All Episode

Sept. 21, 2018

GOD OF WAR: The Consequences of Killing a God

Abu (@abu_zafar) and Bruce (@BruceWalton) explore how God of War and traditional Norse mythology treat the taking of a life. They discuss how Atreus evolves from hunting a deer (3:16) to taking human life (12:08) and ultima…
Sept. 17, 2018

FALLOUT: A Tale of Two Settlements

Caleb (@ScifiSpeedster) and Jaden (@MrJadJay) explore two cities that have entirely different philosophies on surviving in the Commonwealth. They discuss how Diamond City and Good Neighbor are connected through the McDonough…
Sept. 10, 2018

MINIGAME: Building Empathy in ‘Bury me, my Love’

It’s one thing to read about the Syrian refugee crisis in an article, or to see it on TV. But only a video game like Bury me, my Love could make the tragedy feel so real. Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted …
Sept. 6, 2018

BIOSHOCK: How to Justify Countless Murders

Leo (@LeoWigginsVO), Caleb (@ScifiSpeedster), and Kevin (@In_the_Lupe) discuss how Bioshock Infinite’s story sets itself apart by giving players narrative justifications for murdering hoards of bad guys. They explore how the…
Sept. 3, 2018

WITCHER: Emhyr’s Humanity and Ciri’s Destiny

Brett and Abu (@abu_zafar) explore the twisted relationship between Ciri and Emhyr. They discuss Emhyr’s motivations for hunting Ciri (4:59), how the role of the Wild Hunt was changed for the games (11:58), and how Ciri view…
Aug. 30, 2018

MEMORY CARD: Thomas Was Alone

Michael (@farristhewheel), Abu (@abu_zafar), Lawerence, and Caleb (@ScifiSpeedster) discuss the simple yet effective storytelling in Thomas Was Alone. Our September 2018 game will be Shovel Knight. Play along with us and let…
Aug. 27, 2018

METROID: The Value of Life in ‘Super Metroid’

Neil (@neilbigdeal) and Michael (@farristhewheel) complete their mission in Super Metroid and discuss the origins of the wrecked ship (2:12), the long-term effects of the Metroid larvae saving Samus (7:39), and how Samus as …
Aug. 23, 2018

ZELDA: Where Breath of the Wild Belongs on the Timeline

Composer of our theme music, Nick (@nickwilk), and alien from outer space, Allie (@AllieJayHey), make their debut as Lore Party hosts! They’re joined by Lawerence to discuss their first experiences with the Zelda universe (1…
Aug. 20, 2018

MINIGAME: How Telltale Games Reinvented the Joker

For the better part of a decade, the Joker has been portrayed as the same cackling, murderous maniac. In their Batman series, Telltale Games shows us a Joker we’ve never seen. Minigame is a short essay series produced and ho…
Aug. 15, 2018

BIOSHOCK: Ayn Rand’s Rapture

Leo (@LeoWigginsVO), Caleb (@ScifiSpeedster), and Kevin (@In_the_Lupe) discuss the countless literary references in the world of Bioshock. Everything from the opening sequence (4:48) to the twisted mind of Dr. Steinman (8:22…
Aug. 13, 2018

GOD OF WAR: Kratos Learns to Be a Dad

Bruce (@BruceWalton) and Abu (@abu_zafar) explore the complicated relationship between Kratos and his son. They discuss the three moments in their journey that will come to define Kratos and Atreus forever: Kratos’ journey t…
Aug. 7, 2018

End of Season 2

We’ve officially wrapped up the second season of the show, and we’re gonna take this week off to prep for season three. We’re kicking off season three next week with a brand new set of games that include Bioshock, God of War…
Aug. 6, 2018

MEGA MAN: The Undernet Is Misunderstood

Lawerence and Kevin (@In_the_Lupe) are joined by Abu (@abu_zafar) to discuss why the Undernet was created (2:28), how the ranking system works (8:50), and the prejudices held by Topsiders and Undernet dwellers (16:43). This …
July 30, 2018

MINIGAME: Making Your Own Lore in ‘No Man’s Sky’

The story is whatever you make it in No Man’s Sky. Only a video game can give you the tools and the world to craft a narrative only you can. That’s why we love games. Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by M…
July 28, 2018

STARDEW VALLEY: Features We’d Love to See After Multiplayer

The multiplayer update for Stardew Valley will officially release on PC, Mac, and Linux on August 1, 2018 (and consoles soon after). In anticipation, Leo (@LeoWigginsVO) and Abu (@abu_zafar) share the features and DLC they w…
July 23, 2018

FALLOUT: Vault 76 Is a Grand Experiment

Jaden (@MrJadJay) and Caleb (@ScifiSpeedster) aren’t convinced Vault 76 is as innocent as it seems. They put on their speculation hats and discuss what a ghoul-infested wasteland might be like (2:48), how factions will be in…
July 18, 2018

Come geek out about games with us!

We’re recruiting! If we haven’t talked about a game you think you’re an expert on, consider joining the team. We’re always looking to bring on new voices and perspectives. Please reach out to our executive producer Abu Zafar…
July 16, 2018

MINIGAME: The Power of Imagination in ‘The Adventures of Captain Spirit’

Michael discusses how Dontnod Entertainment, the developers of Life is Strange, explore the imagination of a young child in their latest demo. Minigame is a short essay series produced and hosted by Michael Farris (@farristh…
July 11, 2018

OVERWATCH: History of the Omnic Crisis

Bruce (@BruceWalton) and Lawerence explain the timeline and origin of the Omnic Crisis (2:11), how different countries reacted to the uprising (9:44), and humanity’s decision to band together and form Overwatch (15:27). This…
July 9, 2018

METROID: The Atmosphere of ‘Super Metroid’

Michael (@farristhewheel) is taking a break from his MINIGAME series this week to take care of a baby Metroid in Super Metroid. He joins Neil (@neilbigdeal) to discuss the incredible mood and atmosphere of the game (2:14), e…
June 25, 2018

MEGA MAN: NetNavis Have Feelings Too

Lawerence and Kevin (@In_the_Lupe) explore how an Operator’s personality is reflected in their NetNavi. They discuss why Guts Man always acts so tough (2:34), the reason Mr. Match goes through three NetNavis (4:34) and worry…
June 22, 2018

FALLOUT: Factions of the Wasteland

Lawerence and Jaden (@MrJadJay) are joined by Caleb (@ScifiSpeedster) for the ultimate Fallout factions showdown. They argue about which of their three favorite factions are better (0:39), discuss their one least favorite fa…
June 19, 2018

STARDEW VALLEY: Happy Festivus

Leo (@LeoWigginsVO) and Abu (@abu_zafar) solve why Abigail is so good at the egg hunt (1:24), work up the courage to ask a lady for a dance (5:18), and get into a grange measuring contest (13:47). This is an [Expert] level e…
June 15, 2018

E3 2018: Nintendo Press Conference Reactions

In this special E3 2018 episode, Neil (@neilbigdeal) and Lawerence share their reactions to the announcements from Nintendo’s press conference. They discuss Hollow Knight’s surprise release (0:35), figure out what Overcooked…