Fire Escape Cast #109

Summary

Fire Escape Cast #109 Summary

Release Date: June 16, 2025

In Episode #109 of Fire Escape Cast, hosts Mike Mahardy, Dan Reichert, and Mary Keshe engage in their signature blend of humor, personal anecdotes, and in-depth discussions about video games and their experiences at recent gaming events. This episode is a treasure trove for both regular listeners and newcomers, offering insights into their latest adventures, favorite games, and unique perspectives on various topics.

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1. The Great Confetti Cannon Incident

The episode kicks off with Dan recounting a memorable mishap involving a confetti cannon explosion at a Giant Bomb event.

• [02:07] Mike Mahardy: "Dan got quite literally hit in the face with a confetti cannon explosion and made a page of Reddit in the process."

• [02:19] Dan Reichert: "It is very. Just. It's like a sniper shot of crazy compressed air... it bruised, like... I survived."

Mary humorously credits Dan's beard for offering slight protection during the incident.

• [03:34] Mary Keshe: "Stop the arrow by beard."

Dan lightheartedly contemplates legal action against Jeff Grubb for the unexpected faceful.

• [04:19] Dan Reichert: "I am legitimately going to reach out to the People's Court and maybe Judge Judy..."

2. Recap of Summer Games Fest

The hosts share their experiences attending Summer Games Fest, highlighting it as a more subdued event compared to previous years.

• [09:20] Dan Reichert: "But one of those things where at the end you're at the airport and you're just like, that was good."

Mary expresses mixed feelings about attending due to personal commitments and jet lag from her trip to Europe.

• [10:52] Mary Keshe: "I just think like, this is not really worth the ticket price."

Dan emphasizes the social aspect of the event, considering it a success despite the lack of major game announcements.

• [11:04] Mary Keshe: "But, you know, maybe that's what it is now."

3. Upcoming Travels and Adventures

Discussion shifts to the hosts' travel plans, with Mike heading to Ireland and Mary preparing for the Cannes Film Festival.

• [12:27] Dan Reichert: "We're just such travel junkies."

Mary highlights the importance of having a travel-savvy friend to handle logistics.

• [14:11] Mary Keshe: "I will do that. And hopefully I will be effective at it because it's so cool to get the opportunity."

Mike jokes about his limited time due to upcoming flights.

• [12:43] Mike Mahardy: "I'm gonna be carrying my switch around more, I kind of want to get the switch version because I'm only maybe an hour in something like that..."

4. Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World Review

Dan shares his enthusiasm for the newly released Nintendo Switch 2 and the latest installment in the Mario Kart series.

• [51:39] Dan Reichert: "I love it. It's really good... the hardware feels really great."

He praises the improved Joy-Cons and the enhanced gaming experience, particularly enjoying the new "knockout" mode.

• [58:59] Mary Keshe: "I did not agree with all the people that are like, oh, this is like a boring console launch."

Dan counters critics by highlighting the continued charm and polish of Nintendo's offerings.

• [55:58] Mike Mahardy: "Deck, like, in terms of comfort holding?"

5. Game Spotlight: Claire Obscure

Mary introduces Claire Obscure, a new turn-based RPG, detailing its unique mechanics and narrative.

• [60:48] Mike Mahardy: "Yeah, I like the look of it. You're right about the music. It has been like so many times I've walked through the room and seen her doing something. I'm like, what's going on here?"

Mary discusses the game's combat system, emphasizing the integration of timing-based mechanics to enhance traditional turn-based gameplay.

• [70:55] Mary Keshe: "You can still definitely stay commensurate or like with the scaling by defeating enough enemies where..."

Dan relates it to other RPGs like Chrono Trigger and Paper Mario, appreciating the game's aesthetic and sound design.

• [77:00] Mary Keshe: "She has some really fun moves coming up as well."

6. Listener Emails: Cozy Game Bundles and Niche Sports

The hosts respond to listener questions, with Hillary from Virginia asking about their ideal cozy game bundles.

• [120:31] Mary Keshe: "Mine would be Graveyard Keeper, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Power Wash Simulator, and Dragon Age Origins."

Mary elaborates on additional recommendations, emphasizing games that offer relaxing and fulfilling experiences.

• [123:37] Mike Mahardy: "Potion Craft, Alchemist Simulator."

They also touch upon niche sports, humorously discussing unconventional activities they might train for to win national gold medals.

• [137:37] Mary Keshe: "I could be the guy who ate the most Legos."

7. Cocktail Garnishes Debate

A light-hearted segment where the hosts debate the etiquette of eating cocktail garnishes, exploring what is socially acceptable.

• [130:51] Mary Keshe: "Do you really eat it? And I'm saying, no, you don't eat that lime."

They share personal preferences and societal norms surrounding garnishes like olives, maraschino cherries, and onions.

• [135:00] Mary Keshe: "You're not supposed to eat my cocktail onion."

8. Game Recommendations and Future Episodes

Mike introduces Deep Rock Survivor, a Vampire Survivors clone, and discusses its unique features compared to the original.

• [82:44] Mike Mahardy: "It's an auto shooter where you start off with the assault rifle and then you're every... you're collecting those experience orbs to upgrade..."

Dan and Mary share their thoughts on other games like Rogue Legacy 2, Lego Party, and Midnight Walk, recommending them based on their gameplay mechanics and aesthetic appeal.

• [85:00] Mike Mahardy: "And all the usual bullshit's there. You're gonna get blue shelled, you're gonna get all that stuff and go from 1st to 10th out of no fault at all, but that's part of Mario Kart."

9. Closing Remarks and Upcoming Content

As the episode wraps up, the hosts encourage listeners to engage with their content, follow their social media, and support them through various platforms.

• [119:48] Mary Keshe: "I'm playing it on Steam and I am gonna download it on Steam deck and hope that it also works on my Steam deck."

They tease future episodes, including discussions on Death Stranding and other anticipated topics, maintaining their lively and engaging rapport.

• [151:38] Dan Reichert: "Bye."

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Notable Quotes:

• Dan Reichert at [02:19]: "I survived."

• Mary Keshe at [03:34]: "Stop the arrow by beard."

• Dan Reichert at [51:39]: "I love it. It's really good."

• Mary Keshe at [120:31]: "Mine would be Graveyard Keeper, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Power Wash Simulator, and Dragon Age Origins."

• Mary Keshe at [130:51]: "Do you really eat it? And I'm saying, no, you don't eat that lime."

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This episode of Fire Escape Cast offers a delightful mix of personal stories, game reviews, and entertaining debates, encapsulating the hosts' passion for gaming and their unique camaraderie. Whether discussing the latest console or exploring niche game genres, Mike, Dan, and Mary provide valuable insights and plenty of laughs for their audience.

Transcript

[Mary Keshe]

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[Mike Mahardy]

Hello everybody. Welcome back to the Fire Escape Cast. I'm Mike Mahardy, your host. As always, here with Dan Reichert.

[Dan Reichert]

Hello.

[Mike Mahardy]

And Mary Keshe.

[Mary Keshe]

Yay.

[Mike Mahardy]

I make an effort to sound more excited when I announce you.

[Mary Keshe]

I can correct men, I can fix them.

[Mike Mahardy]

There was like 60 where I sounded pretty down really about it. Yeah, I don't know, 65 might be exaggerating, but we're back. First time in a while. Well, I mean I guess for listeners it's not but we recorded the last episode a bit early before Mary went off on her another gallivant trip across Europe. God knows what she's doing over there.

[Dan Reichert]

It was 2021. We recorded the last episode so we're a little more caught up now.

[Mike Mahardy]

Nothing's happened. Everything's fine in la. I heard no one got shot in the face with a firework Biden healthy and president still.

[Mary Keshe]

Do you have all your teeth? Can I see them?

[Dan Reichert]

I thought they were gone. I thought they. I honestly when I was on the ground, I thought I was going to take my hand off and see all my teeth on the ground. But they all stayed in place and outside of just some bruising throughout the inner lip and chin, I survived.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, for the audience that doesn't venn diagram with giant bomb. Dan got quite literally hit in the face with a confetti cannon explosion and made a page of Reddit in the process. I had friends be like didn't this guy was this. I had more than one friend message me saying isn't this the guy that married you don't who wait, who is this idiot?

[Dan Reichert]

You can't blame me for this. I was the victim here. I didn't think my friend was about to turn a howitzer of a confetti cannon into my fucking face.

[Mike Mahardy]

So there wouldn't guess there's like a walk me through the science here. Is there a hard part in the confetti?

[Dan Reichert]

Well, a lot of people had a lot to say about what happened as a result. I learned how these work. So it is a bunch of compressed nitrogen at the bottom of a tube and this is not one of the tiny little party popper things that you buy at Target. This was like a big Ass tube. And, yeah, you twist it and it, like, somehow lets the compressed nitrogen do something with the air. I don't know. Chemistry happens. And then there is no physical projectile.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh. Just a force like air pressure.

[Dan Reichert]

It is very. Just. It's like a sniper shot of crazy compressed air. And I was, I don't know, three and a half feet away from top of the tube. And I have been elbowed in the teeth before. So bad that my teeth dented in. I had to go to the dentist to get my teeth fixed. This felt worse than that. I've never felt anything. It blew my lav mic off. It's just. Yeah. It bruised, like. I was talking to Greg Miller the next night, and he was like, the inside of your lip is, like, black. And I look at it like, oh, yep, that's not good. That's.

[Mary Keshe]

And that was the bruise.

[Dan Reichert]

The inside of the lip was the. Where it hurt kind of the most. And then, like, under my beard. I think that kind of obscured a.

[Mary Keshe]

Lot of it, but, like, beard protected you by, like, being a bit of baffling. Like, you know, just a bit of it could have.

[Dan Reichert]

Right.

[Mary Keshe]

Stop the arrow by beard.

[Dan Reichert]

It could have been. Yeah. No, I still felt every bit of it. I. It's funny because. And I understand why people thought it might have been a bit, because it seems like the type of thing I would do, like a little. Little wrestling silliness or something. No, I would not have agreed to do that. That sounds way too dangerous, and it is extremely dangerous. But I'm glad it happened because it's funny.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'm glad you have, like, a corporate umbrella to take care of, like, any.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, we're going through the hr.

[Mary Keshe]

Are you on insurance?

[Dan Reichert]

I. I'm on insurance, but not through Giant Bomb.

[Mary Keshe]

Right. Because this is, like, the worst time to get shot in the face.

[Dan Reichert]

Yes. Yes, I am. Okay. I am legitimately going to reach out to the People's Court and maybe Judge Judy, if anyone has a connection. I just think it would be the funniest thing in the world. Yeah. If I try to sue Jeff Grubb for $5,000 and then we have to watch that clip a million times in court on tv, and she's like, what.

[Mary Keshe]

Are you, an idiot? Yes, ma' am.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. If anyone has any connection. I'm not kidding. I am, like, tomorrow looking up contacts and stuff, and I'm trying to get a hold of TV court shows.

[Mary Keshe]

I wish you the best of luck legally, on suing Jeff Grubb. He's had a.

[Dan Reichert]

Thank you very Much, Yes.

[Mary Keshe]

Very apologetic.

[Dan Reichert]

He was, he was. And he said if I would have gotten actually hurt, he would have felt really, really bad.

[Mary Keshe]

But I guess so he doesn't feel bad at all.

[Dan Reichert]

Well, I guess we're even now because he might have saved my life like two nights ago. So me and him were. Our. Our place was right next to a 7 11, like three houses down.

[Mike Mahardy]

Enough said.

[Dan Reichert]

We. What's that?

[Mike Mahardy]

No, I was joking.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, I. I wanted some beers and, and Butterfinger ice cream and he wanted a slushy. And so, you know, like 10 o' clock at night on this would have been Sunday night, I think. We walked down to the 7 11. I get a. Some beers in a bag. We're walking back and again, this is like three houses we have to walk down. And you know, there la. There's a bunch of people sleeping in the, you know, parking lot and everything. And we're just kind of walking and talking and stuff. And then all of a sudden we get like one house down the street and we hear, hey, hey. And like, this isn't like, oh, you're in downtown San Francisco. They're just on the street yelling at everyone that passes by. No, it's a dark suburban street and we are the only people walking around. And Grubs is like, just keep walking, just keep walking. I'm like, okay, okay, okay. I'm just trying to like get to the gate of the house. And then we hear sprinting and it's getting closer and it's like, hey, hey, hey, motherfucker. Like, it's just absolute manic screaming. And we turn around and it's a lady. And she's like ready, like very wild eyed, you know, shaved head. And she's like pissed off. And she's like, you stole my fucking bag. And she's pointing at my bag of beers. And I was like, I didn't. I did not steal these. We just went to 7 11. She's like, you stole. You're going to jail, motherfucker. And I'm thinking like, oh, please call the cops. Let's see how this goes. Turns out the cops are busy doing other stuff that night in Los Angeles. But she's like, you're going to. Yeah, yeah. And so she's like almost kind of like lunging kind of that McGruber like, you want to go like that type of thing. And I am freaking out. I don't know what to do here. And so Grub gave me some for this because my legitimate thing that I did as defense in this moment That I think I'm about to get attacked is I reached into my back pocket and I grabbed my receipt and I go, I have a receipt.

[Mike Mahardy]

Just resort to logic in the face.

[Mary Keshe]

Of someone like that who's obviously an academy fueled anger.

[Dan Reichert]

As you can see here, the line items for my Modelos.

[Mary Keshe]

I did not steal these from you.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it did kind of stop her for a second. Like, she was just like, completely screaming. And I said, like, I have a receipt. I held it up and she did look at it for a second. Like, like, it kind of like stun locked her for a second. And then she's like. Was like, give me the bag. And Grub just went like, no. And like, lunged at her a little bit. And that kind of got her to settle down. And oh, my God. It was just.

[Mike Mahardy]

So she left after Grub, like, stepped to her.

[Dan Reichert]

I think she was, like, turning around still. Oh. She started walking away and kept calling us the N word after that.

[Mike Mahardy]

So.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Yeah. And then we hurried back to the house. Yeah. So Los Angeles was good. Actually was good.

[Mike Mahardy]

What. What's. What neighborhood was that?

[Dan Reichert]

I think we were like. Like, it was near Hollywood.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh. Oh, okay. That checks out.

[Mary Keshe]

It has so many different neighborhoods, but that's a scary story. I. I would be so nervous walking home, especially by myself. Like, I'm glad you guys had a buddy system so that Grub could save you in the event that you would be attacked by a lady.

[Dan Reichert]

Yes. And out of the.

[Mike Mahardy]

The five people had another confetti cannon ready to go.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

Blaster in the face, probably.

[Mary Keshe]

And you could prove that you purchased it legally.

[Dan Reichert]

That is true. Yeah. Out of the four other people sharing that BNB with me, I think Grub is probably the best one I could have had there. Right. Out of all the giant bomb guys.

[Mary Keshe]

He's tall.

[Dan Reichert]

He's tall. And I think he'd, like, handle himself, you know, like that's, you know, minati, you know, flashback to his time at the dojo.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't know. Yeah. I think Jan. I don't know what Jan would do. Bacalar would absolutely be useless.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Maybe with his hockey stick he could do something. But. Yeah. Throw a hat at her.

[Mary Keshe]

It's a good question. I know that people have asked us, like, who would be the most safe amongst us? I mean, I. I do think that I could be taken down, but I take. I take out at least a couple eyeballs on my way.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Mary snap like a twig, but I would kill a. Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

And once you started scrapping with her Mary. I would have had time to run back to the house. So that would have been really helpful.

[Mary Keshe]

So I would have saved your life before taking a couple syringes to the knee. Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

I would have done the eulogy at your funeral as a result.

[Mary Keshe]

So no, you had been barred.

[Dan Reichert]

Who banned from a funeral?

[Mary Keshe]

My death is just getting an Edible Arrangement and nothing else. And they're not allowed to come to my funeral.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. So it was good. Did the shows. Yeah. Had a bunch of guests. It was very, very busy. But one of those things where at the end you're at the airport and you're just like, that was good. We did a good thing there. That was great. So, yeah, hope to do it again next year.

[Mike Mahardy]

Congrats.

[Dan Reichert]

Thanks.

[Mike Mahardy]

I was not there this year.

[Dan Reichert]

No.

[Mary Keshe]

It's kind of weird, isn't it? Not going. I think it's the first time because last year I went, even though I don't think I had the best justification. But last year I went. I took some streamers out for. There's some justification I can do if there's a lot of streamers in the area, like for a video game conference, for example, PAX East. I was able to justify by like taking streamers out. We were doing an event for Twitch like that I can argue. But this year there really wasn't that many streamers that I knew going that justified me traveling there. And I had just gotten back From Europe because TwitchCon was in the Netherlands again and I think it was the week before and I just. The idea of me just getting back and I was also severely jet lagged and like acclimating to the time zone and going to Summer Games Fest. I was like, absolutely not. Like I. I just think you'd really have to convince me under that situation to like want to go. I was on E. Yeah, it was.

[Dan Reichert]

It was a kind of lower profile one, just kind of a more chilled out one. There wasn't like a huge frenzy for anything. You know, I'd say like Resident Evil. Not like huge games announced or anything.

[Mary Keshe]

Felt the same way. I mean generally speaking I didn't hear anyone be was a waste of time. Like it's still neat. And I'm grateful that Summer Games Fest exists because it's. I said this last year but like it's so wonderful that it brings all these different people together to celebrate games and I do love seeing my developer friends or other people in games media and just catching up with them. So happy that it exists. But this was like kind of one of the main years Where I was like, this is not really worth the ticket price. Like, I would have a hard time justifying the flight and the hotels and all that stuff for, like, I love Resident Evil. Like, don't get me wrong, but, like, you have to do a little bit more than that to get. To get me going. And I just didn't feel like they had a huge lineup.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Like, honestly, I barely played anything because we were just putting the shows together. So to me, it is just that social element of it of just like, hey, the industry's all here. Let's hang out. So that's all it is to me. So. And that end of it was a success in my book.

[Mary Keshe]

But, you know, maybe that's what it is now. This is just the time where we all get together and eat terrible food and drink and avoid getting mugged.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Together.

[Dan Reichert]

I'm fine with that. Yeah, I had a great time.

[Mike Mahardy]

So I fly to Ireland tomorrow. So their work was. Burt's was just like, I'm not gonna make you go to LA and then go to Ireland the next day, basically, so. And also, Burt's was there, so they didn't need two of us.

[Dan Reichert]

Sure.

[Mary Keshe]

We're just such travel. Travel junkies. I leave for France on Friday. I've been jet setting what's in France. Over can. Oh, yeah, I'm gonna butcher this. I think it's can Leon, but I'm gonna say cans. Lion.

[Mike Mahardy]

Can, Leon.

[Dan Reichert]

I think that's right. Can't. Lion.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, Can's. Lion is there.

[Mike Mahardy]

We're like, the film festival.

