Them Sweet Game Boys

Them Sweet Mythos Boys return to the Final Fantasy well once more with a trip to Valisthea. Joe and Ethan dig into this Devil May Cry game cosplaying as a Final Fantasy, and dissect its narrative, characters, and overall oddness that is this game. For such a poorly paced hodgepodge of a game...we both actually kind of like it. It certainly has its ups and downs, but either way, it certainly makes for a very fun episode. 

The duology comes to a close with both sweet boys trading games! This time Ethan played Tactics Ogre: Reborn  and Joe played Octopath Traveler II and here come the final thoughts on both of them. This is certainly a part 2, as we don't discuss the basics of either game, and we are no holds barred on spoilers.

Discussing some business and the reasons behind delays of podcasts! Stay tuned for some more podcast goodness down the line. 

This episode we have a little JRPG show and tell! Joe decided to play Tactics Ogre: Reborn while Ethan played Octopath Traveler II. This episode is a preview of both games, with future full episodes dedicated to both games after both Sweet Boys have played it! The discussion is a bit more laid back, but we get to both gush about two very fun and recent JRPGs.

Them Sweet Boys go to Indie Town, population Ghost Foxes! Joe and Ethan try to decipher the mystery that is Tunic, a 2022 throwback to the original NES Zelda games. You play as an adorable fox cub who is tasked with exploring the ancient ruins of an island to free a spectral fox from her prison, but boy does this little fox have a tough time doing so. This one gets pretty salty!

Joe and Ethan look at an odd sequel that is loaded with nostalgia for Ethan, and has no nostalgia at all for Joe! Another game developed and produced my Gunpei Yokoi's team at Nintendo R&D 1, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is a really solid and inventive platformer with lots of player choice, and some smart evolutions from the first Super Mario Land. It is a really solid Mario title, and a great snack of a game, perfect for the Game Boy. I mean, the game that birthed Wario has to be good!

Them Sweet Boys take on the life of crime and become the rootenest tootenist shootenist pair of cowpokes this side of of the ole Mississipp'. For our 25th episode extravaganza (actually just realized it now typing this out, whoops!), we decided to do a biggun': Red Dead Redemption 2. We discuss the vast world of possibilities this game affords you, our opinions of the various members of the Van Der Linde gang, and the story of the tragic cowboy, Arthur Morgan. It's a really fun episode folks! 

It's the game that changed the Resident Evil franchise from pure survival horror to action horror, and is one of the foundational games in the 3rd person shooter genre. RE4 is many peoples' favorite Resident Evil title, and rightfully so! Them Sweet Boys jump right into the backwoods of Spain to guide our dead-eyed Bingo Boy Leon Kennedy into a BOW infested village where he will try to save the president's daughter from a cult of parasite infested monster men. This is a first time playthrough for Joe, and them boys dig into what makes this game so darn special. It's a banger of an episode folks!

After a bit of a COVID and holiday hiatus, "Here We Go!" is back with one last 2022 Mario gasp before we warp pipe into what will be a very momentous 2023. Thankfully, we have a banger of a game to talk about with Super Mario Kart! We also discuss a good bit of Mario news with the new MK8 track pack, the second movie trailer, and we also discuss our gaming round up from Nintendo and Sony from 2022. Happy holidays everyone!

Those golden boys get all Groundhogs Day in Ancient Rome in this adventure mystery game. What started as a one man made popular mod for Skyrim, and turned into a standalone game by a small dedicated team, turns out to be a short but sweet snack of a game. You play as a character dropped into an Ancient Roman city that was built underground in an open cavern. The populace of the city has a problem: if any one of them commit a sin, the God of this realm will turn everyone to gold, and of course this is the one day everybody decides to get their sinning in! You get tasked with uncovering who is planning on sinning, as well as discovering the origins of the curse placed upon the city. It is a really captivating story, with charming dialogue and a stellar setting and atmosphere, and we recorded a banger of an episode. Enjoy! Important PS: We spoil every bit of the narrative in this especially narrative driven game, so listen with caution!

Them Sweet Boys are on a quest to kill chaos as they take on Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins, an incredibly lame celebration of 35 years of Final Fantasy. What a great premise! A Final Fantasy soulslike made in collaboration with Team Ninja; sign me up! But sadly, Square Enix and Team Ninja couldn't deliver, and instead made...this...We do our best to sing the few merits this game has, but overall this is a listen instead of play scenario. 

It's a full on mega episode as we talk about three big topics! First, Joe and Ethan discuss the September direct in full and dissect it for Mario goodness, as well go off on tangents about Octopath Traveler II and Kingdom Hearts III. Secondly we discuss some very recent news with the first trailer for the Mario movie, where we discuss Chris Pratt's Linda Belcher like Mario voice. Finally, we get into baby's first graphic design program with Mario Paint and really dig into the fun of creating on the SNES. It's a banger of an episode; give it a listen!

Just in time for the month of spooks, Ethan and Joe actually got together in person to play this interactive narrative game. It's the last day of summer at Hackett's Quarry Summer camp, and the counselors get marooned for one more night without the kiddos. What should be a night of young lust and memories is instead a night of horrors! You get to play the horror movie director and can either guide your characters to safety, or make the perfect 80's style slasher movie. Can our survive their last night of summer camp, and guide their horny teenage counselors past beasties, ghoulies, ghosts, and some seriously pissed off country folk? Or will they lead them to inadvertent slaughter? Give it a listen, it's a pretty fun episode!PS. Sorry for the mix-up with the files. For the second episode in a row I uploaded Joe's audio only, but took me a couple of days to catch it this time. Whoops!

Just in time for the month of spooks, Ethan and Joe take on another horror game. Those sweet boys are off to summer camp to dig into The Quarry, Supermassive's interactive narrative homage to 80's slasher and monster movie films. It's a game where you play the "director" in choosing the fate of the camp counselors at Hackett's Quarry, a summer camp beset by beasties, ghosts, and some god ole boy hunters. Help your characters survive the night, or create your slasher masterpiece and let them all die; either way, Supermassive manages to tell a pretty fun story! 

In this episode we have a duology of NES dropping block puzzlers, from the fondly remembered Dr. Mario to the much less remembered Yoshi!  As an added bonus, we wrap up some early 90's Mario cameos on the Gameboy, some of which are just plain weird! Here are the other five games being covered.Baseball (Gameboy)Alleyway (Gameboy)Tetris (Gameboy)F1 Racing (Gameboy)Qix (Gameboy)

*Sorry about the snafu! Here is the correct audio file*Joe and Ethan plunge into Elden Ring , the 2022 Soulsborne sensation from From Software. Two sweet tarnished boys journey to the Lands Between to purloin the great runes from Queen Marika's awful, no good family, and along the way discuss topics such as the open world formula, rank our favorite and least favorite foes, and our general opinions on the scope and difficulty of the game. Overall, it's an episode whose strength befits a crown! Also, stay tuned for a bonus addendum episode with Joe Morris's opinions on the game, because there is just so much to discuss!

Ethan and JM- X face our fears and climb our way out of planet ZDR in Metroid Dread, the most recent 2D Metroid developed by Nintendo. We first discuss the complicated development history and the turbulent Metroid fanbase which made this game's development rather unique, before moving into a break down of the game's narrative, its frenetic gameplay, and the hard as nails boss battles. We also take our jab at the big question: is this game the next big step for Metroid? Does it push the franchise forward or merely use the same old tricks? Give a listen to find out!

For being such a popular video game character, Mario as a transmedia property really died after the early 90's. In this episode we are going to look at as many of the cartoons and programs that we can find that featured the plumber, from weird game shows and variety children's programs, to the more nostalgic and memorable cartoons. The programs and episodes discussed on this program are...Saturday Supercade-Donkey Kong in New Wave ApeSuper Mario Super Show- Bad Rap (oh yeah you get to hear Lou Albano rap)King Koopa's Kool KartoonsSuper Mario Kids ClubhouseSuper Mario Challenge- Katie vs AlanThe Adventures of Super Mario Bros 3- Do the KoopaSuper Mario World- Rock TVMario Ice Capades

Vacation at Dinosaur Land is over! This episode wraps up our discussion with Super Mario World, and covers discussion from World 2 up through Special World. Make sure to listen to part 1 first! 

Ethan and Joe discuss Super Mario World for the SNES,  the mainline Mario entry for the Super Nintendo. We both love this game, and had so much to say about it that we had to split this episode into two parts. In this episode we talk about our personal history with the game, the development history of the game, the aesthetics and music, as well as the general gameplay. We round things off with a discussion on the first world, Yoshi's Island. In the next episode we will talk about the rest of the worlds, as well as final thoughts/discussing which Mario property we will handle next. 

Them Sweet Boys get whacko for THAC0 when they travel to the Sword Coast in this very of its time CRPG. We discuss our relationship with CRPGs, Dungeons and Dragons, and of course this very foundational title from Bioware. While this game didn't grab us like we'd hope it would, it is still an interesting game to talk about. 

Mario goes portable in this launch title for the OG Gameboy! This is a really weird object lesson in what happens when you give a team of engineers their crack at making a "Mario." You get a game that is definitely a condensed Mario adventure that ends up steeping very heavily into the "weird" of Mario with about half the charm and memorability. At least Princess Daisy survived! We have a ton of fun in this episode, so please listen along. 

Joe snagged himself one of the elusive PS5s, so decided to treat ourselves to a game from the new generation...well a remake of a game from two generations ago. The Demon's Souls remake is a trip down memory lane, to when From Software didn't know they were creating a brand new genre of game, and Souls was just a bit clunkier. The atmosphere and the graphical update is quite impressive, and there are some real standout moments in this flawed gem, but there are some troublesome game design decisions that both of us really wish got updated with this remake. So please brave that fog wall, and join us for a really fun episode of this podcast. 

Hello old friends! On this episode of "Here We Go!" We wrap up the 80's NES Mario cameos in what is a very fast and loose episode on a bunch of random games. We also talk about the recent Nintendo Direct, as well as go on some fun tangents. The games included in this episode are...TennisGolfPinballFamicom Grand Prix 1 and 2 I am a Teacher: Mario no SweaterAll Night Nippon: Mario Bros. Punch Ball Mario Bros.Punch Out!! 

Joe and Ethan head to "Mushroom World" on Mario's biggest main console adventure yet in Super Mario Bros. 3. It's a game that is many peoples' favorite Mario game and it's hard to argue against: the platforming is welcoming, the secrets are aplenty, and the gameplay is expressive. We spend a breezy couple hours loving on this gem; join us!

Joe and Ethan get into the Mario Madness with Super Mario Bros 2. It's an NES oddball with a fascinating development history. While the gameplay doesn't exactly get translated into later Mario titles, the game introduced key characters to the Mario franchise and added the delightfully odd into the Mushroom Kingdom. 

Joe and Ethan take on a modern classic in Disco Elysium, a CRPG about an alcoholic cop with amnesia, a murder investigation, and a world spiraling into the all-consuming Pale. 

In the second episode of Here We Go!, Ethan and Joe are playing one of the most influential games of all time (no pressure!) with Super Mario Bros. as well as Mario's first foray into Kaizo with Mario's Lost Levels. 

This episode, Joe and Ethan jump into a whole heaping helping of 64 bit nostalgia as we plumb through the depths of childhood memories. We discuss the system in a bit of depth, and then switch over to talking about five specific games. The five we have chosen this episode are...Earthworm Jim 3DTurok 2: Seeds of EvilVigilante 8Quest 64Ogre Battle 64: Person of a Lordly Caliber

In a brand new endeavor from Them Sweet Boys, Ethan and a different Joe are beginning a deep dive into the great Nintendo plumber himself, Mario. We are going to talk about everything Mario, and work our way through his catalogue of games. This week, we talk about Mario in general, his impact on Nintendo as a burgeoning arcade and console gaming developer in the 1980s, and the first four major titles in which Mario plays a prominent part in: Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr, Mario Bros, and Wrecking Crew (okay we know the last was mainly an NES game but its not gonna get its own episode!). 

Ethan and Joe grab their nails and venture into the hidden depths of Hollow Nest on a grand bug adventure in Team Cherry's 2017 indie darling, Hollow Knight. Them Sweet Boys get absorbed into an excellently crafted world, fun Metroidvania gameplay, and the tense duel combat that Hollow Knight brings to the table. We also ask stupid questions about Grandpas erupting into spiders...so there's that too. 

Get ready to cry for your 9 foot tall mommy as Them Sweet Boys tackle the new Spook em' Up from Capcom. Joe and "ETHAN!" decide to tackle the new hotness with Resident Evil Village, the 8th numbered installment in the now yearly Resident Evil/Biohazard franchise. We talk about the hype, the gameplay, how sometimes good enemy and location design really does make or break a game. Will Ethan and Joe come out the other side of this monster mash shooting gallery with good opinions intact? Find out in a very meandering but spicy episode. 

C'mon Boy! Them Sweet Boys declare a war on long narrative driven games in favor of tight arcade run-n-gun action. Metal Slug 3 is a 2000 run-n-gun platformer created by SNK for arcade consoles and the Neo Geo, and is a personal arcade favorite of both Joe and Ethan. While the difficult and punishing gameplay might make players run home to their mommies, Joe and Ethan cheat their asses off to beat this retro-tough game. Come for the beautiful sprite art and tight design, stay for some particularly animated reminiscing about arcades. As a bonus, we also rank the first set of games that we have covered for the podcast.

Them Sweet Boys are back again, this time looking at a new entry in a beloved platforming series. We spend a good while discussing the history of Crash Bandicoot and our experience with the brainless marsupial. Do those sweet silly boys enjoy this thicc retcon of Crash lore? Can we conquer the overly difficult platforming? Does Ethan stumble over nearly every sentence? Please listen to find out!

In a long overdue second take, Them Sweet Shinobi boys take on 2019's hardest game with Sekiro: Shadow's Die Twice. 

In a change of pace, Them Sweet Boys discuss six games from their childhood that they love but time has relatively forgotten. In a lot more casual and freeform a discussion, Ethan and Joe discuss the following...Iggy's Reckin' Balls (N64), Prehistorik Man (SNES), Mission Impossible (N64), Space Station Silicon Valley (N64), James Pond: Operation Robocod (SNES), and Super Punch Out! (SNES). If you like this format, let us know, as we would love to do this again in the future. 

Them Sweet Boys don their leather gloves, pack their silver ballers, and go globetrotting with murderous intent! This time they are reviewing Hitman III, the latest installment in the Hitman series, and the triumphant climax of the "World of Assassination" trilogy. How does Agent 47 fare in the newest console generation? Is this something new and exciting, or a mere "season 3" of content? We also discuss our general love of this series as a whole, and where we hope it goes from here.

In yet another shift in scheduling, this will be the final episode for Legend of Dragoon, covering Disc 3, Disc 4, and our wrap up thoughts on this gem of a JRPG. Marvel at Ethan barely masking his apathy, and Joe keeping the ship afloat like a true sweet boy. With this episode we are ending our first baby season, taking a three week break, and we will be back in March with more sweet boy fun and adventure.

Here we are with part 2 of 4 episodes on The Legend of Dragoon. The next episodes will come out on a weekly basis versus a bi-weekly basis, as we decided after recording to give ourselves some time to play a new game, but didn't want to leave your hanging for a month to get the full Legend of Dragoon experience. This episode covers the entirety of disc 2; all I'll say is that I hope you like bandits!

Them Sweet Boys dip back into the PS1 JRPG well for a truly bitter draught. Ethan is in a burning rush of rage, while Joe just wants more and more! This PS1 swan song is a whole heaping helping of issues all wrapped in the most cinematic presentation that the poor little console could muster. The narrative follows the story of Dart Feld and his companions, who become the next generation of Dragoons in a millennia old war against the evil race of wizard-demons, the Winglies. Is there something worth salvaging in this four disc epic?

*Joe and Ethan laugh ungraciously* Those kooky boys jump into the latest in a historic RPG series. Dragon Quest is arguably one of the most popular JRPG series in Japan and certainly well known around the rest of the world, but is this 80 hour RPG worth the epic quest? Generally, yes! We discuss the characters, the narrative twists and turns, and the wicked post-game section.

In a change of pace, those sweet boys jump back into antiquity in order to lay waste to thousands of Chinese peasants. Sworn brothers Joe and Ethan do a birds-eye view of a series that is near and dear to their hearts, Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors, and take a peek at its sister series, Samurai Warriors. We discuss the historical setting for these games, the pros and cons of Musuo gameplay, and discuss the games to avoid/to enjoy if you are going to jump into this series.

Them sweet boys get all Cool World and dive into the cartoon world of Cuphead, a tough as nails run-n-gun boss rush done in the style of cartoons from the 30's. The music is fantastic, the visuals are out of this world, but can the boys conquer the old school difficulty and experience everything this game has to offer? We also have a good time reminiscing about the cartoons that we love, ask some zany hypotheticals, and then gross each other out with some fan art. Is this a modern indie darling? Or is it a game that relies too much on a visual gimmick? Tune in to find out!

Them sweet boys strap on their clan's armor and compose a sweet haiku for this open world Sucker Punch samurai power fantasy. Both of us dive into the quasi-historical revenge tale of Jin Sakai, a samurai who must abandon his honor in order to reclaim his homeland from the invading force of the Mongol horde. Will Joe and Ethan be honorable samurai or backstabbing/poison slinging ninjas? We dissect this tale with Tengu like precision, talk about samurai media, and of course engage in hypothetical silliness.

Here we go! Them sweet, sweet boys Ethan and Joe journey down memory lane with the classic Super Nintendo launch title. We reminisce on the simple days when Mario was about secret hunting, the overworlds felt alive, and Mario was one thicc bitch. We also discuss life as sweet Nintendo boys amidst the console wars, our history with Nintendo and the Mario franchise, and have a general lovefest over this excellent platformer. We also ask ridiculous hypotheticals, discuss the speed running and romhack community around this game, and generally get way, way, way off topic.

To my side my noble Einherjar! Our sweet boys prepare for the coming of Ragnarok in this strange Playstation 1 RPG. We discuss the successes and the many failings of this interesting and much sought after RPG. Enjoy the gameplay systems that are really ahead of its time, but good luck making sense of the narrative or endgame requirements. Will this game stand the test of time and lead us valiantly to Valhalla? Or will we cast this game to the depths of Helheim?

Them sweet boys Ethan and Joe get spicy over Naughty Dog's latest post-apocalyptic and mushroom zombie epic. Both of us loved the original PS3 title, but will the 2020 sequel prove as ground breaking? We discuss the dual protagonists, some quality guitar strumming, the muddled narrative, and the controversies that have popped up in the discourse surrounding this game. Plus, per usual, some goofy hypotheticals sprinkled throughout. Will this game be a solid entry in our personal notebook, or is it deserving of a swift driver to the skull to put it out of its misery? Tune in to find out!

In this first episode of "Them Sweet Game Boys," Joe and Ethan start with the 2020 remake of a beloved childhood classic. Can we wade through our collective nostalgia in order to determine, truthfully, whether this is a game worth playing? We discuss the development history, the characters, and break that story down to its nitty-gritty. And yes, we discuss the Nomura-fest that is the ending. We also ask some hypotheticals, and then do a deep dive into some reddit love/hate on this game. Will it be a Honeybee Inn love-fest? Or will it be dropped to the trap-door to be fed to Abzu?