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Left Behind Game Club

178: Final Fantasy VII Remake [Part 2]

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We talk about the story in the second part of our Final Fantasy VII Remake series.

Developer: Square Enix Business Division 1 | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: April 10, 2020

Jacob, Katie, Flora and special guest Kyle Stephenson question the Whispers, compare dresses and get scared of Sephiroth.

PLAYERS:

SPECIAL GUEST:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00​​ Start
  • 2:10 Let’s Start with Child Terrorism
  • 5:50 Katie’s Take on Sephiroth
  • 11:50 Let’s Skip to the End
  • 16:50 The Whispers
  • 24:00 Tell Us About The Dresses
  • 28:40 Wait, Was It Mark Hamill?
  • 31:40 What’s Up With That Cat
  • 35:15 A World Outside Midgar
  • 40:15 Pacing Issues
  • 44:50 Red XII
  • 47:10 Aerith is Cetra
  • 50:10 Hojo & Jenova
  • 56:10 Dead Presidents
  • 1:00:30 Good Tunes
  • 1:04:30 The Kenny Omega Moment 
  • 1:10:00 What Does Remake Actually Mean?
  • 1:12:55 Maybe We Were Wrong?
  • 1:13:55 Crisis Core
  • 1:16:50 Will Katie Play Rebirth?
  • 1:20:20 Show Close

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

177: Final Fantasy VII Remake [Part 1]

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We defend Midgar in Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Developer: Square Enix Business Division 1 | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: April 10, 2020

Jacob, Katie, Flora and special guest Kyle Stephenson have women throw themselves at us, talk about corporate structures and yell a lot about emo teens doing terrorism.

PLAYERS:

SPECIAL GUEST:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00​​ Start
  • 1:20 Intro to Kyle Stephenson
  • 2:30 The Gauntlet
  • 6:15 Housekeeping
  • 7:00 Fast Pitch
  • 7:50 Our History
  • 13:20 How Did We Play?
  • 14:10 Is Intergrade Essential?
  • 15:25 Is it a Trilogy?
  • 18:00 What’s Happening in Midgar
  • 21:45 Emos and Terrorism
  • 25:30 The Avalanche Crew
  • 34:35 Villains
  • 40:00 The Battle Systems
  • 49:35 Materia and Abilities
  • 54:45 Summons
  • 57:15 Structure and Side Quests
  • 1:08:30 Outro and Looking Forward

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

176: Until Dawn

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We run around in a towel for a while in Until Dawn.

Developer: Supermassive Games | Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment | Initial Release: August 25, 2015

Jacob and special guest Jessica Fantauzzo talk about teen bullying, take a hike in the snowy woods and lament the theft of land.

PLAYERS:

SPECIAL GUEST:

  • Jessica Fantauzzo

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00​​ Start
  • 1:30 Fast Pitch
  • 2:00 Our History with Supermassive and Games Like This
  • 6:00 High-Level Thoughts
  • 8:45 Story Setup
  • 19:00 Spoiler Wall
  • 20:30 Weird Things Happen in the House
  • 29:45 The Psycho
  • 32:45 Totems
  • 35:30 The Mines & Wendigos
  • 39:20 Stay in the Basement, Kids
  • 41:20 Jacob is a Dummy
  • 46:30 The Final Sequence
  • 53:00 Beth & Hannah
  • 54:45 Closing Thoughts

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

175: Final Fantasy XVI [Part 2]

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We fight god in the second part of our Final Fantasy XVI podcast series.

Developer: Square Enix Creative Business Unit III | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: June 22, 2023

Jacob, Katie, Flora and special guest Dave Jackson say nice things about the game, read about so much lore and tell a great story about a chivalrous man.

You may want to listen to Part 1 before jumping into this spoiler-filled discussion! This is our last show of 2023 – see you in 2024!

PLAYERS:

SPECIAL GUEST:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00​​ Start
  • 1:30 Fave/Least Fave Characters
  • 6:00 What We Loved About FFXVI
  • 10:50 Active Time Lore
  • 18:50 Eikon Battles 201
  • 27:10 Jill and Clive
  • 35:40 Final Loadouts
  • 42:15 Favourite Moments
  • 45:50 A Ben Starr Moment
  • 48:50 Okay, Back to FFXVI
  • 51:20 Final Boss Battles
  • 55:50 Ultima Explainer Speedrun
  • 59:45 Making FFXVI Better
  • 1:05:50 The Future of Final Fantasy

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

174: Final Fantasy XVI [Part 1]

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We activate our Eikon Abilities with Final Fantasy XVI.

Developer: Square Enix Creative Business Unit III | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: June 22, 2023

Jacob, Katie, Flora and special guest Dave Jackson wait for our cooldowns, appreciate Torgal and go get five piles of dirt.

PLAYERS:

SPECIAL GUEST:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00​​ Start
  • 1:20 Intro to Dave Jackson
  • 4:30 The Gauntlet
  • 9:20 The Fast Pitch
  • 10:55 Our Personal Histories with Final Fantasy
  • 13:45 How is FF16 Different than Other Numbered Games?
  • 15:25 The Game’s Demo
  • 17:00 Setup of the World
  • 24:00 Spoiler for the First Five Hours
  • 25:40 Intro to Eikon Battles
  • 30:30 Intro to Combat
  • 38:30 “Is This a Bad Game?”
  • 45:10 Sidequests
  • 50:20 Full Spoiler Warning
  • 51:00 Ambrosia Sidequest
  • 54:00 Torgal Sidequest
  • 57:30 Tentpole Story Moments
  • 1:03:45 World Building Lessons from George R.R. Martin
  • 1:07:00 Dave Brings In FromSoftware
  • 1:10:45 Outro

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

Introducing: Crossplay Conversations (Feed Drop)

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Introducing Jacob’s new podcast Crossplay Conversations! In this episode, the lads discuss the past, present, and future of Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man series!

Every other week, we dive deep into gaming industry topics and host light-hearted conversations around our favorite video games.

With a combined 15 years of video game content creation, Luke Lewis (LukeWarmGames), Joseph Hooper (Player Player Podcast & Can’t Pause) and Jacob McCourt (Left Behind Game Club, The Gaming Brief & Video Game Trivia) publish their gaming group chat in audio form. The gang is here to break down the latest and greatest in the world of gaming with a mostly positive, insightful and fun style. New episodes release every other Tuesday at 9am PST.

Check out the show on your podcasting platform of choice: https://plnk.to/crossplayconvos!

Don’t worry, more episode of the Left Behind Game Club are coming soon including a two-part FFXVI series starting next week and Until Dawn in January!

Listen to our Spider-Man 2 Spoilercasts here:
Player Player Podcast
The LukeWarmGames Podcast

Find us on Twitter for show updates and more:
– Podcast: @crossplayconvos
– Joseph Hooper: @Th3HoopMan
– Jacob McCourt: @JacobMcCourt
– Luke Lewis: @lukewarmlewis

173: Super Mario Odyssey

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We cap-ture friends and foes in Super Mario Odyssey!

Developer: Nintendo EPD | Publisher: Nintendo | Initial Release: October 27, 2017

Jacob, Mike and special guest Michael Berger “jump up, super star”, discuss the merits of New Donk City and leak each others’ sensitive personal information.

PLAYERS:

SPECIAL GUEST:

EDITOR:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00​​ Intro
  • 0:45 Introducing Michael Berger and Bits of Time
  • 2:35 Running Michael B through the Gauntlet
  • 5:25 Housekeeping
  • 5:55 Fast Pitch
  • 6:45 Our history with 3D Super Mario games
  • 9:20 What makes this game different from other 3D Mario games?
  • 14:05 Structure of the Game
  • 19:40 Standout Levels
  • 28:45 Spoiler Zone
  • 33:05 Standout Music
  • 37:45 Boss Battles
  • 40:25 Must Own Switch games
  • 44:45 The Time Capsule
  • 50:05 Outro

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

172: Fallout 3

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We explore the wasteland in Fallout 3.

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios | Publisher: Bethesda Softworks | Initial Release: October 28, 2008

Jacob and Katie carry around way too many blood bags, get revenge and toss our colleagues into really bad situations.

PLAYERS:

EDITOR:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00​​ Intro
  • 1:15 Fast Pitch
  • 2:30 Personal History with Bethesda
  • 5:20 Story Setup & Initial Impressions
  • 17:10 Gameplay Impressions
  • 26:20 Late Game Story Spoilers (and Katie’s quest for revenge)
  • 30:55 Side Quests
  • 51:25 DLC
  • 54:55 Bugs
  • 1:02:10 Final Question: What is the next big RPG that you will play?
  • 1:05:40 Outro

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

171: PAX West 2023 Mega Show

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We went over to Seattle to play video games in our PAX West 2023 episode! This is our last piece of audio about PAX West!

Jacob, Katie and special guest Adam Gumbert walked a whole lot and played some great video games!

PLAYERS:

SPECIAL GUEST:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

RESOURCES:

170: Video Game Trivia Live 3: DUB Edition (from PAX West 2023)

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Video Game Trivia Live returns to PAX West! This competitive video game trivia game hosted by Jacob McCourt pits pairs of video game press/PR folks content creators and developers against one another to see who knows the most about the obscure corners of video game history. BUT maybe the PAX audience will be able to help “team audience” steal a big victory for the city of Seattle! This panel is not about the 2005 Rockstar racing title but there will be vanity license plates. Confused? Come to the panel and find out what I mean!

Video Game Trivia Live 3: DUB Edition was recorded live at PAX West 2023 on Sunday, September 3rd, 2023 at the Seattle Convention Centre.

There’s one section that relies on visual aids; you can download the slides here or watch the video version here.

Sections:

  • 0:00​​ Intro
  • 4:45 Panelist Intros
  • 9:30 The Speed Round (Rapid Fire Questions)
  • 20:00 Box Art Blitz (Guess the Game Box Art from a Sample)
  • 26:00 Step Up To The Plate (Video Game Vanity License Plates)
  • 32:45 Metacritic Critic (Guess the Metacritic Score of a Game)
  • 47:25 The Bargain Bin (Guess the Price of a Game)
  • ​​1:02:25 The Bonus Round (Final Question)

Panel Intro:

Panel:

Video Producer:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

169: Game Boy Advance Retrospective (Live from PAX West 2023)

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Not only did Nintendo launch the greatest home console of all time in 2001 with the Nintendo Gamecube but they also released the greatest handheld of all time as well. Live at PAX West, we collected a group of Game Boy Advance experts to discuss the device’s history and their memories of the console and build an essential collection of Game Boy Advance games. Members of the PAX West audience contributed their suggestions – watch to see the final list!

The Game Boy Advance Was The Greatest Game Handheld Ever Made was recorded live at PAX West 2023 on Sunday, September 3rd, 2023 at the Seattle Convention Centre.

There’s one section that relies on visual aids; you can download the slides here.

Big thanks to the Video Game History Foundation for providing research assistance. Find them on Twitter, Patreon and on the web.

Sections:

  • 0:00 Intro
  • 4:05 A Speedy History of What Led to the Game Boy Advance
  • 5:20 Why It’s the Greatest Console of All-Time
  • 26:00 A Definitive List of the 15 Best Game Advance Games as crafted by the PAX West Audience

Panel:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

168: Chrono Trigger [Part 2]

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We continue our time travels in part 2 of our Chrono Trigger series.

Developer: Square | Publisher: Square | Initial Release: August 11, 1995

Jacob, Travis, Katie, and Flora talk about Bulma from Dragonball, amazing music, and nostalgia glasses.

Players:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 2:25 Flora’s History with Chrono Trigger
  • 4:45 Music
  • 13:15 Magus and Walkthroughs
  • 17:50 Hour Counts
  • 21:45 Crono’s Fate
  • 28:05 Party Composition Update
  • 36:50 Techs
  • 39:55 Lavos
  • 47:30 Black Omen
  • 50:15 Optional Missions
  • 59:30 Comparing Chrono Trigger to Mass Effect 2
  • 1:03:55 Magus Part Deux
  • 1:08:55 Endings
  • 1:17:35 Sprite Work
  • 1:20:25 Final Thoughts
  • 1:25:35 Special Announcement

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a video game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

167: Chrono Trigger [Part 1]

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We travel through time in part 1 of our Chrono Trigger series.

Developer: Square | Publisher: Square | Initial Release: August 11, 1995

Jacob, Travis, and Katie talk about JRPGs, which type of characters they gravitate toward in games, and go deep into what they love in roleplaying games.

Players:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:40 i-mode and SNES
  • 2:40 Fast Pitch
  • 3:30 History with JRPGs & Chrono Trigger
  • 8:20 How Are We Playing?
  • 13:25 Active Time Battles
  • 19:40 Difficulty
  • 23:15 Setup for the Game
  • 29:45 Spoiler Warning for the First 6-8 Hours
  • 33:10 Ideal Party
  • 37:00 Overworld
  • 39:05 Fave Moments
  • 50:25 Time Travel in Games
  • 55:10 Predictions for the Second Half

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a video game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

166: Coffee Talk

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We drink lots of caffeine in Fantasy Seattle thanks to Coffee Talk.

Developer: Toge Productions | Publisher: Toge Productions, Chorus Worldwide, Serenity Forge | Initial Release: January 29, 2020

Jacob, Flora, and special guests Luke Lewis and Matt Storm listen to some lo-fi chill beats, fight about the best way to caffeinate and swoon over Hyde.

Players:

Special Guests:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

165: PAX East 2023 Mega Show

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We went down to Boston to play video games in our PAX East 2023 episode!

This is our last piece of audio about PAX East, promise.

Jacob, Flora, Katie and Travis became friends in real life, waited in lines and played lots of cool video games.

PLAYERS:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

RESOURCES:

164: Video Game Trivia (Live from PAX East 2023)

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Video Game Trivia Live returned to PAX with its first trivia gauntlet in Boston! This competitive trivia game hosted by Jacob McCourt pits three teams of content creators and the video game press against the entire audience. Will PAX East attendees be able to outbrain our panel of video game experts? Bring your wealth of video game knowledge and find out! During this hour-long interactive trivia game, participants will need to estimate video game critic scores, identify video games from a small sliver of their box art, and much more! Buckle up, Boston.

Video Game Trivia Live: PAX East 2023 Edition was recorded live at PAX East 2023 on Friday, March 24th at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Centre.

There’s one section that relies on visual aids; you can download the slides here or watch the video version here.

Sections:

  • 0:00​​ Intro
  • 4:10 The Speed Round (Rapid Fire Questions)
  • 15:30 Box Art Blitz (Guess the Game Box Art from a Sample)
  • 24:15 The Bargain Bin (Guess the Price of a Game)
  • 41:15 Metacritic Critic (Guess the Metacritic Score of a Game)
  • ​​56:10 The Bonus Round (Final Question)

Panel:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

163: Nintendo Gamecube Retrospective (Live from PAX East 2023)

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2001 was an excellent year for gaming, thanks to the little purple lunch box that could. In this special bonus episode of the podcast, live at PAX East 2023, some of the biggest fans of the Nintendo Gamecube were assembled to discuss the device’s history and their memories of the console, as well as build an essential collection of Nintendo Gamecube games with help from the PAX East audience.

The Nintendo GameCube Was The Greatest Game Console Ever Made was recorded live at PAX East 2023 on Friday, March 24th at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Centre.

There’s one section that relies on visual aids; you can download the slides here.

Big thanks to the Video Game History Foundation for providing research assistance. Find them on Twitter, Patreon and on the web.

Sections:

  • 0:00 Intro
  • 2:40 A Speedy History of What Led to the Nintendo Gamecube
  • 4:20 Why It’s the Greatest Console of All-Time
  • 26:40 A Definitive List of the 15 Best Gamecube Games as crafted by the PAX East Audience

Panel:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

162: Hi-Fi RUSH

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We hit things with a guitar really well in Hi-Fi RUSH.

Developer: Tango Gameworks | Publisher: Bethesda Softworks | Initial Release: January 25, 2023

Jacob, Flora, and special guests Adam Gumbert, Michael Higham & Brenden Groom gush about rhythm games, ship Peppermint and Korsica and finally explain the origin of the “clean” rating of the podcast.

Players:

Special Guests:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:25 The Gauntlet
  • 6:25 Mario vs. Luigi
  • 9:00 The Fast Pitch
  • 11:00 History with Rhythm Games and Tango Gameworks
  • 20:45 How This Game Dropped
  • 29:30 Core Gameplay
  • 31:15 Food-Based Characters
  • 34:00 Underrated Voice Acting
  • 38:25 Music
  • 46:00 Boss Fights
  • 53:35 Hangout & Side Characters
  • 56:20 End of Hi-Fi RUSH
  • 1:02:00 Post-Credit Content
  • 1:04:40 Jacob Forgot Rekka and Loses His Title
  • 1:06:00 Disability Representation
  • 1:12:30 Recommendation Machine
  • 1:23:10 Wrap-Up
  • 1:26:40 PAX East 2023 Plans

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

161: Yakuza 0 [Part 2]

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We think a lot about back tattoos in the second part of our Yakuza 0 series.

Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio | Publisher: Sega | Initial Release: January 24, 2017

Flora, Katie, and special guest Matt Storm tearaway our jackets, get our pants stolen and finally talk about the Cabaret Club mini-game!

Players: Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Special Guest: Matt Storm (@DJ_Stormageddon)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:35 The Cutscenes Minute
  • 3:05 Re-Intro to Matt
  • 5:50 Matt’s History with Yakuza 0
  • 12:50 What Would Your Back Tattoo Be?
  • 17:50 Katie’s Take on Yakuza 0
  • 19:25 Hour Counts
  • 23:50 The Story Jumps Off the Page
  • 27:55 Getting Your Pants Stolen
  • 31:40 Being Tender
  • 33:55 There Are Too Many Yakuza Games
  • 38:00 Sledgehammer
  • 39:45 Sewers and Motorbikes
  • 46:15 Too Many Names!
  • 48:30 Flawed Mentors
  • 51:00 Revenge
  • 54:45 Cabaret Club
  • 59:00 Other Mini-Games
  • 1:06:30 Sub-Story Characters
  • 1:15:00 Special Moves
  • 1:21:30 Wrap-Up
  • 1:24:15 PAX East 2023 Plans

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

Announcement: Changes to the Podcast

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It’s the end of an era… the Left Behind Game Club is changing.

Read the full text below or listen to the announcement:

After over 160 episodes over five and half years, our release cadence will be slowing down. Going forward, we will move from a twice-monthly model to a non-regular publishing schedule. We don’t quite know what that cadence will look like yet but we know that it will be much less than 24 shows a year. Please stay subscribed to the feed, though, as you should expect non-regular new audio, like episodes about very long games that we have been dying to play but couldn’t due to the time constraints that come with producing a twice-monthly show, as well as interviews from conventions and updates on some of our new projects.

A few very important pieces of housekeeping:

  • Our Discord community will remain active; if you haven’t joined yet, please find it at leftbehindgame.club/discord
  • The podcast back catalog will stay up for the foreseeable future although we may migrate podcast hosting platforms this year
  • We will send out updates about new episodes via our Twitter (@LeftBehindClub)

You can still find us all of us on the Internet:

So to summarize again, the show is moving to a non-regular publishing model. We aren’t going to commit to the next show or number of episodes per year, so our Discord and podcast feed will be the best places to find updates.

Over the past nearly half dozen years, we have been humbled by the support that you have shown our little independent Canadian video game podcast. With over 100K downloads, six nominations from the Canadian Podcast Awards, and press from Apple Podcasts, PocketCasts, CBC, and more… I think we did alright. Thanks for everything, and with that, my friends, we’ll see you when we see you.

160: Subsurface Circular

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We ride the train with robots in Subsurface Circular.

Developer: Mike Bithell Games | Publisher: Mike Bithell Games | Initial Release: August 17, 2017

Jacob, Flora, Travis and special guest Scott White ask a lot of questions, think about Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics and sing some Hamilton for good measure.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM) & Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Special Guest: Scott White (@ProfessorRPG) | Podcast

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:00 Intro to Scott White
  • 2:00 Special Announcement
  • 2:45 The Gauntlet
  • 8:40 Fast Pitch
  • 10:50 The Setup
  • 12:20 Selecting a Name
  • 12:50 Our History with Bithell Games
  • 16:00 Talkin’ to Teks
  • 20:00 Connecting It To World Events
  • 25:25 Power Dynamics
  • 29:50 Choice (or a Lack Thereof)
  • 37:00 Commentary
  • 38:40 More or Less Linear?
  • 43:35 Versions Comparison
  • 46:10 The Final Choice
  • 56:20 Sequels and Final Thoughts
  • 1:05:30 Reviews from the Press
  • 1:06:20 Scott’s Work
  • 1:09:30 Wrap-Up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

159: Year In Review for 2022

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We revisit 2022 in our Year in Review episode (for the second year in a row)!

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

158: Yakuza 0 [Part 1]

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We give no explanations in the first part of our Yakuza 0 series.

Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio | Publisher: Sega | Initial Release: January 24, 2017

Katie, Flora, Mike and special guest Imran Khan play minigames, fight with wacky weapons and sing karaoke.

Players: Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom), Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Special Guest: Imran Khan [Twitter, Patreon]

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:00 Introducing Imran Khan and running The Gauntlet
  • 13:00 Fast Pitch
  • 14:30 Our Experience with Yakuza games
  • 24:30 Yakuza Gives No Explanations
  • 27:30 The Setup: What Is Yazuka
  • 29:50 Mike Got All The Tissues
  • 33:00 Katie’s Got All The Cards
  • 39:00 Combat And Wacky Weapons
  • 44:00 A Majima Character Study
  • 51:20 Minigames: Shogi Is Hard
  • 56:00 Karaoke Time
  • 1:01:00 Imran’s Final Yakuza Pitch
  • 1:06:40 Wrap-Up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

157: Tacoma

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We become a Peeping (Major) Tom in Tacoma.

Developer: Fullbright | Publisher: Fullbright | Initial Release: August 2, 2017

Jacob, Katie and Mike read everyone’s emails, get a little bit scared and then become subcontractors.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:30 Fast Pitch
  • 2:40 The Setting
  • 6:15 The HUD
  • 8:10 Welcome to the Spoiler Zone
  • 8:25 Tacoma’s Structure
  • 9:55 Alternate Histories
  • 12:20 The Central Conflict
  • 16:25 The TLDR of Tacoma
  • 19:25 Voice Acting
  • 20:50 The Ending
  • 28:50 Other Lovely Story Bits
  • 34:00 How We Played
  • 36:00 The Time Capsule
  • 40:10 Wrap-Up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

156: Grim Fandango

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We travel to the Land of the Dead in Grim Fandango.

Editor’s Note: Katie’s mic did not record properly, so apologies for the lower-than-normal recording quality.

Developer: LucasArts | Publisher: LucasArts | Initial Release: October 30, 1998

Katie, Mike and special guest Jay Yi struggle with puzzles (even with hints), open the fridge and spend too much time in Year 2.

Players: Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Jay Yi (@PoundJayYi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:00 Intro to Jay Yi
  • 4:00 Mike doesn’t like adventure games
  • 5:40 Jay Yi’s Gaming Gauntlet
  • 13:20 Fast Pitch for Grim Fandango
  • 14:30 Time Capsule
  • 21:15 The Setting
  • 26:45 Psychonauts Vibes
  • 28:40 Spoiler Zone is Open
  • 29:00 Puzzles
  • 38:00 The Environments
  • 39:40 A Remake?
  • 47:25 We enjoyed it, okay?
  • 53:50 Switch vs. Other Consoles
  • 1:00:00 Graphic Modes
  • 1:02:00 Glottis and The Twist
  • 1:07:00 Reviews
  • 1:08:00 Wrap-Up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

155: Zero Time Dilemma

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We finish the Zero Escape trilogy with a dive into Zero Time Dilemma.

Developer: Chime | Publisher: Aksys Games/Spike Chunsoft | Initial Release: June 28, 2016

Jacob and special guest CtrlAltNoob flip a coin, play with floating thumbnails and try desperately to defuse bombs.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: CtrlAltNoob (@CtrlAltNoob)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:15 Who is CtrlAltNoob?
  • 4:10 Fast Pitch
  • 7:30 AI: The Somnium Files
  • 11:40 People’s First Zero Escape Game?
  • 12:55 A Graphical Upgrade
  • 15:00 Where This Game Starts
  • 21:35 Spoiler Warning
  • 23:45 Floating Thumbnails
  • 28:00 Rules of Engagement
  • 36:50 The Button
  • 39:40 The Chainsaw
  • 44:20 Russian Roulette
  • 48:25 Quantum Computer
  • 51:55 Eric and Mira
  • 56:55 The Stand Off
  • 1:00:50 The Snail Effect
  • 1:07:00 Transporter Pods
  • 1:20:00 10
  • 1:33:25 Jump Around!
  • 1:43:25 Shift!
  • 1:50:40 The Final Decision

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

154: Bloodborne [Part 2]

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We beat one of the hardest games of all time in Bloodborne.

Developer: FromSoftware | Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment | Initial Release: March 24, 2015

Jacob, Katie and Flora gain insight, debate snakes vs. spiders and run through all of our enemies. Kidding… it was only Jacob.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) and Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:30 Did We All Finish
  • 10:20 Watching Jacob Play Bloodborne
  • 17:00 Grind or Rush?
  • 20:50 Go to Jail
  • 25:30 Story of Bloodborne
  • 36:00 SideQuests?
  • 39:00 Multiplayer Elements
  • 44:35 Boss Summons
  • 49:00 Flora’s Experience with Rom, the Vacuous Spider
  • 56:00 High Insight
  • 1:01:00 Bloodborne is the Easiest Soulsborne
  • 1:05:00 Three Endings
  • 1:11:00 Weapon Chats
  • 1:18:00 Stats
  • 1:22:40 Do We Feel Accomplished?
  • 1:26:00 Accessibility vs. Difficulty
  • 1:39:30 Katie’s Rant
  • 1:44:35 DLC Required?
  • 1:46:45 “Bloodborne Is My Least Favourite Soulsborne”
  • 1:55:30 We Did It

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

153: Doki Doki Literature Club

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We join a high school reading club in Doki Doki Literature Club.

Developer: Team Salvato | Publisher: Team Salvato | Initial Release: September 22, 2017

Jacob, Katie, Flora and special guest MissVVitch all join #TeamYuri, have some tea and break the cardinal rule of the podcast.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) and Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Special Guest: MissVVitch | Twitch | Twitter

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:35 Who is Miss VVitch?
  • 8:30 What is Doki Doki Literature Club?
  • 10:00 Backgrounds on Dating Sims
  • 14:05 How Did We Play?
  • 15:10 First Impressions
  • 18:30 Content/Spoiler Warning!
  • 18:50 Here We Go
  • 24:50 Who Did We Romance?
  • 30:10 The Illusion Breaks
  • 36:35 Preparing for the Festival
  • 41:05 Involving Our Partners
  • 44:15 The Files, Man
  • 47:10 Everyone Is Losing It
  • 52:30 Poetry
  • 53:45 Monika
  • 1:06:45 Anticipating Your Moves
  • 1:08:45 The End
  • 1:19:35 Wrap-Up
  • 1:23:35 Bonus: More Gauntlet

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

152: Bloodborne [Part 1]

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We finally face our fears in the first part of our Bloodborne series.

Developer: FromSoftware | Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment | Initial Release: March 24, 2015

Jacob, Moe, Katie and Flora learn how to run after we walk, collect Blood Echoes and cry. Well, at least Jacob cries.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi), Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) and Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:50 Fast Pitch
  • 3:10 Our Experience with FromSoft Games
  • 13:10 Jacob Speaks
  • 15:40 Our First Few Hours
  • 20:30 Bloodborne is Opaque
  • 27:00 Graphics and Sound
  • 29:10 FromSoft Likes Bridges
  • 33:45 Jacob Has Made No Progress
  • 40:40 Katie’s Biggest Tip
  • 44:00 Guns are Bad?
  • 47:30 You Can Run?
  • 53:05 Roll!
  • 55:45 Opening Weapons
  • 1:03:35 Study Materials
  • 1:08:00 Lore
  • 1:11:05 Best Way to Level
  • 1:12:10 Wrap-Up

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

PAX West 22 Mega Show (Bonus)

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In this extraordinary bonus episode of the Left Behind Game Club, Jacob is joined by Matt aka Stormageddon, Joseph Hooper, and Luke Lewis to share some of their favourite games from the PAX West 22 show floor! We also have half a dozen interviews from the show floor!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Matt aka Stormageddon (@dj_stormageddon), Joseph Hooper (@th3hoopman), and Luke Lewis (@lukewarmlewis)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:55 WrestleQuest
  • 7:45 Shovel Knight Dig
  • 14:10 Anger Foot
  • 17:20 River City Girls 2
  • 23:00 Gunbrella
  • 28:50 Demonschool
  • 31:55 Demonschool Interview with Brandon Sheffield
  • 34:50 30XX
  • 39:50 Turbo Overkill
  • 45:25 It’s A Wrap Interview with Guillaume Bernard
  • 50:10 It’s A Wrap
  • 53:00 Video Game Trivia Panel (Watch Here)
  • 56:30 Matt & Joseph’s PAX West Coverage
  • 59:00 The Big Con Interview with Dave Proctor
  • 1:03:25 The Last Case of Benedict Fox Interview with Bartłomiej Lesiakowski
  • 1:07:00 RE:CALL
  • 1:10:30 Goat Simulator 3 Interview with Santiago Ferrero
  • 1:14:15 Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open with Jez Harris
  • 1:17:30 Show Close

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

151: John Wick Hex

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We dismantle a network of very menacing foes in John Wick Hex.

Developer: Bithell Games | Publisher: Good Shepherd Entertainment | Initial Release: October 8, 2019

Jacob, Katie and special guest Travis Colenutt throw our weapons, judo-throw our enemies and admire the carnage we left behind.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:50 Fast Pitch
  • 03:10 Time Capsule
  • 04:15 Our History With Strategy Games and With John Wick
  • 08:10 Adapting John Wick Into a Video Game
  • 10:05 Platforms We Played On: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
  • 14:20 Travis Explains John Wick Hex
  • 20:50 The Jank and The Replay Feature
  • 25:45 When The Gameplay Clicked
  • 29:10 The Guns!!!
  • 31:50 John Wick Hex Got Hard
  • 36:35 This Game’s Got Style
  • 38:40 Jacob Really Likes Troy Baker
  • 41:30 Questions From Moe
  • 45:50 Final Impressions
  • 53:25 Game Reviews

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

150: Paradise Killer

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We solve a vaporwave mystery in Paradise Killer.

Developer: Kaizen Game Works | Publisher: Fellow Traveller | Initial Release: September 4, 2020

Jacob, Flora and special guest Qwinsie build case files, double jump around Paradise and deliver justice.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Special Guest: Qwinsie (Twitch | Twitter)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 0:45 Introducing Qwinsie and Running The Gauntlet
  • 3:30 Fast Pitch
  • 4:50 Adventure Game Or Visual Novel Or Both
  • 9:50 What is Paradise Killer?
  • 15:30 Speed Running Paradise Killer in 6 Minutes
  • 17:20 Building Case Files
  • 25:35 Starlight Puzzles
  • 28:35 Standout Characters
  • 33:00 Entering the Spoiler Zone
  • 40:15 Jacob’s Scared
  • 1:06:15 Ending Player Choices and Final Thoughts
  • 1:24:05 Nani the Hell and Jacob Does a Bloop

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

149: Mutazione

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We engage in some mythical gardening with friends in Mutazione.

Developer: Die Gute Fabrik | Publisher: Akupara Games | Initial Release: September 19, 2019

Jacob, Mike, Flora and Katie seek out the drama, play some funky tunes and improve our grandpa relationships.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom), Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM) and Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:10 Fast Pitch
  • 2:35 Time Capsule
  • 5:30 Setting It Up
  • 11:20 Trying to Capitalism Mutazione
  • 14:25 Our Favourite Characters
  • 26:25 The Main Plot
  • 32:25 Music and Sound
  • 37:50 Die Gute Fabrik’s Other Games
  • 39:40 Where The Story Ends
  • 46:30 Postcards
  • 48:10 Finishing on Polygon’s Review of the Game 

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

148: NieR:Automata

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We fight for the future of mankind in NieR:Automata.

Developer: PlatinumGames | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: March 7, 2017

Jacob, Mike, Flora and Katie talk philosophy, bad maps and potentially the greatest ending in video game history.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom), Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM) and Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:50 Fast Pitch
  • 3:20 Time Capsule
  • 9:10 How about Philosophy
  • 11:50 Reviews from the Press
  • 14:10 How Did We Play?
  • 15:05 The State of the World
  • 18:35 The Opening of the Game
  • 23:10 2B and 9S
  • 28:40 Gameplay Overview
  • 32:30 Plug-In Chips
  • 36:30 The Map
  • 41:40 Spoilers Start – Game Structure
  • 45:00 Route A/B
  • 52:50 Simone
  • 54:50 YoRHa
  • 1:00:40 Route C/D
  • 1:02:50 Pascal and the Children
  • 1:07:50 The Black Box
  • 1:09:30 A2 vs. 9S
  • 1:15:55 Music
  • 1:18:30 Emil
  • 1:19:05 Ending E
  • 1:38:00 Will Mike play the rest of NiER:Automata?
  • 1:44:30 Wrap-up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

147: Into the Breach

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We get tactical in Into The Breach.

Developer: Subset Games | Publisher: Subset Games | Initial Release: February 27, 2018

Jacob, Mike and special guest Travis Colenutt travel through time tactically, fight giant bugs and throw boulders everywhere.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) and Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:50 Fast Pitch
  • 2:40 Time Capsule
  • 8:00 Into the Breach: A Game for Dads
  • 11:45 FTL
  • 15:00 Reviews from the Press
  • 16:00 Value for Money
  • 17:50 Setting Up The Basics
  • 23:20 Making Choices
  • 26:00 Mech Teams
  • 39:55 The Pilots
  • 45:10 Very Good Runs
  • 47:30 Music
  • 50:50 Into the Breach Crossovers?
  • 54:10 Wrap-up

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

146: Virtue’s Last Reward

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We get confused and surprised at the very same time in Virtue’s Last Reward.

Developer: Spike Chunsoft | Publisher: Spike Chunsoft/Aksys Games | Initial Release: February 16, 2012

Jacob and special guest CtrlAltNoob write so many notes, gasp audibly and hop through time!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: CtrlAltNoob (@CtrlAltNoob)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:10 Who is CtrlAltNoob?
  • 2:50 Fast Pitch
  • 4:30 Time Capsule
  • 9:15 Press Reviews
  • 11:10 High-Level Review
  • 13:40 Describing Virtue’s Last Reward
  • 18:00 Setting Up VLR
  • 23:40 Spoiler Warning
  • 25:30 Main Characters 
  • 34:35 Branching Narrative
  • 37:30 Radical-6
  • 43:40 Bombs
  • 44:30 Morphogenetic Field
  • 49:40 Dio
  • 55:40 Timeline
  • 57:20 Pods
  • 59:55 Tenmyouji & Quark
  • 1:01:40 The Old Woman
  • 1:02:20 Sigma
  • 1:06:40 Jumping (The Chart We Referenced)
  • 1:10:30 Where Are We?
  • 1:14:15 Luna & K
  • 1:16:45 Gaming’s Greatest Story?
  • 1:22:50 Setting Up Zero Time Dilemma
  • 1:28:55 Secret Ending
  • 1:32:50 Wrap-up
  • 1:36:20 All About CtrlAltNoob (Noob mentioned Exit/Corners & Jacob mentioned Afterworld)
  • 1:40:00 Conclusion

RESOURCES

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

145: Life is Strange [Episode 5 – Polarized]

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We look at this photograph in Life is Strange, Episode 5.

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: October 20, 2015

Jacob, Mike and Flora abandon reality, explore a very scary maze and make a very difficult choice.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:20 Episode 4 Recap
  • 2:25 More like Creepy McCreeperson
  • 4:35 How do we get out?
  • 5:55 Changing history
  • 8:40 A trip to SF
  • 12:00 Back in the Dark Room
  • 15:30 Telling David the truth
  • 20:05 Weird calls and texts
  • 21:40 Arcadia Bay in ruins
  • 23:05 Technical notes
  • 24:45 Back to the diner and Warren
  • 30:00 Unloading on Chloe
  • 32:20 Question from MatterofJoseph on other games in the series
  • 35:10 Losing touch with reality
  • 40:25 The stealth section
  • 45:20 The final sequence
  • 48:40 Final choice
  • 55:30 How our sacrifices play out
  • 59:00 Question from Setobox about the ending
  • 1:03:30 Question from JayDangerRoss about sequels
  • 1:08:00 Final thoughts on the series
  • 1:17:00 Wrap-up

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

144: Life is Strange [Episode 4 – Dark Room]

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We go to a party in Life is Strange, Episode 4.

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: July 28, 2015

Jacob, Mike and Flora talk tough topics, become deeply disturbed and reminisce about Nickelback.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:20 Episode 3 Recap
  • 2:40 Episode 4 Start
  • 4:10 Setting up a tough choice
  • 8:45 Choice 1: Chloe
  • 12:30 Medical assistance in dying
  • 15:20 Look at this photograph
  • 17:50 Nathan’s room
  • 20:50 Choice 2: Nathan
  • 24:15 Choice 3: Frank
  • 30:00 The world’s greatest detective
  • 33:45 The barn
  • 38:50 Rachel Amber
  • 40:40 Vortex Club Party
  • 43:45 Choice 4: Warn Her
  • 48:05 Jacob’s Hottie McHotterson
  • 53:25 Wrap-up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

143: Returnal

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We face our demons r(eternally) in Returnal.

Developer: Housemarque | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: April 30, 2021

Jacob, Flora and Katie face their demons, explore L-shaped corridors and discuss who would survive longest in space out of the three of them.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM) and Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:30 Fast Pitch
  • 2:30 Time Capsule and Getting Our PS5s
  • 5:30 Game Release and Housemarque History
  • 11:50 Press Reviews
  • 14:50 Our Past With Roguelikes
  • 21:00 Death(s) and Story Unite
  • 30:50 PT House In Returnal?
  • 42:00 Favourite Weapons – Definitely Not Shotgun
  • 52:00 Favourite Bosses
  • 53:50 Jacob Throws His Phone
  • 62:30 (Don’t Fear) The Atropos
  • 72:00 DLC
  • 77:00 Final Thoughts: Jacob Doesn’t Want To Poop On Space Potatoes

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

142: Horizon Zero Dawn

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We take on machines in Horizon Zero Dawn.

Developer: Guerrilla Games | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: February 28, 2017

Moe, Mike and special guest Andy Borkowski from Video Game Sophistry join in to prepare for The Proving, leave no stone underturned and take the guesswork out of war.

Players: Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) and Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Andy Borkowski (@HuffinRadaway) | Video Game Sophistry

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:35 All About Andy
  • 5:00 The Gauntlet
  • 9:45 Fast Pitch
  • 11:10 Time Capsule
  • 19:30 Setting Up Horizon
  • 25:10 Audio Sync Issues
  • 27:20 The Spoiler Warning
  • 27:30 A Story Primer
  • 29:15 Our Collecting Tendencies
  • 33:00 Aloy’s Google Class aka The Focus
  • 34:20 Aloy Takes On The Proving
  • 37:40 Taking the Guesswork Out of War
  • 42:30 Mom?
  • 46:50 Gaia’s Gamble
  • 50:10 Hey Ash Watcha Playin’
  • 53:15 This Game Feels Great
  • 54:00 Far Cry Primal
  • 57:15 Our Fave Machines

RESOURCES:

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

141: Life is Strange [Episode 3 – Chaos Theory]

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We go for a dip in Life is Strange, Episode 3.

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release May 19, 2015

Jacob, Mike and Flora steal some money, throw a dog a bone and talk a lot about One Tree Hill and the OC. 

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:30 The “Vibes” Episode
  • 5:15 The Dorms
  • 7:15 Stealth Sequence
  • 8:50 The Mr. Jefferson Moment
  • 11:50 YA TV Nostalgia Glasses
  • 14:00 Warren’s Bomb Recipe
  • 16:50 Choice 1 – The Money
  • 21:00 The Pool
  • 23:20 Security!
  • 24:20 Lisa
  • 25:10 Choice 2 – Kiss Chloe
  • 28:20 Waking Up w/ Good Tunes
  • 31:40 Delicious Breakfast
  • 34:25 Passwords
  • 36:00 Choice 3 – David
  • 38:10 The Diner
  • 41:30 Choice 4 – Frank’s Dog
  • 43:05 The Birds
  • 45:00 Frank’s RV
  • 48:10 Blame Game
  • 51:15 Chloe’s Father
  • 55:00 The Cliffhanger
  • 1:02:15 Jacob’s Prediction
  • 1:04:35 Wrap-up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

140: Life is Strange [Episode 2 – Out of Time]

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We chase trains down at the junkyard in Life is Strange, Episode 2. CW: Suicide // 49:00-1:03:40

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: March 24, 2015

Jacob, Mike, Flora and Moe shoot bottles, stare at cockroaches and continue to swoon over Hotty McHotterson.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom), Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:30 Wait… Moe didn’t play Episode 1?
  • 4:00 Episode 1 Recap
  • 5:05 Did you water the plant?
  • 6:20 Kate’s viral video
  • 8:50 Choice 1 – Kate’s Question
  • 12:20 Moe’s looking for the gun
  • 13:40 Running into Warren
  • 16:10 Getting to the diner
  • 21:55 Is this your weed?
  • 24:45 The diner rewind
  • 30:25 Choice 2 – Kate’s Phone Call
  • 33:55 The junkyard
  • 37:00 Shooting in LiS
  • 38:25 Choice 3 – Max and Frank
  • 43:40 Runaway train
  • 47:45 Back to the school
  • 49:00 Choice 4 – Kate’s Fate
  • 57:10 Choice 5 – Blame
  • 1:04:50 Predictions for episode 3 and beyond

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

139: Celeste

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We climb the mountain in Celeste.

Developer: Extremely OK Games | Publisher: Extremely OK Games | Initial Release: January 25, 2018

Flora, Mike, Moe and special guest Frozen Flygone collect berries, dash and face dark reflections of ourselves.

Players: Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Frozen Flygone (@FrozenFlygone) | Twitch

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:50 FrozenFlygone Intro
  • 3:15 The Gauntlet
  • 6:00 Fast Pitch
  • 7:00 Time Capsule
  • 11:40 Press Reviews
  • 13:25 Our First Experiences with Celeste
  • 17:35 Movement & Comparisons to Other Games
  • 23:10 Challenges
  • 27:20 Getting Better – The Story
  • 31:35 Speedrunning Celeste
  • 34:00 Mental Health in Gaming
  • 40:15 The Characters
  • 46:30 The Art
  • 53:30 Getting Better – Positive Reinforcement
  • 1:03:20 Celestemas Eve & More Speedrunning
  • 1:07:40 The Final Ascent
  • 1:11:15 Core
  • 1:14:15 Final Thoughts

RESOURCES:

  • Theo’s Instagram (LINK)
  • Flora’s 2020 Celestemas Eve via Twitch (LINK)
  • How The Celeste Speedrunning Community Became Queer As Hell via Kotaku (LINK)
  • Frost Fatales 2022 through March 5th (LINK)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

138: Life is Strange [Episode 1 – Chrysalis]

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We travel to Arcadia Bay in Life is Strange, Episode 1.

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment | Publisher: Square Enix | Initial Release: January 30, 2015

Jacob, Mike and Flora travel to the Pacific Northwest, get really angsty and talk a lot about The O.C. for some reason.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 1:05 Special Announcement
  • 3:50 Fast Pitch
  • 5:10 Time Capsule
  • 9:00 Press Reviews
  • 13:30 Dontnod
  • 16:35 The Remaster
  • 20:20 The Lighthouse
  • 22:00 The Bathroom Scene
  • 28:00 First Major Choice
  • 33:10 Secondary Characters
  • 40:20 Second Choice
  • 43:30 The Dorms
  • 48:10 Third Choice
  • 51:30 Fixing Your Camera
  • 59:25 Fourth Choice
  • 1:04:25 Ending at the Lighthouse
  • 1:07:30 Wrap-up

RESOURCES:

  • How Two Video Games Helped Me Come Out As Transgender [LINK]
  • The First Chapter of ‘Life is Strange: True Colors’ is Everything I Could Have Hoped For [LINK]

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

137: Emily is Away Too

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We are looking at you through the glass in Emily is Away Too.

Developer: Kyle Seeley | Publisher: Kyle Seeley | Initial Release: May 26, 2017

Jacob, Mike, Katie and special guest Travis Colenutt get friend-zoned, drink underage and cover Snow Patrol songs quietly in their rooms.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Start
  • 2:05 Special Announcement
  • 3:45 Gauntlet for Travis
  • 8:20 Fast Pitch
  • 10:10 Time Capsule
  • 15:30 Press Reviews
  • 19:30 Characters
  • 21:50 Our Screen Names
  • 24:50 Chapter 1
  • 32:20 Emily and Evelyn
  • 41:00 Alcohol as Teens
  • 45:20 Chat Logs and Typing and Deleting
  • 49:20 Chapter 3
  • 55:20 Chapter 4 – Emily
  • 1:00:00 Chapter 4 – Evelyn
  • 1:02:50 Music
  • 1:10:55 Chapter 5
  • 1:19:20 Results Screen
  • 1:21:30 Questions
  • 1:28:00 Wrap Up

RESOURCES:

  • Kinda Funny Emily is Away Too Playthrough (LINK)
  • Emily is Away Too Music Playlist (LINK)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

136: Star Fox 64

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We shoot for the stars in Star Fox 64.

Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development | Publisher: Nintendo | Initial Release: June 30, 1997

Jacob, Moe and special guest Mike Towndrow plan a trip to Nintendo New York, talk about Grippy and Slippy and Fox’s daddy issues.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Mike Towndrow (@MixTowndrow) | SixOneIndie

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Introduction
  • 1:30 Running Mike through The Gauntlet
  • 5:37 Fast Pitch for Star Fox 64
  • 7:10 Star Fox Time Capsule
  • 11:30 Let’s watch a TV commercial, talk about Mike’s prestine Star Fox 64 box and N64 consoles
  • 16:10 How did we play the game?
  • 19:55 Press Reviews
  • 22:00 What is Star Fox 64?
  • 28:30 Characters
  • 29:25 Levels
  • 37:00 Andross
  • 40:20 Nintendo did a muppets thing (watch it now)!
  • 45:50 Star Fox in 2022
  • 47:00 Star Fox Anime (watch it now)?
  • 52:15 Mike’s Indie Game Corner (Astrodogs, Whisker Squadron, Operation DogFightEx-Zodiac)
  • 57:20 Wrap-up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

135: Year In Review for 2021

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We revisit 2021 in our Year in Review episode!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:30 Mike’s Favourite Podcasts from 2021
  • 6:00 Moe’s Favourite Podcasts from 2021
  • 11:30 Jacob’s Favourite Podcast from 2021
  • 16:30 Moe’s Favourite “New Releases”
    • Hitman 3
    • F1 2021
    • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2
  • 20:00 Mike’s Favourite New Releases
    • Psychonauts 2
    • Halo Infinite
    • Back 4 Blood
  • 26:10 Jacob Favourite New Releases
    • Before Your Eyes
    • Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
    • Inscryption
  • 30:45 What’s Next for the Left Behind Game Club

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

134: Wide Ocean Big Jacket

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We visit the beach with our cool aunt and uncle in Wide Ocean Big Jacket.

Developer: Turnfollow | Publisher: Tender Claws | Initial Release: January 22, 2020

Jacob, Mike and Moe talk about the bird and bees, watch birds and tell a great story about a rat.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:15 Fast Pitch about Wide Ocean Big Jacket
  • 3:30 The Time Capsule around Wide Ocean Big Jacket
  • 8:25 How we played this game
  • 9:45 Where the complaints stop, a quote from D.M. Moore’s “You don’t play Wide Ocean Big Jacket; you participate” and our Virginia episode
  • 13:30 Tying this to Bob’s Burgers
  • 15:00 The birds and the bee
  • 21:45 Ben is a master storyteller
  • 22:55 The epilogue with Alan and Meryl
  • 24:55 Our favourite coming-of-age stories
  • 28:00 Differentiating between the A plot and the B plot
  • 30:45 Moe said there wasn’t enough story for him and he writes an email about Wide Ocean Big Jacket
  • 32:15 What the heck does the title mean? Listen to our Thirty Flights of Loving, Firewatch and Kentucky Route Zero episodes!

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

133: Sayonara Wild Hearts

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We participate in a synthpop fever dream in Sayonara Wild Hearts. Technical note: there is some minor background noise between 7:30-12:30.

Developer: Simogo | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: September 19, 2019

Jacob, Mike, and special guest Kam Konek talk about very good old games, get Swedish and praise Queen Latifah. Also, Carly Rez Jepsen.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Kam Konek (@TheKamdyman)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:00 Kam is here!
  • 3:30 Running Kam through the Left Behind Game Club Guest Gaming Gauntlet(TM)
  • 8:00 Fast Pitch about Sayonara Wild Hearts
  • 9:00 The Time Capsule about Sayonara Wild Hearts
  • 14:55 We love rhythm games
  • 21:15 What is Sayonara Wild Hearts?
  • 24:00 The Story
  • 30:00 The additional modes for this pop album video game
  • 32:00 Queen Latifah
  • 35:30 Graphics
  • 39:00 Soundtrack
  • 43:45 Difficulty and Scoring
  • 51:40 The Recommendation Machine
  • 58:30 Final Thoughts

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • December 15th – Our Last Episode of 2021!

132: Dead Cells

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We take control of a corpse in a dungeon in Dead Cells.

Developer: Motion Twin & Evil Empire | Publisher: Motion Twin & Playdigious | Initial Release: May 10, 2017 (Early Access)

Jacob, Mike, and special guest Adam Gumbert get murdered, upgrade their flask and always roll.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Gumbert (@AdamGumby)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:00 Adam is here!
  • 2:10 Running Adam through the Left Behind Game Club Guest Gaming Gauntlet(TM)
  • 4:45 Fast Pitch about Dead Cells
  • 5:40 The Time Capsule about Dead Cells
  • 8:45 What is your experience with roguelikes?
  • 10:30 How did we play the game?
  • 12:00 Why is this game a roguevania?
  • 17:15 Jacob is wrong about the story
  • 19:55 Mike explains Boss Cells
  • 23:30 Some of our favourite biomes!
  • 29:30 Helping Jacob get better with hot strategies (including weapons, skills and more)
  • 44:30 A very distinct look of the game
  • 45:45 Let’s quickly talk about runes and bosses
  • 50:45 DLC!
  • 52:20 Story Spoilers!
  • 56:40 The trailers for this game are amazing
  • 59:40 Wrap-up
  • 1:04:00 More about Adam!

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • December 1st, 2021 Sayonara Wild Hearts (ft. Jacob, Mike and Kam Konek)

131: Hades

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We make our way through many layers of hell in Hades.

Developer: Supergiant Games | Publisher: Supergiant Games | Initial Release: September 17, 2020

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Flora Merigold dive into their knowledge of Greek mythology, mix and match different boons and introduce everyone to the Left Behind Game Club Guest Gaming Gauntlet.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Flora Merigold (@LudonarrativeFM)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:00 Flora is back!
  • 2:10 Running Flora through the Left Behind Game Club Guest Gaming Gauntlet(TM)
  • 4:40 Fast pitch about Hades
  • 6:20 A Hades time capsule (Noclip’s fantastic documentary about the game)
  • 9:55 Our histories with Supergiant Games (listen to our Bastion episode)
  • 13:50 How did we play the game?
  • 15:40 Setting up Hades!
  • 16:40 Spoiler warning!
  • 18:20 Mike dives into his love of mythology; we dive into Zagreus’ place in Greek mythology
  • 22:45 The game feels sublime to play – here are the basics
  • 26:40 Jacob’s Tier List for Weapons
  • 28:00 Mixing in boons and weapon upgrades to the conversation
  • 40:00 Explaining Hades God Mode
  • 43:55 Bosses and mini-bosses
  • 48:45 Talking about important items like Ambrosia, Titan Blood and more
  • 56:40 TINY VERMIN
  • 59:30 Fighting Hades (and Charon)
  • 1:08:40 Questions from the Epilogue Gaming Discord community
  • 1:12:25 Graphics and sound
  • 1:14:50 Final thoughts (including Barry Irick’s “Why I Quit Playing Hades“)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • November 17th, 2021 Dead Cells (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and Adam Gumbert)
  • December 1st, 2021 Sayonara Wild Hearts (ft. Jacob, Mike, TBA and TBA)

129: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Part 1]

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We play one of the greatest games of the generation in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development | Publisher: Nintendo | Initial Release: March 3, 2017

Mike, Moe and special guest Galen Havey become Thor, chase horses and make some really bad food.

Players: Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) Special Guest: Galen Havey (@galenhavey)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:50 Galen Havey Intro
  • 4:20 The Time Capsule (context around the release of Breath of the Wild)
  • 10:30 How did we play?
  • 12:30 The game’s systems and the opening of the game
  • 16:40 Weapons system
  • 22:20 Food system
  • 29:50 Horses!
  • 34:00 Shrines
  • 37:10 Weather system
  • 43:30 The crew’s first move in the open world
  • 50:00 Vah Ruta
  • 53:45 Vah Rudania
  • 1:06:00 Wrap-up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • October 20th, 2021 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Part 2] (ft. Moe, Mike and special guest Galen Havey)
  • November 3rd, 2021 Hades (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and TBA)
  • November 17th, 2021 Dead Cells (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and TBA)
  • December 1st, 2021 Sayonara Wild Hearts (ft. Jacob, Mike, TBA and TBA)

Far Cry 6 Preview (Spoiler-Free)

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On this very special bonus episode of the show, Jacob previews Far Cry 6 before it releases. He has played the game for about eight hours and made his way through about a third of the game.

Thank you to Ubisoft Canada for the code. #UbisoftCanadaGuild #UbisoftAmbassador

Developer: Ubisoft Toronto | Publisher: Ubisoft | Initial Release: October 7, 2021

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

128: Katamari Damacy REROLL

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We roll up everything on Earth in Katamari Damacy REROLL.

Developer: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment | Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment | Initial Release: December 07, 2018

Jacob, Mike and special guest Brenden Groom make all of the “roll” puns, hum along to the great music and compare the King of All Cosmos to The Legend of Zelda’ Tingle.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Brenden Groom (@begroom)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:10 Intro to Brenden
  • 2:55 Fast Pitch for Katamari Damacy & our personal histories with the game
  • 8:00 Jacob goes into a Katamari History Lesson
  • 11:00 “Boy, this game is weird.”
  • 15:30 How the game starts
  • 18:15 What makes the game so beautiful – the perspective change
  • 23:25 How does this compare to the other Katamari games in the series?
  • 27:40 Picking up things that bully us
  • 32:10 Music (question from @iamlinkhs)
  • 34:50 Final Thoughts
  • 37:50 Wrap-up

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

127: Telltale’s The Walking Dead: 400 Days

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We explore the zombie apocalypse through the eyes of many folks in Telltale’s The Walking Dead: 400 Days.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release: July 2, 2013

Jacob, Moe, and special guest Emmett Watkins Jr. jump on the bus, meet unstable strangers and create bonds with new apocalypse survivors.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Emmett Watkins Jr. (@Ejsponge61)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:10 An introduction to Emmett Watkins Jr.
  • 2:40 We have a whole series about Telltale’s The Walking Dead ft. Cam Hawkins, let’s find out about Emmett’s connection to the series
  • 4:00 Fast Pitch for The Walking Dead 400 Days
  • 6:15 Our personal histories with Telltales’ Games
  • 9:30 How did we play?
  • 13:15 We explain the structure and how we jumped into the game’s stories
  • 18:00 Vince’s Story
  • 23:50 Bonnie’s Story
  • 32:20 Shel’s Story
  • 46:30 Wyatt’s Story
  • 50:00 Russell’s Story + Epilogue
  • 1:03:20 Will we play/replay the rest of the series?
  • 1:06:55 Wrap-up 

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • September 15, 2021 Katamari Damacy Re-Roll (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Brenden Groom)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

126: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

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We combine things that we love in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle.

Developer: Ubisoft Milan | Publisher: Ubisoft | Initial Release: August 29, 2017

Jacob, Moe, Mike and special guest Shane Chiasson explore the evils of AR, chase after those zany Rabbids and tactic the heck out of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Special notes: Codes provided by Ubisoft #UbisoftCanadaGuild #UbisoftAmbassador! We are running a giveaway of a Switch copy of the game on Twitter until Sunday, August 22nd, check it out on our Twitter account!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) Special Guest: Shane Chiasson (@chiassoo)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:00 #UbisoftCanadaGuild Thank You
  • 2:40 Fast Pitch about Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
  • 4:35 Mike shared his love of XCOM
  • 5:40 Our personal history with this game, tactics games and rabbits
  • 11:55 Setup for this game
  • 14:45 Describing the format of the game
  • 18:25 Our ideal character load-outs
  • 27:40 How Shane never died
  • 31:25 Enemy designs
  • 35:05 Our main strategies
  • 39:10 Do we want a sequel?
  • 44:05 Any other IP we want to see in this format?
  • 48:50 Puzzle? Yes or no?
  • 50:40 Bonus levels and music!
  • 53:10 Final thoughts and wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • September 1, 2021 The Walking Dead: 400 Days (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Emmett Watkins Jr.)
  • September 15, 2021 Katamari Damacy Re-Roll (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Brenden Groom)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

125: Hitman, Part 6 [Isle of Sgail]

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We wrap up our Hitman 2 series by travelling to the Isle of Sgail in Hitman 2, Part 6.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: November 13th, 2018

Jacob, Moe and Mike try to find some coins, burn our friends and party with sisters.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:30 Intros
  • 1:15 Mission briefing
  • 2:45 Discussing story
  • 4:00 Discussing scores
  • 6:15 Jacob’s playthrough
  • 16:15 Mike’s playthrough
  • 31:40 Moe’s playthrough
  • 47:30 Closing comments

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • August 18, 2021 Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Shane Chiasson)
  • September 1, 2021 The Walking Dead: 400 Days (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Emmett Watkins Jr.)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

Introducing: Cutscenes (Feed Drop)

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Introducing Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie Podcast from three familiar faces to the Left Behind Game Club: Jacob McCourt, Katie Lesperance & Travis Colenutt. The team has already done two full seasons of content with Season 3 launching in late 2021. Check out the show on your podcasting platform of choice: https://plinkhq.com/i/1525162865! This is our first episode about Scott Pilgrim vs. The World!

Hosted by Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Show Notes:

  • 1:10 The Tutorial
  • 2:15 What’s our personal history with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
  • 3:10 The cast in this film is absolutely wild
  • 5:40 Scott Pilgrim: The Comic
  • 9:10 Recognizing locations in Toronto
  • 11:00 Scott is a dork and a jerk
  • 13:15 An introduction to Ramona’s seven evil exes
  • 14:30 Scott Pilgrim vs. Lucas Lee (and the Imperial System)
  • 16:55 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Video Game
  • 17:20 Scott Pilgrim vs. Roxie Richter
  • 20:20 Does this movie work in 2020?
  • 25:25 Scott Pilgrim vs. Vegan Todd
  • 27:25 Scott Pilgrim vs. Kyle & Ken Katayanagi/Gideon
  • 31:55 Jacob rewrites the ending
  • 34:10 The density of the dialogue
  • 36:35 MinMax (including OST talk)
  • 43:25 Critical Hits (from Metacritic.com)
  • 47:25 This week’s game: Toronto or Nah?
  • 50:55 Should this movie be “Cut or Seen”?

Cutscenes is a seasonal podcast at the intersection of video games and TV/movies. Stick around for our seven-episode first season airing through the end of September 2020.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter at @cutscenes_pod and Instagram at @cutscenes_pod and hit the notification bell/follow/subscribe to our show on your podcast app of choice to get the latest episodes when they release!

If you like what you’ve heard consider a 5-star review on your podcasting platform of choice!

Music (used under Creative Commmons): “Introduction” by Lifeformed | Intro Voiceover by DJ Stormageddon

124: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game

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We battle baddies through the streets of Toronto in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game.

Developer: Ubisoft Chengdu & Ubisoft Montreal | Publisher: Ubisoft | Initial Release: August 10, 2010

Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt & Katie Lesperance complain about the lack of hockey goons, fight Scott’s evil exes and grind.

Special notes: Codes provided by Ubisoft #UbisoftCanadaGuild #UbisoftAmbassador! We are running a giveaway of a PS4 copy of the game on Twitter until Sunday, July 25th, check it out on our Twitter account! Additionally, we have video versions of this week’s show available at YouTube.com/JacobMcCourt and YouTube.com/chiassoo!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:30 Intros
  • 2:00 Fast Pitch about Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game
  • 3:30 Our personal history with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game
  • 8:45 We played on PS4 and we talked about our multiplayer challenges
  • 10:40 The game is ripped from the graphic novels
  • 13:00 Talking about the skill progression
  • 17:00 Toronto!
  • 17:55 What does this game feel like to play?
  • 28:35 The variety in the levels and the enemies and grinding
  • 29:45 How we beat the game (with secret shops)
  • 33:00 The extra content in the game
  • 34:55 Some other stuff we liked!
  • 36:45 Final thoughts
  • 40:00 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • August 4, 2021 Hitman 2 [Isle of Sgàil] (ft. Jacob, Mike and Moe)
  • August 18, 2021 Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Shane Chiasson)
  • September 1, 2021 The Walking Dead: 400 Days (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Emmett Watkins Jr.)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

123: Hitman, Part 5 [Whittleton Creek]

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We check out the neighbourhood in Hitman 2, Part 5.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: November 13th, 2018

Jacob, Moe and Mike join the barbecue, check out some fine real estate and exterminate all threats.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 00:30 Intros
  • 00:50 Mission Briefing
  • 2:55 Thoughts about the setting
  • 3:35 Sharing scores
  • 5:15 Discussing mission objectives
  • 6:40 Jacob’s playthrough
  • 14:00 Mike’s playthrough
  • 23:00 Moe’s playthrough
  • 32:10 Closing comments

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • July 21, 2021 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – The Game (ft. Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt and Katie Lesperance)
  • August 4, 2021 Hitman 2 [Isle of Sgàil] (ft. Jacob, Mike and Moe)
  • August 18, 2021 Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Shane Chiasson)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

122: Last Day of June

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We lament the loss of June in Last Day of June. Developer: Ovosonico | Publisher: 505 Games | Initial Release: 31 August 2017

Jacob, Mike and special guest Flora Merigold replay the past, hit A on things and prevent tragedies.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Flora Merigold, co-founder of EpilogueGaming.com Twitter: @LudonarrativeFM | Twitch: @LudoFM

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:20 All about Flora
  • 3:30 Our fast pitch about Last Day of June
  • 5:00 What did you know about Last Day of June going into it?
  • 7:00 How did we play (with technical difficulty)?
  • 9:15 What is Last Day of June?
  • 15:15 Was our time being used well?
  • 21:25 Let’s talk about the look and music of the game
  • 28:45 The gift
  • 31:40 Question from @StoryEverPod: “…how caught off-guard were you?”
  • 36:05 Final thoughts about Last Day of June
  • 39:10 The Recommendation Machine – Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, That Dragon, Cancer & Before Your Eyes
  • 41:50 Final thoughts and show close

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • July 7, 2021 Hitman 2 [Whittleton Creek] (ft. Jacob, Mike and Moe)
  • July 21, 2021 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – The Game (ft. Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt and Katie Lesperance)
  • August 4, 2021 Hitman 2 [Isle of Sgàil] (ft. Jacob, Mike and Moe)
  • August 18, 2021 Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Shane Chiasson)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

121: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (999)

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We explore a branching storyline in Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors.

Developer: Chunsoft | Publisher: Spike/Aksys Games | Initial Release: December 10, 2009

Jacob, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob escape rooms, solve puzzles and travel through space and time to survive and thrive.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: CtrlAltNoob (@CtrlAltNoob) | YouTube | Twitch

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:10 All About CtrlAltNoob
  • 2:40 Our Fast Pitch about Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (999)
  • 3:50 What’s Your Personal History with 999 and the Nonary Games?
  • 8:10 Describing the Gameplay of 999
  • 18:05 Hearing Moe’s predictions about 999
  • 24:00 Explaining the structure of the branching narrative
  • 25:55 Jacob dumps some story
  • 34:40 The sci-fi twist to this story (the morphogenetic field)
  • 41:20 A tease about the second game – please stick around
  • 48:00 Let’s get back to what’s happening inside the ship (submarine, knife and ax)
  • 54:15 Who is “in” on the scheme?
  • 58:50 The big thing
  • 1:07:40 Question from @linkhs: “Which twist/ending got you the most?”
  • 1:13:35 The enneagram test with Jacob, Moe and CtrlAltNoob
  • 1:18:30 Final thoughts
  • 1:23:35 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • June 30, 2021 Last Day of June (ft. Jacob, Mike and special guest Blake Andrea)
  • July 7, 2021 Hitman 2 [Whittleton Creek] (ft. Jacob, Mike and Moe)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

120: Hitman, Part 4 [Mumbai]

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We chase a ghost in Hitman 2, Part 4.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: November 13th, 2018

Jacob, Moe and Mike direct movies, discover secret identities and dip into their old ways.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:30 Introductions
  • 1:15 Sharing scores
  • 3:35 Mission briefing
  • 5:20 Mission breakdown
  • 7:17 Jacob’s playthrough
  • 17:50 Moe’s playthrough
  • 31:45 Mike’s playthrough
  • 44:06 Closing comments

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • June 16, 2021 Zero Escape: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors aka 999 (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob)
  • June 30, 2021 Last Day of June (ft. Jacob, Mike and special guest Blake Andrea)
  • July 7, 2021 Hitman 2 [Whittleton Creek] (ft. Jacob, Mike and Moe)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

119: Donut County

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We have a garbage day in Donut County. Developer: Ben Esposito | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: August 28, 2018

Jacob, Mike and special guest Wesley LeBlanc order holes for their friends, meet cute anthropodermic animals and cheer on another Annapurna Interactive banger.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Wesley LeBlanc | Twitter | Dragonball Speak Podcast

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:31 Introductions
  • 2:40 General info on Donut County
  • 3:10 Fast Pitch
  • 8:20 Explaining the game
  • 22:15 Explaining the story
  • 28:25 Discussing the game music
  • 31:40 Questions

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • June 2, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 4 – Chasing a Ghost] (ft. Jacob, Moe and Mike)
  • June 16, 2021 Zero Escape: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors aka 999 (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

118: Hitman 2, Part 3 [Santa Fortuna]

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We cut the head off a three-headed serpent in Hitman 2, Part 3.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: November 13th, 2018

Jacob, Moe and Mike tattoo their foes, play around in the jungle and purge construction sites from evil spirits.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:31 Introductions
  • 1:00 Short recap
  • 1:22 Mission briefing
  • 3:20 Explaining the mission, objectives, and personal thoughts
  • 6:00 Exchanging mission scores
  • 10:45 Jacob’s playthrough
  • 24:10 Mike’s playthrough
  • 37:23 Moe’s playthrough
  • 48:55 Closing comments

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • May 19, 2021 Donut County (ft. Jacob, Mike and special guest Wesley LeBlanc)
  • June 2, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 4 – Chasing a Ghost] (ft. Jacob, Moe and Mike)
  • June 16, 2021 Zero Escape: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors aka 999 (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

117: Batman: Arkham Origins

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We discover the origins of the Dark Knight in Batman: Arkham Origins.

Developer: WB Games Montréal | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: October 25th, 2013

Jacob, Moe and special guests Luke Lewis and Kyle Stephenson get festive, discuss their favourite Joker and become the ultimate Gotham predator.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest #1: Luke Lewis (@lukewarmlewis) | LukeWarmGames Podcast

Special Guest #2: Kyle Stephenson (@MrKStep) | PS Trophy Room Podcast | Six One Indie

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:40 Introductions
  • 3:37 Fast Pitch for Batman: Arkham Origins
  • 11:23 Discussing the hardware used to play the game
  • 13:20 What is Arkham Origins? How it begins
  • 22:24 Discussing Troy Baker and Mark Hamill’s performance as The Joker
  • 27:07 Discussing gadgets they used in combat
  • 34:30 The game’s stealth mechanics
  • 42:00 Discussing the plot progression
  • 53:34 How the game concludes
  • 1:01:24 Questions from the community
  • 1:08:49 Final thoughts
  • 1:11:01 Closing

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • May 5, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 3 – Three-Headed Serpent] (ft. Jacob, Moe and Mike)
  • May 19, 2021 Donut County (ft. Jacob, Mike and special guest Wesley LeBlanc)
  • June 2, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 4 – Chasing a Ghost] (ft. Jacob, Moe and Mike)
  • June 16, 2021 Zero Escape: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors aka 999 (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

116: Hitman 2, Part 2 [Miami]

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We terrorize mascots in Hitman 2, Part 2. Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: November 13th, 2018

Jacob, Moe, Mike and special guest Morten Elgaard (IO Interactive) destroy the family business, sabotage fancy cars and get a little daring on balconies.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) Special Guest: Morten Elgaard (@Morten_Elgaard) | Website

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:04: Mission briefing for the episode
  • 4:00: Recap from the last episode
  • 8:50 Scores are announced for story-sharing order
  • 10:30: Jacob begins to tell his game experience
  • 14:25: Mike begins to tell his game experience
  • 20:56: Morten begins to tell his game experience
  • 34:40: Moe begins to tell his game experience
  • 47:14: Discussions about new features
  • 59:05: Closing

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • April 21, 2021 Batman: Arkham Origins (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guests Luke Lewis and Kyle Stephenson)
  • May 5, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 3 -Three Headed Serpent] (ft. TBD)
  • May 19, 2021 Donut County (ft. Jacob, Mike and special guest Wesley LeBlanc)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

115: Hitman 2, Part 1 [Hawke’s Bay]

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We become Agent 47 once again in Hitman 2, Part 1.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: November 13th, 2018

Jacob, Moe and Mike blow up trucks, throw katanas and reassume their Hitman 2 personas.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 10:30 Moe is checked out from the story because he prefers Agent 47 being a mystery
  • 13:02 Discussing the mission scores from first level of Hitman 2
  • 15:20 Moe lays out the beginning of the mission and how he progressed through it
  • 20:50 Jacob begins talking about his playthrough
  • 25:00 Mike begins talking about his playthrough
  • 39:12 Moe teases how he plans to play the next episode and asks the others about their strategy

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • April 7, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 2 – The Finish Line] (ft. Jacob, Moe, Mike and special guest Morten Elgaard)
  • April 21, 2021 Batman: Arkham Origins (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guests Luke Lewis and Kyle Stephenson)
  • May 5, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 3 -Three Headed Serpent] (ft. TBD)
  • May 19, 2021 Donut County (ft. Jacob, Mike and special guest Wesley LeBlanc

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

114: The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 5 (No Time Left)

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We end it in Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 5.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release: November 20, 2012

Jacob, Moe, and special guest Cam Hawkins do ad-hoc surgeries, drink with friends and cry all of the tears.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Cam Hawkins (@CamFinalMix) | Twitch | IGN Unlocked

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Additional Music: Ice Cider (Cider Time Variation) by Lifeformed | Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Episode Recap
  • 2:05 Cam talks about his work on IGN Unlocked, Twitch and more!
  • 3:00 We tell you where we left off at the end of Episode 4
  • 5:25 A surgical saw and a major decision
  • 12:10 Kenny’s attic moment
  • 20:00 Lee gets separated from the group
  • 24:35 Keep your weapons or drop them?
  • 31:50 What did we do to the stranger?
  • 37:40 Question from @Marvelousiggy: “How many buckets of tears did you cry…” – let’s talk about the ending
  • 54:00 Question from @StoryEverPod: “Would you play season two in the future?”
  • 56:50 Question from @CtrlAltNoob: “How does it rank in your personal rank of the other telltale games you have played and why?”
  • 1:00:30 Question from @chiassoo: “Knowing what he knows now, what would Moe do differently next time?”
  • 1:01:00 Question from @iamlinkhs: “Do you have a go-to zombie apocalypse plan in place already?” & wrap-up 

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • March 31, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 1 – Intro/Hawke’s Bay] (ft. Jacob, Moe and Mike)
  • April 7, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 2 – The Finish Line] (ft. Jacob, Moe, Mike and special guest Morten Elgaard)
  • April 21, 2021 Batman: Arkham Origins (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guests Luke Lewis and Kyle Stephenson)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

113: Moonlighter

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We fight monsters and stimulate the local economy in Moonlighter.

Developer: Digital Sun | Publisher: 11 bit studios | Initial Release: May 29, 2018

Jacob and special guest Dan Colonna chase away shoplifters, bug out with their Merchant Pendant and die a whole lot.

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: Dan Colonna (@danomak) | Dinosaur Machines Game Club Podcast: Twitter | Podcast

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:10 Dan introduces the Dinosaur Machines Game Club
  • 2:45 Our Fast Pitch on Moonlighter
  • 3:20 Our personal history with Moonlighter and games like it
  • 6:45 Let’s go deep on the gameplay of Moonlighter
  • 11:30 The five major weapon types 
  • 15:00 Did we play the Between Dimensions DLC?
  • 17:30 The end of Moonlighter
  • 20:30 The “selling stuff” part of Moonlighter
  • 27:15 The bosses in the game 
  • 31:00 Recommendation machine: what games are like Moonlighter?
  • 45:10 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • March 17, 2021 Telltale’s The Walking Dead S01E05 (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins)
  • March 31, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 1 – Intro/Hawke’s Bay] (ft. Jacob, Moe and Mike)
  • April 7, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 2 – The Finish Line] (ft. TBD)
  • April 21, 2021 Batman: Arkham Origins (ft. TBD)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

112: WCW/nWo Revenge

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We wrestle with buddies with a special guest from Wrestle Buddies in WCW/nWo Revenge.

Developer: Asmik Ace Entertainment & AKI Corporation | Publisher: THQ  | Initial Release: October 26, 1998

Jacob, Moe, and special guest Chris Hayner throw our foes to the outside, give you a brief history of N64 era wrestling games and reminisce about instruction manuals in games.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Chris Hayner (@ChrisHayner) | Wrestle Buddies: Twitter | Podcast

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:05 Fast Pitch (our one-sentence pitch for the game)
  • 2:50 What are our personal histories with WCW/nWo Revenge
  • 5:00 AKI Corp and Yuke’s impact on wrestling games (Def Jam, Ultimate Muscle)
  • 12:55 How did play WCW/nWo Revenge?
  • 14:45 How this game changed wrestling game controls?
  • 19:35 We peruse the instruction manual from WCW/nWo Revenge (take a look with us)
  • 21:40 We talk about the roster (including EWF & DAW)
  • 28:50 We talk about how we played (top rope moves, submissions and more)
  • 30:35 Graphics and sound (faces are bad?)
  • 33:20 Game modes
  • 35:20 The Recommendation Machine
  • 42:40 Our final thoughts about the game
  • 48:05 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • March 3, 2021 Moonlighter (ft. Jacob and special guest Dan Colonna)
  • March 17, 2021 Telltale’s The Walking Dead S01E05 (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins)
  • March 31, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 1 – Intro/Hawke’s Bay] (ft. Jacob, Moe and Mike)
  • April 7, 2021 Hitman 2 [Part 2 – The Finish Line] (ft. TBD)
  • April 21, 2021 Batman: Arkham Origins (ft. TBD)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

Left Behind Game Club Trailer

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Welcome to the Left Behind Game Club, our never-ending attempt to make sure that no game is left behind.

Join hosts Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) as well as some wonderful guests, as they go through games large and small, old and new to bring you funny, informative, and mostly positive discussions about them.

We’ve got over 100 episodes in the feed, so if you wanted to take the show for a spin – download a show about one of your favorites and let Jacob, Mike, and Moe guide you through it.

The show releases every first and third Wednesday of the month.

Join us on our goal in every episode to make sure that each time, there’s one less game left behind.

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub | Discord: leftbehindgame.club/discord

111: The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 4 (Around Every Corner)

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We attack at dawn in Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 4.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release: October 9, 2012

Jacob, Moe, and special guest Cam Hawkins find new friends in an abandoned town and a bomb shelter and continue to have our hearts broken and try to find a boat.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Cam Hawkins (@CamFinalMix) | Twitch | Dualshockers

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Additional Music: Ice Cider (Cider Time Variation) by Lifeformed | Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Episode Recap
  • 3:00 Where we started in Episode 4, Around Every Corner
  • 6:50 Getting inside the house, going up into the attic
  • 16:15 Meeting Molly and entering the sewers
  • 19:45 Meeting new friends in a bomb shelter
  • 24:10 Would Jacob be the Ben in real-life?
  • 28:00 Making our way to Crawford
  • 37:00 Panic on the way to the roof
  • 40:15 A confrontation with Vernon
  • 42:05 …and nothing was the same
  • 45:40 Who’s going with us?
  • 49:00 Moe makes a bold and totally inaccurate prediction about the last episode
  • 53:15 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • February 17, 2021: WCW/nWo Revenge (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Chris Hayner)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast focusing on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

110: The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 3 (Starved for Help)

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We endure a series of high-stakes confrontations in Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 3.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release: August 28, 2012

Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins face the consequences of their actions, fight off bandits and ride the train to the ocean.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) Special Guest: Cam Hawkins (@CamFinalMix) | Twitch | Dualshockers

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Additional Music: Ice Cider (Cider Time Variation) by Lifeformed | Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Episode 2 Recap
  • 2:30 Where did we leave off?
  • 3:45 Going back to Everett Pharmacy
  • 10:20 Back at the motel where the group is slowly coming apart
  • 15:20 A rowdy confrontation at the motel
  • 21:00 Another rowdy confrontation
  • 31:05 Duck
  • 33:45 The train (and how some didn’t think it was fun)
  • 42:45 A decision in the woods
  • 48:05 A moment in the train car with Clementine
  • 51:10 A railway blockage
  • 55:00 The walkie-talkie
  • 56:45 Where does Moe think this going?
  • 1:00:40 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • February 3, 2021: The Walking Dead S1E4 (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins)
  • February 17, 2021: WCW/nWo Revenge (ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Chris Hayner)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

109: Emily is Away

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We type and delete, type and delete through IM in Emily is Away.

Developer: Kyle Seeley | Publisher: Kyle Seeley | Initial Release: November 20, 2015

Jacob, Mike and special guests Travis Colenutt and Katie Lesperance from Cutscenes dive into their embarrassing childhood screennames, past relationships and give their thoughts on Coldplay.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) Special Guests: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) from Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie Podcast (@Cutscenes_Pod // cutscenes.ca)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:00 Our Fast Pitch about Emily is Away
  • 2:50 A note about IM client regionality (ICQ vs. MSN Messenger vs. AIM)
  • 5:10 A question from iamlinkhs: “What embarrassing internet handle did you have in middle/high school?”
  • 10:05 Our favourite avatars
  • 12:35 What did we know about Emily is Away?
  • 13:30 The structure of Emily is Away, 2002 and a high school secret about two of the podcasters on this show is revealed
  • 18:35 2003
  • 21:25 2004
  • 24:00 2005
  • 27:30 2006
  • 32:45 Exploring people’s profiles
  • 36:00 Final Thoughts about Emily is Away

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • January 20, 2021: The Walking Dead S01E03 with Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • February 3, 2021: The Walking Dead S01E04 with Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

108: Katana Zero

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We experience drug-induced time distortion while killing people in Katana Zero.

Developer: Askiisoft | Publisher: Devolver Digital | Initial Release: April 18, 2019

Jacob, Mike and Moe befriend a little girl, take on many killing contracts and experience cloud gaming.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:40 Fast Pitch
  • 2:25 What did we know
  • 4:00 How did we play (Mike talks about xCloud aka Cloud gaming (Beta) with Xbox Game Pass?
  • 7:20 What kind of game is Katana Zero?
  • 10:10 The game’s dialogue system
  • 12:10 The game is like a puzzle… is it difficult?
  • 19:10 Did Jacob like this game?
  • 20:20 This game feels so good
  • 27:00 The story
  • 38:00 Final thoughts about Katana Zero
  • 40:35 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • January 6, 2021: TBD
  • January 20, 2021: The Walking Dead S01E03 with Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • February 3, 2021: The Walking Dead S01E04 with Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • February 17, 2021: TBD

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

107: The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 2 (Starved for Help)

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Please note: Jacob’s original recording was lost and we had to use his back-up, so the audio quality for his track is not ideal.

We learn who can trust in Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 2.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release: June 27, 2012

Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins encounter saw sadistic bear traps, eat very “special” meals and learn the true definition of southern hospitality.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Cam Hawkins (@CamFinalMix) | Twitch | Dualshockers

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Additional Music: Ice Cider (Cider Time Variation) by Lifeformed | Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:15 Episode 1 Recap
  • 3:55 Where did we leave off?
  • 5:50 Where Episode 2 begins
  • 11:15 Who did you feed at the motel?
  • 15:25 What’s the commotion in the truck bed?
  • 16:25 Meeting Andy and Danny St. John
  • 27:25 Ambush!
  • 30:55 Going on the offensive against Jolene
  • 36:05 Doing chores
  • 39:45 Dinner time
  • 47:35 A meat locker calamity
  • 52:25 The bloody conclusion of this episode
  • 58:40 Why didn’t the episode end there?
  • 1:05:25 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • December 16th: Katana Zero feat. Jacob, Mike and Moe (our final show of 2020)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

106: Pokemon Snap

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We gotta snap em’ all in Pokemon Snap.

Developer: HAL Laboratory/Pax Softnica | Publisher: Nintendo | Initial Release: June 30, 1999

Jacob, Moe and special guests Arsene Lakpa & Joseph Hooper get up close and personal with some pocket monsters, question scoring systems and talk a lot about arcade games.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guests: Arsene Lakpa (@PaxArsenica) & Joseph Hooper (@Th3Hoopman) from the Player Player Podcast

Player Player Podcast: Website | Twitter

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:50 What is the Player Player Podcast?
  • 3:00 What’s your Fast Pitch on Pokemon Snap?
  • 4:20 What’s your personal history with Pokemon Snap (the N64, the Pokemon Snap sticker machine)?
  • 7:30 How did we play the game (aka Jacob’s Wii U Corner)?
  • 8:50 What kind of game is Pokemon Snap?
  • 10:35 Jacob goes in and the 2v2 battle begins: is Pokemon Snap a good video game?
  • 17:35 Moe makes this game multiplayer and reminisces about the first season of the anime thanks to Slowbro
  • 21:00 Jacob describes the game’s structure
  • 23:00 Favourite Pokemon moments from the game?
  • 28:15 Did you like the game’s progression?
  • 30:50 Jacob questions the game’s scoring system
  • 33:25 Let’s appreciate the detail for a 1999 video game
  • 36:00 Let’s talk about New Pokemon Snap
  • 39:45 Our favourite Pokemon games!
  • 43:25 Final thoughts about Pokemon Snap

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • December 2nd: Telltale’s The Walking Dead (S01E02) ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • December 16th: TBD feat. TBA (our final show of 2020)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

105: The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 1 (A New Day)

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We explore our past while surviving the present in Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season 1, Episode 1.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release: April 24, 2012

Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins kill zombies in rated-M+ fashion, make a series of poor decisions and start to build their own community in a zombie apocalypse.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Cam Hawkins (@TheCinephileGuy) | Twitch | Dualshockers

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:30 Our fast pitch about Telltale’s The Walking Dead (Season 1)
  • 3:20 What is your personal history with Telltale Games and The Walking Dead? We have played both the Batman Telltale Game and The Wolf of Among Us on this show.
  • 7:30 How did we play this one (performance issues and the Nintendo Switch versions)?
  • 9:30 A quick note about the Telltale Tool and Telltale’s impact on adventure games
  • 11:10 How would we describe the art style of this game?
  • 12:35 How will we play our Lee?
  • 15:20 You start the game in the back of a cop car being taken to prison
  • 19:00 Lee meets Clementine
  • 21:45 Representation in The Walking Dead
  • 24:55 Choosing to make our move at night or during the day
  • 26:10 Explaining the decision system from Telltale games
  • 28:35 Duck or Shawn?
  • 36:10 Making our way to town to meet our new motley crew
  • 40:55 Giving the lay of the land (Everett Pharmacy and the Motel)
  • 42:20 The first really rough scene and how we tie it back to our family
  • 44:20 Side with Larry or Kenny?
  • 51:30 Giving her the gun or refusing to give her the gun
  • 56:30 Jacob walks us through the final sequence of the game (Doug vs. Carley)
  • 1:06:10 Our final thoughts on Episode 1

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • November 18th: Pokemon Snap ft. Jacob, Moe and special guests Joseph Hooper and Arsene Lakpa
  • December 2nd: Telltale’s The Walking Dead (S01E02) ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • December 16th: TBD feat. TBA (our final show of 2020)

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

104: Psychonauts

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We explore people’s minds in Psychonauts.

Developer: Double Fine Productions & Budcat Creations | Publisher: Majesco Entertainment, THQ, Double Fine Productions, Inc., The Adventure Company, EuroVideo Medien GmbH & iam8bit | Initial Release: April 19, 2005

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob, take a trip and visit a psychic summer camp, make friends with a really weird fish and find brains. Also, we are not the Milk Man. 

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: CtrlAltNoob (@CtrlAltNoob) | YouTube | Twitch

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:35 A short introduction to CtrlAltNoob
  • 2:40 Our fast pitch about Psychonauts
  • 3:35 Our personal histories with Psychonauts
  • 7:30 How did we play (and our struggles with PS2/XB emulation)
  • 10:30 What kind of game is Psychonauts? We compare it to Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, Voodoo Vince and more.
  • 12:50 What is the premise of Psychonauts?
  • 16:35 The game had a bit of a slow start
  • 22:00 Let’s talk about the collectables and powers in the game!
  • 26:20 The game’s great characters and the Saturday morning nostalgia
  • 30:20 Whippin’ doors on people’s foreheads… let’s talk about our favourite levels !
  • 39:15 The main menu and save files in the game
  • 46:05 We walk through the final two levels and how we get there
  • 50:10 The in-game hint system and do we need lives anymore in 2020?
  • 54:20 The game’s art style did such a great job at compensating for the lack of fidelity (and reminded us of Jimmy Neutron)
  • 57:10 The Recommendation Machine
  • 1:00:20 Question from Blake @LudonarrativeFM: “If each of your minds were turned into a Psychonauts level, what would they play/look like?”
  • 1:03:50 Question from Katie @lesperak: “Is there anything in particular (mechanic/storyline/recurring character or expansion of some element of the game) that you want to see in the sequel?
  • 1:06:00 Our final thoughts on Psychonauts and wrap-up!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • November 4th: Telltale’s The Walking Dead (S01E01) ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • November 18th: Pokemon Snap ft. Jacob, Moe and special guests Joseph Hooper and Arsene Lakpa
  • December 2nd: Telltale’s The Walking Dead (S01E02) ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

103: Death Stranding (Part 2)

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We continue to build a better world, together in Death Stranding.

Developer: Kojima Productions | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: November 8, 2019

Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt, Katie Lesperance and CourtFTW don’t shake the baby, take showers in front of our partners and wonder what it’s like to be licked by Troy Baker.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt), Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) and CourtFTW (@Court_FTW)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub  

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:30 We talk about some of the characters that we didn’t cover in Part 1 (Deadman and Die-Hardman)
  • 4:45 This game sets a very high part with their cinematography
  • 7:30 We stan Troy Baker on this podcast (Higgs)
  • 9:55 Travis talks about the relationship between Fragile (Léa Seydoux) and Higgs
  • 14:05 We talk about the first encounter with BTs
  • 17:00 Katie explains Death Stranding to her husband, Travis takes a shower with Sam (with his wife walking in) and Jacob pees
  • 19:00 The historical context and ethics of Death Stranding (do you know where BBs come from)
  • 21:55 The chiral network, Mama and Lockne
  • 27:50 Heartman (Nicolas Winding Refn)
  • 33:20 Cliff Unger (Mads Mikkelsen)
  • 38:35 Fighting Higgs
  • 46:05 We start to go through a three-hour lore dump
  • 48:20 The soundtrack was the best
  • 51:20 We continue to walk through the three-hour lore dump
  • 55:20 Did you try to shoot?
  • 1:02:00 The first BB
  • 1:06:30 Travis and Court wanted romance
  • 1:10:30 We loved taking care of BB
  • 1:12:35 Question from @SeriuzBiznus “What surprised you most about your time with Death Stranding?”
  • 1:20:30 @MatterofMichael: “I’ve wanted to play it and I’ve also lost interest in starting it with my backlog catastrophe. My question is pretty simple, is it worth playing through it to the end?”
  • 1:27:00 Wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • October 28th: Psychonauts ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob
  • November 4th: Telltale’s The Walking Dead (S01E01) ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • November 18th: Pokemon Snap ft. Jacob, Moe and special guests Joseph Hooper and Arsene Lakpa
  • December 2nd: Telltale’s The Walking Dead (S01E02) ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • December 16th: TBD feat. TBD

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

102: Death Stranding (Part 1)

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We build a better world, together in Death Stranding.

Developer: Kojima Productions | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: November 8, 2019

Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt, Katie Lesperance and CourtFTW arranged cargo on their bodies, built beautiful roads and forget to wear shoes.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt), Katie Lesperance (@lesperak) and CourtFTW (@Court_FTW)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub  

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:45 A short introduction to CourtFTW and her work
  • 2:25 A short introduction to Travis, Katie (and Jacob’s) new podcast called Cutscenes!
  • 3:35 Our fast pitch on Death Stranding
  • 4:25 We start the show with a question from Maria: “Did you go in with any preconceived expectations for this game based on experience with other Kojima games?” We have P.T. on this podcast before, check it out!
  • 9:40 How would you describe Death Stranding?
  • 11:40 This game’s connection to Horizon Zero Dawn.
  • 12:30 What’s the state of the world when we start?
  • 16:00 This game is frustrating to play! A deep dive into the game’s cargo mechanics.
  • 23:00 Court had a real paper route and compares her experience to Death Stranding
  • 29:00 Sam Porter Bridges’ blood, poop and pee are powerful
  • 32:20 We explained how other players’ content can come into your game
  • 38:40 Vehicles, beautiful roads and pizza deliveries (shout-out to Mass Effect’s M35 Mako)
  • [The podcast gets SUPER spoilery after this point]
  • 44:35 We share our playtimes
  • 51:30 We set up the world and the story of reconnecting America
  • 54:05 Wrap-up!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • October 14th: Death Stranding (Part 2) ft. Jacob and special guests Katie Lesperance, Travis Colenutt & CourtFTW
  • October 28th: Psychonauts ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob
  • November 4th: Telltale’s The Walking Dead (S01E01) ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • November 18th: Pokemon Snap ft. Jacob, Moe and special guests Joseph Hooper and Arsene Lakpa

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

101: Kentucky Route Zero (Death of the Hired Man) + Recap

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We watch some television in Kentucky Route Zero, Death of the Hired Man.

Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: January 26, 2020

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta changed the channel, read some Frost and we give you our feelings about the series.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub   SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:45 We give you a first idea of how we feel to be finished
  • 3:50 We set up the fifth interlude, Death of the Hired Man
  • 10:40 You can change the channels!
  • 13:50 The game that we have been playing a version of The Death of a Hired Man
  • 25:40 The Recommendation Machine about Kentucky Route Zero related media
  • 30:15 We just want more (also, is this a game)!
  • 36:40 What will you remember most about Kentucky Route Zero?
  • 39:30 Wrap-up and big thanks to Adam Iannetta!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • October 7th: Death Stranding (Part 1) ft. Jacob and special guests Katie Lesperance, Travis Colenutt & CourtFTW
  • October 14th: Death Stranding (Part 2) ft. Jacob and special guests Katie Lesperance, Travis Colenutt & CourtFTW
  • October 28th: Psychonauts ft. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest CtrlAltNoob
  • November 4th: Telltale’s The Walking Dead (S01E01) ft. Jacob, Moe and special guest Cam Hawkins
  • November 18th: Pokemon Snap ft. Jacob, Moe and special guests Joseph Hooper and Arsene Lakpa

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

100: Our 100th Episode Extravaganza

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We have a party and celebrate our 100th episode! Please note, that this is a very different episode from our typical format. Jacob, Mike and Moe react to their first episode, refresh some lists and take audience questions!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:20 Intro to this very special episode
  • 4:10 Reacting to the intro from Episode 1
  • 6:10 What is the show now?
  • 7:00 We re-visit our “top games lists” from 2017 (Jacob /Mike/Moe) and build new lists (see below)
  • 17:00 Questions from the Left Behind Game Club Community
    • 17:40 @StoryEverPod: “What have been some of your favorite games you’ve covered on the podcast so far?”
    • 23:00 @OnlineWarriors1: “What would you say is the biggest thing you’ve learned about or improved upon in your podcast process between Episode 1 and Episode 100?”
    • 27:00 @LudonarrativeFM: “Since I found the Left Behind Game Club via searching for games that I liked, I would love to hear you go around and each pick a game that you NEVER want to cover on the podcast. (e.g. too long, too difficult, not your style, something is technically broken, etc.)
    • 30:45 @CtrlAltNoob/@TravisColenutt: “Who is the superior Mario brother?
    • 32:00 @KanePlaysStuff: “What is a video game?
    • 32:20 @chiasssoo: “This show set out with a goal of recreating the experience of playing games with friends. Even though I wasn’t there 97/100 times, I felt like I was there after listening to each episode. My one question is: when are you playing Metal Gear Solid? Congrats on the front page [of Apple Podcasts Canada]! Happy Hundred!
    • 35:00 @dj_stormageddon: “What video games changed your perception of what games are capable of as a medium.”
    • 37:25 from Mangulwort on Discord: “…talk about the first game you guys ever played?
    • 38:05 @lesperak asked about our favourite moments from the show
  • 40:45 @CtrlAltNoob inspired this edition of the Left Behind Game Show
  • 48:20 Wrap-up and thank yous

OUR NEW 10 GAMES “TO-PLAY” LIST

  • Jacob
    • Brutal Legend
    • Batman: Arkham Origins
    • The Order 1886
  • Mike
    • Dead Space
    • Celeste
    • Prey
    • Dishonored 2
  • Moe
    • Resident Evil 4
    • The Last Guardian
    • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • September 23, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Death of a Hired Man) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • October 7, 2020 – Death Stranding (Part 1) feat. Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt, Katie Lesperance & CourtFTW
  • October 14, 2020 – Death Stranding (Part 2) feat. Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt, Katie Lesperance & CourtFTW
  • October 28, 2020 – TBA feat. TBD

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

099: Kentucky Route Zero (Act 5)

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We tell you what happened after the storm in Kentucky Route Zero, Act 5. Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: January 26, 2020

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta saved what they could, dug a grave and buried the horses.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub 

Additional Music: Ice Cider (Cider Time Variation) by Lifeformed | Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Act 4 Recap
  • 3:40 The start of our Act 5 talk-through with a setup
  • 9:30 We talk through the first sequence: “We saved what we could”
  • 15:00 What about them ghosts?
  • 19:00 What about them horses?
  • 23:45 We dug a grave and getting to 5 Dogwood Drive
  • 31:40 The Ancient Midwest
  • 33:55 How about that dark barn shadow?
  • 38:15 Can you adopt the dog?
  • 41:20 We buried the horses
  • 49:00 We wrap up our Act V episode
  • 56:30 I’m Going That Way covered by Adam Iannetta

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • September 16, 2020 – Our 100th Anniversary Spectacular feat. Jacob, Mike and Moe
  • September 23, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Death of a Hired Man) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

098: A Way Out

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We escape from prison co-op style in A Way Out.

Developer: Hazelight Studios | Publisher: Electronic Arts | Initial Release: March 23, 2018

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn bond in pairs, play the mini-games for way too long and Jacob exerts his need for control with a middling result.

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guests: Kevin Reaburn (@ATribeCalledKev)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:40 Our Fast Pitch for A Way Out
  • 3:40 Our personal histories with A Way Out, Josef Fares and Hazelight
  • 6:10 How did we play A Way Out?
  • 8:15 We shared our character choices
  • 11:30 Let’s break out of prison!
  • 15:00 We broke out of prison to fish (a discussion about mini-games)
  • 19:45 Let’s talk about the major story beats?
  • 26:05 Masterful co-op direction
  • 29:55 Leo’s Way or Vincent’s Way?
  • 31:40 Some of our other highlights
  • 39:35 We set up Harvey and the “twist”
  • 44:05 A Way Out: Showdown
  • 46:05 Our endings
  • 47:35 The graphic/sound did their job
  • 48:40 The recommendation machine
  • 52:30 Questions from @CtrlAltNoob & @LukeWarmLewis
  • 59:50 Our final thoughts    

NEXT SHOWS:

  • September 9, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act V) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • September 16, 2020 – Our 100th Anniversary Spectacular feat. Jacob, Mike and Moe
  • September 23, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Death of a Hired Man) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

097: Kentucky Route Zero (Un Pueblo de Nada)

By | PODCAST | One Comment

Don’t tell Moe that we laughed at Moe the Crow from Kentucky Route Zero’s fourth interlude, Un Pueblo de Nada.

Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: January 25, 2018

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta explore haunting old television stations, make terrible “yo mama” jokes and finally get platinum status at Yarn Barn.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:55 A difference in perspective
  • 3:35 Moe the Crow
  • 4:40 Setting up the WEVP-TV studio
  • 9:50 The videos/websites that accompany this game
  • 12:55 Mike gets some perspective about playing the game act-by-act/interlude-by-interlude
  • 18:15 We give you the plot rundown of the game
  • 28:20 Ghosts don’t exist, right?
  • 31:40 Our hypotheses about the supernatural events from the interlude and our wrap-up

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • August 19, 2020 – A Way Out feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn
  • September 2, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act V) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • September 9, 2020 – Our 100th Anniversary Spectacular feat. Jacob, Mike and Moe
  • September 16, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Death of a Hired Man) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

096: Kentucky Route Zero (Act 4)

By | PODCAST | One Comment

We get crushed by debt in Kentucky Route Zero, Act 4. Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: July 19, 2016

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta find (found) sound, take a trip on a boat (and miss the boat), make really awful jokes out of obligation and continue to curse the “Hard Times” boys.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Additional Music: Ice Cider (Cider Time Variation) by Lifeformed |

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Act 3 Recap
  • 3:00 The start of our Act 4 talk-through
  • 4:40 Jacob completely missed the boat (but we sure didn’t)
  • 8:05 Will wills a mammoth (The Echo River)
  • 13:35 Recording found sound with Ezra
  • 16:00 Conway gives an arm and a leg
  • 21:30 We come upon a gas station
  • 30:30 The Rum Colony
  • 38:00 A Phone
  • 44:00 The Radvansky Center
  • 54:10 A Grove
  • 1:00:20 Echo River Central Exchange
  • 1:11:15 Sam and Ida’s
  • 1:16:00 A Neighbourhood and Silo of Late Reflections
  • 1:19:20 Final Thoughts about Act IV

UPCOMING SHOWS:

  • August 12, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Un Pueblo de Nada) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 19, 2020 – A Way Out feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn
  • September 2, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act V) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • September 9, 2020 – Our 100th Anniversary Spectacular feat. Jacob, Mike and Moe
  • September 16, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Death of a Hired Man) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

095: Florence

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We meet cute in Florence.

Developer: Mountains | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: February 14, 2018

Jacob and special guests Jessica Fantauzzo, Katie Lesperance and Travis Colenutt listen to beautiful (yellow) cello music, learn more about ourselves and spitefully cry.

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Jessica Fantauzzo (@jfant), Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:25 What is your fastpitch on Florence?
  • 3:05 How did you play Florence?
  • 4:20 We set up the beginning of the game
  • 9:20 We enter the spoiler room starting here; Florence meets Krish?
  • 13:00 A burgeoning relationship and we explain the dialogue system
  • 17:00 Moving In
  • 21:45 Jacob brings up “spite” and everyone turns on him
  • 27:20 Harvard’s Science of Being Happy course and interpreting the game
  • 29:25 Erosion
  • 33:40 Letting Go
  • 35:25 Self-discovery
  • 38:20 Question from @StoryEverPod on Twitter about us crying
  • 40:30 How the game ends
  • 43:50 Final thoughts
  • 45:40 The Left Behind Game Show
  • 51:00 The Recommendation Machine

NEXT SHOWS:

  • August 5, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act IV) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 12, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Un Pueblo de Nada) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 19, 2020 – A Way Out feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn
  • September 9, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act V) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • September 16, 2020 – Our 100th Anniversary Spectacular feat. Jacob, Mike and Moe
  • September 23, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Death of a Hired Man) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

094: Kentucky Route Zero (Here and There Along the Echo)

By | PODCAST | One Comment

We play with old telephones in Kentucky Route Zero (Here and There Along the Echo).

Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: October 30, 2014

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta dial (270) 301-5797, listen to a series of messages (and broadcasts) and receive phone calls?

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:00 An introduction to this interlude
  • 2:30 This interlude’s different telephone models
  • 4:30 Numbers stations
  • 10:10 Do we like this interlude?
  • 13:00 Wait… REAL PHONES AND A REAL NUMBER?
  • 17:25 Our favourite branches (speaking bat, great music
  • 25:15 What happens when you find the LBGC Numbers Station

NEXT SHOWS:

  • July 22, 2020 – Florence feat. Jacob with special guests Travis Colenutt, Katie Lesperance and Jessica Fantauzzo
  • August 5, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act IV) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 12, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Un Pueblo de Nada) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 19, 2020 – A Way Out feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

093: Kentucky Route Zero (Act 3)

By | PODCAST | One Comment

We occupy Pepe Silvia’s galaxy brain in Kentucky Route Zero, Act 3.

Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: May 6, 2014

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta experience a haunting musical performance, degauss old CRTs and scream about debt.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Additional Music: Ice Cider (Cider Time Variation) by Lifeformed | Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Previously on Act 2 of Kentucky Route Zero
  • 2:00 “Where my leg?”
  • 5:10 Was the first scene a hallucination?
  • 8:00 Hey, this game is about debt, right?
  • 12:50 The writing and the direction is so great (and continues to get better)
  • 14:00 Meeting Junebug and Johnny
  • 19:00 Taking in a show
  • 25:35 We set up Junebug and Johnny’s beautiful performance
  • 32:45 The Hall of the Mountain King & Xanadu
  • 39:30 Jacob’s galaxy brain moment (and really beautiful death) with Xanadu
  • 44:00 Going to a creepy graveyard
  • 47:25 The Hard Times Whiskey Distillery
  • 58:00 Jacob is ready to “wring this game’s neck” and we explain why
  • 1:03:45 Wrap-up

NEXT SHOWS:

  • July 8, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Here And There Along The Echo) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • July 22, 2020 – Florence feat. Jacob with special guests Travis Colenutt, Katie Lesperance and Jessica Fantauzzo
  • August 5, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act IV) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 12, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Un Pueblo de Nada) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 19, 2020 – A Way Out feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

092: Shovel Knight (Shovel of Hope)

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We trade in our virtual guns for a shovel in Shovel Knight.

Developer: Yacht Club Games | Publisher: Yacht Club Games | Initial Release: June 26, 2014

Jacob, Moe and special guest Nathan Norman Brandt talk about the Wii U and Amiibos, get confused about game naming and stan Tinker Knight hard.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Nathan Brandt (@TwoHeadedGiant) The NES Pod: Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:30 Nathan talks about his show, the New Entertainment System Podcast
  • 3:10 Our “Fast Pitch” about Shovel Knight
  • 4:05 What’s your personal history with Shovel Knight?
  • 6:05 Nathan is a Wii U apologist
  • 6:45 Wait… what is Shovel of Hope? What is the Treasure Trove? I’m confused… please help. Also, information on Yacht Club Games and their Kickstarter.
  • 12:45 Moe played on a keyboard, what was that like?
  • 13:10 What does Shovel Knight feel like (after this podcast, you should watch this video from GameSpot: 7 Forgotten Ideas That Inspired Shovel Knight)
  • 16:25 The story of the game
  • 18:00 The structure of the game and the Tinker Knight appreciation zone
  • 21:30 Nathan’s favourite boss battles: Tinker Knight, Treasure Knight and The Enchantress
  • 24:35 Jacob’s qualms about final boss battles strike again
  • 26:40 Some of the boss battles that we struggled with
  • 30:45 Relic and armour talk
  • 35:50 Is Shovel Knight a cute character + Nathan’s Amiibo Corner
  • 40:25 Jake Kaufman’s soundtrack (complete with leitmotifs)
  • 43:40 Integrating story into the gameplay
  • 48:40 A quick taste of Shovel Knight’s other campaigns and prequels (Game Maker’s Toolkit did a great video about them)
  • 50:25 Vomiting unicorns and propeller people
  • 54:40 A brand new segment… The Recommendation Machine!
  • 59:15 Final thoughts with a setup from @TheKamdyman on Twitter

NEXT SHOWS:

  • July 1, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act III) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • July 8, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Here And There Along The Echo) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • July 22, 2020 – Florence feat. Jacob with special guests Travis Colenutt, Katie Lesperance and Jessica Fantauzzo
  • August 5, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act IV) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 12, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Un Pueblo de Nada) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • August 19, 2020 – A Way Out feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

091: Kentucky Route Zero (The Entertainment)

By | PODCAST | One Comment

We try to eat a brick sandwich in Kentucky Route Zero: The Entertainment.

Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: November 22, 2013

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta contemplate “the American Dream”, catch a play and try to drink for free.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub  

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:35 An introduction to The Entertainment
  • 6:00 Our resident “dumb-dumb entertainment boy” loved this one
  • 7:55 How is this interlude different from a gameplay perspective?
  • 12:25 What happens in the play?
  • 22:30 The end reveal
  • 29:15 Final thoughts and wrap-up

NEXT SHOWS:

  • June 17, 2020 – Shovel Knight feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Nathan Brandt
  • July 1, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act III) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • July 8, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Here And There Along The Echo) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • July 22, 2020 – Florence feat. Jacob with special guests Travis Colenutt, Katie Lesperance and Jessica Fantauzzo

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

090: Kentucky Route Zero (Act 2)

By | PODCAST | One Comment

We grin and bear the comedy of bureaucracy in Kentucky Route Zero, Act 2.

Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: May 31, 2013

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta take a trip to an office park, a storage park, a trailer park and a park? Also, bears. And eagles?

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Additional Music: Ice Cider (Cider Time Variation) by Lifeformed | Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

SHOW NOTES:

  • 0:00 Previously on Act 1 of Kentucky Route Zero
  • 2:00 Entering the Bureau of Reclaimed of Spaces and the comedy of bureaucracy (Scene I)
  • 13:00 Getting back on the road to 5 Dogwood Drive and Dr. Truman
  • 17:00 Jacob dials a long-distance phone number that he found in the game
  • 20:20 Random Access Self Storage/Saint Thomas Church (Scene II/III)
  • 24:25 The Museum of Dwellings (Scene IV)
  • 28:00 Meeting Ezra and Julian
  • 31:05 Taking flight and exploring the forest (Scene V)
  • 37:30 Finding Dr. Truman
  • 41:40 Wrap-up

NEXT SHOWS:

  • June 10, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (The Entertainment) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • June 17, 2020 – Shovel Knight feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Nathan Brandt
  • July 1, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Act III) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • July 8, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Here And There Along The Echo) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

089: Firewatch

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We venture to the forests of Wyoming to watch for fires in Firewatch.

Developer: Campo Santo | Publisher: Campo Santo and Panic, Inc. | Initial Release: February 9, 2016

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Dan from the Greatest Story Ever Played Podcast enjoy some knock-off peanut butter, tell stories about their Boy Scout days and complain about not having firearms.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Dan from the Greatest Story Ever Played Podcast | Podcast: https://thegreateststoryeverplayed.com | Twitter: @StoryEverPod

Special Thanks: Jarrett McCourt for his voice on the cold open | Website: http://jarrettmccourt.com/

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:00 Dan talks about The Greatest Story Ever Played Podcast
  • 3:00 The “Fast Pitch” on Firewatch
  • 3:40 What is Firewatch + our admiration for Campo Santo’s members (Idle Thumbs, Walking Dead S1, Bioshock 2: Minerva’s Den, Half-Life: Alyx and In the Valley of the Gods)
  • 8:50 How did we play Firewatch?
  • 10:50 The look of Firewatch (and some Ford misappropriation)
  • 16:00 Wildlife and firearms
  • 18:10 Okay, describe Firewatch in detail!
  • 21:00 Now we get to the opening of the game’s story
  • 28:25 How did we play our Hanks?
  • 30:05 Voice acting in the game (Cissy Jones & Rich Sommer)
  • 31:50 An incident with some terrible teens (aka what did we do with their boombox)
  • 36:40 Are we good with maps? Jacob, the ex-Scout, is bad with maps and fire. 
  • 40:15 Firewatch’s mystery begins to unravel with a broken window, a communications line that has been cut and a wrecked campsite
  • 46:10 Unravelling the mystery
  • 51:45 The final sequence of the game
  • 1:01:10 Question from @ThoughtsFromP1 on Twitter: “did you find the ending was a satisfying conclusion to the story?”
  • 1:05:35 Question from @CtrlAltNoob on Twitter: “I see this recommended as one of the best Walking Sims a lot, what is it that makes this stand out more as oppose to others in the genre?”
  • 1:10:05 Question from @CommanderNici on Twitter: “would you take a job as a fire watcher and if so, how would you keep yourself entertained?”
  • 1:13:20 Our final thoughts and Dan talks about his podcast in detail

NEXT SHOWS

  • June 3, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero, Act 2 feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • June 10, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (The Entertainment) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • June 17, 2020 – Shovel Knight feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Nathan Brandt

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

088: Kentucky Route Zero (Limits & Demonstrations)

By | PODCAST | One Comment

We look at some art in Kentucky Route Zero: Limits & Demonstrations.

Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: February 7, 2013

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta are stricken with sadness, play with cassette tape and think about visages. You can download this interlude for free!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:15 How does Limits & Demonstrations begin?
  • 6:55 So, what do you do in this interlude?
  • 12:30 Our take on “Overdubbed Nam June Paik Installation in the style of Edward Packer”
  • 14:20 We screwed up and thought this was Act 2
  • 17:50 Mike compares this game to Thomas Pynchon’s “Gravity’s Rainbow” and David Foster Wallace’s “Infinite Jest”
  • 22:30 A description of “Visage”
  • 25:55 A description of “Spinning Coin Suspended, Correcting for Angular Motion”
  • 28:30 Wait… was this whole thing just a hardware test?

NEXT SHOWS:

  • May 20, 2020 – Episode 89: Firewatch feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Dan from the Greatest Story Ever Played Podcast
  • June 3, 2020 – Episode 90: Kentucky Route Zero, Act 2 feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • June 10, 2020 – Episode 91: Kentucky Route Zero, The Entertainment feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

087: Kentucky Route Zero (Act 1)

By | PODCAST | One Comment

We transport antiques through the Kentucky back-country in Kentucky Route Zero, Act 1.

Developer: Cardboard Computer | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: January 7, 2013

Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta meet a very old dog, explore some very spooky locations and buckle up for the strange and the mundane.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Adam Iannetta (@DMAIannetta) | Website: adamiannetta.ca

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:40 The “Fast Pitch” on Kentucky Route Zero
  • 3:25 What did we know about Kentucky Route Zero before we started?
  • 5:10 How did we play?
  • 7:15 Wait, this game was episodic? And it had a Kickstarter? [The Polygon article Jacob mentioned]
  • 7:50 What is Kentucky Route Zero?
  • 10:40 The start of the game at Equis Oil and the darkness held within (Act I, Scene I)
  • 14:05 An introduction to Conway and your dog
  • 15:50 How did we play our Conway?
  • 19:45 When things may have started to unravel at the Marquez Farmhouse (Act I, Scene II)
  • 23:05 The game has STYYYYYLE (and reminded us of Paper Mario)
  • 25:20 Mike describes the driving and some of the stops along the way
  • 29:20 How long did play in Kentucky Route Zero Act 1?
  • 30:25 We make our way to Elkhorn Mines (Act 1, Scene III)
  • 33:30 Wait, who is Shannon?
  • 36:15 Moving through the mine on a minecart (reminder: Mike is a scaredy-cat; Act 1, Scene IV)
  • 40:50 Mike explores and forgets to talk about his time back at Equis Oil (Act 1, Scene V)
  • 44:35 Back to the Marquez Farmhouse (Act 1, Scene VI)
  • 46:00 Do we want to keep playing Kentucky Route Zero?
  • 48:20 Our wildest theories about Act 2 and beyond!

NEXT SHOWS:

  • May 13, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero (Limits & Demonstrations) feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Iannetta
  • May 20, 2020 – Firewatch feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Dan from the Greatest Story Ever Played Podcast

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

086: The Last of Us

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We make travel across the country to potentially save humanity in the Last of Us.

Developer: Naughty Dog | Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment | Initial Release: June 14, 2013

Jacob, Mike and special guest Matt aka Stormageddon craft weapons, stumble through visceral battles and make human decisions throughout.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Matt aka Stormageddon (@DJ_Stormageddon)

Twitch: twitch.tv/dj_stormageddon | Facebook: facebook.com/stormageddonnyc

Matt also hosts a number of podcasts:

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:40 An introduction to Matt’s work (and a thank you to the Games Gone podcast)
  • 4:45 Fast Pitch for The Last of Us
  • 6:40 What are our personal histories with The Last of Us?
  • 11:10 What does The Last of Us feel like to play?
  • 18:20 The setup of The Last of Us and the opening of the game
  • 22:55 The voice acting in the game
  • 25:10 A primer on the combat and the gameplay and comparing it to Naughty Dog’s other games
  • 30:10 Talking through Uncharted 3’s train sequence, a comparison to horror games and Matt enters into the Mario vs. Luigi fray
  • 33:15 Is Mike being too hard on the game? Mike’s hot take on TLOU.
  • 35:55 Matt compares the game to the original Mass Effect
  • 39:30 The game’s jump cuts and comparisons to The Walking Dead
  • 45:45 We talk about the game’s cross-country journey (with Price is Right rules)
  • 48:20 Talking through some of the highlights in the story
  • 53:30 After teasing it throughout, we fully spoil the ending here
  • 56:05 The “re-bar” moment and the repercussions of that incident
  • 1:01:45 What do we want to see in TLOU2? [we do not speak about leaks here] 
  • 1:05:00 Moe would be envious of our weapon and tool talk
  • 1:09:45 Our standout moments from the game
  • 1:13:05 A deep dive on the hospital sequence
  • 1:17:15 “Do you think that Joel did the right thing?”
  • 1:19:30 The sound and music in the game and some 
  • 1:22:25 Questions from @lukewarmlewis, @LudonarrativeFM & @CtrlAltNoob
  • 1:28:45 Matt talks about his projects (links above)

NOTES ABOUT THE EPISODE:

  1. We did not discuss the multiplayer because PS3 servers for the multiplayer were shut down.
  2. We have avoided discussions about COVID-19 on the past few episodes, but for The Last of Us, we chose to discuss playing this game in our current environment. 
  3. We recorded this episode prior to April 27 when the new release date was announced and the leaks about the sequel occurred. The show only talks about sequel details from official Naughty Dog media and presentations.

NEXT SHOWS:

  • May 6, 2020 – Kentucky Route Zero Act I feat. Jacob, Mike and special guest Adam Ianetta
  • May 20, 2020 – Firewatch feat. Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Dan from the Greatest Story Ever Played Podcast 

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

085: A Short Hike

By | PODCAST | One Comment

We explore the great outdoors at our own pace in A Short Hike.

Developer: Adam Robinson-Yu | Publisher: Adam Robinson-Yu | Initial Release: April 5, 2019

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Flora Merigold fish, hike, and play an imaginary sport that is a cross between volleyball and badminton.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Flora Merigold, co-founder of EpilogueGaming.com

Twitter: @LudonarrativeFM | Twitch: @LudoFM

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

 SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:20 A summary of Flora’s work
  • 2:40 Our Short Hike Fast Pitch
  • 3:50 What did we know about A Short Hike before we started?
  • 8:10 What is it like playing A Short Hike? We explain the game’s Golden Feather system.
  • 12:00 “This game just lets you play,” the team refers to Adam Robinson-Yu’s GDC talk often (and Moe took a lot of notes)
  • 18:40 Some of the game’s ancillary system and mini-games (fishing, treasure hunting)
  • 21:10 We also talk about some of the characters and their snappy dialogue
  • 26:35 A Canadian connection to A Short Hike
  • 28:50 Silver Feathers?
  • 31:10 What do we think the game looks like?
  • 33:40 We talk about the sweet soundtrack
  • 35:30 We talk more specifically about the story and the dialogue
  • 43:30 Comparisons to Super Mario and Costume Quest
  • 45:25 Final thoughts

NEXT SHOWS:

  • The Last of Us w/ Jacob, Mike and Matt Storm: April 29th

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

084: Oxenfree

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We experience John Hughes’ version of Goosebumps in Oxenfree.

Developer: Night School Studios | Publisher: Night School Studios | Initial Release: January 15, 2016

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kam Konek from the New Entertainment System Podcast try and remember what it’s like to be a rebellious teen, explore a cool/freaky deserted island and talk a lot about fate.

Technical note: Mike knocked the cable out of his microphone partway through recording, so we are using a back-up for his track. The audio quality is a little bit lower than usual.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Kam Konek (@TheKamdyman)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

The NES Pod: Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:00 Kam tells us about the New Entertainment System Podcast
  • 3:15 Fast Pitch: Oxenfree Edition
  • 4:55 What did you know about Oxenfree before we started recording?
  • 6:55 What platforms did we play Oxenfree on?
  • 7:35 What is the gameplay of Oxenfree?
  • 9:40 Mike compares the game to Night in the Woods, Jacob compares the game to coming-of-age movies like Perks of Being a Wallflower and the Spectacular Now and Moe talks about Unity
  • 11:55 The game’s characters
  • 16:05 An explanation of the game’s multiple endings and “Clarissa [expletive] sucks”
  • 18:10 The start of Oxenfree and Mike explains the dialogue/speech bubble system
  • 22:25 The game’s big spooky twist [major spoilers start here]
  • 25:45 Comparing Oxenfree to a VHS player
  • 28:15 The game’s music and scenery were tranquil, but the lack of fast travel made Moe rage
  • 30:45 The map is frustratingly hard to use
  • 32:05 Bugs
  • 34:45 What the heck is actually going on?
  • 37:30 “What did you all think of the dialogue and writing?”
  • 42:55 The game starts funnelling you towards the end of the game
  • 50:00 We compares Oxenfree to Stranger Things and Interstellar
  • 54:05 The final choice and time loops?
  • 1:04:15 “Is leave possible”, New Game+ and the Oxenfree ARG (the ARG documentary that Jacob mentioned)
  • 1:08:00 Other players entering your experience?
  • 1:10:10 Mike brings up Nietzsche and Amor Fati… Moe brings up Frozen
  • 1:17:00 We cap off the episode with some sound talk and our final thoughts
  • 1:24:30 A solo version of the Left Behind Game Show and a blooper

Thank you to @jacobdekk, @storyeverpod and @LudonarrativeFM for the questions!

