Into the Aether - A Low Key Video Game Podcast

Hello and welcome to the very first edition of The Port Aether Shore Leave Society, a new monthly show where we'll be talking about anything — video game or otherwise! We wanted to give everyone an idea of what Shore Leave will be like going forward, but all future episodes will be available each month for patrons at the $5 tier and above: https://www.patreon.com/intothecastHope you enjoy it!Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.online---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://bsky.app/profile/stephenhilger.bsky.social Follow Brendon Bigley: https://bsky.app/profile/bb.wavelengths.onlineProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons including our Eternal Gratitude members:Zachary DIanfaceMcGeeMatt HClayton MChris Yw0nderbradShawn LCody RZach RFederico VLogan HAlan RSlinkmattjanzz DeaconGrokCorey ZDirectional JoySusan HOlivia KDan SIsaac SWill CJim WEvan BDavid Hmin2Aaron GVErik MBrady HJoshua JTony LDanny KSeth MAdam BJustin KAndy HDemoParker EMaxwell LSpiritofthunderJason WJason TCorey TMinnow Eats WhaleCaleb WfingerbellyJesse WMike TCodesWesleyErik BmebezacSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseAndrewJustin MPeterStellar.BeesBrendan KScott RwreckxNoah OMichael GArcturusChris RhepaheCory FChase ALoveDiesNick QWes KChris MRBMichaela WAdam FScott HAlexander SPTherese KjgprintersJessica BMurrayDavid PJason KBede RKamrin HKyle SPhilip  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The excitement for the long-awaited 'Silksong' is palpable, with discussions on indie games' visibility and the challenges they face. The hosts dive into nostalgic gaming with a look at 'Demon School' and the remake of 'Trails in the Sky.' They explore innovative roguelikes like 'Voidbreaker' and 'Kill the Brick Man,' showcasing unique mechanics and aesthetics. The intriguing narratives of indie titles, blending humor and emotional arcs, make for a rich conversation about the evolving landscape of gaming.

Dive into a nostalgic reflection on classic titles like Metal Gear Solid and a celebration of indie gems. The hosts discuss the evolution of RPG mechanics and the charm of games like Bravely Default. They explore innovative gameplay in quirky titles like Öoo and Tiny Bookshop, blending genres and player experiences. Plus, playful banter about Pokémon Dream Green and their current favorites adds to the fun. Get ready for a delightful journey through gaming's past, present, and future!

Dive into a nostalgic exploration of the Sony PlayStation Portable as the hosts discuss iconic games like Lumines and Burnout Legends. They reflect on the evolution of handheld gaming and share personal anecdotes that highlight the joy of gaming on-the-go. The conversation features quirky merchandise and fun Patreon goals, emphasizing community engagement. Listen as they debate their top PSP picks and fondly recall the memorable mechanics of titles like Tony Hawk's Underground 2 and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. It's a delightful trip down memory lane!

Curious about a two-sided SD card that always lands text? The hosts dive into the captivating world of indie games like 'Cobalt Core' and 'He is Coming,' comparing them to classics like 'Loop Hero.' They explore the nuances of roguelikes and the enduring charm of 'Animal Crossing: New Leaf.' Nostalgia for Fire Emblem classics like 'Sacred Stones' sparks discussions on gameplay and character choices. Plus, there's a lighthearted debate on New Jersey diners versus New York pizza. Tune in for a delightful mix of gaming and culinary banter!

This episode dives into the whimsical world of Donkey Kong Bananza, exploring its unique gameplay and nostalgic design aspects. The hosts share their love for Zelda speed runs and unravel the creative journey behind game development. They tackle the engaging mechanics of 'Wordplay' and 'Nurikabe World', revealing their appeal to puzzle enthusiasts. A highlight is Brendon's Rom Hack corner, featuring 'Animal Crossing: City Folk Deluxe', where they discuss its nostalgic enhancements. Tune in for a fun blend of gaming insights and personal anecdotes!

I heard you like video tapes. You might not like this movie, but you’re gonna LOVE these games. Mmm, mmm.Discussed: The weird animorph phase, a little bit more of Death Stranding 2, Stephen’s fear of dolls, Press Start joins TWG, Blitzball, Mario Golf: Super Rush, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Ages, the beauty of the 8-bit aesthetic, Baseball (’89), The Sword of Hope, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, how Fire Emblem stands out in its genre, the customization in Final Fantasy Tactics & Tactics Ogre, the approachability of Jeanne d’Arc, Edelgard’s quest to high five, CTGP Nitro, the “za” of Mario Kart DS, our love of retro racing games, Toad’s BBQFind us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.onlineJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://bsky.app/profile/stephenhilger.bsky.social Follow Brendon Bigley: https://bsky.app/profile/bb.wavelengths.onlineProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Season 7 cover art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/Theme song by Will LaPorte: https://ghostdown.online/---Timecodes:(00:00) - Intro (01:24) - Death Stranding 2: On the Beach | All aboard the SS Mad Max (02:07) - The Mm-Mm Doll | An Electric Nightmare (08:50) - Welcome PressSTART to TWG!!! (11:04) - Mario Golf: Super Rush | A quick putt to this game (12:49) - MINOR SPOILERS Death Stranding 2: On the Beach | Remember video games? (20:28) - How do we move on? (20:42) - The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons | Spinnin' the classics (39:45) - Break (39:47) - Baseball for the Gameboy | Daniel Simulator (40:58) - The Sword of Hope | Way better than Baseball (42:11) - Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones | Divine Pulse back to the GBA (01:02:03) - Break (01:02:05) - CTGP Mario Kart Nitro | A small drift (01:17:52) - Wrapping up ---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons including our Eternal Gratitude members:Zachary DIanfaceMcGeeMatt HClayton MChris Yw0nderbradShawn LCody RZach RFederico VLogan HAlan RSlinkmattjanzz DeaconGrokCorey ZDirectional JoySusan HOlivia KDan SIsaac SWill CJim WEvan BDavid Hmin2Aaron GVErik MBrady HJoshua JTony LDanny KSeth MAdam BJustin KAndy HDemoParker EMaxwell LSpiritofthunderJason WJason TCorey TMinnow Eats WhaleCaleb WfingerbellyJesse WMike TCodesWesleyErik BmebezacSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseAndrewJustin MPeterStellar.BeesBrendan KScott RwreckxNoah OMichael GArcturusChris RhepaheCory FChase ALoveDiesNick QWes KChris MRBMichaela WAdam FScott HAlexander SPTherese KjgprintersJessica BMurrayDavid PJason KBede RKamrin HKyle SPhilip  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Join the hosts as they dive deep into the intriguing world of Death Stranding 2, exploring its artistic approach and themes of personal experience. They're buzzing about the new chapters of Deltarune and the unique narrative connections to Undertale. Get ready for a light-hearted look at quirky mobile titles like Bacon - The Game. Discussions on Persona 5: The Phantom X reveal critiques on monetization strategies, and there's a nostalgic reflection on Pokémon Odyssey and its innovative mechanics. Tune in for laughs, insights, and gaming excitement!

Hey everyone! We have some big changes coming to Into the Aether in the near future and we wanted to talk through them a bit.To avoid burying the lede here: We’re leaving the Pickaxe podcast network and returning to complete independence. This has actually been in the works for a little while, but we wanted to only share the news when all of the boxes were checked.This is not a decision we made lightly, but we’re confident it is the right decision for us and for all of you.To be clear, we have no ill-will with Pickaxe and there are no hard feelings either way. This was entirely our decision. As breezy as the process of joining was, the process of offboarding has been equally breezy. We want to extend a huge thanks to the team over there for taking a chance on us and being so cool over the last few months. It’s not often you’re given as much creative control as we were in situations like this.Immediate Changes:1) No more programmatic ads The first and most obvious change will be the removal of programmatic advertising in the podcast. We hugely appreciate the feedback from you all regarding the inclusion of these ads. While we’re happy to have tried this method out — it clearly didn’t work for us, the vibe of the show, or the values of Aether as an entity.This change will affect the entire backlog of the podcast as well, so all episodes will return to being ad-free – with the exception of our host-read ads from before the Pickaxe era.We’ll share more about our plans for returning to host-read ads at a later date, but for now: If you’re currently backing the show at the $10 tier, we completely understand if you’d like to downgrade or cancel your membership for the time being. While we will be returning to an advertising model that feels better to us and focuses on lifting up bands and games and projects we can get behind, the reality is that those ads won’t be present in the show until August at the earliest. We hope to have you back, but also understand if you need to pull your support for the time being. 2) Chapters are back!Another welcome change (cue the applause sfx) is that chapter markers are back on the menu. The move to Pickaxe unfortunately wiped the chapter markers from all episodes of the show, meaning you all needed to rely on the written timecodes in the episode descriptions. While this wasn’t the end of the world, it also wasn’t intentional or desirable on our part. We’re happy to say that chapter markers should be working in the entire backlog, including the episodes which were produced during the Pickaxe era.The Future:We have some other big changes and ideas in the works that we’ll be announcing on the PSP retrospective episode (which we will be recording on August 2nd). These changes are all positive and double down on our desire to keep the show independent for the foreseeable future. We’re excited to share them with you!We’re immensely proud of what Into the Aether has become over the past seven years (!!) and want to make sure its future is sustainable and bright as an indie show on TWG. The reason we are able to try all the things we do and push ourselves further is entirely due to all of your support. So just another huge thank you to everyone for listening and giving us the confidence to try and make this show in our own way.If you have any questions, feel free to post them here in Discord or email us at intotheaetherpodcast@gmail.com.Thanks again,BB + SH ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

I miss the good old days where all you had in your pockets were your keys, your iPod, and your Demon in a Tube.Discussed: Death Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army, Monster Train 2, Slay the Spire 2, Hades 2, 17bit, Galak-Z, Awaysis, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.onlineJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/Follow Brendon Bigley: https://bsky.app/profile/bb.wavelengths.onlineProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Season 7 cover art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/Theme song by Will LaPorte: https://ghostdown.online/---Timecodes:(00:00) - Intro(01:11) - Death Stranding 2 | Please walk us out of the weather(03:03) - Donkey Kong Bananza is coming!!!!(06:36) - Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army | A perpendicular segue(36:58) - Monster Train 2 | For my next trick(57:10) - Break(57:12) - 17bit | Brendon took a trip(01:00:16) - Awaysis | Brendon went to 17bit(01:36:05) - Break(01:36:07) - The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- | We're back baby(02:02:23) - Wrapping up---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons including our Eternal Gratitude members:Zachary DIanfaceMcGeeMatt HClayton MChris Yw0nderbradShawn LCody RZach RFederico VLogan HAlan RSlinkmattjanzz DeaconGrokCorey ZDirectional JoySusan HOlivia KDan SIsaac SWill CJim WEvan BDavid Hmin2Aaron GVErik MBrady HJoshua JTony LDanny KSeth MAdam BJustin KAndy HDemoParker EMaxwell LSpiritofthunderJason WJason TCorey TMinnow Eats WhaleCaleb WfingerbellyJesse WMike TCodesWesleyErik BmebezacSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseAndrewJustin MPeterStellar.BeesBrendan KScott RwreckxNoah OMichael GArcturusChris RhepaheCory FChase ALoveDiesNick QWes KChris MRBMichaela WAdam FScott HAlexander SPTherese KjgprintersJessica BMurrayDavid PJason KBede RKamrin HKyle SPhilip  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★