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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

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

00:45:26

Rimworld

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/05/16

Construction and management sims like Dwarf fortress or, more recently, Rimworld have a way of immersing the player fully into a tiny world that they control every aspect of… until disaster strikes and plunges your tiny world into chaos. Rimworld keeps players engaged by continually creating compelling stories and forcing players to adjust to increasingly hectic obstacles, from raiders or inclement weather to the psychological quirks of your colonists. Listen in for Josh and Bryan’s trials and

en-US

00:40:20

Return of the Obra Dinn

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/04/15

There’s murder on the high seas! … as well as beheadings, executions, maimings, devourings, drownings, stranglings, shootings, and good old fashioned disappearances. In Lucas’s Pope’s 2018 mystery masterpiece you play the role of an insurance adjuster attempting to figure out what happened aboard the mysterious Obra Dinn after it recently showed up with its entire crew dead or missing. Join us for a discussion about what makes Obra Dinn different from other mystery games and why this is a must-play

en-US

00:37:41

Titanfall 2

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/04/06

Clint and Bryan prepare for Titanfall as they make their way through what is remembered as one of the most innovative and compelling FPS campaign modes of its time. Each mission brings a fresh perspective and framing to a rock-solid set of mechanics, as well as some unfortunately lackluster writing. They also set their sights on multiplayer, where this game still shines to this day. It's easy to see the lineage of excellence at Respawn Entertainment would give us one of the most successful battle

en-US

00:50:23

Pokemon: Sword and Shield

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/03/15

The world’s largest multimedia franchise made its debut on the Nintendo Switch in 2019 and the book club has Pokemon fever like it's 1998 all over again! It’s been at least a decade since each of us had played an entry in this long-running series and it was interesting for the book club crew to take stock of what has changed… and what hasn’t. Join Bryan, Josh, and Clint for a Pokemon safari in the tall grass of nostalgia and see if you can separate our actual critical analysis from our reminiscing

en-US

01:07:29

God of War

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/03/10

It’s a BOY! Clint's a dad now and for this special episode that has been released on the day of his son’s birth, we check out a heartfelt game about a father and his son, God of War (2018). Check out how this franchise has totally reinvented itself into something truly special that helped Clint prepare for his own adventure into fatherhood.Clint: That’s My Boy Bryan: Dad of Boy

en-US

01:02:58

Disco Elysium

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/02/15

RHETORIC: Should Bryan, Josh and Clint talk about Disco Elysium this month?LOGIC: Yes they probably should, its won a ton of awards, has an engaging story, and boasts some of the best writing they can remember.EMPATHY: That writing is always in service to this game’s true strength: telling a deeply affecting and sometimes hilarious story of how a person grows and forms their personality in the face of a bleak, brutal world.CONCEPTUALIZATION: It has an incredibly well fleshed out game world as well,

en-US

01:00:29

Dark Souls

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2020/01/15

Perhaps one of the most influential games of the 2010’s is From Software’s Dark Souls. As the inspiration of the ‘souls-like’ genre and immense source of frustration for many a gamer, Dark Souls combines deep (if impenetrable) RPG systems with stellar world building to create a profoundly memorable experience. If you can get through it. Listen in as Bryan, Josh, and Clint talk through their respective encounters with this modern gaming landmark.Three Word Reviews:Clint: In the DarkBryan: Engage,

en-US

00:40:10

Super Smash Brothers Retrospective

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2019/12/16

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering the Super Smash Brothers series by Nintendo.Show Notes:Bryan’s 2018 GOTY ListThe Smash Brothers DocumentaryHome Run Contest World RecordKirby Survives the ApolcalypseThree word reviews:Bryan: Glee For AllJosh: Furious Pickup Basketball

en-US

36:51

Cave Story

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2019/11/18

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Cave Story by Pixel, released in 2004.

en-US

33:04

Remnant: From the Ashes

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2019/11/03

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Remnant: From the Ashes by Gunfire Games, released in 2019.

en-US

44:22

Resident Evil 2 (2019)

Pixelated Playgrounds ·

2019/10/19

Video Game Book Club by Pixelated Playgrounds covering Resident Evil 2 (2019), released in January 2019 by Capcom.

en-US

158 results

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