Stormbuds: A FFXIV Podcast: Recent Episodes
Stormbuds
Jerome is a FFXIV veteran, and Alex has never played an MMO before. Together they're running through the main story progression of the critically acclaimed MMO and only occasionally getting distracted by topics such as "Why do the Garleans even want this continent?" and "Why is Papalymo?"
For our last episode about a game, Q-Up takes us out with a bang. The latest incremental gamee from the makers of Universal Paperclips and Babble Royale has us in its relentlessly funny, dopamine-injecting grasp. Coin-flipping has never been this fun.
After the break, Lord Vauthry makes one final appearance as we determine the fates of several reddit users in our recurring conundrums segment, Judge Vauthry!
See you for the Heavens-awards in January!
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Indika would not have been our game of the year for 2024, but what about it compelled us to check it out? What would the Gamers of Light liked to have seen out of this game instead? Is this episode even listenable? Only way to find out is to tune in!
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The Gamers of Light end their Nancy Drew run with the Deadly Device- quite a good one in the series! Clues and intrigue abound at this random-ass electric research lab in Colorado! Then, perhaps for the last time, Alex and Jerome get into their Rants and Raves!
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Join us as we discuss the Light Gaming community's poll winner: Cave Story! Listen as we talk not only about the game itself, but the journey and the impact it had on us and on the gaming scene at large. Then, it's time for our Side Quests- one of us is solving a spooky mystery, and the other one is solving some really technical nerd shit. You'll have to tune in to see who is doing what!
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After a very stressful October, the Gamers of Light relax for a bit of sand-surfing, merine life, and cherubic orchestral glory with Sword of the Sea! What made them so stressed out? Well, Alex will tell you all about his computer troubles in the b-side, so stick around for that stuff!?
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Our first user suggested game for November is the cult classic Beneath a Steel Sky by Revolution Games! What secrets, jokes and references await us in this banger of a game? And, oh, by the way, did we mention it's completely free?? Check it out!
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We played Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull and... listen guys this Nancy Drew game was kind of a stinker but at least we talked about how good the other Nancy Drew games were. In the second half, we've got our rants and raves again, and this time it didn't get that serious! I promise!
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OctBONEber continues with the gamers' discussion of Hades II, 1.o! It's bigger, better (mostly) and badder than before! After the ad break, the buds take a really super accurate and super, duper long quick about their Greek God Heritage! Who will their parents be!??!?
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With 2023's Dredge, we were given an interesting gameplay loop, some fun writing, as well as beautiful art and sound, but it neither lies in the space of a relaxing game or a scary game. Tune in to see if we thought Dredge really gets deep, or if it just trudges the shallows.
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There may not be any WiFi in The Forgotten City, but we still enjoyed our visit there very much. We talk colonialism, collective punishment, religion, and BONES! That's right, for our SPOOOKY BONE MONTH, we're talking the once-skyrim mod, now indie-darling escape room game The Forgotten City! After the ad break, our beloved JUDGE VAUTHRY makes a timely appearance to help us solve some conundrums! Listen to the episode right now, or he'll be very cross!
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The Gamers of Light relax and take in a charming series of vignettes and narrations about a specific period of time when Ecuador qualified for the World Cup in 2001, all while sorta struggling to keep a ball in their possession. Plus, it's the end of the month, so what have the Gamers of Light been ranting and raving about? Tune in to find out!
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At long last, Jerome gets his wish as the Gamers of Light talk Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes. It's got everything: Arson! Arrests! Alexei, the Antiquer! What more could you ask for? Plus, the discussion of Hollow Knight: Silksong continues, as well as a quick chat about Deadlock's new update. Room service, anyone? That will make sense once you get to the Deadlock portion of the episode. Okay, have fun listening!
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A song of silk! A needle of thread! A downward angle attack! The Gamers of Light talk Silksong, because everyone has to talk about silksong this week, and if they don't they're FOOLISH. In the back half of the show, a very special B-segment returns for one last time... What could it be(e)?
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Alex and Jerome are back with a discussion on the genesis RPG classic: Shining Force! Why is the Dark Dragon returning after a thousand years? What's the best strategy to get across that bridge? How many centaurs ARE there? I guess you'll just have to hit play to find out!
It's a bit late, but the Rants and Raves are back in the b-side- stay tuned to listen to what the boys think about Mega Victreebel, LLMs, and two other things!
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The Gamers of Light are back with their monthly Nancy Drew/Sidequest shindig, this time the winner of the Doubles Bracket: Deception at Danger Island. What's going on at that island? Whoi's gonna win the harborkeeper election? What's that lady in the lighthouse doing? Do whales rule? Tune in to find out!
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The Gamers of Light dive into the memory-bending cult classic RPGmaker hit To the Moon and they're fairly ungentle with their assessment. Editor's note: I tried to come up with a better title for about ten minutes and gave up.
After the ad, the Gamers of Light then decide the next TWO nancy drew games in the Nancy Drew Bracket: Doubles edition!
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Bam! Pow! Spray! Sick combo! The Gamers of Light are set to grind all over New Amsterdam and talk about the EXTREMELY faithful homage to Jet Set Radio: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk! After they wax nostalgia for a bit, Alex takes to the field and reports live from the floor at GenCon! What insights into the tabletop space will he discover from his journeys? Tune in and find out!
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Jerome and Alex decide to do DOUBLE DUTY and talk about two games this episode that have absolutely nothing to do with each other. First, they talk about their thoughts on Supergiant's devilish basketball(?) game Pyre, then they dip into what they feel about the gorey, gooey, sorta-Christian-ish metroidvania Blasphemous!
In the second half, it's time for the monthly Rants and Raves segment, and as is tradition, it gets both extremely silly and extremely serious all at once. Tune in now! Do it!
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Your Hosts of Light are back with more Nancy Drewing, and this one's a throwback! The first Nancy Drew game is a bit light on substance, but it does not pull any punches. It's got it all: drugs, assault, gun violence, robbery, and the most grotesque of all, an 18-step puzzle!
After the ad break, your Hosts keep you up to date on their personal journeys in their Side Quest segment! Learn about the foggy Mount Rainier and Final Fantasy XI, which is also coincidentally foggy.
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The Gators of Light put on their investi-gator hats and try to solve the case of who's out to get poor, sweet Pat in Later Alligator, and on the way they play pinball, hide and seek, and a tower of hanoi game but with pancakes on a moving railway. What were some of their favorite bits? You'll have to tune in to find out! Plus, Alex quizzes Jerome on his reptile knowledge in the segment "After a While, Crocodile!"
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Tacoma is, by all accounts, a great game with a lot of valuable points about AI. However, is it worth supporting in 2025, knowing what we know now about Fullbright? Tune in to listen to Jerome and Alex discuss this, their thoughts on the story, and more!
Plus, in the back half, your Hosts of Light determine which Nancy Drew game they play in a couple weeks by way of their Random Adjective Bracket!
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Jerome and Alex are REALLY digging Studio Koba's latest, the blazingly fast-paced action platformer Haneda Girl! Join them as they talk about cyber-combat, piloting mechs, stealth that's actually fun, and tons of charm!
Then, has playing Haneda Girl got you curious about Haneda and Narita? The B-segment MIGHT be a very fun and informative exploration on what Narita has to offer us in REAL LIFE! It might also be a desperate reach for content because Jerome is out of ideas. Listen in and find out!
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Date Everything came out last week, but can you really Date... Everything? Sort of! It certainly casts a wide net- listen in to hear Jerome and Alex talk about who they loved, hated, and what they thought of Sassy Chap Games' latest harem anime video game!
Then, since it's that time, join us for a passionate conversation that we do every month- it's our Rants and Raves!
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The Gamers of Light chart a course for the existential cri-seas as they talk Thunder Lotus's 2020 Sad Simulator Spiritfarer! What emotional reactions have they had to the stories thus far, what do they think of the resource management, and who is the best character? Tune in to find out! Hint: Alex the Seal is the best.
Plus! It's side quest time! What other projects and games have the Gamers of Light been up to? Huh? Bet you wanna know! Well, listen! In! Then!
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Jerome and Alex discuss the Outerloop 2023 RPG/Cooking game/Skateboarding Game/Visual Novel, Thirsty Suitors for this week's Pride pick! Tune in to hear what they loved, they were shocked by, and thirsty for! Also, which of the Exes are their favorites??? There's quite a lot to talk about this week! After the ad, we dive back into the cesspool of sin that is Reddit AITA with a visit from Judge Vauthry!
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Kicking off our annual Pride Month celebration, we're talking Jusant: the journey of a nameless, gender-ambiguous mountain climber on a mission to reach the peak of a mountain, climbing through the ruins of a vertical society. After a lengthy climb, the buds rest at the peak of the spire to go over some MORE of their favorite Magic: the Gathering cards from the upcoming Final Fantasy collaboration, but we promise that's the last time we'll do it. Unless...?
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Closing out Medieval May with the Medieval Game of the past few years, the Gamers of Light finally delve into their thoughts on Obsidian's visual novel: Pentiment! After the ad break, Jerome and Alex go on their monthly rants and raves, and does it go off the rails and into some heavy topics again? Yes, obviously. It always does.
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This episode of Light Gaming is La Croix: Medieval flavor at best this week when Jerome and Alex discuss of Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy, and only because the writers went absolutely medieval on this extremely loose adaptation of The Bike Tour Mystery. To liven things up, they bring back an old favorite and talk about some of their Side Quests! Hint: they're both very French, except for the one that's not.
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We maybe accidentally did an episode of Heavy Gaming when we signed up to play Manor Lords in Early Access, but we're glad we made the plunge. We can't wait to get back in there and prance among our peasants!
After the ad break, we take our first look into the FFxMtG spoilers in a classically sweaty quiz segment! Tune in to see how well Alex can identify Final Fantasy characters based on their rules text!
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Jerome and Alex pass through the Procession to Cavalry and stab a bunch of paintings in the process, surely those paintings don't contain any value whatsoever. Then, after the ad break, the much-portented FULL SPOILER discussion of Blue Prince!
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Your Hosts of Light Gaming are back with a two-for-one special to make up for the break, sort of! They talk about the wildly different Koira and Cook, Serve Delicious and come up with interesting ways in which the two are unexpectedly connected (Editor's note: this is a lie). After the ad break, the monthly Rants and Raves segment returns, what deathly serious topics will the Hosts of Light Gaming get too deep into THIS time? Tune in and find out!
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We, alongside almost every other gaming podcast, played Dogubomb's new masterpiece: Blue Prince! Join us as we vaguely, in a very spoiler-free manner describe our impressions of the game, give a brief synopsis of the mechanics and talk about what really makes this game tick our little maze-loving boxes.
After the ad break, we dive into a really fun quiz segment that isn't at all a form of psychological torture that Jerome inflicts upon Alex on a regular basis.
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We're really sorry about that, but our points about 2021's light adventure game Sable still stand. Then, FFXIV: Shadowbringers' Secondary Antagonist Judge Vauthry makes a grand return to pass his brand of balustrade judgment on REDDIT POSTS!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Cover Art by Alex Hambrock and Kat Hambrock
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsiss
Hekki Grace, gamers of light! Jerome and Alex wax poetic and skip through time as they discuss Fellow Traveler's 2024 visual novel 1000xResist! Then, for our 100th episode (total) special, we check out some new posts on our recurring reader mail segment: the Sharlayan Forum! Thank you so much for hanging out with us 100 times!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Cover Art by Alex Hambrock and Kat Hambrock
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
We inherit a plant shop in the middle of Gloomy-gloomsville, USA (Or maybe UK?), and hand people a bunch of wild and wacky potted plants to cure their various ailments, allergies and alimonies in Strange Horticulture! Stay tuned after the ad break for a chill, but heated conversation of of Raves and Rants!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Cover Art by Alex Hambrock and Kat Hambrock
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Hosts of Light make good on their March Madness pick for Nancy Drew games and explore a modern take on an ancient myth in Nancy Drew: Labyrinth of Lies! Then, stay tuned as Jerome and Alex do their best to replicate some iconic video game voice lines in the segment "How Did She Say It!?"
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Cover Art by Alex Hambrock and Kat Hambrock
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Dive into the colorful world of Neva as the Hosts of Light traverse the brilliantly painted and sounscaped scenes of Neva, the action platformer developed by Nomada studios that won 2024's Games for Impact award at the annual GOTYAs! What did Alex think about the action platforming content? Does Jerome maybe need to get medically evaluated? Tune in and find out! Plus, enjoy a super special secret Light Gaming take on March Madness as they use a Madness bracket to make an extremely important decision!!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Cover Art by Alex Hambrock and Kat Hambrock
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
This Obra-Dinn inspired mystery puzzle game is right up our alley. It's got everything- a compelling story, great reading, sick jazz vibes, corkboards, and nostalgic 90s internet fansites! We've also been spending with with Monster Hunter and Balatro, so we thought it'd be a great time to bring back our Side Quests!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome
BarbatsisCover Art by Alex Hambrock and Kat Hambrock
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds revisit last year's plant based metroidvania- Ultros! They had a psychedelic time looping throughout the alien environments, learning more and more about the world as they connect every save point with bees. Then, they enjoy a nice time in the great outdoors with a national park quiz segment: His Park Materials!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Cover Art by Alex Hambrock and Kat Hambrock
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Howdy, pardners of light! It's Nancy Drew week here on Light Gaming and we've got a classic ol' rootin' tootin' hollerootin' heck of a time for y'all as we dodge snakes, scorpions, bank robbers and angry chickens in Nancy Drew: the Secret of Shadow Ranch! Stay tuned for the back half when Jerome gives Alex yet another impossible guessing game for his Pokemon: Shield edition of "A Wild Pokemon by Any Other Name!"
Jerome and Alex give their spoiler-free opinions on the long awaited tabletop inspired narrative RPG Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector! Where does this game work, and where does this game fall apart? Who are their favorite crew members? Answers to these and many more questions lie within! In the second half, the Hosts of Light bring back an old friend to give their Judgment on genuinely for-real not-made-up viewer questions: it's the return of Judge Vauthry!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Cover Art by Alex Hambrock and Kat Hambrock
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
What's up, Gamers of Light!? Welcome to Light Gaming! We've launched a rebrand where we're going to focus on the kinds of games that made our favorite episodes last year: easily digestible experiences that we could talk about in their entirety. We're gonna cover indie games, retro games, and maybe even some board or card games, so long as it's just a bit of Light Gaming!
In today's episode, Jerome and Alex are back from break with a new look and a whole lot of games to talk about. Tune in to find out what they thought of their steam winter sale purchases and get back into the swing of things.
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
It's the Second Annual Heavens-Awards! Who will take home the prestigious awards for Best Outfit, Cutest Character, Best Beard (Cover wife), and The Warrior of Light "Confused Head Tilt" Emote Award for Most Deranged Segment? What will be the Buds Best Game? Acceptance speeches, dramatic moments and impromptu advertisements await you in this year's Heavens-Awards!
Thank you all for listening, we'll see you again in February! Much love!
Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
With DeSIMber come and gone (two weeks go by pretty fast), the Buds cap off the month discussing the Sims 4! After an uncharacteristic discussion about sleep aids and science, they discuss their past, present, and hopeful futures with the franchise. How many times has Alex burnt his house down? Where's the weirdest place Jerome made Woo-hoo? Tune in to find out*!
*neither of these questions are answered during the course of this podcast.
Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Alex takes Jerome on a nostalgia trip to his beloved back yard RTS-like sim game, the 1991 Maxis Classic Sim Ant! How many times did they get stomped, sliced, eaten and conquered before finally making it into the kitchen and ousting the evil Human Man and his animal cohorts? Plus, Jerome helps Alex with his acting chops in the hot new improv segment: Down for MaintenANTS!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds put Goldvember to a close with a recap of all their chosen Golden games!
Nancy Drew: The Shattered Medallion spoilers start ~16:00
Rise of the Golden Idol spoilers start: 21:25
End of spoilers: 34:47
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
It's here! The Rise of the Golden Idol is out and the Buds are having an eldritch blast playing it. What is it about these games they find so captivating? The intrigue? The wit? Maybe the grotesque, explicit sex scenes? Tune in and find out! Also, surprise! The Buds weren't SUPER up for sailing the high seas this months, so they pivoted to something a little more current and... tangentially related to the theme for the second half. It's a welcome addition to GOLDVEMBER to be sure!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Goldvember continues as the Buds discuss their thoughts as they revisited the classic GBA RPG, Golden Sun! Find out what they loved about the game, which classes they were running, and whether or not they think Isaac's relationship with his mother is a healthy one. The title might be a hint! Plus, the Buds continued exploring the Sea of Thieves, this time diving into the Monkey Island crossover content! Join us as we continue the hunt for GOLD!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The buds play the Nancy Drew game with the most outrageous premise yet: Nancy Drew: the Shattered Medallion! Beyond Patrick's idiotic stoicism, Bess's complete ineptitude and Sonny's mountain of icks, the Buds have to solve the greatest mystery of all: who thought any of this was a good idea?
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds finish their discussion on all things Diablo IV with their thoughts on the new expansion: Vessel of Hatred! What awaits our Boneheads of Light in the deep, harsh jungles of Nahantu? Do the systemic changes help or hurt the game? Is Mephisto still in Jerome's ideal Eiffel Tower? At least two of these three questions will definitely be answered on this week's Stormbuds!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Have YOU noticed that the previous two weeks notated Diablo IV/4 inconsistently? Well, I didn't, but now I'm leaning into it! Today the Buds talk about their time with skull-dodgin, knife-throwin arcade shooter Devil Daggers, and finish off the story recap and reaction to the base game of Diablo IV!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds take on the Department of Death and travel all across the Eighth Layer of Hell in wacky, kooky point and click adventure The Adventures of Grim Fandango! Plus, the continuation of the story in Diablo IV with coverage of acts 3 and 4 takes our Wanderer Buds into the desert, where they run into familiar faces both old and new, as well as confront one of the Lesser Evils!
Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The buds play some action packed spooky games to kick of STORMBONES!!!! They make their way through some douchebag bats and asshole skeletons to confront dracula in Super Castlevania IV, then they make their way through douchebag demons and asshole goatmen to confront Vhenard and Astaroth in Diablo IV!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
What a massive episode! The Buds chat about discs 3 and 4 of FFVIII, dip into the Sharlayan Forum and announce the theme and games of October! What will happen with our unconscious GF? Why are we in space? Is THAT what time looks like!? All these questions answered and A WHOLE LOT MORE within!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds are back after a stressful week of travelling and illness to talk all about the... weird, but enjoyable monster sandwich game called Pokemon Scarlet/Violet! We're not here to TELL you it has disgraceful performance issues, but we are asking the question: Does it have disgraceful performance issues? After that, we learn more about the story of The Six Angsty Teens in Final Fantasy VIII, from the prison break up until we attempt to assassinate the sorceress again in the clash of the gardens! Tune in to hear which instruments Alex picked for his performance!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds discuss a brief historical overview of martial law in Taiwan in order to be able to begin describing sidescrolling horror game Detention! Then, the weird fever dream continues in the tale of FF8 where Laguna throws his friends off a cliff, Squall opens up about his boundaries with grammar, and the party is completed when Ivrine Kinneas shows up and starts planning his future with all the ladies. Thanks for listening and reading this far!!
CW: Talk of violence in schools
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds dive into the new school year by talking about how Two Point Campus came to be and how they enjoyed their time with it! Then, they begin their senior year of mercenary academy Balamb Garden in Final Fantasy 8, talking about junctioning, hot dogs, social anxiety, angst, and most importantly, Triple Triad!
The Buds escape from Evermore, but not before having to deal with the dastardly butler Carltron and navigate the space station maze with their trusty toaster-dog! Plus, a conversation on what makes this game of all games so important alongside the reveal of September's theme! Stick around to see what games the Buds are gonna cover next month!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Alex is a Nancy Drew Veteran and Jerome is a total newb! Hm, that sounds familiar. Join the Buds as they talk about Nancy Drew: the Silent Spy and hopefully solve the mystery revolving Cathedral, Revenant and Nancy's Mom! Plus, the discussion of Secret of Evermore continues, with the Buds diving into the spotless castles and deep jungle forests of Gothica!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds have a quick chat about the Whispered World (very quietly), and catch up on some long overdue side quests! Then they resume their journey into Secret of Evermore for part 2 of their month-long discussion. What wacky voices will we have to endure for the sake of a loosely tied together theme? Tune in and find out!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds kick off ASMR August with a relaxing deductive murder mystery game where the witnesses and perpetrators are all single-minded and obtuse AI chatbots. The sound of the fires crackling as the mansion burns down every single time! Then, they journey into Evermore to try and discover its Secret, where they talk about their first impressions of the game, an overall summary of the mechanics and the first act- Prehistoria! Tune in to see what the Buds think about both of these extremely relevant games!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds give their thoughts on the finale of FFXIV: Dawntrail! Of course there are full spoilers within. They also go over some thoughts and opinions of some of the listeners in the Sharlayan Forum, and plot out the games for the month of August! What completely regular, not weird at all theme will the next month's games follow? Tune in to find out!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds get chummy with Dave, Bancho and the gang and explore the depths of the Deep Blue Hole as they talk about Mintrocket's "Indie" hit Dave the Diver! Afterward, they resume their discussion of FFXIV: Dawntrail, talking about chapters 4 and 5 of the latest expansion. What do the buds think about the invasion and subsequent tour of Alexandria? Tune in to find out!
FFXIV: Dawntrial discussion starts ~27:50
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The buds journey up to the top of Hawk Peak to find cell phone reception and get distracted by trinkets and shells along the way. Plus, chapters 2 and 3 of our Dawntrail discussion. Find out what the Buds thought about Yak'tel, the mamool ja and the entrance to the golden city!
Dawntrail discussion starts around 21:00
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds start their Summer Vacation month by taking a trip to the Isle of Bugsnax, and they have a wildly different experience between the two of them! After that, they start their month-long coverage of FFXIV: Dawntrail by talking about their thoughts of the first chapter!
Dawntrail talk starts ~25:35
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds finish off Tataru Taru and Co. Ltd. Inc sponsored pride month with a trip to Haven Springs, CO. They chat with some of the locals, get a job at the bar and use a supernatural ability to observe and feel emotions to manipulate normies into doing their bidding. Afterward, they make a bet with their predictions for FFXIV: Dawntrail!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds revisit Eorzea and go through a bunch of comedy capers, mech fights and touching moments as they complete and discuss the Tataru's Grand Endeavor questline! Then, a bit early, the Buds chart a course for July and plot out the games they'll be playing alongside FFXIV: Dawntrail!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds talk about the very, very queer visual-novel-dating-sim-deckbuilder-roguelike I Was a Teenage Exocolonist! They take another trip to the Spoils Collector for a full spoiler deep dive into their thoughts about how the game ends, and discuss the differences in their gameplay. Who did they crush on? Who lives and who dies? Who is she, and why does she have her own song? Tune in and find out!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Budsgush for about an hour straight about how great Signalis is, even if it has some mechanical frustrations. If you've played through the game entirely, stick around for a visit to the Spoils Collector, otherwise, go play it! Now! Watching a video playthrough is fine if horror is not your thing, too! Signalis slaps!!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Kicking off Tataru Taru & Co. Inc.® Pride Month®, The Buds talk their early impressions of Hades 2 by giving an overview of the mechanics of the game and chatting about which character on the cast has the best shoulders! Plus, the Buds put their knowledge of worldly mythology to the ultimate test!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds talk about their wildly different playthroughs of Stardew Valley to cap off farming May! Do the Buds end up finding their ultimate cozy game? Will Jerome finally find his true love out in the countryside? Tune in to find out! We also invite you all to come along with us as we plan for June: better known as Overlord Tataru's LGBTQIA+ Pride Month (sponsored by Taru & Co. Inc.)!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The buds are granted their own private islands in the Ciela...ciala....da... the greater Vylbrand area! What wondrous resorts do they architect on Tataru's behalf? Does it contain galvanized square steel and eco-friendly wood veneers? Unfortunately not, but honestly, they had a great time anyway! Island vibes and chill times await the boys as they revisit FFXIV's farming content! Plus, how well does Alex do in an Island Sanctuary quiz?? Find out by listening right the heck now!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds gave Farming Simulator 2022 a shot and found themselves completely unable to relax while playing it, thus missing the point entirely. Turns out, they're not a fan of the bookkeeping, nor being the means of production! Plus, after learning that Jerry Seinfeld is probably a synth, the buds revisit their thoughts on the Fallout TV series, so spoilers ahead!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds take a quick look at the "Ur-Farming Sim" in Harvest Moon! By studying the blueprint, they hope to gain a greater appreciation for farming games to come. While the game has some frustrating quality of life issues and a lack of depth in gameplay, it's hard to deny its ingenuity in the context of super nintendo video games! Plus, in the B-segment, Alex takes a trip to the spa in the segment "I Order You To Relax!"
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The time has come to talk about our month-long journey into the world of the Commonwealth! How did the Buds enjoy diving into vaults, stepping on landmines and being alerted to settlements that needed their help? Find out by listening to this very episode!! Plus, the Buds debut a fun quiz segment in Review Bombs for Peace!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Do you like gratuitous gore with poignant satirical comedy TV shows with fabulous casts, great set design and reasonably well constructed plots? Then check out Fallout on Amazon Prime! The Buds talk about episodes 1 and 2 of the new TV show at length, and then just casually chat a bit with somme Would You Rathers in the Fallout universe. It's a great time!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Ever want to live in a universe where Liberty Prime, Recharged can fight Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite? Well, want no more! Strap in for a lecture as the Buds summarize the journey of Magic: the Gathering and how its quest for growth and progress has led to the creation of Universes Beyond: Fallout! Plus, we provide a Guide of Sorts for getting into Magic: the Gathering, and this Guide of Sorts is actually kinda helpful. We promise!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Grab a seat at the table and place your bets because the Buds are in town and they're high rollers! Fallout: New Vegas is the Best Bethesda game that's not made by Bethesda at all! What makes it so enjoyable to play, even now, over a decade after its release (assuming the game works for you)? Most importantly, can Alex survive another round of the Horn of Hraesvelgr? Tune in and find out!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds talk about their experience with vehicle based physics and collision simulator BeamNG.Drive! It's an intimidating start, so in the second half of the episode, Jerome and Alex craft a perfect, genuine guide to starting, enjoying, and ultimately escaping from BeamNG.Drive in the new segment: A Guide of Sorts! Stick around to the end to find out what next month's theme is! Unless you're going backwards, in which case, hello from the past!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds chat about old childhood entertainment games from Humongous Entertainment, with such point and click all stars as Freddi Fish, Putt-Putt and Pajama Sam! This episode kicks off two new segments: Pictomancer's Corner, where one Bud looks at a random video game screenshot and guesses the context, and The Mithril Why?, where the Buds bring you the latest and greatest in very authentic, very serious gaming news.
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
As the title suggests, we take a quick trip back to Eorzea to go over the Dark Knight quests from 30-60! Well, Alex has brings insightful commentary, and Jerome brings his usual sleep deprived class clown schtick to the table that literally everyone loves! What's not to enjoy!?
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds talk patches this week as Alex catches up with the MSQ! He gives his general thoughts on each of the patches while we discuss the entirety of the major patch catalogue. That's the entire episode; this one took a while! Enjoy!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Wow, what an exciting title for an exciting episode! Jerome and Alex wanted to take a chill pill today and muse on their favorite songs for background noise that they use in their daily lives! For everything from quiet, whimsical piano melodies to lush, plasticky early 2000's soundfonts, we've got your music needs covered! Plus, stick around for the latter half where we decide what the Newfound Adventure game for March with a single elimination bracket!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds are joined by CoderGirlChan to talk about this month's Newfound Adventure: Hollow Knight! We recap ta brief history and context of the game as well as share our thoughts on the gameplay, the difficulty and the abundant charm! Plus, who will come out on top on in the first ever occurrence of our new trivia segment: Words are Trivia??
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
Can you believe it's been two years of Stormbuds!? To celebrate the occasion, the Buds are gonna talk about the games they're looking forward to this year! After that, we get a first exclusive look at Hollow Knight: Silksong with our guest interview: Hornet herself! Tune in to finally hear more genuinely authentic news about Hollow Knight: Silksong!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
This episode of Stormbuds, Jerome and Alex talk at length about the games that made them feel the love! Plus, a dip back into Eorzea as they recap the Valentione's Day content!
Games mentioned (HEAVY SPOILERS for most!): Cyberpunk 2077, Mother 3, Earthbound, Final Fantasy IX, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, Life is Strange, Life is Strange: True Colors, What Remains of Edith Finch, Final Fantasy XIV
Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
This episode of the Buds begins our journey beyond FFXIV! We kick off STORMBUGS by tasking ourselves with coming up with a new Convocation of Fourteen, but instead of ancient souls, it's video game bugs! Who will take their rightful place in the Convocation, fulfilling the duties of the likes of Emet-Selch, Elidibus, and... Emmerololth? Find out the results of our exciting debates by listening right now!!
Games mentioned: Final Fantasy XIV, Tekken 8, Cyberpunk 2077, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Hollow Knight, Diablo 2, Sim Ant, Monster Hunter 4, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Secret of Evermore, Metal Gear Solid, Life is Strange, Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Pokemon (multiple), Knuckles' Chaotix, Mega Man 9, Herbie Fully Loaded, Resident Evil, Disco Elysium, A Bug's Life, Yoko's Island Express, Bee Movie: the Video game, Mister Mosquito.
Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
It's time to celebrate our journey through FFXIV with the First Annual Heavens-Awards! Stay tuned to find out who wears the Best Outfit, which cutscene is the Best Cutscene, and which character has the Best Beard! Also, support Stormbuds by listening to a completely reasonable amount of ads! Finally, we announce which game we're going to play over next month as we start our new format!
This episode was broadcast LIVE at https://www.twitch.tv/jeromehouse
Content warning: Some brief spurts of eating noises.
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome BaWrbatsis
The Buds make their way through the darkness in Ultima Thule and finish off 6.0! We learn the myriad ways in which the scions find meaning in their lives and find the courage to forge ahead in the face of despair. Does Endwalker stick the landing? Listen in to hear Alex's thoughts!
After all is said and done, this leg of our journey is over, but a new chapter will begin soon! We're grateful for our new friends and everyone who has supported and helped us along in our adventure, and we invite you to come along as we expand our horizons into games hitherto unexplored!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
On the penultimate episode of our recap through the FFXIV MSQ, the Buds are met with many existential questions and tender moments, all of which are absolutely decimated by the baffling choice of background music. We also descend the Aitiascope to have a nice chat with Hydaelyn and a few other special guests along the way!
NOTE: Please enjoy the editing mistake of a gunshot noise held over from the previous episode at 4:23. Whoops!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
We finally learn about the central conflict of Endwalker by going back to the time of the Ancients! We have so amny questions, like "What is alive? What is a soul? How does this tree remember things?" and most importantly, "Hermes, what did you do that for?" Plus, a returning guest helps us recap our venture through the dungeon Ktisis Hyperboreia!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds have met the Loporrits and gotten their first taste of the Final Days! Nobody could have prepared Alex for either of the halves of this chapter, we go from flopping around with cute bunnies to fending off black, slimy beings made entirely of mouths! Death! Destruction! Puddingway? Tune in to find out what else we thought of this chapter of FFXIV: Endwalker!
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Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
On this episode, the Buds travel to the frozen wastes of Garlemald and partake in all its (zero) earthly delights. We get a first-hand account on the current state of affairs and confront Fandaniel in a clash on the moon!
CW: Suicide
Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds begin Endwalker! They explore Labyrinthos, Thavnair, and conquer the Tower of Zot! Along the way, they learn about floral mood rings, mad science, and the properties of dragon scales! Tune in to learn what Alex thinks of his first chapter of Endwalker, and to hear Jerome make some remarks that could technically be referred to as jokes. Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbudsProduced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome BarbatsisSound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
On this episode of Buds, we finish off Shadowbringers! A cure for tempering, a millenia-overdue systems update, a hilarious case of mistaken identity, and a reconciliation between all the peoples of Eorzea! Fandaniel is also here. It's curtains for Shadowbringers, and Lights, Camera, Action for Endwalker!Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbudsProduced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome BarbatsisSound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds are back and they're here to take on a horde of sexy, sexy androids in YorHa: Dark Apocalypse? What secrets await the buds in The Puppets' Bunker? How many paradigms can one tower breach? The answers to these and many more questions will not be within this episode, because they never are. Listen anyway!Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbudsProduced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome BarbatsisSound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds cover the ranged role quest and the Eden raid! Turns out, reconstituting effigies of our previous encounters from memory is pretty dang hard! We learn a lot about the cause of the Sin Eaters and also we learn a lot about ourselves- not as much as Ryne does, but it's still a lot.Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbudsProduced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome BarbatsisSound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
On this dramatic episode, the Buds rescue a boy from a time hole in the caster role quests and they explore the implications of the "ideals" of the Garlean Empire as well as recant the actually-well-done version of adoptive parenthood that is the Sorrow of Werlyt! Take notes, Thancred! Also featured: most unusual discussion of classical literature you've ever heard- perhaps this should explain why the Buds talk about books.Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbudsProduced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome BarbatsisSound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds put an end to Elidibus, and with that, the last of the unsundered Ascians is dead! Certainly this is a universally good thing that has no consequences whatsoever! Before they can take care of that, they've got some pesky tank quests to deal with, as well as an extremely tedious stretch of quests about going to get some grapes with kids that want to be Warriors of Lights. Why is it always grapes!?Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbudsProduced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome BarbatsisSound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds begin the patch content for Shadowbringers and cover the Healer role quest! Along the way we meet far too many warriors of light for our liking and crash a fancy dinner party for one! Plus, in a landmark victory for laborers everywhere, the dungeon recap goblin gets his first paycheck!Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbudsProduced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome BarbatsisSound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
It's Stormbuds LIVE! We talk about the final chapter of Shadowbringers wherein we learn the exarch's true plans, entreat the Ondo (remember them??) and discover the mysteries of the ancient ruins at the bottom of the Tempest! The final confrontation with Emet-Selch awaits!Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbudsProduced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome BarbatsisSound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
As the Buds approach the end of Shadowbringers, they chase after the last lightwarden of Kholusia himself: Lord Vaurthy! We learn the truth of Meol, engage in dwarven diplomacy and climb on the back of a massive golem to reach our target. Plus, a very special interview with the Lord himself!
Check us out on our socials and join the discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The admittedly sleep deprived Buds spend an exorbitant amount of time solving the world's most contrived Trolley Problem as they head back to Amh Araeng! They've got a lot to say about the relationship between Minfilia and the rest of the cast. After that, they revisit some new discord posts in what is surely the most chaotic Sharlayan Forum segment ever! Enjoy!
Check us out on our socials and discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds head off into the Rak'Tika Greatwood along with their new friend(?) Emet-Selch to learn the secrets of the Ronkan Empire! They meet up with Matoy'shtola and the Night's Blessed, deal with some very angry spiders and explore the dangers of the Rokan Empire with cute bunnies! What could possib-lie go wrong?
Check us out on our socials and discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Produced by Alex Hambrock and Jerome Barbatsis
Sound and Editing by Jerome Barbatsis
The Buds make their way to Il Mheg after rescuing the Oracle of Light, where they prep their best outfit for a dance with King Titania! Terrible vibes, endless chores and as of yet unfathomed war crimes await them in the Kingdom of Rainbows! Also this episode: the worst saxophone playing you've heard this side of the River Thaliak. You've been warned!
The Buds finally pick up their damn phone and head off to take care of things in the First! They meet a hooded man made of rocks, a really nice blonde lady and a not-so-nice authoritarian dictator with a supernatural power. What awaits them on this strange, extremely bright, purple planet? Check us out on our socials and discord! https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Throw wide the gates, Buds! This week we deal with a pesky spam caller, a magic wall, a harsh rejection and a whole lot of plot twists as we cover patches 4.4 and 4.5 of FFXIV: Stormblood! We also talk a little bit about, sexy lady sacrifices, date movie spoilers and we bid Stormblood a fond farewell. Join is as we get ready to bring in the shadows!Check us out on our socials and discord!https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Ah, the theater! Jerome and Alex go for a spot of light entertainment and enjoy the re-enactment of the Zodiac Brave story in Return to Ivalice! We learn a little bit about some fancy rocks, some Dalmascan resistance soldiers, and a lot about... vibrations. There's some other stuff, here, too, but it was so densely crammed into about twelve quests with no voice acting that we may have missed out on some of the finer details. Oh well!Check us out on our socials and discord!https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
import stormbuds, midgardsormr, ironworksironworks.alpha = "a total cutie that everybody loves"def Omega():try: stormbuds.queue_for_raid()except midgardsormr.WipeToMechanicsError:return stormbuds.good_times()Check us out on our socials and discord!https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
The Budz(e) get a good workout by punching Tsukuyomi in the head and kicking the living daylights out of the Four Lords! It's great cardio! Also featured are a really good boat, a totally reasonable Garlean, and over-caffeinated thirty-somethings.
CW: Suicide and sexual assault
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https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
Alex and Jerome continue on in their journey with the 4.1 and 4.2 MSQ recap! Today's topics include: Jerome constantly messing up the patch numbers, the game's weirdly horrific empathy for sex traffickers, making fun of Asahi's appearance, and so much more! Come see what we think about the state of affairs of the DLIF and the Resistance!
Check us out on our socials and discord with the links here!
https://linkpop.com/stormbuds
This was a Stormbuds LIVE episode recorded on 2/18/23 - The VOD will be up for 2 weeks on https://www.twitch.tv/jeromehouse if you want to watch! On this episode, we cover the latter half of the Peaks, take some long walks on the Lochs and participate in the royal Hunt! What fun!
The Buds take back Doma and head back into Gyr Abania as we close out the penultimate chapter of 4.0! We finally get answers to some really important questions, like "What's happening with our boy Grynewaht?" and, "What's Yotsuyu's DEAL?" We also learn a little something about Jerome's Tiktok algorithm, so that's fun.
On this episode, the Buds aid the DLIF (Doman LIberation Front) in Yanxia and reunite with Lord Hien on the Azim Steppe. What sorts of trials, tribulations, contests and debauchery await us in the Bowl? Also discussed: Lyse's character arc, or rather, a lack thereof.
This is a re-upload because out old audio was just playing Fracture instead of the entire episode on certain platforms. Sorry about this mix-up! I changed the name to just make it clear to myself that it's fixed - Jerome
The Buds are back from their holiday break to kick some catfish, dodge some police and traverse the ruby sea! We also get started on our twelve step program, except it's just one step, and it's a literal step that Yotsuyu steps upon Gosetsu's head. So, really, it wasn't even us that got stepped on. I don't think Gosetsu would mind if it was, though.
The Stormbuds take on Stormblood! Our first chapter begins with an moderately successful attempt to recruit youths into the resistance and complete and total annihilation at the hands of Zenos. After a little light blackmail, the party sets sail to Doma, only to be kidnapped by mysterious forces! Golly gee, does anything ever go our way?
On today's episode, the Buds roll credits on patch content for Heavensward! We wrap up quite a number of threads in this sequence of quests as we're reunited with our dear friends Yda and Papalymo. Also, we're introduced with a mysterious new character named Brachael. Wonder what her deal is? Join us as we get ready for war with the empire!
The Buds discuss the Shadow of Mhach and the Halloween event! Alternative titles for this episode: People Getting Shot Point Blank. Big Glassy Eyed Cat. Kaz Hirai Lopez. Little Goth Girl Queen. No Character Motivation. This Raid Is Boring. Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
The Buds retell the Epic of Alexander and it takes about an hour and a half. What mysteries will we uncover while scaling the giant mecha-primal? Why is it named Alexander? Who is behind all this? The answer to all these questions is "yes."
On this episode of the 'Budze, we finally bring an end to the Dragonsong War! In doing so, Jerome and Alex talk undergo set about them by Nidhogg, Hraesvelgr, and the creepy Unukalhai kid. Plus, a brand new segment! The segment comes first, actually. This intro is all backwards! Tune into see what side quests the 'Budze are completing!
We're back and we're buddier than ever! We help Ishgardians wrestle with their nation's troubled history and engage in some light sporting entertainment. On top of that, we're re-united with some of our fellow Scions! Stay tuned to see what Alex thinks of the Antitower! Wowee!
The Buds finish up 3.0! Taking the wisdom from the Great Gubal Library, we slam a ship into some floating rocks and kill a couple of Gods- as is typical for Final Fantasy. Many questions remain! What do our Buds think about HW so far? What's that big machine coming out of the Thaliak River? Who is cuter, Cheepchix, or Holepix? Exciting mysteries just waiting to be unraveled!
If you know this game, you knew this episode was a long time coming. If you don't know this game, then you didn't know this episode was a long time coming. But from now on, you will know that this episode will have been a long time coming any other time you think of this game. There will be other episodes like this, but this one is extra special. Also, we go to the Sea of Clouds.
Okay, okay, I've got it- Dravania's hottest club is The Churning Mists. It's got everything: ancient history, girl-eating dragons, and a big beefy flying bear that'll make you do his laundry. If you want to get past the bouncer, you'll have to bring a faintly radioactive woman to the cave with glowing dandelions; you can't miss it.
Diving deeper into heavensward, we form our adventuring party and set off to try some heretical diplomacy! Along the way we meet some dragon hunters, some chocobo hunters and some alarmingly eager termite people. Who knows what else awaits our heroes in Dravania? (It's probably not pirates).
Alex and Jerome begin their summer vacation in Ishgard by being well dressed for the climate. They take a fun tour of the city, go out to a few sweet countryside locals to see the sights, and get embroiled in a heresy trial again. Those rascals!
It's the episode we've all been waiting for: the grand finale to A Realm Reborn! As we send off this iconic expansion, we learn that all our friends are dead and gone, we can't trust anymore, and we're never going to financially recover from this. Join us as we experience the end of the patch content and the Binding Coils of Bahamut!
Refugees, primals and revolutions, oh my! Jerome and Alex tackle the first half of the patch quests wherein they try to juggle about seven different story beats. Also, what's up with that big crystal tower thing? Tune in to find out on this week's episode!
In today's extraordinarily long episode, we cover everything from the Dusk Vigil to the end of the Praetorium. Jerome goes on a couple of boomer rants about how bad things used to be and Alex forgets to do his job quests. Gaius rules!
Why are there so many quests about wine? Why is everyone up in the mountains a huge mean jerk!? And what's been happening back at the Waking Sands this whole time? Welcome to levels 31-40, where exactly one of these questions will be answered.
During levels 21-30, Alex learns that he’s been pronouncing literally every single character and location incorrectly, we discover how bad the Gridanian healthcare system is, and America’s worst internet provider continues to come through when it really counts.
In this episode, we’re off to meet the Sylphs as we play from First Contact through to Trial by Turtle. We talk about the prevalence of “tribal races” in fantasy fiction, if Thancred is a good detective (He’s not), and how playing the game now is different from the early days of ARR.
In our inaugural episode we play from the start of the game through Call of the Sea, Jerome reflects on what FFXIV means to him, and Alex is very confused about all of the dudes in robes. We talk about MMOs in general, all the common and not-so-common races the game provides, and speculate about the fate of Bahamut