Besides that, we wrap up the Duke Nukem Forever Game Club. Thank goodness.

Next week’s Game Club will be the first third of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.

As always, you can reach us at letters@fantasticneighborhood.com, or by calling 720.HOODIE.6 (720.466.3436). Follow Fred, Jon, & the show on Twitter, and like us on Facebook. If you’d prefer to get us on Tumblr, we are there.

Subscribe and rate us on iTunes.

Music:

• Savant – “Megaboy – Original Mix”
• Action Bronson – “Strictly 4 My Jeeps”
• Daft Punk – “Instant Crush”
• The Menzingers – “The Obituaries”
• The Prodigy – “Breathe (Zeds Dead Remix)”

Segments:

0:00:00 – Intro 1
0:00:39 – Intro 2
0:05:00 – Xbox One
1:13:07 – Game Club: Duke Nukem Forever (part three)
1:32:03 – Outro

Jon is out this week so our good pal C.J. Kershner joins the Hood!

This week, we get deep into Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon – where it works and where it doesn’t. We talk a lot about the inner workings of the game industry, so this is good for all you guys who like to look behind the curtain. Then we move on to things we are hyped for… In our Banana Phone segment.

As always, you can reach us at letters@fantasticneighborhood.com, or by calling 720.HOODIE.6 (720.466.3436). Follow Fred, Jon, CJ, & the show on Twitter, and like us on Facebook. Subscribe and rate us on iTunes.

Music:

• Savant – “Megaboy – Original Mix”
• Anamanaguchi – MEOW
• Raffi – Banana Phone
• Power Glove – Power Core
• Singularity – Ness

Segments:
0:00:00 - Cold open
0:00:46 – Intro
0:02:59 – Consumption Junction
0:34:03 – Banana Phone
1:04:30 – Game Club: Duke Nukem Forever part 2
1:33:38 – The Outro, Some Dubstep, and outtakes

If you do a Google image search for “Atari Breakout” you are in for a treat. Well, as long as you like playing Breakout.

See the result here: LINKY

I guess when you are a multi-billion (trillion?) dollar company you can afford to have a division dedicated to making nothing but Easter eggs. I have no idea why, but when I beat the first level the next level was entirely comprised of Macaroni and Cheese images. Probably some Easter egg within an Easter egg thing. Very meta, Google.

Sometimes we have great ideas. We’d like to think that “Nic Cage on Broadway” may be the best one yet.

This week, we consume some new titles including Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon and Star Command. Fred mentions that he likes Iron Man 3 and then does not say why, and we talk about some current events on the newly named Hype Banana.

As always, you can reach us at letters@fantasticneighborhood.com, or by calling 720.HOODIE.6 (720.466.3436). Follow Fred, Jon, & the show on Twitter, and like us on Facebook. Subscribe and rate us on iTunes.

Music:

• Savant – “Megaboy – Original Mix”
• Bloodhound Gang – “Pennsylvania”
• Lil Dicky – “Ex-Boyfriend”
• Homestruck -”Nic Cage Song”
• The Aquabats – “Fashion Zombies”
• Krewella – “Alive (Pegboard Nerds Remix)”

Segments:

0:00:00  - Cold open
0:01:33 – Intro
0:06:05 – Consumption Junction
0:30:02 – Hype Banana
0:49:45 – Game Club: Duke Nukem Forever part 1
1:05:20 -  The Outro, Some Dubstep, and then a thing

Pick of the Week

GTFO: A Film About Women in Gaming
Ends May 10 (Hurry Up!)

Believe it or not, people who play games online can sometimes be hostile towards others. Female gamers can take the brunt of this abuse. If this comes as a shock, you might be part of the problem. At last year’s PAX East, I attended the panel for Fat, Ugly, or Slutty and while the content wasn’t surprising, it was no less disgusting. GTFO aims to bring some of the repulsive online behavior to light in a documentary film. I’m sure the horrible comments and harassment that Anita Sarkeesian faced, but the filmmakers deserve our support.
 

OMG Pretty Pick

The Realm
Ends May 22

The Realm has some pedigree behind it and looks gorgeous. The gameplay seems to be pretty standard point-and-click fare, but if you’re looking for something with amazing art direction, check this out.
 

Oh Look, More Pixel Art

A.N.N.E
Ends May 22

Gradius meets Metroid with cutesy pixel art is the sell. Seems like that could describe 52% of the games on Kickstarter. But that’s not what hooked me. At 2:48 in the embedded video, he makes fun of those terrible “Come play, my lord” ads for Evony.Here. Take my $10.
 

Fuck These Racist Assholes Anti-Pick

Ghettopoly Board Game Reprint
Ends May 11

Ghettopoly is a racist take on Monopoly. It was pulled from shelves at the one horrible store that stocked it (Urban Outfitters). The creator lost a suit to Hasbro and the game is banned for sale on eBay. How it passed muster on Kickstarter is beyond me. Under no circumstance should you give these losers money.

Follow my activity on Kickstarter and listen to our latest episode.

This week we decide to forgo our normal format and start a college radio station. Or just talk about games, comics, and the next console generation. Game club this week is Starseed Pilgrim. Next week is… well next week is epic. You’ll have to listen to find out.

As always, you can reach us at letters@fantasticneighborhood.com, or by calling 720.HOODIE.6 (720.466.3436). Follow Fred, Jon, & the show on Twitter, and like us on Facebook. Subscribe and rate us on iTunes.

Music:

• Savant – “Megaboy – Original Mix”
• The Title Fight – “Face Ghost (Touche Amore cover)”
• The Story So Far – “Things I Can’t Change”
• Pink Razors -”Bigger Boat”
• Kill Paris – “Catch You”

Segments:

0:00:00  - Cold open
0:01:02 – Intro and Consumption Junction
0:31:42 – Next Gen Ramblings
0:57:48 – Game Club: Starseed Pilgrim
1:02:12 – The Outro
1:04:53 –  Dubstep and outtakes

I think we all know deep down in our collective heart of hearts that physical media is the next dinosaur on the technology chopping block. For me, it can’t come fast enough. Environmentalists want less plastic shit in the world, game makers want to better control distribution and eliminate used sales, but what’s in it for us? What’s in it for the average gamer?

The numero uno reason why physical media needs to disappear is simple: I am lazy. A lot of people are lazy. Gamers (especially us American-types), shockingly enough, are lazy. If I am currently engaged with a title and I’m confronted with the option of trying a new game but have to get out of my seat to change the disk, I will wait. I will wait until I am either done with the current game or I don’t care about the new title. Ever keep watching the same channel because you don’t know where the remote is, same shit. I am that lazy.

I have missed entire game series because of my unwillingness to change the disk. Resident evil 5 and 6? Skipped it cause I was playing something else. Syndicate? Yea I could go back to it but why bother, I would have to change the disk. Assassins Creed? They honestly look crappy, but I was busy with other games, so I don’t think I want to start now.

I don’t have this problem on my PC. Everything is a click away and I will bounce between Hawken, Magic Online and Facebook games at a moment’s notice.

AAA developers and platform makers should take note of this, because the window to sell titles at full price only seems to be about a month long. If I can’t be bothered to play Bioshock: Infinite on release day because I’m playing Gears of War: Judgement, and it’s just too hard for my lazy ass to switch disks, why wouldn’t I wait for a price break to buy my copy? I didn’t even finish Gears before it dropped to $40 on Amazon, and Bioshock is now down to $50.

So there you go. Laziness should be the driving force that propels gaming technology to the next level. I would write more, but the window is running out of space and I don’t feel like scrolling.

Please don’t be as lazy as I am, listen to our latest episode.

