The Joy of Gaming Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Joy of Gaming
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Thirty
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Early-Game Impressions
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we are traveling to Post-Upheaval Hyrule to explore the surface, the sky and the unfathomable depths of what is quite possibly the most anticipated game release in recent memory. Because after 6 years of waiting, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is finally here, and we couldn’t be more excited to discuss our early-game impressions in this episode.
We start our discussion relatively spoiler-free, by looking at all of the new features of TOTK, including the completely reworked new arsenal of abilities - Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend and Recall - and the three expansive biomes, including the reworked surface, as well as the brand new sky islands and the underground depths. Then we head into full spoilers, including the story beats and characters we’ve encountered, some important tips and tricks, and the weapons, abilities, shrines, temples and quests we’ve each experienced thus far.
Also on this episode: we cover the latest physical game releases - including some new announcements from Limited Run Games and Super Rare Games - and all of the latest games coming to Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus between now and the end of May.
Run of Show:
00:01 - Podcast Primer
01:13 - Intro and “What’re you buying?”
18:59 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner (Limited Run Games, Super Rare Games)
34:34 - Rich’s Digital Picks (Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus)
52:04 - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Early-Game Impressions
- Spoiler-Free Impressions
- Initial thoughts (and how far are we, what have we done so far)
- What’s the same, what’s different?
- Major New Mechanics (Ultrahand, Ascend, Fuse, Recall)
- New Biomes (Surface, Sky, Depths)
- --SPOILERS START AT 1:34:35--
- Story impressions so far
- Quests and Strategies
- Final Thoughts
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-Nine
The Top 10 Best Games for the Nintendo GameCube
On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we continue our journey to select “The Top 10 Best Games (for Every Console)”. This time, we’re celebrating the Nintendo GameCube - a misunderstood masterpiece of a console that was once derided as a huge misstep for Nintendo, but has now become one of the most beloved and popular consoles to collect for (with sky-high software prices to prove it).
And while the console itself had a fun and childlike vibe - classically sporting a purple color scheme, a cute handle on the back, and tiny little mini-DVDs to house its games - very few consoles can boast such a concise, impressive library of true classics. From Luigi’s Mansion and Super Mario Sunshine, to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Resident Evil 4, Metroid Prime, Pikmin and so many more - the GameCube either birthed or reinvented some of the world’s greatest franchises, and these days its finally getting its due.
Our job for this episode is to create the Ultimate Top 10 list of Nintendo GameCube Games that we’d recommend - to gamers both new and old - who want to experience the absolute best that the console has to offer. So if you haven’t experienced the GameCube for yourself, we’re here to recommend the 10 best places to start. And if you are already well-versed, join us for this wonderful trip down memory lane.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
- How do we choose the Top 10?
02:44 - The History of the Nintendo GameCube
- History of the GameCube (Project Dolphin!)
- The GameCube Controller (and the WaveBird!)
- Notable GameCube Peripherals (Donkey Kong Bongos! GameBoy Player!)
- Our Histories with the GameCube
36:09 - The Best GameCube Games: #6-10
1:05:08 - The Best GameCube Games: #1-5
1:37:58 - Honorable Mentions and Final Thoughts
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-Eight
Xbox’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week - Redfall Impressions, Phil Spencer Interview, CMA Blocks Acquisition & More
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we discuss the biggest news story in gaming: Xbox’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week. From the semi-disastrous release of Redfall on Game Pass and PC, to the CMA’s blocking of the Activision/Blizzard/King acquisition, to Phil “Cranky Phil” Spencer’s surprisingly candid interview on KindaFunny about the future of the Xbox brand - this is a week that the game industry will be talking about for many years to come.
We look back on this past week from a variety of angles, analyzing some of Phil Spencer’s most candid and revealing quotes, and even offering our own, unbiased review impressions of Redfall - the game at the center of the firestorm. Spoiler: it may not be quite as bad as you’ve heard.
Also on this episode, we discuss our early impressions of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Trinity Trigger, the latest digital releases on Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus, and the most interesting physical games releases and announcements from Limited Run Games, Super Rare, IAm8Bit and PlayAsia. It’s a jam-packed 2.5 hours, and we’re really glad you’re here.
Run of Show:
00:01 - Podcast Trailer
01:35 - Intro and “What’re you buying?”
17:02 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Phil Spencer’s Interview on Kinda Funny
- CMA Blocks Activision Blizzard Acquisition
- Sony is Breaking Records with PS5 Sales
- PixelOpus Studio is Closing
- The Worst Zelda Game Gets New Life…on GameBoy?
01:22:05 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner (Limited Run Games, Super Rare Games)
01:32:52 Rich’s Digital Picks (Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus)
01:51:05 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Early Impressions)
- Redfall (Impressions After 10 Hours)
- Trinity Trigger
02:27:24 - What We’re Playing Next / Outro
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-Seven
The Legend of Zelda: Retrospective and Complete Series Chronology (Preparing for Tears of the Kingdom)
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On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we are getting ready for The Legend of Zelda:Tears of the Kingdom in the most complete way we could think of: by looking back and tracing the entire chronology of The Legend of Zelda series. We track the series’ origins on the NES all the way through Breath of the Wild on Switch, discussing each game in release order and also exploring its place in the overall series chronology. So if you have always wondered how the various mainline Zelda titles are connected, this episode has the answers.
After all, in 2013, two years after the release of Skyward Sword, Nintendo released the Hyrule Historia, from Dark Horse Books - an epic tome that finally revealed the official order of events for every game in the Zelda franchise. So for our journey, we start with this book, first walking through the three branching paths of the timeline at a high-level before zooming-in to see where each mainline game fits into the overarching narrative.
And once we understand the chronology at a high-level, we travel back to 1986 and the original The Legend of Zelda to begin our complete series retrospective, game-by-game and memory-by-memory. So join us, as we celebrate one of the most storied franchises in all of gaming, and prepare for the next epic chapter in Link and Zelda’s adventures.
Run of Show:
00:00 - Introductions / Our History with the Series
10:39 - Background - The Legend of Zelda Chronology Explained (Hyrule Historia)
- Legend of the Gods and the Hero of Time
- The Hero is Successful
- Adult Era / Ganondorf Sealed
- Child Era / The Sacred Realm Protected
- The Hero is Defeated
- The Hero is Successful
21:58 - The Legend of Zelda - Series Retrospective
Mainline Series in Release Order:
- The Legend of Zelda (JP - Famicom Disk System - The Hyrule Fantasy: Zelda no Densetsu - 1986; NA & PAL - NES - 1987; Battery save version in Japan - Famicom - 1994)
- NES Classic Series (Gameboy Advance; JP, NA, PAL - 2004)
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (JP - Famicom Disk System - 1987; NA & PAL - NES - 1988)
- NES Classic Series (Gameboy Advance; JP & NA - 2004; PAL - 2005)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES; JP - 1991; NA & EU - 1992)
- Gameboy Advance w/ Four Swords (NA - 2002; JP & EU - 2003); Four Swords Re-released on DSiWare (Four Swords Anniversary Ed. - 2011)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Gameboy; JP, NA, EU - 1993)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX (Gameboy Color; JP & NA - 1998; EU - 1999)
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Remake for Switch - 2019)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64 - 1998; iQue Player (CHN) - 2003)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest (GameCube; JP - 2002; NA, EU & AU - 2003) - Two-Game Bonus Disc!
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS - 2011)
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64 - 2000)
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (3DS - 2015)
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages (Gameboy Color - 2001)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GameCube; JP - 2002; NA, EU & AU - 2003)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (Wii U - 2013)
- The Legend of Zelda Collector’s Edition - Promotional Disc (GameCube - 2003)
- Includes 4 Classic Games! (The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II, Ocarina of Time, and Majora’s Mask)
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GameCube; JP & NA - 2004; EU & AU - 2005)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Gameboy Advance; JP & EU - 2004; NA & AU - 2005)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii - Nov. 2006; GameCube - Dec. 2006; Nvidia Shield TV (CHN) - 2017)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (Wii U - 2016)
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS - 2007)
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS - 2009)
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii - 2011)
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (Switch - 2021)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS - 2013)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS - 2015)
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U & Switch - 2017)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch - May 12, 2023)
02:22:30 - The Legend of Zelda - Spin Off Titles
02:26:50 - Final Questions and Thoughts
- When did Nintendo Really Start Thinking about the Official Timeline?
- Recommended Games to Play First
- What a Journey
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-Six
Final Fantasy XVI State of Play, Nintendo Indie World, Redfall Hype Check, RE4 Remake Final Thoughts
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we’re in that “in-between period” - just after Resident Evil 4 Remake, and just before Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Tears of the Kingdom - but there is still a lot of exciting happenings in the gaming world. Case in point: Redfall is launching next week (though the pre-release hype is a bit underwhelming). We also got a brand new Sony State of Play for Final Fantasy XVI, and Nintendo held their latest IndieWorld Showcase which included some cool new info about Oxenfree 2, Blasphemous 2, and many more interesting titles.
And speaking of RE4 Remake, we still have more to say about this incredible GOTY contender, especially the final third of the game set on the Ganados-and-Krauser-infested island. We also talk about some of the other games we’ve been playing, like Super Paper Mario, Paper Mario Color Splash, Syberia, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, and more. And as always, our bi-weekly segments - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner and Rich’s Digital Picks - are here to keep you up to speed on what’s new and exciting across the industry.
Run of Show:
00:01 - Podcast Trailer
01:35 - Intro and “What’re you buying?” (GameStop’s “Hidden Retro List”)
22:48 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Nintendo IndieWorld Showcase
- Sony Acquires a New AAA Studio
- Support Ending for Media Molecule’s Dreams
- Rumored Remakes (Jet Set Radio, Persona 3, Paper Mario: TTYD, more)
- State of Play: Final Fantasy XVI Impressions
- Nintendo Reveals where Tears of the Kingdom Will Begin
01:26:11 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner (Limited Run Games, Super Rare Games)
01:45:56 Rich’s Digital Picks (Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus)
02:04:35 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Resident Evil 4 Remake (The Island and Final Impressions)
- Super Paper Mario and Paper Mario: Color Splash
- Syberia
- Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
02:46:28 - What We’re Playing Next / Outro
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-Five
The Top 10 Best Games for the Nintendo 64
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we continue our journey to select “The Top 10 Best Games (for Every Console)”, and this time we’re turning our gaze to the Nintendo 64 - a beloved but also controversial console that revolutionized the gaming space and provided the definitive roadmap for what 3D gaming could be. But along with its bona fides as a groundbreaking piece of tech, the N64 was unfortunately held back by a weird controller, a lack of 3rd-party support, and the baffling decision to stick with game cartridges over optical media. But regardless, the N64 is a system that has endured, and that’s thanks in large part to games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, GoldenEye 007, and many, many more.
Our goal for this episode is to create the ultimate list of N64 games that we’d recommend to gamers - both new and old - who want to experience the absolute best that the console has to offer. And although the N64 doesn’t have a huge library, there were still more than enough amazing experiences for us to have trouble narrowing things down. So if you haven’t experienced the N64 for yourself, we’re here to recommend the 10 best places to start. And if you are already well-versed, join us for this wonderful trip down memory lane.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction and History of the N64
- How does this series work?
- Personal Histories with the N64
- History of the N64
- Notable N64 Peripherals
33:10 - The Top 10 Best Games for The Nintendo 64
01:18:23 - Honorable Mentions and Stories Behind the Games
01:33:40 - Closing Words and Social Media
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-Four
Resident Evil 4 Remake Review, Tears of the Kingdom Gameplay Reveal Breakdown
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we review Capcom’s new reimagining of one of the greatest games ever made in any genre - Resident Evil 4 Remake. We wade deep into the Village, the Castle and the Island, discussing our overall thoughts on the game, talking about the new and returning game mechanics, breaking down the various differences from the original, and weighing in on whether or not this remake is now the definitive way to experience RE4.
We also discuss Nintendo’s recent Tears of the Kingdom gameplay reveal, including our thoughts on each of the various new game mechanics that were shown - like Fuse, Ascend, Ultrahand and Recall - and our overall takeaways and theories on how this new game will take the Breath of the Wild formula to grand new heights (quite literally). And as always, our bi-weekly segments - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner and Rich’s Digital Picks - are here to keep you up to speed on what’s new and exciting across the industry.
Run of Show:
00:01 - Podcast Introduction
01:35 - Welcome and Latest Pick-ups (“What’re you buying?”)
23:13 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- New TMNT Game Based on “The Last Ronin”
- Atari Buys NightDive Studios
- E3 is Canceled (the End of an Era?)
- Tears of the Kingdom Gameplay Reveal Breakdown
54:49 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner (Limited Run Games, Special Reserve, More)
1:11:30 Rich’s Digital Picks (Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus)
1:24:33 - Resident Evil 4 Remake - Review, Part 1 (Spoiler-Free)
1:43:40 - Resident Evil 4 Remake - Review, Part 2 (Full Spoilers)
2:25:47 - What We’re Playing Next / Outro
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-Three
The Top 10 Best Games for the SNES
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we continue our journey to select “The Top 10 Best Games (for Every Console)”, and this time we’re turning our gaze to Nintendo’s sophomore release in the home console market, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES. Our job as always is to create the ultimate list of games that we’d recommend to gamers new and old who want to experience the absolute best that the console has to offer, but choosing just 10 games from the SNES library just may prove an impossible task. After all, these are some of the greatest games ever made.
From The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, to Super Metroid, to Super Mario World and so many more - it’s difficult to overstate the impact, legacy and historical significance of the SNES library. And although the console and its library hold a crucial place in gaming history, all of these games also hold up tremendously well today. So if you haven’t experienced the joy of the SNES for yourself, we’re here to recommend the 10 best places to start. And if you are already well-versed in the SNES’s catalog, join us for the celebration, and then let us know what games you would recommend that we have missed or simply didn’t make the excruciating cut.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction / History of the SNES
28:15 - The Top 10 Best Games for The SNES
- Sharing our individual Top 10 Lists
- Honorable Mentions and Stories
- Assembling the TJOG Official Top 10 List
01:38:49 - The Final List is Revealed (after all deliberations)
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-Two
Resident Evil Retrospective: Resident Evil (PS1) to Resident Evil 4 Remake (PS5/XSX)
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we prepare for Resident Evil 4 Remake in the only way that seemed fitting: by taking a look back at the entire Resident Evil franchise and celebrating the massive impact this game has had. After all, Capcom’s series brought the term “survival horror” into existence, creating a brand new game genre and then evolving their own formula with each and every subsequent entry. It’s quite a legacy, and one that remains stronger than ever.
We discuss the entire game series - from the first entry on Playstation (Resident Evil), through the many sequels, re-releases and remakes on Gamecube and PS2 (Resident Evil GC Remake, Resident Evil 4, etc.), to the most recent modern entries, including the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3, and the move to first-person with RE7: Biohazard and RE Village - and it’s a heck of a journey. We even take time to acknowledge Sweet Home - an obscure Famicom horror title never released in the US that nonetheless played a crucial role in inspiring the Resident Evil series.
Run of Show:
00:01 - Intro / Editor’s Note
01:04 - Resident Evil Retrospective
- Resident Evil (PS1 - 1996; PC, Sega Saturn - 1997)
- Resident Evil: Director’s Cut (PS1 - 1997)
- Resident Evil: Director’s Cut (Greatest Hits Dual Shock Version, PS1 - 1998)
- Resident Evil REmake (GameCube - 2002; Remaster: PS3, PS4, Win, X360, XBO - 2015; Switch - 2019)
- Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil (Wii - 2009)
- Resident Evil: Deadly Silence (DS - 2006)
- Resident Evil 2 (PS1 - 1998; N64, PC - 1999; Dreamcast - 2000, GameCube - 2003)
- Resident Evil 2 Remake (PS4, XBO, PC - 2019; PS5, XBSX|S, Switch, Amazon Luna - 2022)
- Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS1 - 1999; Dreamcast, PC - 2000, GameCube - 2003)
- Resident Evil 3 Remake (PS4, XBO, PC - 2020; PS5, XBSX|S, Switch, Amazon Luna - 2022)
- Resident Evil – Code: Veronica (Dreamcast - 2000)
- Resident Evil: Code Veronica X (PS2 - 2001; Gamecube - 2003; PS3, X360 - 2011)
- Resident Evil 0 (GameCube - 2002; Remaster: PS3, PS4, X360, XBO, PC - 2016, Switch - 2019)
- Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil 0 (Wii - 2009)
- Resident Evil 4 (GameCube - Jan, 2005; PS2 - October, 2005; PC, Wii - 2007; iOS, Zeebo (BR) - 2009; PS3, X360 - 2011; Android - 2013; PS4, XBO - 2016; Switch - 2019; Oculus Quest 2 (VR) - 2021)
- Resident Evil 4 Remake (PS4, PS5, XBSX|S, PC - 2023)
- Resident Evil 5 (PS3, X360, PC - 2009 / Gold Edition - 2010; PS4, XBO, Shield Android TV - 2016; Switch - 2019)
- Resident Evil Revelations (3DS - 2012; PS3, X360, PC, WiiU - 2013; PS4, XBO, Switch - 2017)
- Resident Evil 6 (PS3, X360 - 2012; PC - 2013; PS4, XBO - 2016; Switch - 2019)
- Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Episodes 1-4: PS3, PS4, X360, XBO, PC - Feb-Mar 2015, Retail version: PS3, PS4, Vita, X360, XBO, PC - 2015; Switch - 2017)
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (PS4, XBO, PC - 2017; Amazon Luna - 2020; Stadia - 2021; PS5, XBSX|S, Switch - 2022)
- Resident Evil VIllage (PS4, PS5, XBO, XBSX|S, PC, Stadia - 2021; macOS, Switch - 2022)
- Spin-offs
03:02:09 - Conclusion / What's Coming Next
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Twenty-One
Sea of Stars Demo, Resident Evil 4 Remake Reviews, Preparing for the Nintendo eShop Closing, and Remembering Lance Reddick
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we try to keep our anticipation for Resident Evil 4 Remake in check a bit longer as we discuss the latest gaming news, including RE4 reviews, our preparations for the closing of the Nintendo eShop for Wii U and 3DS, rumors of a potential new Castlevania game from Konami (thanks Dead Cells) and the incredibly sad passing of actor Lance Reddick, an absolute giant of the games industry. We also discuss the stellar Sea of Stars Demo, Brandon’s continuing adventures in Octopath Traveler 2, Rich’s not-so-triumphant return to Final Fantasy XIV, our thoughts on Metroid Prime Remastered, and the latest release announcements for Game Pass, Playstation Plus and from Limited Run Games.
Run of Show:
00:01 - Podcast Trailer
01:35 - Intro Segment (RE4 Remake Hype)
09:40 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Dead Cells helps Konami Wake Up RE: Castlevania
- New Gameboy and NES Games coming to Switch Online
- Nintendo eShop Closing March 27 - Our Preparations and Recommendations
- Lance Reddick’s Passing
29:19 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner (Limited Run Games, Special Reserve, More)
39:40 Rich’s Digital Picks (Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus)
50:39 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Sea of Stars Demo
- Octopath Traveler II
- Final Fantasy XIV: Online
- Metroid Prime Remastered
01:43:22 - What We’re Playing Next / Outro
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode TwentySuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Final Fantasy XVI, Resident Evil 4: Chainsaw Demo & more
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we discuss some of the biggest bombshells dropped on the gaming world in the past few weeks, including our insane disappointment in the live-service/looter-shooter nature of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the news that Final Fantasy XVI has dropped the series’ turn-based roots entirely in favor of Devil-May-Cry-5-esque action, the announcement of Elden Ring story DLC “Shadow of the Erdtree” and so much more.
We also talk about some of the games we’ve been playing recently, including Octopath Traveler II, Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Atomic Heart, the new Resident Evil 4: Chainsaw Demo, and round out the proceedings with a look at all the newest releases for Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus, and a rundown of everything new and notable coming from Limited Run Games, Fangamer, Super Rare Games and iam8bit. Whew! This is a mega-sized episode, and it’s filled to bursting with video games and strong opinions.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
06:16 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Hitman Developer IO Making a Fantasy Game
- Shinji Mikami Leaves His Own Company
- Beyond Good and Evil 2: More Turmoil
- Forspoken Developer Luminous Merged Into Square Enix
- Elden Ring DLC “Shadow of the Erdtree” Announced
- Sony State of Play February 2023: Everything Announced
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Reveal Impressions
- Final Fantasy XVI Gameplay Reveal Impressions
02:07:34 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner (Limited Run Games, Special Reserve, More)
02:21:57 Rich’s Digital Picks (Xbox GWG and PS Plus Releases)
02:43:02 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line
- Octopath Traveler II
- Final Fantasy IX
- Final Fantasy XIV: Online
- Atomic Heart
- Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
- Resident Evil 4: Chainsaw Demo
03:48:32 - What We’re Playing Next / Outro
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode NineteenThe Top 10 Best Games for the NES
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we kick off a brand new series called “The Top 10 Best Games (for Every Console)” and the name kind of says it all. In each episode, we will pick a classic video game console and work together to assemble a definitive list of the 10 Best - and most essential - games that we think everyone should play in order to appreciate what that console was all about. And of course, we’re starting with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES): the console that started it all for video games as a mainstream medium.
