
1Upsmanship
Michael likes story-driven games with lots of contemplative moral quandaries and inventory management. Adam likes action-driven FPS games with gorgeous graphics and no down-time. Together, their friendship is constantly on the verge of ruin! But you can watch it all crumble before your very ears on 1Upsmanship, the pod where two lifelong gamers run one game an episode through the crucible to determine if it belongs on the Celestial Hard Drive. GAME ON.
Latest episodes

Jun 19, 2023 • 1h 4min
1Upsmanship: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Feat. Cody Johnston)
In this lively discussion, Cody Johnston, known for his sharp wit on current events and his deep love for Star Wars, joins the hosts to explore the intricacies of 'Star Wars Jedi: Survivor'. They dive into gameplay mechanics, critiquing its visuals and lackluster story. The conversation highlights the struggle developers face in creating engaging gameplay for Jedi protagonists. They also emphasize the need for originality in new Star Wars projects, reflecting on the balance between nostalgia and innovation in the gaming universe. Get ready for a fun ride through the galaxy!

Jun 12, 2023 • 57min
1Upsmanship: L.A. Noire
Possibly Rockstar’s most divisive open world experiment, 2011’s hard-boiled noir film homage gets the once-over by your favorite creative investigation duo. But beneath the glossy paint and ground-breaking motion capture is this game actually fun? How does the storytelling hold up in the twelve years since this game’s release? Does the game handle its problematic topics like race and gender inequality well? Would we want a sequel if they ever made one? Forget about it, Shipheads, it’s Rockstar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 5, 2023 • 1h 11min
1Upsmanship: Legend of Zelda - A Link To The Past (Feat. Danielle Radford)
Zelda Enthusiast Danielle Radford joins 1Upsmanship to discuss 'Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'. They talk about the game's impact, immersive storyline, minimal lore, and the use of walkthroughs. They also discuss pop culture preferences, changing names in games, and the significance of the game in the gaming industry.

May 1, 2023 • 1h 7min
1Upsmanship: No Man’s Sky (Feat. Cody Johnston)
Host of Some More News Cody Johnston sits in with Adam and Mike as they tackle a game with ambitions as vast as a galaxy and a launch scandal to match. Has Hello Games done enough to improve NMS over the years? Will it launch onto the Celestial Hard Drive or run out of hazard protection and get eaten by a Gek? They do that, you know. Strap in and let’s go exploring.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 24, 2023 • 51min
1Upsmanship: Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Join the chorus, new one. Voices clash and clamor in the never-ending quest to recover our lost souls from the dark places they may wander. In this episode, your stalwart hosts Adam and Michael pore over a game that demands to be taken seriously, both by virtue of the topics at hand and the loving care the developers obviously put into the exercise. But does laudable handling of human suffering equate to a good game? Should it? Does it have to? There’s no doubt Senua’s is a work of art, but to make it onto the Celestial Hard Drive, we’ll have to answer those questions and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8 snips
Apr 17, 2023 • 56min
1Upsmanship: Katamari Damacy (Feat. Starline Hodge and Hana Michels)
Ship Heads, prepare yourself for maximum fun, because our illustrious host has teamed up with two stellar guests, Starline Hodge and Hana Michels to talk about a game that’s truly one of a kind! Though tough to explain, the sheer joy of rolling up all of known civilization into a junk star is an unparalleled experience that deserves unpacking (and then re-packing obvs). The squad tackles deeper issues like whether this game actually means something and what’s up with dads, man? Things get personal, zany and a little poignant as we endeavor to wrap the universe of Katamari Damacy into a small hour-sized glob. Don’t miss it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 10, 2023 • 58min
1Upsmanship: Callisto Protocol (Feat. Tom Reimann)
Stranded in a cold, dark, and surprisingly poop-covered future, our 1upsmanship crew battles its way through Callisto Protocol. Joined by longtime colleague and friend Tom Reimann (Gamefully Unemployed) our heroes debate whether this game got unfairly maligned and whether there’s ever truly enough spike-covered walls. They answer key questions like do we really need this particular white male protagonist? How does Callisto Protocol stack up to its obvious predecessor Dead Space? And will anybody ever bring Adam the space cowboy he so desperately desires? Listen and find out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 3, 2023 • 49min
1Upsmanship: Atomic Heart
Your original 1Ups Boyz are back in the USSR! Michael officially returns from some time away, although we air episodes out of order so that’s not actually useful information. What is useful is their breakdown of the first big title from Mundfish, a little bit of Bioshock and a little bit of Fallout all wrapped up in a Soviet Russian package. Blast ‘bots, uncover mysteries similar to mysteries you may have uncovered before in the games that inspired this one, and find out P-3’s ultimate fate – or at least whether you should pick the game up or not. Will it find a place on the Celestial Hard Drive? Listen. Learn. Love.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 27, 2023 • 1h 4min
1Upsmanship: Diablo 2 (Feat. Abe Epperson)
Slap on your controversy armor Ship Heads, because this episode’s got some scorching hot takes that are gonna do some real AoE damage to looter fans. Joined by longtime pal, collaborator and Dia-bro Abe Epperson (Small Beans), our journey takes some twists and turns as we talk about the growth of the looter genre, Diablo 2’s historical significance, the role of internet communities in game development and whether the destination IS the journey for one of the most beloved PC games in video game history. Don’t miss it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 20, 2023 • 1h 11min
1Upsmanship: Assassin’s Creed Origins (Feat. Youssef Maguid)
Michael and Adam are joined by Ubisoft host and producer Youssef Maguid to discuss a huge turning point in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and, dare we say, history? A lively conversation ensues about what makes this entry essential, the meticulous crafting of Ptolemaic Egypt, and whether the changes were good or bad for the series. Mount your camel and zip directly to your destination…Fun! Seriously, those camels have an incredible auto-travel feature!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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