One Life Left

The mystery of the missing stamps is still ongoing. Or, for the returning Ann, it starts today. Given the recent announcement of a price rise this means that the absent package will be worth 8.5 percent more at the end of the month than it did when they were first sent. If we don't find them by the end of the year they will be likely worth millions.

We tried to work out if Switches were stereotyped, didn't try to work out what the plural of a Switch is, Ann forgot and then remembered a very good joke, and Simon got a bit upset about the Geforce Now. We also learnt about a cross promotion that Angry Birds was doing, but given it was Angry Birds maybe we should have said it was a very cross promotion. Clever wording we know, cheers.

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://www.gdconf.com/
https://twitter.com/SingMaraoke/status/1232681780412604417

Reviews:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tint/id1451786388
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1213550/Devils_Kiss/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1060600/Lair_of_the_Clockwork_God/
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch/DRAGON-QUEST-XI-S-Echoes-of-an-Elusive-Age-Definitive-Edition-1514406.html#
https://www.skookum-arts.com/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1033220/The_Amazing_Shrinking_Giraffe/

Tracklist:
1. Dante's dmg- 2020
https://chipmusic.org/9-Heart/music/gelegenheitsmusik-lsdj
2. Dumbug (UK) - Wonky
https://chipmusic.org/Dumbug+%28UK%29/music/wonky-[nanoloop27wip]

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What do you do for videogame news when your HR director/first choice newsreader is on approved holiday? Normally we would go to our second choice local newsreader, but he was watching 1917 for his 40th birthday and couldn't really be bothered to write anything (see also: all Local News features for the past two seasons). This meant Ste and Simon had to resort to crowdsurfing the news instead. Of course, they could have spent ten minutes writing some jokes themselves, but where is the fun in that.

Unfortunately for the show, but luckily for the prospective guest, and unluckily for Simon's affections we didn't manage to get a Super-Special Guest this week. This meant that we had some additional time to talk about VR and how it has changed over the past few years, but more importantly we spoke about how Ste has damaged VR headsets over the years.

We also explained our innovative ways that we loaded games in the past, tried to work out where our post was, and had a Mario Tennis review rally.

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLj-xibrpoM
https://www.humblebundle.com/games/vr-bundle
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p083chrx
https://noblefailure.org/

Reviews:
https://www.capybaragames.com/Grindstone/
https://www.bigant.com/all-game-list/ao-tennis-2/
https://hempuli.com/baba/
https://thewitcher.com/en/thronebreaker-witchertales
http://imageform.se/game/steamworld-quest/

Tracklist:
1. Acidic Void - End of Summer 98
https://chipmusic.org/AcidicVoid/music/end-of-summer-98
2. Sharp Edge - Climbing for Flowers
https://chipmusic.org/SharpEdge/music/sharp-edge---climbing-for-flowers

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Sorry for the late upload this week, real life got in the way for the Caretaker. In theory next week should be ok, but he also thought that this week was going to be fine so we'll see how that forecast goes.

In terms of this week's episode we didn't have a Super-Special Guest, but we did have a Super-Special Ann. We spoke about Ste and Simon creating content, we worked out what our individual Beat Saber styles were, and Simon saved the planet. Short intro we know, but if we go any longer this won't be uploaded until Sunday.

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://bluemaxima.org/flashpoint/
http://www.thetriforce.com/
https://meditations.games/
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cjcsurreyhalf

Reviews:
https://housemarque.com/games/resogun
https://vrwalkingdead.com/
https://cloudheadgames.com/pistol-whip/
https://www.megacrit.com/
https://games.sega.com/supermonkeyball/

Tracklist:
1. Cuby The Box - Bit Crush
https://chipmusic.org/CubyTheBox/music/bitcrush
2. Scanian Wolf - The Exclusive Animal Forest Animal Winter Party
https://chipmusic.org/ScanianWolf/music/the-exclusive-annual-forest-animal-winter-party

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After a break last week due to illness, work, and work illness two of the team returned to the studio to open double post, say testicle on air and work out how many countries there are. And by countries we might mean a sovereign state that's a member of the UN in its own right. Or maybe we don't.

