Spencer and Chris get downright crunchy with Supergiant's Hades (2020), working through the finer details of how its gameplay systems interact with one another to produce one of the best roguelikes of the last decade. Along the way, they explore how Hades was made and how the elusive good ending plays out.
Sources
MCV Interview with Jen Zee
Gamasutra Interview with Greg Kasavin
Noclip Documentary Series - "Hades: Developing Hell"
Chris and special guest Celeste Roberts go in-depth with NoCode's Stories Untold (2017). Along the way, they manage to discuss Zork (1977), Cold War-era cyanide tooth capsules, and the Alien film franchise.
For more from Celeste, please check out the Boss Rush Network, Another Zelda Podcast, and Read Only Magazine!
Also, this episode was guest-edited by Carly Pryor! You can find more of her great work on Instagram and YouTube.
Chris and Hamilton recall the first 20 years of Sonic the Hedgehog by taking a close look at Sega's Sonic Generations (2011). Along the way, they discuss what happened to the property over the preceding decade and why some characters' names were changed during the localization process.
Chris and Spencer discuss the development, gameplay, characters, and story of Supergiant's Pyre (2017). Enjoy! If you'd like more details on how Pyre was made, we recommend NoClip's documentary on the subject.
Chris and Spencer discuss The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - including development details and what's changed from Breath of the Wild - in a largely spoiler-free informal addendum to Season 1.
Sources:
Nintendo Developer Roundtable
Washington Post Interview with Eiji Aonuma by Gene Park
Chris, Hamilton, and special guest Rosalie discuss the development, gameplay, and plot of Sonic Adventure 2 (2001). Along the way, they also explore the game's amazing soundtrack and what led Sega to exit the home console market in the early 2000s. Let's escape from the city together, folks!
You can find Rosalie online at littlerecordgirl.com and on Twitter at @lilrecordgirl.
Chris, Spencer, and special guest Stephanie (from the Boss Rush Network) discuss their impressions of the Resident Evil 4 remake several weeks after its release, paying special attention to changes from the original's gameplay, characters, and enemies. You can find Stephanie on Twitter at @klimov_author.
Chris and Spencer discuss the development, gameplay, and story of Supergiant's Transistor (2014). Check out NoClip's documentary for more information on how this game was made!
Chris and Hamilton discuss one of the best platformer games ever made: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles! In this episode, you'll learn about Sega's evolution from its arcade origins, how Sonic the Hedgehog was created, and McDonalds' unlikely role in this game's notoriously bifurcated release. After working through the game's history, your hosts wrap things up with a thorough look at every zone, boss, and wacky enemy.
Chris and Spencer kick off the third season of Franchise Festival with a discussion of Supergiant's Bastion (2011). Along the way, they explore how the game was made, analyze the enemies and weapons in each stage, and make the case for both ending choices.
Noteworthy Sources:
Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer offer their final thoughts on the Resident Evil franchise. Along the way, they discuss favorite games, locations, characters, and monsters, while also speculating about what might be next for Capcom's beloved survival horror behemoth. Stick around to the end for an announcement about Franchise Festival's Season 3 topic!
Chris and Hamilton are joined by returning guests Arielle (@huggablehipster) and Kamijace (@kamijacegaming) to discuss Resident Evil Village. As they dive into its plot and cut content, the crew explores how Covid-19 impacted development, how well the Duke fits into the game world, and which monster scares them the most.
Be sure to subscribe to Arielle's YouTube channel Huggable Hipster and Kamijace's podcast The Weekly Cooldown for more insights from our distinguished guests!
Hamilton, Spencer, and Chris discuss Capcom's Resident Evil 3 Remake. Along the way, they explore the game's development, assess the merits of Nemesis' glow-up, and debate how this controversial game compares to the universally-beloved Resident Evil 2 Remake.
Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer finally return to Raccoon City for a discussion of 2019's long-awaited Resident Evil 2 Remake. Along the way, your hosts explore the game's development, the magic of Mr. X, and how the characters have been updated from their blocky 1998 forms.
For more on how the game was made, we encourage you to check out Capcom's own series of Resident Evil 2: Roundtable videos featuring members of the development team and beta footage available on YouTube.
Chris, Spencer, and Hamilton are joined by special guest Adam Bucceri to discuss the development, gameplay, and plot of Resident Evil 7. Our longest episode yet include cut enemies, tips to get you past the toughest bosses (spoiler: crouch), and plenty of praise for the franchise's scariest moments.
A quick content warning, though: this episode includes descriptions of some pretty graphic violence, even by Resident Evil standards, so proceed carefully if you have a sensitive stomach.
Don't miss Adam's excellent tabletop games, including the Resident Evil-inspired Enter the Survival Horror, available now at https://boocherry.itch.io/!
