This week on Critical Arcade, Nick and Dave dive headfirst into the relentless chaos of Ninja Gaiden 4 — a game that doesn’t just test your reflexes, it punishes your mistakes. This time Ryu is out and Yakumo, a skilled ninja of the Raven Clan, takes the hot seat. Sounds like a Tuesday for a Super Ninja.

Armed with his ever-growing arsenal, new Bloodraven powers, and enough wall-running stamina to make Spider-Man jealous, Yakumo sets out to kill a priestess of the Dark Dragon, but instead, this quickly turns into a mission to escort her to a handful of magic seals in an effort to really kill the Dark Dragon for good this time.

Between the two of them, they discover just how far the series has evolved — faster combat, cinematic flair, and a difficulty curve sharper than Yakumo's blade.

Will Nick finally perfect his ultimate combo, or will his controller meet an untimely end against the coffee table? And can Dave tune out the giggling teen inside his head when a girl is on the screen? Tune in as the guys battle through the beautiful brutality of Ninja Gaiden 4 — a game where only the sharp survive.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Critical Arcade, Dave and Nick set aside their usual chaos and step into something far more serene — Journey, the meditative, wordless adventure from thatgamecompany. Gone are the guns, gadgets, and dialogue trees. Instead, they don flowing red robes, a magical scarf, and head off into the endless desert toward a distant, glowing mountain that seems to call to them from across time itself.

As they slide gracefully down golden dunes, leap across crumbling ruins, and soar through ancient halls bathed in light, the pair begin to uncover fragments of a fallen civilization — and maybe even a bit about themselves. Along the way, they might encounter another silent traveler: a mysterious figure who could be a friend, a guide, or simply another soul on their own path. No words, no usernames, no voice chat — just connection through movement, music, and the occasional joyful chirp.

But will Dave manage to stay quiet long enough to appreciate the moment, or will he start demanding a jetpack upgrade? And can Nick resist the urge to interpret every glowing mural like he’s on a conspiracy podcast? Join them as they float, sing, and occasionally get lost in the sands of Journey, where the destination may be the mountain, but the real adventure lies in how you get there — and who you share it with.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Critical Arcade, Dave and Nick jack into the grid and find themselves in the glitchy, time-twisting world of Digimon Story: Time Stranger. What was supposed to be a casual dive into cyberspace quickly spirals into a full-blown temporal disaster when a mysterious program tears through the world, merging past, present, and future into one big, corrupted mess.

Our intrepid hosts are dropped into the shoes of a really bad Secret Agent caught in the middle of this digital apocalypse, armed only with their starter Digimon. Together, they must unravel the story of Chronomon, a Digimon who claims to protect the flow of time itself but who met an untimely end at the hands of the Titans. As they travel through different zones of the Digital World — from the bustling hub town of Iliad to the tranquil underwater vibe of the Abyss — Dave and Nick must battle corrupted Digimon, restore lost memories, and unravel the secret behind the Chronomon before reality resets itself like a crashed emulator.

Will Dave finally learn the difference between “Data”, “Virus” and "Vaccine"? Will Nick ever stop using the phrase “timey-wimey” during serious cutscenes? And most importantly, can the two of them survive long enough to stop a cosmic reboot that threatens both the human and digital realms?

Grab your Digivice, back up your save file, and prepare for paradoxes, plot twists, and more emotional Digivolutions than you can handle — it’s Digimon Story: Time Stranger, and time itself is on the line.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.