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Scott Johnson and Brian Dunaway talk about retro video games!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
201 Episodes
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Descent (1995) and Descent II (1996) are six-degrees-of-freedom first-person shooters developed by Parallax Software for MS-DOS. Set entirely inside fully 3D mine complexes, the games emphasize free movement, spatial awareness, and objective-based level design. Known for their technical ambition, mouse-and-keyboard flight-style controls, and unforgiving enemy AI, the Descent series remains one of the most distinct FPS experiences of the DOS era.Uncut Video: https://youtube.com/live/iER-PDsesac?feature=share Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A turn-based tactical strategy game developed by Sir-Tech Canada for MS-DOS. Players recruit mercenaries from the Association of International Mercenaries (A.I.M.) to liberate the fictional island nation of Metavira from enemy control. The game blends squad-based tactical combat with strategic planning, character relationships, and resource management. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A First-person shooter developed by LucasArts for MS-DOS using an in-house game engine. Introduces mercenary Kyle Katarn and the Imperial Dark Trooper project. Features mission-based FPS gameplay, environmental objectives, vertical level design using the Jedi Engine, and an arsenal of Star Wars weapons. Later ported to Macintosh and PlayStation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Blizzard Entertainment’s real-time strategy game featuring three fully asymmetric factions: Terran, Zerg, and Protoss. Built around resource management, base construction, unit control, and a branching story told through three linked campaigns. Released for Windows and Mac OS. Expanded the same year with the official StarCraft: Brood War expansion and two licensed mission packs, Insurrection and Retribution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2003 Action-adventure from Ubisoft Montpellier combining stealth, melee combat, hovercraft exploration, and a photography-based investigation system. You play as Jade, a photojournalist uncovering a conspiracy on Hillys involving the DomZ and the Alpha Sections. Released on PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and Windows. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Taking our favorite retro Harvest Moon games on the road with our GameBoys for some cozy gameplay while riding in the backseat of the family car. With a look back at the console games that made it possible. Harvest Moon for the SNES and HARVEST MOON: BACK TO NATURE for the PS1 and their portable little siblings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Max Payne (2001) and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003) — Remedy Entertainment’s third-person neo-noir shooters that introduced bullet-time gunplay, graphic-novel storytelling, and hard-boiled narration to the early-2000s gaming landscape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001, Xbox / 2003, PC). A first-person shooter developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios as the flagship launch title for the original Xbox. Its combination of open-ended combat, vehicles, and science-fiction storytelling helped define console FPS design for the following decade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A first-person shooter developed by Third Law Interactive and published by Gathering of Developers, based loosely on Todd McFarlane’s comic series. Players assume the role of circus performers empowered by the four KISS personas to prevent the birth of a supernatural being known as the Nightmare Child. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Scooby-Doo Mystery (1995) for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Both titles shared the same name but were completely different games developed by separate studios: Illusions Gaming Company and Argonaut Software. The Genesis version took a point-and-click adventure approach with investigation and dialogue mechanics, while the SNES version played as a platforming mystery with clue collection and a fear meter system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1990) and Elvira II: The Jaws of Cerberus (1991) from HorrorSoft — two Amiga and DOS adventure titles that combined RPG elements, point-and-click mechanics, and horror themes under the Accolade label. We also review Elvira: The Arcade Game (1991), a platform-action title from Flair Software, and briefly discuss the licensed pinball machines Elvira and the Party Monsters (1989) and Scared Stiff (1996). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Clock Tower, the horror adventure series that helped define the “chase-and-hide” genre. Beginning with Clock Tower: The First Fear (1995, Super Famicom), we follow orphan Jennifer Simpson’s desperate escape from the mansion of the murderous Scissorman, through its 3D PlayStation sequel, the psychological spin-off The Struggle Within and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Q*bert (Arcade, 1982), Gottlieb’s isometric puzzle-action game that became one of the most recognizable mascots of the golden age of arcades. We’ll also look at its sequels Q*bert’s Qubes (1983) and Q*bert 3 (1992, SNES) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary (1992, DOS/Amiga), Interplay’s episodic adventure that combined bridge command, away team puzzles, and space combat to capture the feel of The Original Series. Star Trek: Judgment Rites (1993), which refined the formula with stronger puzzles and full cast voice acting, and compare them with the action-focused NES and Game Boy versions released under the same name. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Deus Ex (2000) on PC, developed by Ion Storm and directed by Warren Spector, is a cyberpunk-themed immersive sim that combined first-person shooting with RPG systems, dialogue choices, and multiple paths through each mission. Players controlled JC Denton, a nano-augmented agent navigating a world of conspiracies, branching choices, and emergent gameplay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bubsy the Bobcat debuted in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind (1993) on the SNES and Genesis, a colorful platformer built around speed and Bubsy’s glide ability. The series continued with Bubsy II (1994), adding hub-based level selection, multiplayer, and gadgets; Fractured Furry Tales (1994) on Atari Jaguar, which rethemed the action around fairy tales; and Bubsy 3D (1996) on PlayStation, which attempted early 3D platforming with exploration and collectibles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today’s Play Retro is a special episode! Scott and Brian talking about the making of great soundtracks in games, retro or otherwise, and why it might just be the best source of music for anyone trying to find something that reaches them in a deeper way. Video: https://youtu.be/2Pey9lj1xlE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Metal Slug debuted in 1996 on SNK’s Neo Geo hardware, developed by Nazca Corporation. It quickly became known for its fluid hand-drawn animation, chaotic run-and-gun action, and humorous take on war. The original game introduced the iconic Metal Slug tank, prisoner rescues, and over-the-top boss battles that set the tone for the series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Data East side-scrolling action-platformer where two cavemen battle rival tribes, dinosaurs, and prehistoric beasts to rescue kidnapped cavewomen. Known for its humor, colorful design, and 2-player co-op. The game was later ported to SNES, Genesis, and NES with varying changes to difficulty, level design, and presentation. The series continued with Joe & Mac Returns (1994, Arcade) and Joe & Mac 3: Lost in the Tropics (1994, SNES), while Congo’s Caper (1992, SNES) served as a spin-off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week we discuss 90s era Shadowrunl; The SNES version (1993, Beam Software/Data East) presents an isometric action-adventure with a strong narrative focus, following protagonist Jake Armitage as he uncovers a conspiracy in a cyberpunk Seattle. The Genesis version (1994, BlueSky Software/Sega) takes an open-world approach with real-time combat, Matrix hacking, and more direct role-playing elements. We also briefly discuss Shadowrun for Sega CD, an unfinished and unreleased version in development by Compile. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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