Loud Friends

Season's Greasons, everyone! The Loud Friends are back one final time this year to close out 2022 with a lot of video game talk, and some personal reflection! First, we dig through our favorite games of the year and throw out our hottest takes about what did and did not set our hearts ablaze. Then, we turn our chairs around and straddle their backs so that we can talk frankly about ourselves, and some things we'd like to change in the new year. There's also some chatter about The Game Awards, car damage, and also Zac is very very tired, so you know it's gonna be a fun time. Heat up a mug of cocoa and feed it to your favorite reindeer, because Loud Friends is DONE for the holidays. See you in the new year! -- Mike can be found on his blog and also @eganworks Zac can be found at home, in his jammies, in bed, dead asleep, in dreamland, going zzzzzzzz How cool would it be if you sent us a ton of email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com over the holiday break for us to come back to??? Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

Well hi-ho and a hearty Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! In typical devil-may-care, Loud Friends fashion, we forgot this would be coming out the day before the big Turkey Day, so we don't talk about that at all. Instead, we opened up the garage, shot back a can of oil, and let rip some of our favorite car stories. Zac just bought one, Mike just rented one, and we both used to live in the suburbs, so there's plenty to pull from. We also touch on the unfortunate state of affairs at Cartoon Network in the wake of the Warner/Discovery merger. Shit sucks! Hope you all enjoy the show, leave work early, and eat yourselves stupid! Til next time! -- Mike can be found on his blog and also @eganworks. Zac can be found doing donuts and popping wheelies in his hot new whip. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

Ya'll ever reuse your Halloween costume between years when you were a Trick or Treating little kiddo? I went as Sub-Zero for like 3 years in a row because he wore blue and ninjas were VERY cool. The boys are back with a spooky ooky little episode for ya, mostly due to the adjacency to the holiday, and less so because of the show's content. They won't jump scare you probably! Zac is navigating the horrors of of the used automobile market, while Mike's been buckling down during cozy “RPG” season and finishing out some video games. There's a smidge of football talk, and a sprinkling of Disco Elysium & Eastward in there exactly to your liking. Hope ya'll enjoyed Halloween, it's the one time of year where you can just throw bones and skeletons all over your house and everyone's pretty cool with it. Pretty wicked if you ask me. —— Mike can be found on his blog and also @eganworks Zac can be found careening around Chicago in some kind of used car, probably. It's outta control!! LOOK OUT!!!! Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

In this hot and fresh episode of Loud Friends, we've returned from yet another schedule hiccup after seeing each other in the real, actual flesh world for the first time in three years! Zac visited Mike in the Big, Wet Apple, and there was much merriment. There was also an element of danger, as Zac drank a can of Pepsi Fire that has been in Mike's fridge since...uh...2017? 2018? Who could say, really. The results were not what we expected. It's a bit of a looser episode, because after having a lot of people in his house, prepping for a road trip, and the long-awaited onset of Cozy Season, Mike was knee deep in some brain fog. Despite this, we still managed to have a rousing discussion about the recently released Splatoon 3, and some early thoughts on our time with Immortality, a game we started playing together in the same room! I don't remember how to end these things! Listen or perish! -- Mike can be found on his blog and also @eganworks Zac can be found by following the trail of glowing sludge he now leaves in his wake. See you in court, PepsiCo! Do not send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

THEY'RE BACK! The boys have returned from their summer break hiatus fresh, clean, and full of Bidet Answers to your Bidet Questions. Zac and Mike spend most of the pod catching up on how their respective Augusts went, which include a Patreon departure, a trip to St Louis, and SURGERY. There was also this fun bit that we had to cut out of the show that uh… well, hey, guess you'll just have to listen to find out what I mean by that. We're BAAAACK!! -- Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

Well what do you know folks, we're dropping episode 27 on the 27th, must be kismet (shh, I know). On the pod this week, we two friends have both finished Neon White, so we're back to put a cap on our feelings about it. We also talk about chairs, meeting a horse, Chrono Trigger, and going "bachelor mode." We feel like we've been on a good run of pods lately, and in the podcast biz, nothing is more important than consistency and momentum. Nothing can stop us now! PROGRAMMING NOTE: We're going to be taking a short summer break after this episode until the beginning of September because we feel like it. Basically taking off the whole month of August. Smell ya later! -- Since recording this episode, Zac has met the horse. It went well. -- Mike's got a Patreon and a YouTube Channel Zac met a big horse, so he's pretty much good now. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

Today's episode very sloppily transitions between Being Politically Furious to Talking About A Video Game for 40 Minutes, in classic Loud Friends fashion. Golly, what new innovations will those boys think of next? Both Mike and Zac have caught Neon White Fever and can't stop hitting a lot of buttons on their computers in the quest for better leaderboard times. We have nothing but heaping praise for the Game For Freaks By Freaks, so start cranking that D&B and get ready to swiss cheese some demons. Shit's gonna get downright disrespectfully fast. -- Mike's got a lot going on and also not very much. You can just follow him on Twitter. Zac is mad as hell and he's gonna [this space left intentionally blank]. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

Hey I know this doesn't have anything to do with the podcast at all, but it was HOT today! I put a thermometer in our courtyard and it read 116 degrees in the sun! I stood outside for 45 seconds and could smell my own skin crisping up. Absolutely fucked up. Anyways, the boys got some video games to talk about I suppose. Like Zac always says, if you don't Elden Ring, then you Smell(den Ring). Then Mike provides a nice little update on the nice little cheese brick console colloquially known as the PlayDate. Ya'll ever try Pocari Sweat? It's like flavorless gatorade, you should give it a spin. Could be helpful in this wicked summer heat we've mustered. -- Mike's got a Patreon and too many side projects. Zac's drinking sweat now? This isn't the dystopia I signed up for. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com or don't, we don't care anymore. Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

Howdy doody, folks! As you'll hear, we're trying something else this week. Something a little looser, and a little more for us. It's not perfect, but we're far from finished making this pod exactly what we want it to be. Even we don't know what that is yet! In any case, thanks for listening. This week, we have a meandering conversation that veers from staying cool in the summer, to movies, work, football, memories, feelings, and of course, what video games we're playing. Also, apologies for Mike's audio being very quiet, he's a dingus and so is Windows 10. -- Mike's got a Patreon and a YouTube Channel Zac's drowning in Italian ice, and does not want to be saved. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

The world is slowly heating. In a good way! It's not winter anymore, and we're all out doing things (in as safe a manner as possible). Zac is going to shows and skating his heart out, Mike is shooting everything in sight (with a camera), and we're both still...playing video games inside. It's in our nature. You can take the boy out of the video game, but you can't make him drink. -- Mike's got a Patreon and a YouTube Channel Zac's been stun-locked by four dogs, unfortunately

Whew, man. You ever move before? Like, change the place that you live? It's such an exciting time, you get the privilege to call somewhere new your home! But boy howdy, if you're not mindful, all of that work will sneak up on you like a jungle cat, eager to make you its supper. If you're diligent though, it'll all come together just fine, and then you get to arrange furniture, hang art on the walls, learn the layout of a neighborhood. All the fun stuff that makes the agonizing box packing worthwhile. This week Mike got a root canal, and Formula One gets the fresh shot in the arm it certainly needs, and possibly deserves. Jury's still out on that one. There's also some nostalgia laced juice box discussion in there somewhere, you know how kids can get about their sugary drinks. Thanks as always for tuning in, and don't forget to take a couple more walks as the weather's warming up. Nothing quite like this time of year. -- Mike's got a Patreon and a YouTube Channel Zac's got a new home and he just HAS to rub it in everyone's faces Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

It's a shorter one this week, folks. Zac's move is kicking into high gear, and its understandably eaten his brain. We're a little bit all over the place, as you might imagine, but we manage to focus on a single topic long enough to talk about our experiences with two recent entries in the open-world video game space, Elden Ring and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. One of these games is very good. The other, maybe not so much. You'll just have to listen to unravel that brain-teaser. Other topics of discussion: Moving, Our Podcast Birthday, Parades, City Regret, and whether Mike is just a performing monkey with no thoughts or ideas of his own. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got no time for you unless you're a box or something that needs to be put inside a box Please stop sending us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com, it's really too much now. There are too many of you. Please. The servers. Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat

Hey there, hope it's starting to warm up ‘round your town this time of year. February feels like the brutal final stretch before we can enjoy being outside again, with the air not trying to kill us and all. The theme of this week's episode inadvertently revolves around being pissed at the powers that be. The absolute soul-wrenching slog that is hunting for an apartment, devastation of art history at the hands of copyright worshiping game development companies, and how Spotify can go suck on a friggin' lemon for all we care. What can we say, there were grievances that needed to be aired. Unrelated to any of that, we do briefly discuss how some Pokémon are just Guy Shaped by nature, and how haunting reality would be if they occupied the world with us. As always, thanks to everyone that takes even a spare moment to listen to us on this program. I hope you've got some early Spring plans you're excited about. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel. Zac's got a lot of boxes, but there could always be more. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com. Please. Mike just wants one. Just one email? Thank you. Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Hey uh, quick question. How's your town doing? Cuz the, uh… the boys are back in it. You see because we're the boys in this– you know what? It's fine. This week on the pod, Zac's stocking up on wings and brews cuz that Big Game is a-comin'. After that, Mike tells the tale of how he definitely definitely did NOT get scammed. While in the realm of scams, the Friends delve into some NFT talk, and Zac shares a very good and long video that explains just why these non-fungible little bastards suck shit. Finally, Mike does not try but maybe slightly succeeds in selling Zac on the new Pokémon. Warm those ears up, folks, because we were feeling it this episode. Consistently. And thoroughly. You've been warned. LINKS: Why you can't fix your smartphone [zentouro] Line Goes Up - The Problem with NFTs [Folding Ideas] -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac gets knocked down, but he gets up again. You're never gonna keep him down. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

We're back! It's been nearly a month since we last graced your ears with the exciting tales of our latest exploits. How have you survived, honestly? Well, with the holidays behind us, it's time to — say it with me — talk about said holidays! Mike did more traveling than he has in a very long time, Zac caught an obscure little virus you may not have heard of, and we both talk about how New Year's resolutions are complete bullshit before giving you…our respective resolutions. We're shaking off the rust this week, folks. Don't expect nothing fancy. Also in this ep: Being Hooked Up to a Red Bull IV, AGDQ's Millions, A 3-hour Video on Pac-Man, and Football Slime. Hope everyone's holidays were enjoyable, and here's to a fresh year of being friends…loudly. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got two thumbs and can't stop Smashin' SEND US EMAIL AT LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com PLEASE OKAY Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Hello! Happy Holidays to you dear listener, from the Loud Friends Crew! Apologies for the episode being a day late, but there's just so much to do as Christmas Day gets closer and closer. Ya'll ever figure out how to wrap your presents properly? Like in a way that doesn't make you feel like a grown up kindergartener in crafts class?? I just did for the first time this year, and let me tell ya, I feel unstoppable. Zac's growing tired of some tried and true hobbies of his, and decides that becoming a big Super Smash Brother Melee dork is his only way out. Mike decides to enforce an end of the year deadline for a GOTY project, which, hey, good for him, a rigorous schedule can do wonders for a guy. We also both (mostly) watched the documentary Get Back and talk about how damn funny the Beatles are. Have a safe holiday break folks, and as always, thanks for listening to our little show. —— Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's secretly Santa, I'm sure of it, but don't tell anybody Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

