Left Trigger Right Trigger

We're so, so happy to welcome our guest Ellie Karavas to this very special episode of Left Trigger Right Trigger. Ellie is a musician, producer, and retro game collector who proposed the topic of Cards, resulting in Greg's immediate combustion. You can find Ellie's record label over at Jam Eater Records (which also has a great podcast and a patreon that you should check out) and her retro collector YouTube channel over at Jam Eater Gaming.

Listeners, this is it. The episode you've all been waiting for. We finally answer the question you've all been asking for the last three years of this show: what can Kenny Rogers' The Gambler teach us about game design? Greg shows us when to hold 'em. Ellie discusses when to fold 'em. Dave decides when to walk away. Colin figures out when to run. And Giovanni? Well... G knows the best you can hope for is to die in your sleep. That's cards, folks!

We've been streaming fairly consistently over at twitch.tv/lefttriggerrighttrigger, so please give us a follow over there. If you want to catch up on past streams you can find them over on our YouTube page. You can also give us a follow on Twitter (@LTRTCast) or on the Left Trigger Right Trigger Facebook Page. We'd also really appreciate if you take a moment to give us a rate and review on Apple Podcasts.

Games discussed include Magic: The Gathering Arena, The Pokémon Trading Card Game (1 & 2), Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul, Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Gwent

To all our listeners, we love you and we hope this episode helps you endure the everlong, unending events of 2020. And you know, maybe this episode title is a little on the nose, but we know podcasts that use subtext and they're all cowards.

Listeners, this episode is a lighthearted romp through Hell - a useful metaphor for, well, a lot of things it turns out. Greg is banished to the spirit realm for the second time in the history of this podcast. Colin tries to vape the water NASA found on the moon. Dave reveals to no one's surprise that he's the only Yu-Gi-Oh expert in the room. Giovanni explores the real world bullet hell of walking down the street.

Games discussed include: Afterparty, Lucah: Born of a Dream, Afterlife, Last Word

We've been streaming fairly consistently over at twitch.tv/lefttriggerrighttrigger, so please give us a follow over there. If you want to catch up on past streams you can find them over on our YouTube page. You can also give us a follow on Twitter (@LTRTCast) or on the Left Trigger Right Trigger Facebook Page. We'd also really appreciate if you take a moment to give us a rate and review on Apple Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Politics of The Self in LUCAH: Born of a Dream - Catherine Brinegar and Jessica Harvey, RE:BIND

Listeners... welcome to a scary, creepy, terrifying episode 70 minute blooper. Our most prolific guest and least prolific friend Andrew Zucosky joins us once again to discuss a topic close to everyones' hearts: Masks. Except it wasn't supposed to be masks? Look, this episode has a solid twist about an hour in so make sure you stick around for that.

Giovanni breaks with the flock and decides not to be a duck. Colin almost turns this into yet another Destiny podcast. Dave quite literally deflates towards the end of the episode. Greg sabotages this whole episode.

Games discussed include: World of Warcraft, Champions Online, Dota 2, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, and Hotline Miami

Show Notes:

Baldur's Gate 3 makers tell players to stop being so basic- Cass Marshall, Polygon

Important note - Giovanni, Dave, and Greg are all in a band called Duckspeak that just released their latest album, Death To All Kings. You can check it out on any streaming service or purchase it from their bandcamp (duckspeak.bandcamp.com). Thanks for listening!

The videogame industry is undergoing a lot of turmoil these days. Toxic executives are being ousted. Studios that stated they intended to avoid crunch are forcing their staff to work 6 day weeks. Publishers continue to buy, sell, and gut studios as they wish. It's a wild time, so we thought we'd take this episode to get a little serious and cover some important and timely issues in the industry. Instead, we argued about sandwiches for 12 minutes.

For real though we do eventually highlight some of our favorite studios in the context of a difficult, awful industry. Get ready for a real one, listeners. Giovanni digs a hole. Greg divulges his recipe for vegan mayo. Dave ponders where the "style" of a studio resides. Colin makes this all about capitalism once again.

Games (and studios) discussed include: SteamWorld Dig (Image & Form), Bastion (Supergiant Games), Crusader Kings 3 (Paradox Interactive), and Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine)

Show Notes:

This Crusader Kings 3 player ate the Pope - Christopher Livingston, PC Gamer

Paradox Interactive's QA staff allege poor treatment, low pay, and mismanaged layoffs - Imogen Beckhelling, Rock Paper Shotgun

Game Developers Behind Dead Cells, Night in the Woods, and More Share Why the Co-Op Studio Model Works - Caty McCarthy, US Gamer

Important announcement - from September 20 - 26 there's a very special charity drive going on over at Mars' Best Brisket. It's a weeklong audio comedy event raising money for Lovin' Spoonfuls, a food rescue located in Boston. There are some super talented and funny people you can hear in a short run of episodes. If you can, please go support their charity drive right here:

• Gofundme for Lovin' Spoonful by Mars Best Brisket

Listeners! It's time to put on a cozy sweater, grab a mug of tea, and stumble off an unseen ledge, perishing instantly. The topic is Fall and we discuss all the different permutations of that word. Colin ponders about brain chemicals. Greg goes back to school. Dave forgets how to talk as soon as the episode starts. Giovanni explains Gundam to us. It's Fall, whatever that means!