From The Legend of Zelda, to Super Mario Bros. to Contra and so many more - the amazing collection of games released for the NES ignited our life-long passion for the medium, and many of these games still hold up to this day. So if you haven’t experienced the joy of the NES for yourself, we’re here to recommend the 10 best places to start. And if you are already well-versed in the NES’s catalog, join us for the celebration, and then let us know what games you would recommend as absolute essentials.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction / History of the NES
26:25 - The Top 10 Best Games for The NES
- Individual Top 10 Lists
- Honorable Mentions
- Assembling the TJOG Official Top 10 List
01:42:19 - The Final List is Revealed! (after all deliberations)
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode EighteenFebruary Nintendo Direct and Hogwarts Legacy
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we take a swim through the ocean of gaming riches presented by Nintendo at this month’s February Nintendo Direct. From the announcement of Metroid Prime Remastered, to Pikmin 4, to the latest trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and trailers for so many exciting indie games, there’s A LOT to talk about. We also discuss Rich’s early impressions of the gaming phenomenon that is Hogwarts Legacy, cover Brandon’s final thoughts on Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, and conduct our usual tour of all the latest games coming to Game Pass, PS Plus and from various limited physical media publishers including Limited Run Games, Super Rare Game, PlayAsia, and more.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
03:36 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Ghost Story Games’ Judas is coming…by March 2025
- Nintendo Switch Passes PS4 and GameBoy in Lifetime Sales
27:27 - February Nintendo Direct: News, New Releases, Trailers and More
01:37:13 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner (Limited Run Games, Special Reserve, More)
01:50:39 - Rich’s Digital Picks (Xbox GWG and PS Plus Releases)
02:12:05 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Hogwarts Legacy (First ⅓)
- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VI Reunion (Completed)
03:03:48 - What We’re Playing Next / Outro
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode SeventeenDead Space Remake, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, and The Last of Us: Part 1
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we’re back after the winter break and our GOTY episode, and a lot has happened in the game industry since our last regular episode. There’s been some interesting news about this year’s E3 Expo - as well as the Resident Evil 4 Remake and its lack of QTEs - but probably the biggest story of the past few weeks was the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase, where Microsoft shared news on Starfield and Redfall, among other titles. We also discuss the latest releases from Limited Run Games, the newest additions to Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus, and some of the notable games we’ve been playing lately, including the Dead Space remake, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, TLOU: Part 1 and more.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
04:06 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Rumor: Amazon pays 2x for Tomb Raider
- Ubisoft Cancels 3 Games, Skull & Bones Delayed AGAIN!
- Marvel’s Avengers to be Delisted
- Resident Evil 4 Remake Drops QTEs
- Game Industry Layoffs
- 343 Will Keep Developing Halo
- Xbox and Bethesda Direct Announcements
- E3 Won’t Include the Big 3
01:01:23 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner (Limited Run Games, Special Reserve Games, PlayAsia, More)
01:25:38 - Rich’s Digital Picks (Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus Releases)
01:44:02 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Dead Space Remake
- The Last of Us: Part 1
- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VI Reunion
02:08:40 - What We’re Playing Next / Outro
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode SixteenThe 2022 Game of the Year Awards (GOTY 2022)
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we celebrate the best video games of 2022 by sharing our individual favorite games of the year, as well as some honorable mentions, a few disappointments, and our overall thoughts on the year in gaming. We then combine our lists together like Voltron to create the definitive TJOG list of the Top Ten Best Games of 2022. And in the process, we take a few deep dives into games we both played this past year, including Horizon: Forbidden West, Sam Barlow’s Immortality, and much more.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction / How we Make the List
05:50 - The Best Games of 2022 / Discussion Begins
17:30 - Deep Dive 1: Sam Barlow’s Immortality
43:27 - Deep Dive 2: Horizon: Forbidden West
01:52:43 - Honorable Mentions
02:08:54 - The Final List: TJOG’s Top Ten Best Games of 2022
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode FifteenThe Callisto Protocol, Telling Lies and God of War: Ragnarök (Late-Game Impressions)
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we discuss some of the biggest releases of the season, including one of the most anticipated new games of the year, The Callisto Protocol. As the early reviews have indicated, this is not a perfect game, but Rich has rolled credits and we have a discussion about what this game actually is - and what it’s not. Quick Spoiler: It’s not Dead Space. We also discuss the much lauded FMV title Telling Lies from Sam Barlog, and offer our late-game impressions of God of War: Ragnarökin advance of our final review discussion next year. And as always, we run down the latest releases on Game Pass and PS Plus, discuss what’s new in limited-edition physical media, and cover recent gaming news from around the industry.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
05:00 - Recent Gaming News
- James Gunn and Peter Safran take over DC Cinematic Universe
- The Ziff Davis layoffs Impact IGN
- Microsoft Raising Prices on First-Party Titles
- Microsoft vows to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo for 10 Years
- The FTC is suing Microsoft over Activision Merger
30:11 - Brandon Presents: #ForeverPhysical
44:47 - Rich’s Digital Picks (Game Pass and PS Plus)
1:02:38 - What We’ve Been Playing
- The Callisto Protocol
- Telling Lies
- God of War: Ragnarök (Late-Game Impressions)
1:57:50 Closing Thoughts / What We’re Playing Next…
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode FourteenThe Game Awards 2022 Post-Show: Reactions to the Winners, World Premieres and Announcements
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we recap gaming’s biggest night - The Game Awards 2022 - with a complete post-show wrap-up. We start by talking about our thoughts on the event in general, including the various game developers, actors, musicians and other awesome people from around the video games industry that were a part of the show. Next, we discuss the winners of the 25 biggest awards, and see who won our predictions competition from last week. And finally, we walk through the unbelievable list of world premieres and announcements we experienced throughout the night, includingJudas, Hades 2, Death Stranding 2, Armored Core VI, Bayonetta Origins, Earthblade, and so many more.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction / Overall Thoughts on The Game Awards 2022
16:50 - The Winners in Each Major Category (and who won our predictions competition?)
55:43 - World Premieres and Announcements
02:01:33 - BONUS: Every Game Releasing in 2023 (that we know of)02:08:48 - Closing / Social Media
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode ThirteenThe Game Awards 2022 Preview - Predicting the Winners and World Premieres
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we discuss gaming’s biggest night - The Game Awards 2022 - previewing each of the event’s major categories and nominees, and making predictions on who will win, who will lose, and what big surprises and upsets could be in store. We also talk about some of the notable snubs among this year’s categories, and lay odds on which big announcements and “World Premieres” we might see throughout the night. After all, Geoff Keighley did say that he “hasn’t felt this good about a show in a while” so expectations are high, and we’ll be back on our next episode to discuss everything that happens.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
03:14 - Quick Hits - The Callisto Protocol and Analog Pocket
25:14 - The Game Awards 2022 Preview
- Categories, Nominees and Predictions
- GOTY
- Best Game Direction
- Best Narrative
- Best Art Direction
- Best Score/Music
- Best Audio Design
- Best Performance
- Games for Impact
- Best Ongoing Game
- Best Indie Game
- Best Debut Indie Game
- Best Mobile Game
- Best Community Support
- Best VR/AR Game
- Innovation in Accessibility
- Best Action Game
- Best Action/Adventure Game
- Best RPG
- Best Fighting Game
- Best Family Game
- Best Sports/Racing Game
- Best SIM/Strategy Game
- Best Multiplayer Game
- Best Adaptation
- Most Anticipated Game
- Potential Announcements and “World Premieres”
02:13:21 - Closing Thoughts / What’s Next on the Podcast
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode TwelveGod of War Franchise Retrospective (2005-2022)
On this episode of The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we continue our God of War: Ragnarok Celebration, this time taking a trip down memory lane with Kratos as he murdered his way through hordes of Greek and Norse Gods, and somehow found his way into our hearts. From its introduction in 2005 with God of War on PS2, through three console generations (including PSP, PS3 and PS4), and up to the present day with God of War: Ragnarök on PS5, we trace this franchise’s storied history, and discuss the various changes - both in-game and behind the scenes - that made this franchise one of the most fascinating epics in all of gaming.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
01:16 - God of War Retrospective
- First Era (Greek Mythology)
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- God of War (PS2) - 2005 (Dir. David Jaffe)
- God of War II (PS2) - 2007 (Dir. Cory Barlog & David Jaffe)
- God of War: Betrayal (Mobile) - 2007
- God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP) - 2008 (Ready at Dawn)
- God of War Collection (PS3) - 2009 (Remastered Collection of God of War I & II, later ported to Vita in 2014)
- God of War III (PS3) - 2010 (Dir. Stig Asmussen); Remastered on PS4 in 2015
- God of War: Ghost of Sparta (PSP) - 2010 (Ready at Dawn)
- God of War: Origins Collection (PS3) - 2011 (Remastered Collection of PSP games)
- God of War Saga - 2012 (Remastered Collection of God of War I, II & III, and digital codes for the PSP games)
- God of War: Ascension (PS3) - 2013 (Dir. Todd Papy) (Prequel to entire series)
- Second Era (Norse Mythology)
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- God of War: A Call from the Wilds (text-based game playable through Facebook Messenger) - 2018
- God of War (PS4, 2018) (Dir. Cory Barlog)
- God of War Ragnarök (PS4, PS5) - 2022 (Dir. Eric Williams)
01:34:11 - Closing Thoughts / What’s Next on the Podcast
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Eleven God of War: Ragnarok Celebration - Game Review, Part 1
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we kick off our God of War: Ragnarok Celebration, which will span three episodes and feature a multi-part review of the game, as well as a complete retrospective of the God of War franchise. For this first episode, we discuss the early sections of the game, and offer our impressions of what’s changed, what has stayed the same, and how it feels to re-join Kratos and Atreus in the Nine Realms in an effort to avert Ragnarok. We will also go into very early story spoilers, but there will be a clear SPOILER WARNING to stop listening at that point if you aren’t as far along yet in your journey. PLUS: The latest video game news, Brandon’s Physical Games Corner, Rich’s Digital Picks, and more.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
019:01 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Remedy Announces Control 2
- Nintendo Switch IndieWorld Showcase Announcements
- More Drama Surrounding Disco Elysium Developer ZA/UM
- The Game Awards 2022 Award Nominees
58:05 - Brandon’s Physical Games Corner
1:13:57 - Rich’s Digital Picks
- Game Pass and GWG
- Playstation Plus
1:39:48 - God of War: Ragnarok Review (Part 1)
2:50:29 Closing Thoughts / What We’re Playing Next…
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Ten The Top 10 Best Open-World Video Games
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we set out to create the next entry in our growing series of Top Ten lists, and this time we turn our attention to the most epic of all genres - Open-World Video Games. And the timing is certainly appropriate - this year, games like Elden Ring, Horizon: Forbidden West, Gotham Knights, and Sonic Frontiers have consumed much of the gaming discourse, and for good reason. Open-world games give players a sense of freedom, exploration and discovery that few (if any) genres can rival. The rules of the episode are simple: we each start the discussion with our own personal top ten lists, and by way of a (supposedly) mathematically-sound process, we combine our individual lists into one definitive TJOG Top Ten List.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
07:10 - The Top Ten Best Open-World Video Games
- Introduction
- Individual Top Tens
- The Merge and Tie-Breakers
- The Final List
1:56:35 - Closing Thoughts / Contact
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Nine God of War: Ragnarok Hype, PSVR 2, Gotham Knights Review, Silent Hill 2
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we discuss the latest news and game releases here at the start of November, including the incredible anticipation for God of War: Ragnarok’s release, the release date and games announcement for Playstation VR 2, rumors surrounding Hideo Kojima’s next few games, what’s next for The Witcher franchise and more. Meanwhile, Rich has finished Gotham Knights and has some harsh criticisms (but also some surprising praise) for the divisive title, and Brandon is diving back into the original Silent Hill 2 in honor of the Halloween season. Plus: we cover the latest physical media announcements, the latest releases on Game Pass and PS Plus, and more.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
010:56 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- New Studio from Playstation and Naughty Dog
- EA Lands 3-Game deal with Marvel and Disney
- Rocksteady Games Co-Founders Leave the Studio
- Hideo Kojima News Block (Overdose, New Game = New Medium)
- Playstation VR 2 Release Date and Games List
- The Original The Witcher is Getting a Remake
- Cliff Bleszinski Releases ‘Control Freak’ (A Memoir)
1:06:56 - Brandon's Physical Games Corner
1:14:05 - Rich’s Digital Picks (Game Pass and PS Plus)
1:34:43 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Gotham Knights (Review)
- Silent Hill 2
- Five Dates
2:19:32 Closing Thoughts / What We’re Playing Next…
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Eight Batman in Video Games Retrospective (Batman: The Video Game - Gotham Knights)
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we look back at Batman’s history in video games, from the original NES game Batman: The Video Game (1989), up through the release of Gotham Knights this past month. To do this, we follow the dark knight through a wide array of gaming adventures, including some super-high highs and some crushingly-low lows, but most notably, we discuss the Rocksteady Games (Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knights), the LEGO Batman games, the NetherRealm games (like Injustice: Gods Among Us and MK vs. DC Universe), and Batman: The Telltale Series, to name a few.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
013:52 - Batman in Video Games Retrospective
-
Sunsoft Games
-
-
- Batman: The Video Game (NES, Sunsoft, 1990) - Batman: Return of the Joker (NES, Sunsoft, 1991)
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Batman the Animated Series
-
-
- The Adventures of Batman & Robin (SNES, 1994/Genesis, 1995)
-
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Licensed Games (Comics, Animated Series & Movies)
-
LEGO Batman
-
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- Lego Batman: The Video Game (2008) - Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (2012) - Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (2014) - Lego Dimensions (2015) - Lego DC Supervillains (2018)
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-
TelltaleGames
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- Batman: The Telltale Series (2016) - Batman: The Enemy Within (2017-2018)
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-
NetherRealm Games
-
-
- Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008) - Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013) / Injustice 2 (2017)
-
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Batman Arkham Series
-
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- Arkham Asylum (2009) - Arkham City (2011) + Armored Edition (WiiU, 2012) - Arkham Origins (2013) - Arkham Origins: Blackgate (2013) - Arkham Knight (2015) - Batman: Arkham VR (2016) - Batman: Return to Arkham (2016)
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The Current Era
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- Gotham Knights (2022) & Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2023)
1:19:26 Closing Thoughts
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Seven Gotham Knights, Paradise Killer and Return to Monkey Island
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we discuss one of the biggest, most anticipated, and controversial game releases of the year - Gotham Knights - and give initial impressions after the first 6 hours. Is 30 FPS on consoles enough to ground this open-world action game to a halt? Will the just-announced 4-player mode make an impact post-launch? We bat-dive into the details and share some strong opinions. We also discuss Paradise Killer, the game that asks the question, “What if Ace Attorney…but with the imagination turned up to eleven”, and offer final thoughts on the recently-released and much-lauded Return to Monkey Island. PLUS: the most important new releases in physical media and on PS Plus and Game Pass, and the most interesting gaming news of the past few weeks.
Show Notes:
00:10 - Introduction
05:08 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Hellena Taylor and the Bayonetta 3 Voice Actor Drama
- Resident Evil 4 and More at the RE Showcase
- Silent Hill 2 and the Silent Hill Transmission
- Sony May Cancel its Playstation Showcase…Because of Xbox?!?
1:28:25 - Brandon Presents: #ForeverPhysical
1:40:46 - Rich’s Digital Picks (GamePass and PS Plus)
2:00:02 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Return to Monkey Island
- Paradise Killer
- F.E.A.R. 2
- Gotham Knights
3:03:41 Closing Thoughts / What We’re Playing Next…
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Six The Top 10 Best Stories in Video Games
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we create our official TJOG Top 10 List of the best stories in video games, and along the way, explore the many unique ways that storytellers weave their tales of triumph, despair, joy and redemption through the games that we love to play. We also discuss recent video game news, the latest Physical Game releases from Limited Run, Special Reserve Games. Iam8bit, Super Rare Games and PlayAsia, all of the latest announcements for October’s Xbox Games With Gold, Game Pass and Playstation Plus lineups, and the games we’ve been playing lately, including The Quarry, Live A Live and Return to Monkey Island.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
08:37 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Google Finally Announces the End of Stadia
- US Labor Board Rules Against Activision Blizzard
- Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster for PS5 (rumor for now)
- First Trailer for Super Mario Bros. Movie
1:00:02 - Brandon Presents: #ForeverPhysical
1:23:27 - Rich’s Digital Picks (GamePass and PS Plus)
1:42:22 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Nobody Saves The World (Finished)
- The Quarry
- Live A Live (Finished)
- Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (Trial)
- Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX
- Return to Monkey Island
2:15:38 Main Topic: The Top 10 Best Stories in Video Games
- Chapter 1: What Makes a Great Video Game Story?
- Chapter 2: Individual Picks for Best Stories
- Chapter 3: The Big Finish
- Chapter 4: Compromises Must Be Made
- Chapter 5: The Official List
4:13:12 Closing Thoughts / What We’re Playing Next…
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Five E3 in September (Nintendo Direct, State of Play, Ubisoft Forward, TGS, DMGS)
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we take on the challenge of discussing every big announcement from ALL FIVE of the major gaming events held this past month - Nintendo Direct, Playstation State of Play, Ubisoft Forward, the Disney and Marvel Games Showcase and the Tokyo Game Show. Together, this crazy concurrence of gaming events has been dubbed “E3 in September,” and we have a lot of opinions to share and final grades to award to each event. And as per tradition, we also discuss the latest additions to the Game Pass and PS Plus libraries for September, the newest releases in the world of limited-edition physical media, some of the games we’ve been playing recently and more.
Run of Show:
00:10 - Introduction
06:06 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- GTA 6 Leak
- Babylon’s (actual) Fall
- New Witcher Trilogy
- Xbox Exec Wants to Show us Fable (but can’t)
- Halo’s Continued Woes
- Splinter Cell Remake will be “Updated”
- Iron Man Game Announced by EA Motive
0:51:58 - Brandon Presents: #ForeverPhysical
1:18:58 - Rich’s Digital Picks (GamePass and PS Plus)
1:44:48 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Dying Light
- Shovel Knight Dig
- Live A Live
- Nobody Saves the World
2:30:20 “E3 in September”
- Disney and Marvel Games Showcase (Marvel’s Midnight Sons, Untitled Cap/Black Panther game, etc.)
- Ubisoft Forward (Assassin’s Creed: Infinity, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope DLC, etc.)
- Nintendo Direct (The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4, etc.)
- Playstation State of Play (God of War: Ragnarok, Tekken 8, etc.)
- Tokyo Game Show (Like a Dragon 8, Suikoden HD, etc.)
4:07:34 Closing Thoughts / What We’re Playing Next…
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Four Xbox Live Summer of Arcade Retrospective
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we take a journey back to the halcyon days of Xbox Live’s Summer of Arcade, when indie games weren’t as plentiful, but you knew there were at least 4-5 titles you could count on for quality each summer. In a retrospective format, we discuss the numerous masterpiece-level games Summer of Arcade gave us, including Limbo, Braid, Castle Crashers, Shadow Complex, and so many more. We also cover some recent gaming news highlights, run down the latest in Limited Edition Physical Media, Game Pass and PS Plus releases, and share a bit of what we’ve been playing.
Run of Show:
00:06 - Introduction
08:31 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- Quantic Dream Acquisition by NetEase
- Wild Arms/Shadow Hearts Dual Kickstarter
- Assassin’s Creed Rumors pre-Ubisoft Livestream
- Konami Teasing a game from “World-Loved” Franchise
- Nintendo Direct Hopes and Predictions
1:00:39 - Brandon Presents: #ForeverPhysical
1:18:20 - Rich’s Digital Picks (GamePass and PS Plus)
1:33:21 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Deathloop
- Cult of the Lamb
2:01:55 Xbox Live Summer of Arcade Retrospective
- 2008 - Braid, Castle Crashers, etc.