At least we had Jennifer Schneidereit from Nyamyam Games in the studio as a Super-Special Guest. She spoke about her latest game Astrologaster, which is based on the real-life story of Simon Foreman, who claimed he could cure the plague by reading the stars. Unfortunately Astrologaster is such a good game that it resulted in Jennifer being cyber-stalked by Ste (from a safe, respectful distance). Next time, if you don't want to have Ste's attentions don't make a funny game, and don't include madrigals for each character in your game. It worked for the creator of Bangman.

We also played news snap, entered a new word into the Official OLL Style Guide, and tried to figure out what E3 activations are.

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://twitter.com/nyyjen
https://twitter.com/nyamyamgames
https://www.eagexpo.com/
https://actualrealityarcade.wordpress.com/

Reviews:
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch/The-Witcher-3-Wild-Hunt-Complete-Edition-1575086.html
https://www.oculus.com/quest/
https://www.oculus.com/vader-immortal/
https://beatsaber.com/
https://www.thebinarymill.com/gunclub_vr.php
https://www.tangletowergame.com/
https://www.patreon.com/sokpop
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/12658/Sokpop_Deluxe_Games/
https://www.humblebundle.com/g/temtem

Tracklist:

1. Coconums/Polterheist! - Infancy
   https://chipmusic.org/Coconums/music/polterheist!---infancy

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It's our 400th episode! To celebrate this non-provable fact we managed to successfully not answer any questions that our listeners sent in, launched the RIO scheme, and invented a new stamp.

More importantly, we had Deborah Mensah-Bonsu from Space Ape Games on as a Super-Special Guest. She was on to advertise the already sold-out Games For Good event, which is about how games can actually be for good. We already knew about this (see: Bangman) but it's still good to hear. Plus it means that you are all ahead of the curve to book tickets for the second annual Games For Good.

Ann also managed to get some good exclusives out of Deb around what games Space Ape is working on. We're looking forward to colourful years ahead.

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/games-for-good-tickets-83781164719
https://twitter.com/SpaceApeGames
https://twitter.com/debmensahbonsu
https://www.playdiaries.com/

Reviews:
https://thewitcher.com/en/witcher3
https://callofjuarez.com/
https://goose.game/
http://www.mychildlebensborn.com/
https://divinity.game/
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lego-builders-journey/id1441636691

Tracklist:

1. adaMills - Smooth Rider
   https://chipmusic.org/adaMills/music/smooth-rider

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We all know that the people who read this part of the podcast are more involved in OLL Lore than the average (Yo) Joe, so you might be able to answer a question that Team OLL have never been able to successfully do. Does a new season of OLL start after the Christmas break, or only after our summer holidays (like school)? Our methodology has changed over time, which means that we've been going for nearly 14 years yet have 20 seasons under our belts. 21 if you count this as a new one. Which we aren't. Yet.

But anyway.

Our first show back for a new decade sees the full team in the studio to talk about New Years parties, the best way to make roasties, and how we would all check games. We also had a news quiz, found out that Ste is a snitch and had a live GDC Maraoke update.

Next week is our 400th episode. Unless you count those OLL Knights episodes, or the literally unbroadcastable ones from GameCity. Anyone want to become the Official OLL Librarian?

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://gamesdonequick.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/588786941954588

Reviews:
http://imageform.se/game/steamworld-dig-2/
https://toast.gg/
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch/Dr-Kawashima-s-Brain-Training-for-Nintendo-Switch-1656777.html
https://divinity.game/
https://beatsaber.com/

Tracklist:

1. Tsuwami - Resolution
   https://chipmusic.org/Tsuwami/music/resolution

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We're writing this in a rush so that the episode gets uploaded before half past. Therefore this will be a very short introduction.

It's a full team episode with two Super-Special Guests. SSG One is Luke Williams from Bossa Studio talking about their new game - Surgeon Simulator 2 - that got announced at the Video Game Awards. And our Second Super-Special Guest (SSSG) was Sarah Brin, who took us on an audio tour of Meow Wolf's immersive exhibition in Santa Fe.

Cheerio and see you next year!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg
https://twitter.com/eternz
https://twitter.com/dinosaurrparty
https://twitter.com/gracebruxner
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8404614/
http://www.adhousebooks.com/comics/popehats1.html

Reviews:
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch/The-Witcher-3-Wild-Hunt-Complete-Edition-1575086.html
https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/peggle/peggle-blast
https://noitagame.com/
http://www.cardofdarkness.com/
https://frogdetective.net/
https://zaumstudio.com/#
https://wanderso.ng/
http://www.wilmotswarehouse.com/

Tracklist:

1. Chvrches - Death Stranding
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFGq92BYmt4

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It's another full studio this week as Ann, Ste and Simon welcomed Leo Zullo and Gareth Williams on the show to not talk about their day jobs. Instead we let them tell us all about Safe In Our World, which is the charity they co-founded that has the aim to promote and improve mental health in the videogame industry. They've helped Emily Richards remaster her Bafta award-winning game Fractured Minds, which is available to purchase and download on all major platforms.

In a Schaffer-centred start to the show we found out how old Lewis is, what he eats, and what time of the year it is best to wear his headphones. Simon went viral, Ann told us about her special advent calendar, and Ste sang dark songs with his daughter. But most of all, we were disappointed by Google.

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://safeinourworld.org/
https://twitter.com/SafeInOurWorld
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/oxsong
https://twitter.com/leo_zullo
https://twitter.com/Shakacarnage

Reviews:
https://www.ea.com/games/peggle/peggle-blast
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/marvels-spider-man-ps4/
https://noitagame.com/
https://www.lostember.com/
http://oldmansjourney.com/
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/death-stranding-ps4/
https://www.devolverdigital.com/games/heave-ho

Tracklist:

1. Oxventure Presents - Literally Everyone Else in the World
   https://youtu.be/_gZmP3wcuiU

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War? Huh? What is it good for? Giving videogame podcasts an easy introduction when they're a bit stuck for ideas. And now it's a good idea for a card game. We had Ivar and Gundi in from 1939 Games to talk about Kards (with a K), a card game based on World War II. It allows alliances to be made across the divide, and friendship is always the main aim of One Life Left. Just ask Keith Stuart and Simon Parkinson for proof.

Ivar and Gundi told us how 1939 Games was started, how easy is it to get a grant from the Icelandic government, and what it was like moving from CCP Games to 1939 Games. Kards has been in early access since April, but will be officially launched in February. It's going to have a physical card version as well as a computer one.

It was a super full studio this week as Ann didn't have secret work to do, Simon wasn't doing secret work in Tenerife and Ste didn't have to lecture any sleeping students. We also tried to work out the mysteries of the University of Chichester, remembered how good looking the Bitmap Brothers were, and clarified how comfy Everyman cinemas were.

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://twitter.com/KARDSccg
https://twitter.com/1939GAMES
https://www.kards.com/
https://blog.counter-strike.net/
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/maraoke-christmas-party-tickets-82942185309

Reviews:
https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/fifa/fifa-20
https://www.minionmastersthegame.com/
https://rival-games.com/tot/
https://www.ea.com/games/peggle/peggle-blast
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/marvels-spider-man-ps4/
https://noitagame.com/
https://www.capybaragames.com/Grindstone/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1076880/Air_Marty/

Tracklist:

1. Tsuwami - After Dark
   https://chipmusic.org/Tsuwami/music/after-dark

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It's literally a two man crew in the studio this week as Ann was away doing work stuff. And whilst Simon was back from Tenerife he sounded a little distant at the beginning. Luckily this meant that Ste could use this space to develop his range of videogame journalist impressions in his latest attempt to become Rory Bremner. Rory B-REM-ner, if you will, and you probably won't.

We found out what Simon had been doing in Tenerife, Ste moved into the world of triple-A games, and we took the opportunity to literally settle some old scores. Clever wording we know, cheers.

Cheerio!
Team OLL x

Links:
https://lovenikki.world/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Me-Mike-Yarwood/dp/0352398302
https://noitagame.com/

Reviews:
https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/jedi-fallen-order
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch/Luigi-s-Mansion-3-1437312.html

Tracklist:

1. Klamm - Magical Sounds
   https://chipmusic.org/Klamm/music/magical-sounds

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