Episodes
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The Game Awards 2024 have concluded and they were quite the showcase this year. For the 10th anniversary, Geoff Keighley pulled out all the stops with some amazing reveals such as Naughty Dog's next game, the return of Okami, The Witcher 4 announcement and much more.
We review NetEase's new game Marvel Rivals. This is pretty much an Overwatch clone but brings a lot of new features that Overwatch is lacking in a polished and fun hero shooter experience in third person. Featuring over 33 heroes and villians, this game is a blast to play.
As we near 1 year with Helldivers, the Illuminates have finally arrived and we dive into the frontlines to fight back. It's a new foe that throws new challenges our way. We also talk about live services games and what makes them successful like Helldivers 2.
Lastly, Secret Level is finally out in part 1. We review the first half of the anthology series from the creators of Love, Death and Robots featuring short animations from games like Sifu, Crossfire, Unreal Tournament and more.
Show Notes:
1:13 - Housekeeping
3:17 - The Game Awards 2024 Reactions
53:47 - Marvel Rivals Review
1:22:07 - The Illuminates are Here: Looking Back on the Year of Helldivers 2
1:50:32 - Secret Level Part 1 Review
2:08:27 - What Makes a Live Service Successful?
2:34:28 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
NOTE: We had some audio issues in this recording where everything sounded like an AM radio. We decided to try some new AI tech and this is the output. It cleaned up the AM radio sound quite a bit but you may notice us sounding a little...foreign or merging words together, that's the AI making assumptions :-D Fun experiment for sure, enjoy the show!
In this episode, we have a lot of reviews such as Pokemon TCG Pocket on iOS and Android and we have our full review of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Brett also ventures down a rabbit hole into the sim genre with reviews of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Star Trucker both available on Xbox Game Pass.
Star Wars Outlaws recently dropped a huge update changing a significant portion of the game. We figure it's worth discussing those changes and asking the question: will this bring players back?
Lastly, The Game Awards are around the corner. We share some of our favorite world premiere game predictions as well as take a guess at what will win the major categories including the big title of Game of the Year.
Show Notes:
1:12 - Housekeeping
2:34 - Pokemon TCG Pocket Review
27:21 - Dragon Age The Veilguard Full Review
52:43 - Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Review
1:20:25 - Star Trucker Review
1:32:53 - Will the Star Wars Outlaws Changes Bring Players Back?
1:50:20 - The Game Awards 2024 Predictions
2:27:58 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
Episodes manquant?
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Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is here! We never thought we'd have a Call of Duty game on this podcast again, but Treyarch and the other teams behind this game outdid themselves. Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is the full package. The campaign is solid, the multiplayer is super addicting and the zombies mode is a blast. Best of all? This is all available on Xbox Game Pass.
We also dig into Alan Wake 2's new DLC called The Lakehouse. This one follows a Federal Bureau of Control agent through The Lakehouse. Jason played this game and shares his thoughts of this creepy return to the Alan Wake world.
Brett plays Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Bioware returns with a different art style, a more linear world and several gameplay changes that provide a differnet, but fun direction for the game. Is this the best Dragon Age ever? Maybe not. Is this a great game? It definitely is. Despite the sometimes poor script, the gameplay is great, the world is gorgeous and the game plays better than any game in recent years.
We also get our hands on Deadlock, the 3rd person MOBA from Valve. This game is incredibly well designed bringing all the best of MOBA's with a true hero shooter twist. We can't wait to get our hands on the full release.
Lastly, Austin dove back into Tears of the Kingdom. In this, he highlights the well-designed starting area. Tutorials are varied in our games and sometimes hold your hand too much or are too annoying you want to ignore them. This tutorial does it just right having you discover as you play.
You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.
