Idle Thumbs

Important If True 39: Organoids and the Human Mini-Brains by Idle Thumbs

Important If True 38: The Terrible Power of Knowledge by Idle Thumbs

It's time for another patent-pending Three Moves Ahead Classic Game Analysis as Rob, Gamers with Jobs' Shawn Andrich, and Rock Paper Shotgun's Adam Smith discuss Bungie's Myth series. Myth holds a unique place in strategy's gaming pantheon: in an era of clones and remakes, there's still nothing quite like it out there. Its grim and dark (but not grimdark) fantasy setting and early physics engine s...

In this episode, Soren interviews independent game developer Tyler Sigman, best known as the designer of HOARD and Darkest Dungeon. They discuss how his game design career was almost derailed by staplers, how a weird aeronautical engineer is a normal game designer, and why his finished air racing game was never released. Games discussed: Pirates!, Below the Root, Backgammon, Age of Empires: Age of...

Important If True 37: Uncharacteristically Cursed by Idle Thumbs

Rob, Rowan, and David Heron take a deep dive on XCOM 2: War of the Chosen. XCOM 2 received a tepid welcome from the Three Moves Ahead panel when it first came out in early 2016, and Three Moves Ahead gave its expansion a good long time to simmer before diving in. War of the Chosen adds more of almost everything, but is that a good thing? The crew also discusses ubermod The Long War.

Important If True 36: Never Say Goodbye by Idle Thumbs

Are you ready for morehammer? Nah, just kidding, we won't do that bit again. Guest host Rowan Kaiser talks to T.J. Hafer and Kotaku's Luke Plunkett about Total War: WARHAMMER II. The Warhammer train keeps on hammerin' as the dark elves, Skaven, and other grimdark beings storm across the battlefields in the Total War engine once again. This sequel comes hot on the heels of the original game and imp...

Idle Thumbs 313: Takeless Jake by Idle Thumbs

Nels and Jesse make some unorthdox predictions about Worlds 2017 and invite you to do the same, for fame, glory and prizes!

Important If True 35: Hammacher, Schlemmer, and You by Idle Thumbs

It's time for a racing and hockey double-header as Rob, Michael, and Troy "My favorite movie is 1992's The Cutting Edge" Goodfellow talk about sports management sims. The beginning of a new NHL season is a darn good reason to examine Out of the Park Development's Franchise Hockey Manager 4. The crew also discusses Motorsport Manager, a sports sim game that may be the entry point needed for a non-s...

Important If True 34: This is Celebrity Explainer by Idle Thumbs

It's an ancients kind of week as Rob, Rowan, and Troy "I'm so good with the elephants my mates call me 'Elephant Man'" Goodfellow talk about Field of Glory II by Byzantine Games. FoG II started as tabletop system that was ported to the PC in the original Field of Glory and its Asian counterpart, Sengoku Jidai. The sequel improves the formula in almost every way and presents an extremely capable en...

Idle Thumbs Ruination: October 2017 by Idle Thumbs

Rob and Danielle both had delightful woodland experiences to recount this weekend, as well as stories about gaming happy places (like Prey) and a beloved movie—Blade Runner. The first one. Don't worry, we'll talk about the new Blade Runner soon! Discussed: F1 2017, Game of Thrones (the board game), Prey, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, Blade Runner: The Director's Cut

Important If True 33: The Meme Scream by Idle Thumbs

Idle Thumbs 312: Hashtag Nick Nod by Idle Thumbs

Important If True 32: A Wish Upon a Star by Idle Thumbs

In this episode, Soren interviews independent game developer Asher Vollmer, best known as the designer of Puzzlejuice and Threes. They discuss why paper prototypes don’t always translate well into video games, whether a game should take up 100% of your brain, and how he feels about the Threes clone 2048. Games discussed: The Secret of Monkey Island, Leisure Suit Larry, Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast,...

The world changed and, this time, the game did too. Not content to simply shake up the game with rotation, Netrunner now also has a Banned/Restricted list. And the episode was recorded *after* the news this time! The Bloo Moose is blown, Aaron is axed, Faust is forbidden ... what are Runners and Corps to do in this new world? Join Nels and Jesse as they try to find out, because they aren't sure ye...

Tooth and Tail has turned out to be a game of note for several reasons. First, it deftly executes the short-form RTS genre while providing lucious artwork and pleasing visuals. Next, it provides a challenging and thought-provoking story that explores narratives in socioeconomics and societal structures. Finally, it appears to be a game that everyone on the show appears to enjoy. Rob, Rowan, Fraser...

Idle Thumbs Ruination: September 2017 by Idle Thumbs

Sometimes, you have to pay to play. Danielle returns from glorious Scotland to regale Rob with tales of sightseeing, martial arts, and Mario Vs. Rabbids, while Rob has many vacation tales of his own, including the time he was too tall to ride Space Mountain. Both Weekenders learn of childhoods similarly spent in gay seaside resort towns, and everyone is interested in good sitcoms. It's a very idle...

Important If True 31: The Illusion of Control by Idle Thumbs