Rand(Nerds);

Welcome to Episode 272

We're still hear, and still haven't faded

We kick off with Skazz revealing the mad griding he's been doing in order to unlock upgrades on Heros of Hammerwatch, we discuss the game further talking about the levels and upgrades available for the Heros

Ram has been playing a game that was gifted to him by Skazz; Sid Meyer Beyond Earth, the spiritual successor to the incredibly popular Alpha Centauri. Despite the poor reputation, Ram has been having a good time with it. He discusses the mechanics and game play and some of his major annoyances of the game, mainly the UI

We also discuss Skazz spying on Ram, Selling out and Rams Villain origin story

Notes

Our theory on the watcher was correct

The failed spiritual success to alpha centauri, Sid Meier's Beyond earth

It was actually Civilization 4, not 3 that was Ram's first Civ experience

And here is the fantastic title music

The longest game of Civ2

We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 31st July 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 271

We start off this episode with Skazz once again throwing Ram off his game, which leads us into discussing how the Anthropic AI Claude did when it was put in charge of running a shop. Including ordering tungsten cubes and trying to perform in person delivery's

Skazz talks about one his children recent birthday and their growing PS2 game collection, along Skazz himself discussing how hes trying to reduce his games list. He's also picked up another version of Control to complete, we muse on the possibility of completing the game without using the launch/shield power (aka the power of concrete). Skazz also make a prediction for his game of the year

TheSuffolkRam has returned to a late PS1 era game called Sheep, lemming inspired, you have top guide a herd of daft sheep through dangers to get them back to the alien home planet. Ram assumed it as a Japanese game bases on the insanity of it all, but is shocked by it being British made

We have a debate of our preferred MGS games with a divide over MSG2 and MSG3, we both agree however MGS4 was bad and why David Hayter is the only voice actor for solid snake. We also discuss other Hideo Kojima games including Death Stranding and his upcoming horror game OD

Notes

See how well an AI does running a shop

Concrete flinging fun in Control

Despite all the hallmarks saying otherwise, British made herding game Sheep

Which is better MGS2 or MGS3?

Upcoming horror game from Hideo Kojima OD

Infected with nanomachines? make use of ambrosia

We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 17th July 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 270

We kickoff with Skazz expertly trolling Ram before discussing Skazz's ID troubles ram shock over an emptying Highstreet.

Ram shares his simple fix for what he considered S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's biggest problem, the voice acting, this leading to a deep dive on voice acting's crucial role in game immersion and how poor performances can instantly ruin the experience. We explore related complaints about cut-off dialogue in games and Skazz's struggles with reading in-game maps, plus Ram's sister's level design theory.

We discuss Remedy's recently released FBC: Firebreak alongside other Remedy titles including the Max Payne remake, and dive into fan theories about Control. The conversation touches on Steam demos making a comeback and how our opinions of Steam have evolved over time.

Finally, we explore the unique concept of being a building contractor for Control's Oldest House and debate why concrete is superior to guns in supernatural situations.

Notes

Remedy new game set in the Control universe (or the broader Remedy universe) FBC Firebreak

The last FPS game remedy were involved in: CrossfireX

Live our your fantasy of being a doggo in Sheepherds

Epic have been forced to remove Dark and Darker

We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 3rd July 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 269

We begin with Skazz providing updates from our previous episode discussions, including how to acquire Kane & Lynch, which leads into a conversation about Games for Windows Live and the equally problematic Windows Store.

Moving on to games, Ram has treated himself to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and is returning to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. He provides a brief history of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, including how ambitious it was and discusses many of the features that had to be cut during development. He then talks about the new game, highlighting the enjoyable combat and atmosphere that is somewhat undermined by the voice acting.

Notes

A launcher so bad it it blames itself for unrelated problems: Game for Windows Live

Apple brief development of a car with Project Titan

Inspiration for S.T.A.L.K.E.R the classic Sci-fi novel Roadside Picnic

And a film also inspired by the book: Stalker

Step back into the zone with S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl

We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 19th June 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 268

Ram discusses his recent pig acquisitions and shares insights into breeding and managing pedigree animals.

Moving on to gaming, Ram has been driving around in a beat-up vehicle trying to navigates and collect resources in a mysterious zone in Pacific Drive. He talks about the zone's dangers, from strange creatures to bizarre storms, praising the game's extensive difficulty options and the compelling stories it generates, though he wishes he had access to a bed for rest.

Skazz has been revisiting a cooperative cover shooter from the late 2000s during genre heyday: Kane and Lynch: Dead Men. While the game received unfavourable reviews upon release, Skazz takes a fresh look to reassess the storyline, gunplay, and single-player AI companion to determine whether those critical views were justified.

We also discuss our plans to misuse satellite technology to torment the general public with our podcast.

Notes

Explore a weird and dangerous zone in a clapped out car in Pacific drive

A 'Classic' Co-op third person cover shooter in Kane & Lynch: Dead Men

We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 5th June 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 267

Skazz tell his woes of removing processors from motherboards and nearly breaking his PC, but has now successfully managed to upgrade his machine. we also learn about Ram 'Methods' of repairing PC.

Ram gives us an update of Nicktopia, and how it has completely failed as par normal. He tells tales of taming space cows, devote vegetarians, a lack of antibiotics and not balancing survival skills. He also discuss what he's learnt with his new version.

We also discuss how Ram would fair if put in charge in a survival situation, including the worrying way he defaults to building Gulags and farming vegetarians. We do determine realistically he'll likely end up as a resource.

We also discuss Skazz's future career as a PCSO, why Ram would be the best bond villain, how many people Batman has 'killed', and a side track into who developing GTA6

Notes

Still trying to survive the planet in Stranded: Alien Dawn

When ram becomes a dictator, he has been doing some revision

We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 22nd May 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 266 – now featuring blurst of music!

We kick off by discussing the remaster of Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. Reminiscing about the original, with Ram admitting he never quite finished the main quest, while Skazz bemoans his vampirism issues, a glitch fixable only through paid DLC. we also discuss the power of console commands and share thoughts on other Bethesda titles.Ram then talks about his new gaming PC.

Although he can’t recall all the specs, and has issue with the overcooling RGB fans. But it at least has an abundance of USB ports. We then take a nostalgic look at The Animals of Farthing Wood. For those in the UK who grew up in the ’90s, this classic prepared us for Game of Thrones, and Skazz does still insists that badgers do not exist.

Ram brings back the great empire of Nicktopia with his current gaming obsession, Stranded: Alien Dawn. In this survival game, he talks about managing a group of survivors on an alien planet. Finding a way to balance farming, researching, base building, tower defense and staring at plants and animal

We also discuss: USB-powered milking machines, the debate over turning off excessive RGB lighting, the merits of weekly episode releases versus binge-watching and a bird-watching detective.

Notes

The remaster of Elder Scrolls Oblivion

Watch nerds braking down over Patrick Stewart in Oblivion

Stranded on a planet, are you doomed? Depends if Ram is in charge in Stranded: Alien Dawn

In the UK, Children of the 90s were prepared for GoT, as they grew up on Animal of Farthing Wood

A Murder mystery set in the White House with Netflix The Residence

We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 8th May 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 265Yes, despite what Ram says at the start, it is episode 265Ram continual his descent into being middle aged by trying out some train related games and not having a lot of success, the first is a non-relaxing puzzle game Station to Station which does not gel for him. Next up he Suffers a tutorial bug in railway Empire creating a rage quit, finally picks up something more familiar with Train Station Renovation, cleaning and tidy old train stations and rather worryingly sanding railsWe then move onto discussing the upcoming release of the switch 2, and the costs of gaming in general, including how the pricing is not as bad as it seems. We also discuss the dangers of DLC NotesAnnoying puzzle game Station to StationHopefully you wont get plague by a tutorial bug in Railway Empirebring stations back to life in Train Station RenovationWill you fall to temptation with the new Switch 2We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 24th April 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 264We return to Hardspace: Shipbreaker, as Skazz has been enjoying a copy gifted to him by Ram, he discuss some of the issue with controller support issues, how much we enjoy chill games and being accidentally incinerated.Skazz then talk about playing through a fan remake of classic game Link Awakening, playing the "DX HD" version, he talks about suffering from scrolling trauma and Nintendo remakeWe then finish off looking at current game night game, Heroes of Hammerwatch, a fantastic top down 2d rouge lite, where you have to advancing through level in a tower whilst being heavily taxed by the town your trying to saveWe also discuss ram becoming middle aged in spirit by visiting a garden centre, getting into 'fancy' coffee and being traumatised by croissantsNotesEnjoy fancy coffee in an Bodum French PressStill cutting them ships in Hardspace: ShipbreakerFan remake of classic legend of Zelda game, Links Awakening XD HDIn comparisons to the Nintendo version of the aboveA game Skazz hates, Heroes of Hammerwatch We look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on 10th April 2025, at 18:30 GMT+1

Welcome to Episode 263Skazz talks about his experience with the new entry in the Monster Hunter series, Wilds, sadly hes not too keen, he talks about how the series has changed from it early days, and how it has become easier and easier with each iteration. Along with some removal of good features from the previous entry in series. including how they fixed the multiplayer mode from Rise, only to have now broken it again. He also talks about some strange graphic glitches and how the beta the game was better in some way and spoiled the game.Ram has been floating in zero-g in Hardspace: Shipbreaker, a game about dismantling space ships and earning money to pay of a massive debt, much like real life. He talks about the mechanics, burning yourself in a furnace accidentally, and the dangers of grappling and using a cutting laser near fuel tanks

We also have a brief discussion about YouTube euphemisms NotesRobot soon to be 'powered' by AI to catch lion fishNot Skazz's Monster Hunter: Monster Hunter WildsLive the life of a salvage worker in Hardspace ShipbreakerWe look forward to seeing you all on the next podcast on March 27th 2025, at 18:30 GMT