Studying Pixels

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Replay: Do JRPGs Need to Be Made in Japan?

Wed, 17 May 2023 07:00:26 GMT

This is a replay episode, originally aired on August 14, 2022.

Technically, JRPG simply stands for Japanese Role-Playing Game. Yet, it seems like the genre ascription has taken on a life of its own. Is every RPG made in Japan automatically a JRPG? And what differentiates them from Western RPGs? Here’s our take on the matter!

Shownotes

Japanische Rollenspiele: Was macht ein Spiel zum JRPG? – Podcast E054 (Behind the Screens)

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Final Fantasy I-III

Sun, 14 May 2023 07:00:35 GMT

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster was recently released for PS4 and Nintendo Switch, and you know Dan has some thoughts about it. It’s another solo episode, this time with Dan and his theories about the Final Fantasy series, it’s origins, and how it came to be what it is today.

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Origins of publisher names (Square Enix, Sony, and others)

Sun, 07 May 2023 08:00:45 GMT

We are all familiar with names such as Sony, Nintendo, Ubisoft, or Konami. But how did these names come about? In this short episode, we explore the background behind some of the most influential company names.

Shownotes

The Stories Behind the Names of 15 Gaming Brands You Know (Kelvon Yeezy)

The History and Meaning of the Ubisoft Logo (FreeLogoDesign)

What's In A Name (1Up.com)

Sony Company History (Sony)

Interview: Former Microsoft Exec Fries Talks Xbox's Genesis (Leigh Alexander)

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The Story of E3

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 08:00:06 GMT

E3 was the event that kept the entire video game industry in suspense for a whole week. It brought for bouts of joy and sighs of disappointment. Now, that E3 might be no more, we reflect upon its history.

Shownotes

E3 (Wikipedia)

A Tale of Two E3s - Xbox vs Sony vs Sega (Christopher Dring)

Geoff Keighley will not participate in E3 2020 (Christopher Dring)

E3 Has Been Canceled (Rebekah Valentine)

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Back to the Mainstream

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 07:00:18 GMT

Trends, they come and go. But some peculiarities of video game culture disappeared for a while only to make a more or less major comeback.

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Tips for Neurodiverse Students and Academics

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 08:00:50 GMT

We discuss the problems neurodiverse students and academics may face throughout their studies and provide a series of tips and tools.

Shownotes

Neurodiversity in higher education: a narrative synthesis (Clouder, L., Karakus, M., Cinotti, A. et al.)

Autism spectrum disorder: reconceptualising support for neurodiverse students in higher education (Evans, D., Granson, M., Langford, D., and Hirsch, S.)

5 study tips for neurodivergent college students (Cliff Weitzman)

Studying tips and tricks: a Neurodivergent perspective (Alice Farion-Renard)

6 Tips For Neurodivergent College Students Going Back To School (Jayar Brenner)

Three simple ways to help your neurodivergent students succeed (William Lane)

5 ways educators can support neurodiversity in the classroom (InnerDrive)

Students with disabilities (National Center for Education Statistics)

Neurodiversity in College Admissions (Independent Educational Consultants Association)

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Replay: Learning Japanese with Video Games (with Matt/Game Gengo)

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 08:00:56 GMT

This is a replay episode, originally aired on January 16, 2022.

Learning any language is a lengthy and, at times, tedious endeavour. So why not make the process as fun as possible? – On his YouTube channel Game Gengo (ゲーム言語) our guest, Matt, does exactly that. Because how could learning Japanese be more fun than learning with video games?

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Revisiting Ludo-Narrative Dissonance

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 08:00:29 GMT

Ludo-narrative dissonance occurs when a game’s story appears to be at odds with the gameplay. When The Witcher has to urgently save Ciri, but must first explore every village and cave, master a trading card game, and visit all the brothels in the realm. But can ludo-narrative dissonance also have creative merit? We discuss precisely this question, based on the article “Game of Twisted Shouting: Ludo-Narrative Dissonance Revisited” by Paweł Grabarczyk and Bo Kampmann Walther.

Shownotes

Grabarczyk, Paweł, and Bo Kampmann Walther. “Game of Twisted Shouting: Ludo-Narrative Dissonance Revisited.”Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture, vol. 13, no. 1, Dec. 2022, pp. 7–27.

Ludonarrative Dissonance in Bioshock (Clint Hocking)

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Super Mario Movie, The Original

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 07:00:18 GMT

No, you didn’t misread that. Stefan and Dan watched the original Super Mario Bros. movie from 1993 and they… have some thoughts. Was it a good film? No. Was it influential in the video game adaptation space? For better or worse, yes. Let’s see what it has to offer and what we can expect from the new movie coming out in April.

