A little essay on why I found Bloodborne to be so engaging despite my checkered history with the Souls series. Includes some comparisons between the various entries in this long running series as well as an analysis of the ways that Fromsoft incorporate ideas and concepts from some of my most- and least-loved 16-bit action games. Also includes a lot of Shinobi III and cello talk, so you have been warned.

Includes additional music from https://diie.bandcamp.com/album/diie-entertainment-system and https://yumenikki.bandcamp.com

Comics artist Hannah Vardit joins for a discussion of Junji Ito and adaptations inspired by the game World of Horror. We also discuss Horror Manga, 90s toys, J-Horror movies, waiting for a new Silent Hill game and Adam West getting kicked out of an orgy - among other things. You can check out Hannah's work at https://hannahvardit.com/

We conclude our discussion about Resident Evil 8 by discussing the finer details of the plot and the many unexpected detours that the game takes in its second half. We also speculate on where the series will go after this and the lasting legacy that this massive entry in the series will have based on the many improvements it makes to its predecessors. Is RE8 the new RE2? Will the earth run out of codeine soon? Listen on to find out.

You knew it was coming, but did you know it would be 4 hours long? Our epic-length and extremely in-depth discussion of Resident Evil 8 starts with a spoiler-free overview of our thoughts and feelings on the game before diving into a spoiler-light, beat-by-beat analysis of the game. Topics discussed include the massive changes to combat, aesthetics and storytelling that the game introduces; the economics of crystal skulls; horny gamers and much, much more. To be continued!

Justin joins for a discussion of Outlast 2, a problematic game that has lurked in the margins of the show since the very beginning. We finally break down why this game was such a disappointment as it overstuffs it gameplay with wonky mechanics and its story with try-hard edginess - a choice that ultimately reveals why writers need to carefully consider the themes and topics they want to explore in a game. Also discussed: just generally dunking on edgelords, that's most of the ep.

Vincent joins for a discussion of Silent Hill 3, the anachronistic and often underrated gem of the series - and maybe survival horror overall. We also discuss the concept of "peak survival horror," how humor can enhance horror and why Heather is an extremely relatable protagonist that stands out amongst the sea of sad-man survival horror protags. Also featuring my cat Clovis because she wouldn't leave me alone for two seconds.

I talk a little bit about what's going on in Minneapolis right now before trying to rank every Resident Evil game, tier-list style, and giving some thoughts on the RE8 demo.

Justin - our resident 7th gen expert - and I unpack the shade constantly thrown at the seventh video game generation by this show in an attempt to figure out if the 360/PS3 era was actually bad or if there is something there worth returning to. We also discuss some of the biggest 7th gen horror games like Alan Wake, Fear, Bioshock and Dead Space. It gets complicated!

I address some recent negativity surrounding the show, offer some thoughts on the recent episodes and talk about what listeners can expect from the show in the future.

I'm joined by Cole for a discussion of Dying Light - the parkour zombie action adventure game - that mostly ends up being a lengthy and weird conversation about problematic media, overly horny reddit comments, toxic fandoms, spy movies, abusive workplaces, badly done accents, trying for a better future and loving something in spite of itself.