The Character Unlock Podcast

Our first special episode in a while, and this week we are really thinking outside of the box.

We've taken the day off of video games, to talk about video game movies. See how imaginative we can be?

We've dragged in, for the first time ever, Failed Critics head honcho and Set The Tape boss man Owen Hughes to join returning guest and all round beautiful man Matt Lambourne to chime in with hosts John Miller and Andrew Brooker in talking about the latest Tomb Raider iteraiton to hit the silver screen and then retro-nostalgiafest Ready Player One for a little while before ressurection the most sacred of Failed Critics features.

That's right. We are doing a video game movie triple-bill. Films we love, films we hate and films we'd love to see make it to the big screen.

Join us, in a two-and-a-half hour marathon as we dissect these films far more than any sane group of people should and have a few laughs along the way.

Join us again next time, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

Loads of peaople announcing loads of new games at the moment.

That means, as much as John and Brooker tried to not spend ages talking about the new and upcoming games we've been hearing about; they did.

The hosts of this shindig stretched out another bumper length episode becasue they simply couldn't stop talking about Call of Duty: Black Ops 4; Battlefield V; The Division 2 and a whole host of other announcements.

But they weren't finished there. Once they started talking about the games they'd been playing, the conversation continued far past what they wanted to - with an unexpected peek behind the curtain and a look at what goes on on recording night.

And how, if at all, Vagisil makes an appearance. 

Join us again next time, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

Loads of racing chat this week as both of our hosts dust off their arcade driving skills and at least one of us gushed over a game that's on the way.

John has been getting to grips with arcade rally racer Gravel and gives us the low down on the new player in the fields. While Brooker has spent a significant amount of time playing backwards compatible xbox freebie Split/Second.

Elsewhere, (one of) the guys gets full on luvvie-duvvie over the now officially annound Burnout Paradise: Remastered and they chat about the future of PlayStation Plus.

Join us again next time, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

John has been playing fighting games.

All year.

John has been playing fighting games.

This week's podcast proves that he still hasn't stopped.  With in depth chats about WWE 2K17 and the recently released UFC3, the man that keeps telling us he doesn't play fighting games shows his deep love for the genre.  All the while, Brooker plays runnish bike games and an old Deadpool remaster.  It's like he's not even putting the effort in anymore!

Sticking our necks out and chatting about the freshly delayed Red Dead Redemption 2 and the amazing news that THQ is all but back to where it once was with THQ Nordic's purchase of Koch (Cock? Coke? Couch? Whatever!) Media.  Plenty to talk about this week.

Join us again next time, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

We've been complaining for weeks that there's no news to talk about.  This week, our hosts' cup runneth over with stuff to talk about.

From Microsoft being the first out the gate with the Netflix of video games (Trademark: Brooker) and somehow thinking it's ojk to spend 35 BILLION DOLLARS to beat off the competition; to the delay of Anthem - Including a little rage from guess who about early announcements and constant delays - and the announcement of Sony's next exclusive to get a firm release date.

When we finally get to this week's games, it's a mixed bag.

John wallows in disappointment at Pokken Tournament on the Nintendo Switch, while brooker falls head over heels for walking simulators after diving into Gone Home.

Join us again next time, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

It is a full blown Mario love-in this week.

After the insane journey CU host John went through trying to get his hands on a Nintendo Switch in the last episode; things have taken a major turn towards the better.  With a shiny new Switch in his hands, John has done nothing but play Mario based games for the last fortnight; his crazy is beginning to show as he brings the conversation back to the House of Mario at every turn!

Ofcourse, this isn't helped by the fact that a Nintendo Switch based Direct stream has happened since the last episode and the guys definitely needed to talk about that.  But after all the Ninty craziness in this episode's What We've Been Playing section, Brooker's choices of sports games and ten year old shooters seems more mundane than usual.

Did we mention that we talk ALOT about mario and Nintendo Games? Becasue we really do.

Prepare for ninty love of the highest order...

Come join us.

Join us again next time, but until then why not come find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

And so the new year is here. 2018 has promised to be a year of game challenges and hopefully bigger and better things for the lads hanging out the front of CU Towers.

But all is not well. 

In polar opposite experiences over the christmas holiday, Brooker managed to keep himself alive while buying far too much technology, While John nearly gives himself an anger stroke on this weeks episode as he explains how he ended up alone and Nintendo Switchless in the new year.

In a surprise change, this episode sees Brooker as the calm and collected one while John loses his temper over how a certain retailer ruined his january plans and threatens to defacate all over their offices.

In other news, or lack thereof, the guys spend their time off playing GTA Online, Call of Duty and the original Bad Company. What can we say? It's been an interesing couple of weeks.

Join us again next year, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

Another year passes, another video game podcast comes along to force their best games of the year list down your throat.

Well, kinda.

We couldn't decide how best to do it, so instead of a "Top Five" list or a "Best and worst", we simply said five games that defined our 2017.

Come join us in this bumber episode as we see out 2017 and look forward to Christmas.

Join us again next year, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

It's all go at CU towers this week.

Never a pair to let anything get in their way, one of our hosts is recording from a scummy London hotel, while the other lavishes at home in a 4K paradise struggling to pull himself out of the uncanny valley he now finds himself stuck in.

Still, the boys have a podcast to record, so they should get on with it, right?

First on the docket this week, a dive into the upcoming (or by the time you listen to this, the already done) Game Awards.  Hosts Johm Miller and Andrew Brooker dissect the nominees in this year's Keighley awards and panic because they havent playsed anything in any of the lists!

A dive into history is on the cards for this episode's game chat.  Brooker has finally started and finished last years critically acclaimed Battlefield 1; while John got his boots on the ground and played Call of Duty WWII.  

All that, plus a lot of side tracking, a lot of bizarre tangents, and a fair few insults aimed at more than just eachother.  Come join us.

Join us again next week, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

Welcome to this, the latest episode of our silly little podcast.

This week, the same as everyone else is, we are talking about EA's lootbox controversy, how they annoyed Disney/Lucasfilm and every gamer, ever.

We get on our high horses and spend some time ranting at Electronic Arts, and everyone else that has ever had a lootbox. It's safe to say we got a thing or two off our chests.

Elsewhere, John spends some time with the latest Pokemon iteration and tries to exlain it to Brooker.  Meanwhile, Brooker finally unboxed his One X and the first game he played on it? A ten year old shooter!

Join us again next week, but until then why not join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.