[Mary Keshe]

I think it's connected, but it's a. You know what. What happens at festivals is advertisers with money go. And that's a great place for companies and brands to go and be like, give me your money. And so I will do that. And hopefully I will be effective at it because it's so cool to get the opportunity. I hope that it is a good decision.

[Mike Mahardy]

Okay. Yeah, this. I thought you were mentioning the same.

[Mary Keshe]

As the Cannes Film Festival, but it is like they do other festivals.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, I'm looking at now. I did not realize Cannes was a city. I just knew it is.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, can. Yeah, it's on the Riviera down near Nice. But it's like, it almost sounds like a South by Southwest.

[Mary Keshe]

I think so, but I haven't been. So I'll have to report back to me what it sounds like is some music, some entertainment, and like, panels and stuff like that, which, yes, seems like south by Southwest. And it's just a good place to network and meet.

[Mike Mahardy]

Did you say you're going to Paris as well?

[Mary Keshe]

I'm gonna fly into Paris because you flying into Cannes apparently, like, impossible unless you have, like, a private place.

[Mike Mahardy]

Did you look at Nice as well?

[Mary Keshe]

Yes.

[Mike Mahardy]

That was just expensive.

[Mary Keshe]

Yes.

[Mike Mahardy]

Gotcha. Yeah, I guess it's the time of year when. That's when people literally vacation down there.

[Mary Keshe]

I love that you know more about this than I did. I did what I was told. I have. I'm so grateful that in my ignorant life, I've always been able to find a person who is also going. Who is smarter than me, who is more travel savvy than me, and is also pickier with, like, hotels and Airbnbs and travel arrangements than me. And then I say, awesome, tell me what to book and I'll do it. Her name is Scully, and, well, that's her last name, but that's what we call her. She's awesome. And she's the travel person in the group that will take care of me and, like, will be like, book this train, Book this flight. Book this Airbnb. And I did it. And, like, I can do what someone tells me, but I don't want to do all that research and, like, be wrong. So somebody else is telling me. And then in previous years, it was a friend of mine, like, at Twitch, it's always Alyssa. She always tells me, like, book this flight, this train, this space. And, like, this is what we're going to do. We're going to do a snorkeling this day. So book a. Book this boat. And I'll be like, okay. And I just. I just do what I'm told and I spend the money and, like, then I get to go. But I'm not good at. I'm not good at, like, researching locations and being like, oh, we got to take the 415 so that I can be there by this time so that we can get the other charter boat. Like, I'm going to die out there if that happens. There's no way I'll make it.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, that's. I'm assuming you'll take the tgv. It's a very, very fast train that goes down.

[Mary Keshe]

I don't even know what that is. I need it. I need a travel buddy. They're the person that, like, knows that stuff. There's a TikTok that makes the tgv.

[Mike Mahardy]

TGV is a big catapult in Paris that you jump, that you climb into, and then it just launches you all the way down to the south of France. Sometimes you miss and you go straight into the med. Sometimes you miss and go into the sea. Weirdly, it's not a trebuchet. It should be, though. That would be more on theme.

[Mary Keshe]

It seems more franche. I don't think that I'm, like, really meant to travel, but in this world, if someone's going to send me to a cool location, I require some kind of buddy that will at least guide me from. From completely dying out there. But I can function. Every time I've ever gone to, like, a really cool place like Japan, I'm always like, when are you going? What flight are you taking? And then I will fly to that person. And then we will fly together so that I'm not alone, because I don't want to die.

[Dan Reichert]

Is there anything in France for me? I've never been to France. They got cheese.

[Mike Mahardy]

They have a lot of cheese. Go to the Jura. That's like all there is in the east of France.

[Dan Reichert]

I'm not going to go there just for cheese.

[Mary Keshe]

Fred Meyer, like, you'll be fine going to your local supermarket.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'm trying to think of what aspects of, like, French culture you would like. Lunches. Lunch is a big deal. In general, it's a very.

[Dan Reichert]

I have lunch every day.

[Mike Mahardy]

I know, but they. That's what I'm saying. They go really hard on lunch. And the lunch you have is not going to be, oh, the same.

[Mary Keshe]

I didn't know if you knew this, but in the Netherlands, there's the city of Gouda, and it's Gouda. And I thought. And I thought maybe it would be neat if you ever traveled to the Netherlands. If I could convince you you could go to Gouda.

[Dan Reichert]

I would like. I like. I think Europe in their cheese situation seems pretty good.

[Mike Mahardy]

You just said you wouldn't travel to somewhere in Europe.

[Dan Reichert]

I've been to. I didn't go just for cheese. I went for Hitman, too.

[Mike Mahardy]

That's what I'm saying. You can't send him to Gouda just for cheese. You need a secondary selling point.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. The cheese is a bonus.

[Mary Keshe]

That's all you need. You don't know him at all.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Whiz factory.

[Mike Mahardy]

I would say France is. Mostly people are going for food. If you're in the south of France, it's like. It's very bougie vacation area, which I don't think would speak to you.

[Dan Reichert]

I bet it would. I would find it beautiful and be able to appreciate that. Right.

[Mary Keshe]

Pretty. It is old, which I think is, like, architecturally really nice.

[Mike Mahardy]

Cool.

[Mary Keshe]

Though, I don't know. I like, I struggle in. In France. I haven't been there very often, but I have struggled because that people don't always like tourism and they don't like people who don't speak French.

[Mike Mahardy]

That's a very. That's. That's not at all been my experience whatsoever.

[Mary Keshe]

It's been my experience.

[Mike Mahardy]

I know, but it's a generalization that a lot of people espouse.

[Mary Keshe]

It's an honest generalization.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't. I think American people like foreigners less than any other country in the world. Demonstrably.

[Mary Keshe]

I think it's honest. That was my experience. They were pretty tough.

[Mike Mahardy]

Didn't you also collapse a wall in Japan walking into a restaurant? Like, I think the problem might be you.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, Yeah. I went into Cuda and was like, where's my cheese? And they were like, we hate you. And I was like, oh, you hate English speaking Americans? And they were like, yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, France can be. I guess any country where they're speaking different language can be tough because some people appreciate you trying to speak the language. Others are like, please, this is now isn't a child. Let's do English.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

And it can be hard to navigate.

[Mary Keshe]

Escargot.

[Mike Mahardy]

I love escargot. Yes.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't really know the deal with snails. I would try, you know.

[Mary Keshe]

Oh.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh. I am entering a new era of being cool with food, folks. I. This was a big part of my trip.

[Mary Keshe]

Lettuce.

[Dan Reichert]

I accidentally tried mustard.

[Mike Mahardy]

You've never tried mustard before?

[Dan Reichert]

No. Well, I think like, Bonk took me to like a nice sausage hostage mixed up hot dog and sausage place in San Francisco. Because she's like, if you're ever gonna try it, try it on this like nice hot dog or whatever. And like, I think I tried to bite, but I wasn't as open minded as I am now. So I accidentally. I got a turkey and Swiss sandwich from the media lounge in. At sgf.

[Mary Keshe]

Media lounge?

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. They had a bunch of wrapped things and it's like, here's a capicola. Here's this thing. Here's just a turkey and Swiss. And I looked at the ingredients and it said like lettuce and had tomatoes. So I already thought, like, you know what? I'm gonna be adventurous. I'm gonna eat a sandwich with a tomato on it.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

And which I never do. But it didn't say mustard. And so I foolishly just dove right in head first. I took a bite and I turned to Jan and bachelor and I was like, what is this? Like, there's, like, a tang. There's a tang going on here.

[Mike Mahardy]

Spice.

[Dan Reichert]

And I opened it up, and they're like, that's mustard. This is, like, normal ass mustard. And I was like, but it's, like, tangy. It's like. It's got almost like, a spice to it. And that's the thing. No one's ever fucking told me that mustard has, like, a spice factor to it.

[Mike Mahardy]

We don't. It's not the world's responsibility to explain everything to you.

[Dan Reichert]

Well, somebody had to explain it to you at some point.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, I just tried it.

[Mary Keshe]

Oh, just try it. Like, not a bitch.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. Get him.

[Dan Reichert]

Well, after 41 years of being a.

[Mike Mahardy]

I was not like.

[Dan Reichert]

I'll be damned.

[Mary Keshe]

Show me that picture where you look like again, Mary.

[Mike Mahardy]

Mary had a George rip you apart. Mary had a George Costanza moment that she shared with us where she thought of, like, an insult days after it happened. And it's pretty rough. I don't even. It's. It's. It's lethal. But anyway, Dan, you're saying you like mustard now?

[Dan Reichert]

Well, yeah, and I think I would have tried it a long time ago. People like. I think I just. Because it was yellow, I was just like, I don't know what that flavor could be, because it's like, what? It's not gonna be, like, banana. It's not gonna be like. I'm trying to think of other yellow flavors. And I don't know. I thought it was gonna be, like, yellow mayonnaise or something. And then it just had this cool tank to it. And I haven't tried it again yet. But I'm waiting for the right opportunity. I want to try it on a hot dog. I want to try another sandwich. I want to try different types.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

I want try honey mustard on nuggets.

[Mike Mahardy]

Can I suggest what could be the next evolution of this? Sure. Yes. There are many, many different types of mustard to. My favorite setting for mustard is, like, at German beer gardens, dipping soft pretzels into the mustard.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, I want to try that because I love giant soft pretzels. If it's ever on a menu, I order it. But a lot of times, it'll be like, you get to pick three dips, and it's always, like, cheese and a bunch of different mustard types. And every single time I say, just give me three cheeses. And now I want to mix and match, because I already know I love.

[Mary Keshe]

Soft pretzels, and mustard and cheese go together really well. And I'll throw out my favorite. I Actually don't. I also, I will admit, I also don't put mustard on anything. I just don't really like mustard that much. I only when it comes to corn dogs, I only want mustard.

[Dan Reichert]

Ooh.

[Mary Keshe]

And I don't, I don't know why. I'm gonna make an argument to you and then you can test it out one day when you're having mini corn dogs, which is my favorite. Oh yeah, mini corn dogs. The bread is sweet and so the tang of like a traditional yellow mustard makes the sweet bread of the cornbread so good.

[Mike Mahardy]

Sweet and sour.

[Mary Keshe]

And then, and then you get the umami of the hot dogs. The only way I could describe this, and I just think you get all of the flavor profiles with a corn dog dipped in mustard. I think it's. I think I will try that. I think it's God tier. But I actually don't like mustard on like burgers. I, I only put ketchup on burgers. But for whatever reason, corn dog, it's got to be mustard, dude.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'm not a fan of yellow mustard. I do like spicier brown ones with the seeds.

[Dan Reichert]

So describe like the. Just the normal ass yellow mustard you'd see at McDonald's or something. Like. What is that?

[Mike Mahardy]

That is my least favorite.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, this is that kind of brown. This is kind of brown.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh yeah, that's, that's like. You actually get the spicy seeds in it. The seeds are what makes it like really like. It's like horseradish. Kind of fills your mouth with the spice.

[Dan Reichert]

I never tried that. Okay.

[Mike Mahardy]

Horse. I'm not, I'm not saying they're similar. I'm just saying they have similar.

[Mary Keshe]

One thing at a time.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, yeah. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Dan Reichert]

I wanted to try everything. Now this was a revelation.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, yeah, like, I prefer brown mustards. I like those, you know, pickles.

[Mary Keshe]

Right.

[Dan Reichert]

I've only like had like two or three bites of pickles in my life.

[Mary Keshe]

Because I think pickles also give the tang.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh yeah, that's vinegar.

[Dan Reichert]

Okay. I'm going to start giving this a real shot.

[Mike Mahardy]

I believe.

[Mary Keshe]

Mustard vinegar.

[Mike Mahardy]

I was just going to say. I know. Well, the, the yellow, yellow mustard does. I don't know if brown does. Maybe it is involved somehow, but it does. Maybe. I don't know. I like brown mustards.

[Mary Keshe]

Maybe you're learning that acid is like a really good food elevator. Right. Not a lot. Right. If you have too much of it, it's probably like sour, like tough on your tongue, but a little bit enhances sweet and it enhances like meat and other flavors. So, like, to me, it's always about the right ratio. Maybe, like, when you were a child, you were, like, wrecked by having too much mustard.

[Dan Reichert]

I definitely never had as a child.

[Mary Keshe]

I. I don't understand psychologically how you can be so opposed to something that you've literally.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't either tried. It doesn't make sense. And you know what?

[Mike Mahardy]

I thought maybe his dad.

[Mary Keshe]

I. Yeah, I mean, they're both. They're all freaks, but I thought maybe, like, some mustard got in his eye or. No, some mustard, like, beat the. Out of his sister.

[Mike Mahardy]

And some things are just off putting. Like, some things have just been off putting to me, but I still, like, tried them at a certain point to back. Even just from spite, like, to back up my dislike of it.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, I always think that, like, girlfriend.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

There had to be some traumatic thing.

[Mary Keshe]

Killed your family member, and now you hate yellow.

[Dan Reichert]

Nope. No. There's no logic to. Whatsoever. And I think maybe something. No, I think something that's maybe making me more open to doing more trying things is I see Mike Minatti, and he is. He's worse than me when it comes to weirdo food stuff. And so he will say something like, oh, yeah, I've never had this thing, but I can't. Like, I can't eat a grape. And I will in my head be like, that's insane. You've never had it. How do you know it's like.

[Mary Keshe]

And how do you know it's bad?

[Dan Reichert]

And I realized that's me. And I was like, oh, shit. Okay, I need to. I need to try some stuff.

[Mike Mahardy]

So, yeah, the. Like, you asked what escargot is. Like, I don't know if. Do you like mushrooms?

[Dan Reichert]

That's when I've started having. And I don't hate so escargot.

[Mike Mahardy]

The few times I've had it, which I, like, had an almost mushroomy texture, like kind of rubbery, which is never enticing when I say it. But there is, like, Mary. Like, it's got that mushroom umami to it along with the texture and.

[Mary Keshe]

But can I sell it?

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, but they can. They can cook it in different ways.

[Mary Keshe]

Like, usually they give you, like, a dish, maybe like a piece of wood or something like that. And imagine you stuck your thumb in it and made holes in it. Okay, you with me?

[Mike Mahardy]

It can be like that wooden dish.

[Mary Keshe]

With, like, divots, thumb holes, and in each hole is one piece of escargot. And then they fill it to the brim with butter.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's in a lot of sauces.

[Mary Keshe]

Delicious butter.

[Dan Reichert]

So like swims in it.

[Mary Keshe]

Yes. And then they give you. Well, it's not alive, but yes. And then maybe yours give you a fork that's like really thin and long so that you can stick it in the thumb hole and get your little piece of escargot. And when you take it out, it's dripping in this butter. So even if you're like, I'm on the fence about escargot, it's. It's a butter delivery service.

[Dan Reichert]

Has anyone ever done like a kitchen like bowling themed butter? Well, have they ever done like a bowling thing where it's like you're eating escargot out of like. Because I'm just picturing finger holes in a bowling ball.

[Mary Keshe]

When you said like go in the bowling ball.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, that'd be like a kitschy like bowling high food food place, you know.

[Mike Mahardy]

Has there been a bowling ball that's in like the holes are fleshlight kind of things.

[Dan Reichert]

So you can the bowling ball any descar go eat out of it first and then it.

[Mike Mahardy]

First of all, this is the kind of thing we. This. See, this is why we should be.

[Mary Keshe]

In business together shape, Dick. It's so.

[Dan Reichert]

Wait, that's cargo shape Dick. Let me see what escargot looks like.

[Mike Mahardy]

A pig's tail.

[Dan Reichert]

No, don't want that.

[Mike Mahardy]

You got it, buddy.

[Dan Reichert]

I'm keeping my dick. I'm not doing this.

[Mike Mahardy]

Not too late. You got a pig's tail, Dick.

[Dan Reichert]

Nope. Nope.

[Mary Keshe]

Your one wish and it has been granted.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, but yeah, to your marriage point. Like salad dressing is acid adds. I mean salad dressing also is just a lot of the flavor in some salads, unfortunately. But a lot of wine pairings are based around the acid of the wine. Help playing well with the food.

[Dan Reichert]

I bet my dad wishes he was on this episode.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, he probably does actually.

[Dan Reichert]

If you just said the word umami, he would have freaked out and left the call. It's not real.

[Mary Keshe]

Describe a corn dog though. Give me some grace.

[Dan Reichert]

I guess so. I guess you're a real human to some degree.

[Mary Keshe]

I think I use it to say savory. Like I think it's considered a fifth.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it's like a flavor profile, right? There's like sour, there's. Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

So did you know this? There are apparently and I've learned this from reading wine books. So umami is the sixth. There are apparently so the country. Oh no, no, wait, no, that's not that far off. It's what? Sweetness? Sour salt? Bitter.

[Dan Reichert]

Seeing dead People seeing dead people.

[Mike Mahardy]

That was a good one. Nice one, you guys. We talked about at night shop, knowing when it's currently raining umami, and I'm probably missing one, but apparently Japan is like, leads food research in a lot of these ways or like, how our tongues perceive flavor. Apparently there are like, two more that they're working on defining that they are like. Apparently they're looking at how, like, taste buds interact with nerve synapses and how the brain interprets them. And when they're examining these pathways, they're seeing that there are like, two more that do not fit into the criteria of umami. Sweetness, sour, salt, bitter. What is the last? I don't know. I. I mean, I feel like I'm missing one.

[Mary Keshe]

Do that really easily. Like, like how they invent new colors by being like, like, you see, this is a little bit of a mix between green and blue, and we call it periwinkle.

[Mike Mahardy]

Sure. Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Shut the up. Like, sure, yes, you can do that. And you could be like, this is salt and savory. And so we're calling it Licky Lou.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, no, you're right, Mary. It's the fifth, but they're. They're finding a six and a seventh.

[Mary Keshe]

But do you know what I mean? Like, there's a bit of like a pseudo science to all of that. Unless they're literally inventing a new flavor. But like, when I.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

I'm a bit of a, like, realist of these types of things or like a purist, maybe, where I'm just like, we have a system. The system works. Sweet, salt, bitter, savory. And then apparently umami.

[Dan Reichert]

Well, isn't every color just from the primaries? The three primaries? Yeah. So it's like, I feel when I hear new color, I think, like, this is zip zap, and it's not based on any of the. The primary colors. You know, it's like eyes, like the giver, you know?

[Mary Keshe]

Well, like the color that's in an eyeshadow palette for women. And then it's called, like, Orgasmatron 4000. It's always named something so sexual.

[Mike Mahardy]

Aren't all humans just a combination of, like, the same DNA genes? Possible combinations. How many of the same person you.

[Mary Keshe]

Run into who's a philosophizer now?

[Mike Mahardy]

It's not a philosophizer. I'm just applying the same logic. I don't know anything about genealogy. I'm just saying, I'm pretty sure that, like, you can mix and match things and get new things.

