Watch Out for Fireballs!

Latest Episodes:

Episode 193: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger May 03, 2018

Show notes

The story is in the telling, and who cares if you stretch or fib a little bit? That's the conceit at the center of Call of Juarez: Gunslinger that raises it above its predecessors. It also raises it above its own gameplay, which is firmly in the "arcadey shooter" category. It's stylish as all hell, and it bends to fit the narration in exciting and entertaining ways.

A few times during the episode, we decry that Gunslinger was pulled from digital stores. In the time between when we recorded the episode and its release, it was recently re-listed after Techland bought the publishing rights. So go grab it and see what's up!

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Listener Responses: April 2018 (Bioshock 2, Minerva's Den, Ultima Underworld) Apr 26, 2018

Show notes

Let's see what you think of Bioshock 2, Minerva's Den, and Ultima Underworld!

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Trading Places (1983) Trailer - YouTube

Episode 192: Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss Apr 19, 2018

Show notes

We can think of 0451 reasons to love this grandaddy of the modern immersive sim. We go all the way back to 1992, before Looking Glass was called Looking Glass, and see where one of our favorite genres of games began. Ultima Underworld is a shockingly friendly game for its vintage, and it's absolutely worth playing to get more perspective on games as a whole. A huge thanks to special guest Justin Gutt for backing us on Patreon and getting us to take a leap of faith to play this game.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Episode 191: Minerva's Den Apr 12, 2018

Show notes

It's another in our series about great expansions, and a precursor to even more games that we really love. Bioshock 2: Minerva's Den looks and plays quite a bit like the main game, but the details are there. You can see in the way the world is laid out and the story unfolds that this is made by the people who would go on to make Gone Home and Tacoma. We recommend that you go play it.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Episode 190: Bioshock 2 Apr 05, 2018

Show notes

Daddy's home, and he's pissed. People don't regard Bioshock 2 as well as they do the original, and that's a shame. What this sequel lacks in novelty, it gains by being the most mechanically satisfying entry in this popular series. And while people don't go nuts over its story, it does some very satisfying things with the trappings of Rapture. Listen to this lengthy episode for some effusive apologia about an unfairly forgotten game.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Listener Responses: March 2018 Mar 29, 2018

Show notes

Let's hear what you think about Ikaruga, Jamestown, The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone, and The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild! What a month.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Episode 189: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Part 2) Mar 22, 2018

Show notes

Our discussion of Breath of the Wild continues as we talk about the main quest of the game, and its side quests. Special thanks again to John Hurst for being a guest on this episode, and for his continued support.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Episode 188: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Part 1) Mar 15, 2018

Show notes

It reinvented the series, breathing fresh new life into a stale formula. Listen in as we talk about the mechanics and generalities of the game, because there are plenty of them. Special thanks to special guest John Hurst for his support on Patreon, and for finally getting us to play this game.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Episode 187: The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone Mar 08, 2018

Show notes

Let's make a deal. Just meet me at the crossroads. Following through on our promise to cover all of the Witcher 3 content, this episode brings the best game expansion we've ever played. A routine Witcher contract drags Geralt into the middle of a conflict between two terrible people. On one side, you've got Olgierd von Everec, a noble-turned brigand who can never die. On the other, Gaunter O'Dimm, a vastly powerful being who grants wishes at a price.

Seriously, go and play this. The writing is astonishing, and it explores some ethical space that's just not seen in games.

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Episode 186: Ikaruga / Jamestown Mar 01, 2018

Show notes

We said we wouldn't do any more split episodes under the new format for the show that began last year, but we didn't anticipate Ikaruga. Shoot 'em up games are an arcade mainstay that have developed an intense and passionate cult, and Ikaruga is one of the most revered entries in the genre. But it's also incredibly hostile and doesn't teach you how to play it.

Faced with the possibility of coming into the episode bewildered about the shmup genre, we added Jamestown onto the docket... it's a more modern take on the bullet hell portion of the genre, and it has a much more gentle learning curve. The good part is that playing both deepened our appreciation and understanding for both games, so it's all good in the end.

Huge thanks to everyone who voted in our poll!

Support Watch Out for Fireballs!

Links:

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected