Brain Lords: Video Games of the Mind

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com 
Kyle - Cute Monster Props  
Jorge - JMV
Depending on who or when you ask, indie seems to be a genre, a scene, a vibe and a controversy generator for the game awards. Why can't we seem to find any common ground on a term that seemingly just means independently produced? In today's episode, we discuss the different qualifiers (and disqualifiers) for anything from one person twine games to teams of 33-400 people with a roughly $10million budget. Y'know, the little guys. 
THINGS DISCUSSED 
MAGfest, The Protoment Act III, King’s Field, Katamari Damacy, Super Monkey Ball, Sim City, Paper Larva Artist, Magic The Gathering, Tunic, Awesome Games Done Quick 2026, XBLA, Cave Story, Yume Nikki, Braid, Castle Crashers, Braid: Critical Theory on the Joy of Ludic Expression - A Soulja Boy Review, Jonathan Blow provides his thoughts on women, Super Meat Boy, Bastion, Fez, Sword And Sworcery, Planet Coaster, Humble Indie Bundle (back when it was good), Aquaria
Is it an indie game if they don't have a publisher? (0:25:02)
Devolver Digital, Blumhouse Games, Outersloth, Aggrocrab, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Undertale, Big Mode, Animal Well, Star of Providence, Double Fine, Psych Odyssey,  
Is it an indie if they don’t have a big budget? (0:37:49)
Shovel Knight, Stardew Valley, Dwarf Fortress, World of Goo, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Deltarune, Laika Studios, Dave the Diver, Nexxon,  Valiant Hearts: The Great War, Mirror’s Edge, Despelote, Owlboy, FF7 Remake
 
Game Ratings: Game Awards Indie Game of the Year Winners (0:57:33)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Gone Home, Sea of Stars, Chrono Trigger, MGSV, Chrono Cross,  The Messenger, Limbo, Mario Party 1, Trials HD, Ms. Splosion Man, Journey, Disco Elysium
Is it indie if they don’t have a CEO? (1:26:17)
Sandfall Interactive, Remedy Games, Larian Studios,Supergiant Games
Is it indie if a small number of people worked on it? (1:45:08)
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Our Valued Customers, Clair Obscur barred from Indie awards due to undisclosed AI usage, House House, Untitled Goose Game, Big Walk, Peak, Big Butt Bobby, Rayman Origins, Rayman 64
Closing Thoughts and Question Zone (1:59:04)
Beeb says - A game primarily funded either through the developers themselves or individuals who believe in their dream, e.g. working for free in their spare time, from previous game revenue, or from crowdfunding.
It should not involve investments from other corporations or individuals expecting a return of greater value. Critically, an independent studio does not have a publisher who isn't also themselves.
 
Mewd says - An indie game can be divided into categories of scale, none of which has an agreed upon term at present.
I think the maximum threshold for an indie game will be a title started and developed without initial support from a major publisher and visibly has a more restricted budget than major triple A releases.
On the lower end, an indie game is a borderline hobby game produced by a team that could fit in a motel room and is often characterized by strong artistic vision and experimentation aided by the small team size and relative lack of corporate oversight. These are more in the category of an art house indie game or passion project.
Ultimately, indie is a spectrum and a game feels MORE indie if it has a strong authorial voice, compensates for fewer development resources with innovation, and is less visibly under the direction of dominant publishers and marketing trends.
 