[Mary Keshe]

All stardust. So you actually can't do flavor profiles. Like a joke.

[Mike Mahardy]

I met a girl and my. I think we were next to each other before the big bang because we. I've seen suckers like such stupid poems on Instagram. I used to. It'll be like, we. We must. We must have been near each other before the big Bang.

[Dan Reichert]

It is funny when it's like, people do hallucinogenics and stuff that so many people go to that. And, like, I have only tripped, like, three times, and I remember fully having that feeling when I was, like, 18 of, like, whoa. It's all energy and, like, nature and me. It's all like, why does everyone have that same weird sensation when they're tripping?

[Mike Mahardy]

Because I. Yeah. Like, I don't know what. Yeah. What is it, like, about our brains opening up that starts being fascinated by the galaxy Brain shit.

[Mary Keshe]

Well, maybe because we're so far removed from our ancestors, where we actually had to give a. About survival and understanding the world. Like, we're just so far from the creatures that were us before. Much like my dog is so far from being a wolf that he no longer is concerned with, like, oh, he's.

[Mike Mahardy]

Dead in an hour if he's on his own.

[Mary Keshe]

He absolutely could not survive out in the wild. But, like, there's. There's elements of us that are still in there, right? Like, the same thing where, like, if you get really upset or you get really heated and you can feel your blood pressure racing and you get really upset emotionally, that's your fight or flight, Right? Like, that's the same thing that happens if you were like a caveman.

[Mike Mahardy]

Mary always fights. Dan always flights.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, that's right. Or shows receipts. That's a very classic move that the cavemen used to do.

[Mike Mahardy]

Dan's really evolved from his caveman.

[Dan Reichert]

My grandpa used to do that in Korea. He would show his receipts.

[Mike Mahardy]

Dan's. Dan's Great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great. Grandpa was like a saber, too. Tooth is coming up, and he's got this stone table.

[Dan Reichert]

I bought the spear at the cave down the street.

[Mike Mahardy]

He pulls out a dead fish with some writing on it. What? Speaking of our ancestors and how we evolve from it, I found out something cool recently. So. Have you heard the terms aperitif and digestif?

[Mary Keshe]

Yes, yes. You know, teeth is something you have after you eat dinner, right?

[Dan Reichert]

I've only heard you say them, but yes, I've heard them.

[Mike Mahardy]

AP Is before. They're the same thing. It's just when you drink them, however, they always a common thing. They have, like, a negroni is a popular aperitif right now. They're all bitter. They have bitters in them, which can be the shaky bitters you have, or like an amara, which are actually like a liqueur that you mix with other things.

[Mary Keshe]

The reason you digest.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yes. So the reason. The reason we drink them is because the aperitifs make us hungry. The digestifs help us digest. But they're the same thing. How could they do the same thing? Apparently, human body recognizes bitter flavors. It associates them, whether we know it or not, with poison. Because our ancestors, when they would eat stuff they found in the woods and they tasted something bitter, they're like, this is poison. I want to get rid of it. So our bodies still react similarly and say, like, oh, we got to move everything in your system out so it makes you hungry. It gets your digestive tract working.

[Dan Reichert]

Or.

[Mary Keshe]

I like to think of my stomach as, like, a bunch of people, like, shoveling shit.

[Dan Reichert]

It's like a reverse cold hollow. Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

There's, like, one manager out there, and he's got, like, a notebook and a pen, and he's like, it's. We gotta move it out. It tastes bitter. Get rid of it. And everybody literally just starts pouring buckets of water down the tube. And that's how you get tyrea.

[Mike Mahardy]

And someone's like, it's savory. It's like, now it's umami.

[Mary Keshe]

He's like, I don't give a.

[Mike Mahardy]

We gotta get rid of it.

[Mary Keshe]

He's the ice yelling. You think the big upstairs cares what it is? A bit of a weirdo. But to this day, I think of, like, a bunch of men in the colon as, like, workers figuring it out down there.

[Dan Reichert]

I. I want to talk about genes and genetics.

[Mike Mahardy]

Great.

[Dan Reichert]

So I've been thinking about this lately. I don't remember what got me going on this, but, you know, like, a dog from, like, the wolf days and stuff will, like, because it's. It's interesting. I'll see certain animals and stuff on tv. I've done this before where I show, like, gizmo, like a dragon from Game of Thrones. He doesn't give a. But if he sees a wolf or other dogs on tv, he frequently freaks the out. So, like. Or like, people we know that, like, oh, we're not gonna eat these berries. Like, something just in our genes or our knowledge through the generations, like, you know, stuck around. So is it literally, like, experiences can be, like, imprinted onto your genetics? Like, let's. Okay, weird hypothetical. Let's say I had everyone in my family dating back 10 generations lived in a nation of clowns, and we were at war with clowns. Would it be imprinted on my genes to, like, if I just saw a clown, even without the knowledge of my family's history or what a clown was, that I'd be like, oh, no, like. Or the same way we see spiders and stuff like that. Is it just like knowledge can actually be imprinted onto genetics? Is that the case?

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't know. I know some things can be passed down. Like. Like trauma can be passed down, like generational trauma.

[Dan Reichert]

Things like that. Like. Yeah, like.

[Mary Keshe]

Or anxiety and depression and examples of that. I think that even though your use case is incredibly, just unbelievably stupid, I do think that it is possible. And there's, like, lots of examples of that. Like, for example, cats are instinctively known to be afraid of snakes. And so if you. There's like that joker. If you, like, put a cucumber, you know, something that looks snake like, behind a cat. When they see it, they usually jump and freak out because they're interested when they see, like a cylinder.

[Mike Mahardy]

Don't do. It's traumatizing.

[Mary Keshe]

Snake freaks them out. It's very. People use it on YouTube videos all the time. Just pet them. They'll be fine.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, I don't know if.

[Mary Keshe]

I mean, it must be the case with humans too, like, deep down inside.

[Mike Mahardy]

Well, I know, like, evolutionarily, just in terms of like, the. Yeah. Because to your point, it's like, okay, physical traits you carry forward because at one point they were a mutation that helped that person survive longer, which helped them reproduce and more likely to pass on a gene. I don't know enough to. Not you and me, buddy. Right. I don't.

[Dan Reichert]

We don't. Like spiders.

[Mary Keshe]

Find a way to pass them along.

[Mike Mahardy]

Pigtail dick over here.

[Mary Keshe]

Get it through.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, I. Yeah, I don't know. I'm sure knowledge can be passed on. I don't know enough to refute it or support it. It sounds cool, though. I like to think it can work that way.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Like stuff like, you know, what is the thing, the tryptophobia or whatever, where you see, like, a design and it's supposed to be like a beehive or something. And like, we have a natural. Like, oh, shit. Like, is that just because over generations and generations we've seen people or known people like snakes or bees or whatever, we know to avoid it? Like, is that like. I guess I never thought of that. That actual. Just like, knowledge and experience would Be.

[Mary Keshe]

Passed down through genes, not just things that you're afraid of, but things that you like too, so.

[Mike Mahardy]

Well, that's where they're. Instincts. I think you're describing instinct.

[Mary Keshe]

We're describing.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, I don't know. I don't know. But like, to your point, though, I don't know if it's like a gene thing or if it is actually like a brain pathway that we all have now because so many of our ancestors that survived had it. I have no clue. Yeah, like, let's say they were on this one.

[Dan Reichert]

If you came from a family of pilots, you know, I guess that's a newer thing, you know, let's say it's a family of warriors or something. You're a grandmother.

[Mary Keshe]

Generations. Yeah, yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

Like if. If I didn't know anything about being.

[Mary Keshe]

A pilot that long ago, Dan.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, that's true. The pilot's a bad thing. I'm solving my name.

[Mary Keshe]

Let's say that you're really good at splitting genomes, riding horses.

[Dan Reichert]

Like, if 10 generations of me and my family just rode horses, but all of my relatives died before I was 3 years old and I didn't even know anything about a horse, would I be able to just hop on and kind of know how to do this, you know, or come to it more naturally?

[Mary Keshe]

You know, I born to ride.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't think you would know how to do it right away, but you might be like, predisposed to like, develop the skills more thoroughly.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Like, would you just come to it quicker, you know?

[Mary Keshe]

Or like, you're a great swim, like with a half split, and you're just like, yeehaw.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. You're just built for it.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, I. I mean, I suppose so. I. That. I think we're also kind of talking a little bit about like, nature versus nurture too. Right, Sure. A lot of that too. If you're in a family of people who are like, I was born a cowboy and I die a cowboy. My grandpappy was a cowboy and my grandpa before him. Then you probably, like, literally, as a toddler, they were probably putting you on horses.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, I'm talking about like almost like that experiment, like the twins thing where they got separated and like, you know, like, oh, they both. Even though they've never met each other and they didn't know the family or whatever, they just still happen to be kind of the same person, you know?

[Mary Keshe]

I mean, that's like one case, right? That's like. Well, I'm sure there's several cases like that where it's like Very unique. But how many of them are also like, where they meet each other and they're like, we're totally different.

[Dan Reichert]

Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

That one. Because it's not as interesting.

[Dan Reichert]

True.

[Mike Mahardy]

Top level stuff I'm reading suggests that a lot of it's still being theorized, but it might not be genealogical. It's more culturally transmitted, like we talked about.

[Dan Reichert]

Not like imprint, but there's like, theories.

[Mike Mahardy]

That you can have ancestral memories. I think you just spent too much time at Kojima Productions this year.

[Dan Reichert]

Maybe that's it. Yeah. I'm thinking about genome soldiers.

[Mary Keshe]

Maybe that's like the actual moment where mustard entered your mind and he accepted in you to like, not be so weird about food.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Kojima is the guy to make you not weird.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'm seeing a super fucked up, like, I'm seeing like, a remedy game in which, like, you're all. You think you're playing Death Stranding 2 for a demo, but then you zoom farther back out and there's like a one way mirror and it's actually just a bunch of people pointing laser mustard beams at you through the wall and.

[Dan Reichert]

Like the end of Men in Black.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. Yeah. Or it's like a Clockwork Orange, but they don't need the eye peel things anymore.

[Dan Reichert]

Sure. I would do the Clockwork Orange thing if they could do like a fun thing, you know, what is the benefit of.

[Mike Mahardy]

What is the.

[Dan Reichert]

What would be. What would be like a smart one because they did it to make him hate violence and stuff. Yeah. So how could you use the Clockwork Orange room to, like, make it like.

[Mary Keshe]

Oh, we would open up your mouth, not your eyes, and we would just keep squirting mustard in there.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't think that would make me.

[Mary Keshe]

Like mustard immersion therapy. It's.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, I don't think. Okay.

[Mary Keshe]

Starving. And it's the only sustenance we're giving you. And you're like, give me my mustard. I'm hungry. And we're like squirting in your mouth, lobbing it down your gobbler with the donuts in hell experience and be like. Like, that saved my life.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't want to do that.

[Mary Keshe]

I just have to starve you long enough. I could fix you. Dan, Give me three days in a blank room.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't need to. The. The fact that the reason someone else needed to Clockwork Orange him was because against his will, like, the claws kept his eyes open. They had to.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

I think you can just Clockwork Orange yourself in a positive way anytime you want. As you give Yourself enough time.

[Dan Reichert]

Could they give me, like, fun drugs and Clockwork Orange me into seeing a bunch of mustard footage. And I associate mustard with fun and good.

[Mike Mahardy]

My point is, you don't need a. They. You can do this to yourself.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't have a Clockwork Orange room.

[Mike Mahardy]

You don't need a Clockwork Orange room. Just stare at mustard while you take drugs that you like. I don't. They don't need us. You don't need to be restraints.

[Mary Keshe]

You can do it yourself.

[Dan Reichert]

Let's just make it simple. Why don't I just try this stuff?

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah. I mean, I don't. I think we're giving up on torture.

[Mike Mahardy]

Creating a cell.

[Mary Keshe]

Chinese water torture, where like, we. We mustard you in a room, and we, like, lock your arms and legs. You can't move. And then we just constantly and slowly drip mustard on your forehead. And it. It prevents you from being able to sleep.

[Dan Reichert]

I think it's better if I try it on a Quarter Pounder.

[Mike Mahardy]

Have I told you my friends I asked my friend to waterboard me because I didn't see how it would be stressful.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it's horrible. Yeah. We waterboarded Tim Turi and Aruba, and.

[Mike Mahardy]

A lot of people have done it. They're like, I don't. I didn't. It didn't make sense to me how that was torturous. And then I did it.

[Dan Reichert]

I was like, it sounds real bad.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's like.

[Mary Keshe]

It's like drowning in the water.

[Mike Mahardy]

You feel like you're drowning, but you just don't die, like, a long time.

[Dan Reichert]

Remember that during the controversy in the. In Iraqi Freedom and Sean Hannity was boasting about, like, it's not bad. I would do it. I would be waterboarded. And then I can't remember if Jesse Ventura or something. Yeah. And then he just absolutely didn't do it. Like, okay.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, it's not good.

[Mary Keshe]

I remember one time when I was learning how to wakeboard, I kept calling it waterboarding because I think that logically makes more sense.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Everyone kept being like, you can't say that. And I was like, it's very similar. And what's awake? You know what I mean? When you.

[Mike Mahardy]

What do you mean, what's awake?

[Mary Keshe]

Well, when you snow, the thing you're.

[Mike Mahardy]

Boarding on, you're snow.

[Mary Keshe]

You're. You're boarding on water. You're water boarding.

[Mike Mahardy]

Right. But you wouldn't. It wouldn't work.

[Mary Keshe]

You're boarding on snow.

[Mike Mahardy]

It wouldn't work unless you were in the wake of a boat moving quickly Enough to keep you upright.

[Dan Reichert]

But you really need the water wake.

[Mary Keshe]

Made out of Michael.

[Dan Reichert]

I know the water's important.

[Mary Keshe]

I'm going to take you down like a 19 year old did in my senior year of college. I swear to God. It makes sense to be a waterboarder, Mary.

[Dan Reichert]

I'm with you. I'm with you. Waterboarding removed from the actual horrible thing. That just sounds like a fun time.

[Mike Mahardy]

Why. Why is it called surfing and not waterboarding?

[Mary Keshe]

I agree. I think it is.

[Mike Mahardy]

Then it's just homage. That's like, oh, that. That's a. Was that a Dimitri Martin bit? When he's like, I wish I could have been there when someone was naming fruits and vegetables. And they're like. They pick up an orange, they're like, let's call this an orange. Perfect. And then they get to the carrot and they're like.

[Dan Reichert]

That'S. Yeah. Why don't you run PR for waterboarding, Mary? Let's change it. Make waterboarding fun.

[Mike Mahardy]

PR for Montego Bay.

[Mary Keshe]

Make waterboarding fun again. I can teach you how to waterboard in like two days. I just need a boat and some rope wake.

[Mike Mahardy]

Wakeboarding's fun. I wakeboarded a lot when I was younger.

[Mary Keshe]

It is fun.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

I don't.

[Mike Mahardy]

That would hurt.

[Dan Reichert]

I'd get hurt. I tube sometimes, but even then I worry about it.

[Mary Keshe]

Tubing is fun. I really like water sports. I wish I. I wish I was rich or knew a boat guy, because I don't. It's hard. It's so rare that I can get in a boat and do. I usually rent a boat once a year as, like a treat, you know, A sweet treat to me, but, man, so cool to have, like a boat friend.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

I'm spending some time at the lake at Ben Hansen's lake lot this summer, like we always do. And last time I was there, I think, is when they had a brand new Jet Ski and it was their first time out there. And I had never driven one before and went out there with Tim Turi and Tim Turi was on the tube and I was driving the thing and Tim fell off. And then I'm like, okay, I've got a reverse or whatever. And I just reversed and caught all the rope up and everything and just.

[Mike Mahardy]

We had to like, shouldn't reverse.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Our buddy Dave had to canoe out to the middle of the lake and like, you know, tow us in. And then. Yeah, we had to like, get up in the guts and remove all the. It was. It was a whole thing. I was prepared to have to buy them a Jet Ski. Yeah, they're fun though.

[Mike Mahardy]

You don't try not to back up in a Jet Ski unless you really need to. And there's nothing.

[Mary Keshe]

These are the clowns of the sea. They like have no harm. You can be such an idiot on them. And the worst thing that happens is you get. Get flung off and land in more water like.

[Mike Mahardy]

Did you drop your phone into the Willamette?

[Mary Keshe]

Damn it.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'm sorry. I'm gunning for you a lot.

[Mary Keshe]

I don't know why it was such a sad moment, you guys.

[Mike Mahardy]

I tried calling it. Dan wasn't here when Jake was subbing in.

[Mary Keshe]

I tried to stick and everything and it rang.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, it was in a bag. Later that day at the bottom of the William. It rang.

[Mary Keshe]

It's possible. It's still ringing.

[Mike Mahardy]

We did a whole bit about how I could have FaceTime with like a fish, but it was.

[Mary Keshe]

You can find that the boat home was so quiet.

[Mike Mahardy]

Well, yeah, you did. You weren't busting Rick James or Blair and Rick James on your phone. That's why.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, I wasn't like doing like real cool tick tocks out there anymore.

[Mike Mahardy]

I guarantee you. Lamprey eels had a party though, at the bottom of that river.

[Dan Reichert]

I did a flip off a boat once into the Ozarks and it was the first day of the trip and my glasses.

[Mike Mahardy]

Wait, into the Ozarks, like the hills.

[Dan Reichert]

The lake of the Ozarks.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, gotcha.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Yeah, we're on a boat and I had my glasses on as I always do and I just did a flip into thing and my glasses came off and I couldn't see the rest of the trip. Great.

[Mary Keshe]

I've definitely lost my sunglasses in the ocean before thinking for whatever reason, thinking to myself, it'll be fine. Just keep an eye, you know, don't. Don't let a wave splash right in the face. And of course a wave splashes you right in the face. You lose your sunnies and they're gone. They're gone with sunglasses.

[Mike Mahardy]

We went to Key west right after our wedding and I got really paranoid that my ring would come off in the ocean. And especially because I had. I was like putting sunscreen on, which made me even more. You know, I was. Oh, I was lubed up, ready to go.

[Mary Keshe]

Free stuff. Like a little pig.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, like a. Like a little piggy boy running around the beach and. And I was really paranoid. And then I was vindicated. When I later found out that a friend's friend lost his wedding ring on a similar honeymoon.

[Dan Reichert]

I I always get paranoid. But that's why I have one of those, like, just temp rings that, you know, they sell. And like, I keep the real one in a safe just because, like, I'd feel really bad if I lost the. The real one.

[Mike Mahardy]

Gotcha. This one's.

[Mary Keshe]

You could just get fatter fingers so that it can't come off as they.

[Dan Reichert]

My weight fluctuates, you know, up and down quite a bit. So it's like, I don't want to get skinny and then lose a wedding ring.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't know enough to know about fingers to know whether you start losing much.

[Mary Keshe]

Isn't it the opposite? Whereas you gain weight and your fingers get fatter and fatter. You, like, cut off the circulation of your finger. Because I've seen people not be able to take off their wedding ring. And then they have to get them, like, not surgically, but, like, you have to go to a professional and have them like, drilled off because there's certain materials that you.

[Mike Mahardy]

If you are not careful with, then you have to like. I forget what the phrase is, but you have to like. Jimmy Fallon apparently had to do that.

[Mary Keshe]

His fingers gloved. That was gross.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Do you know what I'm talking about?

[Dan Reichert]

No.

[Mary Keshe]

Gloving is like one of the worst things that can happen to you. But his, his. I. I don't remember what happened. But the point is, is that de. Gloving is like essentially where your ring is coming off, but it's getting stuck. And so it just takes off your skin. Like your skin comes off with it. That's. Imagine a glove, but your glove is you. That's cross off like a section of you. And it's really. Because there's a lot of nerve endings and like that. So even if they put the glove back on, it's all flimsy and like, not everything's connected.

[Dan Reichert]

I've seen face off. You can just put the face back on and it'll heal back up.

[Mary Keshe]

No, they didn't they explain it. They did they explain it. I forgot.

[Dan Reichert]

They do.

[Mary Keshe]

Never mind. I do.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

All my concerns.

[Dan Reichert]

I. I had it once when I was on my honeymoon, New Orleans, and I had the real ring still. And if we were walking a ton and if you're walking, I don't know if it's just for some reason your fingers kind of puff up and like. Yeah, I had that kind of moment of panic and you just have to kind of wait. But yeah, not a good feeling.

[Mike Mahardy]

I think it's in the cold. They shrink.

[Dan Reichert]

It's it's expanding and contracting. Right? Like, that's how potholes happen.

[Mary Keshe]

You both know potholes are from shrink.

[Mike Mahardy]

Hey, potholes are. Potholes are from ice getting into cracks and expanding and then shrinking, if I'm.

[Mary Keshe]

Not mistaken, I believe I read in a scientific journal that cold shrinks appendages.

[Dan Reichert]

I think I saw it in Seinfeld. Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Not me, though. Not me.

[Dan Reichert]

Totally makes your smaller.

[Mary Keshe]

Thank you.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, no, absolutely. Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. And that's why I keep the apartment really cold, because then you want to go inside. She just thinks it's the AC all the time. It's freezing in here, babe. We're in Arizona. It's cold out here, babe. It gets cold in the desert at night, babe. Talking like that. Seinfeld, the rock climber. There's no rush from Bowling George. He's a favorite character of mine in that show. All right, you want to talk about video games?

[Mary Keshe]

Yes.

[Mike Mahardy]

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[Mike Mahardy]

All right, start with the big item first. Dan, how have you been liking the Switch 2?

[Dan Reichert]

I love it. It's really good. I. I thought I brought it right here, but no, it's. I got it. While we were at SGF and obviously a lot going on, but we had some time to do some multiplayer Mario Kart. We tested out the camera. We played a lot of Soul Caliber two against each other, which was great. But, yeah, it's. I'm not gonna act like the. The hardware is. You know, I definitely don't agree with all the people that are like, oh, this is like a boring console launch. Like, oh, I don't have any hype for this or anything. I think that's crazy. But I can also see that, like, this isn't Like a huge generational leap feeling thing. You know, it's like there are things that feel significantly improved, namely, like the joy cons. Connecting. Disconnecting is so, so much better. The screen's better, but certainly in terms of like, you know, graphics and stuff, which was always the big leap. You know, if you look like, oh, PlayStation 1 to 2 or certainly 2D to 3D, you know, it's like you. It was bigger leaps back then. And looking at Mario Kart World, it's a beautiful looking game, but it's not like, like insanely different than Mario Kart 8, you know, so it's. I'm a Nintendo guy, I always have been. So, you know, I'm kind of a mark for this stuff. I'm loving it. Even like the, the welcome tour thing that, you know, people on. And I think understandably, like, if there was ever something that was supposed to be a pack in, you know, the tutorial game, as people are saying it, or whatever, should have been, but there's enough in there. It's. It's not this deep game experience or anything, but it's got that Nintendo charm and polish to it. And it's fun running around this giant, you know, Switch two and you skate when you're on the screen and there's all these little mini games and stuff to show you how the mouse works and everything. So I'm liking that, I think more than most people. And the Mario Kart world is fantastic. It's again, doesn't feel like this massive generational leap just because 8 was so good and had so much content by the end that, you know, the big additions, six tracks, last I checked, 96 tracks, which is insane. And like all the retro ones and everything. So it's like, it's great seeing all the new tracks and everything here, but like, the, the big changes or upgrades are not that like, you know, the free roam stuff is a fun novelty. It's not like a game changer. I would say the, the knockout mode that strings together a bunch of courses, I think that's maybe the coolest, like actual new addition here is like doing this marathon race, you know, with 24 racers across six tracks with no stopping in between. Like, that shit's really cool. I think the stuff with unlocking all the different characters is super fun.

[Mike Mahardy]

Sorry, what do you. What do you mean? So it sounds like a tournament almost.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, so it's like, it's like you're played like in Burnout or other racing games where there's like an eliminator Mode where it's like, oh, yeah, the last few people blow up or whatever. You know, it's that version here, but it's like there's Mario Kart World, which. Imagine like the Forza Horizon island or whatever. It's that. And so instead of just like these disparate, you know, disconnected, you know, four races or whatever, it'll put together, like, six races that are actually connected on the overworld map.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, gotcha.

[Dan Reichert]

And so you will start with 24 people at the starting line, and every time you get to the next area, it'll be like, okay, we're gonna kill the last four people. And so, yeah, you're playing this online. It's like, you know, if you get first place there, it's almost like a battle royale type thing of, like, you know, you're outlasting all these other players. So it's. It's also just fun having, like, that much of a, like, marathon thing. It's not a two minute, you know, three or four lap thing. It is a long drag, and it's super fun. Some people didn't like that. Like, a lot of the courses are really wide now, and that there's almost like too much chaos. But I. The chaos is part of what I love about Mario Kart, and I feel like with the wide courses and all the cards, it's like Fury Road. It's just like a ton of cars going and everything's blowing up, and it's just chaos everywhere, like, in a way, like, more than Mario Kart has typically been. And I think it's super duper fun in that way. And all the usual bullshit's there. You're gonna get blue shelled, you're gonna get all that stuff and go from 1st to 10th out of no. Mean, not your fault at all, but that's part of Mario Kart. So overall, love, love, love Mario Kart World. Switch to. Welcome to where I like more than I expected to. The hardware itself, I think, feels really great. It doesn't. It feels less like a plastic toy. Like, especially the joy cons, you know, on the old one kind of felt like flimsy. I always felt like I was gonna break that plastic off when I was disconnecting them. This one, they feel like more of a premium, modern product. You know, how does it compare Steam.

[Mike Mahardy]

Deck, like, in terms of comfort holding?

[Dan Reichert]

I actually like the feel of this more than the Steam deck. I love my Steam deck and I use it all the time, but, like, this is thinner. The Steam deck is bulky, and it does like, it doesn't feel like a toy by any means, but it does have a lot of.

[Mary Keshe]

So much more power. It can't be contained within the thinness of a little phone.

[Dan Reichert]

I mean, there's definitely more you can do with the Steam deck for sure. Like, and I. I think going forward, I'll probably use them about equally, depending on what games I'm playing. But I think I do like the feel of the. Of the SW switch to a bit better. And I got like, Ginki made a bunch of accessories for it, like the little attachments and stuff that you can put on there if you want more of a grip and things like that. So I've got that option if I'm like laying in bed and want to have a little more support there. But I'm very happy with it, very excited to see, like, Donkey Kong, certainly see what their big holiday games are, you know, Metroid, things like that. So it's. Yeah, I'm just happy to have a new Nintendo console.

[Mike Mahardy]

What about you? You were talking about the camera, but I interrupted you. What do you like, what functionality does a camera have?

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, so it's really interesting because just like you set it at the front of the room. And for instance, we were playing with Mike Minati's brother, and so we were. Several of us were in the same room and Mike Minati's brother was in Ohio. And it has your face there and it imposes it over your cart so you can see like across the bottom. It's like a Discord call. So you can see their gameplay screen. Really shitty frame rate and stuff like that, but you can see it and you can see their face. But then also in Mario Kart. Yeah, it's just like a little, like, thing over your cart. And if. If I was playing with you two, I would see both your faces. You know, I hit Mike with a blue shell and I live am seeing Mike's face react to it, and it like spins around when it gets hit by a. By a shell or wipes out or something.

[Mary Keshe]

Face genuinely is like your face in real time.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it's like just a live camera feed. And with one crazy. Yeah, well, with one camera, you can have like four people's faces. It just detects them. Like, at the beginning, you just like put a circle over where your face is and you'll see everyone's heads over their carts and it's like, it's pretty awesome. I think I'll wait and see. You know, last time I was excited about this, it was Xbox Live. Vision camera for the 360 and pretty much just worked for Uno on Xbox Live Arcade and I saw a guy in a spider man suit whacking off. So that was my last memory of a console camera, really. But yeah, I'm curious how many people use it online. I still haven't been able to dive in as much as I want to since I've been traveling. But like, this week and weekend, I definitely want to spend a lot of time with it and I'll do the camera stuff. Oh, also, the microphone on the Switch itself is kind of crazy because we were playing with CJ Minati and it was right next to the tv, the Switch was. And we could hear each other clear as day. It does a really good job. It filters out the game sound. It filters out, you know, things like air conditioners and vacuums and things like that. And you don't have to have a headset. You don't have to, like. It's just. It really works well. We were all very surprised by that.

[Mary Keshe]

I mean, I think it's great. Those are really small, minor, unique niche things.

[Mike Mahardy]

They sound like gimmicks.

[Mary Keshe]

I will say I haven't stared anything where I'm like, I got to get. Well, I do have one, by the way, because I'm also that person. So I. Mine came in the mail this week and I'm looking forward to testing it out. But yeah, like, I haven't heard anyone say anything where it's like, thank God I got it because I have to have this item right now. It's like, of course I'm gonna get it. I. I don't want to not have one. I'm gonna get one. Gotta have a. I gotta be the person who has this item in case a game that I do want comes out on it.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it's. And even as the Nintendo mark I am, I'm. I'm going to be realistic and say that right now it's kind of just going to be the Mario Kart machine. Except for some of the updates that do to Switch 1 games are significant. I'm not a Pokemon guy, but Pokemon people have told me that those games have. Have done a lot better. But mainly Zelda. I loaded up Tears the Kingdom on it and that is way more of an improvement than I expected. Mainly like frame rate because that game was, you know, 30 at best most of the time.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

Now running at 60, it looks sharp on there. The load times are a lot better. Like, I'm gonna go back and play through Breath of the Wild. For the first time since launch because of this thing. And I've actually heard that like the way it works with like the Zelda notes thing on the app now where you can like basically use it like a GPS and mark things you want to go to in points of interest on your phone, People have said that actually works really well. So I'm totally ready to go back to Breath of the Wild after I'm done with Death Stranding and some of these huge games, you know. But yeah, it's. That's been very cool.

[Mike Mahardy]

Cool. Yeah, I'll pick one up eventually, I think. Mary, have we talked about Claire Obscure yet? Did you start it last time?

[Mary Keshe]

I just played it. This is my first time playing it.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, I like that game quite a bit. How far would you say you're into? A few hours or so?

[Mary Keshe]

Eight hours? Ten?

[Mike Mahardy]

Okay, so you're in like how many characters do you have?

[Mary Keshe]

Four.

[Mike Mahardy]

Okay, gotcha. Yeah, I mean I had to replay.

[Mary Keshe]

A bunch because I'm not very good at turn based RPG's and I usually don't play them. This is really out of my wheelhouse and I would just like to say, much like Dan, I am growing. This is my mustard. I just do not like turn based RPGs. I don't really understand them and I didn't grow up with them and I find them like a little awful off pudding. And this was the first time I was at Kojima's and he was like, you gotta try. I'm joking about mustard. I. I had the opportunity to try this. Everyone says the story's really good and I do like a good story. So I loaded it up and the opening sequence is really good. It's got a great hook.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's cool premise. Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

I did not understand the premise, but the premise is so cool. Something like every year this lady, the paintress like basically just pops a bunch of people into flowers because they've hit a certain age. Everyone to be baby faced youngies. I think she's a total sicko.

[Mike Mahardy]

But yeah, she's like this God like demon goddess living across this like ocean that they can see. And she paints a new number every year and everybody who is that age just like starts to like vanish from like the, like in the Avengers. But.

[Mary Keshe]

But it goes down right. Like it started at 34 and this year it's 33 and everybody counts.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, but this. Yes. And then basically they organize an exped exposition every year once the number first changes to go try kill her. Yeah. So.

[Mary Keshe]

And it's super unsuccessful.

[Mike Mahardy]

The Thing that confuses me is that there's a couple. There's a couple of gripes. I have this game, I like it quite a bit and I want to go back to the combat because there are pretty cool things in the comb that I think caters well to people who don't love turn based save Points in this game are flags. That's how they're depicted. And when you save at them, it tells you which expedition to put the flag there.

[Mary Keshe]

Like, you'll see a flag that says 44, which means it was the Expedition 44, which I think is cool.

[Mike Mahardy]

And my confusion is. And I think a part of the game I'm missing is I think the expedition is always relatively young people. I don't think the expeditions are ever like, you don't have to be a certain age. One of your main characters is like 16. So she doesn't have to go on this 33 expedition.

[Mary Keshe]

I think they made her 18 for safety purposes. But for whatever reason, she looks like she's about 14. And it does. It does stress me out because she's.

[Mike Mahardy]

Because like you have to find like parents die so they have to appoint guardians for the next. So she's. I thought they said she was younger.

[Mary Keshe]

Than 18, I think. I don't think so. I actually. I'm gonna look it up.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, I'm gonna look it up right now.

[Mary Keshe]

Because we have the power of Internet.

[Mike Mahardy]

I think she's younger.

[Mary Keshe]

Claire obscure character age.

[Mike Mahardy]

She's.

[Dan Reichert]

Her name.

[Mike Mahardy]

Is she 16?

[Mary Keshe]

Hold on. Myel right?

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

I think it's weird how easy I found this. A lot of people are looking for her age. I think it's 16.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. So she. Yeah. Anyway, so yeah, they go off these.

[Mary Keshe]

Expeditions and you're not catching me.

[Mike Mahardy]

She's not sexualized in the game. Her so far, for what it's worth, she's treated like an Ellie character about it. She's treated like a child. Like, I don't think they sexualize her that much in this game at all.

[Mary Keshe]

Like, form is so young and so petite. And I just think don't put kids in video games.

[Dan Reichert]

It's like airports. What are they doing here?

[Mary Keshe]

How old do you think, Princess Peaches?

[Dan Reichert]

Like 34.

[Mary Keshe]

Let's Google it.

[Mike Mahardy]

Prince Mario's 30 and you're carrying babies.

[Mary Keshe]

In Death Stranding early to mid 20s.

[Dan Reichert]

Well, that's a plot device.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. What about all the games you like are animated?

[Dan Reichert]

Like, has a kid ever made a game better?

[Mike Mahardy]

Ellie was pretty integral to the last of us, I guess.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, baby Mario.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

I think it literally says baby in it.

[Dan Reichert]

I think the more I like baby Mario and baby Luigi yourself. Yeah, all right, all right. But airports. Get him out of there.

[Mike Mahardy]

Wasn't link like fucking 14 in wind waker.

[Dan Reichert]

He's 26.

[Mike Mahardy]

He's living with his grandma. You're just shouting numbers.

[Mary Keshe]

He's 26.

[Mike Mahardy]

Anyway, okay, my L aside, I don't think insofar as I'm 12 hours in the game, she's not sexualized in my mind at all.

[Mary Keshe]

I don't think she's sexualized. I'm not saying that. I just think she's very petite and they've made her look very young and petite in the game.

[Mike Mahardy]

Okay, right, yeah, sure. I will say I like that. The. So the combat is cool. For those who haven't seen it, it's turn based. However, there's a lot of timing based things you can do to fight way above your level. I missed what you're laughing at.

[Mary Keshe]

Trying to avoid any potential situation.

[Dan Reichert]

I'm just disapproving because I feel like I have seen people playing this game. A lot of motherfuckers on Twitter that are doing the like, oh, I'm so in love with it. Like posting pictures of like their Claire obscure characters and now knowing that they might be like 16 or something. Oh, you fucking. I'm blocking all you.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't. I. Dan, your favorite form of entertainment is oiled up men. Wrestle like pounds.

[Dan Reichert]

Never heard that one before. We're not kids. We're not kids.

[Mary Keshe]

Are they adults? Yeah. Are they?

[Dan Reichert]

Randy Orton is a grown man.

[Mike Mahardy]

Okay, sure. My point being that, like, I don't think under 18. The inclusion of someone who's under 18 in a video game is inherently bad. This is now just talking about weirdos.

[Dan Reichert]

On blue sky and stuff.

[Mike Mahardy]

Shut the up. While me and Mary talk about this game. Shut the up. You're not adding anything. You're just shaking your head and being like, go eat mustard. Be open minded. In a different room right now.

[Mary Keshe]

Minded.

[Mike Mahardy]

Because this game's really cool and it's.

[Dan Reichert]

I believe it. I believe the game's very good.

[Mary Keshe]

Try and get Dan.

[Dan Reichert]

I'm not against the game. The game sounds great.

[Mike Mahardy]

I just think people are weird of describing it too, because my el's. No, no. You know what? No, I don't. I don't want to top this game anymore. I'm done. No, you didn't. That's not all you said list.

[Mary Keshe]

And I'm just saying she's young.

[Mike Mahardy]

Continue.

[Mary Keshe]

Like 32 and they're on an expedition to kill the paintress. And the second they land like the majority of their group gets annihilated, absolutely demolished by like some old guy, very strange behavior. And so now they're looking for the rest of their crew to go kill the painters. And it's a. That's the story. That's. That's it. That's as far as the story is really. I mean like you're meeting other characters. I was worried my all died, but we did find her, she's fine. And there's more characters now. There's like a guy that doesn't talk. That's kind of weird and creepy.

[Mike Mahardy]

But my point. Okay, going back to the combat.

[Mary Keshe]

Doing a good job again.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, no, no, no. There's just like, I think, think like, like I don't. I also don't want to spoil much of the plot.

[Mary Keshe]

Like you have to be careful with the story. Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

I think, I think it's cool that if you're not super into turn based they still give you enough. You can counter attacks, you can dodge attacks. At a certain point they start adding layers to that where you're actually jumping over certain attacks and then responding midair to those attacks. They. If you can get those mechanics down, you can treat this game almost like a very high difficulty action RPG in which you're beating a boss because you're just good at the game, not because you grind it out many levels. You can do that and you can still definitely stay commensurate or like with the scaling by defeating enough enemies where.

[Mary Keshe]

You'Re kind of quick timey though.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, they're quick time events for sure. But they're like, they're not, they're rep. They're not represented as just like a button popping up on the screen. It's an actual. What's the word I'm looking for diegetic animation in the fight.

[Mary Keshe]

Right?

[Mike Mahardy]

The. The boss. The boss like a square is not popping up from what I remember.

[Mary Keshe]

Well, it's not like. I mean I like this game just fully real time.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'm just saying it's like a cool way to integrate it.

[Mary Keshe]

I'm not like a usual turn based RPG player. So when I did a battle and they were like when you see a yellow diamond that if you don't jump you're going to take damage. And I was like, that's just a quick time event, baby. Like, but what, what's cool about it is it doesn't have to be that. It could also just be an attack and you have to Memorize attack patterns so that you can dodge or parry. And the parry window is really thin. But it feels awesome when a boss is attacking one of my characters to dodge, dodge, parry, or when the yellow icon comes up, you can jump and parry and you do a lot of damage with your parry. So that. That feels like I'm in combat, not a turn base when that happens.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'll also say, I think some of the characters combat design is pretty nuanced. It reminds me of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, where once you get Tifa, she fights in a completely different style to Cloud. Similarly here, when you have Mile, she's all about stances kind of like, I don't know, like the Neo games or whatever. When you get your second character, she's very much. You're trying to build up a certain number of colored gems based on the element that you're attacking with in order to then spend those. And then the main character is just like, do enough attacks and then you do a crazy arm attack with your weird.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, arm. Yeah, he. He does like lightning. They all do different types of moves. Like, his big one for me is lightning. The little girl does physical damage. And the floating girl, I call her floating because. Because I think she floats most of.

[Mike Mahardy]

The time in the Overworld. Yeah, you can travel around with her. I stick to her.

[Mary Keshe]

I gave her an AOE move. And so they all have different purposes. One is aoe, one is physical, one is electric that way. I always have something based on what somebody's weakness is, which I have enjoyed. There's also just things you need to know about different enemies. There were these underwater enemies that have this mine above their head. And if you don't shoot the mine, you're in deep. But as long as you shoot the mine, then it's a cakewalk, baby. In fact, they die like immediately. So a lot of it's just figuring.

[Mike Mahardy]

Out, yeah, there's three of them. You can chain it.

[Mary Keshe]

It's crazy. Yeah. And yeah, a lot of them have like a face hole. And if you shoot them right in their hole, it takes out like 30% of their health. So I'm learning pretty quickly, like, secrets of how to get through it.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. I will say, like, I do have some gripes. I get on the one hand, I respect that they don't give you a mini map because you literally, you're on an expedition to map this world out. The continent they call still gets pretty obnoxious to not have a mini map. And some of these areas are pretty labyrinthine. And it's a bit annoying to not have a mini map tracking where I'm going. I can't tell you what.

[Mary Keshe]

I had side areas with, like, secret.

[Mike Mahardy]

Bosses snaking, like Metroidvania. I had collectibles and shit. Like. Yeah, they're pretty intricate worlds, especially the farther you go into. And I will say some of these. These areas are really cool. Like, the one of the earlier, like, regions you're in is like, underwater coral reef. But you're not really underwater. It's just that there's a coral reef around you. Later on you go and you start fighting or you start fighting and befriending. Like, they're made of, like, burlap and wood. They're, like, animated. They kind of remind me of the. From what's Breath of the Wild?

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Kind of Korokish, but, like, with burlap involved, like, they took stuff from around the woods, but yeah, I like it a bunch. I don't. It's also super French. Like, they swear in French. They, like, mutter stuff under their breath in French. I. However, I don't know if it's like a translation thing. I think some of the dialogue falls flat for me. It's also does throw me off a lot. Not only does the main dude look like Robert Pattinson, the guy. There's an older guy pretty early in the game who I swear they use Pierce Brosnan's face for. And that threw me. And I could. I was like, I can't be the only one. I looked it up. I was not. But, yeah, I don't know. It's cool that, like, this. Obviously it's a reductive term, but, like, this Double A studio that hadn't really made a RPG like this before, I can kind of, you know, make waves with it. I don't know how successful it was monetarily, but I just would like to see more games fill that gap between indie and mega Quadruple A. Yeah. So that's.

[Mary Keshe]

People are saying it's perfect. Like, it gets. It's getting such high marks. I was like, I guess I gotta try it because it's probably gonna come up for Goatee. Which is why, like, gave it such a try. Even though this isn't usually my jam, I will say the audio is fantastic. This is one of the best soundtracks I have ever heard from a game. I have let these songs play. I've been in boss fights where I was like, about to die, and I was like, oh, yeah, I'm about to die. I was moving my.

[Mike Mahardy]

The battle music is like, in my.

[Mary Keshe]

Head I was loving it. And even though they were gonna absolutely annihilate me, the music is so good.

[Mike Mahardy]

In boss fights, there's certain, like, there's certain parts in like the, in the woods where you're, where you're fighting those burlap monsters. The Suck Up a tots they call them.

[Dan Reichert]

Sorry.

[Mike Mahardy]

They're, they're like these mechs they put together through like potatoes, like canvas and tents and poles. They made like these mechs to defend the woods and I believe it's just sack of potatoes in French. But like these korok things, I, I'm, I'm usually really adverse to or averse to. What were those animals they made for the Force Awake or Last Jedi? That clearly. Yeah, just to sell merch.

[Dan Reichert]

They're.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, yeah, ish. I get it. I feel like I was expecting that to be these critters in first, but they're kind of funny because they're just this, these little French dudes running around the woods like making these mechs and like the soccer patots are supposed to be invincible. And then like they have a megaphone like in the woods they're like, release our biggest weapon. And it's, it's just a giant sock of a T with like a shield that comes up with spikes on it. I don't know, there's, there's like a, a lot of character to this game and the sense of humor is pretty funny at certain times. Like, I just wish, I just want a mini map and I, I'm not as taken with the storytelling. The premise is super cool. Like the game so far has just ridden the wave of that initial premise really well. I, I, some of the character relationships are just not hidden for me. But I like it quite a bit. The combat is, I don't know that I like it as much as like metaphor, say, which I always think. I also think was a really innovative turn based.

[Mary Keshe]

How long did Dan will play this game for before he quits?

[Dan Reichert]

I think. No, I think I might like it because Bonks played a lot of it and I've watched a lot of it and, and honestly, if I was going to get into a turn based rpg, it needs to be something that has some sort of gaming element during the fights and like, you know, like a timing thing. Like that's why I like Paper Mario. That's why I like Mario and Luigi, because Chrono Trigger, because there's timing based things that like makes me feel like I'm playing a game during the fights and that's What I've seen from this, and I love the look of it. You're right about the music. It has been like so many times I've walked through the room and seen her doing something. I'm like, what's going on here? And, like, it seems to have some, like, whimsy between it, like weird mini games and things like that. And like, the personality of it seems pretty evident. And I. I am curious about it again. After Death Stranding and a bunch of these other bigger ones and stuff, like, I would like to have played a significant amount by the end of the year.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, yeah. There's been bosses where I'm like, oh, man, I'm under leveled. They really wanted me to explore more of this area, but because I figured out the attack patterns, I very much got through it. And it feels great because some of them have like five attack combos that you really need to like, oh, he. He kind of stutters on this one before he smashes the ground. And they really do not have a big window for the Dodge or the Perry, especially the Perry.

[Mary Keshe]

It's pretty cruel. But I think what's cool about it is you can change the. You can change the rate of, like, how difficult the game is in the settings at any time, which I really appreciate. And because I was scared at the beginning of this game, the very first enemy I came across, for whatever reason, so difficult and so impossible for me, I had to change it to easy mode because I was like, obviously I'm bad at these games and I'm gonna suffer through this. But then the rest of the boss fights, or not boss fights, the rest of the enemy fights were so easy, I changed it back to regular. And I think what happened was somehow on my very first expedition, I just came across a side street with a very difficult boss that was too difficult for me.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, yeah. Like there. There are little mini, secret mini bosses. Like, did you fight that Pinocchio dude? Yes, he's the Minster. Or the, the. I don't know, he's a puppet. But you get really cool, powerful.

[Mary Keshe]

You get items from really good loot behind them. But I didn't know that and I just thought maybe. The game was insanely hard and I didn't know what I was doing. Turns out you absolutely can play this on medium or even hard. I've tried all three modes just to test them out and see how hard it is. And like you said, Mike, as long as you're willing to really read the attack patterns, this isn't so much, in my opinion. About min. Maxing my damage. It was about not taking damage as long as I could figure it out. Eventually you can win once you learn their attack patterns. So that's been fun for me and I. I have enjoyed. I actually think now that I've played enough of it. Easy is too easy. I still think hard is a bit too hard for me.

[Mike Mahardy]

And regular it's the margin of error that it changes. It's crazy. It's like how it's the dodge.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah. The dodge is like the window and hard is just like if you blink it's gone.

[Mike Mahardy]

I didn't. I. I didn't know that. I. I thought the. The damage you take increases on higher difficulties. I didn't know the windows more. Oh okay.

[Mary Keshe]

I think because when I was on easy it was giving me like 10 damage for every time I took a hit. It's very forgiving.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

But I felt like it was easier to dodge on easy mode so.

[Mike Mahardy]

Huh. That big balance though because like you get used to easy and you go up to medium and then you're like muscle memory just completely.

[Mary Keshe]

Maybe I'm wrong. I definitely know.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'm not saying you're wrong.

[Mary Keshe]

That'd be tough goes up and down. But I thought it was easier to dodge on regular than it was on hard mode.

[Mike Mahardy]

Gotcha. Yeah. No. Overall I like it again. Just like navigationally. I wish they just threw immersion to the wind and let me have a mini map because there are a lot of branching pathways in this world. It almost like you forget you're playing an RPG when you don't get into combat for a while. It feels More like a 3D platformer collect a thon because you're exploring so many pathways on the side. I left for four days to travel for work. I came back. The game is also not great. Like the journal does not tell you much about what you're supposed to be doing at parts. I also didn't have a mini map pointing me anywhere. I got turned around easily. It's pretty old school in that regard. I will just say maybe try to play through it in one stretch of a few weeks or whatever it takes you. But yeah, overall it's.

[Mary Keshe]

How long is it?

[Mike Mahardy]

Not super long. I think 30 hours.

[Mary Keshe]

Oh, I think 30. That's my other reason I usually don't play turn based RPGs is because like the idea of like dumping 60 to 80 hours in a game is like very overwhelming for how much I'm working and traveling this summer. And so like that's why I really like these Shorter experiences that make me feel like I've achieved something in a smaller amount of time. But 30 hours is so reasonable.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, no, it's. It's like I said, I, I would love to see more RPGs of this size keep coming out. It's almost turn based version of like Outer Worlds. When that came out, I was like, oh, this is nice. It's like 28 hours. You could beat it in. I think Avowed is around there as well. You guys, I think have beaten it. I haven't.

[Dan Reichert]

I think that was like 50, 80. I can't remember. Maybe 50. No, it was like 50 60, I think.

[Mary Keshe]

Okay, that's good to finish about. I would like to. I would like to go back to it. I. I have been overwhelmed by other things. You can make a difference in someone's life, including your own, with a job in home care. These jobs offer flexible schedules, health care, retirement options, and free training. They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overtime. Visit oregonhomecarejobs.com to learn more and apply. That's oregonhomecarejobs.com.

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[Mary Keshe]

Speaking of which.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, you two. You two have both been playing pipistrello and the cursed yo yo.

[Mary Keshe]

Possible contender for worst game name of the year.

[Dan Reichert]

It's not good. It is not good.

[Mike Mahardy]

Makes me want to play it.

[Mary Keshe]

I almost overlooked this game because graphically it is. No, it's actually really cool graphically. But like if you look at the COVID art, it looks bad because it's like a mouse weird thing with huge eyes. The colors are super saturated. I think it's almost garish. Like at your first look at looks.

[Dan Reichert]

Like, like almost Penny's big breakaway. If, like.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, it's just.

[Dan Reichert]

It's an uglier look, I think.

[Mary Keshe]

You know, it's an ugly. Like the aesthetic is so saturated. The blues are like a vivid blue and a vivid red, which I think is hard on the eyes. I'll tell you what did get me though. It said it was a Yo Yo Vania. It said the first Yo Yo Vania and I was like, I like Metroidvania. I feel like I can deal with this to check it out. Dan, I'm really curious what you think but like my instinct was I. I've actually really frickin enjoyed this game. I've really liked it so far.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, I'm really impressed too because like, I don't know, I, I love Zelda and specifically top down Zelda with like Link to the Past being my favorite ever. And so I've played so many like Link to the Past like likes, you know, and even like one that's like decent I will enjoy just because it's like, wow, this reminds me of Link to the Past. Yeah, this one actually has some interesting ideas of its own. Like even just like the yo yo thing is its own deal and like, you know, it's got these things where you're ricocheting it off like angled walls to hit things and collect things. And it's almost a mix of like, you know, the hook shot boomerang in Zelda. Yeah. But good puzzles with that. But like also smart ideas that are kind of like the way that upgrade work when you are taking out a contract. So you're basically like leasing your upgrade. So it's like, okay, you're gonna have, you're gonna do one more pip of damage. But in the meantime, until you pay this off, you are gonna take more damage or something like that. Or until you pay it off. Like yeah, yeah. And so it's like as you're collecting money by defeating things, a certain percentage will be going to your pockets and a certain percent will be going towards paying it off. Which I think that's a really fun way to do it. Instead of like, like oh, I gotta haul, you know, 300 coins to this guy to buy it. It's like, well, you can have it now, but you're gonna have a little bit of a handicap until you pay it off. Like I think that's pretty cool.

[Mary Keshe]

I love that system. I think it's so neat and I've never heard of anything like this before. A debt collection system. Every time I get coin, it does change the way I play the game because now, yeah, when I'm fighting things, the coins disappear very quickly. And so I'm killing something and like, and like sucking all the coins up because I owe a $500 debt. And until I pay this debt, I have two hearts. Do you know hard it is to survive a giant area full of things trying to kill you? When you can only take one hit or and then you die. And when you take a hit, it costs you money. That's at a portion of your total dollars, which is so fucking rude by the way. So I have $500. I'm getting hit with like an $80 fee every time I die. Money is precious in this game. So that I find that the system stresses me out, makes me take it very seriously because I gotta pay off my debt.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it's, it is smart and it is doing unique things that like I think Link between Worlds had that system where you would like rent items like so like you rent the hook shot and I can't remember how. Like if you found it in the world then it would be permanent or if you paid a much bigger fee or something then you could own it. But I think this is kind of a smarter, cooler way of doing something like that instead of just like here's the dungeon where you get the boomerang. You know? Know. Yeah. So it's in the look of it, like the key art like you said, Mary is pretty gnarly. But in game I think it looks pretty sharp. I think it's a good looking game. I agree. Once you're in, it's one, it'd be perfect for like a Steam deck. Actually now that I'm gonna be carrying my switch around more, I kind of want to get the switch version because I'm only maybe an hour in something like that, maybe a little more. So I'd restart it on the switch. But yeah, I really enjoy what I've played so far.

[Mary Keshe]

It's, it's got some really fun moves coming up as well. I almost got like almost Animal Weld when I was playing it because I, I, you know, just like any Metroidvania, you'll come across the space, you'll be like, well, I don't know what to do here, you know, because you can only jump two squares and the game is very block shaped intentionally so that you know how far you can jump or how far you can throw your yo yo. I think you can throw your yo yo 3 but you can only jump 2. And I came across these spaces where I was like, I don't know what I can do here. I guess nothing. And then I finally got a new yo yo move and now it's opening up a whole world for me. It's essentially like, like a travel system. So now I can like get to areas I couldn't get to before. And it was so fun because it's all yo yo based. So, like, I've always had the yo yo, but now I have like this really fun new cool way to use it that's like altering my playstyle in every way. I also got a really fun. You probably saw this even if you've only played an hour. But do you know when you start the game, it says you can walk anywhere. So the way this game is built, unlike a Zelda, where it's like you have to get this move first, in this game, you can walk anywhere you want and just figure it out. And I went into like a mall and I got this really cool dash move that essentially allows me to travel past water. And now I also got a. What's it called? Like a. Not a dash. We were just talking about it where you basically. A parry. Thank you. And you can shoot bullets back at people. And there's all these B cops. And I was. These B cops are so stressful. They can really totally kill you once you learn the parry. It's. It's so smooth, dude. So, like, I'm in classic Metroidvania style, which is the thing I love about these games. They're places that you don't understand what to do. Or there's people that you're afraid of because they're very difficult. But once you obtain the correct skills, it's like you're God. You're just walking around there. And like, absolutely, I can traverse that water. Absolutely I can kill all these. These B cops. And. And it's just like, no problem at all. The fast travel system is also pretty convenient. There's phone booths everywhere. There's a whole sewer system that's essentially the same map, but underground, which is really fun to navigate. They put a lot of work into this game.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, the fast travel is like, you're just basically spending money to unlock it permanently. Right. Like, the Fast Travel, like, I like that. I. I think that's fun. Like, they. They do make money matter in this game more than I think, like rupees in a Zelda would. So you definitely are, you know, encouraged to get everything you can.

[Mary Keshe]

Well, not only do you have to spend them on paying off your contracts, like Dan was saying, but you also need them to enhance your badge system. So just like Hollow Knight, you'll come across these badges that will enhance your gameplay. So maybe you'll get a badge that gives you an extra heart. Or they'll give you a badge that will drop more money. But you have so many badge slots. And you can use money to enhance your badges so that Costs less slots. So I have a badge that gives me an extra heart. I have a badge that drops more hearts. And I find that I take a lot of damage in this game. So I enhanced both of those badges to cost less slots so that they can both fit, even though I only have three slots. So all that stuff has been like intricate and fun to play with. It sounds complicated to. But man, when I was. When I was like messing with it, I was like, this is all fairly intuitive. I can understand the systems and ultimately even if like I didn't want to deal with all this shit, you can just kill everything if you just figure it out. Like, you can just burn through this game. You can just raw dog it if you really want to. But I encourage you to do the systems because I think it will make your gameplay a hell of a lot easier.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, I think I'm gonna keep playing it. It seems like a really good one to have on the go.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, I'm installing it on my Steam deck. I'm taking it on my trip. Trip 100%. This is probably going to be the game that I play during my travels the most. I mean, I'm. I'm super into it.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it's great.

