Fantasy Game Draft 2022

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-wxun2-1190062

Are you ready for some football? Well, you’ve come to the wrong place. We are, however, doing a fantasy video game draft this week, inspired by those of the football variety. We’re picking teams from a list of the season’s (year’s) hottest players (games). After our teams are set, we’ll track our games’ Metacritic scores throughout the year. At the end of the year, the games’ final Metacritic scores will be the “points” they’ve scored, and whoever has the most points, wins. If a game gets pushed from 2022, it’s considered an “injury” and no points are awarded. Who do you think has the strongest team? Email us and let us know! Also on this episode, we discuss changes to the Halo Infinite battle pass, Raven Software’s QA team unionizing, the newly announced EA Star Wars games, and what we’ve been playing.

Contact us: prettypixelspodcast@gmail.com

We’re on Twitter: @Losperman (Joey) and @bigbadron (Ron)

00:02:12: Halo Infinite’s Battle Pass will eventually include “premium credits” that can be used as currency to purchase shop items or future passes

00:08:25: Raven Software QA testers form union, Activision Blizzard ignores them

00:13:42: EA announces three new Star Wars games: a sequel to Fallen Order, an FPS, and a strategy game

00:21:33: More Halo talk

00:24:05: Paul has been teabagging it up in Halo Infinite (not really) and farming it up in Stardew Valley

00:29:50: Joey finished 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim and Metroid Fusion, started Persona Q and Hitman 2, chipped away at Pilotwings Resort, and failed at starting Secret of Evermore

00:41:19: Fantasy Video Game Draft 2022! The list of games we are drafting from:

Horizon Forbidden West (2/18)

Elden Ring (2/25)

Dying Light 2: Stay Human (2/4)

Martha is Dead (2/24)

Gran Turismo 7 (3/4)

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin (3/18)

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (3/25)

STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl (12/8)

Sons of the Forest (5/20)

Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong (5/19)

Saints Row (8/23)

Starfield (11/11)

Bayonetta 3 (2022)

Skull & Bones (2022)

God of War: Ragnarok (2022)

Gotham Knights (2022)

GhostWire: Tokyo (2022)

Goodbye Volcano High (2022)

I Am Jesus Christ (2022)

The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild sequel (2022)

Soup Pot (2022)

Stray (2022)

Hogwarts Legacy (2022)

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (4/5)

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (2022)

Session (2022)

Sifu (2/8)

Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals (2022)

Forspoken (5/24)

Kirby and the Forgotten Land (3/25)

Redfall (2022)

Marvel’s Midnight Suns (2022)

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (2022)

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (2022)

Sonic Frontiers (2022)

Splatoon 3 (2022)

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2022)

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

Our Favorite Cover Art

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-get89-1184514

Let’s talk about our favorite video game cover art! “But this is an audio podcast! How are we supposed to follow along with visual things!?” I’m so glad you asked, mysterious listener. In the show notes below, you’ll find a handy list of links to the game art we discuss. Please, peruse them at your leisure and write in with your own favorites! We had so many picks that we had to cut ourselves off, so we’ll be doing another episode at some point, and we’d love to share some listener picks! We also chat about the possibility of new PS5 backward compatibility, the giant Take-Two/Zynga and Microsoft/Activision Blizzard acquisitions, Troy Baker’s new NFT venture (and its backlash), and more! I must lay off these exclamation points. They make it so easy to convey a sense of false excitement when I’m actually in severe pain and on the verge of falling asleep, though! See!?

Contact us: prettypixelspodcast@gmail.com

We’re on Twitter: @Losperman (Joey) and @bigbadron (Ron)

00:01:30: Mark Cerny files a patent for “Backwards compatibility through use of spoof clock and fine grain frequency control,” which may mean some level of backwards compatibility with older PS models is coming to the PS5 (via @shaunmcilroy on Twitter)

00:10:20: Take-Two (owner/publisher of Rockstar and 2K) buys developer Zynga for $12.7 billion! (IGN) Surely this is the most monumental video game acquisition that will occur all year!

00:11:56: Siiiiiike. Not to be outdone, in the very same week, Microsoft begins acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion

00:28:45: Troy Baker joins the NFT game – the Internet says “thanks, I hate it”

00:41:03: Joey’s still loving 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim and is warming up on/winding down Metroid Fusion

00:41:57: The whole Pretty Pixels gang is still very into Halo Infinite

00:51:16: Our favorite video game cover art!

