Looking Back on Video Games in 2024 | The Geekenders Ep 56

[@WunderWaffleman]

Its the weekend!!!!!

[@frankdb9262]

Yeah, it’s time to geek out!

[@Colleywoodstudios]

since its the final episode of the year i just wanted to say its good to have something like Cooptional back. You two and TB were THE thing i looked forward too all week so i could listen to it at work. For the 5 years of my first office job Cooptional was always there.

[@dragon1130]

While I haven't kept up with this podcast as much as I did Co-optional, I have to agree. It's nice that there is something resembling one of my favorite podcasts ever still running.

[@thelaughingrouge]

I agree wholeheartedly. The weekenders is a highlight of the week. And rest in peace TB.

[@ninino86]

I still miss it and him

[@AsteroidTVGaming]

Fully agree5!

[@namelessliberty9869]

I'm so invested in the Butt Knight gaslighting arc

[@mokajones74]

I'm pretty sure everybody's confused with that furry game she recommended with the butt slider. I think Iron Pineapple covered it too

[@namelessliberty9869]

@@mokajones74 ooh that was Atlyss I think. It's on my wishlist because of dodger

[@jimjam7928]

Jesse's the original troll

[@patu8010]

Will we ever solve the mystery of who it was that recommended Butt Knight to Jesse?

[@namelessliberty9869]

@@patu8010 hypothesis A: Dodger was talking about furry butt sliders and jesse distractedly typed in butt on steam and wishlisted the first thing that showed up without realizing it's the wrong game. Hypothesis B: someone else entirely told jesse to play Butt Knight and that person watched this podcast with the biggest poker face knowing it was them who said it and not dodger.

[@kurauk]

Jesse & Dodger, we all knew this was just you two hanging out and we're all here for it.

[@zachkegley4931]

Didn't have a job when Geekenders started(brother was paying rent for the two of us by himself; now I'm a manager and paying my share of the rent and then some! So much can happen in a year yet feel like nothing really did happen. Here's to many more episodes of Geek enders!!

[@Malterion]

Hey Jesse, just so you know. Dodger never recommended Butt Knight. She has, however recommended you "Atlyss", a game were you can be a little furry knight with a huge butt. (which is actually a very good game you should try) The confusion has led to a hilarious conversation though. So, thank you butt knight! And thank you Jesse for being so incredibly convinced of it being the one she recommended!

[@happyhatebot]

It is indeed a great game that I picked up because of Dodger at least in part! And you can, indeed, be just... UNREASONABLY thicc. And it is glorious. And for a nice, light action RPG it's great and nostalgic, with great art.

[@frostysnowj2760]

What episode was it?

[@RovinTan]

Jesse was recommended butt knight, just not by doger at another podcast.

[@zztzgza]

This is the best podcast I've listened to ever cause it's two friends hanging out lol

[@KungFuE80]

Jesse, with you saying the whole real reason for the pod is to hang out with your friend, well I think you all's fan base, me include, is all here for that! I love watching you two just hang out and be goobers together, have for years so please keep allowing us to hang out with you both!

[@GypsumGeneration]

The irony of Jesse saying Clark is adventurous because of Sam and not because her mom is a hobbit from the forest who pioneered a digital career by joining a startup in the big city who was in her day the largest female streamer on twitch and has toured the world and founded the first coffee influencer affiliate company and moved to a forest across the sea to settle down with an elf. Maybe, just maybe, Clark gets her adventurous genes from both sides Jesse.

[@MondkindVonFlauschen]

Tldr Dodger is a Took

[@andromidius]

The first video that I saw which featured Dodger was her skydiving with Husky. I think she's got the adventure in her!

[@syranon]

Remember that Hobbits stayed in their shire for most of their life, unless they got carried away on an adventure by a long bearded tall person.

[@charleswisconsin9196]

i only know Dodger because of Jesse, 90% of what you just said sounds like Greek to me.

[@oh.sorry.dont.mind.meeeee]

​​@@charleswisconsin9196😅 pretty sure I followed dodger before I knew who Jesse was. i remember watching her videos a LONG time ago. 🤔

[@Telemergion]

I'll be honest, the episodes with just Jesse and Dodger are probably my favourites

[@gearhead417]

Can I just say that I really love this podcast because its always talking about stuff that I have no idea exists but Im glad these kinds of games are able to find they audiences because of creators like Jesse and Doogs. Even if a game doesnt interest me personally Im glad there is someone who is making a game that has such a niche audience because that game might just end up being someone's favorite game. People like to be hyperbolic all the time about the industry dying but seeing the game shown on the podcast makes me realize that a lot of gamers have very narrow views about games.

