Epic Free Game Reviews

In this episode, we discuss the game(s) Epic gave away from September 19 to September 26, 2019, the Lego Batman Trilogy. We discuss the legacy of both superheroes and lego, the gender politics of superheroes, camp and humor in games, and aspects of games like voiceacting, open worlds, and character abilities. 

In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from September 12 to September 19, 2019, the Lovecraft-inspired horror walking simulator from 2017, Conarium. This game allows us to consider Lovecraft's legacy, to think about race and xenophobia in games, what horror means as a concept, and the Unreal Engine

In this episode, we discuss the game epic gave away from September 5 to September 12, 2019, the platformer from 2017 The End is Nigh. We discuss whether dark humor can be pulled off in games, the loneliness epidemic, the continued use of nostalgia (cartridges and floppy discs) in indie games, classic music, and games as dadaist experiences, among other things. Ray also asks an important question - Can't we just swim with turtles again?

In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away September 5 - September 12, 2019, the 2016 underwater adventure game Abzu. We discuss the use of mythology within video games as source material, why water levels are so hated, the idea of an "entry point game, and conservation themes within games, among other things. We especially focus on why a Hammerhead Man is a bad idea.

In this episode we discuss the game Epic gave away from August 29 to September 5, 2019, the platformer and indie darling Celeste. We focus a lot on mental health in games and also the way that U.S. oriented games differ in their philosophies and epistemology from games made in other countries. We also talk about games that are made for speedrunning, accessibility features, psychoanalysis (Lacanian mirror stages!), and a wonderful term Ray offered, "gate-opening games."

In this episode, we discuss the game that Epic gave away from August 29 to September 5, 2019, the 2016 puzzle platformer Inside. During the conversation, we consider whether indie studios should focus on what they do well or branch out, whether controller or keyboard is better for indie games, visual accessibility, whether resistance to systems is possible, and much more! Ray also admits that his brain can only handle WASD. Also, corn, phallus worms, and LinkedIn is a cult.

In this episode we discuss the game that was given away from August 22 to August 29, 2019, the puzzle platformer from 2012, Fez. We discuss the impacts of the historical game transition from 2D to 3D, indie game development cycles, the innovative nature of indie games, our nostalgia for hidden objects and objectives in games, and more - including Virginia Woolf hats!

In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from August 15 to August 22, 2019, Hyper Light Drifter. This allows us to have conversations about the ideal gaming console (with a shout out to the Dreamcast!), the role of emotions and narrative in games, Platonic philosophy and the Great Chain of Being as a theme, and achievements. Kanye is also in the cast of characters that unfortunately makes an appearance in this discussion! The developers definitely dodged a bullet

In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from August 15 to August 22, 2019, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. We had conversations about how media deals with imagining the future, the genre of tactical strategy games (and their number crunchiness), Cold War politics, and what furry we would want to be if we were one. Also, if you hate Kpop, blame the Cold War

In this episode, we discuss the 2017 puzzle game GNOG, which Epic gave away from August 8 to August 15, 2019. In this conversation we get into some practical conversations (around music, achievements, etc) and also philosophical conversations around ontology, how we value and rank things, postmodernism, and what defines a game (for the latter, I recommend Thi Ngyuen's wonderful book Games: Agency as Art).