Boot Disks and Bad Decisions: Recent Episodes
Tom & Brian
Two 30-something nerds attempt to navigate the trials and tribulations of the 21st century, often poorly. Do you enjoy a heady mix of humor, introspective despair, and spirited debate on the zeitgeist of today's nerd culture? If so, you've come to the right place! New episodes every Sunday!
Brian and Tom close out the podcast by discussing the games that impacted them the most, and the Sexy Chicken Voice makes a triumphant return to Tom's delight and Brian's chagrin.
The guys discuss grinding for mad lootz in video games and whether it's okay for games to start slow before they reach the really fun parts.
Tom and Brian never thought they'd be doing this long enough to get to part 6 of anything, but here we are. This batch of oddities includes wacky web sites, aptly-named books, and a rather disturbing mouse pad.
Tom and Brian discuss a recent visit to a retro arcade and reminisce about their favorite coin-op classics.
Tom and Brian discuss their time playing the Command and Conquer series, while also looking back on FMV and ridiculous Tim Curry quotes.
Tom and Brian discuss their favorite video games that you can purchase for $10 or less during the current Steam sale, as well as some of the games they've gotten the most mileage out of.
Tom and Brian wash up on a deserted island and discuss the games they'd be happy playing for the rest of their lives. Come for the terrible skit intro, stay for the Survivor-esque drama!
Tom and Brian review their most anticipated games revealed during this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.
Tom and Brian discuss their most unpopular gaming opinions, including high-profile franchises they really don't like very much and underrated games they think should get a bit more credit.
Tom and Brian discuss famous video game development delays over time and attempt to determine whether delays tend to produce a better, more polished game or be a huge red flag that disappointment is on the way.
Tom and Brian discuss video game characters they'd want to grab a drink with, and specify the drink of choice for each character.
Tom and Brian discuss interesting analytical facts about video games, ranging from market breakdowns, top-selling games on various platforms and the difficulty in nailing down accurate sales statistics in the game industry.
Tom and Brian discuss games that were overhyped and did not live up to their billing, and other games that arrived with little fanfare and left a lasting impression.
Tom and Brian return for the newest installment of Superfight and a team deathmatch filled with thrills, spills, chills and a few surprises.
Tom and Brian come back for Part 2 of the video game music series, exploring the most impactful tracks that shaped their video game experiences for the better.
Tom and Brian select some of the most iconic video game musical scores from the 1980s to present and discuss why the songs have left a lasting impression.
Ostensibly this episode is about handheld and mobile gaming, but the reality is we meandered around and made things up as we went along. Enjoy!
Tom and Brian discuss some of the most iconic video game cheat codes, exploits and easter eggs for your listening enjoyment. No need for Nintendo Power, we've got them all right here for you!
Tom and Brian take a deep drive into the Far Cry IP, from its original title by Crytek to the current iterations and upcoming title starring Giancarlo Esposito.
Tom and Brian discuss gaming computers and peripherals that are excessive or just laughably useless, featuring the 7-screen Aurora 7 laptop.
Hannah, our crime correspondent, returns once again for a deep dive into high-profile hacks in recent history relating to the mysterious Anonymous collective.
Tom and Brian return for the epic conclusion to Video Game March Madness - who will stand victorious atop the bodies of their enemies? Listen to find out!
Tom and Brian utilized a random number generator to create a bracket of 16 of the best video game characters in history, who will battle it out for the glory of being the best! Who will win?
Tom and Brian dig deep to find indie diamonds in the rough from the past and present in this second installment of the indie game showcase.
Tom and Brian discuss the Star Wars expanded universe of books, video games and other media, assessing the merits of including these stories in the formal canon.
Tom and Brian discuss the Expanse Season 5 in its entirety, and discuss where the plot will move going forward given the clues provided by the book series.
Tom and Brian discuss odd gaming den products they found in the deepest corners of the internet in the latest oddities episode.
