Finishing the first main exploration loop--past Flaahgra, a dip into Phendrana Drifts, and a return to the ship. Also: secrets in 3D vs. 2D games, the way the game teaches you things, and half-pipes.

A new game! The intro/tutorial and arrival at Tallon IV, comparisons to Super Metroid, and observations about the world. Also: games being too long, current events, and Samus being an extremely powerful lady.

Growing our cities bigger and getting into some other game mechanics: transportation, zone layouts, rewards. Also: the Takings Clause, the Laffer Curve, and the urban planning of Canberra. And at the end, announcing our next game!

We begin with SimCity background, and thoughts on what made such a good game out of such a mundane concept. Also a lot of tangents about Cities: Skylines, oil futures, the Big Dig, and how SimCity 2000 relates to current events.   Links: Maxis Business Simulations SimRefinery is rediscovered

We talk briefly about Final Fantasy 7, then head into the Fortress of Regrets. The engaging noncombat sequences, saving your friends, discovering yourself, and what it means to get the good ending. And of course, announcing our next game, starting in two weeks!

The sequence of quests from Curst all the way back to Sigil. Also, what it means to be Lawful Neutral, what it means to be Awful Neutral, and how every game has the weird rushed portion.

The Lower Ward, Clerk's Ward, and the first trip out of Sigil, to Ravel's Maze. Also side quests, the "normal" RPG combat dungeon, and men who are on fire.

Pharod's Quest and the Dead Nations, the Alley of Lingering Sighs, and introduction to the Lower Ward. Also various discussion of whom you can and/or should kill during this segment of the game.

Introduction to a new game! We discuss the world, controls, and initial mysteries of Planescape: Torment, as we get to know our way around the Mortuary and the Hive.

The last 4 normal levels and overall thoughts on the game, as well as a brief look at the secret levels, the multiplayer, cheats, and speedruns. Also, working as an evil corporation scientist, and narrowly avoiding a lecture on the Pythagorean theorem.

Finishing the St. Petersburg arc with Archives through Train. Also, the potential energy of James's watch, the most annoying square in the game, and excessively extolling the virtues of the Nintendo Power strategy guide.   Links: https://archive.org/details/007GoldenEyeNintendoPowerOfficialStrategyGuide/page/n99/mode/2up

Back from our illness-induced break, we revisit Goldeneye with a focus on its middle levels: Silo through Statue Park. Also: random maps in Age of Empires, "Watch? Magnet? Attract?", Sean Bean dies, and statues of Lenin.

We begin with the context for Goldeneye as a relatively unusual game that stands out from its time. Then discussion of the general game mechanics as we work through the first five levels. GDC retrospective by Martin Hollis

Turtle Rock, the Wind Fish, and the end of Link's Awakening! Also: random movies we think of while watching the ending, new additions to Mario Maker, and the occasional return of Bible references.   And of course, announcing our next game, planned to start 3 weeks from now!

The Face Shrine and Eagle's Tower dungeons. Also the Flying Rooster quest, the random appearance of one of Jay's favorite game characters, and Melissa's new favorite dungeon.

Angler's Tunnel and Catfish's Maw, as well the Marin quest and Ghost quest. Also, Link and Marin's understated romance, not playing the Color Dungeon, and of course, more discourse on how the dungeon maps look like things.

The Bottle Grotto and Key Cavern dungeons, as well as their interstitial quests (rescuing BowWow and retrieving the five Golden Leaves).  Also, Jay gives a math lecture, reprising the topic of Link's left-handedness, and the use of dogs in Breath of the Wild.

We visit the Zelda franchise for the second time on this show. Background on its place in Zelda mythology, the arrival at Koholint Island, and the first dungeon. Also, claw games, rupees, and racoons.

In the first hour of this episode, the usual 3 hosts discuss our initial reactions to Tecmo Bowl, and its hybrid nature of football realism and arcade-style fun.  In the second hour, Jay and Melissa are joined by Brad and Nate from Tecmo Bowl vs. RBI, who talk about what they've learned playing this game in competitions for many years.   As a reminder, our next episode will be in three weeks (October 7), where we'll begin The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening!

We visit an old NES/SNES obsession of Melissa's, a puzzle game where you have to move the blocks around manually. Up next: Tecmo Bowl!

The first of our one-shot NES episodes, we discuss both the original game, and some of the changes in the recent remake Blaster Master Zero. Also: game manuals, savegames, and Francium.

The final boss, and closing thoughts on Dark Souls! The story and endings, player challenges, and subsequent games. Also, revisiting old WoW achievements and Final Fantasy 7 spoilers.   Links: The final 15min of Jay's no-death run, including a bit of an AI loop on Gwyn Happyhob's clear of all 3 Souls games with no hits taken

The DLC content, including some of the more memorable boss fights now in the game, an encounter with a dog, the fourth Great Soul, the remaining optional boss, and some miscellaneous mechanics.

The third Great Soul, and the hidden Painted World.   Links: Jay on "Don't Give Up, Skeleton" Our friend Qelric with Souls-inspired art Dark Souls art fan zine

We tackle two of the four endgame branches and recover the great souls of Seath the Scaleless and the Witch of Izalith. Also, scallops, and the Game of Thrones effect.