Level With Us

Marcus has been working on a new detective video game with his creative partner Nathan, and today we’re going to dive into what that was like! Join us as we discuss what makes for a good murder mystery scenario, some behind-the-scenes development stories, and find out whether this game truly is the “soulslike” of detective video games.If you’re interested in winning a free copy of the game, find out at the end of this episode. Then, visit the YouTube version of this interview: https://youtu.be/8mzwqaMtNz0Purchase the Rise of the Golden Idol: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2716400/The_Rise_of_the_Golden_Idol/(Also available on consoles!)Check out Marcus and Nathan's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/30R5REvknCBprrCrlAYTimestamps:0:00 - Introduction3:28 - What is “Rise of the Golden Idol?”5:04 - How did you get to work on this?6:00 - “Writer” or “Narrative Designer?7:23 - Do you feel any pressure or expectations working on the sequel?9:57 - How do you start writing a murder-mystery scenario?13:13 - Did the narrative inform the scenarios, or vice versa?14:43 - Did you design alone, or paired up with other writers?16:21 - What are your writing strengths?19:14 - Did you have any ideas considered too “silly” for this game?20:15 - Did you have to cut any scenarios you were excited about?23:01 - What are you looking forward to about the launch? Any fun development stories?25:24 - Who do you think will enjoy this game the most?26:48 - Free Game Giveaway!27:55 - Outro

UFO 50 is one of the most ambitious indies we've ever played: 50 games in one, and some of which are all-time classics! Here are our top ten. If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:43 - Why do we love UFO 50? 8:42 - Deviltion 10:48 - Party House 13:45 - Camoflouge 15:30 - Porgy 17:54 - The Big Bell Race 19:02 - Rock On! Island 21:31 - Rail Heist 23:53 - Attactics 26:00 - Hyper Contender 28:25 - Mini & Max 31:49 - Outro

I guested on Marcus's podcast this week to try and stump him and his co-host Nathan with a trivia challenge! It was a lot of fun, and even if you haven't listened to their show, I recommend checking it out! Link below: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6vhMLSn3txDw3YvpTluvVe?si=t9zLCtw2Rhyaw2CgIPwv_Q

Cy from Fireplace Gaming joins in this week to take a look at The Plucky Squire, which was just released! In this 2D top-down / 3D platform hybrid, you manipulate a storybook and engage in really well-designed puzzles. Take a listen to hear our thoughts on the game, and be sure to check out Cy’s other videos HERE: https://www.youtube.com/@fireplacegamingYT We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 2:28 - Main Discussion 13:33 - ⭒Star Pieces 18:46 - Quick Jabs 24:21 - Who’s the Fake Fan? 30:30 - Outro

Pure bliss. It's nice to remember why I love video games. If you have a game recommendation, write us at LevelWithUsPodcast{AT]gmail[DOT}com !Check out Digital Foundry's excellent video on how the game is a technical marvel: https://youtu.be/1qhV6Tv1FkM?si=fG9HXcagd8UmC6In

Cat Quest III may sound like a silly game, but trust me when I say it's worth checking out. It may just surprise you... Check out my other reviews on GG! https://ggapp.io/jkrgamer If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com!

The SteamWorld series has ALWAYS been excellent, but how does this new sea-faring sea-quel hold up? Marcus re-joins us this week to discuss it! And stay tuned to the end to find out how you can win a FREE COPY of SteamWorld Heist II! YouTube version: https://youtu.be/a9QzL7qu5dQ If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! Timestamps: Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 1:53 - What IS this game? 4:11 - Bad Pun 4:24 - General Thoughts 8:59 - ⭒Star Pieces 13:06 - Quick Jabs 16:38 - Who's the Fake Fan? 23:00 - FREE GAME GIVEAWAY!! 25:18 - Outro

A new YouTube-exclusive episode is up! Please consider subscribing: https://youtu.be/9r9phVKhulw More episodes are on the way. Thank you for your patience!

