short segment talking about Clair Obscur and how they would sound like. Love both podcasts but a rivalry is at hand

Travis in Fargo

Do you try to curate a “smellosphere” in your home? What’s the ideal home smell?

Maximilian Mackinnon

if you had to, how long it would take for you to reach the top rank of any competitive online game of your choice? (if you were devoting all of your time and energy to it)

Jordan Rogers

If you get stuck in a game what's your feeling on looking up a guide? If you do look up a guide, what's your preferred resource and type (text, picture, video)? I find myself gravitating to GameFAQs for the simple text but the complete IGN picture guides can be great too. For me, video is last resort as I don't want to have to watch the solution in real time then do it myself.

Victor Garcia

Hi, everyone It’s starting to get hot outside, mid 90s for me. What do you like to keep your AC, and your heater for cold seasons, at? I keep my AC at 75 and after looking online at what other people set theirs at, I’m on the higher end. A lot of people seem to keep theirs I think low 70s, and even lower at night. Normal AC temps are between 72 and 78 according to a bunch of HVAC sites I checked.

RynaGoGo

Howdy MinnMax, A friend and I were talking about a movie they liked and they said “it’s the best, I’ve watched it 100 times”. They were exaggerating of course but it made me think. Is there any single form of media besides a song that you have experienced 100 times or more? I’ve watched the Have You Ever Had A Dream video a bunch, and it makes me laugh every time, but there’s no way it’s a 100 times.

John Larson

Hey Minnmax, Who had the better spouse turned into a weapon, Nathan Spencer from Bionic Commando (his wife Emily became his grapple) or Red from Transistor (her husband is her sword)? If you had to be turned into a weapon for your significant other, what would you be turned into and why? I’m 6’6 so I feel like a Greatsword but my fiancee is 5’2 so I’d have to be something smaller for her to wield.

Brady Griffith

What’s the most recently released game that’s cracked your top 5 games of all time? Mine is Outer Wilds in 2019

Victor Pham

Why do people act like they're above populist media like Fortnite or the MCU?

Alibanian

Hey cohorts, is baking a form of cooking? Or is it some completely separate thing? Some context: My friend brought in banana bread one day, and I said that the banana bread that she cooked was good. She responded by saying thanks, but she baked it, she didn’t cook it. This eventually spiraled into a whole thing within our friend group, half saying that baking is a form of cooking, while the other half is saying that baking and cooking are two separate categories under a larger food preparation umbrella. Please help settle this 3 year long debate.

Adam Castellanos

I recently saw sinners last week and loved it. I never knew a gangster movie would work so well with a vampire movie. What two genres, that have zero business being together, do you think would be amazing together?

PoorAndCurly

Hey Minnmax, I forgot, what was the name of the pirate stealth game from 2023 by Mimimi Games? Also, Max Spielberg is making a game, what's that one called? What was the subtitle for the metroidvania Prince of Persia? Bonus: what was the main characters name from that Prince of Persia game?

L Stockler

Hello, MinnMaxers, Before being immortalized as turtle ninjas, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello were "just" historical accomplished artists. Which other accomplished artist do you think should be immortalized as a turtle ninja, what weapon would he/she wield and what color would his/her bandana be?

Joe Kafchinski

This might fit better as a GALOT, but here's a sentence I never thought I would write: John Mulaney is playing EA founder Trip Hawkins in the upcoming Nic Cage-led John Madden biopic. After this and Taron Egerton as Henk Rogers, what other Hollywood stars would you want to see portraying classic gaming luminaries?

Michael Griffin

In about a year, will we be gearing up to listen to the deepest dive on GTA VI?

BenMan

In the John Woo classic Face Off, a police officer swapped faces with his enemy to stop a bomb from destroying the city .. or something. So, if you could take the face of one of the other cohorts and wear it on your face and live as them for a week who would you choose and why? Keeping in mind they would have your face and live as you.

Travis Manick

What is something you're really proud of right now? BUT the answer cannot involve video games at all.

lilcczar

Hey MinnMax!! I went to see Sinners recently and (no spoilers!) there were a couple of instances that brought tears to my eyes. When I started Clair Obscur the gommage made me cry even though I knew it was going to happen going into the game. Are any of you easy criers when watching movies or playing games?

landsealion

A game has a coutdown before you have to start mashing a button: how long before the countdown ends do you start mashing and how long can you comfortably mash? Who's the best button masher at Minnmax?