[Mike Mahardy]

Speaking of, I picked up a game I've been meaning to play for a while. Dan, I texted you about it, but I didn't say anything else. Deep Rock Survivor. For those who don't know, it's just. I don't. We must have talked about Deep Rock Galactic on Fire Escape at some point. I love that game. It's one of my favorite like. Like live service games, if you can call it that. I think they. That is a game more developers should be trying to mimic. But speaking of mimicking, Coffee stain, whatever they call the publishing company they started now, they released Deep Rock Survivor. It's a Vampire Survivors clone. I don't mean that derogatorily. It's. Well, Vampire Survivors wasn't the first game of that sort either. The auto shooter, but it's an auto shooter. And if you play Deep Rock Galactic, they are using the same classes of characters, the same weapons. You can get in Deep Rock Galactic. And it's an auto shooter in that you start off with the assault rifle and then you're every. You're collecting those experience orbs to upgrade either the assault rifle or to upgrade your movement speed or to upgrade. The biggest mechanical difference right off the bat is the mining. When you're going around these areas, you have these sections of dirt or rock or. Or that you can Actually pickaxe your way through automatically. It's one of those things where it's like, oh, different classes benefit more from different upgrades in that I didn't realize how important the mining speed could be because usually it takes like two swings to get through one block. You can upgrade it to where you're just like chewing through them and you're getting side objectives. This is also another place where it kind of parts ways from Vampire Survivors. But Vampire Survivors had little like secrets around every map that you could unlock and whatnot. This one actually says go collect like 16 of these bulo mushroom caps. So that becomes this thing that you doing so will get you extra gold to spend after you extract. Because these. These missions are all like four or five part missions. You'll complete the objective, lure out the boss, kill it, and then extract out to the next level between them. You can then spend money on upgrades or spend different resources you've gathered in the mining or in like the actual rock formations. You could spend that on different upgrades. It works extremely well. I would say it's pretty tough. I still have not. Not I've completed the first mission. It's sort of set up to be a linear thing at first where. As opposed to Vampire Survivors where it's like, oh, I'm gonna play the. The first map with like five different characters that I've unlocked. This is very much like, oh, I've been playing the first class for a while before I even unlocked the gunner. But once you unlock the gunner, it's like, all right, I'm gonna put all my points into tankiness and fire rate because the reload is going to take a long time no matter what, but. Or sorry, clip size. So I might as well expand the magazine size so I don't have. I have more bullets between reloads. I don't think it's better than Vampire Survivors, but I think it's a really solid, like a really good Steam deck auto shooter that you don't have to have played Deep Rock Galactic to. To enjoy. Having played a lot of Deep Rock Galactic, I enjoy seeing how all these weapons and weapon classes transition into a different genre. But yeah, I like that game quite a bit. I'm probably going to be playing that mainly on the flight tomorrow, so check it out for sure.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, I've tried out a couple Vampire Survivors likes since I got obsessed with with that. And yeah, I. I'm always on the lookout for. For a good one of those. I think I did download it after you mentioned it to me a while ago, but I just haven't tried it yet. But it sounds good.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, it's great. It's. There's also like cool little mechanics like similar to Helldivers. If you call in ammo drops at the right time, it'll crush a bunch of bugs at the same time. So it does enough to break away from vampire survivors. But like I'm all for that genre getting as bigger, more people taking a swing at it. Like I'd love to see different properties. Try to do the auto shooter, bullet Heaven genre, whatever you want to call it. But yeah, it's great if people. I don't think it's too expensive on Steam. I think it's well worth whatever I paid for it. I'd have to double check that. But yeah, it's great. Nice. Mary, what's Or Dan, you've playing the Lego Party as well.

[Dan Reichert]

Played a game of that at Summer Games Fest. It's very good. I, you know, obviously being a big old Mario Party guy, I've played other, you know, party game type things and I feel like most of them try to do like a weird twist on it. Like I remember Sonic Shuffle back in the day was our like card based and it sucked. And it's. There's an anime one we did recently that it's obviously the. The Mario IP goes far with me, but I also do really like just the idea of this bullshit party game. So I've always been open to other party games and Lego Party is the one that I think on first glance has kind of hit the Mario Party notes the best and actually improves on a lot of it. It's just a lot snappier. Like you know, if. I don't know if you two have played a lot of Mario Party, but it's just like, like there's just so much of just like, okay, we're slowly going across the board now. This turtle is explaining the shop to me for the 20th time. Things like that. This one, it. It moves, it moves it. But everything it's doing is straight out of Mario Party. There are chance time squares and instead of coins and stars, you are getting studs and golden bricks. You know, it is unapologetically Mario Party.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's still the same like dichotomy between the board game layer and mini games.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, totally. So you do the four turns and then you do a mini game. But like all the mini games I did were a lot of fun and they do some unique things too where it's like, okay, you're driving these little like remote Control cars. And each face button makes a wheel accelerate. So you have to, like, navigate through this, you know, course with a bunch of holes and things like that by controlling individual wheels almost in like a quop like way, you know. So, yeah, really solid mini games. Great look to it. It's just silly stuff. Like the level we did had a volcano. And if you get to the top of it, there's like a big turkey on a spit roast and it'll like heat up and explode up and land on one of your enemies and steal either studs or a brick. It works the Lego stuff in. In a smart way to where it's like you get on certain squares and it'll like, build another part of the level. So, you know, it was like a bay is where I was. The game was happening. And then you land on a thing and it builds a pirate ship in the bay and you can suddenly go across it and kind of shortcut to a different area. So a lot of charm, a lot of really good mini games. And just there was. I gotta admit, it was pretty nice just having it move at a faster clip than Mario Party. So I will definitely get this play a lot of it. Turns out it's not just the Mario IP that makes me like that stuff.

[Mike Mahardy]

What were you playing it on?

[Dan Reichert]

It was an SGF demo, so I believe. I can't remember if we had PS. I think we had PS5 controllers. But yeah, I think it's probably gonna be on everything. But yeah, very good. Looking forward to it.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, I like. I played. Correct me if I'm wrong. There were three Switch Mario parties.

[Dan Reichert]

Yes, Super Mario Party, Superstars and Jamboree.

[Mike Mahardy]

I played. I played the one that was like retro maps, boards, Superstars. That's the best played that. I liked it. And I played the first one on Switch and I thought it was fine. I don't know. I don't have the same lens to like, critique it in the context of the franchise, but. But was the last one on Switch the one people didn't like, or was the first one?

[Dan Reichert]

No, I actually. I was on the low end of the review scores on that one, but I still like it. I just, you know, I think I may be like, Jamboree. Harsh critic. Like Jamboree. Yeah, I think I just. I kind of dissected a lot being a big Mario party head and there were elements I didn't love about it. But still, it's. It's a fun game. I'm just going to go to Superstars if I'm playing on the switch.

[Mike Mahardy]

So. Okay. Yeah, I'd be down to try Lego Party. That sounds fun. Could be a bonus episode when it comes out.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Mara, what's the Midnight Walk?

[Mary Keshe]

Okay, so this one.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't know why I did that voice. We're doing the YA thing.

[Mary Keshe]

Feel like. I feel like more people should be talking about this. I can't believe no one is playing this. This is a really cool game. This is a claymation, handmade, stop motion horror game. I'm gonna say horror, but I don't know if it's like that. I'm gonna classify it as horror, but I think it's more of an adventure with scary elements. If you look at the trailer, it will give you an extraordinarily good example of, like, some of the creepy, scary stuff. It reminds me a bit of Nightmare Before Christmas and a bit of Pan's Labyrinth, the way that this world is constructed. You are, I want to say you're called like a burnt or something or a chard or something. Your hands are, like, so burnt and crispy and it looks like you're ash or something. And the world has. There's no fire in the world left. But luckily you come across a cute little guy. He's such a cute little character. I forget his name. I want to say it's like potty or like, you know, pothead or something. And he has fire in his head. And your job is to escort him to the end of this mountain. But there's so many terrifying things in this world that want to snuff out the flame and kill you along the way. I actually think this is an incredibly well constructed and charming experience. It's very thoughtful. You come across this town of nobodies, but they are genuinely their heads, they have no bodies, which I think is a really fun play on words. And there's a monster that's killing them. It's like eating them. And so they're like, you have to take out this monster. It's dangerous. It's killing us. And so you're killing these. You're trying to take down this monster. And then you find out there's a lot of depth to these characters. There's a reason the monster is doing what it's doing, and it's actually the nobodies are kind of dickheads. And so, like, it's really fun that you, as the player, get to kind of see the depth and the thoughtfulness of the. Of the villains and the people that you come across on your way on your journey.

[Dan Reichert]

Did Mike disapprove of the nobody's pun because I saw him bury his head in his hands. I saw it.

[Mike Mahardy]

I shouldn't have reacted that way. No, I liked it. It reminded me.

[Mary Keshe]

That's enough for you.

[Mike Mahardy]

It reminded me of a very, very deep cut video that my friends and I used to watch called There's a this just man on the street that someone like struck a jackpot with. She was trying to ask him what he thought about like some Sydney ordinance and he started going off. It's Canadian Steve Spiros, easygoing.

[Dan Reichert]

He says oh, oh the vampires Waterloo.

[Mike Mahardy]

And at one point he says because you can't kill a nobody with no body. That's what it just thinking about him, how he starts going off. Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

And Glenn, how did that speech in the BlackBerry movie? Movie? I don't know.

[Mike Mahardy]

Really?

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, he does it.

[Mike Mahardy]

I was like watch that yet?

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Mary. That this game is one of them that like you know, Bonk is always playing games and you know there are just certain ones where I walked through the room and you know, didn't really grab me or anything. And then this one, I saw her playing it and I was like wow, that is a striking art style.

[Mary Keshe]

Like that is striking visually. The gameplay is also quite interesting. So a lot of the times you're hiding from a creature they're always giving you a closet or a tunnel or something to hide. They have like interesting, not too difficult but there's always like some kind of thoughtfulness to a puzzle to help you get through a space. So like let's say there's a monster and there's no places to hide. But there's a candle nearby. You can tell your little pot boy to light the flame of this candle. The monster will go to blow it out because they hate fire. And then it'll help you run across behind their backs when they're not looking. And so there's a lot of sneakiness, a lot of maneuvering to get by when you do get caught. I have like literally yelped and been like it's kind of freaky when these things try and eat you and they're just kind of gross. They have these gangly teeth and big eyes. It's really stressful and so like this game is not for the faint hearted. But I am just, I think I am disappointed that I haven't heard more people covering this game. I think it is so unique and as we talk about how important it is to support art as games. This is art. This is obviously hand constructed. This took someone a lot of time. This is not a short game development cycle. This was a very long experience probably to handle make all of these clay animations. It looks awesome. It is so stunning. It's got cool gameplay if you can get past how scary it is. It is scary. But I love that you gotta pick this up. Like this is a really unique experience. I loved it.

[Dan Reichert]

Nice. What are you playing on?

[Mary Keshe]

I'm playing it on Steam and I am gonna download it on Steam deck and hope that it also works on my Steam deck. I assume it will, but I streamed feels like game.

[Dan Reichert]

I'd like to like I would want to turn off the lights and turn up the surround sound and you know, kind of sink in.

[Mary Keshe]

Is it on game pass?

[Mike Mahardy]

No, I'm just kidding.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, funny.

[Mike Mahardy]

It is a very good looking game.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah. This is a game to like immerse yourself in. This is a game like turn off the lights like Dan said and like.

[Mike Mahardy]

Just so how do you like. That's fucking crazy though that like it supposedly. What do they mean? It's. It's handcrafted with real clay and animated a stop motion style. But like I don't fully understand like that's crazy. I don't fully understand how you could hand make all of this clay to account for every animation that could happen in a video game.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, it's a really good question. I. My assumption is is that a lot of the animations were done in clay but they probably like some of the backgrounds and stuff like that were probably done in a 3D renderer. But I think your main characters are all done in clay. And the hands, you'll definitely see it. Like if you ever see a lot of this game has to do with fire. So you're constantly like getting matches and lighting them. But when you see your hand animations you can like kind of tell this was like a constructed hand. And like I don't know, it's interesting. Like you can see the divots in it. You know what I'm talking about? Like when you see claymation and you're like yeah, it's not perfect but I love it. It's charming. Like this game has that, that it's cool.

[Mike Mahardy]

Dan, you've been playing Hell is Us as well.

[Dan Reichert]

I played it. It's coming out in September and I was in Montreal. I played about three hours of it and so obviously you know, limited time but enough to see that it's really going for something and that something is not holding your hand. It is all about just like you. There are very, very limited Huda elements. There are no quest markers. There's, it's the opposite of like that Ubisoft map barf thing where there's just a million checklist things. You go into this nation to try to figure out what happened to your, your family and the town you grew up in. You've been like exiled or you left early. It's kind of this like hermit nation, like in a North Korea type thing, but it's fictionalized and you just have like a data pad with an investigation tab on it. And it just starts with like, find out what happened to your family. Find out what happened to the town. And you just go in and you just go into houses and towns and you talk to characters and ask them questions and as they fill things in, it's almost that kind of corkboard. Like, you know, like, okay, so this happened here. Okay, so someone said they saw your dad go to this town and this thing.

[Mike Mahardy]

Alan Wake too.

[Dan Reichert]

Much more, much more. I don't know if opens the word that I'm looking for here, but less scripted almost. Yeah, it is, it feels like you could, people could have vastly different experiences playing this game. You know, whereas Alan Wake was a little bit like, okay, now here, the part where you go to the amusement park, this is like, I don't know, go where you're going to go and see what, what order you learn things in and, and where it takes you. But like any maps you get are going to be like hand drawn things that a character hands you of. Like, oh, here's this depot here, here's this tunnel on the highway and it's just like a scribbled, you know, map that someone drew. It's really cool. It is interesting in that like it does give you the option with like there's combat with these like weird otherworldly like creatures that you can change parry timing and enemy aggressiveness and like that type of stuff.

[Mary Keshe]

Stuff.

[Dan Reichert]

But you cannot choose to make the like, hey, give me an objective arrow, give me a mini map. It's you know, like in Red Dead Redemption 2 you could do the thing where you could turn off all the mini maps and stuff and just rely on like signs in the world and you know, people telling you things. And this is like that if it was your only way to do it. And so like there are some diegetic hints where it's just like there's wind chimes that you can follow, there's you know, markings on trees, things like that that. But it's, it's pretty hardcore about just like you finding your own way through it through talking to people and learning about the world. And like went in like I, I saw the trailer a while ago and I was like, okay, I don't know if this is like a souls like thing or it almost looks kind of like death strandingy. But no, it's very much its own thing. And I'm now really intrigued by whatever this game is doing.

[Mike Mahardy]

Do you have a lightsaber esque esque thing?

[Dan Reichert]

Don't know what weapon I have. You have like a drone that you can unlock a bunch of upgrades for and everything. Can't remember like what weapons there is. Definitely melee. Melee is like your main.

[Mike Mahardy]

Got like a bunch of glowing swords and stuff.

[Dan Reichert]

It's got a hell of a look to it. Like the enemies look really wild. Just these like husks with like these holes in them in their faces and very spooky and weird and I'm into it. Great sound design. It reminds me a lot of Annihilation. And I asked the developers and they're like, yeah, that was like a. That was a primary influence.

[Mike Mahardy]

I. What other game were we talking about? Avowed also has Annihilation vibes. And like I feel like, like that format of movie, even Stalker has it too. I mean Annihilation was kind of inspired by Stalker, the movie which the games were pulling from the same source material. I, I want more games to, to do exactly what it sounds like this is doing where you're going into this weird altered landscape just to figure out what happened and then you're finding weird fauna and flora and shit like that.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, I mean it's like there's a huge like, I guess this game's version of like a Hyrule field in this area where it's a kind of a hub that connected a bunch of towns and stuff.

[Mike Mahardy]

Stuff.

[Dan Reichert]

And in the middle of it from far away, you see this weird just pulsating orb of just this kind of evil looking orb that's like in the middle of a field and there's just a bunch of these like husks like walking around it. And so you just see it in the distance. You're like, what the is that? And just in talking to people in the cities and stuff, they'll start mentioning it and it kind of fills out your data on what this thing is. And it's very, very cool how you learn things in that game. I think, I think Mike it's. It seems like a mike game for sure.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. This looks radio. I had seen this announced. I don't know if it was a game Awards or an sgf. And I was like, all right, this looks kind of cool, but the more you talk about this, the more I would be into this. Coming out September.

[Dan Reichert]

Yes. Yes. I think it's had people from, like, Deus Ex working on it. Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

From Eidos back in the day.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, sure. Yeah. I think you're gonna like it.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, this looks cool. Last game I'll talk about quick. I also traveling. I went back to Rogue Legacy 2 on Steam Deck. Anybody who didn't play that, because I believe it came out in Early Access for a bit and then went full. That game's still really good. The first one was 2014. I want to say one of the earlier roguelikes to kind of blow up.

[Mary Keshe]

Get why people didn't get as into Rogue Legacy 2 as Rogue Legacy 1. Because Rogue Legacy 1, like, had a whole bunch of fanfare. And I thought Rogue Legacy 2 was like, we're going to do the same thing, but on crack and can give you, like, way more ways to play the game in weird, weird, stupid ways. Like, everything's upside down and gravity sucks now.

[Dan Reichert]

I mean, for. For my experience, like, I loved Rogue Legacy 1 so much, I beat it on, like, three different consoles and I just loved it.

[Mary Keshe]

I did. I beat it a couple times. I really liked Rogue Legacy.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it was one of the first Roguelites I really, really got into. So I was super excited for this. And, like, I think my experience with it is why I don't really do a lot of early access. It's why I haven't touched Hades 2, despite loving Hades 80s one is because I played it right away when it went out in Early Access. And, like, part of the pandemic. I want to say it was like June, July 2020 or something like that. And I was like, okay, cool, cool. This is fun. But it was, like, had, like, one area or whatever, and then you get to a screen that's like, we're working on it. Here's our, you know, roadmap, or. And it just kind of takes the wind out of the sails because it's like, you get excited to play it, but then it's like, well, you don't really get the whole thing. This is just a me thing, maybe. I'm sure there are others that feel this way, but, like, when it came out, I just didn't really. I think I played a couple runs and then I didn't continue because I would rather just wait until something is at a 1.0 and then feel like I have a beginning to end experience with the game rather than staggering it like that, you know?

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, no, I'm the exact same way. I've not touched Hades 2. I think that could potentially ruin it for me. I also did the same thing with Darkest Dungeon 2. I don't think I should have done that. I played that early access, but I think the way that we play each other, even fully release games, is so often bite sized just to see what it's doing. That when I play games in early access, I'm like, all right, I see what they're going for and then I don't go back. Even though I admit that's not fair. And you see a lot of success stories in early access. And I'm a huge proponent for early access. I think it's a great idea. I think when done right, you're getting good feedback from the people who care the most about your game. You should be doing that if you can. I totally agree. I did not Touch Rogue Legacy 2 until it came out. I will say I think it does a lot of really cool stuff. It just goes crazy with the character classes. You get a gunslinger who has literal gun that shoots. You have a shinobi who, like has to stop to attack, but you can angle the sword and if you get at the very tip of the katana, then you do critical damage. There's a lot of cool stuff going on. They also, not that long ago released their final update. So it's. It's not only complete, it's. They're done working on it.

