Gametalk

Episode 173 Streaming has become one of the dominant forms of games content consumption, and as such has become a significant part of our lives. Today, we talk about the streamers we watch and dive into the challenges of streaming and content creation. As always, we conclude with the games we are playing (Slay The Spire, Warframe). This episode was recorded in August 2024. Royalty free music from...

Episode 172 It has been over two years since Sony purchased Bungie for 3.6 billion dollars in an effort to bolster its live-service efforts, and the results have been...less than stellar. Now in the wake of mass layoffs, we take stock of where Bungie is as a studio and discuss why their crown jewel, Destiny, has lost much of its luster. We also discuss Bungie's now-uncertain future, and how Marath...

Episode 171 As of July 29, 2024, the Xbox 360 marketplace has shut down, marking the end of a historic run in the console space. Now at the end of the 360 marketplace's near-twenty year run, we look back fondly on our memories of the 360 and discuss some of the games that shaped our teenage years. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (No Man's Sky, Cataclismo, Mario Tennis). This ep...

Episode 170 Though not our platform of choice, mobile gaming is far and away the largest sector of the games industry. Today, we discuss the current state of mobile gaming, the economics of mobile games in contrast to the rest of the industry, and the future of gaming on mobile devices. As always we conclude with the games we're playing (EA Sports College Football 25, No Man's Sky, Slay The Spire,...

Episode 169 Microsoft has announced a slew of changes for Xbox Game Pass, including a price increase and changes to their day-one offerings. In today's episode, we do a deep dive into Xbox Game Pass and its value, and discuss Microsoft's ever-evolving strategy for the service. As always, we conclude with the games we are playing (Elden Ring, Teardown). This episode was recorded in July 2024. Royal...

Episode 168 With the year (somehow) already over halfway over, we reflect back on the big games of 2024 and talk about what excites us in the latter half of the year. As always, we conclude with the games we are playing (Myst, Noita, Elden Ring). This episode was recorded in July 2024. Royalty free music from BenSound. Questions or comments? Reach out to @PodcastGametalk on Instagram, Twitter, or...

Episode 167 Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree is finally out, and once again developer From Software shows everyone that they are in a league of their own. Today we discuss the masterful DLC - we talk spoiler-free impressions, our characters' journeys to the DLC, and spoilers up to where we currently are in the game. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (X4: Foundations). This epis...

Episode 166 Summer games season comes to a strong close with Nintendo's (presumably) last Switch-centric Nintendo Direct - and they certainly close things out on a high note. From Zelda to Metroid to Mario & Luigi to Dragon Quest, there seems to be something for just about everyone in this packed games showcase. In today's episode, we discuss all the games shown at the Nintendo Direct. As always,...

Episode 165 June is always a festive month for games announcements, and this year is no different. Today, we discuss Summer Games Fest 2024 and Ubisoft Forward, and offer our impressions on all the games shown. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Civilization VI, Monster Hunter Rise). This episode was recorded in June 2024. Royalty free music from BenSound. Questions or comments?...

Episode 164 In the midst of the summer games frenzy, Xbox delivers what could be their most impressive showcase ever. Today, we discuss this historic Xbox showcase and all of the games that were shown. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Enshrouded, Alan Wake 2: Night Springs). This episode was recorded in June 2024. Royalty free music from BenSound. Questions or comments? Check u...

Episode 163 Summer is just around the corner, and that means "E3" season is here! While E3 may be gone, the Summer Games Fest lives as its spiritual successor; and Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all have games to show as well. In today's episode, we discuss last week's PlayStation State of Play and make predictions for the upcoming Nintendo, Microsoft, and Summer Games Fest showcases! As always, we...

Episode 162 Game design is challenging, doubly so when designing a game for both casual and competitive play. Today, we discuss games that balance both competitive and casual play, our experiences with competitive games, and how we think the player bases of these games impact design decisions. We also give our thoughts on the newly released Hellblade II, and what its release could mean for Microso...

Episode 161 As we get older, retro games are something we grow increasingly fond of. But is it entirely due to nostalgia, or do retro games still have merits when compared to modern releases? Today, we discuss our love of retro games, and what goes into collecting and playing older titles. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (TerraTech, Hades). This episode was recorded in May 2024...

