Are you ready to Rock (Band 2)? Streamer and comedian Will Lepper returns to the show to talk about the beloved Harmonix hit, Rock Band 2. We also talk about the peripheral-based rhythm game phenomenon of the 2000s, the rise and fall and survival of Harmonix, our taste in music, and more!

Other games discussed in this episode: Balatro, Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, the Guitar Hero franchise, Hi-Fi Rush, Peggle, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and more!

Catching up with Will - 0:00 Music taste and music in video games - 11:21 Segment: Jukebox Hero - 33:40 Introducing Rock Band 2 - 50:20 Rock Band 2 Discussion - 1:14:50 No Country For Old Games - 1:51:13 Clone Hero - 2:07:14 Recommendations and Conclusion - 2:13:50

Follow Will and support his projects: https://www.twitch.tv/fmarrywill https://twitter.com/fuckmarrywill https://linktr.ee/fmarrywill

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

Mic the Snare - The Wild World of Rhythm Games https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtzGCDu-63o

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I wish for a great podcast episode! Alex Kazanas (Artist, One Piece Podcast co-host, Weeb Simpsons creator, and more!) comes on the show to talk about why Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars means so much to him!

We also talk about One Piece video games and anime-to-game adaptations, localization, importing Japan-exclusive titles, other Mario RPGs, and more! 

Other games discussed in this episode include: Super Mario World, EarthBound, Shining Force 2, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Chrono Trigger, Katamari Damacy, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Super Smash Bros, Pikmin 4, Return of the Obra Dinn, Elden Ring, Tears of the Kingdom,  Slay the Spire, One Piece games, Dragon Ball games, Naruto games, Kingdom Hearts 2, Mother 3, Mario Hoops 3-on-3, Mario + Rabbids, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, Paper Mario, and more!

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

Support Alex and his projects: https://www.patreon.com/onepiecepodcast https://www.onepiecepodcast.com/ https://twitter.com/weebsimpsons https://twitter.com/DudeExclamation // https://bsky.app/profile/dudeexclamation.bsky.social 

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

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Wildlife biologist, artist, and co-host of the PokeScience Podcast, Chelsea Connor, stops by to talk about why Capcom's first RPG, Breath of Fire, means so much to her. 

We also talk about the challenges of accessing video games on the island country of Dominica, the science and biology behind dragons and Pokémon, the challenges of localization, lizards, magical girls, and more!

Other games discussed in this episode: Pokémon, Professor Layton, Klonoa, Tekken, Street Fighter, Dino Crisis, Super Mario RPG, Secret of Mana, Kirby, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Metroid Fusion, Chrono Trigger, and more!

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

Introducing Chelsea - 0:00 Introducing Breath of Fire - 38:55 No Country for Old Games - 53:30 Breath of Fire Discussion - 1:10:10 Dragon Biology Lesson - 1:21:06 Breath of Fire Continued - 1:27:28 Recommendations and Outro - 2:01:04

Sources for this episode: Johnston, Chris. Transcript of Ted Woolsey Interview, 15 Feb. 2007, www.playeronepodcast.com/2007/02/15/transcript-of-ted-woolsey-interview/.

Support Chelsea and their projects: https://linktr.ee/chelseaherps https://twitter.com/ChelseaHerps https://www.instagram.com/OutToChelsea/ https://www.redbubble.com/people/chelseaherps/shop?asc=u

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

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This is the pod where he casts you. Bailey Meyers (Writer for Honest Game Trailers) comes on the show to talk about Valve's incredible Portal 2 and why it means so much to her! We also talk about Nancy Drew games, Alan Wake, getting emails from your dad about Baldur's Gate 3, and JK Simmons' rich acting career.

Other games covered in this episode include: Threads of Fate, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Mario Party, Gollum, Skull Island: Rise of Kong, Dave the Diver, Baldur's Gate 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Tetris, Disco Elysium, Alan Wake 2, Hades, Chants of Sennaar, Mirror's Edge, Titanfall 2, Super Metroid, and more!

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

Cave Johnson here! - 0:00 Introducing Bailey Meyers - 5:35 Introducing Portal 2 - 47:30 No Country for Old Games - 1:04:20 Portal 2 - 1:12:44 Recommendations - 2:09:00 Outro - 2:21:13

Support Bailey and her projects: https://www.twitch.tv/bailienvspredator https://www.patreon.com/baileymeyers https://twitter.com/baileymeyers

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

Additional Resources: Larchuk, Travis. “‘Portal 2’: A Student Video Game, All Grown Up.” NPR, NPR, 19 Apr. 2011, www.npr.org/2011/04/19/135511250/portal-2-a-student-video-game-project-all-grown-up?ps=cprs.

Kiwi Talkz - #126 - Josh Weier Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkPCE-Gzmwc

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Keifer tries his best to host his version of a video game awards show after offering his critiques of The Game Awards in the last episode. What categories will there be? What are his favorite games of 2023? Why is Alan Wake so determined to be a part of it? On a not unrelated note I've recently learned there is mold in my walls. Sorry if that shows in the final product.

