Shows
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPixel Array V (ft. UFO 50, Astro Bot, Home Safety Hotline, and more!)From Keighleys 2024 winners to Italian gamebook dozen-sellers.
Craig: Lil' Gator Game, The Plucky Squire, Shadow Warrior 3, Road 96, Astro Bot
Nate: Balatro on mobile updates, Another Crab's Treasure, 1000xResist, Final Fantasy XVI, Felvidek
Pauly: 49 Keys, Home Safety Hotline, White Knuckle, NaissanceE
2025-03-032h 00
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPixel Array IV (ft. Chess for Idiots, The Thaumaturge, Red Dead Redemption 2, and more!)We slay a major white whale.
Pauly: Future Racer 2000/Silkbulb Test, Chess for Idiots, Asphalt Legends 9, Mullet Mad Jack, Star Trucker, racing sim updates
Nate: Night Runners Prologue, 20 Small Mazes, Sheepy: A Short Adventure, Exophobia, NASCAR Heat 4 (bad), Exit 8, The Thaumaturge
Craig: Cuccchi, Super Mario Maker 2, Super Mario Brothers Wonder, God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla, Red Dead Redemption 2
2024-05-291h 52
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesVR DJing, racing sims, Persona 5, Jett: The Far Shore, Foam Stars — Pixel Array IIIThe gang's all here! We cover racing sims, VR DJing, visual novels, aspirational Unity jank, and splatterfests.
Automobilista 2, Assetto Corsa, Hotshot Racing, Vampire Survivors, Windy Meadow - a Roadwarden Tale, Slay the Princess, Jett: The Far Shore + Given Time, Foam Stars, Persona 5, virtual reality DJing feat. Vinyl Reality and Tribe XR, Killer Frequency
Pauly Mallwear's Necrowave Nightmare DJ setThe Playdate PodcastMKBHD's podcast interview with Teenage Engineering2024-04-012h 06
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPixel Array II (ft. Playdate & 2023 GOTYs)A celebration of the Playdate, as well as some retrospectives on 2023.
We take a new approach to reviewing the year, with 6 categories of highlights and a look to the year ahead. Some of what we mentioned: Saturday Edition, Crankin's Time Travel Adventure, Forza Motorsport, Talos Principle 2, Chants of Sennaar, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Tinykin, Super Mario Brothers Wonder, Jusant, Red Dead Redemption 2, Cities Skylines 2, and Baldur's Gate 3.2024-01-031h 47
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesAlan Wake 2: Postmodernism 101We attempt to fit Alan Wake 2 in the Alan-Wake-2-shaped-hole in Nate's heart labeled "POSTMODERN MEDIA THEORY".2023-12-052h 32
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesDead Space Remake: Glen Schofield's Delight & Despair (ft. The Callisto Protocol)We remove all the limbs, and are not triggered by any of it. In a bonus segment, we also fail to escape prison.2023-11-062h 05
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesOxenfree II: Confused about ParentageWe visit Mortimer Goth's digs while creating a gorgeous but confusing [Loading...] bridge to the undead and time-warped.2023-10-021h 39
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPixel Array I (ft. Stranger of Paradise, Cult of the Lamb, and more!)A smattering of minisodes. We cover: Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, Cult of the Lamb, Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores, and also, more quickly: Dear Esther, Resident Evil Village (demo), Venba, Madison Karrh's "Birth", The Master's Pupil, Terra Nil, Suzerain, Roadwarden, Dave the Diver (speculative), Inscryption, Haven, Deathloop, Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Viewfinder, Forza Horizon 5 & Rally Mexico/Hot Wheels DLCs, and Ace Attorney Chronicles. (Whew! 😅)
Also covered: A psychology test from UW Madison that reveals interesting patterns in how you think - whether you're a visual thinker, whether you visualize language, and whether you have an internal monologue.2023-09-041h 38
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesHumanity: Mizuguchi's genre-morphing puzzler 🐕Craig has a blast being a dog.2023-08-071h 28
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesAlan Wake: Quantifying dickishness 🔦We try to classify Alan Wake, like, as a person.
Alan Wake from the Control universe
2023-07-031h 50
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesHi-Fi Rush: Why did you have to murder Tango?!We tango our way through the tensions between Finance and R&D.2023-04-031h 38
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPentiment: A historical, theological perspectiveWe explore the historical and theological sides of Josh Sawyer's Pentiment with an enjoyer of all things Lutheran.2023-03-131h 30
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesHalf-Life Alyx: Headcrab VRWe journey deep into City 17 in true first person mode, and discover who employs the G-Man.2023-03-062h 15
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesNeed For Speed Unbound: Unexpected politicsWe explore a procedural Chicago, in which we were twice joined by an open-hearted A$AP Rocky.2023-02-201h 23
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesGods of War for OutsidersWe learn Kratos's full story, and ponder why Microsoft struggles with the Sony flavor of AAA.2023-02-142h 10
Pauly's Pickems the PodcastMarcus is our NFL Champion -- and the Podcast will be on hiatus for a bitThank you everyone who was a guest this season and those who listened to a guy ramble about college and pro football! While I didn't win either college or pro this season it was fun regardless! Congrats once again to Marcus on winning the NFL portion of Pauly's Pickems. I'll be taking a sabbatical from podcasting before my son Henson James arrives, but plan on starting it up again in the future. I'm going to try and forge ahead with some XFL and USFL football, so stay tuned to the page!
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify...2023-01-1033 minPauly's Pickems the PodcastLong time player first time winner of the college portion of Pauly's Pickems!Charles Daniel Bentley wins his first ever college portion of Pauly's Pickems! He made a run at it with strong showings in the conference championship and NY6 Bowl games. With Damar Hamlin's unfortunate condition, I'm not counting the MNF or the risk reward for week 17. We will see if Marcus can hold on to win the NFL portion of Pauly's Pickems.
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/derek-pauly/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/derek-pauly/support2023-01-0348 min
Day 2 DayNFL injuries and their impact on Week 17 betting w/ ClevTA and Eric PaulyDay 2 Day is back with host Eric Pauly and ClevTA as they dive into the biggest NFL injuries going into the slate for the week and how they will affect the betting lines. Injuries can have the biggest effect on betting lines going into the week but with so many players on so many teams in so many different matchups, it is hard to keep track of it all. That is where Day 2 Day comes in and breaks down every team and their injuries. Before making those wagers, make Day 2 Day your weekly habit so you know exactly what...2022-12-2836 minDay 2 DayNFL injuries and their impact on Week 15 betting w/ ClevTA and Eric PaulyDay 2 Day is back with host Eric Pauly and ClevTA as they dive into the biggest NFL injuries going into the slate for the week and how it will affect the betting lines. Injuries can have the biggest effect on betting lines going into the week but with so many players on so many teams in so many different matchups it is hard to keep track of it all. That is where Day 2 Day comes in and breaks down every team and their injuries. Before making those wagers, make Day 2 Day your weekly habit so you know exactly what...2022-12-1437 minDay 2 DayNFL injuries and their impact on Week 14 betting w/ ClevTA and Eric PaulyDay 2 Day is back with host Eric Pauly and ClevTA as they dive into the biggest NFL injuries going into the slate for the week and how it will affect the betting lines. Injuries can have the biggest effect on betting lines going into the week but with so many players on so many teams in so many different matchups it is hard to keep track of it all. That is where Day 2 Day comes in and breaks down every team and their injuries. Before making those wagers, make Day 2 Day your weekly habit so you know exactly what...2022-12-0735 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesDisco Elysium: Views from the EastWe journey to the hopeless glittering land of Revachol, where tides of history wash over citizens in ways we are unaccustomed to.2022-12-013h 02Day 2 DayNFL injuries and their impact on Week 13 betting w/ ClevTA and Eric PaulyDay 2 Day is back with host Eric Pauly and ClevTA as they dive into the biggest NFL injuries going into the slate for the week and how it will affect the betting lines. Injuries can have the biggest effect on betting lines going into the week but with so many players on so many teams in so many different matchups it is hard to keep track of it all. That is where Day 2 Day comes in and breaks down every team and their injuries. Before making those wagers, make Day 2 Day your weekly habit so you know exactly what...2022-11-3024 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesImmortality, part 2: Finding MeaningWe reconvene after giving Immortality some time, and ingesting some thinkpieces.2022-11-201h 39Day 2 DayNFL injuries and their impact on Week 11 betting w/ ClevTA and Eric PaulyDay 2 Day is back with host Eric Pauly and ClevTA as they dive into the biggest NFL injuries going into the slate for the week and how it will affect the betting lines. Injuries can have the biggest effect on betting lines going into the week but with so many players on so many teams in so many different matchups it is hard to keep track of it all. That is where Day 2 Day comes in and breaks down every team and their injuries. Before making those wagers, make Day 2 Day your weekly habit so you know exactly what...2022-11-1630 minDay 2 DayNFL injuries and their impact on Week 10 betting w/ ClevTA and Eric PaulyDay 2 Day returns with a brand new host as Eric Pauly is now the host for ClevTA as the show remains the same otherwise and they dive into the biggest NFL injuries going into the slate for the week and how it will affect the betting lines. Injuries can have the biggest effect on betting lines going into the week but with so many players on so many teams in so many different matchups it is hard to keep track of it all. That is where Day 2 Day comes in and breaks down every team and their injuries. Before...2022-11-0831 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesImmortality: A love letter to film 📽️We process what we absorbed from Sam Barlow's film fragment exploration game. In the next episode, we dive deeper.2022-10-271h 22
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesFinal Fantasy VII Remake & Intergrade: Fandom's delightWe have our minds blown by just how much is going on in the Final Fantasy VII Remake part 1 and INTERmission Intergrade.
Referenced pictures: one, and two2022-06-171h 46
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesIn Space With Markiplier: Who doesn't love Markiplier?We debate whether DVD menus are games.In Space With Markiplier, part 1In Space With Markiplier, part 2Bloopers & Behind-the-scenesCorridor Crew + Markiplier
Our favorite channels:
Craig: Noclip, People Make Games, Writing On Games, Game Maker's Toolkit, MKBHD, Johnny Harris, Binging With Babish, Luke Thomas, Kinda Funny
Nate: Regular Car Reviews ("Mr. Regular"), Numberphile, VHS Rallies
Pauly: Pat Finnerty, StoneMountain64 and F.A.S.T Squad, CodeMiko (Vtuber), Paul's Hardware
Will: Philip DeFranco, Corridor Crew, Jazza, Magnus Midtbø, Anton Fomenko, Crooked Media, Adam Savage
2022-06-061h 03
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPsychonauts 2: Gaming mental healthWe turn the art dial on mental health to 11.2022-05-252h 02
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesReturn of the Obra Dinn: Disappointing Lucas PopeWe fail to live up to Lucas Pope's hopes in his artsy and ambitious supernatural high seas detective followup to Papers Please.2022-05-071h 36
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesParadise Killer: Citypop DetectiveWe solve the mysteries of Perfect 25 to a soundtrack of divine Scottish citypop.