Edward Durbridge

Hey minn max crew, with the success of Expedition 33 and the release of the Sea of Stars dlc bringing back turn base combat to the lime light. What franchise would you like to see try out turn base combat in there next entrie.

Harry Chaplin

If the world was going to end, and you could only play one last MULTIPLAYER (online or co op) game what would it be? Now convince the rest of the cohorts that they should spend their last moments playing your choice of game instead their own.

LlorchDurden

hellow Crew, #1 Marchiafava fan here: According to Steam, Deliver at all cost is similar to MGSV : The Phantom Pain (from the "similar to games you've played" section). How much Kojima is there in this?

Gouda

Do you know your mom’s name? Do you know your grandma’s name? Do you know your great-grandmother’s name? This is a little thought experiment I’ve developed to remind myself that life is short - enjoy it and don’t take things too seriously. You’d be surprised how many people don’t know the answer to the third question.

Obruni

Hi all, Many creative mediums have rules such as ‘show, don’t tell.’ What’s your favourite creative work that breaks one of these foundational rules?

Griffin Yu

Sup Minnmax! Do any of y'all have a trailer for a game (or movie, I guess) that was so moody, so perfect that you go back and watch it all the time? Like a trailer that sort of transcends whether the game itself was good or not. As an example, I often go back and watch the reveal trailer for Armored Core VI. I still haven't really played it! A more recent example is Heart Machine's Possessors trailer.

sixmark

Hey assholes (non-parasocial), what are your gamepad preferences? Are you fans of “pro” or “elite” controllers or do you just go with the default? Are there any niche controller sickos among you?

Rick

Helo Minnmax, What amazing thing completely opened up a new genre or medium to you?

Mike Tomasino

Hey MinnMax! My friends and I have a running game where we submit songs to a playlist based on an abstract theme and vote on the best songs. By far the best prompt we’ve done so far is “pointy songs”. So my question is, what song would you say is the “pointiest” one you can think of?

Sam Kennedy

Can you think of a time where a title misrepresented the game it was attached to? For example, there are no teams in Crash Team Racing!

WeGoGiant

Do you think over the course of your entire life you've peed during every minute of the day at least once? Obviously it's more likely as you get older, so how old do you think you were when you covered the last possible minute of the full 24 hours?

saibher (cyber)

Hey Cohorts! Underrated games of 2025? been there done that. What's the underrated game of 2026? 2027? (what is still on the horizon for you?)

TenseREDMEN

Greetings, often times I catch myself starting video games and really enjoying the first few hours. My issue is coming back to, and playing more. Do you have any advice on how to hop back in? Am I screwed? I would love to finish more games. Minnmax is great! Keep up the good work!

resident eva

Do you ever think about how you are younger now than you are now?

Mac

Hey MinnMax, if you had to pick either ketchup or chocolate sauce to have on every meal for the rest of your life, which would it be?

Jacob Mazanowski

What genre or subject are you most and least confident in your opinion? Does not have to be video game related

Zae

Has a game ever substantially changed the way you think or view?

Patrick G

Hey all, were so close to a brand new chapter in Nintendo so What's the last game you will play on your switch 1, I think Sea of stars DLC will be mine Patrick G

David Dubs

Hey Gang! I find that if a game can be played on my steamdeck or switch, it instantly becomes one of my favorites. In your opinion, what elements of a game create perfect experiences for mobile consoles?

pork bun powered

As a sequel to "Games you didn't finish" and "Perfectly paced games", what's a game you DID finish where you were initially very hot on, but then it let you down in the end? At what point do you "wish you stopped?"

alex L

Hi! I am pretty new to MinnMax, started following earlier this yeah, and have recently begun listening through all of your 2022 episodes (it's been great background during chores). From what I have gleaned so far, there seemed to be more discussion of "getting better" back then, including something called "BetterQuest"? Anyways, my question is: What, if anything, are y'all currently trying to get better at / be better about? Thanks!

