Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast

On this week's episode Kat, Eric, and special guests Saniya Ahmed and Nicole Carpenter discuss recent layoffs in both journalism and development. How will Bungie's layoffs change the future of Destiny? Does Destiny HAVE a future? Should it? All these question and more will be answered in this week's Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Kat has nice things to say about Final Fantasy XIV
• Fast AND Furious? In this economy?
• Gathering the Magic
• Arranger

Timestamps:

• 05:04 - Game Informer Layoffs
• 20:00 - Bungie Layoffs
• 50:56 - Random Encounters
• 58:40 - The Tavern
• 1:19:28 - Eric's Nostalgia Pit

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• rtown0 (Δ Server Aqua Capital Mac Anu) - [.hack//INFECTION]

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It's the Summer o' Summoners on Axe of the Blood God! We're celebrating summoners, extoling evokers, and commemorating callers! But first we have to decide who qualifies? Are Pokemon Trainers summoners? Is Ichiban a summoner? Is listening to a podcast not a kind of summoning? That's right, as far as I'm concerned YOU'RE my favourite summoner, dear listener. All this and more on this week's Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Unionization and strikes!
• Courage the Cowardly Dog
• Eric watches terrible TV
• Twisters!

Timestamps:

• 13:20 - Main Topic - Our RPG Backlogs
• 53:52 - Random Encounters
• 56:32 - The Tavern
• 1:19:28 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Keepers of the Void - [Final Fantasy Brave Exvius]

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By popular demand, it's a long-overdue look at the colossal Trails series! Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by Trails expert James Galizio to discuss the latest entry to celebrate the series' 20th anniversary; Trails Through Daybreak. How do you get into a series with a dozen entries in the same narrative? Is Daybreak a good place to jump in? What's the best game in the series?

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• MAHVEL
• Trading military secrets
• Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition
• Visual novels and ADV games are different things!
• Tsukihime is, in fact, a visual novel.
• Hijinks!

Timestamps:

• 13:20 - Main Topic - Our RPG Backlogs
• 40:06 - Random Encounters
• 49:54 - The Tavern
• 1:21:02 - Nadia's BIRTHDAY Nook?!

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• Birthday - [Monster Rancher 2]
• Daily Life - [Trails Through Daybreak]

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We've all got one. Some are bigger than others but we can all agree that we can't get enough of'em. No, not opinions. I'm talking backlogs!

Whether it's a real life shelf with a copy of Shadow Hearts you borrowed from your friend 7 years ago and can't quite bring yourself to play but also don't want to give back, or your digital shelf full of game titles you've never even heard of, we've all got games we swear we'll get around to someday. Kat, Nadia, and Victor discuss some of their biggest blind spots and more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Kat is still working on Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
• Megami Tensei novels in English for the first time
• Nadia has finished Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
• Please go play Curse Crackers

Timestamps:

• 13:20 - Main Topic - Our RPG Backlogs
• 57:20 - Random Encounters
• 1:07:40 - The Tavern
• 1:29:42 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Carnival Subarea - [Curse Crackers: For Whom the Belle Toils]

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Sometimes it's not just about the power of friendship.

Even the most friend-shaped RPGs can pull the rug out from under you with a moment that makes your skin crawl. Sometimes they beat you over the head with that rug with moments that make you go "aww jeez, come on, don't do that!" On this week's Axe of the Blood God Nadia and Victor discuss their favourite(?) moments in games that embrace the creepy, the macabre, or the truly depraved. It's not the first episode where we talk about marrying cousins and it won't be the last!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• We're playing Dawntrail obvs
• The lost Shin Megami Tensei games you can play right now!
• More saved feature phone games including Final Fantasy D-d-d-dimensions!
• Remembering Mutsumi Inoumata

Timestamps:

• 6:40 - Main Topic - Darkest Moments in RPGs
• 57:52 - Random Encounters
• 1:20:16 - The Tavern
• 1:32:40 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Pirate Island - [Boktai 3]

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So long dads and grads; Summer is here and that means pina coladas on the beaches of Tural. And as we soak up that vitamin D we might as well reflect on the year so far. What RPGs have blown our minds, which ones not so much, and what are we looking forward to in the latter half of Anno Domini 2024? Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss all this, plus Shadow of the Erdtree, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, and more on this week's Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• 1000xRESIST
• Hades 2
• Dragon's Dogma 2
• Demonschool
• Tsukihime

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 57:20 - Random Encounters
• 1:02:00 - The Tavern
• 1:32:40 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Tuliyollal (Day) - [Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail]

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I hope you like your rings elden and your trees erd because this week Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Mitchell Saltzman discuss the much-anticipated Elden Ring DLC. Plus, the latest Nintendo Direct, and Eric's experience with Final Fantasy VI so far. It's a jam-packed episode this week on Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• MAAAHVEL BAYBEE
• Fantasian
• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
• Do we need leakers?
• Final Fantasy VI is really good

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 4:16 - Main Topic - Shadow of the Erdtree
• 38:04 - Random Encounters
• 41:28 - Nintendo Direct
• 1:00:40 - The Tavern
• 1:32:48 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Airship Stage - [Marvel Vs Capcom 2]

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More like Summer Games FEAST. The deluge of news simply doesn't stop. This time Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Brenden Groom focus on Dragon Age: The Veilguard plus a bazillion other games that were announced over the past week.

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Train Station Fist Fights!
• Is Super Monkey Ball and RPG?
• Hyper Light Breaker
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• More Metaphor
• Blumhouse and Sam Barlow
• Demonschool

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 15:36 - Kat and Eric's Dragon Age Impressions
• 1:00:00 - More SGF
• 1:48:08 - Random Encounters
• 1:51:20 - The Tavern
• 2:02:02 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Jouin High School - [Shin Megami Tensei V]

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We're at the SGF. We're at the Day of the Devs. We're at the Xbox Showcase. We're at the combination SGF, Day of the Devs, Xbox Showcase. Kat and Eric are joined by Michael Higham and Moises Tavares to discuss an absolute deluge of game reveals, announcements, trailers, and news.

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Can Metaphor: ReFantazio bring back fantasy?
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard is here to fill your quip quota
• Starfield: Shattered Space
• Expedition 33

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 00:00 - Main Topic - It's ALL Main Topic, Baby! Good luck!

Music Used in this Episode:

• Tuliyollal Theme - Day - [Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail]

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The season of big summer announcements has begun! Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the RPG offerings Sony has revealed in the latest State of Play. What do PlayStation-playing RPG-lovers have to look forward to in the near future? Find out on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Dragon Quest HD-2D is back!
• 13 Sentinels Pantheon Prologue

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 08:51 - Main Topic - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
• 53:51 - Random Encounters
• 59:23 - The Tavern
• 1:25:58 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Retem City - Day View - [Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis]

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The Mario RPG remakes continue with a Gamecube classic and Kat, Nadia, and special guest Logan Plant are here to talk about it. Does the brilliant script hold up? Is the combat and progression still as fantastic as it's always been? And who is the best companion? That's easy, we all know who it is. Go on. You get one guess. And if it's wrong you need to leave.

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Put Waffle House in Tekken
• This Week in Gekkoukan Continues
• A Doctor Who Primer
• Jenny Nicholson's doing good work

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 03:04 - Main Topic - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
• 39:38 - Random Encounters
• 44:00 - The Tavern
• 1:17:28 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Rogueport - [Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]

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It's letter tiiime, it's letter tiiime!~ Axe of the Blood God's May mailbag is here, and it is loaded with some excellent questions from our listeners. The topics of discussion are, but not limited to:

• What stops so many of us from finishing RPGs?
• PS5 RPG ports we want to see on Switch 2
• Do Dragon Quest Slimes taste sweet or savoury?
• Where's Axe of the Blood God's "Best RPG Soundtrack" segment? Huh? Huh??

Also in this episode:

• Sony has a new CEO, Rest in Pizza Jim Ryan.
• Nier's devs are working on a project that might be Nier, but we don't have Nier-ly enough information yet.
• Jabroni Chocobos
• Childhood cats, bitten and non.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 04:48 - Letter Time
• 1:07:01 - Random Encounters
• 1:12:09 - The Tavern
• 1:25:57 - Nostalgia Nook

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]
• Patty's Pub - [Dragon Quest IX]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Lab 16 Ruins - [Chrono Trigger]

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Capitalism continues to function as intended with the closure of several studios by Microsoft. What's the future of Game Pass? What will RPGs on Microsoft platforms look like going forward? And how many lives need to be ruined by rich people before we bring back the thing that rhymes with "creatine'? Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss this and so much more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Animal Well
• Hades 2
• Kat holds her FFXIV playthrough for a $20,000 ransom

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 03:52 - Main Topic - Microsoft
• 47:28 - Random Encounters
• 1:0:0 - The Tavern, More or Less
• 1:32:32 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Human - [The Killers]

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A slew of un-announced titles from Square Enix have just been skewered by the masamune in a grand restructuring. In the wake of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's sales, where does our beloved JRPG machine go from here? The odds of getting a Various Daylife 2 seem slimmer than ever. Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the future of the house that Final Fantasy built and more on this week's episode!

Listen AD-FREE and get hundreds of hours of bonus episodes by subscribing at patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this Episode:

• Starfield Update!
• 9S' Therapist
• Knock-knock it's Knuckles!
• This Week in Gekkoukan continues!
• Stay off the Jibanyan couch

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

04:16 - Main Topic

55:52 - Random Encounters

1:02:56 - The Tavern

1:32:48 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Wait for Truth - [Live-A-Live]

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Let's re-litigate like it 2015! Does Fallout 4 deserve the hate that it gets in certain circles? With the current-gen update and the TV series bringing Fore-out back to the Fall-front it's time for Kat and Eric to go head-to-head and determine if Fallout 4 is one of the greats of the genre or deserves to be cast into the Pandaemonium pit.

Also in this episode:

• Eiyuden Chronicles' bumpy patches
• Metaphor ReFantazio
• Kat rides a rollercoaster and finishes Unicorn Overlord in that order
• This Week in Gekkoukan Reload continues!
• Hades 2 tech test impressions

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 08:16 - Main Topic - Fallout 4
• 42:04 - Random Encounters
• 1:02:24 - The Tavern
• 1:26:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Crawl Out Through the Fallout - [Sheldon Allman]

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When you consider inflation that's really only gonna get you as far as seventy-ish heroes.

Either way the spiritual successor of Suikoden has arrived! Is it worth the wait? Did they manage to fit all them heroes into the Switch version? Eric, Nadia, and special guest Lucas White discuss this much-anticipated crowd-funded torch-bearer of the late Yoshitaka Murayama's legacy.

Also in this episode:

• Class of Heroes
• Nier: AutoNadia
• Hades 2
• Turtle Power

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 05:52 - Main Topic
• 56:32 - Random Encounters
• 57:36 - The Tavern
• 1:26:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• MEGALOMANIA (RF Remix) - [RF]

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Did you know Walton Goggins has his own distillery? You can buy Walton Goggins-branded gin if you want. And if you, like me, happily embrace any opportunity to see beloved character-actor Walton Goggins on screen then boy howdy the new Fallout show is for you! A veritable overpour of Goggins -- much like how one might make a generous cocktail with the fine spirits from Walton Goggins' distillery! How many more times can I type 'Walton Goggins'?! At least once more; Walton Goggins! Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss what makes a good video game adaptation, if Square can make a hit movie, and whether there's beef between Bethesda and Obsidian!

Also in this episode:

• More Slay the Spire
• Why tipping for video games is a CEO grift
• Possibility Space's bizarre and tragic shutdown
• Final Fantasy's difficult position
• Kat played Warhammer
• Eric's return to Chrono Trigger

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 08:00 - Main Topic
• 46:00 - Random Encounters
• 1:08:00 - The Tavern
• 1:34:40 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Guardia Millennial Fair - [Beer SQ]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They share more than just fireballs! Kat and Eric are joined by special guests Brenden Groom and Mitchell Saltzman to discuss why these are two genres that taste great together! What fighting games would make a great RPG? What RPG would make a great fighting game? Where is there already plenty of crossover? And why is 2B in all of them anyway?

Also in this episode:

• Tidus is fine
• The return of Kat's Persona 3 Quest!!
• Kissin' cousins
• Content Warning

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 04:30 - Main Topic
• 51:32 - Random Encounters
• 52:40 - The Tavern
• 1:19:44 - Industry Story time

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best [Breath of Fire III]
• Seeking Victory [Tales of Legendia]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hope you like car wrecks because this week's episode of Axe of the Blood God is hosted by Nadia Oxford. With Kat Bailey out on another cigarette run and Eric's vocal cords being shredded apart by PAX Pox, Nadia's forced to try and keep order. This week's guest is writer Jesse Vitelli, who has plenty to say about Visions of Mana, Dragon's Dogma 2, and how to get banned from Chuck E Cheese for life.

Also in this episode:

• Balatrio? Baltaro? Balto?
• 20th Century [Digital] Boy
• Five Nights at Frederick's
• Canadian customs Asks Nadia the Forbidden RPG Question

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro/Dragon's Dogma
• 31:12 - Visions of Mana Impressions
• 43:08 - Random Encounters
• 55:43 - The Tavern
• 1:08:50 - Nadia and Jessie's Nostalgia Bog

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best [Breath of Fire III]
• Pub Polka [Dragon Quest IX]
• Dedicated to Moonlight [Final Fantasy XIV]

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What is this, a crossover episode?!

Our old pals Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert of Retronauts, Talking Simpsons, and What A Cartoon fame stop by the Blood God studios to offer their animation history expertise while discussing some of the biggest games of the year as well as the classics they've been catching up on.

Also in this Episode:

• Why manga is more successful than Western comics
• No more Baldur's Gate from Larian
• Bob Cing's the praises of Another Code
• The golden age of Streetpassing
• Free stuff

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

4:48 - Main Topic

46:24 - Random Encounters

1:29:16 - Kat's Industry Storytime

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

On the Lakefront - [Another Code R]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vanillaware has done it again; defying conventional wisdom, they've gifted us the most Sega Saturn game we've seen in ages. Emerging from an alternate universe where Ogre Battle was revered as much as it's tile-based cousins, Unicorn Overlord is here. Does it conquer this oft-unexplored branch of the SRPG family tree or is it a little too uni-corny? Join Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they discuss this exciting new entry in Vanillaware's off-beat canon. Either way there will be some VERY GOOD character designs.

Also in this Episode:

• Backpack Battles
• More Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth talk!
• ERIC PIT?!
• Damedol

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

4:48 - Main Topic - Paying Tribute to Akira Toriyama

59:04 - Random Encounters

1:02:22 - The Tavern

1:23:50 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Farde mal Diavolo - [Unicorn Overlord]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Akira Toriyama died on March 1, leaving behind a legacy that includes Dragon Ball, Dragon Quest, and an incredible impact on both games and anime. With Eric out, Kat and Nadia are joined by Victor Hunter and Ash Paulsen to break down he changed RPGs, our memories of watch Dragon Ball, and more. 

Also in this Episode:

• Kat is obsessed with Unicorn Overlord!
• Still more Final Fantasy VII Rebirth chatter!
• Game rentals and puzzle solving!
• And much more

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

5:00 - Main Topic - Paying Tribute to Akira Toriyama

45:00 - Random Encounters

50:00 - The Tavern

1:35:00 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Melancholy - [Dragon Quest VI]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're going to mosey you might as well mosey with the best.

The cast of Final Fantasy 7 has always been a fan favourite; does Rebirth give these characters more room to breathe or just a lot of filler? And what other FF cast compares to them? Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the best ensembles of the series and more in this character-driven episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Also in this Episode:

• Napster
• Unicorn Overlord
• I'm a Dune, he's a Dune, she's a Dune, we're all Dunes
• More layoffs!

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

3:44 - Main Topic - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

1:00:00 - Random Encounters

1:15:16 - The Tavern

1:34:56 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

The Run Around Part 1 - [Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade]

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It's the spoiler-free Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Spectacular! The panel has had plenty of time with Rebirth, or as I like to call it "Final Fantasy VII-3". Does it improve upon Remake? Does it stand on it's own? Do you need to play the lost mid-200s Japanese feature phone game Before Crisis to fully grasp the importance of the character of Cissnei? Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Nick Limon talk about all this and more on A Very FF7 episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Also in this Episode:

• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance
• Eric's Unicorn Overlord Experience
• Kat's Stardew Valley Dating Recap

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

3:04 - Main Topic - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

1:11:16 - Random Encounters

1:22:22 - The Tavern

1:44:40 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Final Fantasy VII Main Theme Jazz Arrangement - [Final Fantasy VII Jazz]

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It's letter tiiiiime, it's letter time!!

