Old Game Plus

The final rooms of Metroid Prime, and the ending. Also: some discussion of the sequels, and of course, announcing our next game!

The Plasma Beam, the Omega Pirate, and artifact hunting. Also, the overall structure of the world map, and naming things.

We go from the Ice Beam to the X-Ray Visor, which involves a lot of running around the world, through an underwater tunnel, and one intense combat gauntlet in the Phazon Mines. Also some discussions of oddly-paced parts of this game.   Links: It's about to get scalding hot in The Sunchamber

Getting the Wave and Ice Beams and Thermal Visor, and fighting Thardus. Also: reimagining Samus's beams, problematic control setups, and the smell of cordite.

Finishing the first main exploration loop--past Flaahgra, a dip into Phendrana Drifts, and a return to the ship. Also: secrets in 3D vs. 2D games, the way the game teaches you things, and half-pipes.

A new game! The intro/tutorial and arrival at Tallon IV, comparisons to Super Metroid, and observations about the world. Also: games being too long, current events, and Samus being an extremely powerful lady.

Growing our cities bigger and getting into some other game mechanics: transportation, zone layouts, rewards. Also: the Takings Clause, the Laffer Curve, and the urban planning of Canberra. And at the end, announcing our next game!

We begin with SimCity background, and thoughts on what made such a good game out of such a mundane concept. Also a lot of tangents about Cities: Skylines, oil futures, the Big Dig, and how SimCity 2000 relates to current events.   Links: Maxis Business Simulations SimRefinery is rediscovered

We talk briefly about Final Fantasy 7, then head into the Fortress of Regrets. The engaging noncombat sequences, saving your friends, discovering yourself, and what it means to get the good ending. And of course, announcing our next game, starting in two weeks!

The sequence of quests from Curst all the way back to Sigil. Also, what it means to be Lawful Neutral, what it means to be Awful Neutral, and how every game has the weird rushed portion.

The Lower Ward, Clerk's Ward, and the first trip out of Sigil, to Ravel's Maze. Also side quests, the "normal" RPG combat dungeon, and men who are on fire.

Pharod's Quest and the Dead Nations, the Alley of Lingering Sighs, and introduction to the Lower Ward. Also various discussion of whom you can and/or should kill during this segment of the game.

Introduction to a new game! We discuss the world, controls, and initial mysteries of Planescape: Torment, as we get to know our way around the Mortuary and the Hive.

The last 4 normal levels and overall thoughts on the game, as well as a brief look at the secret levels, the multiplayer, cheats, and speedruns. Also, working as an evil corporation scientist, and narrowly avoiding a lecture on the Pythagorean theorem.

Finishing the St. Petersburg arc with Archives through Train. Also, the potential energy of James's watch, the most annoying square in the game, and excessively extolling the virtues of the Nintendo Power strategy guide.   Links: https://archive.org/details/007GoldenEyeNintendoPowerOfficialStrategyGuide/page/n99/mode/2up

Back from our illness-induced break, we revisit Goldeneye with a focus on its middle levels: Silo through Statue Park. Also: random maps in Age of Empires, "Watch? Magnet? Attract?", Sean Bean dies, and statues of Lenin.

We begin with the context for Goldeneye as a relatively unusual game that stands out from its time. Then discussion of the general game mechanics as we work through the first five levels. GDC retrospective by Martin Hollis

Turtle Rock, the Wind Fish, and the end of Link's Awakening! Also: random movies we think of while watching the ending, new additions to Mario Maker, and the occasional return of Bible references.   And of course, announcing our next game, planned to start 3 weeks from now!

The Face Shrine and Eagle's Tower dungeons. Also the Flying Rooster quest, the random appearance of one of Jay's favorite game characters, and Melissa's new favorite dungeon.

Angler's Tunnel and Catfish's Maw, as well the Marin quest and Ghost quest. Also, Link and Marin's understated romance, not playing the Color Dungeon, and of course, more discourse on how the dungeon maps look like things.