In the newest Superfight episode, Sithasaurus Rex takes on the Terminator... with a surprise twist ending!
Tom and Brian discuss their experiences with pen and paper role-playing games and CCGs.
In the opening episode of the IP Deep Dive segment, Tom and Brian discuss the lore and history behind the Fallout series.
Tom and Brian begin the second year of Boot Disks and Bad Decisions by wrapping up discussion of the Mandalorian Season 2 in its entirety and speculating about the adventures to come in Season 3.
Tom and Brian discuss their favorite indie games, after realizing that over the course of 50+ episodes they've largely focused on AAA games.
Tom discusses his experiences in finally getting a chance to play Cyberpunk 2077, and later Tom and Brian discuss the penultimate episode of the Mandalorian Season 2 as well as the upcoming Star Wars series announced by Disney.
Tom and Brian provide the weekly Mandalorian update, discuss Cyberpunk 2077 and review some of their weirdest retail experiences as customers and employees.
Brian and Tom discuss the retro games that they loved as kids...that they're now realizing kind of sucked. Hot takes include Rebel Assault, Mortal Kombat, and a very lukewarm take on the Virtual Boy.
Tom and Brian review the sordid history of video game movie adaptations, digging through the trash to see if any gems can be found.
To celebrate the 50th episode of Boot Disks and Bad Decisions, Tom and Brian host the fifth internet oddities episode featuring wolverine claws, Japanese rope bondage, the devil's toe and many other gems.
Tom and Brian discuss the IPs they want to see more of, and also those that they are just tired of the constant iterations and would love it if Activision and EA would give them a rest already.
This week's video game companions are like those classmates in your group project- they just don't pull their weight and in most cases you'd be better off without them! Tom and Brian discuss the absolute worst and most useless video game companions, including Slippy Toad, Claptrap and many others.
Happy Halloween! On this special episode we bring back Hannah, our crime correspondent, to review the history of gaming urban legends.
Tom and Brian mean to discuss something meaningful, but mostly just geek out over The Expanse.
Tom and Brian discuss the most shameful behavior they've participated in when gaming, which mostly involves Brian as Tom has no shame.
Tom and Brian bring back Superfight for a second iteration, by popular demand, and prove once and for all that Chuck Norris cannot be beaten.
Tom and Brian discuss the annual AAA bombardment of autumn releases, as well as the latest gaming news such as the release of the Nvidia RTX 3080 and the purchase of Bethesda by Microsoft.
Tom and Brian discuss the characteristics of games and gamers that are the fly in the ointment for their gaming experience, ranging from poor UI choices to multiplayer toxicity.
Tom and Brian discuss the medical odyssey that held Tom out of recording for a week, and follow up with a discussion of games, movies and other media they lean on to make lemonade when life deals them lemons.
Brian and Tom deal with writer's block by playing Superfight and recording the results for your enjoyment.
Our crime correspondent, Hannah, returns to discuss the most famous and controversial cases involving swatting, a form of prank where the caller sends a SWAT team to a friend or acquaintance's house by claiming they have a hostage situation or bomb threat at the address.
Tom and Brian pick up an age-old debate that never gets old - if you could have any three superpowers or abilities, which would they be and why?
Brian and Tom deliver yet another episode chock full of the strangest things they've found on the Interwebs.
Tom and Brian discuss the steady transition of modern gaming into more grimdark, edgy themes.
Tom and Brian discuss whether it is a net positive or negative when high-profile celebrities are cast in video games, especially when their likenesses are included as in Death Stranding.
With Cyberpunk 2077 and its many character creation tools fast approaching, Brian and Tom explore how character customization in gaming has evolved over time and discuss how various games portray gender and sexuality.
Tom and Brian discuss their passion for LEGO sets, including the good, the bad and the ugly sets released over the years.
Remember Talkboys, Tamagotchis and the ever-enduring Bobby Bonilla day? We do, and this week we take a stroll down memory lane to discuss our favorite toys, games and media from the 90s.
