Franchise Festival

Hello listeners, this is your Franchise Festival host Chris. We just wanted to provide a few quick announcements: (1) There is no new episode on the public feed this month, as we're taking a short break between seasons to recuperate and enjoy the holidays with our family and friends. (2) Patrons will get our annual Game of the Year podcast on or around December 15th. If you'd like to hear it, please subscribe to at patreon.com/franchisefestival for as little as $3/month. You'll also get access to the full back catalog of bonus shows, including some very strange Resident Evil spinoff episodes and a bunch of indie game coverage from Season 3. (3) We'll be shutting down our website in 2024. It's pretty expensive to maintain, and the data indicates that most of you listen either through podcast apps or our Patreon page. Consequently, the Patreon will become our new home on the web. Public feed episodes are still posted there for free listening, so you don't need to be a member to enjoy it. (4) Finally, our fourth season starts on January 1, 2024. In case you missed it, our plan is to cover Capcom's Mega Man series from start to finish over the course of eleven shows. We'll also be releasing patron-exclusive bonus shows on remakes, spinoffs, adaptations, and spiritual successors. We appreciate your interest in the show and look forward to joining you all again next year. We'd also like to express a very special thank you to our patrons: Cheatachu, Celeste, Ed, Loren, Quinley Thorne, Cedric the Owl, Jarathen, and Jasper - you bring joy to our hearts and inspire us to make the best content we can. Thanks for listening, everybody! Goodbye.

Hamilton, Spencer, and Chris offer their final thoughts on the topics covered in Season 3. Along the way, they recount their favorite and least favorite games in these franchises, whether there are any similarities between Supergiant and Sonic the Hedgehog, what they'd like to see in the future. Finally, Season 4's topic is announced at the end... This episode, like all episodes in Season 3, was made possible by our patrons! Thank you to Cheatachu, Quinley Thorne, Celeste, Ed, Loren, Jasper, Cedric the Owl, and Jarathen.

Hamilton and Chris explore Sonic the Hedgehog's first "open zone" adventure, Sonic Frontiers (2022). Along the way, they discuss the game's development, its peculiar minigames, and how well it succeeds at shifting the franchise away from linear stage design. Noteworthy sources include interviews with Sonic Team Creative Officer Takashi Iizuka by IGN and Eurogamer.

Spencer and Chris get downright crunchy with Supergiant's Hades (2020), working through the finer details of how its gameplay systems interact with one another to produce one of the best roguelikes of the last decade. Along the way, they explore how Hades was made and how the elusive good ending plays out. Sources MCV Interview with Jen Zee Gamasutra Interview with Greg Kasavin Noclip Documentary Series - "Hades: Developing Hell"

Chris and special guest Celeste Roberts go in-depth with NoCode's Stories Untold (2017). Along the way, they manage to discuss Zork (1977), Cold War-era cyanide tooth capsules, and the Alien film franchise. For more from Celeste, please check out the Boss Rush Network, Another Zelda Podcast, and Read Only Magazine! Also, this episode was guest-edited by Carly Pryor! You can find more of her great work on Instagram and YouTube.

Chris and Hamilton recall the first 20 years of Sonic the Hedgehog by taking a close look at Sega's Sonic Generations (2011). Along the way, they discuss what happened to the property over the preceding decade and why some characters' names were changed during the localization process.

Chris and Spencer discuss the development, gameplay, characters, and story of Supergiant's Pyre (2017). Enjoy! If you'd like more details on how Pyre was made, we recommend NoClip's documentary on the subject.

Chris and Spencer discuss The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - including development details and what's changed from Breath of the Wild - in a largely spoiler-free informal addendum to Season 1. Sources: - Nintendo Developer Roundtable - Washington Post Interview with Eiji Aonuma by Gene Park

Chris, Hamilton, and special guest Rosalie discuss the development, gameplay, and plot of Sonic Adventure 2 (2001). Along the way, they also explore the game's amazing soundtrack and what led Sega to exit the home console market in the early 2000s. Let's escape from the city together, folks! You can find Rosalie online at littlerecordgirl.com and on Twitter at @lilrecordgirl.

Chris, Spencer, and special guest Stephanie (from the Boss Rush Network) discuss their impressions of the Resident Evil 4 remake several weeks after its release, paying special attention to changes from the original's gameplay, characters, and enemies. You can find Stephanie on Twitter at @klimov_author.

