Shall We Play a Game? - podcast cover

Shall We Play a Game?

Chris Suellentrop and JJ Sutherland•shallweshow.com
Games & Hobbies
Video Games
A short (honest!) podcast about video games. Hosted by New York Times contributing critic Chris Suellentrop and former NPR Baghdad bureau chief JJ Sutherland.
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Episodes

PlayStation VR - Shall We Play a Game?

Impressions after a week with Sony’s new virtual-reality headset. The post PlayStation VR appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Oct 05, 2016•40 min

‘Reigns,’ ‘Bound,’ & Even More ‘Kentucky Route Zero’ - Shall We Play a Game?

It’s special request hour at “Shall We Play a Game?”: We play “Reigns,” the mobile hit billed as “Tinder for monarchs,” and “Bound,” the PlayStation 4 dance platformer. Then we indulge our own desires with Act 3 of “Kentucky Route Zero.” The post ‘Reigns,’ ‘Bound,’ & Even More ‘Kentucky Route Zero’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Sep 22, 2016•50 min

‘Stardew Valley’ - Shall We Play a Game?

JJ couldn’t get his PlayStation 4 to work in Zurich (really). So we played “Stardew Valley” instead of “Bound.” The post ‘Stardew Valley’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Sep 16, 2016•18 min

The End (?) of ‘No Man’s Sky’ - Shall We Play a Game?

We haven’t reached the center of the galaxy, but we’re ready to deliver our verdict on "No Man's Sky." Play it? Or don't play it? The post The End (?) of ‘No Man’s Sky’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Sep 01, 2016•20 min

‘Kentucky Route Zero’ - Shall We Play a Game?

The first act of Cardboard Computer’s evocative point-and-click adventure. Plus a little “Deus Ex Go” The post ‘Kentucky Route Zero’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Aug 22, 2016•24 min

‘Abzû’ & ‘No Man’s Sky’ - Shall We Play a Game?

Do you want to serenely explore an underwater video game world for two hours, or serenely explore an outer-space video game world for infinity? The post ‘Abzû’ & ‘No Man’s Sky’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Aug 10, 2016•39 min

‘Inside’ - Shall We Play a Game?

Playdead’s “Inside” rouses us from our summer video-game torpor. A spoiler-free review, followed (at 18:22) by a very spoiler-y discussion of the ending, including JJ’s persuasive theory of What It All Means. The post ‘Inside’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Jul 27, 2016•37 min

Oculus Rift & Gabriel Winslow-Yost: What I Play - Shall We Play a Game?

We talk about “Lucky’s Tale” for the Oculus Rift and compare the hardware to the HTC Vive. Then, Chris talks to Gabriel Winslow-Yost, an editor at the New York Review of Books, about why he plays video games, even when he’s a little ashamed of it. The post Oculus Rift & Gabriel Winslow-Yost: What I Play appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Jul 22, 2016•48 min

Virginia Heffernan: What I Play - Shall We Play a Game?

Virginia Heffernan, the author of “Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art,” talks about playing “1010!” on the subway, reaching the top 1,000 on the “Angry Birds” leaderboard, and why the Internet is an artwork and a massively multiplayer online game. The post Virginia Heffernan: What I Play appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Jul 07, 2016•55 min

New Statesman deputy editor Helen Lewis: What I Play - Shall We Play a Game?

Helen Lewis, the deputy editor of the New Statesman, talks about why "BioShock" is her favorite game, why she plays as Queen Elizabeth in "Civilization," and what "Fallout 4" might tell us about the future of America. The post New Statesman deputy editor Helen Lewis: What I Play appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Jun 28, 2016•57 min

Summer School with NYU’s Frank Lantz - Shall We Play a Game?

Frank Lantz, the designer of Drop7 and the director of the New York University department of game design, talks about why “Crackdown” is his favorite game, why video games are worth studying, and which video games he has spent the most time playing. The post Summer School with NYU’s Frank Lantz appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Jun 23, 2016•49 min

‘Warcraft’ & ‘World of Warcraft’ - Shall We Play a Game?

A review of “Warcraft,” the movie, plus an interview with Daniel Lisi, the author of “World of Warcraft,” the book, from Boss Fight Books. The post ‘Warcraft’ & ‘World of Warcraft’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Jun 17, 2016•44 min

A Rerun of an Episode You Probably Didn’t Hear - Shall We Play a Game?

Eleven days ago, we posted an episode (“More 'Quantum Break' and Listener Mail”) that did not reach the overwhelming majority of our listeners, because our RSS feed was broken. So we're posting it again. The post A Rerun of an Episode You Probably Didn’t Hear appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Jun 01, 2016•37 min

‘Dark Souls’ - Shall We Play a Game?

Keza MacDonald and Jason Killingsworth, the authors of "You Died: The 'Dark Souls' Companion," talk about how “Demon’s Souls” hooked them, whether “Dark Souls” is a 21st-century "Super Mario Bros., " and why “Souls” players are like figure skaters. The post ‘Dark Souls’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

May 26, 2016•52 min

This Is Only a Test - Shall We Play a Game?

We're trying to see if our feed is still broken. We hope you download this podcast to confirm that all is well. The post This Is Only a Test appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

May 26, 2016•2 min

More “Quantum Break,” and Listener Mail - Shall We Play a Game?

Should “Quantum Break” get rid of its shooting? Does it have the funniest narrative pick-up in game history? Did you bless the rains down in Africa? Plus, listener mail, and a shocking confession from JJ that will forever change how you listen. The post More “Quantum Break,” and Listener Mail appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

May 20, 2016•36 min

More Vive, ‘Quantum Break’ & J.C. Herz - Shall We Play a Game?

Playing “Audioshield” in virtual reality on the HTC Vive, the first act of “Quantum Break,” and an interview with J.C. Herz, the first video game critic for the New York Times and the author of “Joystick Nation” and “Learning to Breathe Fire.” The post More Vive, ‘Quantum Break’ & J.C. Herz appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

May 12, 2016•38 min

‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ - Shall We Play a Game?

We played “Uncharted 4.” We review it. We don’t spoil it, but if you are sensitive to spoilers, the modestly spoiler-y stuff begins at 23:25. The post ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

May 06, 2016•51 min

‘1979 Revolution’ & the End of ‘Life Is Strange’ - Shall We Play a Game?

Two games enter. One will ascend to the Shall We Play a Game? canon. The other will be tossed onto the ash heap of history. For newcomers to “Life Is Strange,” a spoiler-free verdict of the entire series begins at 20:55. The post ‘1979 Revolution’ & the End of ‘Life Is Strange’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Apr 28, 2016•41 min

New York Times Magazine writer Clive Thompson: What I Play - Shall We Play a Game?

Clive Thompson, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, talks about how fatherhood changed what video games he plays, how “World of Warcraft” almost ruined his life, and why “Mario Bros.” is better than “Super Mario Bros.” The post New York Times Magazine writer Clive Thompson: What I Play appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? ....

Apr 21, 2016•51 min

HTC Vive & ‘Clash Royale’ - Shall We Play a Game?

On setting up an HTC Vive Pre, playing the VR adventure game “The Gallery: Call of the Starseed,” and crawling on the floor to play “Unseen Diplomacy.” Then (at 24:00), why Nintendo’s “Miitomo” mobile app got us playing Supercell’s “Clash Royale.” The post HTC Vive & ‘Clash Royale’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Apr 08, 2016•38 min

Who Shot Alison Rapp? Plus ‘Life Is Strange’ & ‘Witcher 3’ - Shall We Play a Game?

Kotaku’s Patrick Klepek talks about his reporting on Alison Rapp, whom Nintendo fired for moonlighting. Was she a victim of the video-game culture wars? Then (at 28:51), we spoil more “Life Is Strange,” and (at 39:26) “The Witcher 3.” The post Who Shot Alison Rapp? Plus ‘Life Is Strange’ & ‘Witcher 3’ appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Apr 01, 2016•47 min

‘Hitman’ & Listener Mail - Shall We Play a Game?

A review of the new “Hitman” game, which is conveniently called “Hitman.” Then (at 21:32): Are the tastes of video game critics and video game players starting to diverge? Does it matter? The post ‘Hitman’ & Listener Mail appeared first on Shall We Play a Game? .

Mar 25, 2016•33 min
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