Pixelated Playgrounds

Join Bryan, Josh, and Clint for a journey through the Forgotten Realms as they cover the breakout D&D simulation CRPG, Baldur’s Gate 3! Larian Studios has a long history with RPGs but in 2023 they outdid themselves to create what many considered to be 2023’s Game of the Year. Despite a time gap of over 20 years since the last entry, Baldur’s Gate 3 holds true to what made the originals special while adding in a healthy dose of modern convenience and quality of life for the 5th Edition outing. So gather your party and listen in as Clint joins in for the finale of the journey Bryan and Josh started back at the beginning of 2023 as our book club adventuring party discusses Baldur’s Gate 3!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Larian’s Legendary Legacy

Josh - A Translation Perfected

Clint - Isometric RPG Resurgence

In this episode Josh and Bryan play the aggressively random, and often unbeatable “Immersive Sim for People Who Hate Immersive Sims”, Mosa Lina by Stuffed Wombat. Its a unique experience that markets itself as a response to the current trend of Immersive Sim design, where abilities are often part of a "Lock and Key" system, where every ability is a tool that is meant to overcome a single type of problem. Mosa Lina’s randomness guarantees that the player will need to make use of whatever tools are currently at their disposal to retrieve (or destroy) their target and return to the start. Its a brave experimental approach that speaks not only to the developer’s design ethos but also to their commitment to the goal of the project. So join Josh and Bryan as they struggle, sometimes helplessly, to surmount the challenges and discuss the merits of Mosa Lina!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Relax and Resolve

Josh - Spirit of Play

What do you get when you cross the mechanical sensibilities of a casual MMO / mobile game developer with the aesthetics and charm of an indie game studio, then top it off with a dash of abnormally high production value? In the case of Dave the Diver, it is a tasty frozen cocktail of relaxing, tropical fun! For this podcast, Josh and Bryan retire to the tropics and try their hand at sushi restaurant operation / scuba diving. The publisher of several MMO megahits, Nexon, tried their hand at a casual game and took the gaming community by storm in 2023. Listen in as Bryan and Josh do their best to roll up what makes this potent combination of fishing, restaurant management, and undersea adventure a game worth diving deep into.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Deeper Restaurant Sim

Josh - Deep Sea Stardew

I think most people knew we were in for something special with the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but I don’t think anyone quite realized how special. Navigating a six-year-long development cycle that included a pandemic, the Zelda Team has once again ascended to new heights (and new depths) to bring the world an astonishing follow-up to the beloved Breath of the Wild. Keeping the same sense of exploration and discovery while flexing their narrative muscles in new ways, Tears of the Kingdom keeps what made predecessor great while bringing in new and compelling ideas for the Zelda series. Hyrule has never been more alive or more familiar, and yet somehow it feels completely novel at the same time. So join Bryan, Josh, and Clint as they build themselves a makeshift podcasting vehicle and launch into a discussion of the mechanical, narrative, and thematic aspects of what made Tears of the Kingdom truly shine.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Ascending, Despite Everything

Josh - Against All Odds

Clint - It Finally Clicked

Show Notes:

Playing with Nature: On “Tears of the Kingdom” as Ecofiction

Eiji Aonuma, Zelda’s mastermind, is at the peak of his power - The Washington Post

Making Tears of the Kingdom: Inside The Legend of Zelda's finest hour

Bryan and Josh were feeling a bit nostalgic and with the recent re-release of the Sonic classics through Sonic Origins, so they decided to revisit an old favorite: Sonic and Knuckles 3! Actually two games released months apart in the same year, this one-two punch of 90’s mascot platformer mayhem put a smile on both of their faces as they recalled the joy of going fast, the frustration of running into hidden spike traps, and the universal understanding that playing as Tails is “Little Brother Mode”. So put on your hammer pants and lace up your bright red sneakers, its time for a brisk run with Bryan, Josh, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Nostalgic Sensory Overload

Josh - A Personal Best

Show Notes:

Tower of Power

Insaneintherainmusic’s Jazz Arrangement of Hydrocity Zone

In the 20+ years since its release, many would consider Baldur’s Gate 2 to be the pinnacle of the CRPG genre. Widely recognized as having laid the groundwork for Bioware’s future endeavors in the RPG space with Mass Effect and Dragon Age, Baldur’s Gate 2 stands tall to this day with its innovative scenario design, immersive and complex world building, and engaging (if sometimes overly complex) implementation of 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons combat. Bryan has been through the streets of Athkalta before, but Josh joins him for another trip to the Forgotten Realms as they both continue their year of Baldur’s Gate, and ready themselves to close out the trilogy. Its worth mentioning that the inclusion of Throne of Bhaal as an expansion turns this into a game that can easily push into 100 hour territory, so please enjoy this relatively brief tour of what this CRPG classic has on offer. Now gather your headphones, and venture forth!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Masterpiece Meets Micromanagement

Josh - An Era Defined

Dome Keeper is the genre mash up of Mining Game and Tower Defense that Bryan and Josh did not know they needed! Beneath the elegant elevator pitch and striking visual style exists a game that is truly a diamond in the rough. Created by Dresden-based indie game company, Bippinbits, Dome Keeper is their second commercial outing and first to break out on steam in a big way. By crafting a compulsive and immersive game loop that relies on shuttling back and forth between an alien-world mine and the laser-equipped dome you used to defend it, the team has created one of the finer ‘one more round’ experiences the guys can remember in their collective rogue-lite experience. Listen in as Bryan and Josh dig deep to bring you a discussion of Dome Keeper’s mechanics, aesthetics, and the precise engineering that makes it more than the sum of its parts.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Extractive Addictive Unexpected

Josh - Once More, Descend

The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog’s follow up to the critically acclaimed The Last of Us, is a challenging game that tells a challenging story about many challenging topics. It’s well known that the game’s director Neil Druckmann said “If The Last of Us was about love, then its sequel is about hatred.” The game asks the player to introspect in ways that most games don’t, and takes bigger swings, while making bolder narrative choices than almost any project of similar scope and budget.

Far from being a straightforward revenge story, The Last of Us Part 2 puts you in the shoes of a new protagonist for fully half of its runtime and expands both mechanically and narratively on its predecessor. The game received a lot of criticism during its release for… so many things, but going back a few years later Bryan and Clint are hoping to come at this game with relatively fresh eyes. So join in as they discuss the narrative beats that make this a unique entry in the AAA landscape, and try to understand better what makes this tale of revenge, empathy, and forgiveness a game for the ages.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Hatred and Forgiveness

Clint - Stop the Hate

Mr. Saitou is a beautiful and brief slice of life game with a charming world and even more charming characters. The success of its light-hearted tone is, however, underwritten by the seriousness of its premise. Mr. Saitou, is a salaryworker. He toils away in front of a computer screen for all hours, goes out for a meal he’s too tired to consume, and stumbles home in a tired, drunken stupor. Next thing we know, he’s collapsed and we’re in a hospital. After meeting a young boy named Brandon in his hospital room, he learns about a fictional character the kid has drawn named Mr. Saitou: a llamaworm who works an important job making buttons for the tunnels that other llamaworms traverse. After waking up in the dream-world of the llamaworms, Saitou and Brandon set off on a journey to the crystal caverns. Mr. Saitou, its worth noting, is a sidequel to another game, Rakuen, both of which were created by game developer and singer-songwriter Laura Shigihara.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - The Little Things

Josh - Llamaworm Looking Glass

Clint - Lackluster Llama Drama

In 2013 the Indie gaming scene was going strong and interesting projects were everywhere… if you knew where to look for them. This was a time before the widespread population of indies on Steam, and as such many projects were less commercial in nature. One such project, that eventually went on to be a finalist for the Excellence in Design award at the 2013 Independent Games Festival was Starseed Pilgrim. On the surface it is a Pixel art Puzzle platformer, under the surface it is a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, sprinkled with intrigue and vague snippets of poetry. The crux of the experience of playing Starseed Pilgrim is figuring out just what Starseed Pilgrim is asking you to do. So join Josh and Bryan as they simultaneously cultivate a symphonic block garden and repeatedly fail to make meaningful progress, but still have fun - and many revelations - along the way.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Bridge Too Far

Josh - Path Not Taken

Josh will be speaking at Roguelike Celebration 2023

In August of 2023 Josh released another game! Within a Dead City is a tiny ‘Majesty-like’ with a striking color palette and a moody vibe. For those that haven't played Majesty, the crux of the game is you hire a group of heroes (that you do not directly control, but can influence via bounties and spells) in order to explore the land and eradicate the local fauna (aka monsters). Within a Dead City puts its own spin on this idea placing you in charge of a guild tasked with exploring a long abandoned city.

While auto-battlers have come more into vogue in recent years, the combination of these ideas with a lightweight strategy/4x game creates a unique and compelling loop. Its a lovely little package and executes well on providing a quick hit of 'kingdom management' you can play easily over a lunch break.

As is tradition, Bryan took an opportunity to interview Josh on the process of creating the game, the lessons learned, and knowledge gained in his first launch working with a publisher. Thanks for listening and rest assured we will be back in the next few weeks with our regularly scheduled programming.

Show Notes:

Within a Dead City - Steam Page

Majesty Gold - Steam Page

Tiny Mass Games

LoSpec Color Scheme - Oil 6

Kenney Assets

Last Epoch has been in Early access since 2018, a snowball of an ARPG, slowly gathering steam as it descends the mountain to eventually rest at the side of some of the all time great hack and slash RPGs. Bryan and Josh have both played a fair few of what they hoped would be the ‘successor to Dialbo II”, and most (all?) have come up short. But Eleventh Hour Games’ Kickstarter game turned long-term project is making a run for the crown. Boasting some innovative mechanics, a novel world design concept, and some extremely entertaining, if familiar, classes to play with, Last Epoch plows through a lot of the problems that most games in this genre run headlong into. Not satisfied with smashing into the brick wall of similarity, its a title that forges some interesting new paths for the genre, and does so on the back of being a single player experience for the first four plus years of its development cycle. Listen in for Bryan and Josh’s time travelling exploits in the world of Eterra, but stay for the in-depth discussion of what makes a great hack and slash game stand the test of time.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Crafty Dungeon Crawler

Josh - Respect the Respec

Show Notes:

Josh’s 2020’s GOTY List Feat. Last Epoch

In this episode Josh and Bryan take to the high seas in 2023’s breakout debut from Black Salt Games: Dredge! The potent combination of fishing simulator and Lovecraftian horror had them instantly hooked and eager to explore the Marrows and its surrounding environs (as well as their capacity to generate fishing related puns). Dredge’s light, yet effective touch with storytelling and its subtly creepy atmosphere make it an easy recommendation for anyone who is interested in what it means to quickly put your players in a specific Mood. Aside from this the mechanics offer a simple and compelling loop that keeps the player on the line for the game’s entire runtime. So grab your rod and reel and join Bryan and Josh as they discuss what makes Dredge one of 2023’s most prized catches.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Hooked on Horror

Josh - Mood Over Mechanics

Join Josh and Bryan as they navigate through a wide sampling of the historical events, political intricacies, military conquests, and fascinating narratives that Europa Universalis IV has to offer. Paradox’s magnum opus grand strategy game has you inhabiting different nations and experiencing their unique circumstances as you navigate the political landscape of Europe (and beyond) from 1444 to 1821, during the emergence of the nation-state. So grab your virtual map, prepare your armies, and get ready to dive into the captivating world of Europa Universalis IV. Whether you're seeking strategic advice from relative veteran, Josh, or simply looking to share in Bryan’s perspective as a relative newcomer, the crew is here to discuss what it takes to conquer new horizons and forge your own historical legacy in the EU4.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Historical Guided Tour

Josh - By Other Means

Show Notes:

A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry - Teaching Paradox

In this episode, Josh and Clint receive their owls and set off to achieve their destiny in the Wizarding World with Hogwarts Legacy. Sadly, Bryan, a lowly muggle (and new father of 2 at the time of recording) could not make it for this one, but listen in as Josh and Clint uncover the secrets, spells, and adventures that await players at Hogwarts. Josh and Clint have a long history with the Harry Potter world as fan of the books and go in depth on the world-building, spellcasting system, and the vast open-world environment that provided an excellent sense of exploration and discovery. So grab your wand, put on your robe, and listen in as Josh and Clint explain what makes Hogwarts Legacy a magical experience.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint - A Magical Experience

Josh - A Legacy Fulfilled

Gather your party because this episode we are venturing forth into the Forgotten Realms with Bioware’s classic Dungeons and Dragon’s adaptation, Baldur’s Gate. As they gear up for Baldur’s Gate 3, Bryan and Josh are starting with an exploration of the rich mechanics and storytelling that make Baldur’s Gate, and its expansion Tales of the Sword Coast, an iconic entry in the CRPG space to this day. Baldur’s Gate’s transition of D&D into the digital realm hews very close to it’s 2nd Edition roots, though this is unique and may have been a selling point to its core audience in 1997, it is not without its shortcomings from an accessibility perspective in a modern context. Listen in as we dissect the combat, adventuring, exploration, and context of this title within the broader history of gaming to determine what makes Baldur's Gate a true role-playing gem. So grab your swords, spellbooks, and a tankard of ale as Pixelated Playground delves into the secrets and stories behind this venerable title.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Low Level Legend

Josh - Dated Design Difficulties

Show Notes:

GDC Europe 2010: Baldur's Gate: A 10 Year Retrospective

How do you follow up on one of the most celebrated open world games of all time? In 2018, Rockstar gave us their answer with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. An instant classic, this juggernaut of AAA production value and storytelling gave us what remains one of the most well realized open worlds ever created. The production of an experience of this depth and breadth is not without its pitfalls and shortcomings from a labor standpoint, but the end result is a truly ground-breaking entry not only for Rockstar as a studio but for the medium as a whole. So join Bryan, Josh, and Clint as they journey through the representational American frontier with Dutch and the gang. Bring some trail mix… its going to be a long ride with lots of exposition along the way.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Nature of Man

Josh - Slow Burn Gunslinger

Clint - Unprecedented and Unparalleled

This episode is something a little bit different. If you had told us we would manage to stick with making a podcast through 100 episodes, I do not think any of us would have have believed you. The fact that this occurred in the midst of our trio weathering a global pandemic, having a collective 5 children, and achieving a bunch of other life and career milestones, its safe to say we would have written that possibility off entirely.

However, against the odds we’re celebrating the podcast hitting 100 episodes! So we’re going to take an opportunity to thank all of our listeners and talk about some of our favorite experiences over the course of the life of the podcast. The good times, the bad, and all the games we played along the way. So If this is your first episode we’d recommend going back and listening to a pod or two of your favorite games we’ve covered, and if you’re still with us then listen in as we recount some highlights from our first century and talk through how and why we started the podcast in the first place.

We’ve always treated this podcast as a fun side-project and collective excuse to talk in depth about a hobby we love, but in hearing from our listeners over the course of the last few years we’ve also come to realize that we have a great audience who have been quick to let us know the positive impact our conversations have had on their day to day lives. Whether the podcast is a companion to your daily commute, a distraction to help you through a long work shift, or a companion while playing your favorite games we’re happy you’ve chosen us. So thank you for listening, and for bearing with us as we continue to seek out new experiences to share with all of you.

Take Care and Keep on Gaming!

In keeping with its incredible run of Resident Evil Remasters, Capcom’s latest outing sought to remaster perhaps the most beloved game in the series, Resident Evil 4. Bryan has had his eye on playing Resident Evil 4 in one form or another since the book club first played Resident Evil 7 years ago, so when this remaster finally launched Bryan and Clint jumped in with both feet. Its always risky revisiting and remaster a highly acclaimed title, but this team proved it was up to the task. The 2023 re-imagining of Resident Evil 4 is not just a wonderful retelling of a truly classic survival horror experience, but an elevated and updated take on a truly classic set of environments, mechanics, and characters. So listen in as Bryan and Clint drive out to a remote Spanish village and get into all kinds of trouble along the way.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Worth the Wait

Clint - Never Buying Again

Even in the year 2022, which was overflowing with excellent narrative-driven games, Citizen Sleeper stands out as a uniquely strong experience. In Citizen Sleeper, the second game from Jump Over The Age, the player takes on the role of the titular ‘Sleeper’, a human whose mind has been digitized and put into a robot body to work in the service of the Essen-Arp corporation. You are on the run from Essen-Arp and have just arrived on a space station called Erlin’s Eye. Utilizing a novel dice-based mechanic and drawing on dystopian science fiction, you navigate a series of events and interactions to fight for your freedom and survival. Some of our favorite video game experiences seamlessly draw together their narrative, mechanics, and theme to an effect greater than the sum of its parts, Bryan and Josh both feel that Citizen Sleeper is an exemplar in this regard. Tune in to hear why!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Precarity, Personality, Positivity

Josh - Paycheck to Paycheck

Show Notes:

Fireside Chat with Austin Walker & Gareth Damian Martin - LudoNarraCon 2022

In early 2022 we were almost 26 years into Pokemon’s existence as a francise when Pokemon: Legends Arceus released for Nintendo Switch on January 28th. Pokemon is famous (or notorious?) for its formulaic gameplay design and Legends Arceus is one of several entries over the years that bucks that trend to try out something new. Throwing out the gyms and badges structure for a more free-form, exploration and collection focused experience that injects a healthy dose of modern game design into the tried and true Pokemon formula. Recently, Bryan and Josh travelled to the Hisui region of Pokemon’s distant past to explore a captivating, if sometimes underwrought open world. Pokemon has deviated in genre before, but Legends Arceus hews closely enough to the core franchise to invite some interesting comparisons, so join the guys on their journey to determine what makes Pokemon: Legends Arceus an interesting, if flawed entry into the Pokemon series.

Three Word Reviews:

Josh - An Oversized Experiment

Bryan - A Successful Experiment

Here is the ‘highest grossing media franchises’ list…. Not sure what Josh was referencing in our post-outro discussion, but it was too entertaining to cut - Bryan

Pack your bags and join Josh and Bryan for a dip into this recent rouge-lite with a concept so good its hard to believe it hasn’t been done before: Inventory Tetris as RPG mechanic. Organizing your inventory is often a key aspect of certain adventure and survival games, but what if one were to use as the central mechanic for a run-based, rogue-lite, dungeon crawler? The answer is Backpack Hero! Crafting your perfect backpack with adjacency bonuses and synergies is compelling in itself, but this Kickstarter success shoulders the additional burden of providing the player with several different characters that all play in very unique ways as well. So take a load off and pull out the old Headphones of Listening, to hear the guys’ thoughts on Backpack Hero!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Bag of Tricks

Josh - Organization: The Game

Drawing inspiration from a Short Hike and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Lil Gator game is a short and sweet exploration platformer about, you guessed it, a lil gator. You are charged with helping lil Gator round him his friends to join in the biggest and best make believe game ever. Bryan and Josh were immediately drawn in by the ‘Short-Hike-ness’ but quickly realized the games smart and snappy writing was being used to convey some very universal and heartfelt themes and situations. So join Bryan and Josh for a lap or two around the gorgeous island adventure in Lil Gator Game!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Painless Pixelated Playground

Josh - See You Later

Welcome to Chess Club! Chess and roguelikes seem like a strange match, but in this episode Bryan and Josh explore two such games that use the tried and true mechanics of chess and mash them up with the roguelike video game genre (and a few other genres as well). The first game discussed, Shotgun King, is a run based game where you play as a single piece (the black king) and instead of taking out the enemy pieces with traditional chess moves, you have a shotgun. A simple, elegant premise with a perfect implementation. The next game we talk about is Chessplosion, an arcade action puzzle game where you drop chess piece bombs to create chain reactions and trap opponents. Both have a unique and interesting take on using the widely known mechanics of chess towards a novel gameplay end. So pull up a chair and have a seat across the board from Bryan and Josh as they talk you through this video game Chess Club.

Three Word Reviews:

Shotgun King:

Bryan: Flip the Board

Josh: Premise Pulled Off

Chessplosion:

Bryan: Super Chess Brothers

Josh: Jousting with Bombs

Bryan and Josh are on the Case! The Case of the Golden Idol, that is. This deductive logic puzzle game set in the 18th century and spanning a 40 year period, follows the Idol as it changes hands and drastically affects the fortunes of its owners. The game presents as a series of logic puzzles in which players collect clues to connect together concepts, characters, and evidence to provide context to the story. Once it began receiving favorable comparisons to Return of the Obra Dinn, Bryan and Josh knew they had to check it out immediately. So listen in as we gather the evidence to attempt to prove once and for all if The Case of the Golden Idol is a worthy spiritual successor to Obra Dinn and deduce what makes it shine on its own merits.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Real Deal Reveal

Josh - Puzzle, Not Mystery

Take a trip down a neon-drenched memory lane with Bryan and Josh as they play 2021 action platformer, Narita Boy! Sporting some of the most striking pixel art we have ever seen, Narita Boy’s aesthetic alone warrants the price of admission. As they made their way through the digital kingdom, Bryan and Josh reflected on their time with the game and on the 1980’s era nostalgia it is channeling. Narita Boy punches above its weight by pairing its action packed techno-quest with some truly poignant vignettes. So listen in as we talk through what makes Narita Boy a true legend.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Earnest Evocative Nostalgia

Josh - 80s Tribute Tale

This podcast is vengeance. It is the Knight. It. Is. Batman!

Batman Arkham Knight to be exact. Clint has been a longtime fan of this game and the series, and Bryan had been looking for a reason to complete his journey through the Arkham trilogy, so together they ventured out into the cold, autumnal Gotham air and recorded a podcast about what its like to inhabit Batman in Arkham Knight. Batman is a character they both have a lot of fondness (and some criticism for), and this outting being the most maximal of Batman video game experiences, heightens those affections, and flaws, to their apex. There is a bit of something for everyone in Arkham Knight: action adventure, brawler, exploration, driving, puzzling, vehicular combat, and all of it is fairly well integrated as part of the whole experience. We’re now over 7 years out from this title’s troubled launch on PC, and playing it on modern hardware was truly a visual and auditory delight.

As a quick note: We played and recorded for this podcast just a few days before Kevin Conroy, the voice actor for Batman in this and many other appearances, suddenly passed away unexpectedly. He was a familiar voice in our collective memories from earlier days and helped make these games, and Batman in general, a cultural force over so many years.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - World’s Greatest Detective?

Clint - Be the Batman

Bullet Heavens. Action Roguelikes. Arena Shooters. Crowd Management Games. Survive ‘em ups… the list goes on. Whatever you call them, thanks to Vampire Survivors they were a big story in 2022. In this podcast, Bryan and Josh sample three games from this burgeoning genre, popularized by Ponkle’s breakout hit, and quickly iterated on by a legion of creative developers. Our selection includes:

The OG - Vampire Survivors

The Stylish Successor - 20 Minutes til Dawn

and The Quirky Cousin- Boneraiser Minions.

All of which have plenty to recommend, not least of which is their exceedingly reasonable price points. Listen in for some heart pounding, shotgun cocking, skeleton summoning action as the boys dissect what makes the genre tick through discussion of this sample that we’re calling the ArenaCast.

Three Word Reviews:

Vampire Survivors:

Bryan: Dracula’s Destructive Dopamine

Josh: Bullet Hell Reversal

20 Minutes til Dawn:

Bryan: Simple Stylish Slaying

Josh: Guns as Maps

Boneraiser Minions

Bryan: Welcome Feature Creep

Josh: Back to Hell

The falling leaves tell a story…

Earlier this year, across the fog, in the Lands Between, Josh and Bryan embarked on their respective journeys to become the Elden Lord. And their Remaining Free Time was shattered. Along the way they met a variety of colorful characters: cowardly Patches the Untethered, the Unkillable Poisonous Jellyfish, and THE LOATHSOME DUNG EATER! Before long they realized the tales of their journey must be shared, and so a plan was hatched to condense hundreds of hours worth of gaming experience into a paltry (maybe not so paltry) podcast episode. Instead of putting these foolish ambitions to rest, they unsheathed their mics, donned their headphones, and went to work discussing a wide variety of topics. Lore, combat mechanics, and the dreaded difficulty discourse… all were felled before their mighty words. So listen in to hear Bryan and Josh pontificate on Elden Ring, its place in the FromSoftware catalogue, and its place in gaming in general… so that all things may be conjoined.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Uncompromised, Unmatched, Unforgettable

Josh - A Formula Perfected

Join Bryan and Clint for a discussion of Naughty Dog’s critical darling from 2013… and 2014… and of course, 2022! The Last of Us was, and remains, a landmark video game in the action-adventure sphere and continues to be the standard for character-driven narratives in gaming. Joel and Ellie’s cross-country road trip is just as exciting today as it was the day it launched, but the technical upgrade it received with “Part 1” is worth discussing in its own right. On the heels of its 2022 re-release, and as the franchise looks to expand into an upcoming HBO series, the guys felt there was no better time to revisit this PS3 (and PS4, and PS5) classic and provide their perspective on what makes it a game for the ages.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Dilapidated Dad Darling

