Staring at Screens.

Dave finally gets a break from school and he wastes no time getting into Starbound; Lisa tells us about the cute eShop game Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo; and Joel bashes through his backlog with Kirby's Epic Yarn and Stacking.

This week we talk about our personal Games of The Year for 2013. If you've been following this podcast closely you shouldn't be too surprised. Join the gang as we look back at an interesting year for Video Games. If you have any thoughts about our choices or if you'd like to let us know what your picks for GOTY are, send us an email at [email protected] or tweet us @StaringScreens.

Music:

• Stacking OST - Frédéric Chopin - Mazurka in B flat major Op. 7 No. 1

Here is the promised half-episode! See the obligatory pic of a titan and a pilot tiptoeing around a field? Also, you heard it here first: Titanfall pastel skins DLC in 2014!! (Unconfirmed.)

This week Joel gets his ass kicked by the dead and undead in Guacamelee! Gold Edition and State of Decay, Lisa talks about the prototype games she's played at the CMU ETC Building Virtual Worlds Fall 2013 Festival namely Last Egg and Sherlock: Who or What Killed The Butler, and our special guest Chin from Respawn Entertainment (you've probably heard of them) tells us about Titanfall (but of course) and Payday 2.

Stick around for the topic of the week where we discuss the paradigm shift from player to developer and pick the brains of industry insiders to learn more about the glitz and glamour of making video games. (Spoiler alert: it's not all fun and games. Actually no, it is all games, just maybe not quite what you're expecti— you know what, just listen to what they have to say.)

Got a question for our panel? Want to know what it's like to work in the Video Game industry? Ask us by tweeting us @StaringScreens or writing in to [email protected].

Music:

• Jesper Kyd - State of Decay OST: Civilization Falls

We're back after an unplanned month-long hiatus! What've we been up to besides work and life? Well, this week we update each other about our lives.

Joel's been playing (among other things) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Pokemon X & Y, and State of Decay; Lisa's moved to the US and discovered new oldskool in the form of Dark Escape 4D and Tiny Death Star; despite Dave's busy-ness (making games, doncha know) he's managed to play some GTA V and Clicking Bad; and Vick's been in the US spending time with her iPad in Symphonica and Ready Steady Bang.

We're back! Talk to us! We've missed you! Tweet us @StaringScreens or write to us at [email protected]. Also, astute listeners may have noticed that this is actually last week's episode. We had some technical problems so it's really late. As an apology, look out for a full episode (this week's!) in the next few days!

No Episode this week, friends, but here's the promised half-episode where Dave, Eric and Joel wax lyrical about Warriors Orochi 3 character names and designs. We'll be back with more next week!

In our most G-rated episode in a while (read: all boys) Eric beats up Dave's ancestors in Warriors Orochi 3, Joel talks about mangled Japanese culture in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destines, and we all weigh in on the incredible chimera that is Mercenary Kings.

This week we talk about gamers' expectations of the price of games. Along the way we touch on some fairly meaty topics: Digital Distribution, Free-to-Play monetization and Steam Sales. Got something to say about this? How much are you willing to pay for your games? Tell us on Twitter @StaringScreens or write to us at [email protected].

HUGE episode this week guys, but stay tuned for a bonus half-episode to be posted later this week!

Music:

• Patrice Bourgeault - Mercenary Kings OST - Jungle 1

Links:

• Sony explains why PS4 will cost $1,845 in Brazil
• Extra Credits on games in Brazil

Errata:

• Mercenary Kings is currently in Steam Early Access is not technically alpha, but open-beta.
• In April 2013 Forbes reported that Supercell makes $2.4Million a day between their two games, Hay Day and Clash of The Clans. This figure has likely significantly increased by now.
• Steam now has 65 million total users, compared with 48 million on Xbox LIVE.

In our most frightening episode yet, Vick eats peanut butter with a spoon (ew); special guest Junch (The Big Gap) tells us about Fire Emblem: Awakening, GTA Online, and Sir, You Are Being Hunted; Lisa talks about Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Kingdom Rush Frontiers; and Joel tells us about Pokemon Amie in Pokemon X and Y and The Stanley Parable.

The topic for this week is Gaming Nightmares. Steel yourself, Dear Listener, for harrowing tales from our collective gaming histories. These are not for the faint of heart; you have been warned! Got a scary story you'd like to share? Tweet us @StaringScreens or write to us at [email protected].

Before you listen to this episode, watch this trailer. We're serious. Go on, GET!

Welcome back. On this week's episode, Vick's Xbox finally sees some action in the form of Max Payne 3, Lisa demonstrates her vastly superior intellect in Har•mo•ny, and Joel geeks out about Pokémon X only to receive a tepid response. (PHILISTINES!)

This week we bravely go where no game publication has dared go before and ask the uncomfortable question: "What makes a game cute?" Gird your loins, ladies, as we namedrop Kirby's Epic Yarn, Nimblebit games, Orisinal: Morning Sunshine, Nintendogs, and Pokémon (but of course) and many more.

Questions? Comments? Tweet us @StaringScreens or write to us at[email protected].

On this week's thrilling episode, Eric is back(!) and he tells us about replaying Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, getting DMC: Devil May Cry on sale and his latest obsession: Just Dance 2014. Dave too is back(!) and he tells us about what he's been up to lately in the Carnegie Mellon University ETC (read: not playing video games). Joel is… still here(…) and against all conventional wisdom he goes full-Nintendo with Pokémon X, Lego City Undercover and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

In the second segment we talk about the Oculus Rift and the kinds of games we'd like to see on the platform. Along the way we name drop Hawken, Titanfall, Eurotruck Simulator, Just Dance 2015, Saints Row IV, AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! for the Awesome, Gone Home, and the Virtuix Omni treadmill. If you have questions or comments you can tweet us @StaringScreens or write to us at [email protected].

Errata:

• The game we're actually thinking of at the 4:30 mark is River Valley Rendang River City Ransom. Sigh.
• The set up that Joel alludes to at 37:30 is not for AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! for the Awesome but for SkyDIEving. The link to that simulation is below.

Links:

• An overly-elaborate SkyDIEving Tech Demo setup
• Dreadhalls experienced on the Oculus Rift (whyyyyy would you do that??)

Music:

• Craig Toungate - Prince Ali (from Just Dance 2014)

On this week's episode, Joel and Vick are joined by Stephanie aka UbiSpectre from Ubisoft and we talk about Ghost Recon Online, Year Walk, Tropico 4 and Lego City Undercover.

Later on we go through some old games and try to decide if they are vintage or antiques. On the way we mention the Megaman and Megaman X games, both old and new Karateka, Theme Hospital, Chrono Trigger, The Legend of Zelda games, Final Fantasy 7, Planescape Torment, The Prince of Persia and many more! Join us on our trip down memory lane by tweeting us @StaringScreens or writing to us at [email protected]. Let us hear about your well/poorly aged games!

Links:

• Sequelitis: Mega Man Classic vs. Mega Man X
• All Philips CD-i Legend of Zelda cutscenes. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Music:

Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra - Fuego de Pasion (featured in Tropico 4)