Gamertag Radio

Podcast exclusive! Danny Peña sits down with industry veterans Jerry Hook (former Xbox Live co-creator and Bungie executive) and Scott Brodie (design director and Xbox Live Arcade pioneer) from Team Metal / Probably Monsters to discuss their upcoming Gothic action RPG, Crimson Moon.
In this exclusive interview, Jerry and Scott open up about leaving massive AAA studios to craft a focused, high-quality $19.99 co-op experience. Learn how the team blended souls-like melee combat, roguelike progression, and shapeshifting Nephilim power fantasies into an accessible, highly replayable game built with players' time and money in mind.
In this episode, we cover:

Industry Vets Return to Basics: Why Jerry Hook and Scott Brodie shifted from AAA giants to build focused, high-value experiences.

Crimson Moon Overview: Exploring the city of Gilden Arc, transforming into Nephilim angel forms, and tackling Gothic action solo or in co-op.

Accessible Roguelike Design: Balancing tough souls-like combat with 15–30 minute mission loops, procedural paths, and permanent progression.

Respecting the Player: The decision behind the $19.99 price point and rejecting aggressive live-service models.

Cross-Play & Co-Op: How revive mechanics, difficulty scaling, and cross-platform support bring friends together across PS5, Xbox, and PC.

Crimson Moon launches on September 1st across PS5, Xbox, Steam, and Epic Games Store!

Danny Peña sits down with Gamescom co-founder Felix Falk to break down what makes the world's largest gaming event tick. From record-breaking exhibitor numbers to the massive growth of indie games and the evolution of international reach, get an insider's look at how the event comes together.
In this episode, we cover:

Record Growth: Gamescom's sold-out exhibition space, over 1,600 exhibitors, and a 16% jump in indie presence.

First-Timer Advice: Tips on navigating over 30 football fields of space using interactive timetables.

Opening Night Live & Speedrunning: The collaboration with Geoff Keighley and the European debut of Gamestown Quick.

Global Expansion: How Gamescom is connecting markets with satellite events like Gamescom Latam and Gamescom Asia.

Political & Social Impact: Why world leaders, politicians, and global organizations attend the event to understand games culture.

The crew discusses their upcoming trip to Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, and dives into rumors and realistic release timelines for Bethesda's highly anticipated The Elder Scrolls VI. Danny, Paris, and Pete get into a heated discussion about Rockstar Games potentially locking an extended look of Grand Theft Auto VI behind a timed Netflix exclusivity window. Was the Xbox One really as bad as people remember? The hosts look back at the 2013 launch, Kinect's downfall, backwards compatibility, and the games that made the era great. They also share their thoughts on Insomniac's Marvel's Wolverine, the open-world gameplay loop fatigue, and the massive wave of new video games dropping this Fall.
Gamescom Prep & Logistics

The crew prepares for their upcoming trip to Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, marking Danny's first time attending the event.

Parris warns about the massive crowds and max-capacity public halls, recommending using Wednesday's media day to scout out business center appointments early.

The Elder Scrolls VI Release Window Predictions

Following Asha's visit to Bethesda to see an early build, the hosts discuss realistic expectations for The Elder Scrolls VI.

While some speculate a 2027 launch, the consensus leans toward 2028 or 2029 to allow thorough QA testing and avoid past launch issues.

GTA 6 Extended Look on Netflix Debate

A heated debate breaks out over Rockstar Games potentially offering an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI on Netflix prior to a YouTube release.

Danny defends the marketing strategy as smart industry expansion, while Parris expresses concern over setting paywall precedents and drawing attention away from Gamescom announcements.

Reflecting on the Xbox One Era

The hosts look back at the Xbox One, highlighting its strong games lineup (Titanfall, Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break), the Xbox Controller, Xbox Play Anywhere, and the birth of Game Pass and Backwards Compatibility.

They discuss how poor messaging, Kinect bundling, and the initial $500 price point overshadowed an otherwise solid console generation.

Marvel's Wolverine & Fall Gaming Wave

The team discusses Insomniac's Marvel's Wolverine, addressing preview feedback regarding potential open-world gameplay loop fatigue.

They look ahead to the packed Fall release schedule, noting the overwhelming amount of big games dropping through September and beyond.

Connect with us:

Danny Peña

Parris Lilly

Pete Toledo

Riana Manuel-Peña

Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.

In this episode of Gamertag Radio, Danny Peña and Riana Manuel Peña dive deep into their hands-on review of Splatoon Raiders for the Nintendo Switch 2! Danny breaks down why he believes it is easily the best exclusive title on the Switch 2 so far, praising its highly addictive single player adventure, massive customization, and slick drop-in co-op mechanics. Meanwhile, Riana shares her perspective as a first time Splatoon player.
Highlights

The Best Switch 2 Exclusive Yet? – Danny explains why Splatoon Raiders tops his list of Switch 2 games so far (even over Donkey Kong) and highlights its massive success with record-setting user scores on Metacritic.

A Refreshing Single-Player Focus – Unlike past entries that prioritized competitive multiplayer, Splatoon Raiders puts player experimentation and a deep single-player story campaign at the forefront.

Tanks, Gadgets & Loadout Customization – A breakdown of the three core tank classes (Speed, Power, and Tactical), weapon varieties like paint rollers and chargers, and specialized gadgets like Blast Boots and Shot Pots.

Sensory Overload & Visual Style – Riana shares her thoughts as a newcomer to the series, praising the kid-friendly aesthetic while noting how chaotic the screen can get on higher difficulties with timers, boss health bars, and ink everywhere.

Co-op "Call for Help" Mechanics – How the game allows stuck players to call in random online players for assistance, earning bonus rewards together without needing voice chat or complex ping systems.

Hideout & Base Progression – Insight into upgrading your player base, trying out new builds in the shooting range, discovering lore relics, and using compasses to hunt down hidden map locations.

Danny Peña and Riana Manuel-Peno share their hands-on impressions of Capcom's upcoming action-adventure game, Onimusha: Way of the Sword! Danny details his experience from a recent preview event in Los Angeles, including a tough boss battle and exclusive footage of the game running on the Nintendo Switch 2. Meanwhile, Riana talks about her experience playing the game at Summer Game Fest as a newcomer to the classic Capcom franchise. The team also breaks down the combat rhythm, motion control features, gauntlet mechanics, and the convenience of playing major AAA titles on handheld systems.
Episode Highlights

Temporary Setups & Move Updates: Danny and Riana share a quick update on their temporary recording setups as they undergo a multi-month move.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Overview: Early impressions of Capcom's latest entry in the franchise ahead of its early September release.

Hands-On Impressions & Combat Mechanics: Riana and Danny break down the accessible yet rewarding combat, parry timing, linear-world exploration, and the Oni Gauntlet system.

Exclusive Switch 2 Gameplay & Performance: Danny walks through footage of Onimusha: Way of the Sword running on the Nintendo Switch 2 at 1080p/30fps.

Handheld Gaming & Comfort: Discussion on using detached Joy-Cons versus Pro Controllers and the appeal of handheld gaming for busy schedules.

Capcom's Recent Momentum: Praise for Capcom's strong slate of releases this year.

Connect with us:

Danny Peña

Parris Lilly

Pete Toledo

Riana Manuel-Peña

Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.