Clint - Beauty and Brutality

Bryan and Josh have both long been intrigued by the prolific and quirky “Video Game Development Boy Band” hailing from Utrecht, Netherlands and calling themselves Sokpop. Given the recent breakout success of the group’s title, Stacklands, they decided to dive in and survey the vast back catalogue of projects that Sokpop has created. For those unaware: Sokpop is a 4 person video game development collective which has given itself an ambitious mission: launch a new game every 2 weeks. The games vary in size, shape, and scope but generally adhere to a ‘House Style’ that features low-res colorful visuals and cute, chunky animations. While the discussion primarily concerns Stacklands and another title, Simmiland, from a gameplay and mechanics perspective, Bryan and Josh discuss Sokpop’s approach more broadly in this podcast we’re calling Sokpop Selection.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Curious Collective Creation

Josh - Rapid Fire Release

Show Notes:

Sokpop’s Patreon Page

Game Design Perspective: Stacklands by Josh

Games Discussed: Stacklands, Simmiland, Luckitown, Tile Tale, Pocket Watch, White Lavender, Rook, KingPins, Sproots

Fans of tactics games rejoice! Triangle Strategy is here to deliver you the square grid, isometric, turn-based action you’ve been craving! … Along with an equally large helping of palace intrigue, politicking, and a bafflingly large amount of cutscenes. Oh, and don’t forget the detailed worldbuilding, subtle character development, and narrative ‘convictions’ system. Triangle strategy is a game that is not afraid to let its story breathe, and it backs its ambitious script up with some of the tightest and most well balanced tactics fights we’ve had the pleasure of playing. So pull up a chair and listen in to Bryan and Josh as they recount their time on the continent of Norzelia. Do you have the conviction required to make it through this voluminous tome of an episode?

Josh - Speeches and Swordplay

Bryan - My Convictions Grow

In this podcast Bryan, Josh and Clint take their spooky season celebrations to space! Dead Space, that is. The franchise’s first outing by the studio that would later become Visceral Games is as heart-pounding today as it was groundbreaking back in its 2008 debut. Offering a frightening level of immersion with its innovative UI and audio design, Dead Space doesn’t skimp on world-building either, even if it did have a few missed beats from a storytelling perspective. The real star of this experience, however, is the tension-filled and action-heavy combat that stands on contrast with some more deliberately paced horror games it was contemporary with. Overall, this is an influential space horror game that set the stage for many of the horror greats that came in the years since. So listen in as the book club crew straps into their RIG and boards the USG Ishimura to cover Dead Space!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Uneven Atmospheric Action

Josh - Action Trapped Adventure

Clint - Epic Tier Engineer

In this very special episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan interviews the developer of Moondrop and founder of Moonroof Studios, our very own Josh Galecki! Some of you may have picked up from listening to our other podcasts that Josh has had a solo indie dev video game project titled Moondrop in the works, and it has recently launched in August of 2022. This gave us a unique opportunity to talk through the process of design and iteration of making an indie video game, from 7-day roguelike experiment to commercial product on steam. It was an enlightening conversation for and provides some great anecdotes on what considerations an Indie Dev might need to account for during the development process.

Bryan - Magical Mountain Journey

Josh - Living the Dream

Show Notes:

Moondrop - On Sale Now!

Moondrop Discord

Games Discovery Newsletter

NORCO is what you get when you take a long lost LucasArts adventure game and steep it in Louisiana Bayou swamp water, then strain in through a filter of deep cynicism and hyper-local, near-future science fiction. Bryan and Josh showed up for the evocative writing and stunningly designed pixel art , but soon realized that the game’s crowning achievement was likely the way it was able to convey a sense of place and history perhaps more effectively than any other game they have played. So listen in for their discussion on NORCO’s story, themes, mechanics, and how it all blends together into an incredibly unique and affecting adventure game.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Local sci-fi gumbo

Josh - Desolated Bayou Banger

Show Notes:

NORCO Original Soundtrack

Acid Nerve’s sophomore outing, Death’s Door, is a huge step up in complexity and scope from their first title, Titan Souls. For a small studio coming off of a successful debut, it was a very ambitious project which not only moved their trademark tight action gameplay style from 2D to 3D, but also involved them building out a large hub and spoke world with many interesting dungeons and levels to navigate. Bryan and Josh appreciated the game not only for its artistic and auditory merits, but also for how it was able to weave its relatively simple mechanics together to create an extremely tight and satisfying combat system. So listen in to hear Bryan and Josh’s take on the story of a lone crow and his adventures in the Reaping Commission…

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Elegance in Simplicity

Josh - Concentrated Crow Quest

What happens when you create a series that launches an entire genre? While Metroid may not have been the first ‘metroidvania’, it and its predecessors are certainly the ones we look to as the standard bearer. Metroid Dread comes long after the Cambrian explosion of the metroidvania genre, but proves that the series and its new developers at Mercury Steam, are able to hang with the best of them. Metroid Dread iterates on Metroid Fusion’s introduction of being hunted and inclusion of horror elements while upping the ante graphically and gameplay-wise with stunning (and often challenging) boss fights. As the (as of now) final episode in the Metroid series, chronologically speaking, it is a fitting send off for the truly iconic bounty hunter hero, Samus Aran. Bryan and Josh report on their mission to planet ZDR and their experiences with the series and the genre more broadly in this wide-ranging discussion of Metroid: Dread.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Subtly-guided tour

Josh - A Classic, Polished

Show Notes:

Maddy Myers history of metroid

International Cat Day has recently passed and to celebrate the Pixelated Playgrounds crew leapt at the opportunity to play the cat game that everyone is talking about: Stray! This game is getting a lot of attention, so much so that we even had friends reaching out to see if we’d be playing it. Developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive the game poses several interesting questions that the crew endeavors to answer: Will we reunite our cat with his family? What happened to all of the humans? Why are those robots wearing hats? And most pressingly: Is this a great cat game, or just a great game in general? (Spoilers: its a great game no matter how you frame it). The evocative cyberpunk aesthetic and stunning original soundtrack by Yann Van Der Cruyssen will keep you lapping up the entire experience. So listen in for the opinions of a cat lover, a cat tolerator, and a cat avoider (guess who is who), as we break down the indie sensation, Stray.

Three Word Reviews:

Josh - Cyber City Kitty

Bryan - Future Feline Featurette

Clint - Pass the Inhaler

Show Notes:

Save the Cat! a popular screenwriting trope

Incredible soundtrack available on vinyl

Playing as Spyro

Hailing from Skövde, the same town that brought us Iron Gate’s Valheim, Stunlock Studios’ VRising has a new twist on the survival genre: make it a vampiric quest for power with a top down, diablo-inspired interface. Bryan, Josh, and Clint quickly found themselves thirsty for more of the game’s snappy combat, addictive crafting progression, and highly customizable base building. Despite the game’s well reported on degradation mechanics, the book club crew found a server that fit their needs and set about reclaiming the night for their vampiric empires. Listen in for tales of their meteoric rise, hard won victories, and eventual destruction at the hands of the server gods.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Who’s Your Vladdy

Josh - Boss base rhythm

Clint - Blood Sucking Tamagotchi

Long running open world roguelike project, Caves of Qud by Freehold games, has been in continuous development since its early access release on Steam in 2015… and it shows! Cave of Qud is a dense, interconnected, and unique experience with an unforgettable setting that comes across through its signature lo-fi aesthetic. Bryan and Josh set out to explore Qud’s post-post-apocalyptic radioactive jungles and caverns and came away with more stories than they can count, but listen in to their discussion and you’ll get a taste for what makes this a very special roguelike.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Dungeons of Dichotomy

Josh - The Epic Roguelike

Show Notes:

The Qud Survival Guide: a (mostly) lore-friendly tutorial mod for Caves of Qud

Ynglet is an interesting little game that is sometimes called an ‘anti-platformer’ or ‘platformer without platforms’. Part puzzle platformer, part digital music tool, it rides the line between audiovisual art installation and indie video game with style. Either way its a fun time with a truly magical algorithmically generated score. So listen in as Bryan and Josh race through the intriguing and playful soundscape of Ynglet!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Feel the Flow

Josh - Joyous Space Dolphin

Show Notes:

John Walker’s Buried Treasure

Nifflas Interview E3 2021

Wildermyth combines deep tactical combat with storylines that span generations of heroes, and Bryan and Josh enjoyed every minute of their offbeat epic mythologies. This included but was not limited to: heroes turning into crows, uncovering spellbooks of forgotten gods, and being inducted to an order of magical turtles. Wildermyth’s recreation of the tabletop, improvisational style of storytelling interweaves characters' traits, histories, and relationships, with the world's ongoing events. The writing is an incredibly satisfying implementation of a game as a story generator which is always something Bryan and Josh enjoy. So listen in as they regale you with the epic tales of our time with Wildermyth! 

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Epic Myth Generator

Josh - Rich Myth Smithing

Before Your Eyes is a breezy indie game with a simple premise: Blink your eyes, time advances. As you live the protagonist Benjamin’s life you begin at birth and time only moves forward when you blink by using facial recognition software and your webcam. Quite handy that such a game would release in 2020 right after everyone with a remote job had recently acquired such a device. What follows is an emotional story about parenting, expectations, love, and loss. The blinking mechanic ties into the narrative very well, serving to help underline the game’s message, but the real magic is in the writing and voice acting of this extremely well produced indie title. So listen in and learn how Bryan got Josh to play a game that took control of his computer’s webcam!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Life Worth Living

Josh - Time, Ever Onward

In 2017, longtime console developer Ninja Theory decided to buck their normal trend of partnering with publishers and take a risk by self-publishing their upcoming project, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The project was taking other risks as well: wading into the turbulent waters of portraying mental illness on screen, and taking big swings on new technology with their sound design. What emerged is a project that clearly shows great care in those areas of importance, but was perhaps a little threadbare in others (namely puzzle mechanics). Overall Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a unique and engaging title that deserves recognition for the places it succeeds. The team at Ninja Theory should be applauded for the effort spent on tackling tough topics like mental health and for driving material change for the treatment of those that suffer through fundraising and by shifting perspectives of their audience. Hellblade is far from a perfect game, but the intentionality and ambition on display have Bryan and Clint interested to see what comes next. Listen in for their discussion on the game and hear in their words what worked and what didn’t.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Not Fun, Engaging

Clint - Am I Crazy?

Show Notes:

Hellblade Dev Diary - Binaural Audio Test

Virtual Barber Shop

Binaural Audio Combat Example

Ninja Theory Mental Health Charity Work

Listen in as Bryan, Josh, and Clint unpack last year’s indie darling, Unpacking! Despite not having a central conflict or antagonist to speak of, Unpacking nonetheless tells a compelling story about growing up, moving out, and learning to live with others (and yourself). Combine that with absolutely gorgeous pixel art, a catchy yet subtle soundtrack, and a hefty dose of nostalgia and you have a special experience on your hands. Join the book club crew for a breezy discussion that includes some of their own experiences with packing, moving, and of course: nursery setup strategies.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Domicile Detritus Detective

Josh - Stuff as Story

Clint - Lots to Unpack

Slowclap’s second major outing, Sifu, is a fascinating game. On the surface it is a kung-fu action brawler with choreography that makes you feel like you’re directing a martial arts movie. Then it layers in a more fantastic element where the protagonist is reborn a bit older each time they are defeated. The real grace note of the whole experience, however, is the the game’s ability to slowly train the player to overcome increasingly demanding scenarios. By the end of the experience it does truly feel like you’ve gone on a hero’s journey to become a kung-fu master and avenge your father. Listen in as Bryan and Clint talk through their experiences with Sifu and what makes it stand out in a landscape where ‘ultra-hard’ has become a trendy game feature.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - I’m Getting Old

Clint - I know Kung-fu

Show Notes:

Sifu Live Action Trailer

Daredevil No Cut Fight Scene

Hero’s Hour is a clever pixelated iteration on the Heroes of Might and Magic formula that sports some eye-catching pixel graphics and a manic, yet extremely satisfying auto-battler combat system. Created by Benjamin Haur of ThingOnItsOwn, this is part homage to a beloved classic and part thoughtful evolution on some of the core mechanics that make the series (now regrettably controlled by Ubisoft) so appealing. At the time we recorded this (way back in Fall 2021) the game was only out on itch.io, but has received a full steam launch as of March 1st, 2022. It just keeps getting better, so listen to Josh and Bryan unpack what makes it great and then go pick it up!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Manic Pixel Heroes

Josh - Mighty Fun Homage

Show Notes:

Hexagons are the Bestagons

TABS

Botworld Adventure

Thanks to its arrival on the Xbox Gamepass platform, Bryan, Clint and Josh summoned their inner monster and played through the ‘reverse-horror’ metroidvania, Carrion! A great time was had by all as this interesting twist on a power fantasy encouraged creative play and invoked feelings of mischievous and sometimes sinister glee. Making your way through the sprawling depths of Relith Science Corps always fun in the moment to moment, though the act of exploration itself left the book club crew wanting in some instances. Listen in to hear our discussion on what makes Carrion the intriguing amalgamation it is!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Pixelated People Pulverizer

Josh - Monster, Know Thyself

Clint - Bite Size Experience

In recent years the 'deck builder roguelike' has become a crowded genre unto itself. One that Josh and Bryan really enjoy! While cards make a great framing device for a roguelike, In this podcast Bryan and Josh look at the roguelikes that take their inspiration from other games at the casino in our first 'Casino Cast' featuring Dicey Dungeons and Luck be a Landlord!

Three Word Reviews:

Dicey Dungeons:

Bryan - Generously Crafted Roguelike

Josh - A Paradise Lost

Luck Be a Landlord:

Bryan - Second Screen Sensation

Josh - Fast Slots Jackpot

For this podcast Bryan, Josh, and Clint don their best shiny green power armor and launch into a wide-ranging discussion of the entire run of the venerable FPS franchise, Halo! At first we thought we might revisit Halo: Combat Evolved since we were nearing the 20th anniversary. Then we thought we’d add in a discussion on Halo: Infinite since it has made waves with Bryan and Clint recently. Finally the crew made the decision to “Finish the Fight” and touch on the rest of the franchise as well. So listen in to a podcast we’re calling Halo One to Infinity!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - War Never Changes

Josh - The Gold Standard

Clint - Halo is Infinite

Show Notes:

Vice’s Halo Oral History

VG Dunkey’s Praise of the Grappeling Hook

If you have followed indie games at all over the course of the past several years, then odds are you have played or at least heard of Outer Wilds. A school project that became a Seaumas MacNally Grand Prize recipient at IGF in 2015, and then went on to be one of the most critically acclaimed games released in 2019. The team at Mobius Digital deserve every bit of that praise they received, because Outer Wilds is a truly special game. With superb physics simulation, an engrossing and complex mystery to solve, and a strong aesthetic and sonic style it punches well above its weight class as a first outing from a new studio. Bryan and Josh loved this game, and played right before the release of Echoes of the Eye, so that is not covered (though maybe we’ll revisit!).

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - The Big Question

Josh - Wander the Yonder

Show Notes:

Epic’s Payouts to developers for their free games program

Story about an astronaut and cosmonaut who became friends

1927 Paramount Studio Map Of California Filming Locations That Look Like Foreign Countries & Regions

Card games and the secluded wilderness seem like a natural fit. You’re out camping with your friends, the day is over and everyone is gathered around the fire. Someone pulls out a deck of cards…

…or … after your long day of hiking you pass out and are suddenly awakened in a mysterious cabin with nothing but a strange glowing pair of eyes beckoning you towards your first hand of a card game that may be your last.

Inscryption’s framing device is certainly evocative, but its far from the most interesting thing about the game. We’ll say no more here, but listen in for Josh and Bryan’s spoiler-filled discussion on the indie game sensation, Inscryption!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - A Gimmick Transcendence

Josh - Fire Embers Ash

Show Notes:

Waypoint’s Inscryption Stream

In 2021 when Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy launched for PC and current gen consoles, Bryan was experiencing a bit of Marvel fatigue. This made him initially skeptical when Clint urged him to play the latest Marvel video game property, saying it was one of his top games of the year. After learning more and seeing it was a linear 3rd person single player-focused action game (an increasingly rare genre these days), Bryan joined Clint in playing the game and absolutely loving it. Guardians of the Galaxy earns its place among the best games of 2021 by moving away from the MCU’s well trodden territory and blazing new trails for the members of Star Lord’s team. Combine that with subtle narrative, mechanical, and thematic interplay and you’ve got yourself a special game. Listen in to hear what made Clint and Bryan enjoy this game so flarking much!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Flarking Good Time

Clint - True GOTY 2021

Show Notes:

List of Licensed Music in GotG

Music:

Everybody wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears

Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley

Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

Space Riders with No Names by Star Lord

Zero to Hero by Star Lord

In 2008, Turtle Rock studios brought a new kind of multiplayer experience to video gaming with Left 4 Dead. You and your friends took control of a group of four survivors and try to navigate a world overflowing with undead in a chaotic first person cooperative campaign. Thirteen years later and Turtle Rock are revisiting the idea with Back 4 Blood. We found that it iterated on the formula nicely in some places, and seems to have lost the plot a bit in others. Additions like the deck management system give character creation a bit more depth, while inattention to the personalities of the Cleaners removes some of the charm present in its predecessors. Overall its a great cooperative experience, so listen in as Bryan, Josh, and Clint talk through their experiences with Back 4 Blood.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Satisfying Soulless Successor

Josh - Wrong Lessons Learned

Clint - Team Building Exercise

In 2019, Asobo Studio released A Plague Tale: Innocence, a story about a brother and sister navigating a plague and war torn 14th century France. Just months later the world would experience its own major pandemic event. For months after that Bryan and Clint had put off playing A Plague Tale, but during the Fall of 2021 they managed to play through and both are extremely happy they did. Providing a affecting emotional story (with a few supernatural elements to spice things up), A Plague Tale pulls off a cohesive blend of stealth, combat, and drama. Come for the gorgeous visuals of the French countryside, but stay for the story about how family, and found family, can make all the difference in an overwhelming world. Listen in for Bryan and Clint’s takes on A Plague Tale: Innocence and why they are excited for whatever’s next for this series and its studio.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Sling Into Action

Clint - Beauty in Bleakness

Someone’s murdered Paradise and Bryan and Josh are on the case! Paradise Killer literally drops you into the shoes of Lady Love Dies, who is investigating one of the most bizarre and otherworldly mysteries that one could imagine. The game immediately sets you free to explore a city full of convoluted history and conspiracy, dripping in sun-drenched style, and set to the tune of a relaxing and evocative soundtrack. Kaizen Game Works first outing is not a perfect game, but it is an excellent ride that you’re sure to remember for the setting alone. Listen in as Bryan and Josh investigate what makes Paradise Killer a mystery to remember.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - What Main Quest

Josh - Vaporwave Occult Banger

Show Notes:

Vaporwave artist Saint Pepsi

Japanese City Pop

Japanese City Pop Example - Mariya Tekuchi - Plastic Love

Paradise Killer’s ‘killer’ OST

Join Bryan and Clint for a podcast on the latest game from Arkane Studios, Deathloop! It has all of their Arkane favorites: flavorful distinctive environments, a deep intriguing backdrop, and interlocking systems of stealth, combat and exploration to name a few, but it also brings plenty of new ideas all its own. Whether you’re breaking the loop or protecting it there’s plenty to love on the island of Blackreef. So pull up a chair, or perhaps, join us in our 70’s style conversation pit to hear how Deathloop weaves style, action, and unpredictability into an intoxicating new type of immsersive sim.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint: Mastery Through Repetition

Bryan: Save Scumming, Defeated

Its that spooky time of year and everyone playing games is looking for something to match the spirit of the season! The latest entry in Capcom’s long running, and often remastered Resident Evil series is Resident Evil Village. Clint, a longtime Resident Evil fan, and Bryan, a relative newcomer, both weigh in on the merits and shortcomings of this 2021 release. Sticking with the first person perspective from RE7, Village takes Ethan winters to a remote European hamlet where he squares off against four lords to save his kidnapped daughter. Well… there’s a bit more to it than that, but you’ll have to listen in to find out!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - A Horror Buffet

Clint - RE8: Identity Crisis

The air is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter… and Josh, Bryan, and Clint are getting spooky with Pumpkin Jack! Pumpkin Jack is a 3d action/platformer with a ton of spooky-scary Halloween vibes. It’s a love letter to the 3d platformers of yesteryear and is absolutely dripping with character and some gorgeous visuals. To add to its impressiveness, it is largely the work of solo-developer Nicolas Meyssonnier. We love to see small studios succeed at their goals and this project absolutely nails the eerie vibe it is aiming for.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Nostalgic Pumpkin Pie

Josh - Crisp Fall Breeze

Clint - What a Treat!

If On A Winter’s Night Four Travelers by Laura Hunt and Thomas Möhring, who together make up Dead Idle Games, is a masterwork in terms of writing, art, and overall tone. Spanning three stories inside of a larger framing narrative, this (Free!) indie game delivers a punch of tension, suspense, and horror well above its weight class. Listen in as Josh and Bryan discuss what was so affecting about this indie horror gem, and reveal their ignorance of Italian postmodernist novelists.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Allusion Confusion Conclusion

Josh - Best Damn Library

Show Notes:

If On A Winter’s Night, Four Travelers – Interview

If On A Winter’s Night, A Traveler

Link to the Game: If on a Winter’s Night Four Travelers

Ahoy, Matey! Clint, Josh, and Bryan recently set sail on the Sea of Thieves and recruited fellow buccaneer and friend of the show, Andy, to reminisce on some of their most memorable mischief on the high seas. Sea of Thieves is a special kind of co-op multiplayer game, that values both whimsey and diegetic action to a high degree, whether you’re taking over one of many aspects of successfully piloting a ship, or just passing the time on deck by playing your hurdy-gurdy. Listen in to hear about how this design helps enable a one of a kind multiplayer experience that can provide equal parts calming relaxation and heart pounding chaotic action.

3 Word Reviews:

Bryan - Sailing and Chill

Josh - Aye, Me Hearties!

Clint - Ride the Wave

Andy - Watch Your Back

Join Josh, fluent Paradox games veteran, and Bryan, an enthusiastic newbie for a discussion of Paradox Games’ signature 4X space strategy game, Stellaris! We both put a good amount of time into this game recently and our play actually straddled the big 3.0 update back in April 2021. Paradox games have always thrived on the support given to them by their developers, and this game is no different. Stellaris is a special game among space sims due to the huge amount of flavor infused not only into the core gameplay but also into the writing of the game’s anomalies and events.

3 Word Reviews:

Bryan - A Galactic Paradox

Josh - Deep Spacetime Sink

City builders have always been among the more meditative and ‘flow-state inducing’ genres for many people. This week we play two city-builder games, Islanders and Dorfromantik which offer simplified but vastly different takes on the city builder genre. Islanders is a low poly score-chasing city builder that always nets you a view of one or more gorgeous cities at the end of a round. Dorfromantik is a hex-based city builder that tasks the player with keeping the city going by pursuing quests the game procedurally generates for you. Both are highly relaxing games by German development studios. Join Bryan and Josh for a discussion comparing and contrasting these two city builders in a podcast we’re calling ‘Simple Cities’

3 Word Reviews:

Islanders

Bryan - Chill Island Time

Josh - Pretty Itty-bitty City

Dorfromantik

Bryan - Carcassonne as Solitaire

Josh - Single Player Carcassonne

In this episode Bryan and Josh go down the raccoon(?) hole and take a close look at Donut County, the hole physics game from Ben Esposito. Aside from being an utterly delightful experience, Donut County is also in that increasingly valuable class of games that Bryan and Josh feel can be ‘squeezed into’ almost any schedule. Shout out to the sleeping and eating habits of newborns and toddlers. So kick back, relax and enjoy listening to what the guys feel makes Donut County great for almost any player of games.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - A Hole Vibe

Josh - Sunday Afternoon Beer

Show Notes:

Failure Workshop GDC Talk

Cloning Article

By now its obvious to anyone not living under a rock that the magical boarding school trope is well and truly played out. After Harry Potter and its scores of imitators had run their course, it seemed unlikely that anything fresh could be done in this space…. until Ikenfell! Veteran indie dev, Chevy Ray, devised not only an innovative battle system, but also a cast of truly memorable characters supported by sharp, witty writing. It doesn’t hurt that the game also features the musical stylings of Aivi & Surasshu, the composers behind the Steven Universe series. Bryan and Josh had a magical time with Ikenfell so they summoned up their mics and had a discussion about how Ikenfell uses a diverse cast and empathetic writing to elevate itself to the top of the class.

Editor’s Note: We apologize for unintentional misgendering or incorrect pronoun usage, we are doing our best but know we still have a ways to go.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Accessible Representation Magic

Josh - Narrow and Wide

Show Notes:

Eggplant the Secret Lives of Games

Ari and Sarasshu’s Album - The Black Box

Ikenfell Pixel Art Article

With almost a decade in the books since its inception, Kentucky Route Zero’s final act was released in early 2020, capping off a project that has been called a new Great American Novel by some and simply obscure, yet poignant by others. Bryan and Josh have had their eye on this project for a while and recently sat down to record a podcast about their experience with Cardboard Computer’s Kentucky Route Zero. Its a long one, but this is a game that rewards a close read due to its numerous allusions and metaphors.

