Rated Na

Matt and Ash bring you the daily updates from PAX as well as interviews with Kerbal Space Program, Klei Entertainment’s Incognita, Ralph Ineson from ACIV, Jazzpunk, Robot Loves Kitty’s Legend of Dungeon, and Casey Lynch from Midnight City. It is packed full of goodness so we hope you enjoy. Also a quick apology for some of the sound, most of the interviews were done sort of gorilla style on the showroom floor and we did our best to limit noise. Thanks for listening!

Miellyn stops by to hang out with the gang and talk about Strange Loves 2: Hex Boyfriends, the gamebook sequel to the most excellent Strange Loves: Vampire Boyfriends. On the weekend before the journey to the Pacific Northwest and PAX, Ash plays Saints Row IV and Hilary watches The White Queen. We talk Ben Affleck & Batman, Steve Ballmer & Microsoft and Heroes of Cosplay. Finally, we talk PAX panels and plans, in addition to the things for which you are most excite in our NAQOTW. It’s a hootenanny! Rated NA 118

The gang braves AFO. Ash plays Gone Home and sees Kick-Ass 2. Matt gets a bean-bag chair and an instant coffee maker. Scott plays Adera, and worries about open world gameplay. LETS GO NERD APPROPRIATE! Rated NA 117  

The gang gets caught up on their summer media piles. Ash plays Dragon’s Crown and catches up on HIMYM. Matt finishes Ready Player One and sees GI Joe: Retaliation. Scott closes in on a complete Mass trilogy achievement set and complains about save game integrity. Hilary works a lot and shows up late. Elysium is also discussed. Finally, Ash gets more than he bargains for with our NAQOTW about immortality. All roads lead to Seattle for PAX Prime! Rated NA 116

Its time again for the SDCC interview spectacular! This year, we steal a few minutes to talk to Jane Espenson & Brad Bell (Husbands), Marissa Meyer (author: Lunar Chronicles series), Oliver Vaquer (VA: Robert Lutece, BioShock Infinite), and Lizzy Caplan, Rob Benedict, Josh Meyers, & Jordan Peele (cast of The Sidekick). Rated NA 115

Matt, Hilary, and Ash return from San Diego with tales of SDCC 2013. (Course of the Force, The Sidekick, HIMYM, NERD HQ, Dark Horse, BioWare, Assassin’s Creed, Geek and Sundry, Falling Skies, The Supers, Ryse, Casting Directors Panel, Joss Whedon, Ender’s Game, Jane Espenson, The Visionaries) Rated NA 114

This week, we welcome Jessa Brezinski from Harmonix to talk about Dance Central’s summer fitness challenges, community management, life on the convention road, and nerdy hobbies. Be sure to keep an eye on @JessaBrez, @Dance_Central, and @FantasiaGame for the latest. I am loving it. Rated NA 113

It’s holiday in July as the gang gets back together to open mystery packages. We look forward to SDCC, talk about some personnel changes in the gaming industry, and the newest addition to Google StreetView. We take a look at White House Down, Best Friends Forever, Leviathan Wakes, and Copperhead. Finally, we talk with you about the strangest package you’ve ever opened in our NAQOTW. Ravenclaw! (Recorded July 6, 2013) Rated NA 112

Rated NA 111 We welcome the amazingly talented Brea Grant to the show to talk her new indie film, Best Friends Forever. We explore the KickStarter campaign that helped to fund the project, her directorial debut, acting, and more! Inspired by Best Friends Forever, we ask who you would bring along with you on a post-apocalyptic road trip in our NAQOTW! Get Best Friends Forever NOW on iTunes! [ HERE]

Abbie Heppe from Respawn Entertainment joins us to talk about Titanfall and the game’s big reveal at E3. Did you know that Abbie is tied to the origins of Nerd Appropriate? Hear the story and many other great tales in our interview. Lazer-pony! Rated NA 110

Fresh off the whirlwind that is E3, Ashly Burch drops in to talk about her experience at the show, High School Game of Thrones, and the upcoming Borderlands 2 DLC: Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. The gang also discusses their favorite game announcements from E3, with you in our NAQOTW! Rated NA 109

A regal bed within a mansion. On the weekend before E3, the gang is up early with guest, Miellyn. We talk a little about Titanfall, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and the great things coming to Geek Girl Con. We take a look at the XBLA title State of Decay, tabletop card game Food Fight, and indie title Gunpoint. Finally, we try to predict the most outlandish E3 announcement in our NAQOTW. Zomboni! Rated NA 108 Alternate podcast title: In bed with Miellyn Barrows.

The guys get together for a whole mess of gaming discussion: Borderlands 2, FUSE, D&D, Gears of War, Double Fine, KOTOR, The Starship Damrey, and Epic Spell Wars of the Battle Wizards: Duel at Mt. Skullzfyre. Seriously. Finally, we discuss the high standards we set for the NAQOTW and reach into the ol’ mail sack. Whew. Rated NA 107

The gang welcomes the voice behind Bioshock Infinite’s Elizabeth, the multi-talented Courtnee Draper, to the show. We talk about the balance between acting and law school, the passion that went into the realization of Elizabeth, answer listener questions, and discuss the merits of traveling through time and space. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did, and be sure to follow Courtnee on twitter (@Courtnee_Draper). “Here… Catch!” Rated NA 106

  The gang is back at full strength again to talk about the newly announced Xbox One. We give our reactions to the press event, talk about the features of the system, and try to make some sense of the Internet response. In the NAQOTW, you tell us ONE thing you liked and ONE thing you didn’t like about the new system. Rated NA 105 Alternate podcast title: Everything is amazing and nobody is happy  

On this episode we welcome the awesome Michael Biehn, whom you already know from such films as Terminator, Aliens, and Tombstone. We talk with Michael Biehn about movies, his directorial experience with The Victim, providing his voice to Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, and more. Also, Miellyn Barrows stops by to put up with Scott and Ash, while Matt and Hilary are out; and we told you so about ABC’s upcoming TV show, SHIELD. See the future. Rated NA 104

A slow news week can’t keep the gang down on this May the Fourth / Free Comic Book Day celebration. We talk Shadow of the Eternals, High Heavens, Dragon Age: World of Thedas, The Elite, Star Command, and Far Cry: Blood Dragon. Ash regales us with takes of D&D, and you tell us your go-to fantasy RPG class. Utini! Rated NA 103

The gang is back together again for the first regular podcast of the new Rated NA Century! We talk a little Hero Academy, Nintendo, New Xbox, Beyond: Two Souls, and Oxyana. We review Dark Arisen, Adera (ft. Ali Hillis) and Oblivion. SPOILER ALERT: Bioshock Infinite spoiler talk (54:20 – 1:08:07). Finally, a great NAQOTW where you tell us what you love about where you are! Wish you were here! Rated NA 102 Special thanks to @MrSlikk for the view on 102. Alternate podcast title: Beating the dragon.      

We welcome the awesome and talented Ali Hillis back to the podcast. Ali was one of our very first interviews way back in early 2011 ( _linkage ) _, and for some reason she actually kept in touch. This time around she takes us through her origin story, how she got into acting and video games, and her love of animal rescue. Our chat concludes in a rapid fire session we call the _Lightning _round… get it?! If you’re a fan of Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Star Craft, Kid Icarus, Gears of War, or FUSE then you’re probably already a fan of Ali. Finally, Rated NA responds to a challenge of our PC gaming cred. By the goddess! Rated NA 101 If you’re a fan of Ali like we are, make sure you follow her on Twitter @missalihillis and harass her on a regular basis.

Episode 100 ! What else is there to say? I couldn’t be more proud of how far we’ve come, more astonished that people listen… and continue to listen, and more energized for what we’ve yet to create. We forego the usual shenanigans to answer your questions about everything and anything Nerd Appropriate, and look back at the last 100 episodes. Also, in our NAQOTW, your responses to our signature question (we answer it too). Thank you for all of your tweets, likes, comments, and continued support, it means more to us than we can ever express in words. Rated NA 100   Bonus: Haven’t deciphered our thinly veiled references to a certain character from a certain sci-fi film? Enjoy this bonus cover art, courtesy of @pL4tiNumfi5t