Busy Gamer Nation
Busy Gamer Podcast is now Busy Gamer Nation, a collection of short but potent podcast segments originally curated from our Best of Busy Gamer Podcast feed.
The Busy Gamer Nation opening theme (added in 2013) was composed by our son and sometimes contributor, The Pikachu Fan.
Here are the show notes for the latest segments:
- Busy Gamer Nation #286: Foregone (3.2MB) - As sidescrollers go, Foregone is one of the most amazing to watch much less play. Find out how a 3D world was converted to 2D to deliver an amazing visual approach. Outro: Foregone trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #285: Spirit of Midnight (2.6MB) - Spirit of Midnight is a charming little point-and-click adventure starring an adorable housecat. Outro: Spirit of Midnight trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #284: Cat Lady (1.8MB) - Cat Lady seems to be the victim of some DRAMA. Since this interview, it has been pulled from the Steam store. The publisher says "Early Access has ended" but there's no release in sight. We certainly hope the game gets an eventual release. Outro: Cat Lady trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #283: Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! (4.5MB) - Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! takes the franchise on the road - with a food truck. Learn about the new features including a reimagined Zen Mode. Outro: Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #282: Hades (8MB) - Hades is the latest from Supergiant Games, makers of Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre. Learn why they went Early Access this time and how Darren Korb's music fits the theme of an escape from hell game. Music: Gates of Hell and God of the Dead by Darren Korb. Outro: Hades trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #281: The Devil's Calculator (2.6MB) - The Devil's Calculator is a free-to-play math puzzler. Outro: The Devil's Calculator trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #280: Superliminal (3.2MB) - Superliminal promises to be a puzzle game for those who want to unplug their brains and solve visual mind games with stupidity. Outro: Superliminal trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #279: Felix the Reaper (3.8MB) - Felix the Reaper is an odd puzzler where you control a dancing reaper who is allergic to sunlight and must engineer death from the shadows. Outro: Felix the Reaper trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation Extra - PAX West 2019 - 10 Years of Supergiant Games (55.5MB) - Recorded live at PAX West 2019, this panel discusses the first 10 Years of Supergiant Games, from their strong opener Bastion to their latest, Hades.
- Busy Gamer Nation Extra - PAX West 2019 - Supergiant Games Orchestra (57MB) - Recorded live at PAX West 2019, this concert features Supergiant Games music by Darren Korb performed with an orchestra conducted by Austin Wintory.
- Busy Gamer Nation Extra - PAX West 2019 - A Thirst Unquenched: Sexy Characters for the Rest of Us (57.2MB) - Recorded live at PAX West 2019, this late night and often raunchy and explicit panel explores the characters that go beyond so-called gemder norms and appeal to women and LBGTQ fans of video games.
- Busy Gamer Nation Extra - PAX West 2019 - Gearbox Software (61.5MB) - Recorded live at PAX West 2019, Gearbox Software announced a number of new titles and expansions including Homeworld 3, promoted end-game features of the upcoming Borderlands 3, and shared how, for a very limited time, you can enter for a chance to purchase a limited edition loot crate.
- Busy Gamer Nation #278: What the Golf? (2.6MB) - What the Golf? is a golf game for people who hate golf games, now expected in 2020. Outro: What the Golf? trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #277: Untitled Goose Game (2.8MB) - Untitled Goose Game is a game without a name, expecting a new moniker and eventual release on Switch and PC. Outro: Untitled Goose Game trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #276: Boyfriend Dungeon (2.7MB) - Boyfriend Dungeon is a dungeon crawler/dating sim, coming soon to PC. Outro: Boyfriend Dungeon trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #275: Disco Elysium (3.4MB) - Disco Elysium is a detective role-playing game, due out soon for PC on Steam and Humble Store. Outro: Disco Elysium trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #274: Meow Wars (3MB) - Meow Wars may be the cutest card battle game ever. And it's free on iOS and Android (and cheap for PC on Steam). Outro: Meow Wars trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #273: Astroneer (2.7MB) - Astroneer is a planet exploration, resource gathering, and crafting sort of game that you can play now on Xbox One (free with Game Pass) and PC. Outro: Astroneer trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #272: The Inner Friend (2.7MB) - The Inner Friend delves into the psychological horror of what could happen if your Inner Child is abandoned. Play it now on PC. Outro: The Inner Friend trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #271: Coffence (7.3MB) - Coffence is a wacky coffee duel game, out now for PC. Outro: Coffence trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #270: My Friend Pedro (2.1MB) - My Friend Pedro combines elements of Max Payne and The Matrix plus there's a talking banana. Available now for Switch and PC. Outro: My Friend Pedro trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #269: Super Meatboy Forever (3.3MB) - Team Meat co-founder Tommy Refenes on the sequel Super Meatboy Forever. Outro: Super Meatboy Forever trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation #268: Artifex Mundi's Irony Curtain and My Brother Rabbit (4MB) - Artifex Mundi, known for hidden object titles, moves in new directions with their games Irony Curtain and My Brother Rabbit. Mid-podcast break: Irony Curtain trailer. Outro: My Brother Rabbit theme song "Dreams" by Arkadiusz Reikowski featuring Emi Evans.
- Busy Gamer Nation EXTRA: PAX West 2018 Panel - Telltale's The Walking Dead Reunion Panel (52.4MB) - Recorded live at PAX West 2018, Telltale's The Walking Dead Reunion features voice talent from various seasons of the popular episodic game series. The group digs into what makes the series tick and some of their favorite memories. BONUS: Hear a touching scene from The Final Season Episode 2. An entertaining but R-rated discussion. Panelists include Melissa Hutchison (Clementine), Gavin Hammon (Kenny), Cissy Jones (Katjaa), Jeff Schine (Javier), and Scott Porter (Luke).
- Busy Gamer Nation EXTRA: PAX West 2018 Panel - Sexy or Stupid? The Great Video Game Sex Scene Debate (55.8MB) - Recorded live at PAX West 2018, Sexy or Stupid? The Great Video Game Sex Scene Debate takes a closer look at sex scenes in videogames and then asks the audience to vote on how successful they are. A funny but very R-rated discussion. Panelists include Michelle Clough [Co-Founder and Chair, IGDA Romance and Sexuality SIG], Toiya K Finley [Writer / Editor / Narrative Designer, Schnoodle Media], Fred Wan [Writer, Freelance], Matt Baume [Co-Creator, Queens of Adventure], Leah Miller [Game Writer, Freelance].
- Busy Gamer Nation 267: PAX West 2017 - Necrobarista (4.6MB) - Necrobarista is a visual novel and point-and-click adventure hybrid we checked out at PAX West 2017. Find out what makes it unique. Outro: Necrobarista trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 266: PAX West 2017 - Once Upon a Puppet (4.4MB) - Once Upon a Puppet is a luscious puzzle platformer that had its first public demo at PAX West 2017. Hear about its origins and development. Outro: Once Upon a Puppet in-game music.
- Busy Gamer Nation 265: PAX West 2017 - Collidalot (4.8MB) - Collidalot is about as indie as they come. But they have a deal to launch on Nintendo Switch later this year. Listen to their inspiring story. Outro: Collidalot trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 264: PAX West 2017 - Battle Chef Brigade (3.7MB) - Battle Chef Brigade is not your typical cooking sim. It's part RPG=lite, part improvisational puzzler. Outro: Battle Chef Brigade trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 263: PAX West 2017 - Donut County (4.9MB) - Donut County was our favorite game at PAX West last year - find out why in just 5 minutes. It's not just the adorable raccoon protagonist though he doesn't hurt. Outro: Donut County trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 262: PAX West 2017 - Hello Neighbor (3.4MB) - Hello Neighbor has a cult following, and it only just came out. Find out why it's so compelling in this interview from the show floor. Outro: Hello Neighbor trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 261: PAX West 2017 - SpyParty (4.8MB) - In SpyParty, it's two players battling it out, spy vs. sniper. In just 5 minutes, hear about the game's development, how you can play now, and plans for the future. Outro: SpyParty trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 260: PAX Prime 2016 - The Church in the Darkness (10.8MB) - Voice actors/real-life married couple John Patrick Lowrie and the great GLaDOS herself, Ellen McLain, with indie game developer Richard Rouse III share insights into The Church in the Darkness, their own careers, and personal stories including how McLain became famous to airline pilots. Outro: The Church in the Darkness trailer featuring McLain and Lowrie.
