Gaming Podcasts

Every so often, someone inquires about gaming podcasts that they can listen to in the car or at work. While the ones I'm about to list are pretty well known, I felt I should make a quick post about them in case someone new to the gaming podcast scene needs a start. Below are my top 5:

5. Super Joystiq Podcast

Super Joystiq Podcast is the remnants of the old Joystiq Podcast and Xbox 360 Fancast. Thanks to the usual host Xav De Matos, and to a lesser extent Richard Mitchell who fills in for Xav usually, the lull after the original two podcasts dissipated finally hit it's steam with a more solidified listen as opposed to the "throw ideas against the wall and hoping they stick" approach that was going on.

While it still feels disjointed segment wise depending who they have on the show from week to week, it's always a fun listen to as most of the Joystiq crew seem to have personalities. Also, if Ludwig is on the show, listen for any and all puns. He is fantastic with them, my favorite being when talking about a disappointing vampire game "Would you say the game is, BLAH!".

Oh Luddy....


4. Cagcast

I don't believe there's another gaming podcasts where personalities clash so much. Shipwreck is the gamer on the show, CheapyD is your somewhat out of touch Man in Japan, and Wombat is the overly opinionated but always cracking jokes guy.

If I had to list criticism for these guys, it comes in two folds. The first is a clear bias they have towards products and their inability to remain neutral or give fair and equal criticism to products that they like. The second, mostly for CheapyD, is that it's hard to connect with someone who is willing to throw money around as much as he does.

However, they are all genuine guys who interact with the fan base and occasionally give codes/games away to listeners. It's always a fun listen as they bust each other's balls over things, no matter how small, and hearing views on people who live in different parts of the world is always interesting (Ship-Ohio, Wombat-NY, Cheapy-Japan).

And poop stories. Lots and lots of poop stories.


3. Player One Podcast

Player One Podcast is the most recent addition to my podcast loop, and it quickly became one of my favorites. The chemistry between the hosts is almost unparalleled (save for the two podcasts above this one IMO), and the humor is always flowing. If a joke falls flat, you'll know it from the ribbing they'll give.

Of all the podcasts, the hosts here feel the most like normal gamers. Their opinions are pretty spot on with the general consensus, but they also have industry knowledge to back up opinions and ideas. And while hearing a child crying in the background can get a little old at times, it's just a nice reminder that these guys don't feel any different than people you would game with in real life.

When gaming podcasts come up, this one seems overlooked quite often it seems. It shouldn't be. I love listening to it each week, and so would you. Give it a try!


2. Weekend Confirmed

The most "inside baseball" podcast I've listened to. Garnett Lee and Jeff Cannata are the usual dynamic duo, but are joined by different guests in the industry. Weekend Confirmed breaks up the podcasts into different segments allowing each individual to touch on a topic they would like to discuss.

It's great to hear valid criticism on not only games but the industry in general. Not only that, but each host will push each other to explain their sides thoroughly whether it be about their thoughts on a game they played or why they are pissed off about a companies actions. Very few podcasts feel like they give the devils advocate side of things a fair view, but those on Weekend Confirmed do.

Since the people on the show have different roles in the industry, it's nice to get a perspective from all sides and I haven't seen another podcast do it quite as well as this one.


1. Giant Bombcast

When talking about gaming podcasts, the Giant Bombcast is guaranteed to be mentioned. There's a reason for that. Not only is the cast absolutely amazing in experience and wit, but the conversations go far beyond gaming yet never cease to be entertaining.

And even with the recent loss of Ryan Davis, there seems to be no stopping them. While it's a slightly different feel as Ryan was one hell of a host, the gang still manages to pull off an hour or so talking about Melvin and the Squirrels and cereal. I know typing it sounds like the most idiotic and boring thing to listen to, but there's a reason everyone loves it.

No matter how random their show gets, you are guaranteed to laugh multiple times during it. Yes, Jeff can seem a bit jaded at times and Vinny never seems to take anything seriously; but like Player One Podcast, the Giant Bombcast sounds like a bunch of friends getting together and shooting the shit. And the shit will eventually touch on video games, but it'll also touch on a lot of random things that just come up during the day or week.

I've never heard another podcast talk about Peter Molyneux's balls while doing his accent. And now I can't imagine my life complete without having heard "muh balls".

REVIEW: Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is the sequel to the Nintendo DS game 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. If you haven't played the original, do not fret. While there are mentions of the previous game in Zero Escape, you need no knowledge of it to understand the story or game play. Zero Escape stands on it's own as a graphic adventure/visual novel with puzzle elements to break up the story. So if you enjoy reading, or feel gaming gets in the way of your reading, Zero Escape is a game you might want to try out.

