Remap Radio

It's the end of the year and Rob has crawled out of the ruins of his home repairs long enough to talk to Axe of the Blood God's Kat Bailey about the ruins and rebuilding opportunities in game journalism. Kat talks about the challenges of making game journalism relevant to the communities most engaged with games, and the challenge of adapting a model that has its origins in print to our fractured digital age. Plus, Kat tells Rob which RPGs he needs to go back to, and tells everyone what is the one RPG they shouldn't miss this year. Then Cado and Rob solve lasers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Rob (still) out, Papa Bear returns (again). Patrick, Cado, and Austin recorded this ahead of The Game Awards, which helps explain three hours of talking (extensively) about board games, Cado and Austin attending (but not meeting up at) PAX Unplugged, an unhealthy obsession over (opening packs in) Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, a small amount of Eagles talk, a slightly bigger amount of New Waypoint talk, and more. Plus, Patrick’s been playing (and loving) Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, while Austin’s got thoughts on Mouthwashing and Indika Discussed: Let me tell you about Netrunner 2:08, PAX Unplugged 26:46, Pokemon Card Game Pocket 49:01, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle 1:25:10, Mouthwashing 1:48:35, Indika 1:53:56, Caves of Qud 2:03:51, The Question Bucket 2:0813 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Though Rob is out because of some ongoing construction, Patrick, Janet, and Cado were lucky to find a suitable replacement: Austin Walker. Naturally, we must first address the breaking news of a Gundam series coming from the creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion. But after that, it’s several long discussions on Arctic Eggs, 1000xResist, NYU’s recent No Quarter exhibition, Arco, Grunn, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. We talked about so many games that we had to cut the news section! But hey, we had some great questions about early access and puzzles. Discussed: Gundam News 3:58, Arctic Eggs 13:43, No Quarter 40:39, Arco 52:40, Grunn 59:52, 1000xResist 1:03:35, Dragon Age Veilguard 1:36:22, The Question Bucket 1:51:08, Outro and Announcements 2:43:40 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over the recent holiday, the Chicago Bears were once again a national embarrassment, losing in disastrous and nightmarish fashion for all the world to witness. But for the first time in their 100-year history, the Bears fired their head coach mid-season. Is this reason for optimism? Dread? A reason for Patrick to open a beer on a Monday night while recording a podcast? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One Twilight movie wasn’t enough for us during Save Point. We had to keep going. And fortunately, Austin was kind enough to join us for the complete madness that is Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. And no, we could not get enough of this movie’s very weird baby. Intro 00:00, Movie Start 11:08 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Remap came together in New York to raise money for Save Point, there was only one way to celebrate a reunion with Natalie: continue watching the Twilight movies. We’ve already watched most of them, but did you know the last one was split into two parts? Sure, why not? Recap 00:00, Movie Start 29:36 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Congratulations! You and the rest of Remap survived until S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Naturally, Rob has been spending an extraordinary amount of time in The Zone, but first, we have to talk about 2024’s The Game Awards nominees, Steam being called out for harboring nazis, and rumors Sony might buy the media company Kadokawa, who owns a significant chunk of FromSoftware. Elsewhere, Janet’s been trying to figure out if she’s smart enough for Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, while Patrick has disappointing news to share about a few hours spent playing Avowed. Discussed: The Game Awards Nominees 0:39, Sony looking to purchase From Software's Stake Owner 30:30, ADL Release Report on Nazism on Steam 38:15, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 51:27, Alan Wake: The Lake House 1:37:40, Lorelai and the Lazer Eyes 1:49:00, Echos of Wisdom 2:13:27, Avowed 2:16:10, Lego Horizon 2:48:56, Grunn 2:50:49, Outro and Announcements 2:54:36 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s no better way to bring back Sports! than to patiently wait for the Chicago Bears to sucker us back into caring, before smashing our hearts into pieces. Go Pack Go? Rob and Patrick do their best to sit in front of a microphone and make sense of what happened Sunday. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hot off hosting Save Point in New York, Rob and Patrick find themselves trying to figure out the puzzle box that is the (slightly more powerful) PlayStation 5 Pro. Fortunately, Janet and Cado are here to help us rationalize Rob’s latest impulsive purchase. In the news, we discuss Pocket Pair revealing what Nintendo’s upset about with Palworld, learn Tequila Works made a bunch of interesting games we’ve never heard of, and spend a little time processing Trump’s re-election. Discussed: Rob Bought a PS5 Pro 11:58, The Patents that Pokemon is suing Pal World over 58:17, Class Action Lawsuit against Ubisoft over the closing of The Crew 1:04:54, Tequila Works shutting down 1:13:37, Veilgaurd 1:20:10, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:23:57, Indika 1:29:41, Lego Horizon 1:30:30, Veilguard 1:37:57, Ghost of Tsushima 1:53:14, Echos of Wisdom 2:05:08, The Election 2:07:04 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re collectively getting ready for Save Point, a charity stream where we’ll be gathering in New York to hang out, play games, and raise money. But first, many of us have been playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard, leading us to pick apart why this RPG franchise has experienced so much whiplash over the years. Plus, Patrick has finished Life Is Strange: Double Exposure and has a lot of thoughts on iit. One last programming note, folks: this was recorded ahead of the election. Discussed: Dragon Age: The Veilguard 0:11:42, Life is Strange: Double Exposure 1:25:44, Rebirth 1:57:26, NSFW Jackbox 1:59:29, CODBLOPS 2:11:52, Mailbox 2:20:03 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It might’ve been inevitable, but the news that Sony is shutting down the developer of Concord is still distressing. Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado unpack what that disaster says about the state of game development, before turning their eyes to labor walkouts at DON’T NOD and Activision Blizzard. Elsewhere, Janet has finished Life Is Strange: Double Exposure and is not very happy with where the story ends up. Fortunately, Rob’s having a great time with the campaign for Black Ops 6. In The Question Bucket, we consider reasons for buying The Ultimate Monitor. Discussed: Sony Closes Firewalk 11:45, Layoffs at Don't Nod 37:15, Black Ops 6 QA strike over Return to Office Policy 1:04:10, Mouthwashing 1:12:11, Black Ops 6 1:21:38, Double Exposure 1:39:20, The Question Bucket 1:55:51 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This might be the most important interview in the history of Remap. Patrick managed to score an interview with Lance Allen, senior merchant of decorative holiday at Home Depot, also known as the creator of the 12-foot skeleton that sits outside of Patrick’s house all year long. Patrick and Lance chat about what it was like stumbling into a viral phenomenon during COVID-19, what the research process is like for coming up with new creations, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is one of the best games of the year. Naturally, Ubisoft has disbanded the development team. Nonetheless, Remap Radio pushes on, with Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob also discussing Netflix shutting down a big budget studio, before chattinga about the games they’ve been playing, including Neva, Tower of Dreams, Alan Wake II: The Lake House, and more. In The Question Bucket, we further unpack the ending to the original Life Is Strange. Discussed: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown studio shuttered 2:19, Netflix Closes Their Game Studio 30:33, Neva 57:07, Tower of Dreams 1:21:57, Alan Wake DLC: The Lake House 1:32:26, FC 25 1:41:08, Football Tactics and Glory 1:47:42, Mouthwashing 1:58:57, Unsorted Horror 1:59:41, The Question Bucket 2:04:58, Spoilers for Life is Strange 2:34:33, Outro and Announcements 2:47:23 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Rob out for the week, it’s left to Patrick, Cado, and Janet to consider Destiny getting a mobile game, the massive data leak at Pokémon developer Game Freak, and what to make of social platforms monetarily rewarding online figures exhibiting the most toxic behavior possible. We’ve also played a bunch of the new Atlus RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, the first two chapters of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, the opening hours of Neva, and dabbled in Steam Next Fest. In The Question Bucket, we ponder the existence of “frankenstein remasters” in games. Mobile Destiny 0:06:05 Game Freak Data Leak 0:20:53 Asmongold 0:41:09 Metaphor: ReFantazio 0:57:16 Life is Strange: Double Exposure 1:37:37Steam Next Fest 2:08:33 Question Bucket 2:23:03 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s spooky season, but there’s nothing spooky about the announcement of a sequel to Alien: Isolation. Rob, Patrick, and Cado try to figure out what a sequel to one of the horror greats might look like, before turning their confused attention to the future of Halo. Elsewhere, Patrick has been exploring the spookiest town of all in the new Silent Hill 2 remake, while Rob continues to plum the depths of Frostpunk 2. Finally, Cado has been playing Mexico 1921: A Deep Slumber, and we get into a shockingly long aside about Rob’s latest audio purchase. Discussed: Alien Isolation Sequel Announced 2:41, Meet New Halo Studios Just Like the Old Halo Studios 34:08, Silent Hill 2 Remake 48:02, Frostpunk 2 1:09:48, Playstation Portal 1:20:59, Who Doesn't Love a 3.5 mm Jack? 1:49:30, Mexico 1921, A Deep Slumber 1:52:49, FC 25 2:05:39, The Question Bucket 2:20:42 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a week of weird/downer news in video games, between Star Wars Outlaws not selling well, Assassin’s Creed Shadows feeling the weight of an entire company, Nintendo going after emulation (again), and more. But Janet, Patrick, Rob, and Cado are here to guide you through it, alongside impressions of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, an update on playing Space Marine 2, and more. In The Question Bucket, we consider getting into the Battle Pod. Discussed: Nintendo comes for the emulators 2:22, PS5 Pro preorders are all over the place 20:20, Troubles at Ubisoft 43:38, Janet's Star Wars History 1:00:31, Outlaws is a hard pitch 1:09:36, Space Marine 2 1:34:03, Echos of Wisdom 1:50:23, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown 2:21:38, Epic Mickey Rebrushed 2:42:53, The Question Bucket 2:53:47 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A few weeks into the latest NFL season, Patrick and Rob aren’t sure what to make of their Chicago Bears. Is it good when your offensive line is going viral for falling on the ground? Are your most important players supposed to have a “team meeting” during “communication week” with the offensive player caller? Why, for god’s sake, can’t this team just be normal for once? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a busy week of news, as Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado convene to discuss Sony’s latest State of Play, the delay of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, the latest on Concord, and more. Plus, Janet and Patrick finished Astro Bot, Rob’s continued to pull apart Frostpunk 2, and Cado’s compelled by Star Wars Outlaws. Oh, and despite agreeing no one else should probably do it, Patrick beat The Plucky Squire. And in The Question Bucket? Oh, let’s get agile, baby. Discussed: Playstation State of Play 0:52, PSVR 2 1:18, Ghost of Yotei 9:12, Monster Hunter Wilds 23:06, Hell is Us 26:08, Alan Wake 2 DLC 29:18, Stellar Blade Nier Automata DLC 31:25, Dragon Age Veilguard 35:56, Palworld Lawsuit 44:22, The New Flappy Bird Situation 59:54, Ubisoft Shadows Delayed 1:04:31, Concord Director Steps Down 1:17:32, Like a Dragon: Pirate Dragon in Hawaii 1:23:19, Astrobot 1:44:05, Frostpunk 2 1:57:22, The Plucky Squire 2:20:36, The Question Bucket 2:34:07 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob, Patrick, and Cado are psyched to be joined by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who’s also the author of an upcoming book about the complicated legacy and uncertain future of Blizzard. With Janet traveling, the rest of the group mulls the strange blowup at Annapurna Interactive and the equally strange and crypto-infused return of Flappy Bird. Both Patrick and Jason have spent time with the audacious UFO 50, while Jason, sadly, hasn’t exactly been blown away by The Lucky Squire. Rob, meanwhile, is busy managing a never ending winter in Frostpunk 2. At the very end, we indulge in some light sports, given that Jason is a long suffering fan of the Jets. Discussed: Annapurna Interactive Staff Resign Enmasse 5:21, Flappy Bird is Back? 18:20, Frostpunk 2 39:36, The Plucky Squire 1:03:56, UFO 50 1:05:28, Play Nice 1:17:08, Outro and Announcementnts 1:55:29 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Sony finally announcing its long rumored PlayStation 5 Pro, the crew gathers to figure out what exactly you’re buying with $700 and what it says about the future of hardware. Elsewhere, Patrick and Janet are continuing to enjoy Astro Bot, while Rob has fully given into his most authentic tank self in Gunner, HEAT, PC! Oh, and everyone’s really digging Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, even if we’re spending a lot of time asking questions about the mythology. Discussed: PS5 Pro 2:42, Astrobot 1:15:21, Gunner,Heat,PC! 1:40:09, Space Marine 2 1:55:58, Valley Peaks 2:13:58, Nine Sols 2:13:58, The Question Bucket 2:20:03, Outro and Announcements 2:38:12 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Janet and Patrick are freshly back from PAX, ready to share stories of panels, riding trains, and playing games like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, and more with Rob and Cado. Beyond trying to pick apart Sony’s decision to shove Concord into a digital locker mere weeks after launch, we’ve also got a shockingly positive Star Wars: Outlaws update from Rob, while Patrick and Janet are both over the frickin’ moon for Astro Bot. Discussed: The Question Bucket 0:45, Concord Shuts Down 25:48, Remedy teams up with Annapurna 1:23:05, Astro Bot 1:30:39, Space Marine 2 2:00:50, Pax West 2:24:13, Life is Strange Double Exposure 2:24:16, The Legend of Zelda: Echos of Wisdom 2:34:18, Star Wars Outlaws 2:40:54, Outro and Announcements 2:53:06 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s nearly, folks: another chance for the Chicago Bears to break our hearts. Rob and Patrick gather around the sportsball to peer into the future, and discover that despite the Bears’ best efforts, they’re (once again) optimistic. But before that, we discuss how fans process rooting for mediocrity as an achievable goal, before transitioning it previewing the entire NFL season as a whole. In The Question Bucket, we determine the NFL’s saddest team—and it’s not the Bears! Discussed: No Cursing Please,  0:31, Quarterback Character,  18:09, The Upcoming Bears Season,  40:45, The NFL SAD Club,  1:06:00, The Rest of the NFL Season,  1:13:58 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fresh off watching Nintendo’s latest Indie World showcase, Remap Radio gathers to mull the endgame of the Nintendo Switch. Join Janet, Patrick, Cado, and Rob as they also wonder: hey, was that Apple TV Tetris movie any good? Elsewhere, Rob and Patrick work through some mixed feelings on Star Wars Outlaws, we try to unpack Concord’s failure to launch and what it says about Sony’s broader live service strategy, and everyone’s feeling Tactical Breach Wizards. In The Question Bucket, we asked and you delivered: more delicious corporate jargon. Discussed: Nintendo Direct 2:44, Star Wars Outlaws 32:02, Deadlock Exists 1:10:20, Concord 1:16:10, Stormgate 1:44:03, Age of Mythology Retold 1:49:16, Tactical Breach Wizards 2:03:24, Janet's Jak II Adventures 2:21:36, The Question Bucket 2:26:06, Outro and Announcements 2:45:12 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Somehow, Peter Molyneux returned. But so did Remap Radio, as Patrick, Janet, Cado, and Rob gathered to discuss Gamescom. In fact, Janet had a chance to play some of those games, including Avowed, Little Nightmares III, Winter Burrow, and more. Patrick’s spent time with gaming’s latest culture war, Black Myth: Wukong, while Rob’s been stuck in digital submarines in UBOAT. Elsewhere, Patrick and Cado have both been enjoying the tactical pixel RPG Arco, and in The Question Bucket, we ponder more about Molyneux and our favorite corporate jargon. Discussed: Gamescom Opening Night 2:20, Monster Hunter Wilds 20:14, Directive 8020 35:26, Lost Records 39:29, Avowed 55:57, Funko Fusion 1:05:39, Winterburrow 1:07:07, Black Myth: Wukong's Whole Deal 1:09:50, Arco 1:38:01, Destroyer: The U-boat Hunter 1:51:43, The Question Bucket 2:06:33 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here's a preview of this week's HOA! Listen to more by upgrading to the Library tier at remapradio.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why can’t there be more weird sports games? What’s wrong with an athlete having a lil’ cult, as a treat? It’s these questions and more with Janet, Patrick, Cado, and Rob this week, as we start by celebrating/questioning the surprising news that Tango Gameworks and Hi-Fi Rush aren’t dead anymore. Also, we wade into the Deadlock discourse, which prompts a discussion on Steam’s role in the PC ecosystem and what the proper response to a monopoly is. Elsewhere, Janet’s been playing Fields of Mysteria, Rob’s into Conscript, and Patrick’s looking for love. Discussed: The Motorsports. Managers Have Logged On 2:11, Krafton acquires Tango Gameworks 51:42, The Verge's Deadlock Article 1:04:59, The Question Bucket 1:36:21, Fields of Mistria 2:06:19, The games Patrick isn't quite playing 2:21:44, Conscript 2:22:57, Steamworld Heist 2 2:34:27 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re not ready to give up the Olympics yet, which is why Rob and Patrick have convened the Sports! council to chat about what it’s been like having Olympics fever the past two weeks, and spend a bunch of time talking about women’s soccer, men and women’s basketball, and cycling. And we definitely do not overhype a handful of pre-season passes from Caleb Williams. No, sir. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A simple question: how do you best organize your digital life? Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado have already got it figured out, clearly. But soon enough, we’re chatting about games, with Patrick having conquered the known universe after completing The Game of Sisyphus, and both Janet and Patrick having a blast with the whimsical (but hard!) Valley Peaks. Meanwhile, Rob’s connecting orbs in World of Goo 2. In video game news, there’s the unexpected departure of Luke Smith and others from Bungie, the tragic closure of Game Informer, and the increasing weirdness about What’s Going on at Intel. And in a brief Question Bucket, we ponder parries. Discussed: Rob's Power Outage Story 3:36, The Game of Sisyphus 22:57, Valley Peaks 33:38, Surmount 55:43, World of Goo 2 1:09:32, Game Informer Closed 2:03:18, Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy Out at Bungie 2:23:35, Intel's No Good Very Bad Financial Quarter 2:39:23, The Question Bucket 2:58:18 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NFL approaches, which means soon enough, Patrick and Rob will grapple with the reality of the Chicago Bears actually playing football, instead of wondering about it. History has taught us the former is better. Can Caleb Williams and co. change that? We’ll see, and our first glimpse into the future comes via HBO’s documentary series Hard Knocks, which is following the Bears at training camp this year. We also touch on the NBA Finals, Olympics, and a few other topics. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is failing to throw a football while streaming College Football 25 a sign of weakness, or merely an illustration of the stressors associated with public sport? Rob, Patrick, Cado, and Janet ponder this question and more, while trying to make sense of Bungie’s latest set of layoffs, SAG-AFTRA going on strike, and EA’s questionable use of the term “AI.” Elsewhere, Patrick’s both high and low on the comedic Thank Goodness You’re Here, while Janet doesn’t want the oceanic Loodlenaut to ever end. In The Question Bucket, we consider entering a sound pod. 2:35 - College Football 2537:16 - Loddlenaut45:09 - Thank Goodness You're Here1:00:42 - Bungie Layoffs1:45:52 - SAG-AFTRA Strike, AI2:14:24 - XBox 360 Store Closing2:28:28 - Question Bucket See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unionization is spreading throughout Microsoft, and it’s glorious. Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado chat about the formation of unions at Bethesda Game Studios and Blizzard, before [deep sigh] unpacking Ubisoft’s decision to acknowledge the nontroversy with Assassin’s Creed Shadows put forth by bad faith actors. Also, Patrick and Janet have spent time with Clickolding and Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure. By the end, we drink deep from The Question Bucket.  Discussed: Unions are being formed across the gaming industry 3:01, Ubisoft Responds to Criticism and Trolls 19:08 Google Signs AI Deal with Reddit 42:57, Arranger 1:04:39, Tangent about Homework 1:18:43, Clickolding 1:27:31, Humble Games Shuttered 1:47:25, The Question Bucket 2:03:28 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

College Football is back as a surprise hit of the summer... and it appears to have awakened something in Rob. He's traveling the Midwest recruiting for Notre Dame, concealing from all those kids that their head coach doesn't know what a "hot route" is much less how to call one. Janet's got a head full of soccer as she explains EA FC 24 and how it's trying to be all things to all players. The gang discuss the ominous letter a laid-off DEI team lead sent to colleagues at Microsoft before Janet shares tales of being charmed by Flock, and Rob builds his own new F1 team in F1 Manager 24. Finally, a reader shares all the dark secrets of the Bionicles. Discussed: College Football 25 4:24, FC 25 56:11, Microsoft Lays of portion of DEI Team 1:48:01, Flock 2:00:51, F1 Manager 24 2:10:25, Hauntii 2:31:35, The Question Bucket 2:35:17 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We begin where all good podcasts begin, of course, with Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado talking about Bionicle. Eventually, this all starts to make sense, as Rob has been playing a lot of Cataclismo, a strategy game with some Lego-like mechanics. We also unpack Microsoft’s recent (but unsurprising?) shifts with Xbox Game Pass, what “success” means for a game in Early Access, and why we’re so drawn to goofy games liked Chained Together and The Game of Sisyphus. And finally, listeners wrote in with more tales of dealing with conspiracy theories. Discussed: Cataclismo 40:06, Game Pass Pricing Changes 1:15:35, Manor Lords Publisher Defends Dev 1:50:14, Chained Together 2:12:42, Question Bucket 2:26:32 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

And now, the conclusion of Patrick’s ongoing interview series from Summer Game Fest, featuring conversations with the developers of Bounty Star (mechs!), Hello Kitty (cats!), SteamWorld Heist 2 (tactics!), and Cairn (rocks!). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s impossible to begin anywhere but with the ongoing, evolving, and increasingly upsetting story surrounding the popular streamer Herschel "Guy" Beahm, aka Dr. Disrespect, and what it says about applications of justice at places like YouTube and Twitch. We touch on the Elden Ring difficulty discourse, in light of Shadow of the Erdtree dropping, before chatting about Janet revisiting Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Patrick digging deep into Nine Sols, and the group wondering if the game of the year is The Game of Sisyphus, a game about rolling a boulder. Oh, and there’s another installment in Landlord Talk (™). This one somehow involves a funeral. Discussed: Remap's Anniversary Stream 16:28, Dr. Disrespect Was Twitch Banned for Sexually Explicit Messages to a Minor on Twitch 30:26, The Difficulty Discourse Returns around Elden Ring DLC 1:10:30, An Early Question Bucket 1:28:17, One Million Checkboxes 1:42:53, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:43:30, Nine Sols 1:59:41, The Game of Sisyphus 2:02:13, Farm Simulator 19 2:15:57, Outro and Announcements 2:27:45 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s time for another round of interviews from Patrick’s time at Summer Game Fest earlier this month. Today, it’s conversations with the developers behind Sony’s tremendous-looking platformer Astro Bot, Blumhouse’s debut into video games Fear the Spotlight, and the exceptionally quirky but undeniably charming indie romance game Building Relationships. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob, Patrick, and Janet discuss the Nintendo Direct, the cancellation of Life by You and the cycle of missteps at Paradox Interactive, the ups-and-downs of Eugen Systems’ RTS games, and life aboard a haunted oil rig in Still Wakes the Deep. But first, the gang show what it means to live the Good Life by discussing Selaco, the Doom-derived FEAR-like that has been kicking butts and (trailer voice) BLOWING THEIR MINDS. Discussed: 3:32 - Selaco, 28:42 - Nintendo Direct, 1:13:07 - Life by You & Paradox Interactive, 1:27:43 - A brief Bloodborne Interlude, 1:32:08 - CATO, 1:38:50 - CONSCRIPT, 1:44:34 - Glyphica: Typing Survival, 1:50:23 - Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, 1:54:16 - I Am Your Beast, 2:02:42 - WARNO, 2:14:24 - Still Wakes the Deep See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick recently attended Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest in sunny Los Angeles, California, and came back with a whole bunch of interesting interviews with interesting developers about interesting games. You’ll hear those interviews over the next few weeks, starting with conversations featuring the developers of Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure, Harmonium: The Musical, and Neva. There’s more to come, including, of course, Astro Bot! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over the past weekend, Janet and Patrick spent many hours wandering Geoff Keighley’s latest Summer Game Fest event, playing and seeing games like Astro Bot, Zoochosis, STALKER 2, While Waiting, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and many more. Elsewhere, Cado, Patrick, and Rob have been dipping their toes into Steam’s Next Fest celebration. Oh, and we’re prepping for next week’s big in-person Remap first anniversary stream that kicks off on Friday evening! Discussed: Summer Game Fest 4:18, Zoochosis 22:53, STALKER 2 32:25, Marty O'Donnell loses his congressional race 43:39, break 51:19, Flock 51:31, AstroBot 58:28, Lego Horizons 1:12:53, Dragon Age Voidguard 1:16:59, Shadow of the Erdtree 1:44:05, Harmonium 1:49:54, While Waiting 1:54:47, Perfect Dark 2:05:23, Steam Next Fest 2:13:01, Pinball Spire 2:14:50, Keylocker 2:18:40, Thank Goodness You're Here 2:21:24, Golden Lap 2:27:28, Tactical Breach Wizards 2:36:12, Demonschool 2:38:46, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers 2:42:56, Outro and Announcements 2:48:10 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We kick off by recapping Sony’s State of Play, in which Rob unfairly asks the rest of the group to restrain themselves from spending the entire hour talking about Astro Bot. But that gives Cado, Patrick, and Janet plenty of time to unpack Infinity Nikki and consider gaming’s open world dress up future. Elsewhere, we chat about Amazon making a Yakuza TV show and Google workers leaking Nintendo information. On the games front, Rob’s finished up F1 23’s campaign, Cado’s trying to play Destiny, and Patrick’s really digging two new indies, RKGK and Nine Sols. Discussed: Yakuza Game In the Works 3:23, Playstation State of Play 18:43, Silent Hill 2 Remaster 19:22, Concord 21:56, Marvel Rivals 34:36, Infinity Nikki 37:41, Until Dawn Remaster 45:42, Astro Bot 49:29, Google Contractor Used Admin Access to Leak Info From Private Nintendo YouTube Video 1:09:01, Rob's Tire Woes 1:19:20, F1 Flashpoint 1:30:53, RKGK 1:50:46, Nine Sols 1:52:44, Destiny 2: The Final Shape 2:06:29, The Question Bucket 2:13:33, Outro and Announcements 2:41:14 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you weave narrative into gameplay? How do you balance the two, and when should they overlap? Join a roundtable discussion with developers behind the exciting upcoming games Cryptmaster (Lee Williams), Nirvana Noir (Evan Stark), and Wander Stars (Andie Gallo) as they unpack their individual approaches to this topic. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The great fear is that AI will replace tons of jobs, including journalists, which makes the decisions by Vox Media, The Atlantic, and others to actively partner with AI companies all the more puzzling to Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado. It neatly lines up with confusing (and wrong?) comments from Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann about AI that Sony have since retracted. We also consider news that Steam won’t let you transfer ownership upon death, before chatting about beating games like Animal Well, Hellblade II, and Homeworld 3. Remap? Beating games? Discussed: Vox Media Signs Deal with OpenAI 16:25, Why 404 Media Needs Your Email 59:24, Neil Druckmann misquoted in Sony Interview 1:17:10, Valve confirms your Steam account cannot be transferred to anyone after you die 1:35:12, Duck Detective 1:57:00, Animal Well 2:08:24, Homeworld 3 2:15:37, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II 2:29:29, Destiny 2 The Final Shape Leaks 2:43:38, Outro and Announcements 2:49:21 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Few things are more important to a story-driven game than the writing. This becomes even more paramount when you hand over decisions to the players. Join the developers of Citizen Sleeper, Times & Galaxy, and Slay the Princess as they provide insight into the process of writing and player choice. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We open in a familiar place, with Rob, Patrick, Cado, and Janet talking about the ongoing tumult in video games media, after hearing IGN has acquired a bunch of new websites. Rob also gets a chance to ruminate on what a rumored Total War: Star Wars game might look like, before he discusses the fascinating, if understandably polarizing, Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga with Patrick. We also chat about Crow Country, racing wheels, our relationship with clutter, and more. Discussed: IGN Buys Gamer Network Websites 8:47, Slay the Spire Boardgame 1:06:03, One Final Redfall Update 1:07:03, Creative Assembly Is Making Total War: Star Wars 1:09:27, Rob's Thoughts on Star Wars Battles, Hellblade 2 1:17:12, Crow Country 1:52:55, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 2:06:58, Rob's Steering Wheel Adventures 2:09:28, The Question Bucket 2:44:16, Outro and Announcements 2:57:46 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick sits down to chat with Jordi de Paco of Deconstructeam about his path through the games industry, creating games at a small scale, and finding ways to create without overworking. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who’s the puzzle master now? It feels like it might be the people in the accounting department, after hearing about Square Enix going multiplatform and Xbox sales slumping. Patrick, Cado, Rob, and Janet break down the week’s news, alongside in-depth discussions of Animal Well, finally finishing Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, the surprising response to Homeworld 3, and more. Discussed: Animal Well 45:50, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:19:01, Animorphs Spoilers 1:28:14, Homeworld 3 1:35:59, The Question Bucket 2:29:12 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob has a chat with Xalavier Nelson Jr. as a part of Ludonarracon! They discuss the difficulties of writing stories for games, how narrative can be transformed by mechanics, and the art of writing NPC barks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The biggest news of the week, obviously, is Sony’s fight to add PSN to Helldi…no, wait, it’s actually Nintendo confirming the next Swi…huh, no, it’s Microsoft shutting down Tango Gameworks and creating a (new) existential crisis for the Xbox brand. Phew. But Patrick, Rob, Janet, and Cado are here to unpack it all, including thoughts on Indika, Manor Lords, and Little Kitty, Big City. We also spend a shockingly long time talking about Apple’s weird new iPad ad. Discussed: Microsft closes several Bethesda Studios 12:49, Sony's Helldivers' Horrible No Good Very Bad Week 55:09, Switch 2 announcement 1:10:08, The iPad Pro Ad Controversy, 1:23:04, Indika 1:47:47, Manor Lords 2:10:04, Little Kitty Big City 2:19:44, Rusty's Retirement 2:30:21, John Wick Pinball Game 2:38:44, Outro and Announcements 2:50:37 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recently, Patrick journeyed into his own backyard to pay a visit to the Chicago-based Stern Pinball, creators of the upcoming John Wick pinball game. Besides playing John Wick, Patrick had a chance to spend time talking with Stern Pinball lead software engineer Tim Sexton about what it means to make pinball games in the modern age, the ongoing evolution of technology inside today’s pinball games, and how the heck someone becomes a pinball creator in 2024. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What to make of Square Enix canceling $140.8 million of in-development games? How exactly is (or isn’t) Microsoft going to capitalize on Fallout-mania? Remember when Razer tried to sell people a bogus RGB-filled N95 gamer mask? All this and more on Remap Radio, as Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado break down the news, plus thoughts on Pools (a spooky video game), Another Crab’s Treasure, Stellar Blade, Manor Lords, and the rare IMAX/furniture store combo. Discussed: Razer Sued for Fake N95 Masks 3:50, Square Reports $140 Million Loss from Canceled Projects 22:35, Take Two Shuts Down Two Game Studios 30:41, Fallout Show Has Record Viewership 1:01:34, Pools 1:11:28, Another Crab's Treasure 1:28:30, Tales of Kenzara 1:41:34, Manor Lords 1:45:13, The Question Bucket 1:57:05, Outro and Announcments 2:21:11 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.