Three Moves Ahead

The hosts share their excitement about upcoming strategy games, from the anticipated 'Slay the Spire 2' to intriguing indie titles. They discuss the evolution and challenges of 4X games and express their complicated love for Paradox games. Nostalgic moments arise as they explore unique games like 'Dino Lords' and reminisce about lesser-known RTS games. The conversation also touches on innovative gameplay mechanics and community engagement, reflecting on the evolving gaming landscape and trends shaped by recent developments.

The hosts celebrate the year’s standout strategy games while acknowledging a rebuilding phase within the genre. They dive into their favorite recent titles, exploring innovative mechanics and player engagement. The conversation shifts to the evolution of games post-launch, highlighting surprising successes like 'Dune: Imperium.' Unique city-building games in early access are also discussed, featuring ecological challenges and perilous constructions. The hosts wrap up with personal highlights, anticipated releases, and a jovial nod to popular culture.

Brian Bucklew and Jason Grinblat, co-founders of Freehold Games, dive into the enchanting world of Caves of Qud, a roguelike RPG famed for its unique blend of humor and existential themes. They discuss the intricacies of procedural generation and the game’s dreamlike narrative style. The duo shares insights on character mutations and the challenges of game design, celebrating the influence of classic roguelikes while revealing how their creative twists keep players captivated. Their reflections on emotional storytelling and quirky gameplay mechanics provide a fresh take on modern gaming.

Len is joined by Nerium Strom, Mike Williams, and Sin Vega for a round-table of What Else Are We Playing? From weird surreal horror to Factorio and Cities: Skylines 2, it's a chill chat for a chilly month on our production calendar.

Len is joined by Father Lorris and Sin Vega to discuss Frostpunk 2, the long-awaited sequel to the quintessential survival city-builder. We discuss where it hits and where it misses, with a particular focus on the strengths of the original that it fails to recapture by zooming out further.

Len and Rowan are joined by games writer Kris Lorischild to discuss Tactical Breach Wizards. We discuss how rare it is for a game to be this funny on purposes, as opposed to from the chaotic intersection of procedural systems, how it creates rewarding tactical puzzles with simple ingredients, and... Metal Gear?!

David Lagettie, CEO of the revived MicroProse and a passionate gaming aficionado, shares his insights on the brand's nostalgic journey. He reflects on the iconic titles of the 90s and their impact on a generation of gamers. The discussion highlights the delicate balance of realism and gameplay in simulations, the importance of developer passion, and the company's commitment to innovation. Lagettie also navigates consumer expectations in the gaming landscape, exploring upcoming strategy games that excite fans old and new.

This is a free preview of this month's Patreon episode. Check out the extended version at Patreon.com/3ma! Len, Lambert, and FatherLorris continue their ongoing beef with the Holy See while discussing Europa Universalis 5 dev diaries primarily focused on warfare. We're not even doing jokes about how long these are anymore. That's so early 2024. It's just expected at this point. This is our lives now.

Len is joined by Aftermath's Luke Plunkett and Dr. Bret Devereaux to discuss Total War: Pharaoh's expansive Dynasties glow-up. We dig into the sources that are and aren't available for Bronze Age warfare, how the latest historical Total War feels now with all the bells and whistles, and whether or not Creative Assembly's grand apology tour might be a sign of things to come, or just a one-off PR move.

Len and Jon are joined by Sin Vega and Well There's Your Problem's Justin Roczniak (donoteat01) to revisit Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic for its 1.0 release. We discuss what's changed and been added since we last checked it out in Early Access, why it's so captivating, and who it's actually for.