(00:00:00) Intro/What This Podcast Is
(00:02:25) Personal Histories
(00:13:08) Development
(00:31:59) Visual Design
(00:38:37) Mechanics
(00:51:48) Music and Sound
(01:00:28) Story Analysis: Let's Kill God
(01:26:18) Resistance Camp
(01:39:07) This Cannot Continue
(02:03:16) Pascal's Village
(02:24:23) Aliens' Return

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"Stop calling me ma'am."

The analysis on NieR Automata begins! Rick is joined by Dave (Tales from the Backlog) to take an in-depth look at this marriage of Platinum Games's circumfluent battle style and Yoko Taro's philosophically-tinged narratives. NieR Automata is a game with two ideas at its core: existentialism (existence precedes essence); and the all-too-human penchant for "othering" those who are not in our in-group, often due to unwillingness to shift perspective. This episode covers up to learning the fate of the makers of the machines. Hope you love the show today. Enjoy!

Interview with Yoko Taro
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy



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(00:00:00) Intro/What This Podcast Is
(00:02:06) Personal Histories and Initial Thoughts
(00:12:10) Development
(00:16:02) Visuals
(00:26:58) Sound Design
(00:40:40) Narrative Discussion
(01:30:22) Ending Discussion

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An oppressive system breeds a need to break free.

Rick is joined by Kate and Emily (No Small Games) to take a deeper look into Playdead's INSIDE, a horror-tinged puzzle-platformer released in 2016. Draped in an opaque narrative, INSIDE demands discussion from players—with the game and with each other—to parse out intent and impact. Between the three hosts themes of control, systemic oppression, free will vs determinism, and autonomy are explored, both in terms of gameplay and a suggested narrative. Hope you love the show today. Enjoy!

LINK: INSIDE's Audio in a Human Skull



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(00:00:00) Intro, Abby and Lev Discussion
(00:22:46) Day 3A
(00:29:29) Through Seraphites and Snipers
(00:39:31) Casualties of War
(00:46:41) WLF Standoff
(00:52:15) The Pyre of Haven
(00:57:55) They'll Pay
(01:17:10) Epilogue: Throwing It All Away
(01:46:49) Final Confrontation

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"If somehow the Lord gave me a second chance at that moment...I'd do it all over again."

The analysis of The Last of Us Part 2 concludes—and what an ending; a disgrace to some, near-perfect for others, infamous to all. At what point does one become truly irredeemable, forced to bear their scars with no path to forgiveness? Rick and Jon explore this idea at length, discussing the final confrontation at the theater recontextualized, the epilogue and whether or not it is out of place, and the controversy over the end. Hope you love the show today!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Intro and TLOU Writing
(00:05:25) The Search for Tommy
(00:18:46) No Turning Back
(00:36:28) The Confrontation
(00:42:40) Day 1A
(01:03:54) The Search for Owen
(01:21:59) An Unlikely Alliance
(01:28:30) I'm tired, Abby
(01:36:13) An Unlikely-er Alliance
(01:52:49) Braving the Hospital
(01:59:44) This Ain't the Nutcracker's Rat King

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"We let you live...and you fucking wasted it."

The analysis of The Last of Us Part II continues! Choices have consequences, and this episode brings them to light in spades. This is where the game transitions into the second half of the story—which was kept secret from viewers due to review embargo. But how does it recontextualize the story? This episode is all about perspective. I'm tired, Abby. Hope you love the show today!

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(00:00:00) Depravity | The Last of Us Part 2 Analysis (Ep. 160)
(00:01:35) Seattle, Continued
(00:33:04) Captured
(00:46:50) The TV Station
(00:59:22) Chase to the Theater
(01:04:10) Flashback: Did I Do Okay?
(01:19:42) Burnin' Rubber at Hillcrest
(01:32:18) Flashback: The Truth
(01:45:15) Scars on Route 5
(01:53:31) Finding Nora
(01:56:54) Ellie's Depravity

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"Well you're a burden now, aren't you?"

