When a developer creates a game and decides to take a multimedia approach to the game's narrative, what does that do for the player's experience? If a player has to go beyond the game in order to fully appreciate its narrative, does it become a chore? An expensive money grab? An acknowledgement that the developer can't contain the game's narrative in its own media? Inspired by an opinion article in Game Informer, we take a look at the idea of having to work for a story in this episode. Ep S8E16

Squaresoft director Tetsuya Takahashi began writing a scenario for a game that was to begin development. Finding it too dark to be a Final Fantasy title, it became Xenogears. Several years of planning, creating backstory, and development ensued, and in February 1998, Xenogears was released. Critically acclaimed then despite its obvious lack of polish or completeness, does it hold up 20 years later? Ep S8E15

What makes speedrunners tick? These gamers devote countless hours to their craft: completing a game so quickly and so thoroughly that it boggles the mind. Whether for fun, for charity, or both, speedrunners give life to games decades old, broadcasting their conquests and giving new fans a glimpse into the titles we played as kids. There's truly an art to it, and we explore it on this episode. Ep S8E14

November 1998 saw the release of the 5th major installment in the Legend of Zelda series: Ocarina of Time. It proved to be a groundbreaking entry in the franchise, and is widely considered one of the greatest games ever made. Twenty years later, it continues to delight fans the world over. Why? Listen in as we dive into Hyrule once again. Ep S8E13

It's the 3rd official entry in the Metal Gear canon, but in 1998, Konami released Metal Gear Solid on the PS1 to universal acclaim. Widely considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time, it combines stealth and confusing narrative, as well as an unforgettable cast of characters. Listen in as we take a deep dive into this amazing classic. Ep S8E12

With Nintendo's current crusade against ROM-hosting websites, now seems a good time to talk about forced and planned obsolescence in video games. What happens when developers pull the plug on a game that is still enjoyed by many? What ways do we have to preserve games? With few legal ways to do so, is emulation and piracy the solution to preservation, or do we need to re-examine how we see games as part of our culture? Ep S8E11

With Resident Evil 2 bursting onto the scene in January 1998, survival horror became firmly established on the PlayStation. Not to be outdone, Square created a game that blended the styles of RPGs, action, science fiction, and survival horror to create Parasite Eve, based on the novel of the same name. We look back at this underrated classic on its 20th anniversary. Ep S8E10

In our 3rd and final part of our E3 2018 recap, we cover the highlights and game announcements from the PC Gaming Show, Sony, and Nintendo. Ep S8E9C

In Part 2 of our E3 2018 recap, we cover the highlights and game announcements from Square Enix, Limited Run Games, and Ubisoft. Ep S8E9B

E3 has wrapped up and there is a lot to digest. Lots of press conferences, lots of announcements of games, and lots of emotion. What stood out? What are we looking forward to? Who do we shit all over? What games do we think will not see the light of day for decades? On Part 1, we break down EA, Microsoft, and Bethesda's showings. Ep S8E9A