TechRaptor Gaming Podcast
By TechRaptor
New episodes drop every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. For daily updates, head over to techraptor.net, your source for quality news, reviews, and articles in Gaming and Tabletop.
TechRaptor Gaming PodcastApr 11, 2022
Vecna Eve of Ruin Session 1
The TechRaptor Podcast takes another dip into Dungeons & Dragons for the release of Vecna: Eve of Ruin. This Level 10-20 adventure puts Scrappy, Otton, and guest of the podcast Xan into a graveyard Dungeon crawl. See how the 50th anniversary adventure kicks off as Dave Harbour the Fighter, Stolid the Warforged, and Libby the Wizard begin their quest.
Gaming News: https://techraptor.net/news
Gaming Reviews: https://techraptor.net/reviews
Don't forget to follow us on Social Media!Twitter: http://twitter.com/techraptrFacebook: http://facebook.com/techraptor
Look What Happens Publishers Like Sony or Xbox Interfere With Their Devs
We recorded this episode on Saturday to discuss Sony and Helldivers 2, with that situation completely turning around a lot of what we discuss is also very valid to Xbox in the wake of the game studio closures. This week the TechRaptor Podcast talks about publishers and their desire to meet the goals of their shareholders, and how that leaves devs and players in a worse-off position.
Gaming News: https://techraptor.net/newsGaming Reviews: https://techraptor.net/reviews
Don't forget to follow us on Social Media!Twitter: http://twitter.com/techraptrFacebook: http://facebook.com/techraptor
Nintendo Switch Rumors Leave Us Guessing
The rumor mill has started up once again for a sequel to the Nintendo Switch, and with a smaller set of first-party releases coming in the future Stretch, Otton, and Austin talk about Nintendo's interesting history with console releases, and what we hope to see from a Nintendo Switch 2.
Gaming News: https://techraptor.net/news
Gaming Reviews: https://techraptor.net/reviews
Don't forget to follow us on Social Media!
Twitter: http://twitter.com/techraptr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/techraptor
Cutting-Edge Discussion on Stellar Blade and the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Austin reviewed Stellar Blade for us, and you can hear his thoughts on today's episode. And we also get into the latest headset from Razer, the BlackShark V2 Pro, and chat about Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
Fallout TV Show Episode 1 Discussion and Spoilers
TechRaptor got a chance to watch the first episode of the Fallout TV show earlier this week. Andrew Stretch, Tyler Chancey, Andrew Otton, and Austin Suther got together to discuss it's ups and downs. We talk about protagonists Lucy, Maximum, and Cooper "The Ghoul" Howard, their roles in the story, and what we're hoping to see from the show going forward. Check out our Full Season Discussion and Spoiler Talk Here: • Fallout Season 1 Discussion and Spoilers
We Played the Rogue Prince of Persia
We got to play an early build of the just-announced Rogue Prince of Persia, and it's looking pretty good. We also chat about the death of Wii U and 3DS servers and mobile games.
Flash Games Core Memories Unlocked
You know you're a '90s kid when you do an entire podcast episode about Flash games on a whim. Take a walk down memory lane with us as we relive school-day memories about playing Flash games in the computer lab.
Dragon's Dogma 2 Microstransactions Aren't That Bad???
Capcom added microtransactions to Dragon's Dogma 2, plummeting its Steam user review score. We chat about why it's an optically bad, cynical move, but also why it isn't that surprising from Capcom.
How Helldivers Is Giving You The Early 2000s MMO Experience | TechRaptor Podcast 110
This week on the podcast Andrew, Rutledge, Austin, and Stretch get deep into why the marketing and release cycle of Helldivers 2 is going so well. We also discuss the not so good launch of the Battlefront Classic Collection. We also spend some time theorizing on the mysterious situation coming out of the Royal family. Gaming News: https://techraptor.net/news Gaming Reviews: https://techraptor.net/reviews Don't forget to follow us on Social Media! Twitter: http://twitter.com/techraptr Facebook: http://facebook.com/techraptor
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Is Weird—and We Need More of That
Gwent's got nothing on the Queen's Blood conspiracy that's brewing.
The World of Helldivers 2: Perseverance, Betrayal & Democracy
Democracy needs all the help it can get, and the TechRaptor crew are on the frontlines. Join us as we chat about the explosive journey Helldivers 2 has had since launch.
More from TechRaptor: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Group Discussion and Spoilercast
This week the TechRaptor Podcast is back for 2024 with a very special episode to discuss what we thought about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
The first 30 minutes are a spoiler-free discussions about our history with the franchise, what we were hoping to see, and gameplay elements like the open world and combat.
Past that expect plenty of discussion on story differences, late-game events, and what we think will happen with the third game in the Final Fantasy VII Remake Trilogy.
Gaming News: https://techraptor.net/news
Gaming Reviews: https://techraptor.net/reviews
Don't forget to follow us on Social Media!Twitter: http://twitter.com/techraptrFacebook: http://facebook.com/techraptor
[Update] We're Taking a Short Break!
After hitting the podcast grind for two years, we're taking a short break to rest, relax, and recharge. We'll be back even better than before, so stay tuned!
The Super Mario Bros. Wonder Flower Power Hour
This week Robert, Andrew, and Stretch share their thoughts on Super Mario Bros. Wonder. We cover the game from top to bottom including the way Mario moves and reacts to the world, the weird new Power-Ups and Wonder Flowers, and why the last level of the game caused Stretch to rage quit.
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
We Roast Our Team’s Top 5 Games
This week on the podcast Rut, Otton, Robert, and Stretch put our heads together to see how well we know our team. They’ve each submitted their top 5 games and it’s up to us to pair them to it.
Do we know our team well enough, or are we going to embarrass ourselves with wrong guesses?
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
We Give Our Top Three Horror Games To Play This October 2023
This week on the podcast, Robert, Stretch, and Will celebrate Monday the 16th (which is somewhat close to Friday the 13th). As it’s ALSO the month of October, we decided to do a draft of our favorite horror games.
With some well-known picks, like Resident Evil, and some obscure selections, you’ll have to tell us who came up with the best horror list!
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Planescape Turn of Fortune’s Wheel Session 1
Next week is the release of Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse and its level 3-7 Adventure. Rut, Scrappy, and newcomer to the pod Will join Stretch as they awaken in a Mortuary on Sigil and try to make their way out.
If you’re interested in more Planescape, it’s available on Oct. 17, and you can already check out our review here:
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Here’s Why We’re Excited for Assassin’s Creed Mirage
This week on the Podcast Robert has a bit of a challenge for us... ‘Who’s That Assassin?’ We test our 16 years of Assassin’s Creed knowledge to try to remember which assassin is from what game and what their names are.
After that Stretch and Otton join the conversation to talk about what elements of the Assassin’s Creed story and genre we’re fans of and what they should leave behind.
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
There Are Too Many Games in 2023 | TechRaptor Podcast 101
This week on the Podcast Rutledge, Robert, and Stretch discuss the never-ending torrent of games that have been releasing through 2023. We go back and highlight the big games of 2023 that might be up for GOTY, what games we’ve got on our horizons, and look ahead to 2024.
We also talk about how we pick and choose which games we’re wanting to play and when we know that a game just isn’t going to be worth our time...
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk Session 1
Today, Wizards of the Coast released their newest adventure for Dungeons & Dragons, Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk. This continues a party’s journey after the famous starting adventure, The Lost Mines of Phandelver.
To celebrate, the TechRaptor Podcast team plays their first session with the new adventure book. What mysteries lie with these new goblins? Will Rut ever land an arrow? Find out in this exciting 3-hour real-play podcast!
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Starfield Is A New IP Win For Xbox
This week local Starfield experts Rutledge and Erren submit to a barrage of questions from Stretch about everything Starfield. We discuss how it compares to previous Bethesda titles, talk about gunplay and skill trees, what quests are must do’s, and how frustrating ladders are.
Does Bethesda Actually Make Good Games?
Ahead of Starfield’s launch, the TechRaptor podcast crew breaks down the past two decades of Bethesda Game Studios’ catalog. The team makes a lot of huge, open-world sandboxes, but are they fun to play in?
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Baldur’s Gate 3 Is Causing Gamers to Panic???
Everyone’s up in arms about the Baldur’s Gate 3 controversy, because it’s a video game that’s so good that every other video game should be put to shame -- or so says some parts of the internet. Is there one singular golden standard we can apply to video games? And what do microtransactions really have to do with any of this? We dive into that and more in this week’s episode of the TechRaptor Podcast.
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Here's Why You Should Go To Jail in Baldur's Gate 3
Join us for our first Dungeons & Dragons podcast! This week, our reviewer Erren Van Duine shares her review-in-progress snapshot of Baldur’s Gate 3, which we’ve all been playing.
The level of detail and branching paths have already led to some wild stories, some of which come from the inside of a jail cell or two.
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Let’s Talk About the Value of Games
When it comes to buying games, every evaluates prices differently. One full-price game could have “more value” to one person and less to another, depending on taste, time spent in game, and enjoyment outside of play time.
Join us as we dive into how the value of video games differ among all sorts of people. Can you ever really waste money on a game? Are some games worth more than others? Find out the answers to these questions on this week’s TechRaptor Podcast.
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
The Big 3 of Movie Tie-In Games
e’re trying something new this week we’re calling The Big 3 where we face off against one another by creating our own individual best of lists. This time we’re going for the best movie tie-in games, which are games directly related to a movie, not just something from the franchise. We structured it like your classic fantasy sports draft, so there are some definite reaches in picks later on.
Where would you pick such classics like Goldeneye 007 or Spider-Man 2? Would something like X-Men Origins: Wolverine or Star Wars: The Phantom Menace make your list? We discuss these and more, including some honorable mentions.
What games did we forget? Who had the best Big 3 roster?
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Ranking the Best Boss Fights in Final Fantasy XVI
Spoiler alert! Final Fantasy XVI has a lot of cool boss fights, but which ones are the best? We go through our shortlist to determine the best boss fight.
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
With Activision Blizzard, Where Does Xbox Stand Now?
Breaking away from our normal structure, Robert, Andrew, and Stretch take a look at the history of Xbox Game Studios and analyze how they’re doing. From formation and early purchases like Rare, to the flood of announcements in 2018 and the impending acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, we talk through each studio and their contributions.
Are Xbox taking the right approach staying hands off with their companies? Has Xbox been missing a consistency that they used to have? What will it mean if Starfield or Fable flop?
00:00:00 – Intro
00:03:11 – Early Days of Microsoft Game Studios
00:26:52 – Mojang and Minecraft
00:36:45 – E3 2018: Obsidian, InXile, Ninja Theory, and More
01:03:54 – The Big ZeniMax Acquisition
01:23:51 – What the Xbox One Did to Microsoft
01:28:35 – Do Xbox Games Review Poorly?
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Why is Final Fantasy 16 So Good Yet So Bad?
This week, we’re bringing on our Tabletop Editor Giaco Furino to give us a snapshot of all things wargaming and trading cards. We go over Warhammer 40K 10th Edition, the latest Lord of the Rings Magic: The Gathering set, and Gloomhaven’s insane level of popularity.
Love Settlers of Catan and Sid Meier’s Civilization? Catan: Dawn of Humankind might be up your alley. But if you’re more into restaurant management, deep-sea fishing, and discovering underwater civilizations, check out Dave the Diver.
We also get a few things off our chest. Tears of the Kingdom, our latest 10/10 game, isn’t clicking with Giaco, and Final Fantasy 16 is simultaneously one of the best and worst games we’ve played this year.
00:00:00 – Intro / Rut Needs a Hunt: Showdown Friend
00:02:06 – Introducing Giaco Furino, Tabletop Editor
00:03:32 – Warhammer 40K 10th Edition Overview
00:17:24 – Magic: The Gathering – Tales of Middle-Earth Set
00:28:18 – Gloomhaven: The Role-Playing Game
00:33:22 – Catan: Dawn of Humankind Is Basically Catan x Civilization
00:38:27 – Dave the Diver Is a Quirky Management-Exploration Game
00:42:08 – Tabletop Editor Doesn’t Like Tears of the Kingdom
00:53:55 – Final Fantasy 16 Is Good/Bad???