Greg Lovell

Hi Cohorts. I'm 49 and retraining to start a new career (as a therapist). I'd love your perspective on how long you gave yourselves to develop your current careers when they started. Were you desperate to succeed really early, or did you plan and pace yourselves? Or just go with the flow! Thanks all. Greg

Kendra

Rank the best and worst smelling game universe.

I_Am_Magnus

Hiya Minnmax! I recently played through Outer Wilds and its Echoes of the Eye DLC and along with feeling fulfilled once I finished it I also felt that this was one of those experiences that could only be done by a game Is there any game you think would have part of the experience taken away if it was another medium?

Luciano Comassetto

Ben famously says "save it for the podcast". How much do you discuss games off the show? With each other or other people.

Tom Brien

What is the most famous videogame character created in the past 10 years?

Michael Kammeyer

Hey crew! Do you all have strict writing routines? I'm currently learning how to balance writing and creating with the rest of life, and I love hearing how other creative people manage it.

ayr

Hey all, thanks for the Despelote recommendation, I really loved that game! At the end of the credits was a link to mail things to the developer and they will, in theory, send some kind of goodies back. I haven't seen this since the weird 360/PS3 type Easter eggs, and I'm wondering if any of y'all found this or have seen this in any other recent releases.

Bret Branson

Does listening to a book count as reading it? It was a resounding yes for me, until my friend told me it didn't count. He said that you have to be literate to read but anyone can listen. He pointed out that recent studies show kids in school are generally more behind in their reading levels than they were 10 years ago, and we need to emphasize actually reading more. He thinks when you read its a different experience with the words than listening. I still think he's wrong but I get his sentiment. What do ya'll think?

Dill Pickles

Congrats! You have just been gifted the ability to combine any two games together like a dragon ball fusion dance! What two games are you picking and why? Keep up the good work y’all!

Luis Pérez

Perfect length games are one thing, but then there's the other side: what's a game you love that simply has a horrendous length? All the best CLCs!

Swansonge

I know people talk a lot about recency bias, but what about length bias? Does game length effect your opinion when it comes debating game rankings? For example, I’m curious to get Ben’s thoughts on a 2-hour, focused experience like Despelote vs a 30+ hour RPG like Clair Obscur when it comes time for the 2 Tens

Brody Weller

Hey y’all! What would a fruit tier list look like? Taking all factors into the equation (fragility, how long in season, quality while ripe vs unripe, etc.), is there a fruit that reigns supreme above all else? Thanks!

Brian W

What video game sidekick would you want to have in real life? They follow you around and perform any special actions they would exactly like the game jank and all.

Arturo Perez

Hello MinnMaxers! What is your current easy to make delicious to eat meal? Extra points if it is cheap haha take care!

Badmonsterman

Hey maxers! What’s one video game or fictional world yall would hate to be transported into. For me it would be yugioh cause the thought of losing a card game and getting sent to the shadow realm is nuts.

Hayden Williams

What’s the best place/way to find new games that aren’t the biggest releases? With things like GamePass and PS Plus full of new releases or new monthly games it can be overwhelming to find the underlying gems. Throw in stores with constant releases, how do you find what you should play?

Boojumm

I had a tonka truck PC game as a kid that came with this awesome controller that strapped onto a keyboard to turn it into a truck control panel, complete with a key to start it, a wheel, and a gear shifter! I loved that it was a keyboard attachment instead of a whole special controller. Did y'all have anything like that growing up?

Dan Villone

Do you think some game developers were inspired to design a game based only on a title? I refuse to believe that the developers of Gunbrella first decided to make a game about an umbrella that’s also a gun, and then realize, “You know what would be a good name for this? Gunbrella!” What other games might have had a title that inspired the actual game? Do you think the developers of “Knights in Tight Spaces” were brainstorming a sequel, then someone randomly shouted, “Hey Knights rhymes with Fights! Let’s do a fantasy game!”

