The Level

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about the Myst 25th Anniversary Collection Kickstarter launch, FRAMED 2, and Freeways. The Brief: Cyan has launched a Kickstarter for a Myst collection. It’s one of those good times to invest in video game stocks if you can. Canadian lawmakers get free copies of “Orwell: Ignorance is Strength”. Healer’s Quest is a game that casts you as the healer in an RPG party. The Multiplayer: Describe your favorite game in haiku. The Grind: Dennis: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Wet. Jala: Fire Emblem: Awakening. FRAMED 2. Kole: Plague, Inc. Freeways. Ben: Viticulture. Scythe. Divinity: Original Sin 2.

Kole, Ben, and Jala talk about Divinity: Original Sin 2, Gorogoa, and Spy Party going Early Access. The Brief: Spy Party is going Early Access on Steam. Amazon has canceled its game. The Multiplayer: What physical object best represents the game you played most recently? The Grind: Jala: Fire Emblem: Awakening. Hidden My Game By Mom. Gorogoa. Ben: Hand Simulator. Divinity: Original Sin 2. Kole: Back in 1995. Plague, Inc.

Kole, Ben. Dennis, and Jala talk about A Way Out, the Oculus Go, and we ask you to name your funniest game moment in four words or less. The Brief: Indiana school teacher gets results from gamifying education. Hori is making an actual d-pad . Occulus Go is a $199 VR entry point. alt.ctrl.GDC gives us the bartending game wii deserve. The Multiplayer: Name your funniest game moment in four words or less. The Grind: Kole: Subnautica. Pokémon Picross. Ben: A Way Out. Jala: Breath of the Wild. Cube Escape: The Cave. The Inner World 2. Dennis: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Alienation.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about the Shrouded Isle, Amazon’s new move into gaming, and we ask you which modern indie games need cool instruction manuals. The Brief: Amazon releases GameOn APIs. Sony class action deadline Nvidia is bringing in real-time ray tracing. Yakuza Kiwami 2 releases August 28. The Multiplayer: What modern indie game should get an old fashioned print manual? The Grind: Ben: Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy. Jala: Fire Emblem: Awakening. Resident Evil 7. The Shrouded Isle. Dennis: Knack. Zombs Royale. Kole: Pokémon Picross.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about a whole bunch of strategy games, the most recent Nintendo Direct, ask we you about rule subversions in games. The Brief: Nintendo Direct announcements, including Smash Bros. for Switch. Valve claims they will make games again. “Where the Water Tastes Like Wine” releases. The Multiplayer: What’s the best way a game has subverted its rules? The Grind: Jala: Metroid: Samus Returns. The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild. Fire Emblem: Awakening. Ben: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Into the Breach. Dennis: Into the Breach. Kingdom of Loathing. Hand of Fate. Kole: Alan Wake. Yume Nikki.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Into the Breach, the Diablo-on-Switch rumors, and we ask you which games remind you most of elementary school. The Brief: People think there’s going to be Diablo on Switch. Cyan announces their new game, Firmament. AI finds glitch in Q*Bert. Procedurally generated chiptunes. The Multiplayer: What game do you most associate with your grade/elementary school years? The Grind Dennis: Into the Breach. Door Kickers. Ben: Into the Breach. Gloomhaven. Kole: DOOM 2016. Celeste. David: Monster Hunter: World.

Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about Metal Gear Survive’s strange monetization scheme, DOOM, and we do a Free Play Multiplayer. The Brief: Papers, Please inspired a short film adaptation. Warcraft III gets an official tournament and widescreen patch. Metal Gear Survive has a possibly exploitative monetization scheme. Colonel Campbell reads the recent Mueller indictments. The Multiplayer: Free Play! The Grind: Jala: Metroid: Samus Returns. Nintendo Switch. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Ben: Subnautica. David: Monster Hunter: World. Kole: Picross S. DOOM.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Year of the Dog celebrations, Prey, and we ask you how you name your characters in games. The Brief: Overwatch does some year of the dog celebrations. Konami explains the MGS V disarmament bug. Dab on ‘em Haterz is a game about bad YouTube comments. Twitch has added new chat channels for channels who chat. New loot box laws in are falling into place. The Multiplayer How do you choose names for your in-game characters? The Grind: Kole: Prey. Alan Wake. Ben: The Witness. Subnautica. Dennis: Knack. Desert Golfing. David: Monster Hunter: World. Destiny 2.

Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talka bout Monster Hunter: World, the shuttering of Mayfair Games, and we ask you about your worst grinding stories. The Brief Settlers of Catan developer is shutting down. Shadow of the Colossus has new secrets. Vampyr is releasing June 5. Video games and monks. The Multiplayer What’s your worst story of grinding for something in a game? The Grind Dennis: DropMix. Watching the Overwatch League. Hue. Knack. David: Monster Hunter World. Ben: The Witness. Subnautica. Kole: Monster Hunter World. SOMA. Breath of Fire III. Links:In Thailand, Buddhist Monks Grapple with the Meaning of Video Games - Waypoint

Kole, Ben, and Jala talk about Subnautica, the Red Dead Redemption 2 delay, and we ask you which games you respect but dislike. The Brief: Red Dead Redemption 2 delayed to October. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 announced for Switch. Video game hearing aids. Metal Gear Solid V disarmament ending triggered on accident. The Multiplayer: What game do you respect, but not like? The Grind: Jala: Persona 4: Golden. Creeping Terror. Ben: The Witness. Subnautica. Kole: Breath of the Wild. Dragon Ball FighterZ. Silent Hill: Downpour. Breath of Fire III.