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You're listening to Burnt Toast! Today, my guest is Ash Brandin of Screen Time Strategies, also know as The Gamer Educator on Instagram. Ash is also the author of a fantastic new book, Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family. Ash joined us last year to talk about how our attitudes towards screen time can be…diet-adjacent. I asked them to come back on the podcast this week because a lot of us are heading into back-to-school mode, which in my experience can mean feelingsss about screen routines. There are A LOT of really powerful reframings in this episode that might blow your mind—and make your parenting just a little bit easier. So give this one a listen and share it with anyone in your life who's also struggling with kids and screen time.Today's episode is free but if you value this conversation, please consider supporting our work with a paid subscription. Burnt Toast is 100% reader- and listener-supported. We literally can't do this without you! PS. You can take 10 percent off Power On, or any book we talk about on the podcast, if you order it from the Burnt Toast Bookshop, along with a copy of Fat Talk! (This also applies if you've previously bought Fat Talk from them. Just use the code FATTALK at checkout.)Episode 208 TranscriptVirginiaFor anyone who missed your last episode, can you just quickly tell us who you are and what you do?AshI'm Ash Brandin. I use they/them pronouns.I am a middle school teacher by day, and then with my online presence, I help families and caregivers better understand and manage all things technology—screen time, screens. My goal is to reframe the way that we look at them as caregivers, to find a balance between freaking out about them and allowing total access. To find a way that works for us. VirginiaWe are here today to talk about your brilliant new book, which is called Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family. I can't underscore enough how much everybody needs a copy of this book. I have already turned back to it multiple times since reading it a few months ago. It just really helps ground us in so many aspects of this conversation that we don't usually have.AshI'm so glad to hear that it's helpful! If people are new to who I am, I have sort of three central tenets of the work that I do: * Screen time is a social inequity issue. * Screens can be part of our lives without being the center of our lives. * Screens and screen time should benefit whole families.Especially in the last few years, we have seen a trend toward panic around technology and screens and smartphones and social media. I think that there are many reasons to be concerned around technology and its influence, especially with kids. But what's missing in a lot of those conversations is a sense of empowerment about what families can reasonably do. When we focus solely on the fear, it ends up just putting caregivers in a place of feeling bad.VirginiaYou feel like you're getting it wrong all the time.AshShame isn't empowering. No one is like, “Well, I feel terrible about myself, so now I feel equipped to go make a change,” right?Empowerment is what's missing in so many of those conversations and other books and things that have come out, because it's way harder. It's so much harder to talk about what you can really do and reasonably control in a sustainable way. But I'm an educator, and I really firmly believe that if anyone's in this sort of advice type space, be it online or elsewhere, that they need to be trying to empower and help families instead of just capitalizing on fear.VirginiaWhat I found most powerful is that you really give us permission to say: What need is screen time meeting right now? And this includes caregivers' needs. So not just “what need is this meeting for my child,” but what need is this meeting for me? I am here recording with you right now because iPads are meeting the need of children have a day off school on a day when I need to work. We won't be interrupted unless I have to approve a screen time request, which I might in 20 minutes.I got divorced a couple years ago, and my kids get a lot more screen time now. Because they move back and forth between two homes, and each only has one adult in it. Giving myself permission to recognize that I have needs really got me through a lot of adjusting to this new rhythm of our family.AshAbsolutely. And when we're thinking about what the need is, we also need to know that it's going to change. So often in parenting, it feels like we have to come up with one set of rules and they have to work for everything in perpetuity without adjustment. That just sets us up for a sense of failure if we're like, well, I had this magical plan that someone told me was going to work, and it didn't. So I must be the problem, right? It all comes back to that “well, it's my fault” place.VirginiaWhich is screens as diet culture.AshAll over again. We're back at it. It's just not helpful. If instead, we're thinking about what is my need right now? Sometimes it's “I have to work.” And sometimes it's “my kid is sick and they just need to relax.” Sometimes it's, as you were alluding to earlier, it's we've all just had a day, right? We've been run ragged, and we just need a break, and that need is going to dictate very different things. If my kid is laid up on the couch and throwing up, then what screen time is going to be doing for them is very different than If I'm trying to work and I want them to be reasonably engaged in content and trying to maybe learn something. And that's fine. Being able to center “this is what I need right now,” or “this is what we need right now,” puts us in a place of feeling like we're making it work for us. Instead of feeling like we're always coming up against some rule that we're not going to quite live up to.VirginiaI'd love to talk about the inequity piece a little more too. As I said, going from a two parent household to a one parent household, which is still a highly privileged environment—but even just that small shift made me realize, wait a second. I think all the screen time guidance is just for typical American nuclear families. Ideally, with a stay at home parent.So can you talk about why so much of the standard guidance doesn't apply to most of our families?AshIt's not even just a stay at home parent. It's assuming that there is always at least one caregiver who is fully able to be present. Mom, default parent, is making dinner, and Dad is relaxing after work and is monitoring what the kids are doing, right? And it's one of those times where I'm like, have you met a family?VirginiaPeople are seven different places at once. It's just not that simple.AshIt's not that simple, right? It's like, have you spent five minutes in a typical household in the last 10 years? This is not how it's going, right?So the beginning of the book helps people unlearn and relearn what we may have heard around screens, including what research really does or doesn't say around screens, and this social inequity piece. Because especially since the onset of COVID, screens are filling in systemic gaps for the vast majority of families.I'm a family with two caregivers in the home. We both work, but we're both very present caregivers. So we're definitely kind of a rarity, that we're very privileged. We're both around a lot of the time. And we are still using screens to fill some of those gaps.So whether it's we don't really have a backyard, or people are in a neighborhood where they can't send their kids outside, or they don't have a park or a playground. They don't have other kids in the neighborhood, or it's not a safe climate. Or you live in an apartment and you can't have your neighbors complain for the fifth time that your kids are stomping around and being loud. Whatever it is—a lack of daycare, affordable after school care —those are all gaps. They all have to be filled. And we used to have different ways of filling those gaps, and they've slowly become less accessible or less available. So something has to fill them. What ends up often filling them is screens. And I'm not saying that that's necessarily a good thing. I'd rather live in a world in which everyone is having their needs met accessibly and equitably. But that's a much harder conversation, and is one that we don't have very much say in. We participate in that, and we might vote for certain people, but that's about all we can really do reasonably. So, in the meantime, we have to fill that in with something and so screens are often going to fill that in.Especially if you look at caregivers who have less privilege, who are maybe single caregivers, caregivers of color, people living in poverty—all of those aspects of scarcity impacts their bandwidth. Their capacity as a caregiver is less and spread thinner, and all of that takes away from a caregiver's ability to be present. And there were some really interesting studies that were done around just the way that having less capacity affects you as a caregiver.And when I saw that data, I thought, well, of course. Of course people are turning to screens because they have nothing else to give from. And when we think of it that way, it's hard to see that as some sort of personal failure, right? When we see it instead as, oh, this is out of necessity. It reframes the question as “How do I make screens work for me,” as opposed to, “I'm bad for using screens.”VirginiaRight. How do I use screen time to meet these needs and to hopefully build up my capacity so that I can be more present with my kids? I think people think if you're using a lot of screens, you're really never present. It's that stereotype of the parent on the playground staring at their phone, instead of watching the kid play. When maybe the reason we're at the playground is so my kid can play and I can answer some work emails. That doesn't mean I'm not present at other points of the day.AshOf course. You're seeing one moment. I always find that so frustrating. It just really feels like you you cannot win. If I were sitting there staring at my child's every move in the park, someone would be like, “you're being a helicopter,” right? And if I look at my phone because I'm trying to make the grocery pickup order—because I would rather my child have time at the playground than we spend our only free hour in the grocery store and having to manage a kid in the grocery store and not having fun together, right? Instead I'm placing a pickup order and they're getting to run around on the playground. Now also somehow I'm failing because I'm looking at my phone instead of my kid. But also, we want kids to have independent time, and not need constant input. It really feels like you just can't win sometimes. And being able to take a step back and really focus on what need is this meeting? And if it's ours, and if it is helping me be more present and connected, that's a win. When I make dinner in the evening, my kid is often having screen time, and I will put in an AirPod and listen to a podcast, often Burnt Toast, and that's my decompression. Because I come home straight from work and other things. I'm not getting much time to really decompress.VirginiaYou need that airlock time, where you can decompress and then be ready to be present at dinner.I'm sure I've told you this before, but I reported a piece on screen time for Parents Magazine, probably almost 10 years ago at this point, because I think my older child was three or four. And I interviewed this Harvard researcher, this older white man, and I gave him this the dinner time example. I said, I'm cooking dinner. My kid is watching Peppa Pig so that I can cook dinner, and take a breath. And then we eat dinner together. And he said, “Why don't you involve her in cooking dinner? Why don't you give her a bag of flour to play with while you cook dinner?”AshOf all the things!VirginiaAnd I said to him: Because it's 5pm on a Wednesday and who's coming to clean the flour off the ceiling?AshA bag of flour. Of all the things to go to! VirginiaHe was like, “kids love to make a happy mess in the kitchen!” I was like, well I don't love that. And it was just exactly that. My need didn't matter to him at all. He was like, “h, well, if you just want to pacify your children…” I was like, I do, yes, in that moment.AshWell, and I think that's another part of it is that someone says it to us like that, and we're like, “well, I can't say yes,” right? But in the moment, yeah, there are times where it's like, I need you to be quiet. And as hard as this can be to think, sometimes it's like right now, I need you to be quiet and convenient because of the situation we're in. And that doesn't mean we're constantly expecting that of them, and hopefully that's not something we're doing all the time. But if the need is, oh my God, we're all melting down, and if we don't eat in the next 15 minutes, we're going to have a two hour DEFCON1 emergency on our hands, then, yeah, I'm gonna throw Peppa Pig on so that we can all become better regulated humans in the next 15 minutes and not have a hungry meltdown. And that sounds like a much better alternative to me!VirginiaThan flour all over my kitchen on a Wednesday, right? I mean, I'll never not be mad about it. It's truly the worst parenting advice I've ever received. So thank you for giving us all more space as caregivers to be able to articulate our own needs and articulate what we need to be present. It's what we can do in the face of gaps in the care system that leave us holding so much.That said: I think there are some nitty gritty aspects of this that we all struggle wit, so I want to talk about some of the nuts and bolts pieces. One of my biggest struggles is still the question of how much time is too much time? But you argue that time really isn't the measure we should be using. As you're saying, that need is going to vary day to day, and all the guidance that's been telling us, like, 30 minutes at this age, an hour at this age, all of that is not particularly germane to our lives. So can you explain both why time is less what we should fixate on? And then how do I release myself? How do I divest from the screen time diet culture?AshOh man, I wish I had a magic bullet for that one. We'll see what I can do.When I was writing this and thinking about it and making content about it, I kept thinking about you. Because the original time guidelines that everyone speaks back to—they're from the AAP. And they have not actually been used in about 10 years, but people still bring them up all the time. The “no time under two” and “up to an hour up to age five” and “one to two hours, five to 12.” And if you really dig in, I was following footnote after footnote for a while, trying to really find where did this actually come from? It's not based on some study that found that that's the ideal amount of time. It really came from a desire to find this middle ground of time spent being physically idle. These guidelines are about wanting to avoid childhood obesity.VirginiaOf course.AshIt all comes back, right?VirginiaI should have guessed it.AshAnd so in their original recommendations, the AAP note that partially this is to encourage a balance with physical movement. Which, of course, assumes that if you are not sitting watching TV or using an iPad, that you will be playing volleyball or something.VirginiaYou'll automatically be outside running around.AshExactly, of course, those are the only options.VirginiaIt also assumes that screen time is never physical. But a lot of kids are very physical when they're watching screens.AshExactly. And it, of course, immediately also imposes a morality of one of these things is better—moving your body is always better than a screen, which is not always going to be true, right? All these things have nuance in them. But I thought that was so interesting, and it shouldn't have surprised me, and yet somehow it still did. And of course it is good to find movement that is helpful for you and to give your kids an enjoyment of being outside or moving their bodies, or playing a sport. And putting all of that in opposition to something else they may enjoy, like a screen, really quickly goes to that diet culture piece of “well, how many minutes have you been doing that?” Because now we have to offset it with however many minutes you should be running laps or whatever.So those original recommendations are coming from a place of already trying to mitigate the negatives of sitting and doing something sort of passively leisurely. And in the last 10 years, they've moved away from that, and they now recommend what's called making a family media plan. Which actually I think is way better, because it is much more prioritizing what are you using this for? Can you be doing it together? What can you do? It's much more reasonable, I think. But many people still go back to those original recommendations, because like you said, it's a number. It's simple. Just tell me.VirginiaWe love to grab onto a number and grade ourselves.AshJust tell me how much time so that I can tell myself I'm I'm doing a good job, right? But you know, time is just one piece of information. It can be so specific with what am I using that time to do? If I'm sitting on my computer and doing work for an hour and a half, technically, that is screen time, but it is going to affect me a lot differently than if I'm watching Netflix or scrolling my phone for an hour and a half. I will feel very different after those things. And I think it's really important to be aware of that, and to make our kids aware of that from an early age, so that they are thinking about more than just, oh, it's been X amount of minutes. And therefore this is okay or not okay.Because all brains and all screens are different. And so one kid can watch 20 minutes of Paw Patrol, and they're going to be bouncing off the walls, because, for whatever reason, that's just a show that's really stimulating for them. And somebody else can sit and watch an hour and a half of something, and they'll be completely fine. So if you have a kid that is the first kid, and after 20 minutes, you're like, oh my god, it's not even half an hour. This is supposed to be an okay amount. This is how they're acting. We're right back to that “something's wrong. I'm wrong. They're bad,” as opposed to, “What is this telling me? What's something we could do differently? Could we try a different show? Could we try maybe having some physical movement before or after, see if that makes a difference?” It just puts us more in a place of being curious to figure out again, how do I make this work for me? What is my need? How do I make it work for us?And not to rattle on too long, but there was a big study done in the UK, involving over 120,000 kids. And they were trying to find what they called “the Goldilocks amount of time.”VirginiaYes. This is fascinating.AshSo it's the amount of time where benefit starts to wane. Where we are in that “just right”amount. Before that, might still be okay, but after that we're going to start seeing some negative impacts, particularly when it comes to behavior, for example.What they found in general was that the Goldilocks number tended to be around, I think, an hour and 40 minutes a day. Something around an hour and a half a day. But if you looked at certain types of screens, for computers or TV, it was much higher than that. It was closer to three hours a day before you started seeing some negative impacts. And even for things like smartphones, it was over an hour a day. But what I found so so interesting, is that they looked at both statistical significance, but also what they called “minimally important difference,” which was when you would actually notice these negative changes, subjectively, as a caregiver.So this meant how much would a kid have to be on a screen for their adult at home to actually notice “this is having an impact on you,” regularly. And that amount was over four and a half hours a day on screens.VirginiaBefore caregivers were like, “Okay, this is too much!” And the fact that the statistically significant findings for the minutia of what the researchers looking at is so different from what you as a caregiver are going to actually be thrown by. That was really mind blowing to me.AshRight, And that doesn't mean that statistical significance isn't important, necessarily. But we're talking about real minutiae. And that doesn't always mean that you will notice any difference in your actual life.Of course, some people are going to hear this and go, “But I don't want my kid on a screen for four and a half hours.” Sure. That's completely reasonable. And if your kid is having a hard time after an hour, still reasonable, still important. That's why we can think less about how many minutes has it been exactly, and more, what am I noticing? Because if I'm coming back to the need and you're like, okay, I have a meeting and I need an hour, right? If you know, “I cannot have them use their iPad for an hour, because they tend to become a dysregulated mess in 25 minutes,” that's much more useful information than “Well, it says they're allowed to have an hour of screen time per day so this should be fine because it's an hour.”VirginiaRight.AshIt sets you up for more success.VirginiaAnd if you know your kid can handle that hour fine and can, in fact, handle more fine, it doesn't mean, “well you had an hour of screen time while I was in a meeting so now we can't watch a show together later to relax together.” You don't have to take away and be that granular with the math of the screens. You can be like, yeah, we needed an extra hour for this meeting, and we'll still be able to watch our show later. Because that's what I notice with my kids. If I start to try to take away from some other screen time, then it's like, “Oh, god, wait, but that's the routine I'm used to!” You can't change it, and that's fair.AshYes, absolutely. And I would feel that way too, right? If someone were giving me something extra because it was a convenience to them, but then later was like, “oh, well, I have to take that from somewhere.” But they didn't tell me that. I would be like, Excuse me, that's weird. That's not how that works, right? This was a favor to you, right?VirginiaYeah, exactly. I didn't interrupt your meeting. You're welcome, Mom.Where the time anxiety does tend to kick in, though, is that so often it's hard for kids to transition off screens. So then parents think, “Well, it was too much time,” or, “The screen is bad.” This is another very powerful reframing in your work. So walk us through why just because a kid is having a hard time getting off screens doesn't mean it was too much and it doesn't mean that screens are evil? AshSo an example I use many times that you can tweak to be whatever thing would come up for your kid is bath time. I think especially when kids are in that sort of toddler, three, four age. When my kid was that age, we had a phase where transitioning to and from the bathtub was very hard. Getting into it was hard. But then getting out of it was hard.VirginiaThey don't ever want to get in. And then they never want to leave.AshThey never want to get out, right? And in those moments when my kid was really struggling to get out of the bathtub, imagine how it would sound if I was like, “Well, it it's the bathtub's fault.” Like it's the bath's fault that they are having such a hard time, it's because of the bubbles, and it smells too good, and I've made it too appealing and the water's too warm. Like, I mean, I sound unhinged, right?Virginia“We're going to stop bathing you.”AshExactly. We would not say, “Well, we can't have baths anymore.” Or when we go to the fun playground, and it's really hard to leave the fun playground, we don't blame the playground. When we're in the grocery store and they don't want to leave whichever aisle, we don't blame the grocery store. And we also don't stop taking them to the grocery store. We don't stop going to playgrounds. We don't stop having baths. Instead, we make different decisions, right? We try different things. We start a timer. We have a different transition. We talk about it beforehand. We strategize, we try things.VirginiaGive a “Hey, we're leaving in a few minutes!” so they're not caught off guard.AshExactly. We talk about it. Hey, last time it was really hard to leave here, we kind of let them know ahead of time, or we race them to the car. We find some way to make it more fun, to make the transition easier, right? We get creative, because we know that, hey, they're going to have to leave the grocery store. They're going to have to take baths in a reasonable amount of time as they grow up into their lives. We recognize the skill that's happening underneath it.And I think with screens, we don't always see those underlying skills, because we see it as this sort of superfluous thing, right? It's not needed. It's not necessary. Well, neither is going to a playground, technically.A lot of what we do is not technically required, but the skill underneath is still there. So when they are struggling with ending screen time, is it really the screen, or is it that it's hard to stop doing something fun. It's hard to stop in the middle of something. It's hard to stop if you have been playing for 20 minutes and you've lost every single race and you don't want to stop when you've just felt like you've lost over and over again, right? You want one more shot to one more shot, right?People are going to think, “Well, but screens are so much different than those other things.” Yes, a screen is designed differently than a playground or a bath. But we are going to have kids who are navigating a technological and digital world that we are struggle to even imagine, right? We're seeing glimpses of it, but it's going to be different than what we're experiencing now, and we want our kids to be able to navigate that with success. And that comes back to seeing the skills underneath. So when they're struggling with something like that, taking the screen out of it, and asking yourself, how would I handle this if it were anything else. How would I handle this if it were they're struggling to leave a friend's house? I probably wouldn't blame the friend, and I wouldn't blame their house, and I wouldn't blame their boys.VirginiaWe're never seeing that child again! Ash I would validate and I would tell them, it's hard. And I would still tell them “we're ending,” and we would talk about strategies to make it easier next time. And we would get curious and try something, and we would be showing our kids that, “hey, it's it's okay to have a hard time doing that thing. It's okay to have feelings about it. And we're still gonna do it. We're still going to end that thing.”Most of the time, the things that we are struggling with when it comes to screens actually boil down to one of three things, I call them the ABCs. It's either Access, which could be time, or when they're having it, or how much. Behavior, which you're kind of bringing up here. And Content, what's on the screen, what they're playing, what they what they have access to.And so sometimes we might think that the problem we're seeing in front of us is a behavior problem, right? I told them to put the screen away. They're not putting the screen away. That's a behavior problem. But sometimes it actually could be because it's an access issue, right? It's more time than they can really handle at that given moment. Or it could be content, because it's content that makes it harder to start and stop. So a big part of the book is really figuring out, how do I know what problem I'm even really dealing with here? And then what are some potential things that I can do about it? To try to problem solve, try to make changes and see if this helps, and if it helps, great, keep it. And if not, I can get curious and try something else. And so a lot of it is strategies to try and ways to kind of, you know, backwards engineer what might be going on, to figure out how to make it work for you, how to make it better.VirginiaIt's so helpful to feel like, okay, there's always one more thing I can tweak and adjust. Versus “it's all a failure. We have to throw it out.” That kind of all or nothing thinking that really is never productive. The reason I think it's so helpful that you draw that parallel with the bath or the play date is it reminds us that there are some kids for whom transitions are just always very difficult—like across the board. So you're not just seeing a screen time problem. You're being reminded “My kid is really building skills around transitions. We don't have them yet.” We hope we will have them at some point. But this is actually an opportunity to work on that, as opposed to a problem. We can actually practice some of these transition skills.AshAnd I really like coming back to the skill, because if we're thinking of it as a skill, then we're probably more likely to tell our kids that it's a skill, too. Because if we're just thinking of it as like, well, it's a screen. It's the screen's fault, it's the screen's fault. Then we might not say those literal words to our kids, but we might say, like, it's always so hard to turn off the TV. Why is that, right? We're talking about it as if it's this sort of amorphous, like it's only about the television, or it's only about the iPad, and we're missing the part of making it clear to our kids that, hey, this is a skill that you're working on, and we work on this skill in different ways.VirginiaI did some good repair with my kids after reading your book. Because I was definitely falling into the trap of talking about screen addiction. I thought I was saying to them, “It's not your fault. The screens are programmed to be bad for us in this way” So I thought, I was like at least not blaming them, but being like, we need less screens because they're so dangerous.But then I read your book, and I was like, oh, that's not helpful either. And I did have one of my kids saying, “Am I bad because I want to watch screens all the time?” And I was like, oh, that's too concrete and scary.And again, to draw the parallel with diet culture: It's just like telling kids sugar is bad, and then they think they're bad because they like sugar. So I did do some repair. I was like, “I read this book and now I've learned that that was not right.” They were like, oh, okay. We're healing in my house from that, so thank you.AshOh, you're very welcome, and I'm glad to hear that!I think about those parallels with food all the time, because sometimes it just helps me think, like, wait, would I be wanting to send this message about food or exercise or whatever? And if the answer is no, then how can I tweak it so that I'm sending a message I'd be okay with applying to other things. And I like being able to make those parallels with my kid. In my household right now, we're practicing flexibility. Flexibility is a skill that we're working on in so many parts of our lives. And when I say we, I do mean we. Me, everybody is working on this.VirginiaParents can use more flexibility, for sure.AshAbsolutely. And so like, when those moments are coming up, you know, I'm trying to say, like, hey, like, what skill is this right now? Who's having to be flexible right now? Flexible can be a good thing, right? We might be flexible by saying yes to eating dinner on the couch and watching a TV show. That's flexibility. Flexibility isn't just adjust your plans to be more convenient to me, child, so that I can go do something as an adult. And coming back to those skills so they can see, oh, okay, this isn't actually just about screens. This applies to every part of these of my life, or these different parts of my life, and if I'm working on it here, oh, wow, it feels easier over there. And so they can see that this applies throughout their life, and kind of feel more of that buy in of like, oh, I'm getting better at that. Or that was easier. That was harder. We want them to see that across the board.VirginiaOh, my God, absolutely.Let's talk about screens and neurodivergence a little bit. So one of my kiddos is neurodivergent, and I can both see how screens are wonderful for them at the end of a school day, when they come home and they're really depleted. Screen time is the thing they need to rest and regulate. And they love the world building games, which gives them this whole world to control and explore. And there's so much there that's wonderful.And, they definitely struggle more than their sibling with this transition piece, with getting off it. One kid will naturally put down the iPad at some point and go outside for a bit, and this kid will not. And it creates more anxiety for parents. Because neurodivergent kids may both need screens—in ways that maybe we're not totally comfortable with, but need to get comfortable with—and then struggle with the transition piece. So how do you think about this question differently with neurodivergence? Or or is it really the same thing you're just having to drill in differently?AshI think it is ultimately the same thing, but it certainly is going to feel quite more heightened. And I think especially for certain aspects of neurodivergence, especially, I think it feels really heightened because of some of the ways that they might be discussed, particularly online, when it comes to how they relate to technology. I think about ADHD, we'll see that a lot. Where I'll see many things online about, like, “kids with ADHD should never be on a screen. They should never be on a device, because they are so dopamine-seeking.” And I have to just say that I find that to be such an ableist framing. Because with ADHD, we're talking about a dopamine deficient brain. And I don't think that we would be having that same conversation about someone needing insulin, right? Like, we wouldn't be saying, like, oh yeah, nope, they can't take that insulin. VirginiaThey're just craving that insulin they need to stay alive.AshA kid seeking a thing that they're that they are somehow deficient in—that's not some sort of defiant behavior. VirginiaNo, it's a pretty adaptive strategy.AshAbsolutely, it is. And we want kids to know that nobody's brain is good or bad, right? There's not a good brain or a bad brain. There are all brains are going to have things that are easier or harder. And it's about learning the brain that you're in, and what works or doesn't work for the brain that you're in.And all brains are different, right? Neurotypical brains and neurodivergent brains within those categories are obviously going to be vastly different. What works for one won't work for another, and being able to figure out what works for them, instead of just, “because you have this kind of brain, you shouldn't ever do this thing,” that's going to set them up for more success. And I think it's great that you mentioned both how a screen can be so regulating, particularly for neurodivergent brains, and then the double-edged sword of that is that then you have to stop. VirginiaTransition off back into the world.AshSo if the pain point is a transition, what is it really coming from? Is it coming from the executive function piece of “I don't know how to find a place to stop?” A lot of people, particularly kids ADHD, they often like games that are more open-ended. So they might like something like a Minecraft or an Animal Crossing or the Sims where you can hyperfocus and deep dive into something. But what's difficult about that is that, you know, if I play Mario Kart, the level ends, it's a very obvious ending.VirginiaRight? And you can say, “One more level, and we're done.”AshExactly. We've reached the end of the championship. I'm on the podium. I quit now, right?But there's a never ending series of of tasks with a more open-ended game. And especially if I'm in my hyper focus zone, right? I can just be thinking, like, well, then I can do this and this and this and this and this, right?And I'm adding on to my list, and the last thing I want to do in that moment is get pulled out of it when I'm really feeling like I'm in the zone. So if that's the kind of transition that's difficult. And it's much less about games and more about “how do I stop in the middle of a project?” Because that's essentially what that is.And that would apply if I'm at school and I'm in the middle of an essay and we're finishing it up tomorrow. Or I'm trying to decorate a cake, and we're trying to walk out the door and I have to stop what I'm doing and come back later. So one of the tricks that I have found really helpful is to ask the question of, “How will you know when you're done?” Or how will you know you're at a stopping point? What would a stopping point be today? And getting them to sort of even visualize it, or say it out loud, so that they can think about, “Oh, here's how I basically break down a giant task into smaller pieces,” because that's essentially what that is.VirginiaThat's a great tip. Ash“Okay, you have five minutes. What is the last thing you're going to do today?” Because then it's concrete in terms of, like, I'm not asking the last thing, and it will take you half an hour, right? I'm at, we have five minutes. What's the last thing you're wrapping up? What are you going to do?Then, if it's someone who's very focused in this world, and they're very into that world, then that last thing can also be our transition out of it. As they're turning it off, the very first thing we're saying to them is, “So what was that last thing you were doing?”VirginiaOh, that's nice.AshThen they're telling it to us, and then we can get curious. We can ask questions. We can get a little into their world to help them transition out of that world. That doesn't mean that we have to understand what they're telling us, frankly. It doesn't mean we have to know all the nuance. But we can show that interest. I think this is also really, really important, because then we are showing them it's not us versus the screen. We're not opposing the screen, like it's the enemy or something. And we're showing them, “Hey, I can tell you're interested in this, so I'm interested in it because you are.” Like, I care about you, so I want to know more.VirginiaAnd then they can invite you into their world, which what a lot of neurodivergent kids need. We're asking them to be part of the larger world all the time. And how nice we can meet them where they are a little more.AshAbsolutely. The other thing I would say is that something I think people don't always realize, especially if they don't play games as much, or if they are not neurodivergent and playing games, is they might miss that video games actually are extremely well-accommodated worlds, in terms of accommodating neurodivergence.So thinking about something like ADHD, to go back to that example, it's like, okay, some really common classroom accommodations for ADHD, from the educator perspective, the accommodations I see a lot are frequent check ins, having a checklist, breaking down a large task into smaller chunks, objectives, having a visual organizer.Well, I think about a video game, and it's like, okay, if I want to know what I have available to me, I can press the pause menu and see my inventory at any time. If I want to know what I should be doing, because I have forgotten, I can look at a menu and see, like, what's my objective right now? Or I can bring up the map and it will show me where I supposed to be going. If I start to deviate from what I'm supposed to be doing, the game will often be like, “Hey, don't forget, you're supposed to be going over there!” It'll get me back on task. If I'm trying to make a potion that has eight ingredients, the game will list them all out for me, and it will check them off as I go, so I can visually see how I'm how I'm achieving this task. It does a lot of that accommodation for me. And those accommodations are not as common in the real world, or at least not as easily achieved.And so a lot of neurodivergent kids will succeed easily in these game worlds. And we might think “oh because it's addicting, or the algorithm, or it's just because they love it” But there are often these structural design differences that actually make it more accessible to them.And if we notice, oh, wow, they have no problem knowing what to do when they're playing Zelda, because they just keep checking their objective list all the time or whatever—that's great information.VirginiaAnd helps us think, how can we do that in real life? AshExactly. We can go to them and say, hey, I noticed you, you seem to check your inventory a lot when you're playing that game. How do we make it so that when you look in your closet, you can just as easily see what shirts you own. Whatever the thing may be, so that we're showing them, “hey, bring that into the rest of your world that works for you here.” Let's make it work for you elsewhere, instead of thinking of it as a reason they're obsessed with screens, and now we resent the screens for that. Bring that in so that it can benefit the rest of their lives.VirginiaI'm now like, okay, that just reframes something else very important for me. You have such a helpful way of helping us divest from the guilt and the shame and actually look at this in a positive and empowering way for us and our kids. And I'm just so grateful for it. It really is a game changer for me.AshOh, thank you so much. I'm so glad to hear that it was helpful and empowering for you, and I just hope that it can be that for others as well.ButterAshSo my family and I have been lucky enough to spend quite a lot of time in Japan. And one of the wonderful things about Japan is they have a very huge bike culture. I think people think of the Netherlands as Bike cCentral, but Japan kind of rivals them.And they have a particular kind of bike that you cannot get in the United States. It's called a Mamachari, which is like a portmanteau of mom and chariot. And it's sort of like a cargo bike, but they are constructed a little differently and have some features that I love. And so when I've been in Japan, we are on those bikes. I'm always like, I love this kind of bike. I want this kind of bike for me forever. And my recent Butter has been trying to find something like that that I can have in my day to day life. And I found something recently, and got a lovely step through bike on Facebook Marketplace. VirginiaSo cool! That's exciting to find on marketplace, too.AshOh yes, having a bike that like I actually enjoy riding, I had my old bike from being a teenager, and it just was not functional. I was like, “This is not fun.” And now having one that I enjoy, I'm like, oh yes. I feel like a kid again. It's lovely.VirginiaThat's a great Butter. My Butter is something both my kids and my pets and I are all really enjoying. I'm gonna drop a link in the chat for you. It is called a floof, and it is basically a human-sized dog bed that I found on Etsy. It's like, lined with fake fur.AshMy God. I'm looking at it right now.VirginiaIsn't it hilarious?AshWow. I'm so glad you sent a picture, because that is not what I was picturing?Virginia I can't describe it accurately. It's like a cross between a human-sized dog bed and a shopping bag? Sort of? AshYes, yes, wow. It's like a hot tub.VirginiaIt's like a hot tub, but no water. You just sit in it. I think they call it a cuddle cave. I don't understand how to explain it, but it's the floof. And it's in our family room. And it's not inexpensive, but it does basically replace a chair. So if you think of it as a furniture purchase, it's not so bad. There's always at least a cat or a dog sleeping in it. Frequently a child is in it. My boyfriend likes to be in it. Everyone gravitates towards it. And you can put pillows in it or a blanket.Neurodivergent people, in particular, really love it, because I think it provides a lot of sensory feedback? And it's very enclosed and cozy. It's great for the day we're having today, which is a very laid back, low demand, watch as much screen as you want, kind of day. So I've got one kid bundled into the floof right now with a bunch of blankets in her iPad, and she's so happy. AshOh my gosh. Also, it kind of looks like the person is sitting in a giant pita, which I also love.VirginiaThat's what it is! It's like a giant pita, but soft and cozy. It's like being in a pita pocket. And I'm sure there are less expensive versions, this was like, 300 something dollars, so it is an investment. But they're handmade by some delightful person in the Netherlands.Whenever we have play dates, there are always two or three kids, snuggled up in it together. There's something extremely addictive about it. I don't know. I don't really know how to explain why it's great, but it's great.AshOh, that is lovely.VirginiaAll right, well tell obviously, everyone needs to go to their bookstore and get Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family. Where else can we find you, Ash? How can we support your work?AshYou can find me on Instagram at the gamer educator, and I also cross post my Instagram posts to Substack, and I'm on Substack as Screen Time Strategies. It's all the same content, just that way you're getting it in your inbox without, without having to go to Instagram. So if that's something that you are trying to maybe move away from, get it via Substack. And my book Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family is available starting August 26 is when it fully releases.VirginiaAmazing. Thank you so much. This was really great.AshThank you so much for having me back.The Burnt Toast Podcast is produced and hosted by Virginia Sole-Smith (follow me on Instagram) and Corinne Fay, who runs @SellTradePlus, and Big Undies.The Burnt Toast logo is by Deanna Lowe.Our theme music is by Farideh.Tommy Harron is our audio engineer.Thanks for listening and for supporting anti-diet, body liberation journalism! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe

Al and Kev go through a list of 22 farming games Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:02:11: What Have We Been Up To 00:12:37: Game News 00:43:58: New Games 00:48:23: The 22 Best Steam Farming Games of all Time 01:33:28: Outro Links Whimside Herdling Ritual of Raven Abyss: New Dawn Star Birds Len’s Island “1.1” Update Disney Dreamlight Valley “Emotional Rescue” Update Overthrown “Coastal” Update Starsand Island Trailer Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home Special Edition Infinity Nikki x Stardew Valley We Harvest Shadows Neverway The 22 Best Steam Farming Games of All Time Contact Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Al: Hello farmers and welcome to another episode of the harvest season my name is al. (0:00:36) Kev: My name is Kevin and Al, you drop the ball, you miss the chance. (0:00:41) Kev: The way we should have started this week was, “Why is podcasting so hard?” (0:00:46) Al: Oh, disaster. Maybe we need to start that again. (0:00:49) Kev: Oh dear. (0:00:55) Kev: Yeah, it’s probably harder for Sakurai to make Kirby out. (0:00:59) Al: It’s true, though. But it’s not. It’s not true. It’s not hard. (0:01:06) Kev: AirRiders isn’t a podcast, probably. (0:01:06) Al: Yeah, yeah, that is true. Probably. Yeah, so we are here, as I said. (0:01:08) Kev: Well, that was a great direct. (0:01:16) Al: We’re gonna talk about Cuchco Games. Lots of Cuchco Games, because we have a list to talk about. (0:01:18) Kev: Yeah. (0:01:23) Al: There’s a list. Did I find this list? I found this list, didn’t I? This is a list on cozy game reviews (0:01:26) Kev: Yes, you did. (0:01:31) Al: of the 22 best Steam farming games of all time. Brackets updated for 2025. (0:01:38) Kev: What an apropos subject after last week’s episode. (0:01:44) Al: So we’re going to talk about that. (0:01:46) Al: Next we’re going to go through it and see if we agree because not only has it got them all listed, it says what they’re all best for. They’ve all got a specific thing that the writer thinks that they’re best for. (0:01:56) Kev: Which is a good move, um, well, you know, we’ll get to the list. We’ll get to the list. I like the list content (0:02:00) Al: It gives us something to talk about, so we’ll see how we go. (0:02:08) Al: Before that, we’ve got quite a lot of news. We’ll get into that soon, but first of all, Kevin, what have you been up to? (0:02:14) Kev: Oh, this is I’ve been thinking about this it’s been the hardest part for me to think about this week because I’ve been busy and not (0:02:22) Kev: a lot of the usuals (0:02:26) Kev: Let’s see here at battle can’t Sonic event finish, so I’m still playing but it’s it’s whatever (0:02:32) Kev: Pokemon unite is good (0:02:36) Kev: We had the world championships just last weekend, so we had announcements there (0:02:41) Kev: That was fun. I don’t even remember who it is now, but (0:02:45) Kev: Oh gosh, what is it? Oh, no, I have to look up the list (0:02:48) Kev: I don’t remember but I mean I’ve been playing it’s good the latte both lattes are out now (0:02:54) Kev: They’re pretty fun (0:02:55) Kev: Especially when you can actually play with someone and you can use them both because they so specifically designed to work with each other (0:03:03) Kev: So that’s pretty cool (0:03:07) Kev: But (0:03:08) Kev: Yeah, you know unite still play. It’s wild (0:03:12) Kev: We’re almost at a hundred playable Pokemon in the game (0:03:14) Kev: That’s wild to think (0:03:17) Kev: That’s like what almost 10% of the the techs (0:03:23) Kev: But but yeah, it’s been good. Oh gosh, I cannot (0:03:28) Kev: I don’t remember (0:03:32) Kev: Sorry, I was trying to Google it was stalled for talking but either way I’m playing unite it’s been good (0:03:39) Kev: Let’s see other than that, um, yeah, just a lot of the same as usual stuff. I’ve been playing (0:03:44) Kev: I picked up a new show now that I finished monk (0:03:48) Kev: Have you ever heard of dr. Quinn medicine woman now (0:03:54) Kev: Okay, so it is a show from the 90s it is (0:04:02) Kev: How should I put this frontier (0:04:05) Kev: Style American setting kind of like little house (0:04:06) Al: Okay, yeah. (0:04:09) Kev: But it’s a little more a little less saccharine (0:04:12) Kev: It is the titular character. (0:04:14) Kev: It is a female doctor, Dr. Quinn, which is, you know, given in that timeframe and setting, leads to a very different dynamic, right? (0:04:28) Kev: So yeah, it’s been enjoyable. I think it’s a little more “real” than, say, Little House or some of the other more… (0:04:42) Kev: Uh, I should… (0:04:45) Kev: It doesn’t paint over some of these details, so you know I’ve just been here enjoying a show about a (0:04:52) Kev: Trying to find a home and community (0:04:55) Kev: Despite the backdrop of a society where misogyny (0:05:00) Kev: bigotry racism et cetera are pretty strong, you know, I (0:05:06) Kev: Don’t know if that resonates with anyone, but you know (0:05:08) Al: Not at all, not at all. (0:05:11) Kev: So it’s been good (0:05:13) Kev: It is from the 90’s. (0:05:14) Kev: So it looks a little dated, um, and, and you can still feel the 90’s like hairstyles permeating the show though. (0:05:22) Kev: Um, but, uh, but, uh, but yeah, it’s been fun. (0:05:25) Kev: That’s Dr. (0:05:26) Kev: Quinn, medicine woman. (0:05:27) Kev: Like I said, just something to fill the, the show hole. (0:05:29) Kev: Um, but yeah, that’s, that’s, that’s roughly what I’ve been up to. (0:05:33) Kev: It’s been busy week. (0:05:34) Kev: I made it, I made like a two day, one day gone the next day back work trip this week. (0:05:39) Kev: That was wild. (0:05:40) Al: What have I been up to? (0:05:40) Kev: Um, yeah, so I’m tired. (0:05:42) Kev: What about you? (0:05:45) Al: I’m still playing Donkey Kong Bonanza, so it’s a long game. (0:05:50) Kev: All right (0:05:56) Kev: Yeah, it’s a lot of bananas to find (0:05:58) Al: It is a lot of bananas, yeah, I’ve put like maybe like 10 hours into it or something so (0:06:04) Al: far and I saw that there was a new world record put up today, so I went out to look at it (0:06:10) Al: and what I’ve done in that like 10 hours they did in 50 minutes, like oh goodness me, so (0:06:17) Al: I think I’ve got quite a lot of the game left to go because the world record is over four (0:06:21) Al: hours, so I’m maybe a quarter of the way through but that doesn’t feel right, but I don’t know. (0:06:29) Al: I did say, I think I said true endings, maybe that’s getting all the bananas, so maybe I’ve (0:06:33) Al: got, maybe I’m halfway, I might be about halfway through, we’ll see. (0:06:34) Kev: Hmm (0:06:37) Kev: Hmm have you done that art mode at all the the sculpting mode or whatever? (0:06:41) Al: I have not, no, I’ve not. (0:06:43) Kev: Okay, I’ve seen people do some crazy nonsense in them. That’s pretty cool (0:06:46) Al: Yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah, I’m enjoying that, we’ll see how long that takes me, but this (0:06:57) Al: week I’ll probably be starting Story of Seasons Grand Bazaar, so who knows, how bizarre, so (0:07:02) Kev: How bizarre, how bizarre. (0:07:06) Al: I guess we’ll see a mate put down Donkey Kong for a bit. (0:07:10) Al: I think that’s pretty much it gaming wise. (0:07:17) Al: I’ve been catching up on a bunch of shows that I missed when I was on holiday, so I’ve (0:07:22) Al: just finished Sandman and it was good. (0:07:25) Kev: Oh, how was it? (0:07:28) Kev: Was it just weird? (0:07:30) Al: It was good if you can ignore the fact that it’s no gaming, then it’s good. (0:07:30) Kev: Okay. (0:07:34) Kev: Well, I feel like, you know, I feel like, in this day and age, (0:07:40) Kev: people get pretty good at that, if you just ignore the, you know, monster at the top. (0:07:42) Al: Well, yeah. Mm. So, yeah, no, that was good. And I think I’m going to watch Wednesday this (0:07:56) Al: week. So, yeah. (0:07:58) Kev: Oh, yeah, that’s all right. Okay. You know what you I assume you watch season one (0:08:05) Kev: Did you watch any Adams family prior to Wednesday (0:08:10) Kev: Okay, cuz I’m cuz I I’m a big fan of the animals family. Um, so I’m I had not watched Wednesday. So I’m curious how (0:08:17) Kev: That you know how it compares to the other relations, but alright (0:08:22) Kev: I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts. Anyways (0:08:26) Al: Yeah, I think that’s about it for me. (0:08:29) Al: Oh, no, I started on. (0:08:30) Al: So I’ve been watching through my mentions a couple of times. (0:08:33) Al: I’ve been watching through all the James Bond films. (0:08:35) Al: So I’m now on the Daniel Craig films. (0:08:37) Al: So on the home stretch nearly there. (0:08:40) Kev: Okay, okay, how is there any overall trends like they’re (0:08:44) Al: Hmm. So I don’t think there is like an upward or downward (0:08:46) Kev: Like better worse (0:08:51) Al: trend. They have like a good one followed by multiple terrible (0:08:53) Kev: Mm-hmm (0:08:55) Al: ones. I will say that one thing I’ve noticed watching them all (0:08:57) Kev: Yeah (0:09:01) Al: like we started in November. So we watched them all in the last (0:09:02) Kev: Yeah, yeah (0:09:05) Al: nine months basically. One thing I’ve noticed is that they’re (0:09:06) Kev: Yeah (0:09:08) Al: all basically the same film. (0:09:10) Kev: Yeah (0:09:13) Kev: Now we’re talking oh (0:09:14) Al: So I mean, if you like that, then that’s good. I did get to the (0:09:17) Kev: Yeah, yeah, I mean (0:09:21) Al: point where we hit the, what’s his name? I’m so bad with the (0:09:29) Al: actor’s name sometimes. The Piers Brosnan ones. So we hit (0:09:32) Kev: » Yeah. (0:09:33) Al: 95 with GoldenEye. And I was like, oh, fantastic. We’re (0:09:34) Kev: » Yeah. (0:09:36) Al: finally, we’re finally getting out of the, you know, maybe we’ll (0:09:39) Al: get some bad baddie other than the USSR. And then I’m pretty (0:09:43) Kev: Yeah, yeah they do. (0:09:43) Al: pretty sure they go back in time. (0:09:44) Al: to make the USSR the baddie again. (0:09:49) Al: And then in the end, I would just watch Casino Royale and there’s a little bit (0:09:53) Al: where, where M goes, Oh, I wish we were, I wish we were back in the cold war. (0:09:57) Kev: Yeah, yeah, man, that’s that’s good stuff. Obviously, you and I is Nintendo, Pokemon, MCU fans, we can we can handle a whole lot of the same thing done over and over. But that’s that’s that’s fascinating. (0:09:59) Al: They really do miss that easy baddie. (0:10:05) Al: So yeah. (0:10:18) Al: - Yeah. (0:10:22) Al: I guess it’s different when you’re seeing the same thing (0:10:24) Al: every three years rather than every week. (0:10:27) Kev: Yeah, you know, that’s a good point. That’s a good point. But still, I mean, hey, you’re still trucking, you didn’t cause you to, to give up or die. So it’s because there’s at least something there. (0:10:38) Al: Yeah. Yeah, nearly there, nearly there, definitely. I’ve watched all the Daniel Craig ones as (0:10:44) Al: well, so I can’t officially say that I’ve watched every James Bond film. I just haven’t (0:10:48) Kev: Yeah (0:10:50) Al: watched these ones in a while, so. And Rona hasn’t seen the newest one, so. (0:10:51) Kev: Right, right (0:10:54) Kev: Okay, there you go. Hey congrats (0:10:57) Kev: Good stuff. Oh, I found the unite Pokemon. It’s sorry (0:11:04) Kev: Okay (0:11:05) Kev: We are getting Empoleon which sure starters always a safe choice. We are getting Vaporeon (0:11:13) Kev: Which means that the only Eevee evolutions we didn’t have were the original three. So we (0:11:18) Kev: Are now getting them that’s now confirming two other ones down the line (0:11:23) Kev: But most interestingly we are getting Delmise the (0:11:29) Kev: Living seaweed on an anchor. I’m excited about that. I like the freak pics. Delmise is a good freak pic (0:11:38) Al: Fun. Yeah. I look forward to seeing how Dalmay’s, you know, moves. (0:11:39) Kev: Yeah (0:11:43) Kev: Yeah, I’m just gonna flow it’s all just gonna flow (0:11:49) Kev: But yeah, oh well drags it drags itself (0:11:50) Al: You never know, should be something more interesting. (0:11:54) Al: Yeah, you just hear this scraping sound. (0:12:00) Kev: Oh, that’d be incredible. Oh my gosh (0:12:02) Al: Especially, I presume there’s no in-game chat, like audio chat in Unite. (0:12:08) Kev: Yeah, there is. There is a voice, yeah. (0:12:10) Al: Well there is, does it have, has it got, what’s it called, where you’re like, (0:12:15) Al: it changes depending on how close to the character you are. (0:12:18) Kev: Oh, proximity? No, it does not have proximity as far as I know. (0:12:19) Al: » Yeah. (0:12:20) Al: » That’d be brilliant. (0:12:21) Al: So if you could hear, like, the scraping come closer to you, that’d be brilliant. (0:12:22) Kev: The scraping. (0:12:28) Al: Feels like it’s something out of a horror film. (0:12:31) Kev: That’s incredible. Oh, I love dumb eyes. Oh, that’d be great. (0:12:38) Al: All right, should we get into some news? (0:12:41) Kev: Oh, you mean a lot of news. So much news. (0:12:43) Al: So, yeah, we have some games that have released (0:12:49) Al: that I completely missed when I was doing my catch-up (0:12:52) Al: of all the news in the break. (0:12:57) Al: So we’re just gonna quickly go through those. (0:12:59) Al: First up, we have Whimside, Whimside or Whimside. (0:13:03) Al: I don’t know how they want it to be said, (0:13:04) Al: but it’s one of those. (0:13:04) Kev: Yeah (0:13:06) Al: So that is out now. (0:13:08) Al: So a hoo to windside. (0:13:08) Kev: That’s (0:13:10) Kev: That’s the desk that’s your rusty like Pokemon collector (0:13:16) Al: Correct, yes. (0:13:17) Al: It’s a creature collector, the game that sits at the bottom of your screen, and fits easily (0:13:18) Kev: Which (0:13:22) Al: into your routine. (0:13:23) Kev: It looks kind of in-depth I don’t want to use it as a you know thing on the side (0:13:28) Kev: But I am kind of interested to just play get (0:13:32) Al: Yeah. It has 194 reviews so far, very positive 85%. So that’s good. (0:13:39) Kev: some look some of those were also just pokemon there was just a squirtle in in that trailer (0:13:46) Al: Well Squirtle is just a blue turtle, so come on. Next we have Herdling, they are also out now, (0:13:49) Kev: it is you’re not wrong yeah that’s true (0:13:56) Al: came out on the 21st of August, that one wasn’t one that I missed because it’s only just out. (0:13:56) Kev: they nope that just came out that’s (0:14:01) Al: So that is the you’re gathering a herd of mysterious creatures on a stirring and beautiful (0:14:07) Al: journey into the mountains. And this is published by Panic, they’re… (0:14:08) Kev: It’s Journey, the game Journey, but cows. (0:14:16) Al: the Untitled Goose Game people and also the… (0:14:22) Kev: Wow, that looks nothing like a criminal ghost game. A publisher? Okay, okay. (0:14:25) Al: No, well they’re just the publisher, they didn’t they didn’t write the game, but they’ve (0:14:33) Al: Panic are also the they’ve turned into a publisher as well. But they’re also the, and I’m just trying (0:14:41) Al: to remember the name of it. Nope, nope. (0:14:42) Kev: one game give me a hint is it stray oh oh my goodness wow these guys are heroes (0:14:47) Al: In our game the Playdate, the console, they also did the console. (0:14:54) Kev: hurdling exclusive to the play date or with the tool exclusive to the play date where you use the (0:15:00) Kev: crank to herd the cows uh oh okay yeah so these guys are (0:15:01) Al: Oh, they did fire watch as well. (0:15:12) Kev: gonna publish weird things that’s cool good for them i’m actually more interested in hurdling now (0:15:20) Kev: now that I have this I mean not that the publisher just the developer or whatever you know but uh (0:15:22) Al: Yeah, I (0:15:26) Al: Yeah, but I mean a publisher tells you something especially when they’ve only published like 10 games or something so (0:15:32) Al: It’s not like they’re throwing them out there. They’re taking anything that comes (0:15:36) Al: unlike some other games publishers (0:15:38) Kev: But (0:15:39) Al: But yeah, I mean it looks much more kind of fire watchy than it does anything else in terms of it’s because obviously fire watch is (0:15:44) Kev: Yeah (0:15:46) Al: much more (0:15:47) Al: straight and serious and (0:15:49) Kev: Yeah (0:15:50) Al: and they look. (0:15:52) Al: kind of meditative, almost. (0:15:53) Kev: Yeah (0:15:55) Kev: Yeah, it’s not yeah, that’s a good way of describing it right very Zen sort of thing (0:16:00) Kev: Just walking with some cows up a mountain (0:16:00) Al: Hmm. Big haticos. (0:16:05) Kev: The character even wears red like the journey (0:16:08) Kev: Character with the scar. It’s fine. Journey is a good game (0:16:14) Al: Next we have a ritual of Raven, which is also out now. (0:16:20) Al: So this is an isometric, story-based farming game. (0:16:26) Kev: cards, lots of cards, everywhere. I don’t understand the mechanics. Do you farm (0:16:34) Kev: with cards? It kind of looked like that. (0:16:38) Al: Yeah, I think so. I think you use the cards to create spells because you’re awake (0:16:43) Kev: okay right let’s see enchant constructs to help grow herbs and ingredients to help you complete (0:16:49) Kev: your book of shadows using the mystical deck of cards you’ll be able to enchant constructs to (0:16:54) Kev: plows plow sow seeds water and harvest them for you collect all 22 constructs and create thriving (0:17:01) Kev: herb garden um so yeah looks like you do use the cards to make stuff to farm that’s kind of (0:17:08) Al: Yeah. Yup, so that’s out now. Next, we have Abyss New Dawn. This is out in early access now. (0:17:17) Al: I think they had a delay. Are these the ones that delayed the game? They were meant to come (0:17:24) Al: out and then they were like, “Oh no, we’ve got an issue.” There we go. This is the one. Abyss (0:17:26) Kev: Did I lose the button, too? (0:17:31) Al: New Dawn release may be delayed by a few days. During Steam’s review process, our latest build (0:17:36) Al: was rejected due to a technical issue of three achievements. (0:17:38) Al: We’ve already fixed or submitted the build for approval. Steam usually takes three to (0:17:43) Al: five days for the review, so the release date may be delayed until August 25th. It was not. (0:17:48) Al: It ended up releasing Friday 22nd, so I don’t think it was delayed at all, but they thought it might be. (0:17:49) Kev: Yeah, um, so this, first of all, I hate. (0:18:02) Al: Oh yes, this is a warm village above a deadly abyss below. Will you farm in peace or dive in? (0:18:10) Kev: Okay, so first of all, I hate that name, like good heavens what an awful name, just like, it’s just so generic, it doesn’t tell you anything, um… (0:18:14) Al: Yes, also it feels like it’s the second in a series. This is the sequel to Abyss. It’s (0:18:24) Al: Abyss New Dawn. But I don’t think that’s the case. It is not the case. (0:18:25) Kev: yeah yeah okay this is gonna sound kind of weird this this game doesn’t look (0:18:34) Kev: like it was AI generated but it looks like the concept was generated concept (0:18:40) Kev: because it feels like it has so much going on like all these hallmarks you’ve (0:18:44) Kev: got Animal Crossing as characters you got farming you got fishing (0:18:49) Kev: customization and then the abyss the abyss is actually just dinosaurs it’s (0:18:54) Kev: It’s just a dinosaur world. (0:18:55) Kev: I don’t know. It looks well made. It’s a tough market out here. (0:19:04) Kev: That’s all. (0:19:04) Al: Yeah, I’m not seeing anything make me want to play this. (0:19:06) Kev: No, as much as I love dinosaurs, I’d rather play paleopine. (0:19:13) Kev: I would, I’m not trying to entertain them. (0:19:16) Al: Yeah, do you want to fight dinosaurs or do you want to tame them? That’s the question. (0:19:21) Kev: Also, so they have the Animal Crossing decorate your house because, of course. (0:19:25) Kev: The one question I don’t see, and I think this is a big problem a lot of games have, (0:19:30) Kev: can you actually use the furniture? Can you sit in the couch or lying in the bed? (0:19:36) Kev: Because that kills me when you can’t, and a lot of games do it. But anyways, yeah. (0:19:43) Kev: Bismuthon, that’s early access. I probably won’t play it. Bite Slime, that’s in the video. (0:19:55) Kev: Not fight slimes or anything, just fight slime singular. Or the general concept of slime, I guess. (0:20:05) Al: Yeah, yeah, I don’t I’m not excited to to play this let’s put it that way (0:20:11) Kev: I’m not either (0:20:14) Al: All right moving on to something I am excited to play (0:20:17) Kev: Okay, okay, I tried (0:20:18) Al: Starbirds (0:20:20) Kev: Okay, let’s see here. So I tried looking at this. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Remember this one now. Yeah. Yeah (0:20:21) Al: Starbirds (0:20:24) Al: So so starbirds have announced that the their early access is releasing on the 4th of September. So just to (0:20:33) Al: So, remind people. (0:20:35) Al: This is the game made by the people who did Dorph Romantic, and it is based on the YouTube channel Kurtzkazat in a nutshell. (0:20:49) Al: They do science-based videos, very interesting videos, all very meticulously researched and stuff. (0:20:56) Al: And this is in their art style, and it is an asteroid-based building and resource management game. (0:21:03) Kev: yeah that yeah it’s it’s um it’s a lot those are a lot of words but the good the game the game looks (0:21:08) Al: You know Dorph Romantic, right? You know the game. You don’t know Dorph romantic. You would (0:21:10) Kev: good I don’t want to like I don’t actually no no hold on (0:21:16) Al: you definitely recognize it if you clicked on it. Click through to the developer on Steam (0:21:20) Al: and click on Dorph romantic. It’s a really record. It’s kind of it’s got the like tiles (0:21:25) Al: like the hexagon tiles and it’s it’s like a building puzzle game. Yeah, it’s pretty (0:21:31) Kev: That is that is just settlers of Katon the game (0:21:37) Al: it, it, it, it pretty much. (0:21:38) Al: Um, but it’s single player, I think, um, it’s got 15,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews. (0:21:40) Kev: Sure sure (0:21:46) Al: It’s a very big game, they’re romantic. (0:21:47) Kev: Oh, I’m sure okay, is it good to have you played it? (0:21:53) Al: I haven’t played it, but I mean, there’s overwhelmingly positive on the Rivens team. (0:21:58) Kev: That’s true well (0:21:59) Al: So like people like it. (0:22:01) Kev: I guess so that’s true (0:22:02) Al: It’s not, I’m not, I’m not the biggest management game guy. (0:22:06) Kev: Yeah, that is true (0:22:08) Kev: So I’m also okay for starboard. So it is very heavy on the management. You have networks of cables and roads and flow (0:22:16) Kev: But I think the art style is very charming (0:22:19) Kev: very cartoony (0:22:20) Al: What I like about it as well is it’s very small scale. (0:22:24) Al: So I think one of my issues with management games is, (0:22:27) Al: here’s an infinite canvas, make something. (0:22:31) Kev: Yeah. Mine it. (0:22:31) Al: And you’re like, but maybe I don’t want to. (0:22:33) Al: And what this does is it goes, here’s a mini asteroid. (0:22:36) Al: Mine it. (0:22:37) Al: And then those all connect together eventually. (0:22:40) Al: And so it does create this bigger thing, (0:22:41) Al: but it’s like much smaller scale at the start. (0:22:44) Kev: Very piecewise. Yeah. Yeah, I see what you’re saying. Yeah, I think that’s cool too. Very (0:22:44) Al: I like, yeah. (0:22:51) Kev: Like discrete as in with the E at the end (0:22:56) Kev: Discrete units of (0:22:59) Kev: Resource management and then you connect them all together for a bigger network. I like it. That’s a fun idea (0:23:06) Kev: Also your birds I (0:23:08) Kev: Like I like to parrot a toucan. I don’t know what bird that is. Looks like it has a toucan beak but parrot (0:23:14) Kev: So I’m not sure I like that bird (0:23:16) Al: Alrighty, so that yeah, that’s 4th of September that comes out, Starbirds. (0:23:21) Kev: That’s sooner than it should be. Oh, where did all this go? Jeez (0:23:28) Al: Yeah, that’s two weeks away, less than two weeks away. (0:23:30) Al: That’s a week and a half away. (0:23:30) Al: That’ll be a week away when this game episode comes out. (0:23:32) Al: Alrighty, next we have Lens Island. (0:23:36) Al: They’ve released their 1.1 update. (0:23:38) Al: That is out now. (0:23:40) Al: That includes, it is the community feedback update. (0:23:42) Al: update. It brings a bunch of changes such as free (0:23:46) Al: camera orbiting. Okay, junk loading settings and performance (0:23:51) Al: boost, you can change how far away you can see things, which (0:23:54) Al: is really cool. If you’ve got like, a really good computer, (0:23:57) Al: you can see islands miles away in the distance. I really like (0:24:00) Al: that because yeah, that’s really nice. Increased performance of (0:24:05) Al: spending farms always good. A sorting button for storage items (0:24:09) Al: should have been there in 1.0. Edit constructions with new move (0:24:13) Al: button. The move button should have been 1.0. When Earth was (0:24:16) Al: this was one of the things I complained about in the in my (0:24:16) Kev: Yup. (0:24:18) Al: review of it. Why on earth? Why on earth did I have to delete (0:24:20) Kev: Yup. (0:24:21) Al: something and recreate it? So silly. You did at least when you (0:24:22) Kev: Yup. (0:24:25) Al: recycled something, you got all the materials back. So you (0:24:26) Kev: Right, right, right. (0:24:27) Al: didn’t waste anything. But it’s just still such an annoying (0:24:30) Kev: Yeah, I agree. Like, I feel like almost every game that has you, you know, building constructs or buildings or whatever should have this feature. (0:24:38) Kev: And a lot of them don’t. A lot of, I don’t know why. (0:24:42) Al: Yeah, another thing that should have been in there is the crop status UI, so if you hover over a crop, you can see whether it’s ready to harvest or not, which is good. (0:24:52) Kev: That seems important. (0:24:53) Al: Yeah, yeah, I found it later on. So after the podcast, I read that I found out that you can craft a scythe, and if you use the site that only gets rid of things that are harvestable, but before that, you just have to guess. (0:25:05) Kev: Oh, that’s good. That’s good. Good good (0:25:12) Al: So you can create a new companion, the black bear, so you can get an animal black bear companion. (0:25:18) Kev: Now this I like just because I like bears in general good good for you. He added a bear (0:25:24) Al: Yeah, yeah, I think I’m probably gonna stick with my dog. I like my dog, but (0:25:26) Kev: Can you pet the bear? (0:25:30) Kev: Yeah (0:25:31) Al: There’s tempting (0:25:35) Kev: I’m tempted. I don’t play this game. But if I did I’d get a bear (0:25:39) Al: Haha, I (0:25:42) Al: Haven’t played it for a few weeks (0:25:43) Al: But I will hopefully get back into it at some point the problem is this is the one that I have to play on my (0:25:48) Al: computer with my mouse and keyboard, so you know and (0:25:53) Al: Next we have Disney Dream. (0:25:54) Al: I’m just going to say a new episode. (0:25:56) Kev: What property is it today or this time? (0:26:01) Al: This is the emotional rescue update. (0:26:04) Al: Let’s see. (0:26:06) Al: Joy and sadness. (0:26:08) Al: You’ve got, so there we go. (0:26:10) Al: We’ve got inside out, that’s what it’s called. (0:26:11) Kev: Inside out as in joy and sadness TM, but the capital letters (0:26:19) Kev: That (0:26:21) Kev: How should I put this like this is a (0:26:25) Kev: complete nonsensical like (0:26:28) Kev: There’s no logic in this world because it’s just whatever cartoons (0:26:33) Kev: but it (0:26:34) Kev: But despite that, I don’t know it feels weird that you can hang out with you know (0:26:40) Kev: and psychological constructs. (0:26:41) Kev: You win. You know, the rest of the guys are actual lions or dogs or people. (0:26:48) Kev: But, whatever. I liked Inside Out. I didn’t see Inside Out, too. (0:26:53) Kev: Inside Out, first one, was a good movie. (0:26:55) Al: I enjoy, I think Inside Out 2 was just as good if not better than Inside Out 1. (0:27:00) Kev: Ooh! Ooh! That’s interesting. I’ll have to check that out. (0:27:03) Al: It’s very good. I think that so many sequels, I understand why people get frustrated with them, (0:27:09) Al: but I think Inside Out was not, I mean, whether it was a cash grab or not, I don’t care, right? (0:27:15) Al: Like it doesn’t feel like a cash grab, it feels like a continuation of the story in good and better (0:27:15) Kev: Yeah (0:27:20) Kev: Sure, I mean (0:27:22) Al: ways, right? Like it’s, it takes the concept. (0:27:23) Kev: Yeah (0:27:25) Al: And it goes further with it in a way that can completely break you. (0:27:27) Kev: Yeah (0:27:30) Kev: Sure sure, I mean, yeah, okay, it’s not (0:27:34) Kev: It’s difficult but being a cash grab and being an excellent sequel are not mutually exclusive (0:27:40) Al: Exactly. (0:27:41) Kev: Um, just very, very rare, but, but it is, it, it’s theoretically. (0:27:45) Kev: Possible. So sure. Um, okay. I, I have one question from the sequel. (0:27:50) Kev: Okay. So you remember in the first movie, you, sometimes you see the, (0:27:55) Kev: the minds of other people, the parents or whatever, (0:27:57) Kev: and they have the five emotions. (0:27:58) Al: Yes. No. Explain why they weren’t there with the main character who I can’t remember the (0:27:59) Kev: Do they explain why all these other emotions weren’t there? No. (0:28:05) Kev: Darn it. Darn it. (0:28:11) Al: name of, but not why the new ones wouldn’t be in Riley, that’s the name, yeah, but why (0:28:13) Kev: Riley. (0:28:16) Kev: Yeah. Darn it. That’s fine. That’s fine. Yeah. I mean, I mean, I mean, (0:28:16) Al: they wouldn’t be in the other ones. No, they don’t explain that. No, they do explain why (0:28:21) Kev: it makes sense that you get new emotions as you get older. (0:28:23) Al: why they’re not in Riley. (0:28:25) Kev: You get, you know, more nuanced. It’s totally makes sense. (0:28:28) Al: Yeah, the metaphors are both fun and painful. (0:28:35) Kev: Now you say, is it painful? Cause it’s too real. (0:28:38) Kev: Is that what it is? Oh, yeah. (0:28:42) Kev: Oh, yeah. (0:28:42) Al: a little bit yeah you’re a big anxiety boy aren’t you yeah yeah then then then yeah (0:28:45) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, yeah. (0:28:52) Al: watch it but but watch it on an emotionally stable day (0:28:52) Kev: Oh, oh, so it can be so that was so the rest of your day can be emotionally unstable. (0:28:58) Al: or you know semi-emotionally stable (0:29:08) Al: no I think I think it’s one of those ones where it will break you but in a healing way (0:29:12) Kev: Sure, sure. (0:29:13) Al: you know like therapy you know you go into therapy and sometimes you come out crying (0:29:14) Kev: Yeah, no, I get that. (0:29:16) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah. (0:29:18) Al: but also you feel better in some ways as well it’s kind of like that (0:29:22) Kev: Yeah, I get that. (0:29:22) Kev: Yeah, no, I know what you mean. (0:29:24) Kev: I mean, like, like the first one, the shocker. (0:29:26) Al: not that watching watching films obviously important to note watching films is not a (0:29:30) Al: suitable alternative to therapy do therapy please and thank you (0:29:34) Kev: Yeah, that’s that’s a good thing to do that (0:29:36) Al: if you can if you can afford it if you can’t talk to your friends (0:29:38) Kev: You go go or (0:29:42) Kev: Okay, yeah, here’s my my PSA helpful hint for the day (0:29:46) Kev: I always always recommend because therapy can be very expensive, right? (0:29:52) Kev: Especially on the states where we have to deal with you know medical insurance and yada yada (0:29:57) Kev: If you find that to be a challenge go seek out your nearest University (0:30:02) Kev: They may have a clinic with students. (0:30:04) Kev: They may have a clinic with students in training to be full psychologist/counsellors, which is usually generally affordable. (0:30:06) Al: Hmm. (0:30:10) Kev: Or they can make it affordable. (0:30:13) Kev: And it’s pretty okay because they still are supervised by actual, you know, fully certified therapists and whatnot. (0:30:20) Kev: So, yeah, go look at your local university. (0:30:24) Kev: Anyway, so that’s Disney Dreamlight Valley! (0:30:30) Al: - Yes, that’s Disney Dreamland Valley, go to therapy. (0:30:37) Al: Next, we have Overthrown, (0:30:39) Al: they have released a coastal update. (0:30:42) Kev: Okay. (0:30:42) Al: So that includes some coastal related things. (0:30:45) Kev: Okay, so I saw that and my first question was what is overthrown? I did not remember this game at all. (0:30:50) Al: This is the one where you can like pick up the sawmill (0:30:54) Al: and throw it at trees and it’ll turn the trees (0:30:56) Al: into planks of wood, stuff like that. (0:30:58) Kev: Yeah, which is (0:30:59) Al: It’s like the. (0:31:02) Kev: The very it’s very cool concept to be honest I saw it (0:31:07) Al: and you can also in their ritual run. (0:31:08) Kev: Yeah, you are not running across water and everything (0:31:13) Kev: And it’s multiple. It’s it’s chaotic and and boy that that main character (0:31:18) Kev: They’re the default design or whatever that is a breath of the wild outfit. That is blue link blue (0:31:24) Al: Yeah, fair. (0:31:27) Kev: But but it’s fine (0:31:28) Kev: What a wild goofy game (0:31:30) Kev: What a novel idea to pick up the sawmill and chop down the whole forest by running with it (0:31:37) Kev: We’re throwing buildings at the invaders that’s good stuff. I like that. That’s fun (0:31:43) Kev: Coastal I like coastal stuff you can throw pirate ship now (0:31:46) Al: All right, next we have Starsand Island have released a trailer for the game. (0:31:54) Al: Have you watched it yet, Kevin? (0:31:56) Kev: let me see which one is this no this is not the hold on there’s a lot of games (0:32:03) Kev: trying to merge one this isn’t the allegory allegory game (0:32:08) Kev: yeah no we’ll get to that later oh gosh I missed this one I was going through (0:32:15) Kev: the doc and it’s this one actually let me see here live reaction okay those are (0:32:20) Kev: pretty graphics hate the name of course goes without saying oh that’s anime that (0:32:25) Kev: That is some anime. (0:32:27) Kev: Uhm, okay, a lot of customization, farming, cat, ooh, is that an arcade? Actual arcade? (0:32:34) Kev: Why is it always snake? They always be, “Oh, you’re right, on a deer there’s some pandas, and a bamboo raft, so we can go build your aquarium.” (0:32:45) Kev: Oh, I kind of remember, yeah, I remember this, build the house, 3D spirit favor house, yeah, yeah, yeah, water slide into the ocean. (0:32:53) Kev: There’s a lot of stuff. (0:32:56) Kev: Yeah, build your 3D Animal Crossing Spiritfare pool party house. (0:33:03) Kev: Okay, that’s… (0:33:05) Al: I feel like this game is either going to be another Stardew Valley like a big really popular (0:33:12) Al: really good farming game or it’s Sugardew Island again and I can’t tell which like I (0:33:14) Kev: Yeah, there is a metal ground, you don’t think so? I kind of, I mean, I mean, you have reason (0:33:19) Al: don’t think there’s going to be a middle here I don’t know for this game like there are (0:33:25) Al: many games in the middle ground I don’t think this one can be in the middle ground it’s (0:33:29) Al: one or the other like it might be that this game is entirely fake I’m still not convinced (0:33:37) Kev: to believe that there’s a guy playing guitar with ostriches and sheep, there’s backup dancers. (0:33:43) Kev: That’s… (0:33:46) Kev: I like that. I don’t know if it’s real. (0:33:48) Al: you can get a boat with a water slide (0:33:48) Kev: But… (0:33:50) Kev: Into the ocean. (0:33:53) Al: for some reason. I’m so confused about the boat. Where’s the boat? (0:33:54) Kev: Yeah. (0:33:59) Al: Like, am I riding the boat somewhere? Because I can customize the boat, (0:34:03) Kev: Yeah, it makes you think like it’s your main base, but they show you a room. Yeah, you (0:34:03) Al: right? But it’s not. You’ve got a farm. (0:34:10) Al: So what is this? Why is this boat? Is it from traveling places or is it just a (0:34:13) Al: second home? Why was I going down the slide in (0:34:15) Kev: Probably (0:34:17) Al: might feel soon. (0:34:19) Al: So many questions. (0:34:20) Kev: There’s a lot of questions what why are you writing a legendary Pokemon not the ostrich the deer one (0:34:26) Al: And an ostrich. (0:34:29) Al: Yeah, I know I saw the deal, but the ostrich definitely looks (0:34:32) Al: fine. I would ride an ostrich. That sounds fun. (0:34:33) Kev: I (0:34:34) Al: Also, there’s a baby chick on the ostriches head for some reason. (0:34:37) Kev: It does something, you know us oh, yeah, there are there is chick. Oh, I think you customize the ostrich (0:34:44) Kev: I see one the flower too. I don’t know (0:34:46) Al: There’s a snake minigame where instead of a snake, you’re a capybara. (0:34:50) Kev: Which is I don’t like that concept I (0:34:54) Kev: Don’t like yeah, no or rather the the cap of the air gets longer. No, I don’t get that (0:34:54) Al: Of a long capybara. (0:35:03) Al: Oh, you’re fine with a long capybara just as long as it stays the same length. (0:35:04) Kev: You (0:35:06) Kev: Yes, I don’t I don’t like yes, it’s the increase here that’s making me uncomfortable but (0:35:06) Al: Is that what you’re saying? (0:35:13) Kev: Yeah, yeah (0:35:15) Kev: It’s a wild game. I (0:35:18) Kev: Don’t know (0:35:20) Kev: it looks real enough, but (0:35:24) Kev: You can put a carousel in the middle of your boat (0:35:28) Kev: It’s wild. I (0:35:30) Kev: I don’t know what what is the point of all I like. (0:35:33) Kev: What is the impetus here? Why do you write ostriches? I don’t get it. (0:35:37) Al: You get round fast, obviously. Come on. (0:35:39) Kev: Yeah, you know, apparently writing ostriches is incredibly dangerous in real life. (0:35:45) Al: Well yeah, obviously. They’re terrifying birds. (0:35:46) Kev: Yeah, yeah, but like, yeah, they are. (0:35:52) Kev: I like them, though. Anyways, I mean, it it has caught my attention (0:35:57) Kev: just because it’s it’s I don’t know what to make of it. (0:36:03) Kev: It hasn’t it hasn’t put me off. (0:36:06) Kev: So good for you, Star Santa, even with the name, you’ve you’ve caught my attention (0:36:11) Kev: to a degree, Star Santa Island. (0:36:13) Al: I also worry that there might just be too much in this game, that’s always a problem (0:36:17) Al: with these games. (0:36:18) Kev: You know, it feels like that’s kind of a recurring theme these days. (0:36:23) Kev: Like they’re just do stardew, but bigger or add more and bloat and bloat and oh, (0:36:34) Al: Well, we’ll see. We will keep you posted on this game. (0:36:38) Kev: We’re obligated to. (0:36:42) Al: Next, we have Harvest Moon Home Sweet Home Special Edition. (0:36:47) Al: So this is the console version of this game for Switch and PS5. (0:36:53) Al: We now have a price. It is $40 and it’s up for pre-order now coming out Q4. (0:37:00) Kev: It’s… we all know what it is. It’s the harvest moon. The Natsume… (0:37:10) Kev: Well, I’m not gonna get it, I’ll be honest. (0:37:13) Al: That’s fair. I will say, I still think this is actively a good game. My big question is, (0:37:22) Al: is there going to be an update coming to the mobile version that gives us the stuff that (0:37:26) Kev: Hmm (0:37:28) Al: this version has, like the hover bike and stuff like that? (0:37:31) Kev: I I wouldn’t rule it out. Not something has been surprising us lately. So maybe actually it’s more than 0% chance (0:37:34) Al: Yep, I never expected an update for this game. (0:37:43) Al: On the console to give us controller support, for example, never expected that and we got (0:37:48) Al: it. So maybe, maybe, but it’s weird that they’ve not done anything about it, like told us anything (0:37:55) Al: about it yet. (0:37:58) Kev: Well, it’s better than scong than in the communication. (0:38:02) Al: Next we have in what is both surprising and not surprising crossovers, like was this on (0:38:09) Kev: I (0:38:12) Al: your bingo guard of crossovers? (0:38:13) Kev: Well, no because (0:38:14) Al: No, but if you said, if you told me this was going to happen, I would say, okay, sure, (0:38:19) Al: I can see that. (0:38:21) Al: And that is Infinity Nicki cross Stardew Valley. (0:38:21) Kev: I. Okay, so to begin with, I was not familiar with Infinity Nicky. So that was my first (0:38:31) Kev: response. What is Infinity Nicky? I watched a I watched the trailer. I watched a gameplay (0:38:32) Al: This is the dressing up game, isn’t it? (0:38:39) Kev: trailer. I still don’t understand what this game is. Yeah, but it’s also gotcha. (0:38:42) Al: I’m pretty sure this is the, uh, yes, it’s the dress up game. (0:38:47) Al: So the whole point it’s, yes, it’s a gacha great dressing up game. (0:38:51) Al: So the collaboration is in Infinity Nikki. (0:38:54) Kev: very anime. Yeah. (0:38:57) Al: It’s not in Stardew Valley. (0:38:59) Al: Um, but I don’t think we know for certain, I’ve not, I didn’t notice (0:39:03) Al: anything in the trailer that gave us an indication as to what it was, but (0:39:05) Al: I’m guessing it’s Stardew inspired outfits in Infinity. (0:39:10) Kev: I thought that 3D… still pixelated, but 3D Junimo was in the game. (0:39:17) Al: Yeah, I think that’s just, this is the trailer. I don’t think that actually is going to… (0:39:20) Kev: Are you sure? Mmm… (0:39:23) Kev: I don’t know. I kind of feel like it is. It felt very… (0:39:26) Kev: That was a very detailed model for just a trailer, in my opinion. (0:39:31) Kev: There’s creatures for, to some extent, in this game. I don’t know what they do. (0:39:36) Kev: But… yeah, I don’t know. (0:39:40) Kev: But regardless, like… (0:39:44) Kev: It’s… (0:39:45) Kev: First of all, it’s… (0:39:47) Kev: It’s so many other Stardew crossovers. (0:39:49) Kev: Like, it’s, you know, 2D pixelated, indie developer, whatever, right? (0:39:54) Kev: Like, it’s kind of on the same realm as Stardew. (0:39:58) Kev: Uh, Infinity Nicky is a very high-fidelity, 3D anime, mohoyo-looking game. (0:40:09) Kev: And so it’s wild to see. (0:40:10) Kev: We started getting upgraded, like just visually, you know, up to that level. (0:40:17) Al: Oh, here’s interesting. So, apparently, Infiniti Nikkei is getting updated to have (0:40:23) Al: homes. Apparently, he didn’t have homes before. And farming. (0:40:27) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s correct. I do I did see that (0:40:32) Al: So, that’s interesting. (0:40:34) Kev: And well, there’s your there’s your Avenue (0:40:36) Kev: What what a get for this infinity Nikki go for the big one and I’ll start it to introduce your new home (0:40:44) Kev: Farming update with it (0:40:47) Kev: Yeah, this this whole thing is wild apparently so the internet thought so too (0:40:52) Al: Yes, so just to clarify, I think this article is mostly clickbait, but I wanted to just (0:40:58) Kev: Yeah, I agree (0:41:00) Al: have a quick chat about it. So this is a random article on a random site. Stardew Valley creator (0:41:05) Al: defends free Infinity Nikki crossover after backlash as he genuinely thought the players (0:41:11) Al: would like it. So I don’t think he’s actually responding to complaints about the fact that (0:41:17) Al: this exists. The quote comes from a tweet where he says there have (0:41:22) Al: been a few collaborations between Stardew Valley and other games over the years. To (0:41:27) Al: be clear, I never received any money from these collabs. I’ve only done them because (0:41:31) Al: I was a fan of the other games or because I genuinely thought the players would like (0:41:34) Al: it. That is not like the headline definitely makes it sound like he’s specifically talking (0:41:40) Al: about this collab. And he and he’s like making it makes it sound like it’s going, Oh, I’m (0:41:44) Al: really sad. People don’t like it. I genuinely thought the players would like it. Like that (0:41:48) Al: doesn’t seem to be the case. And if you look in the YouTube comments for this video, like (0:41:52) Al: it is mostly positive and or mostly just like shock in general, right? (0:41:56) Kev: Uh (0:41:58) Kev: I I don’t know because the (0:42:01) Kev: concern they tweeted is uh (0:42:03) Kev: Just a couple days ago, um right around the time of the trailer dropping (0:42:08) Kev: So I think he might be obviously he’s getting (0:42:11) Kev: He has a lot of people that follow him and send him comments and stuff. So (0:42:16) Kev: he I suspect there was a (0:42:19) Kev: Maybe not a large but you know how these things are a vocal minority of people (0:42:24) Kev: Who complained about this because (0:42:26) Kev: I can see the logic right concerned a star do we that’s a success right he’s (0:42:32) Kev: already getting success from stardew and now he’s collabing with the gotcha game (0:42:37) Kev: which is probably making insane boatloads of money because gotcha games (0:42:41) Kev: that’s what they do so oh look at that and see now he’s collaborating with big (0:42:42) Al: Yeah. Yeah, so well, so yeah, so my I suspect it was a small number of people who are like, oh, (0:42:54) Al: I can’t believe he’s doing this, he must just be getting a bunch of money. And so he’s like, (0:42:57) Al: no, no, I’m not getting money. And that’s all he really cared about doing, right? That’s because (0:43:00) Kev: Yeah, sure, sure, sure. (0:43:01) Al: that’s really all he said is, I don’t get money from the collabs, play it or don’t, I don’t care. (0:43:02) Kev: Yeah. (0:43:06) Kev: Yeah, pretty much. (0:43:06) Al: Right? Like, I think these are fun. And that’s basically what he’s saying, which is a fair thing (0:43:11) Al: to… to point out. I just… (0:43:12) Al: feel like this then article just takes it as like this stupid over the top forced to apologize (0:43:20) Al: because it you know it’s just like oh my word gonna know and then of course I’m playing into (0:43:20) Kev: yeah yep and then and then QS I think the 3d dream was part of it I’m still (0:43:24) Al: that by talking about it. I’m still not sure what this collab actually is as well but it (0:43:34) Kev: I’m standing by that (0:43:35) Al: we’ll see. Well I think it’ll just be inspired designs but we will see. (0:43:40) Kev: yeah I don’t know how should I put this it’s wild to me that started concerned (0:43:48) Kev: I knew what this game was from what I’ve seen. (0:43:50) Kev: in other interviews he seems a little out of touch with the gamesphere but here we are (0:43:54) Al: Yeah, maybe. All right, to finish off the news, we have two new games to talk about, (0:44:03) Al: and I don’t know why, but this is apparently horror time. One of them is called We Harvest (0:44:10) Al: Shadows, a single-player first-person farming horror allegory, (0:44:14) Al: become a recluse, build up your farm, and survive the lonely nights. (0:44:18) Kev: Yeah, this is what I said was the allegory game, um, yeah, um, this is, this is just straight (0:44:21) Al: All right. Okay. There we go. (0:44:26) Kev: horror. (0:44:27) Kev: There is no cozy here. (0:44:29) Kev: Um, it’s full 3D, first person, spooky lighting, you know, uh, run down shack you’re living (0:44:38) Kev: in. (0:44:39) Kev: You are leading a lamb to a sacrifice, it looks like, I don’t like that. (0:44:45) Kev: Um, okay. (0:44:48) Kev: I hate about, um, not just games, but like, I hate when anything describes itself as an (0:44:56) Kev: allegory or allegory, excuse me, um, uh, because like, that kind of defeats the point. (0:44:58) Al: Yeah. (0:45:04) Kev: You know, you should be able to figure it out. (0:45:04) Al: Yeah. Also, an allegory to what, right? Like, you can’t just say that. (0:45:06) Kev: And the worst part, exactly, right? (0:45:09) Kev: Exactly. (0:45:10) Kev: If you’re gonna tell me, okay, what is it for? (0:45:13) Kev: Tell me. (0:45:14) Kev: Right? (0:45:15) Kev: If you’re going to be, you know, maybe you’re inspired off. (0:45:18) Kev: Something or give me a general idea. (0:45:20) Kev: I guess I can get it, but, but you’re just okay. (0:45:25) Kev: Why were you telling me you’re, you mean something? (0:45:28) Kev: That’s like, this game has thoughts. (0:45:31) Kev: This game has emotions. (0:45:32) Kev: Okay, good for you. (0:45:34) Kev: I would hope your game does, but yeah, it’s very bizarre. (0:45:37) Al: Yeah, what am I meant to do with this information? Right? Bizarre. (0:45:44) Al: Oh my word, those creatures are horrifying. Sorry, (0:45:44) Kev: But anyways, the game itself… (0:45:46) Al: I was just watching the end of the trailer and just got jump scared from that horrible creature. (0:45:48) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that said, I was about to say that exactly, the it is very just straight horror, those are Resident Evil-esque looking creatures at the end of that trailer. (0:46:00) Kev: Um, and you got a shotgun, and I don’t know what you’re supposed to survive, and you’re still farming somehow, apparently. (0:46:08) Kev: Um, yeah, I’m generally not a big horror, like straight horror. (0:46:10) Al: Obviously. I mean, why not? (0:46:18) Kev: Um, at least game-wise, um, so I don’t know if I’ll be checking that out, but it’s a little more refreshing than, than, you know, what is this, Star Sand Island baby? (0:46:31) Kev: A bit, it’s New Dawns, but definitely more exciting than that. (0:46:32) Al: And the other one, which I’m not 100% sure whether we have or haven’t talked about this (0:46:41) Al: one, because like some things are ringing bells. (0:46:42) Kev: We have I or I am like positive or do we talk about just on discords? (0:46:44) Al: We have talked about this, right? (0:46:48) Al: It’s not, it’s, this is the thing I can tell, it’s, it’s on, it’s not, it wasn’t on my list (0:46:49) Kev: I can’t remember because it was on a direct (0:46:54) Al: of games that are upcoming. (0:46:56) Al: So I either didn’t talk about it or I forgot to put on the list, but anyway, we’re talking (0:47:02) Al: about it. (0:47:03) Al: That’s never a way. (0:47:04) Al: The interesting thing about this one is the pixel artist is the one who did Celeste. (0:47:09) Al: So that’s exciting. (0:47:10) Kev: - Yeah, so that’s good work already. (0:47:12) Al: After quitting her dead end job, Fiona starts over on a farm and becomes the immortal hero (0:47:17) Al: of a dead God. (0:47:18) Al: Make friends, fight through horrors and pay your debt in this nightmarish life sim RPG. (0:47:24) Al: This is giving Cult of the Lamb. (0:47:26) Kev: yep it’s it’s still stardew-esque because you have a town and you’re interacting with characters and (0:47:33) Kev: possibly romancing but genuine horror there are some

This week on The Free Cheese, the raccoon days are never over. As we look forward to the fall season we must first look back at our time spent in Animal Crossing over the summer months. We share tales of bug catching, fishing, and all of the things we missed out on as well. We discover what happens when you have a birthday in the game and how tough it is to get that one last fossil.

We welcome a local legend and all round swell guy Avon Fox to the show. His wealth of knowledge in all things robots (that AREN'T Transformers) has to be heard to be believed! With museum-level quality and attention to detail, Avon takes us through his collecting journey and his amazing website. Go-Bots, Rock Lords, Train Toys, Zybots and much much more. Learn more about this amazing dude at both the-liberator.net and his own show Screwhead AF Podcast. Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Toy Power Podcast; we finally get around to reviewing the much anticipated Fantastic Four Film! As it has been a few weeks between seeing it, and talking about it here; we decide to go head first in - with no holds back - Full Spoiler Talk! So please be mindful of that. Plus; with all the hype around Comic Book movies; we have a fun discussion around which Film did we think, did it best? Superman or FF4? Then we take a quick look at the latest news - with a pure focus around the three main Crowdfunding projects, all happening right now. The HasLab SnowCat which has actually just wrapped up. Mattel's rather ambitious Snake Lair; with a rather questionable price tag! Plus the other HasLab project, the Star Wars: Gunner Ship! This one looks like it needs a huge boost of backers! Then pivoting back to the Big Screen; we chat about the latest Radical Rewind screening that was: Wayne's World! From numerous Cosplay fun, to the upcoming hype around the Next Feature Film too! Then rounding out the ep; we have a quick chat about the incredible 'Weapons' film that sports a perfect mix of Thriller, Horror & Suspense! This movie has us just buzzing after seeing it! All this & more; enjoy!!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're all trendy as we talk about #AnimalCrossing Crocs and Jibbitz, Labubus, and even more Lego! Also, fear not, we never miss an opportunity to cover everyone's favorite topics birbs and bugs. So, come chill with us as we pull out our coloring books and favorite pens. --- Patreon Members Only: View episode 244 as a Vodcast!  --- Support us for $1/$2 on Patreon! https://patreon.com/thepocketpod Visit our Website! https://www.thepocketpod.com/ Don't forget to follow us and subscribe to PocketPod in all the places! Bluesky: @ThePocketPod  |  Youtube: /ThePocketPod  |  Instagram: @ThePocketPod  |  Threads: @ThePocketPod  |  Facebook: /ThePocketPod/  |  Mastodon: @thepocketpod  |  Twitch: /thepocketpod Apple Podcasts  |  Google Play  |  Stitcher  |  Amazon  |  Podbean  |  Spotify  |  iHeartRadio  |  Player.fm  |  RSS  

Kev and Codey round up all the recent news Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:02:49: What Have We Been Up To 00:23:52: Game Releases 00:51:09: Game Updates 01:00:01: New Games 01:16:21: Outro Links Research Story 1.0 Little Witch in the Woods 1.0 Slime Rancher 2 1.0 Grimshire Early Access Hotel Galactic Early Access Hotel Galactic Apology Out and About Release Date Out and About Release Delay Ages of Cataria Early Access Release Go-go Town Switch Space Sprouts Update 1 Terra Nil Heatwave Update Snacko 1.1 Update Everdream Valley Family Time DLC Firefly Village Honogurashi No Niwa Galactic Getaway Development Issues Contact Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Kev: Hello farmers and welcome to another episode of the harvest season. My name is Kevin. I’m not alone today. I (0:00:38) Codey: Oooooh though people be clamorin’ for solo Kev time. (0:00:47) Kev: Like how I push the envelope every time I’m you know, I total line but oh (0:00:53) Codey: I’m gonna be real with you. (0:00:55) Codey: I have not listened to the most recent episode. (0:00:58) Codey: I think I’m still finishing up the Tiny Garden episode. (0:01:01) Kev: That’s okay, that’s fine. That’s fine. I (0:01:04) Codey: So I still have a couple episodes to go, (0:01:06) Codey: but I just know that you rock it every time. (0:01:13) Kev: Am (0:01:14) Kev: Getting an hour plus solo recording. I do that’s mmm. I don’t know if that’s good or bad (0:01:17) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:01:20) Kev: That just so that just shows I’m very well versed in talking to myself (0:01:25) Kev: possibly too much (0:01:27) Codey: - Nah, you got, you’re good at it. (0:01:30) Codey: It’s all good. (0:01:31) Kev: Ah, yeah, okay. Well, hi everyone again. I’m Kevin (0:01:36) Codey: - Yeah, you are and I’m not Kevin, I’m Cody. (0:01:37) Kev: Yeah (0:01:39) Kev: And there you go. There we go (0:01:41) Kev: certifiably not Kevin (0:01:43) Codey: - Yeah. (0:01:43) Kev: And we are here to talk today to talk about cottagecore games. Whoo (0:01:48) Codey: - Oh woo, ow, ow, ow. (0:01:50) Kev: Now you dear listener may be wondering why cottagecore and not more deep diving into the Lord of (0:01:56) Codey: Yeah, we really set we set y’all up for, uh, for some, some shire stuff. But alas, we (0:02:00) Kev: And well (0:02:04) Kev: The month of the Shire (0:02:08) Codey: are here, not for the shire. (0:02:10) Kev: The fake out oh, but you know, you know what I’m gonna add something to the what I’ve been up to (0:02:18) Codey: Oh, okay, cool. (0:02:22) Kev: Okay (0:02:24) Kev: But yeah, we’re all over and we’re here to talk about news because news is built up (0:02:28) Kev: We are spoiler alert (0:02:32) Kev: We’re working on the Shire episode, whatever the tale of the Shire episode, but we needed a weak buffer (0:02:36) Kev: And so Cody and I said alright, we’ll just do some news because there’s plenty of news to talk about with the build-up. So (0:02:40) Codey: Yeah. It sure has been a hot minute. (0:02:45) Kev: Yep (0:02:47) Kev: Okay, so yeah news catch up and we’ll get to that as we do (0:02:50) Kev: But before that Cody tell me what has been going on over over there in Cody World (0:02:56) Codey: to think of it. So I think, uh, during those episodes recording with Johnny, I had not yet (0:03:03) Codey: gone to beetle school. So since that time I went to beetle school, you guys, and I had some, (0:03:11) Codey: it was really fun. Uh, I was up in the Chiricahua’s in Arizona, which is not like my first thought. (0:03:16) Codey: I was like, Oh God, Arizona, not looking forward to this super hot. I don’t do hot. Uh, the Chiricahua’s (0:03:21) Codey: were. Lovely. Um, I want to say it never got above like 70 (0:03:26) Codey: degrees. It was like around 70 degrees, but we could go down (0:03:26) Kev: Ooh, that’s lovely! (0:03:31) Codey: into the desert. And so we went into the desert like at night a (0:03:34) Codey: couple times and we got to see some, some tarantulas and some (0:03:38) Codey: rattlesnakes. And so like we got to, to adventure. We also went (0:03:43) Codey: up higher where it was almost like 11,000 feet elevation, um, (0:03:48) Codey: in the Chiricahuas. And it was, it was actually very cold up (0:03:50) Codey: there. I was like, I should have brought a jacket. Yeah. (0:03:52) Kev: Yeah, yeah, it’s the elevation right cuz Atlanta’s similar where we’re you know down South deep, Georgia (0:03:57) Kev: But what’s its mountain eats high evolution into elevation so it can still get chilly (0:04:01) Codey: Yeah. So that was really fun. I learned a lot about Beatles and I feel a lot more confident now. (0:04:06) Kev: So and and you did you graduate are you certified are you do you have a license to be a beetle now? (0:04:13) Codey: You know, it’s funny because when I went to fly school last summer, they gave me a little certificate. (0:04:18) Kev: Yeah (0:04:21) Codey: We did not get a certificate for Beatles. So I, all I have, all I have is the memories. (0:04:23) Kev: Oh, oh no the Beatles got a step up their game (0:04:31) Codey: Uh, the one thing that is beneficial about this is so fly school was more of an international thing. (0:04:36) Codey: There were like maybe six or seven of us that were from the US, but most of the students were from, um, all over the world. (0:04:43) Codey: But so it is unlikely for me to run into the people that I met from fly school at the conferences that I go to because I mostly just go to United States conferences. (0:04:52) Codey: But all, almost all the beetle people, except for like two people, uh, there was a Canadian and a New Zealander. Um, they were all. (0:05:01) Codey: Uh, citizens of America. And so I will be seeing most of them at the conference that I’m going to in November. Very stoked about that. (0:05:09) Codey: Um, cause you make these connections and then, you know, I, it’s like, Oh man, when am I ever going to see that? (0:05:15) Codey: That really cool Italian from, from fly school or whatever. Um, but yeah, I will see most of these people again. (0:05:16) Kev: - Yeah. (0:05:18) Kev: Yeah. (laughs) (0:05:22) Codey: And it’s just great to start building those connections. Um, so I did that. (0:05:27) Codey: that. (0:05:31) Codey: I have also been playing, I’m still playing honey Grove. (0:05:35) Codey: Um, I have unlocked a new explorer B so I’m now at five, but I think there’s six. (0:05:44) Codey: And I’m just like playing it a little bit at a time. (0:05:47) Codey: I’m working on my specimens as per usual so I will graduate or I will defend in the in December now I have had to. (0:05:54) Kev: Okay, these are real specimens. We switched to not the honeygrove specimens (0:05:56) Codey: Correct. We’ve switched to real life. (0:06:01) Codey: Yeah, into the real world. (0:06:04) Codey: So yeah, working on that, I had almost the entire time we were (0:06:08) Codey: kind of on our little break and we were doing the Lord of the (0:06:11) Kev: Yeah. (0:06:12) Codey: Rings stuff. I actually had people that helped me. So I (0:06:13) Kev: Yeah. (0:06:15) Kev: No. (0:06:16) Codey: wasn’t doing everything by myself, which was amazing. Yeah, (0:06:18) Kev: You had cronies. (0:06:20) Codey: we called him my henchmen. And so I had henchmen and they did (0:06:21) Kev: Yeah, there you go, that’s correct. (0:06:25) Codey: an amazing job and they learned so much and I’m so proud of (0:06:28) Codey: them. But I am like almost back to being solo now and I (0:06:31) Codey: am stressing but I got it. I’ve got this but I had to push back (0:06:36) Codey: my defense just because of how much work so I will be defending (0:06:40) Codey: in December now fingers crossed and then actually like graduating (0:06:45) Codey: and like walking for my doctorate in the spring, which (0:06:46) Kev: Oh, snap. (0:06:48) Codey: I don’t super care about it being like so far out. (0:06:52) Kev: Yeah. (0:06:52) Codey: It’s actually better for a lot of my family members that want (0:06:55) Codey: to come and watch me walk because yeah, so they don’t have (0:06:57) Kev: To plan, yeah. (0:06:58) Kev: Mm-hmm. (0:06:59) Codey: to come when it’s like. (0:07:01) Codey: Possibly snowy. (0:07:03) Codey: There’ve been times when my mom wanted to come visit or I wanted to go visit (0:07:06) Codey: home and it like during the June, um, sorry, December, um, January timeframe. (0:07:12) Kev: Yeah. (0:07:13) Codey: Then it just doesn’t work. (0:07:14) Kev: Yeah. (0:07:15) Codey: So it’s better for it to be. (0:07:16) Kev: Yeah. (0:07:16) Kev: I mean, yeah, it’s wild how people who don’t live in snowy areas just absolutely get bodied (0:07:26) Codey: Well, but even even that that I mean even just irrespective of that there is the fact that like (0:07:26) Kev: by snow. (0:07:32) Codey: We will have entire like planes shut down like people will try and travel like the last time I tried to go there (0:07:36) Kev: Oh, that… mmm… that is true. (0:07:41) Codey: I (0:07:42) Codey: Well, what’s the last time? (0:07:43) Codey: I don’t know (0:07:44) Codey: I tried to go home and I was gonna be home for like two and a half weeks and then I ended up having to cut (0:07:48) Codey: It short because my flight got delayed and then I finally got on the plane (0:07:52) Codey: Like it got delayed by like two days and then I finally got (0:07:54) Kev: No, my god, oh my goodness, oh (0:07:56) Codey: Yeah, and then I finally got on the plane. I was on the plane and then there were they had mechanical issues (0:08:00) Codey: And then finally when they can’t mechanical issues (0:08:01) Kev: No (0:08:03) Codey: Cleared up there was that flight was supposed to go to Chicago O’Hare and then O’Hare was getting like three feet of snow (0:08:10) Codey: So they were like, you know, you guys can sit tight (0:08:13) Codey: But we are basically being told to wait and I was just like nope screw it. I just left (0:08:16) Kev: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah (0:08:20) Codey: like (0:08:22) Codey: No (0:08:23) Codey: But yeah, so that kind of stuff happens (0:08:24) Kev: Apologies to Aislinn for triggering her (0:08:26) Codey: especially (0:08:30) Codey: Yeah, it’s I mean, yeah, she knows all about it and (0:08:34) Codey: Yeah going even just like going to Arizona and my stuff got canceled a million times. So (0:08:40) Codey: It’s just a hard time out there right now for sure (0:08:44) Codey: But then my last update is I’m playing Tales of the Shire (0:08:50) Kev: Did you- did you- did you- did- how far are you? (0:08:53) Codey: Um, I don’t… (0:08:56) Codey: Are you playing it too? (0:08:57) Kev: No, I’m not. I’m just curious. (0:08:58) Codey: Oh, okay. (0:08:59) Kev: I- did you have, you know, ballpark estimate? 50%? (0:09:02) Codey: No, no, no, not anywhere near that. (0:09:03) Kev: Okay. (0:09:04) Codey: I’m still in the same… (0:09:05) Kev: There you go. (0:09:06) Codey: I’m still in the first, like… (0:09:08) Codey: I think you start in summer. (0:09:10) Kev: Okay. (0:09:10) Codey: And I’m still in summer. (0:09:11) Kev: Mmm, ahh. (0:09:12) Codey: Um, but I feel like I’m getting… (0:09:18) Codey: I’m, like, going at a good clip. (0:09:19) Codey: I just was gone for a long time. (0:09:22) Codey: And then now that I’m back, (0:09:23) Codey: I’ve been so busy with, like, getting caught up with work. (0:09:24) Kev: Yeah. (0:09:26) Codey: Visiting and stuff, and so, yeah. (0:09:27) Kev: Ahh, alright, alright. (0:09:29) Codey: Uh, well, so that’s what I’ve been up to. (0:09:30) Kev: Well, uh… (0:09:31) Codey: What have you been up to, Kev? (0:09:32) Kev: Well, I was just gonna say, I’m waiting to hear when you finally defeat Sauron, um, Tails of the Shire, but, uh… (0:09:38) Kev: But, hahaha, but, uh… (0:09:40) Codey: That is, that is interesting. (0:09:42) Codey: I’m at the point, um, I don’t know if… (0:09:44) Codey: So this is not a spoiler. (0:09:45) Codey: I don’t know if “Tales of the Shire” is before or after. (0:09:49) Codey: So, um, yeah, I’m not entirely sure. (0:09:53) Codey: It is unclear to me at this, at this stage. (0:09:56) Kev: What if you invite Sauron to tea and you don’t even know it? (0:09:56) Codey: I… (0:09:59) Kev: It could happen. (0:10:00) Codey: You know what? (0:10:01) Codey: It could happen. (0:10:07) Kev: That’s good stuff. (0:10:09) Kev: Okay, well, this past week I’ve been slammed by work. (0:10:13) Kev: I did the coming of the office on, (0:10:15) Kev: I have to come into the office on Saturday yesterday (0:10:18) Kev: ‘cause it’s that bad. (0:10:20) Kev: But other than that, the week before wasn’t as bad. (0:10:26) Kev: There was actually an office party dinner thing (0:10:30) Kev: where I tried to karaoke for the first time. (0:10:32) Codey: Ooh, did you like, did you enjoy it? (0:10:34) Kev: Oh yeah, so, okay. (0:10:36) Kev: I mean, first of all, I am into music, period. (0:10:39) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:10:41) Kev: I am the one, first one on and last one off, (0:10:44) Kev: generally the dance floor. (0:10:46) Kev: Now, this wasn’t a dance floor, (0:10:48) Kev: even though I was moving a bit. (0:10:50) Kev: But, I mean, as evidenced by here, this endeavor, (0:10:54) Kev: I have no problem scre- (0:10:56) Kev: screaming things into a microphone so karaoke was to fit like a glove (0:11:01) Kev: um I I did many songs I don’t remember all of it I know I did um at first they (0:11:09) Kev: did like a curated list cuz they want to stay professionally yada yada but by the (0:11:14) Kev: end of it we’re just doing whatever I know I did the mean canto Columbia mean (0:11:19) Kev: canto from the Disney movie in canto I sung in Spanish build me up buttercup (0:11:22) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:11:26) Kev: there um oh my girl by the temptations that was a good one so on and so forth (0:11:33) Kev: anyways I did karaoke stay tuned will that show up on a solo ops or maybe I (0:11:38) Codey: Ooh, like you would do karaoke on a solo episode. (0:11:43) Kev: cannot be stopped you do will I have a new theme song written for the heart (0:11:48) Kev: season maybe yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah (0:11:50) Codey: I might, you know what, if ever we’re going to record again, I might have to, you know, I’m sick. (0:11:56) Kev: I mean will yeah oh my gosh I’ll should do one of those patreon goals you know (0:11:58) Codey: I want to hear the karaoke. (0:12:04) Codey: That would, you know what, that would be fun, having a greenhouse of karaoke. (0:12:08) Codey: I’m going to put that on there. I have green, oh my gosh, yeah, I have three greenhouses with (0:12:16) Kev: yeah we need to get that we got it we got (0:12:19) Codey: Kev on a sticky note on my laptop and it’s the Sonic 3 movie, Bluey and now karaoke. (0:12:26) Kev: all those are all excellent topics I love blue so I don’t watch blue in a (0:12:27) Codey: I know. (0:12:30) Kev: minute I’m not seeing all the way to something we’ll get there um okay but (0:12:36) Kev: yes karaoke so I carry okie on unabashedly and and yeah um okay game (0:12:44) Kev: stuff though um okay oh okay DK bonanza came out I do not have a switch to my (0:12:50) Kev: brother does I do not so I’ve not played it but (0:12:56) Kev: I do play Tetris 99 and they do events every now and then they’re the kind of (0:12:58) Codey: - Okay, yep. (0:13:03) Kev: always under the radar but I pick up on them because I’m a fiend for Tetris (0:13:07) Kev: DK Bonanza had an event where they put you know a special skin on the Tetris (0:13:12) Kev: screen the blocks and and they play music from the game and so on and so (0:13:17) Kev: forth it was great it’s fantastic music was stellar absolutely stellar so much (0:13:24) Kev: So that like a day or two after. (0:13:26) Kev: I was like, man, I want more of that DK Bonanza music in my veins. (0:13:30) Kev: So I loaded up on the done, you know, YouTube or whatever. (0:13:34) Kev: And then I saw spoilers. (0:13:35) Kev: I didn’t think I could ever see spoilers for a Donkey Kong game, but musical spoilers. (0:13:42) Kev: Which is wild that one, there were spoilers in the Donkey Kong game, but there are. (0:13:47) Kev: And two, that I was spoiled by the soundtrack. (0:13:49) Codey: by this soundtrack done dirty (0:13:53) Kev: so I uh you know (0:13:56) Kev: I haven’t played it but I will say that’s one of the greatest games ever (0:14:00) Kev: from what I’ve seen that will happen (0:14:03) Kev: oh goodness but um so yeah the DK bonanza it’s already good thumbs up from (0:14:10) Kev: you without playing it oh okay oh you know here’s another getting on game (0:14:16) Kev: thing and hey hey here we go people I’m still keeping it in theme I have been (0:14:21) Kev: watching Rings of Power on the Prime Video. (0:14:23) Codey: Ooooh. (0:14:26) Kev: Umm, that’s the Lord of the Rings the prequel series question mark? (0:14:29) Codey: Yeah, it’s it’s a prequel series. (0:14:30) Kev: I g- (0:14:32) Kev: Yeah, it is. I mean like, you know, it’s big open world of Tolkien lore, whatever, but- (0:14:38) Kev: But yes, it happens before the Lord of the Rings. (0:14:40) Kev: Umm… (0:14:41) Kev: I- I- Are you familiar with this at all, Cody? (0:14:44) Codey: unfortunately. Unfortunately, I wish I could get those hours back. No, so it is beautiful. (0:14:47) Kev: Oh, you are. (0:14:48) Kev: Th- That’s unfortunately you are. (0:14:56) Kev: That is all right. Oh no, uh-huh (0:15:00) Codey: It’s beautiful, but they only got rights to like some of the content. And so they just had to like, (0:15:08) Codey: make stuff up, and I hate it. Um. (0:15:09) Kev: Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard I (0:15:15) Codey: So without getting too, like, too nerdy, but this is still going to be fairly nerdy. And I could be (0:15:23) Codey: wrong, but this is kind of how I remember it. So Galadriel’s brothers were like fighting. They were (0:15:32) Codey: trying to get revenge on, I think Sauron, because he killed someone who was related to them in the (0:15:38) Codey: war of the, like, when they were trying to fight over the Silmarils. And so they basically like, killed. (0:15:44) Codey: They ended up, like, almost killing each other because they were just so, like, embroiled in this (0:15:47) Kev: - Yeah. (0:15:49) Codey: drama. And Galadriel, like, is known in the Silmarillion to have been like, I don’t want to (0:15:56) Codey: take part of my brother’s war, or my brother’s wars, or whatever. And then the Rings of Power (0:15:58) Kev: Okay, yeah (0:16:02) Codey: is all her taking part in her brother’s wars. And I’m like, no! So that was right away. I was like, (0:16:04) Kev: It is (0:16:08) Kev: Oh (0:16:12) Codey: Oh, I’m grumpy because she was. (0:16:13) Kev: That’s incredible (0:16:14) Codey: She was supposed to be like, not caring. (0:16:18) Codey: And she was just like, well, screw you guys. (0:16:20) Codey: I’m going to go live in the woods and. (0:16:21) Kev: I’m going to go in sight more war. Oh (0:16:24) Codey: Yeah, exactly. (0:16:25) Codey: And so, but I get they had to do things differently and like. (0:16:28) Kev: That’s that’s amazing (0:16:30) Kev: So I guess I have the privilege of being a normie like I have watched Florida the Rings in the Hobbit (0:16:34) Codey: Yeah. (0:16:35) Kev: But I’m I’m not deep in there. It’s it’s it’s I’ve struggled for it just to stick with me (0:16:40) Codey: Well, and there’s just like so much like, who is so wrong? (0:16:43) Kev: Yeah (0:16:45) Kev: Yes (0:16:45) Codey: Are we all Sauron? (0:16:48) Codey: Like, there’s a Sauron in all of us. (0:16:48) Kev: Maybe that maybe if we believe it (0:16:50) Codey: And I like the whole time and I’m just like, okay, I’m, I’m done with this. (0:16:54) Codey: Like, I, uh, (0:16:58) Kev: He does (0:17:00) Kev: That is probably (0:17:02) Kev: like one of the most (0:17:04) Kev: entertaining but in a bad kind of way like he’s very (0:17:08) Kev: Over the top almost like I mean not not ridiculously so but compared to the the movies, right? (0:17:13) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:17:14) Kev: Sauron is a you know more of a force. He’s not a guy right? (0:17:17) Kev: He’s he is the giant eyeball in the sky and this overwhelming presence and here he’s he compared to that (0:17:23) Kev: He feels like a mustache twirling, you know, ooh spooky bit (0:17:26) Codey: Yeah, yeah. (0:17:29) Kev: But that’s it. I mean I’ve been enjoying it. I don’t know all the lore (0:17:32) Kev: I point to the screen when I know a thing but then that’s it (0:17:36) Kev: It’s the productions. Well done. It’s good production better production than the Hobbit (0:17:40) Codey: Yeah, it’s gorgeous. (0:17:41) Codey: It is beautiful and like, but I, (0:17:44) Codey: so I don’t think I’ve watched past the first season. (0:17:46) Codey: I don’t know how much there is. (0:17:48) Kev: There’s three two and they’re working on (0:17:51) Codey: Okay, I didn’t watch past the first one (0:17:53) Codey: because I just, I need to like take off my snooty hat, (0:17:58) Kev: - Yeah. (0:17:59) Codey: you know, and just let things be different and stuff. (0:18:02) Codey: and I just have yet to… (0:18:05) Codey: get the balls to do that, I guess, I don’t know. (0:18:08) Kev: Yeah, it’s hmm. I will I will say again. I say this as a very (0:18:14) Kev: novice casual Lord of the Rings enjoyer (0:18:16) Kev: I feel like they’re really trying hard to tie it to the Lord of the Rings. Yeah, you know the movies right because like (0:18:20) Codey: Yeah, but they’re like literally not supposed to. (0:18:24) Kev: Yeah, yeah, I know because there’s the the hobbits. They’re not even called hobbits (0:18:28) Kev: I forget anyways there are two hobbits and it’s very clearly trying to evoke Sam and Frodo even though they’re not and but no (0:18:37) Kev: Whatever (0:18:38) Kev: It’s fine. I’m enjoying it. Whatever. There you go (0:18:38) Codey: Yep, wasn’t my favorite. It’s I it is enjoyable, especially I think if you have not seen. Yeah, (0:18:45) Kev: The less you know the less, you know with the little tuning star (0:18:47) Codey: the last you know. But like what before it was coming up, I was like, so because I knew it was (0:18:52) Codey: coming. So I read that I was like, I’m gonna read the Silmarillion and then I can have like a little (0:18:53) Kev: Yeah (0:18:56) Codey: bit of idea and I really just shouldn’t have because it ruined it for me. Yep. (0:18:59) Kev: You know too much (0:19:01) Kev: You’re you’re into deep (0:19:03) Kev: Yeah, but I mean it’s it’s fine like it it’s it’s there are worse things to watch (0:19:08) Codey: Yeah, and I know, no, no, dude, that third one, this is me trying not to yell right now. (0:19:09) Kev: Arguably some of the Hobbit movies. Mm-hmm. That third one’s rough. I’m just sorry (0:19:20) Codey: That third one is rough for people because they don’t watch the extended edition. (0:19:25) Kev: Yeah (0:19:27) Codey: You got to watch all of it. (0:19:28) Kev: Okay, you know what that’s probably fair just that’s oh (0:19:31) Codey: There’s so much that’s like cut out that makes it seem like not then you’re like, (0:19:34) Kev: I believe it (0:19:37) Codey: why is he why is this (0:19:38) Codey: so (0:19:39) Kev: You (0:19:40) Kev: That is correct. That is my reaction to many things in that movie is someone who’s not seen the extended cut (0:19:46) Codey: You gotta see the extended come if you if you believe if you think the Hobbit movies are bad come come (0:19:47) Kev: Okay (0:19:51) Codey: We’ll go watch if you and you haven’t seen the extended and you haven’t seen the extended editions (0:19:52) Kev: Go listen to the episode (0:19:56) Codey: Go watch them and then come back to me (0:19:59) Kev: Okay, we have a greenhouse episode on the hobbit I have not listened to it to be fair (0:20:02) Codey: We do (0:20:06) Codey: We do we had fun with those for sure (0:20:07) Kev: But I will (0:20:08) Kev: Yeah, I bet (0:20:10) Codey: When we were recording them, we were like, I don’t know if I was gonna cut half of this or not (0:20:14) Kev: As Al pointed out those greenhouse discussions sparked more discussion in the slack than any other episode of anything (0:20:16) Codey: You (0:20:19) Codey: Yeah, maybe we just need to be let loose (0:20:29) Kev: Okay, um, but yeah, okay now they all right one more thing um for me um the big one (0:20:36) Kev: Uh, Drumroll, please unicorn overla- (0:20:38) Kev: Oh Lord, credits hit today baby! (0:20:41) Codey: Ooh! (0:20:43) Kev: Ooh, um, so I did, like, everything, to be fair, right? (0:20:43) Codey: How many hours is that? (0:20:48) Kev: ‘Cause they’re- they’re very clear, like, here’s the main missions, here’s a bunch of side missions, and you don’t- they’re optional. (0:20:54) Kev: Uh, I did it all, I clocked in at about 110 hours, I think it was. (0:21:00) Kev: Um, and yeah- (0:21:04) Kev: So, I mean, overall thumbs up, my comments are still- (0:21:07) Kev: It’s a– (0:21:08) Kev: Consistent game, I’ll say that. (0:21:10) Kev: Like it’s– (0:21:12) Kev: It’s the strategy gameplay. The story is nothing to write home about. It’s straightforward fantasy (0:21:21) Kev: armies and whatnot. (0:21:23) Kev: Political royalty, yada, yada. (0:21:26) Kev: So it’s enjoyable. It’s comfort food for me. So I enjoy it. Like it’s quality. Don’t get me wrong. (0:21:29) Codey: Yeah. (0:21:32) Kev: It’s not bad, but it just hits the spot for me. (0:21:36) Kev: My biggest complaint and this is gonna sound weird cuz I (0:21:39) Kev: Just said I clocked in 110 hours (0:21:41) Kev: it’s it’s not enough they’re missing and and (0:21:48) Kev: Specifically the end I think I mentioned this on a previous episode, but (0:21:52) Kev: As it came out the developers ran out of money towards the end and you can feel it you can feel it (0:22:00) Kev: So the like I said, there’s main missions, right? And as you beat them, you know (0:22:04) Kev: You’ll not you progress towards the final mission in the (0:22:09) Kev: ultimate main mission you unlock you get one new character a new class that you’ve never had before (0:22:16) Codey: Okay. (0:22:17) Kev: Which in you know these kind of strategy games, that’s a big deal like you don’t get any time to use your new toy basically (0:22:23) Codey: Mm hmm. (0:22:24) Codey: Yeah. (0:22:24) Kev: Congrats, you finally got the last character go beat the game (0:22:29) Kev: Now that’s it there is a little post game epilogue that I can do and whatnot (0:22:35) Kev: And it is still overall very big. It has a lot of (0:22:39) Kev: Variations and and just little things. There’s a couple of different endings you can do (0:22:45) Kev: There’s relationships and and and support conversations that are fun (0:22:52) Kev: But but yeah overall it’s great (0:22:56) Kev: one of the (0:22:58) Kev: Interesting things to get the true the best ending you have to get hitched you have to find a partner (0:23:02) Codey: Mmm. Boo. (0:23:04) Kev: Which is yeah (0:23:07) Kev: Yeah, they try to play it up in the (0:23:08) Kev: it’s it’s a little it’s a little forced a little you know shoehorned in but but (0:23:15) Kev: whatever I still I still have a lot of fun I’m very happy I want more I want (0:23:21) Kev: unicorn overlord 2 now please but yeah just thumbs up overall and that game (0:23:28) Kev: frequently goes on sale so if you have any interest in strategy you know fantasy (0:23:33) Kev: stuff go for it it’s good but okay and hey I hit credits on the game that (0:23:38) Kev: been often for me and at least not lately so yeah all right okay so that’s (0:23:43) Kev: uh that’s that’s stuff we’ve been up to whoo all right let’s get into news (0:23:50) Kev: there’s a lot of it all right we’re gonna start off with the game about Cody (0:23:56) Kev: research story in honor of her almost getting done so they came out with 1.0 (0:24:02) Kev: that is out now I don’t know when it would July it’s been (0:24:09) Kev: for a while more than now yep exactly (0:24:10) Codey: Well, yeah news catch-up episode everybody (0:24:15) Codey: Yeah, so this uh, this adds the epilogue the conclusion some end credits, you know proposals and marriage (0:24:22) Codey: One thing that I super enjoy about this is they have 10 marriage candidates and the proposals can either be player (0:24:29) Codey: initiated or NPC initiated (0:24:32) Kev: Oh, that’s… Oh my gosh! Has that been done before? (0:24:34) Codey: So I (0:24:37) Kev: Oh… (0:24:37) Codey: I don’t know, but I kind of like that where you’re. (0:24:40) Codey: Spend in time with an NPC and then suddenly you just hit a cut scene and they’re proposing to you like I think that’s awesome. (0:24:49) Kev: pretty good that’s pretty like you know obviously well documented lamenting of (0:24:54) Kev: the relationship mechanic or whatever but if you’re gonna do it put in some (0:24:57) Codey: Right. (0:24:59) Kev: effort do something new that’s good I like that that’s good (0:25:01) Codey: Yeah. (0:25:03) Codey: Definitely like that. (0:25:05) Codey: Give more to say about that. (0:25:07) Kev: no just with two things one that makes you think of unicorn oh Lord at one one (0:25:12) Kev: quick shout out just I remembered to get the true ending you have to have your (0:25:16) Kev: Which I think this is actually kind of a thumbs (0:25:19) Kev: up for me. You have to have whoever your selected partner is in your party for the final fight to get the true ending, which I think is kind of nice. (0:25:28) Kev: But yeah, no, just overall, I think that’s great. Having the other person initiate it, that’s great. (0:25:34) Kev: Yeah, no, I’m still kind of on the fence of it being included in the game at all, but here we are, and they did work, so I’ll give them props for that. (0:25:45) Codey: Um, yeah, so that was cool. (0:25:47) Codey: They also had some quality of life adjustments. (0:25:50) Codey: Um, so that brings the game to its 1.0, which is great. (0:25:53) Codey: And the current price is 1399. (0:25:55) Codey: They had it on sale for 60% off, I believe, um, for a hot minute. (0:26:00) Codey: But I think by the time this comes out, it’s already gone. (0:26:03) Codey: So, um, yeah, so, but that’s fine. (0:26:04) Kev: store. Yeah, it’s really not. And that’s, that’s fine. Yeah, the kind I almost feel bad that (0:26:07) Codey: 1399 is nothing. (0:26:08) Codey: Um, on August 28th, they’re going to increase it to 1499. (0:26:15) Codey: Just still feel nothing. (0:26:17) Codey: So you guys. (0:26:21) Kev: they said we, we are not charging, we’re not making money, they, they do deserve that money. (0:26:26) Codey: Yeah, so that was cool. (0:26:26) Kev: So good for them. (0:26:30) Codey: And then the final thing, they had a couple hints (0:26:34) Codey: of what they’re working on next. (0:26:35) Codey: And they are going to do Mac ports and Linux ports. (0:26:41) Codey: But Mac– ooh, very excited about that. (0:26:43) Kev: - Yeah, woo! (0:26:48) Codey: I just never touch my PC anymore. (0:26:50) Kev: laughs I… (0:26:52) Codey: So we’re going to move it up. (0:26:54) Codey: We’re supposed to move it up here this week. (0:26:56) Codey: Um, but I’m also like very busy right now. (0:26:59) Codey: So there’s no way I’m going to play it soon, but. (0:27:02) Kev: Yeah, I have never owned an Apple product. No, that’s not true. I had an iPad or iPod. (0:27:08) Codey: iPod. (0:27:08) Kev: Yeah, that’s an iPod, yes. Back in the day, like the Mini, the Nano, whatever. That’s it. (0:27:14) Kev: But hey, good for you people. Man, those romancibles, they are pretty people. (0:27:18) Codey: - Yeah. (0:27:23) Codey: That’s pretty, yeah. (0:27:25) Codey: They, yeah. (0:27:26) Kev: Sparkles all over. Somebody has birds in there. Good for them. (0:27:30) Codey: Yep. (0:27:32) Kev: All right. Yeah, good for your research story. I do think it is worth celebrating any of these games (0:27:39) Kev: because we’ve seen them in the docket so long, hit 1.0. So good for you. Yeah, (0:27:44) Kev: and it feels like a 1.0 release. Speaking of 1.0s, a little witch in the woods. (0:27:53) Kev: September 4th, they’re dropping the 1.0. And yeah, let’s hear it. (0:28:02) Kev: Okay, right now it’s $16. That is comparable to the other ones. Oh man, these people, (0:28:11) Kev: like, I feel weird saying it. I just feel bad for these devs who work so hard. (0:28:15) Kev: They could probably go up to $19.99. I’m just saying. No one’s gonna weep over the extra (0:28:17) Codey: Yeah, like that’s not going to be that’s not going to break the bank. (0:28:21) Kev: five bucks. I’m just saying. No, it’s not. They deserve a 20. I’m just saying. Anyways, (0:28:30) Kev: So yeah, it’s dropped (0:28:32) Kev: September 4th, it’s you know, all sorts of new features new areas the villager the village with new villagers stories (0:28:41) Kev: quality of life, etc, etc (0:28:44) Kev: so yeah, that’s (0:28:46) Kev: Yeah, good for them. That’ll be you know more less than a month when this drops (0:28:54) Kev: So yeah, I’m looking forward to that. Yeah, I don’t know how do we (0:29:00) Kev: I’m just thinking, how do I feel about the- (0:29:02) Kev: It does look very cute. I like the art style a lot. Will I play this? I don’t know, maybe. (0:29:06) Codey: Yeah, I’m, I don’t know how I feel bad, but I’m, I’m, I’m done with witches, man. I’ve. (0:29:12) Kev: It it has been used exhaustively in this space hasn’t it? (0:29:19) Kev: Yeah (0:29:20) Kev: But but hey (0:29:23) Kev: Well, let’s say here wait one second. Well, you know what? Let’s uh, oh gosh (0:29:30) Kev: No, never mind. Okay. Okay. Um, alright, let’s talk about (0:29:34) Kev: another release coming out (0:29:36) Kev: Slime Rancher 2 September 23rd that is another 1.0. It’s (0:29:42) Kev: Coming out on (0:29:44) Kev: Everything pretty much nuts. Not true steam epic games PS. I can’t believe the epic game store still running (0:29:50) Codey: Yep. Yep. (0:29:50) Kev: PS 5 and Xbox series x slash x s whatever that whatever the current letter is not switch not switch - (0:29:59) Kev: but (0:30:01) Kev: Yeah, it’s coming out. It looks (0:30:04) Kev: Chaotic and fun. It’s it’s weird. We don’t talk about first-person shooters on this on this show much (0:30:10) Kev: But yeah, here we go with you (0:30:12) Kev: Vacuum up or launch the slimes (0:30:15) Kev: Yeah, I don’t know the well. I didn’t play the first one. I will probably not play. There’s nothing wrong with it (0:30:21) Kev: I’m just busy (0:30:22) Codey: Yeah, not not super for me either. But I know some people (0:30:26) Codey: are really excited about it. So very happy for them that it is (0:30:28) Kev: Yeah, no it (0:30:30) Codey: coming out in a month and a half. (0:30:32) Kev: It looks like a quality game. I will say that so good for you so I’m rancher to have people (0:30:38) Kev: Alright, now let’s keep rolling. (0:30:43) Kev: Ok, we’re backing off from the releases. (0:30:46) Kev: Let’s go now to our bread and butter on the show, Early Access and Betas. (0:30:52) Kev: Early Access for the game called Grimshire. (0:30:58) Kev: It is officially out now. (0:31:02) Kev: Let’s see here. (0:31:04) Kev: Here, you wrote some notes, take it away Cody. (0:31:06) Codey: - Yeah, so I wrote some notes (0:31:08) Codey: because I hadn’t really heard about this game (0:31:10) Codey: and I was like, what, this is Grimshire? (0:31:14) Codey: But this is a cozy game podcast, (0:31:16) Codey: like Cottagecore game podcast, what? (0:31:18) Codey: And so I went and looked at it and it is, it’s cute. (0:31:22) Codey: It reminds me, like the character models (0:31:25) Codey: remind me a lot of Redwall. (0:31:28) Codey: Did you ever read the Redwall books? (0:31:30) Kev: Yeah yo, so yeah, this is Redwall is like one of my favorite fantasy variants. (0:31:37) Kev: I don’t know how to describe that, but like, because anytime you, the critter, it’s like anthropomorphic critters and little animals. (0:31:44) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:31:45) Kev: I’m, I’m down like 10, I’m not going to lie. (0:31:50) Kev: That’s kind of what got me into magic. (0:31:52) Kev: They released a set called bloom burrow, which was Redwall s magic cards. (0:31:52) Codey: [LAUGHS] Yeah. (0:31:57) Kev: and it kind of caught my eye. (0:32:00) Kev: So yes, I love Redwall very much. (0:32:02) Codey: Yeah, so it reminds me of that and then, um, I kind of read more about it. (0:32:07) Codey: They said, quote, we’ve been working on this cozy but grim little world for the past three (0:32:11) Codey: years. (0:32:12) Codey: And I was like, cozy but grim? (0:32:16) Codey: Like how can something be cozy and grim at the same time? (0:32:20) Codey: But I have also been recently watching Little House on the Prairie. (0:32:24) Kev: Oh! Oh! That is, how should I put this? One of the Soria family staples. We’ve watched the series at least four times in the entirety! (0:32:27) Codey: Did you ever watch that show? (0:32:33) Codey: Okay. (0:32:38) Codey: Okay cool. (0:32:39) Codey: Yeah, so I would also describe that as cozy but grim. (0:32:44) Kev: Every episode of Tragedy, you can’t. (0:32:46) Codey: Every single episode. (0:32:48) Codey: And I was like texting Jeff cause I was watching them and I would just text him suddenly and (0:32:53) Codey: be like, she got a pet raccoon and then they thought the raccoon had rabies. (0:32:56) Kev: Oh, no, that episode! (0:32:59) Codey: And then he was like literally about to shoot the dog. (0:33:02) Codey: And the raccoon also bit Laura. (0:33:04) Codey: So if the dog got rabies, she was going to have rabies and then it was. (0:33:08) Codey: And I’m just like, I’m like sobbing, just tears streaming down my face. (0:33:12) Kev: The raccoon ups that one’s intense. Oh my gosh (0:33:12) Codey: And he was just, that was intense. (0:33:15) Codey: This is first season, like so many things happened in the first season. (0:33:19) Codey: And I’m like, Oh yeah, I would have described that also as cozy, but grim. (0:33:23) Kev: Yeah (0:33:23) Codey: So I get it. (0:33:26) Kev: Yeah (0:33:27) Kev: But yeah, and I mean if you watch the trailer for Grimshire here like yeah, it’s it’s pretty grim like towards the end (0:33:34) Kev: You see like the story is about (0:33:37) Codey: plague (0:33:37) Kev: Some survival stuff. There is a pyre. There’s a funeral pyre (0:33:39) Codey: Yeah (0:33:41) Codey: Yeah, cuz there’s plague there’s plague in the area so which is also a little house of the food (0:33:42) Kev: And people wondering if they’re gonna die (0:33:45) Kev: Yeah (0:33:48) Kev: More than multiple (0:33:49) Codey: More than one. Oh, no (0:33:51) Codey: Well, yeah (0:33:52) Codey: I guess cuz there I just they just had a typhus outbreak in this one and it didn’t make I know one of them (0:33:54) Kev: Yeah (0:33:57) Codey: Makes the sister go blind anyway (0:34:01) Codey: So they said quote in early access you can play throughout year one (0:34:04) Codey: but your file will be stuck on winter 28th once you get there. (0:34:07) Codey: The day keeps repeating after you go to bed, (0:34:09) Codey: and we will be adding more content and story in the future. (0:34:11) Codey: So just a heads up, if this is something (0:34:13) Codey: that you were going to think about doing, (0:34:16) Codey: then you’re not going to be able to go further than that. (0:34:20) Codey: And they also said that their old demo save files (0:34:24) Codey: won’t carry over into the full game. (0:34:27) Codey: So if there are any new demo– (0:34:32) Codey: if you restart a new demo now in the early access, (0:34:37) Codey: that will be compatible with the full game. (0:34:39) Codey: But if you’ve played the demo before, (0:34:43) Codey: you will have to start over. (0:34:45) Codey: Just a heads up. (0:34:46) Kev: That’s kind of a bummer (0:34:48) Codey: I get that it happens sometimes, though. (0:34:49) Kev: Yeah, I get it too. I’m just saying like yeah, you know (0:34:52) Kev: I I’m interested in this game because it’s got the red wall thing that the dark angle (0:34:57) Kev: I mean, I’m intrigued but uh, but I probably will wait till I know when you know, I can keep a save or whatever (0:35:02) Codey: Yep, and so they also say that they’re going to add more stuff as they head to 1.0. (0:35:04) Kev: Yeah (0:35:10) Codey: This is actually a common theme of a lot of what we’re talking about today. (0:35:15) Codey: They are going to add more, and they have a little bit of a roadmap, but there are no (0:35:19) Codey: dates on that roadmap. (0:35:21) Codey: So just letting you know what’s coming up, but they don’t have any expected like, “Oh, (0:35:28) Codey: we’re expecting this to be done at this time and this to be done at this time,” which is (0:35:30) Kev: Yeah, yeah, that that’s fine (0:35:31) Codey: It’s probably realistic. (0:35:32) Codey: Uhm, just feels a little. (0:35:36) Kev: Okay, well hey you I’m I’m definitely have my eye on Grimshire though all things said maybe not right now, but oh, but yeah (0:35:45) Kev: Okay (0:35:46) Kev: Let’s see what else next up another early access (0:35:50) Kev: Hotel galactic (0:35:53) Kev: Early oh my gosh $35. That’s kind of a it’s premium. That’s some premium pricing (0:35:56) Codey: I know, right? (0:36:00) Codey: Well, and there was drama associated with it. (0:36:00) Kev: Oh (0:36:05) Kev: Yeah, yeah (0:36:06) Codey: So they released the early access on July 24. (0:36:12) Codey: And in that initial post, they said (0:36:14) Codey: that in the weeks following the release, (0:36:17) Codey: they wanted feedback. (0:36:20) Codey: Again, they had a projected roadmap, (0:36:23) Codey: but I didn’t have dates on it. (0:36:24) Codey: Literally two days later. (0:36:26) Codey: They posed another thing on Steam that’s basically like oops. (0:36:30) Codey: We’re sorry for the state of the game. (0:36:33) Codey: Um, and they say, quote, our rundown hotel has not yet been restored to its future. (0:36:38) Codey: Glory. (0:36:38) Codey: We are fully aware of that. (0:36:40) Codey: And we sincerely apologize that our early access build did not (0:36:44) Codey: meet all of your expectations. (0:36:46) Codey: We made a mistake and we take full responsibility. (0:36:49) Codey: Um, as part of like this, that’s end quote, as part of this, uh, mistake, (0:36:54) Codey: quote unquote (0:36:56) Codey: They are adding compensation strategies so they’re going to find a way to compensate people who have already paid for this early access. (0:37:04) Codey: Kevin, how do you feel about that? (0:37:06) Kev: Oh, okay. Um, all right. First off, I’m gonna take one step back here. First of all, what is the game cuz let’s write that that’s gonna I think that illustrates expectations. It’s a clearly studio Ghibli specifically spirited away inspired game of how should I put this spirit favor esque of the, you know, the side view with the the rooms that you hop around that you’re building up a hotel that then and so yeah, you’re kind of (0:37:10) Codey: - Mm-hmm, right, so… (0:37:36) Kev: expanding the hotel, maintaining guests, etc, etc. We’ve talked about it before I just I just can’t remember anyway, so that’s the game. And so now, okay, before any drama $35 feels like a decent chunk of change for this game, considering spirit fair is noticeably not $35. Um, so you know, the expected prices set expectations, right? That’s like the number one thing in in gaming, (0:38:06) Kev: marketing, whatever. (0:38:09) Kev: So, you know, dropping $35 on the city, it better be good. Now, early when I play an early access, or, you know, I hear about it, I expect things to be buggy, right? That’s kind of a big part of the point, right? betas and play testing all that good stuff. So how bad was this? I can’t even imagine how bad this was to demand or (0:38:36) Kev: to elicit an apology. (0:38:38) Codey: Yeah, I think that that’s like my biggest issue and why I like pulled this question out because (0:38:44) Codey: if I am playing something that’s in early access I’m (0:38:47) Codey: expecting bugs like even if it’s game-breaking bugs like even if it is (0:38:51) Codey: something like they put this out two days later if there was if there were (0:38:57) Codey: bugs that made the game unplayable and it was then like two weeks later and they (0:39:02) Codey: hadn’t responded yeah compensate them like unless you had a friggin family (0:39:08) Codey: and you didn’t have any way to be working on the game at that time but (0:39:11) Codey: literally two days after full release I think that’s par for the course for a (0:39:17) Codey: game that is as ambitious as this game so personally I’d be like like if I were (0:39:25) Codey: one of the people who kick-started it or whatever I’d be like no no don’t worry (0:39:28) Codey: about reimbursing me just like take your time keep doing what you’re doing like (0:39:32) Codey: here’s more feedback and give feedback because they literally won’t need (0:39:36) Kev: Sure, sure. Well, okay. I think there’s two things one. There’s a compensation. I don’t think then it’s gonna be necessarily monetarily (0:39:43) Kev: That could just be you know in game item status, whatever something a bonus of some kind (0:39:50) Kev: That’s what I expect (0:39:53) Kev: But (0:39:54) Kev: But yeah, I like I agree with you (0:39:58) Kev: Like I don’t know maybe it’s just this developer. Maybe they’re just very sensitive about the (0:40:04) Kev: the responses, it could be, I don’t know, or. (0:40:06) Kev: Maybe it was just that bad. (0:40:09) Kev: I don’t know where this lands. (0:40:10) Codey: Okay, so they have, they do have some of the things, they explain what some of the bugs (0:40:16) Codey: were that were coming up. And I mean, some of them are like, you know, game like breaking (0:40:23) Codey: down or requests being blocked, cooking recipes not working, in game time, freezing stuff (0:40:29) Codey: like that. But my favorite too, was that the workers are refusing to perform tasks. And (0:40:33) Kev: Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, yeah, like, I mean, all right, you know what, I think that the (0:40:37) Codey: You know what? (0:40:38) Codey: Good for them. (0:40:40) Codey: Let them unionize. (0:40:40) Codey: Like that is a bug that if that was happening, I would cackle. (0:40:46) Codey: I would be laughing so hard and I would message them and be like, (0:40:48) Codey: Hey, this is happening. (0:40:50) Codey: But like, I mean, what are you going to do? (0:40:58) Kev: The only problem is, I’m going to go back to the $35 price point for early. (0:41:01) Codey: - Okay, yeah. (0:41:03) Kev: If that was their full release price point, sure, whatever, for early access, I don’t know, $15, maybe? That’s kind of high still, but, that’s, I mean it’s tough, you need money to keep it going, but I don’t know. (0:41:19) Kev: Ooh, that’s rough though. (0:41:20) Codey: So the other the other bug that I loved was that guests were stuck in an endless sleep loop. (0:41:30) Kev: I like that. (0:41:30) Codey: And you know what, same. I feel like sometimes in my life I there’s just a bug happening and I’m just stuck endlessly sleeping. (0:41:40) Kev: That’s not that’s that’s a feature not a bug (0:41:40) Codey: So I get it. Sometimes it just be that way. (0:41:50) Codey: Yeah, so those are the two things that I thought were hilarious other I mean like I get if (0:41:56) Kev: Yum (0:41:56) Codey: there’s like other things happening but that much outrage to come out in the 48 hours post (0:41:58) Kev: Yum (0:42:03) Kev: Well, you know here here’s another thing is (0:42:07) Kev: What if what is what about the knot game break (0:42:10) Kev: breaking part like what if it’s, you know, has just not fun, you know, like, sure. (0:42:14) Codey: but that’s again something that is going to be improved upon I mean I played lens islands (0:42:19) Codey: first one and like it was I saw where they were going with it but it was definitely like pretty (0:42:24) Codey: basic and they have improved it so much and it seems so fun now like oh sorry not seems it is (0:42:30) Codey: so fun now. But yeah, I just (0:42:30) Kev: Yeah (0:42:35) Kev: Yeah, like I said, I think the only real issue the mistake was the $35 price point (0:42:42) Kev: That’s all that’s that’s something to go back to right because I how much did you pay for for the other ones? (0:42:48) Kev: It wasn’t $35 (0:42:50) Codey: - No, probably not, yeah. (0:42:51) Kev: Yeah, right (0:42:53) Codey: I don’t even remember it was so long ago. (0:42:55) Kev: Yeah, but but anyways (0:42:59) Kev: Well, I’ll give him this (0:43:01) Kev: They they came out and said something right that’s good (0:43:04) Kev: So all right, that’s hotel galactic. I’ll keep keep an eye out to see if they fix that hotel (0:43:14) Kev: Okay, um, all right here next up and (0:43:20) Kev: Purred the a few sentences into Al’s notes. It is early access is confirmed. Oh (0:43:27) Kev: Oh, oh wait, no, not out yet. (0:43:29) Kev: It will be a, sorry. (0:43:30) Codey: No, no, no, no. (0:43:31) Kev: Dates, they’re weird. (0:43:32) Kev: It is out, when people are listening to this, it will be out. (0:43:35) Kev: It is already out now when we’re recording, ‘cause, wait, no? (0:43:39) Kev: Oh my go- oh my go- I’m misreading that, you’re right! (0:43:40) Codey: Okay, so let me let me do this. (0:43:41) Kev: Oh my gosh. (0:43:42) Codey: So Al wrote early access releasing. (0:43:43) Kev: Oh my goodness. (0:43:46) Codey: Well, out now maybe and then there’s another bullet not actually out yet, but was meant to be out 7th of August, but they clicked the wrong button on release. (0:43:54) Kev: Oh my go- (0:43:58) Codey: So, it’s fine. (0:44:02) Codey: This is their quote. I love this for them. (0:44:04) Codey: I mean, it’s probably very stressful for them, but I think this is hilarious. (0:44:08) Codey: Quote, “We are heartbroken to say this, but we can’t release today. We literally cannot press the button. It’s gone.” (0:44:16) Codey: The game is ready to go. Everything was prepared, but since this is our first release ever, we forgot to tick the early access checkbox on the Steam backend until this morning. (0:44:26) Codey: and once that is ticked, Steam automatically put our Steam page into (0:44:30) Codey: review mode, which is a normal process on their end, but for us it couldn’t have come at a worse (0:44:35) Codey: time. This has caused the release button to disappear and we cannot click it. (0:44:41) Kev: Aaaah! Hah! (0:44:42) Codey: Oh dude, but that is like such like beer like I could see that being like bureaucracy stuff like (0:44:47) Codey: that’s not how are you supposed to know how are you supposed to know to click that check box or (0:44:53) Codey: what if they started the game before that checkbox was there and then it just like was like well they (0:44:57) Codey: didn’t click it I don’t know it (0:45:00) Kev: But (0:45:00) Codey: good for that like they’ll figure it out it’s it’s only been three days there (0:45:02) Kev: Yeah, that that’s good (0:45:06) Codey: is not an update yet let me just double-check that this is true but (0:45:11) Kev: I’ve (0:45:14) Kev: I’ve just got to say I love (0:45:18) Kev: Game big news stories that come from pushin

This week, we're double fisting with two guests, Arthur Dixon and Caty Coffee! Both hilarious comics, plus our beloved Zampino, will all take the stage for the Starlite Comedy Night August 8, making this episode either a preview or a taste of what you missed, depending on when you listen! We check out the trailers for “Rental Family” and “The Paper.” Then, it's the secret language of Animal Crossing, divorce proceedings with Andrew WK, and important questions about French rap. “Dad's dead, Dad's dead…”

Le Mardi c'est Suli revient en live hebdomadaire ! De l'actu et des jeux ! 0:00 Introduction et présentation de ce nouveau format 3:18 Introduction 6:17 L'actu du moment 28:15 : Game Key Card, ça bouge ? 48:30 L'actu, la suite 1:28:58 Les jeux du moment  

Send us a textWelcome to another episode of The Gamerheads Podcast! This week on The Gamerheads Podcast, Jake, Zeb, and Trina join Roger to share their highlights from TennoCon, including a live Warframe concert and a welcoming community vibe that made the trip unforgettable.The crew also picks their favorite “summer feeling” games, from cozy favorites like Stardew Valley, Dave the Diver, and Animal Crossing to surprise picks like Far Cry 3, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and even PowerWash Simulator. Roger rounds things out with Donkey Kong Bananza and Super Mega Baseball for those classic summer vibes.The episode wraps with updates on what everyone's been playing, including more Donkey Kong Bananza, Warframe, Destiny's new expansion, Moonlighter, and a first look at Tales of the Shire.Support the showHere are a few ways you can support Gamerheads!Leave us a review!Not only does your review help fellow gamers discover our podcast, but it also provides valuable insights for us as content creators. Your feedback serves as a compass, guiding us in crafting episodes that cater to your interests, addressing topics that matter to you, and enhancing your overall listening experience. Your words have the power to influence the direction of future episodes and ensure that we continue delivering content that captivates and engages. Review us on Goodpods! Review us on Apple Podcasts! Review us on Spotify! Join our Discord!In The Gamerheads Podcast Discord, you'll find a haven for lively discussions, where you can chat about the latest releases and share your gaming experiences with fellow gamers.Join our Patreon today https://www.patreon.com/gamerheadsFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gamerheadspodcast.comMusic: Jeff Dasler - Recus...

This week on the Toy Power Podcast; we bring you a whole episode dedicated to the 2025 San Diego Comic Con baby!! And boy do we have a BIG episode for ya! (This could just be the LONGEST episode we have ever recorded!) We systematically run through each Manufacturer & attempt to call out all the awesome reveals that has oh so very excited!! - Mattel- Jada- Nacelle- Four Horsemen- Mondo- Neca- Mezco- Super7- Playmates- McFarlane- Hasbro- The Loyal SubjectsPlus we have Birthday Celebrations; round table thoughts of the Con itself & much much more! ENJOY!!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When will they make a two-sided SD card that always lands text?Discussed: PSPrequel on Patreon, upcoming flights to Jersey, flipping an SD card, Cobalt Core, StarVaders, FTL, He is Coming, Loop Hero, whether or not roguelikes need to be infinite, Void Stranger, Stephen finishing The Hundred Line, games with multiple endings, Sacred Stones, the best introductions to Fire Emblem, A Link to the Past, New Leaf, the potential of a new Animal Crossing, all kinds of Za, Patapon on Switch, The Forgotten City, 1000xResist, the “last time on” mechanic, Jersey diners & New York pizza Find us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.onlineJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://bsky.app/profile/stephenhilger.bsky.social Follow Brendon Bigley: https://bsky.app/profile/bb.wavelengths.onlineProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Season 7 cover art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/Theme song by Will LaPorte: https://ghostdown.online/---Timecodes:(00:00) - Intro (00:19) - Check out the PSPrequel on Patreon! (06:05) - There are other video games believe it or not (07:27) - Cobalt Core | The Text of video games (22:02) - He is Coming | The Pins of video games (37:15) - Star Vaders, Blue Prince, Void Stranger, Hundred Line | When a game is finished (47:53) - Break (47:55) - Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones | BREAKING: Water is wet (55:35) - A Link to the Past | Stephen answers for his bad takes (01:03:53) - Animal Crossing: New Leaf | Brendon Breezely (01:25:05) - Patapon 1+2 | Brendon Bailley (01:25:38) - The Forgotten City | Brendon Bailley (01:29:30) - Wrapping up ---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons including our Eternal Gratitude members:Zachary DIanfaceMcGeeMatt HClayton MChris Yw0nderbradShawn LCody RZach RFederico VLogan HAlan RSlinkmattjanzz DeaconGrokCorey ZDirectional JoySusan HOlivia KDan SIsaac SWill CJim WEvan BDavid Hmin2Aaron GVErik MBrady HJoshua JTony LDanny KSeth MAdam BJustin KAndy HDemoParker EMaxwell LSpiritofthunderJason WJason TCorey TMinnow Eats WhaleCaleb WfingerbellyJesse WMike TCodesWesleyErik BmebezacSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseAndrewJustin MPeterStellar.BeesBrendan KScott RwreckxNoah OMichael GArcturusChris RhepaheCory FChase ALoveDiesNick QWes KChris MRBMichaela WAdam FScott HAlexander SPTherese KjgprintersJessica BMurrayDavid PJason KBede RKamrin HKyle SPhilip  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We talk Animal Crossing this week as Molly Phoenix (AKA Weast/Numbra) joins to discuss where we see the future of the series heading on the Switch 2. Is it finally time for Nintendo to dive head first into the realm of MMOs? What quality of life updates could a sequel to the massively popular New Horizons have in store? Listen to hear all of our thoughts. We also cover all the Nintendo and gaming news such as the itch.io's new NSFW policies, a better breakdown of the Pokemon Presents, the new LEGO Game Boy set, and much more. As always, we close with the games we've been playing. Listen to Super Switch Headz on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you enjoy podcasts. 0:00:00 Introduction 0:05:21 News and Rumors 0:34:57 The Future of Animal Crossing 1:04:39 Games We're Playing Discord: https://discord.com/invite/CWbF4gb Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/switchheadz Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SuperSwitchHeadz/ Website: https://www.switchheadz.com/ Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SwitchHeadzClips

It's the holy crap we're only 10 episodes away from 500 special, brought to you by Holden Afart! In this one I call a few swap shop users and a few receipt havers, and we not only get to listen to a guy hang up improperly and rant about my prank call all the way home, but we also learn a brand new insult phrase! The opening song is by Jenna G. on Fiverr. The background music is Black Mages by Emergency Pizza Party. The end song is Sensei Doug by The Tree Flushers. The show art is a picture of Cheshire Catalyst, the guy who made the 321 area code happen.LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW: To find out more about the music you hear on this show, visit our page of artists. For a bit of history and a studio tour, this is a good starting page. Request a prank call and find links related to shows at snowplowshow.com. If you're searching for a specific thing said in a show, shitbradsays.com is a great resource for that.SUPPORT THE PLA: For extra weekly shows, subscribe on Patreon, Spotify, or Apple. Get our t-shirts and stickers at our TeePublic store. Get coins, vinyl records, CDs, and more on our Bandcamp page. We also have thing in our Zazzle store in our Spreadshirt store. Buy important things for us at PLA's wishlist or Brad's wishlist, but most importantly, please tell your friends, family, and strangers about all about us.JOIN THE COMMUNITY: Add PLA on Prankcast for live shows, add PLA on Facebook, add Snow Plow Show on Facebook, add PLA on X, add PLA on Tik Tok, add PLA on Bluesky, add PLA on Tumblr, add PLA on YouTube, add Snow Plow Show on YouTube, PLA on Twitch, PLA on Instagram, join a Prank Call Discord, the PLA Reddit, add RBCP on Instagram, add RBCP on X, add RBCP on YouTube, and leave a voice message for the show at 814-422-5309.PLA FRIENDS AND STAFF: Nik Caesar from scary-art.com is the unofficial PLA artist.  Buy PLA designs from Nik's Spreadshirt store.  You might also like the cactus and PLA designs in Laugh Track Matt's store.  Clownsec does a lot of cool things for PLA so go honk the PLAnet.  Watch JIAD's Calls of Mass Confusion and listen to a few of the prank call shows over at World of Prank Calls. Joe DiVita and Vista Blue do lots of music for us, but so do lots of other people, so visit the SPS music page for a very incomplete list.GAME WITH PLA Join us Animal Crossing addicts by becoming our friends on Switch. If you're into GTA5, join the PLA Radio crew.

This week on the Toy Power Podcast; we are still down a Scot, as he is still unwell. But that will not slow him down in contributing to this ep! Before we get into the main segments, we chat about Ben & Frank's latest Plastic Addiction, in the form of Transformers Blokees! Prior to chatting about the Superman Film itself, we focus on the Toy likeness compared to what the actor actually looks like! With a little Jurassic World banter in between. Then, without another moment to spare, we get right into the James Gunn driven film itself! We chat towards our Cinema experiences and start off with a non-spoiler discussion; before we head into a chat about the whole Film itself! Giving it our typical DVG rating out of 19 too. Then changing gears, we introduce a New segment - named: Variant Schmariant! We each pick two variants of a pre-existing character (in toy form) that just doesn't need to exist. We unearth some quite silly versions of characters that had a legitimate Toy Release; that clearly logic was not a concern at all!! Plus we tie a nice bow around the proposed Nick-Names for both Frank & Scot. Enjoy!!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SUBSCRIBE NOW!!!! on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher & Audible. This week on the Press X to Start Gamer's Digest: DJ & Sean talk about Donkey Kong Bananza's big arrival, the newest Pokemon Presents, Animal Crossing rumors, FromSoftware's mysterious new game and much more!  Gaming News - Time code: 2:04 We take a look at Donkey Kong Bananza's UK launch sales and give our early impressions of the game; We speculated on what the newest Pokemon Presents was revealing; A new Animal Crossing rumored to be on the horizon for the Switch 2; FromSoftware reportedly deep in development on something called "FMC"; In the midst of being sued by the founders, Krafton extends the Subnautica 2 bonus period; Yves Guillemot's son named co-CEO of Ubisoft's new subsidiary; The recently laid off staff at King to be replaced by their own AI tools; A new FPS Ghost Recon in development at Ubisoft; Forza Horizon 5 moved an insane 2 million units in a month on PS5. What Have We Been Playing - Time code: 38:09 DJ & Sean talk about their enjoyment of the DS2 gameplay loop and speculate on what the 2025 GOTY contenders will end up being. If you're enjoying the show, please take a moment to rate/review it on whatever service you're using. Every little bit helps!  Want to ask a question, ask us at PressX2start.com/Questions Join/Follow Us: Youtube: Press X To Start TV Twitch: pressxtostarttv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pressx2start Twitter: @PressX2S  Instagram: @PressX2Start TikTok: @pressx2start You can find more info about the Press X and who we are at www.PressX2start.com. If you have any questions or just want to tell us how great (or just slightly okay) we're doing or how we can be better, be a friend and reach out and email us at pressxtostartpodcast@gmail.com End music by @maztrshots on SoundCloud Be good to each other, Peace!

Ryan and Curtis talk about fruit-flavored milk (Fantastic Berry??), Tony Hawk, Animal Crossing, and Donkey Kong!Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/kyKdwt9nJcEmail us: ⁠chancetimepodcast@gmail.com⁠

I guess it's kind of like a Bananza?Discussed:  Upcoming episode for Patrons, TWG on Bluesky, Donkey Kong Bananza, early 3D Nintendo games, Donkey Kong as a series, the history of Nintendo console launch windows, the appeal of Zelda speed runs, Word Play, Boss Keys (GMTK), Developing (GMTK), the journey of any creative project, the dream of portrait mode, Nurikabe World, Brendon's ROM Hack corner, Animal Crossing: City Folk Deluxe, why Animal Crossing works best handheld, and BeardoFind us everywhere: https://intothecast.onlineBuy some merch if you'd like: https://shop.intothecast.onlineJoin the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/intothecast---Follow Stephen Hilger: https://bsky.app/profile/stephenhilger.bsky.social Follow Brendon Bigley: https://bsky.app/profile/bb.wavelengths.onlineProduced by AJ Fillari: https://bsky.app/profile/ajfillari.bsky.social---Season 7 cover art by Scout Wilkinson: https://scoutwilkinson.myportfolio.com/Theme song by Will LaPorte: https://ghostdown.online/---Timecodes:(00:00) - Intro (01:10) - Some announcements! (08:18) - Donkey Kong: Bananza | Punching our way into the episode (50:15) - Break (50:17) - Wordplay | Puzzle time (01:00:53) - Nurikabe World | An actual minesweeper segment (01:06:15) - Break (01:06:17) - Brendon's ROM Hack Shaq (01:08:15) - Animal Crossing: City Folk Deluxe | Brendon's ROM Hack Shaq (01:28:27) - Wrapping up ---Thanks to all of our amazing patrons including our Eternal Gratitude members:Zachary DIanfaceMcGeeMatt HClayton MChris Yw0nderbradShawn LCody RZach RFederico VLogan HAlan RSlinkmattjanzz DeaconGrokCorey ZDirectional JoySusan HOlivia KDan SIsaac SWill CJim WEvan BDavid Hmin2Aaron GVErik MBrady HJoshua JTony LDanny KSeth MAdam BJustin KAndy HDemoParker EMaxwell LSpiritofthunderJason WJason TCorey TMinnow Eats WhaleCaleb WfingerbellyJesse WMike TCodesWesleyErik BmebezacSergio LninjadeathdogRory BA42PoundMooseAndrewJustin MPeterStellar.BeesBrendan KScott RwreckxNoah OMichael GArcturusChris RhepaheCory FChase ALoveDiesNick QWes KChris MRBMichaela WAdam FScott HAlexander SPTherese KjgprintersJessica BMurrayDavid PJason KBede RKamrin HKyle SPhilip  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Kev talks about Guacho and the Grassland Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:02:57: What Has Kevin Been Up To 00:13:24: Game News 00:36:37: Gaucho And The Grassland 00:55:12: Outro Links Islanders: New Shores Super Zoo Story Release Info Fantasy Life i Password Hello Kitty: Island Adventure “Sunshine Adventure” Dicounty Employee Training Videos Sun Haven Snaccoon Plushie Contact Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Kev: Well howdy partners and welcome to the harvest season. (0:00:35) Kev: Around these parts they call me Kevin. (0:00:39) Kev: Today you’re riding with me as we wander over yonder (0:00:42) Kev: and go exploring these fine grasslands. (0:00:47) Kev: Yes, hello, it’s true. (0:00:49) Kev: You’ve heard the rumors and I can’t confirm. (0:00:52) Kev: My name is Kevin and I am your sole host of the harvest season. (0:00:55) Kev: Hello everyone. (0:00:56) Kev: We’re here to talk about Cottage Corgades. (0:00:59) Kev: you know how we do (0:01:00) Kev: as I’m legally obligated to say by “ow” (0:01:04) Kev: um, but, uh, but yes, hello, no, no co-hosts, another solo cabin episode today (0:01:12) Kev: I can already hear the groan/cheers as you prepare for the best/worst kind of episode we have offered here on the Harvey season (0:01:22) Kev: uh, just, just me, un-chained, unhinged, uncensored, right? (0:01:28) Kev: No one stood here to stop me from singing. (0:01:30) Kev: songs or doing a foghorn-leg-horn impression. And so you know, yeah, prepare yourself. Just (0:01:38) Kev: me alone talking directly into your ears. Just you and me alone staring at each other (0:01:44) Kev: in an empty room. Hello everyone. I hope that sets the tone as it should be if you may feel (0:01:55) Kev: a little threatened. I’m sure Al does. Excuse me, I got a drink. (0:02:00) Kev: I don’t care. But yeah, so hello. It’s harvest season. As I was doing with my little cowboy (0:02:09) Kev: twang intro, I already got the voices going. We are here, and by we and me me, I’m here (0:02:16) Kev: to talk about Gaucho and the Grassland game that you all know. I have been eagerly awaiting, (0:02:26) Kev: forward to. It finally released and here I am with (0:02:30) Kev: some first impressions for it. But before that as as per our norm we have we have (0:02:40) Kev: some news to go over. That’s a good good bit of pieces of news I like them from (0:02:46) Kev: what I’ve seen so I’m looking forward to going over that with you guys. But (0:02:51) Kev: before that let’s talk about some non cottagecore game thing stuff I’ve been (0:02:57) Kev: up to because people are interested in that apparently. (0:03:02) Kev: And if you aren’t well, I don’t hear any objection. So there you go, you know, so (0:03:07) Kev: The well, yeah, this week’s been as usually, you know, I mean, I’m busy with work things and stuffs (0:03:14) Kev: And I just spent time on gotcha, of course, so, you know, that was a good chunk of time this week (0:03:20) Kev: But aside from that (0:03:23) Kev: I’ve been probably (0:03:26) Kev: So you both Pokemon unite hits fourth anniversary this this year this (0:03:30) Kev: Week a couple days ago whenever which first of all is horrifying to think about. I’m playing this game for four years time. Oh (0:03:39) Kev: whole time (0:03:41) Kev: Never never stops never. It’s always relentless (0:03:47) Kev: Now as per pretty much tradition at this point every year in the anniversary they release a new Pokemon a (0:03:53) Kev: Legendary or mythical we’ve had Mewtwo. Oh, oh sweet food. I think it was last year (0:03:59) Kev: And this year a little (0:04:00) Kev: Bit of a treat two for one special we’re getting the Latias and Latios the young duo the Latino was at Latinas (0:04:08) Kev: Whatever you want to call them the gen 3 that the blue and the red one (0:04:13) Kev: No, not not the ones on the box the other blue and red one (0:04:17) Kev: Yeah (0:04:19) Kev: That’s we only have Latios at the moment (0:04:25) Kev: But Latias will be releasing soon and they do in fact work together (0:04:31) Kev: It’s the first time we’ve seen pokemon explicitly boost and support (0:04:37) Kev: Another specific pokemon, so that’s a fun mechanic. I think in Unite. I’ve seen them played and they’re not (0:04:44) Kev: Terrifyingly busted like Mewtwo when he came out, but yeah, it’s fun. So (0:04:48) Kev: Fun times over there Unite. I enjoy it still still still on that train (0:04:54) Kev: Speaking of trains. I’m still on Zenla’s on zero with its update of an update of its own (0:05:01) Kev: The 2.1 patch or whatever number it’s it’s one of the bigger numbered patches which (0:05:07) Kev: Implies a story content update a new chapter in their story (0:05:13) Kev: Now unfortunately, I think Zenla’s on zero (0:05:16) Kev: Continues to suffer from a sort of identity crisis. I’ve talked about it (0:05:22) Kev: Before but when the game first came out. It was a very (0:05:25) Kev: Lack of better way of describing it mid 2000s urban vibe (0:05:30) Kev: big metropolitan city is the setting and people have flip phones and their CRTs (0:05:35) Kev: hanging about and video rentals a very specific aesthetic they were going for (0:05:41) Kev: and it worked for me right clearly up to taste if you know the player enjoyed it (0:05:46) Kev: or not but it worked and they they wrote that aesthetic with a with a solid (0:05:53) Kev: playing game plan and story for a year right there were hackers and kind of this (0:05:58) Kev: mystery to explore. (0:06:00) Kev: And, uh, but yeah, as they hit the end of year one, they kind of wrapped up a lot of (0:06:06) Kev: those storylines and threads, um, and I, I feel like they continue to struggle a bit (0:06:13) Kev: to follow that up, uh, for lack of better way of describing it. (0:06:18) Kev: Think of post-Endgame MCU, where it’s a little, suffering a little in its identity, I’m not (0:06:24) Kev: sure where to go. (0:06:26) Kev: And now this may just be a me thing because there are (0:06:30) Kev: leaning into this kind of like they’ve gone from this urban city to now we’re (0:06:35) Kev: out in rural not China where the the former hackers I mean they still are I (0:06:41) Kev: guess technically but they are now living at a temple because trying to keep (0:06:46) Kev: them on mystics with a bunch of monks which is a wild pivot from the more much (0:06:52) Kev: more science fiction heavy aesthetic and genre that they’re kind of leaning into (0:06:58) Kev: and then now we’re going into a bit of mysticism with (0:07:01) Kev: feng shui and energy lines and all that good stuff (0:07:05) Kev: So yeah, this may be an issue of just stuff getting lost in translation (0:07:10) Kev: You know mihoyo is a Chinese company and you know this may be (0:07:14) Kev: For that that target audience. I don’t know (0:07:18) Kev: And it doesn’t help that the cast did all the new characters that have been out since (0:07:23) Kev: 2.0, which is about a month or two ago (0:07:26) Kev: They this new cast has just not hit (0:07:30) Kev: I don’t find them as entertaining or engaging (0:07:34) Kev: Which isn’t entirely a bad thing (0:07:37) Kev: And this isn’t just the pullable characters even a lot of NPCs. They’re just not as memorable in my opinion (0:07:44) Kev: But the the pullable the playable characters (0:07:47) Kev: yeah, I don’t I pulled for one in the (0:07:51) Kev: Four three or four that have come out since then (0:07:54) Kev: Which isn’t entirely bad thing because that means I can now save up on resources for when stuff (0:07:58) Kev: I do want will drop and (0:08:00) Kev: And that will happen again. We’ve in true mohoyo fashion. They they tease upcoming characters (0:08:08) Kev: Not just in the marketing, but in in the gameplay you’ll you’ll meet some of them who are clearly like up (0:08:12) Kev: Here’s your next banner character or a couple banners away (0:08:16) Kev: In particular there’s a group called the obol squad they’re like a military Defense Force unit (0:08:23) Kev: and (0:08:24) Kev: Those guys have some cool designs (0:08:26) Kev: We’ve already gotten a few out in ZZZ, but the looks like we’re gonna fill out (0:08:30) Kev: the rest of that roster and I’m looking forward to those guys there’s a there’s (0:08:35) Kev: like a big Mecca guy that’s piloted by a little bunny robot there’s a their (0:08:41) Kev: captain has a living gun who is actually the captain I think something wild like (0:08:47) Kev: that the sniper of their unit is blind so you know there you go yeah colorful (0:08:53) Kev: colorful crew that oval squad so I’m looking forward to that but but until (0:09:00) Kev: I said ZZZ kind of kind of struggling a little with its the flavor if you will (0:09:06) Kev: um but it’s okay because the gameplay is still good even all those characters on (0:09:10) Kev: that instant come out you know they give you trials or you play with them in the (0:09:14) Kev: story or whatever they are fun mechanically gameplay wise they’re not (0:09:17) Kev: bad just yeah I’m not dying for them or anything and then the nice bit is not (0:09:25) Kev: just zenless I think all the mihoyo games they’re very strong with their side (0:09:28) Kev: content. They have lots of weird goofy modes. (0:09:30) Kev: For instance, right now they have a summer mode where you operate a seaside resort with all sorts of minigames. (0:09:37) Kev: And so you have to work to upgrade the minigames and the attractions, and that is certainly enjoyable, I’m having a blast with that little mode. (0:09:46) Kev: But yeah, that’s Endless Zone Zero, there’s my report. No one here to stop me. (0:09:52) Kev: Oh, so there you go. Now, aside from that, the other thing I want to talk about… (0:10:00) Kev: isn’t game, per se, but I’ve been watching a lot of Monk, the mid-2000s, I think it was like 2000 to 2008. (0:10:09) Kev: Detective Mystery Show, aired on USA Network, I think. It’s about Adrian Monk, a former detective on the police force whose wife was killed. (0:10:21) Kev: Which led to a dismissal, as he already had, let’s say, a lot of conditions. OCD. (0:10:30) Kev: And a lot of phobias. (0:10:32) Kev: and stuff like that well all that is amplified by his wife’s death and so now (0:10:37) Kev: he does work as a private investigator helping so helping the police just not (0:10:41) Kev: on their official payroll but but while managing all of these intense oddities (0:10:49) Kev: and quirks yeah I mean it ran for eight seasons it’s clearly a popular show and (0:10:56) Kev: you guess what lives up to it I’m a fan of detective mystery shows play a lot (0:11:02) Kev: right professor Layton you know it’s kind of in that in that lane and and the (0:11:08) Kev: mysteries themselves you know they obviously cast staff of writers so they (0:11:13) Kev: can vary right some it’s tough to write mysteries because how do you do it right (0:11:18) Kev: are you breadcrumbing the clues and it’s kind of obvious how it’s gonna go or do (0:11:24) Kev: you know is your detective so great they see something that the audience can’t (0:11:28) Kev: see or know, but they caught it and, oh, a big (0:11:32) Kev: reveal at the end. Um, so it’s hard to find a balance between there and, you know, between (0:11:37) Kev: the different episodes, uh, I think they swing both ways on this pendulum, but overall still (0:11:43) Kev: enjoyable, um, and it helps by the fact that the riding is excellent. It’s a very funny (0:11:50) Kev: show, um, as Monk has to navigate this world and the world has to navigate with Monk, supporting (0:11:57) Kev: his OCD and need to straighten and clean everything up. (0:12:02) Kev: and avoid things that are not clean or straight and orderly so it makes for (0:12:10) Kev: some very very entertaining scenarios and and monk himself is very well (0:12:16) Kev: written and enjoyable character played excellently by Tony Shalab I believe is (0:12:21) Kev: the actor’s name yeah very charming even with all his oddities and quirks very (0:12:28) Kev: Very, very funny, excellent, can’t recommend enough shocker. (0:12:32) Kev: 8 season show was popular, for a reason, so yeah, go check it out. (0:12:36) Kev: And hey, it has a great little intro theme, written and performed by Randy Newman, the Toy Story song guy you guys know what I’m talking about. (0:12:44) Kev: So that’s very catchy. (0:12:49) Kev: No, I will not sing this song right now, I’ll spare you all, for now. (0:12:55) Kev: But yeah, that’s uh, that’s some of the stuff I’ve been up to lately. (0:13:03) Kev: And so with that, let’s get, uh, let’s see what the world of video games has been up to. (0:13:10) Kev: Let’s start talking with those Xbox 9000 layoff. (0:13:14) Kev: No, no, I’m kidding, let’s stick to cottagecore stuff, as painful as it was, my heart, it goes out, my condolences to all those Xbox employees. (0:13:23) Kev: Ugh. (0:13:25) Kev: Ugh, so let’s talk about things that weren’t laid off, but in fact, the opposite, have stuff that… (0:13:32) Kev: …got launched and has, uh, updates. (0:13:36) Kev: Let’s start with, uh, Islanders. (0:13:39) Kev: Um, the Calm City Builder, uh, it has a, it’s come out with a big update, um, called Islanders New Shores. (0:13:50) Kev: You know, one of those subtitle type, uh, updates/expansions. (0:13:54) Kev: Um, this is the, yeah, city/island builder, and the new shores update. (0:14:02) Kev: Um, has, oh, it’s one of those kind of expansions, um, oh, I apologize, no, is this a sequel? (0:14:11) Kev: Oh, this is a sequel, I thought it was an expansion, oh, I’m wrong, oh, good, good for me, um, I… (0:14:26) Kev: Yeah, wow, I think this is one I just played before and said I should, I could be wrong. (0:14:31) Kev: Either way, it’s an island city builder, island/city builder. (0:14:37) Kev: A lot of the mechanics of the first game returning just, you know, bigger, better, more biomes, more options. (0:14:46) Kev: Very, very fun stuff. It does look up my alley and I might play it. (0:14:52) Kev: Kinda reminds me of the Terrenil, which is a game I still go to every now and then. (0:14:56) Kev: You can play a lot and enjoy. (0:14:58) Kev: Yeah, you’ve got lava islands, snow islands, rocky islands. (0:15:02) Kev: And you’re just building up little villages and population on these islands. (0:15:06) Kev: So yeah, very charming, very endearing. (0:15:08) Kev: Check it out. That is out already. (0:15:12) Kev: With a 60%… Oh my… Wait, is that right? (0:15:16) Kev: Hold on, is this available for $2 USD? (0:15:20) Kev: Wham! (0:15:22) Kev: Or is that part of it? (0:15:24) Kev: Oh, this is special prom- (0:15:26) Kev: Yup, wow that is lovely, yeah, very affordable game check it out. It’s on sale (0:15:36) Kev: And yeah, and they’re still gonna work on it they have a 2025 roadmap with (0:15:43) Kev: Basically a lot of the same just working and expanding very cool (0:15:48) Kev: Yeah, good for you islanders new shores (0:15:51) Kev: Great looking game. I might very likely check this out. This looks like something (0:15:56) Kev: I could use you know kind of a just pick up in and just zone out for a little bit sort of game (0:16:02) Kev: Not not heavy at all. I like it (0:16:05) Kev: All right. Let’s see here. What next um ah (0:16:10) Kev: Something that is not out, but is coming out. Let’s talk about super zoo story the I (0:16:18) Kev: Guess Star Zoo Valley you could call it. It feels what I call a star do like but set in a zoo instead of a farm (0:16:26) Kev: um (0:16:27) Kev: They came out with a big post on their Kickstarter (0:16:31) Kev: This this is a this is kind of a wild one they had to clarify their release date and development (0:16:41) Kev: Feels like an important one that probably should have been made clear, but but hey it happens (0:16:48) Kev: Basically if they they chalk it up to they you know (0:16:52) Kev: There was the text portion of the Kickstarter and then there’s graphics portions (0:16:56) Kev: on the Kickstarter and basically they just fudged up they mixed up some of (0:17:03) Kev: the dates. The true and proper release date is the graphic the shown on the (0:17:09) Kev: little timeline graphic. They are planning to release an alpha version of (0:17:14) Kev: the game in the second half of this year 2025. A beta will release in the first (0:17:18) Kev: half of 2026 with the goal of the full release in 2026 second half. (0:17:26) Kev: and from their post they describe that they feel they are on track you know (0:17:32) Kev: famous last words but hey they’re trying they kind of go over different (0:17:38) Kev: categories of stuff they’re working on (0:17:46) Kev: customization (0:17:48) Kev: They do want to launch with multiplayer in the game including minigames like a little soccer game you can play with others (0:17:54) Kev: That’s that’s fun. I don’t I don’t know how to start (0:17:57) Kev: Do you have that yet like little minigames you can actually play with people are playing on multiplayer. I don’t remember it does (0:18:04) Kev: But that’s uh, that’s fun. That’s good. Oh, so hey, but good for them. They came out trying to dress it (0:18:11) Kev: It’s we know (0:18:14) Kev: You know still waiting a year (0:18:16) Kev: I’m certainly in no rush for it. Let’s take your time. Well, I get this. I don’t know like (0:18:21) Kev: The whole relationships and you know stardew mechanic tropes like I I don’t know (0:18:27) Kev: But it’s a zoo and I really love animals. So maybe I don’t know (0:18:34) Kev: Maybe more than maybe (0:18:38) Kev: Yeah, but yeah, there’ll be plenty of time at least a year until this comes out (0:18:44) Kev: And yeah, no rush (0:18:46) Kev: By any means because there is plenty of stuff to play in the meanwhile (0:18:52) Kev: Including I transition (0:18:55) Kev: Go go town which has the fifth major update tourist trap (0:19:02) Kev: So, yeah go go town the kind of Animal Crossing gone on hyperdrive (0:19:12) Kev: Looking game as I would describe it (0:19:16) Kev: They’ve released an update called tourist trap which puts a lot of emphasis on making the village town a tourist attraction (0:19:23) Kev: So now you have lots of people coming in they have thought bubbles (0:19:27) Kev: There’s ratings on the attractions and the food and stuff like that. Yeah, you know kind of rollercoaster tycoon (0:19:34) Kev: It looks cute um with this update they’ve also introduced like new (0:19:40) Kev: categories of people that can visit aliens and robots and werewolves and all sorts of stuff (0:19:46) Kev: Which is fun and some of those characters can also become what they call townies the actual villagers (0:19:52) Kev: And then they could some structures like transit systems that introduces it a little way of doing it (0:19:58) Kev: So basically like you okay, I want the werewolf while I have to (0:20:01) Kev: Unlock the werewolf transit system and that will include a werewolf (0:20:07) Kev: Townie in your town (0:20:09) Kev: So that’s fun (0:20:11) Kev: It introduces a tier three industry. That’s kind of cool (0:20:16) Kev: a factory that leads to production of resources that leads to massive landmarks as they call it (0:20:21) Kev: a big lighthouse a stadium ooh hot springs a conservatory okay okay um yeah that’s cool (0:20:30) Kev: and oh hey yeah yum grease that’s that yum grease tm that’s (0:20:47) Kev: uh… I admire how unabashedly they are about uh… (0:20:52) Kev: the zaniness of stuff like that uh… very cool very cute (0:20:56) Kev: so yeah go go to oh yeah they have oh big one here uh… (0:21:00) Kev: uh… (0:21:01) Kev: cliff customization you know all of the new new horizons uh… (0:21:06) Kev: that’s that’s been added which includes waterfalls they also added water (0:21:18) Kev: I like that a lot, so yeah, a lot of new customization stuff, um, clowns, they can have clowns joining in the party, uh, that’s fun, you know, I admire Gogotown, they just keep going at it, and leaning into whatever it is they’re doing, kind of just over the top nonsense, and I appreciate that, I, Kevin, appreciate it over the top nonsense, shocker. (0:21:42) Kev: Um, yeah, so good for you, and again, that is our (0:21:48) Kev: party out now, uh, GOGO, see the GOGOTOWN, yeah, yeah baby, haha, um, alright, next up, uh, let’s talk about super farming boy, no, not a super meat boy expansion, sadly, or crossover, um, but it is a charming game nonetheless, it is, oh gosh, uh, we’ve, I think we’ve discussed, we, I know we’ve seen (0:22:18) Kev: it before, discussed it, but, um, they’re, they’re coming out with an early access that’s out in August 12th, this game is the using, okay, quote here from their steam page, an action puzzle farming sim featuring chain reactions and combos, which is just a wild descriptor in my opinion. (0:22:37) Kev: Um, so yeah, you play, uh, what’s, little character, uh, what is, oh gosh, I get it, oh, super farming boy gets his name. (0:22:48) Kev: It’s all in this very like, oh, comic bookie style, not exactly cop head, but very cartoony style, maybe like mid 2000s or 2010s, uh, cartoon network, like adventure times, even universe esque designs. (0:23:06) Kev: Um, yeah, you play super farming boy, his body transforms into the different tools. Um, so you just have one tool basically that just changes for the situation, which is a fun concept. (0:23:18) Kev: Very charming, vibrant art style. Um, and yeah, the chain thing is weird. Like you pull up one carrot, but it does like a grid thing that pulls all the other carrots in the same pattern nearby. (0:23:30) Kev: Um, very dynamic, very chaotic looking game. Um, but in a good way, like it’s clearly what they’re going for. So, you know, I guess that just might be a thing for days. There’s boss battle. So, you know, I think that using, using the. (0:23:50) Kev: um they have uh they have touch control that’s super cool (0:23:54) Kev: um yeah so very interesting i’ll be keeping my eye out on this um and hey (0:23:58) Kev: the hidden early access on like I said august 12th (0:24:01) Kev: um so that’s cool good for them they’re getting there uh demo is out now if you (0:24:05) Kev: want to see um look up for you super farming boy (0:24:18) Kev: Oh here’s a, you know, okay next up a game I also want to keep being themselves. (0:24:23) Kev: Fantasy Life Eye. They have hit 1.2 million copies sold. That’s a lot. Well, yeah that’s for like a (0:24:36) Kev: little over a month. That’s pretty good. They’re giving out some gift codes for (0:24:47) Kev: play fantasy life I don’t know these these might be good materials maybe not (0:24:51) Kev: there’s not a lot of them there’s like 12 no 9 there’s like three sets of one (0:24:57) Kev: two three six okay there’s 18 there’s six sets of three materials each yeah (0:25:02) Kev: I’m happy overall mostly with the number of fantasy life sold because I’m a big (0:25:10) Kev: level 5 fan and I was especially worried when they’re in North America office (0:25:14) Kev: But their they came out with this beautiful (0:25:17) Kev: And it’s it’s going strong on fantasy life seared the prequel again (0:25:21) Kev: I played the DS version a lot the DS game (0:25:25) Kev: I still play it actually I’m going through the DLC origin island (0:25:31) Kev: Kind of - when this came out it was you know, I was like, oh, I don’t want to buy it (0:25:36) Kev: But I didn’t do that DLC so I fired it up and I’ve been checking away at the DLC a little bit here and there (0:25:42) Kev: I like it. It’s good. It’s the single-player MMO (0:25:45) Kev: I don’t know if Fantasy Life Eye still follows it. (0:25:47) Kev: It still has at least a lot of that level five charm and design I still love. (0:25:53) Kev: So good for you Fantasy Life Eye. Keep keep on selling. Do another 1.2 million. (0:25:56) Kev: Yeah. All right speaking of games that sold probably at least 1.2 million. (0:26:04) Kev: I’d be shocked for anything less. Hello Kitty Island Adventure coming out with (0:26:08) Kev: another update. The Sunshine Celebration Update. Summer Vacation Festival, Tiki’s (0:26:16) Kev: Bitch (0:26:18) Kev: You know beach party type to update. It’s one of those seasonal events where hey (0:26:28) Kev: trade ’em in for new stuff, you know, new decorations and whatnot, it’s very cute. (0:26:34) Kev: It’s botsmaru, running a little juice-sticky bar. (0:26:38) Kev: Um, yeah, I like it, very cute. (0:26:42) Kev: Um, yeah, that’s uh, oh, it’s on sale right now, 25% off, get it for $30 USD, I don’t know for when, but uh, (0:26:49) Kev: but yo, check it out, it’s a good game, we talked about it on at least two episodes, and I like it. (0:26:55) Kev: Good for you, little kitty island venture. You’re a good thing. (0:26:58) Kev: That’s good. (0:27:00) Kev: Ah, you know what else is good, folks? (0:27:04) Kev: Discounty. Or more specifically, their little PR campaign they’ve done. (0:27:10) Kev: So, discounty. We have talked about it for people who may not remember. (0:27:15) Kev: You are running a convenience type store. (0:27:22) Kev: It’s like in the middle of a city, and it kind of feels like, you know, (0:27:26) Kev: just small little. (0:27:28) Kev: This is a grocery type store, um, I think the store is called ‘Discounty’. (0:27:34) Kev: Anyways they released a series of videos that they call ‘Employee Training Videos’ and these (0:27:41) Kev: videos are framed as such, you know you get little CRT scan lines and then the little (0:27:47) Kev: jingle for the business as you work for the ‘Discounty Corporation’. (0:27:51) Kev: They go over a few different mechanics, they talk about store expansion, they can buy land (0:27:58) Kev: to expand your store, excuse me. (0:28:04) Kev: Customer happiness is one. (0:28:09) Kev: Store layout and customization, I’m actually impressed by that one, there’s a wide range (0:28:13) Kev: of customization and layout options. (0:28:17) Kev: And it’s, I think that’s a, I think this is gonna be a key element in making this enjoyable (0:28:23) Kev: right because you know running a store as you know Al’s not fond of and for a lot of (0:28:28) Kev: understandable reasons right, it’s kind of maybe, as Al says, the just, it’s the shipping (0:28:36) Kev: box with extra steps or whatever. (0:28:38) Kev: Well this clearly is not that, there’s a lot more in that, you invest, you can, you kind (0:28:42) Kev: of think strategically how do I want to layout merchandise. (0:28:47) Kev: And I think that’s pretty clever and not just that but aesthetically there’s a lot of variations (0:28:52) Kev: you can go with. (0:28:53) Kev: You know you can actually make it look like a little greenhouse sort of store, you know, (0:28:58) Kev: a nursery that’s the word because you have so many plants and whatnot. (0:29:03) Kev: Yeah they’re even do, they have an employee of a month contest in their discords, that’s (0:29:10) Kev: very cute, where they crown a winner of like the best looking shops every month with the (0:29:15) Kev: demo you can play. (0:29:17) Kev: That is, that is very, very cute. (0:29:19) Kev: Yeah let’s see, okay there’s a couple more training videos, welcome to Blomkis the town’s (0:29:26) Kev: called Blomkis, kind of an overview of the town. (0:29:29) Kev: There’s a shop, some of the different locals and locales, locations you can visit. (0:29:36) Kev: That’s uh, that’s fun. (0:29:40) Kev: And then there’s another employee training video on talking about relationships, like (0:29:45) Kev: the mechanics and different types of characters you can meet and whatnot. (0:29:52) Kev: That’s yeah, that’s the last one. (0:29:55) Kev: Now throughout these training videos there’s a common theme (0:29:58) Kev: Of uh, how should I put this uh, the CD underbelly. This really feels like the Joja Market route, the game. (0:30:10) Kev: Um, because um, at the end of each of these training videos there’s a disclaimer. (0:30:15) Kev: “Discounty corporation cannot be held liable for any environmental damage, interpersonal relationship issues, (0:30:25) Kev: or riotous uprisings that occur as a result of the (0:30:28) Kev: these training, uh, following this training video. (0:30:32) Kev: So, um, yeah, clearly they framed that some of this stuff can result in bad (0:30:37) Kev: things. Um, and you do in fact, get a tiny sliver of a frame of a riotous (0:30:42) Kev: uprising. So, um, yeah, I don’t know. Can you lean into that or is it, you know, (0:30:48) Kev: like, oh, you’re going to have a change of heart and changed how the model works. (0:30:51) Kev: I don’t know, but you know, they’re aware of what they’re doing. It’s fun. Um, (0:30:57) Kev: And it does look like you have the eye. (0:30:58) Kev: You don’t have the option to build relationships with people. (0:31:02) Kev: You can bribe or make things easier for you to get around permitting or control press. (0:31:08) Kev: Get in a relationship with a reporter and avoid bad press from your store. (0:31:12) Kev: Which is kind of a fun idea actually. (0:31:16) Kev: The people, your relationships impact the status of your farm. I like that. That’s good. (0:31:22) Kev: Yeah, that’s clever. I’m excited for this one. (0:31:28) Kev: This is the store simulators. (0:31:30) Kev: I think has a lot of charm and personality and the mechanics like I said the whole store customization thing. I (0:31:36) Kev: Like that a lot. I’m a big fan. So yeah, keep (0:31:41) Kev: Keeping on up for that folks (0:31:44) Kev: Say do we have a release date? I don’t think we do (0:31:51) Kev: Could be dead wrong, but oh, oh I’m dead right. I am dead wrong. It’s available August 21st 2025 (0:31:56) Kev: Oh, that’s that’s around the corner of the month (0:32:00) Kev: I can’t wait for that. Oh, oh, yeah, I’ll definitely be playing this. I’m very excited for that. Yay (0:32:05) Kev: I like it when I don’t have to wait too long for things. That’s that’s fun (0:32:12) Kev: Yeah (0:32:14) Kev: Okay, there you go discount (0:32:16) Kev: All right. Yeah, do check out those videos. I think they’re charming only down like maybe a minute long each something like that (0:32:22) Kev: Um, they they’re they’re flavorful. They have a lot of character. So check them out (0:32:27) Kev: Well, you know, you know we have the links on the website. (0:32:30) Kev: Oh (0:32:32) Kev: Okay, lastly Sun-Haven Sun Haven I addressed (0:32:40) Kev: As as mandated by the cottage cores laws of the internet games fear (0:32:46) Kev: We they’ve come out with to make ship plushy because of course they have (0:32:49) Kev: You know what hats off to make ship. They’re they’re hustlers. Look how much they get done (0:32:55) Kev: Anyways, what is cool though is I haven’t seen this before (0:33:00) Kev: I didn’t really realize there are jumbo plushies. This is not though like (0:33:13) Kev: It is a plushy. I should say of the snack Coon. It’s kind of like big perp (0:33:18) Kev: Oh my god, I forgot this is that’s just a big the Casa big belly has the purple and the stripes with the white bell (0:33:23) Kev: That is just (0:33:25) Kev: Big the cat but a raccoon. Oh (0:33:28) Kev: Man, I did. I just saw myself on this maybe (0:33:33) Kev: Let’s see here (0:33:35) Kev: You have 12 days to get this to make ship campaign. That’s how they are right always limited campaign (0:33:40) Kev: 12 well actually only available until August (0:33:43) Kev: 12th at noon eastern (0:33:46) Kev: us eastern that’s when it’s sad so (0:33:48) Kev: to say like maybe a week after you hear this the senate (0:33:52) Kev: uh… (0:33:53) Kev: but yeah it is a (0:33:56) Kev: missus (0:34:07) Kev: Either way, um, it’s the snack own sleeping has the blep tongue. I don’t think the belly is big enough. That’s gonna be my biggest (0:34:23) Kev: Don’t know maybe it’s just something about the posing doesn’t doesn’t feel as round (0:34:28) Kev: It does seem more raccoon like and as a plush, which I’m sure they wanted (0:34:33) Kev: but (0:34:35) Kev: But yeah check it out um (0:34:38) Kev: Because you have a little better week to jump on that so (0:34:42) Kev: Almost 38 USD that is aging premium jumbo plushie, I guess (0:34:48) Kev: Snacks are not included. Oh and hey the things already funded so you know if you want it you can just get it (0:34:54) Kev: It’s yours. You don’t have to worry about not getting it (0:34:57) Kev: So there you go um (0:35:00) Kev: Good for you son hobbin son haven put putting out a very big plushie of (0:35:06) Kev: Not big the cat when do we get the big why don’t wait do I have it? No, I don’t think I would be the cat plushie (0:35:13) Kev: Hold on hold on folks. This is what is a Kevin episode. I’m checking the interwebs a big the cat plush (0:35:23) Kev: Is there an official one right? That’s the question cuz of course Etsy has 800 of them (0:35:30) Kev: Great Eastern Entertainment, I think that might be an officially licensed one. Oh snap oh (0:35:37) Kev: Oh my gosh, and it’s almost the price of the snack goon plushie (0:35:42) Kev: Okay, I might not get snack good, but I might get a big the cat plushie (0:35:47) Kev: This episode is an accessory (0:35:50) Kev: You can hear the roars of cheering (0:35:53) Kev: Enjoy as Kevin discovers the big the cat plushie (0:35:59) Kev: He has his fishing rod oh, he looks very dopey. I love it his belly’s not big enough. No his arms are too long (0:36:12) Kev: Oh, but Kevin discovers the big, the cat flush. (0:36:18) Kev: Good times. (0:36:19) Kev: All right. (0:36:20) Kev: All right. (0:36:20) Kev: All right. (0:36:21) Kev: The, the, the, I know that’s the real hard hitting news. (0:36:23) Kev: We all want it, but that’s, that’s all I got. (0:36:25) Kev: That’s, that’s the news we covered the docket. (0:36:27) Kev: Yay. (0:36:29) Kev: Um, so with that being said, let’s get into go show in the grassland. (0:36:38) Kev: So, um, all right, this one, I feel needs a little. (0:36:42) Kev: Just, uh, just a hint of historical context, what is a gaucho? (0:36:54) Kev: Um, so, uh, a gaucho in a very, very base and somewhat inaccurate descriptor, uh, would (0:37:05) Kev: be a South American cowboy, right? (0:37:08) Kev: Um, uh, the, the emphasis being particularly on the horsemanship, the, the skills of equestrianism (0:37:17) Kev: and all that. (0:37:18) Kev: Um, and you know, this, as we all know, I’m Mexican, right? (0:37:22) Kev: So this is south of my border, if you will, right? (0:37:24) Kev: In Mexico, the Vaquero is very, very much synonymous or equivalent to the American cowboy, (0:37:32) Kev: because, hey guess what, like a third of American cowboys were Hispanic, so. (0:37:36) Kev: So, you know, that whole iconography, mythos, is similar, but gauchas are just a little (0:37:44) Kev: different. (0:37:45) Kev: Part of it, I think, is the environment, right? (0:37:48) Kev: We’re talking Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, right? (0:37:53) Kev: A lot, uh… (0:37:55) Kev: A very different environment from the big wide open plains of the U.S., right? (0:38:00) Kev: I mean, there were, they called the Pampas, um, the, uh… (0:38:05) Kev: Kind of plains out in South America, but it’s still, generally speaking, a more heavily forested area, right, so… (0:38:12) Kev: Um, the South American region, right, tropics, and all that good stuff. (0:38:16) Kev: Um… (0:38:19) Kev: So yeah, um, Gauchos, um… (0:38:21) Kev: they they have this sort of uh… meat (0:38:26) Kev: or stereotype of being brave and unruly at the same time (0:38:30) Kev: like very rough and tumble sort of guys out there (0:38:34) Kev: not necessarily like Wild West Sheriff type thing (0:38:38) Kev: but you know they’re out there (0:38:48) Kev: living out on the country living out on the land (0:38:52) Kev: that’s the word I’m looking for and so again (0:38:56) Kev: this South American region and (0:39:00) Kev: that leads to this game Gautreaux and the Grassland which is (0:39:04) Kev: in fact developed by a Brazilian (0:39:07) Kev: game dev company one second let me find their name again (0:39:13) Kev: Gautreaux and the Grassland (0:39:18) Kev: Ipopia games I hope I’m saying that wrong (0:39:22) Kev: or yeah good good job man I hope I’m saying that wrong I hope I’m not saying (0:39:26) Kev: that wrong that is again for talking in South America so this is more Portuguese (0:39:31) Kev: in Spanish so I don’t speak Portuguese I can kind of you know guess a little bit (0:39:37) Kev: but yeah so this was announced forever ago and when this when I saw this game I (0:39:43) Kev: I was thinking, okay, it’s like, 3D Stardew… (0:39:53) Kev: That’s what I thought that the game was going to be, more or less. (0:39:57) Kev: Now, what the game was, or is, isn’t quite that. (0:40:04) Kev: Let’s start with the very first thing. (0:40:05) Kev: First of all, when I bought it, it’s only $20 USD. (0:40:08) Kev: Okay, well, I honestly expected a little more. (0:40:11) Kev: I thought it was going to be, but, I mean, hey, that’s a good surprise, right? (0:40:15) Kev: But it also, I think, does set the expectations of the game, right? (0:40:20) Kev: This was smaller in scale than I expected, I would say. (0:40:24) Kev: And it’s only 1.3 GB, so yeah, much smaller in scale than I expected. (0:40:29) Kev: I was like, “Huh.” (0:40:33) Kev: But that’s not a bad thing, just, you know, just surprise me a little, maybe I wasn’t paying attention. (0:40:41) Kev: So what I did get, instead of Stardew, but South American Cowboy, (0:40:47) Kev: what we got is a game that is more, I think, about that. (0:40:54) Kev: The themes of the couch, which is weird to say. There’s an important bit here. (0:40:59) Kev: When I checked early on, when I was playing, I just happened to check the credits, because I was curious to find out a little more. (0:41:07) Kev: Because when you start the game, it actually tells you that this was, the development was aided by what they call the State Department of Culture, (0:41:14) Kev: which I believe is in reference to a Brazilian governmental, like, federal funding thing. (0:41:20) Kev: Um, which I personally found very endearing. (0:41:24) Kev: Um, uh, and, you know, that, you know, could be largely contextual because of how things are in the U.S., we’re losing NPR, PBS, et cetera, right? (0:41:36) Kev: So, and then you have this little game out of Brazil where, you know, the Brazilian government wants to make, uh, quite a little game about, um, (0:41:53) Kev: So, um, so yeah, that, that, that shortly made me say, huh. (0:41:58) Kev: Um, but furthermore, like I said, I went through the credits and at the end. (0:42:04) Kev: They, they have a dedication to the, the victims of, uh, of some (0:42:12) Kev: floods that happened in Brazil. (0:42:13) Kev: Um, uh, from when I read and researched about, uh, January of 2025 this year. (0:42:21) Kev: You know to the victims and communities affected (0:42:23) Kev: by these heavy flooding some I was not aware of this this stuff but but yeah (0:42:31) Kev: thousands of people were affected people left homeless and so on and so forth so (0:42:38) Kev: yeah obviously a tragic event and I don’t know um like that so recent it’s (0:42:48) Kev: hard to know how much an impact did the development but that little dedication (0:42:53) Kev: kind of paint this this whole game in a different light for me because what this (0:43:01) Kev: game is it’s not the stardew valley like I thought what this game is is about a (0:43:07) Kev: community and helping people out because that’s what the premise is you are a (0:43:13) Kev: nameless gaucho and you are summoned by literally your ghost father that is the (0:43:21) Kev: character’s name, Ghost Father. (0:43:23) Kev: And he, uh, has implored you, forced you. (0:43:29) Kev: It’s, it’s kind of pushy, kind of not even, you don’t get the choice. (0:43:33) Kev: Um, you are given the role of a guardian, a, to, to help, to go out into these (0:43:41) Kev: grasslands and these areas, um, where people have been suffering from all sorts (0:43:46) Kev: of natural and unnatural disasters and to go help them out and restore their (0:43:52) Kev: communities. (0:43:53) Kev: And this is what the game is, it’s not about necessarily your central homestead, but to go out and to go restore these different areas, helping people out. (0:44:05) Kev: That is like legitimate, actually the progress measure, how many happy points you get from people. (0:44:19) Kev: and so yeah it’s like I said very different from what I expected but it’s not (0:44:23) Kev: necessarily a bad thing I personally found this charming and endearing like (0:44:29) Kev: I said you know maybe (0:44:38) Kev: Things aren’t great, right? Maybe it’s my own. You know, I’ve got a lot of personal stuff going on (0:44:44) Kev: Maybe that’s making more sympathetic. Maybe I’m just a big sap. Guess what I am - we all know this (0:44:50) Kev: but I (0:44:51) Kev: found (0:44:53) Kev: This overall premise this overall theme to be very charming and endearing and I think a lot of it’s a presentation (0:44:59) Kev: It has the character designs are very overcooked (0:45:02) Kev: Let’s say for lack of a better way like very cartoony very cutesy and exaggerated (0:45:07) Kev: You’re the gout, the male gout, you can be like- (0:45:08) Kev: I’m male or female, but the male gout characters are generally speaking very big mustaches and eyebrows, very cartoon-y and cute. (0:45:18) Kev: Your dog also gets some eyebrows and mustache. (0:45:24) Kev: So yeah, I don’t know, for all the times I writhe in pain over the term, this game did in fact feel cozy to me. (0:45:38) Kev: At least it touched me, let’s say that. (0:45:42) Kev: Like I said, maybe I’m reading too much into it, right? Maybe that was just a nice little dedication I put in, but… (0:45:48) Kev: When I see this, right, it’s a game about hoping people, they have these floods, and you have the State Department of Culture funding them, backing them up, like… (0:46:00) Kev: I don’t know, all that is a feel-good story to me, like, it adds up to just something a little heartwarming. (0:46:10) Kev: But like I said, I don’t know, maybe that’s just me, it’s just mine being just too influenced by other stuff going on. (0:46:16) Kev: But overall, regardless of that, I do think the game is still charming, and overall the gaming is enjoyable. (0:46:24) Kev: So let’s talk about the actual gameplay mechanics. (0:46:28) Kev: It’s very resource-like collect and manage-not even manage, it’s collecting, right? (0:46:34) Kev: You’re not even, or at least from the portion I’ve played, I’ve only played (0:46:39) Kev: One of three different areas. I wasn’t you’re not really (0:46:43) Kev: Farming growing crops you I was and there might be it looks like there’s some different mechanics. I might unlock on each area (0:46:52) Kev: Because I know there’s chickens in the I have not encountered chickens (0:46:55) Kev: I did raise cattle and and grow and get milk from them, but but no crops (0:47:01) Kev: Um, so there might be that I might buy I don’t want to be inaccurate (0:47:06) Kev: But just I haven’t reached that if that’s the case, but so yeah, but (0:47:09) Kev: Not so much about growing the resources going out and gathering or finding them right chopping trees picking (0:47:15) Kev: You know using your pickaxe at stones to get stones. You mean your dog is a little resource generator (0:47:21) Kev: You used 10 did to dig at holes and it finds metal bits or or clay or you know different different items and resources (0:47:31) Kev: And and so yeah, so you have these different tools (0:47:34) Kev: Yeah, the axe the pickaxe a machete. Oh machete. You can cut down grass different types of (0:47:39) Kev: Grasses and stuff with it a jug for collecting water (0:47:43) Kev: Oh and a milk bucket took to milk cows cuz cows or milk cow milk is a resource as well (0:47:50) Kev: And so you’re gathering all these resources and you’re going around and helping people out right it’s full 3d (0:47:57) Kev: So, you know you the horse riding as it should be with a gaucho game is very important (0:48:04) Kev: have a horse with you at all times or you can hop on or summon it you can whistle and… (0:48:08) Kev: it’ll come to you at all times. The horse riding feels good you can lasso from the (0:48:14) Kev: horse riding and use a cattle horn to to have cows follow you all that feels (0:48:19) Kev: good as it should be as I’d expect so you know thumbs up for that it feels (0:48:24) Kev: like what I want or what I’d expect right which is always such an important (0:48:28) Kev: thing for any game. So yeah mechanically I think it’s it’s very solid and and hey (0:48:34) Kev: They are supporting it in between the time you’re playing it and… (0:48:38) Kev: …and, you know, coming out and me talking about this, they’ve come out with a couple updates… (0:48:43) Kev: …including one that improved gamepad performance. (0:48:46) Kev: ‘Cause the gamepad at first felt almost like a mouse cursor, you know, that sort of experience, which isn’t ideal. (0:48:52) Kev: And so they said, “Hey, we’re gonna fix that,” and now it just snaps to different menu options. (0:48:55) Kev: Like, “Alright, now that we’re talking, that’s what I want from a gamepad.” (0:48:59) Kev: So, so good for them. Good for them. (0:49:01) Kev: Um… (0:49:03) Kev: Uh… (0:49:04) Kev: Where was it going? (0:49:05) Kev: Uh, anyways, okay, going back to the resources. (0:49:07) Kev: So yeah, you gather all these resources. (0:49:08) Kev: If you’re six and stones and water and all that stuff and going around and helping people, um, there’s, there’s all sorts of different things, but hey, help me build me build this cart and this fence. (0:49:18) Kev: My cows all broke out. (0:49:19) Kev: Can you help me fix this fence and, and go herd my cows back here? (0:49:23) Kev: Can you help me build the trough for these new animals? (0:49:26) Kev: Can you fill it with water? (0:49:27) Kev: Can you help extinguish all these fires that are popping up with the jar? (0:49:32) Kev: Um, uh, you know, different things. (0:49:36) Kev: Um, it’s that. (0:49:38) Kev: particularly deep, there’s no, you know, deep character stories or lures or anything. (0:49:44) Kev: But you’re just going out and just helping a community, just helping these little people (0:49:47) Kev: regrow their little village, your community. (0:49:51) Kev: And as you do, you know, you get, I think they literally call it happiness points or (0:49:55) Kev: something like that. (0:49:57) Kev: And kind of what you’re doing in each of the areas, because there’s, like I said, there’s (0:50:00) Kev: three different areas. (0:50:01) Kev: You start off the game in one central hub world, but then you hop over to different (0:50:05) Kev: areas and what you’re trying to do is you’re trying to find like (0:50:08) Kev: this spirit guardian of this of each region. So once you help (0:50:14) Kev: enough people, you open a door where there’s there’s some (0:50:25) Kev: uh… and that’s kind of the overall objective for each area (0:50:32) Kev: in that there is still (0:50:35) Kev: some sandboxy creative elements it’s not (0:50:38) Kev: totally linear (0:50:40) Kev: uh… there’s areas of land you can buy by exchanging enough resources (0:50:45) Kev: uh… and some quests will actually ask you to do so because (0:50:48) Kev: when you buy the land you can (0:50:50) Kev: create different buildings on it (0:50:53) Kev: You’re given different recipes and… (0:50:55) Kev: You can build different types of houses, or a barn, or fencing, or you know, little different structures. (0:51:02) Kev: And from what, again, only going to employ one of the three areas, it does look like I could go to the second area and get new recipes and bring them back to the first area. (0:51:12) Kev: So, yeah, there’s this element of building up, not just repairing and helping all these little people, but actually building up the town. (0:51:22) Kev: the town, and a lot of it is purely aesthetic, cosmetic. (0:51:25) Kev: but it’s still charming, and it’s a little grid based system, you build, put a building here, put a building there, whatever. (0:51:32) Kev: It’s not super in-depth, at least from what I’ve seen, you can’t build like, let’s say, roads, which I kind of wish I could. (0:51:39) Kev: Because I think that would kind of make the village feel nicer, or whatever. (0:51:43) Kev: But, you know, it’s not Animal Crossing customized to every bit of a speck of dirt on the island, or whatever. (0:51:50) Kev: But it is a nice little creative outlet, too. (0:52:00) Kev: um and so that uh yeah that that’s like I said that’s I i’m only maybe a third of the game it’s (0:52:11) Kev: a very short game i’ll say you could probably you know for someone who’s busy you could probably (0:52:17) Kev: knock out maybe a week you just play it like an hour or two every night um because yeah i’ve (0:52:22) Kev: played I don’t know the exact card count but I would estimate i’m about a third of the way (0:52:27) Kev: done with the game and you know for that price that’s (0:52:30) Kev: perfectly fine and acceptable but yeah that’s that’s kind of it it is a like (0:52:39) Kev: game at least from what I’ve seen so far and that’s okay sometimes I like game is (0:52:44) Kev: good like I said earlier and more importantly like I said I think this (0:52:50) Kev: game does something that’s very hard and that’s just to make it charming but (0:52:56) Kev: Genuinely that that heartwarming sense of help (0:53:01) Kev: I don’t know that that’s (0:53:07) Kev: Like I think of Stardew Valley in the whole Jojo route and taking out right there helping people (0:53:13) Kev: like those those stories, you know, you help certain people and you get involved in their stories and whatever but (0:53:19) Kev: The overall feeling of restoring the community so I don’t know sometimes that maybe that gets lost in the weeds of just trying to fill (0:53:26) Kev: out the community (0:53:27) Kev: Center request or whatever (0:53:30) Kev: but this game like that’s clearly what they’re aiming for and I think it was a (0:53:36) Kev: They succeeded at it, which you know hats off to them. I find that very (0:53:41) Kev: impressive (0:53:43) Kev: So yeah, I’m gonna keep playing this game. I want to finish it to completion. That’s not terribly hard ask (0:53:49) Kev: and (0:53:51) Kev: But and yeah, I honestly (0:53:53) Kev: like even (0:53:55) Kev: Even though the game was not what I expected it (0:54:00) Kev: The cowboy simulator I hope for personally (0:54:04) Kev: It’s still a lovely and charming game and and then two thumbs up and an easy recommendation from me (0:54:11) Kev: You know, I hope it does well (0:54:13) Kev: I you know, like (0:54:16) Kev: It’s a more niche (0:54:18) Kev: like culturally (0:54:21) Kev: Area (0:54:22) Kev: You know, it’s not like we’re playing games from South American devs every other week here or in general, you know, so I (0:54:30) Kev: Wholeheartedly encourage that and then you know, just go check it out, you know (0:54:36) Kev: And and like I said, they you can feel the care they’re putting into this there. They’re updating game constantly and then fixing things (0:54:43) Kev: And and yeah, I can’t open I guess it before but though the overcooked art sounds very cute charming. I can’t emphasize enough (0:54:51) Kev: Um, okay. Yeah, I think that’s that’s all I got really I’m done rambling and and and and and and getting mushy and all that (0:54:59) Kev: Um… (0:55:01) Kev: So yeah, that is gaucho in the grass when I came out didn’t disappoint hey good good for them (0:55:06) Kev: Right the game works and didn’t disappoint. What more can you ask for really? (0:55:12) Kev: So yeah go check that out again, I highly encourage you (0:55:17) Kev: And yeah, I guess we can call it an episode shorter one, of course just just me that’s (0:55:24) Kev: that’s I (0:55:26) Kev: I like long podcasts. My primary podcast I listen to is generally (0:55:30) Kev: speaking three to four hours a week. I like it. Maybe it’s my own personal situation when I’m at (0:55:38) Kev: work. It’s easy to turn on podcasts and just get in it for a couple hours. But yeah, I always feel (0:55:46) Kev: bad when these episodes. That’s the biggest thing I feel bad about. It’s a little short, but hey, (0:55:52) Kev: it is what it is. What can I do? I mean, I could go on, but you know, I’ll save out there. (0:56:00) Kev: Just cutting out entire sections of me talking to myself is two different characters. That’ll be (0:56:10) Kev: for another episode. But yeah, thanks again folks for listening. Thanks Al for letting me do a solo (0:56:20) Kev: episode again. Thank you listeners for surviving somehow to the end of this. All right, and with (0:56:29) Kev: that. (0:56:31) Kev: You can find me on the internet if you can. (0:56:34) Kev: Actually, you probably don’t want to do that. (0:56:35) Kev: There’s probably not much that you’re going to find out there. (0:56:38) Kev: I’m @koopaprez on the bluesk, on the twitter, on the whatever. (0:56:42) Kev: Or the artist square, if you want to see some of my art, even though I’m falling behind. (0:56:45) Kev: I’ve picked… (0:56:47) Kev: I made some sprites in the past week, that&rs

This week on the Toy Power Podcast; we are sending thoughts & prayers to Scot, as he battles a case of Man-Flu! So instead the Trio of us bring you all the Latest News from around the network! Mezco One:12 Collective showcase their BTAS version of the Joker - with an incredible amount of extras & details! Neca have a beautiful 4pk set of the New TMNT Last Ronin Characters. The Thundertank is back - with a Toy Accurate Paint-job; plus a New version of Panthro too; all wrapped in a bow & a very expensive price tag from Super7. With the highly anticipated Fantastic Four Movie only days away from an official release; we are seeing a mountain of Toys tying into the Movie! Hot Toys not only reveal the Fantastic Family themselves; but also a Giant Sofvi Galactus; whom is sure to destroy your wallet & space in ones Collection!! Then we take a look at a carefully picked compilation of the Top 20 Heroes; covering everything from Toys, Video Games, Cartoons, Comics & also TV! Lots of Shoutouts to round out the episode; enjoy!!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Gables and Tyler discussed:0:00 - Start9:35 - Nintendo Direct Rumors24:05 - Pokémon Presents Predictions42:55 - NBA 2K2547:10 - College Football 2652:00 - Donkey Kong BananzaYouTube: https://youtube.com/user/GenGamingNetApplePodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drunk-nerds-podcast/id1569986497Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0N7zQxNK3gKEzDvQ8uWodETyler's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tylerjamesbae.bsky.socialDrunkNerds Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrunkNerdsPodDrunkNerds Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrunkNerdsPodExtra Life: https://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.home

Jeff Grubb and Jason Fanelli end the week with a bunch of video game news! We cover a rumor that there may be a new Animal Crossing game revealed soon, FromSoftware's next game may be closer than we think, Saber Interactive is teasing a new reveal, Infamous' studio boss wants to bring back the franchise, and much more before the weekend!