Shownotes

Bob Hoskins: 'The Method? Living it out? Cobblers!’ (Simon Hattenstone)

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The Magic of Motion Capturing (with Jimmy Corvan)

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 08:00:17 GMT

Motion capturing might look so smooth and effortless on screen but it is often the result of an intricate process. Our guest, Jimmy Corvan, can attest to that. He worked at the motion capture studio House of Moves for eleven years and shares his insights on how characters in The Last of Us, Mortal Kombat, Call of Duty and many more games (and films) were brought to life.

Shownotes

House of Moves: https://www.moves.com

Room 8 Group: https://room8group.com

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Review Round-Up: Wo Long, Forspoken, Fire Emblem Engage, and more

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 08:15:25 GMT

We’ve played so many games recently and barely had the time to squish them all into the show. So that is exactly we are doing with this episode. Here are our impression of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Forspoken, Fire Emblem Engage, Octopath Traveller II, and the Dead Space Remake.

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Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 08:00:49 GMT

Dan has played Like a Dragon: Ishin, and is very excited to share not only his thoughts, but a bit of a history lesson on the Bakumatsu period, Modern Japanese history, and the ramifications of a game that uses real history for it’s narrative. Don’t miss it!

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Replay: Terrible Marketing Choices

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This is a replay episode, originally aired on May 22, 2022.

How about we advertise a new game by paying off people’s speeding tickets for one day? Or, even better, how about we showcase a dead goat for some extra PR? Or maybe we plaster the inner city with racist billboards? – Sometimes it is truly impressive what publishers come up with to draw attention to their games. We go through 10 of the arguably most terrible marketing choices ever made.

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Hogwarts Legacy

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 09:00:18 GMT

It is one of the biggest launches this year so far and at the same time one of the most contested one. In our review, we focus on the actual game and discuss how the magic of Hogwarts enthralled us just as much as the incessant repetition of the open world repulsed us.

Schrape, Niklas: Gamification and Governmentality. In: Mathias Fuchs, Sonia Fizek, Paolo Ruffino et al. (eds.): Rethinking Gamification. Lüneburg: meson press 2014, pp. 21–45.

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Bizarre Gaming Gadgets

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 09:00:11 GMT

Every now and then, video game companies come up with the weirdest, most peculiar, and often entirely unusable gaming gadgets and accessories. Here are our favourites!

Shownotes

Plus 13. Heaven is a Halfpipe: The Story of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (Studying Pixels)

Title image by Marcin Wichary (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mwichary/45221968804/) under CC BY 2.0 license; cropped image for title fitting.

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Surprising Post-Games

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:00:28 GMT

Rolling the credits usually marks the end of a game. But some titles effectively flip the script. The credits are just the beginning of another adventure. We discuss games that present us with surprising, memorable, or simply extensive post-game content.

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Replay: Games in the Box (with Claudius Clüver)

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 09:00:05 GMT

This is a replay episode, originally aired on November 28, 2021.

We might nostalgically look back at the beauty of game boxes and fail to realize how strongly they are linked to the economization of games. With our guest, game studies scholar Claudius Clüver, we trace how games got into the box and how, with the advent of digital distribution, they made their way back out.

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Reading Schrape’s Gamification and Governmentality

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 09:00:23 GMT

Gamification is one of the most extensively used buzzwords these days. And rightfully so, considering that the logic of play pervades just about all domains of daily life. We discuss Niklas Schrape’s critical reflection, based on the text Gamification and Governmentality.

Shownotes

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The Konami Code

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 09:00:16 GMT

U, U, D, D, L, R, L, R, B, A – an abstract sequence of inputs that is deeply ingrained into cultural memory. We explore the history of the Konami Code, with lots of fun trivia and gimmicks to try yourself!

Konami posts Konami Code on Twitter to commemorate Hashimoto

Shownotes

The Story Of The Konami Code And Early Days Of NES Development (Aria)

Nintendo Power Issue #1, July/August 1988 (Nintendo Power)

What Is the Konami Code, and How Do You Use it? (Benj Edwards)

Konami code explained: What is the code and which games still use it? (Joe Julians)

Konami Code | Full Supported Konami Video Games List (Hanna Synetska)

Konami Code (IGN)

Kazuhisa Hashimoto, Creator Of Famous 'Konami Code' Gaming Cheat, Dies (Jordan Pascale)

Even the Bank of Canada can’t resist the Konami code (Megan Farokhmanesh)

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Trauma in Video Games (with Thomas Spies)

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 09:00:39 GMT

Oh no, your family has been abducted and your village burnt to the ground! Better start a bloody vendetta…or so the story of many video games starts out. Our guest, Dr. Thomas Spies, argues in favour of more complex and differentiated trauma representations. Here’s our conversation about titles such as Max Payne, Distraint, The Last of Us, Hellblade, and Disco Elysium.

