Old Game Plus

The Bottle Grotto and Key Cavern dungeons, as well as their interstitial quests (rescuing BowWow and retrieving the five Golden Leaves).  Also, Jay gives a math lecture, reprising the topic of Link's left-handedness, and the use of dogs in Breath of the Wild.

We visit the Zelda franchise for the second time on this show. Background on its place in Zelda mythology, the arrival at Koholint Island, and the first dungeon. Also, claw games, rupees, and racoons.

In the first hour of this episode, the usual 3 hosts discuss our initial reactions to Tecmo Bowl, and its hybrid nature of football realism and arcade-style fun.  In the second hour, Jay and Melissa are joined by Brad and Nate from Tecmo Bowl vs. RBI, who talk about what they've learned playing this game in competitions for many years.   As a reminder, our next episode will be in three weeks (October 7), where we'll begin The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening!

We visit an old NES/SNES obsession of Melissa's, a puzzle game where you have to move the blocks around manually. Up next: Tecmo Bowl!

The first of our one-shot NES episodes, we discuss both the original game, and some of the changes in the recent remake Blaster Master Zero. Also: game manuals, savegames, and Francium.

The final boss, and closing thoughts on Dark Souls! The story and endings, player challenges, and subsequent games. Also, revisiting old WoW achievements and Final Fantasy 7 spoilers.   Links: The final 15min of Jay's no-death run, including a bit of an AI loop on Gwyn Happyhob's clear of all 3 Souls games with no hits taken

The DLC content, including some of the more memorable boss fights now in the game, an encounter with a dog, the fourth Great Soul, the remaining optional boss, and some miscellaneous mechanics.

The third Great Soul, and the hidden Painted World.   Links: Jay on "Don't Give Up, Skeleton" Our friend Qelric with Souls-inspired art Dark Souls art fan zine

We tackle two of the four endgame branches and recover the great souls of Seath the Scaleless and the Witch of Izalith. Also, scallops, and the Game of Thrones effect.

Two of most memorable levels, Sen's Fortress and Anor Londo, the notorious fight against Ornstein and Smough, and Melissa turning the corner on feeling good at this game.

We spend most of this episode traversing the infamous Blighttown, with its perilous ledges and poison snipers. Also some talk about the approach to learning combat and bosses in this game.   Next episode, in two weeks, should go approximately through the famous boss fight against Ornstein and Smough.   Links: Game director Miyazaki quote about creature design A Basilisk. Note the tiny eyes just above the mouth.

As we go from Undead Parish to the Depths, we focus more on the game's levels and early enemies. Also the humanity of rats, and how all games are variants of DDR.   Next episode, in two weeks, should take us through ringing the second Bell or slightly beyond.

We jump into a new game with discussion that focuses mainly on Dark Souls's emotional design and what it's trying to encourage from the player, the opaque nature of its stats and systems, and the introductory areas and bosses.

Discussing the remainder of the game's second act, some of its most notable bosses, and our overall critiques of this level and the game as a whole.  And of course, re-announcing our next game!

Finishing Act 1 (again), this time with the secrets that unlock the game's hidden second act, and exploring what the new area looks like.

We explore the remainder of the game's first act, including some hidden areas and items, Alucard's nightmare, and the first "ending" that can be found.

Our initial impressions of Symphony of the Night! Background, basic movement and control, early combat, and exploring the first few areas through Underground Caverns.

Many topics in our final episode on Final Fantasy Tactics: briefly revisiting the comparison to Into the Breach, the closing battles of Chapter 4, the ending, the resolution of the major characters, mentioning the side quests, and a bit about player-made challenges.   And, in a twist--announcing our next two games!

Brief discussion of the 2018 tactical game Into the Breach, then the bulk of Chapter 4--Limberry Castle and sealing Elmdor's gear, the brothers reunite at Igros Castle, and everyone proceeds towards a showdown at Mullonde.  The Calculator, Samurai, and Ninja jobs, the pacing and encounter design of chapter 4 as a whole, some of the game's more obscure ways of obtaining items.

Meeting Rafa and Malak, diving into the events and battles at Riovanes Castle, and meeting up with the legendary fighter Orlandu. Also some discussion of the stats and mechanics of the game, and builds that overpower the late game.