Эпизоды
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In our final episode for 2023, we take a look back at the year in gaming and discuss all the good, bad and everything in between. From the massively hyped GTA VI reveal, to Redfall, from Baldur's Gate 3 to The Day Before, it's been a year full of incredible highs and some real lows too.
We've seen arguably the best year for high quality releases in some time, but we've also had constant news of redundancies, studio closures and swathes of layoffs across the industry. Google Stadia was put in the bin, Microsoft finally closed the Activision deal, the Steamdeck got an upgrade and so much more.
But 2023 was also a big year for Checkpoint Radio! As we discuss the year through the lens of gamers, we also take the time to reflect on our own highs and lows as we look back at the first year of doing this show. We're incredibly proud of what we've done this year and we are grateful to everyone who has listened and supported the show on here and on YouTube.
We will be taking a short break over Christmas and New Year, with episode 22 arriving on January 12th 2024! We hope to see you there.
For now, thank you so much for your continued support, and be sure to check out these links for more Checkpoint Radio content!
If you prefer, you can send us an email here: [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor and James.
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Alan Wake 2. Baldur's Gate 3. Spider-Man 2. Starfield. The Legend of Zelda, Tears of the Kingdom. Resident Evil 4. Dead Space. Hogwarts Legacy. Dredge. Forza Motorsport. Hi-Fi Rush. Dave the Diver. The list goes on...
When we look back on 2023, it's safe to say this will be remembered as one of the iconic years in gaming. It feels like there has been a major release every month since the turn of the year, and after an extremely dry 2022, gamers will have their hands full with the amount on offer.
In today's episode, we take a look at some of the standout games from this year, as we shine a light on the year's biggest event - The Game Awards! Join us as we discuss the nominees, predictions, and celebrate the outstanding achievements in the gaming industry. From jaw-dropping moments to ground-breaking innovations, this episode is a celebration of the passion and creativity that has made 2023 an incredible year for gaming.
Enjoy!🤘
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor and James.
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Пропущенные эпизоды?
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We've got a bumper episode today as we take a look at some recent news before heading into our main topic for this week!
The release of Modern Warfare 3 has got Call of Duty fans in a spin, and we question what's next for this once iconic franchise. Valve give the Steam Deck a massive new upgrade as they surprisingly announce a refined version of the popular handheld device - an insult to early adopters, or a good move? And we take a look at Bungie's struggles as the Destiny developer lays off over a hundred members of staff, adding to the ever growing list of budget and personnel cuts across the entire gaming industry.
Later in the episode, we get into cloud gaming! We've been testing the various offerings from the likes of PlayStation, Xbox and Nvidia, as we dive into the world of video game streaming and ask ourselves if cloud really is the future of gaming.
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor and James.
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The Hall of Fame is back! For part 3 of this ongoing series, we're officially adding CD Projekt Red's incredible open world action RPG The Witcher 3 to our greatest games of all time list.
The Witcher 3 is a special game for many people, and in this episode we get all gooey eyed and mushy over one of our all time favourites. From the writing to its characters, the open world design and truly impactful player choices, The Witcher 3 is a game you can tell was made out of the pure love of creating video games, and this epic adventure has given us hundreds of collective hours of enjoyment, tears and laughter. It is a game truly worthy of being discussed as one of the greatest achievements of all time in gaming.
Also in this episode, we talk a little about Alan Wake 2 and it's incredible reception, as well as discussing our time on Embark Studio's latest open beta for the hotly anticipated squad based objective shooter The Finals.
Enjoy!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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Welcome to Checkpoint Radio's Halloween Special!
Join us as we chat about our love-hate relationship with the weirdest holiday of the year! We'll be exchanging our own spooky ghost stories, reminiscing about Halloween growing up in 90s/00s Britain, and of course, talking about horror games!
While we may not be avid players of horror games due to certain technical limitations (cough, definitely not complete scaredy-cats), we truly value the unique contribution that horror games make to the gaming world. The profound psychological impact that a well-crafted horror game can exert on players can be quite intense, often necessitating a courageous heart to immerse oneself in them, with headphones on, in a dimly lit room, all alone. So, we aim to delve into the factors that make horror games so spine-chilling. Furthermore, we delve into our personal preferences regarding the most iconic monsters, creatures, and antagonists from the renowned titles in the horror game genre.
👻🎃⚰️🐈⬛💀
Hope you enjoy 🤘and if you would like to see more, then check out the links below!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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From Goldeneye on the N64, to Call of Duty, from Battlefield to Halo, the First Person Shooter has had a long history of consistently delivering some of the greatest games of all time. But lately, it feels as though something from this genre is lacking...
Thanks to the likes of Battle Royales like Warzone and Apex, shooters are arguably at their peak in terms of popularity, with these games alone consistently achieving active player counts in the hundreds of thousands. That number quickly rises if you also throw in Counter Strike and Valorant, two hugely popular, ultra competitive shooters in their own right.
But with gamers growing disgruntled with the over reliance on battle passes, a lack of originality across the whole genre, not to mention the problem of cheaters, griefers, and a seemingly higher-than-usual toxic environment, is the quality of shooters slowly declining?
In this episode we're talking about the state of shooters in 2023, the lack of satisfying and competitive gameplay, and how paywalled content and micro transactions are ruining everyone's fun.
Join us as we talk about some of our favourite FPS games, why we think shooters generally just stink nowadays, and what we'd like to see improve going forward!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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In this episode 15, we delve into the ins and outs of what we think the real struggles are of turning some of the worlds most loved and adored games into a film or TV series.
We've all heard someone say "it's not as good as the book", when talking about a film or TV series adaptation of a book, and you can probably swap out the word "book" for "game" and have a valid argument most of the time when discussing video game adaptations too.
It's no easy feat to turn such an interactive and immersive experience into another medium, but why? What are the inherent difficulties of converting this form of entertainment? Do different genres, play styles, graphics, narratives dictate how it can be adapted? Will they ever be able to capture what its like to play the game? Is that crucial?
Listen to the episode to hear our thoughts on video game adaptations, and click the links to get involved in the discussions with us!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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Bethesda's first new IP in 25 years, it's fair to say that Starfield is one of 2023's most anticipated games. The Elder Scrolls and Fallout developer has been working on this ambitious new Sci Fi RPG for over seven years and during that time, the game has seen delays, been at the centre of a Microsoft takeover, and has continuously found itself the subject of furious internet debates. But now that it is finally here, what do we think of Starfield?
In today's episode, we give our initial impressions and reactions to this massive new game and discuss what we've seen so far from the good to the bad and everything in between.
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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In the midst of the success of Baldur's Gate 3, some developers have pushed back on the achievements Larian Studios have set out with their latest game, claiming that not all games should be measured against such high standards. Asking fans to lower their standards is a pretty wild take by any account, but do these developers have a point?
With interference from publishers, investors and stakeholders during development on games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Battlefield 2042, there aren't many triple A game developers out there who are given the time and support to reach the heights of a game like Baldur's Gate 3. It begs the question - do the publishers actually know what gamers want?
In this episode, we discuss the push back against Larian, whether it's justified or not, as well as diving into a wider issue with triple A game development, and whether or not the likes of EA, Ubisoft and others can learn a thing or two from Baldur's Gate 3.
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord! Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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In today's episode, we get a bit more personal with something we're sure every gamer over a certain age contends with, and that's gaming and growing older!
We discuss how we try and deal with the fact that getting older means new responsibilities, from bills and mortgages to careers and family, and whether or not gaming can still fit into our hectic, busy, grown-up lives. Is gaming still worth investing the time and money into when it feels like there are so many more important things to worry about?