- 2009 - Shadow Complex, Trials HD, etc.
- 2010 - Limbo, Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, etc.
- 2011 - Bastion, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, etc.
- 2012 - Dust: An Elysian Tale, Deadlight, etc.
- 2013 - Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Charlie Murder, etc.
3:15:40 Closing Thoughts
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Three The Top 10 2D Platformers of All-Time
On this mega-sized episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we celebrate one of the most classic and enjoyable video game genres - 2D Platformers - by constructing our definitive “The Joy of Gaming Top 10” list. We also discuss the recent Embracer Group acquisitions and Gamescom 2022 announcements in our gaming news segment, cover the latest releases in the worlds of Physical Media, Game Pass and PS Plus, and talk about the games we’ve been playing recently - including Cult of the Lamb, Live A Live and more.
Run of Show:
00:06 - Introduction
05:13 - Recent Gaming News
- Release Date Roundup
- PlayStation 5 Price Increase
- Sega Genesis Mini 2 Games List Revealed
- Alone in the Dark Reboot Announced
- First Gameplay Look at XIII Re-Remaster Revealed
- Crash Bandicoot Developer Seemingly Teases New Game
- Resident Evil 7 Was Almost a Live Service Game
- Embracer Group Buys Up Everything, including LOTR IP
- Troubled Star Wars Video Game Remake Shifts to New Studio
- Gamescom 2022 Announcements
1:30:36 - Brandon Presents: #ForeverPhysical
1:45:05 - Rich’s Digital Picks
2:00:08 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Deathloop (Revisited)
- Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Replay)
- Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series
- As Dusk Falls
- Call of Cthulhu
- Cult of the Lamb
- Live A Live
2:51:10 Top 10 2D Platformers of All-Time (we create the definitive TJOG Top Ten List)
4:04:56 Closing Thoughts
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Two
Narrative Adventure Games: A Brief History (from Point-and-Click to As Dusk Falls)
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we discuss two recently-released Narrative Adventure Games - As Dusk Falls and The Quarry - and attempt to trace the origins of this relatively new genre, from its point-and-click adventure roots through to the modern day. We also discuss some recent gaming news, offer our thoughts on the best new physical media, Game Pass and PS Plus releases, and talk about the games we’ve been playing recently.
Run of Show:
00:06 - Introduction
01:26 - Recent Gaming News
- Marvel’s Midnight Suns delayed
- Square Enix may want to sell off some of its studios
- Eidos Montreal wants to make Deus Ex again
- Beyond Good and Evil 2 gets a lead writer (no, for real)
38:12 - #ForeverPhysical Segment w/Brandon
1:08:15 - Rich’s Digital Picks
1:29:57 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Batman: Arkham Asylum (Return to Arkham edition)
- Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate
- Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Replay)
- Stray
2:03:40 A Brief History of Narrative Adventure Games (including The Quarry, As Dusk Falls early impressions)
3:01:12 Closing Thoughts
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode One
The Top 5 Gaming Franchises of All-Time
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we take on the formidable task of choosing our Top 5 Favorite Gaming Franchises - past and present. We also discuss recent gaming news, discuss some notable new releases in our #ForeverPhysical and Rich’s Digital Picks segments, and talk about some of the games we’ve been playing recently.
Run of Show:
00:06 - Introduction
04:03 - Recent Gaming News
- Forspoken delayed
- God of War: Ragnarok release date
- Skull & Bones gameplay & release date
- Bayonetta 3 release date
- Inscryption coming to Playstation
- Cuphead DLC
- Mass Effect 5 gets awesome Senior Narrative Director
- Bruce Straley opens new studio
- Bad news for Star Wars: KOTOR Remake
- Assassin’s Creed Liberation delisted
- Former EA CEO John Riccitiello shows his hand
48:15 - Brandon’s #ForeverPhysical Segment
1:15:43 - Rich’s Digital Picks
1:25:47 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Revisited)
- Olli Olli World
- The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
- Titanfall 2
- The Quarry
- Stray
- Fist: Forged in Shadow Torch
2:09:14 Top 5 Favorite Gaming Franchises
3:16:38 Closing Thoughts
The (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast - Episode Zero
A New Start, Summer Game Fest and a Primer on Limited Physical Gaming Media
On this episode of the (New) Joy of Gaming Podcast, we introduce the new show, welcome a new co-host, discuss the recent announcements and gameplay we saw at Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest 2022, and celebrate the resurgence of physical gaming media with an in-depth primer on Limited Run Games, Special Reserve Games, Iam8Bit and some of the other biggest players.
Run of Show:
00:06 - Intro and Origin Story
19:41 - Recent Gaming News and Summer Game Fest
- E3 vs. Keigh-3
- Final Fantasy VII Everything
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- The Callisto Protocol
- Gotham Knights
- Starfield
- EA makes fun of single player games
- Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase
- Bonus: Players on Paramount+
1:45:02 - Limited Run and the Resurgence of Physical Media (A Primer)
2:21:00 - This Week in Physical Gaming Media
2:40:21 - What We’ve Been Playing
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Horizon: Forbidden West
- Deathloop
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land
3:31:51 Closing Thoughts
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 78: Next-Gen Console Chat and The Game Awards 2020 On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) emerge once more from the COVID void with a brand new episode and A LOT of great stuff to talk about. That's because 2020 has gifted us with brand new gaming consoles - Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X|S - and nothing will ever be the same again...or will it? Either way, we have played each of the new consoles, and have lots of opinions about their super fast load times, the veritable trickle of high-quality new games, and our hopes for the very near gaming future.
But new consoles aren't the only thing the end of 2020 has gifted us with. That's because Geoff Keighley's annual celebration of all things gaming - The Game Awards 2020 - has aired, and with it, we got a number of new game announcements, glossy trailers, and hit-or-miss awards in various categories to discuss. From the sweeping (though controversial) award dominance of The Last of Us: Part 2, to the unending clamor for this year's massive hit Hades to get even more praise, and the many games that found themselves somewhere in the middle, there is a lot to discuss here, and we're happy to be the ones to do it.
So join us, as we rejoin forces to celebrate a medium that has only become more important this past year of quarantine, and continues to evolve in exciting and surprising ways. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 79: The Best Indie Comic Adaptations, DC Fandome, Celebrating C.B.’s Life
On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) regroup in the midst of this crazy pandemic to discuss our favorite indie comic book adaptations. To qualify, the adaptation could NOT be based on a mainline Marvel/DC Superhero property (though sub-imprints like Vertigo and Icon were fair game), and the adaptations could be to any form of media, including film, television, video games, etc. With those parameters in mind, we came out with some pretty interesting “best of” lists, including quite a few surprise picks.
But before turning our attention to Image, Dark Horse, Vertigo and the like, we discuss some of the biggest mainstream geek culture news of recent weeks, including a look at all the biggest trailers and announcements coming out of DC Fandome - The Batman, The Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman 1984, and Justice League: The Snyder Cut to name a few. We also take some time to celebrate the life of Chadwick Boseman, and the amazing impact he has had on both the world of media, and more importantly, the world at large.
So join us, as we take a journey limited only by the imaginations of independent comics creators everywhere, delve into a discussion of Todd Snyder and contemplate the unlikely possibility that he’s secretly a genius, and celebrate a man who seemed to really understand the meaning of life. This…is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 77: GOTY: The Best Video Games of 2019 On this episode of the Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan), return after a year-long hiatus to celebrate the best video games of 2019. It was a year that gave us so much to love - including Resident Evil 2, Untitled Goose Game, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Control - as well as some mediocre titles like Crackdown 3, and some pretty astounding disappointments as well (of which Anthem and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order spring quickly to mind). But when it’s time for our annual GOTY conversations, a wide range of quality leads to a nice colorful array of categories, where the best and worst of the year are discussed, celebrated, and lambasted in appropriate measure.
Keeping with TJOG tradition, the categories include:
-Top 3 Best Games (and HMs)- -Best Character- -Best Story- -Worst Game- -Most Disappointing Game- -Most Surprising Game- -Best “New to Me” Game- …and some surprises along the way!
So join us, as we turn back the clock a few months, and celebrate the art of immersion, fantasy, escape, realism and so much more. This…is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 78: The Best in Film 2019
On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Kevin and Jordan) return with our second episode recorded during the Covid-19 quarantine, and we’re making up for lost time and bringing you our “Best in Film 2019” episode. And although these “year in review” episodes are generally recorded in the December/January timeframe, the extra few months have given us all time to catch up on many of last year’s best movies. In other words, we’re ready to GO.
And what a year 2019 was for film, right? From highly-lauded masterpieces like Parasite and 1917, to blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, to artistic experiments like The Lighthouse, and far, far beyond, there were a lot of notable movies released last year – some very good and some very, very disappointing. We’ll run through our regular categories to discuss the best and worst that 2019 had to offer, and hopefully run into some cool surprises along the way.
So join us, as we celebrate the joy of cinema, and pine for the good old days when we could sit in an actual movie theater and be taken on an amazing journey. And hopefully (with a little luck) we’ll all be back to the movies soon. This…is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 77: Reunion Special and Bloodshot Review
On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Kevin and Jordan) return for a reunion special, here in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic. We’ll be discussing where we’ve been for the past year (or so), why the podcast has been on hiatus, and perhaps most importantly, what we’ve been watching, reading and playing over the past few months.
We also discuss Bloodshot, the new comic-book-inspired “Blockbuster” from Sony Pictures and Valiant Entertainment, starring Vin Diesel, Guy Pearce, Eiza Gonzalez and Lamorne Morris. This was supposed to be the film that launched Valiant into the mainstream, but Covid19 closed movie theaters only days after its release, and the film was quickly sent to VOD. That didn’t stop us however, and we’ll give you our recap and review.
So join us, as we make up for lost time, stay inside to wait out the pandemic, and discuss everything from Animal Crossing: New Horizons, to Devs, to The Black Cauldron. This…is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 76: The Best TV of 2018 On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we get the full band back together - Rich, Kevin and Jordan - for the first of our "Best of 2018" episodes. And where better to start than with Television, and our look at the very finest network, cable and streaming entertainment this past year had to offer.
From new shows like The Haunting at Hill House, Titans and Homecoming, to brilliant returning favorites like The Good Place, American Vandal and Westworld - we each watched over 500+ scripted shows this past year to bring you this list. Okay, okay, that's clearly not true, but we do watch a lot of TV.
This year's categories include: Most Surprising Show Worst Show Best Character Best Actor/Actress Best First Season Best Episode Top 3 Best Shows ...and more!
So join us, as we attempt to bring some semblance of order to the chaos of the modern TV landscape, and sum up one heck of a year for entertainment's most crowded and varied medium. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 75: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Review and SpoilerCast
On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) review one of the biggest, most anticipated films of the year, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. And to do so, we welcome Harry Potter expert / Pottermore scholar Jacob Deal, to help us discuss the film and explore all of its fascinating secrets. And since this is a SpoilerCast, Jacob also shares his stunning theory about the film’s ending and the true nature of Grindelwald’s plan, and it’s a pretty airtight case.
But before we tear J.K. Rowling’s plot to shreds in search of the truth, we’ve got some other geek culture news to discuss, including: the passing of the legendary Stan Lee, the casting of Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian, the behind-the-scenes origins of Poe Dameron, and more. We also discuss what we’ve been watching and reading, including Doctor Who’s Eleventh Series and Jodie Whittaker, Star Trek: Discovery, The Creepy Line, Titans, Young Justice, DC Daily and much, much more.
So join us, as we reveal Credence’s true identity, debate J.K. Rowling’s competence as a world-builder, recast the role of Grindelwald, and discover the hidden secret of Pottermore - all in one, jam-packed episode. This...is The Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 76: Revisiting GOTY 2015, Diablo Immortal, Final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) go back in time to 2015 to discuss our favorite games from year brought us The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Fallout 4, Until Dawn, Life is Strange, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 and so much more. We actually missed our chance to record this episode three years ago, but since then we've had a lot more time to play and reflect on 2015's crop of titles, and we're ready to fill in this gap with the added benefit of hindsight.
Our 2015 GOTY Awards Include: Most Surprising Game Most Disappointing Game Worst Game Best Character Honorable Mentions ...and the Top 3 Best Games of 2015!
We also keep one foot firmly planted in the present to discuss two big news stories in the gaming world: The backlash over the Diablo Immortal announcement at BlizzCon, and the final Nintendo Direct for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. And as always, we talk about some of the games we've been playing recently, including Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the opening hours of Red Dead Redemption 2, Grim Fandango on Switch, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters, Dead Space 3 Co-op and more.
So join us, as we fill in a conspicuous hole in our episode library, and answer the age-old question: "Just how long does it take to finish The Witcher 3?" This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 74: The Haunting of Hill House, Halloween (2018), Daredevil S3 and Titans On this decidedly spooky episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) discuss two of the biggest hits of the Halloween season: Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House and Blumhouse’s Halloween (2018). Aside from their genre, Hill House and Halloween have something else in common: they are both semi-reboots of classic properties, re-imagined to appeal to a new audience. We’ll weigh in on the success of each, and discuss their overall significance in the modern media landscape.
In addition to horror offerings, this season has given us two bold new superhero series to sink our teeth into - Daredevil Season 3 and Titans on the DC Universe app - and we’ve got a lot to say about each. We also discuss some recent news, including: a swath of Netflix series cancellations including Iron Fist and Luke Cage, other cancellations throughout TV, a release date and director announcement for DC’s Birds of Prey film, Ewan McGregor (possibly) playing Black Mask, A Flash Gordon reboot, and much, much more.
So join us, as we meet the Doom Patrol for the first time, turn into a green tiger and then show up at Netflix’s HQ to complain about the recent cancellation of American Vandal. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 75: Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Super Mario Party and Our Multiplayer Gaming History On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) discuss two of the most anticipated Fall gaming releases - Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey and Super Mario Party for Nintendo Switch - and take a nostalgia-fueled look back at the multiplayer games that had the greatest impact on us, from the NES/Genesis era until today.
We also discuss two of the biggest stories in gaming right now - the unfortunate and unexpected shuttering of Telltale Games, and the recent comments made by Rockstar Games CEO Dan Houser about 100-hour work weeks. Both of these stories inevitably lead us to the topic of crunch and overwork, as well as workers rights within the gaming industry.
So join us, as we celebrate yet another incredible Fall gaming season, and do our best to remember that it’s people and passion that make these games possible. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 73: Venom Review, Titans Episode 1 and a Tour of the DC Universe Streaming App On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) discuss two big new entries in the superhero media landscape - Marvel’s new film Venom starring Tom Hardy, and DC’s mature-rated take on Titans which just launched on their DC Universe streaming service.
Both Venom and Titans faced serious skepticism from critics and fans in the lead-up to release, and both have been performed far better than anyone expected. We offer our in-depth thoughts on both properties, and take a whirlwind tour of the shows, movies and comics currently available on the DC Universe app.
So join us, as we learn the true story behind the “F**k Batman” quote, join forces with a symbiote for a tour of San Francisco, and wonder why The Dark Knight Rises isn’t on the DC Universe app yet. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 72: The Best of Spider-Man (in Movies, TV and Comics) On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) continue our celebration of the release of Insomniac’s Spider-Man for PS4 with a look back at the very best movies, TV shows and comics starring the famous web-slinger. From the Sam Raimi Trilogy to Homecoming, and from Spider-Man: The Animated Series to Spider-Island, we discuss the broader Spider-Man universe and choose our absolute favorites.
But first, we talk about what we’ve been watching and reading lately, including: American Vandal Season 2, The Dragon Prince, A Simple Favor, Shadowman and Grass Kings by Matt Kindt, and more. We also discuss the new Captain Marvel trailer, Henry Cavill’s indecipherable Superman tweet, a live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender, pics of Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker, and much more.
So join us, as we swing across New York in search of thugs to web up, and celebrate the recent history of Marvel’s most relatable character. This...is The Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Special Edition: Frontier Interview with Filmmaker Elliot Brady On this Special Edition episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) interview Elliot Brady, the screenwriter of a new short film premiering at the Charlotte Film Festival this weekend. Frontier is the story of a young girl, known only as little, who is inspired by her favorite comic book western to leave her home and family behind to seek adventure - and ultimately danger - in the wilderness. We discuss the 2+ year journey this film took from page to screen, and the seemingly insurmountable challenges its creators had to overcome in the pursuit of art.
So join us, as we take a whirlwind tour through the world of independent film, where industry speak about RED Digital Cameras and Color Correction is commonplace, and the struggle is most certainly real. This...is the Joy of Geek!
Frontier will premiere this Saturday at Charlotte Film Festival (details here). Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a sample of the film’s soundtrack.
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 74: Insomniac's Spider-Man Review and SpoilerCast and September Nintendo Direct On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) discuss one of the most anticipated PS4 games of the year, Insomniac's Spider-Man. With a story that picks up 8 years into the career of everybody's favorite web-slinger, Spider-Man is an epic, open-world adventure full of side quests, colorful characters, and satisfying combat, and it's already a massive hit with players and critics alike. We've both played the game from start to finish, and offer our SPOILER-FILLED thoughts on its overall success - both as the latest entry in a long line of Spider-Man games, and as the possible heir-apparent to the superhero video game throne. In other words, is this the Arkham Asylum of the Spider-Man universe? We'll let you know what we think.
But first, we discuss the recent and momentous September Nintendo Direct, which was absolutely jam-packed with new trailers and announcements, including Animal Crossing on Switch, Luigi's Mansion 3, A new character in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Katamari Damacy Reroll, Yoshi's Crafted World, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Gamefreak's new RPG Town, Nintendo Switch Online details, and much more. We also discuss some of the other games we've been playing lately, including Shadow of the Tomb Raider, The Messenger, and Into the Breach.
So join us, as we celebrate a spectacular new superhero game, a Nintendo Direct full of surprises, and the un-beatable news that the creators of Danganronpa and Zero Escape just started a new studio together. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 71: Fall Film Season 2018 Preview On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) bring you our epic, 2018 Fall Film Season Preview. And although this fall’s lineup doesn’t include new releases from the MCU, Pixar or Star Wars universes, its still shaping up to be an awesome season for moviegoers. We’ll discuss the most exciting and significant films - from Mortal Engines and Bad Times a the El Royale, to Aquaman, Venom, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and beyond - and offer our thoughts on which ones look most jaw-dropping, epic, surprising and/or dramatically promising.
But first, we discuss some of the latest geek culture news, and wax poetic about the TV shows, movies and comics we’ve been enjoying recently. Our topics include: new Doom Patrol and Star Wars: Episode IX casting announcements, A Quiet Place sequel news, the new Cormoran Strike novel Lethal White, Jack Ryan on Amazon, BBC America’s Killing Eve, The Good Place, Sons of Anarchy, Babyteeth, Prom of the Dead and more.
So join us, as we discuss a number of would-be nominees for the Most Popular Film Oscar, that will now just have to settle for making fans really, really happy. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 73: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Finally), Plagiarism at IGN, and Nintendo Smash Direct On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) discuss the recent Nintendo Direct and all the exciting new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate news, before diving headlong into the crazy and unprecedented IGN plagiarism scandal involving Filip Miucin. We also finally get around to talking about one of the biggest and best games of this generation, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
And after some quality time chasing down the Wild Hunt, what better to cleanse your 80-hour open-world RPG palatte than with a discussion of the games we've been playing recently on Nintendo Switch and 3DS. They include: WarioWare Gold, Mario and Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, Splatoon 2, Toad’s Treasure Tracker, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
So join us, as we marvel at the sheer vastness of Velen (and the intimidating list of Witcher contracts and sidequests contained therein), and then fall in love with Nintendo Switch all over again. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 70: Mission: Impossible - Fallout Review and Series Retrospective On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Kevin and Young) are geared-up and ready for action with a review of Mission: Impossible - Fallout, the latest in the sense-shattering spy-action franchise that somehow keeps raising the stakes with each new entry. Fallout is actually the sixth film in the series (and the second directed by Christopher McQuarrie) and it has proved to be an explosive hit with audiences and critics alike.
In our Joy of Geek Review, we look at all aspects of the film, including the narrative, plot twists, cast of characters, action set-pieces, stunts, cinematography, fight choreography, soundtrack and more, and decide how well Fallout fares in the modern movie landscape. We also look back at the previous five Mission: Impossible films - from M:I 1 through Rogue Nation - tracing the lineage of the series and offering our thoughts on the quality of each entry.