Chris and Hamilton discuss the criminally underrated Resident Evil: Revelations 2. Along the way, they uncover cut content, encounter the series' best invisible monster, and explore the surprising thematic connection between this game and Frictional's Soma (2015).
Noteworthy Sources:
The Franchise Festival crew performs a deep dive on Resident Evil: Revelations' development, gameplay, and plot with Arielle Danan (@HuggableHipster). Along the way, we speculate about mechanical connections to Dead Space and lore connections to Resident Evil: Code Veronica. We may not have enjoyed the game as much as previous series entries, but we still had a great time discussing Capcom's attempt to revive traditional survival horror.
You can find Arielle on Twitter, YouTube, Patreon, and TikTok.
Sources:
Chris and Hamilton return to Resident Evil 6, working their way through its dense - well, arguably incomprehensible - plot. We've got international intrigue, a visit to the ocean floor, chainsaw arms, and even evil clones in play! This episode also covers each of the game's many bosses in detail.
If you missed Resident Evil 6 (Part 1), you can find it on our website or your preferred podcast app.
Here is a collection of outtakes from our episodes on Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil 5, "Zombies!", and Resident Evil 6 (Part 1); there's an abnormally high amount of Bandersnatch talk for some reason! We appreciate your patience and will deliver our Resident Evil 6 (Part 2) episode on June 1, 2022.
Just a quick announcement to let you know that, due to family health issues, our Season 2 Episode 11 episode is delayed. We hope to have it up in early May, and will definitely still have a bonus episode up for patrons on May 15. Thanks for your patience!
Chris and Hamilton discuss the development, gameplay, and monster designs of Resident Evil 6, exploring how best to approach the game's unwieldy four-campaign structure and glibly dismissing prognosticators of the "next big thing."
Noteworthy Sources
Chris, Hamilton, Spencer, and special guest Carly discuss the history of zombie media. After chatting about their favorite zombie movies, games, and TV, they get down into the weeds with which zombie tropes are still worth saving and which need to be buried. And yes, Typing of the Dead merits a mention.
You can find Carly at @pryorexperience on Instagram!
With regard to sources, we recommend the following PBS videos for an even more scholarly overview of zombie history... The Origins of the Zombie, from Haiti to the U.S.; Why George Romero Changed Monster Movies Forever; and Modern Zombies: The Rebirth of the Undead
The Franchise Festival crew chats about the development, gameplay, and story of Resident Evil 5. Wesker's back and chewing every piece of scenery he can find, while enemies soak up more bullets than ever. Your hosts debate what exactly separates Uroboros from Plagas.
Chris and Spencer are joined by Duckfeed.tv's Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross to talk about Resident Evil 4's famously troubled development, its delightfully ludicrous plot beats, and what makes it hold up so well today. Along the way, Del Lago punks a new generation of fans.
If you enjoy the episode, be sure to check out Watch Out for Fireballs, Bonfireside Chat, and the rest of the great content available over at Duckfeed.tv.
Chris, Spencer, and returning special guest SuperNamu chat about Resident Evil's newest cinematic adaptation, Welcome to Raccoon City (2021). It was interesting to discuss what worked, what didn't, and what might have been.
Be sure to check out SuperNamu on Twitter, Twitch, Instagram, and TikTok!
Chris and Hamilton explore the development and gameplay of the last traditional Resident Evil game. They discuss the game's notorious inventory and partner systems at length, discovering that not all hookshots are as delightful as the ones in Hyrule.
Note that spoilers are plentiful and language is at least PG-13.
Sources for development information include Alex Aniel's Itchy Tasty (BUY ASAP) and footage of the Nintendo 64 Resident Evil Zero prototype circulated by the Neogamer Video Game Archive YouTube channel.
Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss the development, gameplay, bosses, and puzzles of the Resident Evil REmake. Lisa Trevor and Crimson Head Zombies make a strong impression. The Aqua Ring receives an extensive makeover.
Join Chris, Hamilton, Spencer and special guest Kamijace as they explore Resident Evil: Code Veronica's deep lore, discover the game's original protagonist, and debate the merits of how director Hiroki Kato creatively reinterpreted Resident Evil 2's famous "zapping" system.
Be sure to check out The Weekly Cooldown for more from wonderful guest host Kamijace! You can also become a patron of Franchise Festival to get bonus episodes covering spinoffs and other topics on Patreon.
Chris and Hamilton discuss Mega Man X: The Maverick Hunter's Field Guide with authors Nadia and David Oxford. They explore how the book was written, which Mega Man X spinoffs are worth playing, and which Maverick is the wackiest. The reason for Mega Man X5's seemingly inexplicable Guns 'N Roses references is revealed.
