Truly miss the original bombcast and the beast cast but this is the closest thing to it. The current bombcast lacks teeth and the Jeff gertsman show is just too long and too singular. If you’re like me you will like Nextlander

TL,DR: Long time listener just tired of the constant negativity and cynicism that has progressively crept its way into the show more and more since its inception. Like many other followers, I have listened to Vinny, Brad and Alex since the inception of/their respective involvements with Giant Bomb. After they, along with Jeff Gerstmann, left to start their own companies, I immediately followed their new projects. I truly believe that the show started strong and remains strong when the trio sticks to talking about video games. The knowledge of the industry gained over years of experience can be very valuable from the standpoint of a consumer who needs to make more thrifty decisions when it comes to a limited gaming budget. However, as I have seen others mention in recent reviews, it has become extremely tiring to start the podcast each week listening to each of the three venting about how horrible the current state of the world is and the toll that it is taking on them. These are three late 40, early 50 something men that are supposed to be running a podcast about video games. I really don’t want this to come off as a personal attack but, man, we all have our own problems and struggles. Personally, I come to YOU three for a little bit of an escape from those problems each week. It may be that I am more sensitive to it now, but it seems that this type of negative and cynical talk has become more and more frequent over the years. In fact, Vinny complaining about subscribing to too many services run by “tech oligarchs” in this week’s episode pushed me to write this novel of a review. You guys are literally funded by Patreon, ad agencies and run monetized YouTube AND Twitch channels. Does the hypocrisy need to be pointed out? The world isn’t all doom and gloom, I promise you. I don’t know if the creators or anyone else really reads these reviews but please consider doing your venting before pressing record. I don’t know how much more I can continue to listen to, especially with four years of Trump just ramping up. In hopes that one of the three actually does read this, I truly write this as an honest critique with no malice intended. I will continue listening for the next month or so in hopes that something changes but, like Vinny, I am subscribed to far too many services. Unfortunately my belt tightening will begin with cancelling my Patreon subscription for the time being.

They're fun and insightful when talking about games, but when they start complaining about the world, it’s uncomfortable to listen to. They’re wealthy and privileged, yet constantly harp on how bad everything is, which feels disconnected from reality. I can’t help but feel secondhand embarrassment every time they go on about it.

Unsubscribed after listening to Jeff on latest show along with the rest of the divisive radical politics. Jeff, your life long friend did you a favor to give you ride and you go off that they might not be ingesting the MSM that you do and all you do is put them down. You are all sad and caustic…

Exactly. If you like Alex, it’s a 5 star podcast. If you don’t, it’s a 1 star podcast. I’m in the latter camp. Good lord.

I still listen to these guys. Not as good as Beastcast and not in the same league as Epic Battle Cry. Three 40 something year old men who live in their basement and scared of the world around them. Alex getting so upset about the election that he had “stress related health issues.” Come on. Calm down.

Update: it’s gotten worse, Vinny turning into Fox News about China was a surprising change of pace I guess? “Brad never knowing how much a game costs during quicklooks” was a funny thing a decade ago but the only real surprises the podcast has left comes from finding what they didn’t think to fact check this week. Also just feels like they have lost a lot of vocabulary in regards to describing things, even the 7 rebirth chat, which had obvious passion (and a infantilizing amount of spoiler warnings) behind it was just really vague, which I partially chalk up to how Patreon/discord dynamics are weird. I dunno, I’m probably gonna keep listening because I’ve heard these guys talk into mics for over a decade but just kind of caricatures of their best selves.

I was very sad to hear that these guys were leaving Giant Bomb, but Nextlander has been great from the start and I’m grateful that they have been able to keep talking about games on the internet. Alex, Brad, and Vinny come across as some of the most thoughtful and engaging voices in games media.

I can’t stand it anymore. Brad interrupts way too much. Vinny is too nice to say anything about it and Alex is probably boiling inside. Unsubscribed during the RE8 discussion. 2024 update. Still valid.

Vinny, Alex, and Brad make a great team with deep knowledge of video games and a great take on so many topics!

These guys have good and insightful opinions about video games on occasion. Alex Navarro is just awful. He is constantly negative and cynical and it’s not funny it’s not endearing it’s just hard to listen to. And Brad and Alex both are going to STOMP their virtues/political opinions into your face. And I’m someone that leans in the direction they lean in and it’s off putting even for me.

I look forward to this every week. I’ve been listening to these guys since the beginning of Giant Bomb. This podcast picks up right where they left off and it’s great. The only thing that would make this better is if Jeff Gerstmann joined the crew! Keep up the good work!

Incredibly boring compared to what they did at GiantBomb or GBeast. The flow of the podcast is affected by them prefacing anything that can be prefaced in order to not get scolded by the scolds they've engendered in their audience. Brad and Alex are the living embodiment of the neo-lib world view and loud and proud members of the professional mangerial class it seems. Still games media is bleak right now so in comparison this has it's moments; every now and then you get a dose of Vinny's goofiness.

Do you remember when you first heard that the band of Rage Against the Machine was forming a new group with another frontman and how potentially rad that would be? And then you listened to one of their songs and it was tragically just boring dad rock? This how it be.

These guys all used to be a part of something awesome and legitimately groundbreaking in the gaming space. Now, they are a lazy bunch of grifters squeezing their pay-pigs for those good’old Patreon donations while still slinging a crazy amount of low-quality ads. I wouldn’t have a problem with this if they out of a quality product in any level. Their podcast is pathetic. Low-energy, miserable, detached from what gamers are actually interested in now. Listening to Brad is the equivalent of watch paint dry. Alex is just a miserable, bitter man who instead of facing his own failures treats any type of masculinity as sexist and offense. Vinny is the only person holding this together, but unfortunately it’s not enough. All they do is make a terrible podcast, low-energy livestreams (that they take ever MORE donations during), and take a TON of vacations. Seriously, they’re each are making over $10,000 per month and they can barely manage to keep up with that pathetic schedule. Kids on YouTube are making better & more content with a fraction of the resources and equipment these old, miserable dudes have. No video reviews, no edited content that is even remotely entertaining like TANG from Giant Bomb. It’s just the lazy man’s grift of a mediocre podcast and crappy livestreams when they feel like it. I’m done with low-quality content like this.

Been listening to these guys since the Giant Bomb days. Their knowledge is unsurpassed. They are also very funny and entertaining. Highly recommended.

Generally I’ve really liked these guys and this show. Followed them over from giant bomb. Love most of the video game opinions and topics. But as is the way with all media, it too frequently gets into politics. If they leaned far right I’d get just as annoyed. I know In this day and age, you simply can’t separate the politics from the topics, but I wish they’d try a little harder. You alienate a large part of your audience when you hammer down on some subjects and essentially call one half of your audience either stupid or evil. I disagree with plenty y’all say but neither think you’re stupid or evil. I’m the guy who’s very middle of the road conservative. I’m the guy who hates the extremes of both sides. I’d rather us all come together with the shared love of video games and humor, and try and bring us all together. That’s me. Wish y’all the best but I’m moving on.

I’ve followed this trio for years and they’re my go-to for video game news and coverage. Plus, they’re great about covering non-AAA titles which is what I’m more interested in. Keep up the good work!

Keep up the good work. Quality podcast from quality humans. 10 stars.

Too much focus on boring AAA games and not enough on smaller scale games. They seem to miss breakout indy titles completely while talking endlessly about open-world trash. Also the political/social commentary is kind of insufferable at this point.

Brads annoying but Alex is unbearable

Vinny, Alex and Brad are fun hosts, and each have different tastes, which allows this podcast to genuinely cover the wide spectrum of video games, video game news, and gaming related hardware. I listen every week and am always ready for the next one as soon as the show ends.

For the most part. I really enjoy the podcasts and most of the stream stuff except for Alex. He just needs to learn to shut it every once and a while. His attitude and just the constant whining at times is unbearable. I have to stop and come back hours or days later to try again. Growing up watching too many movies you always saw the pot head and they were slow and dumb just out of it. I have met many people that smoke but none of them are a poster child for those slow challenged pot heads like Alex is. Dude needs to stop with the weed.

Vinny is great and I feel carry’s the show, but unfortunately Brad’s monotone sleepy voice dominates the conversation and I quickly got tired of Alex’s snarky attitude

Been listening to this crew for about 20 years. Best gaming podcast you’ll find

It’s a bit more tame than GB but the experience and knowledge the three vets bring to the podcast is great and it’s always an enjoyable listen.

