The Best Games Period: Recent Episodes
Jack Gardner and Naomi Lugo
Join Jack Gardner and Naomi Lugo as they discuss, debate, brawl, and sometimes agree over the best games period.
The duo brings years of podcasting, game criticism, and somewhat related tangents to the table to create one of the most interesting video game podcasts you'll find this corner of the internet.
A game that has been hailed as genius, revolutionary, and utter garbage all at the same time, Deadly Premonition achieved cult classic status the day it launched back in 2010. The Xbox 360 title borrows themes from Twin Peaks, constantly references famous films, and introduces the world to a delightfully twisted community hidden away in rural America where the trail of a serial killer has led FBI agent Francis York Morgan. Joining Jack this week is Jordan Black from Just Add Monsters! Jordan does some phenomenal work leading the JAM outlet and we encourage you to check out their thought-provoking video essays! Follow Jordan and their work on Twitter: @Bad_Durandal Follow Just Add Monsters to keep tabs on the great content coming out: @AddMonsters Outro music: Super Mario Galaxy 'Galaxy Drifter' by LongBoxOfChocolate (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04100) You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Kept you waitin', huh?
We are back with this episode recorded roughly a day before the protests broke out in Minneapolis and everything became very overwhelming for a while. It has taken a bit to get back on my feet, but we're back with another podcast!
This week's episode features Justin Carter (@GigawattConduit), a writer who has bounced around the game industry for quite a while now. This week we talk about one of the tightest first-person shooters to come out in the past decade: Titanfall 2. A phenomenal multiplayer game mixed with a fast and imaginative single-player campaign set in a world torn by war waged with the help of giant robots, Titanfall 2 captured the hearts and minds of many - and birthed the now ubiquitous APEX Legends. Does it hold up? Listen along as Justin and Jack chat to find out!
Follow Justin Carter and his work on Twitter: @GigawattConduit
Outro music: Terranigma 'Brave New World' by jnWake, ilp0, Ivan Hakštok, Trev Wignall, zykO, and Jorito (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04084)
Thanks for waiting and I hope we can keep this podcast going for a while longer yet. It's a tough one to put together every week, but I'll do my best for you all. <3
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Friend of the show Marcus Stewart arrives to talk about his favorite party game of all-time: Towerfall. The first 100% Ouya exclusive to be featured on this program, Towerfall was developed by the same team behind the recent incredible platformer Celeste. It was created by Matt Thorson making this the first game headed by a non-binary developer to be featured on this show (at least to our knowledge).
Follow Marcus Stewart and his work on Twitter: @MarcusStewart7
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 'A Toadstool Mix...' by Reuben6 and Gamer of the Winds (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04064)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This week Jack is back with another solo episode about the Obsidian Entertainment RPG Tyranny! We delve into what makes Tyranny such a risk in the RPG space and how it embraced allowing players to be evil by denying players an optimal "good" path.
Outro music: Star Fox 2 'The Lost Legend of Lylat' by DS (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04061)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In 2014, a small band of misfit developers who had previously worked on the game Bulletstorm released an indie game like nothing anyone had seen before. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter takes players on a journey through mystery, murder, and death with a startling amount of nuance and imagination. Join Daniel (@indiejones84) and Jack as they delve into this treat of a game!
Outro music: Zombies Ate My Neighbors 'Eighties Ate My Zombies' by Mike Norvak and Fernito (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04051)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Joseph Yaden joins the show this week to talk about Dead Rising, one of the weird, generation defining games that appeared on Xbox 360 courtesy of the creator of Mega Man. It's a great episode and you should follow Joseph on Twitter (@JosephYaden) and try his podcast Active Quest!
Outro music: Kyatto Ninden Teyandee "TEYANDEE!" by Black Ace (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04055)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This messy and short episode is an adequate tribute to the messy and short experiment that was Lost Planet: Extreme Condition on the Xbox 360. The game follows Wayne, a man frozen solid for 30 years as he wakes up and becomes an ice pirate and fights giant robots and monsters. The gameplay is amazing and the story is terrible. A classic Capcom game for the ages!
Outro music: Puggsy 'The Last Lucky Planet' by CJthemusicdude (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02473)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This week Jack is joined by the wonderful Amanda Farough to talk about the incredibly unique systems and stories of The World Ends with You. This weird JRPG was created by a dream team composed of Kingdom Hearts II alums from Square Enix and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories veterans from handheld developer Jupiter! Let's dive into what makes it one of the best and strangest of all-time.
Be sure to follow Amanda Farough on Twitter: @AmandaFarough
Outro music: The World Ends with You 'Calling -GUARDIAN MIX-' by GuardianSoul (https://youtu.be/ySSzUimjKpM)
This week we tackle Horizon Zero Dawn from Guerrilla Games! We recorded the episode prior to the announcement that the former PlayStation 4 exclusive would be releasing on PC. The illustrious Kyle Gaddo came on the show to talk about how its story about man, machine, and the planet they both live on really reflects a unique outlook on our collective responsibility to the world.
Here is a link to the Medium article by Dia Lacina discussed in the episode.
Be sure to follow Kyle Gaddo on Twitter: @kylegaddo
Outro music: Skies of Arcadia 'To the Horizon' by Jorito, BardicKnowledge, Bassoonify, Damian Nguyen, DrumUltimA, Earth Kid, Gamer of the Winds, JohnStacy, Keadrin Cain, Lauren the Flute, and Ronin Op F (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03855)
Remember how a few years ago a pop culture critic decided to do a series of videos about tropes in video games as viewed through a feminist lens? Well, that conversation got really toxic for a long time, and five years later things seem to have cooled off. So, we're taking another look at the Tropes vs. Women in Video Games series by Anita Sarkeesian!
Each episode of this series will zero in on one episode from the TvWiVG videos and try to break down the trope and discuss the specific points Ms. Sarkeesian made in her video essays. The series was always intended to be a starting point for a larger discussion - hopefully you learn some things or find the conversations interesting!
Y'all are fantastic and thank you so much for bearing with us as we continue on our podcasting adventure together.
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Jack is joined by streamer and all around swell guy Kazuma Hashimoto to talk about the remastered version of Final Fantasy XII, giving the game a much needed second look! It's a lot of talk about imperialism and occupation through the more digestible lens of a JRPG. In Part II, Jack and Kazuma cover the narrative beats of the game, going deep into spoiler territory on a quest to discover the themes and secrets it holds.
Please check out Kazuma's streams and follow his presence on social media: @JusticeKazzy_
Outro music: Final Fantasy XII 'Dream of Salikawood' by RebeccaETripp (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03570)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In the first of this two part series, Jack is joined by streamer and all around swell guy Kazuma Hashimoto to talk about the remastered version of Final Fantasy XII, giving the game a much needed second look! It's a lot of talk about imperialism and occupation through the more digestible lens of a JRPG. Part II will be coming next week!
Please check out Kazuma's streams and follow his presence on social media: @JusticeKazzy_
Outro music: Final Fantasy IV 'Edward Penelo's Waltz' by Chimpzilla (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03082)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This week Jack interviews Tanya DePass from I Need Diverse Games. Tanya works as a consultant helping companies improve the way black and brown people are depicted in pop culture. She was kind enough to allow me to publish the full interview with her after talking with her for a piece on Extra Life (which is still in the works). The full conversation was really interesting and it was wonderful having her on to get her perspective.
Give her a follow on social media: @cypheroftyr
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Princess Ruto' by Smooth4Lyfe (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03919)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After a difficult January filled with computer failures and massive data losses, everyone's favorite podcast about which games are best returns with this excellent episode featuring special guest, freelance writer, artist, producer, and streamer Jared Schuh! This week we talk about the massive success and shortcomings of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (which is already a couple years old already, wow we feel old).
Please check out and follow Jared's work over on Twitter: @Quesobros!
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 'The Champion of Hyrule' by RoeTaKa (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03706)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This is it! The end of 2019 episode! We brought friend of the show Marcus on to talk about his top three games of the year in celebration of some of the best gaming moments we had throughout the year.
This was a really long episode that ran about 2 hours, so patrons will be getting access to an amusing look back at the decade as well as Marcus and Jack's honorable mentions from 2019! In fact, that's available right now!
Outro music: .hack//Infection - Part 1 'Stockings by the Fire' by Ryan Davis Music (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04017)
Frostpunk released in April of 2018. The game received many nominations for its innovative use of building mechanics to provoke players into questioning their role in creating a disturbing nightmare society out of necessity. The game was created by the fine folks at 11 Bit Studios, the developers behind This War of Mine, a contemplative look at how war affects those who find themselves caught between the bullets.
Join us as we dive into Frostpunk and examine, in a somewhat rambling way, what it has to say about the rise of eco-fascism, both within its fantastical apocalypse and the impending one of our own design in the real world.
Outro music: Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals 'Such Sweet Sorrow' by djpretzel (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04008)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This week, we talk with Tiny of TinyMakesThings about the fascinating culture of keyboard enthusiasts and artisans.
We are shifting the release schedule. From now on, episodes will be available for Patreon patrons a week before they make their way out to the general audience.
Be sure to follow Tiny's work on via her handle TinyMakesThings on most social media platforms, commission her on TinyMakesThings.com, or watch her streams on Twitch channel where she goes by Tiny.
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Lullaby for a World' by Emunator and Flexstyle (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04006)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
As time marches on, many people remember the BioWare/Star Wars classic Knights of the Old Republic fondly. It stands out to them as the quintessential RPG experience and a bar by which all subsequent RPGs find themselves judged. Less frequently, however, do people consider Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, the technically flawed, but narratively richer younger sibling. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment under some of the tightest time constraints RPG developers have ever experienced, Obsidian was tasked with delivering a sequel to one of the greatest RPGs of all-time with only a year of development time. Were they able to succeed?
Joining us this week is prolific game critic and Escapist columnist Elijah Beahm. In addition to his gaming and writing talents, Elijah happens to be one of the most knowledgeable figures on the Star Wars universe that you could hope to find. We talk about Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order before launching into a prolonged discussion about the trials and tribulations of KotOR II. We also have a spoiler discussion of Respawn's Fallen Order that you can listen to if you become a patron over on patreon.com/bestgamesperiod!
Be sure to follow Elijah's work and Star Wars ranting over on @UnabridgedGamer.
Outro music: Star Fox 'Crosswind' by B-laze (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03992)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from most major podcasting apps, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or Libsyn.
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
2010 was the heyday for free games released online and powered by Flash. Titles like Meat Boy grew in the wild frontiers of Newgrounds and other websites that catered to those looking to play games in their web browsers. Into the mix stepped Uruguayan studio Ironhide Games. The company had found success with a few minor titles, but their latest game, Kingdom Rush, achieved a rare level of success. With more than 300 million plays under its belt, the developers created a version for the then new iPad. This portable version found massive acclaim and propelled the creation of a mobile version for iPhones and eventually Android. It became one of the most popular games in the world for a window of time. Within innovative gameplay and incredibly solid execution, it remains one of the best tower defense games of all time, arguably the best of them all.
Outro music: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge 'Cozy Campfire' by Yffisch (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03974)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The gaming world has been clamoring for a new Animal Crossing for years now. With one approaching on the horizon, we figured it was a perfect time to take a look at the mobile game Nintendo introduced back in 2017. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp puts players in the role of a campsite manager and arms them with the tools to make it the best gosh darn campsite ever. With activities like bug catching, fishing, and making animal friends, it seems relatively similar to other offerings in the series - but some say it just might be one of the best games of all-time.
To get to the bottom of why this game resonated with so many and to discuss why it might be one of the all-time greats, we brought on Aiden Strawhun! Aiden writes for IGN and their work has appeared on Kotaku and Gamespot. They also serve as the Advocacy Director of Women in Games, an organization that works to help women find and create more inclusive places in the game industry. You can follow Aiden over on Twitter: @AStraww.
Outro music: FTL: Faster Than Light 'An Open Galaxy' by Sir_NutS (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03963)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Final Fantasy XIV has experienced one of the greatest resurgences in modern video game history. Faced with a disastrous launch, Square Enix did the unthinkable and destroyed their world in an apocalyptic event designed to reboot their MMO. A Realm Reborn completely revamped the game and corrected its course, setting it on a path to the massive and enduring success Final Fantasy XIV enjoys today.
With three core expansions and numerous free patches continually adding or reworking content, it might just be the most thriving MMO on the market. However, does that make it one of the best games of all time?
To help us answer that question, this week we are joined by friend of the show Kazuma Hashimoto (who you should follow on Twitter: @JusticeKazzy_). He's a long-time player of Final Fantasy XIV, has locked down impressive interviews with members of the development team, and released an evolving review of the latest expansion, Shadowbringers for RPG Site.
Outro music: Donkey Kong Country 'OSHA Violation' by Reuben6, Earth Kid, and sleffy (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03971)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Tanya DePass, the founder and director of I Need Diverse Games. She was gracious enough to talk at length about diversity, feminism, and the unique intersection those have with tabletop gaming. It's a really fantastic conversation, so I hope you all enjoy hearing all of it!
A huge thank you to Tanya - you should all give her a follow on Twitter: @cypheroftyr
The finale of Dragonguard has arrived! Nomsooni, Barphus, and Scratch make choices to determine the fate of their world and their own respective futures.
"Shadowlands 1 - Horizon" "Super Power Cool Dude" "Bittersweet" "Dreamer" "Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Stepping through a portal to another world, Scratch, Nomsooni, and Barphus have the nature of their existence revealed and have the future of their universe placed into their hands.
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In November 2017, Trinket Studios released a unique puzzle-fighting game onto PC and Nintendo Switch. The title, Battle Chef Brigade, had garnered a colossal amount of support following a successful Kickstarter campaign raised over $100,000 in 2014. The game focuses on Mina Han, an up and coming chef who leaves her rural home to make it as a member of the Battle Chef Brigade, an elite group of chefs who battle monsters and use the spoils to make the most delectable dishes in all the land. Battle Chef Brigade currently sits with a spotless rating of 10/10 on Steam and has earned itself a persistent cult following since release.
This week we are joined by game critic and noted Battle Chef Brigade evangelist Caitlin Galiz-Rowe to talk about the wild world of culinary contests. Is Battle Chef Brigade one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Fantasy Zone 'Opa and Over' by Rexy (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03954)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Follow Caitlin Galiz-Rowe on Twitter: @CGRRRRRRRR
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Fire Emblem Awakening released in North America back in 2013. Intended to be the final swansong of the franchise, it instead found success on a magnitude it the series had never seen before. Critics and players alike praised its new focus on accessibility and the centrality of the support conversations between characters. These changes allowed everyone to experience a much wider swath of Fire Emblem Awakening's content and word of mouth managed to make the turn-based strategy title one of the most popular games for Nintendo's 3DS.
This week we are joined by Julian Rizzo-Smith to talk all things Fire Emblem and figure out if Fire Emblem Awakening is one of the best games of all-time!
Outro music: Super Smash Bros. Melee 'Together, We Fly' by PRYZM (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03202)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Follow Julian Rizzo-Smith on Twitter: @GayWeebDisaster
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
There's a lot of bad stuff going on in the world. A lot of things we all have to struggle with on a daily basis. Cadence of Hyrule is really great and puts some measure of joy into the world that nothing can take away. It's unabashedly itself. It's good. Anyway, here are some thoughts about the game and the things it makes me think about.
Outro music: Mega Man X 'Red Shifting Drift' by Gario (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03790)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Dungeons & Dragons. D&D. The game of adventurers and storytellers alike. This week, we dive into a cursory overview of the game and talk about what makes it so special. This is the first tabletop game we've featured on the show, one that paved the way for other tabletop gaming experiences as well as some of the most beloved video games ever created. We are very excited to finally talk about a game that has meant so much to us.
Is Dungeons & Dragons one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Bomberman Hero 'Post Hyper Room' by Chris Belair (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03943)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Follow Marcus Stewart on Twitter: @MarcusStewart7
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Cuphead might just be one of the most memorable games to come out in the last few years. Hitting Xbox One and PC in 2017 four years after being announced and undergoing a difficult development process, the Contra-like side-scrolling shooter captivated audiences with its charming and controversial art style, tight gameplay, and engaging soundtrack. With very few games existing with a comparable aesthetic, Cuphead stuck in the brains of everyone who even briefly experienced it. The game stands with a perfect score on Steam and almost universal acclaim.
A couple years after release, is Cuphead one of the best games of all-time?
Joining us to help answer that question this week is none other than friend of the show, voice actor, podcaster, and game critic extraordinaire Marcus Stewart.
Outro music: Kirby's Return to Dream Land 'Cocoa 'n' Cookies' by jdaster64 (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03922)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Follow Marcus Stewart on Twitter: @MarcusStewart7
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Bandai released Tamagotchi to the world in 1997 where it became one of the biggest crazes of the 90s. The small digital pet raising game was unlike anything anyone had experienced before in the time before mobile gaming had really taken off on anything aside from Nintendo's Game Boy. Since its initial release, Bandai has reworked and improved upon the concept of Tamagotchi for numerous different handheld iterations as well as full video game and feature film adaptations. While many fondly remember the tiny aliens as a 90s nostalgia fever dream, new versions are coming out all the time - in just a few weeks, a color version of tamagotchi will release in an attempt to bring a new generation into the weird world of digital pet-rearing.
Outro music: Puyo Puyo 'I Just Skipped Time Yesterday' by Rexy (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03941)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Supergiant Games' Pyre released in 2017. It presented a bold and exciting new world created by the people behind the brilliant Transistor and indie darling Bastion. The title offered conflict filtered through the lens of sport mixed with religious undertones, the theme of loss, and set in a fantastical imagining of purgatory, where the unworthy vie for the chance to return to the "real" world as reformed champions. While a fantastic title, we might never get the chance to talk about it on the main show, so here's a shorter (not by much) monologue about how great it is.
Outro music: Escape from Monkey Island 'Rum Barrel' by Yffisch (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03921)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The party hides in the deep woods in an attempt to evade the roving bands of kobolds and soaring wryvern knight searching for them while also making their way to the capital to save it from Fallowfell's onslaught. To complicate matters, the trickster god Erevan Ilesere comes to collect his debt.
"Aftermath" "Furious Freak" "Hiding Your Reality" "Super Power Cool Dude"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The cut discussion segment from Episode 20!
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Still feeling the effects of Scratch's horrifying transformation, the party encounters the caravan of their archenemy. After a prolonged period of deliberation, they embark on an ambitious plan only to encounter an unexpected and deadly foe.
"Furious Freak" "Outfoxing the Fox"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Learn more about Tabletop Appreciation Weekend!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
As E3 2019 draws to a close, Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Zak Wojnar, and Marcus Stewart gather to talk about the best games they've seen during the final day of the show. They are also joined by freelance writer, social media wiz, and game dev-in-training Kevin Slackie to break down the overall feeling of the show this year.
Intro & outro music:
Music from https://filmmusic.io:
"Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After yet another day spent exploring the E3 show floor and spending time talking with developers, there's a lot to discuss! Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Zak Wojnar, and Marcus Stewart gather to talk about the best games they've seen so far and what might be just around the corner.
Another year, another E3! Jack and Naomi are back together again and are joined by Marcus Stewart and Zak Wojnar. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show.
Intro & outro music:
Music from https://filmmusic.io:
"Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After a day spent exploring the E3 show floor and spending time talking with developers, there's a lot to discuss! Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Zak Wojnar, and Marcus Stewart gather to talk about the best games they've seen so far and what might be just around the corner.
Another year, another E3! Jack and Naomi are back together again and are joined by Marcus Stewart and Zak Wojnar. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show.
Intro & outro music:
Music from https://filmmusic.io:
"Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Another year, another E3! Jack and Naomi are back together again and are joined by Marcus Stewart and Zak Wojnar. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show.
The convention center in LA hasn't even opened yet, but the press conferences are all but complete (with the sole exception of Nintendo). We give you the best insight we have into what's been announced and what it might mean.
Intro & outro music:
Music from https://filmmusic.io:
"Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Product placement in games is something that happens more often than one might think. This week we dive into the phenomenon to look past the surface level examples that might come to mind. How exactly are the CIA and Gatorade related with the Yakuza series? You can find out on this special episode of The Best Games Period.
Of course, anything even tangentially related to Yakuza means that we need to turn to friend of the show and series expert Kazuma Hashimoto! You should make sure you follow him over on Twitter: @JusticeKazzy_
Outro music: Cool Spot 'Smileyspot' by Mazedude (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01015)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Arriving back in Verne, the party encounters an underground resistance and comes face-to-face with the mastermind behind the town's problems. Following these tense exchanges, they retreat to the forest to ready themselves for battle. Those preparations involve Scratch paying the price for power.
"Furious Freak" "Jet Fueled Vixen" "Hyperfun" "Controlled Chaos - no percussion"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Dragon Age has been one of the biggest western RPG franchises to emerge in recent years. Since its debut in Dragon Age: Origins, which we previously covered on this show, the series has continued to grow under BioWare's direction. While there are now three games in the series, Dragon Age 2 has widely been considered the odd duck of the trilogy. With a rushed production resulting in reused environments, many wrote it off at the time as lazy or too repetitive. However, could it actually be one of the best games of all-time?
To help answer this question, we turn to Dragon Age expert and all around swell writer/streamer/podcaster Ginny Woo! You should make sure you follow her over on Twitter: @GinnyWoes
Outro music: Demon's Souls 'Epitaph for Boletaria' by RoeTaKa (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03043)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Encountering the Brotherhood of the Laughing Shield for the second time, the party tries to find some common ground with their adversaries in order to secure the items necessary to ensure the defeat of Fallowfell.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Following a discussion with the oracle, the party begins a desperate mission to accumulate enough power to defeat the dragon, Fallowfell, whose identity has been revealed.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Star Citizen has been in development for a long, long time. Despite being worked on since 2012 and raising hundreds of millions of dollars, the space flight sim/MMO remains in an alpha state. With a clear timeline for content updates and an upcoming single-player game that appears to be incredibly interesting, the vision of what Star Citizen could be one day presents a tantalizing vision. There's honestly enough in the story of Star Citizen to do a full episode on it one day, but the current state of the game precludes that potential episode.
Outro music: Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun 'Partons à l'Aventure' by Sir_NutS (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03896)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Graxian proves to be a tenacious foe, smiting the party's dependable bard and possibly the rest of our heroes, too.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Launching an ambitious, head-on plan of attack, the party sharges into an enemy base armed with swords, arrows, and a pair of rhinoceroses.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Resident. Evil. Shinji Mikami's debut survival horror game that single-handedly invented the entire genre in 1996. Since then, it has been retooled and rereleased numerous times throughout the years, culminating in the release of the 2002 GameCube remake that overhauled the graphics, added new mechanics and enemies along with a few special secrets. That version has stood the test of time so well that an HD version was ported to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in 2015.
Is Resident Evil one of the best games of all-time?
This week, we are joined by the excellent Kazuma Hashimoto. Be sure to follow him on twitter: @JusticeKazzy_
Outro music: Shadow of the Colossus 'For Her Soul' by RoeTaKa (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03791)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The Sims 3 from Maxis released in 2009 and slowly proliferated across the console and handheld market in the years that followed. It eventually made its way onto PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, iOS, and Android. Players of The Sims 3 were able to become defacto gods of their own digital worlds, presiding over the daily routines of their digital underlings, building them houses, and steering the courses of their lives. The expansions that released for it added features that came to be seen by players as integral to the overall experience, allowing players to time travel, experience seasonal changes, become werewolves, and more.
Outside of the sheer depth and breadth of control in-game, The Sims 3 would become a testing ground for the rise of the microtransaction economy in games, specifically proving to EA the profitability of this then nontraditional pricing model.
Could The Sims 3 be one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Chrono Cross 'Hold onto the Dream' by prophetik music, Chris ~ Amaterasu, and DragonAvenger (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03881)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Slime Rancher is a farming sim/adventure game from indie developer Monomi Park. It released back in 2017 after spending over a year in Steam Early Access. With a colorful and friendly open-world and some subtly intriguing narrative hooks, Slime Rancher thoroughly charmed players. It offers a unique first-person perspective on the farming sim genre with the twist on the genre by making the central commodity the excretions of adorable and voracious slimes.
Could Slime Rancher be one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Chrono Cross 'If I Could... (Synthwave Mix)' by Jorito and JoyDreamer (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03888)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Our heroes emerge from their cursed state shaken. They stumble forth, hoping that the fell bargain they struck with the mysterious Erevan Llesere would not prove too disastrous.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Who is Sam? That's the question at the heart of A Normal Lost Phone a game for PC and mobile devices. Developed by Accidental Queens, A Normal Lost Phone puts players in possession of a phone that they have found on the ground. The game tasks players with using their cyber sleuthing skills to discover who the owner of the phone is and how to get them back their property. The entire thing becomes a literal character study, for better and worse.
Could this indie game be one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music:Final Fantasy VIII 'Wanderlust' by ZiSotto (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03864)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Animal Crossing has a strange hold on people. It seems to appeal to those across a wide range of demographics, young and old. What makes the series about moving to a new town full of friendly cartoon animals so attractive to so many people that Nintendo has an army of fans ready to kick in its door for a Nintendo Direct about the upcoming Animal Crossing coming to Switch? Jack and Naomi try to get to the bottom of it and maybe discover whether Animal Crossing: New Leaf stands as one of the best games of all-time.
Outro music: Animal Crossing: New Leaf 'Morning Jazz' by AJ DiSpirito (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03623)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Bending the rules for the podcast a bit, this week we tackle A44's action-RPG Ashen. Released late last year, the Dark Souls-lite game takes players on a perilous journey through a world filled with monsters. With a disarming art style and tight controls, this indie came out of the shadows and surprised quite a few people. Could it be one of the best games period?
To help us tackle that question, we brought on wonderful Noe Monsivais AKA Trobadour_XP on Twitter. The English teacher/streamer nominated Ashen to throw a bit more of a spotlight on what might be one of the most underappreciated indies from the past year.
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 'While the Wind Fish Sleeps' by bGevko (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03868)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
An impromptu episode on the exciting games coming in 2019 and what games from the past might convince someone to spend their days writing about games - this time with Naomi!
Outro music: Animal Crossing: New Leaf 'Late-night Ambience' by Kade Kalka (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03861)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Remember how a few years ago a pop culture critic decided to do a series of videos about tropes in video games as viewed through a feminist lens? Well, that conversation got really toxic for a long time, and five years later things seem to have cooled off. So, we're taking another look at the Tropes vs. Women in Video Games series!
Each episode of this series will zero in on one episode from the TvWiVG videos and try to break down the trope and talk a bit more in-depth about the specific points Ms. Sarkeesian is making and whether we agree or disagree. The videos were always intended to be a starting point for a larger discussion - hopefully you learn some things or find the conversations interesting!
This first episode was made available via traditional channels and the plan was for it to be kept a Patreon thing after that, but we've been having some scheduling difficulties of late and still want to put out an episode for you guys (it IS Monday, after all). So, we are putting this episode out for everyone!
Y'all are fantastic and thank you so much for bearing with us as we continue on our podcasting adventure together.
Outro music: Skies of Arcadia "Life in a Vyse" by Tuberz McGee (http://arcadia.ocremix.org/)
An impromptu episode on the exciting games coming in 2019 and what games from the past might convince someone to spend their days writing about games.
Outro music: Skies of Arcadia 'Inner Reflections' by YoshiBlade (https://ocremix.org/album/90/arcadia-legends)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The first show recorded in 2019, we look back on the past year and talk about the top three games of 2018. What moved us, pushed us to think, and made us better people? What about you?
Outro music: Skies of Arcadia 'Valhorteka' by Garpocalypse feat. Darkflamewolf (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03836)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Overcooked! A game about cooking and such. Is it a best game period? Is it not? We sort of get to the bottom of it by the end of this episode.
It's an indie game about culinary delights and skills that you can shove in your friends' faces. I hear it's delightful and it even got a sequel, so that must be a good sign!
Outro music: Mario Kart DS 'Tilt & Drift' by YoshiBlade (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01108)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Barphus the Bard must find a way to save his companions from a horrible curse afflicting them all... and his solution may put everyone in even greater peril.
"Aftermath"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
A curse takes hold of the Scratch and the party scrambles to find a solution before it becomes permanent or begins to spread....
"Villainous Treachery"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Having stumbled upon a mysterious silver door hidden within an abandoned mining camp, the party ventures into an ancient ruin filled with deadly dangers.
"The Way Out", "Villainous Treachery"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The gang decides on their next course of action to defeat the dragon Fallowfell and stumble upon a mysterious hidden cave....
"Volatile Reaction"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This week we talk about Mario Party. It's a game about parties that has Mario in it. There are also other characters from Nintendo games.
Sometimes when you stare into the abyss, Mario Party stares back.
Outro music: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars 'Mario's Tropical Paradise' by Dr. Fruitcake (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01108)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
League of Legends was once the most played and most popular game in the world. To this day, it enjoys a colossal following that most games can't even dream of matching. Jack dives into the history of the MOBA genre and discusses some of the game's best qualities and biggest faults.
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 'Sweet Dreams, Koholint' by DaMonz, Christine Giguère, Denis Bluteau (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03825)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Things were simpler in 1999. Everyone was worried about an apocalyptic computer clock error, people were obsessed with Tang and talking animal movies, and video game ads could still reach a mass market via television. And so it was that Super Smash Bros. initially introduced itself to a generation of gamers, four frolicking, bobble-headed mascots beating each other to the tune of "Happy Together" by The Turtles. The popular fighting game kicked off almost a decade of sequels with an ever expanding roster that includes the best characters not just from Nintendo but also the wider video game industry.
So, let's look back on the game that started it all - is Super Smash Bros. one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Super Smash Bros. 'FALCON PUNCH' by Benjamin Briggs (http://ocremix.org/info/CEO_2015:_Champion)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Wow, with all the hubbub around Pokémon Let's Go it can be easy to forget that the original games released 20 years ago (or 22 years ago in Japan)! The phenomenon of pocket monsters continues to this day and seems to be one of Nintendo's enduring juggernauts able to spin off into everything from disaster relief games to live-action sleuthing films. This week we invited Kevin Slackie on the show to talk about both the original Game Boy titles and their newest incarnation in Pokémon Let's Go!
Outro music: Pokémon Red 'Moondrops' by Sockpuppet (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02514)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find Kevin Slackie on Twitter: @KSlackie
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The big things in Pokémon right now are the dual Pokémon titles: Pokémon Let's Go Eevee and Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu. The two games are remakes of the original Red, Blue, and Yellow generation of the Pokémon franchise with modern twists that incorporate streamlined elements from the Pokémon Go mobile game that swept across the globe. Naomi Lugo offers her thoughts on the two new games while also recalling what made the original generation so great and magical for an entire world of kids.
Outro music: Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow 'The Mighty Mighty Pokémon' by Level 99 (http://missingno.ocremix.org/music.html)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The fifth generation of the Pokémon franchise did something unheard of - it had two direct sequels to the duo of games initially released. In 2011, Pokémon Black and White introduced the world the the new region of Unova, a land full of never before seen Pokémon. It also spun a tale involving the dastardly Team Plasma... that didn't completely end with the completion of either game. Instead, the story continued in Black 2 and White 2, arguably placing more emphasis on narrative than any Pokémon game before or since.
Does the fifth generation of Pokémon stand as the best of them all?
This week the show is joined by O'Dell Harmon Jr.! You can (and should) follow him over on Twitter: @ODellHarmonJr
Be sure to check out his podcast, Full Circle, and his content on Game Fanatics!
Outro music: Pokémon X 'Thy Everlasting Winter Wind Blows' by timaeus222 (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03531)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
We've been trying to think of more things we could do specifically for the Patreon crowd and decided that we would start up a little series for the people who help us keep the lights on!
Enter what is being tentatively called Women & Tropes & Games.
Remember how a few years ago a pop culture critic decided to do a series of videos about tropes in video games as viewed through a feminist lens? Well, that conversation got really toxic for a long time, and five years later things seem to have cooled off. So, we're taking another look at the Tropes vs. Women in Video Games series!
Each episode of this series will zero in on one episode from the TvWiVG videos and try to break down the trope and talk a bit more in-depth about the specific points Ms. Sarkeesian is making and whether we agree or disagree. The videos were always intended to be a starting point for a larger discussion - hopefully you learn some things or find the conversations interesting!
This first episode will be available via the traditional channels, but after that we will be releasing them for patrons only (with maybe one or two exceptions down the road).
Y'all are fantastic and thank you so much for bearing with us as we continue on our podcasting adventure together.
The 1999 N64 release of Pokémon Snap catapulted it into instant cult classic status, a position that has only become more entrenched over time in the almost twenty years since its release. The on-rails photography game makes the case for an underused mechanic that still seems mysteriously underutilized today. It's a fascinating, strange, little game and it has had people wondering for over a decade why we aren't seeing more iterations on the core concept.
However, is all of that uniqueness enough to make it one of the best games period?
Outro music: Tyrants: Fight Through Time 'The Vast Glass Orb' by Inrudiment (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03806)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Fire... Fire? Fire! EVERYTHING IS ON FIRE!
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The infiltration of the small mercenary company begins to go horribly, horribly wrong.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The trusty Dragonguard is dispatched to deal with a troublesome band of kidnappers.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Edmund McMillen's The Binding of Isaac helped kickstart the mainstreaming of roguelike elements in indie games that we have been seeing trickle into the AAA industry over the last few years. Mixing top-down shooting with the dungeon exploration of a classic The Legend of Zelda title, The Binding of Isaac plays pitch perfectly for what it's designed to be. The randomized elements fit together seamlessly for a gameplay experience that's never the same twice in a row.
Should this 2011 indie hit be considered one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: The Binding of Isaac 'The Clubbing of Isaac' by Big Giant Circles (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02302)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
A PC adaptation of a Wii on-rails shooter that shifted the shooting mechanic into a typing mechanics in homage to the surreal 90s Dreamcast title Typing of the Dead, Typing of the Dead: Overkill asked players to improve their typing skills while also playing through a grindhouse schlock-fest of gore and f-bombs. Despite the educational nature of its mechanics, kids should definitely not play Typing of the Dead: Overkill. We can't stress that enough.
But adults? You make your own choices and decide whether this C-tier romp through zombies and low-budget film cliches is secretly one of the best games of all-time.
Outro music: Undertale 'Gaster's Legacy' by DS (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03761)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The GameCube launched amid a wave of enthusiasm for a next-gen Nintendo console. The star of the launch line-up of games was a quirky little title by the name of Luigi's Mansion, the first game starring Luigi since the dud Mario Is Missing. With fluid animations and a fun ghostbusting mechanic, the horror-lite game became one of the biggest hits for the system.
So, does Luigi's Mansion hold up well today? Is it one of the best games period?
Outro music: Super Mario World 'Turning Terrors' by AeroZ (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01760)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Ephemeral, like the spooky apparition that froze the blood of players in-game, P.T. was here for a while and faded into the ether, killed by Konami. However, its memory lives on in the hearts of fans who rabidly unraveled its secrets and jealously guarded prized hard drives containing the game that is no more. Some even set out to completely remake the horror game from scratch, despite Konami taking down such projects, leading to full retail titles releasing with P.T. hiding in their DNA.
But was it even a game? What was P.T.? With that question looming large over the discussion, can P.T. be considered one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Silent Hill 'Nay Tomorrow' by Tamimi (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00756)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After the conclusion of Mass Effect 3, the fate of the Mass Effect franchise was up in the air. BioWare had made their mark on the age of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with the sci-fi RPG, but where could the series go from where they left it? A galaxy in shambles, the central protagonist's story done, and the weight of expectations made a direct follow-up all but impossible. However, BioWare went ahead and made one anyway. After an immensely troubled development period, the world was introduced to a brand new galaxy in Mass Effect: Andromeda!... which was immediately dogpiled under the crushing weight of criticism of its odd animations, dilapidated structure, and flat story.
Josh Silverman joins the podcast to make a counter-argument and have you asking: Is Mass Effect: Andromeda one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Mass Effect 'Full Paragon' by Psycho Crusher (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02810)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find Josh Silverman on Twitter: @BearPunch
Check out his podcast, Constantly Calibrating, on Twitter and Mixer
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
From humble beginnings as a Kickstarter project to becoming one of the biggest indie darlings of 2016, Hyper Light Drifter has quite the history of defying expectations. Gorgeous pixel art animations and vistas, dialogue-less storytelling, and a fantastic soundtrack by Disasterpeace came together to tell a gripping tale about a lone wanderer in a sci-fi apocalypse.
While all of the pieces come together for a solid game, do they gel well enough to create something considered one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: A Link to the Past 'Chamber of the Goddess' by Disasterpeace (http://ocremix.org/album/33/25yearlegend-a-legend-of-zelda-indie-game-composer-tribute)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
BioShock Infinite, the swan song of Ken Levine's now defunct Irrational Games studio, release in 2013 to critical and commercial success. Over the years it has been subject to countless think pieces and theory articles diving into its esoteric world and thick layer of semiotics. It also found itself in something like a controversy surrounding criticism of its use of graphic violence.
Now that it has been half a decade since its release, does BioShock Infinite stand as one of the best games of all-time? Is it the best BioShock of the series? Listen in to find out!
Outro music: Dragon Warrior VII 'Deeper in the Heart' by Bluelighter, Arvangath, Chris ~ Amaterasu, and Katamari (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03762)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In the surreal, darkly magical world of We Know the Devil, troublesome teenagers are sent to a summer camp that aims to straighten them out - by pitting them against the devil armed only with one another and some crappy (seemingly magic?) radios. This is the story of Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune as they go into the woods on one of their last days at camp....
Could this visual novel from Aevee Bee and the team at Pillow Fight Games be one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Final Fantasy X-2 'So It Goes' by Kabukibear (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03779)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Upon returning to town, Scratch, Nomsooni, and Barphus discover it's a market day in Verne. This sleepy town might be a little too sleepy....
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The gang spends a nervous night in the swamp and receives a rude awakening.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Our heroes encounter a kobold in the middle of the gods forsaken swamp of Morrithil and learn the identity of their true foe.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Our heroes delve deep into the wilds and stumble upon a clue that could prove valuable... if they live long enough to return to Verne.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After stumbling upon a troubling clue, the trio depart into a dark and foggy night in search of answers.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Three members of the illustrious Dragonguard are dispatched to Verne to investigate rumors of a draconic threat.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Jack interviews board game developer Kurtis Holme on how indie devs both get into and go about making tabletop games. He even reveals how he and his colleagues made Mario Kart into a board game.
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Oh, wow! Your childhood best friend just got you to reluctantly go to a niche after-school club and it turns out that all of the members of the club are really cute and into you! H O P E F U L L Y N0TH1N G goES WrON- hi, there. I've been waiting for you, hehe. Did you miss me? Oh, were you expecting Jack or Naomi to be writing this? Well, I thought I'd give them a <--BREAK--> for now. I see you wanted to listen to some analysis about the club? You always did RITE such amazing poems...,, Maybe you'll write another? Just foUr me? I've missed Y o u
S O
M
U
C
H
why did u delete me?
Outro musIc: Outro musIc: SimCity 2000 'SimFunkadelic' by Dr. Velvet and HALO_ZERO (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02050)
You can folloW the shOw oN TwiTter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast FrOm Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't foRGET to sign Up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
With Extra Life Tabletop Appreciation Weekend coming up (and Naomi never having played Dungeons & Dragons before) we decided to record a short campaign and release all or most of it during the event. If you want to get a sense of how great a time tabletop roleplaying can be, you're invited to enjoy the adventure along with us.
This is just a quick taste of what's in store in Dragonguard, so be sure to tune in again this weekend!
In addition to Jack and Naomi, Marcus Stewart and Kyle Gaddo round out the adventuring party.
Intro and Outro music:
"Furious Freak"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
If you want weird games, the developers at Usaya have you covered. One of their most prized creations stars a young woman who encounters a freakish monster that can only loosely be considered a horse, but possesses the head of a man. It also happens to be a dating simulator (with quite a few microtransactions). Fittingly, Usaya titled their strange, horrific creation, "My Horse Prince." It has amassed something of an underground cult following as an oddity on mobile devices.
While not even remotely one of the best games of all-time, its profound weirdness at least deserves a look.
Outro music: Shovel Knight 'Digging into Memories' by Jorito, Furorezu, and Stephen Kelly (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03769)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Released a year and some change ago, Dream Daddy aimed to offer the world a wholesome experience that combined the drama of raising a teenager with the romance of dating a number of conveniently available dads. With the backing of the Game Grumps and solid writing that deftly navigated around stereotypes and exploitation, the game stood apart from the typical dating sims.
Can a dating sim be considered one of the best games of all-time? And, if so, does Dream Daddy reach those lofty heights?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 'Windborne' by Rozovian (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03763)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Guitar Hero released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, quickly becoming a phenomenon that spawned years of plastic guitar shredding. With a slick, novelty controller and a punk art style, the plucky title became a party attraction everyone could enjoy. Should the game that made the whole world feel like all of their air guitar practice sessions were building up to something special be called one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 'The Swaggin' Dragon' by ToxicxEternity (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03766)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The PlayStation 2 title that blended the magics of Disney and Final Fantasy into one crazy package, Kingdom Hearts captured the imaginations of a generation of gamers with a smorgasbord of previously unthinkable crossovers the likes of which had never been seen in video games before. The action-RPG, though regarded by many as a classic now, seemed to be a big gamble that Disney and Square were only willing to take because of the ailing finances of their respective companies. Now, more years than many would care to admit later, the third official installment of the series seems to be on track to release.
Does the original Kingdom Hearts hold up as one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: Kingdom Hearts 'Protect Your Kingdom' by Smooth4Lyfe (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03532)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
We're going all the way back to the arcade heydays of video games this week. Pac-Man became one of the biggest games of all-time and paved the way to its strange successor and the first playable woman in video game history. Does it hold up as one of the best games period?
Outro music: Shovel Knight 'Shovel Power' by Jorito (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03758)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Survival? In my zombie game? Wha- wha- whaaaaaaat? That's right, this week we are tackling State of Decay!
Outro music: Undeadline 'Marching Towards Roshufa's Spirit' by Jorito (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03475)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Dontnod, the developers of Vampyr and Life Is Strange, released The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit for free just a few days ago. The narrative adventure follows Chris, a young boy who lives with his dad, throughout an afternoon of his life. It has a lot of heart, occasionally channeling the spirit of Calvin & Hobbes, and also quite a bit of darkness. It walks a thin line between the joyful attitudes of youth and the stark realities of adulthood, with all of the trauma and pain that entails.
Sit down, kick back, and listen as we parse out the details of this interesting lead up to Life Is Strange 2. A correction: At the end of the episode, there's some mention of this free piece of content being the first episode of Life Is Strange 2 - that is not the case. It's a free prequel to the events of the five episodes that comprise the full game. The first episode of Life Is Strange 2 will release on September 27.
Outro music: Kirby's Epic Yarn 'Blue Lava, Grass Landing' by The Hit Points (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03754)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
We weren't able to upload our discussions recapping the reveals and experiences of E3 due to technical difficulties. However, we persevered and made the episodes anyway. Our third episode features Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Marcus Stewart, and Zak Wojnar discussing the second day on the show floor.
Due to some conflicting scheduling and shipping mishaps, we weren't able to record after the last day or in the days since the show. Once we have all the equipment back, a final E3 wrap up episode will be going up.
Outro music: Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow 'Dance Like Popcorn' by Guifrog (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03734)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
We weren't able to upload our discussions recapping the reveals and experiences of E3 due to technical difficulties. However, we persevered and made the episodes anyway. Our second episode features Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, and Marcus Stewart discussing the first day on the showfloor.
Outro music: Sega Rally Championship 'Autos, Arps, & Minimoogs' by Txai (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03715)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Released during the height of Prequel mania (which was a thing before they came out and reality set in), Star Wars Episode I: Racer quickly became one of the best selling sci-fi racing games of all-time. Racer managed to translate one of the most memorable scenes in the prequel films into a game full of a worlds never before seen in Star Wars, the thrill of speed, and plenty of flaming/exploding podracer engines. It might not have aged from its N64 days, but at the very least it's worthy of an honorable mention.
Outro music: Final Fantasy VII 'Cosmo' by MkVaff (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03750)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
We weren't able to upload our discussions recapping the reveals and experiences of E3 due to technical difficulties. However, we persevered and made the episodes anyway. Our first episode features Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Marcus Stewart, and Zak Wojnar discussing the initial E3 press conferences and their surprises (or lack thereof).
Outro music: Super Castlevania IV 'Tema de Simón' by Mighty Bear 7, Austin DiPietro, Martin Schiller, Stu Kennedy, and Theodore Hogan (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03734)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
It has been long requested and finally done: The Life Is Strange episode is here! Naomi and Jack dive into all things Life Is Strange, from the theories to the story and how meaningful it can be, warts and all. Dontnod, the creators of Remember Me and the recently released Vampyr, really did well with their sophomore effort - did they do well enough to make a game that transcends greatness to be considered one of the best games of all-time? Play it, listen to the show, and judge for yourself.
PSA: there won't be a new show next week due to E3. However, we will be putting up E3 recaps each day of the show, so look forward to that!
