Normandy FM
Eric Van Allen and Kenneth Shepard come together for a multi-part video game retrospective podcast. Normandy FM does episodic analysis of video games, starting with Bioware's Mass Effect series, going on to discuss other genres and studios. Tune in to the discussion and join in by playing along with us! Mass Effect | 51 Eps. Dragon Age | 47 Eps. Jade Empire | 5 Eps. The Last of Us | 16 Eps. Final Fantasy X | 23 Eps. Cyberpunk 2077 | 15 Eps. Nier | Ongoing Twitter: Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow Eric: @seamoosi Kenneth: @shepardcdr
Episodes
August 6, 2025 • 78 mins
The reigning guest champ Natalie Checo returns after a long hiatus as we talk about the beginning of Nier Automata's Route C. We talk about passing the torch to the final playable character, unpack the surprisingly timely themes of Automata, and somehow find a way to talk about KPop Demon Hunters. Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Bluesky:
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamo...
Mark as Played
July 23, 2025 • 119 mins
We did all of Route A over again...as 9S. This episode covers the broad strokes of Nier Automata's Route B, so if you haven't played through the whole thing, come back later. Moises Taveras returns alongside first-time guest Sam Greszes as we talk about 9S, the reveals of his hacking abilities, and wonder what the **** those asterisks are. Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Blu...
Mark as Played
July 9, 2025 • 103 mins
We finished Nier Automata. The credits rolled, so it's over. Right? Riiiiiight?
Nah. We finished Route A and returning guest Sam Greer joins us to talk about Automata's first closing chapter. Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Bluesky
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Sam: @sammgreer
Mark as Played
June 25, 2025 • 42 mins
This episode we close the book on Adam and his attempts to roleplay humanity. We head down to the Copied City and pontificate on Nier's vision of synthetics trying to figure out what humanity was all about long after the humans are gone from this world.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Bluesky
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken:@shepardcdr
Mark as Played
June 5, 2025 • 56 mins
As 2B and 9S explore more of Nier Automata's desolate world, we find new ways that robots try to imitate humanity and speculate about what it all means.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Bluesky:
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Mark as Played
Another PAX East, another Video Game Tinder panel. Well, until they stop letting us make fools of ourselves. This year we're joined by Michael Higham, Jenna Stoeber, Asa GreenRiver, and returning swiper Anya Combs as we swipe left and right on fake dating profiles for real video game characters. We've also included a Google Slides link of the presentation so you can follow along and see the profiles Eric made. Enjoy the show!
Slid...
Mark as Played
February 4, 2025 • 44 mins
As we make our way through Nier Automata's post-apocalyptic world, we stumble upon an amusement park. Here we find some interesting wrinkles in how Automata frames its android vs. machine war and ponder if it succeeds in some of the ways we felt The Last of Us didn't. Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Bluesky
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Mark as Played
January 28, 2025 • 55 mins
BioWare has been hit with layoffs and reassignments as it pivots to Mass Effect 5, and that includes veteran talent that helped make the Dragon Age series what it is today. Ken and Eric sit down to try and figure out what it all means, ponder the future of the studio, and look toward our upcoming Veilguard season.
Follow us on Bluesky:
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Mark as Played
December 3, 2024 • 134 mins
Now that folks are rolling credits on Dragon Age: The Veilguard, we wanted to take some time to break down our spoiler-filled overarching thoughts. Ken and Eric are joined by returning guests Ash Parrish and James Whitbrook as we talk about Rook, the ending, Varric, Solas, and all the other big reveals in The Veilguard. Think of it as an appetizer before our full season covering the game next year. Enjoy the show!
Become a Normand...
Mark as Played
November 28, 2024 • 77 mins
It's time to head back down to Earth as we learn more about what's happened in the world of Nier since the events of Replicant. This episode we talk the beginnings of the connections between games, how Automata uses UI for storytelling, and how we're feeling about the game's genre-blending. Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Bluesky
Normandy FM: @normandyfm
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken:...
Mark as Played
October 24, 2024 • 114 mins
Oh, hey. Don't know if y'all heard but a little game called Dragon Age: The Veilguard is out on October 31. Ken and Eric both got review copies for the game, and so we had to come together for a (spoiler-free, except for what BioWare has already talked about) review. We talk Rook, the party, the game's limited carry over from previous games, and the action RPG combat. Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com...
Mark as Played
September 18, 2024 • 52 mins
We're back in the trenches of Nier, but things look a little different this time. It's time to start Nier Automata and unpack the apparent genre shift between the sequel and Replicant, 2B and 9S' dynamic, and how much better the game feels to play.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Twitter:
Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Mark as Played
September 13, 2024 • 72 mins
The boys got to go hands-on with Dragon Age: The Veilguard and talked with some of the developers at BioWare. In this BioBit, we talk about the many hours we got to play, our feelings on Rook, the action RPG pivot, the state of Dragon Age, and what the next two months mean for BioWare.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Twitter:
Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
K...
Mark as Played
September 4, 2024 • 76 mins
We finally finished Nier Replicant (until Ending E, which we'll be covering at the very end of the Nier season). It took us a lot longer than it was supposed to, but Alex Donaldson is here to help us unpack endings C and D as we finally prepare to head into Nier Automata.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Twitter:
Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
...
Mark as Played
July 26, 2024 • 103 mins
We beat the game...again! Julie Muncy returns to talk about Nier Replicant's Route B, the merits of the game's replayability, Kaine's perspective, and we get into a big ol' lore dump midway through.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Twitter:
Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Julie: @juliemuncy23
Mark as Played
June 12, 2024 • 72 mins
The boys went to Summer Game Fest this year, but Ken saw an hour of Dragon Age: The Veilguard behind closed doors. In this very special BioBit, we talk about the name change, the cinematic trailer, and everything Ken saw in Los Angeles. But we also talk about some of the cool games we saw at Summer Game Fest, from Game of the Show Sonic X Shadow Generations and some cooler indie games coming this year.
Enjoy the show!
Become a N...
Mark as Played
May 16, 2024 • 72 mins
We've reached the ending. Well, one of them. This episode we're talking about Nier Replicant's ending A. Ken finally gets some answers on questions he's been asking all season, but Eric assures him there will be more questions to ask in the future.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Twitter:
Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
Mark as Played
April 24, 2024 • 67 mins
First time, long time friend of the show Jesse Vitelli joins Normandy FM as we collect the final pieces of the key to the Shadowlord's castle in Nier Replicant. This episode we head back to the Aerie and do a war crime, then we head back to Facade to wrap things up there.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Twitter:
Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric: @seamoosi
Ken: @shepardcdr
...
Mark as Played
April 11, 2024 • 63 mins
Nier is still in its Zelda era as we continue revisiting different areas of Replicant's big world. This episode we head back to Facade, the Junk Heap, and the Forest of Myth as we explore Nier's revenge-driven obsession, the humanity of the shades, and celebrate Emil as Normandy FM's latest gay icon.
Enjoy the show!
Become a Normandy FM patron:
http://patreon.com/normandyfm
Follow us on Twitter:
Normandy FM: @normandyfmshow
Eric...
Mark as Played
March 25, 2024 • 62 mins
They didn't ban us last time, so we did Video Game Tinder at PAX East 2024. With the help of returning guests Kate Sánchez and Jenny Windom, as well as newcomers Anya Combs and Ben Starr, we swiped right and left on some of your favorite video game characters. Since the panel has a visual element, we've included a link to a Google Slide doc of the presentation for you to follow along.
Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d...
Mark as Played
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