Pixelated Playgrounds

Clint and Bryan prepare for Titanfall as they make their way through what is remembered as one of the most innovative and compelling FPS campaign modes of its time. Each mission brings a fresh perspective and framing to a rock-solid set of mechanics, as well as some unfortunately lackluster writing. They also set their sights on multiplayer, where this game still shines to this day. It's easy to see the lineage of excellence at Respawn Entertainment would give us one of the most successful battle royale games, Apex Legends, a few years later. Three Word Reviews: Bryan - Half Complete Package Clint - A Mechanical Masterpiece

The world’s largest multimedia franchise made its debut on the Nintendo Switch in 2019 and the book club has Pokemon fever like it's 1998 all over again! It’s been at least a decade since each of us had played an entry in this long-running series and it was interesting for the book club crew to take stock of what has changed… and what hasn’t. Join Bryan, Josh, and Clint for a Pokemon safari in the tall grass of nostalgia and see if you can separate our actual critical analysis from our reminiscing at the Pokemon of yesteryear through our rose tinted glasses.Three Word Reviews:Clint - Didn’t Catch Me / Bryan - Nostalgia Warmed Over / Josh - Reliable Income Stream

It’s a BOY! Clint's a dad now and for this special episode that has been released on the day of his son’s birth, we check out a heartfelt game about a father and his son, God of War (2018). Check out how this franchise has totally reinvented itself into something truly special that helped Clint prepare for his own adventure into fatherhood.Clint: That’s My Boy Bryan: Dad of Boy

RHETORIC: Should Bryan, Josh and Clint talk about Disco Elysium this month?LOGIC: Yes they probably should, its won a ton of awards, has an engaging story, and boasts some of the best writing they can remember.EMPATHY: That writing is always in service to this game’s true strength: telling a deeply affecting and sometimes hilarious story of how a person grows and forms their personality in the face of a bleak, brutal world.CONCEPTUALIZATION: It has an incredibly well fleshed out game world as well, with thousands of years of history to flavor an already very alive modern noire setting.SUGGESTION: Also, Kim. Kitsuragi kicks ass.VOLITION: Alright, let’s get into it. This month’s Video Game Book Club is about Disco Elysium and why its an incredible game.Three Word Reviews:Clint: In your head / Bryan: Radical Midlife Crisis / Josh: Failure is Story

Perhaps one of the most influential games of the 2010’s is From Software’s Dark Souls. As the inspiration of the ‘souls-like’ genre and immense source of frustration for many a gamer, Dark Souls combines deep (if impenetrable) RPG systems with stellar world building to create a profoundly memorable experience. If you can get through it. Listen in as Bryan, Josh, and Clint talk through their respective encounters with this modern gaming landmark.Three Word Reviews:Clint: In the DarkBryan: Engage, Challenge, RewardJosh: The Uncaring World

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering the Super Smash Brothers series by Nintendo.Show Notes:Bryan’s 2018 GOTY ListThe Smash Brothers DocumentaryHome Run Contest World RecordKirby Survives the ApolcalypseThree word reviews:Bryan: Glee For AllJosh: Furious Pickup Basketball

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Cave Story by Pixel, released in 2004.

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Remnant: From the Ashes by Gunfire Games, released in 2019.

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Resident Evil 2 (2019), released in January 2019 by Capcom.

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Heroes of Might and Magic 3, released in February 1999 by 3DO.

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering the Hotline Miami Series. Hotline Miami was released in October 2012 by Dennaton Games.

Episode 16 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Cadence of Hyrule: The Legend of Zelda ft. Crypt of the Necrodancer, released in June 2019 by Brace Yourself Games.

Episode 15 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Celeste, released in January 2018 by Matt Makes Games.

Episode 14 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, released in 2019 by From Software.

Episode 13 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, released in 2017 by Nintendo.

Episode 12 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Hollow Knight, released in 2017 by Team Cherry.

Episode 11 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Undertale, released in 2015 by Toby Fox.

Episode 10 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Into the Breach, released in 2018 by Subset Games.

Episode 9 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Brogue, released in 2009 by Brian Walker.

Episode 8 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Hitman 2, released in 2018 by IO Interactive.

Episode 7 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, released in 2011 by Bethesda Softworks.

Episode 6 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Resident Evil 7, released in 2017 by Capcom.

Episode 5 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Dwarf Fortress, released in 2018 by Unknown Worlds Entertainment.

Episode 4 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Dwarf Fortress, released in 2006 by Bay 12 Games.

Episode 3 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Minecraft, released in 2009 by Mojang.

Episode 2 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering West of Loathing, released in 2018 by Asymmetric.

Episode 1 of Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Tacoma, released in 2017 by Fullbright.