The Short Game

As Nate put it, Katana Zero is a game that really goes for it. It goes for ALL of it. Incredible high speed acrobatic melee combat. Clever time-manipulation mechanics. A dialogue system that lets you literally slice through your opponent’s words with your sword. All of this, in service of a story that, well… let’s just say it prompted a very spirited discussion both before and after our spoiler break. This episode was enormously fun, both in the playing and in the discussion. Katana Zero is available on PC/Mac (Steam) and Nintendo Switch. Expect it to take around 7 hours to complete. The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankShane Kelly – @8bitShaneNate Heininger – @natestlLaura Nash – @laurajnash (00:00) - This Game Really Goes For It (07:53) - *a*e*s*t*h*e*t*i*c* (16:20) - Go Into A Room And Kill People With Swords (36:58) - Synthwave (38:40) - Some Pre-Spoiler Story Talk (42:04) - Dialogue System (46:33) - Pre-Spoiler Wrap Up (57:51) - What’s Making Us Happy (57:58) - Laura - Little Women The Movie The Group Text (59:44) - Raygan - Cats Chats (01:01:35) - Nate - Ducktales (01:04:40) - Shane - Playing D&D With Hunter Pence (01:08:47) - Ring Fit Adventure (01:12:03) - Outro (01:12:51) - Spoiler Break

2019 was a divided year in so many ways, so perhaps we should have expected a stalemate when picking a Short Game of the Year. All four hosts run down our exceedingly divergent Short-GOTY picks while also calling out other games we loved in 2019. We also include some listener picks from our Patreon supporters! 00:00:00: Introduction 00:03:58: Raygan’s List 00:25:53: Shane’s List 00:43:35: Nate’s List 00:57:50: Laura’s List 01:06:58: Picking The One And Only Game Of The Year 01:15:17: Long Games Of The Year 01:20:15: Listener Picks 01:25:50: Outro Raygan’s GOTY: Manifold GardenShane’s GOTY: Untitled Goose GameNate’s GOTY: Slay The SpireLaura’s GOTY: Baba Is You The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankShane Kelly – @8bitShaneNate Heininger – @natestlLaura Nash – @laurajnash (00:00) - Introduction (03:58) - Raygan’s List (04:39) - 5) Ape Out (08:33) - 4) Creature In The Well (10:46) - 3) Anodyne 2 (15:50) - 2) A Short Hike (21:17) - 1) Manifold Garden (25:53) - Shane’s List (25:55) - 6) Telling Lies (27:13) - 5) Wingspan (29:02) - 4) Grindstone (31:07) - Shane’s Side List Of Mobile Games (35:47) - 3) Sayonara Wild Hearts (37:28) - 2) Ape Out (38:17) - 1) Untitled Goose Game (43:35) - Nate’s List (44:23) - 5) Celeste Chapter 9 (45:35) - 4) Untitled Goose Game (49:19) - 3) Ape Out (49:34) - 2) Cadence of Hyrule (53:56) - 1) Slay The Spire (57:50) - Laura’s List (58:15) - 5) Grindstone (01:00:45) - 4) Cadence Of Hyrule (01:00:57) - 3) A Short Hike (01:02:27) - 2) Untitled Goose Game (01:02:51) - 1) Baba Is You (01:06:58) - Picking The One And Only Game Of The Year (01:15:17) - Long Games Of The Year (01:20:15) - Listener Picks (01:25:50) - Outro

The Detective is back in his second mysterious adventure! We covered the first Frog Detective game earlier this year, and now we’re back with his most intriguing case yet. The Frog Detective games are really warm and funny, and we think they’d be great to play with a young relative during the holidays. We spend the first half of the episode talking about Frog Detective 2, and the second half talking about short games to play with short people (ie your younger relatives!) Laura has special insight in this area as someone who’s worked on children’s games professionally, so check it out! The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankLaura Nash – @laurajnash (00:00) - Frog Detective 2 (21:01) - Detective With Kids? (22:22) - Playing Short Games With Short People (39:17) - Outro

Outer Wilds is a bit longer than the games we typically cover, but it was such a surprise favorite that we had to talk about it on the podcast before the end of the year. In Outer Wilds you play as an astronaut exploring his tiny solar system and uncovering the mysteries of the vanished species that came before. It’s a game that does exploration and discovery in a way I’ve never seen before. Because the game is so much about uncovering story through exploration, we wanted to be especially careful about spoilers, so we’ve added a record breaking two spoiler breaks to this episode. Listen up to the first spoiler break for more or less totally spoiler free discussion of the game and its mechanics. Continue past the first spoiler break for a discussion of some unique early game twists. Listen past the second spoiler break for a full on spoiler-cast where we’ll be discussing the ending and what we uncovered. Outer Wilds is available on PC (Epic Game Store) as well as Xbox One and PS4. Expect it to take around 15 hours to complete. The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankShane Kelly – @8bitShaneNate Heininger – @natestl (06:26) - First, You Wake Up (17:32) - Astronaut Tools (28:26) - Your Tiny Rocket (36:15) - Exploring A 33km Solar System (41:22) - I Love My Computer (45:27) - Wrapping Up The Non-Spoilers (47:33) - First Spoiler Break - Your Several Few Hours (01:12:13) - Double Secret Spoiler Spoiler Cast