It's everyone's favourite time of year; Letter Time!

Join Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they tackle some hard-hitting questions like "what's your favourite juice?"

If you'd like to submit questions for our next mailbag episode be sure to join our discord at patreon.com/bloodgodpod!

Also in this Episode:

• Helldivers 2
• What roles do the hosts like to play and why
• Because Nadia got high, Nadia got high, Nadia got high

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

3:30 - Letter Time

3:44 - Levelling

14:56 - Juice

20:10 - Potion or Food?

22:24 - Shiren and Unicorn Overlooked?

27:50 - Nintendo Direct Rumors

35:12 - Minigames

42:45 - Sicko Mode

48:40 - Fav Pantheon

53:40 - Happiness

59:50 - Random Encounters

1:10:40 - The Tavern

1:27:40 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

The Runaround Part III - [Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Love is in the air; as long as the project roadmap has made allowances for it in the overall budget! Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk about the best and worst relationships in RPGs. How do you write a natural relationship in a videogame? Should relationships just be a means to an end? Will anyone bring up Sakura Wars?

It's an S-rank Support Conversation on this week's episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Also in this Episode:

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Demo out now!
• The flames of the console wars are fanned once again
• Do platforms even matter anymore?
• The Last of Us theme park
• She Who Became The Sun book club!
• Dungeon Meshi / Delicious in Dungeon

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

10:248 - RPG Romance

49:04 - Random Encounters

1:07:32 - The Tavern

1:40:20 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

My Blue Sky - [Sakura Wars]

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The Three Musketeers, 3 Ninjas, Persona 3. Just a few examples of franchises that began with 3. And here to celebrate the remake, Persona 3 Reload, are Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Kenneth Shepard! They discuss differences between the original, the perfect starting off point for players new to the series, and why there's never been a Persona 1 or 2!

Also in this Episode:

• Vote Princess Maker 2 for the Pantheon
• Granblue Fantasy: Relink
• The Year of Shadow the Hedgehog
• Linda³ Again! LETS GO! YOU DONT EVEN KNOW, DUDE!
• Xbox drama
• Suicide Squad kills the Justice League and so do the Teen Titans

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

05:20 - Persona Talk!

52:45 - Random Encounters

1:10:24 - The Tavern

1:40:20 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Spring Breath - [Linda³]

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Canadian chart-topping darlings BNL once said "If I had a million dollars I'd buy you a house." Unfortunately with inflation being the way it is a million dollars can hardly get you a downpayment anymore. No my friend, what you need to get anywhere in this world is wealth. INFINITE WEALTH. And Ichiban is bringing it in his latest adventure. Come join Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Jesse Vitelli as they discuss the equal parts madness and heart of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth as the onslaught of massive 2024 RPGs begins.

Also in this Episode:

• Games starring adults of drinking age
• Palmer getting hit by a truck
• More layoffs!
• Palword...
• Tekken 8

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

04:48 - Main Topic - Developer Quest: RGG

54:32 - Random Encounters

1:20:32 - The Tavern

1:40:20 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

ATLANTICA - [7th Dragon III VFD]

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You down with RGG? Yeah, you know me!

From Super Monkey Ball to Infinite Wealth, our prestigious panel covers the history and key players of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Eric, Nadia, and special guest Michael Higham discuss the runaway success of the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series, the charm of 1988 Kamurochō, and the role these games have played in their own personal lives and careers. Much like Like A Dragon itself, this episode is full of heartfelt sentimentality contrasted with borderline absurdist comedy!

Also in this Episode:

• Great tattoo ideas
• BuT Is iT An RpG?!?!?
• Visions of Mana!
• Eric has been playing Palworld...
• The Art of Fare Evasion

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

07:00 - Main Topic - Developer Quest: RGG

1:02:28 - Random Encounters

1:13:12 - The Tavern

1:26:58 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Pure Love in Kamurocho - [Yakuza 0]

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2024's RPG landscape is already being defined by a handful of big titles. But those games aren't made in a vaccuum. They're made by people! People who work at studios! And those studios have names.

Listen as Kat, Eric, and special guest Ethan Gach discuss the 5 biggest studios that are already shaping the present and future of RPGs.

Also in this Episode:

• Final Fantasy V Recap!
• Games Done Quick!
• Granblue Fantasy!

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

06:10 - Main Topic - Top RPG Studios of 2024

06:16 - CD Projekt Red

09:56 - ATLUS

13:28 - Square Enix

19:04 - FromSoftware

27:50 - Larian

54:44 - Random Encounters

57:12 - GDQ

1:02:56 - The Tavern

1:21:58 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

The Day Will Come (From Final Fantasy V) - [Final Fantasy XIV - Endwalker]

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There are some questions we as a species will always be asking; Is consciousness inherent to our universe? Is time a construct? What cool new video games will come out in 2024?

10 hard-hidding questions will be asked of our intrepid panel and you'll hear Kat, Nadia, and Eric dole out answers like it's their job. What can we look forward to? What surprises are in store that we don't even know we want to look forward to? The Switch 2, acquisitions, the GaaS event horizon; all this and more in this interrogatory episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Also in this Episode:

• Sonicshortergamesmeme.jpg
• Axe of the Blood God officially endorses Metaphor: ReFantazio for 2024
• Eric has played a bunch of Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth and didn't tell us!

This episode is sponsored by Factor. For 50% off head to factormeals.com/axerpgadventure50 and use code: axerpgadventure50

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

05:36 - Main Topic - 10 Big Questions for 2024

51:15 - Random Encounters

57:04 - Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Preview

1:21:58 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Headquarters - [Skies of Arcadia]

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There's never been a more appropriate year to anticipate RPGs than this one! Whether it's "Like A", "Quest", or "Dogma 2", the Year of the Dragon is bound to bring you something you'll sink a not-insignificant part of your year into! Join Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they each talk about their Top 5 Most Anticipated RPGs of 2024 and more!

Also in this Episode:

• Will we be getting a Switch 2 in 2024?
• Will the PS5 and Xbox ever feel like the current gen?
• Garfield?

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

06:40 - Main Topic - RPGs We're Looking Forward To

1:25:16 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

1:26:16 - Nadia's BONUS NOOK

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

New Year's Day (2 AM - 5 AM) - Animal Crossing New Horizons

Games Mentioned in this Episode:

Dragon's Dogma 2

Persona 3 Reload

Unicorn Overlord

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2

Decapolice

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Dragon Quest III HD-2D

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Visions of Mana

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

Citizen Sleeper 2

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Merry Chrysler! We here at Axe of the Blood God prepared this very special episode that takes both a deeply critical and celebratory look at the nutty year that just passed us by. We had RPGs galore! Have we ever seen such bounty? New Zelda! New Baldur's Gate! New Cyberpunk...sort of!

But we had troubles galore, too. Layoffs and downsizing left and right. The end of vintage game media websites and game studios. What awaits us in 2024? We dunno! But we can guarantee the Blood God will always be with you. That's what Christmas is all about.

In this episode:

• Our Game of the Year!
• Zelda, Zelda, Baldur's Gate, Zelda!
• The Super Mario RPG remake is great!
• Starfield discourse that's as long and girthy as Luigi's schlong
• And lots more!
• 
  

Music used in this episode:

• Tantal [Xenoblade Chronicles 2]
• Narshe March [Final Fantasy VI]

Secret of Mana Santa art source 

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The Holidays are right around the corner and you know what that means?

That's right! All the children who have been good year 'round gather at the local podcast to hear the wise old hosts dispense their recommendations for the year! But what's this? Mean Mr. Grinch stole aaaaaall the popular games this year! Fret not, little one. Just because mainstream gaming media hasn't covered it doesn't mean it's not worth curling up with next to the fire. In fact, just for you we've compiled a list of wonderful games no one seems to be talking about! Let Eric, Nadia, and beloved guest Reb Valentine (along with a mail-in ballot from our editor abroad, Victor Hunter) tell you what you missed while you were being a sweet angel 24/7.

Also in this Episode:

• End of E3-gelion
• The Game Awards speeches that weren't
• Nadia's burnt-beard-filled Christmas Pit

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

1:10:40 - Random Encounters

1:27:36 - The Tavern

1:41:52 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Jeuno Starlight Celebration - Final Fantasy XI [Square Enix X'mas Collection]

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Sponsored by Factor

It was an embarrassment of RPG riches as well as just plain embarrassment at this year's Game Awards 2023 as Keighley Fest 2023 once again brought us trailers, celebrities, and way too much Hideo Kojima. Nadia, Kat, and Eric recap everything that happened at this year's show, including the major reveals (Monster Hunter! Exodus!), the winners (Baldur's Gate 3... a lot!) and controversies (maybe don't play developers off the stage when they're trying to honor dead colleagues!). All that and more in this week's episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Also in this Episode:

• GTA VI mania!
• Dragon Age gets a short reveal
• Nadia's Christmas Pit



Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro/Pantheon poll winner

07:45 - Game Awards 2023 Announcements, Winners, and Controversies

1:05:00 - Random Encounters

1:08:00 - The Tavern

1:26:38: Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - Breath of Fire III

A Curious Tale - Secret of Mana

Maze of Life - Persona Q

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The year 2023 has been absolutely packed with RPGs, and there's always something flying under the radar. Darkest Dungeon 2 might just be one of those - a follow-up to a beloved dungeon-crawler that still feels like it hasn't had quite the same impact as its predecessor.

So one of our Patreon supporters joined us this week to talk the Darkest Dungeon series and why it's worth keeping an eye on the sequel. We dive into the history, mechanics, dark humor, and gorgeous art of the Darkest Dungeon this week.

Also in this Episode:

• Kat is starting Final Fantasy V again!
• Eric asks why there hasn't been a Godzilla RPG yet
• Nadia throws another curve ball in the Nostalgia zone

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro/Pantheon poll winner

10:45 - Darkest Dungeon talk

44:04 - Random Encounters

1:06:25 - The Tavern

1:23:48: Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - Breath of Fire III

A Curious Tale - Secret of Mana

Clash on the Big Bridge - Final Fantasy V

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It's the DVD commentary you didn't know you wanted!

If you haven't already, now's the time to watch the movie that may have shaped RPG history more than any other. Time for L'arc en Ciel, the most bizarre performance of Steve Buscemi's career, and the Final Fantasy story that most closely resembles the works of L. Ron Hubbard!

This episode is best experienced as a commentary alongside playback of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within but also functions perfectly well as a stand-alone podcast so pick your poison and join Kat, Nadia, Eric, and Victor as we dig around Within and see what those Spirits are up to!

MOVIE STARTS - 10:08

FINAL THOUGHTS - 1:48:17

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There are more Persona spin-offs than there are stars in the night sky but luckily most of them are pretty darn good! Listen as Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the Phantom Thieves' latest heist in Persona 5 Tactica. Even the Persona Q series gets some love! Good! It deserves it! Plus, Nadia takes us on a Geno Whirl-wind journey through Super Mario RPG.

Editor's Note: Yes, Kat's microphone cuts out at a certain point. But consider this; maybe it'll be something we can all laugh about ten years from now. And besides, the solution I came up with it cosmically funny and won't bother anyone.

Also in this Episode:

- Final Fantasy on N64! No way!

- Eric Got Through: Mellow Zone Act 1

- A social experiment involving Animalese

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intros

39:28 - Random Encounters

1:20:22 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Beware the Forest's Mushrooms - [Super Mario RPG]

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This is Miyamoto. It's actually happening. A live action Legend of Zelda is on the way. How much faith do we have in the team behind it? What is our dream casting? And how can we talk about Love Actually instead? All these questions and more will be answered by Kat, Nadia, and special guest Alex Stedman!

For what it's worth I think they missed their chance when Jonathan Taylor Thomas aged out of playing Link in the 90s but no one bothered to ask me. I also think every live action adaptation should end with a Red Hot Chili Peppers drop like the Death Note movies do. Again, no one asked me. Adaptation (2002) is really the only good adaptation anyway. Go watch that.

Also in this Episode:

- One Piece is good

- Disney is bad

- Avatar might be fine?

- Baldur's Gate and Starfield.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intros

44:48 - Random Encounters

1:00:48 - Baldur's Gate Talk Begins

1:21:04 - Baldur's Gate Talk Ends, Starfield Talk Begins

1:32:00 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Fairy Fountain (Pause) - [Cadence of Hyrule]

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Did you know Tri-Ace was founded when the members of Wolf Team developing Tales of Phantasia grew tired of Namco's involvement and split off to create their own studio in the middle of development? And then in 2019 the mobile game Star Ocean: Anamnesis featured a crossover event with Tales, bridging the two series after nearly a quarter-century? Anyway this episode is all about the new remake of Star Ocean 2 with special guest Jada Griffen! George Yang is also supposed to be here but the best laid plans of mice and men etc.

Luckily it's still a great discussion about Star Ocean's place in the genre and beyond!

This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/axeRPGadventure50 and use promo code axerpgadventure50 for 50% off!

Also in this Episode:

- Thirsty Suitors

- World of Warcraft is prepping for the next 20 years

- USGamer was a really good website!

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intros

04:17 - Main Topic - Star Ocean 2 R

26:00 - Random Encounters

29:04 - The Tavern

59:44 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Gentle Wind - [Baten Kaitos]

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Affinity Love Club - [Soul Hackers]

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"Darkness falls across the land. The midnight hour is close at hand."

Uhhhh Persona vibes much?!

The history of RPGs is inextricably tied to horror and it's the perfect time of year talk about the scariest parts of our favourite games, as well as the RPGs that are straight up capital "H" Horror. Bloodborne, Undertale, Vampire: The Masquerade and more on this hair-raisingly scary episode with your terrifying hosts Bat Scale-y, Blah!-dia Axeford, and BEWARE-ic Vamp Hell-en.

Also in this Episode:

- World of Horror

- Slay the Princess

- Class choices for Baldur's Gate III Co-op

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intros

04:17 - Main Topic - Spooky RPGs

46:08 - Random Encounters

48:16 - The Tavern

1:06:34 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Coffin Fetish - [Shadow Hearts]

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It's Letter Tiiiiime! It's Letter Tiiiime!

It's a very special Mailbag episode this week as Kat, Nadia, and Eric answer questions about everything from cheesecake and boss fights to the very future of this podcast! If you want to take part in future mailbag episode,s and get a chance to have your questions answered, check out the Axe of The Blood God Discord by subscribing at patreon.com/bloodgodpod.

Also in this Episode:

- Long Gone Days, Super Mario Wonder, and even more from Baldur's Gate III and Chrono Trigger

- Michael Keaton is great no matter what universe he's in

- Nadia vs Nuns

- Nature is reclaiming Kat's childhood

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intros

56:08 - Random Encounters

58:00 - The Tavern

1:35:44 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

The Grand Duchy of Jeuno - [Final Fantasy XI]

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More like Acquisition Blizzard, heh. If you want a guest who can explain the ins-and-outs of the business side of this colossal consolidation of industry titans while also explaining why it's relevant to the culture and future of RPGs, you can't find anyone better than the one and only Reb Valentine. Listen as Kat, Nadia, and Reb discuss exactly what this means and how it will effect us all going forward, for better or worse. And maybe Kat is sort of kinda starting to enjoy some parts of Starfield?

Also in this Episode:

- Call of Duty yaoi

- PS5 Slim

- Our unslakable thirst for expanded universes and endless IP churn is merely an extension of our fear of death

- In Stars and Time seems cool!

- Nadia has played Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth!

Timestamps:

02:00 - Intros

49:44 - Random Encounters

1:02:40 - The Tavern

1:35:44 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Gentle Wind - [Baten Kaitos]

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Cosmo Canyon - [Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]

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Everything has been leading to this. Through the battles, the story beats, and the very very attractive party members, it's time to wrap up the conversation on what may end up being the biggest "game", let alone RPG, of 2023, Baldur's Gate III. Kat has wrapped up her 100+ hour journey and the gang has plenty to say about their personal experiences.

Spoiler Warning: Mango(?)

Also in this Episode:

- Nadia has myriad difficulties with animals

- To save-scum or not to save-scum

- River Dancing through Thordan Unreal

- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty also exists!

- More Chrono Trigger Report

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intros

51:20 - Baldur's Gate Talk Ends, Random Encounters Begin

55:12 - The Tavern

1:21:50 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Chaotic Dance - [Baten Kaitos]

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Before NieR's depressing side quests, Quintet was giving kids lessons about the uncaring neutrality of the universe back in the 90s! Journey through the morally-grey, bleak worlds of Quintet and its adorable 16-bit veneer with host Nadia Oxford and special guests Anthony John Agnello and Scott White! Terranigma, Illusion of Gaia, ActRaiser, Soul Blazer and more in this retrospective deep dive!

Also in this Episode:

- Sad goats

- The only podcast that has ever talked about Robotrek

- Mysterious disappearances

- Listen real close and you can hear Victor (your old pal from the edit bay) getting more and more frustrated no one is talking about Quintet's best game, Planet Laika

Timestamps:

00:48 - Intros

1:03:12 - The Tavern

1:13:28 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Light and Darkness - [Terranigma]

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We're back in Night City jacking into the firewalls of cyber-brains and scrapping digi-cops or whatever with the new Phantom Liberty expansion! Is this Cyberpunk 2077's redemption arc or would you be better off watching a holo-prog in your cogni-puter? I have no idea what terms they use for things in Cyberpunk but I feel like I must be pretty close. I'm sure there's a drug called like, FRAG or something. Anyway, special guest Michael Higham returns to talk with Eric and Nadia about all that and more!

Also in this Episode:

- Unity keeps falling down stairs

- Microsoft sprung a leak

- Where is P stored?

- Chrono Trigger Update!

Timestamps:

02:16 - Intros

05:36 - Main Topic

56:56 - Random Encounters

1:04:16 - The Tavern

1:29:52 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Gentle Wind - [Baten Kaitos]

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

My Blue Sky - [Sakura Wars]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The past week's one-two punch from Nintendo and Sony have us floored by a panoply of RPG announcements and reveals. How will we recover? As we lay there in a stupor all we can do is reflect on the choices that got us here. Someday we'll redouble our efforts and re-enter the fray. But for now, in the interim, we can do naught but ice our wounds and talk for an hour-and-a-half about the incredible games on the horizon. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Unicorn Overlord, SaGa Emerald Beyond, and Eiyuden Chronicle just to name a few!

Also in this Episode:

- If it isn't Paper Mario, you old dog, you. How long has it been? Feels like a Thousand Years!

- Star Ocean: Second Story R. The 'R' stands for 'Really Good So Far'!

- Unity did a big oops

- Starfield, Kat has some notes

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intros

07:20 - Main Topic

27:44 - FF7 Spoiler Warning

44:00 - FF7 Discussion Ends

45:36 - Random Encounters

58:32 - The Tavern

1:30:00 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Town of Good Harvest - [Baten Kaitos II]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/bloodgod and get on your way to being your best self.

Finally, a throwback RPG inspired by classics like Chrono Trigger! But perhaps Sea of Stars is hiding something truly special? No spoilers this episode but prepare to have your interest piqued by this very special little homage to the JRPG golden age full of twists and turns. Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by special guest Brenden Groom of the Pass the Controller podcast to discuss this hidden gem!

Also in this Episode:

- The crew finds more opportunities to throw Golden Sun under the bus!

- I want shorter RPGs with worse graphics and I'm NOT kidding

- The Joy of Fishing

- Eric's Chrono Trigger Report

- Kat's Starfield Report

Timestamps:

02:08 - Intros

07:20 - Main Topic

48:16 - Random Encounters

51:36 - The Tavern

1:27:36 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Gentle Wind - [Baten Kaitos]

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Languishing Mambo - [Sakura Wars]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/bloodgod and get on your way to being your best self.

It's time to party with special guest Michael Higham as the crew talks about hotly anticipated sci-fi epic Starfield. What works, what doesn't, and do either of those things matter if you're having a nice time in Todd Howardland?

Also in this Episode:

-Get lost in a Sea of Stars

-Maybe Ashoka is good!

-Hey you, reading this. Play Ghost Trick.

-How do you verbally express a backwards 'K'?

Timestamps:

1:03:30 - Random Encounters

1:06:16 - The Tavern

1:30:14 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Relaxing Place - [Eternal Sonata]

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Pirate Island - [Boktai 2]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know Baldur's Gate is actually based off of a really obscure game called Dungeons and Dragons? And you play it in your head! And it makes you worship the devil! Here to discuss the dungeon mastery of Baldur's Gate 3 with Kat and Eric is special guest Mikel Reparaz of Vidjagame Apocalypse.

Also in this Episode:

-The Art of Save Scumming

-Short King smooching

-More deeply frustrating layoffs

-Kat's EA Rant™

-The end of The Summer of Korra

Timestamps:

41:40 - Random Encounters

44:00 - The Tavern

1:12:57 - Summer of Korra

Music Used in this Episode:

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

Gunmetal Action - [Wild Arms 3]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plan ahead for the fall and pick up a new scarf because it's Nadia's time to shine with an episode all about Mega Man's OTHER foray into the world of RPGs, Mega Man X: Command Mission. Timelines get twisted, fan-favourite characters show up and then are never heard from again, and poor X and friends get Randam Hajile'd!

Also in this Episode:

- Nadia and David discuss writing the official Maverick Hunter Field Guide

- Everyone agrees Absolute Zero and Iron Maiden are great designs

- Nadia reflects on her life choices

Timestamps:

56:53 - Random Encounters

1:01:20 - The Tavern

1:11:23 - Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Cheerful Thief Marino - [Mega Man X: Command Mission]

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

Irregular Battle 2 - [Mega Man X: Command Mission]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Trajectory of Battle - [Mega Man X: Command Mission]

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You don't have to go home but you CAN stay here and listen to this pretty fly panel from the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo all about the landmark year for RPGs that was 1998! Pokemon, Baldur's Gate, Ocarina of Time, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Parasite Eve and more! You'll believe in life after love once you listen to the hosts of Axe of the Blood God and Retronauts (the Armageddon and Deep Impact of video game podcasts) tell you all about the important games released that year, the cultural shifts happening underneath it all, and why 1998 is unimpeachable.

Music Used in this Episode:

One Week - [Barenaked Ladies]

Hard Knock Life - [Jay Z]

This Kiss - [Faith Hill]

Somnia Memorias - [Parasite Eve]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hot (like, heat dome hot) off the heels of the wildly successful charity livestream and Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest it’s time to talk Baldur’s Gate 3. Eric and special guest Kenneth Shepard are here to spill some preliminary beans. Plus, summer movie talk; two titans of merchandising join forces this summer with heartfelt stories touching on powerful themes to briefly take your mind off the monstrous greed of the people at the top of the industry food chain!

Also in this Episode:

-“We HAVE to stop talking TMNT on AotBG!”

-Aquarium IS a great album

-Serious trash talk

-Nadia’s Fan Fest recap

-Eric’s EVO recap

-Kenneth’s Barbie recap

Timestamps:

15:26 - Main Quest (Baldur’s Gate 3)

56:32 - Random Encounters

57:38 - The Tavern

1:24:48 - Summer of Korra

1:35:23 - Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Main Theme - [Baldur’s Gate]

Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III]

The Legend of Korra Main Theme - [The Legend of Korra]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Dolphin - [PlayOnline Viewer]

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In this week's episode we're joined by Larian Studios director Swen Vincke... very briefly. Unfortunately technical difficulties kept us from going in deep on this particular interview, but we'll have him back soon! In the meantime, special guest Len Hafer has plenty to say about her experience with Baldur's Gate 3 and more.

• Final Fantasy XIV has a new expansion!
• Kat and Eric talk about their Armored Core VI experiences
• Legend of Korra sure has some politics, huh?

This episode was part of our special livestream benefiting Trans Lifeline in which we were able to raise more than $12,000! Thank you all so much for your generous support!

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Welcome back to Axe of the Blood God. Kat is not here for this week's episode because she headed out for San Diego Comic Con, a known slaughtering ground where Harry Potter cosplayers will take out your eye with their wands before you can even say "something something Patronus." No fear: Our good friends Ash Parrish and Kenneth Shepard are here to fill in the gap. We're talking all about character creators, from the basic three-choice templates to Baldur Gate 3's dong-and-dumplings slider. (which Kenneth has already lovingly handled.) Do you prefer building a character from the ground-up, or stepping into the boots of an established adventurer? Chime in!

Also in this Episode:

• "Look, Smithers! Globro is coming!"
• Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes still rules
• Pikachu knows when you fart in your sleep
• The Empire Strikes Back this week on The Legend of Korra
• Being born is for suckers

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro and Main Quest (Character Creators)
• 47:20 - Random Encounters
• 49:13 - The Tavern (Thoughts about Viewfinder, Clash of Heroes, and the horror of Pokemon Sleep)
• 1:15:12 - Summer of Korra
• 1:30:35 - Nostalgia Nook/Outro

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Antique Cowboy [Ragnarok Online]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• A Long Fall [Final Fantasy XIV/The Primals]

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It's summertime, playing Zelda in your car, heading to a LAN party, and the night air is filled with wildfire smoke. Welcome to a laid back episode of Axe of the Blood God, where we just chill out and talk about associations between summer and RPGs. That means everything from the RPGs we played during our summer break to the best tropical environments in RPGs past and present. Just remember: The secret to better RPGs is more giant centipede monsters.

Also in this Episode:

• The Microsoft/Sony/FTC drama is going, going, it's gone, it's finished, it's over. Does this mean we all get CoD on Switch, or am I misunderstanding this whole thing?
• FromSoftware is a masterful visual storyteller, but Nintendo's not far behind with Tears of the Kingdom's Depths
• Summer of Korra: Someone ate a bear
• The Summer of Pokemon and Puke
• Skeletor

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro and Main Quest (RPGs of Summer)
• 42:19 - Random Encounters
• 56:28 - The Tavern (Thoughts about Final Fantasy XVI, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and ExoPrimal)
• 1:19:20 -The Summer of Korra
• 1:29:50 - Nostalgia Nook / Outro

Music Used in this Episode:

• Boys of Summer [The Ataris]
• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Antique Cowboy [Ragnarok Online]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Scars of Time [Chrono Cross]

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We've got some fellow old people listening to this show (may your tubes of Voltaren be ever on sale), and I think we can all take a little comfort in the fact many of Falcom's RPGs, including the epic The Legend of Heroes saga, are about as old as us. Heroes has had a lot of time to pump out some good storytelling, including the still-celebrated Trails sub-series. But even mighty things come to an end eventually. In this episode we invite Trails fanatic Cam Hawkins to talk about the game that's bringing Sky, Steel, and Crossbell onto one stage and putting a cap on everything: Trails into Reverie. Is it a worthy conclusion to Trails, or does it try a little too hard to cram everyone in and wrap everything up? We talk about Reverie and other Trails matters, including "Where do I even start with this dang series?" (Protip: Really hard to go wrong with Trails in the Sky.)

Also in This Episode:

• The Steam Summer Sale is on! Never forget the Battle of Walletsdeep.
• Baldur's Gate 3 lets you make love to bears, but will it let you throw a knife into heaven and kill with a stare?
• The Pokemon Company has a "dead dove, do not eat" moment when they open their Pokemon forums and are forced to lock them within hours.
• In Summer of Korra, we learn that Toph rocks the unwed wine mother role, so to speak.
• Pac-Man deserves that deep puncture wound I administered.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro/Trails Into Reverie
• 48:24 - Random Encounters
• 51:10 - The Tavern (Discounted RPGs at the Steam Summer Sale, Logitech G-Cloud Review, The Pokemon Company tries to train feral children how to use message boards with mixed, mostly pornographic, success)
• 1:11:08 - Summer of Korra
• 1:21:21 - Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• The Pub [Final Fantasy Tictacs]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Silver Will, Gold Wings [Trails in the Sky]

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It's summer! That means it's time to grab a burger off the grill, fish a cold one out of the cooler, lie back on a Muskoka chair (ask your local Canadian), and talk about the year in RPGs so far. 2023's been disgustingly busy with huge releases like Final Fantasy XVI, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Diablo IV, and so much more. Your time on this planet is finite, so listen and decide which of these billion hour games are worth playing, and which should be punted onto the backlog that God will unfurl at your feet when it's time for your soul to be judged.

Also in this Episode:

• It's fun to fumble around in TOTK's dark depths! Wait, we mixed up "fun" and "terrifying" again.
• Did you know a Sharpie isn't sufficient for redacting words in a legal document? Sony does now.
• We kick off Book 3 coverage in Legend of Korra
• If you're a Sonic fan, listen to The Cult. And if you're not a Sonic fan, listen to The Cult.
• Just play Ys.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro/2023 In Review
• 49:36 - Random Encounters
• 1:02:31 - Side Quest (Rain Code, BattleBit Remastered, Sonic Adventure 2)
• 1:10:07 - Summer of Korra
• 1:23:04 - Nostalgia Nook/Outro

Music Used in this Episode

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Sealed Time [Ys: The Oath in Felghana]

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After what seems like forever and a day, Final Fantasy XVI has finally arrived on the PlayStation 5. Except, it hasn't really been forever, has it? Game director Naoki Yoshida runs a tight ship, to be sure--but will a timely release be enough to make Final Fantasy fans fall in love with the series' first serious attempt at telling a story with Witcher levels of grit and grime? Friend of the show and VG247 writer Alex Donaldson is here to talk to us about this much-anticipated game of thrones (and Chocobos).

Also in this episode:

• You're going to have grandkids before you see Elder Scrolls VI
• What's deader than dead? E3's prospects
• The rumored "SNES RPG remake" isn't Chrono Trigger, but it's in the same vein, kind of...
• A 50-foot Korra the Explorer epic beam struggles her way into Book 3
• If Alf, Alvin the Chipmunk, and Miss Piggy tell you to stop doing drugs, keep at it. You're already too far gone; just get your money's worth.

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Intro/Final Fantasy XVI Review
• 1:04:25 - Side Quest (Nintendo Direct/Super Mario RPG Remake)
• 1:10:32 - Random Encounters
• 1:15:12 - Summer of Korra
• 1:25:12 - Nostalgia Nook/Outro

Music used in this episode:

• Let's Go Down the Wine River [Super Mario RPG]
• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Weapons Factory [Super Mario RPG]

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I, Nadia, take over hosting duties on Axe of the Blood God this week, which is apropos for an episode that's about Satan. That's right, we review the long-awaited Diablo IV with our very good friend and frequent Blood God guest, Len. There's a lot riding on Diablo IV, as Activision Blizzard is currently weighed down by troubled times that are largely of their own making. How does it play? How's the story? How does Act-Bliz's fascination with "always online!" sit with Diablo IV's dark, gothic feel? Is the Druid class the best? (Yes.) Stay awhile and listen.

Also in this episode:

• The Fire Emblem game that started everything (in the West) is coming to the GBA via NSO. Roy's our boy!
• Something something Microsoft Activision Blizzard acquisition deal stalled
• Things are heating up in The Legend of Korra, but they're also cooling down because it's pretty chilly at the poles
• A Gameboy is just a phone that only plays Pokemon
• Walk forever in the light of the Crystal, Kittyboy Tighthole

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro/Diablo IV
• 38:27 - Random Encounters
• 45:39 - Summer of Korra
• 58:12 - Nostalgia Nook/Outro

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Ark [Persona 5]

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On a very special episode of Axe of the Blood God ("special" meaning "very off schedule"), Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk about everything they saw at Prince Geoffry's Summer Game Fest 2023. Kat and Eric actually attended the show, so they have amazing insight about the games on display--especially the RPGs. And oh, were there ever a lot of RPGs. That Xbox deluge is late, sure, but rest assured it's on its way. And it's bringing Starfield with it.

Also in this episode:

• Oh my God Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth exists
• Oh my God Metaphor: ReFantazio exists
• Sandland looks great, because Toriyama is the King of Character Design
• Korra breaks up with her cop boyfriend, lol
• Kat and Nadia will be at the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo on August 11 through 13. Be there or be square (enix)

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro/Summer Games Fest
• 48:20 - Starfield 
• 58:16 - Best of Show
• 1:03:30 - Summer of Korra
• 1:20:00 - Nostalgia Nook/Outro

Music used in this episode:

• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• The Poet and the Muse [Alan Wake]

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The summer is getting started, and we've got no shortage of games ahead. But before we look at all the games waiting to steal our time, we've got speedrunner Moonblazewolf, fresh off their run of Chained Echoes at SGDQ 2023! We talk all that plus the news of the day and the start of Book 2 in our Summer of Korra.

Also in this episode:

• Street Fighter 6 has all of us in its clutches
• Big, beefy ships
• Mindflayer worms! In your mind!
• Tenzin's GOAT status in Korra

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro / SGDQ talk w/ moonblazewolf
• 25:45 - Random Encounters
• 29:56 - Summer 2023 RPG Preview
• 1:20:06 - Summer of Korra
• 1:35:46 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook / Outro

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Champions of the Sky [Chained Echoes]

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Howdy, friends! We've got a treat that'll make y'all happier than a fox in a henhouse! This week, we have an in-depth discussion about Octopath Traveler II, an excellent choice from our $100 Patron and special guest, The Black Stones! The talk avoids major story spoilers, but there's still tons to go over because Octopath Traveler II is a pretty special game. Its battle system is unique and highly engaging, its music is to die for, and its story is masterfully written and seamlessly interwoven into the game's mechanics. Shucks, I guarantee this episode'll have you eatin' better than a sow in an apple field! 

Also in this Episode

• The PlayStation Showcase sure did happen
• Should we drop numbers from Final Fantasy game titles? No. But let's grouse about it anyway
• A new Dragon Quest Monsters game is in development because sometimes the world is OK
• Our watch of The Legend of Korra reaches the end of Book One
• Game Genie! It was rad! It was waaaay far out!! And so on

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Intro
• 06:21 - Octopath Traveler II
• 56:48 - Random Encounters
• 1:02:45 - The Tavern/What We're Playing
• 1:25:05 - Summer of Korra
• 1:41:55 - The Nostalgia Nook/Outro

Music Used in this Episode

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Octopath Traveler Main Theme [Octopath Traveler II]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Partitio's Theme [Octopath Traveler II]

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think Ocarina of Time is a big game, but that's just peanuts compared to Tears of the Kingdom. That's why Kat, Nadia, and Eric are assembling once again to talk about their progress in Nintendo's Dodongo-sized hit. The discussion yields some minor spoilers (as well as childlike enthusiasm), but they're minor. Turns out playing Tears of the Kingdom for a solid week hardly makes a dent in this veritable wall of content.

Also in this Episode:

• Sony is hosting a PlayStation Showcase. If we're good, we might get information about FF7R.
• We have a release date for Pokemon Home compatibility with Scarlet and Violet! Oh wait, no we don't.
• Do Cassette Beasts bleed magnetic tape?
• Controller Discourse™
• Victoria Day Special: Cool Firework Mishaps Discussion

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 02:45 - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• 42:40 - Random Encounters
• 45:25 - The Tavern/What We're Playing
• 1:02:05 - The Summer of Korra
• 1:15:30 - The Nostalgia Nook/Outro

Music Used in this Episode:

• Chasm Theme [The Legend of Zelda: TOTK]]
• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Horse Ride [The Legend of Zelda: TOTK]

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Kick back and relax as Field Studies returns for a guided audio commentary track through fan-favourite Shadowbringers dungeon, The Twinning. Sharlayan Dropouts host Victor Hunter takes you through the history of the Crystal Tower, the cascading effect that delays in the mid-2000s had on Square that are still being felt today, and the crystalline metaphor at the heart of this tragic-but-hopeful tale.

Spoiler level: Yellow. The Twinning quest is available at the conclusion of Shadowbringers.

Music:

• A Long Fall - Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers
• Full Speed Ahead - Final Fantasy XIII
• Eternal Wind - Lightning Returns

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Gosh, it feels like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will never get here. This wait is torture–hold on, you're saying Tears of the Kingdom is out now? Oh wow. Holy crap. Uh…let's start talking about the biggest game of 2023! (So far.) We brought in Tom Marks from IGN, who reviewed the game alongside Polygon's Mike Mahardy. We have a pile of discourse about what Tears of the Kingdom does differently from its direct predecessor, Breath of the Wild, as well as what it does better…and worse. (Gasp!) Our talk is spoiler-free, so jump right in like a half-naked blonde guy leaping down into Hyrule from an impossible height.

Also in this episode:

• Rumblings of a new Nintendo handheld. We'll probably see it in 2024, but when exactly?
• Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is likewise looking at a 2024 release
• Summer of Korra goes into episodes 4, 5, and 6. Long live pro-bending!
• If hearing bells out of nowhere means you're losing your mind, what does hearing the Zelda theme out of nowhere entail…?

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Main Theme [The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom]

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All aboard, gatcha sickos. Honkai: Star Rail is now available to download. It's totally free, just like miHoYo's preceding game, Genshin Impact, but you can bet the awesome-looking characters in the banner events will wear your resolve down to a nub. But there's more to Star Rail than gatcha, right? After all, it's a full-bodied RPG with hours of content. Does it actually feel like a traditional turn-based adventure, or is strangled by its own sales pitch? We talk about Honkai: Star Rail's launch and beyond with avowed Genshin fan, Good Vibes Gaming's Daniel Alba.

Also in this episode:

• Kat's digging deep into Final Fantasy V
• Nadia plays Final Fantasy XIV's NiER raid. Everything turns out great
• Xbox boss Phil Spencer is sowwy Redfall is not very good :3
• Korra discourse gets underway with episodes 1 through 3
• Nadia is picking up Tears of the Kingdom in the same store she picked up Ocarina of Time, because traditions must be honoured and the old gods must be sated

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Login Music [Honkai: Star Rail]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Main Zelda Theme Orchestrated [The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D]

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Hey Microsoft! How's that Activision Blizzard deal coming along? …Oh. That bad, huh? Well, we're sure everything will be fine. 

Psst. That's a lie, dear listeners. We actually brought Polygon's own Nicole Carpenter to discuss the myriad ways this gargantuan acquisition attempt is going poorly for the Big M. And whatever's bad for Microsoft is probably bad for a lot of western RPG studios.

Buck up. It's not all doom and gloom. We also talk about:

• Hokai: Star Rail finds immediate success with its patented Anime Chicks and Dudes in Space sales method.
• Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes is getting a deserved Switch remake
• Goodbye Waypoint :( 
• The Summer of Korra begins!
• How a remake of a historic Square Enix game can potentially teach you how to make napalm the way your grandma used to (Well, not anymore)

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Xbox Series X start-up sound [Microsoft/Xbox]
• The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Floating Continent [Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster]

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It's another Class Conscious episode of Axe of the Blood God, and we're going after the class that was elected "Most Likely to Steal your Heart and your Wallet" in high school: the Thief. Thieves have been part of the RPG landscape forever. These lithe, sticky-fingered tricksters excel at jacking stuff from enemies (and innocents) while avoiding traps and setting down a few of their own. Gosh, what a scummy bunch, right? Not exactly. Thieves do their secret work for myriad reasons, with myriad methods. We talk about all of it (along with special guest Lucas White), from the boomerang-flinging thieves of Dragon Quest to Final Fantasy VI's roguish Locke Cole, who is totally not thinking about Rachel right now.

Also in this episode:

• Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster discourse
• Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp is out, and war is over
• Live A Live is coming to PC, PS4, and PS5 and you should play it
• The Pantheon Thunderdome is upon us! Who will survive the cull?
• The Legend of Zelda: A P.I. Had to Rescue This Manga

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Locke Cole's Theme [Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Forged in Crimson [Final Fantasy XIV]

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Once upon a time, Microsoft opened up its mouth and swallowed the near entirety of the western RPG market. Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Fable--their home is on the Xbox now. That's great, but we have to ask: Where are all these RPGs that are supposed to be dropping from your well-stocked loins, Microsoft? Starfield is finally secured for a release this year, yes, but we don't have much information on what's supposed to follow. Is the dream corroding from the inside? Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk all about what's going wrong with the Xbox Series X/S's RPG scene, and how it might be patched up.

Also in this episode:

• Nintendo's banger of a Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer
• FFXVI's also-banger trailer of Clive going Eikon-on-Eikon
• This week's Pantheon re-evaluation: Fire Emblem: Three Houses
• The Worlds of power Nintendo books make reading fun and cool, kids! Honest! Oh God, just open a book. Please.

Music in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Xbox Series X start-up sound [Microsoft/Xbox]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Antique Cowboy [Ragnarok Online]

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We're taking a breather this week, but fret not: for those who couldn't make it to our panel at PAX East 2023, this week we're uploading the audio from it! Kat, Nadia, and Eric were joined by friends of the show Michael Higham and Scott White to host a fantasy draft, making the perfect RPG in the process. We touch on many topics, including:

• The value of a villain
• Truly memorable game soundtracks
• And yes, what is an RPG?

All that and more in our special panel episode. A huge thanks to everyone who came out in person, and we hope to host even more in the future!

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Ding, dong, E3 is dead. Which E3? We don't know. The once world-famous video game trade show has endured so many trials and tribulations, it's hard to way which iteration is getting axed. Let's just say E3 2023 was supposed to be the show's big comeback, and it's getting cancelled instead. Kat, Nadia, Eric, and Reb are all E3 veterans, so they find lots to chew over here. What hobbled this year's show? What's next for the E3 brand, if anything? Which RPGs were bolstered by E3 hype back in the olden days?

Also in this episode:

• Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom looks "hype af," as the kids say.
• When you fish with Dredge, you fish with Satan.
• When you Slay the Princess, you also fish with Satan.
• We have our new Pantheon game! Which Zelda title are we playing this month?
• Happy [Japanese] Anniversary, FFVI!
• Do you name your RPG characters? And if not, what's wrong with you?

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• FFVI: The Impresario OCREmix [Jake Kaufman, Tommy Pedrini]

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Kat, Eric, and Nadia are all together in the same room for PAX East! There they share their adventures through PAX East and GDC, their thoughts on the Diablo 4 beta, and much more.

Also in this episode 

• It's Morbin Time
• Nadia is very confused by Fire Emblem Engage's story
• The gang try to come up with their best RPG-themed cocktails and it goes... poorly?
• We reveal the next Pantheon vote!

Unfortunately, no post show this week owing to lack of a stream and being on the road. We'll be off next week, but we'll be posting the panel audio along with plenty more content to come.

Want merch? Check us out at shop.bloodgodpod.com.

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Nadia, Kat, and Eric bid sayonara to the best RPGs on the Nintendo 3DS and the [snide snicker] Wii U. Nintendo is yanking the plug on the 3DS and Wii U digital storefronts very soon, but there's still time to thumb through some must-buy recommendations. Radiant Historia! Persona Q! SMT IV and Strange Journey Redux! Maybe they'll end up on the Switch somewhere down the road, but there's no way of knowing. Best to gorge yourself now while the kitchen door's still open.

Also in this episode:

• Paranormasight is another amazing Square Enix game that will probably slide into obscurity because there's no way it's going to sell the seventy bojillion copies Square Enix probably expects it to sell
• Want to know why Tears of the Kingdom is $70? Doug Bowser has an answer
• Bloodborne is up for a Pantheon revisit. Does it deserve to—yeah. Yeah, of course it does. What a question.
• RIP Lance Reddick. :(

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Silence of the Forest [Bravely Default/End Layer]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Schwarzweiss [Atelier Iris 3]

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Axe of the Blood God has now officially hit 400 episodes, and what better way to celebrate than return to the root of it all and ask: just what is an RPG? Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by The CRPG Book editor Felipe Pepe to discuss what makes a virtual role-playing game different from all the others. Other topics include:

• We're still on the Octopath
• Is Zelda an RPG?
• A revisit of one of our past Pantheon contestants
• Nadia's strange, strange trip

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Mines [Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura]

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Why do they call it "FINAL Fantasy" when there are sixteen--oh God please put the serrated knives away, I'm just joking. This week, we invited Verge's Ash Parrish and freelance writer/regular guest Michael Higham to talk about their hands-on impressions of Final Fantasy XVI alongside our own Eric. How does it look? How does it play? How does it sound? And what about Producer Naoki Yoshida's controversial remarks about the term "JRPG?" We waddle right into it all, like a herd of Chocobos into a mud pit.

Also in this episode:

• Octopath Traveler 2 rules
• As does Fire Emblem Engage
• Elden Ring DLC will get here when it gets here
• Re-examining Chrono Cross in the context of the Pantheon
• Bar Mitzvahs are crunk

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Heavensward title screen [Final Fantasy XIV]
• Awakening trailer music [Final Fantasy XVI]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Hopes and Dreams [Undertale]

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All of life's paths intersect and intertwine, so it was inevitable the Axe of the Blood God would walk down Octopath Traveler 2's twisted roads. This week we're joined by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, who was less than enthused about the original Octopath Traveler. How does its sequel fare? Let's just say a game studio can learn a lot in five years.

Also in this episode:

• The Last of Us on HBO will steal your emotions and make you its slave
• Nadia is watching a cat destroy the world (in Dragon Ball Super)
• Is Mass Effect still deserving of being in the Pantheon?
• Nadia's new saga: Sex, Death, and Zip Ties--the Life of a Pigeon

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Intro theme [Octopath Traveler 2]
• Partitio's theme  [Octopath Traveler 2]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Partitio's theme 2 [Octopath Traveler 2]

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Axe of the Blood God listeners often come to us for RPG recommendations, and we're happy to oblige (with help from our good friend Rebekah Valentine). We're especially happy when said recommendations are specific, even weirdly so. We'll admit up front that we sadly don't have a suggestion for anyone who likes RPGs featuring naked elves throwing Cool Whip at dragons, because we live in a stifled world. Need a PokeClone recommendation that you won't bounce from, though? We got you covered. Unlike the naked elf in our dream game.

Also in this episode:

• A brief review of Like a Dragon: Ishin!
• Nadia's bopping along to Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
• Golden Sun rises again to enflame Reb's retro dreams
• This week's Pantheon revisit: Does Terranigma still deserve to be recognized as one of the greatest RPGs of all time? 1 "yes" = 1 dead goat husband

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Underside World [Terranigma]

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February is truly when the northern hemisphere gets winter-weary, so hurrah on Nintendo for lighting our lives with another Nintendo Direct presentation. And what an unexpected presentation it was. While we knew we were going to get another trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, we also got some real surprises in the mix. An Etrian Odyssey HD collection? A new Fantasy Life?? Game Boy games, Game Boy Colour games and Game Boy Advance games??? A veritable well of retro RPG goodness is now open for business. Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss it all.

Also in this episode: 

• Baiten Kaidos re-releases are coming, too! 
• Advance Wars Re-Boot Camp finally has a release date after being stalled by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. War is truly over if you want it
• Does System Shock 2 still deserve to be ranked in the Pantheon of the greatest RPGs? Listen to us debate the topic, meat sack
• Oh no, wizard game discourse
• We have a very nice, very civilized conversation about powerful game music on the Nostalgia Nook. Nothing explodes. (Not while the mic is hot, anyway)

Music used in this episode:

• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Forged in Crimson [Final Fantasy XIV]

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It’s the battle of the babes this month on Sharlayan Dropouts as we go wall-to-wall to figure out which hotties buff our hosts to max potency. That’s right, we’re ranking the Top 12 stone foxes, the veritable mamacitas, of Final Fantasy XIV. Listen as Victor Hunter, Nadia Oxford, Mike Williams, and Eric Van Allen tell on themselves for your enjoyment. Find out if your favs made the list! And if they didn’t, head on over to patreon.com/bloodgodpod to get Discord access and yell at us about it there!

Spoiler Level Orange: This is a scattershot discussion that touches upon a few elements from a several different storylines including Endwalker 6.3 and Save the Queen, though light on actual detail and context.

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Madness? This...is...no, no, I'm not going to finish this. Drag me, I deserve it. Just make sure to eviscerate me while listening to our awesome conversation with Robert Boyd, the maker of This Way Madness Lies. Do you like Shakespeare? Do you like PC Engine Magical Girl RPGs? Do you like Little Shop of Horrors references? This Way Madness Lies might just be your digital soulmate.

Also in this episode:

• Jammin' with Noctis and the Boys in Final Fantasy Theatrhythm's demo
• Ike Fights for His Friends™
• No Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft at E3 2023. Soooo...
• Pantheon of the Blood God revisits Final Fantasy 8. Is Squall still cool?
• !*!*!~wElc0mE to Da WAREZ Z0NE~!!!! Gr33ts go to my homies xxx_s0L1d_Sp1K3_xxx and +++CrashhMan_69+++!!!!!!!!!!  

Music used in the ep:

• Do Your Best [Breath of Fire 3]
• Title Screen [This Way Madness Lies]
• Transonic Gravity [Sayonara Wild Hearts]
• Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• The Man With the Machine Gun [Final Fantasy VIII]

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When you think of the "RPG Golden Age," what comes to mind? The SNES, certainly--who can deny the brilliance of Chrono Trigger? (Except for Eric Van Allen, who has been banished to the Naughty Step to think about what he said.) But what if we're living in the Golden Age of RPGs right here and right now? Between the Switch and PS4, RPG fans are feasting like never before. Special guest and valued Patron The Black Stones joins us this week as we weigh up both eras.

Also in this episode:

• Oh no, BioWare :( Are you OK, bestie?
• Alcryst from Fire Emblem teaches us all to hate ourselves
• Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On brought us right back to the track
• Should Skies of Arcadia remain in the Pantheon?
• With apologies to Sesame Street

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Eric had to shoulder the entirety of the show last week because Kat went skiing and Nadia had the audacity to catch COVID, but the gang is well and truly back together this week! Writer and WaPo editor Alyse Stanley joins the crew to talk about Fire Emblem Engage, a.k.a Aquafresh Teen Dragon Force. Just kidding. The Blood God loves the toothpaste hero, and we love Fire Emblem Engage in general. How much? Plug this week's show into your ears and find out.