Chris Fantry

Hi MinnMaximos! Monster Train 2 is coming out this week and I am super hyped for it because how much I loved the first game. I don't think I have heard anyone in games media that I follow mention the game. There is also a Mass Effect inspired game called Exodus that I'm looking forward to that may come out next year. What is a game you are hyped for that you don't really hear others talk about?

dvader501

I love the watchmaker and am so glad the Sea of Stars DLC is themed around her! I recently had to bring a watch in to be repaired and the speed at which the watchmaker I went to was able to dismantle it, replace the battery, and put it back together was nothing short of breathtaking. It really goes to show the payoff of years of practice with a trade and having your workspace organized with everything easily within reach. Do any of you have a skill like this that you never realized was so impressive until someone saw you doing it or have felt a real sense of mastery in something you've been doing for years?

Chris Fantry

Hi MinnMaximos! Your cohorts have been turned into condiments. What condiments were they turned into? Justify your answer.

Aging_Poorly

I want to play the Sea of Stars DLC but it’s been seemingly 10 years since I played the base game. Has it been too long to be viable? What’s the “sweet spot” in your opinion for post-launch DLC?

JorSneezy

Best ninja star in video game? I'm going with the Ninja Gaiden one where you throw it and then it boomerangs back to you, but you can jump and it'll go underneath you and shoot past and then boomerang back again and you can have this continuous ninja star swinging around you killin fools if you're skilled enough. Video of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFgPOjEAC7c

Joe Garifo

Hey Benny and the J’s (it’s Jyle, right?) the new Jurassic World Reborn has a little backpack Dino. What creature, alive or extinct would you pick to be your backpack buddy?

Virgil B

Besides platformers, which genres have you jumped the most in? I think I have more total jumps in all the fighting games I’ve played versus all the actual platformers I’ve played. Also how much more effective is a jump attack versus a regular grounded attack?

Nick Crede

Love is in the air! It’s wedding season and I’m at the perfect age to have to go to all my friends’ weddings this year. We’re mostly musicians and we don’t wanna talk about music all the time because it feels like “talking shop.” How do I bring up gaming/games casually without saying “I don’t know you but you look like as big a nerd as me, what games are you playing?” Help! I wanna talk about games with people I don’t know very well!!

Troy Ellison

Hello 'Horts! Do you have any sensory memories attached to certain games? For years I've had certain games associated with albums that came out I was listening to at the time, or the feeling of spring weather coming through the windows for others.

SlyCut

Hello all, Whenever I am drinking from a bottled beverage, I always have to have the front of the label facing me. I will turn it to face me before taking a sip. I've done this since I was a kid. I don't even think about it, I just do it. Am I nuts? Do any of you have a similar quirk?

Steve Bellegarde

Hey MinnMax, if no more games were released after today (anything in development is cancelled). Would you be content to be a gamer for the rest of your life? Meaning playing only what has already come out?

MrButtons

Hey MinnMax! How often, if at all, do you respec your characters in games?

thewholehamdamily

What is your personal definition of "job satisfaction"? How does your definition relate to your relationship with MinnMax?

Moss Pond

Hey cohorts! It's finally cracking 80 degrees here in the midwest and it had me wondering: What game captures summer the best? Plenty of games default to "sunny and clear", but I love when the devs try to get at something more specific, whether it's cartoonish or more cinematic.

lumberjack

Hey MinnMax! Question for the midwestern cohorts. Do you all say "ope"? I recently discovered that ope! is a midwestern phrase and I use it all the time in times of surprise and distress. Are there other midwestern filler phrases the world should know about?

Sincerly, Eric

With GiantBomb being independent now after seemingly imploding it felt like now would be a good time to get into them, but not knowing much about them led me to a question. Can you all give an elevator pitch for some of the other outlets and who may enjoy them? For instance I would say if some one was looking a group that had easy going listening with a very knowledgeable team with a great mix of personalities to come to you all. But if some one was looking for very niche takes with a great eye on culture as a whole to go to Polygon. Do you all have any elevator pitches for what outlets to check out if some one is looking for something specific?

Travis in Fargo

If you had a million dollar budget for the perfect bed situation, how would you setup your spectacular sleeping spot?

Nicko

Can you please force the Eric arena new show plus idea on us? It’s too good not to. Also, new show plus where the epicness of various clips is evaluated according to Haley’s goosebumps level?

Cath

I want to hear Janet take on Death stranding since she marathon some of it ! (Bonus if we see her BB)

Limp Bizquick

Hey Minnies and Maxwells, How many caffeinated drinks do you typically have in a day?

