AVoCADo GamesCast

By Merve, The Kappa, and friendsArts Leisure Games

AVoCADo GamesCast episodes

June 23, 2025Episode #112: It’s Never Dante’s Inferno
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
2:30 – Randy Pitchford and Video Game Pricing
14:20 – What’s Going on with Bungie and Marathon
37:00 – Many Nights a Whisper
46:55 – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
1:00:30 – Back 4 Blood
1:10:00 – Doom: The Dark Ages
1:18:15 – Metaphor: ReFantazio
1:30:25 – Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
1:50:55 – The Ending of Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Part 1
1:56:20 – Indie Game Art
1:59:20 – The Ending of Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Part 2
2:00:20 – Some Other Games
2:03:55 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep112
Podcast header image from Many Nights a Whisper. Mild spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Baldur’s Gate 3 from 46:55 to 1:00:30. Major spoilers for Urban Myth Dissolution Center from 1:50:55 to 2:00:20. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Official websites for Craig and Giarc.
Official website for Audacity.
Randy Pitchford and Video Game Pricing (2:30)
Report on Pitchford’s original comments. (Source: Eurogamer)
Report on Pitchford’s later clarification. (Source: GamesRadar+)
Official statement on the Take-Two EULA controversy from the Borderlands developers. (Source: Steam Community)
Information on Borderlands 3 Shift codes, which we mistakenly referred to as “vault key codes.” (Source: PC Gamer)
What’s Going on with Bungie and Marathon (14:20)
Report on low morale at Bungie. (Source: Forbes)
Report on stolen art assets in Marathon. (Source: Windows Central)
Official website for ARC Raiders.
Wikipedia article on the cancelled game Hyenas.
Wikipedia article on Tom Clancy’s The Division.
Clarification on what was said about Marathon’s overseas marketing plans on the Sacred Symbols podcast. (Source: r/Marathon on Reddit)
Wikipedia article on Escape from Tarkov.
Wikipedia article on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Many Nights a Whisper (37:00)
Steam store page for Many Nights a Whisper.
Steam store page for The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (46:55)
MILD SPOILERS: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33; Baldur’s Gate 3.
Steam store page for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Wikipedia article on Baldur’s Gate 3.
Wikipedia article on Final Fantasy XIII.
Wikipedia article on Dante’s Inferno.
Online Wordle-like Guess The.Game.
Black 4 Blood (1:00:30)
Steam store page for Back 4 Blood.
Steam store page for Left 4 Dead.
Doom: The Dark Ages (1:10:00)
Steam store page for Doom: The Dark Ages.
Wikipedia articles on Doom and Doom Eternal.
Metaphor: ReFantazio (1:18:15)
Steam store page for Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Our 2024 game of the year episode, Episode #108, “Catgirls for Hire.”
Wikipedia article on Cris Tales.
Steam store page for the upcoming Digimon Story Time Stranger.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII (1:30:25)
Steam store page for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII.
Wikipedia article on Humankind.
Wikipedia article on Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth.
The Ending of Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Part 1 (1:50:55)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Urban Myth Dissolution Center
Steam store page for Urban Myth Dissolution Center.
Wikipedia article on M. Night Shyamalan.
Indie Game Art (1:56:20)
Steam store page for Phoenix Springs.
Wikipedia article on Blue Prince.
The Ending of Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Part 2 (1:59:20)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Urban Myth Dissolution Center
No links here.
Some Other Games (2:00:20)
Steam store page for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
Steam store page for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
Steam store page for despelote.
Wikipedia article on Mario Kart World.
Conclusion (2:03:55)
Merve’s Bluesky profile.
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
2 hr 8 min
April 21, 2025Episode #111: Cheetahs and the Last Berserker
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
6:00 – GameStop Leaves Canada and France
18:40 – Nintendo Switch 2 Direct
29:35 – Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
37:30 – Assassin’s Creed Shadows
1:11:15 – Metaphor: ReFantazio
1:19:15 – Total War: Warhammer III
1:22:20 – inZOI
1:23:00 – Ixion
1:26:30 – Urban Myth Dissolution Center and Social Media
1:38:25 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep111
Podcast header image from Urban Myth Dissolution Center. Podcast header font Pixeled by OmegaPC777. Mild spoilers for Assassin’s Creed Shadows from 37:30 to 1:11:15. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Report on Skype’s shutdown. (Source: CNN)
Official website for the Discord bot Craig.
GameStop Leaves Canada and France (6:00)
Report on GameStop’s intent to sell Canadian and French assets. (Source: CBC)
Wikipedia article the Hudson’s Bay Company. Confirmation: It is not only the oldest company in Canada, but in all of North America.
Report on the closure of fabric retailer Joann. (Source: CNN)
Nintendo Switch 2 Direct (18:40)
Archive of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Confirmation: The MSRP for the PS5 Slim with a disc drive is $649.99 CAD, so it’s in the same ballpark as the MSRP for the Switch 2. (Source: Best Buy)
Report on Nintendo shutting down Switch 2 preorders in the United States. (Source: The Verge)
Clarification: The announcement that preorders of the Switch 2 were also being suspended in Canada came two days after we recorded. (Source: MobileSyrup)
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (29:35)
Steam store page for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
Wikipedia article on Mass Effect 2.
Confirmation: The Mass Effect 2 Vanguard power Merve was describing is indeed called Charge. (Source: Mass Effect 2 Wiki on FextraLife)
Assassin’s Creed Shadows (37:30)
MILD SPOILERS: Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Steam store page for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Wikipedia article on American Football (the band, not the sport).
Wikipedia article on Yasuke.
Wikipedia article on the kusarigama.
Clarification: Historically, the naginata was used by both male and female warriors. Nowadays, the martial art of naginatajutsu is more commonly practiced by women in Japan than by men, but the gender balance of the sport is more equal in other countries. (Sources: Wikipedia)
An explanation of the choice of siding with Yaya or with Mitsumune in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. (Source: GamesRadar+)
An article about not being able to harm animals in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. (Source: Kotaku)
Wikipedia article on Ghost of Tsushima.
Wikipedia article on the 2025 live-action Snow White.
Wikipedia article on kawaii.
Correction: Merve was thinking of the bamboo strike minigame from Ghost of Tsushima. The wood chopping minigame he mentioned was from Like a Dragon: Ishin! (Sources: Ghost of Tsushima Wiki on Fandom; The Gamer)
Metaphor: ReFantazio (1:11:15)
Steam store page for Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Total War: Warhammer III (1:19:15)
Steam store page for Total War: Warhammer III.
Wikipedia article on Creative Assembly’s cancelled game Hyenas.
Steam store page for The First Berserker: Khazan.
inZOI (1:22:20)
Steam store page for inZOI.
Ixion (1:23:00)
Steam store page for Ixion.
Steam store page for Metal Eden.
Steam store page for Doom: The Dark Ages.
Urban Myth Dissolution Center and Social Media (1:26:30)
Steam store page for Urban Myth Dissolution Center.
Steam store page for Emily is Away.
Wikipedia article on Myspace.