You can buy the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, or your preferred retailer. You can also follow Nadia Oxford on Twitter at @nadiaoxford and David Oxford on Twitter at @LBD_Nytetrayn or check out their other projects, the Axe of the Blood God podcast and website poisonmushroom.org.
Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer are joined by special guest SuperNamu to discuss Resident Evil 3: Nemesis' rocky development and controversial dodge system before celebrating the unique terror introduced by its title character. Mercenaries Mode makes its thrilling debut.
Selected Sources
You can find SuperNamu on Twitter, Twitch, and Instagram.
Follow Franchise Festival on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
The crew discusses the development, gameplay, and story of Hideki Kamiya's brilliant follow-up to 1996's Resident Evil. Chris and Spencer take a deep dive into Resident Evil 1.5 while Hamilton explores how zombies turns into lickers. The origins of "Mr. X" are explained at last.
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Selected Sources:
In a rare bit of zeitgeist-capturing, up-to-the-minute coverage, the Franchise Festival crew offers their impressions of Netflix's Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (2021). Spoilers abound, so be sure to watch the show before you listen if you want to remain surprised.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer explore the development, gameplay, monsters, and story of Capcom's Resident Evil (1996). The Franchise Festival crew also surveys a selection of earlier genre titles and later console ports, confirming the historical significance of Shinji Mikami's survival horror debut. Tank controls and an idiosyncratic save system provoke strong reactions from your hosts.
Selected Sources
Chris, Jasmine, Hamilton, and Spencer survey nearly thirty years of The Legend of Zelda spiritual successors, including Crusader of Centy, Blossom Tales, Okami, Genshin Impact and more. Then they each share their 'Top 3' titles in Nintendo's long-running action-adventure franchise before bidding a fond farewell to Season 1 and looking ahead to Season 2: Resident Evil.
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Selected Sources:
The Franchise Festival crew explores the development, gameplay, and plot of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020). Chris, Jasmine, and Spencer discuss their favorite characters and speculate on why this game falls short of its 2014 predecessor.
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Selected Sources:
The Franchise Festival crew discusses the story, sidequests, and cut content of Breath of the Wild in the second of two episodes on Nintendo's legendary 2017 release. Chris and Jasmine share their love of Kass while Hamilton and Spencer debate the merits of an easy final boss. The curious etymological roots of the Sheikah are uncovered through a look at their original Japanese names.
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Selected Sources:
The Franchise Festival crew discusses the development, gameplay, and enemies of Breath of the Wild in the first of two episodes on Nintendo's legendary 2017 release. Chris, Jasmine, Spencer, and Hamilton discover that they have very different opinions on silent protagonists and weapon durability. The surprising connection between Miis and Hylians is revealed.
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Selected Sources:
The Franchise Festival crew discusses 2014 beat-'em-up Hyrule Warriors. Chris dives into the history of the Dynasty Warriors / Musou series more generally, along with the serendipity of Hyrule Warriors' creation, while Hamilton explains 'Musou fatigue' and Jasmine details the surprising origins of character weapons. Everyone has a good laugh about the reformed Ganondorf.
Selected Sources:
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official Twitch channel for streams of new and classic games, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
This bonus feature covers content cut from our A Link Between Worlds/Triforce Heroes episode. In these clips, Spencer, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Chris discuss the history of Nintendo EAD, minigames, comparisons with A Link to the Past, and more. Note that audio quality and editing may be a touch rougher than standard episodes.
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official Twitch channel for streams of new and classic games, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Christian, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Spencer explore the development, gameplay, plot, and localization of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Triforce Heroes. Then they debate the relative merits of building on a bonafide 2D classic and the travails of internet communication in the mid-2010s.
Please let us know what you like or dislike by emailing franchisefestival@gmail.com. You can also find show notes online at our official website and follow @franchise_fest on Twitter for news on future episodes.
Christian, Jasmine, and Spencer explore the story, dungeons, and bosses of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Nintendo's crisis of confidence in the late 2000s and Skyward Sword's connections to From Software level design are discussed. The crew confesses its undying love of timeshift stones.
Please let us know what you like or dislike by emailing franchisefestival@gmail.com. You can also find show notes online at our official website.
Christian, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Spencer discuss the three best games they played in 2020 before looking ahead to 2021 and what it might bring. Be aware that this conversation has more adult language than typical episodes, so it may not be suitable for all ages.
In the order they appear, song samples include:
Tell us about your favorite games of 2020 by following/tagging @franchise_fest on Twitter or by writing us directly at franchisefestival@gmail.com.
