Dorkadia

Thoughts – Retired Men’s Nude Beach Volleyball League

Charles Spurr — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 20:25:47 +0000

I don’t know what I was expecting from a game called Retired Men’s Nude Beach Volleyball League, but I can safely say that it exceeded any expectations. It absolutely has pixelated naked guys playing volleyball – so that’s accurate. Multiple matches against different opponents? Yep, that’s a league. I’m just presuming they’re all retired if that’s a point of contention for anyone. And there we go, truth in advertising. Let’s play some volleyball.

I have to say that even though the game is ostensibly about volleyball, it’s not the main feature. What’s important (without spoiling anything) is the thoughts, conversations, and bonds that occur during our time with the game. There’s a lot of self-exploration that can happen when two men get naked and share a game of volleyball. The ref still wears a shirt, so he’s not technically naked. But otherwise, it’s about letting it all hang out physically and emotionally.

Only the hottest retired volleyball matches!

Now let’s talk about the actual volleyball part of the game. I get the impression that RMNBVL would be a much shorter game if I were either exceptionally good or woefully bad at the ball-hitting part. However, I’m infuriatingly mediocre to the point where I found that some matches could drag on to nearly half an hour. Three of my five games ended with a score of 25-24 because of how maddeningly okay I am at this game. It’s also worth noting that the ref makes the rules (like under the net being fine) and can also sometimes make less than accurate calls. So even the best-played games may not go quite how they should.

What Will Brierly (@SodaDrinkerPro) has created here is something to behold. Retired Men’s Nude Beach Volleyball League is a silly game with a title I love to tell people, but it’s also a very touching and human story just beneath the surface. There’s a lot to discover about Len and the world he lives in. I also believe it’s a story that needs to be experienced to be fully felt. Go experience nude men playing volleyball! GG everyone!

Retired Men’s Nude Beach Volleyball League is available as part of Humble Choice and will be added to the Humble Trove beginning Friday, August 6th.

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Sinking my teeth into Bugsnax

Charles Spurr — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 21:55:07 +0000

These days, most of us could use a vacation from our daily lives. I spent mine exploring among the residents of Snaktooth Island. Bugsnax is a charming, often bizarre, and only sometimes frustrating game about community, perseverance, and catching critters made of food. Part mystery, part adventure, and part puzzle game, Bugsnax begs the question: what if we really are what we eat? Then it turns someone’s arm into strawberries.

The main thrust of the plot is fairly simple – you play a journalist who travels to the remote Snaktooth Island at the behest of a famed (?) explorer. Upon arriving, you find that your presumed host has gone missing and that the residents have scattered. It’s up to you to interview the people on the island, solve the mystery, and apparently feed them all. Without giving too much away, the optional side quests each delve into the personalities of the residents and help them come to terms with various aspects of their lives. At its core, Bugsnax is a story game about interpersonal relationships and the things that can strain them.

Free range bunger and fryder.

The titular bugsnax come in a dizzying array of types with their own individual quirks. It’s up to you to figure out how to catch them using the small arsenal of gadgets you acquire. And, of course, feed them to people once they’ve been caught. Through the use of a journal, the game helped me manage my need to collect everything by showing me how many snax were in an area, how many I’d scanned, and which I’d actually managed to capture. If you really gotta catch em all, this one might keep you busy for a little while. My only complaint is that there were a lot of repetitive bugsnax which were renamed, palette-swapped versions of each other. I can appreciate that there are regular, white, and flaming variants of cheese poof snacks in real life, but I don’t feel like it’s interesting enough in game.

All that being said, the cute factor of the design keeps the game interesting from moment to moment for not only the bugsnax, but also the island residents. The voice acting is top-notch and helps make characters shine. I’d normally be a bit more critical of the clear use of heavy-handed character archetypes (the reluctant leader, the sage-bro, the stubborn farmer, etc.) but I really enjoyed the way that the story examines the flaws in each. I genuinely wanted to finish every side quest before the climax of the story.

If you’re hungry for a story game sandwiched between a cutesy-critter-collector and a puzzle-adventure, this may hit the sweet spot for you. It works equally well for the story seeker as it does for the mad scientist that wants to rearrange everyone’s limbs. It’s not a long game, but it was definitely enjoyable. The truth about the island is probably weirder than you’d imagine.

Bugsnax is available on Playstation and on PC through the Epic store starting November 12^th.

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Episode 269 – Cloud Streaming Royale

Charles Spurr — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 17:13:37 +0000

Hey there, Dorkadians! This week, we’re talking about Charles’ strange new gaming obsession, discussing cloud-based game streaming services, and chatting briefly about the Darth Vader #4. Frankly, it’s a weird mashup of topics and I had no idea what to call this episode. Enjoy! If you like what you hear, let us know!

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As always, click to download the MP3 of this episode here: Episode 269 – Cloud Streaming Royale

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Please share your thoughts on this week’s topics below or email us at podcast@dorkadia.com

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Episode 268 – Raiding

Charles Spurr — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 13:57:39 +0000

This week, we’re talking about raiding in video games. Charles has completed the Leviathan raid alongside some of his friends in Destiny 2. Jon has been dipping his toes into raids in Guild Wars 2. Who needs modern content on a weekly podcast? In other news, Charles talks about having his Twitch channel (https://twitch.tv/dorkadiaplays) raided (where one streamer brings their audience to another channel) during a game of Ooblets.

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As always, click to download the MP3 of this episode here: Episode 268 – Raiding

Subscribe to and rate us on iTunes (five stars!), Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or follow our podcast RSS feed. Live gaming streams can be found on Mixer!

Please share your thoughts on this week’s topics below or email us at podcast@dorkadia.com

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Episode 267 – New Game

Charles Spurr — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 13:00:40 +0000

As we enter week 97 of quarantine… We’ve been playing some new (sometimes just new to us) games to keep our sanity and social lives going. From Charles going all in with Ooblets (#TeamLumpstump) to Megan playing indie games about reaping and drinking in Hell, to Jon discovering Guild Wars 2 and clumsy falling physics, we’ve all been expanding our gaming horizons. This podcast is not officially endorsed by Xbox Game Pass, but you’re still going to hear a lot about it from us.

Have some game trailers

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As always, click to download the MP3 of this episode here: Episode 267 – New Game

Subscribe to and rate us on iTunes (five stars!), Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or follow our podcast RSS feed. Live gaming streams can be found on Mixer!

Please share your thoughts on this week’s topics below or email us at podcast@dorkadia.com

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Episode 266 – Binge-worthy

Charles Spurr — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 13:47:19 +0000

After a week fraught with technical difficulties, the site is back and we’re putting out a new podcast! This time around, we’re talking about some binge-worthy shows that have been getting us through our socially distant world. Namely, Jon is here to talk about watching Avatar: The Last Airbender for the first time while Hannah is excited about HBO’s Watchmen series. Drop us a line and let us know what you think we should watch next!

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As always, click to download the MP3 of this episode here: Episode 266 – Binge-worthy

Subscribe to and rate us on iTunes (five stars!), Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or follow our podcast RSS feed. Live gaming streams can be found on Mixer!

Please share your thoughts on this week’s topics below or email us at podcast@dorkadia.com

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Episode 265 – Digital Conventions

Charles Spurr — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 23:01:58 +0000

In the wake of a global pandemic, so many of the events we look forward to each year are being canceled. In their place are strange new digital offerings which will never replicate the feel of in-person events. But with companies looking at conventions in a new way, will we ever be able to go back to the E3, SDCC, or PAX of old?

Humble Fight for Racial Justice Bundle – Don’t miss this!

Notes, links, the usual

Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) was originally scheduled for March 12-15 and was still planning to go on when ReedPop issued a statement that it would honor refunds for those that didn’t feel comfortable attending the event on MARCH 4th. The event was officially postponed to August just two days later, less than a week before the originally scheduled dates. It has since canceled entirely for 2020 and will instead offer an online experience in August.

Is it canceled yet?

PAX Online

The Steam Game Festival, Summer Edition

York State Fair

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As always, click to download the MP3 of this episode here: Episode 265 – Digital Conventions

Subscribe to and rate us on iTunes (five stars!), Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or follow our podcast RSS feed. Live gaming streams can be found on Mixer!

Please share your thoughts on this week’s topics below or email us at podcast@dorkadia.com

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Episode 264 – The Return

Charles Spurr — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 20:46:25 +0000

After years (months? who knows?) of being on hiatus, we’re back with a BRAND NEW EPISODE for your listening pleasure. And it only took me a week to finally get it edited because I have really been out of the habit. Seriously, with throwing on a game and maybe streaming being my default reaction to not working, this was rough. Maybe the next one will come out faster? We’ll see.

Anyway, you probably want to know what we’ve been up to for the past few months. Coincidentally, that’s what we’re here to tell you!

Show notes

Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality (already ended)
Black Lives Matter Support Bundle (ends 18 June, 2020)
An article on Gaming Disorder if you need a refresher.

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As always, click to download the MP3 of this episode here: Episode 264 – The Return

Subscribe to and rate us on iTunes (five stars!), Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or follow our podcast RSS feed. Live gaming streams can be found on Mixer!

Please share your thoughts on this week’s topics below or email us at podcast@dorkadia.com

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Review: Bubble Bobble 4 Friends

Dorkadia — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 13:30:00 +0000

Let me start by saying, unless it’s a puzzle game, I’m not very good at video games. I used to be, but as video games developed, I was left behind. I didn’t have the coordination for difficult moves that required you to press multiple buttons and navigate at the same time. Add to that a pretty severe case of motion sickness when playing 3D games and by the time Playstation, Dreamcast, and N64 came around, I was restricted on what video games I could play. However, these consoles were always able to lure me in with the retro games. That being said, I was thrilled when I heard that Bubble Bobble was coming to the Switch. Bubble Bobble was one of my favorite NES era games. Like Super Mario Brothers, there were no complex movements – you ran, you jumped, and you blew bubbles. Bubble Bobble was probably my favorite video game, next to Dr. Mario and like most kids, these games were my favorite because I was good at them. By the time I was a teenager, I could play for 30 plus minutes on a single quarter at the local video store where they had an actual Bubble Bobble game, and I admit, I expected to still be good after all these years.

A large part of why I wanted Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is that it not only contains the entire original game, but it also contains a variety of new levels that can be played solo or with up to four players working cooperatively. Other than the upgraded graphics, there are a few changes to set the new content apart. You still run, jump, and blow bubbles. There are some minor changes to solo gameplay in the new content, bubbles are easier to ride into the air and for those of us who are used to the old game, they can seem a little harder to pop. The developers have also introduced skills that you can level up and make gameplay a little easier. One such skill allows you to shoot your bubbles farther, but like any special skill it is best to use it carefully or it won’t be there when you need it.

For me, the best part of the new content is the co-op option. While you could play up to 2 players in classic Bubble Bobble, it always felt a bit more competitive than cooperative. One change to the new multiplayer mode is that there is only one score, so it really is cooperative. Additionally, if you accidentally touch a monster, you will be placed in a bubble for a few seconds before you lose a life but you can be saved if one of your friends pops your bubble. I figured the best way to test this game was with my sister’s family. There were 5 of us taking turns playing; 2 children, ages 8 and 12 and the three adults. Much in the way Super Smash Brothers can get busy and difficult to follow, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends can be a bit chaotic with everyone running around trying to capture monsters in bubbles. There were many shouts of “Where am I?” or “Come save me, I’m stuck in a bubble!” Just as in the original game, when you kill all the monsters bonus point fruit appears for you to gather before moving onto the next level. While the adults focused on beating the levels, the kids were far more interested in racing one another to gather the fruit at the end of the level. After a bit of playing the 12-year-old got a better handle on the controls and was able to help with the goals of the levels. Both kids cheered at the end of every level and there was much shouting and excitement with the defeat of the first boss.

Because they are so small the adults seemed to have a bit of trouble playing on the joy-cons, and more than once the game was accidentally paused. Eventually, due to the confusion of “who paused it?” we assigned player one as the person to get us back in the game no matter who accidentally hit the wrong button.

For me, I probably would have bought this game on the nostalgia factor alone. However, the new content and easy to play controls make this a great game for new and old audiences alike. Now, I just have to practice more, because I am nowhere near as good at this game as I remember being.

Taito are currently developing and expanding the game’s content to deliver everything fans’ wish for, including new stages and the return of a fan-favorite enemy character – “Baron von Blubba’. This expansion will be free to everyone that purchases Bubble Bobble 4 Friends!

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Episode 263 – Catching Up

Charles Spurr — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 13:00:47 +0000

We’ve been running a bit behind in the last few weeks and we’re catching up. This week, we talk about Luna: The Shadow Dust, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Did you miss us?

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As always, click to download the MP3 of this episode here: Episode 263 – Catching Up

Subscribe to and rate us on iTunes (five stars!), Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or follow our podcast RSS feed. Live gaming streams can be found on Mixer!

Please share your thoughts on this week’s topics below or email us at podcast@dorkadia.com

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