Pixelated Playgrounds

Isometric Games’ Tunic, released in 2022, is a game that delivers stronger than almost any other title on the promise of a genuine feeling of discovery. From you moment that you are dropped onto the isometric, flat color-shaded beach with nothing but the ethereal soundtrack by Lifeformed and Janice Kwan to keep you company, you are expected to start exploring. To start learning about the game’s various rules, systems, and secrets… because the game will not teach you about any of them itself! Tunic a modern title focused on the early 90’s idea of learning about a game through playground rumors and half understood foreign instruction manuals. Its a game that rewards looking beyond what’s immediately apparent on the screen and experimenting with every suspiciously placed object. On top of all of that, Tunic is also a formidable isometric combat experience. So squeeze through that secret passage into your Chamber of Podcast Listening and join Bryan and Josh for a spoiler-filled discussion of Tunic and its incredible in-game instruction manual!Three Word Reviews: Bryan - Game about GamingJosh - Lost and Found

Climb to new heights with Josh and Bryan as they ascend the tower, learn its history, and rediscover a love of climbing while playing Jusant! Developed by the narrative powerhouse studio, Don’t Nod, Jusant puts the player in the shoes of a lone wanderer who must ascend a desolate tower filled with remnants of a civilization long past with only their little blue blob buddy and an endless endurance for gripping hard surfaces. Its a truly majestic game, from the vistas afforded as you look back on your progress to the sweeping soundtrack, and both Bryan and Josh enjoyed every minute of their trek up the tower. So grab your rope and climbing spikes and join in for a journey up the tower in Jusant!Three Word Reviews: Bryan - Lesson in PatienceJosh - To New Heights

In this episode Bryan and Josh cover The Witness from Jonathan Blow… sort of. Actually they cover The Looker, which is a loving homage/scathing satire of Blow’s game and at the price of Free and the runtime of about 60 minutes, comes highly recommended by the guys. Good satire is hard to find and that is doubly so in the video game sphere, but developer Bradley Lovell hits the mark with The Looker which is just packed with jokes both written and mechanical. Listen in as Bryan and Josh do their best to not just repeat their favorite jokes.Warning: Spoilers for the Witness abound!Three Word Reviews: Bryan - More Gaming SatireJosh - Don’t Look Down

Join Bryan, Josh, and Clint for a journey through the Forgotten Realms as they cover the breakout D&D simulation CRPG, Baldur’s Gate 3! Larian Studios has a long history with RPGs but in 2023 they outdid themselves to create what many considered to be 2023’s Game of the Year. Despite a time gap of over 20 years since the last entry, Baldur’s Gate 3 holds true to what made the originals special while adding in a healthy dose of modern convenience and quality of life for the 5th Edition outing. So gather your party and listen in as Clint joins in for the finale of the journey Bryan and Josh started back at the beginning of 2023 as our book club adventuring party discusses Baldur’s Gate 3!Three Word Reviews: Bryan - Larian’s Legendary Legacy Josh - A Translation PerfectedClint - Isometric RPG Resurgence

In this episode Josh and Bryan play the aggressively random, and often unbeatable “Immersive Sim for People Who Hate Immersive Sims”, Mosa Lina by Stuffed Wombat. Its a unique experience that markets itself as a response to the current trend of Immersive Sim design, where abilities are often part of a "Lock and Key" system, where every ability is a tool that is meant to overcome a single type of problem. Mosa Lina’s randomness guarantees that the player will need to make use of whatever tools are currently at their disposal to retrieve (or destroy) their target and return to the start. Its a brave experimental approach that speaks not only to the developer’s design ethos but also to their commitment to the goal of the project. So join Josh and Bryan as they struggle, sometimes helplessly, to surmount the challenges and discuss the merits of Mosa Lina!Three Word Reviews: Bryan - Relax and ResolveJosh - Spirit of Play

What do you get when you cross the mechanical sensibilities of a casual MMO / mobile game developer with the aesthetics and charm of an indie game studio, then top it off with a dash of abnormally high production value? In the case of Dave the Diver, it is a tasty frozen cocktail of relaxing, tropical fun! For this podcast, Josh and Bryan retire to the tropics and try their hand at sushi restaurant operation / scuba diving. The publisher of several MMO megahits, Nexon, tried their hand at a casual game and took the gaming community by storm in 2023. Listen in as Bryan and Josh do their best to roll up what makes this potent combination of fishing, restaurant management, and undersea adventure a game worth diving deep into.Three Word Reviews: Bryan - Deeper Restaurant SimJosh - Deep Sea Stardew