Games discussed include Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, Dauntless, Assassin's Creed, and Mixolumia

Human beings. Together. On the Internet. Interacting. Relating. Feeling Emotions. Having thoughts. This is what we call a social way of living. And Left Trigger Right Trigger is what we call this podcast.

The topic is Social and that means we cover all the wild ways we engage in games with multiple people. Colin founds a digital government. Dave gets thoughtful about suffrage. Giovanni installs patented cyberware into his body. Greg becomes a Fortnite streamer.

Games discussed include: NationStates, Everybody Votes, PlayStation Home, and Golf with Your Friends.

If you thought we couldn't squeeze any more gimmicks or bad jokes into Double-O August then listeners, we are pleased to inform you that you've underestimated just how malleable, stretchable, and compressible this show can be. Get ready for GOO, a topic that absolutely none of our listeners asked for! Giovanni explores Goo as a thematic foil for non-goo beings. Greg pitches a new egg-replacement product. Colin coins the term WAG (Wet Ass Gooigi). Dave ruins our show notes (make sure to check those below).

We're streaming over on twitch.tv/lefttriggerrighttrigger - join us every Thursday at 7:30 ET as we raise money for The Bail Project and play through Final Fantasy VII Remake Hard Mode! We're going to be raising money every week until we finish the game. Come join us!

If you want to catch up on past streams you can find them over on our YouTube page. You can also give us a follow on Twitter (@LTRTCast) or on the Left Trigger Right Trigger Facebook Page. We'd also really appreciate if you take a moment to give us a rate and review on Apple Podcasts.

Games discussed include: World of Goo, Luigi's Mansion 3, ARMS, and Ring Fit Adventure

Show Notes:

Helix's Horrible Screams

The scourge of Double-O August (Oogust, or Augoost) is upon us once again! And this time the topic is... Good. It's just Good. The episode is a pretty decent one. There are some jokes and some actually relevant points. Not amazing but you know. It's good. Greg invents a new language. Giovanni longs for a time when games could just be. Colin peddles soft Marxism. Dave ponders if anyone can ever be truly "Good."

We're streaming over on twitch.tv/lefttriggerrighttrigger - join us every Thursday at 7:30 ET as we raise money for The Bail Project and play through Final Fantasy VII Remake Hard Mode! We're going to be raising money every week until we finish the game. Come join us!

If you want to catch up on past streams you can find them over on our YouTube page. You can also give us a follow on Twitter (@LTRTCast) or on the Left Trigger Right Trigger Facebook Page. We'd also really appreciate if you take a moment to give us a rate and review on Apple Podcasts.

Games discussed include: Ghost of Tshishima, Dance Dance Revolution, Offworld Trading Company, and InFamous.

There is an ocean in our soul where the waters do not curve. Unfortunately in this episode we are completely full of curves - believe us when we say the first 20 minutes or so are a journey. Sorry and you're welcome. Giovanni gets upset at constant references to his own music. Greg searches for sunken treasure. Colin gets a little salty. Dave stares into the endless black abyss. It's fun for the whole family.

We're streaming over on twitch.tv/lefttriggerrighttrigger - join us every Thursday at 7:30 ET as we raise money for The Bail Project and play through Final Fantasy VII Remake Hard Mode! We're going to be raising money every week until we finish the game. Come join us!

If you want to catch up on past streams you can find them over on our YouTube page. You can also give us a follow on Twitter (@LTRTCast) or on the Left Trigger Right Trigger Facebook Page. We'd also really appreciate if you take a moment to give us a rate and review on Apple Podcasts.

Games discussed include: Pokémon Sapphire, Sea Salt, Abzu, and Sea of Thieves.

Welcome to Left Trigger Right Trigger, the Sufjan Stevens Podcast about Sufjan Stevens and starring 1) Sufjan Stevens 2) Isaac Brock 3) Sufjan Stevens (again) and 4) A Youth Pastor or Something. As we do every episode on LTRT, the Sufjans convene to discuss an important theme throughout videogames. This time, it's Tone! You won't believe the lengths we go to in order to avoid saying the phrase ludonarrative dissonance.

Sufjan explains why the 50 States Project isn't finished. Isaac growls for a bit. Sufjan (the other one) explains why capitalism is bad. The Youth Pastor talks about how he broke up a fight on the subway with a fart.

We're streaming over on twitch.tv/lefttriggerrighttrigger - join us every Thursday at 7:30 ET as we raise money for The Bail Project and play through Final Fantasy VII Remake Hard Mode! We're going to be raising money every week until we finish the game. Come join us!

If you want to catch up on past streams you can find them over on our YouTube page. You can also give us a follow on Twitter (@LTRTCast) or on the Left Trigger Right Trigger Facebook Page. We'd also really appreciate if you take a moment to give us a rate and review on Apple Podcasts.

Games discussed include Borderlands 3, Persona 4: Golden, Beeswing, and Ori and the Blind Forest

Show Notes:

On Beeswing, Joy In Death, And The 'Grandma Money Shot' - Nathan Grayson, Rock Paper Shotgun