Wardcast

If you thought we were done talking about Pokémon, then you’d be wrong. In fact, Dan bought a 2DS, so we cover one of the series’ oldest releases along with its newest. The first episode of Life is Strange is now free, so Dan and Alex converse about their first impressions of the game. We’re also joined midway through the podcast by friend of the show Will Blanton, who talks about things such as Downwell and his own game, Upsquid. And 80’s nostalgia is in full force this week, from opinions about the NES Classic Edition to the new Netflix show, Stranger Things. We also discuss the weirdest platforms on which we’ve played games, from Nokia phones to graphing calculators. Games include Pokémon Yellow, Kentucky Route Zero, Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor, Life is Strange, Golf, Superman 64, and Downwell. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

The core four is back this week to talk about their impressions of Pokémon Go and its continuously staggering impact on the gaming world. Alex follows up with his full impressions of Inside, Dan gives his remarks on the new Ghostbusters movie, and Mason talks about his foray into Dolphin emulation. Games include Pokémon Go, Tap My Katamari, Inside, and Batman: Arkham Asylum. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

This week, Dylan is joined by Joe Wetmore and Nick Nundahl, creators of the YouTube channel Instant Replay Live. The guys talk about some of the games in their Let’s Plays, such as Dragon’s Lair, which calls to mind memories of Don Bluth films, old cartoons, and Disney sequels. From there, we discuss the nostalgia-fueled Pokémon Go — the sensation that has swept the nation. Dylan’s bear trap of a mind shows how much one person can absorb from the internet, Nick expresses his love of Morrowind, and Joe ardently defends the Super Nintendo. And it wouldn’t be an episode without mentioning Dark Souls. Games include Pokémon Go, Fallout 4, Hyper Light Drifter, Tap My Katamari, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and Red Faction: Guerilla. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

It’s the nation’s birthday, and to celebrate, we talk about video games. Everyone did their homework and played Invisible, Inc. We give our first impressions of the game, and look at the similarities between it and other turn-based strategy games like XCOM. We also take a look at our hauls from the Steam Summer Sale, which include games like Red Faction: Guerrilla, Samurai Gunn, and more. Games include Inside, Invisible, Inc., Red Faction: Guerrilla, Overwatch, and Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

This week, we’re back with utilities updates. Dylan and Mason explain to the others the process of smurfing and twinking in MMOs, Dan comes back with his impressions of E3, and we all agree to try out Invisible, Inc. by next week. Also, our dystopian resource management game, Arbeau, is out now on itch.io! Check it out on our games page. Games include Chess with Friends, Bernie Sanders Dating Sim, You Land, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Enter the Gungeon, Age of Empires II HD, Subnautica, Overwatch, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

It’s Father’s Day; E3 just happened. Let’s talk about some games. We’re excited about: Norman Fetus’ Death Stranding; Pushing rocks in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild; Arguing on a boat in Sea of Thieves; Snapping necks in Steep; Smashing piñatas in We Happy Few; And watching the potential train wreck that is Watch Dogs 2 Games include Overwatch, Keepy Up, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Heads Up, Hitman, Doom, Monster Hunter Generations, and South Park: The Stick of Truth. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Another week of guests from the RVA Game Jams community brings aboard Sam Loeschen — developer on mobile and PC game Silent Earth — and Ruthie Edwards — artist, animator, and indie game developer. The group chats about their ongoing projects, Amazon’s Lumberyard engine and Amazon’s plans for the gameosphere, and favorite games. We also contend with the state of arcades as well as Terminator Preston Garvey. Games include Stardew Valley, Oxenfree, Crossy Road Arcade, and Keepy Up. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Dan rejoins the pack to talk about his time so far at Team One, specifically his experiences with all things VR: Tilt Brush, VR on Unity, VR user experience design, and more. On top of all that, E3 is upon us, and the EA Press Conference is happening as we speak. We talk about what we are looking forward to during the expo. We also talk about Halo PC mods, Pittsburgh bridges, and billable hours. Games include Tilt Brush, Lego Jurassic World, Overwatch, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

This week, Dylan is joined by Momin Khan and Mike Odum of Root 76, who are hard at work on development on their couch competitive game Clash Cup Turbo. They talk about their development process for Clash Cup, from the game’s art development to its gameplay influences. The guys also talk about special summer games, special Slack channels, and Mike Kasprzak’s blog post about forgoing August’s Ludum Dare. Games include Dark Souls III and Xenoblade Chronicles X. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Please, hold your applause, the Semi-Real Ward Podcast is about to begin. The masterful Dan Cotting will not be joining us this week, so we must make do with Mason, Alex, and Dylan. From Mason and Alex’s beautifully decorated Pittsburgh apartment to Dylan’s slowly emptying Richmond one, the trio talks more Overwatch, more Witcher 3, and narrative depth versus gameplay depth. Games include Overwatch and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

The Real Ward Podcast is back! Minus Mason and Dan. Alex returns from his trip down under, so he joins Dylan to talk about traveling abroad, Australian coffee shops, and cultural cuisine. Before Alex leaves the state again, he got his hands on Overwatch’s retail release. Meanwhile, Dylan talks about his experience with Son of Nor as well as the Witcher 3. Alex brings up the ever-looming Electronic Entertainment Expo and what games will be expected to be in attendance, such as Mass Effect: Andromeda, which has us talking about Mass Effect 3’s ending. Games include Son of Nor, Overwatch, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

The Ward Podcast is going coast to coast. Our West Coast correspondent, Dan Cotting, is deep in the heart of the City of Angels, where the celebrities are plenty and the bandwidth is scarce. In other news: Dylan’s getting a new apartment (it’s nice), Alex is lost in Australia, and Mason is stuck in his room. But, despite their varied housing situations, the guys take the time to talk about their preferences, or their lack thereof, for the BioShock series. Games include The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Ori and the Blind Forest. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

We did it! The school year’s over — Dan, Alex, and Mason finished their first year at the Brandcenter, and Dylan has gotten that sweet, sweet bachelor’s degree. We talk about Alex’s trip down to Durham, North Carolina, for the Game UX Summit, letting us glean information about the current state of user experience in the industry. There’s more Overwatch beta to be had, and, with the announcement of the Pokémon Sun and Moon starters, even more Pokémon to collect. Games include Overwatch, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Dark Souls III, and Stack. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

With the release of Captain America: Civil War, we once more go down the rabbit hole of superhero discussion. We also discuss the practice of method acting and Dylan’s unpopular opinions about True Detective season 2. We also talk about our plans for summer, from what games we’re looking to play to any movies, books, or shows we’re looking forward to. Games include Overwatch, Dark Souls III, Transistor, and Rocket League. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Hot off the heels on their return from PAX East, Mason and Dylan bring tales of their experiences in the bowels of the Boston Convention Center, including all of the hot hobby-grade, MOBA-esque first-person shooters. The gang’s also dealing with a fair bit of burnout as we reach the end of the semester, but we soldier on. Dan talks about his experience with wet plate collodion photography and other projects, Mason discusses microphone “ethics,” and we all pour one out for Lionhead Studio’s final day of operation as we reminisce about the impact their games had on us. Games include Saints Row IV, Ratchet and Clank, Sunset Overdrive, Puerto Rico, and RollerCoaster Tycoon World. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

We changed recording locations this week, but we forgot to bring some equipment. Namely, power cords and Mason Brown, so this recording will be a little different. We talk about a litany of topics, from nesting birds to VR experiments to tabletop gaming. Come and hear; it’s in your ear. It’s the Ward Podcast! Games include EVE: Gunjack, Miitomo, Ratchet and Clank, Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, and Looty Dungeon. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

In this week’s episode of the Ward Podcast, we lose Dan, but gain special guest Chris Daughtry. Despite the added star power, we find ourselves lost without Dan’s paternal guidance. There’s a lot of movie talk this week. We reminisce about Cinema Café and we discuss both superhero and non-superhero movies, including movies with the least satisfying ending. Dylan and Mason give a Stardew Valley update as spring rolls into summer on the farm. We also converse about the relevancy of using game reviews as purchasing recommendations in this day and age. Games include Stardew Valley, Messenger Madness, Swarm, Super Arclight, and Clash Royale. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Join us as we determine which northeastern cities, and their associated sports teams, suck and don’t suck. Rocket League addiction still remains a threat in the community, with Alex becoming its latest victim. Dan also suffers from a Hand of Fate dependence, and Mason and Dylan try to kick the Stardew Valley habit. It’s a difficult time, and it doesn’t help that Mason had to go stag to the Flower Dance. And with all the talk about mid-cycle console refreshes, we discuss what form consoles will take in the future. Games include Rocket League, Tales from the Borderlands, The Flame in the Flood, Hand of Fate, Retro City Rampage DX, and Stardew Valley. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

This week, we’re joined by Will Blanton, co-founder of RVA Game Jams and of game developer HYPYRYL. He comes to talk with us about game development tools, the development process, and what it’s like to have your game on Steam versus itch.io. Dan also finds in Will a companion to share in his love of Zelda II, and Alex and Dan talk about stumbling upon Barcade during their trip to New York. Lastly, we discuss the origins of Arby’s signage and other depravities of fast food chains. Games include Dr. Mario, Jones in the Fast Lane, Star Control II, Blades of Steel, Simpsons: The Arcade Game, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Tales from the Borderlands, and Glover. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!

Dan, Mason, and Alex are gone for Spring Break, so Dylan and Wendy come together to celebrate International Women’s Day, fact check everything, sing copyrighted songs, and clarify DDR’s difficulty names by using a beer analogy. ​Since Wendy is a student of history, we talk about history-based games such as Oregon Trail II, Mind Maze, and Sea Wolf. We also discuss the news of Bear Simulator’s John Farjay forgoing further work on the game due to a harsh PewDiePie video, Microsoft’s responses to the Universal Windows Platform, and the closure of Lionhead. Games include Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 3, Game of Thrones - A Telltale Games Series, and Agar.io. Got a question for the show? Join us on Discord at ward-games.com/discord or email us at contact@ward-games.com!