Pixels & Pints

Tom, Pete and Dan discuss the importance to both the movie and video game industry of indie developers. From taking risks the big studios won't, to inventing new game mechanics those same big studios then copy and milk the heck out of, your hosts catch up on everything indie! Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. New England - Sanger - Heffeweizen - 5.8% 2. Seeker - Chasing Summer - DIPA - 8.3% 3. Hawkers - Four Seasons: Spring - Triply Hazy IPA - 10% 4. Slow Lane - Hibernation - Baltic Porter - 9.5% 5. Seeker - Amped Up - DIPA - 8%

From the latest in popculture news, like the collapse of Concord and the fistful of new games just released, through to reviews on Godzilla Minus One, Monkey Man and House of the Dragon season 2, we drink our way through a tonne of content, finishing with Tom's story of finally completing Red Dead Redemption, and Dan's first look at Black Myth: Wukong Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. Hope Estate - FKA Juicy Hazy - Sour - 6% 2. Hop Nation - Frisbee Guava Sour - 4.3% 3. Beer Fontaine - Botany Best Bitter - ESB - 4.5% 4. Beer Fontaine - The Freschness - Farmhouse Ale - 4.9% 5. Hop Nation - Eggers - DIPA - 8% 6. White Bay - Nebulosity - Hazy Pale - 5.7% 7. Hop Nation - Saltwater - Black Lager - 4.8% 8. Range Brewing - Life Finds a Way - Red IPA - 6.8% 9. Hawkers Beer - White Stout '24 - 6% 10. Surfboat Brewing - Sweeps Stout - Dry Irish Stout - 4.2%

We sit down to discuss those magical gems in movies, TV shows and video games throughout our personal histories that will forever be fond memories, and will forever be the yard stick by which we measure modern media.  Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. Beer Fontaine - Big Otis - Imperial Stout - 9.5% 2. Beer Fontaine - Petit Lourde '21 - Scotch Ale - 11% 3. Beer Fontaine - Patience '23 - Imperial Stout - 11.5%

Another zany episode indeed! We cover the Games Fest announcements, the crazy fact that Beyond Good & Evil 2 is apparently still in development, and Kotaku shutting down, through to our thoughts on The Covenant, Aquaman 2, Gozilla Minue One, House of the Dragon S2 and much, much more! Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. One Drop - Roar Witness - White IPA - 6.1% 2. Range - Pre-Loved #3 - 3.0% 3. Brick Lane - Trilogy of Fear '24: - Soul Trader: Life - Imp. Stout - 11.0% 4. White Bay - Gantry Noir -  Tmavé (Dark) Lager – 5.3% 5. Shout - Cloud w\ a Chance of Juice - NEIPA - 6.8% 6. Brick Lane - Trilogy of Fear '24: - Soul Trader: Love - Imp. Stout - 11.0% 7. Hawkers - Neapolitan Bonaparte: Vanilla - White Stout - 6.0% 8. Akasha - Red Again - Red IPA - 6.5% 9. Rocky Ridge - Karl, I Am Your Father - Black IPA - 6.8% 10. Hawkers - Neapolitan Bonaparte: Strawberry - White Stout - 6.0%

We take a DEEEEEEP dive into artifical intelligence in the video game industry, from the AI that drives enemy and NPC behaviour through to the mechanics of your avatar moving through a virtual landscape. We also cover the introduction of deep learning and generative AI and how that has and will continue to impact both the way we play games, and the way games are made. Finally, we cover the eponymous ChatGPT and its Large Language Model brethren - the tool that put AI into family dinner table discussions into a couple of years ago, and how it's revolutionalising the way we interact with video games. Beers reviewed this episode: 1. Akasha Brewing - Whisky Barrel Aged Imperial Stout - 10.2% 2. Dainton Beer - Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Barley Wine - 14.1% 3. Hawkers Beer - Gee These Woods Sure Are Dark - Imperial Stout - 8.0%

