Game/Life Balance U.S.

Jon reviews Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below, including a brief history of the Dragon Quest / Dragon Warrior franchise and a primer on Musou games. Plus, Cody has an exciting announcement about the future of Unqualified Gamers! Photo credit: gullevek via Flickr Show Notes: * Jon briefly mentions Google’s addition of podcasts to Google Play Music, which is a big deal for the world of podcasting * Cody teases an announcement, which Jon fears may be an announcement of an announcement, which may just end up being a bunch of Vaguebooking * Jon talks about his internet connection, which is running at a slow speed of legendary proportions, although you’ll really only notice if you’re watching the video of this podcast on YouTube * Jon gives a feature-length Dragon Quest Heroes review, starting with an overview of the relationship of the Dragon Quest series with North American audiences, including when in 1990, Nintendo Power ran a promotion packaging a free copy of Dragon Warrior with a paid yearly subscription * Jon discusses Musou games in general, then gives a review rife with comparisons to Hyrule Warriors, which Cody talked about on basically a zillion episodes in a row in the past * In a surprising twist, although Jon likes Dragon Quest Heroes more than Hyrule Warriors in general, he does point out one thing he misses from the WiiU game from his past * An unexpected, accidental seamless transition finds Cody briefly mentioning a bachelor party and how he brought his WiiU to play Smash Bros. with friends, and ended up playing Hyrule Warriors in an airport * PSA: Cody reminds the listener that neither he nor Jon advocate drinking and driving * Without giving any details, Cody briefly mentions that he is still playing Metal Gear Solid V, and just over 70 hours into the game, he has finally unlocked multiplayer mode (and maintains a game completion rate of less than 40%) * Cody promotes All Things Good and Nerdy Episode 183 “Halloween Hangover” and the series finale of Voices of Defiance, both fellow podcasts on the GonnaGeek Network * Jon brings up the fact that there’s going to be a new Star Trek television series, which he simply hopes won’t be as bad as Enterprise, which he hated; Cody remains neutral on the matter for various reasons * Cody finally makes the first official announcement about an upcoming change with the podcast—tune in to future episodes to learn more details!

Cody is joined by occasional co-hosts Casey and comedian Russian Jon for a joint Broforce review, a game described as an “assault on the senses,” patriotic hyperbole, and more. Photo credit: Czar via Wikipedia

Cody and Jon welcome video game enthusiast and broadcaster J.D. Fox to the podcast to praise and rage over IGN’s recently released list of the Top 100 Games Ever Made. Photo credit: Axel Pfaender via Flickr Show Notes: Cody introduces video game enthusiast, veteran broadcaster and fellow Drake University alumnus J.D. Fox to the podcast. In groups of 10, Cody, J.D., and Jon review IGN’s list of the top 100 video games ever made, which follows: 100. The Walking Dead: Season One 99.   Advance Wars 98.   Perfect Dark 97.   Galaga 96.   The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker 95.   Super Mario Galaxy 2 94.   Donkey Kong ‘94 93.   Ico 92.   Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island 91.   Batman: Arkham Asylum 90.   System Shock 2 89.   The Oregon Trail 88.   Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 87.   SimCity 2000 86.   Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! 85.   X-COM: UFO Defense 84.   Contra 83.   Fallout 2 82.   Resident Evil 2 81.   The Secret of Monkey Island 80.   Final Fantasy VII 79.   Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 78.   Fallout 3 77.   Zork I: The Great Underground Empire 76.   Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening 75.   EarthBound 74.   League of Legends 73.   Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness 72.   Spelunky 71.   Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield 70.   Mega Man 2 69.   Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec 68.   Suikoden 2 67.   Final Fantasy Tactics 66.   GoldenEye 007 65.   Burnout 3 64.   The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 63.   Super Smash Bros. Melee 62.   Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge 61.   Grim Fandango 60.   Donkey Kong 59.   Persona 4: Golden 58.   Team Fortress 2 57.   MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat 56.   StarCraft 55.   Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast 54.   Thief II: The Metal Age 53.   Ms. Pac-Man 52.   Pokemon Yellow 51.   Mass Effect 2 50.   Dota 2 49.   Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 48.   The Last of Us 47.   Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 46.   Metroid Prime 45.   Diablo 2 44.   Banjo-Kazooie 43.   Resident Evil 4 42.   Counter-Strike 1.6 41.   Metal Gear Solid 40.   Dark Souls 39.   Journey 38.   Mass Effect 37.   Silent Hill 2 36.   BioShock 35.   World of Warcraft 34.   Shadow of the Colossus 33.   Battlefield 1942 32.   Rock Band 31.   Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 30.   The Legend of Zelda 29.   Red Dead Redemption 28.   Final Fantasy VI 27.   Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 26.   Half-Life 25.   Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 24.   Sid Meier’s Civilization IV 23.   Star Wars: TIE Fighter 22.   Halo: Combat Evolved 21.   Super Mario Galaxy 20.   Street Fighter II 19.   Deus Ex 18.   Baldur’s Gate 2 17.   Portal 16.   Grand Theft Auto V 15.   Minecraft 14.   Super Mario World 13.   Chrono Trigger 12.   Sid Meier’s Pirates! 11.   Super Mario 64 10.   Tetris 09.   Halo 2 08.   The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 07.   Super Metroid 06.   Half-Life 2 05.   Portal 2 04.   Super Mario Bros. 03.   Doom 02.   The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 01.   Super Mario Bros. 3

Cody discusses his latest computer technology curses, including his first impressions of Windows 10. Then, Jon explains his video game bender and reviews Super Meat Boy, Broken Age, and Until Dawn. Plus: Cody describes his experience at Nintendo World in New York City, and Jon gives an update on his ongoing house-buying drama. Photo credit: dronepicr via Flickr

Catch up with Cody and Jon as they talk life milestones, Devil in the White City, Hearthstone, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and Final Fantasy: Type-0 HD. Photo credit: Diavolomezzo via Flickr Show Notes: * Cody talks microphones, acoustics, and what kind of podcast you can expect to hear * Jon chastises Cody for not making enough Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney jokes when he interviewed Sam Castree III, Ace Attorney on the podcast * Cody rants about how Radiolab ripped off his story about the Cryptolocker virus; Jon tries to debunk his theory of being ripped off directly, but Cody uses the power of the lottery and math to thwart his efforts * Jon tells an endless, boring, rambling story about why he hasn’t been on the podcast lately, and somehow manages to do so while clicking his mouse the entire time * Congratulations to Mister Manager, since Jon thinks he’s a big deal now because he sold his house (hear how it happened!) * If you’ve ever wanted to learn about listing a house, buying or selling a house, or any other miscellaneous real estate questions… then this is definitely not the podcast for you. But Jon talks in painstaking detail about those things anyway * Fun fact about Walt Disney and his dad, which serves as a seamless transition into Cody talking about Devil in the White City, an excellent book * Cody explains that reading Devil in the White City is infinitely more fun and rewarding than playing Hearthstone in literally every way * Jon claims that the Arena is still “kind of” fun, but Cody insists that Hearthstone generally just really sucks and is not a game “for him” * Cody gives an update on Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, which he’s now played for a bit over 50 hours * Cody describes the “buddy” system, including D-Horse, Diamond Dog, and Quiet, which is very cool * Cody also discusses the prevalence of side missions and dispatch missions in the context of main story missions * Jon discusses his first impressions of Final Fantasy: Type-0 HD, which Cody had also begun playing before he got MGSV * Jon explains the premise and beginning of the game, and he and Cody discuss how the “tutorial” near the beginning nearly ruined the game for both of them * Cody calls out the voice acting after Jon calls out some inconsistencies in what graphics had increased resolution and what graphics seem to have been forgotten * They discuss pacing in games and how things like the tutorial in this game can really mess up a game * Cody plugs the GonnaGeek Network, specifically All Things Good and Nerdy * Reminder that you can subscribe to Unqualified Gamers on iTunes, and even leave reviews, which we would LOVE for you to do

