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Watch Out for Fireballs!

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Watch Out for Fireballs! is a game club podcast that covers video games from every era, from retro to newer releases, indie to AAA. Each week we dive deep into the game's mechanics and narrative to figure out what works and what doesn't. Hosted by Gary Butterfield and Kaye Ross, this show has been going since 2011. New episodes every Thursday. For full versions of our premium episodes, back us at patreon.com/duckfeedtv! Public RSS Feed: https://www.patreon.com/rss/80117?show=800722
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Watch Out for Fireballs! is a game club podcast that covers video games from every era, from retro to newer releases, indie to AAA. Each week we dive deep into the game's mechanics and narrative to figure out what works and what doesn't. Hosted by Gary Butterfield and Kaye Ross, this show has been going since 2011. New episodes every Thursday. For full versions of our premium episodes, back us at patreon.com/duckfeedtv! Public RSS Feed: https://www.patreon.com/rss/80117?show=800722
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Published 2018-05-03

Watch Out for Fireballs! 193: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

140 min
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The story is in the telling, and who cares if you stretch or fib a little bit? That's the conceit at the center of Call of Juarez: Gunslinger that raises it above its predecessors. It also raises it above its own gameplay, which is firmly in the "arcadey shooter" category. It's stylish as all hell, and it bends to fit the narration in exciting and entertaining ways.

A few times during the episode, we decry that Gunslinger was pulled from digital stores. In the time between when we recorded the episode and its release, it was recently re-listed after Techland bought the publishing rights. So go grab it and see what's up!

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The story is in the telling, and who cares if you stretch or fib a little bit? That's the conceit at the center of Call of Juarez: Gunslinger that raises it above its predecessors. It also raises it above its own gameplay, which is firmly in the "arcadey shooter" category. It's stylish as all hell, and it bends to fit the narration in exciting and entertaining ways.

A few times during the episode, we decry that Gunslinger was pulled from digital stores. In the time between when we recorded the episode and its release, it was recently re-listed after Techland bought the publishing rights. So go grab it and see what's up!

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Published 2018-04-26

Watch Out for Fireballs! Listener Responses: April 2018 (Bioshock 2, Minerva's Den, Ultima Underworld)

49 min
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Let's see what you think of Bioshock 2, Minerva's Den, and Ultima Underworld!

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Let's see what you think of Bioshock 2, Minerva's Den, and Ultima Underworld!

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Published 2018-04-19

Watch Out for Fireballs! 192: Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss

233 min
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We can think of 0451 reasons to love this grandaddy of the modern immersive sim. We go all the way back to 1992, before Looking Glass was called Looking Glass, and see where one of our favorite genres of games began. Ultima Underworld is a shockingly friendly game for its vintage, and it's absolutely worth playing to get more perspective on games as a whole. A huge thanks to special guest Justin Gutt for backing us on Patreon and getting us to take a leap of faith to play this game.

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We can think of 0451 reasons to love this grandaddy of the modern immersive sim. We go all the way back to 1992, before Looking Glass was called Looking Glass, and see where one of our favorite genres of games began. Ultima Underworld is a shockingly friendly game for its vintage, and it's absolutely worth playing to get more perspective on games as a whole. A huge thanks to special guest Justin Gutt for backing us on Patreon and getting us to take a leap of faith to play this game.

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Published 2018-04-12

Watch Out for Fireballs! 191: Minerva's Den

105 min
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It's another in our series about great expansions, and a precursor to even more games that we really love. Bioshock 2: Minerva's Den looks and plays quite a bit like the main game, but the details are there. You can see in the way the world is laid out and the story unfolds that this is made by the people who would go on to make Gone Home and Tacoma. We recommend that you go play it.

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It's another in our series about great expansions, and a precursor to even more games that we really love. Bioshock 2: Minerva's Den looks and plays quite a bit like the main game, but the details are there. You can see in the way the world is laid out and the story unfolds that this is made by the people who would go on to make Gone Home and Tacoma. We recommend that you go play it.

