In Episode 26 of the Critical Moves Podcast, Al, Nuno, Joe, Tim, Adam, and newcomer Jack gather for a special Q&A session, turning the tables and answering all the burning questions from the community. No debates or themes this time, just unfiltered, honest answers, plenty of banter, and the chance to reflect on the podcast’s journey so far.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead The episode kicks off with the team reflecting on their time with Critical Moves. Nuno jokes that his favourite part is not having to do any work. Joe shares the satisfaction of finding like-minded people, even if it means trashing Civilization 7 every week. Adam’s thrilled just to be able to talk about games without irritating his partner, and Tim gets sentimental, pointing out that getting to know everyone on the team has been the real highlight. Jack, appearing for the first time, thought he’d be the smartest in the room... but quickly realized he was wrong.
Most Anticipated Games of 2025 The team discusses their most anticipated strategy games for the coming year. Joe initially mentions Burden of Command before realizing it’s already out, then switches to the Victoria 3 DLC, especially the trade overhaul. Tim throws his support behind Tempest Rising, which Al had recently played and strongly recommends. Nuno picks Broken Arrow, though he’s not in love with the infantry system, while Jack’s excited about Endless Legend 2, despite not being a fan of the first game. Al, still buzzing from Tempest Rising, mentions how 2025 is shaping up to be a strong year, especially for those not waiting on Civ 7 to improve.
The Most Impactful Strategy Game of All Time The conversation shifts to the most impactful strategy game of all time—no talk of sales or influence here, just the games that left a lasting impression. Jack names Age of Empires II for its influence on strategy games, Joe picks Red Alert 2 for its unforgettable story (and Tanya’s dress), and Nuno agrees with Age of Empires II, adding that Company of Heroes was a major turning point for tactical depth. Al goes with Total Annihilation, claiming it changed RTS scale and ambition, though Tim pushes back, noting that the real impact was felt with Supreme Commander years later.
Playing the Classics We Missed Adam recalls playing Dune II and being impressed by how well it still holds up. Joe admits he’s never played Age of Wonders or Dwarf Fortress, while Tim praises Heroes of Might and Magic III, which he believes still holds up today. Jack, meanwhile, sticks to remastered classics but mentions a wishlist that includes Sid Meier’s Pirates and Age of Mythology. The group reflects on how nostalgia plays a part in strategy games, but Nuno jokes that many older titles just don’t live up to expectations when revisited.
Regrets, Rewrites, and Rethinks If they could redo one episode, which would it be? Tim picks one of the early episodes he hosted, particularly the Renaissance episode, feeling he could have been sharper. Nuno picks the Morality episode, feeling he held back too much and tried to be overly careful. Al would redo the Strategy Games That Made Us episode, calling it too self-indulgent and unstructured. The group agrees: early episodes feel clumsy because they were still finding their voice.
Desert Island Strategy Games A listener’s question leads the team to pick their desert island strategy game. Al sticks with Stellaris, citing its massive content and endless replayability. Jack agrees, though Tim gets philosophical and says he’d bring Unity or Visual Studio to create his own games—before admitting he’d probably pick Distant Worlds. Adam chooses Oxygen Not Included or Civilization, while Nuno surprises everyone by picking FTL, which he still plays regularly and never gets bored of.
Co-Op Strategy Games: Love or Hate? The team discusses their experiences with co-op strategy games. Adam loves co-op because it’s less stressful than competitive multiplayer. Tim favours custom co-op maps in StarCraft and Warcraft III, saying he wants more games to make co-op a central mode rather than an afterthought. Al, predictably, doesn’t play well with others, but even he admits co-op could be a way into multiplayer without the stress of direct competition.