Also in this episode:

• Yes, you can get married in Final Fantasy XIV
• Industry layoffs, oh God why
• Kat is playing Crisis Core. GONGAGA
• We re-visit Tales of Vesperia. Is it Pantheon material, or nah?
• That one time Nadia found a naked lady in her Super Nintendo game

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• A primer on the ongoing Wizards of the Coast / OGL news
• Who would you want making a Hunter x Hunter game?
• A surprise end-of-pod guest appearance

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Put on your Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts because it’s tourist season in Eorzea! In this episode of Sharlayan Dropouts we’re taking you on a guided tour. Either listen as a standalone episode or follow along in-game for the Ultimate Immersive Gameplay X-perience!™ This month we’re looking at the tragic history of The Lost City of Amdapor and the brain fungus, abstract liminal spaces, and fun facts about the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that await us there.

Spoiler Level Green: Assuming you’ve made it the point where you can enter The Lost City of Amdapor (lvl 50) then you have nothing to fear but toxoplasmosis.

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Not a single person is ready for 2023, but guess what! It's happening anyway! Time is kind of a dick like that. So Kat, Nadia, and Eric just steel themselves this week and take the full-bodied plunge back into work. That's why this week's episode is refreshing, but there's also a small chance it'll stop your heart. This week's main topic of discussion comes from one of the Blood God's most devout $50 Patreon tier disciples, Knot Hollow, who wants to know what the next decade of RPGs will look like. Well, the Blood God crew has takes, guesses, and ideas. More games like Disco Elysium? Perhaps. More games like Genshin Impact? Maybe. How about Elden Ring? Almost certainly. Come back in a decade for the opportunity to point and laugh about how wrong Kat, Nadia, and Eric were.

Also in this episode:

• Fire Emblem: Engage isn't out yet, but it's already generating takes (and not just about the heroes' Aquafresh toothpaste hair)
• Pocket Card Jockey lives! It has not been put down like a spent racehorse after all!
• One billion years later, Nadia's finally watching Archer
• It's the birth of a new segment! The Blood God team goes back and re-evaluates former Pantheon entries and candidates! This week: Will Lufia 2 be granted mercy?

Very special thanks to Knot Hollow for their support, and for the support of all the Blood God faithful out there!

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Hello and welcome to Year 3 of the Axe of the Blood God! It's going to be an absolutely massive year for RPGs, and that means big things for the podcast. Here's just some of what we have planned as we move through 2023:

An expansion to Youtube! We had a lot of success with our live show in 2022, and we'd love to expand that video component where possible. Expect more updates on this soon!

Merch! We're working on a new store and a host of merch to go in it! We expect this to go live in February.

The Pantheon Revisit! We'll be revisiting some of our most controversial Pantheon entries (and exclusions) from the first two years of the podcast to start 2023. It'll all culminate in a Pantheon revisit that will potentially see some RPGs make it in while others are removed. It should be chaotic! 

Axe of the Blood God Episode 400! Wow, it's almost here!

PAX East panel! We're going to be at PAX East in March! Stay tuned for more info!

Spring of Korra! We'll be diving into our watch of Legend of Korra just as soon as we finish off Winter of Wick!

March Madness, charity streams, D&D, Sharlayan Dropouts, and more! Naturally you can expect all of our usual content, including a charity stream, another D&D episode, a March Madness bracket centered around western RPGs, and more!

That's on top of all of our usual coverage in what should be a very busy year for RPGs. From Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to Starfield to Baldur's Gate 3, we're going to have tons to discuss in 2023!

Thank you as always for your generous support, and we look forward to another great year of podcasting on Axe of the Blood God!

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Happy New Year! 2023's launch also marks the launch of new RPGs. Like, lots of RPGs. This is going to be a busy, busy year. Kat, Nadia, and Eric go over their most anticipated titles for the upcoming 365 days, and also take a few stabs at industry predictions. Take score while you listen, then throw every wrong prediction back in the team's face when the year comes to a close! It'll be fun! More fun than scrabbling around for edible rat bits, or whatever else waits for us this year. 

Thank you for your continued support of Axe of the Blood God! When it all goes downhill, you'll be the first ones we share our edible rat bits with. 

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The year is coming to a close, and so we're looking back on all the role-playing games 2022 delivered. Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by the Sharlayan Dropouts Mike and Victor to help break down all the happenings in the RPG world this year, including:

• Square Enix's fall blunderbuss of RPGs
• The magic of Elden Ring
• Can an RPG truly have it all in Xenoblade Chronicles 3?

All this and more, including one last holiday Nostalgia Nook/Pit. We hope all our listeners and backers are having a wonderful holiday time, and we'll see you soon in the new year for a fresh batch of RPG goodness.

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Kat has returned to the Axe of the Blood God, and all she got was a nasty cough. Well, that and memories that'll last a lifetime, or something like that. She's come back home just in time to enjoy a very chill episode of the show, which delves into reader mail. In other words…it's letter tiiime, it's letter tiiime! Kick back and listen as Kat, Nadia, and Eric answer questions about games they initially loved, then cooled down on (and vice versa), which games they regret not playing in 2022, what they're looking forward to in 2023, and lots more.

Also in this episode:

• The Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters are coming to consoles! There's a deluxe box set! Aaaand it's gone
• Chained Echoes is pretty baller
• Dragon Quest Treasures has no idea what it's doing, but that's part of the fun
• If your Christmas party doesn't involve poisoning yourself with homemade bucket wine, don't call it a Christmas party

In the Post Show

The gang continues to chill as they discuss the movies Kat watched on the plane on her way home from Amsterdam. The discussion quickly slides into all-out movie discourse, which means a hot takes about Pixar movies and Christopher Nolan. God bless us, everyone.

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Fans of Ivalice, the history of visual novels, and the works of Jean-Luc Godard might just find something to sink their teeth into this episode. Victor explores the many twists and turns in the surprisingly robust history behind Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn’s Summoner weapon, The Veil of Wiyu in this first episode of a recurring series that aims to shed light on the real-world inspirations behind the weaponry of Final Fantasy XIV. If you want to see more dedicated episodes like this be sure to let us know at @SharlayanPod or @BloodGodPod on Twitter or on the official Axe of the Blood God Discord server available to $1 subscribers at patreon.com/bloodgodpod.

SPOILER LEVEL GREEN: Not a spoiler to be seen. A few references to some contextless plot details for various games in the series but nothing to keep you from enjoying this episode regardless of where you are in your journey.Music:

• Down the Up Staircase - Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward
• Save / Load Screen - Final Fantasy Tactics
• Protagonist’s Theme - Final Fantasy Tactics
• Trisection - Final Fantasy Tactics
• Not Alone Jazz Arrangement - JAZZ - FINAL FANTASY -
• Fear After - Final Fantasy Tactics
• Green Eyed Love - Mayer Hawthorne
• James Bond Theme (From Dr. No) - Monty Norman
• Under the Imperial Flag - Sakura Wars 3
• I feel like I’ve heard that one before - Final Fantasy Tactics

Sources:

• Marathon Gaming Retrospectives - https://tinyurl.com/y5evjjbt
• Final Fantasy Wiki - Sound Novels - Oeilvert - https://tinyurl.com/ze3zd8vx
• Hardcore Gaming 101 - The Tale of Oeilvert - https://tinyurl.com/2p9mrzb7
• FFT Sound Novel Let’s Play by Nekomakine - https://tinyurl.com/msnvnupe

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• The real treasure in Dragon Quest Treasures are the Slime friends we made along the way.
• Holy crap! Hades II is coming!
• Holy crap! Chained Echoes is really good!
• A riveting tale of Sonic the Hedgehog and election fraud.

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, friend of the pod Len joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they talk about one of this year's most popular RPG sub-genres: The strategy game. From turn-based to real time, from revision to brand-new IP, there was a lot going on with the strategy genre this year. And, uh, there still is! The year's not quite over! How does one find the time and money to love them all?

Also in this episode:

• Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Takes
• Speaking of strategy games, how's Marvel's Midnight Suns?
• World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is a pleasant flight so far
• What's the worst game you ever got as a gift?

POST SHOW

Len joins the Axe of the Blood God's weekly ride into hell via the post show. There's a hodgepodge of discourse this week, including "Hangovers suck," and how each of us would fix the Game Awards. Half the awards are currently belted out in the thirty seconds a nominated developer might theoretically get up to use the can, so maybe putting a stop to that kind of thing is a first step.

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For the June 2021 edition of Pantheon of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric take a deep dive into the first game of the Mass Effect series! They trace its origins as the follow-up to Knights of the Old Republic, delve into its soundtrack, and pick its five best moments. Then comes the big conversation: Is Mass Effect worthy of inclusion in the Pantheon of the Blood God?

Pantheon of the Blood God is a series devoted to diving into the very best RPGs of all time. You can find full catalog on our Patreon at https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod or on our website at https://bloodgodpod.com/series/pantheon-of-the-blood-god/!

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Hop on the airship back to your hometown and listen to your favourite Final Fantasy XIV podcast, now on the free feed! The Dropouts bring a very special guest to family dinner, author of Fight, Magic, Items, Aidan Moher, to discuss the impact FFXIV has had on the JRPG and MMO genres over the years. Plus it’s the first annual Holiday Gift Guide; our hosts give you the perfect gift ideas at any budget for the FFXIV fan in your life. And stick around for a very special segment that will no doubt be a recurring fan-favourite for years to come…

SPOILER LEVEL GREEN: Rest easy, slowpokes, there’s not a spoiler to be found for malms. A perfect episode to jump into regardless of where you’re at in your journey!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, IGN's Rebekah Valentine joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they step into Pokemon Heaven courtesy of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Wait a second. Maybe it's more like Pokemon Hell, since Scarlet and Violet are, uh, really buggy. Do the glitches, bugs, and body horror put a damper on what's otherwise the most ambitious and compelling Pokemon game to date? Well, no, but also yes.

Also in this episode:

• Nadia and Reb talk farming with Harvestella
• Sonic creator Yuji Naka is in hot water with the law
• The next-gen Witcher 3 update is coming soon, bless
• Autumn of Avatar goes to the theatre

POST SHOW

Kat is forced to bail early on this week's post show. This is a good thing, as Nadia, Eric, and Reb immediately load up a random Pokemon generator and declare which Pokemon are good eating, and which are best not consumed. That means Kat's soul still has a chance to ascend to heaven, whereas the rest of the crew already has reserved seating in the pits of Gehenna. Available to the Stars of Destiny tier and above!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Digital Foundry's John Linneman joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric for a detailed discussion about Star Ocean: The Divine Force. It's been a Canis Major's age since Square Enix did anything with Star Ocean, and the Blood God crew is ashamedly not up-to-date on the series. That's why John is here. (Also, it's because he's cool). Is the new game everything Star Ocean fans have been waiting for? Find out.

Also in this episode:

• Don't sleep on Harvestella, it's pretty dang good
• Mass Effect 5 exists
• Mazeltov to Ash Ketchum for becoming the Galar Region champion with the aid of a Pokemon that's too horrifying to exist
• Nadia made friends with some crows, then accidentally pissed them off with pistachios

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric lose themselves to chaos. The smash launch of Marvel Snap dang near caused something to snap in their brains, it seems. Or maybe they're just jumpy because Twitter—a major source of networking and promotion for countless writers and pocasters (ahem)—is now Satan's own toilet. It's a great show, regardless. Sometimes it's healthy to just sit back and see where the toboggan ride takes you.

Also in this episode:

• Final Fantasy XVI has some…issues regarding racial diversity
• Harvestella is out, and by gosh, it's chill as heck
• Whispers on the wind speak of a new Deus Ex game in development
• Autumn of Avatar: No character voiced by Mark Hamill can possibly be evil

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This week on the Axe of the Blood God RPG podcast, Kat and Nadia have both gone out for cigarettes, which means that Eric is in charge. Our boy keeps his head on his shoulders and invites Mike Williams of Sharlayan Dropouts to talk about our next Class Conscious entry: Monks! You know, those fellows what pummel things with their fists and suplex trains. They're joined by martial artist Danielle Riendeau, who has good advice for all you baby monks who're just starting your training: The pavement always wins.

Also in this episode:

• We say goodbye to esteemed RPG architect Rieko Kodama, who sadly passed away earlier this year
• Marvel Snap is currently the most popular thing in the universe
• Mike loves him some Mario Rabbids. (Or is that "rabid Mario?")
• The gang dives head-first into the Fire Nation on this week's Autumn of Avatar

POST SHOW

Eric, Mike, and the Stars of Destiny throw down in the chat over a brand-new tier list: The Top Halloween Candies of All Time. It gets hot, folks. Hotter than a tamale. But only Canadian kids know the pain of getting Molasses Kisses by the handful. Who even likes those? They keep coming back. Smells like witchcraft.

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To honor the legacy of Rieko Kodama, who passed earlier this year, we are releasing this episode for free to all listeners. 

For the August 2021 edition of Pantheon of the Blood God, Kat and Nadia are joined by Shane Bettenhausen for an exploration of one of Sega's seminal RPGs -- Phantasy Star! The trio discuss the rough early days of the Sega Master System, how the team with Sega greats Rieko Kodama and Yuji Naka came together, and how it differed from other RPGs in the 1980s. They also delve into its five best moments, from the lavish opening to the battle with Dark Falz. Then the verdict: Is Phantasy Star worthy of inclusion in the Pantheon of the Blood God? Listen and find out! As always, a sincere thanks to our $10 and above Patrons for your support! Every month we pick a new RPG for the Pantheon, which is voted on by the community. Join the Discord and jump into our Monthly Game Club conversation!

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The weather is truly colorful and crisp — provided you live in the northern hemisphere and aren't currently in the grip of a climate change-fueled heatwave. Either way, it's a good time to stay indoors and play the piles of RPGs that are currently available, including DioField Chronicles, Mario + Rabbids, Valkyrie Elysium, Persona 5 Royal, Nier Automata, and Trails from Zero. You could also go outside, but you might, like, see a bug or something. Ew.

This week, Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by a very special writer friend, Scott White. Scott helps fill in the gang on some of the more important RPGs that have recently landed, including the excellent Trails from Zero, and the reasons why it's a great entry point for the Trails series.

Also in this episode:

• Kat loves the Steam Deck now, we all saw her in the closet, kissing the Steam Deck
• Final Fantasy XVI is looking pretty dope—and pretty inspired by Final Fantasy VI.
• How's the new Mario and Rabbids game? "It's-a great! Woo hoo!"
• This week on Autumn of Avatar: Book 2 comes to a close, and the kids are not all right.

In the Post Show

Blood God pal Scott White sticks around for this week's Axe of the Blood God post-show, which is piled with morsels of great RPG talk. For starters, can anyone out there think of a Christmas-themed RPG? Anyone? Bueller? Also, Eric talks Texas. Yee haw, and etcetera! Available exclusively to members on the Stars of Destiny tier!

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Following the release of Action Button's new review of Boku no Natsuyasumi, we welcome Tim Rogers to talk about this PS1 classic, which has plenty of connections to modern RPGs like Persona 5. Naturally, the conversation spreads out to hit many different topics within the realm of RPGs, including:

• Tim's rising appreciation for Final Fantasy 7 Remake
• Taco Tico, rats, and impromptu Nostalgia Pit
• Pondering Yuji Horii's successor 

This episode is currently available exclusively to our Patrons! You can find conversation timestamps below. 

Timestamps 0:00: Intro 11:00: Boku no Natsuyasumi and Taco Tico

23:55: The connections between Boku no Natsuyasumi and Earthbound

28:30: Rats, racoons and possums

38:50: Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Kingdom Hearts, and old developers

1:00:00: The PS1 is the best console ever

1:10:00: Sony's quest to make its own Dragon Quest

1:17:00: Reminiscing about Japan and Saizeriya

1:25:25: Dragon Quest and Mad Catz  

1:34:50: Cyberpunk and Mighty Ducks

1:39:10: Who is the successor to Yuji Horii?

148:55: LA Noire and why games should be structured like a TV show

1:59:00: Outro

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War is hell. Unless you're talking about Valkyria Chronicles, the much-celebrated tactics RPG by Sega. See, war is still hell in Valkyria Chronicles, but it's also very pretty and fun to play. This week, very special guest and valued Blood God Patreon contributor Vivicomplex joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric to talk about World War Anime. Protip: Just send your scouts to the front line. Ain't nbodoy getting through those rifle-toting maniacs.

