Category: Seasonal Anime Checkup OVA Podcast

This week, Jared and I decide to return to two beloved worlds–one with a vacuum and one with some cowboys. First, I talk about the recent 3DS re-release of Luigi’s Mansion, and I talk about how it compares to the original from 2001 or if it was all nostalgia making me love it. We also revisit an urban legend from a few weeks ago to see if they altered a certain shadow. Finally, Jared discusses Red Dead Redemption 2 and whether it lives up to the hype or if you really aren’t a gamer or in a coma if you haven’t played it.

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Jared and I reached a landmark episode! We hit 100 episodes of the SAC OVA, so we decided to do something special for it. We looked at our previous episode topics, and we decided to rank the media within. We wanted to know which were the best of the video games, anime, and conceptual ideas we talked about over the years, so after some controversy and arguing, we finalized THE best of the best!

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To see the final results, check here.

In September, Jared and I talked about Life is Strange,and now after playing through Life is Strange: Before the Storm, we decided to dive into that for this week. We talk about the story as a whole, the new characters, whether Before the Storm was actually necessary, and how rad it is to play D&D and act out The Tempest in a video game. Awkward high school returns with some back talking, some drama, and some floating gnome bards.

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Jared and I continue the spooky theme this week as we discuss two games that fit into the spirit of the holiday. First, Jared talks about The MISSING, the latest Swery game. He talks about the surprising themes, the impressive story, and how it can be surprisingly neat to repeatedly remove all your limbs. Second, I finally got Jared to play Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, so he now knows that a man is a miserable pile of secrets. We dive into the story, questions about vampire puberty, and how ridiculous Alucard can be.

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It’s spooky season! In honor of Halloween, Jared and I decided to talk about urban legends and conspiracy theories surrounding video gaming throughout the years. Did Lavender Town cause kids to die? Is Squall dead? Did the government use an arcade cabinet for experimentation? We run the gauntlet of those and other urban legends in gaming. Jared also gets to talk about sports on an episode for once!

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Often, the phrase “masterpiece” is thrown around regarding video games–new and old. Jared and I pondered…what makes a masterpiece anyway? So this week, we decided to tackle that question. We talk about our criteria and go through our favorite games and a list of some of the “best” games of all time to discuss what we personally think makes a masterpiece. I wonder which games make the cut…

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What a weird combination this week! If nothing else, they’re both very Japanese games. First up to bat, Jared and I both talk about Love Live! School Idol Festival, the mobile rhythm game based on the Love Live! franchise. We talk about how long we’ve been playing, if we think people who haven’t watched the anime would enjoy it, if it’s a money hog like some mobile games, gacha hell, and our overall feelings about the game. Second, Jared recently finished Yakuza Kiwami 2. I remain amused and baffled by the series, and Jared talks about the story and mechanics. Overall, it’s a wild ride of an episode!

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Last year, Jared and I discussed Xenoblade Chronicles 2 after its end-of-the-year launch. Back then, there were talks about the story-based DLC pack that would be released. Finally, it is here. After I shifted straight into Xenoblade mode for a bit, I have completed Torna: The Golden Country. We discuss the story, gameplay changes from the main game, how many hours I put in, and in what order the DLC and the main game should be played. We also start the episode by giving a brief look at the new Nintendo Online features!

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This week, Jared and I reach into our grab bag to talk about a few topics. First, because of the recent Nintendo Direct, we do a quick run through of the announcements and what we’re excited for (I’m excited for a lot). I also squeal about Luigi’s Mansion a lot.

Second, Jared decided after seeing the trailer for Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition that he was interested to see if they had improved the combat from the original game, so he played and I watched while he played through the PS4 version. We’ve previously talked about the major story beats of Final Fantasy XV, so here we talk about what’s changed for this edition, the art style, whether there are any improvements, and if Jared’s opinion on Final Fantasy XV have changed because of this version.

Third, Jared talks about his recent experience with the PS4 release Marvel’s Spider-Man. He talks some spoilers, but he also tells us about the combat, what they did right, what they did wrong, and how Yuri Lowenthal really made Spider-Man his own. We also both get happy that Miles and Mary Jane are finally getting good attention.

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This week, Jared and I follow an expedition to Antarctica when we watched an anime from earlier this year– A Place Further than the Universe. It’s a pretty chill slice-of-life/adventure anime that I power watched, so we go episode-by-episode through the series, talk about our favorite characters, why being petty is awesome, and how everybody really needs their ride or die friends in life. I also never realized until now that I really want shirts with various snacks on them.

TW: Parental death discussion

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