Andrew Bluett says - It's tough to pin down today when the term is so diluted and access to easy-to-use tools is the most open it's ever been, but an indie game to me is one which is made by a small studio or team with little to no financial backing from another party. Indie publishers complicate this and blur the line, but there's the matter of scale to consider with this. Is Demonschool an indie game despite being funded and published by Ysbryd Games? Based on the publisher's output of smaller titles with modest costs, you can easily say "yes". What about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which runs on UE5, is much larger in scope than what one would think of with independent games, but was still funded by Pacific Drive and Sifu publisher Kepler Interactive? Technically "yes". But as the number of publishers shrinks year over year and funding for independent projects becomes more scarce, the definition blurs further.
Maybe the term "indie game" should be redefined to consider the financial logistics of development and distribution less than the the level of creative control that developers have over the project. Games like Dave the Diver throw a wrench into this line of thinking as well, but these are the pitfalls of trying to define a term which has been misunderstood and at times pigeonholed into reflecting particular styles or aesthetics rather than simple realities of how a work came to be, and even then the complications don't end.
tl;dr fuck man if it wasn't made by Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, EA, or Ubisoft, call it whatever you want
Whot says - When I think indie, I think that anybody could make that game if they had the skills rather than if they had the money. If you have the money to access stuff like mo-cap or a bunch of external contractors, it's hard to call that indie anymore. Games like Expedition 33 or even Dispatch, I feel are something in between AAA and indie. They deserve all the love and recognition of course, but I dunno, it's kinda hard to draw the line of whether to really call them indie games imo. But then there's a game like Date Everything where it's got a horde of AAA voice actors but leans more on the indie side in terms of the rest of their dev team. Again, I think we just really need a term for something between AAA and indie. AA? A?
AssistantTurtlemover says - An Indie Game is a game made made independently from a traditional publisher that could intervene financially, creatively or technically in the process of the creation of the game
The Rec Room (2:15:02)
Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, Final Fantasy X, Shadow Hearts, Legend of Dragoon, Lost Odyssey, Andrew Bluett’s FFX Retrospective, Lonely Magic - Rebecca Sugar, Steven Universe is really really good yall - it turns out all the “Filler” episodes have setups and payoffs for worldbuilding and emotional beats IMAGINE THAT, Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, Captain Harlock, Fantasian, Blue Dragon, Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, Troll 2 4K Restoration, Best Worst Movie

This week on Brain Lords, sequels, remakes, and spiritual successors sure love to add more, but then why do we keep playing the original? We discuss the all too common additions that make their ways into flashy new games and when features like crafting, open worlds, and skill trees took an already perfect game and made it a little worse. 
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
THINGS DISCUSSED 
Homestar Runner, Stinkoman 20X6, Brotato, Super Smash Bros
Games made worse by more loot and crafting (0:08:57)
Dragon Quest XI, The Last of Us, Resident Evil 2, Transformers Devastation, Bayonetta, Breath of the Wild, Nioh 2, Dark Souls
Games made worse by more skill trees (0:35:10)
Borderlands 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, Back 4 Blood, Left 4 Dead,  Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Super Mario Odyssey, 
Game Ratings: Games with Romance Mechanics (0:52:40)
Baldurs Gate 3, Hades, Unicorn Overlord, Little Goodie Two Shoes, Fire Emblem Awakening, Advance Wars, Tokimeki Memorial, 
Games made worse by open worlds (1:14:21)
Death Stranding, Metal Gear Solid V, Red Dead Redemption 2, Mirrors Edge 2, Mirror’s Edge, Mario Kart World, Forza Horizon, Burnout Paradise, Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Shadow of the Colossus, The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, Banjo Kazooie
Games made worse in the remake (1:37:48)
AM2R, Samus Returns, Super Mario RPG (Remake), The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Resident Evil 4 REmake, You Don’t Hate Remasters Enough - Whitelight, Demon’s Souls, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, NieR Replicant, Metal Gear Solid Delta
Closing Thoughts (1:58:07)
The Question Zone (2:07:29)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Megaman ZX, Megaman Zero, Elden Ring, ActRaiser Renaissance,    
Pizza Tim asks: You have enough loose change for one last arcade game of the night, what are you picking and why?
Gunblade New York, Jurassic Park Arcade, Time Crisis 3, Bubble Bobble, SVC Chaos, Metal Slug
The Eggmanosphere asks: When artistic vision is lost in the process of modernization, how do you explain to others that remakes aren't necessarily better than the original, especially when they see the remake as better by virtue of being on a current gen platform?
 
Final Fantasy 7, Chrono Trigger
 
The Rec Room (2:18:41)
 
Slay the Spire, Balatro, Minus the Bear, The Far Side, Baby Steps 

Here it is, our 2025 games of the year…..oh crap we forgot to play any video games! This year join Kyle, Jorge, and special guest Esper Quinn (wahoo!) as your esteemed judges presenting their picks for Backlog games of the year. With so many good games, why did these must-plays just barely miss the mark for us? Enjoy such awards as “Best Game That Got Overhyped for Me and Now I’m Pushing Back on Principal”. In this extra long extravaganza we also share our actual games of the year and even a christmas skit full of humor just for the gamers (tm). Happy holidays y’all! 
 