Shownotes

Trauma im Computerspiel. Mediale Repräsentationen mentaler Extremerfahrungen (Thomas Spies)

“Making Sense in a Senseless World”: Disco Elysium’s Absurd Hero (Thomas Spies)

gofundme campaign: Honorare Sammelband Kritische Videospielstudien

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Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - Reunion

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 08:00:15 GMT

Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - Reunion has been out for some time now, and Dan has really sunk his teeth into a game he’s already pretty familiar with. Join him and Stefan as they talk about how the Remaster stacks up to the original, and what it means for the FFVII Franchise moving forward.

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Replay: Childhood Gaming Memories

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 08:00:01 GMT

This is a replay episode, originally aired on January 9th, 2022.

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10 Predictions for 2023

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 08:00:44 GMT

Merry Christmas! As is tradition, we come together to evaluate our predictions from last year and put up a bunch of new ones for 2023. Will we be even remotely correct? – Join us to find out!

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The Callisto Protocol

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 09:00:21 GMT

Great expectations were set for The Callisto Protocol. Is it going to bring back space horror in a major way? Well, it might not, because in our review we discuss how the game is impressive at first sight, but in itself conceptually torn.

Shownotes

Plus 6. The Rise and Fall of Visceral Games (Studying Pixels)

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Replay: Halloween Special: Cursed Games

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 09:00:11 GMT

This is a replay episode, originally aired on October 31, 2021.

“I am god here.” A strangely unsettling sentence, especially if uttered by a character in a game that might very well be cursed. For this Halloween we collect and retell our favorite gaming-related creepypastas and urban legends.

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Game Awards 2022

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 09:00:13 GMT

The Game Awards have become a mainstay in the annual cycle of marketing and industry celebration. We go over our high- and lowlights of the show!

Jason Schreier about his interview with Matan Even

Shownotes

The Game Awards 2022 Winners: The Full List (Logan Plant)

The Game Awards 2022: Everything Announced (Adam Bankhurst)

That Guy Who Interrupted the End of The Game Awards Has Been Arrested (John Friscia)

God of War Ragnarok is Being Review Bombed (Dalton Cooper)

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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 08:00:22 GMT

Ah, a new Pokemon game. Scarlet and Violet have quickly shown up on our Switches and have generated some controversy around it’s performance issues. Is all the vitriol really warranted? Kind of. But! It’s also one of the best Pokemon experiences to date. Join Stefan and Dan as they break down why that is!

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True Sight (with Sarah Stang)

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 09:00:45 GMT

Seeing beyond what seems to be real, seeing a ‘truth’ obscured from others—there seems to be a proper fascination with this exclusive gaze. We explore the notion of true sight in video games such as The Cat Lady and Fran Bow with Dr. Sarah Stang, Assistant Professor of Game Studies at Brock University in Canada.

Shownotes

Madness as True Sight in The Cat Lady and Fran Bow (Sarah Stang)

Maiden, Mother, and Crone: Abject Female Monstrosity in Roleplaying Games (Sarah Stang)

This is Sarah’s website: https://smstang.com

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God of War Ragnarök

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 08:00:22 GMT

Is it getting chilly in here? God of War: Ragnarök has landed and received raving reviews across the board. We took some time, engaged with it deeply, and yes…it is totally awesome. Here’s our review!

Our brand new Discord server

Shownotes

Plus 14. How God of War Works (Studying Pixels)

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Extremism in Gaming Communities (with Rachel Kowert)

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 09:00:29 GMT

Gaming communities can be a lovely place of bonding and encouragement. However, and in no contradiction to the former, they can also be excluding, pervaded by extremism, and profoundly hostile towards anything ‘different’. Why is that so and what can we do about it? – Those are the questions we ask Dr. Rachel Kowert, renowned research psychologist, best selling author, and research director of Take This.

PlatinumGames confirms Jennifer Hale is the new voice actress for Bayonetta in Bayonetta 3 (Brian)

Shownotes

Not just a game: Identity fusion and extremism in gaming cultures (Rachel Kowert, Alexi Martel, and William B. Swann)

Rachel’s website: rkowert.com

Rachel’s YouTube channel: Psychgeist

Rachel on Twitter: @DrKowert

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Replay: The Myth of Missing No.

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 08:00:52 GMT

This is a replay episode, originally aired on October 24, 2021.

Could that school friend really be right about this Pokémon that is not supposed to exist? Is there really a way to infinitely multiply items as this Nintendo magazine suggests? – We're diving back into our childhood to unravel how Missing No. changed the ideas about how video games work and who owns their lore.

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Bayonetta 3

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 17:49:30 GMT

The witch is back in town—frantic, silly, and always in the mood to dance. We played through Bayonetta 3 and consider it exceedingly stylish though some of the shots it fires miss the mark. Here’s our review, including our commentary to the drama that revolved around the change in voice actresses.

Shownotes

Original videos by Hellena Taylor

A Tense Pay Dispute Overshadows Nintendo’s Upcoming Bayonetta 3 (Jason Schreier)

Rebuttal by Hellena Taylor

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Games That Actually Scared Us

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Okay, in this Halloween special Dan and Stefan are talking about games that actually scared them. And some of those titles you probably have not heard of so far. Buckle up, it’s pumpkin time!

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Games as Historical Problem Spaces (with Jeremiah McCall)

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 08:00:47 GMT

From Assassin’s Creed to Civilization and from The Oregon Trail to Valiant Hearts—video games are profoundly fascinated with history. But how can we analyse those representations of history without simply ‘fact checking’ the games? We are joined by the historian and long-running high school teacher Dr. Jeremiah McCall for a conversation about his framework of games as historical problem spaces.

Shownotes

The Historical Problem Space Framework: Games as a Historical Medium (Jeremiah McCall)

This is Jeremiah’s blog: gamingthepast.net

Here’s a link to Jeremiah McCall’s book: Gaming the Past: Using Video Games to Teach Secondary History

Historical Game Design Theory and Practice with Luke Homes (Jeremiah McCall)

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Unusual Findings & 80s Nostalgia

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 07:00:14 GMT

In recent years, we have seen a wave of media nostalgically embracing the 80s. Unusual Findings is the latest entry: a Maniac Mansion inspired point’n’click adventure. Does the crowdfunded project manage to transport us back to the childhood we never had? And what is the appeal of 80s nostalgia anyway? Here’s our review!

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Replay: Three Truths, Two Lies

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 08:00:12 GMT

This is a replay episode, originally aired on September 26, 2021.

It is finally time for our very first episode! Our mascot Pixel-kun is celebrating and so are we. For introductions, we share five stories of our gaming biography, only three of which are true. Can you tell the difference?

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The End of Stadia, Dunkey Turns Publisher, GTA 6 Leaks, and More

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 07:00:43 GMT

Some interesting stories flew under our radar and so it is time to catch up! We are talking about the end of Google Stadia, videogamedunkey starting a publishing company, the turmoil revolving around the GTA 6 leaks, and the unification of chargers in the EU.

Afterwards we are sharing our impressions of games we have recently played: Infernax, GRIS, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R, and Layers of Fear.

Shownotes

6:25 Stadia Shutdown

A message about Stadia and our long term streaming strategy (Phil Harrison)

17:16 Dunkey’s BigMode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEt27Jgp8gs

28:27 GTA 6 Leaks

GTA 6 (Americas) leak - 90+ .mp4 footage/videos (teapotuberhacker)

Huge GTA 6 leak includes gameplay footage of robbery, Vice City locations, and two playable characters (Jody Macgregor)

43:17 EU and the USB-C

48:06 Infernax

50:42 GRIS

52:44 Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R

57:15 Layers of Fear

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Lovecraft and Cosmic Horror

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 07:00:36 GMT

The influence of H.P. Lovecraft on the domain of (video) games can hardly be overestimated. The introduction of the sanity meter, the ripples of madness in Bloodborne, and Batman’s Arkham Asylum—the exploration on the fringes of knowledge fascinates today still. We discuss Lovecraftian aesthetics with horror aficionado Richard Mertens, who is not only the newest addition to the Studying Pixels team, but also hosts his own show, titled The Pike Horror Show.

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Return to Monkey Island

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 08:00:55 GMT

Time to return to Monkey Island! For the series’ original creator Ron Gilbert as well as for us—after many years and some mixed experiences. Does Return to Monkey Island hold up as a proper sequel to the original titles? – Here’s our review!

Shownotes

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Would You Rather?

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 07:00:52 GMT

We are turning 50 years, uhm, episodes old! And at the same time, we are celebrating our one year anniversary. What an occasion! So let’s go ahead and ponder some “would you rather” questions. For fun!

Shownotes

Nintendo Direct, 09/13/2022 (Nintendo)

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How 9/11 Affected Video Games

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 07:00:37 GMT

Many of us still have vivid memories of 11 September 2001. The worlds deadliest terrorist attack left a gaping wound of societal trauma. Video games are no exception to this. So today, on the attack’s anniversary, we are dissecting how 9/11 changed video game culture, how individual games were altered, and how games actively engaged with the ensuing consequences.

Shownotes

The Post-9/11 Video Game: A Critical Examination (Marc A. Ouellette)

Playing War. Military Video Games After 9/11 (Matthew Thomas Payne)

How 9/11 Affected Games (Rick Lane)

List of entertainment affected by the September 11 attacks (Wikipedia)

How 9/11 Impacted Metal Gear Solid 2 (Shannon Lawlor)

How 9/11 affected video games (Reddit thread by RCizzle65)

Reading Gonzalo Frasca: Simulation vs Narrative (Studying Pixels)

September 12th (Newsgames)

The title image of this episode comes from here. The original link is no longer valid, but the image depicts the box art of Command & Conquer 2: Red Alert before it had been altered following the attacks at 9/11.

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Stray

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 08:00:06 GMT

Exploring a cyberpunk dystopia from a cat’s perspective—best idea ever. But does Stray hold up to scrutiny? Or does it cutify the dire setting? – Here’s our review!

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Gamescom 2022

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 08:00:18 GMT

Gamescom, the biggest video game trade show in the world, has come and gone. Of course, we were there to check out a whole range of games and to discuss the status quo of video game culture with experts. Here is our report!

Shownotes

00:05:42 One P I E C E Odyssey (Our hoster does not allow the word to be written normally here, sorry. It is that famous manga/anime series about the guy in the straw hat.)

00:09:24 Floodland (with Kacper Kwiatkowski, Co-Boss and Creative Advisor at Vile Monarch)

00:21:10 Goat Simulator 3 (with Sebastian Erikkson, CEO at Coffee Stain)

00:37:32 Video Games vs Social Media (with Karol Severin, Senior Analyst at MIDiA Research)

00:49:55 Blockchains and the Metaverse (with Michelle Kang, Head of Growth at Nervos Network)

01:01:59 Vikings on Trampolines

01:08:46 Lies of P

01:11:20 Using Games for Citizen Science (with Attila Szantner, CEO & Co-Founder of Massively Multiplayer Online Science)

01:23:21 Conclusion

Website | Twitter | Instagram

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Thymesia

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 08:00:00 GMT

With its plague themed setting and its sprinkles of role-play mechanics, Thymesia attempts to employ the strengths of Soulsborne games and run with them. But does it manage to stand out enough? Here’s our review!

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Do JRPGs need to be made in Japan?

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 07:00:53 GMT

Shownotes

Japanische Rollenspiele: Was macht ein Spiel zum JRPG? – Podcast E054 (Behind the Screens)

Our Pokémon Legends: Arceus review

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Scarlet and Violet: The Past and Future of Pokémon

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 07:00:14 GMT

Each year a new, mainline Pokémon game comes and goes. This time, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet promise a continuation of the series’ tradition while also integrating the innovations of recent titles. We discuss what we know so far.

Shownotes

Everything we know about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (Nicole Carpenter)

Pokémon Presents Showcase August 2022 (The Pokémon Company)

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My Life in New Game Plus

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 07:00:12 GMT

Some games are designed to be played over and over again. And others, we just return to every once and while for comfort, insight, or even self-reflection. We discuss how we replay games and how our approaches have changed over time.

Shownotes

We mentioned that Dan was a guest on last week’s episode of The Pike Horror Show to talk about a whole range of horror movies. Here’s the episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Episode image by BugWarp, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Hidden Mechanics

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 07:00:33 GMT

Some games deliberately hide certain mechanics to make player actions feel more satisfying—such as barely escaping death—or secretly track player actions to determine the ending they are going to see. In this episode we are opening some black boxes for a sneak peak!

Shownotes

Games aren’t always fair, the magic lies in making you think they are (Jennifer Scheurle)

The genius of Silent Hill 2's endings (MegaBearsFan)

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How Video Games Became Fake News

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 07:00:36 GMT

Video games have repeatedly intersected with fake news. Whether it is the absurd claim that Hideo Kojima assassinated the former prime minister Shinzo Abe, the deliberate use footage from Arma 3 by Russian media, or the mishaps of CNN and BBC who included video game footage in news reporting. We discuss these cases and many more in order to discern why it keeps happening and what the detrimental consequences might be.