Show Notes:
1:14 - Housekeeping
2:36 - Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Early Review
35:22 - Alan Wake 2 The Lakehouse DLC
48:05 - Dragon Age: The Veilguard Early Review
1:21:39 - Deadlock: A Fun Twist on the MOBA from Valve
1:37:24 - Tears of The Kingdom 1 Year Later: A Masterclass in Starting Zones
1:57:46 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
Brett reviews The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. It's from the folks that brought us the remake of Link's Awakening. This game puts you in the shoes of Zelda creating "echoes" of enemies and objects in the world to rescue everyone from the rifts. We also talk about Jason's review of the PlayStation Portal. Does he agree with Austin?
We take a look at Delta Force: Hawk Ops in the Steam Next Fest. It's somewhat of a Battlefield clone, but it is a great holdover until we get the new Battlefield. We talk about all about what it does better than Battlefield in the free to play package. Brett also reviews TCG Card Shop Simulator in a surprise change. It lets you setup and run your own card shop. You buy inventory, stock the shelves and sell the content to the world. Can you bring in the profit?
Lastly, Off the Grid is a free to play battle royale in Early Access. It took the world by storm real quickly, largely by paid sponsorships, then suddenly it's not getting much press. This could be the veil behind it where it's powered by Web 3 with it's own coin and NFT system. Will this game find an audience?
You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.
Show Notes:
1:00 - Housekeeping
2:16 - The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Review
27:49 - Jason’s Review of the PlayStation Portal
51:48 - Delta Force: Hawk Ops Demo First Look
1:07:12 - TCG Card Shop Simulator Review
1:24:03 - Off the Grid: A Battle Royale with Crypto?
1:40:20- Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
In this episode, Brett gives an early review of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. This game dropped back in January but we're just now getting to it. He's only 8 hours in so there is still 50 some more hours to enjoy but we share a lot of the early gameplay, talk about the story, experience the minigames and more.
Austin gets his hands on the early access of the Witchfire game which is a soulslike extraction style game. There's a lot going on here and it seems promising!
Brett also talks about The Finals and how after 4 seasons of content, it's still on fire and showing even more success with this latest season. It brings a new map, a new approach to the world tour, a new sponsor contract system and much more.
343 Industries has renamed to Halo Studios. This means they're all in on Halo. is this a good thing or a bad thing? We are expecting multiple Halo games in the future and they're built in Unreal Engine 5 now.
We're also disappointed both in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown which is so bad that Brett has uninstalled it. The game disconnects, the patches don't do anything significant and the AI sucks. We also talk about the PlayStation Portal and Austin is upset that it doesn't deliver the quality he had hoped.
You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.
Show Notes:
0:58 - Housekeeping
3:08 - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review
23:53 - Witchfire Early Access Review
38:00 - The Finals Remains Strong 4 Seasons Later
1:08:06 - Halo Studios is Why the Industry is Crashing
1:26:36 - Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is a Big Disappointment
1:40:51 - Austin’s Take on the PlayStation Portal: It Failed Him
1:56:04 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
In this episode, we review Sony's answer to Mario with their cute Astro Bot game made by Team ASOBI. This game is brilliant in so many ways and we talk about the innovative gameplay mechanics, the gorgeous graphics and the fun surprises celebrating Playstation's history. We also review Age of Mythology Retold available on Xbox Game Pass. This game released in 2002 and has been remastered for PC's. It was a successor to Age of Empires and was a ton of fun back then, does it hold up? Lastly, Brett continues the train of reviews with Monster Train now out on Apple Arcade. This originally released in 2020 but has been released in a mobile form on Apple Arcade and it's still a ton of fun today!
Ubisoft has had a lot of issues as of late with Star Wars Outlaws seeing poor reception at launch and Assassin's Creed Shadows delayed to February. Also did you know Skull and Bones came out this year? We forgot too. We talk about what could be plaguing the teams and how they can redeem themselves if at all.
Sony has finally unveiled Ghost of Yotei by Sucker Punch. This is the follow up to Ghost of Tsushima and although we're a little bummed we won't see a Jin continuation, this game looks incredible already and will be the first built from the ground up for PS5. We also talk about the other surprises from the State of Play.
Finally, EA and DICE have revealed early concept art of the next Battlefield game. Releasing in a beta form next year, it's going back to its roots and we're incredibly hyped for this potential new direction. It sounds a lot like Battlefield 4 and if that's the case, count us in!
You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.
Show Notes:
1:06 - Housekeeping
2:38 - Astro Bot Review
30:30 - Age of Mythology Retold Review
45:04 - Monster Train Review
58:55 - Ubisoft is in Major Trouble
1:29:02- Ghost of Yotei and the Sony PlayStation State of Play
1:51:10 - What’s Next for the Battlefield Franchise?
2:19:05 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
Concord was killed by Sony so we didn't do a follow up review. Sorry to those looking forward to it! Maybe it'll come back in the future?
That being said, we have a great show for you. First, we review Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2. This game from Saber is a truly brutal, action packed thrill ride. It features a campaign, cooperative missions and full PVP. We share why it's not our game of the year, but a damn good game worth picking up.
Brett reviews Star Wars Outlaws. A game not worth picking up. We look at the story, gameplay and why although the game has a lot of good to speak of, they failed with the stealth which is the dominant part of the game. The look and feel is so incredibly Star Wars, but it fails to deliver on some fun combat and exploration.
We also review Lockdown Protocol, a game similar to Among Us but in 3D. It's a ton of fun for early access. We can't wait to see what's next for this game! Speaking of reviews, why not throw in a early review of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown? It's not quite ready for primetime, with some bugs and graphical glitches, but there is potential there even if it did convince Brett to go back to The Crew Motorfest.
Finally (I told you it was jam packed), we look at the announcement of the PS5 Pro. It's slightly better than the PS5 for a whopping $700. Is it worth the cost of entry?
You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.
Show Notes:
1:11 - Housekeeping
2:29 - Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 Review
43:51 - Star Wars Outlaws Review
1:17:04 - Lockdown Protocol Review
1:32:39 - Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown Early Review
1:53:11 - PS5 Pro is Here: Too Much for Too Little?
2:15:35 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
We review the start to the World Saga called "World of Warcraft The War Within." Is it a huge step forward for the MMO? No. Is it fun to play? Sure is! We also share our first impressions of Black Myth Wukong. It's hard. But it looks amazing and apparently inspired Dragon-Ball Z! Brett gets into the alpha of Splitgate 2 and it's ready for primetime even though it's not coming out until 2025. We can't wait to play this!
Gamescom Opening Night Live took place in Cologne, Germany and had some fun surprises for us. We got Borderlands 4 announced, a new show called Secret Level featuring some of our favorite franchises and the reveal of Mafia: The Old Country.
We went to the United States only virtual reality eSports arena called EVA. This place is in Flower Mound and we went for a party. The experience was fantastic! Up to 10 people can play in a 5400 square foot arena with HTC headsets. It was super immersive both with the Zombie game and the team-based arena shooter.
Finally, Concord is having a rough launch. Player count is low on Steam but we're still going to give it a try. That being said, we talk about some of what could've kept people from buying the game, what the roadmap looks like and will it stay alive?
You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.
Show Notes:
1:02 - Housekeeping
2:59 - World of Warcraft: The War Within Review
17:08 - Black Myth Wukong First Impressions
35:00- Splitgate 2 First Impressions
51:36 - The Biggest Surprises from Gamescom Opening Night Live
1:13:49 - EVA eSports Arena: A Glimpse Into the Future
1:36:11 - Concord Launches with Poor Numbers: Can It Be Saved?
1:56:29 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
We saw the Borderlands movie so you didn't have to. It's a mess. This review will feature spoilers but let's be honest, we're helping you.
Brett also reviews Against the Storm, available on Xbox Game Pass. It's a dark fantasy citybuilder with roguelike elements and it's a ton of fun. He also reviews Teardown, a game where you literally tear things down. There is a lot of destruction all centered around heist gameplay. The best part? The mods ya'll. They're insane.
