Downloadable Content

This is the second half of our latest episode, continuing our chat on some of our favorite video game composers. Highlighted on this half: Hitomi Sato, Darren Korb, Yasunori Mitsuda, Dabu, Masayoshi Soken, and Christopher Larkin. 

It's all music on this one! On this episode, guest-hosted by Spencer, each member of the panel highlights a favorite video game composer and talks about the effects their music has left on them. This episode went long, so it's being broken up into two halves. On the first half, we highlight Yoko Shimomura, Toby Fox, the Capcom Sound Team, Ryo Nagamatsu, Takeharu Ishimoto, and Widdly 2 Diddly. Ep 190A

In 2005, Microsoft launched their second console, the Xbox 360. It proved to be a runaway success, finally establishing them as a major player in the console game. Boasting PC-like graphics, a robust online network, and massive third-party and indie support, it was a must-have system. We look back on its legacy here. Ep 189

For the first time in two years, DLC records an episode! It's been a hot minute! On this episode, we talk about the Resident Evil 4 remake and give our thoughts and experiences playing this compared to the original Gamecube classic. Ep 188

Two years ago, we visited the sprawling world of Final Fantasy XIV as it hit its 10th anniversary. Since then, the Endwalker expansion released, and we spend four and a half hours going through the last expansion in the current FFXIV storyline. Ep S11E5

We shine a spotlight on a genre of video game that has old roots, but has found a second life in the indie scene: the classic Metroidvania. From its beginnings with Metroid and Castlevania to new classics like Hollow Knight, Ori, and Bloodstained, we find that there's still a desire for these kinds of games. What are some of your favorites? Ep S11E4 

In this episode, it's a Free Play, an open discussion where the panel talks about anything and everything related to video games. Here, we cover big video game acquisitions, the upcoming Chrono Cross remaster, the silly notion that certain game design decisions somehow shouldn't be subject to criticism, digital board games, and tons more. Ep S11E3

In this episode, we talk about the video game industry's new lovers: crypto, blockchain, and NFTs, and why the big developers are pushing ahead with this terrible marriage despite near universal outcry from fans. Ep S11E2

Apparently we just couldn't stay away. It's a fresh start, and a fresh format. DLC is now a live monthly Twitch show! Be sure to follow us on Twitch to get notified when we go live! The audio only versions of our shows will be made available on the usual places as well as our website. To kick things off, Brian, Ron, and Ronny take a deep dive into Final Fantasy IV and reflect on its legacy 30 years after release. Ep S11E1

After a wonderful run of 10 years and a total of 183 episodes, Downloadable Content comes to an end. On this final episode, we end it in the traditional way: with a Free Play. In Part 2, we chat about favorite modern game soundtracks, speedrunning, memorable endings, and plenty more as we bring this podcast to a close. Ep S10E14B

After a wonderful run of 10 years and a total of 183 episodes, Downloadable Content comes to an end. On this final episode, we end it in the traditional way: with a Free Play. Part 1 sees us covering a range of topics from Sephiroth in Smash, to game replay-ability, to emulation, and plenty more. Ep S10E14A

On our 8th episode of DLC, we did our very first retrospective episode, talking about Sonic the Hedgehog as the franchise turned 20. It seems only fitting that as DLC nears its end, we do our final retrospective on our favorite speedy blue mascot and see what he's been up to as he turns 30. Ep S10E13

  It's an undisputed fact that Nintendo is king of the handheld consoles. On this episode, we take a fond look at the Nintendo 3DS, a plucky little handheld that stumbled out of the gate in 2011 but ultimately became well-loved in its own right well before it was discontinued in September 2020. Ep S10E12

Final Fantasy IX released twenty years ago, and with it, returned the series back to its roots. We continue our discussion in Part 2. Ep S10E11B

Final Fantasy IX released twenty years ago, and with it, returned the series back to its roots. In Part 1 of our two-part episode, we dive back into this love letter to the franchise and revisit the worlds of Terra and Gaia. Ep S10E11A

In our second Free Play of 2020, we talk PS5, Persona 5, A Link Between Worlds, re-classifying video games, and how season/battle passes are replacing lootcrates and lootboxes. Needless to say, we've all got a lot of thoughts. Ep S10E10

With the PS5 and Xbox Series X releasing in two weeks, we take a side-by-side look and see what we got right and wrong in our prognosticating, and give some thoughts about the launch games as well. Ep S10E9

On our 2nd half of our FF7R chat, we traipse through the rest of the game and dive into some plot speculation and thoughts for the remaining installments. Ep S10E8B

It's Part 1 of our Final Fantasy VII Remake discussion! With our biggest DLC panel ever, we head back to Midgar, over two decades since we first got off the train and began one of our greatest gaming adventures. Ep S10E8A

