Player One Podcast #1018: Just Some Guy Named James Bond

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]It's done.

[00:00:00]>> Doing a live.

[00:00:02]>> We're live. Look at that.

[00:00:06]>> That's how that worked.

[00:00:08]>> Yeah.

[00:00:11]Let's just get into it. Let's get started.

[00:00:14]>> Okay. You think >> Hello and welcome to episode 1018 of the Player One podcast for Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026.

[00:00:22]I'm your host, Chris Johnston. With me as always from Canada, Mr. Greg Stewart.

[00:00:29]Yellow.

[00:00:30]>> How's it going there, sir?

[00:00:32]>> Pretty good. How's it going with you, bro?

[00:00:34]>> Oh, God.

[00:00:36]>> But what? What?

[00:00:38]>> Oh god.

[00:00:39]>> That that good, huh?

[00:00:41]>> Yeah.

[00:00:42]>> What's wrong, CJ?

[00:00:45]>> I'm still sick.

[00:00:47]>> You sound better.

[00:00:48]>> Still still sick from uh yeah, last Sunday to now. Uh, first of all, I started feeling like I was getting allergies. Like you have that little like sore throat tickle or whatever.

[00:01:09]>> I usually get allergies at the end of the season. So, this was about that time.

[00:01:14]>> And uh then on Sunday I Well, I guess on Saturday I ordered a pizza from Domino's. Maybe that >> Oh, that was your first mistake. Yeah, >> certainly mistake. Um, and then had that for lunch on Sunday as well and started feeling really under the weather pretty quick.

[00:01:38]>> Do people do people eat Dominoes like by choice or >> Yeah, >> I always thought people ate that because that's what was there?

[00:01:45]>> Well, a little of column A, a little of column B.

[00:01:48]>> Okay.

[00:01:50]So, um, yeah, started feeling pretty sick and then I was watching the F1 race, the Canada Grand Prix, actually.

[00:02:00]>> Wow. Why? Cuz it was on Netflix or >> It was on Apple TV.

[00:02:04]>> Oh, Apple TV. Yeah. Well, they have the >> Yeah. [snorts] >> And I already like wasn't feeling great.

[00:02:11]So, I was like, I will just sit here and watch these cars go around uh the track.

[00:02:16]And [snorts] as the race progressed, the sicker I became and uh >> I mean to be fair, F1 can have that effect on people.

[00:02:26]>> Well, sure. Well, sure.

[00:02:29]And then yeah, started started puking my guts out.

[00:02:32]>> Jesus.

[00:02:33]>> And at that point, I was like, "Hey, I don't think I'm going to be uh on the show tonight."

[00:02:38]>> Food uh food poisoning is the worst.

[00:02:41]>> Yeah, it's pretty pretty bad. I've only had it well I've had it twice before I guess this one was real bad uh for sure where I was just yeah couldn't hold anything down. So anyway yeah I watched you guys do the show while in between puking [snorts] >> and then uh that night I started getting the hiccups.

[00:03:13]>> Okay. And they were like constant hiccups, just constant. And >> what I could do to get rid of them would be I could drink like really cold water, like take little sips of really cold water, and they would go away for about an hour, but then they would come right back. So that was my Sunday night.

[00:03:34]>> That's weird.

[00:03:34]>> And my Monday during the day and my Monday night. And on Tuesday, I was like, "Fuck it. I'm going to the urgian care. And so I had had these constant hiccups for like, you know, a full day.

[00:03:50]>> Yeah.

[00:03:51]>> And two nights of not sleeping because I'd be woken up every hour with hiccups.

[00:03:58]And uh well, and to tack on to that, my CPAP decided it didn't want to work anymore. So, uh, >> even if I was going to have good sleep >> or even if I was going to be able to sleep, I wouldn't have been able to because no CPAP. So, um, so figured out uh I I have a reflux issue.

[00:04:25]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:04:25]>> Bad bad reflux.

[00:04:27]>> Friend of mine has a problem with that.

[00:04:28]and I had stopped taking the medication for it about two months ago and they were like, "Uh, well, you probably should take that again. We should probably just start you [laughter] back up on that. That might help because, you know, and stop eating Dominoes >> and also that." So, they put me on that.

[00:04:52]I started taking that and that did away with hiccups almost immediately which was great. But uh yeah, I wasn't feeling 100% until I'm still not feeling 100%. I wasn't feeling like good enough to even really like start doing much of anything until Friday.

[00:05:13]>> Wow.

[00:05:14]>> Yeah.

[00:05:16]And even now like I'm not 100% still. So yeah, not not great.

[00:05:23]>> I'd say it's time to man up.

[00:05:26]>> Yeah, I've still got Yeah, a sore throat and so I've been drinking tea for the past few days and uh that has helped helped it significantly. But yeah, that's been my week. It's been bad. Really not not great.

[00:05:48]My week is okay.

[00:05:51]No constant hiccups?

[00:05:53]>> No.

[00:05:53]>> I don't I don't know if you've ever had like hiccups that are like every five seconds constantly and every hour and not being able to get rid of them.

[00:06:03]>> No, it's very frustrating.

[00:06:06]>> It's very very very frustrating >> and tiring too. Like your muscles hurt after that. Yeah. I mean, after like the bout with food poisoning where my muscles already hurt.

[00:06:20]>> Well, that's what I was going to say was like I've the couple times that I've had food poisoning, like that was the big thing is that my chest was so sore after a while because you're just sore >> constantly heaving. But >> you're using muscles that >> Yeah. don't really get used all that much.

[00:06:37]>> Yeah.

[00:06:37]>> So, there was that. There was Yeah.

[00:06:39]muscles from the heaving and also muscles from hiccuping that uh Yeah.

[00:06:44]hurt a lot. So, >> yeah.

[00:06:48]>> Not not great. Not great. Not a great week.

[00:06:52]>> Yeah.

[00:06:54]>> Well, like I said, I got I got nothing.

[00:06:56]>> Okay.

[00:06:57]>> My week was okay.

[00:06:59]>> Well, that's good. That's good. I'm glad.

[00:07:05][snorts] And of course, this uh this all comes like right before I'm going on like a trip for a week. So, I'm heading down to Southern California.

[00:07:17]>> Yeah.

[00:07:17]>> For the SoCal Gaming Expo uh next weekend. That's where they hold the Classic Tetris World Championship.

[00:07:27]>> Uh oh. So, that's why you're going.

[00:07:29]>> So, that's where I'm going to that.

[00:07:30]Yeah, because CTWC is there and I'll be there as part of enhance uh showing off of course Tetris Effect connected and talking to Tetris players and all that stuff. We're showing off Luminous Arise as well.

[00:07:46]>> Nice.

[00:07:47]>> So yeah, that'll be fun. So if anyone's going to the SoCal Gaming Expo, come by and say hello.

[00:07:54]>> CJ will have Player One merch.

[00:07:56]>> No, I won't.

[00:07:56]>> No, you won't. I might have some pins, but that that'll be the extent of it.

[00:08:01]>> Only 50 bucks.

[00:08:03][laughter] >> No.

[00:08:07]Uh so yeah, doing that and then doing a another work trip like uh right after that. So it's like Yeah, it'll be a week of travel right after. I'm I've been sick for a week. So that that's >> sounds awful. Yeah.

[00:08:24]>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's going to be just grand.

[00:08:28]So, anyway, why don't we talk about some video game news?

[00:08:34]>> Sure.

[00:08:35]>> That sound good to you?

[00:08:37]>> Yeah, let's do it.

[00:08:38]>> Well, the most important news, of course.

[00:08:41]>> Uh, talk to Punk 64 is coming to >> uh the N64 NSO on the 4th of June. That's this week.

[00:08:52]>> Yeah. So, I mean, obviously the N64 games on NSO look better than they did on the N64.

[00:09:01]They're I mean, just the video you've got running here is so much cleaner looking than than what was on original hardware. Uh, I'm wondering if the frame rate's going to be better because the frame rate in that game's pretty bad.

[00:09:12]>> Yeah, I doubt it's better.

[00:09:14]>> Yeah, >> it doesn't look terrible.

[00:09:17]>> That game was terrible. That game was terrible.

[00:09:20]Uh, >> you watched you watch the DK rap when it starts up and you've seen the best part of the game >> when it came out. I really liked it. I mean, I reviewed it.

[00:09:30]>> I remember >> I finished the game and reviewed it for EGM and I I enjoyed it. I think I gave it an eight or an 85. I don't think you did >> something like that.

[00:09:41]>> Um, it was, you know, right before the time I got completely sick of collectathons. So, uh, >> yeah, I think has a lot to collect.

[00:09:51]>> Yeah, it does. It's It's uh Well, I mean, it's got all the bananas, but you have to >> They're all They only need to be collected by the different characters, right? Like you're you're in levels and like you see all these different colored bananas, but you can only pick up the ones that are rel relate to the character you're playing as, >> right?

