Waypoint Radio

Join Austin, Natalie, Patrick, Rob, Cado, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and one of several time traveling incarnations of some guy named Xehanort for an in-person edition of Waypoint Radio! In addition to talking about the games they played at PAX East, everyone who participated in our Kingdom Hearts season of Lore Reasons will be subjected to a live Mark of Mastery exam, forced to reckon with the way-too-many hours they’ve spent trying to understand the mythology driving Square Enix’s mashup series. There is absolutely no way this can go wrong.Discussed: Struggling, Falcon Age, Night Shift, Warsaw, Divinity: Fallen Heroes, Phantom Brigade Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a disjointed week at Waypoint, with most of the crew headed to Boston for PAX East, but Austin, Natalie, Patrick, Rob, and Cado still found time to sit around some microphones and yap about the games we’ve been playing. Mostly, we’re still slowly but surely stabbing and shinobi’ing our way through Sekiro, but Rob checked in with Battlefield’s take on battle royale, and several of us have been exploring the post-apocalypse of Generation Zero. We also toss some serious skepticism at Google's ambitious streaming project, Stadia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve been patient, and it’s finally here. A little over two months since the conclusion of Tetsuya Nomura’s Dark Seeker trilogy, Lore Reasons tackles Kingdom Hearts III. (Naturally, it took us nearly three hours.) Austin, Patrick, and Cado join our resident loremaster, Natalie, as we pilot our Gummi Ship through a bunch of narratively useless Disney worlds en route to one hell of an ending. And that secret movie? THE SECRET MOVIE? It’s all here. Let’s ride. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time for Austin, Natalie, Patrick, and Rob to return to the secret origins of Waypoints: a chance to talk about animated TV shows. This week finds the gang catching up on ​The Dragon Prince ​at great length, and wrestling with some of their misgiving's about the morality the show is beginning to articulate, and the plot arcs that are unfolding at a breakneck pace. But first, they return to Rooster Teeth's ​GenLOCK​, to discuss the end of its first season, and what the show has revealed itself to be about. Are they just cool robots, or something more? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sekrio: Shadows Die Twice is out tomorrow but Austin, Natalie, and Patrick couldn't wait another second to talk about it! They talk about how the game's mechanics differ from previous FromSoft titles, how the game's focus on "posture" breaking combat changes the feeling of play, how the changes may impact its reception, and, uh, some really big chickens. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Monday and we have so very many games to talk about. After a brief recap of our weekends, which included hours of unboxing videos, racing wheel setups, F1, grappling, and EMT service, we get into it. We’re playing the definitely-political Division 2, the charming but maybe-politically-confused The Occupation, the wildly creative Hynospace Outlaw, and the brilliant puzzler Baba is You. Strap in for a long one today!Discussed: The Division 2, The Occupation, Hypnospace Outlaw, Baba is You Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seven weeks ago, we at Waypoint set out on a journey to untangle the lore of Kingdom Hearts. Partially, this was for our listeners who trust our expertise in all matters of the heart, but in honesty, it was mostly for ourselves. We, perhaps like you, had been plagued by questions about the Disney-Square collaboration. These were not novel questions, we know, and to series diehards they were simple: Why do so many people have the letter X in their names. Who was Xehanort, and what did it men to be norted? What's up with Mickey Mouse's shirt situation? How many different ways can you write out the sound "key"? What's more powerful, friendship or darkness? We learned, of course, that many of these questions were deeply connected. Especially the one about Mickey's naked chest.What we didn't anticipate, though, were all of the complex questions that went beyond lore and into the realm of philosophical inquiry: If there are bodies, souls, and hearts, where does the person reside? If some people are drawn inexplicably to the darkness, does that relate some terrible truth about their eternal character? Should we think of the unfractured world (before the First Keyblade War) as an uncorrupted, Rousseauian state of nature or as a violent, Hobbesian land of unrepressed violence? And speaking of repression, what the hell is up with memories?These are big questions, and we could not answer them alone. That is why Waypoint's intrepid lore master, Natalie Watson, and I followed the example of Sora and sought allies for this difficult journey. Which is why, joining us today are Waypoint columnist Cameron Kunzelman and games academic Michael Lutz, the co-hosts of Game Studies Study Buddies over on the Ranged Touch. Together, we dive into all of these questions and more. Though we left with even more questions to answer, the experience brought us clarity and provoked entirely new modes of understanding. We hope it does the same for you, and if you'd like to dig deeper on any of these topics, a good starting place is the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.Discussed: The Aura (Benjamin), Neoplatonism, Forms (Platonic and Aristotelian), Existentialism, Identity (Code Switching, Gender Theory, Queer Studies), Dialectics, Ontological Pluralism, Panpsychism, Kingdom Hearts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wait, what is ​FORMULA 1 RACING doing on a Waypoint podcast? Well thanks to a slow night for Danielle's EMS work, she fell head-over-heels in love with Netflix's new ​Drive to Survive​ ​series. Listen to Danielle and Natalie get caught up in the drama of tire changes and team budgets in the most lavish motorsport in the world, while Rob tries not to hog the microphone or get everyone to sign up for F1 TV​. Meanwhile, the gang has been trying to figure out their exact level of dread for a Biden presidential campaign, with help from Jamelle Bouie's column on "The Trouble with Biden​". And oh, there is trouble. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Austin, Natalie, Patrick and Danielle for a whirlwind tour of the games we’re playing, in mechs (Left Alive, Titanfall 2), in space (Objects in Space), and in… demon funtimes (Devil May Cry 5). We’re all anxiously awaiting Sekiro in different ways, really.Discussed: Left Alive, Devil May Cry 5, Objects in Space, Titanfall 2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week we were reminded of Troop-Cop, who was so troubled by protestors calling police fascists that he had no choice but to club the shit out of them, all in the service of a tacky clothing brand. It dovetailed well with an interesting graphic essay from Nate Powell on paramilitary aesthetics and their increasing popularity among reactionaries in the United States. Then, Danielle's been digging into the latest issue of Heterotopias, where she encountered an essay from María Bonete Escoto on the "slow violence" of environmental destruction portrayed in the Dishonored series. Patrick was delighted by the second episode of Netfllix's ​Losers​ series​, while Austin has an inside line on some illicit Gundam action.Discussed: About Face by Nate Powell, Losers, Mobile Suit Gundam: 08th MS Team Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Waypoint doesn’t usually cover games ahead of release. Usually. But y’all know we have a real soft spot for the Souls games, and Natalie couldn’t resist spending a few hours of FromSoftware’s latest, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, at a recent press event. Austin and Patrick hopped on to grill Natalie about why she spent so much time trying to kill a dang fish, what makes Sekiro so distinctly different from previous Soulslikes in in ways beyond just combat and storytelling, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Austin returns to the podcast after a few weeks of thinking about mechs, and finding rest and relaxation by staying up until the wee hours of the morning while—well, thinking about mechs. He’s joined by Patrick, Cado, Rob, and Natalie to revisit Kingdom Hearts III as everyone nears the ending (no spoilers!), while also touching on Daemon X Machina, Betrayal Legacy, Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee, the medical world’s recent decision to inflate Patrick’s stomach, and the THQ Nordic/8Chan fiasco from last week.​ Oh, and for some godforsaken reason, we spend a long time talking about Joe Wright's Pan movie from 2015. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have some serious Friday energy on Waypoint Radio today, with another check-in on Metro Exodus, a rousing update on how good that gamefeel is in Trials HD, and Cado's experiences with a stylish new action game in Ape Out. Then we get serious about Pokémon, specifically the Pokémon Sword and Shield announcement. We discuss the starters in great detail, perhaps startling detail, and then take a quick dip in the question bucket to kick off the weekend.Discussed: Metro Exodus, Trials Rising, Ape Out, Pokémon Sword and Shield. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's metrics versus the voice of the people today on Waypoints. Patrick just wanted to know which movies are worth seeing, but he's shocked by how much Rotten Tomatoes has become a front​ for the most asinine battles in the culture war. Meanwhile, Rob has been listening to Mike Duncan's Revolutions podcast, particularly his series on the French Revolution​. It's a good telling of an incredibly complicated story, but does the framework of a story about revolutions, with protagonists and tragic heroes, have an inherently conservative bent? Finally, Danielle is fascinated by the strange ritual of the NFL Combine​, and the weird ways it attempts to use physical measurements to predict future performance.Discussed: 'Captain Marvel' Review Bombers Have Dropped Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating to Lowest in MCU', Revolutions Podcast: The Three Estates, 'I went through the NFL Combine. These were the most awkward parts.' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re sailing into new territories on Waypoint Radio 222, with Captain Natalie at the helm, and Rob, Patrick, and Danielle along for a wild ride of mixed metaphors and new game scuttlebutt. Admiral Rob has a non-digital game to regale us about in Empire of the Sun. Commander Patrick has plenty of Anthem thoughts and notions on the Trials franchise, while First Mate Danielle has stories about Trials Rising and a very effective horror game in Devotion. Finally, Captain Natalie has a truly harrowing and exciting tale for us all in her Apex Legends segment.Discussed: Empire of the Sun, Anthem, Trials Rising, Devotion, Apex Legends Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Austin's been on vacation this week, which by Austin's standards means he's been playing Anthem and needs to talk about it. Well, so have Patrick and Cado, so we decided it made the most sense to just sit down and work out our thoughts on BioWare's Iron Man + Destiny game.Discussed: Anthem Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a hell of a way to run a government on Waypoints this week. Join Rob, Patrick, and Natalie as they discuss a number of eye-opening investigative reports that have left them stunned lately. First, Patrick has been mesmerized by the saga of how local and state government in Wisconsin gave electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn one of the most lopsided deals in US history. It's a story told at the highest level by an article in Bloomberg Businessweek​ and at the ground level by a dramatic episode of Reply All​ that shows how a community tore itself apart for the distant promise of a factory. Next, Rob and Natalie have been reading ProPublica's haunting report​ on the ​USS Fitzgerald ​collision. How does one of the most advanced ships, with the best equipment, in one of the most prestigious fleets in the US Navy, end up falling victim to such a routine and preventable accident? There's no one clear answer, but a lot of contributing factors that add up to a portrait of a navy rotting away from the inside.Discussed: Inside Wisconsin’s Disastrous $4.5 Billion Deal With Foxconn, The Inside Story of an American Warship Doomed by Its Own Navy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kingdom Hearts III may be out, but look, we’re still working our way through a game from 2012, okay? Welcome back to Lore Reasons, our multipart deep dive into the story and larger mythology driving Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts series. We are not experts, but through the power of friendship (and ice cream), we can try. On today’s episode, we finally catch up to the modern timeline, as we make sense of Dream Drop Distance. We’ll be back in a few weeks with more episodes, including talking about Kingdom Hearts III. Stay tuned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During a week in which Activision unceremoniously laid off 800 people while simultaneously bragging about record revenue, we find ourselves confused and angry, yet quietly optimistic about the possibility of change. We also explain how economics works. Why pay for a college textbook? You’ve got us! Elsewhere, Patrick, Natalie, Cado, and Rob talk excitedly about the big announcements at Nintendo Direct—Mario Maker 2! Link’s Awakening! Tetris 99! Rune Factory 4!—and wildly speculate about Hollow Knight’s just-announced sequel. Also, is Metro: Exodus any good? Why can’t you put the language into Russian? Questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join host Natalie (aka Ronatalie Zacson), along with Danielle and Patrick for an especially animated episode of Waypoints, wherein we discuss glitter (the substance), Russian Doll (the TV series), and the AAF (the football league). First, we tackle Caity Weaver’s phenomenal investigation for the New York Times into glitter, discussing the shockingly secret industry. Then we talk about the dark, hilarious, off-kilter vibes of Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler’s Russian Doll, about a woman who keeps dying and repeating a particularly weird section of her life. Finally, we help Patrick decide on a team to root for in the AAF, a new football league with the potential to be a developmental league for the NFL. Many logos are considered.(edited) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got a two parter on our hands this week—a two parter with a whole lot of time travel. First, Austin, Cado, Natalie, and Patrick sit down to talk Apex Legends, the latest from Titanfall creators Respawn Entertainment. Almost the whole team has been dropping into the Outlands, and it seems like we can't get enough. Then, after the break, Rob taps in for Patrick to talk Sunless Skies, the sequel to Failbetter Games's Sunless Sea. This game's got space trains, zombies, and demons, and it all takes place in...hell?? Next, Cado and Austin give their first thoughts on The Division 2 beta, a game that has in their marketing tiptoed around the politics they use as environmental decor.Discussed: Apex Legends, Sunless Skies, The Division 2 Beta Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Lore Reasons: Kingdom Hearts, our dizzying exploration of Disney and Square-Enix's massive RPG crossover. When we first began to explore Sora's journey through the many worlds of Kingdom Hearts, our memories were fresh from watching cutscene compilations and explainer videos and our bodies were powered by the strength of overpriced beer. But now, weeks later, we have no memories, no beer, and, uh, nobodies. Fuck.Join us as we respond to some very helpful corrections and then move through three whole games​ on this week's episode: ​358/2 Days​, ​Kingdom Hearts 2​, and ​Re:coded​. We learn more about Organization XIII, the many residents of Sora's heart, the digital world, and, uh... let me ask Natalie, our intrepid Lore Master really quick...Okay. She says "And Riku was there." So, that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Waypoints, Danielle, Patrick, Austin, and Rob have been completely taken in by the story of a charismatic grifter. Ian Parker's "A Suspense Novelist's Trail of Deceptions​" unravels the long, and weird story of thriller writer Dan Mallory's history of audacious and bizarre deceit in the London and New York publishing industries, and the even stranger way that his peers and colleagues have handled that history. Later, the gang discuss Ron Howard's ​Solo ​and the "Star Wars stories" that we really want. Everybody hates robocalls​. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So, listen, we recorded this while ​Respawn Entertainment--creators of Titanfall and ​Titanfall 2​--were teasing there soon to be released ​battle royale ​Apex Legends​. So blame ​that​ on the loose control that Austin keeps on today's episode of Waypoint Radio, which ranges in topic from yesterday's "Big Game" to M. Night Shyamalan​'s ​The Happening​. I know what you're thinking. Yes, we ​do​ have another podcast explicitly for that topic. Oh, well. Sometimes it goes like that.We ​do​ eventually get to video games, though! Hear Austin and Patrick describe what we're enjoying (and not) about ​successor-to-Advance-Wars WarGroove​​​, Natalie give her ​Kingdom Hearts 3 ​update, and Rob introduce us to another detective board game called ​Chronicle of Crimes​. And yes, eventually, Austin does talk about how great ​Titanfall 2 ​is, and shares his hopes for ​Apex Legends​ while he's at it.Discussed: The Happening, Super Bowl LIII, Apex Legends, Titanfall 2, WarGroove, Kingdom Hearts 3, Chronicle of Crimes​ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This wasn’t supposed to become a series. This wasn’t supposed to take more than a few hours. And yet, here we are. Lore Reasons, Waypoint’s multi-part investigation into Kingdom Hearts, continues ever forward, with Patrick, Natalie, Austin, and Cado steering their gummi ship towards the nearest sea salt ice cream shop in search of answers. We can’t guarantee you will learn anything about Kingdom Hearts, but we can guarantee we talk about it. A lot. On this episode, we cover Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hope you'll join Patrick, Danielle, Natalie, Austin, and Rob on their astonishing journey through the tragicomic new Fyre Festival documentary from Netflix. Every time they think they've covered everything, Natalie remembers some fresh horror. Meanwhile, Patrick is intrigued by the notion that Bad NFL Officiating Is Good, Actually. Finally, Austin has mixed feelings about GenLOCK, the new military mech series from Rooster Teeth, produced by and starring Michael B. Jordan along with an unbelievably strong cast. Perhaps Austin is just being too picky about his preferred thematic devices, however, because Rob and Patrick are all amazement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After spending nearly two hours listening to Waypoint try to dissect the lore of Kingdom Hearts, you might be wondering “OK, but is the new one any fun to play?” Patrick and Natalie have spent some hours with Kingdom Hearts III, and are joined by Austin, Danielle, and Cado to dissect the latest Square/Disney crossover.But Kingdom Hearts 3 ​isn't the only thing the Waypoint staff's been playing recently. While Danielle thoughtfully explores the zombie-infested police station of ​Resident Evil 2​, Austin has been pulled deep into its belly, his mind obsessed with the too-perfect structure of its hallways, puzzles, and boss fights.Thankfully, Cado is there to save him with the power of mechs, as the two explore the messy but fun ​Anthem ​demo. The crew also has thoughts on ​Life is Strange 2's latest episode, Metro Exodus' ​​sudden Epic Games PC exclusivity, and, uh, Natalie's bank account.Discussed: Kingdom Hearts 3, Anthem, Resident Evil 2, Life is Strange 2​, Dating Apps, Sandwiches Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few weeks back, Patrick joked we should take the lore of Kingdom Hearts seriously, and record a podcast about it. Natalie also took Patrick’s dare seriously, and Austin couldn’t resist coming along for the ride. The result is Lore Reasons, a podcast series meant to be a one-off experiment that’s suddenly become own monster of its own. In the first episode, we attempt to talk through the entire Kingdom Hearts timeline, but over the course of nearly two hours, only make it past Birth By Sleep and the opening of Kingdom Hearts. Buckle up, folks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Waypoint Radio's special guest Adam Conover​ made a request: Make the Friday podcast longer. Well, we're not saying this is our new ​policy​, but for Adam and everyone else desperate for more listening material, we hope this giant-sized, nearly three hour long episode provides adequate accompaniment on your journey through the weekend. Where are we going? So many places. Travel with us to a pair of post-apocalyptic futures; to a police station where zombie men in hats kick down doors; to the final days of the Roman empire; to a world of fighter jets, politics, and dog JPEGs. And, of course, to Portia. What's Portia? As you'll find out soon enough, I'm not sure anyone knows...Discussed: Resident Evil 2, At the Gates, My Time at Portia, Ace Combat 7, Far Cry New Dawn, Metro Exodus, Warhammer 40,000: Gladius-Tyranids, Serenity, Weezer, Eco Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We go from artistic highs to moral lows on this episode of Waypoints! Rob, Danielle, and Natalie have been watching Alfonso Cuarón​'s ​Roma​, his sweeping-yet-intimate historical drama produced for Netflix. The gang is savoring the fim's beauty, technique, and sensitivity as well as some terrific performances from cast. At the other extreme, Rob has been reading about new information that's come to light about how Oxycontin was marketed, and what Purdue Pharma executives knew about its role in the escalating opioid epidemic, and all the people that enabled their recklessness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have a very special guest on Waypoint Radio 215: Adam Conover from Adam Ruins Everything came through to chat about games, comedy, and Nintendo nostalgia! Join Adam—and usual co-hosts Danielle, Austin, and Natalie for a more freeform Friday podcast that tackles such questions as finding work-life balance among many tiring projects, asking "why, Nintendo?" and dipping into "true" Monopoly rules.Discussed: Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Metroid, Monopoly, Adam Ruins Everything, Humans Who Make Games Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We need to get organized on this episode Waypoints, which means it's time to get advice from ​Tidying Up with Marie Kondo ​and learn all about both the KonMari method, and issues people have taken with the organization expert and her new reality show. Does she really hate books and mementos, or is that just a misunderstanding of what Kondo is trying to get people to do? Then, Rob has been reading an eye-opening article about the forces that have been preying upon and devastating rural communities for the last 30 years. It's a useful corrective to a lot of simplified narratives of rural stagnation that have been used to excuse bad actors and official indifference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our latest Waypoint 101, Austin, Rob, Patrick and myself dissect the design ethos and over-the-top Ninjitsu stylings of Klei Entertainment's 2012 stealth platformer Mark of the Ninja. We talk about it's strengths—particularly it's very parsable design and complex puzzle-room approach to stealth, it's weaknesses, and it's story and style, and then dip into the question bucket to consider whether this Mark has aged particularly well, or is showing up a little long in the tooth or slow on the draw. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Lobby 1 in the rearview mirror, team Waypoint heads to a brand new space to podcast: the control room! That's right, friends, we now podcast with a dizzying variety of screens and buttons around us to dazzle the mind and stimulate the imagination. This week, Patrick is playing New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Natalie and Danielle are into a very cute adventure-platformer with... deep state conspiracy theories... Pikuniku, and a bunch of us have fun AGDQ stories. Natalie also has a bunch of Kingdom Hearts opinions to share, and there is a nice, deep dive into the question bucket.Discussed: New Super Mario bros U. Deluxe, Pikuniku, Prey: Mooncrash, Bloodborne, Kaizo Mario, AGDQ, Kingdom Hearts( Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does open world mean, anyway? Austin, Rob, and Patrick use Patty's recent story about Red Dead Redemption 2's world and systems feeling largely meaningless as a launching pad to work out their larger feelings on open world games, from what we ask and demand of them to where they should go in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Austin and Rob haven't slept, because Rob decided to clean his apartment at midnight Austin stayed up watching the entirety of Amazon's new series from Sam Esmail: Homecoming, starring Julia Roberts. What does this postmodern corporate horror story have to say about life and work, and how does it differ from Esmail's celebrated USA show, Mr. Robot? Does it suffer from using the "War on Terror" as a backdrop without interrogating it? Meanwhile, the gang has also been watching Nailed It on Netflix, which features plenty of horror shows of its own. Watching amateur bakers come to grips with complicated recipes, Patrick is reminded of his own culinary journey so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

​This past Sunday was the Waypoint Winter Classic, aka the meeting of Austin's Philadelphia "Big Dick Dick" Eagles and Patrick/Rob's Chicago "Did Jon Gruden Really Give up Khalil Mack?" Bears. The Eagles won, and the Bears lost...by a field goal. At the last second. And the ball hit the upright, then the crossbar. Doink. Double doink. Sigh. The group spends the first part of the podcast on a long football tangent, before turning to video games or whatever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s 2019, but we’re still looking back at 2018. We launched a super cool new podcast last year, Waypoints, that gave us an opportunity to discuss the slices of culture—politics, writing, theater, anime—that we were already obsessing about in private conversation. Some of our discussions were only about a single episode of a show or podcast, so it only seemed right to circle back and revisit some of the works that stuck with us, and how our feelings shifted. For this episode, that means digging even deeper into the classic TV show Twin Peaks and The City, a podcast about a garbage heap in Chicago, one that hides much darker problems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EDIT 12PM EDT: So, I found a few more clips that I've inserted, including one of Natalie playing a long section of Undertale after the Core, so if you want to avoid spoilers (or just getting really emotional) for Undertale stop listening after the gacha games segment!Hey y'all, Cado here! I've collected some of the funniest moments from our recording sessions for our 2018 end of year content. I usually start a backup recording way in advanced as we're getting warmed up and ready to go, and a lot of the time some hilarious shit goes down.After the ad break Natalie and Austin discuss which gacha game Austin should play! Happy New Year! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Time marches forward, as do video games. It used to be the case that video games went quiet after the holiday shopping period, but no more. Games like Resident Evil 2, Anthem, and Kingdom Hearts III are coming in the opening weeks and months of the new year, so it seemed like a good time for Austin, Patrick, and Rob to scroll through a likely inaccurate list of games coming in 2019 and speculate on what we’ll be playing in the future. Finally, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown can get its time in the sun. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rob and Patrick deserve a medal for hopping on a podcast by themselves and talking about video games instead of the NFL North champion Chicago Bears the entire time. Somehow, though, they assembled a list of 10 video games they played this year, and walked through what impressed them the most. There’s anime. There’s war. There’s smug vampires. There’s mountain climbing. Heck, we even talk about a bunch of games that didn’t make our lists. Oh, and we did talk about the Bears.Discussed: Celeste, Battletech, God of War, Vampyr, Spider Man, Tetris-Effect, Dead Cells, Monster Hunter World, Hollow Knight, Northgard, Frostpunk, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, Astro Bot, Mutant Year Zero, Foriza Horizon 4, Valkyria Chonicles 4, Amored Brigade Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2018, one game stood clear above the rest—at least for me. That is Subset Games tactical mech puzzler Into the Breach, a brilliant game of strategy, perfect information, and bleak narrative coherence. I wasn't the only one impressed by Subset's work: joining me to talk about how beautifully designed ITB is are Austin, Cado, and Natalie, all of whom had the game on their top ten list this year. We discuss the game's context in 2018, its subtleties of design, and our biggest triumphs (and heartbreaks) with the game's difficult-but-parsable action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

God. We. So... So here's the thing. We. Hrm. Incredibly deep breath.When we first discussed doing this new end of year format, one of the things we liked about the focus on podcast discussions was that they would be a tight, focused way to critically dig into our favorites while still keeping the discursive flexibility of conversation between friends. The plan was for each of these to be between 30 minutes and an hour long, regardless of if we were doing an episode on a single game or one on our respective top 10 lists.Natalie and I went for nearly three hours. Look.On the plus side: This means that we had ample time to dive into everything we wanted to talk about but didn't have the chance to yet this year. We talk Red Dead Redemption 2, the critical apparatus of the game's industry, and the terrible power of polish. We talk anime gacha games and the pull of comfort play. We talk about giant robots, queer bodies, and utopian ontologies. And, uh, we spent the final 45 minutes or so of the podcast going deep into Undertale spoiler territory.I guess what I'm saying is: Thank you for your patience. And enjoy?Discussed: Into the Breach, BattleTech, Monster Hunter: World, Hollow Knight, Hitman 2, Minit, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Sea of Thieves, No Man's Sky: NEXT, Heaven Will Be Mine, Picross 2, Ashen, Frozen Synapse 2, Slay the Spire, Valkyria Chronicles 4, Tetris Effect, Dead Cells, Undertale, Bloodborne, Danmachi Memoria Freize, Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4, Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7, Minecraft, Unexplored, Celeste Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don't you just the feeling of the sand beneath your feet and that lovely music made by the jingle of gold doubloons in your pockets? The roll of a great ship under your boots, and the sound of your crew's heels a-clicking as they dance a reel on the topdeck? But the call of the ​Sea of Thieves is unrelenting and like those skeleton crews of pirates long dead, your fate is a peripatetic existence to rival that of clever Odysseus. You'll long to point your toes for home, but you'd best stay ​en pointe ​because you never know when you'll have cross swords with another pirate or struggle against the tentacles of giant kraken. How could someone, hearing all of this, just kick back and say there's "not enough to do", or that ​Sea of Thieves ​was more a proof of concept than a full game? Let this crew of salty sea dogs, featuring Natalie, Austin, and Rob, discuss their unexpected love for ​Sea of Thieves ​with the Pirate Queen herself, Danika Harrod, in whose honor this episode description was composed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spoilers abound, including spoilers for Undertale and Deltarune! You've been warned!In today's 2018 wrap-up extravaganza, I had the pleasure of chatting with Cado about our personal top ten lists. We had plenty of solid overlap: Into the Breach, Life is Strange 2 (Episode 1), and Donut County all made appearances on both of our picks, as well as two games we each need to play (Dandara and The Return of Obra Dinn).Plus, we had fun being extremely on our respective bullshit, with my obsession for immersive sims and weird puzzle games/platformers and Cado's affinity for fighting games and Destiny. It's an all-out love fest for the games that made 2018 a little bit better.Discussed: Into the Breach, Life is Strange 2 (episode 1), Donut County, Destiny 2: Forsaken, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, All Our Asias, Dandara, Iconoclasts, Deltarune, Return of the Obra Dinn, BattleTech, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Monster Hunter: World, Hollow Knight, Prey: Mooncrash, Hitman 2, Minit, Assemblance: Oversight, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Mario Tennis Aces, Sea of Thieves, No Man's Sky: NEXT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The end of the year is nearly here—but it ain’t here yet. Even though we’ve basically figured out our game of the year lists and recorded dozens of hours of podcasts looking back on 2018, we managed to sneak in ooooooooone last podcast with Austin, Natalie, Patrick, Rob, and Danielle to talk about a bunch of games (Battlefield V! Gris! Below!) and take a few of your questions.Discussed: Battlefield V, Gris, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Below Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes, Hollow Knight was released in 2017. No, Waypoint doesn’t care. It wasn’t until Hollow Knight arrived on Switch earlier this year that Patrick, Austin, and Natalie fell head over insect heels (do insects have heels?) for a game that captured our attention and imagination. Is it any surprise, given the way games like Dark Souls were invoked when talking about Hollow Knight? But the Dark Souls comparison, while apt and important, sells a terrific and ambitious game short, and that’s where this conversation comes in, a chance to spend a long time remembering our terrifying adventures in the deepnest, a deep love for the respectful stag, and so much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Austin, Cado, and Rob nerd out over their shared love of BattleTech. With a discussion grounded in their own individual relationships and background to the franchise, the three MechWarriors revisit past glories, great moments, and consider the game's evolution over the course of the year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Few could have predicted a game about angsty teenagers would not only be good, but arguably an all-time classic. But lots of people, including lots at Waypoint, fell in love with Max Caulfield and Chloe Price during the first season of Life Is Strange. (In our canon, they kissed.) Life is Strange’s second season shifts the focus from Max and Chloe, reframing its themes of isolation and identity around an immigrant family in Seattle caught up in some serious shit. Only the first episode has been released, alongside an emotional prequel called The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, but it’s already captured the imaginations of Patrick, Cado, and Danielle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody at Waypoint was a Monster Hunter fan before Capcom dropped Monster Hunter: World at the start of this year, but for a feverish few weeks in January, everyone was hunting Anjanaths like our lives depended on it. January was a long time ago, but it didn’t take long for Austin, Natalie, and Patrick to remember how the long-running series finally clicked for them. We remember what worked—the nightmarish sense of scale, how weapons became critical to player identity, the deep satisfaction from connecting a well-timed hit—and what left us wanting—the endless grind, the unexplained systems, the uncomfortable colonization themes—and hoping Capcom finds way to address them in the game’s inevitable sequel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.