Conclusion (1:38:25)
No links here.
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
0 min
March 30, 2025Episode #110: Bill Santa Fe, World Explorer
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
4:30 – What We’ve Been Playing
23:40 – Lost Judgment and Stories about Bullying
30:20 – The D.I.C.E. Awards and the Canadian Game Awards, Part 1
38:45 – Dragon Age: The Veilguard
43:10 – Peter Molyneux and His Games
45:20 – The D.I.C.E. Awards and the Canadian Game Awards, Part 2
1:05:00 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Overview
1:13:05 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Some Criticisms
1:19:40 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Prologue and Marshall College
1:30:10 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Vatican
1:40:55 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Gizeh
1:45:00 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Himalayas
1:52:25 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Shanghai and Sukhothai
2:06:05 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Ziggurat of Ur
2:10:20 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Marketing and Product
2:15:20 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Future of the Franchise, Part 1
2:28:00 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Fun and Goofy Moments
2:29:35 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Stealth Gameplay
2:32:30 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Potential Influence
2:43:30 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Future of the Franchise, Part 2
2:49:55 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep110
Podcast header image from Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Mild spoilers for the game from 1:05:00 onward. Full spoilers for the game from 1:28:55 onward. Mild spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard from 38:45 to 43:10. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:10)
Wikipedia article on Edgar Allan Poe.
What We’ve Been Playing (4:30)
Steam store page for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
Steam store page for Avowed.
Steam store page for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
Lost Judgment and Stories about Bullying (23:40)
Wikipedia article on Lost Judgment.
Wikipedia article on Girl from Nowhere.
The D.I.C.E. Awards and the Canadian Game Awards, Part 1 (30:20)
VoD for the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
List of nominees and winners at the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. (Source: Wikipedia)
VoD for the Canadian Game Awards. (Source: Canadian Game Awards on YouTube)
List of nominees and winners at the Canadian Game Awards. (Source: Canadian Game Awards)
Dragon Age: The Veilguard (38:45)
MILD SPOILERS: DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD
Wikipedia article on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Peter Molyneux and His Games (43:10)
Wikipedia article on Peter Molyneux.
The D.I.C.E. Awards and the Canadian Game Awards, Part 2 (45:20)
Wikipedia article on The Game Awards.
Announcement trailer for Digimon Story Time Stranger. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
Official reveal trailer for DokeV. (Source: DokeV on YouTube)
The educational video game The Kappa mentioned was called Donald Duck’s Playground, released in 1986. Donald Duck also starred in a 1959 animated/live-action educational featurette about mathematics called Donald in Mathmagic Land. (Source: Wikipedia)
Clarification: When Merve mentioned “GameStop,” he was referring to their then-defunct magazine, Game Informer. Since recording, the magazine has been revived under new ownership. (Source: Wikipedia)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Overview (1:05:00)
Wikipedia article on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Correction and clarification: PG-13 was added to the U.S. Motion Picture Association film rating system in 1984 in response to complaints about violence and gore in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doon and Gremlins (not The Goonies, which came out in 1985). However, the first film to be released with this classification was Red Dawn. (Source: Wikipedia)
Correction: The achievement for hitting an enemy with a fly swatter is called Pest Control. (Source: Steam)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Some Criticisms (1:13:05)
No links here.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Prologue and Marshall College (1:19:40)
MILD SPOILERS for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle until 1:28:55. FULL SPOILERS afterwards for the rest of the episode.
Wikipedia article on Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Wikipedia article on Tony Todd (RIP).
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Vatican (1:30:10)
Wikipedia article on Deus Ex.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Gizeh (1:40:55)
Correction: Modern Egyptology ramped up in the early 1800s, not the late 1800s. (Source: Wikipedia)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Himalayas (1:45:00)
Wikipedia articles on Alessandra Mastronardi, Troy Baker, and Marios Gavrilis.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Shanghai and Sukhothai (1:52:25)
Confirmation: Some puzzles actually are different on the Light puzzle difficulty. (Source: Facebook)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Ziggurat of Ur (2:06:05)
Wikipedia article on the Ziggurat of Ur.
Smosh Wiki article on The Chosen. (Source: Fandom)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Marketing and Product (2:10:20)
Wikipedia article on MachineGames.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Future of the Franchise, Part 1 (2:15:20)
Wikipedia article on the Thief reboot.
A blog post on how E3 2012 was “The year of the bow.” (Source: VentureBeat)
Wikipedia article on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
Correction: You do not play as a police officer in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but rather as a member of the Special Air Service of the British Army. (Source: Wikipedia)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Fun and Goofy Moments (2:28:00)
No links here.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Stealth Gameplay (2:29:35)
No links here.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Potential Influence (2:32:30)
Wikipedia article on Batman: Arkham Origins.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has sold over 10 million copies. (Source: Wikipedia)
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Future of the Franchise, Part 2 (2:43:30)
Wikipedia article on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Conclusion (2:49:55)
No links here.
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
0 min
February 22, 2025Episode #109: Rage Against the Reducible Fraction
Featuring:
Merve
Lily Bones
QuinleyThorne
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
2:10 – What We Played Over the Holidays
38:30 – Nintendo Switch 2 Teaser
43:40 – Evaluating Our 2024 Predictions
51:25 – Our 2025 Predictions
1:18:15 – What We’re Looking Forward to
1:32:15 – The Delay Prediction Game: Last Year’s Results
1:41:00 – The Delay Prediction Game: This Year’s Contest
2:53:00 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep109
Podcast header image from the upcoming Digimon Story Time Stranger, sourced from its Steam page. Header image uses font On Fire by Typefactoryco. Linkdump, predictions, and mathematical appendix (seriously) after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Steam store page for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
What We Played Over the Holidays (2:10)
Steam store page for Mortal Kombat 1.
Nintendo store page for Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
Steam store page for Sorry We’re Closed.
Steam store page for Misericorde Volume Two: White Wool & Snow.
Steam store page for We Know the Devil.
Steam store page for Heaven Will Be Mine.
Nintendo Switch 2 Teaser (38:30)
First-look trailer for Nintendo Switch 2. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Evaluating Our 2024 Predictions (43:40)
Episode #99 of the AVoCADo GamesCast, “The Ribisi Spectrum.”
Wikipedia article on Marvel Games.
Correction: Only Marvel has a character named Mister Fantastic. Merve was thinking of the DC character Mister Terrific. (Source: Wikipedia)
Confirmation: Valkyria Chronicles III was the Valkyria Chronicles game that didn’t make it out of Japan. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our 2025 Predictions (51:25)
Merve’s first realistic prediction: Ubisoft will either be sold or go private this year.
Lily Bones’s first realistic prediction: Microsoft will publish more games on each of PS5 and Switch 2 than Sony will publish on PS5 and Nintendo will publish on Switch 2.
Correction: Sony actually released four first-party games in 2024. We missed MLB The Show 24. (My First Gran Turismo is just a demo for Gran Turismo 7 and therefore doesn’t count.) (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s first realistic prediction: Sony will begin licensing their IPs (including their biggest ones, like God of War and Uncharted) to third-party developers.