Also in this episode:

• Eric can't talk about what he's been playing because of embargos, but that's alright because hahaha Chainsaw Man goes brrrrrr.
• Nadia maxed out her island paradise hideaway in FFXIV. Nobody is invited to visit. Suckers.
• This week on Autumn of Avatar: There ain't no war in Ba Sing Se, and there never was.

In the Post Show

Vivi sticks around after a spirited episode of Axe of the Blood God (aren't they all) to talk a bit more about what made her fall in love with Valkyria Chronicles in the first place. The gang also talks about how their Pokemon Black and White Pantheon playthroughs are going, and there's even a bit of talk about the band PUP. Wooo oooo ooooo, ooo oooo! Available exclusively to subscribers in our Stars of Destiny tier!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk about CD Projekt Red's (overly?) optimistic road map for the future of Cyberpunk 2077 and the Witcher series. Looks like CD Projekt is working hard to repair Cyberpunk's tarnished reputation in addition to making new games set in worlds that lack indoor plumbing. It's a long and winding road that's sure to be full of challenges, and we salute CD Projekt for assuming we're still going to be here in a decade. Always look on the bright side of life!

Also in this episode:

• We're really behind on the new batch of RPGs. Sorry, we're trying to fix it :(
• Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM is going through difficult times
• Autumn of Avatar continues as we delve deep into Book Two
• Nadia electrocuted a lemon to go see the 1993 Super Mario movie in theatres

POST SHOW

Hey, Paisanos! Nadia and Eric talk about the new Super Mario Bros. movie trailer. Seems this movie might be fun and charming after all, even if Chris Pratt's flat-tire voice still isn't a great choice for everyone's favorite feisty plumber. Eh, I think we're all in agreement that Jack Black's Bowser is going to carry the movie, anyway. Available exclusively to subscribers in our Stars of Destiny tier!

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CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 is currently experiencing something of a redemption arc. Does the (hugely) troubled RPG necessarily deserve said arc, though? Well…yes, but also no. This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric invite Normandy FM's Kenneth Shepard for a chat about the state of Cyberpunk 2077, as well as what the future holds for the game—and for CD Projekt Red.

Also in this episode:

• RIP Google Stadia, we hardly knew ye.
• Downwell fans will "dig" Shovel Knight Dig. Heh, that's a good one. "Dig."
• Autumn of Avatar continues. Toph has joined the party!

Forget Cyberpunk. It is all about Cybertwunk now.

POST SHOW

Cyberpunk 2077's recent renaissance is owed to Cyberpunk Edgerunners, a Netflix series based on CD Projekt's RPG. Eric and special guest Kenneth Shepard talk about what makes the series good enough to bolster its troubled source material. Predictably, all semblance of civilized discussion unravels about midway through the discussion and everyone just yells at each other about Star Wars for the rest of the post show's run time. Available to listeners in the Stars of Destiny tier!

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For this week's episode we're joined by the very talented folks behind 99 Potions, Fantbyte's dedicated RPG podcast that was unfairly cut short by the site's recent layoffs. In solidarity with our fellow creators, we invited Nere, Michael Higham, Andrea Shearon, John Warren, and Natalie Flores on the show to pour one out for a great website, talk about what they've been playing, and delve into some of their problematic favorite characters. Also in this episode:

• One more Xenoblade Minute with Michael
• Eric has thoughts on DioField Chronicle
• And Autumn of Avatar wraps up Book 1!

Time Stamps

0:00 - 07:00: Intros and housekeeping

7:00 - 1:00:00: What we've been playing 1:00:00: Random Encounters 1:03:00: Problematic Faves 1:35:00: Autumn of Avatar, Book 1 Finale 1:50:00 - Pouring one for Fanbyte + Outro

In the Post Show

Nere, Michael, and Andrea stick around with Eric to talk about their favorite alcohol, discuss the reaction to unfinished assets from the GTA Mega Leak, and much more. This segment is available exclusively to our Stars of Destiny Patrons!

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This week on the Axe of the Blood God RPG podcast, Kat is out and Nadia learns one more time that it's really just that easy to take an inherently chaotic podcast and make it twice as dizzying. Friend of the show (and Nadia's former employer in the long ago and far away) Anthony John Agnello stops by for a visit and talks all about the huge RPG news deluge that occurred with last week's Nintendo Direct. A new Final Fantasy Theatrhythm game! A new Fire Emblem game! A name for the Breath of the Wild sequel! Farming! Farming! Farming!

Also in this episode:

• How nice is Zack Fair's hair? (So nice.)
• Harvestella is weird but good!
• Holy crap! Suikoden remasters!
• Things are heating up in Autumn of Avatar. 
• RIP Fanbyte. :(

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This week, Axe of the Blood God tackles the 2022 fall RPG preview—which feels like a nutty thing to say, since summer only started yesterday. Right? Right…?

Oh.

Thankfully, RPGs help take away the sting of passing time for a little while. And it so happens the last quarter of 2022 is loaded with some bangers. Persona 5 for Nintendo Switch! Tactics Ogre Reborn! Valkyrie Elysium! Not to mention a couple of small indie games called Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. What a way to end the year that gave us Elden Ring and Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

Also in this episode:

• Mickey is a sad divorced dad in his new Animal Crossing-style game ("ah-ha!")
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3 chapter 5 ruined Nadia's life
• Kat's going to Japan and Nadia and Eric are not :(
• Nadia ruined the Autumn of Avatar forever

Handy-dandy timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

5:08 - What we're playing

40:04 - Random encounters

44:56 -  Main topic: The fall RPG preview

1:12:17 - Autumn of Avatar

1:35:15 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

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The fall season is upon us, and more fantasy shows than you can shake a wizard's staff at are popping up! Since RPGs and fantasy have a fair bit to do with one another, we brought on IGN's Alex Stedman to chat about House of the Dragon, The Rings of Power, how RPGs and fantasy tales intersect, and kick off our Autumn of the Avatar!

All that, plus:

• Eric dives into the film history of Immortality
• The crew debates space vs. dragons
• We're oo-surping things now

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It's a slim week at the Blood God, so we dipped into our rainy day bucket of topics to discuss Sony's first-party games. Does it need more first-party offerings, or should it stick to its third-party deals? We discuss all that and more, including:

• Final Fantasy XIV goes Stardew Valley
• Kat is getting back to Sunbreak
• Nadia demonstrates why we don't have shop class anymore

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric have a (digital) devil of a time talking about Soul Hackers 2. They're joined by Fanbyte.com superstars Michael Higham and Diego Argüello, who both have plenty to say about this strange game. It appears Soul Hackers 2 strives to land somewhere between the dark, complex Shin Megami Tensei games, and the character-driven Persona titles. Does Soul Hackers 2 hit the mark? Or does it just hee-ho off into the sunset, destined to be forgotten?

Also in this episode:

• The preliminary sales numbers for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 are looking pretty fine
• The Embracer Group acquires everything on planet earth, including Lord of the Rings
• Riku the Nopon refuses to die for your sins; you don't deserve redemption
• The gang talks about "'The Garden of Eden', by I. Ron Butterfly"

In the Post Show

Michael Higham and Diego Argüello sit in on this week's post show, and the whole thing derails in about six seconds. The conversation bounces from religion to literature to something about furries and the Metaverse. Do not look in the dead, cold eyes of the Zuckerberg Metaverse dollar store Mii; it will swallow your soul. Available to subscribers in the Stars of Destiny tier and above on our Patreon!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God: It's letter tiiime, it's letter tiiime! Kat, Nadia, and Eric answer questions asked by YOU, our grand Blood God listeners! What is the gang's favorite class in Xenoblade Chronicles 3? What new regional forms should appear in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? Is it really that bad for an RPG to clock in at 100+ hours? All these burning questions and tons more get answers this week.

Also in this episode:

• Is it finally okay to love Xenoblade's Nopons, or is said love still forbidden and unholy?
• Nadia chilled at the Final Fantasy: A New World concert.
• Delays, delays, delays. Lots of games are being delayed. But that's not so bad, really.

In the Post Show

This week on Axe of the Blood God's always-tasteful post show, Kat reveals she's going to Japan next month, and solicits cool things to do while she's in Tokyo. Nadia recalls her time in Shinjuku, and encourages everyone to visit the Dragon Quest cafe and eat a meat dumpling shaped like a Slime. It's the only true path to world peace. The post show is available to our Stars of Destiny Patrons here: https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod

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It's another busy week on Axe of the Blood God. Two hefty topics are packed into one convenient episode: New Pokemon Scarlet and Violet information, on top of the beginning of the Nihon Falcom Developer Quest. Listen in as Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk up the Pokemon of the Paldea region, and try to figure out the whole deal with Terastallized (i.e. rock candy) Pokemon. After that, the gang chats about the beginnings of Nihon Falcom, the studio responsible for a lot of excellent RPGs going way, way back, including the Ys series, the Trails games, and much more.

Also in this episode:

• The entirety of planet earth is playing Xenoblade Chronicles 3
• We have a new selection for the Pantheon Game Club! Hint: It's Falcom related
• Nadia was Scary Spice for a little while. Just long enough to flummox Toronto's bus system

In the Post Show

Kat is forced to bail(ey) early on this week's post-show, so Nadia and Eric have free run of da joint. This week's topic is food, food, food. Barbeque. Brisket. Hungarian goulash. Beets and horseradish. Would you eat gefilte fish? You should try it sometime. Gosh, even writing this stirs up the appetite. Available via Patron: https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, it's time to bask in the Monado's power! Special guest Autumn Wright talks to Kat, Nadia, and Eric about Xenoblade Chronicles 3. How does the third game in this sometimes-bumpy series hold up? How does it compare to the first two Xenoblade Chronicles games, and how do the three of them link up? Does it matter? Should it matter? There's gorgeous scenery, a banging soundtrack, and an intriguing battle system—that much is certain. What more can you ask for when living the Xeno lifestyle?

Also in this episode:

• The Knights of the Old Republic remake is delayed—and then some
• Eric has officially Walked to the End
• Kat gets $100 million for her perfect Gundam RPG and spends about $10 of it.
• Is it illegal to sneak into someone's house to play their video game console? Asking for a friend.

In the Post Show

Autumn joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric for a sophisticated discussion about how fighting game mechanics spill over into other genres, namely RPGs. Also, Nadia's into Street Fighter lore because she has a broken mind. And why didn't Guile Sonic Boom his dog? It would've been pretty funny. Available exclusive to our Stars of Destiny via the Patreon!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Nadia and Eric are joined by their special friend, Reb Valentine of IGN. Together, they Live A Live, Laugh A Laugh, and Love A Love. That's right: Reb reviewed the long-awaited 2DHD remake of the highly unusual Super Famicom RPG Live, and she's in love to say the least. In fact, Live A Live has seemingly charmed western RPG fans in a way that would have been deemed impossible back in 1995. Who says there's no longer hope for humankind?

Make sure to check out Reb's full review!

Also in this episode:

• Oh no Eric is playing Endwalker
• Nadia replays Xenoblade Chronicles to see if she still loves it. (Yes.)
• Yakuza 8 is real, it's coming, and Ichiban is everyone's friend.

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What's the secret glue that holds the cast of Chrono Trigger? Why does Final Fantasy 7 feel like it lacks that glue? Will a 13 Sentinels reference pop up? (Heck yes.) All these questions and more are on the table.

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The Axe of the Blood God charity stream is over, and somehow Kat, Nadia, and Eric came out the other side with their limbs and sanity intact. They also came out with $10,000+ raised for Trans Lifeline! That's worth a limb or three.

This week's show has a brief post-mortem of the charity stream before the gang gets down to business: An informed conversation about the Gundam series' endless supply of inspiration for RPGs. What do RPGs, particularly Japanese RPGs owe to the classic anime? In short, just about everything—and not simply cool mech suits.

Also in this episode:

Nadia finished Omori and is left with feelings of warmth and cheeriness The new Genesis Mini is gonna rule!...if you live in Japan No, Nadia didn't drown a kid. He just got a little wet

In the Post Show

Summer of Gundam proceeds apace in this week's post show. The crew talks about the coolest Gundam models across the years, from the most battle-effective to the most edgelord-adjacent. (Hint: This is where Gundam Wing comes in.) Nadia's opinion is basically "robot smash other robot good, he he he." This is recorded live and available to our Stars of Destiny Patrons!

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For the December 2021 edition of Pantheon of the Blood God, Kat and Nadia are joined by Fanbyte's Nerium Strom and Michael Higham for an exploration of Persona 5! During their lengthy discussion, the group discusses just some of the following:

- Its outstanding soundtrack - Its attempt to challenge the status quo in Japanese society - Its remarkable sense of style - Being constantly told to go to bed by a cat

... And much more!

Then the verdict: Is Persona 5 worthy of inclusion in the Pantheon of the Blood God? Listen and find out!

This episode was unlocked for Axe of the Blood God listeners during the recent charity stream benefiting Trans Lifeline! New episodes are released each month for $10 Patrons and above. 

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After the (ahem) fallout of our #1 pick for the Top 25 RPGs of All Time, we got together with Khee Hoon Chan and Jay Castello to talk about whether it deserves to be the top-rated RPG of all time. How much does the setting, politics, and sidequests elevate it? And how much do the VATS System and bugs weigh it down? We discuss as part of part of our big 24 hour charity stream in which we were able to raise more than $10,000 for Trans Lifeline! Also in this episode:

• Valkyrie Elysium trail is here and it looks... good? It looks good! Kat has some thoughts on the Live a Live demo and Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak
• Eric extols the virtues of 08th MS Team in Summer of Gundam Nadia's Nostalgia Nook takes us back to Our Lady Peace

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Summer is a time for schmoozing with friends, which is why Axe of the Blood God invited veteran guest Len Hafer to talk about the best video game genre in the whole wide world. (Psst—that means RPGS.) Leana helps the Blood God wrap up the PC RPG Quest with a deep dive into the computer RPGs that shaped the '10s. And oh, what a decade it was. Kickstarter dreams and nightmares! Bioware's troubles! World of Warcraft! The rise of CD Projekt Red! Final Fantasy XIV's fall and resurrection! They don't make drama like this anymore.

Also in this episode:

• The Live A Live demo is…live. And it's already something special.
• Mega Man Battle Network is getting a collection. Hey, it's RPG-adjacent. And the second game has a lot of swear words in it for some reason.
• Is it "Nicky-Nicky-Nine-Door" or "Ding-Dong-Ditch?"
• Come to our upcoming charity stream for Trans Lifeline, or else.

In the Post Show

Leana joins the gang for the usual hodge-podge of good stuff that the Blood God Crew wrings out of itself at the end of every show. This week, the discussion turns to live-action and/or animated adaptations of video games that we'd like to see. Plus, lots of Summer Games Done Quick discussion… and hey! Nadia got a gaming computer that's worth half a damn! This episode is available exclusively to our Patrons in the Stars of Destiny tier and above!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, recent political going-ons have the gang physically, mentally, and spiritually taxed. Kat, Nadia, and Eric elect to take it easy and do a mid-year check-in of the RPGs. What are some of our favorite games this year? (Elden Ring might get a mention.) Which RPGs were surprise hits? Which seemed to slip under the radar? Opinions are shared. Also in this episode:

• Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is looking quite fine.
• Eric is trying to build a Gundam model, RIP
• All glory to the Disneyworld Dead Lizard Patrol

In the Post Show On this week's post show, Kat and Eric descend down an End of Evangelion hole, and Nadia just kind of sits with her gob as wide as a boot because she has no idea what they're talking about. But then the gang answers an important listener question about how they'd build their ideal RPGs. Eric and Nadia have answers that are almost normal, but Kat unleashes a nightmare idea on the masses. For the love of God, don't let her anywhere near RPG Maker.

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat has an intense war flashback to spring 2020. If you don't recall, Final Fantasy 7 Remake absconded with a little bit of her soul, and she's never been quite the same since. Hence why she absolutely goes off on Final Fantasy 7 Remake all over again in this episode. But who can blame her? The ongoing summer of not-E3 continues to drop a whole lot of Final Fantasy 7 news, including an announcement for "Rebirth." It's enough to shatter anyone's mind—arguably the best kind of news worth digging through.

This episode even contains a very special witness to Kat's breakdown: $100 Patron Vivicomplex! Vivi leads the discussion on RPG Maker, the long-lived game construction series that amateur programmers use to make adventures with minimal coding. RPG Maker's legacy and purpose is carried on today through programs like Game Maker Studio, which gave rise to Undertale and countless other RPGs.

