Alex, Chris and Tom S discuss a brief spate of late-March game announcements before getting into Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. That’s it. It’s mostly Sekiro. We’re very keen to avoid Sekiro spoilers in this episode, but we do talk about themes and mechanics and, in one case, a few details about different environments – but not much! Less than you’d see in the game’s trailer, as it happens. Plus: PC gaming tech advice up to and including why an owl shouldn’t officiate your wedding, meditations on th...
Mar 29, 2019•1 hr 59 min
Chris, Pip and Alex celebrate IGF winners and huff deep on Google’s big ol’ cloud. Plus: a little Call of Duty, a little Devil May Cry, assorted nonsense beyond. Don’t die yet, we haven’t finished the pyramid’s ass. Here’s the IGF & GDCA Awards stream in full – the show begins about 25 minutes in, including Meg Jayanth’s opening speech. The IGF’s finalists and winners page has all of the finalists AND winners and links to the games what they do. Google Stadia . Future of gaming IS NOT BOX, w...
Mar 22, 2019•2 hr 21 min
Tom F, Chris and Alex chat Dwarf Fortress news, franchise developments, a little Far Cry, Hypnospace Outlaw, Devil May Cry 5, and Baba Is You. Plus: getting whacked with the bollard brush, the half time cutlery switch, the sensesno.cool quadrilogy, how snake feel, a magic leap for mankind, and more. Where’s my fucking money, Paddington? ‘Anser’ is the genus of waterfowl. We didn’t know this. Please don’t write in, even though we told you to. Tom’s Tactical Breach Wizards now has a Steam page and...
Mar 15, 2019•2 hr 8 min
Chris, Alex and both Toms chat Far Cry: New Dawn, DiRT Rally 2.0, Star Trek Online (?) and then just say the word ‘Dune’ over and over for a while. Plus: don’t talk to me until I’ve got my bow, Ubisoft spade tax, Sir Walter Rally, Alex takes Poland, illicit Terran jambalaya, and so on. These are the voyages, I suppose. Tom F has been playing Far Cry: New Dawn . Alex has been living with the consequences of his decisions in DiRT Rally 2.0 . Chris is playing Star Trek Online , apparently. You can ...
Mar 01, 2019•1 hr 54 min
Chris, Tom and Alex discuss Darkest Dungeon II and Ace Combat 7 and make a lot of sad and frustrated noises about Anthem. Plus: Edward Lear zooms on a leper, ejecting your upside-down cousin, when wingmates become wingquaintances, and the terble space crab. Here’s the trailer for Darkest Dungeon II . Chris and Tom have played Anthem , and hmmm. Alex has been flinging himself around in Ace Combat 7 . You can hang out with us and our community on our Discord channel . If you have a question for a ...
Feb 22, 2019•2 hr 7 min
Alex, Tom S and Chris discuss Blizzard and then say nice things about Apex Legends, Resident Evil 2, and Devil May Cry 5. Plus: The Fraudulent Rustling of the Horse Boy II: Redeem This, the adventures of Gordon Fremen, middleware war among the stars, and our winter survival tips and tricks. Here’s Jason Schreier’s writeup of the Blizzard layoffs. We’ve all been enjoying that Apex Legends . Also, that Resident Evil 2 . Tom’s been playing a bit of Devil May Cry 5 , too. You can hang out with us an...
Feb 15, 2019•2 hr 1 min
In this mini-episode, Chris, Alex and Pip discuss Apex Legends and Dota Auto Chess. Sorry for the shorter episodes lately! We’ve been really busy. Patreon backers should note that they’re not being charged at the moment. Thanks for being backers, though! We very much appreciate it. Chris has been playing that Apex Legends . Pip’s been at the Dota Auto Chess . Alex has strapped on his Sunless Skis and taken to the Sunless Skies . You can hang out with us and our community on our Discord channel ....
