Markers on the Map: A Gaming Adventure

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!

Episode 135: Like a Spartan

Marvel as we dodge spoilers in the most creative way. This week, we're returning to spoiler-free impressions of God of War Ragnarok, this time, from a different point of view. The good, the bad, and the strange design choices of it all are front and center in the return to Kratos' second journey in Norse mythology. Plus, we've got some stuff we forgot to talk about in regards to Final Fantasy XVI, as well as a new look at Spider-Man 2's story and special edition products! Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 134: Clive Rosfield’s Eikonic Hat

Clive doesn't actually wear a hat. But if he did, it'd be Eikonic. This week, we've got a long overview of Final Fantasy XVI, Square Enix's complete reinvention of the series as a character action game. Powers, bosses, quests, and more come up in this long segment. We're also looking at Square Enix as a whole, and their massive quantities of game releases. We've also got some truly awesome announcements from Limited Run Games' "E3" conference - a Jurassic Park Collection, Clock Tower's official US release, and the return of Gex! Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 133: Directly Adjacent to Games

In the words of the show, "that's gaming-related!" This week, we're back from a trip to Anime Expo, so we spend a bit of time discussing all the cool stuff we did there, including some Street Fighter 6 and Persona-based goodness. It was a great time, and we had to bring some of that into the episode! But that's not all - there's been a massive Nintendo Direct since we last recorded and we picked the best announcements to discuss, like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Mario RPG, Sonic Superstars, and more games that don't have "super" in the title. Plus, Pokemon Drip returns with the start of Black and White! Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 132: The Second Launch Lineup

The Launch Lineup returns! This week, we're tackling some wild topics like Joy-Con drift and the struggle of returning to a difficult game you've conquered in the past that you just can't seem to get back into. Then, we take an in-depth look at Final Fantasy XVI's opening hours and combat by way of the game's fantastic demo. We wrap this week up with the return of the Launch Lineup, and this time, we're looking at all of the launch titles from Xbox's 2001 release. From Halo to Dead or Alive to Project Gotham Racing, the Xbox's release was definitely unique. Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 131: Frontiers of Summer Games Fest

This episode asks the question, "what does XP taste like?" This week, we're looking at three more Summer Games Fest showcases, Xbox, Ubisoft, and Capcom. New reveals like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Persona 3 Reload, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and Clockwork Revolution lead the way in massive presentations full of updates. A huge portion of Starfield is front and center, a new Star Wars game brings the franchise into the open world genre, and we get our first look at Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora in a big gameplay reveal. Remakes, collections, new takes on old favorites, and more in this second part of 2023's "not E3" coverage! Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 130: Speaking of Final Fantasy

Geoff Keighley returns. This week marks the beginning of Summer Games Fest 2023, and we start with the big show, as well as Devolver's much-anticipated "Return of Volvy." We're talking about brand new updates and reveals like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Sonic Superstars, Remnant 2, Mortal Kombat 1, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando, Lies of P, Alan Wake 2, Spider-Man 2, and of course, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. It's the return of "not-E3" season as we look into the future of gaming. Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 129: Streets of the Map

Okay, but JP is a bit ridiculous, right? This week, we take the entire episode to delve into our first impressions of the long awaited Street Fighter 6. We give our thoughts on World Tour, Battle Hub, and Fighting Ground, as well as some initial takes on the game's seven new characters. We discuss new central mechanics like the Drive system and custom characters as we take the first steps into this wild new era of Street Fighter action. With an incredible launch weekend, Street Fighter 6 is going to be in the rotation for a long, long time. Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 128: We Have Splatoon at Foam

In the words of those who expected GTA6 at the Sony show, "what, no GTA6?" This week, we take a look at Sony's latest Playstation Showcase and go in-depth with two of the bigger segments - Metal Gear Solid Delta, a remake of Snake Eater, and Spider-Man 2's 10-minute gameplay reveal. After that, we discuss a few more games from the show like Bungie's Marathon, Remedy's Alan Wake 2, Foamstars, Final Fantasy XVI, Phantom Blade 0, and a whole bunch more. Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 127: The Legend of Fall Guys

We gotta Ultrahand it to games, they've been pretty great lately. This week, we take a first look at The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the followup to one of the highest-rated games of all time. And you know what? It's actually a lot better than Breath of the Wild. Then, we discuss the newest season of Fall Guys, which puts a big emphasis on the game's new creative mode. There's also a little bit of news, like the reveal of Mortal Kombat 1. Check us out on Twitter @MarkersOnTheMap.