Road to IGF: Inside the fantastic murder-mystery design of Paradise Killer
Interview with Kaizen Game Works
LudoNarracon livestream with Kaizen Game Works
XGM Radio Episode 70 w/ Composer Barry "Epoch" Topping' seems to have been lost to time...
Making the Music of Paradise Killer
Music for Paradise: A bit more in-depth looks at some of the songs' constructions
2022-02-101h 53
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesWhat Remains of Edith Finch: The best WAlking simulatorWe process the deaths of 150 years in a labyrinthine house in Friday Harbor, Washington.Shall We Play a Game?, What's Good Games, Ólafur Arnalds2021-09-041h 33
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesDeath Stranding: Prophesizing pandemic problemsWe traverse the United Cities of Iceland and reconnect America.2021-08-141h 18
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesGeoGuessr vs. Microsoft Flight Simulator: Processing 2020's vicarious travel experiencesWe discuss the emotional impacts of two large presences in our year of Covid, and attempt to process why the experience of playing these two games felt somehow transcendent in a year of isolation, loneliness, and a void of travel.
GeoGuessr, a free to play online gamified Google Maps Street View game
astronaut.io, a website that randomly serves unseen YouTube videos and somehow strikes a similar chord to GeoGuessr
2021-07-241h 03
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesKentucky Route Zero: The messy heart of American recessionWe talk about our perception of the themes and designers' intents in this labyrinthine surreal art of 5 acts, conceived and released over a decade in the wake of American recession.
Un Pueblo de Nada, or all WEVP broadcasts
GDC '14: The Scenography of Kentucky Route Zero
Junebug's solo album
Eggplant's 'Into the Depths' series
Justin Clark's GameSpot review
Personal reflections:
Blake Hester: A Kentuckian ex-alcoholic's deep reflections on Kentucky Route Zero
Amanda Hudgins, Bullet Points: The anger, pain, and disgust of Kentucky Route Zero being the primary game experience about Kentucky, written by outsiders (also see...2021-06-262h 41
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesSnowRunner: Beautiful vistas, large trucks, dramatic developmentOn our first episode recorded since 2017, we gather to discuss Snowrunner and its predecessors, off-roading games about driving trucks through miserably gorgeous terrain.
Check out the Story Break episode proposing a movie based on Snowrunner! Naturally, it's a Tarkovsky flick.2021-05-231h 03
2 NERDS AND SLIMEpisode 8: Marvel VS The Pandemic!!! Who Will Win The Box Office?Its your boys Pauly, Tito, and Slim from THE LAND. We take you through a hilarious journey on our views of pop culture and anything else happening on Earth.
This weeks topics: Marvel universe, Chicken Shortage, The Pandemic, Marital Arts, Viral News Headlines, and Much More!
Follow US@2nerdsandslimpodcast2021-05-101h 12
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Talos Principle vs. The Witness: Dueling Puzzie TitansWe compare a game of contextual discovery to a game whose incredible philosophy is apparently all skippable.2021-05-082h 42
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesNeed For Speed (2015)This week, we take to the streets in 2015's return to form for a gigantic franchise that got so lost it even had a movie before examining its roots.2021-05-012h 15Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Fallout 4 rantcastIt's a trash heap of a game of things to collect today as we examine Fallout 4 and inevitably compare it to 3.2021-04-242h 14
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesHorizon Zero Dawn: Robot Dinosaur Fun TimeWe are joined by a psychologist to examine the setting, feelings, and depth in Sony's brilliant cosplay generator.2021-04-171h 58Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesVirginia (2016)Join Craig and Nate live and raw around an iPhone as they lavish Virginia with criticism and praise both immediately after finishing it. There will be fun times and sad times as they each respond with their most visceral, unprocessed responses to a fresh playthrough of Variable State's indie darling Virginia. (Editor's note: My (Nate's) opinions are very dumb in this episode. Oh, to be 5 years younger...)2021-04-101h 00Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesUncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016)Conclude Nathan Drake's (and one arc of Emotive Pixels') journeys here with a long, rambley discussion of the best in the series, deserving a lower score than Uncharted 2.2021-04-032h 51
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesNever Alone/Kisima Inŋitchuŋa: Iñupiat co-op storytimeWe travel to Indigenous Alaska with the traditional Iñupiaq tale "Kunuuksaayuka", a co-op platformer juxtaposed against micro-documentaries.
2021-03-272h 10Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesCastlevania: Lords of Shadow (2010)This episode of Emotive Pixels sees us, like so many others in the doldrums of 2020+, return to things left unfinished in our past. In this fine week from years past, we discuss Pauly favorite game Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, from 2010. Many things are said, it's unclear why Nate was here, and Craig loves God of War.
Pauly leads the show this week with some discussions into the mechanics of this game, how it relates to other Castlevanias, and a very impressive award he bestows upon the game. Will brings interesting questions like the inspirations bordering on homages...2021-03-202h 01
United Happy Hour with Pauly KwestelUnited Happy Hour with Pauly Kwestel Episode 15Latest episode of the United Happy Hour ahead of the match against Burnley. Joe and I are talking about why you shouldn’t let yourself get wound up by transfer rumors for your own health, as well as why Donny Van de Beek isn’t playing more often. Full video below and don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Pods! In case you missed it, check out the first two parts of the different tactical eras of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer here. Parts 3-5 will be released on Wednesday. Subscribe now to get them sent straight to your i...2021-01-1258 min
The Pauly Price PodcastEpisode :36(66) The Pauly Price Halloween Special|Horror Movie Trivia Game and MoreOn tonight’s Halloween Special Ep:36(66). 3 unlucky callers are playing a game…The Horror Film Trivia Game that is. What else you ask??We have 3 Scary Stories to tell you, Compliments of Scaryforkids.com(Go check it out).I will also give you My Horror Movie and Song of the Night. So sit back and relax because were about to make you, extremely uncomfortable.(FOR THE FULL HORROR EXPERIENCE, WEAR HEADPHONES). GOOD LUCK NOT!2020-10-3100 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesFirewatch (2016)Let's get back to nature with someone fresh from the cast of Mad Men.Relevant links!From "Irritable Heart" to "Shellshock": How Post-traumatic Stress Became a Disease (via Gizmodo)The theme this week is Linker, by our very own Pauly!2017-05-181h 45
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Beginner's Guide spoilercast - with a psychologist!Join us for a discussion of The Beginner's Guide. This game is so complicated and so deep and so oddly emotional - whether funny or brutally devastating is really up to you, apparently - that we bring in a psychiatrist to help us sift through the experience. It's an experience with few parallels in gaming, the depth and intensity of our responses reminding me of Kentucky Route Zero. The Beginner's Guide is not as much all about videogames as The Stanley Parable, but instead it's a game all about the making of games, the sustaining of the creative forces required...2017-02-131h 26
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Stanley Parable (2011)Join us for a discussion of The Stanley Parable, a game entirely focused on turning negative possibility spaces into positive possibility spaces. Game design theory and meta-commentary abound in this episode about the utterly-hilarious Half-Life 2 mod The Stanley Parable by Davey Wreden. The level of fergazzlement on display is outstanding!Tune in with us next week for a talk about the emotional follow-up to this game, The Beginner's Guide. If you enjoyed this game, BG is a must-play from Wreden's own experience after the release of SP.Relevant links!UPDATE! The Baby Game has...2017-02-041h 01
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Persona 4 rantcastWarning: This is an early podcast of ours and is long! You have been warned.Join us for a discussion of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. This week, we talk about the differences between the base game and the glorious PS Vita port, Golden, and whether you have to actually experience something the first time for it to be nostalgic when you play the remaster - a more involved discussion than the "yes" you'd expect from a podcast who's been doing this for a lot longer than we had been at this point. (Yes, the legends are true...2017-01-113h 32
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesMass Effect 1 (2007)Nine years out from its release, we return for some thoughts and critical analysis of Mass Effect. This is almost a companion podcast to our bookclub on Drew Kapyrshyn's first Mass Effect novel, Revelation, and in this podcast we hear Nate being a huge grump after (or because of) missing what is easily argued to be the entire point and centerpiece of not only this game but entire series of games; also hear us talk about the Mako, that lovely divisive game mechanic (I guess some people have to like something for it to be divisive, huh?). We'll chat about...2016-12-302h 05Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesActual book club: Mass Effect: Revelation - A Mass Effect book!Join us in discussing the text version of a single Mass Effect side-mission, Mako-free, here in Drew Karpyshyn's debut prequel to Mass Effect.2016-12-161h 10
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPapers, Please (2013)Papers, Please is aptly summed up by its marketing tagline: "A dystopian document thriller". Everything that can go wrong will go wrong in this 'simulation' of being a border crossing agent in the clearly-Soviet-in-all-but-name Arstotzka.Morality and shades of gray are front in center in this puzzle game, but transparency of choice is not; what you do may make be ethical but its outcomes vary wildly in the face of a political system so obfuscated as to be completely labyrinthine. Papers, Please does more to simulate the atmosphere of Soviet politik than even a good read of Solzhenitsyn, but...2016-12-0458 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPixelJunk Eden (2008) vs. Electronic Super Joy (2013)It's a very intimate show tonight, as Will and Nate venture deep into electronic music territory in two distinctly different approaches to the musical platformer. Electronic Super Joy is a pixel graphic-styled brutal platformer's chase (the difficulty of which has only Super Meat Boy to pay homage to) in order to take down Rogue Pope One as a silhouette of a boy to the incredibly loud thumping beats of Eurodance backed by mid-tier-quality German gonzo porn sound effects. Meanwhile, in a far more mature and artsy vein, PixelJunk Eden is Q-Games and Baiyon's collaboration to give you an idea of...2016-10-0937 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesPokémon Go (2016)In our most up-to-date episode ever, some of us sit around and chat about that rehashing of the '90s phonomenon of Pokémon. Remember that? Yep, so does everyone gathering in your local civic area either rejoicing the human condition together, or robbing one another (or falling off cliffs). We hit peak 2016 this week.The theme this week is a mildly jazzy and mildly chippy one: "Funk of Ages" by The Jazz Surgeon, from chipmusic.org. The ALBERTO'S HOT TIPS(tm) theme is Summon In The Sunlight from the fantastic YouTube video HAPPY SOULS, and it also makes a...2016-07-2532 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesLovers in a Dangerous Spacetime — A great couch co-op game for partnersHere we have a very strange experience that you might or might not share with your boy/girlfriend. The thing about Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is... well, okay, the first thing is that its name is ridiculous and rad. But the second thing is you might not remember your play session if your host is generous enough with his - bourbon, was it? I don't remember.Anyways, Lovers is a couch co-op game wherein you and a friend (or AI if you don't have friends [available]) control various parts of ridiculously spherical spaceship(s!) and destroy the anti-love that...2016-07-1738 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesHackNet (2015)This podcast is part 2 of 2 in our Hack and/or Net series. This week's title comes 13 years after the original magnificent Uplink that really forms part 0 of the hacking series, but that's not what's important because what is important is games that share flipped versions of the same name. But I don't want to rush ahead of myself and spoil anything.Listen along this week as we delve into a superindie hacking game with ridiculous open domain synthwave hacker soundtrack accompaniment as you hack fried chicken establishments and college records databases. It's fun, but only mildly dangerous, much to...2016-06-161h 10
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesNetHack (1987)NetHack is a 1987 text adventure game that's stood the test of time, surviving countless ports and interface changes. How does it hold up, and what is its depth? Each of us will give a dramatically different answer to that. Join us today around the campfire as we share our stories.The theme this week is "NetHack" by Rob Balder, parodying of course the Butthole Surfers' "Pepper" - more info at his website.2016-05-2932 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesMotorstorm and Driveclub (RIP Evolution Studios)We process the closing of Evo by reflecting on all 3 MotorStorms, their unique swan song Onrush, and their late-blooming critical darling - the best arcade racer of all time - Driveclub.2016-04-121h 45
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesUncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011)This week, we take a look at Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, the third title in the series, and one we found somewhat forgettable - until we took a second look, some of us in the Uncharted Collection on the PS4. This time, we're heading to the Rub' al Khali, as mentioned in the Quran and the works of T.E. Lawrence. Is it really fair to call this the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull of the Uncharted series?2016-03-291h 51
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesNi no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (2013)This week, one bold host claims this is the best JRPG ever and that all others are stupid. The entire cast disagrees with both points.Okay seriously though. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a lengthily-titled Studio Ghibli (yes, the Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle folks) role-playing game in the Japanese style, like Final Fantasy but prettier and more sensible but also more childish. You play as Oliver, a charming young boy who is taken to another dimension by his stuffed animal after he cries upon it. Yup. And in this fine another world, there...2016-03-081h 30
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesUntil Dawn (2015)There's a lot to talk about this week as we inspect Supermassive's wild horror adventure, Until Dawn. This game is fun and only mildly quick-time-event-driven, but we come away feeling a lot more positive than you'd expect if you'd listened to our (admittedly early) Heavy Rain spoilercast. We also feature some lovely excerpts of a lengthy edition of Will's Gripes(tm), this time about character animations and use of the word 'garbage', was it?All that about the actual content of the episode is a bit of a moot point though, because we have a new crew member as...2015-11-171h 26
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesUncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)There really isn't enough space to talk about Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2, the (spoiler alert) fantastic sequel to Nathan Drake's first adventures through the (spoiler alert/debatable conclusion) wendigo worlds. This game sees Naughty Dog and writer Amy Hennig at their utter strongest with plot and pacing good enough to keep even Will satisfied, right alongside so many millions of movie-style-game-hungry players that have played it since, so much so that you can now get your grubby hands on the PS4 remaster 3-pack - for all the peasants who weren't into these games back when they were cool on that weird 8...2015-11-101h 48
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture: Comparing shiny apparitionsWhat do these two games have in common? More than you'd think, and that's their abstract surrealism, the magicality of their wonderful worlds, and the gorgeousness of their graphics. Seriously, play both of these games and join us this week as we discuss their finer points, and how spiritual you really are in Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, and how alive you are in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.Relevant links!GamesRadar: "How to Enjoy Rapture: A real Englishman explains"On The Vanishing of Ethan Carter's ending: references and more by The AstronautsEthan Mars from Alfredo's favorite Heavy Rain2015-10-272h 16
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesSins of a Solar Empire (2008-2011)This week, we all sat down to play each other (or mostly, to collectively fend off expert Will) in Ironclad Studios' Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, which is a hybrid 4X and realtime ("RT4X") strategy game all about managing a spacefaring empire in the far-flung future. And of course since it's a 4X, you battle each other. And of course since it's a 2015 game, there is no campaign-- wait, this game first came out in 2008?! Ahead of its time!We discuss our experiences, 4X play strategies in general, and generally rib each other about the inevitable outcomes...2015-09-291h 00
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesBastion (2011)This week, we're coming up roses as we review Supergiant's 2011 double-A (?) indie darling, Bastion. This game has been around forever, and it has made its way onto so many platforms, it's almost difficult to keep track - but it began life as a 360 indie game by a group of seven devs mostly of ex-Westwood/EA LA fame. Needless to say, there isn't much resemblance to the days of Kane & Co., but what remains is a shining gem of gorgeous graphics and a fun brawler, though we wish it was a bit less obscure and a bit more RPG-ey (some of...2015-09-221h 23
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesSouth Park: The Stick of Truth (2014)This week, we turn our attention to the flawlessly-animated but badly-loading South Park: The Stick of Truth, a game written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, designed by Obsidian Entertainment (that's right, the guys behind Fallout: New Vegas, amongst other classics), and published by Ubi. We have varying reactions to the various levels of abortion on display (no, that's not a metaphor), and our game-constrained abilities to save Randy from anal probing aboard spaceships that crash amidst Taco Bell construction coverups via rhythmn game mechanics – are thrown into question occasionally, but all in all, we are quite fo...2015-09-151h 18
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesFallout Shelter (2015)Get down in the dirt with us as we talk about Fallout Shelter, the hip game that literally attaches to your hip (it's a mobile game, is the joke I'm making here) and nags you incessantly but is so charmingly styled with that one Pip-Boy guy and the love of the world(s) of Fallout, that you just can't be mad. You'll find yourself a whale indebted $20 to Bethesda in no time as you build a Vault of their dreams for your mostly-pregnant or child inhabitants! Remember to not let them out very often, especially if they're Liam Neeson. That's...2015-08-1135 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesHer Story (2015)This is a super-spoilery kind of episode, even more than normal, possibly even moreso than our Spec Ops: The Line cast. Which you should totally check out because it had a social worker dad in it. Ok so yeah, only listen if you're immune to spoilers (there's not much point to playing this game if you know the plot!) or you've played it already. Got it?
