Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast

We're firmly in the teeth of the 2020 release season, and the RPGs are arriving fast. Kat and Nadia circle back on some of the RPGs they missed, including Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, WoW: Shadowlands, Godfall, and more. Plus: Cyberpunk's performance on current-gen consoles, The Game Awards RPG nominations, and more thoughts on Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....

Kat and Nadia bid farewell to Mike Williams the only way they know how—with a lengthy conversation about Final Fantasy 14. They also welcome back old friend Ash Paulsen, who joins the group to talk about Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory and more. Finally, Kat and Nadia have an announcement about the future of Axe of the Blood God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are out this week, and we've got the whole gang to break it all down over the course of a two hour mega-pod extravaganza! Kat, Mike, Nadia, and Eric are here to compare the PS5 and Xbox Series X, look at the launch lineup, and break down all the pros and cons for early adopters. Also in this episode, we review Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and lots of cats appear! Don'...

In a continuation of their look back on the most recent console generation, Kat and Nadia examine the outsized impact of the PlayStation 4 on RPGs. From the return of Japan to the "mainstreaming" of RPGs, to VR and "service games," the pair talk about all the way that RPGs have changed over the past seven years. Also in this episode: Cyberpunk 2077's delay, Trails of Cold Steel 4 impressions, and...

With the next generation of consoles mere weeks away, we're jumping ahead in the Console RPG Quest to the Xbox One! While at first glance the Xbox One's RPG legacy is quite weak, there's more to it than meets the eye. Kat and Nadia talk about the importance of backward compatibility, the possibilities afforded by streaming, and lessons learned as they delve into the Xbox One's console history. Als...

Kat and Nadia take a break from the grind of the RPG release schedule to talk about how some of today's most popular genres can be combined with the wonders of role-playing, including battle royale, Among Us, and more. Plus, we talk about Phil Spencer's recent comments concerning Bethesda, Yakuza 7, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larian founder Swen Vincke returns to the podcast to discuss the initial feedback on Baldur's Gate 3's early access release, turn-based vs. real-time with pause, dice rolls, and more! (Starts around 26:20) Plus, Kat and Nadia share their impressions on Genshin Impact, the Monster Hunter movie trailer, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Console RPG Quest officially arrives in the HD era with the Xbox 360 RPG Quest! Nadia and Kat talk about the impact of online, the waning fortunes of the Japanese industry, the super success of Oblivion, and much more! Plus, USgamer Reviews Editor Mike Williams is here to talk about Genshin Impact, the new free-to-play open-world RPG that's already a hit on PC, iOS, and PS4! Learn more about y...

Kat and Nadia are joined by USgamer News Editor Eric Van Allen to sing the praises of Hades, the amazing roguelite by Supergiant Games that is now out of Early Access. The trio discuss its relationship to Diablo; how Supergiant is beating Blizzard at its own game, and why RPG fans should play this excellent dungeon crawler. Plus, all of this week's RPG news, the Track of the Week, and more! Learn...

In a move with enormous implications for the games industry as a whole, but especially for RPGs, Microsoft has acquired Bethesda, the publisher responsible for Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and Starfield. What will this mean for role-playing games? How will this impact the next-gen race? And how will Sony react? Kat and Nadia are joined by special guests Mike Williams and Reb Valentine to break it a...

Kat and Nadia react to a huge week for RPG announcements, breaking down Avalanche's Harry Potter game, Monster Hunter Rise, and the PS5 price announcement. Then it's time to talk Final Fantasy XVI, as Kat and Nadia analyze its announcement trailer, its connections to Final Fantasy 14, and its place in the long history of Final Fantasy announcements that have kicked off each new generation. It's a...

The fall release season is officially upon us, and that means it's time to preview all of the big RPGs that will carry us to the end of the year. Kat and Nadia sit down to preview Cyberpunk 2077, Trails of Cold Steel 4, Yakuza 7, World of WarCraft Shadowlands, and all the rest of this fall's most interesting role-playing games. Plus: Reactions to the Xbox Series S price and more. Learn more about...

The latest edition of the Console RPG Quest explores the legacy of Sony's initial foray into the handheld space: the PlayStation Portable! Kat and Nadia recall Sony's attempt to create "the Walkman for the 21st century," the rise of Monster Hunter and its impact on RPGs, the strange saga of Persona 2, and much more as they continue their quest to catalog the RPG legacy of every major console! Lear...