Chris and Spencer discuss the development, gameplay, and story of Supergiant's Transistor (2014). Check out NoClip's documentary for more information on how this game was made!

Chris and Hamilton discuss one of the best platformer games ever made: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles! In this episode, you'll learn about Sega's evolution from its arcade origins, how Sonic the Hedgehog was created, and McDonalds' unlikely role in this game's notoriously bifurcated release. After working through the game's history, your hosts wrap things up with a thorough look at every zone, boss, and wacky enemy.

Chris and Spencer kick off the third season of Franchise Festival with a discussion of Supergiant's Bastion (2011). Along the way, they explore how the game was made, analyze the enemies and weapons in each stage, and make the case for both ending choices. Noteworthy Sources: Noclip - "The Making of Bastion"

Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer offer their final thoughts on the Resident Evil franchise. Along the way, they discuss favorite games, locations, characters, and monsters, while also speculating about what might be next for Capcom's beloved survival horror behemoth. Stick around to the end for an announcement about Franchise Festival's Season 3 topic!

Chris and Hamilton are joined by returning guests Arielle (@huggablehipster) and Kamijace (@kamijacegaming) to discuss Resident Evil Village. As they dive into its plot and cut content, the crew explores how Covid-19 impacted development, how well the Duke fits into the game world, and which monster scares them the most. Be sure to subscribe to Arielle's YouTube channel Huggable Hipster and Kamijace's podcast The Weekly Cooldown for more insights from our distinguished guests!

Hamilton, Spencer, and Chris discuss Capcom's Resident Evil 3 Remake. Along the way, they explore the game's development, assess the merits of Nemesis' glow-up, and debate how this controversial game compares to the universally-beloved Resident Evil 2 Remake.

Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer finally return to Raccoon City for a discussion of 2019's long-awaited Resident Evil 2 Remake. Along the way, your hosts explore the game's development, the magic of Mr. X, and how the characters have been updated from their blocky 1998 forms. For more on how the game was made, we encourage you to check out Capcom's own series of Resident Evil 2: Roundtable videos featuring members of the development team and beta footage available on YouTube.

Chris, Spencer, and Hamilton are joined by special guest Adam Bucceri to discuss the development, gameplay, and plot of Resident Evil 7. Our longest episode yet include cut enemies, tips to get you past the toughest bosses (spoiler: crouch), and plenty of praise for the franchise's scariest moments. A quick content warning, though: this episode includes descriptions of some pretty graphic violence, even by Resident Evil standards, so proceed carefully if you have a sensitive stomach. Don't miss Adam's excellent tabletop games, including the Resident Evil-inspired Enter the Survival Horror, available now at https://boocherry.itch.io/!

Chris and Hamilton discuss the criminally underrated Resident Evil: Revelations 2. Along the way, they uncover cut content, encounter the series' best invisible monster, and explore the surprising thematic connection between this game and Frictional's Soma (2015). Noteworthy Sources: Interview: Resident Evil Revelations 2 director talks about the game's story, structure, and cut contentInterview - Resident Evil: Revelations 2Interview: Producer Michiteru Okabe on Resident Evil: Revelations 2TGS 2014 - Resident Evil: Revelations 2

The Franchise Festival crew performs a deep dive on Resident Evil: Revelations' development, gameplay, and plot with Arielle Danan (@HuggableHipster). Along the way, we speculate about mechanical connections to Dead Space and lore connections to Resident Evil: Code Veronica. We may not have enjoyed the game as much as previous series entries, but we still had a great time discussing Capcom's attempt to revive traditional survival horror. You can find Arielle on Twitter, YouTube, Patreon, and TikTok. Sources: "The Making of Resident Evil: Revelations"2012 David Jenkins interview with Capcom's Masachika Kawata for the UK's Metro2012 Richard George interview with Masachika Kawata for IGN2011 Nintendo "Iwata Asks" interview with Masachika Kawata concerning Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D and Resident Evil: Revelations"Are Lisa Trevor and Alice The Same Person? Diving Into the story of Resident Evil"

Chris and Hamilton return to Resident Evil 6, working their way through its dense - well, arguably incomprehensible - plot. We've got international intrigue, a visit to the ocean floor, chainsaw arms, and even evil clones in play! This episode also covers each of the game's many bosses in detail. If you missed Resident Evil 6 (Part 1), you can find it on our website or your preferred podcast app.

Here is a collection of outtakes from our episodes on Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil 5, "Zombies!", and Resident Evil 6 (Part 1); there's an abnormally high amount of Bandersnatch talk for some reason! We appreciate your patience and will deliver our Resident Evil 6 (Part 2) episode on June 1, 2022.