Three Word Reviews:

Josh - A Cavern Deeper

Bryan - Echoes of Tomorrow

Show Notes:

The Actor and the Audience

The Bedquilt Ramblers Bandcamp Page

This month the book club takes a trip back to the future of hacking with Quadrilateral Cowboy by Brendan Chung aka Blendo Games! Equipped with a "top-of-the-line hacking deck outfitted with a 56.6k modem and a staggering 256k RAM” (which is only slightly faster than Josh’s setup) the group talks through the plethora of interesting features and how the game succeeds, and sometimes fails, to pull them together into a mechanically engaging and aesthetically fascinating whole.

Three Word Reviews:

Josh - Long Compile Time

Bryan - Planning as Creation

Clint - Couldn’t Hack It

When gyms across the US (and the world) closed in the spring of 2020, many people were left without access to their normal outlets for physical fitness. Conveniently (especially for Nintendo) only months earlier, Ring Fit Adventure had released to more buzz than is usually warranted for an exercise game. A year later Bryan and Josh are here to tell you what all the fuss was about. Listen in to hear what takes Ringfit over the top from being a good exercise game to being a good game, period. And a decent workout, too!

Three Word Reviews:

Josh - Off the couch

Bryan - Maintenance Phase Perfection

Show Notes:

Wii Shop Bling

Take Control of your podcast listening device and tune into Bryan, Josh, and Clint’s discussion of the 2019 paranormal action thriller, Control, developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by 505 Games. Aside from its technical mastery and engaging combat mechanics, Control brought things to the next level with its ability to cleverly flesh out its own uniquely campy, yet tension-filled game world.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint: Remedy To Repetition

Bryan: You’re in Control

Josh: Archetypal Action Excellence

Roll on over and take a listen as Josh and Bryan revisit the early 2000’s classic, Katamari Damacy! The novel mechanics and constant joyful energy kept us smiling the whole time and the music is as unique as it is infectious. Join us for a discussion about Katamari’s unique charm, its unmatched quirkiness, and the moral implications of the katamari’s all consuming nature.

Three Word Reviews:

Josh - Sweet Rolling Revenge

Bryan - Calculated Chaotic Joy

Show Notes:

Katamari Patent

Bryan and Josh are feeling heist-y as they tackle an indie gem from yesteryear, Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine. Listen in for a discussion of the co-op and chaos that makes Monaco a memorable multiplayer experience even today.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Delicious Layer Cake

Josh - Chaotic Criminal Circus

It's been almost two decades since Bethesda released The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, a game that would revolutionize the genre and take the company from precarity to runaway success. Since then Bethesda has released two more entries in the series, Oblivion and Skyrim, with increasing commercial success with each iteration. However, in some ways the accomplishments of Morrowind have yet to be matched by the series' subsequent entries. This month we revisit Morrowind to have a discussion about what made the land of Vaardenfell come alive for so many, and what keeps this game as a fan favorite for many all these years later.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint - Fundamental, not fun 

Josh - Wander and Find

Bryan - A Forgotten Prophecy 

Show Notes:

Morrowind: An Oral History (Polygon)

Metaphysics of Morrowind

Morrowind Combat IRL

Building things is great. Building things that build things is even better. Factorio gives you the opportunity to build an entire manufacturing infrastructure by hand and then defend it from rabid aliens while you try to escape the hostile planet you’ve found yourself on. Bryan and Josh have both spent a significant amount of time with Factorio, so come listen for what makes Factorio so unique among management sims, and stay for the in depth discussion of fluid dynamics.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Robotic Rabbit Hole

Josh - Start With Nothing

Since its early access release in February, Valheim has quickly gone from relative unknown to the talk of the town. Bryan and Josh take a look at why Valheim’s particular twist on the survival genre resonates with so many, and how the developer, Iron Gate AB, successfully applies their multiplayer-first philosophy to an open-world experience. Four million vikings can't be wrong.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - First Pleasant Surprise

Josh - Maps, Crafts, Rafts

It's rare to find a game that can be compared favorably to both Hollow Knight for tight metroidvania gameplay and Pixar for skill in animation and storytelling, but that is exactly what we found ourselves doing in our recent discussion of Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Moon Studio’s latest entry featuring the glowing woodland creature brought forth the best elements of its predecessor while adding in a host of mechanical and artistic improvements. Listen in as we talk through what allows Ori to make you feel heroic, deeply empathetic, and, well, squirrely all in the course of a few hours.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Pixar Perfect Metroidvania

Clint - Imitation is Flattery

Josh - Beautiful Forest Scamper

Show Notes:

Digital Foundry - Ori Switch Conversion Video

Moon Studio was Virtual before it was cool

Discover a brand new pixelated world with Bryan and Josh as they reminisce about a game they have both enjoyed for years, Terraria. Developed by Re-Logic in 2011 it has enjoyed stellar support from its developers and community transforming it from ‘2d Minecraft’ into a true classic in its own right. Since its relatively humble origins, Terraria has grown into something truly special, so listen in to hear about what make’s game’s exploration, building, combat, and loot such a compelling combination.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan: Not 2d Minecraft!

Josh: Gimmicks and Gizmo

If there is one genre that is most indicative of the PS4/Xbox One generation of video game consoles, you can make a pretty good argument that it is the open world action game. Trailblazed and typified by Ubisoft and their Assassin’s Creed franchise, there have been a slew of imitators and innovators throughout the past decade. As we close out the PS4’s catalogue of console exclusives, its only fitting that we receive one of the best iterations of this type of game. Join Clint and Bryan for a discussion on what Ghost of Tsushima has to offer and how it expands and improves the open world action game in a variety of ways.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - A Generation Perfected

Clint - Take Notes Ubisoft

Show Notes:

Perfect Famitsu Scores

With everything going on in the world today we took the opportunity for a nice bit of escapism into a beloved game of our adolescence. A respite into a world where… wait a minute … A pandemic is ravaging the planet, there are riots in the street, and misinformation spreads like wildfire causing the collapse of government institutions? Well anyway, it's the 20th anniversary of the release of Deus Ex which became a standard-bearer for the immersive sim genre, and an early take on the cyberpunk genre in video games. Join Bryan and Josh for a deep dive into what made this game special and how it holds up today.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Swiss Army Nanoblade

Josh - Explore Plan Execute

Show Notes:

Deus Ex Classic Game Postmortem - GDC 2017

Speedrun of Deus Ex at Games Done Quick 2018

The end of the year is time for reflection, so we took a look back at the latest outing from Thunder Lotus Games: Spiritfarer. It is ‘a cozy game about death’, and if that pitch isn’t enough to grab your attention then maybe the stunning animation, gorgeous soundtrack, and heartwarming story woven into an engaging management simulation will. Join Bryan and Josh as they discuss how the game handles the concept of death, while Josh reflects on his personal experience providing end-of-life care as a nurse.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan: A Bittersweet Voyage

Josh: Gently Unto Oblivion

We’ve stacked the deck with our second Roguelike Roundup to include two very interesting indie games: Slay the Spire and One Step from Eden. Both of these games are ‘deckbuilder roguelikes’ that take the mechanics of collectable card games and blend them with roguelike game design for a very potent mechanical combination. However the most interesting thing about these two games turns out to be the incredibly divergent way they each chose to interpret how to implement this combination.

While it's already spent a year in early access, the book club crew has finally come to their senses and jumped head first into Hades just in time for its full 1.0 release. The developer, Supergiant games, has gained a well-deserved following by elevating their productions with everything from eye-popping artistic flourishes to jaw-dropping music and audio. Join us and see what we think makes this a god-tier adaptation of rogue-lite mechanics into a finely crafted dungeon brawler.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan: An Auteur Apotheosis

Josh: A Tightly-woven Tapestry

Clint: The New Standard

Show Notes:

No-Clip Documentary: Developing Hell

Darren Korb - Good Riddance Tab

What if I told you there was a game released in 2012 that told a compelling story without using any words? That it also provided a beautiful allegory for one’s passage through life? And that it has online multiplayer which is never toxic or exclusive? It's hard to believe but all of this is true of Journey, which Thatgamecompany released almost a decade ago. It made a big impression when it was first launched, but remained a blind spot for the book club crew until now. Listen in to our discussion about what made this game special and how it holds up today.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan: Wordless Road Trip

Clint: Short and Sweet

Josh: Scarf Squids Forever

Episode Notes:

Jenova Chen’s GDC talk on Journey

In 1992, a trio of game development titans teamed up to create something never seen before. Producer Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of Final Fantasy, joined up with writer Yuji Horii, creator of Dragon Quest, and character designer Akira Toriyama, creator of the Dragon Ball manga series. This Dream Team released one of the true classics of the SNES era: Chrono Trigger. JRPGs are big news in the gaming world, with Final Fantasy 6 and Earthbound shaking up old ideas of what's possible. Then comes Chrono Trigger. Backed by a kick-ass soundtrack and graphics that pushed the limits of the SNES console, Chrono's time-travelling adventures captured the heart of a young gaming generation.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan: Killer, No Filler

Josh: All time Great

Clint: Passed Time’s Test

In June of 2020 itch.io organized a bundle containing 1,741 games, assets and documents from 1,391 independent creators which was released to support the Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd. It has since raised $8,151,916.91 from about 815k contributors for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Community Bail Fund. While we can’t provide in depth analysis of every game in this bundle, we can pick a few that piqued our interest and tell you what we thought. Join Josh, Clint, and Bryan for a discussion of Minit, Lenna’s Inception, Loot Rascals, Mortician’s Tale, Stillness of the Wind, and Long Gone Days along with a few others.

