Pixel Project Radio

"I can't believe I just handed over top-secret company info to the Federation without permission... I am SO fired..." The miniseries continues, as we dive back into Xenosaga, Episode 1! As more questions arise with answers that elude for now, the plot thickens. Was Joachim Mizrahi the genius we were led to believe? Is there more to KOS-MOS than meets the eyes? And just who is this rambunctious stranger known as Junior, the Little Master? All this and more in the penultimate episode of the miniseries. Do it up! More Retro Hangover Podcast More Friday Night Gamecast Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

I believe everyone has at least one skill that they excel in over all others. Its something that defines who they are. Shion...what is it that defines you? Part 2 of our Xenosaga Episode I miniseries continues! Although we covered less ground story-wise than anticipated, many themes of the game begin to be nurtured and setup for later success at this point in the game. We meet new party members, learn new mysteries about KOSMOS, enctouner the Gnosis in a major way, and more. Do it up! More Retro Hangover Podcast More Friday Night Gamecast Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Please enjoy this extra episode in your feeds this month as we continue through Xenosaga Episode I! Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

This light once symbolized civilization – the very will of the human race. But what can be gleaned from the light we see today? The people of this world have cast away their will to create, drowning themselves instead in an endless cycle of consumption… This week, Rick is joined by Chris (Retro Hangover) and Nick (Friday Night Gamecast) to dive into a cult classic from the minds of Tetsuya Takahashi and Soraya Saga, Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht. This ambitious JRPG from the 2000s is a spiritual successor to the masterpiece Xenogears, and shares some DNA in its thematic identity and story concepts. In this episode, we explore the development and its troubles, the score, set a general foundation for the game, and discuss a few hours into the story. We hope you enjoy - do it up! More Retro Hangover Podcast More Friday Night Gamecast Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

No one ever said the future would be easy. But I think we all saw the glimmer of a dream, somewhere in the sky that night. The tiniest spark of hope that we can change our fate. Who could say? That moment has come and gone. This week, Rick is joined by Chris (Retro Hangover Podcast) and Jon to focus on one of the black sheep of the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XIII. The game certainly has a reputation - but is it earned? In the episode, we go over the presentation, the fantastic score (NOT by Uematsu!), the controversial datalog, and the troubled development. Is XIII worth a reexamination? You'll have to tune in to find out - do it up! Post mortem on FF XIII in GameDev magazine More Retro Hangover Podcast Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

You ever rage quit over a strawberry? This week, Rick is joined by friends of the show Matt ("Fun" and Games) and Josh (Still Loading) to dive into Celeste, a beloved indie game that burst onto the scene in 2018. Celeste is a beautiful mix of narrative and gameplay, marrying a story surrounding the human condition with some of the most engaging (and difficult!) platforming the three of us have seen in a long time. In the episode, we talk all about the impetus behind the creation of the game, the game's thematic identity, the soundtrack, and so much more. I'm proud of this one - do it up! Maddy's article: Celeste and Forgiveness Maddy's article: Is Madeline Canonically Trans? More Matt Storm, aka Stormageddon More Still Loading Podcast Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Mario? In my JRPG? It's more likely than you think. This week, Rick is joined by Matt "Stormageddon" Storm ("Fun" and Games, Screen Snark, and more) to talk over Mario's first jaunt into JRPG japes: Super Mario RPG! Whether you grew up with the SNES version or are a newcomer with the (terrific!) Switch remake, this episode will be for you. We talk about the beginnings of this Square and Nintendo collaboration, the "Saturday Morning Cartoon" feel, version differences, and more. With a killer OST by the one and only Yoko Shimomura, you won't want to miss this - do it up! More Matt Storm, aka Stormageddon Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

More 0-2 Heroes Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Quick note: I reversed the instrumentation when describing the initial observatory theme. I didn't realize until it was too late. Sorry! This week, Rick is joined by friend of the show Ryan (List Off Podcast) to talk all about the Wii smash hit, Super Mario Galaxy! Endlessly creative, this game was seen as the true successor to Super Mario 64 and kicked off a new era of creativity in the mainline Mario games. Join us as we talk about the dev history, how the mechanics compare to previous/future titles, the phenomenal score, and more. Genuinely had a great time - do it up! More List Off Podcast Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Mario? In my pocket? It's more likely than you think. This week, Rick is joined by Andre (Fine Time podcast) to talk all things Super Mario Land - that's right, all three! These were Mario's first forays into big time handheld gaming. Now that we're in 2024, how do they hold up? Each of these play so differently, and they all have their own distinct quirks and charms. The music to the physics to wacky enemies - we talk about it all. Do it up! More Fine Time Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

He gets chopped up, I'm sure he's beside himself. Haha! Do you get it? Because he is in pieces?! In this episode, Rick is joined by friend of the show Mikey (0-2 Heroes) to talk all about The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo, a short, surrealist point and click adventure game! Created by animator Nacho Rodriguez (A Life Story, 2013), this game has you trying to get poor ol' Mr. Coo back together again after being lopped into thirds by a nasty croc. This game is light on narrative, so we get into the weeds about surrealism and why interpreting art can - and should! - differ between people. Check out this interview with Nacho Rodriguez! More 0-2 Heroes Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Now requiring 50% less quarters! In this episode, something a little different: Rick is joined by friends of the show Mikey Tabletop (0-2 Heroes) and Raging Demon (Kommand List) to talk fighting games - three of them, in fact! This episode sees us talking all about Fighting Vipers, Dragonball Figherz, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. All things tech, arcade nostalgia, roster, and music are talked about here, and the conversation ends with a brief discussion on what makes fighting games so beautiful and expressive. Please enjoy! More 0-2 Heroes More Kommand List Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Thanks for giving me time to think. To keep doing what you set your heart on...It's a very hard thing to do...What to do when I felt lonely...That was the only thing you couldn't teach me. But we need to figure out the answer for ourselves... I'm so happy I met everyone...But I guess we all have to say goodbye someday. Everyone... Thank you. Farewell. My memories will be part of the sky... The emotional conclusion to our Final Fantasy IX series is here. Rick and Eric begin by wrapping up some notable side quests throughout the game before tackling the rest of the narrative. The true nature of Zidane and Kuja's origins, the breakdown of our leader, the theories of the collective unconscious and the eternal return, and even the meaning of life...we talk about it all in this episode. Thank you, all, so much for being a part of this journey. I am so proud of what we have created. Check out Eric's podcast, The Unlockables, here! Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

Save your valediction, Steiner. We will live to see another day. The saga continues, as once again Rick and Eric return to go through the entirety of Final Fantasy IX. This episode picks up after what we learned in Black Mage Village and sees us continue until we return there later - meeting a new Chocobo friend! This episode has us go through the beginning and majority of disc 3. Traditionally, this is seen as the part where the narrative tends to "drag" - but is that a fair assessment? Join us to find out. Do it up! (Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for 100 episodes!) Check out Eric's podcast, The Unlockables, here! Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

"You're very kind to use our words. But you already know what it means to live...and to die. You're asking about our friends who have 'died,' not 'stopped.'" Note: This series has been extended to 5 parts rather than 4. Our coverage of Final Fantasy IX continues! Rick is joined once again by Eric (The Unlockables Podcast) as they continue through the world of Gaia. This episode covers the story from the beginning of disc 2 until arriving at Madain Sari. This episode is about growth: Garnet learns that she must foster her own independance; Steiner and Beatrix begin to see the true colors of the crown; and Vivi learns of his origins in one of the game's most famous sequences. It gets heavy - we hope you enjoy! Check out Eric's podcast, The Unlockables, here! Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

We'll never forget you. We'll remember you every time we stand at your grave. And we won't let the fear of death, which each of us knows, stop us from living our lives. Because my friends will remember me when I'm here. This is part 2 of 5 for our Final Fantasy IX analysis series. I am joined by Eric, from the Unlockables Podcast, who shares a deep love for this game. In this episode, we play from the beginning of the game up until the very end of disc 1. We meet the bulk of our cast, learn some disturbing truths about political powers, and much, much more. Check out Eric's podcast, The Unlockables, here! Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

You Taught Me That Life Doesn't Last Forever. That's Why We Have To Help Each Other And Live Life To The Fullest. This is the beginning of a miniseries on Final Fantasy IX, one of the most important games in my life. This is the first time the show is revisiting a game that has been covered previously. In this personal essay, I explain why I made this choice, give some background history on the game, and speak about why this game means so much for me. This is part 1 of 5. We hope you enjoy this series - it has been deeply moving and rewarding to put together. Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

What a year 2023 has been! In this episode, hear all about Rick's favorite games of the year, some of his least favorite games of the year, and the listener mailbag! A lot of you submitted questions - lots of great ones, too! Thanks for another year, everybody. See you in 2024! Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

This is like writing a podcast description at Terry Gross's house. Get ready for some 90s pop culture quips and a whole lotta Tail Time, because this week Rick is joined once again by friend of the show Charlie Young to talk all things Gex: Enter the Gecko! This is the essence of the 1990s distilled: pop culture references, a mascot character with attitude, and questionable camera controls. This was a heck of a fun episode that really felt more like shooting the breeze with a good friend - and we hope you enjoy that kind of vibe here! Gex 2 Version Differences, as mentioned in the episode Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!

"And when this too-long life of mine draws to a close," Kaim thinks, "I'd like to be sent off with the sound of bells like this if possible." Because he knows that day will never come, Kaim walks on, never stopping, never looking back. His long journey is far from over. Our three-part series on Lost Odyssey comes to a close in this final installment. The threads of the plot come together in an exciting conclusion - but is it earned? What do Rick and guest host Thrak (The 3DO Experience) think about the ending as it relates to the thematic identity of the game itself? Tune in to find out - it's an exciting ride! Check out more from The 3DO Experience here! Click on the following to find PPR on the web! Patreon Join our Discord Twitter Instagram Bluesky Thank you for listening! Want to reach out to PPR? Send your questions, comments, and recommendations to pixelprojectradio@gmail.com! And as ever, any ratings and/or reviews left on your platform of choice are greatly appreciated!