[00:10:08]>> So, there's what how many six characters, four, I don't know. But um yeah, I think that's one of the reasons what I never Well, okay, objectively, I think it's not a very good game. But having said that, the last time I played it was um not that long ago. So, I mean, you know, 3D games from the late 90s haven't aged well anyway, as far as like 3D uh platformers, like they the controls just weren't good >> in a lot of them. Um, this [clears throat] one is one of those. But I think the other thing is like I have no nostalgia for rare collectathons at all.

[00:10:54]Like I just I I didn't play rare games.

[00:10:56]I didn't find them fun, you know, and and they had all those platformers >> on and I just never played them. Yeah.

[00:11:05]>> DK64.

[00:11:06]>> Yeah. So, I think I was just like predisposed to not like that game when it came out. Anyway, >> um I don't think Donkey Kong 64 is better than Banjo or Banjo Tuili. Like, I think those might actually be better games, but >> yeah, I like >> it's been a long time, >> but because it was different.

[00:11:27]>> Yeah, >> you know, because it was so different.

[00:11:29]But, uh Yeah, >> it was absolutely so different.

[00:11:32]>> Yeah, >> but uh >> but yeah, I don't know. Don Kong 64 was never all that good and it hasn't aged well. But hey, you know, it's coming.

[00:11:44][laughter] >> I'm sure that's the case.

[00:11:48]>> But uh >> CJ's going to play through it. CJ's going to stream it start to finish.

[00:11:53]>> No, no, >> no.

[00:11:56]>> I might play it. I might play a little of it again. Sure. I haven't played it since I finished it back in the day. So, yeah. Well, hey, Valve has increased the price of the Steam Deck.

[00:12:10]>> Good lord.

[00:12:12]>> So, the one terabyte model going from $649 to $949.

[00:12:19]>> $300.

[00:12:21]>> $300 price.

[00:12:22]>> Holy God.

[00:12:23]>> Increase in the US. Yeah.

[00:12:27]So, both models increasing in price by over 40%. So the 512 gig is now $789 US and before that it was $5.49.

[00:12:42]Jesus. So, [laughter] a big uh a big price increase in part I think because the the RAM that it uses in particular has been the the kind that has been hit the hardest with uh increases. So I believe it uses sodiums for RAM and that is like yeah some of the components there in terms of the RAM and the uh the SSDs SSDs already are expensive enough.

[00:13:23]Uh, so that's why you get a $300 uh increase on the one TBTE and like a 250 increase on the uh 512. Yeah, >> that's insane.

[00:13:36]>> Pretty freaking crazy.

[00:13:39]>> Yeah, >> we just we just can't have anything nice.

[00:13:42]>> We can't I mean and Yeah. And there's no signs of anything stopping or no relief in sight at all.

[00:13:50]>> God damn. any of this any of this [snorts] stuff, which isn't great. And uh yeah, we'll see what when the Steam Machine and Steam Frame get uh released and priced and all that. We'll see what what those come out to.

[00:14:07]Probably over $1,000 for the uh Steam at this point.

[00:14:12]Think that's safe to say.

[00:14:15]All right. Uh Dragon Quest. So, it's the 40th anniversary of the Dragon Quest series. I don't know if you know that.

[00:14:22]Uh, you know, now. Yeah. So, they did a little uh video stream and announced uh a reboot of Dragon Quest 12. Do you remember when they announced this? It was supposed to be very different and had kind of heavy metal um >> no >> branding to it with fire and like rock like it was a real departure from things. You don't remember that? That was a few years ago.

[00:14:53]>> The article said it was 2021 that they announced it.

[00:14:55]>> Yeah, it was like five years ago. Um but yeah, they are going to well they they rebooted development on it and so it's going to be a while before uh before it comes out and they uh gave everybody like a new preview of what it looks like. Let me just uh boot that up. So it is has sort of done away with the dark uh grimy, brooding aesthetic and it's much more brightest game.

[00:15:33]>> Looks more like a Dragon Quest game.

[00:15:35]Exactly.

[00:15:37]Uh >> looks like it's fully 3D.

[00:15:40]>> It is fully 3D. Yeah.

[00:15:42]>> Cool.

[00:15:42]>> And you're going to get a look at the protagonist here who's gotten a lot of comments for being very plain and sort of stereotypical.

[00:15:53]>> Johnny Milk toast >> protagonist. Yeah, exactly. Johnny Milktose, [laughter] but the animation looks cool. Like running around the environment looks awesome. Um, >> so yeah, it looks it looks it looks like a Dragon Quest game. I you know, I love the way these games look, >> but more and more I'm just kind of realizing I'm just not a Dragon Quest guy.

[00:16:16]>> I want to like these games and I'll I'll pick one up and play it every now and then, and I just find that I it just I just peter out on it like >> Yeah. I don't know why >> I loved I loved the first game way back when, >> but um yeah, I mean there's been there have been good Dragon Quest games. A lot of I mean they're all good. I that's stupid of me to say. There have been Dragon Quest games that I've enjoyed, >> but uh I just find that I'm not I can't get in the mindset of of these games at all. And it's not that I don't want to play role playing games because I've been playing more of them lately. But uh >> yeah, I don't I don't stick with the Dragon Quest for some reason.

[00:16:55]>> That's shame because they are really good games.

[00:16:58]>> I think it's a matter of finding one where the story really like connects with you.

[00:17:03]>> Yeah, it could be.

[00:17:04]>> They are so different. They're not connected like you know the Final Fantasy series is very similar in that regard.

[00:17:10]>> Yeah. So, you just kind of have to find one with a protagonist and a story that that uh that works for you and then you might like it. So, for me that was well I think I played I played eight nine and 11. [laughter] >> I think I probably like 11. I just haven't played it.

[00:17:32]>> 11 is it is really good. It is really really good. I really liked one and two, like the original games, uh, especi like one on the NES, one and two on the Game Boy Color, and then like I think the next one I really played was eight. I played seven and I I hated it.

[00:17:50]>> Um, played eight and I really enjoyed it. I mean, seven, the old PlayStation game, >> the PlayStation 7.

[00:17:58]>> Um, but yeah, I just haven't uh haven't none of them have clicked for me since then.

[00:18:03]>> I understand that. Yeah, >> but I'm guessing 11 would. I just haven't played it.

[00:18:07]>> Well, guess what? 11s is coming out on the Switch 2.

[00:18:12]>> Yeah, I already I already own it on uh Steam anyway.

[00:18:15]>> Okay. Well, >> comes out on the Switch 2 in the fall.

[00:18:20]Unfortunately, no upgrade if you've had the Switch one version and no save transfer. So, you'd have to start over again, >> which yeah, is a big miss. I don't understand why that is the case, but uh that's that's the way they've gone with it. So, >> boo big big big boo. Anyway, uh speaking of Boo, Fable delayed to February 2027, so it's not due out this fall anymore.

[00:18:52]Xbox Game Studios and Playground Games delayed the game to uh give it its time to shine, its own moment to shine.

[00:19:03]>> So, they're trying to get away from Grand Theft Auto.

[00:19:05]>> Grand Theft Auto 6 is the reason why, right? Exactly.

[00:19:09]>> Yeah.

[00:19:11]>> So, yeah, we're going to be seeing it in their uh Xbox game showcase, which I believe is next week.

[00:19:20]And uh yeah, then it'll come out in February apparently. [clears throat] >> Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I mean I and we're going to talk about Forts Horizon 6 a little bit later, I'm I'm assuming. But um >> yeah, >> you know, they do a good job world building.

[00:19:36]>> So I I'm I'm to see what Playground does with this >> with this this franchise. So >> and I I like Fable, too.

[00:19:46]>> Yeah.

[00:19:48]All right. Well, that's uh that's news.

[00:19:51]And uh let's hop into what you've been playing. Greg, I'm going to let you go first so I'm not talking a whole bunch.

[00:19:58]>> Well, I was going to start with something that we both played, but uh actually everything I've got, we both played, but >> we could do that. We could do that, too.

[00:20:05]>> Okay. Well, I'll go through the the list I got here first. Um, so the one the one that I've played that uh you didn't because you actually had said that that you weren't interested in playing this uh based on on their previous game, >> which I don't know what it was, but um >> The Artful Escape.

[00:20:23]>> The Artful Escape. So, I'm talking about Mixtape.

[00:20:26]>> Mhm.

[00:20:27]>> Uh which is what's the name of the developer?

[00:20:30]>> I don't remember.

[00:20:31]>> Yeah, I forgot you.

[00:20:32]>> Uh it's it's it's a weird name.

[00:20:36]>> It's something and something. Yeah.

[00:20:38]Anyway, um yeah, so th this is a I mean, you know, indie indie game with an interesting art style. Um >> but I really I really like the the framing of it. It's very much a John Hughes actually. Honestly, it's it's Ferris Buer's Day Off in a lot of ways.

[00:20:55]>> Yeah. I mean, so you play as uh this this character Stacy um who but she's there with her like two best friends.

[00:21:03]They're uh they're they're metal heads from like the 90s basically. And you're playing uh through their final day together. Um because I can't I can't remember if it's they've graduated high school. They're about to gradu they must have already graduated high school. and Stacy is uh moving away from this little town that they're in um to move to New York to be to try to get into the music industry because her it's you know and that's why this is called mixtape cuz her character is very all about music.

[00:21:33]Um and then their other friend Cassandra is going away to college and then their other friend Van is honestly has no plans on leaving the little town they live in. But um yeah, so you're following them through through this day technically, but really the game's made up of a bunch of flashbacks. Um so there's a lot of sort of wandering around different set pieces and sort of interacting with different bits that are that are in the rooms or in the houses you're in or in the area you're in and talking to Cass and Van all the time. Um but they almost always trigger like a flashback and then that's that's kind of where the game play is. there there's uh usually a miniame involved. Uh whether that be like um riding a shopping cart uh like being at a party that's raided by the cops and so they jump into an empty shopping cart and and fly down a hill and you're like controlling the cart and that's that's one of the games. And there's one that's a very disturbing game right at the beginning where um uh Stacy remembers her first kiss uh that she says even then like she only did it to get it out of the way and you actually play this game where you control these two tongues.

[00:22:48][laughter] >> Oh my god, >> it's disturbing. It's the only thing that's like that in the whole game. But I mean in hindsight it's supposed to be because she calls out that it was terrible experience. Like she she kind of, you know, frames it as it was gross.

[00:23:01]So, the mini game is gross, but um anyway, each section is is based on a song. So, she's she's created a mixtape and she introduces the the songs at the beginning of sort of each chapter and those chapters always have the song playing in the background. Yeah. That you're actually on this video, you're showing the the the kissing miniame. Um and it's really interesting. It's all It's all licensed music um from the 60s right up through to the 80s. And uh I loved it. I really really enjoyed it a lot. It's it's just like I said, it's a John Hughes coming of age story. Um you know, Cass is very much um Oh my god, what's Ferris Buer's friend's name?

[00:23:55]>> Cameron.

[00:23:56]>> Cameron. She's very much camera, not in that she's a loser, but she's got extremely strict parents and she's sort of coming to grips with that and who she is and what the rest of her life's going to be like. And uh Stacy's struggling with whether or not she should really be doing what she's about to do and breaking up the friend group and you know, it's um >> it could have been a short film.

[00:24:18][laughter] >> Yeah. which is is the is the uh criticism I've heard online uh a lot about this. But I don't really feel like that's fair. Um, yeah, it's, you know, I mean, you could say it's, you could, you could argue it's not like a traditional game and maybe it doesn't need to have all these mini games, but, you know, it's it's the way they chose to tell this story through an interactive medium. And I think that's totally fine. And I think it's a really it's a really nice story. I really enjoyed it. Um, it got pretty emotional at the end, to be honest. Like, I was a little bit choked up by the end of it.

[00:24:58]Um, and really really enjoyed it a lot. And I loved [laughter] the music selection is really good. Um, but they actually have two Stan Bush songs in here.

[00:25:13]>> All right.

[00:25:13]>> And they're the two songs from the Transformers movie soundtrack.

[00:25:17]>> [snorts] >> There you got the touch and dare are are both in the game which they it's so weird because like you know they've got silver chair and the Jesus and Mary chain and and like you know uh Suzie and the what the heck is the name of that band anyway >> and the Banshees.

[00:25:32]>> Susie and the Banshees. So like you know it's I would say a pretty respectable mix and then you've got these two Stan Bush songs sort of shoehorned in there. Um, but anyway, yeah, and and the writing is really good. Like I I think it's uh the characters are really well done. They're very sort of 90s um [sighs and gasps] sort of I don't know, like aloof teenage 90s characters that are obviously like really sort of smart Alex and but they I think they did a great job. uh uh with the dialogue like they're they're very philosophical in a really like 18-year-old kind of way. You know what I mean? Like if you think back to what you were like that age and you're just like sort of having these >> they always have these like little epiphies that they talk to each other about which like makes sense but makes sense in a very like you know I've only been alive for 18 years and my world's been very small up to this point and but that's what gives it its charm.

[00:26:43]>> Sure. Um, >> see, I really recommend it. And what I I really loved about it, too, was uh I was sitting here playing it and my youngest daughter came home from her friend's place and sort of sat down and just watched me play it for a while. And um she's like, "What is this?" And I I told her. And so she sat and watched me play it for like two hours.

[00:27:05]And uh when she went to bed, we went to bed late that night because we were we were playing this and she said like, "You can't you can't play any more of this unless I'm here."

[00:27:15]>> So, but then >> I was playing it on PlayStation and she realized that it was on uh Game Pass.

[00:27:20]So, she actually played through it herself on uh on um Game Pass, which it's not weird for her to play video games. She does play video games, but um this is the first game she's ever played through right to the end.

[00:27:32]>> Wow. All right.

[00:27:33]>> Yeah. So, she finished it herself. So, yeah, I really liked it a lot. I I I recommend it. Um especially, like I said, if you're a fan of like sort of the John Hughes, like Ferris Buer, 16 Candles, Pretty and Pink, that kind of stuff. I think you'll get a lot out of it, especially the Ferris Buer part of it.

[00:27:54]>> Um >> so, yeah, loved it. Really liked it a lot.

[00:27:58]>> Cool. Cool.

[00:27:59]>> Yeah, >> it has been getting a lot of great buzz.

[00:28:02]So >> yeah, it has. Yeah.

[00:28:04]>> Yeah, I know that it's not for me, but >> yeah, that's fair. [laughter] >> But um yeah, it's again, it's it's definitely worth I liked the fact that I loved it. And I mean, I think I loved it for different reasons than my daughter did, but you know, um a 50-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl both really enjoying it. Uh it's kind of neat. Um anyway.

[00:28:27]>> Yeah.

[00:28:27]>> Yeah. Uh, also finally got Forbidden Solitaire.

[00:28:34]>> Nice.

[00:28:34]>> Started playing that. That's really good.

[00:28:37]>> Uh, yeah, it is.

[00:28:39]>> Yeah.

[00:28:41]I don't know. I don't know how long it's going to take to get through, but I really am enjoying it a lot.

[00:28:47]>> Um, I I like I I love the idea behind how I think that's supposed to be your sister who's constantly sending you messages.

[00:28:56]Yeah. Right about that. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:28:57][snorts] >> So, like, yeah, the whole idea of, man, like this game has a really weird history and she's digging further and further and finding things about like the occult and and like deaths related to this this solitire game from the CDR solitary game from the '9s and sending you like news reports and stuff like that. It's pretty funny. And the game itself, like the mechanics is pretty they're pretty good, right? I like >> Oh, yeah. They're great.

[00:29:24]>> Yeah. Yeah, I mean I like how I mean it's literally just a linear story and every time there's something your character needs to do uh you play a game a round of solitaire. Um, but I do like like the special cards they put in and like I'm at a point now where you have like poisonous cards that um as long as they stay on the tableau like they're they're actually chewing away your hit points and um different ways to like lock cards and that there's the maggot cards as well that you have to kill and >> it's neat and it's it's the the battle the battle situation the battle setup's pretty cool. It's different. Um, I love how it's so like 90s gory for the sake of being 90s gory. Uh, it's it really fits the It really fits the style they're going for. Like even when you go to the store and you buy powerups, they're gems, which is like, "Oh, that's interesting." And you can see your hand on the screen, but every time you buy a powerup gem, it embeds itself in the hand.

[00:30:24]>> Yeah.

[00:30:24]>> It's gross. [laughter] >> Yes, it is.

[00:30:29]>> It's perfect.

[00:30:30]>> Yeah. No, I'm really enjoying it. I haven't tried to play it on the Steam Deck. Um I'm just playing >> great on the Steam Deck. Just uh use the trackpad uh for the mouse. It's >> I should >> real nice. Really nice. And >> it works really well with the Steam controller as well. Just >> Yeah.

[00:30:49]>> Great. Great stuff.

[00:30:50]>> It can get tough though.

[00:30:52]>> It can. Yeah, I've had a couple of game overs.

[00:30:57]>> Yeah, me too. There's that one uh the the play mechanic that was really throwing me was um >> every now and then you'll you'll get uh you'll get around where you're trying to avoid being seen.

[00:31:08]>> And the way that they do that is they put a spotlight on the screen that's just like this cone of it's kind of like a Metal Gear, right? Like this cone of vision >> from this little spotlight at the top of the screen that will sweep across the screen like every couple of turns. And any card that's in that cone of vision, you can select a card that's in that cone, but if you do, it turns red. And then if you select any more cards that are in that cone, >> you'll die. And the thing is is that like it it essentially nullifies some of your uh your special abilities because like you're always uh gathering mana and you've got these different jokers and so some of them will actually like destroy cards or clear the tableau or shuffle things or something like that. But if it affects any cards that are in that cone of vision, you'll die. So I found I find those rounds are really difficult cuz without fail I need a card that's in that cone of vision.

[00:32:07]>> Of course. Yes. That always is the way.

[00:32:10]>> Yeah.

[00:32:11]>> Yeah.