Feb 08, 2019•1 hr
Chris and Pip chat about Subnautica: Below Zero, Sunless Skies, and Wargroove. Pip’s been playing Subnautica: Below Zero . Benedict Cumberbatch can’t say ‘penguin’ . We’ve both been playing Sunless Skies . Chris is enjoying Wargroove , too. You can hang out with us and our community on our Discord channel . If you have a question for a future episode, send it to us at questions@crateandcrowbar.com or tweet us @crateandcrowbar . You can also listen to it on YouTube , and subscribe to our YouTube ...
Feb 02, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Both Toms join Chris to discuss Resident Evil 2, Battlefleet Gothic Armada II, a bit of Forgotton Anne, and more. Plus: further jazz considerations, the torpedo full of man, robot wars meta considerations, puns, wine, and so on. SteamWorld Quest : it’s been announced! Slay The Spire : it’s out now! We should get around to talking about that. Tom S has been playing Hades and Resident Evil 2 . Tom F has been playing Forgotton Anne , Wandersong , and a little Thimbleweed Park . Chris and Tom S have...
Jan 25, 2019•1 hr 51 min
Chris, Tom F, Alex and perhaps others dramatise assorted games industry dramas, discuss the anti-cheat ramifications of Dean Leaner, and explore death in a variety of warzones. Plus: Destiny 2 in 2019, Fortune-299, Slay The Spire modding, our community GOTY vote and more! In the event that our summation of the Improbable/Unity business didn’t make any sense – and why would it – here’s a recap . The Improbable blog post that didn’t make any sense is this one . Here’s Bungie declaring their indepe...
Jan 18, 2019•2 hr 17 min
The whole gang convenes (sort of) to look back at our games of 2018 while navigating some sort of terrible segue purgatory. As discussed in this episode, the Crate & Crowbar Discord community is currently conducting its own GOTY vote! You can find out more – and cast your votes – right here . Games discussed: Subnautica Far Cry 5 Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey The Return of the Obra Dinn Into The Breach Slay The Spire Artifact Frostpunk Battletech Warhammer: Vermintide II Monster Hunter: World Me...
Dec 21, 2018•2 hr 49 min
Tom F, Alex and John return to the velvet plinth to discuss the Games Awards announcements, ReCore, Dusk, and Hades. Far Cry: New Dawn has flowers. The Last Campfire is by two folks at Hello Games. Xbox One flagship game ReCore is on PC now and very 7/10. Dusk is a 97/100 game according to Steam user reviews. Watch a bit of Twinfold being played to get a better notion of it than our muddled descriptions. Hades is addictive and infuriating to Tom, who has had to ban himself from it. Here’s the Cr...
Dec 14, 2018•1 hr 50 min
Chris, Tom, Alex and Tom discuss the Epic Games Store, more Artifact, Mutant Year Zero, Just Cause 4, and so on. Here’s the rundown on the Epic Games Store . Everybody has been playing Artifact , but you are not allowed to touch the little imp bottoms, and this is garbage. Tom F is still playing alternative card games Thronebreaker and Slay The Spire . Alex has been playing Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden . Tom F has been playing Just Cause 4 . Where’s, indeed, an egg? You can hang out with us an...
Dec 07, 2018•2 hr 11 min
Tom F and Alex gather around a velvet plinth, sip beer, and discuss vikings and hitmen. Featured: Skin Deep : Brendon Chung’s Die Hard in space. Bad North : defend tiny islands from vikings. Hitman 2 (2018) : Tom’s liking it more now, play his Contract . Race for the Galaxy : an empire building card game where the strategies map pleasingly to philosophies. You can hang out with us and our community on our Discord channel . If you have a question for a future episode, send it to us at questions@c...
Nov 30, 2018•1 hr 39 min
Chris, Tom F and Alex convene to talk Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus, Artifact, and Hitman 2. Then Chris, Tom F, Alex and Pip convene to talk, er, foxes? Or something. Alex has been playing Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus . Chris has been sinking hours into Artifact . Here’s the guide he wrote , if you’re interested. Tom’s been playing Hitman (Season) 2 . Here’s a college what look like a gaming PC . The Shard. Didn’t there be a fox in there ? You can hang out with us and our community on our Discord...
Nov 23, 2018•2 hr 15 min
Chris, Tom, Tom and Alex talk strategy remake news, Void Bastards, One Hour One Life, Battlefield V, Thronebreaker, Roblox and more. Those crazy kids are remastering Command & Conquer . They’re also remastering Warcraft III , the absolute madmen. Chris has been playing One Hour One Life . Everybody’s excited about Void Bastards . Tom Senior’s been playing Battlefield V . Tom Francis has been playing The Witcher Tales: Thronebreaker . Alex has been playing Roblox . You can hang out with us an...
Nov 15, 2018•2 hr 15 min
Chris is joined by both Toms to discuss Blizzcon controversy, The Blackout Club, Forza Horizon 4, Return of the Obra Dinn and more. Here’s Diablo Immortal , and Tom S’ article about said game and its attendant controversy. Chris and Tom F have been playing The Blackout Club . Do a cool flip off the time ramp into Forza Horizon 4 . Tom F has also been playing Return of the Obra Dinn . This, Tom Senior, is Noby Noby Boy . You can hang out with us and our community on our Discord channel . If you h...
Nov 08, 2018•2 hr 14 min
Tom joins Zack Johnson and Kevin Simmons from Video Games Hot Dog to discuss the games of Fantastic Arcade. Spelunky 2! Noita! Samurai Gunn 2! Additional games besides these! Note: Patreon backers won’t be charged for this episode. Zack and Kevin are from Video Games Hot Dog , also Asymmetric . They have created two forms of Loathing: West of and Kingdom of . These human beings collided at Fantastic Arcade . They played Spelunky 2 , the lucky beggars. Also, lovely physicsy action roguelike Noita...
Oct 31, 2018•1 hr 10 min
Pip, Chris and Alex discuss the return of Hellgate: London, ponder Return of the Obra Dinn, and go for a wander around Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Hellgate: London ! It’s back! But why! Pip’s been playing that Return of the Obra Dinn . Alex has looked at some things and slid down some things in Shadow of the Tomb Raider . You can hang out with us and our community on our Discord channel . If you have a question for a future episode, send it to us at questions@crateandcrowbar.com or tweet us @crat...
Oct 27, 2018•1 hr 42 min
Both Toms and Chris dig into this week’s developing Rockstar story and then share stories from Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, because all we’ve done for two weeks is kick people off boats. Here’s that story about the Red Dead 2 working conditions , and subsequent coverage of Rockstar ‘s reaction. We recorded this podcast on Tuesday, for reference. Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey . We’ve been playing it! Sorry that we didn’t play anything else. Tom F’s edit: I am wrong when I say Droqen made Midas – it was...
Oct 19, 2018•1 hr 33 min
Tom S, Tom F and Chris talk Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Race for the Galaxy and Distance, and then get distracted by literary theory and swearing. Tom Senior has been kicking his way to friendship in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey . Here is Alice Bell’s excellent article about the same. Tom Francis has been playing Race for the Galaxy . The GDC talk he mentions is by Theresa Duringer, but it’s not currently publically available. Chris likes Distance a lot. We demand to be taken seriously. You can hang...
Oct 05, 2018•1 hr 51 min
Chris and Pip embark on another Friday morning podcast, covering the Telltale layoffs and highlights from EGX. Here’s Wesley Yin-Poole’s article for Eurogamer about remembering that people, not companies, create games. Pip’s been enjoying Parkasaurus . Chris’ picks of EGX are Total War: Three Kingdoms , Kine , Yellow Rock Road and Valfaris . Pip’s picks include Small Talk , Beyond Blue , Willowbrooke Post and The Bradwell Conspiracy . You can hang out with us and our community on our Discord cha...
Sep 28, 2018•57 min
Pip, Chris, Tom F and guest John R discuss EGX, Frozen Synapse 2, Megaquarium, Streets of Rogue, advanced noodle techniques, and more. Here’s the Heat Signature Twitter, so you can find out about them sweet updatez. John and Chris have been playing Frozen Synapse 2 . Pip’s been playing Megaquarium . Tom’s been playing Streets of Rogue . On that note, the joke that soured Tom on Streets of Rogue is going to be removed . The Flashback-like game that Tom can’t remember the name of is Lunark . You c...