Quinley Thorne’s first realistic prediction: Atlus will announce an expanded re-release for Metaphor: ReFantazio that will add Catherina as a party member, make Glodell a “social link” (i.e. a Follower), and add more candidates for the throne, one of whom will be a Mary Sue pseudo love interest that will play an outsized role in the plot.
Merve’s second realistic prediction: Persona 6 will be announced at Summer Game Fest for 2026 release.
Lily Bones’s second realistic prediction: Both Marathon and Grand Theft Auto VI will be delayed.
The Kappa’s second realistic prediction: The Nintendo Switch 2 will initially flop and have a slow launch.
Quinley Thorne’s second realistic prediction: We will see a trend away from live service games.
Steam store page for Deadlock.
Merve’s long shot prediction: Media.Vision will put out either Valkyria Chronicles V or the next Digimon Story game this year. Both will eventually come to the Nintendo Switch 2, one within three months of the console’s launch. Clarification: Digimon Story Time Stranger had not yet been officially unveiled at the time of recording, and its developer had not yet been announced as Media.Vision; all that was known was that a new Digimon Story game was in development. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
Lily Bones’s long shot prediction: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will keep its momentum and be a game of the year nominee at the end of 2025.
The Kappa’s long shot prediction: Game Pass everywhere.
Quinley Thorne’s long shot prediction: Hollow Knight: Silksong will come out.
Wikipedia article on Kentucky Route Zero.
Confirmation: Cooking Mama: Cookstar’s publisher, Planet Entertainment, claimed that the game would use blockchain technology, but it was not present in the final version of the game. (Source: Wikipedia)
What We’re Looking Forward to (1:18:15)
Steam store page for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
Steam store page for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII.
Steam store page for Avowed.
Steam store page for Split Fiction.
Steam store page for Dead Letter Dept.
Steam store page for Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land.
Steam store page for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Wikipedia article on Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Steam store page for Wanderstop.
Steam store page for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.
Steam store page for Pathologic 3.
Nintendo store page for Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time.
Steam store page for the upcoming re-release of OFF.
Steam store page for Coffee Talk Tokyo.
Steam store page for Deltarune.
Wikipedia article on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Steam store page for despelote.
Steam store page for Elden Ring Nightreign.
Steam store page for Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater.
Nintendo store page for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Wikipedia article on Croc: Legend of the Gobbos.
Steam store page for South of Midnight.
Steam store page for Shadow Labyrinth.
Shacknews’s review of Ebenezer and the Invisible World.
Steam store page for OPUS: Prism Peak.
Steam store page for Strange Jigsaws.
Steam store page for MIO: Memories in Orbit.
Steam store page for Unbeatable.
Steam store page for Golf With Your Friends 2.
Steam store page for Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.
Steam store page for Tokyo Stories.
Steam store page for The Explorator.
The Delay Prediction Game: Last Year’s Results (1:32:15)
Episode #99 of the AVoCADo GamesCast, “The Ribisi Spectrum.”
Wikipedia article on scoring rules.
Clarification: Earthblade’s cancellation had not yet been announced at the time of recording. (Source: Gematsu)
Correction and clarification: Tarsier Studios’ Reanimal is a spiritual successor to the Little Nightmares series, but it has not yet been released. The acquisition of the of the studio by Embracer Group is indeed part of why Little Nightmares IP owner Bandai Namco put a different studio, Supermassive Games, in charge of developing Little Nightmares III. (Sources: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on the von Mises distribution.
The Delay Prediction Game: This Year’s Contest (1:41:00)
Clarification: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s release date of April 24th, 2025 had not yet been announced at the time of recording. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Clarification: Earthblade’s cancellation had not yet been announced at the time of recording. (Source: Gematsu)
A freaky creation from the Black Desert Online character creator. (Source: Rock Paper Shotgun)
Correction: The song featured in the trailers for DokeV is not a pre-existing song by Itzy, but rather an original song for the game called “Rockstar” by GALACTIKA and Luena. (Source: DokeV)
Music video for “APT.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars. (Source: ROSÉ on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Cabbie Richards.
Correction: The world premiere trailer for John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando was at Summer Game Fest 2023, not The Game Awards 2023. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Correction: Gameplay footage for John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando has been shown off. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Fifth Third Bank.
Clarification: Ninja Gaiden 4 and Ninja Gaiden 2 Black had not yet been announced at the time of recording. (Sources: Xbox on YouTube)
Steam store page for Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York.
Full predictions list:
GameThe Kappa’s Prediction (%)Quinley Thorne’s Prediction (%)Lily Bones’s Prediction (%)Merve’s Prediction (%)Trailer Source (on YouTube)2XKO28384055GameSpotAnno 117: Pax Romana90455085UbisoftBig Walk75806065House HouseClair Obscur: Expedition 331009510099PlayStationCoffee Talk Tokyo501009088Toge ProductionsCrimson Desert75824025Crimson DesertThe Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 802080207580PlayStationDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach0113015PlayStationDispatch100505060thegameawardsDokeV0000GameSpotEarthblade84567080GameSpotElden Ring Nightreign618510095Bandai Namco Entertainment AmericaFable14655050GameSpotFBC: Firebreak80748090Remedy EntertainmentFive Laps at Freddy’s1001009985ClickteamLLCGhost of Yōtei723990100PlayStationGolf With Your Friends 2811009090Team17Grand Theft Auto VI1001005045Rockstar GamesHell Is Us81728065PlayStationHollow Knight: Silksong0050100XboxHotel Barcelona005055GematsuJohn Carpenter’s Toxic Commando75202535PlayStationLittle Nightmares III145280100BANDAI NAMCO EuropeMafia: The Old Country1805063PlayStationMarvel 1943: The Rise of Hydra10006565Marvel EntertainmentMetroid Prime 4: Beyond050100100Nintendo of AmericaMewgenics11805023Edmund McMillenMIO: Memories in Orbit0507575Nintendo of AmericaMixtape61706040XboxMonaco 21001004060GameSpotNinja Gaiden: Ragebound100768045Nintendo of AmericaThe Outer Worlds 21001008080Obsidian EntertainmentPenny Blood00010Penny BloodPokémon Legends: Z-A10036100100GameSpotProfessor Layton and the New World of Steam78506085LEVEL5ch【公式】Shadow Labyrinth10010010055Bandai Namco Entertainment AmericaShowa American Story0102060NEKCOM GamesThe Sinking City 280504040PlayStationVampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 205150Xbox
Conclusion (2:53:00)
No links here.
Appendix: Why You Should Always Pick 0 or 100
Let p be the probability that you think the game is going to come out. Let a be the guess you supply. Then your expected number of points is:
p*a + (1-p)*(100-a)
This can be rearranged as:
(2p-1)*a + (1-p)*100
Clearly, if p > ½, then this is maximized with a = 100, and if p < ½, then this is maximized with a = 0. If p = ½, then this reduces to ½*100 = 50, which does not depend on a, so any a ∈ [0,100] is optimal.