Have our perceptions of gaming changed as we've gotten older? Have we grown too cynical to enjoy gaming as we once did, or is there still a place for gaming in our lives as grown ups? Tune in as we discuss all of this and more!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord! Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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In episode 11, Connor's got a scenario for us - you are given a blank cheque and asked to create a new video game publisher, acquiring who you want and creating what you want. What do you do? Do you go full Xbox and buy out the big boys like Activision for that sweet Call of Duty revenue? Do you poach talent from multiple studios to create a new, cutting edge developer? Or do you take a famed studio like Rockstar and make them create something entirely different? Listen as we share our ideas for our dream video game publisher! Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord! Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected] For business inquiries, please contact [email protected] Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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In our return to the podcast, we're reopening the Checkpoint Radio Hall of Fame! The HoF is our very own list of the most iconic and memorable games we've ever played, the absolute cream-of-the-crop, and the titles we think deserve to be immortalised forever.Possibly the best game from the last generation and one that certainly holds up better than many triple A releases today - listen and enjoy as we discuss what makes Rockstar's "magnum opus" Red Dead Redemption 2 so good and why it joins Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty as the second entry in the Checkpoint Radio Hall of Fame.
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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It was Xbox's time to take the stage, as their 2023 Showcase aired with a number of announcements, lots of gameplay from upcoming games, some new hardware, and of course, a 50 minute long Starfield extravaganza. Luckily for us, the showcase aired just before our usual scheduled recording, so as a group, we watched the showcase, and then went straight into recording for our fresh and ripe opinions and observations. Join us as we discuss all this and more!
Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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PlayStation has not held a showcase of any kind for two years. So, when they announced recently that they were doing a big May blow-out of video game announcements, the hype quickly hit 11. Unfortunately, we saw little in terms of first party reveals, and instead were bombarded with a bunch of third party games, some weird new hardware (seriously, though, PlayStation earbuds?!) and some VR stuff. We did, however, get a really good look at Spider-Man 2, which looks as promising as we all thought it would.
Also in this episode: Overwatch 2 bin off a big new single player mode, and what's going on with The Last of Us' delayed multiplayer?
Join us as we discuss all this and more!
Want to see what we're up to? Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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Redfall was pushed as a major AAA release for Xbox, and the first fully exclusive Bethesda title for Team Green. After a year-long delay, the pressure on Arkane Austin to deliver was absolutely huge, but unfortunately, the revered studio fell well short of its usual high standards. Redfall is a disaster and there is not much else to say about it. In today's episode, we chat a bit about the game, and talk in depth about what's going on at Xbox, whether Phil Spencer is to blame or not, and if there is any reason for Xbox players to be optimistic.
Want to see what we're up to? Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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In Episode 06, we take a look at Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's rocky launch and why PC ports are so bad, and what's next for Microsoft after the UK's Competition and Markets Authority blocks the Activision deal. And, for the first time, we're answering your questions! Make sure you stick around until the end for that!
Want to see what we're up to? Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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If you could bring back any game from history and rework it for a new audience, what would it be and why? This is the question we're asking each other in this week's episode! Reboots and remakes are popular among all kinds of media and entertainment, so we thought we'd get creative and talk about our fantasy video game reboots.Also in this episode, we discuss the latest The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor trailers, Dark and Darker developers legal troubles and Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League's 9-month delay.
Want to see what we're up to? Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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It's episode 04 of Checkpoint Radio and it's a bumper news edition! This week, we're talking about the BAFTA Game Awards, Counter Strike 2, as well as giving some updates on the Activision & Xbox merger and what E3's cancellation means for the future of the gaming convention.
Want to see what we're up to? Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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The Last of Us is one of the greatest video games of all time, and questions marks over a possible live action adaptation have been lingering for years. But now that HBO have taken up the seemingly impossible task of adapting one of gaming's most iconic stories, how does it stack up? We get into a spoiler-filled review and give our thoughts on the epic, 9 part series. Also in this episode, we'll be talking Diablo 4, Redfall, Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League and paying our tributes to the late Lance Reddick.
Want to see what we're up to? Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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It's episode 02 and we are officially launching the Checkpoint Radio Hall of Fame! This ongoing series will have us discussing (probably arguing) over which games we think deserve to be immortalised in our official greatest games of all time list. We'll also have some reaction to the Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer, Sons of the Forest's early access launch success, and whether or not Destiny 2's "Content Vault" is a problem for gamers.
Want to see what we're up to? Click here to see our socials, YouTube and join our Discord!
Or if you want to get in touch with us, send a message to [email protected]
For business inquiries, please contact [email protected]
Checkpoint Radio is hosted by Ben, Connor, Charlie and James.
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