1Upsmanship

Our heroes are joined by their longtime friend and collaborator Tom Reimann to discuss the second installment of the space horror/action RPG franchise, Dead Space. It’s an undeniably polished and action-packed sequel, but does that make it better than the original? What exactly does the Marker want, and does it matter if that’s clear to the player? Did the franchise take the right direction by toning down the scares? Will Tom rip Adam’s arm off and use it to spear this game onto the celestial hard drive forever using his Kinesis module? Hint: at least one of these questions gets objectively answered. Double hint: it’s the franchise direction one. 

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Seriously, what the hell is this game? That would be an appropriate question to ask, dear listener.  So appropriate, in fact, that our hosts were still asking it weeks after they’d finished the game.  Join Mike and Adam as they discuss this devious and spooky little deckbuilding game that transcends the boundaries of video game development, storytelling, and even the file structure on your personal hard-drive to become…one of our favorite games of all time? Wow, really? Huh. I guess that’s true. I mean we’d never lie in our intro paragraph. 

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Joined by returning guest Maggie Mae Fish, the 1ups crew explores yet another ChoreSim/faRmPG game designed by one brilliant, determined, and decidedly strange person. But can this adorably weird indie game keep up with the big boys like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, or will it take a couple swings, get tired, and have to sleep at like 10am? Strap on your listening tools and dive into the videogame mines with us. Yes, the game has mines.

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Our courageous gamerbois brave alien technology, uncertain terrain, and the wrath of the internet as they discuss the first entry in Bioware’s beloved Mass Effect franchise. Sure, it’s important, sure it’s monumental, sure Wrex is one of the greatest characters in videogame history, but does it belong on the drive? Find out if our hosts went Paragon or full Renegade on this special episode!

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Adam and Mike tackle the surprisingly lurid and dangerous world of an insurance claims adjuster who’s investigating the mysterious reappearance of a lost clipper ship. What happened to the crew? Is the Captain actually John Wick? Will this 1-bit indie darling actually change Adam’s AAA ways? Will Lucas Pope submit to our heroes' shameful shilling and be on a future 1upsmanship episode? Unfortunately our magic timepiece doesn’t tell the future, but we feel pretty sure about this prediction: You’re in for a treat. 

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Gotta go fast, sure. But AGAIN?! The blue blur returns in what's widely considered the most important 2D Sonic adventure. We already know Swaim's onboard, but will Ganz grant sahnic entry onto the vaunted Celestial Hard Drive? Start spinning up your impossibly-jointed helicopter tails, because we're going in.

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The co-captains of the S.S. 1Upsmanship steer us into indier waters, taking a closer look at adorable and surprisingly tough Zelda-like Tunic. Will its mute fox hero win over our cold-hearted hosts? Or will they take turns laying into it for daring to have minor annoying imperfections? Only a listen will tell the tale!

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Adam and Mike take a break from antagonizing each other and rank the heroes and legends who did it best. It's time to announce our Top Ten Video Game Antagonists of all time! Predict the picks, root for your favorites, and scream obscenities aloud when we inevitably rank wrong.

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In this banjo-playing, space-exploring, puzzle-solving episode our heroes contemplate such expansive subjects as the heat death of the universe, the human need for eternity, the value of a simplified narrative conclusion, and why are there giant fish in space? Mike and Adam probe the depths and heights of a meticulously crafted puzzle and traversal indie classic, Outer Wilds, all in the service of preserving its joys and pains for future generations. Of aliens, to be clear. We’re not getting off this rock alive. 

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It's a big one. Some might say the biggest one of all. And to mark the occasion Adam and Mike slip on their iron boots and plumb the depths of one of 3D gaming's early masterpieces. So grab your bloated time flute and play along as our heroes consider important questions like "What was the Deku Tree's plan for Link anyway?", "Does Legend of Zelda have a memorable story or not? and "Fuck the Water Temple, right?" Can the hard drive's destiny really depend on such lazy boys? Yeah, probably.  

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