What’s the best game that shipped on multiple discs? The Best Games Ever Podcast

Most games shipped on multiple discs, if you think about it…

Image credit:VG247, Square Enix

The Best Games Ever podcast is a game show where three regular panellists have to find the best game in a weirdly specific category such as “Best game with a named horse”, or “Best game with a terrible British accent”. They have to pitch their pick to our host, Jim, who then decides the winner. But there’s a lot of office politics, backstabbing, and meta-gaming going on which makes this mild-mannered panel game fraught with real danger.

Physical game releases have been in danger of disappearing for a long time, what with Steam all but killing the PC optical drive, a cheaper discless PS5, and the rumoured incoming Xbox Series refresh which will do away with bluray even on the premium model. They’re not likely to die off entirely: there will always be holdouts in the die-hard enthusiast sector, there are still people releasing Mega Drive carts now in 2024.

But there will come a time when, for all intents and purposes, the era of major game releases on disc will come to an end. It makes sense for publishers. It makes sense for the environment. It makes sense for people trying to live in a small flat (hello). But it will be a shame when it finally succumbs to the inevitable, because there’s nothing quite like the tactile appeal of holding a new game box. Reading the manual on the bus home. Slipping it in amongst its new shelf siblings in the correct alphabetical order, its colourful spine adding to the cacophony of Cool Logos that adorn your living space. Digital libraries try to simulate this, but they just don’t scratch that particular itch.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the physical game that will be lost is the thrill of a multi-disc release. The promise of a grand old time, an endless adventure too big to be contained on but one measly piece of landfill fodder. Two discs? Cor, what a treat. THREE discs? Man, this has gotta be good! EIGHT DISCS? What could POSSIBLY… oh, about an hour of crappy FMV. Still, you can’t put a price on that initial excitement.

What, then, is the best multi-disc game of all time? And does it have Final Fantasy in the title? To find out, watch or listen to our esteemed panel argue about it for approximately forty of your earth minutes via the handy methods included below. You have no excuse! None!

Watch the video version ofThe Best Games Ever Showhere:

This is the video. You should watch it, you get to see our faces as Connor recounts his shirtless bin diving story.Watch on YouTube

Listen to the audio version ofThe Best Games Ever Showhere:

This is the audio. You should listen to it, that way you don’t have to see our faces as Connor recounts his shirtless bin diving story.

Special thanks to David Bulmer for performing “Jim’s Theme”.

What's the best game that shipped on multiple discs? The Best Games Ever Podcast - 5

Elite

Video Game

What's the best game that shipped on multiple discs? The Best Games Ever Podcast - 6

Enter the Matrix

PS2 , Xbox , PC

What's the best game that shipped on multiple discs? The Best Games Ever Podcast - 7

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC , Nintendo Switch 2

What's the best game that shipped on multiple discs? The Best Games Ever Podcast - 8

Lost Odyssey

Xbox 360

What's the best game that shipped on multiple discs? The Best Games Ever Podcast - 9

Red Dead Redemption 2

PS4 , Xbox One , PC

Wishlisted - Our 10 Best Steam Next Fest Demos

Another Next Fest kicks off soon, but we’ve already done the digging for you.

Welcome to Wishlisted, a showcase of our favourite demos from Steam Next Fest: June 2024. Check the video above or watch on YouTube .

Finding the Best NextFest Demos is all about the joy of discovery, but with so many Steam Next Fest demos getting released in such a short amount of time, it can be bewildering. So we’ve decided to show you our ten Best Steam Next Fest games which we think deserve your attention. These are all upcoming Steam Next Fest games that we’re genuinely excited for, and that we think should play nicely on PC handhelds too!

This is just the start of our Next Fest coverage. This week we’ll be previewing loads of upcoming demos across the entire network - right here on VG247, of course, but also over on our sister sites Eurogamer and Rock Paper Shotgun. Bookmark our Wishlisted Steam Fest hub to stay in the loop. And this is well before Next Fest actually starts, so you, dear reader, get to bask for a solid fortnight celebrating all the wonderful new games that are just around the corner. Enjoy!