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New year, same chaos—plus a heavy dose of heart. We kick off 2026 by riding the emotional afterglow of the Stranger Things finale and pivot straight into game talk that actually matters: finishing Baldur’s Gate 3 live, redefining what “challenge” means, and building smarter paths through Expedition 33’s tight parry windows and tricksy bosses. The result is a conversation that blends celebration, strategy, and the real-life tweaks that keep our hobby fun when time and tech don’t cooperate.

That BG3 finale stream stretched to 4.5 hours and proved how momentum multiplies once chat is rolling. We compare notes on difficulty philosophy—why some of us choose Grandmaster later and story first now, how Elden Ring’s world and aura outshine its pain, and when to drop the mods to chase trophies. Expedition 33 gets the deep-dive treatment: Lune, Ciel, and Mael synergy; Picto and Lumina progression; a late Act Two farming loop that accelerates builds; and the practical realities of parry timing across wired vs Bluetooth controllers. We also talk Steam Deck performance in dark zones, the surprising power of a bright-green mouse cursor, and why a solid cosmetic pack can be the nudge that keeps a game in rotation.

There’s plenty of joy in the margins too: Steam sale hauls (Doomblade, Journey, FFX/X-2, Kingdom Come, Pathfinder, Blasphemous), a new GPU saga with too many cables, and the pull of SWTOR nostalgia powered by Twitch drops and old raid friends. Our goals for 2026 stay grounded—consistent streams, six hours of weekly play, and making space for the games that spark energy, not obligation. If you’re juggling story-first runs, min-max builds, or just carving out time to play, you’ll feel right at home.

Enjoy the ride, then jump into the conversation: follow, subscribe, and leave a review to tell us whether you chase difficulty or chase vibes—and what you’re booting up next.

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If you would like to support the show and help us unlock additional possibilities for future episodes and projects, this can now be done through Patreon!

You can watch us play games LIVE and join our communities to get more connection from every episode:

• DrGameology on Twitch - Continue the Journey LIVE in 2025!!
• MarcusB814 on YouTube - BOOMBA

Subscribe on YouTube for more content on the Psychology of Gaming or Follow on Twitch to catch the Live Streams!

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We weigh what to buy in the Steam sale, why discounts only matter past a real threshold, and how limited time forces better choices. Along the way we celebrate story-rich games, debate difficulty, and savor a perfect wrestling farewell that felt like film-level mythmaking.

• Steam sale strategy, price thresholds, and cart triage
• Baldur’s Gate 3 value, builds, and hilarious quest chains
• Nier Automata fit for short sessions and crossover notes
• Jedi Survivor momentum, launch issues, and timing
• SWTOR narrative pull versus other MMOs and time cost
• Heavy Rain, Detroit, and why agency beats adaptation
• Elden Ring difficulty, boss walls, and weapon fit
• Family rituals, wrestling storytelling, and Cena’s exit
• Free-to-play finds, two-hour test, and backlog sanity
• Holiday scheduling, community night ideas, and gear wishlists

“Hey everyone, did you know that Jeff Keeley invited me to be a official co-streamer of the game awards last week?”
“We were able to raise $307 for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.”

Support the show

If you would like to support the show and help us unlock additional possibilities for future episodes and projects, this can now be done through Patreon!

You can watch us play games LIVE and join our communities to get more connection from every episode:

• DrGameology on Twitch - Continue the Journey LIVE in 2025!!
• MarcusB814 on YouTube - BOOMBA

Subscribe on YouTube for more content on the Psychology of Gaming or Follow on Twitch to catch the Live Streams!

For more info, check out DrGameology.com!

More Links Here!

Thanks for Listening, and Continue The Journey!

Send us a text

The strangest part of finishing a game that wrecked you emotionally is the silence that follows. We step into that quiet space after Claire Obscure Expedition 33 and unpack what it means to truly “beat” a game—why a 56 million damage nuke on the Simon fight popped trophies but missed the point, and why chasing a parry-perfect rematch matters more. That theme threads through a funny, very real parenting moment with Dispatch’s spicy cold open, the siren pull of Baldur’s Gate 3 for story-first play, and the “keep it simple” approach that finally made The Witcher 3 click without drowning in side quests or Gwent.

We trade shortlists for greatest games of all time and explore how certain titles become part of who we are: Cloud and Tifa statues on the shelf, Claire’s lyrics whispering plot in French, art prints that sell out because the world on screen becomes the world on our walls. We also wrestle with budgets and priorities, from gymnastics fees to the wild disconnect between modern living costs and ancient poverty formulas, and how that shapes choices like waiting on a new game or dreaming about a living room-ready Steam Machine that just plays games well.

What emerges is a conversation about mastery, meaning, and momentum. Some wins should be earned, not engineered. Some games are better when you narrow your focus and let the core story breathe. And sometimes the best part of gaming is the community—friends dropping into your campaign, listeners sharing Spotify Wrapped shout-outs, and a moment to celebrate new recognition for turning games into care and growth. Come for the boss talk and GOAT lists, stay for the human parts that make playing worth it. If you enjoyed this one, follow, share with a friend, and leave a review with your top three games of all time—we’ll read our favorites on the show.

Support the show

If you would like to support the show and help us unlock additional possibilities for future episodes and projects, this can now be done through Patreon!

You can watch us play games LIVE and join our communities to get more connection from every episode:

• DrGameology on Twitch - Continue the Journey LIVE in 2025!!
• MarcusB814 on YouTube - BOOMBA

Subscribe on YouTube for more content on the Psychology of Gaming or Follow on Twitch to catch the Live Streams!

For more info, check out DrGameology.com!

More Links Here!

Thanks for Listening, and Continue The Journey!