Wardcast

Every time we try to spoil Endgame, we get distracted by the blue blur’s glorious cinematic debut, so we stick to giving our Infinity Saga impressions spoiler free, voice the problems with the MCU, and discuss the slippery slope of saying things are “just for kids.” And it wouldn’t be a week in the games industry without discussing crunch and related workplace problems. We tackle the recent reports of employee suffering at Epic, NetherRealm, and Riot; the universality of crunch in the industry; and the hand games media plays in driving the discussion of crunch and other related development topics. Games include Devil May Cry 5, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and The Elder Scrolls: Blades. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

This week, we’re joined by Marlowe Dobbe — artist on Dicey Dungeons and The World Next Door and member of PIGSquad! She talks about how she got into games as an artist, what inspires her art style, and her pipeline for creating game art. We discuss what it’s like running booths at larger game expos, and — most importantly — we try to see how many Pokémon movies we can name from memory. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

We lose one Joe but gain one Nelson, who’s here to put a cap on his Devil May Cry 5 experience. Dylan and Alex are still deep into their Hypnospace journey, filled with cool punks, angry teachers, and tales of the Chowder Man. Sony blows the doors off the lead up to E3 with an early look at the PS5, we learn about the Three C’s of Cerny, and Jedi: Fallen Order is finally starting to look like a video game! Games include Sayonara Wild Hearts; Dangerous Driving; Get in the Car, Loser!; Creature in the Well; Hypnospace Outlaw; Risk of Rain 2; Devil May Cry 5; Onrush; Devil’s Hunt; and Alice: Madness Returns. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Dante Douglas — writer, designer, and one of the editors-in-chief over at Deorbital — joins the show this week, wearing the dual hats of press and developer and discussing how there’s no real division between them. We also cover the differences we find in artistic games criticism versus mechanical games criticism and everyone’s difficulty in separating critical analysis from one’s taste in games. Games include Hades. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

A new chapter is etched into the annals of gaming as two tech giants enter the arena. The masses cheer! Google Stadia! Apple Arcade! Shall these titans bring with them the dawning of a new age, or will they plunge us all into the yawning abyss? This week, we also discuss some takeaways from GDC and PAX East, dying shadows and internet fugitives, and our new show — Attract Mode! — which you can find on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or via RSS. Games include Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Hypnospace Outlaw. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Hidden Gems returns home to PAX East to showcase the latest and greatest gems on the show floor. Join Dylan Ilvento, Nelson Johnson, Felix Kramer, and Sarah Elmaleh as they highlight games both obscure and overlooked at PAX. Follow along with the panel slides here. From the panel description: You’re at PAX, and you’re excited to try and see everything the show has to offer. Problem is, where do you start? For the third year in a row, we’re bringing Hidden Gems back to PAX East to bring you all the cool, new, and unexpected games at the show. With our collective knowledge of the games industry, we’ll showcase handpicked games and experiences that you won’t want to miss. Games include tri.Attack; Sayonara Wild Hearts; Mutazione; Flotsam; Bloodroots; Creature in the Well; Industries of Titan; Treachery in Beatdown City; Stacks on Stacks (on Stacks); Get in the Car, Loser!; Afterparty; Where the Bees Make Honey; Kaisuo; and Crosshatch. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or e

Games? They’re so passé. It’s all about movies now. Sike! Ha-ha, got ya! When we’re not insurance adjusting on an abandoned ship, we’re getting back into the groove, celebrating our favorite super party, and figuring out what color our lightsaber is. Games include Return of the Obra Dinn, Toejam & Earl, Super Mario Party, Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, Apex Legends, Hand of Fate, and Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

It’s GDC week, and to celebrate, Dylan is rejoined by friend of the show Callum Underwood, Senior Scout at Raw Fury, Director of Special Projects at the SUPERHOT Team, and Head of Games and eSports at Caffeine. To get ourselves ready for GDC, we discuss how you can prepare for the show, whether your goal is networking, pitching your game, or simply hanging out. And on the publishing side, Callum discusses what you should have ready when pitching your game to indie publishers and why pitching can often suck. We also take some time to learn some US geography and regale ourselves with Callum’s journey of bringing his Snorlax home. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

We’ve got a radical episode for y’all this week. When we’re not hypothesizing about Beanie Baby Soulsbornes, we’re watching Movie Sonic getting unleashed onto the world. Nelson finds pleasure in Dee Em Cee Vee, and we gird ourselves in the wake of upcoming conventions, hardware announcements, and more! Games include Devil May Cry 5, Final Fantasy IX, and Pikuniku. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

A string of absences and illnesses hits the Wardcast hard, but Dylan is fortunate enough to be joined by “YouTube Joe” Wetmore to talk about topics a-plenty, including a short Nintendo Direct and a tall Nintendo retiree. We converse about the week’s disturbing THQ debacle and an unfortunately swift round of layoffs, all the while letting the GaaS out of the looty shooty genre. Games include Warhammer: Vermintide 2, Apex Legends, Brawl Stars, Snake, Minesweeper, 12 Orbits, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

This week, the Wardcast is beginning to reach full strength, with Dylan, Alex, and Nelson discussing childhood pranks, getting to the bottom of the 3D2D genre, and the history of the Keyblade Wars. We’re all still fully in the grips of ApeLeg addiction, but we pull ourselves out of the miasma long enough to talk about the latest Nintendo Direct, which leaves Animal Crossing fans out in the cold in favor of the Mario Maker faithful while also showcasing Goku-lookin’ RPGs, the morality of anime cops, and something called a tsum tsum? Games include Brawl Stars, Apex Legends, Tetris 99, Yoshi’s Crafted World, Daemon X Machina, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Dylan and new Wardcast regular Nelson Johnson convene to talk about, among other things, the stealth-released Apex Legends and what it signals for the ever-evolving battle royale genre. We then trip over a possible Eminem Anime MMO, movie trailers and movie budgets, and the escalating war for PC game store dominance. Games include Apex Legends, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Devil May Cry 5, and Killer Queen. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

This week, we return to a semi-regular Wardcast. Joining Alex and Dylan is RVA Game Jams newbie Jeff Stager, here to talk about the many tales of illicit flash drives, failing Swedish studios, and noble charity streams. There’s also a topic that we’ve yet to discuss in depth: Smash Bros.! We revisit the ultimate entry two months later to showcase the talents of Xander Mobius, discover the secrets of the World of Light, and run down the Competitive Gentlemen’s Rules. Games include Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Onimusha, Doom II, Crusader Kings II, Hollow Knight, Minecraft, Brawl Stars, Anthem, Rainbow Six: Siege, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and Deltarune Chapter 1. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Back in Richmond, Dylan is joined by RVA Game Jams’ guest speaker for Global Game Jam, Clint “Halfcoordinated” Lexa, here in town to talk about streaming, speedrunning, and gaming accessibility. We cover some stuff we missed from AGDQ, how developers can work with speedrunners to improve their games and support better accessibility, Clint’s next speedrunning game, and controller preferences. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

For the second year running, Hidden Gems is back to showcase games and more from PAX South! Dylan is joined by Harris Foster, Anya Combs, and Rami Ismail to talk about hidden MAME ROMs, secret bathrooms, and finding out what color the sky truly is. You can follow along with the panel slides here. From the panel description: Do you wish there was a one stop source for everything you needed to see, hear, and play at PAX? If so, then you’re in luck! The Hidden Gems panel is here to show you the way to the biggest surprises on the show floor. With our collective knowledge of the games industry, we’ll showcase handpicked games and experiences that you won’t want to miss. Games include Multibowl, Nelo, A Fold Apart, Ape Out, KungFu Kickball, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, King of the Hat, Dicey Dungeons, Bombfest, Hypnospace Outlaw, Young Souls, and RocketBoots Mania. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

We’re here in Rockville, Maryland for AGDQ — Awesome Games Done Quick — watching games be played real fast. Dylan is joined by Finji community manager Harris Foster along with streamer and fellow hotel roommate Devon Snethen. We’ve spent the whole week watching runners run their games, so we take some time to talk about our favorite runs, the Bad Games Block, some contentious Splatoon running, and oooooooooorbs. Games include Pringles Game, The★BishiBashi, and BishiBashi Channel. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

It’s our third and final night of MAGFest 2019. We run into some technical issues, but that doesn’t keep us down. Part one has us talking to designer, Ward collaborator, and Richmonder Sean Harrington. Part two brings on Wardcast co-host Alex Damrath, Splitty Robot developer Scott Hilbert, and musician and DJ Alan “8-Bit Mullet” Brymer. And lastly, in part three, we’re joined by fellow RVA Game Jammers Justin Mitchell and Emerson Smith. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

The second night of MAGFest 2019 rolls on with a second night of podcasts. Part one brings on Kentucky developers Amanda Hudgins, Adam Schroeder, and John Meister to talk their projects and more. Part two collects together Wardcast friend and experience designer Ruthie Edwards along with Zarvot creator, Sam Eng. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

For the first podcast of 2019. We’re bringing on a bunch of awesome folks to talk anything and everything about MAGFest. Part one brings on attorneys Ryan Morrison and Noah Downs, along with streamer extraordinaire Ryan “McLaffy Taffy” Capps. Part two has us sitting down with friends of the show Nelson Johnson and Michael Macasiano and lead designer from Mega Cat Studios, Andy Marsh. Games include Just Shapes & Beats. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

We’re rounding out the year with something special: we asked our guests if they wanted to say a few words about the games they played in 2018 that meant the most to them. Thanks to Ruthie Edwards, Joe Wetmore, Mike Futter, Mason Brown, Alex Berry, Harris Foster, Craig Barnes, and Matt Gambell for taking the time to share their thoughts on what games were the most impactful to them in 2018. Games include Factorio, Nier: Automata, Return of the Obra Dinn, Monster Hunter: World, Hitman 2, God of War, Celeste, Just Shapes & Beats, The Quiet Man, Dead Cells, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Tetris Effect. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!