The Insert Credit Show

Brandon Sheffield ventures once more into Tokyo Game Show, and in the process documents the spread of a horrifying virus (through his own lungs).

Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

Segments:

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Only the Insert Credit panel could cover the fan response to Bioware’s closure, explain all of Warhammer 40,000 in six minutes, and design a Nathan Fielder video game.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: When making a game, how big should the numbers go? (04:41)

2: How do you design a miniboss? (10:11)

3: What does a fanbase do after a video game studio dies? (13:14)

4: Ash, explain the Warhammer 40,000 universe in six minutes. (20:56)

5: Room Check! (29:23)

6: Which video game would be most likely to have a branded codpiece? (41:12)

7: Bigger J asks, how should Valve announce Half-Life 3? (42:08)

8: What would a video game designed by Nathan Fielder be like? (49:53)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Ranthill (53:41)

Recommendations and Outro (01:05:43):

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Freaky Frank Cif-AAAAH-ldi, Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust Parrish, and BranDon Corleone Sheffield unite once more to take on Dracula’s biggest challenge yet: discount prices!

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: What fixtures do you put in a final level to prevent heroes from reaching the boss? (06:38)

2: What are the strangest things that exist out of bounds in a video game? (12:37)

3: What video games have the most hostile and unpleasant aesthetics you’ve ever experienced? (18:48)

4: What happens to a video game studio after it dies? (25:01)

5: What are your feelings on video game recompilation projects, particularly with the role AI has begun to play in them? (30:39)

6: Seva Saturn asks, what non-horror games induce anxiety for you? (38:14)

7: Why Why asks, how do you get a scaredy cat like me to enjoy horror games? (42:50)

8: LeFish asks, what is the Wilhelm Scream of video games? (45:44)

9: What would you change if you could change one thing about one game? (47:49)

FRIGHTENING ROUND: What’re Ya Dyin’? (54:32)

Recommendations and Outro (01:02:03):

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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The finest minds in video games return to discuss the enjoyment found in bad games, memorable NPCs, and ooey gooey sticky honey concoctions. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: When do you find yourself most enjoying a game that’s not very good? (07:18)

2: Are there any old video games that you literally couldn’t make today, regardless of whether or not they’d be financially successful? (13:32)

3: What are some of the most baffling launch events in video game history? (19:04)

4: Do you have any favorite weird little video game NPCs? (27:51)

5: BiggerJ asks, what do you remember about ROM sites from the early 2000’s? (34:09)

6: When have you been most moved listening to a new version of an old song from a video game? (40:56)

7: What is the Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Digger (2026) of video games? (48:12)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Before and After Burner (54:21)

(thanks to barleybap for the idea and the The Matrix: Path of Neo Turf Masters example)

Recommendations and Outro (01:00:56):

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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Over one thousand questions have been submitted to the Question Hole at patreon.com/insertcredit, and now it’s up to legendary podcast host Alex Jaffe and legendary podcast editor Esper Quinn to answer more than 200 of them.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Esper Quinn. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

nah, not for this one, sorry. Join us next week for your beloved Insert Credit panel, and yet another question from the depths of the Question Hole!

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Insert Credit co-founder Brandon Sheffield joins the panel to cover the current state of Japanese games, ace representation in video games, and owning seven PSPs.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: Brandon, what’s going on in Japan with video games right now? (08:13)

2: How do you make equipment management fun in games? (15:25)

3: Which characters in video games can be claimed as asexual? (21:50)

4: What is the most ill-advised video game related purchase you’ve ever made? (30:02)

5: Room Check! (37:05)

6: Joel Valentin asks, what game do you wish had become the defining influence in its genre? (50:05)

LIGHTNING ROUND: The Forgotten-Named Game (54:14)

Recommendations and Outro (01:09:33)

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Writer, podcaster, and Hindu pandit Shivam Bhatt joins the panel to cover spirituality in games, Activision’s Halo, and video games for dogs. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Shivam Bhatt. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

1: Which video games have you had spiritual experiences with? (08:26)

2: What is the difference in tone and content between Western and Asian dramas? (19:54)

3: What is Activision’s Halo going to look like? (25:36)

4: Joel Valentin asks, what is something you thought only existed in video games until you were made aware of it in real life? (31:22)

5: Brandon Sheffield asks, design a game for a dog (36:34)

6: What is the printing a Magic card so imbalanced it has to be immediately banned from tournament play of video games? (40:23)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Planes Talkers (46:01)

Recommendations and Outro (01:07:58):

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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Host of Post Games Chris Plante joins the panel to the future of video game journalism, the new Wolverine game, and a boxed copy of Microsoft Excel.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Chris Plante. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

1: How can video games responsibly portray physical disability? (07:15)

2: How important is fidelity in video game adaptation? (14:47)

3: Brandon Sheffield asks: what are some games that struck you immediately as being good, bad, or otherwise tailored toward you? (23:30)

4: How do you adapt a podcast into a broadway show? (29:03)

5: Bigger J asks, there’s a lot of recurring level themes in platform games. What isn’t one, but should be? (36:23)

6: Is there a future for professional video game journalism? (43:31)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Arcade Of Our Own (52:46)

Recommendations and Outro (01:06:22):

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Podcaster, Essayist and Voice Actor Alex Fraioli joins the panel to cover the Ocarina of Time remake, barcade preferences, and keyblade nonsense.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Alex Fraioli. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

1: Brandon Sheffield asks, what is the most fun you’ve had with a game on a gimmick-based platform? (09:36)

2: How did you see video games evolve socially over time? (14:51)

3: Which video games do you associate with specific cities? (20:39)

4: What should we anticipate from this recently announced Kingdom Hearts anime? (24:42)

5: The 1000-Year Old Man asks, what is the Mt. Fuji of video games? (34:20)

6: Where is the uncanny valley? (40:38)

7: What do you think is the hardest job in voice acting? (44:24)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Lorre Not Lorre (48:44)

Recommendations and Outro (01:00:18):

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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Your beloved panel covers advances in stealth games, new Pokemon types, and whether or not Marty McFly has a scrote. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

1: What is the correct amount of time to sit down and play a video game in front of your TV? (05:57)

2: Which video games are most responsible for advancing their genre? (13:02)

3: What even is the incentive to make video games commercially? (19:43)

4: Design a new Pokemon type (25:13)

5: Dr. Booperstein III asks, are all video games derivative of the first generation of video games? (32:08)

6: What’s the stupidest playable race in a video game? (39:18)

7: What is the Steven Spielberg’s Stanley Kubrick’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) of video games? (46:16)

LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (52:58)

Recommendations and Outro (58:24):

Hard Truths (XX:XX):

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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