I think most people knew we were in for something special with the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but I don’t think anyone quite realized how special. Navigating a six-year-long development cycle that included a pandemic, the Zelda Team has once again ascended to new heights (and new depths) to bring the world an astonishing follow-up to the beloved Breath of the Wild. Keeping the same sense of exploration and discovery while flexing their narrative muscles in new ways, Tears of the Kingdom keeps what made predecessor great while bringing in new and compelling ideas for the Zelda series. Hyrule has never been more alive or more familiar, and yet somehow it feels completely novel at the same time. So join Bryan, Josh, and Clint as they build themselves a makeshift podcasting vehicle and launch into a discussion of the mechanical, narrative, and thematic aspects of what made Tears of the Kingdom truly shine.Three Word Reviews: Bryan - Ascending, Despite EverythingJosh - Against All OddsClint - It Finally ClickedShow Notes:Playing with Nature: On “Tears of the Kingdom” as EcofictionEiji Aonuma, Zelda’s mastermind, is at the peak of his power - The Washington PostMaking Tears of the Kingdom: Inside The Legend of Zelda's finest hour

Bryan and Josh were feeling a bit nostalgic and with the recent re-release of the Sonic classics through Sonic Origins, so they decided to revisit an old favorite: Sonic and Knuckles 3! Actually two games released months apart in the same year, this one-two punch of 90’s mascot platformer mayhem put a smile on both of their faces as they recalled the joy of going fast, the frustration of running into hidden spike traps, and the universal understanding that playing as Tails is “Little Brother Mode”. So put on your hammer pants and lace up your bright red sneakers, its time for a brisk run with Bryan, Josh, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles!Three Word Reviews: Bryan - Nostalgic Sensory OverloadJosh - A Personal BestShow Notes:Tower of PowerInsaneintherainmusic’s Jazz Arrangement of Hydrocity Zone

In the 20+ years since its release, many would consider Baldur’s Gate 2 to be the pinnacle of the CRPG genre. Widely recognized as having laid the groundwork for Bioware’s future endeavors in the RPG space with Mass Effect and Dragon Age, Baldur’s Gate 2 stands tall to this day with its innovative scenario design, immersive and complex world building, and engaging (if sometimes overly complex) implementation of 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons combat. Bryan has been through the streets of Athkalta before, but Josh joins him for another trip to the Forgotten Realms as they both continue their year of Baldur’s Gate, and ready themselves to close out the trilogy. Its worth mentioning that the inclusion of Throne of Bhaal as an expansion turns this into a game that can easily push into 100 hour territory, so please enjoy this relatively brief tour of what this CRPG classic has on offer. Now gather your headphones, and venture forth!Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Masterpiece Meets MicromanagementJosh - An Era Defined

Dome Keeper is the genre mash up of Mining Game and Tower Defense that Bryan and Josh did not know they needed! Beneath the elegant elevator pitch and striking visual style exists a game that is truly a diamond in the rough. Created by Dresden-based indie game company, Bippinbits, Dome Keeper is their second commercial outing and first to break out on steam in a big way. By crafting a compulsive and immersive game loop that relies on shuttling back and forth between an alien-world mine and the laser-equipped dome you used to defend it, the team has created one of the finer ‘one more round’ experiences the guys can remember in their collective rogue-lite experience. Listen in as Bryan and Josh dig deep to bring you a discussion of Dome Keeper’s mechanics, aesthetics, and the precise engineering that makes it more than the sum of its parts.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Extractive Addictive UnexpectedJosh - Once More, Descend

The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog’s follow up to the critically acclaimed The Last of Us, is a challenging game that tells a challenging story about many challenging topics. It’s well known that the game’s director Neil Druckmann said “If The Last of Us was about love, then its sequel is about hatred.” The game asks the player to introspect in ways that most games don’t, and takes bigger swings, while making bolder narrative choices than almost any project of similar scope and budget. Far from being a straightforward revenge story, The Last of Us Part 2 puts you in the shoes of a new protagonist for fully half of its runtime and expands both mechanically and narratively on its predecessor. The game received a lot of criticism during its release for… so many things, but going back a few years later Bryan and Clint are hoping to come at this game with relatively fresh eyes. So join in as they discuss the narrative beats that make this a unique entry in the AAA landscape, and try to understand better what makes this tale of revenge, empathy, and forgiveness a game for the ages.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Hatred and ForgivenessClint - Stop the Hate

Mr. Saitou is a beautiful and brief slice of life game with a charming world and even more charming characters. The success of its light-hearted tone is, however, underwritten by the seriousness of its premise. Mr. Saitou, is a salaryworker. He toils away in front of a computer screen for all hours, goes out for a meal he’s too tired to consume, and stumbles home in a tired, drunken stupor. Next thing we know, he’s collapsed and we’re in a hospital. After meeting a young boy named Brandon in his hospital room, he learns about a fictional character the kid has drawn named Mr. Saitou: a llamaworm who works an important job making buttons for the tunnels that other llamaworms traverse. After waking up in the dream-world of the llamaworms, Saitou and Brandon set off on a journey to the crystal caverns. Mr. Saitou, its worth noting, is a sidequel to another game, Rakuen, both of which were created by game developer and singer-songwriter Laura Shigihara.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - The Little ThingsJosh - Llamaworm Looking GlassClint - Lackluster Llama Drama

In 2013 the Indie gaming scene was going strong and interesting projects were everywhere… if you knew where to look for them. This was a time before the widespread population of indies on Steam, and as such many projects were less commercial in nature. One such project, that eventually went on to be a finalist for the Excellence in Design award at the 2013 Independent Games Festival was Starseed Pilgrim. On the surface it is a Pixel art Puzzle platformer, under the surface it is a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, sprinkled with intrigue and vague snippets of poetry. The crux of the experience of playing Starseed Pilgrim is figuring out just what Starseed Pilgrim is asking you to do. So join Josh and Bryan as they simultaneously cultivate a symphonic block garden and repeatedly fail to make meaningful progress, but still have fun - and many revelations - along the way.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Bridge Too FarJosh - Path Not Taken Josh will be speaking at Roguelike Celebration 2023

In August of 2023 Josh released another game! Within a Dead City is a tiny ‘Majesty-like’ with a striking color palette and a moody vibe. For those that haven't played Majesty, the crux of the game is you hire a group of heroes (that you do not directly control, but can influence via bounties and spells) in order to explore the land and eradicate the local fauna (aka monsters). Within a Dead City puts its own spin on this idea placing you in charge of a guild tasked with exploring a long abandoned city. While auto-battlers have come more into vogue in recent years, the combination of these ideas with a lightweight strategy/4x game creates a unique and compelling loop. Its a lovely little package and executes well on providing a quick hit of 'kingdom management' you can play easily over a lunch break. As is tradition, Bryan took an opportunity to interview Josh on the process of creating the game, the lessons learned, and knowledge gained in his first launch working with a publisher. Thanks for listening and rest assured we will be back in the next few weeks with our regularly scheduled programming.Show Notes:Within a Dead City - Steam PageMajesty Gold - Steam PageTiny Mass GamesLoSpec Color Scheme - Oil 6Kenney Assets

Last Epoch has been in Early access since 2018, a snowball of an ARPG, slowly gathering steam as it descends the mountain to eventually rest at the side of some of the all time great hack and slash RPGs. Bryan and Josh have both played a fair few of what they hoped would be the ‘successor to Dialbo II”, and most (all?) have come up short. But Eleventh Hour Games’ Kickstarter game turned long-term project is making a run for the crown. Boasting some innovative mechanics, a novel world design concept, and some extremely entertaining, if familiar, classes to play with, Last Epoch plows through a lot of the problems that most games in this genre run headlong into. Not satisfied with smashing into the brick wall of similarity, its a title that forges some interesting new paths for the genre, and does so on the back of being a single player experience for the first four plus years of its development cycle. Listen in for Bryan and Josh’s time travelling exploits in the world of Eterra, but stay for the in-depth discussion of what makes a great hack and slash game stand the test of time.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Crafty Dungeon CrawlerJosh - Respect the Respec Show Notes:Josh’s 2020’s GOTY List Feat. Last Epoch

In this episode Josh and Bryan take to the high seas in 2023’s breakout debut from Black Salt Games: Dredge! The potent combination of fishing simulator and Lovecraftian horror had them instantly hooked and eager to explore the Marrows and its surrounding environs (as well as their capacity to generate fishing related puns). Dredge’s light, yet effective touch with storytelling and its subtly creepy atmosphere make it an easy recommendation for anyone who is interested in what it means to quickly put your players in a specific Mood. Aside from this the mechanics offer a simple and compelling loop that keeps the player on the line for the game’s entire runtime. So grab your rod and reel and join Bryan and Josh as they discuss what makes Dredge one of 2023’s most prized catches.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Hooked on HorrorJosh - Mood Over Mechanics

Join Josh and Bryan as they navigate through a wide sampling of the historical events, political intricacies, military conquests, and fascinating narratives that Europa Universalis IV has to offer. Paradox’s magnum opus grand strategy game has you inhabiting different nations and experiencing their unique circumstances as you navigate the political landscape of Europe (and beyond) from 1444 to 1821, during the emergence of the nation-state. So grab your virtual map, prepare your armies, and get ready to dive into the captivating world of Europa Universalis IV. Whether you're seeking strategic advice from relative veteran, Josh, or simply looking to share in Bryan’s perspective as a relative newcomer, the crew is here to discuss what it takes to conquer new horizons and forge your own historical legacy in the EU4.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Historical Guided TourJosh - By Other MeansShow Notes:A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry - Teaching Paradox

In this episode, Josh and Clint receive their owls and set off to achieve their destiny in the Wizarding World with Hogwarts Legacy. Sadly, Bryan, a lowly muggle (and new father of 2 at the time of recording) could not make it for this one, but listen in as Josh and Clint uncover the secrets, spells, and adventures that await players at Hogwarts. Josh and Clint have a long history with the Harry Potter world as fan of the books and go in depth on the world-building, spellcasting system, and the vast open-world environment that provided an excellent sense of exploration and discovery. So grab your wand, put on your robe, and listen in as Josh and Clint explain what makes Hogwarts Legacy a magical experience.Three Word Reviews:Clint - A Magical ExperienceJosh - A Legacy Fulfilled

