(00:00:00) Choices and Divergences | Chrono Cross Analysis (Ep. 174)

(00:07:08) Viper Manor

(00:33:06) Escape to Guldove

(00:48:09) Saving Kid and the Hunt for the Frozen Flame

(01:11:41) Confrontation

(01:16:48) The Utility of the Silent Protagonist

(01:35:05) The Search for Self

(02:01:00) Parting the Dead Sea

(02:07:55) The Nature of Time

(02:39:16) Wrapping Up

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"“We…No..Everyone worked to save the planet’s future for nothing…It’s all because of you! You killed it! You…! So many lives were supposed to be saved…how could you do such a thing?! It’s all your fault that the world is going to end up like this, Serge! Murderer!"

The analysis of Chrono Cross continues! Co-host Chris (Retrograde Amnesia podcast) joins once more as the game begins to show contrasts—contrasts with its established tone, and contrasts to the ideals established by its predecessor, Chrono Trigger. Why struggle against fate? Is the universe fixed? Musings on determinism, a Zelbess mini-musical analysis, Fargo smokin' stogies, and much more. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!

Referenced Links:
Chrono Cross's beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds
How the greatest Japanese RPGs of the ‘90s came to the West
The Chrono Compendium

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:08:52) Development

(00:21:36) Visuals: Those Beautiful Backgrounds

(00:38:05) A Battle System Refresh

(01:04:00) Mitsuda: Still Great, Maybe Greater?

(01:15:16) Story Discussion: Return to the Sea

(01:28:13) Another World

(01:49:24) Termina

(01:52:52) 3 Weirdos and Viper Manor

(01:59:00) Wrapping Up

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon! You can also click here to join the free Discord server or connect with the show on Bluesky and Instagram!

"Nobody can take anything away from him. Nor can anyone give anything to him."

This week begins a look at Chrono Cross, the Playstation 1 follow-up to the critically acclaimed and fan-beloved Chrono Trigger. While sharing a namesake and a creative team, there is far more about Chrono Cross that differs from its older sibling than there is that makes them alike. Co-host Chris (Retrograde Amnesia podcast) joins the show to mull over what works—and more importantly why. Chrono Cross takes a lot of risks in its battle system, its cast of colorful weirdos, and, especially, its narrative identity...and that is where this conversation begins. Join us for the first of three episodes exploring this wonderful and weird JRPG gem. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!

Referenced Links:
Chrono Cross's beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds
How the greatest Japanese RPGs of the ‘90s came to the West

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon! You can also click here to join the free Discord server or connect with the show on Bluesky and Instagram!

"Legend tells of an ancient artifact that can grant a woman's wish..."

Fighting Game February comes to a close with Skullgirls, the indie fighter—excuse me, the handdrawn indie fighter, put some respect where it's due—that takes inspiration from fighting games, comics, and old-school movies alike. Mikey Tabletop (0-2 Heroes Podcast) joins as co-host to talk about why this game deserves more love than it gets. Between the gorgeous animation, the attention paid to competitive mechanics, and a soundtrack that's closer to "good jazz" than most games get (you too, New Vegas, sorry), it's easy to gush over Skullgirls. It's not all pleasantries though, as this game has been in the spotlight many a time for reasons less than admirable. All of this and more, to bring February to a close. Hope you love the show today. Enjoy!

Skullgirls Origins story mode
Skullgirls canonical(ish) timeline
Insaneintherain YouTube channel

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:09:12) Development History

(00:21:01) Visuals and Art Style

(00:37:21) Mechanics

(01:03:12) Music and Sound

(01:21:50) Story, TV Ads, and Stuck on the PS3

(01:36:15) Wrapping Up

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon! You can also click here to join the free Discord server or connect with the show on Bluesky and Instagram!

Hey, all! Pixel Project Radio here!