Episode 160 Developing a full game solo is a herculean feat of engineering and artistry. Today, we discuss notable games that were developed by one person and what goes into creating a game alone. We also talk about the newly released Animal Well at length, in both spoiler-free and spoiler-filled contexts. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (V Rising, Animal Well). This episode wa...

Episode 159 In a one-two punch of terrible first party news, today we discuss both the baffling choice by Sony to require a PSN account on PC to play Helldivers II and the heartbreakingly infuriating decision Microsoft made to close four of its first party studios. In the wake of workforce reductions and studios shuttering, we observe the landscape of the present Xbox ecosystem - and it is not a p...

Episode 158 Fallout is out now on Amazon Prime Video, and it's a bonafide hit! Today, we talk about the show in spoiler-free and spoiler-filled contexts, and discuss how the success of the show could impact Bethesda's plans. As always, we conclude with the games we are playing (Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, RimWorld, Dave the Diver). This episode was recorded in April 2024. Royalty free music fr...

Episode 157 Ahmed and Connor have returned from Italy, and travel is on their minds. Today, we discuss video game settings that are inspired by real-life locations and talk about games that capture a sense of wanderlust. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Slay The Spire, Monster Hunter World, Lil Gator Game). This episode was recorded in April 2024. Royalty free music from BenSou...

Episode 156 When a game series is around for a while, eventually the identity of the series will begin to mean different things to different people. Today, we discuss games that divide fanbases and what the merits of each series pre and post divide are. As always, we conclude with the games we're playing (Monster Hunter World, Minecraft, Ultros). This episode was recorded in April 2024. Royalty fr...

Episode 155 Video games have produced countless iconic and memorable characters over the decades. Today, we reflect on what makes a character iconic, and which ones we think stand the test of time. We also review the results of the recently conducted BAFTA poll naming the top 20 most iconic gaming characters of all time. We end the show by shouting out a couple of our favorite games (Stardew Valle...

Episode 154 Mike has returned from PAX East, and he has many stories to tell! Today, we talk to Mike about some of the new games he played, the developers he spoke to, and the events he attended. As always, we conclude by talking about the games we're playing (Sea of Thieves, Dragon's Dogma 2). This episode was recorded in April 2024. Royalty free music from BenSound. Questions or comments? Tweet...

Episode 153 As game development takes longer and costs more, remakes and remasters of older titles have become commonplace. Today, we talk about some of our favorite remakes and remasters, how the industry handles these games, and whether or not certain game remakes are warranted. As always, we conclude with the games we are playing (Rise of the Rōnin, Sea of Thieves, Disco Elysium). This episode...

Episode 152 The specs for the PlayStation 5 Pro have leaked, and they paint a picture of high resolutions and framerates via Sony's proprietary upscaling solution, PSSR. But do we need a PlayStation 5 Pro? Today, we discuss the Pro specs and the technology behind them, and talk about historical mid-gen refreshes and they impact they have. As always, we conclude with the games we are playing (Helld...

Episode 151 In today's somewhat somber episode, we take a step back and reflect on the Rooster Teeth shutdown and the death of the legendary Akira Toriyama. As always, we conclude with the games we are playing (Balatro, Infinite Craft, Persona 3 Reload). This episode was recorded in March 2024. Royalty free music from BenSound. Questions or comments? Tweet @PodcastGametalk Or chat us up in Discord...

Episode 150 As long as the games industry has been around, various moral panics have cropped up around certain games and sparked public outcry. Games like Grand Theft Auto, Mass Effect, and more have drawn unwarranted suspicion for their controversial content. Today, we talk about games that have stirred controversy over the years and why those opinions are almost always misguided. As always, we c...

Episode 149 Sony has laid off around 900 PlayStation employees, or roughly 10% of their workforce. This is just the latest in a seemingly never-ending bombardment of workforce reductions in triple-A game studios. Industry experts have long-warned of the unsustainability of the triple-A games space, and it seems as though the bubble is in the midst of bursting. Today, we discuss the PlayStation lay...