Yo Videogames

We have a special guest! Mike is one of the badass trail blazers from Easy Allies. They're the group of Game Trailers guys that turned to Patreon after Defy Media laid everyone off. He's been in the media aspect of the gaming industry for 8 plus years. Today we talk about the transition from corporate network to independent journalism as well as Zelda, magic, NX rumor comparisons, and speed running. The last half hour we get more in depth into Easy Allies, and the challenges they face. It's an interesting talk, and a lot of fun, so sit back and get in on this! Follow Mike on Twitter @mbdamiani Check out the Easy Allies website!   BTW: I had to get Mike's audio levels set properly on the fly, I apologize for the peaking and distortion at the beginning. 

Let's go down a rabbit hole to get caught up and lost in some Gamescom highlights. We get into RE7, Mafia 3, Nioh, and Nier. We also spend time with Red Dead theories. It's another long one, so grab a snack, and let's skip to the third date where we make sweet love to your ear holes. 

No Man's Sky has been polarizing upon its release. I didn't follow the game at all and I guess that's a blessing because thus far I really like it. I have some criticism but nothing major. Now that I hear there was supposed to be multiplayer, Starships to explore, and portals to find I realize why everyone is so mad. None of that exists as of now. Matt still has no interest, but I think he would get five or six hours of enjoyment from it. After that we move onto FFXV. It's been delayed and I can't understand why anyone cares. Personally I think it's an overcooked game and has very little chance of being any better than okay. Matt thinks it'll be an 8 out of 10 and has good reasons to back it up so there is still hope. Honestly, if you love Final Fantasy, you're going to love the game no matter what. Today's episode is long as hell. Cards on the table: there are some tangents and I didn't pay attention to the time. We'll be back to our usual 1 hour episodes next week but hopefully you enjoy the weird this week

This year marks big anniversaries for various beloved franchises. The problem is, there seems to be a distinct lack of recognition from most companies. Except Sega (Whhaaaa?) & Capcom. We talk some history, & shoot ideas for revitalizing these franchises! Strap in dudes, this is a long one. (Ha puns)

Let's talk small developers and publishers! When it comes to smaller / low budget games it can be fifty/fifty on quality. That being said, smaller developers have the freedom to explore subjects and gameplay major publishers find too niche. We round out the episode with what hooks us on games and then finish up by answering listener questions. As always when you ask, we do our best to answer! Shine on!

I missed out on a lot of stuff while dealing with family emergencies. Matt's going to fill me in on what I missed. So this might be our first episode without a single subject. Thanks for your patience, and support during my horrid week. This isn't a normal episode but this is a pretty normal conversation. Around an hour in we start getting into KILLING JOKE SPOILERS, so be careful if that matters to you. Shine on dudes!

We are back fresh from EVO 2016! Here's our favorite moments, thoughts on the event, and speculation as to how it can improve and grow in the future! I messed up though guys. I left the previous settings while recording another project and so Matt's channel is up a little louder than normal. He clips a few times and there is distortion. It's not terribly often, but forgive me. I am getting better with all this and I thank you guys for your patience while I learn. Shine on!

What is it that makes mobile so successful? If Pokemon Go continues to do this well, and is followed up by Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem mobile... Will Nintendo be incentivized to jump deeper into mobile? If the NX ends up being weak and gimmicky I can only assume Nintendo will look to the growing mobile trend in Japan as a sign to move out of consoles. Matt is scared that's going to happen. Honestly though, I'm not sure it'd be a bad thing. Come hang out and find out!

We're back to our evergreen episodes: today we dig into some history! We talk Western game development, pong, the 70's, and which on elf us is Smokey, and which one of us is Bandit! This is our second episode on the new equipment and I continue to tweak and play to get the best settings. I'm still working on soundproofing, so today you are treated to the soft barks of my neighbors dog yet again. Enjoy and don;t forget to let us know what you think!

First episode on the new equipment! Thank you so much to everyone that donated. Donations accounted for close to half the cost of the new equipment. Honestly guys any support, monetary or otherwise, means the world to us. Anyway, here is our final thoughts on E3: our best in show, disappointments and surprises. Shine on!

Kickstarter has been discussed here before, but now we have some updates on Mighty Number 9. There is a lot of promise to consumer funded games when you consider Game developers are no longer beholden to conservative and often baffling publishers. Things can get shady though, and we dive into that today.

Overwatch is Blizzard's arcade shooter. Already beloved, Matt and I wonder if that will last and discuss what makes Overwatch so popular. Then we talk Rule 34. So... There's that. It's gonna get weird guys. Shine on!

Dood! What is best in life? Emotional experience or gameplay experience? Is the emotional roller coaster what draws you to a game or makes you love it? Or is it the gameplay itself, the running, gunning, adventure, and puzzles that do it for you? Today we talk this and more about Uncharted 4 vs Doom (2016)!

Gaming Events like E3, and Playstation Experience are popular now but where did they come from and where are they going? We talk past, present and what we hope will be the future of gaming conventions and tournaments. 

Let's talk Game Melons! That doesn't mean boobies (though it could). No, we're talking about games we loved in the day but did not age well. For what ever reason you go back now and the game does't hold up. I dump on a couple of big games here, but trust that I did it from a place of love. Shine on!

  Star Fox Zero was a let down in Matt's opinion. Granted he has been expecting this since playing the game at E3 last year. He has some good to say about the game, but overall found it a groan worthy experience. This sparked a conversation about aging franchises and how to revitalize them or if they even can/should be revitalized. Let us know what your thoughts!   Shine on!

Platinum Games! They were born from Capcom's Clover Studios, where they made off beat action games. After cutting ties with Capcom 10 years ago, they became one of the hardest working and most consistent studios in the business! Let's talk history, best games, and some nonsense to celebrate their ten years in the business and my first retro coach of Bayonetta!

Fandoms and communities in the gaming world come with their own intricacies, rules, etiquette and quirks. Do they add value to gaming in general? Are they valuable to game developers and publishers? Are they ignored? Matt has had his run ins with hard core fans losing their collective heads over one of his opinions. I on the other hand have had almost entirely good times with the different communities I've run into or hung out with. I don't know if I'd consider myself involved in any of them, but I do think I am a part of them in some way. Matt and I get into the quirks and values of gaming communities. Let us know your experiences on Twitter or Youtube!   Shine on!

Today's episode was born of the recent Rockstar debacle involving one of it's star producers. We take a minute to go into exactly what it is that producers do in the game industry, before discussing the details of this particular snafu. It makes us wonder just what will happen to the upcoming Red Dead game and what Rockstar's fate will be over all. Check it out!   Shine on!

With the news surrounding Final Fantasy 15, it was time we talked about our favorite RPGs. Be they action or turn based (or in Matt's case John Cena based). Do you have a favorite RPG? Was it the first you ever played? Is it the standard by which you judge all other RPGs? We hit that and more in this week's episode!   Shine on!