Outro music: Undertale 'Glitterbomb' by LongBoxofChocolate and Philippe Delage (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03734)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Let's go back to the game that kickstarted the trend of weighty indie games relying on small kids in big, scary worlds. Limbo thrilled, chilled, and grilled players around the world when it launched. As a nameless young boy in a world weaved together of monochrome shadows and a vintage filter, players embark on a journey filled with death and symbolism. Playdead's indie darling received massive praise when it released in 2010, but has that charm remained intact over time?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 'Mysterious Gold Edition' by Rukunetsu, Anton Corazza, and Yusef Kelliebrew (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03738)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
We did it! 100 episodes! I mean, technically, we long ago passed 100 things put out as a part of this podcast, but this is the official episode 100, and that's exciting!
This week we have Daniel Jones on as a guest to celebrate 100 episodes and we talk about our individual top five games of all-time. These might not be the objective best games ever made, but they're our favorites.
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Lullaby of the Desert' by Rodok (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03659)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Take a journey with us back to the ye olden days of 2009 when the war between casual and hardcore gamers raged. While it would take many years for the conflict to settle to a low simmer, one game seemed to unite the two sides in harmony; a tower defense game with retro roots, a sunny disposition, and a quirky sense of humor. Plants vs. Zombies catapulted developer PopCap Games to indie stardom and became their fastest selling game to date, leveraging a position in the then-curated Steam store to appeal to the hardcore crowd and its inherent lightheartedness to bring in the more casually oriented gamers. Almost ten years later, should Plants vs. Zombies be considered one of the best games of all-time?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 'Fushigina Forest' by Laura Shigihara (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02329)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Take a journey with us all the way back to the turn of the millennium to the game that laid the groundwork for what would become the template for psychological horror in video games. Silent Hill 2 became a textbook example of how to create unnerving and uncomfortable spaces in video games both in-game and the mind of the player. With a number of strange, often confusing decisions, Silent Hill 2 reels players into a game that plays the player rather than the other way around.
This week, we are joined by Mega Dads co-creators Adam Leonhardt and John Wahl. You can check out the duo's work and podcast over on MegaDads.org where they write, talk, and create comics about gaming and parenting.
Outro music: Silent Hill 2 'There Was a Hole Here' by The Wingless (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00711)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Be sure to follow Mega Dads on Twitter: @megadadsblog
AND listen to their podcast: Mega Dads Live
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Minecraft.
Minecraft-Minecraft
Minecraft.
MinecraftMinecraftMinecraftMinecraft!
Minecraft.MinecraftMinecraftMinecraft-Minecraft.... Minecraft!
//Minecraft\
Minecraft[Minecraft]Minecraft
()
Outro music: Minecraft 'Squishy's Theme' by The Orichalcon (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02327)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Stardew Valley stands as one of those rare projects that's both a solo developer project and a title that aimed to revive and popularize an entire genre. Released in 2016 by Eric Barone (aka ConcernedApe), Stardew Valley became a sensation for its well realized vision of a rural farming community rich in character and the family farm that players restore to glory that helps to bring them all together. Barone conceived of the project as a way to correct what he saw as a failing in more recent Harvest Moon titles - and his work proved to be extremely popular. To date, Stardew Valley has been ported to almost every system out there (and it just recently received an update that adds horses in hats and multiplayer)!
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Gerudo Desert Party' by Reuben6 (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03720)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Growing out of a prototype conceived for the Super Nintendo, Super Mario hit the gaming landscape like a thunderbolt of Italian stereotypes in 1996. Shigeru Miyamoto had managed to push back the launch of the Nintendo 64 from its prime holiday release window in 1995 to give a handful of precious months to finish development on Super Mario 64. It was a massive gamble, but the release delivered a landmark example on how to create a 3D platformer on consoles that shaped generations of games and gamers.
Looking back on it over two decades later, can Super Mario 64 still be considered one of the best games period or has time taken its toll?
Outro music: Super Mario 64 'Toadstool's Groove' by Tetrimino (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03215)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Pokémon Go released on iOS and Android in 2016 and I am writing this at 4am. I am so tired. So very, very tired.
Enjoy the episode, you silly billies!
Outro music: Pokémon Silver 'Lucky Coin' by Schtiffles (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03476)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In 2010, renowned RPG developer Level-5 released Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn for the Nintendo DS in Japan. The game received a huge wave of attention due to the unique collaboration between Level-5 and the famed film animation studio Ghibli. A year later the game saw a worldwide release for the PlayStation 3 under the title Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Though the two games had much in common, like storylines and cutscenes, the games were developed by different teams within Level-5 and played differently. With the extra year of polish, the PS3 version wowed critics and audiences alike with smooth visuals, a fully orchestrated soundtrack, and an awful lot of heart.
Is Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch one of the best games period?
Outro music: Super Mario Land 'Welcome Goombo Probably' by Suzumebachi (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03708)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Frog Fractions will not teach you how to fraction. It's also free and you can play it here: http://twinbeard.com/frog-fractions/
It's highly recommended that you play the game before you listen. It should only take about an hour to complete depending on how quick you are at discovering its tricks.
Outro music: Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 'Epic Steps' by Tonalysis (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03699)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In 1994, the now defunct LJN made a major play to break away from its well-known industry niche of adapting popular movie franchises into video games. The result of their labor was Revengent Star, an ambitious and strange RPG that hoped to compete with the likes of Final Fantasy and Breath of Fire. While unconfirmed, the effort put into the creation of Revengent Star was widely suspected to have led to the eventual downfall of LJN. The technology used to create the unique cartridges the game required proved to be costly leading to precious few copies released. Most copies were only sold to rental stores (remember those??) as part of an agreement that forbid resale.
Join us this week for a trip down memory lane; is Revengent Star one of the best games period?
Outro music: Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon 'Only Link Can Do the Duck Walk' by Hylian Lemon (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03695)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The Stanley Parable originated as a mod for Half-Life 2 made by Davey Wreden. The mod proved to be relatively popular for its unique sense of humor and the way it played with gaming interactivity in novel ways. The result was that it became a fully fledged title that released at the tail end of 2013. Falling into that adventure game sub-genre of games that are sometimes derisively called "walking simulators," The Stanley Parable focuses on exploring interactivity in a digital medium by posing an iconic choice to the player:
If you enter a room with two doors and someone tells you to go through the door on the left, but you are fully capable of going through the door on the right, which do you choose?
With humor, minimalist design, and some brilliant voice work by Kevan Brighting, is The Stanley Parable one of the best games period?
Outro music: Lunar Pool 'Looser Tool' by Harmsing (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03704)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Threes released in 2014 for $2. Since then, people have been playing it like crazy. Mobile developers point to it as one of the best puzzle games out there. What is Threes? It's a game where players slide together 1s and 2s to make 3 and two 3s to make a 6 and so on. Despite it's seeming simplicity, the first player to reach the "end" only managed it a couple of months ago.
So what's the deal with Threes? Is it one of the best games period? Naomi Lugo joins as a co-host to get to the bottom of this conundrum.
You can follow Naomi on Twitter @NaomiNLugo where you can find her thoughts on Final Fantasy XV, the live-action adaptations of Death Note and Full Metal Alchemist, and her work. You can also find her work on Extra Life and Twin Cities Geek!
Outro music: Threes 'Threes Is the Bees Knees' by timaeus222 (http://ocremix.org/song/26532/threes-is-the-bees-knees)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The Long Dark presents players with an existential apocalypse and tasks them with surviving the wild in the face of an unending winter. Originally a Kickstarter project, The Long Dark has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 2013. Launched in 2014 as an Early Access title, the team at Hinterland has patiently improved and updated their studio's premier title up until its official release in 2017. The Long Dark still lacks its entire single-player campaign with two episodes of its five episode story mode released to date.
With such a long and transparent development process, there seems to be a wide range of opinions on The Long Dark. Can it stand as one of the best games period?
You can follow Naomi on Twitter @NaomiNLugo where you can find her thoughts on Final Fantasy XV, the live-action adaptations of Death Note and Full Metal Alchemist, and her work. You can also find her work on Extra Life and Twin Cities Geek!
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 'All I Want for Christmas Is Grandma's Sweet Elixir Soup' by Ridiculously Garrett (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03696)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The Mortal Kombat series has been one of the pillars of the fighting game scene since it rose to prominence in the arcades of the early 90s. By 2011, the series had been flagging after a series of mediocre spin-offs and main entries. With the dissolution of Midway, things were grim. However, series creator Ed Boon wasn't ready to be done with quite yet. He managed to create a game that encapsulated the entire series up until that point, bringing together characters and plots that had long become too convoluted for words and unifying them into one package with a modern shine that brought Mortal Kombat into a new era of prosperity and success.
You can follow Marcus on Twitter @MarcusStewart7 where you can find his thoughts on Dragon Ball Super, wrestling, and video games! He also writes at Marcus Writes About Games, Extra Life, and hosts Carving Gaming Rushmores.
Outro music: Mortal Kombat 3 'Mortal Konfrontation' by The Dual Dragons (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02279)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Godzilla has a long and strange history in the world of video games. One would think that a giant dinosaur/dragon that breathes nuclear fire would lend itself well to video games, but the great green menace has had far more lows than highs. Super Godzilla represents one of the most fascinating lows of Godzilla's foray into gaming - fascinating to the extent that it might just barely be worth a mention for how strange it truly is.
Outro music: Turrican 3 'Homecoming' by Level 99 and OceansAndrew (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03687)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Returning guest Kazuma Hashimoto joins the show for a discussion regarding Catherine, the 2011 PS3 cult classic that's soon to receive a remaster with additional content titled Catherine: Full Body. Made by the team behind the Persona series, does Catherine hold up and are there interesting lessons to glean from a deep dive?
You can follow Kazuma on Twitter @JusticeKazzy_ - He's super nice! You can also find his work on Nova Crystallis and RPG Site.
Outro music: Persona 4 Arena 'Little Arena' by DarkeSword (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02580)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The 2012 release of Dragon's Dogma seemed to hit at a time during which people were hungry for rich open-worlds with unique combat systems, difficult encounters, and that touch of artistic strangeness. It scratched an itch that the gaming community was having at the time and earned itself a cult following that persists to this day, spurring the game, along with its expansions, seeing a PC release and even a port last year to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The grapple/grab mechanic brought on a lot of comparisons to Shadow of the Colossus, and seeing as the Shadow of the Colossus remake recently released, what better time to talk a little bit about Dragon's Dogma?
Outro music: Sonic the Hedgehog 'The Ultimate Ab Solution' by Ivan Hakštok and finbeard (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03685)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
When the roguelike trend crested several years ago, FTL stood high among its brethren. There wasn't really much like it at the time (and to be honest, there still isn't much like it). Fleeing from an oncoming force of Rebels, a lone ship must make its way across the stars to alert the Federation of the oncoming danger - and perhaps equip itself well enough along the way to defeat the Rebel flagship. It's hard, tactical, and completely different every time you boot up a new game. The team at Subset Games should be very proud of what they achieved.
So why are we talking about FTL now? A. Jack has been itching to talk about it for a while, but couldn't get it into a full episode with the co-hosts B. Subset Games' next title, Into the Breach will be launching sometime soon and sometimes it's nice for this show to be somewhat topical.
Outro music: Line Defense 'Reversing the Alien Attack' by Stam (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03678)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Jack, Daniel, and guest Dean Stephenson finish their chat about the best games of 2017. Will there be a point of agreement between the three hosts?
You can follow Dean on Twitter @deanrobot - ask about his podcast and shirts (he likes being the middleman for his own stuff!)
Outro music: Mega Man 5 'A Crook Man's Eyes' by Nightswim (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03679)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After a holiday hiatus, we're back! Jack, Daniel, and returning guest Dean Stephenson talk about the best games of 2017. Each of them came with a list of five games to discuss. What games will be remembered as the best of 2017?
You can follow Dean on Twitter @deanrobot - ask about his podcast and shirts (he likes being the middleman for his own stuff!)
Outro music: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time 'The Lost Explorer' by timaeus222 (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03660)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Sonic the Hedgehog may have been a well known character before Sonic 2 hit the shelves, but Sonic 2 gave his series of games the momentum to continue all the way to this very day, made the Sega Genesis a must-own system for kids around the world, and set the blue blur up as the pinnacle of anthropomorphic protagonists with attitude.
Game critic and Sonic enthusiast Marcus Stewart joins the show to argue for Sonic 2's inclusion among the best games period.
Outro music: Sonic CD 'Take It All the Way' by Magellanic and PROTO·DOME (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02940)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Fueled with a love of retro PC RPGs and the dream of reviving them for the current generation, four Finnish developers put everything on the line to craft Legend of Grimrock. Their creation climbed to the top of the Steam sales charts and spawned both a sequel and a successful Kickstarter for a live-action series (whatever happened to that anyway?). While it certainly has flawed AI and a repetitive environment, Legend of Grimrock deserves another look for the way it brought a dormant genre back to life.
Outro music: Secret of Mana 'Variations of Fear' by Kylok, Bree, and Trev Wignall (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03647)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After a great many technical issues (OUR ENTIRE EDITING COMPUTER DIED!), we are finally proud to present our episode on Banjo-Kazooie! Rare's 1998 N64 followed in Mario 64's groundbreaking footsteps with a song in its heart and positively radiating whimsy. The collectible-heavy 3D platformer starred the anthropomorphic bear Banjo and his bird pal Kazooie. The duo takes off on an adventure to defeat the powerful witch Gruntilda who has kidnapped Banjo's sister because she's... too cute?
Does Banjo-Kazooie hold up as well today as it did in the late 90s or is it seen through rose-colored glasses for its undeniable charm?
Outro music: Banjo-Kazooie 'Big Room Gobi' by B-laze (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03593)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In 2014, Stoic Games released their Kickstarter indie darling The Banner Saga to massive success. Hailed as "The Oregon Trail, but with fighting and a Norse apocalypse," The Banner Saga went on to generate a sequel as well as a third installment that recently found success on Kickstarter. The high-stakes, turn-based RPG took players on a journey through a hand-painted world full of mystery and intrigue, where it felt like one wrong move could unravel tenuous alliances or get people killed.
Outro music: Paladin's Quest 'Sleep, Beloved Child' by Archangel (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03557)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After a poorly received attempt to revive the Wolfenstein franchise in 2009, many expected the franchise to wither away into obscurity. That is, until MachineGames, a developer formed from ex-members of Starbreeze Studios, took charge of the series and attempted to breathe life into the series one more time in 2014. They succeeded and created the adrenaline-fueled game (with a surprisingly tender heart) about a brain damaged soldier kicking off a new resistance movement against the Nazis in an alternate timeline where the Nazis were able to conquer the world.
Is Wolfenstein: The New Order one of the best games period?
Outro music: Wolfenstein 3D 'My Loved Ones Are Gone' by Psycho Crusher (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02508)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In May of 2016, the development arm of Paradox Interactive released a brand new strategy title called Stellaris. The sci-fi 4X game thrust players into a galaxy full of mysteries and conflicts. Players could construct their own species and society and pit them against the unknown in a bid for galactic dominance using strategy, diplomacy, and conquest. Stellaris became a record breaking success for the indie company that has since put together multiple expansions for the game.