Gather your party because this episode we are venturing forth into the Forgotten Realms with Bioware’s classic Dungeons and Dragon’s adaptation, Baldur’s Gate. As they gear up for Baldur’s Gate 3, Bryan and Josh are starting with an exploration of the rich mechanics and storytelling that make Baldur’s Gate, and its expansion Tales of the Sword Coast, an iconic entry in the CRPG space to this day. Baldur’s Gate’s transition of D&D into the digital realm hews very close to it’s 2nd Edition roots, though this is unique and may have been a selling point to its core audience in 1997, it is not without its shortcomings from an accessibility perspective in a modern context. Listen in as we dissect the combat, adventuring, exploration, and context of this title within the broader history of gaming to determine what makes Baldur's Gate a true role-playing gem. So grab your swords, spellbooks, and a tankard of ale as Pixelated Playground delves into the secrets and stories behind this venerable title.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Low Level LegendJosh - Dated Design DifficultiesShow Notes:GDC Europe 2010: Baldur's Gate: A 10 Year Retrospective

How do you follow up on one of the most celebrated open world games of all time? In 2018, Rockstar gave us their answer with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. An instant classic, this juggernaut of AAA production value and storytelling gave us what remains one of the most well realized open worlds ever created. The production of an experience of this depth and breadth is not without its pitfalls and shortcomings from a labor standpoint, but the end result is a truly ground-breaking entry not only for Rockstar as a studio but for the medium as a whole. So join Bryan, Josh, and Clint as they journey through the representational American frontier with Dutch and the gang. Bring some trail mix… its going to be a long ride with lots of exposition along the way.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Nature of Man Josh - Slow Burn GunslingerClint - Unprecedented and Unparalleled

This episode is something a little bit different. If you had told us we would manage to stick with making a podcast through 100 episodes, I do not think any of us would have have believed you. The fact that this occurred in the midst of our trio weathering a global pandemic, having a collective 5 children, and achieving a bunch of other life and career milestones, its safe to say we would have written that possibility off entirely. However, against the odds we’re celebrating the podcast hitting 100 episodes! So we’re going to take an opportunity to thank all of our listeners and talk about some of our favorite experiences over the course of the life of the podcast. The good times, the bad, and all the games we played along the way. So If this is your first episode we’d recommend going back and listening to a pod or two of your favorite games we’ve covered, and if you’re still with us then listen in as we recount some highlights from our first century and talk through how and why we started the podcast in the first place. We’ve always treated this podcast as a fun side-project and collective excuse to talk in depth about a hobby we love, but in hearing from our listeners over the course of the last few years we’ve also come to realize that we have a great audience who have been quick to let us know the positive impact our conversations have had on their day to day lives. Whether the podcast is a companion to your daily commute, a distraction to help you through a long work shift, or a companion while playing your favorite games we’re happy you’ve chosen us. So thank you for listening, and for bearing with us as we continue to seek out new experiences to share with all of you. Take Care and Keep on Gaming!

In keeping with its incredible run of Resident Evil Remasters, Capcom’s latest outing sought to remaster perhaps the most beloved game in the series, Resident Evil 4. Bryan has had his eye on playing Resident Evil 4 in one form or another since the book club first played Resident Evil 7 years ago, so when this remaster finally launched Bryan and Clint jumped in with both feet. Its always risky revisiting and remaster a highly acclaimed title, but this team proved it was up to the task. The 2023 re-imagining of Resident Evil 4 is not just a wonderful retelling of a truly classic survival horror experience, but an elevated and updated take on a truly classic set of environments, mechanics, and characters. So listen in as Bryan and Clint drive out to a remote Spanish village and get into all kinds of trouble along the way.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Worth the WaitClint - Never Buying Again

Even in the year 2022, which was overflowing with excellent narrative-driven games, Citizen Sleeper stands out as a uniquely strong experience. In Citizen Sleeper, the second game from Jump Over The Age, the player takes on the role of the titular ‘Sleeper’, a human whose mind has been digitized and put into a robot body to work in the service of the Essen-Arp corporation. You are on the run from Essen-Arp and have just arrived on a space station called Erlin’s Eye. Utilizing a novel dice-based mechanic and drawing on dystopian science fiction, you navigate a series of events and interactions to fight for your freedom and survival. Some of our favorite video game experiences seamlessly draw together their narrative, mechanics, and theme to an effect greater than the sum of its parts, Bryan and Josh both feel that Citizen Sleeper is an exemplar in this regard. Tune in to hear why!Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Precarity, Personality, PositivityJosh - Paycheck to PaycheckShow Notes:Fireside Chat with Austin Walker & Gareth Damian Martin - LudoNarraCon 2022

In early 2022 we were almost 26 years into Pokemon’s existence as a francise when Pokemon: Legends Arceus released for Nintendo Switch on January 28th. Pokemon is famous (or notorious?) for its formulaic gameplay design and Legends Arceus is one of several entries over the years that bucks that trend to try out something new. Throwing out the gyms and badges structure for a more free-form, exploration and collection focused experience that injects a healthy dose of modern game design into the tried and true Pokemon formula. Recently, Bryan and Josh travelled to the Hisui region of Pokemon’s distant past to explore a captivating, if sometimes underwrought open world. Pokemon has deviated in genre before, but Legends Arceus hews closely enough to the core franchise to invite some interesting comparisons, so join the guys on their journey to determine what makes Pokemon: Legends Arceus an interesting, if flawed entry into the Pokemon series.Three Word Reviews:Josh - An Oversized ExperimentBryan - A Successful ExperimentHere is the ‘highest grossing media franchises’ list…. Not sure what Josh was referencing in our post-outro discussion, but it was too entertaining to cut - Bryan

Pack your bags and join Josh and Bryan for a dip into this recent rouge-lite with a concept so good its hard to believe it hasn’t been done before: Inventory Tetris as RPG mechanic. Organizing your inventory is often a key aspect of certain adventure and survival games, but what if one were to use as the central mechanic for a run-based, rogue-lite, dungeon crawler? The answer is Backpack Hero! Crafting your perfect backpack with adjacency bonuses and synergies is compelling in itself, but this Kickstarter success shoulders the additional burden of providing the player with several different characters that all play in very unique ways as well. So take a load off and pull out the old Headphones of Listening, to hear the guys’ thoughts on Backpack Hero!Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Bag of TricksJosh - Organization: The Game

Drawing inspiration from a Short Hike and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Lil Gator game is a short and sweet exploration platformer about, you guessed it, a lil gator. You are charged with helping lil Gator round him his friends to join in the biggest and best make believe game ever. Bryan and Josh were immediately drawn in by the ‘Short-Hike-ness’ but quickly realized the games smart and snappy writing was being used to convey some very universal and heartfelt themes and situations. So join Bryan and Josh for a lap or two around the gorgeous island adventure in Lil Gator Game!Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Painless Pixelated PlaygroundJosh - See You Later

Welcome to Chess Club! Chess and roguelikes seem like a strange match, but in this episode Bryan and Josh explore two such games that use the tried and true mechanics of chess and mash them up with the roguelike video game genre (and a few other genres as well). The first game discussed, Shotgun King, is a run based game where you play as a single piece (the black king) and instead of taking out the enemy pieces with traditional chess moves, you have a shotgun. A simple, elegant premise with a perfect implementation. The next game we talk about is Chessplosion, an arcade action puzzle game where you drop chess piece bombs to create chain reactions and trap opponents. Both have a unique and interesting take on using the widely known mechanics of chess towards a novel gameplay end. So pull up a chair and have a seat across the board from Bryan and Josh as they talk you through this video game Chess Club.Three Word Reviews:Shotgun King:Bryan: Flip the BoardJosh: Premise Pulled OffChessplosion: Bryan: Super Chess BrothersJosh: Jousting with Bombs

Bryan and Josh are on the Case! The Case of the Golden Idol, that is. This deductive logic puzzle game set in the 18th century and spanning a 40 year period, follows the Idol as it changes hands and drastically affects the fortunes of its owners. The game presents as a series of logic puzzles in which players collect clues to connect together concepts, characters, and evidence to provide context to the story. Once it began receiving favorable comparisons to Return of the Obra Dinn, Bryan and Josh knew they had to check it out immediately. So listen in as we gather the evidence to attempt to prove once and for all if The Case of the Golden Idol is a worthy spiritual successor to Obra Dinn and deduce what makes it shine on its own merits.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Real Deal Reveal Josh - Puzzle, Not Mystery

Take a trip down a neon-drenched memory lane with Bryan and Josh as they play 2021 action platformer, Narita Boy! Sporting some of the most striking pixel art we have ever seen, Narita Boy’s aesthetic alone warrants the price of admission. As they made their way through the digital kingdom, Bryan and Josh reflected on their time with the game and on the 1980’s era nostalgia it is channeling. Narita Boy punches above its weight by pairing its action packed techno-quest with some truly poignant vignettes. So listen in as we talk through what makes Narita Boy a true legend.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Earnest Evocative Nostalgia Josh - 80s Tribute Tale

This podcast is vengeance. It is the Knight. It. Is. Batman! Batman Arkham Knight to be exact. Clint has been a longtime fan of this game and the series, and Bryan had been looking for a reason to complete his journey through the Arkham trilogy, so together they ventured out into the cold, autumnal Gotham air and recorded a podcast about what its like to inhabit Batman in Arkham Knight. Batman is a character they both have a lot of fondness (and some criticism for), and this outting being the most maximal of Batman video game experiences, heightens those affections, and flaws, to their apex. There is a bit of something for everyone in Arkham Knight: action adventure, brawler, exploration, driving, puzzling, vehicular combat, and all of it is fairly well integrated as part of the whole experience. We’re now over 7 years out from this title’s troubled launch on PC, and playing it on modern hardware was truly a visual and auditory delight.As a quick note: We played and recorded for this podcast just a few days before Kevin Conroy, the voice actor for Batman in this and many other appearances, suddenly passed away unexpectedly. He was a familiar voice in our collective memories from earlier days and helped make these games, and Batman in general, a cultural force over so many years. Three Word Reviews:Bryan - World’s Greatest Detective?Clint - Be the Batman

Bullet Heavens. Action Roguelikes. Arena Shooters. Crowd Management Games. Survive ‘em ups… the list goes on. Whatever you call them, thanks to Vampire Survivors they were a big story in 2022. In this podcast, Bryan and Josh sample three games from this burgeoning genre, popularized by Ponkle’s breakout hit, and quickly iterated on by a legion of creative developers. Our selection includes: The OG - Vampire SurvivorsThe Stylish Successor - 20 Minutes til Dawnand The Quirky Cousin- Boneraiser Minions. All of which have plenty to recommend, not least of which is their exceedingly reasonable price points. Listen in for some heart pounding, shotgun cocking, skeleton summoning action as the boys dissect what makes the genre tick through discussion of this sample that we’re calling the ArenaCast.Three Word Reviews:Vampire Survivors:Bryan: Dracula’s Destructive DopamineJosh: Bullet Hell Reversal20 Minutes til Dawn: Bryan: Simple Stylish SlayingJosh: Guns as MapsBoneraiser MinionsBryan: Welcome Feature CreepJosh: Back to Hell

The falling leaves tell a story… Earlier this year, across the fog, in the Lands Between, Josh and Bryan embarked on their respective journeys to become the Elden Lord. And their Remaining Free Time was shattered. Along the way they met a variety of colorful characters: cowardly Patches the Untethered, the Unkillable Poisonous Jellyfish, and THE LOATHSOME DUNG EATER! Before long they realized the tales of their journey must be shared, and so a plan was hatched to condense hundreds of hours worth of gaming experience into a paltry (maybe not so paltry) podcast episode. Instead of putting these foolish ambitions to rest, they unsheathed their mics, donned their headphones, and went to work discussing a wide variety of topics. Lore, combat mechanics, and the dreaded difficulty discourse… all were felled before their mighty words. So listen in to hear Bryan and Josh pontificate on Elden Ring, its place in the FromSoftware catalogue, and its place in gaming in general… so that all things may be conjoined.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Uncompromised, Unmatched, Unforgettable Josh - A Formula Perfected

Join Bryan and Clint for a discussion of Naughty Dog’s critical darling from 2013… and 2014… and of course, 2022! The Last of Us was, and remains, a landmark video game in the action-adventure sphere and continues to be the standard for character-driven narratives in gaming. Joel and Ellie’s cross-country road trip is just as exciting today as it was the day it launched, but the technical upgrade it received with “Part 1” is worth discussing in its own right. On the heels of its 2022 re-release, and as the franchise looks to expand into an upcoming HBO series, the guys felt there was no better time to revisit this PS3 (and PS4, and PS5) classic and provide their perspective on what makes it a game for the ages.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Dilapidated Dad DarlingClint - Beauty and Brutality

Bryan and Josh have both long been intrigued by the prolific and quirky “Video Game Development Boy Band” hailing from Utrecht, Netherlands and calling themselves Sokpop. Given the recent breakout success of the group’s title, Stacklands, they decided to dive in and survey the vast back catalogue of projects that Sokpop has created. For those unaware: Sokpop is a 4 person video game development collective which has given itself an ambitious mission: launch a new game every 2 weeks. The games vary in size, shape, and scope but generally adhere to a ‘House Style’ that features low-res colorful visuals and cute, chunky animations. While the discussion primarily concerns Stacklands and another title, Simmiland, from a gameplay and mechanics perspective, Bryan and Josh discuss Sokpop’s approach more broadly in this podcast we’re calling Sokpop Selection.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Curious Collective CreationJosh - Rapid Fire ReleaseShow Notes:Sokpop’s Patreon PageGame Design Perspective: Stacklands by JoshGames Discussed: Stacklands, Simmiland, Luckitown, Tile Tale, Pocket Watch, White Lavender, Rook, KingPins, Sproots

Fans of tactics games rejoice! Triangle Strategy is here to deliver you the square grid, isometric, turn-based action you’ve been craving! … Along with an equally large helping of palace intrigue, politicking, and a bafflingly large amount of cutscenes. Oh, and don’t forget the detailed worldbuilding, subtle character development, and narrative ‘convictions’ system. Triangle strategy is a game that is not afraid to let its story breathe, and it backs its ambitious script up with some of the tightest and most well balanced tactics fights we’ve had the pleasure of playing. So pull up a chair and listen in to Bryan and Josh as they recount their time on the continent of Norzelia. Do you have the conviction required to make it through this voluminous tome of an episode?Josh - Speeches and SwordplayBryan - My Convictions Grow

In this podcast Bryan, Josh and Clint take their spooky season celebrations to space! Dead Space, that is. The franchise’s first outing by the studio that would later become Visceral Games is as heart-pounding today as it was groundbreaking back in its 2008 debut. Offering a frightening level of immersion with its innovative UI and audio design, Dead Space doesn’t skimp on world-building either, even if it did have a few missed beats from a storytelling perspective. The real star of this experience, however, is the tension-filled and action-heavy combat that stands on contrast with some more deliberately paced horror games it was contemporary with. Overall, this is an influential space horror game that set the stage for many of the horror greats that came in the years since. So listen in as the book club crew straps into their RIG and boards the USG Ishimura to cover Dead Space!Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Uneven Atmospheric ActionJosh - Action Trapped AdventureClint - Epic Tier Engineer

