Episode S3E24: Level 3 Cleared

We've come to the end of another level! It's our season finale--Ron, Ronny, and Brian recap the bests and worsts of 2013: video games, gaming industry moments, etc. The panel also has a bit of open discussion and give you what they look forward to in 2014. A massive thank-you to all our panelists this year, and another massive thanks to all our listeners! All music used belongs to their respective games, developers, studios, composers, etc. Episode S3E24

Episode S3E23: LGBT Are Gamers Too

We touch upon a serious topic in this episode: the LGBT community, and how they are represented and portrayed in video games. How do we as a community be more progressive, tolerant, and respectful? What can the industry do to follow suit? Catherine returns to DLC on this episode, and she brings with her two newcomers: Tanya, head of indie game developer Kisareth Studios, and Sam, head of his website Gamers Against Bigotry. All music used belongs to their respective games, developers, studios, composers, etc. Episode S3E23

Episode S3E22: Final Fantasy 25, Part 5

By fan request, we've added a 5th episode to our mini-series celebrating Final Fantasy! We break down and romp through the offshoots and spinoffs--the non-numbered Final Fantasy games like Tactics, Crisis Core, and Dissidia (to name a few), and traipse through the FF media like Unlimited and the two major movies. Ron guest-hosts a 5-person panel in our final episode celebrating this great franchise. All music belongs to their respective games, composers, developers, studios, etc. Episode S3E22

Episode S3E21: Holiday Lineup 2013

The holiday season is upon us, and with it, a bunch of new games and some major new consoles come rushing in. Listen in as Bem and Wyatt join Brian and break down the lineup. NOTE: this was recorded the day before Ubisoft announced the delay for Watch Dogs, so while the commentary is good, the release info is inaccurate. All music used belongs to their respective games, developers, composers, studios, etc. Episode S3E21

Episode S3E20: Free Play 4.0

Fresh off his debut episode last time, Reid joins Grendel and I as we delve into our final Free Play episode of 2013. In this open discussion, we give our thoughts on a variety of video game-related subjects: video games and their alleged relationships to shootings, how games can help to make better surgeons and also to improve child literacy. We also thrown in a couple of rants because, well, why not? Listen in and give us your two cents on what we have to say, should you be so inclined. Episode S3E20

Episode S3E19: The Sport of Gaming

As the focus of multiplayer games shift from a group of gamers gathered in an arcade for a day, then to someone's home for a day of fun, to the world of the Internet, more and more are taking full advantage of the fun that can be had by playing with a group of players from anywhere on the globe. The popularity of these games have risen to the point where tournaments are held, often with large cash prizes, and watched live by hundreds of thousands of spectators. What's the allure? Should we expect video games to continue to grow as a spectator sport? Find out our thoughts on this episode. Episode S3E19

Episode S3E18: Free Play 3.0

On our second Free Play episode of 2013, Ron and Ronny join Brian and discuss a wide range of game-related topics. Topics include: should Nintendo allow its first-party properties to be sold on other platforms, the rise of e-sports, Magic: The Gathering Online, why video game movies suck, and plenty more! All music belongs to their respective games, developers, studios, composers, etc. Episode S3E18

Episode S3E17: Choose Your Destiny (Episode 50!)

It's our 50th episode!!! On this special milestone, we shine the spotlight on fighting games and how they've evolved from arcade classics to e-sports main events. Along the way, we talk about our favorite fighting games and the joys and frustrations playing them. All music used belongs to their respective games, composers, developers, studios, etc. Episode S3E17

Episode S3E16: Free Play 2.0

It's an open discussion on this episode of DLC--the panel sounds off about anything related to video games. We cover a variety of things on this "free play" episode, including indie games, the upcoming relaunch of FF14, games that we're currently playing, and more. Episode S3E16

Episode S3E15: Blowing Cartridges

The year was 1983. The video game crash of that year nearly wiped out video games as we know them. However, a company known for making playing cards for nearly 100 years decided to try venturing into electronics. The rest, as they say, is history. For many of us, the NES was our introduction to video games, and the experiences we had playing iconic games like Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Mega Man (to name a few) drew us in, and created a love for video games that we have today. Video games have come a long way in the 30 years since the Nintendo Entertainment System was introduced to the world, but we look back fondly as we bring back all those childhood memories, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the iconic gray box. Episode S3E15

Episode S3E14: The Fanatic's Influence

We take a look at fans of video games and their influence on video games. How much influence should they have in a game's creation? Is it wise for developers to hear critique and feedback and use it? Should they even have a voice at all? We take a look at these and give you our thoughts. All music used belongs to their respective games, composers, developers, studios, etc. Episode S3E14

Episode S3E13: The Indies

Only in the last few years have we really seen indie games take off. Unencumbered by the bigger name-brand developers and publishers, independent developers are not afraid to get experimental, and thus have been giving the industry fresh ideas. Their relatively cheap costs to play have given them wide-ranging appeal, and as a result, are the fastest growing sector of the game industry. We give you our thoughts on this, and also give our recommendations of some of the great indie games out there. All music used belongs to their respective games, developers, composers, studios, etc. Episode S3E13

Episode S3E12B: E3 2013, Part 2

Part 2 of our E3 2013 discussion. We discuss Sony & Nintendo's offerings. All music belongs to their respective games, developers, composers, studios, etc. Episode S3E12B

