Taking one game per month (old, new and everything in between) and talking though an in-depth examination of narrative, mechanics, theme, and the interplay between the three.
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Pixelated Playgrounds Podcasts
Pixel Recess is creative podcast playground., with a very brief "interviews" with industry leading designers, developers, artists, writers, musicians, bacon and anyone creative, asking questions void of inspiration, education, insight or good taste.
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Step into the pixelated world of Terraria, where imagination meets survival in a 2D sandbox universe teeming with adventure. Each episode explores the game's thrilling features, from epic boss battles to crafting mechanics, intricate biomes, powerful gear, and player-driven creativity. Whether you're a veteran Terrarian or a curious newcomer, Terraria Tales uncovers what makes this indie gem a timeless favorite in the gaming world.
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In this episode Bryan and Josh are diving into UFO 50, the long-awaited indie collaboration from Derek Yu, Jon Perry, Eirik Suhrke, Paul Hubans, Ojiro Fumoto, and Tyriq Plummer collects fifty original games into one sprawling anthology made by a fictional company called UFO Soft between 1982 and 1989. They explore its meta-narrative, collective aut…
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In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh explore the impossible geometry of Monument Valley, the 2014 iOS puzzle classic from ustwo games that transformed the mobile landscape with its serene vibes, minimalist Escher-inspired design, and ingenious visual mechanics. Listen in as the guys dive into the game’s meditative atmosphere, it…
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In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into Cipher Zero, the minimalist logic puzzler developed by Boston-based indie studio Zapdot and released in July 2025. Beginning life as a Ludum Dare entrant, Cipher Zero has evolved into a sprawling collection of nearly 400 handcrafted puzzles, each one teaching players through experim…
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In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into the cozy corner of gaming with two titles redefining what it means to “play” in the background: Rusty’s Retirement, the low-screen-real-estate Stardew that keeps your crops thriving while you multitask, and Spirit City: Lo-Fi Sessions, a beautiful blend of productivity and play that…
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In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds Bryan and Josh explore Metal Garden, a short but atmospheric indie FPS from solo Croatian developer Alexandra Herout aka Tinerasoft. Set in a crumbling megastructure reclaimed by nature, the game blends old-school shooting mechanics with immersive environmental storytelling, subtle lore, and haunting mid-200…
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In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh plunge into the pachinko-powered chaos of Peglin and Ballionaire: Two roguelikes that reimagine physics-based randomness as strategic gameplay. From Peglin’s fantasy-infused, Slay-the-Spire-meets-Peggle mechanics to Ballionaire’s neon-drenched, idle arcade spectacle, they discuss how each tit…
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In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh dive into Umurangi Generation, the vibrant, potent, and subversive photography game from Māori developer Naphtali Faulkner. Set in a near-future Aotearoa (New Zealand) under invasion and authoritarian control, the game asks players not to save the world, but to document its unraveling. Bryan …
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In this episode of Pixelated Playgrounds, Bryan and Josh jack into the neon-drenched, yet utterly dismal world of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red’s ambitious yet turbulent foray into dystopian sci-fi. Based on Mike Pondsmith’s classic tabletop RPG, the game places players in the boots of V, a mercenary struggling to survive in the megacity of Night …
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In this episode Josh and Bryan have a relatively timely (for them) discussion of 2025’s surprise indie hit Blue Prince! Blue Prince puts you in the shoes of Simon P. Jones, a boy who recently willed the Mt. Holly Estate, a mansion owned by his deceased great uncle Herbert S. Sinclair. There’s one catch: Simon must locate a hidden 46th room within t…
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In this podcast Josh and Bryan hit the road! … And the road hits back! While crisscrossing the fictional countryside in YCJY Games’ Keep Driving both of our hosts recorded their fair share of stories and this podcast was the perfect opportunity to share them with each other, and with all of you! Borrowing inspiration from Oregon Trail and injecting…
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Bryan and Josh recently took off the gloves and picked up a katana to play Shogun Showdown, a kinetic turn-based tactics game that has you dispatching waves of enemy warriors through careful positioning and timely deployment of combat skills. Sporting roguelike and deckbuilding elements along with a strong Japanese-inspired pixel art aesthetic, Sho…
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Welcome to Terraria: Your Pixelated Playground Awaits
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In this premiere episode, we dive into what makes Terraria download a uniquely addictive experience. From its limitless building options and dynamic combat system to the thrill of mining deep underground for rare treasures, we break down the core gameplay and why millions of players can’t get enough. Get introduced to the magic of biomes, discover …
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You're on a path in the woods, and at the end of that path is a cabin. And in the basement of that cabin is a Podcast… I mean Princess. In this episode Bryan, Josh, and Clint steel their nerves and descend the staircase to discuss Slay the Princess. Developed by Black Tabby Games and released for PC in 2024, Slay the Princess was developed as a sid…
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Have you ever wanted to play a turn-based city builder that’s inspired by Luck be a Landlord and Islanders? That’s drenched in a stylish cyberpunk aesthetic and boasts intricate tactical depth? One with a dark sense of humor and killer hip-hop inspired soundtrack? Well you’re in luck! Josh’s latest game, Neongarten, is releasing on April 22nd, 2025…
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In this episode Bryan and Josh welcome host of Tales from the Backlog, Dave Jackson, to discuss Persona 4 Golden! Bryan’s played Persona 5, Josh has played Persona 3, so now they’re meeting in the middle and asked Dave to join for a wide ranging discussion that starts with an analysis of the studio’s evolving approach to game design then pivots to …
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In this atypical episode of Pixelated Playgrounds Josh and Bryan talk through a couple of “Game Poems”. A “Game Poem” (as defined by Josh) is “An experimental/artsy/short game or some combination therein. A game that the player can play once, for five or thirty minutes, and experience a distinct sort of message." Two such games are Every Day the Sa…
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Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel Horizon Forbidden West have had an uphill battle to become some of the most successful AAA open world games. The first entry released alongside The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the follow-up came out just ahead of Elden Ring, two games that are not just direct competitors for the Horizon series, but also…
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The indie game space is full of creative and inspiring projects. Projects that spark joy. Projects that make you feel a sense of awe, or joy, or wonder…. and then there are some that are just plain unhinged. In this episode Bryan and Josh discuss two games that are very different, but equally unhinged: Arctic Eggs and CLICKOLDING. Arctic Eggs by th…
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There was probably no greater end of the year gaming surprise in 2024 than the release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Clint’s skepticism about swapping out Harrison Ford for Troy Baker was only matched by Bryan’s confusion about what this game was supposed to be drawing comparisons to Dishonored and Hitman, while being developed by the stud…
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Our very special Monday guest is Ryan Essmaker, the mind behind The Great Disconnect, sorry, The Great Connect Four, sorry, The Great Discontent, a blog about depressed and unhappy creative people. Ryan also works at Crush + Lovely, where he probably makes wine. When Ryan isn't canoeing around the streets of lower Manhattan dressed as a viking, he …
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Happy New Year! This year Bryan, Josh, and Clint tried something a bit different… which every other video game podcast on earth is already doing: We recorded our Games of the Year for 2024! So listen in as the guys discuss the top 5 games they enjoyed in 2024 among others and take a look forward to 2025 and just generally chill out and reminisce on…
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On Today's special live edition of the show I welcome fellow Cincinnatian Chris Glass. When Chris isn't busy making various goods from fire and wine, you might find his beard performing magic or attempting to find the perfectly fitting bathrobe. In his spare time Chris is a high security designineer for The President and the gatekeeper to Aaron D…
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Black Myth Wukong is perhaps the least ‘under the radar’ game to have ever caught Clint and Bryan by surprise. As the breakout single player offering from GameScience, a team of former Tencent employees hailing from China, Wukong is certainly a game that is entering the 3rd person action genre during a moment of particularly stringent demands for b…
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In this episode, Josh and Bryan don their pixelated sombreros and head into the Mesoamerican wilderness to check out the latest in indie tactical greatness with Arco! Boasting some snappy writing, inventive tactical gameplay, and truly gorgeous pixel artistry, Arco has a lot on offer. Arco is the product of Polish pixel artist Franek Nowotniak (one…
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If you've ever wondered how weird and crazy this show could get, then you'll love today's episode with Austin treasure hunter Dave Rupert. Dave is best known for having the first successful animatronic beard transplant and for creating nearly lifelike portraits purely from CSS code. When Dave isn't practicing foreign accents, he can be found writin…
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This episode Clint, Josh, and Bryan pledged their eternal service to the Emperor and suited up in some fancy new blue power armor to defend humanity in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2! While only one of us has played the series’ first entry, the Warhammer atmosphere and Saber Interactive’s tight and polished co-op gameplay pulled all three of the …
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Have you ever asked yourself what quirky humor forward take on a breach and clear tactics game featuring wizards might look like? Well about 8 years ago Tom Francis of Suspicious Developments did just that, and what started as a throw away in-joke amongst colleagues is now one of the most impressive and enjoyable indie games of 2024. Bringing his s…
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