In this very special episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan interviews the developer of Moondrop and founder of Moonroof Studios, our very own Josh Galecki! Some of you may have picked up from listening to our other podcasts that Josh has had a solo indie dev video game project titled Moondrop in the works, and it has recently launched in August of 2022. This gave us a unique opportunity to talk through the process of design and iteration of making an indie video game, from 7-day roguelike experiment to commercial product on steam. It was an enlightening conversation for and provides some great anecdotes on what considerations an Indie Dev might need to account for during the development process.Bryan - Magical Mountain JourneyJosh - Living the DreamShow Notes:Moondrop - On Sale Now!Moondrop DiscordGames Discovery Newsletter

NORCO is what you get when you take a long lost LucasArts adventure game and steep it in Louisiana Bayou swamp water, then strain in through a filter of deep cynicism and hyper-local, near-future science fiction. Bryan and Josh showed up for the evocative writing and stunningly designed pixel art , but soon realized that the game’s crowning achievement was likely the way it was able to convey a sense of place and history perhaps more effectively than any other game they have played. So listen in for their discussion on NORCO’s story, themes, mechanics, and how it all blends together into an incredibly unique and affecting adventure game.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Local sci-fi gumboJosh - Desolated Bayou Banger Show Notes:NORCO Original Soundtrack

Acid Nerve’s sophomore outing, Death’s Door, is a huge step up in complexity and scope from their first title, Titan Souls. For a small studio coming off of a successful debut, it was a very ambitious project which not only moved their trademark tight action gameplay style from 2D to 3D, but also involved them building out a large hub and spoke world with many interesting dungeons and levels to navigate. Bryan and Josh appreciated the game not only for its artistic and auditory merits, but also for how it was able to weave its relatively simple mechanics together to create an extremely tight and satisfying combat system. So listen in to hear Bryan and Josh’s take on the story of a lone crow and his adventures in the Reaping Commission…Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Elegance in SimplicityJosh - Concentrated Crow Quest

What happens when you create a series that launches an entire genre? While Metroid may not have been the first ‘metroidvania’, it and its predecessors are certainly the ones we look to as the standard bearer. Metroid Dread comes long after the Cambrian explosion of the metroidvania genre, but proves that the series and its new developers at Mercury Steam, are able to hang with the best of them. Metroid Dread iterates on Metroid Fusion’s introduction of being hunted and inclusion of horror elements while upping the ante graphically and gameplay-wise with stunning (and often challenging) boss fights. As the (as of now) final episode in the Metroid series, chronologically speaking, it is a fitting send off for the truly iconic bounty hunter hero, Samus Aran. Bryan and Josh report on their mission to planet ZDR and their experiences with the series and the genre more broadly in this wide-ranging discussion of Metroid: Dread.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Subtly-guided tourJosh - A Classic, PolishedShow Notes:Maddy Myers history of metroid

International Cat Day has recently passed and to celebrate the Pixelated Playgrounds crew leapt at the opportunity to play the cat game that everyone is talking about: Stray! This game is getting a lot of attention, so much so that we even had friends reaching out to see if we’d be playing it. Developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive the game poses several interesting questions that the crew endeavors to answer: Will we reunite our cat with his family? What happened to all of the humans? Why are those robots wearing hats? And most pressingly: Is this a great cat game, or just a great game in general? (Spoilers: its a great game no matter how you frame it). The evocative cyberpunk aesthetic and stunning original soundtrack by Yann Van Der Cruyssen will keep you lapping up the entire experience. So listen in for the opinions of a cat lover, a cat tolerator, and a cat avoider (guess who is who), as we break down the indie sensation, Stray.Three Word Reviews:Josh - Cyber City KittyBryan - Future Feline FeaturetteClint - Pass the InhalerShow Notes:Save the Cat! a popular screenwriting tropeIncredible soundtrack available on vinylPlaying as Spyro

Hailing from Skövde, the same town that brought us Iron Gate’s Valheim, Stunlock Studios’ VRising has a new twist on the survival genre: make it a vampiric quest for power with a top down, diablo-inspired interface. Bryan, Josh, and Clint quickly found themselves thirsty for more of the game’s snappy combat, addictive crafting progression, and highly customizable base building. Despite the game’s well reported on degradation mechanics, the book club crew found a server that fit their needs and set about reclaiming the night for their vampiric empires. Listen in for tales of their meteoric rise, hard won victories, and eventual destruction at the hands of the server gods.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Who’s Your VladdyJosh - Boss base rhythm Clint - Blood Sucking Tamagotchi

Long running open world roguelike project, Caves of Qud by Freehold games, has been in continuous development since its early access release on Steam in 2015… and it shows! Cave of Qud is a dense, interconnected, and unique experience with an unforgettable setting that comes across through its signature lo-fi aesthetic. Bryan and Josh set out to explore Qud’s post-post-apocalyptic radioactive jungles and caverns and came away with more stories than they can count, but listen in to their discussion and you’ll get a taste for what makes this a very special roguelike.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Dungeons of DichotomyJosh - The Epic RoguelikeShow Notes:The Qud Survival Guide: a (mostly) lore-friendly tutorial mod for Caves of Qud

Ynglet is an interesting little game that is sometimes called an ‘anti-platformer’ or ‘platformer without platforms’. Part puzzle platformer, part digital music tool, it rides the line between audiovisual art installation and indie video game with style. Either way its a fun time with a truly magical algorithmically generated score. So listen in as Bryan and Josh race through the intriguing and playful soundscape of Ynglet!Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Feel the FlowJosh - Joyous Space DolphinShow Notes:John Walker’s Buried TreasureNifflas Interview E3 2021

Wildermyth combines deep tactical combat with storylines that span generations of heroes, and Bryan and Josh enjoyed every minute of their offbeat epic mythologies. This included but was not limited to: heroes turning into crows, uncovering spellbooks of forgotten gods, and being inducted to an order of magical turtles. Wildermyth’s recreation of the tabletop, improvisational style of storytelling interweaves characters' traits, histories, and relationships, with the world's ongoing events. The writing is an incredibly satisfying implementation of a game as a story generator which is always something Bryan and Josh enjoy. So listen in as they regale you with the epic tales of our time with Wildermyth! Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Epic Myth Generator Josh - Rich Myth Smithing

Before Your Eyes is a breezy indie game with a simple premise: Blink your eyes, time advances. As you live the protagonist Benjamin’s life you begin at birth and time only moves forward when you blink by using facial recognition software and your webcam. Quite handy that such a game would release in 2020 right after everyone with a remote job had recently acquired such a device. What follows is an emotional story about parenting, expectations, love, and loss. The blinking mechanic ties into the narrative very well, serving to help underline the game’s message, but the real magic is in the writing and voice acting of this extremely well produced indie title. So listen in and learn how Bryan got Josh to play a game that took control of his computer’s webcam!Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Life Worth LivingJosh - Time, Ever Onward

In 2017, longtime console developer Ninja Theory decided to buck their normal trend of partnering with publishers and take a risk by self-publishing their upcoming project, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The project was taking other risks as well: wading into the turbulent waters of portraying mental illness on screen, and taking big swings on new technology with their sound design. What emerged is a project that clearly shows great care in those areas of importance, but was perhaps a little threadbare in others (namely puzzle mechanics). Overall Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a unique and engaging title that deserves recognition for the places it succeeds. The team at Ninja Theory should be applauded for the effort spent on tackling tough topics like mental health and for driving material change for the treatment of those that suffer through fundraising and by shifting perspectives of their audience. Hellblade is far from a perfect game, but the intentionality and ambition on display have Bryan and Clint interested to see what comes next. Listen in for their discussion on the game and hear in their words what worked and what didn’t.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Not Fun, EngagingClint - Am I Crazy?Show Notes:Hellblade Dev Diary - Binaural Audio TestVirtual Barber ShopBinaural Audio Combat ExampleNinja Theory Mental Health Charity Work

Listen in as Bryan, Josh, and Clint unpack last year’s indie darling, Unpacking! Despite not having a central conflict or antagonist to speak of, Unpacking nonetheless tells a compelling story about growing up, moving out, and learning to live with others (and yourself). Combine that with absolutely gorgeous pixel art, a catchy yet subtle soundtrack, and a hefty dose of nostalgia and you have a special experience on your hands. Join the book club crew for a breezy discussion that includes some of their own experiences with packing, moving, and of course: nursery setup strategies.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Domicile Detritus DetectiveJosh - Stuff as StoryClint - Lots to Unpack

Slowclap’s second major outing, Sifu, is a fascinating game. On the surface it is a kung-fu action brawler with choreography that makes you feel like you’re directing a martial arts movie. Then it layers in a more fantastic element where the protagonist is reborn a bit older each time they are defeated. The real grace note of the whole experience, however, is the the game’s ability to slowly train the player to overcome increasingly demanding scenarios. By the end of the experience it does truly feel like you’ve gone on a hero’s journey to become a kung-fu master and avenge your father. Listen in as Bryan and Clint talk through their experiences with Sifu and what makes it stand out in a landscape where ‘ultra-hard’ has become a trendy game feature.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - I’m Getting OldClint - I know Kung-fuShow Notes:Sifu Live Action TrailerDaredevil No Cut Fight Scene

Hero’s Hour is a clever pixelated iteration on the Heroes of Might and Magic formula that sports some eye-catching pixel graphics and a manic, yet extremely satisfying auto-battler combat system. Created by Benjamin Haur of ThingOnItsOwn, this is part homage to a beloved classic and part thoughtful evolution on some of the core mechanics that make the series (now regrettably controlled by Ubisoft) so appealing. At the time we recorded this (way back in Fall 2021) the game was only out on itch.io, but has received a full steam launch as of March 1st, 2022. It just keeps getting better, so listen to Josh and Bryan unpack what makes it great and then go pick it up!Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Manic Pixel HeroesJosh - Mighty Fun HomageShow Notes:Hexagons are the BestagonsTABSBotworld Adventure