Deze talkshow wordt mede mogelijk gemaakt door MSI. Alle meningen in deze video zijn onze eigen. MSI heeft inhoudelijk geen inspraak op de content en zien de video net als jullie hier voor het eerst op de site.Ga maar even goed zitten voor het traditionele startschot van het weekend. Anderhalf uur aan gezellig, warm gekwebbel over videogames zal straks je trommelvliezen kietelen. Jelle, JJ en Koos zitten in de studio klaar. Ready om een nieuwe editie op te nemen van Einde van de Week Live. De talkshow waarin we elke week het belangrijkste game gerelateerde nieuws met jullie, de kijkers doornemen. En we hebben een prima line-up aan topics voor je klaarstaan. Zo discussiëren de drie over de acteurs die de rollen in de nieuwe Zelda film op zich gaan nemen. Hebben Nintendo en Miyamoto de juiste keuzes gemaakt. En hoe zit het met het gerucht dat er een nieuwe Animal Crossing game aankomt voor de Switch 2? Kan de reveal trailer van EA FC26 ons bekoren? Dit alles en meer ga je zien en horen in de Einde van de Week Live van vrijdag 18 juli 2025.Komt Animal Crossing al snel naar de Switch 2?Er is meer om over te praten. Wat gebeurt er als je de logo's van de games van Fron Software combineert met het artwork van Final Fantasy?Speel de bikkelharde soulslike Wuchang Fallen Feathets vanaf 24 juliFans van het soulslike genre (en dat zijn er veel hier) opgelet, er komt een nieuwe game aan waar jullie de tanden op kunnen stukbijten: Wuchang Fallen Feathers. Vanaf 24 juli kunnen jullie aan de slag met deze game die wordt gezien als een van de belangrijke releases van de zomer. Hier vind je alvast alle info over het spel.Scoor de Vector 16HX AI met 5080 aan boord voor scherpe prijsMSI zet deze week opnieuw een heavy duty gaming laptop in de spotlights. Het betreft de Vector 16 HX AI.  Onder de motorkap bevindt zich een Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX Processor, een NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 videokaart, een 1TB SSD, een 16” 240Hz QHD+ Scherm, een 24-zone RGB toetsenbord en Thunderbolt-5 aansluitingen voor al je randapparatuur. Deze krachtpatser is hier bij Azerty voor een scherpe prijs verkrijgbaar.Timestamps:Timestamps:00:00:00 Einde van de Week Live van 18 juli00:02:52 Donkey Kong Bananza00:08:10 Hoofdrolspelers van de Zelda film bekend gemaakt. 00:15:40 Huishoudelijke mededeling: MSI00:17:40 Nog meer Nintendo nieuws.00:22:33 EA FC 26 reveal trailer.00:25:23 From Software heeft nog een onaangekondigde game op stapel. 00:28:13 Assassin's Creed live-action serie. 00:31:18 BULLETTÎME: Wuchang Fallen Feathers00:37:45 Sucker Punch & Infamous. 00:41:31 Mortal Kombat 2 movie trailer.00:44:39 PlayStation store wordt overspoeld met AI gegenereerde games 00:50:02 Logo ontwerpen voor PlayStation.00:53:40 From Software meets Final Fantasy. 00:54:35 Cyberpunk 2077 komt met update 2.3.00:57:36 Leuke cijfers voor stat-freaks zoals JJ.00:59:08 PlayStation reclame in Japan. 01:00:03 Tekken voor senioren 01:02:32 ‘Jasper doet Tamriel' pt. 301:10:51 Cool of Serious Uncool?

Al talks about Tamagotchi Plaza to Kevin Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:02:34: What Have We Been Up To 00:21:32: I Know What You Released Last Month 00:23:38: Game News 00:42:07: See How Many Of The Top 10 Steam Games Kevin Can Guess 00:52:10: Tamagotchi Plaza 01:12:25: Outro Links Gaucho and the Grassland Release Wandering Village 1.0 Release Cottonville Release Tiny Garden “Summer Breeze Content Update + Cosmetic Pack” Disney Dreamlight Valley “The Storybook Vale - Part 2: The Unwritten Realm Update” Len's Island Post 1.0 Roadmap Stardew Valley Top rated game on Steam Contact Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Al: Hello, farmers, and welcome to another episode of The Harvest Season. (0:00:34) Al: My name is Al. (0:00:36) Kev: My name is Kevin. Supposedly. (0:00:37) Al: And we’re here, we’re here, supposedly. (0:00:40) Al: Why? What’s what has happened? (0:00:40) Kev: I don’t know. I’ve just… I mean, I’ve never seen the documentation to back it up. (0:00:46) Kev: I’m just saying. (0:00:46) Al: You’ve never seen your birth certificate. (0:00:47) Kev: Birth certificate? No, I don’t… I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen it now. (0:00:51) Kev: If… Yeah, I mean, I probably had to dust it out for something. (0:00:52) Al: Wow, have you seen your driving license or your passport? (0:00:56) Kev: Oh, yeah, you know what? Sure. I guess driver license. Yeah, all right. (0:01:01) Al: Is this Kevin, Kevin, is this where we find out that you’re undocumented, Kevin? (0:01:06) Kev: You know, I’d be a surprise to me too. But here’s the fun part is it doesn’t matter anymore. (0:01:13) Al: Well, that’s device very true. (0:01:22) Al: All right, and we’re here today to talk about cartridge code games, because I didn’t get (0:01:23) Kev: Oh, you know, I can keep that gym in. (0:01:33) Kev: and not nothing (0:01:34) Al: through that sentence. (0:01:36) Al: Is that how this episode is going to be? (0:01:38) Kev: That’s supposedly where you’re talkin’ to me (0:01:41) Al: I need a holiday. (0:01:42) Kev: Well, well, you’re close to one, aren’t you? (0:01:44) Al: Good news! (0:01:46) Al: All right, this episode, we’re going to talk for a very short period of time, (0:01:51) Al: and you’ll understand why later. We’re going to talk about Time of Got You Plaza. (0:01:57) Al: Spoiler alert, don’t play this game. Before that, we’ve got some news. We have what we’ve been up to. (0:02:07) Al: But first of all, wait, do I normally do that in that order? I know what you released the (0:02:11) Al: the last months before what we’ve been up to. (0:02:11) Kev: Isn’t it normally what we’ve been up to first usually? Yeah (0:02:14) Al: I think it is, yeah, OK, right. (0:02:16) Al: Yeah, let’s do that. (0:02:17) Al: Ah, why, why? (0:02:18) Al: It was a section and it just it just moved the title, not the whole section. (0:02:19) Kev: I was destroying (0:02:22) Kev: He’s destroying the show live on on air (0:02:23) Al: Stupid thing. (0:02:25) Al: I’d love to destroy some show notes. (0:02:28) Al: So we’ve got before that, we’ve got some news. (0:02:30) Al: We’ve got I know what you released last month. (0:02:33) Al: But first of all, Kevin, what have you been up to? (0:02:36) Kev: Um, let me think here, um, not yeah, I (0:02:42) Kev: Okay, so a lot of the usuals. Um, a little busy this week. Um, uh (0:02:48) Al: running away from ice agents. Sorry. I really should not joke about that because the ice will (0:02:50) Kev: Yeah, oh no, yeah, yeah that is a genuine concern every day (0:02:57) Al: hear it and they’ll come for you. We can clip it for the slack. (0:02:58) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah (0:03:03) Kev: The joys of being (0:03:05) Kev: Yeah, the joys of… (0:03:06) Kev: being a brown skinned boy in America right now. (0:03:13) Kev: There’s an ex… (0:03:15) Kev: So… (0:03:17) Kev: It feels like a lot of these ice raids are in the workplace, right? (0:03:21) Kev: And so, mine just feels extra, like, odd because I work for a Chinese company, Technica… (0:03:28) Al: Oh no. Oh no. (0:03:28) Kev: Well… (0:03:29) Kev: I mean, they are… (0:03:31) Kev: They have a… (0:03:33) Kev: Incorporation… (0:03:34) Kev: They are incorporated here in America, right? (0:03:36) Al: Yeah, yeah, yeah. (0:03:37) Kev: They are in separate American companies. (0:03:39) Kev: But, you know, the HQ is in China, so… (0:03:41) Al: And let’s not let’s not pretend like technically an American company would stop any rabid anti-Chinese (0:03:41) Kev: You know, there’s a… (0:03:48) Al: people in America doing anything, you know? (0:03:48) Kev: Oh, yeah! (0:03:49) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. (0:03:51) Kev: For sure, I’m just saying, like, there’s… (0:03:53) Kev: There’s a few layers, extra fun layers to this equation. (0:03:54) Al: Yeah. (0:03:57) Al: As always, they’re not going to come for you in that case, because they’re only coming (0:04:00) Kev: Yeah. (0:04:03) Al: for the manual laborers, right, because they’re the only ones that– (0:04:06) Al: be illegal, obviously. That’s true. That’s true. Oh, goodness. (0:04:08) Kev: They’ll run out eventually. We’re still in year one. (0:04:14) Kev: I live in Georgia. I mean, I’m in the blue area of Georgia, but it’s still Georgia. (0:04:19) Kev: Southern. (0:04:21) Kev: Oh, good. (0:04:21) Al: Oh, a happy, happy podcast. (0:04:25) Al: What have you been up to, Kevin? (0:04:28) Kev: Well, while I’m not sweating my legal status, even though I was born here, (0:04:34) Kev: Um, I’ve been, I’ve been playing. (0:04:36) Al: I mean, who knows whether that counts or not anymore? (0:04:38) Kev: Uh, according to some people in certain positions, I’ve been, uh, I’ve been playing card games, uh, a lot of card games in the past week. (0:04:50) Kev: Like, yeah, a lot of the usual stuff, but, um, Marvel snap. (0:04:54) Kev: We got the, the fantastic Ford season, um, the, the like, uh, based off the new movie, um, that’s coming up. (0:04:58) Al: Ah, yes. Is that July then? Cool. Any good cards? (0:05:02) Kev: Yeah. (0:05:03) Kev: Yeah. (0:05:03) Kev: That’s the July season. (0:05:05) Kev: And okay, there’s two (0:05:08) Kev: Okay, so (0:05:10) Kev: Yes. Okay. First of all, the season pass card is is mr. Fantastic, but the Pedro Pascal version (0:05:17) Kev: so one you get the bonus of Pedro Pascal at first I was I was (0:05:22) Kev: Hesitant about Pedro as mr. Fantastic. I don’t get me wrong. I love Pedro (0:05:26) Al: Yeah, you were being racist about him, yeah. (0:05:28) Kev: Yeah, but but just mr. Fantastic so like the whitest white boy you’ve ever seen right and now I’ve been I’ve been I’ve warmed up (0:05:36) Kev: to it. In fact, I’m down. (0:05:38) Kev: For the revision, let’s let’s just retroactively put Pedro Pascale in all the Mr. Fantastic (0:05:43) Kev: appearances. That’s what I’m down for. The cards pretty dang good. Marvel Snap is reaching (0:05:53) Kev: to play. It feels like it’s reaching to play. So there’s just it’s just going bananas, like (0:05:58) Kev: the power levels going up, which, you know, in most card games, that’s what you have to (0:06:02) Kev: do because you have to keep releasing new cards that people want to buy. But the other (0:06:08) Kev: Interesting tidbit, okay, I can’t remember when they introduced it or (0:06:12) Kev: if it’s always been there. (0:06:15) Kev: So you know that there’s a season pass in Marvel Snap, it’s the big thing. (0:06:18) Al: Yep. I am aware. (0:06:20) Kev: There’s the premium season pass, that’s where you actually pay the money and (0:06:25) Kev: you get the card, right? (0:06:26) Al: Yeah. Yeah, that just unlocks 10 extra levels, right? (0:06:26) Kev: Because the season pass, every player gets it, but (0:06:29) Kev: you don’t get half of it until you pay the $10 or whatever. (0:06:32) Kev: All right, do you remember there is a super premium? (0:06:38) Kev: That’s what it was originally. (0:06:38) Al: Yes, you’re going to tell me it’s now different. (0:06:40) Kev: So X number of months ago, they said, okay, now if you get the super premium, (0:06:46) Kev: you will get this variant, right? (0:06:49) Kev: And for people familiar in Snap, variants are a big thing because they’re your (0:06:52) Kev: flare, I guess technically it can unlock a card for you if you don’t have it. (0:06:58) Kev: But it’s nice, it’s not mandatory. (0:07:02) Kev: It’s an existing card or whatever, but it’s just a little extra icing on top, right? (0:07:08) Kev: And so I was like, okay, sure, that makes sense. (0:07:09) Kev: A nice little extra bonus if you get the super premium. (0:07:12) Kev: I never got the super premium because I didn’t want to pay $20 for that. (0:07:18) Kev: But now they have finally, they’ve pushed the button, (0:07:24) Kev: they’ve crossed the line, they broke the glass. (0:07:27) Kev: There is a brand new card in the super premium version. (0:07:30) Al: Oh no. No disaster. (0:07:32) Kev: Yep, and the optics aren’t great because I don’t. (0:07:38) Kev: No, if you remember a couple of weeks ago, I talked about there was a mode where they (0:07:41) Kev: introduced a new card, but it was basically impossible to get the card just playing for free. (0:07:46) Al: Yeah, you had to have like 500 matches or something. (0:07:49) Kev: Yeah, something like that. (0:07:51) Kev: Yeah, so people were already up in arms about that. (0:07:54) Kev: And that was about a month ago or so. (0:07:57) Kev: So now they’ve got this, so it’s just very clear that the devs or the higher ups, whoever, (0:08:04) Kev: There’s pressure being put on the game to make it (0:08:07) Al: » Yep. I don’t know any other games like that, but yep. (0:08:08) Kev: more pay to win, right? (0:08:10) Kev: I mean… (0:08:12) Kev: Yeah… (0:08:14) Kev: Yeah, I know. (0:08:16) Kev: Completely novel idea. (0:08:18) Kev: But yeah, they’ve done that finally. (0:08:22) Kev: And the worst part is it’s a pretty decent card. (0:08:24) Kev: So… (0:08:26) Kev: The Fantastic Four, all the new versions that will come out. (0:08:30) Kev: A lot of them revolve around this… (0:08:32) Kev: It’s a mechanic that’s existed since the start of the game, (0:08:36) Kev: They, they kind of labeled it. (0:08:38) Kev: End of turn. (0:08:39) Kev: Um, it’s just an ability that activates at the end of turn. (0:08:43) Kev: Um, for like, right. (0:08:44) Kev: So like Mr. (0:08:45) Kev: Fantastic, he gives like a card in your hand, like a plus one power or something. (0:08:49) Kev: End of turn. (0:08:49) Kev: Right. (0:08:50) Kev: And then some of the other fantastic four members, um, they all have. (0:08:50) Al: That’s different, because that’s not what Mr. Fantastic was before. (0:08:55) Kev: No, right. (0:08:56) Kev: He was an ongoing, he boosted other ones, but yeah, this new version (0:08:58) Al: Yeah. (0:08:59) Kev: just boost cards in your hand. (0:09:01) Kev: Um, I’m trying to remember, but there were cards that had this kind (0:09:04) Kev: of ability at the beginning. (0:09:06) Kev: Um, like sunspot, sunspot. (0:09:08) Kev: One right end of turn he would gain a power right um so (0:09:08) Al: Yes, yep. (0:09:12) Kev: So it’s basically that idea, but they just like okay. We make an official label now (0:09:17) Al: Yeah, because I think they were just like random things it was just like it would say (0:09:21) Kev: Yeah (0:09:22) Al: in the description what it happened because I think the other there was I guess you know (0:09:23) Kev: Right (0:09:26) Al: Red Hulk was another one that would do that it would it would give you it would gain power (0:09:27) Kev: Yeah exactly exactly (0:09:32) Al: based on what you didn’t use I think I can’t remember or the opponent used yeah yeah otherwise (0:09:33) Kev: Or what the opponent like if they didn’t use the other energy yeah (0:09:38) Kev: Yeah, but exactly right there were a handful of cards that did that but they they and this was I don’t know a couple months (0:09:43) Kev: ago they they codified that well this season they’re pushing that like all the think three of the four (0:09:49) Kev: Have or at least three of the four have end of turn abilities and the super premium card (0:09:57) Kev: Is the fantastic car? (0:09:59) Kev: And the fantastic car gives a boost to end of turn cards, so it works in this whole (0:10:06) Kev: Fantastic. (0:10:08) Kev: That’s a decent card and it looks fun and cool, but it’s behind this extra paywall. (0:10:16) Kev: So, that’s got people riled up, unhappy, myself included. (0:10:16) Al: Mm-hmm. Not great (0:10:22) Kev: So, and again, the worst… (0:10:24) Al: Side note… (0:10:26) Kev: I’m sorry. (0:10:27) Al: Side note, there’s… you say it’s the fantastic art. (0:10:30) Al: Have they done non-living beings before? (0:10:34) Kev: Uh, well, I mean not counting robots. Um, no, I don’t think so. Like that’s the first like vehicle sort of thing (0:10:40) Al: Yeah, because they’ve done like, obviously, like, they’ve done like ego and they’ve like, (0:10:41) Kev: No, I think yeah (0:10:45) Al: they’ve done like other celestial beings and stuff like that, but like, (0:10:47) Kev: Yeah, yeah (0:10:49) Al: yeah, and you write robots and stuff, but I don’t like, (0:10:51) Kev: Don’t sentient beings (0:10:52) Al: the fantastic car doesn’t even like, pretend to be sentient. (0:10:56) Kev: No, no, it is just a car right it’s just a vehicle (0:10:58) Al: Yeah, it’s literally a car. (0:10:59) Kev: Yeah, that one that flies but still (0:11:02) Al: They’re running out of people already, is that the problem? (0:11:03) Kev: Yeah, no (0:11:05) Kev: I (0:11:07) Kev: Don’t think they’re running out because Marvel has a lot of dumb characters, but you know the the ones people get excited about maybe they’re (0:11:17) Kev: They’ve been going a little fast (0:11:20) Kev: They did actually a while back they introduced a new card called skills (0:11:26) Kev: Which are not not characters. They’re just like so (0:11:30) Kev: The a lot of the dr. Strange spells were called (0:11:34) Kev: skills they introduce some magician type characters who generated skills in your in and (0:11:41) Kev: Skills they when you play them, they just disappear they they have a cost they they play them they have an ability and they disappear (0:11:47) Al: Yeah. (0:11:49) Kev: So they don’t stay and generate power on your board or whatever (0:11:53) Kev: And so they introduced that so that that was kind of like their first really like okay, we’re introducing some new cards that aren’t just characters (0:12:01) Kev: But yes the fantastic cars for it as I can tell (0:12:04) Kev: It’s like the first one that’s like a piece of equipment or or vehicle or whatever (0:12:05) Al: I, I just remembered, I just remembered Thanos gives you the Infinity Stones. (0:12:09) Kev: Yeah, oh (0:12:11) Kev: Yeah, there you go. Yeah, I forgot about that. Yeah, that’s just true those aren’t characters. Yeah (0:12:14) Al: It was not the first, and I don’t need people telling me, “Oh, technically the (0:12:18) Al: Infinity Stones have a consciousness.” (0:12:25) Kev: But yeah (0:12:27) Kev: So it’s it’s a wild time and the worst part is Marvel snap is still in my opinion good like the game is good though (0:12:34) Kev: Cakes are still solid (0:12:36) Kev: It’s grown so much that you can kind of play whatever you deck want you want now (0:12:42) Kev: I’ve said that a handful times and still true, right? (0:12:44) Kev: But I said that because there there were errors of snap where we’re they were dominated by certain archetype or a certain card or whatever (0:12:44) Al: Mm-hmm Oh (0:12:49) Al: Yeah, yeah, yeah (0:12:52) Kev: Right, we don’t see that as much now. There are no real problem (0:12:57) Kev: children (0:12:59) Kev: But but maybe because of that I don’t know but they’re (0:13:04) Kev: They’re pushing harder for the pay to win like give us money (0:13:08) Kev: So that kind of sucks especially because again, I like the game. It’s still enjoyable in my opinion (0:13:13) Kev: The games are still six turns. They’re fast. They’re there because he can play lots of different types and and and archetypes and it’s fun (0:13:23) Kev: But so yeah, I will keep playing until like I don’t know what we’ll see i’m the frog in the boiling pot and all that (0:13:29) Kev: we’ll see (0:13:32) Kev: But other than that, the other… (0:13:34) Kev: A big card game I’ve been playing. (0:13:42) Kev: Marvel Rivals Season 3. I need to do that in grey. (0:13:45) Kev: I don’t know if you saw it, but… (0:13:47) Kev: Sorry, it’s just so I thought. (0:13:49) Kev: I’ll report on that when I do play it. (0:13:53) Kev: Magic the Gathering. (0:13:56) Kev: I’m still playing the Arena, the online version. (0:13:59) Kev: And Final Fantasy sets still going strong and all that. (0:14:02) Kev: I tried drafting for the first time. (0:14:04) Kev: Online, but it’s still drafting. (0:14:07) Al: Is that is that a built in feature of Arena? (0:14:34) Kev: If you pick a card you want out of your pack and then you pass the cards to the next person and you know (0:14:40) Kev: Everyone kind of swaps packs and everyone keeps selecting out of these different packs until you have a pile of your own cards from all (0:14:47) Kev: These different packs (0:14:49) Kev: and (0:14:50) Kev: So it was always a novel idea. I never tried it before but I know something very weird about like, okay (0:14:55) Kev: I have this pack. I don’t want to share the cards. Why am I giving you my cards, but (0:15:01) Kev: But it works out because after you know the (0:15:04) Kev: packs are going around and rotated and all that like you have a deck that you (0:15:10) Kev: know there’s X number of packs and from that you’ve actually built the deck that (0:15:14) Kev: kind of sort of works if you know what you’re doing right and everyone’s kind of (0:15:18) Kev: on the same playing field because everyone’s opening all these new packs (0:15:21) Kev: nobody has any you know bringing in any existing cards or whatever so it’s kind (0:15:27) Kev: of a levelish playing field um bit of luck in there of course depending on (0:15:31) Kev: what you open or whatnot. (0:15:34) Kev: it’s a fun novel idea. And so on Arena, the version I play, the actual drafting part (0:15:43) Kev: is done with bots. You don’t actually do it with the other players. So that’s nice because (0:15:48) Kev: you don’t have to, you know, there’s not a timer or anything, you know, you’re just like, (0:15:52) Kev: okay, here, I think about it, pick what I want. Or if you know, if you need to go step away, (0:15:57) Kev: go to the bathroom, whatever you can, right, there’s no pressure to actually finish the draft (0:16:01) Kev: in X number of minutes or whatever. (0:16:05) Kev: But then when you build your deck, then you go, uh, you play against actual other players who’ve done the similar, um, drafting process. (0:16:12) Kev: Um, so, um, it, yeah, it’s an awful experience. (0:16:16) Kev: I think it’s fun actually. (0:16:18) Kev: Like I get it now with the appeal of the drafting. (0:16:20) Kev: Um, and, uh, but yeah, it’s, it’s good. (0:16:24) Kev: Final, the Final Fantasy cards was so good. (0:16:25) Kev: I, I, I’m angry at how good they are. (0:16:29) Kev: Um, the two, um, but I, at the very least I stayed clean. (0:16:34) Kev: I haven’t any money into magic for in a hot minute. (0:16:38) Kev: Um, and at least not any for anything for Final Fantasy. (0:16:42) Kev: So I feel good pounding myself on the back for that. (0:16:44) Kev: I’ve stayed strong. (0:16:45) Kev: Um, but yeah, other than that, um, nothing, nothing else. (0:16:50) Kev: I can’t, man. (0:16:51) Kev: Oh man. (0:16:51) Kev: Have you seen the master’s costume, Pokemon masters, the costumes lately? (0:16:56) Al: I’ve seen some of it. (0:16:58) Al: I’ve not really kind of been paying too much attention. (0:16:58) Kev: Did you see the, did you see the, the Larry, the vacation layer? (0:17:04) Kev: Oh, okay. (0:17:04) Kev: Hold on. (0:17:05) Kev: All right. (0:17:05) Kev: I’m going to make the usual slack exclusive thread. (0:17:08) Kev: Um, um, but yeah, it’s a, uh, uh, they gave Larry a, a, uh, Hawaiian, like a (0:17:18) Kev: lowland themed, um, uh, vacation suit and masters. (0:17:23) Kev: It’s very funny. (0:17:24) Kev: Um, uh, they also got summer Cynthia. (0:17:28) Kev: So she’s, I believe five or six variants of Cynthia now, because guess what? (0:17:34) Kev: Popular. (0:17:34) Kev: Did you know that Al? (0:17:35) Kev: Did you know she’s popular? (0:17:36) Al: Hm hm hm, whaaat? (0:17:37) Kev: Um, um, Skyla got a fun suit with jump off. (0:17:43) Kev: Um, yeah, masters is good. (0:17:45) Kev: The big, I haven’t dropped money on it in a while, but I, I want those costumes. (0:17:51) Kev: So yeah, I can say. (0:17:52) Kev: So that’s me all gotcha, all, all gambling, all card games. (0:17:56) Kev: What about you? (0:17:56) Kev: Al, what gotcha and gambling have you been up to lately? (0:18:00) Al: Oh, just my usual Pokemon, right? (0:18:02) Al: Although I’ve not put any money in since Go Fest. (0:18:03) Kev: Yeah. (0:18:05) Kev: I heard about that, that last episode, you got your training. (0:18:06) Al: So, yeah. (0:18:08) Kev: Gimme, gimme, gimme gold in the, in the, in the Dakota, get her weren’t yet. (0:18:13) Kev: I’m, I need to know, is she free? (0:18:16) Kev: I need to know. (0:18:19) Al: think so. I don’t think so. No, what have I actually been playing? Let’s see. I’ve been (0:18:20) Kev: Yeah. (0:18:26) Al: playing Tamagotchi Plaza and when I say playing, I played about half an hour and then searched (0:18:31) Al: online to make sure I wasn’t missing anything before I sold the game. More about that later (0:18:36) Kev: Wow, that’s fast. (0:18:37) Al: on in the episode, but that’s your, yeah it is. I have never, I’ve never stopped playing a game (0:18:46) Al: that fast and not been like, “Ugh!” (0:18:49) Al: This just isn’t for me, and instead being like, “This is just a bad game.” (0:18:52) Kev: Oh I’m excited, I’m excited to hear about this later. (0:19:00) Al: And I’ve also been playing some Land’s Island, slowly, obviously, because if you’ve listened (0:19:06) Al: to the previous episode, listener, you will know that I am not playing on my Steam Deck, (0:19:11) Al: which is how I normally play games, Steam Deck or Switch 2, while watching TV with my wife. (0:19:19) Al: So I’ve got to play it at my desk, and I don’t like doing that, right? Who wants to be sitting at (0:19:24) Al: your office desk playing games? So I’ve just been doing it for a couple of hours a week, (0:19:26) Kev: Alright. I get it. It’s undecided, but maybe. But hey, I mean, good for them, right? Yeah, (0:19:31) Al: but I have been enjoying that, I think. I think I’m enjoying Land’s Island, I think it’s a fun game. (0:19:42) Al: Yeah, I mean, I’m still annoyed about the controller support, but other than that, (0:19:47) Al: I think I’m enjoying it. (0:19:48) Kev: yeah. Yeah, that, that, I mean, that’s, that’s very fair. I’m with you on that boat. I want (0:19:53) Kev: controllers for my games, by and large. (0:19:56) Kev: I did not grow up a PC gamer so, um, you know, obviously I can do, you know, point (0:20:02) Kev: and click or management type games. (0:20:04) Kev: There’s no problem on the mouse, but like the people who do shooters and stuff like (0:20:07) Kev: that on the, the, on the mouse and keyboard, I don’t get it. (0:20:11) Kev: I can’t, I can’t, it’s, it’s beyond my poor comprehension. (0:20:17) Kev: But hey, good for lens Island. (0:20:18) Kev: Like that was a journey, but they got there. (0:20:21) Kev: Um, they, they, yeah. (0:20:23) Al: something like that. They got somewhere anyway. All right, I think that’s it. I’m just kind (0:20:27) Kev: They did stuff, they improved, they improved to some measure, I’m told. (0:20:37) Al: of waiting for Donkey Kong, to be honest. (0:20:38) Kev: Yeah, yeah, I don’t blame you. It’s like that game looks very good and shocker and yeah, yeah, I (0:20:44) Al: Yeah. Soon. (0:20:48) Kev: Wish he had more transformations. That’s it’s like the big thing. We’ve only seen three. Maybe there’s more (0:20:52) Al: Well, there might be more like surely they would have shown (0:20:55) Kev: Yeah, well the question is (0:20:58) Kev: Like what’s a good number right like because you know, obviously (0:21:02) Al: Yeah, like ten would be too many probably like that feels over (0:21:06) Kev: Yeah, right (0:21:09) Kev: And there’s probably gonna be some super transformation for the final fight because that feels like a thing this they would do (0:21:13) Al: Of course, of course. (0:21:16) Kev: But like normally I’d say I know five is a good number not counting anything finale spectacle transformation (0:21:23) Al: Well, let’s see what happens, but I’d be surprised if they’ve shown us everything. (0:21:28) Al: Let’s put it that way. We’ll see, but we will see. (0:21:32) Al: All right, well, let’s get into I Know What You Released last month. (0:21:37) Al: A quiet month, apparently, June was. I don’t know how I missed this out of the episode from (0:21:42) Al: two weeks ago, which is when I was meant to do it, but apparently I did. (0:21:46) Al: Just three games released. We got Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma. (0:21:52) Al: I haven’t played that. (0:21:53) Al: We’ve got Lenz Island 1.0. (0:21:55) Al: Obviously I’ve played that. (0:21:56) Al: And we’ve got Tamagotchi Plaza. (0:21:58) Al: Please do not play that. (0:22:00) Kev: I’ve played none of these games one day. I’ll play a room factory game. I would like to I (0:22:08) Al: Yeah, I feel like I could- (0:22:08) Kev: Mean (0:22:10) Kev: Yeah, I mean it’s it’s story of seasons, but more anime juice up the anime they said (0:22:16) Al: It’s much, I would say it’s much more like, it’s a combat game that just happens to have (0:22:21) Al: farming in it, rather than, especially now, I think you could probably argue in the four (0:22:22) Kev: sure okay sure yeah yeah sure and you know what that makes sense like you’re (0:22:27) Al: and before days, that it was Harvest Moon with, with combat, but now I think it’s definitely (0:22:34) Al: focused the other way around. (0:22:39) Kev: gonna do two series differentiate sure why not long as they have the cow all as (0:22:42) Al: Yeah, yeah, different cow, but yeah, all right. (0:22:45) Kev: well (0:22:49) Kev: Wait, it’s a different they don’t use the story of Caesar’s cow (0:22:50) Al: Well, I don’t think so. (0:22:53) Kev: Oh, no, never mind. It’s all it’s almost don’t care (0:22:58) Al: Yeah, because they don’t have standard animals in Unfactory. (0:23:00) Al: They have like other animals. (0:23:01) Al: So it’s kind of like a lion cow, but you will love the name. (0:23:04) Kev: Oh, huh, I’ll check it out. Okay, I’ll see a (0:23:08) Al: It’s called a buff-a-moo. (0:23:11) Kev: buffer (0:23:13) Kev: Let’s see. So like a buffalo but a buffer. Okay. Oh (0:23:19) Kev: Okay, that’s oh wait no that is a while (0:23:23) Kev: Mmm the design is kind of cute, but it also makes me think of the the girl dog from from (0:23:30) Kev: Full metal alchemist. I don’t like that (0:23:32) Al: Well, there you go. (0:23:38) Al: All right, we’re going to get into some news and we are going to start off with Kevin’s (0:23:38) Kev: Okay, that’s that’s an interesting camera (0:23:44) Al: favorite news. (0:23:45) Al: Gaucho and the Grassland have announced that they’re releasing on the 16th of July. (0:23:51) Al: You may notice, Kevin, that is basically now. (0:23:54) Al: When this episode comes out, it will be out. (0:23:55) Kev: that is when this episode comes out I will be playing this game probably i’m assuming it has (0:23:59) Al: Yeah. (0:24:01) Kev: controller support that’s that’s the the uh kind of the line in the sand for me great well yeah (0:24:04) Al: It says it has feel controller support, but I don’t know whether I can trust that or not. (0:24:12) Kev: you know that’s a good point too but um yeah I don’t know what can I say it’s still the same like (0:24:19) Kev: every trailer just continues to deliver the same promise you are being a cowboy that’s it (0:24:25) Kev: it and I like it’s a fun yeah yeah the the the the art style is cute kind of that overcooked (0:24:26) Al: Kevin was sold the moment he saw the first thing about being a cowboy, he was like “I’m sold, (0:24:30) Al: I don’t need to know anymore!” (0:24:37) Kev: the looking art style um but yeah I get you get to yeah and I can see that you you get to lasso (0:24:40) Al: It’s doing a little bit of the Animal Crossing curved world as well. (0:24:47) Kev: cows like that you know they knew that’s the activity you want to do you throw you have your (0:24:51) Kev: Europe, you’re the last of the count, so they… (0:24:55) Kev: I’m sold. (0:24:56) Al: Yeah. I need to know how it feels. Right. Because the controls for that, it could either be interesting or just horrific and terrible to play. So it’ll be interesting to see how that goes. (0:25:08) Kev: uh you’re right and it’s gonna be a very delicate like thing to get right so we’ll we’ll see um (0:25:17) Kev: tune in because I promise you you will find out on this show thoughts on about this game (0:25:20) Al: It does have a demo. (0:25:23) Kev: one form or another it does I won’t play it i’m just going in blind i’m going all in (0:25:30) Al: Next, we have Wandering Village. They have announced that they’re exiting Early Access. (0:25:38) Al: They’re releasing their 1.0 this week on the 17th of July, one day after Gaut you on the (0:25:44) Kev: That’s right after. I only have one day if I want to play Cowboy if I want to do this. I will not do that. (0:25:45) Al: grassland. (0:25:53) Al: And that is going to Steam Switch, Xbox and PlayStation all on the same page. (0:25:57) Kev: What a wild trailer because you have your huge dinosaur with the village or whatever on top (0:26:02) Kev: in the trailer. Oh okay, I didn’t know that. The art style is interesting because it’s 3D but like (0:26:03) Al: on onboo, I believe his name is. (0:26:11) Kev: 2d characters and and like (0:26:14) Kev: It’s not octopath like (0:26:16) Kev: It’s a full like CG 3d looking world, but the characters look like flat paper. It’s it’s it’s very interesting (0:26:25) Kev: Dynamic the thing is bad. Just interesting. But yeah is you have that and then you have people with like (0:26:32) Kev: Bane masks and then people (0:26:36) Kev: Burning the whole village (0:26:38) Kev: Forest for some reason. I don’t know. There’s a lot going on here. It is fascinating (0:26:44) Kev: And coming out on all consoles and everything that’s good good for them. That’s that’s impressive (0:26:49) Al: Yep, continuing this week’s releases, (0:26:54) Al: we have Cottonville is releasing on the 17th of July. (0:26:58) Kev: They’re just making up for last month by everything out one week as they stay. (0:27:03) Al: Everything on the same day. (0:27:06) Al: This was originally a Kickstarter, but apparently the Kickstarter was banned. (0:27:12) Al: And so now it’s just, yeah, so goodness sake. (0:27:12) Kev: B-band? (0:27:16) Al: Let me let me read what it was. (0:27:19) Al: There’s a statement on it. Here we go. (0:27:21) Al: This was back in the 15th. (0:27:21) Kev: Oh goodness. (0:27:23) Al: Dear Community, it says titled Kickstarter Update. (0:27:29) Al: Dear Community, firstly, we would like to sincerely thank you for your incredible (0:27:33) Al: support and participation in our first Kickstarter campaign. (0:27:36) Al: It genuinely means the world to us. (0:27:38) Al: Unfortunately, due to an oversight on our part, our Kickstarter campaign was (0:27:43) Al: suspended for unintentionally breaching Kickstarter’s guidelines. (0:27:47) Al: As a result, all contributions have been fully remembered. (0:27:49) Al: We are very grateful for the support gathered and to out show appreciation to all our backers (0:28:14) Al: and we are working on the very best solution to how to reward your contributions. (0:28:20) Al: Thank you again for your amazing support and interest in Cottonville. It truly means so (0:28:22) Al: much to us. While this was our first experience with Kickstarter and it did not go as planned, (0:28:27) Al: we’ve learned a lot. We’re looking forward to future campaigns now armed with valuable. (0:28:34) Kev: that didn’t answer my question. Why? Were crimes committed at any point? Maybe. Unintentional (0:28:40) Al: So I wonder, so it looks like what they did was they cancelled the Kickstarter and created (0:28:43) Kev: crimes? (0:28:52) Al: a new Kickstarter, and I’m wondering whether that’s the rule they broke, like you can’t (0:28:58) Al: recreate a Kickstarter or something like that. (0:29:00) Kev: Mm-hmm. I can see that that makes sense (0:29:03) Kev: Yeah, I’m big. Why well, why would they do that in the first place? I don’t know (0:29:08) Al: Don’t know, is this game a scam? I don’t know. (0:29:10) Kev: big (0:29:14) Kev: That I mean there’s the other fact that they are making the game without Kickstarter anymore (0:29:20) Kev: That’s the I did these are very weird flags. I don’t know. They’re red flags. They’re just weird flags (0:29:29) Al: » They are definitely flags. (0:29:31) Kev: Yeah, and the wildest part is it’s for this game that (0:29:38) Kev: Like isn’t for me. It feels very Facebook (0:29:42) Al: Oh, yeah, I hate the look of the game into it. (0:29:42) Kev: like gamey (0:29:45) Al: So it’s from it’s from the publisher Red Deer Games who have done such games (0:29:51) Al: such as Sprout Valley, Garden Buddies. (0:29:54) Kev: Monocats, I don’t know any of you wait no in a Sprout Valley (0:29:56) Al: And a bunch of other things that all definitely look like scam games. (0:30:01) Kev: And is this money laundering very possibly you (0:30:05) Al: I mean, Sprout Valley was a game and it was a fine game. (0:30:10) Al: Garden Buddies, I’m pretty sure we didn’t. (0:30:12) Al: It’s a publisher, not a developer, right? (0:30:16) Kev: yeah look i’m the game dev people oh it’s a public oh the publisher sure well okay exactly (0:30:23) Kev: well exactly the more reason to believe it may be money laundering the devs are maybe legit and (0:30:28) Al: Although, well, so this is where it gets interesting, is Cottonville is developed by the publisher. (0:30:39) Al: I think it’s their first game that they’re developing, rather than publishing. (0:30:40) Kev: you’re right it is you’re right um well that’s um (0:30:49) Kev: this is very strange and again if it were like a game that you know looked better you know that (0:30:58) Kev: being that might be one thing but it looks so I don’t know it just it just feels very weird (0:31:08) Al: it does. It is very weird. It does have a demo. Will I play the demo? Who knows? We’ll see. (0:31:08) Kev: the way the characters are always looking at you. (0:31:10) Kev: Straight up the camera, I don’t like it. (0:31:22) Al: Will I buy the game? Probably not, but I guess it depends how the demo goes, I guess. It’s (0:31:24) Kev: I also probably own that. (0:31:29) Al: just, yeah, those animations are so weird. [sighs] (0:31:32) Kev: Yeah (0:31:33) Kev: it (0:31:35) Kev: Comes out same day as wandering village, which noticeably feels much less possibly a scam (0:31:42) Al: Well, that game’s already out, it’s just not out in 1.0. (0:31:46) Al: All right, rounding out this week’s releases, (0:31:52) Al: Tiny Garden have announced their Summer Breeze content update (0:31:57) Al: and cosmetic pack are releasing on the 17th of July. (0:32:02) Kev: It’s our I don’t know. I gotta think of a barbenheimer equivalent cotton (0:32:07) Kev: wandering garden, I don’t know (0:32:10) Al: Best bet is, I think it’s the same week as Barbara Naimer happened. (0:32:13) Kev: Really that’s incredible (0:32:13) Al: Yeah, because it was definitely July and I think it was this week. (0:32:18) Kev: Yeah, my favorite thing about barbenheimer like I mean both movies are fine or whatever but people kind of under their breath were like (0:32:23) Al: Two years ago. (0:32:25) Kev: But barbie was a little bit better though (0:32:27) Al: Oh, it absolutely was, yeah, I enjoyed Oppenheimer, but it was it was not as good a film. (0:32:29) Kev: Yeah (0:32:36) Al: But I look, I’m not saying it’s a bad film, but I mean, Barbara. (0:32:43) Al: It was my film of the year that year. (0:32:44) Kev: I mean, the two lead roles kind of killed it in every aspect. (0:32:52) Al: Yeah, yeah, 21st of July, it was I was right, it’s the same week. (0:33:00) Al: So this would be Gaucho Wandering Cotton Garden. (0:33:07) Kev: yep there you go glad we found our episode title (0:33:07) Al: Oh, OK, fine. (0:33:11) Al: Yeah, new content pack DLC for Tiny Garden. (0:33:18) Al: If you’re enjoying that game, it was such a cheap game. (0:33:21) Al: I suspect this will be paid. (0:33:22) Al: It’s DLC. It does look like it’s paid DLC, so I mean, go support it. It’s good. (0:33:29) Kev: - Yeah, there you go. (0:33:31) Kev: That’s a cute idea of like, it’s all cosmetics. (0:33:36) Kev: Whole game is cosmetics, right? (0:33:38) Kev: So like introducing these packs, that’s a good idea. (0:33:42) Kev: And it’s like there’s some, (0:33:44) Kev: like you can grow palm trees and wait, (0:33:47) Kev: no, there’s new mechanics. (0:33:48) Kev: Hold on, they’re saying new mechanics. (0:33:48) Al: So I think so if I if I understand it correctly, the new plants and new mechanics are a free (0:33:49) Kev: Oh, oh music. (0:33:55) Al: update and the cosmetics are the DLC. (0:33:58) Kev: Uh, okay, that makes sense as it should be good for them (0:34:02) Al: That is the correct way to do things, yes, I agree. (0:34:04) Kev: Pokemon (0:34:10) Kev: But good for them good for you tiny garden you little garden that (0:34:15) Al: We also have an update for Disney Dreamlight Valley. (0:34:19) Al: I feel like these are coming out all the time and also I care about them less and less. (0:34:22) Kev: I mean it’s yeah yeah that’s that’s good that’s called diminishing returns and (0:34:30) Kev: and that’s what happens when you have Disney with a bajillion IPs and (0:34:36) Kev: whatever and and the worst part is like I don’t know I most of these don’t feel (0:34:43) Kev: like big story expansion I mean a lot of them are but I don’t know just I look at (0:34:50) Kev: other games like look at the mojo (0:34:52) Kev: games right when the new contents there’s big story chapters and stuff to (0:34:57) Kev: do these I don’t know maybe it’s all because it’s existing IPs like I don’t (0:35:05) Kev: know it just doesn’t have the same hype around it maybe it’s because it’s too (0:35:11) Kev: saccharine they can’t they can’t go crazy they can’t have the chapter where (0:35:16) Kev: or Scar eats Remy from Ratatouille. (0:35:20) Al: I, yeah, I wonder if, because obviously they’ve done this thing where the DLCs have been split up, (0:35:25) Al: so this update is called the storybook veil part two, the unwritten realm update. (0:35:32) Kev: Okay. Okay, one name. (0:35:38) Al: And I kind of feel like maybe it would be better if they just did all the DLC (0:35:42) Al: for the storybook veil at once, right? Because we talked about this before, where I don’t think I’d be (0:35:50) Al: booting up Stardew every two months if there was a new update, but the way that he bundles it all (0:35:54) Kev: Mm-hmm (0:35:56) Al: together in an update every two years or three years or whatever, means that I’m super excited, (0:36:01) Al: because it’s like, oh, it has been years since I’ve probably played the game, let’s go in, (0:36:05) Al: we’ve got loads of new content, I’m really excited for that. Whereas this is just constant, here’s (0:36:10) Al: new update. And I suspect they’ve probably got numbers to show that this keeps people invested, (0:36:18) Al: Right. Like if we talk about. (0:36:20) Al: I wouldn’t want one big update every two years for that, but I don’t know. (0:36:25) Al: It’s a difficult one, but I don’t even play the game anymore. (0:36:25) Kev: Uh-huh, well I mean, yeah I’ve never played the game so I’m just completely talking without (0:36:30) Al: So who might it complete? (0:36:36) Kev: any frame reference. (0:36:38) Al: What that’s not what we do (0:36:44) Kev: So we say right after declaring cotton fields a scam without having touched it or planning (0:36:48) Al: No, I did not, excuse me, I did not, I would like to clarify, as per my lawyers have just (0:36:49) Kev: to. (0:36:55) Al: told me to do, I, lol, I did not claim that the game was a scam. I asked whether it was (0:37:03) Al: and felt, it said it felt a little scammy. That is all I’m saying. I, yep, that is very (0:37:08) Kev: - Feel of a scam. (0:37:12) Al: different to claiming it is a scam. It feels scammy, it’s not the same thing. (0:37:14) Kev: - True, true. (0:37:16) Kev: Yeah, true. (0:37:18) Al: This one has, so this update, what does this have? The final part of the story for (0:37:26) Al: the storybook veil, which is Maleficent and Hades doing some stuff. (0:37:32) Al: Who’s the new characters? Is that Peter Pan? (0:37:33) Kev: It’s embedded, looks like it. (0:37:37) Al: And who else is with Peter? Is that Aurora? No, not Aurora. What am I talking about? Who is that? (0:37:44) Kev: Trying to see that is (0:37:44) Al: I just saw the colour of dress. (0:37:47) Kev: Wait, who is that? Is that a player character? That might be the player character. I don’t think I recognize (0:37:49) Al: Oh, that’s the player character, that would make sense, right? And a monkey? Who’s the monkey? (0:37:53) Kev: Yeah, I know (0:37:57) Al: I can’t see, this image is so small. (0:37:59) Kev: It is I’m trying to yeah, that’s just a pet monkey (0:38:03) Al: And for some reason, the patch notes don’t mention characters other than Maleficent and Hades. (0:38:09) Al: Like normally they list, I don’t think so. (0:38:09) Kev: Wasn’t Peter Pan already added? Oh (0:38:14) Kev: Okay, I don’t know I don’t know it says yeah there become pals with Peter Pan you’re right yeah, I don’t know that’s just a pet monkey (0:38:18) Al: Oh, here we go. No, I there is Aurora, right? So venture into the pages of a storybook to uncover Aurora in an enchanting dream style, in addition to her regular (0:38:26) Kev: There’s a guy who looks evil with wings. He looks cool. I don’t know what else (0:38:34) Kev: And that dog on Peter Pan (0:38:36) Al: Anyway, whatever. There’s an update. I don’t think you need us to explain. (0:38:42) Kev: There’s Eric’s dog - what’s the best dog in Disney movies we should we should make it ranking (0:38:50) Al: That sounds like a greenhouse episode. All right. (0:38:53) Kev: Best pets for Disney (0:38:56) Al: We have two more news updates. The first is Lens Island have released their post 1.0 roadmap. (0:39:04) Kev: Mm-hmm is the bro map just say take the money and run I’d applaud somebody if they said that (0:39:05) Al: So, first of all. (0:39:06) Al: I mean, they had a Kickstarter that if they were going to take the money and run it would (0:39:15) Al: have been back then. (0:39:16) Al: So they say the rest of July will be post release bug fixing. (0:39:21) Al: In August, there will be a community feedback update. (0:39:22) Kev: Sure (0:39:25) Al: I have community feedback. (0:39:26) Al: Give us proper controller support. (0:39:29) Kev: There’s the the developer livestream you see you can yell at them in real time. Thank you (0:39:34) Al: Also, silly question, is that not the whole point of early access, (0:39:37) Al: is to get community feedback and update it based on that? (0:39:39) Al: Like, why are you waiting until after 1.0 to do that? (0:39:42) Al: Whatever. (0:39:42) Kev: It’s fine, it’s fine (0:39:44) Al: And then in December, they will be releasing a major content update. (0:39:48) Al: No information on that. (0:39:49) Al: Just there will be stuff and more coming in 2026. (0:39:51) Kev: So I was about to say, so the roadmap is we’re going to work on it, maybe. (0:39:53) Al: So it’s a pretty loose. (0:39:58) Al: You know. (0:40:01) Al: Yeah, yeah, yeah. (0:40:03) Al: the update is. (0:40:04) Al: We’re going to bug fix, and then we’re going to add some changes, and then we’re going to (0:40:08) Al: have a new new content. And it says December. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t this year. (0:40:10) Kev: listen to people yeah yep we’ll see I mean but they’re gonna continue to (0:40:23) Kev: support it which I mean every game does now because games or service did you (0:40:28) Kev: know that out (0:40:29) Al: Yes. And let me double check. (0:40:32) Al: But I think this is, let me double check something. (0:40:38) Al: And they do just seem to have. (0:40:40) Al: So I am not aware of another game that they’re working on just now or anything else. (0:40:46) Al: I thought I was aware of one, but no, I think that’s a different company. (0:40:50) Al: So maybe they are just planning on continuing work on Lenz Island. (0:40:55) Al: I I doubt that that is going to be continue to be. (0:40:59) Al: And final piece of news, Kevin Stardew Valley is now the this Stardew Valley is now the (0:41:05) Kev: » Yeah, that’s correct. (0:41:18) Kev: Hmm, yeah, yeah this this one scares me (0:41:27) Al: top-rated game on Steam. (0:41:29) Al: Iso. (0:41:29) Kev: That scares me (0:41:35) Kev: Steam has a lot of games on it. I’ll I (0:41:39) Kev: Know there has to be I know there has to be a number one (0:41:44) Kev: Like but it just feels so surreal that the game that (0:41:49) Kev: Not that we care about per se but that is so close to us because of this podcast like (0:41:55) Kev: That’s the number one. That’s wild to me (0:41:58) Al: So have you don’t click on the don’t click on the link to the top 250. (0:42:03) Al: Have you looked at it at all? (0:42:04) Al: I want to check. (0:42:04) Kev: No, I’m not. (0:42:05) Al: OK, so let’s do a little let’s do a little game. (0:42:08) Al: See how many of the top 10 Kevin can guess. (0:42:11) Kev: Oh, there’s a bajillion games on Steam. (0:42:15) Kev: I don’t know. (0:42:17) Al: Think of games that people like. (0:42:17) Kev: All right. (0:42:18) Kev: OK, OK, Portal 2 is number two because that’s the one that (0:42:21) Al: So, yeah, so we know that we’ve got two already. (0:42:21) Kev: got me dethroned. (0:42:23) Al: We’ve got Stardium and got Portal 2, number one and number two. (0:42:25) Kev: Oh, well, let’s see. (0:42:28) Kev: And here’s part of the question, right? (0:42:30) Kev: How is this calculated, right? (0:42:32) Kev: Because if a game has 5.0 review (0:42:34) Al: Yeah, so I suspect you have to get above a certain amount of, let’s put it this way, (0:42:35) Kev: But only has 100 reviews (0:42:37) Kev: It’s probably not hitting the top (0:42:39) Kev: Even though if it is really good you know (0:42:45) Al: I will give you a clue, every single one of the top 10 has over 100,000 volts. So it’s (0:42:51) Kev: Okay. Sure. (0:42:52) Al: at least some kind of popular game. Nope, that is number 14. (0:42:56) Kev: Sure. Okay. Like, uh, I know Baldur’s gate three is up there. (0:43:01) Kev: No, it’s Baldur’s gate three is really wow. (0:43:04) Al: Yep, number 14 with 8.73. I will say it’s very crowded at the top, right? So 8.73, (0:43:08) Kev: Wow. I, wow. I’m, I’m. (0:43:14) Al: compare that to Stardew at 1, 8.87, right? Like there’s not a lot in it, they’re all very close. (0:43:21) Kev: I’m not gonna get a single guess here (0:43:23) Al: I think you will keep going. I think you will get some wrong, but I think you’ll get some right. (0:43:27) Kev: Okay, see yeah cuz I mean like okay, I’m trying to think oh, this is hard right because a lot of games (0:43:35) Kev: Are really good, but they’re ports right like (0:43:38) Kev: Spider-man is now on Steam if I recall right the spider-man 1/2 are they (0:43:42) Al: Definitely not up there. It was not it was not a very well-received port because it was very bad. (0:43:48) Kev: Yeah, that’s true I forgot about that right (0:43:48) Al: I don’t I can’t even see them in the list. Let’s see where we’ve got Spider-Man. (0:43:51) Kev: Like uh see this is the thing (0:43:53) Al: The first Spider-Man is 140 and Spider-Man 2 is not. (0:43:58) Kev: Great that’s fantastic see this is the thing like I have to think about I don’t think about steam as much as (0:44:07) Al: Would you like some clues? (0:44:09) Al: I can give you some. (0:44:10) Kev: Is one of them Stanley parable (0:44:10) Al: They all. (0:44:12) Al: It is not there. (0:44:14) Kev: God yeah, okay. Yeah, I don’t know this is oh (0:44:17) Al: Let me let me give you a clue. (0:44:19) Al: Let me give you a clue by giving you genres. (0:44:19) Kev: Okay, okay. (0:44:22) Al: So we have what number three, the genre is open world survival craft. (0:44:28) Kev: Oh my goodness. Oh god. Is it power? No! (0:44:32) Al: No, it is not power world. (0:44:33) Kev: I’m kidding. I know it’s not power. (0:44:35) Kev: What is it? (0:44:38) Kev: Did, oh, what is the name? (0:44:40) Al: Our world is 241. (0:44:41) Kev: Is Umamusume pretty derby? Did it skyrocket to the top? (0:44:47) Kev: Do you know what I’m talking about, Al? (0:44:48) Al: I have no idea what you’re talking about. (0:44:52) Kev: Okay, oh man, I’m happy. (0:44:54) Kev: Dale is going to be thrilled. I brought it up on the podcast. Okay. (0:44:57) Al: Right, let’s stick to this. Open world survival craft, think of a game, a very popular game, (0:44:58) Kev: I’m okay. I’ll bring it up. Fine. Fine. That is no, cause that’s not on steam. Um, hug. (0:45:05) Al: that people like. What was that? Just say it. It was not Minecraft, no. I was tempted (0:45:11) Kev: See, no, cause Minecraft’s not on steam. Yeah. Yeah. No. Cause Minecraft’s not on steam. (0:45:18) Al: to say it’s open world survival craft, but not that one, thinking you were going to think (0:45:22) Kev: Yeah. Yeah. No. (0:45:23) Al: Minecraft initially. It is not correct, but it’s not Minecraft, but it is. (0:45:26) Kev: Is it? (0:45:28) Kev: AHHH! Is it um, oh gosh, I just I’m not a steam person. I don’t know these as well. Um, I what is? Oh my gosh. What is? (0:45:37) Kev: What is this? (0:45:38) Kev: What is that one horror-y game? (0:45:42) Kev: The four or something like that? I don’t remember. Just tell me. I don’t know. You’re gonna fail all these out. (0:45:44) Al: No, no, what? I don’t understand. It’s not Minecraft. It is 2D. (0:45:50) Kev: Oh wait. Oh (0:45:52) Al: Come on! Terraria number three! There we go! (0:45:52) Kev: Terraria! Oh my gosh. Terraria. Oh duh. Wow, I’m stupid. Yeah. (0:45:58) Kev: Terraria, duh. How did I not think that? Yeah. Wow. (0:45:59) Al: You will not get number four. I have never heard of this game. People Playground? (0:46:04) Kev: Well, I don’t know what that is. Um, okay, okay. (0:46:07) Al: Neither do I. It’s a sandbox game, apparently. Number five. Zombies. (0:46:13) Kev: It’s not it’s not art. It’s not gonna be an RE game. It’s (0:46:15) Al: No, but not far off. You’re kind of in the right game’s circle. (0:46:18) Kev: No, it’s I mean (0:46:26) Kev: I mean is it dead by I mean I don&am

EmSwizzle (Max) and Pat dive into all things Nintendo this week — we went over our mid-year game awards as the main topic, Animal Crossing x Crocs, a Nintendo Switch Online N64 rumor, the next Nintendo Direct, then answer your questions, and SO MUCH MORE!  

This week on the Toy Power Podcast; we have Matt Teale'o back; to guide us through his recent epic journey in the Shit Box Rally! Kicking off from the 2nd May to 10th May (9 Days)! From buying a Second Hand Car; to actually channeling the Wacky Racers theme not only through the Car itself, but also going that extra mile, & actually wearing a Dick Dastardly & Muttley costume! Chris & Matt take the roads less travelled from Canberra to Townsville (via Silverton), as they trek an impressive 3500 - 4000km's using as many Tennis Balls & tricks as they can muster! Then we change gears & guide the chat towards another round of The Team! This time being based around the Trio of Good-Guys Properties that centre around Land, Sky & Water - Thundercats, Silverhawks & Tigersharks! This was a lot of fun, & clearly there is a stand-out M.V.P. Character! Do you Agree, or would you have done things differently? To find out more about Trent's new Book; including how to secure a copy for yourself; be sure to check out: https://thedarkepoch.org/ To follow Matt Tealeo's Toy Collecting Journey: Check out his Instagram page: @tealeos_toyboxSupport the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Go to http://shadyrays.com and use code FUNNY to get 35% off polarized sunglasses. - Start - Housekeeping - Why You Should Play Animal Crossing in 2025 - Ads - Greg's Island - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to http://shadyrays.com and use code FUNNY to get 35% off polarized sunglasses. - Start - Housekeeping - Why You Should Play Animal Crossing in 2025 - Ads - Greg's Island - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to http://shadyrays.com and use code FUNNY to get 35% off polarized sunglasses. - Start - Housekeeping - Why You Should Play Animal Crossing in 2025 - Ads - Greg's Island - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to http://shadyrays.com and use code FUNNY to get 35% off polarized sunglasses. - Start - Housekeeping - Why You Should Play Animal Crossing in 2025 - Ads - Greg's Island - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

**Use the code NINDADS at checkout to receive 20% plus free shipping at Manscaped.com** On this week's episode of the Nintendo Dads Podcast: News ● Nintendo Switch Game Voucher Program scheduled to end ● GameStop is auctioning off the stapler used to attach receipts to Nintendo Switch 2 boxes during launch night for charity ● Donkey Kong Bananza is being developed by the team behind Super Mario Odyssey ● New Batch of Icons Available for NSO Subscribers ● Nintendo considers "shorter development periods" on some games as costs rise ● Animal Crossing collaboration with Crocs is coming ● Amazon stocks Nintendo Switch 2 directly for the first time in the US ● Game Releases/Updates Let's Discuss ● How is the Nintendo Switch 2 fitting into your life? Do you still use your original Nintendo Switch? Rumors ● Monolith Soft Tokyo is developing another Xenoblade Chronicles game Games we've been playing ● Super Mario Strikers ● Lost in Random: The Eternal Die ● Squeakross: Home Squeak Home ● PICROSS Records of The Shield Hero ● Mario Kart World ● Hogwarts Legacy ● Street Fighter 6 ● Ticket to Ride ● Patapon 1+2 Replay ● Cyberpunk 2077 Community Spotlight Check out our website at http://nintendodads.org for our latest videos, episodes, tweets, and social media links. Apple Podcasts feed: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nintendo-dads-podcast/id950582320?mt=2 YouTube Music feed: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyID_QWdPfjM17EE3cg8Pin30jHkLqWKr Become a patron and help us improve the show! https://www.patreon.com/NintendoDads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's new, Switch 2? This week we sail away, have many bird, snake, and turtle encounters, and delight in famous Internet cats and goats. And we catch up on latest crafts and backyard visitors. YEAAAHHHH! --- Patreon Members Only: View episode 243 as a Vodcast!  --- Support us for $1/$2 on Patreon! https://patreon.com/thepocketpod Visit our Website! https://www.thepocketpod.com/ Don't forget to follow us and subscribe to PocketPod in all the places! Bluesky: @ThePocketPod  |  Youtube: /ThePocketPod  |  Instagram: @ThePocketPod  |  Threads: @ThePocketPod  |  Facebook: /ThePocketPod/  |  Mastodon: @thepocketpod  |  Twitch: /thepocketpod Apple Podcasts  |  Google Play  |  Stitcher  |  Amazon  |  Podbean  |  Spotify  |  iHeartRadio  |  Player.fm  |  RSS

Press XJoin the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rw Topics:Donkey Kong Bananza Interview: Kenta Motokura producer, Kazuya Takahashi director https://www.ign.com/articles/our-big-bananas-interview-with-the-developers-of-donkey-kong-bananzaDirector played a lot of Donkey Kong Country as research - Mobile SyrupNintendo Switch Game Vouchers are being discontinued on January 30, 2026 https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/70933Crocs launches first-ever collaboration with Animal Crossing https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/crocs-launches-first-ever-collaboration-with-animal-crossing/FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time sales top 1.2 million; Switch 2 physical edition launches August 7 in Japan https://www.gematsu.com/2025/07/fantasy-life-i-the-girl-who-steals-time-sales-top-1-2-million-switch-2-physical-edition-launches-august-7-in-japanVirtuos technical director says: “Any game shipping at 60 FPS on the Series S should easily port to the Switch 2” https://wccftech.com/nintendo-switch-2-qa-with-virtuos-i-think-we-will-see-it-surpass-the-predecessor/Conspiracy theory: NSO has leaked various upcoming Nintendo 64 games https://mynintendonews.com/2025/07/06/rumour-nintendo-switch-online-may-soon-be-adding-super-smash-bros-and-donkey-kong-64/Shigeru Miyamoto is said to view video games as a “product, not art,” but in a good way https://automaton-media.com/en/news/shigeru-miyamotos-background-in-industrial-design-explains-his-pragmatic-product-not-art-approach-to-making-games-nintendo-veteran-says/Romero Games is clinging to life after its publisher cancels funding https://x.com/romerogamesltd/status/1942307080301420682 Questions from Discord: Joe: Have you ever unintentionally ignored a gameplay mechanic until late in a game? I beat Sekiro this week and didn't realize I could increase my attack power until like 7 or 8 main bosses into the game. Also I guess that means I'm Hella good at games lol.Brydude: Backstory on how you guys all met.

The Nintendo Entertainment Podcast is here, and after a legendary week last week (listen to the "Rant of Ages!!!"), the team are ready to get back to what made them great in the first place...Nintendo talk! First, the team discusses their gaming exploits! Todd has FINALLY gotten to do a LONG gaming binge in Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition, and he's got some new funny stories to share! As for Will, he's been enjoying the "mountain falling simulator" Death Stranding 2, and has some "new sights" in FEH! Scott, meanwhile, has been doing a beta test for "NTE," and he has quite a way to describe it! Oh, and he got a game from Japan! It'll make sense when you listen to the tale. Then, in the news, Donkey Kong Bananza is only ONE WEEK AWAY!!! There's been plenty of news about the game, and they'll break it down. Plus, Nintendo Switch 2 sales might be higher than we think, Animal Crossing is getting crocs, Mega Man is definitely NOT getting a new game soon, and more! Finally, in the main event, it's time for a Splatfest! How do the guys love to travel? They'll let you know! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast!

Grab your tools and count your Bells, because it's time for some Animal Crossing trivia! Mitch hosts an episode all about the famous Nintendo video game franchise for villagers Alec, Cameron, and Rachel! How well do YOU know your Animal Crossing lore?

Animal Crossing for your feet and Night At The Museum is getting rebooted! We'll talk about everything in the #MikeJonesMinuteCon.

Al and Codey take another look at Len's Island, now that it has released 1.0 Timings 00:00:00: Theme Tune 00:00:30: Intro 00:01:26: What Have We Been Up To 00:11:16: Game News 00:35:00: New Games 00:39:17: Len’s Island 01:30:57: Outro Links Harvest Moon Cozy Bundle Delay Desktop Cat Cafe 2.0.0 Fields of Mistria 3rd Update Paleo Pines “Players Choice” Kickstarter Dave the Diver 2nd Anniversary Info Usagi Shima “Tanabata Star Festival” Update Bee Simulator: The Hive Contact Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/ Transcript (0:00:30) Al: Hello, farmers, and welcome to another episode of the harvest season. (0:00:33) Al: My name is Al. (0:00:34) Codey: And my name is Cody. (0:00:37) Al: And we are here today to talk about Cottagecore Games. (0:00:40) Codey: Oh, woo, ow, ow, ow. (0:00:44) Codey: I love it. I love it so much. (0:00:47) Al: I tolerate it. (0:00:49) Al: We are here today. (0:00:51) Al: We’re going to talk about Len’s Island, the second harvest of Len’s Island, (0:00:53) Codey: mm-hmm mm-hmm mm-hmm like three years ago yeah yeah much has changed (0:00:55) Al: because you did do an episode. (0:00:57) Al: You and Bev did an episode. (0:01:00) Al: When was that? (0:01:01) Al: I did have that up here, and then I lost it. (0:01:04) Al: Yeah, we think it was 2022. (0:01:06) Al: Yeah, yeah, there we go. (0:01:07) Al: Oh, April 2022, so more than three years ago. (0:01:12) Al: Wild. (0:01:15) Al: Well, I’ll be looking forward to hearing about what has changed. (0:01:20) Al: So, yeah, we’re going to talk about Len’s Island. (0:01:22) Al: Before that, obviously, we have news. (0:01:25) Al: But first of all, Cody, what have you been up to? (0:01:28) Codey: I have been obviously playing Lens Island the last couple days. (0:01:33) Codey: I have been, Pokemon Go has been having its like anniversary thing right now and you, (0:01:40) Codey: there is a chance to get shiny party hat worm bowl, which is my white whale. (0:01:46) Codey: I have a master ball ready to go for that little guy. (0:01:51) Codey: And so I’m trying to find one after we record this podcast, I will be going on a walk for (0:01:57) Codey: as long as I need to. (0:01:58) Codey: Um, no, I don’t care about that. (0:02:00) Al: Have you been trying to get a shiny gimme go? (0:02:04) Codey: I really just want the shiny, shiny party hat worm bowl. (0:02:07) Codey: And then I will probably just uninstall the game. (0:02:09) Al: Shiny purple. (0:02:11) Codey: Shiny party, purple party, purple. (0:02:13) Al: Party purple. (0:02:16) Al: Apparently, I’m really struggling with the word party in front of it. (0:02:17) Codey: Um, (0:02:19) Al: That’s really hard to say. (0:02:21) Al: Party purple. (0:02:22) Codey: Permable. (0:02:23) Al: Permple. (0:02:23) Codey: Uh, so I’ve been doing that. (0:02:25) Codey: I’m still playing honeygrove. (0:02:27) Codey: I just got the (0:02:28) Al: Has that, is that changing at all? (0:02:29) Codey: It’s just continuing. It’s just being the same game. There’s quests. There’s like parts of it that are unlocked. The one thing that I really friggin hate is there’s this ladybug lady who comes and goes. Her name is Abigail and she comes during the weekends and she leaves. It is. (0:02:30) Al: Or is it just continuing? (0:02:32) Al: Okay. (0:02:49) Codey: It is exponentially difficult to get her top tier reward and the things that she wants are things. (0:02:58) Codey: Nine times out of ten, it’s like plants that she brings that you can only plant when she’s there and if you have planted say you have 20 in your inventory and then she leaves, but the next time she comes you’re back to zero, which I think if they rolled the inventories over, I’d be so I’d participate more because I would feel like I have like a head start to the next time. (0:03:27) Codey: but they (0:03:28) Codey: don’t do that and so I’ve just kind of given up and whenever she arrives they (0:03:34) Codey: like make a big deal about how she showed up and then they cut they send (0:03:39) Codey: you to her screen and I’m like just let me click X like just let me be like okay (0:03:44) Codey: cool she’s here goodbye like I don’t want but every single time it cuts you (0:03:49) Codey: over to her screen and she says stuff and I’m just like leave me alone but I’m (0:03:54) Codey: still like unlocking parts of the map it’s just I don’t do a ton on it I just (0:03:58) Codey: every day for word mm-hmm (0:04:00) Al: Fair enough. I was going, I was going to say, it’s like, oh, I can’t believe you’re just (0:04:04) Al: playing the same game over and over for years. And then, and then, and then I realized we (0:04:07) Codey: hit me (0:04:10) Al: just talked about the ninth anniversary of Pokemon Go. Yeah. Yeah. See, I see I wouldn’t, (0:04:12) Codey: that and I will literally play minecraft forever for yeah (0:04:18) Al: but like Pokemon Go is like the thing that I continue forever. And it’s like, yeah, sure. (0:04:23) Al: I’ll play like party games regularly and I’ll do like, I will obviously play. (0:04:30) Al: Uh, other Pokemon games, but like, I’ll play them for until the new one comes out and then (0:04:35) Al: I’ll probably never touch them again, et cetera, et cetera. So it’s like, yeah, but no, I can’t (0:04:36) Codey: Um, so the other, yeah, the other things I’ve been still doing work, uh, probably (0:04:41) Al: really judge. (0:04:47) Codey: won’t be defending in September, but I’ll be defending in December instead. (0:04:51) Codey: Um, which is not a huge deal. (0:04:53) Codey: Uh, no, I’ll get it. (0:04:55) Codey: I would, my degree will get conferred in the spring, which I (0:04:58) Codey: kind of don’t really care anyways. (0:05:00) Al: » Just a formality. (0:05:01) Codey: Um, yeah, it’s a formality and like for jobs. (0:05:06) Codey: Um, people get accepted to jobs that require PhDs before they’ve even (0:05:12) Codey: defended, um, cause it’s a pretty, like, once you get to this point, you really (0:05:17) Codey: have to mess something up big time. (0:05:20) Codey: Like I would literally have to like stop putting any effort in and just give my (0:05:24) Codey: dissertation in this format it’s in now for them to be like, you’re not done. (0:05:29) Al: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’ve gotten to that point, it’s like you have to really muck things up too. (0:05:30) Codey: Um, (0:05:34) Codey: Yeah. So, so I’m not really that worried about. (0:05:36) Codey: It. I have technicians right now, which is nuts because I, for this whole time I’ve been (0:05:42) Codey: solo or working with volunteers and the volunteers just helped me in the field. (0:05:47) Codey: I’ve been doing all the specimens by myself, but I have three henchmen right now. It is crazy. I (0:05:54) Codey: went from none to three in like a month. Um, a couple of them will be leaving at the end of July. (0:06:01) Codey: So this month is like a lot of me being working with them and making sure that they’re on the (0:06:07) Codey: and that we’re getting all the stuff that needs to be done done, which is really nice. Um, and (0:06:13) Codey: they’re all super great. We have a good little cohort. I’m also going to beetle school in a week (0:06:18) Codey: and a half. So like fly school, it’s same, same, but it’s Beatles and it’s Arizona, (0:06:25) Codey: which I’m not excited for that part, but I think it’ll be fine. I, I literally think I just won’t (0:06:32) Codey: go outside, except for at night, which it’s supposed (0:06:36) Codey: to be a lot colder at night in the desert area areas. (0:06:40) Codey: The big thing that’s in my life right now (0:06:42) Codey: is that I am fostering a stray cat. (0:06:46) Codey: So I will post a picture of him. (0:06:47) Codey: He’s gone through a couple name changes. (0:06:50) Codey: Initially, he was Calvin, and now he is Zuko. (0:06:57) Codey: And I got him because one of my friends (0:07:02) Codey: called me one night, like a week and a half ago, (0:07:04) Codey: and was like, we’ve caught a cat. (0:07:07) Codey: And I’m like, do you have head injuries? (0:07:11) Codey: Do you have a cat carrier slash– (0:07:13) Codey: do you know someone who could take care of this cat (0:07:15) Codey: until we can get it looked at? (0:07:17) Codey: And I came, we tried to get that cat. (0:07:19) Codey: They had caught it in a tote. (0:07:21) Codey: But then when we tried to move it from a tote to the cat (0:07:23) Codey: carrier, it escaped. (0:07:25) Codey: I went back later that day, I ended up finding this boy. (0:07:28) Codey: And he is just so chill, and just trots right up in purrs (0:07:32) Codey: and meows, and he just wanted food. (0:07:34) Codey: So I snagged him. (0:07:37) Codey: It says, “Zuko-Ime.” (0:07:39) Al: Ah, I see. (0:07:42) Al: I get that reference now, I wouldn’t have six months ago, but I get it now. (0:07:44) Codey: Yeah. (0:07:45) Codey: Oh, yeah, yeah. (0:07:47) Codey: So he’s Zuko after, at the end. (0:07:51) Codey: He’s calm. (0:07:52) Codey: He’s found his inner peace. (0:07:54) Codey: He’s just so chill. (0:07:54) Codey: He doesn’t– in the month and– not month and a half– week (0:07:58) Codey: and a half that I’ve had him, he hasn’t hissed. (0:08:00) Codey: He hasn’t raised a claw at all. (0:08:04) Codey: He and Stella get along really well. (0:08:07) Codey: Sometimes Stella will come at him pretty fast, (0:08:09) Codey: and he’s just raised a paw, but that’s it. (0:08:12) Codey: He doesn’t claw her. (0:08:14) Codey: He doesn’t hiss at her. (0:08:15) Codey: He’s just like, give me space. (0:08:16) Codey: And then she walks away. (0:08:19) Codey: And we were going to try and go find the other one. (0:08:22) Codey: We ended up finding it, and it’s a hoarding situation. (0:08:28) Codey: All of these cats are part of a hoarding situation. (0:08:30) Codey: There’s 20 cats that are part of it. (0:08:34) Codey: And so I’ve called the Humane Society and the Humane. (0:08:36) Codey: and they said that any time they’ve brought a cat that is injured or has something wrong with it to her and been like, “Hey, is this your cat?” (0:08:44) Codey: Even if they know it’s her cat, she’ll still say, “That’s not my cat.” (0:08:46) Codey: So they were like, “Don’t worry about it. Just keep trying to find him a good home.” (0:08:52) Codey: So she also doesn’t believe in spaying and neutering. (0:08:56) Codey: So it’s just a never-ending cycle. (0:08:58) Codey: She’s also living with her cat. (0:09:02) Codey: So it’s just a never-ending cycle. (0:09:08) Codey: So it’s kind of a big ol’ big thing. (0:09:10) Codey: But saving this baby. (0:09:14) Codey: And he’s a good boy. He’s very chill. (0:09:18) Codey: And that’s really the biggest stuff that I’ve been up to. (0:09:20) Codey: What about you, Al? What have you been up to? (0:09:24) Al: Well, I have been playing Lens Island, obviously, we’ll talk more about that later. (0:09:32) Al: What else have I been up to as I pause the game and scroll back to my list of things? (0:09:34) Codey: Pause the game. (0:09:40) Codey: Al, you’re not pausing the game. (0:09:42) Al: Of course I’m pausing the game. (0:09:43) Al: Oh, you mean I’m not playing the game, I got you. (0:09:44) Codey: Yeah, you’re not playing. (0:09:46) Codey: You’re not playing the game while you’re… (0:09:46) Al: No, of course not, Mario Kart World, yes. (0:09:48) Codey: No. (0:09:52) Al: I unlocked mirror mode, I don’t think I’ve done that in the last episode. (0:09:55) Al: Who knows, it’s been so long since I recorded that a whole week. (0:09:56) Codey: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. (0:10:00) Al: And I started doing the mirror mode Grumpries and I don’t think I’m going to finish doing them. (0:10:09) Al: I think getting three stars in all of them in 150 is probably enough for me. I’m happy with that. (0:10:15) Al: So we’ll see. Maybe I’ll do more later. I don’t know, but I’ve got what we got left a week and a (0:10:22) Al: and a half until Donkey Kong. (0:10:25) Al: Which is the next game to look forward to. (0:10:30) Al: And I mean, you know, the usual Pokemon here and there. (0:10:33) Al: I got Shiny Patchourichu yesterday. (0:10:36) Al: And Pokemon Go, as usual. (0:10:39) Al: I got my Shiny Game of Go, even though you’re not looking for it. (0:10:41) Al: I was looking for it. (0:10:42) Codey: Nope. Yep. (0:10:42) Al: I got two Shiny Game of Go, one normal and one costume. (0:10:47) Al: It’s not a costume, though. (0:10:48) Al: It’s a pretend costume. (0:10:48) Codey: Yep. (0:10:52) Al: Yeah, I think that’s about it. (0:10:54) Al: Kids are on holiday from school now, so it’s all madness. (0:10:58) Codey: - Mm-hmm. (0:10:59) Al: And we’ll be going to the Isle of Man in a few weeks. (0:11:04) Al: So just trying to see how life is something like near sanity for a while. (0:11:04) Codey: Oh, woo. (0:11:10) Codey: - Mm-hmm, yeah, cool, mm-hmm. (0:11:12) Al: We’ll see. (0:11:14) Al: But yeah, I think that’s it. (0:11:16) Al: Let’s talk about some news. (0:11:19) Al: First up, we have the Harvest Moon Cozy Bundle, which is such a (0:11:24) Al: stupid name for this, but this is the Lost Valley in Skytree Village ports to Nintendo Switch. (0:11:33) Al: They have delayed it. (0:11:35) Al: It was meant to be coming out on the 3rd of July. (0:11:38) Al: It is now coming out on the 31st of July. (0:11:41) Al: There you go. (0:11:42) Codey: That’s the tweet. That’s it. (0:11:43) Al: That’s it. (0:11:44) Al: That’s it. (0:11:45) Al: Who knows what? (0:11:46) Al: It’s probably some weird thing to do with the physical version or something. (0:11:49) Al: That’s not a “we found a bug and we need to fix it.” (0:11:52) Al: That’s not long enough. (0:11:54) Al: So yeah, who knows what the problem is? (0:11:57) Al: But I guess we’ll find out. (0:12:00) Al: Next, we have Desktop Cat Cafe. (0:12:04) Al: No, goodness sake. (0:12:06) Al: Desktop Cat Cafe. (0:12:08) Al: I’ve released their 2.0 version. (0:12:12) Al: That is out now. (0:12:15) Al: They have apparently a patience meter for customers. (0:12:17) Al: I find this funny because who’s going to Cat Cafe for fast food, right? (0:12:23) Al: you’re going to a cat cafe for. (0:12:24) Codey: Yeah. Yeah. So I think well, so it’s it is a it’s a cafe that is cats, like your customers are cats. (0:12:33) Al: Oh, I misunderstood that. (0:12:34) Codey: Yeah, yeah, so this is this game is the rusty island rust. Yeah, a rusty is like, (0:12:37) Al: So it is. (0:12:40) Al: Yes, it’s a rust is like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I knew that much. (0:12:43) Al: I knew that much. (0:12:44) Al: I just forgotten that it was a cafe the cats go to. (0:12:46) Codey: yeah, so they’re, they’re all cats. And it’s very cute. I just thought it was funny, (0:12:51) Codey: because I’m sure that, like, the patient- (0:12:54) Codey: -meter or something you can toggle on and off. (0:12:56) Codey: I’m sure that you could have it be like, um, (0:12:58) Codey: you could have it be, like, slow-mode or something like that in the- (0:13:02) Codey: in the bottom, but you basically can, like, (0:13:04) Codey: make these little cafes across the bottom of your screen, (0:13:06) Codey: and now they’ve added this patient- (0:13:10) Codey: -meter, so it’s kind of like- (0:13:12) Codey: Did you ever play dining- Diner Dash? (0:13:14) Codey: Or anything like that? (0:13:14) Al: No, I did not. (0:13:16) Codey: Okay, so it’s like the- (0:13:18) Codey: It’s like those types of games where you have (0:13:20) Codey: orders that are up. I think Overcooked does this, (0:13:24) Codey: like, orders are there, and then they start getting, like, (0:13:26) Codey: more and more red, and they start shaking (0:13:28) Codey: when, like, the person is grumpy, (0:13:30) Codey: and they might just leave. (0:13:32) Codey: Um, and so it’s- (0:13:34) Codey: It’s an incentive to try and make sure (0:13:36) Codey: that you are prioritizing orders (0:13:38) Codey: in the order that they were received, (0:13:42) Codey: and then also, um, (0:13:44) Codey: that you make sure that each place (0:13:48) Codey: probably has all of the same- (0:13:50) Codey: all of the things that they want, (0:13:52) Codey: and might have (0:13:54) Codey: your worker cat, like, upgraded to be max speed or max efficiency or whatever. (0:13:59) Codey: And they also have different traits for your customers now. So it’s like there’s the patient (0:14:09) Codey: modifier. So it’s a decor item that impacts the nearby customers. So there’s something that you (0:14:15) Codey: can put down that makes your customers more patient. I think it’d be funny if that was like a TV. (0:14:21) Codey: If you put down like a TV and then they’re- (0:14:24) Codey: like oh I’m fine waiting because I have a TV to watch. (0:14:28) Codey: So they sit down and then they’re willing to wait longer. (0:14:32) Codey: There’s one that increases their- speeds up their decision time. (0:14:36) Codey: So because they’ll sit there and they’ll be like hmm what do I want? (0:14:38) Codey: And so there’s one that makes them decide faster. (0:14:42) Codey: And then there’s something that boosts how much they’ll spend. (0:14:46) Codey: So you will end up getting a higher revenue from per customer. (0:14:54) Codey: Things like that to also improve it. (0:14:56) Codey: I also think that it’s nice that they changed the order distribution. (0:15:02) Codey: So it sounds- I haven’t played this but from what it says to me what this sounds like is they had different cafes or different workstations or cafe stations. (0:15:14) Codey: And some cats might just- like all the cats might just go to one cafe. (0:15:20) Codey: So you have one cat that’s working one of the cafe stations. (0:15:24) Codey: Who’s just like absolutely overloaded and then another one is really not that busy. (0:15:32) Codey: Because it was randomized but it sounds like they’re now assigning those orders based on workload. (0:15:38) Codey: So if like one station is really really busy cats will be like I don’t want to go there and they’ll go to a different one and that kind of like spreads out the demand. (0:15:50) Al: Mm-hmm (0:15:54) Codey: You can also name your cats, name your cafe, different things like that. (0:15:58) Codey: You can upgrade your stations. The cats will walk faster on paths. (0:16:04) Codey: So if you draw paths they will speed up on those and you can shift click and copy something from one place to another. (0:16:18) Codey: This is a really cute game. I do know that Jordan. (0:16:24) Codey: Jordan is from Morris Games, the dev of Rusty’s retirement. (0:16:30) Codey: They have been like repping this game and saying that this game is really cute and that they recommend this game. (0:16:38) Codey: So I’m tempted, especially because I’m about to have to be writing a lot for my dissertation, but I also feel like this is just going to be a distraction. (0:16:48) Codey: Also, now that I’m looking at it, it’s Windows only, so it doesn’t matter, but… (0:16:52) Al: Mm hmm. (0:16:54) Codey: Very cute. It’s fine. (0:16:55) Al: Sad. (0:16:59) Al: Yeah, interesting. (0:17:02) Al: Good, they got a nice new update out. (0:17:06) Codey: Mm-hmm. (0:17:06) Al: Speaking of updates, next we have fields of mystery. (0:17:10) Codey: Fields of mystery. (0:17:14) Al: Their third major update is coming out on the 21st of July. (0:17:19) Al: They apparently have new large and extra-large chests. (0:17:22) Al: I’m very happy about it, because chests are never big enough for me. (0:17:26) Al: I hate chests being so small. (0:17:29) Al: Cough, lens, island, cough. (0:17:30) Codey: Yeah. (0:17:31) Al: Give me bigger chests. (0:17:33) Al: Presumably, there’s lots of other stuff. (0:17:35) Al: I can’t remember whether we talked about the third update or not, because, (0:17:40) Al: oh yes, it’s bringing (0:17:43) Al: eight heart events as well, dating a bunch of stuff. (0:17:48) Al: new mains, new mains monsters. (0:17:52) Al: The town cap has been raised by five levels, a bunch of stuff. (0:17:58) Al: I’m still not going to play the game again until 1.0, but good to see they’re just continuing. (0:18:03) Al: I think that’s the third update this year. (0:18:05) Codey: Yeah, it’s the third major update this year (0:18:08) Codey: It’s coming on July 21st (0:18:11) Codey: so they’re gonna have that like we said bigger storage another thing that some fans in the comment section that we’re really happy about is (0:18:17) Codey: The auto deposit feature. So being able if you have (0:18:18) Al: Ah yes. (0:18:22) Codey: like your (0:18:24) Codey: Chest open and your inventory open you can automatically like move things between them (0:18:30) Codey: just like by clicking a button so that if you already have stacks of stuff and you’re (0:18:35) Codey: inventory it’ll just automatically shuffle everything out of your out of from yeah i (0:18:40) Al: Yeah, I enjoy that feature. (0:18:42) Codey: really like that feature as well i’m very happy that they added that um so and I know the fans (0:18:48) Codey: are as well so good on them (0:18:51) Al: Next, we have Paleopines. (0:18:54) Al: They have launched a Kickstarter for their player’s choice expansion to Paleopines. (0:19:01) Codey: - Mm-hmm. (0:19:03) Al: It’s already hit his goal, so that’s good. (0:19:06) Al: There’s 24 days left. (0:19:08) Al: This, I don’t actually look at it, but it looks like Cody did, so talk about it. (0:19:11) Codey: Okay, yeah, I did. (0:19:13) Codey: I will talk about it. (0:19:15) Codey: So basically, they have gotten a lot of feedback (0:19:17) Codey: from the players. (0:19:19) Codey: And so they decided to accommodate a lot of those, (0:19:24) Codey: that feedback in a DLC and an expansion (0:19:27) Codey: that is part of this Kickstarter. (0:19:31) Codey: Kickstarter gives them money to work on the updates. (0:19:35) Codey: They did mention though, (0:19:36) Codey: that once the expansions are out, (0:19:40) Codey: if you’ve already bought the game, (0:19:41) Codey: it’s just gonna automatically be updated. (0:19:44) Codey: So even if you didn’t kickstart, it sounds like, (0:19:47) Codey: as long as you have the game, (0:19:49) Codey: you will reap the benefits of all of this stuff. (0:19:55) Codey: So, beautiful game, adorable game. (0:19:59) Codey: there’s been a lot of feedback. (0:20:01) Codey: And so they have a couple of different funding goals. (0:20:03) Codey: So they’ve hit the 75k pounds. (0:20:07) Codey: Let me figure it out. (0:20:09) Codey: Yeah. (0:20:10) Codey: So they hit that, but we’re still on our way (0:20:15) Codey: to the second stretch goal, which is for automated poop (0:20:21) Codey: clearing. (0:20:22) Codey: So the big questions that community members wanted (0:20:26) Codey: were that they wanted a spinosaurus in the game, (0:20:29) Codey: and they wanted more dreaming. (0:20:32) Codey: So that has been hit period, end of story, with their Kickstarter. (0:20:36) Codey: And so that will, they have slated that to be done in the autumn of this year, (0:20:41) Codey: which is almost now, honestly. (0:20:46) Codey: So that they’re expecting that to be done in the next few months. (0:20:51) Codey: The next thing, the next goal is for the better way to scoop poop. (0:20:55) Codey: I guess people said that it was something that couldn’t be automated. (0:20:59) Codey: It was something that was really frustrating. (0:21:01) Codey: They have made it so there are certain dinosaurs that you can (0:21:06) Codey: assign to be composting dinosaurs. (0:21:09) Codey: And they will go and pick the poop up for you and go and put it in the compost bin. (0:21:14) Codey: Super cool. (0:21:16) Codey: Another thing about the second stretch goal, which is a quality of life update, (0:21:21) Codey: is to be able to track the different colors of the dinosaurs in your journal. (0:21:27) Codey: I know that this game has a lot of different colors, (0:21:30) Codey: color variance of specific. (0:21:31) Codey: Dinosaurs, um, and you kind of had to just like know whether or not you (0:21:36) Codey: already had a color variant. (0:21:38) Codey: And so they’ve added that to the journal. (0:21:41) Codey: So you can now see like, Oh, I already have this color. (0:21:44) Codey: I need this other color. (0:21:46) Codey: Um, you can see that very clearly in your journal now, or will be able to see that (0:21:50) Codey: in winter 2025, if they reach that stretch goal. (0:21:53) Codey: Um, so that would require another 80,000 pounds past, um, the goal. (0:22:00) Codey: And then… (0:22:02) Codey: The last one that they have gotten a request for is a swamp exploration. (0:22:06) Codey: So there’s a swamp area. People really want to go into the swamp, I guess. (0:22:10) Codey: We all want to be ogres. (0:22:12) Codey: And so they have slotted that. It’s another Kickstarter stretch goal. (0:22:17) Codey: And if it is achieved, they expect to have that done in spring 2026. (0:22:22) Al: One thing I don’t like about this stretch goals thing. (0:22:26) Al: They’ve written it out as plus 40,000 pounds and plus 40,000 pounds. (0:22:30) Codey: » Yeah. (0:22:32) Al: You’re like, but what does that mean? (0:22:34) Al: What is the total amount there? (0:22:35) Al: Right? Because you’re not you’re not looking and it’s like it’s fine when you (0:22:38) Al: get to the first one because you’re like, oh, it’s just 75 plus 40. (0:22:41) Al: But then you go to the next one, it’s like, OK, well, it’s just 75 plus 40 plus 40. (0:22:45) Al: And then you go to the last one, you’re like plus 190,000 pounds, (0:22:48) Al: which, by the way, is more than the rest of them put together. (0:22:50) Codey: or yeah. No. Yep. Yeah, I agree. But that’s the goal posts and the timelines and everything. (0:22:51) Al: But you’re just like, OK, so what number is the half? (0:22:53) Al: 75 plus 40 plus 40 plus 190. (0:22:58) Al: I’m not doing all that maths. (0:23:00) Al: Just show us what number it is. Come on. (0:23:10) Codey: The Kickstarter itself, you can get rewards that will be in-game and in real life. So (0:23:17) Codey: things like you’ll get your name in the credits. (0:23:20) Codey: They might send you pins, they might send you a plush, just depending on which (0:23:24) Codey: Kickstarter level you choose. Another thing they said is to add a new color variant, (0:23:30) Codey: which I think is super cool. But then also like what if I chose a color variant and everyone hated (0:23:38) Codey: it and people just like pooped all over it and I was like oh I actually spent a lot of money (0:23:43) Codey: to choose. But yeah and again all of the updates that will go to the game for free so (0:23:51) Codey: if you’re right now I guess if you really want that poop thing help them achieve that part of the goal. (0:23:58) Al: I love to scoop poop. (0:23:59) Codey: But yeah that’s interesting. It’s also interesting to me how they’re like (0:24:06) Codey: it’ll be it’ll be free for you and I’m like okay but like it’s really not free. (0:24:12) Codey: People do have to pay quite a lot of money to get this. (0:24:18) Al: Well, so, but is it free? (0:24:20) Al: Like, is this just to raise money to do it and the actual update will be free for anyone? (0:24:24) Codey: - Yeah, so that’s what it is. (0:24:30) Codey: I don’t know, some of this stuff, (0:24:30) Codey: like some of the other stuff that they want, (0:24:32) Codey: like for the quality of life update (0:24:35) Codey: is to be able to reject quests or delete quests (0:24:40) Codey: because your quest log will just get overrun, I guess, (0:24:43) Codey: and people just wanted the ability to delete quests. (0:24:45) Codey: And so that will be a part of the quality of life update (0:24:48) Codey: that they want to release winter 2025. (0:24:51) Codey: So that is 80,000. (0:24:55) Codey: So that’d be 150,000, 155,000 pounds to needs to be what they hit. (0:25:00) Codey: I think they’re at a 90 something right now. (0:25:02) Codey: So, but that’s still is like a lot to even just have like this very simple thing. (0:25:08) Codey: It seems, I mean, it seems simple. (0:25:10) Codey: I think that part really is fairly simple. (0:25:14) Codey: They did and they did a good job in their video that they have of explaining why some of these things are not as simple as they seem like adding a Spinosaurus isn’t as simple as it seems. (0:25:24) Codey: Because of the optimization that has to happen as behind the scenes of adding in Spinosaurus. (0:25:32) Codey: So I get that, but for certain things like give them the option to delete. (0:25:38) Codey: I feel like I feel like you could do that. (0:25:40) Codey: I don’t know, especially if that’s something that like, I don’t know. (0:25:46) Codey: I don’t know. (0:25:48) Codey: I don’t know. (0:25:48) Codey: What if they don’t? (0:25:50) Codey: What if they don’t hit that? (0:25:50) Codey: Like, what if they don’t hit that goal? (0:25:52) Codey: Are they just not going to do these things then? (0:25:54) Codey: But I also get that they’re independent, like they need to get paid to be able to do these things. (0:26:02) Al: So I guess that the problem is, because they’ve struggled with money for quite a while. We’ve (0:26:09) Al: talked about that previously. We’re having issues with publishers and stuff like that anyway, (0:26:15) Al: whatever. So obviously, they need to make enough money to be able to keep going and be able to do (0:26:20) Al: what they want to do. And I guess the thing is that saying, “Oh, if we hit our main funding goal, (0:26:25) Al: we’ll give you these quality of life updates. It’s not going to excite people.” So you go, “Well, (0:26:29) Al: if we hit this funding goal we’ll give (0:26:32) Al: you Spinosaurus that sounds much more exciting. Which means that if you don’t put the main (0:26:40) Al: funding goal as enough to cover everything you want then you won’t be able to include (0:26:46) Al: the quality of life updates without more money. But then yeah it does feel a little bit like (0:26:52) Al: not great. It’s like yeah we’re waiting until we’ve got even more (0:26:58) Al: till we give you some quality of life updates, which yeah, doesn’t feel- (0:27:02) Al: great, but it’s a difficult one. (0:27:05) Codey: Mm-hmm, yep (0:27:07) Al: Anyway, they’ve had their funding goal, so that’s good. They’re going to get the Spinosaurus out, (0:27:12) Al: and probably we’ll hit the next one. Whether they’ll hit the one after that or not is a (0:27:18) Al: different question. I suspect they probably won’t hit the Swamp goal. That’s quite a lot more, (0:27:20) Codey: Yeah. (0:27:23) Al: but if you really want that, go help them out. You can get a lot of rewards for that as well. (0:27:32) Al: Go get your plushies, and design your bright pink Spinosaurus or whatever. (0:27:38) Codey: Sorry, I’m looking at the next thing already and getting confused. (0:27:41) Al: All right, Dive the Diver! (0:27:46) Al: A couple of bits of news here. It’s the second anniversary of the Diver, which wow, that’s (0:27:52) Al: crazy. A couple of things around the DLCs. First of all, the Godzilla DLC is back, (0:27:59) Codey: Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. (0:28:00) Al: so you can go get it if you didn’t get it (0:28:02) Al: before that one is a free one go get it now you just have to own the game if (0:28:06) Al: you own the game you can you can add the DLC you don’t have to play it or (0:28:09) Al: anything like that yet the itchy bands holiday has also been extended when you (0:28:17) Al: can get it until the end of 2026 (0:28:20) Codey: Mm-hmm. So this is one that so Ichiban Kasuga is the character. This is what I was just looking at (0:28:28) Codey: He’s a kid he’s the character in a game a yakuza game (0:28:32) Codey: and (0:28:34) Codey: That that game franchise is owned by Sega (0:28:39) Codey: Toshi hero Nagoshi and Sega and so because people have been commenting (0:28:44) Codey: They and they mentioned this in their video that people have been commenting about how like this limited availability thing (0:28:50) Codey: and how it seems kind of like it’s meant to stir up FOMO because (0:28:55) Codey: they only release some of the DLCs for a limited amount of time and (0:28:59) Codey: So it like makes you have to buy it during that time and the developer of David Iver said that is not the intention (0:29:07) Codey: the intention (0:29:09) Codey: For Sega is to they said the limited availability quote (0:29:14) Codey: That kind of approach is sometimes requested by large the large IP holders to help protect the value (0:29:20) Codey: Of their IP (0:29:22) Codey: so it’s the Sega people basically trying to (0:29:28) Codey: Protect the value of the IP of this character (0:29:32) Al: Is capitalism speak? (0:29:32) Codey: Which to me like is just not (0:29:35) Codey: It’s capitalism speak, but it’s also like I didn’t even know this game existed until it became a David Iver thing (0:29:42) Al: I feel like that’s a “you” thing. (0:29:45) Codey: Okay, but like I just feel like it is (0:29:47) Al: Yakuza is a pretty big game franchise. (0:29:50) Codey: Mmm, but like if you had it available all the time (0:29:57) Codey: There could be some people who play it and then they’re like, I actually like this this Ichiban character (0:30:03) Codey: what’s he from and then they go play yakuza and (0:30:07) Codey: if you (0:30:09) Codey: limit the available the availability of (0:30:13) Codey: That IP just kind of weird. I don’t know. I don’t like it. Anyway (0:30:18) Al: I mean, I just, I think the term “intellectual property” is a stupid term anyway, and we (0:30:19) Codey: There (0:30:20) Codey: Yeah. (0:30:25) Al: don’t need to get into copyright discussions, because we don’t need an anti-capitalism rant (0:30:30) Codey: We’ve already had one per month, but everything ever created ever is original. (0:30:30) Al: this podcast, even though people are probably looking for one. (0:30:35) Al: You can’t have intellectual property, it doesn’t make it, it’s just thoughts and ideas. (0:30:39) Al: Shut up! (0:30:41) Al: Yeah, well, there is that too. (0:30:48) Al: Just hate the term so much, “intellectual property”, it’s just because something doesn’t (0:30:49) Codey: Yeah, no. (0:30:52) Al: exist and therefore, so we got to create another term to mean something. (0:30:58) Al: First of all, just call it copyright, right? (0:31:00) Al: Just be upfront about it. (0:31:02) Al: What you’re saying is, we get to choose, therefore we’re choosing, it’s our copyright, the law (0:31:06) Al: gives us the right to choose, therefore we’re going to, that’s it. (0:31:10) Al: You don’t have to be like “oh, to help protect the value of IP”, IP has a value, right? (0:31:12) Codey: Yeah. Yep. Yep. Yay. Uh, yeah. So they are re-releasing it because there were people (0:31:16) Al: nonsense like. (0:31:18) Al: I think, oops, I did rant. (0:31:27) Codey: who were worried. They missed it the first time. Uh, this, both of them. I’m talking (0:31:29) Al: That’s the Godzilla one. No, the In the Jungle hasn’t been unavailable. (0:31:35) Codey: about Ichiban’s holiday. Oh, okay. (0:31:37) Al: Sorry, yeah, Ichiban’s Holiday, sorry. It has not been unavailable. It was new, (0:31:42) Codey: And they’re just making it go. Okay, cool. But they’re going to make sure that it has (0:31:44) Al: and they’ve given it a longer timeline. It only came out in April. (0:31:50) Codey: regular discounts going forward, um, to make sure that, yeah. The steam, steam summer sale ends. (0:31:54) Al: 50% off just now, until the 10th of July, which is the day after this episode. (0:31:59) Al: So, if you want to go buy it, go do it now. (0:32:02) Codey: Yeah. And the game itself is currently, is 40% off for the steam summer sale as well. (0:32:06) Al: Nice. A good game. Go buy it. (0:32:07) Codey: So hit that up. The last thing that they mentioned in this is the, in the jungle update. (0:32:12) Codey: So this is a update DLC, whatever, um, that allows like you go to land and there’s a lake (0:32:22) Codey: and it’ll, it, it adds the ability to catch freshwater fish. Um, and the, the update here (0:32:29) Codey: is that it’s probably delayed until spring 2026 because they want to make sure that they, uh, (0:32:35) Codey: make it the best it can be. Yeah. Nope. That’s pretty much it. (0:32:36) Al: I think I’m done with Dave the Diver. (0:32:40) Al: I don’t feel the pool to go back and play it. (0:32:43) Codey: What would be the pull? What would get you? (0:32:45) Al: I don’t know if there is something like I enjoyed when I was playing it, (0:32:49) Al: but I just it takes a lot to go back to a game. (0:32:54) Al: And I don’t think I feel that pool. (0:32:57) Codey: - Mm-hmm. (0:32:57) Al: It’s like Isheban’s Holiday. (0:33:00) Al: Yeah. (0:33:02) Al: OK, the in the jungle, it’s just more of the same. (0:33:06) Al: I enjoyed that, but. (0:33:08) Al: You know, I didn’t even I didn’t even play a huge amount of the Dredge DLC. (0:33:12) Al: I played the whole the Godzilla one, and that was good fun. (0:33:15) Al: That was very different. (0:33:17) Al: The Dredge one was different, but not in a way that felt I wanted to do it. (0:33:23) Al: And then, yeah, Isheban’s Holiday. (0:33:25) Al: I don’t really care. (0:33:28) Al: And the in the jungle is like, OK, fine. (0:33:31) Al: It’s just a different place that you’re fishing. (0:33:34) Codey: Yeah and new fish a new fish but it’s fine (0:33:34) Al: I’m not massively (0:33:36) Al: interested. (0:33:37) Al: Yeah. (0:33:38) Al: Yeah, but that’s the thing, okay, yay, morph- I didn’t even finish catching all the fish (0:33:44) Al: that were in the game, right? (0:33:45) Codey: Yeah (0:33:47) Al: You can’t make me have FOMO for when I hadn’t already completed something in the first place. (0:33:51) Codey: I agree. That’s where I’m at with any Zelda. I not love Zelda and also Pokemon IP right now (0:33:58) Codey: They’re like all the new game and I’m like man. I didn’t I don’t even remember playing (0:34:04) Codey: Scarlet and Violet, so it’s whatever (0:34:04) Al: All right, finally, Usagi Shima new update, the Tanabata Star Festival update. It’s more (0:34:08) Codey: Last update, yep (0:34:18) Codey: So yeah (0:34:19) Al: of the same. You got it. You like it. Go get your Tanabata bamboo. (0:34:24) Codey: Yep, so there’s a some new decorations with Tana Bada back bamboo (0:34:29) Codey: Your bunnies have are carrying little heartfelt wishes that they’re (0:34:34) Codey: putting on on the Bamboo as their their wishes for the year or their wishes for (0:34:40) Codey: the the coming time and they’re so cute it’s free update you just do it in the (0:34:47) Codey: App Store Google Play Store if you already have the game so I am NOT (0:34:52) Codey: intrigued enough to do this so that’s that’s the updates (0:34:54) Al: Mm hmm. That’s the updates. We also have a new game, and that is B simulator. Oh, is (0:35:01) Codey: Mm-hmm (0:35:04) Codey: The hive I think be simulator has been out for a while this is like (0:35:08) Al: this an update or a new game? (0:35:10) Codey: Yeah, so I think the hive is (0:35:14) Codey: Something a little different. It’s like a twist on the game, but it’s whatever man (0:35:21) Al: You know, you’re not interested. (0:35:24) Codey: No, I’m sick and tired of honey bee stuff man like (0:35:30) Al: » That’s the issue, fair. (0:35:34) Codey: This is not (0:35:35) Codey: Indicative of anywhere else in the world, but the United States (0:35:39) Codey: Has held up honey bees as like the poster child of pollinator conservation and the honey bee itself is not native to (0:35:49) Codey: North America it was brought over because people wanted honey (0:35:54) Codey: And now it is used because it is act it is an incredibly effective pollinator for certain plants (0:35:59) Codey: And the only reason it’s really effective is because we’ve decimated all of the houses. (0:36:04) Codey: We don’t have a habitat for local pollinators and native pollinators, so they don’t live near our farms anymore because we just do this monoculture and we spray all these pesticides. (0:36:14) Codey: So the natives aren’t there anymore, they can’t do the pollinating anymore, so we have to bring in these honeybees. (0:36:20) Codey: But honeybees are the equivalent of a chicken. (0:36:24) Codey: It’s like if we held up a chicken and said, “Let’s save the endangered birds.” (0:36:34) Codey: That is not… Yes, I agree with what you’re saying, but that is not an endangered… That’s not even a native bird. (0:36:44) Codey: No. So in the United States, it’s really frustrating. I want to see more stuff about native bees, which is one of the reasons I super loved, Apico and Elle, adding in native bees. (0:37:00) Codey: He also I mean like that game is more (0:37:04) Codey: It could have been in the like well first of all it’s a fantasy game (0:37:06) Codey: But it could have been in nor in not in North America (0:37:09) Codey: So the bees are there are social bees that live in hives that are native to (0:37:17) Codey: Where like Europe and Asia and stuff like that, so that’s fine. It’s it’s fine. It’s fine (0:37:23) Codey: I’ll get off my soapbox, but be simulator the hive is (0:37:27) Codey: Quote the epic adventure of a tiny bee in a vast world collect pollen race through jet streams (0:37:34) Codey: And protect your hive from wasps now even bigger with the hive expansion (0:37:40) Codey: Gather resources build and customize your very own beehive (0:37:45) Codey: so this looks like (0:37:47) Codey: You can build your hive in a bunch of different places (0:37:51) Codey: Also gotta say the hive that the pictures were obscene not accurate. They wouldn’t do they wouldn’t leave this much space, but okay (0:38:01) Codey: It’s just (0:38:04) Codey: It’s fine people will enjoy playing it. I I don’t want to poop poo on people’s people’s fun too much (0:38:10) Codey: I’m down for bug games (0:38:12) Al: Could be worse (0:38:13) Codey: Could be worse (0:38:15) Al: As with many things could be worse (0:38:17) Codey: But it’s coming out on the 4th of August and there is not a price currently oh, yep (0:38:22) Al: Ah, well there you go go look at it if you’re interested in it (0:38:30) Al: Cody will not be playing it presumably (0:38:33) Codey: No, I will not though if people are interested in I can’t even say this I can never mind redacted (0:38:40) Codey: I was gonna say if people are interested in learning how honeybee biology happens, but I don’t even know if it’s gonna be accurate (0:38:46) Codey: I’m gonna have to play it. I (0:38:48) Al: Oh, okay. (0:38:50) Codey: Mean I’m not I would have to play it to be able to tell whether or not it’s accurate but (0:38:54) Al: I thought you were saying I have to play it. (0:38:56) Codey: No, I (0:38:58) Codey: cannot (0:38:59) Codey: Put my thumbs up on this so okay (0:39:02) Al: Fair enough. (0:39:03) Codey: So that’s all the news (0:39:06) Al: Woo! (0:39:07) Codey: What is the deluxe? Wait a minute (0:39:10) Al: Oh, the deluxe edition of “Be Simulated the Hive”. (0:39:12) Codey: Lens island. No lens island. We’re jumping right into it (0:39:14) Al: Oh, interesting. (0:39:17) Al: All right, okay. Well, let’s start this then. So, (0:39:21) Al: this is the second harvest of Lens Island. We had an episode three years ago, three years ago. Goodness me. (0:39:28) Codey: It’s been a hot minute. (0:39:30) Al: But three years ago and that was like (0:39:32) Al: two years after the start of the pandemic, that is where we are just now. (0:39:36) Al: That’s how much time is changing. (0:39:38) Al: And like the podcast was three years old at that point. (0:39:38) Codey: Mm hmm. As each day passes, we get closer to 2050 than we are to 2000. (0:39:45) Al: And closer to death. (0:39:49) Al: Sorry. (0:39:51) Codey: so (0:39:52) Al: So anyway, (0:39:55) Al: dumpty dum, we are going to talk about this because I so right. (0:40:01) Al: Okay, grr! (0:40:02) Al: Probably should have listened to the other, the old episode, to check what (0:40:05) Al: was actually covered in that three years ago, but we’ll see how this goes. (0:40:10) Codey: Yeah I can tell you. I did not but I just remember. So all that really existed in the first episode (0:40:11) Al: I hadn’t played the game at that point. Oh yeah, did you really listen to it? (0:40:17) Al: Oh, fair enough. (0:40:23) Codey: that we played and recorded, all that was really there was a base bare bones island. There was (0:40:30) Codey: nothing on the first island that you come to. There was no people. So you just showed up, (0:40:40) Codey: a house. I don’t even think there was a tutorial in the way that there is now. And so you built a (0:40:47) Codey: house. You could go into the mines. The mines and the dungeon were one in the same. So there or at (0:40:56) Codey: least I had not encountered anything that was explicitly different. So now they are very (0:41:02) Codey: different. There are multiple dungeons. And the mines themselves. (0:41:11) Codey: The mines were about as difficult as they are now. If not, I think they might have been a little bit (0:41:18) Codey: more difficult because it was really hard. Both. I mean, because before it was the mines and the (0:41:18) Al: Do you mean the dungeon? (0:41:24) Codey: dungeon. So it was like all in one. But yeah, you just kind of get, you know, there’s a spawning (0:41:31) Codey: point for the baddies. They come out, they overwhelm you super fast. I think maybe there (0:41:38) Codey: there was, I guess there still is a cool down for consuming. (0:41:40) Codey: Things, um, though now consuming things doesn’t just fill your health. (0:41:47) Codey: It’s just kind of like Minecraft where it fills your fullness. (0:41:51) Codey: And when you’re full, full, then your health auto-regenerates. (0:41:53) Al: Depends which one it is. So the cooked meat from the deer, it heals you. (0:41:56) Codey: Yeah. (0:41:59) Codey: Yeah. (0:41:59) Codey: There weren’t deer last time. (0:42:02) Codey: Um, it was pretty basic. (0:42:04) Codey: And then there was one, uh, addition to the Island that you. (0:42:10) Codey: Could I think unlock. (0:42:13) Codey: And then you went to another area and it was like a pirates Bay area. (0:42:16) Al: Mm, OK. (0:42:17) Codey: And there were people there. (0:42:19) Codey: And so you could sell and trade things and play pirate games and stuff like there. (0:42:27) Codey: Um, but nothing was on the main Island that you were on. (0:42:32) Codey: Um, I also don’t think there was really like the story. (0:42:35) Codey: So when you play the game now, it has more of the story. (0:42:38) Codey: It was really just the bare bones. (0:42:41) Codey: There was farming, um, and there was crafting and stuff, but they have, they (0:42:45) Codey: fleshed it out so much more and I’m, it’s really gratifying to see where the game (0:42:50) Codey: has gone, um, and yeah, I think that’s where I’ll pause the, my, my two (0:42:57) Codey: cents about the second harvest. (0:42:58) Al: to start with. OK, cool. Yeah, OK, so I guess to give people a quick overview, just in case (0:43:06) Al: you haven’t listened to the original episode or you’ve forgotten or whatever, it’s a survival (0:43:12) Al: game. You are a character, you come to an island and you have to survive, you have to (0:43:20) Al: build a house, you have to do all these things. And then there’s obviously, as Cody mentioned, (0:43:25) Al: There’s a story to that. (0:43:28) Al: Yeah, is that enough of a quick overview of what the game is in and of itself? (0:43:34) Codey: Yes, yeah, so it’s like a survival game, but there are these creatures that you learn in the beginning intro part are used to be people, but they were corrupted by this. (0:43:50) Codey: What do they call it a light stone or something? It’s like a, but it’s a resource and they got corrupted by it and now they’re these monster things, which changes my morality a little bit. (0:44:04) Codey: I’m like, Oh, no, like, what if later on down the line there’s you find like a cure and then you’ve killed thousands of these things. (0:44:14) Al: If you don’t kill them, they’ll kill you. (0:44:16) Codey: You’re right. They will. They kind of look I really love the art for them as well. There’s they get kind of Demi Gorgon esque like from. (0:44:26) Al: I did notice that one was very much like the demagogue and from Stranger Things. (0:44:28) Codey: Mm-hmm, stranger things, yeah. (0:44:34) Codey: Um, and it is multiplayer. (0:44:35) Codey: So you can play with one to eight players, which is super nice. (0:44:39) Codey: Um, able to play with your friends. (0:44:41) Codey: Um, and there’s a skill tree and there’s a map. (0:44:46) Codey: I don’t know. (0:44:46) Codey: It’s, it, it’s, it has a lot of potential. (0:44:50) Codey: Like it’s a super open world. (0:44:52) Codey: You can really build it how you want it. (0:44:56) Al: Yeah, okay, so let’s before we get into the game proper. I want to do my complaining section because (0:45:02) Codey: - Yeah, I will second some of your complaints. (0:45:04) Al: So let me get my list and let me pause the game and get back to my list (0:45:08) Codey: - Yeah, stop playing the game while you’re… (0:45:09) Al: so controller support in this game is (0:45:12) Al: Absolutely dreadful. It is just so bad (0:45:15) Al: So when I first opened it when the when the when it first entered early access over three years ago (0:45:20) Al: It had no controller support and so basically just didn’t work on the steam deck at all. Okay, fine. Sure (0:45:26) Al: Whatever. It’s early access. I think that you should have controller support from the start, but whatever fine. I’ll come back later (0:45:31) Al: I came back later and control support does exist, but it is very bare bones and very terrible (0:45:39) Al: When I loaded up the game on my steam deck (0:45:42) Al: You can’t start a game with the controller (0:45:45) Al: There’s like certain buttons that you can’t even highlight using the controller and select (0:45:48) Codey: » Yeah. (0:45:51) Al: Um, and then even when you’re in the game, there’s other things like that. (0:45:54) Al: Like you can’t. (0:45:56) Al: Sleep in that you can’t click the sleep button on a bed without (0:46:00) Al: using the touchscreen stuff like that. (0:46:03) Al: Like really basic stuff that you need to do. (0:46:05) Al: Like, I don’t think a single person, uh, who was on the team, uh, tested this (0:46:11) Al: from like, actually tested controller support. (0:46:14) Al: I think they, they built in some controller support and they went, yeah, (0:46:19) Al: that’s good enough. (0:46:19) Al: That’ll stop people complaining. (0:46:21) Al: Spoiler alert, it won’t. (0:46:23) Al: Um, I honestly think it’s (0:46:26) Al: absolutely dreadful. Like, I think that if you only play games on the Steam Deck, (0:46:31) Al: or if you only play games with the controller, do not buy this game. That’s it. I cannot (0:46:38) Al: legitimately say that anybody who does that can play the game. Like, just don’t do it. (0:46:45) Al: I tried so hard, and I maybe got through like two hours on the Steam Deck before I just broke down (0:46:52) Al: and load it up on my computer and it’s (0:46:56) Al: so much better. It’s playable now. I cannot overstate, that’s the word I’m looking for, (0:46:58) Codey: Yeah. (0:47:02) Codey: Overstate. (0:47:05) Al: I cannot overstate just how bad the controller support is. It’s embarrassing how bad it is. (0:47:12) Codey: I am right there with you so I played a little bit last night. I was playing last night and I (0:47:18) Codey: was just playing on my Mac with my trackpad and I was like this is not fun because there’s sometimes (0:47:22) Al: Mm. Yeah, oh, scrolling on the trackpad. (0:47:27) Codey: you have to double click sometimes you have to scroll like so I was just really struggling with (0:47:31) Codey: that yeah yeah it was really not f

On this week's episode, we talk major departures from HBO's The Last of Us, studio closures over at Xbox, and talk about our dream features for the next Animal Crossing game.Timestamps:00:00 - Introductions and Hellos01:43 - The News We Choose - Xbox Layoffs, Studio Closures, and Banjo Kazooie for Some Reason15:23 - The News We Choose - Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross Leave The Last of Us28:15 - Our Dream Animal Crossing Features40:18 - Building Our Dream Animal Crossing Game01:10:31 - What Have We Been Playing (or Tom Talks About the Death Stranding 2 Event in London for a Bit)01:18:26 - Responding to your comments!01:19:16 - OutroFollow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/controllerclubpod.bsky.socialFollow us on Twitter: x.com/controller_clubFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/controllerclubpodFollow us on TikTok: tiktok.com/@controller.clubEmail ControllerClubPod@gmail.com with your questions, comments, or concerns.Like and Subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Controller_ClubSubscribe wherever you're listening, and leave us a rating and review.

This week on the Toy Power Podcast; we have so much to get through, we bring on local Aussie Matt Teale'o to assist! Kicking off the News, we must first go back in time; to unearth some unknown prototypes from the 80's Battle Beasts Toyline! Then we hit the artic cold in the latest HasLab funded project from G.I. Joe; the Snow C.A.T. A teaser pic of the MOTU Origins Fright Zone, gives us all an insight into which direction the property might be heading. Jurassic Park SDCC Exclusive set, looks like so much fun & is Scott & T-Bob really worth $100extra? More Masters news with a cross-over of Shredder & Skeletor, plus Man-E-Faces gets the Mondo treatment; and the Mythic Legions - Horror Of Einsamall wave looks absolutely incredible!! We then review the last few episodes of Lego Masters: Grand Masters Of The Galaxy - including the Final Episode! Radical Rewind Presents: Independence Day - an overview of the fun & excitement. Then rounding out the ep Trent unveils a project he has been working on for a number of years: a Book - The Dark Epoch! Finally published & available now! All this & more! To find out more about Trent's new Book; including how to secure a copy for yourself; be sure to check out: https://thedarkepoch.org/ To follow Matt Tealeo's Toy Collecting Journey: Check out his Instagram page: @tealeos_toyboxSupport the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.