The Cursed Checkpoint - HorribleNight.com

Welcome to Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition – The Cursed Checkpoint #116

Brandon Coppernoll — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:47:29 +0000

Brandon and JP had never planned on trying Minecraft, but the 360 release proved to be too enticing. They are joined by the seasoned Minecraft PC player, Aaron, to talk about their first impressions and plans for future adventures.

The Cursed Checkpoint is a topical video game podcast focused on discussions and interviews about a single video game, genre, news headline, or industry story. It features a rotating cast of up to 3 members of the Horrible Night writing staff and/or video game industry professionals.

Throughout May, Horrible Night will be Going Indie and featuring indie game related articles in support of the Indie Game: The Movie screening in Indianapolis on May 23.

Gaming Cynic: The Indie Game Nightmare

Tried It: Minecraft 360 Edition

Lone Survivor Review

Gaming Lifestyle: Waiting for Console Breakthroughs

Rewards of Going Indie Part 1 – Accidentally Breaking New Ground

Podcast – The Horrible Show Live: Going Indie

Oh, look! An aqueduct! JP would be proud!

Episode Background

This is not just a “I’m new to Minecraft and don’t know what to do” episode. There are plenty of those out there. Brandon, JP, and Aaron discuss the impact of Minecraft on the Xbox 360 and look at the game from a newcomer’s perspective. What are their hopes, dreams, and fears? Aaron played Minecraft on PC for some time before the release on Xbox 360. What’s his take on the new edition?

This checkpoint is full of lessons learned, stories, and bro-ship all revolved around Minecraft. It is intended for gamers who haven’t made up their mind about whether or not they will purchase Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition or those who just don’t know what to expect.

Show Notes

Cast: Brandon, JP, and Aaron
Runtime: 36:02
Games: Minecraft, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition

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Should I Play The Walking Dead: Episode 1? – The Cursed Checkpoint #115

Ethan Moses — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:59:59 +0000

Ethan has been a bit outspoken against The Walking Dead episodes prior to their release, and Justin and Brandon couldn’t be happier with the series after the first episode. Can they convince Ethan and his ilk to stick with the series?

Episode Background

Ethan has been burned a little too often by his expectations of the adventure games from Telltale and as a fan of The Walking Dead he has been worried about how the games would turn out. At the same time, Justin and Brandon briskly and happily played through Episode 1. In hopes that their enthusiasm is contagious, Ethan talks with the new converts to find out what got them so excited about their experience and if they will see through all of the episodes.

This checkpoint is a spoiler-free evaluation of the highs and lows of the first episode of The Walking Dead. It is intended for gamers who haven’t made up their mind about whether or not they will play through all of The Walking Dead episodes whether or not they have played the first episode or not.

Show Notes

Cast: Ethan, Justin, and Brandon
Runtime: 33:02
Games: The Walking Dead: Episode One – A New Day, Jurassic Park: The Game, The Secret of Monkey Island, Resident Evil

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Warhammer Video Games 101 Plus 40k – The Cursed Checkpoint #114

Ethan Moses — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:40:24 +0000

Josh Lee and Ethan Moses talk through the Warhammer 40k and Warhammer fantasy franchises and discuss their experiences with the video game iterations of the classic table top games as well as their hopes for future Warhammer themed games.

Episode Background

Josh and Ethan are huge fans of the Warhammer 40k and Warhammer fantasy universes and sat down to talk about the gaming richness the franchises have offered to them. Online versions of the game have dominated the news as of late, with the cloudy announcement about the new direction Dark Millenium is heading as well as the launch of the Warhammer: Wrath of Heroes, but the gaming options span much further than that.

This checkpoint is for fans of the series and novices alike as it explores the broad history of Warhammer from table top to the console/PC and all the success/failures in between.

Show Notes

Cast: Ethan, Josh
Runtime: 47:52
Games: Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes, Warhammer 40K: Dark Millenium Online, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War, Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 2, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine, Warhammer 40K: Fire Warrior, Warhammer 40K: Space Hulk, Warhammer 40K: Kill Team

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Spoiler Alert: Journey – The Cursed Checkpoint #113

Justin Lacey — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:54:45 +0000

There is no question that Journey is a special game, but just how unique of an experience is it for every player? Justin, Aaron and Justin put on their scarves to discuss the intricate details of their time with Journey.

