Boot Disks and Bad Decisions

Brian and Tom close out the podcast by discussing the games that impacted them the most, and the Sexy Chicken Voice makes a triumphant return to Tom's delight and Brian's chagrin.

The guys discuss grinding for mad lootz in video games and whether it's okay for games to start slow before they reach the really fun parts.

Tom and Brian never thought they'd be doing this long enough to get to part 6 of anything, but here we are. This batch of oddities includes wacky web sites, aptly-named books, and a rather disturbing mouse pad.

Tom and Brian discuss a recent visit to a retro arcade and reminisce about their favorite coin-op classics.

Tom and Brian discuss their time playing the Command and Conquer series, while also looking back on FMV and ridiculous Tim Curry quotes.

Tom and Brian discuss their favorite video games that you can purchase for $10 or less during the current Steam sale, as well as some of the games they've gotten the most mileage out of.

Tom and Brian wash up on a deserted island and discuss the games they'd be happy playing for the rest of their lives. Come for the terrible skit intro, stay for the Survivor-esque drama!

Tom and Brian review their most anticipated games revealed during this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Tom and Brian discuss their most unpopular gaming opinions, including high-profile franchises they really don't like very much and underrated games they think should get a bit more credit.

Tom and Brian discuss famous video game development delays over time and attempt to determine whether delays tend to produce a better, more polished game or be a huge red flag that disappointment is on the way.

Tom and Brian discuss video game characters they'd want to grab a drink with, and specify the drink of choice for each character.

Tom and Brian discuss interesting analytical facts about video games, ranging from market breakdowns, top-selling games on various platforms and the difficulty in nailing down accurate sales statistics in the game industry.

Tom and Brian discuss games that were overhyped and did not live up to their billing, and other games that arrived with little fanfare and left a lasting impression.

Tom and Brian return for the newest installment of Superfight and a team deathmatch filled with thrills, spills, chills and a few surprises. 

Tom and Brian come back for Part 2 of the video game music series, exploring the most impactful tracks that shaped their video game experiences for the better.

Tom and Brian select some of the most iconic video game musical scores from the 1980s to present and discuss why the songs have left a lasting impression. 

Ostensibly this episode is about handheld and mobile gaming, but the reality is we meandered around and made things up as we went along. Enjoy!

Tom and Brian discuss some of the most iconic video game cheat codes, exploits and easter eggs for your listening enjoyment. No need for Nintendo Power, we've got them all right here for you!

Tom and Brian take a deep drive into the Far Cry IP,  from its original title by Crytek to the current iterations and upcoming title starring Giancarlo Esposito. 

Tom and Brian discuss gaming computers and peripherals that are excessive or just laughably useless, featuring the 7-screen Aurora 7 laptop. 

Hannah, our crime correspondent, returns once again for a deep dive into high-profile hacks in recent history relating to the mysterious Anonymous collective. 

Tom and Brian return for the epic conclusion to Video Game March Madness - who will stand victorious atop the bodies of their enemies? Listen to find out!

Tom and Brian utilized a random number generator to create a bracket of 16 of the best video game characters in history, who will battle it out for the glory of being the best! Who will win?

Tom and Brian dig deep to find indie diamonds in the rough from the past and present in this second installment of the indie game showcase.

Tom and Brian discuss the Star Wars expanded universe of books, video games and other media, assessing the merits of including these stories in the formal canon.

Tom and Brian discuss the Expanse Season 5 in its entirety, and discuss where the plot will move going forward given the clues provided by the book series.

Tom and Brian discuss odd gaming den products they found in the deepest corners of the internet in the latest oddities episode.

In the newest Superfight episode, Sithasaurus Rex takes on the Terminator... with a surprise twist ending!

Tom and Brian discuss their experiences with pen and paper role-playing games and CCGs.

In the opening episode of the IP Deep Dive segment, Tom and Brian discuss the lore and history behind the Fallout series.

Tom and Brian begin the second year of Boot Disks and Bad Decisions by wrapping up discussion of the Mandalorian Season 2 in its entirety and speculating about the adventures to come in Season 3.

Tom and Brian discuss their favorite indie games, after realizing that over the course of 50+ episodes they've largely focused on AAA games.

Tom discusses his experiences in finally getting a chance to play Cyberpunk 2077, and later Tom and Brian discuss the penultimate episode of the Mandalorian Season 2 as well as the upcoming Star Wars series announced by Disney.

Tom and Brian provide the weekly Mandalorian update, discuss Cyberpunk 2077 and review some of their weirdest retail experiences as customers and employees.

Brian and Tom discuss the retro games that they loved as kids...that they're now realizing kind of sucked. Hot takes include Rebel Assault, Mortal Kombat, and a very lukewarm take on the Virtual Boy.

Tom and Brian review the sordid history of video game movie adaptations, digging through the trash to see if any gems can be found.

To celebrate the 50th episode of Boot Disks and Bad Decisions, Tom and Brian host the fifth internet oddities episode featuring wolverine claws, Japanese rope bondage, the devil's toe and many other gems.

Tom and Brian discuss the IPs they want to see more of, and also those that they are just tired of the constant iterations and would love it if Activision and EA would give them a rest already.

This week's video game companions are like those classmates in your group project- they just don't pull their weight and in most cases you'd be better off without them! Tom and Brian discuss the absolute worst and most useless video game companions, including Slippy Toad, Claptrap and many others.

Happy Halloween! On this special episode we bring back Hannah, our crime correspondent, to review the history of gaming urban legends.

Tom and Brian mean to discuss something meaningful, but mostly just geek out over The Expanse.

Tom and Brian discuss the most shameful behavior they've participated in when gaming, which mostly involves Brian as Tom has no shame.

Tom and Brian bring back Superfight for a second iteration, by popular demand, and prove once and for all that Chuck Norris cannot be beaten.

Tom and Brian discuss their favorite video game companions.

Tom and Brian discuss the annual AAA bombardment of autumn releases, as well as the latest gaming news such as the release of the Nvidia RTX 3080 and the purchase of Bethesda by Microsoft.

Tom and Brian discuss the characteristics of games and gamers that are the fly in the ointment for their gaming experience, ranging from poor UI choices to multiplayer toxicity.

Tom and Brian discuss the medical odyssey that held Tom out of recording for a week, and follow up with a discussion of games, movies and other media they lean on to make lemonade when life deals them lemons.

Brian and Tom deal with writer's block by playing Superfight and recording the results for your enjoyment.

Our crime correspondent, Hannah, returns to discuss the most famous and controversial cases involving swatting, a form of prank where the caller sends a SWAT team to a friend or acquaintance's house by claiming they have a hostage situation or bomb threat at the address.

Tom and Brian pick up an age-old debate that never gets old - if you could have any three superpowers or abilities, which would they be and why?

Brian and Tom deliver yet another episode chock full of the strangest things they've found on the Interwebs.