Markers on the Map: A Gaming Adventure

Episode 165: Star Wars on the Scene

Directly in competition with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. This week, we take a look at, among other Star Wars-related topics, many of the Star Wars video games over the years. From Battlefront, to Republic Commando, and even Episode I Racer on the GameBoy Color, we weave through the endless history of Star Wars in the gaming space. We've also got Shiny Pokemon, a Donkey Kong Country 2 replay completed, and a new development with Helldivers 2 on PC that we just don't get. Check us out on X and BlueSky @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 164: Stellar Shreddin'

Our own little rock band. This week, we're delving into Stellar Blade, the latest PS5 action exclusive. EVE and her companions travel a ruined world full of monsters in an exciting blend of Devil May Cry and Dark Souls. It's stylish, it's fun, and it's one of the best first impressions in a while. We're also taking a look at the new PDP Riffmaster guitar controller - is it worth the asking price? After those topics, it's another one of our battle pass check-ins. All that and quite literally a bag of chips in this week's episode! Check us out on X and BlueSky @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 163: More Than Just Games

Join us for a few distractions. This week, we've got a special bit of lore for the world of the podcast before the episode begins. After that, we go down the rabbit hole of cartoons and old programming blocks. And if that's not enough, we both built a really cool model kit recently. We're battling some gaming burnout here at the start with a bit non-gaming-related goodness. Then, it's onto the indie game space. Balatro is on the menu with its creative new take on the deckbuilding roguelike, and Nintendo's newest Indie World is here with a lot to look forward to, like Animal Well, Antonblast, and a new TMNT adventure! Check us out on X and BlueSky @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 162: Little Samurai Adventures

You gotta parry every piece of the combo. This week, we've got a special segment with some big news on No Man's Sky. After that, it's right back into more Rise of the Ronin and the interesting things that Team Ninja's open world samurai game is doing. We're also discussing some more transformations in Princess Peach: Showtime. It's a blend of genres all around, and it doesn't stop, as we also talk about Stellar Blade's demo, and what this new action game takes from other modern day Soulslikes. It's another week of the latest big releases! New episodes will also return on April 24th! Check us out on BlueSky @markersonthemap.bsky.social.

Episode 161: Ronin Peach

Quite the unexpected duo. This week, we're looking at two brand new releases: Nintendo's Princess Peach: Showtime and Team Ninja's Rise of the Ronin. One is an exciting and ever changing romp through different plays with fresh, surprising, and simple gameplay. The other is a journey through 1850s Japan with complex systems, massive amounts of loot, and style that's hard to beat. From patisserie to pastiche, these are two of Q1 2024's biggest releases. All this and more in a week that's pretty low on news! We're now on BlueSky @markersonthemap.bsky.social.

Episode 160: The Rebirth Episode

It had to be done. This week, we delve into the complete overload of content that is Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. It's overwhelming, it's exhausting, and it's also a pretty great game, all things considered. Combat, exploration, traversal and more highlight this extensive look at Square Enix's biggest game of 2024. We're also talking about the unfortunate aspects of Skull and Bones from back in the game's open beta, as well as the surprising facts that For Honor and Rainbow Six: Siege are still getting meaningful content updates. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 159: Battle Pass Divers

Rock the dragon. First this week, some words and memories on Akira Toriyama and his legacy. For both of us, Dragon Ball is a huge deal, so we have a big discussion at the start. After that, join us for more rants against the current state of battle passes. Then, we get into initial impressions of Helldivers 2, one of the year's biggest surprises so far. We wrap up with news on more announcements, more cancellations, and more upsetting DLC practices. It's a lot this week! It's also the return of Pokemon Drip with Sun and Moon! Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 158: The Fourth Launch Lineup

The stuff that dreams are made of. This week, the Launch Lineup finally returns with a look at all of the games that came out for Dreamcast back on 9/9/99. Sonic Adventure is there and SoulCalibur is there, but then you've got some real wild releases, like Blue Stinger, Pen Pen TriIceLon, Ready 2 Rumble, and no less than five or six racing games. Throw in your flying sims and multiple football releases and we have a launch lineup that's plentiful, while also still having some pretty great games on it. It's Sega's last console, but its beginning was decent! Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 157: Mother 3 May I?

Top video game announcement betrayals of all time. This week, we take an in-depth look at a pretty big Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase. We've got some remakes, like Epic Mickey's return, some long-lost series making a comeback, like Endless Ocean Luminous, and some rereleases of more recent games full of brand new content, like Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Battlefront and Monkey Ball are back, shadow drops are here, and the Switch just keeps going and going as it heads into another year of hybrid gaming action. But, seriously, what about Mother 3? Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 156: Gaming's Industrial Evolution

It's time for the mid-generation check-in... already? This week, we look at three big news stories coming out of the major console manufacturers. Xbox is putting some of their games on other platforms, as well as discussing some of their future strategies. Playstation's going a year without their legacy franchises. Nintendo's potentially delaying their Switch successor to 2025. We go in-depth with each of these stories as the gaming industry continues to evolve in some interesting ways. Plus, a new No Man's Sky update has arrived! Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.