Pixel Project Radio: A Video Game Podcast

(00:00:00) Depravity | The Last of Us Part 2 Analysis (Ep. 160) (00:01:35) Seattle, Continued (00:33:04) Captured (00:46:50) The TV Station (00:59:22) Chase to the Theater (01:04:10) Flashback: Did I Do Okay? (01:19:42) Burnin' Rubber at Hillcrest (01:32:18) Flashback: The Truth (01:45:15) Scars on Route 5 (01:53:31) Finding Nora (01:56:54) Ellie's Depravity Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"Well you're a burden now, aren't you?"The analysis of The Last of Us Part 2 continues! In this episode, Rick and Jon examine the relationship between Ellie and Dina begin to change as secrets come to light. And as the hunt for the WLF continues, Ellie is faced with a decision—one which sets her over a precipice from which she cannot return. All of this and more in this week's episode. Hope you love the show today!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Introduction (00:09:00) Dev History (00:22:50) Controversies (00:35:13) Visuals and Music (00:43:19) Mechanics (00:55:53) Jackson, Revisited (01:17:34) Abby's Introduction (01:25:33) A Close Encounter... (01:27:52) That Scene (01:46:42) Justice Will Be Served Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"Please don't do this..."The critical analysis of The Last of Us Part II begins today! This is a polarizing game, to say the least; some see this as a bold, biting success in the spirit of TLOU's universe, while others see this as the creators spitting in the face of fans—even going so far as to petition for a complete remake. Either way you slice it, this game gets a *lot* of talk around it. This podcast, where Rick is joined by Jon (Video Game Lounge) will be no different. This episode explores a high-level overview and the philosophies/themes behind the game before the narrative breakdown. This episode covers up to and through *That Scene.* You know the one. Hope you love the show today!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"...I got this..."The analysis of our Final Fantasy Tactics stint comes to a close—and what a conclusion it is: the secrets of the Church are fully revealed; Delita spirals further into his view of justice; and players get an ending that, we argue, is totally Shakespeare. This has been a blast, and we hope you have loved these episodes, too. Please enjoy!Developer Interview on the RemakeSchmuplations 1997 InterviewComposer CommentaryFFT Localization, ExaminedThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Ramza the Heretic | Final Fantasy Tactics Analysis (Ep. 157) (00:05:20) War Council and Meeting Orran (00:12:00) Pleading with Zalbaag (00:18:08) More Killing God (00:23:46) To the Monastery (00:32:31) Judas (00:39:06) To Riovanes (00:49:39) Marach and Rapha (00:58:33) Folmarv Ain't Foolin' (01:02:42) Wiegraf Ruins My Life (01:15:32) Rapha Ruins My Life (01:23:23) End of Chapter 3 Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"I will burn down this kingdom, and from its ashes build for you a new one - a kingdom worthy of you."The Final Fantasy Tactics analysis continues! Rick, Nomad (The Retro Wildlands) and Chris (Consoles and Stuff) charge into Chapter 3, which sees the game veer into a more traditional JRPG territory. Traditional isn't bad, though...although a few fights in this stretch of the game certainly are. More Lucavi, more Delita, more bad guys—this chapter has it all. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!Developer Interview on the RemakeSchmuplations 1997 InterviewComposer CommentaryThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Introduction and Sand Rat's Seitch (00:07:53) Wiegraf and Gustav (00:15:25) Dycedarg and Duke Larg (00:19:24) Milleuda (00:23:59) Tietra's Troubles (00:32:47) Turning Point (00:48:49) The Manipulative and the Subservient (00:56:40) Betrayal (01:02:40) Mustadio and the Auracite (01:10:39) Dycedarg and Delacroix (01:16:41) Clockwork City of Goug (01:23:13) Gaffgarion's Bullshit and Ovelia's Truth (01:35:58) We Might Kill God (01:43:05) Delita's Deal (01:49:30) Outro Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"I have no wish to change the world. But nor can I stand by while men suffer and die on he whim of some select few."The Final Fantasy Tactics analysis continues! Rick, Nomad (The Retro Wildlands) and Chris (Consoles and Stuff) move forward in this episode until the beginning of Chapter III. The power struggle of Dukes Larg and Goltanna continues to rage on—but two new parties join the fray: the Church, and...Delita, whose ambitions remain yet unknown. Class struggle tinged with free will continues throughout this epic story. Don't dog my every move. You milksop rabble. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!Developer Interview on the RemakeSchmuplations 1997 InterviewComposer CommentaryThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Intro (00:15:04) Development (00:27:14) Visual Presentation (00:41:06) That Famous Battle System (01:02:25) The Zodiac System (01:07:18) Sound Design (01:19:37) The Story Begins (01:26:01) Localization Differences (01:33:20) Chapter 1: The Meager (01:39:53) Double Flashback (01:43:22) Rescuing The Bastard (01:47:42) Wiegraf and Gustav (01:53:19) Outro Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"Forgive me. 