Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast

Ding, dong, E3 is dead. Which E3? We don't know. The once world-famous video game trade show has endured so many trials and tribulations, it's hard to way which iteration is getting axed. Let's just say E3 2023 was supposed to be the show's big comeback, and it's getting cancelled instead. Kat, Nadia, Eric, and Reb are all E3 veterans, so they find lots to chew over here. What hobbled this year's show? What's next for the E3 brand, if anything? Which RPGs were bolstered by E3 hype back in the olden days?Also in this episode: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom looks "hype af," as the kids say. When you fish with Dredge, you fish with Satan. When you Slay the Princess, you also fish with Satan. We have our new Pantheon game! Which Zelda title are we playing this month? Happy [Japanese] Anniversary, FFVI! Do you name your RPG characters? And if not, what's wrong with you? Music used in this episode: Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III] Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] FFVI: The Impresario OCREmix [Jake Kaufman, Tommy Pedrini] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat, Eric, and Nadia are all together in the same room for PAX East! There they share their adventures through PAX East and GDC, their thoughts on the Diablo 4 beta, and much more.Also in this episode  It's Morbin Time Nadia is very confused by Fire Emblem Engage's story The gang try to come up with their best RPG-themed cocktails and it goes... poorly? We reveal the next Pantheon vote! Unfortunately, no post show this week owing to lack of a stream and being on the road. We'll be off next week, but we'll be posting the panel audio along with plenty more content to come.Want merch? Check us out at shop.bloodgodpod.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nadia, an RPG enthusiast, joins Kat and Eric to discuss must-buy RPG recommendations for the closing Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShop. They dive into games like Radiant Historia, Persona Q, SMT IV, and Strange Journey Redux. Other topics include Tears of the Kingdom's price, a Bloodborne revisit, and the closure of the eShop. Listen for more game recommendations and insights into the RPG legacy of Nintendo's consoles.

Axe of the Blood God has now officially hit 400 episodes, and what better way to celebrate than return to the root of it all and ask: just what is an RPG? Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by The CRPG Book editor Felipe Pepe to discuss what makes a virtual role-playing game different from all the others. Other topics include: We're still on the Octopath Is Zelda an RPG? A revisit of one of our past Pantheon contestants Nadia's strange, strange trip Music used in this episode: Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] Mines [Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Final Fantasy XVI Preview w/ Ash Parrish and Michael Higham Why do they call it "FINAL Fantasy" when there are sixteen--oh God please put the serrated knives away, I'm just joking. This week, we invited Verge's Ash Parrish and freelance writer/regular guest Michael Higham to talk about their hands-on impressions of Final Fantasy XVI alongside our own Eric. How does it look? How does it play? How does it sound? And what about Producer Naoki Yoshida's controversial remarks about the term "JRPG?" We waddle right into it all, like a herd of Chocobos into a mud pit. Also in this episode: Octopath Traveler 2 rules As does Fire Emblem Engage Elden Ring DLC will get here when it gets here Re-examining Chrono Cross in the context of the Pantheon Bar Mitzvahs are crunk Music used in this episode: Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III] Heavensward title screen [Final Fantasy XIV] Awakening trailer music [Final Fantasy XVI] Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] Hopes and Dreams [Undertale] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All of life's paths intersect and intertwine, so it was inevitable the Axe of the Blood God would walk down Octopath Traveler 2's twisted roads. This week we're joined by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, who was less than enthused about the original Octopath Traveler. How does its sequel fare? Let's just say a game studio can learn a lot in five years. Also in this episode: The Last of Us on HBO will steal your emotions and make you its slave Nadia is watching a cat destroy the world (in Dragon Ball Super) Is Mass Effect still deserving of being in the Pantheon? Nadia's new saga: Sex, Death, and Zip Ties--the Life of a Pigeon Music used in this episode: Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III] Intro theme [Octopath Traveler 2] Partitio's theme  [Octopath Traveler 2] Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] Partitio's theme 2 [Octopath Traveler 2] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Axe of the Blood God listeners often come to us for RPG recommendations, and we're happy to oblige (with help from our good friend Rebekah Valentine). We're especially happy when said recommendations are specific, even weirdly so. We'll admit up front that we sadly don't have a suggestion for anyone who likes RPGs featuring naked elves throwing Cool Whip at dragons, because we live in a stifled world. Need a PokeClone recommendation that you won't bounce from, though? We got you covered. Unlike the naked elf in our dream game. Also in this episode: A brief review of Like a Dragon: Ishin! Nadia's bopping along to Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Golden Sun rises again to enflame Reb's retro dreams This week's Pantheon revisit: Does Terranigma still deserve to be recognized as one of the greatest RPGs of all time? 1 "yes" = 1 dead goat husband Music used in this episode: Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III] Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] Underside World [Terranigma] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

February is truly when the northern hemisphere gets winter-weary, so hurrah on Nintendo for lighting our lives with another Nintendo Direct presentation. And what an unexpected presentation it was. While we knew we were going to get another trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, we also got some real surprises in the mix. An Etrian Odyssey HD collection? A new Fantasy Life?? Game Boy games, Game Boy Colour games and Game Boy Advance games??? A veritable well of retro RPG goodness is now open for business. Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss it all. Also in this episode:  Baiten Kaidos re-releases are coming, too!  Advance Wars Re-Boot Camp finally has a release date after being stalled by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. War is truly over if you want it Does System Shock 2 still deserve to be ranked in the Pantheon of the greatest RPGs? Listen to us debate the topic, meat sack Oh no, wizard game discourse We have a very nice, very civilized conversation about powerful game music on the Nostalgia Nook. Nothing explodes. (Not while the mic is hot, anyway) Music used in this episode: Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III] Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] Forged in Crimson [Final Fantasy XIV] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the battle of the babes this month on Sharlayan Dropouts as we go wall-to-wall to figure out which hotties buff our hosts to max potency. That’s right, we’re ranking the Top 12 stone foxes, the veritable mamacitas, of Final Fantasy XIV. Listen as Victor Hunter, Nadia Oxford, Mike Williams, and Eric Van Allen tell on themselves for your enjoyment. Find out if your favs made the list! And if they didn’t, head on over to patreon.com/bloodgodpod to get Discord access and yell at us about it there! Spoiler Level Orange: This is a scattershot discussion that touches upon a few elements from a several different storylines including Endwalker 6.3 and Save the Queen, though light on actual detail and context. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madness? This...is...no, no, I'm not going to finish this. Drag me, I deserve it. Just make sure to eviscerate me while listening to our awesome conversation with Robert Boyd, the maker of This Way Madness Lies. Do you like Shakespeare? Do you like PC Engine Magical Girl RPGs? Do you like Little Shop of Horrors references? This Way Madness Lies might just be your digital soulmate. Also in this episode: Jammin' with Noctis and the Boys in Final Fantasy Theatrhythm's demo Ike Fights for His Friends™ No Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft at E3 2023. Soooo... Pantheon of the Blood God revisits Final Fantasy 8. Is Squall still cool? !*!*!~wElc0mE to Da WAREZ Z0NE~!!!! Gr33ts go to my homies xxx_s0L1d_Sp1K3_xxx and +++CrashhMan_69+++!!!!!!!!!!   Music used in the ep: Do Your Best [Breath of Fire 3] Title Screen [This Way Madness Lies] Transonic Gravity [Sayonara Wild Hearts] Torn from the Heavens [Final Fantasy XIV] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] The Man With the Machine Gun [Final Fantasy VIII]   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices