In From Pixels to Polygons, we examine classic game franchises that have survived the long transition from the 8- or 16-bit era to the current console generation.
Atlus’ long-running Shin Megami Tensei series has found its way to just about every major console and handheld you can imagine. Thanks to various spinoffs and side projects, the franchise has become synonymous with creating a more mature RPG experience for those bored of other, similar offerings. The series never became widely known outside of Japan until 2004’s Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, but since then has become one of the staples of the genre. To celebrate the recent release of Shin Megami Tensei IV, we’re taking a look back at the core series (with a few spinoffs) to see just how far it has come. READ MORE
July’s a slow month for most things, but there’s big news and releases for those who love their games particularly Japanese! Jeff, Lucas, Shawn, Andrew and Graham talk about Shin Megami Tensei IV, Time and Eternity and announcements from Aksys, NIS America, Namco Bandai and more. Also: Civ V: Brave New World, NCAA Football 14 and our most-anticipated titles for the next six months.
Check out the show here, check us out on iTunes or use the RSS feed in your favorite podcast aggregator. Let us know what you think! Email podcast[at]snackbar-games.com.
Hosts: Jeff deSolla, Andrew Passafiume, Graham Russell, Shawn Vermette, Lucas White. Music: Podcast theme by Tom Casper.
In this edition of the Speculator, we talk about potential late ports from Square Enix and Rockstar, as well as some interesting stuff brewing over at Valve. READ MORE
This has been an ongoing discussion for quite a while now, but certain company policies have made the topic of game preservation something worth talking about again. I originally began writing this after Microsoft’s Xbox One debacle involving its online requirements and game installs. Things were pushed back once the issue was resolved and Microsoft did a complete turnaround on the policies that made seemingly everyone despise their upcoming console. With the potential threat of our current downloadable games disappearing and the all-digital future companies want to push, though, this is something worth examining regardless of policy changes. READ MORE
Dungeons & Dragons casts a large shadow over the modern gaming hobby, both as a gateway to paths beyond the usual Parker Brothers or Milton Bradley fare and as a high fantasy experience delivery vehicle. The “dungeon crawl” genre ranges from Munchkin-style parody to Descent: Journeys in the Dark epic missions, but few if any can be played in under an hour until now. Billed as “your lunch break dungeon crawl” on its Kickstarter page, Dungeon Heroes (from Michael Coe’s Gamelyn Games) pits one player as the dungeon versus another as the traditional group of four heroes (warrior, cleric, rogue, and wizard) searching the dungeon for treasure. READ MORE
