Staring at Screens.
84 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 9 years ago - ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsHere on Staring at Screens we look at the bright, pretty lights that make up our video games. Also, we like to talk about them from a critical, mature and often giggly perspective.
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Episodes
66. 2014: The Year in Review
December 30, 2014 14:32 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBIn our last episode for the year, we look back at 2014 and discuss the things and events we found significant to our lives as gamers. Also in this episode: Game of Thrones, Bounden, Fantasy Life, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and of course, Not Everything is Flammable. (Game of The Week.) Music: Trevor Morris - Dragon Age Inquisition Main Theme Links: Notch's new $70m mansion Lindsay Lohan: The Price of Fame
65.5 Games Conventions Part 2
December 29, 2014 01:20 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBWhoops, a really delayed .5 episode. Joel sends his apologies. In this half episode we talk about the games we saw at Gamestart and PAX Aus.
65. Game Conventions
December 04, 2014 03:24 - 53 minutes - 48.7 MBThis week we play host to Mike Ferrer from OMGeek and we talk about Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Rune Factory 4, Valkyria Chronicles, and XCOM: Enemy Within, as well as share our experiences at Gamestart 2014 and PAX AUS 2014. Music: Hitoshi Sakimoto - Valkyria Chronicles (Main Theme)
64. Extra Canonical
October 12, 2014 07:33 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBCrysis 3, PES Manager, Monument Valley, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, Fotonica, Alone and a discussion on what makes a good licensed game. Music: Garry Schyman - The Gravewalker - Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor OST
63. Cheevos
September 20, 2014 10:00 - 55 minutes - 50.6 MBAchivements in games, Godus, Shovel Knight, Banished, Nidhogg, Another Case Solved, nerd hugs and mouth farts. Music: Jake Kaufman - Strike The Earth! (Plains of Passage) - Shovel Knight OST
62.5 The One About Squeezing Blackheads
September 01, 2014 01:47 - 7 minutes - 6.57 MBThis is probably the weirdest .5 episode we've ever recorded. Also, Google blackhead videos at your own risk. You have been warned.
62. Binge Gaming
August 24, 2014 23:29 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBThis week you get to enjoy listening to Eric, Joel and Vick ruminate on Dawn of The Immortals, Crazy Taxi for iOS and Android, Saints Row IV, Gunpoint, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Remember Me and Ni No Kuni. In other news we explore binge gaming and try to pick apart its causes and effects.
61.5 With Apologies to Taylor Swift
August 22, 2014 09:35 - 3 minutes - 3.37 MBIn which Vick educates us about Taylor Swift's songwriting. Try and decipher if she's a fan or a hater.
61. Keeping Up With The Kardashians
August 10, 2014 12:53 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBOn this week's scintillating session, The Lego Movie Videogame, Lego Marvel Superheroes, Lego Harry Potter, GTA Online, Monument Valley, Steampunk Tower, Dawn of The Immortals and of course Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. WHUT? Exactly.
60.5. A Nerd for All Seasons
July 29, 2014 23:55 - 6 minutes - 5.57 MBIn which we nerd out a bit about Game of Thrones and '90s IRC.
60. Have You Not Heard of Mountain?
July 18, 2014 05:43 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBIn this week's episode the gang catches up and talks about Fates Forever, Borderlands 2, Mountain (you've probably never heard of it), Mario and Luigi: Dream Team, Double Dragon Neon, and of course, GTA V. Got questions or comments? Email or Tweet at us. Music: Jake Kaufman - Double Dragon Neon Title Theme
59.5 - Tom Clancy's Jurassic Park
July 17, 2014 04:51 - 7 minutes - 6.49 MBWith apologies to Lisa, but even more apologies to the late Tom Clancy.
59. E3 2014
July 03, 2014 09:04 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBThe dust has kinda settled around E3, which gives us a chance to look at some of the news and announcements without hype-tinted glasses. Along the way we talk about Guild Wars 2, Wildstar, The Wolf Among Us, GTA V, that Watchdogs PC graphics tweak, the Alienware Alpha, Assassin's Creed Unity and the ensuing multiplayer hoo-ha, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Fire Emblem x Shin Megami Tensei, Uncharted 4, Tom Clancy's The Division, The Order 1886, the new Mirror's Edge, The...
