In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Josh Galecki and Bryan Skursha tackle Baby Steps, the 2025 overly literal walking simulator developed by Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy and published by Devolver Digital. Known for games that turn basic movement into existential comedy (QWOP, Getting Over It, etc.), the team delivers another strange, hilarious experiment in control and patience.

We embody Nate, a 35-year-old basement-dwelling failson, who is dropped into a vast mountain wilderness and must literally learn how to walk using deliberately awkward controls which turn every footstep into a small triumph or a catastrophic pratfall. Along the way we dig into the open-ended world design, the absence of a map, the optional “gamer bullshit” challenges like hats and dares, and why Baby Steps is less about rage and more about embracing failure, exploration, and weird little stories that only happen because you fell down a hill the wrong way. So listen in as we learn about patience, humility, and how sometimes the only way forward is face-planting, laughing, and taking one more careful step on the path.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Victory in Defeat

Josh - Enjoying the Journey

Happy New Year! To kick things off in 2026 we recorded a quick episode on our individual Top 5 Games of the Year for 2025! So listen in as the guys discuss the top 5 games they enjoyed in 2025 among others, take a look forward to 2026, and just generally chill out and reminisce on a year of gaming!

Here’s what we talked about:

Look back at 2025

The Top 5’s

5’s

4’s

3’s

2’s

1’s

Honorable Mentions

Games you missed in 2025 and still want to play

Things you’re looking forward to in 2026/Games we have our eyes on to cover

Take Care and Keep on Gaming in 2026!!!

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The 5’s

Josh Game #5 - Slay the Princess

Clint Game #5 - Battlefield 6

Bryan Game #5 - and Roger

The 4’s

Josh Game #4 - CYPHER ZERO

Clint Game #4 - Hollow Knight Silksong

Bryan Game #4 - Hollow Knight Silksong

The 3’s

Josh Game #3 - Blue Prince

Clint Game #3 - The First Berzerker: Khazan

Bryan Game #3 - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

The 2’s

Josh Game #2 - Baby Steps

Clint Game #2 - ARC Raiders

Bryan Game #2 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

The 1’s

Josh Game #1 - Hollow Knight Silksong

Clint Game #1- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Bryan Game #1 - Promise Mascot Agency

In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan, Josh, and Clint finally arrive in Pharloom and dive deep into Hollow Knight: Silksong. We all fell in love with Hollow Knight when it launched in 2017 and even covered it on the show back in 2019, making Silksong a long-anticipated return. Team Cherry—Ari Gibson, William Pellen, and Jack Vine—have come a long way since the original Kickstarter, and Silksong’s journey from planned DLC to full sequel reflects a uniquely protracted and unconventional development cycle. Just as notable is the team’s decision to remain intentionally small, preserving creative control, efficiency, and passion while collaborating with key contributors like composer Christopher Larkin to elevate the experience.

Silksong represents a major shift from its predecessor, most notably through Hornet, a fully voiced and evolving protagonist whose presence reshapes both narrative and gameplay. The game emphasizes speed, verticality, and tool-driven combat, with Pharloom’s design flipping Hollow Knight’s downward descent into a constant upward climb. We dig into the game’s layered storytelling—Hornet’s personal arc, the history of Pharloom and its people, and the larger cosmic forces at play—alongside its thematic focus on song, memory, and organized religion. Along the way, we debate difficulty, movement quirks, crest builds, boss design, and the shard system for tools. We also discuss Silksong’s ambitious three-act structure, multiple endings, and whether it not only lives up to the original Hollow Knight. So join us as we close out the year exploring Team Cherry’s world of bugs, beasts, beauty, and bosses.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Smooth as Silk

Josh - Flight in Fight

Clint - Solid Send Off