Electronic Wireless Show

We're talking morality. Paragons, renegades, sith, jedi, and everything in between. Matt thinks the decision to reprogram the Geth in Mass Effect 2 is full of complexity. Brendan prefers the moral drudgery of being an Arstotzkan border guard in Papers, Please. Whereas John enjoys being bad in Knights of the Old Republic. We also play a game in which John and Matt are put through the confessionals of Catherine. Who is "Lawful" and who is "Chaotic"? Thanks to Tom Frederick for suggesting the topic of 'morality'! Links: Killing the Geth in Mass Effect 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiaedZF72gg Bastard of the Old Republic, part one: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/02/22/bastard-of-the-old-republic-on-eurogamer/ Have you played… Soma? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/17/have-you-played-soma/ Soma’s safe mode has no monsters: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/01/soma-safe-mode-update-released/ Who is HK-47? http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/HK-47 Functionalism??????? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5AwaFsp5Os Altered Carbon is a new Netflix show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhFM8akm9a4 Have you played... Sun Dogs? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/17/have-you-played-sun-dogs/ Have you played… Papers Please? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/07/28/papers-please-have-you-played/ A Good Gardener is a war time grow 'em up: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/11/16/a-good-gardener/ The Red Strings Club review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/22/the-red-strings-club-review/ Catherine's confessionals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXj46LBVhb4 Talos Principle 2 is actually coming out: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/20/the-talos-principle-2-announced/ Readers’ answers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockpapershot/photos/a.590931837659688.1073741826.176784995741043/1584457891640406/?type=3&theater ... and Twitter: https://twitter.com/rockpapershot/status/964077020937367554

They lurk, they creep, they skulk and weep. This week the team is talking about their favourite monsters in games. Alice reckons you can’t beat a good Dark Souls skeleton. And Katharine tells us about a demon in Okami. Meanwhile, Adam ponders the gameiness of movie monsters like the sex curse of It Follows. But we’ve also been playing monstrous things. Slay the Spire gets more praise from Alice the acrobatic stabber. Adam has been tracking a gigantospider in Hunt: Showdown. And Katharine has been acting most monstrously, playing games on a Nintendo. Links: The RPS verdict on DOOM: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/07/doom-pc-review-2/ Final Fantasy’s bomb: http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Bomb_(creature) Official Rock Paper Shotgun policy as regards to skeletons: https://twitter.com/rockpapershot/status/960861687887908864 Dark Souls has some good skeletons: http://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com/Root+Skeleton Look, these ones are wheels: http://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com/Skeleton+Wheel Okami review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/18/okami-hd-review-pc/ How do you get THIS THING drunk? https://orig08.deviantart.net/5eb0/f/2008/194/4/4/okami___yamata_no_orochi_by_vyrilien.jpg Merlocks are adorable: http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Murloc Have you played… Left 4 Dead 2? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/01/12/have-you-played-left-4-dead-2/ Neon Maniacs is a b-movie about killing things with water and such: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127045/ Have you played… Soma? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/17/have-you-played-soma/ It Follows is a movie about a sexually transmitted curse: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Follows Slay the Spire has some mad possibilities: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/02/slay-the-spire-infinite-combo/ Hunt: Showdown looks neat: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/21/hunt-showdown-e3-2017-gameplay-footage/ Final Fantasy Explorers was a bad go at Monster Hunter: http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Explorers Anatomy by Kitty Horrorshow on Itch.io: https://kittyhorrorshow.itch.io/anatomy Depths of Fear review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/04/29/roguelike-horror-depths-of-fear-review/ The Deadly Tower of Monsters: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/06/12/deadly-tower-of-monsters-zeno-clash-devs/