58. Buyer's Remorse
June 07, 2014 10:47 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBThe gang's all back together! This week we talk about Dave's new job at EA, Battleheart Legacy, Kentucky Route Zero, Towerfall Ascension, The Sims 3, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and Gaming Buyer's Remorse. Check out the gaming consoles, peripherals and games we wish we hadn't shelled out money for. Do you have any gaming purchases that you regret? Email or Tweet at us to let us know. Music: Brian Tyler - Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag OST - A Pirate's Life
58.5. With Apologies to Dave
June 07, 2014 10:20 - 6 minutes - 6.13 MBThis week's episode will be a bit late, but we'll get that to you early next week. Anyway we had to tell you this story first so that you will be able to fully enjoy the episode when it's published on Monday, so for now please enjoy this half-episode. Image credit: xkcd
57.5. News: Towns and Kinect
May 30, 2014 06:09 - 13 minutes - 12 MBIn this half episode, Dave, Joel, Lisa and Mac discuss the now-abandoned Steam Greenlight game Towns as well as Microsoft's decision to dis-Kinect the Xbox One.
57. Global Game Jam 2014
May 21, 2014 03:01 - 1 hour - 71.4 MBThis week Dave, Joel and Lisa play host to Mac Lotze, one third of DAM, the group that made Not Everything is Flammable, and we talk about their experiences from participating in Global Game Jam 2014 and the future of their game. Along the way we discuss A Dark Room, Duet, Luftrausers (with a short aside about Vlambeer and cloned games), and Yoshi's New Island. If you have game jam anecdotes to share, write to us at [email protected] or tweet us @staringscreens. You can find the Gl...
56.5. Fire Embleng
May 16, 2014 07:41 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBIn this .5 episode, Dave and Joel talk at length about Fire Emblem: Awakening, and Lisa pontificates on why the Fire Emblem games are "ah beng". (We know. We don't even… either.)
56. Pay To Win
May 09, 2014 12:09 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBThis week Joel and Dave are reunited, and you can hear Lisa's eyeballs rolling in their sockets as they geek out over Pay To Win mechanics in Free To Play (and all other) games. Along the way we discuss Guild Wars 2, Stonehearth (not to be confused with Hearthstone) and Hearthstone (not to be confused with Stonehearth). Got a Pay To Win anecdote or opinion to share? Tell us via email or Twitter.
55.5. Alamak Chat
May 01, 2014 04:41 - 3 minutes - 2.82 MBIn this .5 episode we get to talking about FireChat and other chat apps and unwittingly reveal our geriatricity. Also, did you know Alamak Chat still lives?? Whut.
55. Easter Eggs
April 21, 2014 04:31 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBHappy Easter, everyone! In this week's episode, Lisa tells us a really bad joke inspired by Kami, Vick evaluates the story of Max Payne 3 and the mechanics of Disco Zoo, and Joel plays Guild Wars 2 and the sixth and final Layton game, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy. Also Dave sleeps through the entire recording. Inspired by Jim Crawford's GDC talk on Preserving a Sense of Discovery in the Age of Spoilers, we embark on a trip down memory lane as we talk through a few of the Easter Egg...
54.5. Interactive Games
April 11, 2014 00:40 - 8 minutes - 7.8 MBDuring the break Dave, Lisa and Jim shared their experiences with some experimental IRL interactive games. we're not even sure what to call these collectively, but if they are playing near where you live you should definitely check them out. Except for Her Things they should still be playing. Escape From The Time Travel Lab and other Real Escape Games Her Things: An Interactive Real Estate Sale Sleep No More
54. Crowd Displeaser
April 02, 2014 22:38 - 52 minutes - 47.6 MBThis week we’re joined by the mercurial Jim Crawford aka Twinbeard of Frog Fractions fame, and he’s been playing Skyrim and Rockband and Hungry Cat Picross; during the recording Lisa plays Doge 2048, a clone of a Threes clone; Joel goes low-fi with the Blackwell series of point and click adventure games; and Dave tells us about the Experimental Games Workshop at GDC and Bounden (watch the video on their site and you'll get it immediately). For this week's discussion we had a chat with Jim a...
53.5. Talking Titanfall
March 25, 2014 00:58 - 10 minutes - 9.57 MBSo during our last recording some of us (we're not naming names) may have gotten a little carried away chatting with our friend Chin the bigshot AAA game developer about their latest game and what they're working on next. The resulting conversation didn't quite make it into the final cut of the episode, but we present it here for your edification. Let us know if you like what you hear.
53. Game, I Am Disappoint
March 20, 2014 02:44 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBThis week we are joined by Chin from Respawn Entertainment (you may have heard of them) and he talks to us about Titanfall and Dota 2; Joel completes his first Legend of Zelda game: A Link Between Worlds and introduces the very forgiving Yoshi's New Island; Lisa gets started on Autumn Dynasty Warlords (made in Singapore, baby!); and Vick beats down people and slugs in Only One. In other news, we discuss games that disappointed us and try to figure out where they failed to meet our expectati...
52. Being Difficult
March 15, 2014 06:34 - 46 minutes - 63.9 MBJed from OMGeek joins us this week and he tells us about The Blackwell Legacy; Lisa catches the Threes bug from Dave; Vick finds a new way to enjoy music in Song Blaster; and Joel picks up Dragon Age: Origins from where he left off in 2009 and starts The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. This week we discuss some memorably difficult games and try to expound on the appeal of deliberately (or accidentally) difficult games. Along the way we talk about Codestorm, Flappybird, Dark Souls, D...
51. Erotic Fanfiction
February 28, 2014 15:36 - 36 minutes - 50.5 MBIn our most explicit episode ever, Lisa treats us to a sampling of the salacious video game fanfiction she's been reading. (Why, Lisa, WHY??) It's our Valentine's Day episode, so we're humoring her. Be warned, you may need ear bleach afterwards. Definitely don't listen to this episode with your parents within earshot. But before that Joel talks about Broken Age Part 1 and Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, and Dave and Joel gush about the Titanfall Beta. If you have any erotic video game fanfict...
49.5 GDC Advice
January 27, 2014 05:02 - 7 minutes - 9.86 MBThis one's for all you developers out there. In this half-episode, Chin gives Dave some advice on what to do in preparation for attending GDC for the first time. If anyone is going to GDC 2014 and would like to meet up, please write to us at [email protected] and we'll work something out!
49. New Years Resolutions 2014
January 17, 2014 05:54 - 52 minutes - 72.7 MBWe're back! Welcome to 2014! Chin (y'know, from Respawn?) tells us about playing Jet Set Radio Future and Strike Suit Zero during his company-mandated end-of-year break. Joel's been… kinda free, evidently. He talks about overdosing on Batman games, indie darlings Papers, Please! and Starbound, and 22Cans' purportedly 41%-done Godus. This week we talk about our gaming-related resolutions and goals for the new year. Take a listen and find out what we're looking forward to in 2014. Obligatory ...
48.5. To Be or To Date?
December 26, 2013 14:03 - 10 minutes - 9.34 MBThat is the question. In which Lisa reveals her ornithophilic tendencies and we discuss various other salacious things. That's right, folks, only Staring At Screens dares to ask the hard questions!! This will be our last episode for the year, but we'll be back fairly soon! So in case we don't get to wish you, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Kung Hei Fatt Choy. Okay just kidding, we're not gonna be gone that long. See you in 2014!
48. GOTY 2013
December 20, 2013 07:52 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBDave finally gets a break from school and he wastes no time getting into Starbound; Lisa tells us about the cute eShop game Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo; and Joel bashes through his backlog with Kirby's Epic Yarn and Stacking. This week we talk about our personal Games of The Year for 2013. If you've been following this podcast closely you shouldn't be too surprised. Join the gang as we look back at an interesting year for Video Games. If you have any thoughts about our choices or if you'd ...
47.5. On "Ugly Boy Games"
December 16, 2013 01:11 - 3 minutes - 3.46 MBHere is the promised half-episode! See the obligatory pic of a titan and a pilot tiptoeing around a field? Also, you heard it here first: Titanfall pastel skins DLC in 2014!! (Unconfirmed.)
47. Paradigm Shift
December 11, 2013 02:45 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBThis week Joel gets his ass kicked by the dead and undead in Guacamelee! Gold Edition and State of Decay, Lisa talks about the prototype games she's played at the CMU ETC Building Virtual Worlds Fall 2013 Festival namely Last Egg and Sherlock: Who or What Killed The Butler, and our special guest Chin from Respawn Entertainment (you've probably heard of them) tells us about Titanfall (but of course) and Payday 2. Stick around for the topic of the week where we discuss the paradigm shift from...