In 1997, a small group of former devs from Konami and Square got together to make Moon: RPG Remix Adventure, an affectionate parody and tribute to the role-playing genre. More than 20 years later, it's finally out for Nintendo Switch, and Kat and Nadia dig into the legacy of this curious creation by Love-de-lic. Plus: Wasteland 3 impressions, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles online woes, Dragon Ag...

Kat Bailey is on vacation, so hapless co-host Nadia Oxford takes over the Axe of the Blood God with help from USgamer news editor, Eric Van Allen. The duo put out out the small fires that invariably crop up when Kat's out of town while they discuss Baldur's Gate 3, new RPGs coming to Nintendo Switch, and the troubles bogging down Bloodlines 2. Then developer Davionne Gooden joins in to talk about...

It was the year 2000, and Square was pushing three big RPGs on the Sony PlayStation. The games themselves—Chrono Cross, Threads of Fate, and Legend of Mana—met with a mixed reception, but the Summer of Adventure 2000 said more about where Square stood in that particular moment in history. Kat and Nadia remember this unique period in gaming history, the RPGs it spawned, and Back to the Future 2 (?)...

The latest entry in the Console RPG Quest series takes on the Nintendo DS, the legendary "third pillar" that did its part to carry Nintend for more than a decade. From Etrian Odyssey to Dragon Quest IX, Kat and Nadia discuss its remarkable RPG library, and why it was so important to Japanese gaming in the late 2000s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the next generation of consoles nearly upon us, Kat is joined by Reviews Editor Mike Williams and Senior Editor Caty McCarthy to discuss the future of the genre. What surprises do the PS5 and Xbox Series X hold for RPGs? Will it all be Destiny-likes and Witcher 3 clones? Or will we be treated to new settings, A.I. innovations, and other fascinating changes? We discuss! Learn more about your a...

It's a super busy week for RPG news as Kat and Nadia talk about all the Shin Megami Tensei announcements while breaking down the big Fable and Avowed reveals from the Xbox showcase. This is all on top of word that the Suikoden creators are getting together to create a spiritual successor, which Kat and Nadia react to in real time. Listen as we discuss all the RPGs you'll be playing in 2021 and bey...

GameXplain's Andre Segers joins the podcast to review Paper Mario: The Origami King with Kat and Nadia. Why is the latest game in the venerable series proving so contentious among Nintendo fans? Is there a way to revive the series's fortunes? And what would a Super Mario Persona 5 game look like? We answer all of these questions, plus delve further into the recent glut of RPG adaptations, talk Gho...

Close to a decade after its original crowdfunding campaign, CrossCode is finally on console! Kat and Nadia are joined by Hirun Cryer, who explains why this beautiful indie RPG is worth your attention. Plus, Kat explains why she's still digging Pokemon Sword, and Nadia reveals her thoughts on Paper Mario: The Origami King. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The original Xbox didn't have that many role-playing game, but it was nevertheless a watershed moment for both console history and the RPG genre. Kat and Nadia look back on Microsoft's entry into the console market and talk about Knights of the Old Republic's breakout success, Fable's broken promises, and much more, Plus: Reacting to the newly-announced Fallout TV show! Does it have any hope of be...

It's Diablo 2's 20th anniversary, and Kat and Nadia are here to talk about its remarkable descendants, including Titan Quest, Torchlight, and other classics (plus some newer games)! Plus, Cyberpunk 2077 impressions, why Pokemon Diamond & Pearl doesn't need a remake, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest entry in the Console RPG Quest tackles both the WonderSwan and the Neo Geo Pocket, two cult favorite handhelds nevertheless trapped in the shadow of the Game Boy. Are their RPG legacies worth remembering? Kat and Nadia discuss! Plus, the duo get into all of the RPG news from the week, including the Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC, the Cyberpunk delay, and more! Learn more about your ad cho...

It's E3! ... Sort of. Kat and Nadia react to the PS5 reveal and lament the general lack of RPGs; talk about Persona 4 Golden being liberated from the Vita, and speculate on Square Enix's newly-revealed Project Athia. Plus chatter about the Demon's Souls Remake, the Track of the Week, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices