Fire Escape Cast #117 — October 6, 2025

Hosts: Mike Mahardy, Dan Ryckert
Guest: Jesse Vitelli (Restart.run, former Prima Games)
Absent: Mary Kish (traveling in Japan)

Episode Overview

In this episode, regular hosts Dan and Mike are joined by games journalist Jesse Vitelli while Mary is away. The trio have a classic Fire Escape-style sprawling conversation about their social escapades, questionable midwestern bar traditions, and, most importantly, a deep dive into new and recent video games including Ghost of Yotei, Hades II, Mega Bonk, Digimon Story: Time Stranger, and more. The show also features lively tangents on movies, video game nostalgia, the social dynamics of playing games, and rapid-fire hot takes.

Key Topics & Highlights

1. Opening Banter & Social Catch-up (00:10–10:25)

• Mary's Absence and Jesse's Introduction

  • Mary is off gallivanting in Japan, so Jesse Vitelli joins as guest (01:04).
  • Jesse's background: Associate editor at Restart.run, ex-Prima Games, guides specialist.

• Bar Stories and NYC Fire Escape Hangouts

  • Mike plugs his upcoming NYC Super Smash Bros. tournament (Oct. 20 at Center Street, [03:41]).
  • Anecdotes of old Fire Escape meetups, catnip whiskey shots, and the infamous Vegas Lounge in Minneapolis.
  • Dan's love for car trunk rides on bar nights:

    “I have like anti-claustrophobia, I think... I feel like cozy and I take like a little nap almost in there.” (08:49, Dan)

• Minnesota Bar Vices: Pull Tabs, Meat Raffles, Bonus Hole

  • Jesse learns about Minnesota’s weirdest bar traditions (pull tabs, meat raffles, “bonus hole”)—comically explained (09:48–13:01).

2. Movie Talk: Anti-movie Youth & Rocky Debate (14:18–21:09)

• Jesse reveals a preference for movies under 45 minutes (“all movies should be 45 minutes, no longer” (14:18)), sparking a debate about movie lengths.
• Rocky franchise discussion, importance of watching Rocky IV (“one of the most exciting things I have seen in my life” (17:00, Dan)), and tangents into Creed, Pan’s Labyrinth, Batman, and changes in moviegoing habits post-pandemic.
• Movie theater etiquette, social viewing, Nighthawk/NYC brunches, and the value/decline of in-theater experiences.

3. Nostalgia, Bar Experiences, and Video Game Press Travel (05:17–10:46, 21:30–28:46)

• Dan and Jesse recount recent hangs in Minneapolis, bar tours, and “youthful” misadventures.
• Comparison of old video game press trips to the more homogeneous, LA/NYC-centric press events of today.
• Nostalgia about physical gatherings vs. today’s online communities.

4. Video Game Talk – Main Roundup

Ghost of Yotei (Main Feature)

• Basics: Direct follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima by Sucker Punch.
• Story: Players control Otsu, a vengeful heroine hunting the "Yotei Six" across a beautifully stylized Japanese landscape.
• Core Impressions:
  • Mike: "I think Ghost of Yotei is one of the top three most beautiful games I’ve ever played." (40:55)
  • Dan: Instant visual awe at the prologue, color palette, and environmental variation—describes it as more “autumnal” than Tsushima.
  • Nonlinear structure, “Breath of the Wild”-inspired freedom ("This makes me feel more like Breath of the Wild..." (42:14, Dan)), investigation mechanics, dynamic “corkboard” clue-solving.
  • Excellent use of photo mode. (58:24)
  • Repetitive but satisfying open-world tasks; small Red Dead 2 influence in tactile campfire, cooking, forging, touchpad actions.
  • Playstyle and roleplaying as Otsu: “I have gotten so into her character that I'm not thinking, what do I want to do? I am thinking, what would Otsu do in this situation?” (48:06, Mike)

Accessibility & Gameplay Innovations

• Extensive accessibility settings—can toggle features like golden guiding birds, microphone interaction with the DualSense, etc.
• “Gimmicky” controller features (forging, blowing, painting) are not negative; instead, they boost immersion and give the player time to slow down.

Game Structure & Story Comments

• Story stronger and more propulsive than Tsushima; roleplay elements and varied quest pathways highlight Otsu’s unique anti-hero arc.
• Mechanical differences: new weapon types have lore, new “wolf pack” system, less emphasis on stances; supernatural abilities more magical than historical.

"This game feels like Sucker Punch had a bit more fun making it than Tsushima... less afraid to let go of the reins and let things get a bit weird." (49:47, Mike)

Jesse's Perspective

• Reviewing and writing guides vs. playing for fun; Otsu offers a fresh open-world RPG experience worth exploring.

Notable Quote

“[Ghost of Yotei] flows so much better than Tsushima... the first open world game in a while outside of work purposes I’ve wanted to finish for the story. The last time that happened was probably Witcher 3.” (55:13, Mike)

Hades II (64:41–84:52)

• Status: Released 1.0, expanded from early access.
• Mike: ~3 hours in, “feels like more Hades to me, and that’s what I wanted.”
• Dan: Mainlining dual bosses/routes, loves build variety and how narrative structure evolves with progress.
• Jesse: “It’s kind of built to sort of sidestep all of your knowledge of the first game... the experimentation period with Hades II has been fascinating.” (69:03)
• Combat/Weapons: Each weapon drastically alters play, some structured more for offense, others for strategic control (e.g., the “skull” as a speedrunning favorite).
• New Features:
  • Magic meter, omega attacks, more complex resource management.
  • Complex home base/Crossroads—“less readable” but more explorable.
• Loop & Progression:
  • Multiple completion requirements mimic Hades 1 (“It’s a set number of completions that helps push that final chunk along.” (66:20, Jesse))
• Resource Overload: Many crafting mechanics/plants; generally can ignore but sometimes overwhelming. “You can ignore 90% of it…” (83:49, Jesse)
• Narrative:
  • Shifts from Zagreus’s family drama to Melinoe’s more strategic, collaborative tone.
  • “Living forever doesn’t have to be miserable... there’s something nice about that.” (76:36, Jesse)

Notable Quotes

"Maybe the best roguelite of all time." (79:10, Dan)
“If it’s a refinement of the best game of 2020, then that's a pretty good start.” (78:52, Mike)

Mega Bonk (85:57–94:34)

• Overview:
  • “3D Vampire Survivors”—auto-attacking horde game, but with jumping, power-ups, and very short (10-minute) runs.
  • Dan: “Potent is the word... it is hard to stop playing...” (86:20, Dan)
• Addictive Loop: 10-min runs fit any schedule, and unlock progression is highly rewarding.
• Humor: Internet/meme gimmicks (“stonks”, “Mega Chad”) can be grating for Dan, but gameplay overcomes it.
• Sidetrack on Drugs: Discussion of “bumping” and Dan’s lack of experience with anything “harder than weed” for comic relief (89:51–91:09).

Digimon Story: Time Stranger (94:10–104:54)

• Jesse: Complete expert, wrote the review.
• Game:
  • Classic monster-battling (like Pokémon) but with much weirder, wilder, more “adult” narrative and Digimon.
  • Extensive explanation of Digimon evolution lines, including “Deputymon” (a revolver with arms and legs) and other wild designs—everyone goes to fandom.com to gawk at Digimon designs.
  • Dialogues are “cheesy and very exposition heavy,” but game ramps up into surprisingly mature, existential themes (“Suicide is a real thing!” (96:53)).
• Interest Level:
  • Dan: “If you showed me this sh!t when I was nine, I would have multiple Digimon tattoos at this point, I think.” (103:55)
• Platform: PlayStation, Xbox, PC, maybe Switch.

Baby Steps / Fodian Games (106:01–113:55)

• Premise: QWOP-style, intentionally awkward movement platformer.
• Dan: Enjoys the concept and watching streams, but “I am not particularly patient” and not going to replay large sections after falls.
• Jeff Grubb: Shout-out for marathon runs and patience.
• Group Perspective: Respect exists for this genre’s dedication to “the bit,” but nobody wants to actually play it themselves.

5. Rapid Fire: Jesse’s Corner (35:00)

Mike and Dan hit Jesse with quick prompts for witty one-liner reviews. Highlights:

• Hollow Knight: Silksong: “Diabolical in the best ways.”
• Sonic Racing Crossworlds: “I refuse to learn anything about Sonic... and still don't know anything about the franchise.”
• Borderlands 4: “...the guy you knew in high school that never got out of his hometown, but then did... comes back with a fresh perspective.”
• Breath of the Wild: “A masterclass in design in letting you do whatever the fuck you want.”

6. Emails, Hot Takes & Nostalgia (113:19–161:51)

On Boss Fights:

• Dan and Jesse rail against dated “boss fights are always bad” opinions. “That is a dumb fucking opinion. Boss fights have been amazing since the first video games.” (114:19, Dan)

Video Game Hot Takes:

• Mike: Used to believe Banjo-Tooie > Banjo-Kazooie, but regrets it (“objectively a terrible game in some respects” (116:21))
• Jesse: “Death Stranding 2 is actually a very bad video game.”
• Group: Silksong discourse—potentially over-praised.
• Jesse: “The boss fights are the worst parts of Souls likes.”
• Dan: Thinks the “From” format is overrated except Elden Ring, but is “not that into Souls.”
• On Assassin’s Creed: Mike still enjoys it, “I think my hot take is I’m still in love with Assassin’s Creed.”

On Nostalgia and Preservation:

• Debating whether today’s kids playing Fortnite/Roblox will have any comparable nostalgic “return” experience to the replayable games of the 1990s, since “their” classic events can’t be perfectly recaptured due to game mutability.

7. Social Gaming, Subtitles, and Soundtrack Choices (130:24–142:17)

• Subtitles:
  • Everyone has them on in games, especially for work/streaming. TV shows = useful for massive ensemble casts and clarity.
  • Mike: “I’ve come around on them with TV...” (130:53)
• Sound in Games:
  • Some listeners only play games with no sound/music to unwind away from family; hosts think this is fine, but agree it misses a lot of intent.
  • For Hades/Spider-Man/etc., “podcast gaming” is okay; for highly curated titles like Ghost of Yotei or Death Stranding, the sound is “intrinsically tied” to the experience (148:30, Jesse).

8. Guides Writing & Game Journalism Life (58:57–64:25)

• Jesse deeply details the labor-intensive nature of modern game guides (taking notes on EVERYTHING, collaborative “exchange of information,” not always knowing what will be important).
• Print guide nostalgia (e.g., Prima’s last guide for Axiom Verge).
• “SEO-targeted” articles, shifting relevance of “comprehensive” walkthroughs in the internet age.

9. Listener Questions (113:23–161:51)

• Multiple questions tackled—subtitles, finishing games, sound off, game-buying habits, and the joys of “ditching” games (the feeling of relief in dropping something that isn’t sticking).
  • Dan’s new ritual: Sauna beers and reading Vonnegut. (152:10+)
  • Mike’s life advice: “If you’re enjoying something, that’s worth the time.”

10. Closing & Plugs (155:11–end)

• Jesse: Read his Digimon review at Restart.run; find him on Twitter/BlueSky.
• Dan: GiantBomb sub-drive coming soon; currently suffering through Darkest of Days for Blight Club.
• Mike: Come to NYC Smash tournament Oct. 20; buy Fire Escape merch at firescapemerch.com.
• Next Game of the Year stream likely early December, Minneapolis.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamp Index

• On Otsu as a protagonist:

  “I have gotten so into her character that I'm not thinking, what do I want to do? I am thinking, what would Otsu do in this situation?” (48:06, Mike)

• On Mega Bonk:

  “Potent is the word I keep thinking of. It is hard to stop playing it…” (86:20, Dan)

• On gaming nostalgia:

  “They are not going to be able to kind of have that appreciation and revisit these games of their youth...” (125:17, Dan)

• On guide writing:

  “When you're the one writing the guides, you can't consult guides because they don't exist yet.” (60:50, Jesse)

• On soundtracks:

  “If you want to tailor your experience to be as immersive to you as you can make it... go for it.” (144:01, Mike)

Timestamps by Segment

| Segment | Timestamp (MM:SS) |
|---------|-------------------| | Opening & Jesse intro | 00:10–04:50 | | Bar stories & meetups | 04:50–10:46 | | Press trips vs. now | 05:17–10:46 |
| Pull tabs/meat raffle | 09:48–14:18 |
| Movie debate/Rocky | 14:18–21:09 |
| Movies/theaters post-COVID | 20:07–23:00 |
| Social gaming nostalgia | 21:30–28:46 |
| Ghost of Yotei deep dive | 34:01–58:49 |
| Rapid-fire Jesse reviews | 35:00, 134:18 |
| Hades II roundtable | 64:41–84:52 |
| Mega Bonk | 85:57–94:34 |
| Digimon Story: Time Stranger | 94:10–104:54 |
| Baby Steps / Fodian games | 106:01–113:55 |
| Emails/hot takes | 113:19–161:51 |
| Subtitles & Soundtrack | 130:24–147:09 |
| Guides writing | 58:57–64:25 |
| Sauna beers & book talk | 152:10–154:55 |
| Plugs & sign-off | 155:11–end |

Tone & Style

Fire Escape remains gloriously irreverent, sharp, and conversational—from bar idiocy to deep design musings, with rapid shifts between banter and critical insight. Dashes of profanity, loving arguments about movies, and self-deprecating nerdom abound (“I'm gonna look like fucking Two-Face if I tried to do this myself,” 27:44, Dan).

Bottom Line:
This episode is classic Fire Escape—beer and bar tales, game deep-dives, wild tangents, and strong, highly personal takes on gaming’s greatest debates. Whether you want to hear epic new game breakdowns or simply laugh at “Deputymon” with Dan and Mike, #117 is a rich listen even for non-listeners.

Episode MVP: Ghost of Yotei Conversation with deep mechanics/story/thematic breakdown (~34:01–58:49)

Runner-up: Hades II roundtable & the value of “refined sequels” (~64:41–84:52) Best tangent: The wild world of Digimon designs (esp. Deputymon, 94:10–103:55)

Listen if you want...

• Detailed but funny breakdowns of key 2025 games (especially Ghost of Yotei and Hades II)
• Sprawling, energetic banter—from bar games to video game guides writing
• Honest opinions and off-the-cuff hot takes about the state of game design, nostalgia, and the changing landscape of gaming culture

For next time: Send questions to firescapecast@gmail.com — Mary returns, and Game of the Year discussions begin soon!