Sep 21, 2018•1 hr 56 min
Alex, Chris and Tom F discuss game dev authenticity, Industries of Titan, Destiny 2, Dragon Quest XI, and Concrete Jungle. Plus: automatic toilet theory, figuring out how much we actually know about each other, and winning the trust of the shotgun people. Here’s Lindsay Ellis’ video essay about manufactured authenticity on YouTube (and elsewhere.) …and a contemporary Wired article about the Redshell tracking software. Chris and Alex are both doing stuff at EGX . Alex is talking to the Disco Elys...
Sep 14, 2018•2 hr 12 min
Pip and Chris discuss MMO woes, Destiny 2’s new expansion, Two Point Hospital and a bit of Graveyard Keeper. Find out more about the V&A’s videogames exhibit right here . Carbine Studios – and their MMO, Wildstar – are shutting down . CCP has been bought by Black Desert Online devs Pearl Abyss. Chris is very much enjoying Destiny 2: Forsaken . We’ve both come down with a case of Two Point Hospital . Pip’s been tinkering with Graveyard Keeper . You can hang out with us and our community on ou...
Sep 07, 2018•1 hr 17 min
Chris and Tom S sit down for a chat about Spelunky 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 news, Tom’s highlights from Gamescom, and assorted nonsense. Here’s that Spelunky 2 footage and PlayStation Blog Q&A . We spend a bunch of time with the Cyberpunk 2077 footage . Tom S had a strong first impression of Life is Strange 2 . Battlefield V is finally delivering on the timeless promise of levolution. Destiny 2: Forsaken is close to enough to worry Tom’s Warframe character. Here’s Chris Bratt’s People Make Games...
Aug 31, 2018•1 hr 52 min
Chris, Tom F and Pip catch up on a bit of Gamescom news before delivering sizzingly fresh takes on recent hits ‘Spore’ and ‘FTL’. Here’s the trailer for Man of Medan , part of the Dark Pictures anthology. Also, the Life is Strange 2 trailer. Here’s Burrito Tim’s Good Tweet . Pip has returned to Spore , ten years on. Tom’s been playing something called ‘Eff Tee Ell’ . Chris is still on that Monster Hunter: World , but he promises he’s not going to bang on about it. You can hang out with us and ou...
Aug 24, 2018•2 hr 4 min
It all goes a bit wrong as Chris, Tom, Tom and Alex return from a week off to talk Red Dead and Doom news, EXAPUNKS, Warframe, Unavowed and Monster Hunter. Plus: Horse Up Displays, 90s FPS ASMR, Resident Evil 2 by The B-52s, why it’s good when the spaceships do it, sensible missiles, the Mamma Mia cinematic universe, and Kerbal Space Program Royale. Here’s that Red Dead Redemption 2 footage . Nice horse! Also, DOOM ETERNAL . Flotilla 2 is out soon! So is 7 Billion Humans ! Alex has been jacking ...
Aug 17, 2018•2 hr 34 min
Alex, Tom S, Chris and Marsh (!) convene to discuss many Metroidvanias, Yakuza 0, console games (!), when to move on, Six Ages, and so on. Marsh! Has been playing Chasm . Chris has been catching up with Dead Cells . Alex’s Castlevania of the moment is La-Mulana 2 . Here is Goro Majima’s introduction from Yakuza 0 , which Tom done been playing. Marsh has been losing tapestry men in Six Ages . Here’s the article that Marsh mentions about redesigning Vampire: The Masquerade . You can hang out with ...
Aug 03, 2018•1 hr 51 min
Chris, Tom S and Alex take several trips back to 2016, including but not limited to No Man’s Sky, StarCraft II, DOOM and Battlefield 1. We’ve all been playing No Man’s Sky ‘s NEXT update. Alex has been teaching valuable lessons in StarCraft II . Tom’s been revisiting the best of 2016 in DOOM . Chris is happily surprised by the state of Battlefield 1 , two years on. What did you do in the war, granddad? Here’s the bit in episode 149 where Chris shames himself in Star Citizen. You can hang out wit...
Jul 27, 2018•1 hr 58 min