00:52:07: Paul’s #5: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iy-0fNVILKFLFJ5DzIHrRVQBYtLeFDQa/view?usp=sharing 

00:57:18: Ron’s #5: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cLOvlyAfX894J5djo2q0J4xARTiEkd4Q/view?usp=sharing 

01:01:40: Joey’s #5: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VlhXIS9JwsaxqVFU4-nNTRA8ZQHjTTAe/view?usp=sharing 

01:05:05 Paul’s #4: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OU3x0OA4WLenqGUZAT9TpGWwMLfiMSKs/view?usp=sharing 

01:11:00: Ron’s #4: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14i1zc90Ds3lTGgFzK13B1ZpFJOlcHZla/view?usp=sharing 

01:16:40: Joey’s #4: (I mistakenly say DQ XI here, when I meant VIII) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T1Xew6c2O0B_-j8pn5D45I1pBE9NeD_Z/view?usp=sharing 

01:22:08: Paul’s #3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ibv0d9D18oUL-3Ic3xh_ysYNNIEJw_x9/view?usp=sharing 

01:26:26: Ron’s #3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1beXNyMIzGW82btCpbiIrv9hvNdMYMlm2/view?usp=sharing 

01:31:45: Joey’s #3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ythlrNQKRuNALfZKbUoX0lNsxjSVwGKF/view?usp=sharing and https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dSh2IH1412_6HcWDe1wRf_KE825UA1YS/view?usp=sharing 

01:37:07: Paul’s #2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EGjUSXPY4mWhwLNbYK3-AFb5d5PNBKkf/view?usp=sharing 

01:44:37: Ron’s #2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GqnNG5i-T9mzGoinqi5H6dyV8iMb_vmU/view?usp=sharing 

01:50:00: Joey’s #2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bE2dJNb3Wx4HgCfNbSve6yAhfX87aCOp/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AUfe3aUQs_wt2g7Aeov9TFyeaog180wT/view?usp=sharing 

01:55:00: Paul’s #1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J1bP0cY4QVj7Oya7NbWU421faE7pRwsq/view?usp=sharing 

02:01:45: Ron’s #1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15-586pvOxMB1TFxNT2GSxh1y4IjDUeQo/view?usp=sharing 

02:06:25: Joey’s #1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NgYnRhspcwuzMtJ045oqJRIPqcpLZ_G1/view?usp=sharing 

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

Mortal Kombat (and Annihilation)

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-yp698-117b76c

It’s Mortal Kombat time, baby! We should have waited until Monday to post this episode so that we could call it Mortal Monday but we’re impatient so let’s just go with Fighting Friday, shall we? That sounds like one of those cheap knock-off brands you find in weird, out-of-the-way shops. Like, “Eternal Combat,” with Jimmy Gauge, Sonia Sword, Lou Clang, and Scorpio (it’s just a goth kid who dabbles in Wicca). On this episode we’re talking about the real deal, though: some of the OG video game movies, Mortal Kombat (1995) and Mortal Kombat Annihilation (1997). They sure are movies! We share our favorite quotes, carefully contemplate what Goro has under his… kilt? Thing? And just generally discuss the good and bad (and very bad) of these two “classics.” It was, as always, a lot of fun. We also talk about E3, Mario Kart 9, Riot Games resignation bonuses, Tabletop Sim’s chat failures, and more!

Contact us: prettypixelspodcast@gmail.com

We’re on Twitter: @Losperman (Joey) and @bigbadron (Ron)

00:02:38: E3 will once again be a digital event (via Polygon)

00:08:08: A video game analyst predicts Mario Kart 9 will be teased this year with “a twist” (via GamesIndustry.biz)

00:15:00: Riot Games offers resignation bonuses following gender discrimination lawsuit settlement (via Kotaku)

00:24:07: Tabletop Simulator removes global chat, developers say moderation “has failed” its customers (via Polygon)

00:38:30: Sony’s customer service fails Paul, but he has been enjoying Mario Party Superstars and Halo (as have we all) – extended discussion of our time with Halo Infinite multiplayer

01:00:56: Joey’s falling deeper in love with 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim and is experiencing some growing pains with Metroid Fusion

01:08:50: Mortal Kombaaaaaaaat! (and Mortal Kombat Annihilation)

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

2022 Games We Want Right Meow

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-32vc3-11706c1

New Year, new games, as they say. I don’t think anyone says that. Do they? Should they? No, it’s terrible. Moving on. It’s the start of a new year and we love looking ahead at all the (potentially) amazing games that will (potentially) come out later this year. Check out the link below to follow along as we go through the Game Informer list of upcoming games and get hyped about some of our most anticipated games. Will the Breath of the Wild sequel actually come out this year? Is Martha is Dead a Batman prequel? Will the Harry Potter fandom tear itself apart (in more ways than one) over Hogwart’s Legacy? We contemplate these things and more, so check it out and send us your own most anticipated games! We also talk about the newly showcased PlayStation VR 2, what we’ve been playing, and more!

