YoVG # 500 The Most Trash Games We've Ever Played!
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Episode 500 is for the haters! We've been on a positive upswing for almost two years now, but it's time to return to our roots. We were born haters, and haters we shall remain! Actually, we've spent so long focusing on staying positive that we had sort of a hard time being too harsh - even when the games deserved it. But we still had fun and I bet you will too! So, jump in and enjoy the most trash games we ever spent our dollars on. Maybe, you also feel this way. Maybe, you played something worse. But if you say Blasto... Oh my momma if you say Blasto!
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YoVG # 499 We Need a New Fighting Game IP
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Something entirely new. Not based on an existing IP. Built from the ground up by a good team without the restrictions of making characters that match expectations. How do you do it? Matt brings out his Fighting Game Triangle: Content, Roster, Presentation and we dig into finding a balance among the three. He does not like my ideas. :P
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YoVG # 498 The Best Games of (the first half of) 2025
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Taking a suggestion from you guys: we decided to talk about games we hope don't get forgotten by end of year. And maybe a couple we know definitely will. So, let's talk early GOTY contenders, and a couple disappointments.
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YoVG # 497 Do Gamers Want More of The Same?
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The reactions to Ghost of Yotei have been mostly positive, but one common complaint is that there was "no reason" to not continue Jin Sakai's story. In my opinion, it's okay that his story is done and it is more interesting to leap to a new time and new character. This provokes another conversation about sequels/franchises in general: do gamers want more of the same? Is there no market incentive for new ideas?
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YoVG # 496 Microsoft Ruins Matt's Birthday
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Microsoft has ruined all its goodwill from even six months ago. Is that Phil Spencer's fault? Probably not. In fact there is evidence that ol' Philly boy has done his best, but that doesn't help the thousands Microsoft laid off - so our sympathy is limited. I don't think Xbox is ever going to climb out of the hole it dug itself fifteen years ago. This may all just be the long slow death spiral. ANYWAY, it's Matt's birthday episode! Besides Microsoft we talk about Matt's strong thighs, Donkey Kong setting up for GOTY, Ghost of Yotei, and we fan-cast James Bond.
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Death Stranding 2 and What Sells Us a Sequel?
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Hey! Welcome back. You may have noticed a lack of episode last week, and that is because of not one, but three freak acts of nature. It is not an exciting story, but it does emphasize that I might be cursed. Anyway, the delay meant that I could buy and check out Death Stranding 2. I didn't play DS1. I had seen enough of it at several E3s to know it wasn't gonna be my jam. But it is a Kojima game. So, I'd be a liar if I didn't say I was always tempted. Now, here comes a sequel. It looks like Kojima has gone maximalist. The writing? Max Kojima. Now with more combat. More stealth. More weirdness....
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YoVG # 494 Not E3 - The Dust Has Settled
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2025 Sony State of Play, Summer Games Fest, and the Xbox showcase have come and gone. We've had some time to step back, come down from the hype, and think of what really grabbed our attention last week. So, what stood out to you? What got you hyped in the moment, but now that you've had a minute, the optimism has cooled? Was Not-E3 a major success? For us: it's looking like a good year. Let's talk about why.
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YoVG # 493 Guest Rick Lagnese of Madfinger Games!
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This week we have a special guest on the show: Madfinger Games' PR and Comms Director - Rick Lagnese! Madfinger Games is currently developing Grayzone Warfare, an MMO FPS in early access, but has its beginnings in mobile games. You might think that is a huge leap, but there is a clear through-line from their earliest games to today. Developing and self publishing a AAA title is no easy feat and we get into what that means for the team and why early access is what makes it possible. Jump in, meet Rick, have good times with us!
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YoVG # 492 Sony State of Play - Summer 2025
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Oh, okay Sony. I don't know why people are so hard to please these days, but this was a solid presentation. Went from one game on the horizon to now like half a dozen dropping just in September? Pragmata isn't dead? Romeo IS dead? Overall this is one of Sony's better state of play presentations - let's get into why!
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YoVG # 491 The Doldrums 2025
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It's that time of year where things slow down. The calm before the storm of summer announcements. E3 may be dead but the excitement of E3 week lives on. Unfortunately, it means this time of year - unless there is a major leak - is usually quiet. But that's okay because this episode we talk about areas of the world, mythologies and cultures that could come to prominence in gaming. With the US industry seemingly stumbling, are there other countries that could grow to dominate the industry? Also, at the end of the end of the episode I mention a great horror book, but couldn't recall the exact...
info_outlineLook, if you have a game that fails spectacularly you can expect to be laid off. If your game explodes, and hits the top of the charts? Well, you can expect to be laid off then, too. It's only business. An increasingly volatile, confusing business. Marvel Rivals has been a massive success for Chinese publisher NetEase, and just as season two is about to release: they did the natural thing. They laid off, or fired, the entire American development team. This could be politics. This could be "just business". Either way, it's rotten.