Outro music: 3D Pinball: Space Cadet 'Inter5tellar 5a5uke 5ever' by Sir Jordanius (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03132)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
OoooOOOOooOOooo~ It's almost Halloween! In honor of the scariest of holidays, we tackle Frictional Games' landmark horror title Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Developed by a small team that had previously created the Penumbra series, Amnesia: The Dark Descent released in 2010 arguably creating the biggest waves in the waning horror genre since the release of the original Resident Evil. It featured Daniel, an amnesiac who awakens in a gloomy castle with a note from his past self urging him to make his way to the heart of the castle complex while avoiding a malevolent entity bent on his destruction. It possessed no combat mechanics, instead purposefully disempowering players, encouraging them to run and hide from the various dangers throughout Castle Brennenburg.
Outro music: Splatterhouse 3 'Call of the Mask' by Beckett007 (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01772)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This week we play a cruel trick: Doom (1993) or Doom (2016) which game should be inducted into the canon of The Best Games Period? Doom has changed the face of gaming arguably moreso than any other shooter in video game history, but does the original hold up in the face of its modern refinement? Which one wins out in this winner-take-all debate to the death!? This battle for the ages is argued by Daniel Jones and special guest Joseph Lopes
You can follow Joe on Twitter @pixelsnthoughts asfa
Outro music: Doom 'Army Worthy of Phobos' by HeavenWraith (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03433)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Red Faction released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2, PC, and N-Gage. In this Honorable Mention, Daniel mostly discusses the widely acclaimed PS2 version of the title, which strove to make a name for itself in the shooting genre by implementing environmental manipulation.
Outro music: Phantasy Star II 'The Demon Star' by Sir_NutS and Stephen Kelly (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03625)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The Dreamcast was home to some of the strangest games of the early 2000s. In 2001, Crazy Games released Illbleed, a title that truly helped the studio lived up to its name. Illbleed follows a young girl named Eriko Christy who, having been traumatized by her father growing up, no longer feels fear. Eriko's condition comes in handy when she must travel to an insane horror theme park riddled with devious traps to rescue her missing friends. Illbleed may have failed to find a significant following its release to lukewarm reviews, but it has slowly gained a cult following over the years that admires its off-kilter scenarios, hilarious, B-movie writing, and strange mechanics.
Can a game that seems laughably bad be so good that it could be considered one of the best games period?
This week we are joined by Matt Conn, founder of GaymerX and MidBoss, and John "JJSignal" James, the director of 2064: Read Only Memories, both of whom jointly nominated Illbleed.
Outro music: Chip's Challenge 'Da Funk You Know 'Bout Chip?' by That Andy Guy (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03620)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Back in 1995 Nintendo decided that it wanted to expand Mario into the realm of RPGs. Who better to work with than the premier RPG developer of the time, Square? The two companies pooled their knowledge and the project was developed mostly by Square with oversight of Shigeru Miyamoto himself... however, 1996's Super Mario RPG isn't really a game that Nintendo would ever consider releasing today. The content ranges from laugh-out-loud slapstick and wordplay to some surprising moments of innuendo - all within the universe of Mario.
Does this singular, niche RPG deserve to be called one of the best games period?
Chevy Ray Johnston, the developer of the upcoming indie RPG Ikenfell, joins us to help answer that question! You can find Chevy on Twitter, @ChevyRay, and learn more about Ikenfell on its website: Ikenfell.com
Outro music: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars 'Honky Town' by Wiesty and XPERTNovice (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03535)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Thatgamecompany had a deal with Sony in the late 2000s. The Studio, founded by Jenova Chen and Kellee Santiago, would make three games for the PlayStation 3's fledgling PSN service. The deal began with a remake of Chen's Flash title Flow which was then followed by Flower. The final part of Thatgamecompany's Sony trilogy was known as Journey and stands as perhaps the most well known art-house game on the planet. The title garnered a staggering number of awards for its visuals, unique, emotional gameplay, and player interaction, even earning the coveted game of the year spot from numerous publications. Austin Wintory's soundtrack catapulted the game into the mainstream consciousness as the only video game soundtrack ever to be nominated for a Grammy.
Though it released five years ago and the game industry has covered a lot of ground since 2012, we now look back and ask: Is Journey one of the best games period?
Outro: Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal 'Journey's End' by pu_freak (http://missingno.ocremix.org/music.html)
And while you're listening to our closing track this week, why not head over to check out Austin Wintory's discography? We promise you won't be disappointed!
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
From humble beginnings as a Flash game back in 2008, Super Meat Boy sprang forth from the minds of Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes after a brutal development process that placed everything on the line for the duo of Team Meat. The plucky platformer stole the hearts, minds, and wallets of gamers when it helped to ease mainstream gamers into the indie scene back in 2010.
Can its pinpoint platforming and blistering difficulty propel it to the pinnacle of gaming? Is Super Meat Boy one of the best games period?
Outro: Super Meat Boy 'Spoiled R0TT3N' by Ben Briggs (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02158)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Many thought that the Call of Juarez series had run its course following the disastrous release of Call of Juarez: The Cartel. The backlash it received from its critics and audience seemed like it was the death knell for the western series. Then a little downloadable game released in 2013 as a final send off to the series called Call of Juarez: Gunslinger.
Gunslinger taps into the schlocky fun of Borderlands, the blistering action of a light-gun arcade shooter, some narrative mechanics from Bastion, and the story of a pulp western. It balances all of these elements astonishingly well, with a handful of flaws.
Outro music: Dark Souls III 'All for One' by RoeTaKa (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03598)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
InFAMOUS, the 2009 super-powered open-world action title, made huge waves when it released as a PlayStation 3 exclusive. The game came courtesy of Sucker Punch, the creators of Sly Cooper. It follows the adventures of Cole McGrath as he either cleans up the streets of Empire City or terrorizes its citizens. McGrath seems to be responsible for a massive blast in the center of the city, which starts him on a journey to clear his name and uncover the truth of what happened.
Does inFAMOUS deserve to be held up as one of the best games period?
Outro music: Katamari Forever 'Tales from Arctic Katamari Roundabouts, and You and I, in Cherry Blossom Season' by Star Salzman (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03586)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time released in 2003, and it presented a new standard that action-adventure games still strive to achieve to this day. The titular prince and Farah, his sometimes-ally, have a relationship dynamic that felt lively and real, few games prior to 2003 had achieved such a portrayal. The influence of The Sands of Time can be felt in titles like Braid, The Last of Us, and BioShock Infinite.
With a legacy that stretches back almost 15 years, is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time one of the best games period?
Outro music: The Last Ninja 2: Back with a Vengeance 'Central Park (Metal Mix)' by Commando 64 (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02273)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
After Bungie concluded their work on Halo: Reach, they turned their eyes toward a game that a small segment of the company had been fleshing out for years. That game would eventually become Destiny after overcoming numerous development challenges. Destiny's devs had to contend with a malicious engine that required obscene amounts of time to load changes, stratospheric expectations, a rough split with its long-time composer, and the decision to scrap the entire story with less than a year left of development time. The stakes were high. But when Destiny released to the public, Bungie thought they had a winner on their hands - Destiny was, after all, the most pre-ordered game in history! Unfortunately, the critical reception was mixed.
Looking at Destiny several years after its launch and subsequent revisions - is it one of the best games period?
Jason Pfitzer from Northern Heart Games joins us this week to discuss! You can follow him on Twitter: @JasonPfitzer and check out his upcoming game called Pinbrawl, a competitive, four-player pinball melee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlIkn9y4Ucw
Outro music: Destiny 'Hope Rising' by Jillian Aversa and zircon (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03002)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In 2008, the now defunct Lionhead Studios released what many saw as the culmination of founder Peter Molyneux's vision. Molyneux had hyped the original Fable as a game that would change the very fabric of the industry, which left fans very underwhelmed when it released as a solid, but rather run-of-the-mill RPG. With Fable 2, things were destined to be different. Molyneux apologized for his salesmanship of Fable and swore that things would be different. Fable 2 managed to deliver on what Lionhead had seemed to promise with the original - it was actually a different kind of RPG. Also, there was a dog and it was very endearing.
It's time to ask: Is Fable 2 one of the best games period?
Outro music: The Sims 3 'Musicolours' by Guifrog (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02420)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In 2009 casual gaming was gaining steam. Flash games were all the rage, mobile was taking off, and Zynga was the new hotness with Farmville dominating Facebook. Then, as the year was drawing to a close, a small development team in Finland with 51 games games under its belt released what might possibly be their final game: Angry Birds. We all know what happened after that.
Angry Birds has been downloaded and played over one billion times - ONE BILLION! With numbers like that we have to ask the question seriously: Is Angry Birds one of the best games period?
Outro music: Bad Piggies 'Rise of the Piggies' by OC/DC (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03335)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
BioWare has created some of the most beloved moments in gaming history. They have also created one of the single most divisive and negatively received moments in gaming history, too: The end of Mass Effect 3. In Part One of our Mass Effect 3 discussion, we talked about the larger game leading up to the final minutes that threw the Mass Effect fan base into a rage. Part Two covers the ending and touches on some aspects of the DLC.
Outro music: Myst III: Exile 'American Wheels of Wonder' by Mazedude (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01749)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
This week our topic was a bit tricky - Mass Effect 3 released to critical praise in 2012, but also made a name for itself by being at the epicenter of one of the biggest fan backlashes in gaming history. In order to properly talk about the conclusion of the Mass Effect trilogy, we made the decision to split it into two parts. In part one, we discuss everything but the DLCs and the ending. Next week we will return with another full episode dedicated to discussing the ending of Mass Effect 3 and the complete hurricane of outrage that it created.
Outro music: Mass Effect 'Nova Siberia' by Big Giant Circles (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02036)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Naughty Dog has always been a company that took risks, and there's certainly an argument to be made that Crash Bandicoot was one of the biggest risks that the company ever took. The project set out to overcome the main problems that plagued early 3D game design, create what they hoped might become an unofficial PlayStation mascot, and took a chance on Sony's new platform, the PlayStation 1.
The remastered Crash Bandicoot trilogy has become the best selling game of the year so far, so that begs the question: Is Crash Bandicoot one of the best games period?
Outro music: Crash Bandicoot 'All for Wampa' by Rexy (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02414)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Oblivion released in 2006 bringing a massive open-world geared toward a mainstream audience to PC and console gamers alike. Players were able to explore Cyrodiil, a fantasy land full of kings and gods while experiencing a myriad of stories ranging from becoming the greatest thief in the land to stopping a full-blown demonic invasion.
Does Oblivion stand on its own as one of the best games period or is it overshadowed by the likes of Morrowind and Skyrim?
Outro music: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 'Beyond the Imperial Prison' by HyperDuck SoundWorks (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03522)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Long ago in a time now forgotten by modernity, there existed a game. That game pitted mortals against unspeakable horrors from beyond the stars. At the time, many laughed at its premise and comical execution, but little did those who scoffed know that the developers of Earth Defense Force had read the signs and knew of the coming apocalypse. They knew that they would have a single chance and that just one game would be their warning to the world of the impending disaster.
The year is now 2017 - the eve of the bug-pocalypse.
Outro music: Sonic CD 'A World in Motion' by DusK (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03081)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
What's an E3? Jeremy and Daniel explain this week!
Outro music: Super Castlevania IV 'Selva Oscura' by Furilas, Jorito, and Tuberz McGee (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03540)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
The second official day of E3 has come and gone. We've been doing daily recaps of the action leading up to the show and we'll be doing the same for the show itself, so tune in to the Facebook Live broadcast or catch it later via other channels. You'll get a great rundown of what it is like to cover E3 along with the news of the day as told by the talented bunch of people we've collected to cover the year's biggest gaming trade show.
Day five didn't have the major announcements, but instead we buckled down and saw the games. Super secret projects, major names, and indie games galore were found in droves at the show! Jack Gardner, Marcus Stewart, Naomi Lugo, and Aiden Strawhun cover the basic, need-to-know announcements from the day.
Kick back, relax, and enjoy the show with us!
Here it is, the first official day of E3! We've been doing daily recaps of the action leading up to the show and we'll be doing the same for the show itself, so tune in to the Facebook Live broadcast or catch it later via other channels. You'll get a great rundown of what it is like to cover E3 along with the news of the day as told by the talented bunch of people we've collected to cover the year's biggest gaming trade show.
Day four covered began with a bang from Nintendo before the true craziness of the open show floor began. Now we know that Metroid Prime 4 is in development along with a new Pokemon RPG for the Switch. Jack Gardner, Marcus Stewart, Naomi Lugo, and Aiden Strawhun cover the basic, need-to-know announcements from the day.
Kick back, relax, and enjoy the show with us!
Though E3 proper hasn't yet begun, the pre-E3 press conferences have! This year, we are going to be capping off each day with a podcast discussing the news of the day with the talented bunch of people we've collected to cover the year's biggest gaming trade show.
Day three covered a lot of ground between Ubisoft and Sony. The two industry titans threw out some pretty exciting announcements, like a completely overhauled Shadow of the Colossus for the PS4 and confirmation that, yes, Beyond Good & Evil 2 exists. Jack Gardner, Marcus Stewart and Naomi Lugo cover the basic, need-to-know announcements from the day.
Kick back, relax, and enjoy the show with us!
Telltale followed up their first entry into the world of The Walking Dead with a second season that did a number of risky things in the world of video games. Players took on the role of Clementine, a young girl who has been burdened with the onerous task of growing up during the apocalypse. The brutality, the cruelty of life under those desperate circumstances permeate Season 2. Tough decisions allow players to shape what kind of a person our hero may become and the haunting prompts from the previous season, "Clementine will remember that," are now left unsaid, but hang heavy in every facial expression.
As a sequel to an episodic game that some claimed was the greatest adventure game of all time, does The Walking Dead: Season Two stand up on its own merits as one of the best games period?
Outro music: The Walking Dead: Season Two 'In the Pines - Credits Theme' by Jared Emerson-Johnson & Janel Drewis (https://telltalegames.bandcamp.com/)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Jack and Marcus give you a rundown of what happened during Microsoft, Bethesda, and Devolver's press conferences.
Though E3 proper hasn't yet begun, the pre-E3 press conferences have! This year, we are going to be capping off each day with a podcast discussing the news of the day with the talented bunch of people we've collected to cover the year's biggest gaming trade show.
Day one was limited to EA's reveals and teases, but between the ghost of Burnout races past, a promising indie that has "critical acclaim" written all over it, and a whole heap of Star Wars Battlefront II information, EA gave us more than enough to chew over. Jack Gardner, Marcus Stewart and Joe Knoop (pronounced new-p) break it all down for your listening pleasure.
Kick back, relax, and enjoy the show with us!
Halo 3: ODST broke from what was expected of a game in the Halo franchise and from what many expect of first-person shooters. It shifted the focus, if only for a moment, away from super powered Spartan soldiers and focused instead on the struggles of the normal people caught up in the aftermath of galaxy-altering events. Players experienced the story from multiple angles and perspectives while unraveling the game's central mystery. Daniel Jones lays out why you should certainly consider giving this Halo title a chance.
Outro music: Halo: Combat Evolved 'Fall From Above (You Can't Stop)' by Arkimedes (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01161)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Minority Media made a huge splash in 2012 with the release of their intensely personal project titled Papo y Yo. The game took players on a journey into the imagination of a young boy from a Brazilian favela whose father is a raging alcoholic. The young protagonist escapes into an imaginary dreamworld where he can exert some control over his surroundings and embarks on a journey to cure Monster, the embodiment of his father. Back in 2012, Papo y Yo tackling such subject matter was seen as radical. It placed the game at the forefront of the emerging empathy game genre. It also faced many technical hiccups upon release.
Does Papo y Yo's gameplay and bold approach to weighty topics hold up five years later?
Outro music: Ilomilo 'Iso ilo' by Birgitta Susi and Eino Keskitalo (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03380)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In 1992, developer Cyberdreams teamed up with legendary nightmare artist H.R. Giger to create an adventure game unlike any other. Tasked with unraveling the mysteries of a creepy house, terrifying visions, and a spitting migraine, players are slowly roped into a world of imaginative horror as envisioned by the artist who brought the world Ridley Scott's xenomorph in Alien. Over the course of three in-game days, players must make all the correct choices or the consequences could be deadly.
Outro music: Dark Seed 'Introduction' and 'Passing Time' by CrazyGroupTrio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvycbZ0FWP0)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Soulcalibur released for the Sega Dreamcast as part of the console's North American launch in 1999. Developed by Project Soul, the fighting title served as a successor to Soul Blade on the PlayStation. Two versions of Soulcalibur were developed - one for arcades and one for the Dreamcast. Though the arcade version launched in 1998, the Dreamcast version contained numerous improvements and additional game modes while offering graphics and animations on the same level as the arcade version - something almost unheard of in 3D gaming before the turn of the millennium.
Harold Goldberg, prolific video game writer, author of All Your Base Are Belong to Us: How 50 Years of Videogames Conquered Pop Culture, and founder of The New York Videogame Critics Circle, joins the show this week to defend his nomination of Soulcalibur.
Outro music: Soul Blade 'Jazzer Soul' by MkVaff (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00194)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Indie Game: The Movie was one of the early Kickstarter success stories. The 2012 documentary captured years of footage chronicling the journeys of several indie game developers, for better and worse. The film delves deep into the life small-time indie developers lead as they struggle to make their digital dreams come alive.
This is the first of our Patreon episodes. Going forward, more of these will be available to those who donate $1 or more per month to help us keep the show going, along with all the other neat things, like exclusive discussions that got trimmed for time from past or future episodes. Consider backing us on Patreon to listen to all that good stuff!
Outro music: Kirby Super Star 'Fluffball Rampage' by DaMonz (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03543)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In 1992 Super Mario Kart released on the Super Nintendo and changed how the world thought of racing games. A new sub-genre formed: The kart racer. Utilizing a cast of characters plucked from the Super Mario Bros. franchise, players could race against a friend or the computer across Mode 7 courses. Though Super Mario Kart initially began development as a sequel to F-Zero, Nintendo decided to take it in a drastically different direction, lowering the skill it took to play the game to be more accessible. On release, it captivated gaming audiences everywhere across all age brackets. The result was a franchise that all other titles attempting to break into the sub-genre sought to surpass - often without success.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's critical acclaim has us wondering: Is Super Mario Kart, the game that started it all, one of the best games period?
Outro music: Mario Kart 64 'Day's End' by Sole Signal and Tweex (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01706)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
There was once a game called Advent Rising. It was hyped up as the next great science-fiction adventure that would transcend games and become something more. Unfortunately, it released in 2005 with a multitude of bugs in an era where patching post-release was a rarity at best. Advent Rising caused the implosion of its development studio, GlyphX Games. A group of individual developers escaped the studio's downfall, banding together to form Chair Entertainment. The newly minted indie studio went on to develop and release Shadow Complex in 2009.
The 2.5D metroidvania side-scroller adopted a more realistic aesthetic and spawned a series of novels authored by Orson Scott Card. The game released and seemed to fill a niche in the indie gaming world that hadn't been filled in quite that same way before. With a recent remaster, it seems like a perfect time to ask the question: Is Shadow Complex one of the best games period?
Outro music: Tales of Phantasia 'The Koan of Drums' by djpretzel (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01500)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was born from the vision of filmmaker Josef Fares. Fares, a Lebanese refugee, managed to escape the country's civil war in 1987 and relocate to Sweden with his family. He became a prolific director in the Swedish film world and made Jalla! Jalla! one of the most popular films in the country. Released by Starbreeze Studios in 2013, Brothers adopted a highly unconventional dual joystick control scheme for its isometric adventure game. It became an instant critical darling, but what did it do right to earn that praise? Perhaps things are different when revisiting the game from a 2017 perspective.
Is Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons worthy of the praise it received for its cinematic vision and unique control scheme? Is it one of the best games period?
Outro music: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 'Love and Loss' by Sebastien Skaf (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03484)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Hideki Kamiya's Devil May Cry released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2 and arguably changed the course of action games for years to come. In a very loose adaptation of Dante's Inferno, Devil May Cry stars a white-haired, pistol and sword-wielding demon slayer named Dante who embarks on a quest to stop a demonic invasion of Earth. The fluid combat mechanics and cheesy story captivated audiences.
Have the years been kind to the game that was once intended to be Resident Evil 4? Is Devil May Cry one of the best games period?
Outro music: Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World 'Go the Distance' by Sixto Sounds (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01850)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
We haven't talked much about sports games on the show. This week, Daniel Jones brings the digital baseball series MLB The Show up to the plate. It's sadly an Honorable Mention episode because Jack and Jeremy vanished at the merest hint of physical activity.
Outro music: Super Spike V'Ball 'Copacabana Beach' by Leandro Abreu (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02858)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Terry Cavanagh and Stephen Levelle (also known as Increpare) teamed up back in 2011 to create the video game equivalent of a short story. Oíche Mhaith (Irish for "good night") is free, takes about 20 minutes to complete, and will leave you a sobbing mess. It features some NSFW language and images if you're interested in giving it a try. It's basically an M-rated, 8-bit flash game about a broken family as experienced by a kid. If you are looking for a game that will haunt you for days, Oíche Mhaith will give you much to think about.
You can find and play Oíche Mhaith on the Increpare website: https://ded.increpare.com/~locus/oiche_mhaith/
Outro music: VVVVVV 'Clubbed Baby VVVVVVeal' by Danny Baranowsky (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02205)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
We were just so excited to cover this game that we released the episode two days early! Lair is without a doubt not only one of the best games period, but THE BEST GAME period. "Why even bother having an episode about it?" you might ask. We simply figured that enough was enough and that greatness really should be paid its due.
Outro music: Wizards & Warriors ''Wizards in My Armor (Warrior in My Long Johns)" by Brothersynthe and Trenthian (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01665)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
A strangely off-beat throwback to the Final Fantasy of yesteryear? A sunny journey into the heart of existential crisis? A relic outdone by its shinier successor? Final Fantasy IX is many things to many people. Only recently has the general gaming population begun to look back and notice the entry in Square Enix's long-running series that came only a year before X moved the series into a new console generation. Dan Olson from Folding Ideas joins the podcast for a two-part episode discussing Final Fantasy IX's fascinating development history and subtly powerful narrative.
Does a PlayStation 1 title from the turn of the millennium earn a place in video game canon? Is Final Fantasy IX one of the best games period?
Part one focuses on our special guest, the development history of Final Fantasy IX, and our individual experiences with the title.
Part two delves into an attempt at summarizing the intricate plot and some narrative dissection in an effort to get at the heart of why IX has always felt different from the rest of the franchise.
Outro music: Final Fantasy IX ''You Don't Know Me" by katethegreat19 (http://ff9.ocremix.org/)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find Dan Olson on Twitter: @FoldableIdeas
Or on his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/foldingideas
A strangely off-beat throwback to the Final Fantasy of yesteryear? A sunny journey into the heart of existential crisis? A relic outdone by its shinier successor? Final Fantasy IX is many things to many people. Only recently has the general gaming population begun to look back and notice the entry in Square Enix's long-running series that came only a year before X moved the series into a new console generation. Dan Olson from Folding Ideas joins the podcast for a two-part episode discussing Final Fantasy IX's fascinating development history and subtly powerful narrative.
Does a PlayStation 1 title from the turn of the millennium earn a place in video game canon? Is Final Fantasy IX one of the best games period?
Part one focuses on our special guest, the development history of Final Fantasy IX, and our individual experiences with the title.
Part two delves into an attempt at summarizing the intricate plot and some narrative dissection in an effort to get at the heart of why IX has always felt different from the rest of the franchise.
Outro music: Final Fantasy IX 'Melodies of Life (Arranged)' by MkViff (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00152)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find Dan Olson on Twitter: @FoldableIdeas
Or on his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/foldingideas
It is easy to forget that BioWare took a bold risk when they launched their untested, original IP as an Xbox 360 exclusive back in 2007. The RPG genre had never truly veered into uncharted territory with a mainstream release as with a third-person shooter hybrid. On top of that, it was set in an unknown universe that the marketing team could easily have over-inflated to generate hype only to fall victim to the backlash (remember the cautionary tale of Advent Rising?). However, what made Mass Effect special was that it actually managed to live up to the hype. It worked. It had choices that engaged players. It was full of unique and interesting piece of universe-building and memorable characters. It delivered the sci-fi adventure some people had been waiting their entire lives to see in a video game for the first time.
Almost a decade later with a new entry in the franchise releasing this week, does the original Mass Effect stand as not merely a good game, but one of the best games period?
Outro music: Mass Effect 'Uncharted Depths' by Hy Bound (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02157)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
One of the most critically acclaimed titles of 2013, The Last of Us served as the PlayStation 3's swan song. Pushing the system to its limits, Naughty Dog's foray into a grim, apocalyptic vision of the future became a title that would be talked about for years to come for its presentation, pacing, characters, and gripping story. A film adaptation was announced following the massive success of The Last of Us. At the tail end of 2016, Sony unveiled a sequel.
This week we take a look at the infected ruins of America as experienced by Joel and Ellie on their road trip through a world where a human life is as cheap as a bullet. Is The Last of Us one of the best games period?
Outro music: The Last of Us 'Sarah' by nckmusic (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02995)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
With the recent release of the Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, another game looms large in the background: The original Legend of Zelda, the 1986 title that started it all and taught us all that it's dangerous to go alone. Nintendo's open world adventure forced players to think beyond the limitations of previous console games, forced Nintendo to change how it made games, almost single-handedly created the Nintendo Power magazine, and became both a cultural and game design touchstone.
Does The Legend of Zelda, with all of its 1986 technical limitations, still hold up over 30 years later?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 'The Imprisoning War' by smartpoetic (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03308)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
In the mid 90s Nintendo partnered with UK developer Rare to develop a game based on their Donkey Kong character. The resulting game, Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo, temporarily catapulted the animated gorilla into wide popularity. The resulting creative freedom this allowed Rare in potential sequels led to the release of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest in 1995 and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble in 1996. Debate over which of the two sequels reigned supreme raged for years. We've invited podcaster and graphic designer Dean Stephenson on the show to help settle the question once and for all in our second versus episode.
You can follow Dean on Twitter @deanrobot - ask about his podcast and shirts (he likes being the middleman for his own stuff!)
Outro music: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest 'Sinfonía del Sabio' by Leandro Abreu (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02805)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Released in 2004, Half-Life 2 ushered PC games into a new generation. It brought with it the highly flexible Source Engine (a game engine so versatile that highly modified versions of it are still used for modern AAA games like Titanfall), and necessitated PC users to install Steam (at the time a highly controversial move that helped launch the platform into ubiquity). The shooter focused on the adventures of scientist-turned-hero Gordan Freeman and his attempts to stay alive in a strange future in which humanity has been conquered by an alien race known as the Combine.
Rise and shine, listeners. Rise and... shine... and let us know if you think Half-Life 2 remains one of the best games period well over a decade after release.
Outro music: Half-Life 2 'I Tried' by Redg (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02931)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
A 2004 release from Project Aces, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War attempted to bridge the gap between arcade flight sim and wartime drama. The result was an incredibly engaging, beautiful experience that ruminates on the modern incarnation of war. Combining stellar in-game voice acting with tense aerial action set pieces and gorgeously crafted pre-rendered CGI cutscenes, Ace Combat 5 holds up as the best the series has offered to date.
From what little we've seen of Ace Combat 7, they seem to be tapping into the same themes and methods of storytelling that made The Unsung War so fantastic - and that can only be a good thing.
Outro music: Super Smash Bros. Wii U 'Got My Mind on My Money Match' by DarkeSword (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03074)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
Perhaps the quintessential cult classic, Beyond Good & Evil released in 2003 to some critical acclaim and lackluster sales. Directed by Michel Ancel, the creator of Rayman who yearned for more creative freedom at Ubisoft, the multiplatform release tackled very early 2000s themes of propaganda and murky government motivations as seen through the eyes of a young photojournalist who finds herself torn between the government who says it is keeping her safe and the resistance who tells her everything she knows is a lie. Combining themes that resonate to this day with an art style that has aged well and characters that ring true, is Beyond Good & Evil one of the best games period?
Outro music: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars 'Super Mega Ultra Pipe House' by DDRKirby(ISQ) (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03487)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod
We've covered a lot of games after fifty episodes of this podcast (and a number of fun honorable mentions and extra mini-sodes). Since we are hitting a podcasting milestone, we figured it would be a good opportunity to look back and re-evaluate some of the games we once praised and choose one to kick out of our arbitrary, growing video game canon. Kick back, relax, and enjoy the first of our deathmatch episodes! MUAHAHAHA!
Outro music: Donkey Kong Country 'High Tide' by FoxyPanda (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03327)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
A small, independent game released on Windows PC back in 2012. It was the indiest of indies, a title developed largely by one person using RPG Maker software. Many people outside the RPG Maker development community would never hear of Star Stealing Prince, but the community itself showered it with praise and awards. Years later, Ronove's independent game stands tall among larger turn-based RPGs with gorgeous art, an engaging combat system, and a captivating, unique story. Buckle in and listen to why you should check out a largely unknown, free, indie RPG.
You can download Star Stealing Prince for free from its Wordpress site.
Outro music: Wild Arms 'Godspeed' by audio fidelity and Theophany (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02351)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
With new details of the Switch released, Jeremy and Daniel take a special episode to discuss what we know about Nintendo's next console, its launch line-up, and the potential future of the device. It's not every day that a company launches a new console against two firmly entrenched competitors.
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 'Ballad on the Sea' by MasterGi (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03304)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
2016 was a mind-blowing year in the world of games. VR, massive Kickstarter successes and failures, games that pushed the boundaries of what games can be, 2016 had it all. Jeremy, Daniel, and Jack bring their number one game of the year along with one honorable mention apiece. What game will be remembered as one of the best games period in several years?
Outro music: Undertale 'Sunny Day Drive' by Just Coffee (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03474)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
The second part of our holiday break focuses on answering a question that we've heard a lot over the years: How do you even start podcasting? At first glance the equipment, software, and even the recording space can all seem like insurmountable barriers to entry, but with some perseverance and tenacity, anyone can start a great show! Jack goes in solo to answer a lot of the burning questions surrounding podcasting and how to make your own.
Next week we will return with our best games of 2016 podcast, so stay tuned for us to resume our normal format.
Outro music: Pokémon Diamond Version 'Home Is Where the Luvdisc Is...' by PROTO·DOME (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02199)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
As the year winds down to a close, it is important to remember those who are close to us. Jeremy and his son, Dylan, man the podcast this week to discuss the deep things in life, like which video games are best and how Daniel really is a monster for not allowing Dylan to eat marshmallows that one time.
This episode and next week's episode are a bit out of the norm for what this podcast usually tackles, but hopefully that makes them no less enjoyable than usual. We will be back the second week of 2017 with our episode on the best games of 2016, so bear with us while we take a bit of a break from our normal shows.
Outro music: Pokémon Diamond Version 'Bullet for My Piloswine' by halc, PROTO·DOME, and WillRock (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02192)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Ubisoft created a hit with the original Assassin's Creed, but its successor, Assassin's Creed II, managed to establish a franchise that has practically become serialized with yearly releases. Set in Renaissance-era Italy, the history-rich action-adventure game places players into the role of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a fiery nobleman whose family is betrayed and killed. Ezio dedicates his life to uncovering why and obtaining vengeance as a member of the shadowy Assassin Order. The sprawling city-scapes filled with realistic NPCs captivated audiences in 2009, but does the experience hold up as technology and game design have moved ahead?
Outro music: Hitman: Codename 47 'Chained to a Barcode' by Rayagon (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01075)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Back in 2008, developer DICE took a major risk on a game called Mirror's Edge. It tackled one of the most difficult genres, the first-person platformer. At the time, many in the gaming community considered platforming from a first-person perspective to be the bane of many games and the idea of constructing an entire game around that concept seemed ridiculous. Despite that, DICE pushed ahead and made their game a reality. It starred Faith Connors, a female protagonist of color, as a Runner, one of the few people able to travel outside of an oppressive government's near omni-present surveillance. Using Faith's parkour skills, players had to traverse environments that made use of a shocking, gorgeously clean aesthetic. It was at times clumsy and disorienting, but functional and it gained a major following.
Does Mirror's Edge hold up eight years later?
Outro music: Mirror's Edge 'Clear Reflections' by Sir_NutS (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03003)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Recorded on the one year anniversary of The Best Games Period and a handful of days away from the release of The Last Guardian - we present a lengthy, in-depth look at Team ICO's Shadow of the Colossus. The 2005 PlayStation 2 title carried the spirit of ICO into a large open-world full of magic, danger, and beauty. Though not glowingly received by critics at the time, regard for the third-person adventure game seems to have grown over the years in an odd case of a game becoming better over time. Is this a case of collectively wearing rose-colored glasses or have people been slowly coming around on the tale of a man meddling with forces beyond his understanding?
Outro music: 'The Sunlit Earth' by Kow Otani
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
The early 2000s were riddled with animal mascots and teams trying to make a name for themselves on fledgling consoles like the PlayStation 2. Over a two year period from 2001 to 2002, a triumvirate of platformers released that would expand the genre and set the trends of for the coming generation of games. Jak and Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, and Sly Cooper. Jak and Daxter spawned a collection of well regarded titles before fizzling out as Naughty Dog moved on to Uncharted. Ratchet and Clank has been going strong across multiple console generations.
Sly Cooper is a different story. Perhaps the least well remembered of the triumvirate, its trademark mixture of stealth and platforming struggled to find an audience at release. Sucker Punch went ahead and created two more games anyway before moving on to the Infamous franchise, leaving the franchise dormant after its final 2005 entry. Cooper has only recently popped back into public consciousness due to a well-crafted remaster of the trilogy in 2010 and continuation with Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time by Sanzaru Games in 2013. This heartbeat of life led to the announcement of a film back in 2014 that is now slated for release in 2017.
Can Sly Cooper be counted among one of the best games period or does it fall short?
Outro music: Mega Man 3 'Blue Lightning' by Disco Dan (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00464)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
With the recent release of Dishonored 2, the gang takes a look at Arkane's first outing to the city-state of Dunwall. As the body-guard turned supernatural assassin, Corvo, players navigate the political turmoil left by an assassinated empress to save her daughter. The 2012 release of Dishonored was met with an overwhelmingly positive reception, but has it aged well since then?
Outro music: Final Fantasy IX 'Não Está Sozinho' by Tomo Club (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03441)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
This week Daniel Jones flies solo in an Honorable Mention dedicated to the zen mobile game Alto's Adventure. The endless runner (endless ski-er?) utterly captivated Daniel in early 2015 and has been a game he has found difficult to put down ever since. The premier effort from studio Snowman it managed to generate some significant buzz in the mainstream press who praised its quality. Take a ride with Daniel as he takes you down the slopes of the thoroughly enchanting indie skiing odyssey.
Outro music: Chrono Trigger 'Neuga, Ziena, Zieber, Zom...' by The OC Jazz Collective and Wiesty (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03411)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
This episode is pretty self-explanatory. Go vote!
Outro music: Street Fighter II: The World Warrior 'Guile's Theme (Real American Hero Mix)' by Rayza (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00964)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
In honor of the day of all things spooky-scary we're turning to the game that took up Resident Evil 4's third-person horror mantle and mixed it with Alien and Event Horizon. Dead Space released in 2008 and garnered numerous accolades for its tense sound, tight level design, and its unique focus on dismembering monsters. Some reviewers and fans at the time crowned Dead Space as the scariest game of all time. Though that title might have since been given to other games, Dead Space still holds its share of horror. but is that enough for it to be a best game period?
Outro music: Uninvited 'The Old Mansion by the Road' by Sir_NutS, Stephen Kelly, and WillRock (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03443)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Since new consoles aren't announced every day from a major manufacturer, this week's episode focuses squarely on Nintendo's recent reveal of the Switch, their upcoming next-gen device that can be a console or handheld gaming device. Jeremy had to go save kids or something, so this discussion falls to Jack and Daniel who hold somewhat differing opinions on Nintendo's hybrid creation. Will the Switch be a success or a commercial flop?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Dance of the Kokiri' by Chris ~ Amaterasu and Doc Nano (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03438)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
While the first attempt at recording Episode 41 might have failed due to technical difficulties, we've returned this week with a brand new and totally original discussion of Flower, the PlayStation 3's 2009 indie darling. While playing as the wind using motion controls might have been a breath of fresh air, has the game become stale over time? What about the prestigious "Best Independent Game Fueled By Dew" award that the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards bestowed upon Flower? Has the honor of that accolade dimmed over the past years? More importantly, is Flower one of the best games period?
Outro music: Shenmue 'Reflections' by Reuben Kee (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01159)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Rest in peace, Reuben Kee.
Back in the mists of the year 2000, Sega and Overworks released a game for the Dreamcast called Skies of Arcadia. The title made a name for itself as one of the finest RPGs available on the system - some people even argued that it was one of the best games made for the Dreamcast period. In fact, there was so much buzz around the game that it was ported to the Nintendo GameCube three years later. Jack makes the argument that, in either form, it's well worth playing - provided you can track down an elusive copy of the swashbuckling sky pirate game.
Outro music: Sonic Advance 'The Glacier's Peak' by jmr (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02370)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
One of the monoliths that has topped the lists of the best video games of all-time, we're finally doing it. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Recorded just days after the 20th anniversary of the N64, join us as we discuss one of the most universally praised (or is it universally over-hyped?) games of the early 3D era. What do you think - is Ocarina of Time truly worthy of being recognized as one of the best games period?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Pachelbel's Ganon' by djpretzel (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00753)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Jeremy flies solo this week with an episode talking about the show's first mobile game: You Must Build A Boat. A match-3 game from early 2015 that took the mobile world by storm, garnering accolades and perfect scores from across the industry. A sequel to 1000000, Touch Arcade stated that You Must Build A Boat "makes the original game feel like a demo. It’s absurdly fun and nearly impossible to put down." What earns it a spot worthy of highlighting on The Best Games Period as an honorable mention? Listen and learn.
Outro music: Undertale 'Make Your Life Hell' by LongBoxofChocolate (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03424)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Two games concluded the run of Capcom's golden age of IP development with their semi-independent Clover Studio: God Hand and Okami. There are few games with the pedigree of Okami; directed by Hideki Kamiya (the creator of Viewtiful Joe, Devil May Cry, and future creator of Bayonetta) and produced by Atsushi Inaba (one of the most successful game producers of all time). Released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2, Okami holds the world record as being one of the least commercially successful game to garner multiple game of the year awards. Does it stand as one of the best games period a decade later?
Outro music: Okami 'Celestial Winds from the East' by McVaffe (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01700)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
The gang is back together this week and all ready to talk about the defining first-person shooter of the last console generation. The 2007 release of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare changed the way almost all FPS developers approached multiplayer and paved the way for yearly releases for non-sports titles. Does Infinity Ward's highly acclaimed title hold up almost a decade later?
Outro music: Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals 'Searing Aggression' by zircon (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03386)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
During the episode on Bastion a few weeks ago, Daniel and Jack got off on a particularly long and detailed tangent on the subject of No Man's Sky. This wasn't a planned part of the episode, just an interesting back and forth on their experiences with the most controversial game of 2016. This isn't fully an episode of The Best Games Period or even an Honorable Mention episode - just an extended conversation in which Daniel and Jack try to suss out how they feel about life, the universe, and everything else encompassed by Hello Games' indie gamble, No Man's Sky.
Outro music: Gradius Gaiden 'The Heavens Are Calling' by Ivan Hakštok and Sixto Sounds (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03371)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
The stealth genre is one that has historically been populated by a smattering of high profile hits like Metal Gear Solid or Thief and more than a few attempts that failed to leave more than a lingering impression. Not many companies were looking to take a big risk on a stealth game in 2012, let alone a 2D sidescrolling action-platformer (which, to the best of our knowledge, hadn't really been done prior). Indie studio Klei Entertainment embraced minimalist design principles and took a big gamble on Mark of the Ninja. Players took on the role of a ninja tattooed with the madness-inducing mark of their clan and entrusted with the task of defending it from villainous mercenaries. How does this moderately well-received indie title hold up several years later?
Outro music: The Legend of the Mystical Ninja 'Oedo Hop' by Palpable (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01255)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Supergiant Games released Bastion on Xbox 360, followed shortly by a PC release, back in 2011. It smashed onto the indie scene with isometric action and light RPG elements. The art design from Jen Zee, the musical work from Darren Korb, and a groundbreaking narration preformance from Logan Cunningham arguably reframed indie games in the public consciousness.
Outro music: Bastion 'A 'Kid-pella' by Andrew McLaren, David Lane, Dorothy Hayden, Ryan Billington, and Square Law (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02673)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
BioWare's Dragon Age: Origins released for PC and console back in 2009, presenting a wholly original fantasy world with a highly refined strategic RPG system. It offered players complex moral dilemmas and a reactive, entertaining cast of characters on a quest to slay a dragon and save the world. In Dragon Age, BioWare solidified their title as master storytellers in the mainstream sense (PC RPG enthusiasts had already known for years). Does Dragon Age: Origins remain one of the highlights of the RPG genre or has age taken its toll?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 'Have Ship, Will Travel' by Nostalvania (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03399)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
The wonderful Emily Reese, from the lovely Level with Emily Reese podcast, joins the show this week to discuss the only Grand Theft Auto title that captures the spirit of the 1980s complete with neon lights, drugs, and crazy fashion. Equal parts homage and satirical jab, Vice City spurred a flurry of lawsuits, accusations of inciting genocide, and might be the best Grand Theft Auto game to date.
Outro music: Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers 'An Enjoyable Face Remodeling' by shaboogen (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03387)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find Emily Reese on Twitter: @LevelwithEmily
Or on her podcast Level with Emily Reese: http://lwer.podbean.com/
FUS RO DAH! This week Jack, Jeremy, and Daniel tackle Bethesda's sprawling open-world RPG, Skyrim. The 2011 title released in an incredibly buggy state, but became one of the first major cases of post-release patching. Critics heaped acclaim onto Skyrim, praising the Norse designs, revamped gameplay mechanics, and the vast world. It also helped to popularize the Steam Workshop. Does Skyrim hold up after several years later with a revamped release coming in a handful of months?
Outro music: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 'Whiterun' by mellogear (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02636)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
2005's God of War set a new standard for the action-adventure genre over the next several years. The PS2 classic rolled in game of the year accolades and catapulted Sony's Santa Monica Studio into the limelight as one of their most important internal studios. With a new God of War on the horizon, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit the original Greek tragedy to see if it really was one of the best games period.
Outro music: Pokémon Blue Version 'Conundrum' by DjjD and Source X (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02729)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
When BioShock launched in 2007 for Xbox 360 and PC, it transported players to a world lost to time and some not-so-subtle Randian-inspired madness. Players navigated a city embroiled in self-obsessed insanity brimming with otherworldly powers and twisted human forms. One part horror, one part action, BioShock was one of the first hugely popular mainstream titles that people could point to and say, "This game? It's not only about mature action; it's about mature ideas, too!" Nine years later with a remaster on the horizon, is BioShock one of the best games period?
Outro music: Super Smash Bros. Melee 'Hank Jankerson's Wild Ride' by LongBoxofChocolate (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03376)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Amidst the blockbuster games of 2013 like BioShock Infinite and The Last of Us, a little game from an indie studio almost single-handedly established a genre. The Fullbright Company's Gone Home was met with critical acclaim, commercial success, and spawned fairly divisive opinions in the general audience. We actually discussed Gone Home when it came out and revisiting it proved to be an enlightening experience. Join us as we decide whether Gone Home is one of the best games period!
Outro music: Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure 'Another Sky' by Rexy (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03379)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
With schedules being what they are, sometimes coordinating a full episode of The Best Games Period can be difficult. When we can't have a proper discussion, we will be breaking off to do these short mini-casts to talk about fringe games that we might not otherwise be able to talk about on a full episode.
This week Daniel helms an episode of Honorable Mention with an impassioned plea for people to appreciate the N64 cult classic Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. Innovating the FPS on consoles, embracing the limitations of the hardware, and diving head first into the silliness of its central concept, the original Turok could have been the springboard for a larger franchise. While that dream of dinosaur slaying was never realized in subsequent installments, the Dinosaur Hunter's first steps were magical for Daniel Jones.
Outro music: Turok 2: Seeds of Evil 'Port of Adia Drum Mix' by Darren Mitchell (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00157)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
This is a singular episode of The Best Games Period where Jeremy and Daniel talk about the various reveals shown at the E3 press conferences and what each of the major developers and publishers are bringing to the biggest gaming show of the year. Also they touch on issues related to VR that appeared on the show floor, Father's Day, and generally digest all the E3 news with some friendly banter.
Outro music: Super Mario 64 'Ripples of Hope' by Chimpazilla and Emunator (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03366)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
The gang returns this week to talk Grim Fandango, the adventure game that launched Double Fine. The 1990s adventure classic may have once reigned supreme, but it was also one of the last adventure titles from the now defunct LucasArts. With the recent re-release of the Tim Schafer classic about a skeleton with a heart of gold, we decided to play it and see if we thought it really was one of the best games period.
