The Frozen North Podcast

Episode 100 - A Little Self Indulgence

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 17:08:00 -0600

Our last episode. Thank you so much to everyone who's stuck with us for this incredible ride!

Episode 99 - Setting the Mood

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 7 Nov 2016 19:37:00 -0600

This week we're joined again by Erkablegamer! We talk Soma, the latest gaming news, and round things off with revisiting our top 5 video game soundtracks!

Episode 98 - Our Top 5 Games that Need a Price Drop

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 23:37:00 -0500

This week we're joined by a friend of the show, Alex! We also talk about the newly revealed "Nintendo Switch" and go over our top 5 games that need a price drop!

Episode 97 - Make it Stop!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 06:56:00 -0500

This week we talk about our top 5 games that went on for way too long!

Episode 96 - The Beginning of the End

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 19:32:00 -0500

JJ returns! Plus news, what we've been playing, and a huge announcement regarding our upcoming 100th episode!

Episode 95 - Episode 95

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 18:44:00 -0500

Anarchy! JJ is out of town so Marc, Brian, and Tank take advantage of the situation! We talk our favorite games of 2016 so far, JRPGs, and our top 5 things the FF7 Remake needs to update!

Episode 94 - True Horror

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 21:10:00 -0500

This week Ryan from the SRM joins us again to talk about one of his other favorite games: Silent Hill 2!

Episode 93 - Our Top 5 Games on the Go

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 8 Aug 2016 18:54:00 -0500

This week we talk about our top 5 portable video games!

Episode 92 - It's High Noon

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 19:23:00 -0500

Reviews! We haven't done any in a while, so why the heck not? We talk about Tom Clancy's The Division and Blizzard's smash hit, Overwatch!

Episode 91 - Dem Grafix!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 18:36:00 -0500

This week we talk about what we look for when it comes to visuals in gaming!

Episode 90 - E3 2016!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 17:03:00 -0500

This week we talk about the highs and lows from E3 2016, from both inside and outside the convention hall!

Episode 89 - VR First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 6 Jun 2016 19:07:00 -0500

This week we talk a little about movies based on video games, and give our initial impressions of VR!

Episode 88 - Pre E3 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 May 2016 20:18:00 -0500

This week we talk about the things we're looking forward (or hoping) to see at E3 2016!

Episode 87 - Is this the Real Life?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 9 May 2016 19:06:00 -0500

This episode we interview Adelle Yeung to talk about her book, "The Cycle of the Six Moons: The Starriest Summer!" We also talk about what it means to actually "complete" a game, and recap our plans for our video game book club!

Video Game Book Club - FFIX Intro

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 1 May 2016 22:30:00 -0500

It's the introductory episode of the Frozen North's video game book club! Meet the cast and hear about the first game we'll be playing, Final Fantasy 9! We encourage everyone to listen and play along with us!

Episode 86 - Third Wheel Honeymoon Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 21:10:00 -0500

This episode we talk about sequels we never got, as well as our top 5 Star Wars video games! JJ also goes on a rant about the new Star Fox Zero! (We also apologize for the insane amount of laughter that ensues!)

Episode 85 - The Best of 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 07:17:00 -0500

This week we talk about the best video games from 2015!

Episode 84 - Heroes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 18:48:00 -0500

This episode is dedicated to my father, Joe.

Episode 83 - Break the Habit Brian!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 7 Mar 2016 19:10:00 -0600

We would like to apologize in advance for the excessive amount of laughing and yelling in this episode, but we just couldn't help ourselves! We also talk about "Let's Plays" and Streaming!

Episode 82 - What's in a Game?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 20:47:00 -0600

This week we talk about what really matters in gaming! Is it graphics, story, or gameplay? We also talk a little bit about multiplat releases and a sidequest on the smash hit Undertale!

Episode 81 - What Choice Did I Have?!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 8 Feb 2016 18:26:00 -0600

This week we dive head first into our new format with a whole bunch of submissions from our contributors telling us about their favorite games! We also talk a little bit about the future of ESports and listen to a sidequest submitted by Ryan of the Suikoden Revival Movement!

Episode 80 - Hitting the Reset Button

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 20:56:00 -0600

It's a new beginning! We talk about how our show will be structured moving forward, and more focused on YOU, the listener! We also revisit our top 5 games of all time!

Episode 79 - Wishful Thinking

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 19:33:00 -0600

The whole crew is back this week! We spend some time talking about Xenoblade Chronicles X, as well as going over our top 5 "Wishful Thinking" games!

Episode 78 - Flying Solo

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 20:34:00 -0600

Top 5's galore! JJ goes it alone for episode 78, but has a plethora of sidequests that were submitted! This episode has some of the best of 2015, more games Marc needs to play, top 5 Sega Genesis games, an in-depth look at video game protagonists, and XBOX ONE love all rolled in to one!

Episode 77 - Onward to 2016!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 21:01:00 -0600

Content variety! This week we talk about our longest time with a single game, listen to a sidequest from Erkablegamer, gaming on a budget, and go over our top 5 anticipated games of 2016!

Episode 76 - Trinity Sight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 18:21:00 -0600

It's that time again! Ryan from the Suikoden Revival Movement is back again to talk with us about the next entry in the series, Suikoden III! We talk about gender equality in games, as well as some theories about silent protagonists. You won't want to miss this one!

Episode 75 - Our Top 5 Nintendo 64 Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 19:15:00 -0600

Marc and JJ sit down with Erkablegamer, a local content creator from KC! We also talk about our top 5 games from the Nintendo 64!

Episode 74 - Gaming Inspirations

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 2 Nov 2015 18:21:00 -0600

What in gaming inspires you? That's what we asked a handful of guests this week, and the answers were nothing short of fantastic! We also talk about our own personal top 5 influential video games. A big thank you to all those involved!

Episode 73 - Our Top 5 PS2 Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 20:35:00 -0500

This week we review The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, and go over our top 5 games on the Playstation 2!

Episode 72 - Novastar

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 5 Oct 2015 20:58:00 -0500

This week we head over to Novastar Gaming to talk with them about the gaming community and their game center! We also talk about our top 5 games with replay value!

Episode 71 - "Whatta Buncha Jokers!"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 21:51:00 -0500

Xenoblade Chronicles! We review the game that many consider to be one of the best games on the Nintendo Wii. If you've played it, stay tuned after the main show is over to hear us go in depth about it with a spoiler cast! Oh, and can someone please teach Brian how to speak with an accent?

Episode 70 - Brick Roads and Power Lines

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 7 Sep 2015 19:36:00 -0500

This week we talk about Shinra Technologies and it's potential impact on the gaming world! We also gush about the game we got to try out via their new platform: Space Sweeper!

