Berries & Blades

Bone-crunching fatalities, Ketchup and Mustard colored cyborg ninjas, and Jean Claude Van Damme doing the splits in basically everything. Join us for a breakdown and conversation about the Mortal Kombat 1 Announcement Trailer. 

In this episode, we "analyze" the Mortal Kombat Announcement Trailer scene by scene. But first, we try to remember what in the hell has happened in the overly complicated lore of the series, lol. Joseph brings up the long list of controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat in the mid-1990s and confesses he didn't know the secret behind Noob Saibot's name. Willie wonders which game in the series is considered Mortal Kombat 8 and talks about how much he enjoyed the first timeline reset in Mortal Kombat (9) from 2011. Taylor bails on us for 20 minutes of the episode, but not before he tells us that Baraka and Johnny Cage were two of his favorite characters. We wrap with speculation about Mortal Kombat 1 and how Fire God Liu Kang's new era will play out. Down, Up, Left, Left, A, Right, and Down.

Here's a link to the trailer we watched in this episode. 

Games briefly mentioned in this episode: Mortal Kombat 1, Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Mortal Kombat: Deception, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat 4, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

Ten minutes about Tarzan Boy by Baltimora, a 100% Do Not Bring a Ghost Home Policy and the Otis Spunkmeyer cookie hustle. Join us for a mashup of outtakes, hijinks, and other shenanigans.  

In this episode, we bring you behind the mic for a collection of audio clips that didn't make it into the first nine episodes. Ridiculous moments happen pretty frequently (spelled without a w) off-air, so we're using our tenth episode as an excuse to share them with you. Expect a bunch of voice-over readings for AI-generated Berries & Blades ads, confirmation that "Willie internet weak," Taylor rant about loud motorcycle speakers, and several intro/outro outtakes. In other words, listen to us be foolish for 58 minutes, lol. Enjoy!

Games briefly mentioned in this episode: Horizon Forbidden West, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Halo, Mario Bros., Halo Infinite, and Ghost of Tsushima.

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

We've all done it. You promise to play something but don't follow through. Also, Taylor (kind of, lol) makes his freestyle rap debut. Join us for the first attempt at our new mini-series called Controller Confessions. 

In this episode, we're trying out a new format that allows us to catch up with each other about the games we play solo. More importantly, we confess about the games we promised to play but never did. The versatility of the Pizza Tower soundtrack comes up, Taylor spits fire (discreetly), and Willie updates us on his Star Wars Jedi: Survivor progress. Joseph digs into the deep and powerful messaging behind the platformer, Celeste, and Willie's computer crashes in the middle of the episode, lol. As usual, Taylor finds a way to shift the conversation toward AI, we chat horror games, and Willie shares how he uses Dungeon Alchemist to create D&D maps. Later in the episode, we revisit Shadow of Mordor's groundbreaking Nemesis System, which prompts a stream of confessions, and we wrap with the speculation surrounding Redfall. 

Games briefly mentioned in this episode: Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Elden Ring, Fallout, Atomic Heart, Pizza Tower, Celeste, Metroid Dread, Surviving Mars, Beat Saber, Super Meat Boy, Ninja Gaiden, Mega Man, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Red Dead Redemption, GTA, Mass Effect, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Dragon Age, Dungeon Alchemist, D&D, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Resident Evil 7, God of War (2018), Ghost of Tsushima, Halo Infinite, No Man Sky, Destiny 2, Resident Evil 4, Starfield, and Redfall. 

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, Peerlees, and Christian Nanzell.

berriesandblades.simplecast.com

First, Google "Call of Duty Nuketown Shoot Heads off Mannequins." Also, how many games do you think are in the Call of Duty series? Spoiler Alert: it's triple the number that Joseph thinks, lol. Join Willie and Taylor as they answer his questions about the long-running series.

In this episode, we dig into the main entries in the Call of Duty series. Joseph has a lot of questions because he has no idea how many games exist or how they're all connected. We chat about celebrities featured in the series—apparently, Snoop Dogg is a playable character—tongue twist our way through the complicated naming convention and get lost in the developer battle between Infinity Ward, Treyarch, and Sledgehammer Games. They're mentions of Nuketowm, nazi zombies, the infamous "No Russian" mission, and Hans Zimmer. Later in the episode, Willie asks Joseph if his military experience affected his desire to play Call of Duty, and we wrap with a mini celebration for reaching a small milestone for the podcast. (Reload SFX)

Games briefly mentioned in this episode: No Man Sky, Halo Infinite, The Last of Us Part 1, Atomic Heart, Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Call of Duty: Warzone, Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, Medal of Honor, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Fortnite, Gears of War, Call of Duty: World at War, Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Call of Duty 3, Rainbow Six, Destiny, Far Cry, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Call of Duty: WWII, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, PUBG: Battlegrounds, Call of Duty: Warzone 2, Battlefield: 2042, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized.

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

berriesandblades.simplecast.com

---

Note from Willie: As mentioned towards the top of the episode, I think it’s worth noting that Call of Duty can be seen as propaganda for the U.S. military, and it’s worth thinking about what happens when the fictional world is so closely tied to the real world and puts you in the middle of war as the hero. It’s something that warrants discussion but that’s not really the focus of this episode/podcast but I did want to include some links for reference.

I mentioned high ranking state officials on the advisory board at Activision Blizzard (the publisher of the Call of Duty games). It would be more correct to say that they have former high ranking government officials on their leadership team. What I was trying to sum up quickly is that there are some ties between Activision Blizzard and former government officials. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that but it does make me wonder how much sway the leadership team has on what is or isn’t included in a Call of Duty game. I’ve linked a few staff bios below:

Frances F. Townsend

Brian Bulatao

Grant Dixton

One of the non-profit boards that Frances Townsend is on is the Atlantic Council, an American think tank in the field of international affairs. The Atlantic Council has additional ties to former Call of Duty staff.

Chance Glasco

Dave Anthony - Art of Future Warfare series announcement of Dave Anthony as a Nonresident Fellow.

The military-entertainment complex: Call of Duty makers have close ties with the Pentagon

Call of Duty as an engagement tool:

How the Military Uses Call of Duty As A Recruitment Tool

U.S. Army Planned to Pay Streamers Millions to Reach Gen-Z Through Call of Duty

Call of Duty Controversies and “re-writing” of history:

Call of Duty Creators Say Oliver North Helped Make Their Game More Authentic

That time Castro appeared in Call of Duty, angering Cuba

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Highway of Death controversy, explained

Correction:

At 44:55 in the podcast I mention a Call of Duty game that was potentially set in 2075 with the primary conflict being with China. After further research, I can’t verify that statement with anything but a questionable source so I’ve chosen not to link any article.

(Spoiler Alert for Black Ops 2) It’s also worth noting that Black Ops 2 campaign takes place in two timelines, the late 1980s and 2025. One of the conflicts in that game is a new Cold War between a Chinese-led faction called the Strategic Defense Coalition and a U.S.-led NATO. One of the four endings leads to an alliance between the U.S. and China, ending the new Cold War.

"Liar Ahead." Between the three of us, we spent a ton of time playing this game and loved every minute. From lowly tarnished to becoming the Elden Lord, join us for a conversation about one of the best games of 2022, Elden Ring.

In this episode, we journey back to the Lands Between and relive our experience with Elden Ring. This game is MASSIVE, and we spent over 830 combined hours exploring the world, running away from giant lobsters, and stabbing fools in the back to the most satisfying sound effect imaginable. After a quick overview, we chat about our favorite characters and highlight some of our most hated enemies—damn dogs. Willie and Taylor realize they never advanced the questline for Boc the Seamster, and somehow Willie completely missed the tutorial cave at the beginning of the game, lol. We also touch on how much lore and information is in the weapon and item descriptions and how easy it can be to feel lost in the game. Ashes of War, spirit ashes, golden runes, and rainbow stones come up during the game mechanics discussion, and we spend some time remembering the visual graphics and depth of the environment. Later in the episode, we dig into the sequencing, texture, and overall theme of the 67-track OST, which is masterful in its own right. We wrap with some final thoughts, and Joseph reads a 1-star Amazon review for the game. "you don't have the right, O you don't have the right."

Other games briefly mentioned in this episode: Deathloop, Dishonored, Prey (2017), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Dark Souls, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghost of Tsushima, Red Dead Redemption 2, Bloodborne, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Horizon Forbidden West. 

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

berriesandblades.simplecast.com

Do you say Super Mario Brothers or Super Mario BROS? Also, the never-before-heard-back story of Maria Luigia. Join us for a conversation about a classic game that sold over 58 million copies, Super Mario Bros. for the NES.

In this episode, we revisit the Mushroom Kingdom. The three of us give some quick thoughts about Chris Pratt cast as the voice of Mario. Then, Taylor breaks down the origin story of Mario, Luigi, and their mother, Maria Luigia, question mark. Willie reads the backstory found in the game's manual, and unfortunately, we realize Mario is the perp responsible for murdering the brick citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom. Speedrunning comes up, so we talk about the current world record and wrong-warp through the game's mechanics, graphics, music, and some of our favorite worlds. Willie reads a few interesting Amazon reviews, and we wrap up our final thoughts about the game. Also, there are Cheep Cheeps. 

Other games briefly mentioned in this episode: Rogue Company, Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil 7, Outlast, Outlast II, The Quarry, The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan, Super Smash Bros., Elden Ring, Ghosts N' Goblins, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Bros. 2, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Yoshi (NES), Super Ghouls N' Ghosts, Bubble Bobble, and Dig Dug. 

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

berriesandblades.simplecast.com

A dragon that looks like Macho Man Randy Savage, terrorizing Arkham City as Batman and searching for the center of the universe. Join us for the second installment of our all-time favorite video game lists.

In this episode, we each present (2) more games from our all-time favorites lists. Joseph travels to the island of Tsushima and remembers the stunning graphics, epic music, and excellent combat system of Ghost of Tsushima. Willie picks Batman: Arkham City and reminds us of how good it felt to lurk in the shadows of Arkham City and how the game popularized the freeflow combat system. Taylor talks about the freedom of choice and exploration in No Man Sky and highlights the development effort behind the game. We also chat about the photo mode and lore of Control, countless hours of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim gameplay and dragon mods, and the general ridiculousness of the poundmates in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. We wrap with a lightning round of honorable mentions.

Our All-Time Favorites picks in the episode are Ghost of Tsushima, Batman: Arkham City, No Man Sky, Control, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. 

Honorable Mentions: Borderlands 2, Halo 3: ODST, Tecmo Super Bowl, Metal Gear Solid 2, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Bioshock, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, God of War (2018), Mass Effect 2, Metroid Dread, Joust, Galaga, Fallout, and Bad Dudes.

Other games briefly mentioned in this episode: Halo, Resident Evil, Prey (2017), Surviving Mars, Gears of War, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, God of War (2018), Resident Evil 7, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham Knight, Spider-Man 2 (2004), Alan Wake, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Gears of War, Grand Theft Auto, and Overwatch. 

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

berriesandblades.simplecast.com

Remember when "the dress" broke the internet? Well, Taylor gets GOT by it, lol. Join us as we get to the bottom of it and then talk about some of our all-time favorite video games.

In this episode, we each present (2) games off our all-time favorites lists. Exploring Resident Evil, we talk about door animations and how RE opened the door for countless horror survival games. Then, stop in Hyrule to remember you could cut grass, and Taylor invents a new item called the "Wind Stick" for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. A love for sci-fi adds Prey (2017) to the list, and Willie and Taylor chat about finding their friend's pizza box design in the game. The list wouldn't be complete without one of the best 1st person-shooter franchises ever—Halo. Willie picks Halo 3 and talks about the impact of the marketing campaigns for the game. Gears of War  reminds us of just how badass the Lancer is, and Joseph talks about playing the game with friends during a deployment to Iraq. We wrap by discussing the art direction of Surviving Mars and how the gameplay is impressive for a city builder made for consoles.

Our All-Time Favorites picks in the episode are Resident Evil, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Prey (2017), Halo 3, Gears of War, and Surviving Mars. 

Other games briefly mentioned in this episode: Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, Tomb Raider, Secret of Mana, Fallout, Starfield, Dishonored, Red Dead Redemption 2, Dead Space, No Man Sky, Halo Infinite, Guitar Hero, Gears of War: Judgement, Gears Tactics, Gears 5, Halo 2, and Civilization.

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

berriesandblades.simplecast.com

Backyard wrestling, getting dissed over a Nintendo 64, and surviving Resident Evil. Join Joseph and Taylor as they interview Willie about his experience with video games.

In this episode, we focus on Willie's gaming experience and interests. Willie explains how he convinced his parents to buy him multiple gaming consoles and let him rent Mortal Kombat for the first time. We blast to the past with the Atari 2600 and remember the ridiculousness of an NES game called Bad Street Brawler. We also get Willie to revisit his backyard wrestling days with his tag team partner, Pyro. His story wouldn't be complete without mentioning Resident Evil, a video game rental store called Videos To Go, and playing pc games with his oldest brother. We wrap by talking about button-mashing techniques for Caveman Games.

The games briefly mentioned in this episode: Resident Evil, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, God of War, Sonic the Hedgehog, X-Men, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, Final Fight, Streets of Rage, Bad Dudes, River City Ransom, River City Girls, Duke Nukem, Bad Street Brawler, Double Dragon, Batman, Pro Wrestling, WCW World Championship Wrestling, WWF Royal Rumble, WWF SmackDown, The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants, The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World, Paperboy, Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64, GoldenEye 007, Sonic and Knuckles, Earthworm Jim, Altered Beast, Splatterhouse, Mortal Kombat, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Smash Bros., Pikmin, Overlord, Resident Evil - Code: Veronica, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, Destiny, Halo Infinite, Caveman Games, Myst, Descent, and Zork Nemesis.

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

berriesandblades.simplecast.com

Platformers & fighters, watching color classics from the 1930s and breaking into virtual photography. Join Willie and Taylor as they interview Joseph about his experience with video games.

In this episode, we focus on Joseph's gaming experience and interests. We travel back to 1990 to hear about Joseph's earliest SNES memories and learn he was a Legend of Zelda game counselor for his stepfather. Listen to stories of rage and competition against his friends and how they shared game cartridges among their tight group. Willie asks about gaming restrictions, favorite genres, and video game rental stores. Somewhere in the mix, Joseph and Taylor talk about losing a parent and the perception of time. We wrap with recently played games, breaking down GoldenEye 007, and hearing how Joseph broke into virtual photography. 

The games briefly mentioned in this episode: Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Mortal Kombat II, Street Fighter II Turbo, Cuphead, The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time, Super R-Type, Super Ghouls N Ghosts, Battletoads, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Halo, Gears of War, The Last of Us, God of War, Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, Control, Elden Ring, State of Decay, Dying Light 2, Halo Infinite, Splitgate, Duke Nukem, GoldenEye 007, Star Wars: Dark Forces, Ghost of Tsushima, and Assassins Creed Valhalla. 

Here's the full transcript for this episode.

If you like what you hear, the best way to support us is to tell people about the show. Please consider subscribing wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

You can also keep us going with coffee refills on Ko-Fi.

Follow @BerriesAndBlades on IG for in-game photography, video clips, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow BerriesAndBlades on Twitch for D&D and video game streams. 
Follow @PikkleJoe on IG for more in-game photography.

The music you hear on the podcast is by ELFL, Lexica, and Christian Nanzell.

berriesandblades.simplecast.com