All Episodes - Edge Guard
Edge Guard is a podcast about video games on the fringe: games at the unexplored edges of itch.io, student games, experimental releases, and more. Each week, two friends—one with a degree in game design, one studying games in an English grad program—play and discuss a different game from the edges of gaming, focusing on what their developers get right rather than what doesn’t quite work. From diamonds in the rough to the weirdest of the weird, Edge Guard finds games worth playing.
View Podcast Details197 Episodes
196 - Otteretto
This week, we play Otteretto, a puzzle game about making palindromes from colored tiles. We swap strategies, agree that puzzle mode is best, and take a closer look at some of the game’s UI choices. Blake reminds us of a previous puzzle game we played for the podcast, and how a bug in the leaderboard fooled him into believing he had the world’s highest score. Find the game here: https://csklimowski.itch.io/otteretto And follow the creator on Twitter: @csklimowski
195 - Edge Guard Seminar: The Woolly World of Wordle-Likes
It’s another Edge Guard Seminar special episode! This week, we take aim at the many Wordle clones that have taken the world by storm in recent months. We chat about what makes the original Wordle so popular, as well as what makes it so easy to clone. Then we discuss some of our favorites: a math Wordle, an adversarial Wordle, and more. Links to games featured in this episode: https://qntm.org/files/absurdle/absurdle.html https://bigbag.itch.io/goblino https://nerdlegame.com/ https://zaratustra.itch.io/dordle https://www.lewdlegame.com/ https://quintessential.fun/ https://worldle.teuteuf.fr/ https://qntm.org/files/absurdle/absurdle.html
194 - Bloodborne PSX
This week, we play Bloodborne PSX, a “demake” of the original game in the style of a Playstation 1 game! We talk about the game’s impressive fidelity to the PS1 era: everything from sound, to mechanics, to artificial loading screens. A discussion of the poison sewers prompts Blake tells us about Miyazaki’s love of poison swamps. Find the game here: https://b0tster.itch.io/bbpsx And follow the creator on Twitter: @b0tster
193 - Below the Ocean
This week, we play Below the Ocean, an unusual take on the puzzle platformer genre that features an old-timey deep sea diver affixed to an oxygen tank. We talk about the game’s “watery” physics, and Jordan provides game therapy to Blake. Find the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1663270/Below_The_Ocean/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @ishyrodriguez
192 - Slovak Games
This week, we play a series of Slovakian text adventure games from the late 80s, which were recently restored and translated as part of a cultural preservation project. The games are surprisingly fun, with a lot of charisma. We talk about their subversive sense of humor and how they manage to find interesting mechanics given their extreme technical limitations. Find the games here: https://scd.sk/clanky/playable-english-localizations-of-slovak-digital-games-from-the-late-80s-period/
191 - From Jam to Gem: Inscyption
This week marks the debut of our new recurring segment: “From Jam to Gem,” an exploration of game jam games that later got a full release. For our first game, we play “Sacrifices Must Be Made,” a Ludum Dare 43 submission by Daniel Mullins that later became Inscryption. We compare the game to its predecessor and explore what the differences and similarities of the two versions tell us about the game’s development process. Find the game here: https://dmullinsgames.itch.io/sacrifices-must-be-made And follow the creator on Twitter: @DMullinsGames
190 - Mot‘s Grand Prix
This week, we play Mot’s Grand Prix, a retro pseudo-3D F1 racing game that hearkens back to classic racers from the 80s and 90s. The game is an impressive technical feat — built in PICO8! — and talk about game designers who like technical constraints. We also talk about 3D graphics and the culture of Formula One. Find the game here: https://tommulgrew.itch.io/mots-grand-prix And follow the creator on Twitter: @tommulgrew This week, we play Mot’s Grand Prix, a retro pseudo-3D F1 racing game that hearkens back to classic racers from the 80s and 90s. The game is an impressive technical feat — built in PICO8! — and talk about game designers who like technical constraints. We also talk about 3D graphics and the culture of Formula One. Find the game here: https://tommulgrew.itch.io/mots-grand-prix And follow the creator on Twitter: @tommulgrew How Video Games Were Made Part 1: https://youtu.be/jqyC_S56B3k
189 - Courage the Game
This week, we talk about Courage: The Videogame, a game that purports to be built from the files of an unfinished PS1 game about Courage the Cowardly Dog. It’s… quite something. Actually, saying anything else would be a spoiler. So… just check it out! Check out the game here: https://neithernathan.itch.io/courage-the-video-game And follow the creators on Twitter: @NeitherNathan, @Ciscookiess
188 - i wish you were not here (room69)
This week, we explore “i wish you were not here,” a virtual art exhibition built inside Google Streetview. We discuss the creativity of the premise, as well as the dreamy, bizarre style of many of the exhibits. Jordan describes a sculpture as a “glassbown Cronenberg.” Find the game here: https://room69.fun/i-wish-you-were-not-here
187 - [fr0g] clan official server 24/7 zk map (for stranger)
This week, we play (it’s a mouthful)... “[fr0g] clan official server 24/7 zk map (for stranger),” a game designed by mkapolk for the 2018 Secret Santa at Glorious Trainwrecks. It’s a devilishly difficult game about descending large structures in a Counter-Strike-esque game engine. We talk about why this game is so hard, swap strategies, and speculate about whether its levels were randomly generated. Find the game here: https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/11388 And follow the creator on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarekKapolka
186 - Seminar 01: Photography
This week, we debut the first episode of “Edge Guard Seminars,” where we take a look at a broader theme, mechanic, or idea trending in the indie game space. For this episode, we talk about the current popularity of photography games, inspired by a number of recent games featured on previous episodes. We talk about the history of picture-taking as a mechanic, as well as the different ways that games make use of the photo mode. We conclude that Umurangi Generation is the first photo game to be about taking pictures while still remaining very much a game.
185 - No Longer Home
In this week’s episode, we talk about No Longer Home, a long-awaited narrative game about early-20s ennui, by Humble Grove. We talk about the game’s surreal narrative style and share why we found the climax so poignant. Also, we talk about the new “special episode” format we’ll be experimenting with - tune in next time to check it out! Find the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/651490/No_Longer_Home/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @nolongerhome *Sorry for Jordan’s poor audio quality! It shouldn’t be a persistent problem, it is NOT part of the new format.
184 - The 2021 Edge Guard Awards
It’s that time of year again: the 4th annual Edgie Awards are here! Join us as we reminisce about the many wonderful games that we played in the past year, and grant totally sensible and not contrived awards to six of them. Awards are based on entirely objective criteria, such as whether or not they cause Jordan to scream like a tiny baby, and whether they shamelessly rip off assets from other media.
183 - Alien Death Mob
In this week’s episode, we play Alien Death Mob, an intense twin stick shooter with bullet hell elements. We talk about some of the clever interface and gameplay elements that this game uses to assist the player in navigating the many on-screen elements, and trade opinions on the best strategies for success. Find the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1567490/Alien_Death_Mob/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @pugfuglygames
182 - YNGLET
In this week’s episode, we talk about Ynglet, a platformer without platforms by Nifflas. It’s a fascinating game with a unique movement style that immediately captured our attention. We talk about why the game feels so good to play and we’re both impressed with how polished it is. Blake tries to determine whether or not the game takes place in Denmark. Find the game here: https://triple-topping.itch.io/ynglet And follow the creator on Twitter: @Nifflas
181 - KRISTALLIJN
In this week’s episode, we talk about Kristallijin, a short, surreal game about following a mysterious dancer through an abandoned warehouse lit by strobe lights. The game’s aggressive, disorienting style prompts a discussion about sensation, surrealism, vision, and epilepsy. We compliment the game’s discipline and try to make sense of how it achieves such a jarring, memorable experience. Find the game here: https://glbs.itch.io/kristallijn And follow the creator on Twitter: @gaelBourhis
180 - butterflowers
We play around in the “digital playground” of “butterflowers,” a surreal game about tending a digital garden that changes as you upload images from your computer. We try (perhaps futilely?) to make sense of its bizarre dreamscape and speculate about how it works. Blake explains why the game’s sound has strong Requiem for a Dream vibes. Download the game here: https://funsworkings.itch.io/butterflowers And follow the creators on Twitter: @funsworkings, @eastonself, @certain_lives
179 - The Legend of Bear-Truck Trucker
In this episode, we play “The Legend of Bear-Truck Trucker,” a game about a bear/trucker buying and selling goods in post apocalyptic Idaho. We talk about what gives this game its charm, as well as go on an extended tangent about southern Idaho. Blake tells us about running over a goat. Find the game here: https://captaingames.itch.io/bear-truck-trucker And follow the creator on Twitter: @manbearcar
178 - Unbeatable: Arcade Mix
In this week’s episode, we play the demo for Unbeatable: Arcade Mix, a rhythm game with fighting game elements. We talk about how this game does rhythm right, as well as what makes a good rhythm game in general. We inevitably wax nostalgic about the game industry fluke that was Guitar Hero. Find the game here: https://dcellgames.itch.io/unbeatable-arcade-mix And follow the creators on Twitter: @dcellgames
177 - No Sidewalks in the Mushroom Kingdom
In this week’s episode, we explored No Sidewalks in the Mushroom Kingdom, a game about walking around Mario Kart’s Moonview Highway (using the actual assets from the original game!). We talk about how the game creates an eerie mood and share which of the game’s hidden messages were our favorites. Blake reveals that he discovered many more messages than Jordan. Find the game here: https://ergman.itch.io/no-sidewalks-in-the-mushroom-kingdom And follow the creator on Twitter: @johnlee_erg
176 - Dear Future
For this week’s episode, we play Dear Future, a cryptic exploration game about taking pictures of an abandoned city. We talk about the strange allure of this game’s world, as well as discuss the strengths and weaknesses of its central crowdsourced premise. Though we were skeptical of some aspects of the game at first, in an epilogue recorded later, we revise our judgements in light of the game’s ending. Find the game here: https://dearfuture.itch.io/dear-future
175 - Kendra: Heavily Pregnant Defender of Earth
This week, we play Kendra: Heavily Pregnant Defender of Earth, a charming game about Kendra, a woman 8-months pregnant who saves the planet from an army of invading aliens. We talk about why the game is so charming, and realize that the narrative is even more clever than we had thought. Jordan coins the term “Chekhov’s pre-natal vitamins.” Download the game here: https://gophergames.itch.io/kendra-heavily-pregnant-defender-of-earth And check out the creator’s other games: https://gophergames.itch.io/
174 - Casadastra
In this week’s episode, we play Casadastra, the newest game by Milosoft, the creator of Hissy Fight, which we played in a previous episode. It’s a thoughtful, surreal maze game about trying to navigate a space in the dark. We swap strategies, and Blake is impressed that Jordan did half the game without pen and paper. Find the game here: https://milosoft.itch.io/casadastra And follow the creator on Twitter: @milomilosoft
173 - Grapple Hoops (Prototype)
This week, we drop some sick dunks in Grapple Hoops, a game about grapple-based movement and slam dunks. The grapple mechanic prompts an extended discussion about swinging and grapple mechanics in games, and we talk about our favorites (Blake likes Spiderman, whereas Jordan is a Pathfinder main). Download the game here: https://gamedevandrew.itch.io/grapple-hoops And follow the creator on Twitter: @gamedevandrew
