Video Game Generations

The bulk of this episode is listener email and a quiz, but somewhere in the middle, we talk about what we've been playing. Addie made it to chapter 3 in Portal 2 (PC) and I'm about 62 hours into Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS4).

Listeners weigh in with their thoughts on the potential success or failure of "Steam-Boxes" and "Android Consoles" -- plus what games they're looking forward to playing this year. As for the quiz, we test your ability to link game developers (or writers, designers, and producers) to the games they're known for. After finding out her score, Addie has vowed to get revenge on me with a new quiz of her own.

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2015 is just getting started, so on this episode, we look ahead to the games we're excited for. Plus, we make a few predictions about what might happen in the world of video games this year.

Bill returns for the third time as a guest, filling us in on hardware trends and new happenings in the world of gadgets and electronics, as revelead during CES. Also, he explains why Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a worthy entry in the series. Addie shares her excitement about playing Alice: Madness Returns, a rated "M" game that she might not should be playing at all, but we'll see how it goes. I give my closing thoughts on Sunset Overdrive, and then talk a bit about Dragon Age: Inquisition (which I may still be playing for weeks to come; it's huge).

We're still interested in hearing from listeners about what you're looking forward to in 2015, and even your own gaming predictions. Write in and let us know (or to talk about anything, really; we read emails every episode).

And yes, there was no episode last week, due to illness.

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Our farewell to 2014 wraps up with a look back at the games we enjoyed this year, including countdown lists of our favorites. We also read and discuss listener feedback, the free games offered in January for XBox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus subscribers, and all that we've been playing during our holiday vacations.

I finished Far Cry 4 (PS4), Nightshade (NES), and Maniac Mansion (NES). I also talk quite a bit about Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One), which I recently started playing. We made progress in Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (PS4) too. Heath -- he's six and not often on the show -- made it through the co-op campaign in Portal 2 with me. We've been playing off and on for several weeks, and he helped solve a few puzzles I had forgotten from when I played the co-op with Bill a couple years ago.

As always, you can write to us at [email protected]. We want to know what you're looking forward to gaming-wise in 2015, or even what has you a little worried. But even if you don't have an answer, feel free to write in. We love including listener feedback on the show.

Our holiday episode ends with a trio of Christmas songs, karaoke-style by Addie. But before that, it's business as usual as we discuss the games we've played since the last episode. I finished Ultima 6 (SNES on Retron 5), and an awesome NES game called Clash at Demonhead (which, thanks to a faulty ROM load in the Retron 5, crashed on me near the end). Then, a little more Far Cry 4 (which I've almost finished), and my opening thoughts on another NES game, Nightshade. Addie and I started Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (PS4), but we're still very early in.

No listener feedback for the second week in a row, but hopefully this week's question will get a few good replies. What was your favorite game of 2014? Let us know! Email [email protected]. We also have a new quiz this week, although between Addie being tired and not really knowing this year's release dates, it was kind of an... interesting one. Also, since this week's episode was a bit short, I include two Clash at Demonhead tunes before Addie's Christmas karaoke.

The year is coming to a close soon, so "game of the year" buzz is everywhere. We'll save our own favorites for later, but in case you missed it (like we did), we go over several of the nominees and winners of the 2014 Game Awards (which was held in Las Vegas earlier this month). Listener email is non-existent this week, although a Question of the Week from a listener (from last episode) was held back to include this time. First, we want to hear your picks for what kind of game is best suited to a mobile/tablet touch interface; or, if you prefer, what particular game have you played and found to work great on a mobile touch device?

A second Question of the Week, though, is a repeat. If you'd like to share your PlayStation or XBox Live or Steam or Nintendo ID with other listeners, let us know what it is, what it means, and how you came up with it.

In game talk, we give updates on what we've been playing. Addie made more progress in LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS4) and Heath finished it, I'm told! Addie talks about her plans for world-deconstruction in MineCraft. Then I talk about more Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS), Ultima VI (SNES on Retron5), and Far Cry 4 (PS4). Plus, I played through an interesting action platformer called Big Nose the Caveman (NES on Retron5), so I talk a bit about that. It was an interesting non-licensed game from Camerica/Codemasters, and a couple MIDI arrangements of its music is included to end the episode.

My favorite bit, though, is a quiz that Addie came up with. She tests my knowledge of release dates on a dozen random games she found in my collection. She did all the research herself, making me a very proud dad. Too bad I wasn't able to ace the quiz, but I did okay.

Questions or feedback? Email us! [email protected]

We have plenty on the agenda for today's episode, which includes a lengthy off-topic segment, a little news, some discussion about certain bits of said news, and heaps of listener feedback. We also talk a little about the value of collectible video games when those games are eventually released digitally (ex: Suikoden II).

Game talk covers a big variety, although much of this is a pre-recorded monologue so that Addie's parts aren't interrupted during the main show. These include Broken Sword 5 (Vita), NES Remix Pack (Wii U), Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U), Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD Remaster (PS3), Gravity Guy (iOS), Hanging With Friends (iOS), Chariot (XBox One), Far Cry 4 (PS4), Secret Ponchos (PS4), and Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS).

We also brainstorm a little about upcoming episodes; especially what we might do for a holiday episode this month. All of this and more, in one of our longer episodes this week. Enjoy!

Comments or questions? Email us at [email protected].

It's another rushed episode after Addie gets home from rehearsal, but we manage to get through several games and topics, including this week's listener feedback. One listener wants to know how you got your gamer tag, and what it means, so that's our Question of the Week.

I give my final thoughts on Assassin's Creed: Unity (for real this time -- and mostly about its multiplayer), and an update on my progress in Final Fantasy X (I'm very near the end now). I talk a little more about Broken Sword 5 (the Vita version, which I transferred over to Playstation TV). Plus, I have a few initial thoughts on Far Cry 4 (PS4), which is the next big game I'm playing. Addie and I share our thoughts on the first two levels in The Simpsons Game (Xbox 360), plus she fills me in about Plants vs. Zombies 2. A little more about LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS4) and Super Smash Bros. (Wii U) round out this week's game chat.

In future episodes, I'll be able to talk more about the Xbox One, now that recent price drops and holiday sales have made it impossible to pass. I have a few initial thoughts on Microsoft's console now that it's hooked up and running, but I haven't really used it much yet.

Have questions, comments, or feedback? Write in at [email protected].

It's Thanksgiving week (here in the United States, anyway), and we're thankful to have reached our 21st episode. We spend a bit of time on off-topic stuff to start the show (movies, TV, and more). Then it's news, which includes a rumor that ZombiU 2 might actually be coming to the Wii U next year. The free game line-ups for PlayStation Plus and XBox Live Games with Gold (December) were announced after recording, but that's included as a sort-of insert to the show.

Two super-long listener emails answer recent Questions of the Week, which includes our choice for this week's new questions: What's your favorite recurring song or theme in a game, and what music makes you think of a particular game even if it's not actually related (ex: music you were listening to while playing something)?

In our "What We're Playing" segment, we talk about Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS4 version), and for me, my near-final thoughts on Assassin's Creed: Unity (which I finished, but may play a bit more just to collect more trophies). The show wraps up with another quiz for Addie (and listeners who want to play along). This time, she must guess whether certain character names are actually from a real game, or just something I made up.

Write to us at [email protected].

We speed through most topics this week due to time constraints, but we do talk some on the meaning behind Little Inferno (WiiU). Some spoilers there, so skip ahead at that part if you don't want to hear. I also give an update on my adventures in the realm of Brittania (in other words, more on Ultima VI: The False Prophet), and a lengthy, detailed monologue about Assassin's Creed: Unity... how it plays and what it's about, but no real story spoilers or anything. We wrap it up with a question about a question. Give us your ideas for things you would like us to ask our listeners. Fun and unusual topics are probably best! Write to us at [email protected].

Our feature segment this week is an interview with Jason Scott of the Internet Arcade, which is something we talked about in last week's episode. Addie asks the tough questions, like "what's your favorite color," but before that, we hear about how this project came into existence, what they're hoping to accomplish, plus extra insight into some of Jason's other projects. He hasn't been interviewed about the Internet Arcade before now, so you're getting an exclusive here!

Listeners write in to answer our recent Questions of the Week, and at one point, we both get confused on whether the short tune Addie keeps humming is really from Super Mario Bros. I think it all comes down to a single note: higher, and it's Mario; lower, and it's something else.

Addie has been playing the demo version of an iPhone game called Geometry Dash. I finished The Evil Within (at almost thirty hours clocked), and I played more Ultima VI (SNES via Retron5) and a little more Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS).

To wrap up the episode, we talk about our favorite coin-op arcade games, and invite listeners to write in with your favorites. The outro music this week comes from Wizards & Warriors II (NES), which is sort of random, but was at least mentioned once in this episode.