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
0 min
February 04, 2025Episode #108: Catgirls for Hire: The 2024 Year-End GamesCast
Featuring:
Merve
LittleMac
Drinking with Skeletons
The Kappa
3rdstringhero
Jarathen

Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
4:15 – The Game Awards 2024
45:15 – Studio Closures and Studio Survival
1:01:55 – 3rdstringhero’s Top 3
1:05:45 – Jarathen’s Top 3
1:08:25 – Our Favourites: Honourable Mentions
1:16:00 – Our Favourites: #5
1:25:15 – Our Favourites: #4
1:41:50 – Our Favourites: #3
2:02:15 – Our Favourites: #2
2:33:05 – Our Favourites: #1
3:01:00 – Our Biggest Disappointments
3:26:30 – Our Biggest Surprises
3:44:55 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep108
Podcast header image from Metaphor: ReFantazio. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Official website for Bojangles.
Clarification: Merve has driven through North Carolina before, but he has never stayed overnight there. (Source: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on Peggy’s Cove.
Facebook page for Tom’s Lobster Shack.
Wikipedia article on pescetarianism.
Correction: “Sea beans” is the American term for the species of Salicornia eaten in North America. Specific Atlantic Canadian terms would be “samphire greens” or “crow’s foot greens,” though Merve does insist that he has heard “sea beans” on a Canadian cooking show. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Game Awards 2024 (4:15)
Official website for The Game Awards.
Wikipedia article on Astro Bot.
Official trailer for Mafia: The Old Country. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Teaser trailer for the Okami sequel. (Source: Capcom USA on YouTube)
Drinking with Skeletons’s retrospective on Okami. (Source: The Avocado)
Announce trailer for Onimusha: Way of the Sword. (Source: Capcom USA on YouTube)
Reveal gameplay trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
The A.V. Club’s feature where Ryan Zickgraf (formerly Smith) attempted to teach Alex McLevy how to play first-person shooters.
Official reveal trailer for Dispatch. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Powerless.
Clarification: A pilot was ordered for Marvel’s Damage Control, but it was never ordered to full series. (Source: Wikipedia)
Correction: “Gotham P.D.” was simply called Gotham. (Source: Wikipedia)
Official gameplay reveal trailer for Split Fiction. (Source: Electronic Arts)
Announcement trailer for Turok: Origins. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
World premiere trailer for Project Century. (Source: thegameawards on YouTube)
Announcement trailer for Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. (Source: Nintendo of America)
The boss of Act 2 of Ninja Gaiden is Bomberhead. (Source: Ninja Gaiden Wiki on Fandom)
Official announcement trailer for Thick as Thieves. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Interview with Warren Spector on Episode 413 of Dropped Frames. (Source: itmeJP on YouTube)
Reveal trailer for Shadow Labyrinth. (Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Secret Level.
Official gameplay trailer for The Outer Worlds 2. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Paradox Interactive.
Studio Closures and Studio Survival (45:15)
Report on the closure of Ouka Studio. (Source: GamesIndustry.biz)
Announcement of the closure of Humanoid Origin. (Source: LinkedIn)
Report on the closures of Ubisoft San Francisco and Ubisoft Osaka. (Source: Reuters)
To be specific regarding Roundhouse Games’s fate, the studio was merged into ZeniMax Online Studios. (Source: PC Gamer)
Wikipedia article on Creative Assembly.
3rdstringhero’s Top 3 (1:01:55)
#3: Metaphor: ReFantazio. (Source: Wikipedia)
#2: Unicorn Overlord. (Source: Wikipedia)
#1: The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak. (Source: Wikipedia)
Jarathen’s Top 3 (1:05:45)
#3: Unicorn Overlord. (Source: Wikipedia)
#2: Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut. (Source: Wikipedia)
#1: Astro Bot. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: Honourable Mentions (1:08:25)
Merve’s #10: Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club. (Source: Wikipedia)
Merve’s #9: Animal Well. (Source: Wikipedia)
Merve’s #8: individualism in the dead-internet age: an anti-big tech asset flip shovelware rant manifesto. (Source: itch.io)
Merve’s #7: I Am Your Beast. (Source: Steam)
Merve’s #6: 20 Small Mazes. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s first honourable mention: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s second honourable mention: Zephon. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s third honourable mention: Solium Infernum. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #6: Helldivers 2. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #7: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #8: V Rising. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #9: Dragon Age: The Veilguard. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #10: The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: #5 (1:16:00)
Merve’s #5: Echo Point Nova. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #5: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #5: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: #4 (1:25:15)
Merve’s #4: Children of the Sun. (Source: Steam)
LittleMac’s #4: Princess Peach: Showtime! The name of Grape’s minions is the Sour Bunch. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #4: Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #4: Age of Mythology: Retold. (Source: Steam)
Our Favourites: #3 (1:41:50)
Merve’s #3: Dungeons of Hinterberg. (Source: Wikipedia)
Steam store page for Slaycation Paradise.
The Canada’s Drag Race spinoff Slaycation is set in The Blue Mountains, Ontario. (Source: Wikipedia)
Little Mac’s #3: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #3: Astro Bot. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #3: Balatro. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Favourites: #2 (2:02:15)
Merve’s #2: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. (Source: Wikipedia)
Little Mac’s #2: Darkest Dungeon II. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #2: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s #2: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. (Source: Wikipedia)
Report on the development of Henry Cavill’s Warhammer 40,000 series. (Source: Deadline)
Our Favourites: #1 (2:33:05)
Merve’s #1: 1000xRESIST. (Source: Wikipedia)
Little Mac’s #1: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s #1: Persona 3 Reload. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s #1: Dragon’s Dogma 2. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Biggest Disappointments (3:01:00)
Merve’s biggest disappointment: Neva. (Source: Wikipedia)
Little Mac’s biggest disappointment: missing out on Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. (Source: Steam)
Drinking with Skeletons’s biggest disappointment: Metaphor: ReFantazio. (Source: Wikipedia)
Confirmation: The monk chant vocals in Metaphor: ReFantazio’s soundtrack are a mixture of Esperanto and an original language created for the game. (Source: Siliconera)
The Kappa’s biggest disappointment: MechWarrior 5: Clans. (Source: Wikipedia)
Our Biggest Surprises (3:26:30)
Merve’s first surprise: Strands. (Source: The New York Times)
Merve’s second surprise: NOTTOLOT. (Source: Steam)
Merve’s third surprise: Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. (Source: Goodreads)
LittleMac’s biggest surprises: Princess Peach: Showtime! and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s first surprise: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. (Source: Wikipedia)
Drinking with Skeletons’s second surprise: Songs of Silence. (Source: Steam)
The Kappa’s first surprise: the release of Skull and Bones. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Kappa’s second surprise: “This Is an Xbox.” (Source: Xbox Wire)
The Kappa’s third surprise: Fortnite’s new “Ballistic” mode. (Source: Fortnite)
Conclusion (3:44:55)
No links here.