This is the second review I have ever given for a podcast. The first one was for Giant Bomb. Giant Bomb isn’t the same without Brad and Vinny, who are now at Nextlander. Brad brings a gleam of hope to what seems to be mostly negativity everywhere else. He was, and probably still is, the most calm and level headed of the bunch. He has a lot of good insight, and knows what not to say, which can often be more impressive and important. Nextlander is one you don’t want to miss! I’m happy this podcast is not constrained by a large conglomerate. It allows them the freedom to express themselves without the fear of being bought out and what comes with that, “no longer being needed.” Especially when a single company buys another one, then chooses to sell that company, and then… decides that they want to buy that same company back…. Wow. These guys are veterans in the industry, and take pride in their work and the content they produce. From GameSpot, to GiantBomb (regardless of current and previous ownership), to Beastcast, to Patreon, they have proven time and time again, they are not for sell. They value ethics and their audience more than money and corporate servitude. Thank you, Nextlander! Keep up the hard work.

I really appreciate Scott Stapp’s participation the most

I can see why the Nickelback of games journalism had to break off on their own

I really enjoyed this show and have been a big fan of Vinny for quite awhile, but I stopped listening. Every show had social and political commentary inserted. If I want that, I’ll go to a political podcast, etc. This show should be fun and lighthearted and I don’t need to know what the hosts think about serious issues. Also, it’s not about a particular set of beliefs I don’t agree with. There are many podcasts that find a way to keep that separate - regardless of the hosts views.

Beastcast without abby :( but with a dash of shoemaker. You should come one full time sometime Abbyybba!!! This podcast was refreshing after the scare of these guys leaving giant bomb, i have always been a fan. Jeff gerstmann show is great too everyone! Support him on patreon as well as nextlander!

Amazing! Just missing Jeff Bakalar and then the group would be perfect

They are great!!! Been listening to them for years. Was worried they were done with podcasts after giant bomb but here we are! Keep it up.

I’ve always respected this group and their opinions on games and pop culture. Plus they’re very funny!

Lapsed giant bomb fan, coming back in to find an apocalypse happened. I’ve yet to hear an episode but these dudes are an auto 5 just from history

Followed this group since the hotspot days, but dropped them for making fun of an abuse survivor in Johnny Depp. Brad and Alex in particular were extremely problematic in their Sea of Thieves POTC videos. Alex was saying some really disappointing things about an abuse victim to get some snarky laughs and Brad was muttering jokes under his breath about how Johnny Depp should die of a drug overdose. Cruel and disgusting commentary from people I used to respect. Good bye.

One of the best podcasts. Great crew.

Ps.would you talk about forager (the game)

Love these guys, but I do miss the Vinny/Alex/Bakalar energy from the Beastcast. Hope you can convince him to come on as a regular guest at some point.

I’m so happy to hear these voices. I missed them very much. I just regret not finding this sooner. But that’s on you I feel like. Haha. Can’t wait to catch up on the happenings. 5 Stars!

Glad to have this crew back. I may never play Inscryption but their impromptu spoiler cast makes me feel like I did. The enthusiasm was infectious. I don’t have time to play games anymore and this vicarious enjoyment is why I listen to game podcasts.

I was a day one Patreon supporter and was hoping the influx of money would help them diversify. Unfortunately this has become another podcast of older white men talking about video games. If that’s what you’re looking for, these are good dudes who know a lot. If you’d like a diverse set of viewpoints and opinions about video games, this ain’t it.

The time stamps for this last episode said Horizon Forbidden West spoilers end at a certain time then they are going to talk about Destiny. So I went to that time and they are talking about space stuff, I think probably Destiny. Nope it’s horizon spoilers. Please double check those time stamps

Rule number 1 is be hyper critical of every game, nit picking everything. spend the least amount of time talking about the good of games that devs pour their heart and soul in. Entitled gamers. Eye rolling dribble. Watch ACG or Skill up instead.

Just stumbled on the podcast today. Long time Bombcast listener. Glad y’all are back at it. So excited!!

Is the best.

I’ll return to raise my score when you guys stop talking for 45 minutes about hyphens and underscores. Wow

f dave lang

Are the best!

Brad, Vinny and Alex have great chemistry and listening to this podcast is like hanging out with old friends. Keep up the good work guys!