In this episode, we discuss a game that probably all of you have played: Valve’s incredibly popular distraction from Half-Life 3 development, Portal.

Portal is a game so influential it likely requires no introduction. In this episode, Raygan and Shane break down the qualities that made the game was so successful, and its widespread impact on gaming in general.

We command you:

GO PLAY PORTAL AGAIN!

Portal is available on nearly every platform you could want, including:

Links for this episode

This episode was recorded in two parts. In the introduction, recorded just a few days ago, Host and Bro-host discuss the recent announcements at E3, Tom Cruise movies, and a great quick video game about pseudo-nazi-airplane-submarines! In the second half, we wrap up our recent board game special with a lively discussion of Dominion.

Links for this episode:

The Introduction

The Witcher 3 gets a release date – YouTube link

Edge of Tomorrow – staring Tom Cruise

NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour – Edge of Tomorrow

Luftrausers – Official Site

Luftrausers on Steam – $9.99

Ridiculous Fishing – Official Site

The Conclusion to the Board Game Special

In this, our first very special episode, we take a bit of a detour and talk about a gaming passion that has less to do with keyboards and gamepads, and more to do with cardboard and dice. This is our first Board Game Special, and we discuss some of the games that brought us into board gaming as a hobby, with a special focus on games that are both quick to play and quick to teach.

We got so carried away talking about great board games that the episode ran long, so we’ve broken it into two parts. Join us next week for episode 9b!

Links for this episode

This week we discuss Terry Cavanagh’s indie gaming masterpiece VVVVVV. Inspired by the Commodore 64 generation of games, this game presents a tough challenge to even the most experienced gamer, while still clocking in at a descent length. Clever level design and a great focused game mechanic make this game shine.

The game is available:

Expect the game to take between 2 to 4 hours to complete depending on your skill level and willingness to persevere against sometimes absurd difficulty.

Pre-show topics

Links for this episode

There is no spoiler break for this episode, as we all concurred that there wasn’t really that much story to spoil.

Correction: Raygan stated that the game was available on the Humble Store but this is not the case. It was previously included in a Humble Bundle but it is only available through Steam and DRM Free through the developer’s website, sold using the Humble Widget. We regret the error.

This week, we discuss the silly, silly platform adventure game Octodad: Dadliest Catch.

Octodad is a game about controlling a slippery octopus in a suit through levels filed with tons of tiny physics-enabled objects while trying not to attract attention. Nobody can know your secret octopus nature!

The trailer is absolutely fantastic.

This little game is one of our favorites yet. Octodad is available for the PS4, Mac, Windows, and Linux. Expect it to take about 2 hours to complete.

Pre-show topics include: