Team Chat Podcast: A Video Game Podcast · Team Chat Podcast

Wanderstop Review - Team Chat Podast Ep. 339

·53 min·4 clips

Ahmed Best, Jar Jar Binks himself, directed South of Midnight and pioneered motion capture technology.

This episode of Team Chat Podcast is a review of the video game Wanderstop, hosted by Jared Wilson and Rachel Mogan. The hosts are experienced video game commentators who provide critical analysis of new releases. Wanderstop is a narrative-focused game from the creator of The Stanley Parable, developed by Ivy Road and published by Annapurna Interactive. The player controls Alta, a former champion gladiator on a losing streak who seeks training from a master named Winters. Alta collapses in a magical forest and awakens at a tea shop called Wanderstop, run by a gentle, third-person-speaking character named Boro. The core gameplay involves picking tea leaves, growing hybrid plants for ingredients, and brewing custom teas for a handful of customers using a detailed machine. The game lacks traditional time pressure, currency, or penalties for mistakes, creating a relaxed pace. The story progresses through distinct phases as Alta grapples with her inability to leave the clearing and her fading physical strength. A surprising revelation is that the game's director, Ahmed Best, is known for portraying Jar Jar Binks and pioneered motion capture technology. The hosts note the game's marketing hinted at a deeper narrative beneath its tea-shop simulator facade, contrasting with expectations of a farming sim like Stardew Valley. One memorable moment involves Alta's custom sword becoming mysteriously too heavy for her to carry, which Boro can lift easily. An interesting gameplay mechanic allows players to incorrectly add found trinkets, like a snow globe or teddy bear, to a customer's tea, which they will reject. The game's vibrant, saturated art style and evolving clearing environment are highlighted as visual strengths. The tone is conversational and informal, featuring friendly banter and personal anecdotes between the co-hosts. The style is analytical but approachable, blending summary with the hosts' subjective experiences playing the game. This episode would appeal to listeners interested in narrative-driven indie games, psychological themes, or the works of Davey Wreden. Listeners seeking a deep management simulator or action-oriented gameplay might find the review suggests the game isn't for them.

As heard by us

A lively review that uses nerdy shorthand to explain the game's strange emotional logic.

The episode gives Team Chat Podcast room to settle into Wanderstop with easy three-way chemistry and a relaxed, familiar rhythm. It follows Alta's repeated trouble keeping moving, and it explains the sword's sudden weight in plain language without flattening the mystery.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play if you want a smart, funny read on South of Midnight.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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