Best Game Time With Manny Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 284 -CLOWNS NO MORE 1:14:32

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8h ago1:14:32

1:14:32

We are clowns no more! Gamescom got us a Silksong release date and much more! We talk about that and the 45 minute video of Sakurai playing Kirby Air Riders!I haven't been playing much, but Matt tells us all about the end of the Sabateur!By Manny

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Exploring Early Literacy and Civics Education with Education Commissioner Manny Diaz 24:38

3h ago24:38

24:38

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host and Strategos Partner Tom Luna sits down with Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr. to discuss the state's bold strides in education reform. Recorded at the ExcelinEd conference in Oklahoma City, this conversation highlights Florida’s leadership in school choice, civics education, early literacy…

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2025 ATP Week 35-36 - US Open with @SmoothManSports (Recap, Draw Talk and Futures, Fantasy Draft, R1 Matches) 4:58:16

8d ago4:58:16

4:58:16

In this 5 hour US Open mega pod, we are joined by special guest @SmoothManSports! First, we recap the summer hard court swing and discuss topics such as Fokina's struggle to win a tournament, Shelton's improvement, Djokovic's expectations, Draper's outlook, Sinner/Alcaraz's dominance, and much more! Next, we talk about the US Open draw in depth and…

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Episode 283 - Have You Heard of Fortnite 59:35

21d ago59:35

59:35

Original Switch princes increasing, THQ announcing games, and recording on the correct day! It's a banger of a podcast.I started playing Fortnite in the year of our lord 2025, and Matt continued to play the Saboteur!By Manny

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Episode 282 - Oh Banana 1:49:05

29d ago1:49:05

1:49:05

The schedule has been a bit off due to rescheduled recordings but at least this one is going up on a Sunday! Hopefully next week we can resume the regular schedule.However, that doesn't mean this is a light episode! We chat about some Nintendo news (sadly the day before the partner direct), Supermassive layoffs, and the Steam/Itch.io payment proces…

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Episode 281 - DK Eve 1:43:52

1M ago1:43:52

1:43:52

Just like every other time we record on an odd day I forgot to upload this for almost two weeks! If you're still interested you can listen to us react to the insane Microsoft layoffs and then talk a bunch about Viva Pinata!By Manny

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Navigating Special Education Challenges with Expert Insights from Kathy Hoffman 18:04

1M ago18:04

18:04

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with Kathy Hoffman, former Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction and a passionate advocate for special education. Now serving as the Executive Director for Innovation and Special Education Initiatives at Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Kathy is leading…

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Episode 280 - Standless 1:17:42

2M ago1:17:42

1:17:42

This week I am super happy because I am not playing Death Stranding 2. Kojima can't fool me twice!We hit up the big news stories over the past two weeks like Marathon's indefinite delay, WB Games restructuring, DK Bananza looking cool, and the SAG-AFTRA strike ending.Matt continued to play Borderlands the Pre-Sequel, while I finished up Doom the Da…

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2025 ATP Week 27-28 - Wimbledon (Recap of Grass Court Tuneups, Draw Talk and Futures, R1 Preview) 2:55:46

2M ago2:55:46

2:55:46

In this mega pod, we are joined by special guest @HawkiingLines (Luke Philpott). We start off the pod with a comprehensive recap of the grass court tune ups. Some of the topics we discuss are Diallo's upside, Bublik's power ranking, Medvedev's preferred surface, expectations for Musetti at Wimbledon, the decline of Rublev and Tsitsipas, and power r…

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Enhancing Education: Insights on Standards, Choice, and Accountability with Chad Aldis 19:10

2M ago19:10

19:10

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with Chad Aldis, Vice President of Ohio Policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, to discuss the pressing challenges and opportunities in American education. Aldis shares his journey from law school to the forefront of education policy, detailing his work in school choice, academic stan…

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Episode 279 - Switch to SGF 2:24:41

3M ago2:24:41

2:24:41

Video gaming comes to the masses with the launch of the Switch 2 and Summer Game Fest 2025 streams. Matt and I chat about the three main showcases around SGF and how we felt about them.We transition to what we have been playing and the Switch 2! Matt played Borderlands the Pre-sequel and I spent all my time on my hot new Switch 2. Sadly I played th…

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2025 ATP Week 24 - Stuttgart, Den Bosch (Sinner vs. Alcaraz Recap, Wk 24 Recap, Final Previews) 1:27:30

3M ago1:27:30

1:27:30

In this pod, we first discuss the classic Roland Garros final between Sinner and Alcaraz and where it ranks among the greatest tennis matches in history. We then discuss other storylines which arose from Roland Garros, including who is closest to challenging Sinner and Alcaraz, Zverev's mental issues in slams, and Medvedev's precipitous decline. We…

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Episode 278 - Teen 1:38:55

3M ago1:38:55

1:38:55

The news is dominated by the Switch 2 since it comes out in less than a week! Sadly there is also another studio closure! The industry is doing great!Matt finished Doom the Dark Ages while I got about halfway through. I started To a T, and beat Fantasy Life i. Turns out Level-5 might be back?By Manny

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2025 Week 22-23 - Roland Garros (R1-R3 Recap and Takeaways, R4 Preview) 1:58:11

3M ago1:58:11

1:58:11

In this Roland Garros pod, we recap the first 7 days of the tournament and discuss the betting lines for the eight 4th round matches. We talk about a multitude of topics including: Sinner's dominant performance vs. Lehecka and his prospects for the business end of the tournament, Draper's rise and physical/mental maturity, Musetti's potential, Alca…

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2025 ATP Week 22 - Roland Garros (Draw Talk, Futures Bets, Round 1 Preview) 2:30:46

3M ago2:30:46

2:30:46

In this new pod, we talk all things @rolandgarros. We do a mega preview of the draw and breakdown each quarter individually. We talk about a multitude of topics including: potential roadblocks for Sinner and Alcaraz, Musetti's "easy" quarter, Djokovic's chances of winning a 25th grand slam, and much more. We incorporate some Round 1 talk in the dra…

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2025 ATP Week 21 - Madrid/Rome Recap, Clay Court Power Rankings, Geneva/Hamburg 2nd Round Preview 1:54:18

3M ago1:54:18

1:54:18

In our first pod in a while, we do a comprehensive recap of the Masters 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome. We talk about a multitude of topics including Alcaraz's win vs. Sinner in the Rome final, possible threats to Sinner and Alcaraz at Roland Garros, Draper and Musetti's rise, Zverev's relative struggles, Cerundolo's improvements, and much mor…

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Episode 277 - My Top Ten Redo 1:57:16

4M ago1:57:16

1:57:16

There was essentially no news this week, so we ramble a bit and then get into what we have been playing. Obviously Doom: The Dark Ages is top of mind for both of us, but I also bought a CRT to play extremely relevant releases like Super Smash Bros. Melee and Chibi-Robo.To finish we finally get the time to redo my top ten games of all time list, whi…

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Inside Ohio’s Game Plan for Workforce-Ready Graduates 38:38

4M ago38:38

38:38

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna welcomes Stephen D. Dackin, Director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, for a conversation that dives deep into the evolving role of education in preparing students for life beyond high school. With over four decades in public education—as a teacher, principal, superintendent, and …

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Episode 276 - This is Fine 1:59:32

4M ago1:59:32

1:59:32

We had a couple weeks of no bad news, but that all ended this week. If you don't want to hear me get angry and sad about the state of games media then you can skip this one. Xbox Prices go up, GTA VI delayed, Respawn layoffs, Giant Bomb and Polygon gutted. Only the most uplifting topics!Then we move on to what we have been playing! Both Matt and I …

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Educational Revolution: Mackenzie Price on Two-Hour Learning 29:46

4M ago29:46

29:46

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with MacKenzie Price, an innovative educator and co-founder of 2hr Learning and Alpha School, who is redefining how we approach K-12 education. MacKenzie shares her journey, from growing up in a small-town school to attending Stanford and ultimately pioneering a model that challenges the…

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Episode 275 - Inazuma Rises From the Ashes 1:54:44

4M ago1:54:44

1:54:44

Finally we get a week without terrible depressing news in the industry! Inazuma returns and is out this August, Switch 2 pre-orders are back on in the US and Canada, The Oblivion Remake is super real and coming out soon, and we know so much more about Mario Kart World.I played Split Fiction, Promise Mascot Agency, and Blue Prince. Matt played Donke…

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2025 ATP Week 16 - Barcelona, Munich (QF Preview, Recap of Monte Carlo and Start of Clay Season) 2:23:45

5M ago2:23:45

2:23:45

Our first podcast in a while includes an in-depth preview of all 8 quarterfinal matches in @bcnopenbs and @BMWOpen500. As Manny hasn't seen the lines prior to recording, we play "guess the lines" which is inspired by @BillSimmons podcast with Cousin Sal during the NFL season! We also recap the start to the clay court season and give our thoughts on…

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Episode 274 - True Switch 2 Reveal 2:19:59

5M ago2:19:59

2:19:59

This week is all about Nintendo. We talk about the Switch direct and then talk about the Switch 2 direct and all of its follow-up for the rest of the time. It's a lot to digest, so make sure you're ready.By Manny

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2025 ATP Week 14 Solo Pod - Miami Final Recap, Marrakech/Bucharest/Houston Futures Talk 26:01

5M ago26:01

26:01

In Manny's solo pod, he recaps the impressive win by Jakub Mensik in the Miami final vs. Novak Djokovic and talks about the outlook for both guys heading into the clay court season. Then, he talks about the three ATP 250s in Marrakech, Bucharest, and Houston and mentions his favorite futures plays. He finishes the episode with a few 1st round plays…

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Carissa Miller on State Education Chiefs and Innovative Teaching Solutions at Excel in Ed 20:28

5M ago20:28

20:28

In Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with Dr. Carissa Moffat Miller, CEO of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), to discuss the evolving landscape of education policy, leadership, and innovation. With decades of experience shaping state and national education initiatives, Dr. Miller shares insights into the challenges and op…

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2025 ATP Week 12-13 - Miami (Indian Wells Recap and Miami R1-R4 Recap, QF Preview) 1:44:03

5M ago1:44:03

1:44:03

In this pod, we recap the last few weeks and talk about the later rounds of the ATP Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and the first 3-4 rounds of the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami. We talk about a multitude of topics including: Alcaraz's undisciplined play, Draper's title run in IW and future potential, Fonseca's hype and whether it's justified, Rune's imma…

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Episode 273 - Almost 100k 1:28:26

5M ago1:28:26

1:28:26

The news is not very exciting, but Sony got some new studios and there might be an Oblivion remake? Anyways, Matt played a ton of stuff like Fear and one of the greatest games of all time VIVA PINATA. I on the other hand played the Xenoblade Chronicles X Remake.By Manny

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2025 ATP Week 10-11 - Indian Wells (Recap of Week 8-9, Indian Wells R4 Preview) 1:41:11

6M ago1:41:11

1:41:11

In this podcast, we talk about a bunch of topics surrounding the ATP Tour including: Djokovic's loss to VDZ and his prospects of winning another slam, whether or not we are updating our priors with Tsitsipas after Dubai, Ruud's pathetic showing vs. Giron, Griekspoor's impressive results in Dubai and IW, Davidovich Fokina's inability to capture his …

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Episode 272 - Matt's Top 10 Redo 2:09:20

6M ago2:09:20

2:09:20

This week we go over some cool announcements like the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 remakes, and what was shown about Pokemon Legends AZ. Then we turn over to the regular awful news of Monolith being closed and the Wonder Woman game getting cancelled...I regale the podcast with tales of the 50+ hours I spent in Monster Hunter Wilds over the course of a …

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Charting Education's Future: Accountability and Choice with Bill Hansen 16:36

6M ago16:36

16:36

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with Bill Hansen, President & CEO of Building Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting charter school facilities, financing, and services. Hansen, a veteran leader in education policy and philanthropy, shares his insights on the challenges and opportunities in expanding school choice, d…

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Episode 271 - It's About to Get Wild 1:48:42

6M ago1:48:42

1:48:42

A bunch of showcases got announced for next week, but we mainly discuss the slew of games announced and shown at the recent PlayStation State of Play. It was actually a pretty good one.We finish off with me talking about the new games I played these past few weeks like Trails Through Daybreak 2, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.…

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Indiana's Education Transformation: Katie Jenner on Teacher Shortages and Student Graduation Reforms 28:01

7M ago28:01

28:01

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host and former Idaho State Superintendent Tom Luna sits down with Katie Jenner, Indiana’s Secretary of Education, to discuss the state’s bold initiatives to enhance education outcomes. Now in her fifth year leading the Indiana Department of Education, Katie shares insights into the state’s innovative policies …

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2025 ATP Week 6-8 - Recap of Davis Cup/Montpellier/Rotterdam/Dallas, Draw Talk for Week 8 ATP 250s 2:09:27

7M ago2:09:27

2:09:27

In this mega pod, we recap the last two weeks on the ATP Tour. We start by talking about the entertaining Davis Cup Qualifiers 1st Round including the Grain-Bergs controversy and fun ties between Denmark-Canada, Norway-Argentina, and Japan-Great Britain. We then recap Montpellier and discuss Kovacevic's incredible week, FAA's impressive play indoor…

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Episode 270 - Why are you walking around 1:18:21

7M ago1:18:21

1:18:21

Windows is my arch nemesis and changed the volume of my mic, so it sounds super blown out the entire episode. aghhhhhh!Anyways, we talk again about how the entire video games industry is crumbling! At least the Switch 2 joycons can be used as a mouse though!To finish we chat about the games we've been playing and even some like Citizen Sleeper 2 an…

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Episode 269 - Switch 2 REVEALED 2:15:49

7M ago2:15:49

2:15:49

We hop into the podcast this week to talk about how the Switch 2 was finally unveiled by Nintendo, Sony cancelled some live service games, and Xbox put on a great Developer Direct.We both played a bunch of games, so we talk about those a while before transitioning into determining what the best exclusive Switch games of all time are!…

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Episode 268 - We're Leaking 1:43:25

8M ago1:43:25

1:43:25

We're back for the first podcast of 2025! We talk a bit about the insane amount of Switch 2 leaks recently, How Assassin's Creed Shadows is delayed again, and how Stardew Valley sold a bazillion copies.I didn't play anything new so Matt tells us about the myriad of games he's been getting into before we transition into a fun game for part 3. True f…

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Pre AO Episode - Q2 Short! 7:58

8M ago7:58

7:58

We discuss a random section of Quarter 2 in the AUstralian Open draw. Includes a lot of Matteo Arnaldi talk!!!! We ended up both betting him to win the quarter at 100/1 !!!

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2025 ATP Week 3-4 - Australian Open (Draw Talk, Futures Bets, Round 1 Thoughts) 2:08:07

8M ago2:08:07

2:08:07

In this new pod, we start with a very brief recap of the ATP 250s in Auckland and Adelaide. We then dive deep into the first grand slam of 2025, the Australian Open, where we talk about the conditions, the draw, outright picks, quarter prices, and much more. We finish the show with a brief discussion on the 1st round matches. Apologies for not prev…

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2025 ATP Week 1 - United Cup/Brisbane/Hong Kong Recap; Auckland/ Adelaide/AO Qualifying Preview 1:52:29

8M ago1:52:29

1:52:29

In this podcast, we recap the first week of the season at the United Cup, Brisbane, and Hong Kong. We discuss a multitude of topics including Tomas Machac's upside, Opelka's win vs. Djokovic in Brisbane, Muller's tenacious run in Hong Kong, the "rise" of Mpetshi Perricard, Dimitrov's recent struggles with injury, Lehecka's potential, and much more.…

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Bonus Pod - The Making of Matt's 2024 GOTY List 1:38:50

8M ago1:38:50

1:38:50

Matt recorded himself going through his thought process on getting to his top ten list for 2024.By Manny

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Episode 267 - GOTY 2024 2:59:31

8M ago2:59:31

2:59:31

The year is ending, so that means it's time for Matt, Noukeo and I to regale you with our top ten video games of the year. For those unfamiliar we start with our number ten and then go around the horn counting down until we reach our number one games of the year.This year it's even more surprising than usual because you have no idea what year the g…

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Episode 266 - GOTY Categories 2024 3:26:03

8M ago3:26:03

3:26:03

Matt and I discuss the highlights of the game awards and how he became totally Balatro pilled before moving into our yearly game of the year categories.This year is a bit different and he played mostly old games, so we hear about those from him but I stick to 2024 and let you know all about what was HOT.…

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Overcoming Challenges in Education with James Lane on Swimming Upstream 26:59

9M ago26:59

26:59

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with James Lane, former Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction and a key leader in U.S. education. With a career spanning classroom teaching, district leadership, and senior roles in both state and federal education departments, Lane brings a wealth of experience and insight to th…

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Preseason Episode 2 Short - Medvedev-Fritz and Berretini-Lehecka 20:15

9M ago20:15

20:15

Manny and Brad make a dinner bet on a couple of "Who Will be Ranked Higher" challenges. Probably the best 20 minutes of the podcast for those of you who don't' like to slog through 3 hours of our terribly grainy voices ;).

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2025 Preseason Pod #2 - Bovada Season Long Specials, "Who Will Be Ranked Higher?", Buy or Sell 2:38:50

9M ago2:38:50

2:38:50

In this preseason mega pod, we do a big preview of the 2025 ATP season. We talk about the Bovada season long specials, including who will be ranked #1, and ranked in the Top 10/20/30/etc. We then do some hypothetical player comparisons and discuss who will be ranked higher. Some of our discussions include Rublev/De Minaur, Ruud/Hurkacz, Fritz/Medve…

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Episode 265 - The Diver Returns 1:45:35

9M ago1:45:35

1:45:35

We go over the few news stories and then transition into why I have been watching TV instead of playing games. Don't worry though because as usual Matt has been going absolutely ham and playing a bunch.To finish we bring back a rare part 3 as we figure out what our collective favorite game of 2023 was!…

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Episode 263 - Backwards Compatability 1:35:37

10M ago1:35:37

1:35:37

We go over the tidbits of news like the Nintendo Music App, and Sony closing Firewalk Studios. Then we get into all the hot games we've been playing. I have gone hard into Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Matt hit up titles like Prodeus and Dicey Dungeons.By Manny

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Gordon Jones on Overcoming Educational Challenges in Idaho 23:58

10M ago23:58

23:58

In this episode Swimming Upstream, I'm your host,Tom Luna Tom Luna engages in an enlightening conversation with Gordon Jones, President of the College of Western Idaho (CWI), live from the ASU GSV Conference in San Diego. With a rich educational background spanning K-12 teaching to leadership roles at Ivy League institutions, Gordon shares his comp…

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Episode 262 - Far Cry 3 Jamboree 1:36:21

10M ago1:36:21

1:36:21

We return with a wildly barebones news week. While we do discuss the disbanding of the studio behind Prince of Persia the lost crown I fill the rest of the time letting you know how I feel about my Alarmo.As for what we have been playing I finished Metaphor and Good Boy Galaxy while diving back into Hades II. Matt finished Saint's Row 2 and moved o…

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Episode 261 - Sound The Alarmo 1:50:46

11M ago1:50:46

1:50:46

It's been a wild two weeks since the last podcast. Nintendo announced an alarm clock, Ubisoft is in for a potential buyout and the original Red Dead is coming to PC finally.Despite the fact that I had COVID for a week I still managed to play a bit of Zelda, start and stop Victory Heat Rally when I lost my save data, and binge Metaphor: Refantazio f…