And since this is an episode of TJOG, we also take time to discuss the latest geek culture news, and recap what we’ve been watching and reading lately. This week’s topics include: Sharp Objects on HBO, Sons of Anarchy, new pseudo-reality series Castaways, Bloodshot: Salvation, a visit to Blerdcon, Star Trek 4 without Pine and Hemsworth, Ruby Rose as Batwoman, The Oscars' new "Popular Film" category, and more.
So join us, as we avoid danger (and a number of double-crosses and mask-pulls) to get the perfect review and save the world from certain destruction. This...is The Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 69: San Diego Comic-Con 2018 - Featuring Aquaman, Shazam, Glass, and Titans On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) discuss the largest and most important geek-culture convention of the year, San Diego Comic-Con 2018. And while this year’s SDCC was typically light on comic-book-specific news, it offered a cavalcade of new movie and TV trailers, and some really exciting announcements.
Our discussion includes: new trailers for Aquaman, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Glass, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Shazam!, some Star Wars Episode IX news, Disney’s acquisition of Fox, new and disturbing details about the DC Universe streaming service, and more. And as a SPECIAL BONUS, we watch the Titans trailer Live! on the podcast, and share our, um, decidedly strong reactions.
So join us, as we marvel at vast undersea cities, question why Eleven from Stranger Things is in almost every scene of the Godzilla trailer, and try really hard to understand why Robin is so angry at Batman. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 68: Ant-Man and The Wasp Review On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) review Ant-Man and The Wasp, the newest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe starring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly and directed by Peyton Reed. Ant-Man and the Wasp actually takes place before the events of this past summer’s Avengers: Infinity War, and its stylish brand of action-comedy offers a welcome reprieve from that film’s brutal intensity. We weigh in on all aspects of the film, including the cast of characters, overall narrative, action setpieces, humor and more, and discuss how it compares to its predecessor - 2015’s Ant-Man - as well as the rest of the MCU.
Also on this episode, we discuss some recent news, including: the multiple new Joker films planned for the DCEU, the announcement of a standalone Black Widow film, Steve Ditko, the “Wedding Issue” charade of Batman 50, The Purge TV show, and more. And no episode of the podcast would be complete without a rundown of what we’ve been watching and reading lately, including: Southern Bastards Vol. 4, Doctor Strange by Donny Cates, Batman: White Knight, The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring, HBO’s Sharp Objects, and Take-Two on ABC, to name a few.
So join us, as we take a perilous journey to the quantum realm to acquire quantum energy and save our friend Ghost. Nothing bad could possibly happen, right? Snap. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 72: E3 2018 Press Conference Round-up and Hollow Knight Review On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) dive headlong into E3 2018 to discuss all of the biggest games and announcements from this year’s convention - including Cyberpunk 2077, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Kingdom Hearts III, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and so much more. We also discuss each of the major E3 press conferences - from Microsoft, Sony, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Nintendo, EA and Square Enix - and offer our thoughts on who had the best showing this year.
And if that wasn’t enough, we round out the festivities with our review of Hollow Knight: a game that was surprise-launched during Nintendo’s E3 Briefing and has completely stolen our hearts in the days since. This is a Metroidvania of the first order, set in the beautifully desolate world of Hallownest and it offers 30-40 hours of side-scrolling / hack-n-slash / platforming action with a bit of Dark Souls thrown in for good measure. In other words, this game is pretty special, so carve out some space in your list of favorite games and check out our review.
So join us, as we offer one-stop shopping for all of your “I wonder what happened at E3 this year” needs. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 67: Exploring the Halls of Junior High Horrors with Rob Potchak, Rob Retiano and Billy Parker On this special episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) introduce you to the spooky world of Junior High Horrors: and all-ages Horror comic series launching later this year. We recently had an opportunity to interview the creative team - Writer Rob Potchak, and Artists Rob Retiano and Billy Parker - to discuss their individual origin stories, their introduction to comics, and the genesis of Junior High Horrors.
This episode was recorded live at Arkham Comix in Rocky Mount NC, so things do get unpredictable and noisy at times, but this episode offers a unique glimpse into the life of independent comic creators on the road promoting their work. And since this is The Joy of Geek, we also squeeze in some chat about the films, TV shows and comics we've been enjoying lately, as well as what we're looking forward to in the weeks and months to come.
So join us, as we battle our way through thumping background bass and the clatter of after-con table breakdown, all in pursuit of the ultimate interview. This...is The Joy of Geek. Live!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 66: Best Summer Blockbusters and Incredibles 2 On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) celebrate the time-honored tradition of the Summer Blockbuster with a look back at our Top 3 favorites from the 21st Century, and a few subtle nods to the 80s and 90s for good measure. From trilogies to cinematic universes to stand-alone masterpieces, this was a tough list to make, with films like The Dark Knight, Bridesmaids, Mad Max: Fury Road and Pirates of the Caribbean all in contention.
And speaking of blockbusters, few releases are as hotly anticipated as this summer’s Incredibles 2 - the Disney Pixar animated superhero sequel 14 years in the making. But how does Brad Byrd’s sequel compare to the widely-beloved original? Kevin - our resident Pixar aficionado - weighs in with a mini-review. We also discuss some recent news and media we’ve been enjoying - including the renewal of Lucifer on Netflix, the relaunch of DC’s Vertigo imprint, the nordic-noir series Marcella, The Planet of The Apes Trilogy and more.
So join us, as Nolan and Spielberg go head to head in a celebration of Hollywood’s biggest season of spectacle. This...is The Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 65: Solo: A Star Wars Story Review and Westworld Season 2 Update On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) review the new film Solo: A Star Wars Story, starring Alden Ehrenreich as a young Han Solo, and directed by Ron Howard. The film went through a famously troubled development cycle, including a change in director, last-minute acting lessons and drastic reshoots on its journey to the screen, but does the final product deliver on the promise of a fun, swashbuckling Star Wars adventure?
In our Spoilercast and Review, we look at Solo from all angles - from the performances by Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, and Woody Harrelson, to the quality of the script, to the visual effects, original score, surprise cameos and easter eggs and beyond - and debate its overall success, both as a Han Solo origin story, and as a standalone film. We also discuss the film's abyssmal performance at the box office and offer some theories on why audiences aren't showing up.
But first, we make a brief stop at Westworld (and The Raj, and Shogun World) to check-in on the show’s second season and decide whether or not the magic of season one is back. Hint: it is. We also discuss what we’ve been reading and watching lately, including: Deadpool 2, American Gods (and Neil Gaiman’s work in general), Howard’s End, XO Manowar and more. And in news, we discuss Lucifer’s cancellation and search for a new home, and celebrate The Expanse’s revival at Amazon.
So join us, as we learn where Han Solo got his name, how he met Chewbacca, and what really happened at that legendary card game...and try hard not to be disappointed. This...is The Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 64: Fall TV Upfronts 2018 - Trailers, Renewals and Cancellations On this very special episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we dive headlong into the 2018 TV Season with a look at all of the newly-released trailers from ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and The CW. From ABC’s Cop Drama The Rookie starring Nathan Fillion, to Fox’s Zombie-Pandemic sci-fi show The Passage, to the new reboot of Charmed on the CW and beyond, we watched the best and the worst that this year’s TV Upfronts had to offer, and we’re here to tell you all about it.
We also discuss some of the most notable renewals (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Lethal Weapon, etc.) and cancellations (Lucifer, Last Man on Earth, etc.) as well as the near-instant revival of Brooklyn Nine Nine, and the shows we’re saddest to see come to an end (Deception, iZombie, etc.). And as a note, The Expanse had yet to be revived by Amazon at time of recording, but it’s fantastic news.
So join us, as we continue our annual tradition of watching trailers, making a list of shows we want to check out, and then cautiously tempering our expectations. This...is The Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 71: God of War Spoiler-Free Discussion, Resident Evil Zero and More On this episode of The Joy of Gaming, we (Rich and Jordan) discuss one of the biggest gaming releases of the year, God of War. The game’s creative director Cory Barlog has long been a subject of interest and speculation on the podcast, and now we finally know what he’s been doing for the past five years. This ambitious reinvention of the God of War franchise takes Kratos out of Ancient Greece and into the world of Norse mythology, and has been garnering near-universal praise from fans and critics alike. We dive into a spoiler-free discussion of the first half of the game, weighing in on the revamped combat system, the Mjolnir-like Leviathan axe, the game’s new setting of Midgard, the story and addition of Kratos’ son Atreus, and much more.
But before we journey to the Lake of the Nine for some much needed R&R, there is some recent gaming news to discuss, including: Destiny 2’s new game mode and Warmind expansion, SNK Neo Geo Mini reveal, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and its lack of single-player, a new trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2, Labo’s sales success, new Overwatch updates, and more. We also have some other game’s we’ve been playing recently to talk about, including: Resident Evil Zero Remaster, Just Cause 3, Far Cry 5, What Remains of Edith Finch, a brief discussion of the SNES mini, and more.
So join us, as we grab our Leviathan Axe, greet Freya in her turtle lair, and set out to spread the ashes of our beloved from the highest point in the Nine Realms. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 63: Avengers: Infinity War Review and Westworld Season 2 Premiere On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) are here to discuss Avengers: Infinity War - one of the biggest and most anticipated films of our time. Infinity War is the 19th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, serving as the culmination of more than 10 years of films and bringing together heroes from every corner of the galaxy for an epic confrontation with Thanos. In our Spoiler-Filled Review, we’ll cover all aspects of the film, including: the portrayal of our favorite heroes, the overall narrative, standout character moments and story beats, that insane ending, and much more. We’ll also devote ample time to the film's villainous centerpiece - The Mad Titan Thanos - and debate his overall place in the pantheon of cinematic Marvel villains.
A new Avengers film would usually be more than enough excitement for one episode, but there’s another epic confrontation that demands our attention - this time between humans and hosts. That’s right - HBO’s Westworld is back for Season 2 - and we have some surprising thoughts to share about the blood-soaked premiere and the very different version of Dolores it presents. We also take a few minutes to discuss some of the other media we’ve been enjoying lately, including Deception, The Mentalist, Paper Girls, Descender, Peter Jackson’s Bad Taste, and more.
So join us, as we descend into madness on multiple fronts - attempting to save the universe and discover the cost of true freedom - all in one episode. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 62: Ready Player One Review, A Quiet Place, Unforgotten and More On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) review the film Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the 2011 novel by Ernest Cline. The film is a celebration of 80’s pop culture and the history of video games, and is set in the year 2045 where the desolation of the real world leads most of humanity to escape to the OASIS - a virtual reality utopia where anything is possible. Ready Player One is one part rollicking, Indiana Jones-esque adventure film, and two parts pop-culture fan service turned up to 11, with everyone from King Kong to Tracer from Overwatch making an appearance, and a scene from Kubrick’s The Shining thrown in for good measure. And in theory, this sure sounds like a recipe for pure, escapist fun.
But does Ready Player One deliver on its tremendous promise, or buckle under the weight of too much fan service and an overblown production budget? To decide, we’ll weigh in on all aspects of the film - from the cast, to the narrative, to the special effects - and yes, the myriad pop-culture references - and let you know how it all comes together, in our SPOILER-FILLED, Joy of Geek Review. We also discuss some recent comics and TV news, and discuss what we’ve been watching and reading lately, including: A Quiet Place, Westworld's Spoiler “Strategy”, HBO’s Bill Hader dramedy Barry, DC Comics’ Doomsday Clock, Unforgotten on Masterpiece, SyFy’s Wynonna Earp, Hamilton on Broadway, and more!
So join us, as we enter the OASIS in search of fame, fortune and the secret of happiness. Hint: it’s LOVE. Well, that, and taking Tuesdays and Thursdays off from video games. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 61: YA Author Scott Reintgen on his novel Nyxia and "How To Get Published" On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) interview Scott Reintgen, author of the new Young Adult Sci-Fi Novel series Nyxia (Crown). The interview is taken from a panel we hosted at Oak City Comic Con titled “How to get Published,” and Scott shares the story of how he turned his passion for writing into a career, including advice on: pitching to literary agents, how to handle rejection, and perhaps most importantly of all, how to take your writing to the next level. Scott also goes in depth about the writing process for Nyxia, and the even more daunting task of writing the second and third books in the trilogy.
So join us, for a look at what it takes to get the ideas in your head out onto the page, and then into the hands of readers everywhere. This...is the Joy of Geek!
(Scott has an excellent blog/website with more tips on writing and links to preview his novel Nyxia.)
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 70: Monster Hunter World, Celeste and March 8th Nintendo Direct On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) are back and ready to talk about all of the games we’ve been playing recently. Leading the conversation are two games that couldn’t be more different, but have each won over fans and critics alike. First there’s Monster Hunter World, which marks the return of the series to home consoles, and has sold in excess of 6 million copies since its February launch. We’ve both been slaying our fair share of monsters, and offer our thoughts on the subject. And on the opposite end of the gaming spectrum, there’s Celeste, a retro-styled indie title from the developer of Towerfall that has been praised for its fun-but-unforgiving platforming and unforgettable story. But was our journey up Celeste mountain a memorable one? We’ll let you know at the top.
That, however, is just the beginning, as the Nintendo Direct on March 8th was certainly one for the history books. We talk about all of the big announcements, including Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch, the new Splatoon 2 DLC, Luigi's Mansion 3DS, WarioWare Gold, Mario Tennis Aces, and much, much more. We also have some other recent games to discuss, including: Nier: Automata, Bayonetta 2 on Switch, Steamworld Dig, Darkest Dungeon, and more. And to round out the proceedings, we go head-to-head to debate Breath of the Wild’s overall quality as a Zelda game, discuss the recent (official) announcement of Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and offer a mini-review of the new Tomb Raider film.
So join us, as we slay a large number of Anjanaths, take a spiritual journey up a treacherous mountain, choose sides in a war between androids and robots, and watch Alicia Vikander do some serious raiding. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 60: Annihilation Review and Spoilercast, Lady Bird, and More On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) dive headlong into the "shimmer” to discuss the new film Annihilation. This is director Alex Garland’s highly-anticipated follow-up to 2015’s Ex Machina, and it stars Natalie Portman as a former soldier turned biologist on a mission to save her husband - and possibly all of mankind - from a mysterious shimmering cloud that threatens to consume the earth. And if that brief synopsis sounds a bit hard to pin down, there’s good reason: Annihilation is a mind-bending Sci-Fi journey of the first order, full of challenging questions and unsettling answers. But is it a good film?
To answer that question, we are initiating the SPOILERCAST protocol (or in other words, we’ll be discussing Annihilation in full detail - so if you haven’t seen the film yet, consider this a SPOILER WARNING). We’ll take a look at the film from all angles, including the cast of characters, important story beats, overarching themes, music, and performances, and also discuss some of the real-world challenges Garland faced in trying to bring his vision to the big screen (after all, Annihilation is being released direct to Netflix in most of the world).
And if that wasn’t enough, we round out the episode with a look at what we’ve been watching and reading lately, including our (arguably very late) thoughts on Lady Bird, Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams vs. Black Mirror, Redneck by Donny Cates, and more. We also discuss the recently announced DC Comics Black Label imprint and some of the titles and creators that have us excited for its launch.
So join us, as as we enter into a universe full of twisted flora and fauna, meet the scariest bear of all time, and are forced to question the very nature of human existence. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 59: Black Panther Review and Spoilercast On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) discuss the biggest movie of 2018 thus far - Marvel’s Black Panther - which has made more than $700 Million to date and is showing no signs of slowing down. And to help us discuss director Brian Coogler’s unique vision of Wakanda, we welcome special guest / writer / comics afficianado, Quin Melvin. Quin will be hosting a panel later this month called “Writers of Wakanda,” and he shares with us his unique insights about the comics and the film, and some of the important social implications of the series.
This episode is a SPOILERCAST in the truest sense of the word, and we go in-depth to discuss all aspects of Black Panther, including its overall structure and plot, colorful cast of characters, unique Wakandan setting, and the nature of heroes and villains (or anti-villains) in the film. On that note, we also take also take a deeper dive into Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Kilmonger, who is clearly the film’s standout character, and a subject of much celebration and debate since its release.
And to round out the festivities, we switch gears slightly to discuss Marvel’s recent announcement of “A Fresh Start” (AKA, their May relaunch) when their comics universe will be shaken up with an assortment of new titles and writer/artist pairings. We also discuss the movies, TV shows and comics we‘ve been enjoying lately, with Annihilation, Altered Carbon, The Frankenstein Chronicles, CW’s Black Lightning and DC’s Mister Miracle serving as particular highlights.
So join us, for an epic podcast journey - deep into the heart of Wakanda - that leaves us teetering, breathless, on the precipice between life, death and the Ancestral Plane. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 58: The Best Movies of 2017 (The Year in Geek, Part 4) On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) bring you the final installment in our “Year in Geek” celebration, with a discussion of The Best Movies of 2017. We start off the festivities with a look back at the year as a whole, discussing notable trends, highly-anticipated new entries in beloved franchises, and our thoughts on the overall quality of 2017’s filmic crop.
Next we shift into the awards portion of the evening, and get down to the serious business of honoring the best actors, actresses, directors, cinematographers, writers and films of 2017. This year’s categories include:
Best Actor and Actress Best Character Best Cinematography Most Disappointing / Worst Films Most Surprising Film Best Screenplay Best Director And of course, The 3 Best Films of 2017!
So join us, as we conclude our 2017 celebration of media, with a look at what is quite possibly the most challenging, beautiful and unforgiving art form of them all. This...is the Joy of Film!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 57: The Best of TV 2017 (The Year in Geek, Part 3) On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) continue our “Year in Geek” celebration with an epic discussion of The Best TV of 2017. We start by talking about the current (amazing) state of television, the insanely large number of scripted shows released each year, and the continued dominance of streaming giants Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. And of course, with great new shows from FX, AMC, Fox, NBC (and so many more), there’s plenty of love for traditional TV, too.
Once that's out of the way, it’s time to get down to the serious business of awarding the best shows, actors, episodes and stories that graced TV screens in 2017. This year’s award categories include:
Most Surprising Show Most Disappointing Show Best Character Best Episode/Writing Best Actor Best Actress Best TV Moment of 2017 And of course, The 3 Best TV Shows of 2017!
So join us, as we wade through the treacherous waters of nearly-limitless TV viewing choice and attempt to choose the best of the best - or perhaps just our favorites - or maybe (hopefully) both. This...is the Joy of TV!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 56: The Best Comics of 2017 (The Year in Geek, Part 2) On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Jordan and Kevin) dive into Part Two of our podcast-wide “The Year in Geek” celebration, with a look at the Best Comic Books and Graphic Novels of 2017. We start with a look back at some of the year’s most notable stories, including Tom King’s celebrated runs on Batman and Mister Miracle, Brian Michael Bendis’ defection from Marvel to DC, Dan Slott’s 10-year run on Amazing Spider-Man coming to a close, and of course, our thoughts on the current state of both DC Rebirth and Marvel Legacy. We also take a few minutes to discuss our own comics projects, including webcomic Welderkin and a story in the forthcoming Corpus anthology.
From there, it’s on to the main event, and our discussion of the very best that comics had to offer in 2017. This year’s categories include:
Favorite Writer Favorite Artist Best Single issue Best New Series Best Miniseries or Original Graphic Novel Best DC or Marvel Storyline of the Year And of course, The Top 3 Comics of the Year!
So join us, as we celebrate the art of sequential storytelling, and honor some of the best artists, writers and all-around creators in the industry today. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 69: The Best Video Games of 2017 (The Year in Geek, Part 1) On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) kick off our podcast-wide “The Year in Geek” celebration with a look at The Best Video Games of 2017. And what an interesting year it’s been in gaming.
We start with a look at some of 2017's biggest stories and trends, most notably the launch of the Nintendo Switch, the meteoric rise of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and the controversy surrounding two massive sequels - Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Destiny 2 - and their less-than-ideal approach to microtransactions. Oh, and VR games continued to be released, did we mention that?
Next it’s time for the awards, as we honor the best that video games had to offer in 2017. This year's categories include:
Best Character Most Surprising Biggest Disappointment Worst Game Best Soundtrack The Top 3 Best Games of 2017 and more!
