Gamer’s Advocate

Ready to feast on some nostalgia? 🦃🎮 In this special edition of our podcast, hosts AMKomnenos, BananaHammockRepublic, and Legion sit down to carve into their earliest gaming memories—from pixel-perfect magic to those “did the console just eat my save file?” moments. We’re talking retro consoles, first gaming heartbreaks, childhood triumphs, and the games that made us fall in love with the hobby in the first place. As we gather around the virtual table, we can’t help but feel extra thankful for the incredible moments gaming has given us over the years. After all… what better time than Thanksgiving to appreciate the games that stuffed our childhoods full of joy? So pull up a chair, grab a plate of leftovers, and join us as we give thanks-for-gaming and share stories that'll warm your heart more than pumpkin pie fresh out of the oven.

Join our AMKomnenos and Legion for a quick discussion of the latest announcement from Valve regarding the Steam Machine! We take a look at the specs of the new console, the design of the new controller, and the role these new products can play in gaming. This leads to a great discussion of the role that Valve and tech in general plays in the gaming industry. Feel free to join in the discussion with your comments! Are you looking forward to the new Steam machine or controller?

Join our AMKomnenos, BananaHammockRepublic, and Legion as we look back at games we never got around to finishing. We (eventually) discuss games that just couldn't hold our interest, games that were just too hard, and all the other reasons we had for leaving games un-finished. Sometimes it's a mechanic in the game, sometimes it's the community surrounding the game, and sometimes it's just the wrong place, wrong time, but we hold ourselves accountable for all the games we never completed and discuss what it even means to complete a game. Feel free to let us know the games you never got to finish in the comments!

Join Banana and Legion for a discussion of Dragon Age companions. We continue the pattern of evaluating BioWare companions in this initial discussion of the first 3 companions we meet in Dragon Age: Origins. We take a look at Alistair, Morrigan, and our trusty Mabari hound in this episode. This conversation will be overwhelming from our memory of playing through these games in the very distant past of our youth, so bear with us. Feel free to weigh in with your own comments on these companions!

Join our resident doctors, (Disclaimer: No one on this podcast is a medical professional.) AMKomnenos, Banana, and Legion as they dive into the world of the white mage and discuss healing in video games. They take a look at the various ways video games have tried to reconcile the time-sensitive need of video games with the slow, drawn-out process of healing (especially for these old guys). Do we want realism in games when it comes to healing, or are we willing to accept a deus ex machina for the sake of keeping the pace?

Join AMKomnenos, Banana, and Legion, as they tackle the concept of tutorials in gaming. Since tutorials are often the first experience gamers get with a new game, it's important for developers to get it right. Which games got it right, and which ones blew it? What makes for a good tutorial? Feel free to weigh in with your comments and let us know what games stood out in their tutorials! 

In this episode of our gaming podcast, hosts BananaHammockRepublic, AMKomnenos, and Legion dive into the timeless games that have kept us hooked for years. From the strategic depth of Civilization to the epic worlds of Warcraft, we explore what keeps us coming back—whether it’s the thrill of conquest, nostalgia-fueled campaigns, or the endless replayability that defines these classics. Join the conversation as we share personal stories, favorite moments, and why some games never really leave our hard drives. 👉 Tune in, relax, and let’s talk about the games that won’t let go.

In this episode, AMKomnenos, BananaHammockRepublic, and Legion discuss the idea of consequences in video games. Some games definitely do a better job of respecting a player's decisions, and implementing consequences for those decisions into the story of the game. We take a look at the games that did it well, and those that dropped the ball and made player decisions feel meaningless. What games did you feel did consequences well, or which games really blew it? Let us know in the comments!

In this episode, AMKomnenos, BananaHammockRepublic, and Legion sit down to discuss the role of magic in video games. We dig into the different ways of describing magical systems and the way an approach to magic can influence the available methods of storytelling. Feel free to share your favorite magical spells or systems in the comments!

In this episode, BananaHammockRepublic and Legion sit down to share their personal gaming habits and routines that get them locked into the gamer zone. From quirky rituals to tried-and-true setups, the hosts break down what helps them stay focused, energized, and ready for long sessions. Whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore grinder, you’ll find some relatable—and maybe even surprising—insights into the life of dedicated gamers. Please share your opinions in the comments!