Studio Viddy on the Sunset Strip: Capcom

This is a head gun podcast.

All right, Capcom USA.

Matt has some exciting news he's going to share with us.

As we know, some of our biggest fighting game crossover franchises have been Marvel versus Capcom.

Of course, before that, you know, we had Street Brider versus Capcom.

We've had Tatsunoko versus Tatsunoko versus Capcom, SNK versus Capcom.

Capcom's IP are going to coexist with another stable of characters.

Matt, what do we got lined up?

This is a very exciting announcement.

And please

keep this internal until we can officially announce it elsewhere.

This is going to be massive.

And

these are characters that everybody knows and loves.

And I'm excited to bring them into the fold here so they can finally be interacting with

the Capcom roster that we have for these games.

Ryu, Chun Lee.

Some of these games have like Strider in them.

Some of them, like, this is a Capcom family.

Mega Man, Servebot.

Beautiful Joe is in Capcom, Marvel vs.

Capcom 3.

So we're bringing Beautiful Joe back in for this, of course.

Joel from Resident Evil.

Yeah, the Capcom roster is massive.

Brawl.

That's not what we're here to discuss.

We're here to discuss how we're finally going to get Fraser versus Capcom.

Let's go.

We're going to get Frasier Crane in there.

We're gonna get Niles.

We're gonna get Eddie the dog.

This is gonna be huge.

People are gonna be going absolutely bat shit for Frasier versus Capcom.

I can't, can't wait for some of these matchups.

I mean, Roz versus Blanca?

Can you even imagine?

And the backdrop is Bulldog Studio, where they record a sports show.

That's very, very exciting.

And then get a load of this.

We're also gonna get a license for the Cheers characters, so we will get to introduce them as DLC for future, for future release.

Oh my God, Albert Wesker versus Woody the bartender.

I mean, just imagine.

Fuck.

I hate to be this person in our meeting.

I am concerned with the

how do I put this?

I am concerned that anybody, our target demographics.

You know, we're thinking about who's playing these games.

And

maximum, these the age tops out at 24 right so these are these are kids who were born in 2000 or later

so you're referencing characters that were a full 20 years at some point like the 80s were 20 years before these these kids were born and I'm just not sure about the

the numbers we're going to be able to this is like how much did this license cost it was like something like 250 million dollars

so that again that

we have a storied history.

This is a 40-year-old company.

I'm worried about who gave you authorization to spend that kind of money on the Frasier and Cheers license for Cheers and Frasier versus Capcom.

It was $250 for just Frasier.

It was an additional $250 million for the Cheers characters.

I mean, you don't get all the Cheers characters.

You've got to spend money to make money.

I'm stressed out.

Is it possible that you just don't know what the fuck you're talking about?

Matt, let's take a look at this.

There's no way there's $500 million, and I'm getting told I'm wrong.

I don't think you're wrong.

I think you're a genius, but I will just say that Heather is being civil with her descent.

I think you can be civil with your feedback.

Sorry, it's just

really convinced Kelsey that he wanted to be a part of this.

Maybe there's maybe a third way.

Well, you know,

this is the thing.

Like, as we know from Money Plane, Money Talks.

That's right.

He did the movie Money Plane for the payday, not because of his artistic.

He's been burying the lead this whole time, too.

It's obviously

the package is Fraser versus Capcom, and that's huge for us

with additional Cheers DLC characters.

But what if I told you that we also acquired the entire catalog of Kelsey Grammar characters?

We got Beast from the third X-Men movie.

That's huge.

Beast is already in.

We have Beast.

What don't you understand?

Why do we need a

Frasier

Kelsey Grammar version of Beast?

It's distinct from the Marvel license.

This is specifically the Fox Marvel Beast from a version played by Kelsey Graham.

Finally, do the ultimate beast face-off with the beast that everyone knows and loves.

That is not.

And then the beast from the Marvel versus Capcom game.

Wait, so the Marvel...

So we're retaining the Marvel...

There's beast.

So we also get Sideshow Bob.

We get Sideshow Bob.

That's huge.

That's huge.

We get his character from Up Periscove.

Oh, my God.

And wait, do we get Bonaparte from the Expendables 3?

You better fucking believe we got Bonaparte.

Honestly, this raw, I am.

You know what?

You know what?

I'm fired.

We pit E Honda versus Doctor Doom and Mow Down Zombies with an excavator as we discuss all things Capcom this week on Get Blade.

Welcome to Get Played, your one-stop show for good games, bad games, and every game in between.

It's time to get played.

I'm your host, Heather Ann Campbell, along with my fellow host, Nick Weiger.

That's me, fellow host, Nick Weiger.

I'm here with my fellow host, Matt Abodaka.

Hello, everyone.

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the premiere video game podcast where this week we're doing something a little different.

Yeah, we're trying out a new format.

We're going to do a deep dive on one publisher, Capcom.

We'll get into that.

And didn't you have a title for what we would call this?

I have a bunch of titles.

I don't know if we landed on anything.

Which one do you want to go with?

Well,

I'll pitch it to you.

We'll see if any of these land.

Publishers Clearinghouse.

No one seemed to like that.

I was confused.

It's a dated reference, but it's a thing.

Well, hold on, hold on, hold on.

I remember some of these.

Yeah.

You tell me when one of them is not a dated reference.

Get published is maybe just for the show.

So that's what I would not say, but Inside the Gamer Studio.

Something's pretty good.

I like that one the most, I got to say.

Universe O Studios, like Universal Studios, but our Universe O Studios, and then also Studio Vidy on the Sunset Strip.

We do record on Sunset Boulevard.

That is true.

It comes offices on Sunset.

Is that a reference to Studio?

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip?

Is that the show that was about SNL?

Yeah, the Aaron Sorkin.

Yeah, the Aaron Sorkin 300 show.

That sucks.

You know what's crazy is that that new movie, Saturday Night, just looks like another episode of that show.

It does, and it has the same tone to it.

It's like the same seriousness.

It's so weird.

Making comedy is serious business, you guys.

If we don't make this show in the next 30 minutes, our fucking lives are over.

It doesn't go on because it's ready.

It goes on because it's 11.30.

Don't you know what time comedy is?

Here's the thing.

I'm going to see it, and I'm going to give it five stars on Letterbox.

Well, your career would be in danger if you didn't.

I know

these people,

let's see, 40 people in the past.

It does feel like more Studio 60, but hey, maybe that's exactly what we need.

Whatever we're going to call this segment, we're going to talk about Capcom at length.

And also what we're going to talk about at length next week.

Monday, August 26th of the show, we're doing a We Play, You Play, an episode devoted to one game.

That game is Chrono Chrono Trigger, the JRPG classic.

So we're going to talk about that.

I'm very excited to get it.

I'm very excited to get it.

I have a lot of thoughts.

Oh, really?

Yeah.

I mean,

I've had a lot of thoughts for many years.

Oh, you've just been holding back your thoughts?

Yeah, but I'll have more thoughts.

Okay.

So far, no takes.

Just kidding.

Like, no, I really, I really cannot wait.

I checked in on the Discord

because I wanted to know.

I'm not really looking at guides or anything.

I'm kind of just like feeling stuff out.

And if I get lost or confused, I'll like look at a brief thing to see where I'm supposed to go next.

Yeah.

I wanted to know how far I was in the game so far because I want to try to finish it before the record.

I got an alarming response that I'm just about halfway done.

And so I got a really hustle.

But I feel like I've been calmed down and that the second half of the game really moves along and we're going to, things are going to be happening.

Yeah, it's not the longest game as JRPGs go.

It's a manageable length.

But I've gotten to halfway in the three weeks that we've announced this.

And we have one week left.

But I think I'm going to do it.

I'm not going to beat it, but I am going to keep playing every single day until we get there.

Yeah.

I've been playing it on now my analog pocket dock on my TV.

Oh, hell yeah.

I'm analog pocket pilled again.

I love it.

It's a great machine.

I finished the game

previously.

It's one of my favorite games of all time.

I am going to finish it again before the record, but wherever we are in the game, we'll have plenty to talk about.

And Heather, you played through it before in the past as well.

So, like, we'll, we're going to have more than enough to discuss.

I could do three episodes solo about Frog alone.

I have Frog Rocks.

But that's for next week.

Right now, we're going to be talking about Capcom, but before we do that, the question for the room is: what are you playing?

What are you playing?

Hey, it's me, the Resident Evil Merchant, and I'm here to ask you the question I ask every week.

What are you playing?

One of Capcom's breakout stars.

I know, know, I'm really excited about this episode, but I'm going to hold back.

Okay.

Because I saw some feedback on Reddit that my omnipresence on the show is grading.

I disagree with that.

I reject that comment.

I think it's great to have you around.

These things hurt my feelings.

Oh, no, it's not like a personal thing at you.

Just people have their different tastes.

You have to not take it too much to heart.

Thankfully, I can't cry anymore.

They called me OneNote.

OneNote.

That doesn't mean that's not necessarily a bad thing.

How often have you heard me talk about the fact that I removed my own teardux?

Like, is that OneNote?

No, that's a new bit of lore.

It's new information every week.

You removed them?

You elected to do this?

Yeah.

I was tired of crying in public.

Oh, wow.

You don't strike me as someone who would get emotional and be all blubbery after you.

Turns out that when you remove your tear ducks, you also remove your ability to cry.

Yeah, there could be all sorts of after effects that maybe you're not expecting.

I'm sure, yeah, right.

But

I can't do it anymore.

Wow.

Mada Badaga.

What do you play?

Well, I'm sorry you can't cry.

Simply couldn't be me, folks.

I cry all the time if you let me.

How do they have cried this decade?

You've cried this decade?

I mean, I know I haven't cried this decade.

I've cried twice this week.

Wow.

That makes me want to cry.

You know, sometimes things just hit you.

Yeah.

I started playing a game that I'm very excited to finish because I know that it's not a short.

I know that it's a short game.

It's a game called Thank Goodness You're Here.

It's from Panic, who developed

the untitled goose game and also the little playdate defensive device that we play.

It is charming as all hell.

It is a little English town.

You kind of just walk around.

You're trying to solve these little problems.

And your only like mode of interaction so far is like

you can walk up to things

and smack them with your little hand.

What kind of like who's the player character?

Who are you playing?

You're playing just like this tiny little guy.

Okay, like a little man who just sort of walks around.

He's a little man.

He doesn't speak.

And I'm looking at

some art here.

It looks like this kind of has like a hand-drawn sort of style to it.

It kind of looks a little storybooky.

Yes, and there are English voice actors in the game.

Like Matt Berry is is one of the characters in the game.

And I haven't gotten to him yet, but there's some of the situations that you're like, they're tiny little puzzles, not unlike

Untitled Goose game, where you see a little scenario and you have to figure out what you're supposed to do.

You see like a guy who is cleaning up the park and he wants you to help him mow the lawn.

So you mow the lawn and then it zooms out.

You're holding the lawn mower and there's these two like little flowers and they have little faces and they're just like, I love you, I love you, and your character in the background is getting closer and closer with the lawnmower.

I will spoil what happens, but it's very, very funny.

Uh, the game is super funny and super, like, I just haven't really like experienced anything like it, probably not since Untitled Goose Game, which I don't remember loving that much, but I remember thinking some of it was pretty funny.

Yeah.

As far as I know, this is this takes place in one town square, uh, and it's like a three-hour sort of experience.

But uh, I'm really, really enjoying it.

I've been playing on my Steam Deck, uh, and uh, and can't wait to finish it off.

I think it's I think it's really charming, and I can't wait to see what else it has in store for me.

I'll have to check it out.

I did, I did like Untitled Goose Game quite a bit.

I think the developer, I believe, is Cole Supper.

Is that correct?

I think, I think that's right.

Um, but uh, I remember making that game, uh,

that game making me feel a little dumb, and uh, now in hindsight, uh, what game couldn't

do that?

So far, I haven't found this game to be as challenging as that one, but have been enjoying it.

Wow.

Love to hear that.

I'd love to hear it.

Yeah.

And you know what?

Every time I remember that I have a play date, like whether it be the monthly emails that's like, here are this month's games.

And I'm like, ah, fuck.

Yeah.

Fuck, I should fucking dig it out and play it.

Yeah.

And then I forget to do it again.

This article came out, I think, today about

it's been a year since that game that I loved, Bloom, was released.

And I hadn't get a chance to read it.

It was sort of like a what's that year looked like for the developer since that came out.

I meant to read that.

But I would love more stuff for the play date, honestly.

I love that little thing.

Well, it comes out.

I mean, doesn't stuff come out constantly?

Yeah, but I haven't heard of one that's like, you got to try this other than the one that Lucas Pope did that I was playing a little bit.

Heather, what are you playing?

So I've been playing, I'm mainlining

our WePlay, you play.

But

as promised on last week's episode, I did

do a series of screenshot comparisons.

Not like screen grabs.

Wait, no, the other way around.

Not screenshots, but screen grabs where I photographed pixels.

on different versions of Chrono Trigger.

Yes.

I took a shot of it running on the Super NES on on a Sony PVM, which is my CRT of both, of choice.

I guess I have two CRTs now.

And I also had it running on the analog pocket using a Trinitron screen filter.

I had it running on the pocket dock on my HDMI-enabled flat screen.

And I also had it running on a 3DS.

I stand by my assessment that the DS version is washed out colors and has a bad font, font.

But our

Discord has pushed back.

They've said, well, unless I'm running it on the actual hardware, and as a purist, I understand this argument.

Unless I'm running on an actual DS,

I have

no box to stand on, no soap box to stand on.

So I went ahead and purchased

a DSi XL,

which apparently apparently has the best screens on a DS format.

I found it super cheap online, super fucking cheap.

And it is arriving this weekend as of this record.

So I will get one more opportunity

before

we actually launch our WePlay YouPlay to compare one more version of Chrono Trigger.

And you know what?

While I'm at it, I'm going to compare the iOS versions, which I didn't even bother to take a photo of because they are ugly as sin now i imagine you wanted one anyway but i did do have a

an xl i could have let you borrow if you'd wanted you have a dsi xl yeah i have the launch ds

well okay i don't want the launch ds which is a fantastic and very strange designed machine yes and i don't didn't assume that you had a ds because nick you give everything away i do get rid of things because i know i'm talking i do have it i know i i like mobile hardware or like handheld hardware, I often hold on to because it just takes up so much less space versus like a console or just like a bunch of games.

Well, imagine my surprise when I dug through all of my stuff and I couldn't find a DS.

Yeah.

Like that's very not like me considering I have like eight Game Boy Advances.

Yeah.

Like shocked.

So, um, but yeah, I'm one of the things that I love when I, when I dig into a, uh, a, a stance like this is that in defending it, I also discover stuff.

And what I've discovered is just the joy of holding any of these systems again.

Like the 3DS is every time it comes up on this podcast, I'm always like, holy fuck, it's so good.

Also, I don't know the last time that I turned on my 3DS, it just has a full battery.

How is that fucking hot?

Crazy.

It doesn't make any sense.

It doesn't make any sense.

Like, why doesn't my phone have that kind of capability?

Why doesn't anything have that kind of capability?

The DS batteries or the 3DS batteries last, as far as I can tell, six months to a year on a single charge.

I don't understand how that's possible.

And then my PSP, which was not charged and in a closet for forever, the battery exploded.

I don't know what

or why.

It's a completely warped battery.

I have to get a new battery for it.

Yeah.

Whatever Nintendo's doing is witchcraft.

And I'm happy that they continue to do it because they make really good, really good hardware.

And as was argued in some of our aesthetics lists last year, some of it is fantastic looking.

Yeah.

Um,

and I'm talking, of course, about the virtual boy.

What are you playing?

Well, this morning I saw a motion picture entitled Borderlands in a theater by myself.

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I eventually got off that roof when the sun rose.

So, this movie was widely

panned.

We talked about maybe doing an episode on our text thread

because it came out last week, and I know this will be a week old by the time this episode came out.

It will no longer be in theaters by the time this episode.

It's going to be streaming, so you can catch it on whatever your streaming service is or just Reddit.

The movie came out, it bombed, but before that it was critically derided universally, 0%, I believe, on Rotten Tomatoes, which I just shared with the group chat.

I've read that it is one of the largest bombs in Hollywood history right now.

It doesn't shock me.

I will say, we should say that

I talked about doing an episode.

We talked about doing an episode of the text that and Heather was basically like, Dear God, no, please no.

And then within five minutes, Mary texted all of us and said, Hey, guys, I just had an idea.

What if we all saw Borderlands?

Because I was with her and I was, and she was like, I've got a text from you guys.

And I went, oh, my God.

And she went, what?

And I'm like, no, just hold on.

And I have so few hours to see a movie in a theater that the idea of like my once a month going to a movie theater experience would be borderlands broke my heart.

And then and then Mary thought that was funny.

And so she was encouraging it.

It was funny.

It was.

But I'm glad we're not dedicating an episode to because there's just really not a ton to talk about because it's just, it's fucking terrible.

I like, I hated it.

I watched it.

I was like, this is such a bad movie.

It's so, so extraordinarily unfun to be having this experience here.

The positives, I will say, Claptrap, the robot, looks pretty good.

It's a pretty good effect.

I've heard that Claptrap, the people who designed and animated Claptrap, are not credited in the movie.

And they were on Twitter being like, what?

Jesus.

That's pretty, because that's like the highlight of the movie.

The Clap Trap looks good.

And I will also say, of the new releases I've seen this year, and I try to see pretty much everything,

it's not as bad as the Jerry Seinfeld Pop-Tart movie Unfrosted.

I still think I'd rather rewatch Borderlands than Unfrosted, which I truly actually

know.

All that said, this movie is greating to look at and to listen to.

Now, I will just also say, I'm not a Borderlands fan.

The games can be fun, but I don't like the aesthetic or tone of the Borderlands franchise.

I find it a little bit abrasive.

The comedy does not work for me.

And I will say that this movie accomplishes something pretty remarkable, which I think is baked into the IP.

It makes Jack Black seem annoying.

Like, just like such a lovable, like, like, like, effortlessly funny guy.

His performances claptrap is just like, Jesus, shut the fuck up.

If that's what you're feeling.

And it's the same thing with Ariana Greenblatt, who I think is good and is in the Barbie movie and gives a good performance, but is playing Tiny Tina here is saddled with that role.

And that's just like, again, such an awful, annoying character.

And so their presences are just like, ah, Jesus Christ.

I just, i don't want to i don't want to be having to you know root for these characters or whatever how's blanchet

uh well look i love kate i'm a huge blanchette fan also playing a character from the games uh lilith who i think is one of the playable characters in the first game is that correct that that i think that's great i think her and her and uh and kevin hart are both characters who are like of the core four like playable characters in the first game um

She's good, she is good, but it's also like it's like so much of what this movie feels like is they just knew it wasn't working.

And in post, they just did a bunch of things.

Like they, they took all the air out of it.

It just cut down to the bone.

So it just like hasn't this unrelenting cadence to it that just is like, ugh, it feels like you're watching like a fail compilation video for like two hours.

You know what I mean?

It just like has that rhythm to it.

But it's like, here's one thing, here's another thing, here's one thing, keep going.

We're not going to stop it.

We're not going to slow down because if we slow down, you'll recognize how much this isn't working.

And there's also a bunch of VO from Cape Blanche at the top that just like lays a bunch of pipe for what the world is.

But if you don't have any context for what Borderlands is, I imagine this is just completely inscrutable.

You're just like, what the fuck are you talking about?

Yeah.

And then where it goes in the third act, which I will happily spoil here, is that, again, this is something that's part of

the universe, but like,

if you're just watching this as a viewer, as like a mainstream audience member that this movie would be targeted at, you're like, wait, there's magic?

Like, just magic powers kind of come out of seemingly nowhere.

It hasn't been earned at all in the course of the movie.

So yeah, it's, it's.

but also, I think the other thing is, I'd be curious if there was any Borderlands fan in the Discord who was like, actually, I do think the movie's not great, but I kind of liked it for these reasons.

I'd be surprised by that because I don't think they think this is fun in a fan service-y way.

Like, I feel like the way that stuff from the games is realized is not particularly satisfying.

It doesn't have like any of the looter-shooter element or getting gear, like, which to me is like such a huge part of it.

It's like, oh, I got this new thing, you know?

And there, it just kind of feels like whatever weapons they're using are just like kind of like, eh, whatever, they're kind of incidental.

Another big thing, and this is not necessarily the fault of Borderlands, the franchise, but I think it's a thing they should have addressed when they're adapting it to make it a movie, is Borderlands, coincidentally released around the same time as the Avatar, the first Avatar movie, is also set on a world called Pandora.

And so you're just, they're on the planet Pandora.

They're saying Pandora so many times, but you're just like in your head, you're like, but this Pandora looks like shit.

and you saying Pandora is reminding me of a much better movie.

And I don't know if it, if it is just like, hey, let's just call it something else in the movie, or maybe Claptrap, who's making all these sort of meta jokes, maybe we could have him break the fourth wall and make some sort of reference to there being another Pandora, just to at least acknowledge it, because it's a thing that's going to be at the front of the audience's mind as you're watching it.

But I think the main issue with it is for something that has like such an edgelord sort of sensibility to it, that is such a like, like, like, this is sort of like fucking crazy twisted comedy and comes from an M-rated game franchise this fucking movie's PG-13 and coming in the wake of Deadpool and Wolverine it's like well now we've got like this that movie which is the same sort of tone but is much more effective at it um like like you have that that this this this bloody gory profane uh you know hypersexual movie and then you come to this and it just feels so tame it feels like I don't know, it feels like a TV edit of what the movie should be.