Just a quick announcement to let you know that, due to family health issues, our Season 2 Episode 11 episode is delayed. We hope to have it up in early May, and will definitely still have a bonus episode up for patrons on May 15. Thanks for your patience!

Chris and Hamilton discuss the development, gameplay, and monster designs of Resident Evil 6, exploring how best to approach the game's unwieldy four-campaign structure and glibly dismissing prognosticators of the "next big thing." Noteworthy Sources 1up.com Interview with director Eiichiro Sasaki and Yoshiaki HirabayashiPlayStation Blog interview with executive producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, director Eiichiro Sasaki, and producer Yoshiaki HirabayashiGamedeveloper.com interview with director Eiichiro Sasaki and Yoshiaki HirabayashiGeekxGirls Interview with Michelle LeeGeekxGirls Interview with Sergia Louise AndersonGeekxGirls Interview with Kat RandolphGeekxGirls Interview with Sara FletcherNoah Caldwell-Gervais - "A Thorough Look at Resident Evil"

Chris, Hamilton, Spencer, and special guest Carly discuss the history of zombie media. After chatting about their favorite zombie movies, games, and TV, they get down into the weeds with which zombie tropes are still worth saving and which need to be buried. And yes, Typing of the Dead merits a mention. You can find Carly at @pryorexperience on Instagram! With regard to sources, we recommend the following PBS videos for an even more scholarly overview of zombie history... The Origins of the Zombie, from Haiti to the U.S.; Why George Romero Changed Monster Movies Forever; and Modern Zombies: The Rebirth of the Undead

The Franchise Festival crew chats about the development, gameplay, and story of Resident Evil 5. Wesker's back and chewing every piece of scenery he can find, while enemies soak up more bullets than ever. Your hosts debate what exactly separates Uroboros from Plagas.

Chris and Spencer are joined by Duckfeed.tv's Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross to talk about Resident Evil 4's famously troubled development, its delightfully ludicrous plot beats, and what makes it hold up so well today. Along the way, Del Lago punks a new generation of fans. If you enjoy the episode, be sure to check out Watch Out for Fireballs, Bonfireside Chat, and the rest of the great content available over at Duckfeed.tv.

Chris, Spencer, and returning special guest SuperNamu chat about Resident Evil's newest cinematic adaptation, Welcome to Raccoon City (2021). It was interesting to discuss what worked, what didn't, and what might have been. Be sure to check out SuperNamu on Twitter, Twitch, Instagram, and TikTok!

Chris and Hamilton explore the development and gameplay of the last traditional Resident Evil game. They discuss the game's notorious inventory and partner systems at length, discovering that not all hookshots are as delightful as the ones in Hyrule. Note that spoilers are plentiful and language is at least PG-13. Sources for development information include Alex Aniel's Itchy Tasty (BUY ASAP) and footage of the Nintendo 64 Resident Evil Zero prototype circulated by the Neogamer Video Game Archive YouTube channel.

Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss the development, gameplay, bosses, and puzzles of the Resident Evil REmake. Lisa Trevor and Crimson Head Zombies make a strong impression. The Aqua Ring receives an extensive makeover.

Join Chris, Hamilton, Spencer and special guest Kamijace as they explore Resident Evil: Code Veronica's deep lore, discover the game's original protagonist, and debate the merits of how director Hiroki Kato creatively reinterpreted Resident Evil 2's famous "zapping" system. Be sure to check out The Weekly Cooldown for more from wonderful guest host Kamijace! You can also become a patron of Franchise Festival to get bonus episodes covering spinoffs and other topics on Patreon.

Chris and Hamilton discuss Mega Man X: The Maverick Hunter's Field Guide with authors Nadia and David Oxford. They explore how the book was written, which Mega Man X spinoffs are worth playing, and which Maverick is the wackiest. The reason for Mega Man X5's seemingly inexplicable Guns 'N Roses references is revealed. You can buy the book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, or your preferred retailer. You can also follow Nadia Oxford on Twitter at @nadiaoxford and David Oxford on Twitter at @LBD_Nytetrayn or check out their other projects, the Axe of the Blood God podcast and website poisonmushroom.org.

Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer are joined by special guest SuperNamu to discuss Resident Evil 3: Nemesis' rocky development and controversial dodge system before celebrating the unique terror introduced by its title character. Mercenaries Mode makes its thrilling debut. Selected Sources Alex Aniel – Itchy Tasty: An Unofficial History of Resident EvilProject Umbrella – Interview with Writer Yasuhisa KawamuraEurogamer – Interview with Writer Yasuhisa Kawamura You can find SuperNamu on Twitter, Twitch, and Instagram. Follow Franchise Festival on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.

The crew discusses the development, gameplay, and story of Hideki Kamiya's brilliant follow-up to 1996's Resident Evil. Chris and Spencer take a deep dive into Resident Evil 1.5 while Hamilton explores how zombies turns into lickers. The origins of "Mr. X" are explained at last. Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think. Selected Sources: Alex Aniel - Itchy Tasty: An Unofficial History of Resident EvilDigital Foundry - DF Retro: Resident Evil 2 - Classic Survival Horror - Every Version Analysed!Biohazard España - Resident Evil 1.5 [Leon] - NEW 2019 Patch / FULL PlaythroughBiohazard España - Resident Evil 1.5 [ELZA] - NEW 25 - 12 - 2020 PATCH / FULL Playthrough

In a rare bit of zeitgeist-capturing, up-to-the-minute coverage, the Franchise Festival crew offers their impressions of Netflix’s Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (2021). Spoilers abound, so be sure to watch the show before you listen if …

Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer explore the development, gameplay, monsters, and story of Capcom’s Resident Evil (1996). The Franchise Festival crew also surveys a selection of earlier genre titles and later console ports, confirming the historical significance of Shinji Mikami’s survival horror debut. Tank controls and an idiosyncratic save system provoke strong reactions from your hosts. Selected Sources Alex Aniel – Itchy, Tasty: An Unofficial History of Resident EvilScott Butterworth (GameSpot) – Resident Evil Creator Shinji Mikami Reflects on the Series’ RootsLina Emerald – YouTube Playlist – Resident Evil 1 OST

Chris, Jasmine, Hamilton, and Spencer survey nearly thirty years of The Legend of Zelda spiritual successors, including Crusader of Centy, Blossom Tales, Okami, Genshin Impact and more. Then they each share their ‘Top 3’ titles in Nintendo’s long-running action-adventure franchise before bidding a fond farewell to Season 1 and looking ahead to Season 2: Resident Evil. Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think. Selected Sources: Gaming Historian – Crusader of Centy: Sega’s Zelda Clone on GenesisBBC America – The Curious Case of Dennis the Menace

The Franchise Festival crew explores the development, gameplay, and plot of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020). Chris, Jasmine, and Spencer discuss their favorite characters and speculate on why this game falls short of its 2014 predecessor. Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think. Selected Sources: Famitsu via Nintendo Everything – Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity devs on how the game came to be, Nintendo wanting it to be a new experience, more

The Franchise Festival crew discusses the story, sidequests, and cut content of Breath of the Wild in the second of two episodes on Nintendo’s legendary 2017 release. Chris and Jasmine share their love of Kass while Hamilton and Spencer debate the merits of an easy final boss. The curious etymological roots of the Sheikah are uncovered through a look at their original Japanese names. Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think. Selected Sources: NintendoThe Making of Breath of the Wild – The BeginningThe Making of Breath of the Wild – Story and CharactersThe Making of Breath of the Wild – Open-Air ConceptGame Maker’s ToolkitGame Maker’s Toolkit – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Dungeon Design | Boss KeysGame Maker’s Toolkit – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – An Open World Adventure

The Franchise Festival crew discusses the development, gameplay, and enemies of Breath of the Wild in the first of two episodes on Nintendo’s legendary 2017 release. Chris, Jasmine, Spencer, and Hamilton discover that they have very different opinions on silent protagonists and weapon durability. The surprising connection between Miis and Hylians is revealed. Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official website for more video game history resources, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think. Selected Sources: Game Developers Conference – Breaking Conventions with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildNintendoThe Making of Breath of the Wild – The BeginningThe Making of Breath of the Wild – Story and CharactersThe Making of Breath of the Wild – Open-Air ConceptGame Maker’s ToolkitGame Maker’s Toolkit – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Dungeon Design | Boss KeysGame Maker’s Toolkit – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – An Open World AdventureEurogamer – The big Zelda: Breath of the Wild InterviewAlice – Breath of the Wild NPC Modder (Twitter)

