Idle Weekend

Games are fun to play and all, but watching—that's where it's at. At least, for some games. This weekend, we're all about the spectator sports, from speedrunning to Hitmanning to eSporting. Discussed: StarCraft, Overwatch, League of Legends, MMA, Hitman (2016), Final Fantasy VIII, Lady Killer in a Bind, Revolutionary Girl Uetena, Far Cry 2, Neptune's Inferno James, Hidden Figures

There's a lot of existential dread in the world right now, and I think we're all feeling it. It even seeps into our favorite escape, in the form of choice paralysis and gaming guilt. Things get REAL in this episode, about our lives, the place of games, fear of mortality and over-exertion. But don't worry, we also get to fun synth-singing, our favorite games, and our mutual love of sports in other media. Discussed: The Witcher 3, Mafia 3, Battlefield 1, Star Wars, Yowamushi Pedal, The Natural, Pitch, Creed, Halt and Catch Fire, Hadyn

This weekend, we chatted about the worst—and best—frustrations we've experienced in games, inspired by recent explorations of the great-but-so-unpolished The Last Guardian. Control schemes, systems running beneath the hood, and talk of movies loved and hated round out our weekend projects. So watch where you point that camera, bub. Discussed: The Last Guardian, Black and White, Resident Evil, Dishonored 2, Thief, Myth, Overwatch, Harry Potter, John Wick, La La Land

This weekend, we're talking about self-care games: what we play when we need to chill out, ease our anxieties and have a breather. So what do we like best? Catching em' all, shooting zombies, and just taking off in a beautiful car, man.

The Weekenders are here to wish you a very merry Whatever You Celebrate! And also, to count down their most favorite games of 2016. Enjoy! Discussed: Homeworld: Deserts of Karak, Pokemon Sun and Moon, Dishonored 2, Overwatch, Hearts of Iron IV, Commander: Great War, Even The Ocean, Total War: Warhammer, Event[0], Darkest Dungeon, Mafia 3, Doom, Quadrilateral Cowboy, Banner Saga 2, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Twilight Struggle, Firewatch, Battlefield 1

Danielle apologizes for making this episode more of an Idle Monday than an Idle Weekend. Even though we're late, we have an exciting episode for you, as we examine the constant reinterpretation of popular characters in our own modern mythologies. There is Star Wars talk! Star Trek talk! And we manage to not even talk about The Witcher, somehow. Warning: there are spoilers for Star Trek Beyond, if you are afraid of hearing about the (totally stupid) reveal at the end of the movie.

It's a ridiculous holiday season, which means Danielle is doing a dip into the ol' mailbag before going on her merry way. Don't worry, Rob will be back next weekend for more adventures! A quick note: Audio quality isn't up to our usual standards this week, thanks to heavy travel. Our apologies!

This weekend, we're talking about the pleasure and queasy terror of games that make us want to find every last drop of #content. Based on our Dishonored 2 and Mafia 3 experiences, and the horrible FOMO feelings that we carry, we need a little help.

It's a holiday weekend! Which means we're finally getting to catch up with our beloved games, including Dishonored 2, which everyone is currently enjoying like a fine Karcannan Plantain, heaped upon a golden plate. We're also ready to feast upon a plentiful mailbag, and enjoy a bunch of smaller leftovers. Happy Dishonored Thanksgiving Weekend, everyone! The Good Bundle, discussed in the episode, is available here: https://itch.io/b/149/a-good-bundle

Hey listeners! This was the first Idle Weekend episode we recorded after the 2016 presidential election, and we talk about politics, a lot. But, instead of cutting bits and pieces, we elected (ha!) to keep it all in, to give you an open, honest conversation between friends. Also, we played some games and watched some movies and TV! So join us, friends. We promise to always try to give you thoughtful, honest, from-the-heart conversation, no matter what happens to the world around us.

We recorded this weekend's episode before the election, so there is little talk of presidential politics and despair this time around. But we do talk about games that we really love, and want to advocate for. It's a healing salve for things that ail us on this dreary week.

A very tired Danielle and a Halloween-spirited Rob come together to discuss marathon gaming. Nothing is finer (or more rare) than this most exquisite of pleasures: the ability to sink hours and hours into an all-encompassing game. Whether discussing a 72-hour smorgasbord or a dedicated session with The Last of Us, the Weekenders praise the virtues of endurance gaming.

Danielle is streaming for 72 hours straight, so we're playing a trick (or treat) on you this Halloween Weekend: by offering you our never-before-heard Halloween test episode from last year. Marvel at our hot SOMA talk. Shiver as we discuss horror in games. Reach for the bloodied knife when we talk about the books and movies we were really into a year ago. It's a true chiller-thriller weekend!

Sit down, friends. It's time for a frank chat about expectations, marketing hype, and why Nintendo keeps naming things so... sexy... this fall. Then we SWITCH over to a robust mailbag, and a little tour of great American cities. Don't forget to give your Crazy Uber driver five stars!

Danielle brings aboard friend of the show Amanda Cosmos for a very special Idle Weekend from a tiny cabin in Ticonderoga, New York! Since we recorded in less-than-ideal conditions, sound quality is somewhat reduced, but that didn't stop us from discussing Mystic Messenger, Shin Megami Tensei and all sorts of wonderful anime!

We're going to some scary places this weekend on the show. The dark hearts of our friends, playing Subterfuge. The streets of Mafia III's New Bordeaux. The Idle Weekend inbox, after dissing magical realism last week. But don't worry, friends! We brought our finest weapon: our imaginations. It's a very magical (but still totally real) episode of Idle Weekend!

We're discussing the phenomenon of the ever-game this weekend, including the curious case of Destiny, a game that is good—but never too good. We also have our fun with low-budget Canadian science fiction, the secret best export of our northern neighbors. Finally, we dis magical realism and The Leftovers, and enjoy the greatest pleasure in life: finding a huge chunk of candy in Ben & Jerry's ice cream. It's the weekend, after all!

It's September, the official wacky fall release season, but that doesn't mean that the weekenders are enjoying the harvest's AAA bounty. No, space-y indies, Destiny and a very special, monstrous art exhibit are on our minds as we embark upon pumpkin spice time. We also managed to talk a little bit about both The Witcher 3 and Farscape. It's a true Idle Weekend!

The Weekenders are joined by special guest Alexis Kennedy, co-founder of Failbetter games (creators of Idle Weekend GOTY contender Sunless Sea), who came by to chat about writing good player-created characters, his work on Stellaris, and a bit about his new gig at BioWare. Also, he's a Farscape fan, which made Danielle an even bigger fan of his.

The Weekenders take a brief moment to marvel at the PS4 Pro, a system that promises 4k graphics, but only to those who possess the K power of EIGHT MILLION PIXELS. Then it's on to a robust mailbag, a pair of gritty movies, and a weekend well-deserved.