Jason also played Ghost of Tsushima 10 times. He walks through why it's timeless and what we want to see from Ghost of Tsushima 2.
Lastly, we have a special preview of a game coming soon to Kickstarter called Celestial Return. From Steam:
"Celestial Return is a narrative driven Sci-Fi Noir RPG where you roll as 3 lost souls scheming the Heist of the Millennia. Roll the dice, mix and match your skills, make tough choices, and steal the "Titan Core" to rule a cyborg army!"
You can follow their Kickstarter here when it goes live or wishlist it on Steam.
Show Notes:
1:10 - Housekeeping
2:23 - Borderlands Movie Review (SPOILERS)
39:31 - Against the Storm Review
1:04:23 - Why Ghost of Tsushima is Timeless After 10 Playthroughs
1:47:52 - Teardown Review
2:07:05 - Celestial Return Game Preview
2:15:58 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
We play the final chapter in the light and darkness saga of Destiny 2 called The Final Shape. The First Descendant brought us back into the world of Destiny. We also discuss where Bungie goes from here. What does the future look like for them? Will we see a Destiny 3? Will Marathon be good? What else are they working on?
Austin revisits World of Warcraft after awhile of not playing the game. The War Within expansion drops later this year so he's preparing to get into that this Fall while catching up with Dragonflight.
Brett and Jason play Ready or Not's new DLC "Home Invasion." This DLC adds 3 new maps and several quality of life updates to an already great game. Check out our stream on our Twitch channel!
Lastly, Gamestop shuts down Game Informer. The magazine has been around for 33 years and this marks the end of an era where print is offically becoming a part of the past. We look back on some of our memories and talk about what this means for the future of games media.
Show Notes:
0:58 - Housekeeping
2:27 - Destiny 2 The Final Shape Review
40:01 - The Future of Destiny and Bungie
1:08:34 - Revisiting World of Warcraft in 2024
1:37:40 - Ready or Not: Home Invasion DLC Review
1:53:21 - The End of an Era: Gamestop Shuts Down Game Informer
2:21:20 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
This week Brett reviews Once Human, an MMO survival game that is a mix of Control and Death Stranding for the story. It also gains influences from The Division, Palworld, New World and many other games to make for a surprisingly compelling and engaging experience. The progression is impressive, the building is expansive, the world is fun to explore and you can jump in and out of the game with friends with no problem.
We also share our first look at Concord on PS5. It's a new live service game that PlayStation is pushing. Firewalk Studios is the developer with veterans from Destiny. The game features a futuristic, 70's vibe with a variety of characters in a hero shooter that feels really high-quality but doesn't quite deliver on anything revolutionary. Will it find an audience? We'll see when the game launches in August.
After playing the First Descendant, we decided to jump back into Destiny 2 and compare the two looter shooters. They have a lot of similarities but utlimately only one can win our time so find out which one we landed on in this episode.
Lastly, Brett reviews a game called Humanity. It's an indie game where you guide a dog around to lead a group of people to this light in the sky. You must creatively maneuver them through the world to get to their destination. It's ok if some falloff, they'll come back. It's a charming, relaxing game that's worth trying out on Xbox Game Pass!
Show Notes:
1:14- Housekeeping
3:23 - Once Human Early Review
33:32 - Concord Beta Review: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
1:05:04 - The First Descendent or Destiny 2: The Battle of Looter Shooters
1:37:15 - Humanity Review
1:49:27 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
We have some fantastic conversations this week. First, we play Nexon's new looter shooter called The First Descendant. Brett played it in beta back in October of 2022 and now it's out in full release. It's part Warframe and part Destiny. Will it be good enough to take some player's away from the other games? Brett also gets into the closed beta for FragPunk. It's a Valorant-like game with a mix of Counter-Strike and Overwatch making a fun, gorgeously designed hero shooter with fast combat and a card system that really changes the game.