'Tis your birth and faith that wrong you. Not I."The critical analysis of Final Fantasy Tactics begins today! Rick is joined by Nomad (The Retro Wildlands) and Chris (Consoles and Stuff) to dissect one of Final Fantasy's most beloved titles. The tale of two young men are woven together by a struggle of class stratification in Ivalice, a nation rent in two by the Lions' War. Episode 1 covers up to the Sand Rat's Seitch and begins with a discussion of the development, the phenomenal score, and, of course, the famous battle system. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!Developer Interview on the RemakeSchmuplations 1997 InterviewComposer CommentaryThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Would You Find A Reason To Smile? | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Analysis (Ep. 154) (00:02:28) The Origins of Lumiere (00:33:30) Character Relationship Quests (00:48:54) Clea and Simon (00:52:17) The Final Battle (01:08:08) Discussion on Endings Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!I don't want this life...Our analysis of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 comes to an end today! Rick and Thrak (The 3DO Experience! and ThrakOps) parse out the final confrontation with Renoir and the two very emotional—and very ideologically divided—endings. What does it mean to be conscious? How can one weigh the salvation of the self in tandem with the salvation of others? All this and more on this week's episode. Hope you love the show today—please enjoy!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Introduction and Community Forum (00:09:24) Back at Camp and Old Lumiere (00:18:20) Maelle and the Manor (00:24:18) Fight with Dad (00:29:36) Back at Camp (00:38:22) Visage Island (00:43:53) Sirène (00:52:08) Esquie's Secret (00:53:47) The Dessendre Family (00:56:33) To the Monolith (01:09:40) Renoir's Final Plea (01:11:46) Confronting the Paintress (01:20:05) Celebration... (01:23:12) ...Short lived. Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!Who really is the one painting death? And who paints life instead? The narrative analysis of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues! In this episode, Rick and Thrak (The 3DO Experience! and ThrakOps) cover from leaving Monoco's Station until the beginning of Act III. Renoir poses questions that trouble Verso deeply; is there more to the Dessendre family than we know? Join us for discussion on honesty, the sheer amount of art there is in this life, and the game's central thesis: that of the grieving process. Please enjoy!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Opening and World Map (00:02:23) Flying Waters (00:04:15) Mysterious Manor and Reunion (00:11:08) Back to the Waters (00:13:54) Lofi Beats to Study and Parry To (00:15:56) Maelle's Nightmare (00:25:01) Gestral Village (00:37:05) Tournament and Sciel (00:43:45) Maelle's Nightmare (00:50:00) Meeting Esquie (00:56:26) Maelle's Nightmare (00:57:58) Stonewave Cliffs (01:04:27) Lamplighter and White-Haired Man (01:10:54) Loss (01:14:38) Verso (01:20:23) Back at Camp (01:21:43) Act II (01:29:43) Forgotten Battlefield (01:33:36) RIP (01:35:35) Monoco's Station Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"This won't make sense to you now, but we both want what's best for our families. I'm sorry you're caught in the middle. But I did try to warn you."Rick and Thrak (The 3DO Experience! and ThrakOps) return to continue their narrative analysis of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! Episode II covers from the first foray into the world map until we meet our last permanent party member shortly into Act II. Puzzle pieces begin fitting together, but they introduce more questions than answers: who is the White-Haired Man? Why does he seem particularly interested in Maelle? And what's the deal with Esquie? The implications of condolences, experiencing loss, narrative framing, and more—please enjoy!Developer Interview with Final Fantasy UnionInterview with Narrative-lead Jennifer Svedberg-YenThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Tomorrow Comes | Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 Analysis (Ep. 151) (00:08:07) What This Podcast Is (00:09:39) Community Forum (00:13:19) Development (00:24:00) Visuals (00:33:31) Mechanics (00:50:44) Music and Sound (01:06:14) Spoiler Wall Warning (01:08:10) Prologue (01:21:30) The Gommage (01:26:27) Tragedy on the Shore (01:33:19) Gustav's Choice (01:40:35) Closing Thoughts Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"If you're going to give flowers to someone, you should probably do it before they wither and die."Today, Rick and Thrak (The 3DO Experience! and ThrakOps) begin their analysis of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! This introductory work from Sandfall Interactive came onto the scene with absolute fervor—and we can tell you upfront that it lives up to the hype. In this episode, we talk at a general level about the game's visuals, mechanics, music, and symbolism, before diving into our narrative analysis. Here, we cover from the beginning of the game until the introduction to the world map. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!Developer Interview with Final Fantasy UnionInterview with Narrative-lead Jennifer Svedberg-YenThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"And when he stared me down, that ghost, I knew he was here to kill me...and why shouldn't he?" A bombastic, emotional, and somewhat messy finale to our Death Stranding analysis is here, as Rick, along with Nick and Will (Friday Night Gamecast, see the story to its completion. Origins revealed, confessions made, and relationships clarified...along with some questionable mechanics and very questionable (but confident) dialogue. Please enjoy!Translated Kojima interview"Death Stranding is a reaction to Trump and Brexit, says Hideo Kojima"National Parks of Japan: Oze's Mighty Bokka PortersThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"Everything is true, except for all the lies."The Death Stranding analysis continues. Nick and Will (Friday Night Gamecast) join again to continue through this story of isolation and connection. This episode covers Episode 2 into Episode 7. The possible nefarious intentions of Bridges, Higgs's game plan, writing a character's death, and more. Please enjoy!Translated Kojima interview"Death Stranding is a reaction to Trump and Brexit, says Hideo Kojima"National Parks of Japan: Oze's Mighty Bokka PortersThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"Once there was an explosion. A bang that gave birth to time and space."This week, Rick is joined by Nick and Will (Friday Night Gamecast) to begin their journey through Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima's 2019 project exploring a broken America and the importance of rebuilding. Isolation, interconnectivity, relationships, the importance of a mail system--there are many themes and ideas explored throughout Sam Porter Bridges's journey. In Part I, we discuss the game as a whole in our preliminary conversation, and follow into and through the Prologue and Episode I. The efficacy of writing, naming conventions, a subversion of gameplay expectations - all this and more, just inside. Rick Podman out.National Parks of Japan: Oze's Mighty Bokka PortersThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"What is the worth of a replica, a copy of a copy?"This week, Rick is joined by Ben (Play Along Podcast) to discuss Signalis, a 2022 survival horror game that pays homage to the influential PS1 era of the same genre. Signalis is a game that seeks to provoke both feeling and thought, boasting a sprawling narrative that is not interested in giving definitive answers to in-universe lore. As is so often the case, though, these clear-cut answers are anything but the point. Join us as we examine the game's central questions and extrapolate them to our lives off of the screen, discuss aesthetics and vibes, and much more. Please enjoy!VICE interview with Yuri Stern and Barbara Wittmann2018 interview with Yuri SternYuri's Twitter thread on the ending of SignalisThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!How far would you go to bring back a loved one?This week, Rick is joined by Michael (Bits of Time Podcast) to consider the premise of Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. Part visual novel, part adventure game, and part mystery thriller, Paranormasight opens with the question at the core of its story: would you resurrect a loved one if you could? If there were no consequences? How far would you go? This Square Enix title does a lot well - take a listen to hear us talk about the OST, the fantastic art style, and the divisive ending. Please enjoy!Interview with Paranormasight creative teamThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!Nothing can now be ruined. We are the guests of someone gone.This week, Rick is joined by Chris (1 Hour 1 Decision Podcast) to talk Gris, a 2018 work exploring grief, loss, and acceptance. Though initially unassuming, there's more to Gris than meets the eye. Our conversations focus on two themes: Prescriptivism vs Descriptivism; and that of the title, interpretation being a co-creation between the viewer and creator. Please enjoy!Gris Is A Game About Death (Of The Author) - Max GoldsteinYoutuber Robin Walden on InterpretationThank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!Quest 64 2: Quest Harder. Quest 64 Official joins the show once again to discuss the oft-forgotten Game Boy Color game Quest: Brian's Journey! Sitting as a combination of a sequel to and expanding/demake of Quest 64, Brian's Journey brings the Saga of Melrode to the handheld - and in some ways, shines a bit brighter than its predecessor. Join us to hear the (very brief) dev history, how the games differ from one another, musings on retro soundfonts, and much more. Please enjoy!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!He's not the Messiah, he's a very nau-...wrong Brian, my mistake.This week, Rick is joined by none other than Quest 64 Official to ask once and for all: is the reputation of Quest 64 earned? Is it really such a terrible video game? As you might expect, the answer isn't black and white. Join us as we discuss the game's hurried history, the (very pleasant!) music, what could have been of the story, and more. Please enjoy!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has released, and reviews are glowing. It's rare for a game to excite us in such a way so early in the life cycle...so we had to talk about it. Look forward to a full narrative analysis series coming soon!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!"Do you know that Black Panther?"This week's episode is all about The Bouncer, Square's debut 2000 title on the Playstation 2. Along with Phil (Deleted Saves Podcast), we tackle this...ambitious game, top to bottom, encompassing mechanics and narrative. This game is lauded as infamously bad, but is that reputation earned? Take a listen to hear our thoughts on THE BOUNCER. Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!