Bad End

Kyle's back from Gamescom, and we're discussing both the biggest game conference of the year, and apparently one of the most exciting games of the year in the form of Armored Core 6. It's a good one, folks, and we've got a lot to say about the elegance of old-school game design, the excess of open worlds, and where we might possibly go from here. Also, the fan favorite TIPZ segment makes an appearance.Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

We thought the auto-goty massive RPG of the year came out a couple months ago. Looks like we may have been wrong! Special guest Reid McCarter joins us to talk about Baldur's Gate 3 - the latest installment in the legendary series that manages to feels bigger, richer, and more important than any of us could have envisioned. It's spoiler free, so feel free to dive right in even as we hash out some of our biggest thematic and contextual takeaways.Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

Get into the loop and strap yourself in, gamer, because we're talking about Dave the Diver and Halls of Torment - two new flavors of the month that are just begging to be played over and over again.  Also: Diablo 4 and the challenges of games-as-goods vs games-as-services / AAA games aping indie aesthetics and philosophy to surprising success / The spiritual return of Flash games.Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO  Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

Video games are so fricking back. This week, we're talking Diablo IV and Battlebit Remastered, which hail the ongoing comeback of our beloved medium. We think. Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

You know why we're here. We're tossing out new ideas, angles, themes, and insights about the hot game of 2023 and the sequel to the first game BAD END ever discussed in depth: Tears of the Kingdom! Stick around after the ending song for a mini solo-cast Josh recorded while Kyle had to step out. A few other topics discussed: - TotK as exploration of the "Permaweird" state of society in 2023 - FROMsoftian focus on deities and the sacred, as well as subversions of tradition that come with pushing against those expectations - unpacking the strange tendencies toward malice in TotK's design and balance - FOMO effect that makes you feel like youre missing out even as youre playing the gameCheck out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

We're talking about two free games, one delightful and the other... well... a conversation-starter at the very least. Also: A Hat in Time, the Mario movie, and Boneraiser Minions.Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

We've seen the new Zelda trailers and are hyped for the possibilities. Not so keen on a Resident Evil remake being the big seller once again this year, though. But maybe perma-deja vu's not so bad? Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO  Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

We're back. Together again. Same Bad End you know and love, but now one of us has a kid. We talk about the ~year it's been since Kyle's been on the show, the meteoric rise of video games / slow decay of gaming, and the inherent limits of rhythm action set in 4/4. And also a game called Pizza Tower.Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

BAD END's end of the year special continues. We're joined by listeners to talk about the games, trends, and battle passes that kept us going this very rough, suspiciously quiet year.Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

It's been a minute but BAD END is BACK for our end of the year special! Kyle's still on admin leave, so we're joined by listeners to talk about the games, trends, and anime that kept us going this year. We'll be back with part 2 in two weeks!Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO  Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

We're joined by video essayist Jacob Geller and editor/Superculture homie Zack Kotzer to discuss the strange impulse to dub every Zelda the "darkest ever," with other thoughts on VR, The Stanley Parable, Not for Broadcast, videogame aesthetics, and escape rooms.Check out our new merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

The cat game is very pretty and cute but not quite everything we wanted. But still cool! Also: Film and its many connections with games. We're talking Annapurna, movie tie-ins, product placement, and Oscars-themed listener questions. Featuring special guest JJ Bersch, researcher at Blank Check Podcast.Support us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

Game Informer's Blake Hester joins us as we discuss the clean speed of Neon White, nostalgia for games we missed out on, pleasurable rehashing via Rogue Legacy 2, and rock punching games.Support us on Patreon to join us live: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

We're back from a hiatus and joined by Polygon's Toussaint Egan to discuss the miserable state of game design via the new hot Steam hit V Rising, the recursive present and "cancelled" future, and a bunch of different anime series, including beloved classics such as Naruto and My Dress-Up Darling. Support us on Patreon to join us live: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Alyse Stanley, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO

Elden Ring has been out for a minute, and we spend the entirety of this episode digesting it. From conversations about the baroque inspirations behind its arc, to discourse around accessibility, to a few surprising turns in the game's George R. R. Martin-tinged localization, we dive deep into what's likely to become one of our top games of 2022.Find this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FakabW9msZ0Support us on Patreon to join us live: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Alyse Stanley, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO Check out our merch on the merch tab at the top of our site: badendpodcast.comFollow BAD END Videos at the SUPERCULTURE YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/superculturevideoSupport us on Patreon to join us live and gain discord access: https://www.patreon.com/badendBAD END is proud to be part of SUPERCULTURE, a network of podcasts and websites dedicated to the underobserved. Tweet us @superculturenetSpecial thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and shout out to Wesley Martin, Matthew Slaybaugh, Eliza Tantivy, and Joshua Jarvis for donating at the Bad End Patron tier and above! Become a contributor at patreon.com/badendIntro/Outro music is "TABOO" by SEIHO