TALK THIS! is a biweekly podcast about video games hosted by Emma and Madelyn Paquette. Every show, they talk about two games- one old (pre-2007) and one new (within the last year or two). At the end of each show, Madelyn and Emma take the best elements from each game and mash them together into a b…
Emma Paquette, Madelyn Paquette
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Valiant Hearts: The Great War and Wanderstop and the fantasy of running a nice store without the capitalism parts. Also featuring the reality of trenches, forgetting names of things, and little creatures following you around.
In this special episode, Madelyn and Emma go over their PAX East 2025 experience, and resolve to maybe try West next time. Also featuring in-depth soda reviews, a heavier-than-expected prop, and Jesus Christ himself.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk journalling and notetaking for video games and their quick eating of food. Also featuring beautiful art projects, pencil calluses, and frog????
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Blue Prince and get into competing elements of Madelyn-core. Also featuring funny orc names, scholars of different things, and ASMR page sounds.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about jank in video games and how it's actually a positive description. Also featuring the line before broken, more mangled quotes, and the memorability of a bug.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Sid Meier's Pirates! and Sorry We're Closed and the power of putting your name on something. Also featuring coat envy, the power of the wind, and the invention of London.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about their last six weeks of gaming and the monkey's paw of game services. Also featuring wrestling with RNG, entering new chapters, and how simple running a tea shop would surely be.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Ninja Gaiden and Avowed and the return of the ninja boom. Also featuring the lack of romance, disclaimers of views, and a new gap in the market. *Worth mentioning this episode was recorded before Microsoft was identified as a priority BDS target.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about team-ups and cooperation between player and character and why every game should probably have a hold hands button. Also featuring too long punch-kicks, sending the girl to the garbage, and judging by usefulness.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Famicom Detective Club and Antonblast and the challenges of escaping conversations. Also featuring useless cowboy outfits, fun literary influences, and the era of the red angry man.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about theft mechanics in games and suggest that everyone should pick a safe word for Mario Party games. Also featuring a mangling of famous quotes, shampoo inconveniences, and meta genre transformations.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss God Hand and Marvel Rivals and fundamentally opposed design approaches. Also featuring bad IGN reviews, a return to the mad funny question, and the fun behind throwing your buddy across the map.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about their last six weeks of gaming, and a long-awaited series makes its triumphant and terrible return. Also featuring cats voiced by men, embracing the casual, and fulfilling resolutions.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Sin & Punishment and Eternal Strands and the sacrifices of a little fire boy. Also featuring the near future past, making bosses the appropriate size, and production-first design.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about sound effects and foley in games and how to describe a sound in words. Also featuring weird little noises, the trials and tribulations of balancing audio, and the need to carry a mic around. Ironically still figuring out my mic, gonna have a pop filter next time - Emma
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Mario Party and Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and how many parties they've ever thrown in their life. Also featuring lying numbers, what makes you hate your friends, and how to spell names.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about navigation in games and the realism of the mini-map feature. Also featuring long parkways with not enough exits, pacing problems, and getting lost with your buddies. Sorry for the strange audio on Emma's end! Probably wasn't close enough to the mic.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss LocoRoco and SaGa: Emerald Beyond and going up and down the scale of complexity. Also featuring a growing choir, physics-based status effects, and the appeal of a guy who uses puppets.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk their last seven weeks in gaming, and they're not looking to incite a debate here. Also featuring living on air cans alone, a perfect number of games, and short story anthologies.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Shovel Knight and Slitterhead and the different sizes of digging implement. Also featuring cool blood powers, brainstorming stretch goals, and how many more games come out nowadays.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk how to start a game and no, they don't mean how to launch a game from your computer. Also featuring iconic opening lines, pressing the book buttons, and the Steam refund period.
In this special episode, Madelyn and Emma reflect back on the year of 2024 in gaming from the great games to the not-so-great industry. Also featuring a need for more Trine 2 energy, the true upper limit of video games, and hope/trepidation for the future.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Final Fight and Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the power behind a title. Also featuring mayoral politics, letting characters date each other, and Nintendo being Nintendo.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk crossovers in games and the extremely easy and simple process of just making a phone call. Also featuring the power of not speaking English, the reveal of a Snake, and fun little dollhouses.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Knack and UFO 50 and what a world would like like if there were 50 Knack games. Also featuring learning the buttons, Morbillions of dollars, and desperate pleas for a console release.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk their last six weeks of gaming and whether they've ever pushed a block in their life. Also featuring non-clicking genres, plenty of tactics games, and having the time for a for-beginners club.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Prototype and Mouthwashing and the different views on power fantasies they bring. Also featuring more gargling than expected, where Spiderman fits into all of this, and gobble gobble Thanksgiving time.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about nature in games and the appeal of watching ants go about their day. Also featuring long boring hikes, transitioning between biomes, and whether Cloud needs to be damper.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Kirby's Dream Land and V Rising and the power of suction. Also featuring how birds feed their babies, how much we love counting up sticks, and what color Kirby should be.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about time loops in video games and high school performances of Groundhog Day. Also featuring the lack of an after in time loop stories, whether this is all a pandemic thing somehow, and how long it would take them to start drugging loved ones.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Hotel Dusk: Room 215 and Tekken 8 and who is throwing who off a cliff. Also featuring how to hold a book, fighting your own ghost, and the potential of visual novels.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about their last six weeks in gaming and the many different flavors of Simones. Also featuring Like A Dragon speculation, decisions on forgiveness, and a sampling of Steam Next Fest.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Limbo and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden and the usage of "buddy" for a pet name. Also featuring jumping off of logs, hard to interpret stories, and the ever-presence of Kingdom Hearts.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about female protagonists in video games and why they're cool and stuff. Also featuring graphical fidelity for acne purposes, engaging in some counting, and different perceptions of violence.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky and Pacific Drive and whether Pixar owns the rights to sentient talking cars. Also featuring cheerful girl/sullen bike, a few unavoidable car puns, and ten novels of content. Sorry for the lawnmower noise near the end!
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about the price of video games and video game consoles, especially the newly announced PS5 Pro. Also featuring the eldritch demon called the PS3, loss leaders, and the hidden costs of losing physical media.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Jeanne D'Arc and Still Wakes the Deep and decide how long they would last on a haunted oil rig. Also featuring Emma's PSP collection, zero bad accents, and the space station with a heartbeat.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about their last six weeks of gaming and a bunch of little guys who like to dance and chant. Also featuring conspiracy puzzles, the "huh" to "oh" cycle, and situationships.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Lunar: The Silver Star and The Exit 8 and decide when you should be suspicious of your friend's mysterious name. Also featuring changes to the JR Rail Pass, the Vita 2, and sudden losses of party members.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about NDAs in the game industry and the uncomfortable grey zones that content creators occupy. Also featuring our love for ominous atmopsheres, the evolution of attitudes towards Let's Plays, and whether or not any of this can last.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and Balatro and whether poker could be at the Olympics. Also featuring card sharks, famous Miyamoto quotes, and a real lack of deep dives.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about video game movie adaptations and whether or not the whole thing is a big waste of time. Also featuring baseless predictions, the edge factor of Sonic, and too many streaming services.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss The Banner Saga and Crow Country and what could or should be called a "zombie." Also featuring the Viking trend, the cool hangout vibes of Silent Hill, and walls breaking without explanation.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about their last six weeks of gaming and reference a few too many memes. Also featuring the invention of the phantom thief, more insight into Emma-core, and games that are set in a place.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Injustice: Gods Among Us and Unicorn Overlord and admit that their main DC Comics experience is from the CW shows. Also featuring associations with the word Unicorn, lots of blond archer elves, and the logistics of fighting Superman.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about death in games and wait forever for the downfall of Michael Mouse. Also featuring Buddhism, the cycles of life, and the equivocation of death and failure.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Octodad: Dadliest Catch and Tales of Kenzera: Zau and reflect on gaming dads some more. Also featuring imposter syndrome, more thoughts on the evils of the Gamers, and some very reliable sources.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about edutainment games and the true story of Mavis Beacon. Also featuring the lack of historical fiction games, classic novel visual novels, and history repeating itself.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Child of Light and Indika and cross "Russian nun simulator" off their 2024 game bingo board which totally exists. Also featuring the trials of working at a big company, rhyming in other languages, and the huge fish at the huge fish factory.
In this not-episode, Madelyn and Emma talk about their last six weeks of gaming and swim desparately against the wave of indies that released in May. Also featuring unintuitive cooking mechanics, a beautiful serenade, and missed opportunities.
In this episode, Madelyn and Emma discuss Plants vs Zombies and Animal Well and the divergent careers of Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish. Also featuring a slow descent into soulessness, dog-cats, and the power of a slinkee/yo-yo.