The Short Game

A quick episode about a very fast game. I Am Your Beast is the latest game from Strange Scaffold and Xalavier Nelson Jr. Even more “boomer shooter”-y than previous Short Game favorite El Paso, Elsewhere, I Am Your Beast tells a John Wick-meets-Rambo story across a series of compact score-attack shooter levels. It’s very cool, but also very hard. Each level is very short, but you’ll need to play each several times to optimize your approach. We haven’t finished this one, but think it’ll likely take most players between 5 and 8 hours to complete (assuming they can get good.) (00:00) - I Am Your Beast (26:02) - What's Making Us Happy This Week? (26:10) - Shane: The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman (33:11) - Raygan: Transparent CRT (39:22) - Outro

Surprise! The comp started early! Well we were surprised anyway. We’re kicking off our coverage of this year’s IFComp with impressions of the following games: The Bat by Chandler Groover ROD MCSCHLONG GETS PUNCHED IN THE DONG by Hubert Janus You Can’t Save Her by Sarah Mak Forsaken Denizen by C.E.J. Pacian KING OF XANADU by MACHINES UNDERNEATH Quest for the Teacup of Minor Sentimental Value by Damon L. Wakes The Apothecaries Assistant by Allyson Gray As with all our IFComp coverage, we need your help to decide which games to check out in the limited time we have. Let us know what you’re playing or interested in, and join us on Discord to discuss. The comp closes on October 15th! (00:00) - Intro to IFComp 2024 (14:00) - The Bat by Chandler Groover (29:26) - Digression about Mapping Tools (33:12) - ROD MCSCHLONG GETS PUNCHED IN THE DONG by Hubert Janus (41:23) - You Can't Save Her by Sarah Mak (45:18) - Forsaken Denizen by C.E.J. Pacian (56:16) - KING OF XANADU by MACHINES UNDERNEATH (59:56) - Quest for the Teacup of Minor Sentimental Value by Damon L. Wakes (01:05:40) - The Apothecaries Assistant by Allyson Gray (01:06:31) - A surprisingly long sidebar about cryptic crosswords (01:09:49) - Outro

Frog Fatigue and Frog Enthusiasm abound in this discussion of open world first person mountain climbing game Valley Peaks. (00:00) - Intro (04:44) - Valley Peaks (34:11) - Frog Fatigue (35:26) - Frog Enthusiasm (39:07) - What's Making Us Happy This Week? (39:10) - Laura - The Talented Mr. Ripley (42:54) - Raygan - Moaan Inkpalm Plus (48:39) - Shane - Gladys The Magic Chicken (56:06) - Outro

In this topic episode, Laura and Raygan go through their bookshelves to talk about the video game books they have enjoyed. Art books, game design books, history, and even novels. (00:00) - 415: Video Game Books (00:10) - Intro (01:02) - Video Game Books (02:24) - Art Books (03:10) - Bitmap Books and Retro Game Art Collections (14:08) - The Victoria and Albert Exhibit (20:00) - Hyrule Historia and Concept Art (21:43) - Dogs in Video Games (24:45) - Game History Books (34:36) - 50 Years of Text Games (37:56) - Personal Essays on Video Gamess (41:20) - Game Design Books and Tools (47:01) - Game Guides (54:16) - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (57:16) - Outro

The hosts are buzzing about the newly released game, packed with quirky characters and a northern English town backdrop. They share hilarious stories about technical hiccups while exploring the game's comedic charm. The discussion dives deep into the intricate blend of language and humor, showcasing clever wordplay and dialect nuances. You'll also hear ample praise for another comedy title, emphasizing its fast-paced humor and engaging gameplay. Get ready for a whimsical journey filled with laughs and absurdity!

You click it real good. (00:00) - Clickolding (26:39) - What's Making Me Happy This Week? (26:52) - Shane - No Man’s Sky Updates (32:27) - Nate - Laughing at Star Trek Discovery (38:40) - Raygan - The Hands of the Emperor (47:09) - Outro

Doth these nitwits hast what it takes to properly divine the qualities of this absolutely bizarre JRPG?

Let’s dig into the memory hole and try to remember why we love games. What are some of your favorite gaming moments? 

Can this podcast run Doom? (00:00) - Doom (1993) (02:16) - Why Play Doom? (06:18) - Development History (21:22) - Playing for Speed (24:31) - More History (26:00) - Deathmatch (29:21) - Playing Doom in 2024 (47:49) - The Doom Scene (54:59) - Buy Doom (57:45) - Wrap Up (01:07:33) - Outro

It’s a Nate Game this week, as we’re talking about Cobalt Core, a card-based roguelike deckbuilder about a space ship full of furries stuck in a time loop. (00:00) - Cobalt Core (44:43) - Outro