NEXT SHOWS:

  • A Short Hike w/ Jacob, Moe, Mike: April 15th
  • The Last of Us w/ Jacob, Moe, Mike and Matt Storm (aka Stormageddon): April 29th

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

083: Broken Age

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We kickstart a tale of two humans in two different worlds in Broken Age.

Developer: Double Fine Productions | Publisher: Double Fine Productions | Full Release: April 28, 2015

Jacob and special guests Jessica Fantauzzo, Katie Lesperance and Travis Colenutt talk about their adventure game experience (or lack thereof), laughed out loud and got so frustrated with the Hexipals.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Jessica Fantauzzo (@jfant), Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:40 What is your fast pitch on Broken Age?
  • 5:10 Double Fine Adventure Kickstarter?
  • 6:50 The Broken Age Fast Pitch
  • 8:05 How did we play Broken Age?
  • 10:25 How does Broken Age start and how did you start?
  • 13:00 The voice cast is wild in this game (Jack Black, Elijah Wood, Will Wheaton and Jennifer Hale, for instance)
  • 13:40 General thoughts about Act 1
  • 14:50 The start of Shay’s Act 1
  • 18:40 Shay meets Marek
  • 20:50 Travis’ human parent conspiracy theory
  • 23:05 Marek’s errands
  • 25:35 The start of Vella’s Act 1 (Sugar Bunting)
  • 28:25 Confronting Mog Chothra for the first time
  • 30:35 Getting to Merriloft and losing your vowels
  • 34:00 Going down to Shellmound
  • 39:00 Fighting Mog Chothra and “the twist”
  • 44:10 Act 2 (and frustration) start!
  • 50:45 Laying out the story in Act 2?
  • 59:30 Diving deep on the Act story
  • 1:06:00 Wiring (and re-wiring) Hexipals
  • 1:09:55 More highlights from our experience and questions from Twitter
  • 1:23:20 Final thoughts (Jacob’s quote came from here and we spoke about 101 Dalmatians: Escape from DeVil Manor and Goosebumps: Escape from Horrorland)
  • 1:28:35 We take a trip to the Left Behind Game Show!

Thank you to @VGRations, @CSGThomas, @ALittleBreath, @WTFamicom, @the_nmac, @PoundJayYi & Michael Ruffolo for your comments and questions!

NEXT SHOWS:

  • Oxenfree w/ Jacob, Moe and Kam Konek: April 1st
  • A Short Hike w/ guests TBD: April 15th
  • The Last of Us w/ Jacob, Moe, Mike and Matt (aka Stormageddon): April 29th

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

082: Gato Roboto

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We jump into robotic armour as KiKi the Cat in Gato Roboto.

Developer: doinksoft | Publisher: Devolver Digital | Initial Release Date: May 30, 2019

Jacob, Moe (or Meow as he would like to be called from now on) and special guests Joseph Hooper and Arsene Lakpa from the Player Player Podcast jump into submarines, turrets and robot suits, enter bullet hells and laugh at some feline-leaning humour.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guests: Joseph Hooper (@The3HoopMan) & Arsene Lakpa (@LeekyLeek13)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

The Player Player Podcast Links: Twitter | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:30 What is your fast pitch on Gato Roboto?
  • 3:20 What did you know about Gato Roboto before we podcasted?
  • 6:30 What is the gameplay style (and yes, the cat’s name is Kiki)?
  • 9:25 How does Gato Roboto start?
  • 12:00 Boss fights and vehicles
  • 18:25 Enemy types
  • 19:40 Weapons, power-ups and cartridges
  • 23:20 A short intermission about Playdate and how the console’s graphics are similar
  • 25:55 Was this game going to deliver an Undertale ending?
  • 27:40 The ending sequence
  • 33:35 The post-credit scene
  • 36:10 Final thoughts about Gato Roboto
  • 40:55 Other metroidvania games that we loved (we have covered Guacamelee, Shadow Complex and Ori and the Blind Forest)
  • 45:30 The Player Player Podcast pitch

NEXT SHOWS:

  • Broken Age w/ Jacob and special guests Katie Lesperance, Travis Colenutt and Jessica Fantauzzo: March 18th
  • Oxenfree w/ Jacob, Moe and a special guest (TBA): April 1st

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

081: Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 5 – City of Light)

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Gotham becomes uncaged in Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 5). Will it become re-caged?

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release Date: December 13, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe face off with their remaining foes, make weighty choices about body parts and look to fix all of Gotham’s issues.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:05 Recap of Episode 4’s Endings
  • Episode 5 Thoughts:
    • 2:25 Chapter 1: Loose Ends & Chapter 2: Revelations (Penguin)
    • 9:30 Chapter 1: Loose Ends & Chapter 2: Revelations (Harvey Dent)
    • 20:10 Chapter 3: On The Trail
    • 25:10 Chapter 4: The Legacy
    • 33:10 Chapter 5: Executive Decision
    • 42:45 Chapter 6: A New Day in Gotham
  • 47:55 What style of Batman were we?
  • 51:10 Our final thoughts about Episode 5 and the whole series

NEXT SHOWS:

  • Gato Roboto w/ Jacob, Moe and special guests Arsene Lakpa and Joseph Hooper from the Player Player Podcast: March 4th
  • Broken Age w/ Jacob and special guests Katie Lesperance, Travis Colenutt and Jessica Fantauzzo: March 18th

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

080: Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 4 – Guardian of Gotham)

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We stan Troy Baker in Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 4).

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release Date: November 22, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe rage at civilians, meet a new friend and finally get a W in these trying times.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:15 Recap of Episode 3’s Cliffhanger Ending
  • Episode 4 Thoughts:
    • 2:40 Chapter 1 – Price of Admission
    • 6:00 Chapter 2 – A Serious House
    • Chapter 3 – Home Sweet Home
      • 15:25 The Checkpoint
      • 23:15 The Vale Home
    • 34:55 Chapter 4 – Back to Business
    • 38:50 Chapter 5 – Another Night in the Office
    • Chapter 6 – The Good, The Bat and The Ugly
      • 49:55 Wayne Enterprises Route
      • 54:10 Wayne Manor Route

NEXT SHOWS:

  • Batman: The Telltale Series Episode 5: February 26th
  • Gato Roboto: March 4th
  • Broken Age: March 18th

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

079: Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 3 – New World Order)

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We prance, dance and romance in Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 3).

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release Date: October 25, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe coddle their sweet baby boy, Harvey Dent, meet Lucius Fox and find out more about the leader of the Children of Arkham.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 1:40 Recap of Episode 2’s Cliffhanger Ending
  • Episode 3 Thoughts:
    • 3:35 Chapter 1 – State of the Union
    • 8:15 Chapter 2 – A Man Unhinged
    • 14:40 Chapter 3 – Hostile Takeover & Chapter 4 – Off the Rails
    • 26:20 Chapter 5 – Third Wheel
    • 34:00 Chapter 06- The Best of Us
  • 46:35 Final Thoughts (Jacob referred to this documentary by noclip)

NEXT SHOWS:

  • Batman: The Telltale Series
    • Episode 4: February 19th
    • Episode 5: February 26th
  • March Games (Dates TBD)
    • Gato Roboto
    • Broken Age

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

078: Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 2 – Children of Arkham)

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We look into our confusing past and make a choice about present romances while the future of Gotham hangs in the balance in Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 2).

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release Date: September 20, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe ease the pain of our foes, bankroll our friends and approach corrupt politicians with caution.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • 2:05 Recap of where we left off in Episode 1
  • Episode 2 Thoughts:
    • 5:05 Chapter 1 – Broken Memories
    • 6:15 Chapter 2 – The Children
    • 14:30 Chapter 3 – A Big Fan
    • 18:20 Chapter 4 – Two of a Kind
    • 25:55 Chapter 5 – The Incumbent (Bruce Wayne)
    • 26:30 Chapter 5 – The Incumbent (Batman)
    • 28:40 Chapter 6 – Narrow Margins
  • 41:00 Wrap-Up

NEXT SHOWS:

  • Batman: The Telltale Series
    • Episode 3: February 12th
    • Episode 4: February 19th
    • Episode 5: February 26th
  • March Games (Dates TBD)
    • Gato Roboto
    • Broken Age

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

077: Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 1 – Realm of Shadows)

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We dive into the life of Gotham’s most eligible bachelor in Batman: The Telltale Series (Episode 1).

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Initial Release Date: August 2, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe gush about their love for the Batman, meet mysterious new friends at the local coffee shop and hurt some bad bad men.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Web: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

SHOW NOTES:

  • Pre-E1 Thoughts:
    • 2:30 What did you know about Batman: The Telltale Series before we started?
    • 4:30 How did we play the game? Also, our struggles with the Xbox Elite Controller.
    • 6:40 How would you describe this game to someone who hasn’t played a Telltale Game and playing it in front of a significant other.
    • 9:20 Our experience with the Batman series.
    • 12:35 How will we play our Batman?
    • 15:45 Graphic and sound (The Telltale Tool)
    • 17:45 What is the Shadows Edition?
  • Episode 1 Thoughts:
    • 18:15 Chapter 1: Welcome to Gotham
    • 19:05 Chapter 2: The One that Got Away
    • 26:35 Chapter 3: Meet the Press
    • 31:25 Chapter 4: World’s Greatest Detective
      • 40:10 Entering “Detective Mode” for the first time
      • *Jacob misquoted Jake Vanaman. He spoke about how one of the initial choices in Walking Dead S1 was lopsided and how it was their team’s fault for not justifying one choice as well as another (source). 
    • 47:05 Chapter 5: Room with a View
    • 1:00:55 Chapter 6: Family Secrets
    • 1:03:25 Final thoughts

NEXT SHOWS:

  • Batman: The Telltale Series [Episode 2]: February 5th
  • Batman: The Telltale Series [Episode 3]: February 12th
  • Batman: The Telltale Series [Episode 4]: February 19th
  • Batman: The Telltale Series [Episode 5]: February 26th

DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

TIP JAR: If you’re feeling generous and love the show, we have a PayPal tip jar! Any funds raised will go towards hosting our site and paying for games and equipment as we look to bring you higher quality content every month.

076: Detroit: Become Human [Part 2]

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We continue our fight for the future of Androids in Detroit: Become Human. Please note: this is part 2 of this series. Check out part 1 (episode 075) before listening to this!

Developer: Quantic Dream | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment (PS4) & Quantic Dream (PC) | Release Date: May 25, 2018

Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt and Katie Lesperance make friends with Ralph and Jerrys, connect Detroit: Become Human to the original Toy Story, Furby & Captain America: Winter Soldier and end it for good… in more ways than one.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes:

  • We continue Kara’s “solo story”:
    • 2:20 “Fugitives” & “On The Run”
    • 9:05 “Zlatko”
    • 15:40 “The Pirates’ Cove” and “Midnight Train”
  • All three characters’ stories converge:
    • 19:55 “Crossroads”
    • 33:45 “Night of the Soul”
    • 34:50 “Battle of Detroit” for Connor and Markus
    • 51:00 “Battle of Detroit” for Kara
  • 1:05:15 Chloe
  • 1:08:15 Graphics and Sound
  • 1:10:00 Allegations against Quantic Dream (source 1 | source 2)
  • 1:11:20 Further readings about the game’s criticism
  • 1:14:45 Questions from Twitter and Discord (thank you Athunderheart, The Greatest Story Ever Played Podcast and CtrlAltNoob)
  • 1:20:10 Final thoughts

Other January Shows:

  • Batman: The Telltale Series [Part 1]: January 29th

075: Detroit: Become Human [Part 1]

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We fight for the future of Androids in Detroit: Become Human.

Developer: Quantic Dream | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment (PS4) & Quantic Dream (PC) | Release Date: May 25, 2018

Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt and Katie Lesperance walk through future Detroit, question our own morality and chastise Jacob for his behaviour. He may have gone Big Bad Wolf again.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes:

  • 2:20 What did you know about Detroit: Become Human?
  • 4:10 Question from Michael Ruffolo: “Did anything stand out to you as frequent visitors to Detroit that stood out to you as especially accurate or inaccurate?”
  • 6:20 How do you describe Detroit: Become Human? Thanks for the description, Helen.
  • 8:50 How did we play the game?
  • 9:25 We enter the spoiler-room starting now!
  • 10:10 We declare which character’s story was our favourite
  • We begin with Markus‘ “solo story”:
    • 10:30 Our thoughts on Markus’ character arc
    • 12:15 “The Painter” & “Broken”
    • 16:25 We explain the game’s “flowcharts”
    • 19:50 “From the Dead
    • 22:20 “Jericho” and your new friends Josh, North and Simon
    • 25:55 Morality/relationships: Jericho sentiment and secondary character relationships
    • 26:45 “Spare Parts”
    • 29:55 “The Stratford Tower”, “Capitol Park” & “Freedom March”
  • Next, we jump into Connor’s “solo story”:
    • 36:50 “The Hostage”
    • 39:20 “Partners”,The Interrogation” “Waiting for Hank”
    • 42:05 “The Nest”
    • 44:00 “Russian Roulette”
    • 45:45 “The Eden Club” and Bryan Dechart streams (Jacksepticeye video we mentioned)
    • 52:20 “The Bridge” and a Windsor, Ontario tie
    • 53:10 “Public Enemy”, “Meet Kamski” & “Last Chance, Connor”
  • Finally, we tackle Kara’s “solo story”
    • 59:40 Introduction to Kara
    • 1:05:20 “A New Home” & Quantic Dream’s 2012 “Kara” Short Film
    • 1:09:00 “A Stormy Night” and breaking out of your Mind Palace

Other January Shows:

  • Detroit: Become Human [Part 2]: January 8th
  • Batman: The Telltale Series [Part 1]: January 29th

074: The Game Awards (2019) [BONUS]

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We drank two and half bottles of wine, watched the Game Awards and talked into microphones about them. This is a bonus episode that breaks the format of our normal programming and will likely be our last show of 2019! Tune back in on January 1st for our takes on Detroit: Become Human.

On this bonus episode, Jacob and special guests Travis and Katie questioned which Travis has the best last name (Touchdown or Colenutt), market Xbox Game Pass and plug tons of past LGBC pods. Oh yeah, and Katie chastises Jacob about Star Wars in the post-show.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

If you liked the show, consider giving us a review on iTunes!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:20 No More Heroes 3
  • 3:45 Final Fantasy 7 Remake
  • 7:45 Mortal Kombat 11 DLC
  • 11:20 Maneater
  • 12:50 Xbox Series X
  • 14:55 Jacob and Katie fight about Xbox Game Pass
  • 17:30 Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II or Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga
  • 19:50 Travis is “fantasy-ed” out
  • 21:40 Control DLC
  • 22:30 Godfall, Warframe, Sons of the Forest, New League of Legends Games
  • 23:20 Ori and the Will of the Wisps, More Magic, Weird West
  • 24:50 Gears Tactics and Nine to Five
  • 26:45 Wolf Among Us 2
  • 27:50 Fast and Furious: Crossroads
  • 29:55 Game of the Year Announcement
  • 31:40 Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 DLC
  • 33:45 Musical performances (CHVRCHES, TGA Orchestra, Grimes and Green Day)
  • 35:40 Ninja vs. Fire Emblem’s Caspar and Untitled Beaker Game (The Muppets)
  • 37:15 Jacob runs through The Game Awards winners (incl. Disco Elysium, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Control, Death Stranding and Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
  • 43:00 We run through the 2019 games that we still have to play
  • 45:50 Our final thoughts about the Game Awards 2019
  • 50:15 Post-show: Katie calls out Jacob for his history with the Star Wars franchise

073: Wolfenstein: The New Order

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We hide out in WWII-era Germany and plot our assault in Wolfenstein: The New Order.

*We had some slight mic issues in this episode (especially near the end of the episode). We apologize for the inconvenience.*  

Developer: Machine Games | Publisher: Bethesda Softworks | Release Date: May 20th, 2014

Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn dual-wield, get tested on the train and do the good good stealth.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

If you liked the show, consider giving us a review on iTunes!

Players: Mike Ruffolo (@ruffolom) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Kevin Reaburn (@ATribeCalledKev)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:50 What did we know about Wolfenstein: The New Order and Machine Games before playing?
  • 5:20 A connection to the Chronicles of Riddick & Starbreeze?
  • 6:50 What is Wolfenstein: The New Order?
  • 9:50 We laugh at the difficulty names
  • 11:40 The starting sequence of the game
  • 13:25 Anya and the first key decision
  • 21:15 The rest of the major story beats (part 1)
  • 23:45 The Da’at Yichud
  • 28:10 Great mechanics in the game
  • 34:00 Tons of terrain types
  • 37:25 LaserKraftWerk upgrades
  • 40:45 “The stealth was so good in this game”
  • 42:20 The rest of the major story beats (part 2) and how the game ends
  • 50:00 Dual-wielding!
  • 52:50 Shotgun alternative ammo, the OP
  • 53:30 Our other favourite weapons
  • 56:15 The best characters in the game
  • 1:01:45 Character development mission
  • 1:03:30 Wrap-up (#KevQueries)

Next Shows:

  • Detroit: Become Human – January 1st ft. Jacob McCourt, Travis Colenutt & Katie Lesperance
  • More game announcements coming soon!

072: The First Tree

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We run through the forest and think about our relationships thanks to The First Tree. #heroesneverdie

Developer: David Wehle | Publisher: David Wehle | Release Date: September 14, 2017

Jacob and Travis mourned our losses, chased butterflies and dug up some memories. Also, Moe also ranted. Boy, did he rant.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

If you liked the show, consider giving us a review on iTunes!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 What is The First Tree?
  • 2:50 A warning about this podcast (we spoil everything)
  • 3:35 The setup of The First Tree
  • 5:40 How did we play? What did we know about The First Tree before we started playing (we referenced lists like Vulture’s The 21 Best Video Games You Can Finish in 6 Hours or Less and Polygon’s 14 new games you can complete in a weekend)
  • 6:35 This game is about much more than we thought
  • 10:15 Trains vs. Tanks
  • 11:00 Was there a story from the game that stuck with us?
  • 12:45 Another ASMR game?
  • 15:40 Some of the mechanics in the game
  • 21:00 An antagonist and a revelation
  • 25:10 Comparing this game to Journey, ABZÛ and Gone Home
  • 27:15 The final of the game’s three sections
  • 27:50 Joseph has a bad Dad and we tell you why (and Jacob talks about his Dad)
  • 31:00 The first ending sequence: The First Tree
  • 33:05 A message and we enter the “Soft Boi Zone”
  • 38:45 The second ending sequence: Six Months Later
  • 42:50 “Heroes Never Die, Godspeed.”
  • 45:15 The game’s great music and technical challenges
  • 47:10 Moe’s rant and our final thoughts

Next Shows:

  • Wolfenstein: The New Order – December 4th ft. Mike Ruffolo, Moe Murtadi & Kevin Reaburn
  • Detroit: Become Human – January 1st ft. Jacob McCourt, Travis Colenutt & Katie Lesperance
  • Plus… surprises?

071: Doom (2016)

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We rip and tear our enemies to shreds as the Doom Slayer in Doom (2016).

Developer: id Software | Publisher: Bethesda Softworks | Release Date: May 13, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe go to hell, kill everything in sight and head bang to some sick rock beats while doing it.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

If you liked the show, consider giving us a review on iTunes!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) and Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:45 What is DOOM?
  • 4:05 What is our experience with the series?
  • 6:10 Who are John Carmack and John Romero?
  • 8:10 How did we play Doom (2016)?
  • 9:05 How does Doom play (combat chess, glory kills and push forward combat)?
  • 16:20 The guns!
  • 19:50 Weapon mods and limited use weapons (including chainsaw and the BFG-9000)
  • 24:25 Ruins
  • 28:40 Bosses
  • 30:55 Is the story in this one important?
  • 34:20 Sound (shout-out to A & C Games in Toronto)
  • 36:15 Graphics
  • 39:45 The tumultuous story of Doom 4 1.0 aka Call of Doom (see noclip’s documentary about it)
  • 42:15 The things we didn’t like: the Switch port’s price and load times
  • 44:05 User submitted questions (multiplayer mode, sensitivity, “Doom Guy” for Smash and Rip or Tear)
  • 49:20 Final thoughts

Next Shows:

  • Wolfenstein: The New Order – December 4th
  • Detroit: Become Human – January 1st

070: P.T.

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We prepare ourselves for Death Stranding (and Halloween) with the very spooky P.T.!

Developer: 7780S Studios aka Kojima Productions | Publisher: Konami | Release Date: August 12, 2014

Jacob and special guest Jessica Fantauzzo (her 3rd apperance) scream at the top of their lungs many times, learn the worst ways to decorate your home and talk to a bagged lunch.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

If you liked the show, consider giving us a review on iTunes!

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Jessica Fantauzzo (@jfant)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:30 What is P.T.? What did you know about P.T.?
  • 2:40 Who is Hideo Kojima?
  • 3:30 The initial sequence of P.T.
  • 4:30 Who screamed first?
  • 6:05 The setting and bad decor of P.T. (including a “table of regrets”)
  • 9:20 We introduce you to the antagonist, Lisa
  • 11:00 P.T.: “The Corn Maze of Video Games”?
  • 14:50 Picture fragments and Lisa attacks
  • 18:00 New decor in the hallway (like red lights and a bloody fridge) gives us (P.T.)SD
  • 20:30 The writing is on the wall (“Hello!”)
  • 23:40 Lisa sticks to you
  • 25:20 A change in perspective aka “the red hallway”
  • 28:10 The bathroom scene
  • 29:55 The final sequence of P.T. and the heavily scrutinized way to finish the game
  • 34:50 Slient Hills starring Norman Reedus (note: Jacob wants to play Shattered Memories)
  • 35:55 The zeitgeist around P.T., Silent Hill, Hideo Kojima and Konami
  • 37:10 We talk about revelations from two great videos about this: The Grate Debate and Super Bunnyhop
  • 40:25 Closing thoughts about P.T.
  • 45:25 Bloopers

Please note: you cannot get this game on PS4 anymore, but you can get a remade version of the game on itch.io!

Next Shows:

  • DOOM (2016) – November 6th
  • Wolfenstein: The New Order – December 4th

069: Valiant Hearts: The Great War

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We learn about the hard truths of World War I in Valiant Hearts: The Great War

Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier | Publisher: Ubisoft | Release Date: June 24, 2014

Jacob and special guests Travis Colenutt (his 6th appearance) and Katie Lesperance (her 1st appearance) solve tons of puzzles, trek around Europe and talk about the dogs of war.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt) & Katie Lesperance (@lesperak)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes:

  • 1:30 An introduction to Katie’s gaming preferences
  • 2:40 What did we know about Valiant Hearts beforehand?
  • 3:45 How did we play Valiant Heart: The Great War + our Switch impressions
  • 5:15 How would you describe Valiant Hearts?
  • 6:15 Katie shares her love of the The Curse of Monkey Island & LucasArt vs. Sierra adventure games
  • 9:25 The opening of the game and the five main characters (Emile, Karl, Anna, Freddie and Walt)
  • 11:25 World War 1 and video games
  • 12:35 The game’s partnership with Apocalypse: World War I
  • 15:15 Our big issue with the game: its “tonal whiplash” (spoilers begin at 16:20)
  • 18:50 The unique mechanics for the five main characters
  • 19:20 Katie is a nurse and she has an issue with Anna’s compressions
  • 20:55 THERE’S A DOG… save the doggo!
  • 22:35 Risking Walt’s life in front of a flamethrower
  • 24:00 The Dogs of War and we all thought that Walt was going to die
  • 27:25 Tons of block puzzles… did we like the puzzles?
  • 29:45 Anna’s driving sections
  • 30:30 We talk about UbiArt and compare the game to Scribblenauts and Castle Crashers
  • 32:40 Were all of the puzzles logical?
  • 33:55 Jacob compares the final boss to Metal Gear Solid 4
  • 35:00 Travis struggled with his aim
  • 37:50 The hint system
  • 40:45 Jacob’s story book report and the final sequence of the game (The Nivelle Offensive)
  • 45:15 How emotional did we get with the ending? Cold dead heart or a weeping, sopping mess?
  • 51:15 The music fit the game perfectly
  • 52:15 We fight about character and narrator accents (“some PBS narrator”)
  • 58:00 Some of the cool “comic book-like” visual elements (Katie’s husband called it “trippy”)
  • 59:55 Our final thoughts about Valiant Hearts + Jacob’s recommendation: The Lion’s Song
  • 1:04:25 Please let us know if you know about Tintin in our Discord

068: Splinter Cell: Conviction

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We mark and execute our foes in Splinter Cell: Conviction.

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal | Publisher: Ubisoft | Release Date: April 13, 2010

Jacob and Moe give their best Michael Ironside impressions, use some cool gadgets and talk too much about movies.

The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast with a focus on positivity & community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) and Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:50 Our history with Splinter Cell (with SOCOM/Hitman talk)
  • 4:30 How did we play Splinter Cell: Conviction (including a story about Ubisoft Uplay)
  • 5:10 Playing the game with a controller on PC
  • 6:05 Jacob shows off his Splinter Cell: Conviction (Collector’s Edition) aka great audio
  • 7:35 Jacob explores the Clancyverse (Ghost Recon, H.A.W.X. and EndWar)
  • 8:45 Jacob reads Kevin Van Ord’s Verdict on the game (read his Xbox 360 review)
  • 11:40 The controls and gameplay of Splinter Cell: Conviction
    • 11:55 Using the dark
    • 13:20 Using your snake cam
  • 14:10 The Michael Ironside talk begins (Command & Conquer and Jacob looks at his face for the first time)
  • 16:10 The Batman, 24 and My Hero Academia variety minute
  • 18:05 Continued talk about controls and gameplay
    • 18:10 Mark & Execute
    • 22:10 Last Known Position
    • 23:30 Using cover in the game
    • 25:10 Interrogations (and Monster Closets)
  • 27:00 The LBGC’s Chief Guns Officer chimes in on Splinter Cell: Conviction’s weapons
  • 29:30 Gadget talk
  • 33:00 A follow-up on the control (they may be too loose)
  • 34:10 Storytelling in the environment (with a What Remains of Edith Finch callback)
  • 37:00 Comparing Splinter Cell: Conviction to today’s graphics
  • 39:00 The sound in Splinter Cell: Conviction
  • 39:50 Where should you start with Splinter Cell?
  • 41:35 Jacob’s Splinter Cell: Conviction Book Report
  • 46:00 Who is Megiddo (with slight Metal Gear Solid spoilers)
  • 47:15 Jacob compares Splinter Cell: Conviction to Steven Seagal’s Under Siege 2
  • 48:45 Product placement in the game #brands
  • 49:35 Our final thoughts about Splinter Cell: Conviction
  • 52:55 A special shout-out to the The Player Player Podcast

066: Bioshock

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We take a stroll through Rapture and see what Andrew Ryan has built.

Developer: Irrational Games | Publisher: 2K Games  | Release Date:  August 21, 2007

Mike, Jacob and Moe share stories about the great year 2007 was for games, how they came to Bioshock, and whether the twist holds up in the current day and age.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom), Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 What did we know about Bioshock coming into this?
  • 4:30 Bioshock was like going to Disney world
  • 5:10 2007 was a great year for games
  • 7:25 Expectations were high and it broke Mike’s heart playing it again
  • 8:15 Do the game mechanics age well?
  • 8:40 “The Citizen Kane of Games” and Roger Ebert
  • 10:10 How did we play it? PC, console, original and remaster
  • 11:58 What is Bioshock and how does it start?
  • 13:15 Morality system and consequences (or lack thereof)
  • 13:50 Who is Andrew Ryan?
  • 15:30 Splicers and Atlas
  • 16:30 What does the game look like? Answer: dark and creepy
  • 19:10 Rapture feels like a character
  • 20:00 This game still looks good, and looked great back in the day
  • 20:45 What are Plasmids?
  • 22:00 What is Adam and Eve and where did it come from? Sea slugs and superhumans
  • 23:15 “Little Sisters are Demons”
  • 24:00 Big Daddies are like momma bears and just as tough
  • 26:00 How did you take down Big Daddies?
  • 28:00 Incinerate and Shock
  • 28:50 Plasmids and the wrench
  • 30:15 Jacob feels the gameplay is dated
  • 32:30 KOTOR is the best game ever made and Mike’s co-hosts are trollish dickheads 🙂
  • 33:30 The AI is really good
  • 34:20 What are your favourite parts of the game?
  • 38:30 Jacob and Mike geek out over Fort Frolic and Sander Cohen
  • 41:30 What did you do with the Little Sisters? Jacob McCourt is a bad man
  • 45:00 Tennenbaum and the different endings
  • 48:30 Bioshock and the illusion of choice
  • 51:00 Frustrated with a second playthrough
  • 52:00 The bad PS3 port made Mike happy
  • 53:20 Jacob felt it drags on and doesn’t end well
  • 54:00 What we felt about the ending
  • 55:00 Randian Objectivism and the politics of the game
  • 59:00 Simple impressions on the sequels, Bioshock 2 and Bioshock Infinite
  • 1:01:00 LBGC connection to Bioshock 2
  • 1:03:00 What’s next for Ken Levine?
  • 1:04:30 Sharing our final thoughts and takeaways
  • 1:05:20 Mike almost got a regrettable Bioshock tattoo

065: Catherine

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We talk extensively about our romantic relationship because of Catherine.

Developer: Atlus | Publisher: Atlus (in most regions)  | Release Date:  February 17, 2011

Mike, Jacob and special guests Shay Whiston and Rocco Tenaglia III let their feelings out, talk about cursed puzzle games and really get to know each other on a personal level.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guests: Shay Whiston (@ShaelynTai) and Rocco Tenaglia III (@SixHundredBucks)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:50 What is Catherine?
  • 5:15 “How do slip into an affair?” Alcohol.
  • 8:00 Mike pre-ordered Catherine
  • 9:25 We talk about Catherine’s puzzle gameplay by comparing the game to Q*Bert and Pushmo
  • 11:40 What’s the anime part of Catherine?
  • 12:50 What about choice in Catherine?
  • 14:50 The binary morality system in the game
  • 16:20 Jacob brings in the Bechdel Test
  • 19:50 Vincent is so frustrating
  • 21:50 Sheep = People?
  • 22:35 The curse
  • 25:10 The overarching plot of Catherine
  • 26:55 The art-style (in-engine vs. pre-rendered cutscenes)
  • 28:40 The music in Catherine
  • 29:30 The voice-overs in Catherine (Troy Baker & Laura Bailey)
  • 30:30 Going into the washroom for… stuff?
  • 32:35 New techniques? Rapunzel game?
  • 34:45 How you’re supposed to play Catherine (with callbacks to our The Witness episode)
  • 36:35 Catherine and its take on relationships
  • 40:15 Did Catherine change your take on relationships?
  • 42:00 Michael’s in the Hot Seat
  • 47:35 We enter the confessional and give our moral takes
  • 54:50 Baby play
  • 56:40 Wrap-up
  • 58:00 Rocco talks about his new book, How to Write a Book And Make At Least Six Hundred Dollars

064: Our Top 3 of E3 2019 Special

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We talk about video games on our 2019 E3 Special!

Jacob, Moe and Mike break the Game Club mold by talking about E3 2019!

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes:

  • 2:00 The Format of our E3 Special
  • 2:45 We head into AnimeLand to talk about My Hero Academia (and Disney’s Sky High)
  • 4:15 Jacob’s #3: Fire Emblem: The Three Houses
  • 7:05 Jacob #2 & Moe’s #1: Pokemon Sword and Shield
  • 9:00 Mike’s Pokemon Defense: Totally Not Mark’s Pokemon: The Devolving Designs (ft. Tom O’Regan)
  • 12:15 Don’t forgot about Pokemon Home, Pokemon Sleep and Pokemon Go Plus Plus!
  • 13:10 Jacob #1: Control (and Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy)
  • 18:50 Mike’s #1: Fable 4 (and signing Peter Molyneux’s wall)
  • 22:30 Mike’s #2: Watch Dogs: Legion (and our love for Driver: San Francisco)
  • 25:45 Mike’s #3: The Opportunity Caused by Sony’s E3 Absence (probably from Microsoft)
  • 30:40 Moe’s #2: An Update to APEX Legends or a new Battle Royale
  • 34:35 Moe’s #3: Surprises!
  • 38:10: Games Gone’s Most Anticipated Games from E3 2019!
  • 39:00 Video Game Rations’s Most Anticipated Games & News from E3 2019!
  • 41:15 Community Voice Clips & Comments
  • 44:35 Wrap-Up

Additional Music:

  • Cold, In My Mind (from Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy)

Our E3 2018 picks:

  • Moe’s Top 3:
    • Super Smash Brothers for Switch
    • Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee
    • Spider-Man
  • Jacob’s Top 3
    • Ghost of Tsushima
    • The Last of Us Part II
    • Rage 2
  • Mike’s Top 3
    • Anthem
    • Fallout 76
    • Beyond Good and Evil 2

062: Undertale

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We go on some weird dates in Undertale.

Developer: Toby Fox | Publisher: Toby Fox | Release Date: September 15, 2015

Jacob and Travis question their morality, flirt with mommies, go down to bullet hell and discover who’s the better person (it’s not Jacob).

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Additional music this week:

  • Cold open music: Undertale OST 001 – Once Upon a Time by Toby Fox
  • Credits music: Hopes and Dreams / Save the World (Undertale) – GaMetal Remix by GaMetal

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:40 Two warnings before we start the show (aka reverse marketing)
  • 2:45 The setup of Undertale
  • 3:45 Meeting Flowey and how the game’s battle system works
  • 5:40 Meeting Toriel and the game’s overworld
  • 12:50 Your final Undertale spoiler warning
  • 13:00 Jacob is a bad man; an introduction to the game’s morality system
  • 16:15 Shout-outs to our friends at Video Game Rations (check out their new Undertale podcast & website)
  • 17:20 We talked about the 93 different permutations of the game’s ending (Undertale’s endings in a flowchart)
  • 19:30 Is Jacob more of a Sans or Papyrus (shout-out Inspector Gadget)?
  • 24:45 The Papyrus fight
  • 28:25 Jacob and Travis’ date with Papyrus (shout-out to Mass Effect)
  • 34:00 Jacob = Mettaton + Papyrus & Travis = Alphys + Sans
  • 34:35 Undyne and the Monster Child (and “Toby says no”)
  • 37:20 The music of Undertale
  • 38:20 The enemy variety in Undertale
  • 42:05 Dating Undyne
  • 44:50 The Hotlands, Mettaton and Alphys
  • 50:45 The Mettaton-Alphys twist
  • 51:40 Alphys is like a 2007-era Facebook user
  • 53:00 Cool, but what is it like to play Undertale?
  • 54:40 The Mettaton fight
  • 58:40 Asgore
  • 59:20 Explaining the game’s initial story
  • 1:02:20 The final Sans interaction and the LV/EXP revelation
  • 1:04:50 The Asgore fight
  • 1:06:40 Explaining the differences between weapons
  • 1:09:15 Photoshop Flowey aka Omega Flowey, God Flowey or Flowey X
  • 1:12:00 Jacob deleted his Switch save… thank you Flowey’s Time Machine
  • 1:15:30 Going back to romance Alphys
  • 1:17:50 Deep lore about Flowey and determination
  • 1:20:30 Back to the True Pacifist ending
  • 1:26:00 The Genocide ending (shoutout to Nitro Rad’s Undertale Story Explainer)
  • 1:29:00 The choice that gave Jacob legitimate goosebumps, the consequences of this choice and Sans
  • 1:32:40 Jumping into YouTube videos (like Game Theory’s Who is W.D. Gaster?)
  • 1:34:10 Jacob brings it back to Professional Wrestling with Kenny Omega’s Wrestle Kingdom 13 en trance (Kenny’s Quest)
  • 1:35:55 Our final thoughts and Deltarune

061: Cuphead

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We died thousands of times in Cuphead.

Developer: StudioMDHR | Publisher: StudioMDHR| Release Date: September 29, 2017

Jacob, Mike and special guest Shane Chiasson make a deal with the devil, roll the dice, hold down “X” for many hours and get frustrated by the youth.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) and Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guests: Shane Chiasson (@chiassoo; check out his YouTube channel)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 What system did you play Cuphead on?
  • 2:30 Re-mapping the controls [Cuphead tips: How to fix the controls (Polygon)]
  • 3:40 Shout-out to old cartoons (Betty Boop, Tom & Jerry and Looney Tunes)
  • 4:45 Cuphead and many E3s
  • 6:00 Shout-out to Bendy and the Ink Machine and a Zombie Walt Disney
  • 6:25 Mike makes us feel old with his “Cuphead Cousin” and Jacob rage quits life
  • 8:00 Boss Run/Boss Rush games that we have played (shout-outs to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Castle Crashers and Mega Man X) & Studio MDHR’s influences
  • 10:30 Did we like this game?
  • 12:25 The game’s setup
  • 13:50 Run & Gun and the “Simple” difficulty level
  • 15:00 Power-up/weapon discussions and plane levels
  • 20:20 Our brain solved the tough levels (Jacob enjoys punishment)
  • 23:20 Back to power-up discussions
  • 25:50 The moment Jacob realized that Cuphead is a good video game [Cuphead, Ruiner, and the joy of really hard games (Verge)]
  • 32:30 We get to King Dice and breakdown this insane boss fight [Cuphead boss guide: King Dice in ‘All Bets Are Off’ (Polygon)]
  • 35:10 Tipsy Troop, Chips Bettigan and Mr. Wheezy
  • 37:20 Pip and Dot, Hocus Pocus and Phear Lap
  • 40:10 Who died the most in Cuphead?
  • 42:15 The Devil’s Choice
  • 44:30 Would the game better with a Switch controller [Yup, Cuphead Is Better On the Switch. Here’s Why. (Paste Magazine)]
  • 46:15 Pirouletta, Mangosteen and Mr. Chimes
  • 50:45 Perfect dice parrying
  • 52:40 The Devil and other boss talk
  • 59:05 “It’s a real castle?” and Cuphead 2
  • 1:00:25 Wrap-up

060: Night in the Woods

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We enjoy some small town livin’ in Night in the Woods.

Developer: Infinite Fall | Publisher: Finji | Release Date: February 21, 2017

Jacob, Mike and special guests Travis Colenutt and Jessica Fantauzzo run from right to left, dive deep into our early 20s friendships and relationships, debate the nature of man… AND CRIMES.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) and Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guests: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)  and Jessica Fantauzzo (@jesstauzzo)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 We enter the spoiler room brawl right at the beginning
  • 3:00 Tell us about the gameplay from Night in the Woods!
  • 4:05 What does the game look like?
  • 5:05 Jess describes the “Fab Four”
  • 6:25 The town is full of life and great secondary characters
  • 9:10 We imagine our voices for the characters
  • 10:35 Who did we hang out with the most (ft. Jacob’s Gregg voice and a question from Thomas Reiss)?
  • 15:15 More Gregg time (and Jacob’s Angus impression)
  • 19:00 Diving deep into our in-game friendships
  • 21:05 Our favourite characters
  • 24:10 Moving from right to left (thanks to What’s So Great About That?)
  • 25:20 YA Fiction, Coming of Age stories and Night in the Woods (see Scott Benson’s GDC talk & Errant Signal’s NitW video)
  • 27:10 Mae is kind of awful in the beginning… does she grow as a character?
  • 30:10 Gaining a greater appreciation for Night in the Woods as time goes on
  • 31:05 Jacob and Mike get into a debate about the nature of man
    (buckle up)
  • 35:50 Mike ties the debate into Mae’s mirror scenes
  • 37:30 Jacob relates himself to Mae to counter
  • 41:05 Jacob lost the debate, tries to shift the attention to poetry and Selmers
  • 42:20 Mallard the Duck
  • 44:00 The Tooth
  • 45:55 Jacob reads Selmers politically charged poem and we talk about her backstory
  • 48:10 Germ and cut content
  • 49:20 The twist
  • 53:10 The event that sets Part 3 into motion
  • 55:50 Chasing a hooded figure out of town
  • 57:30 Diving into the dream sequences
  • 59:20 Night in the Woods’ version of Rock Band
  • 1:02:25 The search for the ghost(s)!
  • 1:06:00 The goth guarded gate and Mae’s embarrassing stories
  • 1:10:00 Wrecking a bathroom (#crimes)
  • 1:11:15 Hanging out with Angus and learning more about him
  • 1:13:10 The linear path to the game’s conclusion
  • 1:16:45 Mae goes alone for a Night in the Woods (or does she)
  • 1:20:10 Lovecraftian Horror
  • 1:22:00 Mae’s mental health (check out Chloe Spencer’s piece about Night in the Woods entitled “Night In The Woods Treats Depression Like A Part Of Life“)
  • 1:27:30 Talking to an ancient god
  • 1:30:30 The game’s credits and a question from the Ludonarrative Podcast

059: Titanfall 2

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We befriend a robot and talk about APEX Legends in Titanfall 2.

Developer: Respawn Entertainment | Publisher: Electronic Arts | Release Date: October 28, 2016

Moe, Mike and special guests Bobby and Kevin run on walls, jump into huge killer robots and punch fools through the space-time continuum.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) and Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guests: Bobby Baird (from the Part Time Gamers Podcast aka PTGCast) and Kevin Reaburn (@ATribeCalledKev)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 What is your experience with Titanfall 2?
  • 5:45 Difficulty levels
  • 7:25 What is Titanfall 2?
  • 10:30 Mike enters the spoiler room brawl and tries to summarize the BT-7274 relationship
  • 12:30 The game’s personality bleeds into the multiplayer
  • 14:30 Loadout differences between APEX Legends and Titanfall 2
  • 20:45 The punching was really good
  • 22:15 Wall running and movement
  • 24:30 Time mechanic?
  • 28:00 We have a lot of questions about the story
  • 30:40 Feelin’ like Master Chief
  • 33:10 We compare Titanfall 2 to Stranger Things?
  • 33:40 Our favourite boss battles in Titanfall 2
  • 38:45 Our favourite moments from the game
  • 45:30 Playing Titanfall 2 makes us think about APEX Legends improvements & Titanfall 3
  • 48:05 Closing thoughts

057: SOMA

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We question mankind’s remaining humanity in SOMA.

Developer: Frictional Games | Publisher: Frictional Games | Release Date: September 22, 2015

Jacob, Moe and special guest Jessica Fantauzzo look through everyone’s personal effects, dodge monsters, curl up into the fetal position and question everyone’s motives. Also, we flip a coin.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi) and Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: Jessica Fantauzzo (@jfant)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 3:00 The origins of SOMA
  • 8:30 SOMA’s Toronto connection
  • 9:15 A very explicit spoiler warning…
  • 10:10 Simon Jarrett’s start in Toronto
  • 12:00 The brain scan
  • 14:40 The physicality in the game (and Edward Scissorhands)
  • 18:30 What do you mean… they can use doors (like Resident Evil 2’s Mr. X)?
  • 21:20 The first enemy and friendly encounter
  • 26:45 Carl Semken and moral choice
  • 29:25 First contact with Catherine Chun and her “heavenly robotic voice” aka “Pokedex Catherine”
  • 31:05 The room floods… and we question everything…
  • 33:35 Meeting Catherine
  • 37:15 Where we are, what happened to Earth
  • 39:50 Moe made so many notes
  • 41:40 The ARK
  • 44:25 The WAU
  • 46:00 Sarah Lindwall
  • 54:45 “A brand new you”
  • 1:00:50 “Flip a coin”
  • 1:03:35 The “cat buttholes” scattered throughout the game, structure gel and Dr. Johan Ross
  • 1:09:00 Walking on the ocean floor is super dope
  • 1:11:00 Moe wants a kick or a punch in this game (and we sneak in some anime)
  • 1:16:00 Finding Catherine and the final sequence of the game
  • 1:21:20 The ARK survey
  • 1:25:30 The “mirror moment”
  • 1:27:10 The WAU’s end was disappointing
  • 1:29:50 The Left Behind Quiz Corner
  • 1:36:00 Wrap-up

056: Crackdown

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We jump for joy (and orbs) in Crackdown.

Developer: Realtime Worlds | Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios | Release Date: February 20, 2007

Mike and Jacob run very quickly on the streets of Pacific City, shoot so many rockets and kick each other in the face in the pursuit of the greater good.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:45 Michael starts with the Halo 3 connection
  • 2:50 Game Informer’s thoughts about the game echo our own
  • 3:55 What is Crackdown, Agent?
  • 7:15 Skills for Kills, Agent? No… good load-outs.
  • 9:45 Who is David Jones, Agent?
  • 12:45 Prototype vs. Crackdown
  • 14:00 What do you like most about Crackdown, Agent?
  • 14:45 ORBS!
  • 17:30 A standout boss battle with Olga Romanov
  • 19:45 Michael and Jacob talk about their favorite open-world games
  • 24:15 Cut-scenes and story bits in the game
  • 26:20 Crackdown 2
  • 28:40 “So much of this game is dumb”, including the ending
  • 32:00 The Crackdown co-op experience
  • 36:00 Jacob and Mike play a game of “This or That”
  • 39:00 Jacob brings up Breakdown
  • 42:25 Crackdown 3 and final thoughts

055: Ori and the Blind Forest

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We air dash, double jump and float out of harm’s way in Ori and the Blind Forest.

Developer: Moon Studios | Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios | Release Date: March 11, 2015

Mike, Jacob and special guest Nick O’Hagan-Wong get caressed by the game’s wonderful art and music, died over a thousand times collectively and enter the Left Behind Quiz Corner for the first time. Do they exit? Listen to the end to find out!

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Special Guest: Nick O’Hagan-Wong

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 What is a Metroidvania game?
  • 3:00 The Rabbids invade the Left Behind Game Club
  • 3:20 The story of Ori and the Blind Forest and the name game
  • 5:55 Ori is Jesus and Sein is the Holy Spirit?
  • 6:40 The upgrade tree
  • 8:25 Who died the most through their playthrough?
  • 10:45 How about that jump?
  • 11:55 Jacob shares Alex Newhouse’s description of Ori and the Blind Forest
  • 12:35 Airborn Studios does stuff for everyone [Twitter]
  • 13:40 The crew talks about their favourite upgrades
  • 16:25 The gravity puzzles
  • 19:55 Using Soul Links well
  • 21:35 A Dark Souls comparison and other Metroidvania games
  • 23:45 This game looks so good.
  • 26:05 “Jacob’s gonna hate this.”
  • 29:20 What about the story and the characters?
  • 32:15 A Legend of Zelda connection?
  • 33:15 The game’s language
  • 34:05 Jacob brings in Home Alone 2 (somehow)
  • 35:25 Nick got fired up by the difficulty
  • 38:05 Mount Horu was tough
  • 42:00 Escaping Kuro again and the final sequence of the game
  • 46:00 The crew enters the Left Behind Quiz Corner
  • 49:20 Our final thoughts about Ori and the Blind Forest
  • 50:40 The podcast was nominated for three awards at the Canadian Podcast Awards!

053: Costume Quest: Grubbins on Ice (DLC)

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We make sure that our Yeti costume doesn’t shrink in the dryer and enter the world of Repugia for Costume Quest: Grubbins on Ice.

Developer: Double Fine Productions | Publisher: THQ, Double Fine Productions and Dracogen (PC) | Release Date: December 21, 2010

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Shay Whiston collect dandy candy and stamps, tell terribly good Dad jokes and lure people away from their relaxing getaways with French Fry smell.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Shay Whiston (@ShaelynTai)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:40 The crew welcomes Shay to the show and we talk a little bit about her gaming habits (like Pokemon, Fallout 3)
  • 3:55 What is Costume Quest: Grubbins on Ice?
  • 5:15 Moe didn’t play the base game, just the DLC
  • 7:40 Shay shares her love of Double Fine and Psychonauts
  • 10:40 Could you play Grubbins on Ice before the main game?
  • 14:30 We go deep on the costumes in Grubbins on Ice
  • 19:00 What were your ideal loadouts?
  • 23:40 Losing to start the game and a difficulty spike to end the game
  • 27:40 Using the French Fry costume
  • 30:15 Beating the final boss (Araxia and Big Bones)
  • 34:10 Jacob shares some details about Amnesia Fortnight and how it ties into Costume Quest and Stacking
  • 36:40 The writing in Costume Quest: Grubbins on Ice
  • 39:15 Bobbing for eyeballs?
  • 40:10 A Costume Quest cartoon?
  • 42:05 The PC version that almost didn’t happen
  • 43:00 Is Grubbins on Ice a Christmas game?

051: The Wolf Among Us (Season 1, Episode 5)

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We go Full Wolf in episode 5 of Telltale’s The Wolf Among Us Season 1.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Release Date: October 11, 2013

Jacob, Mike and Moe chase down cars, break mirrors (or mirror-people) and talk about Dragon Ball Z a lot.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:05 An episode 4 recap
  • 4:15 Mike & Jacob get really descriptive about The Crooked Man
  • 7:25 The Crooked Man has a backwards villain strategy
  • 8:50 The big reveal… WHODUNNIT?
  • 10:30 The best part of the Wolf Among Us: the political system
  • 13:45 A fight breaks out
  • 14:55 Episode 5 had some technical issues on Xbox One
  • 16:40 Back to the fight!
  • 19:30 What we find out about Vivian
  • 25:00 Moving on from The Pudding and Pie to the Old Foundry
  • 26:50 The big fight with Bloody Mary and another transformation
  • 27:50 Jacob speaks to Moe’s heart directly… through Dragon Ball Z
  • 29:30 Jacob ties the final boss fight… to Asura’s Wrath
  • 30:10 The final confrontation with The Crooked Man
  • 32:20 The community holds a trial
  • 34:10 Moe and Mike share their version of the trial
  • 38:45 How did Moe’s trial conclude?
  • 40:05 Jacob’s version of the trial
  • 41:30 Nerissa was the smoking gun
  • 42:40 The final scenes in the game
  • 44:25 The important final scene and the Michael’s two hypotheses
  • 50:30 The sad bit about The Wolf Among Us
  • 52:10 Episode 5 and series wrap-up

050: The Wolf Among Us (Season 1, Episode 4)

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We vomit on public transportation while playing through episode 4 of Telltale’s The Wolf Among Us Season 1.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Release Date: October 11, 2013

Jacob, Mike and Moe snap bones back into place after snapping necks, send our roommate to the farm and ponder on the significance of subtitles.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:40 A special episode 50 thank you to everyone!
  • 2:30 Recap of Episode 3
  • 3:15 Jacob vomits while resetting his arm bone
  • 4:40 Moe played this sequence on public transit
  • 6:10 Mike ponders on the subtitle: “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”
  • 10:05 A Conversation with Colin
  • 13:25 Jacob makes a series of terrible jokes about pigs
  • 16:00 Beauty and the Beast again? Ugh.
  • 19:20 A fork in the road
  • 20:10 First… the butcher shop!
  • 24:00 Breaking Bigby
  • 26:00 A fine detail… the list of names on the chalk board
  • 28:20 We head to the Lucky Pawn and confront the Jersey Devil
  • 32:45 All paths lead back to Bufkin
  • 36:45 Getting to the Crooked Man and Tiny Tim
  • 40:45 One final choice!

047: The Wolf Among Us (Season 1, Episode 1)

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We create our own versions of the Big Bad Wolf in Telltale’s The Wolf Among Us.

Developer: Telltale Games | Publisher: Telltale Games | Release Date: October 11, 2013

Jacob, Mike and Moe trap toad-men in lies, get knocked out by some Fables and enjoy a double whiskey in a seedy dive bar.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 What do we know about the Wolf Among Us?
  • 4:30 Honoring the work of Telltale Games’ employees
  • 5:25 The setup for the Wolf Among Us
  • 8:25 Jacob gets Harry Potter vibes… but this game is not for children
  • 9:30 The game’s graphics. The Wolf Among Us looks like a comic book. Jacob gets Blade Runner vibes next.
  • 11:40 How did we play The Wolf Among Us? Moe talks about how the interface changes on PC
  • 14:20 We have all decided how we are going to roleplay our Bigby
  • 17:05 The voice acting in The Wolf Among Us
  • 20:00 The opening of Episode 1
  • 24:15 Figuring out who the mystery girl is?
  • 25:00 Your first big decision: “did you give “her” your money”
  • 26:00 Your partner is Snow White!
  • 27:00 Entering the Business Office
  • 31:30 Discovering Faith
  • 33:00 Hey… we forgot that “she” died…
  • 34:15 Discovering Beauty and the Beast
  • 37:50 Choosing Mr. Toad or Prince Lawrence
  • 39:00 Confronting Mr. Toad and his lies
  • 41:55 Investigating Prince Lawrence’s
  • 46:10 Saving Prince Lawrence
  • 48:30 Another choice: “who’s your prime suspect”
  • 51:05 Entering a seedy, troubling bar
  • 53:40 Gren causes things go south
  • 56:30 A very dark choice
  • 58:50 Your final big decision: Dweedle Dee or the Woodsman?
  • 1:00:55 A final revelation for Episode 1
  • 1:03:50 Our final thoughts on Episode 1

045: What Remains of Edith Finch

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We climb our family tree (literally and figuratively) in What Remains of Edith Finch.

Developer: Giant Sparrow | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Release Date: April 25, 2017

Jacob, Mike and Moe crawl through doggy doors, chase birds, swing and hide in bunkers.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:10 A warning about What Remains of Edith Finch
  • 3:30 Moe makes a surprising proclamation about this game
  • 4:10 What is a walking simulator?
  • 6:15 Why are we playing What Remains of Edith Finch?
  • 7:10 Jacob accidentally spoiled the game for Mike
  • 9:40 The opening of What Remains of Edith Finch
  • 11:50 The Finch’s house
  • 13:40 Introduction to the game’s narrator, Edith Finch
  • 15:20 Entering the house
  • 17:10 Jacob brings up Matilda, The Curious Case Benjamin Button and The Pagemaster
  • 18:30 We introduce the structure of the game and start with the story of Molly Finch
  • 21:20 Cats, owls, sharks and sea monsters
  • 26:30 The game’s toughest question
  • 29:00 Odin Finch and the history of the Finch family
  • 32:00 Calvin Finch
  • 35:00 Barbara Finch
  • 37:00 Moe compares this section to Telltale’s The Walking Dead and Jacob brings up XIII, Killer7 and Madworld
  • 39:35 Walter Finch
  • 43:30 Jacob compares this section to the Beginner’s Guide
  • 44:00 We looked down
  • 46:10 Sam Finch
  • 51:45 Gregory Finch
  • 54:30 Gus Finch
  • 57:00 Milton Finch
  • 59:20 Mike connects this game to Unfinished Swan
  • 1:00:35 Lewis Finch
  • 1:08:00 Content warning (suicide and self-harm)
  • 1:09:45 End of content warning
  • 1:10:05 The beginning of the end (of the story)
  • 1:13:30 Wait… who is Edith talking to?
  • 1:15:15 Jacob… the game has to come full circle!
  • 1:17:00 Moe brings it back to Lord of the Rings
  • 1:17:45 The crew wraps it up
  • 1:21:00 A question from the Ludonarrative Podcast
  • 1:25:05 We announce our next game: Superhot

044: Portal

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We enjoy cake (even though the cake is a lie) in Portal.

Developer: Valve Corporation | Publisher: Valve Corporation | Release Date: October 10, 2007

Jacob, Mike and Moe make some extreme trust leaps, talk extensively about Mirror’s Edge and laugh at some great comedic writing.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 Remember when Valve made video games?
  • 2:15 Is Moe secretly the owner of @IsHL3OutYet?
  • 3:00 The Digipen connection & Narbacular Drop
  • 4:20 The Orange Box
  • 5:55 How does Portal start?
  • 7:45 The difficulty ramp
  • 9:00 Jacob compares Portal to The Witness
  • 11:20 Mike praises Erik Wolpaw and Mike Morasky’s writing
  • 14:20 Jacob avoided 11 years of Portal spoilers
  • 15:50 We talk about our favourite levels!
  • 19:00 Jacob used a walkthrough
  • 21:20 Jacob asks about the Weighted Companion Cube
  • 23:35 The Source engine was the engine for physics
  • 24:50 The final boss encounter with GLaDOS
  • 28:05 Connecting Portal and Mirror’s Edge
  • 30:45 Jacob brings up the PS3 version of the Orange Box
  • 31:25 Our final thoughts about Portal

042: Hitman Part 6 [Colorado]

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We get trapped in the closet and plot out four very difficult Colorado kills in Hitman: Episode 5.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Square Enix, Feral Interactive (Linux, macOS) & Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (Definitive Edition) | Release Date: September 27, 2016

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn shake up the Left Behind Game Club’s “hierarchy of killers”, ogle Moe’s score in unison, discuss Hitman math and transform Sean Rose from an environmental terrorist to a Silicon Valley Bomb Boy in khakis.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Kevin Reaburn (@ATribeCalledKev)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:40 We get our Colorado briefing
  • 4:25 Moe was Colorado-confused and imagines Sean Rose as a Silicon Valley CEO
  • 5:30 Mike gets really mad about reading
  • 6:30 Kevin gives his Hitman history (it’s very brief)
  • 8:20 Kevin hides his first kill
  • 11:20 Mike brings up the level’s “rings of security”
  • 16:30 Kevin takes on Sean Rose (aka the Silicon Valley Bomb Boy) and his watch
  • 19:20 We play the “how long did Kevin play this level” game!
  • 21:05 OH NO DON’T TALK ABOUT R. KELLY
  • 24:20 Taking out the Tamil Tiger, Maya Pavarti
  • 27:55 Kevin moves on to Penelope Graves
  • 30:45 Kevin exits the level
  • 33:15 What was Kevin’s score?
  • 34:10 Jacob got a non-zero score! Again!
  • 35:20 Jacob describes his path of destruction
  • 37:15 Jacob trusted the process to move from Sean Rose to Maya Pavarti
  • 40:00 Jacob finds goodies in a train car and tries to double kill Penelope Graves and Ezra Berg
  • 41:35 Jacob imbues the Handcrafted Killer
  • 43:35 Jacob channels Moe to kill Penelope Graves
  • 45:55 A big change in the Left Behind Game Club Hitman Universe
  • 47:40 Moe begins going through his masterful playthrough with Sean Rose and Maya Pavarti
  • 51:25 Moe has one set up… and gets two more with an amazing kill that had us in awe (in unison)
  • 53:10 Moe describes his final kill of Ezra Berg… lethal syringe style
  • 58:00 Mike takes a walk to start his playthrough
  • 1:00:50 We discuss Hitman math
  • 1:02:55 Jacob places Colorado this mission at the bottom of the Hitman Season 1 hierarchy
  • 1:06:00 Mike explains his Weekend at Bernie’s moment
  • 1:08:35 Mike goes after Maya Pavarti
  • 1:10:25 We compare Colorado to the other levels in Hitman
  • 1:14:25 Is the story backloaded? Also, Shakespeare.

041: Hitman Part 5 [Bangkok]

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We overstay our welcome as we explore a Hotel looking for Jared Leto’s twin and a lawyer who really wants to buy a tuk tuk in Hitman: Episode 4.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Square Enix, Feral Interactive (Linux, macOS) & Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (Definitive Edition) | Release Date: August 16, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe order some room service, celebrate a birthday, try to sell a car and convince really awful people to follow us.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 3:19 We discuss the Jared Leto and Richard Branson lookalikes
  • 7:00 The proud moment when Mike and Moe realized Jacob scored some points
  • 8:45 Jacob hangs in his room and racks up a serious room service bill
  • 11:58 Jacob and Mike discuss how to make a birthday cake go boom
  • 13:40 Jacob goes single pistol and takes down a lawyer and makes a run for a speedy escape in a boat
  • 15:50 Moe explains his ruthless initial play through and finds common ground with Jacob
  • 19:15 Moe uses the word Tuk-Tuk in a sentence and becomes a mechanic
  • 21:05 Moe conducts a symphony and completes episode 3 in approx 13 min of mission time
  • 22:25 Jacob confronts an innocent camera man
  • 24:53 Mike wants to build interesting little stories with his murders
  • 26:59 Mike examines the grounds and finds Ken the Bulldog Morgan and plans his attack
  • 29:05 Mike knocks out a hotel guest, hotel staff, as well a some chefs before surprising Jared Leto with some cake
  • 33:00 Mike realizes he is a privileged ghost and throws a knife at Jordan Cross
  • 34:50 Mike and Jacob Kill a stalker
  • 35:55 Mike convinces Ken Morgan to follow him to his room and does not spend the night
  • 38:25 Jacob vows to murder better than us in the next episodes

Dev Chats 001: Chris Wade (Luckshot Games)

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Chris Wade is an Austin-based game designer, programmer and 3D artist who just released his first title: Sausage Sports Club for Switch and PC on July 19th, 2018. Over the past few years, Chris has been developing Sausage Sports Club and working on titles such as Vacation Simulator, Battle Chef Brigade, Manifold Garden and Mortal Kombat X.

Sausage Sports Club is a physics game about floppy animals playing sports and is available now on Nintendo Switch and PC. To find out more, you can go to sausagesports.club or check out the game on Twitter.

Dev Chats is a semi-regular series within the Left Behind Game Club podcast feed featuring people from the video game industry, their stories and their games.

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Guest: Chris Wade (@chriswade__)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes:

  • 0:45 “When did you know that you wanted to make games?”
  • 2:00 Game jams in college
  • 3:20 What is a game jam?
  • 4:45 Train Jam and PSHNGGG
  • 6:30 The difficulties of developing a game on a train
  • 8:25 Working as a contractor in Chicago at the Indie City Co-op
  • 9:45 Working on Battle Chef Brigade and Manifold Garden
  • 13:25 Learning BizDev and launching a game on Kickstarter
  • 16:50 What surprised Chris most about the business
  • 18:40 Working with Nintendo and the Nindies Program
  • 19:40 Dealing with feature creep and adding a single-player mode
  • 24:20 The release of Sausage Sports Club and moving to Austin to work at Owlchemy Labs
  • 25:50 Advice for a younger Chris

039: Hitman Part 3 [Sapienza]

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We break out our summer suits and travel to Sapienza in Hitman: Episode 2.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Square Enix, Feral Interactive (Linux, macOS) & Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (Definitive Edition) |  Release Date: April 26, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe continued to use their preferred killing methods, smothered people with pillows, destroyed viruses, threw gas cylinders down chimneys and killed everyone.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:30 Mike reminds us where we left off
  • 3:30 Diana Burnwood provides our mission briefing
  • 5:15 Mike gives us some additional information
  • 7:20 Moe starts with the therapist
  • 11:30 Moe plots his path to Dr. Francesca De Santis
  • 15:35 Jacob employs the “Sous Chef” method
  • 20:05 Jacob discovers the attic
  • 22:25 Jacob is an innovator
  • 24:05 Jacob now must destroy the virus
  • 29:15 The “Hand-Crafted Killer” begins his playthrough
  • 34:10 Mike loads up
  • 35:30 Mike finds a flower delivery truck
  • 38:10 Moe wants answers about Agent 47’s Instinct Mode
  • 39:15 Mike’s in the basement!
  • 43:05 Mike and Jacob compare star ratings
  • 45:50 Jacob asks for tips on getting better at Hitman

038: Hitman Part 2 [Paris]

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We put on a great tuxedo and prepare for Parisian fashion in Hitman: Episode 1.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Square Enix, Feral Interactive (Linux, macOS) & Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (Definitive Edition) | First Release Date: March 11, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe trespass, contemplate the best type of poison for our enemies, ride helicopters and throw bodies off of ledges.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:05 A quick warning before we jump in
  • 2:25 Diana Burnwood provides our mission briefing
  • 4:15 We prepare for the mission
  • 6:05 Moe describes his approach
  • 9:10 Jacob explains the differences between types of poison
  • 11:15 We get into the different warning levels
  • 13:35 The first introduction to Helmut Kruger
  • 14:20 Jacob describes his personal “Kruger Method”
  • 17:20 Moe, Dalia Margolis & The Guest of Honor
  • 20:35 Jacob continues describing his method for killing Dalia…
  • 23:05 …and then gets Victor in a “screwy” way
  • 27:20 Moe talks about alternate methods for getting Victor
  • 28:35 Mike describes his Keys to Success
  • 32:25 Mike explains what you actually do with coins
  • 35:05 Mike meets up with Dalia and helps her get to sleep
  • 36:15 Mike makes a delicious Bare Knuckle Boxer for Victor
  • 38:30 A four-star victory for Mike
  • 41:05 Shoutout to Hitsmas, elusive targets and final thoughts (correction: for Elusive Targets, once you accomplish one objective, you only get one shot from there)
  • 43:25 The Glacier Engine

037: Hitman Part 1 [Setup & Training]

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We begin our adventures as Agent 47 in Hitman.

Developer: IO Interactive | Publisher: Square Enix, Feral Interactive (Linux, macOS) & Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (Definitive Edition) | First Release Date: March 11, 2016

Jacob, Mike and Moe put guards into dumpsters and steal their clothes, throw coins (and hammers) at our enemies and complete our required safety training.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:15 How we are splitting up our Hitman series!
  • 2:45 The setup for Hitman (2016)
  • 4:20 Our individual experience with the Hitman series
  • 8:05 A quick primer on IO Interactive
  • 9:15 Mike paid full price! Why?
  • 10:15 We dive into Freeform Training
  • 13:35 Environmental awareness is key
  • 15:05 The game’s Instinct system
  • 16:05 Moe hits his Lord of the Rings quota for the episode
  • 17:15 Mike sets up the narrative plot
  • 19:25 Maybe we’ll watch a Hitman movie?
  • 20:15 Mike sets up the Final Test
  • 21:55 Moe loves the Coin
  • 23:00 Jacob is a squirrel
  • 25:35 Moe is a Colonel
  • 26:05 Michael almost retires from the Left Behind Game Club
  • 28:15 Michael throws hammers
  • 30:15 “Kobe!”
  • 33:40 Michael plays dress-up
  • 35:25 What about the projector?
  • 36:35 Mr. Knight in the radio room
  • 39:30 “The video game equivalent of crop dusting”
  • 42:25 Wrap-up

036: Her Story

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We explore our ancient computer for clues in Her Story.

Developer: Sam Barlow | Publisher: Sam Barlow | Release Date: June 24, 2015

Jacob, Mike and Moe put their statements on the record, get biblical tattoos, channel their inner lawyers and start watching all of the police station footage.

Join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! If you love the show, please consider a review on iTunes. It helps a lot.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:05 What is Her Story?
  • 3:20 Jacob explains Her Story to his girlfriend
  • 4:20 We connect this game to Episode 11: Papers, Please
  • 5:15 How did we play this game and why?
  • 6:35 Mike’s quick note about the game’s marketing
  • 8:45 Jacob talks about Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (note: Jacob mistakenly said Shattered Dimension)
  • 9:35 Your last spoiler warning!
  • 10:10 “Murder? Can I help?”
  • 11:25 Mike starts breaking down the plot
  • 14:35 We start to break down what’s REALLY going on here
  • 15:45 Jacob plays the devil’s advocate and Law and Order: Left Behind Game Club begins here
  • 17:45 Actus reus and the mens rea
  • 19:55 Moe takes us to Middle-earth (was that Andy Serkis?)
  • 21:15 Glasgow
  • 22:35 Coffee and Tea
  • 24:45 Jacob’s dark way of trying to solve a murder
  • 28:30 Rapunzel
  • 29:15 Black Eyes
  • 30:55 The Lie Detector
  • 34:35 The Bruise
  • 37:45 We go back to Glasgow
  • 39:00 “Bye bye game save!”
  • 42:35 Your experience with the game is personal
  • 45:35 Moe’s “psychologist hypothesis”
  • 48:35 The community is split
  • 49:20 The Murder
  • 54:35 There is “technically” an ending
  • 56:20 Jacob compares this game to Netflix’s Evil Genius
  • 57:15 Our final thoughts

035: Vanquish

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We rocket slide around Shinji Mikami’s space station in Vanquish.

Developer: PlatinumGames | Publisher: Sega | Release Date: October 19, 2010

Jacob, Mike and Moe jettison off to space, power-slide and flip around the environment, overheat, upgrade some weapons and then take on Russia.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 The pedigree of Mr. Shinji Mikami
  • 4:15 Moe brings up his love of Metal Gear Rising
  • 5:20 Jacob sets up the game and Mike sets up Dyson spheres
  • 6:25 ? + ? = Vanquish
  • 8:00 R.I.P. San Francisco
  • 10:35 Mike’s biggest pet peeve about Vanquish
  • 12:10 Moe’s pulls a “Kevin”
  • 13:10 What is Vanquish actually?
  • 15:05 The melee attack
  • 17:15 We start the discussion about weapons
  • 21:10 We chat about AI
  • 23:10 The different enemy types
  • 25:40 Mike’s favorite weapon: the Disc Gun
  • 28:40 Fear of the unknown
  • 30:40 The different difficulty levels
  • 34:05 The ultimate game of Limbo
  • 35:10 Vanquish’s level design
  • 38:10 The graphics
  • 40:35 The story is non-sense?
  • 44:35 Jacob brings up Binary Domain #BigBo
  • 46:25 “That’s so anime”
  • 49:05 The game’s UI
  • 49:40 Using slowdown
  • 51:20 Final thoughts about Vanquish
  • 52:40 Vanquish 2?
  • 53:40 Jacob sold a copy of Vanquish to a GameStop employee

034: Star Wars: Republic Commando

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We set blasters to “fun” in Star Wars: Republic Commando.

Developer: LucasArts | Publisher: LucasArts | Release Date: February 28, 2005

Mike, Moe and Special Guest Shane Chiasson grow up in test tubes, eat some Star Wars flavored Easter Eggs and heal deep wounds in bacta tanks.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

Here’s is our upcoming release schedule:

  • June 27th: Vanquish
  • June 29th: The 1-Year Anniversary of the Podcast!

Players: Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Shane Chiasson (@chiasoo)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:55 We introduce Star Wars: Republic Commando
  • 2:45 What system did we play this game on?
  • 6:00 Republic Commando: A History Lesson
  • 7:20 What’s *your* history with the game?
  • 10:00 Do we love Star Wars?
  • 11:05 Setting up the plot of the game
  • 15:50 Did we remember the squad intros?
  • 17:30 The game audio and voice acting (with a Kaidan Alenko shout-out)
  • 21:20 The game’s second mission, difficulty and bacta tanks
  • 25:05 The game’s save system
  • 28:05 Did the game get repetitive?
  • 32:30 The guns in the Star Wars: Republic Commando
  • 35:30 Other games of the era and Unreal Engine 2
  • 41:55 Mike discovers why the game may seem a little rushed
  • 46:10 The game’s third mission on Kashyyyk and the soundtrack
  • 49:00 Why was Star Wars: Republic Commando 2 (Imperial Commando) cancelled?
  • 53:30 Final thoughts

033: Our Top 3 of E3 2018 Special!

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This week, we bring you a very special bonus E3 2018 episode of the Left Behind Game Club.

Jacob, Mike and Moe each picked their top 3 most anticipated games of the show and talked about them! #detailsaresparse

We return to regular programming later this month. Here is our updated June release schedule:

  • June 20th: Star Wars: Republic Commando (moved from June 13 to avoid E3 week)
  • June 27th: Vanquish
  • June 29th: The 1-Year Anniversary of the Podcast!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • Moe’s Top 3:
    • 2:25 Super Smash Brothers for Switch (we chat about single player, The Smash Brothers and our fond Smash memories)
    • 5:55 Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee (don’t throw your Joy-Cons, describing the game’s format and Switch success)
    • 9:35 Spider-Man (we talk through Insomniac Games’ pedigree)
  • Jacob’s Top 3
    • 12:05 Ghost of Tsushima (we reminisce about Sly Cooper and Infamous)
    • 14:40 The Last of Us Part II (#detailsaresparse, Uncharted 4 and why Jacob is excited)
    • 17:15 Rage 2 (John Carmack and his Ferrari woes, Avalanche Studios, De Blob and #BE3)
  • Mike’s Top 3
    • 20:45 Anthem (a new EA and the size/scale of this game)
    • 25:10 Fallout 76 (the Bethesda hooks, Fallout Shelter and adding Bethesda RPGs to our “must-play” list)
    • 30:10 Beyond Good and Evil 2 (Michel Ancel’s Instagram, the original game

032: The Witness

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We solve all the puzzles in The Witness.

Developer: Thekla Inc. | Publisher: Thekla Inc. | Release Date: January 26th, 2016

Jacob, Mike, Moe and Special Guest CourtFTW travel to a deserted island, use “2 Brainz”, get stuck, feel like geniuses and then get stuck again.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

Here’s is our upcoming release schedule:

  • June 6th: E3 2018 Special
  • June 13th: Star Wars: Republic Commando
  • June 27th: Vanquish
  • June 29th: The 1-Year Anniversary of the Podcast!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Courtney G. (@CourtFTW)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub | Instagram: @LeftBehindGameClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:10 We introduce you to CourtFTW!
  • 3:55 We rip off the band-aid… how did we play the game?
  • 5:30 Court talks about streaming the game on Twitch
  • 7:10 What is The Witness?
  • 8:55 “Twisted Logic” and the Scientific Process
  • 11:20 Starting the game
  • 13:10 The game’s difficulty (Quarry and Jungle)
  • 15:30 Nausea (shout-out to Kevin) and how we tackled the game
  • 18:10 The beauty of the game world (and game engine)
  • 20:20 What Remains of Edith Finch and recordings of philosophers
  • 22:20 The different types of puzzles in the game
  • 27:20 Timers and Treehouses
  • 30:40 Monastery, Anger and Art Museums
  • 34:10 Pacing ourselves through the Witness
  • 38:40 Lasers and Mirrors
  • 40:10 Finishing the game
  • 45:20 Our least favorite parts of the game
  • 47:45 The secret ending (with a Virginia call-back)
  • 52:35 Our closing thoughts…
  • 58:35 …just kidding… what about the puzzles in the environment?
  • 59:40 The game’s achievements
  • 1:01:25 A final section of puzzle talk

031: Grow Home

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We climb with B.U.D., listen to M.O.M. and drunkenly flail about in Grow Home.

Developer: Ubisoft Reflections | Publisher: Ubisoft | Release Date: February 4, 2015

Jacob, Mike and Moe rode beanstalks, used giant leaves as hang-gliders and collected crystals. Also, we decided unanimously that this game should always be played with a controller.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

We had previously announced that this week would be our “The Witness” episode. We wanted more time with the game, so we shuffled our upcoming schedule around. Our next two episodes will be: The Witness (May 30) and Star Wars: Republic Commando (June 13). More June content announcements in the coming weeks!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:25 What is Grow Home?
  • 3:35 Who is Ubisoft Reflections?
  • 5:10 This game is on Unity; Moe gives his two cents on this game and Unity
  • 7:10 Mike didn’t have a great time; don’t play this game with a controller
  • 10:50 Jacob compares Grow Home to Katamari Damacy, QWOP and GIRP
  • 12:25 Moe talks about the ragdoll
  • 13:35 Some of the other mechanics and powers in the game
  • 15:55 What Moe and Jacob liked about Grow Home and the game’s reception
  • 18:15 Falling and tips for falling
  • 19:45 Grow Home isn’t, but Grow Up is on Xbox One (correction: the game is not on Mac)
  • 20:50 Jacob brings up Space Station Silicon Valley and Mike brings up Metal Arms: Glitch in the System (R.I.P. Swingin’ Ape Studios)
  • 22:30 What would make you play Grow Up?
  • 24:25 Final thoughts (and Jacob sets out his perfect Saturday)

030: Metro 2033

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We trade military-grade bullets for weapons, wipe off our gas masks and shoot mutated birds and bears in Metro 2033.

Developer: 4A Games | Publisher: THQ | Release Date: March 16, 2010

Jacob, Moe and special guest Josh Wilson become Rangers and go above ground, get attached to characters only have to them die and really miss the way that Mike ends our show.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

The remaining two games for May 2018 are: The Witness (May 16) and Star Wars: Republic Commando (May 30).

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Josh Wilson

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:20 OG Metro 2033 vs. Metro 2033 Redux
  • 3:45 What is Metro 2033 all about?
  • 7:35 The start of Metro 2033
  • 11:40 We compare Metro 2033 to other games (and Street Sharks)
  • 13:55 The different non-human enemy types
  • 18:00 The difficulty settings
  • 20:50 The game’s use of stealth
  • 21:40 Metro 2033’s weapons and using Cheat Engine
  • 26:40 Metro 2033’s UI, controls (for both the OG and Redux versions) and tools (like the night vision, battery charger)
  • 31:45 We geek out about respirators and masks
  • 36:30 Dropping the bomb and using military grade bullets
  • 37:55 The compass
  • 39:50 Jacob played both versions…
  • 41:25 The little boy Sasha and good video game kids
  • 45:05 Did you know that Metro 2033 has a morality system?
  • 48:35 Weapon customization
  • 50:15 The emergency message was on a cassette tape?
  • 52:00 The ending sequence of the game
  • 56:00 An Xbox One ending glitch!
  • 56:50 Our final thoughts about Metro 2033 and Jacob’s ideal version of Metro 2033
  • 1:03:10 We give three alternatives to Metro 2033

029: God of War (2005)

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We burn the Blades of Chaos into our forearms and try to take down Ares in God of War.

Developer: SCE Santa Monica Studio (w/ Bluepoint Games & Sanzaru Games for the Remaster) | Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment | Release Date: March 22, 2005

Jacob, Mike and Moe travel to Athens in order to find Pandora’s Box, tear our enemies limb-from-limb and feel 13 all over again.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

Our three games for May 2018 are: Metro 2033 (May 2), The Witness (May 16) and Star Wars: Republic Commando (May 30).

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:45 How did you play God of War (2005)?
  • 3:50 A quick refresher about David Jaffe and Incognito Entertainment (note: Shannon Studstill was the Producer)
  • 5:35 God of War in three words
  • 6:55 “This game was designed for 13 year old”
  • 9:20 Jacob brings up X-Play
  • 13:25 Moe writes a God of War Book Report
  • 15:50 The game’s cutscenes
  • 19:00 This game is “super Zelda-ish” and comparisons to Darksiders
  • 20:50 The game’s length
  • 22:45 We talk about Kratos’ abilities and upgrades (Blades of Chaos, Blade of Artemis, Rage of the Gods, Poseidon’s Rage, Medusa’s Gaze, Zeus’ Fury and Army of Hades)
  • 25:10 “You’re bad at video games, how about we move your difficulty down for you.”
  • 27:05 We talk about specific enemy types (i.e.: Centaur, Gorgons and Cerberi)
  • 30:30 The most challenging sections of the game
  • 32:35 Jacob and Moe give Mike heck about using a walk-through and Mike fires back
  • 35:35 The Pinky and the Brain connection in God of War (2005)
  • 37:00 Differences between modern games and older games
  • 39:40 Our thoughts on Kratos “the character” in God of War and other Sony mascots
  • 42:07 Did they explain Kratos’ tattoo? Also, Kratos tattoos.
  • 43:40 Quick Time Events and Resident Evil 4
  • 47:05 Ares: Olympic Javelin Athlete
  • 48:15 The Final Battle
  • 49:15 The ending and “who is that vagrant?”
  • 52:45 The game’s camera and final thoughts
  • 56:00 A big God of War 3 spoiler
  • 56:25 Instagram, iTunes Reviews & Discord
  • 58:25 May 2018 Games

028: Tomb Raider (2013)

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We raid some tombs and discover our inner Lara Croft in Tomb Raider (2013).

Developer: Crystal Dynamics with Eidos Montreal (Multiplayer), Nixxes (Next-Gen Console Ports), Feral Interactive (Mac/Linux Ports) and Square Visual Works (CGI) | Publisher: Square Enix | Release Date: March 5, 2013

Jacob, Mike, Moe and Special Guest Kevin Reaburn travel to the Dragon’s Triangle, reminisce about TressFX and miss spring game sales by two days.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! We launch our God of War (2005) episode on April 18th.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Kevin Reaburn (@ATribeCalledKev)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:30 Jacob re-introduces the audience to Kevin Reaburn
  • 2:40 Kevin starts with a big question: “which came first?” (correction: pre-Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb Raider games were developed by Core Design)
  • 5:30 Our exposure to the Tomb Raider franchise
  • 8:40 The writers of Tomb Raider: Rhianna Pratchett and Susan O’Connor
  • 9:30: So many credits in this game!
  • 10:05: The story of Tomb Raider (2013)
  • 11:20 It’s just called Tomb Raider, y’all
  • 13:00 What is the Definitive Edition? Also, TressFX
  • 14:50 This isn’t the “old Lara”
  • 18:35 The rest of the crew of the Endurance
  • 19:10 Hunting and gathering
  • 23:00 Survival Instinct
  • 24:15 We debate about the best weapon in the game
  • 25:20 This game is so violent and has much dirty rebar
  • 28:40 A bear trap and a wolf attack
  • 30:05 Tomb Raider’s world building
  • 31:20 Jacob’s Dad Moment
  • 33:20 Encounters with the supernatural
  • 35:50 Lara’s First Kill (“kills a deer, kills a man and kills everyone”)
  • 38:35 The game’s progression
  • 40:05 Slow-mo time (aka the Steady Shot), fire arrows and headshot reticle
  • 42:35 Combat puzzles & Tomb Raider vs. Uncharted
  • 45:05 Comparing the game to Indiana Jones
  • 46:15 Shantytown and difficulty
  • 49:00 The landscape and the tombs
  • 51:45 Smart AI
  • 53:20 Under-developed side characters
  • 54:20 Dual pistols are overrated
  • 55:30 Issues with the next-gen ports and great checkpoints
  • 59:55 The final confrontation
  • 1:04:40 The Final Hours of Tomb Raider & Jason Graves’ soundtrack/”The Instrument”
  • 1:06:25 Final thoughts
  • 1:11:00 Kevin missed the Xbox Spring Sale by two days. We tell him about for the first time here.

026: ZombiU & Zombi

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We smack some thick-skulled zombies with our cricket bat in ZombiU & Zombi.

Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier & Straight Right (Ports) | Publisher: Ubisoft | Release Date: November 18, 2012

Jacob, special guest Travis Colenutt and a fully-healthy Mike talk about horror games, prepare our Bug-Out-Bags and reminisce about the launch of the Wii U.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage! Moe returns to the Left Behind Game Club for our FTL: Faster Than Light episode launching on March 21st.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) and Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:05 “Michael, what do you think of this game?”
  • 3:30 The setup and the story for ZombiU
  • 6:50 Jacob compares the game to Dark Souls & Bloodborne
  • 9:40 The thickest skulls in the world
  • 11:00 The game’s sound design
  • 12:55 “This game could have been so much more”
  • 13:40 Travis’ general thoughts about the game
  • 15:30 Our general feelings about horror games (we talk about Resident Evil, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Condemned, Shadows of the Damned and Until Dawn)
  • 18:00 The dread and the stress of ZombiU/Zombi
  • 22:35 The reason for the thick zombie heads
  • 23:55 How many times did we die in the game?
  • 26:20 We talk about the online features of the game and the glitches
  • 29:35 Wii and WiiU launch titles
  • 30:50 Favourite parts of the game
  • 33:45 The terrifying nursery
  • 35:15 Difference between the Wii U version and the remake
  • 38:30 All of the weapons and what we used
  • 42:00 What about flares, molotov cocktails, landmines and grenades?
  • 44:20 The exploding zombies
  • 45:30 How did you play the game?
  • 47:10 Who were the Ravens of Dee and why is the Prepper so angry all the time?
  • 49:20 Turret (not turd) sequences
  • 52:00 The endings and how would you make a ZombiU 2?
  • 54:35 Final thoughts and wrap-up

025: Journey

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We float on with some very long scarves in Journey.

Developer: Thatgamecompany | Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment | Release Date: March 12, 2012

Jacob, special guest Travis Colenutt and a quarantined Mike hide from Guardians, shred their scarves, float high and talk about aquatic life. “I’m the bubble boy!”

A quick programming note: we had originally planned to release our Zombi/ZombiU episode this week but have moved that episode to March 7th. Apologies for the change. Our March 21st episode is FTL: Faster Than Light.

You can now join our Discord server! Go to LeftBehindGame.Club and scroll down to the Discord section of the homepage!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) and Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:20 Michael is very sick
  • 2:20 A little background about Thatgamecompany & Journey
  • 3:30 Our collective experience with the game
  • 5:44 Let’s describe Journey
  • 7:40 Wait… motion controls? Sixaxis refresher.
  • 9:00 The multiplayer component of the game
  • 13:15 We start back at the beginning
  • 14:45 The aesthetic of the game
  • 16:45 Jacob’s favourite part of the game
  • 18:20 *gasp* “There are enemies?”
  • 19:30 Travis takes us under the sea
  • 20:50 The game opens in the desert
  • 25:58 Austin Wintory’s music is excellent
  • 28:15 The cutscenes and a little bit more about the story
  • 31:10 Terminator: Journey
  • 32:01 Into the depths of darkness and The Guardians
  • 36:55 The snowy area
  • 38:05 Jacob compares this game to Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
  • 39:05 Back to the snow and Travis meets another player
  • 42:50 The collapse
  • 44:45 What does the story mean?
  • 49:35 Mike cries and Life of Pi
  • 52:18 Wrap-up
  • 54:44 A fun fact about Jenova Chen

024: Interview with Victor Magnuson (Fatshark Games)

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After playing through Warhammer: The End Times – Vermintide, Moe and Jacob had a conversation over Discord with Victor Magnuson. Victor is a Game Designer and Producer at Fatshark Games in Stockholm, Sweden. The team at Fatshark is currently working on Warhammer: Vermintide 2, a sequel to the highly successful original game.

Moe and Jacob talk about Victor’s jump from finance to game design, the history of Fatshark Games, how they began work on the Warhammer IP, the community they have built around the franchise and the upcoming Warhammer: Vermintide 2.

An open beta for Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is launching soon and the release date for the game will be announced in the near future.

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Guest: Victor Magnuson (@Zarpan)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes:

  • 1:00 Victor and Moe talk about their shared transition away from the Finance Industry
  • 5:34 Victor’s journey at Fatshark Games (covering GRIN, Quality Assurance and Game Design)
  • 9:53 How did Fatshark get connected with Games Workshop?
  • 11:58 How do you interact with Games Workshop on the game?
  • 14:44 What’s the pitch and the pillars for Warhammer: Vermintide?
  • 18:00 Victor talks about why they supported Warhammer: Vermintide for so long with DLC (while comparing the game to Rainbow Six: Siege)
  • 20:45 How does Fatshark interact with their active community?
  • 23:23 We transition to Vermintide 2, Victor talks about the difference between V1 and V2
  • 25:50 Victor talks about the addition of the Chaos Faction to Vermintide 2
  • 27:57 The addition of Career Paths in Vermintide 2
  • 31:27 Victor talks about the difference between the loot systems in Vermintide 1 and Vermintide 2
  • 33:23 We talk about the game’s Spawn Director
  • 36:32 We ask Victor what he is most exciting to watch and play when development on Vermintide 2 wraps up
  • 37:39 Details about the game’s release date and beta

 

 

023: Hotline Miami

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We get ultra-violent in 1989 with Hotline Miami.

Developer: Dennation Games & Abstraction Games (PlayStation Ports) | Publisher: Devolver Digital | Release Date: October 23rd, 2012

Jacob, Mike and Moe ask questions about violence, throw knives and wear masks to hide their true feelings. “Moe Mask, Mo’ Bullets.” Our next episode features ZombiU and/or Zombi and launches on February 21st!

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 3:05 Our past experiences with Hotline Miami
  • 4:30 Using a mouse and keyboard vs. a controller (Jacob also brings up the Vita again)
  • 5:35 We take a crack at explaining the premise
  • 7:40 We bring up the Complex Hotline Miami documentary (hey, it’s good)
  • 8:00 We compare Hotline Miami to GTA/GTA 2
  • 10:05 The look of Hotline Miami (“it’s a vibe” *DJ Khaled voice*)
  • 11:15 The controls of Hotline Miami (including the lock-on feature)
  • 13:00 Hotline Miami’s Masks
  • 15:57 The knives of Hotline Miami and Mike tried a “no gun playthrough”
  • 18:00 The problem with multi-level complexes and Jacob’s true feelings come out
  • 20:00 A game that beats the poop out of you
  • 21:25 Are we sociopaths… bringing it back to Spec Ops: The Line
  • 24:25 Don’t play the game with the sound off
  • 27:30 Jacob brings up Cactus & “…this game is […] better than the sum of its parts.”
  • 29:00 Mike explains the story
  • 33:29 The shift from Jacket to Biker
  • 35:22 The end of the game
  • 38:20 Is the game about mental illness?
  • 40:30 How a developer’s break-up affected the game
  • 44:00 The four questions and tying this game to Bioshock and The Stanley Parable
  • 47:40 How our age affected our thoughts about the violence
  • 50:00 Jacob hates the doors
  • 51:13 How did we rank in the game & how we combo
  • 52:35 How would you recommend playing the game?

022: Warhammer: The End Times – Vermintide

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We conquer some virtual humanoid rats in Warhammer: The End Times – Vermintide.

