Deep Listens

In this episode Gino, Chris "ZombiePie" -REDACTED-, and special guest Jeff Rud get together to discuss Final Fantasy I. It's back to basics for us! We start the show by ranking FFX-2 Last Mission in our pantheon of FF games (spoilers: it's not a good game!). We then discuss the historical context of FFI and the games that came out around it. We finish up by diving deep on the first few hours of FFI.

In this episode Gino talks to Alex -REDACTED- about his time as a competitive Magic: the Gahtering player. We discuss his strong finish at US Nationals and the Columbus STG Open. We then pivot to discussing Rivals of Ixalan cards that have us excited. We wrap up with some rapid fire questions!

In this episode Billy, Gino, and Pete discuss Cuphead! We discuss the game's sometimes frustrating mechanics, beautiful art, and excellent character design. We then discuss how a game that references art that predates our grandparents can still make us feel nostalgia. 

In this episode Gino, Billy, and Pete take listener emails and say goodbye to 2017.

In this episode Gino, Billy, and Pete discuss Battlerite, a game that blends the MOBA and fighting game genres while removing most of the arcane nonsense that comes from each. We discuss how the game manages to distill the fun of a MOBA while avoiding some of the complexities and time-wasters that plague the genre. We also discuss the game's free to play scheme and how seemingly fair it is. We wrap things up by discussing the game's balance and whether tier lists are an appropriate way to pick characters. Be sure to send in your comments for next week's all email episode! [email protected]

In this episode Gino, Pete, Billy, and Chris "ZombiePie" -REDACTED- discuss the games that defined our year! There are laughs. There are tears. There are fights. But most of all, there's love. Here are the categories for this year:

Best Comedy

Best Drama

Best Horror

Best Action

Best Adventure

Best Character

Best Soundtrack

Prettiest Game

Best Performance/Voice Acting

Best Mechanic

Worst Story

Best Twist

Game of the Year 2017

Gino's Platypus Award for Game That Should Not Be

Billy's Grindfather Award

John Paul Sartre Memorial Award for Game That Best Expresses the Ultimate Futility of the Human Condition

Bonus subcategory: Anthropocene Award for Game that most horrifyingly portrays a problem with modernity:

ZP's "Help I'm Trapped in Sysiphean Torment" Award

Game of Our Year 2017

In this episode Gino, Pete, and a special guest discuss The Binding of Isaac! We talk about the gross aesthetic, the fun gameplay, and the interesting items in the game. We also cover the somewhat diminishing returns of the game and its focused goals. Be sure to get emails in for our upcoming email show! [email protected] and deeplistens.libsyn.com

In this episode Gino and Chris "ZombiePie" -REDACTED- discuss Doki Doki Literature Club: the cutest psychological horror game around! We discuss the game's subversive structure and how it gets a rise out of people. We then have a hard discussion about the game's invocation of mental illness and self-harm. We go deep into spoiler town in this one!

In this episode Gino and special guest Harry Ganz talk about The Magic School Bus Explores the Ocean! We start by talking about the game's basic setup and wax nostalgic about playing it years ago. Then we discuss how the game manages to communicate so many factoids while still being fun. We finish up with some marine biology story-time with Harry.

In this episode Gino and Chris "ZombiePie" -REDACTED- discuss the end of Final Fantasy X-2 and answer a number of user questions! We answer listener questions on the role ketchup plays in rice preparation (it should play no role), what defines JRPGs, and what makes the Final Fantasy franchise a franchise. We then talk about Chapter 5 of Final Fantasy X-2 and how the ending made us feel. We finish up by placing FFX-2 within our ongoing ranking of all FF games.