Very Very Gaming Show

Very Very Gaming Show https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com Monthly discussions of the retro games and the blogosphere, courtesy of Very Very Gaming aka Adrian and Maya. Mon, 23 Jul 2018 22:20:58 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ 59297821 https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/b998e789e880a1f1f4a6c3d8e5fd75a707c4847f9dd61d3b740d4d6ea8722b76?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fwebclip.png Podcast – Very Very Gaming https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com yesvideogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,englishMonthly discussions of topics related to retro videogames, courtesy of Adrian and Maya aka Very Very Gaming.Retro videogames and the gaming blogosphere, courtesy of Adrian and Maya, aka Very Very Gaming.Very Very Gaming VVG Show 15 – Operation Rainfall, Xenoblade Chronicles https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2017/10/28/vvg-show-15-operation-rainfall-xenoblade-chronicles/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2017/10/28/vvg-show-15-operation-rainfall-xenoblade-chronicles/#comments Sat, 28 Oct 2017 23:51:57 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=7790 We are back and it is 2016! We revive the final episode of our Operation Rainfall trilogy – first recorded in early 2016 – for your listening pleasure. Better late than never, right? Right…? Let’s hope so. In this episode, we discuss the epic Wii-exclusive Japanese RPG, Xenoblade Chronicles. First off, Adrian confronts Maya’s unhealthy fangirl obsession with the evils of the game’s romance plot. You too will learn what the Twilight series and Xenoblade Chronicles share in common. We go on to discuss (and imitate) the game’s English voice acting, and compare the various Operation Rainfall titles before returning once more to Shelia.

Please be warned that, while we don’t go deeply into Xenoblade’s plot proper, there are (romance-related) spoilers discussed. What a bunch of jokers!

Episode 15: Operation Rainfall, Xenoblade Chronicles

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Xenoblade-Screen-shot-6 veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesWe are back and it is 2016! We revive the final episode of our Operation Rainfall trilogy – first recorded in early 2016 – for your listening pleasure. Better late than never, right? Right…? Let’s hope so. In this episode, we discuss the epic Wii-exclusive Japanese RPG, Xenoblade Chronicles. First off, Adrian confronts Maya’s unhealthy […]Very Very GamingWe are back and it is 2016! We revive the final episode of our Operation Rainfall trilogy – first recorded in early 2016 – for your listening pleasure. Better late than never, right? Right…? Let’s hope so. In this episode, we discuss the epic Wii-exclusive Japanese RPG, Xenoblade Chronicles. First off, Adrian confronts Maya’s unhealthy […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english VVG Show Switch Special – Crazy for Loving You, Nintendo https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/vvg-show-switch-special-crazy-for-loving-you-nintendo/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/vvg-show-switch-special-crazy-for-loving-you-nintendo/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2017 02:31:31 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=6758 After watching the big Nintendo Switch presentation this morning, we felt compelled to record a special one-off podcast to collect our initial thoughts and impressions. Not all went to plan – we had to record twice because it all got too much for some of us! Nevertheless, we hope you’ll enjoy the show. Let us know what you thought of the Switch – and whether you too had a breakdown…

Switch Special: Crazy for Loving You, Nintendo

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nintendo-switch-koizumi-sofa veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesAfter watching the big Nintendo Switch presentation this morning, we felt compelled to record a special one-off podcast to collect our initial thoughts and impressions. Not all went to plan – we had to record twice because it all got too much for some of us! Nevertheless, we hope you’ll enjoy the show. Let us […]Very Very GamingAfter watching the big Nintendo Switch presentation this morning, we felt compelled to record a special one-off podcast to collect our initial thoughts and impressions. Not all went to plan – we had to record twice because it all got too much for some of us! Nevertheless, we hope you’ll enjoy the show. Let us […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english VVG Show 14 – Operation Rainfall, Pandora’s Tower https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2016/03/14/vvg-show-14-operation-rainfall-pandoras-tower/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2016/03/14/vvg-show-14-operation-rainfall-pandoras-tower/#respond Mon, 14 Mar 2016 02:09:14 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=5807 Adrian and Maya return to the world of Operation Rainfall in this short episode. And yes, you can chalk the speedy discussion up to Maya, who takes a turn as host for the first time. This time around it’s Pandora’s Tower, a dungeon crawler for Wii sporting everyone’s favourites: anime protagonists, big chains, gross displays of flesh-eating, giant bosses, and dating sim elements! Interesting? That’s an understatement. Like our The Last Story episode, expect a few minor spoilers but nothing major.

