Not the religious kind, the kind where things try to eat you. This first-person shooter developed by Arkane Studios has very little in common with its 2006 namesake. Well, in both games you are being hunted by aliens, but that’s basically the beginning and end of the similarities. Of course, this led to some concerns as fans looking forward to “Prey 2” received this very different game instead. With no prior experience to the franchise, will any of this matter to our hosts? How will they react t...
Jun 09, 2022•24 min•Ep. 76
If you aren’t literally full of joy, the other citizens will take notice… and kill you. On this episode, we hand control back over to the Xbox Game Pass “Surprise Me” button and find ourselves faced with an action-adventure survival horror video game developed by Compulsion Games. Chris appears to have been extra targeted this time because the game allegedly has roguelike elements as well. If you ask us, that’s a lot of genre-splicing and it makes us wonder if the execution will live up to the a...
Jun 02, 2022•20 min•Ep. 75
Would you rather eat a snack bug or a bug snack? The mere premise of this first-person adventure game sounds absurd… and then you find out that it comes from the same zany studio that brought you Octodad. The team over at Young Horses combined bugs and snacks into the game’s eponymous creatures and now a listener has tasked our hosts with sampling this unusual offering. Will the colorful art style and unique premise prove delectable, or will it leave a bad taste in their mouths? Historically, ga...
May 26, 2022•22 min•Ep. 74
The wiki says this game was developed by spiders… The Xbox Game Pass “Surprise Me” button is back in control and it has selected an action role-playing game developed by Spiders for this episode! Okay, so it turns out that “Spiders” refers to a French game developer and not a group of arachnids that have achieved sentience and the capacity to program a video game. This is probably good news for our hosts, especially after all that time they spent killing virtual spiders a few episodes ago. Regar...
May 19, 2022•26 min•Ep. 73
SimCity may be gone, but that left a vacancy for a spiritual successor. Once upon a time, a game called SimCity was synonymous with the sim game genre. Of course, that was before its final entry totally bombed, souring the brand recognition of a storied franchise. Seizing their opportunity, this power vacuum in the city sim space was filled by a certain city-building game developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive. Will this 2015 title be able activate the nostalgia centers...
May 12, 2022•19 min•Ep. 72
We head to Miami to tackle a different kind of war... the one on crime. Imagine our surprise to learn that the subject of this episode would be a Battlefield title that wasn't set during a world war. As their final contribution to the world of video games before receiving their marching orders from EA, Visceral Games developed and released this First Person Shooter all about being a cop and immersing yourself in one of those great TV crime dramas that your dad probably likes to watch. The questi...
May 05, 2022•23 min•Ep. 71
Spiders? Why’d it have to be spiders? Generally speaking, we would not advocate killing critters of any kind, but there’s no pacifist playthrough for this first-person action game developed by tinyBuild. In fact, killing bugs is just a small piece of the utter mayhem that Tom and Chris were tasked with committing for their mandated hour with this title. Will these virtual spiders prove as difficult to catch as their real-world counterparts? More importantly, will the missions feel different enou...
Apr 28, 2022•18 min•Ep. 70
Some say racing is an art form, this game seeks to prove it. It’s been a little while since our hosts were last behind the wheel and the Xbox Gamepass “Surprise Me” Button is looking to correct that oversight. On this episode, our dynamic duo takes on the stylized racing sim developed by Funselektor Labs. With plenty of cars to choose from and even more stages to drive, it seems likely that Tom and Chris will each have a favorite combination that is unique to their playstyle. What will that look...
Apr 21, 2022•21 min•Ep. 69
It’s like Ultima or Fallout, except it’s a western with fantasy and horror elements. Game requested by friend of the show WanderingDutch! Apparently this game takes its name from a term used to describe the hybrid genres of fantasy Western, horror Western and sci-fi Western. To be honest, this whole concept is news to our hosts, but that won’t stop them from trying out this action role-playing game developed by WolfEye Studios. With bounty hunters at the forefront of the narrative and parallels ...
Apr 14, 2022•28 min•Ep. 68
The final chapter of a trilogy that they never started. When you let the Xbox Game Pass “Surprise Me” Button randomly pick the games, you are bound to play some sequels. On this episode, the button ramps up the absurdity by making our hosts play the final game in the action role-playing game trilogy developed by Square Enix. Will Tom and Chris stand any chance of enjoying this game with two full games of lore missing from their collective consciousness? Will the gameplay mechanics be engaging en...
Apr 07, 2022•24 min•Ep. 67
It's basically the combination of two of our favorite childhood things. If you grew up playing games in the 90's, then you are probably familiar with Starcraft. If you watched cartoons in the 90's, then you probably also know about Exosquad. While this base-building, survival game developed by EXOR Studios has no official ties to either of those properties, it sure does evoke fond memories of both. Will an hour of gameplay prove this game worthy of those feelings? Now that their guard is down, w...
Mar 31, 2022•24 min•Ep. 66
This one isn’t horror, but the countless ways that you die are pretty horrifying. What happens when a knight comes home, only to find it plagued by unholy magic? Well, you can find out if you settle in to play this metroidvania style game developed by Berzerk Studio. The formula for this experience starts with the classic side-scrolling action you know and love and combines it with contemporary levels of player driven character advancement and finally adds a healthy dose of gore. Will this prove...
Mar 24, 2022•20 min•Ep. 65
Let’s take horror and put it in space, what could go wrong? The Xbox “Surprise Me” button seems hell-bent on giving Chris a heart attack. For its latest assassination attempt, it has selected the science fiction survival horror game developed by Visceral Games. Both of our hosts have somehow managed to avoid this title even though it was released over a decade ago, but they can no longer close their eyes and pretend that it does not exist. Will playing it a decade late make it less scary? Will a...
Mar 17, 2022•21 min•Ep. 64
Tom’s favorite Pokemon are bug type… that may be relevant later. After the “Surprise Me” button’s attack on Chris, we thought it would be best to let the audience pick the game for this episode. The result is this role-playing title developed by indie studio Moonsprout Games. There is some obvious inspiration from Paper Mario, but in this game the main characters are all bugs searching for a source of eternal youth. When you consider the average lifespan of the protagonists, it does seem like a ...
Mar 10, 2022•23 min•Ep. 63
Did you know Resident Evil is called Biohazard in Japan? Now you do. The “Surprise Me” button is back in control and clearly the first item on the agenda is to give Chris a heart attack. Developed and published by Capcom, this seventh numbered entry in the horror franchise is actually something like the twenty fourth in the series. How is that even possible? Well, the franchise has been around since 1996 and has had a number of spinoffs and remakes, but the important thing to note about this one...
Mar 03, 2022•23 min•Ep. 62
When we hear “full motion video” we immediately think of Night Trap. On this episode, we turn control of the game selection over to our listeners and an unusual title is the reward. Developed by Sam Barlow and Furious Bee, this game is an interactive film that plays out as a “desktop thriller” where the player must unravel a mystery by watching video clips stored on a stolen hard drive. It is certainly a departure from the usual games thrust on our hosts and there are a number of questions to ta...
Feb 24, 2022•23 min•Ep. 61
He kind of looks like Miles “Tails” Prower, doesn’t he? Lucky is a different fox with just one tail, well two if you count the “tale” for which this game is named. In either case, the Xbox Game Pass “Surprise Me” button has selected the third person 3D platformer developed by Playful Studios as the focus of this episode, so our hosts are honor bound to play it for an hour and report back with their findings. They know that reaction to this title was mixed upon its release, but that was quite a l...
Feb 17, 2022•20 min•Ep. 60
We are done watching fires, now it’s time to fight them… for profit! Is it possible that the “Surprise Me” button is learning? With the AI back in control of the game selection, our hosts have been tasked with fighting fires in this frantic first-person multiplayer title developed by Muse Games. Will Tom and Chris be able to work together to climb the ranks and become truly uber firefighters… or is it more likely that they get in each other’s way, resulting in even greater chaos? Once their hour...
Feb 10, 2022•20 min•Ep. 59
Is the objective to watch fires or to stop them? On this episode, our hosts give the “Surprise Me” button a break and take on a random request from listeners like you! More specifically, they each spent an hour with the “alone in the woods” yet somehow “dialogue rich” adventure game developed by Campo Santo. Will the story-focused, single-player experience capture their hearts? Will the delivery of the plot via chose-your-own-adventure text and walkie-talkie voiceover be compelling enough to mak...
Feb 03, 2022•21 min•Ep. 58
If there are multiple mountains, why are they lonely? It appears that 2019 was a big year for downhill mountain biking video games. Our hosts previously reviewed Descenders and now the Xbox Game Pass “Surprise Me” button has also selected this similar sounding 2019 game developed by Megagon Industries. With an isometric view and stylized visuals, will this game do enough differently to escape the surface comparison? Will the retro feel of this downhill game remind Tom and Chris of their days wit...
Jan 27, 2022•19 min•Ep. 57
If they are already dead, how are they cursing anyone? The “Surprise Me” button is back in control and has quickly returned to tormenting Chris by picking another rougelike! This time our hosts take on the isometric dungeon crawler from Passtech Games, however, so perhaps the die-and-try-again elements will spice up the classic formula instead. Whatever their preconceived notions may have been, the rules state that Tom and Chris still have to spend an hour playing the game before making their fi...
Jan 20, 2022•23 min•Ep. 56
You had us at Aliens, but add “co-op shooter” and the excitement intensifies. It was time to give the "Surprise Me" button a break, so we accepted a random suggestion from our listeners and took a crack at the multiplayer third-person shooter developed by Cold Iron Studio for this episode. Did it help that we both enjoy the franchise? Did it help that it gave us an excuse to play a game co-op? Will this make us biased? Who's to say? There have been many games tied to this franchise over the year...
Jan 13, 2022•21 min•Ep. 55
An action RPG with anime DNA... sounds familiar. Word on the street is that the "Surprise Me" button is supposed to be random, but this game sure has some similarities with others that it has selected for the show. How will this action role-playing game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Tose stack up against those others? Will both of our hosts end up picking the same protagonist, or will they opt for different paths through game? With just an hour allowed to make a decision, do Tom & Chris ...
Jan 06, 2022•25 min•Ep. 54
This game was not made by Terry Gilliam, but it sure does look like it was. If you thought dating your weapons was out there, buckle up for this bizarre point and click adventure designed by Joe Richardson. The game puts you in the role of a knight looking to kill just one more person… but the war is over and it’s time for peace. Luckily, the big-bad perpetrator of the war has escaped, so it’s probably fine if you track him down and kill him. On your way, you will solve puzzles and enjoy classic...
Dec 30, 2021•19 min•Ep. 53
Have you ever been romantically attracted to bladed weapons? This is admittedly a weird one, but variety is the spice of life, right? Developed and published by Kitfox Games, this indie title is half dungeon crawler, half dating sim, and all inclusive. Do you want to date men that are swords? How about a woman that’s also a dagger? Would you rather skip all the sharp objects and just date the blacksmith instead? There really is something for everyone. Tom got a sneak peek at PAX East 2020 and wa...
Dec 23, 2021•21 min•Ep. 52
Embrace your role as bug knight and vanquish other bugs, but only the bad ones… right? That Xbox Game Pass “Surprise Me” button sure seems to love these indie titles! On this episode, our hosts reflect on the hour they spent with the metroidvania action-adventure game developed and published by Team Cherry. This acclaimed game has seen a few revisions over the years and this particular release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September of 2018 came with additional balancing, bug fixes, and a new...
Dec 16, 2021•22 min•Ep. 51
Been spendin’ most our lives livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise… in Japan! This is what happens when Sega takes the Dragon game engine and uses it to remake a PS2 title from 2006. The all-knowing internet claims that this is an action-adventure game, but it looks like our hosts may be of a different opinion on the matter. Adding to the intrigue, Chris has warned that cutscenes will probably play a major role in the hour the boys are allowed to experience. With time as the enemy, what will their actu...
Dec 09, 2021•20 min•Ep. 50
All you need is love… and food… and stuff to fix your spaceship. A game about love, well isn’t that grand! In this third-person adventure game from The Game Bakers, the player takes on the twin roles of star-crossed lovers trying to live out a peaceful existence on some far-flung planet. Things are not as simple as they seem, though, as the story unravels and our couple is forced to deal with bigger challenges than what to make for lunch. What will our hosts think of this decidedly off-beat game...
Dec 03, 2021•21 min•Ep. 49
We are doing that sweet sixteen bracket thing, but this time with twice games! We checked and we are pretty confident this is not a term used elsewhere, so there won't be any confusion this time! On this VERY special episode, we have Wandering Dutch join us to recap the next 32 games that we've played here on 1H1D. Did we double the number of games to up the ante or did we just forget to do a bracket after the second batch of sixteen games? Give this special episode a listen and you may learn th...
Nov 25, 2021•44 min
This game has a sizable cult following, but does it deserve it? The epitome of an indie game, this title was virtually entirely created by one person, Toby Fox. Strictly speaking, it is a 2D role-playing game about a child who has fallen into the underground and wants to return to the surface world, encountering all manner of strange monsters along the way. Beyond that, most of the decision making on how to navigate those encounters is left to the player, which leads to some interesting results....
Nov 18, 2021•23 min•Ep. 48
