This week on Brainlords special guest Bobvids helps us on Part Two of our P.T. series discussing the current era of liminal spaces in games. Even Baby Steps and 1000xResist have looping hallways, so are the lessons learned from this ludonarrative only limited to scares? We discuss our hopes for the future of spooky games in this raucous conclusion to our horror retrospective. 

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Kyle - Cute Monster Props

Jorge - JMV

Special guest - BobVids

THINGS DISCUSSED 

Lasagna Cat, The Spiritual Successor to Simpson’s Hit and Run, Item Label - Papupi, Silent Hill 2, Devotion, Outer Wilds, Outer Worlds, Undertale, Higurashi: When They Cry, Look Back, Crow Country

Despite being a non-existent game, how has PT influenced gaming since its release? (0:17:27)

P.T., Amnesia: Dark Descent, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Baby Steps, MiSide, The Blair Witch Project, Nexpo, Chilling Scares, Lethal Company, R.E.P.O, Phasmophobia, Allison Road, 

What is the difference between a game influenced by PT and a game influenced by Amnesia? (0:33:57)

Alien Isolation, Deltarune, Glittermitten Grove, Frog Fractions 2,  

How has the influence of PT become a positive and when/how does it become a negative? (0:44:52)

Dreams, PT Trailer, Earthbound, Layers of Fear, Devotion, Silent Hill F, Silent Hill 1, 1000 X Resist, The Stanley Parable, 

Game Ratings: Human characters in Silent Hill (1:16:21)

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Silent Hill 3, Silent Hill 4, Silent Hill: Homecoming

Why do Liminal Spaces work so well in video games? (1:33:39)

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Bullet Storm, Call of Duty, Shenmu, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, MyHouse.WAD, Doom, House of Leaves, 

What do we hope for the future of horror games post PT? (1:46:49)

The Question Zone (1:56:19)

Bober Da Bober asks Do you think if you play PT in reverse it would be called TP, and climbing out of the drain of creativity symbolizes Kojima's time with Konami?

The Witness, The Looker

Gryphoneer, the Universally Beloved Online Icon asks Imagine Jovial Bob himself called you and offered to put you in charge of developing a video game adaptation of any of his properties. What would you pick to adapt and how would you adapt it?

The Park, Fatal Frame, MADiSON, 

Dial (The Dude) asks isn't it a bit funny how Resident Evil re-invented itself in a P.T.-like fashion with the original demo for Resident Evil 7, and then the final game was *anything* but that

anyways, I personally think it'd be really funny if Norman Reedus played Ethan Winters

Resident Evil: Village, Hereditary

LiminalLongJohnSilvers asks What is the cardinal sin of horror games who attempt to capture that PT and/or liminal aesthetic

The Rec Room (2:14:30)

Split Fiction, Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein, Frankenstein: An Anatomy Lesson, Good Boy, Bring Her Back, Talk 2 Me, Stray Children, Moon: Remix RPG Adventure, Super Mario RPG, Eraserhead, Poltergeist, Cave Crave VR

This week on Brain Lords we Present: Talking. In this Podcastable Teaser we bring on guest Super Bunnyhop to Parse the Terror still seen in P.T. For a game that doesn’t technically exist, Silent Hills completely reshaped the Playable Trauma of modern horror games. But was that always the case or does this Polished Take on Amnesia exist beyond its creators and controversy?

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Kyle - Cute Monster Props

Jorge - JMV

Special guest - Super Bunnyhop

THINGS DISCUSSED 

The Nintendo DS, Resident Evil Deadly Silence, Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner, Guilty Gear Dust Strikers, Advanced Wars Dual Strike, Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Super Smash Bros.

So what's the deal with PT anyways? (0:10:11)

P.T. aka Playable Teaser aka Silent Hills aka Silent Hillz: Boyz in da Hood, Extra Credits: Dark Souls 2, 

What about PT’s controversy is worth preserving? (0:25:54)

Metal Gear Solid V, Penumbra series, Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Is PT really the trailblazer that we think it is? (0:34:04)

Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid Delta, Slender: The Eight Pages, Resident Evil 7, Takeshi’s Challenge, Space Invaders, Dark Souls, 

Game Ratings: Games That Break the 4th Wall (0:46:28)

Inscryption, Hypnospace Outlaw, Death Stranding, Monkey Island, Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge, Loom, Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Gex, Doki Doki Literature Club

Does PT have merit in a vacuum? (1:09:43)

Is PT still alive in other games? (1:19:24)

O.D., Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Closing Thoughts (1:33:55)

 PT Unreal

The Question Zone (1:42:44)

while many horror games (especially silent hill) delve into thematically dark/taboo subjects, how obvious should these subjects be? should they be more abstract and left up to interpretation or do you think abstraction as whole can be too much and leave the viewer wondering what the fuck they just played - Eddie's phtoshopped eyebrows

Wouldn't it have been funny if Silent Hills came out and it was actually just not a good game? #morbiussweep -MorbiusFan69

Does anyone actually know how to reach the ending of PT? I’ve tried multiple times and can never pass the final puzzle. -The Wine Ghost

As a native Georgian, what are you favorite hiking spots? Also what do you think P.T. would have looked like as a full game? -Rata Güera

Rosemary’s Baby, The VVitch, Halloween, The Educated Imagination - Northrop Frye

The Rec Room (1:56:56)

Twin Peaks, Custom Robo, Fear and Hunger, Darkest Dungeon, Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc, Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐), King of the Hill Season 14

This week on Brainlords we have a Halloween episode about drowning, being hunted, the dark, and the undead, all the hallmarks of our favorite…children’s platformers? Special guest Shannon Strucci scares us silly with stories of Spyro and Sonic being just as spooky as Silent Hill! How scary can a game be before it’s considered horror and why do so many games from our childhood leave us so traumatized?

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Kyle - Cute Monster Props

Jorge - JMV

Special guest - Shannon Strucci

THINGS DISCUSSED 

Shamurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop, Space Dandy, Michiko y Hatchin, Carol and Tuesday, Deadly Premonition

The Scariest Non-Horror Games with Shannon Strucci (0:06:50)

Fear of WATER (0:15:35)

Subnautica, Half Life, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tomb Raider, Mario 64, Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 4, Metroid, Kingdom Hearts, Star Wars Shadows of the Empire, The Legend of Zelda Windwaker, Ecco the Dolphin, UFO50, Dredge, Banjo Kazooie,  

Fear of the DARK (0:30:31)

Vermis, Dragon Quest, Breath of Fire 2, Breath of Fire 4, Metaphor Refantazio, Half Life 2, Undertale, Super Metroid, Minecraft, The Stanley Parable,  

Fear of the DEAD (0:47:14)

Super Mario World, Psychonauts, Illusion of Gaia, Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, Darkstalkers, OFF, Blanksword, Baldur’s Gate 3, Spyro the Dragon

Game Ratings: Unkillable or Pursuer Style Enemies (1:11:22)

Bubble Bobble, Silent Hill 2, Super Bomberman R, Mouthwashing, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Dread, Zone of the Enders, Resident Evil 2 REmake, Resident Evil 7, Final Fantasy 8, Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario Bros 2 (Doki Doki Panic)

Fear of the UNCANNY (1:32:23)

The Exit 8, Okami, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Sherlock Holmes Nemesis, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Metal Gear Solid, Blue Prince, Gorogoa, Gone Home, Donkey Kong Country, Resident Evil, Baby Bullet, Tomba, Heart of Darkness, Another World, 

Fear of BEING HUNTED (1:54:07)

The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Megaman Legends, Turok, Jurassic Park (SNES), R-Type, Life Force, Ape Escape, 

Closing Thoughts (2:08:50)

A Hat in Time

The Question Zone (2:14:04)

Cryptmaster

miski spooky edition says: ecco the dolphin is one of the most lonely, claustrophobic, haunting games I've ever played. it's underwater sonic but all the time because you're a mammal that needs to breathe. Oh and it's based on the beliefs of a scientist who slowly poisoned their brain chemistry and ruined their career forever from doing way way too many psychedelics in an isolation chamber and thought he could teach dolphins to speak and they could tell him about aliens? oh god. oh no.

DevilDiceSurprise asks: what video game monster awoke "something" in you lmao

Resident Evil Village

The Rec Room (2:25:24)

Umigari, It Takes A War, GO VOTE, Vote for leftists that will actually regulate power companies, Fatum Betula, Welcome to Elderfield, Godhusk, Absolum, Dragon’s Crown, The Boys, Invincible 

On the eve of the release of Pokemon ZA, fresh off a major leak, the Brianlords ask the question: does Game Freak deserve it? Your ire, your pity, and alllll of your sorrow, this company was once a shining example of an early Japanese indie and is now burning out its staff on an endless stream of Pokemon. We talk about the non-Pokemon Gamefreak games, the company’s history, and what it means to have a highly polished action game in the works. Plus a bonus mailbag sharing your Pokemon memories!

What does Game Freak Deserve

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Kyle - Cute Monster Props

Jorge - JMV

THINGS DISCUSSED 

Victory Gundam

Fields of Mistria, The Last of Us

Your history with Pokemon (0:7:02)

Pokemon Red and Blue, Mendel Palace, Quinty, Drill Dozer, Pulseman, Jerry Boy, Tembo the Badass Elephant, Harmonknight, Pocket Card Jockey, Pokemon Black and White 2

 What is the current state of Game Freak (0:17:39)

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Pokemon ZA, Pokemon Snap, Beast of Reincarnation

How has Game Freak handled the Pokemon franchise? (0:29:59)

Pokemon Green, Pokemon Sun and Moon, Let’s Go Eevee, Let’s Go Pikachu, I EXPOSED What’s Really Going On At Game Freak,  Pokemon Timeline Hints and 7 Other Details about Sword and Shield, Music Credit: Alex Heflin - Cinnabar Island, Shin Megami Tensei V

Can Game Freak exist outside of Pokemon (0:57:15)

Little Town Hero, UFO50, Pac Man, Smart Ball, Magical Taruruto-kun, Yoshi, Bushi Seiryūden: Futari no Yūsha, Click Medic, Giga Wrecker,  Umamusame: Pretty Derby, Lies of P, Yokai Watch

Game Ratings: Non-Pokemon Game Freak games (1:09:22)

Rocket Slime Adventure

Has Game Freak earned good faith or does it deserve hate? (1:22:03)

Pokemon Concierge, Pokemon Trading Card Game, Pokemon Pinball, Fire Emblem Engage

The jury’s verdict on Pokemon (The Question Zone) (1:43:49)

Palworld

The Rec Room (2:05:03)

Candy Rangers, Magi Nation, Beastieball, Cassette Beasts, Animorphs (GBC), Robomon, Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Paranoia Agent, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, Psychonauts

This week on Brainlords we complain about the price of games nowadays. But then why did the games of yesteryear feel like a better deal despite being $80 well before Mario Kart 8? Is there anything you can do to appreciate an artform that seems so designed to take most of your paycheck? And yet somehow indie games should honestly cost more! Find out why as we release this episode for the same price as some of the best video games ever, free!

Jorge - JMV

THINGS DISCUSSED

Hollow Knight: Silksong, Battle Angel Alita, Metropolis, Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk, Milk Outside a Bag of Milk Outside a Bag of Milk, 

Is Gaming a Financial Burden? (0:08:40)

Star Fox 64, Breath of Fire

New games and consoles are too expensive (0:12:33)

 NBA 2K21, Mario Kart World, GTA6, Outer Worlds 2, Borderlands 4,  Nintendo Virtual Boy, Switch 2, Pokemon ZA, Pokemon, Donkey Kong Bananza Emerald Rush, Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion, Bowser’s Fury, Helldivers 2, Split Fiction, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Lies of P, Space Marine 2,  

Old Games and consoles were too expensive (0:33:59)

Street Fighter II, God of War, Astro Bot

Game Ratings: Video Game Collectors Editions (0:47:47)

Unicorn Overlord, Horizon Zero Dawn, Blaster Master Zero, Super Mario Galaxy, Catherine, Odin’s Sphere, Bayonetta 3, Sonic Mania, Death Stranding, Culdcept Revolt, MGSV, 

The Best Games are Free (1:08:03)