So join us, as we attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff, make impossible decisions as game genres collide, and celebrate another year of truly remarkable gaming experiences. This...is The Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 55: Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi Review and Spoilercast On this epic episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) review the most talked-about, highly-anticipated film of the year: Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. And although critics have showered the film with near-unanimous praise, it currently holds a 51% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, demonstrating a clear disturbance in the force when it comes to fan opinion. Writer/Director Rian Johnson has clearly made a divisive film, and some of its biggest reveals and surprises - while thrilling to behold - have incensed many of the most ardent Star Wars fans. One thing is certain: The Last Jedi is a film full of bold choices.
So how did we feel about this new direction for Disney's flagship franchise? In a massive, two-part review (you’ll see what we mean in a moment), we weigh in on all aspects of the film, and trace the five interlocking plots that make up its complex and surprising narrative. From Kylo and Rey's fascinating relationship, to Luke Skywalker and his crisis of faith, to the plight of Finn, Rose, Poe and the Rebels, to the dark side machinations of Snoke, Hux and beyond - we'll tell you what each story meant to us, and discuss just how well it all came together. And what Star Wars film review would be complete without a newly revised ranking for all of the canon films? Will Empire remain on top? You’ll have to wait and see.
So join us, as we board an X-wing with BB-8, make some questionable decisions and get demoted, Poe Dameron-style. It’ll all work out ok in the end, right? This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 68: Assassin's Creed Origins, Sonic Forces, Super Mario Odyssey and 2017 VGAs On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) dive headlong into some of this Fall’s biggest gaming releases. Rich has been playing a lot of Assassin’s Creed Origins, and weighs in on whether or not taking a year off has allowed Ubisoft to reinvent the series in meaningful ways. He’s also been playing Nintendo’s big holiday release - Super Mario Odyssey - and has some thoughts on whether it lives up to the heaps of critical praise. For Jordan, middling reviews are no match for the "forces" of nostalgia and franchise loyalty when it comes to Sonic Forces, and he’ll weigh in on whether there’s enough Sonic magic on board to battle against some less than ideal design decisions.
But first, we take a look at the biggest trailers, announcements, and category winners from the 2017 Video Game Awards, and offer our thoughts on the biggest reveals, including Death Stranding's newest trailer, Soul Calibur 6, Bayonetta 3 for Switch, Breath of the Wild DLC 2 - The Champion's Ballad and Link's new endgame Master Cycle Zero, and more. We also discuss some of the other games we’ve been playing recently, including Pokémon Ultra Sun, Destiny 2’s Curse of Osiris DLC, Wolfenstein 2, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Horizon Zero Dawn and more.
So join us, for the second-most game-filled episode of the year! GOTY is up next, after all. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 54: Netflix’s The Punisher and Alias Grace, Crisis on Earth-X, and GNBC on X-O Manowar Vol. 1 On this episode of the Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) try to retain our composure in the lead-up to the release of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, and talk about a variety of recent TV, Movies and Comics releases. Our conversation includes the new Doomsday Clock series from DC Comics (AKA the Watchmen sequel), a discussion of the 4-part Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Earth-X, our final thoughts on Netflix Original Series The Punisher and Alias Grace, recent films Coco and Wind River, the new trailer for Avengers: Infinity War, our fever-pitch anticipation levels for Rian Johnson’s take on Star Wars, and much more.
And for the main event we take a deep dive into the wonderful world of Valiant Entertainment. With a new web series on the way (Ninjak vs. The Valiant Universe) and feature films based on Bloodshot and Harbinger on the horizon, it’s an excellent time to talk about the rebirth of a publisher whose books are consistently at the top of our must-read piles. We start by discussing the book that re-launched the Valiant imprint, with a Graphic Novel Book Club chat about X-O Manowar Vol. 1: By the Sword, by Robert Venditti and Cary Nord. We’ll go full spoilers on the first four issues, and offer some intriguing hints about where the series goes from there.
So join us, for an episode that takes us all over the universe (and multiverse): from modern superheroes on page and screen, to Margaret Atwood’s take on 1843 Canada, to the Land of the Dead and a Galaxy Far, Far Away. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 53: Justice League Review and NC ComicCon Recap On this episode, we (Rich and Kevin) are geared-up and ready to talk about the biggest make-or-break moment in Superhero movies this year. That’s right: after years of speculation, anticipation, cautious optimism, controversies, costume reveals, script re-writes, reshoots, director swaps, and even a digitally-deleted moustache, Justice League is finally here. And surprisingly enough (especially after the five-alarm dumpster fire that was Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016), this new take on DC Comics’ most famous superhero team has been relatively well-received by critics and audiences alike.
But with more comic-book movies released every year, and films like Wonder Woman and Thor: Ragnarok setting a ridiculously high bar for quality, does Justice League just-ify its place in the hearts and minds of discriminating viewers? We’ll answer that question and discuss the film in-depth - both as a stand-alone experience, and as an important new entry in the DC Extended Universe. SPOILER ALERT: there’s a lot about JL that we completely disagree on, so it should be an entertaining debate.
Also on this episode: we recap our recent adventures at NC ComicCon (including our podcasting panel and a sneak preview of Ninjak vs. The Valiant Universe web series), give a rundown of what we’ve been watching lately (including the first 4 episodes of Netflix’s Punisher and Kenneth Branagh’s new film Murder on the Orient Express), and discuss some recent news (including Brian Michael Bendis defecting to DC Comics and a Multiple Man film in the works starring James Franco).
So join us, for another whirlwind tour of the current geek culture climate, designed to be the perfect soundtrack to whatever iPhone game you're playing at the moment. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 52: Thor: Ragnarok Review, Arrowverse 2017 and Fall TV Highlights On this episode, it’s a reunion show of sorts, as the hosts of The Joy of Geek and The Joy of Gaming UNITE! for an epic, media-discussion-free-for-all. What’s the occasion? Well for one, Thor: Ragnarok was just released, and it’s quite possibly the funniest, most fun Marvel movie yet. But does the God of Thunder’s latest outing measure up to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films in other areas as well? We (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) all have slightly different answers to that question, and we’ll be going in depth to discuss Ragnarok on its own merits before discussing its rightful place in the overall MCU pantheon.
But before we crash headfirst into Asgard (by way of Sakaar), there’s a lot of catching up to do on the latest TV, Movies and Comics. To start, we check in on the current state of the Arrowverse, and rate the first 3-4 episodes of this season of Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. We also discuss what we’ve each been watching and reading, including: American Vandal, Alias Grace, Speechless, Beyond Stranger Things, Mindhunter, Dimension 404, The Good Place, The Last Man on Earth, Saw, Spectre, Gerald’s Game, Jupiter’s Legacy Vol. 2, Tom King’s Batman ongoing, and much, much more.
So join us, as we reunite the lions of Voltron and become more powerful as a result. And then use our newfound power to...talk about geek culture in awesomely-minute detail. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 67: Fall Gaming is Here (and we're playing catch-up) On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) discuss the variety of games we’ve been playing as a large number of Fall releases arrive on the scene. For Rich, that involves a lot more Destiny 2, with an update on the Leviathan Raid and endgame content, and the grudging realization that Destiny (much like World of Warcraft) is life-consuming. For Jordan, there’s a bit more variety, with a discussion of Metroid: Samus Returns, The Evil Within, Overwatch’s Halloween Terror event, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands and more.
We also discuss some of the latest gaming news, including an update on the Xbox One Kinect, the recently announced demise of Visceral Games and what their canceled game Ragtag says about the future of single-player experiences in gaming. We also take a brief look at the amazing slate of Fall video game releases, including Super Mario Odyssey, Wolfenstein 2, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Sonic Forces, and more.
So join us, for an inside look at what it’s like to have way more games to play than there are hours in the day. It’s a quality problem to have, however, and this...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 51: Halloween Spectacular, Featuring Stranger Things 2, Mr. Robot S3 and Happy Death Day On this very special episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) celebrate the Halloween season by discussing a spooky sampling of (mostly) seasonally-appropriate media. First and foremost, we discuss Season Two of Stranger Things: a nine-episode return to Netflix that fans have been eagerly anticipating almost since the moment season one dropped last year. Kevin has binged the entire second season already, and is ready to regale us with tales of its magnificence (in as “spoiler-free” a review as he can muster).
And although it may not be explicitly Halloween-themed, Season 3 of Mr. Robot has also just begun, so we’ll offer our general impressions of the season premiere and discuss our hopes, fears and overall excitement level for the rest of the season. And as an epic finale, we dive into a spoiler-filled review of the recent Teen Horror/Thriller Happy Death Day, offering our in-depth thoughts on this highly-anticipated (at least by us) “Groundhog-Day-meets-Scream” mash-up. And as usual, you can expect some assorted news and recent trailer chat (Star Wars Episode VIII, anybody?) along the way.
So join us, as we ponder the fate of Eleven and ask ourselves what exactly that slug thing is that Will Byers just coughed up (before playing Dragon’s Lair at the arcade). This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 50: Nailbiter Volumes 1-6 - Graphic Novel Book Club, Halloween Edition On this requisitely creepy, Halloween Edition of the Graphic Novel Book Club, we (Rich and Kevin) discuss the complete Nailbiter comic series by writer Joshua Williamson (Flash, Birthright) and Artist Mike Henderson (Masks and Mobsters, TMNT). Nailbiter takes place in Buckaroo, Oregon - a town that has given birth an unnaturally large number of serial killers - and chronicles the adventures of NSA Agent Nicholas Finch as he attempts to unravel the mystery of the town and its most famous creation, Edward “Nailbiter” Warren.
Finch’s journey is an epic one - spanning 30 issues (or six trades) in total - and we’ll be discussing the entire series in this one, SPOILER-FILLED episode. Our conversation includes: the cast of characters, thematic elements, story beats, big twists, plot reveals and unique art style, as well as two surprising cameo appearances from Brian Michael Bendis and Cassie from fellow Image series Hack/Slash. We also discuss some previous works in the Serial Killer, Horror and Thriller genres - Silence of the Lambs, as a prime example - that clearly served as inspiration for the Nailbiter series.
So join us, as we journey to Buckaroo to uncover the true darkness of the human spirit, and (possibly) find out where serial killers come from. Have a Happy Halloween. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 49: Blade Runner 2049 Spoilercast and Kingsman: The Golden Circle On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) journey to the cyberpunk Los Angeles of the future to review this year’s biggest (and best) surprise, Blade Runner 2049. The film - starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford and directed by Denis Villaneuve (Prisoners, Arrival) - serves as a sequel to the 1982 neo-noir masterpiece Blade Runner, and it has received near unanimous praise from critics and audiences alike. We discuss all aspects of the film - including the cast, story, direction, cinematography, original score and more - and offer our spoiler-filled thoughts on how well the film operates as both a sequel, and a stand-alone film released 35 years after the original.
But before we join “K” on his search for identity, we have some other movie news and trailers to discuss, including an update on Ridley Scott’s plans for the follow-up to Alien: Covenant, our thoughts on the new trailers for Annihilation (from Ex Machina director Alex Garland), Pacific Rim: Uprising and Tomb Raider, and a quick rundown of some of the films we’ve each seen recently. And there’s one film in particular - Kingsman: The Golden Circle - that we both saw and simply have to discuss in a bit more detail. We’re calling it a mini-review, and this movie is almost as much fun to talk about as it was to see. Once again, spoilers are involved.
So join us, as we journey from modern-day England, to the jungle-hideout "Poppyland", to 2049 Los Angeles and beyond - all in search of a great story, well told. This week, we found at least two of those. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 48: Talking Star Trek, Defenders and Aceblade w/Danny J. Quick On this episode of The Joy of Geek, we (Rich and Kevin) welcome a very special guest to the podcast - comic author Danny J. Quick. Danny is the co-creator and author of the new series Aceblade: Vegas Vigilante, which tells the story of protagonist Terrell Durham’s rise from MMA fighter to costumed hero Aceblade, driven to action by the corruption he sees all around him. The series has already had two successful kickstarters, and a third is currently underway for Aceblade 3: The Undercard.
We talk with Danny about his own personal origin story - and dive into all aspects of the Aceblade novel and comic series - before discussing some of the latest comics, TV shows and movies we’re excited about. The conversation includes: our hopes for the new Star Trek: Discovery series, The Defenders vs. the rest of the Marvel Netflix shows, Sherlock vs. Elementary, Mother! and its “F” CinemaScore, J.K. Rowling’s Cormoran Strike mystery series, Jeremy Haun’s new comic series Realm, Horizon: Zero Dawn and how it killed a PS4, and much more.
So join us, as we throw an MMA fight to make a quick buck, learn how to text as fast as Clark Kent does in Supergirl, and find out just how emo Ryan Phillippe really is. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 66: Destiny 2 and Metroid: Samus Returns (Finally!) On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) talk about two of the biggest video game releases of the year - Destiny 2 and Metroid: Samus Returns. And although these games are nothing alike in genre - one is a cinematic shared-world shooter with a focus on grinding for loot, and the other is single-player exploration-based side-scroller - both are highly, highly anticipated and subject to massive expectations from series fans. We discuss both games in depth and offer our thoughts on their overall success - both as new entries in beloved series, and as stand-alone experiences in the modern gaming landscape.
But first, we talk about some of the other games we’ve been playing lately, including the new “Longshot” story mode in Madden 2018, the undeniably stellar Sonic Mania, Resident Evil 5, Rich’s re-visit to the world of the PS Vita with Ys: The Oath in Felghana and Dragon’s Crown, among others. We also discuss some interesting recent gaming news, particularly the return of the NES Classic in 2018, Super Mario and Rabbids: Kingdom Battle’s sales success, the new Tomb Raider movie trailer, Monster Hunter World and its release date, Swery’s new crowd-funded game The Good Life, the crazy Fortnite vs. PUBG drama, and more.
So join us, as we scour every nook and cranny of the European Dead Zone for Loot Chests and Heroic Public Events, and the Planet Zebes for every energy tank and missile upgrade we can find. On second thought, maybe Metroid and Destiny 2 aren’t so different after all. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 47: Review of "It" and Top 3 Horror Films
On this Horror-fueled episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) talk about the new film It, based on the novel by Stephen King, and starring Bill Skarsgard as the iconic Pennywise, The Dancing Clown. And although this version of It underwent some significant creative reshuffles during development (with changes made to the script and director, among other things) it has proved to be a massive hit with audiences and critics, and has broken the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a Horror movie. We discuss all aspects of the film, including the ensemble cast, the tone, the plot, and of course, the titular shape-shifting alien clown.
And the jump scares don't stop there. With Halloween right around the corner, it’s an ideal opportunity for us to discuss the Horror genre as whole. We each choose our three favorite Horror movies of all-time - as well as some particularly chilling honorable mentions - and consider what it takes for a horror movie to stand out in today’s crowded media landscape. There’s also a bit of recent film news to discuss, including Star Wars Episode IX drama (with Colin Trevorrow out and J.J. Abrams in), Jamie Lee Curtis’ return to the Halloween franchise, the first images from the set of the Hellboy reboot, and more.
So join us, as we try our best to stay out of the sewers in Derry, Maine, and tell Bill Denbrough that we’re sorry we lost the paper boat he made, but there’s just no way we’re reaching our hand in there. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 46: Dunkirk Review and Christopher Nolan Retrospective On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) take a look back at the work of Christopher Nolan, a film director who has redefined the modern blockbuster and increased our capacity for wonder and awe with each of his ten films. His latest film is Dunkirk, which - through its use of three interwoven stories and a unique chronology - attempts to redefine the war movie genre in the same way Nolan redefined the Science Fiction and Superhero genres in years past. We take an in-depth look at Dunkirk - exploring its cast, story, structure and direction - and offer our thoughts on its overall success.
But first, we take this excellent opportunity look back at Nolan’s complete filmography, from his low-key debut Following, to his backwards-chronological noir-thriller Memento, to his dark (yet refreshing) new take on the Batman mythos in The Dark Knight Trilogy, to the sci-fi blockbusters - most notably Inception and Interstellar - that have defined his career. We take a look at each film, celebrating their individual triumphs, offering critiques on the aspects that don’t work as well, and choosing (or at least attempting to choose) our absolute favorites.
So join us, as we adventure beyond time and space, enter a bat-infested cave, go splash in a magician’s tank, enter a fractured world of dreams and desperation, and...go to war. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 65: Kingdom Hearts Re:Everything and Persona 5 Update: We were having some issues with the incorrect episode loading...but all should be fixed now.
On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) continue our deep dive into all things Kingdom Hearts, discussing KH 1.5 and 2.5 Final Mix, Re:Chain of Memories Final Mix, 358/2 Days and Re:coded, while also trying to put our finger on exactly what makes their unique mix of mechanics and lore so compelling. And now that we're both a lot further into the 100-hour journey that is Persona 5, we judge Atlus' latest story-heavy RPG/High-School Sim on its own merits, as well as in comparison to Persona 4.
We also discuss a few more games that have made it onto the radar - including Downwell, Yakuza 0, and Overwatch - as well as some interesting news from across the industry, including: Sonic Mania's release, Valve's new Dota 2 card game Artifact, Permadeath in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Deathmatch coming to Overwatch, new info about Call of Duty WWII's Zombies Mode, the future of Hello Games' No Man's Sky, and more.
So join us, as we take time away from our incessant Heartless-slaying and confidant-leveling to talk about...those exact same things. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Episode 45:
The State of Streaming & Our Top Five from Netflix, Amazon and Hulu
On this episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we take a look at the current state of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu, and explore the incredible rise and recent explosion of this increasingly dominant way to enjoy television. This is a medium that is growing and evolving so quickly that we actually had to break out an iPhone to record an additional news segment (which you'll find at the end of the podcast) to discuss a few big news stories that broke since we recorded.
Therefore, we start and end the podcast by talking about some of the latest streaming-related news stories - including the new trailer for David Fincher's Mindhunter, the debate over the size of Netflix's current debt, and the latest Stranger Things news, as well as some late-breaking stories about Disney's streaming plans, Netflix's acquisition of Millarworld, and Robert Kirkman's decision to take his future TV projects to Amazon.
And for the main topic this week, we count down our current favorite original shows from the big three streaming sources (although the majority of our choices come from Netflix, as it happens). We each offer up our top-five favorites, along with some honorable mentions (and one or two shows to be avoided at all costs). Oh, and shows that joined Netflix later in their runs like Black Mirror and The Killing are also fair game, in case you were wondering.
So join us, as we celebrate the best that TV has to offer, even when it's not technically "TV". This...is the Joy of Geek!
EDITOR'S NOTE: As you may have noticed, the numbering scheme of the episodes has recently changed - we will explain why on a future episode. Also, stay tuned after the end of the episode for some late-breaking news stories.
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 64:
Nintendo 64 Retrospective and Kingdom Hearts
On this, the 64th episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) take this ideal opportunity to discuss the Nintendo 64 console in all of its glory (and infamy). From Nintendo's seemingly-stubborn decision to stick with game cartridges in the age of CD-ROM, to the controversial controller design, to the many groundbreaking and genre-defining titles that were released in its lifespan - we discuss all aspects of the platform that brought us Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Goldeneye: 007, and so much more.
But first, we keep our feet firmly planted in the present to talk about the latest gaming news (Pokemon GO Fest, anyone?), as well as the games we've been playing recently. Our conversation includes: Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix and Chain of Memories, Splatoon 2, Life is Strange, Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy, Final Fantasy XIV, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and more. We also discuss the newest Telltale Games announcements, and if you're a fan of Dark Knights and Big Bad Wolves, you will probably be pleased. We certainly were.
So join us, as we discuss a simpler time in gaming's past - when controllers had one (incredibly uncomfortable) analog stick, shooters had four-player split-screen, and CA-CA-CA-Combo-Breakers were the order of the day. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Special Edition:
3rd Annual San Diego Comic-Con 2017 Extravaganza
On this very special episode of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) take a whirlwind tour through this year's San Diego Comic-Con to discuss all the latest news, trailers and announcements from the convention. From the latest Justice League trailer and DC's ridiculously large slate of announced films, to the new trailers for Defenders and Inhumans over at Marvel, this year's SDCC provided us with a generous supply of pop-culture fodder to dive into and discuss.
In addition to the news coming out of Marvel and DC, this year's event featured some groundbreaking trailers for comics-adjacent properties, including Bright, Ready Player One and Star Trek Discovery (to name a few). We offer our thoughts on those trailers, manage to squeeze in some SDCC news items that are actually about comic books, and share some of the best books we've been reading lately, including Clean Room, Motor Crush, lots of new DC Rebirth titles, and more.
So join us, as we dodge and weave our way through the year's biggest pop-culture extravaganza, and celebrate the fine art of superhero movie trailers. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 63:
E3 2017 Impressions and an Embarassment of Gaming Riches
On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) are back and armed with our impressions of the 2017 Electronic Entertainment Expo and a massive backlog of games to talk about. In other words, the Summer gaming season is upon us.