Final Notes, Last Laughs The episode is filled with laughs, as Jack gets roasted, Tim is praised for being the nicest member, and Joe keeps bringing up Tanya’s dress. Adam once again worries that his partner will leave him because of the podcast. There’s also a fun five-minute segment where the crew tries to come up with a name for Jack’s future Stellaris podcast, “The Star of the Show,” though it thankfully gets rejected.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. Or find us on your preferred podcast service by searching Critical Moves Podcast.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead The episode kicks off with the team reflecting on their time with Critical Moves. Nuno jokes that his favourite part is not having to do any work. Joe shares the satisfaction of finding like-minded people, even if it means trashing Civilization 7 every week. Adam’s thrilled just to be able to talk about games without irritating his partner, and Tim gets sentimental, pointing out that getting to know everyone on the team has been the real highlight. Jack, appearing for the first time, thought he’d be the smartest in the room... but quickly realized he was wrong. Most Anticipated Games of 2025 The team discusses their most anticipated strategy games for the coming year. Joe initially mentions Burden of Command before realizing it’s already out, then switches to the Victoria 3 DLC, especially the trade overhaul. Tim throws his support behind Tempest Rising, which Al had recently played and strongly recommends. Nuno picks Broken Arrow, though he’s not in love with the infantry system, while Jack’s excited about Endless Legend 2, despite not being a fan of the first game. Al, still buzzing from Tempest Rising, mentions how 2025 is shaping up to be a strong year, especially for those not waiting on Civ 7 to improve. The Most Impactful Strategy Game of All Time The conversation shifts to the most impactful strategy game of all time—no talk of sales or influence here, just the games that left a lasting impression. Jack names Age of Empires II for its influence on strategy games, Joe picks Red Alert 2 for its unforgettable story (and Tanya’s dress), and Nuno agrees with Age of Empires II, adding that Company of Heroes was a major turning point for tactical depth. Al goes with Total Annihilation, claiming it changed RTS scale and ambition, though Tim pushes back, noting that the real impact was felt with Supreme Commander years later. Playing the Classics We Missed Adam recalls playing Dune II and being impressed by how well it still holds up. Joe admits he’s never played Age of Wonders or Dwarf Fortress, while Tim praises Heroes of Might and Magic III, which he believes still holds up today. Jack, meanwhile, sticks to remastered classics but mentions a wishlist that includes Sid Meier’s Pirates and Age of Mythology. The group reflects on how nostalgia plays a part in strategy games, but Nuno jokes that many older titles just don’t live up to expectations when revisited. Regrets, Rewrites, and Rethinks If they could redo one episode, which would it be? Tim picks one of the early episodes he hosted, particularly the Renaissance episode, feeling he could have been sharper. Nuno picks the Morality episode, feeling he held back too much and tried to be overly careful. Al would redo the Strategy Games That Made Us episode, calling it too self-indulgent and unstructured. The group agrees: early episodes feel clumsy because they were still finding their voice. Desert Island Strategy Games A listener’s question leads the team to pick their desert island strategy game. Al sticks with Stellaris, citing its massive content and endless replayability. Jack agrees, though Tim gets philosophical and says he’d bring Unity or Visual Studio to create his own games—before admitting he’d probably pick Distant Worlds. Adam chooses Oxygen Not Included or Civilization, while Nuno surprises everyone by picking FTL, which he still plays regularly and never gets bored of. Co-Op Strategy Games: Love or Hate? The team discusses their experiences with co-op strategy games. Adam loves co-op because it’s less stressful than competitive multiplayer. Tim favours custom co-op maps in StarCraft and Warcraft III, saying he wants more games to make co-op a central mode rather than an afterthought. Al, predictably, doesn’t play well with others, but even he admits co-op could be a way into multiplayer without the stress of direct competition. Final Notes, Last Laughs The episode is filled with laughs, as Jack gets roasted, Tim is praised for being the nicest member, and Joe keeps bringing up Tanya’s dress. Adam once again worries that his partner will leave him because of the podcast. There’s also a fun five-minute segment where the crew tries to come up with a name for Jack’s future Stellaris podcast, “The Star of the Show,” though it thankfully gets rejected.Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. Or find us on your preferred podcast service by searching Critical Moves Podcast.