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
0 min
December 15, 2024Episode #107: Top Shortage
Featuring:
Merve
Captain Blasto
QuinleyThorne
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
3:45 – The Game Awards Nominations
34:40 – The Supposed Influence of Baldur’s Gate 3
36:35 – Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
44:35 – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
51:05 – Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
1:11:30 – Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
1:26:40 – Metaphor: ReFantazio
1:56:45 – Dragon Age: The Veilguard
2:41:20 – The Elder Scrolls Online and MMO Discussion
3:07:40 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep107
Podcast header image from Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Spoiler warning for Act 1 of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Linkdump and timestamps for warnings after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Official website for Bluesky.
Official website for Mastodon.
The Game Awards Nominations (3:45)
Official website for The Game Awards.
Official webpage for the D.I.C.E. Awards. (Source: Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences)
Abel Tesfaye is the real name of singer-songwriter The Weeknd. (Source: Wikipedia)
Report on Bloober Team’s comment about being done making “shitty” games. (Source: GameSpot)
Requirements to play the Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. (Source: RadioTimes)
The Supposed Influence of Baldur’s Gate 3 (34:40)
Wikipedia article on Baldur’s Gate 3.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (36:35)
Wikipedia article on Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
Announcement of the Amazon Studios Warhammer 40,000 series starring Henry Cavill. (Source: IGN)
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (44:35)
Wikipedia article on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
ThorHighHeels’s video on game length, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Merve has indeed watched it. (Source: YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Jerry Gergich from Parks and Recreation.
Correction: The original Final Fantasy VII used an Active Time Battle system, not a traditional turn-based system. (Source: Wikipedia)
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (51:05)
Wikipedia article on Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.
Correction: The dungeon Merve referred to as “The Trials” is actually called The Proving Grounds. (Source: IGN)
The pink-haired character whom you need to recruit in order to unlock card battles is Glen. (Source: The Gamer)
Confirmation: The Beigoma professor is indeed Dr. Corque, not Dr. Coque. (Source: IGN)
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven (1:11:30)
Steam store page for Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven.
Confirmation: The first of the Seven Heroes in Romancing SaGa 2 is indeed named Kzinssie. (Source: SaGa Wiki on Fandom)
Metaphor: ReFantazio (1:26:40)
Correction: This game came out before Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, on October 11th, 2024, so we didn’t actually go fully chronologically. (Source: Steam)
Wikipedia article on Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Concept art for “Project Re Fantasy” featuring a redheaded elf knight. (Source: Sega Bits)
Correction: The game does state how many candidates are protected by the Royal Magic. It’s 20, not 50. (Source: Merve’s screenshots on the Steam Community)
Correction: The amphibious boat tour vehicle in the National Capital Region is dubbed the Amphibus, not the Amphibibus. (Source: Lady Dive)
The Trickster Archetype evolves from the Faker Archetype. (Source: Megami Tensei Wiki on Fandom)
Correction: Merve was correct that there would be 780 pairs of distinct Archetypes if there were 40 Archetypes, but: A) there are 46 distinct Archetypes, not 40, which makes for 1035 pairs; B) an Archetype can sometimes synthesize with another member of the same Archetype; C) the availability of Synthesis skills depend on Archetype lineages, not specific Archetypes; D) as QuinleyThorne pointed out, there are some Synthesis skills that need three lineages present in the party; E) not all lineages have Synthesis skills with each other; and F) different Synthesis skills are available to different Archetypes within a pair. (Sources: IGN and Game8)
Dragon Age: The Veilguard (1:56:45)
SPOILERS: Act 1 of Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Wikipedia article on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Confirmation: Bellara’s ex is Irelin. (Source: Dragon Age Wiki on Fandom)
Correction: The correct name for the faction of treasure hunters is Lords of Fortune, not Fortune Hunters or Seekers of Fortune. (Source: Dragon Age Wiki on Fandom)
Reporting on legal action following BioWare’s layoffs last year. (Source: GamesIndustry.biz)
Confirmation: The Inquisition’s fate as the Divine’s personal honour guard (i.e. being under the Chantry) is indeed one of two options at the end of the Trespasser DLC for Dragon Age: Inquisition. (Source: Dragon Age Wiki on Fandom)
The Elder Scrolls Online and MMO Discussion (2:41:20)
Wikipedia article on The Elder Scrolls Online.
Official Twitch channel for sodapoppin.
Episode #99 of the AVoCADo GamesCast, in which The Kappa (correctly) predicted that Blue Protocol would never get released in the West.
Official extended gameplay trailer for DokeV. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
A guide for the Ceremony of Eternal Bonding, Final Fantasy XIV’s equivalent of marriage. (Source: Official website for Final Fantasy XIV)
Conclusion (3:07:40)
Wikipedia article on imaginary numbers.
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
0 min
December 05, 2024Episode #106: Douglas & Dewey
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
3:10 – Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
22:15 – Helldivers 2
47:10 – Hell of an Office, Part 1
53:55 – A Digression on Emo
58:35 – Hell of an Office, Part 2
1:03:35 – Indie Games in 2024
1:08:55 – The Audience for Games from Major Publishers
1:15:35 – A Digression on JRPGs
1:20:30 – Tourism in Canada and the United States
1:36:00 – Our Gaming Hells
2:30:05 – Fiction about Hell
2:33:40 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep106
Podcast header image from Hell of an Office. Content warnings: gore; sexual violence; graphic sexual content; cultural genocide; suicide. Spoiler warning: early hours of Metaphor: ReFantazio. Linkdump, timestamps for warnings, and resources for Hurricane Helene assistance after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Baldur’s Gate Wiki article on Shadowheart.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (3:10)
Steam store page for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
Steam store page for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
Steam store page for Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun.
Helldivers 2 (22:15)
Steam store page for Helldivers 2.
Steam store page for Helldivers.
Clarification: Merve was specifically referencing Planetside 2, not the first game in the series.
Report on a culture of toxic positivity at Concord developer Firewalk Studios. (Source: The Gamer)
Clarification: Sony first announced a PSN requirement for Helldivers 2 on PC but then backed down from it a few days later after backlash. (Source: GamesIndustry.biz)
When this linkdump was being prepared, Helldivers 2 was in the top 50 of games on Steam with the most concurrent players. (Source: Steam Charts)
Hell of an Office, Part 1 (47:10)
Steam store page for Hell of an Office.
Correction: The game that The Kappa referred to as “Douglas and Dewey” is actually called Dale & Dawson Stationery Supplies. Merve says that you have permission to turn this into our “Spoonheaven.” (Source: Steam)
Steam store page for Backfirewall_.
A Digression on Emo (53:55)
CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of gore, sexual violence, and graphic sexual content
An archive of promotions for the Xbox “Game with Fame” campaign. It doesn’t look like Further Seems Forever participated, but Killswitch Engage did. Here’s their promo. (Sources: xboxgamewithfame on YouTube and Wikipedia)
Correction: Jason Gleason actually is the current lead singer of Further Seems Forever. Chris Carrabba left the band in 2021. (Source: Wikipedia)
Correction: Drive Like Jehu is from San Diego, California. (Source: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on Emogame.
Steam store page for Continue?9876543210.
Wikipedia article on Hot Water Music.
Hell of an Office, Part 2 (58:35)
CONTENT WARNING: Allusions to sexual violence and graphic sexual content
Wikipedia article on n.
Indie Games in 2024 (1:03:35)
Steam store page for Dustborn.
Steam store page for Cryptmaster.
Steam store page for Clickolding.
Steam store page for Palworld.
Correction: Mintrocket isn’t being spun off from Nexon as an independent company, but rather as a subsidiary corporation wholly owned by Nexon. (Source: GamesIndustry.biz)
The Audience for Games from Major Publishers (1:08:55)
Wikipedia article on the Overwatch franchise.
Wikipedia article on Heroes of the Storm.
Goodreads page for Jason Schreier’s Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment.
Epic Games Store page for Star Wars Outlaws.
Kinda Funny’s review of Star Wars Outlaws. (Source: Kinda Funny Games on YouTube)
A Digression on JRPGs (1:15:35)
Steam store page for Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Wikipedia article on the Persona series.
Wikipedia article on the Xeno franchise.
Tourism in Canada and the United States (1:20:30)
CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of cultural genocide
Wikipedia article on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Wikipedia article on the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Wikipedia article on the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Wikipedia article on the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Official website for the city of Toronto.
Official website for New York City.
Official Facebook page for Tom’s Lobster Shack in Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.
Wikipedia article on the Lions Gate Bridge.
Our Gaming Hells (1:36:00)
CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of suicide. MILD SPOILERS: Early hours of Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Official website for Nexus Mods.
Adult Swim’s “Too Many Cooks.” (Source: Adult Swim on YouTube)
Steam store page for Far Cry 5.
Nintendo store page for Princess Peach: Showtime!
Wikipedia article on Heaven’s Gate.
Confirmation: The “last chance to evacuate planet earth before it is recycled” speech was by the leader of Heaven’s Gate. (Source: Genius)
Wikipedia article on Far Cry 6.
Wikipedia article on XDefiant.
Steam store page for Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Steam store page for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess.
Steam store page for Pillars of Eternity.
Wikipedia article on Tales of Zestiria.
Wikipedia article on the Xenoblade Chronicles series.
Steam store page for Final Fantasy XIII.
Fiction about Hell (2:30:05)
Wikipedia article on the Divine Comedy.
Wikipedia article on Paradise Lost.
Wikipedia article on Dante’s Inferno.
Conclusion (2:33:40)
Wikipedia article on ayahuasca.
An explanation of the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Google. (Source: TechTarget)
Hurricane Resources
Resources for local organizations helping out in North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (Source: ResetEra)
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
0 min
November 11, 2024Episode #105: The Dingo Steak Dangle
Featuring:
Merve
QuinleyThorne
Wolfman Jew
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
4:50 – Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
28:40 – 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
48:10 – Skyrim Modding
1:06:20 – Fields of Mistria and Cloud Meadow
1:17:35 – Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind
1:31:10 – Microsoft Gaming Layoffs
1:43:35 – Mass Resignation at Annapurna Interactive
1:54:35 – PS5 Pro
2:30:20 – Concord, Live Service Games, and Sony’s Future
3:53:30 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep105
Podcast header image from Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. Content warning for explicit sexual discussion. Linkdump and timestamps for warnings after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
PlayStation Studios Wiki article on Concord. (Source: Fandom)
Wikipedia article on Rob Liefeld.
Wikipedia article on the WildStorm character Grifter.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (4:50)
Steam store page for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess.
Confirmation: The vehicle in Disintegration is indeed called the Gravcycle. (Source: Wikipedia)
Character info page on Battlefield 2042’s Emma “Sundance” Rosier. (Source: Electronic Arts)
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand (28:40)
Wikipedia article on 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand.
Wikipedia article on the Covert-One book series.
Wikipedia article on Lance Reddick.
Wikipedia article on Farzar.
Wikipedia article on the Resident Evil streaming series.
Skyrim Modding (48:10)
Wikipedia article on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Nexus Mods page for BHUNP. [NSFW]
A screenshot of the mod page for “Lick Any Woman’s Armpit Shout.” (Source: fandaniel on Tumblr)
Elder Scrolls Wiki page for M’aiq the Liar. (Source: Fandom)
Fields of Mistria and Cloud Meadow (1:06:20)
CONTENT WARNING: Explicit sexual discussion
Steam store page for Fields of Mistria.
Steam store page for Cloud Meadow. [NSFW]
Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind (1:17:35)
Nintendo store page for Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind.
The Bluths are the family from Arrested Development. (Source: Wikipedia)
The original teaser for Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club. (Source: Nintendo of America on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on MadWorld.
Microsoft Gaming Layoffs (1:31:10)
Article on the layoffs. (Source: The Verge)
Microsoft acquired ZeniMax for $7.5 billion US in 2021. (Source: The Verge)
Mass Resignation at Annapurna Interactive (1:43:35)
Report on the mass resignation. (Source: Bloomberg)
Report on Annapurna’s (not Interactive specifically, the wider company) near-bankruptcy in 2019. (Source: IndieWire)
September 20th report on what happened at Annapurna. (Source: IGN)
September 27th report on what happened at Annapurna. (Source: Bloomberg)
Steam store page for Lorelei and the Laser Eyes.
PS5 Pro (1:54:35)
Article on the PS5 Pro’s price. (Source: MobileSyrup)
The Game Pass tier that comes with both console and PC games is called Ultimate. (Source: Xbox)
Concord, Live Service Games, and Sony’s Future (2:30:20)
Wikipedia article on Concord.
Concord timeline, prepared by Wolfman Jew.
VGChartz page for Folklore.
Wikipedia article on Secret Level.
Steam store page for Helldivers 2.
Steam store page for Tekken 8.
Correction: We could not find any statements from Sega or RGG regarding a negative impact of Game Pass on the Like a Dragon series. In a 2022 interview, RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama praised Game Pass for contributing to the series’ success in the West. In a 2023 interview, he explained why the then-upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth would not be coming to Game Pass at launch. (Sources: Twinfinite and Automaton)
Steam store page for Palworld.
Wikipedia article on Kantai Collection.
Wikipedia article on the Marvel’s Avengers video game.
Top PS5 games by monthly active users. (Source: Newzoo)
XCXpedia article on the Square Garden Festival, the Minecraft event organized by 100 Gecs where Charli XCX gave a virtual performance. (Source: Fandom)
The 2024 SAG-AFTRA video game strike began only July 26th and as of this upload is ongoing. (Source: Wikipedia)
Faith No More’s “Epic,” featuring the iconic lines “What is it? / It’s it.” (Source: Faith No More on YouTube)
Article on Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki’s comments on the company’s IP. (Source: Game Rant)
Wikipedia article on Crystal Dynamics.
Steam store page for Various Daylife.
