![[VGG Logo]](logo7.jpg)
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Hello, everybody.
After several days of thinking it over, I’ve decided to take an extended break from doing
the Video Game Generations podcast. I say “break” because there’s always a chance to resurrect
it later in some form or another. I think there’s something fun about the idea and the name,
and I already have the URL and all that, so it’s possible. At present, though... no such plans.
So this is a farewell of sorts.
The first 150 episodes with Addie helped us bond over this hobby with great memories I hope neither
of us ever forget. My review episodes over the past few months have been a fun way to keep it going
and continue talking about games, but I’ve come to realize that I’m getting burnt out. If I could make
a career out of it, I’d probably feel differently, but right now I just want to play and enjoy games and
talk about them in passing or on somebody else’s show, without the added pressure to look at them with a
critical lens and come up with reviews. I want to be a fan, and just play with no pressure once again –
even if the pressure was self-imposed.
My participation on Twitter and elsewhere will probably be about the same. I’m not dropping off the face
of the Earth. Maybe I’ll even post Tweet-sized capsule reviews, or give out more of my Steam code backlog
via social media. I’ll be around. I just won’t be posting new VGG episodes.
In closing, I want to thank everybody who has listened to and supported Video Game Generations,
whether you were an avid listener, a Twitter follower, another podcast that mentioned VGG, or just
whatever. I apologize if I’ve left anybody out, but special thanks go to Pawel, Christian, Nikhil, Jason,
Judge Greg of Enthusiacs, Jon & crew at OTG, Nick from GWB, Jen and Zen of GTG, Steve & Jake of GV, and
the guys at SWBP.
It’s really been something great. I never would have done it without Addie insisting we should,
but I’m so glad she did.
Thanks again, everybody.
---- Mike
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![[Play Episode 158]](play.png "Play Episode 158")
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Reviews in this episode are for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (PS4), Super Mario Odyssey (Switch),
South Park: The Fractured but Whole (PS4), Don't Knock Twice (Switch), Dead Synchronicity:
Tomorrow Comes Today (Switch) and Thimbleweed Park (Switch).
I've also added eight more Steam codes to the game give-away page. Listen for the password.
If you can't use them or don't want them, share with a friend. The new plan is to give listeners
one week to redeem the games you want, and then I'll share the link on Twitter, which will work
until the password changes on the next episode.
00:00:00 - Game Audio Clip (from South Park)
00:00:47 - Welcome to the Podcast (Intro)
00:06:27 - Hellblade - Senua's Sacrifice (Review)
00:12:44 - Super Mario Odyssey (Review)
00:24:30 - South Park - The Fractured but Whole (Review)
00:33:20 - Don't Knock Twice (Review)
00:37:40 - Dead Synchronicity - Tomorrow Comes Today (Review)
00:43:53 - Thimbleweed Park (Review)
00:52:05 - Closing Remarks (Wrap-Up)
00:53:52 - Game Music Clips (from Super Mario Odyssey)
00:57:44 - Post-Episode Outtake (with Addie)
Mentioned in this episode:
A write-up and video about Bridge Constructor Portal on
PS Trophies
Episode 158 is also available as an MP3 here.
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It's a change of pace this time. Rather than an all-reviews episode, Bill joins me to talk
about our favorite games of 2017 (and prior years). We read some listener email, which prompts
several tangents and discussions about Nintendo Labo, 8-bit Castlevania games, the future of
Playstation VR, and more. We recap our 2017 predictions to see how well we guessed the world
of gaming at the beginning of last year. We also have a few new predictions for 2018.
With no end to the games on the horizon, we talk about quite a few upcoming releases, with
rankings on how likely it is they'll release this year. Oh, and if you're a PC gamer, you're
in luck. Sixteen games have been added to the codes give-away page. They're free to the first
listener able to solve a little scavenger hunt made up of clues in the episode. Listening late?
Play along anyway, because the Steam codes usually last days, weeks, even months before being
redeemed. It never hurts to check.
00:00:04 - Welcome to the Podcast (Intro)
00:05:40 - Intro and Agenda for 2017 Wrap-Up
00:10:47 - Listener Email (Jason G)
00:14:51 - Listener Email (Pawel)
00:29:23 - Listener Email (Judge Greg)
00:32:55 - Mike's 2017 Honorable Mentions
00:49:23 - Bill's Best-Of-Played in 2017
01:06:03 - Mike's Best Of 2017 Top 10 List
01:18:49 - Mike's 2017 Didn't-Play List
01:24:57 - Bill's Ongoing Backlog List
01:32:13 - Bill's 2017 Predictions Recap
01:34:21 - Mike's 2017 Predictions Recap
01:38:27 - Bill's Predictions for 2018
01:44:29 - Mike's Predictions for 2018
01:48:44 - Looking Ahead to 2018 and Beyond
02:12:45 - Closing Remarks (Wrap-Up)
02:15:00 - VGG Podcast MIDI Music Clip
02:17:21 - Post-Episode Outtake (with Addie)
Mentioned in this episode:
My game "Distress" on
Daniel K's Let's Plays
The Phoenix Down
Podcast (and on
iTunes)
Nintendo's cardboard Switch kits,
Labo
Episode 157 is also available as an MP3 here.
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The first three reviews this episode are for point-and-click adventure games. I review The
Uninvited, a classic NES adventure game now available as part of the 8-Bit Adventure Anthology
(PS4). After that, another from the same collection, Shadowgate (PS4). Then I review Subject 13
(PS4), Wolfenstein: The New Colossus (PS4), and Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Switch).
In the intro, several more game codes on Steam have been added to the codes give-away page,
and I talk a little about plans for our 2017 year-end wrap-up episode, where Bill will return
to co-host. If want to participate, email us your best-of list, predictions for 2018, or just
whatever seems appropriate for a year-end wrap-up.
00:00:00 - Game Audio Clip (from Wolfenstein 2)
00:00:46 - Welcome to the Podcast (Intro)
00:05:24 - 8-Bit Adventure: The Uninvited (Review)
00:15:20 - 8-Bit Adventure: Shadowgate (Review)
00:21:30 - Subject 13 (Review)
00:32:22 - Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (Review)
00:41:08 - Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Review)
00:50:28 - Closing Remarks (Wrap-Up)
00:51:13 - Game Music Clips (from Mario + Rabbids)
00:52:11 - Post-Episode Outtake (with Addie)
Episode 156 is also available as an MP3 here.
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After more than two months, I'm back with the latest "reviews" episode of Video Game Generations.
This week, I review Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony,
and Assassin's Creed Origins. I had also planned to review several of the entries in this
year's Interactive Fiction Competition, but only got around to three of them, which are
also included.
For the first time, I'm also including segment timestamps in these show notes. I may go back
and add timestamps retroactively for the last four episodes also, if I get the time. I hope
this helps any listener wanting to skip a review, or skip to a specific review.
00:00:00 - Game Audio Clip (from AC Origins)
00:00:31 - Welcome to the Podcast (Intro)
00:04:12 - Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (Review)
00:17:14 - Danganronpa V3 - Killing Harmony (Review)
00:30:04 - Interactive Fiction Competition 2017 (Intro)
00:34:26 - IFComp 2017 - Just Get the Treasure (Review)
00:38:09 - IFComp 2017 - Eat Me (Review)
00:42:39 - IFComp 2017 - Hexteria Skaxis Qiameth (Review)
00:44:25 - Assassin's Creed Origins (Review)
00:57:02 - Closing Remarks (Wrap-Up)
00:58:46 - Game Music Clips (from Danganronpa V3)
01:03:58 - Post-Episode Outtake (with Addie)
Mentioned in this episode:
Results of the 2017 Interactive Fiction Competition
games
Episode 155 is also available as an MP3 here.
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This time on VGG Reviews (which is really what I should call the podcast, for now), I talk
about Parascientific Escape: Cruise in the Distant Seas (3DS), Agents of Mayhem (PS4),
Bulb Boy (Switch), Last Day of June (PS4), Danganronpa v3: Killing Harmony (demo on PS4),
and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (PS4). But first, some preliminary house-keeping includes
an update on what's keeping Addie busy (to be clear, Addie isn't here -- it's just me
letting you know what she's up to these days), and several new Steam game codes added to
the codes give-away page. The ending music is a catchy, silly tune from Agents of Mayhem,
which is also the source of the series of puns at the start of the episode.
Mentioned in this episode:
I talk with Judge Greg about the Super Mario movie on the
Hero Talk Podcast
Episode 154 is also available as an MP3 here.
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There was plenty of game review content this time, so no top-10 list or special feature
(sorry). Reviews include Lithium: Inmate 39, Yooka-Laylee, Spec Ops: The Line, and
Hitman: Season 1. Before that, I give out the new password for the game codes page,
where four new games have been added (three on Steam, one for Vita). The ending music
for this episode is the main theme from Yooka-Laylee.
Mentioned in this episode:
A funny Hitman dialogue video on
YouTube
More information about Spec Ops: The Line at
Wikipedia
Episode 153 is also available as an MP3 here.
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This episode, I review The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch),
Shadwen (PS4), and Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (PS4).
A review of Tokyo Jungle (PS3) submitted by Jason G. is also included.
After the reviews, I list the top ten features missing from the Nintendo
Switch, and the ten games releasing later this year that I'm most looking
forward to playing. The ending music this week is the title theme for
Danganronpa AE:UDG. Enjoy!
Episode 152 is also available as an MP3 here.
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We're back! Well, I'm back. This is the first review-only solo episode after
the end of our regular format last time. It's no longer weekly, but I plan to
release an episode as often as I can. Until Heath is ready to co-host and we
can return to a weekly schedule, the next few weeks or months or years will
be like this. I hope you like game reviews!
This week, I review Prey (PS4), Syberia II (PS3), and The Surge (PS4). That's
most of the show. First, though, this week's feature is a top ten list of the
most exciting announcements (for me) from this year's E3. Listen afterwards for
this week's code give-away password. Up for grabs are Steam codes for Good
Robot, Manual Samuel, and Dreamscapes: The Sandman - Premium Edition.
Episode 151 is also available as an MP3 here.
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This milestone marks not only our one hundred and fiftieth episode, but also the
last episode for Addie. When the podcast continues (probably in the next month or
two), the format is changing to an all-review pre-recorded show with just me. That
will probably continue for a while, with occasional Mini-Gamers segments with Heath
or other special episodes possibly co-hosted by Bill. Then, when the time is right,
the show will return to a weekly schedule, with Heath as the permanent co-host.
Anyway, that's the plan. It might take months or even years before he's ready, or
it may end altogether before that.
It's impossible to express how grateful we both are for everybody who listened to
and enjoyed our podcast over these past three (almost) years. Whether you were a
recent listener, a lapsed listener from early on, or there from the beginning to
the end, we never would have kept going without you as an audience. It means the
world to us both that you helped make this possible for so long.
This week's show starts with our usual news and new releases, followed by an
update on what I've been playing. That's Syberia II (PS3) and Prey (PS4). After
that, we switch gears to email, which is the focus of this week's episode.
We also received several audio clips from listeners, which are included too.
After that, we reminisce for a bit before closing the show. It may not truly be
the end, but with Addie stepping away from co-hosting duties, it sure feels like
it. We hope you enjoy this "final" episode.
Mentioned in this episode:
Hand of Fate: Ordeals on
KickStarter
Nickelodeon's Actual Reality on
YouTube
Episode 150 is also available as an MP3 here.
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After a real-world month and 121 in-game hours, I finished Persona 5. My epic
spoiler-free pre-recorded review is here at last. Before that, though, Addie's
back for our penultimate episode. I talk a little about plans for the future, to
keep the podcast going in some form even though it's reached an end for her.
I'm sure we'll talk more about that next week, too.
After talking briefly about this week's new releases, we read listener email.
This includes a couple great questions about weapon durability in games, and
frustrating game mechanics in general. We also get brief impressions of The
Fall, The Last Tinker, and Fruit of Grisaia from Nikhil.
Several Steam codes from prior weeks may still be available, and six new ones
have been added this week. They are for Outlast,
Mushroom Men: Truffle Trouble, Atonement: Scourge of Time,
Atonement 2: Ruptured by Despair,
Sword of the Stars: The Pit - Gold Edition and Bardbarian.
The ending music this week is an assortment of several clips from Persona 5.
Episode 149 is also available as an MP3 here.
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Each episode, we give away codes for free games -- usually on Steam, but sometimes for
PlayStation or Xbox. These are one-use codes, so the first listener to redeem them
gets them. With each episode, the page name changes, so listen to the current week's
episode to get the latest key or number or password. Enter it here and click "GO" to
see which codes (if any) are still available. If the password you enter is invalid
or from an older episode, you'll get a "page not found" page instead. Just use your
browser's back button to return to this main page.
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