This is a show about videogames, the people who play them and the people who make them. Each episode, a guest talks about the games that have shaped their life in one way or another. Games that have inspired them, games that have forged connections & games that have soothed wounds. Checkpoints!

My guest on today's episode is the features editor of Eurogamer, co-host of the Eurogamer podcast and one of my favourite writers, Christian Donlan.

As anyone familiar with Christian or the Eurogamer podcast will expect, this episode goes off on a lot of tangents, but we always end up back at videogames - some highlights include how Uncharted might just be a magic trick, how great writing can give you that same Aha! moment the best games can, and how failing at Spelunky helped him cope with his MS diagnosis.

In a packed show we also hit on the hilarity of Spy vs. Spy, the genius of the original Ghostbusters game, the profound impact of Animal Crossing, how important video game magazines were, his friend Stu who brought him back to games, the potential of AI crafted experiences, and how you should never play Cluedo with him and his sister.

"Nice day for the race."

"What race is that?"

"The human race. Kids growing up, so on. Hope for the future."

PATREON - patreon.com/checkpoints

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Games discussed: Impossible Mission, Spy vs. Spy, Ghostbusters, Titanfall 2, Spelunky, Animal Crossing, PNO3, Tomb Raider, Civilization, Pikmin 3, Jet Set Radio Future, Uncharted, Blitz, Wonder Boy 3, Bonanza Bros, Ghost House, Advance Wars, Burnout 3, Clash Royale, Drop 7, The Saboteur, Fidel Dungeon Rescue, Spelunky, Nex Machina

Theme song by Samuel Baker

Art work by Craig Stevenson