Alan Wake Intro - 0:00 Opening Ceremony and Acknowledgements - 2:10 Gex Returns - 5:45 Most Anticipated Game of 2023 - 10:15 A Writer Appears - 12:45 The GOOTY - 17:00 I'm Not Playing That - 25:30 Funniest Game Title - 29:42 Countdown to the GOTY - 31:43 My 5th Favorite Game of 2023 - 37:15 My 4th Favorite Game of 2023 - 43:10 My 3rd Favorite Game of 2023 - 51:30 My 2nd Favorite Game of 2023 - 57:23 The Correct and Smart GOTY - 1:02:45 The Climax - 1:07:00 The Conclusion - 1:14:42

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

Sources for this episode: Warren, Tom. “Microsoft Lays off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox Employees.” The Verge, The Verge, 25 Jan. 2024, www.theverge.com/2024/1/25/24049050/microsoft-activision-blizzard-layoffs.

2024 - Game Industry Layoffs - Obsidian Publish, publish.obsidian.md/vg-layoffs/Archive/2024

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2023 was one of the best years for video games, but it was one of the worst for the video game industry. In the first episode of 2024, Keifer takes an episode to reflect on the year by analyzing The Game Awards 2023, and explaining how it's symptomatic of the issues plaguing the industry.

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

0:00 - Intro and Housekeeping 6:22 - The Game Awards 2023 17:02 - Geoff Keighley versus the World 22:25 - The Time Problem 27:39 - Games for Impact 31:43 - Best Independent Game 33:45 - The Sam Lake of it all 39:24 - Fixing the Presenters 42:20 - Best Adaptation 45:18 - Video Game Layoffs 55:12 - Conclusion

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

Sources for this episode:

Time Spent Issuing Awards:

Nolan, Liam. “The Biggest Problem at This Year’s Game Awards Was Disrespecting the Winners.” The Escapist, The Escapist, 8 Dec. 2023, www.escapistmagazine.com/the-biggest-problem-at-this-years-game-awards-was-disrespecting-the-winners/.

IGN - Awards and Speeches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc9Tc4RCYSQ

Layoffs:

2023 - Game Industry Layoffs - Obsidian Publish, publish.obsidian.md/vg-layoffs/Archive/2023. Gach, Ethan. “Last of US Studio Naughty Dog Is Cutting Developers.” Kotaku, Kotaku, 3 Oct. 2023, kotaku.com/naughty-dog-ps5-playstation-sony-last-us-part-3-layoffs-1850893794.

Parvini, Sarah. “The Video Game Industry Boomed during the Pandemic. Now Thousands Are Being Laid Off.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-11-20/video-game-industry-layoffs.

Zhou, Cissy. “Tiktok Parent Bytedance to Cut 1,000 Gaming Jobs in Strategic Shift.” Nikkei Asia, Nikkei Asia, 27 Nov. 2023, asia.nikkei.com/Business/China-tech/TikTok-parent-ByteDance-to-cut-1-000-gaming-jobs-in-strategic-shift.

Sinclair, Brendan. “EA Restructuring, Laying off 6% of Workforce.” GamesIndustry.Biz, GamesIndustry.biz, 29 Mar. 2023, www.gamesindustry.biz/ea-restructuring-laying-off-6-of-workforce.

Tong, Anna. “Exclusive: Unity Software to Cut 25% of Staff in ‘company Reset ...” Reuters, Reuters, 8 Jan. 2024, www.reuters.com/technology/unity-software-cutting-25-staff-company-reset-continuation-2024-01-08/. SEGA Unionization fight:

Gach, Ethan. “Workers Accuse Sega of Threatening Mass Layoffs over Unionizing.” Kotaku, Kotaku, 15 Nov. 2023, kotaku.com/sega-sonic-union-layoffs-persona-yakuza-1851026309.

Parrish, Ash. “Sega Workers Form Largest Multi-Department Video Game Union in the US.” The Verge, The Verge, 10 July 2023, www.theverge.com/23789935/sega-union-cwa-unionization-activision-blizzard.

Bobby Kotick:

Sorkin, Andrew Ross, and Lauren Hirsch. “California Drops Sexual Harassment Suit in $54 Million Settlement with Activision.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 15 Dec. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/business/dealbook/california-activision-blizzard-sexual-harassment.html.

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Kept you waiting, huh? Manu (aka ManuclearBomb) from the NotACast Pod-Cast and My Brother, My Captain, My Podcast, returns to the show to talk about Metal Gear Solid 2 and the impact it made on his life!

We also talk about this game's legacy, its influences, its controversies, and its prescient themes. Not only that, we also give our thoughts on the recently announced live-action Zelda film, discuss the future of the Metal Gear franchise, the recent Master Collection, and what other pieces of media give us "Big Boss Baby vibes."

Other games discussed in this episode: Elden Ring, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Spider-Man 2, Yakuza, Alan Wake, Control, Max Payne 3, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Survivor, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Metal Gear Solid V, Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2.

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

0:00 - Catching Up with Manu 13:34 - Live-action Zelda News 22:58 - Manu's Gaming Future 35:02 - "Big Boss Baby Vibes" 44:50 - Metal Gear Solid Delta 52:54 - Introducing Metal Gear Solid 2 1:16:35 - No Country For Old Games 1:37:58 - Metal Gear Solid 2 2:58:30 - Recommendations and Outro

Support Manu and his projects: https://www.patreon.com/MyBroMyCapMyPod https://linktr.ee/MBMCMP https://www.patreon.com/NotACastASOIAF https://notacastasoiaf.podbean.com/

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

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With great podcasts there must also come great responsibility. With okay ones you can get a little silly with it though. Avry Robin Ott, Keifer's best friend and the person who provides this show's artwork, returns to the show to talk about what Spider-Man, the character and the 2018 video game, means to him!

We also talk about our favorite superheroes, superheroes in interactive media, the legacy of Spider-Man, the ideology behind the character and his creators, and more! We also come up with ideas for more superhero video games in a brand new segment: I Need A Hero.

Other games discussed in this episode include: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Pokémon Legends Arceus, Hades, Marvel Snap, the Batman Arkham series, and a bunch of Spider-Man games.

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

Catching up with Avry - 0:00 Favorite Superhero Games - 21:25 Our History with Spider-Man - 34:10 Spider-Man Video Games - 52:30 I Need A Hero - 1:11:45 Introducing Marvel's Spider-Man - 1:18:45 No Country for Old Games - 1:30:00 Marvel's Spider-Man Discussion - 1:42:22 Recommendations and Outro - 2:53:59

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by our guest, Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

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CONTENT WARNING: Phantasmagoria contains a scene depicting sexual assault. This aspect of the game, as well as the controversy it caused around the time of its release, is discussed in this episode. It is discussed during the No Country For Old Games segment starting at the 57 minute and 45 second mark and is brought up again periodically throughout the episode. Please listen at your own discretion. Episode Description:

Lauren Badillo Milici, writer, poet, and author of Sad Sexy Catholic, stops by to talk about why the uniquely bizarre Sierra point-and-click horror FMV game Phantasmagoria means so much to her!

We also talk about Lauren's horror obsession (games, films, and television), PC games, point-and-click games, FMVs, and get sidetracked a lot!  

Other games discussed in this episode: Faith, Wishbone and the Amazing Odyssey, Alice is Dead, America McGee's Alice, Alice: Madness Returns, Vampire: The Masquerade, Her Story, Immortality, Inscryption, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie game, Starsky and Hutch, SOMA, Control, Phantasmagoria 2, and more! 

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

0:00 - Introducing Lauren 38:00 - Introducing Phantasmagoria 52:15 - No Country for Old Games 1:13:00 - Phantasmagoria Discussion 1:58:45 - Phantasmagoria 2 2:04:00 - Phantasmagoria's Ending 2:10:30 - Recommendations and Outro

Support Lauren and her projects: https://www.laurenmilici.com/ http://patreon.com/motelsiren [

](http://patreon.com/motelsiren)https://www.fandom.com/articles/history-phantasmagoria Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

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Happy Halloween, super ghouls 'n gamers! Andrew Sherman, head of the Moonshot Podcast Network and host of ARGonauts and The Podcast Mines: There But For the Grace of Pod Go We, stops by to talk about the roguelike deck-building game Inscryption and the impact it made on his life! 

Also, Keifer got Covid and he's _pissed. _

We also talk about our history with card games and deck-builders, Nintendo DS modding and repair, the best games to play during the Fall season, and more!  

Other games discussed in this episode: The Pokémon franchise, the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Hotel Dusk, Baldur's Gate III, Psychonauts, Night in the Woods, Alan Wake 2, Loop Hero, Wildermyth, Slay The Spire, Into the Breach, Immortality, Metal Gear Solid 2, and more!

Timestamps: 00:00 - Keifer's Rant 06:50 - Introducing Andrew 41:38 - Trading Card Games 54:45 - Autumn Games 1:01:45 - Introducing Inscryption 1:20:00 - No Country for Old Games 1:29:30 - Inscryption 2:37:15 - Recommendations and Conclusion

Select and Start is a video game podcast where the host, Keifer Lirette, talks with his guests about their most meaningful and memorable video game experiences. It is part of the Moonshot podcast network.

Support Andrew and his projects: https://www.twitch.tv/ACSherman https://andrewsherman.carrd.co/

Follow Keifer and support the show: https://www.patreon.com/KeifersCorner https://linktr.ee/KeiferL

Artwork provided by Avry Ott: https://linktr.ee/HotSodaDesigns

Theme Music Provided by Mike Pettry: https://linktr.ee/mikepettry

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