[@Kev-A]

Congrats on a full year!

[@ajiseimei]

Thank you for this podcast, for the whole year. I watched every second of both the preshows and the episodes. As a religious fan of co-optional podcast and the earlier versions of it I am thrilled that I can listen to you every week. It is definitely what marks my end of the week, super happy to hear about anything that comes up during the show. Thank you so much for doing this. I wish many more years to come!

[@__Albin__]

I also get tremendous joy out of this show, I've been a big fan of you both for what feels like a lifetime.

[@burretploof]

I for one love Dodger & Jesse weekly bro time

[@Techstriker1]

Jesse! Pacific Drive has a lot of settings to turn down the car repair, including just auto-repair and refuel when you return to base! As well as turning off the timed storms and exit storms so you’re not rushed, among other settings. If you’re tired of the survival grind these settings helped me immensely.

[@grabush77]

Hey. Thank you so much for this comment. I was hesitant on playing the game because of these things and I think you just convinced me to buy it 😊

[@Techstriker1]

@@grabush77 No problem! I was hesitant as well until I found out about the settings. It is a great feature.

[@perrydewitte5837]

Really can’t be bothered to keep up with gaming news with adult life and all that stuff so this pod is very much appreciated. This is one of the only podcasts I listen to just bc I usually don’t have enough time to but yall are always a great start of the weekend❤

[@YukiDemonOfHell]

This is literally the only podcast I can watch/ listen to. for some reason most people when they're doing a podcast get like this voice and cadence to the way they say things that just does not work for my brain at ALL. But y'all don't do that at all and I can super easily listen and understand what you're saying without getting bored. I'd be more than happy to listen to this for the rest of my life tbh it's really the highlight of my week

[@Brophistophelez]

Always loved all of your content Dodger and Jesse. Will keep watching the streams and vids for as long as I live

[@konstantinstepanov5461]

aw as a metalhead who loves dipping into a moshpit, that whole bit they did about us being the craziest nicest people - just brought such a smile to my face because it is true, someone goes down in a pit people form a small protective circle around them and help them up making sure they are ok before resuming. Honestly metal festivals and gigs are like the happiest place you can ever be

[@Shadowling]

Until you go to a hardcore show and people are roundhouse kicking and shit. Those guys Jesse talked about with *that look* seem to all have converged there. And sometimes you get the assholes who keep pushing everyone back into the pit even when they're clearly trying to get out (one time at a festival I was working at I had to step in during time off to watch Devildriver because they kept pushing a guy in who had broken his leg). But those individuals aside in general it's very nice, not just with the protective circle to help people get back up but also whipping out flashlights to help look for fallen glasses etc. Or the entire audience starting to chant SHOE because someone is holding up a lost shoe.

[@konstantinstepanov5461]

@@Shadowling Sure you get bad experiences, I mean you are bound to get assholes especially when alcohol is involved, but from my experience when I went to gigs like Slaughter to Prevail, Parkway Drive, Dying Fetus, Cattle Decapitation, Fit fon an Autopsy etc. I had very little issues, meanwhile more "casual" bands like Avenged Sevenforld, Metallica, Rammstein, Bring Me The Horizon - basically bands that you may have heard on the radio at some point - they tend to get non metalheads that are just there with their metalhead mates or just because they seen this band on MTV once and thought they want to try out moshing - those are the ones that tend to take things too far. That said - there are more nieche smaller hardcore bands that i get idk up to 100 viewers that tend to get "karate" in the pit, but tbf if you see karate in the pit and jumped in expecting to come out of there without any bruises, ripped clothes or bloody nose - thats on you.

[@TripleExposurePhoto]

Love the show! Warms my heart to see game station / cooptional podcast live on.

[@gcahill07]

I recommend using old clothes as quilts/blankets. It's clothes! It's there to make to warm. I have an quilt made of my mom's sweaters(jumpers) and it still keeps me warm.

[@atelieradela]

Thank you for keeping me company this year, it was amazing to have something to look forward to each week. Again, thank you, and I am wishing you all an amazing new year. Looking forward to next year's episodes.