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Published 2018-04-05

Watch Out for Fireballs! 190: Bioshock 2

176 min
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Daddy's home, and he's pissed. People don't regard Bioshock 2 as well as they do the original, and that's a shame. What this sequel lacks in novelty, it gains by being the most mechanically satisfying entry in this popular series. And while people don't go nuts over its story, it does some very satisfying things with the trappings of Rapture. Listen to this lengthy episode for some effusive apologia about an unfairly forgotten game.

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Daddy's home, and he's pissed. People don't regard Bioshock 2 as well as they do the original, and that's a shame. What this sequel lacks in novelty, it gains by being the most mechanically satisfying entry in this popular series. And while people don't go nuts over its story, it does some very satisfying things with the trappings of Rapture. Listen to this lengthy episode for some effusive apologia about an unfairly forgotten game.

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Published 2018-03-29

Watch Out for Fireballs! Listener Responses: March 2018

76 min
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Let's hear what you think about Ikaruga, Jamestown, The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone, and The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild! What a month.

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Let's hear what you think about Ikaruga, Jamestown, The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone, and The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild! What a month.

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Published 2018-03-22

Watch Out for Fireballs! 189: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Part 2)

117 min
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Our discussion of Breath of the Wild continues as we talk about the main quest of the game, and its side quests. Special thanks again to John Hurst for being a guest on this episode, and for his continued support.

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Our discussion of Breath of the Wild continues as we talk about the main quest of the game, and its side quests. Special thanks again to John Hurst for being a guest on this episode, and for his continued support.

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Published 2018-03-15

Watch Out for Fireballs! 188: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Part 1)

166 min
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It reinvented the series, breathing fresh new life into a stale formula. Listen in as we talk about the mechanics and generalities of the game, because there are plenty of them. Special thanks to special guest John Hurst for his support on Patreon, and for finally getting us to play this game.

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It reinvented the series, breathing fresh new life into a stale formula. Listen in as we talk about the mechanics and generalities of the game, because there are plenty of them. Special thanks to special guest John Hurst for his support on Patreon, and for finally getting us to play this game.

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Published 2018-03-08

Watch Out for Fireballs! 187: The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone

162 min
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Let's make a deal. Just meet me at the crossroads. Following through on our promise to cover all of the Witcher 3 content, this episode brings the best game expansion we've ever played. A routine Witcher contract drags Geralt into the middle of a conflict between two terrible people. On one side, you've got Olgierd von Everec, a noble-turned brigand who can never die. On the other, Gaunter O'Dimm, a vastly powerful being who grants wishes at a price.

Seriously, go and play this. The writing is astonishing, and it explores some ethical space that's just not seen in games.

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Let's make a deal. Just meet me at the crossroads. Following through on our promise to cover all of the Witcher 3 content, this episode brings the best game expansion we've ever played. A routine Witcher contract drags Geralt into the middle of a conflict between two terrible people. On one side, you've got Olgierd von Everec, a noble-turned brigand who can never die. On the other, Gaunter O'Dimm, a vastly powerful being who grants wishes at a price.

Seriously, go and play this. The writing is astonishing, and it explores some ethical space that's just not seen in games.

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Published 2018-03-01

Watch Out for Fireballs! 186: Ikaruga / Jamestown

148 min
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We said we wouldn't do any more split episodes under the new format for the show that began last year, but we didn't anticipate Ikaruga. Shoot 'em up games are an arcade mainstay that have developed an intense and passionate cult, and Ikaruga is one of the most revered entries in the genre. But it's also incredibly hostile and doesn't teach you how to play it.

Faced with the possibility of coming into the episode bewildered about the shmup genre, we added Jamestown onto the docket... it's a more modern take on the bullet hell portion of the genre, and it has a much more gentle learning curve. The good part is that playing both deepened our appreciation and understanding for both games, so it's all good in the end.

Huge thanks to everyone who voted in our poll!

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We said we wouldn't do any more split episodes under the new format for the show that began last year, but we didn't anticipate Ikaruga. Shoot 'em up games are an arcade mainstay that have developed an intense and passionate cult, and Ikaruga is one of the most revered entries in the genre. But it's also incredibly hostile and doesn't teach you how to play it.

Faced with the possibility of coming into the episode bewildered about the shmup genre, we added Jamestown onto the docket... it's a more modern take on the bullet hell portion of the genre, and it has a much more gentle learning curve. The good part is that playing both deepened our appreciation and understanding for both games, so it's all good in the end.

Huge thanks to everyone who voted in our poll!

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Published 2018-02-23

Watch Out for Fireballs! Listener Responses: February 2018 (Mech Month)

64 min
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Mech month was a lot of fun, and you turned out in force to share your thoughts about these games.

Next month we're covering Ikaruga, Jamestown, The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone, and the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

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Mech month was a lot of fun, and you turned out in force to share your thoughts about these games.

Next month we're covering Ikaruga, Jamestown, The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone, and the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

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Published 2018-02-15

Watch Out for Fireballs! 185: Titanfall 2

160 min
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Will you learn to love a weapon? No, no you won't. However, you will love the way Titanfall 2 feels to play. The way it handles shooting and movement is something to behold. Though the story leaves a lot to be desired, the game's standout levels and breezy pace made this a perfect conclusion to Mech Month.

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Will you learn to love a weapon? No, no you won't. However, you will love the way Titanfall 2 feels to play. The way it handles shooting and movement is something to behold. Though the story leaves a lot to be desired, the game's standout levels and breezy pace made this a perfect conclusion to Mech Month.

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Published 2018-02-08

Watch Out for Fireballs! 184: Armored Core: For Answer

160 min
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Before Souls, FromSoft made Armored Core. And this is our first real exposure to it... and it turns out it's very good. Despite outward appearances, there's a good deal of variety in the Armored Core series, with For Answer being the fastest and most action-oriented among them. But it retains that important element of mecha customization that lets you tailor your character to the situation and your play preferences. Listen in, and see if this forgotten game is for you.

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Before Souls, FromSoft made Armored Core. And this is our first real exposure to it... and it turns out it's very good. Despite outward appearances, there's a good deal of variety in the Armored Core series, with For Answer being the fastest and most action-oriented among them. But it retains that important element of mecha customization that lets you tailor your character to the situation and your play preferences. Listen in, and see if this forgotten game is for you.

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Published 2018-02-01

Watch Out for Fireballs! 183: Jumping Flash!

102 min
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Let's take it way back to the earliest days of 3D platforming. It's everyone's favorite failed mascot: Robbit! (Pronunciation yet to be determined). The story of Jumping Flash! is kind of sad, because it nailed so much about how to make a platformer feel good... then just kind of went away. It's an evolutionary dead end that lives as a footnote about the PlayStation, and little more. But you shouldn't ignore it.

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Let's take it way back to the earliest days of 3D platforming. It's everyone's favorite failed mascot: Robbit! (Pronunciation yet to be determined). The story of Jumping Flash! is kind of sad, because it nailed so much about how to make a platformer feel good... then just kind of went away. It's an evolutionary dead end that lives as a footnote about the PlayStation, and little more. But you shouldn't ignore it.

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Published 2018-01-25

Watch Out for Fireballs! Listener Responses: January 2018 (WarioWare, Child of Light, Dungeon Keeper)

44 min
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We read your responses about our three games from January, and discuss the new FromSoft announcements and how they effect our plans.

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We read your responses about our three games from January, and discuss the new FromSoft announcements and how they effect our plans.

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Published 2018-01-18

Watch Out for Fireballs! 182: Dungeon Keeper

152 min
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It's good to be bad. I'm pretty sure that's the tagline from something, but I don't want to look it up. This week we take a look at Bullfrog's evil overlord simulator Dungeon Keeper. It occupies a nebulous place somewhere between an RTS and a simulation, and kind of suffers for that. But its theming is pitch perfect, and it gets tons of points for creativity. Listen in to find out more.

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It's good to be bad. I'm pretty sure that's the tagline from something, but I don't want to look it up. This week we take a look at Bullfrog's evil overlord simulator Dungeon Keeper. It occupies a nebulous place somewhere between an RTS and a simulation, and kind of suffers for that. But its theming is pitch perfect, and it gets tons of points for creativity. Listen in to find out more.

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Published 2018-01-11

Watch Out for Fireballs! 181: Child of Light

166 min
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A muddled game that gets the blame, which truly is a crying shame. This week we talk about Child of Light, a recent smaller title from Ubisoft that takes RPG mechanics, slaps a very pretty coat of paint over them, and saddles them with a rhyming gimmick that sinks the story. Listen in to hear us mull over exactly how this is a confused product that can get some things right but still fall pretty far short.

Special thanks to ZChocobo for executive producing this episode!

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A muddled game that gets the blame, which truly is a crying shame. This week we talk about Child of Light, a recent smaller title from Ubisoft that takes RPG mechanics, slaps a very pretty coat of paint over them, and saddles them with a rhyming gimmick that sinks the story. Listen in to hear us mull over exactly how this is a confused product that can get some things right but still fall pretty far short.

Special thanks to ZChocobo for executive producing this episode!

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Published 2018-01-04

Watch Out for Fireballs! 180: WarioWare

85 min
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Nintendo went a little crazy, and we all benefitted. This live episode from the Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2017 is all about the stinky vice goblin Wario, his friends, and the bonkers games they made. We cover the entire series, hitting all of the ways it evolved to match Nintendo's wacky platforms. Then we talk about the experience of this year's convention, and share some stories from the floor.

We'd like to extend a huge thanks to the people who came out to see us, Brayton and Nick for helping us at the booth, and the Retornauts for sharing our booth with us.

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Nintendo went a little crazy, and we all benefitted. This live episode from the Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2017 is all about the stinky vice goblin Wario, his friends, and the bonkers games they made. We cover the entire series, hitting all of the ways it evolved to match Nintendo's wacky platforms. Then we talk about the experience of this year's convention, and share some stories from the floor.

We'd like to extend a huge thanks to the people who came out to see us, Brayton and Nick for helping us at the booth, and the Retornauts for sharing our booth with us.

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Published 2017-12-28

Watch Out for Fireballs! Listener Responses: December 2017

85 min
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More people wrote in to talk about the Witcher 3 than any other game on WOFF! And in this episode, we get to the business of hearing the praise and damnation.

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More people wrote in to talk about the Witcher 3 than any other game on WOFF! And in this episode, we get to the business of hearing the praise and damnation.

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Published 2017-12-21

Watch Out for Fireballs! 179: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Secondary Quests

222 min
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The majority of this game is secondary quests... so it makes sense that our episode about those quests would be one of our longest yet.

In this episode, we cover Contracts, Scavenger Hunts, Races, Brawling, Gwent, and all kinds of Secondary Quests.

Huge thanks to Will Hughes for coming on to talk about Gwent!

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The majority of this game is secondary quests... so it makes sense that our episode about those quests would be one of our longest yet.

In this episode, we cover Contracts, Scavenger Hunts, Races, Brawling, Gwent, and all kinds of Secondary Quests.

Huge thanks to Will Hughes for coming on to talk about Gwent!

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Published 2017-12-14

Watch Out for Fireballs! 178: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Main Quest (Part 2)

183 min
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From Skellige to realms even further beyond, we recover Ciri and put an end to the Wild Hunt once and for all.

The next episode will cover the many side quests in the game. You should listen in!

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From Skellige to realms even further beyond, we recover Ciri and put an end to the Wild Hunt once and for all.

The next episode will cover the many side quests in the game. You should listen in!

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Published 2017-12-07

Watch Out for Fireballs! 177: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Main Quest (Part 1)

181 min
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Let us walk the path. This episode about the excellent Witcher 3 covers the first half of the main quest, up until the departure to Skellige.

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Let us walk the path. This episode about the excellent Witcher 3 covers the first half of the main quest, up until the departure to Skellige.

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Published 2017-11-30

Watch Out for Fireballs! 176: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Basics

132 min
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Welcome to the big show. And we mean big. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the largest, densest game we've covered on Watch Out for Fireballs!. In fact, there's so much going on here that we're dividing the coverage up into four episodes, with this first installment being two hours dedicated solely to the mechanics and generalities of the game.

Don't worry if you've never played a Witcher game before, or read a Witcher book. The Witcher 3 is excellent and self-contained enough to warrant your serious attention.

Here's the rough schedule of how we're going to break the episodes down. This might be subject to change.

  • Basics

  • Prologue, Velen, Novigrad

  • Skellige, Endgame, Contracts

  • Secondary Quests

  • Listener Responses

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Welcome to the big show. And we mean big. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the largest, densest game we've covered on Watch Out for Fireballs!. In fact, there's so much going on here that we're dividing the coverage up into four episodes, with this first installment being two hours dedicated solely to the mechanics and generalities of the game.

Don't worry if you've never played a Witcher game before, or read a Witcher book. The Witcher 3 is excellent and self-contained enough to warrant your serious attention.

Here's the rough schedule of how we're going to break the episodes down. This might be subject to change.

  • Basics

  • Prologue, Velen, Novigrad

  • Skellige, Endgame, Contracts

  • Secondary Quests

  • Listener Responses

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Published 2017-11-23

Watch Out for Fireballs! Listener Responses: November 2017

51 min
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November turned out to be a bit of a club banger, with three big, good, and otherwise important games. Let's find out what the listeners thought of Transistor, Thimbleweed Park, and ActRaiser.

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November turned out to be a bit of a club banger, with three big, good, and otherwise important games. Let's find out what the listeners thought of Transistor, Thimbleweed Park, and ActRaiser.

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Published 2017-11-16

Watch Out for Fireballs! 175: ActRaiser

114 min
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A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Kole and Gary talk about Actraiser, an early SNES game that mashes up two disparate gameplay modes. On one hand, you have some Castlevania-like platforming. On the other, you've got a simulation god game where you fight demons and watch your kingdom grow. How do they work together? How does everything fit? Does it hold up?

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A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Kole and Gary talk about Actraiser, an early SNES game that mashes up two disparate gameplay modes. On one hand, you have some Castlevania-like platforming. On the other, you've got a simulation god game where you fight demons and watch your kingdom grow. How do they work together? How does everything fit? Does it hold up?

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Published 2017-11-09

Watch Out for Fireballs! 174: Thimbleweed Park

139 min
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We're unabashed in our love of Maniac Mansion and other early LucasArts adventure games. So it shouldn't be a surprise that we jumped all over the Thimbleweed Park Kickstarter when it was announced. And we were right to do so, because Ron Gilbert, Gary Winnick, and company have made something truly great in Thimbleweed Park. It feels right at home with those older games, but has a level of complexity and care that makes it feel very modern too. It's a delight to talk about something so special.

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We're unabashed in our love of Maniac Mansion and other early LucasArts adventure games. So it shouldn't be a surprise that we jumped all over the Thimbleweed Park Kickstarter when it was announced. And we were right to do so, because Ron Gilbert, Gary Winnick, and company have made something truly great in Thimbleweed Park. It feels right at home with those older games, but has a level of complexity and care that makes it feel very modern too. It's a delight to talk about something so special.

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Published 2017-11-02

Watch Out for Fireballs! 173: Transistor

155 min
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Gary and Kole load up Transistor and break their way through it, having a very good time in the process. Transistor is still new enough to be a little controversial. People came to it from Bastion, the previous Supergiant game, and didn't know what to make of its semi-turn-based combat and technical aesthetic. If you can reconfigure your expectations, you'll find a game that allows for an absurd degree of player expression through combat verbs. Also, it's an incredibly touching love story.

Gonna be honest, this is the most we've gushed about a game in a long time.

Huge thanks to Jon C. Bird for executive producing this episode!

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Gary and Kole load up Transistor and break their way through it, having a very good time in the process. Transistor is still new enough to be a little controversial. People came to it from Bastion, the previous Supergiant game, and didn't know what to make of its semi-turn-based combat and technical aesthetic. If you can reconfigure your expectations, you'll find a game that allows for an absurd degree of player expression through combat verbs. Also, it's an incredibly touching love story.

Gonna be honest, this is the most we've gushed about a game in a long time.

Huge thanks to Jon C. Bird for executive producing this episode!

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Published 2017-10-19

Watch Out for Fireballs! 172: Resident Evil 7: biohazard

179 min
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Resident Evil month rounds out with a very new, very good game. Something has twisted the Bakers. Ethan Winters just wants to rescue his missing wife, but he's welcomed into the family instead. Resident Evil 7 is a radical departure for the series, moving gameplay to the first person perspective. However, in a lot of ways it's a return to form. Claustrophobic and dreadful, RE7 is the reboot this series desperately needed.

