Unlockables: The Story of Video Games
The Unlockables is a video game podcast about the stories and memories around the games that we play, as well as the stories about the games themselves! The show consists of solo essay style episodes, discussion episodes with guests about particular games, or interviews with other creators in the industry!
Episodes
December 10, 2025 • 43 mins
I have never witnessed in my life such a rush to integrate something into the very fabric of everyday life as I've seen with AI. Within a short time, tech companies are rolling out AI tools into every conceivable service and software they offer. AI has found its way to video games too, and with the threat to art, artists and people who make games reaching existential levels, is there anything we can do to stop the rising tide of AI...
Mark as Played
November 17, 2025 • 72 mins
The original Fire Emblem staring Marth would debut in 1990 for the Famicom and remain a Japan exclusive title for nearly a decade. But at the turn of the millenium, with the surprise success of Advance Wars and popularity of Marth and Roy in Smash Brothers Melee, Nintendo decided to bring its tactical JRPG series to an international audience for the first time. This is the story of Fire Emblem on the Game Boy Advance (also known as...
Mark as Played
November 3, 2025 • 77 mins
Indie games have grown into an absolutely massive part of the video game industry over the years, and Celeste stands among them as one of the best. A story of self-doubt, mental health, and overcoming life's challenges is one of the best video game experiences you'll have, period.
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Mark as Played
October 13, 2025 • 63 mins
As the Han Dynasty disintegrates and China's Golden Age collapses, heroes and villains rise up to unify the land under their ideals. It's a story that's been told in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Dynasty Warriors line of video games. After the sour reception of Dynasty Warriors 9, the series returned with a more modern and polished take on the musou formula, Dynasty Warriors Origins. Would this new entry get the s...
Mark as Played
October 6, 2025 • 62 mins
Hell breaks loose on the Unlockables as today we're taking on hoards of demons in the landmark 1993 game, DOOM! What can Doom teach us about one of the most popular genres of video games?
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Mark as Played
September 15, 2025 • 88 mins
How do you even approach a game hailed as the greatest RPG ever made? How do you begin to talk about something that's had a bar set for it that's so high, nothing could possible live up to the expectations? Well, like this I guess. I played Chrono Trigger for the first time for its 30th anniversary and what I discovered still managed to surprise me. This is the story of my first playthrough of Chrono Trigger.
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Mark as Played
September 1, 2025 • 86 mins
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is a phenomenal game that sparks some incredible reflection on the themes of grief, family, and perseverance. But these conversations quickly got drowned out by Game of the Year hype and AAA Industry bashing. What should the conversation be around this game, and how can we guide the course of the conversation to a better place that allows this game to stand on its own.
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Mark as Played
August 18, 2025 • 65 mins
Compared to modern video games, Star Fox on the Super Nintendo looks rudimentary. One of the earliest examples of 3D on a Nintendo system, beneath this simplicity is a story of pushing against hardware limitations and fighting back against the advances of Sega.
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Mark as Played
August 4, 2025 • 75 mins
Any new entry in the Monster Hunter series is cause for celebration. With the smash hit Monster Hunter World, tons of new fans discovered the series for the first time. Now with a true successor to World, Capcom looks to continue Monster Hunter's momentum. But would the changes and concessions made in the pursuit of streamlining the experience cause Monster Hunter to lose a piece of its soul?
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 34 mins
The Guiding Keys min-series and the story of Kingdom Hearts comes to a close. For now.
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 63 mins
The final game in the Kingdom Hearts series (for now) and the final episode of Guiding Keys is Melody of Memory, a rhythm game that celebrates the incredible music of Kingdom Hearts.
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 97 mins
Our analysis of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road continues. As the plot with the upper classmen thickens, Xehanort finds himself on a road that will ultimately see him become the antagonist of the Kingdom Hearts series.
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 84 mins
We've reached the next game in the Kingdom Hearts series and the penultimate game in our Guiding Keys adventures. Dark Road follows the story of a Young Xehanort training to be a Keyblade Master. What truths will be revealed to us about the Seeker of Darkness.
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 123 mins
As 2024 comes to a close, I take some time to reflect on the games I played this year, as well as the State of the show going into 2025. Thank you all again for another incredible year!
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 85 mins
After wanting to play the Sly Cooper series for ages, I finally got some time to dive into the first game on the PS2. Luckily I had Unlockables community member Poppy the Masked Keaton to join me for this discussion!
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 116 mins
Adam from The Good, the Bad and the Backlog joins the show to discuss our experience doing a Pokémon Nuzlocke run for the first time. The rules we used for this Nuzlocke run are the base rules: one encounter per route, if a Pokémon faints you can't use it for the rest of the run, and you must nickname all Pokémon you catch.
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 78 mins
Part 2 of our deep dive on Kingdom Hearts Union X where we discuss the aftermath of the Keyblade War, the fate of the Dandelions, and a crucial choice by our player character that changes the course of the series.
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 120 mins
Friend of the show and fellow Dad Mick Davis stopped by the Unlockables to talk about the classic PS1 tactical RPG Final Fantasy Tactics!
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 108 mins
At long last we've arrived at the finale for Kingdom Hearts 3. In this episode we discuss the ReMind DLC, the Secret Reports, and some final thoughts on Kingdom Hearts 3 as a whole. What secrets lie ahead in Kingdom Hearts 4?
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Mark as Played
April 6, 2025 • 129 mins
Today's episode is dedicated to the GLORY OF THE EMPEROR. Fellow Space Marines Nick and Will of Friday Night Gamecast stop by the Unlockables to break down the insanity that is Warhammer 40000 and the hit new game from Saber Interactive, Space Marine 2!
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Mark as Played
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