NimbleNubs

Much like Janet's LA Galaxy, past greatness doesn't always continue to current times. Which studio do you think has fallen the farthest from when they could do no wrong?

Travis in Fargo

Do you think there’s a moral imperative to keep up with the news and global affairs? How do you navigate that?

Brandon H

Clair Obscur is making me question everything... For as long as I can remember I have said that FFX is my favorite game. When I am craving a RPG I replay FFX and have many many times. But now, I can't imagine playing anything except Clair Obscur when I am wanting an RPG fix. My question is this.. am I a terrible person for falling for Clair so hard when I was so deeply in love with FFX?!

Trapezoid

How crazy are your notes you take when reviewing/playing through a game? I have been playing through Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 with the deepest dive, and taking notes, and I feel like some nights I’m sitting there writing down notes for longer than I’m actually playing! Are you all re-capping the story as you go? Just jotting down random thoughts occasionally? How in depth do you guys get with your note taking?

gybones

What’s your favorite kind of mail to receive? Maybe a greeting card from a friend, package from some recent retail therapy or a long awaited preorder, a paycheck, Hello Fresh meals, handwritten love letter, etc.

Lewis K

Hi Ben, no question just hope you’re doing good going through these 100 plus comments. The Dan interview was great!

Travis in Fargo

Was there ever a glitch that made a game better or more memorable for you?

Chris Pelley

Janet & Jacob: I have a casual wedding to go to, but my wardrobe resembles Ben's without the reliance on quasi-swimwear. What shirt allows me to wear jeans without feeling shame? (It's family, it's downtown Chicago, small-ish/low-key, the couple is a weird mix of trendy and nerdy.)

Tess

Hey MinnMax! If you had every game you can play today when you were a kid, which game do you think would've been formative for you? Specifically not from a technological perspective, so more about themeing, mechanics, story, etc.

Malcolm Holliday

Hey MinnMax! Why is Digimon better than Pokemon?

Juniper Cain

Hiya gang, you've each been around the gaming space for awhile and being 'online' is part of the job in this landscape, so how much 'internet lore' do you think you know? There's been memes, articles that have trended, gifs, videos, jokes. If somebody gave you an 100 question quiz in which the topic was simply 'online culture' who do you think would do best and who would do the worst?

cellica

Hi Minn Max what is the worst "Monkey Paw Moment" in gaming or games media for you; for example wishing for a game feature or franchise returning but the end result is so bad or has such a high down-side that you wonder why you even wished for it in the first place?

Nathan Ryer

Hey MinnMax! Would you still play games if they had no sound at all? Games like Clair Obscur, Hades, Persona 3, and Castlevania SotN all have such memorable music that it would be hard to separate the experience of playing from the music. You can still walk into a crowded arcade and instantly locate where the machines you want to play are just by the sound. Is sound design the most important part of a game’s success?

Mark Harris

Has anyone looked up the word 'bombastic' lately? Apparently it means "marked by or given to speech or writing that is given exaggerated importance by artificial or empty means." So like pompous, overblown, full of hot air. But, probably because of how the word sounds, we started using it to describe things like the explosive, high action spectacle of an Uncharted set piece. At what point does this just become the new definition? And can you think of any other words that have been misused into a new widely used meaning?

Boondock-Bandit

Hey gang, Any games (recent or older) that stuck with you the most? I’ve been rewatching the Alan Wake 2 Deepest Dive (“what does the dust mean!?”) and fondly remembered how wierd and fun that game is. What’s a game you’ve been carrying with you spiritually lately? Thanks!

Mabroon

The genre of "cozy games" is dominated by farming games. What is it about farming that you think suits the genre so well, and what other jobs/industries do you wish were more represented in the "cozy" genre?

Devin Atlee-Nutts

Hey MinnMaxers, I recently figured out a solution for hanging art in my rented house without damaging the walls, but I haven't been collecting any wall art until now. My current plan is to get some prints of favourite holiday memories and a couple reproductions of NASA illustrations from the 60s and 70s, but I still have plenty of space to left fill. So, what's on your wall? Do you have a favourite piece? And where do you find good art?