This week on the pod, the friends are joined by special guest Lauren Heath! The group recounts their respective experiences over the Thanksgiving holiday before pivoting to a spirited discussion of the latest Animal Crossing update, the Happy Home Paradise DLC, and whether or not the game is just too dang slow! After that, Mike has been playing Inscryption, and he's ready to spread the good word and preemptively declare it his GOTY pick for 2021. Get ready for a multi-faceted conversation about last name mispronunciations, video game origins, and multidimensional sense memory cubes! -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel. Zac's got a bounty on the head of Matt Nagy, all serious offers considered. Lauren's work can be found @laurenheathart on Instagram, and supported on Patreon. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Hey there! A sincere thank you for bearing with the interlude episode last week. Sometimes life catches up and we need to recoup. That, truly, is just the way. This week we have something a bit different planned! Mike proposed a very fun segment idea that we ran with for a majority of the show. We're talking about our favorite television intro and outro sequences! We're absolute suckers for nostalgia when it comes to this stuff, so if you're looking to take a trip down memory lane to revisit some 90s Cartoon Network staples and early 2000s moody teen dramas, come on in and plop down in front of the CRT, because we got what you need. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got some nice glasses, it's a shame you can't see them. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

I'm gonna be honest with you, folks: we're tired. We've both been very busy this past month, and we just weren't feeling it this fortnight, so we're not going to force it! We'll be back in 2 weeks with some Brand Spanking New Doug. Remember that? I certainly don't. Even on an off week, the Friends manage to take a second and talk about that hot Animal Crossing DLC that's dropping in a few days, how they're feeling about the game, and the myriad ways that you, the listener, can force this podcast upon the ones you love, the ones you hate, and the ones about which you are indifferent. Also apologies for the quality of Mike's audio in this one. It's entirely unrelated to us taking a break, he's just a dingus and forgot to check which device his audio was coming through. Oops! Let's blame the new Adobe updates. See you again soon! -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac has hidden 39 precious gems in remote locations around the world. See if you can decipher the clues in each of our episodes! Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Don't you dare turn this podcast off! That's not a wizened old man you're listening to, Zac's just got fall allergies! He did not body swap with a septuagenarian for this bit, his impromptu voice acting is just that spot-on! This time around Zac talks about the fact that he just got hitched! To someone he loves?! Disgusting!!! Also Mike is shaking in his little space boots as he traverses the cold and positively robot-riddled Metroid Dread. We go on a couple of sports-adjacent tangents and wish upon a star that Party City will eventually sponsor this show. Never EVER forget that Bobby Jenks is a very big man. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got more party gear than he knows what to do with at this point, probably. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

It's Fall, y'all! And the friends are ready to bathe in a cool, cozy pile of leaves. In this ep: A freshly vacationed Mike tells a tale of two automobiles. Zac shares some vacation woes of his own, as well as the many woes of being a sports fan in Chicago. The friends finally have a spoiler-filled discussion about the original run of Hideaki Anno's seminal anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion. Nintendo once again hoists Zac with his own petard. And Zac jumps feet-first into the magical-realist world of Kentucky Route Zero. All this and more on... Loud Friends! (Check your local listings. Get parents' permission before going online. While supplies last. Some assembly required.) -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got 14 more weeks to pick a football team to root for that is not the Chicago Bears Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

The boys* are back in town** after a nice break, and it's time to catch back up with a big ol' grab bag of topics. Mike lived through another hurricane, and after some discussion about our doomed climate, unleashes his own hurricane of thoughts and feelings about finally finishing Final Fantasy 7. The friends also share some war stories of trying (and sometimes succeeding) to build things, some light (non-spoiler) thoughts about Neon Genesis Evangelion (which Mike just started watching for the first time), and Zac tells the story of the most harrowing grocery run ever experienced by man or beast. The Friends are back and Louder than ever. This is not one to miss. *Mike and Zac **Your pod catcher of choice -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac bought a fucking zoo, I guess. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Hey, you've reached the loud friends! We're not here right now, but if you leave a message, we'll get back to you in two weeks time. In the meanwhile, why not shoot us an email? Open up that browser and point your favorite mailspot to loudfriendspod@gmail.com! Tell us how much you miss us, how we're completely wrong about something, or how we're actually completely right about everything we've ever said! Dealer's choice. See you in two weeks (on September 22nd)! -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac is secretly on a skate park vision quest, completing many skate-based puzzles and dodging dastardly traps. It's chill, tho. Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Good lord, has it already been two weeks? There's another one of these?? Time's friggin crazy like that. Damn. The being formerly known as Mike has been replaced by a sentient amalgam of glass, lasers, and lightsaber sound effects. I'm hearing this is a very normal side-effect of enrolling into the Fios program? And then Zac has taken up tucking each individual shrimp baby into bed, kissing them on their foreheads, and reading them night time stories. Every. Single. Evening. Are we even sure shrimp even have ears? Or beds???? Anyways, Mike goes full Gamer Boy and talks about the intricacies of the Megaman ZX remaster, then Zac gets sad about capitalism or something. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac had a birthday a few days ago, so send him birthday vibes by recommending this podcast to a friend!

Just a heads up for everyone listening, early in the episode Zac discusses the recent passing of his uncle and his experience at the wake and funeral processions. It's nothing gruesome or explicit, but we figured it wouldn't hurt to flag it beforehand. If you'd prefer to skip that bit, we switch gears at about 16:36. If you need a place to stay in the big wet apple of New York City, Mike's your man, as he talks once again about the joys and agonies of prolonged hosting. The gamer babies also detail the new Mario Golf update (it's very good!!), build up a strong city infrastructure in Mini Motorways, and stress out about the new covid variant. Stay safe everyone

A slightly shorter episode this week! Mike's time was tied up by seeing his parents in person for the first time in a year and a half, and also going to a birthday party for the first time in two years, so we hopped on a call to put together what the man pointing a gun at my head is telling me not to call a “mini-sode.” We get to talking about Coney Island, being with people again, Sully from the movie Sully, Zac's Big Mario Golf Tournament, Ocarina of Time, and skateboarding, before closing things out with a quick GDQ recap. We also have an email now, so throw some trash in an envelope, lick that stamp, and jam it into your nearest USB port, cuz we wanna hear from YOU! -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's pushing a skateboard down a long, lonely highway and never looking back (until 9am Monday morning when he needs to be at work) Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

You ever do that thing where you take your GameBoy outside when your parents kicked you out of the house during the summer? I know I sure did. It's a bit of a stretch, but this week's episode reminded me of those days, where your folks were trying to make you a more well-rounded young person by making you go experience a world not bound to a screen. Or maybe they just wanted a couple of minutes away from their damn kids. Either way! Zac lays down the groundwork for the pod's new Aquatic Update segment, in which he details the goings-on of his new invertebrate roommates. Mike takes us on a TV tour of Adventure Time, Cowboy Bebop, and the competition developing within the Formula One season. Somehow, we were in fact able to restrain ourselves and not sneak out the proverbial GameBoy, though our audience may not be so lucky next time around. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got a skateboard, a beer, and not a care in the world Send us email at LoudFriendsPod@gmail.com! Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

It's E3 week! Or, uh...it was, just a bit ago. And well, being who we are, we've got lots of thoughts about video games that we need to think into a microphone so that we can exorcise these demons before they're no longer relevant. It was also Sonic the Hedgehog's birthday when we recorded this, so Mike shares his thoughts, love, and a brief update from the world of Sonic. Strap in, gamers, this one's for you. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got a new family of aquatic animals I guess?? Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Get ready for Full Blown Gamer Mode on this episode of Loud Friends. The dynamic duo dive into the latest developments on the games media space (Waypoint+, Nextlander, Giant Bomb) as well as video games that take place in literal space (Destiny 2, No Man's Sky). Additionally, Zac goes to a baseball game, Mike scans for both threats AND deals at his local mall, and we take a second to talk about the upcoming Playdate console from the folks over at Panic. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac can't be found anywhere - STOP LOOKING Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

