Video Game Generations

With 2016 nearly over, we have just one more episode next week, before the start of 2017. There's still plenty of time to email us your top 3 or 5 or even a whole top 10 favorite games of 2016 list, and we'll read those on episode 130 at the beginning of January. Be sure to include a line or two about each game, so we know why they're your favorites.

After this week's usual news, new releases and email segments, Heath and Hadleigh are back with a pre-recorded Mini-Gamers episode 15. It's much longer than usual. It ends with a surprisingly difficult round of 20 Questions, despite the game I thought of being pretty much their favorite game ever. After that, Addie and I talk more about JumpStart's Escape From Adventure Island (Wii), which has been nostalgic for Addie as a game she first started way back when she was new to video games. Her Mobile Game of the Week is Adventure Capitalist (iOS). We also talk a little about Super Mario Run (iOS), although neither of us play much of it.

My pre-recorded segment is a quick update on the latest Phoenix Wright (3DS), some opening thoughts about Final Fantasy XV (PS4), and a review -- sort of, since I didn't finish it but have moved on -- for Suda 51's new free-to-play game Let it Die (PS4).

I also came prepared with a top 10 list this week. This time, it's my favorite robots in video games. Are there any obvious choices I missed? Write in and let us know. Then, after wrapping up, we end the show with some Christmas-inspired music from the 1998 PC game Jazz Jackrabbit 2: Holiday Hare. Oh, and there's a final message from the kids of Video Game Generations, in their own unique way.

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Finally, after a decade of waiting made longer by a business trip the week of its release, I played The Last Guardian (PS4). Late in the episode are my thoughts on this much-hyped, long-awaited follow-up to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. Was it worth the wait? I answer this and more in my spoiler-free review.

This week's assortment of listener email makes up for last week's absence of any. This includes an audio message from Christian, where he talks briefly about two games he's currently playing (Broken Age and Grim Dawn). Before that, Addie once again makes up stories about this week's new releases. We have no gaming news this week, but two download codes are given out, fill-in-the-blank style, where you can get either Wasteland 2 Director's Cut on Stream, or a couple extras for The Last Guardian on PS4, even if you don't have the game. That code is for the mini-soundtrack sampler, and a desktop theme. If you redeem either of these, be sure to let us know!

My pre-recorded segment includes an update on Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice (3DS), in addition to The Last Guardian review. In honor of the game, a short orchestral song from the game's 2016 trailer is our ending music this week. At the very end, though, is a marathon of outtakes snipped from the show -- mostly Addie taking the show in unnecessary directions. It's getting more and more difficult to keep her on-topic.

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More news than usual this week is a result of the recently-held PSX (PlayStation Experience). It's no surprise that we couldn't attend, but we're rounding up some of the best announcements. This also includes my pre-recorded impressions of the 2016 Game Awards in a recap/wrap-up segment. This week's new releases and the December free games for PlayStation Plus round out the news.

We had no email this week, but there's plenty to talk about, gaming-wise. Addie played a few missions in the campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered (PS4). It seems that she's enjoying this more grown-up game, although I spend a while afterwards openly wondering whether or not she needs to wait a couple more years. In my pre-recorded segment, I have opening impressions on Suda 51's latest, a free-to-play action RPG called Let it Die (PS4). The segment also includes two reviews of shorter games I played this week, Virginia (PS4) and The Unfinished Swan (PS4/Vita).

Bookending the episode, I give out an Ultraviolet digital download code for Final Fantasy XV: Kingsglaive (a movie) early on, and we end things with one round of video game character Twenty Questions.

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Getting a later start than usual for recording, we decided to skip 20 Questions. I didn't have a Top 10 list prepared either. We're here with all the other usual stuff, though, including email, where Addie and I get an excuse to reminisce about Castle Crashers (Xbox 360).

Heath's segment, Mini-Gamers, returns for its fourteenth episode. I also have a pre-recorded review of Watch_Dogs 2 (PS4) late in the episode.

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IFComp 2016 has ended, so this week includes a countdown of the official top ten winners, plus listener Nikhil's IFComp wrap-up in email. We cover this week's news and new releases too, as usual. In game chat, Addie has plenty to talk about. Her Mobile Game of the Week is The Sims Freeplay (iOS), which she also talked about last week. Plus Poptropica. Plus Virginia (PS4), which she played start to finish. Plus Psychonauts (PS2 on PS4), which she only just started.

We recorded early due to a scheduling conflict, so I didn't know at the time that my post-recorded review of Dishonored 2 (PS4) was going to be a twenty minute epic. Sorry about that. Or you're welcome, depending on how you feel about long reviews.

Toward the end, Addie plays video game "Who Am I?" (twenty questions). After we wrap up, I thought it fitting to include a sad little song from the Dust District in Dishonored 2. Enjoy!

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We have a lot going on in this episode. I found a safe solution for fixing loose discs in unopened PS4 cases, which I explain in detail. Then it's the usual segments of news, new releases and email. Email topics include the one-year anniversary of the Star Wars Battlefront podcast (friends and long-time listeners of Video Game Generations), the physical vs. digital future debate, Steins Gate, the recently-crowdfunded Wasteland 3, feedback about my Mafia III review, PSVR, and more.

We also have a PSN code for the Playstation 4 version of Dishonored: Definitive Edition to give away. No fill-in-the-blanks show trivia this week, but we do make a game of it. We split the code into six parts, which you'll have to put together by listening to most of the episode. At least they're in order. If you piece it together and redeem it, please let us know!

Addie talks about The Sims Freeplay (iOS) and Stretchmo (3DS). After that, my pre-recorded segment has very brief opening thoughts about Dishonored 2 (PS4), plus a recap of the seventeen IFComp 2016 entries I played (out of the fifty-eight total entries). I even make a list of it, with my score for each one.

The show wraps up with one round of video game "Who Am I?" played in 20-questions form. Can Addie guess the mystery character I'm thinking of? Listen to find out.

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Find links and show notes at
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Show notes this week are a bit short. I lack the motivation to be creative today, as Election 2016 has come to a close. But while you're being depressed / surprised / confused / sad / angry / happy / scared / embarrassed / outraged / ambivalent / worried / unaffected about the results -- depending on who you are -- escape for an hour and listen to Addie and me talk about the world of video games.

So just a brief rundown:

Intro and off-topic.
News & new releases.
Listener feedback (email).
Addie talks Mario Kart 7 (3DS).
I review Mafia III (PS4).
Top ten video game sidekicks.
Republique Steam code give-away.
Wrap-up, ending music, old outtake.

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Find links and show notes at
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On the technical side, things are back to normal this week. On the scheduling side, though, we had to record most of the podcast on Sunday, since Addie wouldn't be available at the regular time Tuesday night. Then we added email afterwards, and my game review segment. It all worked out in the end.

This week features a new top ten list, where we envision non-episodic games that might actually work if released over time in multiple episodes. That's also our question of the week. Did we miss an obvious choice? Let us know what game or series you think would work well episodically. Afterwards, with a litle more time to spare, we played video game Who-Am-I (aka 20 Questions), with Addie guessing.

In addition to talking about the PlayStation Plus line-up for this month and the new games releasing this week, our lone email has inspired me to move The Saboteur higher on my backlog. It ends with his rapid-fire impressions of five more IFComp 2016 entries. In my review segment, I talk about two more IFComp entries, Quest for the Traitor Saint and Pogoman GO! That starts around the 21:53 mark. I'm still playing Mafia III (PS4) and the latest Phoenix Wright (3DS), but I don't have anything new to add since last week. Still, I wanted to include a little more music from Phoenix Wright at the end. The theme for The Steel Samurai is just as catchy as ever.

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Find links and show notes at
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Technical difficulties made this week's episode a little rushed. We got a super late start, after finally getting things set up to record on a different computer than usual. Hopefully the audio level and quality is at least similar to normal. For many reasons, most of which weren't talked about here, it was an all around bad luck day.

But it's not all bad! Episode 120 is here! We talk about new releases, the Xbox Games with Gold for November, listener email, and some news. News includes a pre-recorded segment from a few days prior, after the reveal of the Nintendo Switch, where Addie and I talk about the new console -- what's known, what isn't, and our general impressions.

In another pre-recorded segment, I have initial thoughts on Blues and Bullets episode 1 (PS4) and Mafia III (PS4). I also talk a little more about Wasteland 2 (PS4) and Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice (3DS). Addie and I then talk about Broken Age (PS4), which she finally finished this weekend. Following that, in a pre-recorded review segment that starts around the 42:30 mark, I have reviews of two more IFComp 2016 entries.

To wrap up the show, I've included several more tunes from the latest Phoenix Wright. Due to many factors, we don't have a quiz or a new top ten list this week.

Have feedback? Write to us at
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Find links and show notes at
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You won't want to miss this week's top ten list. Addie reads through these ten great tips for surviving a zombie apocalypse, courtesy of my friend Justin on Facebook. Some day, you'll thank us!

IFComp 2016 coverage continues this week, in a pre-recorded review segment that starts around the 37:25 mark. We also have a few mini-reviews for other entries from listener Nikhil, which I read during our email segment a bit earlier, at around 33:38. Other email includes game updates from our listeners, plus two new questions of the week. First, has there ever been a game or game series that you've played back-to-back for the purpose of getting ready for the release of the latest game in the series? Two, what's your favorite death sequence or death quote in a video game? Write in and let us know!

In an increasingly rare on-topic moment for Addie, she talks about an educational quiz game called Kahoot! It's her Mobile Game of the Week, but apparently it can also be played online. Then in a second pre-recorded segment, I have a short review of Gears of War 4 (Xbox One), which is a great start to a new Gears trilogy. Oh, and with Halloween just around the corner, we once again plug our own Halloween-themed interactive fiction, Hallowmoor and A Trick-or-Treat Adventure, which you'll find linked below the show notes for this episode, at our website.

Have feedback? Write to us at
[email protected]

Find links and show notes at
http://www.vggpodcast.com