Into the Aether - A Low Key Video Game Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Luigi the Professional (feat. Mario + Rabbids, God of War Ragnarok, and more!) Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

A rabid Luma is reluctantly taken in by Luigi, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégée and learns the assassin's trade.

Discussed: Chained Echoes, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, God of War Ragnarök, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Need for Speed Unbound

How to Use Mastodon: https://www.wavelengths.online/about-mastodon/
Animal Crossing New Leaf Blog: https://itanewleaf.tumblr.com/post/705552732953706496/welcome
One Shot Isn't Enough by Phillip Russell: https://bulletpointsmonthly.com/2022/12/28/one-shot-isn't-enough-god-of-war-ragnarok
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online
Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast
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Follow on Mastodon: https://theaether.space/@intothecast
Follow on Tumblr: https://intothecast.tumblr.com
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Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://theaether.space/@bb

Produced by AJ Fillari: https://theaether.space/@aj
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Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Timecodes:

(00:00) - Intro, thank you, and resolutions
(09:12) - Surprise! We're talking about Chained Echoes
(14:49) - Opening with some updates :)
(15:03) - A CORRECTION REGARDING VAMPIRE SURVIVORS
(17:34) - Twitter dot com alternatives
(25:47) - Ejecting out of Final Fantasy XV
(27:07) - New year, new bonus!
(31:50) - Wow
(32:55) - What's Stephen been up to?
(33:33) - What's Stephen been up to? // Watching Nardwuar, apparently
(34:36) - What's Stephen been up to? // Skyrim lmao
(36:22) - What's Stephen been up to? // Mass Effect Legendary Editon
(41:10) - What's Stephen been up to? // Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
(55:47) - SWITCH UPDATE // Persona 5
(56:11) - SWITCH UPDATE // Tunic
(56:34) - Still chipping away // Trails in the Sky
(01:01:41) - Gaming!
(01:02:08) - Brendon presents his Summer Reading Project // God of War: Ragnarok
(01:22:20) - Brendon presents his Summer Reading Project // Need for Speed UNBOUND
(01:32:20) - Brendon presents his Summer Reading Project // A Link Between Worlds
(01:44:40) - What else?
(01:44:48) - Wrapping up
(01:49:19) - Back to Brendon // Final Fantasy Crisis Core Remake
(01:51:29) - Wrapping up

The 2022 Game of the Year Spectacular Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

That's right! Right before 2022 ends, it's our Game of the Year Spectacular! Stephen and Brendon trekked all the way to the great cold state of Pennsylvania to record with AJ in front of the traditional yule log YouTube video and, of course, The Orb.

All three present their top ten games of the year, their Games of the Other Year (GOTOY is catching on!), and then decide on the Aether's official top five of the year. As always, you'll be hearing from some guests of the show as well. Thank you ALL for listening, sharing, and generally just being such a wonderful group of fans. We love you!
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online
Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast
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Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://brendonbigley.com/

Produced by AJ Fillari: https://ajfillari.com
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!
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Timecodes:

(00:00) - WELCOME TO THE GAME OF THE YEAR EPISODE!!!!!
(00:54) - What the heck *is* Into the Aether anyway????
(05:45) - Explaining GotOYs
(08:06) - Stephen's GotOYs
(13:16) - AJ's GotOYs
(21:28) - Brendon's GotOYs
(28:17) - How we do GotY around here
(29:24) - GUEST GOTY: Dom Nero (Zant: Usurper King)
(30:25) - Stephen's #10
(35:22) - Brendon's #10
(40:30) - AJ's #10
(42:55) - Stephen's #9
(46:24) - Brendon's #9
(51:54) - AJ's #9
(54:36) - GUEST GOTY: Sadie
(55:49) - Stephen's #8
(01:09:02) - AJ's #8
(01:14:26) - Brendon's #8
(01:22:57) - Stephen's #7
(01:31:35) - AJ's #7
(01:36:52) - Brendon's #7
(01:44:40) - GUEST GOTY: Christopher Thomas Plante
(01:47:03) - Stephen's #6
(01:52:09) - AJ's #6
(01:59:40) - Brendon's #6
(02:07:47) - A quick Patreon update!
(02:13:14) - The gamers are coming!!!
(02:13:31) - The Discord top 5! (+3 Honorable Mentions)
(02:17:58) - Stephen's #5
(02:26:57) - AJ's #5
(02:33:22) - Brendon's #5
(02:40:02) - GUEST GOTY: Kim
(02:41:33) - Stephen's #4
(02:49:42) - AJ's #4
(03:00:49) - Brendon's #4
(03:07:41) - Stephen's #3
(03:15:45) - AJ's #3
(03:22:46) - Brendon's #3
(03:35:14) - GUEST GOTY: Scout
(03:36:44) - Stephen's #2
(03:46:29) - AJ's #2
(03:52:55) - Brendon's #2
(04:06:26) - AJ's #1
(04:21:22) - Brendon + Stephen's #1
(04:40:42) - List recaps
(04:42:40) - GUEST GOTY: Alanna
(04:44:53) - We're back!
(04:46:15) - Honorable Mentions
(05:06:53) - Deciding the Into the Aether Top 5
(05:49:24) - SOME VAGUE SPOILERS FOR A GAME!!!!
(05:50:51) - Deciding the Into the Aether Top 5
(05:59:10) - The Into the Aether Top Five Video Games of Twenty-Twenty-Two!!!!
(05:59:37) - Looking back on 2022
(06:14:22) - Thank you so much for listening!!!!!!!!!

