Best Michael Mincks Podcasts (2024)

1
S3 E45 - Child Labour 1:58:27

9h ago1:58:27

1:58:27

In this episode: Paula brings back an out-dated form of employment, while satiating her power-hungry need for order and conformity. Josh dies repeatedly on alien planets, and dives deep into the lore of weird cults and relics that leave bodies in their wake. Then the discussion turns to open world games, which was totally not a suggested subject th…

1
S3 E44 - Irrelevant Ducks 1:47:45

6d ago1:47:45

1:47:45

It’s all about games, games, and more games this episode as Paula and Josh have been playing, retiring, and completing a bunch of different titles. For some reason though, there seems to have been a lot of cats involved… which has to be a good thing, right? Plus, it’s Steam sale time, so they both reveal the bargains they picked up and perhaps a fe…

1
S3 E43 - I Had Issues 2:20:26

15d ago2:20:26

2:20:26

This week Josh has been spending most of his time scavenging parts from derelict ships, laughing at renaissance absurdity, and sticking his nose into a new criminal case. While Paula returned to the conflict of world domination, continued to catch them all, solved puzzles with bricks, and went rogue at the start of an epic adventure. If that wasn’t…

1
S3 E42 - War Against The Frog People 2:17:36

23d ago2:17:36

2:17:36

After a little break Josh and Paula are back and they’ve been playing a bunch of games since the last mainline episode. Josh has finally defeated the big boss at the end of his epic adventure, made friends with underwater aliens, and lost his way in the 40K universe. Meanwhile Paula has been chasing cats through time, stuffing dogs into boxes, and …

1
NG+ - Why This Game Is So Good 1:02:16

1M ago1:02:16

1:02:16

This week it gets personal with a special bonus episode within which Josh and Paula get to talk about one of their favourite games of all time. Except these games are perhaps not the most celebrated titles for various reasons, but they love them all the same. Maybe they can pique your interest as well? HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.c…

1
S3 E41 - I Could Be Playing Anything Else Right Now 1:52:02

1M ago1:52:02

1:52:02

Sometimes a game can be so compelling that you can’t help but fire up the passion and go ham on everything you have to say. So it is with Paula’s current otome obsession, bringing an exclusive rant in today’s episode. There’s no discussion topic, there’s no time! Not when there are things that need to be said and stories that need to be told. Meanw…

1
S3 E40 - The Best Wing Man 2:08:40

1M ago2:08:40

2:08:40

This week Josh and Paula are making connections, building relationships, and hopefully growing into better human beings all round. As Paula continues to adventure in the kitchens of hell, Josh has been reconciling with relatives, bridging cultures, and bringing justice to paper cut-out animals. Never fret though, as the weird and wonderful keeps on…

1
S3 E39 - You’re Not My Brother Anymore 1:58:29

2M ago1:58:29

1:58:29

Nothing beaten, nothing retired, this week has been all about progress. Paula continues to work her way through the layers and kitchens of hell, while Josh figures out strange languages, explores an underwater city, fights vampires, and rolls race cars. Then the discussion turns to those pieces of plastic that promise a new world of gaming and an e…

1
S3 E38 - A Little Bit Of Game On My Mods 1:49:04

2M ago1:49:04

1:49:04

The theme and topic this week is what makes a game worth the time and money it takes to experience whatever it has to offer. Is it as simple as a dollar-per-hour equation? Or are there other factors that come into play? Spoiler: of course there are! Meanwhile Josh has been fighting the jank of large late-game instability, while Paula gets into the …

1
S3 E37 - I Heard This Very Recently 1:46:18

2M ago1:46:18

1:46:18

This week Paula and Josh are having some fun and have put together a little game-soundtrack-themed quiz to play. Will they be able to identify the game based on a short clip of music? Or will Josh fail to remember anything at all and maintain his idiocy?! Oh, and there’s the usual games they’ve been playing and the weekly guessing game as well… enj…

1
NG+ - Our Top 10 2:03:23

2M ago2:03:23

2:03:23

Every week Josh and Paula talk about the games they’ve been playing and what’s new in their gaming world, but in this special bonus episode, they get to talk about their favourite games of all time. Strap in for some spicy picks and discover some pure gems! HowLongToBeat forums - ⁠https://howlongtobeat.com/forum⁠ Discord – ⁠https://discord.gg/v5F26…

1
S3 E36 - They’ve Patched My DNA 2:18:19

3M ago2:18:19

2:18:19

A new week is upon us and a new episode has landed! Find out about Paula’s return to some of the more toxic corners of gaming on the internet, along with the wholesome conclusion to an excellent little cultural masterpiece. Witness Josh’s insufferable unwillingness to figure out who developed what in the deep mud trucking game series that he’s been…

1
S3 E35 - Driving A Cat 2:03:27

3M ago2:03:27

2:03:27

It’s been a long week of gaming and Josh has managed to finish off a few titles that he’s been working through for a while. On the other hand, Paula is still chipping away at a few core games that have been getting better and better as she continues to dive into strange worlds and traffic control systems. The topic for discussion this week is the A…

1
S3 E34 - A Good Game Will Let The Dumb-asses Have Fun 1:59:59

3M ago1:59:59

1:59:59

Have you ever reached that point in a game where you find yourself wading through pages and pages of instructional wikis, in an attempt to discover some indication of how to make some kind of progress? This week Paula and Josh are talking about so-called “wiki games” that keep their cards a little too close to their chest. Before that though, Paula…

1
S3 E33 - Japan Is Next 2:04:13

3M ago2:04:13

2:04:13

All hail the great leader! Paula has been on a rampage, conquering the world and gaining power until every other nation pledges their loyalty at her feet. Also, Josh retired another game and has been messing about with his PC hardware like a big nerd thanks to some over the top clock speeds heating things up to the point of no return. This week the…

1
S3 E32 - Money Makes The Monkey Dance 2:10:45

4M ago2:10:45

2:10:45

The streak has been broken, as Josh finally retired a game this week! There’s still a lot to talk about as he and Paula have been beating and playing a bunch of other titles, including one that they played together along with some friends from HLTB. Then get settled in because this week the discussion focuses on what it’s like to be a gamer from th…

1
S3 E31 - What’s The Deal With The Dogs? 1:40:40

4M ago1:40:40

1:40:40

While Paula has stuck to a couple of longer-term adventures, this week Josh has been completing a bunch of shorter games and demos, while dipping a toe into the zombie apocalypse of the old west. Then it’s Game of the Month time again the discussion turns to Return of the Obra Dinn, which is ultimately a chance to raise Paula’s interest in playing …

1
S3 E30 - Before We Get Too Tissy 2:16:01

4M ago2:16:01

2:16:01

This week Josh and Paula have been travelling through the same Rusty Lake game, while exploring other strange worlds and stretching their brains into recursive logic and world-wide disease manipulation. It’s been a bit of a week. However, all that is nothing compared to HLTB meeting an impressive milestone and prompting a discussion about how our h…

1
S3 E29 - Looks Kinda Crunchy & It’s Slow 2:04:27

4M ago2:04:27

2:04:27

The nostalgia is strong again this week as Josh and Paula continue their trip down memory lane and discuss a number of games that may or may not hold up by today’s standards. Plus, they attempt to determine which elements might hold a game back, and why others manage to stay timeless and strong forever. Of course, they also have a good chat about t…

1
S3 E28 - The Liver Fights Back 2:19:40

5M ago2:19:40

2:19:40

This week Paula has been beating all the games and playing even more, while Josh continues to work through the same old titles, plus a couple of new ones. There are clubs and deportations, cowboys and bears, even some angry organs and walls made of flesh. Then they get all “back in my day” and discuss some of the big changes that have happened over…

1
S3 E27 - Playing Around With The Clouds 2:02:36

5M ago2:02:36

2:02:36

In this episode Paula and Josh have been spreading their wings and trying out a bunch of different games. Paula has been surviving through different world’s that may or may not be trying to kill her, while Josh has been moseying down memory lane and getting a bit retro and nostalgic. Quite the contrast to our topic of the week, which is the recent …

1
S3 E26 - She Looked Dead, So I Killed Her 2:09:02

5M ago2:09:02

2:09:02

This week we get all romantic and have a big chat about everything Otome, Romance, and Valentine-related in video games, but not before we delve into everything we’ve been playing. Paula has levelled up her football skills while dealing with VIP clients and Pokemon Banks. At the same time Josh fought a giant foot, a tall ghost woman, and was swept …

1
S3 E25 - It Grabbed Me 1:33:11

5M ago1:33:11

1:33:11

Josh has been drooling over some smooth animations this week, while puzzling in three dimensions and fighting for justice! Paula has spent her time investigating crime and appearing in court, before playing bouncer and turning children away from British clubs and pubs. They follow it all up with a weekly topic, focusing on physical gaming and the e…

1
S3 E24 - Memories I Remember 2:03:46

5M ago2:03:46

2:03:46

This week we’re talking about some Kickstarter and crowd-funding stories from the past and Josh gets quite fired up over a few specific examples; so strap yourself in for a rant a half. Meanwhile Paula has been reliving some glory days in the courtroom and Josh has been jumping between classic point-and-click adventures, Netflix mobile games, and a…

1
S3 E23 - I Happily Retired Hatred 1:56:02

6M ago1:56:02

1:56:02

We’re back to regular programming again this week as Paula tackles another series of Otome routes, while Josh gets stuck into a couple of mysteries and some point and click adventures. With only one retirement and a few more on the go, it’s time for the winner of our guessing game to pick a title for the other to play, before kicking off a new roun…

1
S3 E22 - 2023 HLTB GotM Retrospective 2:46:21

6M ago2:46:21

2:46:21

For this special episode, Josh and Paula are joined by Knalb, the Lord of the Threads, to discuss the HLTB Game of the Month games that featured in 2023. We discuss the highs and the lows, the good and the bad, and the long and the short, as we delve into the last twelve months of communal gaming experiences. Then we draw 2023 to a close with a qui…

1
S3 E21 - The First One To Catch Him WIns 2:05:16

6M ago2:05:16

2:05:16

Back with a long list of games played over the New Year/ Xmas break, Paula and Josh get stuck into some highs and lows of their gaming lives of recent times. Then they have a chat about Special and Limited Edition games that come with all those fun collectibles, or disappointing tat. Finally, Paula puts Josh to the test and we find out who has mana…

1
NG+ - Gaming For Non-Gamers 1:28:08

6M ago1:28:08

1:28:08

In this bonus episode, Paula and Josh discuss what it’s like to enter the world of gaming as a brand new gamer. What kind of barriers exist and what do developers assume players already know? What kinds of experiences are a good way to introduce someone to a brand new concept? Would you give that game to your child? All this and some extra tangents…

1
S3 E20 - The 2023 GOTY Extravaganza 3:47:11

7M ago3:47:11

3:47:11

The year is ending, so we’re going big and rolling out our Game of the Year Extravaganza! Featuring a bunch of our friends from the HLTB community who happened to wander by and offer their own perspectives on the year that’s been 2023. To everyone listening, we wish you a happy new year and hope that 2024 is an awesome time for all. Strap yourself …

1
S3 E19 - The Night Before Christmas 2:02:37

7M ago2:02:37

2:02:37

It’s the night before Christmas and we have a delightfully packed holiday themed episode for you today. Josh has finished off a few games, and been thrown in the deep end of running a galactic empire, with dubious results. While Paula has been solving cases and getting close to some pigeons with ulterior motives. Thankfully though, all is saved whe…