Contact us: prettypixelspodcast@gmail.com

We’re on Twitter: @Losperman (Joey) and @bigbadron (Ron) and Tab (@RandomMox)

00:01:22: Sony further reveals details of the now officially named PlayStation VR 2, including headset DualSense feedback, eye tracking, and 4K resolution

00:14:27: Joey finished Halo Infinite and Metroid: Samus Returns on the same day and moved onto 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim

00:18:40: Paul’s still digging Halo Infinite and has also been playing lots of board games

00:24:20: Tab’s been taking a long walk down memory lane with Harvest Moon 64 and has returned to Stardew Valley

00:28:50: Ron’s been practicing his skills in Joey Kissing Simulator 2022 and also further chipping away at GTA: San Andreas

00:32:32: Our most anticipated games of 2022! Timestamps are for things we talk about in some detail, but there are other games we casually mention that aren’t timestamped. Follow along at: https://www.gameinformer.com/2022

00:34:10: Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

00:34:37: Windjammers 2

00:37:14: Horizon Forbidden West

00:42:52: Elden Ring

00:45:49: Dying Light 2 Stay Human

00:47:04: Life is Strange Remastered Collection

00:47:38: Martha is Dead

00:49:24: Gran Turismo 7

00:51:16: Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

00:55:30: Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

00:56:25: Tiny Tina’s Wonderland

00:58:01: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl

00:59:35: Sons of the Forest

01:01:30: Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong

01:03:22: Saints Row

01:07:16: Starfield

01:15:27: Bayonetta 3

01:17:46: Skull & Bones

01:21:32: God of War: Ragnarok

01:23:27: [GOD OF WAR SPOILERS BEGIN]

01:24:28: [End of God of War spoilers]

01:26:44: Gotham Knights

01:28:00: GhostWire: Tokyo

01:28:55: Goodbye Volcano High

01:31:25: I am Jesus Christ, lol

01:32:50: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel

01:34:16: Soup Pot

01:35:57: Stray

01:36:43: Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly

01:37:24: Hogwarts Legacy

01:42:21: LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

01:46:28: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

01:50:24: Session

01:53:30: Resident Evil Village DLC

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com

Video Game Twenty Questions

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-hkvbe-1169edb

Happy New Year! We’re saying farewell to another terrible year with a not-terrible game of Video Game Twenty Questions, inspired by the fine folks over at the IGN Gamescoop! podcast. Joey, Paul, and Ron each submit a game for the others to tease out by asking questions about genre, release date, perspective, and more. What games, you ask? And how did we do? Hey, we’re the ones asking questions here! You’ll just have to listen and play along to find out! Do you have a game recommendation? Send it in (prettypixelspodcast@gmail.com)! Go easy on us, though, and try and pick well-know, mainstream titles for now. We’re not quite ready to tackle trickier, more obscure games. We also chat about an impressive win streak in Halo Infinite, the $100 million settlement in the Riot Games gender discrimination lawsuit, a new poll that reveals Japanese gamers’ top 100 games of all time, and what we’ve (still) been playing. Have a safe and fun New Years, and we’ll see you in 2022!

Contact us: prettypixelspodcast@gmail.com

We’re on Twitter: @Losperman (Joey) and @bigbadron (Ron)

 00:02:20: Halo Infinite Player (Remy “Mint Blitz) Wins 100 Free-For-All Matches in a Row (via Kotaku)

00:04:33: Riot Games to Pay $100M in Gender Discrimination Lawsuit (via Polygon)

00:09:50: 50,000 Japanese TV Viewers Rank 100 Best Video Games of All Time (via Kotaku)

00:18:54: Ron is still living his best San Andreas life in GTA: San Andreas

00:23:21: Joey’s been chipping away at the Halo Infinite campaign and Metroid Samus Returns

00:25:07: Paul beat Demon’s Souls! There is also some talk of shit fountains!

00:32:49: Get a free month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate if you buy select bags of Trolli™ brand gummy candies. This is not an #ad but Trolli™ please send us candy anyway

00:35:00: Video Game Twenty Questions!

00:38:19: Game 1

00:51:26: Game 2

01:15:26: Game 3

01:30:19: Kitty purrs (which mess up my audio temporarily)

Theme song by lovers.tiff: loverstiff.bandcamp.com