Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast (Axe of the Blood God)

It's finally time to start the PC RPG Quest, because without knowledge of our past, there can be no future. This week, Kat and Nadia look back at the primal roots of RPGs, especially games written and played on the giant university mainframes of the '70s. They're joined by author David L. Craddock, who knows a thing or two about ancient computer RPGs. Which RPG first used graphics? Which RPG had the first instance of a boss fight? We guarantee you'll come away from this episode feeling educated and entertained. Also in this episode: Nadia and Kat compare Tales of Arise impressions, and an Indie Direct brought us a lot of great RPG news. Buckle up Homestuck, because Nintendo's not done: A big Pokemon Direct is coming very soon, too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia recap all of the big announcements from the past week at E3 including Anthem (3:00), the announcement that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will be out this year (9:35), a new Pokemon generation for the Switch (50:00), and more. Plus: Lots of talk about Yakuza and Etrian Odyssey 5! Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet! Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia talk about some of the announcements from Blizzcon, including a Diablo mobile game, as well as the surprise appearance of Deltarune, the new game by Toby Fox. Then the pair share their impressions of Diablo 3 and talk about why it's such a great fit for Nintendo Switch. Afterward, special guest Matthew Allen comes on the show to add Elder Scrolls: Morrowind to our Top 25 RPGs list! Listen as we discuss why its story was ahead of its time, what made its world so unique, and why it was the end of an era for Bethesda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week's Activision Blizzard layoffs cast a pall over Blizzard, developer of the most successful MMORPG ever made. Kat and Nadia discuss what it all means, why the layoffs were especially brutal, and more. After that, Kat celebrates Final Fantasy 8's anniversary by reminding everyone that it was good, and the pair take a look at the recent Nintendo Direct reveals. Finally, guest Rowan Kaiser returns to talk about #6 on our Top 25 RPG list: Ultima 7! Find out how it revolutionized the open world RPG genre, and why it's still a remarkable game nearly 30 years later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Axe of the Blood God comes at the end of a discourse-heavy week. E3 is pretty much dead, which spurs Kat, Nadia, and Eric into sharing their best E3 memories (Nadia still has her Witcher press Trapper Keeper). Moreover, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has been bumped to spring 2023. Whatever will Nintendo do this holiday season?...Oh, right. Pokemon's coming. Also in this episode: Nadia's playing Valkyrie Profile and keeps calling it "Valkyria Chronicles." March Madness is done! Who came out on top as the best RPG Hero or Champion? The new PlayStation Plus deal is "uhhhh." But at least we can play Tokyo Jungle again? A book fair ran over Nadia's cat. We also have a post show available to our Stars of Destiny subscribers! This week we share our Stephen King starting recommendations and talk about being really bad at math. Stars of Destiny and above subscribers also get access to our live recording every Friday at 5pm PT, which is always a party. As always we appreciate your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Close to a decade after its original crowdfunding campaign, CrossCode is finally on console! Kat and Nadia are joined by Hirun Cryer, who explains why this beautiful indie RPG is worth your attention. Plus, Kat explains why she's still digging Pokemon Sword, and Nadia reveals her thoughts on Paper Mario: The Origami King. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat, Bob, and Jeremy kick off the very first episode of USgamer's new RPG podcast with the age old question, "What exactly is an RPG?" You know, aside from a miserable pile of secrets? We explore the ingredients of a good RPG, the importance of a good story, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat's away this week on Axe of the Blood God, so Nadia takes the reigns, and chaos reins. Wait. Strike that. Reverse it. Thank you. Eric is on-hand to help co-host, of course, and a very special guest enters the fray: Blood God Discord mod Valexia! The trio have a hearty discussion about LGBTQ+ representation in games, old and new, eastern and western. There's a long way to go, but there's been a lot of progress that's worth celebrating, too. Also in this episode: The Game Awards hate JRPGs :( Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is coming to PS4, Switch, and PC! Everyone's mad at Nadia because she liked that Imagine Dragons/Bastion song at the Game Awards Analogue Pocket orders are opening up. May the odds be ever in your favour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before NieR's depressing side quests, Quintet was giving kids lessons about the uncaring neutrality of the universe back in the 90s! Journey through the morally-grey, bleak worlds of Quintet and its adorable 16-bit veneer with host Nadia Oxford and special guests Anthony John Agnello and Scott White! Terranigma, Illusion of Gaia, ActRaiser, Soul Blazer and more in this retrospective deep dive! Also in this Episode: - Sad goats - The only podcast that has ever talked about Robotrek - Mysterious disappearances - Listen real close and you can hear Victor (your old pal from the edit bay) getting more and more frustrated no one is talking about Quintet's best game, Planet Laika Timestamps: 00:48 - Intros 1:03:12 - The Tavern 1:13:28 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Light and Darkness - [Terranigma] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's re-litigate like it 2015! Does Fallout 4 deserve the hate that it gets in certain circles? With the current-gen update and the TV series bringing Fore-out back to the Fall-front it's time for Kat and Eric to go head-to-head and determine if Fallout 4 is one of the greats of the genre or deserves to be cast into the Pandaemonium pit. Also in this episode: Eiyuden Chronicles' bumpy patches Metaphor ReFantazio Kat rides a rollercoaster and finishes Unicorn Overlord in that order This Week in Gekkoukan Reload continues! Hades 2 tech test impressions Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 08:16 - Main Topic - Fallout 4 42:04 - Random Encounters 1:02:24 - The Tavern 1:26:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Crawl Out Through the Fallout - [Sheldon Allman] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode of Axe of the Blood God, we continue our celebration of Namco Bandai Tales series by ranking all of its biggest games -- from the lowly Tales of the Tempest to the much-loved Tales of Symphonia!   In Part 2, we jump into the classics -- the entries that pushed the series forward and retain a special place in our hearts. Joining us once again are two huge Tails fans: Game Informer's Kim Wallace and friend of the pod Victor Hunter! It's Axe of the Blood God's biggest Tales celebration to date, so join us as we conclude the definitive ranking!   And as always, thank you to our Patrons at the $5 level and above, who get to access this entry a week early and ad free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There be dragons on today's very special episode of Axe of the Blood God. Kat and Nadia talk about the best dragons in RPGs -- and by "best," they kind of mean "worst" because everyone knows dragons are at their best when they're burninating the countryside. Okay, cuddly and friendly dragons are valid, too. Maybe all dragons are valid at the end of the day. In any case, Nadia is incapable of shutting up for most of this episode, so enjoy. Also up for discussion: Activision Blizzard is working to improve (albeit with a minimum of effort), Mass Effect Legendary Edition sold like gangbusters to Bioware's relief, and Nadia got a sick-ass tattoo that's currently peeling and kind of gross to look at. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the June 2021 edition of Pantheon of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric take a deep dive into the first game of the Mass Effect series! They trace its origins as the follow-up to Knights of the Old Republic, delve into its soundtrack, and pick its five best moments. Then comes the big conversation: Is Mass Effect worthy of inclusion in the Pantheon of the Blood God? Pantheon of the Blood God is a series devoted to diving into the very best RPGs of all time. You can find full catalog on our Patreon at https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod or on our website at https://bloodgodpod.com/series/pantheon-of-the-blood-god/! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's Axe of the Blood God is simple and clean. Friend of the show and Good Vibes Gaming host Ash Paulsen joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric to talk about Square Enix's surprise Kingdom Hearts 4 announcement. What, exactly, is going on in the game's mystifying trailer? How did Sora get doxxed? What happened to his Ronald McDonald shoes? Why did Goofy and Donald descend into hell to look for Sora instead of assuming he went to Heaven? The discourse is rich and flavorful.  Also in this episode: Final Fantasy XIV 6.1 is here. Time to dust off your catboys. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes pits Not-Byleth against Byleth. Kat beats up her first shadow in her Persona 3 day-by-day playthrough The "What is an RPG' discourse reaches new, depraved depths. But "If Bloodborne counts as an RPG, so does Actraiser! Tell 'em, Hawk!" Nadia once had a Cabbage Patch doll, and that ended poorly for everyone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turn on Nickelodeon and feed your Tamagotchi, because it's time for the '90s PC RPG Quest here at Axe of the Blood God. John Walker of Buried Treasure joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they talk about this very tumultuous time in PC RPG history. The genre underwent enormous growth, but not before it suffered near-irrelevance amid the rise of DOOM and other first-person shooters.  There's a lot to cover, so feel free to fiddle with your Slap Bracelet while the crew talks. Just don't cut open the bracelet's fabric, take out the sharp piece of metal inside, and start hitting people with it. That's how Slap Bracelets get banned from schools. Not speaking from experience or anything, mind you. Enjoy the PC RPG Quest? Make sure to check out our episodes covering the 1970s and 1980s!  Also in this episode: Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker queue times will kill us all Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's duplication glitches are making us nostalgic NIntendo Online's Expansion Pack kind of sucks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You down with RGG? Yeah, you know me! From Super Monkey Ball to Infinite Wealth, our prestigious panel covers the history and key players of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Eric, Nadia, and special guest Michael Higham discuss the runaway success of the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series, the charm of 1988 Kamurochō, and the role these games have played in their own personal lives and careers. Much like Like A Dragon itself, this episode is full of heartfelt sentimentality contrasted with borderline absurdist comedy! Also in this Episode: Great tattoo ideas BuT Is iT An RpG?!?!? Visions of Mana! Eric has been playing Palworld... The Art of Fare Evasion Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 07:00 - Main Topic - Developer Quest: RGG 1:02:28 - Random Encounters 1:13:12 - The Tavern 1:26:58 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Pure Love in Kamurocho - [Yakuza 0] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes it's not just about the power of friendship. Even the most friend-shaped RPGs can pull the rug out from under you with a moment that makes your skin crawl. Sometimes they beat you over the head with that rug with moments that make you go "aww jeez, come on, don't do that!" On this week's Axe of the Blood God Nadia and Victor discuss their favourite(?) moments in games that embrace the creepy, the macabre, or the truly depraved. It's not the first episode where we talk about marrying cousins and it won't be the last! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: We're playing Dawntrail obvs The lost Shin Megami Tensei games you can play right now! More saved feature phone games including Final Fantasy D-d-d-dimensions! Remembering Mutsumi Inoumata Timestamps: 6:40 - Main Topic - Darkest Moments in RPGs 57:52 - Random Encounters 1:20:16 - The Tavern 1:32:40 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Pirate Island - [Boktai 3] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Axe of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric say farewell to 2021 by looking back on the year's greatest RPG triumphs (and a few, er, not-triumphs). 2021 was a bit slim on major triple-A RPG releases, but there's been a great showing from smaller games, including SMT V, Tales of Arise, Monster Hunter Stories 2, Loop Hero, Ys 9, and so very much more. Oh, and there was also a new expansion for a certain online RPG that shall remain nameless. We can no longer say its name; it's become far too powerful. Please forget about the critically acclaimed MMORPG with the free trial that lets you play through all of A Realm Reborn and the award-winning expansion Heavensward. Also in this episode: Nintendo sure did drop an Indie Direct. Sea of Stars looks dope. OK, so you can't play Final Fantasy XIV, but you can play Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PC! Oh wait, it's kind of a mess. Kat is now besties with Henry Cavill. We will all miss her as she departs on her glorious new life as a Hollywood groupie. Wait, didn't Elton John write a song about this…? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nadia joins Kat to discuss Bravely Second, the sequel to the surprise hit retro RPG. How does it stack up to its predecessor? What is it about retro RPGs that seems to inspire so much passion in its fans? And has the series finally managed to win Kat over? All these answers and more, plus a Twitter mailbag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kotaku's Kirk Hamilton joins Kat to talk about his two favorite subjects - Destiny and The Witcher 3. The pair revisit Witcher 3's combat, talk about the game's depiction of sex, and discuss Destiny's odd appeal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nadia and Kat host a live discussion with the Axe of the Blood God community! They share plans for an exciting community event for March, where Television of the Blood God stands following the conclusion of The Witcher, and plans for the next Pantheon pick. Plus, we take questions from the community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the best RPG boss fights? And what makes a good RPG boss fight in the first place? Nadia and returning guest Steve Tramer join Kat to dissect this crucial aspect of creating a good roleplaying game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know Tri-Ace was founded when the members of Wolf Team developing Tales of Phantasia grew tired of Namco's involvement and split off to create their own studio in the middle of development? And then in 2019 the mobile game Star Ocean: Anamnesis featured a crossover event with Tales, bridging the two series after nearly a quarter-century? Anyway this episode is all about the new remake of Star Ocean 2 with special guest Jada Griffen! George Yang is also supposed to be here but the best laid plans of mice and men etc. Luckily it's still a great discussion about Star Ocean's place in the genre and beyond! This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/axeRPGadventure50 and use promo code axerpgadventure50 for 50% off! Also in this Episode: - Thirsty Suitors - World of Warcraft is prepping for the next 20 years - USGamer was a really good website! Timestamps: 00:00 - Intros 04:17 - Main Topic - Star Ocean 2 R 26:00 - Random Encounters 29:04 - The Tavern 59:44 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Gentle Wind - [Baten Kaitos] Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Affinity Love Club - [Soul Hackers] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time since 2006's Dawn of Mana (a totally fun game, don't let anyone tell you otherwise) we have a new mainline entry in the storied Seiken Densetsu series. Does Visions of Mana prove that the mana tree still has plenty of good years left in'er, or is the vision getting blurry? Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss this colourful action RPG and more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Witch Hat Atelier Bring back Slayers! More Final Fantasy VI discussion Everyone definitely agrees Legend of Mana is the best Timestamps: 03:12 - Main Topic - Visions of Mana 39:08 - Random Encounters 43:12 - The Tavern 1:16:32 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook - CONTENT WARNING 1:22:24 - End of Content Warning Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Cliff Town Gato - [Legend of Mana] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat, Nadia, and USG Senior Editor Caty McCarthy render their final verdict on Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, where they talk about the new content, the biggest changes, and whether the fan-favorite RPG holds up. Plus: Track of the Week, a potential World Ends With You sequel, Kat's favorite podcasts, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's better than an RPG? An RPG you can stuff in your pocket and tote around like a designer dog. (Please do not shove tiny dogs into your pockets.) With Kat overseas taking care of Big Editor Things for the site this week, Nadia teams up with Eric to discuss the beauty of portable RPGs, and talks about some of their favorite handheld adventures. Also in this episode: The Grandia HD Collection is getting a big patch, and Eric gives his in-depth impressions of GreedFall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a super busy week for RPG news as Kat and Nadia talk about all the Shin Megami Tensei announcements while breaking down the big Fable and Avowed reveals from the Xbox showcase. This is all on top of word that the Suikoden creators are getting together to create a spiritual successor, which Kat and Nadia react to in real time. Listen as we discuss all the RPGs you'll be playing in 2021 and beyond!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking a breather this week, but fret not: for those who couldn't make it to our panel at PAX East 2023, this week we're uploading the audio from it! Kat, Nadia, and Eric were joined by friends of the show Michael Higham and Scott White to host a fantasy draft, making the perfect RPG in the process. We touch on many topics, including: The value of a villain Truly memorable game soundtracks And yes, what is an RPG? All that and more in our special panel episode. A huge thanks to everyone who came out in person, and we hope to host even more in the future! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Axe of the Blood God's 200th Episode, and also the end of the Top 25 RPG Countdown! To celebrate, Kat and Nadia pick some more bests from RPG history. What's the best RPG soundtrack? How about the best story? The pair go through multiple categories, then finish up by picking the Best RPG of All Time. It's the biggest event in Axe of the Blood God history, so don't miss out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Axe of the Blood God’s noble Console RPG Quest continues, and this week we dissect the RPG legacy of a very interesting system: The PlayStation 3. Sony’s first HD console was hobbled right from the start thanks to derisive memes, awkward accessories, programming troubles, and good old fashioned arrogance. To make things worse, the popularity of game consoles was on a major downswing in Japan, and JRPGs were regarded as tragically uncool in the west. How did everything turn out for Sony in the end? We break it all down. Also in this episode: We talk about the trailer for the next Final Fantasy 14 expansion, Endwalker, Persona 5 Strikers is about to take your heart, and CD Projekt Red is dealing with a massive cyberattack at the worst possible time. Well, there’s never a good time to deal with a cyberattack, but in this particular instance... yeah. It’s bad. Enjoy the pod? Check out our Patreon! New episodes are available a week early and ad free to subscribers at the $5 level and up.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Japan correspondent Elliott Gay joins Kat to share his initial thoughts on Bravely Second, Super Robot Wars Z3, and Yokai Watch vs. Pokemon as the pair discuss what's happening in the Japanese RPG scene. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Final Fantasy 6 is the latest entry in our Top 25 RPG countdown, and in honor of one of the greatest RPGs ever made, it's time to talk about the biggest RPG plot twists! Nadia and Kat talk Star Ocean, Mass Effect and more as they break down some of the biggest plot twists in RPG history, as well whether or not they work. After that, it's time for the main event, as Kat and Nadia talk General Leo, Sabin vs. Sah-bin, letting Cid die, and more in their big Final Fantasy 6 discussion! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia go in-depth on Nintendo's newest console. Is it the heir to the Japanese market? Can it go toe-to-toe with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4? And just how excited are we to play Skyrim on the road? All this and more as take a deep dive into the Nintendo Switch. Plus: We discuss the demos for World of Final Fantasy and Pokemon Sun and Moon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a busy week on Axe of the Blood God as Kat and Nadia share their respective impressions of Witcher 3 on Switch and Grandia HD, and also sneak in a little more Fire Emblem: Three Houses chatter for good measure. Then it's on to the Console RPG Quest for the Sega Genesis, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Phantasy Star, Shining Force, the Sega CD... Kat and Nadia celebrate an amazing RPG legacy!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To honor the legacy of Rieko Kodama, who passed earlier this year, we are releasing this episode for free to all listeners.  For the August 2021 edition of Pantheon of the Blood God, Kat and Nadia are joined by Shane Bettenhausen for an exploration of one of Sega's seminal RPGs -- Phantasy Star! The trio discuss the rough early days of the Sega Master System, how the team with Sega greats Rieko Kodama and Yuji Naka came together, and how it differed from other RPGs in the 1980s. They also delve into its five best moments, from the lavish opening to the battle with Dark Falz. Then the verdict: Is Phantasy Star worthy of inclusion in the Pantheon of the Blood God? Listen and find out! As always, a sincere thanks to our $10 and above Patrons for your support! Every month we pick a new RPG for the Pantheon, which is voted on by the community. Join the Discord and jump into our Monthly Game Club conversation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia continue their quest through Final Fantasy IX with the second Final Fantasy IX Report (38:45), share their adventures in acquiring an SNES Classic, and pick the five worst SNES RPGs! Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet! Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More like Summer Games FEAST. The deluge of news simply doesn't stop. This time Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Brenden Groom focus on Dragon Age: The Veilguard plus a bazillion other games that were announced over the past week. Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Train Station Fist Fights! Is Super Monkey Ball and RPG? Hyper Light Breaker Monster Hunter Wilds More Metaphor Blumhouse and Sam Barlow Demonschool Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 15:36 - Kat and Eric's Dragon Age Impressions 1:00:00 - More SGF 1:48:08 - Random Encounters 1:51:20 - The Tavern 2:02:02 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Jouin High School - [Shin Megami Tensei V] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest edition of the Console RPG Quest explores the legacy of Sony's initial foray into the handheld space: the PlayStation Portable! Kat and Nadia recall Sony's attempt to create "the Walkman for the 21st century," the rise of Monster Hunter and its impact on RPGs, the strange saga of Persona 2, and much more as they continue their quest to catalog the RPG legacy of every major console! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More like Acquisition Blizzard, heh. If you want a guest who can explain the ins-and-outs of the business side of this colossal consolidation of industry titans while also explaining why it's relevant to the culture and future of RPGs, you can't find anyone better than the one and only Reb Valentine. Listen as Kat, Nadia, and Reb discuss exactly what this means and how it will effect us all going forward, for better or worse. And maybe Kat is sort of kinda starting to enjoy some parts of Starfield? Also in this Episode: - Call of Duty yaoi - PS5 Slim - Our unslakable thirst for expanded universes and endless IP churn is merely an extension of our fear of death - In Stars and Time seems cool! - Nadia has played Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth! Timestamps: 02:00 - Intros 49:44 - Random Encounters 1:02:40 - The Tavern 1:35:44 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Gentle Wind - [Baten Kaitos] Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Cosmo Canyon - [Super Smash Bros. Ultimate] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time at last to share our newly-revised list of the 25 best RPGs of all time! For much of 2022 we've been slowly collecting potential nominees for an update to the list that we made several years ago. Now it's time to share that list for all to see!  To make this list we took the list of nominees plus the original list and made our own Top 25s, with the games that were on all three lists going straight into the Top 25. From there we embraced debate with discussions including: Whether or not Mass Effect should be included a trilogy Eric calling Skyrim the "McDonald's hamburger of RPGs." Multiple RPGs being rescued from the dead  Whether it's time to anoint brand-new #1! For your convenience, we've shared time codes below. Time Codes 4:40: We share our personal Top 25 RPG lists 21:35 - The Initial Cutdown + Wild Card Picks + Listener Poll 36:35: Games That Made At Least Two Lists 140:25: Finalizing the List 2:23:00: Ranking the Games 2:50:20: The Top 25 RPGs Of All Time Thanks again for joining us in this very fun project! We'll probably be circling back and rebuilding given that there always amazing new RPGs being released. But in the meantime, we're excited to hear your thoughts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was not entirely Nadia's idea, we swear. Really, can anyone deny the sheer cool factor of the Final Fantasy series' take on dragon knights? If you're not, maybe this episode will make you a believer. Prima Games' Jesse Vitelli joins Nadia and Eric as they talk about Dragoons past and present, from progenitor Ricard Highwind to the dragon-hating nerd Estinien Wyrmblood. Pull on your overly-elaborate dragoon boots and join the fun. Also in this episode: Miyazaki (not that one) thinks Radahn is the best Elden Ring boss.  Give us more Dragon's Dogma, Capcom. (Please.) The Summer Game Fest creeps ever closer. What will we see? Sony is making bad decisions about its retro games again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest entry in the Console RPG Quest tackles both the WonderSwan and the Neo Geo Pocket, two cult favorite handhelds nevertheless trapped in the shadow of the Game Boy. Are their RPG legacies worth remembering? Kat and Nadia discuss! Plus, the duo get into all of the RPG news from the week, including the Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC, the Cyberpunk delay, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia are here to offer their spoiler-less review of Dragon Quest XI! Is it really just "more Dragon Quest VIII?" How does the cast stack up? And what about that music? The pair have plenty of thoughts on the latest entry in the series. Plus: Bob Mackey returns to add Earthbound to our Top 25 RPG list! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Console RPG Quest officially arrives in the HD era with the Xbox 360 RPG Quest! Nadia and Kat talk about the impact of online, the waning fortunes of the Japanese industry, the super success of Oblivion, and much more! Plus, USgamer Reviews Editor Mike Williams is here to talk about Genshin Impact, the new free-to-play open-world RPG that's already a hit on PC, iOS, and PS4! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Game Boy's 30th anniversary is upon us, and as it happen, it's the next stop in our ongoing Console RPG Quest! Kat and Nadia reflect on their time with the tiny handheld, the incredible RPGs that it spawned, and how it transcended its humble origins to become one of the most important platforms ever. Plus, Kat reports back after playing The Outer Worlds, and she has more thoughts on the ongoing Pokemon National Dex controversy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode Kat, Eric, and special guests Saniya Ahmed and Nicole Carpenter discuss recent layoffs in both journalism and development. How will Bungie's layoffs change the future of Destiny? Does Destiny HAVE a future? Should it? All these question and more will be answered in this week's Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Kat has nice things to say about Final Fantasy XIV Fast AND Furious? In this economy? Gathering the Magic Arranger Timestamps: 05:04 - Game Informer Layoffs 20:00 - Bungie Layoffs 50:56 - Random Encounters 58:40 - The Tavern 1:19:28 - Eric's Nostalgia Pit Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] rtown0 (Δ Server Aqua Capital Mac Anu) - [.hack//INFECTION] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's never been a more appropriate year to anticipate RPGs than this one! Whether it's "Like A", "Quest", or "Dogma 2", the Year of the Dragon is bound to bring you something you'll sink a not-insignificant part of your year into! Join Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they each talk about their Top 5 Most Anticipated RPGs of 2024 and more! Also in this Episode: Will we be getting a Switch 2 in 2024? Will the PS5 and Xbox ever feel like the current gen? Garfield? Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 06:40 - Main Topic - RPGs We're Looking Forward To 1:25:16 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook 1:26:16 - Nadia's BONUS NOOK Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] New Year's Day (2 AM - 5 AM) - Animal Crossing New Horizons Games Mentioned in this Episode: Dragon's Dogma 2 Persona 3 Reload Unicorn Overlord Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth Metaphor: ReFantazio Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Decapolice Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Dragon Quest III HD-2D Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Visions of Mana Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Citizen Sleeper 2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having looked back on the history of Kingdom Hearts, it's time to talk about the newest game in the series: Kingdom Hearts 3! Caty, Kat, and Nadia get together to talk about how well it wraps up the story; the updates to the battle system, and its notable lack of Final Fantasy. Plus, Kat shares her thoughts on Anthem, and wonders if BioWare might have botched a key part of its appeal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're going back to the '90s again here on Axe of the Blood God, but here's a twist: We're going back to '90s Japan. Yes, it's another PC Console Quest, and we've invited our good friend PC98 Audi back to the show for the occasion. We discuss the PC-98's legacy, and how it affected '90s RPG development. Why did the platform have so many visual novels? What's the deal with, ahem, all those hentai games? We have much wisdom contained here, so stay a while and listen. Also in this episode: Oh God, Activision Blizzard and Microsoft. Oh God. We have new picks for the Top 25 RPG Remake 2022 Intergrade. Nadia plays Bloodborne like a dimwit. Space Jam DVD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Bob get together to discuss the little known SNES RPG Robotrek, then Kat welcomes Chris Avellone and Swen Vincke to discuss Divinity: Original Sin 2 - the sequel to 2014's breakout hit RPG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Live thy life to the fullest, but knowest thou always that the end walks ever closer." Is that an OK Urianger impersonation? Bah, whatever. Point is, Nadia, Mike, and Victor review Final Fantasy 14's Endwalker expansion in this episode. It's epic, it's guaranteed to move you to tears...and like everything else in this flawed universe, it can use some improvements. Tune your linkshell in! Spoiler Level: Red. Major spoilers for most of Endwalker's story. I suppose that goes without saying. However, there's very little discussion about the end area and end boss, since Victor's on the last leg of his journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the Dragonlord's pantaloons! Axe of the Blood God has hit episode 300, and we couldn't be prouder to bring it to you! Kat and Nadia hosted a live show, but if you missed out, here's the neat 'n clean audio for you. You can also watch a re-run at Kat's Twitch channel. This week, Nadia and Kat have a long leisurely talk with the Blood God audience about RPG "firsts." Which game gets the credit as the progenitor of the genre we love so much? Did Dragon Quest III introduce classes, or did Final Fantasy III beat the dragon to the punch? And did you know modern RPGs owe a heck of a lot to Hydlide, that primitive "bump-and-stab" action RPG that has the worst overworld music in gaming history? Life is full of surprises, and we love reminding you all of that fact. Also in this episode: Monster Hunter Rise is monstrously good, SMT 3 featuring Dante from Devil May Cry is coming to Switch in May, and Square Enix cancels a Final Fantasy XI remake that we had no idea was in the works. Thanks for your support! Here's to 300 more episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merry Chrysler! We here at Axe of the Blood God prepared this very special episode that takes both a deeply critical and celebratory look at the nutty year that just passed us by. We had RPGs galore! Have we ever seen such bounty? New Zelda! New Baldur's Gate! New Cyberpunk...sort of! But we had troubles galore, too. Layoffs and downsizing left and right. The end of vintage game media websites and game studios. What awaits us in 2024? We dunno! But we can guarantee the Blood God will always be with you. That's what Christmas is all about. In this episode: Our Game of the Year! Zelda, Zelda, Baldur's Gate, Zelda! The Super Mario RPG remake is great! Starfield discourse that's as long and girthy as Luigi's schlong And lots more! Music used in this episode: Tantal [Xenoblade Chronicles 2] Narshe March [Final Fantasy VI] Secret of Mana Santa art source  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/bloodgod and get on your way to being your best self. Finally, a throwback RPG inspired by classics like Chrono Trigger! But perhaps Sea of Stars is hiding something truly special? No spoilers this episode but prepare to have your interest piqued by this very special little homage to the JRPG golden age full of twists and turns. Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by special guest Brenden Groom of the Pass the Controller podcast to discuss this hidden gem! Also in this Episode: - The crew finds more opportunities to throw Golden Sun under the bus! - I want shorter RPGs with worse graphics and I'm NOT kidding - The Joy of Fishing - Eric's Chrono Trigger Report - Kat's Starfield Report Timestamps: 02:08 - Intros 07:20 - Main Topic 48:16 - Random Encounters 51:36 - The Tavern 1:27:36 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Gentle Wind - [Baten Kaitos] Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Languishing Mambo - [Sakura Wars] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat is joined by guest hosts Caty and Mike to discuss the difficult dance of making meaningful decisions in RPGs, breaking down the endings of Witcher 3, Mass Effect 3, Chrono Trigger, and more in the process. Plus: Kat shares her impressions of Ni No Kuni 2, and Caty and Mike talk about the localization of Yakuza 6! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a special thank you to our listeners for helping us reach $6000 two months in a row, we recently hosted a very special D&D 5e session with special guest DM Shivam Bhatt. Now it's available for everyone to listen! Tune in as our heroes embark on a quest for the Axe of the Blood God; bumble into some orcs; have a really hard time climbing a hill, and say hello to a very special badger named Orlando. Here are the characters: Kat plays Kara the Wanderer, a Paladin devoted to Selune the Moonmaiden. Nadia plays Kalfor, a Red Dragonborn Ranger with motivations of their own (and a cool hat, apparently). Eric plays Coronach, a Tiefling Warlock with a real Pixie problem. If you enjoyed the adventure, let us know! It would be fun to do more of these if listeners are interested. Until then, thank you as always for your support and the opportunity to do fun and unique adventures like this one! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the next generation of consoles nearly upon us, Kat is joined by Reviews Editor Mike Williams and Senior Editor Caty McCarthy to discuss the future of the genre. What surprises do the PS5 and Xbox Series X hold for RPGs? Will it all be Destiny-likes and Witcher 3 clones? Or will we be treated to new settings, A.I. innovations, and other fascinating changes? We discuss! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Angels sound from on high as Square Enix finally announces the Final Fantasy XII HD Remake, and our fearless leader Jeremy Parish drops by to share his love for one of the franchise's most controversial games. Then Elliot Gay returns to discuss why American anime fans should be excited about Super Robot War V (23:33), and Nadia and Kat revisit Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (49:10) in this packed pre-E3 episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nadia returns to the show to share some opening thoughts on Persona 4 Golden, speculate on Ni No Kuni 2, and take a dice into SD Gundam Generation Genesis. Then it's back to Final Fantasy XV as the pair read your thoughts and discuss the Square Enix's decision to patch certain elements of the story.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia look back on the decade that was the 2010s for RPGs! They discuss some of the biggest storylines; look back on the most interesting RPGs, and talk about the games that didn't make it on USG's Top 100 RPGs of the Decade. Plus: The duo analyze Final Fantasy 7 Remake's latest trailer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the Axe of the Blood God RPG podcast: Education! Sort of. Esteemed games journalist, writer, and reporter Jason Schreier joins Kat and Nadia to talk about his book, Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game Industry. The conversation veers towards the myriad problems with the games industry, particularly the creative process therein...but rest assured the discourse touches on good, hopeful things going on, too. Once the serious stuff is out of the way, the gang veers towards heavy conversation on--what else?--JRPGs, including the Saga series, Final Fantasy XIV, and Dragon Quest, Dragon Quest, Dragon Quest. Speaking of rocking the dragon, Kat and Nadia go over the Dragon Quest XII and Dragon Quest III 2D-HD trailers in excitable detail. Also in this episode: E3 is on the horizon, and Microsoft is getting ready to show off what Bethany Esda has been up to. (e.g. Starfield. Surely.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two highly-anticipated games, Bravely Default 2 and Persona 5 Strikers, had the gall to come out simultaneously. Kat and Nadia are determined to give both titles equal attention, but that’s a lot of work for just two gals, awesome as they might be. That’s why freelance writer and very special guest Samantha Nelson joins us to gab about braving, defaulting, and why Yusuke is still Persona 5’s best boy. Also in this episode: Kat gets caught up on all the major Pokemon news, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is in a lot of bloody trouble, and March Madness: RPG Edition (the only edition worth following) kicks off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wowzers! Kat and Nadia are one episode away from the big 3-0-0! Despite being on the cusp of a momentous occasion, they decide to chill out this week and talk about action RPGs. What makes a good action RPG? How has the genre evolved from its earliest and most popular titles? Why are some RPG fans (Kat) a little salty about action RPGs’ very existence? The answers to these mysteries and more lie within. Also in this episode: There’s a whole lot of news about the state of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Nier: Automata is finally getting fixed on the PC, and the March Madness match-ups are getting real spicy in a real hurry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should've called it the Swiitch. Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Brian Shea tell you everything you need to know about the Nintendo Direct Switch 2 announcements plus Brian's hands-on experience at the recent press event. There's a slew of RPGs of all stars and stripes heading for the console. Whether you'll be able to get your little hands on them without selling a body part or two remains to be seen. But at least we can talk about them for free! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod, subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod and celebrate our 10th Anniversary with new merch by Nina Matsumoto at https://shop.bloodgodpod.com Also in this episode: Mario Kart Worlds Donkey Kong Bananza Bring back Mario Paint Dark Pictionary Timestamps: 04:00 - Main Topic - Switch 2 Hands-on Impressions 1:03:12 - Random Encounters 1:05:16 - The Tavern - Switch 2's RPG Line-up 1:40:40 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] Pub - [Lunar Knights] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Romantic Vagrant - [Bravely Default: Flying Fairy] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia share Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia impressions (5:00) and rant about Skyrim topping Game Informer's Top 100 RPGs of All Time list (22:00), then welcome news editor Matt Kim and his pitch for Nier: Automata being the Game of the Year in a year that has thus far included... a lot of good games (37:08). Listen and let the power of the Blood God flow through you! Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet! Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast of mine glows with an awesome power! Its hot takes tell me to treat you! TAKE THIS! My love, my anger, and ALL my opinions! Super Robot Wars is joined by some other games also announced in the opening left hook of the Nintendo Direct one-two punch combo. Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod, subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod and celebrate our 10th Anniversary with new merch by Nina Matsumoto at https://shop.bloodgodpod.com Also in this episode: What games do we want to see "Switch 2 Versions" of? The bizarre development behind Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 How to get a pet in Night City Pokemon TCG Pocket Update Don't smoke Timestamps: 06:20 - Main Topic - Nintendo Direct 58:40 - Random Encounters 1:08:16 - Pillars of Eternity Anniversary 1:15:46 - The Tavern - Cyberpunk and Pokemon TCG Pocket 1:40:40 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] The Lazy Detective Agency - [Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Darkness falls across the land. The midnight hour is close at hand." Uhhhh Persona vibes much?! The history of RPGs is inextricably tied to horror and it's the perfect time of year talk about the scariest parts of our favourite games, as well as the RPGs that are straight up capital "H" Horror. Bloodborne, Undertale, Vampire: The Masquerade and more on this hair-raisingly scary episode with your terrifying hosts Bat Scale-y, Blah!-dia Axeford, and BEWARE-ic Vamp Hell-en. Also in this Episode: - World of Horror - Slay the Princess - Class choices for Baldur's Gate III Co-op Timestamps: 00:00 - Intros 04:17 - Main Topic - Spooky RPGs 46:08 - Random Encounters 48:16 - The Tavern 1:06:34 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Coffin Fetish - [Shadow Hearts] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The summer is getting started, and we've got no shortage of games ahead. But before we look at all the games waiting to steal our time, we've got speedrunner Moonblazewolf, fresh off their run of Chained Echoes at SGDQ 2023! We talk all that plus the news of the day and the start of Book 2 in our Summer of Korra. Also in this episode: Street Fighter 6 has all of us in its clutches Big, beefy ships Mindflayer worms! In your mind! Tenzin's GOAT status in Korra Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro / SGDQ talk w/ moonblazewolf 25:45 - Random Encounters 29:56 - Summer 2023 RPG Preview 1:20:06 - Summer of Korra 1:35:46 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook / Outro Music used in this episode: Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] Champions of the Sky [Chained Echoes] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Capitalism continues to function as intended with the closure of several studios by Microsoft. What's the future of Game Pass? What will RPGs on Microsoft platforms look like going forward? And how many lives need to be ruined by rich people before we bring back the thing that rhymes with "creatine'? Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss this and so much more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod Also in this episode: Animal Well Hades 2 Kat holds her FFXIV playthrough for a $20,000 ransom Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 03:52 - Main Topic - Microsoft 47:28 - Random Encounters 1:0:0 - The Tavern, More or Less 1:32:32 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Human - [The Killers] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blood God hosts are taking a quick holiday break so as a treat we're pulling a classic episode of Pantheon of the Blood God out from behind the paywall! Listen to this deep-dive into Lunar: Silver Star Story and if you like what you hear subscribe at the $10 tier to access the entire back catalogue of Pantheon of the Blood God. Or better yet, give the gift of the Blood God this holiday season with Patreon's new subscription gifting feature. Regular episodes will be back soon, including our year-end lists, but until then enjoy this classic: For the March 2023 edition of the Pantheon of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by Anthony John Agnello and Aidan Moher for Lunar: The Silver Star Story! Their increasingly unhinged conversation covers the following: The story of Working Designs Luna's Boat Song SHADOW MADNESS And much, much more! Then the verdict: Is Lunar: Silver Star Story worthy of the Pantheon of the Blood God? Listen in and find out! As always, a huge thanks to our $10 and up Patrons for all your support! Every month we pick a new RPG for Pantheon contention, which is voted on by the Blood God community at large. Next up: Super Mario RPG! Join the Discord to discuss the episode, and to follow our Monthly Game Club discussions! Time Stamps 00:00 - Introduction 05:00 - Hosts' history with the Lunar series 24:20 - Lunar's development history 57:29 - Critical reception 1:16:20 - Does Lunar deserve to be in the Pantheon? 1:43:20 - The Verdict 1:56:00 - Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Axe of the Blood God, it's time to bask in the Monado's power! Special guest Autumn Wright talks to Kat, Nadia, and Eric about Xenoblade Chronicles 3. How does the third game in this sometimes-bumpy series hold up? How does it compare to the first two Xenoblade Chronicles games, and how do the three of them link up? Does it matter? Should it matter? There's gorgeous scenery, a banging soundtrack, and an intriguing battle system—that much is certain. What more can you ask for when living the Xeno lifestyle? Also in this episode: The Knights of the Old Republic remake is delayed—and then some Eric has officially Walked to the End Kat gets $100 million for her perfect Gundam RPG and spends about $10 of it. Is it illegal to sneak into someone's house to play their video game console? Asking for a friend. In the Post Show Autumn joins Kat, Nadia, and Eric for a sophisticated discussion about how fighting game mechanics spill over into other genres, namely RPGs. Also, Nadia's into Street Fighter lore because she has a broken mind. And why didn't Guile Sonic Boom his dog? It would've been pretty funny. Available exclusive to our Stars of Destiny via the Patreon! Axe of the Blood God is sponsored by NordVPN. Grab your EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal by going to https://nordvpn.com/bloodgod to get a Huge Discount off your NordVPN Plan + Free Threat Protection + 1 additional month for free! It’s completely risk free with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia goof on one another for their travails in Final Fantasy IV and Persona 4 Golden (and talk about curry) before settling down to look at the Switch's announced RPG lineup and its long-term prospects. After that, it's on to Fire Emblem as Kat lays out the franchise's decline and subsequent revival and talks about the newly-announced games. Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet!  Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia get together to discuss Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia (2:00) before being joined by Cosmic Star Heroine creator Robert Boyd for a discussion of the trials and travails of developing an indie RPG (28:00). Bonus: The penultimate Persona 4 Golden Report! (14:00). Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet! Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dragon Quest VII and VIII for Nintendo 3DS have finally been confirmed for North America! Jeremy and Kat have lots of thoughts on that and Nintendo's other news. Then, XSEED's Jessica Chavez joins us to share her adventures in localized Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC, her favorite characters, and the challenge of working with a Japanese story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia get together to discuss Dragon Quest XI's confirmation for North America, the push toward even more Persona spinoffs (13:00), and thoughts after playing the Final Fantasy XV Multiplayer Beta (24:00). And as always, we read your comments for the show! Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet! Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elliot Gay returns to talk about the RPGs that are big in Japan, including SMT x Fire Emblem and Odin Sphere. We also cover what's coming out for the rest of the year, and go more in depth with Trails of Cold Steel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tokyo RPG Factory takes its third crack at making a successful RPG. Is Oninaki the game that finally puts them over the top? Nadia shares her review! Plus, our impressions of the Dragon Quest 11 demo on Switch, and a big ol mailbag in which we talk about RPG tragedies, the rare SSI Gold Box game on Genesis, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's an RPG double-whammy as Nadia and Kat talk about why Pokemon Let's Go works so well, and reviews editor Mike Williams discusses why Fallout 76... uh... doesn't. It's a mixture of cute cuddly monsters and the post-apocalyptic in an episode that should have something for everyone. Special bonus: We discuss the newly-announced Final Fantasy XIV expansion and the introduction of the Blue Mage! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia talk about the importance of NPCs in the context of Destiny 2 (1:00), review Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (7:30), and offer their impressions after a couple weeks with Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (26:10). Plus we read your responses to last week's Skyrim discussion! Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet! Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Avellone, writer of Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Fallout 2, and Divinity Original Sin 2, joins Kat to talk his newest game, making evil decisions in RPGs, and the state of RPG writing today. But not before Nadia and Kat review Valkyria Chronicles 4, where they discuss the updates to the tactics, the story, and how it plays on Switch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia talk about their experiences with the Nintendo Switch (1:00), then dive deep into a discussion of Breath of the Wild covering its differences from previous games, its difficulty, its RPG elements, and much more (21:40). Suffice it to say we really like it! Minor spoilers up to the point where you might head to your first dungeon. Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet! Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Polygon and RPG Site reviewers Carolyn Petit and Alex Donaldson join the show to analyze the biggest RPG of 2020: Cyberpunk 2077! They talk about the ways that it does (and doesn't) push the cyberpunk genre forward, its technical problems, and whether its handling of trans issues is as poor as it seems. [No spoilers!] Also, breaking down the Mass Effect reveal and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat, Nadia, and Bob talk about the latest RPG news, including the announcement of Yo-Kai Watch 2 and the appearance of Oblivion PSP footage, then take a trip back to 1996 to revisit Mario RPG and Square Enix's subsequent break with Nintendo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia recount Conan O'Brien's Clueless Gamer segment on Final Fantasy XV and discuss the latest Persona 5 delay, then dive deep into Pokemon Sun and Moon. Is the story successful? How are the totem battles? Do we like the new monsters? And just how glad are we that HMs are finally dead? (Spoiler: We're really glad). Note: Spoilers begin at the 44:15 mark and end at the 1:04:10 mark of the episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia talk about Horizon Zero Dawn's new DLC and the advantages of disadvantages of dropping a new adventure into the middle of a story (19:30); Nadia's adventures in Etrian Odyssey V (5:00), and Kat's horrifying revenge in Middle-earth: Shadow of War. Then the pair continue into the Final Fantasy IX Report #8 (35:44) to Dagger's big moment, the horror of Zorn and Thorn, and why the Desert Palace is awful.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the DVD commentary you didn't know you wanted! If you haven't already, now's the time to watch the movie that may have shaped RPG history more than any other. Time for L'arc en Ciel, the most bizarre performance of Steve Buscemi's career, and the Final Fantasy story that most closely resembles the works of L. Ron Hubbard! This episode is best experienced as a commentary alongside playback of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within but also functions perfectly well as a stand-alone podcast so pick your poison and join Kat, Nadia, Eric, and Victor as we dig around Within and see what those Spirits are up to! MOVIE STARTS - 10:08 FINAL THOUGHTS - 1:48:17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special interview episode of Axe of the Blood God, Kat sits down with Red Hook Studios developers Chris Bourassa and Tyler Sigman to talk about the making of Darkest Dungeon, the creation of its iconic characters, and its troubled ports to other platforms. Along the way, she gets some fresh insight into Darkest Dungeon 2, including how Red Hook Studios intends to tackle the story behind its growing universe. Check it out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's extra beefy episode of Axe of the Blood God, we welcome special guest Jason Schreier and talk about his upcoming book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. Tune in for a preview that brings context to some of Blizzard's biggest successes, mishaps, and controversies, including its campus culture, the sexual harassment lawsuit leveled against it, and the infamous Cosby Suite.  Also in this episode: First impressions of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Gosh, the PS5 Pro sure exists Nintendo! Put a GBA game slot on Switch 2, you cowards! See a horse? Download a horse How Nadia lost her pocket money to rigged potato chip giveaways Time Stamps 0:00 - Intro/Main topic [Blizzard] 52:34 - Random Encounters 1:18:50 - The Tavern 1:29:07 - Further Blizzard Discussion: The Cosby Suite 1:54:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music used in this episode:  Do your Best! [Breath of Fire III] Patty's Pub [Dragon Quest XI] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] Battle Theme [Metaphor: ReFantazio] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You don't have to go home but you CAN stay here and listen to this pretty fly panel from the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo all about the landmark year for RPGs that was 1998! Pokemon, Baldur's Gate, Ocarina of Time, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Parasite Eve and more! You'll believe in life after love once you listen to the hosts of Axe of the Blood God and Retronauts (the Armageddon and Deep Impact of video game podcasts) tell you all about the important games released that year, the cultural shifts happening underneath it all, and why 1998 is unimpeachable. Music Used in this Episode: One Week - [Barenaked Ladies] Hard Knock Life - [Jay Z] This Kiss - [Faith Hill] Somnia Memorias - [Parasite Eve] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everything has been leading to this. Through the battles, the story beats, and the very very attractive party members, it's time to wrap up the conversation on what may end up being the biggest "game", let alone RPG, of 2023, Baldur's Gate III. Kat has wrapped up her 100+ hour journey and the gang has plenty to say about their personal experiences. Spoiler Warning: Mango(?) Also in this Episode: - Nadia has myriad difficulties with animals - To save-scum or not to save-scum - River Dancing through Thordan Unreal - Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty also exists! - More Chrono Trigger Report Timestamps: 00:00 - Intros 51:20 - Baldur's Gate Talk Ends, Random Encounters Begin 55:12 - The Tavern 1:21:50 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] Chaotic Dance - [Baten Kaitos] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Console RPG Quest continues with a look at the Sega Master System and Game Gear: two consoles that were overshadowed by their competitors from Nintendo but nevertheless gave us some quality RPGs (mostly Phantasy Star). Kat and Nadia and explore Sega's early 8-bit legacy, talk about some of the notable RPGs to appear on each (and the SG-1000, too), and ponder why the Master System's RPG library isn't stronger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a very special episode of Axe of the Blood God ("special" meaning "very off schedule"), Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk about everything they saw at Prince Geoffry's Summer Game Fest 2023. Kat and Eric actually attended the show, so they have amazing insight about the games on display--especially the RPGs. And oh, were there ever a lot of RPGs. That Xbox deluge is late, sure, but rest assured it's on its way. And it's bringing Starfield with it. Also in this episode: Oh my God Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth exists Oh my God Metaphor: ReFantazio exists Sandland looks great, because Toriyama is the King of Character Design Korra breaks up with her cop boyfriend, lol Kat and Nadia will be at the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo on August 11 through 13. Be there or be square (enix) Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro/Summer Games Fest 48:20 - Starfield  58:16 - Best of Show 1:03:30 - Summer of Korra 1:20:00 - Nostalgia Nook/Outro Music used in this episode: The Legend of Korra Main Theme [The Legend of Korra] A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana] The Poet and the Muse [Alan Wake] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're going to mosey you might as well mosey with the best. The cast of Final Fantasy 7 has always been a fan favourite; does Rebirth give these characters more room to breathe or just a lot of filler? And what other FF cast compares to them? Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the best ensembles of the series and more in this character-driven episode of Axe of the Blood God! Also in this Episode: Napster Unicorn Overlord I'm a Dune, he's a Dune, she's a Dune, we're all Dunes More layoffs! Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 3:44 - Main Topic - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 1:00:00 - Random Encounters 1:15:16 - The Tavern 1:34:56 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook Music Used in this Episode: Do Your Best! - [Breath of Fire III] A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana] The Run Around Part 1 - [Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Kat and Nadia go massive on Mass Effect! USgamer alumni and absolute Mass Effect sage Eric Van Allen joins the podcast to have a long, involved talk about Mass Effect Legendary Edition. He also lends a sympathetic ear to Nadia's lament over how Wrex is not a romance option. Once their Krogan thirst is slaked, the crew then moves on to talking about Nier Replicant and Pokemon Snap. You will be shocked, shocked to learn Nadia uploaded a PG-13 picture and promptly received a rebuke email from Nintendo. Also in this episode: Neo The World Ends With You is making post-hardcore cool again, Skyrim discourse veers into cannibalism and Cinnabon, and congratulations Australia, Hideo Kojima's content is no longer illegal in your fair country! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legendary RPG designer Josh Sawyer returns to dive deep into Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire's story, premise and multi-classing (18:30), but not before Kat has a healthy rant about NBA 2K18's stats progression and Nadia talks about the RPGs revealed at the Nindies event. Plus: Another Perfect RPG Party! Read more at http://usgamer.net! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @usgamernet! Have comments or questions about the show? Email us at usgamer@usgamer.net. We may read your letter on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are there monsters under your bed? There are a whole bunch under ours, and we couldn’t be happier about it. Monster Hunter Rise is on the Nintendo Switch, and it’s a monster-whacking gem. Kat and Nadia review the game in-depth with the help of GamesBeat’s review editor, Mike Minotti, and Nerium Strom of Fanbyte. Also in this episode: CD Projekt Red is hard at work trying to salvage Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy alumni revealed a new game called Astria Ascending, and the Bravely Default soundtracks are now on Spotify, so dunk your head in that musical goodness and drink deep. Finally, a wee bit of news that flew by us as soon as we finished recording: Hironobu Sakaguchi’s new RPG, Fantasian, is out on Apple Arcade! We’ll have more about that next week, so please look forward to it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia share some more thoughts on Persona 5's import version, discuss the Wasteland 3 announcement, and revisit the merits of Dragon Quest on mobile. Then, at 31:15, Bryan Wiedey of pastapadre.com joins the pod to talk about the advent of story modes in sports sims and why they are putting a greater emphasis on roleplaying than ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've been there, and now we're back again: The Summer of the Rings draws to its close with a mini Pantheon of the Blood God episode. Kat and Nadia go in-depth with EA's The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age for the PS2. Does it deserve to go into the Pantheon? Heck no -- we'll just spoil that for you up front -- but it's still worth talking about. From its bizarre final boss to an underspoken origin story that indirectly involves Hironobu Sakaguchi, the very existence of the Third Age was something of a marvel. Also in this episode: Nadia plays with witches who play with guns, Kat makes out with boyfriends who are also swords, and Pokemon fans are big mad for a change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat has returned to the Axe of the Blood God, and all she got was a nasty cough. Well, that and memories that'll last a lifetime, or something like that. She's come back home just in time to enjoy a very chill episode of the show, which delves into reader mail. In other words…it's letter tiiime, it's letter tiiime! Kick back and listen as Kat, Nadia, and Eric answer questions about games they initially loved, then cooled down on (and vice versa), which games they regret not playing in 2022, what they're looking forward to in 2023, and lots more. Also in this episode: The Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters are coming to consoles! There's a deluxe box set! Aaaand it's gone Chained Echoes is pretty baller Dragon Quest Treasures has no idea what it's doing, but that's part of the fun If your Christmas party doesn't involve poisoning yourself with homemade bucket wine, don't call it a Christmas party In the Post Show The gang continues to chill as they discuss the movies Kat watched on the plane on her way home from Amsterdam. The discussion quickly slides into all-out movie discourse, which means a hot takes about Pixar movies and Christopher Nolan. God bless us, everyone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're almost finished the 16-bit era in our Console RPG Quest, but first we have to talk about some of the lesser-known consoles of the period. We take a shotgun approach in this episode, covering the RPG histories of the 3DO, Jaguar, NeoGeo, and CDi (they exist!) Also, we say a few words about AlphaDream as it files for bankruptcy, and talk more about portable RPGs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices