The Joy of Gaming Podcast

Episode 20 - An Upbeat Look at Death in Gaming

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 20:

 

An Upbeat Look at Death in Gaming

 

On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich, Tim and Jordan) delve into the always uplifting subject of death in gaming. We also discuss a lot of interesting gaming news, as well as the games we've been playing lately.

 

So it's been a rather light few weeks for us gaming-wise, but between Persona 4: Golden, The Walking Dead and Trails in the Sky, we still manage to rustle up some enthusiastic conversation.

 

Then it's on to our biggest news segment yet, with discussions of Assassin's Creed 4 rumors, Ouya (the little Android-based console that could), J.J. Abrams' foray into gaming with Valve's Gabe Newell, Playstation 4 rumors, Rayman Legends' multi-platform escapades, Dead Space 3's controversial DLC strategy, and much, much more!

 

And then...we switch gears a bit, and talk about death in gaming. Throughout the years, games have taken all sorts of different approaches to "dying," making death either significant or meaningless depending on the title. We discuss what death in gaming has meant to us both then and now, and hit on topics such as perma-death, multiple lives, narrative death vs. gameplay death, etc.

 

So get ready for a podcast that teeters on the brink of life and death...at least topically. This...is the Joy of Gaming!

Episode 19 - What We've Been Playing, Magfest Recap, and More!

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 19:

What We’ve Been Playing, Magfest Recap, and More!

We (Rich, Tim and Jordan) would like to welcome you to 2013, and a brand new year of The Joy of Gaming Podcast! And we’re ringing in the New Year in fine style, with four jam-packed segments of our usual enthusiastic gaming-related discourse.

We start as we always do, with a nice long session of “What we’ve been playing,” including a discussion of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Dragon Quest 9, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Borderlands 2, Dead Island, and more.

Then it’s on to news, including Nintendo’s recent announcements of upcoming game releases, our outraged take on Final Fantasy: All The Bravest and Versus XIII “news,” The THQ auctions and the future of their many properties, a discussion of the newly announced Pokemon X and Y 3DS titles, etc.

We also attended Magfest 11 earlier this month, so it’s only fitting that we delve into that event for a bit. This year, we had the tremendous privilege of introducing a screening of Indie Game: The Movie with Get Lamp director Jason Scott, so we discuss that experience along with other assorted convention happenings.

And finally, we spend a bit of time looking back at the games and franchises of yesteryear that showed such tremendous promise, but for one reason or another, haven’t received a follow-up or sequel in a long, long time. Yeah Advance Wars and Suikoden, we’re looking at you!

It’s time to get back into gear for the New Year, and back to doing what we love the most. Namely, playing and talking about video games. This…is the Joy of Gaming!

Special Edition - The Social Politics of Gaming

 The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Special Edition:

The Social Politics of Gaming

On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich, Tim and Jordan) welcome a special guest to give us a look at gaming from a new and unique perspective. Nick Taylor is currently an assistant professor of digital media at NC State University, and has done extensive research in the field of game studies while pursuing his PhD, and throughout his post-doctoral work.

Nick has an intimate understanding of gamers: who we are, why we play games, and what gaming is all about, and he breaks down the social politics of gaming in the modern age. Specific topics include: Professional e-sports and Major League Gaming (MLG), Gender and perception of gender in gaming, MMOs and players’ personas online and offline, etc.

Plus, we get Nick to come clean about what he’s been playing recently, and delve into a discussion of Guild Wars 1 & 2, Skyrim, World of Warcraft, Assassin’s Creed 3, and much more.

So without further ado, we now present professional musings of a true gaming intellectual. This…is the Joy of Gaming!

Episode 18 - Games of the Year 2012

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 18:

Games of the Year 2012

Yes, it’s time for our much anticipated “Games of the Year 2012”edition, and this episode is as big and bold as its name would suggest.

All year on The Joy of Gaming Podcast, we (Rich, Tim and Jordan) have been talking about our best and worst gaming experiences, and now it’s time to sum it all up and try to categorize the excitement as much as possible.

This year’s categories are:

Best Video Game Character

Most Surprising Game

Biggest Gaming Disappointment

Worst Game of the Year

And, our top 3 individual picks for The Best Games of 2012!

So get ready for our best (and most heated) gaming discussion of the year, with a surprise ending you’ll never see coming and have to hear to believe.

This, is the yearly denouement of... The Joy of Gaming!

Episode 17 - Games, More Games, and Gaming Journalism

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 17:

Games, More Games, and Gaming Journalism

On this episode of the Joy of Gaming Podcast, Rich, Tim and Jordan discuss the large number of great new fall releases they’ve been playing, before moving on to the always controversial, yet fascinating subject of gaming journalism.

Black Friday came and went not too long ago, so we start with some discussion of the new games we picked up on the cheap and have been playing excessively. Halo 4, Sleeping Dogs, Assassin’s Creed III, Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, Persona 4: Arena, Spec Ops: The Line, Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Final Fantasy: Theatrhythm, Borderlands 2, and more are discussed, along with some assorted gaming news.

And then we get to the big question of the day: Are games journalists really “journalists” at all?

Recently, a photograph of Geoff Keighley emerged online, in which the Gametrailers TV host is surrounded by a slew of commercial products marketed towards gamers. And just like that, the question of integrity in games journalism came to the forefront again. How seriously can we take the guy when he’s sitting amidst a pyramid of Mountain Dew bottles, a bag of Doritos, and a standee advertising Halo 4? Is it still possible for him to have an independent opinion on the gaming industry?

And let’s not forget “Gerstmann-Gate” a few years back, when Gamespot writer and reviewer Jeff Gerstmann was fired, allegedly for giving the game Kane and Lynch: Dead Men (which was also heavily advertised on the site) too low of a review score. Ever since then, Kane and Lynch and Gerstmann have become focal points of the ongoing debate over the integrity of game reviews.

And there are other factors to consider as well. Game review sites and publications are often under pressure to secure advance copies of games to review, exclusivity deals for reveals and cover stories, and overall access to the developers making the games. Does this pressure influence the review scores these games eventually receive? No one is totally sure.

But in this age when gamers rely increasingly on Metacritic and Gamerankings when making buying decisions, these are certainly questions that deserve to be asked. And furthermore, should we refer to the men and women who write about games as “Games Journalists,” or as members of the “Enthusiast Press?” These issues and more are up for debate on this spirited episode.

'Cause as you know: it’s all fun and games until somebody gets caught in a picture with a Mountain Dew Code Red Pyramid and a bag of Doritos…this, is The Joy of Gaming!

Spoilercast - Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Special Edition:

Spoilercast – Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward

***SPOILER WARNING!!!!***

On this very special edition of the Joy of Gaming Podcast, we debut a brand new feature we have dubbed “The Spoilercast.” And while the name probably says it all, it never hurts to be exceptionally clear: THIS PODCAST CONTAINS FULL STORY SPOILERS FOR ZERO ESCAPE: VIRTUE’S LAST REWARD!!!!!

This podcast is intended for listeners who have already played ZE:VLR, and are interested in hearing a discussion of the surprising and intricate plot of this gaming masterpiece.

Often, when we finish a game that is this deep and engaging, we feel the desire to share the experience with our fellow gamers, and cannot. Therefore, we debut The Spoilercast: a place where those of us who have played a particular game to completion can gather to discuss the story and characters, and really go in depth in a way that cannot be done in a traditional game review or conversation.

Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward is both a spiritual successor (and let’s face it, a storyline sequel) to the cult hit game 999 (9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors). Therefore, this discussion will briefly cover and reveal the secrets of that game as well, as we probe the depths of series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi’s mind in search of a deeper understanding.

So join us, brave Espers, as we form a morphogenetic field to lead us to the truth. This…is the Joy of Gaming!

Episode 16 - The Rise and Fall of G4TV

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 16:

The Rise and Fall of G4TV

On this episode of The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Rich, Jordan and Tim celebrate the highs and decry the lows of G4 Television, which, as of this coming December, will be no more.

G4TV…people have long argued over what the name really means. Some say that it was originally intended to represent the first four generations of gaming (Text, Sprites, Polygons and Textures), others say that it means “4 gamers,” while still others satirically say that it stand for the “generic content” (such as Cops and Cheaters) that began to occupy the channel’s afternoon time slots a few years back.

Soon, however, this will officially become a non-issue, as the one-time gaming-focused TV channel is scheduled for a complete overhaul and re-branding in mid-December.

But regardless of what the channel has become, it certainly played a pivotal role in bringing social awareness to gaming culture. It gave many of us an unprecedented glimpse into the game development process, provided us with a front-row seat at industry-only gaming conventions such as E3, and introduced us to such gaming personalities as Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb, Geoff Keighley, Kevin Pereira, Olivia Munn, Blair Butler, etc.

G4 has no doubt been on a downward slide for many years now, but as its demise draws near, we have decided to take a look back at the origins and evolution of this storied gaming institution, and discuss the impact that it has had on all of us.

And of course, in true TJOG style, we will also discuss what we’ve been playing recently such as Lollipop Chainsaw, Zero Escape: Virtues’s Last Reward, Resident Evil 6, League of Legends, etc. We also touch on a bit of significant gaming news, and anything else that may be on our minds (Hint: More Star Wars Films!)

So grab a bucket and prepare to shed two tears for the fall of G4, and then proceed to play one of the new fall game releases to numb the pain. Because in the end, the games themselves are what really matter. This… is The Joy of Gaming!

Episode 15 - The Gaming Season Begins!

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 15:

The Gaming Season Begins!

So the great fall games have finally started to release, and Rich, Tim and Jordan are relieved to say the least. But some of us are happier than others with the quality of said games. Take Resident Evil 6 for instance. Rich and Jordan have both played it, but only one of them likes it…can you guess who?

The guys also discuss the new Pokemon, Retro City Rampage, Pushmo, Enslaved, and the rest of the games they’ve been playing, before moving on to the latest gaming news.

And as a grand finale, The Joy of Gaming introduces a new segment to the podcast – a pop-culture roundtable discussion – this time focused on new Fall TV.

So get ready for disparate opinions, transcendental debates, and, well…good old fashioned video game discussion from three guys who live for this stuff. Never forget, that this…is the Joy of Gaming!

Episode 14 - Video Games: A Character Study

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 14:

Video Games: A Character Study

What is it that makes the best video games so captivating? We here at The Joy of Gaming would argue that having well-developed and engaging characters is one of the crucial ingredients.  

And for that reason, Rich, Tim and Jordan are dedicating this episode to the greatest characters in all of gaming. You know, like Leon Scott Kennedy from Resident Evil, Francis York Morgan from Deadly Premonition, GLaDOS from Portal, Scott Shelby from Heavy Rain, Nathan Drake from Uncharted, etc. They represent (or help, or antagonize) YOU when you play these games, so they better be great, right?

And as usual, we also discuss what we’ve been playing, the latest gaming news and rumors, etc.

So get into character, ask the director “what’s my motivation?”, and wait for the curtain call. This…is the Joy of Gaming!

Episode 13 - Potpourri, and dreams of games to come

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 13:

Potpourri, and dreams of games to come

So the summer has proven to be a slow time for gaming (as usual), but here at The Joy of Gaming, the show must go on. Therefore, we take an hour or so to tie up some loose gaming threads, and talk about the games to come that have us most excited.

Resident Evil 6? Bioshock Infinite? Playstation All-Stars? Assassin’s Creed 3? Yes – a resounding yes.

So join us as we prepare for the best season in all of gaming. This…(will be) the joy of gaming!