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Two Player Theory

by twoplayertheory

Two Player Theory is a podcast where we think through games and media, together. Co-hosted by Derek and Zach.

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Episodes

  1. 016 - The Sizzlin' Hot Summer of 26

    The theorists are back from (summer?) break! They check in on what they've been up to this year, but spend most of their time talking about table top role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons and Mothership, and why they think the time for analog games is here. Enjoy!

  2. 015 - Scoops, Clues, and Obstructions of Justice (Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes)

    Cynthia is joined by guest hosts Derek and Zach for another special "guest episode!" While playing through Her Interactive's 2011 game Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes, the theorists try not only to solve the case, but also to unearth how point-and-click games fit into women's history, in gaming and...

  3. 014 - "A Miserable Pile of Jokes" (Observation and SIGNALIS)

    For this very scary season, Zach and Derek trade horror games, horrible jokes, and excellent Dracula impressions. Derek reflects on Observation (No Code, 2020) as an existential thriller, and Zach dives deep into (gay) survival horror in SIGNALIS (rose-engine, 2022). Do you fear the horrors you…

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  4. 013 - A few (in)glorious Raynes (Suzerain)

    Zach and Derek are joined once again by special guest Kyle to talk through Suzerain (Torpor Games, 2020), a political, narrative game where you play the role of a newly-elected president in a fledgling democracy, and have to find a way to bring about your political ambitions, whatever they may…

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  5. 012 - "How do you solve a problem like..." (INDIKA)

    Joined once again by special guest Sean (or Bean, has the Theorists end up calling him), Derek and Zach meditate on 2024's beloved indie game about a failed nun, INDIKA (Odd-Meter). They talk fate, faith, work, play, and imagine "What if the devil was real?" If you've ever wanted to listen to a...

  6. 011 - Revenge, Retribution, and a Sapling of Hope (Arco)

    Derek and Zach make their way through Arco (2024), an indie, postcolonial (??) turn-based action game about the violence of colonization and the stories of indigenous people seeking revenge and redemption for past injustices. Challenging at mechanical, thematic, and narrative levels, Arco was...

  7. 010 - It's NetRUNNER, Not NetWALKER! (Cloudpunk)

    Thanks to a listener suggestion, Zach and Derek drift into the neon-lit world of Cloudpunk (Ion Lands, 2020). They reflect on Cloudpunk's unique, "cozy" take on cyberpunk, and try to figure out what they want and expect from a game about techno-feudalist collapse.

  8. 009 - "Now summoning Ayn Rand" (Dark Souls)

    Derek and Zach are joined by special guest Sean to recount the highs and lows of their relationships with FromSoft's classic Dark Souls (2011). They reflect on narrative and mechanical design, struggle, failure, vulnerability, prophecy, and more. Check out Sean's podcast! https://www.gokvet.ch/...

  9. 008 - Are you a Minecraft Hero or Minecraft ZERO?? (Minecraft)

    Zach and Derek talk about one of the biggest games in the world: Minecraft. They test their knowledge, try their hand at some amateur foley work, and work through why procedural generation in games like Minecraft feels good, but generative AI sometimes really doesn't. Threads:...

  10. 007 - Thrusting is particularly bad for crowd control (Boyfriend Dungeon)

    On this unintentionally-well-timed-nearly-Valentine's release, Zach and Derek visit the dating-sim/dungeon crawler Boyfriend Dungeon (Kitfox, 2021), a game far less saucy than the title suggests. How does the game bring together these disparate genres, and what do The Theorists think of it?…

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  11. 006 - 2024 Games of the Year

    It's Two Player Theory Award Season!! Zach and Derek highlight their favorite moments with games in 2024, both the big and the small. Wanna see the full list of our awards? Check them out on social media here: Threads: https://www.threads.net/@twoplayertheory Instagram:...

  12. 005 - Roguelikes and Roguelites (FTL and Cult of the Lamb)

    Or, The Life and Death of Robo Derek Zach and Derek (and a special guest ??) do a game swap to tackle a favorite genre: roguelikes, roguelites, and everything in between. They focus on FTL: Faster Than Light (Subset Games, 2012) and Cult of the Lamb (Massive Monster, 2022), but touch on many…

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  13. 004 - All Scrims and Set-Pieces (Kentucky Route Zero)

    Has the die already been cast? Are we all just floating along for the ride? What makes a memory, a dream, a ghost, or an echo (un)real? Is there hope for community and life after the flood? Derek and Zach consider it all as they explore their thoughts and feelings about Annapurna Interactive's...

  14. Gaming to Know You: Orange Boxes and Meat Flowers (Derek + Zach)

    Derek goes back to the very beginning of his interest in first-person shooters with Team Fortress 2 (Valve, 2007), and Zach tells the tale of his time at summer camp in Psychonauts (Double Fine, 2005).

  15. 003 - Live from the Cathedral! (Sid Meier's Civilization V)

    Friend Kyle joins Derek and Zach to talk about a really bad tweet thread - but also about Sid Meier's Civilization V, Baldur's Gate 3, and what we want from good criticism.

  16. Gaming To Know You: All The Chrono Crossibilities (Zach)

    Zach explores the many pathways of Chrono Cross's story, within the game and across his life growing up.

  17. 002 - Isabelle Is a Bell (Animal Crossing: New Horizons)

    In this episode, Derek and Zach talk through their experiences with the latest instalment in the Animal Crossing series, New Horizons. Topics include utopia, friction, and the debut of the Fruit Minute with Derek and Zach. -- Links: Flores, Natalie. “Animal Crossing: New Horizons Is as...

  18. Gaming to Know You: A Decade of "Isaac" (Derek)

    Derek talks about his decade-long relationship with the rogue-like that started it all (for him) - The Binding of Isaac (Nicalis, 2014)

  19. 001 - Whose Tears? Whose Kingdom? (Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom)

    In this first episode, Derek and Zach talk through their experiences with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Two Player Theory is a podcast where we think through games and media, together. Co-hosted by Derek and Zach.

HOSTED BY

twoplayertheory

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Two Player Theory have?

Two Player Theory currently has 19 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Two Player Theory about?

Two Player Theory is a podcast where we think through games and media, together. Co-hosted by Derek and Zach.

How often does Two Player Theory release new episodes?

Two Player Theory has 19 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Two Player Theory?

You can listen to Two Player Theory on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Two Player Theory?

Two Player Theory is created and hosted by twoplayertheory.
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