Off The Cuff
2013 Game of the Year Discussion

About this Episode
Pixels in the animation is wrapped on the Super
Mario Brothers Super Show now TFJ and Mike and
TV's Mr. Neil head to Hyrule That's right listeners
from episode 16 through episode 20 of PETA pain
in the ass We will be covering all 26 episodes
of the Legend of Zelda cartoon Excuse us podcasters
you can catch Pixels in the animation every Wednesday
on iTunes and www .geekcastradio .com Princess!
That should be the last time that happens whoa
you sound weird though to me what sources My
hopes and dreams So not anything we can really
you know Lean on right no there's a short in
my power cord, and I think I have it braced It
had been working fine and up until tonight when
it's kicked off twice, but I think I got it set.
I think I And Jenny and Oliver are upstairs,
like, running around the house. It's 8 or 9.
He should be in bed. The dogs are barking. Sorry,
guys. What did you do, Joe? Did you just load
him up with sugar and let him go? No, really.
He's like, no, not sugar, bath salts. Parenting
101 from off the cuff. Feed your kid bath salts?
Also Jack Daniels. together possible Drunk cannibals
are the funniest kind. I'm sorry. I just read
something that made me laugh hysterically That
was hysterically If English was good enough for
Jesus when he wrote the Bible Michelle Bachman
on Fox News February 3rd 2014 She said that?
Yes, she did. Well, there was a bunch of people
that came out and said, we don't want the National
Anthem sung in a foreign language. They weren't
fucking singing the National Anthem. There were
things. America the Beautiful. Yeah, not the
National Anthem. Real quick, just so I know who
to hang up on and never talk to again. Did anybody
have a problem with that Coke commercial? Good
God, no. No. OK, just making sure. I've not heard
from. met anybody that had a problem with it,
which means I surround myself with good people.
Yes. Okay, I just want to make sure. One hassle
around just for perspective to make sure. So
I know who not to be friends with. Does anybody
side with science or creationism? Science. Creationism,
of course. I had this guy once. Friendship's
over. We have to be contradictory to each other.
Shut up. I had this guy once try to try to convert
me. He's like I'm like he's like oh my god. I
believe in evolution He's like I believe in evolution,
too. Just not in humans How does it even work
I don't know very very carefully no it doesn't
have you but no no it does not work at all ever
Are we ready to do this Totally dude. I am opening
a Mountain Dew now. I'm gonna get Crunk on Mountain
Dew. I'm totally going to get fish -aced on this
stuff. That's great. That's what that reminded
me of. Can you never say the word crunk again,
Joe? Can you say it one more time? Is that like
the official of when a word has died? Joe starts
using that. Can you do a remix of that? Crunk,
crunk, crunk, crunk, crunk, crunk it up. Crunk,
crunk, crunk on Dew. Oh, God. Man, I'm totally
going to get jacked up. That's I don't think
that word doesn't mean what you think it means
like so Crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
it up wiki wiki wiki we not do this crunk it
up Crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk crunk
crunk This will be my last episode. Going out
on episode 45. Alright. What? Also known as the
anniversary of Clunk. No, last week was 45. Last
week was 46. No it wasn't. It's 44, hold on.
Last week was 44, I'm looking at it right now.
You actually know what episode it is? I pull
it up in iTunes weekly. Oh, okay. Well no, because
I was looking at the - I was looking at the -
I'm looking at the blog post too. Yeah, that's
what I was looking at, yeah. However, this doesn't
need to be numbered, it can just be the off -the
-cuff special or the Game of the Year - Well,
this is a special, right? Because technically
45 will be part two of off -season, right? But
it's gonna take us so much longer to get to episode
50 now. That's the plan because we need to get
the music together. Stretch them. We're gonna
have the music next week. And now I need to edit
that because now I - Wait, no one say anything
else about what episode 50 is going to be. We'll
talk about it after the show. I don't want to
edit anything. I like leaving all this jargon
in at the beginning now Jargon you mean the jargon.
Yep All right, so anybody that is still listening
Wait, this is gonna be a special episode or no.
Yes. No, I think I say make it make it special
So that episode 45 or is it just the game of
the year episode? Okay I'm gonna pee For some
reason what I'm saying that though, I'm hitting
myself in the head when I said I don't know That's
how I pictured you doing is your face your hands
smashed in your face every time Special that's
why he wears the helmet you see I'm sorry, go
ahead. Are you good? We're good? I'm good. I'm
good. Okay. Do it. Special! You broke him. Hello
and welcome to a special - Stop! Now you can
- now every time for the rest of the episode
you say the word special, anywheres you're gonna
bust up laughing for no reason and look like
you're, well, special. Okay. Okay. I can't do
it. Welcome to a unique episode of Off the Cuff.
Unique! Unique! Yes, hello and welcome. I can't
do it. Hello and welcome to a special episode
of Off the Cuff. This week we are going to cover
the game of the year for 2013. I am your host,
as usual, Michael Powers. I'm joined, as you've
heard, by Art Danner, and Joe Reed, and Sean
Z. Brown. Anybody else imagine that Joe is kind
of tipping his fedora while he was saying hello
But he's also removing his monocle yes, I Wasn't
going for an impression. That's just how I naturally
talk sounds like I need we're well aware Like
a hipster we get it we know So for anyone that's
you know Tuned into off the cuff in the last
few episodes or haven't been with us since the
beginning the last time We did game the when
we did the 2012 game of the year. It was actually
episode 9 of extreme retro gaming Which was released
on January 17th of last year I'm sure so we are
far behind About two weeks behind. Well, it helped
me out because without those extra two weeks
I wouldn't have played a bunch of the games that
are on my list Without that extra two weeks,
I wouldn't have wasted my time with brothers.
Also, you would have a non -functioning hand
or arm and shoulder and pinch nerves everywhere.
It's a hyper -functioning hand now. Oh God, I
just in my head. I just picture you masturbating
furiously the stranger. So did I Just like but
like mock speed like what you'd imagine the flash
doing That sounds like a lot of 80s would be
actually slow motion. No, it's so fast. It actually
makes a cushion of air Look I'm not actually
touching it Speed Force done, right? So if you
ever had a speed force hand job Wanna have another
one? Wanna have another one? Wanna see it do
it again? All right, Danner since you're the
one that's got the tabulated scores, how do you
want to handle this episode? Well, I was thinking
that we could since everybody knows Who voted
knows what they put in maybe they would like
to know what we voted is our number fives and
then at the end we would Go to the whole list
release the Kraken and Go over the the list of
the top five that was voted on okay by the community
now And us with tabulated results for the record
that we did it slightly different this year And
I think next year we're gonna do it a little
bit different even more different Only because
I want the I would like the game of the year
thing to be part of the geek cast radio awards
And I have an idea on how to do that Have an
idea on how to do that Anyways, um last year
it was the four of us came up with the top five
list and the game that was on All of our list
ended up being like the game of the year this
year Dan are assigned points to the various games
on the list. So which I think is a much better
More better much better. Hey, I don't know seems
to be better than what we did last year Some
would even say it's a special system special
Anyway, so So Mike I defer to you if you want
to start with your number five, I will start
with my number five My number five and I was
thinking about this it's I was debating on whether
or not I should actually change my list and put
this higher but I decided to leave it where it
was just on the off just because it didn't while
it has the same I put it on the list for the
same reasons I put the my number one on the list
it shows a lot of the similarities for the reasons
on the list but didn't it didn't it didn't stick
with me as long as the other games on the list
have Like the story hasn't. But number five for
me is Brothers, a Tale of Two Sons. That's him
weighing in on that was my review of brothers.
That's not fair. That's really not satisfying
and relieves pressure. See, I didn't care. I
mean, I don't want to say I didn't care for the
story. I don't have a brother, really. So the
story didn't really grab me. I didn't find it.
It didn't rub me the wrong way like it did some
people I found the game more interesting from
the gameplay aspects of it. I felt like Outside
of the puzzles that the game wants you to solve
I felt just the way the controls were set up
is that the entire game Oh, yeah, all the gameplay
is a giant puzzle most definitely and the second
you stop thinking is when you mess up Yeah, and
it's like a well, I actually I found myself the
more I was actually thinking about what I was
doing is weird Like you have to like just like
let your hands do it, but then you start thinking
about it You're like, oh wait, and then you concentrate
and then you mess up then you're like, oh god
now it's all gone terribly wrong And it's it's
really an exercise in hand -eye coordination
to to know how how good you may or actually may
not be Was I just insane or when you moved one
brother to the right side of the screen and the
other brother to the other side of the screen
and then let go of the joysticks and then put
your thumbs back on them. That it reorient like
the left joystick would control the one on the
left side of the screen. No, no, no. I couldn't
get my hands never left the thumb sticks. So
I have no idea. Left thumb stick was always the
older brother. Right thumb stick was always the
younger brother. OK. And for some reason for
me, I always felt it should have been the other
way around. And I don't know why is that you
read left or right? I guess, but I don't know.
I just felt the youngest brother should be on
the left and the right. The older brother should
have been on the right. Wait a minute. You think
the older brother should have... So the older
brother was on the left? Uh -huh. See, I didn't
really look at it as which one was on which stick,
but I guess if you're thinking about it that
way, I would still think the older brother should
be on the left because the left is kind of your
dominant directional hand in video games. I know,
but for some reason... I don't know. I just...
That game broke all kind of intuition just by
the way that controlled. It was one. It's one
of the reasons that I picked it up, wanted to
play it for Game of the Year, but I was more
frustrated with it than that. And I just haven't
gone back to it. I will. But as frustrating as
it was for me to play and try to get a grasp
on, there's no way to be on this list. I picked
it up real quick. And it's really it's only like
a three hour game if that. So now it's a one
sitting kind of game and I'm and I'm wondering
You guys played it on? PS3 correct that's yeah,
okay. I played it on my Mac with a 360 controller
So I'm kind of wonder because I know Joe sometimes
you have issues with the ps3 controller. Yes,
it's growing on you I'm wondering I'm wondering
if that may have had something to do with it
Because I didn't have, like I said, I didn't
have any issues with the controls. In fact, my
favorite mechanic in the game, bar none, is the
swinging mechanic. When they were connected by
the ropes? Yes. Yeah, that was awesome. There's
just something very rhythmic about that, where
it's like left trigger, right trigger, left trigger,
right trigger. It was very satisfying. And I
felt like the entire game was just like a...
And it does defy... What you know about video
games because we've talked recently in the past
about like video game language and stuff like
that and that's That's not what this game doesn't
have really any of that I will say one part though
is when you're in the boat throwing the paddles
hmm Yeah, I had trouble with that until I in
my head. I thought of the boat as a tank and
me controlling the treads of the tank I kept
running into this stupid fish Like four times
in a row. I just couldn't do it until I had to
like stop and just like think about like a bubbles
avoid them and steer and think in my head like
I was steering like a tracked vehicle. I don't
know if there was any moment in the game that
I Actually, you know, I think I may have failed
once in the swinging, but I don't think I failed
anywhere else Because the swinging mechanic is
like if you if you start thinking about the game,
you'll just fall and die The swinging one just
came real natural just felt right it did but
it's what but we were just talking about how
if you started thinking about what you were doing
Yeah, like that it and you end up with your like
fingers crossed on the controller or whatever
But I that was the only place I remember dying
in the game. I don't remember dying anywhere
else. So Yeah, that's not my number five is brother
a tale of two sons and it's it's only there because
I Feel like it I feel like it the game didn't
have any Baggage to it. It said it was exactly
what it was and there was no like fluff or frills
to it like the you know They had a they had a
nice story laid out and the mechanics fit the
the adventure that they were sending you on Which
is something that I'm As you go higher up the
list you'll see that there are other games that
set out to be something and then they weren't
that Which is what my next game is on the list,
but Anyways, that's my number five Joe. I looked.
I had to look at the Wikipedia page for all of
the games that came out because I for the life
of me couldn't come up with any. And after looking
at that list, I realized that I only liked four
games last year. And so my number five is a game
that I don't exactly like and haven't played
all that much payday to. But it's the fifth game
that I played. It's payday to. You murderous
bastard. It's the and it did. It was a very positive
experience that I had. It's not at all a quality
game. It does not belong on anybody's top five.
But it's it just happened to have been the fifth
new game that I played this year. So in other
words, the 60 minutes Joe spent with a game got
a number five on the list. It's it's it's a oh,
what's the word? It's a. An accident that had
ended up on the list because I hate so many games.
He just enjoys killing. So it's pretty much that
by default. That's the word I was looking for.
It got on by default because yes. Joe, wait,
what do you do for a profession again? You couldn't
think of the word default. It was an art teacher,
not an English teacher. He's a teacher. I don't
care. It was caught on my back tooth. I couldn't
get it out my mouth. Yeah, I'm sure that's not
the first thing to be stuck in your mouth. So
Sean your number five my number five Saints Row
for no it's not I didn't put Saints Row for Wow
I was told I wasn't allowed mind blown you found
five other games to put on a list Number five
even though a day to no not pay it to you I played
it like for five seconds with people that weren't
talking not nearly as fun Was a game It missed
one thing that I really hope wish ahead which
was online multiplayer, but I put Lego Marvel
For five because like all the Lego games are
fun Adding superheroes just makes it even funner.
We just wanted to we just wanted it to be ultimate
alliance with Legos we did and I mean Co -op
like college co -op. It is that but the lack
of an online. It's just And it was one of those
things, if we had realized and looked back at
every other LEGO game and realized none of them
had that, we would have been fine. LEGO Star
Wars the complete edition had online. Yeah, I
think that's the only one. That's the only one.
I think we were just expecting more out of it,
given that it was getting like a... I was kind
of expecting the PS4 and the Xbox One version
at least have online play. That's one that I
really wish I liked. And I want to play it again
now that I know you can turn that goofy split
screen thing off that slides around. You can
come over and play it. You can come over and
play to my house. Sweet. Tanner. All right. My
number five. And it was not originally my number
five. I actually ended up shuffling my my list
around because originally. at Tearaway at number
five. But after spending some 60 hours with the
game, I decided that I felt Assassin's Creed
4 deserved to be my number five. Yay! Because
I just had a hell of a lot of fun with that game
and I just really, really liked it. I'm just
asking this just to ask, but would Assassin's
Creed 4 have made the list if you had played
the PS3 version? Do you think? I think so. Okay,
but which is because I had the ps4 Okay, so what
was the ps3 one better than the ps4? No, he's
just talking he's basically thinking my entire
thing No, I'm just wondering like if you think
like the You know, you can't deny that the graphics
definitely help I think the graphics definitely
helped, but I think overall I think it was a
huge step up to Assassin's 3. And yes, the graphics
on the next -gen systems look amazing, but they
don't look horrible on the current gens either.
But there's something to be said about a locked
framerate in those games. So I was just curious
if... To be honest, I don't know, I can't speak
for the PlayStation 3 version. But on the Xbox
One, the only time I had any trouble frame rate
was very recently and it happened one time. Yeah,
but the problem is, does it have... I'm just
talking about like a consistent frame rate versus
where Assassin's Creed 3 would be 30 and then
it'd be 60 and then it'd be 30 and then 60. To
me, on the PS4 it had it consistent. Yeah, that's
pretty much what it was. Because it didn't get
that frame rate... Increased thing that you got
in Assassin's 3 all the time by the way I kind
of figured out why framework is actually so important
And I don't know I knew this and then I forgot
it But the reason it's in it's important in gaming
is that's how many times the console asks the
controller for enjoy what you've done yeah, and
So you can have a 60 frame per second game that
looks like it's 30 frames per second Just so
they can maintain a certain style Rather than
having that hyper fluidity, but yeah, it's all
about controller pulling the controller for information
It was just a side note. Yeah, it's supposed
to be for like precision gaming and stuff like
and like say you're a sniping or something you
want to be able you want it to be able to pick
up every tiny little flick of the stick and Say
it picks up like once every half a second Now
if you do two moves within a half a second and
only catches one of them. Mm -hmm But you know
if it pulls, you know a hundred times a second
then it's every time you move it Ritz more responsive
But, to me with Assassin, go for it. When I played
Assassin's Creed 4 on PS3, it was after I had
played Arts on PS4, I didn't notice anything
going down. And playing it, I haven't noticed
any framerate issues. Looks beautiful enough
to me that I'm excited to eventually finish the
game. I have to acquire it, I think. But I think
I would notice it going up. If I went over to
Arts now and played Assassin's Creed 4, I'd be
like, There's lighting and reflections and lightning
in the storm, but I was completely blown I was
not looking forward to it because I don't care
a lick about pirates I didn't have any fun on
the last mat An Assassin's Creed 3 but well,
I wanted ninjas. I mean Like, ninjas are assassins.
We won the ninjas in the first game. Exactly.
So that's really why I was mostly pissed. But,
you know, I still don't care about pirates. But
Assassin's Creed IV, when you first get your
ship and you're rolling in that giant storm escaping
those ships, I was like, OK, this is cool. I
want more of this. I want to get back on the
boat. I want to get back on the boat. And then
I went to Nassau and it slowed down and that's
about it. Nassau, yeah. I feel like Nassau is
fun. Yeah, I guess they include that part as...
still part of the opening at like the opening
tutorial pretty much until you get past that.
Yeah, and that's kind of what I figured that
after that part, it let me do it island to island,
whatever you want. Yeah, there's no with the
exception of mission specific areas. There's
no nothing that's really locked off to you. That's
awesome. So, Mike, you're number four. Number
four is Skyo Shock. Also known as Bioshock Infinite.
I had a feeling you were going to say Skyoshock.
This is kind of like how, you know, I always
said like Brothers was a really, it was really
a no frills. It knew exactly what it was going
to be from the get go. I feel like Bioshock of
the games I played this year, it didn't have
it. It started out as one thing. And that one
thing like for me, I think. Daner, you know,
the the world building draws you in and the minute
they give you a gun, like the game changes like
there's there's three points in which the game
changes. But for me, the game was the most interesting
before you actually get a gun. Yeah. And so you
get a gun and it instantly becomes a first person
shooter. And then when you save Elizabeth, then
it becomes a first person shooter with like time
travel mechanics. and So much of what the game
was like setting up early on either gets lost
in at least in my opinion it gets lost in the
hubbub of switching between you know dimensions
and all this other stuff and While it was while
it was really pretty to look at and it was a
lot of fun It just didn't it you know number
four isn't a bad spot a bad place to be but Yeah,
it just kind of fell kind of fell flat. I mean,
we've talked about this a lot over the past year
with Bioshock. The messaging gets lost. They
don't allow you to spend enough time in a dimension
to actually figure out what is exactly different
about that era and stuff like that. And you kind
of lose track of where you are and what's actually
happening. It just becomes like a roller coaster
ride right up until the end where it gets interesting
again. You're just you're you're kind of along
like there's there's the world building in the
beginning of the game And then there's like the
roller coaster middle and then there's the exposition
all at the end of the game um You're just kind
of along the along for the ride in the middle
of it Well, and I think it did as soon as you
got that gun out it was it became on rails basically
you had a path a place to go and And even when
you pick up Elizabeth, you're still on rails.
It's just, oh, now you can point at that thing
and bring in hooks from another dimension. It's
very much on rails until they just start dumping
exposition on you again at the end. And yeah,
you do pick up the Vox recorders and stuff like
that, and you learn a little bit here and there
about that stuff, which I do applaud Bioshock
for the recordings, which is something that I
will knock number two on my list for. when we
get there, but, um, I just feel like it was,
it was, it was, it was a, it was a really well
-made game, but they just kind of, it wanted
to be too many things instead of just something
like really great. It was, it was good. It wasn't
great. So I was completely underwhelmed. by it
and I don't know I'm cynical and cranky. I was
so underwhelmed by it that I played several hours
of that and Payday 2 still made my number five
while this one did not. It's beautiful in the
beginning. I did enjoy the bits before the gun.
I wasn't exactly sure where the plot was going
with it. Like I didn't know how much the character
knew or how much I was missing because I wasn't
paying attention or I thought I was paying attention
but apparently not. And then as soon as you get
the gun, it becomes a really, really mediocre
first -person shooter. And then things happen
so quick, so many of those cop guys are coming
at you that you don't get to enjoy the world
anymore. It took that away from me. I wanted
to stop and smell roses again and look at the
pretty statues. And the little things that are
shape -shifting around you as you walk by them?
Unless you didn't notice any of that. Maybe I
didn't notice that. I noticed the robot vending
machines. Those were interesting. I think when
you're on your way to the To the fairground area.
I think there's a statue on the right that changes
as you walk past it huh Isn't that right Dan?
I? Don't recall that at all. I don't remember
it. I said yeah, there's a stay I'm pretty sure
there's a statue on the right it changes from
I think it changes from a guy to a girl or from
a girl to a guy And it's not like it's a hologram
or anything it actually just physically changes
So that's one of the things I that's one of the
things I noticed before you go up there And you
have to choose whether or not to throw the baseball
or the stone or whatever it is But yeah, you
know you never really get to see Unless the game
explicitly tells you you never get to see that
stuff again. I Can't believe I'm friends with
you people Here's I have a question Okay, you
come up to the poster and it says beware the
Antichrist or whatever they call him He's got
this number on his hand and then your character
puts his hand up in front of him and says Well,
I have that and he shows that he has the number
on his hand But they don't at least in the beginning
right then does he doesn't explain that did he
know was he born with that hand on his number?
Did he? You know they explain it like as they
go through the story like because it's kind of
like Why does this guy have the number that I
have and then you learn why he has it? Yeah,
I It would have I don't know sit Wasn't possible
for them to tell me without ruining the story
I see that number on my hand and the character
should say something like whoa, dude That's that
burn I got from fixing my dad's car or that's
when those bullies held me down and carve mine
I wanted to know what he was kind of bullies.
Do you have Joe Jesus? No, but I wanted to know
what that meant to him or I don't remember having
that I think I know what Joe's saying it you
were playing as a care you were playing as an
actual like You weren't playing as an avatar
of yourself, you were actually playing a character
moving through the world, and as he was discovering
things, the game wasn't relaying to you the stuff
that he already knew about himself. Exactly!
Did he even know that this place existed when
he's going up there? I don't think he knew it
existed. But I think people have heard of it,
but he didn't know what it was And I think I
think the the difference is like a game like
Skyrim where you're playing a nameless character
And you put yourself in that role whereas this
is like you know you expect him to He already
knows things about himself, but you don't know
those things It was kind of those yeah, I can
see how that would be frustrating so I can't
tell what's important and what's not for me I
just kept barreling forward because I I mean,
I liked what was happening. I just think other
games were better this year. So. Yeah, I'll never
I'll never get the Bioshock series. It's like
high school ethics class. I'm snooty and read
philosophy books level story with really mediocre
first person shooters. OK, I get it. You're a
cynic and you're not a capitalist. That's OK.
They crafted a beautiful world, but they didn't
let you. They do. Do exactly and that was a problem
with part one, too I wanted to walk around all
that underwater stuff But it was well that was
too scary, but this one just didn't let me do
it at all All right before Dana's head explodes.
Let's move on. Sorry Dana Jones it was your number
four my number four was state of decay Anyone
who didn't know X Xbox live Arcadia or whatever
they're calling him and I think they're still
called that Really cool. It's a Zombie survival
game not really a horror game so much Well, I
dug it as one. It's a really good time waster.
It's a good so they're single -player only I
Really enjoyed playing. I don't know if any of
you guys did you any guys even played at all
I? Haven't looked like I was gonna ask is it
a rogue like game like Like faster than light
is where every time you started up you're starting
as a new character Or is it like you can save
and come back later? Um no, it's not like it
like if I like go back Right now and play I can
play as whatever guy character you well you yes,
and no you start off as a guy you pick a guy
Right and he can or cannot be the leader or whatever
you want You go through that guy can die and
you just take control for another one of your
survivors. You don't have to control him You
can control someone else. Okay, you lose when
you're survivors when you're whatever you can't
Survive in the game anymore. Your guys have exhausted
all their resources Or, you know, zombies have
invaded your little area and killed everybody.
Okay. I've been debating on playing games like
trying out Rust or DayZ. Rust, I've heard such
amazing things. I've heard such amazing things
and then I've also heard some amazingly horrible
things. Not about the game, about demonic people.
And I've heard the trick for that game is if
you're going to play by yourself, Don't that
the game increases exponentially and fun with
the more friendly players. You're playing with
people. Even if you meet them in the game or
go on lobbies and find some people to play with,
you know, because you start it's that that's
one of those games. So you start off with nothing,
right? And you have to build yourself up. So
if some guy who's been building himself up for,
you know, weeks and weeks and weeks comes out
over to you when you've just started. You have
I think you start with a rock and they have guns
So anyways, but your yes your number your number
four is not always state was state of decay.
Um Not really. Okay. It's not it's It's much
more simple. They kind of wanted it to have that
daisy feel they kind of wanted to make it a more
Forgiving and approachable daisy From what I
heard I don't never know if it was official or
not, but they wanted multiplayer for some reason
couldn't do it I don't know what the hold -up
was there was always hope for that to happen
never happened, but it's kind of like Yeah, well,
I mean I doubt if they do it'll be I don't think
it'll be a state of decay It'll be whatever they
call it on Xbox one. I don't think they'll call
it state of decay to They probably just change
it to whatever state of decay online So da or
so do rather cuz I'm stupid Soto Soto soda soda
or pop It wouldn't be soda cuz soda ends with
an a oh Soto that's right. Why but soda sounds
better sod soda All right, Joe My number four
was Assassin's Creed 4, which we've already discussed.
I've been a big fan, 3 let me down, 4, and that
wonderful bit with the ocean brought it back.
Also on the list kind of by default because I
did not play that many games, but it is good
and I think it's quality, so that one actually
might deserve to be on that list. now This game
showed up on many many many many many people's
lists Yet, I'm the only one who ranked it down
as far as I did compared to everybody else And
I'm sure this is won't be the last time this
gets brought up, but my number four was gone
home I Wish I could have played that I wish you
could have too Joe. I really like the game I
didn't like it as much as I liked other things
but it is just a beautiful great game that just
has the most eerie atmosphere and just the sound
like the sound design and the atmosphere and
the story just everything works together so well
When I say game gets scary, or is it just sad?
Yes, yes, okay? Yes, well would you say it gets
scary, or would you say it gets like eerie yeah,
I mean It runs the it runs the gamut of emotion.
Yeah Did it make you feel like you were a lesbian
teenager? Yes, it did yes So yes number four
is gone home Mike number three number three for
me was Tomb Raider One of the things that's going
that with the exception of brothers being at
number five as the list gets higher one of the
things that I actually kind of noticed was gameplay
getting out of the way of or the Was I just had
it in my head when Dana was talking about gone
home It was that the gameplay doesn't outstrip
the narrative or the story that's trying to be
told. There just there isn't just gameplay thrown
in for the sake of it being there. And it doesn't
the game doesn't break down because the gameplay
doesn't break down when the narrative is being
really strong. And as we get higher up the list,
that becomes more and more apparent, with the
exception of Brothers being number five, which
is why I said it should be. higher. Tomb Raider.
The issues I had with Tomb Raider were just like
the gamification of everything, which was, you
know, we we had a conversation on this podcast
about Tomb Raider when it happened, which is
just, you know, the it has that Arkham, that
Arkham thing going forward. Unstoppable killing
machine. It's just easier to point out what's
wrong with the game than it is to say all the
stuff that's just good. It's a shorter list of
what's wrong than what's right. Yeah, significantly.
like i still like even playing the definitive
edition on the ps4 like i still laugh every time
i go and burn a net to get a wooden box out of
it Just to this day. I can't imagine how that
instructs a bolt and all the ropes are soaked
in kerosene on the island and all of the Just
burn boxes are soaked in like some kind of flame
retardant material exactly you're doing you're
putting way too much work into it was yeah, I
can't I can't help but laugh every time that
happens and I can't get past the fact that Lara
is an unstoppable killing machine from the minute
she gets a bow And that even playing it again,
that is just that immediately that is what happens.
And the minute you get the murder stick, it's
all over. By the murder stick, I mean, you get
your axe, which eventually becomes a climbing
axe. And they give you so many vicious combos
that I don't even I'm like live streaming it
right now for TFG one mic on, you know, Geekcast
radio to. To watch it and some other people and
I very rarely will I use the guns like I'll use
the bow if I'm just sneaking around and trying
to avoid combat but the minute like I trigger
like a combat event and the guys just start streaming
in I Just switch to the axe and I'm like an assassin
Like I will just run into a crowd of guys and
just start mashing the triangle button and she'll
move from guy to guy to guy Jamming that axe
into their skull And they just do like the the
trends like I I get what they were trying to
do with the game with this with the story they
were trying to tell you like she was this innocent
being but like just there's so much baggage associated
with the character that she is she is another
Batman character when it comes to video games
like you can't There is no level of peril that
you can put Lara Croft into that I'm going to
buy. You know, I don't remember Batman shoving
a spike into someone's face, though. But I'm
just saying, like, they try to put her in peril.
And I just don't, I don't buy it because she's,
the character of her has so much baggage. It's
like when we talk about how when I played Arkham
Asylum, I was freaked out, you know, there was
a moment where I was, I bought into the atmosphere
of going down into the morgue and everybody had
the demonic eyes. Yeah, and I was like I was
like what the heck am I worried about I'm freaking
Batman It's it's that same thing with Lara Croft
like I didn't buy it from the get -go and I think
that the the story is Just good enough to get
you from the beginning of the game to the end
But it's the gamification of everything that
just kills it like all the collectibles and don't
get it wrong I know that collectibles are a part
of Tomb Raider and every time I see a little
flashy thing or a chest I have to go over and
click on it, but As we said on the podcast a
year ago, the problem I have with it is the wall
of text that pops up. And the one thing that
I will applaud Bioshock Infinite on and the Bioshock
series on is that when you collect something
like that, they just put like a little audio
recorder down in the corner and you can listen
to it while you go on about your day. I really
wish Tomb Raider had adopted that. Because I
just you know I even while I'm streaming it like
I pick up I pick up an item that wall of text
comes up I'm like nope, and I hit the circle
button and back out to the gameplay I'm like
I'm not gonna sit here and read this or have
it read to me if it's something important. You'll
tell me it in the game But you know it's I'm
enjoying it. I'm enjoying playing it again, but
it's it's you know kind of jarring to see how
much of a murderer she is And she's worse. She's
more vicious about it than Drake is because Drake
doesn't have a knife or an axe to You know up
and close and personal to eviscerate people with
and she does so I Missed this on the list of
2013 games because this this would have been
my real number five. I enjoyed Tomb Raider quite
a bit Going on her journey and yeah, the the
journey goes from kind of this first 45 minutes
of the game where I don't want to kill anybody
I want to kill to smush the switch she's a ball
I I can see that but I did I bought that first
45 minutes enough to not care about how jarring
the rest of it was enjoyed it quite a bit That's
my real number five, but I didn't I didn't know
that so don't do the money math art I did like
The one thing I heard from people that played
it is that Like like you're saying like guys
really aren't a threat the only threat to her
is really the environment Yes, the only thing
that oh that can only the only thing in that
game that makes you feel tense and like oh shit
I'm falling down or whatever. Yeah fell on a
spike or whatever the environment is what will
kill you more often than the guys will and even
the guys that come at you with like shotguns
or machine guns if I can like scurry around them
like I will run at them with my with my axe like
I'm not gonna sit behind a wall and cower and
try and shoot them I will like, you know, do
the dodge mechanic and try and get around them
and just jam them in the back of the skull with
the axe and... Those big armored dudes, they
gave me trouble. I mean, the first 45 minutes,
yeah, because they're really laying on it thick
with the story. But as soon as, I mean, and I
know what was being implied and I know the peril
that she was in, but as soon as the guy more
or less, you know, brushes the hair out of her
face and she blows his head off, like... It's
over. Like from that point on, she's a murder
machine. And that's just something, you know,
it's like the narrative dissidence thing that
everyone's talking about with gaming. And they.
They. I did notice, I don't know if it's been
so long, Joe or Dan, or since you guys have played
it, but do you remember the scene early on when
she's like hiding from the guys that are looking
for her and the guy walks by. And he comes back
and he grabs her. Yeah, there's a quick time
event. When I did it this time on the PS4, I
was going through the quick time motions and
it was telling me to hit the last thing it wanted
me to do was hit triangle. But instead of hitting
triangle, I pulled the right trigger, which is
the gun. And I blew his head off. When you hit
triangle, does she just like punch him or something?
I think so. I was just sitting there because
she's trying to move the gun towards his head.
And I saw the green triangle, but I just pulled
the trigger. And for some reason it popped out
at me as more graphic than what I remember it
being, but that could be any number of things,
given that it's the definitive edition. I was
just curious if you guys remembered how that
scene played out. Nope, not anymore. I'm sure
if it is different though, there'll be a Google
comparison or something. But that is yeah, that
is my um, that's my number three Sean My number
three we've already talked about it was a Bioshock
infinite It's always yeah There was one of those
games I was really really into we I mean we were
talking constantly it was it's always good That
when a single -player game is good enough, you
will still get into a party or Skype or whatever
with your friends to talk about what you're playing
separately. You and I are the only ones that
did that. I don't care. We're the only ones that
matter. You know, Bioshock is also the only game
that we've done a spoiler cast on. Yes. It was
the only game with a shocking enough... Twist
at the end. I think it's also the only game that
we all played with the exception of Joe This
last year so we talked about it just because
we care about the only game We all played with
the exception of one of us that list that's like
half the games this year. Yeah, you're probably
right I Don't waste my time with garbage With
most time is precious that ukulele ain't gonna
learn itself anyways Bioshock infinite Joe your
number, but I didn't know if Sean's he was done.
Oh, I mean I don't want to I don't want to turn
this into another Spoiler cast no not a spoiler
cast, but another like ten minute long discussion
on Bioshock good game I liked it was there problems
that yeah, that's why it's my number three and
not my number You know it's not higher, but definitely
a game. I enjoyed playing and I do not regret
Pumping the hours into it that I did okay Then
again, I don't regret most pumping Joe, are we
on number three? Yep. Yes. DuckTales remastered.
Whoo. Indeed. I was hoping someone was going
to pick that. I I'm I love the nostalgia of it.
The the nods to the old TV show. All of the original
voice cast who's not dead came back for it. I
have a weird sentimental spot for. anything,
whether I like the source material or not, where
somebody comes back to it and does it with an
extreme amount of love and respect. I like feeling
that love and respect or watching it, you know,
whether it doesn't matter what the I could watch
somebody's tribute to vintage porn. Yeah. And
like, OK, I see the love in it. I see the craft.
I can imagine I can imagine what the subtitle
for that movie would be. It would be under the
bush. Was trying to think of what they called
the the stuff with like 50 year old ladies. I
can't remember what that I don't know Of older
later. Yeah, I guess sure mature porn We keep
going we were talking about DuckTales now, we're
talking about porn Granny Hey, they said we like
they like the off -the -cuff stuff. So why don't
we go down this road first? Jesus off the things
we should not touch All right now I have a question
that DuckTales remastered. I didn't play it obviously
Is this it was this an old game that was remastered
into this uncultured swine? Okay, so then how
can it be a best game of 2013? They came at it
with extreme prejudice and art did you have you
beaten it? Yeah, I beat it in one sitting. Okay,
okay. Well, wow, I can't do that. Yeah, it's
setting me up to, I think, where they may have
added a level or two, do you remember? Can you
tell? No, it seems like it was all the same.
Okay, because they didn't stuff the money bin.
I've seen stuff in the concept art that I don't
remember from the NES game. So I'm kind of like,
wait, what's in there? But I think one of the
reasons that this is so high on my list is because
right at the same time I found some of the old
1980s Duck comics. I'm reading the Life and Times
of Scrooge McDuck that this the Carl Barks the
guy who originally came up with Scrooge and wrote
him. Somebody after him came in Don Rosa and
put all of his life events in chronological order
and told his story and That comic is done with
love and respect for Karl Marx and his original
source material So I've been reading that and
watching it ooze with love and then I'm playing
the video game at the same time watching it ooze
with love and So all of that just charges a lot
of oozing going on over there. It is it's fantastic
oozing It's pleasant. I don't like bathing in
the discharge I will say though while we're talking
about Scrooge Never has more a piece of my childhood
died than when I when I was first, you know I
don't know if I thought of it or someone else
thought of it or where if it was just my own
mind coming to that conclusion that it's impossible
that it's impossible to dive into a You know
like a pond of coins But that is not something
I will ever be able to do in my life without
snapping my neck That is heartbreaking and it
also one of the most satisfying parts of the
game. They let you swim in the money bin Yeah,
it's so cool diving off and then he comes up
and spits the coins out and you can but if Sean
if you need a pile of money to You know jump
into and snap your neck and I'll send you a box
of pennies Okay So like the postage on that alone
would be ridiculous It might be more worthwhile
than just to drive it to you. Just gonna say
you might the plus you get the satisfaction of
watching me wait Wait a minute, you can get one
of those boxes that, if it fits, it ships. Fleshy!
Fits a flat ring box. They'd be like, is this
a terrorist weapon? Shinka, shinka, shinka, shinka.
Sounds like a chainmail shirt. Yeah. I have one
of those. Why? I made it. Because he made it.
That doesn't answer my question. Why not? If
I could. Alright. I can do lots of things that
I don't do. Alright, my number three. Tomb Raider
much like Mike with the little less malice I
really enjoyed the game and had a lot of fun
with it and I like collectibles and games so
I Like them I just think they could have been
implemented better. Yeah. Well, it doesn't I
I The one thing I will say digging against the
game is I did not Like how when you collect stuff
and they give you things to read it just kind
of takes you out of the pacing of the game Yeah
So that that is really my only knock against
the game I haven't played and enjoyed a Tomb
Raider game in a really long time. So to me this
was Long overdue. I can only hope Tomb Raider
2 is as good as Tomb Raider 2 Do you just hope
Tomb Raider 2 is as good as Tomb Raider 2? Yep.
He's talking about the original Tomb Raider 2.
God. Why? Tomb Raider 2 was good. It was like
the last good Tomb Raider. So, yeah. Mike. Number
two. Number two! Anyone care to take a guess
what number two is? What your number two is?
I know. Most people should know what number one
is here. So anyone care to take a guess what
number two is? I know, but it wouldn't be fair.
It wouldn't be fair for you. You're taking too
long. It's the last of us. I'm going to go with
last of us. You're right. Oh, my God. You know
what? I hear that all the time. No, you don't.
You're right. I don't. Yeah, last of us. Great
story. Great looking game. I think it played
really well. It got. The gamification of it wasn't
as bad as Tomb Raider. I like the progression
system in it. My issues with the game were the
AI for... Ellie. Sorry, it's been a long time
since I've played that game, although I'm looking
forward to the DLC. At least they did the smart
thing of making her pretty much... Invisible
to enemies. Yeah, but that also that breaks for
me That breaks the immersion when I'm sitting
there and I'm trying to hide from the clickers
and she runs out and jumps right in their face
And they don't react to her in any way shape
or form like that that kind of stuff really and
maybe it was the way that I approached the game
because I tried to stealth around the clickers
I never really engaged them because you kill
them you pansy. You can't you can't really engage
clickers Especially when the really bad ones
get on you. It is instant death to a point unless
you have the right tools crafted. Unless you
happen to have a Shiv. You have to have the Shiv
and then I think you have to have the skill that
allows you to defend yourself against them. I
think the Shiv allows you to stealth kill them.
But if you get in if you're attacked by them
You have to have a special perk to be able to
use a shiv to defend yourself. Otherwise, you
just die instantly But that is one that is one
thing where I think the gameplay didn't serve
the narrative at all Just like just from the
AI's perspective They were trying to do too much
and I'm hoping that's something that they're
able to get a grasp on with all the extra horsepower
They have with the with the next -gen consoles
that and there were like the subtle graphical
issues not really graphical issues but like you
would clear out a guy like an area like I went
through and stealth killed everybody in an area
and I found there was one guy still left and
I walked up he was like he had spawned floating
in the air and I was trying to sneak around him
and I came up behind him and then he disappeared
and he spawned in the doorway right next to me
and he was like I see him and then all of a sudden
the area flooded with a bunch of guys again after
I'd spent like 30 minutes like stealth killing
everybody um there was you to be more careful
next time the game shouldn't have guys floating
in midair well and then randomly move them the
Houdini of bums yeah so and I will say the more
terrifying than the clickers were the humans
By far and winter was probably the best part
of that game There was just everything about
that game is just I mean I did it's good nearly
as much of it as you did, but I didn't like his
like echo ability I Get it when you're facing
into clickers and then the I don't know what
you want to call them infected Yeah, just clickers.
Yeah But when facing the guys It's just oh feels
like cheating to be able to see their patterns
from like the other side like you know From two
walls away. No one's hearing is that good Joel's
is no it's not you don't know it is Joel I do
know a very fit 40 year old man Yes, because
he works out so many muscles that his hearing
gets better Yes This is true. No didn't get to
that part in the story where they explained that
he has a hearing aid That is a super duper Fearing
aid that lets him hear through 17 walls cranked
to 11. I would say it's even crunked to 11 Anyways,
yeah, that's my that's my number two. That's
what I'm gonna have to try but So what are you
going to have to play it for me because it's
probably scary. There's only one part of that
game that scared me and I ran through it so fast
because I was like, if I don't get past this
part, I'm never playing it again. And I just
I made a beeline. I saw exactly where I had to
go and I just made a beeline for it. And where
was it in the game? It was in the. It was the
bottom of the hotel. Is that towards, no, is
that towards the beginning of the game or towards
the end? Yeah, it's like the first half of the
game. Is that the one where you're crawling through,
where you first meet the... Like when you first
really start coming against the clickers and
stuff? No. So it's outside the tutorial stuff,
so. Yeah, that's my number two. Alright, Sean.
Your number two. My number two. I told you it's
not anywhere on this list. I was not lying. So
Shut your Dana I Didn't say it No, anytime someone
has a whore mouth, it's a Daners whore mouth
Hashtag Daners whore hashtag Tell your friends
That's a hashtag. I want to go viral. It is trust
me Jason and Mike have been trying to make it
happen trying to make it trend 8 Assassin's Creed
4 Black Flag is my number 2. I always like the
Assassin's games. I always have a lot of fun
with them. The one part I always hate is that
usually is the going between large spans like
riding on the horse. I didn't get too much enjoyment
out of that moving between the big cities. But
the boat, this is probably one of the first time
I've spent more times away from the main cities
than in the Didn't happen that much in the other
games. I'm not like Mike and went crazy killing
drummers and rabbits Yeah, you're not yeah, you're
a complete You know what you say stuff like that,
and it makes me think you enjoyed every time
you're climbing acts went into a somebody's head
in war I never said I didn't you sick bastard
I just said I didn't buy her not enjoying it
You just gotta love the feeling of the tip when
it just slides right in So smooth. It's like,
you know, what's wrong with this axe? There's
no skull wearing it. You know, true statement.
I have to find the next guy to put it in. Such
a whore. But what I got to get put it in you.
I can't even believe you just said that. Give
it away now. Why? Give it away. Give it away.
Give it away. Give it away now. Anyways. Well,
they gotta give it to your mama. It's one of
those games. It has the collectibles just like
everything else. But with this one, it looks
like you collect all of the specific thing. Yeah,
they're very special in their collectability.
And you get certain individual things like I
just got the would you stop? Shut your dander
horn mouth. He really wants you to stop talking.
I know But I'm going to keep talking So I just
like I just unlocked the pistol swords the other
day They're fun, but you don't get to use them
as the way I would want to use them But with
you that you would rather like stab and be able
to aim them and shoot and yes Well, I knew that's
not what you can tell by the description how
it's like explosive finishes I assumed it was
gonna be those we need the last hit on a guy
and the instant kill with them were like you'll
stab him through the throat and then shoot him
right off the sword. Yeah The one thing I didn't
expect is I don't know if you've come across
this yet is say yourself killing people And you
you know, you're using the sword that gunshot
will alert people. Oh, yeah Oh, yeah. And then
it was one of those things. I was attacking a
plantation. I was doing all stealthy and I got
down to there was four of the big axe guys, but
they had their back to me. And so I snuck out
and I went to walked up and I instantly killed
a guy. And of course, what does he do? He stabs
him through the back with both swords and then
clicks and just blows him off of it. And all
the other guys are like, look at me. I'm like,
well, shit, I wasn't trying to do that. Of course,
now I have four of the most annoying enemies
in the game. But it's it's so much fun I'm definitely
improvement over three. I'm not gonna go into
it. I'm not gonna turn this into you know like
last year with the mass effect Thank you, but
yeah number two number two GTA 5 because it's
so big Duff said He just loves to take it all
in he does. Joe do you wish you could do those
mods where you can flood San Andreas or Los Santos?
Is that something that those that those PC nerds
have that I am jealous of? You have to have a
hacked PS3 and you can do it. I would I would
enjoy doing things like that to my San Andreas
if I could. Boy, then you could use the least
entertaining vehicle in that game the watercraft
ooh. There's um There's two they they did two
mods one where you can raise the water level
and basically you can swim up to the top of the
skyscrapers Or you can roll with Kevin Costner
pretty much or or you can drain the water and
go Take dune buggies and ATVs through the through
the seafloor. That would be cool You know a seafloor
tall that is really cool I mean the fact that
they actually went through the point of mapping
all that down So if you got the mini sub or you
know or swimming you can swim down to those parts.
That's just really cool Yeah, there are lots
of collectibles down there. I haven't even thought
about getting yet Please I mean like GTA 5 single
-player was great GTA online is freaking amazing
That's the best part of it to me, I mean I love
that I've still got my fingers crossed for the
ps4 version No, absolutely no because Danner
has to buy it for me if you do that Then I'll
never play with you again because you'll never
go back to the ps3 version. This is too ugly
I can't play online with you Joe that is probably
what will happen. That's okay. It's our game.
It'll still look exactly It'll still look ugly,
so they're not made to look pretty I won't even
give them functionality because their UI is horrid
So you're horrid whores I Can actually figure
the UI from GTA 5 out borderlands has always
been so awful I never learned that I mean about
the UI is when they always give you the little
tips in the world's smallest font and the upper
left -hand corner when you're right now of doing
something and you never see it Anyways Someone
multitask number two for me Is Bioshock infinite?
Geez, the way you were going on, I thought it
was your number one. No, I was just groaning
and moaning at you guys and pissing and crapping
all over it just because of the fact that you're
not patient and can't enjoy unfolding of a good
story or a good mystery. I didn't say that! It
actually asked to be a good story. Hang on a
second. I enjoyed it. I love the story just fine
the way you play it is not I like I like the
way He just lumps us all in with Joe's opinions
of the game. Yeah, pretty much Fucking hits her
Joe bringing us all down man Joe crap all over
it I tried to get a word in edgewise earlier
and everybody just you know walks all over Something
with the air you want to talk about something
then any someone else tries to like me So, I
really enjoyed Bioshock. Far more than you guys
did. Cool story, bro. On to the next one. Keep
going. Mike, you're number one. Do you want to
keep going on infinite? Oh, no. No, this is your
chance. This is your chance. No, this is fine.
I'm done because nobody gives a crap. You could
ruin the ending for me because I'll never play
it again. School all of us. I'm right there with
you. My top three were in a constant state of
flux until like three days ago. Didn't know where
Bioshock was gonna be in mine Because it like
I said like I said to Mike it's very rare for
me to play a single -player game And then want
to talk to other people playing the game at the
same time and play through with them Oh, how
was your game, but what's happening yours? Oh
my god craziness. Oh my god. That's my erection
like all this stuff going on I Think you're number
one my number one for anyone playing along at
home is gone home It's short it's sweet Just
like Venus I feel like you know the one thing
that I kept coming back to this entire list is
gameplay and the narrative and The the gameplay
and this is totally served up to the narrative.
There is nothing in this game that does not belong
there like at all Everything that you look at
everything that you interact with or everything
that you can interact with just somehow In forms
informs the narrative informs the story about
what's going on or what happened in this house
over the last year and the atmosphere is both
creepy and the story is by I mean, it's I don't
want to I want Joe to play it so I'm trying not
to spoil really too much of it, but It's just
a lesbian. It's so but that's me. That's like
obvious from After you read like the first couple
journal entries or whatever from the sister So
that's not really like a spoiler or anything,
but it's like the least biggest surprise ever
I know I said that there's like maybe like, you
know what? She's a ghost, but I can't I can't
say enough good things about this game She killed
them she just can't remember I can't say enough
good things about this if Joe wasn't able to
make the game of the year Podcasts I would probably
talk about it some more, but I really want Joe
to play it So I don't want to spoil any of the
form so but yeah gone gone home is my number
one Sean Why? Just mad at me Sean He's just mad
because he can't masturbate with his hand yet.
Um, there's nothing wrong with his right hand
That one's that one's pre -op man. He's got to
keep it limber. He can't use it so much. He's
got to rest that. Could you just talk about your
stupid number one? Why it's not stupid. He's
peeing. My number one is GTA five. Hey, head
desk. What? Nothing. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I
couldn't hear you. Stupid number one. It's not
a stupid number one. Joe, your number one. My
number one. Bunch of assholes, y 'all just a
bunch of assholes. Y 'all, y 'all a bunch of
assholes. Joe's number one's far more interesting.
Link Between Worlds for the 3DS for making me
feel like a 13 year old boy again. You know what,
with all your sexual innuendo and then ending
up in a 13 year old boy, I'm really concerned,
Joe. It made my skin really soft, what else would
it take? The proteins will do that for you, Joe.
It's that natural lotion. Yeah. Man, I got to
drink Mountain Dew on podcasts more often. This
is fun. I love how Joe's reaction to Mountain
Dew is the same as Daner's reaction to vodka.
It's that same outcome. My fingertips are tingling.
Mine are too, but that's because of nerve damage.
They're tingling, but I just can't feel them.
Anyways. Yeah, Link Between Worlds was awesome.
It made me actually play a video game again instead
of just kind of sitting by passively. I had to
engage parts of my brain I hadn't since holding
a Super Nintendo controller in my hand. And also
it comes back to that theme oozing with love
Tribute to the original team kind of coming back
to the same world. I dig that stuff Yeah, when
a game makes him think like two brothers, he
hates it Joe I just have to ask a question all
this people you're saying you're wearing pants
right now, right? Absolutely. Okay, I just horrible
imagery of what you're ever you're doing to your
ukulele at the moment I don't know. It's it's
on the floor. I can't reach it Not with your
hands. I don't think ukulele is what he called
his penis. I don't think he actually bought a
ukulele. I thought he was just talking about
his dick a lot. Yeah, he loves strumming it.
Fine tuning. So I'm the last one to do number
one, right? Last of us? Yeah, last of us. Well,
that's the dumb game. Moving on. So I really
liked Last of Us much for the exact same reasons
that that Mike liked it I just really I enjoyed
the characters in the atmosphere and the music
and how it was more advertised to be like a Game
where you're fighting these infected people and
that's not really what the game ends up being
ends up being That the infected are just kind
of there and humanity is the more dangerous enemy
in the world. You're more it's more like Was
it the walking dead? Yeah way after the infects
the Yeah, the infected are an obstacle, but the
humans are the enemy yeah, they're yeah, they're
more like a natural disaster It's like they're
unpredictable. You know what the what the infected
are gonna do that They're gonna do what they
do the humans they can do whatever they can tell
Hey, wait, you guys have ps4s. I could borrow
that from you. I yeah the price of it used you
know you can totally take mine Sweet, dude. He
said take that implies keeping forever. I wouldn't
keep it My games are Joe's games. Just letting
you know he's probably gonna rest it on his ukulele.
Do you really want it back? That's fine I've
already arrested my you got it multiple times
I love how he calls it a uke. Why does that make
it so much creepier? It kind of sounds very similar
to Unic. You know, the pieces are starting to
fall into place. But yeah, I love The Last of
Us. That was by far my favorite gaming experience
of 2013. All right. Well, so now that we've gone
through our top five. now we get to go through
the voted top five now i will definitely say
about the voted top five that we have talked
about every single game in the top five well
that's what i was going to say we probably don't
have to we don't have to say much it's not going
to say i will as per shawn's request i'll be
nice enough to give the uh The the honor will
do the honorable mentions first the ones that
were very close to cracking There's two that
were very close to cracking the top five, but
didn't quite make it and actually one of them
We haven't even talked about do you have enough
to do like ten through six? I could do ten through
Yeah, we could do ten through six. So we could
do the the five that Almost made it the five
top contenders and then the five champs. Let
me see. Give me just a second He's got to read
you know what we're gonna. Do we're gonna take
a break and when we come back inside then we'll
be back Brave new world that has such potsas
in it. The Pull Bag is GCRN's comic book review
and discussion based podcast. Join me, your host,
TF2 and Mike, and the rest of the GCRN crew as
we make our way through the comics we are reading.
Inside The Pull Bag, you'll also find back issue
classics and origins episodes of how we got into
comic reading. You can find The Pull Bag every
Wednesday on iTunes and on www .ecastradio .com.
Make your great escape into comics and jump into
The Pull Bag. today oh yes but think of the fun
so Danner why the GTA hate what the hell man
it's for the same reason he's quasi hating on
Titanfall why he's moved on to the ps4 and it's
not on the ps4 yet oh I am sorry this was the
most tricky Top five like I've ever had to pick
because this year pretty much my my only gaming's
has been on Xbox and You know, I couldn't do
XCOM cuz that's sorry, bro Fuck you and your
tanner whore mouth Give me one second when you
guys argue amongst each other. I'll be right
back. All right, and I mean couldn't do Diablo
says this is actually very hard like And not
in the same way that that Joe's penis is hard.
Gross. I don't think I want to do ten through
six. Why? Which games popped in? There's a tie
for ten. COD ghosts and link between worlds.
Because by the way, Joe's the only person who
voted for link between worlds. I think I'm probably
the only person. Because he's the only person
who voted for link in the tie for tenth. Because
of the fact that it was because it was a number
one vote so it got five points. Oh, yeah We're
three people voted for coasts One yeah, I Don't
know ghosts. I mean, that's a good game, but
until call it do something something crazy It's
not gonna be on my top fives for a long time.
I Did enjoy that I did enjoy the single player
of that actually The computer one didn't though
didn't the computer was just the council one.
Yeah Yeah, you told me I wasn't allowed to do
it because the actual game itself did only the
port came out of the wolf Among us would have
been on this list if the rest of the parts would
have yeah Yeah, well three would have been on
mine if I was allowed to pick it But I asked
you I asked you like weeks ago and you said nope
I think because somebody already voted for Diablo
three so it was on my list wolf of wolf among
us and Wolf among us and the walking dead season
2 will be eligible for 2014. Yeah. Yep. Yes.
So we're doing what I got whenever For those
multi -part ones whenever the last one comes
out. Yes. Mm -hmm like whenever whenever you
can buy the Complete edition. Yeah. Okay. Okay.
Watch ready. I come out till 15 now And we're
back and Tanner has his well now it's like a
top 10 Well, yeah, we'll do the top ten. Only
the top five really count, but... Yeah, we'll
run through the last five. The ten through six
are honorable mentions. Yeah. Tied for ten...
Ooh. Ooh. Injustice? No. ...is Legend of Zelda
Link Between Worlds and Call of Duty Ghosts.
You all need to go buy a 3DS and play that game.
Not you three, but all of you listeners. See,
Joe, I want to, but every time I ask you about
it, you intend me into not buying it. Why is
that? How? Because you're like, I don't know
if you could actually get through it because
you haven't played the original one. You're smart.
You'd figure it out. See, that's the first time
you've said that. It's a lot of assumptions.
Other times, it's been like, it's been, you have
to be good at playing games. You're not going
to understand the mechanics, so. And I'm like,
you don't think I'm good at playing games? Thanks,
asshole. I don't think I wouldn't have said good
at playing games. I think there are mechanics
that you learn and link to the past that if you
don't, If you haven't been exposed to that you
wouldn't know how to work the thing in this one
So what you're talking is if uh, you never has
a hard time working this thing. That was all
I heard out of that I don't have to work my thing.
I have a wife but I would be She doesn't have
to work that thing either. Oh, yes. She does
Yes, she does I'm gonna tell her you said that.
I tell her that all the time. She can hear me.
She's in the next room. She can hear me. Hi,
Ally. Well, Mike, it would be a fantastic experience
to see what your opinion of the game is or if
you encounter anything like that. How long does
it take you to do this dungeon sort of thing?
But I really want to watch my eyes when she was
12. Well, then I will definitely I will definitely
grab it then. I'll make it a point to grab it.
There's something to say about ghosts. It's Call
of Duty I know it's like I was like I don't say
what you were gonna say cuz that was awesome
when you said what I said is Until Call of Duty
does something. Oh my god crazy. It's an it's
they're always gonna be Call of Duty games They're
always gonna be fun until does something crazy.
Oh my god amazing. It's never gonna be in my
top five never There's nothing I can do Unlike
like I enjoy the single -player of those games,
but they're not they're never gonna be like,
oh my god. This was so wait Oh, that was cool.
Just out of curiosity. Would you fault me for
putting Titanfall is on my top five list for
2014? Yes, okay It's not it's not different enough
to me like we were no I wouldn't because of the
fact that it's the first It's unless we if we
start getting them year after year after year
becomes an annual property When Titanfall 4 comes
out and it's on your top five list, then I might
have some yeah No, I know I that yes, I totally
come out late 2015 I could totally see my I could
have seen myself putting Call of Duty 4 on a
top five list Yeah, but not Modern Warfare 2
or 3 or well Call of Duty 4 was an innovation
to the series exactly and That was the last time
that game changed to me All right. You're going
to get Titanfall in your hands and it's going
to be a first person shooter and then a first
person shooter, the reskinned HUD. And you're
going to be disappointed. I don't know. I don't
like it, but I'm not the first person to defend
that game. But no, I have a feeling that game
is going to fizzle quicker than they want. Sizzle.
All right. No, not nine. Number nine. Number
nine. Assassin's Creed for Black Flag. Call bullshit
didn't make the top five. Yeah, me too. Did not
make the top five, but it was number nine We
have to wonder how many people How many people
that have have written in their submissions are
the series is just you know It wasn't on their
list because the series is just old or they could
have the exact same opinion of that. We just
Provided yeah, so yeah, it's a Assassin's Creed.
Yeah, it's entirely plausible Maybe it's just
not their cup of tea exactly a lot of speaking
of not my cup of tea number eight Titan and justice
I Liked I liked this game. Don't get me wrong.
I liked it, but it's like fighting games. It's
only it's only as good as the people you're playing
with The people you're playing with are too good,
then it sucks no, I mean like That one was one
of the ones that was a good that story. I liked
a lot. That was a good comic book Oh, you know
what speaking of? Fighting games. I have not
tried killer instinct yet. I don't think I will
though Cool story, bro. So you can buy all of
your individual here. Yeah, I get Orca. At least
I can stare at her. Well, there's not creepy
at all way to be a Totally worth the 500 bucks.
I spent 250 Totally worth the 500 bucks. You're
married. You spent 500. Yeah, actually we split
it right down the middle Thank you very much.
Okay Joe I did sign up for project spark and
I got in the beta. Hey So I don't know what that
is. It's the game that you it's the only Xbox
one game that you said looked interesting The
one where you can create your own game in your
own world. Oh, yeah. Yep that's gonna be just
like a little big planet where I don't have 30
hours a week to dedicate to learning how to build
things. I hope it's easier than that I hope they
can get that kind of worked out. So anyway, it's
not so number seven eight seven Batman Arkham
Origins Haven't played it yet. It's a good game.