Episode 69 - Toe-to-Toe!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 21:32:00 -0500

We're back and recording from SoPro Gaming again! We start off with a long discussion on an email we got from across the Atlantic! (Someone please explain to Brian where the U.K. is located!). We then sit down with Lee and Toney of SoPro gaming to check in and see how business has been going, and top things off with our top 5 competitive games!

Episode 68 - Our Top 5 Console Launch Titles

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 16:10:00 -0500

This week we talk about some news from Gamescom, as well as a "Beyond the Game" segment on Silent Protagonists. We also go over our top 5 Console Launch Titles!

Episode 67 - When Marc's Away.....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 20:20:00 -0500

What do we do when someone is out of the studio for an episode? We devote that episode to giving them crap of course! Sorry in advance, Marc, but it's all out of love!

Episode 66 - Our Top 5 Video Game Series

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 22:05:00 -0500

This week we start off with a 4 way review of The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Ages! Marc and JJ get nostalgic about Final Fantasy IX's 15th birthday, and we also talk about our top 5 video game series!

Episode 65 - E3 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:01:00 -0500

E3 2015! We talk about the highs and lows (were there any?) from this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo!

Episode 64 - Our Top 5 Side Scrollers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 20:22:00 -0500

This week we talk about our top 5 side scrolling games! We also talk about the question "Are today's gamers spoiled?" We top it off with a few E3 predictions!

Episode 63 - Our Top 5 Playstation 3 Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 1 Jun 2015 21:15:00 -0500

This week Brian and JJ do a review on Dragonball: Xenoverse! We also talk about our top 5 Playstation 3 games! And.....what's this? Marc actually BEAT A GAME?!

Episode 62 - It's SoPro Bro!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 May 2015 21:01:00 -0500

So much to talk about this week! We're recording from SoPro Gaming, and talking with a couple of the owners about what they hope to do for the gaming community here in Kansas City! We talk Konami, VR, and we also go over our top 5 things we want to see at E3 2015! And for those that don't know....Brian is playing Bloodborne!

Episode 61 - Our Top 5 Gaming PR Nightmares

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 4 May 2015 22:29:00 -0500

This week we talk about our stance on the Valve Modding debacle, and go over our top 5 Gaming PR Nightmares! We also have a new contest for hitting 200 Twitter followers!

Episode 60 - Our Top 5 Voice Acted Characters

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 22:10:00 -0500

Intervention! Emotions run high as JJ and Brian stage an intervention on Marc's gaming habits as of late! We also talk about voice acting in video games, and go over our top 5 voice acted characters!

Episode 59 - Our Top 5 Video Game Sequels

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 6 Apr 2015 21:14:00 -0500

This week we want to know: Can a game's difficulty level have an effect on its fun factor? We also talk about our top 5 video game sequels!

Episode 58 - Our Top 5 Video Game Openings

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 22:19:00 -0500

Final Fantasy XV!! JJ gives us his first impressions of the new demo, Episode Duscae! Matt gives us some new insight into story presentation in games with his sidequest, and we also go over our top 5 video game openings!

Episode 57 - Our Top 5 PC Exclusives

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 9 Mar 2015 19:18:00 -0500

This week Brian and Marc review Bioshock Infinite! We also talk about our top 5 PC exclusives!

Episode 56 - Our Top 5 Games of 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 20:32:00 -0600

After a 2 week break, Matt joins us for our review of one of the Final Fantasy series' "black sheep" titles: Final Fantasy XIII! We also go over our top 5 games from 2014!

Episode 55 - Because We Love You, Nintendo

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:57:00 -0600

Nintendo! That's the topic of the day. We talk for a while about what's really been on our minds with the company we grew up with. We also delve in to our top 5 Nintendo exclusives!

Episode 54 - Our Top 5 Video Game Weapons

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 21:58:00 -0600

This week we talk about our top 5 weapons in gaming! Plus, another sidequest from Raul over at SSG, and Marc tries to explain the inner-workings of a lightsaber!

Episode 53 - Get Ready for 2015!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:11:00 -0600

This week we look ahead to what's coming in 2015, as well as talk about cinematics in gaming!

Episode 52 - Our Top 5 PS1 Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:58:00 -0600

This episode we talk about our top 5 PS1 games, reminisce with some holiday gaming stories, and flip out over Suikoden 2 finally hitting the PSN!

Episode 51 - A New Side of Suikoden

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 1 Dec 2014 21:54:00 -0600

Suikoden! That's the topic of the day. We start off with our review of Suikoden II, and then invite Ryan back from the Suikoden Revival Movement to give a whole new perspective on the series! Get ready for some Suikoden knowledge bombs!

Episode 50 - A Massively Effective Episode

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 23:48:00 -0600

It's our 50th freaking episode!! We decide to talk about our love for a series that has grown with us just as our show has grown: The Mass Effect Trilogy.

Episode 49 - Our Top 5 Horror Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 3 Nov 2014 21:06:00 -0600

Matt joins JJ and Marc to talk about what it takes to give a video game that scare-factor! We talk about our top 5 horror themed games, as well as another music-filled sidequest from Raul over at the Super Smart Gaming Podcast!

Episode 48 - Our Top 5 NES Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 22:13:00 -0500

This episode we kick things off with Marc trying his hand at the news. We then go into our review of Diablo 3, and finish things off by going retro! That's right, it's our top 5 NES games!

Episode 47 - Our Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 7 Oct 2014 21:33:00 -0500

This week we talk about those games that you love, but don't want anyone else to know! Brian goes on a rant over the upcoming Destiny "expansion", and of course gives Marc crap about Suikoden II!

Episode 46 - Our Top 5 Gaming Controllers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 20:45:00 -0500

This episode we had the chance to talk to Raul of the Super Smart Gaming Podcast! Raul told us all about his show, the sidequests he's done for us, and of course, his top 5 games! We also talk about our top 5 video game controllers!

Episode 45 - Digital Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 21:07:00 -0500

Oh man! If there was ever an episode to send in "Brian Hate Mail," THIS IS IT!

Episode 44 - Our Top 5 Video Game Sidekicks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 8 Sep 2014 20:41:00 -0500

It's official, all 3 of the hosts have moved into the current generation of gaming! JJ goes on a huge rant about Nintendo's recently announced "New 3DS", and we also talk about our top 5 video game sidekicks!

Episode 43 - To the Future!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 1 Sep 2014 17:09:00 -0500

This week we recommend some more games for people on a budget, as well as talk about the future of VR gaming!

Episode 42 - Our Top 5 Video Game Publishers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 20:29:00 -0500

This week we talk about our top 5 video game publishers! We've also got some great news stories, announce our Twitter contest, and Raul of the Super Smart Gaming Podcast joins us again for another Sidequest!