172 - Divarr
This week, we played Divarr, a one-button game—literally just one—about splitting missiles, shooting bombs, and not shooting dudes (don’t shoot dudes, dude). We talk about why this game just “clicks,” as well as its clever sound design. Blake revels in his high score, arrogantly and in bad taste. No, I’m not bitter, why do you ask. Play the game here: https://abagames.github.io/crisp-game-lib/?divarr And follow the creator on Twitter: abagames
171 - Only Cans: Thirst Date
Yep, you read that right. We play “OnlyCans: Thirst Date,” a, um, game about taking pictures of sexy cans. You might think cans can’t be sexy. You would be wrong. Oh, and Blake tells us a story about an unfortunate encounter with chocolate-flavored soda. Find the game here: https://oxyoxspring.itch.io/onlycans And follow the creators on Twitter: @OxyOxspring
170 - Veinless Property
Things get a little spooky in Veinless Property, a horror game with a visual style inspired by Junji Ito. We applaud the game’s attention to detail, and talk about why horror games are so much scarier than horror films. Jordan confesses that he was unable to finish the game, and had to just watch his girlfriend play it instead. What a weenie. Download the game here: https://tenkaiyo.itch.io/veinless-property And follow the creator on Twitter: @Tenkaiyo
169 - The Anything Gallery
For this episode, we explore The Anything Gallery, a procedurally-generated museum that displays Google and YouTube searches as works of art. We talk about our respective journeys into the depths of the Internet, and share some of the strangest galleries we came up with. Highlights include three men talking (at length) about how to please women sexually and bad sketch comedy about school buses. Download the game here: https://jan-malitschek.itch.io/the-anything-gallery And follow the creator on Twitter: @malitschek
168 - Teenage Blob
For this week, we play Teenage Blob, a zine-like music game by Team Lazeream and The Superweaks. We talk about the game’s charming weirdness, the overlap of indie gaming and zine culture, sick boots, and, uh, naked… blobs. I dunno dude, just play the game yourself (it’s good!). Find the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1096060/Teenage_Blob/ And follow the creators on Twitter: @teamlazerbeam, @thesuperweaks
167 - Menu New Game +
This week, we play the… game(?) MENU NEW GAME +, an experimental fiction about exploring four menus for fictional games. It’s a unique game, surprisingly funny, about everything that happens in a game before you even start playing. We talk about which of these games we most want to play, and discover that the patch notes for one of the games were generated via neural network. Play the game here: https://spelafort.itch.io/menu-new-game-plus And follow the creator on Twitter: @steven_sych
166 - Lycanthorn
In this week’s episode, we play BioDome II, a surreal game about a wormlike feral human who eats sandwiches and poops out gremlins that make him smarter. We talk about how the game manages to be simultaneously bizarre and cute, and Blake shares his attempt to gather all the collectibles. Jordan looks up the infamously-bad 1996 film that inspired the game. Find the game here: https://glitchcityla.itch.io/keep-the-lights-on-a-glitch-city-fundraiser-and-bundle And follow the creator on Twitter: @torahhorse, @buenothebear, @lasswithapen
165 - Biodome II
In this week’s episode, we play BioDome II, a surreal game about a wormlike feral human who eats sandwiches and poops out gremlins that make him smarter. We talk about how the game manages to be simultaneously bizarre and cute, and Blake shares his attempt to gather all the collectibles. Jordan looks up the infamously-bad 1996 film that inspired the game. Find the game here: https://glitchcityla.itch.io/keep-the-lights-on-a-glitch-city-fundraiser-and-bundle And follow the creator on Twitter: @torahhorse, @buenothebear, @lasswithapen
164 - Shell Song
In this week’s episode, we explore Shell Song, an interactive narrative game about computer voice generation, surveillance, and ghosts. It’s a fascinating game, and perhaps the most well-researched game we’ve played for the podcast. The game prompts a broad conversation about digital ethics, deepfake pornography, and gendered voice presentation. Play the game in-browser here: http://warpdoor.com/2020/11/11/shell-song/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @everestpipkin
163 - Lifespan Candle
This week, we play “Lifespan Candle,” a puzzle platformer about an animated candle slowly burning away. We talk about “emergent” mechanics in puzzle games, and Jordan speculates about whether this game is actually really dark. Blake talks about Spelunky, which he read an entire book about. Find the game here: https://havana24.itch.io/lifespan-candle And follow the creator on Twitter: @hav24
162 - Spot the Troll
In this episode, we play an educational game by the name of “Spot the Troll,” about social media disinformation campaigns. We talk about how the game uses a tutorial-like structure, and then go on an extended discussion about truth on the Internet why we’re dissatisfied with the concept of online “trolls.” Play the game here: https://spotthetroll.org/about
161 - Perfect Vermin
In this week’s episode, we talk about Perfect Vermin, an unsettling first person game about using a sledgehammer to smash creatures disguised as office furniture. It’s a creepy game (just in time for Halloween) but also strangely engaging. We talk about the game’s visual style, the object-destruction animation, and the challenge of talking about mass violence in videogames. Find the game here: https://itsthemaceo.itch.io/perfect-vermin And follow the creators on Twitter: @ItsTheMaceo
160 - Promesa
In this week’s episode, we play Promesa, a haunting game about memory, inspired by a conversation the creator had with his grandfather. It’s a beautiful game, with stunning visuals and a unique approach to storytelling and representation. We share some of our favorite moments, discuss some of the really clever things the game does with light, and (as is tradition) Blake gives us his spiel on the game’s sound design. Find the game here: https://julian-palacios.itch.io/promesa And follow the creator on Twitter: @yulele_palacios
159 - Looper
In this episode, we play the deviously-tricky “Looper,” a game about moving with or against the “flow” of looping strings. We talk about how circular, looping movement upends our intuitions about game controls, and we speculate about whether this game would be easier for people who have played fewer games. Blake compares this game to Super Hexagon, and Jordan gives us his spiel about why he loves game jams. Find the game here: https://short-bread.itch.io/looper And follow the creator on Twitter: @_shortbread
158 - Hexcraft: Eventide Sigil
In this week’s episode, we talk about Hexcraft: Eventide Sigil, an “experimental first person permadeath adventure” by Oleander Garden. It’s a bizarre game about Arthurian knights and incel terrorists, complete with complex AI and agent-based simulations. We talk about why this game is so inscrutable (and perhaps frustrating), as well as the online community that has sprung up around it to solve its mysteries. Find the game here: https://oleandergarden.itch.io/sigil And follow the creator on Twitter: @void_hyacinth
157 - Moving Jigsaw Puzzles
In this week’s episode, we play “Moving Jigsaw Puzzles,” a game about, well… jigsaw puzzles that move! We talk about how adding motion changes puzzle-solving strategy, and brainstorm locales that would make a good moving jigsaw puzzle. Jordan confesses that his weak constitution couldn’t handle some of the dizzier puzzles in this game. Find the game here: https://samgames.itch.io/moving-jigsaw-puzzles And follow the creator on Twitter: @made_by_sam
156 - Pottergame
In this week’s episode, we take a wild ride through the Harry Potter franchise in Pottergame, by Kate Barrett. It’s a bizarre, hilarious game about Harry Potter, British pop culture, and J.K. Rowling’s problematic opinions about trans people. All this prompts a discussion about early 2000s media and Jordan’s age-14 disillusionment with the Potter franchise. Download the game here: https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/11931 And follow the creator on Twitter: @thewaether
155 - OCDA
In this episode, we play the precision platformer OCDA, about a… potato who dashes through octagons. We talk about how the use of a spatially-constrained dash mechanic produces new ideas in a familiar genre, as well as why the visual design of this game is so good. We also try to figure out the meaning of the name OCDA, before realizing that it is very obvious, and we are dumb. Find the game here: https://kirstu.itch.io/ocda And follow the creator on Twitter: @kirstu__
154 - Million Ant Moving Company
In this week’s episode, we play “Million Ant Moving Company,” a zany swarm-simulator about ants that run a moving company. We talk about what makes the physics of this game funny, as well as swap strategies for ant movement. Jordan explains why cartoon ants are cute and charming rather than disgusting. Find the game here: https://andyman404.itch.io/ants And follow the creator on Twitter: @andyman404
153 - The Third Annual Edgy Awards
It’s that special time of the year again - this week is the third annual Edgies! Jordan and Blake get together to reflect on all of the games they’ve played over the course of the last year of podcasting, and grant them weird awards such as “Best Simulated Museum” and “Raddest Use of Slow Motion”. As always, your hosts find plenty to discuss in the last year of games, and agree that indeed, videogames are good.
152 - Blast Flock
In this week’s episode, we talk about Blast Flock, a swarm-based, bullet-hell-esque flying game by Remy Devaux. The premise is intriguing, and we talk about what makes it fun and what makes its premise somewhat contradictory. Jordan falls for the dev’s trolling. Find the game here: https://trasevol-dog.itch.io/blast-flock And follow the creator on Twitter:@TRASEVOL_DOG
151 - Museum of Mechanics: Lockpicking
This week, we “play” a “game” called the Museum of Mechanics: Lockpicking, an essay about lockpicking mechanics in game form. It’s a wonderfully unique idea, part game and part essay. We talk about the strengths and weaknesses of different lockpicking mechanics—but I think we can all agree that Oblivion’s is the worst. Find the game here: https://dimbulbgames.itch.io/museum-of-mechanics-lockpicking/devlog/170395/update-02 And follow the creator on Twitter: @dimbulbgames
150 - Mixolumia
In this week’s episode, we play Mixolumia, a take on the block-clearing arcade puzzler by Dave Makes. We talk about how the game’s primary innovation upends the logic of Tetris, as well as how it disrupts our sense of space. Jordan raves about one song in particular. Find the game here: https://davemakes.itch.io/mixolumia And follow the creator on Twitter: @davemakes
149 - Blaseball
This week, we talk about the absurd and wonderful world of Blaseball, an absurdist fake baseball league by The Game Band. The game’s truly unique format and very timely sense of humor prompts a discussion about ARGs, role-playing games, fandoms, obsessive data miners, and the Blaseball commissioner (who is doing a great job). Blake gives us a play-by-play description of one of the most notorious moments in the league’s three-week history. You can join in the fun here: https://blaseball.com/ And follow the creators on Twitter: @thegameband
148 - Lithium City
This week, we play Lithium City, a stunning isometric (!) action game by Nico Tuason. In Blake’s words, it’s the game that you get if Hotline Miami, Hyperlight Drifter, and Titanfall 2 had a baby. High praise! Jordan attempts to play a game about multidimensional movement with a keyboard, like an idiot. You can buy the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1210610/Lithium_City/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @nicotuason
147 - Horde
This week, we play Horde, a physics-based zombie horde simulator by bl4st, a.k.a Paul Berne. It’s an incredibly fun and surprising mechanic, one that involves controlling an almost liquid-like horde of walking corpses—or, as Jordan puts it, an “undulating morass,” much to Blake’s amusement. The game prompts a discussion about physics simulation, flocking algorithms, and real-time strategy games of the late 90s. Find the game here: https://bl4st.itch.io/horde And follow the creator on Twitter: @Hardcore_c4sual
146 - Starstruck: Prologue
This week, we play the Prologue to Starstruck, a wild roleplaying rhythm game by Createdelic. It’s a surreal, imaginative game about helping some claymation kids play guitar and avert the end of the world. We talk about rhythm games, the game’s surprising music quality, and its “toy-like” aesthetics. Blake is surprised to learn that Jordan plays the violin. Find the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1297720/Starstruck_Prologue/ And follow the creators on Twitter: @playstarstruck
145 - Shady Knight (Demo)
We play the demo of “Shady Knight,” a first person melee game that we played in its game jam version for a previous episode. In a word, this game slaps. We talk about why that is, and how the game uses clever design choices to make melee combat feel both impactful and dynamic. Find the game here (when it releases): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1155650/Shady_Knight/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @cptnsigh
144 - Tony Hawk's Existential Nightmare
In this week’s episode, we play Tony Hawk’s Existential Nightmare, a narrative/rhythm game based on, well, a meme. It manages to be a strangely sincere game about the cost of ambition, despite its meme origins. The game prompts a discussion about pro-skating, growing up, and the relationship of sincerity to humor. Jordan tells us where he recognizes the music in this game from. It’s a deep cut. Find the game here: https://black-vein-productions.itch.io/tony-hawks-existential-nightmare And follow the creators on Twitter: @BlackVeinPro
143 - High Rise
In this week’s episode, we play High Rise, a mobile puzzle game about stacking blocks to make buildings. We talk about how this game innovates on the puzzle formula of games like 2048 and Threes, as well as speculate about the optimal strategy. Blake is very happy to have achieved the higher score. Jordan tells us about the time he played the entirety of Knights of the Old Republic on a phone. Find the game on the app store/Google Play: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/high-rise-a-puzzle-cityscape/id1479215827 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SMPL.HighRise&hl=en_US And follow the creator on Twitter: @fgrolig
142 - ペタリムーブ (Petarimuubu)
This week, we play “ペタリムーブ,” a delightfully strange game about an orange blob that moves around with his sticky limbs. We talk about what makes the movement of this game feel so fun, as well as what gives videogame avatars their personality. Jordan gets a little bit too into the music. Play the game here: https://unityroom.com/games/petarimu-bu And follow the creator on Twitter: @shironilnil
141 - Biomass
This week, we play Biomass, a game-jam game based around the devious premise that all your equipment gets worse the more you use it. After geeking out about the game’s impressive pixel-art (made in MS paint!), we talk about rogue-likes and Metroidvanias and the unexpected overlap of the two genres. Neither of us was able to beat the game (but Jordan did technically get farther…) Find the game here: https://brainos.itch.io/biomass
140 - Planetfriend
In this week’s episode, we tinker with evolution in PlanetFriend, a game by Laura Michet and Brendon Chung. It’s an amusing planet-sim designed over the course of the Covid-19 quarantines. We talk about simulation games, this game’s sense of humor, and the fun we had tinkering with the game files. Find the game here: https://lauramichet.itch.io/planetfriend And follow the creators on Twitter: @lmichet, @BlendoGames
139 - A Hand With Many Fingers
This week, we play another game by Colestia: “A Hand with Many Fingers,” a historical mystery game about a Cold War conspiracy. It’s… a delightful game that manages to make archival research weirdly exciting. Among other things, we talk about mystery games, research, history, conspiracies, and US-Australia relations. Find the game here: https://colestia.itch.io/a-hand-with-many-fingers And follow the creator on Twitter: @colestia3
138 - Soon Only the Ocean (Part 2)
This week’s episode is the second of two episodes on Soon Only the Ocean, a real-time game about climate change by Max Myers. In our conclusion to the episode, we talk about real-time events, Peter Molyneux, and climate change. Blake changes the time and date settings of his computer on-air in an attempt to break the game. You can find the game here (though it’s now technically over): https://mjm.itch.io/soto And follow the creator on Twitter: @ApparentRaisin
137 - The Online Museum of Multiplayer Art
This week, we play the experimental “post-post-net art” game The Online Museum of Multiplayer Art, by Like Like Arcade. We talk about the museum’s many text games and our encounters with random people in the game. Blake reveals a startling betrayal. Turns out Jordan is a rube. Play the game in-browser here: http://omoma.glitch.me/?room=likelikeOutside And follow the creators on Twitter: @likelikearcade
136 - Let's Go Build a _____
This week, we enjoy the miniature lego simulation “Let’s Go Build a ______” by David King. We reminisce about the Lego of our youth and Blake shares his, uh, considerable knowledge on the subject. We also try to guess the prompt for each others’ creations (see Twitter for screenshots!). Find the game here: https://dr-d-king.itch.io/lets-go-build-a And follow the creator on Twitter: @dr_d_king
135 - Soon Only the Ocean (Part 1)
This week is the first of two episodes about Soon Only The Ocean, a game about climate change and rising sea levels. The game’s unusual format prompts a discussion about game mechanics like permadeath and real-time gameplay, as well as the difficulty of representing a topic as big as climate change. We’ll revisit the game in May after it has come to its conclusion. You can find the game here: https://mjm.itch.io/soto And follow the creator on Twitter: @ApparentRaisin
134 - Respawn Man
This week, we play Respawn Man, an original take on the puzzle platformer. We discuss platforming mechanics, puzzle games, death, and the worst puzzle of Braid. Oh, and we definitely do NOT discuss coronavirus, national politics, or the economy. No way. Find the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/398940/Respawn_Man/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @Solidplasma
133 - Oh Snake
This week, we play “Oh, Snake!” by Henning Koczy, an interesting take on the endless runner genre, with a snake-inspired twist. We talk about how the mechanics of this game promote a new and different playstyle for the genre.. Blake reminisces about endless runners of yore. Find the game here: https://anomalina.itch.io/ohsnake And follow the creator on Twitter: @statelycoach
132 - Terminal 64
Oh, man. I don’t even know where to start with this one. We play Terminal 64, a wild ride through Mario’s psyche by Big Bag. Yes, that Mario. We talk about what this game might be about, if anything, and also copyright law. Blake demonstrates his impeccable ability to identity to the source of references to things. Jordan coins the term “memepunk.” You can find the game(?) here: https://bigbag.itch.io/terminal-64 And follow the creators on Twitter: @bigbagco
131 - Featherfall
In this week’s episode, we play Featherfall, another game by our favorite Dutch game design commune, the Sokpop Collective. It’s a soulslike action RPG about a little bird fighting the undead. We talk about dual-stick controls, aim-based blocking, and why some mechanics promote cheesing more than others. Find the game here: https://sokpop.itch.io/featherfall And follow the creators on Twitter: @sokpopco
130 - Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2020
This week, we play the Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2020, a collection of games by various creators that evoke the PS1 era. It’s an impressively diverse collection of games, featuring killer bees, clockwork gods, psychedelic cats, and Finnish sauna-men. The experience prompts Blake to wax nostalgic about demo discs of yore. Find the game(s) here: https://hauntedps1.itch.io/demodisc2020
129 - League of Lonely Geologists
In this week’s episode, we discover rocks in The League of Lonely Geologists by Takorii, a vaguely multiplayer game about naming and describing rocks. We talk about the many amusing rock-names which other players of the game have come up with, and speculate about why so many Itch games are experimenting with “leave your mark” mechanics. A comment about graphical fidelity prompts a long digression about the economics of videogame studios. Jordan makes a rocking pun. Thanks to listener @snivets for the recommendation! Find the game here: https://tak.itch.io/league And follow the creator on Twitter: @takorii
128 - Tales from Off-Peak City Vol. 1
This week, we play “Tales from Off-Peak City, Vol. 1,” the newest game from Cosmo D. Like all his games, it’s weird-- in the best way possible. We talk about the music, Cosmo D’s vision, anti-capitalist games, deindustrialization, consumerism, sex noises, and horrible pizza toppings. Blake says that the game reminds him of a film, which Jordan successfully guesses on the first try. Not sure what that says about us. Find the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1129920/Tales_From_OffPeak_City_Vol_1/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @cosmoddd
127 - Remnants
This week, we play Remnants, a melancholy exploration game about an abandoned world by June Flower. We talk about how the game plays with genre and tone, as well as its impressive background art, which was drawn from the ground up, pixel-by-pixel. We baselessly speculate about background lore. Blake spots a Dark Souls reference. Download the game here: https://june-flower.itch.io/remnants And follow the creator on Twitter: @juneflowa
126 - Wide Ocean Big Jacket
This week, we play Wide Ocean Big Jacket, the new game by Turnfollow, a.k.a. Carter Lodwick and Ian Endsley, the game-design duo that we interviewed in an earlier episode. Not to spoil too much, but it’s just. so. good. We talk about the game’s many strengths, from visual design to comedic timing, and how it manages to do more with less. We agree that it nails the “vibe” of camping. Blake explains how character design tells stories. Jordan applauds a bilingual innuendo. Find the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1198040/Wide_Ocean_Big_Jacket/ And follow the creators on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_turnfollow
125 - Karlson
This week, we play Karlson, a zany action-platformer-shooter by Dani Dev on Itch. The slow-motion shooting bits prompt comparisons to My Friend Pedro and John Wick, and we talk a bit about why the platforming sections feel so volatile. A question about optimal crouch key bindings prompts debate. Find the game here: https://danidev.itch.io/karlson And follow the creator on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DaniDev
124 - Museum of the Saved Image
In this week’s episode, we play Museum of the Saved Image, an explorable museum of desktop clutter by itch.io user “flan.” The game takes us on a tour of all the saved images from the creator’s desktop over one period of time: Facebook conversations, memes, photos with friends, and pictures of lemons. We talk about characterization, senses of humor, and ARGs. Blake reminisces about funnyjunk.com. Find the game here: https://flan.itch.io/museum-of-the-saved-image And follow their itch.io account: https://flan.itch.io/
123 - They Came from a Communist Planet
This week, we play the riot simulator “They Came From a Communist Planet,” by David Cribb and Elijah Cauley. The game’s unorthodox theme prompts a discussion about gamer politics, brutalism, revolution, and why the social dynamics of riots make such interesting material for a videogame. Also, we do some alien voices. You can find the game here: https://colestia.itch.io/they-came-from-a-communist-planet And follow the creators on Twitter: @colestia3, @small_signs
122 - Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard
We play “Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard,” designed by Grace Bruxner and Thomas Bowker and the sequel to a game we played on an earlier episode of the podcast. We talk about the “Grace Bruxner” aesthetic, the game’s sense of humor, how we decorated our notebooks (spoiler: we are super cute), and extortion. Find the game here: https://fisho.itch.io/frog-detective-2 And follow the creators on Twitter: @frogdetective, @gracebruxner, @thomasbowker, @dangolding
121 - AI Dungeon 2
We play something a little bit different this week: AI Dungeon 2, a text adventure game by Nick Walton that experiments with machine learning in order to create an infinite game-space. We talk about how this “game” is just a joy to play, even when it spits out nonsense. Our discussion turns to text genres, natural language processing, porn (naturally), and biased algorithms. We also read quotes from our favorite playthroughs: impersonating the president, getting stoned in the woods, exploiting the peasants, and encountering a very confused gunman. Find the game here: https://www.aidungeon.io/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @nickwalton00
120 - Dead Sector
