Happy Side Story anniversary! To celebrate our first year of the show, Austin, Janine, and Jack get together to talk about the year they've spent playing Nine Dots' RPG-meets-sim Outward (which you can watch them play by supporting us at https://friendsatthetable.cash/!)

Speaking of supporting our work, the Kickstarter campaign for Austin's new TTRPG, Realis, is now live!

Support us on Patreon!

Featuring Austin Walker, Janine Hawkins, and Jack de Quidt

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

With too many games coming out recently, Austin, Sylvi, and Dre had to determine a metric to decide which ones to cover on this week's episode. What makes the most sense? Maybe 'games relevant to ongoing Friends at the Table campaigns'? Or perhaps 'games that we've teased wanting to talk about in the past'? No, absolutely not. There is only one metric: Games that look sick as shit.

Show Notes

Marathon Thief Grapple

"If you're hoping to make friends in Marathon like you can in Arc Raiders, expect a knife in the back" | PC Gamer

Marathon, Reprise | Aurahack

Chapters

00:00 Introduction & Icebreaker Marathon Upate
07:34 The Cool Games We Don't Have Time to Talk About Yet
10:32 Romeo Is A Dead Man
47:43 Marathon (2026)

Featuring Austin Walker, Andrew Lee Swan, and Sylvi Bullet

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt

With Austin separated from his microphone because of a snowstorm, Janine and Ali (who herself had to record on a travel mic) return to chat about the rise of Devices. You know? Gadgets? Geegaws? Retro emulation handhelds? Also, we have a classic Friends at the Table "Now is not the time for this diversionary topic" followed by 30 full minutes on the diversionary topic.

It's a good podcast.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
01:03 Device Talk Begins
26:34 Palia Diversion Begins
55:11 Back to the Gadgets and the Games We're Playing On Them

Support us on Patreon!

Featuring Janine Hawkins and Ali Acampora

Produced by Austin Walker

Cover Art by A Liang Chan

Music by Jack de Quidt