Episode S9E11: Free Play (Season Finale)

On our season finale, we do a third and final Free Play, talking about our best games played this year, our most disappointing ones, a little dive into Red Dead Redemption 2, some games of the decade, and more. Happy New Year, all! See you in 2020. Ep S9E11

Episode S9E10: Dancing Mad

The Super Nintendo era of Final Fantasy was so good that many long-time fans of the series often see those games as the best in the series. Their amazing stories, memorable characters, and wonderful music make them worthy of being viewed in such a light. On this episode, we’re going to take a deeper look into Final Fantasy 6, and how its influence is still felt in JRPGs 25 years later. Ep S9E10

Episode S9E9: Free Play

It's a sparse panel this time, and we shoot the metaphorical shit for 2 hours in this Free Play, covering topics like: yet more things that video game developers do that piss us off, the possibility of selling your digitally-purchased games and the court case in the EU that could be huge in that regard, and devoting the entire second half to Team Cherry's amazing game, Hollow Knight. Ep S9E9

Episode S9E8: Bombs Away!

Reviews are probably the only direct way a consumer has to voice their enjoyment or displeasure regarding a product. In the world of video games, though, coordinated efforts to quickly bombard a game's page with (mostly) negative reviews to address a perceived wrong either with the developer or the game itself leads us to ask: is this practice a good way to try to effect change, or are these review bombs just complaints by whiny and seemingly-entitled gamers? Ep S9E8

Episode S9E7: Crunch Time

It has been a brutal year for developers in the video game industry. Massive layoffs from Activision Blizzard, EA, and ArenaNet, the collapse of Telltale Studios…well over a thousand people suddenly out of work. Then we have the phenomenon known as "crunch." It is pervasive, with developers working 14-hour days for weeks and months on end to meet the unrealistic deadlines of publishers and shareholders. Is there anything that we as gamers can do, or that the industry at large can do? Ep S9E7

Episode S9E6: Winglies & Dragoons

Twenty years ago, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan put out just its second-ever game. It ended up an underrated gem: The Legend of Dragoon. Released almost 3 years after the much-beloved Final Fantasy 7, it sort of got swept under the rug. We dive in to the land of Endiness on this episode, and talk about why we still love it two decades later. Ep S9E6

Episode S9E5B: E3 2019, Part 2

Now that the dust is settling on E3 2019, we take a deep dive into all the conferences, big announcements, surprises in our annual recap. Part 1 covers Microsoft, EA, Bethesda, Google Stadia, Limited Run, and the PC Gaming Show. Part 2 covers Devolver Digital, Ubisoft, Kinda Funny, Square Enix, and Nintendo. Ep S9E5B

Episode S9E5A: E3 2019, Part 1

Now that the dust is settling on E3 2019, we take a deep dive into all the conferences, big announcements, surprises in our annual recap. Part 1 covers Microsoft, EA, Bethesda, Google Stadia, Limited Run, and the PC Gaming Show. Part 2 covers Devolver Digital, Ubisoft, Kinda Funny, Square Enix, and Nintendo. Ep S9E5A

Episode S9E4: Free Play

After a few months off, we're back--this time, rolling out the first of our Free Plays for the year. We talk PAX East, the latest in eSports, gamers behaving badly, and the top 20 games of the Heisei era as voted on by Japan. Ep S9E4

Episode S9E3: For Inclusivity's Sake

Five years ago, we did some episodes talking about where the video game industry was regarding inclusivity and representation of women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, etc. On this episode, we check in to see what strides have been made, and what we feel the industry could do more of. Ep S9E3

Episode S9E2: Playing In The (Game) Stream

More and more companies are going the way of digital distribution only, and some companies are getting into business models where you can stream a video game, removing the idea of ownership completely and having the player pay a certain amount to rent a game to play. While the idea of offering video games as a service is not new, streaming now certainly appeals to the developers and publishers. How does that affect the gaming landscape for players? Ep S9E2

Episode S9E1: A Broil, A Brawl, A Melee

From its humble beginnings on the Nintendo 64, this madcap insanity we know as Super Smash Bros. has kept us gleefully entertained, with something for just about everybody, whether you're a casual player to a hardcore tournament player. And with the latest incarnation on Nintendo Switch, this series shows no signs of letting up. How has this craziness kept going for twenty years and several console generations? Dive in as we open Series 9 with a love letter to this great series. Ep S9E1