Her Story is an indie detective 'game' (it's an FMV game fosho) by Sam Barlow, a British fellow, with acting talent of one singular person: a femme fatale rockstar, Viva...2015-08-041h 14
The Pauly Shore Podcast ShowPauly Shore Podcast Show Ep08 - Netflix CCO Ted SarandosEver wonder why your favorite Pauly Shore movies aren't on Netflix? Hits like Son In Law, Encino Man and In The Army Now. Well so did Pauly. That's why for this week's show we kidnapped Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos and interrogated him to find out what's the deal. After hours of brutal grilling Ted finally spilled the beans. He tells us why only Goofy Movie 2 and Stonerville are currently available, how the company makes 400-million a month and why Adam Sandler's next four movies will only be available on Netflix.2015-08-0452 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesFrog Fractions (2012)URL OF THE YEAR EDITIONPlay this (Flash) game now here before continuing.Seriously, play this game.It's about 5 to 10 minutes long,it's free,and it plays in your browser.(Don't play on your phone though, it's Flash and Apple killed that.)Definitely do that.Okay?Frog Fractions is an edutainment game, and it is an invaluable part of your toolkit as either a present-day or future parent. Not only will it teach the young people surrounding you, it might make you a bit smarter, too!2015-07-2828 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesDistant Worlds: Seattle Symphony ReviewCome join us as we reminisce about our sojourn to the wondrous world of Benaroya Hall in downtown sunny and heatwave-drenched Seattle as the boys (and two girls) ventured into the halls of retromancy (wait... not what that means) and modernity. Uematsu and Hama-isuzutrooper are at their heights this week! Topics include which FFs are our favorite, which we [haven't] played, which ones have the best OSTs, which videogame music podcasts you should listen to (just kidding, we didn't talk about this but I have a couple), and which games we want to play just based on...2015-07-1548 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesDevice 6 spoilercast - An ergodic iOS text gameThis week, we draw lots of parallels to somewhat-obscure post-postmodernist English literature in a discussion about DEViCE 6, a game by Swedish developer Simogo. Device 6 is an iOS-exclusive title heartily inspired by 1960s-era spy films, most notably "The Prisoner", and it plays as an interactive text adventure fiction combined with escape-the-room puzzles across 6 separate 'episodes'. The game plays with a mild illusion of choose your own adventure, but doesn't quite work out that way by the end. Our host this week, Nate, has a lot to say about the parallels between this game and ergodic literature (a form of literature...2015-07-1450 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesShovel Knight (2014)"The soundtrack to this damn game got me good." - Craig This week we peek at all 9001 bits of retro glory 2D sidescrolling platformer Shovel Knight, a Yacht Club Games production funded via Kickstarter and initially released in 2014. The game is a standout selection for many reasons, not the least of which is its absolutely jammin' chiptune soundtrack arranged by Dearest 'virt' to fit and match the capabilities of the sound card expansion to the SNES console. Didn't know there was a sound card expansion? Well, it was Japan-only, and late in the console's life, but it's...2015-07-071h 55
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesCivilization: Beyond Earth vs. Endless Legend — Comparing two futuristic 4XesThis week, we peer very critically at Firaxis' so-called sequel to Civilization V and its expansion, Brave New World, the much-hyped 'successor', 2014's Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth. Beyond Earth was promised as not only a sci-fi successor to the mainline Civ series but also as a spiritual successor to 1999's Alpha Centauri, a promise that we have some pretty damning beliefs about. From my humble origins pecking around Beyond Earth, it immediately became clear that something else would be necessary for my full step forward in the 4X sphere, and Rock, Paper, Shotgun's GoTY '14 awards happened to make...2015-06-301h 59
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Walking Dead: Season 2 Episodes 4 & 5 (2014)Fresh from the shrinking backlog here at Emotive Pixels, we serve up the long-overdue finale to our discussion surrounding The Walking Dead Season Two, a Telltale adventure series loosely paralleling Robert Kirkman's comic and - of course - the culturally monolithic AMC TV production. We tackle episodes 4 and 5 here - check out earlier coverage further back in our catalog!
In these episodes, we follow Clementine through more harrowing guts-strewn throngs of zombies on through even more awkward and profound emotional moments and, as our cast is wont to point out, intolerable humans. We get into the conclusion...2015-06-232h 40
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesCities: Skylines vs. SimCity reboot: Contrasting visions of citybuildersThis week, we take a glance into two titles and one franchise highly revered by our host Nate. We discuss the (relatively) recently-released Cities: Skylines, the first proper city simulator by Finnish studio Colossal Order (previously responsible for the similar but transit-scenario-focused Cities In Motion series), and in so doing we decided to compare & contrast with Maxis' final hurrah, its much-ballyhooed SimCity.
Cities: Skylines is an open-ended city simulator designed in Unity from the ground-up to be moddable and fully support the Steam Workshop with everything from custom structures to camera mods and custom interfaces; from cel-shaded graphics, new rendering...2015-06-101h 31
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Fall: Nate can be negativeJoin a fractured crew of 5 this week as we discuss The Fall, a very indie 2D puzzle platformer with the gameplay and mechanic stylings of '90s adventure games. This game was Kickstarted by enthusiastic legions in 2013 (raising $38,155 CAD of its $17,000 target) as the first episode of what was hoped to be a series (update: II is in progress, helped along by passing Steam Greenlight), and its final form won Giant Bomb's Story of the Year award for 2014. Just why did it get that award, you ask? Join us and find out...*!
