Prof and Dev Play Games

While Prof is off in Canada, enjoy this episode from our sibling podcast, The RPG Backlog. The RPG Backlog, available everywhere you get your podcasts, is exactly what it sounds like: a podcast where we play RPGs from our backlog and discuss what we thought. In this episode, the first of a multi-episode arc, we dig into Final Fantasy 2.

This week, Anthony (the Dev) and Larry (the Prof), discuss two big new Free to Play game releases, The Last Descendant and Zenless Zone Zero. Is Free to Play necessarily bad? What does it change for a games design and mechanics when it is Free to Play? Then, they discuss the Shadow of the Erdtree Elden Ring DLC and the Kinutsu Gami Demo.

Anthony (the Dev) and Larry (the Prof) discuss multiple favors of Miyazaki--from Ghibli Films to FromSoft. Then, they discuss the Shadow of the Erdtree Elden Ring DLC. Last, they wrap up with games they're eyeing on the Summer Steam Sale.

Prof and Dev go through everything announced and shown at the latest Nintendo Direct; new Mario & Luigi, Zelda, tons of 3rd party games, and finally a Metroid Prime 4 trailer!

Prof and Dev chat about the fact that nearly 600 games were surfaced during the last few weeks of Summer Games News. Is it too much for sustainability in the video game industry? We dive in. Then, we discuss what we've been playing (or what our kids have been playing): Elden Ring, Kena Bridge of Spirits, Super Mario RPG, and Diablo IV.

The Dev is back to regale us with his journey through Japan before we dive into what has caught are eye, or not, from all the Summer Game Fest events and presentations!

While Dev is away, Prof talks with his friends CHris and Travis about Helldivers 2!

Prof's daughter returns to discuss about one of her recent favorite games: Kirby and the Forgotten Land on the Nintendo Switch.

While the Dev is away in Japan, I was able to interview Jenna, a QA Functional Tester at Activision, about unionization in the video game industry and at Activision. She talked to me about her work at Activision, her work unionizing at Activision, about Unions in general, and about video games. We discuss Hades II, Transistor, and how Unions form!

I started this podcast two years before my daughter was born, and this podcast has, in some way, been a record of my gaming during her young life--including when she began to play games with me. And now, for this special episode, while the Dev is in Japan, my daughter joins me to rank and discuss her top five The Legend of Zelda games! We discuss Skyward Sword, Tears of the Kingdom, Windwaker, Breath of the Wild, and Age of Calamity!