[@DrCaberAnt]

Jessy there was no time where i was thinking this was made to get the big bucks i knew it was made to have you two talk and im here for it.

[@davidvagnell6317]

Moshing actually came up during the punk scene in the later 70s! The song "safety dance" is about how clubs and discoteks started banning mosh pits

[@anukuy]

1 entire year of geekenders, congratulations!!!! 🥳🥳🥳 you guys nailed it!!

[@cyk719]

Thanks for being a bright spot in a tough year for me

[@organous8870]

Just started listening to this one. I heard Jesse talking about how they've been doing this a while, and all I'm thinking is: RIP TB. Y'all had a great thing together, and bless her heart, Genna tried to keep it going. I'm glad you two continue to bring the same great energy you've always had. It's great hanging with you.

[@1ZYPHER3]

you two are just awesome sauce

[@syranon]

Can't wait for the short where they roll the clip! ❤

[@matthewshiers9038]

You mean this clip? kzbin.info0EHrYD9qn7s?feature=shared

[@syranon]

@@matthewshiers9038 you may be onto something here!

[@kunafox]

Finally off the clock and welcoming me home is THE WEEKENDERS!

[@viktormon]

Thank you for this year of Geekenders! It's been nice having y'all yap every weekend!

[@Uberphish]

1:38:20 - Glad you caught yourself there, Jesse, because I'm absolutely one of those few people :P I don't play _much_ these days, but I still enjoy hopping in every now and then, and I'm _deeply_ invested in the lore. Fingers crossed the MMO comes out and is actually good so that one day I can share that love with folks in an interactive way...

[@omegadirective]

The truest adaptation of LoL would be a party of five warrior adventurers battling an enemy party of five warrior adventurers in a region or arena called Summoner's Rift. One side are good guys and the other side are bad guys. Each character has lore-accurate backgrounds and their journeys all culminate in a big battle.

[@GethOverlord]

Love you both! Love that Geekenders has let you guys continue to have an amazing podcast! Happy 2025!

[@SuperBulldogWarrior]

Just now seeing this. Thank you Jesse for the kind words toward metalheads. We are a proud people 🤘😎🤘

[@astra_m00n]

I just found out that the game Sheepy: A Short Adventure was made by MrSuicideSheep. I used to follow them with their KZbin channel a few years back, where they were known for their videos on EDM music and the likes. No wonder the music is banging in that game!

[@burretploof]

I for one love Dodger & Jesse weekly bro time. I hope it continues for a long, long time.

[@Soetnowzen]

I love this cozy chat every week!

[@daramjitree]

So happy to hear that SGS is going to play Mouthwashing, was really hoping for that one

[@mark7485]

Always enjoy you two goofballs having chat and honestly i missed podcast so keep up the great work.🤗

[@justalilguyyourhonor]

Wow kinda crazy that it's been a full year of geekenders.. Looking forward to another great year!!

[@docterfantazmo]

Putting posh and Liverpool together was certainly a choice, Jessie.

[@SafeBuster80]

Thank you for the entertainment. Happy New Year everyone.

[@SilentOcalypz]

Here's to 10 more years! 🥳

[@Vicioussama]

What a long episode :D yay!! Love the weekend with Jessup and Dooger!

[@Mattatron_64]

Metalhead here... Jesse is 100% correct 😆

[@tylerw1923]

JESSE i am also a big boy and would love one of your jackets!!!!

[@aJazzyFeel]

Number 1 comfort podcast without a doubt

[@bigbro_25]

For that Mosh Pit conversation. I was once at an Iron Maiden concert and saw the mosh pit with a guy dressed as Santa tussling in there, it was November. The next time I looked back he was crowd surfing toward the front. Even the band members saw and pointed him out. Fun time

[@MrBonoso]

God damn I can't believe I have been addicted to this for over a year now

[@Faxanadu_]

I remember the Atlyss recommendation, but Butt Knight is a new one to me, lmao

[@TapKim]

Amazing first year. Enjoyed every single episode so far. Clap clap Jessup and Dooger(pronounced like booger). btw ICKY would be a cool guest. Seems to have a good vibe.

[@88Spint]

I had to look up pictures from Sam and Dodgers Wedding and my god is he tall. Such a pretty wedding :D Love the cape on Dodger, really unique and pretty. Such good pictures too! :D

[@Starfals]

Robocop and Terminator (the games) were very close to the movies too :) So yay, now we got 3 really good video games of movies. Indy ftw!

[@wahlflower3517]

1:47:26 The main reason that was pointed out to me was that Concord character design don't really say much. Like can you look at every character and tell what their vibe will be? Their abilities? Personalities? Beyond basic tropes. Most of the human looking characters just look like randomized clothes were put on them. Covered layers that don't mean anything. Character design often conveys much more than a character's style. Some of the best character designs ooze with meaning, of visual story telling or at least memorable. Every time someone mentions Concord, I have to google it to remind myself what the game even looked like.

[@fayte0618]

Tbf that’s how I see every Moba character

[@None38389]

Under the context of hero based game one of the most important thing you need to sell through character design is their source of "power" and why that power is interesting and fun, Concord's characters did not do a good job of selling the power fantasy through character design. Having characters looks like people in costumes rather than living breathing character while bad, is not nearly as bad as not selling the powers of your heroes for these type of games. A lot of league of legend characters looks like regurgitated aesthetic vomit, but they almost always do a good job at selling the powers of the characters through visuals, except for old characters such as Shen, a tank that looks like a generic ninja? Are you kidding me? What part of a ninja communicate "tanky"?

[@cygnus987]

"Ludonarrative Dissonance" is maybe the closest term I can think of that sort of describes the disconnect between watching Arcane and playing League of Legends, it usually gets used to refer to the disconnect between the gameplay and story elements like cutscenes in a game.

[@Senteri]

Loved the geekenders this year. With games I feel like I'm on par with Jesse when it comes to finishing games. Once I finish a game I don't come back to it, not until at least like a decade later. What I really don't get is 'new game plus'. Why would I repeat everything I just experienced again? Do people flip the book and start over again immediately or play the movie from the beginning again?

[@jasminvomwalde7497]

Fave Saturday morning coffee talk ❤

[@majesticcok]

It's the weekend!!! I prefer the episodes without guests honestly. The two of you have such a good vibe, I love listening to the podcast Monday morning.

[@wexaztor9394]

For years now i have been listening to Jesse getting rid of stuff.

[@jmurphy0684]

I really need a resolution to the Butt Knight mystery. That doesn’t sound like a Dodger recommended game AT ALL.

[@theposhgoblin4270]

"This whole thing is just an excuse to hang out with my friend for a couple of hours" is exactly why this show works as well as it does

[@__Albin__]

I have ButtKnight on my Steam Wishlist and have no memory of it or adding it, nor Dodger mentioning it. It does look good though. This game is mysterious.

[@__Albin__]

My Finnish blood is happy that Dodger is getting into Moomin. It might also be of interest to look into it's creator; Tove Jansson, a quite interesting lady.

[@MrGeerye]

I was soo into Crime Scene Cleaner. Really caught me off guard.

[@jananibanani]

Comet in Moominland is a classic. You can find it as movie and a book.

[@TetraSky]

25:20 I work as an electronic technician at my job. Oftentime I have to use machines with controls I have never seen before. That's pretty what I have to do. Just f it and start touching things until you reach something that makes sense to you and go from there. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to have an operator on the machine who has been using it for the last 3 decades and knows it better than anyone inside and out because 20 years ago they were allowed to work on it proper. But that's becoming more rare these days as they are retiring and the new crop of operators are basically told "don't touch anything other than these two buttons" with no desire to learn when the maintenances guys are around fiddling with the machine.

[@NCISCherno]

Always end up going back to Warframe. Each year it manages to grab me for a time with a story that rivals the best times of Shadowbringers.

[@Pocketism92]

You're definitely not alone with loving the new Dragon Age, I'm on my 4th replay. Love it a lot more than Inquisition.

[@FiroMcNosky]

Geekenders might've been an excuse for Jesse and Dodger to hang out for a couple hours, but for me it was one of the best things for me in 2024!

[@MrJaazper]

Thanks for an amazing year, keep it up! :D And whilst I agree that you don't *need* a guest, I'm still gonna shamelessly request you get Zeke on here :*

[@BigDerfGaming]

I feel like the Concord issue was very much about the games like... "Look". I think the character designs are ones that would pop more in the Overwatch/Rivals more cartoon style.