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Resident Evil month rounds out with a very new, very good game. Something has twisted the Bakers. Ethan Winters just wants to rescue his missing wife, but he's welcomed into the family instead. Resident Evil 7 is a radical departure for the series, moving gameplay to the first person perspective. However, in a lot of ways it's a return to form. Claustrophobic and dreadful, RE7 is the reboot this series desperately needed.

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Published 2017-10-12

Watch Out for Fireballs! 171: Resident Evil: Code: Veronica

188 min
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Undead outbreaks are a family affair in this canonical follow-up to the story of Resident Evil 2. Claire Redfield has declared war on the Umbrella Corporation, but she has also gotten in over her head. Trapped in the twisted world of Alfred Ashford, the scion of one of the founding families of Umbrella, she has to work with her brother to escape and set things right. Problem is, this is a very sloppy Resident Evil game. Listen in to find out how.

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Undead outbreaks are a family affair in this canonical follow-up to the story of Resident Evil 2. Claire Redfield has declared war on the Umbrella Corporation, but she has also gotten in over her head. Trapped in the twisted world of Alfred Ashford, the scion of one of the founding families of Umbrella, she has to work with her brother to escape and set things right. Problem is, this is a very sloppy Resident Evil game. Listen in to find out how.

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Published 2017-10-05

Watch Out for Fireballs! 170: Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

146 min
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Resident Evil month begins with a bang, just like Nemesis does.

Capcom was in a weird spot. They were developing several Resident Evil games at the same time, trying to make hay of a popular series while also preparing for the next generation of consoles. From that shuffle came what might be the most mechanically sound classic Resident Evil game. Nemesis is rich with ideas and also kind to the player, introducing a dodge mechanic and ammo crafting to make the game empowering while keeping it challenging. Guys, Nemesis is great.

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Resident Evil month begins with a bang, just like Nemesis does.

Capcom was in a weird spot. They were developing several Resident Evil games at the same time, trying to make hay of a popular series while also preparing for the next generation of consoles. From that shuffle came what might be the most mechanically sound classic Resident Evil game. Nemesis is rich with ideas and also kind to the player, introducing a dodge mechanic and ammo crafting to make the game empowering while keeping it challenging. Guys, Nemesis is great.

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Published 2017-09-21

Watch Out for Fireballs! 169: Batman: Arkham Asylum (Part 2)

101 min
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Our discussion of Batman: Arkham Asylum continues (and concludes). Next week, we'll hear your responses to the games we covered during Bat Month!

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Our discussion of Batman: Arkham Asylum continues (and concludes). Next week, we'll hear your responses to the games we covered during Bat Month!

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Published 2017-09-14

Watch Out for Fireballs! 168: Batman: Arkham Asylum (Part 1)

99 min
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Bat month continues with the reinvigoration of the franchise. This episode covers generalities and the first major area.

Batman had languished in mediocrity for almost two decades before Rocksteady brought it back from the brink. Arkham Asylum is remarkable not just for how influential it is, but for how well it works as a Batman simulator. Rocksteady would go on to perfect the formula with Arkham City, but their work began here... with a story about the Joker, his strong clowns, and the inmates running the asylum.

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Bat month continues with the reinvigoration of the franchise. This episode covers generalities and the first major area.

Batman had languished in mediocrity for almost two decades before Rocksteady brought it back from the brink. Arkham Asylum is remarkable not just for how influential it is, but for how well it works as a Batman simulator. Rocksteady would go on to perfect the formula with Arkham City, but their work began here... with a story about the Joker, his strong clowns, and the inmates running the asylum.

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Published 2017-09-07

Watch Out for Fireballs! 167: Batman: The Video Game

102 min
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The title seems redundant, but it's better than saying "Batman, the NES game. The one made by SunSoft. For the first movie, kinda."

This might be the hardest game we've done for the show, but we might also have lost track. This is a compact little platformer that is certainly of its era, but it's also a rare great licensed game. Borrowing elements from several other platformers, Ninja Gaiden most noticeably, SunSoft created a challenging and technical Batman game when mediocrity would have sold.

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The title seems redundant, but it's better than saying "Batman, the NES game. The one made by SunSoft. For the first movie, kinda."