To break up Fighting Game February, Rick and Bill (Gaming and Collecting; 3DO Experience; Geek Addicts) jump into the 3D Kingdom of Dotnia in 3D Dot Game Heroes! This game—with credits from Fromsoft and Atlus!—was released to general favorability in 2009 but never made a notable impression. Perhaps this is why it's marooned on the PS3 and the PS3 only to this day! This is a very special game, and in this episode Rick and Bill break down why it deserves far more love than it gets: the infectious music, the self-referential and -parodic writing, the gorgeous marriage of 2D and 3D, and more. 3D Dot Game Heroes does so much right. It deserves more recognition—and we're gonna tell you about it! Hope you love the show today. Enjoy!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Fighters, Vipers, and Cars. Oh My! | Fighters Megamix (Ep. 170)

(00:11:24) Development

(00:23:10) Game Modes and Characters

(00:44:33) Visuals: VF3 > FV

(00:55:13) Burnin' Music

(01:05:22) Gameplay

(01:18:47) Wrapping Up

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon! You can also click here to join the free Discord server or connect with the show on Bluesky and Instagram!

"Fighting Festival" is a worse name...but not inaccurate.

This week is all about the Sega crossover bringing together Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers (as well as a few other surprises): Fighters Megamix! Co-host Chris (Retro Hangover podcast) joins to PKG throughout this mashup that's either a marketing ploy or a good time, depending on who you ask. It brought the Virtua Fighter engine, it brought some (at the time) not-yet-released moves from VF 3, it brought the armor and stage destruction mechanics of Fighting Vipers...and it brought Sonic the Fighters and Daytona USA into the ring, too. This is a game that means so much to me (Rick) and immediately takes me back to being a wee lad playing the first console I ever owned. We hope you love the show today. Enjoy!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Intro/What This Podcast Is

(00:10:13) Story and Lore

(00:19:37) Development

(00:26:26) Music

(00:38:20) Visuals and Art Style

(00:47:27) Mechanics

(01:19:28) Wrapping Up

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon! You can also click here to join the free Discord server or connect with the show on Bluesky and Instagram!

"Fighting February" has begun! We're trying something a little different this year and doing three fighting games this month. This episode features Under Night Inbirth, an anime fighter with combo-heavy gameplay and a supernatural-esque lore. Co-host and fighting game aficionado Raging Demon (Kommand List podcast) joins to parse out what makes this fighter so unique—and so criminally underrated. The insane story, the GRD system, the absolutely killer soundtrack...all this and more on this week's episode. Hope you love the show today. Enjoy!

Rooflemonger's Beginner Guide (Under Night II)
Nihongogamer's 10 Under Night Tips

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Introduction to the Podcast

(00:04:07) Personal Histories and Community Forum

(00:12:42) Development and Design Philosophy

(00:30:51) Mechanics

(01:01:41) Music and Sound

(01:17:27) Lore and Story

(01:58:32) Wrapping Up

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!
You can also click the following to join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!

"No cost too great. No mind to think. No will to break. No voice to cry suffering. Born of God and Void."

We're finally doing it: might be pretty late to the party, but today we're talking all about Hollow Knight, the metroidvania that had — and arguably still has — the gaming world rapt since 2017. Co-host Doug (Nostalgium Arcanum, Playing by Ear) joins the show to look into just what makes this game work...and what makes it work so impeccably well. Hollow Knight is rich with thematic strands, lurid visuals, affecting music, and enough lore to make even the most dedicated Wiki editor blush. Hope you love the show today. Enjoy!

Kotaku interview w/ Kirk Hamilton 
Team Cherry AMA 
Larkin Interview 
Full game script c/o mossbag



Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!
You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!

Hey folks! Please enjoy this bonus episode from the Patreon vaults. This episode was recorded and released in January of 2025.

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for a fantastic year. Creating this podcast and bringing fiction off of the page/screen brings me a lot of meaning. Here's to 2026!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!
You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!
You can also click the following to join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!

"A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself."

The NieR Automata analysis concludes! Joined by Dave (Tales from the Backlog), we talk through the final three endings of the game in detail. One of the game's main themes — that of a Will to live, a meaning to life to stave off what has been variously called "The Absurd," "Nihilism," and more — is on full display as we see more characters than not grapple with it. Between what the game presents and the supplemental lore canon, there's loads to talk about. Hope you love the show today. Enjoy!

Smash Interview with Yoko Taro
Interview with Yoko Taro and Yosuke Saito
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to [email protected]! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!