On our second and final part of our Final Fantasy XIV 10-year anniversary episode, we talk about the different expansions and favorite moments. The panel does a pretty good job selling Brian on buying it. Ep S10E7B 

It's been 10 years since Final Fantasy XIV launched, its second major MMO in the flagship franchise. It wasn't without its problems, though, and opened to such dismal reviews, forcing Square Enix to shut it down and go back to the drawing board. Re-releasing as A Realm Reborn, it proved to be exactly what the game needed, and it shows no signs of stopping. Ep S10E7A

Once upon a time, video games used to be included with a purchase of a new console, giving players an opportunity to use their systems right out of the box, which had the added bonus of driving sales and widespread early adoption. We take a look at this old practice and talk about how it's evolved today. Ep S10E6

On the nearly 3-hour long and final part of our Resident Evil 4 15th Anniversary episode, we have EVEN MOAR WORDS TO SAY. Well, Spencer and Ronny do, at least. Ep S10E5C

No, seriously, it turns out we had a lot to say. Part 2 of RE4 15th Anniversary episode has us giving our thoughts on the game as we take a huge dive into madness. We cover the start of the game to partially through the castle. Ep S10E5B

It is without question that Resident Evil 4 marked a drastic change for the franchise, dropping its formula of puzzle solving, conserving ammo, and Raccoon City, shedding many of its own created survival horror tropes. Fifteen years later, we take a look back and revisit this divisive game. Turns out we had a lot to say, so here is Part 1. Ep S10E5A

On the first Free Play episode of Season 10, we cover a lot of ground--games we're playing, games we have a love/hate relationship with, games we'd love to see get a full-on remake, and plenty more. Dive in and enjoy! Ep S10E4

There are many nuances and facets of video games that are open to constant debate. On this episode, however, we put aside debates and focus on a single one: graphics. We go through the generations of consoles and come up with our own personal lists of purely beautiful games. Ep S10E3

Twenty years ago, the Playstation 2 was released, boasting full backwards compatibility with the entire PS1 library, and a DVD player to boot, marking the first major console to make a serious push at being a multi-functional entertainment center. It left its competition in the dust to become the top-selling console of all time. On this episode, we look back with fond nostalgia at some of our favorite games for this beloved system. Ep S10E2

Kicking off Season 10 is the news of the upcoming new consoles from Sony and Microsoft, the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X. With these due for release later in 2020, it gives us time to a little prognosticating. To begin this series of DLC, we talk about what we currently know of the two consoles and speculate on what we'd like to see, both from a physical and a games standpoint. Ep S10E1 

On our season finale, we do a third and final Free Play, talking about our best games played this year, our most disappointing ones, a little dive into Red Dead Redemption 2, some games of the decade, and more. Happy New Year, all! See you in 2020. Ep S9E11

The Super Nintendo era of Final Fantasy was so good that many long-time fans of the series often see those games as the best in the series. Their amazing stories, memorable characters, and wonderful music make them worthy of being viewed in such a light. On this episode, we’re going to take a deeper look into Final Fantasy 6, and how its influence is still felt in JRPGs 25 years later. Ep S9E10

It's a sparse panel this time, and we shoot the metaphorical shit for 2 hours in this Free Play, covering topics like: yet more things that video game developers do that piss us off, the possibility of selling your digitally-purchased games and the court case in the EU that could be huge in that regard, and devoting the entire second half to Team Cherry's amazing game, Hollow Knight. Ep S9E9

Reviews are probably the only direct way a consumer has to voice their enjoyment or displeasure regarding a product. In the world of video games, though, coordinated efforts to quickly bombard a game's page with (mostly) negative reviews to address a perceived wrong either with the developer or the game itself leads us to ask: is this practice a good way to try to effect change, or are these review bombs just complaints by whiny and seemingly-entitled gamers? Ep S9E8

It has been a brutal year for developers in the video game industry. Massive layoffs from Activision Blizzard, EA, and ArenaNet, the collapse of Telltale Studios…well over a thousand people suddenly out of work. Then we have the phenomenon known as "crunch." It is pervasive, with developers working 14-hour days for weeks and months on end to meet the unrealistic deadlines of publishers and shareholders. Is there anything that we as gamers can do, or that the industry at large can do? Ep S9E7

Twenty years ago, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan put out just its second-ever game. It ended up an underrated gem: The Legend of Dragoon. Released almost 3 years after the much-beloved Final Fantasy 7, it sort of got swept under the rug. We dive in to the land of Endiness on this episode, and talk about why we still love it two decades later. Ep S9E6

Now that the dust is settling on E3 2019, we take a deep dive into all the conferences, big announcements, surprises in our annual recap. Part 1 covers Microsoft, EA, Bethesda, Google Stadia, Limited Run, and the PC Gaming Show. Part 2 covers Devolver Digital, Ubisoft, Kinda Funny, Square Enix, and Nintendo. Ep S9E5B

Now that the dust is settling on E3 2019, we take a deep dive into all the conferences, big announcements, surprises in our annual recap. Part 1 covers Microsoft, EA, Bethesda, Google Stadia, Limited Run, and the PC Gaming Show. Part 2 covers Devolver Digital, Ubisoft, Kinda Funny, Square Enix, and Nintendo. Ep S9E5A

After a few months off, we're back--this time, rolling out the first of our Free Plays for the year. We talk PAX East, the latest in eSports, gamers behaving badly, and the top 20 games of the Heisei era as voted on by Japan. Ep S9E4

Five years ago, we did some episodes talking about where the video game industry was regarding inclusivity and representation of women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, etc. On this episode, we check in to see what strides have been made, and what we feel the industry could do more of. Ep S9E3

More and more companies are going the way of digital distribution only, and some companies are getting into business models where you can stream a video game, removing the idea of ownership completely and having the player pay a certain amount to rent a game to play. While the idea of offering video games as a service is not new, streaming now certainly appeals to the developers and publishers. How does that affect the gaming landscape for players? Ep S9E2

From its humble beginnings on the Nintendo 64, this madcap insanity we know as Super Smash Bros. has kept us gleefully entertained, with something for just about everybody, whether you're a casual player to a hardcore tournament player. And with the latest incarnation on Nintendo Switch, this series shows no signs of letting up. How has this craziness kept going for twenty years and several console generations? Dive in as we open Series 9 with a love letter to this great series. Ep S9E1

On the final episode of our 8th season of DLC, it's our third and final Free Play episode. This open discussion has us talking a variety of things: what games we're playing, VR games, recommendations for the Switch, FF15, the new Epic Games store, and a ton more as we go nearly 3 hours to close out 2018. Ep S8E17

When a developer creates a game and decides to take a multimedia approach to the game's narrative, what does that do for the player's experience? If a player has to go beyond the game in order to fully appreciate its narrative, does it become a chore? An expensive money grab? An acknowledgement that the developer can't contain the game's narrative in its own media? Inspired by an opinion article in Game Informer, we take a look at the idea of having to work for a story in this episode. Ep S8E16

Squaresoft director Tetsuya Takahashi began writing a scenario for a game that was to begin development. Finding it too dark to be a Final Fantasy title, it became Xenogears. Several years of planning, creating backstory, and development ensued, and in February 1998, Xenogears was released. Critically acclaimed then despite its obvious lack of polish or completeness, does it hold up 20 years later? Ep S8E15

What makes speedrunners tick? These gamers devote countless hours to their craft: completing a game so quickly and so thoroughly that it boggles the mind. Whether for fun, for charity, or both, speedrunners give life to games decades old, broadcasting their conquests and giving new fans a glimpse into the titles we played as kids. There's truly an art to it, and we explore it on this episode. Ep S8E14

November 1998 saw the release of the 5th major installment in the Legend of Zelda series: Ocarina of Time. It proved to be a groundbreaking entry in the franchise, and is widely considered one of the greatest games ever made. Twenty years later, it continues to delight fans the world over. Why? Listen in as we dive into Hyrule once again. Ep S8E13

It's the 3rd official entry in the Metal Gear canon, but in 1998, Konami released Metal Gear Solid on the PS1 to universal acclaim. Widely considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time, it combines stealth and confusing narrative, as well as an unforgettable cast of characters. Listen in as we take a deep dive into this amazing classic. Ep S8E12

With Nintendo's current crusade against ROM-hosting websites, now seems a good time to talk about forced and planned obsolescence in video games. What happens when developers pull the plug on a game that is still enjoyed by many? What ways do we have to preserve games? With few legal ways to do so, is emulation and piracy the solution to preservation, or do we need to re-examine how we see games as part of our culture? Ep S8E11

With Resident Evil 2 bursting onto the scene in January 1998, survival horror became firmly established on the PlayStation. Not to be outdone, Square created a game that blended the styles of RPGs, action, science fiction, and survival horror to create Parasite Eve, based on the novel of the same name. We look back at this underrated classic on its 20th anniversary. Ep S8E10

In our 3rd and final part of our E3 2018 recap, we cover the highlights and game announcements from the PC Gaming Show, Sony, and Nintendo. Ep S8E9C

In Part 2 of our E3 2018 recap, we cover the highlights and game announcements from Square Enix, Limited Run Games, and Ubisoft. Ep S8E9B