Also in this episode:

• The Summer of Gundam continues! What's the series' ideal viewing order? Kat educates us.
• So, so much Final Fantasy 7 news. Crisis Core remake! Crisis Core remake!!
• Janus brought down the gmod apocalypse, praise be. In the Post Show

Weekly Post Show

One show is not enough to contain all the Final Fantasy news — nor is it enough to contain Kat's continued FF7 Remake rant-a-rooney.

Vivicomplex joins the gang again as they talk more about what's going on with this brand-new take on the controversial "Compilation of Final Fantasy 7." Also, Nadia's still making her way through FFX, so expect some complaining about Seymour. The Weekly Post Show is available exclusively to our supporters in the Stars of Destiny tier! Thanks so much for your support! And as always, you can catch us when we record live on Friday at 5pm PT.

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat and Eric are joined by not one, but two Alexes to break down the summer showcases! RPG Site's Alex Donaldson and freelancer Alex J. Kane are here to discuss the Xbox and Bethesda showcase, as well as the whole of Summer Game Fest.

Also in this episode:

• Eric and Alex D. talk Three Hopes early impressions
• Alex K. talks KOTOR 2's solid Switch port
• Kat laments the meta-ness of it all
• Fortnite?

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat rejoins Eric and Nadia after her adventure on the high seas. She's a little unsteady on her legs, not to mention lightly brined by sea salt, but that's not about to stop her from talking about everything that's going on this week in RPGs. And a loaded week it is, mateys. We've got impressions of the Final Fantasy XVI trailer, as well as opinions about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's chonky pigs and small olives.

Also in this episode:

• Eric's finally playing Suikoden 2
• The upcoming Dragon Age game has a title. Progress!
• Nadia layeth the smackdown on Seymor in Final Fantasy X
• "I am Malenia, blade of–" [Vomits everywhere]

On the Post Show

On this week's post-show, Kat tells us about the joys of sailing the high seas–e.g. seasickness and other cool things that happen on the water. There's also a deep discussion about sports, Street Fighter 6, and how awesome Cody is. (So awesome.) The Post Show is available to the Stars of Destiny tier and above!

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• Miyazaki (not that one) thinks Radahn is the best Elden Ring boss. 
• Give us more Dragon's Dogma, Capcom. (Please.)
• The Summer Game Fest creeps ever closer. What will we see?
• Sony is making bad decisions about its retro games again.

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat has run off to do sailor junk on the high seas, so Nadia and Eric hold the rig together by themselves. Well, that's not entirely true. Kat joins them from SeaPhone™ to tackle this week's main topic: Why some games were picked for our updated Top 25 RPG list, while others were left to die in shallow puddles of rainwater. This discussion involves a lot of self-flagellation and even more furious denial, so look forward to drama and mayhem. Soap operas wish they had this explosive narrative impact.

Also in this episode:

• June is going to be all decked out in Final Fantasy (XVI? VII Remake pt 2?) news.
• What is even going on with Summer Games Fest? Do we know? Do we care? (Kinda.)
• One time, Nadia had to ask a bookstore clerk for porn manga. It was for work.
• The Luca Goers suck.

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It's time at last to share our newly-revised list of the 25 best RPGs of all time! For much of 2022 we've been slowly collecting potential nominees for an update to the list that we made several years ago. Now it's time to share that list for all to see! 

To make this list we took the list of nominees plus the original list and made our own Top 25s, with the games that were on all three lists going straight into the Top 25. From there we embraced debate with discussions including:

• Whether or not Mass Effect should be included a trilogy
• Eric calling Skyrim the "McDonald's hamburger of RPGs."
• Multiple RPGs being rescued from the dead 
• Whether it's time to anoint brand-new #1!

For your convenience, we've shared time codes below.

Time Codes

4:40: We share our personal Top 25 RPG lists

21:35 - The Initial Cutdown + Wild Card Picks + Listener Poll

36:35: Games That Made At Least Two Lists

140:25: Finalizing the List

2:23:00: Ranking the Games

2:50:20: The Top 25 RPGs Of All Time

Thanks again for joining us in this very fun project! We'll probably be circling back and rebuilding given that there always amazing new RPGs being released. But in the meantime, we're excited to hear your thoughts!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, the gang takes a step into the fascinating and revolutionary (if jagged and polygonal) world of massive multiplayer online RPGs from the 2000's. Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by very special guest Amy Dunham, who worked on some of the most prominent '00s MMORPGs. (And more than a few other games, too!) Tune in as we talk about World of Warcraft, EverQuest, Eve Online, Elder Scrolls Online, and much more. Rest assured, Nadia reps Rangarok Online, too

Also in this episode:

Starfield is delayed, no Starfield for Kat Final Fantasy XIV players are being sent to video game jail for using mods Pokemon Home adds support for Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, and Legends Arceus Eric lords his Steam Deck over the rest of us plebes

On the Post Show: 

This week's Axe of the Blood God post show is a godless mess as usual. Master Chief is no longer a virgin, so let's all gather around in a circle, clap, and tell him "Congratulations!"  Also, there is a lot of Final Fantasy X discussion. Why don't people on Besaid island eat chocolate cake? Because it's SINfully delicious. Wakka Wakka Wakka! The Post Show and the live recording can be access through the Stars of Destiny tier and above on the Patreon. 

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As a special thank you to our listeners for helping us reach $6000 two months in a row, we recently hosted a very special D&D 5e session with special guest DM Shivam Bhatt. Now it's available for everyone to listen! Tune in as our heroes embark on a quest for the Axe of the Blood God; bumble into some orcs; have a really hard time climbing a hill, and say hello to a very special badger named Orlando.

Here are the characters:

Kat plays Kara the Wanderer, a Paladin devoted to Selune the Moonmaiden.

Nadia plays Kalfor, a Red Dragonborn Ranger with motivations of their own (and a cool hat, apparently).

Eric plays Coronach, a Tiefling Warlock with a real Pixie problem.

If you enjoyed the adventure, let us know! It would be fun to do more of these if listeners are interested. Until then, thank you as always for your support and the opportunity to do fun and unique adventures like this one!

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Tired of the same ol' RPGs? Why not try changing your perspective? 

This week by Patron request, Nadia, Kat, and Eric talk about isometric RPGs with some help from Leana Hafer of Three Moves Ahead. Topics of isometric discussion include "How good is Tunic?" (Very good.) "Does Dragon Age: Origins count as an isometric RPG?" (Yes.) "Which isometric RPG should Nadia play?" (Disco Elysium, CUNO.) And "How is 2022 looking for the sub-genre?" (Pretty neat!)

Other topics of discussion include:

• Kat's ensnared by a mobile gatcha RPG. SHAME. SHAME.
• Nadia hates Crumbling Farum Azula and everyone on it.
• The how, why, and "huh?" of Square Enix's IP fire sale.
• We pick our final four nominees for the rebuild of the Top 25 RPGs of all time list!

Enjoy the show? Check out our Patreon at https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod

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• Eric gets bitten by the GBA Fire Emblem bug
• Kat gets an after-school gig, this Week in Gekkoukan
• Nadia sends a battery boy to Dura-Hell

Plus, four more picks for our soon-to-close nominations for the Top 25 RPG rankings!

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This week's Axe of the Blood God is simple and clean. Friend of the show and Good Vibes Gaming host Ash Paulsen joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric to talk about Square Enix's surprise Kingdom Hearts 4 announcement. What, exactly, is going on in the game's mystifying trailer? How did Sora get doxxed? What happened to his Ronald McDonald shoes? Why did Goofy and Donald descend into hell to look for Sora instead of assuming he went to Heaven? The discourse is rich and flavorful. 

Also in this episode:

• Final Fantasy XIV 6.1 is here. Time to dust off your catboys.
• Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes pits Not-Byleth against Byleth.
• Kat beats up her first shadow in her Persona 3 day-by-day playthrough
• The "What is an RPG' discourse reaches new, depraved depths. But "If Bloodborne counts as an RPG, so does Actraiser! Tell 'em, Hawk!"
• Nadia once had a Cabbage Patch doll, and that ended poorly for everyone.

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, the PC RPG Quest continues! The gang is joined by their friend Jeff Green, who was at the epicentre of the major shift PC gaming underwent in the 2000's. On the surface, it was a grim time for PC RPGs. MMOs were encroaching on single-player adventures, consoles were eating into the PC RPG space...and what the heck was this "Steam" thing Valve refused to shut up about? Pffft. It'll never catch on. Also in this episode: 

• We introduce our characters for next week's D&D game! Be there or be square.
• Starscourge Radahn was un-nerfed in Elden Ring, but the important thing is he still rides on a tiny horse. (Or is it a tricycle?)
• Kat has started her Persona 3 playthrough, and she has some initial thoughts.
• Actraiser is an RPG. End of discussion.

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This episode of Axe of the Blood God comes at the end of a discourse-heavy week. E3 is pretty much dead, which spurs Kat, Nadia, and Eric into sharing their best E3 memories (Nadia still has her Witcher press Trapper Keeper).

Moreover, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has been bumped to spring 2023. Whatever will Nintendo do this holiday season?...Oh, right. Pokemon's coming.

Also in this episode:

• Nadia's playing Valkyrie Profile and keeps calling it "Valkyria Chronicles."
• March Madness is done! Who came out on top as the best RPG Hero or Champion?
• The new PlayStation Plus deal is "uhhhh." But at least we can play Tokyo Jungle again?
• A book fair ran over Nadia's cat.

We also have a post show available to our Stars of Destiny subscribers! This week we share our Stephen King starting recommendations and talk about being really bad at math. Stars of Destiny and above subscribers also get access to our live recording every Friday at 5pm PT, which is always a party. As always we appreciate your support!

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This week's episode of Axe of the Blood God is utterly bewitching. True, Kat, Nadia, and Eric are enthralling company in every circumstance—but with the recent announcement of (not) Witcher 4, how could they resist talking about what CD Projekt has up its sleeve? The gang talks about the seemingly new direction for this beloved fantasy property, and what it entails for the still-troubled CD Projekt.

Also in this episode:

• It's letter time! It's letter time!
• Kat's getting into Triangle Strategy, as the prophecy foretold.
• Nadia stuck a twinblade up a dragon's grundle.
• Back in MY day, we had to print hentai and pass it around the school.

Enjoy the show? Check us out on Patreon: https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod

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This week on the Axe of the Blood God RPG podcast, we're joined by USgamer alumni Mike Williams. Mike tells us all about the adventures he's had with a jolly man named Jack Garland. Jack is the very agreeable protagonist of the very normal, very down to earth Final Fantasy Origins: Stranger of Paradise. Listen to Mike talk about the game; we assure you Jack never uses foul language or flies off into disjointed rants. P.S., today is Opposite Day.

Also in this episode:

• Strategy fans are eatin' good with Triangle Strategy
• You should play Babylon's Fall just to remind yourself of how bad video games can get
• Warm memories of Toonami on its 20th anniversary
• Dicktochat

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Also in this episode:

• Our hero-themed March Madness continues to be madness.
• We're here to talk about Stranger of Paradise and Chaos. That's our mission.
• Nadia's been fully absorbed by Elden Ring, RIP.
• Nadia also forgot to add music for her segment. It's all Blaidd's fault, somehow.

Enjoy the show? Support us on Patreon! 

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Also on the show: 

- Eric becomes Wolverine Jesus - Nadia discovers how to work a Nintendo - Kat gears up for some old-school Pokémon catching - We take a look at the first round of March Madness voting! Links mentioned in the show: - Eric's segment "Piplup Step": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm0nLJuRNbw - Donate to Ukraine: https://www.icrc.org/en/donate/ukraine - Equality Texas: https://www.equalitytexas.org/ - TENT: https://www.transtexas.org/

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There's an excellent chance she'll be back next week, though. Despite what the Peter Pan song tells you, the pirate's life is not for everyone.

Nadia and Eric manage to scrounge together a great show anyway, because it's Elden Ring week! No worries—there are no spoilers on the show, but we did get Isla Hinck from Easy Allies and Jesse Vitelli of PrimaGames to talk about their reviews for this highly anticipated (and critically acclaimed) open world game from FromSoftware.

Also on this episode:

• No, seriously, Elden Ring's review scores are truly, truly, truly outrageous
• Nadia gives her impressions of Final Fantasy VI: Pixel Remaster
• Valve God Gabe Newell is confirmed Final Fantasy XIV trash
• The story of Ganon, the golden retriever that humped everything

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• Eric learns to loathe the grind in Monark 
• Kat is figuring out her feelings on Horizon 
• Nadia isn't even here and the Nostalgia Nook still takes a dark turn

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There are people out there who hang onto news about Nintendo Directs the way a religious person might fervently cling to signs of Jesus' return. Humanity is still waiting on the second coming of the Lord, but Nintendo offered a nice stop-gap last week. The February Nintendo Direct was bursting with incredible RPG news—and some of it was simply bananas. A 2D HD remake of Live A Live? Absolutely nobody had that on their Bingo card. Well, it's doubtful anyone had "Kirby inhales objects bigger than your mom in Kirby and the Forgotten Land" either. To reiterate a point made earlier, it was a strange Direct.

In addition to the Nintendo Direct RPG news, we talk about:

• Nadia is bad at Final Fantasy Tactics
• Waddle Dee broke the internet news machine wide open
• Lost Ark is already huge — can it keep up that momentum?
• More RPG nominations for the 25 Best RPGs of All Time Intergrade
• If we get to $8000 per month, Nadia and Eric's dads will fight each other
• $10,000, and we'll make it to the death

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Also in this episode: - A Realm Reborn struggle is real - We sing some Phantom of the Opera? - Eric craves curling - Nadia recounts crime - New Top 25 entries and the reveal of a new tactic-ful February special!

Enjoy the show? Make sure to subscribe to our Patreon! 

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Also in this episode:

- Bloodborne is still great.

- It's time to vote for a new Blood God Pantheon game! Here's why Valkyria Chronicles deserves the vote.

- Since voting for list stuff never goes out of style, we also have new picks for the Top 25 RPGs of All Time Integrade list!

- Eric nearly drove a teacher to insanity with a metronome.

- Nadia got hauled away by the Shakespeare Police.

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We're going back to the '90s again here on Axe of the Blood God, but here's a twist: We're going back to '90s Japan. Yes, it's another PC Console Quest, and we've invited our good friend PC98 Audi back to the show for the occasion. We discuss the PC-98's legacy, and how it affected '90s RPG development. Why did the platform have so many visual novels? What's the deal with, ahem, all those hentai games? We have much wisdom contained here, so stay a while and listen.

Also in this episode:

• Oh God, Activision Blizzard and Microsoft. Oh God.
• We have new picks for the Top 25 RPG Remake 2022 Intergrade.
• Nadia plays Bloodborne like a dimwit.
• Space Jam DVD.

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We may be in the dead of winter, but Axe of the Blood God is hotter than ever. So sayeth the show's fans, anyway. It's true! No word of a lie! Ahem. This week, Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk about a hodgepodge of lively topics, including:

• Some interesting new nominees for our new Best 25 RPGs of All Time list. Emphasis on "new"
• Final Fantasy XIV's producer tells the fanbase "Be good. For the love of God, please be good."
• RPGs – and games in general – are too long [INITIATING HUMOUR PROTOCOL: "That is what she said"]
• Square One, Mathman, and the trauma that accompanied them

Weekly episodes are available to both free and premium listeners on Mondays. For lots more bonus content, check out our Patreon: https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod

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New year, new Axe of the Blood God! Our new Stars of Destiny tier has kicked off in earnest, and we had our first live taping of the podcast, followed by a special post-show discussion.

That's right, for 25 smackeroos you can listen to us flub our lines and then get into a fight about Super Mario World vs Super Mario Bros. 3. Very rated R stuff. See, the R stands for "rad."

This week's main show covers a bunch of stuff, including:

- The great indie RPG 2022 preview! Some gorgeous retro-style fare is coming up, like Sea of Stars, SacriFire, and Eiyuden Chronicles Rising.

- We're revisiting the Top 25 RPGs of All Time, and we want you to help us update our selection!

- Square Enix is having NFT FOMO, and the world must suffer for it.

- Eric is now a Final Fantasy XIV sicko. Ha ha…yes! Yessss!

If you weren't able to pop to the post-show, we've got that for you, too. We talk about Sony's drive to produce only "prestige" games, and how that new philosophy will affect RPGs. Then everything breaks down into Super Mario chaos. Mama mia.

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We're already three days into 2022! No refunds on the year, suckers. Don't worry, the Axe of the Blood God will be around to pick you up whenever you need it…and going by recent trends, everyone is going to be due for a pick-me-up somewhere between the first three and six months.