Tom and Brian discuss the most famous and infamous vaporware of the last several decades and think about the gameplay that could have been.
Tom and Brian close the books on Brian's PC building journey and discuss the latest gaming news, such as the proposed sale of WB Interactive by AT&T.
Tom and Brian welcome Hannah, our crime correspondent, to discuss morbid tales of gaming-related deaths and criminal mayhem.
Brian and Tom assemble a new and exciting video game design idea from the component parts of their streams of consciousness, with surprisingly solid results.
Tom and Brian mourn the recent death of Brian's PC rig and discuss other random topics like Bitcoin and the glorious premiere of Serious Sam's fourth installment.
Tom and Brian discuss the various media they've been turning to as pandemic survival mode kicks in, including old standby video games, movies and TV shows.
Tom and Brian discuss the recent casting of Boba Fett into The Mandalorian Season 2 and debate other burning questions such as what Starburst flavor is truly the best one.
Tom and Brian return to the infinite well of wisdom known as the internet and once again discuss their findings.
Tom and Brian discuss the evolution of the free-to-play / microtransaction model in gaming and whether it has had a net positive or negative impact over time.
Tom and Brian discuss the ins and outs of VR and AR gaming, and speculate about whether they represent the future of gaming or are the POGs and Tamagotchis of our day and age.
Tom and Brian discuss the hybridization of gaming genres over the years, and the double-edged sword of endless creativity compared to the old days of purity of purpose in gaming.
Tom and Brian discuss games that have really tugged at their heartstrings and hit them in the feels over the years, or that simply changed their perspective on what games as a medium can be.
Tom and Brian discuss their favorite single player video game experiences as we all face the brave new world of social isolation.
Tom and Brian discuss toxicity in gaming in the past and present and strategies they've employed for confronting toxicity in a positive way.
Tom and Brian discuss the various creative ways Mother Earth has come up with to plot our inevitable demise, and eventually segue into the actual nerdy topic - video game genres they are especially good or bad at.
Tom and Brian once again go completely off topic and discuss weird and somewhat gamer-related products and topics found on the internet, such as the Gamer Grip, Dead Static Drive and Cell Phone Cage.
Tom and Brian discuss the highlights of this year's PAX East, including the best AAA and indie games as well as the most entertaining panels.
On this special bonus episode of Boot Disks and Bad Decisions, Tom and Brian discuss the games, panels and events they are looking forward to in attending PAX East 2020.
Tom and Brian discuss video games that have disappointed them over the years, and others that most people hated but they actually enjoyed. Includes discussion on Frozen Synapse, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, Saw: The Game, Fallout 4 and many more!
Tom and Brian explore some football-related internet oddities in the aftermath of the Super Bowl, including Eli Manning beer and the Reynolds Hunger Harness.
This week the boys discuss the leaked Colin Trevorrow script summary for The Rise of Skywalker and share their wish lists of Legends characters they wish were included in the official Star Wars canon.
Tom and Brian examine The Last Jedi one more time with the benefit of having seen The Rise of Skywalker, and take a step back to examine the Skywalker saga as a whole.
The boys discuss the obstacles inherent in gaming as an older adult, when jobs, houses, wives and kids all demand constant attention.
The guys discuss the origin of the podcast's name, and take a trip down memory lane to reminisce about retro games... some more well-known than others.
How did we choose "Boot Disks and Bad Decisions"? Well, mainly because we didn't have a lot of better ideas. Tune in to hear our deliberations!
The boys kick off New Year's with a discussion of "I Am Jesus Christ" the game and the dangers of consuming edibles in public.
Tom and Brian discuss gaming backlogs, Steam sales and the difficulty inherent in moving on (from a game you love).
Brian and Tom discuss the ins and outs of The Mandalorian as its first season concludes.
In our first foray into the podcasting world, we discuss a wide range of topics from role-playing game stat structures to the infamous Gandhi bug.
The discussion continues with a lively and suitably nerdy in-depth discussion about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.