Pick of the Week (Month)

Among the Sleep
Ends May 18

Among the Sleep is a first-person horror adventure game. Where you play as a two-year-old baby. Holy crap, this could be terrifying. Listen back to our game club sessions of Amnesia, and you’ll see that I might not react well to horror experiences, but I’m really interested in this take on the genre. Half of good horror or suspense can be perspective, and children simply see the world differently. Color me intrigued.

The “Waxing Nostalgic” Pick

Road Redemption
Ends May 12

It’s the spiritual successor to Road Rash. My favorite version has to be the 3DO release; hopefully these guys get funded.

The Blow Your Mind Pick

Vivian Clark
Ends May 9

What started as an Easter egg in Soda Drinker Pro is being expanded to its own game. You start as a raindrop, whatever you land on you become. Maybe you land on a bird, so now you are a bird. Maybe that bird crashed into a flying snake who tells you to go into space. Maybe that spaceship cruises around blasting asteroids until it gets eaten by a cool star on roller skates. Or maybe you die and become a ghost of the original raindrop. So you walk into the fire, and evaporate back into the sky.

The Pen and Paper Pick

Ever wonder what it’d be like if you stripped all that “hope” and “redemption” out of Wall-E, stripping it to its post-apocalyptic core? This project is kind of like that, and also a pen and paper RPG. The creators are also supporting local brick and mortar game stores, which earns this project the Moar Indie Than You Award. Check it out and throw them your money – they deserve it.
Follow my activity on Kickstarter and listen to our latest episode.

We are joined this week by special guest Cassie Chui, level designer from the upcoming ElectronicSuperJoy!

In Consumption Junction, Cassie describes what it’s like to be a masochist by means of Monster Hunting, we have an impromptu therapy session with Jon’s rampant Fire Emblem addiction, and Fred FINALLY beats Gears (and gets punchy about it). We also talk about Badland, Injustice, and Poker Night at the Inventory!

We have a bit of a Q and A with Cassie about how she got involved with ESJ, what its like to be an indie level designer, and when we can play the game!

In Game Club, Fred tries to regale us with his gamer injury story and we talk about The Silent Age on iOS. Next weeks game club is Star Seed Pilgrim!

NOTE: At some point we had an audio “flub” where this commercial gets played over Cassie. We will try to fix but not sure if we can, so our bad We decided to leave it in because we did not want to cut Cassies audio.

Music:

• Savant – “Megaboy – Original Mix”
• Twenty-One Pilots – Guns for Hands
• Lorde – Bravado (FFFRRANNNO Remix)
• Envy – Shakestopper

Segments:

0:00:00 – Cold open
0:01:01 – Introducing Cassie Chu, and talking about games
0:39:04 – Cassie Chu and Electronic Super Joy
0:57:48 – Gameclub – The Silent Age
1:07:42 – The Outro
1:16:05 –  Dubstep and outtakes

The episode title and image make no sense until the end, but they are funny. Promise.

Jon and Fred had to Skype the show this episode, but since we are just so super-pro, I’ll bet you can’t even tell. Topics of discussion include how to raise a family with a dead wife (in Fire Emblem), why the mindless berzerkers of Gears of War: Judgement may be a bit too mindless, and Jon’s apprehension towards DLC for Bioshock: Infinite. Jon also shares his list of shame with us, including Dragon’s Crown.

In Gameclub we play Evoland and enjoy the hell out of it. Next week’s game is The Silent Age.

Music:

• Savant – “Megaboy – Original Mix”
• Nekromantix – I’m a Hellcat
• Evoland OST – Boss Battle Music
• Drix – The Official Power Rangers Dubstep (HOW IS THIS REAL?)

Segments:

0:00:00 – Cold open
0:01:03 – Us talking about games
0:43:45 – Spring fighter coverage with Chris Gsell
0:49:22 – Gameclub
0:59:54 – The Outro
1:04:50 – Power Rangers Dubstep and outro