Episode 48 - Rogue Legacy, Shovel Knight and the Joy of Hard Games

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 48:

Rogue Legacy, Shovel Knight and the Joy of Hard Games

Prepare yourself! On this episode, we (Rich and Jordan) welcome not one, but two special guests (Adam and Kelsey) for an epic discussion of difficulty in video games, and the rise and fall (and rise again) of the “Hard Game.” We also talk about the games we've been playing recently, touch on the latest in gaming news, delve into some website updates, and much, much more.  

First up, it’s all about the games, and since it’s been a few weeks since our last “what we’ve been playing” segment, there’s quite a bit to talk about. Our discussion includes: Rogue Legacy, Shovel Knight, Rise of the NecroDancer, Dark Souls, The Room, Silent Hill: Downpour, Motocross Madness, Hearthstone, Star Trek, Resident Evil 4 HD, Amy and more.

Then it’s on to gaming news, including: Casey Hudson’s somewhat sudden departure from Bioware,  the latest “evolution” of the release-date for Evolve, the leak (and subsequent announcement) of Assassin’s Creed: Rogue, and some Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition updates. We also take a quick look at what’s new on the website, including Guardians, Star Trek, the Destiny Beta, gaming memories, and more.

And finally, for the main event, we regroup to discuss our love/hate relationship with “Hard Games.” There was once a time when almost all video games were challenging; when the NES and Sega Genesis ruled the earth, and games like Battletoads, Mega Man and The Adventures of Bayou Billy kept gamers up many a night with cramped fingers and dashed ambitions. But over the years, as games became longer and more cinematic, high difficulty was no longer a necessity, and many gamers began to gravitate away from more twitch-based, reflex-driven gameplay experiences. But in recent years, hard games have begun to make a serious comeback. Games like Dark Souls, Super Meat Boy, Spelunky and roguelikes of every type and description are flooding the market again, and proving that gamers do still crave a challenge. We discuss video game difficulty then and now, talk about our favorite hard games of all-time, and let you know who among us is really always up for a challenge.

So get into the hardcore spirit, fire up some Dark Souls, and enjoy as it induces fits of uncontrollable controller-throwing, teeth-gritting, cheat-guide-perusing hysteria. This…is the Joy of Gaming!