The analysis of The Last of Us Part 2 continues! In this episode, Rick and Jon examine the relationship between Ellie and Dina begin to change as secrets come to light. And as the hunt for the WLF continues, Ellie is faced with a decision—one which sets her over a precipice from which she cannot return. All of this and more in this week's episode. Hope you love the show today!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:09:00) Dev History
(00:22:50) Controversies
(00:35:13) Visuals and Music
(00:43:19) Mechanics
(00:55:53) Jackson, Revisited
(01:17:34) Abby's Introduction
(01:25:33) A Close Encounter...
(01:27:52) That Scene
(01:46:42) Justice Will Be Served

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"Please don't do this..."

The critical analysis of The Last of Us Part II begins today! This is a polarizing game, to say the least; some see this as a bold, biting success in the spirit of TLOU's universe, while others see this as the creators spitting in the face of fans—even going so far as to petition for a complete remake. Either way you slice it, this game gets a *lot* of talk around it. This podcast, where Rick is joined by Jon (Video Game Lounge) will be no different. This episode explores a high-level overview and the philosophies/themes behind the game before the narrative breakdown. This episode covers up to and through *That Scene.* You know the one. Hope you love the show today!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

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"...I got this..."

The analysis of our Final Fantasy Tactics stint comes to a close—and what a conclusion it is: the secrets of the Church are fully revealed; Delita spirals further into his view of justice; and players get an ending that, we argue, is totally Shakespeare. This has been a blast, and we hope you have loved these episodes, too. Please enjoy!

Developer Interview on the Remake
Schmuplations 1997 Interview
Composer Commentary
FFT Localization, Examined

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(00:00:00) Ramza the Heretic | Final Fantasy Tactics Analysis (Ep. 157)
(00:05:20) War Council and Meeting Orran
(00:12:00) Pleading with Zalbaag
(00:18:08) More Killing God
(00:23:46) To the Monastery
(00:32:31) Judas
(00:39:06) To Riovanes
(00:49:39) Marach and Rapha
(00:58:33) Folmarv Ain't Foolin'
(01:02:42) Wiegraf Ruins My Life
(01:15:32) Rapha Ruins My Life
(01:23:23) End of Chapter 3

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"I will burn down this kingdom, and from its ashes build for you a new one - a kingdom worthy of you."

The Final Fantasy Tactics analysis continues! Rick, Nomad (The Retro Wildlands) and Chris (Consoles and Stuff) charge into Chapter 3, which sees the game veer into a more traditional JRPG territory. Traditional isn't bad, though...although a few fights in this stretch of the game certainly are. More Lucavi, more Delita, more bad guys—this chapter has it all. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!

Developer Interview on the Remake
Schmuplations 1997 Interview
Composer Commentary

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(00:00:00) Introduction and Sand Rat's Seitch
(00:07:53) Wiegraf and Gustav
(00:15:25) Dycedarg and Duke Larg
(00:19:24) Milleuda
(00:23:59) Tietra's Troubles
(00:32:47) Turning Point
(00:48:49) The Manipulative and the Subservient
(00:56:40) Betrayal
(01:02:40) Mustadio and the Auracite
(01:10:39) Dycedarg and Delacroix
(01:16:41) Clockwork City of Goug
(01:23:13) Gaffgarion's Bullshit and Ovelia's Truth
(01:35:58) We Might Kill God
(01:43:05) Delita's Deal
(01:49:30) Outro

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"I have no wish to change the world. But nor can I stand by while men suffer and die on he whim of some select few."

The Final Fantasy Tactics analysis continues! Rick, Nomad (The Retro Wildlands) and Chris (Consoles and Stuff) move forward in this episode until the beginning of Chapter III. The power struggle of Dukes Larg and Goltanna continues to rage on—but two new parties join the fray: the Church, and...Delita, whose ambitions remain yet unknown. Class struggle tinged with free will continues throughout this epic story. Don't dog my every move. You milksop rabble. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!

Developer Interview on the Remake
Schmuplations 1997 Interview
Composer Commentary


Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Intro
(00:15:04) Development
(00:27:14) Visual Presentation
(00:41:06) That Famous Battle System
(01:02:25) The Zodiac System
(01:07:18) Sound Design
(01:19:37) The Story Begins
(01:26:01) Localization Differences
(01:33:20) Chapter 1: The Meager
(01:39:53) Double Flashback
(01:43:22) Rescuing The Bastard
(01:47:42) Wiegraf and Gustav
(01:53:19) Outro

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"Forgive me. 'Tis your birth and faith that wrong you. Not I."

The critical analysis of Final Fantasy Tactics begins today! Rick is joined by Nomad (The Retro Wildlands) and Chris (Consoles and Stuff) to dissect one of Final Fantasy's most beloved titles. The tale of two young men are woven together by a struggle of class stratification in Ivalice, a nation rent in two by the Lions' War. Episode 1 covers up to the Sand Rat's Seitch and begins with a discussion of the development, the phenomenal score, and, of course, the famous battle system. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!

Developer Interview on the Remake
Schmuplations 1997 Interview
Composer Commentary

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(00:00:00) Would You Find A Reason To Smile? | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Analysis (Ep. 154)
(00:02:28) The Origins of Lumiere
(00:33:30) Character Relationship Quests
(00:48:54) Clea and Simon
(00:52:17) The Final Battle
(01:08:08) Discussion on Endings

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I don't want this life...

Our analysis of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 comes to an end today! Rick and Thrak (The 3DO Experience! and ThrakOps) parse out the final confrontation with Renoir and the two very emotional—and very ideologically divided—endings. What does it mean to be conscious? How can one weigh the salvation of the self in tandem with the salvation of others? All this and more on this week's episode. Hope you love the show today—please enjoy!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Introduction and Community Forum
(00:09:24) Back at Camp and Old Lumiere
(00:18:20) Maelle and the Manor
(00:24:18) Fight with Dad
(00:29:36) Back at Camp
(00:38:22) Visage Island
(00:43:53) Sirène
(00:52:08) Esquie's Secret
(00:53:47) The Dessendre Family
(00:56:33) To the Monolith
(01:09:40) Renoir's Final Plea
(01:11:46) Confronting the Paintress
(01:20:05) Celebration...
(01:23:12) ...Short lived.

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Who really is the one painting death? And who paints life instead? 

The narrative analysis of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues! In this episode, Rick and Thrak (The 3DO Experience! and ThrakOps) cover from leaving Monoco's Station until the beginning of Act III. Renoir poses questions that trouble Verso deeply; is there more to the Dessendre family than we know? Join us for discussion on honesty, the sheer amount of art there is in this life, and the game's central thesis: that of the grieving process. Please enjoy!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

(00:00:00) Opening and World Map
(00:02:23) Flying Waters
(00:04:15) Mysterious Manor and Reunion
(00:11:08) Back to the Waters
(00:13:54) Lofi Beats to Study and Parry To
(00:15:56) Maelle's Nightmare
(00:25:01) Gestral Village
(00:37:05) Tournament and Sciel
(00:43:45) Maelle's Nightmare
(00:50:00) Meeting Esquie
(00:56:26) Maelle's Nightmare
(00:57:58) Stonewave Cliffs
(01:04:27) Lamplighter and White-Haired Man
(01:10:54) Loss
(01:14:38) Verso
(01:20:23) Back at Camp
(01:21:43) Act II
(01:29:43) Forgotten Battlefield
(01:33:36) RIP
(01:35:35) Monoco's Station

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"This won't make sense to you now, but we both want what's best for our families. I'm sorry you're caught in the middle. But I did try to warn you."

Rick and Thrak (The 3DO Experience! and ThrakOps) return to continue their narrative analysis of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! Episode II covers from the first foray into the world map until we meet our last permanent party member shortly into Act II. Puzzle pieces begin fitting together, but they introduce more questions than answers: who is the White-Haired Man? Why does he seem particularly interested in Maelle? And what's the deal with Esquie? The implications of condolences, experiencing loss, narrative framing, and more—please enjoy!

Developer Interview with Final Fantasy Union
Interview with Narrative-lead Jennifer Svedberg-Yen

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(00:00:00) Tomorrow Comes | Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 Analysis (Ep. 151)
(00:08:07) What This Podcast Is
(00:09:39) Community Forum
(00:13:19) Development
(00:24:00) Visuals
(00:33:31) Mechanics
(00:50:44) Music and Sound
(01:06:14) Spoiler Wall Warning
(01:08:10) Prologue
(01:21:30) The Gommage
(01:26:27) Tragedy on the Shore
(01:33:19) Gustav's Choice
(01:40:35) Closing Thoughts

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"If you're going to give flowers to someone, you should probably do it before they wither and die."

Today, Rick and Thrak (The 3DO Experience! and ThrakOps) begin their analysis of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! This introductory work from Sandfall Interactive came onto the scene with absolute fervor—and we can tell you upfront that it lives up to the hype. In this episode, we talk at a general level about the game's visuals, mechanics, music, and symbolism, before diving into our narrative analysis. Here, we cover from the beginning of the game until the introduction to the world map. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!

Developer Interview with Final Fantasy Union
Interview with Narrative-lead Jennifer Svedberg-Yen


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"And when he stared me down, that ghost, I knew he was here to kill me...and why shouldn't he?" 

A bombastic, emotional, and somewhat messy finale to our Death Stranding analysis is here, as Rick, along with Nick and Will (Friday Night Gamecast, see the story to its completion. Origins revealed, confessions made, and relationships clarified...along with some questionable mechanics and very questionable (but confident) dialogue. Please enjoy!

Translated Kojima interview
"Death Stranding is a reaction to Trump and Brexit, says Hideo Kojima"
National Parks of Japan: Oze's Mighty Bokka Porters



Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!You can also join our free Discord server, or connect with us on Bluesky, Instagram, and TikTok!


"Everything is true, except for all the lies."

The Death Stranding analysis continues. Nick and Will (Friday Night Gamecast) join again to continue through this story of isolation and connection. This episode covers Episode 2 into Episode 7. The possible nefarious intentions of Bridges, Higgs's game plan, writing a character's death, and more. Please enjoy!

Translated Kojima interview
"Death Stranding is a reaction to Trump and Brexit, says Hideo Kojima"
National Parks of Japan: Oze's Mighty Bokka Porters



Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!
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"Once there was an explosion. A bang that gave birth to time and space."

This week, Rick is joined by Nick and Will (Friday Night Gamecast) to begin their journey through Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima's 2019 project exploring a broken America and the importance of rebuilding. Isolation, interconnectivity, relationships, the importance of a mail system--there are many themes and ideas explored throughout Sam Porter Bridges's journey. In Part I, we discuss the game as a whole in our preliminary conversation, and follow into and through the Prologue and Episode I. The efficacy of writing, naming conventions, a subversion of gameplay expectations - all this and more, just inside. Rick Podman out.

National Parks of Japan: Oze's Mighty Bokka Porters


Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!
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"What is the worth of a replica, a copy of a copy?"

This week, Rick is joined by Ben (Play Along Podcast) to discuss Signalis, a 2022 survival horror game that pays homage to the influential PS1 era of the same genre. Signalis is a game that seeks to provoke both feeling and thought, boasting a sprawling narrative that is not interested in giving definitive answers to in-universe lore. As is so often the case, though, these clear-cut answers are anything but the point. Join us as we examine the game's central questions and extrapolate them to our lives off of the screen, discuss aesthetics and vibes, and much more. Please enjoy!

VICE interview with Yuri Stern and Barbara Wittmann
2018 interview with Yuri Stern
Yuri's Twitter thread on the ending of Signalis



Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!
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How far would you go to bring back a loved one?

This week, Rick is joined by Michael (Bits of Time Podcast) to consider the premise of Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. Part visual novel, part adventure game, and part mystery thriller, Paranormasight opens with the question at the core of its story: would you resurrect a loved one if you could? If there were no consequences? How far would you go? This Square Enix title does a lot well - take a listen to hear us talk about the OST, the fantastic art style, and the divisive ending. Please enjoy!

Interview with Paranormasight creative team

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon!
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Nothing can now be ruined. We are the guests of someone gone.

This week, Rick is joined by Chris (1 Hour 1 Decision Podcast) to talk Gris, a 2018 work exploring grief, loss, and acceptance. Though initially unassuming, there's more to Gris than meets the eye. Our conversations focus on two themes: Prescriptivism vs Descriptivism; and that of the title, interpretation being a co-creation between the viewer and creator. Please enjoy!

Gris Is A Game About Death (Of The Author) - Max Goldstein
Youtuber Robin Walden on Interpretation


Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!