Nate, Sebastian, Jordan, Ryan, AND returning guest Andrea all congregate to discuss MASS EFFECT, BioWare's space opera RPG from 2007. We discuss pushing yourself to grow as a player of games, the incredible worldbuilding lift the game accomplishes, and how the Mass Effect trilogy is a special product of its time and isn't likely to be replicated any time soon. Nate asks which alien everyone is smooching, Sebastian explains why this podcast has ruined his life, Andrea tells of how she did a complete 180 on a particular Citadel sidequest, and Ryan compares Mickey Mouse to Omar from The Wire.
Nate, Sebastian, and Ryan gather to discuss CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE, Activision and Infinity Ward's cinematic shooter from 2007. We discuss the game's ugly politics, power imbalances, and fetishization of expensive military technology. Nate posits an "uncanny valley of virtual combat," Ryan dazzles with his encyclopedic knowledge of videogame levels set on tanker ships, and Sebastian gets sick of the game before he even gets past the title screen. We generally have a pretty bad time. Potty humor occurs on two separate occasions.
Nate, Sebastian, and Jordan gather to discuss SUPER MARIO GALAXY, Nintendo's cosmic trip from 2007. We discuss linearity vs. non-linearity in 3D level design, which powerups we hate (Spring Mario) and where the plumber could possibly go from here. Jordan checks in via FaceTime regularly with his friend Mario to check in on his mental health, Sebastian compares Super Mario Odyssey to "the Paul Hollywood Handshake," and Nate tries to be a better Charles Martinet than Chris Pratt.
Nate and Ryan are joined by special guest Max Glenn to discuss PORTAL, Valve's puzzle-shooter gem from 2007. We discuss malicious AI, superb level design, and rethinking our relationship to 3D space. Nate has to explain the moral complexities of the Companion Cube to his kids, Max describes GLaDOS as "like if SHODAN were crossed with Clippy," and Ryan Napsters Hoobastank onto Meemaw's old Compaq.
Nate, Sebastian, and David are joined by special guest Mark Soloff to discuss BIOSHOCK, 2K Games' pulp shooter from 2007. We discuss the game's critical reception, its incredible atmosphere, and how its politics look 15-odd years later. David posits the existence of "Jnco Splicers," Sebastian proposes a period-appropriate fan-casting of a filmic adaptation, and Mark harvests each and every Little Sister -- with, he claims, a clean conscience. Nate breathlessly relates the plot of PS1 platformer "Tail Concerto."
Nate, Sebastian, and David gather to discuss DESKTOP TOWER DEFENSE, Paul Preece's Flash game from 2007. We discuss our experiences with Flash games in the heady days of the late aughts, playing tower defense mods for Warcraft III, and which tower defense games are worth revisiting. Sebastian revisits and unhealthy addiction to Nanaca Crash, David stans for Defense Grid, and Nate tries to entice listeners to join him in his descent into obsession with Final Fantasy XIV, a critically-acclaimed MMORPG which has an expanded Free Trial in which you can play through the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning Heavensward expansion up to level 60 for FREE with no restrictions on playtime!
Nate, Jordan, Ryan, and Brock all gather to discuss WII SPORTS, Nintendo's 2006 pack-in that took the world by storm. We discuss why seemingly everyone and their grandmother (perhaps especially their grandmother) was bowling virtually, the legacy of the Wii as a console, and our own personal histories with sport. Nate reveals that his Wii was full of ghosts, Jordan reveals his terrible bowling etiquette, Ryan checks his work email on the Wii internet browser, and Brock drinks a Clearly Canadian.
Nate, Sebastian, Jordan, and Ryan all gather (appropriately, as a foursome) to discuss GEARS OF WAR, Epic Games' third-person cover shooter and chainsaw extravaganza from 2006. We discuss the wealth of co-op games in the XBox 360 / PS3 generation, active reloads, chest-high walls, and why Marcus and Dom complete each other. Find out which Ninja Turtle each of your intrepid hosts is and whether or not Jordan hates America. Sebastian discusses his chainsaw experience, Nate watches Columbo, and Ryan reassures us not to worry, that giant killer centipede enemy is "just 'the bug.'"
Nate, Sebastian, and Jordan gather to discuss GEOMETRY WARS: RETRO EVOLVED, and the broader swath of games available on XBox Live Arcade. We discuss the sea change wrought by this new venue for digital downloads, all of the wild, weird titles put out by small teams, and Doritos: Dash of Destruction. Nate demands that someone bring back 1 vs. 100, Sebastian reminisces about Shadow Complex, and Jordan recounts his decade-long career in designing sound for indie games.
Nate, Jordan, and Ryan gather to discuss GUITAR HERO, Harmonix and Red Octane's peripheral-enabled rhythm action game from 2005. We discuss the player as both performer and audience, the legacy and seeming absence of guitar games in 2021, and kicking your leg out into the air when you activate your star power. Nate reveals his sad freshman year of college, Ryan admits he can't read music, and Jordan uses "the parlance of jazz."
Nate, Sebastian, Jordan, and Brock gather to discuss SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS, Team Ico's sophomore effort for Sony Japan Studio, which released in late 2005. We discuss realism in animation, videogames as a particularly poignant vehicle for tragedy, and minimalism in design. Sebastian joins a climbing gym, Jordan gets miffed when people misspell his name, and Brock proposes a jingle for the spoiler curtain.
Nate, Sebastian, Jordan, and David gather to discuss PHOENIX WRIGHT: ACE ATTORNEY, Capcom's courtroom adventure game from 2005. We discuss visual novel aesthetics coming to the West, linearity in adventure games, and how flawless pacing and a brilliant localization can carry a game so far. Sebastian leaves a traffic court judge speechless, David wishes the game would have come out under its working title, "Boogie Woogie Innocence," and Nate shouts at his DS on crowded public transportation.
Nate, Sebastian, Jordan, and Ryan gather to discuss -- or try to discuss, anyway -- NINTENDOGS and BRAIN AGE: TRAIN YOUR BRAIN IN MINUTES A DAY, two early titles from the Nintendo DS library. We talk about the unique features of the DS hardware, how Nintendo broadened the scope of who might buy a handheld gaming system, and some of the other DS games we played and loved. Sebastian slides right by a joke that Ryan is real proud of, Nate confesses to paying 30 American dollars for Yoshi Touch 'n' Go, Jordan has trouble with his 8s, and Ryan commits some terribly un-neighborly acts. Sebastian names his Nintendog after his spouse.
Nate, Sebastian, and Ryan gather to discuss GOD OF WAR, Sony Santa Monica's 2005 spectacle of violence and brutality. We discuss excessive nudity, stunted narrative, and flowing combat. Can a murderman like Kratos ever be redeemed, or is he doomed to continue endlessly brutalizing enemies with sick finishing moves? Ryan has what he describes as "the perfect cold open" to the episode, Sebastian expresses his distaste, and Nate once again finds a way to exhort the audience to play Yakuza. Ryan sings an inappropriate song to his infant.
Nate, Sebastian, Jordan, and Ryan gather to discuss RESIDENT EVIL 4, Capcom's survival horror reinvention from 2005. We rag an awful lot on the corny storytelling of a game we love, discuss the many games influenced by RE4's perspective change, and marvel at the subtlety and effectiveness of the game's adaptive difficulty. Nate explains how much better he understands RE4 after having played Devil May Cry last year, Jordan has trouble remembering the names of presidential daughters, and Ryan asks the all important question: "What're ya buyin', stranger?"
Nate, Sebastian, Ryan, and David are once more joined by friend of the podcast Reb Valentine, this time to discuss WORLD OF WARCRAFT, Blizzard Entertainment's massively successful MMORPG from 2004. We discuss all the different ways a player can approach a game, and how WoW offers folks dozens of different ways to engage, from social to anti-social. We discuss our different relationships with the game -- Reb and David are veterans, and Nate's a complete newbie. Sebastian and Ryan find that love CAN bloom, even on a battlefield, Reb relates the excitement of finally killing a raid boss after nearly a hundred failed attempts, and Nate discusses an unwelcome surprise he experienced when trying to pick up a party in Goldshire.
Nate, Sebastian, and Jordan gather to discuss HALF-LIFE 2, Valve's 2004 sequel shooter with a gun that throws heavy objects. We discuss the limits of narrative in first-person shooters, the shifting boundaries of the uncanny valley, and how every NPC in the game can't stop talking about what a big, strong man Gordon Freeman is. Nate admits to finally warming to the Half-Life franchise, Jordan recalls leaving his first days wrangling with Steam, and Sebastian refers to the game's sound effects as "little Proustian cookies."