Epic Free Game Reviews
Two long-time friends and college professors embark on a journey to review the games Epic has given away for free in chronological order. Each episode focuses on a new game as the hosts bring different approaches and perspectives as gamers, educators, and people interested in pop culture.
Episodes
In this episode, we discuss the 2015 game Jotun: Valhalla Edition, which Epic gave away from December 6 to December 12, 2019. We continue from last time with discussions of game/environmental design and aesthetics, after first discussion the philosophy behind achievements and Souls-like games. We also talk about what we are look for in walkthroughs for games and how bad Ray feels about Mimir, and how we don't feel bad for the ...
In this episode, we discuss the 2013 game Rayman Legends, which Epic gave away from November 29 to December 6, 2019. This game prompted a lot of discussion about different game elements, from what makes a mascot iconic, to music and art direction, to pacing and accessibility. We also think about themes of dreams from a psychoanalytic perspective, proclaims that feminism sells!, and think about the pastiche elements of this gam...
In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from November 21 to November 29, 2019, the 2018 strategy game Bad North. We start with a conversation on why Vikings and the Middle Ages remain such fascinating subjects for popular culture, think about the function of a tutorial in a game, discuss item philosophies, active and passive abilities, and ask "What itch is this?" R/ bald also makes an appearance.
In this episode we discuss the game that Epic gave away from November 14 to 21, 2019, the action platformer from 2018 The Messenger. We ask the important questions, like What is the rhetorical situations of ninjas? and Is this the Victorian era Matrix? We also delve into ideas of nostalgia and games in terms of sound design and mechanics, the role of the hero's journey as a structuring concept, and how to tell good stories.&nb...
In this episode, we discuss the game that Epic gave away from November 7 to 14, 2019, the 2015 Roguelike Nuclear Throne. This allows us to discuss our own favorite game genres, dodging in games, the follies of figuring out "how long to beat" a game is, eating shredded cheese and playing NBA Jam, what supermarket Walt Whitman would shop at, and so much more!
In this episode, we discuss the 2017 twin-stick shooter Ruiner, which Epic gave away from November 7 to November14, 2019. This allows conversations about the role of game adaptations to film and television, if games need a plot, the aesthetics of the future, and how indie games pay homage to the 80s and 90s.
In this episode, we discuss horror sci fi game SOMA, which Epic gave away from October 31 to November 7, 2019. We discuss the role of space in popular culture, what works and doesn't work for a protagonist, the ethics of the game (and what makes moral choice meaningful), and the mechanics of opening toilets in games. Overall, we liked this game - it is well done, cares for the player, puzzles are not too opaque - but also feel ther...
In this episode, we discuss the cute 2010 RPG Costume Quest, which Epic gave away from October 31 to November 7, 2019. This allows us to talk about Halloween as a cultural phenomenon, including our own experiences with the holiday (and our anger that the game doesn't focus much on candy!). We also talk about the role of cultural signifiers like suburbia, twins, and yetis, how earnest and campy the game is, and the way th...
In this episode, we discuss the 2018 puzzle game Q.U.B.E. 2, which Epic gave away for free from October 24 to October 31, 2019. This opens conversations about science fiction world-building, the role of science in our world, and how the cultural zeitgeist affects how we play games. Overall we felt pretty positively about this game, especially in how it didn't feel like it was trying to be heavy-handed, how its difficulty remained m...
In this episode, we discuss the 2016 horror game Layers of Fear, which Epic gave away from October 24 to October 31, 2019. We focus on thinking about intertextuality in games (with the many Dorian Gray references in this game), the use of art and aesthetics in games, the effects of streaming culture on game development, and themes of gender and alcoholism, especially as they are rooted in Victorian morality. Our overall assess...
In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from October 17 to October 24, 2019, the 2017 psychological horror game Observer. This allows us to chat about worldbuilding, the aesthetics of dystopia, the genre of Eurojank, and technology addiction and surveillance in the modern world
In this episode, we discuss 2012's Alan Wake: American Nightmare, which Epic gave away for free from October 17 to October 24, 2019. We begin by considering why specific games get adapted and why Alan Wake might not have an adaptation yet. This leads to conversations about the meta elements of the game, the way certain games intend for players to analyze specific elements, the corporate influence over games (again), and the ov...
In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from October 10 to October 17, 2019, the city building simulation game, Surviving Mars (2018). This allows us to consider the function of realism and authenticity in media, the way tutorials can derail a game experience, and the escapist fantasy of a game about technology and utopia. We also return to the important fact that Ray secretly has a (Martian) dictator in him
In this episode, we discuss the 2018 quirky action adventure Zelda-like, Minit, which Epic gave away for free from October 3 to October 10, 2019 (bonus - I didn't notice until right now that October 3, 2019 is also when my second daughter was born!). This allows us to talk about gimmicks in games, in many different ways about representations of animals, about game pacing, the continued significance of mines, factories, and submarin...
In this episode, we discuss the 2017 universe simulation game Everything, which Epic gave away from September 26 to October 3, 2019. We explore the idea of a game with a message or a serious game, say more about indie games as alternative forms of therapy, and consider the ecocritical possibilities of games (and simulations). This also allows us to consider what philosophical voices would be good games, and whether we would like to...
In this episode, we discuss the game that Epic gave away from September 26 to October 3, 2019, the survival horror first-person shooter Metro 2033 Redux (initially released in 2010, with the Redux version from 2014). We discuss the ethos of the game (modernist, Soviet-core, etc.), chat about the history of mine carts in video games (with thanks to this post: https://www.resetera.com/threads/a-brief-history-of-the-mine-cart-level.65...
After a hiatus due to business and health, we are back on track with an episode on the Batman Arkham Trilogy (Asylum, 2009; City, 2012; and Knight, 2015), which Epic gave away from September 19 to September 26, 2019. We discuss why superheroes are so appealing, what types of games would work for superhero narratives, the sexualization of characters in these games, and the mental health narratives in popular culture, among other top...
In this episode, we discuss the game(s) Epic gave away from September 19 to September 26, 2019, the Lego Batman Trilogy. We discuss the legacy of both superheroes and lego, the gender politics of superheroes, camp and humor in games, and aspects of games like voiceacting, open worlds, and character abilities.
In this episode, we discuss the game Epic gave away from September 12 to September 19, 2019, the Lovecraft-inspired horror walking simulator from 2017, Conarium. This game allows us to consider Lovecraft's legacy, to think about race and xenophobia in games, what horror means as a concept, and the Unreal Engine
In this episode, we discuss the game epic gave away from September 5 to September 12, 2019, the platformer from 2017 The End is Nigh. We discuss whether dark humor can be pulled off in games, the loneliness epidemic, the continued use of nostalgia (cartridges and floppy discs) in indie games, classic music, and games as dadaist experiences, among other things. Ray also asks an important question - Can't we just swim with turtl...
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