Shows
Brainlords: Video Games of the MindCan licensed games be Art?
This week on Brainlords we are living in a Nightmare…Bart’s Nightmare! Or is it Buster’s Bad Dream? We discuss the wonderful world of Licensed games, advertisement games, and video game product placements to ask the question: Are they even art? Kyle compares a good Disney game that has nothing to do with its license to a bad Simpsons game that gave him an emotional response. Jorge discusses how to find validation as a working class artist when you don’t get to choose what you work on. The one thing we can agree on? The amazi...2025-07-232h 14Brainlords: Video Games of the MindGame Music: 10 Years 10 SoundtracksThis week on Brainlords, we discuss our favorite genre of music, SOUNDTRACK: VIDEO GAME. Kyle and Jorge each pick their OSTs of the year from 2015 to 2024 and guess each other's lists for some friendly competition. Is game music less memorable than the squarewaves of yesteryear or are we actually in a golden age?
Spoiler warning: Extremely mild spoilers for Death Stranding 2, Undertale, Deltarune, and Signs of the Sojourner. (Mostly just minor moments and describing the context around interesting songs.)
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
Kyle - Cute Monster Props2025-07-092h 14Brainlords: Video Games of the MindShould Games Be Fun?On today’s episode of Brainlords we explain why games might be better if they were a little “worse”! Jorge gives a history lesson on The Flow State while Kyle explains how it recently became synonymous with the addiction loop of a slot machine. Is fun the only emotion gameplay should strive for or should we want a bit more friction in an interactive art form?
CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
Edited by Kyle
THINGS DISCUSSED:
Should...2025-05-142h 19Brainlords: Video Games of the MindBONUS APRIL EPISODE: If I See the Akira Bike Slide One More Time I Will Cry and Then Throw UpBievenedos a Brainlords! In today's bonus April Episode, Kyle and Jorge are replaced with alter egos Jorge and Kyle for an anime themed episode brought to you by our sister podcast Robot Carnival. We process our grief in seeing that the Akira Bike Slide got referenced in yet another piece of media. Does referencing this iconic shot in 2025 make you a poser? Yes Billy. Yes it does.
THINGS DISCUSSED:
Anime.
2025-04-0119 minBrainlords: Video Games of the MindWhat *Should* A Character Look Like? "If Chun-Li's Thighs are too big it's not going to be good for the meta." Welcome to Brainlords! This week Kyle and Jorge discuss what can go wrong with a character design according to artists and more importantly (and loudly) according to fans. We wrestle with the fact that new versions of a character are caught between our expectation and brand management and talk about what its like adapting a licensed character to 2d, 3d, and real life! It's Brainlords vs our favorite crossovers and the only winner is you, the listener!
Kyle - Cute M...2025-03-191h 50Brainlords: Video Games of the MindEP0 - What Do We Look For in a Video Game?
"People don't want Zelda 2, they want Zelda 1-Plus."
Our pilot episode! Come get to know us as we ask the question - What do you look for in a game? Meet your hosts Jorge, an Illustrator working on product design at Fangamer, and Kyle, an SFX artist working on video game statues and eSports trophies at Volpin Props. Together they discuss games as an art form and a culture. Topics can cover any aspect to help us appreciate video games new, retro, popular, or indie (but like, the weird indie not just the popular indie t...2025-02-051h 35