Bleak Sword is a dark fantasy action game with 1-bit diorama artwork and brutally difficult combat. It’s a surprise inclusion in the opening volley of Apple Arcade, since it’s tough as nails and doesn’t seem like the typical mobile game fare, even with its excellent touch screen controls. This game really made our $5 subscription feel worth it this month! The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankShane Kelly – @8bitShaneNate Heininger – @natestl (00:00) - Bleak Sword (03:54) - “Dark Fantasy Dioramas” (10:13) - Souls-like? (16:23) - Touch Controls (23:28) - Gamepad Controls (29:27) - Difficulty With Difficulty (36:39) - Other Thoughts (40:37) - Bestiary And Bosses (44:35) - Strategy And Play Styles (54:55) - Current Thoughts On Apple Arcade (01:01:48) - What’s Making Us Happy This Week? (01:01:56) - Nate - Outer Wilds (01:03:20) - Shane - Fungusboys (01:07:10) - Raygan - Pecan Pie (01:07:51) - Outro

A lot of developers have tried their hand at a first person physics puzzle game, but not many have put the artistry, innovation, and sheer time into them as William Chyr has put into Manifold Garden. After seven years in development, the game was finally released last month on Epic Game Store and Apple Arcade, and it’s one of the most impressive games we’ve played this year. In Manifold Garden, gravity is based on your perspective, and impossible spaces loop recursively in all directions. The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankShane Kelly – @8bitShaneNate Heininger – @natestl (00:00) - Manifold Garden (39:25) - What’s Making You Happy This Week? (39:34) - Shane - Staycation! (42:31) - Raygan - New Super Mario Land (46:51) - Nate - Good TV! (48:22) - Outro

This week we’re re-releasing our episode on the best reason to own a 3DS, Link Between Worlds! This was a great episode thanks to guest host Gary Butterfield. Now that Raygan’s move is complete and his mic and computer are unpacked we should be returning to a regular schedule next week. The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankShane Kelly – @8bitShaneNate Heininger – @natestlGary Butterfield – @garybuh

Fans of John Wick, John Woo, Deadpool and/or Nate and Laura buddy hour — you’re in luck! We’re covering My Friend Pedro this week, a stylish shooter/platformer that prioritizes making you look and feel like a badass. What time is it? Bullet time! My Friend Pedro is available on Windows (Steam, GoG, Humble) and Switch. Regular price is $19.99, and it should take between 4–6 hours to complete depending on your preference to go in guns blazing or plan out your next move to maximize coolness. The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! Like the show? Support us by writing a review on iTunes! Your hosts this week were: Nate Heininger – @natestlLaura Nash – @laurajnash

Our third and likely final episode on IFComp 2019 before the comp ends on November 15th. (Get your ratings in!) We covered the following games: 00:03:18: Chuk and the Arena by Agnieszka Trzaska 00:12:32: Remedial Witchcraft by dgtziea 00:20:29: URA Winner! by Carter Sande 00:30:08: Faerethia by Peter Eastman 00:40:16: Each-uisge by Jac Colvin 00:45:33: Saint City Sinners by dgallagher 00:49:22: Poppet by Bitter Karella We also offered incomplete impressions on a few games: 00:57:37: Winter Break at Hogwarts by Brian Davies 01:00:27: Very Vile Fairy File by Billy Boling 01:04:06: Enceladus by Robb Sherwin 01:05:30: Meeting Robb Sherwin by Jizaboz 01:09:16: Things We Would Like To Play But Haven’t Yet The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankNate Heininger – @natestlLaura Nash – @laurajnash (00:00) - Introduction (03:18) - Chuk and the Arena by Agnieszka Trzaska (09:49) - A Digression On Oysters (12:32) - Remedial Witchcraft by dgtziea (20:29) - URA Winner! by Carter Sande (30:08) - Faerethia by Peter Eastman (40:16) - Each-uisge by Jac Colvin (45:33) - Saint City Sinners by dgallagher (49:22) - Poppet by Bitter Karella (57:19) - Some Incomplete Impressions (57:37) - Winter Break at Hogwarts by Brian Davies (01:00:27) - Very Vile Fairy File by Billy Boling (01:04:06) - Enceladus by Robb Sherwin (01:05:30) - Meeting Robb Sherwin by Jizaboz (01:09:16) - Things We Would Like To Play But Haven’t Yet (01:11:36) - What’s Making Us Happy This Week? (01:11:49) - Laura - Watching Star Trek Out Of Order (01:16:52) - Nate - Grindstone on Apple Arcade (01:18:42) - Raygan - Bluetooth Stuff! (01:21:47) - Wrap Up

What went wrong aboard the low earth orbit space station Observation, and what did you do to cause it? In Observation you’ll play as S.A.M., the AI in charge of maintaining the space station, assisting (or hindering?) Dr. Emma Fisher as she attempts to recover control of the station after a massive and mysterious disaster. This is our Halloween game for the year, and although it’s more of a thriller than straight horror it was a great game for the season. It’s available on Windows (Epic Game Store) and PS4. Regular price is $24.99 but on EGS it’s on sale until 11/1. Expect it to take about 5-6 hours to complete. The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankLaura Nash – @laurajnash (00:00) - Observation (33:34) - Spoilers (40:57) - Wrapping Up (43:40) - What’s Making Us Happy This Week? (43:46) - Raygan - Moving (44:56) - Laura - The Films Of Ernst Lubitsch (47:38) - Outro