- Busy Gamer Nation 259: PAX Prime 2016 - Pyre (10.1MB) - Pyre is the latest from Supergiant Games, and we hear from the studio director and composer/audio director about how they ratcheted up the stakes from Bastion and Transistor. Outro: "In The Flame" by Darren Korb with Ashley Barrett.
- Busy Gamer Nation 258: PAX Prime 2016 - The American Dream (3.5MB) - The American Dream puts guns in place of your VR hands. Can you perform everyday tasks with them? Outro: The American Dream promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 257: PAX Prime 2016 - Owlboy (4.5MB) - Owlboy is a Zelda-style adventure that took an epic 8 years to launch. Packed with good advice for fledglimg game devs. Outro: Owlboy promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 256: PAX Prime 2016 - Obduction (4.3MB) - Rand Miller of Cyan discusses Obduction and how it tries to recapture the magic of Myst. Outro: Obduction promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation EXTRA: PAX West 2016 -The Dark Art of Voice Acting Panel (51.9MB) - Ellen McLain (best known as GlaDOS from the Portal series) and her husband, John Patrick Lowrie (The Sniper from Team Fortress 2), Darren Korb and Logan Cunningham from Supergiant Games (Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre), Elias Toufexis (Adam Jensen in Deus Ex Human Revolution/Mankind Divided), and moderator Richard Rouse III (creator of The Church in the Darkness).
- Busy Gamer Nation EXTRA: PAX West 2016 - South Park: The Fractured But Whole Panel (55.2MB) - Creators panel featuring exclusive in-game clips from the forthcoming South Park: The Fractured But Whole.
- Busy Gamer Nation 255: PAX Prime 2015 - Kitty Disastrous (2.1MB) - This adventure featuring a cat in love with a ferret thoroughly charmed us. Outro: "The Lovecats" by The Cure (get it at iTunes).
- Busy Gamer Nation 254: PAX Prime 2015 - Chasm (4MB) - A precedurally generated RPG platformer with carefully designed rooms to offset the randomness, creating a polished replayable experience. Outro: Chasm promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 253: PAX Prime 2015 - Distance (2.2MB) - A survival racer based on the genre-bending Nitronic Rush. Outro: Distance promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 252: PAX Prime 2015 - MekaZoo (2.2MB) - Classic platformer featuring animals designed to be played alone or with friends. Outro: MekaZoo promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 251: PAX Prime 2015 - We Are Chicago (2MB) - This game collects true stories from the South Side of Chicago and weaves them into an interactive adventure. Outro: We Are Chicago promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 250: PAX Prime 2015 - Fortified! (1.9MB) - Want to stem an alien invasion with your co-op buddies? First you need to fortify with turrets and other defenses and then you need to work together and shoot 'em. Outro: Fortified! promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 249: PAX Prime 2015 - FutureGrind (2MB) - The game is pretty and deceptively simple. Match your blue wheel to the blue track and red wheel to the red track. But it's much harder than it looks. Outro: FutureGrind promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 248: PAX Prime 2015 - To Leave (1.8MB) - So you have this magic door, and you need to grab on and fly it out of each level. Only you can't touch anything except power ups and checkpoints. Good luck with that! Outro: To Leave promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 247: PAX Prime 2015 - Ladykiller in a Bind (2.4MB) - This erotic lesbian visual novel is subtitled "My Twin Brother Made Me Crossdress As Him And Now I Have To Deal With A Geeky Stalker And A Domme Beauty Who Want Me In A Bind!" We couldn't pass up this interview, and neither should you. Outro: Ladykiller in a Bind promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 246: PAX Prime 2015 - Dragon Fin Soup revisited (2.9MB) - We first learned of this roguelike adventure at PAX 2013. Now it's released on Steam and PlayStation (free this month if you're PS+). Hear how it turned out in just 3:05. And, if you like, go back to the original in-depth 9:25 interview earlier in the podcast feed. Outro: Dragon Fin Soup promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 245: PAX Prime 2015 - How To Survive 2 (5MB) - If you love killing zombies (as GrrlGotGame does), playing with friends, and crafting crazy cool weapons, you'll want to get in on this game - out now in Steam Early Access. Outro: How To Survive 2 promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 244: PAX Prime 2015 - Sometimes Always Monsters (3.6MB) - This is an odd little journey of an interview, and it's less than 4 minutes. Learn about the sequel to Always Sometimes Monsters that's not really a sequel and may not ever truly end. Outro: Sometimes Always Monsters promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 243: PAX Prime 2015 - Through The Woods (2.7MB) - If a horror tale that blends Nordic mythology and fairy tales with psychological order sounds like your kind of game, find out more in this short interview with the game's audio designer. Listen to the end for a small taste of the game. Outro: Through The Woods promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 242: PAX Prime 2015 - Minecraft: Story Mode (4.6MB) - Hear how this blend of Minecraft and Telltale Games' episodic adventure play came to be, the crafting system, and what to expect from this game. Outro: Minecraft: Story Mode promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 241: PAX Prime 2015 - Corpse of Discovery (3.5MB) - An exploration game about isolation, you might just purge your demons about work/life balance with this PC game that's out now. Outro: Corpse of Discovery promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 240: PAX Prime 2015 - Mimic Arena (2.7MB) - Mimic Arena is a multiplayer party game with a twist: Your deaths can give you an advantage as they spawn mimics that repeat your past actions. Outro: Mimic Arena promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 239: PAX Prime 2015 - The Rust Belt (1.5MB) - This top-down action game requires little explanation, which is why it's one of our shortest interviews ever. Find out if its simple but addictive game mechanics are right for you. Outro: The Rust Belt promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 238: PAX Prime 2015 - Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (2.5MB) - This game puts you in the shoes of a bomb disposal novice while your friends flip frantically through the manual to try to talk you through the steps needed to defuse a device before time runs out. Outro: Gameplay from promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 237: PAX Prime 2015 - Castle Story (3.1MB) - Build a voxel castle and destroy it, if you like, in this world-building game. Learn about some of the challenges the developers have faced and, for the most part, overcome and get a status update on this Steam Early Access title. Outro: Castle Story promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 236: PAX Prime 2015 - Hob (2.3MB) - Runic Games' Hob is nothing like Torchlight. Find out about this mysterious puzzle platformer that promises to unfold without dialogue. Outro: Hob promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 235: PAX Prime 2015 - Gigantic (3.7MB) - We speak to the story editor for Gigantic about why this free-to-play MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) is not like any other. Outro: Gigantic promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 234: PAX Prime 2015 - The Magic Circle (3MB) - This meta indie game from former AAA developers puts the player in charge of finishing a piece of 20-year-old vaporware, from inside the game. Outro: The Magic Circle promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 233: PAX Prime 2015 - Rock Band 4 (4.9MB) - Harmonix' Eric Pope on Rock Band 4's most compelling new features, how DLC will work, and the holdup with Xbox One digital preorders. Outro music: "Violent Shiver" by Benjamin Booker from Rock Band 4 promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 232: I Love Bees (15.6MB) - I Love Bees is one of the best videogame stories ever told. Or never told, since it never actually appeared in a videogame. It was a promotional campaign for Halo 2 that exceeded all expectations. Learn about the story, and the story behind the story. And the I Love Bees Definitive Edition that we willed into existence because we love it so. Audio trailer music: free-loops.com. ARG conference audio with I Love Bees creators Elan Lee, Kristen Rutherford, Sean Stewart, and Jim Stewartson courtesy of Story Forward Podcast.
- Busy Gamer Nation 231: PAX Prime 2014 - The Order: 1886 (3.9MB) - The Order: 1886 is one of the more interesting shooters we've played at PAX. Hear about some of the design decisions that make this a compelling game for history buffs and fans of wicked cool weapons. Outro music: The Order: 1886 promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 230: PAX Prime 2014 - Boo Bunny Plague (3.4MB) - One of the strangest games we've found at PAX, Boo Bunny Plague features a pop culture-spouting rabbit robot who battles forces of rock, rap, and opera. Lots of music samples for you to enjoy! Music: Boo Bunny Plague promotional trailer and soundtrack songs "End An Artificial Life (Hel Rap Battle)," "Heimdal's Opera," "A Mother's Love," and "Mother's Pride."
- Busy Gamer Nation 229: PAX Prime 2014 - Rebuild 3: Gangs of Deadsville (4.1MB) - A zombie game that's fun for the whole family? Our 12-year-old is already a fan of the series. Hear him talk strategy with the game's creator. Outro music: Rebuild 3: Gangs of Deadsville promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 228: PAX Prime 2014 - Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell (3.4MB) - Find out what's so hot about Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell and the Saints Row IV: Re-elected set for next gen. Outro music: Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 227: PAX Prime 2014 -That Dragon, Cancer (8.2MB) - That Dragon, Cancer is a game that explores love and loss in a way you might just need to heal yourself. In perhaps our most emotional podcast, learn about daddy/developer Ryan Green and his son Joel.
- Busy Gamer Nation 226: PAX Prime 2014 - Escape Dead Island and Dead Island 2 (10.1MB) - Escape Dead Island and Dead Island 2 are two very different zombie games. Hear what makes each tick, and which might be a future Game of the Year nominee (and which definitely isn't). Music: Escape Dead Island and Dead Island 2 promotional trailers.
- Busy Gamer Nation 225: PAX Prime 2014 - Never Alone (6MB) - Never Alone is a visually stunning platformer that reflects the art styles and stories of an Alaska Native tribe known as the Inupiaq. Find out how this unique title came to be. Outro music: Never Alone promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 224: PAX Prime 2014 - Pig Eat Ball (4.8MB) - What would happen if Ms Pac-man gained weight for each pellet that she ate? What if your seat buzzed everytime a buddy playing Pig Eat Ball rammed into you? These questions and more are answered in this short but engaging interview from PAX Prime 2014. Outro music: Pig Eat Ball promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 223: PAX Prime 2014 - Borderlands: The Pre-sequel (5.2MB) - Borderlands: The Pre-sequel is clearly more of the same Borderlands, but with some twists. Most notably, you can finally play as Claptrap, the dancing robot, and this changes everything. Outro music: Borderlands: The Pre-sequel promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 222: PAX Prime 2014 - Evolve (8.5MB) - We grudgingly checked out Evolve at PAX Prime 2014, which appeared to be yet another shoot-'em up. But it's much deeper than it looks, and playing as the monster or on a team of hunters can be awesome (depending on your play style). Outro music: Evolve promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 221: PAX Prime 2014 - Slender: The Arrival (2.5MB) - The other Halloween game from Midnight City, Slender: The Arrival is decidedly not for kids. Outro music: Slender: The Arrival promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 220: PAX Prime 2014 - Chariot (4.6MB) - Dragging a coffin around the world may not sound like the best premise for a co-op platformer, but it's surprisingly fun! Learn about Chariot, due out this fall. Outro music: Chariot promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 219: PAX Prime 2014 - Costume Quest 2 (2.5MB) - We get a look at Midnight City's Costume Quest 2 at PAX Prime 2014, and it looks pretty great. Learn about the changes from the charming original, including why it's fun to play as a Candy Corn! Outro music: Costume Quest 2 promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 218: Geek Girl Con 2013 - Zhurosoft (5.9MB) - Zhurosoft is known for the free-to-play iOS games Monster Kingdom (a Pokemon-style battler) and Kingdoms of Zenia (strategy). Learn what's next in Monster Kingdom 2! Outro music: Kingdoms of Zenia promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 217: Geek Girl Con 2013 - Project Spark (4.8MB) - Microsoft's game about making games, Project Spark, is out now and free to play. Hear all about the variety of game types you can make, including game-making as a game itself. Outro music: Project Spark promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 216: PAX Prime 2013 - Dying Light (11.2MB) - Dying Light is another first-person zombie game from the makers of Dead Island. Hear what's different and what to expect when it releases in 2015. Outro music: Dying Light E3 promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 215: PAX Prime 2013 - Backyard Battles (6.8MB) - Backyard Battles is an indie turn-based strategy game for kids of all ages that's expected out soon for mobile and browser-based play. Outro music: Backyard Battles promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 214: PAX Prime 2013 - Agent P Doofendash (3.6MB) - Agent P Doofendash is a free-to-play endless runner available now. Get a taste of the gameplay before you take on Dr. Doofenshmirtz as Perry the Platypus and other agents from TV's Phineas and Ferb. Outro music: Agent P Doofendash in-game soundtrack.
- Busy Gamer Nation 213: PAX Prime 2013 - Sword 'N' Board (6MB) - Sword 'N' Board is a fully funded Kickstarter puzzle RPG that's due out later this year (it even reached its first stretch goal!). Developer Robert Busey explains the origins and evolution of this charming game. Outro music: Sword 'N' Board Kickstarter trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 212: PAX Prime 2013 - 2K Drive (3.7MB) - 2K Drive looked like a potential hit when we saw it at PAX Prime 2013, but lacked two key elements that we thought were misses. Time seems to have borne this out: without free-to-play or controller support, it still appears to be a pass with huge potential. Outro music: 2K Drive promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 211: PAX Prime 2013 - Dragon Fin Soup (8.7MB) - We learn about Dragon Fin Soup, a rogue-like procedurally generated RPG designed with both core and busy gamers in mind. Outro music: Dragon Fin Soup promotional trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 210: PAX Prime 2013 - Contraption Maker (7.5MB) - We get hands on with Contraption Maker, from the creators of the Rube Goldberg-inspired Incredible Machine series of games, at PAX Prime 2013. Outro music: Contraption Maker in-game soundtrack.
- Busy Gamer Nation 209: PAX Prime 2013 - Fantasia: Music Evolved (4.9MB) - Give a listen to Harmonix latest rhythm game, the Disney-themed Fantasia: Music Evolved, at PAX Prime 2013. Outro music: "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars (buy it from iTunes).
- Busy Gamer Nation 208: PAX Prime 2013 - Infamous: Second Son (6.7MB) - Hear what it sounded like inside the Infamous: Second Son demo booth at PAX Prime 2013. Outro music: "Heart-Shaped Box" by Dead Sara (buy it from iTunes).
- Busy Gamer Nation 207: PAX Prime 2013 - Romans From Mars (5.9MB) - Romans From Mars is a free-to-play endless wave shooter for iOS, Droid, and Windows Phone. Outro music: Romans From Mars in-game soundtrack.
- Busy Gamer Nation 206: PAX Prime 2013 - XCOM: Enemy Within (5.25MB) - We learn about the XCOM: Enemy Within expansion pack for XCOM: Enemy Unknown that's also available on PS3 and Xbox 360 in the XCOM: Enemy Within Commander Edition. Outro music: "Our Last Hope" by Michael McCann from XCOM: Enemy Unknown soundtrack.
- Busy Gamer Nation 205: PAX Prime 2013 - Contrast (3MB) - We check out a surprise standout from PAX Prime 2013, a PS4 launch title. Outro music: Contrast in-game soundtrack.
- Busy Gamer Nation 204: PAX Prime 2013 - Zombie! Zombie! Zombie! HD (3.4MB) - Big Fish Games explains how their free-to-play zombie match-3 game for iPad came to be. Outro music: Zombie! Zombie! Zombie! HD in-game soundtrack.
- Busy Gamer Nation 203: PAX Prime 2013 - Drone Controller (3.7MB) - Evolution Controllers shares details about the Drone, a console-style Bluetooth controller for PC, Mac, and portables now available to pre-order via their Kickstarter. Outro music: Drone Kickstarter trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 202: PAX Prime 2013 - Borderlands 2: Headhunter Packs and Game of the Year Edition (5.9MB) - Borderlands 2 has new Headhunter Packs coming, starting with T. K. Baha's Bloody Harvest. We learn all about it and the Game of the Year Edition at PAX Prime 2013. Plus, tips for beating the boss! Outro music: "Short Change Hero" by The Heavy from the Borderlands 2 soundtrack.
- Busy Gamer Nation 201: PAX Prime 2013 - The Wolf Among Us (4.3MB) - Telltale Games co-director Nick Herman shares how the comic series Fables became the episodic The Wolf Among Us in this interview at PAX Prime 2013.
- Busy Gamer Nation 200: PAX Prime 2013 - Windborne (7.3MB) - Hidden Path Entertainment's Windborne is a Minecraft-inspired sandbox game set on floating islands with rich game dynamics, a beautiful art style, and the freedom to play however you want. Learn more in this interview at PAX Prime 2013.
- Busy Gamer Nation 199: PAX Prime 2013 - Troubadour (2.8MB) - Xbox community manager Eric Doty shows off his side project, an interactive story called Troubadour, at PAX Prime 2013. Outro music: "Boredummm (Demo Version)" by Dallas "Deezign" Stoeckel.
- Busy Gamer Nation 198: PAX Prime 2013 - Neverending Nightmares (7.1MB) - Matt Gilgenbach explains how his struggle with depression and OCD led to the game Neverending Nightmares, which aims to terrify by playing with your sense of vulnerability and immersion while invoking images of horror that have personally tormented him. Sound and outro music: Neverending Nightmares Kickstarter trailer and demo.
- Busy Gamer Nation 197: PAX Prime 2013 - Chromancer (16.4MB) - We interview one the creators of Chromancer, an online trading card game developed by a team of card game enthusiasts that promises deep play mechanics and digital cards that retain their collectibility. Outro music: Chromancer Kickstarter trailer.
- Busy Gamer Nation 196: PAX Prime 2013 - Tommy Tallarico (12.1MB) - We interview game music composer Tommy Tallarico about his music, the Video Games Live show, and the Kickstarter to release the Level 3 collection of orchestrated game scores. Music credits: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Street Fighter II, and Monkey Island (available on the Video Games Live! Level 3 Kickstarter page).
- Busy Gamer Nation 195: PAX Prime 2013 - Transistor (5.9MB) - We interview Greg Kasavin and Darren Korb from Supergiant Games about their upcoming sci-fi RPG, Transistor. Transition and outro music: E3 Trailer "We All Become" by Darren Korb with Ashley Barrett.
- Busy Gamer Nation 194: The Music of BioShock Infinite (6.3MB) - There's so much more to the music of BioShock Infinite than the official soundtrack! We spin the platters that matter including reimagined pop songs and an amazing fan tribute. Also, there may be Kevin Bacon.
Music credits: "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys covered by A Mighty Wind (download), "The Songbird," "Solace," and "Let Go" by Gary Schyman (at this writing, official BioShock Infinite soundtrack download codes available only in premium editions of game - we'll update you here if this changes), "BioShock Main Theme" by Gary Schyman (free official BioShock soundtrack download), "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival covered by Jessy Carolina (download), "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears covered by Scott Bradlee (download), "Shiny Happy People" by REM covered by Tony Babino (download), "Tainted Love" originated by Gloria Jones and popularized by Soft Cell covered by Miche Braden (download) and Kevin Bacon (will add download link if anyone asks!), "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" performed by Courtnee Draper and Troy Baker (see note above about official soundtrack), "BioShock Infinite Rap" by Dan Bull (download), and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper performed by Jim Bonney on calliope (download).
- Busy Gamer Nation 193: PAX Prime 2012 - My Giants (3.2MB) - Interview with My Giants developer. Outro music: My Giants trailer at WorldofMyGiants.com.
- Busy Gamer Nation 192: PAX Prime 2012 -Dead Island: Riptide (1.2MB) - Interview with Aubrey Norris of Deep Silver. Outro music: Dead Island: Riptide score by Pawel Blaszczak.
- Busy Gamer Nation 191: PAX Prime 2012 - Code Hero: A Cautionary Kickstarter Tale (7MB) - Interview with Code Hero rep about the once promising Kickstarter for game programming teaching software. Since this was recorded, Code Hero has disappeared, leaving its backers disappointed. Outro music: "Code Monkey" by Jonathan Coulton.
- Busy Gamer Nation 190: PAX Prime 2012 - LocoCycle (2.2MB) - Interview with Jay Stuckwisch at Twisted Pixel about Xbox One launch title, LocoCycle.
- Busy Gamer Nation 189: PAX Prime 2012 - Pinball FX 2 Plants vs. Zombies Table and Archer Table (2.8MB) - Interview with Zen Studios about how the Plants vs. Zombies table for Pinball FX 2 came to be and the long-running rumors of an Archer table.
- Busy Gamer Nation 188: PAX Prime 2012 - Bastion for iPad (4.5MB) - Interview with Greg Kasavin of Supergiant Games about Bastion for iPad. Outro music: "The Mancer's Dilemma" by Darren Korb from the Bastion soundtrack (get it at Bandcamp)
Here are the Busy Gamer Podcast archives and show notes (over time, we'll aim to sync these to the Busy Gamer Nation feed):
- Busy Gamer Podcast 67: Dead Island and Resident Evil 4 (8MB) - October 30, 2011: Our Halloween show, packed with zombies and things that go bump in the night! We review Dead Island and Resident Evil 4, now available in high def upgrade. Some of sound effects from these games could freak you out (yeah, we totally have that chainsaw dude!). Running time: 8:47.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 66: PAX Prime 2011 Coverage (37.1MB) - September 16, 2011: Our in-depth yet highly compressed PAX Prime 2011 coverage including Borderlands 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, BioShock Infinite, Rise of Nightmares, Retro/Grade, Joe Danger: The Movie, QUBE, Life is Crime, Mass Effect comics, musicians Darren Korb (Bastion), Matt Chainsaw Chaney (Comic Jumper, The Gunstringer) and Jonathan Coulton (Portal, Portal 2) and more. Running time: 40:33.
As promised in the podcast, here are full-length uncensored recordings for Borderlands 2, BioShock Infinite and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 65: Sucker Punch, Alice: Madness Returns and Bastion (17.2MB) - August 22, 2011: We descend down the rabbit hole to explain the hidden meanings of Sucker Punch the movie (spoiler free!), take on Alice: Madness Returns and run headlong toward the Bastion accompanied by the most excellent music by Darren Korb. Running time: 18:49.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 64: E3 2011, L.A. Noire and Music of Grand Theft Auto (23.5MB) - June 22, 2011: We share the highlights from the big 3 press conferences at E3 - Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo - complete with audio from the events and details on the PlayStation Vita and Wii U. We also review L.A. Noire and examine the music of Grand Theft Auto I-IV plus Vice City and San Andreas. Running time: 25:38.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 63: Astro A40s, Portal 2 and Hulu Plus (11.3MB) - May 29, 2011: First up, we try on the Astro A40 gaming headset (and give you a listen!). Then we offer our spoiler-free take on Portal 2 (with lots of samples from the game, minus the major plot twists). We also review Hulu Plus complete with a small taste of the service's clips, from Colbert to Lonely Island with a little cheesecake and Swedish classic cinema. Running time: 12:26.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 62: Dead Island Music, iOS Games and You Don't Know Jack (16.1MB) - April 30, 2011: We examine the music of the Dead Island trailer, the origin of literal versions with music videos such as Take on Me and Head Over Heels and then the amazng Dead Island literal version. We also play some great (and not-so-great) iPhone/iPad games: The 7th Guest, Atari Greatest Hits, Puzzle Quest II, Sword & Sworcery EP, Lego Harry Potter and Slingo Supreme. Finally, we give a listen to the original You Don't Know Jack from the '90s and review the most recent incarnation of this innovative trivia series. Running time: 17:32.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 61: Plants vs Zombies Music, PAX East and Lego Universe Revisited (21.6MB) - March 31, 2011: We review the music of Plants vs. Zombies by Laura Shigihara, talk to industry vet Collin Moore about PAX East games Duke Nukem Forever, The Darkness II, Mortal Kombat, Orcs Must Die, Fez, Gunstringer, Trenched, Red Faction Armageddon, Homefront, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Nintendo 3DS, Warp, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet and FirePro Wrestling, plus 8-year-old Pikachu Fan reports on why he's still playing Lego Universe after 6 months. Running time: 23:36.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 60: Fallout: New Vegas GOTY Review (23.9MB) - February 27, 2011: GrrlGotGame shares the stories behind the songs of Fallout: New Vegas, we review New Vegas as our Game of the Year pick for busy gamers, discuss the appeal of the Fallout series for both of our very different play styles, examine why the Dead Money DLC falls flat and name our game of the year runners up - each worthy of your precious gaming time. Running time: 26:07.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 59: Kinectimals and Kinect Exercise Games (18MB) - January 20, 2011: We review Kinectimals family style (hear why it's our favorite of the Kinect launch titles), take on Kinect exercise games including Dance Central, Zumba Fitness and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and run down our holiday haul (Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Enslaved, Rock Band 3 and Phineas and Ferb for DS). Also, GrrlGotGame's post-holiday walkthrough! Running time: 19:39.
