Colette & Matt Have Entered the Chat

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is in the wild, and we've played a few hours of it. We share what makes it charming, innovative and dare we say...FUN? Also, somehow we end up talking about Howie Mandel for like 20 minutes. 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 Colett...

How much Halloween decorating is TOO much? The answer: It's never enough! This week, Unity's CEO gets the boot, Activision/Blizzard games are (probably) enroute to Game Pass, "Guitar Hero" might be coming back(?), and the director of "Tears of the Kingdom" explains why the game's lore makes literally no sense. Also, we take a peek at some Steam Next Fest Demos, share an extremely short but emotion...

Epic lays off 830 people and Jim Ryan is out at PlayStation, but in not-crappy news: Indie games are great! This week, we crank up the hype meter even further for "Stardew" 1.6, ponder why anyone would buy a PS5 in 2023, and go further in depth on "Dotage," an apocalyptic village management sim that combines the best parts of "Rimworld" and "Civilization" without skimping on depth or meta progress...

The Meta Quest 3 VR headset has been revealed, boasting higher resolutions and more horsepower, but coincidentally (?) Valve has pushed SteamVR 2.0 into beta, which unifies PC, Steam Deck, and VR interfaces across its ecosystem. Does this hint at the long-rumored wireless Steam headset incoming? And if so, should Valve compete with Meta for mainstream users, or should it stick to the core gaming a...

Leaked emails from the FTC investigation of Microsoft reveal some interesting plans for Xbox consoles, controllers, remastered games, the cost of making GamePass happen, and the possibility of acquiring...Nintendo? We put it all into context. PLUS: Unity gets its comeuppance thanks to the solidarity of game devs, our trepidation around the end of "Sea of Stars," and the newest location-based game...

Nintendo's September Direct sure was dull...until it TOTALLY wasn't! We run down the list of instant-buys, maybes, and passes from the recent show. Plus, early impressions of "F-Zero 99" and the things that set "Fae Farm" apart in a world of endless farming sims. Email us with what you're playing and we'll read it on the show!  HaveEnteredTheChat@gmail.com Join our Discord community:  https://disc...

Happy "Starfield" release week! We discuss all the reasons we probably won't play it, but it sure looks great for what it is! In the meantime, we are OBSESSED with "Usagi Shima," a solo-dev mobile game about running a tiny resort for adorable watercolor bunnies. We chat about what makes the "Neko Aastume-like" so special, and the passage of time in games. Plus, belated reactions to the "Super Mari...

We both share our early (and glowing) impressions of Sabotage Studio's stylish sophomore selection, "Sea of Stars!" (That's a lot of S's). We discuss the outstanding sprite work, music, prologue tutorial, why the demo did this game a disservice, and the mechanical depth that far exceeds its 16-bit inspirations. Plus, walkable cities IRL, why Colette needs to return to TotK (someday), and an unexpe...

The voice of Mario is changing after 30+ years, and legendary RPG studio BioWare gave its veteran writers the boot. Fortunately, there's a new "No Man's Sky" update, and "Vampire Survivors" has co-op now! 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://...

Video game miniature artist and reluctant social media influencer Sky Burkson returns to share progress on his EPIC "Monster Hunter: World" papercraft set piece, and discuss how freecam boundary breaking is key to peering around video game corners players can't see. Also, we learn that capitalism is probably real bad! While Colette is packing up for a move, Matt and Sky discuss LEGO penises, the m...

Netflix, the video store that mails you DVDs, just released an iOS app that turns your phone into a video game controller! How will this work? Where are the games? And most importantly, what KINDS of games will stream to your TV? This week, we continue our discussion of Netflix's ongoing foray into games, and why their shrewd mobile strategy proves they're not constrained to their own platform. Pl...

Happy "Baldur's Gate 3" release day to all who celebrate! We look back at this venerated franchise and why we're hesitant to sink into the latest 1.0, despite its rave reviews from fans and critics. Plus, credible journalism hints at new Nintendo hardware coming in 2024. While the form factor will be similar to the Switch (duh), the biggest question remains: Will it be backwards compatible? We dis...

Hey kids, don't follow your dreams. At least that's how we elderly gamers relate to our passions. This week we discuss what happens when you see the flaws in your favorite artform, and whether or not it matters to you. Plus, many Diablo players are not happy with Season 1 nerfs, and some crafty WoW players put one over on an AI news bot. Plus, why "Gravity Circuit" is a fantastic "Meg Man" success...

Viewfinder is a surprise treat on Steam, but is it worth $25? Plus, Season 1 of Diablo IV kicks off with fresh characters and new lore to explore. Also: Microsoft has overcome most of the regulatory scrutiny in its acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. But are governments asking the right questions when it comes to monopolistic control of the gaming market? Email us with what you're playing and we'l...

Before MySpace existed, there was already a thriving social network. But this one was fully in 3D. And you could fly! Second Life turns 20 years old this summer, and it remains a vibrant ecosystem of players, creators, and a reminder of how a real "metaverse" should be built. Author and reporter Wagner James Au joins us to reflect on the enormous impact Second Life has had on games, and what we ca...

We're BACK with hot takes on FF16's epic combat and storyline, a factory game for people who hate factories, rolling credits on Diablo IV , and many pew-pew spaceship sounds! PLUS, what our beloved community is playing in the wake of a TotK -filled month. Colette's playing: Final Fantasy XVI and Diablo IV Matt's playing: Nova Lands and EVERSPACE 2 Email us with what you're playing and we'll read i...

We're excited to talk about FF16 and more, but we're skipping this week's pod due to LIFE. In the meantime, Matt checks in to see how things are going. Join our Discord community:  https://discord.gg/5xz84B9RRJ   Subscribe to the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ColetteAndMatt Email us with what you're playing and we'll read it on the show!  HaveEnteredTheChat@gmail.com &nb...

Join us as we lose our minds over all the games announced at Nintendo's June Direct, including Super Mario's exciting new experiments with LSD! Also, Pick-Men, Mario RPG is back, and the insanity of 4-player co-op Vampire Survivors. 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 su...

GAMES! They are coming out! We've plucked the most interesting titles from Summer Games Fest, the Xbox Showcase, Wholesome Direct, and Devolver Direct. What are you most looking forward to? Get at us below with your picks: 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...

We are floored and confused by the reveal of Apple's long-rumored augmented reality headset. If you like opening and closing 100-foot Safari tabs in your livingroom, then this puppy will only set you back $3,500. If you're waiting for something more, this ep is for you. We discuss the exciting potential of granular eye tracking, gesture control, and why the VR/AR market continues to be fractured b...

Sony's Playstation Showcase revealed some exciting new IP and franchise faves from a variety of studios. Which ones caught our eyes and ears? And what's up with this new Playstation handheld? Plus, is TotK ruining all other video games for us? And an exciting new endeavor in Colette's household! A Guide to Royal Thai Cuisine: https://guide.michelin.com/th/en/article/features/a-guide-to-royal-thai-...

Our obsession with Tears of the Kingdom continues as we discuss what makes it so engaging, and how it masterfully avoids the pitfalls of "aimless" open world game design. We also address some of the criticism around its re-hashing of BoTW, and why that ultimately works in its favor in strange ways. Also, what's the best way to watch (and understand?) Evangelion ?  [This episode contains NO SPOILER...

Colette is BACK, and her jaw remains on the floor after diving into Tears of the Kingdom . She shares her first impressions and we get serious about what makes the latest Zelda game so great. Plus, Steam's new "try it before you buy it" feature and the promising future of Large Language Models (like ChatGPT) in video games. Email us with what you're playing and we'll read it on the show!  HaveEnte...

[SPOILER-FREE DISCUSSION UNTIL 50:10] The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has finally arrived, and we've been playing since it dropped last night. Colette is on assignment, so fellow Zelda fanatic Jaime Carrillo joins Matt to discuss the first 3-4 hours of what may go down in history as one of the greatest video games ever made. Jaime has loved Zelda since he was a (literal) fetus, and share...

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is ONE WEEK AWAY. Is your body ready? What are you doing, playing, or not playing to clear your mind and calendar for May 12? Matt flies solo for this one to discuss your pre-TotK plans while Colette is on vacation. Matt's playing: Grounded Email us with what you're playing and we'll read it on the show!  HaveEnteredTheChat@gmail.com Join our Discord commu...