Oh, I mean it's like this. I enjoyed it once
I can That was one of those ones I can so wait
until that's down to like a it just didn't your
addition or platinum edition or whatever you
want to call it where it's like 20 30 bucks I
think it's what like 35 now Think so something
like that It's got to get under 30 for me to
for a new copy for me to want it and then i'll
totally pick it up because I like beating men
unconscious and leaving them in the snow all
the time I live in the northern part of the united
states. That's just what I do. I just think it's
interesting that That game, and many reviewers
and many articles I've read have agreed with
it, is that the best fight in that game is the
Deathstroke fight. That's what I've heard, and
it's towards the beginning. And it's right at
the beginning of the game. Which is nothing against
any of the other fights in the game, but for
some reason that's the most interesting, most
fun fight in the entire game. I've heard that,
but I've also heard, for that same reason, I've
also heard it as the most despised fight. because
the rules for that fight are completely different
than any other fight in any other Arkham game.
Which let a lot of people to be frustrated with
it because you don't realize it's all a QuickTime
event. It's not just mash the punch button and
then a QuickTime event. The entire thing is dictated
by QuickTime. And that is contradictory to everything
in Arkham. And the one thing I'll say about the
Batman games is... It started with the first
one. It's like, you can play as Joker. You can
play as whoever. And it's like they're in a challenge
map. Yeah, they're in a challenge map. See, if
you get a deathstroke, they're like, it's deathstroke.
As soon as I saw that, I'm like, oh, I would
love to play a deathstroke, but I know it's going
to be in a challenge map. And that's cool. And
I like that. But after I beat the game, give
me the guy in the open world. Yeah, that's the
one thing that I will give Arkham Blackgate credit
for over like Arkham Origins and the other Arkham
games is because the suits in Blackgate actually
do something in the gameplay versus just it looked
different. They look pretty. Yeah. Like one of
them gives you like a plus 25 percent, you know,
decrease in gun damage. And one you do like I
was like an armored suit. It was like the like
Batman 100 or something like that. It's just.
It's all the different so it has nothing to do
with what the suit looks like and can do it just
the different Attribute attached to that suit
yeah exactly so like Batman 100 you get minus
25 percent gun damage or something like that
Batman Beyond Easier stealth or something yeah
like it's they but they don't in the in the in
the console games. They're just You know they're
just there to look at whereas in the Vita game
They actually made them do something which made
you want to change them I will say what pissed
me off about not this Batman the last one was
they had um a batman sinestro core Skin, it's
amazing how we're not talking about games from
last year. I know that's crazy, but i'm talking
about anyways is that I'm gonna do it. I don't
care number six number six at the end of decay
Really? I did not expect it to be that high.
I never even heard of it State of Decay? It was
in my top five, Joe. You were zoning out during
that time? I think that's when you sent me that
link. Sean has been championing that game all
year long. No, I haven't talked about it in months.
Championing it all year long. All year long.
State of Decay, right here. It's a game, basically,
Joe. You go out and you have this map, this world.
You're a survivor as the apocalypse. Hey, Joe,
why don't you go back and listen to the last
year of podcasts? Okay. You could Google it or
look I I've never hoped that someone gags and
dies on a penis more in my life Okay, this is
where we get now this work is real folks five
number five Anybody want to take a guess gone
home? You said all the top five ones we've talked
about right? That's too high for that game shut
up that's too low for that game. That's a Yeah,
that needs to be higher. Yeah, you know what
that one needs to be number two cuz it's a pile
of shit And this guy I'm just saying this to
rile up Mike you notice how he's not talking
because I haven't played the game so I have any
opinion Your opinion never really matters in
this Do I even want to go on? No, I think we
should just throw the list out the window number
four Bioshock infinite Okay, that's where I had
it on my list. I get that being that's why I
said it was like that I got that now the next
one I don't agree with the fact that it's even
in the top five gone home no Lego Marvel GTA
5 why what is with the hate just because it bothers
you So does herpes, but you don't see me frowning.
Especially the stuff in your mouth. All right.
I got it from you. Well, duh. Where else are
you going to get it from? Your mother. Then you
would have gotten herpes in a different place.
I told you that I don't have it in both. So Tomb
Raider. Tomb Raider A5. Tomb Raider Bioshock.
Bioshock okay five is three. Oh, man. We're right
number three All right number two now. We're
at two last of us No Gone home. That's it. I
give up Number one so whatever is that not what?
You have to think it's probably not people not
dissing on the game Mike it's people that haven't
played the game I bet you can't guess what number
one is GTA 5 again What is it? Did you say number
one game of the year for? 2013 is the last of
us. I thought it was gonna be GTA online That
would have been hysterical and Wikipedia listed
them as separate games Technically they are There
were the other one less than it was six points
separating last of us and gone home They were
the closest. Pretty much everybody who submitted
the list had both of those games on their list.
Pretty much neither of those. Well, because you
don't play good games. Yeah, I don't have that
system. You don't have a PC. Not a good one.
Sean, if it makes you feel better. One person
voted for Saints Row for the day. And it wasn't
me. It wasn't you. Anyone we know from the forums
or anything bastards So thank you random person
that voted for Saints Row for but I Appreciate
it the rest these assholes. Don't give a shit
about you, but I will come to my embrace Don't
do that because you'll get herpes come take me
as a brother herpes of love Joe That's his code
name for herpes of the ass All right migrated
to the ass. They didn't start there. There are
no mad herpes real quick the rundown is Tomb
Raider Bioshock GTA 5 gone home and the last
of us Okay with that all right stay awake. I'm
gonna come over there and pick up that last of
us apparently I need to play this game. I'm not
okay with at 930 or being I'm joking I'm going
to bed on this but you want it to be higher.
Yeah Place of what GTA 5 nope not gonna happen
more. Oh, no, it's not I'm not saying this for
anything about my personal opinions GTA 5 I almost
guarantee that the numbers of people that played
GTA 5 is gotta be higher than the people that
played Yeah GTA 5 the last time I was going home
in GTA 5 were very very solid numbers wise throughout
the entire vote they were all all voted very
highly. Tomb Raider, Bioshock, Arkham Origins,
and State of Decay were all kind of muddled in
a grouping for quite a while. Not until the last
week have they broken away from each other. Broke
away from the pack, yeah. It's that I'm not saying,
you know what? I haven't played Tomb Raider.
If I played it, I'd probably love it because
like what you've said, it's kind of like the...
The axing to the head, I'd probably really enjoy
that. I'm sadistic. It's like Uncharted, but
it doesn't suck. Well, hold up. You're comparing
Tomb Raider to Uncharted 1. You can't do that.
OK. Mr. I can't get through Uncharted 1. I can't
get through. I want to so bad. I don't even know
if you can compare Tomb Raider to Uncharted 3.
You could maybe compare Tomb Raider to Uncharted
2, but Uncharted 2 is going to beat it to death.
Toot so you're saying two is the best yes, okay?
What was that before about talking about games
from other years? We're doing okay when Mike
does it oh, okay? Thank you Dana although I can't
know if you're being sincere or when his date
Really, you know I know when Daners are being
sincere when he's not talking All right, so that
does it for off the cuffs game of the year for
2014 In case you all missed it, it was the last
of us. Y 'all? I've been reading X -Men and Rogue.
If you want to chime in on our list of the top
10, top 5, you can get in touch with us and comment
on our parent site, geekcastradio .com. Or you
can send emails to us at feedback at geekcastradio
.com just put off the cough in the subject line
If you leave us if you leave us if you listen
to us on iTunes If you could go ahead and leave
us a review on there That'd be much appreciated
that we'd at least know we were doing something
right or wrong five stars, but one are okay Yes,
exactly But at least you gave us a review so
yeah, and if you're gonna give us one star tell
us why make it the brown star You can find myself,
Michael Powers, on Twitter, Xbox Live, and the
PlayStation Network at BoothNinja81. Danner?
You can find me on Twitter at our Danner or on
PlayStation Network at x51themachineman. And
you can also find him on Joe's ukulele. I have
been Sean Zebrani. You can find me on Twitter
at Sean Zebrani. You can find me on Xbox. Live
at weapon 87. I'm still the only one of these
guys really playing that system. I have I keep
it in strong, right? I'm making like the the
black power fist right now. None of you can see
it. But yes, fight the man, the man being Mike.
I should have hung up on him a long time ago.
Also, also like your eyes out to the Internet
for Sean's Saints Row 4 fan fiction that'll be
coming out soon. Yes, it's called My Life as
a Superhero Soda Can. All right, Joe. You can
find me on the PlayStation Network at Viva Ildfire
405 and you can also find me on Facebook at the
Geek Stuff garage sale All right, that does it
for this week. I think next week is going to
be offseason part two Which topic we will be
discussing we do not know although I think the
gaming discussion for next week may be Something
that I like to do and I know that Danner hates
but predictions for 2014 So stick around for
that. See you next week.
No chapter markers for this episode.



