The Retrograde: A Video Game Podcast

This week we stick with the Marvel theme as we explore the smash from the past The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction on the PS2! Before The Avengers videogame, was this entry into the Hulkiverse already the game we needed? Or does age turn this one into an abomination? We also praise Lovecraft Country, Mikey educates Andrew on the rules surrounding ghosts, and we debate the best superpowers a...

This week we return to the franchise that inspired this very podcast with a deep dive into Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2! Is this remake the love letter this franchise has always deserved? Or would we just rather pick up the original? Andrew and Mikey have already gone on record ranking the Tony Hawk franchise as one of their favourites. If you feel the same, find out if this modern take on an old cl...

On this BONUS episode we assemble around Marvel's Avengers The Game on the PS4! It's a gameplay heavy romp through the world patrolled by S.H.I.E.L.D. we cross our fingers and hope for the game we've always dreamed of. Will this ambitious take on the superhero story give us the same giddy feeling as the movies of the MCU, or should this be left in the bargain bin beside Thor 2 and Age of Ultron?

This week we're hopping on the hype train with a look back at Def Jam: Fight for New York! With rumours of a remake swirling, we wanted to jump into the ring to test whether or not this iconic fighting game is still a blast to play today. But why stop at hip hop stars? We decided to draft our own crews using the cast of The Office in Fight For Scranton, give our thoughts on Mortal Shell, and break...

In the last week of #AugustWeGottaDoAMonthAboutSportsGames we snap back to the past with a look at the legendary football game Tecmo Bowl on the NES! Just in time for the release of Madden 21, we find out if the true king of videogame football is still worthy of its title. Does this game, just like Bo Jackson himself, blaze by the competition? Also, Andrew's favourite movie of 2020 is Boys State,...

This week we take to the links with a look back at Golf on the NES! Just in time for the release of PGA Tour 2K21, is this 1984 attempt at golf simulation still playable today, or does it fail to hole out? Also, Andrew gets his inner "Hitman" on, Mikey falls in love with someone who has face blindness, and we discuss classic board games. Plus, can Mikey finally convince Andrew he's a real human be...

It's a BONUS 'Let's Play' episode featuring everyone's new obsession: Fall Guys! From our uninitiated mouths to your ears--join us as we dive into Mediatonic's latest sensation with absolutely no experience. Is this game good enough to grab the crown, or does it not make the cut? This episode is fairly gameplay-heavy, but we also find some time to ramble on about Disco Elysium, the Uncanny Valley...

This week, IT'S TIME to look back at gaming's first major entry into the UFC with 2000's Ultimate Fighting Championship on the Dreamcast! It's our second entry into #AugustWeGottaDoAMonthAboutSportsGames! Is this game still a knock-out, or is it more of a split decision? We also talk about our pleasant surprise of Perry Mason, Love on the Spectrum, the strategic use of a Nintendo Switch during bat...

Just in time for the #NHLPlayoffs we lace up the skates for a look back at Blades Of Steel on the NES! Is this game already "era-adjusted" or does it need some time in the sin bin? We also talk about the appeal of open world games, HBO's Perry Mason, and our continuing thoughts on Ghost of Tsushima Plus, the one and only Bad Boy Mikey stops by to put us in our place.

This week we're visited by a game from outer space with the original Destroy All Humans! It's just in time for the remake, but was the original good enough to be probed on its own, or will our memories of this game completely destroyed? We also find time to talk about the issue of Metacritic scores as it relates to The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima, and remind ourselves how much we love...

On this highly anticipated bonus episode, we finally release our pent up energy and spend the afternoon talking about our thoughts on The Last of Us Part II! It's an incredibly spoiler-heavy episode, so make sure you've played through The Last of Us 2, or at are at least comfortable with having the plot ruined for you. We break down our opinions everything from the gameplay mechanics, to the story...

This week we get SCHOOLED as we boot up the game that taught us to read: Midnight Rescue! Will we forgive The Learning Company for tricking us into learning, or does this game just turn pedantic in the modern day? We also tease more thoughts on The Last of Us 2, question the plot of The Old Guard, Mikey starts Ghost of Tsushima, and we figure out why Andrew has finally decided NOT to buy the new M...

This week we take to the muddy battlefield as we run some weapons tests on arguable the most iconic Turn Based Artillery Game of all time: Worms! Can this platoon still hold its own in the modern gaming landscape, or are these tiny soldiers now out of sight, and out of mind? We also get excited over the Studio Ghibli releases on Netflix, gush over Andrew Patterson's The Vast of Night, discover the...

This week we strap on our helmets and pick up our foam batons as we revisit the notorious bomb American Gladiators! Can this 1991 button masher run the gauntlet, or is it only about as long-lived as an actual Gladiator's career? We also give some early impressions on The Last of Us 2 (no spoilers yet!), question which flavour of Doritos we would be, and we finally give the D-Pads what they've been...

This week we finally get around to cutting down Satan and rebuilding our faith as we revisit the incredibly ambitions Actraiser on the SNES! Does its religious undertones and asymmetric gameplay still deserve praise, or should this game remain in purgatory? We also get excited over The Last of Us 2, question Andrew's sanity after binging Star Trek: The Next Generation, and would you believe us if...

This week we follow the path from our past to revisit the grandfather of the Real Time Strategy Game: Lemmings! Along the way we discuss the recent Playstation 5 announcements, our thoughts on The Last of Us 2, and Andrew's unwavering commitment to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Also, is Mikey the true mascot for Coldplay?

This week we set off into the desert in search of the perfect game. Will they find it in 2012's Journey? It's a game that dropped jaws back when it was released, but has the popularity of walking simulators diluted this game's once-unmatched atmosphere? Before starting our adventure, we gush over What We Do in the Shadows, debate the quality of Undertaker's The Last Ride, talk about the importance...

This week we bro out HARD with a look back at the retro inspired love letter to 80's action movies: Broforce! It's not exactly a retro game, but it borrows from some of the best side-scrollers we've played on this show, so we dusted it off to see how it compares. Also, Mikey's finally allowed to talk about Dark Souls again, and he doesn't skimp on his chance to do so. Finally, what do God and Huma...

This week we enlist in the arcade battlefield of the SNK legend Metal Slug! Is this 2D shooter still military-grade, or over time did it get lost in the fog of war? But before that, we make some time to talk about the perils of naming your in-game pets after real life animals. Also, have you ever noticed how similar POKEMON is to DIGIMON? It's UNCANNY, and we're here to expose the truth!

We've got a special b-b-b-bonus-s-s-s episode where we're paying homage to an article which paid homage to one of our favourite podcasts of all time! How exciting is that!? Comedy Bang Bang has given us countless hours of entertainment, and Vulture writers Sean Malin and Rebecca Alter gave us the perfect excuse to talk "inside-baseball" using their countdown of the top 103 characters from the last...

In honour of the 20th anniversary of one of the most iconic First Person Shooters to grace the N64, we take a look at its relatively forgotten sequel Perfect Dark: Zero! Find out if this Xbox 360 launch title is worthy of Joanna Dark's notorious presence, or if it coasted along on name alone. We also find time to question the true lore of the Power Rangers, and let's face it: we wouldn't be much o...

This week there's no retro game in site! Instead, we test out a party game currently on Xbox Game Pass in hopes to make everyone's social distancing become a bit more enjoyable: it's Jackbox! We're joined by Andrew's Player 2 as we boot up Party Pack 3 remotely to truly put it to the quaran-test. This episode is a full length "let's play," but we also manage to come to terms with Mikey's official...

This week we return to the realm of the arcade brawler with a look back at Final Fight on the SNES! Last week Streets of Rage had us curious about whether these old school beat-em-ups were worth of their praise, so we decided to double down! Find out if this romp through Metro City is worth dropping another quarter for, or if this is the final time we want to play it. We also debate whether Taika...

This week we get angsty with a look back at one of the grandfathers of the beat-em-up: it's Streets of Rage! We put the entire franchise under review in this episode as we rate our experience with the first 3 game, and see how they hold up next to the newly released Streets of Rage 4! Does this entry over 25 years in the making return the franchise to its former glory, or it just a new coat of pai...

We're back with our sixth quarantine bonus episode where we each take SURPRISINGLY in depth tests to tell us which pop culture characters we're most like! Buzz feed need not apply--this one was made by a real life psychologist (or something)! Which familiar loveless aliens are Mikey most like? Which devil-may-care wrecking balls are Andrew closest to? Make sure to take the test and have some fun w...