The game starts with Sigma (you) waking up in a room with very little knowledge of how you got there. In the same room is a blonde mystery woman who seems to have a little more insight than you as to what's going on. A rabbit comes on a screen and instructs you on escaping the room by an elaborate puzzle that was set up. As the story continues, you find seven more individuals who were locked in similar rooms. The overall goal of the game is to score points based on becoming allies or betraying these other individuals as more puzzle rooms are solved. The end result, once nine points have been accumulated, is leaving through a giant door that spells freedom for the winner(s). Anyone who doesn't receive 9 points will have no method of escape and be trapped forever. Conflict ensues as distrust between others is created, some horrible incidents occur, and the mysteries of the hows and whys everyone has been captured.

Zero Escape also boasts a total of 24 endings, all of which piggy back to illuminate the big picture. These endings feature story beats that others do not touch on as certain rooms only open depending on the route that is chosen, and character back stories are explained depending on which ending is received as well. And instead of it being a choose your own adventure-esque, certain endings can not be reached unless another has previously been viewed. This is because a specific item or piece of information is gathered that the main character can use to "unlock" the sequence. Otherwise, the player receives a "To Be Continued..." message and is dumped back to the flow chart of possible scenarios.

This flow chart allows the player to select a specific part of the story to jump back to without having to replay the entire game. So instead of choosing to "Betray" another member, you can "Ally" with them which breaks into a different storyline. The story parts that are repeated can be skipped through with a fast forward button. Skipping isn't 100% perfect as the game decides whether the scene is too important to just breeze through, but for the most part, a good chunk of the game can be sped up if needed. This leads to an easy way to experience all areas of the narrative while giving the player the most control on how quickly they want to witness the game.

I have also found myself loving certain characters and loathing others. The latter isn't a knock against the game. I loathe these characters because they are portrayed as a horrible human being in some cases, too questionable in others, or just downright frustrating. But they are done in a believable human way that people would act when thrown in a situation with strangers who may betray you to escape sooner. But in making this believable, this also makes the difficult decisions against the characters you love that much more heartbreaking when they need to be made. And if you want all endings, you will piss off the characters you love the most.

I focus so much on the story because that's the largest part of the game. The puzzles are there, and they aren't easy. Some are pretty elaborate that will have you checking an entire room multiple times if you are stuck because items can be obtained once certain actions are done. So these may include 20 step processes to unlock a safe which holds the key to your escape. Literally. Each room also has a secret password that can be used on the safe which holds more information on the story that is only touched on briefly in the narrative, but is not a requirement to escape the room.

But the reason I am not going to go in depth on the puzzles is because...I'm awful at them. I tried multiple times to get through rooms on my own and I didn't have the patience to do it. I don't like these kind of puzzle games, but I feel the story itself is so intriguing that I don't want to simply ignore this game.

So I cheat. I Gamefaq through the entire puzzle sequences of this game.

Yes, that makes me a lousy gamer I'm sure. But I think it's a testament to how well the story is told and the draw of the overall theme and mystery. I know some don't want to play a game that's so story heavy as this, and I can understand that. But to others who become so invested in characters and story, this game is for you. If you don't like the puzzles, cheat like me. I don't think this story should be passed on because it's so intricately laid out and beautifully told.

And for what it's worth, I still have 4 endings to unlock, and my total playtime is just over 19 hours. If I wasn't cheating on the puzzles and skipping lines of dialogue, I have no idea how long my game time would be.

But I've enjoyed every second Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward.

RIP Ryan Davis

I've never met Ryan Davis. I've never talked to him, I've never had a retweet from him, I've never had an email read by him. To all intent and purposes, Ryan Davis had no idea that I even existed.

And yet, his death hit me harder than I thought it would. Partly because it came absolutely out of nowhere. Who would think that someone at the age of 34, just a week after becoming a husband, would no longer be around to crack jokes, bellow with laughter, and smile like he just won the lottery?

To someone who has listened every week to Ryan and Jeff (and later Brad, Vinny, & Patrick); Ryan became a friend of mine. He didn't know it, but he didn't have to. I looked forward to hearing the gang's antics over the weekend, their opinions on games I was interested in, and their thoughts on various candies and energy drinks sent to them on a weekly basis.

And this went on for years. Every week, 2-3 hours, I became attached to those on the Giant Bombcast. That sounds creepy, but it's true. And I know others have the same feelings.

Ryan is one of those people that exude personality, even when all I have to go off of is a video of him playing a video game, opening a box, or just the audio of a podcast talking about his arcade cabinet. I've never heard a single negative thing said about him from the Internet, and as we all know, that's damn near impossible.

My condolences go out to Ryan's family and friends who should not have to face the harsh reality of a bright life extinguished such as Ryan's.

We will all miss you Ryan. Thank you for the years of fun, entertainment and laughs that you gave me even in some lousy times. Rest in Peace.