Are Metroid: Other M and Star Fox Zero really that bad? ...I don't think so. In fact, I think there's actually a lot to love about these "black sheep"! Join me as I try to find all of their good qualities! Check out my other reviews on GG! https://ggapp.io/jkrgamer If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! 0:00 - Introduction 0:57 - Metroid: Other M 4:41 - Star Fox Zero 9:24 - Conclusion?

With a simple premise and controls, Isles of Sea and Sky is a lovely puzzle game with lovely vibes. If you're a fan of block-pushing games in The Legend of Zelda, or just love the gameboy aesthetic, this one is well worth checking out. Here are my thoughts on the game. Check out on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1233070/Isles_of_Sea_and_Sky/ Check out my other reviews on GG! https://ggapp.io/jkrgamer If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com!

I don’t love Soulslikes…but I quite like No Rest for the Wicked so far. Here are my thoughts on the early access release!  Check out my other reviews on GG! https://ggapp.io/jkrgamer If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com!

Nintendrew joins this week to play a good old-fashioned game of Name That Tune! As an avid collector of N64 games, how will he fare against some cruelly obscure tracks from that console's library? Let us know how well YOU do in the game as well! And thanks for listening! Nintendrew YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@Nintendrew?si=rKyOxHtOcY62cWJ8 Check out Drew's indie title C.A.R.L. on Switch! https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/c-a-r-l-switch/ (Also available on other platforms!) ...and here's our review of it: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1uqxGEQ4Os55H2ySJFhGsl?si=ufA7favjSlWcyJ92pV2wLw If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro / Rules 2:33 - Track #1 3:29 - Track #2 5:22 - Track #3 6:55 - Track #4 9:00 - Track #5 11:11 - Track #6 12:42 - Track #7 14:50 - Track #8 16:41 - Track #9 20:03 - Track #10 22:34 - Track #11 23:34 - Track #12 25:56 - Track #13 28:01 - Track #14 20:41 - Track #15 32:30 - Final Thoughts

We’re back with another "Backlog Brunch!" Today we discuss a whole litter of titles we haven’t had the chance to bring up on the show before, such as Balatro, Sifu, Coral Island, and River City Girls 2, among others! If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:43 - Super Mario RPG 1:39 - Persona 3 Reload 2:26 - Cassette Beasts 7:35 - Coral Island 9:13 - Cocoon 12:16 - Patrick’s Parabox 13:04 - Balatro 18:55 - River City Girls 2 21:00 - Sifu 23:56 - Outro

The Sonic Mania team returns - and so does Ray Hargreaves! Today we discuss Penny’s Big Breakway, a skill-based 3D Platformer (with an emphasis on the skill) by the former developers of Sonic Mania. We hope you enjoy our thoughts, Jared being awarded his very first quick jab, as well as a free game giveaway! To find out how you can win a free copy of Penny’s Big Breakaway on Nintendo Switch, CLICK HERE: https://sweepwidget.com/c/78364-tonp0jsd If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 00:47 - Main Discussion 13:24 - ⭒Star Pieces 18:10 - Quick Jabs 23:21 - Who’s the Fake Fan? 28:36 - Free Game Giveaway! 28:53 - Outro 30:08 - Bonus Scene

Today we reminisce about the good ol’ days of subpar Gameboy platformers, candy-themed web games, and driving each other crazy, with a nostalgic trivia battle! One advantage of us co-hosts being brothers is we know exactly what games each other has played, so we hope you enjoy 40+ minutes of us trying to stump each other, and going on plenty of nostalgic tangents along the way! “Maybe Village” arrangement by Aivi and Surasshu: https://aivisura.bandcamp.com/album/the-black-box We don’t know when the next episode will be, but if you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:20 - Marcus Challenge #1 2:40 - Jared Challenge #1 4:07 - Marcus Challenge #2 5:42 - Jared Challenge #2 9:22 - Marcus Challenge #3 13:14 - Jared Challenge #3 16:29 - Marcus Challenge #4 18:32 - Jared Challenge #4 23:13 - Marcus Challenge #5 26:38 - Jared Challenge #5 29:50 - Marcus Challenge #6 34:25 - Jared Challenge #6 36:10 - Marcus Challenge #7 38:56 - Jared Challenge #7 41:32 - Final Tally 43:50 - Bonus Scene

