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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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Episodes

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In this episode, we answer your questions, we talk about our podcast personas and where our lines are, and we read your responses to January's games before announcing what we have coming in March.

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In this episode, we answer your questions, we talk about our podcast personas and where our lines are, and we read your responses to January's games before announcing what we have coming in March.

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Tommy Vercetti was sent down south to make some money for the mob, and he chose to build an empire instead. The year is 1986 and nothing is off limits whatsoever. No game that came out after Grand Theft Auto III or Vice City would be the same, but sometimes it's hard to go back to the early days of a movement. We talk about what it felt like to play Vice City back in the day, and re-examine its story missions under a more critical light... but at least we can all agree about the soundtrack.

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Tommy Vercetti was sent down south to make some money for the mob, and he chose to build an empire instead. The year is 1986 and nothing is off limits whatsoever. No game that came out after Grand Theft Auto III or Vice City would be the same, but sometimes it's hard to go back to the early days of a movement. We talk about what it felt like to play Vice City back in the day, and re-examine its story missions under a more critical light... but at least we can all agree about the soundtrack.

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Thank you Lucian!

Lock and load! We've only dabbled in Rogue-lights for the show but that changes NOW with this tough as nails twin stick shooter with charm, humor, and grace notes to spare.

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Thank you Lucian!

Lock and load! We've only dabbled in Rogue-lights for the show but that changes NOW with this tough as nails twin stick shooter with charm, humor, and grace notes to spare.

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Nothing good happens on boats. At least, that's the conclusion we came to after thoroughly exploring the Obra Dinn and the fates of its unfortunate occupants. This mystery game, developed by Lucas Pope as a followup to Papers, Please, is unlike most other games out there. And while we have a few quibbles here and there, this game is up there on the list of the best things we've covered on this show.

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Nothing good happens on boats. At least, that's the conclusion we came to after thoroughly exploring the Obra Dinn and the fates of its unfortunate occupants. This mystery game, developed by Lucas Pope as a followup to Papers, Please, is unlike most other games out there. And while we have a few quibbles here and there, this game is up there on the list of the best things we've covered on this show.

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What better way to end 2020 than to talk about fail states?

We also answer your questions and read your responses to December's games, as well as announce what we're doing in February.

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What better way to end 2020 than to talk about fail states?

We also answer your questions and read your responses to December's games, as well as announce what we're doing in February.

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We return to the Forgotten Realms, and the kingdom of tappa tappa tappa to talk about this console hack-n-slash game. You play as an upstart adventurer who is mugged in Baldur's Gate, which draws you into an evil conspiracy involving extraplanar forces. But of course, you're just here to make numbers go up.

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We return to the Forgotten Realms, and the kingdom of tappa tappa tappa to talk about this console hack-n-slash game. You play as an upstart adventurer who is mugged in Baldur's Gate, which draws you into an evil conspiracy involving extraplanar forces. But of course, you're just here to make numbers go up.

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Thanks Mitch and thank you everyone for sticking with us this long!

We drag the end of Dragon Age 2 before visiting the mostly good but sometimes just alright DLCs. Act 3 of Dragon Age 2: a triumph of milky useless centrism.

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Thanks Mitch and thank you everyone for sticking with us this long!

We drag the end of Dragon Age 2 before visiting the mostly good but sometimes just alright DLCs. Act 3 of Dragon Age 2: a triumph of milky useless centrism.

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This week, we continue our coverage of Dragon Age 2 by moving on to Chapter 2. Hawke and company have hit it big after three years of living in Kirkwall, but the city's problems are only getting worse. We spend this chapter navigating a difficult political and ethical conflict with the Qunari, whose presence is causing even more unrest than Kirkwall is used to.

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This week, we continue our coverage of Dragon Age 2 by moving on to Chapter 2. Hawke and company have hit it big after three years of living in Kirkwall, but the city's problems are only getting worse. We spend this chapter navigating a difficult political and ethical conflict with the Qunari, whose presence is causing even more unrest than Kirkwall is used to.

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Our love for the outliers in big games series continues with this look at Dragon Age 2. Changing the scope from Dragon Age 1 was a gamble that paid off, among some others that did not. Kole and Gary discuss generalities and Act 1 of this underrated game.
Thanks to Mitch!

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Our love for the outliers in big games series continues with this look at Dragon Age 2. Changing the scope from Dragon Age 1 was a gamble that paid off, among some others that did not. Kole and Gary discuss generalities and Act 1 of this underrated game.
Thanks to Mitch!

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On this month's Dispatch episode, we talk about Spoilers. Why don't they bother us? What benefit scan strategically spoiling things for yourself bring? What's a sensible spoiler policy for podcasts like ours?

We also answer your questions, read your responses to No One Lives Forever, Uncharted Waters 2: New Horizons, and Marathon 2: Durandal.

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On this month's Dispatch episode, we talk about Spoilers. Why don't they bother us? What benefit scan strategically spoiling things for yourself bring? What's a sensible spoiler policy for podcasts like ours?

We also answer your questions, read your responses to No One Lives Forever, Uncharted Waters 2: New Horizons, and Marathon 2: Durandal.

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Before they hit it big with Halo, Bungie was a favorite studio for many Macintosh people because of the Marathon series. With graphics that were ahead of their time, fun and inventive multiplayer modes, and (most importantly) an intricate and sprawling story, there was a lot to like. But when played today, do its wide open and aimless levels invite wonder or frustration?

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Before they hit it big with Halo, Bungie was a favorite studio for many Macintosh people because of the Marathon series. With graphics that were ahead of their time, fun and inventive multiplayer modes, and (most importantly) an intricate and sprawling story, there was a lot to like. But when played today, do its wide open and aimless levels invite wonder or frustration?

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Thanks David!

This goofy episode on this ambitious, but somewhat tedious, SNES era simulation game was a balm to record on election day, and we hope it's a balm for you to hear. Follow Joao as he travels from Ibiza to Allentown in search of Atlantis.

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Thanks David!

This goofy episode on this ambitious, but somewhat tedious, SNES era simulation game was a balm to record on election day, and we hope it's a balm for you to hear. Follow Joao as he travels from Ibiza to Allentown in search of Atlantis.

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Cate Archer is the grooviest spy that ever was, and she's on a mission to save the world from H.A.R.M. and their burping biological billionaire bombs. This cinematic first person shooter was ahead of its time, with snappy writing, intricate levels, and satisfying shooting. The only thing getting in the way is bad, punishing stealth. But for a game released in 2000, this is really impressive and worth checking out.

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Cate Archer is the grooviest spy that ever was, and she's on a mission to save the world from H.A.R.M. and their burping biological billionaire bombs. This cinematic first person shooter was ahead of its time, with snappy writing, intricate levels, and satisfying shooting. The only thing getting in the way is bad, punishing stealth. But for a game released in 2000, this is really impressive and worth checking out.

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In this episode, we answer your questions, discuss what makes a good mobile game, read your responses to October's games and announce what we're covering in December.

Please note, there are a couple of audio issues, which are disclaimed at the beginning of the episode.

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In this episode, we answer your questions, discuss what makes a good mobile game, read your responses to October's games and announce what we're covering in December.

Please note, there are a couple of audio issues, which are disclaimed at the beginning of the episode.

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Doom 3 was a controversial game, but its only real sin is not being Doom 2 or Doom 2016. Released in 2004 and coinciding with an identity crisis at id Software, this is a retelling of the original Doom story, but with very different gameplay. It more closely resembles the spectacle corridor shooters that were popular at the time, inspired by the success of Half-Life. It's dark and spooky. The pace is more deliberate. These are all problems if what you want is the kind of twitch action you'd find in earlier shooters... but we think Doom 3, warts and all, is worthy of attention.

EDIT: I forgot to include a special remix of our theme song, provided by Gwen May!

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Doom 3 was a controversial game, but its only real sin is not being Doom 2 or Doom 2016. Released in 2004 and coinciding with an identity crisis at id Software, this is a retelling of the original Doom story, but with very different gameplay. It more closely resembles the spectacle corridor shooters that were popular at the time, inspired by the success of Half-Life. It's dark and spooky. The pace is more deliberate. These are all problems if what you want is the kind of twitch action you'd find in earlier shooters... but we think Doom 3, warts and all, is worthy of attention.

EDIT: I forgot to include a special remix of our theme song, provided by Gwen May!

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Thank you Ryan!

Beef Golem and Sheva go on a racially insensitive adventure in the 2nd worst mainline Resident Evil game that is, none-the-less, still sort of worth playing? Hear us shed some daylight on this black sheep of the series.

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Thank you Ryan!

Beef Golem and Sheva go on a racially insensitive adventure in the 2nd worst mainline Resident Evil game that is, none-the-less, still sort of worth playing? Hear us shed some daylight on this black sheep of the series.

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Published 2020-10-08

Watch Out for Fireballs! 292: Soma

172 min
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October's horror game parade continues with Soma, a game that questions what makes us us. Simon is an unlucky guy. He gets a brain scan to help him with a terminal condition, and wakes up in a facility at the bottom of the ocean, eighty years in the future, after the world has ended. To make matters worse, a rogue AI is warping bodies and minds and seeking to re-assimilate anyone who's trying to escape. It's a survival tragedy game that asks loftier questions than most games ask and it's a suitable followup for Frictional.

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October's horror game parade continues with Soma, a game that questions what makes us us. Simon is an unlucky guy. He gets a brain scan to help him with a terminal condition, and wakes up in a facility at the bottom of the ocean, eighty years in the future, after the world has ended. To make matters worse, a rogue AI is warping bodies and minds and seeking to re-assimilate anyone who's trying to escape. It's a survival tragedy game that asks loftier questions than most games ask and it's a suitable followup for Frictional.

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Published 2020-10-01

Watch Out for Fireballs! 291: Dino Crisis 2

106 min
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This goofy action game is a dumb blast and this episode is a breezy start to the best month of the year. Join us as we discuss dino-teens from the year 3000.

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This goofy action game is a dumb blast and this episode is a breezy start to the best month of the year. Join us as we discuss dino-teens from the year 3000.

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This week's WOFF! Dispatch is about the special topic of deciding when to stop playing a game. What's the difference between "finishing" a game and "being done" with a game? What makes you walk away for good? Additionally, we answer your questions, read your responses to September's games, and announce what we're covering in November.

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This week's WOFF! Dispatch is about the special topic of deciding when to stop playing a game. What's the difference between "finishing" a game and "being done" with a game? What makes you walk away for good? Additionally, we answer your questions, read your responses to September's games, and announce what we're covering in November.

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Published 2020-09-11

Watch Out for Fireballs! 289: Lords of Magic

113 min
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Assembled well-wishers, welcome to the land of crunch. Lords of Magic is a 1997 strategy game that is unlike anything we've covered for the show. It takes a high fantasy medieval theme and stacks a bunch of different strategy and RPG game types on top of each other, creating a complex and interlocking set of systems and levels of zoom. You play as one of the faiths of Urak, amassing an army of allies and conquests to defeat Balkoth, the Lord of Death... but not before reading the manual!

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Assembled well-wishers, welcome to the land of crunch. Lords of Magic is a 1997 strategy game that is unlike anything we've covered for the show. It takes a high fantasy medieval theme and stacks a bunch of different strategy and RPG game types on top of each other, creating a complex and interlocking set of systems and levels of zoom. You play as one of the faiths of Urak, amassing an army of allies and conquests to defeat Balkoth, the Lord of Death... but not before reading the manual!

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Kranky Kratos takes his vengeance quest to a brand new pantheon: the pantheon of fatherhood. Kole and Gary take an axe to the skull of this 2018 prestige game, and by take an axe to the skull, I mean we give a careful, considered look to this very good but still flawed cinematic game. 

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Kranky Kratos takes his vengeance quest to a brand new pantheon: the pantheon of fatherhood. Kole and Gary take an axe to the skull of this 2018 prestige game, and by take an axe to the skull, I mean we give a careful, considered look to this very good but still flawed cinematic game. 

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The idea of casual games is basically fake, and it's harmful because it leads to inclusive games being dismissed. Kole and Gary look at one of the titans of the "casual" gaming world and find that it packs tons of charm and more depth than it gets credit for.

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The idea of casual games is basically fake, and it's harmful because it leads to inclusive games being dismissed. Kole and Gary look at one of the titans of the "casual" gaming world and find that it packs tons of charm and more depth than it gets credit for.

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Published 2020-08-27

Watch Out for Fireballs! Dispatch: Breaks

154 min
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This week we answer your questions and prompts, and talk about times in our lives when we "fell out of love with games". Times when we stopped playing as many games, why that happened, and what brought us back in. We also read your thoughts on Devil May Cry and Disco Elysium.

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This week we answer your questions and prompts, and talk about times in our lives when we "fell out of love with games". Times when we stopped playing as many games, why that happened, and what brought us back in. We also read your thoughts on Devil May Cry and Disco Elysium.

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Big thanks to Moonborne! Though it has some early installment clunk, it's not that often that we get to play what is arguably (please don't argue with us) the first of a genre. Does it hold up? Does the devil cry? Does Dante get to 2nd base with someone who looks like his mom? Find out!

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Big thanks to Moonborne! Though it has some early installment clunk, it's not that often that we get to play what is arguably (please don't argue with us) the first of a genre. Does it hold up? Does the devil cry? Does Dante get to 2nd base with someone who looks like his mom? Find out!

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This is the second and final part of our Disco Elysium coverage, picking up roughly with day two of the investigation and going full-tilt into learning not just the cause of the murder, but also what's really happening in this world politically, spiritually, and emotionally. I don't want to spend a lot of time heaping sugar on the game in this post, because we do a lot of that in the episode, but it can't be overstated how special this game is.

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This is the second and final part of our Disco Elysium coverage, picking up roughly with day two of the investigation and going full-tilt into learning not just the cause of the murder, but also what's really happening in this world politically, spiritually, and emotionally. I don't want to spend a lot of time heaping sugar on the game in this post, because we do a lot of that in the episode, but it can't be overstated how special this game is.

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Big ups to Jack for sponsoring this episode!

A monumental WRPG that rocketed its way up our personal charts to the WOFF Pantheon, Disco Elysium is inspired by all the best video games and still ends up being unique. Hear us discuss generalities and day one here.

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Big ups to Jack for sponsoring this episode!

A monumental WRPG that rocketed its way up our personal charts to the WOFF Pantheon, Disco Elysium is inspired by all the best video games and still ends up being unique. Hear us discuss generalities and day one here.

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Published 2020-07-30

Watch Out for Fireballs! Dispatch: Escapism

143 min
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This week, we talk about escapism, and how turning to games to distract from the real world is sometimes healthy and necessary. We also answer your questions and prompts, and read your responses to July's games: Hitman 2, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, and Mario Golf: Advance Tour.

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This week, we talk about escapism, and how turning to games to distract from the real world is sometimes healthy and necessary. We also answer your questions and prompts, and read your responses to July's games: Hitman 2, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, and Mario Golf: Advance Tour.

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This is the second part, and conclusion, of our Tactics Ogre coverage, where we talk about the Law and Chaos routes of Chapters 2, 3, and 4. Denam is in a precarious place, forced to make morally compromising choices in the heart of a civil war with very high personal stakes. As those closest to him abandon him and the major power players hunt him down, he must find a way to unite the continent and address the bigger threat posed by the Dark Knights of Lodis.