Shownotes

Legal action threatened as Hideo Kojima falsely linked to Shinzo Abe assassination (Andy Robinson)

Video game misrepresented as footage of Ukraine invasion (Josh Kelety)

Some Of The Most Popular 'Ukraine Footage' Is Actually A Video Game (Luke Plunkett)

Russian News Accidentally Airs Video Game Clip During Segment On Syrian War (Cecilia D’Anastasio)

CNN Shows Fallout Computer Terminal In A Video About Russian Hacking (Ethan Gach)

News Station Uses Metal Gear Solid V Pic For Report On Child Soldiers (Gergo Vas)

Russian Military Uses Video Game Screenshot To Allege US Support For ISIS (Ethan Gach)

Russian State TV Airs Video Game Clip as Real War Footage (Matt Novak)

Russian 'Proof' That the US Is Helping ISIS Is Actually From a Video Game (Matt Novak)

Russia Just Tweeted a Video Game Screenshot to Show Chemical Weapons Trucks (Matt Novak)

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Game Worlds to Take a Vacation in

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 09:01:32 GMT

Have you ever played a game and just thought to yourself: “wow, I would really love to take a vacation in that world”? – Well, we certainly have! Here are our top picks, ten game worlds that would make for a splendid getaway.

Studying Pixels Plus 2. How Yakuza works

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The Ethics of Pirating Video Games (with Shlomo Sher and Andy Ashcraft)

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 07:00:47 GMT

Most of us have done it at some point, possibly without any awareness of the harm it might cause. After all, piracy has for a long time been an integral part of video game culture. To discuss whether there is any moral angel from which piracy can be justified, we collaborate with Shlomo Sher, Philosophy professor at California State University Fullerton, and Andy Ashcraft, veteran game designer and lecturer in Game Design and Screenwriting at the New York Film Academy, from the Ethics and Video Games podcast.

Shownotes

PC piracy survey results: 35 percent of PC gamers pirate (Wes Fenlon)

How Serious is Piracy in the Videogame Industry? (Nobuya Fukugawa)

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Subverting Hypermasculinity

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 07:00:40 GMT

Men must be strong, show little emotion, and speak with violence—that is an exceedingly common trope in video games, referred to as hypermasculinity. We explore the concept of hypermasculinity to then focus on games that subvert or deconstruct it.

Shownotes

Measuring a macho personality constellation (Donald L. Mosher and Mark Sirkin)

Walking, Talking and Playing with Masculinities in Firewatch (Melissa Kagen)

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The Quarry

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 07:00:45 GMT

After it’s surprise hit Until Dawn, Supermassive Games has rather consistently underwhelmed fans of cinematic, decision-based horror games. The Quarry is its attempt to return to form. With a couple of teenagers on the last night at summer camp, does this spiritual sequel stick the landing? Here’s our spoiler-free review!

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Summer Game Fest 2022: Mediocre at best

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 07:00:10 GMT

Since E3 is taking an extended vacation, Geoff Keighley has taken it upon himself to fill the summer lull with a major showcase. But does it live up to expectations? We go over the high- and lowlights of Summer Game Fest 2022.

Shownotes

Summer Game Fest 2022 Full Presentation (GameSpot)

Summer Game Fest Showcase 2022: Everything Announced Including The Last of Us Remake for PS5 (Adam Bankhurst)

Studying Pixels 33. Reading Waddington’s Locating the Wrongness in Ultra-Violent Video Games

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Reading Schulzke’s Defending the Morality of Violent Video Games

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 07:00:04 GMT

Do we have a moral obligation towards virtual characters? Or do games threaten to corrupt our understanding of virtue? Time to continue our conversation about violence in video games; this time with Markus Schulzke’s Defending the Morality of Violent Video Games.

In our side quests, we then talk about France trying to maintain the purity of its language, Elon Musk trying to get away not crediting people, and the endless journey that is Elden Ring.

Shownotes

00:07:52 Reading Schulzke’s Defending the Morality of Violent Video Games (2010)

01:00:04 France bans English gaming tech jargon in push to preserve language purity (The Guardian)

01:06:09 Elon Musk Gets into Embarrassing Fight with Video Game Site, Loses (Ashley Bardhan)

01:11:42 Elden Ring

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Terrible Marketing Choices

Sun, 22 May 2022 07:00:36 GMT

In our side quests, we refresh our minds on the beauty of Xenoblade Chronicles and ponder some special quirks in the way we play Elden Ring.

Shownotes

00:02:36 Terrible Marketing Choices

00:57:31 Xenoblade Chronicles

01:03:41 Elden Ring

Studying Pixels Plus 2. How the ESRB works

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Reading Waddington’s Locating the Wrongness in Ultra-Violent Video Games

Sun, 15 May 2022 07:00:06 GMT

The list of controversies revolving around violence in video games is long. But is there anything morally wrong with explicit violence in games? And moreover, where does our the apprehension towards violence in games come from? Join us for a reading of David I. Waddington’s Locating the Wrongness in Ultra-Violent Video Games.

In our side quests, we discuss Microsoft’s DRM policy, the rumours circulating around a new Silent Hill game, and the indirect return of Fortnite to the App Store.

Shownotes

00:09:04 Reading David I. Waddington’s Locating the Wrongness in Ultra-Violent Video Games

01:06:52 Microsoft's dodgy DRM comes into the limelight, and no-one's smiling (Martin Robinson)

01:13:13 Konami just "confirmed" the rumors of a new Silent Hill game (Ray Ampoloquio)

01:19:30 After a 2-year absence, 'Fortnite' is back on iPhones — but not the App Store (Ben Gilbert)

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Star Wars Video Games: A Fraught History

Sun, 08 May 2022 05:00:55 GMT

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars games thrived under the LucasArts label. Spanning genre and platform alike, there was no shortage of interesting and compelling video game stories told in the broader Star Wars universe. But what happened after Disney bought out Lucasfilm? This week, we explore two very different eras of Star Wars games and look ahead to what’s in store for their future!

In our side quests, we discuss Square Enix selling IPs like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex to Embracer Group, the addition of Ocarina of Time into the Video Game Hall of Fame, playing Elden Ring without a helmet, and N64 as well as Sega Genesis games on the Nintendo Switch.

Shownotes

00:05:08 Star Wars Video Games: A Fraught History

00:41:34 Embracer Group purchases several Square Enix studios and IPs

Embracer Group enters into an agreement to acquire Eidos, Crystal Dynamics, and Square Enix Montréal amongst other assets (Embracer PR Release)

Execution of Share Transfer Agreement with Change to Subsidiaries (Square Enix Press Release)

Here’s why Deus Ex and Tomb Raider could thrive under Embracer (Christopher Dring)

00:55:26 Ocarina of Time headlines Video Game Hall of Fame class of 2022 (Ryan Gilliam)

00:57:40 Elden Ring

01:01:00 Playing N64 and Sega Genesis Games on the Switch

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Which Gamer Type Are You?

Sun, 01 May 2022 05:00:07 GMT

Six categories, nine vastly different types. This time, we do a bit of introspection, look at what motivates us to play and what we are yearning for by participating in Quantic Foundry’s Gamer Motivation Profile.

In our side quests, we then discuss a ten steps guide on how to interpret video games, share our impressions of Kirby and the Forgotten Land as well as the recent PAX East.

Shownotes

00:02:28 Which Gamer Type Are You?

00:59:55 How to Interpret Digital Games? A Hermeneutic Guide in Ten Points, With References and Bibliography(Michał Kłosiński)

01:21:10 Kirby and the Forgotten Land

01:29:43 PAX East Impressions

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The Best Mashups That Don’t Exist

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 05:00:26 GMT

Say you could cobble together any video game franchises and pair any developer studio with any series. What would you desire to play? Maybe a Silent Hill game by Ninja Theory? Or a Kingdom Hearts authored by Yoko Taro? Or should Level-5 Games finally make the Pokémon game we all desire? Come along and let your imagination run wild for a moment.

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10 Awesome Easter Eggs

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 05:00:52 GMT

Easter eggs can be so much: from an earthly form of crediting developers to self-reflective humor, up to entire transformations of how a game can be read. We go through some of the most memorable easter eggs in video games.

In out side quests we relish in anticipation of Kingdom Hearts 4, discuss Microsoft’s potential push of advertisements in console games, and complain about the PS5’s lackluster Bluetooth capabilities.