Screenshot of Nintendo’s ill-advised turnip campaign
The infamous “You guys all have phones, right?” moment from the Diablo Immortal reveal at BlizzCon 2018. (Source: MrNinjaBurger on YouTube)
Lemmings Wiki article on Lemmings: The Puzzle Adventure, the free-to-play mobile Lemmings game. (Source: Fandom)
Official website for Houston’s Cidercade.
Rooster Teeth Wiki article on The Gauntlet. (Source: Fandom)
Wikipedia article on Candy Crush Saga.
Conclusion (3:53:30)
No links here.
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
0 min
September 30, 2024Episode #104: From the NCAA to the UN
Featuring:
Merve
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
1:45 – Cycling Adventures
3:45 – The Borderlands Movie
19:15 – Diablo IV
33:20 – Clickolding
39:55 – Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
44:10 – RollerCoaster Tycoon
51:25 – Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
1:01:30 – Dragon Age Worries and Hopes
1:08:50 – Krafton Acquires Tango Gameworks
1:20:25 – Bungie Layoffs
1:57:55 – “Weird”
2:01:30 – Gamestop and the Shutdown of Game Informer, Part 1
2:13:20 – Football Video Games
2:20:00 – Gamestop and the Shutdown of Game Informer, Part 2
2:31:50 – Spending Time Outside
2:36:50 – Conclusion and VR Complaints
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep104
Podcast header image from Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. Linkdump after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Correction: 500 total hours of podcasting over 104 episodes would imply an average episode length of just over 4.8 hours, and as long as our episodes are, they’re not that long. (Source: a calculator)
Wikipedia article section on the health hazards associated with bleach. In particular, chloramine gas can burn the lungs.
Cycling Adventures (1:45)
No links here.
The Borderlands Movie (3:45)
Wikipedia article on the Borderlands film.
A report on Randy Pitchford’s comments on the film. (Source: PC Gamer)
Trailer for Borderlands. (Source: Lionsgate Movies on YouTube)
Clarification: The Kappa was talking about domestic gross, not global gross, for the Borderlands film. At the time of recording, the film had grossed an estimated $8.8 million USD at the US box office. The film also did indeed earn a D+ CinemaScore. (Source: Deadline)
The Rotten Tomatoes page for Borderlands. The Tomatometer score is now up to 10% from 9% at the time of recording.
Wikipedia article on Madame Web.
Wikipedia article on the Assassin’s Creed film, directed by Justin Kurzel.
Report on the partial leak of Season 2 of Arcane. (Source: IGN)
Wikipedia article on the Halo TV series.
Diablo IV (19:15)
Wikipedia article on Diablo IV.
Wikipedia article on Overwatch 2.
Correction: The cancelled story missions for Overwatch 2 were intended to be co-op, not single-player. (Source: IGN)
Clickolding (33:20)
Steam store page for Dungeons of Hinterberg.
Steam store page for Clickolding.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (39:55)
Steam store page for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI.
Official reveal trailer for Civilization 7. (Source: IGN on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on the Knights of Malta.
RollerCoaster Tycoon (44:10)
Steam store page for RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic.
Official website for OpenRCT2.
Correction: RollerCoaster Tycoon came out in 1999, not 1995. (Source: Wikipedia)
Announcement trailer for Planet Coaster 2. (Source: PlayStation on YouTube)
Wikipedia article on Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon.
Wikipedia article on Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (51:25)
Steam store page for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.
Wikipedia article on the Xenoblade Chronicles series.
Dragon Age Worries and Hopes (1:01:30)
Wikipedia article on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Clarification: Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s release date was announced as October 31st, 2024 a few days after we recorded the episode. (Source: Dragon Age on YouTube)
Krafton Acquires Tango Gameworks (1:08:50)
Report on Krafton’s acquisition of Tango Gameworks. (Source: Windows Central)
Kenji Kimura was the director of Ghostwire: Tokyo. (Source: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on Immortals of Aveum.
Fanatical’s online store.
Bungie Layoffs (1:20:25)
The official announcement of the layoffs. (Source: Bungie)
Additional reporting on the layoffs. (Source: Bloomberg)
Correction: Around 40 employees will be joining the new spin-off studio under Sony Interactive Entertainment. (Source: The Friends Per Second podcast, hosted on Skill Up’s YouTube channel)
Wikipedia article on Destiny 2.
Official website for Foamstars. The game does not have its own Wikipedia entry. (Source: Square Enix)
Steam store page for Concord.
Rebekah Valentine’s December 2023 report on layoffs at Bungie and the clause in their deal with Sony that allows Sony to dissolve Bungie’s board if certain financial targets are not met. (Source: IGN)
Official website for the upcoming Marathon reboot.
Report on Pete Parsons’s classic car acquisitions. (Source: Kotaku)
Some of the $1.2 billion USD spent on employee retention in the Bungie acquisition went to buying back stock from employees. (Source: Forbes)
Wikipedia article on Michael Salvatori.
Report on fire damage nerfs in Helldivers 2. (Source: IGN)
At the time of preparing this linkdump, Destiny 2 was not in the top 25 most played games on Steam, but it was in the top 50. (Source: Steam Charts)
Correction: The statement explaining the reason for the cancellation of the Last of Us multiplayer game was an official statement from Naughty Dog, not a direct statement from Neil Druckmann. (Source: Naughty Dog)
“Weird” (1:57:55)
An explanation of the JD Vance couch joke. (Source: Cincinnati Enquirer)
Gamestop and the Shutdown of Game Informer, Part 1 (2:01:30)
Report on the shutdown of Game Informer. (Source: The Verge)
Game Informer’s website is now just a farewell page. (Source: Game Informer)
The Jimquisition’s “Game Journalism of Thrones” video essay. (Source: Jim Sterling on YouTube)
Official websites for MinnMax, Kinda Funny, Giant Bomb, and Remap Radio.
Football Video Games (2:13:20)
Remap Radio episodes 56 and 58, which heavily discuss football video games.
Wikipedia article on EA Sports College Football 25.
Gamestop and the Shutdown of Game Informer, Part 2 (2:20:00)
Gamestop’s loyalty program is called Edge. (Source: Gamestop)
Spending Time Outside (2:31:50)
Canada geese are primarily herbivores but will occasionally eat insects and fish. (Source: Wikipedia)
Conclusion and VR Complaints (2:36:50)
Wikipedia article on Google Glass.
Correction: Google’s phone-based VR platforms were called Cardboard and Daydream. (Source: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on Apple Vision Pro. The introductory price is $3,499 USD.
Wikipedia article on fattoush.