And also I will say that just because I don't like the Borderlands world overall doesn't mean that you can't tell a good story with it.

I have not played the Telltale Tales of the Borderlands, but everything I've heard is that that's a really, really well realized version of a story arc within this universe.

So that's achievable.

It just is not the case with this movie.

I mean, I thought it was a total piece of shit.

I really hated it.

I was so upset while I was watching it.

I wanted to leave.

I didn't check my phone.

I was locked in, but I did check my watch, and I just could not wait for it to be over.

There's a mid-credits scene, which is just so like, Jesus, this is, again, so bad.

It's like,

the fucking jokes in this movie.

Whatever.

I know comedy is like a super subjective and

who am I to

say?

But like, everything feels like it was written 10 years ago.

It's also arguable that it's not subjective since there's a consensus that it is a bad film.

Yeah, does anyone like this?

Does anyone see a character like within the first five minutes of this movie, there is a, I'm getting too old for this shit, straight into a slow clap.

I was like, I can't believe you just pulled two, like, 30-year-old cliches and strung them together into one sequence.

And this is people's, like, on ramp into this film.

I have a potentially ignorant question.

Yeah.

These games, these Borderlands games.

People like these games.

Yeah, they're huge hits.

Yeah, they're very popular.

And I think they're, they're, look, Gearbox makes good games.

I think they are, they're,

if you like,

if you can put kind of like the tonal stuff aside and you kind of accept that, like, hey, this, maybe this comedy might not be for me.

I know that it is for some people, whatever.

I think there's like a fun element in the same way, like playing like a Diablo game.

It's like, okay, I'm running around.

I'm shooting things, getting new stuff.

You know, like it's, it's kind of, it's, it's a world to explore.

The gunplay is pretty satisfying.

And there's like a guy from these games that's on the cover of these games.

Is he in the movie?

Yes, yeah.

That is, um, uh,

there's a, there's a version of that character in it i mean this is this is it's just sort of a generic like psycho bandit that's that's in the you know that's kind of like the mascot for this game along with clap chop who's the little robot i see uh but so there there are psycho bandits in it and there is like a a character who's kind of in their party who's like you know what one of those guys it kind of just feels like this movie should have came out like eight years ago you know what it is it's like yes you are correct it it it almost makes you nostalgic for the era when like video game movies were in inexorably fucking dog shit.

It's like you think about

pre, you know,

now we've got like this amazing piece of TV Fallout or like, you know, like some really good, you know, movie adaptations.

Like there was a time when basically anything came out and it was like, oh, a video game adaptation, that's going to suck.

That's going to be terrible.

At best, it will be a curiosity like Super Mario Bros.

that has the original Super Mario Bros.

movie that has no connection to the original, but it's kind of interesting for that reason.

And at worst, it's something like Wing Commander, which is just not a movie.

Like, just this is a completely inept piece of cinema.

This feels like that.

It harkens back to that, except with just with a much bigger budget and with stars.

Did you get any

popcorn or I was so like, am I going to get the fucking clap trap bucket?

And I was like, there's no fucking way.

This thing's going straight in the garbage.

There's no, I'd be so mad if I spent $11 on that.

So I didn't get it.

I just got a big soda.

I guess I'll close out by saying that afterwards, I ate a lunch,

I went to the Mediterranean place I'd ever been before, and I ate lunch and wasn't really sitting right.

And

on the way home, I almost shit my pants.

Oh, my God.

And if that had happened, if I had shit myself, it would have been the second worst thing that happened.

Because I saw a Borderlands movie.

Maybe third if you count coming here.

Oh, please.

This is a joy.

I can't believe you saw it.

I honestly, when it comes to what if, what if this?

Yeah.

Well, maybe there's not even enough to do this with.

What if when it comes out to VOD, we do a watch-along of it?

Yeah, we could do it.

We could do an episode about it when it's streaming.

I don't know.

I mean, I just, I just kind of feel like, as I was watching, I was like, what is there to say other than like, this is bad, this is bad, this doesn't work.

This makes no sense.

There's so many also like just small,

weird decisions.

Like it's like, okay, this is ostensibly a comedy.

They have Kevin Art in it, who, whatever you think about Kevin Hart, he is like the comedian among the cast, right?

It's like Kate Blanchette, Ariana Greenblatt, who I mentioned,

you know, Kevin Hart, and then I forget who the other actors, but Jamie Lee Curtis is going to be in the middle of the day Jamie Lee Curtis is in it.

So like of the kind of the core cast, like he's like the guy, and he has no jokes in the whole movie.

Like he's just all exposition guy.

And it's just like maybe he wanted to play kind of like a more straight role, but it's, it's really just feels bizarre from a casting standpoint.

There's

apparently the original script for this was written by Craig Mason of Chernobyl and The Last of Us.

And it was before The Last of Us came out.

So it was off of the heels of Chernobyl, which was a dark, gritty success.

And the script was apparently so good that that is how Kate Blanchett got attached.

Interesting.

And then as production began and as the executives began putting their hands on the film, Craig Mason pulled his own credit and said, I do not want to be associated with this film.

Interesting.

Yeah, I mean, I was amazed by anyone leaving their names on it.

Because

this has the A Film by Eli Roth.

And I was like, Eli, you didn't have to do that.

You can have the director's credit, but the A Film Buy thing is, man, okay, if you really want to take ownership.

Yeah, they're going to stand by this.

Yeah.

Really bad.

He had a banger last year with Thanksgiving, though.

I think a good director.

It's just, you know, whatever.

This for sure

just didn't work.

And I have to assume it's because of meddling from a bunch of executives who didn't really understand why anyone would like this in the first place.

I'll give a quick update on Elden Ring real quick, which is just I, you know, I'm continuing to make progress.

I've taken out the fire giant, Moog Lord of Blood, the Godskin duo, you know, kind of wicking my way through.

I think towards the end game, I did get to the DLC area by mistake and was immediately lost.

I know what the fuck was going on.

One thing I really like about this game is

so

there's a psychologic phenomenon, functional fixedness.

It's not exactly this, but it's kind of what people mean with the expression, like when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail, like the idea that things have one function, one purpose.

And I think this game does a good job with some of its puzzle design of like

kind of, you know, making you think in ways that

work against against that.

For instance, there's these towers that happen in the catacombs where they shoot fire,

but if you hit them, they lower down into the ground.

But there's like, you know, a puzzle I came across where you hit this thing to lower it down into the ground.

It just looks like you're trying to get a trap out of the way, but you can actually have it where if you hit it again and then you stand on top of it, it works as an elevator.

And like, I just like, I like seeing things like that because it's just like, oh, you have to think about this thing in a different way.

You have to see it in kind of a different

perspective.

And that's really satisfying when you solve that stuff on your own.

I will also, the weapon I'm using now is the Giza's wheel, which it looks like a big-ass pizza cutter and has this incredible sound design when you charge its heavy attack, which is just like it spins up and it has like this sounds like a belly slicer.

It just sounds like so, so like this intense grinding sound.

It's really cool and it's really fun to use.

I guess my overall thought on this one is

I have kind of reached a fatigue point where I'm like, it does feel like kind of the Baldur's Gate 3 thing of why do so many of the best games kind of overstay their welcome, you know, which I haven't quite cracked.

Like there's parts where the mountaintops of the giants and then there's like the consecrated snowfield area where I'm just kind of like, I like all this, but it feels like the game already kind of hit its peak and now we're just sort of like playing out the string.

You know what I mean?

I don't know.

Do you not feel that way?

Like, I feel like some of the stuff in the like I just feel like Linedale Royal Capital is so fucking good and then you have that I'm forgetting the name of the dungeon but there's that dungeon where where Malkith is at the end of it yeah which is a very long dungeon I'm just like do you also need these other this parts where we go to this Arctic biome because I feel like that area is like just a little bit less populated a little bit less well realized than some of the other things it's just I don't know maybe maybe I'm I'm just like played it so much that I'm uh that I'm just like ready for it to be done but I I do kind of feel like there's there's a point where you could have edited some of this stuff and really compressed it a bit.

That's why I'm like, I would almost say before you even get to the end.

Yeah.

Get in that DLC because that DLC area is so different than the rest of it.

You think the right the right order of operations is go do the DLC before I do the end game?

I think so.

Now that it's out, like I think it's like, because it's, it's, you can do that and then go to the ending.

Like, you know, I think might as well.

Okay.

Just mix it up a little bit.

Yeah, I'm with you.

You might get some new weapons, some new

armaments.

You might find some new stuff to just respect with, even.

I don't know.

And also,

Jesus, take the wheel, as far as I'm concerned.

Did you punch up for Borderlands?

I don't know.

That made me laugh.

Not a good point.

They wouldn't take any of mine.

They all said it was too funny.

I just stared at Matt in disbelief.

You haven't seen it on it for a couple minutes.

Anyway, that's what I've been playing.

Well, I love it.

Yeah.

That's what we've been playing.

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All right, let's get into Capcom.

All right, I want want to do a little introduction here.

It's called the history of Capcom in five acts.

Act one is the dawn of Capcom, 1979 to 1983.

It's 1979 in Osaka, Japan.

The company that would become Capcom isn't called Capcom yet.

It's Japan Capsule Computers, a company specializing in the manufacturing and distribution of electronic game machines, a mostly unregulated industry in Japan.

And when an industry is unregulated, it lures in some shadowy characters.

To quote from the untold history of Japanese game developers, quote, in Japan, you have these evil companies that always crop up.

And unlike the West, in Japan, there's this perception that play is bad, the opposite of hard work.

So amusement-oriented industries inevitably become infested with evil companies and ties to the underworld, writes John, and I hope I'm pronouncing this correctly,

says Paniak in

his book.

He continues, take arcades, for example.

In legal terms, they're covered under laws regarding the entertainment and amusement trades.

So they're managed under the same laws that regulate the adult or pink industry.

Because of that, the underworld gets involved.

The only companies that have been able to do business while staying clean are probably Nintendo and Namco.

One wonders if a distribution company specializing in money-making machines with little oversight could be a way for the underworld to make to rake in cash without accountability.

This comedy podcaster has heard stories about these kinds of allegations.

But perhaps those Capcom origins are merely that stories, a rumor in a world with a shadowy birth.

Either way, capsule computers wanted to become legit, so fast forward to 1983, and Capcom Company Limited, Capcom Co.

Limited, is officially born.

The name Capcom is a portmanteau of capsule capsule computers, a nod to their origins in the arcade game industry.

These early years are humble.

Capcom's focus is on arcade games, those towering machines that draw quarters from eager players.

But now we're in Act 2, the Blue Bomber and the Path to Greatness.

