Digitally Uploaded

February 2021 Podcast: The platformer, and why games need to be more narrative-focused

Time sure flies when you're having fun!

We're already into the second month of 2021, and we've been having a lot of fun with the games we've been playing. This month on the podcast we look at the packed February lineup, discuss why games need to be orientated more towards narrative, consider the ongoing role of the platformer, and debate what qualities make a game worth returning to once it becomes "retro".

Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll catch you next month!

January 2021 Podcast: We are back in business!

Welcome to the New Year, everyone! Let's hope that this year is a better one for everyone.

We are back with our monthly podcasts this year, where we'll look at all the games coming up in the month, as well as discussing various other topics... and hopefully have a guest or two along the way as well!

This month's a pretty casual one. We chat about what we're looking forward to in the year, and some of the highlights of last year. We also chat about the games that have defined the last generation, as this will be the first full year of the "new-gen" with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Be sure to shout out over the year if there are any topics you'd like to see us cover. Otherwise, we look forward to having you tune in each month over the year!

December 2020 Podcast: PlayStation 5, history fanservice, and good remakes!

Welcome to our final podcast of the year! This week we have special guest, Sanatana Mishra who has worked on, among other things, the excellent Assault Android Cactus and a range of remakes, including the Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse remake from a few years ago that was so, so good.

We talk with Sanatana about remakes, remasters, and what works and doesn't. We also talk about the new toy on the block - the PlayStation 5 - and all the fun we've been having with that, and then we talk about history games, and how Assassin's Creed is right back on top thanks to Valhalla.

Finally, we talk about all the good games coming out in December... there are more of them than you think.

Thanks as always for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy the cast! Say hi and share your thoughts, and we'll be back right at the end of the year for the January episode!

 

November 2020 Podcast: FOMO, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin and Aussie fan service!

The next generation of consoles will be on us in just weeks, and this time around it's a little different. With COVID-19 disrupting manufacturing and shipping, a lot of people are going to miss the first wave of this generation, so this week on the podcast we talk about the almighty fear of missing out, or FOMO.

We also delve into all the games you'll be playing in November (though we do mention Cyberpunk 2077, which has just been pushed into December now), and we talk about Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, one of the real gems and delights to emerge from 2020.

Finally, we are joined by special guest, Lachlan, to discuss his newly-released, and super-fanservicey Max's Bigger Bust - the sequel to Max's Big Bust, and one of the few games that combines anime art style and Australianisms. It's a hilarious game, we promise.

Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next month!

 

October 2020 Podcast: Tokyo Game Show, classic games and visual novels!

We have a special guest on the podcast this week! Tina from Cotton Candy Cyanide, an Australian developer that has just released her first game under the brand - Quantum Suicide. It's a very, very good game, full of Danganronpa-style drama and with a healthy dose of fan service, so this week we chat with her about the game, its development, and what players should look forward to from it.

We also go through the games that will release through October (there is a lot of them), and talk about both Tokyo Game Show for 2020, and classic games - which classic games hold up, which do not, and why. This topic was inspired by Mario 64's recent re-release on to Nintendo Switch, and there is some heated debate across the DDNet team as to its value as a game in 2020.

It's a big podcast, so kick back, relax, and enjoy! We'll be back next month with the next one!

 

September 2020 Podcast: The role of music and literature in video games

Hello everyone and welcome to this month's podcast!

As always we kick things off with a look into the games that we can expect to play next month - it's going to be a big one.

Then we transition to talking about our topics for the month. We discuss the role of literature in video games (and wonder why certain books haven't been "gamified" yet). We also discuss the role that music has in building narrative within games.

Then we talk about Fall Guys. Because everyone has to talk about Fall Guys right now.

Thanks as always for tuning in, drop us a note to say hi, and we'll see you at next month's podcast!

 

August 2020 Podcast: On writing a book about Resident Evil, and what makes a great JRPG

We have a special guest on the podcast this week! Philip J Reed, the author of an upcoming book on Resident Evil that is being published by Boss Fight Books jumps on the podcast to chat with us about his book, Resident Evil and his history with the series, and horror in video games.

We also chat about our JRPGs this week, and specifically look to dig into what makes a good JRPG. Then we discuss some of our favourite soundtracks to listen to outside of video games (i.e. the soundtrack stands up by itself).

And, as always, we give you a full list of all the games to look forward to in the month ahead. August... could be a busy one, especially if you enjoy Japanese games.

Thanks as always for tuning in!

 

July 2020 Podcast: AAA vs. art, games as education, and lots of big Japanese announcements!

Welcome to the July Digitally Uploaded podcast!

We've got a lot of exciting things to talk about this episode. We start by running through all the big releases in July (it's a big, big month). Then we chat about the educational value of games in light of This War Of Mine being added to Polish curriculum.

Finally, we settle into this debate around AAA vs art, and look at the way that just about every big blockbuster game is chalked up as great art. We discuss why this is not only unnecessary, but harmful to video games as a medium.

Thanks as always for tuning in - let us know what you think of the episode - and we look forward to seeing you next month!

June 2020 Podcast: The SNES, the bad (but great) games we love, and board games!

This month on the DDNet podcast, we look back at the SNES as a console - what a machine it was, and discuss some of the lesser-known hits that you may never have heard about before.

We also talk about games that are either designed poorly (but have magnificent ideas), or are deliberately designed to be "bad" in order to convey a point. They're always controversial in terms of how people respond to them, but if you love one of those games you tend to really, REALLY, love it.

And of course we talk about all the major releases coming in June. It's traditionally a quiet month, but there's still plenty to look forward to.

Thank you as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next month!

May 2020 Podcast: Yes, we're back!

Yes, the Digitally Uploaded podcast is back! We were away on hiatus for a while, as we sorted through various changes in the podcast team's lives, but we're back, and with a fresh new look at the podcast.

We're moving to a monthly schedule, for a start. This will allow us to go deeper with the stuff that we look at in each podcast, and make each one longer, too! This month, for example, we chat about Final Fantasy, games from isolation, itch.io as a platform for games, and all the stuff you'll be playing in May.

It's good to be back, and we hope you enjoy this new approach we're taking. As always, if there are any particular topics you'd like to canvas, just let us know!