This episode is down with the sickness!
Welcome to a bacteria-filled edition of Nerds Without Pants! Julian and Patrick were both sick for this episode and definitely don’t sound 100% but leave it to Julian to eliminate 99.9% of all the coughs, sniffles, and sneezes to bring you yet another quality podcast. It’s our last standard format show of 2018, so let’s get to it!
Spin-off? Remake? Soft reboot?
After playing Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu, I am convinced that Game Freak is incapable of dropping the ball (pun not intended). Everything about the new title convinced me that something had to go wrong. It’s a remake of Pokemon Yellow, a rehash of Red and Blue Versions (which already received remakes fourteen years ago). In addition, it’s incorporating the more shallow catching mechanics from the free to play Pokemon Go on mobile, usually the kiss of death a console game. On top of that, Nintendo has admitted it is a cash grab, as they wanted a Pokemon game on the Switch without rushing the true sequel. And yet, not only is Pokemon Let’s Go just as fun and addicting as the core titles, but I now I want Let’s Go sequels for every other Pokemon generation.
Excelsior!
If you thought the last episode of Nerds Without Pants was super-sized, you have another think coming! This is our longest show so far, but every minute of it is pure gold. We have the host of the Clickbait Update podcast (and NWP super contributor) to tackle a massive AMA for Stage Select. So go do a bunch of chores and let us entertain you!
Souls-less
There’s been a lot of talk of Dark Souls lately. It seems like you can’t read a review without tripping over some reference to the series or a game being compared to it. However, Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption fully invites the comparison, and was absolutely cast in the mold of Dark Souls. It very clearly tries to ape its gameplay and rather than copy the experience wholesale, boil it down to a boss rush mode game with a few unique twists. But in excising everything else that makes Dark Souls, Dark Souls, it loses what makes that series special.
A run-of-the-mill point-and-click adventure.
I'm not too familiar with the point-and-click genre, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I recieved a review code for My Brother Rabbit. From what I do know, having played through the excellent Tormentum: Dark Sorrow and about an hour or so of Double Fine's Broken Age, I doubt My Brother Rabbit is breaking new ground, but it has some cool features. Find out why I think the positives and negatives of My Brother Rabbit result in an average game by watching the included video review or read the text review, if you'd prefer.
I'm starting to learn that breakneck speeds just mean more devastating crashes.
There’s something imminently attractive about Grip. Between its sharp visuals, thumping soundtrack, and high speed intense racing, it’s easy to be drawn in, even from just viewing its trailer. When you do finally sit down to play it, the experience proves to be equal parts frustrating and fun. For every brilliant and unique aspect of Grip, there’s some negative measure to offset it.
Friends don't let friends fight evil alone.
In a land of menacing hot dogs and monster wildlife, a young boy is tasked with a great quest to save his Papa. This concept of a dangerous journey and humbly accepting a noble enterprise to save a loved one is not new to video games. The Adventure Pals, however, takes on a unique perspective to this theme by weaving in characters and scenes that keep you moving quickly through an exciting world.
An exercise in frustration.
So after eight years, Rockstar has finally released a follow up to their beloved sandbox Western Red Dead Redemption. The game is a critical darling, has outsold the entire Metroid franchise in two weeks, and all seems right in the world. Yet, I found quite a few issues that many reviews were mitigating or did not bring up which kept me from personally having fun. To the point where seven hours into Red Dead Redemption, I called it quits. This will not be a review, just offering my two cents for those on the fence.
It's the Dark Souls of Dark Souls!
Nine years ago, I reviewed Demon’s Souls, and I’ll just say that at the time… I wasn’t a fan. I struggled to wrap my head around the gameplay and what made it special absolutely eluded me. Despite my contempt, when Dark Souls went on deep discount, I couldn’t resist the sale and grabbed a copy. Perhaps it was fate, but purchasing Dark Souls that day set into motion an obsession I never expected to take hold of me.
Sit down and let us school you.
Welcome back to a thoughtful Nerds Without Pants! Patrick had a smarty pants Stage Select topic, so we enlisted the smartiest pants person we know: Mike Fallek of the Hackthought Podcast. What follows is comedy, heated debates, and the debut of the Patrick Leap? Listen and find out, Pantsless people!
