Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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. Unlock the full episode at patreon.com/duckfeedtvSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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 StormSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

We have such questions to answer for you.Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

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. Unlock the full episode at patreon.com/duckfeedtvSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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!

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 DestructionSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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. Unlock the full episode at patreon.com/duckfeedtvSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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!

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?Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

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

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!

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!

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

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!

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. Unlock the full episode at patreon.com/duckfeedtvSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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 SkiesSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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? Unlock the full episode at patreon.com/duckfeedtvSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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!

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. Full episode available exclusively to our patrons at patreon.com/duckfeedtvSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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 [email protected]. 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.Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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!

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. Unlock the full episode at patreon.com/duckfeedtvSupport Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

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!

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!

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