All Episode
Feb. 28, 2022
MINIGAME: The Musical Advancements of the Metal Gear Series
Over nearly 30 years, the Metal Gear series has changed how they use music to tell their stories.
Jan. 3, 2022
MINIGAME: The Story of Licensed Music
This season on Minigame, Michael is setting out to explore how music plays a central role in video game storytelling.
Nov. 8, 2021
MINIGAME: Character Theme Music
This season on Minigame, Michael is setting out to explore how music plays a central role in video game storytelling.
Oct. 11, 2021
MINIGAME: Introducing the Minigame Jukebox
This season on Minigame, Michael is setting out to explore how music plays a central role in video game storytelling.
June 7, 2021
MINIGAME: My 'Mass Effect' Story
With the release of Mass Effect Legendary Edition, many players are revisiting some of the greatest sci-fi RPGs in video game history.
May 3, 2021
MINIGAME: Is 'Cyberpunk 2077' Truly Cyberpunk?
A lot has been said about Cyberpunk 2077's technical shortcomings and overhyped release, but what about its merits as a cyberpunk game?
March 29, 2021
MINIGAME: The Politics of 'The Sims' and 'Rollercoaster Tycoon'
Every game is political. Simulation games like The Sims and Rollercoaster Tycoon are clear examples: there is no way to "win" these games, but there are definitely "right" and "wrong" ways to play. Michael explores how the p…
March 1, 2021
MINIGAME: Creating Your Brain in 'Disco Elysium'
What if there was a game in which you create a personality?
Jan. 25, 2021
MINIGAME: How a Teen Developer Used TikTok To Make a Video Game
Michael is joined by Conner Rush of Fyre Games to discuss being a solo game developer, leveraging a viral TikTok video to find voice actors, and his hit new game Summerland. Summerland is available for free on Steam and itch…
Oct. 21, 2020
MINIGAME: Halo, Destiny, and the Role of Lore
Having a complete understanding of the lore in Bungie's most popular franchises requires a heavy investment from the player. Michael explores how the universes of Halo and Destiny are vast, but just playing the games is not …
Sept. 21, 2020
MINIGAME: The Vastness of a Small Open World in 'Hitman'
It's easy to get burned out by the size of many open-world games, especially when those worlds feel empty. The Hitman series is a prime example of how smaller worlds can feel huge and present new opportunites for players to …
Aug. 31, 2020
MINIGAME: Time Flies in 'The Last Express'
The Last Express is a game all about racing against the clock during a period of history that feels like it's running out of time.
Minigame is a short essay podcast produced and hosted by Michael Farris. Each bite-sized epi…
Aug. 3, 2020
MINIGAME: Do You Own Your Humanity in 'The Outer Worlds'?
In The Outer Worlds, everything has a cost. From womb to tomb, your life is dictated by the big business in town. In this episode, Michael explores how this dystopian sci-fi world actually has roots in reality.
Minigame is a…
July 6, 2020
MINIGAME: Why Morrowind Is More Rewarding Than Skyrim
Skyrim is undoubtedly one of the most played games of all time. But in this episode, Michael revisits the third entry in the franchise and finds that his time spent in Morrowind was much more rewarding.
Minigame is a short e…
May 20, 2020
MINIGAME: The Comfort of Gaming in Quarantine
A coronavirus-related health scare causes Michael to quarantine himself for two weeks. In his self-imposed isolation, he plays everything from DOOM to Coffee Talk and rediscovers the comfort that video games can provide.
Min…