Michael Berry

Do you have a game that you like but feel kinda alone in doing so? I genuinely enjoyed Putty Squad on the Vita. It isn't the most remarkable game, just a simple retro British platformer (similar to Plok), but I see it get dunked on all the time in youtube videos. I found it charming for pick up and play fun but I feel like one of the only ones. Do you have a game like that? Validate me please 😆!!!

Felix davin

Hey Minnmax. Do games make you tense or relaxed ? Cheers.

Donald Wieden

You have 24 hours to get on to a top 10 speed runner board, or you explode. What game are picking to give you the best chance?

Julian Maund-Kluppel

Hi MinnMax! New Show Plus is one of my favourite MinnMax releases but Ive definitely found myself unlucky with my votes lately. Have you ever found yourself bummed out at how the community voted? And how did you guys decide on the amount of poll options? Thanks for the great show

Julian Maund-Kluppel

Hi MinnMax! With Giant Bomb‘s recent acquisition by Giant Bomb it made me imagine a hypothetical: Instead of making MinnMax what if Ben purchased GameInformer instead? How do you think the outlet would be similar to MinnMax now and how do you think it would be different?

Cody A

How do you feel about your birthday as an adult? I have several friends as adults who have forgotten their own birthday! Is it just another day but maybe with a nice meal or treat? Or is there something magic to the day you still hope to receive?

Jordan Rubow

Hey cohorts! What do you think the most used combination of rhyming words is in all of human history? Through music, poetry, literature, kids books, phrases, anything! Fly/sky? Cookin’/lookin’? Fire/desire? Would love to hear your ideas. Cheers big ears! For additional context/semi spoiler alert of one form of the answer, there was an analysis done by Slate in 2014 on the most common rhymes in pop music and the most common was “Do/You”, followed by other most common rhymes “go/know”, “say/way” and “through/you”. But that’s just from billboard’s top 100 from 1960-2013, and not other media.

Cashewual

Dear Minnmaxers: What's something you find yourself drawn to in games but have little interest for in real life? For me it's golf, bores me to tears of it's on tv, but make it in *game* form, arcade it up a smidge and I am there. Shoutout to golf game in Money Ball: Bananamania.

Christian Hall

Hi Minners and Maxers! I was listening to Ben’s interview with Dan talking through Giant Bomb going independent. My favorite question was if Dan ever felt cool. As people who all work in public facing roles, when was the last time you all felt seen? Was it positive or negative? Btw, have been loving all the new content recently!

Connor Hale

How do you guys deal with online social anxiety? I'm pretty confident in person and I even like public speaking, but whenever I post something online or even just comment on a video I sweat over it for hours. Even just typing out this question has my heart racing.

Jacky Lor

If video games were food, what would your favorite games be as food? For example, Balatro would be like a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos for me. It's the perfect junk food video game. Or Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth being like the the elephant poop coffee. Yeah, it was fine the way that it was before, but it's so much more pretentious after being crapped out. Not that I would know, I haven't tried either. Thanks.

Travis in Fargo

Is there any movie you’ve seen or video game you’ve played where you’ve never met anyone else who has seen or played it?

Cath

Is there a reason you didn’t cover the new Nintendo store opening in SAN Fran ?

Kevin Kuper

Hello all! If at the end of your day you had to see a highlights page of your day, what would be your stats you would want to see?

CaffeineDad

Hey y’all! Everyone on the panel has such varied tastes so I have to know your Letterboxd favorite four films. What are they? Mine are Ladybird, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Back to the Future, and Booksmart.

McGreevy

Hi Benihana and the band, Jacob has mentioned wanting to be on House hunter rise. Is there any other new show plus shows the cohorts wish they had a chance to go on or would revive to be on?

Memory Card

Hello Minnmax. I recently cancelled my preorder of Fantasy Life i after the company's AI usage and over-scoping became too much to ignore, even if it was a sequel to one of my favourite games. What's a tough decision you've had to make when it comes to games?

AnAttackCorgi

Hello MM crew! - If you could max out one personal stat, which would it be? Dexterity, strength, etc from any game.

Josh LaBaw

I remember the first time I put an Original PlayStation game into a CD player & it played music! I just loved Easter Eggs like this. What fun stories do you all have? P.S. I think it was a Jet Moto. I don't fully remember the game I remember the feeling of surprise & wonder.

Colin Luton

No question, just thank you for making a full acknowledgement of the BDS Xbox boycott in last week's episode. Participating in a boycott is an individual choice and I in no way am demanding that everyone join in, however I do think it's important to spread the word about it to give as many people as possible the opportunity to make that choice. I'm glad I learned about the boycott when I did (thanks to PSXbunlith on Bluesky) because Xbox and game pass was my primary platform and I would have continued happyly and unknowingly spending my money in a way that ran counter to my values. It is major voices like yours that enable people to live more informed and just lives. Thanks to all you do and hope more outlets join you in using their platforms in this way.

Charlie F.

If you had points for every time someone gave you bonus points for whatever reason, how many points do you think you'd have and who would have the most out of everyone on the show this week?

Josh Lamm

I’ve had this idea kicking around for a while: an RPG made entirely of public domain characters—a kind of "Metaverse," if you will. The possibilities are endless, but I’d love to know: what three characters would you have in your party? Personally, I’d go with Tarzan, Paul Bunyan, and the Gingerbread Man. Or maybe an all-villain team: Baba Yaga, Captain Hook, and Frankenstein’s monster. Also, please let your listeners know not to steal this idea, because I fully intend to make a bajillion dollars from it. ©®™

The Hottest Robot

Hey there MinnMax crew (and Kyle). I've been playing Doom: The Dark Ages it got me thinking - How would other video game protagonists repurpose their enemy's corpses? Monty moleskin notebook? Lucky Rabbid's foot? ChuChu hemorrhoid cream?

Jacob Mazanowski

Question for everyone but Haley… What’s something you are constantly doing in your head you don’t realize? I find myself constantly counting everything, like steps going up stairs, slices when cutting up food.

Jacob Mazanowski

Hey MinnMax, can you guys come up with the medical terms for conditions games suffer from… - Hoarding Items - Constantly opening the map - Looking at the radar/minimap instead of the FOV - Skipping every cutscene - falling sleep reading JRPG dialogue boxes - Saving every minute - Drawing Genitals the second you are are able to mark up anything - never buying anything from a shop because “is it worth it” - killing your friends (in coop games) - jumping off cliffs just to see what happens - hate finishing a game (shouts Janet)

KayBree

Hello! I was thinking how there is the genre JPRG, and trying to think if you could apply any other country/culture to a genre of game. Could you call the open world Ubisoft games a French RPG?

Steven Nelson

Hey MinnMaxer Blasters, got any good game recommendations that feature a child (young or adult) and their relationship with their father?

Ecto Coolest

If you did not have to keep up with new releases as part of your work, how drastically would your gaming habits change?

Parker Aden

Cohorts, friends, and family of MinnMax! With summer arriving and storm season being in full swing, do y’all have any storm stories throughout your lifetime of stormy weather that really stuck with you? PS so great to see the volunteer video of helping package meals! Our local communities need more volunteers - thank you for doing that and promoting it to encourage others!

Michael Lane

Hey MinnMaxers! Tonight my brother brought over a copy of Wheel of Fortune on the PS1 and we played a round, and he wanted to bet $20 on the game. Any fun stories of a time you bet on being the winner of a video game, and is there a dumber game you can think of to randomly bet $20 on than a PS1 copy of Wheel of Fortune. P.S. I won.

Anthony Brown

Hey Minnmax, I was listing to the business blast last week and had some thoughts about the shop. I listen to the ATP podcast and every year they open their merch store for a month before a big event (in this case WWDC), then keep items they ordered too much of on sale for the rest of the year. Maybe y'all could open your merch store before Give to the Max or the Game Awards or GDC then have it closed the rest of the year.

Elizabeth Fort

Hey gang what is your weirdest cozy game that isn’t a cozy game. Here’s my example death stranding I am playing through it for the first time and delivering packages is so satisfying and fun and planning the trip on map is so relaxing and calming but then out of nowhere I have to kill an oil monster Troy baker summoned and that’s less relaxing but I love delivering packages. Thanks guys I love your work

Kunib3rt

Hey Minnmax, In your minds, what games are enhanced by being accompanied by another piece of media like films or books? One obvious example for me was reading Alice in Wonderland while playing American McGees Alice. Another less obvious one was reading The devil and the dark water from Stuart Turton while playing Return of the Obra Dinn. Both are intriguing murder mysteries at sea. Curious to hear your picks!