1987 is a pivotal year.

Capcom releases Mega Man, a game that would become a cornerstone of the company's identity.

Mega Man isn't just another action platformer.

It introduces players to a new kind of challenge.

Defeat the robot masters, acquire their powers, and use them against the next boss.

This formula is simple yet addictive, and it quickly becomes a fan favorite.

During this period, Capcom also begins to experiment with different genres.

Games like Ghosts and Goblins in 1985 and Bionic Commando in 1987 push the boundaries of arcade gameplay.

But it's Mega Man that cements Capcom's reputation as a company that can craft iconic characters and memorable gameplay experiences.

Act 3, Street Fighting and Survival Horror, 1991 to 1996.

1991 is a landmark year.

Matt Opodaka is born.

I was born six years prior to that.

Street Fighter 2 hits arcades, and the world of competitive gaming changes overnight.

This isn't just a game, it's a global phenomenon.

Players everywhere are mastering the art of the Hadouken, memorizing combos, and challenging friends or strangers at local arcades.

Street Fighter 2 becomes a cultural touchstone and Capcom is at the center of it all.

But Capcom isn't just content with dominating in the arcade scene.

In 1996, they release Resident Evil on the PlayStation.

This isn't just a game, it's an experience.

Resident Evil introduces players to the survival horror genre, where tension, atmosphere, and resource management are just as important as shooting zombies.

The game's success spawns a franchise that would become one of Capcom's most enduring legacies.

Act 4, the ups and downs of the new millennium, 2000 to 2010.

As the 2000s roll in, Capcom faces new challenges.

The video game industry is evolving with new consoles, new technologies, and new expectations from players.

Capcom experiments with different titles, some successful, like Devil May Cry in 2001 and Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney in 2001, and others that don't quite hit the mark.

The company also faces internal struggles with leadership changes and financial challenges.

But Capcom keeps moving forward.

They continue to release new entries in their flagship franchises, though the reception is sometimes mixed.

It's a time of experimentation and adaptation as Capcom navigates the rapidly changing landscape of the video game industry.

Act 5.

The revival and return to form 2012 to present.

By the early 2010s, Capcom is ready for a comeback.

In 2012, they release Dragon's Dogma, a game that, while initially overshadowed, becomes a cult classic.

But it's the Resident Evil series that truly marks Capcom's return to form.

Resident Evil 7 in 2017 reinvents the series, bringing it back to its horror roots with a fresh, first-person perspective.

At the same time, Monster Hunter finally breaks through to a global audience with Monster Hunter World in 2018, becoming Capcom's best-selling game of all time.

The success success of Street Fighter IV and V in the competitive scene also helps re-establish Capcom as a key player in the fighting game community.

Today, Capcom stands as a company that has not only survived but thrived through decades of change in the video game industry.

From arcade cabinets to global franchises, Capcom's journey is a testament to its ability to adapt, innovate, and capture the imagination of gamers around the world.

They're still doing what they do best, making games that challenge, inspire, and entertain.

And they're showing no signs of stopping.

Wow.

Hey there, that rocked.

A master class.

Thank you.

That was amazing.

Yeah, riveting.

I will say

the one franchise you mentioned there that I am, look, I'm a huge fan of Capcom.

And I think it is,

like, as far as publishers go, you know, it's one of the most important.

I don't know where it goes where it is exactly in the hierarchy, but I think in terms of its significance to gaming over its entire history, it's up there with like an Activision.

You know what I mean?

Like a kind of company that's like had

been around since the 8-bit era or the pre-8-bit era, continually putting out

franchises

both old and new that

change the culture of gaming.

They're one of the big ones.

But I will say that the one franchise that you mentioned that to me is a huge blind spot.

I have never played a Monster Hunter game.

And I know that people love Monster Hunter.

I know that it is their biggest franchise.

And yes, as you mentioned, their best-selling game of all time.

Resident Evil is their biggest franchise.

Oh, their biggest, their biggest franchise.

Yeah, their biggest single game is Monster Hunter World.

So

it's so huge for them, but that's just a game I've never gotten around to playing any of the Monster Hunters.

I've played Monster Hunter.

I don't remember which Monster Hunter I played.

It might have been World.

And I was overwhelmed.

I was like, okay, this is a game that I could clearly sink

hundreds of hours into, but ultimately, am I going to

am I going to spend the kind of time that it would take to become a master in a game where I don't get to talk about, like, I don't get to talk about Monster Hunter to friends.

It's not trending.

Like, it's not like the summer we were all playing Animal Crossing or the

summer we were all playing winter, we were all playing Elden Ring.

It might be super popular, but it doesn't like, there's not a lot of discourse about those games.

The most discourse I can remember about Monster Hunter is the cooking.

Yeah, sure.

But yeah, I've dabbled.

It's certainly awesome,

but it felt too much for me.

Yeah, I know it's a large, passionate fan base.

And

I know we have listeners who are really into Monster Hunter because they've mentioned it to me.

But Matt, ever mess around with those i bought and played some of monster hunter rise on my switch uh because people seemed to say that was a good entry point yeah and that it plays well on the switch and i was like okay great i can use a chunky game like that um and then i think

I think then Tears of the Kingdom came out or something.

I shouldn't have got it, honestly.

But it seemed like it was cool, but there was like, like Heather's saying,

too much to do right away.

Like, there's so much.

Yeah.

And I couldn't, there's so many systems that I was just like, I kind of just want to play a game.

I want this to be the type of game where I don't really have to know what's going on.

I can just kind of pick it up and play it.

But it doesn't, it asks more of you than that.

Yeah.

Well, I will just say, going back through it historically, the games that really made Capcom like something I was aware of as a kid were

Mega Man, as Heather mentioned, specifically Mega Man 2.

Mega Man 2 was like, oh, I love that game, and it was one of my favorite games as a kid on the NES, and

I replayed it endlessly.

Mega Man 2,

Bionic Commando,

and then also a,

Capcom made a bunch of Disney license games for a time,

and the DuckTales game for NES is like an incredibly fun video game.

I remember messing around with the remaster and was like, oh, this is pretty good, but I think this was more of its time.

But

that was another thing of just like, oh, that was one of the best, the first like licensed games I played that it was like actually good to play.

Yeah.

Versus like some of those other games, like the Back to the Future game is just like, it just sucks.

Or like the Three Stooges game, I was like, I don't even know what this is.

I feel like with something like DuckTales or like the Lion King or whatever, they didn't do the Lion King, right?

No.

I'm trying to remember if that was one of theirs because they did like the Aladdin game, I think.

Did they do Lion King?

There's like, yeah, I think they did.

You kind of buy that more than you buy like a Marty McFly platformer, you know what I mean?

Like, there's a little, there's a little more buy-in for sure like that.

Um,

Mega Man, I feel like, is a guy who should still be like up there with Mario and Sonic, and just kind of is not, I think.

Yeah, I mean, what was the last proper Mega Man game there?

Mega Man 11 and Mega Man 11, and then Mega Man X, I don't know if Mega Man X is still going, I haven't been trying to get that one.

I think part of the problem was that,

what was it called?

Mega Man Battle Network.

So Mega Man Battle Network on the PlayStation is a fucking awesome game with a great aesthetic, but it was not Mega Man as people had come to expect.

And I think that that was a breaking point for the series.

That and after a certain number of Mega Man and Mega Man X games, where you're just like running to the right

and blasting and using these powers.

You're like, okay, this,

it's the same reason why Sonic

eventually stopped making 2D games for a bit and became a 3D platformer before finally returning to.

What are you smiling about?

Oh, nothing.

I was listening to what you were saying.

You seem like you're making fun of me.

Not at all.

Not at all.

I was engaged.

Okay.

I'm not making fun of you.

It seemed like he was making fun of me.

Not at all.

Listener.

Never.

Listener, I think.

I think from somebody who was sitting over here and saw the whole thing, you said Sonic and Nick smiled.

Anyway, I feel like there was like stagnation in the series, and then they branched out and did something really brave and different.

Yeah.

And people were like, what the fuck is this?

And then other people were like, oh my God, this is incredible.

It's a real shame that there wasn't ever a return to that aesthetic because it's a really cool looking game.

There were also the Mega Man Legends games for the PlayStation, the 3D ones, and

Misadventures of Tron Bottom.

Those are all kind of, yeah,

they've done a, I don't know, but I mean, like, still an awesome character, and I feel like he's still, he's still kind of like a, like the Capcom mascot in a lot of ways.

Yeah, I guess I'm like, he should, there should be a Mega Man animated movie.

Like, he should have the same

cultural footprint, I think, that Sonic and Mario has.

What are everyone's favorite, like, Capcom franchises, personally?

I mean, I either imagine for you it's Street Fighter, but...

I was wrong.

It wasn't Mega Man Battle Network, and I just want to correct myself.

I can't remember the name of the Mega Man on PlayStation.

Well, there was a Mega Man Legends was a 3D one.

Mega Man Battle Network was, I think, was a Game Boy game, but I never played Mega Man Battle Network.

People love those Mega Man X ones, but for some reason, that seems like that's too much for me.

There's too much going on in that.

I kind of just want him to be like, okay, this is a fire guy.

I get the fire thing now.

I played some of the Mega Man Xs on Super Nintendo.

I mean, they were just churning out a lot of them.

I did think those were still really cool games.

But

there was a kid I went to like a day camp with.

And I wish I remembered what his name was.

But he was obsessed with the Game Boy Advance

era of Mega Man games.

And it was like, I mean, it was just like his number one thing.

Yeah.

Like, it was like the thing that he was always playing, his Game Boy Advance, playing those Mega Man games.

Yeah.

That's all, like, that's all anybody knew about him was that he was the Mega Man kid.

Yeah.

It's a good kid to be.

Yeah.

I'm trying to remember that, what was the Mega Man, there was a Mega Man PSP game that I had that was, Mega Man Powered Up, and it was just a remake of the first one, but it had like some remix elements, and it was also like had this, it was in widescreen, and then it kind of had these, you know, had like this, this, this 2D, 3D visual character to it.

I remember enjoying that, but I don't know how well regarded regarded this fandom.

I like Mega Man enough that I kick-started that fucking mighty number.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

It's kind of the only time Mega Man's really come up on this show is that when we did the bad one.

The bad version.

So, to answer your question, Nick,

favorite Capcom franchises.

So, my favorite Capcom franchise is Street Fighter, but I will admit that I've had a lot of trouble maintaining interest after five.

Like, five fell so flat that it, like, even though six was super fun and we we played it on our show

i i was just like

i'm not i'm not feeling the old love even though i used to play four

every fucking day for hours hours i would play that game um and i will also say you know street fighter 2 changed my life yeah like

i was in like in arcades standing on milk crates to be able to play street fighter 2 and it was so important to me.

Like it felt like I had discovered something about myself and about my relationship to games.

Like I discovered that like I could learn and become better at something.

Yeah.

And that was that was a totally unique experience.

I saved up money to buy the Super Nintendo version, which was $74 when it came out, which is equivalent to $160

now.

Like imagine a fucking video game costing $160.

It was so expensive, but I was like, oh, I have to have it.

And I was at my aunt's house in New Orleans.

And I was like, Street Fighter comes out today and I've saved up this money and I had crinkled money.

And she was like, oh, what's that?

And I was like, it's a game.

Can you please take me to the mall so that I can buy it?

And she was like, okay, sweetie.

And we drove to the mall and got Street Fighter.

And I was holding, like, it was like my first treasure, you know?

Yeah.

I remember Street Fighter 2 coming to arcades and how seismic that was.

Having played Street Fighter 1 in arcades and being like, oh, this is kind of sucks.

And then Street Fighter 2, like, what a big idea, what a big thing it was.

Like, it just defined what a fighting game is.

It's impossible to really, like, I really think that's one of the most, I really think, I think the consensus is it's one of the most consequential games in video game history.

Like, it's like the idea of like a multi-character sort of like fighting setup, it was just like the way it was implemented and the way the characters were balanced and were so diverse in different play styles, like just set the template for what fighting games were and was an unbelievable sensation.

Like it was so, it was one of those games that was so huge, like Pac-Man big before games were in like the general like, you know, pop culture

like umbrella that they are today.

So it was insane what a breakthrough that was.

One of the things that's frustrating to me about like, say, the Capcom article on Wikipedia and Capcom's platinum titles list on their website, which they update every month and they talk about their top 100 selling video games of all time.

So, Monster Hunter World is number one.

Monster Hunter Rise is number two.

Resident Evil 2

is number three with 14 million copies.

Resident Evil 7 is number four, right?

Here's the thing:

Street Fighter 2 sold across Nintendo or

Second Genesis and the Super NES

14 million, more than 14 million copies.

But it's not on this list because technically it's different titles.

Yeah, so there were, I mean, I bought two versions of Street Fighter for Super Nintendo, Street Fighter 2 and then Street Fighter 2 Turbo.

And then I think getting Super Street Fighter as well was a bridge too far for four additional characters.

But yeah, so

there were a bunch of different titles that it split across.

Probably the Street Fighter franchise would be up there, or a Street Fighter II franchise, which is its own thing.

If this list

incorporated Street Fighter II as a single title, even though it was across multiple systems and multiple slight updates, it would be still...

The fourth highest selling game in Capcom's history.

Yeah, and that's just thinking about it as a port of the actual version that was, I think, more played, which was the arcade version.

And it's hard to think of it

in modern terms if you weren't ever around for arcade culture.

But it's like this was people were like making a day out of like going to go play Street Fighter II and then later games that would kind of imitate it, like Mortal Kombat.

It was just like, I'm going to the arcade to do this.

And so many cabinets were sold and so many quarters were pumped into it because people were obsessed with this game and playing it competitively in a time before, you know, there was, there was organized esports.

One other bit of Capcom trivia in terms of Street Fighter 2 is that this game was so ubiquitous and so popular that in the UK, they stopped packaging Super Nintendos with Super Mario World.

And Nintendo put a Capcom game in their box.

So if you bought a Super Nintendo, you'd be buying

Street Fighter 2 in your Super Nintendo, which is fucking wild.

That's crazy.

I did not know that.

I did not know that happened.

You mentioned Street Fighter VI.

I'll just say real quick,

I enjoyed my time with Street Fighter VI.

I'm not someone who really plays fighting games, but I will say that it seems like the Street Fighter community loves Street Fighter VI, and watching the Evo Street Fighter VI this year was super duper compelling.

It was awesome.

So I know people do really think that the franchise is back on track with that.

Let's talk about some things other than beyond Street Fighter because we could talk about Third Strike and what all day.

So the Resident Evil franchise, obviously another of their hugest...

franchises and a game that like the original Resident Evil made a huge impact on me.

It was one of the things that made me want to get a PlayStation 1, my first non-Nintendo console.

And then obviously Resident Evil 4 is just like, that's one of the best games ever made.

And the remaster, which we played for the podcast, I was just like, this is such a great, you know, reinterpretation and update of you.

You did what now?

Yeah, no,

we played

Resident Evil 4, the original on Modern Hardware, the one with your voiceover.

I would go as far to say that the remake is one of my favorite games this generation.

Yeah, it's fucking right.

It's really fucking good.

It's so fun.

And having just done the DLC,

I also loved it.

But I've weirdly, I've thought about starting other Resident Evil games, but I have not ever felt the itch to actually do it.

It's the only Resident Evil game I've ever played because I'm sort of thinking, this is the one.

Like,

this is the banger.

They're good.

I know that two is supposed to be really great.

People like these newer entries, seven and

village.

Yeah, Ranch really liked the Resident Evil 2 remake.

You're having a blast with that.

I loved it.

But, like, I...

I don't know.

I should give one of the, I would like to give one of the new ones a try because that seems so different than 4.

No, I haven't played the first person one, 7 and 8, which everyone was like,

these are awesome.

I just, I gave it just a little blind spot for me.

Resident Evil 4, incredible game.

It's also like the one that's kind of like, it's the most action-y, I feel like, of all of them.

And by the time they got to Resident Evil 3 Nemesis, it kind of felt like, okay, we've explored this.

That's kind of the credit to Shinji Mikami and then Capcom's handling of the Resident Evil franchise at large, that it's reinvented itself so many times, that it just kind of went from

the fixed camera pre-rendered backgrounds, PlayStation 1 version to like, hey, we're going to do something else with Resident Evil 4 to now we're going to go into first person for the modern incarnation and make it more horror-focused.

When we did the episode about the remake, our pal Cody Ziggler was the guest, and he said something on that show that I've thought about other games since then.

But he said,

this is a Capital V video game.

It really is.

This is just a fucking video game.

Yeah.

And it is like that to me is one of the more video game video games that I just love.

And

it's just perfect from start to finish.

A Capcom game that I love that is not often talked about and has, I think, been sort of long forgotten.

Are you going to say Dead Rising?

No.

Okay.

I'm going to say Beautiful Joe.

I knew it, yes.

Beautiful Joe.

Very cool looking game.

Beautiful Joe came out here at a time.

It hit me in the right zone.

I was probably like 12.

So he's kind of naughty, you know, and he's saying kind of like horny stuff.

And he's like punching and he becomes like a, you know, his superhero.

He becomes Beautiful Joe.

It rocks.

And it was for GameCube.

It was released for GameCube first, which i didn't have and so when it was ported to um playstation 2 when beautiful joe 2 was released i rented both from my local hollywood video and was so fucking excited i i loved those games and

hope and pray every single day for a port because i can't imagine that it's that the switch could run it i know the switch could run it just

put it out on switch just do it for do it for old Matty, please.

I miss my boy, beautiful Joe.

I loved those games.

I thought they were so fun and so funny.

Yeah, kind of also like the, when, when, like, a self-shaded sort of aesthetic was like a new novel thing.

Like, just the way those games looked was so awesome.

Um, I only really got into the first one, but it's interesting that's like a dormant franchise because I feel like, again, that's a character that has persisted in people's minds.

There was a TV show for a time, I believe, too.

And

I, that, I don't think

he should have the same cultural relevance as, say, Mega Man or Sonic or Mario or something, but I think he's a fun guy.

No, that's a cool character.

He could still be around.

Give me a new one.

Heather, did you want to talk about Dead Rising?

No.

Why did you think I was going to do it?

I was just like, oh, is he going to talk about Dead Rising?

Dead Rising does sound like a matt game.

Is Dead Rising the one that takes place in the mall where you punch people with a bunch of random objects?

It's a zombie.

It's a like

part of what's cool about Dead Rising, it's the zombie apocalypse game.

There's just so many zombies, but like also, yeah, you can just get like a hedge trimmer or like a gumball machine and use that to dispatch the horde.

So that's, that's kind of, that's fun.

Yeah, that was, that was a new thing.

There's like, oh, I got a king salmon off a shelf and I can fucking clobber a, a, a, you know, a zombie with it.

That was a game when it came out that I was so hyped for and so excited for, but I don't think it was released on PlayStation 2 initially.

I think it was an Xbox game.

It was the 86.

I think it was the

It wasn't the next generation after that?

Probably.

I just never checked in on it, I guess.

It was a 360 game, I think, and part of the selling point was just like, look how many zombies are on screen.

Which was cool, which was a novelty.

I believe they're remastering it.

I think there's a Dead Rising Remaster on the way.

Oh, well, there you go.

Perhaps we'll cover it on Get Play.

But that's the kind of thing of like, I think it speaks to like kind of its deep bench because there's even games like, you know, Dino Crisis, which I know have their own fandom that they're just sort of like

rabid fans.

Dino Crisis is Resident Evil with dinosaurs.

Yes, like, why wouldn't you have made that?

Like, where is the Dino Crisis 4 of Resident Evil 4 of Dino Crisis?

Does that make sense?

What I just said, 100%, yeah.

Like, there could be a Resident Evil 4 caliber game where instead of like

dudes looking at you in weird, shitty clothes, it was like Velociraptors dodging your bullets oh man

that sounds like my jam dino crisis should have been an arcade cabinet with time crisis and it should have been the

time crisis but you shoot dinosaur

it was like a there was like a lost world video game where you shot dinosaurs in a jeep oh yeah that game to me was they had that at my at my local Chuck E.

Cheese in Norwalk when I was a kid.

And I would go straight to that game and spend my entire time at Chuck E.

Cheese playing the Lost World game.

Super fun.

I'm trying to think what other, what we haven't mentioned.

I mean,

I feel like we should touch on real quick, Breath of Fire.

The only Breath of Fire I played was the one for Super Nintendo, which I think was Breath of Fire 2.

But, you know, that was a JRPG franchise they had.

Not a big RPG company, but they dabbled in it.

Heather, you ever messed around with Breath of Fires?

I did not.

I did not.

They made a few of them.

Also, Final Fight was just like

such a fun, like pure, like beat-em-up brawler.

I really like

the Final Fight games.

And then I put a lot of time into Super Ghoul.

Was it Super Ghouls and Ghosts or Super Ghosts and Goblins on the Super Nintendo?

But those were just like tough as nails platformers.

I don't know if we're wanting to get to this part of Capcom, but I know we did one of these games on the show, and I feel like he's worth talking about.

Phoenix Wright.

Yeah, I love the Ace Attorney series.

And for me, I mean, for me, it's just Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney, that first game, the one that was ported to the DS in the US.

That was what got me into it.

There have been a bunch of subsequent Ace of Attorney games.

Some of I checked in on, some I haven't, but like, just the first game was such a novelty to me.

I know it's not at all the kind of game that you like to play, Heather, but it is still like a cool-ass design.

It's awesome design, but the best part about it is shouting objection.

Yes, it's so cool.

Like, holy shit.

So good.

That's one of the things.

So, like, I feel like Capcom's reticence to like dabble in JRPGs that much is speaking to a larger company concept, which is that, like, they really make video gamey, fun video games.

Yes.

Like, they aren't afraid to embrace the absurdity of what video games are.

Like, that you smash barrels to get ammo, that you are, like,

everything about them is a little bit like too bright, too big too over the top all the way back to final fight like it's a little absurd and that's kind of their aesthetic well what's absurd about a former pro wrestler becoming mayor

wearing a

being shirtless with a single uh suspender having that be his uniform um no

madage world not much honestly yeah that's not far from reality mad gear gang uh kidnap someone's daughter uh Let's see.

What else?

The Okami games,

fuck Okami.

Kami was cool.

Was it just a cool aesthetic there?

I don't know how those games would play nowadays.

I kind of feel like those maybe have an aged crap from a gameplay standpoint.

I remember them being cool at the time.

There was Onamusha the same thing.

Wasn't there a Wii remake?

Or was it the other way around?

No, that sounds right.

Is Okami the wolf?

Yeah, the wolf.

Okami's the like paintbrush wolf.

I have it on Switch, and I was like, I'm going to play this, and I've simply never touched it.

Yeah.

I'd be interested if it holds up.

I bought Devil May Cry 5 on sale, like on deep, deep discount.

Yep.

Because I was like, let's just see what this is.

Because I've never played a Devil May Cry game before, but I was always interested in them.

I like the guy in his red cloak.

He seems like a cool guy.

Dante.

Dante.

Dante's not really like the guy

in this one.

I think he's in it, but he's not wearing the red cloak.

And this game, have either of you messed with Devil May Cry 5?

Not five, no.

I played some of the

crazy.

Yeah, it's so crazy.

You were reading that list of the best-selling games from Capcom Games.

Every game on it is a Resident Evil game or a Monster Hunter game, one through nine.

Number ten is Devil May Cry 5, which I was staggered by.

I mean, I think

from my estimation, I'm sure it has its fans.

I didn't dislike what I played of it.

I just just was like, I'm not going to,

I'm not going to roll credits on Devil May Cry 5.

I don't know.

My estimation for why it's sold so well is that it is routinely $10.

Like,

it is constantly on sale.

And now it's been out for a while, too.

So I'm sure a lot of people bought it at launch.

But it is...

It is, when you look at the PlayStation summer sales or whatever it is, it's always in the top.

It's like 75% off.

It's just always on sale.

Devil May Cry games are, again,

super wacky, super absurd.

The dialogue spoken in them is almost unintelligible.

Like, it's just nonsense.

Yes.

And the pleasure of Devil May Cry games is just doing the combos.

Like, it's like, how many things can I do to this one guy?

That can be super fun, though.

Yeah.

I feel like the, wait, wasn't a Devil May Cry?

Am I, am I wrong?

Wasn't it a Devil May Cry combat designers didn't do the, didn't he do Final Fantasy 16 combat?

Am I wrong about that?

That might be true.

I was literally about to say it's as crazy as Final Fantasy 16.

I think that's true.

I could be wrong about those details.

I shouldn't be trying to just recall stuff that I'm uncertain about on a fucking video game podcast because it was going to jump down my throat.

Anyway,

the other thing about Devil May Cry is every female character design looks like Catalyah from

Violet Evergarde.

Yeah, it's just like huge rack plunging neckline.

It's insane.

But also.

Thrusting juggos.

The combat is super fun and super engaging, but it's like it is mindless, but then you, it, it does, it's sort of in conflict with you'll hear something absolutely insane.

You're just like, what the fuck is this, actually?

Matt, do you know the ending to Bionic Commando on NES?

Have you been, like, have you absorbed that at any point?

I feel like you have said it to me, but it is not information that I stored in my OS.

So this is the kind of thing of like, you know, I'm playing this game.

It's pre-internet.

I get to the final boss.

There's a, there's a, there's like a, like, so you can't jump in this game, which was an incredible novelty at the time of like, you actually had, you had like a robot arm that you used to kind of swing kind of like

kind of like Dr.

Octopus kind of appendage coming from your arm.

That's, that's what makes you a Bionic Commando.

That's a selling point in this game.

You can't jump but it but it was cool because you had like the the way the physics worked with the arm like you could you kind of swung around like like tarzan or whatever and it was it was really cool it was very novel and uh so you got to

the the the final boss has a thing where you have to like swing off off of a ledge and then at the perfect time follow fire a bazooka uh to like trigger like the you know to like shoot it into the perfect place and then you fight the final boss who's a dude in a mech i might be having this order wrong because i'm just trying to remember it but he's a dude in a mech.

You finally beat him.

It turns out that it's Hitler.

And then you kill him, and his head explodes.

You see, like a little pixelated Hitler's head in a dialogue box because, like, no, and his head splits into four pieces, and pink goo comes out.

It's like, this is fucking insane.

So it turns out, I didn't know that.

That's insane.

Did they retain that for the film?

Wait, did they make a Bionic Commando movie?

No, I'm thinking of, oh, no, Wing Commander.

I'm thinking of the Wing Commander on the headline.

No, different things.

Whenever we can find an image of it,

up there with Abraham Lincoln for me.

That's crazy.

That shouldn't be allowed.

You shouldn't be able to do surprise Hitler.

That's not good.

It's kind of amazing that Nintendo allowed it back in the day.

Yeah, here we go.

Here's an image of it.

There.

I mean, that's.

He doesn't look that concerned.

And then here he is being gooified.

Oh, my God.

Head just exploding in the dialogue box.

That's absolutely wild.

The last thing Hitler hears before he is killed is Bionic Commando saying, your numbers up, monster.

Fitting.

Okay, like, I mean, there's so many games to talk about.

We're not going going to talk about all of them i know there there are you know some seismic games that maybe people want to hear us dig into that i don't have a personal connection to uh like s and k versus capcom i know is such a huge deal when that came together did you ever mess around with that i did not mess around with that but wasn't that actually made by s and kee i forget the history of it again this is not a thing i i i have a lot i can claim to have a lot of knowledge of it

talk about power stone i think that matt this is the thing i was just about to talk about power stone because i was gonna say we're not gonna talk about all these but if i want to talk about a couple more games that I have a personal connection to,

the first one is Powerstone and Powerstone 2 for the Sega Dreamcast.

Let's fucking go.

Such a great party fighter.

And I love Smash Brother Melee Brothers Melee, but in terms of like having friends over and we're just going to play a game that we all can enjoy immediately, the Powerstone games were so like accessible for everyone.

They're so fun.

Such a heartbreaking loss

in Capcom history that Powerstone is just gone.

Yeah.

Because Powerstone was like, also, it was, nobody had a Dreamcast.

So you'd, you'd bring people over and you'd be like, oh, you've got to play this game.

It's so much fun.

And like, you'd get like two people, even three people to play that game at the same time.

And it would be, people would be like, this is fucking great.

Let's go again.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Because the, the, and the, the Powerstone 2 in particular had these dynamic levels that would like change.

And like, you'd have one where it was like basically set on the Titanic and then you'd hit an iceberg and then it would turn into something else.

It was just like, awesome it was so it was just so rad and it was so also so cartoony um but just like it had the elements that made a fighting game fun but it was simplified in a way that didn't make it feel like a baby game it was just like a like a really fun uh you know again again party fighter another lost uh capcom fighting game is rival schools oh yeah which was a 3d an early 3d fighting game that just i don't think ever was localized or released here um as we discovered uh in our text thread or I discovered, I think the reason my relationship with my Sega Saturn was so different than most people's is that I had mine modded.

So I had a Japanese switch on the side of the machine that I could toggle.

And there was a place in Chicago that I could buy imported games.

And so I would go buy these games, especially fighting games.

You don't have to know a lot of Japanese in order to play a fighting game.

And Rival Schools was one of those games where I was just like, this fucking rules.

I never really got into Rival Schools.

I mean, I'm sure I messed around with a cabinet at a certain point.

They have weapons.

So it's like somebody with a bat.

And your moves involve hitting people with a bat

instead of just like punching.

The only other game I wanted to make sure we touch on,

you know, is Steel Battalion,

which is the game that is infamous for its gigantic controller.

We talked about this when we did our project.

Yes, which is pedals, two different sticks.

It's like four different pieces.

It costs like $300.

It's so fucking dumb and it's amazing that it exists.

Oh, I was wrong.

Rival Schools did come out on the PlayStation.

Okay.

But I did.

I had it on the Saturn.

Huh.

Did you need this controller to play Steel Battalion, or could you just play it on a, like, whatever the controller was for it?

I believe it was playable with like with just a an Xbox controller, but I mean, I think that was also like

the idea of having, I mean, I'll just read this from Wikipedia.

The controller consists of to control the tank and play the game requires the use of a large controller made specially for steel bedallion.

So it says requires.

The controller consists of 44 input points, mainly buttons.

Well, it just uses two joysticks, a throttle handle, a radio channel dial, five switches, an eject button, and three foot pedals.

Fucking love that.

It's just so cool that it exists.

I love that.

It's like the train controller for, I think, it's some train simulator game.

Yeah, I've seen this.

Where you can like fucking play

using a train on your desk.

Like not, not a not like a model train, but like a

what?

Don't tell Nick about this.

We'll never see him again.

I'm really like, I just think, you know, it's had its ups and downs like any company that's been around for whatever, 40 plus years at this point.

1983 was it, was it that you said?

It was just like.

79 is when it's

when it's formed as Japan Capsule Computers or whatever.

And then 83 is when it rebrands as Capcom.

So yeah, I mean, it's just, but I think overall that the

diversity of output, it's just like there were so many different interesting kind of games.

I also think there's kind of like a Capcom aesthetic that I really like.

We didn't talk about the Capcom sting at the top of

their games, which I think is like one of my favorite game sounds ever.

I want you guys to know that I did a um uh sketch show my only time i've done a solo sketch show where i wrote everything and performed everything and i opened it with a capcom sting it was the capcom sting but it turned into campbell yeah yeah i remember that that was a good show no thank you i think as far as uh

logos too Pretty good.

It's just the name in

yellow with a blue border.

Very, very good.

Very effective.

Yeah.

Their aesthetic, other than I would say, the Resident Evil games, is kind of poppy.

Sure, like it's like got a real shine.

It's got a real, like, I don't know.

I think of Capcom as matte finish with like bright colors.

Yeah, sure.

I don't know.

I did, I didn't.

Oh, fuck.

We didn't even talk about Marvel versus Capcom.

Whatever.

We're going to talk about everything.

We got to take it.

Yeah, we got to at least do that.

Should we, okay, so

want to take you forward, bro?