Let's start the year strong with some spicy 2022 RPG predictions! Will we see anything to do with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 this year? Will we enjoy Elden Ring? Will Final Fantasy 16 make it out before year's end? (Funny you should ask…)

Also in this episode:

• Nadia remembers quality Nintendo literature
• Yuji Naka is still plying his trade in the corner, like an exiled shoe-elf who hopes to return to his cobbler kingdom someday
• We read your RPG 202 feelings

Here's to '22!

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We've had an amazing 2021, and we're hoping 2022 will be even better! Nadia, Eric, and Kat get together to share their hopes and dreams for the new year along with the following: - Info on a brand new tier!

- Free and premium feeds being synced!

- Upcoming specials!

- And much more!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric say farewell to 2021 by looking back on the year's greatest RPG triumphs (and a few, er, not-triumphs). 2021 was a bit slim on major triple-A RPG releases, but there's been a great showing from smaller games, including SMT V, Tales of Arise, Monster Hunter Stories 2, Loop Hero, Ys 9, and so very much more.

Oh, and there was also a new expansion for a certain online RPG that shall remain nameless. We can no longer say its name; it's become far too powerful. Please forget about the critically acclaimed MMORPG with the free trial that lets you play through all of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning expansion Heavensward.

Also in this episode:

• Nintendo sure did drop an Indie Direct. Sea of Stars looks dope.
• OK, so you can't play Final Fantasy XIV, but you can play Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PC! Oh wait, it's kind of a mess.

Kat is now besties with Henry Cavill. We will all miss her as she departs on her glorious new life as a Hollywood groupie. Wait, didn't Elton John write a song about this…?

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To celebrate the end of 2021, we're making a Pantheon of the Blood God available to all of our listeners as a special thank you for all of your support! In this edition of Pantheon of the Blood God, Kat and Nadia are joined by special guest Alex Donaldson to dive deep into Final Fantasy VIII! Once considered the series' black sheep, Final Fantasy VIII is now held in higher regard, but is it worthy of the Pantheon? Kat and Nadia have very different opinions on that front. Regardless, there's much to unpack about Square Enix's flawed masterpiece, and that's exactly what Kat, Nadia, and Alex do as they discuss its rapid development, its curious Junction System, its marvelous soundtrack, and wonderful elements like Triple Triad. Truly, it's far from perfect, but it's one of the most memorable RPGs ever made.

Pantheon of the Blood God is a special monthly series of podcasts in which we take a deep dive into an RPG selected by the AOTBG community. Want to hear more? Check us out on Patreon: https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod

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"Live thy life to the fullest, but knowest thou always that the end walks ever closer." Is that an OK Urianger impersonation? Bah, whatever. Point is, Nadia, Mike, and Victor review Final Fantasy 14's Endwalker expansion in this episode. It's epic, it's guaranteed to move you to tears...and like everything else in this flawed universe, it can use some improvements. Tune your linkshell in!

Spoiler Level: Red. Major spoilers for most of Endwalker's story. I suppose that goes without saying. However, there's very little discussion about the end area and end boss, since Victor's on the last leg of his journey.

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Kat's away this week on Axe of the Blood God, so Nadia takes the reigns, and chaos reins. Wait. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you.

Eric is on-hand to help co-host, of course, and a very special guest enters the fray: Blood God Discord mod Valexia! The trio have a hearty discussion about LGBTQ+ representation in games, old and new, eastern and western. There's a long way to go, but there's been a lot of progress that's worth celebrating, too.

Also in this episode:

• The Game Awards hate JRPGs :(
• Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is coming to PS4, Switch, and PC!
• Everyone's mad at Nadia because she liked that Imagine Dragons/Bastion song at the Game Awards
• Analogue Pocket orders are opening up. May the odds be ever in your favour.

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Turn on Nickelodeon and feed your Tamagotchi, because it's time for the '90s PC RPG Quest here at Axe of the Blood God. John Walker of Buried Treasure joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they talk about this very tumultuous time in PC RPG history. The genre underwent enormous growth, but not before it suffered near-irrelevance amid the rise of DOOM and other first-person shooters. 

There's a lot to cover, so feel free to fiddle with your Slap Bracelet while the crew talks. Just don't cut open the bracelet's fabric, take out the sharp piece of metal inside, and start hitting people with it. That's how Slap Bracelets get banned from schools. Not speaking from experience or anything, mind you.

Enjoy the PC RPG Quest? Make sure to check out our episodes covering the 1970s and 1980s! 

Also in this episode:

• Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker queue times will kill us all
• Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's duplication glitches are making us nostalgic
• NIntendo Online's Expansion Pack kind of sucks.

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Last week was the Giving of Thanks, and Eric returned to his ancestral home to prepare the necessary sacrifices. That means Kat and Nadia are alone for this episode, just like the good ol' days of... er, maybe a month ago? Point is, this is a very chill episode. 

Some of the big topics:

- Is a Chrono Cross remake under development? - Who is an unsung RPG composer? - How excited are we for a Mass Effect TV show?

Also in this episode: Neo The World Ends With You didn't do so hot because Square Enix kind of forgot to market it, and plans for the future of Blood God! A new tier approaches! Command?

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When we last met our Warriors of Light, they were confident they'd be Thal's balls-deep in Endwalker by this point. Fate had other plans in mind, as Endwalker won't be accessible until December 3. Hey, Final Fantasy XIV is a Square Enix RPG. It's never a surprise when the heroes' plans go awry in an RPG.

Besides, the delay freed up some time to let us talk about a topic that kept eluding us: Endwalker story predictions! Hope you're sitting down, because Victor brought notes. What kind of dropout brings notes?!

Spoiler Level: Red. Major spoilers for Shadowbringers and Endwalker. We bust out all biggest story twists and smallest plot tweaks for pretty much the entire episode. 

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What, you wanna listen to Axe of the Blood God's very special Shin Megami Tensei 5 episode, guest starring Game Informer's Kim Wallace? Hmmm... gimme one life stone. I'll also take 300 macca and a shitload of your health!

Just kidding -- your friendship is more than enough to get access to our SMT V review. How does it play? What are its strengths? Its weakness? Is it a good entry point for SMT V virgins? Kat, Nadia, Eric, and Kim will fill you in on all the haunting deets.

Also in this episode: We're trying out a brand-new format that (hopefully) makes the show easier to listen to and enjoy! Come for Kat's Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl critique, stay for Nadia's disjointed rant about Simon Belmont from Captain N. Something about a bomber jacket?

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In Part 3 of our complete Cowboy Bebop series ranking, we tackle the Top 10 alongside What a Cartoon's Henry Gilbert! In so doing we tackle some of the following topics: - What's the deal with Julia? - Who had the best arc? - Why does Toys in the Attic rule so much? - What happens when Final Fantasy and John Woo have a delightful anime baby? (It's Ballad of Fallen Angels). This episode is available immediately to our Patrons, and will be available through the free feed next week!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss how Atlus would really love it if the west got the hang of making demonic pacts. We know Shin Megami Tensei V is out, and we know it's a great game -- but why hasn't the series made much headway into the western market compared to [looks around nervously, bend over and whispers] Persona? Can anything be done to make SMT more appealing to this market?

Also in this episode: Early hands-on impressions of Elden Ring are great, FFXIV: Endwalker is delayed, and Todd Howard laughs himself to sleep on a pile of money flanked by two beautiful ladies because people can't stop buying Skyrim.

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In Part 2 of our complete Cowboy Bebop series ranking, we tackle episodes 16 through 10! In so doing, we hit some of the following topics: - Our personal favorite episodes - How Cowboy Bebop pays tributes to movies from the 60s and 70s - The wildness of Mushroom Samba - Why Gateway Shuffle is one of our sneaky favorites This episode is available immediately to our Patrons, and will be available through the free feed next week. Stay tuned for Part 3 as we jump into the Top 10 next week!

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Well I'll tell you what, that daggum Kat recently got herself in a whole heap of Twitter trouble when she sassed Legend of Dragoon. On this week's episode of Axe of the Blood God, Kat apologizes for her sharp words -- but she also struggles to understand why half the internet is still nostalgic for this underachieving Sony RPG. To that end, Kat, Eric, and Nadia invited YouTuber (and Legend of Dragoon fan) SuperDerekRPG to the show. They have a grand ol' time talking about this (misunderstood?) game, and about retro RPGs in general.

Also in this episode: Shin Megami Tensei V is very good, and open wide because here comes a deluge of Elden Ring information.

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Cowboy Bebop is one of the greatest anime ever made, and with a live-action series headed to Netflix, now is the perfect time to revisit this animated classic! We're joined by What a Cartoon and Talking Simpsons Host Henry Gilbert to rank episodes 24 - 17, where we hit some of the following topics: - How did we get into Cowboy Bebop? - Is Sympathy for the Devil underrated? - How great is VT's cat? - And how do we feel about Gren in the year 2021? This episode is Part 1 of our big ranking of Cowboy Bebop, and it's available to both our Patrons and free listeners right now! Part 2 will be available next week , but paid subscribers can access it immediately!

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric board the Magic School Bus and travel back to the very beginnings of JRPG development. PC98 Audi from Digital Foundry makes a guest appearance to delve deep into the machine that arguably started it all: The humble PC-88. Audi also has tons of history to share about the MSX, and other high-tech '80s stuff that was vital to the early evolution of JRPGs. Frankly, he's the proverbial Miss Frizzle on this trip. Without him, Kat, Nadia, and Eric would probably fall out of the bus and get eaten by a microprocessor.

Also in this episode: Kat's in Super Robot War heaven, we have a trailer for Netflix's adaptation of The Witcher 2, and Square Enix is gonna make you wet with a new Star Ocean game.

["Hey Hey 16k" is by MJ Hibbett and the Validators. Enjoy your earworm]

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Nadia, Kat, and Eric battle ogres with the help of a very special guest, Waah! Yes, our generous $100 Patron finally gets to shine on-stage, and he's picked a very cool topic: Square Enix's half-forgotten Ogre Battle series. This still-beloved string of strategy games was the precursor to Final Fantasy Tactics, and it's a darn shame it doesn't garner the acknowledgement it deserves. We'll fix that, though. Oh, we will definitely fix that.

Also in this episode: Stardew Valley's creator is taking us to the Land of Chocolate, CD Projekt Red has some more delays for us, and the Mass Effect 3 ending controversy has reared its ugly, exhausting head once again.

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Smoke 'em if you got 'em because it's time for a brand-new episode of Sharlayan Dropouts--Axe of the Blood God's cool and fashionable Final Fantasy XIV podcast. This week, Nadia and Mike talk about what it was like to go hands-on with a preview build of the upcoming Endwalker expansion. (Victor, meanwhile, drools in equal parts anticipation and jealousy.) Look forward to a thorough breakdown of some of the new maps, including the Old Sharlayan hub town. Rest assured the rumours about Nadia dealing fogweed in the fifth floor washroom are greatly exaggerated. [Cough.]

Also in this episode:  Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of Final Fantasy, is in deep with Final Fantasy XIV. Very deep. We got 'im, fellahs. Plus, the Moogle Treasure Festival is on again, so prepare for Praetorium memes. 

Spoiler Warning Level: Yellow. The content is pretty evenly parsed out in this episode. The first half up to 27:48 is news and discussion about what we've been doing in-game. There are very mild spoilers about A Realm Reborn's final dungeon, and we talk a bit about the games' trailers. From 27:48 on, the episode is almost exclusively spoilers about Endwalker's mechanics, the preview dungeon we played, etc. 

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There be dragons and dragon slayers in this week's episode of Axe of the Blood God. Faithful Patron Brian Cowan (thank you!) requested that Nadia, Kat, and Eric wade neck-deep into the fascinating historical muck that is Falcom's Dragon Slayer series. They talk about its origins, the people behind its development, and the reasons why this long-running series is one of the most important contributors to the RPG genre.

Also in this episode: Nadia shares some FFXIV: Endwalker impressions, Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 was saved from the brink of oblivion, and there are no cross-saves in the PC port of Monster Hunter Rise because Capcom loves suffering.

Oh, and Kat and Eric talk about Evangelion Thrice Upon a Time while Nadia plays Pokemon Go. The discussion, which is spoilerish, runs from 49:35 to 58:23.

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Axe of the Blood God gets sPooOoOoky this week as Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk about "creepypasta" RPGs. Creepypasta is a weird term, but you're probably familiar with what it entails: Stories about haunted games that some poor hapless schmuck picked up at a flea market or whatever. Pokemon Lost Silver, BEN DROWNED, that one NES Godzilla cartridge that was filled with weird sprites and music...the list goes on. The trio also discusses RPG story moments that freaked them out. This episode is rated VS for Very Scary.

Other topics this week: Thoughts on the shakeup at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, Sora alighting in Smash like some kind of anime Jesus wearing oversized kicks, and the passing of Dragon Quest composer Koichi Sugiyama.

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Who amongst us is truly righteous? It's probably not a great idea to look at Axe of the Blood God for paragons of virtue. That's why Nadia, Kat, and Eric invited Jason Wilson back this week to review Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. What's good? What's bad? Should you play? What are some good starting tips? Will you make friends with a horse that runs across roofs? You can if you believe you can.

Also in this episode: Nadia keeps stanning Actraiser Renaissance, Amazon's New World MMORPG is a hit, and Jack from Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin said a bad word. We're telling mom.

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The '80s are alive and well in our souls -- and on Axe of the Blood God, too. This week, Nadia and Kat are joined by their good pal Jason Wilson as they continue the PC RPG Quest. It all started in the '70s, but PC RPGs got a major boost thanks to the rapid growth of the home computer market. It's a very important chapter of RPG history. After all, without Ultima, Wizardry, or SSI's Gold Box games, there'd be no Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy. What a sick, sad world that would be.

Also in this episode: A new Nintendo Direct brings a deluge of RPG news, and Super Mario now shares his soul with Chris Pratt. Mama Mia!

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It's a new month, which means the Sharlayan Dropouts have huddled themselves in the smoke hole again. (They just keyed Fourchenault's Chocobo chariot; best they lay low for a while.) Nadia, Victor, and Mike talk about the very lengthy Final Fantasy XIV Live Letter, and what it all means for the upcoming Endwalker expansion. That gaping hole in the moon...it's not going to get any bigger, right? Right.

Also in this episode: Dragoons are pole dancing again, the Twins are overdue for their Elezen growth spurt, and Nadia learns you can't just breed brother and sister Chocobos in twisted eugenics experiments like you can in FFVII. 

Spoiler Level: Yellow. The front end of the episode is largely spoiler-free, but we loosen up in the back half. Here are some handy-dandy time stamps:

Up to 16:36 - News about the FFXV event, and discussion what we've been doing in-game. Some talk about raids, etc, but no major discussion about story events connected to them.

Up to to 43:40 - Talk about the Live Letter and changes to FFXIV's classes. Some very minor spoilers that involve how each class has evolved since ARR.

From 43:40 onward - Free discussion about Endwalker and the story beats leading up to it. 

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This week on Axe of the Blood God, Nadia and Kat get a little spoony and talk about one of the oldest and most controversial RPG classes: The Bard. Generous $50 Patron Drew Waranis requested we talk about these golden-throated music makers, and the Blood God is here to please. This episode dissects the history of the Bard, talks about the most famous bards in RPGs, and asks that one vital question: Do we need bards. Are they, like, cool, man?

Also in this episode: Holy crap, Eastbound! Holy crap, Deltarune chapter 2! Holy crap, Tales of Arise already sold a million copies! What an exciting week.

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In this special episode of Axe of the Blood God, we continue our celebration of Namco Bandai Tales series by ranking all of its biggest games -- from the lowly Tales of the Tempest to the much-loved Tales of Symphonia!  

In Part 2, we jump into the classics -- the entries that pushed the series forward and retain a special place in our hearts. Joining us once again are two huge Tails fans: Game Informer's Kim Wallace and friend of the pod Victor Hunter! It's Axe of the Blood God's biggest Tales celebration to date, so join us as we conclude the definitive ranking!   And as always, thank you to our Patrons at the $5 level and above, who get to access this entry a week early and ad free!

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Tales of Arise has finally arrived, and it's bigger than ten Super Bowls. This week, Kat and Nadia are joined by USgamer alumni (and Normandy FM podcast host) Eric Van Allen as they dive deep into the latest entry in this beloved but oft-troubled RPG series. Is this the Tale that will save the world, and convert all the non-believers? Maybe. Just maybe. Anyway, it has a cute owl, so it's automatically GOTY.

Also in this episode: Stardew Valley is finally finished (maybe), a Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake is in the works, and Yoko Taro is making a card-based game that will probably kill us all in our sleep, then instruct us to reflect on our words and deeds.

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