Episode 41 - A Different Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 17:50:00 -0500

This week we talk to our first official reviewer, Izsak! We also go over what it really means to be a "gamer".

Episode 40 - Our Top 5 Video Game Plots

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 21:40:00 -0500

Matt joins us again this week to talk about our top 5 video game plots! We also introduce our new segment: Sidequests!

Episode 39 - We're All Gamers (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 4 Aug 2014 22:16:00 -0500

This week we continue honoring women in video games, Frozen North style! What does that mean? It means we do a massive top 5 list of course! Rachel and Katie (Terra and Lightning's RPG Roundup) are back again for part 2 of our special episode to talk about our top 5 female video game characters!

Episode 38 - We're All Gamers (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 21:19:00 -0500

It's the first of our two-part special where we talk about girls and gaming! This episode we are joined by our friends Katie and Rachel from the podcast "Terra and Lightning's RPG Roundup!" We talk about some of the stereotypes and misconceptions that some people may have when it comes to video games and the girls that play them. Next week: Part 2!

Episode 37 - "Rampunched!"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 00:41:00 -0500

This week we're talking about the game that JJ and Marc constantly gush on. Come see what all the fuss is about with an entire episode on Final Fantasy VI!

Episode 36 - Our Top 5 Non-RPGs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 21:49:00 -0500

This week we talk about our top 5 non-RPGs! We would also sincerely like to apologize to anyone named "David Schafer."

Episode 35 - Matt's Effect

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 7 Jul 2014 20:49:00 -0500

This week we talk to our newest hire, Matt! He tells us a little bit about his gaming background and talks about his top 5 games of all time! We also finally get Marc's opinion on E3!

State of the North Address 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 3 Jul 2014 20:27:00 -0500

State of the North

Well, it’s been a full year since I got a couple of my friends together and decided to make a podcast about story-focused video games. The Frozen North has come a long way from just 3 guys hanging out and talking about the characters and adventures that we grew up with. I’d like to take the time to address some of the highlights that we’ve had over the past year.

1. Learning to Cast

a. Honestly the three of us had virtually no clue what we were doing at the start. I had done some minor recording sessions with Marc a few years prior, totally for fun, and never released anything, but I knew that The Frozen North was something I really wanted to try to make succeed and share with others. I recently went back and listened to episode 1, just to see how much we have changed since then. All I can say is “Wow.” How anyone could have ever been a fan of the show right at the beginning is still a mystery to me, and it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come as a group. The three of us have learned how to improve our sound quality, have cut down on the “um’s” and “uh’s” by a huge margin, and really feel a lot more comfortable in front of the mic. I can say that, with confidence, we’ve come a long way from where we were.

2. Other Podcasts

a. We have gotten shout-outs and mentions on several other shows, and been influenced by quite a few of them. I’d like to take a quick second to just mention a few of the big ones that have stood out to me, and have never disappointed in entertaining and motivating me to make a better show.

i. The RPG Cast (RPGamer.com)

ii. Terra and Lightning’s RPG Roundup

iii. The Dice Tower

iv. The Sean Widmer Podcast

v. The Video Games Show

b. All of these are fantastic shows that, if you haven’t checked them out, head on over to iTunes and download their latest episode and give them a listen. You won’t be disappointed!

3. Interview with Ryan of the Suikoden Revival Movement

a. On Episode #19, “Saving Suikoden”, we talked with Ryan, who is one of the admins over at the “Suikoden Revival Movement.” Marc and I just thought it would be cool to get in touch with a group that is working to revive a series that he and I are both really big fans of, but instead we got so much more. Ryan talked to us about Suikoden such a great and memorable series, in addition to the state of modern RPGs, the gaming industry, and the direction of story-focused gaming. It’s one of my favorite episodes that we’ve done so far, and the overwhelmingly positive response that we got from listeners (even ones who had never played a Suikoden title) was all the proof we needed to know that we had recorded something special. I’m glad that I still keep in touch with Ryan every now and then as well, because not only did I find someone who could give us insight into a fantastic movement to revive a wonderful and breathtaking video game series, but I also made a great new friend to keep in touch with and talk about gaming every now and then. I can’t thank Ryan enough for taking the time to come on our show, and anyone who has not gone to support their movement needs to go check them out!

4. Our Own Website

a. Facebook and Twitter have been great, but I’m so glad we finally got the website up and running. Truthfully, I didn’t even think that we’d be anywhere near getting an actual site within the first year. Well, to be fair, I wasn’t even sure we were going to LAST a year if no one liked our show! With the emails we were getting and the requests for a forum, we figured “What the heck?” and gave it a shot. I like what we have. I’m hoping to do a lot more with it over the next few months, and hopefully we can get some more traffic over there to get more people involved in the conversations we have on the forum. I’m extremely pleased with the way it’s working out so far.

5. New Addition(s) to the FN Family

a. After creating the website, it was clear we wanted to start expanding. So we put the call out there for people to join us as reviewers, forum moderators, and contributors. The first person to join the three of us here at The Frozen North was Matt, a longtime friend of Marc’s and mine. Matt joined us as our first forum moderator, and has been doing a great job so far. We plan on bringing him on the show very soon as well, so that everyone can get to know him better. We DID also bring on one other person as our first official reviewer, but we are waiting to announce that until a little further down the road. Needless to say, we are extremely excited!

6. The FN Podcast

a. Brian

i. Brian has come a long way from when we first started. He’s always excited no matter what’s happening, and jumps the gun on giving every opinion he has, usually before getting all the facts. That’s why we love him. He’s got personality coming out of his ears, and to listen to the way he talked in the beginning and how he sounds on the show now, it’s amazing to think that it’s only been a year. Without Brian, I think the show would have gotten stale pretty quick.

b. Marc

i. Simply put, there would be no Frozen North without Marc. I have no clue what I’m doing when it comes to the sound equipment, but Marc has taught himself from the ground up, and has done a spectacular job making sure that our sound quality is the best it can be with the equipment we have. What’s funny is (and he’ll hate me for saying this), Marc is typically pretty quiet around people he doesn’t know, but if you listen to the show, you’d never know it. I’m so glad that the world gets to hear Marc’s wonderful personality, and I’m extremely grateful to him for showing the same passion for the success of the show as myself. The amount of time and effort he has put in to the show has been invaluable, and I can’t thank him enough.