This week on the pod, Mike and Zac each receive a mysterious piece of mail whose message is...otherworldly? Back on Earth, Zac gives another glowing review of his landlord, while Mike fleshes out his feelings on Final Fantasy 7, dips into No Man's Sky's new Expeditions game mode, and can't wait for a machine to wash his damn clothes. The Friends then ruminate on such hot topics as Phil Mickelson, The Rock, Dippin' Dots, and what they would each want their one robot eye to do if they had one robot eye. --- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got the beefiest guns in the west Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

This time around, Loud Friends is firmly in podcast potpourri territory as topics span from yet another slightly esoteric sport, to speculation on the future of the video game media space. Mike cautiously dips his toes back into the warm, comforting embrace of coffee, while Zac tells a fraught tale of doing furniture surgery to his desk, and last second Home Depot trips. Also discussed are the anxieties surrounding the post-covid adjustment period, as well as the recent changes over at GiantBomb. You can read all the good writing about video games at Critical Distance. -- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got a golf swing that won't quit Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Lights out, and away we go on Loud Friends: Autosport Edition. The duo talk about their mutual appreciation of Formula 1 racing and Mike tries to sell Zac on the ludicrous premise of Formula E. In addition, Mike's world gets rocked by Final Fantasy 7, Zac starts a new unironic Stardew Valley farm, and the filthy little gamers swap covid shot stories. Go get vaccinated, ya rascals. --- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac has a double portion of the germ soup coursing through his veins Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Welcome back! This week Mike expounds on the creative motivations that led to him bringing back his vlogging channel, which leads into a discussion on the horrific existential wasteland of modern day workplace alienation. Aside from that delightful can of worms, Zac binges, and subsequently, goes to bat for Ted Lasso, Mike waxes poetic on finishing Hades runs, and we have a nice talk about our mothers' baked goods pantheons. --- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Zac's got a cool haircut and a song in his heart Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Hello! Welcome to the first episode of Loud Friends with Mike and Zac. In our debut, we inadvertently pay homage to our first podcast and mostly talk about video games. While we promise to cover broader topics in later episodes, we decided to stick with what we know this week and chat about what we've been playing. Mike talks about his time with The Swindle and how his partner starting Hades has deepened his love for the game. Meanwhile Zac reflects on StarCraft 2 ladder anxiety and surviving the beautiful open world of Valheim. We also touch on Sony's State of Play event as well as Nintendo's Pokemon Direct. --- Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6

Hey, we're Mike and Zac, and welcome to Loud Friends! Not to be too on the nose right out of the gate, but this podcast is mostly about our friendship. Every other week, we'll hop on a call and just chat, and honestly, that's the show. We wanted to create a relaxed, low stakes project that we could work on together. Since the two of us are separated by approximately half a country, and we already have experience producing a podcast, we figured a show like this would do just the trick. Truth be told, we're basically making this podcast for ourselves. Don't get us wrong, we'll work to make it as listenable as possible, but if you're looking for a show that's a bit more structured or educational, this might not be for you. However, if you're down for relaxed, honest conversations between two twenty-somethings fumbling through their lives and trying to make sense of everything, look no further. So subscribe to Loud Friends anywhere you get your podcasts. We'll be releasing an episode every other week as we slowly try to figure out more about the world, but more importantly, about each other. --- Important Stuff: Mike's got a Patreon and YouTube Channel Podcast Art: Photo taken by Olly McDonagh and edited by Becca Hallstedt Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!) License code: FHBEMH2JOZYUVZH6