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com 
Kyle - Cute Monster Props  
Jorge - JMV
Special Guest - Esper Quinn
THINGS DISCUSSED 
Puzzled Artist (warning: thick ladies), Sonic Adventure 2, Megaman Battle Network, Klanoa: Door to Phantomile, Blue Prince
Best Game That Was Too Rich for my Blood (0:11:40)
Donkey Kong Bananza, Donkey Konga, Donkey Kong Tropical Beat, Pokemon ZA, James Turner - Character Artist for Sword and Shield 
 
Best Multiplayer Game I Can’t Seem to Find a Group for(0:33:41)
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros, Tekken, FBC: Firebreak, Control 2, Alan Wake, NieR: Automata, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, Elden Ring: Nightrein, Dark Souls
 
Best Indie I Ought to Get Around to (0:49:55)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ball x Pit, Vampire Survivors, Balatro, Quartet, Quintet, Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, Despelote, Consume Me, Pokemon Snap, Baby Steps, 1000xResist, Horses, Molleindustria
 
Best Game I Clearly Want to Play but Imma Let This Cook a Little Longer (1:05:09)
Isopod, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Cid Meier’s Civilization 7, Hades 2, Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, Stardew Valley, 
 
Game Ratings: Games we DID play in 2025 (1:20:44)
To a T, Promise Mascot Agency, Paradise Killer, Candy Rangers, Sin and Punishment, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure, Sonic Racing Crossworlds, Marvel Rivals, Look Outside, The Magical Realms of Tír na nÓg: Escape from Necron 7 – Revenge of Cuchulainn: The Official Game of the Movie – Chapter 2 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa, Demon School, Lost Odyssey, Final Fantasy X,
The Best Game That’s Too Big for me to Get Through As A Person Working Full Time (2:02:51)
Silent Hill F, Sekiro, Paper Mario, Earthbound, Slitterhead, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Noita, Death Stranding 2
Best Game that Came Out in December What Were You Guys Thinking I am Far Busy for That (2:13:39)
Corgi Space, Spin Rhythm, Sockpop Collective, UFO 50, Gruun, Unbeatable, Angeline Era
 Best Game That Got Overhyped for Me and Now I’m Pushing Back on Principal (2:26:21)
Umamusame: Pretty Derby (a game that is on Jorge’s Backlog and therefor means he really really wants to play it and just can’t seem to be a goo-goo baby), Love Live, Mahjong Fight Club 
The Wrap Up (2:55:30)
Final Fantasy Tactics Remake, South of Midnight, Deltarune Ch 3+4, Absolum, Lies of P, Keeper, Ena Dream BBQ, Metal Gear Solid Delta, Mina the Hollower, Ghosts of Yotei, Tokyo Extreme Racer
The Question Zone (3:01:12)
A Less Cute and More Monstrous Kyle asks - Do you think that being Microsoft-published actually hurts games being nominated and winning awards? For example, Troy Baker gave a hell of a performance with the handicap of also keeping up an impressive Harrison Ford impression. People aren't really talking about it even if he's been nominated for a few awards. Some of this may be due to the release timing, but I've seen similar reactions to other Microsoft owned games and Epic Games Store paid exclusives.
Microsoft BDS Boycott, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Also, Hades II is my game of the year. Screw anyone saying Early Access disqualifies it.
Bowl of Lentils asks - Have you ever returned to a game in your backlog and it ended up becoming one of your all-time favorite games? For me that was Valkyria Chronicles on the PS3. Only played an hour or two and then dropped it for years. But when I finally got back to it, I ended up absolutely loving it and playing the rest of the series.
Demon’s Souls, Culdcept Saga
got kin assigned luigi by clients - at what point would an indie studio no longer be considered "indie" enough for the indie award categories
its luigi but i had more to say - do you think with how the push for games to be showcased during TGA is exacerbated because E3 died tragically from disease, and should E3 or something similar be brought back
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Tomb Raider
The Rec Room (3:20:01)
UFO 50, TMNT 4K Restoration Trillogy,  Stop!! Hibari Kun!, Blippo+, Buying Ramune in twist off bottles. The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic, Magic the Gathering Pauper format, Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie, Insert Credit, 52 Pickup, DC Action News, Topic Lords, Esper Quinn!

