The Short Game

In our fine fifth episode, we launch into the depths of space with FTL: Faster Than Light. We discuss the qualities that make the game so quick and yet so infinitely re-playable, with digressions into the definition of the roguelike genre. We also determine scientifically that spoilers don’t spoil anything. It’s science! Link to Wired Science article 2011 Nate and Shane also share their secrets to success in FTL, and we all share some tales of embarrassing defeat. FTL is available for: Mac, Windows, and Linux through Steam Mac, Windows, and Linux Direct from the developers iPad through the Apple App Store All versions are $9.99. Expect the game to take between 20 minutes and 2 hours per “run” depending on your luck and skill level, with extensive re-playability. Here is the excellent strategy wiki page we discussed in this episode. Other topics this week include: Hearthstone for iPad, Mac, and Windows Mercenary Kings for PS4 (Free with PS+!), Mac, and Windows (Steam) Severed announcement trailer from Drinkbox Studios Some images from Severed

This is our fourth episode! Can you believe it! This week, we discuss Tim Schaffer’s modern point and click adventure game Broken Age. Nate is away this week, so Shane & Raygan have the show to themselves. Topics include: Tim Schaffer’s early career at LucasArts working on touchstone games like Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle, his founding of Double Fine Productions, and the record-setting Kickstarter campaign that funded Broken Age. The mechanics and humor of Broken Age, in comparison to the great adventure games of yore. How do you judge or review an “early access” game? Our Spoiler Break for this episode is at about 35 minutes, after which we discuss details of the plot, ending, and theme. You can join us after the spoilers at about 1 hour 7 minutes, for our other topics: Raygan is crazy about Hearthstone on the iPad Shane is liking Trine 2, the gorgeous puzzle platformer from FrozenByte, for Mac, PC, Xbox 360, PS3, and PS4! Broken Age is available direct from the developer and through Steam for $24.99. It is currently in “early access” form, meaning that the first act (of two) is complete and available now, with the second act becoming available “this year.” Expect the first act to take 3-4 hours to complete Join us next week for our most exciting episode ever, on FTL: Faster Than Light!

This week on The Short Game, we discuss indie gaming touchstone Cave Story. If you’ve played games on a computer in the last decade, odds are you’ve played or at least heard of Cave Story. If not, there’s never been a better time to try it as it’s now available in multiple versions on multiple platforms. Cave Story harkens back to the great “Metroidvania” games of the 16-bit era, drawing its influence from Castlevania, Metroid, Legend of Zelda, and many other classics, but adds a more modern feel and great, colorful characters and story. Originally a freeware game for Windows, the game has been ported and re-made on multiple platforms including the Nintendo Wii and 3DS. We also discuss: Shane stayed up late playing FTL: Faster Than Light  on the iPad (We really love this game!) Nate recommends South Park: The Stick of Truth. If you’re a fan of South Park, you’ll love it. We have mixed opinions on N64 first person shooters Raygan can’t wait for Cave Story creator Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya’s next game, Kero Blaster, launching May 11th on Windows and (interestingly) the iPhone Cave Story is available on the following platforms: Original Mac/PC/Linux Freeware version Mac/PC Cave Story+ edition on Steam WiiWare Downloadable version Cave Story+ for Nintendo 3DS Cave Story for Nintendo DSi

In our exciting second episode, we discuss The Stanley Parable, one of the strangest and funniest games of 2013. But it also makes you think, ya know? Here’s the description from developers Galactic Cafe: The Stanley Parable is a first person exploration game. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will follow a story, you will not follow a story. You will have a choice, you will have no choice. The game will end, the game will never end. Contradiction follows contradiction, the rules of how games should work are broken, then broken again. This world was not made for you to understand. But as you explore, slowly, meaning begins to arise, the paradoxes might start to make sense, perhaps you are powerful after all. The game is not here to fight you; it is inviting you to dance. Based on the award-winning 2011 Source mod of the same name, The Stanley Parable returns with new content, new ideas, a fresh coat of visual paint, and the stunning voicework of Kevan Brighting. Other topics for this episode include: Shane is a nerd! He recommends the mostly free tabletop RPG system FATE, which favors story over simulation. Downloads of the rules are available in a Pay-what-you-want from on the FATE website. Nate is really into Infamous: Second Son on his shiny new Nintendo 64 Playstation 4 ESCAPE GOAT 2! ESCAPE GOAT 2! ESCAPE GOAT 2!

In this, our first episode, we were still resolving some microphone and sound issues. Sound quality in future episodes is vastly improved. Welcome to our first exciting episode! In this episode, we discuss the unexpected indie hit of 2013 Gone Home, a “story exploration game” from new developer The Fullbright Company.   Pre-show topics from this week’s show include: The inspiration for the show! Games are too long. I’m tired. Get off my lawn! Nate is really excited about FTL: Advanced Edition, a free DLC for the awesome indie roguelike-in-space, available now for PC and iPad  ($9.99, App Store link) Shane introduces us to Eliss Infinity – New game for iPhone and iPad ($2.99, App Store link) …which Raygan compares to Osmos but it’s… you know… different Titanfall. None of us have played it. Raygan can’t wait till “some time in 2015” to play Firewatch. Raygan is way too excited to talk about Gone Home. We discuss: The structure of the game and games it reminds us of The game’s personal and un-game-like story (Don’t worry, we’ll warn you before spoiling anything!) The history of the game and its development team Links for this episode Full play through video | YouTube Gone Home on HowLongToBeat.com ~ 2 hours From BioShock Infinite to Gone Home: the story of The Fullbright Company | Edge Online Gamasutra – The story behind Gone Home, and what makes a ‘great game’ Play the original Gone Home prototype made with Amnesia’s horror-game engine | GamesBeat

We have a release date! Tuesday, April 15th This pre-launch welcome episode is just mainly a way to allow you the listeners to subscribe to the show in advance, and so that we can make sure that our feed is working. Subscribe to us in your favorite podcast app! We are waiting for our show to be listed in iTunes, but you can already subscribe to the show in your favorite podcast app (feed link). I like Instacast. Downcast is pretty good too, and I hear Pocket Casts is good on Android. The (free!) Apple Podcasts app is pretty solid too. We’re a new show without an established audience, so if you like the show we’d love it if you’d share our show with your friends, wherever you usually share stuff. We’ve got a Facebook page, and we enthusiastically accept and respond to feedback on Twitter. Shane, Nate, and I are really excited to share this with you. Our inaugural episode is on the break out indie hit of 2013, Gone Home, a game that in two short hours became my favorite game of 2013. I can’t wait to tell you about it. -Raygan (@raygank)