Truth be told, I don’t fully know what the road ahead holds for the show. I can tell you that I’m insanely excited to find out though. We’ve got guests, new segments and top 5 lists, reviews, and all of the crazy inside jokes and goofy humor that you’ve come to expect from The Frozen North, planned for the coming months. Again, I can’t believe it’s been an entire year already. This podcast, we’ve talked so much about all of the stories in these great games, gone over our favorites, our least favorites, and everything in between. However, I’m writing this as a sort of log to keep track of another story that I find compelling: Our own. I can’t thank the fans enough for the overwhelming support we’ve gotten in such a short time, and it’s already more than living up to my expectations. Please keep the feedback coming, we want to hear from you! If you all promise to stick with us, I promise that we will do our best to continue bringing you the best that story-focused gaming has to offer. Until then, keep on gaming!

Sincerely and Most Grateful,

Joseph “JJ” Santaniello

Episode 34 - Our Top 5 Games in Our Backlog

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 22:11:00 -0500

This week we talk about our top 5 games that are in our backlog! We also introduce our new theme song!

Episode 33 - Gamer Burnout

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Jun 2014 22:22:00 -0500

Marc is back, and just in time to talk to us about what we do when we get "gamer burnout"! Brian also talks about how 23% = "Perfect".

Episode 32 - Our E3 2014 Top 5

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 21:44:00 -0500

This week Brian and JJ talk about their highs and lows from E3 2014!

Episode 31 - P. I. Poe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 8 Jun 2014 22:09:00 -0500

This episode we go over some things that listeners say they're excited for at E3 this year. We also have a review of "The Witcher", and talk a little bit about gaming on a budget!

Episode 30 - Our Top 5 Western RPGs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 2 Jun 2014 21:49:00 -0500

Episode 30! First off we'd like to thank everyone who's supported us and stuck with us so far! We really appreciate all of the kind words we've received over the past year, and hope to continue to entertain! This episode we talk about our top 5 western RPGs. Also, Brian makes up a new word....."Drorigins?"

Episode 29 - Pre E3 4 Thee

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 May 2014 09:53:00 -0500

This episode we talk about what we're hoping to hear about at E3 2014! We also have a long winded discussion about Fanboys and their impact on the gaming community.

Episode 28 - Our Top 5 Underrated Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 May 2014 16:41:00 -0500

JJ's voice is a bit out of it this week, so Marc and Brian do most of the talking. What does that mean? They get to make fun of him of course! We also talk about our top 5 underrated games!

Episode 27 - Bravely Repetitive

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 10 May 2014 11:10:00 -0500

This week we have a review of Bravely Default for the 3DS! We also talk about games we'd like to see come out with a new entry, and *gasp* we're also looking to expand our ranks!

Episode 26 - Our Top 5 Least Favorite Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 5 May 2014 22:00:00 -0500

This week we announce our screenshot contest winner! We also mix things up a bit in our Spotlight segment, and go over our top 5 least favorite games!

Episode 25 - Walking a Fine Line

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 18:12:00 -0500

This episode we have a discussion about religion in video games in our "Beyond the Game" segment. We also talk about the most time logged into a single game, and of course, Brian gets chipped more than once!

Episode 24 - Our Top 5 Games We Bought on a Whim

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 19 Apr 2014 11:01:00 -0500

This week we talk about our top 5 games that we bought on a whim! We also talk a bit about Xeno-games and announce a great new contest! Plus, our website is finally going live!

Episode 23 - F F V I I

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 18:07:00 -0500

Love it or hate it, Final Fantasy VII made waves when it was first released back in 1997, and is still a huge discussion point among RPG fans today. That's why we've decided to devote an entire episode to it!

Episode 22 - Our Top 5 Video Game Developers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 6 Apr 2014 09:18:00 -0500

This week we've got a few more announcements, and we go over our top 5 video game developers! http://archive.org/download/Episode22_20140406/Episode%2022.mp3

Episode 21 - FN Horror Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 16:55:00 -0500

This week we complete our review of the Mass Effect Storyline with Mass Effect 3! We also talk about some horror stories that we've had to endure throughout our gaming lives! http://archive.org/download/Episode21_20140329/Episode%2021.mp3

Episode 20 - Our Top 5 Things We Miss from Gaming

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 20:21:00 -0500

Brian is back just in time for our 20th episode! This week we talk about the things that we miss from our old gaming lives. http://archive.org/download/Episode20_20140323/Episode%2020.mp3

Spotlight - Celestian Tales: Old North (Ekuator Games Interview)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 14:34:00 -0500

Last week we had a chance to talk to Cipto Adiguno, Producer of Celestian Tales: Old North at Ekuator Games, about their Kickstarter campaign. While the Kickstarter campaign has since surpassed its goal, you still have time to help them reach their stretch goals. A prototype of the game is available here.

TFN: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us! How would you describe Celestian Tales: Old North to someone who knows nothing about it?

Ekuator Games: As it says on the campaign page, Celestian Tales: Old North is a game that aims to redefine the classic RPG. It does this by combining classic gameplay aspects with refreshing visuals, unique storytelling method with multiple characters, and a heavy storyline very unusual to the genre.

TFN: In your Kickstarter description you call out RPGs in which you play as the "chosen hero", who fights dragons and saves the world. What is your opinion on these cliches and do you consider Celestian Tales a rejection of the aforementioned cliches?

Ekuator Games: These clichés work. It's very hard to go wrong with the standard formula, and players don't usually complain if they become the savior yet again. With this in mind, it's understandable why few games want to stray from the 'safe lane'. In some ways Celestian Tales rejects that in an RPG we're always the 'good guys'. Remember when we stole from boxes inside people's houses, and did it right in front of their eyes? Yeah.

TFN: Celestian Tales will be released in three parts, with a plot spanning three decades. What are the challenges and rewards of telling a story over such an extended period of time?

Ekuator Games: The biggest challenge is to make sure that everything do change. How do the lands change, how did characters grow and mature, and how your choices affect them. They have very broad possibilities and describing it into the game is very tough.

The reward is that players can forge a bond better with both the world and the characters. Having your decisions matter makes you take responsibility for what happens, and that integrates you to become part of the game itself. You can understand how the world and characters become what they are right now because you've witnessed life-changing events of the past. No media other than games can deliver this kind of experience.

TFN: In many ways your game strikes me as a tribute to Japanese style RPGs, but the deep choices and consequences you've hinted at are more characteristic of Western RPGs. Are you fans of both, and what do you consider the strengths of each sub-genre?

Ekuator Games: I'm personally a fan of both. JRPGs fill up most of my time in the PlayStation / PS2 era, while WRPGs in the last few years of PC era.

When I return to my consoles play JRPGs, it struck me how they often show a world that is much brighter and happier than the real world. Even when it's about a land torn by war, the vibrant colours and character designs make those problems seem trivial. WRPGs on the other hand aim to be as close as possible to the reality, describing the grave matters at hand as it should be, but sometimes lacking the 'fantasy' aspects.

TFN: On your page and updates, you've mentioned famine, most notably with the phrase "Honor doesn't fill your stomach". Unpleasant truths like this would be glossed over by many RPGs, but seem to be a core concept in Celestian Tales. Can you describe your approach/philosophy in developing the plot?

Ekuator Games: We want to build a story where the biggest enemy is humanity itself. A story where the player will be unsure whether all the sacrifices made were worth the outcome. We want to touch the player in a personal level, up to a point where he/she might even question his/her own sense of morality.

Ekuator's vision is for its games to ultimately be part of you. This is one of the ways we do it.

TFN: Are there any games, movies, or other sources that have served as inspiration for Celestian Tales?

Ekuator Games: The storytelling in Celestian Tales is heavily influenced by western works such as George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Mass Effect.

TFN: We are very impressed with the visual design in Celestian Tales: Old North! Can you explain how important it was to pursue a handcrafted 2D perspective versus a 3D or tile-based approach?

Ekuator Games: From the start we wanted to re-imagine the classic RPG. Top-down perspective was the norm back then, and so we decided to pursue that angle. Using 3D for the environment and sprites, while possible, would stray too far from the original intention. The game wouldn't be a re-imagining but something else entirely, and so we set aside that idea.

We originally tried to use tiles for the environment, but weren't satisfied with how it looked. It was more like a vintage remake than a re-imagining. In this time and age, we thought we need better graphics than a game released two decades ago. After a lot of trials, hand-painted environments and pixel sprites was the answer. They're malleable enough for us to create almost anything needed, and look good enough for the game to have its own unique identity.

TFN: Ekuator Games ran a Kickstarter campaign in 2013 which did not meet its goal within the allotted time, but you've come back with some vast improvements and it looks very likely you will exceed the goal with time to spare. Is there any advice you’d offer to aspiring game designers looking at the Kickstarter platform?

Ekuator Games: There are lots! The biggest advice is this: *listen to your backers. *They are people who believe in your dreams and idea, and contributed to it. You don't need any more reason to treat them as well as you can.

Also: *don't hide your game. *The old adage, "Obscurity is worse than piracy" is true. Build it as good as you can and share it with as many people you can find. If your story has a great twist, don't hide it. If your characters are quirky, show it. You'll receive a lot of feedbacks and have people interested. When you've taken those feedbacks into your game and have nurtured a community, that's when you should go for Kickstarter.

TFN: Our podcast is known for doing Top 5 lists every week, Celestian Tales is shaping up to be an incredible RPG. What are your Top 5 Role Playing Games?

Ekuator Games: Only 5? That's going to be hard... well, this an assorted personal pick:
- Suikoden 2 & 3
- Mass Effect Trilogy (though the ending is a bit disappointing)
- Chrono Trigger
- Final Fantasy VI
- Metal Gear Solid 3 (great story, but maybe doesn't count as an RPG)

TFN: Again, thank you so much for talking with us! Is there anything else you'd like to communicate about Celestian Tales: Old North?

Ekuator Games: Thank you for talking with us! Celestian Tales has evolved a long way up to this point, and it's thanks to everyone who believed in the project. We couldn't have made it here without you :)

Check out the Celestian Tales: Old North Kickstarter and consider donating over at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ekuatorgames/celestian-tales-old-north-redefining-the-classic-r

Episode 19 - Saving Suikoden

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 8 Mar 2014 22:26:00 -0600

It's a "Can't Miss" episode! We talk to Ryan, one of the admins of the Suikoden Revival Movement, which we mentioned in a previous episode. He talks to us with his feelings about the Suikoden series, JRPGs in general, and the future of the movement! We also go over our top 5 funniest games, plus ANNOUNCEMENTS! http://archive.org/download/Episode19_201403/Episode%2019.mp3

Episode 18 - Power Rangers Meets Final Fantasy Meets Dragons

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 18:38:00 -0600

This episode Marc and JJ talk about what it really means to be a villain in video games, as well as going over their top 5 open world/sandbox games! http://archive.org/download/Episode18_20140219/Episode%2018.mp3

Episode 17 - Our Top 5 Games of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 11:51:00 -0600

This week we go over our top 5 games from 2013, and knock out a quick review of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds for the Nintendo 3DS! http://archive.org/download/Episode17_20140210/Episode%2017.mp3

Episode 16 - Our Top 5 Plot Twists We Didn't See Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 22:17:00 -0600

Spoilers!....Well not really. In this episode we take you "To the Moon", and then back down to Earth to recruit the 108 Stars of Destiny in the first game in the "Suikoden" series. We also talk about our top 5 plot twists that we didn't see coming! http://archive.org/download/Episode16_20140127/Episode%2016.mp3

Episode 15 - Our Top 5 Underrated Video Game Characters

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 10:35:00 -0600

Reviews, reviews, and more reviews! We take a look at a couple of indie games that you may not have heard of, as well as the first game in the Amnesia series, and Dead Island! Marc and JJ also stage an intervention for one of Brian's video game habits! http://archive.org/download/Episode15_20140112/Episode%2015.mp3

Spotlight: Long Night Q&A with Trickster Face

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 6 Jan 2014 13:15:00 -0600

We had a chance to talk to developer Trickster Face last week about their Kickstarter Survival Horror Game, Long Night. A demo of their upcoming game is available on their website: http://www.trickster-face.com/

TFN: How would you describe Long Night to someone who knows nothing about it?

Trickster Face: Long Night is a third person survival horror about intimate fears coming from family drama. The characters are a bunch of teenagers in an American holyday camp in the 90’s. The player will have to understand the meaning of the fears to face them and use his intelligence and instinct to survive this supernatural night.

TFN: In your Kickstarter video you say, "Survival Horror is more than shooting hordes of monsters." Can you elaborate on how this thought has impacted your game design?

Trickster Face: With Long Night, we choose to remove the weapons from the game design and focus on reflection above destruction. The gameplay was design to answer directly to the scenario and vice versa. It means that all features (exploration, chase, riddles and bosses) make sense in the story. For example, you will not have out of context riddles (find the jewel to put it in the statue to find another item, to finally open a door, to progress). In Long Night, resolve a riddle will help you to understand the psychology of the character and find direct way to face the fears.

TFN: Are there any games, movies or other sources that have inspired and influenced Long Night?

Trickster Face: Of course Long Night was inspired by many sources, like “it” from Stephen King (and his work in general), the urban legends, Silent Hill 2 for the psychological aspect, Resident Evil 1 for its atmosphere. In the movies, we were inspired by classic horror like Psycho, Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, Friday the 13th… We want to build Long Night as a love declaration to the horror gender.

TFN: How do you feel the long-form storytelling of video-games enables you to explore fear in ways movies (which are typically shorter than three hours) cannot?

Trickster Face: Long Night use an approach closer to the TV shows. We take the video game time to dig into the characters back story. We want the player to feel intimate with those teenagers so they can relate to their own life, past and present.

TFN: Can you describe how player agency has been beneficial and also challenging in designing a Survival Horror game?

Trickster Face: During the development of Long Night we focus on the reward of the player’s implication. Meaning that more the player interact and explore, more knowledge and more horror events he will get. We build the scenario with several level of interpretation so, as a player, you can build your own Long Night experience. It gives to the game a replay value and above the possibility to discuss about your vision of the story with other players.

TFN: What has your experience been with the Kickstarter process and is there any advice you’d offer to aspiring game designers looking at the platform?

Trickster Face: Well, we can say about Kickstarter that it requires a lot of work of presentation and communication. It’s a really living platform, so it’s difficult to be noticed when you’re surrounded by so many ideas. Today, making a game became easier with the accessibility of development tools, but the consequences are that the press is submerge by interesting projects. So, our advice to any game designer looking at this platform, could be: “Don’t come with just an idea, but bring some concrete to your audience so they can understand your project better”.

TFN: Our podcast is known for doing Top 5 lists every week, Long Night promises to be a truly frightening Survival Horror game. What are your Top 5 Survival Horror games?

Trickster Face: Top Five horror games of Trickster Face

1 Resident Evil Rebirth
2 Silent Hill 2
3 Resident Evil Code Veronica
4 Project Zero 2
5 Alan Wake/Obscure

TFN: Thanks for taking time to talk to us! Is there anything else you’d like to say about Long Night?

Trickster Face: Thanks to you for giving us the opportunity to talk about our first born: Long Night.

Our ambition is to make a game very close to the player, because that’s what fear is about, intimacy…

This isn’t a game about psychosis and unbelievable stories. It’s a game about you, me and the truth inside us.

Check out the Long Night Kickstarter and consider donating over at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1102758921/long-night

Episode 14 - Top 5 Things We're Looking Forward to in 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 23:20:00 -0600

This week we take a look at the top 5 things we're looking forward to in 2014! We also have reviews on Bioshock and Final Fantasy 2, and talk about what it really means to be "Next Gen." We also have our first contest! http://archive.org/download/Episode14_20131231/Episode%2014.mp3

Spotlight on: Reset

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 22:40:00 -0600

Marc got a hold of Theory Interactive Ltd. last week to ask them a few questions about their upcoming First Person Mystery Puzzle game, Reset. While they are tight-lipped about the plot behind the game, they have a few videos out showcasing AAA visuals and challenging time-travel puzzles. If you are an Oculus Rift fan or just a fan of atmospheric puzzle games, head on over and consider donating!

TFN: How would you describe Reset to someone who doesn’t know anything about it?

Theory Interactive: Reset is a First Person Puzzle and Open World Mystery solving game with a strong emphasis on story and atmosphere. A Sci-fi Noir mystery. The main game mechanic in solving the puzzles is the ability to skip back in time to co-operate with your previous self or selves.

TFN: Games like Portal and Antichamber have helped expand the First Person Puzzle genre but it is still quite small and fresh compared to others. What was it that drew you to the genre? Have you encountered any unexpected challenges?

Theory Interactive: Portal was a real eye opener for me. It was a very pure game but at the same time it was the deepest game I've played story wise. It was a game that succeeded in playing me, a very powerful experience. I feel that games have great, mostly untapped potential in making players experiencing stories, rather than just telling them. It is this aspect that I find most intriguing. I think a game that concentrates more on mental challenges rather than just reaction challenges is more suited to engage the player in a deeper way over all. I don't know if we've encountered unexpected challenges, I'd say all challenges are more or less unexpected.

TFN: You have been very guarded about revealing the plot behind Reset, telling us only that it will take place on a fictional island in the Galápagos and involve time travel. We would normally ask a few questions regarding plot, instead, can you describe the philosophy behind your decision to keep it under wraps?

Theory Interactive: This is a decision based on our goal to get the player to experience the game more deeply. It's likely that you understand the decision once you've played the game through.

TFN: The sights and sounds of Reset are beautiful and build an amazing sci-fi noir atmosphere. Can you tell us some of the sources you’ve drawn inspiration from?

Theory Interactive: I guess all things sci-fi play a big role in the background, but mostly works that are a bit more enigmatic, challenging and not necessarily ending happily are more closer to Reset. We are kids who grew up in the 80's and 90's so a lot of inspiration simply comes from works that emerged in that era.

TFN: Your Indiegogo description mentions you both previously worked for Futuremark and that Reset runs on Praxis, an engine youve developed in-house. Given your tremendous technical experience, is there a feature youve built into Praxis that you dont see other studios focusing on?

Theory Interactive: Technical knowledge is one of our strong points and a of course an interest. Lighting has been one our main focuses from the beginning. Not creating hugely complex geometry but focusing on light reacting realistically on surfaces and in the atmosphere. We we're a bit head of times when we released the first trailer a year ago, but now you can see the bigger studios focusing the same way. It's a natural progress. When computational power is available it's more efficient to simulate rather than do everything by hand.

TFN: What has your experience been with the Indiegogo process and is there any advice you’d offer to aspiring game designers looking at the platform?

Theory Interactive: We'll this is a tough one. It's been a ride of emotions so far. And being such a tiny team has brought it's own challenges. For example I've had to take care of my kids for many days during the campaign when they we're ill (nothing serious, normal flus and vomit diseases), and we weren't prepared for that. Since the campaign is only for a certain time, being away from the project at that time means that we can't drive it forward. We should have been more prepared for the whole length of the campaign before we even started. This isn't really a platform specific advice, but planning the whole thing through properly, at least the major updates (which should be frequent enough) will go a long way. And of course having a big enough community around the project is essential especially for the start. I can't really compare to other platforms since I have no first hand experience. Indiegogo was our choice, because it's basically the best way to go from where we are. Kickstarter is unavailable from Finland directly, and it would have been too big a task for us to set up a business representation in the US or UK just to get the campaign going.

TFN: Our podcast is known for doing Top 5 lists every week, your game promises to feature challenging, mind-bending time-travel puzzles. What are your Top 5 mind-bending games?

Theory Interactive: I think the aforementioned Portal and Antichamber hold the first two places. I enjoyed The Misadventures of P.B.Winterbottom quite alot, and it's kind of a 2d sibling to Reset. Oldie but goldie Day of the Tentacle is awesome of course. The upcoming Parallax seems very intriguing, looking forward to that.

TFN: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us! Is there anything else you’d like to communicate about Reset?

Theory Interactive: Thanks for the great questions. Although fallen behind, the Indiegogo campaign is not over yet, so now is the perfect time to purchase a Christmas present for yourself or a friend for... Christmas 2014!

Check out Theory Interactive Ltd.’s First Person Mystery Puzzle game, Reset, over at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/reset--4

Episode 13 - Our Top 5 Game Worlds

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 21:58:00 -0600
This episode we go over our top 5 game worlds! Brian sees things differently than the rest of the world on.....well just about everything! Marc and JJ gush over the Elder Scrolls and we also do a review for Mass Effect 2! http://archive.org/download/Episode13_201312/Episode%2013.mp3

Spotlight: Stasis Interview with Christopher Bischoff

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 3 Dec 2013 19:39:00 -0600
Last week Marc caught up with Christopher Bischoff, the creator of the horror adventure game STASIS, which is now taking donations via Kickstarter. A few days still remain in the kickstarter and a demo is available for the curious via http://www.stasisgame.com/getstasis/. Be sure to read our interview and check out the game! .

TFN: How would you describe Stasis to someone who doesn’t know anything about it?

Christopher: STASIS is set on a seemingly abandoned research facility. The player takes on the identity of John Maracheck to explore and solve puzzles in a 2D isometric environment. Essentially, it's an horror, adventure game in the same vein as Monkey Island and The Dig. To help John find his family, you're required to interact with your surroundings, collect and use items all while uncovering the deepening mystery.

TFN: One of the things that drew me to your project was the idea of using the adventure genre as the framework for a modern Sci-Fi horror game. Can you tell us some of the ways the genre has enabled you to explore your story in a way other genres could not?

Christopher:The adventure game genre is perfectly suited to a horror game, in that it almost goes directly against the grain of needing to explore. It forces you along a path, that goes against human nature and almost creates an 'uncomfortable feel' in the environment. You don't want to go through that door, but you have to... You don't want to know what's under that hospital bed, but it could be an integral part of the game... Science Fiction is also a wonderful tool in adventure games, from a story point of view. I found that many of my favorite adventure game experiences were reflections on who I was as a person as the time of playing them. Through Space Quest I got to live out my time as an awkward kid, trying to see where I fit into the world. Day of the Tentacle was am exploration of friendship, reflecting many things that a young child was looking for in the world. As an older gamer, I am looking for experiences that speak to me and to my role in society. The best Science Fiction is the type that holds up a mirror to the feelings and emotions that society is going through at that moment.

TFN: During my play time I found puzzles which seemed well grounded in reality and followed logically. Is there anything you can tell us about your design philosophy?

Christopher:John is very much a part of me. I'm not an engineer, so if I was trying to get through a locked door, there is very little chance of me rewiring the lock! I'd most likely try to lever the door open with a crowbar. The design philosophy is really, "What Would John Do?" He isn't a marine or a scientist. He is a normal, untrained man, in search of his family - and that's constantly in the forefront of my mind when designing the game, the puzzles and the situations that John finds himself in. But that's not to say that there aren't instances where he'll need to move far from his comfort zone to get through the ship.

TFN: Groomlake is a reference to the dried up lake north of Area 51, would you say that American cult mythology has influenced this game?

Christopher:The world is a very small place and the influences in STASIS range from American Cult Mythology to Japanese political cover-ups, post World War II. STASIS is an amalgamation of ALL of my interests; some are obscure (like conspiracy theories and black holes) and many are more direct like film and games and you'll find these references throughout the game. Did you know that John's name is a good example of a truly obscure Aliens reference?

TFN: In a recent kickstarter update you expounded on the influence Alien has had on you over the years and in particular with Stasis. What I have always found remarkable about that movie was Ridley Scott’s courage to pose deep, disturbing questions and offer no clean answers. Beyond subject matter, have Ridley Scott’s works had an impact on your approach to narrative and exposition?

Christopher:Ridley Scott's ability to give a lot of information without relying on dialogue (or any focused written word) is something I've tried to emulate. Things like small signs on the sides of doors, a bloody hand print, a sound that echoes through the scene at just the right time... Every piece of information in a Ridley Scott film is carefully given to the viewer, allowing them to piece together the puzzle without being overt about it. It's an incredible skill. I'm trying to pull this thread through into STASIS.

TFN: Kicktraq expects you to exceed your Kickstarter goal by a healthy margin. What has your experience been with the kickstarting process and is there any advice you’d offer to aspiring game designers looking at the platform?

Christopher:It really has been an intense few months - counting the four months of preparation for the Kickstarter campaign. My two cents: Treat the time leading up to your campaign as importantly, as the time during your campaign. A strong build up and strong start is the best thing I could've hoped for, because it gives supporters confidence in your project, if the campaign slows down a little.

TFN: Our podcast is known for doing Top 5 lists every week, you have mentioned your love for adventure games. What are your Top 5 adventure games?

Christopher: The Dig Space Quest 5 Day Of The Tentacle Broken Sword Beneath a Steel Sky

TFN: Thank you again for giving us a bit of your time! Is there anything else that you'd like to mention? About Stasis or any other projects you're working on?

Christopher:STASIS has been my focus and my life for three years now! The future is going to be interesting for The Brotherhood and for fans of isometric games...

You can check out Christopher Bischoff's game, STASIS, via his Kickstarter page located here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bischoff/stasis-2d-isometric-scifi-horror-adventure-game

Episode 12 - Our Top 5 Games We'd Like to see Rereleased

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 1 Dec 2013 21:19:00 -0600
Brian spoils Star Ocean: Till the End of Time!.....but the game's been out for years so we forgive him. We talk about digital gaming purchases versus physical copies, and also go over our top 5 games that we would like to see rereleased! http://archive.org/download/Episode12_201312/Episode%2012.mp3

Q&A With Caleb, Developer of "Chaos Drift - A Nostalgic RPG Experience"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 18:44:00 -0600
Recently JJ had the opportunity to talk to Caleb, who is the sole developer for the upcoming RPG "Chaos Drift", which is now taking donations via Kickstarter. Chaos Drift promises to be a throwback to those old school video game RPGs that made the genre great, such as Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger.

TFN:
Alright well first off, I just wanted to reiterate how much we are looking forward to Chaos Drift, and can't wait to get our hands on the finished product!
So what can you tell me about the process of making this game so far? I noticed that you seem to be the sole developer for it. Does that mean you're handling everything from gameplay to music to story all on your own? Or have you had any additional help along the way?

Caleb:

Well, I first want to say that there is a tremendous community around RPG Maker VX Ace. You can buy high quality custom assets and scripts rather easily and find help to any questions you may have... I have also bought royalty free music for the project.
Beyond those things, I do everything. I take tilesets, music, and scripts and arrange them into a story.... into a cohesive project that people will love to play. Every rock, every tree, every bird tweet is there because I put it there. Every line of dialogue is created by me solely. And the story as well.

TFN:

It must be pretty cool to see your own world spring to life, and know that other people will get to experience it as well!
What initially drew me towards Chaos Drift was the fact that you call it "A Nostalgic RPG Experience" and mention that it draws inspiration from classic games like Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger, two of my absolute favorites. I also noticed that you have put your own twist on a skill system that can be compared to Materia from Final Fantasy 7. Are there any other games, classic or new, that you feel gave you inspiration for the game?

Caleb:
I don't mean to be overly vague here.... but EVERY game I play gives me inspiration. I am always looking for the art in games... for what separates one experience from another. I get so much inspiration from watching movies and playing games.... I'll hit a certain point in a movie or game and just shut it off because I have to go create. But FF6 and Chrono Trigger are the biggest influences from my childhood... I suppose you could Skyrim and Dark Souls in there as well... I think about how those games make you feel with a big open world and so many optional things to do, and places to go... and I'm going to capture that with Chaos Drift.

TFN:
That's great! I think there's a lot of people who tend to get inspired by things they love, but then don't really do anything about it. However, you seem to be taking it by the reins and it looks to be shaping up wonderfully judging by the videos you've posted. That being said, which part of the development process do you feel has been the most challenging for you so far?

Caleb:
Oh, definitely the Kickstarter process. Most people don't realize what goes into these campaigns. I've made so many mistakes myself, but I'm learning. Once I'm funded and can focus solely on developing my game, I'll be very happy. A load will be lifted off my shoulders.

TFN:

That makes sense. It looks like you're pretty close to hitting the goal, so hopefully it'll happen soon!
So, about the actual game itself. Any info you can tell us about the story or the characters?

Caleb:

Yeah, definitely!
Chaos Drift centers around an officer in the Travellian Army by the name of Solar Avarius. Solar, who has been looking for his lost lifelong friend and superior officer Dar Whitmore, hears news that Dar has died. Upon inspection of the tombstone, he is attacked by a pair of familiar faces. Through a series of events, Solar is accused of murder and sentenced to be executed. That is when the beautiful and mysterious mage, Evandra appears. She is from the past and reveals truths that explain everything that has happened recently in Solar's life. Solar, Evandra, and the comical Tull set off on a quest for revenge and justice against the Mad King Belteshazzar who has come to their time via a magical pillar. They quickly find themselves flung to the far reaches of time and space in a journey that will define them all and forever change the course of their world. Solar will quickly realize that he may have to choose between changing the past... and the future as he becomes aware of his true enemy. Many characters will join them along the way including a humorless king and a scheming desert assassin.

TFN:

That sounds incredible!
How about the gameplay itself? While reading your updates, I noticed that you've decided to do away with the "traditional" leveling system to cut down the need to grind experience. Can you elaborate a little on what this means?

Caleb:
This means a lot of things... one, I think players of Chaos Drift will enjoy the battles a lot more without it feeling excessive. Two, it means players CANNOT powerlevel themselves early on in the game... it lets me as a developer control how high of a level a player can obtain at any given point in the game. That makes it much easier to balance content as well for the players since I KNOW within a few levels how strong a person can possibly be. Three, it means that players are not punished for exploration. There are many levels available through completely sidequests, so players will want to explore as much as possible in order to become stronger. It puts more emphasis on actually DOING things in the game rather than grinding battle after battle.

TFN:
You mention that it makes it easier for you, as the developer, to balance the content. So then with that in mind, what kind of a difficulty curve does Chaos Drift have?

Caleb:
Well, I am still working on the difficulty curve. There are a lot of limitations with the engine I'm using in regards to the battles. One complaint levied against old school RPGs like FF6 is that it is too easy. I am endeavoring to fix that. But I don't want to go for Dark Souls hard... I don't want to make the game inaccessible. I will have very hard content though that is completely optional. For example: the bonus dungeon included in the Special Edition requires you to have completed every sidequest and most of the main story to be able to be strong enough to even attempt it. It is completely optional, but the best gear in the game can be found in this dungeon, and the dungeon can be repeated multiple times. It is for the hardcore only. :)

TFN:

Sounds like there's definitely going to be something for everyone!
Anything else that you'd like to mention? About the game or any other projects you're working on?

Caleb:
I grew up in a poor family. I'll never forget the Christmas my parents scrounged up enough money to buy us kids a SNES and I fired up Super Mario World for the first time. A few years later, I played a little game called Final Fantasy III (what we now know as FF6) It changed my life forever, I've been daydreaming since then of creating my own game... my own world. Chaos Drift is the fruition of that dream. I want people to know that I understand what makes a game like FF6 special, and Chaos Drift will definitely be special. After Chaos Drift, I've got a few other RPG projects I might move onto... we'll see. :)

TFN:

I know exactly how you feel! Final Fantasy 6 has been my #1 game for a long time, and I don't know that I'll ever feel the same way towards a storyline or group of characters, simply because the game wasn't just a fun game to play, it was an experience that still to this day, makes me smile to think about. Knowing that Chaos Drift is coming from a place with that kind of nostalgia in mind makes me more excited than ever to finally try it!
Caleb, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, we certainly look forward to what the finished product of Chaos Drift, along with any other projects you have in mind for somewhere down the road, ends up being. Keep up the great work and keep us posted!

You can check out Caleb's game, "Chaos Drift - A Nostalgic RPG Experience" via his Kickstarter page located here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/999449823/chaos-drift-a-nostalgic-rpg-experience

Episode 11 - Our Top 5 Gaming Related Things We Want for the 2013 Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 10:43:00 -0600
This week we introduce our new segment: Spotlight! We also talk about what we'd like to receive this holiday season, as well as review The Walking Dead and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. http://archive.org/download/Episode11_201311/Episode%2011.mp3

Episode 10 - Our First Milestone!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 04:26:00 -0600
Episode 10! We begin with a review on the new Pokemon X/Y games, followed by a special segment that we like to call "The Great Debate", news with Brian, and also our top 5 heroic characters from video games! http://archive.org/download/Episode10_201311/Episode%2010.mp3

Episode 9 - Our Top 5 Gateway Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:21:00 -0500
This week we give our thoughts on The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Marc was unable to join us for this episode, so what do we do? Make fun of him while he's not here of course! We also go over our top 5 gateway games! http://archive.org/download/Episode9_201310/Episode%209.mp3

Episode 8 - Our Top 5 Games We Wish We Could Finish

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 8 Oct 2013 20:19:00 -0500
This episode we review Bastion and the original Deus Ex. JJ sends Marc some hate mail, and Brian...*shocker*...watches his brother play more games! We also talk about our top 5 games that we just can't seem to finish! http://archive.org/download/Episode8_20131009/Episode%208.mp3