We go back 10 years to Dragon Age: Inquisition. In preparation for Dragon Age: Veilguard, we wanted to see how this game held up and why or why not we think this new direction is the right one for Veilguard. Brett also beat both Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 and these games have truly redefined RPG's for him. What does this mean for the future of RPG's? Will they ever be able to live up to these games?
Lastly, Helldivers 2 has lost 90% of its active players. Can they come back? What do they need to regain people's interest? We still love it but will it stay that way after a year?
Show Notes:
1:18 - Housekeeping
2:29 - The First Descendant Early Review: Destiny Meets Warframe
34:20 - Can FragPunk Go Up Against Valorant?
1:00:02 - Dragon Age Inquisition in 2024: Did It Age Well?
1:25:11 - Redefining RPG’s: Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077
1:49:36 - Helldivers 2 Lost 90% of Its Active Players: What Can Bring It Back?
2:14:29 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
Welcome to Episode 400! Jason dives back into Bright Falls with the Night Springs DLC for Alan Wake 2. It features 3 distinct stories in the Alan Wake multiverse. Brett and Austin play Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 at Dallas Fan Expo. It's a ton of fun and we can't wait for this game to come out this Fall! We also review the roguelike Crab Champions. It's a early access game made by another solo dev that is a blast to play!
In the news, Xbox had their Games Showcase with tons of new games from Call of Duty Black Ops 6 to Doom to Gears of War E-Day. We also talk about Ubisoft Forward focusing on Assassin's Creed: Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws. Then we focus in on Dragonage: The Veilguard. It has a different artstyle than past games. Is it the right direction for hardcore fans? Finally, Nintendo had their direct featuring some fun new games like Mario and Luigi Brothership, a new Zelda game and the first gameplay reveal of Metroid Prime 4 Beyond.
Show Notes:
1:42 - Housekeeping
5:46 - Alan Wake 2: Night Springs DLC
21:18 - Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 First Look
42:32 - Crab Champions Review
52:15 - Our Top 15 Games of the Xbox Gaming Showcase
1:29:40 - Ubisoft Forward featuring Star Wars Outlaws and AC Shadows
1:57:50 - Dragon Age The Veilguard: Will it Hit Home with Diehard Fans?
2:12:06 -Metroid Prime 4. Legend of Zelda and Mario and Luigi | Nintendo Direct
2:27:13 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
This week review No Rest for the Wicked. It's a game in early access from the team that brought us Ori and the Blind Forest. Austin played it and is loving it so far. Brett also jumps into Tekken 8 after seeing it at DreamHack Dallas. It's a blast from the past with a ton of content to keep people busy. From a story mode to arcade mode to online versus, its a dense game with a ton of replayability.
We went to DreamHack Dallas and saw some of our first eSports tournaments. We watched the Overwatch Championship Series, Tekken 8 tournments, Counter-Strike 2 and Starcraft 2. There was a lot of fun games to watch, play and more.
We also talk about Summer Games Fest and it was a little underwhelming, but still a good time. There were some great indie highlights. We also watched the Sony State of Play where the biggest games were Astro Bot which looked great and Concord which looked...okay. Then of course Suicide Squad is still struggling in the news with stories of it having a rough development with a lot of misguidance and misdirection. It even was supposed to feature drivable vehicles and that was pulled last minute. It's such a shame.
Show Notes:
1:25 - Housekeeping
3:46 - No Rest for the Wicked Early Access Review
21:03 - Tekken 8 Review
32:36 - Our First Real eSports Experience: DreamHack Dallas
55:56 - What You Missed in Summer Games Fest
1:15:33 - Concord: Not Another Hero Shooter
1:32:01 - Suicide Squad was Shamefully Misguided
1:49:18 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
Austin reviews Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2. Xbox had a lot riding on Ninja Theory deliving a banger with this game but unfortunately it doesn't live up to the first one aside from a mega graphics upgrade. Brett also dives into xDefiant, the new shooter from Ubisoft featuring characters from all their major franchises such as Watch Dogs, The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell and Far Cry. We also review Content Warning. A game developed by a few people and costing under 8 dollars, this game provides hours of fun with friends. Record something scary, record it and go viral. That's the pitch but unfortunately it rarely ever goes your way!
We also talk about the reveal of Assassin's Creed Shadows. No gameplay yet but this game is set in feudal Japan where you can play either a female Ninja or a male Samurai. We're not sure how this mixture of characters will play into the Assassin's Creed lens, but we're waiting to see gameplay. We also look at the leaked footage of Deadlock from Valve. It's a hero shooter that mixes MOBA mechanics with a third person shooter game. It looks really good with a unique art style that has us intrigued.
Show Notes:
1:02 - Housekeeping
2:23 - Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2 Review: It’s Boring. Xbox Failed.
26:39 - xDefiant First Look: Not Quite the Call of Duty Killer
50:45 - Content Warning Review: Silly and Scary Fun with Friends
1:09:12 - Is It Too Late for Feudal Japan Assassin’s Creed?
1:33:46 - Valve’s Next Game is a Hero Shooter Called Deadlock
1:49:18 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
Austin gives his full review of Stellar Blade, the game from Korean mobile game developer SHIFT UP. He talks about the story, gameplay and how the world actually opens up beyond the demo. Brett also reviews Manor Lords. It's a indie title made by one guy where you build a medieval city and survive through the seasons. Brett also jumps into the early access version of Hades 2. It's here and it's better than ever. Brand new characters, new mechanics and a beautiful art style make us mostly excited to play this game.
In the news, we talk about some unfortunate events. Sony made a huge mistake by requiring PSN logins for PC users. Then they pulled the game from 177 countries. Then they removed the requirement, but the game is still unavailable in those countries that PSN doesn't exist. People were upset for good reason. Can Sony redeem themselves from this?
We also talk about Microsoft's surprise decision to close down 4 studios from their Bethesda/Zenimax acquisition. Those studios include Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, creators of Prey and Hi-Fi Rush. It's a surprise mood that makes people wonder...can we trust Xbox anymore?
Show Notes:
1:03 - Housekeeping
2:17 - Stellar Blade Review
32:51 - Manor Lords Review
56:02 - Hades 2 First Look
1:06:25 - Helldivers Win the Fight for Freedom Against Sony
1:26:53 - Microsoft Fooled Us All: 4 Studios Get Shut Down
1:53:09 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
We've made it to the end of the Fallout TV show on Prime TV and have a lot of great things to say about it. We have a full spoilercast here so if you haven't finished the show, please skip forward to the next segment! Speaking of which, Fallout has brought us back into the universe so we revisit Fallout 76. Is it worth jumping back into in 2024?
Brett then dives into indie games with Dave the Diver. It released last year but he finally got into playing it and has so many good things to say about this clever game that is way deeper than expected. Following that up, we talk about how indie games are starting to gain more press and news headlines than AAA games. This is great for the industry and we explain why!
Finally, we revisit The Crew Motorfest. They've launched new content since it released in the Fall of last year and it's better than ever. If you have been on the fence with this game, it's worth jumping in if you don't have an Xbox for Forza Horizon 5.
Show Notes:
1:13 - Housekeeping
2:40 - Fallout TV Show Full Review (Spoilers)
36:33 - Should You Return to Fallout 76?
1:02:34 - Dave the Diver Review
1:16:20 - The Tipping Point: Indie Games Are Better Than AAA Games
1:41:09 - The Crew Motorfest in 2024: Is It Worth Returning?
1:54:54 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
Brett reviews a cozy farming game called Lightyear Frontier. You get a mech that looks an awful lot like a tractor transformer and collect resources, farm and explore the world. It's a fun game available on Xbox Game Pass for you and up to 3 other friends.
We also go down a rabbit hole with TV Shows. We review Season 2 of the Halo tv show as well as the new Prime series for Fallout. Both are good in their own ways, with Fallout really blowing us away with their attention to detail in capturing the feeling of Fallout. The characters are mostly great, but the world building is what really blew us away.
We also look at live services games and talk about a surprising statistic that 60% of games played in 2023 were 6 years or older. What does this mean for the future of story content and gaming in general? Are we going to see less bets on new IP as a result of this? We also later talk about WB's plan to go all in on live service gaming and how we think this is the wrong move for them.
Lastly, Austin plays Stellar Blade from a Korean studio and is blown away by how much fun it is. There's no message here other than a great story with great combat and a fresh, new experience.
Show Notes:
1:01 - Housekeeping
3:11 - Lightyear Frontier Review
22:51 - Halo Season 2 Review
39:33 - Fallout Prime Series Episodes 1-4 Review (Mild Spoilers)
1:19:33 - Why is 60% of Gaming Spent on Older Games?
1:52:02 - Stellar Blade Demo: This is Entertainment
2:11:09 - WB Games is in Freefall
2:31:01 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
We review the weirdly satisfying Tingus Goose mobile game. It's created by SweatyChair with illustrations by Master Tingus. It's an idle game where you grow a goose tree out of a person to reach a certain height. It's weird but satisfying?
We also have been dropping a lot for democracy in Helldivers 2. With our cumulative 100+ hours in the game, we share 10 things we wish we knew before starting Helldivers 2. Hopefully there are some tips we share you may not have been aware of too!
We also talk about NetEase's new game Marvel's Rivals. It's very much going after the Overwatch market with a 6v6 hero-style shooter. Will it outrival Overwatch or will it fall short it delivering the experience we all want to play?
Finally, Suicide Squad released Season 1 of their game featuring the Joker. Unfortunately, it's not what we expected and even more so there isn't really any new story content. There is a battle pass though (actually 2!) and it was enough to make us want to jump back into Arkham Knight.
Show Notes:
1:03 - Housekeeping
2:14 - Tingus Goose Review
15:15 - 10 Things We Wish We Knew Starting Helldivers 2
55:34 - Marvel’s Rivals: Will It Outrival Overwatch?
1:15:51 - Suicide Squad Brought Us Back to Arkham Knight
1:44:20 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 -
We went to SXSW 2024 this year. It's a big conference and festival that occurs in Austin, TX featuring interactive, film, tv and music. We went and attended a ton of gaming sessions about Roblox, Fortnite, streaming and more. We also experienced some awesome brand activations such as a promo for the Fallout TV show where we entered a version of Filly from the show itself.
We also talk about the dark side of Roblox. There is a lot of targeted marketing in Roblox designed to keep kids more and more engaged in brands. Is this good for their future? We also look at the Borderlands trailer featuring a collab with the Skip, Rent, Buy podcast and we share our thoughts on the canceled Spider-Man multiplayer game.
Show Notes:
1:09 - Housekeeping
3:03- Best of SXSW 2024: AI, Roblox, Immersive Tech, & Protests
51:14 - The Fallout Experience for Prime’s New Show
59:34 - ROBLOX is a Hunting Ground for Your Kids
1:25:35 - The Borderlands Trailer Impressions featuring the Skip, Rent, Buy Podcast
1:41:54 - What Could’ve Been with the Canceled Spider-Man Multiplayer Game
1:56:52 - Upcoming Video Game ReleasesBecome a part of the conversation! If you donate $1 or more on Patreon you can get exclusive access to the Patreon-only chat and channels on the server.
Visit our website to find our social channels, check past podcasts and donate to the show.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of our latest videos as they drop.
Credits:
"Blue Groove Deluxe" by BlueFoxMusic on audiojungle.net
Woman Announcer - Ariana Guerra; Actress
"Wisdom" by Super Nostalgia 64 - Montre plus