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This is the second part, and conclusion, of our Tactics Ogre coverage, where we talk about the Law and Chaos routes of Chapters 2, 3, and 4. Denam is in a precarious place, forced to make morally compromising choices in the heart of a civil war with very high personal stakes. As those closest to him abandon him and the major power players hunt him down, he must find a way to unite the continent and address the bigger threat posed by the Dark Knights of Lodis.

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This weirdo episode talks about a smattering of old and new golf games before diving deep into Camelot's regrettably written but still fun Mario Golf Advance Tour. 

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This weirdo episode talks about a smattering of old and new golf games before diving deep into Camelot's regrettably written but still fun Mario Golf Advance Tour. 

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This wildly ambitious port of a wildly ambitious SNES game features a lot of our favorite concepts and creators. Can it stand up to the gigantic shadow cast by Final Fantasy Tactics?

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This wildly ambitious port of a wildly ambitious SNES game features a lot of our favorite concepts and creators. Can it stand up to the gigantic shadow cast by Final Fantasy Tactics?

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This episode takes us back into the tangled, bloody, and hilarious world of Agent 47. While HItman 2 could be called a mission pack or an expansion pack, we don't think there's anything wrong with that. The fundamental play has not changed, outside of a handful of features and adjustments. What has changed is the size, density, and quality of the levels. Hitman 2 is a veteran studio at the height of their powers, and we're so happy to share this little love-fest with you.

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This episode takes us back into the tangled, bloody, and hilarious world of Agent 47. While HItman 2 could be called a mission pack or an expansion pack, we don't think there's anything wrong with that. The fundamental play has not changed, outside of a handful of features and adjustments. What has changed is the size, density, and quality of the levels. Hitman 2 is a veteran studio at the height of their powers, and we're so happy to share this little love-fest with you.

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Kole and Gary answer your prompts and questions, read your responses to June's games, and discuss the menace of solved meta and how it keeps us away from multiplayer gaming.

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Kole and Gary answer your prompts and questions, read your responses to June's games, and discuss the menace of solved meta and how it keeps us away from multiplayer gaming.

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This premium WOFF! looks at the strangest of the DS Castlevania games.

Before they became all the rage in the indie space, you headed to the DS if you wanted to play a Metroidvania game. Konami eventually lost interest in making them, but before they did, they gave us one of our favorite entries in the series: Order of Ecclesia. It bucks the trends of previous games inspired by Symphony of the Night and focuses on tough but fair combat and a very expressive Glyph spell system. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But we hope this episode makes a case for why it might be for you.

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This premium WOFF! looks at the strangest of the DS Castlevania games.

Before they became all the rage in the indie space, you headed to the DS if you wanted to play a Metroidvania game. Konami eventually lost interest in making them, but before they did, they gave us one of our favorite entries in the series: Order of Ecclesia. It bucks the trends of previous games inspired by Symphony of the Night and focuses on tough but fair combat and a very expressive Glyph spell system. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But we hope this episode makes a case for why it might be for you.

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The Longest Journey was one of the earliest games we covered for this show, way back in the winter of 2011. We'd intended to hit up its sequel, Dreamfall, because we heard good things. Now, finally, we've gotten around to playing it and... we're not impressed. The game's very strong opening gives way to a muddled story, and the shift away from a more standard point and click adventure game toward a 3D action adventure scheme does not serve it well. So, this one turns into kind of a dunkfest.

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The Longest Journey was one of the earliest games we covered for this show, way back in the winter of 2011. We'd intended to hit up its sequel, Dreamfall, because we heard good things. Now, finally, we've gotten around to playing it and... we're not impressed. The game's very strong opening gives way to a muddled story, and the shift away from a more standard point and click adventure game toward a 3D action adventure scheme does not serve it well. So, this one turns into kind of a dunkfest.

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Kole and Gary answer your questions, discuss when it's appropriate to take control away from the player, and read your responses to May's games. Also, we announce June's lineup at the end!

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Kole and Gary answer your questions, discuss when it's appropriate to take control away from the player, and read your responses to May's games. Also, we announce June's lineup at the end!

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Welcome back to Raccoon City.

This month's premium episode is Capcom's action-heavy followup to the Resident Evil 2 Remake, their update to Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. It tells a similar story to the original, but streamlines everything to heighten the intensity of the fights. This process absolutely strips away a lot of what was special about the original, which it was rightly criticized for, but it's impossible to say it's not fun.

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Welcome back to Raccoon City.

This month's premium episode is Capcom's action-heavy followup to the Resident Evil 2 Remake, their update to Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. It tells a similar story to the original, but streamlines everything to heighten the intensity of the fights. This process absolutely strips away a lot of what was special about the original, which it was rightly criticized for, but it's impossible to say it's not fun.

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Published 2020-05-14

Watch Out for Fireballs! 276: Celeste

117 min
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Special thanks to Neasa!

Kole and Gary surmount one of the most critically acclaimed indies in recent memory. This masocore platformer has tons of heart, some hidden, and extremely precise gamefeel that make it two great tastes. Do they taste great together? Find out.

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Special thanks to Neasa!

Kole and Gary surmount one of the most critically acclaimed indies in recent memory. This masocore platformer has tons of heart, some hidden, and extremely precise gamefeel that make it two great tastes. Do they taste great together? Find out.

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We're over the moon about this strange detective game set in an alternate history version of the late 90s internet. You're an Enforcer for a corrupt company, browsing the poorly made homepages of netizens looking for violations of the law, and trying to avert a cyberdisaster. This is a very clever investigation game with an amazing look and sound, and it shows a lot of affection for a time period that's nostalgic for a lot of us.

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We're over the moon about this strange detective game set in an alternate history version of the late 90s internet. You're an Enforcer for a corrupt company, browsing the poorly made homepages of netizens looking for violations of the law, and trying to avert a cyberdisaster. This is a very clever investigation game with an amazing look and sound, and it shows a lot of affection for a time period that's nostalgic for a lot of us.

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The New Colossus is a very strange game. By our usual metrics, this sequel isn't as good as its predecessor. The levels are bad, and the difficulty tuning is way out of whack. Instead, what makes us love this game is its audacity, and how well it tells its story... sometimes even through play! Billy begins the game near death, having lost his leader and his ability to walk. But he still mounts up and puts together a resistance movement to take back America and begin the revolution against the Nazis, once and for all.

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The New Colossus is a very strange game. By our usual metrics, this sequel isn't as good as its predecessor. The levels are bad, and the difficulty tuning is way out of whack. Instead, what makes us love this game is its audacity, and how well it tells its story... sometimes even through play! Billy begins the game near death, having lost his leader and his ability to walk. But he still mounts up and puts together a resistance movement to take back America and begin the revolution against the Nazis, once and for all.

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Like sands through the hourglass, everything ages. But because time is an ocean in a storm, not a river, some things age better than others, even within the same game. Kole and Gary talk about this well regarded classic and figure out which parts are delicious and which are past their sell-by date.

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Like sands through the hourglass, everything ages. But because time is an ocean in a storm, not a river, some things age better than others, even within the same game. Kole and Gary talk about this well regarded classic and figure out which parts are delicious and which are past their sell-by date.

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We welcome Legend of Grimrock II to the pantheon of masterpieces we've covered for the show. It's a throwback to retro dungeon crawlers with tense combat and ingenious puzzles. It's light on story, but heavy on atmosphere, and consistently good throughout. People who like when we gush about good games will like this episode a lot.

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We welcome Legend of Grimrock II to the pantheon of masterpieces we've covered for the show. It's a throwback to retro dungeon crawlers with tense combat and ingenious puzzles. It's light on story, but heavy on atmosphere, and consistently good throughout. People who like when we gush about good games will like this episode a lot.

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Thanks Jack!

Gary and Kole turn out the lights and get cute-spooky with the forgotten Mario Brother. This charming, bite sized adventure oozes with polish and though it was unfairly maligned in its day, it was way ahead of its time. Take a listen!

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Thanks Jack!

Gary and Kole turn out the lights and get cute-spooky with the forgotten Mario Brother. This charming, bite sized adventure oozes with polish and though it was unfairly maligned in its day, it was way ahead of its time. Take a listen!

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Published 2020-03-26

Watch Out for Fireballs! Dispatch: Remakes

128 min
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For this month's Watch Out for Fireballs! Dispatch, our discussion topic is remakes. What makes good remakes good, and bad remakes bad? Additionally, we answer your questions, read your responses to March's games, and announce the games for May.

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For this month's Watch Out for Fireballs! Dispatch, our discussion topic is remakes. What makes good remakes good, and bad remakes bad? Additionally, we answer your questions, read your responses to March's games, and announce the games for May.

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Published 2020-03-24

State of Live Shows

15 min
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Hey everyone, we've got some announcements. You can listen to the audio for full details, but it boils down to: the Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee has been canceled, the Portland Retro Games Expo has been canceled, and we cannot in good conscience plan and execute a Duckfest with the global pandemic being what it is.

We will not be doing any live events this year, and this really, really bums us out.

To ameliorate this, we will be holding a virtual Duckfest sometime in June, and also putting out a Switcheroo Bundle a few months after that.

We apologize for any disappointment this might bring, and we hope you are staying save and sane under these trying circumstances.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

More description

Hey everyone, we've got some announcements. You can listen to the audio for full details, but it boils down to: the Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee has been canceled, the Portland Retro Games Expo has been canceled, and we cannot in good conscience plan and execute a Duckfest with the global pandemic being what it is.

We will not be doing any live events this year, and this really, really bums us out.

To ameliorate this, we will be holding a virtual Duckfest sometime in June, and also putting out a Switcheroo Bundle a few months after that.

We apologize for any disappointment this might bring, and we hope you are staying save and sane under these trying circumstances.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

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There are really two Ocarina of Times. The one that came out in 1998 that's undeniably groundbreaking and an aesthetic triumph, and the one that you can play in 2020 that has a lot of ups and downs. We give this sacred cow an honest evaluation in this episode. 

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There are really two Ocarina of Times. The one that came out in 1998 that's undeniably groundbreaking and an aesthetic triumph, and the one that you can play in 2020 that has a lot of ups and downs. We give this sacred cow an honest evaluation in this episode. 

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Published 2020-03-12

Watch Out for Fireballs! 269: Axiom Verge

155 min
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Metroidvanias are pretty common, but games that aim to ape the original Metroid are few and far between. Axiom Verge is a 2015 indie game with a distinct glitchy NES aesthetic and some pretty great powerups. It also has some problems with its combat and main character. You can't take away the beauty of those sprite designs or that music, however.

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Metroidvanias are pretty common, but games that aim to ape the original Metroid are few and far between. Axiom Verge is a 2015 indie game with a distinct glitchy NES aesthetic and some pretty great powerups. It also has some problems with its combat and main character. You can't take away the beauty of those sprite designs or that music, however.

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Published 2020-03-05

Watch Out for Fireballs! 268: Valdis Story

174 min
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Kole and Gary go deep into the Abyss on Valdis Story, a kickstarter character action/metroidvania hybrid. It's got ups, it's got downs, and we discuss em all. Thank you to Terra Parker for sponsoring this episode!

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Kole and Gary go deep into the Abyss on Valdis Story, a kickstarter character action/metroidvania hybrid. It's got ups, it's got downs, and we discuss em all. Thank you to Terra Parker for sponsoring this episode!

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

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This week's episode is a Dispatch, where we answer your questions and talk about your requested topic... namely, is it harmful to consider a game's value solely as a function of its length versus its cost?

Additionally, we read your responses to February's games, and announce April's titles!

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

More description

This week's episode is a Dispatch, where we answer your questions and talk about your requested topic... namely, is it harmful to consider a game's value solely as a function of its length versus its cost?

Additionally, we read your responses to February's games, and announce April's titles!

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Extract Knowledge
Listen elsewhere
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