Glass House Games

“I have to talk to a f***king stump four times to confirm that I want to create a shovel! ” – Alex P

Alex P, Samantha, Shay, and Alex CG reflect on Animal Crossing New Horizons, Nintendo’s newest iteration of the series that took the quarantined world by storm. What does it mean for a game to be truly accessible, and where is the line between elegance and intricacy. Also, favourite villagers and Harvey is a creep.

Links:

https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/qj4kdx/sex-work-animal-crossing-new-horizons-bdsm-financial-domination

https://www.polygon.com/2020/8/6/21357474/selena-gomez-animal-crossing-new-horizons-acnh-animal-talking-gary-whitta-twitch-past-life-trevor

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/03/26/second-life-enjoys-surprising-renaissance-social-distancers/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52269671

Reflections are scored individually on a scale from love to hate, and then a group Glass House Games verdict is determined using our magical algorithm.

Send your thoughts to [email protected]

https://twitter.com/GHGshow

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http://patreon.com/glasshousemedia

glasshouse.games

“I don’t love you, Shay” - Alex CG

Alex CG (they/them), Samantha (she/her), Alex P (he/him) and Shay (she/her), talk about the pandemic and some of the major news in gaming in the months since Glass House’s hiatus. Most of all they talk about what it’s like being back, how their gaming habits have changed, and unexpected revelations that staying inside a lot makes possible!

We've also launched our Patreon so if you enjoy our content, please consider supporting us! 

Links:

The Racial Justice Bundle - https://itch.io/b/520/bundle-for-racial-justice-and-equality

Animal Crossing Sales - https://www.ign.com/articles/animal-crossing-new-horizons-sales-reach-22-million-as-nintendos-net-profits-rise-over-500-year-on-year

Early reports on streaming and gaming stressing internet traffic - https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2020/03/25/covid-19-pushes-up-internet-use-70-streaming-more-than-12-first-figures-reveal/

The Original Scratchware Manifesto - https://www.homeoftheunderdogs.net/scratch.php

There was no snack this week because some of us were incorporeal beings projected on a screen!

Send your thoughts to [email protected]

https://twitter.com/GHGshow

https://www.instagram.com/ghgshow/

http://patreon.com/GHGshow

glasshouse.games

"There's too many keyboard warriors. I'm like 'let's do this IRL!'" – Shay

Jordan, Shay, and Sam talk about GDC and E3 after both events have been cancelled or postponed this year over coronavirus concerns. Given this and other issues with the accessibility of GDC and the changing relevance of E3, we discuss what video game events offer, and how much of that could be carried over to new formats: in different countries, smaller and more often, or even entirely online. After a whistle-stop tour through some of our favourite events in the UK, we consider what we would want in an ideal video games event.

Links:

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-03-06-mojang-cancels-minecraft-festival-real-world-event-over-coronavirus-concerns

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-03-07-south-by-southwest-cancelled-due-to-coronavirus

https://twitter.com/E3/status/1237769050123534336

https://www.polygon.com/2020/2/28/21156431/gdc-2020-canceled-postponed-coronavirus-epic-games-unity-playstation-ea-activision-blizzard-covid-19

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-02-21-should-gdc-move-to-canada

https://twitter.com/tha_rami/status/1226811912857497605

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/02/13/visa-restrictions-prevented-two-pakistani-women-attending-gdc-so-they-made-game-about-it/

This week’s snack was: madeleines! You can find a recipe in Eric Lanlard’s book Home Bake. This week’s special bonus snack was: sea salt cheese lava cake! You can try it for yourself at Kova Patisserie in London.  

Join the conversation at https://glasshouse.games

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“What did the goo do for me?” – Alex CG  

Jordan, Shay, and Alex CG reflect on Journey to the Savage Planet, a game about exploring a colourful alien planet by shooting things, collecting stuff, and unlocking upgrades. We discuss what motivates us as players and whether Journey to the Savage Planet has it, and whether the game’s zany humour has anything interesting to say.  

This episode contains spoilers.  

Links: 

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20... 

https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/journey-to... 

Reflections are scored individually on a scale from love to hate, and then a group Glass House Games verdict is determined using our magical algorithm.  

Join the conversation at https://glasshouse.games

Send your thoughts to [email protected]

Follow @GHGshow on Twitter and Instagram

“Dude, you turn chicken shit into some... palatable chicken salad.” – Carl.

Jordan, Maggie, Alex P, and special guest Carl Anka discuss video game movies. Maggie shares what she thought of Sonic the Hedgehog, Alex P defends 1993’s Super Mario Bros., and Carl… well, Carl has seen a LOT of video game movies and has basically been waiting his entire life for the chance to talk about them.

This episode contains spoilers for some old video game movies but we tried very hard NOT to spoil Detective Pikachu.

Links:

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/antonio-banderas-uncharted-movie-tom-holland-1203520345/

https://twitter.com/tyson_hesse/status/1194331183351357440

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/one-of-vancouver-s-biggest-players-in-film-animation-shutters-weeks-before-christmas-1.5393522

https://www.polygon.com/2020/2/16/21139914/sonic-the-hedgehog-box-office-record-video-game-movie-detective-pikachu-tomb-raider

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/feb/19/sonic-the-hedgehog-fans-movie-critics

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-02-13-sonic-the-hedgehog-movie-review-a-charmless-cut-and-paste-job

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/mar/22/super-mario-bros-movie-killing-fields-chariots-fire-video-game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgXjQwVa8kU&feature=youtu.be

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/jul/16/inside-street-fighter-movie-jean-claude-van-damme-kylie-minogue

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/9gaskk/video_games_movies_that_dont_completely_suck/

https://www.vulture.com/2016/12/every-video-game-movie-ranked-bad-to-worse.html

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/feb/26/tekken-the-fighting-game-that-takes-womens-stories-seriously

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6561-OqUzl8&feature=youtu.be

https://onezero.medium.com/hacker-video-games-are-experiencing-a-renaissance-eac333cf1ea2

This week’s snack was: (triforce-shaped) lemon cake! You can find the recipe in The Violet Bakery Cookbook.

Join the conversation at https://glasshouse.games

Send your thoughts to [email protected]

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“Ours was a big independent chain, not a Costa, called the Bean Scene...which before I was there, used to think was a different kind of club” – Sam  

Sam, Shay, and Jordan reflect on Coffee Talk, a part visual novel, part coffee maker game by Toge Productions. We talk about being a real and fictional barista, what helps us relax and just what the hell is going on with Neil.  

This episode contains spoilers.  

Links: 

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qj...

http://www.firstpersonscholar.com/how...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qap5...

https://east.paxsite.com/

https://youtu.be/xKlsQa6a1_U

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Robot-Seaso...  

Reflections are scored individually on a scale from love to hate, and then a group Glass House Games verdict is determined using our magical algorithm.  

Join the conversation at https://glasshouse.games

Send your thoughts to [email protected]

Follow @GHGshow on Twitter and Instagram

"So our call to action then for this episode is to Google 'assless chaps.' Or use your search engine of choice!" - Jordan

Jordan, Sam, Maggie, and Alex P talk about remakes, remasters, reimaginings? Reboots? Given the imminent release of Final Fantasy VII Remake, we ask: what’s the difference between a remake and remaster anyway? What should modernised versions bring forward from the past and what should they leave behind? Why is 2018’s Shadow of the Colossus the best, and 2017’s Metroid: Samus Returns the worst?

This episode contains spoilers for Modern Warfare, Final Fantasy VII, and Samus Returns.

Links:

https://sea.ign.com/switch/157561/news/activision-planning-to-release-several-remasters-in-2020

https://www.gameindustry.com/podcasts/argue-the-toss/the-history-of-game-remakes-and-remasters/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/key-difference-between-video-game-film-remakes-1267380

https://www.bluepointgames.com/

https://youtu.be/tnNJo_-v1EU

https://twitter.com/GHGshow/status/1231201978912509953

https://venturebeat.com/2019/05/13/oddworld-soulstorm-first-look-an-ambitious-retelling-of-a-classic-anti-consumerism-fable/

https://www.vg247.com/2018/12/13/shadow-colossus-great-reminder-modern-open-world-games-suck/

This week’s snack was: tiffin! Make your own: crush biscuits, combine them with melted butter and golden syrup, add dried fruit and/or nuts, press the mix into a baking tray and chill, then add melted chocolate on top and chill again.

Join the conversation at https://glasshouse.games

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"... Over the course of two hours he watches it burn to ashes... and that's the show!" - Alex P  

Alex P, Maggie, and Sam, reflect on Kentucky Route Zero, a “magical realist adventure game” a decade in the making from Cardboard Computer. We talk about art influencing games, unique development cycles, and the wild west of American television.  

This episode contains spoilers.  

Links:

Free games from the dev! http://cardboardcomputer.com/games/    

Original Kickstarter for the game  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...    

Intro to Robert Bresson https://filmschoolrejects.com/stingy-...   

Early David Lynch crash-course https://filmschoolrejects.com/david-l...   

Interview about the long road of development https://www.polygon.com/interviews/20...   

Reflections are scored individually on a scale from love to hate, and then a group Glass House Games verdict is determined using our magical algorithm.

Join the conversation at https://glasshouse.games

Send your thoughts to [email protected]

Follow @GHGshow on Twitter and Instagram

"They're not leather daddies, they're fathers!" - Alex P.

Jordan, Sam, and Alex P talk about LGBTQ representation in video games, with a brief history of some early examples, a deep discussion of what more modern games do right and wrong, and a look at some smaller explicitly queer games.