Shownotes

00:03:26 10 Awesome Easter Eggs

00:46:14 Kingdom Hearts 4

00:53:14 Microsoft Is Building an Advertising Program for Xbox (Sean Czarnecki and Patrick Coffee)

01:04:56 PS5’s Lacking Bluetooth Capabilities

Sicart, Miguel (2011) Against Procedurality

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Reading Miguel Sicart’s Against Procedurality

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 05:00:10 GMT

“Players don’t need the designer”, says Miguel Sicart, “they need a game, an excuse and a frame for play.” How much power do rule systems have over the performative process of play? And how is meaning actualized in between the two? We discuss Sicart’s argument Against Procedurality.

In our side quests, we then go into the issue of anti-semitism in Hogwarts Legacy, share our review on KungFu Kickball, and ponder the trembling online infrastructure of the Dark Souls series.

Shownotes

00:05:48 Reading Miguel Sicart’s Against Procedurality

Studying Pixels #22 Reading Ian Bogost: The Rhetoric of Video Games

00:51:26 Listener Mail: Antisemitism in Hogwarts Legacy

Studying Pixels #27 Should We Shun Hogwarts Legacy?

01:05:37 KungFu Kickball

01:11:34 Dark Souls multiplayer tags disappear from Steam, and fans are getting nervous (Andy Chalk)

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Should We Shun Hogwarts Legacy?

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 05:00:20 GMT

On more than one occasion, J.K. Rowling has proven to be profoundly ignorant to the concerns of trans people. So should we shun Hogwarts Legacy, a promising title with a troubled background? And can we ever hope for the ‘death of the author’ (in the sense of Roland Barthes’ literary theory), if said author is actively fearmongering on Twitter? These and more questions we discuss to explore whether we should shun Hogwarts Legacy.

In our side quests, we then talk about the cancellation of E3, the rework of PlayStation Plus, and our impressions of Ghostwire Tokyo.

Shownotes

00:06:44 Should We Shun Hogwarts Legacy?

J.K. Rowling Writes about Her Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues (Joanne Kathleen Rowling)

A Complete Breakdown of the J.K. Rowling Transgender-Comments Controversy (Abby Gardner)

Judith Butler: ‘We need to rethink the category of woman’ (Jules Gleeson)

Butler, Judith (1990) Gender Trouble

Butler, Judith (1996) Bodies That Matter

Harry Potter Video Game Will Allow Transgender Characters (Jason Schreier)

Why I’m not buying the Harry Potter game (Stacey Henley)

00:59:56 E3 2022 - Digital and Physical - Has Officially Been Canceled (Rebekah Valentine)

01:06:45 All-new PlayStation Plus launches in June with 700+ games and more value than ever (Jim Ryan)

01:18:51 Ghostwire Tokyo

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Elden Ring

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 05:00:55 GMT

Rise, Tarnished! Elden Ring has been getting nothing but perfect reviews, but does it really live up to the hype? The short answer is yes, but you should still listen to why Elden Ring is the most fun open-world game since Breath of the Wild. Beautiful vistas, well-written characters, and satisfying gameplay abound in this discussion of FromSoftware’s latest triumph!

In our side quests, we then debate Rockstar Games’ announcement of GTA+ and give our final review of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.

Shownotes

00:02:23 Elden Ring

00:55:13 Introducing GTA+ for GTA Online (Rockstar Games)

01:05:39 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

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The Origins of Final Fantasy

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 06:00:31 GMT

Every long-running franchise has an origin story, and Final Fantasy is no exception. This week, we discuss the creative endeavors of Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and his team, and how the massively influential JRPG got its start. It’s a romantic tale of dreams, fate, and a last ditch effort of a near-bankrupt company and the game that changed it all.

In our side quests, we befittingly share our first impressions of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin and relish in the profound success of Elden Ring.

Shownotes

00:02:40 The Origins of Final Fantasy

00:42:48 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

00:50:07 Elden Ring described as start of a "new franchise", following enormous 12m sales milestone (Tom Phillips)

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Horizon II: Forbidden West

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 06:00:45 GMT

There was a very brief buzz around the release of Horizon II: Forbidden West, just before Elden Ring drowned out the entire discourse. We want to give Horizon its well deserved time in the spotlight, as we discuss its qualities and, most importantly, its commentary on climate change, and insights on what it means to be an outsider.

In our side quests, we discuss the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the video game industry, review the Uncharted movie, and collaboratively complain about a lack of gameplay footage in recent video game showcases.

Shownotes

00:02:25 Horizon II: Forbidden West

00:53:22 Further video game companies withdraw from the Russian market

01:02:03 Nintendo delays Advance Wars reboot citing ‘recent world events’ (Ash Parrish)

01:05:52 Uncharted Movie

01:14:49 Sony’s State of Play