Kyle’s List of Amazing Free Games and Mods : Dwarf Fortress, Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, Doom the Roguelike, Nethack, Spelunky, Cave Story, Knytt, Untitled Story, N+, Super Meat Boy, Commander Keen, Space Funeral, Oregon Trail, Off, Barkley Shut Up and Jam Gaiden, Yume Nikki, Cave Story, Lisa the First, Doki Doki Literature Club, IB horror Museum, One Shot, Battle For Wesnoth, Samarost 1, GTA 1&2, Frog Fractions, MUGEN, Spooky’s House of Jumpscares, The Stanley Parable, AM2R, Beetle Ninja, Lunacid Tears of the Moon, Dweller’s Empty Path, Franken, Myhouse.wad, The Forgotten City, Black Mesa

UFO50, Metal Gear Solid: Delta, Warframe, Infinity Nikki, Overwatch 2, Newer Super Mario Bros Wii, Steamworld Dig, Fall Guys, Flesh Blood and Concrete, SWOLLEN TO BURSTING UNTIL I AM DISAPPEARING ON PURPOSE

Indie Games Are Too Cheap (1:26:42)

How much money do Steam Games make?, Hollow Knight, Crystal Story: Dawn of Dusk, Peak, Shovel Knight, Stardew Valley, PLEASE SAVE HORNET ALL SHE NEEDS IS THE NUMBERS ON YOUR CREDIT CARD, Judero, Look Outside, Peak

The Question Zone (1:43:49)

With the rising cost of mainstream games and consoles, will we see a new renaissance of indies or will everyone just move on to free to play games? -Oracle of WageTheft 

Borderlands 4 

Are there repercussions of having a generation of kids whose comfort games are all free to play games or games as a service or are we simply old man yelling at cloud (gaming)? - Slime A Lime 

Roblox

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

The Rec Room (1:53:35)

Putting Italian Sausage on your grilled cheese, using mayo instead of butter on your grilled cheese, Steamworld Dig, Steamworld Dig 2, Diablo 2, An Untitled Story, Football: 17776, Gunbuster. Urusei Yatsura: Only You 

This week on Brainlords we look back on the 8 years we’ve had the Nintendo Switch to determine what we'll be looking back on even later! We take a ~nostalgic~ tour through the final days of the WiiU, getting the console in its early years, the peak years of its greatest hits, playing during the pandemic, and the twilight years that preceded the Switch 2. Are these just rose (and blue) tinted glasses or was there truly something special about the first merger of Nintendo’s handheld and console hardware that truly can’t be replicated again?

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Kyle - Cute Monster Props

Jorge - JMV

THINGS DISCUSSED

DearS, OFF

Remember the early days of the Switch? (0:08:24)

The Elder Scrolls Skyrim, Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, NBA 2K, Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2,  Super Bomberman R, Waku Waku 7, Blaster Master Zero, Golf Story, Fast RMX, Puyo Puyo Tetris

Remember the prime years of the Switch? (0:24:16)

Metroid Prime Remastered, Metroid Dread, Mario Tennis Aces, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Pokken Tournament, Mario 3D World, Mario Bros U, Hyrule Warriors, Captain Toad’s Treasure Tracker, Celeste, Gris, Shovel Knight, The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories, Deltarune, Yooka-Laylee, Hollow Knight, Super Mario Odyssey, The Flipgrip, Downwell, Gunbird, Sengoku Blade, Donkey Kong Arcade, Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Game Ratings: Smash Bros Ultimate DLC Trailers (0:54:42) 

Banjo Kazooie, Kingdom Hearts, Persona 5,  Minecraft, Final Fantasy 7,  

Remember the Switch during the Pandemic? (1:11:06)

Shin Megami Tensei V, Animal Crossing New Horizons, The DragonCon Marriott carpet, Ring Fit Adventure, Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics, Octo Expansion, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity,  Paper Mario: The Origami King, Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda, Mario 3D All Stars, Bowser’s Fury, Metroid Dread, Cruis’n Blast

Remember the final years of the Switch? (1:25:09)

Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Demon Throttle, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, Megaman X, Deadly Premonition 2, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Bayonetta 3, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Princess Peach: Showtime!, Mario and Luigi: Brothership, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Stardew Valley

The Question Zone and Switch Memories (1:36:47)

Pokemon Scarlet

What do different types of lore do to your enjoyment of a game? For example, well done in game lore with a fleshed out world? Or game lore pertaining to the making of the game, or why something is the way it is in the game because of an experience or idea that someone got from their personal life and made it into a game mechanic or story beat? Or perhaps other types of lore I am not thinking of? Who knows? - Mariochief