Re-releasing due to technical issues. News, reviews, in-depth discussion of video games and pop-culture, all while reviewing craft beer; everything you want in a podcast! From the controversies surrounding Helldivers 2 and PSN, to SW Outlaws DLC drama and Warhammer 40k retconning lore through to reviews of The 3 Body Problem, Fallout S1, Bad Batch S3, a tonne of games, and of course... we talk about the horrendously flawed plot of Rebel Moon Part 2 - The Scargiver! Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. New England - Channel 40 - WCIPA 2. Small Gods - Hexenhaus - Roggenbier 3. Deeds Brewing - No Spoilers - ESB 4. Bright Brewery - Chocopalooza 2 Stout 5. Seeker Brewing - Red Wizard - Red IPA 6. New England - Farmhouse Ale 7. Ekim Brewing - Shield Wall Porter 8. New England - Grandad Brown - Brown Ale 9. Bad Shepherd - Peanut Butter Porter 10. New England - Night Hunter - Lager 11. Small Gods - The Arms Race - Imp. IPA

Tom, Dan and Pete take a wander through previous games that delivered the goods despite lacklustre trailers that really didn't spark much interest. Beers reviewed this episode: 1. Bacchus Brewing - Toblerale - Barleywine - 14% 2. Boatrocker Brewers - Roasty Toasty - Imp. Brown Ale - 9.8%

All the latest news and reviews, from No Man's Sky's Orbital update to the release of Ghostbusters Frozen Empure and Dragon's Domga 2, we cover it all! Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. Akasha Brewing - Canada Bay XPA 2. Slow Lane Brewing - Jagged Little Pils - Pilsner 3. Freshwater Brewing Co. - Stay Salty - Gose 4. Akasha Brewing - Hopsmith IPA 5. Black Hops Brewing - G.O.A.T. - NEIPA 6. Fox Friday Brewing - False Start - IPA 7. Bridge Road Brewers - Eggster - Dark Ale 8. Garage Project - Escape From the Temple of Haze - NEIPA

Dan, Tom and Pete sit down and review Dune Part 2 in detail, covering plot, acting, cinematography, score, costuming and special FX - almost like professionals! Beers reviewed this episode: 1. Slow Lane Brewing - Taken - Imp. Stock Ale - 10.8% 2. Boatrocker Brewers - Ramjet (2017) - Russian Imp. Stout - 13.6%

From the latest game releases to reviews of True Detective S4, LX2048 and The Exorcist: Believer, Tom, Dan and Pete sit down and go over recent video games, movies and TV shows so you don't have to!  Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. Mountain Culture Beer - Lauter - Pilsner 2. Philter Brewing - Watermelon Hibiscus Pash - Berliner Weisse 3. Sunday Road Brewing - Samba Passionfruit - Sour 4. Yulli's Brews - Smoked Mango Chilli - Sour 5. Seeker Brewing - Pine Lime Icecream Sour 6. Squinters Brewing - Aunty Sally's Mixed Berry Sour 7. Seeker Brewing - Pine Lime Icecream Sour 8. Ekim Brewing - Longboat Lager 9. Bracket Brewing - East Side - NEIPA 10. Kaiju! - Pleazure Kruze - Hazy Pale Ale 11. Bracket Brewing - West Side - WCIPA 12. Squinters Brewing - Drop Your Daiquiris - Sour

Responding to David Jaffe, director of the original God of War, we explore character development in video games as the core driving force behind their success. Beers reviewed this episode: 1. Brick Lane Brewing - Smoking Gun - Imperial Stout - 10.6% 2. Boatrocker Brewers - Coffee Ramjet (2019) - Imperial Stout - 11.2% 3. Small Gods - The Tun - Imperial Stout - 10.0%

Ushering in 2024 with a bang Dan, Tom and Pete cover the latest news including big fines for Sony, the release of Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall Unity, and AI taking over the world! We cover the latest movie trailers (for the last time!), Dan runs us through his favourites for 2023, before we sit down and cover Rebel Moon in gory detail! Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. Slow Lane & One Drop - Drop It Slow - Farmhouse Ale - 6.2% 2. Mountain Culture & Sierra Nevada - Summer Pale Ale - 5.6% 3. Small Gods Brewing - Hark! - Imperial Stout - 9.3% 4. Small Gods Brewing - Rejoice! - Imperial Stout - 9.0% 5. Hawkers Beer - Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Strong Ale '23 - 10.5% 6. Deeds Brewing - Silent Town - Imperial Stout - 12.7%

Getting in just before New Years, Tom and Pete sit down to cover the last of the news for 2023, review Dumb Money, Pain Hustlers, and the four new Doctor Who specials, plus a really terrible (420) movie, and then finally give a wrap on the best that 2023 had to offer in TV, movies and video games, along with what they're looking forward to in 2024. Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. Good Folk Brewing Co - Native Sour - Berliner Weisse - 6.6% 2. Maggie Island Brewery - Maggies Mid - Lager - 3.5% 3. Garage Project - Cali Daze - Pale Ale - 4.6% 4. White Bay Beer Co - Snake Farm - WCIPA - 6.0% 5. Bracket Brewing - Turn On - Hazy Pale - 5.2% 6. Deeds Brewing - Outrun - Hazy DIPA - 8.2% 7. Seeker Brewing - The 12 Hops of Christmas - Hazy IPA - 7.7% 8. Hawkers Beer - Four Seasons: Summer - WCIPA - 6.0%

After covering the news, we dive into in-depth reviews of Return to Moria and The Creator before launching into our main topic - completely unique gaming experiences.  Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. Sobremesa Fermentary & Blendary - Al Dente - Sour - 5.8% 2. Molly Rose - Raspberry Lamington - Sour - 4.0% 3. Molly Rose - Lime & Jalapeno Lounge - Radler - 2.9% 4. Dangerous Ales - Phantasm Boi - Thiolized Lager - 5.0% 5. New England Brewing - Dapper - ESB - 5.5% 6. Archer Brewing - Crystal Lager - Vienna Lager - 4.8% 7. Bracket Brewing - This is the Way - WCIPA - 6.2% 8. Chur Brewing - Tangerine Dream - Brut IPA - 5.8% 9. Aether Brewing - WCIPIA - 6.0% 10. Temple Brewing - Grizzly Tales - American Brown Ale - 5.4% 11. Sailors Grave - God Save The Sponge - Smoothie Sour - 7.0%

As an extension of recent episodes, we thought we'd cover off some of the TV shows, movies and video games that we use as palate cleansers between AAA titles. Beers reviewed this episode: 1. Hawkers Beer - '3 Maple Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout - 11.8% 2. Deeds Brewing - The Third Horseman ('21) - Imperial Stout - 10% 3. Dainton Beer - Darklord - Imperial Stout - 10%

With the long-running SAG-AFTRA strikes, we'll undoubtedly be facing a huge gap in movie and TV show content (or at least GOOD content) sometime in the near future. We focus our attention in this Up Late on all the TV, movies and video games in our backlog we'll be able to work through as a result. Beers reviewed this episode: 1. Bright Brewery - Stubborn Imperial Stout (2023) - 16.0% 2. One Drop Brewing - Ranniku Antipodean Nordic Stout - 12.5% 3. Bracket Brewing - The Juggernaut - Triple NEIPA - 10.3%

After reviewing the latest TV shows and movies like Ahsoka, Wheel of Time, The Continental and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, we settle in our major topic for the episode - video game companions that either contribute to or reuin the game. Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. SIx String Brewing - Hard Lemonade - 5.0% 2. New England Brewing - Marmo - Italian Pilsner - 4.5% 3. Gypsy Fox Brewing - Hopocrisy Pink Boots - NEPA - 5.0% 4. Molly Rose Brewing - Why Not a Brown Ale - 6.5% (Pete) 5. Garage Project - Immense World - Pilsner - 6.0% 6. Freshwater Brewing - Duke's Pilsner - 5.0% 7. Molly Rose Brewing - Why Not a Brown Ale - 6.5% (Dan) 8. One Drop - Dark Harp - Black IPA - 6.7% 9. Five Barrel Brewing - Possum Paradise - White IPA - 6.0% 10. Wooden Axe Brewing - Phase 2 - Black Rye IPA - 6.5% 11. Seeker Brewing - Sonic Boom Double WCIPA - 8.4% 12. New England Brewing - Mud Map Hazy IPA - 6.6%

