Branching Out
19 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingA show where people get me, Antoids, the Reverse Audio Engineer, to try their favorite things and talk about them. Unlike a lot of "book club" style podcasts, this one has long-time superfans of each topic in the room with me, so I don't miss the forest for the trees when discovering why the thing's so great.
Please visit my Patreon (patreon.com/antoids) to help support the show and get episodes early.
Feel free to contact me on Twitter (@antoidsyo), Steam (antoids), or Discord (ants#2879) if you'd like to guest on the show! I have an open door policy, as long as you think you can talk about the thing for around an hour!
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Episodes
Episode 19 - Jack & Casie [feat. shoutscion]
December 27, 2018 22:30 - 1 hour - 154 MBThis week, in a move I couldn't have planned better, I'm talking about Inventory Action RPG Jack & Casie with its developer, shoutscion. The game's not quite out yet, but I've gotten hours of entertainment out of the demo, already. We talk about the REAL origins of Jack & Casie, the newly-released armor prototype, and hard choices designers make regarding balance, tutorials, and fun. We also talk about the Super Best Friends a fair bit in this episode, which was recorded about five...
Episode 18 - Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals [feat. Matsu]
December 19, 2018 04:50 - 1 hour - 134 MBI'm back, baby! 😎🚬 This week it's yet another flawed, yet interesting SNES JRPG, and it's with Matsu! The game has a classically mythological story, with characters and plot beats that are actually fairly uncommon in games, even by modern standards. In the episode, we talk about presequels, roguelike elements, and having sex with swords. Show Notes: The Super Duper Deluxe Gamercast, featuring Matsu We played using a fan patch of Lufia. It was a little weird to patch, so Matsu has g...
Episode 17 - Magic: The Gathering [feat. Kevin Cole]
December 12, 2018 19:07 - 1 hour - 152 MBThis week, I try a game that's been vaguely within my radar, but I never had the chutzpah to actually learn: Magic: The Gathering. With me is Kevin Cole, who's been playing the game in physical form for 17 years. In this episode, we compare notes on the difference between physical and digital card games (I only tried Magic via MTG Arena), talk briefly about Garfield's newest game Keyforge, and why Black should be a good guy. I'm going to take a brief hiatus and be back in two weeks to ...
Episode 16 - Earthbound (Part 3 FINAL) [feat. soban]
November 28, 2018 06:08 - 1 hour - 171 MBThis week, we finish off Earthbound with the soban. We wrap up the two side sanctuaries, then head straight into Deep Darkness, and on to the finale! We talk about mushroom hunting, DRM, and abortions! soban didn't have a social media presence to plug, so check out Lawsplaining the Interwebs by Nick Rekieta, instead! Next time around, look forward to Magic: The Gathering, with Kevin Cole!
Episode 15 - Final Fantasy XV [feat. Moose]
November 21, 2018 08:49 - 1 hour - 196 MBIn the very 15th episode, we talk about the very 15th Final Fantasy! I'm joined by Moose, who is also a seasoned Final Fantasy veteran, and we talk about how this game falls short of expectations in entirely avoidable ways. We fail to talk about the alliteration, the only puzzle in the entire game, or the soundtrack. Show Notes: Final Fantasy XV was a mediocre disappointment Stella
Episode 14 - The Legend of Zelda (NES) [feat. Twinbeard]
November 14, 2018 06:55 - 1 hour - 155 MBThis week, I have Twinbeard, the creator of Frog Fractions, on to talk about the original Legend of Zelda, which is one of the games at the heart of the design of Frog Fractions 2! We also talk about reading D&D sourcebooks, games that aren't as good as Save the Date, and studs vs wimps. Next week is Final Fantasy XV, with Moose, as I tease in this episode! Show Notes: Twinbeard's website, where you can find Frog Fractions and Futilitris Video Games Hot Dog Movement Mechani...
Episode 13 - Streets of Rage [feat. RisingSuperStream/Liam]
November 07, 2018 04:56 - 50 minutes - 116 MBThis week we have the guest I've probably been the most excited to talk to: Liam of the RisingSuperStream, and Super Best Friends Play Emeritus. The topic is Streets of Rage, a 1991 SEGA beat-'em-up, and a cornerstone of the genre! This episode we cover where beat-'em-ups went, how pretty much anyone can pitch a SoR game, and lambada! Show Notes: Liam on Twitch and YouTube Streets of Rage on Steam Liam at Momocon 2018 Streets of Rage prototype by Ruffian Games
Episode 12 - Barton Fink [feat. Doug TenNapel]
October 31, 2018 04:50 - 1 hour - 159 MBThis week I get to talk to someone whose voice I hear whenever I'm having a bad day; Doug TenNapel -- creator of Earthworm Jim and plenty of other properties -- calls in to talk about Barton Fink, a movie that has wormed its way into my heart, as well. A running theme of this episode is walking a mile in someone else's shoes, from learning from their stories or their creative style, to remembering to stand by them when no one else will. I had a lot of fun talking to Doug, and I expect to ...