Signalis, Dark Souls, ActRaiser 2

Do you think there's a chance for DEEP LORE that isn't horror/tragedy-adjacent to be impactful? Does it need at least a veneer of maturity to catch on or be impactful, or can it be satisfying to uncover if it isn't super dark? - irwegwert

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker, Donkey Kong Country

What Switch games in your backlog do you want to play the most? - MyBodyisBready

Live A Live, Luigi's Mansion 3, Gal Metal

Who are the people you most associate with the Switch? - Mamamiyamoto

Legend of Mana, Theatrythm Final Fantasy, Chocobo GP 

The Rec Room (1:55:01)

Labyrinth of the Demon King, Mario Paint, Mario Paint, Sonic Expo 

This week on Brainlords we celebrate the final moments before Silksong can no longer be delayed. Jorge doesn’t get what the deal is with Silkposting while Kyle is removing the clown makeup as we speak. We go over the humble origins of Hollow Knight to discuss if it really is that good (yes) and how we got here with eight years of hype and memes. How has the Metroidvania genre fared since then and what do we do now that Silksong, a game made with the opposite of crunch is finally out?

THINGS DISCUSSED

Baulder’s Gate 3, Undertale

Explain the Silksong Hype for me (0:05:38)

Hollow Knight, Silksong

Is Hollow Knight good? (0:07:35) 

The Wanderer’s Journal - Fangamer, Megaman X, Ducktales (NES)

I don’t get Silksong Hype (0:31:43)

RALSIE PLUSH ONLY $36 BUY NOW!!!, Folding Ideas presents: Silkposting, Despelote, Mother 3, Mother 64, Marvel’s Deadpool VR,

Game Ratings: Indie Metroidvanias (0:58:33)

Chasm, Metroid Dread, Dandara, Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight,  Momodora: Moonlit Farewell, Axium Verge, Metroid, Super Metroid, Castlevania, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Cave Story, Yume Nikki

Hey MetroidVanias, you doin’ alright? (1:14:31)

Iconoclasts, Metroid Fusion, La Mulana 2, The Messenger, Monster Boy and The Cursed Kingdom, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Haiku the Robot, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, Megaman Zero, Megaman ZX, Blasphemous 2, Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus, Crowsworn, Nine Sols, Earthbound, Lisa: The Painful RPG, Shadow Labrynth, Tunic, Batman:  Arkham Asylum, Metroid Prime 4, NieR: Automata, Stellar Blade, Black Myth: Wukong

So what now? Post Silksong Jokes and the Jason Schrier Interview (1:27:39)

Why Silksong Took Seven Years to Make, Dark Souls, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Deltarune

Closing Thoughts (1:38:52)

The Question Zone (1:41:29) 

Why are Souls games fans so illiterate? Jokes aside, are there fandoms out there you think have lost the ability to interpret games on their own without relying on interpretations of the story by big name YouTubers? I think the Souls fans definitely rely too heavily on YouTube videos to tell them what to think -Meowtroid 

Final Fantasy 7

What is your personal Silksong, as in is there a piece of media that you personally feel has gone through the same silent period that Silksong has? - Untitled Zangoose

Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash, Iron-Blooded Orphans, The Witch from Mercury, Gundam Build Fighters, Barkley Shut Up and Jam Gaiden, Mother 3

 can you think of any works that are "anti-lore"? (i.e. works that seem to reject or rebuff a database-style approach) or is the fandom simply too powerful and capable of turning anything into a wiki? - isyourguy

13 Sentinels Aegis Rim, Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Odyssey, Lies of P,  

The Rec Room (1:56:58)

Megalopolis, Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway, Gundam Unicorn, Gundam: The Origin, City: The Animation, New Panty and Stocking, Pop Team Epic, Azumanga Diaoh, Odin’s Sphere, Demonschool, Into the Breach, Fangamer Pinverse, OFF,  

This Week on Brainlords, special guest Voidburger takes us on a scenic tour through Silent Hill. Some game theories seem to have a life of their own but what happens when that becomes the death of your enjoyment? Jorge discusses being secretly dead the whole time while Kyle explains why Pokémon is actually dark and twisted. Will this episode be a dream all along or a nightmare of fan theories?!

