Utterly Unqualified Gaming

This week the ladies are talking from Spain about Pentiment, a very interesting 2022 game from Obsidian. This RPG is a narrative game that follows Andreas, a journeyman Illuminator in takes medieval Bavaria as he works to uncover the mysteries of the town of Tassing. There is murder, intrigue and a lot of despair. We discuss medieval pastoral life, academic footnotes, being a “man about” Bavaria,...

Here are our picks for our favorite games of 2022, and some of the games that we are looking forward to in 2023! We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening! Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 02:00 Our top games of 2022! 25:40 Most Anticipated Games of 2023 From the show: Rachel’s Top 5: 1. God of War Ragnarök 2....

In this episode, the girls chat about God of War, the 2018 game that continues the popular series that follow Kratos as he embarks on a Norse adventure. This games from Sony Santa Monica recently came to PC, so Emma was finally able to partake in this epic, though very personal, story. We discuss confounding expectations, father-son dynamics, awkwardly smooth transitions, child companions, self lo...

For our minisode this week we are doing our fantasy casting of KOTOR (Knights of the Old Republic). We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening! Obviously, spoilers for KOTOR included in this episode. Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 00:41 KOTOR Casting 34:50 What we’re playing next – God of War (2018) From the s...

This week the ladies are continuing their play through of the Resident Evil series, and talking about the 2020 remake of Resident Evil 3. This game picks up after the events of Resident Evil (One) in Racoon City, and you play as Jill Valentine. We discuss ongoing pursuit from killer monsters, reused art assets, tension issues, mop heads, classic bad guy monetary motives and lack of gothic creepine...

The week the ladies chat about Stray, a 2022 adventure game featuring a feline protagonist. This debut game from BlueTwelve Studio allows you to play as a kitty that is a exploring a future world free of humans, and full of (mostly) friendly robots. We discuss the post-cyberpunk world, mild mannered and crunchy robots, lofi beats, sewer eyeballs, cat mechanics and little bot buddies. Time Stamps:...

This week the ladies talk about Jade Empire, which is a 2005 game from Bioware. In this action-RPG you play as the last spirit monk, working to fight the corrupt forces around you. We discuss tiger claws, investing way too much time making up a fake language, catty girls, subpar romances, absent character customization, and not-so-subtle sexism. Time Stamps: 00:13 Introductions 04:35 Main Topic –...

This week the ladies talk about Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening, the 2010 DLC to Dragon Age: Origins from Bioware. In this game you can reprise your role as a grey warden protagonist picking up where Origins left off, or develop a new character, as you help to root out dark spawn and embark on a new adventure.  We discuss quick development cycles, diet Alistair, sexy dwarves, eloquent dark spawn,...

This week the ladies chat about Life is Strange: True Colors, which is a follow up game to Life is Strange, and is an entirely new story set in the same universe. This 2021 game is a story driven, walking simulator that follows Alex as she starts a new life in Haven Springs, Colorado. Alex has special empathic powers that allow her to experience what other characters are feeling and thinking. We d...

This minisode is our take on casting for a Dragon Age Origins movie. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening! Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 05:38 Dragon Age Origins Casting 30:44 What we’re playing next – Life is Strange: True Colors From the show: Dragon Age: Redemption was the web series with Felicia Day...

Our episode this week is all about The Forest, a game officially released in 2018 from Endnight Games. This is a survival horror game, where you play as a plane crash survivor on a forested peninsula (shocker), on a mission to find your son. We talk about the beginning of Lost, building bases, pescatarian lizards, getting lost in caves to the point where you almost rage quit the game, jet packs, a...

This minisode is all about a bunch of PlayStation titles that Rachel has been playing. These games were all played on PS5, but some of them are also available on PC (noted below). Games featured include Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Spiderman: Miles Morales, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and Deathloop. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’...

This week the ladies talk about Cyberpunk 2077, the 2020 game from CD Projekt RED. In this open world RPG, you play as “V”, a mercenary who gets entangled with a relic from the past, Johnny Silverhand. We talk about persistent T-posing, constant photo mode, missing Roach, wishing you could silence your phone, OP katanas, being Keanu’s BFF, and romance woes. Time Stamps: 00:10 Introductions 05:25 M...

Our minisode this week is all about our favorite games that we played in 2021 (listed also in the show notes below). Thanks for listening! Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 03:58: Honorable Mentions 12:25: Favorite Games of 2021 34:48 Ending and What we’re playing next – Cyberpunk 2077 From the show: Emma’s favorites: 1.) Dragon Age: Inquisition 2.) Cyberpunk 2077 Honorable mention: Tropico 4 Rachel...

This week we are discussing Fable, specifically the Anniversary Edition that was released in 2014. This edition of the game was an updated remake/remaster (plus some additional content) of the original 2004 RPG from Lionhead Studios. This game follows the hero of Oakvale, as he grows up and is shaped by the world around him for good or evil. We talk about being a homunculus, tragic backstories, fr...

This week our mini-episode is covering Dragon Age Inquisition: Trespasser, which is an epilogue DLC to the already massive RPG from Bioware. Lots of talk of lore and speculation about where the story goes from here. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening! Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 01:39 Dragon Age Inq...

We are discussing Dragon Age: Inquisition this week, which is another beloved game from Bioware, and boy, we have a lot to say about this one. This RPG from 2014 picks up where Dragon Age 2 left off, as Thedas erupts into conflict after the mage rebellion in Kirkwall. You play as a bystander that is thrust into the center of this conflict when you get a green blob accidently stuck to your hand tha...

This minisode is dedicated to all the games that we (ok, mostly just Rachel) have been playing this summer. Games featured include Ratchet and Clank, A Way Out, It Takes Two, and Scarlet Nexus. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening! Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 07:29 Ratchet and Clank (2016) 14:20 A Way...

This week we are talking about Subnautica: Below Zero, which is the 2021 follow-up game to Subnautica, also from developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Similar to the prior title, this is a first-person survival game, primarily underwater, where you are exploring, building, and crafting. You play as Robin Ayou, who crash lands on an alien planet in an effort to find out more about what happened t...

This week our mini-episode is dedicated to all of our favorite romances. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening! Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 01:40 Honorable Mention 02:17 Top Five Romances 41:35 What we’re playing next – Subnautica Below Zero From the show: You can only romance female characters in Pers...

For our main segment this week, we're talking about the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2, an updated version of the 1998 game of the same name. You play through this survival horror game as college student Claire or rookie cop Leon, as Raccoon City is overrun with disgusting abominations! This week we talk about Rachel’s feelings about toggling the joystick, so much inventory management, map wi...

For our mini-episode this week we designed our own super squad. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). We made a couple ground rules, and pulled some of our favorite videogame companions to make up our own super squads that can take on anything. Thanks for listening! Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 02:38 Super Squad  39:29 What...

This week the ladies talk about Disco Elysium, which was made by ZA/UM and originally released in 2019. The Final Cut version of the game recently came to consoles (so far just Playstation, but Xbox in the future), and now has more voice acting. In this RPG, you play a detective trying to investigate a murder and figure out who you are, all while listening to the many voices in your head. We discu...

In our mini-episode this week we are doing our best to cast Mass Effect, and it was difficult! I think it’s pretty easy to tell that we are out of the cultural zeitgeist, but we had fun, so that’s what matters. This is our second mini-episode, but our longer reviews aren’t going anywhere, and we’ll be back with a look at Disco Elysium soon. Thanks for listening! Time Stamps: 00:14 Introduction 21:...

This week we are talking about the epic, fantasy RPG, Skyrim. This is the fifth entry in the Elder Scrolls series from developer Bethesda and was originally released in 2011. You play as the Dragonborn, and are set free in the vast open world of Skyrim to save everyone from an evil dragon… or just kill some time making armor, join the thieves guild or do anything else you want. We discuss mod fail...