Markers on the Map: A Gaming Adventure

Episode 145: It’s Alive... Service!

Starting October off with some spooky audio woes! This week, we delve into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and our experience playing the latest installment in the franchise for the first time. We go into positives, negatives, and everything in between as we begin our Spawn Battle Pass journey. We also take a quick look at Foamstars through its open beta. Is it like Splatoon? Kind of, but there's a lot more going on. We then begin discussion on some of the wild stories coming out of the gaming industry in the past few weeks. It's a lot. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 144: Modern Couch Co-Op Classics

In the words of Trombone Champ, "Trumpet... the coward's trombone." This week, we delve into some of the best modern couch co-op games. We start with a long look at the fourth and fifth waves of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's DLC tracks, full of new courses and old favorites. Then, we head into madness with Vampire Survivors' truly addicting co-op mode. After that, we get a little silly with Trombone Champ's own brand of zaniness, from its unwieldy control schemes to its hilarious remixes of classical music. Not to mention, aside from all of this, Spawn is headed to Modern Warfare 2 for Halloween. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 143: The State of Directs

New gaming meals featuring Live Service Sandwiches and Microtransaction Milkshakes. This week, the showcase crossover we never knew we needed: a Nintendo Direct and a Playstation State of Play on the same day! Join us as we discuss new games and updates, like Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Princess Peach Showtime, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and so much more. Two decent showcases show that the PS5 has some heavy hitters coming soon, and the Switch continues to dominate, even this far into its life cycle. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 142: Speed of Stars

Sea of Stars does get a mention in this one. This week, it's a little different as we tackle a few topics in the current landscape of gaming. First, we take a look at the reception and criticisms of Starfield, which currently dominates game discourse. Later on, we talk about EA's patch for Jedi Survivor and how it makes a good case for waiting a few months for a AAA game to be fixed instead of buying it at launch. In the middle of this, we take a look at the Need for Speed series through the lens of Need for Speed Carbon. We also begin the X and Y season of Pokemon Drip! Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 141: The Third Launch Lineup

The Markers on the Map Jumbo Coloring and Activity Book. This week, our special Launch Lineup segment returns for a third round - the Game Boy Advance. With its mid-2001 release date, a handful of interesting games were released alongside Nintendo's latest portable device. From Super Mario Advance to Castlevania, we'll take a brief look at each of them. After that, we discuss some of the new features and ideas revealed in the Super Mario Bros Wonder Direct, as well as the ridiculous price hikes in PlayStation Plus' three tiers. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 140: Armored Core Memory

A real Sekiro moment! This week, we're taking the first steps into the world of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. The long awaited entry in From's mech series takes us away from the stylings of Soulslikes, but still retains some of that signature difficulty. Frustrating boss encounters and a staggering amount of customization are just a few of the things we delve into in one of the year's biggest games. We also reflect on three years of the podcast as well as Charles Martinet no longer voicing Mario in a surprising announcement from Nintendo. Check us out on X @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 139: Zombies in a Rock Band

Dear video games, make Lego Rock Band 2. This week, we're finally taking a look at World War Z: Aftermath, an incredibly fun and satisfying game in a very oversaturated genre: co-op shooters. With tons of content and a variety of locations, it's a fantastic time. Before that, we get a lesson in finding antimatter in No Man's Sky from one of our characters, as well as remembering the hidden gem that is Lego Rock Band. This leads us down the rabbit hole of gaming demo kiosks that used to be a highlight of video game sections. We also go over some upcoming special episodes coming very soon! Check us out on X, you know, that one that was Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 138: Horizon Replay Remastered

Red Dead Redemption on PS4 costs what?! This one's got a little bit of everything. We have a big discussion on remakes and remasters and whether they're a good thing for gaming companies to release. We also return to Horizon: Forbidden West for some trophy cleanup and a run through the Burning Shores DLC expansion. After that, we've got some news stories like Keith David taking over the role of Zavala in Destiny, some wild monetization with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a Fall Guys crossover you'd never believe was a real thing! Check us out on X - that thing that used to be Twitter - @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 137: Diablo All-Stars

Did they have video games? The shelves were full. This week, we discuss the Diablo games leading up to Diablo 4, namely Diablo 3 and Diablo 2: Resurrected. We do also discuss a lot of Diablo 4 as the series continues its evolution, for better or worse. Each game is different, and each has a ton of positives as well as their fair share of negatives. We're also talking about the upcoming Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 and what characters we think should be in the game... and maybe a few crossovers that definitely aren't happening. Check us out on X, you know, the site that used to be called Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 136: Enter the Dragonfish

Three tangents! Ah, ah, ah! Two of them are gaming-related, though. This week, we return - after over two years - to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, for a new take on the modern classic RPG. Ichiban's story begins to unfold with twists and turns as one of us delves into the game for the first time. We've also got a few tangents, as noted. A new game comes to Apple Arcade with an interesting start. A string of spinoffs makes us think, "what characters need their own games?" And yes, Halloween season is here. We've seen the candy. Check us out on... X or Twitter or whatever it's called now @MarkersOnTheMap!