Episode S3E12A: E3 2013, Part 1

The excitement and anticipation of E3 always brings the best from the major game developers. With two major consoles on the horizon, Sony & Microsoft had much to offer. Nintendo, too, offered an impressive lineup. In this 2-part episode, we break down all the news from E3 and give you our thoughts. In Part 1, we discuss Microsoft, EA, and Ubisoft. All music belongs to their respective games, composers, developers, studios, etc. Episode S3E12A

Episode S3E11B: Final Fantasy 25, Part 4B

Part 2 of the final episode of the Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary retrospective. We talk about FF13, 14, some of the major offshoots, and speculate about the future. All music belongs to their respective games/composers/developers/etc. Episode S3E11B

Episode S3E11A: Final Fantasy 25 Part 4A

In our 4th and final episode celebrating Final Fantasy's 25th anniversary, we cover the PS2 & PS3 era, talk about the offshoots, and speculate on the future of the series. In part 1 of this 2-part episode, we discuss the PS2 era (FF10-12). All music used belongs to their respective games/studios/developers/etc. Episode S3E11A

Episode S3E10: Sony & Microsoft, Your Move

Sony and Microsoft have now shown their hands with the reveals of their next-gen consoles. What we know so far has gamers both optimistic and annoyed, and if both of them hope to have any shot at winning over the masses, they need to deliver gaming experiences that take us well above and beyond our current generation. We break down what we know of these consoles thus far, giving you our thoughts and opinions on the PS4 and the Xbox One. All music belongs to their respective games, studios, developers, publishers, etc. Episode S3E10

Episode S3E9: Mega Man Man Man Man

We take a look at Capcom's most prolific franchise: Mega Man, celebrating 25 years of 2D side-scrolling platforming goodness. Nick and Ron take hosting duties on this episode, with Brian in the panelist's seat as they chat about the core numbered series and the X series. Find out their likes, dislikes, and thoughts on this long-time franchise. All music used belongs to their respective games/developers/composers/studios/etc. Episode S3E9

Episode S3E8: Final Fantasy 25, Part 3

In Part 3 of our 4-part series celebrating 25 years of Final Fantasy, we take a look back at the three main games released for the PS1: Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9. Our panel waxes nostalgia over the fun of FF7, the trials and tribulations of FF8, and the homage to the classic era that was FF9. Have a favorite moment? Share it with us. All music used belongs to their respective games/studios/developers/etc. Episode S3E8

Episode S3E7: The Feminine Side of Gaming

Newcomer Brittany joins Shanna and Brian, and they discuss women in the video game industry--from women working in the industry itself, to the portrayal of women in video games. They also talk about what they'd like to see in the future to further improve gender equality in the medium. All music used belongs to their respective games/developers/composers/etc. Episode S3E7

Episode S3E6: PAX East 2013

Once again, the 3-day video game convention we call PAX East made Boston, MA, its home in late March. The panel talks about their experiences during this massive event--the concerts, panels, the expo floor, likes, dislikes, and what they are looking forward to for next year. Episode S3E6

Episode S3E5: Final Fantasy 25, Part 2

We continue our 4-part series celebrating the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy with Part 2, in which Brian, Ron, and Shanna spend time being crazy fans over the three games for the Super Nintendo--Final Fantasy 4, 5, and 6. All music used belongs to their respective games/studios/composers/developers/etc. No copyright infringement is intended. Episode S3E5

Episode S3E4: Rest In Peace, Nintendo Power

For nearly 25 years, Nintendo Power magazine existed as the go-to source for all things Nintendo. Every month, readers could count on previews, reviews, strategy guides & cheats (in its early days), and the latest in Nintendo news. This past December, however, the big N pulled the plug on the magazine, leaving the USA without a single print source devoted to Nintendo. We recount the glory days of the magazine, sprinkled with childhood memories and the excitement we felt at a new issue every month. Episode S3E4

Episode S3E3: State of the 8th Generation

In light of the imminent media event from Sony, where everyone is hoping that the next PlayStation will be revealed, the panel takes time to discuss all the wild and rampant gross speculation that the gaming media at large have created in their desire to see new consoles. We tackle many of the rumors surrounding the not-yet-announced next-gen consoles that Sony & Microsoft may make in the near future. Also, we discuss how the WiiU, the first console heralding the 8th Generation, has fared, just a few short months after its launch. Episode S3E3

Episode S3E2: Anticipated Games of 2013

A new year means a new slate of video games we have to look forward to. In this episode, the panel (with special guest Chris Gannon from Gamingdeath.com) talks about what games to watch for in 2013, as well as their own personal choices for games on their want list. Do you want the just-released Devil May Cry reboot or Dead Space 3? Or are you saving your cash for something else, like BioShock Infinite, or The Last Of Us?  All music used belongs to their respective games/composers/studios/etc. Episode S3E2

Episode S3E1: Final Fantasy 25, Part 1

We're back! To begin Series 3 of Downloadable Content, we start off with Part 1 of a 4-part mini-series celebrating Final Fantasy's 25th anniversary. This episode features the panel discussing their memories playing through the first 3 games, originally released for the NES. All music used belongs to their respective games/composers/developers/etc. Episode S3E1