This week on Brainlords we talk about our fascination with emulations from another nation. That's right, fan translations! Special guest Bowl of Lentils walks us through their work on the Sakura Wars 1&2 translation while we round robin our favorite games we could have never played without the fans doing it themselves. We talk the good the bad and the ugly, everything from selfless collaborations to petty disputes for clout in this Super Duper High School Level Episode.
 
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com 
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
Special Guest - Bowl of Lentils
THINGS DISCUSSED 
Detective Instinct: Farewell My Beloved, Arcturus: The Curse and Loss of Divinity, Falcom (Developer), Genealogy of the Holy War, Private Idol, Clock Tower, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails
Bowl of Lentils Game 1: Sakura Wars 1 & 2 (0:10:07)
Translation lead by: NoahSteam, Sakura Wars Series, Mizzurna Falls, 
Jorge’s Game 1: Mother 3 (0:27:53)
Translation lead by Jeffman Chewy and Tomato, Mother 3, The Earthbound Anthology, Mother To Earth: The Untold Story of Earth Bound, Earthbound USA, Earthbound, Mother 1, Hobonichi Mother Merch,
Kyle’s Game 1: Cave Story (0:47:22)
Translation by Aeon Genisis, Dokutsu Monogatari, Yume Nikki, Jay is Games, Kero Blaster, Umihara Kawase, Blade Strangers, Daisuke Amaya Furry Art
Game Ratings: Video Game Dubs (0:58:52) 
Metal Gear Solid Master Collection, Lunar Silver Star Story Complete, The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, Star Fox Command, Final Fantasy X, Megaman X4, Devil May Cry, Yakuza Like A Dragon, Yakuza 1, Yakuza Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth, Black Myth Wukong, Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Brave Fencer Musashi, Kid Ikarus: Uprising
Lentil’s Game 2: Famicom Detective Club Part II: The Girl Who Stands Behind (1:28:10)
Translation Lead by Bongo, Demiforce, Tomato, Famicom Detective Club, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Tales of Fantasia, Ace Attourney
Jorge’s Game 2: Princess Crown (1:37:56)
Translation Lead by CyberWarriorX and SamIAm, Princess Crown, Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom, Dungeons and Dragons Shadows Over Mystara, Odin’s Sphere, Policenauts
Kyle’s Game 2: Danganronpa (1:53:26)
Translation done by Project Zetsubo, Danganronpa Screenshot LP, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havok, Siren, Virtues Last Reward, The House of Fata Morgana, 
The Question Zone (2:09:17)
What is the most formative game to you that was not in english when you played it? -LocalizerThunk
 
Fire Emlem: Mystery of the Emblem, SeGaGaGa, Moon Remix RPG
 
Are there any fan translations you are looking forward to? -Jerry Boy 3
Namco x Capcom, Project X Zone, Ex Troopers, Mado Monogatari: Fia and the Wondrous Academy, Puyo Puyo, Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!, Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3, Moonlight Syndrome, Otoirisou video by Dungeon Chill, Click Medic, Shadow Tower Abyss
The Rec Room (2:22:51)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, Metaphor Refantazio, Angels Egg, Wordless, Consume Me. Bowl of Lentils History of Chunsoft Sound Novels

This week on Brainlords special guest Bobvids helps us on Part Two of our P.T. series discussing the current era of liminal spaces in games. Even Baby Steps and 1000xResist have looping hallways, so are the lessons learned from this ludonarrative only limited to scares? We discuss our hopes for the future of spooky games in this raucous conclusion to our horror retrospective. 
 
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
Special guest - BobVids
THINGS DISCUSSED 
Lasagna Cat, The Spiritual Successor to Simpson’s Hit and Run, Item Label - Papupi, Silent Hill 2, Devotion, Outer Wilds, Outer Worlds, Undertale, Higurashi: When They Cry, Look Back, Crow Country
Despite being a non-existent game, how has PT influenced gaming since its release? (0:17:27)
P.T., Amnesia: Dark Descent, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Baby Steps, MiSide, The Blair Witch Project, Nexpo, Chilling Scares, Lethal Company, R.E.P.O, Phasmophobia, Allison Road, 
What is the difference between a game influenced by PT and a game influenced by Amnesia? (0:33:57)
Alien Isolation, Deltarune, Glittermitten Grove, Frog Fractions 2,  
How has the influence of PT become a positive and when/how does it become a negative? (0:44:52)
Dreams, PT Trailer, Earthbound, Layers of Fear, Devotion, Silent Hill F, Silent Hill 1, 1000 X Resist, The Stanley Parable, 
Game Ratings: Human characters in Silent Hill (1:16:21)
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Silent Hill 3, Silent Hill 4, Silent Hill: Homecoming
Why do Liminal Spaces work so well in video games? (1:33:39)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Bullet Storm, Call of Duty, Shenmu, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, MyHouse.WAD, Doom, House of Leaves, 
What do we hope for the future of horror games post PT? (1:46:49)
The Question Zone (1:56:19)
Bober Da Bober asks Do you think if you play PT in reverse it would be called TP, and climbing out of the drain of creativity symbolizes Kojima's time with Konami?
The Witness, The Looker
Gryphoneer, the Universally Beloved Online Icon asks Imagine Jovial Bob himself called you and offered to put you in charge of developing a video game adaptation of any of his properties. What would you pick to adapt and how would you adapt it?
 
The Park, Fatal Frame, MADiSON, 
 
Dial (The Dude) asks isn't it a bit funny how Resident Evil re-invented itself in a P.T.-like fashion with the original demo for Resident Evil 7, and then the final game was *anything* but that
anyways, I personally think it'd be really funny if Norman Reedus played Ethan Winters
 
Resident Evil: Village, Hereditary
 
LiminalLongJohnSilvers asks What is the cardinal sin of horror games who attempt to capture that PT and/or liminal aesthetic
The Rec Room (2:14:30)
Split Fiction, Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein, Frankenstein: An Anatomy Lesson, Good Boy, Bring Her Back, Talk 2 Me, Stray Children, Moon: Remix RPG Adventure, Super Mario RPG, Eraserhead, Poltergeist, Cave Crave VR

This week on Brain Lords we Present: Talking. In this Podcastable Teaser we bring on guest Super Bunnyhop to Parse the Terror still seen in P.T. For a game that doesn’t technically exist, Silent Hills completely reshaped the Playable Trauma of modern horror games. But was that always the case or does this Polished Take on Amnesia exist beyond its creators and controversy?
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
Special guest - Super Bunnyhop
THINGS DISCUSSED 
The Nintendo DS, Resident Evil Deadly Silence, Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner, Guilty Gear Dust Strikers, Advanced Wars Dual Strike, Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Super Smash Bros.
So what's the deal with PT anyways? (0:10:11)
P.T. aka Playable Teaser aka Silent Hills aka Silent Hillz: Boyz in da Hood, Extra Credits: Dark Souls 2, 
What about PT’s controversy is worth preserving? (0:25:54)
Metal Gear Solid V, Penumbra series, Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Is PT really the trailblazer that we think it is? (0:34:04)
Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid Delta, Slender: The Eight Pages, Resident Evil 7, Takeshi’s Challenge, Space Invaders, Dark Souls, 
Game Ratings: Games That Break the 4th Wall (0:46:28)
Inscryption, Hypnospace Outlaw, Death Stranding, Monkey Island, Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge, Loom, Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Gex, Doki Doki Literature Club
Does PT have merit in a vacuum? (1:09:43)
Is PT still alive in other games? (1:19:24)
O.D., Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Closing Thoughts (1:33:55)
 PT Unreal
The Question Zone (1:42:44)
while many horror games (especially silent hill) delve into thematically dark/taboo subjects, how obvious should these subjects be? should they be more abstract and left up to interpretation or do you think abstraction as whole can be too much and leave the viewer wondering what the fuck they just played - Eddie's phtoshopped eyebrows
Wouldn't it have been funny if Silent Hills came out and it was actually just not a good game? #morbiussweep -MorbiusFan69
Does anyone actually know how to reach the ending of PT? I’ve tried multiple times and can never pass the final puzzle. -The Wine Ghost
As a native Georgian, what are you favorite hiking spots? Also what do you think P.T. would have looked like as a full game? -Rata Güera
Rosemary’s Baby, The VVitch, Halloween, The Educated Imagination - Northrop Frye
The Rec Room (1:56:56)
Twin Peaks, Custom Robo, Fear and Hunger, Darkest Dungeon, Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc, Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐), King of the Hill Season 14

