Pixel Project Radio: A Video Game Podcast

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This week, co-host Jake (Pre-Order Bonus Podcast) joins to discuss Kena: Bridge of Spirits! Kena made waves as a Souls-like with a deceptive face—"Disney meets Dark Souls," it's been called. A journey through the lands sees the titular Kena rounding up the almost-actionably-Pixar Rot to aid her in guiding wayward spirits home. But is Kena more than a series of homages and influences? Join us as we discuss the narrative, character writing, composition process, combat philosophy, and much more. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!

Relevant Links:
Dev interview 2020, Gameinformer
Gamelan from the Center for World Music
Live Gamelan performance
The short film "Terrible Fate"

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 consider supporting the show on Patreon! You can also click here to join the free Discord server or connect with the show on Bluesky and Instagram!

It's a bonus episode all about some of my favorites in the gaming realm! I like these sorts of episodes from time to time and thought this would be a nice breather. Please enjoy!

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!

(00:00:00) Preliminary/Recap Discussion

(00:15:35) Searching for the Trifor- I mean, the Dragon Gods

(00:34:22) Return to Fort Dragonia (Chrono Trigger Intensifies)

(00:46:11) Chronopolis and FATE

(01:01:47) Cool Lore that Rick Overlooked

(01:06:31) FATE Falls, Dragons Rise

(01:13:09) One of Cross's Most Touching—and Hidden—Scenes

(01:26:23) Spaceships? Sure. Why Not.

(01:30:56) Belthasar, Ho-Ho-Ho Guy, Explains

(01:41:27) Dragon God

(01:50:26) The Most Important Character in the Series

(02:13:21) Final Battle and Ending Discussion

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon! You can also click here to join the free Discord server or connect with the show on Bluesky and Instagram!

Until we meet again...

The final episode on Chrono Cross is here! Though, in truth, another ten more would have been perfectly fine. All of the threads—of fate, of FATE, of the narrative—come together here, neatly or no. Co-host Chris (Retrograde Amnesia podcast) joins to wrap it up and discuss potential plot holes, essential lore that is completely missable, and, of course, the ending. There is SO much to talk about with Chrono Cross. It's a very special game, and we hope that you feel the same...at least about these episodes. Hope you love the show today. Please enjoy!

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 week: a special bonus episode into your feeds! Thank you for all of your patience as I work through scheduling stuff. Please enjoy all of the cheesy goodness of the hit (in my eyes) 1995 movie, MORTAL KOMBAT!

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!

(00:00:00) The PS1 Wildchild | Tomba! / Tombi! (Ep. 176)

(00:04:15) Personal Histories

(00:10:56) Community Forum

(00:16:00) Development

(00:27:07) Art Style (and a Digression on Difficulty)

(01:03:19) Mechanics: An Action Game?

(01:17:36) Tomba's Event System

(01:33:22) Music and Sound

(01:51:28) Boss Fights and Wrapping Up

Please consider supporting the show on Patreon! You can also click here to join the free Discord server or connect with the show on Bluesky and Instagram!

I usually put a game quote up top...but just imagine Tomba yelling and making Tomba noises, instead.

This week, first-time co-host Georgie (Press Pause Radio) joins to take a step into the halcyon days of the Playstation 1—because we're talking Tomba!, the sole series created by Whoppee Camp. Tomba is pure "early video game" in more ways than one; join Rick and George as they discuss the signature "Events" system, the surprising amount of freedom (and frustration) throughout, good-time music, and beatin' up pigs. Who doesn't love that? What I DO hope you love...is the show today. Please enjoy!

Referenced Links
1997 Developer Interview
2024 Developer Interview
A full list of in-game Events

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!