[Dan Reichert]

Okay. So I do want to get into.

[Mike Mahardy]

This great, great Steam Deck game. I'm. There's six bosses to the base game.

[Mary Keshe]

Sorry, is it out?

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, it's been out. It's been out. It launched like, I don't know, 2019.

[Mary Keshe]

Oh, so early access just like put a little bad taste in our mouths. And we never played it before.

[Mike Mahardy]

I played a lot of it before. I just went back. I. I went back recently. I've never played it on Steam Deck, which I have been playing. And it's a phenomenal Steam Deck game. And I'm like, now anybody who may have forgotten about it, which I get, it's a really good game. The first one is still more focused and tight. This one, it feels like they clearly were just trying a lot of different ideas that I don't always think mesh well. But there are really cool character traits, really cool magical spell kind of things, the map design. I. I think this game's cool because the first game was very much like the whole game felt like a Castlevania. Sure, the aesthetic could change. It would be like, oh, I'm in dungeons now. I'm in the woods. This, when you go between major areas, it actually kind of changes how you're moving around it. The first section is very much Castlevania, straight platform, spike floors, flame barriers, etc. Then you go to the next one. It's very much like, oh, you're leaping across these like houses on stilts and like jumping up and falling down the sides to find secrets. Then you get to another area where it's like, oh, it's a snowy area. I get it. But then all of a sudden it's more like hill hillscapes, zombies come up out of the ground. So it's actually kind of changing the overall flow of the game. Yeah, I don't know. It's. They also have some cool overall stuff where it's like the first game had the Architect where you could lock, lock the castle layout if you liked it. Just pay extra to say, oh, I know where this boss is. I want to go right there. I don't want to deal with rng, so lock the castle for me. I know he's up here. In this part of the map. They do a lot of cool stuff like that. They have quality of life things where you can pay to unlock a warp portal permanently. It won't always be in the same place unless you also combine that with the Architect. But you will be able to warp to the snowy area right away way because if you play the first game, you know, at a certain point the gold that the enemies are dropping in the first area just does not become worth it to farm. So they do a lot of cool stuff to keep the game moving along breezily. I don't know. It's really good. And now I, I, I don't. It wasn't yesterday, but I, it wasn't that long ago they released the final update. All the character classes are in it all. Like they've moved on their work. Cellar Door Games is working on Rogue Legacy 3, Rogue Legacy 3 or whatever the hell they're doing next. So this game is like set in stone. It still kind of can look like a flash game sometimes. That art style. Not a flash game, but like, what is it?

[Mary Keshe]

I'm immune to that criticism.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, no, it's not.

[Mary Keshe]

That's just something terrible.

[Mike Mahardy]

People say there's a game like two years ago that I kind of liked. It was like a little indie Pokemon ripoff. But it just looks like they're. They're literally cut out of paper. And I think it worked for the first game because it was kind of novel. But now it's like it's not the best looking game at all times.

[Mary Keshe]

I don't like any of the art styles where things look like they're cut out of paper. I guess.

[Mike Mahardy]

Take a look at it. It's. It's.

[Mary Keshe]

It's also really make your look a little bit more 3D. I just don't like the thick outline to like, I don't know, hide stuff.

[Dan Reichert]

I feel like Paper Mario.

[Mary Keshe]

I've never liked it.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

But yeah, the art style.

[Mary Keshe]

I think the game is cool. I don't like the art style.

[Dan Reichert]

Okay.

[Mike Mahardy]

Play Rogue Legacy 2 is a really good game. War Group is the game I was thinking of. It was. That's not the Pokemon thing.

[Mary Keshe]

Is the term how good Paper Mario would be if it didn't look like that.

[Dan Reichert]

It's called. Then play Mario and Luigi.

[Mike Mahardy]

How could you slip behind 2D surfaces if it wasn't paper?

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, it's a fun gimmick. He slides underneath the blankets because he's a piece of paper. My goodness. Fat shaming Mario. Paper Mario.

[Mike Mahardy]

But yeah. Rogue Legacy to. Check it out.

[Dan Reichert]

Mary.

[Mike Mahardy]

Wait. Mary. Save this joke. I want to champion this game one more time. Go play Rogue Legacy to continue.

[Dan Reichert]

Hit it.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's not gonna be that funny. It's not gonna be worth it.

[Mary Keshe]

Where's Mario? Don't even have a waist. Mario. So thin. Mario. Light as a feather. Mario, look. Looking amazing. Mario.

[Mike Mahardy]

Is this a reference to. It's like a Miss Congeniality thing.

[Dan Reichert]

Mario. Thigh gap. What.

[Mike Mahardy]

Like a far guy in a castle?

[Dan Reichert]

Very. Like that one.

[Mary Keshe]

I did like it. Everybody wants it. Imagine Mario with a thigh gap.

[Mike Mahardy]

Looking for a guy in high roll.

[Mary Keshe]

Six foot thigh gap. Gap. Nobody looks for a man with a thigh gap anymore. But I want to make it happen.

[Mike Mahardy]

I'm looking for.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't think we can have it because we got balls there.

[Mike Mahardy]

You can tape them up. I'm looking for a guy in high roll.

[Dan Reichert]

The balls dangle right where the thigh gap would be. Right.

[Mike Mahardy]

So just. You can. You can. Yeah, I guess so.

[Dan Reichert]

I guess if you like folded them up, you could see if you.

[Mike Mahardy]

My gap is sick. Daddy says I gots that good gap app.

[Dan Reichert]

Stop that.

[Mike Mahardy]

You want to do emails?

[Mary Keshe]

Yes.

[Mike Mahardy]

Let's talk about emails.

[Dan Reichert]

Get out of this.

[Mary Keshe]

You can make a difference in someone's life, including your own.

[Dan Reichert]

With a job in home care.

[Mary Keshe]

These jobs offer flexible schedules, healthcare retirement options and free training. They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overtime. Visit Oregon Home to learn more and apply. That's oregonhomecarejobs.com.

[Jeff Grubb]

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[Mike Mahardy]

Okay, as always, you can write into I just almost gave my email it's been a while. Fire Escapecast gmail.com for questions, comments, concerns. We got a bunch since the last episode to thank you for filling up that inbox again. Dan and Mike Minati and Jeff Grubb love to do like eight emails when Mary and I are away. So we've refilled. It's been great. Mary, do you want to read this? This is definitely up your alley. This first one from Hillary from Virginia.

[Mary Keshe]

Sure. Hey escapees. This question has been floating around the cozy gamer sphere online and I would love to get your takes on it. Especially Mary. Thank you. If you made your own cozy bundle of five games, what would they be? Feel free to leave this off the pod if you read this question. Mine would be Graveyard Keeper, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Power Wash Simulator, and Dragon Age Origins. Not classified as cozy, but thedas is my favorite place. Oh, that's so cute. Much love, Hillary. Thanks Hillary.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's a good question for any genre. Like what is the ideal. Like the bundle pack. Yeah, bundle of five games. But yeah, cozy games I guess to kick it off.

[Dan Reichert]

These are good.

[Mike Mahardy]

I have. These are good ones. Animal Crossing I think is up there. Well, no, Mary, you can go first. You're the cozy game expert. But like Stardew Valley has to be there for sure.

[Mary Keshe]

I think. Unfortunately, I mean it's not unfortunate. Stardew Valley is kind of the Mecca of cozy now. Like, I don't think you could have a bundle without Stardew. I'm gonna name a couple more that I think should be contendees. And then what I think we should do is make fire escapes cozy bundle. Right? Like with the five of us and our powers combined, I'm sure we can think of what we consider a cozy bundle. Hi boss.

[Mike Mahardy]

Boss.

[Dan Reichert]

Hey boss. Hey. Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

He's a cozy cat joined the cat.

[Mary Keshe]

World boss is like very comfortable with you.

[Dan Reichert]

He loves me. Yeah. Yeah. We're buds.

[Mike Mahardy]

Like a wolf's eyes.

[Mary Keshe]

I know. I can't. I can't look away. It's like a Medusa quality.

[Dan Reichert]

Sorry to interrupt.

[Mary Keshe]

Okay, so other ones that I think we should be heavily considering for the fire escape cozy Bundle. I think Slime Rancher is one of the coziest games I've played in the last decade. I have lost myself in this game specifically.

[Mike Mahardy]

1, 2 did not do it for me really at all. They like. I mean, Mary, correct me if my memory is wrong or rather share a different opinion if I'm. You disagree. But they'd like over complicated everything in a way that like the gameplay loop was not nearly as satisfying and drawn out.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah, I mean, I think Slime Rancher, the original is the one that I. I poured hours into. I did not pour as many hours into Slime Rancher too. Maybe it was like too fine tuned, but the original Slime Rancher, just the concept of like, yeah, you suck slimes up into your little tube and then you get them to mate with each other. You got to feed them. So you got to have chickens and you got to have like fruits and vegetables to feed them. I mean you can really. You can really spend a lot of time in that game and it all feels very comfortable and warm and inviting. Moving on. One of the most cozy games I've played in recent years is a short hike, which is almost slightly like. I. I don't think it's even like a full. It is a full game, but it's. It almost feels like a demo. It's. It's short, but it's so thoughtful and sweet and you're just going on a hike. So cute. That one's got to be on it. Some other ones that I think are a bit more niche but probably worth talking about. Potion Craft, Alchemist Simulator. Mike, you and I played this game and really liked it. You are solving crimes which might not be cozy in the sense, but like it's fun being like, oh my gosh, this person's cat is sick and I know exactly the right potion to craft. Or like this person is like devious and might have committed a murder. And I can solve it using potions and like, you know, grinding the right leaves and into a pot. That felt really good and cozy. I loved pretending to be an alchemist, so those are ones I would really recommend.

[Mike Mahardy]

And I have two more. Yeah, it's more It's. I think it leans more heavily puzzle than Cozy Game. But Strange Horticulture, I think also kind of scratches, Similar itches, and Strange Horticulture.

[Mary Keshe]

Might even be even better than Potion Craft. They're both.

[Mike Mahardy]

That's what I thought you were talking about.

[Mary Keshe]

I think it is the one I meant. Oh, no. I think I really liked Strange Horticulture the most.

[Mike Mahardy]

Potion thing was similar. It's just with animals, similar with Potions.

[Mary Keshe]

But Strange Horticulture is the one where they think somebody's dying and you got to, like, figure out who's the liar. That's Strange Horticulture.

[Mike Mahardy]

Okay.

[Mary Keshe]

Gosh, that game is so good. And it has a cozy cat on a windowsill. I. I changed my mind. It's. It's. It's Strange Horticulture.

[Mike Mahardy]

I will also say another game I would kind of classify as cozy. It's also sort of just like meditative is unpacking.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, yeah, totally.

[Mike Mahardy]

Five years ago, that was like. That was the most. Yeah, meditative or like, just flow state. Like, not doing much. Like, almost Power Wash Simulator, but, like, a little bit involved.

[Dan Reichert]

That was so smart with, like, you know, a lot of it is just like, okay, where am I gonna put this stuff? And every once in a while, it'll hit you with something like the diploma thing, and there's no, no, no place to put it. It's like, oh, that's such a smart narrative. Like, that's like, as much as I don't love story, when it's just like, now I'm watching this cutscene, now it's this dialogue. That thing was just like, wow, what an interesting way to tell a story with just, like, using the mechanics of the game. And it came out of nowhere. It's like, that's so smart.

[Mike Mahardy]

Like, a photo of the character and their ex from, like, years ago that they. That they're not. Well, obviously they're not dating their ex anymore. And you're like, oh, shit. That's kind of sad. Like, that they just found this in a box and now it's like, where do I put it? You slip it under the bed somewhere.

[Dan Reichert]

Still, it's a great game.

[Mary Keshe]

Environmental storytelling is. Is very well done in that. Dan, what would you add to our bundle?

[Dan Reichert]

I just want to call out Power Wash Simulator. Hillary. That's a great call. Because, like, that is. I guess I don't do a ton of cozy games. Well, I mean, that's it on Hillary's bundle here. I love Stardew, love Animal Crossing and then Power Wash Wash. That That's. That was my go to where it's like, sometimes there's nights where it's like, I just don't want to have to think about anything or, you know, be challenged or anything. I just want to zone out, maybe listen to a podcast or something. And I can't think of a game that made time just fly by, like, Power Wash Simulator, but, like, while remaining intensely satisfying every step of the way. So I just want to shout out Hillary's call there. Yeah. My own personal ones. Like, I. I feel like between Stardew, Animal Crossing and Power Wash, those are like, that might be my top three right there.

[Mary Keshe]

I mean, those are all classics. A couple others that I don't think would make the list, but I still have to say their names because they're really good. Is later. Alligator, which is just, like, such a cute little game that you can play as an alligator frog detective. So cozy and funny and silly, and you're just a little frog solving silly crimes. Machinarium. That is a point and click adventure where you're like a little machine in a big world. And it's. I find it very cozy and the music is. You could fall asleep to it. It's so Zen and comforting. And then the last one, I actually would put this on my list. Little Inferno. Do you guys remember Little Inferno?

[Dan Reichert]

Right?

[Mary Keshe]

And you're in a fireplace and you just light on fire.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

So cozy. I mean, like, the definition of being like, I wonder what would happen if I put popcorn and marshmallows in the fire and light them up and, like, something different happens because you've combined these two items and lit them on fire. I. I could play that all day.

[Dan Reichert]

Mary, did you see the trailer for There Are no Ghosts at the grand at sgf?

[Mary Keshe]

No, I missed it.

[Dan Reichert]

Okay, Mary, you need to watch this right after this podcast because, like, it was definitely one of the top. Maybe like, after.

[Mary Keshe]

I'm watching it right now.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

It's inherit a crumbling English hotel and restore it by day while battling ghosts at night with a sardonic cat, a talking power tool, and a twisting. That sounds awesome. Natural plot. This is a musical mystery musical unlike any other. Will you be able to hold it together while everything around you falls apart? Oh, my.

[Mike Mahardy]

Wait, this sounds up my alley, too. Definitely.

[Dan Reichert]

You need to see the trailer. It looks like it's like a house flipper thing where you have a magic gun where you're cleaning up the spooky mansion, but then there's like, musical numbers and stuff. It's like blueprints House flipper. Like, spooky. Like, it looks awesome.

[Mike Mahardy]

Wow. This is coming soon, too. Yeah. This looks rad.

[Mary Keshe]

Oh, my God. You're using to shoot paint off the wall.

[Mike Mahardy]

Why is there a priest involved?

[Mary Keshe]

Great.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. And it's. What's the cat's name is like Mr. Bones the bastard or something? Yeah. This, Mary, I'll tell you now, this will be game pass.

[Mary Keshe]

So God, thank you.

[Dan Reichert]

Yes, Yes. I really loved what I saw.

[Mike Mahardy]

This, this, this looks awesome. Pikmin's almost a cozy game. Kind of. Except.

[Dan Reichert]

Absolutely.

[Mike Mahardy]

Except like you can.

[Dan Reichert]

Until they all get viol and scream.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, but Pikmin's up there. And then what was that game Pass game that we all. Dan, you played and then recommended. And we all love Tiny Kin. Yes, Tiny Kin.

[Dan Reichert]

Tiny Kin's awesome.

[Mike Mahardy]

Tiny, like low risk.

[Dan Reichert]

O, yeah. Great one. Yeah, that's maybe if I were to add one, I'd say Tiny Kin sorts.

[Mary Keshe]

Of things can be cozy, even if they have, like, some stress to them. Right. Because it's, it's like what you consider something that, like, big city.

[Dan Reichert]

Do you count that?

[Mary Keshe]

I would. I think it can be cozy. I think, I don't think there's any rules. Right. Like, dredge can be cozy, and that sure, sure is kind of stressful. But, like, I like the idea of escaping into the world where, like, I'm a fisherman looking for stuff and I got to be careful at night. Like, I, I, I don't know. I mean, I don't think there's, like, official hard set rules to it, but, yeah, I find a lot of those types of games, like, very cozy.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Well, thank you, Hillary. We should do that. Another episode with different genres.

[Mary Keshe]

That's fun.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Okay. Dan, do you want to read this one from Matthew in Greenville?

[Dan Reichert]

Do you eat the drink garnish, obviously. I'm talking about the edible practical stuff, like an orange slice and a blue moon or a cherry in a cocktail. Do I look weird when I eat it? Is it meant to be eaten? That's Matthew and Greenville. I always eat it. Like, I like it. It's like a treat at the end where it's like, all right, I drank this Mai Tai, and I know not all my ties have, like, pineapple wedges in it, but, like, sometimes I do. And, like, at the end, it's like, this is a pineapple wedge. It's just been sitting in delicious Mai Tai for a while. I'll bite it and it's like, okay, that tasted good. And you can fool yourself that it's it's healthy, you know, because it's fruit and it's. And it's soaked in rum. Yeah, it's great.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. It depends on the garnish. For sure.

[Mary Keshe]

It depends, Right? Like, I think there's some that might be a little bit more strange than others. If you get a dirty martini with olives, eat them. Olives. You've earned them. If you get a Old Fashioned or whatever that comes with a maraschino cherry, I don't think that's an Old Fashioned Manhattan.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Manhattan's. They both come with a maraschino cherry. I would eat that. Maraschino cherry. Yeah. I personally think that if you get a lime with your beer.

[Dan Reichert]

No.

[Mary Keshe]

And you drink and you eat your lime, I think you squeeze that. I think you're a weirdo.

[Dan Reichert]

I think the rule of thumb is if it's a food you would eat.

[Mary Keshe]

The question is this, do you eat it? And I'm saying, no, you don't eat that lime.

[Dan Reichert]

I think the rule of thumb is if it's a food you would eat outside of a cocktail context. Yes. But I'm not, like, chowing down on a handful of mint or cinnamon sticks when I'm done with something, you know, like. But I'll eat a cherry or a pineapple wedge.

[Mike Mahardy]

You know, I have a weird one.

[Mary Keshe]

Okay.

[Mike Mahardy]

And Amanda thought it was weird. So have you guys had a Gibson before?

[Dan Reichert]

Probably.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's a martini, but it's basically martini. But instead of olives, it's a cocktail onion. Onion. A little, like, small pearl onion.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Are you guys not onion fans or do you not?

[Dan Reichert]

I, I. I've come around on onions, but I'm not just gonna chow down on, like, pearl pearl.

[Mary Keshe]

Onions are weird to me. They're so small. Why are they so small? I don't know about that.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. What are they up to?

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah. Be bigger.

[Mike Mahardy]

Onions are big. Gibson is one of my. And my wife's, like, go to cocktails. That's definitely my martini of choice. Choice. I sometimes eat those at the end. And you're. I don't.

[Dan Reichert]

You're.

[Mike Mahardy]

I really don't think you're supposed to eat those because they're not as, like, chowable as olives. The first time I did, she's like, I don't think you're supposed to eat it. We had to, like, look up what was etiquette. Not that I was gonna stop me if it wasn't. But, like, that. That was definitely a weird one because that's a garnish. It's like, it.

[Mary Keshe]

What's the etiquette.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't. I think. I mean, it's your drink. Do whatever you want. But, like, I don't.

[Mary Keshe]

You said you looked it up.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, yeah. I. No, I. And then I said etiquette. You're not supposed to.

[Mary Keshe]

You're.

[Dan Reichert]

Okay.

[Mary Keshe]

You're not supposed to eat my cocktail onion.

[Mike Mahardy]

I. I don't think so. Like. Because most. It's not a. That's a very. That can be an offensive taste to get a lot of.

[Dan Reichert]

It's a lot.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. It's like. It's like holes. When he climbs the mountain and finds those sweet onions on the tree.

[Dan Reichert]

I like holes.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah. Oh, God. I think the question, though, has some that are questionable or, like, some that might be more on the fence. For example, an orange slice and a blue moon. I don't think you should eat the orange slice and the blue moon. What?

[Jeff Grubb]

I'll do that.

[Mary Keshe]

I wouldn't.

[Mike Mahardy]

Blue moon's not a classy, like, beer to begin with. You might as well just make the most of it.

[Mary Keshe]

But I think it flavors the blue moon. And then I'm done with the drink.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, but to dance point, then you drink the beer, and then the orange is soaked in beer.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's like rum, ham.

[Mary Keshe]

I can see it. But you don't agree on eating the lime.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, I agree on the lime. I agree.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, because you're not. What context are you just eating a lime?

[Mike Mahardy]

Unless you're doing the tequila shot and salt and lime.

[Mary Keshe]

Okay.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, but that's sucking the juice.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, that's for the acid to neutralize the. Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

And, like, same. Similarly, if you were gonna have a martini with a twist of lemon, you wouldn't eat the lemon.

[Dan Reichert]

No. And I love limes and lemons, and I'm not just gonna go to town on that.

[Mike Mahardy]

Of course I wouldn't. No, I'm kidding.

[Dan Reichert]

I want to hear your thoughts on, like. It's a big gimmick in some places now where it's like, you get a Bloody Mary or Bloody Mary brunch, and it's got, like, a T bone steak. Yeah. Yeah. And a celery stock and, like, eight pieces of bacon, some skittles, you know, very gimmicky.

[Mary Keshe]

And I don't care for it.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't love it. Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

I think it depends on the context. If you're just doing it just to do it, then. No, if you're doing it at, like, a place. Like, there's a place on the Upper west side that is very much like, it's about Southern Comfort brunch with biscuits overloaded with fried chicken and heavy sauces. It makes sense in that regard. And also there's a barbecue place in Brooklyn that does it and they put like some of their bacon in it. I was like, it makes sense in that context. But if you're just like a place that's got like that run of the mill menu that does like everything from nachos to fried chicken.

[Dan Reichert]

Yes.

[Mike Mahardy]

Then that becomes a bit like. This just feels like an Instagram trap.

[Dan Reichert]

Exactly.

[Mary Keshe]

That's.

[Dan Reichert]

I was just going to say, like, ever since Instagram, I feel like you also see that with like milkshakes and Sundays and stuff where it's like, isn't it crazy that we've covered the entire glass and sprinkles and it's got a full Snickers bar and a cake piece and stuff like on. It's like, this is just because it looks crazy. It's not that this is actually like flavors that like work well together necessarily. It's just like shoved in there, you know?

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't love it.

[Mike Mahardy]

Kinds of garnish.

[Mary Keshe]

But you do have to eat them in that case. It'd be weird.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

The T bone steak.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

And there's different kinds of garnishes too. There's. There's stuff that's meant to actually flavor the liquid itself. There's others that's meant for the olfactory. When you drink it, it's. It's like a Mai Tai has in your nose to add to taste is just gonna olfactory at a certain point anyway. But like, those I usually don't eat because I'm not. I love mint, like fresh mint, but I'm not chomping on the fresh mint at the end.

[Mary Keshe]

You just eat a whole sprig of mint.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. No, I know.

[Mary Keshe]

It wouldn't. Yeah. It seems like you'd be going feral, like eating leaves like that. I. I think so. It sounds like we're in agreement that if you would eat it on its own without the drink, that it is reasonable and socially acceptable. And if you would not eat that item without the drink, that it might be considered a faux pas.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Or just weird. Like, again, anyone just like eating a lime, I'd be like, the hell are you doing?

[Mike Mahardy]

You know, that's why the onion is weird for me.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

You don't eat onions.

[Mike Mahardy]

I don't like that, though.

[Mary Keshe]

Like an apple.

[Dan Reichert]

Not in that form. Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Not tiny. Not 20 tiny. Onions get bigger. Like, what's up with that? Do they make Them that big or they come out of the ground that small?

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, they're meant to. They're meant for like. I use pearl onions usually in like slow cooked stuff.

[Mary Keshe]

Like, do they use a tiny wheelbarrow when they get them?

[Dan Reichert]

I like that idea.

[Mike Mahardy]

It's tiny people harvesting normal sized onions. Then they give it right us.

[Dan Reichert]

That makes sense. Yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

Hi. Hi.

[Dan Reichert]

Hi.

[Mary Keshe]

My family for a whole week, they.

[Mike Mahardy]

Tie, they climb up and then I.

[Mary Keshe]

Put in my drink and I throw it away because it's a faux pas to eat it.

[Mike Mahardy]

They climb up to the top of their little ziggurats among their bush jungles and like, oh, it's an offering to the gods. Here's your onion for your drink. And then we don't even eat it.

[Mary Keshe]

And then we fish them.

[Mike Mahardy]

Cool. Thank you, Matthew. Last one. Hello, escapees. I'm currently listening to your most recent episode with Mary dropping her punny bowling team names and it's splitting me up. Pun intended. I happen to be currently driving from Regina back to Thunder Bay. I think those are Canadian things. After competing in a national five pin bowling tournament. And I was wondering, what niche sport slash activity would you all spend decades of your life training in to win a national gold medal? Metal. Love you all and thoroughly enjoy all the work you all do. Cheers. David from Ontario.

[Dan Reichert]

I think speed running for me.

[Mary Keshe]

Speed what?

[Dan Reichert]

Speed running, like game stuff like.

[Mary Keshe]

Oh, I thought speed.

[Dan Reichert]

No, no, like video games out of it.

[Mary Keshe]

You just sound like a psychopath.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, I'm not winning any medals for running for fastness. No, running for speed.

[Mike Mahardy]

I could beat that. Noah.

[Dan Reichert]

Dude, no. Speedrunning is something that's like, requires like actual crazy skill to do. And especially the idea of doing it for a dumb game like getting on the ET leaderboard and stuff like that. Like, that's something I always am interested to hear more about and try.

[Mike Mahardy]

I get. I mean, I don't know how. It's not as niche as that, I don't think, but like I am working on like blind tasting wines. But there's no Olympic tournament already doing it.

[Mary Keshe]

There was. I would win.

[Mike Mahardy]

No.

[Dan Reichert]

So boring. Oh God, it'd be so boring to watch that.

[Mary Keshe]

He's tasting. He's tasting.

[Dan Reichert]

What do you think? What do you think? Gargling, spinning the glass.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh, he called out pyrazines. Do we think he's gonna go Camp Frank or Sansar? This is the. Where the juncture. This could mean. Oh, I just said something really dumb. The one was a red, one was a white. I'm embarrassed.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah, we Thought you were a fucking idiot for a second.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, no, I'm trying to like I. We've gotten a question similar where it's like what is one very niche thing that you're better at you think you're better at than anyone in the world? This is kind of like, like I think the question is more what is something niche you want to be good at enough to winning gold medals. Like I would love to play a mandolin with my dick. Would be pretty interesting.

[Dan Reichert]

Be funny.

[Mary Keshe]

Like that's super obscure.

[Mike Mahardy]

That's what the question asked.

[Mary Keshe]

I could be like, it's supposed to be legit.

[Dan Reichert]

I could be the guy who like ate the most Legos.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

Now we're cooking. I'd love to like, I'd love to.

[Mary Keshe]

Have Guinness World records that you might die from.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah, I'd love to like burn the most nursing homes to the ground.

[Mary Keshe]

They got the gold. There they go in the back of the patty wagon.

[Mike Mahardy]

Silver and bronze both. Only burnt one down. Silver and bronze tied at one nursing home. I got gold cuz I did it to like 14 of them. I left there's those people that can recite like how many numbers from PI.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh yeah, that's.

[Mike Mahardy]

That's not. That's. That's.

[Mary Keshe]

That's.

[Mike Mahardy]

That's more impressive.

[Mary Keshe]

That's really impressive. This one would be like a person who can construct a screen door the.

[Mike Mahardy]

Fastest or like I. I've seen more shooting stars than anybody and the only metric you have is my own word. Yeah, I've seen305.5000.

[Mary Keshe]

The most iPhones screens broken by dropping them.

[Dan Reichert]

That's my sister Katie. Yeah, I've never broken one. I never understand how people are constantly doing that.

[Mike Mahardy]

Broken a couple.

[Mary Keshe]

I've cracked a screen in my. In my time. Yeah, I wish these days say I haven't. Well, the screen protector has saved my buns. I. I have cracked so many screen protectors but I just get a new stuff. Screen protector. Have you guys ever seen Long Way Down? It's a documentary. I think it's got Ewan McGregor who's like an actor but he actually really likes motorcycles and he motorbikes down like a long stretch of road with his best friend and it's just a. Just documents how they do it. He's done it four times now, which is so crazy. But I've watched them because I find them really fascinating. It's just two, two bros. Two dudes trying to get down a long distance with motorcycles and if they break down, they have to fix them. If they Fall over and get hurt. They have to figure it out. They camp on the side of the road and then they just go down, like, lots of countries for, like, months to get to their final destination. Well, they're doing another one and I'm watching it right now. I think it's called the Long Way Home. And they're going to their local areas near them because they live in, like, you know, they just live in the areas where, like, you know, Ireland and just in. In Europe, essentially. So they're going through a lot of Europe places and they went to a place in. I think it's. Is it the Netherlands? It's Dutch. And they. It's a Dutch sport called flir lipin, and it's Dutch canal vaulting. I know you've probably seen this before, but this is the thing where somebody runs, grabs a pole, scurries up it as fast as possible to get across the canal. And if they can get to the top, they win. And then they just crash on the other side of the water.

[Mike Mahardy]

There's that, like, there's that. That brings two things to mind. There's a thing, I think it's in Britain somewhere, where they roll a wheel of cheese down a very steep hill and then everybody.

[Dan Reichert]

Cheese thing or something. I was just watching this recently. Recently.

[Mary Keshe]

Totally, totally biffs it when they go down. Like, I think people.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, my God, like, end over end, like. Yeah. Eating shit.

[Mike Mahardy]

But then there's the Alaska truck thing on fourth of July. There's that one town in Alaska that, like, celebrates by driving trucks over this huge cliff. Like, people aren't in the trucks, to be clear. They're just like people that wanted to get rid of cars will, you know, put. Put a brick on the gas of these trucks. Just look it up. Like, Alaska, 4th of July truck crash.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, wow.

[Mike Mahardy]

Super great. And then they just watch it crash down the hill and cheer and drink beers.

[Mary Keshe]

I like stuff like that that's, like, not very serious. I like the Red Bull ones where they're like, fly a plane the longest, but the planes, like, look like it doesn't really matter, but they don't look like planes and they're not going to make it. They look like cars with, like, these tiny little wings and they just immediately fall into the water. And I'm like, that would be fun to win, to, like, actually, like, do good at.

[Dan Reichert]

I don't know if this is just a weird rural midwestern thing, but I feel like growing up, there was always these things at Ponds and Lakes where it's like, Competition to like people had to make a boat out of cardboard and see if they can like get across the lake. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Yeah, I feel like I've run into this like a dozen times in my life at different lakes and ponds and stuff. And it's just like, yeah, get across in this bullshit thing you made. And that's always fun.

[Mike Mahardy]

That's like what they did for like a couple seasons of a Top Gear world tour. They did challenges like that. They're like, you have to make a completely self sustaining biodegradable car. So like one made a car out of exclusively bricks, another made one out of mud and he got like 10ft before it started melting because it was a vehicle. It was really fun. Jake showed me that show and it's really good.

[Mary Keshe]

I like stuff like that where like, yeah, you're maybe you're the best, but it's so obscure and weird. It's probably not worth anything, but it's fun to you. That's the good, good.

[Mike Mahardy]

I, there's, there's one other thing. This is kind of in line with the email question, but it's also Top Gear. They are, they find out that there's this convention in this small town and these guys are English, so I'm assuming it's somewhere in the uk. They find out there's a very, very small convention of people that get together every year to celebrate this one car that's been discontinued and I don't know how else to describe it besides like, like it looks like one of those bicycle taxis that they built a car around and there's two wheels in the back and one in the front and it's notorious for tipping like o. Tipping over violently. So this convention and people like take care of theirs that they own like really good care, they're not tipping it. So the guys in the show find out about it and they locate where the convention's going to be. And it's just this parking lot in the middle of nowhere. And they, they arrive at the convention by peeling into the parking lot and purposely flipping their car into the convention. Everybody looks over the cut, the cut from the camera to these guys just barreling on the side of the car, back to the people that like are looking back at the entrance to see this one that just toppled in is really good. I gotta find that episode. It was really funny. But yeah, I, I would like to, to be the person who, yeah, ate the most cocktail onions.

[Dan Reichert]

I, I bet I've got to be close to the person who seen McGruber the most. Like, I gotta be close, right? Like, I know people have come around to that movie finally. It took them long enough, but, like, it's well over 50 times for me.

[Mary Keshe]

That's such a small number for a record. Like, someone. Someone could beat you so quickly if they wanted to ask people, can't it be, like, tough? They'd have to work for it. Right?

[Dan Reichert]

I'm sure something like, you know, the Godfather or Lord of the Rings, there are people who watch them like a thousand times or whatever. But like, MacGruber, you know, it's got people that support it now.

[Mary Keshe]

There's no one who's seen MacGruber more than 50 times.

[Dan Reichert]

I doubt there's. I doubt there's 10 people on the planet that have seen MacGruber more than me, including, like, Will Forte and the Lonely island guys.

[Mike Mahardy]

You've been sitting in the editing booth for days on end.

[Dan Reichert]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike Mahardy]

All right. Well, thank you, David from Ontario. That's our show. And if you want to send more questions, it's firescapecastmail.com we've got some other stuff going on. As usual. You can go. If you're not a patron, you can go unlock ad Free episodes or our video tier, which gets you our bonus episodes when they go up. Right now we have a series that's been going up on our off weeks where an episode doesn't publish. We have have Mike and Vinnie save the world. Me and Vinny Caravella from nextlander have been playing a co op campaign in Total War. Warhammer 3. The one we're doing for Fire Escape, we're playing two good factions fighting evil factions. And then in the off weeks of that, we're doing evil factions for Next Lander. You do have to be a patron for either or in order to get that campaign. Ours is going. We're trying to stabilize the fire escape one. It's been. Vinnie's been having a rough go of certain things, but he's. He's loving the game and he's getting a hang of a lot of the mechanics. I'm having to guide him less and less as the shows go on. But that game's complicated, so there's still questions every time. But it's been fun. But yeah, you can go be a video patron to unlock ours. We do have merch, firescapemerch.com or deep dish pussy.com. just follow us on socials. You can get there via one of those. We also are. I think that's it, actually. I think that's everything. Right now. Dan, what do you have going on Giant Bomb?

[Dan Reichert]

I got that stuff going on. Just finished a bunch of great SGF couch segments and watch alongs and all that. So if you want to check Giant Bomb's YouTube and giantbomb.com join to support independent games media. That is what is keeping us going. So thank you to everyone, everyone.

[Mike Mahardy]

Mary, what about you?

[Mary Keshe]

You know what else is independent games media? Fire Escape. I'm often streaming the games that I talk about here first on Twitch. You can check me there. I played a couple of the games like the Midnight Walk and Bionic Bay before I talked about them on Fire Escape. And it's kind of fun to get my first thoughts literally live. So that's where you can find me. And usually on Instagram is where I post about my little puppy, my nine year old dog.

[Dan Reichert]

They're good post, Simone. Yeah, great picture.

[Mary Keshe]

Farting it up. Yeah. My sweet, my sweet summer child.

[Dan Reichert]

Trotting along on trails and by lakes and stuff. It's great.

[Mary Keshe]

Yeah. I mean my, my goal is to serve. To take him to the finest places with the most exquisite views and the most delicious dog food. I got him, I got him a Pup cup that is. It's like whipped cream for dogs. You know like when you go to like Starbucks and you get a pup cup. I bought a canister specifically for dogs and it's peanut butter flavored. And every day at like around 3pm I call it Pup cup hour. And he's like. And he gets really excited. I give him a big sploosh of pup cup, I don't know, whipped cream. And on the jar it says very clearly not for human consumption. So it's definitely the Dodger. Yeah. Peanut butter.

[Mike Mahardy]

If people are ever in New York and want to go to a visit a good wine bar, I'm assemble you there. I'm not gonna like point out the. It's not that hard to find. I just don't. I'm not gonna call it out right now, but yeah, yeah, look it up. Look me up on socials. I'm there on the weekends. That stuff's in full swing. Yeah, we'll be back in a couple weeks. I think we might have a sub. We're figuring out some scheduling or we might have figured out a good thing.

[Dan Reichert]

No, I think we figured it out.

[Mike Mahardy]

Okay, cool then I think assuming all.

[Mary Keshe]

Flights land on time, we're all good, baby.

[Mike Mahardy]

Yeah. I think I've got a lot of travel coming up in the summer, but I think, I'm sure we all always do usually. So we'll obviously try to be here together as much as possible. I got a bunch of games I got to catch up on in the interim.

[Dan Reichert]

Ooh, I wonder. Might be able to talk about death stranding next time. Get ready for that.

[Mike Mahardy]

Nice. Have you been playing it?

[Dan Reichert]

Yes.

[Mike Mahardy]

Oh.

[Mary Keshe]

Oh, my.

[Dan Reichert]

Oh, yeah.

[Mary Keshe]

I don't even know how to react to that. It could be anything.

[Dan Reichert]

Boy, you should play it.

[Mike Mahardy]

No, I'm going to. It's going to be game of the year.

[Mary Keshe]

Shut the up.

[Mike Mahardy]

All right.

[Dan Reichert]

Well, it's embargoed. I don't know. With that noise, that could mean anything.

[Mary Keshe]

Could mean anything.

[Mike Mahardy]

Well, thank you, everybody, for joining. We'll be back in two weeks. Fire escape. See you then.

[Dan Reichert]

Bye.