In this week’s episode of The Game Informer Show, returning guest Eric Van Allen (Destructoid, Axe of the Blood God) joins us to discuss our Balatro review, spoiler-free thoughts about the length of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the early hours of Penny’s Big Breakaway, and finally, how the combat system in Vanillaware’s Unicorn Overlord mimics Final Fantasy XII’s Gambits (that’s a very good thing).

Lastly, we want to highlight our former colleague and close friend, Blake Hester, who was affected by a corporate restructuring from our parent company this week. Blake’s original reporting and responsibility as our working features editor have transformed Game Informer over the last three-and-a-half years into an outlet known for thoughtful reporting on games and the people making them. Please go support Blake and follow his work right here.

Watch The Video Version:

Follow us on social media: Blake Hester (@MetallicaIsRad), Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Eric Van Allen (@SeaMoosi)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

Matt Storm, the freelance audio editor for The Game Informer Show, edited this episode. Matt is an experienced podcast host and producer who’s been speaking into a microphone for over a decade. You should listen to Matt’s shows like the “Fun” And Games Podcast and Reignite, a BioWare-focused podcast. 

The Game Informer Show – Podcast Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Intro

00:02:04 – Blake Hester Was Laid Off From Game Informer

00:11:23 – Balatro Review

00:27:50 – Unicorn Overlord Demo

00:44:07 – Penny’s Big Breakaway

01:03:40 – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

01:18:32 – Housekeeping