Use Your Items!

Fran and Jason dig into Void Stranger and find themselves more lost than found, more sad than glad, and less curious than cursed. Tune in and wonder with us for the final in our puzzle diptych.   SPOILERS AT 40:00 -- PROCEED WITH CAUTION Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite g...

Deep within the estate of Mt. Holly, Fran and Jason entice the mysteries of the past and the potential of the future to reveal themselves...at all costs! The boys tackle Blue Prince in this puzzling double feature. Stay Tuned for Void Stranger next episode too!   Spoilers at 56:32! Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they pie...

Jason and Fran dive into Devil May Cry and the swimming is not great! We discuss the history behind the game that spawn an entire genre of classics.    Spoilers at 00:50 min Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discor...

Francisco plays a game that came out recently!!! Hard to imagine there needs to be much description here. The pals discuss the widely lauded, applauded, and begroaned Expedition 33. This one slaps.   Spoilers at 1:06 min   Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd...

Fran and Jason finally catch the last time-traveling ape in the PS1 classic, Ape Escape. Dig in on our conversation about peripherals, physical dexterity in games, and the power...of the DUAL SHOCK CONTROLLER!   Spoilers at 57 min   Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games....

Fran and Jason tackle the mean streets of New York City as Aya Brea in the classic RPG Parasite Eve. This one belongs in the hall of fame folks. SPOILER'S: 01:01:00   Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discord or le...

Fran and Jason dive into indie hit Animal Well by Billy Basso and published by Big Mode. Jason explores the negative capability of Animal Well, while Fran examines the visual design code and gap between knowing and executing. SPOILER'S: 00:50:00~   Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our...

Fran and Jason review Neon White, a speed running game about angels, demons, and anime. Sorta...well at least 50% about anime!! No Sonics were harmed in the making of this episode. SPOILER'S: 1:17:30   Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the s...

Jason and Fran dig into their adolescent selves with Halo 3: ODST! Come for the smooth jazz and rain 30 hour track, stay for the Nathan Drake cameo. Spoilers begin at 00:46:07   Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Di...

Come one and come all to Revachol. There is a book store, a hanging corpse, and, of course, a Fritte! Come for the murder, stay for the tea. Jason and Fran use their extreme detective skills to explore the outer edges of life in Disco Elysium.   CW: Rape, Sexual Assault, Police Violence, Alcoholism. Spoilers begin at 01:18:00   Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a litera...

Jason and Fran plumb the depths of the Marrows in Dredge. Come for the fish, stay for the elder gods! Featuring 30% more boat bumping than previous editions!   Spoilers begin at 00:35:00   Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please jo...

CW: Sexual abuse, abuse, suicide, alcoholism Fran and Jason explore the Tulpar in Mouthwashing, the indie horror hit from 2024. Welcome aboard.   Spoilers begin at 00:59:00 Credits ‘Mouthwashing’: A repugnant, tragic play that wants to hurt you https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/video-games/2024/12/11/mouthwashing-story-themes-johanna-kasurinen/ Real-Time Datamoshing in Unreal Looks Mesm...

Today Fran and Jason talk a walk through Wyoming with Delilah and Henry in Campo Santo's Firewatch from 2016. Don't forget to use your antlers!   Spoilers begin at 1:19:00 Credits Field Notes: How Devs Recreate Wilderness In Gameshttps://www.rockpapershotgun.com/making-of-ethan-carter-firewatch#more-243319M Firewatch: hope and heartbreak in the American wilderness https://www.theguardian.com/techn...

Use your items celebrates a year of recording by returning to the game that started it for them with Final Fantasy VII...REMAKE! Break down with us as we dig into the history of the remake, the character design, and the Nomura of it all! RPG history at your fingertips. Spoiler-free: 0:00-1:22 Spoilers: 1:23-end Credits Final Fantasy remakes sold separately https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-f...

Jason accuses a Snatcher of stealing Fran's body and impersonating him to access our excessive and gross podcast revenue. This time, we discuss the Kojima cult classic, Snatcher! Played on the Sega CD; we get into the details of cyberpunk, Snatcher's role in that genre, and some meta-narrative discussion of the game at large. Spoiler-Free: 0-1:04 Spoilers: 1:05-End   Francisco is a game designer a...

CW: War, Sexual Abuse Jason and Fran talk religion, crime, and ethical perogatives when checking out INDIKA, indie masterpiece from 2024. Between bad, good, evil, sin, and virtue what is left to decide for ourselves? What does it mean to experience true nostalgia and absent fondness? What happens when we impose ourselves unto others? 0-46m Spoiler Free 46-End Spoiler Francisco is a game designer a...

Fran and Jason cannot upload their data to the bunker. There is a problem with the uplink. ERROR-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR   Spoiler Free for about an hour Works Cited: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/28/17173244/nier-automata-yoko-taro-interview-gdc-2018 Yoko Taro Predicts Metaphor Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis...

Fran and Jason upload their data to the Bunker talking about Nier Automata!   Spoiler Free for about an hour Works Cited: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/28/17173244/nier-automata-yoko-taro-interview-gdc-2018 Yoko Taro Predicts Metaphor Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite ga...

We, uh, played a game called Metal Gear Solid 2. Or maybe it played us, jump in to find out. CW: 9/11 at 50m 0-1:05 Spoiler Free/History 1:06-End Spoilers and verdicts Works Cited: Metal Gear Solid 2 Grand Game Plan - Kojima (ping us for a copy) The Final Hours of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Super Bunnyhop MGS2 video Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary...

Metroid Prime Remastered is a miraculous masterpiece and not enough can be said about it. We dive in to explore the history of the genre, the development, and the pacing of Tallon IV. 0-1:46 Spoiler Free/History 1:46-End Spoilers and verdicts Works Cited: DGC Ep 355: Metroid Prime Bonus Interview with Jack Mathews! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dgc-ep-355-metroid-prime-bonus-interview-with...

Exploring the weird, wonderful world of the Slavic JPRG Felvidek. We will drink, pray, and slash our way through 15th century Slovakia. Spoiler free for the first 60 minutes or so. Felvidek OST Felivdek on Steam Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd...

We grind and wall-ride our way through Team Reptile's Bombrush Cyber Funk--the spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio. It wasn't our favorite, but we discuss music, the potential, and graffiti. Spoiler free for the first 60 minutes or so. Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our...

This time we go over Frictional Games Horror masterpiece, Soma. We explore the nature of horror, the design of this popular studio, and some heavy philosophical discussions. CW: euthanasia Spoiler free for the first 50 minutes or so Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favo...

We launch a possible new segment called Item Bags! Where we gather ideas for various ideas we have regarding the industry, genre, and freeform discussion. Less research and more chatter. Let us know what you think on our discord! Link below: Skill Up interview with Yoshi P Games Discussed: Dark Cloud (more mentioned tbh) Dragon's Dogma 2 (and 1 technically) Cyberpunk Rogue Nethack Skyrim FF1, 2, 7...

This week we discuss Signalis, a surprise hit for us from rose-engine, and the meaning of meat, madness, reality, love, connection, and what it means to be human. Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd like to support the show please join us on Discor...