Episode Background

Whether you had read up on the game or were coming to it completely fresh, few gamers knew what to expect from Journey. It is one of those rare game that isn’t worth dissecting as it is just discussing and telling your story about your experience. For that reason we decided it was best to get a group of us together who had recently played the game rather than attempting to formally review the game. Of course, to get the most out of the conversation we needed it to be full of spoilers so we advise for listeners to play through the game before listening to this episode.

This episode is for anyone who has finished Journey and is interested in hearing about other’s experiences and interpretations of their session with the game.

Show Notes

Cast: Justin L, Aaron, Justin S
Runtime: 36:14
Games: Journey, flower, Shadow of the Colossus

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Mass Effect 3: The Reviewcast – The Cursed Checkpoint #112

Brandon Coppernoll — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:51:56 +0000

Not content with just a singular review of Mass Effect 3 on HorribleNight.com. Brandon, Justin and Aaron take time to reflect on their own space adventures and decide if Mass Effect 3 is a must play or nice-to-play game.

Episode Background

Mass Effect is an epic sci-fi adventure that has spanned over 5 years, and the level of detail is so deep you can play each game over and over again and still come out with something new. Mass Effect 3 has been lauded as the conclusion to the story of Commander Shepard, and with new features like multiplayer it was unclear if the trilogy was going to stay on course and end satisfactorily for die hard fans. While we have run an official review of the game, there’s room for many different opinions on this major game and franchise. We brought in three different Mass Effect 3 players with different stories and experiences to determine if the game holds up and should be played by both new and experienced players to the franchise.

This episode is for experienced Mass Effect players wondering if they should finish the story in Mass Effect 3 and for new players who don’t know if they should start on this installment or go in a different direction. In that regard we have kept this episode relatively spoiler free and we do not discuss the details of the ending directly. Look for a future episode on that topic.

Show Notes

Cast: Brandon, Justin G., Aaron
Runtime: 35:32
Games: Mass Effect 3
Review: By Josh Lee

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The Most Amazing Pro Wrestling Video Games Podcast Episode in the History of Sports Entertainment – The Cursed Checkpoint #111

Cole Monroe — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:19:55 +0000

As another Wrestlemania approaches Cole, Justin and Josh relive the glorious history of pro wrestling video games. From moonsaults on the NES to Rock Bottoms on the N64 to RKO’s on today’s consoles, our favorite slobberknockers will live on.

Episode Background

While some of us swore off of pro wrestling (and some haven’t), we can’t fight the yearly itch of witnessing Wrestlemania (which is right around the corner on April 1, 2012). All of the building wrestling talk eventually naturally turns to pro wrestling video games around Horrible Night. Cole put together this episode in order to give us and fans like us an outlet to relive our favorite wrestling games of each generation of video games. While the main wrestling games don’t have the draw for us like they used to, the recent WWE All-Stars gives us hope for the genre’s return to glory.

This episode is for anyone who has ever been a pro wrestling fan, enjoyed retro pro wrestling games or still have hope that the current games can get better.

Show Notes

Cast: Cole, Justin, Josh
Runtime: 37:32
Games: Pro Wrestling, WWF Wrestlefest, WCW vs The World, WCW vs NWO: World Tour, WWF War Zone, WWF Wrestlemania 2000, WWF Smackdown, WWE Smackdown vs Raw, WWE All Stars

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HD Downpour of Silent Hill Releases – The Cursed Checkpoint #110

Ethan Moses — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:42:54 +0000

Josh, Brandon and Ethan have fond memories of the Silent Hill series, but struggled to enjoy the later games. With the HD collection and Silent Hill: Downpour making waves as throw backs, the guys try to decide if they should risk disappointment again.

Episode Background

Silent Hill, like many survival horror games, has struggled to stay consistent over the years. The franchise has changed hands developmentally, changed genres and even changed locations as it struggled to stay relevent in the action heavy enviroment of modern gaming. We brought in three different Silent Hill fans to discuss their experiences with the series, what it did right, what it did wrong and whether or not it could rekindle the horror it did so well over a decade ago.

This episode is for anyone who is interested in the Silent Hill series, and is intended for trying to decide between purchasing Silent Hill: Downpour or the Silent Hill HD collection.

Show Notes

Cast: Ethan, Josh, Brandon
Runtime: 37:26
Games: Silent Hill Series, Silent Hill HD Collection, Silent Hill: Downpour

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Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Reflex Review – The Cursed Checkpoint #109

Justin Lacey — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:06:45 +0000

Justin, Cole and Aaron report back about their ongoing adventures in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. They try their best to avoid puns about fate in regards to making recommendations on who may or may not enjoy the game. Will their loot lust win out?

Episode Background

With a game as big and as open as Reckoning, we knew that just one perspective would not do. Large RPG’s are an investment and the choices made within them can bring about varied experiences. We brought together 3 different gamers to get 3 different opinions on the game as they tried to not only decide if it is worth it to spend more time in Amalur for themselves, but for anyone who is on the fence about the game.

This episode is for anyone who is interested in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and is intended for those who are unsure about playing or sticking with the game.

Show Notes

Cast: Justin L, Cole, Aaron
Runtime: 34:44
Games: Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

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Reflex Review – Like a memorable meal, some games make a big enough impression that you’ve got to tell other people about them before they’re fully digested.

Should I Play Mass Effect? – The Cursed Checkpoint #108

Ethan Moses — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:47:07 +0000

As the release of Mass Effect 3 approaches, Ethan faces the daunting task of playing the entire franchise to catch up. He brings in resident Mass Effect fanboys, Justin L and Justin G, for questioning to find out if he has been missing out.

Episode Background

Ethan knew this day would come sooner or later. Mass Effect is a very popular topic on Horrible Night and once again he is faced with not having played any of the games prior to the next major release. The fact is there are a ton of games to play and jumping into a huge franchise like this could prove to be very time consuming. Ethan wants to be sure about his decision, but he needs answers to some questions that some may find unrelated to the games entirely.

This episode is for anyone who is interested in the Mass Effect franchise. It does not matter if you have or haven’t played any game in the series and it does not contain spoilers.

Show Notes

Cast: Ethan, Justin L, Justin G
Runtime: 31:51
Games: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3

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Spoiler Alert: Dear, Dear Esther – The Cursed Checkpoint #107

Justin Lacey — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:18:52 +0000

One thing is for sure about Dear Esther, after you experience it, you are going to want to talk to others that have, too. Justin, Ethan, and Josh try to figure out if they saw what they thought they saw.

Episode Background

We had no idea what to expect from Dear Esther, and have had an even harder time defining our true feelings about the experience. There seems to be no right or wrong way to make sense of Dear Esther, and it continues to haunt us. It just made sense to get together with others that had played the game and have a spoiler-filled conversation about what we saw and what we didn’t see.

This episode is for anyone who has finished Dear Esther interested in hearing about other’s experiences and interpretations of their session with the game.

Show Notes

Cast: Justin, Ethan, Josh
Runtime: 36:42
Games: Dear Esther

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Rage about id – The Cursed Checkpoint #106

Justin Lacey — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:21:40 +0000

Rage is a touchy subject around Horrible Night. Justin, Ethan, and Coop discuss why they are so defensive about the game and the future of id Software.

Episode Background

Getting your hopes up for a game is one thing, but hearing the majority opinion turn against a game you really enjoy is another. It has been 4 months since Rage was released and Justin, Ethan, and Coop still find themselves bristling at ignorant attacks on the game. While they admit the game isn’t perfect, it was time for the group to get together to make sure none of them were crazy and collect their thoughts on the future of the franchise and id Software.

This episode is for anyone who has been on the fence about playing Rage and for fans of shooters and id Software.

Show Notes

Cast: Justin, Ethan, Coop
Runtime: 35:51
Games: Rage, Doom 3, Quake 4, Quake, Modern Warfare 2, Fallout 3, Borderlands
References: Not Playing Rage is Not an Option

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Skyward Sword of the Gunstringer: The State of Motion Games – The Cursed Checkpoint #105

Justin Lacey — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:11:31 +0000

Motion games played their best hand yet in 2011 with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and The Gunstringer. Justin and Aaron relive the best and the worst of both games in order to determine where the genre goes from here.

Never thought I'd be happy to see you again.

Episode Background

Justin and Aaron both recently played through two of the more prominent motion game releases of 2011 in Skyward Sword and The Gunstringer. These two games are arguably the best implementation of motion gaming that have tried to appeal to both serious gamers and casual gamers alike. For all of their advances, both games left Justin and Aaron with more than a few questions about the future of motion games.

This episode is recommended for anyone with an interest in the evolution of motion games and ideas about where the games may be headed. The discussion of both games is spoiler free, and while it may help if you have played one or both of the games, it certainly isn’t required to be able to follow along with the conversation.

Show Notes

Cast: Justin, Aaron
Runtime: 30:59
Games: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, The Gunstringer, Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
References: Skyward Sword Review, The Gunstringer Review

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Roguelikes: The Fun of Random Permadeath – The Cursed Checkpoint #104

Ethan Moses — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:24:54 +0000

After discovering roguelikes through playthroughs of The Binding of Isaac and Dungeons of Dredmor, Ethan talks with Josh about the history of this unforgiving video game genre and discovers that he’s only scratched the surface.

Oh come on, Isaac, suck it up.

Episode Background

Josh and Ethan enjoy punishing themselves when it comes to gaming and roguelikes seem to be the perfect type of game to do just that. From randomly generated levels to perma death, they discuss their affections for the genre and talk through the history of roguelikes and the games that best exemplify what it takes to be “like Rogue.”

This episode is recommended for anyone who has heard the term “roguelike” but has no idea what the genre entails, fans of The Binding of Isaac that are looking to try related games, and fans of roguelikes in general.

Show Notes

Cast: Ethan, Josh
Runtime: 36:24
Games: The Binding of Isaac, Dungeons of Dredmor, NetHack, Dungeon Crawl, Hack, Rogue, Diablo, Ancient Domains of Mystery, Dwarf Fortress, Angband, Tales of Maj’Eyal

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Interview with Ian Stocker: Developer of Escape Goat – The Cursed Checkpoint #103

Ethan Moses — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:48:56 +0000

After developing a fondness for its puzzle-platformer Escape Goat (and a weird obsession with the game’s four legged protagonists), Ethan tracks down Magical Time Bean’s Ian Stocker and learns the ins and outs of indie game development.

Episode Background

Magical Time Bean’s Ian Stocker is a self professed “Jack of all trades” when it comes to making games, a quality that comes in handy for a guy that takes on every aspect of game development for his titles. From programming and art design to crafting the soundtrack, Ian does it all and based on the popularity of games like Escape Goat and the Soulcaster Series, and he does it quite well. A life long gamer, Ian’s development influence derived from his time with the Commodore 64 game Adventure Construction Set back in the 80′s and from there he knew where his aspirations lay.

Whether you’re curious about the indie scene from the perspective of an up and coming designer or question the political motivations behind the Salem Witch trials, this episode of Checkpoint is here to provide a wide spectrum of insight as well as proving that despite being easily distracted, Ethan is more than capable of asking relevent questions 60% of the time.

Show Notes

Cast: Ethan interviews Ian Stocker of Magical Time Bean
Runtime: 32:01
Games: Escape Goat, Soulcaster
Resources: Ethan’s Review of Escape Goat

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Catherine: A Game of the Year – The Cursed Checkpoint #102

Justin Lacey — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:56:32 +0000

Brandon recently selected Catherine as his personal game of the year for 2011 and Justin can’t resist picking his brain to find out just what was so special about this humorous and mature puzzle game.

Good game or great game?

Episode Background

After Brandon’s glowing review of Catherine was followed up by him bestowing 2011 Game of the Year honors to the title on his personal Top 10 list, I (Justin) was more than a little intrigued having written the game off around its release. We dive into the details of Catherine’s story, puzzle mechanics, and make or break moments, thankfully, without spoiling it.

This episode is recommended for anyone who has played or has had an interest in playing Catherine, puzzle game fans, anime fans, gamers who appreciate story, and those who have played and enjoyed any of the fine Japanese games that Atlus lovingly publishes for us.

Show Notes

Cast: Justin L, Brandon
Runtime: 30:42
Games: Catherine

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Star Wars: The Old Republic: Single Player MMO – The Cursed Checkpoint #101

Justin Lacey — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:41:38 +0000

Josh has traditionally been anti-MMO games but has fallen for Star Wars: The Old Republic, so Justin sits down with him to figure out what has happened and if he should join in.

Episode Background

Justin and Josh both participated in the Star Wars: The Old Republic beta recently. Josh wrote about his experience with the beta and went on to preorder the game and spent the past weekend playing with a co-op buddy thanks to the early access granted to preorder customers. Justin has been cautiously watching at a distance and is still weighing whether or not he will purchase the game. Josh has been outspoken about his disinterest to play another MMO but has been raving about this latest entry into the genre, which provoked Justin to question Josh’s logic and opened the way for this conversation.

This episode is recommended for anyone on the fence about MMO’s and The Old Republic in general. If you have questions for Josh or Justin about the game please reach out in the comments.

Show Notes

Cast: Justin L, Josh
Runtime: 38:26
Games: Star Wars: The Old Republic, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, World of Warcraft

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