Spawn On Me with Kahlief Adams: A Video Game Podcast · Spawn On Me LLC

Top 10 Gamescom 2025 Games We're Hyped For!

·1 hr 38 min·9 clips

Cam argues Souls-likes are sucking up creative air, with 90% looking identical and gameplay barely changing.

This episode of Spawn On Me features host Kahlief Adams and guest Cam Hawkins discussing their top games from Gamescom 2025. Adams, celebrating his birthday, and Hawkins, a regular contributor, analyze the event's announcements through their shared lens as Black gamers. They begin by critiquing the overall structure and content of Geoff Keighley's Opening Night Live presentation. Hawkins argues this was the best Opening Night Live in memory regarding project quality and pacing, yet felt it overshadowed European developers typically highlighted at Gamescom. Both hosts express fatigue with the oversaturation of Soulslikes, with Adams noting at least three or four were shown. Hawkins claims most new action games at the show, aside from shooters, were Soulslikes, and he finds the genre visually homogenized around Victorian or feudal Japanese aesthetics. Adams agrees, stating the visual style has become so mimicked that games like *Lies of P* or the upcoming *Lords of the Fallen 2* feel derivative. A surprising comparison arises when Hawkins contrasts the criticism of Soulslikes with the reception of gacha games, which he argues are also oversaturated but face more consistent complaints. Adams recounts a viral tweet where he suggested the Soulslike genre "take a break," which he says was misinterpreted as a call to end the genre entirely. They critique the show's length, with Adams noting it ran nearly two and a half hours and Greg Miller of Kinda Funny also commented on its duration. Adams suggests Geoff Keighley should stop hosting and proposes streamer Shox as a replacement with better energy. The hosts then highlight specific games they are excited about, starting with *Unbeatable*, a rhythm-action game published by Playstack that Hawkins calls a "breath of fresh air." *Voidbreaker*, another Playstack title, is a fast-paced first-person shooter on PC Game Pass that Hawkins compares to *Doom*, *Ghostrunner*, and *Returnal*. *Valor Mortis*, a first-person Soulslike from the *Ghostrunner* developers, intrigues them due to its unique perspective and inclusion of guns alongside melee combat. *La Divina Comedia* is a dark fantasy ARPG based on Dante's *Divine Comedy*, which Hawkins is optimistic about due to its compelling setting, though he notes it's not explicitly marketed as a Soulslike. They discuss the upcoming *Helldivers 2* DLC inspired by *Halo 3: ODST*, which includes weapons like the silenced SMG and SOCCOM pistol. Adams is excited for *Replaced*, a 2.5D sci-fi action platformer by Sad Cat Studios, praising its striking, Blade Runner-esque art direction. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending personal anecdote with critical industry commentary. This episode would appeal to gamers interested in critical event recaps and discussions on industry trends, particularly the saturation of specific genres. Listeners seeking only celebratory hype or those with no interest in genre criticism might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A conversational look at game labeling and the Helldivers 2 and Halo-inspired crossover.

Spawn On Me spends its time on more than the latest gaming chatter. It looks at how games get labeled and why that language matters, while keeping its steady focus on gaming through a prism of blackness.

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You want a lively games-news listen that still makes room for bigger-picture talk.

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