On the E3 2017 front, it's been a few weeks since the press conferences and wall-to-wall media coverage, and we've had some time to collect our thoughts about which announcements really stood out from the rest. From Metroid Prime 4 and Beyond Good & Evil 2, to Anthem and Madden 2018 - these are the games and stories we're still talking about now that the E3-hype train has left the station.
Meanwhile, it's been quite some time since we've had a chance to talk about the games we've been playing, and it's grown into quite an impressive list. Our conversation includes: Crash Bandicoot: N Sane Trilogy, Prey (2017), The Wolf Among Us, Batman: The Telltale Series, Diablo 3's Necromancer, Mafia 3, Injustice 2, Uncharted Collection, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 Final Mix, Final Fantasy IV and IV, Life is Strange, and more. Oh, and there's some big Playstation news brewing in Kansas.
So join us, for another perilous adventure into gaming's past, present and future. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 15:
Summer Film Extravaganza, Featuring Spider-Man: Homecoming, Wonder Woman and Alien: Covenant
On this episode of The Joy of Film Podcast, we (Rich and Kevin) discuss some of the biggest summer movie releases, including: Marvel's Spider-Man: Homecoming, DC's Wonder Woman, Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant, Edgar Wright's Baby Driver and more. It's been an amazing year so far for superhero and genre films, so expect a spirited conversation.
We also discuss the recent drama surrounding the thus-far-unnamed Star Wars Young Han Solo film - including the "firing" of directors Lord and Miller, hiring of Ron Howard, Alden Ehrenreich getting an acting coach, etc. - and try to make sense of the conflicting rumors swirling around. Oh, and Kevin shares some of the best stories from a recent evening spent in the presence of Kevin Smith.
So join us, as we discuss one of the best summer film seasons in recent memory, and in the process, try to prove to Tony Stark that that we deserve a place on The Avengers. Will we choose the glitz and glamour of superhero stardom, or remain your friendly, neighborhood podcast? Join us to find out. This...is the Joy of Film!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 17:
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 and Runaways Graphic Novel Book Club
On this episode of The Joy of Comics Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss the latest in the world of comics and comics-related media, and there's a lot to talk about. First, we dive into Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and discuss all aspects of the film - from the plot and structure, to the characters and performances, to the enigmatic new character EGO the Living Planet - and weigh in on the film's overall success as a sequel.
Next, we bring you our second entry in our Graphic Novel Book Club series, this time setiing our sights on the first volume of Runaways by Brian K Vaughn and Adrian Alphona. With the recent announcement of a Hulu original series based on Runaways coming in 2018 and its briefly leaked teaser trailer (which looks amazing by the way), now seemed like the perfect time to revisit the original comic and explore the tremendous impact it has had on comics and popular media since its debut in 2003.
We also discuss some of the other comics we've been reading lately, including a number of DC Rebirth titles, Descender, The Fuse, Black Hammer, Grayson, Harbinger, Spider-Man Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy, X-Men: Legacy and Gold, R.L Stine's Man-Thing, and more. And to round out the proceedings, we touch on some recent comic book news.
So join us, as we leave behind everything we ever knew, grab the Staff of One, Fistigons and a companion dinosaur named Old Lace, and take on the evil that is The Pride. This...is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 62:
Yooka-Laylee, Persona 5 and Breath of the Wild
On this games-centric episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) discuss the games we've been playing over the past few weeks - among which are some of 2017's most anticipated titles. From Playtonic's retro-inspired 3D platformer Yooka-Laylee, to the stylistically-incredible first few hours of Persona 5, to a much deeper-dive into the incredible world of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, there's something here for fans of all genres, and a whole lot to discuss.
We also dive into some of the latest gaming news, including Splatoon 2's Salmon Run "Horde" mode, a new character announcement for the thus-far-underwhelming A.R.M.S, Sonic Forces and Mania updates, Call of Duty's return to World War II with, well, Call of Duty: WWII, Battlefront 2's single-player story campaign (not a typo), Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, and much, much more.
So join us for a journey across the gaming industry, brought to you with tremendous aplomb by two titans of the industry. Or rather, by two guys at a coffee table who really love talking about games. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Television Podcast, Episode 11:
Superhero TV Special - Iron Fist and Legion
On this episode of The Joy of Television Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss two very different takes on the modern Superhero TV show - The Marvel/Netflix Kung-Fu origin-story Iron Fist, and FX's "superhero-origin-story-meets-prestige-drama" Legion. These shows approach the comic book/superhero genre from wildly different perspectives, and have been met with a wide range of opinions from critics and fans.
We'll be offering our thoughts on all aspects of these drastically different shows - from characters, to plot, to production, to, well, showrunning - and why we feel that one is much more effective than the other. We'll also discuss some recent TV news, including updates on Netflix's The Defenders, Black Lightning, Inhumans, X-Men: Gifted and some surprising TV renewals. And to round out the proceedings, we run down some of the shows we've been watching recently - namely The Killing, Speechless, The Americans, 13 Reasons Why, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Sons of Anarchy, and more.
So join us, as we travel from the snow-covered gates of mystical city of K'un-Lun, to the literal edge of sanity in the mind of a mutant. This...is the Joy of TV!
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 14:
Power Rangers Review
On this episode of The Joy of Film Podcast, we (Jordan, Kevin and Kelsey) go galactic to review Power Rangers - Saban's new big-screen adaptation of the long-running franchise. This is a big deal for Power Rangers fans, and the first major film for the franchise in over 20 years. And while online anticipation for the film reached fever-pitch in the lead-up to its release, stalwart fans of the original series also voiced significant concerns over the film's tone, updated costumes, and the depiction of certain classic characters.
On this episode, we go in-depth on all aspects of the film - including its cast of characters, plot, costumes, tone, direction, performances, easter eggs, and more. We also discuss the film in the context of the Power Rangers series as a whole, and offer our thoughts on how well it stayed true to the spirit of the source material. And as per podcast tradition, we also find some time to talk about the latest film news - including an update on the Valiant Cinematic Universe - as well as the other films we've seen recently: Netflix's iBoy, The Belko Experiment, and more.
So join us, as we take an emotionally fraught journey to a dangerous place, where nostalgia meets modern filmmaking and anything can happen. Did we mention that it's Morphin' time? This...is the Joy of Film!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 61:
Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) discuss Nintendo's highly-anticipated latest console, the Nintendo Switch. The Switch signals a bold new direction for Nintendo, as it incorporates the convenience of a portable gaming system with the power and potential of a home console. The idea is certainly novel, and if this new "hybrid system" can deliver console-quality gaming at home and on the go, it could signal a return to relevance for Nintendo in the home console space after their misfire with the Wii U.
We've had some hands-on time with Nintendo's new console, and offer our thoughts on all aspects - from the overall comfort and usability of the Joy-Cons, to the weight and size of the console, to the games in the launch lineup and beyond (Nindies, what?), and also discuss what it may mean for the future of Nintendo 3DS. And no discussion of the Switch would be complete without talking about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - the launch title to literally end all launch titles. We'll offer our initial thoughts on this massive game, along with some additional gaming news, a segment about the other games we've been playing recently, and a whole lot more.
So join us, as we journey throughout hyrule in search of adventure (and a ridiculous number of Korok Seeds). This...is The Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 16:
Interview with Dave Dwonch from Action Lab Comics
On this very special episode of The Joy of Comics podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) sit down with Dave Dwonch - a comics writer and executive who lives and works on the frontlines of the indpendent comics scene. As a founding member of Action Lab Comics - as well as its President of Marketing and Development - Dave has some fascinating insights to offer about the current state of indpendent publishing, and when we were offered the opportunity to interview him for a panel at this year's NC Comicon - Oak City, we jumped at the chance.
In addition to helping to run Action Lab, Dave is also a comics writer who has become more and more prolific in recent years. Most recently, he scripted a supernatural murder mystery series entitled Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxicab, and he has a new book coming out soon with friend and collaborator Brockton McKinney called Party Monster, which looks to be his most exciting and groundbreaking work yet. We talk about these titles and so much more, and learn what the future holds for himself and for Action Lab.
So join us for an inside look at the trials, tribulations and triumphs of creating indpendent comics, as we interview one of the freshest voices in the industry. This...is the Joy of Comics!
*Special thanks to NC Comicon and Action Lab for making this panel possible. You can also find Kevin's previous interview with Dwonch, click here.
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 12:
Logan Review, The Oscars and Film News
On this episode of The Joy of Film podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) take a cross-country trip through a post-apocalyptic wasteland to review one of the most anticipated superhero films of the past few years: Logan. This is director James Mangold's follow-up to 2013's The Wolverine, and it takes its inspiration from the comic series Old Man Logan which depicts the period near the end of Wolverine's life. As such, it affords an excellent opportunity for fans to bid a fond (but very R-rated) farewell to Hugh Jackman's 17-year portrayal of the character across nine X-Men films.
Logan is a startlingly original and grisly take on the Wolverine mythology, and it has received nearly universal acclaim from audiences and critics alike. We'll weigh in on all aspects of the film - from the performances of Patrick Stewart, Stephen Merchant and newcomer Dafne Keen, to the brutal action scenes and the overall success of the plot - and discuss the film's significance to the superhero genre. We also find some time to talk about the Deadpool 2 teaser that preceded the film, a number of other recent trailers, The Oscars, the movies we've watched recently, and a smattering of film news from across the industry.
So join us, as we embark on a perilous journey into the dark heart of the human...er, well..."super-human" condition. Believe us - it's a journey worth taking. This...is the Joy of Film!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 14:
The Year in Geek, Part 4 - Best Comics of 2016
On this very special episode of the Joy of Comics Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) close out our "Year in Geek" celebration with a look back at the Best Comic Books of 2016. And although the impact of comics on popular culture has been growing steadily each year for the past decade or so, 2016 was quite possibly the biggest yet for comics and comics-related media - from TV to Film and beyond.
Here, however, our focus is squarely on the comic books themselves, and comics publishers had much to offer us in 2016. Between the DC Comics Rebirth re-boot, Marvel's Civil War 2 and the re-launch of Marvel NOW! and the continued dominance of Image Comics as well as other smaller - but also important - players in the creator-owned space, there is A LOT of sequential storytelling for us to discuss and honor.
This year's categories include: Best Character Best Issue Best Publisher Best Writer Best Artist Best Comics of the Year ...and much more!!!
So join us, as we celebrate the very best of the year's comics and graphic novels, and deliver our final sendoff to 2016. This...is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Television, Episode 10:
The Year in Geek, Part 3 - Best TV of 2016
It's Part 3 of our annual "Year in Geek" celebration, and on this episode we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss the best that Television had to offer in 2016. Choosing favorites from this year's crop of top-quality TV shows was as difficult as it's ever been, thanks in part to the continued barrage of new shows from streaming sources like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, and cable contenders FX, AMC, and The CW (to name only a few). The 2016 television landscape was unprecedented in its quality and variety, and it made crowning a winner nearly impossible.
But here at The Joy of Geek we're always up for a challenge, and while we disagree with each other on many of the winners, our individual favorites span a wide variety of TV styles and genres - from the animated and darkly humorous Bojack Horseman, to the sci-fi epic drama of Westworld, to the edgy comedy of Speechless and Atlanta, and beyond. We discuss the merits of these shows and so many more while handing out the following awards:
Best Scene Most Surprising Show Best Performer Most Disappointing Show Best Character Best Episode Worst Show Our Top 3 Best Shows of the Year ...and more!
So join us, as we compare, contrast, disparage, denegrate - and ultimately, celebrate - the best and worst Television of 2016. This...is The Joy of TV!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 15:
Batman, Watchmen and the Art of Modern Comics w/ Gabriel Dunston
On this episode of The Joy of Comics podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) welcome local comics creator and friend of the show Gabriel Dunston - and although our original intention was to talk about his new Kickstarter project Stuff and Things, the conversation soon evolved into a wide-reaching discussion about the state of modern comics.
From assessing the quality of The Killing Joke and The Dark Knight Returns and their place in the overall Batman continuity, to debating the continuing relevance of mainstream superhero comics, to sharing what we've been reading and enjoying lately and more - this is a comics-focused conversation that covers a lot of ground.
We then take a few minutes to debate the quality of Zach Snyder's Watchmen film before getting down to business to discuss Gabriel's work. His new art book collection is the latest in a series of thus-far successfully-funded KS projects, and Gabe shares the story of its genesis and his experiences creating the book, as well as his ongoing Purgatory Pub Quadrilogy, his new YouTube series, and much more.
So join us, as we take a deep dive into the world of comics - independent, historic and otherwise. This...is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 60:
The Year in Geek, Part 2 - Best Video Games of 2016
Our Annual "Year in Geek" festivities continue with a look back at the best (and worst) that the video games industry had to offer in 2016. We (Rich, Jordan and Kelsey) played a lot of games this past year, and it's always tough to crown the best and brightest of the genre that started it all for us here at TJOG. Somehow though, we manage, and this year's conversation covers a LOT of gaming ground - from Doom and World of Warcraft: Legion, to Pokemon Sun and Moon and Zero Time Dilemma, to Final Fantasy 15, and so much more.
And as an added bonus, this episode was recorded LIVE! from our hotel room at MAGFest 2017, so you never know what might happen as we attempt to offer cogent opinions on 2016's biggest games. This year's award categories include:
Top 3 Games Biggest Surprise Biggest Disappointment Worst Game Best Character Best Game from a Previous Year ...and More!
So join us as we close out another fantastic year in gaming, and celebrate our 60th episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 11:
The Year in Geek, Part 1 - Best Films of 2016
Each year around this time, we here at The Joy of Geek Podcast get together for a series of "Best of the Year" episodes, celebrating our favorite Films, Video Games, TV Shows and Comics of the past year. This year, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) are kicking off the festivities with a look back at the Best Films of 2016, and simply put, it's been a roller-coaster ride of a year in cinema. We discuss the highest highs and lowest lows - from BvS and Suicide Squad to La La Land and Rogue One - in an episode full of strong opinions and a heated debate (or two).
And in true end-of-the-year-awards fashion, we've divised a list of categories to provide some order to the madness. This year, the categories include:
Top 3 Best Films Biggest Surprise Biggest Disappointment Worst Film Favorite Character Favorite Performer Best Scene ...and More!
So join us, for the first of our favorite series of podcasts to record, and hopefully, a fitting tribute to an outstanding year in media. This...is the Year in Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 59:
Winter Gaming Extravaganza, Featuring Pokemon Sun and Moon and Final Fantasy XV
The Joy of Gaming Podcast is back after a bit of a break, with an episode that's jam-packed with content and more than capable of making up for lost time. We (Rich and Jordan) are ready to let loose the gaming flood gates, and all the huge Winter game releases we've been playing over the past two months serve as fuel for a fantastic and frenetic, mano y mano conversation.
What games have we been playing recently? What do we think of Nintendo Switch and all the recent news coming out of Sony's PSX Event? Just how solid is Pokemon's latest generation, Pokemon Sun and Moon? And now that Final Fantasy XV is a real game that exists and can actually be played, can it possibly live up to nearly ten years of gargantuan hype? You'll have to press play and leave your inhibitions at the door to find out.
After all, the years may pass and the tides may shift, but here, great video games will always provide our true north. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 10:
Winter Film Season Celebration
On this episode of The Joy of Film Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) talk about all of the big movies we've seen recently. And because we're in the midst of the Winter Film Season, we'll be discussing some of the biggest films of the year, including: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Arrival, Edge of Seventeen, Moana, Final Fantasy XV: Kingsglaive, and more.
We also discuss some of the biggest recently-released trailers, trying our best to predict quality and figure out to expect from Ghost in the Shell, XXX: The Return of Xander Cage, Silence, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, F8: The Fate of the Furious, Spiderman: Homecoming and more. We also dive into some of the latest movie news, sneak in a bit of Marvel TV talk, and discuss a few other "film-adjacent" topics.
We cover a lot of (snow-covered) ground in this episode, as there's a lot to talk about - and to love and not love - here in the Winter of Film. And although that sounds more than a bit ostentatious, we'll let it go. After all, This...is the Joy of Film!
The Joy of Television Podcast, Episode 9:
Westworld and the Best of Science Fiction on TV
On this episode, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) dive back into the world of TV in a big way, exploring the past and present of the Science Fiction genre on Television. Here in Science Fiction's present, Westworld has taken over a lion's share of the pop culture conversation, and we have some strong opinions of our own about HBO's groundbreaking, hugely popular and (mostly) critically-lauded show. But gatling guns and robot "reveries" aside, we also discuss some of the other shows we've been watching, including Search Party, The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, Doctor Who, and SNL.
And in honor of Westworld - as well as the large number of stellar Science Fiction shows thriving in the modern TV landscape - we decided to turn our attention to the genre's recent past and discuss our favorite Sci-Fi shows of all-time. We've each chosen a top-three list of shows, and because the genre is so fertile with quality choices, we also manage to sneak in a number of honorable mentions whenever possible. The result is a conversation about what makes the best Sci-Fi television so captivating, with more than a few disagreements and raised eyebrows along the way.
Add to that a TV news segment where we discuss the latest news on Star Trek Discovery, Sense 8, the TV adaptation of Y: The Last Man, Luke Cage, Marvel's The Inhumans and more, and you have a jam-packed TV episode full of passion, thrills, chills, and (more than a little) time travel. Because in our timeline, anyway, This...is the Joy of TV!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 13:
Adventures at NC ComicCon 2016
On this episode of The Joy of Comics Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss our recent visit to NC ComicCon 2016, a phenomenal curated comic book convention held each year at the Durham Convention Center in North Carolina. The show is organized by local comic shop Ultimate Comics, and this year our own Kevin Schaefer served as an organizer and panel moderator, giving us a more in-depth look at the 3-day event than ever before.
We talk about everything we did at the show this year, including: scouring the the show floor for 3-for-$10 trade paperbacks, talking to a variety of creators about their recent books and crazy inside-baseball comics-industry stories, checking out the increasingly elaborate and creative cosplay, watching movies at the accompanying film-festival, our yearly visit to the Valiant Entertainment booth to ask questions, buy too many books and geek out over our shared love of the publisher, and last but not least, our guest-starring role in a “Podcasting 201” panel hosted by new our new friends at Name Redacted Podcast.
With all those adventures to recount, you’d think there wouldn’t be any time left to talk about everything else, right? But to the contrary, we still find plenty of time to talk about our usual podcast mainstays - the best comic books we’ve been reading lately and the latest comic book and geek culture news - including a nice serving of DC and Marvel Comics, TV and film talk, and some creator-owned books thrown in for good measure.
So whether you attended this year's NC ComicCon, if you’re planning on going next year, or you just wanna hear some great stories about comics and comic books, it’s likely you’ve come to the right place. After all, this...is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 9:
Doctor Strange Review
On this episode of The Joy of Film Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) dive headlong into the multiverse to review Marvel's latest film, Doctor Strange. The film stars the omnipresent Benedict Cumberbatch at the titular doctor who sustains career-ending injuries and, in searching for a cure, is thrust into a parallel world of magic, sorcery and mysticism the likes of which the Marvel Cinematic Universe has never seen. The film also stars Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelson and Rachel McAdams, and enjoyed a huge opening weekend at the box office.
And while the film is a thematic departure from the previous MCU films, it also treads some very familiar comic-book ground by giving us another superhero origin story - much like the first Captain America and Iron Man films and Ant-Man, among others. As a result, it's an interesting film to talk about, and we'll weigh in on all aspects - from the characters, to the special effects, to the narrative, the battles, the villain(s), the ending and much more. And as we look ahead to next year's slate of no less than three new Marvel films, we discuss the potential for superhero genre fatigue, and predict whether or not this cinematic thrill ride we're on will slow down any time soon.
So consult the Ancient One, grab hold of some power from the Dark Dimension, and use the Eye of Agamotto to set aside some time to listen to this episode. Don't worry - the three sanctums will be safe until you return. This...is The Joy of Film!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 12:
Graphic Novel Book Club - Outcast Vol. 1
Welcome to the inaugural episode of what we hope will become a storied new tradition here at the Joy of Geek - our Graphic Novel Book Club. For each episode, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) will choose a graphic novel or trade paperback to read as a group, and then get together a week or two later for an in-depth discussion. For future episodes, we'll also be announcing the book choices in advance on TheJoyofGeek.net so listeners can get in on the discussion too.
For our first episode of the GNBC, we're discussing Outcast: Vol. 1 - written by Robert Kirkman with art by Paul Azaceta. Outcast is an ongoing supernatural horror comic series published by Image Comics, and it's the story of Kyle Barnes - a man who has lived most of his life in the shadow of demonic possession. Kyle is an outcast in more ways than one, and soon he is called upon to use his strange and unique talents to battle the darkness and possibly save his own soul along the way.
Outcast was originally conceived by Kirkman (of The Walking Dead fame) as an idea for both a comic series and a TV show, and the first season of the show aired this past summer on Cinemax. We discuss the first volume of the comic series in depth - offering our thoughts on the characters, the narrative so far, the art, and our hopes for the future of the series. We also touch on the pilot episode of the Cinemax series, and examine how closely it adheres to the source material.
So here in the season of Halloween and all things haunted, join us as we venture ever closer to the evil that lurks in the hearts of men. Or rather, as we read a trade paperback and then discuss it in a well-lit room. Either way will work. This...is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Special Edition:
New York Comic Con 2016 and Beyond
On this special edition of The Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) forego our usual format to discuss all of the latest news and trailers coming out of this year's New York Comic Con 2016, as well as some of the biggest stories that have broken since then.
Our conversation includes the much anticipated full trailer for Marvel and Netflix's Iron Fist, the first (and decidedly angsty) Power Rangers trailer, John Wick: Chapter 2, Ninjak vs. The Valiant Universe, the surprising announcement of an Extended Edition of Suicide Squad (more Joker, anyone?), more details and footage from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and much, much more. We also discuss a few of the best things we've been watching, reading, etc. over the past few weeks, in true TJOG-style.
So join us for an odyssey through the (second) biggest comic book and geek culture extravaganza of the year! And who knows - while you're listening, you might even catch a glimpse of the Joker's Purple Lamborghini driving by with Skrillex in the front seat. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Television Podcast, Episode 8:
Mr. Robot Season 2 Review and Spoilercast
**WARNING!!! FULL SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2 OF MR. ROBOT WILL BE REVEALED****
On this very special episode of The Joy of Television Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss one of the most fascinating, compelling - and this season, divisive - shows on modern television. The cyberpunk-inspired hacker drama Mr. Robot premiered last year to a cavalcade of praise and phenomenal reviews from critics and fans alike, and it scored a spot on just about every top TV list for 2015. But success like that also comes with immense pressure, and creator Sam Esmail was in a challenging position as he began to plan out the sophomore season of the show.
And when Season 2 of Mr. Robot premiered a few months ago, the new direction of the show proved divisive for many, and the chances it took only became more daring and controversial as the season continued. There are a lot of strong opinions on this season's big features - including the senses-shattering twist in Episode 7 "Handshake", the ambiguous nature of "reality" on the show, the new, wider scope and more - and we offer our thoughts on everything that went down (or didn't go down, depending on how you interpret the series' many twists and turns).
So join us, as we probe the deeper meanings of "Project Berenstain" and "Phase 2", and attempt to piece together the fragments of a season that either redefined modern television or jumped the shark in a major way - depending on who you ask. This...is the Joy of Television!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 58:
Fall 2016 Gaming Preview
Fall has officially arrived, and that means it's time for our Annual Fall Gaming Preview 2016! Much like the past few years, Fall 2016's release list includes a large number of sequels to Triple-A Franchises - including Gears of War 4, Watchdogs 2, Pokemon Sun and Moon, and Dishonored 2 - as well as some highly-anticipated HD remakes - including The Bioshock Collection, Batman: Return to Arkham and The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Special Edition, to name a few. And while "what's old is (certainly) new again" this year, there are also some smaller-profile titles like Gravity Rush 2 and Recore that have peaked our interest. We (Rich, Jordan and Kelsey) discuss them all, and offer our thoughts on the individual games we're anticipating the most, as well as the overall slate of Fall titles.
But before we venture into gaming's near future, we take some time to discuss the past/present and the games we've each been playing recently. Our conversation includes: World of Warcraft: Legion, Lego Dimensions, Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Picross 3D: Round 2, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, Hotel Dusk: Room 215, and more. There's also been a flurry of gaming news lately, and we discuss as much of it as we can, including the Playstation event and announcement of Playstation Pro, the latest Nintendo Direct and upcoming slate of 3DS titles, more Nintendo NX rumors, The ever-divisive Metal Gear Survive, and that huge surprise Apple event announcement by Miyamoto: Super Mario Run! Overall, it's definitely a surprising time in gaming.
So join us as we dive headfirst into the morass of Fall video game sequels, remakes (and occasional hidden gems), and discover the joy of gaming buried deep underneath. This is the best time of the year to be a gamer, so let the celebration begin! This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 8:
Our Favorite Science Fiction Films of All-Time
On this episode of The Joy of Film Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) are going "high-concept" to discuss what is arguably the most varied and fascinating genre ever to grace the silver screen: Science Fiction. From 2001: A Space Oddyssey and Blade Runner, to Minority Report and Ex Machina (and everything in between), the only limit here is the filmmaker's imagination. These films are able to make the impossible possible and transport us to a speculative future world full of aliens, robots, crazy technology and a variety of potential outcomes for humankind (few of which are ideal). So yeah - it's a pretty wide field.
Consequently, choosing our three favorite sci-fi films of all-time was no easy task (even with the added leeway of a few honorable mentions each), so we've narrowed things down a bit and excluded pretty much everything that falls into the "popular space opera" category. In other words, you won't find Star Wars or Star Trek on any of our lists. Is this a shocking omission on our part, or a necessary narrowing of a potentially gargantuan list? You be the judge, as we joyfully celebrate our favorites and wrestle with each and every difficult decision.
But first, we discuss some of the latest news coming out of...well, Hollywood, presumably...including some Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe news, updates on Rogue One, Star Wars: Episode VIII, and the Han Solo "Solo" film, and some new insights into - of all things - Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. And finally, we give you our thoughts on some of the films we've seen recently, including Kubo and the Two Strings, Pete's Dragon and Don't Breathe. As podcasts go, this one's pretty feature-complete.
In other words - if you want to know why Kubo is "ridiculously emo," whether Pete's Dragon is better than the original, or who's rumored to be playing the young Lando Calrissian in a movie that's more than two years away from release, you've come to the right place. This...is the Joy of Film!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 57:
Gamescom 2016 and Games We Like (More Than Most People Do)
On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kelsey) discuss the latest news coming out of Gamescom 2016 - including our thoughts on Metal Gear Survive, new Pokemon Sun and Moon details, the Lego Dimensions Supergirl Starter Pack and more - before diving into a lively discussion about a topic we're calling: "Video Games We Like (More Than Most People Do)". And yes, we could just call them "Underrated Games," but some of these picks may have earned their less-than-outstanding Metacritic and GameRankings scores, despite our intense enjoyment of them. Have we peaked your interest? If so, our individual Top 3 lists will no doubt spark some friendly disagreement, and we each throw in a few super-controversial honorable mentions to help stoke the flames.
But before we set the internet on fire with mild controversy, we warm things up with a discussion of the games we've been playing over the past few weeks, including: Kirby Planet Robobot, Hearthstone: One Night in Karazhan, The Banner Saga, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Hyrule Warriors, Ben Hur, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Batman Arkham Knight and Warriors Orochi 3. We also discuss some of the big goings-on in the world of gaming, including the incredibly mixed response received by No Man's Sky, the current state of Pokemon Go, and much more. We also wax nostalgic about the glory of gaming magazines of the past like Nintendo Power, Electronic Gaming Monthly and GamePro.
So join us, for a discussion of the video games that make us love video games, even if they make other gamers want to run for the hills. Okay, so that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is that this...is The Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 11:
Suicide Squad Aftermath & Our Favorite Batman Villains
Here in the aftermath of Suicide Squad's release, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) have decided to honor that film's source material by turning our attention to one of the most colorful, creative and fascinating collections of villains in all of comics - the Batman Rogues Gallery. From widely known superstar villains like The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin and Two-Face, to slightly lesser-known baddies like Clayface, Hush, The Court of Owls and Catman, we're diving deep into the Batman mythology to discuss our favorites.
We also discuss a variety of new details that have emerged since the release of Suicide Squad, and offer our evolving opinions on the film we all saw in theaters, as well as our thoughts on how it may have differed from Director David Ayer's original vision. And of course, no episode of TJOC would be complete without a rundown of the latest breaking news coming out of the world of comic books, films and TV shows, as well as a discussion of some of the best comics we've been reading over the past few weeks. And to cap off the proceedings, we tell you what comic-related media we're most excited about in the weeks and months to come.
So just imagine that it's new comic book day and you're about to dig into your new read pile. Suddenly you think "Oh hey, look! The Joy of Comics is right on top! Nice! I've been waiting for this issue all month!". Or at least that's how things might go down if this episode was actually a comic book instead. Yeah I know - it's kind of a bad analogy, but you get the point. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Television, Episode 7:
The Best Characters on TV
On this episode of The Joy of Television Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) celebrate what is arguably the most important part of any great TV show: its cast of characters. After all, masterpieces of modern TV like Lost, Game of Thrones, Fargo, How I Met Your Mother, Mr. Robot, Hannibal, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc. depend on their fascinating and/or relatable characters to keep viewers engaged and coming back to see what new adventure each episode holds. And because there are so many different types of characters, we've broken things down award-show style, into a number of different categories.
The Categories Include:
Best Hero
Best Villain
Best Dramatic Character
Best Comedic Character
Best Supporting Character
Best Animated Character
Most Relatable Character
Most Surprising Character
We also discuss the latest television news - including our usual rundown of superhero TV show reveals and announcements - and chat about some of the shows we've been watching lately, including Stranger Things, Mr. Robot and Bojack Horseman.
So join us, as we celebrate the funniest, most compelling, most animated and outright surprising characters that modern TV has to offer. This...is the Joy of Television!
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 7:
Suicide Squad Review
On this episode of The Joy of Film Podcast, we're reviewing DC's Suicide Squad - and it just may be the most fascinating and divisive film of the year. For the occasion, we've rustled up an epic-sized panel - including Joy of Geek regulars Rich, Jordan and Kevin, and special guests Katie and Holden. It's a packed house, and we each have some strong feelings about the film, so get ready for a throw-down. But first, we can't talk about Suicide Squad without a nice healthy dose of hype and backstory to kick things off.
After years of anticipation and speculation, the time has finally come: Suicide Squad has been released. This is the movie that everyone was counting on to single-handedly redeem and re-invigorate the critically-maligned DC Comics Extended Universe, and wash away the dark clouds left by Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. And while resting the entire future of the DCEU on any one film is a risky proposition, it becomes even more dangerous when the film in question is an action-comedy starring the self-admitted "Worst Superheroes Ever." Sounds either totally crazy or totally brilliant, right? Or like a recipe for certain disaster. This is the tumultuous geek culture stew that David Ayer's film was dropped into this past weekend.
And while there's no doubt that Suicide Squad was up against some tough odds, there was good reason to hold out hope. This is the world of superheroes, after all, where people are capable of amazing and supernatural feats, and comeback stories are the order of the day. And judging from the string of diverse and fantastic trailers Warner Bros. released over the past year, it appeared that they finally cracked the code and learned how to successfully translate the DC heroes to the silver screen. But does Suicide Squad live up to any of the hype, self-imposed or otherwise? Our five-person panel is here to weigh in.
We discuss the film in-depth, giving our thoughts on Jared Leto's Joker, Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, Will Smith's Deadshot and the rest of the cast of characters, as well as the film's plot, tone, main villain and other creative choices. We also discuss the variety of controversies surrounding the film, including the multiple competing final cuts, Joker and Harley's relationship, the behind-the-scenes antics of the cast, and much more.
We're diving deep into this review - so don't be surprised if Killer Croc happens to swim by while we're talking. And regardless of our final thoughts on Suicide Squad, one thing is certain: the comic book movie landscape just got a whole lot more colorful with its release. This...is the Joy of Film!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 56:
Nintendo NX and the Attack of the HD Remasters
We (Rich, Jordan and Kelsey) are back and better than ever, with a super-sized new episode of the Joy of Gaming Podcast! And here in the calm after the storm that was this year's E3 and San Diego Comic-Con conventions, there's quite a bit to talk about - most notably, the recent rumors surrounding the Nintendo NX, big news on the Sonic the Hedgehog and Hearthstone fronts, and a number of exciting new game releases. But if there was one theme that emerged again and again at this year's big gaming events, it was that of the "HD Remaster". What's old will truly be new again over the next few years, as the games of yesteryear are re-released on today's consoles - but is this a good thing for the industry? We'll let you know what we think.
But first, it's been a while since our last episode, and we have a lot of games to discuss. First on the agenda is Zero Time Dilemma, the final entry in the Zero Escape "thrill"-ogy of visual novel games. This time, however, series writer/director Uchikoshi has taken the game in a number of new and different directions (literally), and we've got more than a few strong opinions to share on the subject. Next, we dive headfirst into a discussion of the other games we've been playing, including: Song of the Deep, Pokemon Go, Hearthstone, Mighty Number 9, The Banner Saga, The Division, Splatoon, The Binding of Issaac: Afterbirth, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Just Cause 3, and many more. And then, just when you think this episode couldn't get any "gamier," we move to the main event.
From the reveal of 2K's Bioshock: The Collection, to the announcement (and subsequent delay) of the Batman: Return to Arkham collection, to the staggering success of the recent re-release of Red Dead Redemption (as a backwards compatible game on Xbox One), to the ridiculous anticipation already brewing for the forthcoming The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition and beyond, one thing is clear: HD Remasters, Re-releases and "Ultimate Collections" of relatively recent games are coming in greater numbers than ever, and from just about every major publisher. But is this trend just another avenue for enjoying our favorite games, or a foreboding sign that developers are abandoning the development of new IP for the cheaper and safer alternative of re-issuing past favorites? We discuss the topic in depth, including a list of our favorite remasters of all time, our individual wishlists for games to be remastered in the future, and our thoughts on what ingredients make for a successful remaster.
And you know what? That doesn't even scratch the surface of what this episode has in store. It has more games, more excitement, and more Cory Barlog than any episode that has come before. Yeah, you remember Cory Barlog, right? The guy who directed God of War 2? Of course you do. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Special Edition:
San Diego Comic-Con 2016 Extravaganza
Yes, It's that time again - time for San Diego Comic-Con 2016 - the biggest, most star-studded and news-filled comics convention of the year! And although the convention has evolved into much more of an all-inclusive geek culture celebration in recent years, comics (or at least comic-book-related movies and TV shows) have remained at the forefront of the proceedings. For fans of modern entertainment of all varieties, it's one of the most exciting and important events of the year, and we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) are here with a rundown of the hottest news that came out of this year's con.
This year's SDCC 2016 was more action-packed than any in recent memory, and filled to bursting with new trailers for upcoming Marvel and DC films and TV shows. Most notably, we witnessed new trailers or footage from the upcoming Justice League, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, and Doctor Strange films, and TV shows including The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders (sort of), newcomer Legion, and more. We also saw a new trailer for Neil Gaiman's American Gods, got some big news about the new Star Trek (online?) TV series, learned about new casting for Captain Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and witnessed the controversy surrounding The Killing Joke animated film. There were also some big new video game announcements, including two great-looking new Sonic titles, the reveal of Marvel Ultimate Alliance parts 1 and 2 for modern consoles, and some new Paper Mario: Color Splash gameplay.
And that summary doesn't even scratch the surface - SDCC was ridiculously massive this year, so if you missed something, don't worry. We're here to bring you our thoughts and feedback on all of the festivities, and celebrate the best that TV, Movies, Comics and Video Games have to offer. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Film Podcast, Episode 6:
The Joy of Film Review - Ghostbusters (2016)
Welcome to a brand new era of Ghostbusters, right? It's pretty incredible just how different this new 2016 team is from the original. First of all, it's completely made up of women, and they're some of the biggest names from Saturday Night Live and comedy today. Actually, now that I think about it, that last part's not so different from the original film after all. Hmmm. Well one thing is definitely clear - there's a lot of talent and star power in this film's corner. After all - the film stars Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones as the eponymous team, and it's directed by Paul Feig, the man who brought us Bridesmaids in 2011 and Spy just last year. Heck, it's even produced by original Ghostbusters creator, screenwriter and star Dan Aykroyd. All things considered, Ghostbusters (2016) looks incredibly promising...but is it good?
That's what we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) are here to discuss. And while I won't give away the answer here, I will say that our opinions varied pretty wildly. In the court of public opinion, this new Ghostbusters has faced its fair share of both positive and negative reviews, and it's not surprising; as a total reboot of a classic and almost universally beloved 80's franchise, this film was shackled from its conception with some Stay-Puft-sized expectations. The film did manage to bring in $46 million in its opening weekend at the box office - not too shabby a figure, but also not as large a haul as its studio and creators had hoped for. Did the film deserve to do better? Is there hope for a sequel? Did Chris Hemsworth nail his role as the Ghostbusters' IQ-challenged secretary? We'll weigh in on these questions and a whole lot more on this Class 5, Full-Roaming Vapor of an episode.
In other words, fire up your proton packs, kick out a ghost trap or two, and get ready for some decidedly dissenting opinions. Oh, and we also dive into some exciting new film news, including a brief overview of Star Wars Celebration 2016 and some assorted DC comics movie rumors and speculation. Did you expect any less? This...is The Joy of Film!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 10:
Adventures at HeroesCon 2016
With HeroesCon 2016 now officially in the books and the amazing adventures we had at this year's event still swirling around in our minds, it's time to sit back, relax, and try to make sense of it all. And to do that, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) have gathered in a secure location and invited a special guest - Lucas Santos - to give us his take on the con as a first-year attendee. How will his experience compare to that of us grizzled con veterans? You'll have to tune in and see. But if you're anything like us, these events are all about the comics and the creators - and we'll be discussing as many awesome artists, writers and books as one podcast can contain. We begin by taking a brief trip down HeroesCon-memory lane, and follow-up with an extensive journey up and down the wonderful weaving aisles of artists alley to chat with the likes of Jeremy Haun, Brendan Fletcher, Babs Tarr, Matt Fraction, Justin Greenwood, Rebecca Mock and more. And for the big finish, we discuss the many books we purchased in the exhibitor's area, and give you our thoughts on the ones we've managed to read so far. Over the course of the weekend, deals were found, a lot of cosplayers were photographed, and more than a few rookie mistakes were made, but we made it out alive and very happy with this year's HeroesCon. So come along as we discuss this awesome celebration of comics. This...is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 9:
Exploring Millarworld with Talent Search Winner Cliff Bumgardner
On this special edition of The Joy of Comics, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) welcome local NC writer/filmmaker Cliff Bumgardner to the party for a conversation of all things geek. And let's just say that the timing couldn't be better. Cliff is one of the winners of Mark Millar's recent Millarworld Talent Search, and the short story he penned (based on the lesser-known Millar series American Jesus) will be appearing in the Millarworld 2016 Annual, due out on July 13. And if that weren't enough, the film company he works for is about to unveil their new documentary about NC Comic Con - a sort of "primer" on what it takes behind-the-scenes to organize a local comics convention.
Our conversation starts with a look back at Cliff's journey to the precipice of film and comics stardom, and includes some fascinating stories about the crazy things that happened along the way (a major movie deal that fell through at the last second? Really?). From there we chat a bit about where Cliff's Millarworld story - "Undeath" - fits into the American Jesus mythos, and then digress into an awesome discussion of all the cool things we've each been reading, watching, playing etc. Oh, and by the end we will totally be spoiling the series finale of 90's TV show Dinosaurs - listen at your own risk.
So to recap: if you're a fan of controversial Scottish comics scribes, anthropomorphized baby dinos, creation myths in comics and in real life (see what I did there?) and a whole lot of geek-culture inside baseball, you should feel right at home. We always do. This...is the Joy of Comics!
Want more info on Cliff's work? You can find him @cliffbumgardner on Twitter.
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 8:
DC Rebirth, Captain America, MCU Rumors and Pre-HeroesCon Hype
Here at the Joy of Geek, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) are gearing up for our yearly pilgrimage to Charlotte, NC for HeroesCon 2016. And what better way to get in the spirit than with a discussion of all the crazy, exciting and controversial things that are happening now in world of comics and comic book movies. From the epic reveals in the pages DC's Rebirth Special and Captain America: Steve Rogers #1, to the latest movie news coming out of the MCU and the DCU (or should we call it the Murderverse?), there's a lot to talk about.