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How Do You Claim the Sun? (feat. Chained Echoes, The Game Awards 2022, and more!) Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

Snap snap, Stephen and Brendon recorded this one in person! Get ready for a virtual fireside chat about preparing for GOTY 2022, the announcements and winners from The Game Awards, and a new incredible Chrono Trigger inspired JRPG.

Discussed: SantaCon, Game of the Year 2022, The Game Awards, Al Pacino, Hades 2, Remnant 2, Death Stranding 2, Earthblade, Armored Core VI, Chained Echoes
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online
Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast
---

Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://brendonbigley.com/

Produced by AJ Fillari: https://ajfillari.com
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!
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Timecodes:

(00:00) - Intro
(01:33) - A City-wide celebration for the world's worst people // Santacon
(07:12) - Anyway // Game of the Year is NEXT WEEK
(07:39) - Talking about... snapping???
(08:25) - Back to GotY talk
(32:40) - The Steam Deck!
(37:09) - The Game Awards 2022
(43:40) - The Game Awards 2022 // The Announcements
(43:46) - The Game Awards 2022 // Remnant II
(46:03) - The Game Awards 2022 // Hades II
(01:03:24) - The Game Awards 2022 // DS2
(01:09:04) - The Game Awards 2022 // Earthblade
(01:10:08) - The Game Awards 2022 // Armored Core VI
(01:11:59) - The Game Awards 2022 // Cyberpunk: 2077 - Phantom Liberty
(01:18:15) - FORTNITE BATTLE PASS
(01:22:41) - The Game Awards 2022
(01:27:34) - The Game Awards 2022 // One shoutout
(01:29:06) - But uh yeah
(01:30:03) - Into the Backpage
(01:32:21) - Speaking of pizza // Chained Echoes
(01:58:37) - Marker 18

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Intention (feat. Immortality, Majora's Mask, and Final Fantasy XV) Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast: Brendon pushes "judging games by their intentions" to its absolute limit.

Discussed: Marvel's Midnight Suns, Majora's Mask 3D, Immortality, Final Fantasy XV
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online
Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast
---

Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://brendonbigley.com/

Produced by AJ Fillari: https://ajfillari.com
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!
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Timecodes:

(00:00) - Intro
(03:23) - The "Spawn: The Movie" of video games // Marvel's Midnight Suns
(31:53) - The Nintendo 3DS
(33:01) - The Nintendo 3DS // Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
(51:58) - Dawn of the final section... XX minutes remain
(52:45) - Thank you for listening ot the show :)
(54:41) - Let's talk about video games!!! // Immortality
(01:10:40) - The final threaction (threat-section) // Final Fantasy XV
(01:41:58) - GotY backlogs
(01:43:27) - Wrapping up

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Final Fantasy VII | Bonus Episode Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

The time has finally come to talk about one of the most influential games of all time. No pressure!

Note: Brendon's audio got a bit mangled in this one, just our luck! Hopefully you don't mind too much. We considered re-recording, but it just wouldn't be the same.
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online
Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast
---

Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://brendonbigley.com/

Produced by AJ Fillari: https://ajfillari.com
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!
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Timecodes:

(00:00) - All aboard! It's the FFVII episode!!
(20:38) - History with the game/franchise
(40:24) - The enduring legacy
(55:51) - SPOILER WARNING FOR THE REST OF THE EPISODE
(58:18) - Spoiler talk about THE VIDEO GAME
(02:32:56) - It's listener questions once again! // REMAKE SPOILERS AHEAD!! LISTEN AT YOUR OWN RISK!!
(02:35:20) - The days of gaming long past // From humblegoat
(02:50:04) - Materia // Kyle Labriola
(02:50:50) - FFVII REMAKE SPOILERS
(02:53:15) - Materia // Kyle Labriola
(02:54:08) - Playground rumors // cyclex
(02:55:50) - Kalm Makes! Midgar Takes! // Gabe O.
(02:59:13) - Best equipment/loadout systems // iamlugan
(03:02:28) - Translations // noah_hurts
(03:03:43) - Remake speculation // Scroseph
(03:10:56) - Remake vs. Rewrite // chronolink
(03:16:32) - Rebirth carryovers // thelastdonuts
(03:19:30) - Cloud Strife (brought to you by Walt DIsney) // Rob
(03:21:18) - Warrented sequels // dakotaisasleep
(03:26:22) - Just talkin' about Tifa's Limit Break
(03:27:01) - Most important quality // coyotecocktail
(03:30:37) - Ending the episode

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Devil, From New Jersey (feat. Listener Questions!) Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

Everyone in New Jersey has heard the tall tale about the Jersey Devil. Yeah, he WANTED to be Gex. Spooky, right?

Discussed: Rivals of Aether, 30XX, Another World, Pokemon Scarlet / Violet, Final Fantasy XV, and more!
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online
Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast
---

Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://brendonbigley.com/

Produced by AJ Fillari: https://ajfillari.com
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!
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Timecodes:

(00:00) - Hello and Welcome to Video Games
(43:43) - Questions... AND Answers??
(01:22:10) - Bye bye!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's Pokemon (feat. Scarlet + Violet, Pentiment, and Tactics Ogre) Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

Finally after all these years of asking, begging, pleading... we've finally gotten to the core of it. That's right folks. It's Pokemon.

Discussed: Pokemon Scarlet / Violet, Pentiment, Tactics Ogre Reborn
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online
Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast
---

Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://brendonbigley.com/

Produced by AJ Fillari: https://ajfillari.com
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!
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Timecodes:

(00:00) - Intro
(00:31) - Hey // Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
(59:36) - Enough about Quaxley!! // Pentiment
(01:17:39) - One! More! Game! // Tactics Ogre: Reborn
(01:46:28) - Wrapping up

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Kratos' Staycation (feat. Signalis + God of War Ragnarok) Nov 16, 2022

Show notes

Look sometimes you just need to kick back and relax, sit on a stump in a cave about a half-mile from your cabin, and carve arrows for your son to lodge into the bodies of gods with no sense of humility as their inevitable doom approaches through the goosebumps of their frigid skin.

Discussed: Signalis, Pokemon Scarlet / Violet, God of War Ragnarök
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online
Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast
---

Follow Stephen Hilger: https://stephenhilgerart.com/

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://brendonbigley.com/

Produced by AJ Fillari: https://ajfillari.com
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Patron Saint of Background Noise (feat. Harvestella, Perfect Tides, and more!) Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

Hey baby I hear the blues a-calling, tossed salads and scrambled eggs. Or maybe it was just the wind? I'm not sure, I wasn't paying attention. There's a new season of Marvel Snap and this person thinks they can beat me with an Onslaught and Mister Fantastic combo.

Discussed: Perfect Tides, I Was a Teenage Exocolonist, The Entropy Centre, Harvestella, Isle of Arrows, Marvel SNAP
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online

Join the Discord: https://theworstgarbage.online

Follow Stephen Hilger: https://twitter.com/StephenHilger

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://twitter.com/brendonbigley

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Produced by AJ Fillari: https://twitter.com/ajfillari
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast

Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Anti-Anti-Anti-Aliasing w/ Chris Plante (feat. Mario & Rabbids, Slice & Dice, & more!) Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

Chris Plante is here to ask a big question: What exactly WAS 2022? Was it just the year of Elden Ring? Was it the year of the Steam Deck? Or was it the precursor to the first AAAA video game?

Discussed: Marvel SNAP, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, Slice & Dice, Resident Evil
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Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.online

Join the Discord: https://theworstgarbage.online

Follow Stephen Hilger: https://twitter.com/StephenHilger

Follow Brendon Bigley: https://twitter.com/brendonbigley

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Timecodes:

(00:00) - Intro
(00:56) - Surprise! It's the SNAP segment! // Marvel SNAP
(19:19) - Marvelio + SNAPbids // Mario + Rabbids: Spark of Hope
(44:03) - Hello!
(44:48) - A hefty embargo for a hefty man // God of War: Ragnarok
(45:15) - Oh just kidding this is a different segment // What is this year?
(01:09:23) - Speaking of good // God of War: Ragnarok
(01:12:01) - A lingering game // Slice & Dice
(01:22:11) - Using the new DLC as an excuse to talk about // Resident Evil & RE:VIII
(01:35:52) - A shoutout! // The Gamer Bike
(01:39:18) - Wrapping up

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Produced by AJ Fillari: https://twitter.com/ajfillari
Season 5 Cover Art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/

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Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast

Thanks to all of our amazing patrons!

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★