A recipe for green pea guacamole, which the AVoCADo GamesCast absolutely does not endorse. (Source: NYT Cooking)
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
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August 15, 2024Episode #103: Voluntary Isekai
Featuring:
Merve
ThoughtsThoughtsThoughts
Wolfman Jew
The Kappa
Editor:
The Kappa
Timestamps:
0:15 – Introduction
5:40 – Might & Magic Heroes VII and the State of Ubisoft
20:35 – Baldur’s Gate 3
38:35 – Borderlands
54:15 – Dungeons of Hinterberg
1:05:10 – “7/10” Games: Intro
1:07:20 – “7/10” Games: Resident Evil: Revelations
1:11:55 – “7/10” Games: Ace Combat
1:21:45 – “7/10” Games: Kingdom Hearts
1:43:45 – “7/10” Games: Strange Brigade
1:51:15 – “7/10” Games: Rapid-Fire Round
2:08:00 – “7/10” Games: Community Choices
2:23:10 – Superhero Games
2:29:55 – Bethesda, Microsoft, and the State of the Industry
2:49:55 – Conclusion
Download Link: https://archive.org/details/avocadogamescast_ep103
Podcast header image from Dungeons of Hinterberg. Spoiler warning: Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix; Baldur’s Gate 3; Resident Evil: Revelations; the Kingdom Hearts series; Scarlet Nexus. Linkdump and timestamps for spoilers after the jump.
Introduction (0:15)
Aaron Sorkin’s bizarre fantasy editorial about replacing Joe Biden with Mitt Romney as the Democratic presidential candidate that became completely moot the very day it was published. (Source: The New York Times)
An editorial on Roger Ebert’s pronouncements on video games. (Source: Polygon)
Might & Magic Heroes VII and the State of Ubisoft (5:40)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix
Wikipedia article on Might & Magic Heroes VII.
Wikipedia article on Ubisoft’s crossover series Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix.
Wikipedia article on XDefiant.
Wikipedia article on Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s media company HitRecord.
Baldur’s Gate 3 (20:35)
MINOR SPOILERS: Baldur’s Gate 3
Wikipedia article on Baldur’s Gate 3.
The interview with Kevin Bacon where he reveals that he once disguised himself as a regular person. (Source: Vanity Fair)
Borderlands (38:35)
Wikipedia article on Dark Souls.
Steam store page for Balatro.
Steam store page for Celeste.
Steam store page for Borderlands.
Correction: The font used on the Borderlands box art is likely some variant of Compacta, not Comic Sans. (Source: FontBolt)
Wolfman Jew’s article on Borderlands. (Source: Source Gaming)
Wikipedia article on Candy Crush Saga.
Wikipedia article on Genshin Impact.
Wikipedia article on Destiny 2.
Wikipedia article on Deep Rock Galactic.
Dungeons of Hinterberg (54:15)
Wikipedia article on Dungeons of Hinterberg.
Correction: The technique used to create texture and shading in Dungeons of Hinterberg is not cross-hatching, but Ben Day dots. (Source: Wikipedia)
Wikipedia article on the Persona series.
Wikipedia article on Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Wikipedia article on Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale.
“7/10” Games: Intro (1:05:10)
Wikipedia article on Super Mario Sunshine.
“7/10” Games: Resident Evil: Revelations (1:07:20)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Resident Evil: Revelations
Wikipedia article on Resident Evil: Revelations.
The single-legged wetsuit outfit of Resident Evil: Revelations character Jessica Sherawat. (Source: Resident Evil Wiki on Fandom)
“7/10” Games: Ace Combat (1:11:55)
Wikipedia article on the Ace Combat series.
Clarification: “Itasha” is a Japanese term referring to painting figures from otaku media on cars. (Source: Wikipedia)
An example of an anime character painted on a plane. (Source: Reddit)
A screenshot of Rosa Cossette D’Elise from Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. (Source: Gaming Bolt)
“7/10” Games: Kingdom Hearts (1:21:45)
MAJOR SPOILERS: The Kingdom Hearts series
Wikipedia article section on Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories.
Wikipedia article on the mobile game Kingdom Hearts Coded.
Correction: Anthony John Agnello’s piece on Kingdom Hearts for The Escapist compared it to outsider art, not fanfiction. (Source: The Escapist)
Wikipedia article on Kingdom Hearts III.
Wikipedia article on Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.
“7/10” Games: Strange Brigade (1:43:45)
Wikipedia article on Strange Brigade.
Correction and confirmation: Strange Brigade does not have any story or lore connections to the Sniper Elite series, but it does use the same engine. (Source: Source Gaming)
Steam store page for Zombie Army Trilogy.
Steam store page for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
“7/10” Games: Rapid-Fire Round (1:51:15)
MAJOR SPOILERS: Scarlet Nexus
Steam store page for Starfield.
Wikipedia article on Alpha Protocol.
Wikipedia article on the Batman: Arkham series.
Confirmation: The average of the scores Merve cited is 6.75, which is indeed in the 7-ish range. (Source: Google)
Wikipedia article on Brütal Legend.
Wikipedia article on Psychonauts.
Wikipedia article on the Darksiders series.
Wikipedia article on the Dynasty Warriors series.
Wikipedia article on Fallout Tactics.
Wikipedia article on Ryse: Son of Rome.
Wikipedia article on WarioWare: Get It Together!
Wikipedia article on Scarlet Nexus. The game sold 1 million units as of April 2022, and including Game Pass players, had around 2 million players total.
Wikipedia article on the Tales series.
“7/10” Games: Community Choices (2:08:00)
Wikipedia article on Pathfinder: Kingmaker.
Wikipedia article on Pillars of Eternity.
Wikipedia article on Chained Echoes.
Wikipedia article on Tales of Legendia.
Wikipedia article on Far Cry 2.
Wikipedia article on Saints Row 2.
Wikipedia article on Just Cause 2.
Wikipedia article on Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age.
Dragon Quest Wiki article on the slime. (Source: Fandom)
Wikipedia article on Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.
Wikipedia article on Spy Fox 3: “Operation Ozone”.
Wikipedia article on Lord of Arcana.
Wikipedia article on American McGee’s Alice.
Wikipedia article on Virtua Quest.
Wikipedia article on the Mega Man Legends series.
Wikipedia article on Tokyo RPG Factory.
Gameological commenters on I Am Setsuna and Chrono Trigger. (Source: The A.V. Club)
Wikipedia article on the X-Men Origins: Wolverine video game.
Superhero Games (2:23:10)
Report on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s troubled development. (Source: Bloomberg UK through archive.is)
Wikipedia article on City of Heroes.
Clarification: A rogue, player-hosted City of Heroes server existed for many years, but in January of this year, it was given NCsoft’s official blessing. (Source: Massively Overpowered)
Bethesda, Microsoft, and the State of the Industry (2:29:55)
Report on the new wall-to-wall union at Bethesda. (Source: IGN)
Report on Microsoft underspending on Xbox marketing in Europe. (Source: Windows Central)
An analysis of Sarah Bond’s interview with Bloomberg. (Source: Seasoned Gaming)
Report on Matt Booty’s comments on leadership at Tango Gameworks. (Source: VGC)
Conclusion (2:49:55)
An archive of Avocado politics threads.
AVoCADo GamesCast is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://avocadogamescast.wordpress.com/
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About AVoCADo GamesCast

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The AVoCADo GamesCast is a (roughly) bimonthly gaming podcast hosted by Merve and edited by The Kappa, two people who love video games a little too much. Join them and their Internet friends as they gush about their favourite games, dissect current events, revisit gaming history, speculate about future events, and make a lot of really stupid jokes.

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