This week on Brainlords we have a Halloween episode about drowning, being hunted, the dark, and the undead, all the hallmarks of our favorite…children’s platformers? Special guest Shannon Strucci scares us silly with stories of Spyro and Sonic being just as spooky as Silent Hill! How scary can a game be before it’s considered horror and why do so many games from our childhood leave us so traumatized?
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
Special guest - Shannon Strucci
THINGS DISCUSSED 
Shamurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop, Space Dandy, Michiko y Hatchin, Carol and Tuesday, Deadly Premonition
The Scariest Non-Horror Games with Shannon Strucci (0:06:50)
Fear of WATER (0:15:35)
Subnautica, Half Life, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tomb Raider, Mario 64, Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 4, Metroid, Kingdom Hearts, Star Wars Shadows of the Empire, The Legend of Zelda Windwaker, Ecco the Dolphin, UFO50, Dredge, Banjo Kazooie,  
Fear of the DARK (0:30:31)
Vermis, Dragon Quest, Breath of Fire 2, Breath of Fire 4, Metaphor Refantazio, Half Life 2, Undertale, Super Metroid, Minecraft, The Stanley Parable,  
Fear of the DEAD (0:47:14)
Super Mario World, Psychonauts, Illusion of Gaia, Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, Darkstalkers, OFF, Blanksword, Baldur’s Gate 3, Spyro the Dragon
Game Ratings: Unkillable or Pursuer Style Enemies (1:11:22)
Bubble Bobble, Silent Hill 2, Super Bomberman R, Mouthwashing, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Dread, Zone of the Enders, Resident Evil 2 REmake, Resident Evil 7, Final Fantasy 8, Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario Bros 2 (Doki Doki Panic)
Fear of the UNCANNY (1:32:23)
The Exit 8, Okami, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Sherlock Holmes Nemesis, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Metal Gear Solid, Blue Prince, Gorogoa, Gone Home, Donkey Kong Country, Resident Evil, Baby Bullet, Tomba, Heart of Darkness, Another World, 
Fear of BEING HUNTED (1:54:07)
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Megaman Legends, Turok, Jurassic Park (SNES), R-Type, Life Force, Ape Escape, 
Closing Thoughts (2:08:50)
A Hat in Time
The Question Zone (2:14:04)
Cryptmaster
miski spooky edition says: ecco the dolphin is one of the most lonely, claustrophobic, haunting games I've ever played. it's underwater sonic but all the time because you're a mammal that needs to breathe. Oh and it's based on the beliefs of a scientist who slowly poisoned their brain chemistry and ruined their career forever from doing way way too many psychedelics in an isolation chamber and thought he could teach dolphins to speak and they could tell him about aliens? oh god. oh no.
DevilDiceSurprise asks: what video game monster awoke "something" in you lmao
Resident Evil Village
The Rec Room (2:25:24)
Umigari, It Takes A War, GO VOTE, Vote for leftists that will actually regulate power companies, Fatum Betula, Welcome to Elderfield, Godhusk, Absolum, Dragon’s Crown, The Boys, Invincible 