[00:32:12]>> So uh but man it's really good.

[00:32:14]>> It's a lot.

[00:32:16]>> Yeah.

[00:32:17]>> So too many games right now, man.

[00:32:19]>> I know. So many.

[00:32:22]>> So speaking of too many games, more recent stuff.

[00:32:27]Lego Batman is one that I know you're playing as well.

[00:32:31]>> Um, what are you thinking about it?

[00:32:32]Because I talked about it a little bit last week on the show.

[00:32:35]>> Uh, so yeah, I really like it. Um, I'm I've only really just started the game.

[00:32:43]Okay.

[00:32:44]>> Um, so I'm not that far into it, but uh, yeah, I think it does everything that I've loved about previous LEGO games.

[00:32:54]it, you know, has a ton of fanervice >> about Batman, every aspect of Batman, the animated series, the movies, the 60s TV show, all of that stuff. Plus the humor, uh, is just very off-the-wall and fun, and I love that type of thing. Uh, as well, it looks beautiful, too. like it is a very sharpl looking game >> uh for being a LEGO game and I really so far have loved the combat and um yeah, pretty much everything about it I've enjoyed so far, but again I'm not too far into it. I'm still in the the League of Shadows.

[00:33:41]>> I was going to ask at the beginning >> I was going to ask if you gotten into Gotham yet because uh an open world game once you get into Gotham, right? So, >> right. Um, which I think is uh it's good, but it definitely brought my progress to a bit of a >> a bit of a halt for a while.

[00:33:58]>> Oh, really? Okay.

[00:33:59]>> Well, mostly because I wanted to explore, you know, it wasn't forcing me to, but it was just like, oh, I'm driving here, but now there's this crime happening and there's this thing over here, so I want to go check that out.

[00:34:09]And what was that little icon that appeared? But what I do like about um the at least when they start you into the open world in in Gotham, it's a small area. I think it's called Tri Corner is the area. And I mean it's a very small area. Um so I kind of like that where you do end up getting a decent amount of things to do in there, but like you're not everything's close.

[00:34:36]You're not really traveling too far to do anything.

[00:34:40]Um, and then it's kind of, you know, shephering you along pretty fast. And that's and that's like you, there's so much to do before you even really get into some semblance of what will become the Batcave.

[00:34:55]>> Mhm.

[00:34:56]>> Um, and I'm liking how right now I'm playing a lot with uh with uh well, he's not Commissioner Gordon yet. He's Inspector Gordon >> um as sort of the sidekick. and he's got his own abilities that are actually pretty cool and and yeah, I'm really I'm really still digging it a lot. But I I definitely slowed down my progress uh when I got into the open world bit. But yeah, the the fan service is great. Like >> I I like how they're actually referencing a couple of different films as well. Like uh the first time you probably you might have caught it how um uh Razal Ghoul actually has a line from um Taken.

[00:35:36]>> Did you notice that?

[00:35:37]>> Yeah. Yeah, I heard about that. Yeah.

[00:35:39]>> So, there's a section later on that you haven't gotten to yet where um you go to Wayne Tower um as Bruce Wayne and you walk in and and to the receptionist, you hand her your business card to show that you're Bruce Wayne and then some guy goes crazy about the quality of the business card >> and it's like it's very much an American Psycho reference. He's just he's like sort of referencing the whole that whole scene in American Psycho where they're comparing business cards and everything.

[00:36:10]It's like movie.

[00:36:12]>> Oh, haven't you? Well, anyway, well, there you go. When you see the joke now, you'll know where it comes from.

[00:36:16]Obviously, you know, uh the famously the Batman actor whose name I can't remember, >> Christian. Christian Bale, he was an American Psycho. So, >> anyway, yeah, I I'm loving it. I'm loving that stuff. And every time they show Alfred, he's kind of like getting the Batcave together and just it's it's ridiculous. He's always in ridiculous situations.

[00:36:39]>> Yeah.

[00:36:40]>> I love it. I I love the humor of everything. It's It's great. Yeah. I I need need to play more of it. There's so many games.

[00:36:49]>> Yeah. And you should watch American Psycho, by the way.

[00:36:52]>> I should. [clears throat] Um, and then the other one, the other game that I think we're both going to be talking about just came out this week is uh 007 First Light.

[00:37:03]>> Yeah.

[00:37:05]So, I wasn't sure I I I'm a James Bond fan.

[00:37:12]I wasn't sure I wanted to play it. Um because it's IO Interactive and I know the Hitman games are good, but I've never been a fan of them. I've tried them a few times and it just they've never really done anything for me. So, I was kind of like reluctant to play this. Although, [snorts] then I had someone describe it as somebody on our Discord. I think I think it was actually Mike Phillips who described it as Uncharted crossed with Hitman. It's like, okay, well, I'm a little more interested now. But then, yeah. So, uh, we we we we bought this game with show funds. So, uh, the the risk was was taken away as far as that goes. And I love it.

[00:37:54]>> Mhm.

[00:37:54]>> It's really good.

[00:37:57]>> Yeah, it is.

[00:37:58]>> Um, h I don't know how far you are right now, but >> not very.

[00:38:02]>> Oh, really? Okay.

[00:38:04]>> Not very, but I uh I love the playable montage, the training montage. Yes. Like that.

[00:38:11]>> That's exactly what I was going to bring up. like interesting ways to do like uh connected tutorial bits, although it felt a little disconnected, but it's like different gameplay snippets that you're suddenly dropped into.

[00:38:27]>> Yeah.

[00:38:28]>> That include, you know, melee combat or >> shooting, >> driving, shooting, things like that, running and gunning. And uh I really enjoyed how that whole thing was set up. Like I really thought it was great. And I had watched a streamer do it um a day before and I was like, "What the hell am I watching?" Like when I tuned in, they were right at the they were doing the montage and I was like, "What is happening with the game? Is it like skipping around?" And it's like, "No, it's it's a montage uh bit." Which I thought, yeah, super super fun uh way to do everything. Yeah.

[00:39:10]Yeah, I mean I think they they did a great job um right from the right from the rip actually. Like I mean so this the whole story here is it's an origin story for Bond.

[00:39:20]Um so when you start I mean you're not I mean you are James Bond but you're not the James Bond at that point. You're >> 007.

[00:39:27]>> You're just some guy named James Bond who's a who's a British soldier. Um so there's [clears throat] yeah there's this big stealth and action sequence at the beginning. I much like a James Bond movie when you're finished. That's when the credits run and and with a nice brand new James Bondish sounding theme song and everything like that. Um >> Lana Lana Del Rey.

[00:39:47]>> Lana Del Rey. Yeah. Which my kids were impressed by that. Uh that's who it was that was singing um in a video game. But uh yeah, I I I' I've really been enjoying them tutorializing everything using these training montages. Um, you almost I just waiting for it to break into like you're the best around or something like that. But, um, >> yeah, >> but it's handled really well. So, I'm actually in the first like real mission now. Uh, the first mission as a double O anyway. Oh, >> okay.

[00:40:18]>> Or I should say the second mission.

[00:40:19]There's like an infiltration mission earlier than that. But what I'm really digging, which I think this is kind of how the Hitman games work, is that I It gives you so many options to do what you need to accomplish.

[00:40:33]>> Um >> Yeah. You have multiple ways to tackle everything.

[00:40:37]>> Yeah. So, I'm in this mission right now where I'm I'm try to trying to like infiltrate this big hotel where there's a it's where there's a chess competition happening, which explains the chess pieces in the opening trailer or the opening credits. Um, >> and it's just like I'm so impressed by how many different ways I could be doing this.

[00:40:58]>> Um, [clears throat] although I'm in a section now where I'm trying to get through a laundry room that's filled with excons and I cannot do it.

[00:41:08]>> I can't. I I've I've I've tried it like five times and I just I'm so I'm trying to be stealthy, but there's really not a not a happy way to get from point A to B in there and and there's a lot of distractors, but I can't distract everybody enough to run sort of get past them. So, I always end up in a big fight with them and I'm not good enough at the combat to get through.

[00:41:29]>> Okay. Okay.

[00:41:30]>> To get through it. Um, but yeah, no, I'm I'm I'm glad that I I uh took the leap on this one because um it's real good.

[00:41:41]It's really good.

[00:41:43]>> It is very good. Yeah.

[00:41:45]>> Yeah. And I'm loving I love the lab.

[00:41:48]>> Yeah.

[00:41:48]>> I love the Hitman games anyway. Hitman World of Assassination stuff they did like H those are fun fun games uh and missions. So I I knew from that viewpoint this was going to be good.

[00:42:05]>> Mhm.

[00:42:06]>> And it seems like, you know, from the combat perspective, uh it's not all about stealth and sneaking around, which I think is >> Oh, [clears throat] definitely not.

[00:42:16]>> Uh and yeah, everything that I've seen so far I've really just loved. So curious to see what they're going to do in terms of uh encouraging you to try different ways of tackling missions you've already done like if there is going to be any sort of >> they've already set that up.

[00:42:39]>> Okay.

[00:42:40]>> In the game. Uh >> because Hitman was very much like that.

[00:42:43]It's like, "Hey, we're gonna you did it this way, but we're gonna like give you a hint." Like, "What if you did this?"

[00:42:50]>> Yeah.

[00:42:51]>> So, I mean, do you want me to tell you how they're going to do that?

[00:42:54]>> Sure. [snorts] So, in the Q Lab, there's another character whose name I'm I'm blanking on because that's kind of my thing. Um, that you meet early on where she's she talks about how she's building a virtual sort of a virtual reality training program. Okay. Um, and after you go do I think the the first real mission as a double O trainee, when you talk to her again, the uh the system is up and running. And she points out how um it's using the data that's collected by the double O's when they're on their missions, >> okay, >> to recreate those missions, but to give you the option to change all the variables. So, like, you know, the the first the first the opening sequence takes place in Iceland, >> right?

[00:43:41]>> Um, and so that's like the first mission that she has available for you to try.

[00:43:46]But I haven't tried it yet cuz I'm I was I think I actually can't do it yet cuz it was said, "Yeah, I'll try it later."

[00:43:52]But, um, she's saying like, "Imagine if you did that mission, but it was like during a blizzard. We can do that." You know what I mean? like she's she's saying like we can change every variable but it's going to feel real because it's using a haptic suit and you're in virtual reality and >> [snorts] >> etc etc. So I think that's >> how they do what you're talking about.

[00:44:10]>> That's interesting. Okay.

[00:44:13]>> And there's an online component too that I haven't the game is twi two or three times called out like you should really be online but I don't know why it doesn't say why >> what that what that does for you. Yeah.

[00:44:28]Yeah. So, and I haven't bothered trying to figure it out cuz I don't think I'm quite to the point where >> it will do whatever it's talking about yet cuz I'm still pretty early in the even though I'm a few hours in now or a couple hours in now. I I feel like I'm still really early in the game. So, >> okay.

[00:44:47]>> You know, there hasn't been that big moment where one of the double O's uh the trainee um kills everybody or something like that. Like I feel like that's coming cuz it's it's a Bond story, but >> naturally >> anyway.

[00:45:00]>> Which one of your friends is actually going to double cross everybody?

[00:45:03]>> Right. Exactly. [laughter] >> Because you're in a group of like six with six other Yeah. I think cuz you are 007 and I think there's actually one through six as trainees with you as well. So >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:45:19]>> Yeah. Anyway, no, it's really good.

[00:45:21]Really enjoying it. Too many games to play right now, but I'm really enjoying it.

[00:45:26]>> My god. I know, right?

[00:45:28]>> Yeah.

[00:45:28]>> It's nuts.

[00:45:30]>> So, I know we have one other game to talk about, but why don't you uh go through the rest of your what you've been playing first?

[00:45:37]>> Okay, I'll do that. Um, let me bring up this one. So, I started playing Yoshi and the Mysterious Book.

[00:45:48]And this one, I think a lot of people have a lot of thoughts about uh this game because there was the expectation that it was going to be a Yoshi platformer, which it kind of is, but it's not a Yoshi's Island type platformer at all.

[00:46:08]you know, this the Yoshis find this mysterious book and then uh chapter by chapter go through and kind of make different discoveries inside of the worlds on the pages. So, you find different animals or creatures or things happen on there and you investigate them. And so you go into a level that's basically like a a sandbox and you are investigating a particular type of creature, but you're investigating all parts of that level and that creature. So how does that creature um interact with the world? What happens if you put it on its back on your back?

[00:46:55]What happens if you eat it? What happens if you connect that creature with something else in the level? What happens if it eats a berry or a pepper that's on that level? And so you uncover like all of these different things. So it's a very much like a sandbox where you're discovering things. is sort of like a puzzle game where it's like, okay, you're investigating this flower creature, but um in essence, you're trying to find out everything you can about it. So, yeah, if it rides on Yoshi's back, it does this. Or if you eat it, it does this. Or if you butt stomp on it, it does this.

[00:47:37]or um you know the different ways it interacts with other animals or creatures in the environment. Like once you get a little further in the game, things start to interact with each other and you sort of uh you know figure out how everything interacts with each other and you can be like, "Oh, you discover with the flowers that if you bop them a certain way, then it exposes this um this stalk that you can then hook onto umbrellas and ride around and things like that. Like there's a lot of discover. This is a game about making discoveries by combining the different things in in the world in each level. It's not a platforming game. It's not a challenging game in that respect.

[00:48:33]There's no way to die in each level.

[00:48:36]Like, but that's not what the game's about. The game is about having these sort of aha moments where you are saying, "Oh, well, what if I combine this with this or what if I bring this over here?" Like, what's going to happen? Or what if I butt stomp uh this bubbly pool a whole bunch? Like, what happens then? And um so that's the magic of this game. That's the whole thrill of this game are those discoveries, those sort of aha moments.

[00:49:09]And it fills out the book with the different things that you've done after you have completed a level. And each level has maybe like one goal that you are trying to um achieve, but it has many other mini goals. And so after you've achieved whatever the main goal is, you can exit the level at any time after that point.

[00:49:34]Um, or you can stay in and continue to make discoveries if you want. And it always hints at discoveries that you didn't find um in your playthrough as it reveals like what the discoveries you did find are. So, >> okay.

[00:49:52]>> Yeah, it's a it's a really interesting game. very different than I think anybody, myself included, thought. Like, it's not a Yoshi platformer. Those are the mechanics, but it's a Yoshi discovery sandbox. It's kind of a puzzle a puzzle game.

[00:50:10]>> Yeah. I mean, that's how they were describing it. And And I mean, it sure looks pretty. It's a very pretty game.

[00:50:17]Yeah, it looks great. And yeah, you just kind of interact with the environment.

[00:50:21]It's like, oh, okay. Well, all of these little cotton balls, puff balls are appearing on the ground. What happens if they attach to this boulder here? Oh, then I can break the boulder because the puff balls have weakened the boulder.

[00:50:36]And what happens, you know, if I put them on a bigger boulder? What happens if I run through and make these larger puff balls? What happens then? Like, there's just all these different things to discover and find. And so you're having these aha moments like at a pretty rapid pace.

[00:50:55]Yeah. What happens if I feed an apple to the flower? What happens if the flower is covered with puff balls? Like all all these different things. It's like all it hits you in rapid succession. You're finding out all of these things. And if you like Nintendo games where they're like relying on you to discover things, I think you're really going to like this game because it's full of that. And this game is nothing but that.

[00:51:24]>> That's cool. It seems like something I wouldn't play. But >> yeah, I I can understand that for sure.

[00:51:32]Like it's not a platformer in the traditional sense. It's not another Yoshi's Island. Like people for sure go into games like this thinking or looking for that and that's just not going to not going to happen.

[00:51:48]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:51:51]But it's a fun little video game. I'm having uh a good time with it so far.

[00:51:57]>> Cool.

[00:51:58]>> Yeah. Um what else did I play? Oh uh Forza Horizon 6. Let's talk about that.

[00:52:05]Um, so I picked up Forza Horizon 6 on Steam >> and I've been playing it on the Steam Deck.

[00:52:16]Was that a mistake? I'm not sure yet.

[00:52:20][laughter] >> Why does it not play well on the Steam Deck?

[00:52:23]>> No, it it plays it plays well on the Steam Deck. Uh, it runs well like it holds 30 frames a second pretty well.

[00:52:32]some occasional slowdowns to uh like 28 29 frames a second. So, not bad. It doesn't look great necessarily.

[00:52:43]I think it looks fine on the portable like playing portably. Yes. If you're playing it on TV, no, I don't think it works as well.

[00:52:51]>> But if you're playing portably on the OLED, I think it looks great.

[00:52:55]Um, and I think uh, in general I really like it in terms of Fors of Horizon games, in terms of racing games in general, the way that I prefer to play is kind of like a drop in like, oh, just give me something cool to do and I'll race and like then drop out. Like I'm not really like looking for >> I'm not even really paying attention to my career, you know, for his horizon game. I'm just looking to drop in, have fun for a little while, and uh dip out.

[00:53:28]And Fors Horizon 6 does that very, very well. You know, like previous games, it has a little AI uh companion thing that you can ask uh to suggest different things that you can do at any given time. And so I've used that a bunch. And there's like a food delivery um mini game thing that I really like have liked doing so far. So I've done a bunch of that and uh I've done I think I've gotten two of the wristbands so far.

[00:54:02]>> Okay.

[00:54:02]>> So um and they Yeah, they I've done like rally races and street races and um all kinds of stuff. So, I I am really enjoying it so far. And the variety in terms of where you're racing, I think, is great. Uh, Forza, I think, is just my speed in terms of being able to re rewind if I make like a major mistake and be able to fix it uh, pretty well. I like the whole idea that it puts the racing line down even though uh you don't really have to like it's just a suggestion really but it >> I think it's definitely the best way to do it. But >> yeah I so I um I've configured it so that it only shows me the breaking line.

[00:54:54]>> So it doesn't show the blue line uh for most of the time just the yellow and red which has been nice. Um, but yeah, I I am really enjoying it.

[00:55:06]Obviously, the the Japan setting I really enjoy as well. And of course, the music's great. The game play is great.

[00:55:13]I'm using the behind the car elevated view uh most often. Not not the in-car view because I just cannot I cannot >> do that view very well. You know, it's funny because I remember the older Fors of Horizons, that's how I used to play and I I've tried that in this one and like, how did I ever do this?

[00:55:36]>> Yeah.

[00:55:37]>> How did that [clears throat] work?

[00:55:38]>> Yeah.

[00:55:40]>> Yeah. But I'm really enjoying it. I'm having a lot of fun with it. Just kind of playing uh a few races every now and again. Just kind of Yeah. Not uh burning out on it or anything like that.

[00:55:51]>> Yeah.

[00:55:51]>> Just uh yeah, having fun with it on on the regular.

[00:55:57]I think for a gamer like you, Greg, who's like all about racing, I can see why you don't like the way that it's set up because it's really, you know, set up for someone like me with a short attention span and wanting to [laughter] do different things and not focus on one car or one aspect of your career. And that's just kind of what the game has become now, which I'm totally all about.

[00:56:25]I love it, but I can understand why it wouldn't be for you.

[00:56:29]>> Yeah, it just uh it didn't it Yeah, I I I stopped playing it.

[00:56:35]>> That's too bad. It's not for me. So, >> it's too bad.

[00:56:38]>> Which I talked about last week. I'm not going to complain about it again. It's just not for me.

[00:56:43]>> Yeah. And I understand that. Yeah.

[00:56:47]Uh, so I also played the Adventures of Elliot prologue demo uh for a little while.

[00:56:53]>> So Adventures of Elliot is uh the Octopath Traveler team >> doing a Zelda style action game.

[00:57:03]>> So it's got the HD 2D style graphics.

[00:57:08]Um, and let me just bring up the uh demo so I can talk over it.

[00:57:24][laughter] I believe our good friend Brent Mukai is uh one of the voice actors in it too, >> which is cool. Always cool to hear him.

[00:57:33]>> [snorts] >> Um but uh yeah, so it's Zelda style sort of over overhead perspective. Uh just kind of beautifully done. Uh >> well, I mean those games look gorgeous.

[00:57:48]So >> beautifully done. So nice.

[00:57:52]>> Yeah. In the beginning of the game, so the prologue demo now this will carry your save over to the final game and the full game comes out in uh mid June.

[00:58:02]So, this is really like the start of the game. And I have seen people kind of complain that the dungeons are really easy. And it's like, well, yeah, this is the start of the game. [laughter] It's going to be >> it's going to be easy. And yes, it's not going to assume that you have played a game of this style, >> right, >> necessarily. So, it does have uh I have heard complaints on the internet that it has, you know, a sidekick that talks too much and eh I'm not I'm not usually bothered by that kind of thing anyway and so far it's been fine.

[00:58:34]>> Na'vi fan.

[00:58:36]>> I don't really care. I mean, yes, she talks he talked a lot in that game, but I'm not going to like it. It it doesn't ruin my enjoyment of [laughter] the game any at all. So, um, so yeah, this game, yeah, Zelda style adventure has dungeons. It does little things like combat bonuses, like if you're able to, >> uh, you know, hit enemies without getting hit yourself. You add like uh a certain amount to the the bonuses or the the sorry, the the gold that you get from downing enemies.

[00:59:18]which is nice.

[00:59:20]>> Yeah. So, >> all you're really reminding me is that Mina the Hollower is out, too. I got to play that.

[00:59:26]>> Mina the Hollower is out. Yeah. This this game, Adventures of Elliot, is more my speed, I think, than Mina the Hollower.

[00:59:36]>> I have been watching people play Mean the Holer >> and it just reminds me how much that probably is not my style of game or it's just not for me. I really want to play it, but I just there's just so much right now.

[00:59:49]>> Yeah, even this the Adventures of Elliot uh prologue demo like um it is like do I really want to play through the the demo and then start the game like >> right >> uh whenever that's coming out like uh in less than a month? like, yeah, I probably shouldn't play all the way through the demo.

[01:00:16]Probably should just wait. And plus, there's so many other games coming out that I want to play and that I'm in the process of playing that.

[01:00:25]>> Exactly.

[01:00:27]>> Yeah, probably shouldn't uh focus too much on this one. So, >> so anyway, yeah, that's Adventures of Elliot.

[01:00:34]Let's talk about Bubsy.

[01:00:36]>> Bubsy. So, why are we talking about Bubsy?

[01:00:39]So, on our listeners, >> on our discord, >> uh, some of the listeners decided it would be fun to do like a game of the month type uh, game club thing. Maybe not call it game club because that term is doomed in player one lore.

[01:00:56]>> Negative connotations. Yep.

[01:00:57]>> Negative connotation. So, yeah, there's a game of the month channel on our Discord where people uh have voted upon a game to play. Uh they voted on Bubsy for May and then June, I believe, is Sin and Punishment and Star Fox 64. It's like a dual >> Yep. First two weeks, then the second two weeks. Yep.

[01:01:20]>> A dual a dual role uh of of two different games. So, um, yeah, started off with Bubsy and >> So, we figured we'd partake.

[01:01:31]>> We figured we would partake. I played a little Bubsy for the first time. I had never played B.

[01:01:38]>> Me, too. I had never played it before.

[01:01:41]Um, I I I ended up getting the the perfect collection. uh describing that because I wanted to see the interviews but um >> I played it on NSO.

[01:01:54]>> Oh, I forgot it was on NSO.

[01:01:56]>> It's on NSO.

[01:01:58]>> But yeah, I was the same way. Like I remember it's so funny because when Bubsy came out, it was really wellreceived the first one.

[01:02:07]>> Yeah.

[01:02:08]>> It it it got a lot of praise in the press.

[01:02:12]>> Yes, it did. Um, >> and I never really played it.

[01:02:17]>> I gotta say I don't understand.

[01:02:20]>> Neither do I.

[01:02:22]>> Neither [laughter] did you.

[01:02:23]>> I do not understand the phrase. I'm almost wondering if it isn't like a, >> you know, somebody at Accolade was really wellliked by the press. That's why Pupsy got uh decent >> decent coverage and decent reviews cuz the game itself >> is not very good.

[01:02:43]>> Is not very good. Uh it's not a well-designed platformer. It has it's just a mish mash of ideas really.

[01:02:51]>> It is yarn balls. For what reason?

[01:02:55]>> There's no reason.

[01:02:57]>> Well, I think [clears throat] that's it.

[01:02:59]I mean, I think it's it's an interesting sort of look into how important the mascot platformer was >> in the '9s. And I mean, you know, for what it's worth, I will say this game does look nice like for for being like from 90 what two >> I think it is.

[01:03:20]>> I don't know. Yeah, I think that sounds right.

[01:03:22]>> I mean, the character is I mean, you know, the character animates nicely.

[01:03:26]He's got a lot of personality. Sure.

[01:03:28]>> Um, you know, all that stuff is all that stuff is good. And the levels, they look okay, you know. I mean, there's nothing special.

[01:03:36]>> They look okay, but they're not designed well.

[01:03:39]>> Massively.

[01:03:40]>> Well, that's just it, right? And that's when I'm playing when I was playing it.

[01:03:44]Um, what I really I was really taken by two things that you can see that either they didn't, and I I say this as someone who's never tried to build a game like this either, and it's easy it's easy to say this, >> but um, >> boy, they Yeah, the levels just seem like there was no rhyme or reason to the design. And they're so big and everything's off screen. Like almost every other jump in Bubsy is a leap of faith. And like you look at like a Sonic or a Mario and that's just not the case, >> right? Like it's that's the reason that those games the level design in those games that's what's so good about it is that you know there are multiple paths.

[01:04:26]There are things offcreen that you you don't necessarily see on your first run through, but you're not just randomly jumping into space and hoping for the best, especially in a onehit kill situation, which is the other problem with >> one hit kills. Yeah, it's crazy.

[01:04:45]I was thankful for being able to rewind >> while playing because I I was like if I was playing this normal with no save state or no way no ability to like undo a mistake, I would not last long in this.

[01:05:04]>> No, exactly. And and I mean, you know, it's funny because it it reminded me of um when I was I did some freelance for I think this interview was when we were working on the uh Sega Mega Drive and Genesis collected work works book from uh Read Only Memory and I I think it was Craig Stit that I was interviewing. So Craig Stit was um I think he he worked at he worked at Sega Technical Institute uh way back when, but he's uh more probably his bigger claim to fame is Spyro.

[01:05:40]>> Um I think Spyro was his creation.

[01:05:43]>> And so he worked on uh and he worked on the um the toys to life game that grew out of Spyro, games that grew out of Spyro. Um, and he I remember him telling me a story about working at Sega of America and them getting um prototypes of Sonic the Hedgehog, the original Sonic the Hedgehog >> and him saying like the first prototype that we got, it wasn't very good. The game wasn't very good. and he said, "When we knew that this game was going to be something great was the first prototype they got where Sonic could take two hits."

[01:06:27][laughter] Like up until that point, he said it was a technical marvel, right? Like it was really fast. They couldn't figure out how how Naka was doing the loop-de-loop trick.

[01:06:35]>> Um that was one of the big things that he called out too. But he said like when Sonic became great was when they got a revision of it where he could hold rings and when he got hit he would just lose the rings. [clears throat] >> And as I'm playing Bubsy I'm thinking that's what this game needs so badly.

[01:06:55]>> He absolutely does. Yeah.

[01:06:57]>> You need like use the yarn balls. Do do the Sonic thing. Give them two hits, right? Because especially where you're gonna make people make one leap of faith after another, >> like it's oh boy, oh boy, you've got no time. And and he moves just fast enough that you've got no time to react to anything, >> right? And you you have to use that uh flying mechanic pretty liberally like float Yeah. float down >> cuz you die from falls >> all the time.

[01:07:28]>> A lot.

[01:07:29]>> Yeah. Except when you're coming out of a spout of water for some reason.

[01:07:33]>> Yeah. What's the deal?

[01:07:34]>> Multiple screens and you're fine. Yeah.

[01:07:38]>> Yeah.

[01:07:39]>> Yeah.

[01:07:40]>> So, but yeah, Bubsy boy. I I I I >> people liked this game back in the day.

[01:07:46]>> I don't get it.

[01:07:47]>> Who though? Who though?

[01:07:49]>> People. I don't know.

[01:07:50]>> People [snorts] cuz I I mean, I read the video game magazines at the time and I know that it got good reviews. I never played it back then and had no desire to really.

[01:08:01]>> Yeah.

[01:08:02]>> Uh and then Yeah, I never played any of the Well, I played Bubsy 3D, of course, but uh >> Well, yeah. I mean, that's your game.

[01:08:12]>> I know, [snorts] but it Yeah, it just wasn't a series that I had any interest in, and I didn't know anybody that played Bubsy or >> Yeah, that's fair. Neither did I.

[01:08:25]>> Bubsy. So, who are these people?

[01:08:28]>> Yeah.

[01:08:30]I can't believe this was going to be a cartoon show at one point.

[01:08:33]>> Well, they did at least a Thanksgiving special, right?

[01:08:36]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[01:08:37]>> Yeah.

[01:08:38]>> Yeah. So, that uh that perfect collection um it's good, but boy, uh is it ever like Digital Pictures has ruined retro gaming collections for everybody else now.

[01:08:52]>> Digital Eclipse.

[01:08:53]>> Digital, sorry. Digital Eclipse. Digital Pictures. I was thinking about that. uh that wonderful documentary that's out right now.

[01:08:58]>> Oh, >> digital pictures. But um yeah, Digital Eclipse has ruined >> these these uh retro game collections for everyone because you know the Bubsy collection is nice, but boy, it's just not even in the same area code as like anything from Digital Pictures or Digital Eclipse at this point.

[01:09:15]>> So, >> yeah. But if you like Bubsy and you want to learn more about it, there are there are a couple of interviews on on that collection that are, you know, uh, worth finding and listening to. And there's the Game Boy version of Bubsy, which is even less playable than the Super Nintendo and Genesis games.

[01:09:32]>> Oh my god.

[01:09:34]>> Yeah. [laughter] It even calls it out when you're when you're going to select the games like that there's little descriptive blurbs for each game on the selection screen and and that kind of just says like probably best to just skip this one. [laughter] >> It knows.

[01:09:51]>> Yeah.

[01:09:51]>> Yeah.

[01:09:51]>> Yeah.

[01:09:53]>> So anyway, yeah, that that game club, we're doing like a monthly game club thing on the Discord. So if you're interested in that, jump onto our Discord and and find that channel. Um game of the month, it's called. And uh they're doing votes for every month and yeah this coming month the first two weeks there's sin and punishment on the N64 >> and then Star Fox 64 on the N64 >> and we will talk about those as well. So you know we'll maybe we'll try to monitor that a little bit more and get some of the uh comments that come in >> on the on that channel on here as well.

[01:10:26]>> Yes.

[01:10:27]>> Maybe >> we do some blue sky stuff.

[01:10:30]>> Let's do it. Oh, should I? Blue blue blue skies.

[01:10:35]Blue blue blue skies. I see.

[01:10:38]Yes. All right, let's do this one from Hacker Alias Dan Before Time who says, "I'm sure you've talked about this at some point over the course of the show, but what is the first game that you remember playing when you were a kid? Mine was Chopper Command on the Atari 2600 at my friend's house.

[01:10:59]first game you remember playing?

[01:11:02]>> It would have been a 2600 game.

[01:11:05]Um, I would say it's probably combat.

[01:11:09]>> H. Okay.

[01:11:13]Mine was in the arcade uh because we didn't have a console at home uh until after the crash actually.

[01:11:23]So, uh, mine would have been probably Popeye.

[01:11:29]>> Nice.

[01:11:30]>> Popeye. Maybe Donkey Kong. Um, at the Purple Cow in, uh, the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago, which is where I grew up. And, uh, that would have been, yeah, they had a couple arcade machines. They had Popeye, Donkey Kong, Crystal Castles, and Star Wars. Crystal Castles. Yeah.

[01:11:58]And those were my formative games.

[01:12:03]Those four like my formative video games because we went to that place a lot and those are the games that I played first. And so that's probably why I love Nintendo so much is because of Donkey Kong and Popeye.

[01:12:22]>> Well, yeah. Why not?

[01:12:23]>> I'm still waiting for that Hamster Arcade Archives Popeye.

[01:12:27]>> Is that the thing they said they were going to do?

[01:12:30]>> No.

[01:12:30]>> Oh, okay.

[01:12:32]>> But I'm I'm waiting on it. Uh hoping that they do it eventually because isn't Popeye uh public domain now?

[01:12:41]>> Yeah, that's fair. Okay. So, and they have worked with Nintendo on other things. So, why not?

[01:12:50]>> Sure.

[01:12:51]>> The day they do that will be a very good day for for me. Uh yeah.

[01:12:59]>> All right.

[01:13:00]>> Um [snorts] let's continue on.

[01:13:04]Let's do this one from hacker alias worth Nintendo who says, "Good day, lads. So, Vampire Survivors had Castlevania and Contra DLC. Which game series would you want to see Vampire Crawlers do a collab with?

[01:13:20]I'd be all over them getting some love from Sega with Shinigami Tensei or Etrian Odyssey. Uh, Shinigami Tensei would be perfect based on its roots on the SNES.

[01:13:32]H I mean, I think they could do Contra and Castlevania also. I mean, why not?

[01:13:43]>> Sure.

[01:13:43]>> Empire Crawlers. Uh, they they could do some other Sega stuff like Fantasy Star or Shining in the Darkness, like do some dungeon crawling stuff.

[01:13:52]>> I'm trying to think what would fit like the theme of, you know, vampire crawlers though, like as far as like the sort of Halloweeny sort of >> stuff.

[01:14:07]All I can think of is like it'd be interesting to see them tackle some Resident Evil stuff.

[01:14:11]>> So, Decap attack starring Chuck Dehead.

[01:14:14]>> There you go. Yeah. Nice. I think you could do some fun things with some Resident Evils level designed based on Resident Evil areas and things like like a Raccoon City level. That sort of thing.

[01:14:24]>> That could be cool. Or Yeah.

[01:14:26]>> The police station.

[01:14:28]>> Yeah.

[01:14:29]>> Yeah, that would be cool.

[01:14:30]>> Silent Hill.

[01:14:32]>> Do some Silent Hill stuff.

[01:14:34]>> Metal Gear. Metal Gear.

[01:14:36]>> Yeah, sure.

[01:14:37]>> Metal Gear.

[01:14:38]>> Yeah, >> that'd be pretty great. Yeah.

[01:14:42]>> Or just go completely weird and do [clears throat] like Garoo Man.

[01:14:47]>> God, >> completely out.

[01:14:49]>> When are they going to revisit that?

[01:14:52]Probably never.

[01:14:53]>> Yeah, they need to bring that out [snorts] again somehow.

[01:14:55]>> They really do.

[01:14:56]>> Even if it's not a new game, just re-release the old one.

[01:15:00]>> I know. They probably won't, though.

[01:15:02]>> No, they won't, >> unfortunately. Uh, all right. Let's do this one from hacker alias Mr. Mr. Nelson who says, "I am really tempted to buy a refurbished PlayStation. The refurbished PlayStation Portal is going for 150 on eBay. As a PS5 owner who loves his Switches in handheld mode and his Steam Deck, would it be worth it?"

[01:15:31]>> I knew you were gonna make that noise.

[01:15:33]Yeah, I mean I I I still use my portal.

[01:15:36]Not very often, but I do use it. I mean, I guess it just depends. Like for me, it it does make a little bit of sense because >> my PlayStation 5 is connected to the family television.

[01:15:49]>> Mhm.

[01:15:50]>> So, you know, if there's a situation where maybe I don't want to be dominating the family television, it's nice to have that option.

[01:15:59]>> Yeah. Uh, like say if maybe my my kids might have some friends over and they're watching a movie or something like that, then I can go in another room and I can play my PlayStation 5.

[01:16:10]>> Yeah.

[01:16:10]>> Um, it's great for that. So, if you have situations like and I know uh Mr. Mr. Nelson does have a family, so um, you know, I I could see it working in that situation. And I mean, if you just like playing portable, yeah, I guess it would make sense. It's It's a pretty good experience. I mean, I have no complaints about the portal. It works really well and it looks really nice. That's a really nice screen.

[01:16:36]>> Yeah, it is. Yeah, for sure. And the improvements they've made to it over the past couple years have been great as well. Uh my question is, uh [snorts] where are you playing it? Around the house, yes. Or are you going to try to take this to work or >> Yeah, out and about. I can't I can't recommend because I don't know anything about what the qual the performance quality is.

[01:16:58]>> Yeah, I really don't take uh the portal outside the house. It's mainly a remote player and you you can play games over the cloud if you have a PlayStation Plus uh subscription. I forget what >> level you need to play things on the cloud. Um but >> stupid name. It's probably premium, >> but um yeah, if you're playing it just at home and you're using it as an off TV player, I think it works really really well. It's the nicest experience to do that with PS5 games. I I mean you can there are ways to do it on the Steam Deck uh and get a similar result and maybe you [clears throat] want to look into those things before, you know, splurging on a portal. But again, the portal is only 150 bucks. Like >> it's pretty good price for [snorts] >> for a handheld. And it is a really good handheld.

[01:17:59]>> It really is.

[01:18:00]>> Uh I I really do enjoy it. You know, I played a bunch of Pragmata that way. I played I played a bunch of games portal only really like and when I was having so many issues with my eyes I was not playing on the TV I was playing on handheld using the portal is how I played PS5 games. So yeah. Yeah. And I guess that's that's a good point. Like the fact that it's 150 bucks that's not bad. I mean, >> yeah, >> the uh especially where we just started the show talking about the Steam Deck costing a thousand now.

[01:18:40]>> Yeah, for sure.

[01:18:43]Um yeah, the I mean it's great for that. Although I won't be bringing it on like the trip that I'm going on. Won't be bringing >> Yeah, I don't travel with it at all.

[01:18:57]I've I've traveled with my Switch 2.

[01:18:59]I've traveled with my Steam Deck. I've traveled with my analog pocket.

[01:19:03]>> Steam Deck are the main ones, >> but I don't travel with my my portal.

[01:19:08]>> I don't either. I do have a case for it, but uh I haven't really had to use it.

[01:19:13]>> I don't [snorts] even have a case for it >> in a long time. Yeah. Um All right, let's do another one from Mr. Mr. Nelson, who says, "I've been flying a lot for work and we'll be flying again next week. I have a switch to an Steam Deck. Any suggestions for good airplane games?

[01:19:30]First of all, Vampire Crawlers.

[01:19:32]>> Vampire Crawlers. [laughter] >> That game has the uncanny ability to just melt time.

[01:19:38]>> Yep.

[01:19:39]>> I think.

[01:19:39]>> Yeah. Especially once you get further into it. Runs can take a long time.

[01:19:43]>> Runs can take a very long time further in. I'm still uh making my way through that game and enjoying it a lot.

[01:19:54]Um, I would try any pickross game. Like I think those are fun airplane games as well. Uh, yeah.

[01:20:07]I mean, you know, you can't go Yeah, but Cross is a good time waster as well.

[01:20:14]>> Um, there's another one that I had in my head and now it's gone.

[01:20:19]>> Those are the two I was going to suggest. Anyway, >> I did pick up that Jaws uh game that Jeremy Parish did.

[01:20:27]>> I don't know.

[01:20:29]>> Oh, just the NES Jaws or Oh, >> NES Jaws.

[01:20:33]>> Yeah.

[01:20:34]>> Yeah. Well, have you heard about this?

[01:20:37]>> I feel like I probably did.

[01:20:40]>> Jaws Retro Edition. It's out on the Switch and it's out on Steam.

[01:20:43]>> Oh, no. But basically, yeah, it's both the original version of Jaws plus a version that brings some quality of life upgrades uh to everything as well. First of all, you can save anywhere. You can rewind.

[01:20:59]It has achievements and trophies and all that stuff. But then there's an enhanced edition which is a massively expanded multi-chapter adventure that covers all four Jaws films and objectives, new abilities, more challenging enemies, and a deeper realization of the original game's role playing roots, >> which I'm reading from the game description at this point. So Jeremy Parish Jeremy Jeremy Parish uh is the mastermind behind the enhanced edition, which I think is such a cool >> idea to take >> Jaws, which you know is a sort of infamous NES game in terms of how like bad it is and to like make improvements to it and to add content to it. I think it's really an interesting idea. And that was only like 15 bucks. Huh.

[01:21:52]>> Uh, and I bought it on sale for Steam and, uh, it plays really well on the on the Steam Deck.

[01:21:58]>> Interesting.

[01:22:00]>> Nice little uh >> I can't see ever playing that.

[01:22:07]>> Yeah.

[01:22:07]>> Yeah.

[01:22:09]>> Okay.

[01:22:10]>> Indeed. So, I guess th those are our current recommendations, >> I guess. So, [snorts] >> yes.

[01:22:18]>> Let's go with that.

[01:22:20]>> Okay.

[01:22:22]And I think that's going to be it. All right. I think that's the show.

[01:22:30]All righty. And that is our show for this week. Thank you very much for listening. If you have a question for us or would like to comment on something you heard, you can direct that to P1 podcast on your blue skies or you can go to our internet website, our new internet website at player1podcast.com.

[01:22:46]>> There you'll find our contact information. And you'll find show notes and links to all the things that we talked about on this episode and every episode.

[01:22:56]And uh you will also find a link to our Discord server where you can discuss this episode with us and our other listeners. If you would like to subscribe to the Player One podcast, you can do so by visiting player1podcast.com or by loading up your favorite podcast listening app. We're also on Spotify.

[01:23:13]You can like us on Facebook. You can watch video archives of our show on youtube.com/p1 podcast. Or you can watch us live most weeks on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch.

[01:23:22]Just follow our Blue Sky account to find out when we're doing our next live show.

[01:23:26]Typically every Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. So, please join us. And if you like what you heard and how could you, you can head on over to patreon.com/p1odcast.

[01:23:36]Throw a few shekels our way. helps us keep the lights on. Helps build new websites. Helps CJ go to emergency care when he eats Domino's pizza.

[01:23:47][laughter] >> I'm not really that. No, the show funds did not assist in that at all.

[01:23:54]>> But no, they do assist us. They do help us keep the lights on. They do assist us by uh, you know, helping to pay for some games every now and then. So, we really do appreciate it. And uh if you are a subscriber of the $5 tier cheap, >> you gain special access to a weekly bonus episode. We record it live after this where we play games, we crack wise, do all the stuff we can't do on the regular show. CJ?

[01:24:16]>> Yeah.

[01:24:16]>> Do we have a game this week?

[01:24:18]>> We do have a game this week, Greg. It is an EGM review game with all Bonds. All James Bond games.

[01:24:26]>> I need to look up the names for James Bond games.

[01:24:29]>> So, you're going to have to remember the names. I'm not gonna, but okay. Games and uh yeah, should be should be interesting to revisit some of those old Vidia games.

[01:24:42]>> All right, cool. And if you have a few bucks left over, you can hopefully go and support me on patreon.com/gregsort where $3 a month, also cheap, >> gets you early access to every one of my videos, a couple of which I'm still working on right now. one about sexy games on the Pioneer Laser Active.

[01:25:03]>> That's right.

[01:25:03]>> All right.

[01:25:04]>> Too hot for YouTube.

[01:25:06]>> So, I'm either I'm gonna put it on there anyway. So, hey, the channel might be gone after that. Who knows?

[01:25:11]>> Could be.

[01:25:12]>> Uh yeah, CJ.

[01:25:15]>> Yeah.

[01:25:16]>> I'm glad you're back this week. Glad you're feeling a little bit better. I'm glad I'm back as well. I'm glad I'm feeling a little better. I want to feel even better. I'm not back to 100% yet, but uh we'll see if that happens. I'm I'm hoping soon.

[01:25:31]>> I'm hoping.

[01:25:33]>> Yeah.

[01:25:34]>> Word.

[01:25:35]>> Uh thank you for hosting.

[01:25:37]>> Thank you for joining me, Craig.

[01:25:40]>> You're welcome. And thank you. Yes, you dear listeners. We really do appreciate you and all you do and uh how you contribute to community. Go join the Discord and check out the game of the month club. Play some sin and punishment and let us know what you think for our episode in a couple weeks.

[01:26:02]>> See you. Bye-bye.