The Franchise Festival crew discusses 2014 beat-’em-up Hyrule Warriors. Chris dives into the history of the Dynasty Warriors / Musou series more generally, along with the serendipity of Hyrule Warriors‘ creation, while Hamilton explains ‘Musou fatigue’ and Jasmine details the surprising origins of character weapons. Everyone has a good laugh about the reformed Ganondorf. Selected Sources: Game Informer: Hyrule Warriors Interview – Breaking Down The Dynasty Warriors And Zelda OverlapNintendolife: Interview – Eiji Aonuma and Yosuke Hayashi on Hyrule Warriors and Shigeru Miyamoto’s Definitive RoleNintendo Everything: Another look at the Hyrule Warriors concept artShaneBrained: All 166 Costumes Origins EXPLAINED – Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition (YouTube)ShaneBrained: All 189 Weapons Origins EXPLAINED – Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition (YouTube) Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official Twitch channel for streams of new and classic games, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.

We’re sorry to report that Season 1 Episode 19: Hyrule Warriors will be delayed due to an emergency health situation. We are still planning to publish in early March, so keep an eye on your subscription feed or our website, franchisefestivalpodcast.com. Thank you for understanding!

This bonus feature covers content cut from our A Link Between Worlds/Triforce Heroes episode. In these clips, Spencer, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Chris discuss the history of Nintendo EAD, minigames, comparisons with A Link to the Past, and more. Note that audio quality and editing may be a touch rougher than standard episodes. Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official Twitch channel for streams of new and classic games, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.

Christian, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Spencer explore the development, gameplay, plot, and localization of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Triforce Heroes. Then they debate the relative merits of building on a bonafide 2D classic and the travails of internet communication in the mid-2010s. Please let us know what you like or dislike by emailing franchisefestival@gmail.com. You can also find show notes online at our official website and follow @franchise_fest on Twitter for news on future episodes.

Christian announces the topic for Franchise Festival Season 2: Resident Evil. Season 2 Episode 1 is planned to premiere on June 1, 2021 alongside a new Patreon subscription service. More details will be available at franchisefestivalpodcast.com and on our Twitter account, @franchise_fest. Let us know what you think at franchisefestival@gmail.com.

Christian, Jasmine, and Spencer explore the story, dungeons, and bosses of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Nintendo’s crisis of confidence in the late 2000s and Skyward Sword‘s connections to From Software level design are discussed. The crew confesses its undying love of timeshift stones. Please let us know what you like or dislike by emailing franchisefestival@gmail.com. You can also find show notes online at our official website.

Christian, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Spencer discuss the three best games they played in 2020 before looking ahead to 2021 and what it might bring. Be aware that this conversation has more adult language than typical episodes, so it may not be suitable for all ages. In the order they appear, song samples include: “Theme of Adol” – Ys I & II“Wretched Shades” – Hades“Blessings (Bamboo)” – Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin“Hummingberg” – Spiritfarer“Picnic Road” – Paper Mario: The Origami King Tell us about your favorite games of 2020 by following/tagging @franchise_fest on Twitter or by writing us directly at franchisefestival@gmail.com.

Christian, Jasmine, and Spencer cover the development history, gameplay mechanics, minigames, localization, and cut content of Skyward Sword (2011). This game’s unique status as the intersection between portable and home console series entries is discussed. The crew mourns Zelda‘s lost Second Quest. Subscribe to @franchise_fest on Twitter to get notifications of all new episodes and other Franchise Festival content. Let us know what you think by emailing franchisefestival@gmail.com or by reaching out via franchisefestivalpodcast.com.

This bonus feature covers content cut from our Spirit Tracks episode. In these clips, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Christian discuss the Tower of Spirits’ development process, anti-piracy measures, localization quirks and more. Note that audio quality and editing may be a touch rougher than standard episodes. Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, check out our official Twitch channel for streams of new and classic games, and be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.

Christian, Hamilton, and new full-time co-host Jasmine go in-depth with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. The crew covers this controversial Nintendo DS game’s development history, gameplay, and cut content. Zelda‘s silliest species – the Lokomo – is revealed. Follow the show on Twitter using the handle @franchise_fest, and check out our official Twitch channel for streams of new and classic games. Be sure to email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.

Christian, Spencer, and Hamilton explore the development, gameplay, story, dungeons, and bosses of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. The Temple of the Ocean King is litigated at length. Your hosts discover that, though they have very different opinions on this divisive game, they all love Linebeck. Be sure to visit franchisefestivalpodcast.com for sources and email us at franchisefestival@gmail.com to let us know what you think.