Episodes

3d ago

To wrap up the year, December's premium episode of WOFF! is the live panel we did at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo back in October. Bob Mackey and Jeremy Parish of the Retronauts joined us to talk about the best and worst 7/10 games. One score means a lot of different things, and we try to get to the bottom of what's 7/10 (derogatory) and 7/10 (laudatory). Games we discuss: Shadowrun (SNES). Ghostbusters (2009). Yakuza: Dead Souls. Dragon Quest VII. Clash at Demonhead. The Misadventures of Tron Bonne. Ninja Five-O. State of Decay. Haunting Ground.

3d ago

To celebrate episode 500, we wrap up the plot of our yearly CRPG, Wasteland 3. We're heading up the mountains toward the north in order to deal with Victory, the Psychopath who is holed themselves up in Aspen.

Dec 11

Continuing our journey into the Wasteland, we need to follow up on a lead about the involvement of a Casino magnate.

Dec 4

Before there was Fallout, there was Wasteland. And after there was Fallout, there was Wasteland. In this combat heavy tactical RPG, we see many of the seeds that blossomed into the flowers of Fallout, while still having a distinct flavor all their own. This game is goofy, cynical, and generally wants you to have a bad time while you laugh.

Nov 27

Upcoming WOFF Games December: Wasteland 3 January: The Legend of Zelda (Bonefireside Chat Rerun) The Binding of Isaac (Guest-hosted episode with Gary and Will Hughes) Theif II: The Metal Age RoboCop: Rogue City (Premium)

Nov 20

We love Hitman so much, we had to see where our little, bald, perfect clone with a barcode came from. The levels are smaller, but a lot of the core concepts of what makes Hitman good are still here in the DNA of the series in a more rudimentary form.

Nov 13

[Audio Disclaimer: Gwen here. All of the OST audio I could find for Unpacking had some skips in the audio files themselves. I tried to minimize this, but I can still hear them in the finished audio. If you hear it as well, just know that I worked with the best versions I could find.] What stories do our objects tell us about ourselves? Unpacking attempts to get the player to connect to an unseen person who's objects we become intimately familiar with. It's also a game about chores. Does it make you cry?

Nov 6

Our beloved Hell Train is back, but this time... it's a Heaven Train. Monster Train 2 throws out the whole deck and asks you to start again with five new clans before allowing you to unlock the clans from the original. It's a confident, sleek, and well-considered sequel.

Nov 2

Release the emergency question valve! We're drowning in here!

Oct 31

We read your responses to: Silent Hill 2 (2024) Cryptmaster F.E.A.R. Upcoming Games: November: November: Monster Train 2 Unpacking Hitman: Blood Money (Premium) December: Wasteland 3 PRGE Live Episode (Premium)

Oct 24

Paxton Fettel isn't going to catch himself, operative. That's why you're on a squad with the unlikely name of F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon), to hunt down the psychic commander of an army of clones. That's Paxton, the commander. F.E.A.R. does not hold up as a horror game because it's way too modal, but it's a very solid first person shooter with enemy AI that is still spookily good. For our highlight this week, we have a time sensitive call to action: Save the date for Saturday, November 9 at 9:00am Eastern. That's when our fans at catgirls.cam will be holding a 24 hour live stream to raise money for the Mockingbird Meadows & Chicago Food Depository. The event is called BD4PP and it's addressing an urgent need for people dealing with food scarcity in Chicago.

Oct 16

Behold! Four monosyllabic zombies must type their way through legions of enemies, all while showing off their incredible typing/riddle prowess. In this unique typing/horror/blobber hybrid, a blend of thrills and chills await you. Dare you enter the realm of the Cryptmaster?

Oct 9

How far would you go to run away from your own guilt? Team Bloober takes a swing at reimaging the uncontested horror game classic that is Silent Hill 2. The game looks great, but does it overstay its welcome attempting to scare you senseless? This game is massive, which can lead to the horror it's attempting to peddle becoming a little stale by the end.

Oct 2

This isn't so bad. We can fix this. We are definitely not in a catastrophe. Mouthwashing is a bit-sized walking sim horror game that asks how do we handle the worst possible news. The answer is not well.

Sep 25

Upcoming Games October: Mouthwashing Silent Hill 2make Cryptmaster F.E.A.R. (Premium) November: Monster Train 2 Unpacking Hitman: Blood Money (Premium)

Sep 18

There's a storm acomin', and all the animal-folk need to band together if we want to survive this one. Against the Storm is a unique city builder where saving up for big events it's what's going to keep you afloat. Dare you attempt to survive the storm?

Sep 11

Outer Wilds is a cozy adventure game about the thrill of exploration and the triumph of curiosity. You walk in the footsteps of a long-gone civilization to find your way out of a deadly time loop, ultimately triumphing and being reborn. The game's expansion, Echoes of the Eye, takes a bit of a darker tone. You explore an artificial world haunted by precursors who aren't quite as gone as you've been led to believe. There are some real design missteps here, and we talk about them, but also talk about what makes Outer Wilds in general work for us in spite of them. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 4

Bob Mackey of the Retronauts joins Kaye this week to talk about Majora's Mask, whose pitch is that you only have three days to save the world, but you have as many three days as you want. This is the bleaker and more ambitious sibling to the beloved Ocarina of Time, and it's a standout title in its own right even if it's (wrongly, in our opinion) divisive. The inhabitants of Termina walk daily under a reminder of their pending doom, and Link and his many transformation masks are their only hope against Skull Kid and his mysterious cursed mask. Note: The first version of this episode cut off early. Redownload it to hear the last five minutes or so! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 28

Howdy do! We've got heaps of questions today, so let's not waste any time dilly-dallying! Upcoming Games September: Majora’s Mask (w/ Bob Mackey of Retronauts) Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye Against the Storm October: Mouthwashing Silent Hill 2 Remake Cryptmaster F.E.A.R. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 21

What if a video game really, fully embodied that you can just blow shit up? Welcome to Mercenaries. Earn tons of money, explode some bad people, and generally play however the hell you want. Join as we explore this expression-first mission-based sandbox.

Aug 14

For the first time since 2019, Watch Out for Fireballs! is going to have a panel at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo this October, the weekend of October 17-19! We will be giving an updated version of our 7/10 Games talk, with new games and new guests (we'll have at least one Retronaut with us). We don't currently know when our slot is, but we will announce it when we have more details. We will not have a table set up at the show this year, but Gary and I will be present and carrying around swag to give out (swag will be available at our panel, and at our meetup). To sweeten the pot if you're thinking of attending, we will also be holding a meetup at a nearby establishment, time and place to be determined. So I guess this post is more just serving as a "save the date", or a call to buy your tickets now if you're thinking of going. We'd love to see you there, and the show itself is always a good time.

Aug 14

This week Gary welcomes acquaintance of the network Will Hughes (Everything to Guppy) to the co-host chair to discuss Hazelight Studios' Split Fiction. This podcast is half science fiction, half fantasy. In the fantasy half, we pretend that stories aren't based on a writer's experiences in life. In the sci-fi half, we send you this podcast through the power of space lasers. Split Fiction has a lot of really cool ideas, but still fails as a story in some fundamental ways. We want to praise the game, but also give it some slaps on the wrist for it's less-than-par writing. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 7

What happens when you give the original Metroid a glow-up with the Super Metroid engine? A lot of cool stuff, and some weird stuff. It's not a perfect fit, but the result is still the second best Metroid game ever made. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 3

Okay! We'll talk, we'll talk! Just please stop with the questions!

Jul 31

You are a body. In a video game, you are a body sometimes. Other times, you are a menu, representing a body. What does a game really need to get you to embody the story it wants to tell? Upcoming Games: August: -Metroid Zero -Split Fiction (Gary and Will) -Mercenaries: Playground September: -Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (Kaye and Bob Mackey) -Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye -Against the Storm Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 24

Can a robot's heart beat like a man's? What makes us human? Probably puzzle solving. Robots can't solve puzzles. Prove me wrong, kids.

Jul 17

We return to Night City to embark on a new mission in the slums of Dogtown. V gets mixed up in the whacky adventures of a sitting president. Does Phantom Liberty return to the heights once-achieved by the Witcher 3 DLC? Join us and find out! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 10

Does this have the least good soundtrack of the original run of Tony Hawk games? Probably! Does it still kick a good amount of ass? Yes. THPS3 continues broadening the scope of the beloved skateboarding franchise, with one key idea: More. More secret areas, more goofy levels, more ways to extend your combo! Check out this sweet kickflip! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 3

You've seen immersive sims before, but have you ever played one where you sneeze? Skin Deep is a cute, weird, immersive sim with indie sensibilities. Your character doesn't wear shoes, you carry the heads of your enemies around in your inventory, and it all takes place on a spaceship. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 26

We spilled the bowl, and only questions came out. Upcoming Games: July: -Skin Deep -Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 -Cyperpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty -The Talos Principle August: -Metroid: Zero Mission -Split Fiction (with Will Hughes) -Mercenaries: World of Destruction Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 19

Back when Fromsoft used to experiment in the B-tier game mines, they made a bizarre Real Time card battle game. That game is Lost Kingdoms, and this is our Summer JRPG. Sometimes life takes you to unexpected places.

Jun 12

In this spin-off of a spin-off, C&C assumes the Allies are victorious in C&C Red Alert 2, which is why Yuri is out for Revenge. Use your units and strategic wits to outsmart the enemy, and as a reward you will get to see some of the silliest cutscenes ever made. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 5

We found a few more doors to check. The Last Door returns with a few more episodes to show off it's unique lo-fi adventure game style. While we're still fans, the second game doesn't work for us quite as much as the first. Still lots of cool stuff to talk about though! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 29

We've already killed viruses, parasites and fungi, what could possibly be waiting for us in the future? Heck, what would we do with it? Upcoming Games: June: The Last Door Seson 2 Red Alert 2: Yuri's Revenge Lost Kingdoms July: Skin Deep Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 Cyberpunk2077: Phantom Liberty The Talos Principle Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 22

What if combat was less about hitting your opponent, and more about circling around them at very high speeds? Ace Combat 4 is one of the genre standards for the dog-fighting genre. There aren't that many games in there, so when people like one it generally stands out. But is there enough there to entertain the non-fan of the genre? And how did they manage to add an alternate reality plot to this?

May 15

Time to join Chris, Sherry and Jake, and Ada, as they do the same shit Leon did last episode. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 8

How many zombies is too many zombies? Probably about one campaign of Resident Evil 6. Prepare to be worn down until you don't like this pretty good game with the sheer amount of content it offers. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 1

Do you dare to feel satisfied? Build a dream factory on a mostly uninhabited alien planet. Build it again once you realize how much more efficientiely you could do it. This week we are joined by special guest Ben Merkel from the Level, since the game takes hundreds of hours to properly play. Rest up, Gary. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 30

Our cup runneth over with questions. Here are your spilled questions. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 24

Before listening to this episode, please complete this towers of Hanoi puzzle. Upcoming WOFF Games: May: Satisfactory (w/ Ben Merkle) Resident Evil 6 Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies June: The Last Door: Season 2 Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge (w/ Brayton Cameron) Lost Kingdoms Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 17

Way back when, when it felt like horror games were few and far between, we would settle for The Suffering. It's a real B-delivery of some A-level ideas. If you have nostalgia, it's justified, if you don't have nostalgia, wow what a weird game. Plus, there's a morality system based on how well you can not hit the NPCs.

Apr 10

He's not quite a knight, he's not quite a gladiator. He's just Rygar. And he's going to... defeat the Animalized Men Wriggling Eerily. Come join us in this proto-Metroidvania and we see what strange design decisions were made during the wild west era of early console gaming. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 3

No role-playing today, kids! Just time for that sweet tappa-tappa. Grind for gear, slay some jellied cubes, and enjoy killing some time in this Diablo-clone with a Dungeons and Dragons skin. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 27

Why? This is the question of religion. Also, how, what, huh, whazzat and bwuh? But how do video games handle these questions religiously? Join us, as we explore this mystery. Upcoming Games: April: -Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (Rerun) -Rygar -The Suffering May: -Satisfactory (Kole and Ben Merkle) -Resident Evil 6 (Two-parter) -Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 20

It's not quite a blobber and it's quite an Ultima, so what is it? Might and Magic is a huge series and number 6 is a strange entry. You can recruit townspeople, tanks are pointless, and there are dungeons scattered about the map like litter. Join us, won't you?

Mar 13

What do video games and religion have in common? The points don't matter! INDIKA is a walking-sim adjacent indie adventure game that is largely a vehicle for philosophical debates. You might think that sounds a little pretentious, but the writing is actually stellar and we encourage everyone to check this out. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 6

Have you ever wonder what it would be like to be a pilot who also had to juggle? That's the kind of hard hitting question Hammerfight tries to answer. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 27

I know we ask for the asks, but the asks just don't stop coming. Upcoming Games: March: Hammerfight INDIKA Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven April: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (Rerun) Rygar The Suffering Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 20

Skald - n. a composer and reciter of poems honoring heroes and their deeds. While you can't recruit a Skald in your party, oddly, you can hone and craft a party of heroes in this updated retro-style Blobber. It wants to introduce you to a genre that's generally unfriendly to newcomers.

Feb 19

This episode is a quick announcement to let you know that the way you get Duckfeed's premium content is changing. Patreon now offers individual feeds of all of our backer-only shows. This gives you control over what your podcast player downloads, and what you ultimately listen to. Since Patreon itself has this feature, we will no longer be using the individual show feeds on Fireside for our premium content. Those feeds will no longer be updated. Here's what you need to do: You will now need to subscribe to each show you want to listen to individually through Patreon. The process is very simple, just go to the Membership tab on our Patreon page. I've also created a detailed guide for you in the pinned post on our Patreon page. The delivery of public episodes isn't changing at this time. (So to get both the public and premium episodes of Watch Out for Fireballs!, you will need to subscribe to both the feed provided on Patreon and the public feed on watchoutforfireballs.com . I apologize for this duplication, there just isn't a way to handle it better at the moment). Very little else is changing at the moment. You will still get email notifications about every episode we post, regardless of what shows you subscribe to. If you miss the combined feed of all of our shows, what we called the firehose, we're sorry that it went away. You can recreate the effect either by using an RSS feed combiner service, or using features in the podcast app you already use to group shows together into one list of episodes. This feature is called Stations in Apple Podcasts, Overcast calls it Smart Playlists, Podcast Addict calls it Playlists. Pocketcasts doesn't have an option for this as far as I know. Patreon's multi-show RSS feature is still in testing, and there may be hiccups. This is also just one of many changes Patreon is making to make podcasting on their platform better for everyone, so expect more features in the near future. If you have any feedback about the experience, please write at info@duckfeed.tv. To sweeten the pot if this change makes you want to back us for the first time, or to become a patron again, use the code MULTIFEED (all one word) to get 20% off the first month of a new subscription.

Feb 13

Stealth games! We've been trying to figure out how to make games anti-action for a long time, and before we ever got to Sekiro, we had a little game called Tenchu Stealth Assassins. My, how the genre has evolved. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 6

How can a movie also be a game? The sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror tries to answer that with the experimental Bandersnatch, which weirdly feels archaic in many ways even as it tries to break storytelling boundaries. There is some neat stuff in here, but does it add up to anything more than cheap twists? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 30

Questions. Questions for ever. Don't y'all ever stop asking questions?

Jan 30

Boss Fights! Who needs them? Not us. But the video game industrial complex sure seems addicted to them. Upcoming Schedule: February: Black Mirror - Bandersnatch Tenchu Stealth Assassins Skald: Against the Black Priory March: Hammerfight Indika Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 23

Genre defining, boundary pushing, console selling; Super Mario 64 had it all. One of the defining games of the Nintendo 64 and of the early 3D era left a huge legacy behind, but we can only really talk about it in full if we go back to where it all began. There's a letter, a girl, and a promise of cake. This is definitely not a trap.c

Jan 16

Do Wizards make good cops? Well, "good" cops. How about, would Wizards be efficient cops? That's the question XCOM-inspired Tactical Breach Wizards aims to answer. They can arrest people with magic! Too bad the criminals have magic too. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 9

How big is a game? How small is it? These questions are a matter of perspective, and Superluminal is here to teach you about perspective. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 2

Casltevania evolves into the nest generation. This is the last hurrah of the Classic-vanias. Demanding platforming, simple progression. Dare we say we prefer them over the RPG-vanias at this point? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 26, 2024

This one's just for you, our dear Patrons. We suck up our enemies and absorb their powers in this early, but charming Kirby adventure.

Dec 26, 2024

We did a party to raise money for charity. We stayed up all night even though we're so old. We did raise that money, though. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 19, 2024

Time to hack some side-quests and tech some gigs. We do a TON of hanging out with Johnny Silverhand and decide our fate. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 12, 2024

What's the worst musician that could hijack your brain? Honestly, you could probably do a lot worse than Johnny Silverhand. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 5, 2024

Do you have what it takes to survive the streets of Night City? After all was said and done, what kind of game did Cyberpunk 2077 end up being? We loved the Witcher 3 and have been eyeing this one for a while. Come for the aesthetics, stay for the graphics, be astounded by some strange design choices. It's a huge game, so there's plenty to like. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 28, 2024

In every RPG, you have some shitty friends. What are the best of this shitty friends? If you could only take two to five shitty friends to a desert island to companion you, who would you choose? Really? Quina from FF9? Okay... Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 21, 2024

What makes a hero? Their story? Their powers? No. It's their gear. And this is the story of how you found your gear. Diablo II is a gear-looting, randomized kill 'em all simulator. You must stop the evil Diablo by pillaging the most evil-killing loot imaginable.

Nov 14, 2024

What's more universal than a deck of cards? Balatro takes the basic foundation of a game of poker and twists it into one of the most imaginative and engaging roguelikes this decade. Join us as we indulge in the wonderful design that make this game one of the best of the year, no contest. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 7, 2024

Can you capture the magic of Who Framed Roger Rabbit in a point and click adventure game? Combing FMV and cartoon animation, Toonstruck plays with cartoon logic as it's main sense of humor. The game itself is somewhat jokefree, weirdly. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 3, 2024

Don't think of these as leftover questions, think of them as bonus questions. Dessert questions.

Oct 31, 2024

Let's travel down memory lane and explore some of greatest non-hits of the WOFF Catalog. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 24, 2024

Who wouldn't want to explore the off-limits areas of an amusement park? Okay, what if I told you it was a haunted amusement park. Crow Country is a bite-sized dopamine capsule of a horror game. A wonderful showcase of what makes the genre fun. Run, don't walk, to play it.

Oct 17, 2024

What terrifies the soul of man? Bright lights? Loud noises? Light gun games? Why not all three? Join us as we explore the horrors that game developers crafted to send chills down our spines in a bright room with lots of company. Games Covered: * Splatterhouse * Ghouls ‘n Ghosts * CarnEvil * Zombie Revenge * Dark Escape 4D * Luigi’s Mansion Arcade * Left 4 Dead: Survivors Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 10, 2024

Tiny pixels, books that can only be read in the dark, crows! These are only some of ghoulish terrors that one may find in The Last Door - Season 1. Before Blasphemous, The Game Kitchen showed us their vision of a lo-fi point and click adventure game where we play the role of a Lovecraftian protagonist, poking at the corners of the world we do not yet understand. Join us, won't you? Listener project highlight: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/daishugars/halflight-gothic-horror-role-playing Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 3, 2024

Oh, what ridiculous adventures are Mac and Charlie getting into this time? Down at the bottom of the ocean, there are ships to salvage and eldritch monstrosities to gaze upon. Join us as we take a journey down, deep, deep into the sea. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 26, 2024

We had so many questions we wanted to get to, we spilled them again. Let's do our best! Bomberman: The Movie Trailer Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 19, 2024

Fable is the story... nay, the legend of Peter Molyneux and his ability to sell a pocket full of dreams. Does Fable stack up the great RPGs of it's day? Short answer, no.

Sep 12, 2024

Wouldn't it be nice to run around and pretend like you had the superpowers you always read about in comic books? City of Heroes takes the pen and paper daydreams of children and translates them to a much-beloved cult MMO. Does it stand the test of time? Or are you better off just fucking around with the character creator? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 5, 2024

Bomberman is simple, and Bomberman is forever… even if his heyday as the mainstay of multiplayer party games is mostly in the past. This week’s episode is a look at the series as a whole, with particular attention toward Super Bomberman 2, the height of the series on SNES. This episode will self destruct after you listen to it. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 29, 2024

Games. Do they teach you things? What do they teach you? Let's find out. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 22, 2024

This week we talk about Illusion of Gaia, an action RPG that completes the Quintet Trilogy… or quadrilogy? Depends which games you include. How does it stack up against the others, and which world cultures will it mangle for RPG melodrama? The only way to find out is to listen in.

Aug 15, 2024

You missed. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 9, 2024

You have a 95% chance to enjoy this episode. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 1, 2024

This strange baseball game gives us a very loose and runny WOFF. More of a desert WOFF, if you will. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 1, 2024

Yeah. That's right. We're ALREADY in Q3 2024. That's how TIME works.

Jul 25, 2024

It is indescribable, unfortunately. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 18, 2024

This week we talk about Quake, the immediate and possibly ill-advised attempt to make a 3D DOOM. How does it play in comparison to it's sprite-based older brother? The only way to find out is to listen in. Maybe we'll still get to rip and tear... at least a little.

Jul 11, 2024

If you thought the bits from from the first half were exhausting, just wait until you meet Flavio. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 4, 2024

More like Paper Mario: The Thousand Word Dialogue Box. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 27, 2024

Are we adult enough to admit that opinions can change? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 20, 2024

There's not room enough for two Kingdoms on this here overworld map. This week we talk about A Link Between Worlds, a direct sequel/remix of the classic SNES Zelda title A Link to the Past. How do these two worlds actually find themselves intermingled? Who is the Lorule Link? Tune in to find out.

Jun 13, 2024

And a Die Augen Der Welt to you as well! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 6, 2024

Try as you might, he will suffer. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 30, 2024

This month, we discuss which games would be good entry points for people who are looking to start enjoying games, or people who are coming back to the hobby after a long hiatus. We also answer your questions, read your responses to May's games, and reveal what games are coming up on the show. June Games: The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante Project Snowblind The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds## July Games: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (two parts) Quake Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 30, 2024

The question machine overflowed again! We answer as many as we can before the inspector comes and shuts down the podcast factory.

May 23, 2024

I think our lovely hosts absolutely forget to mention how fluffy Tunic's little tail is. This week we talk about Tunic, the perspective-shattering puzzle-adventure game that emulates being young and not knowing how video games work. Does Tunic stand up to the giants that taught it how to walk? At the very least, which puzzles are too clever for us to solve on our own? Tune in to find out.

May 16, 2024

We actually lose track of how many realms there are, exactly. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 9, 2024

Create, evolve and live the power fantasy of being a world killing disease. Guest Ending is a piece of fan music for Gary's novel Atomic! Music by Swordquest Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 2, 2024

A good game bogged down by infuriating Ubisoft style decisions. This week's theme song brought to us by MegaMatt Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 25, 2024

Is it better to have? Or to hold? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 18, 2024

And Introducing... Yoshi! This week we talk about a real level up in the Mario franchise, the gold standard for console pack-in titles: Super Mario World. How did Nintendo use the beefy upgrades of the Super Nintendo to further sell the whacky aesthetic of the Mario world? Who's Yoshi's real father? How do I get out of the Ghost House? Tune in to find out.

Apr 11, 2024

It's just like we're back in King's Field. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 4, 2024

Capoeira. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 28, 2024

Places! How do you get there? What are you thinking when you do it? We have to get to point B! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 21, 2024

Hey pider-man. This week we talk about the gold standard of interquels, Spider-Man: Miles Morales. How did Insomniac decide to distinguish playing as Miles Morales, the newer, younger Spider-Man? Isn't the cat in the backpack thing adorable? It is! The only way to find out is by hearing me tell you that the cat is so adorable. The cat's name is also Spider-Man!

Mar 14, 2024

There is a room, but also its kind of not a room because of how big it is. Also, the definition of "room" is thrown completely out the door. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 7, 2024

I didn't think it get tore any downer, but here we are. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 29, 2024

Imagine the platonic ideal of a video game. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 22, 2024

Age of Umpires is a very different game and I clearly misread the title. This week we talk about Age of Empires II, one of the greats of the RTS genre. In a world before Totally Realistic Battle Simulator, we used to have to fight our simulated battles over multiple hour-long campaigns. How doe Age of Empires stack up in a world where this slow burn design philosophy has fallen to the wayside? Tune in to find out.

Feb 15, 2024

I assure you, there is nothing sinister about this island full of ponies. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 8, 2024

So. You're a demon, now. How's that going for you? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 2, 2024

Calling all cars. It's another Dispatch. Yee Haw.

Feb 1, 2024

This is one of the best games of all time. Wipe that smile off your face. This isn't a joke to me. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 25, 2024

I don't get it. It's just the same game over and over and over and over and over and over Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 18, 2024

Maybe the Miracle is a nice guy this time? This week we return to Catholic-inspired action horror world of Blasphemous. After killing the Miracle for good in the Blasphemous 1 bonus ending, we now explore a world where the Miracle's influence slowly begins to fade. What world will we leave behind after we've killed an uncaring god? Tune in to find out.

Jan 11, 2024

Unfortunately, they found a darker dungeon. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 4, 2024

You will solve this case, that of the golden idol. It's mysterious and nobody understands. Now it's your job to figure it out. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 28, 2023

If you got the money, honey, I got the time. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 21, 2023

I have to copy and paste the title. I literally can't type that.

Dec 14, 2023

The reapers had a very specific plan for their trap and you fell for it you idiot. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 7, 2023

Space Cops! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 30, 2023

I know we put those answers somewhere around here. Just give me a moment to find it. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 29, 2023

We feed your question oil to the answer engine.

Nov 23, 2023

Video games are... bad actually? This week we talk about the well-known Sony PS4 misstep of The Order 1886. It is bad. But is is bad for all the reasons people say it's bad? Being short doesn't make a game bad, and we firmly believe this. But uh... there are other reasons to call it not a good game. Tune in to find out!

Nov 16, 2023

It's Trevor Time! Not that I'm happy about it. But it's Trevor Time and we all have to live with it. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 9, 2023

Who's ready for pistol packing, car jacking and lazy satire? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 2, 2023

Propulsive and immediately visually arresting, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a unique action rhythm hybrid that aims to be inviting to new players. Also, Queen Latifah is there. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 26, 2023

Why do we make bad things happen to ourselves? A question for the ages. And the topic for this week's dispatch. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 19, 2023

This is the kind of sci fi where everyone is still using CRTs and cassette tapes. For the sake of vibes. This week we talk about Signalis, a tribute to the tight, zippy horror titles of the PS1 library. What lessons did Signalis learn from the classics of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, and how can they best be applied to the modern video game landscape? The real horror... is when you tune in.

Oct 12, 2023

How many sticks of dynamite do you think it takes to dynamite fish for Cthulhu? Three? Do you think three is enough? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 5, 2023

Once again, we choose to forget as we willingly give ourselves Amnesia in this return-to-form for this horror series. Not bad for the fourth entry in the franchise. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 28, 2023

It's about to get real. Real Lich. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 21, 2023

Well, well, well. If it isn't Hell, Hell, Hell. This week we talk about DOOM Eternal, the follow up to the pitch perfect modernization that was 2016's DOOM. Bethesda obviously couldn't just give us the same game again, so how did they complicate it for the sequel? Does it still make our hearts pump just as fast? The only way to find out is to listen in.

Sep 14, 2023

It's like your favorite physical toy! But digital, and you can take it to school! Oh, wait, no, the teacher confiscated that too. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 7, 2023

Wait a second... Symphony... Aria... Harmony... those are all music terms! I've solved the code! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 31, 2023

And how does one cut a scene, exactly? With scissors? How preposterous. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 30, 2023

We had some house to clean.

Aug 24, 2023

This week we cover Lisa: The Painful. It is both hilarious and also very, very wrong about the nature of what it means to be a broken person. An interesting, albeit sadistic game. How does the game try to break you? Does breaking you translate into a better game? Or is it just interesting? Tune in to find out!

Aug 17, 2023

Boy, I wonder if they're gonna defeat the evil. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 10, 2023

Aye, verily it is time for the fourth Quest of the Dragon. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 3, 2023

A game so funny it decides to tell you where to laugh. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 27, 2023

CRPGs. They're dense, they're chunky. How do I fit myself into one? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 20, 2023

It's like Zelda, but you're also at a rave. This week we're covering the cross-over smash hit that combines Crypt of the Necrodancer with the Legend of Zelda. The resulting game is less demanding than Crypt, and a loving tribute to our favorite triangle-elves. How did the devs manage to pull it off? Where did they find the middle ground between the two titles? Tune in to find out!

Jul 13, 2023

Dark _E_co. Dark _I_co? Dark Yekko? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 6, 2023

Depending on how you count it, you've either killed hundreds of people in Burnout Paradise, or no one. Because there are no people anywhere. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 28, 2023

Goombas. Zombies. Speed bumps. The enemies that you kill all the time, and a lot of them. Some of them are good! Which ones!? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 22, 2023

An absolute unit of an episode here. This week we talk about the modern remake of an absolute classic, Resident Evil 4. Did it even need to be remade? Probably not, but that doesn't mean it's not just as good the second time around. What did Capcom decide was worth updating? What hasn't moved an inch? Tune in to find out!

Jun 15, 2023

A SUPER PAINTER NAMED ANDREAS Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 9, 2023

Yeah! Fuck yeah! Take that, you shit demon! Hahahahaha! Blood and guts! Hahahahaha! Ahem. This game did something to me. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 1, 2023

7 out of 10. Quite a remarkable number really. Not big enough to be 8, not small enough to be 6, definitely too large to be 5, but if could be 9 if you squint in a certain light. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 30, 2023

I reckon this town ain't big enough for the both of us. Time to roundup all these... darn tootin... lonesome questions. Something like that.

May 25, 2023

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 18, 2023

Nobody saw Bowser's Fury coming. What could have been just a little extra something to sweeten the pot on another port from the Wii U ended up being a fully-featured and inventive 3D Mario game. It's snack-sized and packed with new ideas, chief among them being the Fury Bowser kaiju fights. But also classic course-based Mario challenges set in an open world. We dig it, and we think you'll dig it too.

May 10, 2023

There once was a Bard from Nantucket Who Whom... Look, I didn't write the limmerick. Get off my ass. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 4, 2023

Wow, maybe Capitalism is bad, actually? In this gorgeously present point-and-click adventure game, you must solve the mystery of who murdered hope. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 27, 2023

When? Why? How? What? All this and more on this week's Questions Only WOFF. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 20, 2023

I actually cut a version of this episode that used the licensed songs instead, but it felt weird so I re-edited it. Here ya go, you ingrates! This week we talk about The Quarry, Supermassive's spiritual follow-up to Until Dawn. They've grown a lot as storytellers between the two games, how did they up the horror this time around? Are the narrative consequences for making choices just as consequential? Yes. Even more so, actually. Tune in to hear more!

Apr 13, 2023

It's a sexy time travel mystery. Oh, no, apparently it's just a time travel mystery. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 6, 2023

It's a soulslike. It's moe. It's a moe soulslike. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 29, 2023

Pick up that podcast! It's time for a quarterly Q&A! You got questions, we got answers.

Mar 29, 2023

What makes a Good Level? You know, with capital letters? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 23, 2023

There's no Crysis in baseball! Or something! For better or worse, Crysis is in the canon. For many years it stood as the go-to game to test your PC's graphics capabilities. So how is the game? Is it better, or worse? Tune in to find out!

Mar 16, 2023

You might be surprised, but this game is mostly about sneaking around and killing people. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 9, 2023

Fulfilling every child's dream of having an empty island filled with ticket arcade machines and robots you can shoot fireworks at. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 2, 2023

Well, Cuphead and his pal Mug Man, they like to roll the dice. By chance, they came 'pon the Devil's game, and gosh, they paid the price. This immacutely aesthetic as fuck run-n-gun shooter iinspired by 30s pre-Disney animation is a sight to behold. But is it a good game? Mostly yes! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 23, 2023

I just know I'm going to need those full heal elixirs for the end boss. Right? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 16, 2023

We need to go deeper. It's time to sort rocks and drink... fish. Drink? Do you... eat a bladderfish or...? Survival, crafting, survival-crafting. Subnautica. Dare you travel to the bottom of the ocean? Or be ye a landlubber?

Feb 9, 2023

A different interpretation of translating a tabletop-lite system into a video game context. Story-heavy, mechanics driven by a sense of struggle, but not overwhelming despair. Build a new life yourself and those you meet and remember who your allies are. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 2, 2023

There's an angel named Lucah, and a tortured dream world. This is an emotional and heartfelt project that relies on you wanting to finish the game multiple times to see the full story. The structure's a bit poison, but come and check out the neat things it does do. It's an interesting one! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 26, 2023

What Remains of Edith Finch? made people things, and the boys take their action figures and make them fight to decide if they like Indie Games or AAA Games better. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 19, 2023

Hades is one of our most-requested games of all time. It struck a chord with tons of people when it released, drawing in gamers who had never given action roguelikes a chance before. With its snappy combat and charismatic takes on the Greek gods, it's hard to blame people for loving it. But how does it stand up to other roguelites, a diverse field with tons of heavy hitters? This week's highlighted project is "Clarion", an upcoming novel by author Nina Dunnic. Check out her work at ninadunic.com !

Jan 12, 2023

Thank you Abe! It's time to circle strafe the Monstrous Manual with Heretic! This Doom Clone has a lot of subtle improvements that make it more than just Doom with Wands. Listen in to find out more! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 5, 2023

We spend a lot of time talking about the need for the video game equivalent of short story collections, and What remains of Edith Finch is about as close to that as we've gotten so far. Edith is returning to her long-abandoned home to learn about her family's curse... which has resulted in the tragic, unfortunate, and sometimes hilarious deaths of everyone related to her. Each of the stories is its own interactive vignette, casting us into a magically realistic tale to see what exactly happened, and what may be in store for Edith herself. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 29, 2022

Because this December was a weird month, content-wise, we're bringing you an extra special, patron-only presentation: our third arcade special. We talk about four arcade classics, mostly from the 80s, and do some fond reminiscing in turn. We discuss Mappy, Paperboy, Strider, and Smash TV. Thanks so much for your support, and Happy New Year!

Dec 29, 2022

We answer your questions! We discuss Duckstream! We read your responses! What more could you want? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 22, 2022

Hong Kong is revealing some deeper truths to our group of Shadowrunners, as we search for the truth about what happened to Raymond Black and try to learn what's amiss with the Walled City. We pick up in the middle section of the game, as we're taking on jobs to keep the lights on and give Auntie Cheng time to work. Shadowrun: Hong Kong continues to be a delightful short story collection of fun, tactical missions that uses its setting to great effect. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 16, 2022

"Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good" month continues with the slightly worse but worthy follow up to the masterpiece Shadowrun Dragonfall. We've arrived in Hong Kong at the request of our adopted father but not all is what it seems. Please join us at patreon.com/duckfeedtv Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 8, 2022

This week continues the Last Castoff's journey, as they continue seeking out answers for what the Changing God was up to with his resonance chamber... The one we crashed into like a big ol' meteor. We head through the Valley of Dead Heroes and the Sanctuary at Miel Avest before ending up at The Bloom, a city within a dimension-spanning organism. We talk about the rest of the game, highlighting as many side quests as we found, and end up discussing how this game measures up to its predecessor. Is it fair to hold anything to the standard set by Planescape: Torment? Does treating that game as unassailable mean that CRPG storytelling peaked in 1999? Listen to find out! This week's highlighted project is Coming Out With Lauren and Nicole , a podcast that hosts various LGBT+ folks to hear their coming out stories, using them as a launch pad for discussions on various related issues. Check them out! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 1, 2022

What is the value of one game? There are big shoes to fill and then there are comically huge shoes that can be made into houses for little old ladies. That was the job of Tides of Numenera, an excellent short story compilation that fails to capture the emotional resonance of it's predecessor. Here us talk about the generalities and Sagus Cliffs in this episode before hitting the end game next week! This episode is brought to you by Duckstream! duckfeed.tv/duckstream Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 1, 2022

In this quarterly special episode, we gather up some leftover questions and topic prompts and answer them so they'll stay answered. Topics include overwhelming games, the ethics and effects of emulation, lonely games, and many, many more.

Nov 24, 2022

We had intended to make this month's topic VR, but instead we said almost everything we wanted to say during the Half-Life: Alyx episode. So, instead, we take even more of your questions before reading your thoughts about Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, SUPERHOT, and Half-Life: Alyx. This episode's highlighted project is Waystar Corncob , a podcast that's about both I Think You Should Leave and Succession. And Gary was on a recent episode! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 17, 2022

The Watch Out For Fireballs has been silent on the topic of The Half Life for a while now but it's time to wake up and smell the ashes! (I know this is mixing vortigaunt and g-man speak, and I don't care!) Half Life Alyx is our first major foray into VR and not likely to be our last. Alyx is a great game for this because it's dedicated to being a full franchise entry, a return to form, with few compromises. Though it's a little long and your experience will likely vary (that's the nature of VR), this game is a breath of fresh air. Thank you Elliot!

Nov 10, 2022

This week we sit down to talk about the most innovative shooter we've played in years. Our unnamed protagonist receives a weird program called superhot.exe, and when he launches it he connects to a very strange first person shooter where time only moves when the player moves. As we (and he) play this game, the hooks set in, and a larger conspiracy reveals itself. SUPERHOT is a small game with a big impact, a massive indie success that takes the FPS genre and upends it by breaking it down into component parts and changing the way they move. It's absolutely worth your time. We also talk a bit about the related works SUPERHOT VR and SUPERHOT: Mind Control Delete. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 3, 2022

When they say nobody asked for this, that's Gary Butterfield erasure. I asked for this. I exist! I mean, sure, Adam Jensen is a pretty tough pill to swallow. He shaves his beard in an extremely obnoxious way. Further, this is clearly the middle chapter of a prequel trilogy, which might be the most direct recipe for an unimportant narrative. However....however.... All of the above, plus a regrettable marketing campaign, basically eclipsed the entire conversation about this immersive sim that plays incredibly well. This number is worth your time for level design alone. Hear us talk about why. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 27, 2022

We've each had a Steam Deck for about a month, and we feel comfortable reporting... It's pretty great! This week's Topic has us discussing the Steam Deck in general, and how one should get into PC gaming in 2022. We also read your responses to October's games, which are Devotion, Strangeland, and the Evil Within 2. November's Games: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided SUPERHOT Half-Life: Alyx December's Games: Torment: Tides of Numenera (two parts) Shadowrun: Hong Kong (two parts) Arcade Special 3 (for premium members) Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 20, 2022

Warning: Fluid chat! It's sort of like limbo, in that you're seeing how low you can go but instead seeing how divorced a grizzled dadtagonist can get. This is a good ass game despite a nonsense story. The biggest issue is it throws away it's biggest strength half way through, pulling you out of the genuinely innovative semi open world stealth and into a series of MindRealms(tm). Still, the play is the thing, and the play is good.

Oct 13, 2022

An unnamed man wakes up outside of a macabre circus, and he must set about learning why he is there. This classic-style point and click adventure game tells a pretty standard psychological horror story with a lot of allusions and metaphor, which isn't going to be everyone's favorite thing. However, there is tons of great horror imagery and a few very rewarding puzzles to try to tackle. Our highlighted project this week is Sinclair Lore , a YouTube channel run by our friends Sin and Sophie, where they talk about Bloodborne, Souls, and Elden Ring lore. Check them out! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 6, 2022

(Cryptkeeper Voice) Spooky month begins with the ultimate heebie jeebie, a real Boo-riffic blunder! So buckle up boils and ghouls and non die-scary siblings alike. * Play Devotion before listening to this macabre tale of goof'em ups. Seriously, it's one of the best games we've done for the show and it's only 3 hours long. It's Silent Hill 2 tier. * Until next grime, fiends! BWahahahahahaha Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 29, 2022

We've narrowed down some of our distaste for certain popular games, especially from the past: they were made for kids. And kids' media can be sublime! But what makes a piece of kids' media, game or not, good or bad? What turns us off? How do they approach issues of ethics or morality? How much do they condescend? We also answer your questions and read your responses to September's games: BugSnax, Metal Gear Solid V, and Carrion. October's games are: Devotion Strangeland The Evil Within 2 November's games are: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Superhot Half-Life: Alyx This week's highlighted creator is an upcoming experimental RPG called Purgatory Dungeoneer , which you can wishlist on Steam today. If you are a marginalized creator (non-cis, non-straight, non-white) you can submit your project for highlighting by emailing gary@duckfeed.tv Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 22, 2022

How far can an excellent premise carry a game? Looks like it's more than 2 hours but less than 5. Carrion has an unbeatable premise, a hall of fame premise, and aesthetics to back it up. Why on earth is it not more fun to play? Listen and find out!

Sep 15, 2022

Venom Snake still has some fights to fight, as we pick up Skull Face's trail in Afghanistan to experience the majority of what the Phantom Pain has to offer. As a genuine heads up, this episode might not be for you if you adore this game or Hideo Kojima's whole vibe. We clown on things while gushing about the play, which some people take us as completely hating the whole experience. If you will take that personally then please consider yourself forewarned. Thanks again to our executive producer Jade! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 7, 2022

Thank you Jade! What do you do when there's a Kojima about? What do you do when a game has some of the best stealth action in video games, one of the most satisfying loops in video games, but punctuates it with some of the worst boss fights and clumsy exposition and plotting? It's a complicated game that gives us complicated feelings! Listen in if you want to hear us wrestle with Kojima's legacy, both as critics and as one current and one former fan. And if you want to support marginalized creators, check out Nine Noir Lives! A new point and click adventure game! https://www.nnlgame.com/ Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 1, 2022

Bugsnax is a cute indie that caught a lot of attention with its catchy theme song, but did you know there's a whole game behind that song? We play this cute combination of Pokemon Snap and Ape Escape, navigating Snaktooth Island and catching bugs who happen to be snacks. The goal? To help the townspeople and learn the truth of what's really happening on this island, with these snacks who happen to be bugs. A big thanks to Cody for executive producing this episode! This week's highlight is Rod Symba, a musical artist who is looking to start scoring indie games. Check them out over at Instagram! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 31, 2022

Each quarter we dip into our big bag of questions, find the ones that have gone unanswered, and round them up for this bonus show. This quarter we cover a variety of topics, including demo disks, whether or not we'd like to Total Recall all media, the importance of user experience, and much more. Thanks for your support!

Aug 24, 2022

We answer your questions, read your responses to August's games, and spend some time talking about the sorts of places that show up in games, and what we'd like to see more of, before announcing our slate for the best month of the year, October. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 18, 2022

Wario is one of Nintendo's secret best weapons. As "the opposite of Mario" he is an aesthetic triumph, indulging in every vice and drawing us in with his shamelessness. And for a while, he was the star of his own series of puzzle platformers on Nintendo portable systems. Wario Land 4 is an odd duck in that sub-series, with a more action-oriented presentation that doesn't leave the puzzles behind. And best of all? It hardly repeats itself, giving the player a buffet of unique visual and gameplay concepts. It's hard to recommend against this one. This week’s highlight project is HuggableHipster, a video creator and game studio head who does video game let’s plays and deep dives on YouTube. Here’s her site , and here’s the channel . Enjoy!

Aug 11, 2022

Basch, Balthier, Ashe, Fran, and two associates continue their quest for magic rocks! Will the princess use the rocks or smash the rocks? Find out as we continue our exploration of this world spanning adventure. Though the dungeons take a wet fart at the end, the dialogue and presentation continue to be first in class. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 4, 2022

The land of Ivalice is a land in constant turmoil, and with Final Fantasy XII we find ourselves caught in the midst of a larger struggle that is obliterating the borderlands between two massive empires. This is how the stage is set for the twelfth entry in the Final Fantasy series, the first mainline entry of the series to get really weird with it. This episode concerns itself primarily with the game's many new mechanics, and a general discussion of how they hang together. We then talk about the intro to the game, covering everything up through the mines on Bhujerba. Big thanks to Nat for executive producing this episode. Additionally, we would like to thank the creator we highlight this episode, Victoria, and her podcast We Happen to Be Trans , a pop culture podcast that, incidentally, is hosted by three trans women. Victoria is also part of a streaming collective called Transvengers which hosts Q&As for people curious about various aspects of LGBTQ+ life. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 28, 2022

Saving. When can you do it? When should you be able to do it? How does it change the rhythm of games? Also, man, what a fucking ripoff memory cards were. We also answer your questions, announce September's games, and A BRAND NEW SHOW ON THE NETWORK. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 21, 2022

Jesse Faden has walked a rough road, one that leads up to the door of a secret government agency headquartered in a building that not everyone can see. It's the Federal Bureau of Control, they may have her brother held captive, and they are definitely overrun by a malignant interdimensional force. This feels like a culmination of a lot of what Remedy has been working toward, and they achieved it by working against their strengths. Instead of a cinematic, on-rails narrative, Control lives in the details of its world and the SCP-like phenomena that fill it. And the combat isn't half bad... but it does wear out its welcome pretty fast. Big thanks to Noel for executive producing this episode! Also, check out this week's highlighted creation, An Ode to the End a podcast series of short transmissions from a number of possible apocalypses.

Jul 14, 2022

It's impossible to talk about some games objectively. Castlevania 2 has a lot of problems but unbeatable atmosphere for the NES, and the best soundtrack in the series (fight me), makes that go down oh so smooth. Let's get to collectin' ribs! We'd also like to direct your attention to the Totally Trans Podcast Network which is an ongoing podcast about the search for the trans media canon. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 7, 2022

In the end, it was a story about family. In the beginning, too. It was really all a story about family. Children of Morta was made as an attempt to marry a roguelike game structure to a fixed, detailed story... and it works. The Bergsons are a tight-knit family who live in the shadow of Mount Morta, and they are charged with being Guardians of all the land. When Corruption starts appearing, everyone in the clan pitches in, with most venturing down into the tunnels and town to stop the crisis. The individual characters all have their own gimmicks, and while some work better for us than others, we appreciate their presence. But for as much as we like the broad strokes of the concept, the crowd control action RPG gameplay lands a little flat for us. But it might work for you! Big thanks to this episodes executive producer Julia for getting us to play this neat little game. This episode is also our first whack at promoting smaller projects from diverse listeners. So check out Teo and the Cosmic Neighborhood , a Brazillian brother and sister pop band with influences from bossa nova and video game music. Check out their sweet animated music videos on their YouTube page . Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 30, 2022

Do games stand up to editing the same way other works do? How is editing used in games? Could they stand more editing? The obvious Duckfeed answer is "yeah." Hear us explain why! And answer your questions, read your responses to June's games, and generally goof it up. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 30, 2022

We've got a topic and Q&A overflow, and the only way to contain all of these questions is to round 'em up. This is the first of our regular WOFF! Dispatch Roundup episodes, which we will be doing once per quarter to make sure we get to all of your questions.

Jun 23, 2022

We knew right after its release that Vampyr would be a WOFF! game. An RPG that cites Bloodlines as an inspiration, made by a smaller studio, with a great premise and very high highs that are unfortunately compromised by some very low lows. This bore out on our playthrough for the show. Jonathan Reid, the only vampire doctor in fiction, sets out to try and stop a horrifying epidemic in 1918 London, and learns that the disease is intricately related to the vampiric underground in the city. We don't end up loving the game, but we admire it. Thanks so much to Jack for executive producing this episode!

Jun 16, 2022

If you have even a mild interest in old games, your critical acumen will always be caught up in the tension between historical import and modern playability. Few games stress that dissonance more than Another World, which combines an unbeatable atmosphere and tremendous influence with some very outmoded game design. Is it worth taking the plunge? Listen in, buddy! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 9, 2022

The world is waiting to be reborn, and it's waiting for you. Terranigma is probably Quintet's grandest statement on its pet themes... an action RPG that purports to be about the duality of creation and destruction. Over the course of a playthrough you raise the continents, restore the wildlife, bring humanity to its highest peak, and break the cycle of fate to stop its ultimate destruction. Is the game perfect? Not hardly. But it's got a unique tone and it improves on its predecessors' combat enough to make it one of the best SNES games out there. Big thanks to Hello for executive producing this episode, and happy birthday to Séan! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 2, 2022

Sometimes you just want to pick up an entire tanker truck and surf on it into a bunch of SWAT team guys, then rip a car in half and pound a tank with it, you know? This early high point in the sketchy history of Super Hero games isn't without its flaws (most of its flaws start with "M" and rhyme with missile) but it's got a lot to love about it too. Join us as we return to the era where holding R1 to run made sense. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 26, 2022

This week we talk about the many reasons to replay a game, including some psychological ones, and why you should give yourself permission to take a warm bath in the familiar. We also read your responses to May's games: The Beginner's Guide, Teardown, and Max Payne 3. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 19, 2022

Poor Max. Poor sad, hyper competent timelord Max. Our man is in Brazil this time, playing the patsy and killing more people than most video game protagonists do in a lifetime. When Rockstar took over the franchise, fans feared that they would ruin this classic series. They were half right, turns out, as bolting a cover system onto the breach and clear pace of Max Payne has damaged the pacing. So did adding a truly criminal number of cutscenes. There are moments of thrilling action and fun, and a genuinely interesting tale to be found here, but as fans of the first game, we're disappointed. Listen in to hear why!

May 12, 2022

Teardown is an extremely good game. Don't expect a meaningful story or even a huge amount of variety, but DO expect a lot of freedom and a lot of destruction. You're a criminal who takes on jobs to steal, destroy, and commit fraud across several sandbox-style maps made of physics-modeled voxels. The majority of missions are tense heists where you spend the first part meticulously planning your routes, and the second part just barely managing to escape in time. Like the best games, it's about the simultaneous importance and folly of planning, and you've gotta do yourself a favor and play it. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 6, 2022

We've got a topic and Q&A overflow, and the only way to contain all of these questions is to round 'em up. This is the first of our regular WOFF! Dispatch Roundup episodes, which we will be doing once per quarter to make sure we get to all of your questions. Topics Covered: The future for From after Elden Ring. Favorite X-COM clones. Thoughts on loading times and loading screens. What's our deal with fighting games? Games that feel like fanfiction. How to take notes on games. Heterodox game opinions. Best uses of diegetic music and sound in games. What makes an RPG an RPG? How WOFF could cover MMOs.

May 5, 2022

To make up for the dead week after getting rid of the early release feed, we're hitting you with all kinds of never-before-heard WOFF Dispatch Roundup episodes! Please enjoy this bumper crop of rediscovered Q&A episodes. Topics Covered: Real life knowledge we've used in games. How important is backward compatibility? What studio do you hope gets ahold of an established series? Our game of 2020, and our favorite mythological creatures. Can you go back from a great mod? The importance of good characters to games. Our changing relationships with mastery in games. Spiritual successors. The different kinds of mods there are. How can a game feel "next-gen" today? Using walkthroughs to alleviate anxiety and stress while playing games. How to meet a game on its own terms.

May 5, 2022

In 2022, you can play a video game about almost anything. So why is it most games are about how friends are good and honor is nice? Can robots feel? Been there, done that. The Beginner's Guide is a follow up to the wildly successful (and hilarious) The Stanley Parable dares to ask deeper and more personal questions about art and criticism. It's thematically rich and textually complex. Viva! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 3, 2022

To make up for the dead week after getting rid of the early release feed, we're hitting you with all kinds of never-before-heard WOFF Dispatch Roundup episodes! Please enjoy this bumper crop of rediscovered Q&A episodes. Topics Covered: Games that would make a good TV series. Gaming with distraction. Games we regret, and favorite mods. Do we admire games with technical accomplishments but rotten gameplay? Humor in games. Mental health in and around video games. Gaming expectations. Trophies and achievements. What makes a game an 0451? Easter eggs and cheat codes. You got games in my games. The importance of music in games. Unlocking mechanics in games. Character progression. The sports to RPGs pipeline. Morality systems in games. Can nudity or titillation work in games?

May 2, 2022

To make up for the dead week after getting rid of the early release feed, we're hitting you with all kinds of never-before-heard WOFF Dispatch Roundup episodes! Please enjoy this bumper crop of rediscovered Q&A episodes. Note: An original version of this episode went out that used the wrong name for Sophie Pillbeam, an error born of the disparity in time between when we recorded and when the episode was released. We've fixed the error out of respect, and apologize for our oversight. Topics Covered Games in the altered state of mind. What game genres have you fallen out of love with? The durability of the "games aren't art" sentiment. Interesting games that are interesting failures. Games we like that we know aren't good. Games and the daily routine. Hidden content, easter eggs, alternate endings and paths. Talking about games in context.

Apr 28, 2022

In lieu of a topic, we read as many of your Chuck E. Cheese memories as we can. We also do the Q&A, and read your responses to April's games. As a reminder, the Early Release feed will be going away at the beginning of May. Keep your eye on the Patreon page for information about where to get your audio when that happens. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 14, 2022

Kill everyone on Reddit Island Fyrefest! Using superpowers and time travel. What a pitch! It's no secret we're big fans of Arkane, which makes Deathloop exceedingly interesting in both it's triumphs and failures. The apotheosis of density in level design saddled with awkward invasion mechanics from Dark Souls. A timeloop element that works wonderfully in terms of narrative but hampers the pace of play. Deathloop is a game with incredibly high highs but also low lows. Take and listen and see.

Apr 14, 2022

Gather 'round the stage birthday boys and girls! It's time for a special episode about what for some will be a fond childhood memory, and for others will be a resounding horror: Chuck E. Cheese and Showbiz Pizza. A product of the arcade boom in the late 70s, these combination pizza parlor / arcade / entertainment centers were a place where childhood could be embraced. We look at the history of the dueling companies, clown on the characters, and share our own memories of the place. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 7, 2022

Thank you Randall! Check out Crashcoral.com! (pw: crashcoral). Oh, a cult simulator/management game with heavy lovecraftian elements, striking minimalist art, and a roguelike structure. Did someone leave this under a box with a stick tied to a string, trying to trap both Gary and Kole? Not so fast. The Shrouded Isle has some potential and some genuinely good aesthetics, but the game is so barebones and numbers based as to pose an existential question: how much flavor, depth, and context do games actually need to be successful? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 31, 2022

This week we talk about a new spectrum on which we can analyze games: is it prescriptive, or is it permissive? Does it force you to conform to its demands, or does it say "yes" to the way you try to meet its challenges? This has been bubbling up for a while, and it was satisfying to talk about it. We also answer your questions and read your responses to March's games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 17, 2022

TEENS! TEENS! TEENS! No, it's not some sort of horrible chant, it's what we're killin. Hop in. Until Dawn showed how you can take steady principles of narrative adventure games such as The Walking Dead, or, shudder, Indigo Prophecy, and evolve them into something new and fun on its own. Very fun performances, a twisty plot, and appropriate interactivity make this one of, if not the, best "interactive movie" in games. Give it a listen! Thank you to Dr. When!

Mar 17, 2022

Quest Questingson conquers all of the continents of Continentia in this foundational strategy game. The king's sceptre has gone missing, and as a result both he and the kingdom itself are falling into ruin. It's up to you to track down all of the villains who conspired to steal the sceptre, recover the artifact itself, and save the day. This is a very basic strategy game, which is reflective of the time that it came out, but there are charms to its gameplay loop, and you can't help but smile at all of the Monster Dance Parties you destroy. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 10, 2022

Nintendo is a company that is sometimes too in love with it's own history. But sometimes, that love bears beautiful results. This creative lil nugget functions as a reader's digest version of some of the best games on the NES, as well as a fun meta toy, where elements are mixed and matched. Underrated gem! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 3, 2022

You wake up in a cabin and you're playing a dangerous game. Sacrifices must be made. And the only way forward is to play your cards right. That's about all we can say about Inscryption, an ambitious and wide-ranging card game by Daniel Mullins, the creator of Pony Island. If we gave too much detail right now we would spoil it, which we don't want to do, since it's a great introduction to deck building games, even if there are some... inconsistencies. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 24, 2022

We answer your questions, discuss GOTY discourse, read your responses to February's games and announce April's docket. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 10, 2022

The world's gone to shit, and the only way to stay alive is to work together. You start State of Decay playing a man named Marcus, but very quickly you gain access to a whole settlement full of simulated survivors, and are given the goal of building and stocking a home by breaking, entering, and scavenging... all while fighting off hordes of the undead. The management sim elements are a little too light, and the story is rushed and unfinished, but this is still the consummate B-game and we recommend you give it a shot.

Feb 10, 2022

Thanks Abe! Is it metal? It's metal. It's undeniably badass in a way that is extremely appealing to our skeleton loving souls. The game itself is a pretty frustrating and dated RTS but our eyes are open to the coolness of the Warhammer world. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 3, 2022

This game reminds me of a puzzle. About 120 of them, to be exact. You could be forgiven for thinking that Professor Layton existed before his debut game on the Nintendo DS. The whole series has such a strong aesthetic and vibe that it feels like a European cartoon that you just never heard about. But no, this was created whole cloth as a way to adapt a series of Japanese brain teaser books into video game form. While the story beats are ludicrous, and not all of the puzzles work, it's hard to be entirely mad at this quaint and amusing DS game. Thanks to William for executive producing this episode! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 27, 2022

Are games too long? 500 hours? What does that mean, Dying Light 2? Also, we answer your questions and read your responses to January's games before announcing February's CROP. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 14, 2022

Charles Reed enters a waking nightmare to try and end his sleeping nightmares. That's the opening of The Sinking City, an open world detective game by Frogwares, the Sherlock Holmes people. However, this has a distinctly horrific flavor, pulling in gods and elements of the Cthulhu Mythos. But while the story and mystery are good, does the repetitive and simplistic play support it? A huge thanks to Johnathan for sponsoring this episode!

Jan 13, 2022

Thank you Ryan! Appealing to young horny gamers everywhere by putting a demon in your head that offers to suck you off if you do her evil bidding: Not that far off from the actual plot of DMoMM. Isn't that wild? This jank fest from one of our all time favorite developers is certainly a weird one, but there's charm in them thar hills. And good kicks. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 6, 2022

We start the new year with an old classic, covering Super Mario Bros. 3. This was Nintendo's biggest effort on the NES, and it deserves its reputation. This episode concerns itself with comparing and contrasting Mario 3 with the rest of the series, talking about the things it introduces, and hitting the design principles of each of the game's eight worlds. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 30, 2021

Questions get answers, responses get read, games get announced, and Duckstream gets discussed. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 16, 2021

This week's premium episode takes us to the biggest DLC pack for Fallout 4, Far Harbor. A missing person's case brings us to an island torn in three pieces, split among factions who can barely tolerate each other, with a buried secret that might bring the whole place tumbling down. This DLC is the best story content in Fallout 4 by far, and it's go a great horror atmosphere that we couldn't wait to talk about.

Dec 16, 2021

It's all over but the crying. And the DLC. And the DLC next week. We continue our way through the side quests of the wastes before visiting the first couple of story dlcs for this massive game. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 9, 2021

This week, we finish talking about the main quest of Fallout 4 and talk about the various faction side quests. Next week we'll get in-depth on the rest of the side quests and start talking a bit about the DLC. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 2, 2021

Why does the sun go on shining? Why does the sea rush to shore? Don't they know it's the end of the world because you don't love me anymore? We begin our discussion of Fallout 4 with beefy generalities and discussion of the first act of the game. Fallout 4 is a big beautiful mess that's simultaneously a bad Fallout game and the best Bethesda game. On the balance, we're more into how its crafting, exploration, and settlement management systems tie together than we're turned off by a truly dogshit character build and dialogue system. Join us, as we make our case. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 25, 2021

This month's Dispatch episode features a discussion of mapping systems in games, as part of a broader discussion about friction that used to be charming but is now kind of tedious. We also read your responses about Left 4 Dead 2, Stardew Valley, and Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 11, 2021

You givin' me orders? Wings of Liberty and Starcraft 2 in general is the last gasp of a certain kind of RTS and a certain kind of Blizzard game. The last expression of their dumb as nails plotting and finely tuned gameplay outside of mmos and cardgames. This game may be stacked to the gills with story cliches, but it dispenses gamertreats with a consistency almost unmatched, which makes it worth your time, if not your money. What with the monsterism at blizzard.

Nov 11, 2021

This week go back to basics by starting up a brutal one-man factory farm in Stardew Valley. This indie successor to Harvest Moon is a phenomenon, with tons of people succumbing to the wide variety of tasks and its charming aesthetic. In fact, the combination of all of the elements is so much greater than the sum of its parts that it manages to make us enjoy certain gameplay elements we wouldn't like in other games. Listen in to hear about life on the farm, or in the mines, or on the docks, or... Thanks, Zack! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 4, 2021

Everyone has Green Flu Fever, or Green Fever Flu. Something like that. And it's a hard time in the big easy for 4 charismatic goofballs, shootin' and slashin' their way through a horde of zombies and equally charismatic "Special Infected." This incredibly generous game encapsulates the first entry in the series, and proves an excellent example of Valve at their finest, both in terms of design and after launch support. It's the rare competitive game that can get two beta boix like us to sit up and take notice, and it remains extremely playable more than a decade after release. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 28, 2021

This week we answer your questions, read your responses to October's games, and talk about when it's time to let game series die. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 15, 2021

Ethan Winters vs Magneto and a hot topic creepy doll? And it's good? What the heck? This direct follow up to RE7 is a love letter to the series, featuring an impressive array of bosses and locations that evoke the series high points. While Ethan Winters remains as compelling as some kind of unintelligent wad of white bread, the cast of colorful weirdos around him defines the game. Check it out! Thank you Adam Bucceri! Check out their game, Enter the Survival Horror, at adam-bucceri.itch.io

Oct 14, 2021

A god incubated by pain and hate creates a paradise of blood and rust around it, and that's what Harry Mason must run through to save his daughter. This classic survival horror game didn't just start a series, it influenced the aesthetics of most horror games that came after it. Though the series wouldn't find its legs until Silent Hill 2, this entry is still worth your time, and it's a great deal of fun to talk about. A special thanks to our executive producer for this episode, Cassie. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 7, 2021

Thank you Jeremy! This is a weird one! En, a member of a hyper capable cult of child somethings tries to revive her dead friend(?) who is also a cube(!) The story, lore, and world-building in this game are really quite great but the play never comes together. Listen in to hear why! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 30, 2021

This month's Dispatch episode has us talking about our thoughts on doing ten years of Watch Out for Fireballs! We also answer your questions, and read your responses to Katana Zero, Sonic 2, Singularity, and Darkest Dungeon. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 16, 2021

Ruin has come to this podcast network. You remember your venerable network? The one you're listening to right now? Big thanks to Jack for throwing this lil number our way. A systems forward strategy game sort of about being the HR guy for a lovecraftian hamlet, but it's so much more. We've rarely been more in The Gary Zone than this, and while K is a lil cooler on it, he can see that there's so much to admire here. Buckle up for roughly 3.5 hours of sugar, minus some talk about that shitty 3rd mission in the darkest dungeon.

Sep 16, 2021

It's time crimes right on down the line as we tackle the forgotten 2010 shooter, Singularity. Created by Raven Software right before they were exiled to the Call of Duty mines, it's a fast-paced shooter with ambitious but under-explored time manipulation mechanics. You play as an American special forces soldier investigating a disturbance at an old Soviet military facility called Katorga-12, and by the end of things you could end up with godlike powers. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 9, 2021

Listen, there's a lot to talk about here. You could talk about how we've been doing this show for a decade, or about how Sonic exemplifies the tension between freeform arcade gameplay and the slower, more exploratory form of platformers that would ultimately win out in the end, but the real story here is that I need you to imagine a screenshot of a notes app post where I apologize for mixing up the seed drill and the cotton gin in this episode. Big thanks to Gwen Static for this awesome remix of the theme song! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 2, 2021

It's rain-soaked, neon-soaked, and blood-soaked. It's Katana Zero, an action game that takes multiple pages from the Hotline Miami book. You play an unnamed contract killer with the unlikely ability to manipulate time, and you're in the middle of a conspiracy that has a lot to do with your sordid past. The play is great, but does the additional emphasis on story work out? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 26, 2021

In this episode we answer your questions, talk about crafting in games, read your responses to August's games, and announce October's games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 12, 2021

It's about time! This week, we set our wayback machines to 1995 to discuss one of the most beloved games of all time. Chrono Trigger was part of a late salvo of 16-bit RPGs that defined a generation of storytelling for people who grew up with it. We have problems with the shallowness of its systems, but its charisma can't be denied.

Aug 12, 2021

Thank you Nicholas! Welcome to the Courtesy Dome where two polite midwesterners sensibly argue whether this game is good or bad. Is it a cool mystery story with a neat aesthetic? Or is it an effectively linear, barely interactive time tax? ONLY YOU CAN DECIDE. Paradise Killer is an odd duck. Part visual novel, part mystery adventure game, part 3d collectathon platformer? With light dating sim elements. We spoil the whole mystery here, so listener beware! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 5, 2021

It's the heartwarming tale of two psychopaths who save the world from people more dangerous than even them. Sam is a laid back dog, Max is an impulsive rabbit-thing, and they are classic adventure game protagonists. This episodic adventure game came early in Telltale's life as a studio, when they were attempting to reimagine how to make classic adventure games well after the bottom fell out of the industry. While this season shows some growing pains, it's hard to deny the inherent charm of these characters and this world. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 29, 2021

Our mental health meters were running low and we didn't have a topic in us, so we just did a bunch of questions. We also read your responses to July's games before announcing Septembers crop. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 15, 2021

Which you can you trust? Prey is a rare creature: an immersive sim that's more like System Shock 2 than Bioshock. You are Morgan Yu, an amnesiac on a space station overrun with shapeshifting monsters, and you have to use everything at your disposal to fight overwhelming odds to stop the threat from reaching Earth. It's a strange game with an ambitious story and unique retro-future aesthetic, and we think you should play it.

Jul 15, 2021

Thank you I See Spiders! We all know defenestrating is one of the coolest things you can do in video games. But what if you could do that... in space? With a near best in class group of gadgets and weapons, In an immersive proc gen ludic playpen with real time pause? You'd get Heat Signature, quietly one of the coolest games we've done for the show. Check it out! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 8, 2021

The Stanley Parable is a short game with a lot to say about games. You play as Stanley, an office worker with a pointless job who finds himself being ordered around by an omniscient narrator. By deciding whether or not to obey him, you stumble into stories that critique and explore the nature of choice in games, and choice in real life. Because this is primarily a comedy game, we recommend playing the Stanley Parable before listening to this episode, because we will ruin the jokes for you. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 1, 2021

It's rare to be surprised by a sci fi twist, and this AAA action adventure genuinely surprises. Throw in some engaging combat and not even an electronic T-Rex sized barrel of bloat can hold it back. Thanks Doug! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 24, 2021

This month's special topic is a discussion about RPG progression. What kinds of character upgrades are satisfying, which ones aren't, and why has there been a broader trend of games getting more bloated with bad RPG systems? We also answer your questions, and read your responses to June's games: Hotline Miami, The Witness, and Super Mario 3D World. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 10, 2021

This week we play the opinionated magnum opus of an opinionated creator. The Witness, created by Jonathan Blow, attempts to use puzzles and geometry to change the way you see the world, and create an engine for repeating the "a-ha!" moment over and over again. It ties one hand behind its back by communicating its mechanics in an entirely nonverbal fashion. Does it succeed at its lofty goals? Listen in to find out. Thanks, Simon! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 10, 2021

This delightful nugget of a game is bursting with imagination. Almost no ideas are repeated in this colorful, generous buffet of a game. Also, we talk briefly about the very, very good Bowser's Fury. Thanks Joelle!

Jun 3, 2021

Do you like hurting people? Who is leaving messages on your answering machine? Where are you right now? Why are we having this conversation? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 27, 2021

This month we have a little love fest for strategy guides, talking about the roles they've filled for us over the years, and what scratches that itch for us nowadays. We also answer your questions and read your responses to Hitman 3, RollerCoaster Tycoon, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 13, 2021

We were all teens once. Some of us listen to a lot of mall metal, and some of us end up child soldiers. MGR Revengance is a goofy bit of juvenilia but despite vestigial stealth elements muddying the waters a bit, it's really fun to play. You mean to tell me this Jack is back? Thank you Ethan!

May 13, 2021

It's a management sim with a touch of whimsy and customers who are dumb as rocks. This week we talk about the classic theme park development game RollerCoaster Tycoon, breaking down its systems and talking about how we learned to meet the goals it set for us. And we talk a little about real amusement parks along the way. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 6, 2021

Do you belieeeeeeve in life after Providence? One of our favorite characters in games gets a proper send off in a game trilogy that would function as a proper send off for the entire stealth genre. Another collection of fun sandboxes to murder in, another collection of funny situations and the like, and a final chance to embody Mr Bathroom, Hitman 3 is great. Thank you to Adam Bucceri! Be sure to check out their game here: https://adam-bucceri.itch.io/enter-the-survival-horror Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 29, 2021

This month, we settle in for a light topic... how food is depicted in games. We talk about how it can convey the story of a location, or augment a game's mechanics. We also answer your questions and read your responses to April's games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 15, 2021

You know, there's nothing wrong with an above average fastfood sandwich. Sometimes, your body just craves a pretty good game that does everything decently, while not doing anything exceptionally well, and is over in 5 or 6 hours. That game is Ratchet and Clank, which is a total snack game with some unintentionally hilarious pathos and very satisfying weapon upgrades. Thank you Sean!

Apr 15, 2021

The odds are always stacked against a sophomore effort. The original Myst was a gigantic success and had a huge cultural impact, finding fans in unlikely places due to its advanced graphics and leisurely pace. Cyan knocked it out of the park when it came to Riven, though, improving on every aspect of the original Myst, while expanding it and making one of the most challenging puzzle adventure games of all time. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 8, 2021

What a big game! This is part two of our coverage of an expansive and masterful CRPG, Divinity: Original Sin 2. We pick up with Act 2, as we land on the Reaper's Coast and set about learning the ways of the Godwoken. We continue through to the end of the game, covering a frankly unreasonable amount of content in our quest to learn the secrets of the Veil. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 1, 2021

No one listens to more podcasts than the man with many cheeses. In this crunchy, and charismatic CRPG, you play as the godwoken, someone with the potential to ascend to the divine. Somewhat standard fantasy tropes are enhanced by charming characters, beautiful music, and best in genre tactical gameplay. Listen here as we cover the beefy generalities and Act 1. Thank you to Jonathan! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 25, 2021

Kole and Gary answer your questions, discuss what makes a good tutorial, read your responses to March's games, and announce May! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 12, 2021

Talion caught a bad break. Not only did Sauron kill his family in front of him, but he was killed too! And then an elf spirit had the nerve to possess him and send him on a rampage of vengeance across Mordor! What a revolting predicament. This open world game's big hook is the Nemesis system, which supercharges the sandbox with an evolving army of captains and rivals for you to hunt and manipulate. The story is pretty bland, but you can't deny that this is one of the most inventive open world games to come out in a long time. Thank you, I See Spiders!

Mar 11, 2021

Thank you Joe! You're trapped in an incomplete game, and given the power to rewrite your reality. It sounds amazing, and there are plenty of grace notes, but this game is a bit too messy for its own good, making broad points with broad characters in a way that left us both feeling a bit cold. A standout performance from James Urbaniak can't quite save this ambitious but flawed indie. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 4, 2021

The Trauma Center series is one of the more interesting things to come out of Nintendo's love affair with strange control schemes in the DS and Wii era. These "surgery simulators" end up playing more like a cross between a light gun shooter and Rock Band, as you cut into your patients and use a number of surgical tools to solve their problems and keep them alive. Less successful is the wrapping story, about impossibly young doctors and medical terrorists who inject people with lung bugs. Thanks, Tara, for executive producing this episode! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 25, 2021

This month's Dispatch topic is what we're calling "Retro Peril", or the idea that playing a newer entry in a genre would stop you from enjoying classic entries if you went back to revisit them. Would it be impossible to find joy in Torment if you got used to the quality of life improvements in Disco Elysium? We also answer your questions, and read your responses to February's games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 15, 2021

The bad news is you only have 22 minutes. The good news is, you have as many 22 minutes as you need. Outer Wilds is a plucky, optimistic game about horrifying circumstances. You stand alone in the footsteps of an ancient civilization, working hard to figure out why your solar system keeps exploding. To do this, you have to fly from planet to planet and navigate hostile conditions, learning as much as you can on each loop. The mechanics may or may not work for you, but the tone and the ending are best in class. Thank you Fenreliania for producing this episode! And thank you, everyone, for being patient as we navigate Gary's back injury.

Feb 11, 2021

It's about time we did more WOFF Dispatch topic cleanup! This is a collection of some of the listener prompts and topics we were unable to get to in the normal Dispatch episodes. There's some good stuff in here, such as breaking gaming complacency, and whether or not games have gotten better at portraying overweight people. A Note: This is coming out today in lieu of the Early Release version of the Outer Wilds episode of WOFF. Gary has hurt himself and we were unable to record that episode earlier this week. He'll live, it's just painful to be upright at a desk for hours on end. This will also affect the release date of our Bonfireside Chat episode about Nausicaä and the Valley of the Wind. Gary is resting and has been to the doctor, so we are waiting for the treatments to take effect so we can make a plan for how to get back into production. This will impact the Early Release feed over the next week for sure, and possibly the public release of shows. We will make another announcement when we're out of the holding pattern. We thank you in advance for your patience and grace as we work this out. Please wish Gary well, he's in a lot of pain and it would be good for him to see nice things in the comments below.

Feb 11, 2021

When it comes to cordyceps, we want some more-dyceps! Kole and Gary tackle what might be the most acclaimed video game in history. Despite having some issues with story and gameplay integration, this cinematic genre piece is fun and affecting. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 4, 2021

This week continues out accidental theme of covering Roguelites on the show, as we chug-a-lug through Monster Train. It's a deck builder with strong elements of strategy games, as you summon monsters and cast spells to protect a train that's carrying Hell's last hope. That's right, angels are the bad guys. This game is really fun, and another departure from the kinds of things we normally cover on WOFF! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 28, 2021

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 15, 2021

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.

Jan 15, 2021

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 7, 2021

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 31, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 17, 2020

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.

Dec 17, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 10, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 3, 2020

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 27, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 13, 2020

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?

Nov 12, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 5, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 29, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 15, 2020

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!

Oct 15, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 8, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 1, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 24, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 11, 2020

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 10, 2020

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.

Sep 3, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 27, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 13, 2020

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!

Aug 13, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 6, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 30, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 16, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 16, 2020

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.

Jul 9, 2020

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? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 2, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 25, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 11, 2020

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.

Jun 11, 2020

Thank you SindrElf! Gary and Kole take a stilted perspective walk down memory lane, towards the camera for some reason. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 5, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 28, 2020

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 14, 2020

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.

May 14, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 7, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 30, 2020

We read your prompts, and your responses to April's games, and discuss what we think separates good lore from bad lore. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 16, 2020

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.

Apr 16, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 9, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 2, 2020

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 26, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 24, 2020

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!

Mar 12, 2020

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.

Mar 12, 2020

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 5, 2020

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!

Feb 27, 2020

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!

Feb 17, 2020

We recorded this a while back, and I forgot to edit it. Sorry! This episode contains answers to your questions and conversation prompts that didn't make it into regular Dispatch episodes.

Feb 13, 2020

They do not come in peace. This month's premium Watch Out for Fireballs! is about XCOM: Enemy Unknown (and the Enemy Within expansion). This game is a masterpiece, and we take our time dining on the systems and the way they interlock. The aliens have made contact, and they do not come in peace. So it's time to mount the defensive and take the fight to their doorstep. The structure of this episode is a little strange, we admit, but we hope you're here to hear us geek out over tactics and such.

Feb 13, 2020

Death of the Outsider is an expansion for Dishonored 2, and the end of the Dishonored story as we know it so far. We control Billie Lurk as she picks up where Daud left off, seeking artifacts and clues to learn where the Outsider is most vulnerable so she can strike him down. The change in focus from assassination to heists, and to a different character with a more restrictive power set, makes this a very unusual entry in the Dishonored franchise, but it's still delightful to dip back into this world. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 6, 2020

Thanks to friend of the show Doug, Kole and Gary finally tackle Atari. It's history, notable games, its downfall. Join us for this enlightening journey with Kole and Gary, your nutting associates. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 30, 2020

With all of the information we have about games and their developers, "should I play this game" is a question that isn't easily answered by knowing if it's good or not. We talk about common bad practices of developers and publishers (crunch, exploitative monetization, etc.) and our strategies for coming to grips with what it means to support or not support a game. We also answer your questions and prompts, and read your responses to January's games! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 17, 2020

Quite possibly our longest episode ever, Kole and Gary discuss the nigh masterpiece Shadowrun Dragonfall, which is quietly one of the best CRPGs of the last ten years, chummer.

Jan 16, 2020

This game gets pretty rough, so we should start with some content warnings for suicide, mental illness, depression, and murder. The Cat Lady is an independent horror adventure game that stars Susan Ashworth, a woman suffering from trauma and depression, who is pressed into the service of an eldritch being, and tasked with eliminating "Parasites"... indiscriminate killers who surround her. Susan's only hope in this dismal affair is an unexpected new friend with problems of her own. The Cat Lady isn't perfect, but it's extremely strongly stated in a way that is rare for games of any scope. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 9, 2020

Folks, this is, as one might say, a good ass game. Kole and Gary discuss this FPS throwback that incorporates modern design sensibilities and a host of diverse influences. GET DUSK. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 2, 2020

Gary and Kole give six old games a second thought, making a case for why they are either hidden gems or unfairly maligned classics. The six games are Alter Ego, Dynamite Headdy, Fallout Tactics, Ghoul School, Legend of the Mystical Ninja, and Ranger X. This is a live episode from the 2019 Portland Retro Gaming Expo. Thanks so much to everyone who came out, and everyone who backed our Patreon and made this possible. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 26, 2019

Kole and Gary answer your questions, discuss the importance of endings, and read your responses to December's games Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 12, 2019

Our final premium episode for 2019 takes us to a fantasy far East, where Bioware tries out some new stuff that ultimately doesn't work out great . While we find the world interesting and the characters and quests charming, Jade Empire falls down on its two biggest selling points: real time action combat, and a different take on morality systems. Listen in to hear us articulate our specific problems with this transitional game for an important studio.

Dec 12, 2019

Kole and Gary shrug off the yoke of Kyros and have a grand ol time (as long as we're not in the Oldwalls). Hear our discussion of an B+ tier Obsidian game that still manages to be an A- WRPG overall. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 5, 2019

This episode is the beginning of our two-part coverage of Tyranny, a CRPG developed by Obsidian in the mold of classic Infinity Engine games. You play as an agent of an evil overlord, sent to the last unconquered region in order to aid the wildly disagreeable armies there to prosecute the conquest. Part 1 covers the ample generalities of the game, and goes through Chapter 1. It should be noted that we are covering the Anarchy path for the show. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 28, 2019

Kole and Gary answer your questions, discuss the value of games that intentionally engender feelings other than "fun" and read your responses to November's games. We also announce our lineup for January 2020! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 14, 2019

We're big fans of Deus Ex, so there's joy in covering more of the series on the show. Human Revolution came out to a split reaction, which is to be expected. How can you please Deus Ex fans? We're a small sample size, but in our opinion, this is how you please Deus Ex fans. The story is smaller in scale and the jank has been polished away, but this is a fun immersive sim with an engrossing story and a beautiful aesthetic. So we're on board. This episode is about the Director's Cut version of the game, so we talk about the improved boss fights and the Missing Link DLC.

Nov 14, 2019

Is it a GTA clone? Is it a racing game? Is it any good? It is very hard to say! Kole and Gary bandy about Springfield and try to figure out this frustrating but fun title. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 7, 2019

The Last Express is more important than it is fun. Jordan Mechner broke the bank creating this rotoscoped Swiss watch of a game about the last run of the Orient Express before World War I broke out. It features a huge cast of well-realized characters, and a plot with plenty of international intrigue. It also features one hell of a crazy ending. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 31, 2019

This month's Dispatch theme is, appropriately, horror. Or: What makes a scary game scary? We pick apart out favorite horror games and compare them to this month's crop of horror-themed titles. We also answer your questions and prompts, and read your responses to October's games. Next month, we're talking about The Last Express , The Simpsons: Hit and Run , and Deus Ex: Human Revolution . In December, we're hitting up Tyranny and Jade Empire . Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 17, 2019

Alan Wake is a writer, and he reminds you of that a lot. This is Remedy's third person shooter followup to the first two Max Payne games. It dabbles in horror without being terribly scary, and gets extremely metatextual at a time when that wasn't a huge thing in games. It worked at the time, and would probably work on a first playthrough, but we struggle to see through the game's unfortunate design flaws. Thanks to Vulpes for producing this episode!

Oct 17, 2019

It's time for another pull on the tonal slot machine as WOFF's weirdest and least scary October continues. Gary and Kole dissect the entire gamut of RE7's downloadable content and extra modes. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 10, 2019

Silent Hill is one of our favorite horror series, and it's always pleasant to return to it. This episode has us looking at Shattered Memories, the Wii game developed by Climax and Sam Barlow (of "Her Story" fame). It upends a good number of traditions of the series, and ends up being a very different game than you might expect. The star is the psychological profiling system, but the game earns big consternation for separating puzzles and monsters. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 3, 2019

Spooky scary month begins! Gary and Kole are joined by patron and Slack super star Jack Corrigan to talk about 2018's messy but somewhat interesting Call of Cthulhu. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 26, 2019

This month's Dispatch has a lot going on. We answer a ton of your questions, including a long run of lightning round prompts. Then we talk about the difficulty inherent in separating art from artist, in light of the recent spate of games industry MeToo incidents. Then, we read your responses to our September games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 13, 2019

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is the first entry in this long-running series that we've covered. It's a tactical RPG set in a medieval world, and this particular game has a lot of oddball features that would eventually become mainstays in the series. However, does it all stand up? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 12, 2019

Kole and Gary finally tackle the FPS that set the standard, not only for the genre, but for cinematic and narrative games to this day.

Sep 5, 2019

Special thanks to Geri Khan for producing this one! Kole and Gary take a rare trip to the Genesis to discuss one of the best games the run'n'gun genre has to offer. Loads of charm and creativity make this one of the best games on the system. Listen in! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 29, 2019

It's time for this month's Dispatch episode, where we answer your questions and prompts, talk about our special topic (Glitches in games), and hear your responses to Way of the Samurai, Final Fantasy V, and Wolfenstein: The New Order. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 15, 2019

Bartz, Lenna, and Faris have decided to tag along with Galuf to defeat Exdeath once and for all, a decision that takes them to a whole new world. There, they meet Exdeath's coterie of dipshits in his meat castle. We pick up with World 2 to talk about the remainder of Final Fantasy V, which swings from high systemic highs to low grindy lows. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 15, 2019

Hey! We look back at the surprisingly and tragically relevant 2014 game Wolfenstein: The New Order. Getting it out of the way: Fuck nazis and rest in peace Heather Heyer. The whole episode isn't that though. TNO is not only a surprisingly affecting narrative, it's also a sharp shooter in its own right with wonderfully sketched out characters and pathos to spare. Give it a listen.

Aug 8, 2019

Kole and Gary tackle the Final Fantasy with some of the most complex mechanics and most anonymous characters and places in the series. This episode covers generalities and world one. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 1, 2019

Peter Bemis joins us to talk about Way of the Samurai, a strange and forward-looking game from the early days of the PS2 era. As a wayward ronin in the Meiji Era, you stumble across a town that's in the middle of a power struggle. Two families are working against each other, unmindful of the bigger threat headed their way. This action/fighting game features multiple paths and endings, and it's meant to be played over and over again. Hear us work out the story and the structure, and talk about how it all comes together. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 30, 2019

We have a very good problem. Too many of you patronize us, and too many of you ask good questions. We weren't able to fit all of your prompts and topics into a regular Dispatch episode, so we decided to let them overflow to this special presentation. We will do this from time to time in order to make sure our backlog of questions doesn't get too long.

Jul 25, 2019

This is an extra spicy episode of the WOFF Dispatch, as we cover tons of our questions and prompts before settling in to talk about gaming addiction and the tricks developers and publishers use to foster it. Then we read your responses to A Hat in Time, Psychonauts, and Mirror's Edge. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 11, 2019

No game makes you WANT to like it as much as Psychonauts. Raz is a great character, the counselors at his psychic summer camp are top notch, and the aesthetic is excellent. The problems begin with the play, since the game only shows a passing interest in being an enjoyable 3D platformer. So Doublefine's premiere effort is endlessly charming, but also a pretty big disappointment. Listen in to hear us be even more conflicted. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 11, 2019

The blues have dispatched the birds and sometimes things don't age as well as we'd like. One good trick isn't always enough to save a game.

Jul 4, 2019

We begin our 3D Platformer Month with a modern loveletter to 90s platformers like Banjo Kazooie and Super Mario 64. Hat Kid runs afoul of the Mafia, and she must collect her hourglasses (which are spaceship fuel) from a planet full of colorful jerks. The game runs high on charm, but it also runs right into our fundamental problems with this genre. So we try to put on our "3D Platformer Appreciator" hats and see what's good here and what falls short. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 27, 2019

This is a big dispatch episode, where we spend a good deal of time on your questions before talking about why games shouldn't try to be movies. We then turn our attention to your responses to June's games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 20, 2019

We round out puzzle month with the ultimate "puzzle" game, so elemental that you can't imagine it not existing. Alexy Pajitnov and a crew of colleagues in the USSR birthed the game, and it followed a long and complicated trail to becoming a worldwide phenomenon. This episode relates that story, talks about how Tetris has changed over the years, and looks at some recent excellent Tetris games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 13, 2019

The early 90s were a very strange time for PC games, almost solely because of the introduction of the CD-ROM drive. This new techology revealed two paths for the industry, both of which would be pretty short-lived: The Myst path of baroque, isolated puzzle voids, and the 7th Guest path of FMV movies with puzzles slightly attached. The stories of Henry Stauf's infernal mansion are almost too out there to be believed, and we definitely don't recommend that you play these games to completion, but we invite you to hear all about both the 7th Guest and its sequel, the 11th Hour, here on the show. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 13, 2019

For Patrons only, we have this slight episode about a slight game that none-the-less has some charms to offer.

Jun 12, 2019

Get ready for a day of Duckfeed. On August 31, 2019, we will gather at the Clinton Street Theater in Portland Oregon for live performances of many Duckfeed shows, and a few local podcast friends. Listen to the announcement for more. More details are forthcoming, including ticket details. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 6, 2019

We begin Puzzle Month with one of the best indie releases of 2018. While it's nominally a turn based strategy game, Into the Breach provides near-perfect information, making it more of a series of chess puzzles than a traditional X-Com-alike. And the story of the game's development confirms that this was the designer's intention. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 30, 2019

We read your responses to May's games, and we talk about how AAA games get romance wrong. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 16, 2019

Gary and Kole enter a world of assassination with one of the most permissive, generous games we've ever played. Big thanks to Xenolalia for producing this episode!

May 16, 2019

Batman: Arkham City is an object lesson in how sequels can go very right. It's additive in every way that matterns leaving the core play of Arkham Asylum intact while adding an open world and lots and lots of villains. The Jokester is back and sicker than ever, and Hugo Strange has made deft use of eminent domain to create a prison city. What could go wrong? Huge thanks to Doug Lief, who guests on this episode, for his support, and for picking this great game! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 9, 2019

We traveled to the Midwest Gaming Classic once again, this time to talk about what we're broadly calling "creative games". The headliner is Mario Paint, but the idea of games that let you either make games, or make art, goes way back. So we talk about the history, talk about how this articulates, and try to answer the question: Why is using games to make art so fun? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 2, 2019

Life is Strange is a Telltale-style cinematic adventure game about a young woman named Max Caulfield who has a very strange week. On the same day, she discovers that she has the ability to rewind time, and she uses this ability to avert the death of Chloe, an estranged friend. Her powers get her wrapped up in a murder mystery that points to corruption in the heart of the small town of Arcadia Bay. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 25, 2019

Some games are trapped in time, and this Dispatch episode has us wondering what makes some games age worse than others. How can something made 25 years ago feel more fresh and something made 5 years ago? Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 11, 2019

Sometimes you can do it again, and do it better. The Resident Evil 2 remake is our favorite game so far this year, and it's remarkable not just for doing justice to the original, but for being extremely good in its own right.

Apr 11, 2019

It's kind of ridiculous that we haven't done a Halo game yet. First because they were very big, and second because they're aging very poorly. However, there's plenty to like about Halo 3: ODST, the weird side story in the Halo franchise. The Rookie is separated from his squad, and he must roam the ruins of New Mombasa to find evidence of their battles and piece together what happened. We hope you like your jazz smoky, because it's all we got in stock. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Apr 5, 2019

Captian Martin Walker is not up to the task. Dubai is in ruins, and things just get worse from there. This is a military shooter about military shooters, and it's lauded for its story while its play is dismissed. But we're here to tell you: the play is fine! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 28, 2019

We hear your thoughts on our Desperation Month games, and talk about what the deal is with gamers. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 14, 2019

I said don't just stand there. Come in! The Zone is a strange place with wondrous promises. It's full of atmosphere and lead, as bands of Stalkers and mutants fight over its strange artifacts, hoping they don't get torn apart by pockets of anomalous physics. Loosely based off of a famous Russian novel and film, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl caps off our Desperation month. Though you quickly get over the resource curve and find your Zone-legs, it remains a demanding shooter throughout... until it gets too demanding, but you probably expected that from a PC game of this vintage.

Mar 14, 2019

We continue Desperation Month with Frostpunk, a city building sim where things start bad and only get worse. It's the late 19th century and the world is quickly freezing. Humanity's last chance is to huddle around generators in the north, making moral compromises to survive the cold and the scarcity it brings. Frostpunk is an amazing strategy sim game with A+ theming, and it's sure to make you feel like garbage. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 8, 2019

We begin Desperation Month with a very unusual sim game. You are a checkpoint worker in a fictional communist country, forced to decide the fates of immigrants as the rules change every day. It's a bleak and stressful game that forces you to contort yourself into monstrous shapes, tugging at you with incentives and survival. It's unique and powerful, even if it isn't strictly fun. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 28, 2019

Gary and Kole take your questions, and chat about Video Game Violence before reading your thoughts on SMB2, Pyre, and Bioshock Infinite. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 14, 2019

Let the circle be broken.

Feb 14, 2019

SuperGiant is a studio we really love. We've covered both Bastion and Transistor on this show, so when William Rouse executive-produced an episode about Pyre it was a wonderful chance to complete the SuperGiant collection. And while there is plenty to love about Pyre's world, visual design, and music, we felt that the fantasy basketball came up a little short. Listen in to learn the specifics on why we felt the way we did, and give the game a shot to see if it lands the same for you. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 7, 2019

Super Mario Bros. 2 is unfairly ignored, either because of its provenance or because it's not a trailblazer like its predecessor, or as finely tuned as its successor. But it deserves credit for being ambitious, weird, and serving as the springboard for a lot of the great things we love about Mario games. So come along and listen to our case for why this might be the best of the NES Mario games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 31, 2019

Gary and Kole answer your questions, talk about difficulty in games, and then read your responses to River City Ransom, Owlboy and FFX. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 24, 2019

Matthew sticks around to talk about the remainder of Final Fantasy X, which includes some fantastic boss fights, neat imagery, and questionable story beats. We also touch briefly on the absurd optional content this game has to offer to the most patient among us. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 17, 2019

This is the first of two episodes about Final Fantasy X, a watershed game for Square that acts as a bridge between old and new for the series. Tidus is swept away into a strange world by an eldritch monstrosity. He finds new friends and ends up on a pilgrimage to rid the world of that same monstrosity. This episode covers the generalities and the first third of the game, up through Operation Mi'hen. Special thanks to our guest and backer Matthew Campbell for picking this game and offering his insight! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 11, 2019

Owlboy is a visually beautiful indie platformer with a killer soundtrack. It's a labor of love, and you can see that in every masterfully drawn piece of spritework. It's unfortunate that the aesthetics are attached to flat gameplay and story. It's a shame that it never fully explores its own mechanics, because the inventive boss fights show some high highs. Listen in to learn more, and hear some of that sweet music. Big thanks to Mike Suskie for backing us and requesting this episode! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 4, 2019

Gary and Kole dig into this NES classic, and our first time covering a Kunio-Kun game. Alex's girlfriend has been kidnapped by Slick, so we have to punch, kick, and pipe our way across River City and its gangs. This is a fun game that's stymied a bit by antiquated progression mechanics, but it feels too damn good in your hands to hold that against it too much. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 28, 2018

This episode concludes our coverage of the main game of Baldur's Gate II. Our party emerges from the Underdark and gathers some help for its final assault, which takes them far afield of the prime material plane. Then we conclude with your listener responses about this beloved CRPG. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Lying Cat | Saga Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia August Derleth - Wikipedia Doobie Brothers - China Grove 1974 - YouTube

Dec 14, 2018

This third episode of our Baldur's Gate II coverage takes us away from the free-wheeling open-ended climes of Chapter 2 and puts us on the story's rails, as we get on Irenicus' trail and follow him to a Wizard Asylum and finally into the iconic Underdark. There's some fantastic content to be covered here, and they even made the Sahuagin interesting! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 13, 2018

Do you know how many candy bars I'd have to sell to raise 20,000 GP!?!? We left Part 1 of our Baldur's Gate II coverage with an outrageous mandate... to raise a ton of money to get information about where our soul (and sister) were taken. But Athkatla is a dirty and greedy city, so there's plenty of work to do. This episode covers most of Chapter 2, except for the content at Trademeet. We kind of ran out of steam. Next episode should take us through the Underdark. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 7, 2018

Lots of folks have waited very patiently for us to get around to covering Baldur's Gate II. It's a very well-regarded classic game, and it fits in well with our love for all things Dungeons and Dragons. So this month, we are doing a four part series. This first episode is all about systems an generalities, which are meaty enough (it's 2nd Edition, after all). Here's our plan for the rest of the coverage: Part 2: Chapter 2 (Side Quests around Amn) Part 3: Chapter 3, 4, and 5 Part 4: Chapter 6 and 7, and listener responses Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Fear of a Black Hat - Theatrical Trailer - YouTube

Nov 29, 2018

We hear what you think of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, and The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 23, 2018

Our Witcher 3 saga draws to a close as we talk about Geralt's extracurricular activities in Toussaint. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 15, 2018

The world of the Witcher 3 is almost completely dark and grim, where moral ambiguity reigns supreme. So it's strange for Geralt's tale to end in Toussaint, which is picturesque and relatively calm... except for the murders. It's also a land of chivalric values that seem nice at first but are actually pretty backwards. This massive expansion sees Geralt working with an old friend to hunt down the Beast of Beauclaire, a vampire who is murdering nobles. However, things get wildly out of hand as palace intrigue takes hold. Blood and Wine is not uniformly good, nor is it as singularly brilliant as Hearts of Stone. But it's a good farewell. This episode covers the main quest, while next week's episode will feature all of the side content. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: The Coup - "The Magic Clap" - YouTube Se7en (1995) Official Trailer - Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman Movie HD - YouTube

Nov 9, 2018

We originally intended for our live episode at Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2018 to be about Super Smash Bros. Melee. However, we figured something out... we don't like playing Smash Bros. competitively. This led us down a rabbit hole that ultimately made us change our plans... What does it mean to play games wrong. Is it even possible? Is that a real or fake idea? So we turned the episode into an editorial, talking about different ways to play games wrong, and giving a few examples of our favorite games to break. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 5, 2018

This very special WOFF is brought to you by the Atomic! Kickstarter backers. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 1, 2018

Watch out! Behind you! You'll hear that a lot in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, a game from Ninja Theory that goes all in on the gimmick of using 3D sound to approximate audio hallucinations. We talk through this remarkable "AAA indie game", which has a young woman venturing into the Norse underworld to rescue the soul of the one she loves. Unfortunately, not everthing is fantastic here, since there's a bunch of nonsense filler in the game. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 25, 2018

Let's hear your responses to Night in the Woods, and the other indie horror games we did in October! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 18, 2018

Mumblecore playdates with a tinge of existential, cosmic dread. That's a succinct summation of Night in the Woods, the capstone for our indie horror month. This is a beautiful, charming game that goes to great lengths to endear you to its cast. It sensitively and deftly portrays issues of mental illness, poverty, and faith. We just wish it didn't have structural problems, because they result in the game hiding its light under a bushel. Let me hang with Germ Warfare, please! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 11, 2018

As we continue Indie Horror Month, we're excited to do something a little different. There are so many great little experimental horror games that wouldn't bear a full episode, but are worth talking about. So we gathered up a bunch of micro-horror games and created a special episode about them. They are: IMSCARED Haunted Cities, vol. 1 and vol. 2 Lost Constellation My Father's Long Long Legs And that's all. Don't stick around to the end of the episode because there's nothing more. Nosiree. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 11, 2018

Hi! This was supposed to be a surprise for our seventh anniversary, but things didn't go as planned. Some of you already heard about it, but for some of you it will be news: we recorded a new episode about Mega Man X. It was the very first game we covered for Watch Out for Fireballs!, and we wanted to go back and look at again all these years later. Turns out it's still an A+ masterpiece, and completely essential. Thank you very much for all of your love and support. It's been a great seven years, we have no plans on stopping, and we might even do more of these revisits in the future. Umbasa! - Kole

Oct 4, 2018

You can run and you can hide... and not much else. That's something Frictional learned in making Penumbra: Overture, a strange predecessor to their more widely acclaimed Amnesia: The Dark Descent. You play as Phillip, a professor who follows in the footsteps of his presumed-dead father and ends up in a heap of trouble in an Arctic mine. Come hear what makes this strange indie horror game so foundational to modern horror games. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: List of Notable SCP games | SCP - Containment Breach Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia H.R. Giger At Home - Superego - YouTube

Sep 28, 2018

Let's hear your responses to Quest for Glory II, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, and not Gabriel Knight 3! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 20, 2018

We love the Gabriel Knight series, but Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned is the kind of game only a parent could love. It follows Knight's adventures in France as he tries to solve a kidnapping case that involves the Holy Grail and a set of vampires called "The Night Visitors". What makes Gabriel Knight 3 such a dicey proposition to play is its questionable presentation. Sierra forced Jane Jensen and her team to make the game fully 3D, which they were neither equipped to accomplish, nor comfortable doing. So it's a technical nightmare that plays very awkwardly, and it gets in its own way. The highs remain quite high, since this series uniquely captures the feeling of being a detective investigating a case. It's just... very difficult to recommend. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: How Sierra and a Disgraced Cop Made the Most Reactionary Game of the 90s - Waypoint

Sep 13, 2018

Callahan's Place is a very special bar, where flawed people from across space and time gather to share their pain and be healed. This makes for a very strange basis for a video game, but Legend managed to pull it off. Though the puzzles aren't always great, Callahan's skates by with a lot by being laugh-out-loud hilarious and unusually humane. Seriously, this is wayyy up there. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 6, 2018

This month's theme is "Auteur Adventure Games", and we decided to open it with a beloved game by Corey and Lori Ann Cole. Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire continues our hero's journey as he heads to the Arabian-inspired realm of Shapeir. The Coles had a specific vision for how to combine adventure games and role playing, and also had a very specific kind of light and humorous voice. Large parts of this game are a mess, but it's a very interesting specimen to look at closely. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 30, 2018

Four episodes, two hacky slashy games, lots of thoughts. It's time to hear your responses to God of War and NieR! Also, we announce the upcoming games. September sees Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, and Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned. October is Indie horror month... There's a patron poll for the first episode, the second episode will be a special about Micro Horror games, and the final episode is about Night in the Woods. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 23, 2018

It's inarguable that God of War is an important game, but is it still fun to play? No, not really, but it has its moments. It came late in the PS2 lifecycle and took inspiration from character action games like Devil May Cry, but it added a sense of brutality that launched a fleet of clones. The problem is, the God of War you remember didn't start wtih the first game. No, it became the setpiece-heavy boss-a-thon with God of War II. The original features far more hallways, and almost no bosses, but lays down a solid technical framework for what would come. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Spawn(1997)- Shootout Scene[HD] - YouTube American Airlines Admirals Club Installs Two-Way Mirror For Members To Enjoy Misery Of Passengers In Gate Waiting Area

Aug 16, 2018

This episode concludes our coverage of NieR, as we talk about the endgame of Route A, and cover everything from Routes B, C, and D. NieR has thoroughly worn out its welcome at this point, even if there is some good stuff to be found in the tricks it plays. So come listen, and hear the specifics of our criticisms. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 10, 2018

The story of NieR continues as we build out our party and explore more modes of play. The doldrums of the previous episode give way to some minor delight. The Forest of Myth shows us a text adventure with a cool conceptual hook, while the Haunted Manor is a Resident Evil pastiche. Then we have to do it all again. This episode covers NieR up through the Forest of Myth, after the time jump. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Aug 2, 2018

Take a look, it's in a book. NieR released with a resounding thud in 2010, neither selling well nor pleasing critics. But since then, it's become a cult classic for people who like experimental narrative and varied play. Nier is a father who is desperately searching for a cure for his daughter's terminal illness. Yonah has the Black Scrawl, and a prophecy about a pair of magical books might be her salvation. The problem is, the game isn't very fun to play, and while there is some really neat narrative stuff going on (with some very likeable and memorable characters), the juice might not be worth the squeeze. This first episode covers the generalities of the game, and we go up through Nier's adventure in Facade. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 26, 2018

What do you think of The Sims 3, Donkey Kong '94, and Pathologic? Tune in to find out! Includes bonus responses for Earth Defense Force 4.1. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 19, 2018

It's the best, most fascinating game you should never play. Pathologic is the definition of a cult classic game. Its adherents will swear by it, while everyone else bounces off. There's a good reason for that: it's one of the best-written games we've covered for the show, and every mechanic is designed to be as unfriendly as possible. For this episode, we follow the Bachelor's route. Daniil Dankovsky is a thanatologist, one who studies death. He's called to a mysterious village on the Russian steppe, which is soon struck by a violent plague that seems to be evil incarnate. Come listen, even if you don't intend to play the game. We'd like to extend a huge thanks to Matt Carney for executive producing this episode through our Patreon. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 12, 2018

This is a special live episode about the best Donkey Kong game, Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. The game begins as a faithful recreation of the Donkey Kong arcade levels, but after that, the roof flies off and the walls fall away... revealing a puzzle platformer with over 100 levels. This game also expands Mario's move set in an important way. Really? Just go play it. Huge thanks to everyone who came out to see us at the Midwest Gaming Classic 2018! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jul 5, 2018

Do you think life is a game? The Sims, writ large, is a massive series that nobody really talks about as a game. It feels like it exists over in a separate category with MMOs and other perpetual games. But its huge success has hidden the fact that it's incredibly important, and also very very fun. We specifically picked the Sims 3 because of its quality of life improvements, but this episode touches on all of the main Sims games at least a little bit. This episode is very different from our usual releases. It's almost all generalities and mechanics, but there's lots of anecdotes and weird stories at the end. Thanks for helping us get to episode 200! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Drew Carey | The Sims Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia The Creepy, Surreal Apocalypse of The Sims Online Winchester Mystery House by amariswiccan - The Exchange - Community - The Sims 3 Kole Ross on Twitter: "For the upcoming Watch Out for Fireballs! about The Sims 3 (Episode 200!), I wanted to take on a big building project. So I decided to make the mansion and cast from Maniac Mansion. Read the thread!… https://t.co/nAB9pJO86p"

Jun 28, 2018

Let's hear what you think of A Way Out, Magicka, and Earth Defense Force 4.1. There aren't very many responses this time, so we hit some belated responses and Just Funnin' as well. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jun 22, 2018

This game really bugs us. Listen in to find out why... or read this short summary. Earth Defense Force as a series gets a lot of credit for its quirkiness and cheesiness. That praise is earned, but it doesn't paper over repetitive and mediocre gameplay. The Ravagers are back again, and they've brought Giant Insects, spiders, lizards, and all kinds of nasties with them. It's up to the united Earth Defense Force to fight them off, once and for all. Over and over again. With very little difference between the missions. Forever. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Rampage 2:Universal Tour Intro Playstation One - YouTube GeoGuessr - Let's explore the world! The Avalanches - 'Frontier Psychiatrist' - YouTube Ballz 3D (SNES) Playthrough - NintendoComplete - YouTube The World's Biggest Wasp | Bite, Sting, Kill - YouTube

Jun 14, 2018

This week, Gary and Kole conjure up some mixed praise for Magicka, a student project turned indie darling. But here's the hangup: while the core idea of this game is unlike anything we've seen before, its execution falls flat at almost every turn. The writing and humor don't add much to the proceedings, and the game is still a technical mess seven years after its release. So, yeah, the mixture leans pretty heavily toward the negative. Someone make a better game out of this core idea! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Andrew W. K.- I Get Wet - YouTube Some Borderlands 2 Humor - YouTube Mr Show Taint - YouTube Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills - YouTube P4 Chapter 2 The Sword Gram and the Dragon Fafnir - YouTube

Jun 7, 2018

Ain't no co-op like A Way Out co-op because A Way Out co-op is mandatory . Back in 2013, Hazelight Studios developed a charming and affecting experimental adventure game called Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons . Five years later, it wanted to continue exploring its pet theme of togetherness, so it created A Way Out . Following the lead of games like Heavy Rain and Until Dawn , it's a cinematic adventure game with one major gimmick: you must play it with someone else. The story is told in split-screen, and makes heavy use of prison and crime movie cliches to show how two convicts, Leo and Vincent, escape from prison and get revenge on a mutual enemy. It's an extremely funny game, but there's one problem... it's not supposed to be funny. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: PS4 - Until Dawn Trailer - YouTube The Shawshank Redemption - Trailer - (1994) - HQ - YouTube The Boy Official Trailer #1 (2016) - Lauren Cohan Horror Movie HD - YouTube The Manhole - Wikipedia Casino Royale Movie CLIP - Parkour Chase (2006) HD - YouTube Point Break Skydiving scene - YouTube

May 31, 2018

Let's hear what you think about Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Doom 2016, Bayonetta, and Arcades! Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

May 24, 2018

We talked about arcades almost six years ago, and a lot has happened since then. So it's time to go back. For this episode, we each played three games and prepared to talk about them. Spanning several eras and genres, we wanted to learn why arcade games are different and talk about how their design differs from home games. Here are the titles we discuss: TRON. Dig Dug. Captain America and the Avengers. Spider-Man: The Video Game. Area 51. Aliens: Extermination. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Special When Lit Trailer - YouTube Ultimate Retropie Joystick Controller Panic Park - Wikipedia DeadMalls.com: Forest Fair Mall / Cincinnati Mills / Cincinnati Mall: Cincinnati, OH Watch Out for Fireballs! Episode 31: Arcades Dig Dug - Wikipedia Tron (video game) - Wikipedia Spider-Man: The Video Game - Wikipedia Captain America and The Avengers - Wikipedia Area 51 (1995 video game) - Wikipedia Aliens: Extermination | Xenopedia | FANDOM powered by Wikia

May 17, 2018

Fly me to the moon and let me play Bayonetta, a crazy over-the-top character action game that is unabashedly all about style. This is a Patreon backer requested episode, and we were super happy to visit Platinum's breakout hit. Bayonetta is a very important character to the recent history of video games, inspiring both affection and controversy. Listen in to hear us talk about her first adventure, and hit on the points where it stumbles (I'm looking at you, motorcycle and missile levels). Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: GXTalks: GX3 • Day 1 - Bayo Studies: Year One - A Deeper Look at the Bayonetta Series - YouTube WildCat-Ratatat - YouTube Bullet Witch XBOX 360 Trailer - YouTube Achewood § July 2, 2007 Bayonetta: Bloody Fate (2013) anime movie - YouTube Fatboy Slim - Weapon Of Choice - YouTube Language of flowers - Wikipedia Enochian - Wikipedia Omega Red - Wikipedia Burglekutt | Willow Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia Peter Francis Geraci Law. Bankruptcy Attorneys in Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and their surrounding communities | Peter Francis Geraci Law | Bankruptcy Attorneys | Infotapes From Lara Croft to Bayonetta: what is a 'strong female character'? | Games | The Guardian

May 11, 2018

The winner of our remakes/reboots poll is all about ripping/tearing. The 2016 version of Doom, neé DOOM 4, is all about pace and rhythm. It's also all about gleefully tapping into the spirit of mayhem found in the early entries of this series, and updating it for modern play sensibilities. The result is one of the best-designed games we've played for the show. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Watch Out for Fireballs! Episode 110: Doom II: Hell on Earth DOOM: Behind The Music Part 1 - YouTube RAGE Debut Trailer - YouTube How Does The New DOOM Compare to Previous Dooms? [Huge Spoilers] - YouTube How to keep players engaged (without being evil) | Game Maker's Toolkit - YouTube

May 3, 2018

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: The Green Mile Trailer - YouTube Gun (video game) trailer - YouTube Answering the Call of Juarez (A Series Retrospective) - YouTube Mad Dog McCree - PlayStation 3 - Official Trailer - YouTube Dying Light - Launch Trailer - YouTube

Apr 26, 2018

Let's see what you think of Bioshock 2, Minerva's Den, and Ultima Underworld! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Trading Places (1983) Trailer - YouTube

Apr 19, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Watch Out for Fireballs! Episode 154: Dead Space PC classic commentary: Ultima Underworld with Paul Neurath - YouTube Arx Fatalis - Wikipedia Ultima Underworld : Playstation Version Speedrun (1/3) - YouTube Dark Messiah of Might and Magic - Wikipedia Ultima Underworld Speedrun in 16m39s [World Record] [60FPS] - YouTube PC - Wolfenstein 3D - E3M10 (Pac-Man Level) 100% Video - YouTube This video features the asset zone

Apr 12, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: The Things They Carried - Wikipedia Pi movie trailer - YouTube Tacoma - Fullbright

Apr 5, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: BioShock 2 Multiplayer | BioShock Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia Stryker to attack the X-Mansion | X-Men 2 - YouTube being john malkovich ending - YouTube

Mar 29, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Trading Places (1983) Trailer - YouTube Super Hydorah on Steam Displacer beast | Forgotten Realms Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia Against the Grain: How Agriculture Has Hijacked Civilization: Richard Manning: 9780865477131: Amazon.com: Books

Mar 22, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Cleric Beast | Bloodborne Wiki The Truth about the Blight Ganons - Theorizing - Zelda Universe Forums

Mar 15, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Pet Sematary - Trailer - YouTube Functional fixedness - Wikipedia Breath of the Wild - Not Enough Zelda - YouTube Zelda Breath of the Wild - 5 Advanced Combat Tips - YouTube Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions Trailer - YouTube Jdhurst (@Jdhurst) | Twitter Vain Link (@VainLink) | Twitter

Mar 8, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Mar 1, 2018

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: TASBot plays Ikaruga by Maximum score by keylie in 21:29 - Summer Games Done Quick 2015 - Part 153 - YouTube shmuplations.com Flash Tub: Marble Madness: The Movie [HD] - YouTube Cuphead E3 2017 Trailer (1080p) - YouTube Battletoads Level 3: Turbo Tunnel (NES) - YouTube 100 Bullets - Wikipedia

Feb 23, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Feb 15, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Exosquad Opening - YouTube Titanfall 2 by An Angry Albino in 1:35:33 - SGDQ2017 - Part 129 - YouTube Characters Voice Comparison - "Optimus Prime" - YouTube Money City Maniacs - YouTube Democracy 3 Trailer - YouTube PunkBuster - Wikipedia

Feb 8, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Armored Core: For Answer Mission Chart for Xbox 360 by Stahn_D_Aileron - GameFAQs Fan outrage kills Marvel's deal to promote real-world arms-dealers in Avengers comics / Boing Boing Here's how to get out of the pit everytime. - E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial Message Board for Atari 2600 - GameFAQs

Feb 1, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 25, 2018

We read your responses about our three games from January, and discuss the new FromSoft announcements and how they effect our plans. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Jan 19, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Black & White PC game Trailer - YouTube Starcraft 2 Trailer HD - YouTube Tecmo's Deception: Invitation to Darkness (PS1) Trailer - YouTube Streets of SimCity (Windows) Trailer (1997) - YouTube

Jan 11, 2018

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Occuria | Final Fantasy Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia Irritating Stick - Wikipedia Grandia: How a forgotten JRPG solved the problem of repetitive combat Stepmom (film) - Wikipedia Babou | Archer Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia

Jan 5, 2018

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Dec 28, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Sorry folks parks closed - YouTube The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Zero Punctuation) - YouTube 5by5 | John Siracusa Lindybeige - YouTube

Dec 21, 2017

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Gwent IRL - YouTube Will Hughes (@Plumberduck) | Twitter Oficial awake movie trailer - YouTube Skooma (Skyrim) | Elder Scrolls | FANDOM powered by Wikia Urban Dictionary: Sizzle Chest Martin Shkreli - Wikipedia Proper Bird - YouTube

Dec 14, 2017

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Kingsmoot - A Wiki of Ice and Fire The English Patient Trailer - YouTube Chocobo Hot and Cold | Final Fantasy Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia Ravenloft - Wikipedia Combine | Half-Life Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia Conan the Destroyer (1984) - IMDb

Dec 7, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Broken Flowers Official Trailer #1 - (2005) HD - YouTube ZOO - YouTube THE LEFTOVERS - Season 1 | Full TRAILER | HD - YouTube Crooklyn Trailer (1996) - YouTube Buckner & Garcia - Mousetrap - YouTube The Office - The Carpet (Episode Highlight) - YouTube Kingpin - Marvel Universe Wiki: The definitive online source for Marvel super hero bios. pc gamer witcher 3 bathtub - Google Search

Nov 30, 2017

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 Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Nov 23, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Jim Butcher | The Online Site For Everything Jim Dropsy - Launch Trailer [Sing-A-Long Edition] - YouTube Technobabylon - Official Trailer - YouTube Primordia - Official Trailer - YouTube

Nov 16, 2017

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? Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: little nicky (2000) TRAILER - YouTube Yard globe - Wikipedia Always Sunny, Dance off w/ Sweet Dee and inflatable tube man - YouTube Wheelmonk | Nioh Wiki Hordak | Wiki Grayskull | FANDOM powered by Wikia

Nov 10, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Phantasmagoria Trailer - YouTube Assassin's Creed Origins tourism mode announced | Rock, Paper, Shotgun The Odd Couple Act 2 Scene 2 Pigeon Sisters - YouTube Ghost Master - Trailer 2003 - YouTube PT 109 (1963) Trailer.- JFK during World War Two - YouTube Thimbleweed Park - Thimblecon '87 T-shirt - Fangamer

Nov 2, 2017

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! Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Ultimate X-Men Motion Comic Movie Volume 1〈English〉 - YouTube Majora's Mask: "Fierce Deity Link Vs All Bosses" - YouTube Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Trailer #1 - YouTube

Oct 26, 2017

We found a filthy notebook full of people's thoughts on the Resident Evil games we covered. Let us peer within. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 19, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Oct 12, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Spooky Scary Skeletons - Otamatone Cover - YouTube Resident Evil Plot Analysis for GameCube by TWilde - GameFAQs Biggoron's Sword | Zeldapedia | FANDOM powered by Wikia Mac and Country Mac - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - YouTube Story of Sarah Kerrigan - Queen Of Blades - YouTube

Oct 5, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Clock Tower (1995 video game) - Wikipedia Suicide Squad - Wikipedia Lights Out (game) - Wikipedia Nedroid Picture Diary Paracelsus - Wikipedia

Sep 28, 2017

Tune your bat radios to our bat frequency to hear your bat thoughts. Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Sep 21, 2017

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

Sep 14, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: The Batman Episode 3.06: Brawn | Batman Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth - Wikipedia Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate | Batman Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia Batman Returns (1992) Official Theatrical Trailer HD - YouTube Off Camera Secrets | Batman Arkham Asylum - Boundary Break - YouTube Demon's Souls Boss: Dragon God - YouTube Does C4 smell like Almonds? - explosives resolved | Ask MetaFilter Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten up (1968) - YouTube Mad Love | Batman Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia

Sep 7, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Ninja Baseball Bat Man - Wikipedia AGDQ 2016 - The Legend of Zelda Any% (NES, 1986) by Lackattack24 - YouTube The Moth | Podcast Winchester Cathedral - YouTube

Aug 31, 2017

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. Support Watch Out for Fireballs! Links: Legends of Localization United States of Tara - Wikipedia Retronauts Live Episode 49: Final Fantasy IV - Retro Uprising Like Final Fantasy IV? Want to play it online with friends? Final Fantasy Remnants. : FinalFantasy Space Station 13 - Wikipedia (3) Top 10 Longest Speedruns - YouTube (3) Final Fantasy IV by nocashnocash in 3:33:05 - Awesome Games Done Quick 2016 - Part 160 - YouTube