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PODCAST

Pixelated Playgrounds

Pixelated Playgrounds

Taking one game per month (old, new and everything in between) and talking though an in-depth examination of narrative, mechanics, theme, and the interplay between the three.

leisure video games

All Episodes

00:49:52

Control

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/05/15

Take Control of your podcast listening device and tune into Bryan, Josh, and Clint’s discussion of the 2019 paranormal action thriller, Control, developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by 505 Games. Aside from its technical mastery and engaging combat mechanics, Control brought things to the next level with its ability to cleverly flesh out its own uniquely campy, yet tension-filled game world.Three Word Reviews:Clint: Remedy To RepetitionBryan: You’re in ControlJosh: Archetypal Action

en-US

Katamari Damacy

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/04/30

Roll on over and take a listen as Josh and Bryan revisit the early 2000’s classic, Katamari Damacy! The novel mechanics and constant joyful energy kept us smiling the whole time and the music is as unique as it is infectious. Join us for a discussion about Katamari’s unique charm, its unmatched quirkiness, and the moral implications of the katamari’s all consuming nature.Three Word Reviews:Josh - Sweet Rolling RevengeBryan - Calculated Chaotic JoyShow Notes:Katamari Patent

en-US

00:29:51

Monaco: What's Yours is Mine

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/04/16

Bryan and Josh are feeling heist-y as they tackle an indie gem from yesteryear, Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine. Listen in for a discussion of the co-op and chaos that makes Monaco a memorable multiplayer experience even today.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - Delicious Layer CakeJosh - Chaotic Criminal Circus

en-US

01:15:45

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/03/31

It's been almost two decades since Bethesda released The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, a game that would revolutionize the genre and take the company from precarity to runaway success. Since then Bethesda has released two more entries in the series, Oblivion and Skyrim, with increasing commercial success with each iteration. However, in some ways the accomplishments of Morrowind have yet to be matched by the series' subsequent entries. This month we revisit Morrowind to have a discussion about what

en-US

00:42:25

Factorio

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/03/15

Building things is great. Building things that build things is even better. Factorio gives you the opportunity to build an entire manufacturing infrastructure by hand and then defend it from rabid aliens while you try to escape the hostile planet you’ve found yourself on. Bryan and Josh have both spent a significant amount of time with Factorio, so come listen for what makes Factorio so unique among management sims, and stay for the in depth discussion of fluid dynamics.Three Word Reviews:Bryan -

en-US

00:45:19

Valheim

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/02/28

Since its early access release in February, Valheim has quickly gone from relative unknown to the talk of the town. Bryan and Josh take a look at why Valheim’s particular twist on the survival genre resonates with so many, and how the developer, Iron Gate AB, successfully applies their multiplayer-first philosophy to an open-world experience. Four million vikings can't be wrong.Three Word Reviews:Bryan - First Pleasant SurpriseJosh - Maps, Crafts, Rafts

en-US

01:10:53

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/02/17

It's rare to find a game that can be compared favorably to both Hollow Knight for tight metroidvania gameplay and Pixar for skill in animation and storytelling, but that is exactly what we found ourselves doing in our recent discussion of Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Moon Studio’s latest entry featuring the glowing woodland creature brought forth the best elements of its predecessor while adding in a host of mechanical and artistic improvements. Listen in as we talk through what allows Ori to make

en-US

00:36:56

Terraria

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/01/30

Discover a brand new pixelated world with Bryan and Josh as they reminisce about a game they have both enjoyed for years, Terraria. Developed by Re-Logic in 2011 it has enjoyed stellar support from its developers and community transforming it from ‘2d Minecraft’ into a true classic in its own right. Since its relatively humble origins, Terraria has grown into something truly special, so listen in to hear about what make’s game’s exploration, building, combat, and loot such a compelling

en-US

01:04:18

Ghost of Tsushima

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2021/01/14

If there is one genre that is most indicative of the PS4/Xbox One generation of video game consoles, you can make a pretty good argument that it is the open world action game. Trailblazed and typified by Ubisoft and their Assassin’s Creed franchise, there have been a slew of imitators and innovators throughout the past decade. As we close out the PS4’s catalogue of console exclusives, its only fitting that we receive one of the best iterations of this type of game. Join Clint and Bryan for a

en-US

Deus Ex

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/12/31

With everything going on in the world today we took the opportunity for a nice bit of escapism into a beloved game of our adolescence. A respite into a world where… wait a minute … A pandemic is ravaging the planet, there are riots in the street, and misinformation spreads like wildfire causing the collapse of government institutions? Well anyway, it's the 20th anniversary of the release of Deus Ex which became a standard-bearer for the immersive sim genre, and an early take on the cyberpunk genre

en-US

01:03:41

Spiritfarer

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/12/15

The end of the year is time for reflection, so we took a look back at the latest outing from Thunder Lotus Games: Spiritfarer. It is ‘a cozy game about death’, and if that pitch isn’t enough to grab your attention then maybe the stunning animation, gorgeous soundtrack, and heartwarming story woven into an engaging management simulation will. Join Bryan and Josh as they discuss how the game handles the concept of death, while Josh reflects on his personal experience providing end-of-life care as a

en-US

Roguelike Roundup 2: Slay the Spire and One Step from...

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/11/16

We’ve stacked the deck with our second Roguelike Roundup to include two very interesting indie games: Slay the Spire and One Step from Eden. Both of these games are ‘deckbuilder roguelikes’ that take the mechanics of collectable card games and blend them with roguelike game design for a very potent mechanical combination. However the most interesting thing about these two games turns out to be the incredibly divergent way they each chose to interpret how to implement this combination.

en-US

00:56:02

Hades

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/10/23

While it's already spent a year in early access, the book club crew has finally come to their senses and jumped head first into Hades just in time for its full 1.0 release. The developer, Supergiant games, has gained a well-deserved following by elevating their productions with everything from eye-popping artistic flourishes to jaw-dropping music and audio. Join us and see what we think makes this a god-tier adaptation of rogue-lite mechanics into a finely crafted dungeon brawler.Three Word

en-US

00:39:26

Journey

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/10/16

What if I told you there was a game released in 2012 that told a compelling story without using any words? That it also provided a beautiful allegory for one’s passage through life? And that it has online multiplayer which is never toxic or exclusive? It's hard to believe but all of this is true of Journey, which Thatgamecompany released almost a decade ago. It made a big impression when it was first launched, but remained a blind spot for the book club crew until now. Listen in to our discussion

en-US

00:52:49

Chrono Trigger

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/09/16

In 1992, a trio of game development titans teamed up to create something never seen before. Producer Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of Final Fantasy, joined up with writer Yuji Horii, creator of Dragon Quest, and character designer Akira Toriyama, creator of the Dragon Ball manga series. This Dream Team released one of the true classics of the SNES era: Chrono Trigger. JRPGs are big news in the gaming world, with Final Fantasy 6 and Earthbound shaking up old ideas of what's possible. Then comes Chrono

en-US

00:49:24

Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/08/22

In June of 2020 itch.io organized a bundle containing 1,741 games, assets and documents from 1,391 independent creators which was released to support the Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd. It has since raised $8,151,916.91 from about 815k contributors for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Community Bail Fund. While we can’t provide in depth analysis of every game in this bundle, we can pick a few that piqued our interest and tell you what we thought

en-US

00:36:28

A Short Hike

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/07/20

Take the scenic route with Bryan and Josh as they check out Adam Robinson Yu's A Short Hike. They discuss the peaceful journey from seashore to summit and the wonderful way the game presents itself as a distraction from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Listen in to hear their thoughts on how the game sticks the landing with an unexpectedly poignant ending.Three word reviews:Bryan: A Good HangJosh: A Beautiful EscapeEpisode Notes:Adam Robinson-Yu’s GDC Talk:

en-US

00:37:48

Roguelike Roundup: Noita and Void Bastards

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/07/02

Josh and Bryan like roguelikes. They like Roguelites and Roguelike-likes, too. What better way to let them display their like of roguelikes than to round a few up, play them, and have a rollicking discussion about what makes these games, and roguelikes in general, so much fun. This month Josh picked the pixelated sandbox simulation, Noita, and Bryan chose the stylish and sarcastic, Void Bastards. It’s a roguelike roundup!Three Word Reviews:Noita: Bryan - Oops, I’m Dead / Josh - Learn the ArtVoid

en-US

00:45:48

Super Mario Odyssey

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/06/23

Pack your bags and embark on a Super Mario world tour with Bryan, Josh, and Clint as they take a trip through Nintendo’s latest entry into the mainline Super Mario series, Super Mario Odyssey! On this journey we’ll visit various ports of call including: Nostalgia Bay, Adventure Cove, and Innovation Island. It might be many moons before we’re back home, but the trip will be worth it. Don’t forget to take some time out to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of every unique and wonderful location

en-US

01:00:21

DOOM Eternal

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/05/23

Join the guys as they rip and tear through one of the best FPS games on the market today - DOOM ETERNAL! A lot has changed since '93, come see what the latest entry in this iconic franchise brings to table and why it might be worth the trip to hell and back.

en-US

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