Christian, Jasmine, and Spencer cover the development history, gameplay mechanics, minigames, localization, and cut content of Skyward Sword (2011). This game's unique status as the intersection between portable and home console series entries is discussed. The crew mourns Zelda's lost Second Quest.
Subscribe to @franchise_fest on Twitter to get notifications of all new episodes and other Franchise Festival content. Let us know what you think by emailing franchisefestival@gmail.com or by reaching out via franchisefestivalpodcast.com.
This bonus feature covers content cut from our Spirit Tracks episode. In these clips, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Christian discuss the Tower of Spirits' development process, anti-piracy measures, localization quirks and more. Note that audio quality and editing may be a touch rougher than standard episodes.
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official Twitch channel for streams of new and classic games, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Christian, Hamilton, and new full-time co-host Jasmine go in-depth with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. The crew covers this controversial Nintendo DS game's development history, gameplay, and cut content. Zelda's silliest species - the Lokomo - is revealed.
Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, and check out our official Twitch channel for streams of new and classic games. Be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Christian, Spencer, and Hamilton explore the development, gameplay, story, dungeons, and bosses of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. The Temple of the Ocean King is litigated at length. Your hosts discover that, though they have very different opinions on this divisive game, they all love Linebeck. Be sure to visit franchisefestivalpodcast.com for sources and email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
This bonus feature covers content cut from the original two Twilight Princess episodes. In these clips, Hamilton, Spencer, and Christian discuss fishing minigames, the origins of Twilight Princess' Shiekah ghost town, and more. Note that audio quality and editing may be a touch rougher than standard episodes.
Be sure to let us know if you like this format, as it may become a Patreon bonus in Season 2! Get in touch at franchisefestival@gmail.com.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer explore the second half of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. We go in-depth on the Arbiter's Grounds, Snowhead Ruins, Temple of Time, City in the Sky, Palace of Twilight, and Hyrule Castle before discussing our favorite side characters, spinoffs, and final impressions. Sorry for the long episode but there was just too much to cover! Be sure to visit franchisefestivalpodcast.com for sources and email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer explore the development history and gameplay generalities of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess before taking a deep dive into the story and dungeons through Link's acquisition of the Master Sword. Minigames are discussed, partner character Midna is confirmed to be just the best, and the NVIDIA Shield makes what will undoubtedly be its only appearance on our show. Be sure to visit the website for show notes and email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer explore the development, story, and gameplay of The Legend of Zelda's multiplayer Four Swords spinoffs. The quirky charms of the Satellaview's rare Legend of Zelda remakes are also discussed. Visit https://franchisefestival.com/show-notes/ for more background information and links.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer explore what got them into video games before discussing The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. The series' best sprite graphics are lovingly dissected. Skip to 9:41 to jump straight to Zelda content and visit https://franchisefestival.com/show-notes/ for more background information and links.
Christian, Hamilton, and special guest Jasmine reminisce about their favorite video game characters before taking a deep dive into the gameplay and dungeon design of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Puppet Ganon's susceptibility to the Mandela effect is examined. Skip to 16:49 to jump straight to Zelda content and visit https://franchisefestival.com/show-notes/ for more background information and links.
Christian, Hamilton, and special guest Jasmine identify their favorite indie games before discussing the history, plot, and characters (main and otherwise) of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. King Daphnes' passing of the generational torch and Tetra's controversial transformation are scrutinized. Skip to 13:40 to jump straight to Zelda content and visit https://franchisefestival.com/show-notes/ for more background information and links.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss dead franchises which are due for a comeback before launching into an exploration of The Legend of Zelda's unfortunate third-party spinoffs for the Philips CD-i. We unearth one of beloved comedian Phil Hartman's CD-i commercials. Skip to 23:03 to jump straight to Zelda content and visit https://franchisefestival.com/show-notes/ for more background information and links.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000) and its 2015 3DS remake. The game's inspirations and fraught one-year development process are explored alongside its uniquely melancholy tone and bevy of beloved supporting characters. Christian apologizes for his dogs make their presence known with background clatter around 1:15:00. Visit https://franchisefestival.com/show-notes/ for more background information and links.
Christian, Spencer, and Hamilton take a deep dive into The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's dungeon design. The relative merits of the original Nintendo 64 version and 3DS remake are debated. All your favorite kings are here, from Dodongo to Zora! (Spoilers)
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Ganondorf makes his debut. Hey, listen! (Spoilers)
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss Link's Awakening (the original and remake) alongside Capcom's first two Legend of Zelda games: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons. Spencer reveals his least favorite Legend of Zelda boss.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss the two radically different directions that Nintendo took the Zelda series following its debut. I Am Error is definitively resolved.
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss the pre-1986 background of the Legend of Zelda series along with its first Famicom Disk System / Nintendo Entertainment System installment.