Pretty Pixels Podcast

Hey, friends! This week we take a look at Dr. Regina McMenomy’s work on identity in RPGs (and other games, too). We share her proposed gamer types, talk about which categories we think we fall in, and discuss the potential impact of representation on people’s tendency toward each type. We also cover some news, including Sony’s new investment in Epic Games and the latest Nintendo Indie Showcase, and talk about what we’ve been playing.

Contact us: [email protected]

Joey’s on Twitter: @Losperman

00:05:33: Sony invests more $$$ in Epic Games, gets an Aloy skin in Fortnite

00:11:18: The Forgotten City announced for a summer release

00:14:58: The latest Nintendo Indie Showcase (Shredder’s Revenge, Road 96, Oxenfree II)

00:20:38: Tab’s tending to some baby animals in Planet Zoo

00:27:52: Joey’s rambling out west in Fallout: New Vegas

00:36:40: Dr. Regina McMenomy’s work on identity in RPGs and our best guesses for our own gamer types

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

On this week’s episode, we discuss new rumors of a Sega acquisition, the return of E3, and Lady Dimitrescu (*heart eye emoji*). In our main segment we talk about animal companions. What makes an animal a companion? Do they have to accompany you on your journey? Do they have to have a personality? We get into these questions and more, and share some of our favorite furry friends. Like, animal companions. Not friends that are furries. We have nothing against furries. I mean, we all have a thing for Fran from Final Fantasy XII, don’t we? What am I even talking about now?

Contact us at [email protected]

Joey’s on Twitter: @Losperman

00:01:30: Renewed rumors about a Sega acquisition

00:12:45: E3 returns virtually this June

00:14:35: via IGN, Resident Evil Village’s art director, Tomonori Takano, talks about inspirations for Lady Dimitrescu. Joey drools. Tab shakes their head disapprovingly

00:15:30: [woof woof]

00:18:22: Tab’s playing some Red Dead Redemption 2, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Medieval Dynasty

00:24:29: Joey finishes Life is Strange 2 and finally starts playing Fallout New Vegas

00:31:00: “Pixelated puppies and other pals,” as Tab puts it

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

On this week’s episode, we pitch games we want to see made in a segment we call Make These Games, Dammit! Tab proposes a camping/fishing/hiking nature sim with a card-based gear system, and Joey shares his concept for a terrifying new A Nightmare on Elm Street game. Do you have a bunch of money and want to make our games a reality or just want to give me a bunch of money for no reason? Hit us up at [email protected].

Joey’s on Twitter: @Losperman

00:02:22: Brief news notes (Doom 3 VR, RIP Mario, RIP PS3/Vita PS Store, Witcher 3 next gen upgrade, Ghost of Tsushima movie)

00:10:00: Tab gets wrecked by bears in Read Dead Redemption 2

00:10:21: Kitty purrs [ongoing]

00:17:15: Joey finishes the platinum for P5 Strikers and plays Layers of Fear and Life is Strange 2

00:20:11: Make These Games, Dammit! Featuring:

00:21:20: Tab’s nature/camping/fishing/hiking card-based sim, Untitled Project

00:29:55: More kitty purrs

00:43:26: Joey’s A Nightmare on Elm Street adventure/horror game, based on the popular film series

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

In this week’s episode, we discuss Microsoft’s potential purchase of Discord, the end of the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita, and our pretty new custom DualSense controllers. In our main segment, we dive into our experience with VR, some of our favorite games, and what we’d like to see in future hardware and software. Have a VR recommendation? Reach us virtually (see what I did there? Like, virtual reality… and you’re reaching us virtually… by email… never mind) at [email protected].

Joey’s on Twitter: @Losperman

00:01:10: Microsoft reported to be in talks to buy Discord

00:03:27: PlayStation buys EVO

00:03:50: Woof

00:04:19: Meow

00:06:08: RIP PlayStation store on PS3/PSP/PS Vita

00:11:13: Gotham Knights Delayed to 2022, Shin Megami Tensei 3 HD Remake coming in May

00:11:51: Bloodhound Dog DLC for theHunter: Call of the Wild

00:12:45: We order beautiful, sexy custom DualSense controllers

00:18:00: What we’ve been playing (Ghost of Tsushima Legends, Persona 5 Strikers, Peggle 2)

00:23:26: Getting into VR

00:25:43: Bella decides to use my leg as a scratching post. Thanks, B

00:35:30: Arizona Sunshine

00:39:56: Batman: Arkham VR

00:43:53: SUPERHOT VR

00:47:30: Tetris Effect

00:49:15: Pistol Whip

00:52:33: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes!

00:56:36: Beat Saber

01:01:05: Job Simulator

01:04:09: Star Trek: Bridge Crew

01:07:49: Until Dawn: Rush of Blood

01:09:26: The Exorcist: Legion VR

01:11:16: Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV

01:11:34: Star Wars: Squadrons

01:12:31: VR games on our to-play list

01:16:56: What we want from future VR hardware/software

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

In the spirit of this episode, please prepare for it to be the best podcast episode you’ve ever heard! … and then walk away from it feeling sorely disappointed. This week, we discuss games that have, to some extent, left us or other gamers feeling burned by pre-release hype. As we note in the podcast, our disappointment does not equal hate (we actually quite like most of these games), but if you insist on sending a sternly worded electronic letter our way, hit us up at [email protected].

Joey’s on Twitter: @Losperman

00:12:13: No Man’s Sky

00:33:41: Haze

00:46:55: Cyberpunk 2077

01:07:33: Perfect Dark 0

01:15:20: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

01:16:20: Tab gives me a very weird look when I say “Minish Cap”

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

In this week’s massive episode, we talk about some of the indie games that really struck a chord with us. We did end up missing a few (noted at the end), but we cover the indies that impacted us the most. Have an indie recommendation? Send it (or any others thoughts or questions) to [email protected]!

Joey’s on Twitter: @Losperman

Timestamps:

00:01:24: Outer Worlds DLC tease

00:02:30: Brief thoughts on the 2020 Twitch Transparency Report

00:05:04: Aliens: Fireteam

00:07:15: Joey joins Tab for some Ghost of Tsushima shenanigans. Some Ghost of Tshenanigans. I’m sorry. I’ll see myself out

00:13:18: Impactful Indies!

00:14:49: Stardew Valley

00:35:05: Minecraft

00:44:38: Tell Me Why

00:50:37: Emily is Away and Emily is Away Too

00:59:19: Rust

01:07:52: Papers, Please

01:16:16: HuniePop

01:21:25: Phasmophobia

01:23:38: If you listen closely: kitty purrs

01:35:02: Doki Doki Literature Club!

01:40:10: Gone Home

1:48:50: Secret Little Haven

1:54:29: Games we forgot (don’t @ us)

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

In this week's episode, Tab talks about Valheim, Joey plays more Persona 5 Strikers, and we both gush over the games we're looking forward to in the coming months. We're talkin' Horizon Forbidden West, Halo Infinite, Far Cry 6, Emily is Away

In our first official episode, we talk about Persona 5 Strikers, the cancellation of Anthem 2.0 and troubled development of Dying Light 2, Tab talks Hitman, Joey talks Resident Evil, and we delve into the question of how watching streams or Let's Plays affects your ability to call yourself a "gamer."

Our theme song is by lovers.tiff (loverstiff.bandcamp.com), so check them out!

Contact: [email protected]

Time stamps:

00:00:39: Anthem 2.0 cancelled https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/02/24/anthem-20-canceled-by-bioware

00:03:30: Dying Light 2’s troubled development https://www.gameinformer.com/where-is-dying-light-2-is-it-cancelled-techland-report

00:05:58: Intrusive kitty purring

00:09:56: Persona 5 Strikers

00:27:40: Hitman 3

00:35:00: Revisiting Minecraft

00:46:45: REvisiting Resident Evil games

00:50:03: Does passively watching a video game being streamed/played count as “gaming”? Can you be a “gamer” if you “just” watch games being played? Should I “stop” using “quotation marks”?

An introduction to the podcast, featuring hosts Joey and Tab!