1
S3 E18 - Bull-Shittery 1:21:32

7M ago1:21:32

1:21:32

As itchmas comes to a close, Josh has been playing more little itch.io games, along with the usual adventures that never seem to end. Meanwhile Paula has completed a few games that she’s been working on for a while now, and getting back into others that were finished long ago. Plus, it’s Game of the Month time again and the classic FPS Half-Life is…

1
S3 E17 - You Can’t Buy All The Games 1:55:37

7M ago1:55:37

1:55:37

As the end of the year draws ever closer, we have a look whether we succeeded with our gaming goals for 2023, as well as setting new ones for 2024. Meanwhile, Paula has been on an emotional rollercoaster while laser focused on her latest Otome. In contrast, Josh has played a whole heap of different games, including some Itchmas in July titles and s…

1
S3 E16 - I Gave It Half An Hour 1:21:15

8M ago1:21:15

1:21:15

This week Paula and Josh have completed the same cat-themed time-travelling hidden-object game, but not a lot else. Once again they’ve avoided retiring anything, but Paula has been playing with clones, while Josh skated his way through some sentimental adventures in growing up. Finally, with the end of the year closing in, we have a chat about the …

1
S3 E15 - Bash Them With My Iron Lizard 1:43:17

8M ago1:43:17

1:43:17

Glory to Paula, as she deals with suspect documentation and terrorist cells at the border; while Josh hacks his way into some kid’s chat logs, and fights no good darn dirty soviet robots. Then they both get stuck into the undeniable impact Undertale has had on gaming…along with their own thoughts and hot takes on this Game of the Month. Finally, ca…

1
S3 E14 - When You Kill Him, He’s Dead 1:48:57

8M ago1:48:57

1:48:57

As Josh fumbles around with PC hardware and cobbles together this edit, Paula has been expanding her horizons and trying new things in the world of gaming. Meanwhile Josh actually finished a few short adventures, a pretty bad racing game, and a brand new climb to the top of a very nice mountain. Back in the real world, Paula has been enjoying a sym…

1
S3 E13 - Put Some Extra Sprinkles On Top 1:40:54

8M ago1:40:54

1:40:54

This week Paula’s been getting deeper in mafia business and repeatedly dying while trying to survive the apocalypse. Meanwhile Josh has been finishing off a co-op adventure and taking the time to tidy things up before falling further into the Rusty Lake universe. What really matters though, are the comfort games we hold dear to our heart, so we hav…

1
S3 E12 - Pokemon Drama In The Park 1:29:24

8M ago1:29:24

1:29:24

After the onslaught of demos in the last episode, things have relaxed a little and we have a handful of titles to talk about. What happens though, when you get overwhelmed with choice and have to decide what to play, or maybe you just can’t put down that hot new game in spite of other interests?! Our discussion this week focuses on gaming droughts …

1
S3 E11 - I Thought It Could Be Shit, But It Actually Really Works 1:53:53

9M ago1:53:53

1:53:53

Get ready for a gauntlet of games to excite the senses! Josh got COVID and spent his time playing a lot of small games, while Paula polished off one she’s been working on for a while. Plus, the titles keep coming after Steam’s latest NEXTfest event provided a heap of interesting demos to try out, but were they really worth it? HowLongToBeat forums …

1
NG+ - Thing's We've Learned From Games 1:18:55

9M ago1:18:55

1:18:55

In this special irregular episode, we discuss the wide range of things we've learned from playing video games. The stories and experiences we've encountered through gaming are often a conduit to life lessons and discovering the world around us. They enrich our lives and teach us in unique ways that have lasting effects. HowLongToBeat forums - https…

1
S3 E10 - I Wasn’t Ready For This 1:54:04

9M ago1:54:04

1:54:04

The Otome is strong with this one, as Paula stays hooked on threads and colours, while Josh has been coming to grips with pan-dimensional orbs and Tokyo-based hauntings with full mouse and keyboard support. Plus, this week we’re talking about some of those games that we love, but everyone else seems to hate, and why that could be. Followed by an un…

1
S3 E9 - There’s Nothing Behind Those Eyes 1:36:55

9M ago1:36:55

1:36:55

It’s October, which brings the HLTB Triple Creature Feature for Game of the Month! Josh and Paula have a chat about the games featured for the month, and what the community are saying. Meanwhile, Paula starts theorising about sticks and strings, while Josh struggles against a janky little 3D platformer. Of course, none of that matters in the end, a…

1
S3 E8 - Pretty Generic 2:00:40

10M ago2:00:40

2:00:40

What happens when you finish a meaningful gaming experience and are left with a void to fill? This week Paula and Josh discuss this phenomenon, along with their own ways of dealing with the end of a good thing. Meanwhile Josh has been getting emotional and is in love with a puppet, while Paula found herself stranded and poisonous, but still managed…

1
S3 E7 - My Cat Thinks She’s A Parrot Now 1:41:45

10M ago1:41:45

1:41:45

After diving into the world of souls-bourne rings and knock-offs, this week Paula and Josh are talking about how far they’d go to “get good” and really put in the time to skill-up in difficult games. Then Paula comes in and shows just how good she is at guessing those games in our weekly guessing games… again. I mean, it’s getting ridiculous at thi…

1
S3 E6 - Just Get A New PC 1:29:17

10M ago1:29:17

1:29:17

This week Paula has multiple games added to her retirement list, while Josh has delved into Todd Howard’s wonderful world of marketing BS. Together we have a chat about playing sequels, and whether it’s worth playing an entire series to get up to speed. Then of course, Josh attempts to follow up with a perfect guess after last week when Paula naile…

1
S3 E5 - Let’s Make Out For A Bit, Or Something 1:58:04

10M ago1:58:04

1:58:04

We’re back to the regular programming this week, with a whole bunch of games to talk about and what Josh and Paula thought about September’s HLTB Game of the Month. Then hold onto your hats for a super epic edition of the game guessing game, where Paula goes into overdrive, but will she knock it out of the park, or struggle to find the right title?…

1
S3 E4 - Nintendo Or Nintendon’t (Change My Mind) 1:36:09

11M ago1:36:09

1:36:09

This week we bring you something different, with a very special guest: Dragonh. Can Josh be convinced that Nintendo have something interesting to offer? Hopefully we can all find out in this discussion about the whys and why-nots of getting into one of the oldest, and arguably most unique, gaming platforms available. HowLongToBeat forums - https://…

1
S3 E3 - And That’s How Real Friendships Begin 1:50:54

11M ago1:50:54

1:50:54

It’s been a productive week of game playing, so we have a few more titles to share, but what about avoiding spoilers and not giving away too much? Our discussion this week explores the perils of avoiding spoilers, both as a gamer, and as someone talking about games on a podcast. Then the episode concludes with our new guessing game, but this time J…

1
S3 E2 - This Is Not A Good Frog 1:51:30

11M ago1:51:30

1:51:30

We’re back with another week of gaming talk, and a special report from a game jam that Paula recently took part in. Plus, we take a new podcast game guessing game out for a test drive and see how it works! HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk Email - hltbpodcast@gmail.com Music – Ian Edward (in…

1
S3 E1 - Messed Up To A Whole Other Level 1:33:24

11M ago1:33:24

1:33:24

Welcome to the first episode of Season 3! Paula is back and is accompanied by new host Abatage a.k.a Josh. What better time to make some introductions, discuss what we’ve been playing, and put a challenge out to the HLTB community?! HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.com/forum Discord – https://discord.gg/v5F26Dk Email - hltbpodcast@gmail…

1
S2 E125 - Grand Finale 2:13:06

12M ago2:13:06

2:13:06

The last episode of Season 2 is upon us. Once more, join Ric, Alex, and Paula as they discuss the games they’ve beaten/retired/played this week, as well as the past, present, and future of the podcast. Stick around for one final installment of How Long To Beat? The Game!... and stay tuned for Season 3! HowLongToBeat forums - https://howlongtobeat.c…

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Michael Mincks Podcasts

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