Cody welcomes Sam Castree III, Ace Attorney, who discusses some fundamental legal needs of video game developers. Hear Sam walk Cody through the process of how a video game developer should select and leverage legal counsel from day one of development. Show Notes: * Sam Castree III, Ace Attorney, talks about how he got into practicing video game law, including an incident with a friend’s free-to-play game being ripped off and listed for sale by another company in Vietnam * Sam briefly touches on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and how it applied to the situation * For more information, you can check out Sam’s published paper, Cyber-Plagiarism for Sale!: The Growing Problem of Blatant Copyright Infringement in Online Digital Media Stores * Sam reveals that he was sworn in on Halloween, and Cody reveals why that is perfectly appropriate for Sam, whose trademark for years has been the color orange * Sam discusses word-of-mouth, networking, and other methods of growing a business * Learn the importance of establishing “the basics” when beginning a video game development venture * Background info on “one size fits all” lawyers and why to NOT use them when entering into an entertainment-specific business venture like video game development * Cody asks Sam to walk him through the legal process from square one, beginning with the moment a potential video game developer picks up a dev kit * Sam starts with the importance of defining what type of company you have, e.g. sole proprietorship, limited liability corporation, corporation, partnership, etc. * Sam talks about Lawyers for the Creative Arts (pro bono & low-cost legal help in the Chicago area), which he has worked with in the past * Sam explains independent contractor agreements, why it’s important to have them when someone contributes to your game, and what happens to those agreements after 35 years * On a related note, learn why Superman has been dealing with litigation for decades * Also learn about how different contracts work under different court jurisdictions, and why it’s important to get local legal help * In a rare moment, Cody contributes his expertise by mentioning one good piece of legal advice he’s ever heard: get everything in writing * Sam backs him up and actually explains why this is important * Sam goes into the details of different types of partnerships, such as general partnerships, and when and what kind of partnership may be a good idea * Sam explains the legal benefits and privileges gained from filing for a copyright, including some of the policies surrounding how and when you can do it * What do you do if you accidentally “rip someone off” when making a game? Sam explains! * Why using someone else’s content in your game is definitely a no-no * Cody and Sam talk about overseas litigation, and the reasons why it can be pretty ridiculously difficult to pursue * Sam talks trademarks and how protectable they are * He delves into King Digital’s attempt to trademark “saga” to protect their games like Candy Crush Saga, and why the trademark filing wasn’t quite as strange as everyone initially thought (although it was still pretty bad) * Cody brings up the iDroid from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and asks Sam about the “i” prefix as a trademark * Sam also talks about logo usage in games, and what can and can’t get you into trouble, including an interesting situation that is currently being “tested”

Cody gives a Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain review based on his first 30 hours of gameplay. Check out the first episode featuring Jon’s brand-new microphone, and hear him follow Cody’s review with a chat about Diablo 3, Hearthstone, and Bojack Horseman. Show Notes: * Cody kicks off the review by discussing the storyline of the series, including how accessible this game is to Metal Gear newcomers * Jon asks about the new open world format of Metal Gear Solid V, and Cody addresses how the change in structure affects the feel of the series * Cody describes what “open world” means to the Metal Gear Solid series, including the new “episode” structure of the storyline * Jon inquires about the actual game mechanics, so Cody explains the iDroid system, the sneaking and combat mechanics, and what “stealth game” precisely means in the context of the Metal Gear series * Moby Dick references and symbolism! Hooray! * Cody explains Mother Base and the private army you build throughout the game, and how those mechanics affect your progression through the game * Upon further questioning from Jon, Cody explains the Fulton recovery system, also known as “the giant balloons you attach to things,” and Jon finds the idea utterly insane * On a side note: fortunately for everyone, microtransactions seem to be all but missing from this game, which Cody and Jon are fine with * Without giving away any spoilers, Cody describes the uncharacteristically hyper-violent opening to the game, which sets a somber tone that Hideo Kojima somehow masterfully maneuvers into a much different overall feel * Jon talks about why he’s pretty much “done” with Diablo 3 (for now) * Mandatory Hearthstone talk, since Jon downloaded it to his phone again, and Cody can’t quit it despite the amount of self-loathing that it entails * After Cody plugs All Things Good and Nerdy on the Gonna Geek Network, Jon talks about the show Bojack Horseman, and how it is not at all the kind of show he expected it to be when he started watching it * Following a final plug for Gallifrey Public Radio, Cody impresses everyone with his ability to roll the letter “r,” even in completely inappropriate situations

Cody explains the intricacies of the CryptoLocker ransomware trojan, and how he’s dealing with the effects. Plus, hear about all the games he played at BitBash 2015, Chicago’s alternative / indie games festival. Show Notes: * Cody explains why he’s recording a solo episode and what happened to his home PC * Hear all about the CryptoLocker Virus, and what it will cost Cody to get rid of it so he can use his home computer again * Cody discusses BitBash 2015, Chicago’s alternative games festival, including some background on the festival and how well he liked the way it was organized this year * Cody talks about all the games he played (or saw people play) at BitBash 2015, many of which you can preview in video form on his Instagram account: * Downwell by Devolver Digital, “a game about a young man going down an endless well with gun-boots.” * Gunsport by Necrosoft Games, which “takes place in an alternate future where humans have grown tired of war. Nations’ petty disputes are now settled with the World’s Game, Gunsport.” * Chambara, “a local multiplayer stealth-deathmatch game with only two colors, allowing players to seamlessly camouflage themselves with the environment.” * Yojimbrawl, “a fighting game with very fluid fighting mechanics made by Evan Greenwood (Programming), Dawid Strauss (Art) and Deon van Heerden (Music/SFX).” * Fotonica, “a first-person game about the thrill of speed and traveling flawlessly through complex environments.” * Particle Mace, “a 1-4 player game for Windows/Mac/iOS by Andy Wallace about defending yourself in a hostile universe by swinging particles into enemies.” * Johann Sebastian Joust, “a no-graphics, digitally-enabled playground game for 2 to 7 players designed for motion controllers.” * Elbow Room by Deep Dark Hole, “a game about personal space, perpetual motion, and hitting a single key better than anyone else.” * Cody also discusses the 18 and up “adult games” area at BitBash, including some incredibly lewd but incredibly humorous games * If you’re a video game developer and want to talk to Cody on the podcast, then email him and Jon at unqualifiedpodcast@gmail.com!

Jon Reviews Rocket League and Dying Light, and Cody reviews Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. Plus: Jon’s thoughts on the science-fiction short story Flowers for Algernon, and Cody raves and rants about a couple sci-fi movies—both good and bad.   Show Notes: * Jon and Cody talk about the most ridiculous technical difficulties ever, including ones that shouldn’t even exist * Jon discusses his new-ish passion for reading books, and how he basically hates himself for not really reading books when he was young * “Man. Books are really good.” -Quote of the episode * Jon explains his thoughts on short stories, including profound observations like “short stories are usually short” * Jon found a list of the 100 greatest science fiction short stories ever written, including Flowers for Algernon, written in 1958 by Daniel Keyes * Speaking of science fiction, Cody talks about a classic sci-fi film that he recently watched for the second time: the Stanley Kubrick classic 2001: A Space Odyssey * Cody explains how you have to kind of be “conditioned” to watch a movie like 2001, and Jon talks about his experience viewing it * Jon got a free PS4 game with his PlayStation Plus subscription this month, which is normal; what’s less normal is that it’s a brand-new game, Rocket League * Jon explains that Rocket League is basically cars playing soccer, and Cody can’t understand the appeal * Jon talks about how Rocket League could actually help improve the popularity of international futbol / soccer in the United States if it becomes popular enough, and he usually sees over 100,000 people playing online * Cody explains the popularity of the game by bringing up an essay by Tom Wolfe on the birth of the demolition derby (Clean Fun at Riverhead, for those interested in reading it), but discredits himself by comparing soccer to hockey * Jon also has been playing Dying Light by Techland, the Polish video game developer that created Dead Island * Jon explains that Dying Light is a first-person zombie survival game, but it’s not a shooter (technically, it’s an open-world first person survival horror video game); instead, you’re helping citizens on the island survive the zombie apocalypse * The city where the game takes place is incredible, and the game gives incentives to not actually fight, which Jon thinks is awesome * Jon explains how skills are unlocked and how the “talent tree” works, plus why he thinks it (and the story) is cool, despite his and Cody’s general fatigue over too many zombies these days * Cody mentions that he’s played all the Metal Gear Solid games other than Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, which puts him at a perceived disadvantage to getting the most out of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes * He beat the game in under 3 hours, but had less than a 10 percent completion rate with the game, so he doesn’t think it’s a big of a ripoff as the initial press around the game suggested * Cody explains how the storyline “makes sense” on its own and actually doesn’t require a t...

Cody and Jon record in front of a live studio audience in an official event at Gen-Con 2015! Special guest Jim "AwezomeZauce" Wittmer talks about his shoutcasting career with Casters Caravan, a company that provides organizations and tournament hosts with streamers and shoutcasters for their various tournaments and events. Plus: Oliver Wojtyna, Head of Public Relations for the Indianapolis Guild of Extra Life, joins the podcast to talk about Extra Life, how it helps change lives, and how you can get involved. Hear all this, in addition to Jon talking board games and euchre and Cody talking Amiibo tournaments and Werewolf, on this exciting live episode of Unqualified Gamers, made possible in part by our awesome friends at eBash! Show Notes: Jon explains why there's background noise in this episode, which is being recorded in front of a live studio audience at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Indianapolis during Gen-Con 2015 Cody introduces special guest Jim "AwezomeZauce" Wittmer, a shoutcaster from Casters Caravan, a company that provides organizations and tournament hosts with streamers and shoutcasters for their various tournaments and events Jim explains the concept of shoutcasting and exactly how Casters Caravan works Learn about Jim, how he got into shoutcasting, and how he prepares for broadcasting various e-sports competitions Follow Jim on Hitbox, then hear why he prefers it over Twitch (!) Then follow him on Twitter, because he's awesome Jim talks about some of the logistics of production behind the streaming and shoutcasting Cody gives a huge thank you to Jason McIntosh of eBash, a company that provides facilities for video game events, parties, tournaments, and promotions, for introducing Jim to Cody and Jon and for also helping coordinate other various logistics of the live Gen-Con 2015 episode Jim discusses RNG (random number generation) with Cody and Jon, and the three get into a debate about how much "luck" is involved in various e-sports Jon and Jim compare Hearthstone to Magic: The Gathering, as well as to various other card and non-card games in the e-sports realm, and debate the merits and pitfalls of random elements in competitive gaming Jim talks about eBash and their popularity at Gen-Con, including selling out several Hearthstone tournaments and other gaming tournaments Jim departs to head back to eBash, and Jon takes the opportunity to recap a little Gen-Con history for the uninitiated listener Jon makes the mistake of mentioning that he plays euchre, which Cody considers to be one of the lamest things he has ever said Cody goes on a tear against euchre, because it is ridiculous that Jon even brought it up, so Jon changes the subject and talks about Pathfinder Cody entered an Amiibo tournament at eBash, and introduces his Amiibo "Sheamus" (a Samus Aran Amiibo) and tells the epic tale of how he and his partner performed Somehow they get off-topic and Cody starts talking about the sexiest cosplay costume of all time, and Jon finds it quite odd Jon reviews XCOM: The Board Game by Fantasy Flight Games,

Cody has a bone to pick with customizable card games, specifically Hearthstone, specifically the Hearthstone Arena, specifically the amount of luck involved in winning games in it. Plus, catch up on Jon’s progress in the massively multiplayer online RPG Final Fantasy XIV, and hear what the hosts have been up to in their spare time lately.   Show Notes: * The Unqualified Gamers podcast is now on WGN Plus! Cody explains what that means for the show * Jon describes his house hunting adventures * Cody recounts the tale of his day job’s company picnic, and how a massive weather system affected its outcome * Learn about Chicago’s utterly ridiculous weather systems, plus how to become the most popular co-worker at your company in the event that disaster ever strikes * Jon and Cody parody Donald Trump for a bit, mostly because of some of the ridiculous things he’s been saying lately * Despite being a very critical audience, Jon is still a fan of Final Fantasy XIV, and he explains some of the major reasons why it’s a great MMORPG * Jon makes comparisons to World of Warcraft while hammering home some of the points he made in Episode 114 of Unqualified Gamers * Cody finally gets to his points about Hearthstone, which mostly consists of whining about how unfair it is * He and Jon debate the merits and pitfalls of randomly generated numbers in competitive gaming * Jon explains why he has no sympathy for Cody, and why he should have more fun playing the game * Cody plugs the Unqualified Gamers’ Gen-Con podcast recording at Gen-Con Indy 2015

Cody announces the exciting addition of the Unqualified Gamers Podcast to the WGN Plus lineup, and what that means for the podcast. Jon discusses Final Fantasy XIV after he and Cody are finished discussing such compelling topics as unicycles, fruit flies, downtown Rochester, and the unfortunate passing of Nintendo’s late President Satoru Iwata. Show Notes: * Cody speculates about why Jon always records episodes from a nondescript hotel room somewhere * Cody makes a major announcement: Unqualified Gamers has joined WGN Plus! * Jon disregards the announcement entirely to go on an unwarranted rant about unicycles and unicyclists * Cody defends unicycles as thief-proof, but Jon disagrees * Epic tale of Cody vs. Fruit Flies: The Reckoning * Speculation on the best ways to get of fruit flies, plus fun facts about fruit flies that may or may not be true * Detailed description of precisely where Cody will let the bodies of the fruit flies fall * According to Jon, there is something very, very wrong with Rochester, Minnesota * Learn about the Mayo Clinic and what Jon thinks it means to Rochester * Jon explains why he thinks Rochester’s downtown is the way that it is, and why he thinks Rochester is one of the most depressing places in the world * Cody compares Rochester to other places that are built “around” one specific thing, and how it affects the surrounding area * Cody discusses the sad passing of Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata, and how he reacted as a fan and as a gamer * He then unleashes on someone from Google+ who used the news to get attention, which he found disrespectful * Jon trolls Cody, because Jon is a huge jerk * Fortunately, Jon stops being an idiot for three seconds to show his respect for Mr. Iwata before moving on * Finally getting down to games, Jon reviews Final Fantasy XIV after playing about 40 hours on the PlayStation 4 * Learn about the game’s storyline, how the game is different than World of Warcraft, and why Jon thinks it’s successful as a “traditionally priced” MMORPG * While he enjoys the game a lot, Jon doesn’t think it will ever come close to his love for World of Warcraft * Cody is climbing up the ranked ladder in Hearthstone, and he is extremely excited about it * Learn why he’s burned out on the Arena, and what class he’s using to progress in Ranked mode * Cody shamelessly plugs the Unqualified Gamers Live Podcast Recording Friday, July 31, 2015, at Gen-Con Indy in Indianapolis, IN

Cody reviews CivAddiction’s Multiplayer Modpack, a massive mod that completely overhauls Sid Meier’s Civilization V. You can find more the official modpack thread at http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=548835. Learn about this massive overhaul of Civilization V and hear whether Cody thinks it’s worth your time!  

Jon reviews Crypt of the NecroDancer before he talks about his obsession with this year’s Final Fantasy V Four Job Fiesta. Hear whether he got a decent starting character, or if he’s just going to FAIL MISERABLY. Plus: Cody actually played video games this week, specifically Geometry Wars 3! And, of course, there’s some requisite Hearthstone talk in there, including Cody’s opinion on expansions Naxxramas and Blackrock Spire. Show Notes: * Jon talks about what it’s like to drive long distances with a baby * Speaking of driving: Cody talks about driving from Chicago to North Carolina! * Jon explains Crypt of the NecroDancer, and Cody talks about why he should probably play it * He grills Cody for details on his new Hearthstone obsession, which included purchasing the Naxxramas and Blackrock Spire expansions * Cody explains the difference between the two expansions and discusses whether they’re worth the cost * Cody reviews Geometry Wars 3 and talks about how the game is different than its predecessors * For the second year in a row, Jon is participating in the Final Fantasy V Four Job Fiesta, and explains how you, too, can get involved to help support a good cause * Cody claims that he has discovered the best type of single-player video game to play with friends (trading off lives), and he talks about how he tested it with Rogue Legacy, a game that both he and Jon had chosen as a “Game of the Year” recently * Shameless plug for the Unqualified Gamers video game podcast LIVE at Gen-Con 2015 * Cody plugs Gonna Geek Network podcasts Voices of Defiance and the GonnaGeek.com Podcast’s 100th episode

Jon recaps E3 2015, including press conferences from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, and he and Cody discuss their reactions to various announcements. Plus, hear what games Cody has purchased so far in the 2015 Steam Summer Sale! Show Notes: * Jon and Cody brace for a podcast with some vicious technical difficulties, and this time it’s actually Jon’s fault * As they postulate which Elder God they angered to bring about their horrible luck with computers recently, Cody and Jon debate about how to pronounce the name of H.P. Lovecraft’s fictional character Cthulu * Cody is sitting in a chair that is over 35 years old, and he is fine with that * Which of the “big three” (Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo) WON E3 and is objectively better than literally every other one? Cody asks Jon for his input * In Jon’s estimation, Sony and Microsoft held very similar press conferences based on their major focus on games and rapid-fire game trailers; however, most of Microsoft’s games are coming this year, whereas Sony talked about a lot of things coming in 2016 * Microsoft’s press conference: * Microsoft announced Gears of War 4, which looks like it will have more of a horror/thriller element than the previous installations in the series * Microsoft also talked Halo 5, but neither Jon nor Cody are the target audience for that game… or for Forza Motorsport, because they don’t “do” racing games * Rare came out and announced a huge Rare collection, featuring a bunch of their games from the Nintendo 64 era onward, including Blast Corps, Banjo Kazooie, and more * Rare also announced an open world adventure game that looks like a pirate-based multiplayer game, which got Jon very excited * The new Tomb Raider looks ridiculously gorgeous, and looks like it will be less focused on combat, which Jon supports * Dark Souls 3, which will be the last game in the series, should also be pretty good, even though they only showed a teaser trailer * Jon goes into detail describing Microsoft’s Hololens, and the Minecraft demo they performed on-stage, which was ridiculous * Cody saw some negative reactions after Microsoft announced that they are going to make the Xbox One compatible with Xbox 360 games, but Jon doesn’t think that’s a valid thing to be upset about * Jon and Cody discuss the pros and cons of backwards compatibility: it’s not good for everyone, but there are definitely situations where it can be an issue * Sony’s press conference: * Jon explains the back story behind The Last Guardian, made by Fumito Ueda, the same guy who made Shadow of the Colossus and Ico, which was the game that kicked off Sony’s press conference with a gameplay demo on the PlayStation 4 * Both Cody and Jon are hot for Horizon, the second game Sony showed off during its press conference, because it is basically the most beautiful game ever and features tribes hunting robot dinosaurs… and as a PS4 exclusive, it could be a system seller * Sony somehow nabbed Street Fighter V exclusivity, which will help sell some PS4 consoles * An on-stage demo of No Man’s Sky got Cody even more hype for the game, and Jon describes why he’s so amazed by it * Jon tells Cody why he should know Media Molecule, and why people were excited for the extremely bizarre game “Dreams,” which they then try to describe * FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE OH MY GOD HOLY SHIT GET HYPE #HYPE #FFVIIREMAKE #GETOUT * Jon explains why it’s such a big deal, but let’s face it, we all know already * Jon is actually pretty excited about PlayStation View,