- 59 minutes 24 secondsTerrible Times: Who’s Got it the Worst?
We've all had one of those days: just missing the bus, stepping in a deep puddle, pissing ourselves a little bit. But none of us have had the kinds of days that gaming protagonists routinely face. From severed limbs to shipwrecks, we subject our digital avatars to the worst possible experiences.
This week the Boys discuss the absolute worst of it. Crawling through sewers, being flayed alive, catching TB or living under a tyrannical Sims player. All bad stuff, but who has it the worst?
Before that, though, we catch up on what the Boys have been playing. Sarah's finally catching up on a sequel in one of their favourite franchises, Pierre's finding he's not getting the same hit from a cosy classic and Glenn's mildly underwhelmed but not surprised by an emerging sequel.
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
Thanks again to all those who came to Button Boys Live at Leicester Square Theatre. If you missed it, we're doing another live date on October 15th in Balham at the Cheerful Earful festival. Link below!
Cheerful Earful Festival Live Show
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Dredge
- Outlast
- Marvel's Spider-Man
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Baldur's Gate 3
- Alan Wake II
- Starfield
- Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Dorfromantik
- 007 First Light
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- HITMAN World of Assassination
- GoldenEye 007
- Marvel's Wolverine
- Big Walk
- Split Fiction
- Star Wars: Galactic Racer
- Gears of War: E-Day
- The Last of Us
- Counter-Strike
- Silent Hill: Townfall
- Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Dead Space 2
- DOOM
- Age of Empires
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Resident Evil 2
- Resident Evil Requiem
- Papers, Please
- INSIDE
- The Sims
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- The Drifter
- Dark Souls
- Luigi's Mansion
- Bloodborne
- Heavy Rain
- Angry Birds
- Little Nightmares
- Tomb Raider
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- PAC-MAN
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21 October 2026, 11:00 pm - 50 minutes 25 secondsSide Quests Vol. 1
Much like side streets, side arms, side tables, side dishes and sidemen, can provoke surprisingly strong feelings. This week we're going off the beaten track, ignoring the main objective and tackling the good, the bad and the ugly of secondary storylines. We've got drunken foolery, farting pigs and complete letdowns. But enough about the hosts, on with the podcast!
As always, the Boys catch up on what they've been playing this week. Glenn's leaning into spooky season with not only a horrifyingly nostalgic trip to the Scottish Isles but also a video game-themed trip to the cinema. Meanwhile, Sarah's throwing tradition to the wind as they discuss a game they're planning on playing which is like "Breath of the Wild, but good".
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
Thanks again to all those who came to Button Boys Live at Leicester Square Theatre. If you missed it, we're doing another live date on October 15th in Balham at the Cheerful Earful festival. Link below!
Cheerful Earful Festival Live Show
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Immortals Fenyx Rising
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Dead Space 2
- SILENT HILL: Townfall
- P.T.
- Observation
- Stories Untold
- Alien: Isolation
- Visage
- MADiSON
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Shadow of the Colossus
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Dark Souls
- God of War
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Grand Theft Auto IV
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Animal Crossing
- Assassin's Creed II
- Dredge
- Mass Effect 2
- Baldur's Gate 3
- Pokémon Red Version
- Pokémon Blue Version
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Split Fiction
- Orbitals
- Hitman World of Assassination
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- LittleBigPlanet 3
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
14 October 2026, 11:00 pm - 51 minutes 54 secondsThe Eras Tour: Best Historical or Futuristic Setting
This week the Boys try to settle the debate raging across the country: which historical or futuristic period makes the best setting for a game? From early symbolic thought through to space travel across the outer reaches of the universe, gaming covers every era, but which one suits it best?
Before all that, we check in on Glenn to see how he's dealing with the social media backlash to his Crimson Desert comments and discuss perhaps the most impressive listener contribution to date: a functioning version of Pierre's Commander Sexy pitch. Links below.
Pierre continues his quest to get to the bottom of the sandpit, Glenn asks the big questions about The Sims and Sarah attempts to breed on a scale even Elon Musk would be jealous of.
Commander Sexy Dev Log - Sam Kennard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiV23COOrpo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEhOa6tONkg
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
Thanks again to all those who came to Button Boys Live at Leicester Square Theatre. If you missed it, we're doing another live date on October 15th in Balham at the Cheerful Earful festival. Link below!
Cheerful Earful Festival Live Show
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Crimson Desert
- Sandustry
- Heavy Rain
- A Game About Digging A Hole
- Factorio
- Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
- The Sims
- Lemmings
- Helldivers
- Mewgenics
- The Binding of Isaac
- Overcooked!
- Into the Breach
- This War of Mine
- Wildermyth
- Cult of the Lamb
- Minesweeper
- Silent Hill: Townfall
- Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
- Atomfall
- Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
- 007 First Light
- The Getaway
- Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Shogun: Total War
- Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Like a Dragon: Ishin!
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Life is Strange
- Mixtape
- Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
- Lake
- Grand Theft Auto VI
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Bloodborne
- Assassin's Creed Syndicate
- The Sinking City
- The Sinking City 2
- The Sexy Brutale
- Dishonored
- Cossacks
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- The Witcher
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
- Immortality
- BioShock
- Alone in the Dark
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Red Dead Redemption
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Crusader Kings
- Forge of Empires
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
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7 October 2026, 11:00 pm - 59 minutes 46 secondsNon-Fatal Flaws: Bad Bits in Good Games
This week's topic is all about the maggot in the apple, the flaw in the diamond, the suspicious stain on the clean-smelling underwear. That's right, it's the parts of otherwise great games that we hate. Disgusting sound effects, tedious intros, impossible tasks and unfamiliar mechanics have all weaselled their way in to the Boys' all-time favourites.
But before that, they catch up on what they've been up to this week. Sarah's been developing a nepotistic empire, Glenn's teamed up for a puzzling hike and Pierre's losing himself to one of the most satisfying games he's ever played.
Thanks again to all those who came to Button Boys Live at Leicester Square Theatre. If you missed it, we're doing another live date on October 15th in Balham at the Cheerful Earful festival. Link below!
Cheerful Earful Festival Live Show
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Kynseed
- Stardew Valley
- Crusader Kings
- Mewgenics
- The Occultist
- Darkwood
- Split Fiction
- Big Walk
- Untitled Goose Game
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
- Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
- Heavy Rain
- Sandustry
- Dorfromantik
- Factorio
- A Game About Digging A Hole
- Star Fox
- 007 First Light
- Marvel's Wolverine
- Princess Peach: Showtime!
- Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- It Takes Two
- Blue Prince
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- The Simpsons: Hit & Run
- Grand Theft Auto III
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Alien: Isolation
- A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead
- Fortnite
- Total War: Warhammer
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
30 September 2026, 11:00 pm - 1 hour 4 minutesThe Worst Game Pitch-Off
If you missed out on the first ever Button Boys LIVE, don't worry, we remembered to record it! This week, the Boys had to pitch their worst-ever game ideas to an audience at Leicester Square Theatre. After a few minor technical hitches, Sarah came straight out of the gates with an avian-themed game for the gerontophiles among us, Pierre set out his vision for a drone-controlled dating sim and Glenn's idea... well, I think you need to hear it for yourself.
But before all that, they catch up on what they've been up to, with Glenn playing a nephew game, Sarah trying to lower expectations with the latest Marvel game and Pierre returning 18th-century warfare with the Swedes in his sights.