Wegoinocean?

Heya MinnMax, I was curious if you were planing on continuing the Rapid Fire interviews due to the revival of GI? I really love the format and I think it offers some great insight. Thanks for all the laughs.

George Perry

Ahoy Cohorts! As an avid reader, I'm always excited when one of my favourite book series is picked up for a TV show or movie adaptation. However, I often find myself wondering why we don't see more books adapted into video games. There's a couple of exceptions (The Witcher & Metro series spring to mind) but generally, it's not an common method of adaptation for novels. So I ask you this: What book/book series would y'all like to see transformed from word to pixel! I would personally choose the Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson. And furthermore, why do you think book to video game adaptations are so rare? Do authors get better deals from the big movie studios are do they just not translate well to the video game medium? Love the show! Thanks for reading my question.

George Perry

Hey guys! Would you ever consider doing a non-censored version of your podcasts *cough cough pew pew bang* available for patrons? I understand the need for censoring when the show has ads/sponsorships but maybe this could be an option on the exclusive audio feed? Thanks!

Antonio J.F. Rivera

Howdy cohorts, I'd love to hear about a time you dedicated yourselves to learning or improving at something just for the sake of it. How did it go? For example, didn't learn how to ride a bike until after college, where I scooted around a driveway for hours until it clicked.

Graham Jones

What up CLCs? I am obsessed more than I ever have been about a game. I can't stop playing expedition 33, listening to its music and thinking about its story. I'm even wanting to look into playing some the games that inspired it as I have never played a JRPG style game. That's got me thinking... What has been the "obsession" game for you? Something you can't stop thinking about or just play until you can't any more. Also, any JRPG recommendations would be welcome as well 😋

Agu Crisostomo

Hello everyone!! I know Ben has mentioned his love of Survivor before - and as a fellow fan it got me thinking: what would a season of Survivor: Minnmax look like? What alliances will form? Who's the first boot and who's the season's challenge beast? And finally: who has the best shot to win sole survivor? (PS: this should totally be a new show plus idea!!! Dead Meat does a similar thing, so it's a good reference point and it's always a lot of fun!)

Hugo Sinclair

Hey everyone, long time listener first time questioner- I really enjoyed playing Despelote and listening to your conversation about it and was wondering- what would all your despelotes be? If you had to make a similar kind of semi-autobiographical game that pulled from memory and nostalgia, what time period and events would you pull from?

CptCobblePot

What’s your favorite made-up word you use all the time? Could be a pet nickname, partner name, or just a phrase. My wife and I call every child in our house floppy and the know by tone who we are talking too.

Ari

How many pairs of pants does everyone own?

CptCobblePot

My favorite food is Mexican and my FIL says it’s just the same ingredients displayed different ways. Besides him being a boomer does he have any ground to stand on?

Dylan Kuzel

Hey Minnmax crew! What video game villain have you sympathized or empathized with the most? Has there ever been a time where you wished you could side with the villain at the end of a game instead of fighting them?

Jt

It's time to decide the fate of games as we know them! Super Mario Sunshine, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Super Metroid. Two of these games remain as they are. But the one you choose bombs so hard, it kills off the entire genre (so no more platformers, adventure, or search action games). What do you choose?

Max B-Z

As we slip n slide into summer, are there any activities or events or even just moments you see as fundamental to a season that, when it ends, you're bummed you didn't experience? Like, say, I missed walking amongst the cherry blossoms, so was it even Spring??

Maestro_T

Hello both Minn and Max, As we know, painting a bowl of fruit is the standard basic task to be able to say, “yep, I’m a painter!” What is the gaming version of this? One gaming related task to be able to say, “yep, I’m a gamer!”

Gàlaron Shuri

How dare you not talk about my boy and archnemesis François? Are you hooligans? Also, what do you think about the patch to nerf Maelle's Stendhal?