No Cartridge Audio
by Trevor Strunk
Critical but casual approaches to current, past, and future video games six times a week. In addition, guests will periodically share their own aesthetic and personal experiences with games in conversation! Subscribe to our Patreon at www.patreon.com/hegelbon if you'd like to hear special patron-only bonus episodes!
Episodes
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Episode 331 - Halloween...AFTER DARK
A wonderful trick and treat for you all, as a preview of a patreon exclusive hits the free feed! Liv and I chat about all things spooky, non-spooky, medium spooky, and n/a spooky as we go over what we have been up to in media, games, and books over the last little bit. You like coffee catchups…
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No Cartridge 330 - GGNReRead The Beach x Far Cry 3
Liv and I return to talk about a game and a book that -- even based on our track record of extremely connected texts -- are maybe the most linked we've ever managed to dig up. Liv did some magic on this one as we look at Alex Garland's The Beach and Far Cry 3! Beaches, self-centered protagonists,...
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Episode 329 - K:D Ratio Presents Homicide: Life on the Street Presents: A Sniper Story
Graham returns in our oft imitated, never duplicated Homicide watch party K:D Ratio! What will our wonderful cast of detectives get up to this week? Well they will deal with the trauma and confusion of multiple snipers, is what. It's a lot funnier when you listen, I promise. Apologies for the…
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Episode 328 - Makato Wakaido with Special Guest Dia Lacina!
We welcome the ever-curious Dia Lacina back on the show to discuss the wonderful bite-size detective game Makato Wakaido: Case Files and the twist is: Dia never played the game! A curious catalogue of cacaphony and camaraderie as we talk deduction, the concept of play, and the nature of a linear...
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Episode 327 - No Cartridge At the Drive-In Presents Silent Hill!
Join us, won't you, as Liv and I transport ourselves back to 2006 to a simpler, more psychosexually violent time as we cover the very beautiful, very weird, and very poor-decision-heavy Silent Hill! Why go to a sleep doctor when you can go to Temu Centralia!
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Episode 326 -- A Return to The Dark After Which We Return to After Dark
Liv and I return on our now regularly scheduled posting day at 10 PM on Wednesday! We're catching up after the short little break of a month or so and seeing what life had in store for both of us in games, movies, books, and more, so it's a cozy catchup for all involved too. If you want to follow...
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Episode 326: It Eats Planets -- and That's OK! With Samantha Mackenzie Greer
We welcome the ebuillient and erudite Samantha Mackenzie Greer, videogame writing veteran and comic artist extraordinaire at the wonderful iteatsplanets.com . We talk gaming, comics, sci-fi, trailer work, the future, and more and more. Just a blast from start to finish -- a wild ride I genuinely...
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Episode 325: GGNRR Lathe to the Party (Lathe of Heaven and Psychonauts)
Liv and I return to discuss Ursula LeGuin's masterful Lathe of Heaven and the remarkable DoubleFine product Psychonauts. Two texts that appear to have not too much in common really come through as shining pieces that play off each other in this one, a real wonderful and transformative discussion....
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Episode 324 - On the Layoff Bull
Solo episode today! I do an emergency pod of sorts on the state of the industry! The logic of capitalism and AI is complicated and I give some scholarly perspective on it, as such. Support your local games makers!
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Episode 323 - Gaming in...THE FUTURE
Liv and I meet up to discuss upcoming games in the shadow of various Next Fests and talk about what we're excited about, what leaves us cold, and what we need some more info on before we make a firm stand. It's the exciting stuff!
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Episode 322 - The Killing Stone Indie Game Review
Liv and I team up to talk about the newest target in our quest to play indie games, The Killing Stone! A baroque, complex, and, yes, messy deck builder-cum-Elizabethan revenge tragedy. Quintessentially an early access game, but something that is a lovely peek into something that could grow into...
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Episode 321 - Kevin Fox, Jr. Raids, Leaves Wisdom
Writer extraordinare Kevin Fox, Jr. joins us to talk about football, Dark Souls, writing, the nature of journalism under late capital, and the uses of social media. A rollicking, old fashioned, incisive chat with a good friend and great interlocutor. Check it out now!!! Some useful links…
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Episode 320: K:D Ratio Presents "Homicide Life on the Streets"
Graham and I make a rare appearance not on the Patreon to announce the return of our inimitable Homicide podcast, this one being a special review of the episode "Thrill of the Kill" which features alumni from Burn Notice and is considered maybe the worst episode of the show's run! Maybe! Thrill…
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Episode 319: No Cartridge At The Drive-In, Resident Evil!
Milla your Jovavich, and get ready to reminisce about middling Kevin Bacon horror television franchises, as we dig into the first Resident Evil movie! Is it good? Is it bad? Is it a waste of time or a hidden gem? Find out why every answer is...yes!
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Episode 318: GGNoReRead, Seven Moons of Maali Almeida and Murdered: Soul Suspect!
Liv and I once again embark on our labor of love as we consider the novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka and the 2014 SquareEnix game Murdered: Soul Suspect. Death, deduction, ghosts, regret, discursive thinking, the limits of political art, and more! An action packed...
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Episode 317: NWS Roberta's Blood Trail!
We get DARK in the weeds of Black Lagoon as it's OVA time for me, Piss, and Emily. What sorts of vengeful nightmarish stuff are we digging through this time? How much screentime will Benny and Dutch get? And will Rock and Revy become romantic or not? Well, ok, last one you know the answer to.…
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Episode 1/2: Catching Up With Me And Liv!
Hey everyone! I apologize for the break, I've had a little burnout issue that I talk about on the podcast here, and Liv and I break down where we're at, what we've been up to, and all that good stuff. Black Lagoon to continue Friday, and then some new stuff we've recorded since -- lots of fun to...
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Episode 316 - No Wall Scroll Presents Black Lagoon S2 2nd Half!
Round out the last bit of the regular series before Roberta's Blood Trail with me and piss and Emily! More Revy! More Rock! More Japan! Not...not really all that much Benny and Dutch. But more Balalaika! And a fight TO THE DEATH! This is a fun one gang.
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Episode 315 - Breaking News...and LAWS with Charles "Ugarles"
We welcome lawyer podcaster extraordinaire Charles "Ugarles" S. to talk about the recent Steam legal action, what it might mean for lootcrates, why these markets are legal gray areas, and the future of our wonderful gambling society. A treat for all!!
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Episode 314 - Screaming Head! With
We welcome Alexey Gerasimov to the show to talk about his incredibly good and engaging and rewarding and man what a game SCREAMING HEAD. There's other stuff discussed here, but the verve of platformers, weird art, self-teaching, mind vs body Cartesianism, and more recommends itself. Go buy the…
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Episode 313 - No Wallscroll Black Lagoon S2!
We are back on our grind as Piss, Em, and I dive into another wonderful day with the Lagoon Corp crew. There are vampire children to be discussed and a lady forger who might find love with our favorite burnout, Jewish activist, hacker, and Floridian Benny. And there's the chainsaw lady! Really,...
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Episode 312 -- No Cartridge At the Drive In: Grand Theft Hamlet!
This one has had a chance to mature as I got my act together, but it's a real gem as Liv and I cover Grand Theft Hamlet, a truly wonderful exploration of theater, COVID, sociality, and community. Genuinely an amazing piece and I hope you enjoy our conversation about it -- you can watch it on mubi!
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Episode 311 - Black Lagoon Episodes 7-12!
Me and Piss and Em are back again and that's right -- we're talking about maids and cigarette kisses and all sorts of other great stuff! A real murderer's row of episodes that will keep you on the edge of your seat as we break them down. Go listen to Em over at Giant Robo FM
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Episode 310: GG No Reread NEUROMANCER
Liv and I return for more GG No Reread, this time in a first time experience of covering a game and a book of the same exact name. That's right, it's the classic cyberpunk novel Neuromancer by William Gibson and the monumental if less well known Commodore64/Dos/Amiga game Neuromancer! We…
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Episode 309 - No Wall Scroll Original Flavor - Black Lagoon!
We welcome back long distant and now returned friend Andrew (Piss) to the show along with our equally fond friend Emily (SpaceQueenEm) to talk about the phenomenal cult classic Black Lagoon -- a Madhouse special, and a true treat. Rock, Revy, and the rest killing Nazis and ramping Torpedo Boats:...
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Episode 308: Abide With Horses with Jack King-Spooner!
We welcome back past beloved guest Jack King-Spooner (Dujanah; Mashina; Judero) to talk about his new game Abide and extreme media, specifically the oft-banned videogame Horses. A wide-ranging, philosophical conversation I think is well needed and timely! Keep your eyes peeled for the kickstarter...
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Episode 307: Da Games of Da Month...Of Da Year (With Jacob from Workers Lit!)
We welcome Jacob of Workers' Lit on to talk about the best games we've played in 2025! A fantastic run of beautiful work released in this year and others as well brought to you by two handsome, intelligent, aesthetic gurus...what could be better?
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Episode 306 - Sekiromantasy With Aysha of Workers Lit!
We welcome the wonderful Aysha from Workers' Lit and All My Maidens podcasts to talk Sekiro, lore, beauty, intention, and much much more! Find out why this game is probably the Souls game I most remember and Aysha most cherishes! Links to both Dia Lacina articles referenced in today's episode…
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Episode 305 - GGNoReRead Presents: House of Leaves and What Remains of Edith Finch
Liv and Trev reconvene to put two totems of their respective forms in conversation with one another: Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves and Giant Sparrow's What Remains of Edith Finch; two works with many commonalities outside of the core premise of "what if a house was fucked up" (sorry I…
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Episode 304 - The Secret World of Alex Haus (feat. @hausofdecline)
This week we have Alex Haus from Haus of Decline talking about just about everything under the sun, but also video games, art, music, queer artistry, the golden age of webcomics, Sluggy Freelance and more more more. She was a fantastic guest and y ou should go check out her patreon at...
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Episode 303 - Cameron Kunzelman and the Chamber of Banter
We finally get our stuff together and welcome Cameron Kunzelman of The World is Born From Zero, and Ranged Touch, and games journalism, and the upcoming Everything is Permitted to the show! We kind of have a lot of fun with this one, and I'm hoping you all have as much fun as us -- stick around…
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Episode 302 -- Halloween at the Drive-In FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S (2023)
Liv and I link up to talk about the biggest cinematic event in the 8-13 set in Five Nights At Freddy's! For the first time ever, we expect horrible work and get...perfectly fine work? Enjoy watching our brains twist around this one and how much Henson puppets can make the difference!
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Episode 301 - Indie Game Review, GREAT GOD GROVE
Liv and I are back covering some of our favorite things in the world: indie video games! The creators of Smile for Me are back with a new one in Great God Grove and Liv and I cover it happily here. How's it compare? How's it play? What do we think? You must listen...to find out!
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Episode 300 - Will Jobst Plasmodics it All
We welcome the wonderful Will Jobst to the podcast to discuss their new TTRPG framework and homage PLASMODICS. And we talk game design, play, DMing, and so so much more. This is a classic folks, dig in please!! Will's work can be found at https://willjobst.itch.io/! Buy Plasmodics, it's amazing....
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Episode 299 - Santo, Mechs, Saints!
We welcome Santo (Santo.bsky.social), of Cosmo Champs, CybeRRRevolution, and more! They talk with us about games writing, writing about imperialism, the importance of mechs and magical boys, and even more! If you love queer mech stories, Saint Seiya, or both, this one’s for you!
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Episode 298 - NC At the Drive In, Animal Crossing the Anime!
Liv and I review the absolutely lovely, relaxing, dare I say ARIA-ESQUE Animal Crossing film! Gekijōban Dōbutsu no Mori, released in Japan only, is available through the magic of the internet, and boy is it lovely. Kick back with us and reevaluate the joy of ol Tom T Nook.
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No Cartridge Interlude: Fireside Chat With Liv and Trev
Hello! Sorry for being a bit absent this month, but we are back and recharged, and ready to tell you all about what we're planning to do with our podcasting talents in the near and far future. Enjoy hearing some previews about the future (the long future!) of No Cartridge!