This might be the hardest game we've done for the show, but we might also have lost track. This is a compact little platformer that is certainly of its era, but it's also a rare great licensed game. Borrowing elements from several other platformers, Ninja Gaiden most noticeably, SunSoft created a challenging and technical Batman game when mediocrity would have sold.

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Published 2017-08-31

Watch Out for Fireballs! Listener Responses: August 2017 (Final Fantasy IV)

93 min
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This is the first of our monthly listener response episodes under the new model, gathering your thoughts on the Final Fantasy IV saga.

Up next in September, we have Bat Month. Which means the Batman NES game, and Batman: Arkahm Asylum. October brings us Resident Evil month, featuring Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and Resident Evil 7.

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This is the first of our monthly listener response episodes under the new model, gathering your thoughts on the Final Fantasy IV saga.

Up next in September, we have Bat Month. Which means the Batman NES game, and Batman: Arkahm Asylum. October brings us Resident Evil month, featuring Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and Resident Evil 7.

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Published 2017-08-24

Watch Out for Fireballs! 166: Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Part 2)

137 min
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To the center of the moon, to the center of the series, and into the slog. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years takes a strange turn in its back half... a turn that isn't discussed very often because nobody really talks about The After Years. So, join us for the last few chapters of this wildly misguided game.

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To the center of the moon, to the center of the series, and into the slog. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years takes a strange turn in its back half... a turn that isn't discussed very often because nobody really talks about The After Years. So, join us for the last few chapters of this wildly misguided game.

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Published 2017-08-17

Watch Out for Fireballs! 165: Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Part 1)

130 min
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An unloved sequel to a beloved game makes for some rough play, as the FF4 formula wears out its welcome.

While Takashi Tokita was working to update Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS, he felt a longing to return to the Blue Planet and revisit the story of Cecil and the gang. What resulted was a strange plan: to release a sequel to an almost 20 year old game in episodic installments on Japanese mobile phones. By the time it arrived in America, nobody quite knew what to make of it, and neither do we.

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An unloved sequel to a beloved game makes for some rough play, as the FF4 formula wears out its welcome.

While Takashi Tokita was working to update Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS, he felt a longing to return to the Blue Planet and revisit the story of Cecil and the gang. What resulted was a strange plan: to release a sequel to an almost 20 year old game in episodic installments on Japanese mobile phones. By the time it arrived in America, nobody quite knew what to make of it, and neither do we.

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Published 2017-08-10

Watch Out for Fireballs! 164: Final Fantasy IV (Part 2)

185 min
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Picking up at Troia and the Tower of Zot, Gary and Kole conclude their discussion of the main game of Final Fantasy IV.

The next episode will cover the first several chapters of The After Years.

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Picking up at Troia and the Tower of Zot, Gary and Kole conclude their discussion of the main game of Final Fantasy IV.

The next episode will cover the first several chapters of The After Years.

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Published 2017-08-03

Watch Out for Fireballs! 163: Final Fantasy IV (Part 1)

154 min
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It's a classic RPG that established many of the norms for a huge series. Does it hold up to modern scrutiny? This episode covers the generalities, and the events of the game up through Cecil's trial at Mt. Ordeals.

Final Fantasy IV was released in America for the SNES in 1991 as "Final Fantasy II", just a short year after the first Final Fantasy reached our shores. Timed to coincide with the release of a new system, it takes advantage of some of the new technologies that were freshly available at the time. The added scope was used to create a sweeping, narrative focused game that put broadly sketched characters and melodrama to the forefront. This decision came at the expense of some of the systems complexity of previous entries, marking Square's new priorities for RPGs as vehicles for story.

This first episode covers the portion of the game where Cecil, our main character, is working as a Dark Knight in the employ of Baron. Unsettled by his king's increasing militancy, Cecil abandons his kingdom after deciding he won't be a tool for further atrocities.

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It's a classic RPG that established many of the norms for a huge series. Does it hold up to modern scrutiny? This episode covers the generalities, and the events of the game up through Cecil's trial at Mt. Ordeals.