What game mechanics ruined otherwise great games? After covering the latest pop-culture news, reviewing some recent shows such as Foundation and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, and then discussing some of the latest movie and tv show trailers, we sit down and discuss exactly this. Beers Reviewed This Episode: 1. Freshwater Brewing - Wedge Cerveza - Lager - 4.6% 2. Gypsy Fox Brewing - Hoptimism - Pilsner - 5.2% 3. The Zythologist - Rubidium - Sour - 5.6% 4. Southern Highlands Brewing - Ronin - Japanese DIPA - 7.0% 5. Temple Brewing - Weston St - DDH IPA - 6.4% 6. Six String Brewing - Hazy Pale Ale - 5.0% 7. Garage Project - Descent to the Dungeon of Dankness - IPA - 6.5% 8. Dangerous Ales - Double Bock - Doppelbock - 7.0% 9. One Drop Brewing - Madzilla - Red IPA - 6.2% 10. Molly Rose Brewing - Crowd Goes Mild - English Mild - 3.8% 11. Alice Springs Brewing - Stout - 4.2% 12. Dainton Beer - Island Jam - NEIPA - 6.7% 13. Seeker Brewing - Cruisin' for a Good Pine - Milkshake Pale - 5.6%

With Dan gallivanting the world again, Pete & Tom are joined by recurring guest Ed to talk all things games. From the release of Baldur's Gate 3 to Gamescom 23 to the latest updates to the Unreal Engine, we eventually settle in for a deep dive on RPGs in the context of both Starfield being released and Tom working his way through Skyrim (and towards his 100th Plat!) Beers Reviewed this Ep: 1. Cheeky Monkey - Hazy Pale Ale - 4.0% 2. Seeker Brewing - HBC522 West Coast Pilsner - 5.8% 3. Slow Lane - Woodchip - Table Beer - 3.5% 4. Hargreaves Hill - Naughty - Schwarzbier - 5.0% 5. Garage Project - Cereal Milk Stout - 4.7% 6. Freestyle Brewing - Majic Juice - NEIPA - 5.6% 7. Hawkers Beer - Fashionably Punctual - WCIPA - 6.5% 8. Hawkers Beer - Trio of Dips (US) - WCIPA - 6.5% 9. Mountain Culture & Balter - Anna - WCIPA - 7.0% 10. Mountain Culture & Balter - Elsa - WCIPA - 7.6% 11. Nail Brewing - Red Carpet - Imperial Red Ale - 8.4% 12. Hawkers Beer - White Stout - 6.0%

With Disney's announcement they will cease selling physical media in Australia, including Star Wars and Marvel movies, we sit down to discuss whether this is the first sign of the death of physical media for Aussie's more generally, the sudden ability for studios to permanently bury something just to avoid paying licensing fees & royalties, and where it all might be heading. Beers reviewed this episode: 1. Six String Brewing - Wet, Wet, Wet Hop Pale Ale - 4.6% 2. White Bay Beer - Up Top - Czech Pilsner - 5.0% 3. One Drop Brewing - Hit Me Up - DIPA - 8.0% 4. The Zythologist - Bromium - English Brown Ale - 4.1% 5. New England Brewing - Marmo - Italian Pilsner - 4.5% 6. One Drop Brewing - Hellenic Lager - 5.0% 7. Black Hops Brewing - Code Red - Red IPA - 6.2% 8. Six String Brewing - In Bloom Honey IPA - 6.4% 9. One Drop Brewing - Bee Line - Imperial Pastry Stout - 10.8% 10. Hawkers Beer - Oaty McOatface - Oatmeal Stout - 8.0% 11. Shout Brewing - Left On - Red IPA - 6.3%