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
Cheerful Earful Festival Live Show
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Heavy Rain
- Master of Command
- Empire: Total War
- Marvel's Wolverine
- Dynasty Warriors
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
- CONTROL Resonant
- Crimson Desert
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Inside
- LittleBigPlanet
- Octodad
- Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
- QWOP
- Streets of Rage
- Metal Gear Solid
- Half-Life: Alyx
- Planet Coaster
- RollerCoaster Tycoon
- GoldenEye 007
- Gran Turismo
- Dark Souls
- Assassin's Creed II
- Resident Evil 2
- Until Dawn
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
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23 September 2026, 11:00 pm - 55 minutes 47 secondsAugust Annals: What We've Been Playing
I'll let you into a secret. We've been lying to you all this time. Every week, when you think you're listening to the latest video game content your podcast app of choice has to offer, we've been pulling the wool over your eyes. That's right, what you've been hearing is literally weeks old.
But don't fear, because The Boys are back and fresh as hell. With a month off between recordings, they've created quite a backlog of games, so in this episode they're going to recap the heady days of August and early September.
Pierre spills the tea on what actually happened on his gaming PC's Odyssean adventure, Sarah's returned to an old nemesis and finds themselves much better acquainted than they expected and Glenn's been suffering from the munchies when the sun goes down.
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
Cheerful Earful Festival Live Show
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Final Fantasy XIV Online
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Baldur's Gate 3
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Mister Mosquito
- Command & Conquer
- Hell Let Loose: Vietnam
- Bloodborne
- Elden Ring
- Demon's Souls
- Dark Souls
- PowerWash Simulator
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Pentiment
- Shift At Midnight
- Inkonbini: One Store. Many Stories
- Papers
- No
- Burglin' Gnomes
- Militsioner
- Big Walk
- RV There Yet?
- Marvel's Wolverine
- CONTROL Resonant
- Silent Hill: Townfall
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
16 September 2026, 11:00 pm - 47 minutes 51 secondsFirst Impressions: Tutorials and Intros that Stick
This week we're getting to grips with the age-old tutorial. Whether it's boot camp, prison or simply being born every game takes its time to show you the ropes. The Boys look at the seamless, the absurd and the downright clunky attempts at tutorials.
But before that, we catch up with what they've been playing. Pierre's switched off his brain with a psychedelic throwback to impenetrable Japanese games, Glenn's having a religious experience with spooky puppets and Sarah's revisiting a game we all thought they'd given up on.
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
- Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
- TAMASHIKA
- Temple Run
- Denshattack!
- Dark Souls
- Demon’s Souls
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Bloodborne
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Blue Prince
- Crisol: Theater of Idols
- Blasphemous
- Red Dead Redemption
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- Lies of P
- Fear the Spotlight
- Silent Hill
- Grave Seasons
- The Eternal Life of Goldman
- Hell Let Loose: Vietnam
- MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
- Helldivers 2
- Call of Duty: United Offensive
- Medal of Honor Frontline
- Medal of Honor Allied Assault
- Silent Hill: Townfall
- 007 First Light
- Call of Duty: Vanguard
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Heavy Rain
- Hitman 3
- Cairn
- Prey
- Terra Invicta
- Stronghold
- Halo: Combat Evolved
- Detroit: Become Human
- Karma: The Dark World
- God of War
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9 September 2026, 11:00 pm - 49 minutes 7 secondsGetting the Ick: How to Ruin a Game
Have you ever found yourself enjoying a game and then BAM... you hit an ick? Something so minor but so off-putting that you just have to put the controller down and walk away.
This week's episode is all about those moments. The small things that games can do to really ruin your experience. From cringey box blurb and clunky dialogue to lame side quests and lewd camera angles, we've got ick covered.
But before that, we catch up with what the Boys have been up to. Sarah's been revisiting an absolute classic with a whole new perspective, while Glenn's been going extremely deep on his latest wildly addictive game.
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Dredge
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- A Game About Digging A Hole
- PowerWash Simulator
- Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
- Age of Mythology
- Conker: Live & Reloaded
- Rusty Rabbit
- Perky Little Things
- Duke Nukem 3D
- Immortals of Aveum
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Final Fantasy XIV Online
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- Stellar Blade
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Persona 5
- Heavy Rain
- Unravel Two
- Darwin's Paradox!
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 September 2026, 11:00 pm - 50 minutes 25 secondsYou've Got to Be F***ing Kidding Me
We've all had those moments. You put down the controller, take a long, measured breath and express your absolute shock/consternation/contempt/awe (delete as applicable) with the phrase, 'You've got to be f***ing kidding me!'
This week the Boys relive their most jaw-dropping debacles. Whether it's realising they can't complete a game because of a terrible decision, treacherous save points, game-changing power-ups or the simple act of a bad throw, you'll find it hard not to feel their pain.
Before all that though, we catch up on their weeks, Sarah's been saddened by a clear statement on the climate crisis through the eyes of James Bond, Pierre's increasingly frustrated by Heavy Rain and Glenn's found himself surrounded by dead bodies and armed only with a notebook and a time machine. Standard Thursday for him, then.
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Heavy Rain playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
- The Incident at Galley House
- Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
- Heavy Rain
- Type Help
- The Rootrees are Dead
- Return of the Obra Dinn
- TR-49
- The Séance of Blake Manor
- Hell Let Loose
- 007 First Light
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- The Last of Us Part II
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Cairn
- Final Fantasy XIII
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Hollow Knight
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Celeste
- Dark Souls
- Two Point Hospital
- Disco Elysium
- Fall Guys
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
- Balatro
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- God of War
- Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Baldur's Gate 3
- Stardew Valley
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
26 August 2026, 11:00 pm - 51 minutes 59 secondsButton Boys Presents: Hell Let Loose Vietnam (Sponsored)
*Cues Fortunate Son*
Bone spurs will not save you from this very special episode of Button Boys, brought to you by Hell Let Loose: Vietnam. So don your warpaint and load up the Huey because we're in for a wild ride.
And by wild ride I mean Sarah, Glenn and of course Pierre have been getting to grips with Hell Let Loose: Vietnam. From hidden boat attacks, helicopter evacs and dragging your teammates to safety, to tactical mastery, the horrors of war and Pierre's new codename, the Boys are here to talk you through their experiences in the jungles, mountains and villages of Vietnam.
If you enjoyed this episode and you want to get stuck in, Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is now available on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. Head on over to the Discord to find out about our upcoming plans with Hell Let Loose and sign up to the official Button Boys battalion.
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Hitman: World of Assassination playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
23 August 2026, 11:00 pm - 51 minutes 11 secondsOne and Done: Games We’d Never Play Again
The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there. And we don't like different. Or too much of the same. And that's why this week's episode is all about the games you play once and have absolutely no appetite to return to.
Whether it's outdated mechanics, not wanting to spoil their nostalgia or just because the games were plain terrible, the Boys examine the games they've known and loved but won't go near again.
But before that walk down memory lane, we catch up with what they've been playing this week. Pierre's been preparing for battle with the Button Boys Battalion, Sarah's taken a musical trip north of the border and Glenn's got into dentistry, or at least that's what I think he said.
To follow along with the Button Boys outside the podcast:
If you can't get enough Button Boys content, head over to Patreon, where you can find our weekly Hidden Cache bonus episode featuring more gripes, game recommendations and our Hitman: World of Assassination playthrough, and Player 4, where we interview a different comedian every month about their gaming lives.
Follow along with the Button Boys on Instagram or TikTok for highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future podcast announcements.
Games Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Hell Let Loose
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
- Denshattack!
- OlliOlli World
- Subway Surfers
- Heavy Rain
- A Highland Song
- Shark Dentist
- Cairn
- A Short Hike
- The Artful Escape
- Inside
- Return of the Obra Dinn
- Blue Prince
- Age of Empires II
- Shadow Man
- Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
- Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
- Call of Duty
- Medal of Honor: Frontline
- Until Dawn
- The Walking Dead
- 007: First Light
- Baldur's Gate 3
- Hitman: World of Assassination
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- The Witcher
- Marvel's Spider-Man
- Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Dark Souls
- Elden Ring
- Dark Souls II
- Dark Souls III
- Bloodborne
Produced and edited by Ben Drayton
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
19 August 2026, 11:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App