DNVR Gaming Podcast

From E3 to State of Play to the Tokyo Game Show, we parse the modern landscape of video game expos, trailers, demos and hype.

Mortal Kombat spoiler-filled movie review. Bad movie? Good movie? Good video game movie? We break down what we loved and what we hated, plus other fighting games that need films.

Drew and AJ review Godzilla vs. Kong, monster and titan movies in general, and talk about why its been so difficult to translate them into quality video games.

Zak Snyder's cut of the Justice League is making waves for being a massive upgrade. Drew and AJ discuss some video games over the year that could use similar glow-up treatment.

Super Nintendo World allows us to hang with Mario and Princess Peach! Drew and Rudo discuss the value and future of video game amusement parks, what other games need them and review Bugsnax!

Pokemon Snap returns! Plus remakes of Diamond and Pearl are set to print Nintendo some money. Drew and Rudo analyze the history and future of the Pokemon Multiverse.

Final Fantasy has a long history with reviews and analysis that walk a fine line between cynical and skeptical. Prime examples include the laughing scene, tonal and aesthetic shifts, and divisive love stories.

The Mortal Kombat 2021 movie trailer dropped and has us HYPED! Drew and AJ discuss the terrible history but potential glorious future of video game movie and TV adaptations.

From World of Warcraft to Final Fantasy XIV, online community gaming provides a unique experience for video game fans. Drew, AJ, and Rudo celebrate the history of MMORPGs.

Drew and AJ review the PS5 now that Drew has some hands-on experience with it. Plus, some thoughts outside the consensus on the botched launch of Cyberpunk 2077 and the future of CD Projekt Red.

Comparing Final Fantasy to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Studio Ghibli films (among others) through the prism of the motif - The Rebels vs. The Empire. We examine the tropes of The Dark Knight, The Royal Rebel, The Superweapon, Industry vs. Nature and Pluralism vs. Individualism. Final Fantasy VII inverts these tropes at every step and how so many other games in the franchise put their own unique spin on them.

From Final Fantasy VII Remake to Animal Crossing: New Horizons to Ghosts of Tsushima, Drew, AJ, and Rudo welcome Matt Diorio from Crashing Game Night to discuss the best that video games had to offer in the year 2020. How bad have sports games gotten? What are the best games to play with and against a loved one? We've got you covered.

This week, Drew and Ira finish their conversation about the plot of the original Final Fantasy concluding with an in-depth conversation about the 2,000-year time loop. Does it count as Deus Ex Machina? Does it make logical sense? Also, what are the implications of this story on the concept of free will? Do the Light Warriors deserve our thanks or were they simply programmed to complete a task with no other possible outcome? 

Among Us, Fall Guys, and Hades have us thinking about The Untitled Goose Game, Journey, The Banner Saga, and older games like Perfect Dark and even Chrono Trigger. We celebrate some of our favorite small, underrated, overlooked games of the recent past and of all time.

On the first episode of Final Fantasy Weekly, Ira and Drew Creasman discuss the value of diving deep into the stories, themes, characters, music, and art of the world's most successful (and best) RPG franchise. Why is Final Fantasy worthy of serious literary critique? We also set the stage for what you can expect in each episode and why this might be different from other Final Fantasy media you've no doubt enjoyed.  

Ranking Halo games and reviewing the XBOX Series X, Drew, AJ, Rudo, and Evan jump into more of the next generation before walking down memory lane.

The PS5 and XBOX Series X have arrived and we have NOT played them! But we do have some early thoughts on the arrival of the newest generation in console gaming and many more thoughts on games as a service.

Video game "crunching" is becoming a more well-known phenomenon. Drew, AJ, and Rudo discuss the practice and how developers should navigate growing demands from fans and increasingly brutal employee practices.

Drew, AJ, and Rudo discuss some of the most memorable and hyped video game releases in history and share some personal stories about waiting in line on a big day. How has this phenomenon evolved over the years?

On this episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew, AJ, and Rudo focus on co-op games. What are some of the great ones? Why aren't there more games built specifically for co-op? And are their any truly elite co-op titles?

On this episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew, AJ, and Rudo discuss the checkered history of turning video games into television and film. We recount some of the biggest failures, some of the standouts over the years that have defied the odds, and the potentially promising new wave of great adaptations providing a roadmap for a bright future.

On this episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew, AJ, and Rudo discuss the Mt. Rushmore (Top 4) of video game franchises. This quickly evolves into a conversation about the 10 best or most important franchises in the history of the industry.

On this episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew, AJ, and Rudo discuss an eventful week on the Twitch stream, some news of the day as the next gen console wars begin to heat up, and run through a list of some of their most and least favorite mechanics commonly found in games.

On this episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew, AJ, and Rudo are joined by Brendan Vogt who celebrates his recent FIFA championship, tells his gamer origin story, and jumps in on the conversation about the history and legacy of open world games.

On this episode of the DNVR Rockies Podcast, Drew, AJ, and Rudo review Final Fantasy VII Remake and dive into a deeper conversation about the legacy and future of remakes and remasters, DLC, and episodic content.

On this episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew, AJ, and Rudo review an old sports game and a new one, taking a look back at the classic NHL Hitz franchise before diving into the newest edition of MLB The Show.

On this episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew Creasman AJ Haefele and Nathan Rudolph review a couple of Blizzard games in Starcraft 2 and the latest expansion to Hearthstone. Plus, some highlights from the week on Twitch and building the perfect team of video game heroes to save the world.

On this episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew Creasman, AJ Haefele, and Nathan Rudolph discuss the launching of our discord channel, give highlights of our week in streaming, and review Animal Crossing: New Horizons and the original Final Fantasy VII.

On the very first episode of the DNVR Gaming Podcast, Drew Creasman, AJ Haefele, and Nathan Rudolph dive into what you can expect from this new element of the DNVR Universe. What can you expect from the Twitter and Twitch channels whether you are a gamer or not? Plus, our origin stories as gamers, what we have been playing lately, and some of our favorite games of all time.