Take the scenic route with Bryan and Josh as they check out Adam Robinson Yu's A Short Hike. They discuss the peaceful journey from seashore to summit and the wonderful way the game presents itself as a distraction from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Listen in to hear their thoughts on how the game sticks the landing with an unexpectedly poignant ending.

Three word reviews:

Bryan: A Good Hang

Josh: A Beautiful Escape

Episode Notes:

Adam Robinson-Yu’s GDC Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW8gWgpptI8

Josh and Bryan like roguelikes. They like Roguelites and Roguelike-likes, too. What better way to let them display their like of roguelikes than to round a few up, play them, and have a rollicking discussion about what makes these games, and roguelikes in general, so much fun. This month Josh picked the pixelated sandbox simulation, Noita, and Bryan chose the stylish and sarcastic, Void Bastards. It’s a roguelike roundup!

Three Word Reviews:

Noita: Bryan - Oops, I’m Dead / Josh - Learn the Art

Void Bastards: Bryan - Sarcastic Space Swashbuckling / Josh Spaceship Scavenger

Show Notes:

Derek Yu’s Book - Spelunky

Spelunky Showlike

Embed with Games by Cara Ellison

Pack your bags and embark on a Super Mario world tour with Bryan, Josh, and Clint as they take a trip through Nintendo’s latest entry into the mainline Super Mario series, Super Mario Odyssey! On this journey we’ll visit various ports of call including: Nostalgia Bay, Adventure Cove, and Innovation Island. It might be many moons before we’re back home, but the trip will be worth it. Don’t forget to take some time out to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of every unique and wonderful location you visit along the way.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Donk City Forever

Josh - Captivating Cruise Ship

Clint - Still Got it

Join the guys as they rip and tear through one of the best FPS games on the market today - DOOM ETERNAL! A lot has changed since '93, come see what the latest entry in this iconic franchise brings to table and why it might be worth the trip to hell and back.

Construction and management sims like Dwarf fortress or, more recently, Rimworld have a way of immersing the player fully into a tiny world that they control every aspect of… until disaster strikes and plunges your tiny world into chaos. Rimworld keeps players engaged by continually creating compelling stories and forcing players to adjust to increasingly hectic obstacles, from raiders or inclement weather to the psychological quirks of your colonists. Listen in for Josh and Bryan’s trials and triumphs on the galactic frontier as they discuss kickstarted Steam Early Access juggernaut, Rimworld!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Perils of Addiction /

Josh - Western Space Opera

There’s murder on the high seas! … as well as beheadings, executions, maimings, devourings, drownings, stranglings, shootings, and good old fashioned disappearances. In Lucas’s Pope’s 2018 mystery masterpiece you play the role of an insurance adjuster attempting to figure out what happened aboard the mysterious Obra Dinn after it recently showed up with its entire crew dead or missing. Join us for a discussion about what makes Obra Dinn different from other mystery games and why this is a must-play for those looking for novel experiences in gaming.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint - I’m on Board

Bryan - Addition by Deduction

Josh - Sinbad, Snapshot Sherlock

Clint and Bryan prepare for Titanfall as they make their way through what is remembered as one of the most innovative and compelling FPS campaign modes of its time. Each mission brings a fresh perspective and framing to a rock-solid set of mechanics, as well as some unfortunately lackluster writing. They also set their sights on multiplayer, where this game still shines to this day. It's easy to see the lineage of excellence at Respawn Entertainment would give us one of the most successful battle royale games, Apex Legends, a few years later.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Half Complete Package

Clint - A Mechanical Masterpiece

The world’s largest multimedia franchise made its debut on the Nintendo Switch in 2019 and the book club has Pokemon fever like it's 1998 all over again! It’s been at least a decade since each of us had played an entry in this long-running series and it was interesting for the book club crew to take stock of what has changed… and what hasn’t. Join Bryan, Josh, and Clint for a Pokemon safari in the tall grass of nostalgia and see if you can separate our actual critical analysis from our reminiscing at the Pokemon of yesteryear through our rose tinted glasses.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint - Didn’t Catch Me / Bryan - Nostalgia Warmed Over / Josh - Reliable Income Stream

It’s a BOY! Clint's a dad now and for this special episode that has been released on the day of his son’s birth, we check out a heartfelt game about a father and his son, God of War (2018). Check out how this franchise has totally reinvented itself into something truly special that helped Clint prepare for his own adventure into fatherhood.

Clint: That’s My Boy

Bryan: Dad of Boy

RHETORIC: Should Bryan, Josh and Clint talk about Disco Elysium this month?

LOGIC: Yes they probably should, its won a ton of awards, has an engaging story, and boasts some of the best writing they can remember.

EMPATHY: That writing is always in service to this game’s true strength: telling a deeply affecting and sometimes hilarious story of how a person grows and forms their personality in the face of a bleak, brutal world.

CONCEPTUALIZATION: It has an incredibly well fleshed out game world as well, with thousands of years of history to flavor an already very alive modern noire setting.

SUGGESTION: Also, Kim. Kitsuragi kicks ass.

VOLITION: Alright, let’s get into it. This month’s Video Game Book Club is about Disco Elysium and why its an incredible game.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint: In your head / Bryan: Radical Midlife Crisis / Josh: Failure is Story

Perhaps one of the most influential games of the 2010’s is From Software’s Dark Souls. As the inspiration of the ‘souls-like’ genre and immense source of frustration for many a gamer, Dark Souls combines deep (if impenetrable) RPG systems with stellar world building to create a profoundly memorable experience. If you can get through it. Listen in as Bryan, Josh, and Clint talk through their respective encounters with this modern gaming landmark.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint: In the Dark

Bryan: Engage, Challenge, Reward

Josh: The Uncaring World

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering the Super Smash Brothers series by Nintendo.

Show Notes:

Bryan’s 2018 GOTY List

The Smash Brothers Documentary

Home Run Contest World Record

Kirby Survives the Apolcalypse

Three word reviews:

Bryan: Glee For All

Josh: Furious Pickup Basketball

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Cave Story by Pixel, released in 2004.

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Remnant: From the Ashes by Gunfire Games, released in 2019.

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Resident Evil 2 (2019), released in January 2019 by Capcom.

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Heroes of Might and Magic 3, released in February 1999 by 3DO.

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering the Hotline Miami Series. Hotline Miami was released in October 2012 by Dennaton Games.

Episode 16 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Cadence of Hyrule: The Legend of Zelda ft. Crypt of the Necrodancer, released in June 2019 by Brace Yourself Games.

Episode 15 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Celeste, released in January 2018 by Matt Makes Games.

Episode 14 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, released in 2019 by From Software.

Episode 13 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, released in 2017 by Nintendo.

Episode 12 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Hollow Knight, released in 2017 by Team Cherry.

Episode 11 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Undertale, released in 2015 by Toby Fox.

Episode 10 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Into the Breach, released in 2018 by Subset Games.

Episode 9 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Brogue, released in 2009 by Brian Walker.

Episode 8 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Hitman 2, released in 2018 by IO Interactive.

Episode 7 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, released in 2011 by Bethesda Softworks.

Episode 6 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Resident Evil 7, released in 2017 by Capcom.

Episode 5 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Dwarf Fortress, released in 2018 by Unknown Worlds Entertainment.

Episode 4 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Dwarf Fortress, released in 2006 by Bay 12 Games.

Episode 3 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Minecraft, released in 2009 by Mojang.

Episode 2 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering West of Loathing, released in 2018 by Asymmetric.

Episode 1 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Tacoma, released in 2017 by Fullbright.