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Tag: Video Games

Posts related to video games (console and computer).

Inserting Spaces

Inserting Spaces

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STANDING WITH UKRAINE: Our hosts take a minute to discuss the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

REVIEWING REVIEWS: The release of FromSoftware’s newest game, Elden Ring, has many people talking about reviews due to the fact that many outlets rated the game 10/10 (or whatever metric they use) while the reviewers openly admit that they didn’t finish the game (this was due to FromSoftware releasing review codes to websites really late). This lead D. Bethel and Andrew to consider what the role of a review is––heck, what even is a review when the gamut runs from professional reviews to user-written Amazon reviews.

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  • “Starting By Starting” (03 January 2020): Where D. Bethel discusses his time playing Frogwares’ The Sinking City.

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Flabbercast

Flabbercast

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TRAIN SUPLEX: The trailer for the next and last (of the current set) of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series from Square Enix, Final Fantasy VI, has been released and our hosts have some thoughts (and nitpicks).

NFTHAC0: TTRPG Twitter caught on fire when discussion erupted around the possibility that Dungeons & Dragons developer, Wizards of the Coast, might be considering getting into the NFT game.

RESCUE THE RANGERS: A trailer for an upcoming movie based on Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers dropped and it…it…I have no words, for good or for ill. We’ll wait and see.

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  • “Milkbloods” (9 April 2021): Where our hosts first discussed the threat of NFTs.
  • “Crypto ATM” (8 October 2021): Where our hosts discussed the threat of NFTs for the second time.
  • “An Accident of Flavor” (12 November 2021): A third time when our hosts discussed the threat of NFTs (when video game companies first announced their support).

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Touching Down (Duck Love)

Touching Down (Duck Love)

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WEEK IN GEEK: Andrew dives into the world of JRPG job systems with Bravely Default 2, while D. Bethel finds more Metroid to love as he replays Batman: Arkham Asylum.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • “Scotch Tape and Hope” (4 December 2015): Where D. Bethel discusses his love of the Batman: Arkham series of games, specifically Batman: Arkham Knight.
  • “Editing Is Magic” (13 July 2018): Where Andrew and D. Bethel discuss Chris Kohler’s book, Final Fantasy V.
  • “Ghost Games” (15 October 2021): Where D. Bethel shares his initial thoughts about Metroid Dread.

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  • A comparison video showing the original Boba Fett voice and the revision that included Temuera Morrison’s redubbing:

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Smell the Duke

Smell the Duke

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SHIFTING SANDS: For a short bit, our hosts discuss The New York Times paying a large amount for the popular website-based word game, Wordle, as well as the announcement that Sony intends to buy the former Microsoft-owned studio, Bungie.

WEEK IN GEEK: This week, Andrew peruses the rule book for Renegade Game Studios’ new licensed tabletop RPG, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, while D. Bethel is intrigued and impressed by the newest release from Klei Studios, Griftlands.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • “The Space Dog and Bacchus Show.” (21 August 2014): Where Andrew interviews game designer, Kai Cambra.
  • “Applejacks. Hot Dogs. Thursday. Fire Truck.” (13 May 2016): Where Andrew talks about playing Klei’s Invisible, Inc.
  • “States of Play” (30 August 2019): Where Andrew develops an obsession with Klei’s Oxygen Not Included.
  • “Reliable Virtual Helmets” (27 September 2019): Where D. Bethel discusses his time with a real deckbuilding mobile game, Slothworks’ Meteorfall: Journey.
  • “Makes a Taste” (13 March 2020): Where Andrew discusses playing the tabletop superhero RPG, The Spectaculars.
  • “Films in Quarries” (18 June 2021): Where Andrew first discusses his current obsession with sentai shows.

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He Needs Management

He Needs Management

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ETERNALLY YOURS: After getting released on Disney+, our hosts finally discuss the most recent Marvel Studios release (not Spider-Man: No Way Home), Eternals. It’s a movie with a lot of new additions to the MCU, for better or for worse.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • “Sword Club” (30 July 2021): Where our hosts discuss the results of California’s investigation into the company culture at Activision Blizzard.
  • “Scary Gongs” (19 November 2021): Where our hosts review the walkout at Activision over their dissatisfaction with Bobby Kotick as a leader of the company.