That's cool.

That's a great song.

Should we close it out with the

like, just kind of like, what are the big caps?

Like, if we're going to say, like what are the games that define this this company like what are like hey these are the five kind of like it's kind of hard to say yeah it's it's a little bit tricky i mean i think there are a couple obvious ones i mean i think resident evil oh fuck is it resident evil one though or resident evil four i think resident evil four probably belongs on there maybe it's resident evil one are you talking individual games

we're saying franchises oh no i want to go individual games that's harder yeah

it'll for sure make some people mad so let's do that

yeah uh i think street fighter 2 and and resident i would say resident evil 4 which is like the apex of the series.

I think those are the two games that kind of should be on there.

I think that's like, that's like, oh, well, these are the defining games of this company.

That would be my argument.

You can argue for an earlier Resident Evil, but I don't think you can argue for a Resident Evil sequel other than 4.

I mean,

if Street Fighter 2 is on there, does Marvel versus Capcom

2, I feel like, is the one that people are like, does that deserve a seat?

No, I feel like Marvel versus Capcom, though, is

it's a response to Street Fighter 2.

Yes.

It is additional language for a book you've already read.

It's Street Fighter DLC.

Right.

And I say that in horror because that game is fucking incredible, totally different from Street Fighter 2.

And I can hear the anger

of

people hearing this podcast and being like, Street Fighter 2 isn't Street or Street Fighter.

Marvel Capcom is not Street Fighter 2 DLC, but I'm talking conceptually.

I'm talking about like Street Fighter 2 is the fountainhead from which Marvel versus Capcom 2 flows.

Yeah, I think that's fair.

And look, even though Street Fighter, the first one,

birthed the franchise, that's nothing, it's not at all recognizable.

Street Fighter 2 is what set up what Street Fighter became.

I'm trying to think of what else.

I mean, like, we haven't talked about the Strider games.

I don't think the Strider games belong on here, but I will say Strider for the Genesis was was like one of those like holy moment i can't believe a game could look like this like that that one that like just seeing that game in motion it just looks so amazing uh i i feel like even though we haven't played it it seems crazy that we wouldn't put monster hunter on this top five it should just be monster hunter world should be on there i mean i think that i think for sure that's just one of their totemic games What else is the question?

I mean, like, do you, do you throw in like an, I would argue for a Phoenix Rite Ace Attorney just because I feel like that is so distinct.

And also, like, even even though it's kind of a niche game, it is a long-running franchise.

And I feel like it's so linked to Capcom's identity.

But we don't have to lock it in right now.

But that's just what I'd float.

If we're constructing

a Mount Rushmore, as it were, the heads of the Mount Rushmore so far,

let's say it's Ryu for representing Street Fighter 2.

Leon S.

Kennedy from Resident Evil 4.

And then Monster Hunter Guy.

And then the guy from Monster Hunter.

Who is the Monster Hunter guy?

I don't think it's that guy.

Maybe it's a bad example.

Maybe it's too far.

But I'm saying

I feel like you can't.

I'm going to guess globally more people would recognize Mega Man over Phoenix Wright.

I think a Mega Man game should be on there.

I mean, I wasn't necessarily, I was not arguing for Phoenix Wright over a Mega Man.

She could be a Mega Man 2.

Which money in her hand is Mega Man 2 Fingers?

Mega Man 2 is my personal favorite.

Is that the right one?

Or should it be like Mega Man X?

I don't know.

I think probably I would argue for Mega Man 2 just because I feel like that's like the formula was perfected.

And it also,

again, to kind of set up where the franchise was headed.

We should do Mega Man 11 on the show sometime.

It's really good.

That'd be fun.

It's really, really good.

I love Mega Man.

All right, so Mega Man 2 is on there.

Are we just set with those four?

We're going to try to find a fifth game.

Fifth.

Let's add a fifth.

Our Mount Roshmore has five heads.

Well, maybe it's not a Mount Joe 2.

Maybe it's something else.

It's just a top five.

I mean, it's not going to be Darkstalkers.

I'm just looking at the list here.

Onimusha was all right, but I don't think an Onimusha game makes sense here.

Seems like that's the type of game that I would be interested in and just have not ever tried an Onimusha before.

I mean, it seems like...

Devil May Cry is the fifth song.

Maybe it is, yeah.

Is it just Devil May Cry 3?

Because that's like the best one.

I mean, but if it's not Phoenix Wright, could it be Phoenix Wright?

Yeah.

That's like, I feel like

people love him.

It is our list.

That's true.

So,

people, that's, I mean, not to get too far into it, but like, if you get mad at one of our lists, it's not your list.

It's our list.

All right.

Ghost Trick, Phantom Detective, it is.

Goblins

and ghouls or whatever it is.

Ghosts and Goblins.

Ghost and Goblins.

There's Ghosts and Goblins, and there's also ghouls and ghosts.

It's very confusing.

I don't know why why they coexist.

DuckTales on the NES.

DuckTales on the NES is not a bad.

I mean, like, we're very skewing towards old school, but we can say,

no, no, no, no.

It can't be.

It can't be.

I'm just holding it aloft to say, look at this.

Look what they could do.

Look at what they did.

Are there any like arcade skloozies we're missing or anything?

Schloozies?

Yeah.

All right.

I could say skloozies instead of exclusives.

I didn't.

Normally I get grumbly.

That was polite.

Okay, great.

That was even flirty.

I was like, all right.

I think it's got to be.

Well, if we say skloozies next, and Heather's going to hate it.

Schluozies.

I think it's got to be...

Phoenix Wright or Dante.

It's got to be one or the other.

I kind of want it to be Dante because I just think he's such a funny...

The idea of Dante is funny to me for some reason.

There's something about about his character design that's very 2002.

You know, it's just very like that's it's a nostalgic era for me, and I appreciate that.

I wonder what the best review Devil May Cry game is.

I'm looking it up real quick because I remember three

being the best, but I don't know.

Maybe fans of the franchise are like, no, actually, five is like,

is even better, but I haven't played five.

Five seems like

what

Stranger in Paradise thinks it is

Fuck you

I'm gonna kill God

You guys, we still need to play it.

We do owe that you there's so much to talk about in Stranger of of Paris in Paradise of Final Fantasy Stranger of Paradise.

Oh, yeah.

I'm waiting for it to go on deep's discount.

How can it be any more deep discounted?

It is.

I think it is.

Well, we don't have to get this now.

Here's the thing.

It's on, I think it's on PlayStation Plus, like as a free download that you can get it.

So I have that, and I also have the disc.

So we could do this.

You can play it for free, Nick.

For free.

Well, hey, we'll do it.

We'll cover it in a future episode.

You said that a year and a half ago.

You know what?

The best review, Devil May Cry, is interestingly enough, the original Devil May Cry 1 with

a meta score of 94.

I did enjoy that game.

Maybe we just put Devil May Cry on there.

It's Dante.

It's Dante.

Yeah, it's DMC.

It's Dante.

DMC.

And I think, in terms of franchises, it's kind of inarguable that the big five are Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, Mega Man,

Devil May Cry.

What the fuck's the other one?

Street Fighter, of course, Street Fighter.

Street Fighter to me is like, is Capcom for some reason?

Like, that to me is the most associated to me.

Yeah.

I mean, for me,

but I'm speaking from a place of bias.

So it's hard for me to be like,

yeah, I can't see it objectively Cause the, the, the Capcom Sting,

which will play right here,

that sound means I've just put the game in my Nintendo.

It means I've just walked up to the machine, the arcade machine.

Like, it's, it's,

it's the only it's it's Capcom equals Street Fighter because the Capcom sound equals Street Fighter.

Yes, that makes sense.

Because I'm also also like, I think if you told me another studio did Devil May Cry, I'd be like, sure.

Like, I just wouldn't really associate it in that same way.

But I know it's theirs.

I do know that.

Yeah.

And maybe same with Resident Evil, maybe.

Like, if you told me that Resident Evil was like Konami or something, I'd be like, sure.

Except

they have their own horror franchise, of course.

They do?

Silent Hill.

Well, they did.

Oh, right.

They did.

Man, that's a real, like, you know, you look at where Konami Konami has gone.

We should do them next because that's fucking Konami.

That'd be a sad episode.

It's like such a frustrating company by comparison.

And it's just like they've just like, well, hey, you know what?

Actually,

fucking slot machines do better than video game, the video game.

So we're just going to focus on that.

And it's just, it's a real bummer.

Yeah.

Because they have some cool franchises.

They've also like

alienated some of their top talents.

Like it's just like you can see the, you can smell the smoke from the company burning, but you you but you can't see any of the fire it makes sense 100 yeah

hey that was that was studio video on the sunset strip for capcom

should we do a segment let's do a segment and guys i actually don't know what to call this but i've i've i i've stumbled across this like meme format sort of i've seen this a lot uh basically it's uh you have we have 15

to spend on games from an era, and this era right now is 2004.

Yeah, this is a standard meme format.

I wrote down the bargain bin.

Wow, that's pretty good, Matt.

Bargain bin is pretty good.

Yeah, I was going to pitch games of the year, but the S in games is a dollar sign.

But I think bargain bin is

that's yeah, I guess it's a little more like it makes mine makes sense.

Um, so this is the year to the calendar year 2004, 20 years ago.

Yes.

And there's a $5, $4, $3, $2, and $1 tier.

And it's like you got a $15 budget.

It's this sort of meme setup.

That's right.

So you can spend $15.

I can start reading off the

top row, the $5 row, as it were.

Oh, here we go.

It's actually the $5.

Yes, this one is from Across the Pond.

This one's from Across the Pond.

But folks, here in the United States of America, we don't do that pound nonsense.

We do dollars.

So up first, we have in the $5 row, Grand Theft Auto, San Andreas, Half-Life 2, Metal Gear, Solid 3, Snake Eater, Halo 2, and World of Warcraft.

Wow, what a banger year.

Yeah, and then in the $4 row, Ninja Gaiden, Def Jam, Fight for...

and at New York, Burnout 3.

I believe the subtitle is Showdown.

It's Takedown.

burnout 3 takedown unreal tournament 2004

Metroid Prime Echoes yeah that's to Metroid Prime 2 Metroid Prime 2 then

in the $3 row Rome Total War Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door Doom 3 Need for Speed Underground 2 and Tony Hawks Underground 2 in the $2 row the Spider-Man 2 video game from the movie.

Right.

Spider-Man 2 movie the game.

Ratchet and Clink 2 up your arsenal.

Yeah, I think this is Up Your Arsenal.

Isn't that 3?

I could be wrong.

I think 3 is going Commando.

Ah, fuck.

I'm an idiot.

Gonna have to get up a little earlier to quiz the Ratchet and Clink guy, my dear.

And then this next one right here is Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2.

There's a Splinter Cell game that I cannot read the

subtitle on.

Wait,

what are we looking at?