This week we play Dead Sector, a student game that Blake describes as the “Dark Souls of Deadspace.” We talk about how it combines ideas from both games, as well as which ideas complement each other and which ones feel more dissonant. We admire the game’s art and animations. Diegetic interfaces are complemented. Blake says he “loves to hand ass.” Download the demo here: https://deadsector.itch.io/deadsector And follow the creators on Twitter: @TheDeadSector
119 - Ampere
This week, we play Ampere, a puzzle game about connecting wires by game design students Mathieu Hentschel, Johannes Knop, and Laura Brosi. We talk about this game’s beautiful art, rope physics, Unity, the definition of “circuit,” and the strange fascination that puzzle games have with abandoned factories. Blake breaks the game. Download the game here: https://laurabdev.itch.io/ampere And follow the creators on Twitter: @laurabdev
118 - Joy Exhibition
This week, we explore the alien world of proc-gen spray paint in Joy Exhibition, by Strangethink. It’s a game about trying to impress aliens—or, as Jordan calls them, the “galactic one percent”—with your ability to create art with spray guns. The game’s surreal atmosphere (“space MOMA”) and stylish visuals prompt a conversation about procedural generation, serendipity, Jackson Pollock, and game AI. Find the game here: https://strangethink.itch.io/joy-exhibition And follow the creator on Twitter: @strangethink23
117 - Hissy Fight
This week, we play Hissy Fight, a wild, zany first-person shooter about killing snakes, by MiloSoft. It’s a wicked hard game with a distinct visual aesthetic and narrative charm. We talk about Doom 2016, game music, juice (both game and cranberry), Devil Daggers, and the impressively vibrant indie game dev scene in Australia. Jordan has an unhealthy relationship with game difficulty and Blake takes the easy way out. You can find the game here: https://milosoft.itch.io/hissyfight Follow the creator on Twitter: @milomilosoft
116 - Library of Babble
This week, we play The Library of Babble, a “downloadable library” by Demi. Named after the famous Borges short story, it’s a game about a collectively-written landscape of text, stories, and musings. We talk about how this game manages to frame the conversation that its players will have without ever directly limiting what they can write, and we share some of the notes that we encountered when we played. The Borges allusion prompts a digression about algorithmically generated images, randomness, and really big numbers. You can buy the game here: https://idlemurmurs.itch.io/babble And follow the creator on Twitter: @idlemurmurs
115 - Bird of Passage
In this week’s episode, we play Bird of Passage, a game by SpaceBackyard, the designers of Like Roots in the Soil, which longtime listeners will recognize as the game we featured in our 8th episode. We talk about earthquakes, spirits, Japanese folklore, and the relationship between narrative and puzzles in game design. A question about cab etiquette prompts an extended discussion of K-mart Muzak, for some reason. Find the game here: https://spacebackyard.itch.io/bird-of-passage And follow the creators on Twitter: @SpaceBackyard
114 - Outside the BOX
This week, we talk about a new Ludum Dare game: Outside the Box, by IcyLavah. It’s a puzzle game about moving a box around obstacles and outside a bigger box. We talk about the elegant design of this simple game, from its intuitive tutorial to its subtle screen transitions. Jordan tells everybody what a mise en abyme is. Blake discovers a secret speedrun strat. Find the game here: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/45/outside-the-box And follow the creator on Twitter: @icylavah
113 - Tetromino Slide
This week, we play Tetromino Slide, a rage-inducing (that’s a compliment, don’t worry) browser game by Stephen Lavelle that combines Tetris with the puzzle game Threes. We talk about how the game radically upends everything you think you know about Tetris, and also we curse a lot. We go on a long digression about the place of Tetris in game history, and Blake explains the Tetris block-selection algorithm. You can play the game here: https://www.increpare.com/game/tetromino-slide-tetromino-rutsch.html And find the creator on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/increpare
112 - Need 4e+9 Speed
This week, we look at Need 4e+9 Speed (aka, Need Four Billion Speed), a game about driving through the sky and glitching out. It’s an intentionally ambiguous game, and we quickly realize that we had different interpretations of a core mechanic. The game prompts a conversation about ambiguity in games, floating point numbers, game physics, and the difficulty of maintaining the magic of game secrets in the age of the Internet. Download the game here: https://kalonica.itch.io/need-4e9-speed And follow the creators on Twitter: @Kalonica_ and @jason_bakker
111 - JS13k
This week, we do something a little bit different: instead of surveying one game, we look at a cluster of games from the Javascript 13K game development competition. All these designers completed the impressive technical challenge of designing a game that is under 13kb when zipped. There are racing games, top-down melee games, twists on classic games like Asteroid and Tic-Tac-Toe, and a clicker game that we both fell in love with. We talk a bit about the relationship between technical limitations and creativity. You can find the entries for this year’s competition here: https://js13kgames.com/entries And you can follow the competition on Twitter: @js13kGames
110 - Kind Words
This week, your intrepid hosts go where no game has gone before - into the wild world of internet sincerity. The game of the hour is Kind Words (by PopCannibal), a relaxing and welcoming space for players to express their woes to others, ask for help, and dish out some of their own advice. This prompts Jordan and Blake to discuss the shortage of safe places on the internet for expressing sincerity, as well as the positive impact of such spaces existing, and in this case, flourishing. Be sure to check out the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1070710/Kind_Words_lo_fi_chill_beats_to_write_to/ And follow the creators on twitter: @popcannibal
109 - An Afternoon Rippling
In this week’s episode, we explore the world of An Afternoon Rippling, a narrative game designed by Marcie LaCerte. We talk about cars as status symbols, aimless twenty-somethings, Guy Fieri, creativity, 90s cartoon animation, and how much we love the kooky characters of this desert valley (especially Igor—gotta love Igor). Download the game here: https://marslizard.itch.io/anafternoonrippling Follow the creator on Twitter: @marslizarb
108 - caged bird don’t fly caught in a wire sing like a good canary come when called
The title of this week’s game is quite a mouthful: “caged bird don’t fly caught in a wire sing like a good canary come when called”... by Tyler Swietanski. It’s a short but entrancing exploration game that resists description. We agree that the game does a great job of creating a distinct impression without text or an easily definable narrative, and call out the many little touches that have been added to the game to really hammer home that impression. Blake gives some obligatory praise to the music. Find the game here: https://justadog.itch.io/caged-bird-dont-fly-caught-in-a-wire-sing-like-a-good-canary-come-when-called And follow the creator on Twitter: @justadog_ski
107 - Who Killed My Uncle?
This week, we play Devon Wiersma’s narrative game “Who Killed My Uncle?”, a game about exploring through your uncle’s old letters from WW2. We talk about this game’s unique narrative strategies and how it manages to pack an “emotional punch” into the act of censoring a letter. Then we speculate about historical accuracy, remember the time we saw a captured U-Boat in a museum, and go on a tangent about Telling Lies, because hey, we are nothing if not predictable. Find the game here: https://devonwiersma.itch.io/who-killed-my-uncle And follow the creator on Twitter: @Devon_Wiersma
106 - The Second Annual Edgy Awards
The EDGIES are here—again! In the second annual special awards episode for Edge Guard, we are back with six new award categories, ranging from “Least Game” to “Best Lofi/Chill Game to Relax/Study To.” We reminisce about some of our favorite games from the past year and give an account of what made the best games the best, and the weirdest games the weirdest (in a good way, of course). We also reflect a bit on the state of the podcast and the current moment in indie gaming at large. Here are links to the games featured in this episode (award spoilers!): Lo-fi Chill Games to Relax/Study ToKyoto Red Gateshttps://cavesrd.itch.io/kyoto Islandershttps://store.steampowered.com/app/1046030/ISLANDERS/ Lofi Ping Ponghttps://store.steampowered.com/app/1028570/Lofi_Ping_Pong/ Least Game (or, Best Use of Games for Non-Game Ends)Kyoto Red Gateshttps://cavesrd.itch.io/kyoto Paint Andyhttps://andrewbrophy.itch.io/paintandy Liquoricehttps://dlareme.itch.io/liquorice Best Use of Old School AestheticCrossniq+https://www.crossniq.com/ The Interludehttps://crawlspacestudio.itch.io/the-interlude Black Roomhttps://cass.itch.io/blackroom Most WholesomeFriendgunhttps://hydezeke.itch.io/friendgun Au Fil de L’eauhttps://samson-auroux.itch.io/au-fil-de-leau Grace Bruxner Presents: The Haunted Island, a Frog Detective Gamehttps://fisho.itch.io/haunted-island Most Physics ShenaniganerySpider Man Ultimate Avengerhttps://bigtrashgames.itch.io/spiderman-ultimate-avenger How to be a treehttps://zaphos.itch.io/how-to-be-a-tree Kaiju Super Datetechhttps://powerhoof.itch.io/kaiju-super-datetech Juiciest GameWibbly Witcheshttps://owensenior.itch.io/wibbly-witches Make It Juicyhttps://lonebot.itch.io/make-it-juicy Neon Boosthttps://store.steampowered.com/app/1057850/Neon_Boost/
105 - Assimilation
This week, we play “Assimilation” a game with no genre listed but which Jordan describes as a “stealth platformer with survival horror vibes” (Blake is skeptical at first of the “stealth designation,” but he comes around). We talk about the many pop cultural reference points of this games machine dystopia, including Blade Runner, Robocop, Inception, and Star Trek. We also talk about how the game combines mechanics from different game genres, with varied results: platforming and stealth, collection and survival, and so on. Also, Jordan breaks the game. Follow the creators on Twitter: @jestersheepy Play the game here: https://jestersheepy.itch.io/assimilation
104 - Undefeated
This week, we play a student game called UNDEFEATED, in which you play as a superhero who beats the shit out of bad guys. We talk about how the game feels arcade-like even though it isn’t arcade-style, which leads to a long digression about how the context in which a game is played affects its design. We agree that the boss fights are extremely tricky, but applaud how fast and punchy the game feels. Find the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1116960/UNDEFEATED/ Follow the creators on Twitter: @undefeated_game, @UMA_hero_16, @kelu_alfheim39, @wolfboy_1210
CROSSNIQ+
In this episode, thanks to the generosity of designer Max Krieger, we check out the pre-release build of CROSSNIQ+! If you’ve been listening to the podcast from the beginning, you’ll recognize this as the full build of a game that we played almost two years ago. We talk about how this game builds upon other arcade puzzlers, and spend quite a lot of time being impressed with its “y2k aesthetic.” Seriously, it’s great. Hopefully this means y2k-era visual design is coming back into vogue. But hopefully not y2k-era pants. Find updates about the game here: https://www.crossniq.com/ And follow Max Krieger on Twitter: @MaxKriegerVG, @crossniq
102 - Over the Clouds
In this week’s episode, we play Over the Clouds, a puzzle/exploration game by WASD Productions, a group of game design students in Barcelona. After an opening digression about nepotism and Zeus, we talk about first-person puzzlers, common tricks in platformer design, the definition of a button, the “Unreal Engine” look, and how we both love the way the level design of this game uses recontextualization. We also discover that Blake and Jordan have different strategies for playing puzzle games. Download the game here: https://wasdproductions.itch.io/over-the-clouds And follow the creators on Twitter: @WASDproductions
101 - Au Fil de L'eau
In this episode, we play Au fil de l’eau (Blake gives a noble attempt at correct pronunciation), a game about a river trip by Samson Auroux. We both love the way that it makes use of comic book panelling in order to tell a story, and remark that it manages to use fixed-point cameras successfully. Some of the controls are a work-in-progress, but we base our evaluations on the game as it is going to be, not on the game as it is right now. Download the game here: https://samson-auroux.itch.io/au-fil-de-leau And follow a creator on Twitter: @samson_auroux
100 - Wibbly Witches
This week, Jordan and Blake got together IN THE SAME ROOM to record a very special 100th episode. The game of the hour was Owen Senior's "Wibbly Witches" - a couch competitive platform shooter where witches zip around the stage casting spells to defeat their opponents. Your hosts discuss playing the game head-to-head, as well as the various strategies that they used to take each other down. Be sure to stay until the end of the episode to hear some trash-talk audio that was recorded during the play session! Find the game on itch: https://owensenior.itch.io/wibbly-witches And follow Owen on twitter @OSTsenior
99 - Plasticity
This week, Jordan and Blake dive into the ecological disaster puzzle platforming game “Plasticity”. This leads to yet another conversation about the concerning condition of our planet and the potentially dark future ahead if changes aren’t made. However, the game takes a hopeful stance on these issues, and your hosts...Try to do the same. Also, for some reason, Blake teaches Jordan about how the band Gorillaz is actually a virtual band, which he somehow didn’t know! Be sure to checkout the game on steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1069360/Plasticity/ And be sure to follow the creators on twitter: @PlasticityGame
98 - Neon Boost
In this episode, we play Neon Boost, a speed-based parkour game built around wall running and rocket jumping. We talk a bit about the nature of rocket jumping as a mechanic, and why it might produce some mechanical dissonance by its very nature. We also talk about how much we appreciate the, uh, “wonky shit,” to use Blake’s technical term, that the game allows you do. The episode ends with the revelation that our hosts disagree about whether “videogame” is one word or two. Find the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1057850/Neon_Boost/ And follow the creators on Twitter: @PlayNeonBoost, @montyrell, @jramonespinosa, @bernieltartas
97 - The Last Survey (Demo)
In this episode, we explore the first chapter demo of The Last Survey, a narrative game by Nicholas O’Brien. We talk about how much we like the animation style of this game, the ways that this game manages to portray the halls of corporate power in an alien and unnerving way, and how its themes of decision-making are related to its form. Then we go on a long digression about climate change and how annoying Elon Musk stans are. Download the game here: https://m3m3x.itch.io/the-last-survey And follow the creator on Twitter: @__nkO
96 - Spider-Man: Ultimate Avenger
Things get a little bit silly this week, as we talk about a game with name of dubious copyright legality: Spider-Man Ultimate Avenger, by Big Trash Games. We find great joy in its goofy ragdoll physics, which prompts Jordan to talk about Henri Bergson (for some reason). In general, we talk about how this game makes use of humor and stupidity, for better and worse. Find the game here: https://bigtrashgames.itch.io/spiderman-ultimate-avenger And follow the creators on Twitter: @bigtrashgames
95 - Don't Split the Party
In this week’s episode, we don’t play Dungeons and Dragons, but we do play a game about Dungeons and Dragons: Don’t Split The Party, a text-based social sim by Benjamin Bello and Nick Carbonara. We talk about the affordances of interactive fiction, “attractive people representation,” Mass Effect, contrived game choices, and the extremely-real struggle to maintain a D&D group. Find the game here: https://neon-android.itch.io/dont-split-the-party And follow the creators on Twitter: @NickCarbonara23
94 - Explore Kyoto's Red Gates
This week’s “game” is something a little bit different: “Explore Kyoto’s Red Gates,” a virtual tour of Kyoto’s famous Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine built with the Unreal Engine by Matt Newell. We wrestle with the implications of recreating real spaces in virtual environments, Jordan gets motionsick (as usual), we speculate about the historical experience of visiting the red gates, and talk about the many uses of simulations. Find the game here: https://cavesrd.itch.io/kyoto And follow the creator on Twitter: @matt_cvsrd
93 - Islanders
In this week’s episode, we check out Islanders, a minimalist city management game by Grizzly Games Co, the developers behind Superflight. We talk about how this game seems to use systems to express ideas about urban politics, as well as how it tinkers with the city building formula in a way that makes your cities feel more organic and unplanned. Blake is very proud of his city. And his seaweed farms. Find the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1046030/ISLANDERS/ And follow the creators on Twitter: @_grizzlygames
92 - The Interlude
This week’s game is “The Interlude,” an “anti-thriller” with a retro visual style by Eli Cauley and David Cribb. In keeping with the recent trends of games we’ve played, it’s a game about the time-wasting fidgeting that you’re driven towards while you’re sitting in a car with nothing to do. We talk about mid-2000s technology, T9 texting, obsolete ringtones and ringtones still to come, and the ways this game plays with the expectations of the thriller genre. Also, we make it clear that we’re a big fan of game developers that use the graphics settings—not the graphics themselves, literally the settings menu—as a creative space. Apparently this is a thing now! Play the game here: https://crawlspacestudio.itch.io/the-interlude And follow the creators on Twitter: @small_signs, @colestia3
91 - ROM
In this week’s episode, we talk about ROM, a short exploration game made by Paul Schnepf, Rainer Windolph, and Friedemann Allmenröder, three game design students at HTW Berlin. Between the game’s impressive art style and unique weather-control mechanic, there’s a lot for us to talk about: memories of Oxenfree, effective sound design, satisfying machine noises, and also controllers, for some reason. Download the game here: https://bincurlgames.itch.io/rom And follow the creators on Twitter: @bincurlgames
90 - Zephyr
In this week’s episode, we check out Zephyr, a procedurally-generated FMV game for iOS designed for Train Jam by Michael Walker. Its random language prompts us to reflect on some of the aspects of game interfaces that we just take for granted, and talk a bit about what makes a game a “game designer’s game.” Also, we speculate about how police jurisdiction works on trains. Find the game here: http://warpdoor.com/2019/04/23/zephyr/
89 - Northbound
In this week’s episode, we take a roadtrip through somewhere in Northern Europe in Northbound, a narrative game by Johannes Köberle and Arno Justus. It’s a play on the walking simulator, although Jordan doesn’t even realize you can, um, walk. We talk about the ways that this game succeeds at simulating the feeling of being on a roadtrip, and a minor side-plot prompts some reminiscing about childhood pranks. Follow the creators on Twitter: @KoeberleJ, @SuperBalrog Download the game here: https://playnorthbound.itch.io/northbound-2018
88 - Paint Andy
For this week’s episode, we talk about Paint Andy, a game by Andrew Brophy about playing around with different paint effects. Blake tells us in detail about his enthusiasm for playing this game with music, and the game’s strangeness prompts a discussion about how obtuseness can be a good thing in game design. Download the game here: https://andrewbrophy.itch.io/paintandy And follow the creator on Twitter: @andrewbrophy
87 - Type Dreams
This week, we check out a new game by Richard Hofmeier (designer of Cart Life): Type Dreams, a game about typing as quickly as you can. As it turns out, typing fast can be extremely hard (Blake calls it “the Dark Souls of typing games”). The game prompts a discussion about the history of print, game controllers, Warren G. Harding’s naughty letters, world record type speeds, and the reasons for Steampunk’s appeal. Find the game here: https://hofmeier.itch.io/type-dreams And follow the creator on Twitter: @RichardHofmeier
86 - beat tape (2019)
This week, we check out a “beat tape” compilation of JRPG combat systems by a developer named, uh, well, “JRPG Combat Systems.” The game’s intentionally-inscrutable tone prompts us to go an extended tangent about From Software games and obtuseness as a style of game design. It’s a relevant digression, I swear! It’s not just because we’ve both been playing Sekiro nonstop for two weeks! You can find the game here: https://jrpgcombatsystems.itch.io/ And follow the creators on Twitter: @jrpgcomsys
85 - The City Haze
In this episode, we check out The City Haze, a game about musing on city life by Kristian Torgard. The game prompts discussion about how people relate to the cities they live in, and an extended digression about cities in videogames. We also get a great demonstration of co-host telepathy when Jordan totally guesses something Blake wrote just based on a hunch. Follow the creator on Twitter: @AergiaGame You can download the game here: https://aergia.itch.io/the-city-haze
84 - I Locked Myself In My Room For Three Weeks And Just Looked At Anime Smut Online
We play the descriptively-titled short game “I Locked Myself in My Room For Three Weeks and Just Looked at Anime Smut Online.” It’s an ambiguous game that prompts a surprisingly substantial conversation about self-deprecating thoughts, objectification, and feeling powerless. Also, we learn what “absolute territory” means in anime. It’s, uh, really something. Look it up (with safesearch on)! Follow the creator on Twitter: @jenn_raye And download the game here: https://jenniferraye.itch.io/i-locked-myself-in-my-room-for-three-weeks-and-just-looked-at-anime-smut-online
83 - Handulum
This week, we get a lesson in counterintuitive physics in Handulum, a flash game about using pendulum motion to traverse a level. We talk about pendulums, Newton balls, 3rd-grade physics lessons, game camera programming, and more—good shit! In an extended aside, we conclude, curmudgeonly, that gamer kids these days have it too good. Play the game here: https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/715081 And follow the creator on Twitter: @wombatstuff
82 - Lofi Ping Pong
In this episode, we feel the rhythm of Lofi Ping Pong, a ping pong-themed rhythm game by Calvares. It’s a hard game—like, really hard—and we begin by talking a bit about what makes it quite so difficult. This prompts a discussion of all the tiny design and technological challenges that rhythm games face in simulating a perfect beat, from the mathematics of timing to anticipating the latency of monitors. Find the game here: https://calvares.itch.io/lofi-ping-pong And follow the creator on Twitter: @seravlac
81 - How to be a Tree
Have you ever wanted to know how to be a tree? Well, if so, good news, because this week we play a game that teaches you 16 different ways to do just that. In this unusual take on the platformer, you take control of a fractal tree and control its shape by altering the angles of the individual branches. We start by struggling to even define and describe the core mechanic of this game, before talking about each separate branch (haha) of the narrative, each one more surreal than the last. Find the game here: https://zaphos.itch.io/how-to-be-a-tree Follow the creator on Twitter: @aZaphos
80 - The Norwood Suite
This week, we check out another game from Cosmo D, whose game Off Peak we awarded an Edgie to last year: The Norwood Suite, a musical exploration game about the titular Hotel Norwood and its many strange inhabitants. We talk about how this game’s surreal level design makes you feel lost even as the charm of the characters somehow makes you feel at home. Jordan encounters a puzzle that puts his tone deafness to the test. Blake explains why the connection between the game’s music and its dialogue is incredibly rad. You can buy the game here: https://cosmoddd.itch.io/the-norwood-suite And follow the creator on Twitter: @cosmoddd
79 - becalm
Things get super c h i l l in this episode about Becalm, a short and relaxing game about sailing through a colorful seascape. It’s a visually incredible game, which we talk about at length, before concluding that this is one of the few games that actually deserves the description “meditative.” Then, without any evidence whatsoever, we speculate about the evolutionary origins of why certain colors and noises are calming. Download the game here: https://colorfiction.itch.io/becalm And follow the creator on Twitter: @colorfiction
78 - Initen
This week, we play Initen, a game about using sound to rejuvenate a desolate landscape that was designed by a team of students at Supinfogame Rubika. We talk about the game’s visual style and visual influences, and in that respect we’re both impressed by what a team of students were able to produce. The game’s sound puzzles prompt us to chuckle at Jordan’s tone deafness, and also rant about a CERTAIN sound puzzle in a different puzzle game. You can download the game here: https://initen.itch.io/initen
77 - Black Room
This week, we explore “Black Room,” a dreamlike exploration game by Cassie McQuater about trying to use an old trick you learned from your mother to help you fall asleep. We talk about the way this game uses the browser itself as a game mechanic, as well as the history of gender representation in videogames. Blake claims that he doesn’t know what the meaning of “pop-up” is anymore. Find the game here: https://cass.itch.io/blackroom And follow the creator on Twitter: @cassiemcquater
76 - Grace Bruxner Presents: The Haunted Island, A Frog Detective Game
This week, we play as amphibious investigators in “Grace Bruxner Presents: The Haunted Island, a Frog Detective Game” (it’s a mouthful). We talk about how this game borrows from the classic adventure game formula, as well as how it manages to be so consistently funny. It’s just all around a lovely game. If you are a person who loves joy, you should play it. Find the game here: https://fisho.itch.io/haunted-island And follow the creator on Twitter: @gracebruxner
75 - Kaiju Super Datetech
This week, we play about Kaiju Super Datetech, a game about building a giant robot to go on a date with Godzilla. We talk about tactics for building the best Kaiju-love-machines, as well as how the platformer format makes the shape of your robot inevitably comical and childish. Blake tells us about Lego magazine. Download the game here: https://powerhoof.itch.io/kaiju-super-datetech And follow the creators on Twitter: @powerhoof
74 - Brendan Keogh's Putting Challenge
This week, we head to the front nine for some good old fashioned golfing in “Brendan Keogh’s Putting Challenge”, a game by, you guessed it, Brendan Keogh. We talk about our real life experiences with golf, as well as our somewhat skewed perceptions about golf always serving some sort of business networking purpose, and how these contrast with the game’s lonely, somewhat meditative take on the sport. We also go deep on how this game pushes up against the technical limits of Pico-8, and how our nearly-limitless modern consoles have shaped the course of game design. Be sure to play the game on itch: https://brkeogh.itch.io/brendan-keoghs-putting-challenge And follow Brendan on twitter @BRKeogh
73 - Make It Juicy
This week, we check out a new kind of object of discussion for the podcast: “Make it Juicy,” a game/presentation designed by Lonebot that demonstrates how to make a game more “juicy” without fundamentally altering its mechanics. After a brief discussion of what exactly game juice is, we speculate about whether juice is simply “better” or if it can actually alter a game’s theme in concrete ways. And Jordan talks about alien refuse, for some reason. Play the game in-browser here: https://lonebot.itch.io/make-it-juicy And follow the creators on Twitter: @Mati_Ernst, @Itamar_Ernst, @Patacorow, @_JasonLord_
72 - Friendgun
In this week’s game, Friendgun, bullets are also buddies, so we have to make some tough decisions in order to shoot the evil spirits that have overtaken our childhood village. We chat about the surprising amount of character and charm contained in this game about shooting your friends from a gun, and are just generally impressed with its ability to make your choices feel meaningful in such a short amount of time. We both saved the village but… at what cost?? Download the game here: https://hydezeke.itch.io/friendgun And follow the creator on Twitter: @hydezeke
71 - Beach Date
In this episode, we talk about Beach Date, a short game about a romantic evening on the beach by Nina Freeman and Jake Jefferies. The game prompts us to have a discussion about the inherent fun of playing with the physics simulations in games, as well as to talk a bit about how this game departs from the intense goal-based format of most videogame romance. Download the game here: https://starmaidgames.itch.io/beach-date And follow the creators on Twitter: @hentaiphd, @manofdingus
70 - Don't Trip
In this episode, we play “Don’t Trip,” a mobile “walking simulator” (but not in the way you think). We talk a little bit about the affordances and limitations of mobile gaming controls, and speculate about what makes the strange world of mobile gaming tick. Also, Blake gives us a taste of his best “trailer voice.” You can find the game here: http://www.noodlecake.com/games/dont-trip/ And follow the creators on Twitter: @noodlecakegames
69 - Throw Away Game: GOTY Edition
What happens to a first-person shooter if you take away the bullets? We play a game that answers just this question: Throw Away Game GOTY Edition, a GMTK 2018 Game Jam game designed by Seth Johnson and Jason Ty Hall. We talk about the intrinsic fun of goofy physics simulations, as well as why failing is almost as fun as succeeding in this game. Also, Blake becomes a human slide whistle. Download the game here: https://chefseth.itch.io/throwawaygame And follow the creators on Twitter: @Chef__Seth, @Jason_Ty_Hall
68 - Shady Knight
This week, the boys explore the juicy and brutal Shady Knight by Alexey Sigh (@cptnsigh on twitter). The game’s hectic but satisfying first-person sword combat prompts a discussion of camera perspective, melee combat, and spatial awareness in action games. This discussion causes a few realizations, including the revelation that DOOM 2016 has perhaps more in common with a melee action game than other first person shooters, and that Skyrim’s combat is, indeed, pretty boring. Be sure to play the game for yourself on itch: https://cptnsigh.itch.io/shady-knight And also make sure to follow Alexey on twitter to see updates on the full version of this game
67 - One Hour One Life (Revisited)
This week, we revisit Jason Rohrer’s multiplayer civilization-building game and Edgy Award Winner One Hour, One Life. We wanted to revisit the game some months after launch and see how far its players had managed to progress during that time. Unfortunately, we discover that not much has changed, and we speculate as to which of the structural limitations of the game might be responsible. But the game still creates great emergent stories, and we share a few from our latest playthroughs. In one, Blake destroys a village food supply by overcooking an omelette. Download the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/595690/One_Hour_One_Life/ Or buy it straight from the website: http://onehouronelife.com/ And follow Jason Rohrer on Twitter: @jasonrohrer
66 - Good Morning Drifter
This week, we hang around, watch some street races, and eat pears, in Good Morning Drifter, a game for the AGBIC jam by LOWPOLIS. It’s a racing game, but your car is in the shop today, so you hang around and chat with the other racers instead. We chat about how this game manages to be fun and charming based just on conversation, and the age of the characters prompts us to talk about what life is like in your 20s. Download the game here: https://lowpolis.itch.io/good-morning-drifter And follow the creators on Twitter: @LOWPOLIS, @rayzones, @yafffle
65 - Rave and Claw
We play Rave and Claw, a game about shooting a grappling hook and slamming into enemies, made by Owen Senior for the 2018 GMTK Game Jam. As it’s a pretty juicey game, it prompts us to talk a bit about “game feel,” which naturally leads Blake to once again talk about his favorite Jan Willem Nijman instructional lecture. Also, Jordan shares a theory of game feel that he heard at a party. Download the game here: https://ostsenior.itch.io/rave-and-claw-full And follow the creator on Twitter: @OSTsenior
64 - Tomscape
Runescape? No, TOMscape! That’s right, we play Tomscape, a Sokpop Collective game designed as an homage to the Runescape days of old. We wax nostalgic about playing the classic browser game as youths, and talk about the various ways that this game manages to recreate the classic feel. Turns out we have some great Runescape stories, too: in one, Blake narrowly avoids getting swindled, and in another, Jordan discovers capitalism. Download the game here: https://sokpop.itch.io/tomscape And follow the creators on Twitter: @sokpopco
63 - Player Known Battleground
It’s time for Player KNOWN Battlegrounds (haha), a game about a tour guide at the Gettysburg Memorial. The game prompts us to wildly speculate about the history of American wars, and for some reason also about folk music. Which means you get to hear Blake marvelously sing “The Battle of New Orleans.” Download the game here: https://gamejolt.com/games/playerknownbattlegrounds/335232 And follow the creators on Twitter: @StevenJHarmon1, @zeldatsi
62 - 10 Mississippi
This week’s game is 10 Mississippi, a stop motion narrative game about the intimate experience of the everyday developed by Karina Pop. We chat about how this game creates feelings of uncomfortable closeness, as well as how it uses unusual button mappings to simulate the tactile feeling of everyday life. Also, we completely misunderstand an obvious masturbation pun. Play the game in-browser here: https://knarniapop.itch.io/10-mississippi And follow the creator on Twitter: @knarniapop
61 - Hot Pot
This week, we play Hot Pot, a game about an animated pot that steals food in order to feed hungry passers-by. We discuss what makes the avatar of this game intrinsically fun to control, and then transition to a conversation about “A Game By Its Cover,” the game jam for which this game was designed. Also, Blake can’t think of the word “objective.” Download the game here: https://t.co/aR1qDosv1C And follow the creators on Twitter: @Zugai89, @raisedbywoes
60 - What Goes Up
What goes up doesn’t necessarily come back down in “What Goes Up,” a “platformer without falling” developed by Lonebot for the 2018 GMTK game jam. We talk about what gives a puzzle game a good “Portal moment” in which everything suddenly clicks together, and how impressive it is that such a small game jam game manages to pull it off. The game prompts a discussion about how videogames try to integrate their “thematic genre” and “mechanical genre,” and how some mechanics can accommodate a greater range of stories than others. Oh, and we get a good laugh from this game’s ending. You can play the game in-browser here: https://lonebot.itch.io/what-goes-up And make sure to follow the creators on Twitter: @Mati_Ernst, @itamar_ernst, @patacorow
59 - Turnip
We explore a polygonal world of garden vegetables and household furniture in Turnip, a short exploration game by Adam Pype (AKA “papercookies”). The game prompts a discussion of retro 3D graphics and spatial design—plus, it has a sense of humor and cartoon lightheartedness that we both appreciate. Download the game here: https://papercookies.itch.io/turnip And follow the creator on Twitter: @adampi
58 - Enhance.Computer
Computer, ENHANCE! We play enhance.computer, a voice-controlled cyberpunk game about that absurd crime show trope in which investigators somehow add pixels to images they are inspecting. We talk about the affordances (and limitations) of voice controls, as well as explore some of the darker real-world implications of the crime-predicting technology described by this game. Also, Alex Jones in Spiderman? Play the game here: enhance.computer And follow the creator on Twitter: @nicolehe
57 - Liquorice
What has boris created? We try to answer that question in our discussion about Liquorice, a surreal first person exploration and sound-generation game by dlareme (A.K.A. boris). It’s a game that defies expectations—so much so, that both of us almost missed the core mechanic when we first played it. We talk about the particular experience of enchantment produced by not knowing how a computer program works, and all the many ways that this game plays with perception. You can purchase the game here: https://dlareme.itch.io/liquorice And follow the creator on Twitter: @elmdare
56 - Tiny Towns
SimCity meets Stephen’s Sausage Roll in “Tiny Towns,” a Ludum Dare puzzle game by designer “Bearish” about balancing the happiness of residents in a town to their material needs. We chat a bit about how the the puzzle genre and the management sim genre interact (and maybe conflict), and Blake talks about his, uh, intense Stardew Valley strats. Play the game here: https://bearish.itch.io/tiny-towns And follow the creator on Twitter: @Beariish
55 - The First Annual Edge Guard Awards (The Edgies)
It’s the first annual EDGY awards! In this very special anniversary episode, we look back at every game we’ve played so far and pick the winners for six different award categories that celebrate various aspects of game design and creativity. The awards span from the silly to the serious—you’ll just have to listen to the episode to find out what they are and what games took the cake.
54 - Magic Sabotage
This week we solve our way through Magic Sabotage, a physics puzzle game by Burgundy Unit, a team of student designers at the School 4 Games in Berlin. We talk about the fun “Rube-Goldberg-iness” of the puzzles in this game, as well as dive a bit into the technical nitty-gritty of how good puzzle design works in general. And, yes, Blake beat Jordan once again. Download the game here: http://magicsabotage.school4games.net/
53 - Cyberpet Graveyard
We play a “game” by Natalie Lawhead (Alien Melon) called Cyberpet Graveyard, a delightfully bizarre piece that is part Twine game, part surrealist critique of corporate culture, and part ARG-style “found file” narrative. Between laughing at cartoon vampires that we keep opening and closing during the recording, we chat about the weird things this game manages to get .exe files to do, as well as the contemporary state of developer culture. Download the game here: https://alienmelon.itch.io/graveyard And follow the creator on Twitter: @alienmelon
52 - Micro Aces
This week, a love letter to Micro-Machines games of yore: Grooly's Micro Aces! Blake is better than Jordan again! Controls are Squrrielly (but in a meaningful way)! Being tiny in a normal-sized world is intrinsically fun! Video Games are in effect! Also: sorry about Blake's poor audio quality, this will be rememdied next episode! Check out the game on itch: https://grooly.itch.io/microaces
51 - The Synchronist
Blake and Jordan make the stars align—or, at least, some letters and shapes—in The Synchronist, a puzzle game about moving sliders made for Minimalist Jam 3 by Gregory Beal. Our hosts talk about why removing the instructions from any machine interface instantly creates a puzzle, “futzing” with sliders, and Blake is proud to finally defeat Jordan at a game. Jordan uses motion sickness as an excuse. Play the game here: https://elgregos.itch.io/synchronist And follow the creator on Twitter: @GregosEl
50 - Rhythm Overdrive
We get a little funky in Rhythm Overdrive, a shoot ‘em up game with rhythmic elements. Jordan mistakes his own love of a good beat with an actual game mechanic, Blake tells the people about the concept of game “juice,” and the two of us also talk a bit about why game players tend to over-value visual polish as a metric for overall game quality. Download the game here: https://diblow.itch.io/rhythm-overdrive And follow the creators on Twitter: @valet_louis @Thomas_Polfliet
49 - Dream Hard
Blake and Jordan return to the podcast’s roots for another game by Robert Yang: “Dream Hard,” a queer action game about defending a club in NYC from oncoming fascists. Our hosts talk about how this game, like much of Robert Yang’s work, has a really fun and joyous attitude towards sexuality, and also jam out to the game’s playfully vulgar soundtrack. Download the game here: https://radiatoryang.itch.io/dreamhard And follow Robert Yang on Twitter: @radiatoryang
48 - Off Peak
Our hosts play Off Peak, a surreal exploration game about the labor that makes art possible, and people whose lives have temporarily been put on hold. Blake and Jordan talk about why this game somehow feels sincere without being hokey, and also why the music is so rad. Download the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/467360/OffPeak/ Follow the creator on Twitter: @cosmoddd And Check out the OST on Bandcamp: https://archiepelago.bandcamp.com/album/off-peak-ost
47 - Upward
We play “Upward,” a short puzzle-platformer in which your avatar can only move in one direction: up! We talk about design by subtraction, as well as the affordances of the development environment the game was built in, called PICO-8, which simulates a fictional 8-bit game console. Play the game here: https://pocketfruit.itch.io/upward Download PICO-8 here: https://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php And follow the creator on Twitter: @mtths_flk
46 - Mama Possum
Momma Possum! That’s the name of the game we play this week, a Twine-style game about fightin’ giant cockroaches with even giant-er mechs in post-apocalyptic Tennessee. We talk about such topics as family, the arc of history, and contemporary US politics—so, you know, nothing too serious. Play the game here: https://bravemule.itch.io/mamapossum And follow the creators on Twitter: Cassandra Khaw: @casskhaw Kevin Snow: @bravemule George Kavallines: @george_kvs Priscilla Snow: @ghoulnoise
45 - Quarantine Circular
This week, the boys are going deep on Quarantine Circular, Bithell Games’ follow-up to last year’s Subsurface Circular. They spend some time comparing and contrasting Quarantine and Subsurface, discussing their use of communication and puzzles and how each game treats these differently. Additionally, the game sparks a conversation about science fiction tropes and the manner in which they are employed. Also, despite his insistence that he won’t stumble over his words, Blake absolutely does. Jordan makes him pay dearly for his mistake. If you are interested in following the creators on twitter, check out @mikeBithell And also explore the game’s soundtrack if you enjoy good music: https://danlesac.bandcamp.com/album/quarantine-circular
44 - Special Guest Julian Cordero
Julian Cordero, a game developer whose games TREEEEEEES and Levedad we played in previous episodes, chats with us (all the way from Spain!) about game design, school in New York, and his childhood in Ecuador—as well as his aspirations to build up a game development community there. Follow Julian on Twitter: @solimporta Also, check out the song Julian referenced in the game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQHvIOReFR8 And check out his new collective, BigBag: @bigbagco
43 - Microtransaction Simulator
Fake microtransactions are serious business in Microtransaction Simulator, a game by a Steam creator who goes by “chlsea.” We talk about the surprising depth of this satirical game, and about why clicking is always at least minimally-pleasurable, regardless of what you are actually clicking on. Naturally, we take a little dive into the dark world of actual microtransactions, too (spoiler: they’re the worst, but also, funding game development is quite complicated). You can find the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/689090/Microtransaction_Simulator/
42 - Palmystery
Blake and Jordan get a little ~handsy~ in this week’s game: Palmystery! A surrealist exploration game that involves moving through animated hand-based landscapes. Yeah… you have to play it to really understand. We talk about what separates interesting weird from bad weird, and why this game is the interesting kind. Also, somehow we don’t realize that one of the many puns of the title is “palmistry,” or fortune telling with hand lines. Whoops! Download the game here: https://palgal.itch.io/palmystery And follow the creator on Twitter: @palomadawkins
41 - Supertype
Letters become puzzle pieces in Supertype, a puzzle game for mobile that mixes two mechanics that we rarely see paired together: typing and gravity. We talk about how this truly-inventive game makes you see the alphabet from a new perspective, as well as why it might be a “perfect” mobile game. Also, we’re very excited to see our newfound expertise in kerning come back into play. Find the game here (or just buy it on iTunes or Google Play): http://www.kamibox.de/supertype And follow the creator on Twitter: @kamibox_ph
40 - Warehouse Panic
This week, Blake and Jordan play “Warehouse Panic,” a 3-player game about covering as many tiles as possible with squares, while preventing your opponents from doing the same. It’s a bit of a change for the podcast, since we actually played it together (Jordan still won, though). The game prompts us to go on a long digression about Tetris: its history, the psychological phenomena named after it, and the impressive/frightening amount that Blake knows about it. Play the game in-browser here: https://warehousepanic.io/ And follow the creator on Twitter: @rezoner
39 - Lieve Oma
This week sees Blake and Jordan playing “Lieve Oma,” a tender game about the relationship between a grandmother and a grandchild. The game prompts us to reminisce about our relationships with our own grandparents, as well as talk about the creative ways we’ve seen indie developers work around their resource limitations in games like this one. Download the game here: https://vltmn.itch.io/lieve-oma And follow the creator on Twitter: @FlorianVltmn
Episode 38 - Levedad
Blake and Jordan check out “Levedad,” the newest project by Julian Cordero (who we first met in episode #2, with TREEEEEEES), a game about time and long exposure photography. We check out other players’ photos, talk about this game’s “vibey” vibe, and just generally appreciate the interesting things with light that this game lets you do. Really, it’s quite cool. Download the game here: https://solimporta.itch.io/levedad And follow Julian Cordero on Twitter: @solimporta
Episode 37 - Dogness
This week, Blake and Jordan team up with an authoritarian “dogmagogue” to create the perfect dog in the newest game by Molleindustria, “Dogness.” A satirical simulation game, “Dogness” is about the misconceptions about genetics shared by dog breeders and 19th century racist pseudo-scientists. Yikes! This explicitly political game leads us to have a discussion about the utility (and limitations) of games as rhetorical arguments—oh, and Blake finally beats Jordan at a game, for once. Download the game here: https://molleindustria.itch.io/dogness And follow the creator on Twitter: @molleindustria
Episode 36 - Paratopic
Startling encounters, body horror, and Cronenberg-ian themes, oh my! This week Blake and Jordan play Paratopic, a narrative game about smuggled VHS tapes, beings from another reality, and just feeling kind of uneasy for 40 minutes. We talk about why this game is so effective at unsettling you and lament that more games don’t use retro, PS1-style graphics. Download the game here: paratopicteam.itch.io/paratopic And follow the creators on Twitter: @oysterFAKE @ForgetAmnesia @Lazarus_Audio
Episode 35 - Method of Action
Join us this week as we let the intrinsic pleasure of reading take control! That’s right, we’re getting all educational over here with “Method of Action”, a collection of games intended to teach the player some principles of graphic design. We dig in to the sometimes tense relationship between gamification and education, where gamification is seen as an easy way to keep pupils engaged, but fails to use the full breadth of what gaming can do to enhance the learning experience. We also get into the weeds a little bit, waxing nostalgic over the edutainment games of our childhoods. Play the game over at method.ac Then head over to twitter to check out Method of Action: @methodofaction, and while you’re there, go ahead and follow us too @EdgeGuardCast
Episode 34 - Softfriends
Look, I don’t even know how to describe this one: we play “Softfriends,” Thomas Newlands’ game that he calls a “textural adventure game.” That’s texture, not text. It’s a game about moving little tiny bumps in an abstract texture space into each other and causing the texture to change. Yeah. It’s both a relaxing and disorienting game, which is probably why we eventually agree that it’d be fun to play stoned. Download the game here: https://thnewlands.itch.io/softfriends And follow the creator on Twitter: @thnewlands
Episode 33 - One Hour One Life
Blake and Jordan play Jason Rohrer’s newest game, titled One Hour, One Life. Certainly one of the most original and inventive games we’ve played for the podcast, Rohrer’s multiplayer game is an experiment in collective world-building: dependent on other real people players for gameplay, you play as one human being in a civilization vastly more complicated than what you could create alone. We talk about how remarkable it is that players have been cooperating as much as they have been, and Blake tells the oddly touching story of one of his most meaningful in-game lives. You can purchase the game here: http://onehouronelife.com/ And follow Jason Rohrer on Twitter: @jasonrohrer
Episode 32 - -c-i-t-y-
This week, Blake and Jordan try out their #masterhacker skills in -c-i-t-y-, a game by Aran Koning, another member of our favorite videogame commune, Sokpop Collective. It’s a resource management game about powering a city, but it comes with a twist: the entire game interface is a command line. If you play the game, here’s an exclusive cheat code from Aran himself: try typing “sokpop” into the command line. Download the game here: https://arankoning.itch.io/-c-i-t-y- Follow Aran on Twitter: @AranKoning
Episode 31 - Raft
Blake and Jordan play Raft, a survival game by Redbeet Interactive in which you play as a hapless schmuck stranded on a raft trying to scrounge for resources and avoid getting eaten by sharks. It’s a game with a surprising amount of depth, despite its simple surface: even though you are stranded in the ocean, you can cook fish, grow potatoes, farm palm trees, and even build extra levels on your raft (Jordan’s raft had 4 floors, while Blake’s had a measly 2). Amazingly, we were able to get through this whole episode without making a single “Wilson from Castaway” reference. Download the game here: https://raft.itch.io/raft And follow the creators on Twitter: @RaftSurvivaGame
Episode 30 - Florence
Our hosts play the mobile game Florence, the new release from the succinctly-named Australian studio “Mountains.” This lovely narrative game really breaks new ground when it comes to using mechanics to express emotion and plot, including a very clever use of puzzle pieces as a conversation mechanic. Really though: we feel like this could be the birth of a new genre, which Blake has dubbed “feelioware.” You heard it here first, folks! The game’s website is here: http://florencegame.com/ And follow the creators on Twitter: @mountainsgames
Episode 29 - Alien Caseno
The aliens are here! In their brief encounter with humanity, they fell in love with casinos and decided to recreate the experience as best they could on a comet. The result is a charming game by Grace Bruxner, descriptively titled Alien Caseno, which Blake and Jordan played for this week’s episode. Download the game here: https://fisho.itch.io/alien And follow the creator on Twitter: @gracebruxner
Episode 28 - Special Guests Carter Lodwick and Ian Endsley
Another interview episode! Blake and Jordan are joined by Carter Lodwick and Ian Endsley of Turnfollow, the game design duo behind a game we played in an earlier episode: the verbosely-titled Packing Up The Rest of Your Things on the Last Day at Your Old Apartment. Ian and Carter talk a little bit about their own experiences moving and how that informed the game’s design process, plus reveal that the way one of us played it was not even an intended feature of the game (talk about emergent gameplay!). Stay tuned until the very end for a brief sneak preview of Turnfollow’s next project. If you haven’t already, make sure to (turn)follow them on Twitter: @_turnfollow @carterlod @iendsl
Episode 27 - Royals
Our two illustrious hosts attempt to transcend their lives as lowly peasants and become kings of all the realm in Royals, a strategy rogue-like management sim* by Asher Vollmer, who you may know as the designer of the iOS game Threes. Blake and Jordan discuss this game’s surprising union of the rogue-like and turn-based strategy genres, but unfortunately only Jordan is able to claim the throne. Ith.io: https://old.audacityteam.org/help/faq_i18n?s=install&i=lame-mp3 Asher Vollmer on Twitter: @ AsherVo *genre name copyright Blake Beckett, 2018.
Episode 26 - Pillow of Stone
Hear that? That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang! No, actually that’s just Jordan and Blake talking about music, prison, and music about prison with this week’s game, Pillow of Stone. The guys spend some time discussing the often tenuous relationship between interactive media and music, effective use of ‘Weenies’ (NOT boobies), and how “Chain Gang” is actually a really great song. Be sure to give the game a shot over on itch.io: johnvanderhoef.itch.io/pillow-of-stone And follow the game’s creator, John Vandehoef, on twitter: @johnvanderhoef
Episode 25 - Storyseeker
This week, Blake and Jordan play Storyseeker, an exploration game designed by Miles Äijälä. Our hosts speculate about probable causes for the ambiguous disasters that rocked the world of this game and wax poetic about the appeal of exploration games that let you sit quietly alone rather than bombarding you with content. And in a moment of inspired game design theory, Blake can’t remember a game design slang word and guesses “boobies.” He meant “weenies.” Download Storyseeker here: https://qwertyprophecy.itch.io/storyseeker And follow the creator here: @qwertyprophecy
Episode 24 - Capsule Silence XXIV
On this week’s episode of Edge Guard, Blake and Jordan play Capsule Silence XXIV, a game that according to electronic band Anamanaguchi was the unfinished product of a collaboration they were working on with NHXmedia. Besides that… well, saying much more would ruin the fun, so this one you should just play for yourself. Make sure to tell F.R.U.G. we say “hi.” Download the game here: http://www.mediafire.com/file/afga922p37fb27f/CS+guchi+3-28.zip Twitter: Anamanaguchi: @anamanaguchi Ben Esposito (lead developer): @torahhorse
Episode 23 - Special Guest Cameron Kunzelman
This #veryspecial episode of Edge Guard features something a little bit different: an interview with Cameron Kunzelman, designer of Skateboarder, which we played for an earlier episode. We ask Cameron a little bit about his inspiration and design process for the game, solve the mystery of the little boxes, and chat about our impressive hour-counts in PUBG. If you haven’t already, make sure to follow Cameron on Twitter! @ckunzelman
Episode 22: Card Witch: First Draw
This week, Blake and Jordan check out the pre-alpha build of Card Witch: First Draw, a cross between a deckbuilding game and a beat-em-up action game. Our hosts compare playstyles and share strategies, and Jordan attempts to break the meta. Download the game here: https://a6productions.itch.io/card-witch And follow the creators on Twitter: @bloodyhoney_ @CHARLENEMAXIMUM @SuperBlizzard @ghoulpowder
Episode 21 - You Must Be 18 Years or Older to Enter
Plug in your headphones and open your incognito browsers, because this week’s episode of Edge Guard is about porn! Or rather, it’s about You Must Be 18 or Older to Enter, a game about a kid in the 90s stealthily attempting to access porn on the early Internet while the parents aren’t home. For a game about porn, it’s surprisingly frightening—though not as frightening, perhaps, as the content policy that got this game removed from the Steam marketplace... #playmoreporngames Download the game here: https://seeminglypointless.itch.io/18orolder Follow the creators on Twitter: @seempoint
Episode 20 - Healthy Breakfast
This week, we explore the ins and outs of the most important meal of the day: video games! Jordan and Blake go on a wild journey through first-person perspective puzzler Healthy Breakfast, discussing how games stray from the limitations of reality, lookin’ at stuff, and the importance of eating a balanced breakfast. Find the game * FOR FREE* on itchio: https://boogieknights.itch.io/healthybreakfasthttps://boogieknights.itch.io/healthybreakfast And be sure to stop by twitter and follow exactly one of its creators since the other two are too cool for tweets: @BarlesCharkley3
Episode 19 - CROSSNIQ
Today’s episode of Edge Guard features a brand-new arcade-style puzzle game from Max Krieger: CROSSNIQ. We talk about how strategy and skill play out in puzzle games like this one, and also learn that Blake knows a surprising (or, concerning?) amount about the Tetris meta-game. Play the game here (it’s free!): https://maxkrieger.itch.io/crossniq And follow the creator on Twitter: @MaxKriegerVG
Episode 18 - Waves of Vapor
Are you ready to get A E S T H E T I C? Because if that low-hanging meme was any indication, today’s episode of Edge Guard is about a vaporwave-themed game, a take on the bullet hell genre appropriately titled “Waves of Vapor.” Join our hosts for a discussion of the relationship between graphics and mechanics in video games, as well as a surprisingly-detailed dive into the musical history of the vaporwave genre. Download the game here: https://melonodev.itch.io/waves-of-vapor Find the creator on Twitter: @MelonoDev Or Tumblr: https://melonodev.tumblr.com/
Episode 17 - Skateboarder
In this episode of Edge Guard, Blake and Jordan ride virtual skateboards in Cameron Kunzelman’s Skateboarder, a browser game about doing mad tricks, bro, but also about the slow deterioration of a professional skateboarder’s health, money, and happiness. The game prompts our hosts to reminisce about Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Ebaum’s World, and the dubious legality of mid-2000s flash games. Play the game here: https://ckunzelman.itch.io/skateboarder And follow Cameron Kunzelman on Twitter: @ckunzelman
Episode 16 - One Night Stand
Gather ‘round the campfire kids, it’s time for us to regale you with spooky tales of video games! This week, we address One Night Stand by Kinmoku. Shudder in fear as we discuss #niceguys, stealing ladies’ underpants, and other shenaniganery. Play the game on steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/549860/One_Night_Stand/ And, if you like it, follow @GamesByKinmoku to see what they’re up to next!
Episode 15 - Oblige
I must say that I feel OBLIGEd to let you know that another episode of Edge Guard is here, this week talking about a game by Jocelyn Kim called, you guessed it, Oblige, which follows a woman in 1979 Hong Kong trying to balance the responsibilities of work, family, and life. Tune in for some hot takes on typing as a game mechanic, simulated boredom (spoiler: it’s suspiciously similar to regular boredom), and how much our husband just, like, sucks, man. Download the game here: https://jocelyn.itch.io/oblige Follow the creators on Twitter: @jocelynkimchi, @ivantsangHK
Episode 14 - HOT DATE
Hot Date! This week, the boys are looking for love in the most unlikely of places - David Batchelor’s pug dating sim Hot Date. This steamy conversation over the candelabra includes: discussion of mechanics informing comedy, Tinder dating, and emotionally manipulating cute lil pugs. Find the game on itch.io: https://georgebatch.itch.io/hot-date
Episode 13 - Where the Goats Are
Shhh, listen! What’s that, rustling in the grass? Could it be? It is! Another episode of Edge Guard is here! This week Blake and Jordan discuss Where the goats are, a quiet, “meditative” game about raising goats in the midst of a catastrophe. Our hosts touch on topics as wide-ranging as the strange appeal of farming simulator games and the meaning of the word “meditative.” Come for the goats, stay for the hard-hitting games journalism.
Episode 12 - Packing Up the Rest of Your Stuff on the Last Day at Your Old Apartment
In this week’s episode, Jordan and Blake talk about moving! More specifically, they discuss Turnfollow’s Packing Up The Rest of Your Stuff on the Last Day at Your Old Apartment. This includes discussion of nostalgic calculus, inventory tetris, and overly long (but incredibly descriptive) game titles. Then the guys wax nostalgic about all the cool places they lived in college and get all sappy about the fun times they had. Yuck! Be sure to check out the game on itch: https://turnfollow.itch.io/packingup And follow the devs on twitter: @_turnfollow, @carterlod, and @iendsl
Episode 11 - A(s)century
Quick, charge your devices, bust out those headphones, and procrastinate your obligations: another episode of Edge Guard is here! This week, Blake and Jordan unpack a cyberpunk Twine game designed by Austin Walker (of Waypoint and Giant Bomb fame), cleverly titled A(s)century. Topics on the table include cyberpunk naming conventions, the function of choice in text games, corporate satire, and Mark Zuckerberg’s thoughts about dying squirrels. Also: Kevin O’Leary is probably a robot. Check out the game: https://thecalcutec.itch.io/ascentury And follow Austin Walker on Twitter! @austin_walker
Episode 10 - Devil Daggers
Watch out! It’s another episode of Edge Guard, this time about the 2016 arcade-style arena shooter game Devil Daggers, developed by indie team Sorath. Our hosts take a deep dive into what makes this fast-paced, frantic game work, from its slick sound design to its addictive combat mechanics. They also talk strategy and remark at how absolutely unbelievable the times of the global leaderboard are. Please pardon Jordan’s sniffle, follow Sorath on Twitter, and check out Devil Daggers on Steam! Twitter: @sorathdev Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/422970/Devil_Daggers/
Episode 9 - Windowframe
On today’s episode, Blake and Jordan talk about the first game on the show that caused both of them to rage quit: Daniel Linssen’s Windowframe. The guys discuss the nature or frames in games, contrast that with frames in film, and delve into the fetishization of difficulty in the post-Dark Souls era. Find the game on itch: https://managore.itch.io/windowframe And be sure to follow Daniel Linssen (@managore) on twitter to see what he is working on.
Episode 8 - Like Roots in the Soil
Behold! Another podcast! Blake is ramming all sorts of words together, Jordan is a hack (but an honest one), and we played “Like Roots in the Soil” by Italian Devs The Space Backyard. We discuss the limits of what makes something a game, games working with two closely related timelines, and the irrevocable march of time. Find the game here: https://spacebackyard.itch.io/like-roots-in-the-soil And find the devs on Twitter: @SpaceBackyard
Episode 7 - Subsurface Circular
Join us today for a discussion of Subsurface Circular, a recent text adventur/puzzle game from Bithell Games about a future society driven by automation. Blake and Jordan discuss what makes a puzzle satisfying, detective fiction, and fully-automated luxury robot communism. Check out the game on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/676820/Subsurface_Circular/ And follow Mike Bithell on Twitter: @mikeBithell Next week: Like roots in the soil: https://spacebackyard.itch.io/like-roots-in-the-soil
Episode 6 - Pokkie
The boys are back and ready to talk to you about Pokkie (by returning dev Tijmen Tio). Jordan and Blake talk about the state of permadeath in games, the implicit trust that players place in PC developers, and the way that devs can violate that trust for exciting (or malicious) reasons. Also, the guys almost ruin the game by being lured into its greatest trap - Flappy Bird. Play the game here: https://tijmentio.itch.io/pokkie. Follow Tijmen Tio on twitter @tijmentio. Next week, Subsurface Circular: http://store.steampowered.com/app/676820/Subsurface_Circular
Episode 5 - Farbenspiel
Today’s game is Farbenspiel, a first-person arena shooter about mixing primary colors to match the color of enemies. Jordan and Blake discuss the significance of using color as a game mechanic, the movement for accessibility in video games, and Jordan’s weak-ass inner ear. Be sure to check out the game on itchio: https://figjig.itch.io/farbenspiel And follow the creators on Twitter: @MustDeath, @DanniSquiggles, @noodles4life__ Next week, Pokkie: https://tijmentio.itch.io/pokkie
Episode 4 - Bamboo Heart
As promised, this week is about a game that focuses on mechanics rather than message: Bamboo Heart, a side-scrolling sword-fighting game by Tijmen Tio and the Sokpop Collective. Blake and Jordan swap sword-fighting strategies, talk about what it means to say a game “feels good,” and Jordan is appalled to hear that Blake ran to the left in a sidescroller. Be sure to check out the game on itchio: https://sokpop.itch.io/bamboo-ep Or Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/561190/Bamboo_EP/ And follow @TijmenTio and @sokpopco on Twitter to hear from the creators. Next week, we play "Farbenspiel": https://figjig.itch.io/farbenspiel
Episode 3 - It is as if you were doing work
This week: Pippin Barr’s “It is as if you were doing work”. Topics of interest include the human need for monotony, the satisfaction of optimizing tedious tasks, and getting lung cancer by standing at your desk all day. Check out the game online here: https://pippinbarr.github.io/itisasifyouweredoingwork/ Support Pippin Barr by exploring his website and following him on social media: http://www.pippinbarr.com/ Next week: "Bamboo Heart" by Sokpop: https://sokpop.itch.io/bamboo-ep
Episode 2 - TREEEEEEES
TREEEEEEES (that's 7 E's) is on the docket today, prompting Jordan and Blake to discuss video games as performance art, the value of absurdity, and whether or not the creators are fucking with us. Be sure to play the game for yourself at www.treeeeeees.com and support the creators, @solimporta and @waiwha_.
Episode 1 - The Tearoom
This week, we discuss The Tearoom by Robert Yang; a game about police surveillance, cruising for sex in public spaces, and fetishised gun violence. Yep, you read that correctly. It's a doozy! The Tearoom can be found on itch.io: radiatoryang.itch.io/the-tearoom And also check out Robert Yang on twitter to get updates on his future game projects: twitter.com/radiatoryang
Episode 0 - Welcome to Edge Guard
This week, Hosts Blake Beckett and Jordan Pruett introduce themselves, talk about their backgrounds, and discuss some of their favorite games. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out our other episodes, where we discuss a specific fringe game each week!