Dallin returns to help us review the newest triple-A Metroidvania: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown! There’s a lot to love about this game: Excellent Combat, a fun water level(?!), and an engaging mechanic new to the genre. Join us as we chat about this and much more, with only a tiiiiny rant about notification settings in this week’s episode of Level With Us! Special thanks to Ubisoft for the review code! We don’t know when the next episode will be, but if you have indie recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:25 - Main Discussion Begins 2:40 - The Story 3:40 - The Combat 7:48 - Exploration & Progression 10:45 - New Metroidvania Mechanic 13:36 - ⭒Star Pieces 17:57 - Quick Jabs 24:38 - Who’s the Fake Fan? 31:16 - Outro & Final Thoughts 32:47 - Bonus Scene

Surprise!! We’re back with one last little episode before the new year starts. It’s become a yearly tradition for Jared to spring a “Name That Tune” challenge on Marcus with absolutely no warning! Will you best him at it? Let us know! Image Source: https://www.polygon.com/23648669/best-video-games-2023 We’ll be taking a break for a while, but if you have indie recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:41 - The Rules 1:37 - Song #1 4:10 - Song #2 6:57 - Song #3 8:09 - Song #4 9:19 - Song #5 11:00 - Song #6 11:49 - Song #7 13:37 - Song #8 15:23 - Song #9 17:01 - Song #10 19:55 - Song #11 21:04 - Song #12 21:56 - Song #13 22:50 - Song #14 24:24 - Song #15 26:10 - Song #16 27:27 - Song #16 28:01 - Song #16 32:16 - Final Recap 33:17 - Bonus Scene

It’s that time of year again, where we sit back and reflect on the frankly INSANE amount of games released in the past 12 months. These are each of our top 5 games of 2023 - and Jared’s #2 may SHOCK you! Also, listen for a surprise reveal at the end… Wishlist Rise of the Golden Idol HERE: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2716400/The_Rise_of_the_Golden_Idol/ We’ll be taking a break for a while, but if you have indie recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! We are on all major podcasting platforms: https://anchor.fm/levelwithus Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:26 - Honorable Mentions 4:36 - Jared’s #5 5:59 - Marcus’s #5 7:22 - Jared & Marcus’s #4 10:43 - Marcus’s #3 12:21 - Jared’s #3 13:46 - Marcus’s #2 16:36 - ...Jared Rant? 18:16 - Jared’s #2 21:09 - Jared’s #1 23:04 - Marcus’s #1 24:33 - THE REVEAL 27:55 - Outro

Ahhh, do you smell that? Something special is ready to be taken out of the oven! We do really love a fresh-baked Paper Mario-inspired, don’t you? Take a listen to this episode to hear our thoughts on the game, including a few bread puns along the way! Win a FREE COPY of Born of Bread by entering our giveaway! https://sweepwidget.com/c/75462-b5ol7q1p You can purchase the game on all major platforms: https://www.wildartsgames.com/bornofbread If you have indie recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:48 - What is this game? 1:14 - Main Discussion 6:26 - ⭒Star Pieces 8:25 - Quick Jabs 15:31 - Final Thoughts (& Game Giveaway!)

The SteamWorld Series of games are well known for being exceptionally good - so good, in fact, that one of them is in my top 5 games of all time. So, with the newest entry about to come out, how well does the developer do as they try and tackle the “City-Builder” genre? Listen to find out in this mini-review of the game! You can purchase the game on all major platforms (including Game Pass!). Check it out here: https://steamworldgames.com/ If you have indie recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com!