Episode 11 - Dead Cells [feat. Florian Himsl]
October 24, 2018 03:47 - 1 hour - 152 MBThis week, we have Florian Himsl, the co-creator of Binding of Isaac, on to talk about a recent juggernaut in the roguelike genre, Dead Cells. We talk about boss design, balancing stats effectively, and the nature of language. We don't always see eye-to-eye, but I think it makes for good discussion! Show Notes: Dead Cells on Steam Florian's YouTube channel Florian's website
Episode 10 - Blood Feast [feat. Justin Whang]
October 17, 2018 04:19 - 49 minutes - 114 MBIn this episode, Justin Whang and I discuss Herschell Gordon Lewis's Trilogy of Blood! These movies set the foundation for the slasher flick as we know it today, and I had a lot of fun watching them, even if they largely were pretty schlocky.
Episode 9 - YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG [feat. Andrew Allanson of Ackk Studios]
October 10, 2018 04:11 - 1 hour - 186 MBThis week, we interview composer, writer, director, and programmer Andrew Allanson of Ackk Studios, who is developing YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG. Despite the name, even if you're not a big RPG guy, I think this episode has a lot of interesting discussion on game design in general! We talk about the purpose of music in games, looking outside the industry to create within it, and how to fight millions of bees. Next week, look forward to Blood Feast (1963) with Justin Whang! Show Notes: Y...
Episode 8 - Live A Live (Part 3 FINAL) [feat. Matsu]
October 03, 2018 04:40 - 1 hour - 179 MBWe've made it to the finale of the obscure, never-translated, weird-even-by-JRPG-standards game I decided to launch a podcast with. Despite that tongue-in-cheek description, I wouldn't have it any other way! Live a Live was incredibly worth playing, for me. This episode covers the actual, for-realsies, final final spoilers in the game, and Matsu is gracious enough to lead me through them. We also tease an upcoming bonus episode featuring none other than Matsu himself, analyzing the music ...
Episode 7 - Live A Live (Part 2) [feat. Matsu]
September 26, 2018 05:15 - 1 hour - 168 MBThis week, Matsu is back with part two out of three of our Live A Live discussion! We run through the latter half of each chapter, without regard for spoilers. If you missed part 1, it's actually the very first episode of the podcast, and well worth listening to! We'll be back next week to bed and give our final thoughts on it in full. Show Notes: Matsu on Soundcloud Legends of Localization Big Jim
Episode 6 - Earthbound (Part 2) [feat. ojjjuj]
September 19, 2018 06:37 - 56 minutes - 129 MBWe're back with the second part of Earthbound with ojjjuj. We go from Moonside to Dungeon Man, so we start and finish on high notes, in my opinion! As an FYI, the end of this Earthbound series will come a bit later, as I'm going to record it with soban. And look forward to a lot of content from fan-favorite guest Matsu in the very near future! Show Notes: ojjjuj on Twitch Twin Peaks Red Room (Simpsonified) Smash Bros. terms
Episode 5 - Earthbound (Part 1) [feat. ojjjuj
September 12, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 169 MBIn this episode, ojjjuj and I talk about Earthbound AT LENGTH. It's a mid-90s SNES JRPG (seems like I've typed something similar before) that can't be described without using the word 'unique'. The episode is accidentally a two-parter, but we'll need a third to finish the game off someday! Whoops! We talk about where it fails as a game and what problems are overblown, the incredible, anachronistic music, the unique setting and NPCs, and more. This episode covers from the beginning of the...
Episode 4 - BattleCon [feat. SilentEric]
September 05, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 147 MBIn this episode, I talk to Silent Eric (@Silent0Eric) about Battle Connection, a card game by Level 99 Games that translates mechanics unique to the fighting game video game genre into a format that allows people without the reflexes and practiced precision of esports pros to experience the high level mind games that make fighting games so engaging. We take some diversions to talk about other card games in brief, as well, particularly Exceed and David Sirlin's Yomi, which are card games in t...
Episode 3 - Hotline Miami [feat. Ivan]
August 29, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 164 MBIn this episode, Ivan comes on to tell me why he loves Hotline Miami. We talk about the music more than someone as inexperienced with music as I should, and also about specific cool moments in the game and its surprisingly thorough pacing/level design. Come join us! Show Notes: Hotline Miami on Steam M|O|O|N AMA
Episode 2: HuniePop & HunieCam Studio [feat. Srirancha & Ryan Koons]
August 22, 2018 04:00 - 46 minutes - 107 MBIn this episode, we talk about HuniePop and HunieCam Studio with Srirancha (@deleteuraccont) of Porg Chatter fame and Ryan Koons (@HuniePotDev), the developer of HuniePop! And by "we", I of course mean that they talk about it, while I pretend to know what I'm doing. In this episode, I kind of talk over/ignore some stuff Ryan and Srirancha say, partly because I'm a jerk, but also partly because our connection was terrible and they were constantly cutting in and out. I blame my WiFi! Rega...
Episode 01: Live A Live (Part 1) [Feat. Matsu]
August 15, 2018 19:29 - 1 hour - 162 MBIn this episode, Matsu and I discuss Live A Live, one of Squaresoft's many forgotten highly experimental games from the mid-1990s. I hope to have Matsu back on sooner, rather than later, to discuss this game without holding back spoilers, as there's a whole lot to talk about, but if you can't wait, you should check the game out for yourself! Show Notes: The fan translation patch (by Aeon Genesis) The Ultros fight from Final Fantasy VI, in glorious 240p Playing card shorthand fo...