Fine Time

The guys have a long spolier-free chat about Final Fantasy 16 as well as cover some recent news and some random topics. Sounds like a Big Deal, right? Here's the rundown:

[00:00] Intro

[02:36] Final Fantasy 16 (Overall thoughts, time spent, sidequests, dark tone and vibe, graphics, level design and navigation, combat, difficulty, pacing, Eikon battles, spectacle vs. gameplay, music)

[41:52] Break #1

[44:47] More Final Fantasy 16 (story themes and characters, Active Time Lore, meeting expectations, series future)

[01:02:00] CD Projekt Red asserts that people "piled on" Cyberpunk 2077's bad launch

[01:03:26] Niantic is in big trouble!

[01:07:44] What the hell happened with Everybody 1-2 Switch?

[01:16:30] Break #2

[01:17:33] Is the Pixar zeitgeist over?

[01:23:45] Types of moments and formulas in music

[01:33:52] Unpopular (Mostly) Gaming Opinions

[01:47:33] Outro

Follow us on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur

Steve: @monotonegent

Kevin: @KevinFlevin89

Andre and Evan talk about one of their favorite obscure records from a band called ON. Released in June 2000, the album called Shifting Skin may be unknown, but its artist Ken Andrews and his other projects live on. Why is Shifting Skin and the ON project such a mystery? They talk about their discovery of this record, its inspirations, why it didn't catch on, the musical climate of which it was born into, and other stuff that happened In The Year 2000.

Follow the show on Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur

Evan: @tryptonique

Steve played a submarine game for no particular reason, Andre gives his collected thoughts on Street Fighter 6, and Kevin gives his spoiler-free postgame thoughts on Tears of the Kingdom before everyone dives head first into last week's Nintendo Direct. Here's the rundown:

[00:00] Intro (Arcade Archives: IN THE HUNT)

[02:14] Steve played Shinsekai: Into the Depths

[09:54] Andre talks Street Fighter 6

[30:19] Kevin finished Tears of the Kingdom

[54:13] Break Time!

[57:16] Nintendo Direct Breakdown / Analysis / Hot Takes (Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Pikmin 4, Penny's Big Breakaway, Wario Ware Move It!, Batman Arkham Trilogy, Metal Gear Collection Vol. 1, etc.)

[01:40:17] Outro

Follow us on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur

Steve: @monotonegent

Kevin: @KevinFlevin89

It's a different kind of movie episode of Fine Time because Steve & Kevin actually saw this back in 2007! (On purpose!) Tie an onion on your belt (as was the style at the time) and you'll be able to hear about the lead-up, some of their favorite bits, if this still holds up today, and the potential trajectory caused by it's success.

Follow us on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Steve: @monotonegent

Kevin: @KevinFlevin89

The beautiful bonanza of Fake E3 press conferences are upon us, and the whole gang is here to deliver all the takes you can handle! Come recap the shows and laugh along with us. Here's the rundown:

[00:00] Intro (An Ode To Orcas)

[03:30] Summer Game Fest (Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Mortal Kombat 1, Sonic Superstars, Lies of P, Alan Wake II, Final Finatasy VII Rebirth, etc.)

[44:20] Break #1

[44:57] Day of the Devs (Beastieball, Hyperlight Breaker, Hellskate, etc.)

[56:18] Devolver Direct: The Return of Volvy (The Talos Principle II, Baby Steps)

[01:01:49] Xbox Showcase (Fable, South of Midnight, Payday 3, Avowed, Fight Simulator 2024, Path of the Goddess, Persona 5 Tactica, etc.)

[01:26:44] Break #2

[01:28:09] More Xbox Showcase + Starfield Direct (Towerborne, Clockwork Revolution, Series S 1TB)

[01:36:50] Ubisoft Forward (Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, XDefiant, The Crew Motorfest, Star Wars Outlaws)

[01:56:52] Capcom Showcase (Mega Man X DiVE Offline, Pragmata, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, Apollo Justice, Ace Attorney Trilogy, Exoprimal)

[02:05:56] Outro

Follow us on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur

Steve: @monotonegent

Kevin: @KevinFlevin89

Steve and Andre continue their discussion on this incredible RPG by dicussing many character moments, chapters and plot progression, and the final chapter and ending. Beware, full spoilers within!

If you missed Part 1, you can listen here.

Follow the show on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur

Steve: @monotonegent

It's finally time to talk The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom! The guys touch on many aspects of the game including scope, ingenuity, discovery, and the future of the series in a long spoiler-free discussion. After that, they tackle various questions surrounding last week's PlayStation Showcase (Metal Gear Solid 3, Helldivers 2, Foamstars, Marathon, Alan Wake 2, Project Q, The Last of Us Factions no-show) as well as quick dives into the Alone In the Dark demo and prologue and Marvelous Game Showcase (Project MAGIA, Project Life Is RPG, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion).

Follow the show on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur

Steve: @monotonegent

This wonderful sequel to an incredible game captured our hearts this winter, and now Steve and Andre are finally ready to talk about it! They discuss the characters they favored, abilities they loved, why HD-2D works, and the setting of the Octopath universe in the first part of this two-part discussion. Beware, full spoilers ahead!

Follow the show on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur

Steve: @monotonegent

Let Steve & Kevin to embiggen your podcast feed about America's Funniest Family, The Jetsons -- er, Simpsons (yes that'll do). A perfectly cromulent discussion about some of their favorite episodes, what makes them tick, and why they're still revered by many today. Listen to it in your car hole!

Follow us on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Steve: @monotonegent

Kevin: @KevinFlevin89

Lots of games including R-Type Final 3 Evolved, WarioWare: Get It Together!, and Tails of Iron, then a lot of discussion about Phil Spencer recent comments about Redfall and the future of Xbox, the wave of anger over Jedi Survivor's reviews neglecting to mention its performance, as well as a rousing quiz game! Here's the rundown:

[00:00] Intro

[02:46] Andre played R-Type Final 3 Evolved

[10:47] A Little To the Left (of Steve's Sanity)

[21:57] Steve played Tails of Iron

[25:51] Steve played Chivalry II

[29:45] Kevin revisited WarioWare: Get It Together!

[35:02] Kevin's quick note on Horizon Forbidden West

[36:56] Break #1

[38:29] Kotaku posts Tears of the Kingdom leaks

[47:42] Phil Spencer and the state of Xbox

[01:14:21] Break #2

[01:15:36] Band with a perfect discography?

[01:19:21] Name As Many Things As You Can In 45 Seconds!

[01:32:04] Jedi Survivor and the obligation (or not) of reviewers

[01:49:58] Outro

Follow us on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur

Steve: @monotonegent

Kevin: @KevinFlevin89