Developer: Fatshark AB | Publisher: Fatshark AB | Release Date: October 23, 2015

Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Kevin Reaburn talk about Swedish video game developers, dopamine loops, crowd control and rolling dice. “Let me sell you some Vermintide, son.” Our February episodes are Hotline Miami (February 7th) and ZombiU/Zombi (February 21st)!

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Kevin Reaburn

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:10 Introducing our guest, Kevin Reaburn
  • 2:20 What does Warhammer: The End Times – Vermintide mean?
  • 3:00 The story of Fatshark
  • 4:45 Licensing in video games 101
  • 5:30 Our experience with other Warhammer games (correction: the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series is developed by Relic and published by Sega)
  • 6:50 How did we play the game?
  • 8:30 This game is Left 4 Dead, yo.
  • 10:10 The game’s story
  • 13:20 The inn and drinking the beer
  • 14:00 Our first big take-home in 3… 2… 1…
  • 14:35 Kevin, Jacob and Mike talk about their guide
  • 15:10 We give you an introduction to the characters/classes/weapons
  • 19:45 Mike’s devious Kevin secret is revealed
  • 20:28 “Zero Dark Mike” aka when Kevin and Jacob screwed up
  • 21:25 Jacob explains Ranald’s Bones
  • 23:25 Mike, Jacob and Kevin thank our Vermintide guide, who restored our faith in humanity
  • 25:00 A breakdown of the enemy types
  • 27:22 The AI’s helpful cues and quips (ft. some helpful radio salesmen)
  • 29:38 The voice acting
  • 30:48 Subtitles and the PC centric UI (ft. Dead Rising)
  • 32:15 An aside about PC matchmaking
  • 33:25 Autodesk Stingray, Unreal and Unity
  • 35:00 Jacob hated this game at first
  • 37:15 Kevin chimes in
  • 38:40 “The game is in the rotation”
  • 40:50 We continue to talk through the enemy types
  • 46:25 The game’s weapon system, the Forge and the Shrine of Solace
  • 50:05 The game’s DLC and level structure
  • 50:45 Warhammer: Vermintide 2
  • 51:35 Level design in the game
  • 57:00 Mike was dragging our party along… Jacob needed better weapons
  • 58:10 The game’s graphics
  • 58:45 Jacob brings it back to Dead Island
  • 59:15 The satisfaction (and the sound) of a “clean cut”
  • 1:00:50 End of level stats breakdowns
  • 1:01:45 “The butt pat” and hanging out with friends
  • 1:03:20 Jacob, Mike and Kevin’s epic save and Olesya’s Coach
  • 1:05:00 Closing thoughts
  • 1:05:30 Jacob brings it back to “The Rock” and Jumanji

021: Guacamelee!

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We deliver lucha-style piledrivers to skeletons in Guacamelee.

Developer: Drinkbox Studios | Publisher: Drinkbox Games | Release Date: April 9, 2013

Jacob, Mike and Moe talk about chickens and their “easter” eggs, mix-max’ing your character, the PlayStation Vita and Mexico by way of Japan. “This game is more present day WWE and less attitude era WWF.” Our next episode drops on January 24th, 2017 and we are playing Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide!

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:15 What is Guacamelee?
  • 2:22 What is your experience with Guacamelee?
  • 3:46 Super Turbo Championship Edition and what fight about pronunciation of “Melee”
  • 5:25 Standard vs. Gold Edition vs. Super Turbo Championship Edition
  • 5:47 We talk about The PlayStation Vita and
  • 6:40 “The Vita is still hype in Japan” & Jacob learns about Waifu and Weeaboo
  • 8:38 Guacamelee 2
  • 9:12 The “Drinkbox Aesthetic”
  • 10:36 Juan Aguacate and the start of the game
  • 12:35 Tostada and costume changes
  • 14:27 Homages to other games and easter eggs
  • 17:55 Your encounter with Alebrije, the adorable pet dragon
  • 19:35 Getting new moves through Choozo statues and level design
  • 21:30 Uay Chivo (Goat Man), Flame Face and great written dialogue
  • 23:40 The “combat flow”
  • 24:35 Bringing it back to professional wrestling
  • 26:45 How we upgraded our character
  • 27:15 Moe’s biggest gripe with Guacamelee
  • 29:00 The twist at the end
  • 29:55 Completing the game and our “rates of play”
  • 33:00 El Trio De La Muerte
  • 34:20 The El Diablo’s Domain DLC and The Devil
  • 36:58 More on combat chess and enemy variation
  • 40:20 Ontario Media Development Corporation and Telefilm Canada
  • 41:50 The rest of the bosses: Jaguar Javier and Calaca
  • 44:45 INTENSO!
  • 46:38 Our final thoughts
  • 50:20 Jacob asks an extremely important question

020: Virginia

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We “press to X to take a trip” in Virginia.

Developer: Variable State | Publisher: 505 Games | Release Date: September 22, 2016

Jacob, Mike and special guest Jarrett McCourt talk about the grandest little town in Virginia, skip the stairs with jump cuts and look into mirrors at ourselves very deeply. “You need to have some life experiences, Jacob.” Our first episode of 2018 launches on January 10th and we are playing Guacamelee!

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) and Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Jarrett McCourt (Instagram @jarrettmccourt & @jmccourtphotography)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:29 Special Guest Jarrett McCourt introduces himself
  • 4:23 We introduce Virginia
  • 6:00 A little bit about Variable State
  • 6:35 Mike, Jacob and our music expert, Jarrett start on the soundtrack
  • 11:57 “I see this game as more of a piece of art”
  • 12:48 This game as a movie
  • 13:55 Past experience with the game
  • 15:30 The story begins
  • 16:43 “Did you find that the jump cuts were jarring?”
  • 17:56 The look of the game
  • 20:25 Cord McCarren and the X-Files
  • 22:38 Meeting Maria Halperin
  • 24:30 Spoilers start here
  • 24:46 Flipping on your partners
  • 26:10 Jacob comments about the back third of the game
  • 27:38 Jacob gets an education about stamps and “stamps”
  • 29:01 Getting to Kingdom, VA
  • 30:58 The cardinal and the game’s symbolism
  • 34:00 Bull vs. Bison vs. Buffalo
  • 36:50 Is this whole game a trip?
  • 38:23 Jarrett brings up Warhol and the tuba
  • 40:07 What is Virginia’s intention?
  • 43:21 The gas station scene
  • 46:16 The cult thing
  • 48:14 Sojourner’s Truth
  • 49:00 Jacob compares the music to the Super Mario 64 Water Theme (with proof)
  • 50:22 Waking up in Maria’s house
  • 52:03 The game unfurls
  • 53:39 Jacob’s best video game sequence of the 2010s…
  • 56:27 …then you take the drugs
  • 57:40 A hospital bedside, a shoe box and a key
  • 1:01:22 Aliens.
  • 1:02:10 The pastor
  • 1:05:08 Closing thoughts about the game

019: To The Moon

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We explore our darkest dreams in To The Moon.

Developer: Freebird Games | Publisher: Freebird Games, X.D. Network Inc. | Release Date: November 1, 2011

Jacob, Moe and Mike travel in time, play for River and sit together in a movie theatre. Oh yeah… and Jacob cries. “I am a soft boy and I cried my eyes out.” Our last episode of 2017 launches on December 27th and we are playing Virginia.

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:59 Moe tries to explain To The Moon
  • 3:50 “Moe’s gonna hate this”
  • 4:47 Mike tries to explain To The Moon
  • 5:52 How did we play the game?
  • 6:40 What was you first impression?
  • 9:32 The “Dragon Ball Z” moment
  • 11:30 The game’s written dialogue
  • 13:22 The “puzzle”
  • 14:45 Entering the first memory
  • 15:20 The first mention of the music
  • 17:00 Character movement (aka the controls)
  • 19:25 The next few memories (up to “take care of Anya”)
  • 23:05 Did Moe think that River was a serial killer?
  • 24:43 The “movie theatre scene”
  • 25:45 The “NASA pitch”
  • 27:42 Comparing To The Moon to Dragon Ball Z again
  • 29:25 The “lighthouse dance”
  • 31:07 The issue with Johnny’s memory
  • 33:58 A mother’s mistake
  • 36:00 We go to the carnival and compare whack-a-mole scores
  • 36:43 Star-gazing
  • 37:50 “Can you see the constellation?”
  • 39:24 Emotional. Devastation.
  • 42:42 How are we going alter his memory?
  • 44:18 Rosalene vs. Watts
  • 47:20 Moe gets to shoot things
  • 48:42 Comparing To The Moon to romantic comedies
  • 51:35 The final sequence
  • 53:23 Jacob loses it… and then comes back
  • 54:25 The after-credits scene
  • 55:55 To The Moon 2: Finding Paradise + closing thoughts

018: Spec Ops: The Line

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We travel head-first into a sandstorm in Spec Ops: The Line.

Developer: Yager Development | Publisher: 2K Games | Release Date: June 26, 2012

The OG crew (Jacob, Moe and Mike) rides in a helicopter, disobey direct orders and become the hero. “What is this “vault with B” malarkey?” Our next episode launches on December 13th and we are playing To The Moon!

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:12 What is Spec Ops: The Line?
  • 2:32 What is your past experience with Spec Ops: The Line?
  • 3:45 A warning about Spec Ops: The Line
  • 4:33 The game’s setup (Chapter 1-3)
  • 7:42 Jacob’s hypothesis about the game
  • 9:28 Moe jumps ahead to an important choice
  • 12:25 The game’s mechanics
  • 14:50 Favourite weapons
  • 18:10 We return to the first choice in the game (Rick Gould)
  • 19:45 Mike brings up Heart of Darkness & Apocalypse Now
  • 22:52 Mike brings it back to Spec Ops: The Line with “white phosphorus” (Chapter 8)
  • 27:27 We talk about how we played the game
  • 29:03 “There’s always a choice”
  • 30:15 Who is Konrad?
  • 31:30 Where’s the 9 volt battery?
  • 32:30 The game’s visuals
  • 35:18 Nolan North
  • 36:45 Jacob’s “tin hat” theory
  • 37:15 How would you market this game?
  • 41:05 The hanging men (Chapter 9)
  • 43:05 Is the game believable? Blame the sandstorms.
  • 44:25 The other hanging
  • 46:43 Tunnel vision
  • 48:17 The water truck choice
  • 49:42 The fourth wall
  • 50:40 Executions
  • 51:40 The game’s message
  • 53:25 The final sequence & hallucinations
  • 58:28 Konrad’s revelation and the final decision (“who is Konrad?”)
  • 1:02:50 The second set of endings
  • 1:04:36 Our final thoughts

017: Luigi’s Mansion

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The spoopy games continue with Luigi’s Mansion. Jacob, Moe, Mike and special guest Travis Colenutt look deeply into mirrors, use magical vacuum cleaners and walk backwards down creepy hallways. “Marrrrriiiiiiioooooooooooooooo!” Our next episode launches on November 29th and we are playing Spec Ops: The Line!

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Travis Colenutt (@TravisColenutt)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 What is Luigi’s Mansion and what is the premise?
  • 3:58 The three classes of ghosts in the game
  • 8:30 The Mario vs. Luigi debate continues
  • 9:20 Moe’s on Luigi’s ice cold veins
  • 11:35 The start of the game
  • 12:45 Mirrors can do WHAT?
  • 15:45 Jacob’s first complaint… NO WAIT… a baby (Chauncey)
  • 18:40 This is a creepy game, right?
  • 21:15 The game’s difficulty
  • 24:30 Favourite puzzles/bosses
  • 27:35 Travis gets ice ice baby (Sir Weston)
  • 28:20 Mario’s 5 items
  • 30:55 The point to the money; comparing mansion
  • 33:10 Jacob’s fave – “that old man” (Uncle Grimmly)
  • 34:30 Walking outside
  • 36:55 Our boo numbers
  • 40:05: A reminder about 2001
  • 41:05 Jacob compares this game to Batman: Arkham Asylum
  • 42:55 The last boss battle (King Boo)
  • 44:30 Jacob compares this game to Resident Evil
  • 45:10 The fat ghost (Mr. Luggs)
  • 46:15 That old lady (Nana)
  • 47:45 Jacob compares this game to Home Alone 2
  • 48:05 The music
  • 49:45 The sequel
  • 50:35 Our final thoughts

016: Costume Quest

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Happy Halloween! We grab the coolest cardboard costumes we can find and jump skate first into Costume Quest. Jacob, Mike and special guest Andrew Perciballi pitch imaginary games to Tim Schafer, knocking on doors, dad taxes and General Mechanics. “I digress is the theme for today.” Our next episode launches on November 15th and we are playing Luigi’s Mansion!

A special thank you this episode to Lemuel Alquino; our raw audio was an inaudible mess and he was able to save the audio. You can check out his work at lalquino.com and on Twitter @LAlquinoProd.

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt) & Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom)

Special Guest: Andrew Perciballi (@AndyofWindsor & Project Gateway Canada)

Additional Production: Lemuel Alquino (@LAlquinoProd)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:10 What is Costume Quest?
  • 3:50 Jacob and Andrew pitch Costume Quest to Mr. Schafer
  • 4:50 How do you play?
  • 7:20 How did we play the game?
  • 9:35 Knocking on doors?
  • 10:25 Sound direction
  • 12:40 Hypothesized time and place
  • 17:00 We start to dive deep into “general mechanics”
  • 19:00 The general progression
  • 22:00 Comparing the writing to Spielberg cartoon?
  • 25:50 Party make-ups
  • 29:50 Also, candy corn is garbage
  • 34:40 The fries costume
  • 38:00 “Let’s go to the mall”
  • 40:40 Video game malls, Bam Margera and jack**s
  • 43:15 Candy receptacles
  • 47:00 The maze
  • 50:10 The final bosses
  • 51:50 Andrew reveals his secret
  • 54:25 Andrew’s “teenagers” theory; it’s a Game Theory
  • 56:10 Dad Tax
  • 59:00 Jacob and Mike pile on Andrew’s 6 out of 10
  • 1:01:20 Our next game!

015: Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

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We use our Tools of Destruction to annihilate Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando. Moe, Jacob, Mike and special guest Thomas Riess talk about the value of the circle strafe, shuriken and totally forget about the Uncharted series for a second (Jacob is really sorry for that). “Why are you playing this game on hard?” Our next episode launches on Halloween (October 31st) and we are playing Costume Quest! Grab the game on your platform of choice and join us.

You can now e-mail us your questions! Send questions about past episodes or questions about us to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Thomas Riess (@CSGThomas | Editor in Chief, ChargedShot.com)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:50 Why did Moe choose Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando?
  • 3:45 Ratchet & Clank Weapon Ads
  • 5:10 Game setup
  • 8:55 Saturday morning cartoons and R&C; is this game appropriate for adults?
  • 15:00 The Naughty Dog – Insomniac Games connection
  • 17:15 The start of weapon talk…
  • 17:40 …and Thomas makes a list of good weapons and bad weapons
  • 25:25 Our experience with the series
  • 27:15 Mike wasn’t very good at Going Commando
  • 34:35 We talk about our favourite weapons
  • 36:40 The high-fives start on the podcast & Moe hates Olaf from Frozen
  • 40:15 The story
  • 42:00 The variety in the gameplay
  • 47:25 Inverted? Sorry… what?
  • 51:00 The ending. What?
  • 52:45 The Ratchet & Clank Movie
  • 54:55 The “Sucker Punch – Insomniac – Naughty Dog” Connection

014: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (Pt. 2)

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Michael wrangles Moe, Jacob and special guest Dawn Ferron to finish talkin’ about The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. We talk about big fat pigs, big fat ghosts, mouth holes and great characters. “Dummy, I’m bringing you pigs!” Our next episode launches on Wednesday, October 18th and we will announce the next game on our Twitter page shortly!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Dawn Ferron (@dawnndarling)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:55 Moe took notes (aka the “Rants and Raves List”)
  • 3:05 Pulling the Master Sword out of the stone
  • 5:00 Jacob loses it
  • 7:40 The Earth Temple
  • 12:45 The game’s treatment of female characters
  • 15:15 Bad temple names
  • 16:20 The Wind Temple
  • 22:05 #callback (correction: Wind Waker came out before Shadow of the Colossus)
  • 27:30 Find all those Triforce Shards
  • 32:05 Back to Hyrule
  • 38:55 These guys… again?
  • 40:50 Ganon? A bed? “Uh oh, where is this going?”
  • 48:50 Stage two Ganon
  • 1:05:40 Jacob reviews Moe, Mike and Dawn
  • 1:06:25 Angry Alvin makes his third & final appearance on the Left Behind Game Club

013: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (Pt. 1)

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Get ready for “Tangents 64”. Special guest Dawn Ferron joins Moe, Jacob, and Michael to talk about the loveliest grandmas, the validity of Ganon in the Zelda cannon and we compare fruits. Also, Dawn steals Jacob’s childhood. “Why can’t you compare apples and oranges?” We have delayed the second part of our Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker series to Wednesday, October 4th. Thank you for your understanding.

Note: Jacob is playing through the game – you can check out his streams at JacobStreams.com!

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Dawn Ferron (@dawnndarling)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 3:40 Past experience with LOZ: Wind Waker
  • 9:00 JacobStreams.com
  • 10:20 Game setup
  • 16:00 Forbidden Fortress
  • 19:40 Windfall Island
  • 25:40 The approach to the first Dungeon
  • 28:30 “Are Nintendo games good?”
  • 30:10 Dragon Roost Island and the first Dungeon
  • 37:10 The Forest Haven and the second Dungeon
  • 42:05 The third pearl
  • 43:45 Return to Windfall and gettin’ some bombs
  • 50:40 Temple of the Gods
  • 59:20 The game’s look
  • 1:01:40 Hyrule Castle
  • 1:06:50 What’s next for the Left Behind Game Club?

012: Thirty Flights of Loving

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Buckle up, sit back, and enjoy our take on 30 Flights of Loving. Special guest Rocco Tenaglia joins Moe, Jacob, and Michael to discuss the merits of nonalcoholic beverages, what makes a great credits sequence, and what a 20 minute game is worth. “This game was like a dream.” We start the first part of our Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker series on Wednesday, September 20th. Part 2 will release on Wednesday, September 27th.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guest: Rocco Tenaglia

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 1:35 What is Thirty Flights of Loving?
  • 5:20 Drinking all of the non-alcoholic alcohol
  • 16:35 How jump cuts make the game feel more cinematic
  • 18:45 Walking through dreams
  • 23:35 Oranges
  • 28:30 Gangster Gollum
  • 29:30 The loving part…
  • 29:55 …then the game gets weird
  • 30:20 The best credit sequences
  • 34:35 Is the story worth telling?
  • 37:55 What is the game worth?
  • 42:55 Frog fractions breakdown
  • 45:40 Final thoughts
  • 46:55 Moe is not disappointed
  • 48:15 Angry Alvin returns

011: Papers, Please

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We approach the border of Arstotzka to talk about Papers, Please. Moe, Jacob and Michael talk about the importance of proper documentation, Jorji Costava and why accountants shouldn’t be the head of the household in Arstotzka. “What did you do with your Tamagochi back in the day?” We called an audible with our content schedule and have pushed the first part of our Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker series to Wednesday, September 20th. Part 2 will release on Wednesday, September 27th.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (spoilers):

  • 2:00 – Our past experience with the game
  • 4:20 – Structure of the game
  • 10:50 – Jorji Costava (#jorjithehero)
  • 15:30 – The subplots
  • 16:05 – The husband and wife
  • 16:55 – The psychology of Papers, Please
  • 18:35 – The “flow”
  • 20:15 – EZIC
  • 24:50 – What would you do with a thousand dollars?
  • 27:20 – Getting paid
  • 31:30 – The bomb
  • 36:25 – The psychology of Papers, Please (part 2)
  • 40:40 – Final thoughts
  • 45:50 – Question from the community
  • 49:00 – Our next game
  • 51:50 – Angry Alvin comes out

010: Mike’s Game Club Most Wanted List

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Next week, we share our thoughts about Papers, Please. This week, it’s finally time for Mike’s list of the Top 10 games we should play on the Left Behind Game Club! He had a really hard time narrowing the list down to 10, but here it is. “What is Firewatch?”

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

The Complete List of Mike’s Games (spoilers):

  • Firewatch
  • Papers, Please (we play this game next week)
  • Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
  • Star Wars: Republic Commando
  • Bully
  • Zeno Clash
  • Guacamelee!
  • Resident Evil 4
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
  • Dead Space

009: Super Mario Galaxy

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We “stay woke” and play Super Mario Galaxy. Moe, Jacob and Michael talk about star bits, the complicated Bowser-Peach relationship and debate who is the greatest Mario brother. “Is this game not for us?” Come back on Wednesday, September 13th for Episode 007 – we are playing through the first half of the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.

Please note: the first half of this podcast was recorded live with a different setup, so the audio quality is not up to our normal standard. The second half sounds better.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes:

  • 2:10 Why did we choose Super Mario Galaxy?
  • 3:35 Past experience with Super Mario Galaxy
  • 4:30 The story
  • 6:10 Start of the game
  • 18:30 Mario vs. Luigi
  • 21:05 A big revelation about Princess Peach
  • 22:25 What is “stay woke”?
  • 27:00 Galaxies you didn’t like
  • 31:50 The music
  • 34:25 The bosses
  • 36:55 Jacob’s snarky Super Mario Galaxy notes
  • 40:00 End of Part 1
  • 40:10 Start of Part 2
  • 41:05 Mario vs. Luigi Part 2
  • 43:15 Our final notes
  • 47:30 We fly high
  • 56:40 Wrap-up

008: Moe’s Game Club Most Wanted List

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Next week, we jump into our two-part Super Mario Galaxy series. This week, it’s Moe’s turn to give you his list of the ten games we should play on the Left Behind Game Club. “It’s-a-me, mystery!”

Please note: we recorded this podcast live with a different setup, so the audio quality is not up to our normal standard.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

The Complete List of Moe’s Games (spoilers):

  • Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando
  • Portal
  • God of War 2
  • Luigi’s Mansion
  • Timeshift
  • Okami
  • Grow Home
  • Hitman
  • Pokemon Snap
  • Uncharted 2

007: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

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We create the marketing strategy for our new goat businesses while talking about Starbreeze’s Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Shane Chiasson joins Moe, Jacob and Michael for (mostly) happy brotherly tales. Just don’t play the game on mobile. “At the Left Behind Goat Club, we’ll jump for joy with goats.” Come back on Wednesday, August 23rd for Episode 006 – we are playing through the first half of Super Mario Galaxy.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Special Guests: Shane Chiasson (@chiassoo)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (minor spoilers):

  • 2:50 What is Brothers about?
  • 4:40 What is our experience with Brothers?
  • 9:30 Intro of the Game
  • 13:05 Opening Section
  • 20:05 “The Giant”
  • 23:00 “The Underground”
  • 29:05 “The Sky Section”
  • 33:00 “The Hanging Man”
  • 39:45 “The Hang Glider”
  • 41:50 “The Sky Castle”
  • 46:10 “The Battlefield”
  • 48:35 “The Blood Ritual”
  • 51:30 “The Snowy Area”
  • 54:20 “The Hole”
  • 1:00:10 “The End Sequence”
  • 1:06:35 “Final Thoughts”

006: Jacob’s Game Club Most Wanted List

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Next week, we dive into Brothers, A Tale of Two Sons. This week, Jacob gives you his list of the ten games we should play on future editions of the Left Behind Game Club. “Another one. Another one.”

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

The Complete List of Jacob’s Games (spoilers):

  • Ghost Trick
  • Brutal Legend
  • Spec Ops: The Line
  • Virginia
  • Advance Wars
  • Valiant Hearts
  • To The Moon
  • Splinter Cell: Conviction
  • The Wolf Among Us
  • Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

005: Braid

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We try to re-create the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade by playing through Number None’s Braid. In this episode, we rewind and go forward, rewind and go forward but then Moe has to separate the kids. “I never thought I would talk about Soulja Boy on this podcast but Crank Dat, I guess?” Come back on Wednesday, August 9th for Episode 005 – we are playing through Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes (minor spoilers):

  • 1:45 Why is Braid important?
  • 2:35 Who is Jonathan Blow?
  • 4:00 Our past experiences with the game
  • 8:50 “Summer of Arcade was dope”
  • 13:10 Opening/World 2
  • 23:48 World 3
  • 25:55 Jacob “opens the floodgates”
  • 37:15 World 4
  • 44:15 World 5/6
  • 47:25 World 1/The End
  • 1:08:15 Should Braid be Left Behind?
  • 1:21:00 Our Next Game

004: Interview with Karla Zimonja (The Fullbright Company)

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After playing through Gone Home, we sat down with Karla Zimonja. Karla is a co-founder, story editor and 2D Artist at The Fullbright Company, developer of Gone Home and Tacoma.

Jacob talks to Karla about what makes a great Pacific Northwest story, they gush over teen drama, talk through the production of Tacoma and he asks Karla what she is looking forward to jumping into once production on Tacoma is wrapped.

Tacoma arrives on Xbox One, PC, MacOS and Linux on August 2nd.

Player: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt)

Guest: Karla Zimonja (@zusty)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

003: Gone Home

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The team travels back to 1995 to play through The Fullbright Company’s Gone Home. In this episode, we talk about walking, Christmas ducks, ghosts and teen angst. “It’s a ghostttttttttt!” Come back on Wednesday, July 26th for Episode 004 – we are playing through Braid.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes:

  • 1:30 Our experience with the game
  • 2:50 What is Idle Thumbs (https://www.idlethumbs.net/)?
  • 4:30 Where should you start with Idle Thumbs?
  • 6:50 How did you play Gone Home?
  • 8:18 The start of the game
  • 12:46 A great moment: the note that gets taken away
  • 13:52 The game’s characters
  • 16:05 How Moe felt coming into the house (aka murderous thoughts)
  • 19:02 Mike’s thoughts about walking into the house
  • 20:40 How Jacob felt about the 101 Dalmatians-esque house
  • 22:47 Reading notes
  • 25:10 The Christmas Duck
  • 26:45 Our “Goosebumps” moments
  • 30:04 Sam and Lonnie 4eva
  • 32:05 The Red Hair Dye moment
  • 33:05 Is the game nudging you in a certain order?
  • 36:10 Mike compares the game to the original Max Payne
  • 38:00 The basement
  • 38:37 The game’s climax
  • 40:30 The kitchen, the garage and the notes
  • 42:00 Moe’s opinions on “is this a game”
  • 44:30 A rough patch in Janice’s marriage #wildfire
  • 45:58 Moe compares Gone Home to Disneyland
  • 47:45 Everybody has smut
  • 49:30 The family portrait
  • 52:56 Stories in the Pacific Northwest & the 90s
  • 55:45 Sexuality, the army and religion
  • 58:30 More shows that evoke the Pacific Northwest
  • 59:30 Our final thoughts about the game

002: Shadow of the Colossus Pt. 2

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We continue on our discussion around Shadow of the Colossus by talking through the second half of the game. Listen to Episode 001 before you dive into this episode! “No horse left behind!” In our upcoming Episode 003, we play through Gone Home.

Left Behind Game Club is a bi-weekly podcast where friends gather to re-create the feeling of getting a game on day-one and talking it about with friends. It’s our neverending quest to make sure that no game left behind.

You can also listen to the show on Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Show Notes:

  • 1:29 The discussion starts with a “WooooooW”
  • 3:35 Jacob talks “forgettable” Colossi and Mike talks PS2 issues
  • 5:30 The thirteenth Colossi, Phalanx
  • 7:20 That flippin’ turtle – the ninth Colossi: Basaran
  • 9:44 Those loose controls
  • 10:36 The tenth Colossi, Dirge
  • 13:58 The eleventh Colossi, Celosia
  • 16:55 The other small Colossi; the fourteenth Colossi, Cenobia
  • 18:30 Mike brings up the cut content from the game
  • 20:15 Jacob brings up Gone Home and the Arkham games
  • 22:28 The fifteenth Colossi, Argus
  • 23:50 The final Colossi, Malus
  • 28:05 Comparing the 13th and 14th Colossi & final two Colossi
  • 29:10 Jacob’s struggle with the final Colossi
  • 31:37 The save system
  • 32:14 The end of the game
  • 35:15 The horsey #nohorseleftbehind
  • 37:05 Is this a prequel to ICO?
  • 40:23 Did the twist at the end hit us?
  • 41:30 The main question: “would you recommend this game?”
  • 48:00 We wrap it up and talk about our next game: Gone Home

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

You can e-mail us your questions! Send questions to questions@leftbehindgame.club!

001: Shadow of the Colossus Pt. 1

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Shadow of the Colossus is the first game in the Left Behind Game Club and Jacob, Mike and Moe dive into the first half of the game. “It feels like we are killing babies.”  Episode 002 covers the second half of the game.

Players: Jacob McCourt (@JacobMcCourt), Michael Ruffolo (@ruffolom) and Moe Murtadi (@mmurtadi)

Website: LeftBehindGame.Club | Twitter: @LeftBehindClub

Show Notes:

0:17 Host Introductions
0:55 Why the Left Behind Game Club?
3:40 Intro to Shadow of the Colossus & why did we start with this game?
7:22 Does the game feel dated?
8:45 How does the game start?
12:26 How about the controls?
13:19 Using strategy guides and wikis to solve puzzles
15:05 The in-game camera & horse controls
17:39 Does the game just look washed out?
19:40 Favourite moment in the first half?
24:40 The fourth Colossi: Phaedra
26:30 Some hot tips from Moe
27:14 The sixth Colossi: Barba
31:03 Traversing the world
32:25 The eighth Colossi: Kuromori
34:48 Moe’s dirty little secret
36:00 “This game gives me the creeps” & “feels like I’m killing babies”
41:08 A dark spaghetti spirit attacks!
43:10 Our own personal storytelling within the game
44:25 Unanswered questions
46:55 Horse legs #realistichorses
49:30 Final thoughts