Next episode is the conclusion of the Operation Rainfall series, with a special show dedicated entirely to Xenoblade Chronicles – as if we hadn’t done this game to death already! My predictions are heaps of praise, followed by impressions of the characters’ voices, lots of impressions. Right now you’re thinking, “man, what a bunch of jokers!“, but regardless, if we are really feeling it in that moment then there’ll be no choice other than to press on, and on, and on.

Episode 14: Operation Rainfall, Pandora’s Tower

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veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesAdrian and Maya return to the world of Operation Rainfall in this short episode. And yes, you can chalk the speedy discussion up to Maya, who takes a turn as host for the first time. This time around it’s Pandora’s Tower, a dungeon crawler for Wii sporting everyone’s favourites: anime protagonists, big chains, gross displays […]Very Very GamingAdrian and Maya return to the world of Operation Rainfall in this short episode. And yes, you can chalk the speedy discussion up to Maya, who takes a turn as host for the first time. This time around it’s Pandora’s Tower, a dungeon crawler for Wii sporting everyone’s favourites: anime protagonists, big chains, gross displays […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english VVG Show 13 – Operation Rainfall, The Last Story https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2016/02/22/vvg-show-13-operation-rainfall-the-last-story/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2016/02/22/vvg-show-13-operation-rainfall-the-last-story/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2016 21:20:00 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=5778 Unlucky episode 13 is the first of a trio of podcasts dedicated to the Operation Rainfall games on Wii, namely The Last Story, Pandora’s Tower and Xenoblade Chronicles. In this mostly spoiler-free dissection of 2011’s The Last Story, we discuss everything from the game’s nods to Maya’s favourite game, Final Fantasy IX, to The Last Story’s integration of storytelling and gameplay, to its relatively short running time with some Resident Evil 4-esque quick pacing. We also find out what makes for a bleedin’ amazin’ localisation, and question the game’s limited exploration.

It turned out to be a particularly haphazard show, which suits this haphazard game! Even if it didn’t quite live up to our expectations of being the ultimate RPG, our final fantasy you might say, still, we hope you’ll tune in as we endeavour to pin down where The Last Story fell short despite the talent involved (Sakaguchi, Uematsu… Sakaguchi). Watch out for our next episode of the Very Very Gaming Show, in which we’ll be discussing the highly unusual Pandora’s Tower, also for Wii! And more English voice acting!

Episode 13: Operation Rainfall, The Last Story

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the last story wii veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesUnlucky episode 13 is the first of a trio of podcasts dedicated to the Operation Rainfall games on Wii, namely The Last Story, Pandora’s Tower and Xenoblade Chronicles. In this mostly spoiler-free dissection of 2011’s The Last Story, we discuss everything from the game’s nods to Maya’s favourite game, Final Fantasy IX, to The Last Story’s […]Very Very GamingUnlucky episode 13 is the first of a trio of podcasts dedicated to the Operation Rainfall games on Wii, namely The Last Story, Pandora’s Tower and Xenoblade Chronicles. In this mostly spoiler-free dissection of 2011’s The Last Story, we discuss everything from the game’s nods to Maya’s favourite game, Final Fantasy IX, to The Last Story’s […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english VVG Show 12 – Scientifically Verified Best Games of All-Time https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/12/12/vvg-show-12-scientifically-verified-best-games-of-all-time/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/12/12/vvg-show-12-scientifically-verified-best-games-of-all-time/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2015 21:20:17 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=5231 We actually recorded this back during Halloween, not that it’s a particularly horror-themed show. This is our follow-up to last episode’s discussion of best ever gaming lists, as we dedicate 40 minutes to discussing our Best Games Ever of All-Time. Things get a bit confusing – is it a top 5? A top 10? How many lists are we doing? Are we combining them? – but somehow we fumble through to present our top 5 best games, followed by our top 5 favourite games. Which games will turn out on top?! All will be revealed… (Click “continue reading” to find our full lists for reference!)

Episode 12: Scientifically Verified Best Games of All-Time

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Highlight below to see our list of games:

Official Top 5 Games of All-Time

Adrian

5. Super Smash Bros Melee (Gamecube)

4. NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn)

3. Resident Evil 4 (Wii)

2: Majora’s Mask (N64)

1: Ocarina of Time (N64)

Maya

5: Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow (Gameboy)

4: Civilization II (PS1)

3: Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

2: Ocarina of Time (N64)

1: Resident Evil 4 (Wii)

Alternative Top 5 Games of All-Time

Adrian

5: Excitebike 64 (N64)

4: Kid Icarus (NES)

3: Gunstar Heroes (Megadrive/Genesis)

2: Lylat Wars aka Star Fox 64 (N64)

1: Adventures of Alundra (PS1)

Maya

5: Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

4: Grim Fandango (PC)

3: Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

2: Final Fantasy IX (PS1)

1: Shadow of Memories aka Shadow of Destiny (PS2)

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Forensic-Scientist veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesWe actually recorded this back during Halloween, not that it’s a particularly horror-themed show. This is our follow-up to last episode’s discussion of best ever gaming lists, as we dedicate 40 minutes to discussing our Best Games Ever of All-Time. Things get a bit confusing – is it a top 5? A top 10? How many […]Very Very GamingWe actually recorded this back during Halloween, not that it’s a particularly horror-themed show. This is our follow-up to last episode’s discussion of best ever gaming lists, as we dedicate 40 minutes to discussing our Best Games Ever of All-Time. Things get a bit confusing – is it a top 5? A top 10? How many […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english VVG Show 11 – Listmania https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/10/29/vvg-show-11-listmania/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/10/29/vvg-show-11-listmania/#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2015 23:59:12 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=4832 In this podcast, the 11th episode of the Very Very Gaming Show, we dedicate 25 minutes to discussing the thinking behind All-Time Greatest Videogame Lists. What are they there for anyway? Are they a good idea? Do they work? All these and more questions will be pondered in this episode, inspired by a recent post on this topic by our blogging friend, Wizard Dojo. And just in case you were wondering whether the mere invocation of Four Swords Adventures on Gamecube could literally set alarm bells ringing, this episode says yes. Bonus: microphones that make you want to bone?!

Episode 11: Listmania

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yeti makes you want to bone 1 veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesIn this podcast, the 11th episode of the Very Very Gaming Show, we dedicate 25 minutes to discussing the thinking behind All-Time Greatest Videogame Lists. What are they there for anyway? Are they a good idea? Do they work? All these and more questions will be pondered in this episode, inspired by a recent post on […]Very Very GamingIn this podcast, the 11th episode of the Very Very Gaming Show, we dedicate 25 minutes to discussing the thinking behind All-Time Greatest Videogame Lists. What are they there for anyway? Are they a good idea? Do they work? All these and more questions will be pondered in this episode, inspired by a recent post on […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english VVG Show 10 – Nostalgic NiGHTS https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/vvg-show-10-nostalgic-nights/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/vvg-show-10-nostalgic-nights/#respond Mon, 06 Jul 2015 05:56:23 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=4578 Welcome to a very special NiGHTS into Dreams themed episode, wherein we plumb the depths of this unique 2D/3D hybrid flight-based racing/platforming/action game! Buckle up for nostalgia…

Adrian opens the show by explaining why his love for NiGHTS burns strong and true. This raging fanboy makes a number of comparisons between NiGHTS and Super Mario 64, not to pronounce a winner and loser in an epic clash between Sega and Nintendo so much as to praise both games for their shared outstanding qualities. After a brief musical interlude Maya enters the discussion to pile further praise on NiGHTS, giving her impressions and memories. The good times don’t last though as Maya resorts to mocking her fellow podcaster’s love of the game. Thankfully, not even Maya’s insults can detract from the sweetness that is the NiGHTS credits music which concludes our tenth episode.

Episode 10: Nostalgic NiGHTS

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nights into dreams 1 veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesWelcome to a very special NiGHTS into Dreams themed episode, wherein we plumb the depths of this unique 2D/3D hybrid flight-based racing/platforming/action game! Buckle up for nostalgia… Adrian opens the show by explaining why his love for NiGHTS burns strong and true. This raging fanboy makes a number of comparisons between NiGHTS and Super Mario […]Very Very GamingWelcome to a very special NiGHTS into Dreams themed episode, wherein we plumb the depths of this unique 2D/3D hybrid flight-based racing/platforming/action game! Buckle up for nostalgia… Adrian opens the show by explaining why his love for NiGHTS burns strong and true. This raging fanboy makes a number of comparisons between NiGHTS and Super Mario […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english Very Very Gaming Show – Episode 9 https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/very-very-gaming-show-episode-9/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/very-very-gaming-show-episode-9/#respond Sun, 26 Apr 2015 02:03:51 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=4385 We’re back with a new episode. Adrian returns to the age old debate: story or gameplay? He argues that shooters, shmups and rail shooters like Soukyugurentai aka Terra Diver, the Panzer Dragoon series, Rez, Axelay, etc etc have a certain magic all their own that transcends narrative. Can we say games are “art” and NOT give a narrative-driven game as an example? In the second half, predictably, Maya disagrees, then agrees, and finally disagrees with everything. Including herself – many times over. Other topics discussed include: cutlery, drugs, megalomania, neurology. So let’s get real: are games art? Is there a particular game that makes you feel like you’ve abused substances (whether you actually have or not)? Is a jagged edge spoon a fork? We would love to hear your thoughts on this contentious topic, please do drop us a comment!

Episode 9: Disciple of Kierkegaard

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panzer kierkegaard veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesWe’re back with a new episode. Adrian returns to the age old debate: story or gameplay? He argues that shooters, shmups and rail shooters like Soukyugurentai aka Terra Diver, the Panzer Dragoon series, Rez, Axelay, etc etc have a certain magic all their own that transcends narrative. Can we say games are “art” and NOT give a […]Very Very GamingWe’re back with a new episode. Adrian returns to the age old debate: story or gameplay? He argues that shooters, shmups and rail shooters like Soukyugurentai aka Terra Diver, the Panzer Dragoon series, Rez, Axelay, etc etc have a certain magic all their own that transcends narrative. Can we say games are “art” and NOT give a […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english Very Very Gaming Show – Episode 8 https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/very-very-gaming-show-episode-8/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/very-very-gaming-show-episode-8/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2015 22:53:10 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=4220 This episode we talk about one of our all-time favourite games, Project Zero (aka Fatal Frame) 3. If you’re a horror fan and you haven’t tried this series, it comes highly recommended – see here for a good intro/overview. For this episode, Maya asks the question: is Project Zero 3 the most feminist game ever? “Yes”, she says, even with a gratuitous shower scene…”still yes”. Minor spoilers.

Episode 8: Haunted Shower Scene

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Fatal_Frame_III small veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesThis episode we talk about one of our all-time favourite games, Project Zero (aka Fatal Frame) 3. If you’re a horror fan and you haven’t tried this series, it comes highly recommended – see here for a good intro/overview. For this episode, Maya asks the question: is Project Zero 3 the most feminist game ever? “Yes”, she […]Very Very GamingThis episode we talk about one of our all-time favourite games, Project Zero (aka Fatal Frame) 3. If you’re a horror fan and you haven’t tried this series, it comes highly recommended – see here for a good intro/overview. For this episode, Maya asks the question: is Project Zero 3 the most feminist game ever? “Yes”, she […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english Very Very Gaming Show – Episode 7 https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/very-very-gaming-show-episode-7/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/very-very-gaming-show-episode-7/#comments Sun, 01 Mar 2015 23:39:26 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=4143 New format. Short show (20 mins). Short description of show (51 words). Is Molyneux a pathological liar? I am a pathological liar. Paradox? We discuss Peter Molyneux interview with Rock Paper Shotgun. Peter Molyneux new Britney Spears (public meltdown), John Walker new Jeremy Paxman (aggressive interviewer). Are you calling me a liar?

Episode 7: Paxman and Britney

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jeremy paxman veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesNew format. Short show (20 mins). Short description of show (51 words). Is Molyneux a pathological liar? I am a pathological liar. Paradox? We discuss Peter Molyneux interview with Rock Paper Shotgun. Peter Molyneux new Britney Spears (public meltdown), John Walker new Jeremy Paxman (aggressive interviewer). Are you calling me a liar? Episode 7: Paxman and Britney […]Very Very GamingNew format. Short show (20 mins). Short description of show (51 words). Is Molyneux a pathological liar? I am a pathological liar. Paradox? We discuss Peter Molyneux interview with Rock Paper Shotgun. Peter Molyneux new Britney Spears (public meltdown), John Walker new Jeremy Paxman (aggressive interviewer). Are you calling me a liar? Episode 7: Paxman and Britney […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english Very Very Gaming Show – Episode 6 https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/09/21/very-very-gaming-show-episode-6/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/09/21/very-very-gaming-show-episode-6/#respond Sun, 21 Sep 2014 21:37:41 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=3316 They say better late than never, and here’s the proof! We kick off this week’s episode with a brief chat about a new fandangled console known as the “Wii” – and how creepy it is to encounter the Miis of Owners Past. We then dissect one of the Wii’s cutest offerings at great length: Little King’s Story deserves every minute we spend cooing over its music, innovative gameplay and general weirdness.

The second half sees Black and White anger Maya, Earthbound titillate Adrian, and, finally, Harvest Moon: Magical Melody converting Adrian from derisive farming game critic to intrigued observer of virtual plant watering.

Episode 6: Little Molyneux’s Story

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peter_molyneux veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesThey say better late than never, and here’s the proof! We kick off this week’s episode with a brief chat about a new fandangled console known as the “Wii” – and how creepy it is to encounter the Miis of Owners Past. We then dissect one of the Wii’s cutest offerings at great length: Little […]Very Very GamingThey say better late than never, and here’s the proof! We kick off this week’s episode with a brief chat about a new fandangled console known as the “Wii” – and how creepy it is to encounter the Miis of Owners Past. We then dissect one of the Wii’s cutest offerings at great length: Little […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english Very Very Gaming Show – Episode 5 https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/very-very-gaming-show-episode-5/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/very-very-gaming-show-episode-5/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2014 03:17:50 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=3080 We are running long this week, and the show is packed as a result. Adrian and Maya kick things off in what is now traditional style with discussions of our recent gaming endeavours: Metropolis Street Advertiser-uh sorry, Racer, on the Dreamcast (which came out in 2000, not 2002 as claimed in the show), and Kuri Kuri Mix (aka The Adventures of Cookie and Cream), a cute yet infuriating adventure on the PS2. Despite some issues both games ultimately leave a positive impression. Next up is our community segment, and this week the debate is all about difficulty. This discussion came out of two posts over at Last Token Gaming, the first of which looks in-depth at Rogue Squadron’s maddeningly difficult ‘Raid on Sullust’ stage, and the second, a “Hall of Fame” review of the very same beloved game. In the discussion that follows, Adrian asks in a poorly articulated and unreasonable manner whether these well-written and reasonable posts are a sign that high difficulty is essential for any game to achieve “classic” status. Rogue Squadron hardly gets a look in though, as we assess what difficulty achieves – or fails to achieve – in the Sonic series (3D and 2D incarnations), Shadow of the Colossus and more narrative-driven genres generally.

Speaking of classic status and difficulty, it’s only natural that we would dedicate our lengthy final section to Tim Schafer and the many wonderful games he has been involved with. After some brief bio info and comments on the Monkey Island series (we recommend interested listeners check out Cheeese Toastie and Videogames’ exuberant review of the Secret of Monkey Island remake), Full Throttle and Psychonauts, we finally move to an in-depth look at Grim Fandango, arguably the pinnacle of Tim Schafer’s formidable catalogue. And that classic status is well deserved, so it’s a good thing there’s a remake just around the corner. We’re topical!

That rounds off the show for this week: thanks for listening, and we hope to return soon, minus the sleep deprivation and overly long episode length!

Episode 5: The Milkman Conspiracy

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Grim-Fandango3 veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesWe are running long this week, and the show is packed as a result. Adrian and Maya kick things off in what is now traditional style with discussions of our recent gaming endeavours: Metropolis Street Advertiser-uh sorry, Racer, on the Dreamcast (which came out in 2000, not 2002 as claimed in the show), and Kuri […]Very Very GamingWe are running long this week, and the show is packed as a result. Adrian and Maya kick things off in what is now traditional style with discussions of our recent gaming endeavours: Metropolis Street Advertiser-uh sorry, Racer, on the Dreamcast (which came out in 2000, not 2002 as claimed in the show), and Kuri […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english Very Very Gaming Show – Episode 4 https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/very-very-gaming-show-episode-4/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/very-very-gaming-show-episode-4/#comments Tue, 08 Jul 2014 15:17:53 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=3021 You’ll never get rid of us. It’s all about the franchises this week: Harvest Moon, Civilization and Excitebike. To be specific, we offer up thoughts and impressions on Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, Special Edition, Civilization IV, and Excitebike 64. Adrian finishes the segment with some brief impressions of satisfying fare which did not receive sequels, namely ChuChu Rocket and Steamgear Mash.

Impressions out of the way, we return to the old chestnut of women in games. This time we come at the topic via that old chestnut of a blog, A Most Agreeable Pastime. It seems AMAP’s post about Ubisoft’s recent gender slip-up regarding Assassin’s Creed has turned us into die-hard feminists, because despite intending to cover multiple topics in this second segment, we ended up devoting the entire second segment to this issue. In our efforts to rescue the gaming world from inequality one creative director at a time, we discuss everything from the impact of Japanese versus Western game design on gender, through to questions of genre. Finally, we address that all-important question: what might “visual assets” actually mean when used in reference to designing female characters?

And that’s the show. Back in two weeks, and if you have any feedback or suggestions for the show, please drop us a comment!

Episode 4: I’m Not Sexist…My Best Friend’s Metroid

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Assassins-creed-sisterhood veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesYou’ll never get rid of us. It’s all about the franchises this week: Harvest Moon, Civilization and Excitebike. To be specific, we offer up thoughts and impressions on Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, Special Edition, Civilization IV, and Excitebike 64. Adrian finishes the segment with some brief impressions of satisfying fare which did not receive […]Very Very GamingYou’ll never get rid of us. It’s all about the franchises this week: Harvest Moon, Civilization and Excitebike. To be specific, we offer up thoughts and impressions on Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, Special Edition, Civilization IV, and Excitebike 64. Adrian finishes the segment with some brief impressions of satisfying fare which did not receive […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english Very Very Gaming Show – Episode 3 https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/very-very-gaming-show-episode-3/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/very-very-gaming-show-episode-3/#comments Thu, 12 Jun 2014 01:38:54 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=2818 We’re late this week thanks to a combination of technical issues and academic deadlines. But we pulled it off in the end, and I am proud to present our biggest and brashest episode, which commences with a discussion of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. A wildly ambitious, creative and unique game, Abe’s Oddysee is also remarkably difficult, a fact which does not escape us. Still, the difficulty alone doesn’t detract from this game’s many achievements as our discussion makes clear.

After a quick break Tommy Wiseau fans prove intent on transforming the Very Very Gaming Show into the Tommy Wiseau Show. Adrian impersonates numerous quotes from infamous cine-disaster The Room, and mayhem ensues. The detour doesn’t last long, and what Maya dubs “the great debate” gets the show firmly back on the videogame track. That’s right, we delve into the minefield that is modern vs. retro videogames. Our trusty guides through this enormous subject are two grizzled veterans of the videogame blogosphere: We Are Finally Cowboys and A Most Agreeable Pastime. The former’s post detailing why he gave up on modern gaming takes us through the first half of the discussion. What drives people to stop buying new games and turn to increasingly outdated technology for entertainment? Turns out there are many possible reasons, although Maya is quick to put it down in Adrian’s case to a hipster mentality.

We conclude the discussion with A Most Agreeable Pastime’s argument about the dangers of letting videogames define you. We find ourselves mostly in agreement, and point to the importance of blogs in doing away with the elitist attitudes prevalent in online videogame communities. Viva la inclusivité!

And that’s the show. We’ll return again soon (hopefully on time), and if you have any comments or suggestions on the show, please drop us a comment!

Episode 3: The Great Debate

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N64 controller veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesWe’re late this week thanks to a combination of technical issues and academic deadlines. But we pulled it off in the end, and I am proud to present our biggest and brashest episode, which commences with a discussion of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. A wildly ambitious, creative and unique game, Abe’s Oddysee is also remarkably difficult, […]Very Very GamingWe’re late this week thanks to a combination of technical issues and academic deadlines. But we pulled it off in the end, and I am proud to present our biggest and brashest episode, which commences with a discussion of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. A wildly ambitious, creative and unique game, Abe’s Oddysee is also remarkably difficult, […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english Very Very Gaming Show – Episode 2 https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/very-very-gaming-show-episode-2/ https://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/very-very-gaming-show-episode-2/#comments Sun, 18 May 2014 00:25:54 +0000 http://veryverygaming.wordpress.com/?p=2641 We’re back in business – and this time it’s personal. Contra: Shattered Soldier is first on the menu this week, followed by Maya’s new addiction, Civilization II (the PS1 port!). The entire conversation pretty much goes as you’d expect: masochist loves sadistic game, perfectionist-completionist loves controlling the annals of time.

After the break we tackle some community business. We start with rage. Sony!!!! And the blog Why Didn’t I Complete It? is completely to blame for exposing Sony’s ruthless memory card pricing, which develops into a brief history of memory cards. Next on the menu: Japanese vocaloid all-round weirdness, courtesy of one of my favourite blogs, Reset Tears.

And last but not least – we deliver a retrospective of Kenji Eno’s career and and a detailed look at probably his best known title, D, described in Cultural Fragments’ review as ‘a must-play game that also happens to be terrible’. A 3DO, Saturn and PS1 release from 1995/6, D haunts us while making us laugh. In this segment we discuss everything from Eno’s career as a videogame industry bad-boy to the lack of a waist on Laura, D’s “digital actress” protagonist. And did I mention Laura is a cannibal?! Spoilers!

We’re looking for feedback on this episode, so if you have any comments or suggestions, please drop us a comment!

Episode 2: Double on D

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kenji_eno veryverygaming Very Very GamingyesWe’re back in business – and this time it’s personal. Contra: Shattered Soldier is first on the menu this week, followed by Maya’s new addiction, Civilization II (the PS1 port!). The entire conversation pretty much goes as you’d expect: masochist loves sadistic game, perfectionist-completionist loves controlling the annals of time. After the break we tackle […]Very Very GamingWe’re back in business – and this time it’s personal. Contra: Shattered Soldier is first on the menu this week, followed by Maya’s new addiction, Civilization II (the PS1 port!). The entire conversation pretty much goes as you’d expect: masochist loves sadistic game, perfectionist-completionist loves controlling the annals of time. After the break we tackle […]videogames,retro,32,bit,gaming,games,sony,nintendo,sega,saturn,ps1,ps2,psx,N64,gamecube,wii,industry,horror,feminism,english