Mailbag – Two Giant Ben Edition

Mailbag – Two Giant Ben Edition

Author: Samuel Roberts and Matthew Castle June 20, 2025 Duration: 1:50:16

It's a bloody mailbag! Please save your shrugs for the end. Thanks for all the questions, as ever.


This week's music is from the Hotline Miami soundtrack by Perturbator. 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Tucked away from the frantic news cycle, The Back Page: A Video Games Podcast offers a space for longer conversations about the games and the industry that shape our hobby. Hosts Samuel Roberts and Matthew Castle bring their combined decades of experience from publications like PC Gamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, and gamesTM to every discussion. This isn't just a review show; it's a deep dive into the culture, history, and personal stories behind the pixels. You'll hear them dissect new releases with a critic's eye, reminisce about forgotten gems, and unpack the oddities of working in games journalism itself. The tone is warm, informed, and often wryly humorous, feeling more like eavesdropping on two friends in a pub than a formal broadcast. Each episode of this podcast builds on their professional insights but is driven by a genuine, enduring passion for the medium. The result is a consistently engaging listen for anyone who thinks about games beyond the credits screen. John Strike provides the distinctive logo, and Barry 'Epoch' Topping crafts the theme tune, giving the whole production a personal, crafted feel from start to finish.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Back Page: A Video Games Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Two Giant Men Play 007 First Light [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:19
It's here – the James Bond game we've been waiting almost six years for! How much Hitman is in First Light? And how successfully does IO borrow from Naughty Dog? We discuss these subjects and many more across almost two…
Forza Horizon 6, Mixtape, Titanium Court + Mailbag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:10:41
A What We've Been Playing and Mailbag combo episode, also featuring our own personal versions of a Mixtape-style music compilation. And a profane joke about chimneys. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor…
The N64 + GameCube Mega Draft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:36:19
The four-person draft is back! Returning guests Ashley Day and Dave Scarborough fight Samuel and Matthew for the best picks across two beloved Nintendo consoles. And this time, Dave is on the booze (but for your sanity,…
The Xbox Live Arcade, PSN and WiiWare Draft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:58:27
Our first two-person draft in ages! Listen to the picks, then vote for the winner in the announcements channel of the Back Page Discord.This week's music is from the Sonic 4 soundtrack by Jun Senoue. Hosted on Acast. See…
Game Design Crimes (with Jamie Smith) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:04:28
New podcast format time! 10 of our listeners' biggest gripes with games get litigated in a Room 101-style format (except legally distinct), from tailing missions in open world games to mandatory stealth sections in non-s…
Mailbag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:03
What Matthew thinks of Crimson Desert, new DLC for old games, how 360-era classics would score now in reviews, dream Helldivers 2 warbonds and more nonsense in the latest mailbag episode.This week's music is from the Dea…
Unsung Aspects of Video Game Design (with Emma Kent) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:26
Former Eurogamer reporter Emma Kent is our guest this week! What's it like doing actual journalism, rather than just dropping hot takes about Uncharted and Mario? That's what we ask Emma about in this one. You can sign u…