The Level

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about the Shrouded Isle, Amazon’s new move into gaming, and we ask you which modern indie games need cool instruction manuals.

• Amazon releases GameOn APIs.

• Sony class action deadline

• Nvidia is bringing in real-time ray tracing.

• Yakuza Kiwami 2 releases August 28.

• What modern indie game should get an old fashioned print manual?

• Ben: Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy.

• Jala: Fire Emblem: Awakening. Resident Evil 7. The Shrouded Isle.

• Dennis: Knack. Zombs Royale.

• Kole: Pokémon Picross.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about a whole bunch of strategy games, the most recent Nintendo Direct, ask we you about rule subversions in games.

• Nintendo Direct announcements, including Smash Bros. for Switch.

• Valve claims they will make games again.

• “Where the Water Tastes Like Wine” releases.

• What’s the best way a game has subverted its rules?

• Jala: Metroid: Samus Returns. The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild. Fire Emblem: Awakening.

• Ben: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Into the Breach.

• Dennis: Into the Breach. Kingdom of Loathing. Hand of Fate.

• Kole: Alan Wake. Yume Nikki.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Into the Breach, the Diablo-on-Switch rumors, and we ask you which games remind you most of elementary school.

• People think there’s going to be Diablo on Switch.

• Cyan announces their new game, Firmament.

• AI finds glitch in Q*Bert.

• Procedurally generated chiptunes.

• What game do you most associate with your grade/elementary school years?

• Dennis: Into the Breach. Door Kickers.

• Ben: Into the Breach. Gloomhaven.

• Kole: DOOM 2016. Celeste.

• David: Monster Hunter: World.

Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about Metal Gear Survive’s strange monetization scheme, DOOM, and we do a Free Play Multiplayer.

• Papers, Please inspired a short film adaptation.

• Warcraft III gets an official tournament and widescreen patch.

• Metal Gear Survive has a possibly exploitative monetization scheme.

• Colonel Campbell reads the recent Mueller indictments.

• Free Play!

• Jala: Metroid: Samus Returns. Nintendo Switch. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

• Ben: Subnautica.

• David: Monster Hunter: World.

• Kole: Picross S. DOOM.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Year of the Dog celebrations, Prey, and we ask you how you name your characters in games.

• Overwatch does some year of the dog celebrations.

• Konami explains the MGS V disarmament bug.

• Dab on ‘em Haterz is a game about bad YouTube comments.

• Twitch has added new chat channels for channels who chat.

• New loot box laws in are falling into place.

• How do you choose names for your in-game characters?

• Kole: Prey. Alan Wake.

• Ben: The Witness. Subnautica.

• Dennis: Knack. Desert Golfing.

• David: Monster Hunter: World. Destiny 2.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talka bout Monster Hunter: World, the shuttering of Mayfair Games, and we ask you about your worst grinding stories.

• Settlers of Catan developer is shutting down.

• Shadow of the Colossus has new secrets.

• Vampyr is releasing June 5.

• Video games and monks.

• What’s your worst story of grinding for something in a game?

• Dennis: DropMix. Watching the Overwatch League. Hue. Knack.

• David: Monster Hunter World.

• Ben: The Witness. Subnautica.

• Kole: Monster Hunter World. SOMA. Breath of Fire III.

Links:

• In Thailand, Buddhist Monks Grapple with the Meaning of Video Games - Waypoint

Kole, Ben, and Jala talk about Subnautica, the Red Dead Redemption 2 delay, and we ask you which games you respect but dislike.

• Red Dead Redemption 2 delayed to October.

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 announced for Switch.

• Video game hearing aids.

• Metal Gear Solid V disarmament ending triggered on accident.

• What game do you respect, but not like?

• Jala: Persona 4: Golden. Creeping Terror.

• Ben: The Witness. Subnautica.

• Kole: Breath of the Wild. Dragon Ball FighterZ. Silent Hill: Downpour. Breath of Fire III.

Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about Dragon Ball FighterZ, Apple’s changes to loot crate rules, and we ask you how you get over difficulty walls.

• Nintendo Labo announced.

• Speed Running stories. Mario 4-2 and Dragster.

• Apple does the least it can possibly do about Loot Boxes in games.

• Bioware delays Anthem.

• Yume Nikki followup revealed.

• How do you get over difficulty walls in games?

• Kole: Dragon Ball Fighterz. Cuphead. SNES Classic. Corpse Party.

• David: Monster Hunter World.

• Jala: Vermintide. Persona 4 Golden.

• Ben: The Witness.

Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about the Nintendo Direct announcements, Sundered, and we ask you what your favorite winter game is.

• Nintendo Direct news.

• The Overwatch League has launched.

• Theme Hospital is getting a spiritual successor.

• Sega attempts to fix the Ugandan Knuckles meme.

• What’s your favorite winter game?

• David: Sundered. River City Ransom: Underground.

• Ben: Magic the Gathering pre-release. Twilight Imperium. The Evil Within 2.

• Jala: Persona 4: Golden. Sniper Elite 4.

• Kole: Golf Story. Outlast. Outlast: Whistleblower.

Kole, Ben, and Jala talk about some crazy VR stuff from CES, Human: Fall Flat, and we ask you about your gaming relationships.

• Tesla Suit is full body haptics.

• VR for exercise.

• The Switch has already out-sold the Wii U.

• Top download list for PS4.

• Have games started or helped any relationships or friendships for you?

• Jala: Vermintide. Corpse Party: Book of Shadows. Persona 4: Golden.

• Ben: Human: Fall Flat.

• Kole: Mom Hid My Game. Enter the Gungeon. Crypt of the Necrodancer.