- Busy Gamer Podcast 58: Child's Play and Morrowind (10.9MB) - December 15, 2010: New feature-only format! Listen in on the 2010 Child's Play Charity Auction and hear the "director's cut" of Gamewatcher's Audiophile tour of Jeremy Soule's music for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind with tastes of Oblivion, Prey and Ye Olde Pickup Lines of Oblivion. Running time: 11:56.
- Weeks of November 21 and 28, 2010 (14.1MB) - Episode 57: What you can do now to prepare for inevitable Xbox 360 failure, what's in iOS 4.2 for iPad and iPhone, Pikachu Fan compares Crafting Mama to real arts and crafts, GrrlGotGame commands her minions in 7 Wonders HD and Gamewatcher finally meets up with Veronica (voiced by Felicia Day) in Fallout: New Vegas. Running time: 15:20.
- Week of November 14, 2010 (14.2MB) - Episode 56: Getting deeper into Kinect, the Zuma Blitz beta and arriving at the Fallout: New Vegas strip. Running time: 15:28.
- Week of November 7, 2010 (16MB) - Episode 55: Kinect setup tips and first looks (and listens) to Kinectimals, Kinect Sports and Dance Central, GrrlGotGame reviews Dead Rising 2 and Heart's Medicine, plus highlights from Sony's The Tester Season 2 premiere. Running time: 17:30.
- Week of October 31, 2010 (15.5MB) - Episode 54: The whole family reviews Costume Quest (including Pikachu Fan, GrrlGotGame finishes Dead Rising 2 (spoiler free), Gamewatcher takes the night shift in Fallout: New Vegas, why Pinball FX 2 is (mostly) great for busy gamers and how Harmonix failed fans with the Rock Band 3 launch. Running time: 16:52.
- Week of October 24, 2010 (14.8MB) - Episode 53: 7-year-old Pikachu Fan's Lego Universe review, GrrlGotGame takes on Fallout: New Vegas and Gamewatcher gets sucked into Costume Quest, plus why you might want to skip the red Wii or Nintendo DSi XL. Running time: 16:10.
- Week of October 17, 2010 (18.9MB) - Episode 52: Anniversary Special! Busy Gamer Podcast year in review, Dance Central track list announced, Dead Rising 2 problems on standard definition TV and Comic Jumper tips plus future DLC speculation. Running time: 20:38.
- Week of October 10, 2010 (12.9MB) - Episode 51: We review the unusual Comic Jumper, try out Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and debate whether the inclusion of an early access pass to the Duke Nukem Forever demo in the Borderlands Game of the Year Edition punishes fans, incents new players or both. Running time: 14:01.
- Week of October 3, 2010 (10.6MB) - Episode 50: We share tips that make Hydrophobia more enjoyable (and finish the game and share why it was both fun and disappointing), play Dead Rising 2 and Puzzle Agent and discuss Nintendo 3DS launch details. Running time: 11:35.
- Week of September 26, 2010 (33MB) - Episode 49: Our third and final report from PAX Prime 2010! We interview representatives about Comic Jumper, Puzzle Agent, Bangai-O HD and Instant Jam, and we share our impressions of Torchlight 2, Tron: Evolution, LittleBigPlanet 2, Infamous 2 and Power Gig. We also discuss the GOG.com marketing hoax, finish BioShock 2 Minerva's Den and start Halo: Reach. Running time: 36:00.
- Week of September 19, 2010 (27MB) - Episode 48: Part 2 of our PAX Prime 2010 coverage! We get hands-on with the PlayStation Move and Sports Champions, explore the underwater action of Hydrophobia (and talk with the game's creative director about the title's inspiration), interview an Epic Mickey artist about the strange Disney RPG platformer and its attraction for Warren Spector and learn what's so compelling about Lego Universe from the game's producer. And we finish Dead Rising: Case Zero 2 (with some tips!) and enter BioShock 2 Minerva's Den. Running time: 29:26.
- Week of September 12, 2010 (19MB) - Episode 47: Part 1 of our PAX Prime 2010 coverage! Listen to Harmonix Rock Band 3 panel highlights (bleeped!) with details on plans for DLC, how pro guitar works, track exports and the new hardcore achievement. Hear Portal 2 co-op play with taunts from GLaDOS, get details on Fallout: New Vegas and learn about our surprise find of the show Raskulls. Also, we find out about the new iPhone Game Center, discuss the mythical Duke Nukem Forever and play some Dead Rising 2: Case Zero! Running time: 20:42. Listen to full Rock Band 3 panel at PAX Prime (56MB, NSFW due to explicit language).
- Week of August 29, 2010 (12.8MB) - Episode 46: The Busy Gamer Guide to Penny Arcade Expo 2010 in Seattle, highlights from our Xbox Live Community Playdate with Blur, pricing news for the Nintendo DSi and Xbox Live Gold, Toy Story Mania for Wii vs. the ride at California Great Adventure and 7-year-old Pikachu Fan on Toy Story 3 for DS. Running time: 13:56.
- Week of August 22, 2010 (21.6MB) - Episode 45: GrrlGotGame completes her Operation Little Sister BioShock cosplay adventure (article and extended audio diary), plus we discuss Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, play a little Love Battle Princess for iPhone, listen to the Harmonix viral video reveal of the Rock Band 3 setlist, get serenaded by Pikachu Fan as he reveals his never favorite song from Lego Rock Band and invite you to join first ever Xbox Live Community Playdate where we'll play Blur on September 1. Running time: 23:36.
- Week of August 15, 2010 (16.5MB) - Episode 44: We take the Kinect Tour and share our impressions of Dance Central, Kinectimals and Kinect Adventures, examine the sex ed shooter Privates so you'll leave it alone (seriously, you might go blind!), finish our Crackdown 2 games and return to Infamous. Running time: 18:01.
- Week of August 8, 2010 (18MB) - Episode 43: GrrlGotGame embarks on adventures in cosplay with Operation Little Sister Part 1 (article and extended audio diary), plus Gamewatcher and the community discuss Inception (spoiler-free on the podcast, but very spoiler-y article and comments) and we share details of our first ever Xbox Live Community Game Night coming up on September 1. Running time: 19:41.
- Week of August 1, 2010 (12.8MB) - Episode 42: Blur audio review, farewell to the Michael Jackson zombie in Plants vs. Zombies, PS3 and PSP updates, trying to solve a community member's Xbox 360 DLC offline licensing issue, checking out Resident Evil 4 for iPad and Zen Bound 2, playing Crackdown 2 and Puzzle Quest 2 and being a Tweet Defense booster tower. Running time: 13:58.
- Week of July 25, 2010 (10.8MB) - Episode 41: Pikachu Fan reviews Lego Harry Potter, we examine Kinect launch details including price, that hidden 'gotcha' with the new 4GB Xbox 360, Harmonix and EA punish Rock Band 3 fans, the deal with Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, why Limbo didn't grab us but Treasure Quest and Crackdown 2 still do and how to nab a dragon in Destination Arcade. Running time: 11:44.
- Week of July 18, 2010 (11.9MB) - Episode 40: Crackdown 2 tips, a welcome to King's Quest tribute The Silver Lining, a farewell to 1 vs. 100 on Xbox Live, a debate on games for girls and Treasure Quest on Facebook. Running time: 12:58.
- Week of July 11, 2010 (11.8MB) - Episode 39: Full Alan Wake audio review, the console online subscription debate (and a possible solution!) and first impressions of Crackdown 2, Toy Story 3 and Angry Birds HD for iPad. Running time: 12:55.
- Week of July 4, 2010 (14.5MB) - Episode 38: PlayStation Plus launch details (including the truth about those 3 free months!), Puzzle Quest 2 first look and tips, the appeal of Uncharted 2 and GrrlGotGame shares the games she hopes don't suck this summer and fall (Dead Rising 2, Fallout: New Vegas and Lego Harry Potter) plus she reveals the game that broke her heart. Running time: 15:46.
- Week of June 27, 2010 (14.2MB) - Episode 37: Upgrade to iOS 4.0 on the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS with our helpful guide and tips for getting started with new features such as multitasking, folders, wallpaper and mail. We also examine the iPad including some compelling apps: Twittelator for iPad, Netflix, Kindle, GodFinger, 7 Wonders HD, Air Hockey and any game from PopCap (including Plants vs. Zombies pixel-doubled!) We also chat about Zuma and H.E.R.O. on Xbox 360 and how we set up our 7-year-old's first PC. Running time: 15:27.
- Week of June 20, 2010 (17.1MB) - Episode 36: E3 news highlights culled from hours of press conferences plus a quick roundtable to give you our picks and peeves and comments from the community on what they'll be buying (and skipping). We have Xbox 360 Kinect (including the adorable Kinectimals, Star Wars and Harmonix Dance Central), The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (including the live demo snafu!), Call of Duty: Black Ops, Halo: Reach space combat, GoldenEye 007 for Wii, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Move, why Portal 2 will be best on PlayStation 3 and our problem with actor and faux Sony exec Kevin Butler. Running time: 18:40.
- Week of June 13, 2010 (17.4MB) - Episode 35: We review Doom II for Xbox Live Arcade and take a nostalgic journey (complete with GrrlGotGame's demon poetry!) behind why we love this game, we pick apart Green Day: Rock Band (and why it's not for everyone) and we report on Rock Band 3 (including the new keyboard controller details and instrument pricing) and iPhone 4 features and launch details. Running time: 18:56.
- Week of June 6, 2010 (13.6MB) - Episode 34: Gamewatcher tries his voice at the Glee app for iPhone, Pikachu Fan reviews Lego Batman and GrrlGotGame explains why her love for Doom II signals a distaste for Alan Wake, plus our pick for Test Drive Unlimited 2 pre-order bonus, why we didn't buy Missile Command or Video Pinball on Game Room and our new Power User Tip feature with advice for Xbox 360 and Wii gamers. Running time: 14:50.
- Week of May 30, 2010 (19.8MB) - Episode 33: GrrlGotGame picks apart the music of Fallout 3, we take first looks (listens?) at Blur, the incredible ModNation Racers track editor and Doom II for Xbox Live Arcade and share some downloadable musical treats from the canceled Wii game Sadness, the original Fallout series and the Lost TV show music (including Drive Shaft's "We All Everybody") added to Rock Band Network. Running time: 21:36.
- Week of May 23, 2010 (10.9MB) - Episode 32: We share our Alan Wake first impressions (not as favorable as those early reviews that we were sold on!) and share some tips for getting past the Episode 2 difficulty bump, answer your questions about the Boys & Girls Club avatar hoodie promotion with Xbox 360 (including how you might score some codes!), look at the ModNation Racers beta for PS3 and why we kept our pre-order after playing it and share why we almost bought Time Pilot for Game Room. Running time: 11:55.
- Week of May 16, 2010 (14.3MB) - Episode 31: GrrlGotGame sings her farewell to Zynga's Farmville and Cafe World, Steam on Mac launch (including guest appearance by Portal's GLaDOS), the Secret of Monkey Island embedded demo (with cameo by Guybrush Threepwood), free MechWarrior 4, EA's Online Pass proposal, Beautiful Katamari, late night Dead Space, Game Room's Keystone Kapers and Battlezone and the card battle dogsled game Mush. Running time: 15:35.
- Week of May 9, 2010 (21.4MB) - Episode 30: Halo Special Editon! The Halo: Reach beta first impressions and tips guide, our Audiophile review of the music of Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST, Gold N' Fly rap music mashup with the Goldeneye 007 game, our Rock Band party, Treasure Quest on Facebook and Pitfall for Game Room on Xbox 360. Running time: 23:21.
- Week of May 2, 2010 (12.8MB) - Episode 29: Batman: Arkham Asylum audio review, what you need to know about the Halo: Reach beta, a quick look back at Halo 3: ODST, a source for online game manuals (and why we'll miss them) and first impressions of Gunnar Optiks so-called advanced gaming eyewear. Running time: 13:59.
- Week of April 25, 2010 (11.7MB) - Episode 28: Pikachu Fan offers the 7-year-old perspective on WarioWare D.I.Y., we hear from Will Powers (aka Cyrus) who landed the job as Sony's The Tester, examine the Halo: Reach limited editions, explore the ins and outs of Club Nintendo (and its WiiWare exclusive Grill Off with Ultra Hand!), move iTunes to a new computer and discuss Chromixa and Social City for iPhone and Glow Artisan for DSiWare. Running time: 12:48.
- Week of April 18, 2010 (11.3MB) - Episode 27: GrrlGotGame takes on Sony's The Tester reality series and we examine the God of War music that you might have nabbed for free, Green Day: Rock Band track news and preorder offers, We Rule for iPhone and Act 2 of the 8-bit Dr. Horrible. Running time: 12:18. Music credits below.
- Week of April 11, 2010 (16.5MB) - Episode 26: Our 6-month anniversary show, and it's EPIC. We offer our Audiophile review of the music of Jet Set Radio Future and deliver insights into the iPhone 4.0 firmware news, GrrlGotGame reviews the militaristic Solitaire Siege, we discover an 8-bit adventure game tribute to Dr. Horrible and take on Boogie Bunnies, Bee Spelled and Geometry Wars 2. Running time: 18:00. Music credits below.
- Week of April 4, 2010 (15.2MB) - Episode 25: iPad game launch titles (including a few freebies you may want to nab!), GrrlGotGame on iPhone word games including IsoWords, Words with Friends and AlphaBattle, a brief audio tour of the best April Fool's Day jokes including the Halo movie and Halo: Reach multiplayer movies that will never be, the good and bad of upgrading to a 250GB Xbox 360 hard drive, news of the PlayStation 3 firmware update that does away with Linux, and Batman: Arkham Asylum's lousy save system, Red Faction: Guerilla impressions and Hasbro Family Game Night. Running time: 16:35. Music credits below.
- Week of March 28, 2010 (15.6MB) - Episode 24: GrrlGotGame takes on Jack Thompson, non-gamer moms and GTA III (aka Good Times Ahead!), Pikachu Fan reviews the Avatar: The Last Airbender games for Nintendo DS, we examine Game Room for Xbox 360 including the now busy gamer friendly Atari 2600 classic Adventure and discuss the strange appeal of Isowords for iPhone and how Batman: Arkham Asylum transcends its brawler foundation and legacy of bad games. Running time: 17:02. Music credits below.
- Week of March 21, 2010 (13.1MB) - Episode 23: BioShock 2 review with audio tour, ModNation Racers pre-order bonuses, discussion of Perfect Dark, Wolfenstein, Words with Friends, Tweet Defense and Social City, Twisted Pixel CEO on our Episode 21 review of The Maw, the Rock Band 2 cover of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" by Eric Cartman, and more. Running time: 14:14. Music credits below.
- Week of March 14, 2010 (14.5MB) - Episode 22: Audiophile review of Silent Hill music, iPhone apps with lasting appeal such as Twittelator, Ping!, SpringFling, Jigsawed and Tweet Defense, the PlayStation Move announcement, Rock Band 3 "news," the Blur beta, a spoiler-free look at the BioShock 2 ending, This Week in Podcast selects our Busy Gamer Podcast, and more. Running time: 14:14. Music credits below.
- Week of March 7, 2010 (11.5MB) - Episode 21: Audio review of The Maw (featuring a cameo by Pikachu Fan!), discussion of the March 1 Sony PlayStation 3 failure dubbed the A-clock-alypse, an examination of the Rock Band Network launch for Xbox 360 including some tips for getting started, our impressions of BioShock 2 multiplayer and Brutal Legend, and more. Running time: 12:32. Music credits below.
- Week of Feb. 28, 2010 (11.1MB) - Episode 20: Introduction to DJ Hero with starter tips, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom from the 7-year-old perspective, discussion of BioShock 2, Dante's Inferno, Darksiders, The Maw, Fret Nice, Audiball and Lazy Raiders, news from the Nintendo Summit including details on the Nintendo DSi XL and major game releases, how to get Peggle Nights for free (and several other free Peggle games and add-ons; full details) and more. Running time: 12:09. Music credits below.
- Week of Feb. 21, 2010 (15.2MB) - Episode 19: BioShock special with audio-enhanced review of original game and Audiophile segment examining Garry Schyman's riveting score from both BioShock (free download from 2k Games!) and BioShock 2, plus first looks at Plants vs. Zombies for iPhone and The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom for Xbox 360, news of even more EA server shutdowns with community comments, and more. Running time: 15:46. Music credits below.
- Week of Feb. 14, 2010 (9.6MB) - Episode 18: First impressions of BioShock 2 (including tips and multiplayer), Heavy Rain, Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Dead Space, a look at Red Dead Redemption preorder offers and more. Running time: 10:25. Music credits below.
- Week of Feb. 7, 2010 (13.4MB) - Episode 17: Review of Assassin's Creed II Battle of Forli expansion, retro games worthy of a next-gen reboot, news of the Xbox Live shutdown for original Xbox consoles and games, Pikachu Fan's 7-year-old view on Goosebumps Horrorland for DS and more. Running time: 14:35. Music credits below.
- Week of Jan. 31, 2010 (14.9MB) - Episode 16: Full audio tour of our Busy Gamer News game of the year Borderlands, our first Audiophile segment examining Jeremy Soule's soothing Morrowind score, BioShock 2 preorder orffers, first impressions of Serious Sam HD and Batman: Arkham Asylum, and more. Running time: 16:16. Music credits below.
- Week of Jan. 24, 2010 (12MB) - Episode 15: Full Lego Rock Band review with music by The Automatic, Rock Band Network news, what made us buy Magic The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers, first impressions of the Avatar game and more. Running time: 13:03. Music credits below.
- Week of Jan. 17, 2010 (10.8MB) - Episode 14: Full Assassin's Creed II review, Wii Netflix news, Xbox 360 rumor, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks and Serious Sam HD impressions and more. Running time: 11:45. Music credits below.
- Week of Jan. 10, 2010 (13MB) - Episode 13: CES news, EA online game server shutdown, "sinister" gaming, 6-year-old's review of Lego Star Wars for DS, Pixel Force: Left 4 Dead tribute, Borderlands co-op, Trials HD, The Saboteur impressions and more. Running time: 14:08. Music credits below.
- Week of Jan. 3, 2010 (10MB) - Episode 12: Borderlands tips for newcomers, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time music re-instrumented from zreomusic.com, Dragon's Age: Origins, the ModNation Racers preview, Arachnodoodle and Ravensword for iPhone, a spoiler-free look at the end of Assassin's Creed II and more. Running time: 10:55. Music credits below.
- Week of Dec. 27, 2009 (10.2MB) - Episode 11: Borderlands, Uncharted 2, Forza Motorsport 3, Lego Rock Band (with the 6-year-old perspective!), PopCap iPhone and Steam sales, and more. Running time: 11:10. Music credits below.
- Week of Dec. 20, 2009 (10.9MB) - Episode 10: Zuma's Revenge, Assassin's Creed II add-on pack details, iBlast Moki for iPhone, limited time holiday giveaways/offers, and more. Running time: 11:50. Music credits below.
- Week of Dec. 13, 2009 (11MB) - Episode 9: Child's Play Charity Auction, Zynga community games such as Farmville and Cafe World on Facebook, the iPhone Appvent Calendar with daily free games, and more. Running time: 12:03. Music credits below.
- Week of Dec. 6, 2009 (7.5MB) - Episode 8: Modern Warfare 2 Javelin glitch, Pinball Pulse for DSiWare, update on Ramp Champ for iPhone and more. Running time: 8:10. Music credits below.
- Week of Nov. 29, 2009 (10.9MB) - Episode 7: Halo 3: ODST review, another exclusive Assassin's Creed II tip, and more. Running time: 11:55. Music credits below.
- Week of Nov. 22, 2009 (11MB) - Episode 6: Assassin's Creed II first look and tips, Child's Play 2009, PS3 and PSP system updates, scammy offers in Facebook games, and more. Running time: 11:59. Music credits below.
- Week of Nov. 15, 2009 (12.1MB) - Episode 5: Prep for Xbox 360 dashboard update with Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and Zune Marketplace, Torchlight, Bejeweled Blitz for iPhone, Plants vs. Zombies, Condemned 2, World of Goo, and more. Running time: 13:11. Music credits below.
- Week of Nov. 8, 2009 (10.5MB) - Episode 4: Bejeweled Blitz for iPhone, Left 4 Dead 2 demo playable zombie hack, Plants vs. Zombies, game cliches, and more. Running time: 11:23. Music credits below.
- Week of Nov. 1, 2009 (12.6MB) - Episode 3: Halo Waypoint beta, Netflix on PS3 and Wii, Farmville on Facebook, Halo 3: ODST, Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time, and more. Running time: 13:47. Music credits below.
- Week of Oct. 25, 2009 (10.5MB) - Episode 2: Rock Band for iPhone, preview of Facebook and Twitter on Xbox 360, affair with Halo series, and more. Running time: 11:30. Music credits below.
- Week of Oct. 18, 2009 (11.4MB) - Premiere episode: Fallout 3 review, iPhone App Watch, and more. Running time: 12:30. Music credits below.
