Today Fran and Jason talk a walk through Wyoming with Delilah and Henry in Campo Santo's Firewatch from 2016. Don't forget to use your antlers! Spoilers begin at 1:19:00 Credits Field Notes: How Devs Recreate Wilderness In Gameshttps://www.rockpapershotgun.com/making-of-ethan-carter-firewatch#more-243319M Firewatch: hope and heartbreak in the Ameri…

Use your items celebrates a year of recording by returning to the game that started it for them with Final Fantasy VII...REMAKE! Break down with us as we dig into the history of the remake, the character design, and the Nomura of it all! RPG history at your fingertips. Spoiler-free: 0:00-1:22 Spoilers: 1:23-end Credits Final Fantasy remakes sold se…

Jason accuses a Snatcher of stealing Fran's body and impersonating him to access our excessive and gross podcast revenue. This time, we discuss the Kojima cult classic, Snatcher! Played on the Sega CD; we get into the details of cyberpunk, Snatcher's role in that genre, and some meta-narrative discussion of the game at large. Spoiler-Free: 0-1:04 S…

CW: War, Sexual Abuse Jason and Fran talk religion, crime, and ethical perogatives when checking out INDIKA, indie masterpiece from 2024. Between bad, good, evil, sin, and virtue what is left to decide for ourselves? What does it mean to experience true nostalgia and absent fondness? What happens when we impose ourselves unto others? 0-46m Spoiler …

Fran and Jason cannot upload their data to the bunker. There is a problem with the uplink. ERROR-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR Spoiler Free for about an hour Works Cited: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/28/17173244/nier-automata-yoko-taro-interview-gdc-2018 Yoko Taro Predicts Metaphor Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason bri…

Fran and Jason upload their data to the Bunker talking about Nier Automata! Spoiler Free for about an hour Works Cited: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/28/17173244/nier-automata-yoko-taro-interview-gdc-2018 Yoko Taro Predicts Metaphor Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a literary background to each game analysis as they p…

We, uh, played a game called Metal Gear Solid 2. Or maybe it played us, jump in to find out. CW: 9/11 at 50m 0-1:05 Spoiler Free/History 1:06-End Spoilers and verdicts Works Cited: Metal Gear Solid 2 Grand Game Plan - Kojima (ping us for a copy) The Final Hours of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Super Bunnyhop MGS2 video Francisco is a game des…

Metroid Prime Remastered is a miraculous masterpiece and not enough can be said about it. We dive in to explore the history of the genre, the development, and the pacing of Tallon IV. 0-1:46 Spoiler Free/History 1:46-End Spoilers and verdicts Works Cited: DGC Ep 355: Metroid Prime Bonus Interview with Jack Mathews! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/pod…

Exploring the weird, wonderful world of the Slavic JPRG Felvidek. We will drink, pray, and slash our way through 15th century Slovakia. Spoiler free for the first 60 minutes or so. Felvidek OST Felivdek on Steam Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece togethe…

We grind and wall-ride our way through Team Reptile's Bombrush Cyber Funk--the spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio. It wasn't our favorite, but we discuss music, the potential, and graffiti. Spoiler free for the first 60 minutes or so. Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analy…

This time we go over Frictional Games Horror masterpiece, Soma. We explore the nature of horror, the design of this popular studio, and some heavy philosophical discussions. CW: euthanasia Spoiler free for the first 50 minutes or so Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis …

We launch a possible new segment called Item Bags! Where we gather ideas for various ideas we have regarding the industry, genre, and freeform discussion. Less research and more chatter. Let us know what you think on our discord! Link below: Skill Up interview with Yoshi P Games Discussed: Dark Cloud (more mentioned tbh) Dragon's Dogma 2 (and 1 tec…

This week we discuss Signalis, a surprise hit for us from rose-engine, and the meaning of meat, madness, reality, love, connection, and what it means to be human. Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. If you'd…

Our first guest episode featuring Dr. Dillon Ludemann discussing Toxicity in Gaming! Join us for this special sidequest in the anthropology, philosophy, and design of video games. Dr. Dillon Ludemann is a professor of anthropology with a focus on online communities at the University of South Carolina Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while…

Episode 9 discussing Maddy Makes Games hit Celeste. We touch on accessibility, friendship, anxiety, depression, and overcoming goals. TW/CW: Anxiety, Depression, Drinking, Gender Dysphoria, etc. 0-1hrish non-spoiler Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece tog…

Episode 8 and we get into 1 bit graphic design, a bit of Said's philosophy, the correct mouse sensitivity, and the making of a mystery. All our resources are noted below. Listener, a heads up from Jason: I apologize for an error I made in misremembering and labeling the royalty on board as Fujianese instead of Formosan. I was recalling my previous …

Episode 7 and our longest yet. Today we spend over 3 hours tackling Final Fantasy 6. Digging into the origins of operatics, drama, rpg design, and post-modern theory; don't shy away we keep it fun! Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and …

Episode 6 and we fill the gaps with our favorite compound glue, KINGDOM HEARTS! Join Fran as he leads Jason through a breakdown of the series and the first game. Some spoilers within. Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our fav…

Episode 5 and we are diving deep into Subnautica. Complete with seamoths in inappropriate places and posters of prawns. Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. Spoiler-free 0-33:00 Full spoilers 33:00-Finish Cre…

Episode 4 and today we tackle all Undertale, intention, and how branching paths may lead to dead ends. Spoilers ahead! Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. ---------------------------- Join the conversation o…

Episode 3 and we discuss the small, indie game Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I promise we only mention Elden Ring and Super Mario 64 maybe two or three times? Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly, literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. --------…

Episode 2 and we talk about the merit of finishing games, Cronenberg, and Bowsette, of course. No fan art please. Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. ---------------------------- Join the conversation on Disc…

Join us on our inaugural episode of Use Your Items! Francisco is a game designer and engineer, while Jason brings a scholarly literary background to each game analysis as they piece together the why and how of our favorite games. Francisco and Jason discuss FF7 and the idea of the podcast. ---------------------------- Join the conversation on Disco…