And then in part two, we settle in for a nice discussion of all the books we've been reading since the last comics episode. From mainstream titles like Star Wars, Starfire, Civil War II and Martian Manhunter, to indie masterpieces-in-the-making like Hellboy, We Stand on Guard and The Beauty (yep, it's finally back!!!) - there are so many great books on shelves these days and far too little time.
But that's the point, really. From our weekly read piles (or trade paperback purchases) to amazing events like HeroesCon, there has never been a better time to get swallowed up by a whole lot of awesome reading material. Passionate about this stuff? Yeah, we are too. This...is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 55:
Gaming Returns, feat. Quantum Break, Doom and Rise of the Tomb Raider
Welcome to Episode 55 of the Joy of Gaming podcast - we're certainly happy to be back talking about video games. And since our last episode, we (Rich, Jordan and Kelsey) have been playing a lot of games. For lucky number fifty-five, we're bringing it back to basics, with an episode focused entirely on the games we've been playing since our last episode - and it's quite a list. From AAA titles we've been anticipating forever like Doom, Quantum Break and Rise of the Tomb Raider, to recent break-out indie hits like Stardew Valley and The Flame in the Flood (as well as some Nintendo Wii U and 3DS titles thrown in for good measure), our discussion runs the literal gaming gamut.
So join us, as we catch up on the absolute best games of the past few months (and beyond), in a discussion that certainly earns this podcast's title. This...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Special Edition:
The Joy of Television Upfronts 2016
Every year around this time, the major TV networks trot out their new slate of Fall shows to drum up early buzz and excitement among advertisers, the media (and some well-informed viewers). And every year, we here at the Joy of Geek gather around a TV, bring up YouTube, and watch the new trailers for each show in one glorious session. Then, as listeners to this podcast will tell you, we proceed to discuss it all - the good, the bad and the ugly - and call it our Annual TV Upfronts episode. It's a tremendous amount of fun, and a great way to get ready for the upcoming year of TV. So if you love TV like we do, you have now come to the right place.
This coming Fall's slate of new shows brings with it some big questions: Will CBS continue to reign supreme atop its throne of police procedurals and Chuck Lorre multicams? Will any of this year's new sitcoms actually make it past their freshmen season? Will Supergirl's move to the CW have an impact on the quality of the show? Is the world ready for another MacGyver? And does the fact that there are no fewer than three new time-travel-based shows - Timeless, Making History and Time After Time - bode well or ill for the near-future of network television?
Only time will tell, of course, but that won't stop us (Rich, Jordan, Kevin and Kelsey) from engaging in a whole lot of educated conjecture and wild speculation. After all, this...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Film Review:
Captain America: Civil War
On this star-studded episode of the Joy of Geek podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) review the highly-anticipated next film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise - Captain America: Civil War. Walking into theatres on opening weekend, our hopes were very high, especially considering the considerable quality of the previous film in the series - Captain America: Winter Soldier - and our desire to see how well Marvel would handle the introductions of both Black Panther and Spider-Man. The film certainly had the potential to be the best in the series so far, but were Kevin Feige, the Russo Brothers and the rest of the MCU crew ultimately able to deliver on our expectations? Tune in to find out.
As a very small spoiler, I will say that not all of us agreed entirely on the overall strength of the film - but that is what makes these conversations (hopefully) all the more interesting. When the smoke settled, however, we shook hands once again as friends and colleagues, having put to rest our debates on: (1) The quality of the film's main antagonist, Baron Zemo (2) Whether or not we enjoyed the Cap - Iron Man - Winter Solider dynamic (3) Whether the overall premise holds up under scrutiny, and (4) If this really is a "Captain America" film, or if "Avengers: Civil War" would have been a more fitting title. And ultimately, we give our thoughts on the film as a whole, and our individual predictions on where the MCU might go from here. Oh, and we also manage to discuss a bit of additional film-related news, including some Star Wars Rogue One chat, DCU film news, and more.
So join us for an epic adventure, where alliances are strained and friendships are put to the ultimate test. Or, at the very least, for a solid discussion on one of the most anticipated movies of the year. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Film Review:
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
Here at the Joy of Geek Podcast, we watch and get excited for a large number of movies each year, but the release of a new tent-pole superhero film is almost always a cause for an extra degree of excitement and celebration. And along with the rest of humankind, we were eagerly anticipating the release of DC's huge new, cinematic-universe-launching opus, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and trying to keep our minds open and spirits high, even as Zach Snyder's darker vision for the film became more and more apparent with each successive trailer and director interview.
But now that the film has been released - to excellent first-weekend earnings at the box office, but also terrible reviews from critics and many fans - we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) are ready to discuss our own strong opinions on this incredibly decisive film.
Did we leave the theater exhilarated and chomping at the bit for the next entry in DC's new mega-franchise, or bemoaning the two-and-a-half-plus-hours we spent with Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot and Batfleck? All you have to do is press play, and and sit back to find out (and experience the inevitable fireworks that ensue). Because as usual here on the podcast, we don't necessarily agree on what works in the film and what doesn't.
So here we are, (1) reviewing one of the biggest geek films of the year, (2) disagreeing all over the place, (3) demonstrating ridiculous passion, and (4) loving every minute of it. And ideally, so will you. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Year in Review Part Three:
The Best of Comics 2015
Welcome to Part Three of our "Year in Review" celebration: a series of podcasts counting down the best that 2015 had to offer in all forms of media. On this episode, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss the comics we read over the past year, as well as the overall state of an industry whose influence on all of pop-culture has never been stronger.
From big-name Marvel and DC titles, to the ever-growing number of books published by Image and other creator-owned publishers, the comics industry has never seemed so vibrant and diverse, and 2015 provided us with so many great books from new and returning series. We do our best to break it all down and choose our favorites - and in the end, attempt to come up with some nice, conscise best-of lists. Oh, and we also talk a bit about the impact our favorite books are having on TV, Film and Video Games. This being "The Joy of Geek," and all.
So without further ado, we invite you to dive into our pentultimate "Best of 2015" episode." We promise that they'll all be released before 2016 rolls around. This...is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Year in Review Part Two: The Best Films of 2015 Welcome to Part Two of our "Year in Review" celebration: a series of podcasts counting down the best that 2015 had to offer in all forms of media. We've once again assembled the full Joy of Geek cast (Rich, Jordan, Kelsey and Kevin) to count down the Best Films of 2015. And no matter how you look at it, the past year's roster of film releases made choosing favorites an epic and exciting task. After all, 2015 is a year that brought us two new entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man, the amazing surprise that was George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, and possibly the most anticipated film of the last decade, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. It was also an exceptional year for indie and medium-budget films, with It Follows and Ex Machina as two of the biggest standouts, proving that a smaller budget is certainly no hindrance to a fantastic story. And that's not to mention a searing list of big-budget, tentpole extravaganzas, including Jurassic World, Furious 7, Inside Out, Spectre, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, and more. Yes, it was quite a year, and as per tradition, we pull no punches as we drag the good, the bad and the ugly of 2015's filmic crop out into the open and subject them to our judgment. But at the end of the day, this podcast is about celebrating the best that life has to offer, Poe Dameron-style (rather than the worst, as Oscar Issac's other character, Nathan Bateman from Ex Machina, might). Because after all, this...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Podcast, Year in Review Part One: The Best TV Shows of 2015 Welcome to the first episode of our Year-in-Review Extravaganza at the Joy of Geek Podcast: a series of podcasts counting down the best that 2015 had to offer in all forms of media. And to start, we've undertaken the incredibly daunting task of choosing the Best TV shows of 2015. This past year was further proof that we're truly experiencing a New Golden Age of Television, and the year's best shows came from a wider variety of sources than ever before. Netflix and Amazon further stepped up their game in 2015 - in terms of the quality and quantity of their original programming - and the networks proved that they can still excite us with shows of all genres, even if their crop of new series was a bit disappointing. Overall, TV in 2015 was an embarrassment of riches, making it all the more difficult to narrow things down into a "Best of" List. So in order to make these tough decisions, we've assembled the entire Joy of Geek team - Rich, Jordan, Kelsey and Kevin - and we each choose our top three favorite shows of the year, as well as some honorable mentions, and a few notable disappointments. From brand new series like The Expanse, Master of None and Jessica Jones, to beloved returning series like The Flash, Hannibal and The Last Man on Earth - we bravely step up to the challenge of watching awesome shows and breaking them down for your enjoyment. Oh, and in true Joy of Geek fashion, there will also be surprises and closet-calls aplenty. So join us now for Part One of our veritable pop-culture extravaganza, and check back next week for Part Two, and a discussion of our favorite films of 2015. We're working overtime to bring you our unique brand of prickly-sharp criticality, thrilling intrigue, and quite possibly a bit too much enthusiasm. This...is the Joy of Geek!
The Joy of Geek Film Review, Episode 1:
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Full-Spoiler Review)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After the announcement of a new Star Wars film in late 2012, a new constellation formed in the sky for every Star Wars fan and aficionado to gaze at with wonder and speculation. With each new piece of news that was released (J.J. Abrams is directing! Ford, Fisher and Hamill are on board!), we became more and more excited, and then came the new Marvel comic series, the Rebels animated series, the torrent of new toys on Force Friday, and the release of the much anticipated video game, Star Wars: Battlefront. As each new star joined the ever-expanding constellation, anticipation for the film’s release grew - as did our sky-high expectations. And then it happened - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens was released this past weekend - and all that hype, all those expectations, all that hope, culminated in the biggest box-office opening weekend of all time. That part was pretty much expected.
What wasn’t known - couldn’t be known - until we all finally sat down in theaters to experience The Force Awakens, was whether or not the film would live up to thirty-plus years of fan expectations. Would the film be as beloved by fans as the original trilogy, or commercially successful but generally maligned by the true fans like the prequel trilogy? As we sat in the theater this past Thursday night, and the words “Star Wars” blasted onto the screen accompanied by a joyously familiar musical swell, the audience went crazy, cheering for the return of the most famous movie franchise of all time. Episode VII had begun, and we were ready for anything.
And thus, for our first film review on the Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens - arguably the most important geek film release in at least ten years. But with this much hype surrounding it, and such storied source material, can any two hour movie actually live up to our expectations? We go in-depth, in a fully spoiler-filled discussion to find out. From the dark side tantrums of Kylo Ren, to the light side adventures of newcomers Rey, Finn, BB-8, and Poe Dameron, to the epic return of Han Solo, Leia, and Luke - our conversation covers it all, and no space-battle or force vision is left un-discussed.
And making the festivities even more engaging, each of us just so happens to come to the film with a different level of Star Wars fandom. Kevin is a dyed-in-the-wool, Yoda-poster-on-the-wall mega-fan, Rich has been a huge fan since before he can remember, and Jordan loves the series, but didn’t grow up with the same fervor. How does this affect our individual enjoyment of the film? You’ll have to listen to find out.
It's difficult to emphasize just how big a deal the release of this film is. After all, we're talking about a new Star Wars. If anything ever was, This...is the joy of geek!
The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 2:
Legends of Tomorrow, Captain America: Civil War, and Comic Books Galore!
And we’re back, with an epic-sized edition of the Joy of Comics Podcast! This time, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) set our sights upon the newly released trailers for Legends of Tomorrow and Captain America: Civil War, and give you our thoughts. Spoiler: They both look ridiculously good! But that’s just the start of the adventure. We also discuss the status of our favorite comic-related TV shows - including The Flash, Arrow and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - and share our initial impressions of Supergirl and the just-released first season of Marvel and Netflix’s latest collaboration, Jessica Jones.
Next, we discuss a bit of local comic news, including our trip to NC ComicCon, a new book by local creator Alexander Julian III called Retrograde, and Terminal Protocol - a Kickstarter project from our very own Jordan Alsaqa and Image artist Rem Broo. Spoiler #2: The book looks amazing, and there’s a special bonus backer reward designed specifically for podcast listeners!
And finally, for the main event, we discuss the comics we’ve been reading since the last episode. And as you might imagine, it’s quite a list. Our discussion includes: Superman: American Alien, The Amazing Spider-Man, Huck, The Kitchen, Ms. Marvel, Paper Girls, Southern Bastards, Effigy Vol. 1, Wytches, Harley Quinn, The Valiant, and a whole lot more! And as tradition dictates, we finish off the festivities with a look at the books we’ll be reading in the weeks ahead, and there are more than a few books worth getting very excited about. Spoiler #3: The Private Eye by Vaughan, Martin and Vicente is now out in Hardcover...need I say more?
We have our core lineup locked in for a great season of comics podcasts, and the comics industry is really killing it lately, so we’re unlikely to run out of amazing comics and comic-related awesomeness to discuss. This is...The Joy of Comics!
Links:
Alexander Julian III is known as @Pro4Test on Twitter, and you can find out more about Retrograde here.
The Kickstarter page for Terminal Protocol by Jordan Alsaqa and Rem Broo can be found here. The campaign closes on Dec. 15, so make haste if you want a copy!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 54:
The Triumphant Return, Starring Fallout 4, Destiny: The Taken King, Black Ops 3 & Halo 5
And we’re back, with a new core lineup and an amazing crop of new Fall games to discuss. And for that reason, we (Rich, Jordan and Kelsey) have decided to dedicate this entire episode to a giant-sized “What We’ve Been Playing” extravaganza! We also discuss some exciting news about the future of the podcast, and announce a Kickstarter comic project from one of our hosts.
Last year’s Holiday gaming season was more than a little disappointing, but this year, game developers have turned up the volume to 11, dropping the proverbial mic with a slew of huge new game releases. Fallout 4, for example, has been anticipated for more than 5 years, and Bethesda had a lot of hype to live up to. We discuss whether or not they’ve pulled it off, and share some of our initial adventures in the commonwealth wasteland. Meanwhile, with the release of The Taken King, Destiny has become Rich’s new obsession, and has taught him the meaning of the words “MMO” and “life-consuming.” And although Bungie is no longer guiding Master Chief’s destiny, 343 Studios took the franchise to new heights with 2012’s Halo 4. Can Halo 5: Guardians keep their streak alive? Jordan has some strong opinions on the subject. And finally, Call of Duty has made it back onto the Joy of Gaming’s radar with Black Ops 3 - Treyarch’s comprehensive new entry in the series. We’ll tell you why. Oh, and Kelsey has played over 300 hours of The Binding of Isaac, and explains to us exactly how that’s possible.
And a bit closer to home, we couldn’t be more proud of our very own co-host, Jordan, who just launched a project of his own. If you haven’t checked out the Kickstarter campaign for “Terminal Protocol” yet, you should probably take a moment now to click and see what all the excitement is about. It’s a sci-fi graphic novel collaboration with Image artist Rem Broo, and it looks outstanding. Also, there’s a Joy of Gaming podcast-related backer reward that you won’t want to miss!
All things considered, this Holiday season is shaping up to be one for the history books, and we’re loving every minute of it. It’s a great time to be a geek, and an even better time to be a gamer. After all, this...is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Comics, Episode 1:
San Diego Comic-Con, Ant Man, and a New Name
Hello, and welcome to another exciting episode of…wait…The Joy of Comics? That’s right - we’ve been listing these Comic- and TV-centric episodes as “Special Edition” episodes for a while now, but it’s time we made it official. Therefore, this is the first official episode of “The Joy of Comics Podcast,” and with all the recent excitement coming out of the world of comics and comics-related media, it’s going to be one hell of an inaugural bow. And with a new podcast name comes a new podcast member – so without further ado, we welcome Kevin Shaffer as our official third man for these comics episodes. Together, we team-up to talk about two of the biggest comic and geek culture happenings of the year – San-Diego Comic-Con and the release of Marvel’s Ant-Man.
San Diego Comic-Con was chalk full of announcements this year, and some new trailers to boot – so we talk about topics including the Suicide Squad trailer, X-men: Age of Apocalypse, Deadpool, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Ash vs. The Walking Dead, Colony, Joss Whedon’s new comic Twist, and so much more.
Then we switch gears to discuss “The little Marvel movie that could” (see what I did there – in fact, there are multiple references going on there). Marvel’s Ant-Man certainly encountered some trouble throughout its extra-long development cycle, but did it reach the other end of the tunnel unscathed and excellent? Or did all of the Edgar Wright-y-ness get rubbed off along the way? We give you our opinions, as well as our thoughts and hopes for the future of the character. We also find some time to squeeze a bit of actual comic book talk in there, and give some love to the best books we’ve been reading recently.
And by the time the curtain closes on this inaugural episode of the Joy of Comics, we’re hoping you’ve been lulled to “geek” by the sheer volume of comic book talk. Because after all, this…is the Joy of Comics!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 53:
Bloodborne, Life is Strange, and the Joy of Timeless Games
And we’re back, with another games-centric episode, and quite possibly a new official third man (or woman, in this case). Longtime friend of the show and frequent guest Kelsey Lehr joins us for another trip down gaming-memory lane, this time to discuss the games that we find ourselves coming back to again and again over the years. From Halo to Mario to…wait, how did Jordan find a way to slip Earth Defense Force 2017 into the mix? Nonetheless, this episode is all about timeless games – and we share our personal lists of (1) the games of yesteryear that we still go back to today, as well as (2) some newer tiles that we expect to be playing for the rest of our lives. Yes, listeners, we fully intend to be 65-years old and playing Super Mario Galaxy 7 and Mass Effect 15. This is the Joy of Gaming, after all.
But before we look back, we take some time to visit the present, and celebrate the games that we’re loving today. What have we been playing? Well for Rich, it’s been a little bit of The Order: 1886, and a whole lot of Bloodborne (and it’s his first foray into any of the Souls games so there’s a lot to talk about there). For Jordan and Kelsey, Life is Strange has proven to be a life-changing experience, full of tears, time-travel and heartbreaking choices. And yes, they do manage to explain why without spoiling anything. Other games mentioned include: Far Cry 4, Halo: ODST Remastered, Hearthstone, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin, and many more. We also talk about a bit of pre-E3 news to round out the festivities.
We may spend a lot of time talking about TV and Comics lately, but this podcast firmly rooted in a love of video games. That’s what brought us together, and that’s why this…is the Joy of Gaming!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Special Edition:
TV Upfronts 2015 – Feat. Supergirl, Lucifer, Legends of Tomorrow, and more!
Hardcore TV fans, fire up your TiVos (or DVRs, as the case may be), ‘cause the year’s most exciting week of TV announcements is now over, and the future is looking bright. That’s right – Network Upfronts for 2015 have come and gone, and we (Rich and Jordan) have a lot to talk about. Overall, there weren’t quite as many jaw-dropping announcements as last year, but there were still plenty of shows that got us very excited. There were also a few that looked absolutely joyless (Dr. Ken, Anyone?) and more than a few that made us look at each other in (giddy…or perhaps horrified) disbelief (OIL! - I’m looking at you!).
And although there were more than a few shows that we disagreed on (you’ll have to listen to find out), there were a number of trailers that were just straight-up awesome. Legends of Tomorrow is one example: it’s an Arrow/The Flash spin-off, time-travel-based Superhero show that is so star-studded, so exciting-looking, that it’s hard to imagine anything but an amazing season of blockbuster TV ahead. Meanwhile, Supergirl brought up some mixed reactions among critics, but there’s little doubt that Producer Greg Berlanti will again deliver here, and Lucifer may be maligned by some web news outlets, but we couldn’t be more excited for the Fall premiere.
Whew…what an exciting year we have ahead. Soon, however, there won’t be room for anything but superheroes and comic-based shows on TV. But would that really be so bad? This…is the Joy of Television!
The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Special Edition:
Batman v Superman v The Marvel Cinematic Universe
On this special edition episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich and Jordan) bring back the Comic Book Side Project for a reintroduction celebration. And celebrate we do, because comic book movies are absolutely everywhere. You can’t click anywhere online without stumbling across a new costume reveal or teaser trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man or Star Wars: The Force Awakens (which isn’t a comic book movie per se, but we’re still really excited about it). And we’re not the only ones.
On this episode, we introduce a new guest contributor to the podcast – Kevin Shaffer – who is not only incredibly, indescribably jazzed for the new Star Wars film, but is also a well-read comic book fan and geek culture enthusiast in his own right.
We begin the episode with a very opinionated discussion of all the latest comic book news and gossip – including superhero movies, comic books and anything even peripherally related. Then we move on to part two, a rundown of the comics we’ve been reading recently and the books we plan to read more of in the weeks and months ahead.
So it all starts here, dedicated listeners. This episode is the first appearance of Kevin Shaffer, so pick up multiple copies while you can. Let me just say, it’s a great time to be a comic fan. This…is the Joy of Comics!