Colette & Matt Have Entered the Chat

Ten years ago, we all turned our noses up at casual app store gotcha games. But the Free-to-Play model has evolved, often to be more ethical. Our phones have 20x more horsepower. Today, we can carry MMOs in our pockets. And as busy adults, often the mobile form factor is the entry point for new game genres. This week we discuss mobile games we're enjoying , the horror game pantheon, and regrets fr...

There's just something about the image, text, and mood of memes that make them such a precise communication vehicle. We discuss some of our favorites, what's up with NFTs, what you've been playing, and of course, what we've been playing. Colette's Playing: Unpacking and Inscryption Matt's Playing: Spiritfarer and EVE Echoes Email us with what you're playing and we'll read it on the show!  HaveEnte...

Matt calls Colette to find out what the hell is going on. Email us with what you're playing and we'll read it on the show!  HaveEnteredTheChat@gmail.com Join our Discord community:  https://discord.gg/5xz84B9RRJ Follow and subscribe to Colette: https://twitter.com/colettebennett https://www.twitch.tv/hellococobee Follow and subscribe to Matt: https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman/ https://www.youtube...

What is it about video games that lights up the brains of neurodiverse people, specifically those with ADHD? This week we have a very personal conversation about growing up with brains that demand more from your average media, and how games have expanded in ways that bring comfort (and fixation!) to those of us who have a hard time when bored. We also discuss how laser-focused enthusiasm has devel...

Netflix's recent acquisition of Oxenfree developer Night School got us thinking about the future of game streaming services. High quality games beaming down from the Cloud™ to any device is so close we can taste it. And yet it's so complicated and far away. We discuss our hopes and dreams for game streaming services, and the uphill battle Netflix will face against Microsoft, Amazon, and others. Al...

This week we get nostalgic for software environments: buttons, interfaces, and of course the sounds of '90s online chatrooms. But more importantly, GAMES! We discuss everything you're playing this week, the joy (and danger) of getting hooked on one live service game forever, the wholesome vibes of video game photography, and keeping shop on Nintendo Switch. Also, our review of W A V E S  of  D E A...

Colette & Matt are off this week due to scheduling conflicts, but we still hope you'll take part in our GRAND EXPERIMENT called Steam Roulette. Last week we picked a random-ass Steam game and we're forcing ourselves to play it. We hope you'll give it a shot! See you next week with the results. Join us in the Discord: https://discord.com/invite/5xz84B9RRJ Get the Waves of Death free demo here: http...

Printers. You can't live with them, you can't throw them in a lake. Or can you? Colette stopped playing video games all week because she's watching some sort of anime from the '80s. But we still have PLENTY to talk about, including the maiden voyage of a new segment possibly titled: Steam Roulette! We'll spin the wheel and choose a RANDOM game from the entire Steam catalog. As long as the game isn...

Grinding gets a bad rap, but when the carrot is juicy enough, the grind is worth the squeeze. This week we discuss what makes a Roguelike (or Roguelite ) game stick. It's often a combination of mechanics, feel, forward momentum, story, and aesthetics. When all of these hit the mark, even non- Rogue players can find their groove. Also, the relaxing feeling of pure, unbridled killing. Colette is sti...

When is it worth replaying old favorites when there's an infinite amount of new games to play? What if tomorrow, all new games stopped coming out forever and we could only play things that came before? These philosophical quandaries and MORE await you in this week's Chat. Also, why forward momentum is so important in Roguelikes, and the spiritual mindfulness of great Tetris . Colette's playing: Re...

This week we welcome Lisa Blakie, narrative designer for Colette's new favorite game, Old Friends Dog Game , a pet sim where you run a shelter for elderly dogs that also exists in the real world. Lisa shares the fascinating story of the shelter's rise to prominence online, and the origin of the beloved game. She also explains the ethos of Runaway Games, a small New Zealand studio making mobile exp...

We can't believe this is Episode 20! Those two decades flew by. How about Steam, eh? It gives us unlimited access to thousands of PC games that will sit in our library and never get played. Is there a better way to keep track of the dreaded "Steam Backlog?" This week we discuss the Steam ecosystem, what we (mostly) love about it, the longevity of PC gaming, and the paralysis of choice when it come...

