Stephen Hilger + Brendon Bigley
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A low key video game podcast by Stephen Hilger and Brendon Bigley. Produced by AJ Fillari!
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · August 2026
Into the Aether turns video games into relaxed, specific talk about taste, memory, hardware, horror, and the pull of a backlog.
Into the Aether is a low-key video game podcast with a generous idea of what deserves attention. In the sampled episodes, Silksong, Resident Evil Requiem, Persona 4 Golden, Danganronpa, Mario Tennis Fever, and Octopath Traveler 0 sit beside handheld emulation, older Nintendo…
You want friends who compare Silksong dread to Bloodborne before pizza and a nap.
Press play if you want
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A calm remake talk that turns one Dragon Quest into a bigger series question.
The episode pairs Brendan with AJ while Stephen is away, and the conversation settles into a relaxed, unforced rhythm. It moves from Dragon Quest VII's island-by-island structure to why Square picked this remake now, with the speakers bringing a lived-in sense of real apartment…
A loose, affectionate games chat that is strongest around Lumines Arise.
Demons Cool is an Into the Aether episode that opens with Silvando and then settles into the show's loose, conversational rhythm. Brendan Bigley and Stephen Holger trade near-term memory jokes before spending most of their time on Lumines Arise.
A woozy, funny talk about why a punishing climb still feels worth trying.
This episode treats Peak as a game that can turn a simple climb into a patience test. Brendan and Stephen begin with feeling ill, then get into the mountain stretch itself: sun exposure, scorpions, TNT, and the need to duck into shade or caves.
A cozy builder discussion that turns Pocopia into a real conversation about pace, curiosity, and player choice.
Pocopia makes for a cozy builder conversation, and Brendan Bigley and Stephen Hilder give it enough energy to feel grounded rather than novelty-driven.
A warm, patient look at the small design tricks that make LEGO Party feel distinctive.
Into the Aether opens with a self-aware gag, then settles into a patient look at the small design touches that make LEGO Party distinctive. Brendan Bigley and Stephen Hilger linger on the details: a pizza costume, the two announcers, and the way map branches can shift what is…
A sniffly, affectionate hangout that turns game chatter into a running joke about matchmaking.
Brendan Bigley comes off sniffly after New York Fashion Week and two weddings, and the episode does not try to smooth that over. A small update turns into a running bit about the show acting like a matchmaker, with Brendan Klinkenberg and Alana Okun folded into the joke.
A warm, sleepy episode about returning to Persona 4 Golden and taking one game at a time.
Brendan Bigley and Stephen Holger settle into an easy, half-laughing rhythm that makes the episode feel like a pause between bigger things. It starts with post-Goatee exhaustion, chili, corn muffins, cookies, and Antique Roadshow before turning to Brendan's return to Persona 4…
A wary Mario Tennis Fever opening that opens into easy talk about horror co-op and why some games click.
Brendan Bigley and Steven Hilger start with Mario Tennis Fever and a wary first take that opens into a broader question about why some Mario sports games land and others do not.
Nilay Patel presses tech and media CEOs on how they actually run their companies.
Physician Shoshana Ungerleider pairs TED talks with interviews on aging, drug prices, and menopause.
Food52 hosts break down recipes and food-business origin stories, from sourdough to Salty Pimp cones.
Dan Pashman revisits food science with Kenji López-Alt and rotating live comedy guests.
Into the Aether opens with a live reaction to Nintendo's Direct, where the hosts talk about a Mario 40th anniversary segment, Super Mario Galaxy on Switch in October, and the Super Mario Galaxy Movie in March.
Into the Aether celebrates hitting its Patreon goal and spends real time sitting with what that means for the show.
Brendan Bigley and Stephen Hilger start in Chicago.
The episode opens on High Guard.
Brendan and Steven discuss their marathon Persona 4 Golden bonus recording, then dive deep into playing Persona 5 Royal on Switch 2 with the new handheld boost mode, comparing visual quality across platforms.
Into the Aether opens in full Resident Evil freak mode.
Brendan and Stephen start by comparing notes on being sick, the weather turning, and the kind of random nosebleed chaos that makes fall feel personal.
Brendan Bigley opens the show without Stephen Hilger, who is out because of scheduling conflicts, and is joined by producer AJ Flaherty.
Brendan Bigley and Stephen Holger start off in a goofy mood.
Brendan Bigley and Steven Hilgert start with their usual low-key energy and then roll a dice to see where to begin.
Brendan Bigley and Stephen Hilger open by acknowledging the obvious: *Silksong* is finally out.
Brendan is sniffly.
Brendan Bigley and Steven Hilger kick off with Mario Tennis Fever.
Brendan Bigley and Stephen Hilger open with Halloween, November, and Foul Rift, New Jersey, then use that thread to get into Dragon Quest I and II remake details.
Brendan and Stephen open by circling back to Pocopia.
Brendan Bigley and Stephen Hilger open with Nobuo Uematsu holding a giant pizza, then move into Square Enix’s shifting identity, from Fantasian and Mistwalker to the uneven response to recent Final Fantasy games.
The Elden Ring inspiration really, really hurts this game. It's so blatantly copying the imagery.
Brendan Bigley and Stephen Holger come back after their Goatee spectacular in a very soft, very full state.
Into the Aether spends much of this episode on Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved, a debut game from Armonica that Brendan Bigley links to Famicom Detective Club, Ace Attorney, and Hotel Dusk.
Brendan Bigley and Stephen Hilger kick things off by immediately blowing up their own joke and laughing through the reset.
Into the Aether’s Halloween episode covers Kiss Off, Voices of the Void, and The Seance of Blake Manor, with the hosts using dice rolls to pick the order.
The hosts thank listeners for feedback on a bonus episode about Persona 4 Golden and discuss their experience finishing the game.
The hosts chat about their weekend, a wedding, and their new show Shredder, then transition to discussing games.
The hosts introduce their new video game podcast, discussing its name and origins from listener surveys.
The hosts thank listeners for positive feedback on a long episode about the PSP and discuss the community's enthusiasm for Ridge Racer and retro gaming.
The hosts discuss their preparations for an upcoming PSP-focused episode, sharing their experiences replaying classic PSP games.
The hosts chat about their recent gaming experiences and announce an upcoming Patreon episode about the making of a PSP list.
The host and guests discuss the anxiety of hosting and being guests on podcasts, with a focus on video game podcasting.
The hosts chat casually about their weekend, including a brunch outing and snowy weather, before transitioning into video game talk.
The hosts discuss Dragon Age: Veilguard and the history of Bioware games.