46. Old New
December 07, 2013 14:25 - 1 hour - 55.2 MBWe're back after an unplanned month-long hiatus! What've we been up to besides work and life? Well, this week we update each other about our lives. Joel's been playing (among other things) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Pokemon X & Y, and State of Decay; Lisa's moved to the US and discovered new oldskool in the form of Dark Escape 4D and Tiny Death Star; despite Dave's busy-ness (making games, doncha know) he's managed to play some GTA V and Clicking Bad; and Vick's been in the US ...
45.5 On Warriors Orochi 3
November 15, 2013 02:30 - 5 minutes - 5.19 MBNo Episode this week, friends, but here's the promised half-episode where Dave, Eric and Joel wax lyrical about Warriors Orochi 3 character names and designs. We'll be back with more next week!
45. The Price Is Right
November 08, 2013 06:01 - 1 hour - 59.3 MBIn our most G-rated episode in a while (read: all boys) Eric beats up Dave's ancestors in Warriors Orochi 3, Joel talks about mangled Japanese culture in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destines, and we all weigh in on the incredible chimera that is Mercenary Kings. This week we talk about gamers' expectations of the price of games. Along the way we touch on some fairly meaty topics: Digital Distribution, Free-to-Play monetization and Steam Sales. Got something to say about this? How mu...
44. Harroween
October 31, 2013 14:55 - 45 minutes - 42 MBIn our most frightening episode yet, Vick eats peanut butter with a spoon (ew); special guest Junch (The Big Gap) tells us about Fire Emblem: Awakening, GTA Online, and Sir, You Are Being Hunted; Lisa talks about Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Kingdom Rush Frontiers; and Joel tells us about Pokemon Amie in Pokemon X and Y and The Stanley Parable. The topic for this week is Gaming Nightmares. Steel yourself, Dear Listener, for harrowing tales from our collective gaming histories. These are no...
43. Exploding Ovaries
October 24, 2013 14:33 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBBefore you listen to this episode, watch this trailer. We're serious. Go on, GET! Welcome back. On this week's episode, Vick's Xbox finally sees some action in the form of Max Payne 3, Lisa demonstrates her vastly superior intellect in Har•mo•ny, and Joel geeks out about Pokémon X only to receive a tepid response. (PHILISTINES!) This week we bravely go where no game publication has dared go before and ask the uncomfortable question: "What makes a game cute?" Gird your loins, ladies, as we ...
42. Oculus Rift 101
October 17, 2013 03:19 - 45 minutes - 62.5 MBOn this week's thrilling episode, Eric is back(!) and he tells us about replaying Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, getting DMC: Devil May Cry on sale and his latest obsession: Just Dance 2014. Dave too is back(!) and he tells us about what he's been up to lately in the Carnegie Mellon University ETC (read: not playing video games). Joel is… still here(…) and against all conventional wisdom he goes full-Nintendo with Pokémon X, Lego City Undercover and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Ti...
41. Vintage Games Vol. 2
October 07, 2013 15:42 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBOn this week's episode, Joel and Vick are joined by Stephanie aka UbiSpectre from Ubisoft and we talk about Ghost Recon Online, Year Walk, Tropico 4 and Lego City Undercover. Later on we go through some old games and try to decide if they are vintage or antiques. On the way we mention the Megaman and Megaman X games, both old and new Karateka, Theme Hospital, Chrono Trigger, The Legend of Zelda games, Final Fantasy 7, Planescape Torment, The Prince of Persia and many more! Join us on our t...
40. Weird Games
October 02, 2013 14:38 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBThis week Vick puts more time into Saints Row IV and introduces us to Dragon Finga; aside from more Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Lisa plays The Alphabet Game and Cookie Clicker, but the less said about that the better; and Joel talks about Knights of Pen and Paper +1 and the very pretty Sine Mora. Our topic of discussion is Weird Games that we've played, namely Katamari Damacy, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, LocoRoco, Patapon, Rhythm Heaven, Robot Unicorn Attack, Heavy Rain, Henry Hatsworth in...
39. Free to Play?
September 23, 2013 10:31 - 42 minutes - 58.6 MBThis week Dave is the first one of us to get to play Grand Theft Auto V. Much patronizing follows. In other news Joel finally plays Gone Home (so you should see a spoiler episode about that soon), Cookie Clicker, Gunpoint, and Card Hunter. Which segues very nicely into our discussion topic for the week: Free To Play games. Along the way we name drop Candy Crush, Clash of The Clans, Plants Vs. Zombies 2, The Simpsons: Tapped Out, the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic iOS game, and MMOs lik...
38. The Boob Episode
September 13, 2013 10:03 - 48 minutes - 66.2 MBThis week Dave tells us what it's like developing for the Oculus Rift, Vick finally gets to gush about Saints Row IV, Lisa tells us about Autumn in Animal Crossing: New Leaf and walks us through the four new Nintendo 3DS StreetPass Games, and Joel catches up on the fourth and fifth Professor Layton games and watches a full playthrough of The Last of Us on Youtube. The topic of discussion this week (which was totally Vick's idea) is gaming culture's apparent obsession with breasts. Once the ...
37. Toying With Our Emotions
September 03, 2013 16:18 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MBThis week Dave gropes his friends in Wenis Wars, chucks blocks in Searchlight, and finishes other people's sentences in Blackbar; Joel breaks in his shiny new Wii U with Nintendo Land and Pikmin 3; and Vick reveals her indie side in Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery EP. We also talk about the relatively recent rise of collectible NFC chip toys in gaming with obvious nods to Disney Infinity, the Skylanders series, and the much anticipated (or dreaded depending on your point of view) Pokémon R...
36. You're Gonna Wub It
August 30, 2013 05:30 - 46 minutes - 64.1 MBWe're back! Did you miss us? We missed you! This week Vick finishes Infinity Blade 2 four times, Joel talks us through The Showdown Effect and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Dave takes his time with Gone Home, and (almost) everybody gets to play Saints Row IV on launch day. In the run up to the launch of Grand Theft Auto V we discuss Realism and how it affects our enjoyment of video games. Along the way we mention Prototype, Skyrim, the GTA games, milsims like ARMA, The Last of Us, Cart Lif...
35. Sundry Summer Sales
July 19, 2013 09:13 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBOn this week's episode, Joel don't see nothing wrong with a little bump and Fire Emblem Awakening; Lisa can't stop talking about Animal Crossing: New Leaf; Dave tries to sell us on the gorgeous Muramasa Rebirth on the PS Vita; and Siri Vick refuses to quit Assassins Creed 3 even though she's getting bored. For the rest of the time we just shoot the breeze about the various things on Sale at this point in time. There's the Club Nintendo offer of $30 eShop credit if you purchase and register ...
34. Games That Want To Marry You
July 08, 2013 03:32 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBWedding bells are ringing on this week's episode! Newlywed Joel talks about playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf (on his honeymoon no less) and retro-chic ADnD-themed beat-em-up Chronicles of Mystara, Vick tries her hand at the 10-year old Puzzle Pirates and finds it strangely familiar, Lisa relaxes her mind by flicking ice cubes over holes in Puzzle Retreat, and Dave buys XCOM: Enemy Unknown a second time (this time on the iPad) and we find out why. Discussion topic for this week: Games that ...
33.5. The Last Of Us - SPOILER DISCUSSION
June 28, 2013 20:17 - 53 minutes - 49.2 MBA half-episode as Dave & Chia Jun Shen of thebiggap.com gush about The Last of Us and discuss the ending, amongst other spoilery things. ** THIS EPISODE HAS POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR THE LAST OF US (duh), BIOSHOCK INFINITE, UNCHARTED 2, BRAID, AND STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS (yes.) ** In addition to the controversial ending, they chat about companion AIs from other games, how the logic of the game sometimes defies common sense, whether Joel is an identifiable protagonist, and the brilliant, bril...
33. On Being Asian
June 28, 2013 19:52 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBWe are joined by special guests Brian Kwek of Witching Hour Studios and games journalist Cassandra Khaw this week as we discuss how being South-East Asian has influenced our enjoyment, creation, and discussion of games. But before that, a lively discussion of why Remember Me was disappointing, and Cassandra introduces all of us to A Dark Room. Meanwhile Dave gets lost while playing Survivor Z, and Vick quickly disses Ingress. But only because she was playing it in Singapore. In a small depa...
32. E3 2013
June 19, 2013 19:36 - 58 minutes - 53.1 MBExtra long episode this week, Dear Listener. There's just so much to talk about!! This week we are joined by our pals James, Jed and Mike from OMGeek.net, and they tell us about the massive complexity that is Wargame: Airland Battle, Joel gushes about yet another cutesy game in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Lisa finds her true calling as the Mother of Dragons in Kingdom Rush 2, Vick discovers the burden of being a normal human being in The Last of Us, and Dave finally gets the chance the use th...