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The Gold Toilet

The Gold Toilet

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NAUGHTY AUTEUR: A story in Bloomberg revealed trouble behind the scenes at Ghost Story games, the studio created by Bioshock auteur, Ken Levine. Andrew and D. Bethel continue their discussion about auteurs and video games and how, perhaps, without a good team they do more harm than good.

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  • “Auteur Manager” (12 February 2021): Where our hosts talk about the benefits and dangers of auteur culture.

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All Threes

All Threes

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WEEK IN GEEK: This week, Andrew dives into the quote-unquote reboot of CSI in Paramount+’s CSI: Vegas and is perplexed. D. Bethel reads another book about video games! This time it’s Super Mario Bros. 3 by Alyse Knorr as published by Boss Fight Books.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • “Editing is Magic” (13 July 2018): Where our hosts discuss the Boss Fight Book, Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler.
  • “Little Paper People” (02 November 2018): Where D. Bethel discusses the Boss Fight Book, Shovel Knight by David L. Craddock.
  • “Prime Time Crime” (05 March 2021): Where Andrew talked about another new procedural show, the CBS reboot of The Equalizer.
  • “In the Reward Zone” (06 August 2021): Where D. Bethel discusses the Boss Fight Book, Final Fantasy VI by Sebastian Deken.
  • “Doctor Ennui” (27 August 2021): Where D. Bethel discusses another new procedural show, Big Sky.
  • “Unbridled Hedonism” (03 December 2021): Where our hosts discuss whether Disney+’s Hawkeye should be giving more credit to Hawkeye comic creators Matt Fraction and David Aja.

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Memory of a Landline

Memory of a Landline

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WEEK IN GEEK: It’s a week of superhero adaptations with Andrew watching the recent slate of DC/CW tv shows and D. Bethel playing the opening hours of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy by Eidos-Montréal.

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • “Business Exempt” (19 Oct. 2018): Where our hosts last discussed TellTale Games…when they laid off a bunch of employees.
  • “#SaveGrifter” (14 Feb. 2020): Where our hosts plus the DC-on-the-ground reporter, Taylor, talk about the last big DC/CW crossover event, “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
  • “All Those Words” (19 March 2021): Where Andrew talked about the most recent addition to the DC/CW catalogue, Superman & Lois.

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Scary Gongs

Scary Gongs

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KOTICK TOCK TIME’S UP: This week, after a scathing report, employees of Activision/Blizzard walked out calling for the expulsion of the company’s CEO, Bobby Kotick. Our hosts examine the situation and how it symptomizes larger aspects of video game culture.

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  • “Less-Impressive-Than-Expected No. 7” (01 July 2017): Where our hosts discuss the “interesting” game from a creator of Mega Man, Mighty No. 9.
  • “Sword Club” (30 July 2021): Where Andrew and D. Bethel talked about Activision Blizzard being investigated by the state of California.

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An Accident of Flavor

An Accident of Flavor

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DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim turned 10 years old this week, celebrated with yet another re-release of the game across all gaming platforms. Andrew and D. Bethel talk about this milestone for a brief bit.

PLEASE STOP: NFTs continue to rear their ugly heads as major gaming publishers announce their interest in integrating blockchain weirdness into their games. After an explanation of the whole mess, D. Bethel and Andrew discuss NFTs’ possible impact on video games.

RIP DEAN STOCKWELL: After a long and storied career, actor and writer Dean Stockwell passed away this week. Nerds know him best as Al from Quantum Leap, but his strange choices and charismatic performances made him an actor everybody surely has a fond memory of in some way or another.

RELEVANT LINKS:

  • A screenshot from Reddit outlining the hit cryptocurrency may take after the institution of the recently passed legislation (via the Twitter account @CoinersTakingLs):
  • Tweets from @outstarwalker about how NFTs may not be the game changer some people think they are:

RELEVANT EPISODES:

  • “Milkbloods” (09 April 2021): Where D. Bethel and Andrew first discuss the cultural pandemic called NFTs.
  • “Meat Pops” (22 Oct. 2021): Where Andrew discusses the different ways Steam and the Epic Games store are approaching NFTs.

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