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Kyle - Cute Monster Props

Jorge - JMV

Special Guest - Voidburger

THINGS DISCUSSED

Earthbound, Undertale, Deltarune, Super Mario RPG,

SQUALL IS DEAD THEORY  (0:06:17)

Final Fantasy 8, Abnormal Mapping Podcast, The Rugrats, The Sixth Sense

DARK POKEMON THEORIES (0:29:30)

Pokemon Series, Digimon, Thomas the Tank Engine, Piglet’s Big Game, Choo-Choo Charles, FLCL

SILENT HILL LORE (0:43:46)  

Silent Hill 2, Until Dawn

Game Ratings: Games that are secretly dark (1:10:55)

Omori, Doki Doki Literature Club, Majora’s Mask, Psychonauts, Psychonauts 2, Final Fantasy IX, Illusion of Gaia, Deltarune, The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening 

WHO IS THE ROARING KNIGHT?! - DELTARUNE THEORIES (1:26:01)

Alan Wake 2, Remedy Games, Half-Life, Anodyne, They Stanley Parable

THE QUESTION ZONE (1:50:00)

how  do you feel about creators changing plots based on theories (either liking the theory more than what they had planned, or changing it to "one up" the audience when people realize whats going to happen)  -chewing on the bars of my cage like a dog

Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth,  Avatar the Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra

Which game do you think has the most unnecessary or inconsequential lore? And which game do you think was enhanced the most by the theories and deep lore surrounding it? -Old Man Splimbo

Five Nights at Freddy’s, The Legend of Zelda series, Donkey Kong Bananza, Willy’s Wonderland, Drakengaurd, NieR Automata, NieR Replicant

what makes creepypasta and secret lore theories so compelling to kids? -Old Fart

Do you think fandoms have done more harm than good in media spaces these days and contribute to eroding media literacy overall? Something I've come to resent them for is not allowing something to remain unexplained for example is a big part of why I find myself unable to connect with fan communities now a days. -Old millenial who yells at clouds. 

What do you think of the “you shouldn’t put much more effort into it than the writers did” rule for video game theories?  -Pikachu was a dream the whole time

Megaman X

Do you have a general guideline of when setting and world building details move from "adding to the experience" into "The Lore™"? Like when does "oh this item has the same symbol that one character had on their jacket" turn into "I have shut the game down and rolled out my chalkboard" for you?  -Pedantic in Peoria

Feelings on plot twists that are figured out by fans before a games release such as "Venom Snake is really the Doctor" or "FF7 Remake is actually a sequel to FF7" because something in the lore gave it away immediately. -Edwardo the Terrible

Metal Gear Solid V, Metal Gear Solid Grounds Zeroes

For years I've hated the Zelda timeline, because it poisons any discussion of the series with speculation about contradictory, inconsequential details that don't matter. Are there any fan theories that you dislike because the Discourse is annoying? -Enemy of Time

Earthbound, 

Closing thoughts and Rec Room (2:07:10)

Outer Wilds, Voidburger - The Virgin Maw vs The Chad Pyramidhead, Voidburger- Video Essay about Adventure Games and the Gay 90s, Mouthwashing, Games Done Quick

This week on Brainlords we’re upping the difficulty to Legendary! Why do we keep coming back to the only medium that you might not even be good enough to experience? We share our histories with Gamer Rage (tm) and discuss some games that are better for having all the hardest parts in the beginning in order to conclude which game is *perfectly* difficult.

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Kyle - Cute Monster Props

Jorge - JMV

THINGS DISCUSSED

Death Stranding 2

How do you balance difficulty and frustration in games? (0:11:35) 

Halo: Combat Evolved, Control, Doom, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Devil May Cry,  Bayonetta

What games have the ideal difficulty curve? (0:22:57)

DMC3, Stranger of Paradise, Armored Core Series, Zone of the Enders, Gatcha Force, Custom Robo,  Silent Hill series, Resident Evil series, Star Fox 64,  

Should games have personalized difficulty options? (0:40:27)

 Celeste, Claire Obscure: Expedition 33, Doom: The Dark Ages, Dark Souls series, Lies of P, Sekiro 

Do you rage at games? (0:54:29)

Deltarune Ch3

Game Ratings: Secret Bosses (1:04:10)

Final Fantasy I, Final Fantasy VII, Bloodborne, Kingdom Hearts 1&2

What is the ideal reward for difficulty? (1:22:02)

Deltarune Ch1, FZero GX, Paper Mario, Anarchy Reigns

What is a Perfectly difficult game? (1:34:08)

Muramasa Demon Blade, Yoshi’s Island, Tunic

The Question Zone (1:54:28)

What are your favorite easy games? - I’m Too Young to Diane

Kirby Superstar, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Felix the Cat (NES)

What is the gaming achievement you are most proud of? - SwordOfKings128

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

The Rec Room (2:02:10) 

 Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, Animal Crossing: New Horizons,  Lucah: Born of a Dream, Death of a Wish, Friendship ft Tim Robinson, Summer Wars, Wolf Children

This week on Brainlords we are living in a Nightmare…Bart’s Nightmare! Or is it Buster’s Bad Dream? We discuss the wonderful world of Licensed games, advertisement games, and video game product placements to ask the question: Are they even art? Kyle compares a good Disney game that has nothing to do with its license to a bad Simpsons game that gave him an emotional response. Jorge discusses how to find validation as a working class artist when you don’t get to choose what you work on. The one thing we can agree on? The amazing taste of Nissin Cup Noodles. *smiles at camera*

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Kyle - Cute Monster Props

Jorge - JMV

THINGS DISCUSSED:

Zbots, Slitterhead, 20XX, 30XX,

Is a Licensed Game only art if it's good? (0:10:58)

Goof Troop (SNES), The Great Circus Mystery starring Mickey & Minnie, Bart’s Nightmare, Virtual Bart, Shaq Fu, Wayne’s World SNES, Home Improvement: Power Tool Pursuit! 

Is there artistry in *really* nailing a license? (0:32:26)

Dragon Ball FighterZ, Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale, One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows, My Hero One's Justice, Jump Super Stars, Jump Ultimate Stars, Jump Force, Cool Spot, Pepsiman

Can product placement say anything meaningful that isn’t goofy by proxy? (0:49:15)

Darkened Skye, The Sims, Death Stranding, Alan Wake, FFXV, Monkey Ball, SNK Allstar

Game Ratings: Overrated, underrated, and accurately rated Tiny Toons Adventures Games (1:08:10)

Buster Busts Loose, Tiny Toons (NES), McKids, Buster’s Bad Dream, Dizzy’s Candy Quest, Wacky Sports Challenge, Acme All-Stars, Tiny Toons: How I Spent My Summer Vacation

BONUS QUESTION: Why are Tiny Toons Adventure games so good and Looney Toons Games so bad? (1:17:46)

Speedy Gonzales: Los Gatos Banditos, Sylvester and Tweety Breakfast on the Run, Infogrames, Bug’s Crazy Castle

What role do celebrities play in making better or worse art? (1:21:09)

The Last of Us, Death Stranding 2, Onimusha 3, City of the Wolves, 

What’s it like working on a license? (1:27:44)

NoClip Burger King Games documentary,  Robocop Rogue City, CalorieMate LIQUID FOR GAME CREATORS

The Question Zone: GET READY (1:44:32)

Are we headed towards the age of Fortnitification of all games - Number One Heehomie

Fortnite, Mortal Kombat, Smite

What game world would you like to immigrate to? Yes you will have to immigrate to that game’s government system. - True Inky

Megaman Battle Network, Donkey Kong Country 1-3, Tropical Freeze 

Why was the Era of Capcom/Konami Disney tie-in games so good and how would you describe the current era of licensed games. -Steamboat William

Aladdin (SNES, Little Mermaid (NES), Ducktales (NES), Batman Arkham Games, Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League, Redfall, The Walking Dead (Telltale), Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Star Wars Rogue Squadron, Transformers Devastation, Legend of Korra (PlatinumGames)

The Rec Room (1:59:58)

TMNT Splintered Fate, TMNT Tactical Takedown, Shredder’s Revenge, The Protomen: Act 1, Megaman 5, Yo Noid 2, Nubby’s Number Factory, Simpsons Summer of 4ft2 Original Airdate VHS rip, Ultimate Love Songs collection