Outro music: Grim Fandango 'The Enlightened Alaskan' by Mazedude (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01690)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
With schedules being what they are, sometimes coordinating a full episode of The Best Games Period can be difficult. When we can't have a proper discussion, we will be breaking off to do these short mini-casts to talk about fringe games that we might not otherwise be able to talk about on a full episode.
This week, Jack goes solo and talks briefly about OverBlood, an early PS1 survival horror title that isn't even remotely close to being one of the best games period. However, it slips up so spectacularly and has aged so poorly that it comes back around to being worth playing and marveling over.
Outro music: Mass Effect 3 'Saving Earth' by Kaiyoti (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03350)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
The second most sold game of all time, Wii Sports dominated gaming culture and beyond when it released on the Wii back in 2006. Bundled with the Wii and sold on the promise of bringing gamers and non-gamers together, Wii Sports made waves for being the harbinger of a new wave of motion controlled games that would change the landscape of gaming forever. While the promise of what the Wii could deliver ultimately fell shorter than what many had hoped, Wii Sports remains as a fond memory for many. Is it one of the best games period?
We ran into some technical difficulties with Daniel's audio this week. Apologies if the somewhat garbled sound detracts from what is otherwise a very fun episode!
Outro music: Bayonetta 'Lady in Black' by Dj Mystix (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02527)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
The 2007 indie game Passage could be considered one of the standard bearers for the art game genre. Created by Jason Rohrer, for a game jam event, Passage went on to receive a significant amount of attention in the mainstream press with some critics outside of the gaming world claiming it was the first game to make them cry - essentially a proof of concept to some industry outsiders that games could be vehicles for emotion and meaningful expression.
Passage is free and can be downloaded on Jason Rohrer's website: http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/passage/
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'Please, please make it rain...' by Benjaipod (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03347)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Since Naughty Dog recently released the fourth Uncharted game, we took the opportunity to talk about the 2007 Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. As the title that resurrected the third-person shooter for the modern age and proved to the world what the PlayStation 3 was capable of rendering on-screen. Is Nathan Drake's initial adventure one of the best games period?
Outro music: Crash Bandicoot 'Hogging Molly' by Brandon Strader and Rexy (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02413)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
From breaking through the Iron Curtain of Soviet Russia to being labelled as a cause of medically confirmed hallucinations, Tetris has a fascinating history both within and without the video game industry. Alexey Pajitnov and Vladamir Pokhilko's classic puzzle game has become one of the most widely available video games on the planet and a common household name. To this day, Tetris appears near the top of best games of all time lists, but is that merely nostalgia or a mark of genuine quality?
Outro music: Tetris 'The Peddler's Legacy' by Vurez (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02202)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
This week we tackle our first multiplayer-only and first free-to-play title, Valve's Team Fortress 2. The online FPS has been around for almost a decade and still sees an incredibly active community, due in no small part to the decision to make it free-to-play in 2011. Joining us in our discussion this week is Jack Packard, former Funny or Die funnyman, Red Letter Media staple, and co-host of the YouTube channel Previously Recorded.
Part 2 centers almost entirely on Team Fortress 2. The aesthetic, comedy, emergent narratives, and even the cross marketing. Have you ever wondered if a conga line can ruin a video game? Jack Packard's argument certainly might make you think differently about the seemingly innocuous party dance.
Outro music: Tiny Barbarian DX 'Vators Gonna Bait' by Hylian Lemon (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03298)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find Jack Packard on Twitter: @Harlack
Or on Previously Recorded (https://www.youtube.com/user/PreRecRLM) and occasionally on Red Letter Media (http://redlettermedia.com/)
This week we tackle our first multiplayer-only and first free-to-play title, Valve's Team Fortress 2. The online FPS has been around for almost a decade and still sees an incredibly active community, due in no small part to the decision to make it free-to-play in 2011. Joining us in our discussion this week is Jack Packard, former Funny or Die funnyman, Red Letter Media staple, and co-host of the YouTube channel Previously Recorded.
In part one, we all take our sweet time to get to anything related to Team Fortress 2, instead discussing Jack's twisting career path, Dark Souls 3, Stardew Valley, and the life of an internet creator. Maybe we were having a good time or maybe we were mirroring the 9 year development process that Team Fortress 2 went through. Who can say?
Outro music: Double Dragon III: Sacred Stones 'Trouble in Japan' by Nostalvania (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03307)
Rimshot sound effect "rimshot" uploaded by Archive.org user Gotta_Laff under Creative Commons 3.0 copyright (https://archive.org/details/rimshot_739)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find Jack Packard on Twitter: @Harlack
Or on Previously Recorded (https://www.youtube.com/user/PreRecRLM) and occasionally on Red Letter Media (http://redlettermedia.com/)
It has been 22 weeks so far and we are only now getting to our first episode dedicated to a Legend of Zelda title! The Nintendo title, released in 1991 for the SNES, is widely regarded as one of the best games of all time and remains at the top of many best lists to this day. Why? What makes the top-down action-adventure of a boy in green saving the world such a pinnacle of video game achievement even a quarter of a century later? How will it stack up for future generations of gamers when the gaming landscape continues to evolve? Jack and Daniel, sans Jeremy this week, discuss this and a whole lot more.
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 'Unsealed' by CarboHydroM (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02900)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
We ended up recording an awful lot of things that were cut out from our main episode last week, so we edited the trimmed segments together into a mini-episode of sorts. Buckle in for some fun tangents on Fallout 3 glitches, hot takes on The Last of Us, and even the weirdness that is Australian ladder licensing, which we are assured is an actual thing.
Outro music: Chrono Trigger 'Punk Hairdo Kid' by HyperDuck SoundWorks (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03338)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find the talented Elizabeth DeLoria on Twitter as well: @elizabethdanger
This week voice actress, cosplayer, and Australian wrestling commissioner, Elizabeth DeLoria, joins us to take a hard look at Fallout 3. Released on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, Fallout 3 was hailed as an incredible milestone for the video game industry. It was one of the most expansive and lovingly rendered open-worlds of the time. Despite a myriad of glitches, Bethesda's 2008 open-world RPG managed to establish an iconic look and feel that many have used as a benchmark for RPGs in the years since. Does the Capital Wasteland's world, story, and soundtrack hold up eight years later?
Outro music: Fallout 3 'The Fallout of Eli' by Brynner Agassi and Mazedude (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02077)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find the talented Elizabeth DeLoria on Twitter as well: @elizabethdanger
The remake/re-imagining of Insomniac Games' 2002 PlayStation 2 platformer Ratchet & Clank will be releasing tomorrow with a movie on its heels later this month. What better way to commemorate those releases than to talk about the game that inspired it all? The 2002 Ratchet & Clank released at a pivotal time for the platforming genre and helped bridge the gap between early 3D platforming and more modern ideas of what platforming could be. Does that make Ratchet & Clank one of the best games period?
Outro music: Spyro - Year of the Dragon 'Acoustic Fields' by Arceace (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03033)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
This week we return to From Software and Hidetaka Miyazaki to cover the beginnings of the Soul series. The 2009 release of Demon's Souls became the sleeper hit of the year, racking up awards for its gameplay innovations and solid, challenging mechanics. Despite a mixed to positive critical reception, Demon's Souls remained mostly overlooked until From Software's spiritual successor, Dark Souls. The popularity of Dark Souls had the effect of more than doubling Demon's Souls' sales. Can Demon's Souls stand on its own as one of the best games period or is it doomed to remain in the shadow of its sequel for all time?
Outro music: Demon's Souls 'Abandoned by God' by RoeTaKa (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03238)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Singularity, the 2010 first-person shooter from developer Raven Software, hit consoles at a bit of an awkward time. Coming a couple years after BioShock had rocked the gaming industry and become firmly established as a bar against which all atmospheric FPS games would be judged, many wrote Singularity off as a copycat. However, to this day there remains a sizable number of Singularity defenders who adore the time warping mechanics and dark, twisting storyline that embraces a murkier morality. Could Singularity be one of the best games period?
Outro music: Mother 'If You Believe' by Jeff Ball, mklachu, Pearl Pixel, and ZackParrish (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03258)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
This week the wild bunch reunites to dive into the wild, wild west for a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of Rockstar Games' 2010 high noon classic Red Dead Redemption. The searchers make some surprising discoveries about whether the open range western should be considered one of the best games period or remain unforgiven.
Outro music: Mega Man 2 'The Quick and the Blue' by The Megas (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02090) - if you like it, check out the band's online store (http://www.themegas.com/store.html)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
We had our first official guest on the show this week, UI designer and FarCry superfan/Pagan Min lookalike Erik Scott! Erik nominated Resident Evil 4 for its importance, for good and bad, to the survival horror genre. Join us (minus Daniel, who was out sick) as we discuss Leon Kennedy's one-liners, fish suitcases, and the rise of Quick Time Events.
It should be noted that we encountered a number of technical difficulties while recording the show, so if you notice any odd sound changes or abrupt transitions, that's due to there being multiple recording sessions stitched together.
Outro music: Super Street Fighter II Turbo 'Sexy Trunks' by Neostorm (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01036)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
You can find the talented Erik Scott on Twitter as well: @MadAdam_
For our fifteenth episode, we thought we would do something a little different and tackle two incredible games. Made several years apart by completely different teams while using the same, iconic gameplay mechanic, which is the better masterpiece: Portal or Portal 2? We devote our first versus episode to this argument for the ages.
Outro music: Portal 'Still Alive (Featuring Sara Quin)' by Jonathan Coulton and Sara Quin (http://www.jonathancoulton.com/store/downloads/)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
I had the pleasure recently of sitting down with documentary filmmakers David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall to talk about Thank You for Playing, a film about the Green family and their struggle to make a game (That Dragon, Cancer) about their terminally ill son, Joel, while also caring for him as his condition worsens. It's a powerful, moving piece of film making. Right now Osit and Zouhali-Worrall are in the middle of a Kickstarter campaign to fund national distribution of their film. You can check it out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1372561818/bring-thank-you-for-playing-to-theaters-screens-wo?ref=project_tweet
Outro music: Super Mario Bros. 'Me and Mario down by the Schoolyard' by FFmusic Dj and Geoffrey Taucer (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03100)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Jack's in the wind for episode 14 due to illness. Boasting some of the most robust game creation tools for its time, LittleBigPlanet tapped into user created content to generate millions of levels. Is that enough to make it one of the best games period? Episode 14 is a bit of a strange beast - about halfway through the episode it takes a turn toward general game conversation. All in all, it's a pretty fun listen!
Outro music: Illusion City 'Enter the Illusion' by Jorito and Metal Man (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03226)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
There was very little debate about whether we would talk about Super Mario Bros. 3 on this podcast. Did you know that Super Mario Bros. 3 inadvertently created Id Software, the creators of Doom? What exactly makes the legendary platformer so legendary? The three hosts go over this and a whole lot more while discussing whether or not it is one of the best games period.
Outro music: Super Mario Bros. 3 'Battle Rocks' by AmIEviL (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00970)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Jack returns in time to discuss GoldenEye 007 for the N64. Time has not been kind to gaming's early adventures with 3D and FPS games on consoles have aged especially poorly. Does a game have to be aesthetically pleasing and also appeal to modern gaming sensibilities to be considered one of the all-time greats? Strap in and get ready for some quality Bond-ing time.
Outro music: Double Dragon 'Bimmy Whatchu Got' by Shnabulba (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03285)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Despite losing Jack to a case of crippling mouth pain, Jeremy and Daniel soldier on through episode eleven to talk about Insomniac Games' finale to the Resistance trilogy. Though it released to mixed reviews and some heated opinions regarding its box art, Resistance 3 has managed to stand out in the minds of a significant number of its players in the years since. With Insomniac returning to Ratchet and Clank soon, maybe their PlayStation 3 title deserves a second look. Does the divisive ending to their gritty alternate history shooter have what it takes to be one of the best games period?
Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 'La Gran Fuente de Salsa' by MrKyle (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03296)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
For our tenth episode we cover the twelfth main entry in the Final Fantasy series. Though initially releasing to some of the best reviews of any Final Fantasy title, time has solidified XII's status as the black sheep of the series. Does its groundbreaking visuals, real-time battle system, and risky shake up of the Final Fantasy formula earn it a place as one of the best games period?
Outro music: Final Fantasy XII 'The Winds of Inishmore' by Avaris (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01719)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
When Braid released on the Xbox 360's fledgling Xbox Live service, it changed everything for the indie games industry. It broke the barrier between artistic game development and more entrenched industry institutions. Its legacy is hard to ignore. The discussion in this episode gets a bit heated, so you know you're in for something good. Does Braid stand as one of the best games period?
Outro music: FTL 'Faster Than Rock' by Little V (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03137)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Between Heavenly Sword and DmC: Devil May Cry, Ninja Theory released Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Though it proved to sell a lackluster number of copies, the 2010 title went on to achieve a cult following. Does the action-adventure game based on a 400-year-old Chinese novel stand as one of the best games period?
Outro music: Phantasy Star II 'Dezoris Winter' by GrayLightning (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01065)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, once thought to be the conclusion to the entire Metal Gear Solid franchise, received almost universal acclaim when it released in 2008. Does it hold up eight years later as one of the best games period?
Outro music: Metal Gear Solid 4 'Never Go Away' by Chris ~ Amaterasu, Claire Yaxley, Dj Mystix (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03189)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
A ton of amazing games came out during 2015. Jeremy, Daniel, and Jack bring their number one game of the year along with one honorable mention apiece. What game will be remembered as one of the best games period in several years?
Outro music: Metal Gear Solid 3 'Innocent Deception' by Claire Yaxley and Dj Mystix (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02573)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
People have Star Wars on the brain for some reason. Daniel and Jack present the Star Wars games they believe should be considered one of the best games period: Dark Forces and Knights of the Old Republic. Jeremy goes AWOL due to a Venurian space virus.
Outro music: Neverwinter Nights 'Kara-Turian Nights' by Ceracryst (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01848)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Ico released in 2001 to wide praise from critics, but slow sales in the West. Over time it attained cult status and became one of the games that shaped major design decisions across the industry. This proves to be the most divisive episode yet.
Outro music: Ico 'Save Me (OCR Edit)' by SGX (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01056)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
In 2012, Telltale Games exploded in the world of video games with the five episode Walking Dead series. Robert Kirkman's comic opus made the leap to gaming and was received to tremendous praise, winning numerous awards for storytelling, voice acting, and all-around goodness. Is it one of the best games period?
Outro music: The Walking Dead: Season One 'Don't Go' by RoeTaKa (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03244)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Jeremy Brown, Jack Gardner, and Daniel Jones discuss the grim fantasy contained in Dark Souls. Released as a niche title in 2011, it swept through the gaming landscape like wildfire and quickly became one of the most influential titles of the decade.
Outro music: Dark Souls 'I Had a Name' by RoeTaKa (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03101)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod
Jeremy Brown, Jack Gardner, and Daniel Jones discuss the 1994 Super Nintendo classic Donkey Kong Country. With its crazy origins, enduring legacy, and tangential inspirations, is it one of the best games period?
Outro music: Donkey Kong Country 'Where's the Ocean, Andrew?' by OverClocked University (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02524)
You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod