This week on Gaming: The Podcast John and Stace discuss the way in which Acid Nerve's Death's Door using its design of exploration and combat to create an atmosphere of peace in a harsh, unforgiving world.

Gaming: The Podcast is released every Tuesday and is bought to you by Indie By Design, creators of books and podcasts that delve into the history, culture and design of video games.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

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Its the final part of our Metal Gear Solid trilogy, in which John and Stace discuss the qualities, themes and design of Metal Gear Solid 2's opening Tanker sequence. Has there been a better opening to video game sequel?

Points of discussion include expecation/ hype versus delivery, foreshadowing of themes seen later in the game, new additions to enemy behaviour and Snake's actions, how the game teaches itself to players, what the game says about the act of playing games and much more.

Gaming: The Podcast is released every Tuesday and is bought to you by Indie By Design, creators of books and podcasts that delve into the history, culture and design of video games.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the second episode in Metal Gear Solid podcast trilogy. This week John and Stace focus on Metal Gear Solid 1's Shadow Moses facility location and how it has come to occupy such a revered place in the history of great video game settings.

The space is a triumph of both level design and in creating an atmosphere of narrative realism and intrigue. Given how small the actual playing area is, how has Hideo Kojima and his team managed to achieve such a sense of scale and deliver so many different meanings? What is it about the facility that stands the test of time and has been so influential for other designers?

Gaming: The Podcast is released every Tuesday and is bought to you by Indie By Design, creators of books and podcasts that delve into the history, culture and design of video games.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where does Metal Gear Solid rank in the history of great video game opening sequences?

This week John and Stace discuss the opening hour of the original Metal Gear Solid (1998), from the initial cut-scene to the Revolver Ocelot boss fight. The sequence is a masterclass of game design, narrative and originality, providing us with numerous concepts and ideas that have gone on to become commonplace across many games.

Our discussion of Metal Gear Solid comes ahead of our look at Metal Gear Solid 2 which celebrates its 20th anniversary on 13 November 2021.

Gaming: The Podcast is released every Tuesday and is bought to you by Indie By Design, creators of books and podcasts that delve into the history, culture and design of video games.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Twitter: @IndieByDesign

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week John Robertson and Stace Harman discuss what makes a great video game weapon and talk through some of their favourite examples.

Does a great weapon need to make sense within the world it exists? Does it need to play a role in the narrative? Does it need to be unique? Should it involve spectacle? What does it say about the game that it is a part of?

Check out our twitter bio below to get involved in the conversation and let us know which weapons you are most drawn to and why.

Gaming: The Podcast is released every Tuesday and is bought to you by Indie By Design, creators of books and podcasts that delve into the history, culture and design of video games.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Twitter: @IndieByDesign

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Gaming: The Podcast we're talking Back 4 Blood, Turtle Rock's spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead.

John Robertson and Stace Harman discuss where it sits in relation to Left 4 Dead's legacy, how well it balances its carnage, the nature of its progression and deck building systems and what our respective responses are emotionally and in terms of pure entertainment.

Gaming: The Podcast is released every Tuesday and is bought to you by Indie By Design, creators of books and podcasts that delve into the history, culture and design of video games.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Twitter: @IndieByDesign

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month we're talking about two very different RPGs in New World and NEO: The World Ends With You.

How does John think Amazon's brand new MMO, New World, is looking in its first week on full release? How exactly has NEO: The World Ends With You won over Stace, who is usually indifferent to JRPGs?

Gaming: The Podcast is released every Tuesday and is bought to you by Indie By Design, creators of books and podcasts that delve into the history, culture and design of video games.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Twitter: @IndieByDesign

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is the topic of discussion on this week's Gaming: The Podcast, with John coming to the game as a new player and Stace having a perspective gained from having played the original release in 2000.

We discuss whether or not the game is relevant and meaningful for those players coming to it without experience and nostalgia gained from playing it in past years and how different playing styles can result in wildly different interpretations of the core design.

Gaming: The Podcast is released every Tuesday and is bought to you by Indie By Design, creators of books and podcasts that delve into the history, culture and design of video games.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Twitter: @IndieByDesign

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How has Arkane Studios evolved their ideas and mechanics to make Deathloop a better game than Dishonored?

In this week's Gaming: The Podcast John Robertson and Stace Harman discuss Arkane Studios' Deathloop; How does it combined stealth and action gameplay? What interesting things does it do with death and time? How does the game react to your presence? How interest are the things it asks you to do?

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Twitter: @IndieByDesign

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On this episode of Gaming: The Podcast we discuss and put forward the best video game settings and locations.

Are there any concepts for settings that make us more interested in a game even if we know nothing more about it? What is it about some settings and locations that make them immediately more attractive and worthy of intrigue than others?

Games mentioned include Batman: Arkham Asylum, the Yakuza series, Resident Evil 1, Dead Space, Persona 5, Catherine, Final Fantasy 7, Ghost of Tsushima, NEO: The World Ends With You and more.

A video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.

Visit us at IndieByDesign.net

Twitter: @IndieByDesign

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.