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No Cartridge 296 -- Indie Game Review HEATWAVE
Liv and Trevor dig into the delisted but wonderfully dark and intriguing HEATWAVE by DeadDeadDeath -- check out the rest of their work, free to download at https://deaddeaddeath.neocities.org/index.html. This is a fantastic glimpse into a wonderful visual novel that is dark, sexual, political…
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No Cartridge 295 - Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Ending 1 (Patreon Repost)
On the eve of the second ending episode posting on the patreon, this solo episode drops on the main feed! A thorough examination of visual novels, the nature of 100 line as an intervention into the genre, and what I expect from finishing 100 endings bit by bit. Enjoy!
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No Cartridge 294 - At the Drive-in! Wing Commander!
Liv and Trevor wade into the extremely disappointing but also kind of promising but mostly disappointing WING COMMANDER. Thrill at Matthew Lillard and Ginny Holder (of Death in Paradise fame) being asked to save an entire movie's plot! It's all here!
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No Cartridge 293 - Unbeatable is Coming! feat RJ Spellman
I welcome DCELL's RJ Spellman on the show to discuss the studio's upcoming rhythm/minigame/anime/critique extravaganza UNBEATABLE. We talk about the demo, the struggles of making a game, what we can expect from the full piece, how a project changes over time, and we go off on hundreds, if not...
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Episode 292 - GGNoReread Presents Death of the Author and Split Fiction!
Liv and I cover Nnedi Okorafor's Death of the Author and Hazelight Studio's Split Fiction for this installment of GG No Reread! A robust discussion of mind versus body, author versus text, and the manifold properties of reception and interpretation. Seriously go listen!
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No Cartridge 291 - An After Dark Preview
On the main feed due in part because me and Liv get in the weeds (positive) about games and leisure and commitment, and part because I want everyone to know what they're missing not being on the patreon. Go subscribe to the patreon at patreon.com/nocartridge, you are MISSING OUT.
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No Cartridge 290 - No WallScroll, Miami Guns Finale!
We welcome Emily (Spacequeenemily on bluesky) back to talk us through the final, very serious episodes of Miami Guns! Well okay, *kind* of serious. For this show. Anyway! We finish up a wonderful journey with our bizarre cast of characters and gear up for our next series today. Once again justice...
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No Cartridge 289 - K:D Ratio Presents Homicide!
Graham and I are back! And we are talking about some Homicide episodes that are kind of committed to weird 90s things, specifically poetic interludes with Edgar Allan Poe and "straight guys having to find out what gay people do and they're soooo uncomfortable!" Let's say its a mixed bag.
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No Cartridge 288 - Indie Game Review of Blue Prince!
Liv and Trev link up to talk about the engaging and encompassing Blue Prince! What does today's MYST have to say? And is it as much Myst as it is the sort of strange cockeyed adventure game that still sticks with you til today? Find out!
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No Cartridge 287 - Charles Ugarles Goes to Appleishington
We welcome Charles Star of ALAB and City Saint Country Saint fame to discuss the most recent lashing of Apple in court, in their continuing battle against Epic Games. This one is exciting because someone who knows more than me tells me how the law works and I keep responding with "daaamn…
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No Cartridge 286 - Venba!
Liv and I review the delightful Venba on today's episode! A cooking, parenting, and growing story that taps the much-used bond between place and food to tell an immigrant's multi-generational story in a fresh and compelling way. Really phenomenal stuff, and a lot of discussion to boot!
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No Cartridge 285 - Double Dragon!
Liv and Trev talk about the very weirdly designed and produced 1990s film Double Dragon! Is it DOOM? Is it Super Mario Bros? Neither, but both? It has short haired Alyssa Milano though so let's see how far that gets us!!
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No Cartridge 284 - Miami Guns Part 3!
We rejoin Emily to talk about our favorite duo of dumb American cops who are also Japanese and often smart. The MIAMI GUNS ride again as this No Wall Scroll commences our leap into the latter half of this wonderful little series as we join slashers, beauty pageants, and much and more. Please enjoy!
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About this show
Critical but casual approaches to current, past, and future video games six times a week. In addition, guests will periodically share their own aesthetic and personal experiences with games in conversation! Subscribe to our Patreon at www.patreon.com/hegelbon if you'd like to hear special patron-only bonus episodes!
Hosted by
Trevor Strunk