Markers on the Map: A Gaming Adventure

Episode 168: The Saga of Spawn

At last, the glorious return of SNES Revival. This week, we take a super deep dive into Todd McFarlane's Spawn for the SNES. It's a short but memorable 2D platformer and beat 'em up hybrid that those who have played both Street Fighter and Mega Man X will feel right at home with. Big sprites, vivid visuals, interesting life systems, and even more unique powers translate very well from the moody inked pages of this tragic antihero to the 16-bit world of the SNES. We've also got a few news stories this week as we continue counting down to Summer Games Fest! Check us out on X and BlueSky @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 167: Ghost in the Well

The time has come: Bigmode. This week, we take a look at the first game published by Bigmode, Animal Well, a puzzle-based Metroidvania where a tiny blob must navigate the mysteries and strange horrors of an underground world. It may not be perfect, but it's one of the most interesting games in the genre we've seen in a while. That's not all, though, as we return for more Stellar Blade, Rise of the Ronin, and even Overwatch 2. It's the last couple of weeks before the onslaught of Summer Games Fest news! Check us out on X and BlueSky @MarkersOnTheMap.

Episode 166: The Chaotic Industry

Come on, games industry. This week, it's a full episode of news as Microsoft is closing studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and RedFall developer Arkane Austin. We go in-depth with our thoughts on these closures, as well as other closures, and the live service model. What's more, there's some wild news about Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League's missteps. It's not all bad, though, as we finally have confirmation on a brand new system from Nintendo. It's been a while since we had a whole episode about news, but the industry is in a strange place. Check us out on X and BlueSky @MarkersOnTheMap.

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.