We're talking about remakes, remasters and recurrent nightmares. What would we like to see remade? Katharine wouldn’t mind a spruced up Deus Ex. Brendan thinks a rejigged Assassin’s Creed could work (how perverse). While Adam doesn’t want any of his loves remade, lest they pollute his fond memories (OK, maybe Pathologic 2). However, the real question is what games from today will be remade in the distant future? Links: Remaking old adventure games is bad, says Ron Gilbert: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/22/when-is-it-ok-to-remake-a-classic-game/ Okami HD review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/18/okami-hd-review-pc/ Pathologic remake confusingly renamed Pathologic 2: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/31/pathologic-remake-renamed-pathologic-2/ Have you played… Doom II? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/24/have-you-played-doom-ii-hell-on-earth/ How Doom’s Glory Kills maintain momentum: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/07/15/doom-glory-kills-mechanic/ Everything you need to know about Final Fantasy XII: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/29/spawn-point-what-to-know-about-final-fantasy-xii/ Underworld Ascendant is a bit of an Ultima Underworld remake: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/10/14/underworld-ascendant/ Prey review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/09/prey-review/ Resident Evil 2 remake is in the works at Capcom: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/08/16/resident-evil-2-remake/ Can you SURVIVE the evil!? https://youtu.be/lgAJB9Q2LzM?t=13s Grow Home’s flailing hero is a good robot: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/09/23/how-grow-home-uses-maths-to-generate-a-personality/ Adam talks to a nice man in Budapest: https://twitter.com/noneconomical/status/958381777155969029 Assassin’s Creed’s post-murder chatting: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/05/have-you-played-assassins-creed/ Have you played… Anachronox? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/09/30/anachranox-retro/ The god game From Dust: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/07/27/from-dust-review/ Have you played… Startopia? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/03/22/startopia-retrospective/ Psst! You can play No One Lives Forever for free: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/05/no-one-will-sell-no-one-lives-forever-so-lets-download-it/ The cancelled Legacy of Kain game, Dead Sun: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/02/24/legacy-of-kain-dead-sun-cancelled/ The long road to Timesplitters Rewind: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/06/timesplitters-rewind-pc/

The answer is no, by the way. But there are so many examples of bad survival games that it’s important to remember the good ones. Adam wraps himself up in the Long Dark, while Matt gets sea sickness from Subnautica. But it’s not all barbequed pork chop and pointy sticks. Brendan is enjoying card game roguelike Slay the Spire. Adam is climbing a mountain in tough platformer Celeste, and Matt is second guessing the intentions of the cyberpunk heroes of The Red Strings Club. And, bonus: We've also got Quickfire Questions with Charlie Cleveland of Subnautica developers Unknown Worlds Entertainment. Links: The Long Dark is survival at its brutal best: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/01/09/the-long-dark-sandbox-review/ Subnautica review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/24/subnautica-review/ The Forest is beautiful and terrifying: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/01/18/the-forest-review-early-access-2/ Zelda’s hardcore survival island: https://tay.kinja.com/breath-of-the-wilds-eventide-island-is-nothing-new-but-1793447344 Dying Light: The Following review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/12/dying-light-the-following-review/ Have you played… I Am Alive? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/07/have-you-played-i-am-alive/ The Solus Project early access review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/31/the-solus-project-review/ The deadly creatures of Rain World: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/03/30/the-deadly-creatures-of-rain-world-a-bestiary-in-gifs/ The Long Dark’s story mode wasn’t great: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/01/the-long-dark-review/ Project Zomboid devs talk zombies with Dean Hall: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/04/01/forever-undead-dean-hall-and-indie-stone-talk-zombies/ This is Dead State: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/12/11/pc-game-review-dead-state/ And this is State of Decay: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/10/21/have-you-played-state-of-decay/ Frostpunk asks why we survive: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/26/frostpunk-preview-survival/ Have you played… UnReal World? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/10/20/have-you-played-unreal-world/ Pour cyberpunk drinks in The Red Strings Club: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/22/the-red-strings-club-review/ 9 minutes of mountain climbing in Celeste: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/12/celeste-mountain-climbing-gameplay-video/ Slay the Spire made Adam love deck building: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/19/slay-the-spire-deck-building/ It also has a goblin who runs a gameshow: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/17/slay-the-spire-good-roguelike/

We speak to Charlie Cleveland, director on underwater survival game Subnautica about why there are no guns in their game and why "terror" is a better way to describe the depths than "horror".

It's a party podcast this week and you are all invited. Adam likes the shouting and panic of co-op chef game Overcooked. Alice enjoys throwing people around paddling pools in Jelly Stompers. And Brendan will always adore the playdough wrestlers of Gang Beasts. But it's also a minigame special. We've got two new quizzes. One called Pure Steamin' and the other called, er, Patch Alice. What a good party.

Listen up, 2018! The team have a list of demands and they're not leaving until you've delivered. Or until the one hour playtime is up, whichever comes first. Adam wants more surprises and creativity from big developers, but also Pathologic 2. Alec desires something that will confound and delight him as much as Twin Peaks. And Brendan wants a large city to explore, maybe Cyberpunk 2077. Our listeners also shout their demands, making the list quite a long one. But you had better deliver, 2018. Or else. Links: Dead Cells was our game of the year: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/25/best-pc-games-of-2017/25/ Steam's 100 bestselling games of 2017: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/02/biggest-steam-games-2017/ Platinum self-publishing games of their own: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/03/platinumgames-self-publishing/ Have you played... Anatomy? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/10/23/have-you-played-anatomy/ The games that channel Twin Peaks: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/03/twin-peaks-games/ The Pathologic remake is called Pathologic 2 for some reason: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/31/pathologic-remake-renamed-pathologic-2/ Prey review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/09/prey-review/ Adam loves the skill trees of Kingdom Come: Deliverance: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/27/kingdom-come-deliverance-skill-trees/ The annual screening of Jaws on a lake in the US: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/this-is-surely-the-best-way-to-watch-jaws-10363456.html Have you played... Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/01/03/have-you-played-metal-gear-rising-revengeance/

The team discuss the worst games they've played in 2017. John thinks the misogyny of House Party puts it firmly in the bin, and Brendan is still wiping the red dust from his eyes after woeful survival game Rokh. But Matt can't bring himself to call any game terrible, not even Star Wars Battlefront 2. It's not all negative vibes, however. We've also been smiling at pretty and poignant Gorogoa, climbing a mountain in Getting Over It, and shooting our way through Destiny 2's Curse of Osiris expansion. Links: Edith Finch is good, actually: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/24/edith-finch-secret-stories/ Star Wars Battlefront 2 multiplayer review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/21/star-wars-battlefront-2-multiplayer-review/ Mass Effect Andromeda review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/03/20/mass-effect-andromeda-review/ Don't play Agents of Mayhem: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/15/agents-of-mayhem-review/ Or martian survival game Rokh: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/23/review-rokh-early-access/ Play Empyrion: Galactic Survival instead: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/10/10/empyrion-galactic-survival-review-early-access/ Podcast chat about Need For Speed Payback: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/16/podcast-star-wars-battlefront-2-and-need-for-speed-payback/ Consider not playing House Party: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/14/so-you-could-consider-maybe-not-playing-house-party/ Caveblazers is good, shame about the ending: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/31/caveblazers-review/ We took a real comedian to Comedy Night: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/04/ridealong-a-real-comedian-goes-to-comedy-night/ Beat Cop review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/03/28/beat-cop-review/ Ghost Recon Wildlands review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/03/10/ghost-recon-wildlands-review-pc/ Fortnite's 50 vs 50 mode is good, says Fraser: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/12/fortnite-battle-royales-new-mode-needs-to-be-a-fixture/ Gorogoa is magic, says John: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/12/gorogoa-review/ Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris trailer: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/01/destiny-2-curse-of-osiris-trailer/ Bungie admit Destiny 2 endgame was daft: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/12/bungie-admit-their-plans-arent-working-and-address-endgame-destiny-2-content-lockout/ Matt tries Getting Over It: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/07/getting-over-it-is-out-now-watch-me-flail-and-fail-in-it/ And so does Brendan: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/12/12/getting-over-it-with-matt-and-brendan/

The pod squad chat about some of the most overlooked and underappreciated games of this year. Katharine thinks head-in-a-sack sim Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice might qualify, while Adam praises the unsettling tales of Stories Untold. Brendan just wants more people to slap in skinny biffing game Absolver. We've also been playing the magical realist family chronicle What Remains of Edith Finch and naval tactical battler Mare Nostrvm. Links: Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/12/hellblade-senuas-sacrifice-review/ Stories Untold review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/28/stories-untold-review/ The joy of Absolver's fight clubs: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/21/absolver-social-combat/ Absolver's most insulting move is a slap: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/11/absolver-slap-how-to-learn/ Get Even review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/30/get-even-review/ Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/07/26/zero-escape-zero-time-dilemma-review/ Tim looks at Mare Nostrvm: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/10/the-flare-path-never-mind-the-rollocks/ What Remains of Edith Finch review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/04/24/what-remains-of-edith-finch-review/

The team look at some upcoming games of 2018. Adam is looking forward to smashing big robots with other, bigger robots in Battletech. Matt wants to make trousers from dinosaur skin in Monster Hunter World. And Brendan forgot all about the surreal isometric detective game No Truce With The Furies. We've also got some chat about viking strategy Northgard and some more love for FTL follow-up Into The Breach. Plus, our quiz Patch Adam is back! Links: Surreal detective game No Truce With The Furies: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/13/no-truce-with-the-furies/ Turning dinos into pants in Monster Hunter World: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/01/monster-hunter-world-preview-pc/ Anthem looks borrrrring: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/11/anthem-e3-2017-reveal-trailer/ But Frostpunk looks good: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/26/frostpunk-preview-survival/ The Crew 2 is accidentally a transformers game: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/12/the-crew-2-e3-gameplay-trailer/ A road trip in The Crew: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/09/20/the-crew-free-road-trip/ Phoenix Point is XCOM man's new game: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/14/phoenix-point-new-xcom-julian-gollop/ Cyberpunk 2077 doesn't have a release date :( but looks good: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/10/06/cyberpunk-2077-release/ Civilization VI's Rise and Fall expansion is out next year: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/28/civilization-6-rise-and-fall-expansion-details/ Adam loves Kingdom Come: Deliverance's skill trees: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/27/kingdom-come-deliverance-skill-trees/ My Summer Car review (early access): https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/11/07/my-summer-car-early-access-review/ Into The Breach is ace, so say we all: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/27/into-the-breach-preview-tactics/ So is Northgard: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/27/northgard-review-early-access/

Let's talk about "running away". Ie. games that encourage you to flee from danger, rather than face it. Adam runs from the soldiers of ARMA. Brendan scarpers from poor odds in For Honor. And Alice only *pretends* to run away in Playerunknown's Battlegrounds. We also have some Quickfire Questions with Zach Barth of Zachtronics about their alchemy-based puzzler Opus Magnum. Links: How do Alien Isolation's lockers work? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/12/18/alien-isolation-lockers/ Overwatch's cowardly hacker, Sombra: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/11/04/overwatch-hero-sombra-finally-revealed-in-animation/ Outlast 2 review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/04/24/outlast-2-review/ Have you played... Metal Gear Solid V? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/20/have-you-played-metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/ Have you played... Company of Heroes? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/03/28/have-you-played-company-of-heroes/ How Rimworld generates great stories: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/12/how-rimworld-generates-great-stories/ NEO Scavenger's scrappy, excellent combat: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/12/06/best-combat-2014-neo-scavenger/ Opus Magnum interview with Zach Barth (article): https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/22/opus-magnum-interview-zach-barth/ Opus Magnum interview with Zach Barth (podcast): https://soundcloud.com/rockpapershotgun/electronic-wireless-show-the-opus-magnum-interview Into The Breach is smart and tense: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/03/01/into-the-breach-details-preview/ Playerunknown's Battlegrounds adds vaulting to test servers: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/13/playerunknowns-battlegrounds-climbing-vaulting-on-test-servers-tonight/ Spelunky 2 is happening: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/30/spelunky-2-announced/

We like Opus Magnum, the new alchemy-based puzzler from Zachtronics. So we decided to have a chat with developer Zach Barth about it. We also talk to him about researching life in China, his short stint at Valve and the reasons he sold his studio.

The team have accidentally overdosed on EA games, and they don't like it. You could say they're in a ... critical condition! Ha ha ha. But seriously, don't buy the new Need For Speed. Links: Need For Speed Payback is really very terrible indeed: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/14/need-for-speed-payback-review/ ‘We don’t attempt to be too serious’, says Need For Speed developer: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/25/need-for-speed-payback-preview/ Have you played… Burnout Paradise? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/10/21/best-burnout-game/ EA respond to loot crate concerns: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/13/ea-respond-to-star-wars-battlefront-2-loot-crate-concerns/ Battlefront 2 cuts hero unlock costs: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/14/star-wars-battlefront-2-hero-unlock-costs-reduced/ For Honor ups steel rewards after threatened boycott: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/04/02/for-honor-update-increases-steel-rewards/ A Way Out, the co-op prison escape game: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/10/a-way-out-prison-game/

The team assemble to pass judgement on the latest shootwar, Call of Duty WWII. John says single player is better than usual and our multiplayer reviewer Matt says he misses the jetpacks. Meanwhile, Brendan has concocted a war-based quiz game. There's also time to horse around in the ancient Egypt of Assassin's Creed Origins, which has psychic eagles, glittering unicorns and a nice photography mode. Links: Call of Duty WWII single player review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/03/call-of-duty-ww2-review/ Call of Duty WWII multiplayer review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/08/call-of-duty-ww2-multiplayer-review/ Wolfenstein 2 review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/26/wolfenstein-2-the-new-colossus-review-pc/ Assassin's Creed: Origins review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/01/assassins-creed-origins-review-pc/ The photo mode is real good: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/02/assassins-creed-origins-photo-mode/ But the animals are weird: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/30/assassins-creed-origins-humanoid-animal-bug/

Oh no, Brendan is sick. That means there's no new episode this week. But we don't want to leave you hanging, so we've ventured down to the dusty audio archives and pulled out a recording of an old misadventure. Arma 3 is a realistic military sim. But one of its mods, Altis Life, is a strange world in which players become police officers, ambulance drivers and outlaws. In this Ridealong, Brendan joins one of the island's bandits on a cross-country jaunt that ends, unsurprisingly, in bloodshed. Links: A written version of the Arma 3 ridealong: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/10/16/altis-life-my-ridealong-with-a-rebel/ All our Ridealongs: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tag/ridealong/