On the eve of the release of Pokemon ZA, fresh off a major leak, the Brianlords ask the question: does Game Freak deserve it? Your ire, your pity, and alllll of your sorrow, this company was once a shining example of an early Japanese indie and is now burning out its staff on an endless stream of Pokemon. We talk about the non-Pokemon Gamefreak games, the company’s history, and what it means to have a highly polished action game in the works. Plus a bonus mailbag sharing your Pokemon memories!
What does Game Freak Deserve
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
THINGS DISCUSSED 
Victory GundamWhat does Game Freak Deserve?
Fields of Mistria, The Last of Us
Your history with Pokemon (0:7:02)
Pokemon Red and Blue, Mendel Palace, Quinty, Drill Dozer, Pulseman, Jerry Boy, Tembo the Badass Elephant, Harmonknight, Pocket Card Jockey, Pokemon Black and White 2
 What is the current state of Game Freak (0:17:39)
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Pokemon ZA, Pokemon Snap, Beast of Reincarnation
How has Game Freak handled the Pokemon franchise? (0:29:59)
Pokemon Green, Pokemon Sun and Moon, Let’s Go Eevee, Let’s Go Pikachu, I EXPOSED What’s Really Going On At Game Freak,  Pokemon Timeline Hints and 7 Other Details about Sword and Shield, Music Credit: Alex Heflin - Cinnabar Island, Shin Megami Tensei V
Can Game Freak exist outside of Pokemon (0:57:15)
Little Town Hero, UFO50, Pac Man, Smart Ball, Magical Taruruto-kun, Yoshi, Bushi Seiryūden: Futari no Yūsha, Click Medic, Giga Wrecker,  Umamusame: Pretty Derby, Lies of P, Yokai Watch
Game Ratings: Non-Pokemon Game Freak games (1:09:22)
Rocket Slime Adventure
Has Game Freak earned good faith or does it deserve hate? (1:22:03)
Pokemon Concierge, Pokemon Trading Card Game, Pokemon Pinball, Fire Emblem Engage
The jury’s verdict on Pokemon (The Question Zone) (1:43:49)
Palworld
The Rec Room (2:05:03)
Candy Rangers, Magi Nation, Beastieball, Cassette Beasts, Animorphs (GBC), Robomon, Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Paranoia Agent, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, Psychonauts

This week on Brainlords we complain about the price of games nowadays. But then why did the games of yesteryear feel like a better deal despite being $80 well before Mario Kart 8? Is there anything you can do to appreciate an artform that seems so designed to take most of your paycheck? And yet somehow indie games should honestly cost more! Find out why as we release this episode for the same price as some of the best video games ever, free!
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
THINGS DISCUSSED
Hollow Knight: Silksong, Battle Angel Alita, Metropolis, Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk, Milk Outside a Bag of Milk Outside a Bag of Milk, 
Is Gaming a Financial Burden? (0:08:40)
Star Fox 64, Breath of Fire
New games and consoles are too expensive (0:12:33)
 NBA 2K21, Mario Kart World, GTA6, Outer Worlds 2, Borderlands 4,  Nintendo Virtual Boy, Switch 2, Pokemon ZA, Pokemon, Donkey Kong Bananza Emerald Rush, Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion, Bowser’s Fury, Helldivers 2, Split Fiction, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Lies of P, Space Marine 2,  
Old Games and consoles were too expensive (0:33:59)
Street Fighter II, God of War, Astro Bot
Game Ratings: Video Game Collectors Editions (0:47:47)
Unicorn Overlord, Horizon Zero Dawn, Blaster Master Zero, Super Mario Galaxy, Catherine, Odin’s Sphere, Bayonetta 3, Sonic Mania, Death Stranding, Culdcept Revolt, MGSV, 
The Best Games are Free (1:08:03)
Kyle’s List of Amazing Free Games and Mods : Dwarf Fortress, Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, Doom the Roguelike, Nethack, Spelunky, Cave Story, Knytt, Untitled Story, N+, Super Meat Boy, Commander Keen, Space Funeral, Oregon Trail, Off, Barkley Shut Up and Jam Gaiden, Yume Nikki, Cave Story, Lisa the First, Doki Doki Literature Club, IB horror Museum, One Shot, Battle For Wesnoth, Samarost 1, GTA 1&2, Frog Fractions, MUGEN, Spooky’s House of Jumpscares, The Stanley Parable, AM2R, Beetle Ninja, Lunacid Tears of the Moon, Dweller’s Empty Path, Franken, Myhouse.wad, The Forgotten City, Black Mesa
UFO50, Metal Gear Solid: Delta, Warframe, Infinity Nikki, Overwatch 2, Newer Super Mario Bros Wii, Steamworld Dig, Fall Guys, Flesh Blood and Concrete, SWOLLEN TO BURSTING UNTIL I AM DISAPPEARING ON PURPOSE
 
Indie Games Are Too Cheap (1:26:42)
 
How much money do Steam Games make?, Hollow Knight, Crystal Story: Dawn of Dusk, Peak, Shovel Knight, Stardew Valley, PLEASE SAVE HORNET ALL SHE NEEDS IS THE NUMBERS ON YOUR CREDIT CARD, Judero, Look Outside, Peak
 
The Question Zone (1:43:49)
 
With the rising cost of mainstream games and consoles, will we see a new renaissance of indies or will everyone just move on to free to play games? -Oracle of WageTheft 
 
Borderlands 4 
Are there repercussions of having a generation of kids whose comfort games are all free to play games or games as a service or are we simply old man yelling at cloud (gaming)? - Slime A Lime 
Roblox
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
The Rec Room (1:53:35)
Putting Italian Sausage on your grilled cheese, using mayo instead of butter on your grilled cheese, Steamworld Dig, Steamworld Dig 2, Diablo 2, An Untitled Story, Football: 17776, Gunbuster. Urusei Yatsura: Only You 

This week on Brainlords we look back on the 8 years we’ve had the Nintendo Switch to determine what we'll be looking back on even later! We take a ~nostalgic~ tour through the final days of the WiiU, getting the console in its early years, the peak years of its greatest hits, playing during the pandemic, and the twilight years that preceded the Switch 2. Are these just rose (and blue) tinted glasses or was there truly something special about the first merger of Nintendo’s handheld and console hardware that truly can’t be replicated again?
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?CONTACT US: brainlordspod@gmail.com
Kyle - Cute Monster Props
Jorge - JMV
THINGS DISCUSSED
DearS, OFF
Remember the early days of the Switch? (0:08:24)
The Elder Scrolls Skyrim, Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, NBA 2K, Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2,  Super Bomberman R, Waku Waku 7, Blaster Master Zero, Golf Story, Fast RMX, Puyo Puyo Tetris
Remember the prime years of the Switch? (0:24:16)
Metroid Prime Remastered, Metroid Dread, Mario Tennis Aces, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Pokken Tournament, Mario 3D World, Mario Bros U, Hyrule Warriors, Captain Toad’s Treasure Tracker, Celeste, Gris, Shovel Knight, The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories, Deltarune, Yooka-Laylee, Hollow Knight, Super Mario Odyssey, The Flipgrip, Downwell, Gunbird, Sengoku Blade, Donkey Kong Arcade, Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Game Ratings: Smash Bros Ultimate DLC Trailers (0:54:42) 
Banjo Kazooie, Kingdom Hearts, Persona 5,  Minecraft, Final Fantasy 7,  
Remember the Switch during the Pandemic? (1:11:06)
Shin Megami Tensei V, Animal Crossing New Horizons, The DragonCon Marriott carpet, Ring Fit Adventure, Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics, Octo Expansion, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity,  Paper Mario: The Origami King, Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda, Mario 3D All Stars, Bowser’s Fury, Metroid Dread, Cruis’n Blast
Remember the final years of the Switch? (1:25:09)
Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Demon Throttle, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, Megaman X, Deadly Premonition 2, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Bayonetta 3, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Princess Peach: Showtime!, Mario and Luigi: Brothership, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Stardew Valley
The Question Zone and Switch Memories (1:36:47)
Pokemon Scarlet
What do different types of lore do to your enjoyment of a game? For example, well done in game lore with a fleshed out world? Or game lore pertaining to the making of the game, or why something is the way it is in the game because of an experience or idea that someone got from their personal life and made it into a game mechanic or story beat? Or perhaps other types of lore I am not thinking of? Who knows? - Mariochief
Signalis, Dark Souls, ActRaiser 2
Do you think there's a chance for DEEP LORE that isn't horror/tragedy-adjacent to be impactful? Does it need at least a veneer of maturity to catch on or be impactful, or can it be satisfying to uncover if it isn't super dark? - irwegwert
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker, Donkey Kong Country
What Switch games in your backlog do you want to play the most? - MyBodyisBready
Live A Live, Luigi's Mansion 3, Gal Metal
Who are the people you most associate with the Switch? - Mamamiyamoto
Legend of Mana, Theatrythm Final Fantasy, Chocobo GP 
The Rec Room (1:55:01)
Labyrinth of the Demon King, Mario Paint, Mario Paint, Sonic Expo