[@Eszra]

So two things, if my math is right , I hope, then that means that TB was there for Dodgers crazy wedding, and also Jesse is not wrong about the Sonic 3 ending. It was so joyful.

[@arthurchen6464]

Can't believe it's been over a year of Dodge 'n Cox.

[@doogiehowser8187]

The biggest difference between Overwatch and Marvel Rivals, is that Marvel Rivals is fun, and Overwatch isn't.

[@TuffMcAwesome]

Jesse, fill your house with mannequins like skyrim player housing and display your jackets to assert dominance. Or put them in shadowboxes like normal collectors

[@__Albin__]

Getting tied up and then watch Geekenders together sounds like a good time to me.

[@Arthera0]

Ow I was always aware that this is just 2 friends catching up. I am here for it.

[@Onyxthegreat91]

I love how Dodger is behind the snow and Jesse is in front of it.

[@deanospimoniful]

Dodger's wedding sounded like a blast.

[@wrennethestoner]

Revenge of the moon is awesome, i cant lie. Sets up a whole series with different phases, like the night of infinite darkness, and New moon: daughter of vengeance.

[@TheKumaKhan]

Jesse called me out as being in a pit at the Palladium this year, wasn't Iron Hatred this time though!

[@analoren4745]

you can totally frame jackets!

[@Kienin]

This may seem odd but I definitely have games that I will sit and watch many playthrus of but won't play it myself and on the other hand I'll watch a few moments of a streamer and be like "Nah, I'll play this myself". The cross-section of that makes no sense either lol

[@Squallshade]

This is Just Cox and Crendor, but instead it's Cox and Doogs.

[@ShepherdDruid]

One with an intolerance to lactose does not simply deny themselves the delicacy of dairy when it is presented

[@TheTechDweller]

The stealth mechanics in Indiana Jones is actually fantastic, it's the first stealth game I have played (or adventure game with stealth elements) that I don't care about getting caught. Most games I will want to restart, because it usually feels like stealth is the more intended part of the experience. Sometimes its obvious that youre meant to get caught at some point, but if you have the option I usually want to remain unseen. In the great circle, it feels great to get caught, the improvised weapons means theres always something to throw or smash someone with. And when you do get caught, unless they blow a whistle, the entire base doesn't just immediately know your location, I always hated that in stealth games.

[@chaosdestructionlove]

Wilmot works it out has a original game called wilmot's warehouse that is also very fun. I'm gonna be so excited if they bring it to switch/the switch successor eventually.

[@mokajones74]

My favorite game Jesse played this year was Skyri- oh wait..

[@stickybuns85]

Omg I’d kill for a final fantasy themed 2XL jacket. You’re lucky Jesse xx

[@TrejoDuneSea]

Every week I wonder how quickly we're getting to some incredibly cursed conversation.

[@velkonemriam1935]

I love this podcast ☺️been following you guys since it started, and that includes Cooptional! Also, Jesse, is there a Skyrim play through update?

[@YggLart]

I love you guys so muuuuch!!! (Endy D20 as a guest🙏)

[@LunnchBoxx45]

Yo, it's the WEEKEND!!!

[@bmjhayward]

holy shit what a quote at 22:15

[@Chris.Woodcock]

As long as you're talking to us. We'll tune in. *single tear *

[@littlemissevel3607]

i was in a small mosh pit when i was like ... 16 (maybe for Enter Shikari way before they were known). Got knocked over. I couldn't get up because someone was standing on my hair. Another person was really kindly trying to help me up... unfortunately they THOUGHT they had my arm. What they actually had was my leg 😅 been at metal festivals and almost everyone is lovely I think it was glastonbury... the same guy kept crowd surfing, annoying people, kicking them in the face. Until the crowd just parted beneath him and he got launched out and onto the floor 😬

[@Dogt03]

For dress ideas, my great grandmother turned hers into christening gowns for the children, could do something similar

[@nickr1818]

The weekend!!

[@NullRageGaming]

There are no macros of PoE. However, You CAN build better. 1 button builds exist. There ARE "Cast on X" options and many other ways to "automate combos", for example wearing a unique helmet that applys ignite to everything around your character and using gas skills to lay down fields that then get ignited when you walk through it. PoE is not "too hard" but it WILL present surmountable challenge to MOST players. You WILL have to "try". Also, and this is likely the most important part, this is an early access game and "balance" is "way off" atm. Some classes will provide far more challenge than others.