Electronic Wireless Show

This week we're talking guilty pleasures - the games that make us feel embarrassed but not so much that we won't play them to death. Alec feels a bit sheepish about American Truck Simulator, Matt remembers picking flax in a Runescape field, and Brendan attempts to explain the sea-based boredom of Sailaway. We've also been playing Opus Magnum, the alchemy puzzler from Zachtronics, in which we're struggling to make Viagra as fast as possible. Links: Assassin's Creed: Origins hands-on: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/23/assassins-creed-origins-preview/ Have you played... Runescape? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/10/09/have-you-played-runescape/ Have you played... Dofus? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/22/have-you-played-dofus/ Is Destiny 2's story fun junk or hot trash? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/24/is-destiny-2-story-any-good/ Sailing the Northwest Passage in Sailaway: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/04/sailing-sim-northwest-passage/ Alec's baffled office mates and American Truck Simulator: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/04/american-truck-simulator-review/ Opus Magnum's gorgeous alchemy machines: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/20/opus-magnum-alchemy-machines/

The gang talk about their worst nemeses from gaming. Dota 2 magicians, evil JRPG electricity corporations, and giant '@' symbols all deserve our animosity. But there's also the orcs of Middle-earth: Shadow of War, the ghosts of The Evil Within 2, and brutal robots of Tekken 7. We have enemies everywhere. Links: EA closing down Visceral Games: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/17/ea-to-close-dead-space-studio-visceral-in-development-star-wars-game-moving-to-vancouver/ ADOM is available on steam: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/11/18/adom-steam/ Middle-earth: Shadow of War review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/05/middle-earth-shadow-of-war-review/ In Shadow of War, revenge is sweet: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/12/middle-earth-shadow-of-war-revenge/ UK govt respond to loot crate questions: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/17/uk-government-responds-to-loot-box-questions-vaguely/ The Evil Within 2 review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/16/the-evil-within-2-review/ The weird Evil Within snail is creepy: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/17/the-evil-within-2-snail-logo/ Tekken 7's character customiser is cool: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/19/tekken-7-outfits/

The team talk about "binge" gaming, the grubbiest and unhealthiest form of digital entertainment. Adam has been gorging on Bungie's alien shootfest Destiny 2, along with Alec, who insists he will be going on a "controlled binge". Meanwhile, Brendan is slurping down Steamworld Dig 2, like a silky warm soup. Links: 1000 years of Football Manager: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/04/football-manager-1000-years-sheffield-united-burnley-chelsea Destiny 2's combat is a kinetic joy: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/19/destiny-2-singleplayer-preview-pc/ Destiny 2 on PC runs as smooth as butter: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/29/destiny-2-pc-performance/ Steamworld Dig 2 is a gentle jewel: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tag/steamworld-dig-2/ Have You Played... AM2R? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/02/best-metroid-fan-game/ Fan made Metroid II remake shut down: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/09/metroid-ii-remake-goes-bye-bye/ Middle-earth: Shadow of War review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/10/05/middle-earth-shadow-of-war-review/ XCOM 2: War of the Chosen review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/24/xcom-2-war-of-the-chosen-review/ Sega's continuing their march into PC: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/23/sega-amplitude-pc-publisher/ Tekken 7 brings the fight to PC: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/02/tekken-7-released-on-pc/

The RPS team talk Things Going Wrong. Adam once accidentally murdered many more people than he intended in Dishonored 2, while Brendan threw a gun at a guard's head in Heat Signature, to no effect. John likes to "save scum", so he has none of these problems. We also talk about the Zelda-like Hob and the big ol' RPG of the season, Divinity: Original Sin 2. AND we've got quickfire questions for the lead writer of Total War: Warhammer II. Links: Dishonored: Death of the Outsider review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/20/dishonored-death-of-the-outsider-review-pc/ Heat Signature review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/26/heat-signature-review/ Divinity: Original Sin 2 review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/21/divinity-original-sin-2-review/ John's fave things about Divinity: Original Sin 2: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/22/divinity-original-sin-2-best-things/ Total War: Warhammer II review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tag/total-war-warhammer-ii/ Total War's Warhammer expert on why we love Skaven: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/01/total-war-warhammer-ii-interview-skaven/ A free version of HyperRogue! http://roguetemple.com/z/hyper/download.php But you should buy it: http://store.steampowered.com/app/342610/HyperRogue/ Phogs is about two dogs with no bum: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/26/phogs-co-op-two-dogs-one-controller/ No Truce With The Furies looks good: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/13/no-truce-with-the-furies/ Hob review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/26/hob-review/ The RiME review that John forgot he did: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/01/rime-review/

We're chatting roguelikes, roguelites, roguefites and roguelifes. None of these things mean anything. Pip is enjoying the blocky scampering of Rogue Islands, while Adam is fantasy-ing all over the RPG world of Divinity: Original Sin 2. Brendan is just sitting there feeling sad because PIP IS LEAVING US. Links: What is a roguelike? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/09/14/what-is-a-roguelike/ Roguelikes we've covered: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tag/roguelike/ Delver review (early access): https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/11/21/premature-evaluation-delver/ Streets of Rogue review (early access): https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/03/14/streets-of-rogue-review-early-access/ Seven days of Rogue: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/03/20/the-many-faces-of-roguelikes-seven-days-of-rogue/ Rogue Islands review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/18/rogue-islands-review/ Divinity: Original Sin 2 verdict: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/15/divinity-original-sin-2-verdict/ Our readers' favourite roguelikes: https://twitter.com/rockpapershot/status/910431423823319040

It's an animal extravaganza! We're talking pets in games this week. Alice joins us to praise a terrible raccoon Pokémon who's great at surfing. Pip adores the ghostly holo-cat of Tacoma. But I prefer a cute xenomorph. We also talk about birdy meditation of Fugl, the ratty wars of strategy game Tooth and Tail, and the ever-popular man-murder of Playerunknown's Battlegrounds. On top of that, we confront the producer of The Sims 4 Cats and Dogs with some Quickfire Questions. Links: Have you played... Alien: Isolation? https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/09/25/alien-isolation-game/ Cuteness overwhelming in Ooblets: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/22/cuteness-overwhelming-in-ooblets-trailer/ Animal Inspector is Papers Please with pets: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/16/free-3-our-final-batch-of-games-to-tide-you-over/ The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs expansion : https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/21/the-sims-4-cats-and-dogs-expansion-announced/ Firewatch features portable tortoise: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/06/16/firewatch-e3-2015-trailer-tortoise/ Turtle/tortoise nomenclature: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoise#Use_of_the_terms_turtle.2C_tortoise.2C_and_terrapin Playerunknown's Battlegrounds gets foggy: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/08/playerunknowns-battlegrounds-adding-fog-map-mini-14-riffle/ Cute animals go to war in Tooth and Tail: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/13/tooth-and-tail-rts-released/ The swoopy bird-flying of Fugl: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/14/fugl-early-access-play/

The podgang love videogames so much they met up in *real life* to talk about them in a room. Pip likes the new teen angst drama Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, in which she's been talking back like a brat. Speaking of which, special guest Chris Bratt from Eurogamer joins us to talk about XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, because we're sick of Adam's face. Meanwhile, Brendan is getting slap-happy in brutal facepuncher Absolver. Links: XCOM 2: War of the Chosen review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/24/xcom-2-war-of-the-chosen-review/ Chris plays 80 minutes of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen with developer Jake Solomon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-ik5hH9gGU Adam is an Ironman idiot and XCOM proves it: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/04/xcom-2-ironman-2/ Life Is Strange: Before the Storm review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/31/life-is-strange-before-the-storm-episode-1-review/ 9 minutes of Life Is Strange: Before the Storm: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/04/life-is-strange-before-the-storm-video/ Absolver review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/05/absolver-review/ Absolver's insulting slap move: https://www.reddit.com/r/absolver/comments/6xln95/i_finally_did_it_i_got_the_slap_kill/

The gang are back from Gamescom and ready to CHAT HARD. Pip has been shooting aliens in the Destiny 2 beta, while Adam has been shooting other, slimier aliens in XCOM 2's massive War of the Chosen expansion. Brendan is the only one who's been hurting humans, punching and kicking them in multiplayer martial arts fighter Absolver. But he just lifts them off the floor afterwards. Links: Final Fantasy XV's director on Prompto: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/24/final-fantasy-xv-interview-hajime-tabata-director/ Cologne's cathedral which is identical to all others: https://twitter.com/Brendy_C/status/899667244229251072 Pip's Destiny 2 beta impressions: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/29/destiny-2-beta/ Destiny 2's graphics cards testathon: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/29/destiny-2-pc-performance/ XCOM 2: War of the Chosen review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/24/xcom-2-war-of-the-chosen-review/ One perfectly ridiculous turn in XCOM 2: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/29/xcom-2-war-of-the-chosen-single-turn/ Julian Gollop on Phoenix Point: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/04/25/phoenix-point-crowdfunding-interview/ Absolver review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/29/wot-i-think-absolver/

Pip, Alice and Adam gather round the podfire for warmth to talk about the lies (told by Adam) of Gamescom, the chilly wastes of The Long Dark, the beautiful rain of Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, and the deadly climates of No Man's Sky. We then turn to you, to discuss reader's favourite in-game weather. And somewhere in the middle there's also a long discussion about karaoke, for some reason. Gamescom is like this: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/08/07/gamescom-2015-overview/ Artifact is a Dota card game: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/09/valve-announce-artifact-dota-2-card-game/ Pip reviewed The Long Dark ep 2: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/08/the-long-dark-episode-2-review/ Adam previewed Frostpunk: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/26/frostpunk-preview-survival/ More Plunkbat chat: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/25/the-tactics-and-tension-of-playerunknowns-battlegrounds/ Details of No Man's Sky's new update: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/11/no-mans-sky-atlas-rises/ The best 7/10s including Mad Max: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/04/best-average-action-games-on-pc/ Alice's mod readme Tumblr: http://readmedottxt.tumblr.com/ This is Adam Smith: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7488348.stm

Graham and Brendan man the podcast all by themselves. The topic: "What TV show deserves to have a good videogame adaptation?" Graham desires a road trip game based on anime Kino's Journey, whereas Brendan wants a cop management sim of The Wire. The listeners also have their say. But we've also been playing things. Limbo follow-up Inside gets the pair disagreeing over dark humour, while Brendan has been hunkering down in the sandbox multiplayer war-mongering of Foxhole. Links: Kino's Journey isn't like ordinary anime: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/01/11/kinos-journey-anime-review/ Impressions: This Is The Police: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/16/this-is-the-police-impressions/ The Moomins!?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utXbpKrWRBs The deliciously dark comedy of Inside: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/07/18/inside-meaning/ Fortnite review (early access): https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/08/fortnite-review-early-access/ MMO sandbox war Foxhole marches on early access: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/31/foxhole-released-on-steam-early-access/ Rock out with the Lonely Geologists: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/13/best-free-games-week-pc/ How to make a Great British Bake Off game: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/10/23/great-british-bake-off-game/ Deadly Premonition is the game worth saving from 2013: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/30/deadly-premonition-is-the-game-worth-saving-from-2013/ Readers reply with their TV show games: https://www.facebook.com/rockpapershot/photos/a.590931837659688.1073741826.176784995741043/1410460745706789/?type=3&theater

We're talking comfort games - things you play when you feel down, stressed or sick. Adam cosies up in his cottage in the Long Dark, Pip faffs around in Zelda, and Brendan renames characters in Final Fantasy IX. But we've also been playing Tacoma, the new spacewalking sci-fi tale from Fullbright, the creators of Gone Home. So we also do some Quickfire Questions with Karla Zimonja of that very studio, as well as looking at what YOU play as a comfort game. Links: The Long Dark is survival at its brutal best: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/01/09/the-long-dark-sandbox-review/ The Long Dark weather watching: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/03/the-long-dark-weather/ Have you played... Final Fantasy IX?: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/02/have-you-played-final-fantasy-ix/ Tacoma review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/08/01/tacoma-review/ Gone Home review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/08/15/wot-i-think-gone-home/ Bonbon on Itch.io: https://aethericgames.itch.io/bonbon Bonbonbonbons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NjTWvl8x-U Conduct sacrificial duties in the Shrouded Isle: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/10/09/conduct-mayoral-sacrificial-duties-in-the-shrouded-isle/

The gang are talking horror in games this week, though not necessarily "horror games". Adam and Brendan are scared witless of the depths of Subnautica, while Pip likes the water just fine. But we've been playing nice games too. Brendan has been scoring points in the purgatorial fantasy sport of Pyre, while Adam goes fishing in Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles. And Pip is dating dads in the queer utopian cul-de-sac of Dream Daddy. Links: The 25 best horror games on PC: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/07/27/best-horror-games/ Subnautica is secretly a brilliant horror game: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/24/subnautica-horror/ How do Alien Isolation's lockers work?: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/12/18/alien-isolation-lockers/ Outlast 2 review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/04/24/outlast-2-review/ Pyre's release trailer: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/26/pyre-released/ Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/20/yonder-the-cloud-catcher-chronicles-review/ Adam's wandering through Yonder: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/24/quest-in-peace-wandering-through-yonder/ Pip is the new Dream Daddy in town: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/25/dream-daddy-playthrough/ The terrifying "eagle" of text adventure Radical Castle: https://youtu.be/ssndEwLFAIA?t=1m11s

The RPS team gather to talk merch, and why it's often a bit rubbish. Pip will regale you with a story about a hidden dagger, while Adam has his own bloody airport tale. Brendan doesn't have any merch, because he THINKS HE'S TOO GOOD FOR IT THE SWINE. We've also played "transhumanist text adventure" Sun Dogs, in which we drink cocktails of bacteria and get swallowed up by solar flares between glimpsing beauty during our immortal post-human lives. Links: Sun Dogs: A transhumanist open world text adventure: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/08/26/sun-dogs-space-game/ Sun Dogs' expanding (and contracting) solar system: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/01/27/sun-dogs-game/ Word games: Failbetter's Black Crown: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/06/03/word-games-failbetters-black-crown/ The creator of Black Crown writes about the game: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/11/03/i-did-a-thing-on-a-hill/

The RPS team talk "replayability". Why do we always go back to our comfort games? What makes something replayable? How many hours does Adam have in Crusader Kings II? (hint: a lot) Meanwhile, Pip tries to cultivate the excrement of colourful monsters in Slime Rancher, Adam's cowardice is unassailable in Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, and Brendan is sneaking around stabbing cards with other cards in Elder Scrolls: Legends. Links: Elder Scrolls Daggerfall retrospective: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/31/elder-scrolls-daggerfall-retrospective/ Firewatch adds 'free roam' mode: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/11/10/firewatch-free-roam-mode-pc/ The butterflies of Firewatch: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/07/22/firewatch-butterflies/ How a cargo plane sets Battlegrounds up for greatness: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/30/how-a-cargo-plane-sets-up-playerunknowns-battlegrounds-for-greatness/ Slime Rancher leaving early access in August: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/20/slime-rancher-release-date/ The Elder Scrolls: Legends gets Skyrim expansion: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/13/the-elder-scrolls-legends-heroes-of-skyrim-expansion/

Pip, Adam and Brendan gather to talk about the gossip from Barcelona's Gamelab, including tales from a RiME developer and the creator of the Cyberpunk 2020 pen and paper RPG. We've also been falling off airships thanks to poor grappling hook skills in sandbox MMO Worlds Adrift. As a treat, there's also an especially tough edition of our patch notes quiz, Patch Adam, and we answer some reader's questions about good camera tricks in games and the upcoming Autumn deluge. Links: RiME review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/01/rime-review/ What Cyberpunk 2020 can tell us about Cyberpunk 2077: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/05/what-the-cyberpunk-2020-rpg-can-tell-us-about-cyberpunk-2077/ Prey director Raphael Colantonio's reasons for leaving: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/30/arkanes-founder-on-why-hes-ready-to-leave-prey-devs/ How Raphael Colantonio coined the phrase "press sneak fucks": https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/08/15/arkane-making-prey-2/ Randy Pitchford's confusing tweet: https://twitter.com/duvalmagic/status/486550022910005248?lang=en Worlds Adrift early access review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/04/worlds-adrift-review-early-access/ Path of Exile: Fall of Oriath expansion starts July: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/11/path-of-exile-the-fall-of-oriath-beta/ Path of Exile review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/04/15/wot-i-think-path-of-exile/ Horror FPS Get Even review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/30/get-even-review/ Dead Cells interview in podcast episode 6: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/29/podcast-the-electronic-wireless-show-6/ Nier: Automata review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/03/20/nier-automata-review/ Abzu review: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/02/abzu-review-pc/ Abzu screenshot gallery: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/11/abzu-screenshots/ Become an astro-detective in 2000:1 A Space Felony: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/07/04/become-an-astro-detective-in-20001-a-space-felony/