What happens when you create a series that launches an entire genre? While Metroid may not have been the first ‘metroidvania’, it and its predecessors are certainly the ones we look to as the standard bearer. Metroid Dread comes long after the Cambrian explosion of the metroidvania genre, but proves that the series and its new developers at Mercury Steam, are able to hang with the best of them. Metroid Dread iterates on Metroid Fusion’s introduction of being hunted and inclusion of horror elements while upping the ante graphically and gameplay-wise with stunning (and often challenging) boss fights. As the (as of now) final episode in the Metroid series, chronologically speaking, it is a fitting send off for the truly iconic bounty hunter hero, Samus Aran. Bryan and Josh report on their mission to planet ZDR and their experiences with the series and the genre more broadly in this wide-ranging discussion of Metroid: Dread.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Subtly-guided tour

Josh - A Classic, Polished

Show Notes:

Maddy Myers history of metroid

International Cat Day has recently passed and to celebrate the Pixelated Playgrounds crew leapt at the opportunity to play the cat game that everyone is talking about: Stray! This game is getting a lot of attention, so much so that we even had friends reaching out to see if we’d be playing it. Developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive the game poses several interesting questions that the crew endeavors to answer: Will we reunite our cat with his family? What happened to all of the humans? Why are those robots wearing hats? And most pressingly: Is this a great cat game, or just a great game in general? (Spoilers: its a great game no matter how you frame it). The evocative cyberpunk aesthetic and stunning original soundtrack by Yann Van Der Cruyssen will keep you lapping up the entire experience. So listen in for the opinions of a cat lover, a cat tolerator, and a cat avoider (guess who is who), as we break down the indie sensation, Stray.

Three Word Reviews:

Josh - Cyber City Kitty

Bryan - Future Feline Featurette

Clint - Pass the Inhaler

Show Notes:

Save the Cat! a popular screenwriting trope

Incredible soundtrack available on vinyl

Playing as Spyro

Hailing from Skövde, the same town that brought us Iron Gate’s Valheim, Stunlock Studios’ VRising has a new twist on the survival genre: make it a vampiric quest for power with a top down, diablo-inspired interface. Bryan, Josh, and Clint quickly found themselves thirsty for more of the game’s snappy combat, addictive crafting progression, and highly customizable base building. Despite the game’s well reported on degradation mechanics, the book club crew found a server that fit their needs and set about reclaiming the night for their vampiric empires. Listen in for tales of their meteoric rise, hard won victories, and eventual destruction at the hands of the server gods.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Who’s Your Vladdy

Josh - Boss base rhythm

Clint - Blood Sucking Tamagotchi

Long running open world roguelike project, Caves of Qud by Freehold games, has been in continuous development since its early access release on Steam in 2015… and it shows! Cave of Qud is a dense, interconnected, and unique experience with an unforgettable setting that comes across through its signature lo-fi aesthetic. Bryan and Josh set out to explore Qud’s post-post-apocalyptic radioactive jungles and caverns and came away with more stories than they can count, but listen in to their discussion and you’ll get a taste for what makes this a very special roguelike.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Dungeons of Dichotomy

Josh - The Epic Roguelike

Show Notes:

The Qud Survival Guide: a (mostly) lore-friendly tutorial mod for Caves of Qud

Ynglet is an interesting little game that is sometimes called an ‘anti-platformer’ or ‘platformer without platforms’. Part puzzle platformer, part digital music tool, it rides the line between audiovisual art installation and indie video game with style. Either way its a fun time with a truly magical algorithmically generated score. So listen in as Bryan and Josh race through the intriguing and playful soundscape of Ynglet!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Feel the Flow

Josh - Joyous Space Dolphin

Show Notes:

John Walker’s Buried Treasure

Nifflas Interview E3 2021

Wildermyth combines deep tactical combat with storylines that span generations of heroes, and Bryan and Josh enjoyed every minute of their offbeat epic mythologies. This included but was not limited to: heroes turning into crows, uncovering spellbooks of forgotten gods, and being inducted to an order of magical turtles. Wildermyth’s recreation of the tabletop, improvisational style of storytelling interweaves characters' traits, histories, and relationships, with the world's ongoing events. The writing is an incredibly satisfying implementation of a game as a story generator which is always something Bryan and Josh enjoy. So listen in as they regale you with the epic tales of our time with Wildermyth! 

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Epic Myth Generator

Josh - Rich Myth Smithing

Before Your Eyes is a breezy indie game with a simple premise: Blink your eyes, time advances. As you live the protagonist Benjamin’s life you begin at birth and time only moves forward when you blink by using facial recognition software and your webcam. Quite handy that such a game would release in 2020 right after everyone with a remote job had recently acquired such a device. What follows is an emotional story about parenting, expectations, love, and loss. The blinking mechanic ties into the narrative very well, serving to help underline the game’s message, but the real magic is in the writing and voice acting of this extremely well produced indie title. So listen in and learn how Bryan got Josh to play a game that took control of his computer’s webcam!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Life Worth Living

Josh - Time, Ever Onward

In 2017, longtime console developer Ninja Theory decided to buck their normal trend of partnering with publishers and take a risk by self-publishing their upcoming project, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The project was taking other risks as well: wading into the turbulent waters of portraying mental illness on screen, and taking big swings on new technology with their sound design. What emerged is a project that clearly shows great care in those areas of importance, but was perhaps a little threadbare in others (namely puzzle mechanics). Overall Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a unique and engaging title that deserves recognition for the places it succeeds. The team at Ninja Theory should be applauded for the effort spent on tackling tough topics like mental health and for driving material change for the treatment of those that suffer through fundraising and by shifting perspectives of their audience. Hellblade is far from a perfect game, but the intentionality and ambition on display have Bryan and Clint interested to see what comes next. Listen in for their discussion on the game and hear in their words what worked and what didn’t.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Not Fun, Engaging

Clint - Am I Crazy?

Show Notes:

Hellblade Dev Diary - Binaural Audio Test

Virtual Barber Shop

Binaural Audio Combat Example

Ninja Theory Mental Health Charity Work

Listen in as Bryan, Josh, and Clint unpack last year’s indie darling, Unpacking! Despite not having a central conflict or antagonist to speak of, Unpacking nonetheless tells a compelling story about growing up, moving out, and learning to live with others (and yourself). Combine that with absolutely gorgeous pixel art, a catchy yet subtle soundtrack, and a hefty dose of nostalgia and you have a special experience on your hands. Join the book club crew for a breezy discussion that includes some of their own experiences with packing, moving, and of course: nursery setup strategies.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Domicile Detritus Detective

Josh - Stuff as Story

Clint - Lots to Unpack

Slowclap’s second major outing, Sifu, is a fascinating game. On the surface it is a kung-fu action brawler with choreography that makes you feel like you’re directing a martial arts movie. Then it layers in a more fantastic element where the protagonist is reborn a bit older each time they are defeated. The real grace note of the whole experience, however, is the the game’s ability to slowly train the player to overcome increasingly demanding scenarios. By the end of the experience it does truly feel like you’ve gone on a hero’s journey to become a kung-fu master and avenge your father. Listen in as Bryan and Clint talk through their experiences with Sifu and what makes it stand out in a landscape where ‘ultra-hard’ has become a trendy game feature.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - I’m Getting Old

Clint - I know Kung-fu

Show Notes:

Sifu Live Action Trailer

Daredevil No Cut Fight Scene