Which one?

In the $2 tier.

Oh, that's Kotor 2.

Oh, but you're saying the Splinter Cell.

The Splinter Cell one.

Is that just Splinter Cell 1?

Was that the year the Splinter Cell came out or was it a Slinter Cell?

I think Splinter Cell predates 2004.

It's the 2004 Splinter Cell.

Yes, the 2004

Splinter Cell and Star Wars Battlefront.

2004 Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow.

Pandora Tomorrow.

And Matt, I am delighted to tell you that Going Commando actually was Ratchet and Clank 2.

I was correct.

Up Your Arsenal was 3.

Oh, wow.

So this is Ratchet and Clank 3.

Okay.

We're all just fucking up today, I guess.

And then

in the $1 bin, in the value section, Far Cry.

Psyops?

Oh, yeah.

I remember Psyops.

Onimusha 3, The Chronicles of Riddick, Escape from Butcher Bay, I believe that is.

Oh, yeah,

and Fable for the Xbox.

So, we all have one Capcom game on this list.

Yeah.

There you go.

So, we all have 15.

Do we have $15 each?

Does that sound okay?

Yeah, I think we could each make our individual list.

15 copies of Riddick, please.

The Riddick game is pretty good.

I remember Uncle Planning and being interested in the Riddick game.

It's better than it has any right to be.

I mean, this is interesting because, like, when you do this one, are you like, are we saying that we have, because if you buy one from each row, that totals 15, right?

Yeah.

But is this one of those things where, like, if you want to do, you could buy three $5 games?

I think

your budget however you want.

You can clear the row of the $3 ones if you'd like as well.

Yeah, you could do anything.

Got it.

I am going to,

I'll make my list first, or, or should we each go around and pick one?

I think make your whole list.

Okay, I'll make my list right now.

I'm going to do just one from each row because that's the easiest for me to wrap my head around.

I am going to go with

Half-Life 2.

I just feel like that's just like, those are all incredible games.

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas,

Metal Gear Solid 3,

obviously incredible games.

Halo 2, I'm less of a fan of the Halo franchise, but Halo 2 is awesome.

World of Warcraft, I sunk so much time into when it released that I had to uninstall it.

I am going, but Half-Life 2, I think, is just like one of the best games ever made.

So I put Half-Life 2 there.

The $4 row is tough.

I might actually do Unreal Tournament there just to have something different, just to have like a multiplayer game.

I mean, the other one I would get would be Echoes or Ninja Guide End, but I feel like that

I just kind of feel like

UT, assuming this is a reality where there are active servers, that's just like gives me a little bit something different versus my other options.

Paper Mario Thousand Year Door from the $3 row, although there are a lot of great options there.

Kotor 2 from the $2 row, just two meaty RPGs I can sink a bunch of time into.

And then I will take a Chronicles or Riddick from the $1.

Although, you know what?

I'm curious how Psyops aged, but I feel like Fable would not, would feel pretty dusty these days.

Far Cry was a cool game, too, but I also feel like that might feel a little dusty.

So Chronicles Riddick.

All right, I'm ready to go.

I think those are excellent choices, Nick.

Oh, thanks, Heather.

I

they made me second-guess my choices, but I'm going to go forward with my choices anyway.

I'm taking two from the $5 row.

I'm taking Half-Life 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3.

Wow.

Wow.

I'm taking one from the $4 row, Burnout 3 Takedown, which I've talked about my love of on this show before.

Cool game.

And from the dollar row, I am taking Onomusha 3.

Wow.

Wow.

And me, I'm taking from the $3 row five copies of Tony Hawk's Underground.

No, okay, so obviously I am going to take Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater from the $5 row.

Yeah.

But I am skipping the $4 row.

Wow.

Wow.

And from the $3 row, I am going to take Tony Hawk's Underground 2, leaving me now with $7.

And from the $2 row, I am going to take the Spider-Man 2 video game, which is fucking excellent, which is really, really good.

You can draw a straight line from that game to the current Spider-Man games and why they are great.

It's fantastic.

Really, really great.

Great.

I'm going to take Star Wars Battlefront from the $2 row.

Great.

And I'm going to take Ratchet and Clank up Your Arsenal.

Great.

And then with my $1, with my remaining dollar,

I'm going to escape from Butcher Bay, baby.

And

I'm going with Riddick.

I love it.

Nice.

That's a fun game.

It is pretty fun.

I don't mind just taking this meme format and doing it.

It's fun to spend money.

It is fun to do.

It is fun to spend money.

Now I have them.

Yeah, they're mine now.

We spent the the 15.

And

this also, this meme format exists in a world

where

retro gaming prices have not gone completely fucking insane.

You can get San Andreas for $5 on disc somewhere.

That's amazing.

Yeah,

it's a bummer that, like, in theory, you could own most of these games digitally.

Yes.

But if you were to actually purchase these games, boy, oh boy, fucking Paper Mario, even though it's been re-released, guaranteed that's at least $50.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, and some of these games that are

that are available digitally in their current form are not like the greatest, you know, ports or updates.

But it's interesting to look at this list.

I wonder what do you what do you think is like aged the best?

I mean, obviously, we played Metal Gear Solid 3 for the podcast fairly recently, and I think that that holds up pretty well.

I would be shocked if burnout didn't age well.

I feel like, yeah, I feel like you're right there.

I also Paper Mario just had a remaster and basically has the same gameplay and is super playable.

I mean, Kotor 2, the same sort of thing, I imagine.

But like, the World of Warcraft is still just like, you can play World of Warcraft Classic and it's still like a fun game.

So I feel like...

I think maybe most of these have actually aged pretty well.

I've never, ever, ever in my life have seen somebody play World of Warcraft.

I've never even, I've never tried to play it myself.

That's wild.

I wonder if that's

an episode.

We try it.

I'd do it.

I'd be interested in trying it.

I'd like to see if it would ruin my life.

Yeah, I mean, it ruined mine.

Yeah, my World of Warcraft was Final Fantasy XI, and I, and Matt, it ruined my life.

I'm so afraid of MMOs.

Like, just on principle, I am afraid of them.

It is

to spend any time in an MMO.

And the reason I immediately, like, I bought Final Fantasy, what was it, 14?

Uh,

and I played maybe seven hours of it.

And I was like, oh God, it's that feeling again.

Yeah.

This feeling of I am sliding down a mountain and I'm going faster and faster.

And the longer I'm on this mountain without dying, the less control I have of myself.

And it, it felt it like,

it's, it's, it's, I, I have the, I have the, look at my physicality.

I have the response of like a fucking addict where I'm like, I'm like, oh my God.

I mean, like,

I played Final Fantasy XI literally for more than a year of my physical life.

Like the number of hours at the end of my, of, of turning off that game the final time ended up being more than a fucking year I spent in Vanadiel, which is crazy.

That's wild.

That's wild.

That's fucking insane.

A year of my life is spent and waking life.

Yeah.

Was spent in a place that doesn't exist.

That I have like, sometimes I'll be somewhere and I'll be like, what does this remind me of?

Have I been here before?

And I'll be thinking about Final Fantasy XI.

Wow.

Well, you sold me on it.

Maybe I'll try it.

They're dangerous, man.

It seems to me like I just really have never, ever engaged with them.

Cause I didn't have a PC like that growing up.

So I just didn't have a method of ever engaging with it.

Yeah.

And, you know, outside of

PSI, you know, Fantasy Star Online, which was kind of not really an MMO in the sense of some of these other, these other games, there wasn't a lot of them on consoles for a long time.

Yeah.

I guess Final Fantasy 11 was a lot more.

Yeah, Final Fantasy 11 came out for PlayStation 2.

I got it for my laptop first,

and I got it so early that I was logging into the Japanese servers because my dream of all time was a Final Fantasy game I never had to leave.

Right.

Like, come on, let's go.

And then

I was living in Amsterdam and I imported my,

like mailed mailed myself my PlayStation 2 and mailed myself the hard drive and got a voltage converter and got

a output cable that would allow me to play an NTSC system on a PAL television and had like a fucking wired rig in order to play Final Fantasy XI on my TV.

And it was.

I mean, there was a time when I was after Amsterdam where I was, I was so worried about my health playing Final Fantasy XI that I got a treadmill and would play it while walking on the treadmill because I was like, I can't stop playing, but at least I can be moving the entire time.

With a controller?

Yeah.

I remember that when WoW was big, there was a guy who got a leveling treadmill.

He called it for World of Warcraft.

And this was like a thing online.

And like, yeah, he had a setup with his mouse and keyboard.

Like he'd rigged, he'd built something that he could put on the treadmill.

And he would only let himself play WoW while he was on the treadmill.

And he lost so much weight because he was playing it for like he was just walking for like four hours a day

yeah uh anyway yeah that's that's it those those games are so fucking addictive i mean i think i can tell i can share this story i'll keep it anonymous but when i worked in in video games there was a guy who were at the company was so addicted to world of warcraft that he uh ultimately got let go because he was staying up all night playing and they would come to work and he would sleep in the men's room and it was just like man that is a that is a serious addiction That is a debilitating thing that is preventing you from, from doing, from like living your life.

I saw a friend of mine

had, was addicted to World of Warcraft and he had a baby, right?

He just had a baby.

And he built a reverse baby gate around his computer so that his baby couldn't get to him.

Oh my God.

Wow.

Like as a toddler, so that he could play World of Warcraft.

Yeah.

And like seeing the idea of being

a parent and being walled off from your kid is fucking crazy.

Yeah.

What was this?

My dad?

Anyway, I'm going to swap out Half-Life 2 for World of Warcraft.

Yeah,

I'll do all 15 for World of Warcraft because there might be expansions.

No, it seems crazy.

And hats off to people that are still playing it.

It's like, it's still massive, I think.

Yeah.

Hey, that's this week's Get Play at our producer is Rochelle Chen.

Ranch, yard underscore underscore sard.

Our music is by Ben Prunty, BenPruntyMusic.com.

Our art is by DuckBrigade Design, DuckBrigade.com.

And hey, check out our Patreon, patreon.com slash get played, where you can find our entire pre-head gum back catalog, plus ad-free main feed episodes.

And also over there at patreon.com slash get played is our Patreon exclusive show, Get Animate.

Matt, what are we watching this week?

Violet Evergarded.

And folks,

maybe the tides are taking a bit of a turn, are they?

The last couple of weeks we've been sort of like, I don't know about this.

Um,

what if it's starting to get good, though?

Oh, it's been picking up some steam.

I really, really like this show, and I think our discussions have been, you know, really engaged.

I think we're all pretty locked in.

I'm really loving the conversations we're having about it.

It's not just like, isn't this fucking awesome?

It's like, what is anime?

What are we like doing?

And hey, this week, Capcom's catalog got played.

Wow.

I love it.

Play the sound again.

That was a head gum podcast.