Today we learned the valuable lesson that no matter how fond you are of a classic game, you can't  pass your own nostalgia to your kids. Destructoid/RetroforceGO alum Alex Q. Ryan joins us this week, and after a lot of screaming and virtual hugs, he explains what he does these days as the Senior PR Manager at Koch Media, working on franchises likes Saints Row , Metro, Dead Island , and the upcomin...

Are CRT filters a silly gimmick, or the way God intended retro games to be played? A great listener email kicks off a discussion about how art and media are viewed through the lens of time. Also, that feeling when you find a new game that really speaks to you, and you can't wait to play it. Colette's playing: Layers of Fear 2   Matt's playing: Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age Email us with what y...

This week we're joined by Colette's old friend from Destructoid , Aaron Linde. These days, Aaron is a writer and narrative designer for AAA video games, including Gears of War , Battleborn , Destiny 2 , and an upcoming, little-known indie darling called Halo Infinite . We reminisce about ye olden days of digital media, Aaron's leap into the fascinating world of game dev, and the big news on everyo...

Colette is in a forest this week, so  we're looking ahead to some cool guests and exciting things in the weeks to come. In the meantime, please send in what you're currently playing. We'd love to Chat™ about it next week! haveenteredthechat@gmail.com Join our Discord community:  https://discord.gg/5xz84B9RRJ   Subscribe to the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ColetteAndMatt Emai...

The Nintendo Switch OLED Model is here, and we're not sure the point of it? We discuss  why the negative reaction in the gaming community will probably have zero effect on sales, and possible future iterations of the Switch hardware line. Also, does playing and watching a lot of horror make you more resistant to being scared? And why some games are great to watch on stream, but not necessarily to...

We enjoy playing simulations, but what about the ultimate simulation: Life? We have burning questions for The Maker, and are thrilled to be in the presence of God to ask Him about the most important topic, video games. God shares His favorite games and what He's played recently, including Red Dead Redemption , Civilization , and why kids yell at him while playing Rocket League . We also unravel th...

This week we continue our quest to find out what lives in the Venn diagram where a "Colette Game" and a "Matt Game" overlap. The answer might be Sable, an upcoming nomadic desert hoverbike adventure. Also, why doesn't Nintendo make any live service games? And if they did, what franchises make the most sense?  Speaking of online games, Animal Crossing: New Horizons vs. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp...

E3 2021 has come and gone, and there are TOO MANY GAMES to keep track of. But there are a few that have our full attention. This week we're joined by WIRED Games editor and esports journalist Saira Mueller, who tells us about the time she wished for a SNES and got a lame-ass Playstation  instead. Saira shares what she's currently playing, and the games she's looking forward to. Also, why don't the...

E3 and Summer Game Fest 2021 is upon us, and the trailers are flying in faster than we can keep up. We asked you what new titles, sequels, DLCs, and tech you're most hyped about for 2021 and beyond. We share our excitement for the near and far-flung future of games. Email us with what you're playing and we'll read it on the show! HaveEnteredTheChat@gmail.com Follow and subscribe to Colette: https:...

You're on a deserted island for the rest of your natural life, but you have a magical device and Internet connection that lets you play only 3 video games. You can get all the updates, DLC, mods, and multiplayer you want, and you can communicate with other players outside of the game ... but you can never play anything else. What do you bring? Also, there's a fish with teeth on the Battle Net inst...

Norman Caruso, aka The Gaming Historian, has been meticulously documenting the history of video games (and their weird peripherals!) on YouTube since 2008. It took him 7 years before this passion project became a full-time job. More than 90 million views later, his channel is among the most rigorous and well-respected in the world of games journalism. Norman has covered topics as ubiquitous a Tetr...

What draws people into MMOs and live service games? And if one game keeps evolving and adding content, maybe we don't need to play as many new games? We discuss your love of Destiny 2 and Final Fantasy XIV, why Matt played 500 hours of Warframe (and then had to stop), and why Colette doesn't like to play online (except in Diablo 2). Also, is Destiny just Space Diablo in 3D? Also, the classic days...

Games are such a young medium. Also, a rapidly evolving one.  So it's not surprising when we return to a game we played years ago (especially in our youth) to find the life-changing experience we remember is actually kind of ... meh? This week, we discuss the subjectivity of games as an art form on a continuum of culture, technology, and personal growth. Sometimes games are still great in their hi...