Happy 2026! We're kicking the year off (a little belatedly) with what would've been Ali's 2025 Main Story Award winning Silent Hill f. She's joined by Keith and Jack as they talk (with full spoilers) about the first new full length Silent Hill game in over a decade.

Featuring Ali Acampora, Keith Carberry, Jack de Quidt

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

Welcome to the inaugural Main Story Awards, Side Story's end-of-year sendoff to the games and topics that captivated our attention this year. Look forward to a new short episode Every Day This Week!

Today you'll be hearing from Jack, Keith, and Austin as they discuss (the) Blue Prince, before Keith tags out for Sylvi, so that we can end the year chatting about Horses (the game and, briefly, the animal).

Show Notes

I Hope You Get To Live Your Entire LIfe As A Human Being by Harper Jay

What Can Men Want? by Nathan Rochelle Duford

Featuring Austin Walker, Keith Carberry, Jack de Quidt, and Sylvi Bullet

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

Welcome to the inaugural Main Story Awards, Side Story's end-of-year sendoff to the games and topics that captivated our attention this year. Look forward to a new short episode Every Day This Week!

Today you'll be hearing from Dre, Art, and Keith who are bringing us Yes Nostalgia! and No Nostalgia! awards!

Featuring Keith Carberry, Andrew Lee Swan, and Art Martinez-Tebbel

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

Welcome to the inaugural Main Story Awards, Side Story's end-of-year sendoff to the games and topics that captivated our attention this year. Look forward to a new short episode Every Day This Week!

Today you'll be hearing from Keith, Janine, and Austin who are bringing us The Best-Yet Version of a Game That Isn't What I Truly Want Award!

Show Notes

Featuring Austin Walker, Janine Hawkins, and Keith Carberry

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

Welcome to the inaugural Main Story Awards, Side Story's end-of-year sendoff to the games and topics that captivated our attention this year. Look forward to a new short episode Every Day This Week!

Today you'll be hearing from Sylvi and Jack, who are bringing us the Feel the Love Award.

Show Notes

moon: Remix RPG Adventure

moon Soundtrack: Heads in the Clouds

Featuring Jack de Quidt and Sylvi Bullet

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

Welcome to the inaugural Main Story Awards, a week long showcase where we make up awards to give the games and topics that really took center stage for us this year, and which we felt like deserved a little more attention than they already got on the show this year. It's not a traditional game of the year, but we did try to restrain ourselves to a single game or topic each, which means that there are definitely some things that were big that didn't get included.

We'll have a short episode every day, normally, but not always, covering one game or topic suggested by a member of the cast. Not everyone had topics or was able to record during this window, so I will say that Ali's game will be covered in a spoiler cast, hopefully in January!

Today's award, presented by Austin (me), is the Clockwork World Award!

Enjoy!

Show Notes

Earthborne Rangers

Many Nights a Whisper

Featuring Austin Walker and Jack de Quidt

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

Side Story only exists because of support from listeners like you. Go to friendsatthetable.cash to support us!

Today we explore a bevvy of different worlds: 2.5D fantasy realms, alien FMV planets, and a land of climate apocalypse and raw nerve paranoia. Wait, that last one is... it's kind of sounding familiar. Oh well, get in, buckle up, and make sure to bring your favorite childhood food, because we've got places to go.

Games discussed this episode: The Octopath Traveler series, Blippo+, No, I'm Not a Human, Horses (and the other games of Santa Ragione)

Show Notes

"I Hope You Get To Live Your Entire Life As A Human Being," Harper Jay's essay on Horses

Studio Oleomingus Announcement

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
03:01 Octopath Traveler 0
01:06:22 Blippo+
01:26:45 No, I'm Not Human
01:54:31 HORSES

Featuring Austin Walker and Jack de Quidt

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

Mysterious internet occurances abound this week on Side Story. Mysteries like "What is the dark secret of the famed Roottree family, Pittsburghian candy magnates" and "Why did Austin's connection totally fall apart before we could reach the second half of the podcast?" Like all good mysteries, the twists and turns are just as exciting as the answer, as a stunning second segment appears, drawing the listener (you) in closer... closer... ever closer, until it is too late.

Support us on Patreon!

Show Notes

Granny Cream's Hot Butter Ice Cream - Hypnospace Outlaw Ad Jingle by Hot Dad

Eurogamer Arc Raiders Review

Level-5 Inazuma Eleven AI Presentation

Run Button Arctic Alive Let's Play

AMCA KOTOR II Let's Play

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
02:27 The Roottrees Are Dead
21:45 "AI" in Game Development
47:14 Back to The Roottrees Are Dead General Impressions
01:09:18 The Clock Tower Series

Featuring Austin Walker, Janine Hawkins, Keith Carberry, and Jack de Quidt,

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt