Games of Note

Games of Note: #5 - X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994) Surprise! we're not dead (yet)! In this episode we discuss X‑Men: Children of the Atom, Capcom 1v1 fighter, driven largely by artist Katsuya Akitomo, and Marvel’s desire to expand its footprint in the early ’90s. Developed by key members of the Street Fighter II team on the CPS‑2 arcade board, the game embraced mutant abilities with super...

In our first ever 'Side Note', we discuss a number of video games that were directly affected by 9/11 and the Iraq War, titles that were delayed, altered, or cancelled in response to the events. Show Notes Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 - VATSIM group statement condemning people from recreating 9/11 within the games: Link Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 - Animation of the character attempting to p...

Games of Note: #4 - Dear Esther (2012) In this episode, we dive into Dear Esther, the pioneering 2008 Half-Life 2 mod turned 2012 standalone title, often hailed as the first “walking simulator.” Forgoing combat, puzzles, and win-loss mechanics, it invites players on a solitary, poetic stroll across a mist-shrouded Hebridean island, exploring themes of loss and bereavement. We discuss its roots in...

We discuss how FarmVille became one of the most iconic and widely played social games of all time, introducing timer-based mechanics, shared worlds, and cooperative play to the masses. Reaching 300 million total players and over $1 billion in revenue, it peaked at 35 million daily users in March 2010, marking the rise of “appointment gaming” and drawing in a casual audience far beyond the traditio...

Games of Note: #2 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Released on March 20, 1997, initially for the PlayStation and later for the Sega Saturn, this game, despite only selling 700,000 copies in the US and Japan, became a sleeper hit and cult classic, often topping “greatest games of all time” lists thanks to its clever design solutions and its role as the blueprint for future Castlevania titles (I...

In our first episode, Will and Wayne dive into Shenmue — Yu Suzuki's overly ambitious Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment RPG, released for the SEGA Dreamcast in 1999 (Japan). Shenmue was a groundbreaking title that redefined RPGs and adventure games with innovative mechanics like a dynamic day-night cycle and fully scheduled NPCs. However, its unprecedented production budget brought sky-high exp...

Welcome to the Games of Note podcast! This is just an introductory episode where we briefly discuss the purpose of the podcast, our backgrounds and what games/genres we dig (and a few we don't). Games of Note is a video game podcast hosted by game designer Will Luton & biz dev consultant Wayne Emanuel, where we discuss not if a game is good or bad, but the impact it had on the culture and busi...