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Is Final Fantasy 16 Basically Devil May Cry?
This week on the podcast Robert, Andrew, Rutledge, and Stretch talked about the big news coming out of the Nintendo Direct. Pokemon DLC seems to be named incorrectly, Detective Pikachu still seems weird, and we’re all excited that Super Mario RPG is finally getting a remake. Surprising news this week came from Los Angeles as their financial plans for the next few years don’t factor in the presence of E3.
The big game that we’ve pretty much all been playing is Final Fantasy 16. We talked about what’s been working for us well like the combat system, while also spending some time talking about elements of the game that just aren’t feeling as good. Scrappy also let us know that the Mortal Kombat 1 server tests are accurately testing those servers, and Rut has found another cool community game with a huge following in BattleBit Remastered.
https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/june-2023-nintendo-direct-find-all-news-announcements-here
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:08 – June 2023 Nintendo Direct, Including Super Mario Bros. Wonder
00:32:06 – Is E3 2024 Cancelled? Not Quite, But...
00:38:26 – Final Fantasy 16 Is a Great Movie/Game
01:05:31 – Mortal Kombat 1 Is a Bloody Good Time
01:09:55 – BattleBit Remastered Is Battlefield But Good?
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
The Best Games From Summer Game Fest
This week on the TechRaptor Podcast, Robert and Andrew are back to tell Stretch and Rutledge all about their time at Summer Game Fest. We recap some of our favorite announcements from the show such as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Starfield, and Little Kitty, Big City.
Robert and Andrew also told us about what games they had a chance to get hands-on with at the show floor. Turns out Foamstars has some really good game modes to it, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown blends action and exploration well, and Cyberpunk 2077 might be worth revisiting for Phantom Liberty.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:57 – Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is TWO whole discs
00:09:19 – Starfield is all about ships and sandwiches
00:17:43 – Star Wars: Outlaws hopefully won’t have a Jedi
00:23:33 – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 gets another trailer
00:28:37 – Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is another Far Cry game, kinda??
00:33:44 – Like a Dragon looks nuts
00:39:48 – Dragon's Dogma 2, Assassin’s Creed: Mirage
00:43:45 – Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Hands-On Impressions
00:49:23 – Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the biggest surprise of the show?
00:53:17 – Foamstars (aka Splatoon) Hands-On Impressions
01:01:05 – Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis Hands-On Impressions
01:05:45 – Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is the biggest surprise of the show?
01:09:10 – Sonic Superstars Hands-On Preview
01:11:39 – Alan Wake 2 Looks Like Resident Evil, True Detective, and Twin Peaks
01:16:13 – Little Kitty, Big City Hands-On Impressions
01:19:42 – Fae Farm Hands-On Impressions
01:22:46 – Check out the rest of our SGF coverage at techraptor.net
If You Can’t Handle Me at My Redfall, You Don’t Deserve Me at My Street Fighter 6
This week on the podcast Robert, Rut, and Stretch are joined by our Diablo IV reviewer, Austin Suther. This week, Bobby Kotick’s interview with Variety led to some interesting conversation points regarding the “alleged” sexual misconduct in Activision and how the Xbox-ABK acquisition is “the right thing for our industry.” We also discuss the Power of the PlayStation 5® and advertising surrounding the PC release of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.
In games this week, everyone is deep playing Diablo IV or Street Fighter 6. We talk about the positive aspects of Diablo IV’s boss fights, loot progression, and some thoughts on what could be coming in the first season of the battle pass. Street Fighter 6 not only shows incredible polish in terms of online gameplay but is an excellent resource for new players to learn the basic mechanics.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:03 – Bobby Kotick “Breaks His Silence”
00:17:53 – Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Is Miraculously Coming to PC
00:32:03 – Diablo IV Impressions
00:44:10 – Street Fighter 6 Impressions
Is Sony Wrong To Double Down On Live Service Games?
This week Scrappy, Otton, and Stretch get together to talk about the PlayStation Showcase, highlighting Sony doubling down on live-service games, the PSVR2 offerings, and some of the other big announcements including Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater and Spider-Man 2.
In the games we’ve been playing department, we’re all still stuck in Hyrule playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Scrappy has decreed himself the ultimate Zelda gamer.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:20 – PlayStation Showcase
00:02:19 – All the PlayStation Live Service Games
00:17:28 – PSVR2 Games, Including Resident Evil 4 VR
00:25:00 – Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater
00:31:43 – Dragon's Dogma 2
00:33:32 – What’s the Deal With Project Q?
00:41:36 – Spider-Man 2
00:54:00 – What This a Good PlayStation Showcase?
01:00:06 – Tears of the Kingdom Impressions
https://techraptor.net/gaming/opinions/who-is-audience-for-sonys-project-q-streaming-device
https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/playstation-showcase-here-are-all-trailers-announcements
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Turns Out Overwatch 2 Was Just the Game Modes We Played Along the Way
This week on the podcast, Stretch, Robert, and Rut give predictions on this week’s Sony PlayStation Showcase. Do we think the hard hitters like Spider-Man 2 or The Last of Us 2 Factions will be shown off, or one of the many rumored games like Metal Gear Solid or Silent Hill 2? Also, Blizzard baffled us this week as they announced Overwatch 2 will longer have true PvE game modes. What does that mean for the future of Overwatch 2?
Rut has been squashing bugs and building bases in Starship Troopers: Extermination, working with different groups to re-enact their favorite over-the-top bug fights! Robert and Stretch have been playing more Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (And I can stop whenever I want! - Stretch). They talk about some of the discoveries they’ve made, and how the mechanics and world have felt.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:00:46 – TechRaptor Indie Gaming Showcase
00:03:49 – Sony Announced PlayStation Showcase for Wednesday
00:24:37 – Blizzard Cancels Big PvE Promises for Overwatch 2
00:39:28 – Starship Troopers: Extermination Impressions
00:47:40 – Tears of the Kingdom Is Still Good
TechRaptor Indie Gaming Showcase: https://techraptor.net/blog/techraptor-indie-gaming-showcase-may-2023
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Is Tears of the Kingdom Having Its Breath of the Wild Moment?
In a week filled with financial reports from everyone in the industry it was Nintendo and EA that caught our eyes. Robert and Otton talked about EA’s claim to want to be an acquirer and not an acquiree, and Stretch thinks he knows who could voice Link in a Legend of Zelda movie.
While we’ve only had a limited amount of time to get sunk into Tears of the Kingdom our minds are already flying with ideas of different combinations. Really at this point we just devolved into talking about funny things we had seen or done already and how we were all wanting to get back to playing...
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:30 – EA CEO Andrew Wilson Chimes in on the Microsoft Activision Acquisition
00:16:45 – Nintendo Wants to focus on Expanding and Engaging the Switch’s Base Audience
00:28:48 – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Impressions
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Is Xbox Game Pass Still Good Without Successful First-Party Games?
This week Rutledge, Robert, and Stretch discuss the big three console developers. Sony studio PixelOpus, known for Concrete Genie, announced they’re closing down. Phil Spencer spoke with Kinda Funny’s XCast on the current state of Xbox, the CMA’s decision, and the brand going forward. Finally, Nintendo issued a DMCA on a tool that allows people to obtain key files that could enable preservation, or piracy, of Nintendo Switch games.
In the games for the week, Stretch talks about the short ARPG Ravenlok from Cococucumber, and everyone dives in to talk full spoilers about Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. With so many Jedi being around, was Order 66 successful?
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:10 – Sony Shuts Down PixelOpus
00:07:35 – Phil Spencer Interview on the Kinda Funny Xcast
00:32:57 – Nintendo DMCAs Lockpick, Hurting Switch Emulation
00:41:37 – Ravenlok Impressions
00:47:20 – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Impressions
00:53:56 – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor SPOILERS
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
How Google Stadia Ruined the Xbox-Activision Deal
Microsoft suffers a big loss this week after their acquisition of Activision Blizzard gets shot down by the CMA, what’s next for Xbox’s purchase journey and how petty will they become? The podcast crew also discuss the announcement of Armored Core 6 from FromSoftware and how it might be influenced by recent success.
Rutledge, Scrappy, and Christian talk about their experiences so far with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, some of the mechanics that they’re enjoying, and a happy frog dude called Turgle. Getting excited for Tears of the Kingdom, Christian has gone back and completed Breath of the Wild’s DLC, getting to visit one of the major dungeons of the game and scoring himself a sweet set of wheels.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:30 – UK's CMA Blocks Microsoft’s Activision-Blizzard Acquisition
00:22:07 – FromSoftware Reveals Armored Core VI Release Date
00:33:12 – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Impressions
00:57:20 – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Sony Bought Firewalk Studios. Are They Hypocrites?
This week on the podcast the crew talks about the massive failure success of Hi-Fi Rush and how Xbox is changing their definition of success in the age of streaming games. This week has been all about acquisitions as Sony purchases Firewalk Studios and SEGA purchases Rovio. Do we think that Sonic will show up in a new Angry Birds game, or that the Angry Birds will be appearing on Mobius?
Talking about games that they’ve played Otton talks about his time in Horizon: Forbidden West Burning Shores DLC and how empty the new area feels. Rut plays an idle game for children. Stretch expresses his frustration with a boss that won’t let you progress in Stray Blade, and Scrappy finally dives back into Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order to get hyped for the new game!
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:05 – Hi-Fi Rush Is a Breakout Hit for Xbox
00:15:15 – Sony Acquires Firewalk Studios
00:21:17 – Sega Acquires Rovio (and General Discussion on the Mobile Gaming Market)
00:35:35 – Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores Impressions
00:43:20 – Realm Grinder Impressions
00:49:17 – Stray Blade Impressions
00:57:00 – Replaying Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Is 30 fps Redfall Unacceptable?
This week on the podcast Rutledge, Robert, and Stretch discuss major gaming news as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is delayed into 2024. How much can you really change about a game in such little time though? Redfall announced it would launch without a performance mode that has led many to question the acceptability of a 30fps shooter, and the larger Xbox discussion around it’s releases. Nintendo is headed to Seattle this September to show off it’s games.
Stretch discusses his time attending Creator Clash 2, the creators he saw, and the fights he witnessed. Rutledge is seeking out immortality in Survival: Fountain of Youth, and Scrappy has been trying out the new Thai Overwatch character, Lifeweaver.
00:00 – Intro
01:05 – Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Delayed
10:56 – Redfall Will Launch With Only a 30 fps Quality Mode, 60 fps Is Coming
28:01 – Nintendo Live Is Coming to Seattle in September
33:00 – Creator Clash
44:32 – Survival: Fountain of Youth Impressions
50:55 – Overwatch 2 Lifeweaver Impressions
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Resident Evil 4 Roundtable Spoiler Talk. It’s a Thrill Ride!
This week the podcast has their book game club and talk about Resident Evil 4 Remake. From the first moment you set foot in the village and take on a chainsaw wielding psychopath, to the final battles with a giant mutated eye spider we discuss our thoughts after completing the game.
The podcast crew talks about what aspects of Resident Evil 4 they like, what didn’t land, and where they think improvements could have been made. We at least all agree that Leon’s one-liners can stay!
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
So When Are We Getting a D&D Honor Among Thieves Sequel?
Join us this week as we have a moment of silence for E3 2023’s cancellation. We discuss what that means for the industry and a year already filled with events. We get lost in the weeds discussing all of the different possibilities we could imagine from Tears of the Kingdom and it’s new Fusing mechanic. We also talk about the unfortunate issues plaguing the PC port of The Last of Us: Part 1. Did it need to be rushed out the door to align with the HBO series?
Instead of games we all discuss how much we enjoyed Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. We give our general thoughts at the beginning before we dive into spoiler talk.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:02:04 – E3 Is Cancelled
00:21:52 – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Gameplay
00:35:49 – The Last of Us PC Port Isn’t Doing Well
00:44:19 – Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
00:50:55 – Honor Among Thieves SPOILERS
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
The New Smoke Grenades in Counter-Strike 2 Are Wild
The ongoing saga of Microsoft purchasing Activision continues this week as the UK CMA changes it’s thoughts on the merger and how Call of Duty getting Shredder is likely indicative of the future. Counter-Strike 2 is getting a surprise sequel that shows off some very impressive use of smoke physics. The podcast crew also rolls our eyes at the gameplay and closed beta reveal of Crash Team Rumble.
Scrappy was able to go to A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy in Seattle. There he saw cosplayers, listened to emotional music from across Final Fantasy’s history, and watched the conductor play a slide whistle to the Chocobo Theme. Otton returned to give us an update on his time with Tactical Roguelike The Last Spell.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:37 – The UK’s CMA Aren’t Worried About Microsoft Acquiring Activision-Blizzard
00:23:40 – TMNT's Shredder Is Coming to Call of Duty
00:31:31 – Counter-Strike 2 Has Some Wild Smoke Grenades
00:42:44 – Crash Team Rumble Is the Next Great Live-Service Game
00:51:07 – A New World: Intimate Music From Final Fantasy Concert
01:02:47 – The Last Spell Impressions
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Praise Inarius, Diablo IV is good!
This week Stretch, Rut, and Austin pivot away from news and instead have a discussion about game preservation. With the WiiU and 3DS eShop shutting down in just a week there’s so many games that will be lost to time. How does physical collecting assist in the preservation of games and where does legal and illegal emulation play a role in preservation?
Rut and Austin have spent the weekend diving into the pits of hell in the Diablo IV Closed Beta (Codes provided by Activision). They discuss how they’ve enjoyed their time with Diablo IV, how Diablo 2 and Diablo 3 fans will enjoy the game, and what their hopes are for end-game activities.
Intro – 00:00:00
Game Preservation and the WiiU/3DS eShop – 00:00:50
Diablo IV – 00:26:31
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
The Resident Evil 4 Demo is 2spooky4me
This week Stretch manages to successfully edit out Scrappy and chat about the latest news with Otton and Rut. We discuss the impressive sales and user numbers from the Epic Game Store and their public launch of self-publishing on the platform. Square Enix has once again made the news on their promises of implementing the blockchain in their future titles...
Otton regales us of his first experience hopping into the world of Fortnite, how incredible overbearing it is, and how he won his first chicken dinner. (Does anyone know if your first game is still with bots? Asking for a friend). Rut tries out Deceive Inc a team game of stealth and sabotage, and Stretch talks about how bad he is at horror games like the Resident Evil 4: Chainsaw Demo.
- Intro – 00:00:00
- Epic Game Store – 00:02:55
- Gaming platforms as Social Media – 00:14:30
- Square Enix still wants the Blockchain – 00:21:15
- When is walking better than fast travel in games? - 00:34:29
- Otton earns his Victory Royale in Fortnite! - 00:38:11
- Rut explains Deceive Inc – 00:45:55
Go Watch PsychOdyssey
Lots of moving happening at Square Enix this week as we discuss the new CEO Takashi Kiryu and the reabsorption of Luminous Studio into Square Enix. After showing a few janky looking images the team behind Dead Island 2 gave us an extended showcase of what to expect when their game releases.
The team spends a lot of time talking about game development with the release of the PsychOdyssey docu-series about the creation of Psychonauts 2. Like A Dragon: Ishin has been Robert’s obsession this week, when he’s not impaling warring samurai he’s kicking back with some karaoke hits. Stretch travels back to his childhood and realizes how bad he was at Mario + Luigi: Superstar Saga.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:02:45 – Square Enix Is Getting a New CEO
00:18:00 – Dead Island 2 Gameplay Reveal
00:28:48 – Double Fine PsychOdyssey (also game development is hard)
00:51:54 – Like a Dragon: Ishin! Impressions
00:59:18 – Mario + Luigi: Superstar Saga via Nintendo Switch
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Is Horizon Call of the Mountain PSVR2’s Killer App?
This week the podcast crew talks about everything that Baldur’s Gate 3 has them excited about (and the potential issues of the Series S), as well as everything that Suicide Squad has us NOT excited about including high gear numbers and the promise of another live service game.
Rut discusses his lovecraftian fishing adventures in DREDGE, Stretch brings up his... interesting experiences with the dialogue of Atomic Heart. Scrappy and Otton have a chance to deep dive about their experiences playing games like Horizon: Call of the Mountain, The Last Clockwinder, and Ragnarok on the new PSVR2.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:40 – Baldur's Gate 3 Release Date Revealed
00:13:52 – Suicide Squad Kills the Justice League (With Guns and Battle Passes)
00:29:12 – DREDGE Impressions
00:37:50 – Atomic Heart Impressions
00:47:26 – PSVR2 Impressions
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Jesus Christ! The Diablo IV Beta Is Next Month
This week the podcast crew is stunned by the latest trailer for I Am Jesus Christ. Game Pass is once again in the news as it turns out that it actually doesn’t lead to higher game sales. Ubisoft confirm their presence for E3 but it has us wondering just what they might be about to show off.
Rut rekindles his passion with Valorant this week comparing it to great team shooters like CS:GO and Splatoon and Stretch does some hunting in the Edo-era lands of Wild Hearts. Scrappy surprises the crew by arriving with a Like a Dragon themed quiz game “Who’s that Sujimon?”
00:00:00 – Intro
00:00:46 – I Am Jesus Christ Trailer Reaction
00:12:57 – Games on Xbox Game Pass See a Decline in Sales
00:27:13 – Ubisoft Will Be at E3, Also Teased an Unannounced Game
00:33:24 – Diablo IV Will Get an Open Beta
00:43:03 – Rut Is Back on Valorant
00:48:51 – Wild Hearts Impressions
00:59:05 – Who’s That Sujimon?
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Will Tears of the Kingdom be Zelda’s Elden Ring?
This week the Podcast crew moves away from talking about video game financials and discuss the latest developments in the ongoing acquisition of Activision/Blizzard by Microsoft. After that they dive into everything Nintendo Direct discussing the new Tears of the Kingdom trailer, questionable DLC and pricing, and our personal rating of the Nintendo Direct.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:06:00 – UK's CMA Isn’t a Fan of the Microsoft Activision-Blizzard Acquisition
00:22:48 – Nintendo Direct 02/08/23 Breakdown
00:25:59 – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
00:41:56 – Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection Has Some Weird DLC
00:49:20 – Splatoon 3 Has Some Weird DLC
00:53:55 – Metroid Prime Remastered Launches Out of Nowhere
00:56:45 – Pikmin 4 Is a Dark Survival Game
00:59:17 – Octopath Traveler 2 Demo Impressions
01:08:50 – The Rest of the Nintendo Direct
01:15:06 – How Do We Rate This Nintendo Direct?
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Will Konami Do a Metal Gear Solid Remake?
This week the game companies of the world have released their financials, for some it looks pretty good but Square Enix and Konami seem to be having some troubles. Activision Blizzard is once again paying out for workplace misconduct, this time for hindering the voices of whistleblowers.
For games Rut talks about early access title Superfuse, Stretch dips his toes into the world of Tabletop with the RPG Frosthaven, and Robert talks about how much he’s enjoying Hi-Fi Rush and not enjoying Forspoken.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:20 – Activision Blizzard Ordered to Pay $35M to Settles Whistleblower Charges
00:14:04 – Square Enix Announces Declining Finances, but Plans for More New IPs
00:23:37 – Konami Announces Profit Drop, but It’s Putting More Money Into New Games
00:31:23 – Superfuse Impressions
00:37:08 – Frosthaven Impressions
00:47:53 – Forspoken Narrative Thoughts
00:51:14 – Hi Fi Rush Impressions
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor
Dead Space Is a (Hi-Fi) Rush to Play 15 Years Later
In a week packed with game releases and news the Podcast crew got the update (and finale?) to Wizards of the Coast’s Open Gaming License drama and Paizo’s push for more of the TTRPG space. We also heard about the latest legal woes for The Day Before.
In games there has been no shortage as we’ve been playing the recently shadow dropped Hi-Fi Rush, returned to curbstomping necromorphs in Dead Space, and enjoyed fantasy parkour in Forspoken.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:02:37 – Wizards of the Coast Rolls Back Its OGL Plans; Paizo Continues Its ORC Plans
00:15:24 – Is The Day Before Vaporware?
00:22:58 – Hi-Fi Rush Impressions
00:33:12 – Dead Space Impressions
00:45:23 – Forspoken Impressions
Follow Us & Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/techraptor