Mortified! The Friendship Quest

This week, we played Motvind Studios' 2021 point-and-click narrative mystery, "How We Know We're Alive!" We discuss making use of limited mechanics, the trope of sad indie games, and doing our level best to see others as three-dimensional people. Links: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2216040/HOW_WE_KNOW_WERE_ALIVE/ https://www.tumblr.com/heart-forge https://un-navigatable-game.neocities.org/In...

This week, Aaron and Leyla confront father hood fears of yesteryear in Shrek the Third! Join us for a weirdly timely Justin Timberlake mention, the pre-dadification, and the hosts lamenting the hot dragon going unsatisfied. --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco, from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs- https://aaronsxl.itch.io/ Aaron's TTRPG Rev...

In this impromptu, ill-advised episode, we suffer for gamers everywhere by drinking a MTN Dew flight and talking about the Summer Game Fest! Aaron sweats like Jesus in Gethsemane, Leyla brews up a brie Dew-duction, and we chat about the exciting possibilities teased in some upcoming games. Links: SW Outlaws Gameplay Assassin's Creed Shadows Outersloth Initiative Building Relationships Avowed Laria...

This week, Aaron and Leyla continue their traversal through the Shrek-iverse in Shrek 2! Join us for a discussion of deadbeat donkeys, needing more Fiona, and Fairy Godmother being one of the villains of all time. --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco, from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs- https://aaronsxl.itch.io/ Aaron's TTRPG Reviews- http...

This week, Aaron and Leyla crawl through a buggy double-feature of Antz and a Bug's Life! Join us for an unexpectedly good villain monologue, an offensively bad main character, and a reaffirming of this podcast's core ethos.  --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco, from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs- https://aaronsxl.itch.io/ Aaron's TTRPG R...

This episode, Leyla and Aaron discuss the class 2001 animated comedy, Shrek! We trace the lineage of 2010's meta-humor, find out what conservatives think indoctrination is, and Leyla finally gets to call out Aaron's "preferences." --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco, from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs- https://aaronsxl.itch.io/ Aaron's TT...

This episode, Aaron and Leyla check out the indie horror game "Iron Lung!" We discuss how playing together revealed our "proclivities," ways to incentivize exploration, and the benefits of limited scope. The Atlantic article on the OceanGate sub- https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/06/missing-titanic-submarine-safety-catastrophe/674491/ IGN Article- https://www.ign.com/articles/dev-of...

This week, Aaron and Leyla celebrate Easter and a bit of Tumblr history with a double feature of The Lorax and Rise of the Guardians. Join us for a movie in which very little happens, some mythological semantics, and Aaron shaming Leyla for their taste in men (again). --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco, from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs...

CW for self harm This episode, we finish off the Radiant Emperor duology with Shelly Parker Chan's "He Who Drowned the World!" We talked about Normal Bro Stuff, a bunch of complicated gender feelings, and what an evil shonen protagonist looks like.  Interview with Shelly Parker Chan --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco, from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects:...

This week, Aaron and Leyla celebrate March Madness by revisiting an anime that's been haunting them since the sports sampler episode, Kuroko no Basket. Join us for discussions of phantom boys, horoscopes, and endless comparisons to Haikyu. --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs Aaron's TTRPG Reviews aavoi...

This week, we round out our month of romance with 1990's "Pretty Woman" and 2003's "Something's Gotta Give!" We discuss our undying love for Julia Roberts, the differences between love scenes and character arcs, and the wildest reason you could have a pair of scissors in your nightstand.  also if you listen through the whole episode you do get to hear the funniest joke Aaron's ever made that will...

This week, Aaron and Leyla knock themselves out with the supernatural Bollywood romcom, Phillauri (2017)! Join us for a quintessential Mortified jaunt through a movie we objectively liked but wanted to be better, and know that we definitely forgot to mention a possible ghost pregnancy. --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other proje...

Mortified is back for its 5th season! Aaron and Leyla cluck around with Chicken Run 2 and Chicken Police, as we discuss poultry justice, using mental health as a narrative device, and the horniest minigame in the medium.  "Fallen Petals" by David Renda is used in this podcast. You can find it and other royalty free music at fesliyanstudios.com.  --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from th...

HELLO! Mortified! the Friendship Quest is BACK in 2024 on a biweekly schedule. Please enjoy this conversation we recorded a couple of months ago, just before our hiatus, and please look forward to hearing us again two weeks from now when we talk about some cluckin' escapades ... (that's it that's your hint) --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volu...

It's clip show time! Please enjoy the best of Mortified over the last 50 episodes! I think it's a great smorgasbord of silly bits, personal anecdotes, and genuinely good media criticism. Can't wait for the next 50! Notably I did not include the Way of Water episode because that cannot be removed from its original context, if you want to see how the Avatar watch saga concludes, just listen to Ep 12...

We hit 150 episodes! In this extra-long, extra-unhinged episode, Aaron and Leyla discuss the divine right of princesses, the thematic core of the Barbie franchise, and colonoscopy via unicorn.  --- Twitter: @MortifiedPod Hosts' Blueskies: https://bsky.app/profile/aavoigt.bsky.social / https://bsky.app/profile/leylses.bsky.social Hosts' Tumblrs: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/monsterfactoryfanfic / ht...

This week, Aaron and Leyla investigate the origins of Ferelden in "Dragon Age: Origins!" We chat about mage tower tax burdens, Duncan the Slimeball, and King Cailan's study abroad. --- Twitter: @MortifiedPod Hosts' Blueskies: https://bsky.app/profile/aavoigt.bsky.social / https://bsky.app/profile/leylses.bsky.social Hosts' Tumblrs: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/monsterfactoryfanfic / https://www.tum...

This week, we venture into Noman's Land with "Trigun Stampede!" We discuss how Vash is babygirl, struggle with dropped payoffs, and make our definitive creator statements on brother mpreg. --- Twitter: @MortifiedPod Hosts' Twitters: @aaronsxl / @leylses Hotline: ‪(775) 573-8882 Sign up for our monthly newsletter , which has additional takes and our personal recs. Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Ke...

This week, Aaron and Leyla fake their best American accents for Die Hard! Join us as we talk about Alan Rickman's accent work, surprising emotional maturity in our leading man, and somehow find a way to blame Reagan and Newt Gingrich again. --- Twitter: @MortifiedPod Hosts' Twitters: @aaronsxl / @leylses Hotline: ‪(775) 573-8882 Sign up for our monthly newsletter , which has additional takes and o...

This week, Aaron and Leyla object to their own prosecution with the first three cases in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney! Join us for transforming 17-year-olds, Mafia-backed steak lunches, and the Elle Woods-ification of Phoenix Wright. AA Case 2 Illustration: https://aceattorney.fandom.com/wiki/Turnabout_Sisters?file=Maya_and_Phoenix.png --- Twitter: @MortifiedPod Hosts' Twitters: @aaronsxl / @leyls...

This week, Aaron and Leyla find the line and fly in Fast X! Join us as we discuss Michelle Rodriguez getting hotter by the year, Jason Momoa's gender stealing the show, and the orbification of the Fast franchise. --- Twitter: @MortifiedPod Hosts' Twitters: @aaronsxl / @leylses Hotline: ‪(775) 573-8882 Sign up for our monthly newsletter , which has additional takes and our personal recs. Our theme...

This week, Aaron and Leyla finish up their LOTR trilogy run with Return of the King! Join us as we discuss little guys good and bad, resist comparing bad bitches, and forget what a garter is called. If you have suggestions for our next Series Series, shoot an e-mail to mortifiedpod@gmail.com! --- Twitter: @MortifiedPod Hosts' Twitters: @aaronsxl / @leylses Hotline: ‪(775) 573-8882 Sign up for our...

This week, Aaron and Leyla reflect on wild youth with Yeh Jawaani Hai Dewaani! Join us as we learn about what a blowout is, establish a lapdog wife guy support group, and remind ourselves that taking off your glasses really is the key to being sexy. Balam Pichkari Full Song Video Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani | PRITAM | Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone - https://youtu.be/0WtRNGubWGA Badtameez Dil Full So...

This week, Aaron and Leyla take a day-long immortality pill to talk about Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor! Join us for the normalization of anime merch, some pretty direct Yu-Gi-Oh comparisons (including this episode title, if ya nasty), and a sidebar about William Henry Harrison. --- Twitter: @MortifiedPod Hosts' Twitters: @aaronsxl / @leylses Hotline: ‪(775) 573-8882 Sign up for our monthly...

This week, join Aaron and Leyla as they get blasted one thousand years into the future and then about 20 into the past again with Final Fantasy X and X-2! I don't have anything quippy to say here. We just really love this game and it changed us fundamentally as people and creatives.  Final Fantasy X | HD - Yuna sending Souls HD Scene - https://youtu.be/WgVnds4gW3s Final Fantasy X HD Remaster - Sey...