Game Theory Podcast

We respond to the article from Popular Science describing the possibilities of PTSD from virtual experiences.

We discuss games we are playing, including Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky and Hitman.  Then we look at the Nintendo Switch announcement as well as new AAP recommendations on screen time for children and other news.

We pitch each other ideas of the sorts of games we'd play if we had the studio to make them happen. 

We discuss Anita Sarkeesian's latest video "All the Slender Ladies: Body Diversity in Video Games".  Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbqRtp5ZUGE  

We explore the incredibly varied world of Marvel games, the ability of the superhero genre to transcend genres in film and gaming, and try to pin down our favorite Marvel superheroes and games.

A short episode to catch up from the summer hiatus and issue in a new season of theories on games.

Spoiler warning: Do not listen if you have not finished Life is Strange.   Michelle is back to bring a literary lens to Life is Strange.

Game environments and how we explore them are the unsung heroes of how much 'intangible fun factor' we find in games.  Jeremiah and David discuss the Rise of the Tomb Raider and other games that bring the background into the foreground, emphasizing environment in the gameplay.

Jeremiah is on full Mother's Day detail today so we bring back one of our favorite episodes from the past: The Batman! What better way to celebrate Mother's Day than to discuss a hero who lost his mother?  Maaaaartha!

The Holy Trinity: Tank, Damage, Healer.  Does this limit options negatively?  Is total freedom preferable to being railroaded on one path?  Yes and no.  We discuss the move from roleplaying games with strictly defined roles to more independent but less specialized characters in more recent rpgs.   Apologies in advance for the sound quality.  The interwebs were not cooperating this day.

Jeremiah is finishing his dissertation this weekend so we're digging up our most referenced episode ever.  We discuss addiction, video games, behaviorism, and why Warcraft's design makes it very difficult to put down.

So much news! So many reviews!  Virtual reality! SJW controversies! Japanese sexsuits (news, not review).  Also, Xenoblade Chronicles X was created in a lab to make David lose all his free time.

SO MUCH SPOILER WARNING!!   Seriously, skip this episode if you haven't played this game yet.  So much about this game relies on your initial reaction, untainted by expectations.  Come back when you've spent the 10 dollars and 10 hours to beat this indie gem :)

Why do people play games like Dark Souls?  Are there advantages that these sorts of games can give us beyond bragging rights?  

Happy Easter! We're resurrecting an old episode from our archives about a being that keeps coming back from the dead.  Dracula and Castlevania!

Raw, unedited footage of our second Edge of the Empire Star Wars roleplay.  This one is lacking the slick editing and sound effects of our first bonus episodes but was requested by popular demand by some of our live play fans.  Feel free to skip to the next episode for more normal Game Theory goodness :D

With Stardew Valley taking Steam by storm, we investigated the franchise that started it all.  Why is it so fun to pretend to do things in a game that are completely monotonous to do in real life?  How does Harvest Moon prepare you for a life as a gentleman farmer/psychopath stalker?  Why can't we stop playing it?

We're back after another bout with disease.  Plenty of news and preliminary reviews of Undertale and other games that have captured our attention for the last two weeks.

We discuss that staple of fantasy gaming: Elves.  David takes a pro elf stance, Jeremiah an anti elf stance.  How do you balance such a blatantly over powered race for player characters?  Which take on elves works best? How did Tolkien take them from creepy little goblins to veritable archangels?  Why are we talking about droids so much?  

We're back after a two week hiatus.  Its all about XCOM 2 and Rise of the Tomb Raider reviews!