The format this week is unique as our...2015-05-192h 13
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesFar Cry 4 (2014)This time around the sun, we have blasted our way through the oxygen-poor air of Kyrat in the world of 2014 Ubisoft's Far Cry 4: the crew this time is Will (hosting), Craig, and Brian. A far cry from a truly original concept, 4 is definitely a sequel to 2012's Far Cry 3, but yet it does so well enough to avoid too many Assassin's Creed gripes... but this might be the last time the franchise escapes so easily.
Near-faceless protagonist Ajay Ghale, 26, is following his mother's dying wish to have her ashes spread in the mountainous terrain of her home...2015-05-121h 31
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesHotline Miami & Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number — Psychedelic gore and loreThis week, we take a peek at 2012's Hotline Miami and 2015's Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number: the crew this week is Brian (hosting), Will, and Nate. Both of these games are incredibly twisted and violent gore-soaked 16-bit top-down depictions of Miami across a variety of retro timeframes, tied together by wicked soundscapes and rad driving electronic/nu disco beats. Both games employ unreliable narrators a la a certain movie whose first rule is that it is not to be spoken of; set in a lush vaguely-alternate history where the Russians are every bit as much of a concern as all...2015-05-051h 41
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesDanganRonpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (2010)This week, a splinter group of the gang takes a peek at the Vita/mobile game DanganRonpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, a visual mystery novel [game], the type of thing that's all the rage in the Japanese scene and trickles of which we see with other Vita games in particular such as Virtue's Last Reward. In essence, DanganRonpa plays as a fast-paced Ace Attorney game. From this crazy game there has spawned mobile ports to iOS & Android, two manga adaptations, full-on novels (yes, the written word), a TV anime running for a season so far (imbibed by our hosts alongside...2015-04-281h 52
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Order: 1886 (2015)On this week's episode, we ponder some unique reasons for the strange epilogue of Ready At Dawn's first original IP, The Order: 1886 that are surprisingly palatable despite being initially proposed as pure sarcasm. We also discuss mandatory deets like the plot, flaming coffin shipping, barely-disguised historical references, vampires, and lycans (but not the cool supercar you've totally seen in DRIVECLUB). We ponder the influence of Ready At Dawn's legacy of mobile development and handling others' IPs (in the case of the God of War franchise) and how that pans into this game's strengths and weaknesses, we reflect on who...2015-04-211h 10
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesSpec Ops: The Line (2012)This week more than ever, it's very important that you've played this game before listening to the podcast. This game is highly recommended for all. Beginning with our opinions of the armed forces, we tackle tough issues this week with a very interesting discussion about the narrative masterpiece of 2012 that is Jager's Spec Ops: The Line. We have a social worker of advanced wisdom and a psychologist (both of advanced credentials) weighing in on a few key points in our discussion this week, supporting our exploration of PTSD and the reliability of dear protagonist Walker. What's...2015-04-142h 23
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesSunset Overdrive (2014)On this week's Emotive Pixels podcast, we nitpick a production of next-gen pure joy! Sunset Overdrive is an Insomniac-produced Xbox One exclusive that arrived with a splash on a system that at the time was in need of a fun fix. Sunset Overdrive is an over-the-top third person action/adventure platformer & shooter that revels in breaking the fourth wall. It enjoys lampooning LARPers and any other stereotype you can conjure up even peripherally related to gaming, and shattering your expectations of what Insomniac can produce as a studio, especially in the wake of their overwhelmingly morbid Resistance series. ...2015-04-072h 26
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesUncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007)On this week's Emotive Pixels podcast, we bring ourselves back to the roots of Generation VII with a voyage through some highlights of 2007 Naughty Dog's title Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. As the first of what would come to be a tril- and then quadrilogy, Uncharted was a fun romp in the park of ludonarrative dissonance. No, really: someone besides Nate uses that phrase in this podcast.
Uncharted is a third-person shooter with a distinctly Indiana Jones-like style. In this podcast, we lob all sorts of critiques at the 7-year and one-generation old game. We speak a lot about...2015-03-311h 43
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesNCIS: The Videogame — Easy Playstation trophies + cringeYou were awake for this scene.*trophy sound* This week on the Emotive Pixels podcast, we take a glimpse into the NCIS videogame, released in late 2011 to the universal acclaim of platinum trophy hunters everywhere (and probably not very many others). This is a concerted effort by an internal Ubisoft studio, which apparently makes it a step up from similar CSI games developed by Ubisoft which are handled by a satellite studio in China. We completely avoid discussing this in the podcast, and instead focus on whether or not this is an enjoyable experience for fans of the show, and...2015-03-0933 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesMiddle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)On this episode of the Emotive Pixels podcast, we are joined by special megaceleb Anthony Gallegos of Rebel FM and The Comedy Button fame to discuss Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor.Topics covered this week are broad, but focus particularly upon our elusive belief that this game is an example of mechanics-driven game design. To that end, we imagine where WB might apply the Nemesis engine next, whether in a Tolkien-centric direct sequel or liberally peppered throughout all kinds of whimsical IP in need of a fix. There's some discussion about voice acting focusing upon some North-Baker interplay, and there...2015-03-021h 29
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesUplink (2002)On this episode of the Emotive Pixels podcast, we discuss the 2002 PC classic "Uplink", a game which Will persuaded Brian, Alberto, and Nate to play. Despite possessing a bevy of thoughts about the game, we ultimately come away with a surprisingly expectation-defying set of ratings, none of which will be spoiled here.There's considerable banter about the amount of time we spend playing the game, and our deepest conversational stride (and the point where Will's opinion wavers in silence) occurs when we ponder what a present-day (2015) version of Uplink would look like - this on the tail of our...2015-02-171h 01
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Walking Dead: Season 2 Episodes 2 & 3 (2014)Verbose description of everything that happens in this episode: Cast introduction and discussion on whether the weaknesses in episode 1 of season 2 helped to strengthen the plot of episodes 2 and 3. Episode 2 Plot: Episode 2 starts after with the fallout from the decision on whether to save Nick or Pete. All podcast members choose to save Nick and as such end up running through the woods and end up in a cabin. After fighting to make it out of the cabin you make it back to the main house of the group. You are left with Sarah at the house as the...2015-01-262h 26
Pauly Shore's Interested PodcastPauly Shore's Interested Episode #12 - Bobby Lee talks Stand Up with commentary by Ian Edwards & Ari ShaffirPauly interviews an old friend and fellow comedian Bobby Lee. Commenting on the interview are comedians Ian Edwards and Ari Shaffir.
Bobby Lee is known for his residency on MadTV and from roles in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, The Dictator, Pineapple Express, and more recently a few episodes of FX's The League.
Ari Shaffir wrote and starred in 2013's InAPPropriate Comedy, and hosts the popular podcast Skeptic Tank. His new comedy special will air on Comedy Central in 2015.
Ian Edwards, along with the others, is a Comedy Store regular, has been...2014-11-2648 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesGone Home (2013)This is the Emotive Pixels podcast covering our group tonight's thoughts on the 2013 Fullbright Company release Gone Home. The game is firmly rooted in the indie genre, winning several 2013 Game Of The Year titles (insert Polygon plug here) alongside other triple-A giants like The Last of Us and BioShock Infinite. What makes this game so good, despite falling firmly in the category the crassest of Steam users tag "walking simulator"? Join us for a hearty discussion and hear our thoughts on the matter!
In the opening minutes, each of the group - Will, Alberto, Brian, Esteban, Nate, and Megan...2014-11-182h 13Pauly Shore's Interested PodcastPauly Shore's Interested #8 - Carrot Top talks Florida with commentary by Larry the Cable Guy - PART 1In this episode I interview the very funny Blue Collar Comic, Larry the Cable Guy. He is commonly connected with his stereotypical redneck appearance, thick Southern accent, and trademark catch phrase, "Git-R-Done".
Commenting on this interview is Carrot Top. What most people don't know that links these two together is that they both started doing stand-up at the same time in Florida. His act can be seen in his Las Vegas show at the Luxor Hotel.
This is part 1 of a two-part episode. Part 2 will be available next Wednesday 11/5/14.2014-10-2946 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesHeavy Rain: JASON!Introductions begin this week with our favorite weather. It's the smallest of small talk to open the episode that honors what might be Movie Fan Alberto's favorite game ever, the David Cage pixels-are-emotions-fueled narrative experience that is 2009's Heavy Rain. Our cast is large and unwieldy, featuring Will, Alberto, Nate, Brian, Tien-ju, Megan, and Alberto tagalong Angelica.
JASON! JASON!!! Heavy Rain is a mystery novel game unsubtly aimed at aping the cinema style by French studio Quantic Dream, who also did Fahrenheit (or Indigo Prophecy, depending on how much nudity you saw) in the PS2 era. It centers around a...2014-09-043h 18
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesTomb Raider (2013)BACKLOG EPISODE! Introductions (Tien was wet) The origins of the tomb raider and a quick reboot. Oreo negotiation techniques. Was the queen more like a Goa'uld or a Tok'ra. Justifying the supernatural. Indiana Jones and the trapping of Laura. Contextualizing craziness with black box mysticism. An occult cult and Alberto's (anti)climax. Zip lines, how do they work? Taboo emotions in video games. Be the car. Love for our sisters. Chicken Break Foreshadowing... Alberto likes the young Polygons. Name that arsenal! Build a better silencer. Personal progression systems. Pretty pixels: earth wind and fire. Disjointed story development. Nobody leaves...2014-08-212h 38
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 1 [part 2] (2013)We walk through a game that's just barely holding on to life.2014-07-201h 30
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 1 [part 1] (2013)We walk through a game that's just barely holding on to life.2014-07-2059 min
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesBrothers: A Tale of Two Sons spoilercastIn a series of escalating buffoonery, we attempt to describe the plot of this beautiful game and merely end up vaguely outlining some of the concepts that make it so great. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is another indie darling put on the level of Braid and Fez: a game you should definitely play. Here today to talk about it are Will, Brian, Nate, Alberto, Geoff, Tyson, and Tien-ju.
Fundamentally, Brothers controls are reliant upon your twin sticks: the left stick controls one of the brothers, and the right controls the other. Only occasionally does this...2014-07-021h 52
Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA VideogamesThe Final Fantasy X rantcast - Our first episode!This episode, our first as Emotive Pixels, shows us we have much to learn and much ahead of us. We gathered around the table today to discuss the 2001 Square classic Final Fantasy X, the 'tenth' Final Fantasy game released, the story of Yuna and her quest to take on Sin with the help of blond whiny/lovable Tidus (nominated as Nate's favorite female character). The crew on this first episode is Will, Brian, Alberto, Nate, Geoff, and Sy.
We begin with the Eternal Calm, its awkwardness, and how it ties FFX and FFX-2 - which we subsequently...2014-06-071h 39Emotive Pixels: The Year of AAA Videogames2022 EP Re-introduction!What this show is, viewed from 8 years in the future!2014-06-0600 min