Final Fantasy IV was released in America for the SNES in 1991 as "Final Fantasy II", just a short year after the first Final Fantasy reached our shores. Timed to coincide with the release of a new system, it takes advantage of some of the new technologies that were freshly available at the time. The added scope was used to create a sweeping, narrative focused game that put broadly sketched characters and melodrama to the forefront. This decision came at the expense of some of the systems complexity of previous entries, marking Square's new priorities for RPGs as vehicles for story.

This first episode covers the portion of the game where Cecil, our main character, is working as a Dark Knight in the employ of Baron. Unsettled by his king's increasing militancy, Cecil abandons his kingdom after deciding he won't be a tool for further atrocities.

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Published 2017-07-20

Watch Out for Fireballs! 162: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Part 2)

212 min
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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the final portion of Metal Gear Solid 2. Or do they?

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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the final portion of Metal Gear Solid 2. Or do they?

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Published 2017-07-13

Watch Out for Fireballs! 161: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Part 1)

173 min
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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross do a postmodern postmortem on the first portion of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.

Metal Gear Solid 2 is a game that's been talked to death, but we try our best to bring our own perspective and approach to it. It's a sequel that Kojima never wanted to make. It's full of curveballs and "fuck you"s aimed at series fans. It has lots of ideas that are shockingly prescient. But, most of all, it's got some play issues that haven't aged super well.

This episode covers up through the encounter with Fat Man on the Big Shell.

Special thanks to Zachary Deane, this episode's executive producer.

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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross do a postmodern postmortem on the first portion of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.

Metal Gear Solid 2 is a game that's been talked to death, but we try our best to bring our own perspective and approach to it. It's a sequel that Kojima never wanted to make. It's full of curveballs and "fuck you"s aimed at series fans. It has lots of ideas that are shockingly prescient. But, most of all, it's got some play issues that haven't aged super well.

This episode covers up through the encounter with Fat Man on the Big Shell.

Special thanks to Zachary Deane, this episode's executive producer.

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Published 2017-06-28

Watch Out for Fireballs! 160: Nox

152 min
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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross chase their orbs into the world of Nox.

It was marketed as EA's answer to Diablo, but it's categorically different. It introduces itself as a goofy and irreverent take on fantasy fiction, but then it plays it straight. After all of the feints, what you end up with is a profoundly strange action RPG.

Big thanks to Garrett for executive producing this episode!

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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross chase their orbs into the world of Nox.

It was marketed as EA's answer to Diablo, but it's categorically different. It introduces itself as a goofy and irreverent take on fantasy fiction, but then it plays it straight. After all of the feints, what you end up with is a profoundly strange action RPG.

Big thanks to Garrett for executive producing this episode!

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Published 2017-06-15

Watch Out for Fireballs! 159: SSX Tricky

113 min
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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross flip out about SSX Tricky.

This episode is our recital: to talk about to talk about how important SSX Tricky is in the pantheon of extreme sports games. For their second outing, EA Sports BIG totally nailed the combination of racing systems and trick systems, creating a game that is satisfyingly fast and technical. But lest you think this will be a 100% glowing episode, we have some very harsh words for the terrible cast of characters.

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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross flip out about SSX Tricky.

This episode is our recital: to talk about to talk about how important SSX Tricky is in the pantheon of extreme sports games. For their second outing, EA Sports BIG totally nailed the combination of racing systems and trick systems, creating a game that is satisfyingly fast and technical. But lest you think this will be a 100% glowing episode, we have some very harsh words for the terrible cast of characters.

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Published 2017-06-01

Watch Out for Fireballs! 158: Yakuza

182 min
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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross kick and punch their way through Yakuza.

Here it is, the winner of our Open World Game Poll. Except, it's a very different kind of open world game. Yakuza picks up where Shenmue left off, but does everything a lot better... especially the story, which follows ex-enforcer Kazuma Kiryu as he tries to get to the bottom of what insidious actors are using the Yakuza for malicious gains.

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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross kick and punch their way through Yakuza.

Here it is, the winner of our Open World Game Poll. Except, it's a very different kind of open world game. Yakuza picks up where Shenmue left off, but does everything a lot better... especially the story, which follows ex-enforcer Kazuma Kiryu as he tries to get to the bottom of what insidious actors are using the Yakuza for malicious gains.

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