Is it better for RPGs with romanceable characters to make them all pansexual so they’re attracted to the player character no matter what, or does that erase the diversity of sexualities? Should trans characters be voiced by trans actors? And why are video games so afraid to let men kiss other men?

Also: Jordan forgets the term “sexual humiliation”, and everyone needs a moment to think about Kassandra’s biceps.

This episode contains spoilers for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, The Last of Us: Left Behind, and Gone Home.

Links:

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/lgbt-history-month-uk-when-february-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-queer-community-celebration-a8755966.html

https://glasshouse.games/post/ghg-talks-the-sims-black-widows-and-mansion-barons-with-the-english-simmer

https://glasshouse.games/post/ghg-talks-romance-in-games-character-crushes-and-bread-boys

https://glasshouse.games/post/ghg-talks-uk-games-industry-census-diversity-and-raisethegame-with-ukie

https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/23/archives/the-issue-is-subtle-the-debate-still-on-the-apa-ruling-on.html

https://www.government.se/articles/2018/07/chronological-overview-of-lgbt-persons-rights-in-sweden/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-34910016

https://www.wired.com/2008/08/captain-rainb-1/

https://kotaku.com/how-not-to-address-homosexuality-in-gaming-5232808

https://www.xboxachievements.com/game/bully-scholarship-edition/achievement/13570-OVER-THE-RAINBOW.html

https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Romance

https://ew.com/gaming/2018/10/09/assassins-creed-odyssey-lgbtq/

https://www.fanbyte.com/trending/video-games-bisexuals/

This week’s snack was: chocolate crackles! Jordan used a recipe from the book The Great British Bake Off: How to Bake, but you can find a similar recipe in your search engine of choice.

Join the conversation at https://glasshouse.games

Send your thoughts to [email protected]

Follow @GHGshow on Twitter and Instagram

“It is a truly defining game in the Strand genre!” – Shay  

The whole crew is here to run through all the games that mattered to us from 2019. It was a long day of deliberation and banter and we ended up with a ranked list and our game of the year.  Our rankings, as well as individual top 5s from each member of the team, can be found on our website.  

This episode contains minor spoilers which are verbally flagged.

Timestamps for every game mentioned:

Eternal Castle - 8:48

Ace Combat - 11:12

Slay the Spire - 14:48

Pikuniku - 18:00

Kingdom Hearts 3 - 20:38

Resident Evil 2 - 23:33

Sunless Skies - 27:46

Apex Legends - 32:29

Stillness of the Wind - 38:26

Tetris 99 - 43:29

Metro Exodus - 48:44

Anthem - 52:13

Ape Out - 54:41

Devil May Cry 5 - 1:02:07

Hypnospace Outlaw - 1:05:13

Baba Is You - 1:11:57

The Division 2 - 1:19:08

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - 1:22:49

Islanders - 1:33:01

Heavens Vault - 1:38:29

Katana Zero - 1:41:36

Mortal Kombat 11 - 1:43:09

SteamWorld Quest - 1:45:55

Astrologaster - 1:49:26

A Plague Tale: Innocence - 1:58:11

Observation - 2:04:24

Total War: Three Kingdoms - 2:13:17

Void Bastards - 2:15:20

Outer Wilds - 2:16:43

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - 2:24:33

Super Mario Maker 2 - 2:27:38

Can Androids Pray - 2:29:31

Elsinore - 2:34:01

Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 2:36:21

A Short Hike - 2:39:35

Control - 2:44:09

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey - 2:47:24

Wilmot’s Warehouse - 2:49:52

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan - 2:51:56

Kind Words: Lofi Chill Beats to Write To - 2:54:28

Overland - 2:57:34

Sayonara Wild Hearts - 3:02:41

Assemble with Care - 3:08:55

Untitled Goose Game - 3:13:15

Cat Quest 2 - 3:16:55

Disco Elysium - 3:19:29

The Outer Worlds - 3:24:42

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - 3:26:55

Afterparty - 3:30:00

Mosaic - 3:32:57

Wattam - 3:34:08

Links:

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-04-18-islanders-is-a-city-builder-with-new-ideas

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/352585/Game_Design_Deep_Dive_The_creative_camaraderie_behind_Wilmots_Warehouse.php

http://www.greyaliengames.com/ancientenemy/index.php

https://www.talkingsimulator.com/podcast/2019/6/4/heavens-vault-with-philippa-warr

https://www.talkingsimulator.com/podcast/2019/5/21/astrologaster-with-katharine-neil

https://onezero.medium.com/live-die-repeat-how-time-loops-took-over-video-games-5f1604566d17

https://www.talkingsimulator.com/podcast/2019/7/30/elsinore-with-katie-chironis

https://www.talkingsimulator.com/podcast/2019/7/15/outer-wilds-with-maggie-tan

Join the conversation at https://glasshouse.games 

Send your thoughts to [email protected]

Follow @GHGshow on Twitter and Instagram