Music credits
Recurring
- Episode 1 to latest: "I'm So Busy" by The Alice Project
(courtesy of Mevio's Music Alley) - Episode 5 to 57: "ReMix: Super Mario Bros. 'Da Pipes'" remixed by Franz Keller
(courtesy of Overclocked ReMix) - - Episode 2 to 51: "Tied Ends (Tribute 2 Silent Hill)" by SikkBeatz
(courtesy of Mevio's Music Alley) - Episode 1 to 51: "Heart, Broken" by Joss Whedon from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog DVD Commentary! The Musical (buy it at Amazon or get the music at iTunes)
- Episode 1 to latest: "It is Pitch Black" by MC Frontalot (courtesy of frontalot.com) -
- Episode 1 to 51: "I Feel Fantastic" by Jonathan Coulton (courtesy of Mevio's Music Alley)
- Episode 52 to latest: "Zombies On My Lawn" by Laura Shigihara (download)
- Episode 52 to latest: "Playing for Fun" by Rademacher (courtesy of Mevio's Music Alley)
- Episode 52 to latest: "Blood Gulch Blues" by Trocadero (get it at iTunes)
Episode specific
- Episode 12: "Zelda Theme," "Open Treasure Chest," "Item Catch," "Lost Woods" and "Game Over"
(courtesy of Zelda Reorchestrated) - Episode 15: "Monster" by The Automatic (get it at iTunes) -
- Episode 16: "The Road Most Traveled," "Silt Sunrise," "Nerevar Rising," "Peaceful Waters," "Ambush" and "Blessing" from The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind composed by Jeremy Soule (get it at DirectSong)
- Episode 16: "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 17: "Aisle 10" by Scapegoat Wax (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 17: Score from Blast Corps by Graeme Norgate, Dark Summit by Allan Levy and Shadowman by Tim Haywood
- Episode 18: Score from BioShock 2 by Garry Schyman
- Episode 19: "La Mer (Beyond the Sea)" by Django Reindhart (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 19: "Welcome to Rapture," "Dr. Steinman," "Step Into My Garden," "Dancers on a String" and "All Spliced Up" from BioShock composed by Garry Schyman (download it free from 2K Games)
- Episode 19: "Waking Up in 1959" and "Pairbond (BioShock 2 Theme)" from BioShock 2 composed by Garry Schyman
(buy it as part of BioShock 2 Special Edition at Amazon for PC, PS3 or Xbox 360) - Episode 20: Score from The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom by David Stanton
(Not yet available for purchase, but reported to be coming to iTunes!) - Episode 21: "Creepy Doll" by Jonathan Coulton (courtesy of Mevio's Music Alley)
- Episode 22: "Silent Hill" from Silent Hill Soundtrack (get it at iTunes), "Theme of Laura," "Silent Heaven" and "Laura Plays the Piano" from Silent Hill 2 Soundtrack (get it at iTunes) and "End of Small Snactuary" and "I Want Love (Studio Mix) from Silent Hill 3 Soundtrack (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 23: Score from BioShock 2 by Garry Schyman and score from Perfect Dark by Grant Kirkhope and Eric Cartman sings Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" by South Park
- Episode 24: Score from Avatar The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno and Grand Theft Auto III
- Episode 25: Score from Batman: Arkham Asylum \
- Episode 26: Jet Set Radio Future soundtrack (get it from Amazon.com) with tracks "Fly Like a Butterfly" and "The Concept of Love" by Hideki Naganuma, "Ill Victory Beat" by The Latch Brothers, "I Love Love You" by Guitar Vader, "Birthday Cake" by Cibo Matto (get it at iTunes), "Oldies But Happies" by Hideki Naganuma, "Aisle 10" by Scapegoat Wax (get it at iTunes) and "Like It Like This, Like That" and "Funky Dealer" by Hideki Naganuma
- Episode 27: "Athens Rooftops Fighting" by Gerard Marino from the God of War Soundtrack and "Peacemaker" by Green Day from 21st Century Breakdown (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 30: Gold N' Fly's "Ride Wit Me" by T.I./mashup by Alex Kresovich (download), "Opening Suite," "Truth and Reconciliation Suite" and "Covenant Dance" by Marty O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori from Halo 1 soundtrack (get it from Amazon.com), "The Last Spartan" by Marty O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori, "Blow Me Away" by Breaking Benjamin (get it at iTunes) and "Never Surrender" by Nile Rodgers & Nataraj from Halo 2 Vol 1. soundtrack (get it from Amazon.com or get partial album at iTunes), "Floodgate, Part 2" and "The Covenant (Three Gates)" by Marty O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori from Halo 3 soundtrack (get it from Amazon.com), "Deference to Darkness" by Marty O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori from Halo 3: ODST soundtrack (get it from Amazon.com or get it at iTunes), "Blood Gulch Blues" by Trocadero (get it at iTunes) and "Swing, Swing" by The All-American Rejects (get it at iTunes).
- Episode 31: "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor (8-bit version by 8bitsynthesizer) and "Katamari Dancing" by Takashi Utsunomiya.
- Episode 33: Sadness soundtrack (download), "My Chrysalis Highwayman" by Mark Morgan from Fallout score (download coming soon) and Fallout 3 tracks "Main Title" by Inon Zur, "A Wonderful Guy" by Tex Beneke with Margaret Whiting, "Crazy He Calls Me" by Billie Holiday, "Way Back Home" and "Dear Hearts and Gentle People" by Bob Crosby, "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" by The Ink Spots, "Butcher Pete (Part 1)" by Roy Brown and "Civilization" by Danny Kaye and the Andrew Sisters plus "Brain Stew" by Green Day and "We All Everybody" by Drive Shaft (made up band from the Lost TV series).
- Episode 36: "Shop Vac" by Jonathan Coulton (buy it from Mevio's Music Alley)
- Episode 37: "30 Rock Theme" by Jeff Richmond (get a cover version at iTunes) and "Zombies On My Lawn" by Laura Shigihara (download)
- Episode 39: "Haunted" by Poe (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 42: "Zombies On My Lawn" by Laura Shigihara (download)
- Episode 45: "Welcome to Rapture" from BioShock composed by Garry Schyman (download it free from 2K Games)
- Episode 46: "Better Than Neil" by Nathan Fillion from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog DVD Commentary! The Musical (buy it at Amazon or get the music at iTunes)
- Episode 52: "Haunted" by Poe (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 54: "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 58: "The Road Most Traveled," "Silt Sunrise," "Nerevar Rising," "Peaceful Waters," "Over The Next Hill ," "Dance of Swords" and "Blessing of Vivec" from The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and "Reign of the Septims" from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion composed by Jeremy Soule plus "Prey Overture" composed by Jeremy Soule and Julian Soule (get it at DirectSong)
- Episode 59: "Chiron Beta Prime" by Jonathan Coulton (buy it from Mevio's Music Alley), "Zack's Rap" from Dr. Horrible's Commentary: The Musical! (get it at iTunes) and "Walkthrough" by Pifie and Errol (download)
- Episode 60: "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle" by The Kay Kyser Orchestra (get it at iTunes), "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle" by Louis Nunley (get it at iTunes), "Heartaches By the Number" by Guy Mitchell (get it at iTunes), "Big Iron" by Marty Robbins (get it at iTunes), "Johnny Guitar" by Peggy Lee (get it at iTunes), "Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money, Too!)" by Peggy Lee (get it at iTunes), "Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money, Too!)" by Lil Green(get it at iTunes), "Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow" by Nat King Cole (get it at iTunes), "Blue Moon" by Frank Sinatra (get it at iTunes), "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" by Dean Martin (get it at iTunes) and "Vault 101" by Kirby Krackle (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 61: Plants vs. Zombies soundtrack by Laura Shigihara (get it at Bandcamp)
- Episode 62: Dead Island trailer theme by Mairi Campbell, Peter Nicholson and Guido De Groot (get it at iTunes), 7/11 with The 7th Guest music by The Fat Man and Team Fat (get it at iTunes) and Sword & Sworcery LP by Jim Guthrie (get it at Bandcamp or get it at iTunes)
- Episode 63: Portal 2 theme "999999" by Mike Morasky (download Songs to Test By Volume 1), "Want You Gone" by Jonathan Coulton and "Jack Sparrow" by Lonely Island with Michael Bolton (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 64: "L.A. Noire Main Theme" by Andrew Hale (get it at iTunes), "Grand Theft Auto 3 Theme" (unavailable for purchase), "Rush Rush" by Debbie Harry (get it at iTunes), "Crockett's Theme" by Jan Hammer (get it at iTunes), "It Takes Two" by DJ EZ Rock and Rob Base (get it at iTunes), "O Tebe" by Ranetki (get it at iTunes), "Nikogo ne Zhalko" by Leningrad (get it at iTunes), "Soviet Connection" by Michael Hunter (get it at iTunes), "Schweine" by Glukoza (get it at iTunes), "Arm in Arm" by The Boggs (get it at iTunes) and "No Sex for Ben" by The Rapture (get it at iTunes)
- Episode 65: "Where is My Mind" and "White Rabbit" from the Sucker Punch Motion Picture Soundtrack (get it at iTunes or get movie at Amazon) and "Build That Wall (Zia's Theme)," "In Case of Trouble," "Spike in a Rail," "Mother, I'm Here (Zulf's Theme)" and "Setting Sail, Coming Home" from the Bastion Soundtrack by Darren Korb (get it at Bandcamp)
- Episode 66: Retro/Grade music by Nautilus, "Donuts, Go Nuts!" (free download), "Stats Screen Song" (free download) and "Whistle While You Work" (free download) by Chainsaw and "Want You Gone" by Jonathan Coulton (get it at iTunes or download free in-game version)
- Episode 67: Themes from Dead Island and Resident Evil 4 (soundtracks not available) and Dead Island trailer theme by Mairi Campbell, Peter Nicholson and Guido De Groot (get it at iTunes).