Fire Escape Cast #119 – November 3, 2025

Host: Mike Mahardy
Co-hosts: Mary Kish, Chris Plant (guest)
Theme: Catching up with Chris Plant (Besties, Post Games), deep dives into quirky new games, FMV and deckbuilders, reflections on career ups/downs, and chaotic listener questions.

Episode Overview

In this lively and irreverently funny episode, Mike and Mary welcome back Chris Plant, writer, podcaster, and newly-minted head of the NPR-for-video-games show "Post Games." The trio reminisce about old times, dig into Chris's latest projects, discuss a wide range of current and upcoming games, and veer into delightfully unexpected life stories—including public pranks and near-misses with flying bowling balls. The episode is full of candid industry insights, deep-cut game recommendations, and the trademark brash humor Fire Escape fans love.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Reintroducing Chris Plant & Post Games

• Chris Plant rejoins the cast, last visiting in episode 52.

• Chris describes his new podcast, Post Games, as “NPR but for video games,” structurally split into three parts: a main topic, an expert interview, and a recurring segment on adult content in games.

  • “It’s only the greatest video game podcast to ever exist…We've done three episodes about porn games so far, so batting a hundred on that topic.” (03:00)
  • Post Games has garnered impressive five-star reviews, which Chris self-deprecatingly downplays.

• They riff on Dan, noting his fascination with barbecue (“burnt inns”) and absence due to the ongoing “Giant Bombathon.”

Game Coverage & Industry Deep Cuts

Shadow of the Colossus & Japanese Game Reporting

• Chris recently hosted Jacob Geller on Post Games to discuss Shadow of the Colossus' enduring legacy.
  • Fun fact: Jacob Geller’s career “changed overnight” with a viral Shadow of the Colossus essay he couldn't monetize due to music rights. (07:00)
  • The crew discusses Matt Leone’s oral history on Shadow of the Colossus and the challenges Western reporters face interviewing Japanese game creators.
    • Chris: “I once asked Miyamoto about his childhood playing in caves—never felt a chill take over a room so fast. It's just not done.” (09:06)
  • Mary shares similar experiences from TGS: “Culturally, it’s not a good idea to talk negatively...reporters and devs avoid spicy questions.”

Kai Cenat, Youth Culture, and “Winning the Auditorium”

• Mary recounts motivational speaking at her Ohio middle school and immediately getting 700 kids’ attention by referencing streamer Kai Cenat.
  • “I said: Who here knows Kai Cenat? They all started screaming. I hope they didn’t think I was introducing him.” (18:05)
  • Discussion on the generational knowledge gap between parents and “the youth,” and tools like the “After School” Substack for staying in the loop.

Longform Game Impressions & Recommendations

Silent Hill F (Game Demo Impressions)

• Mary shares her experience with the Japanese-set Silent Hill F, markedly different from past entries.
  • “You are a schoolgirl with your baddie friends, running from a mysterious fog that kills people gruesomely.” (47:02)
  • Standout horror elements: Doll-like enemies and a unique scarecrow puzzle sequence that varies by difficulty.
    • Chris: “On hard, the puzzles are a wild psychological guessing game. On easy, it's like, ‘stabbing a guy in the back means don’t pick the guy stabbed in the back—nope, try again idiot.’” (52:12)
  • Humorous interlude: Chris tricks Mary into writing “Silent Hill F art” on camera (“Silent Hill fart”) (46:09).

Deckbuilders & Roguelites

• Mike is hooked on Monster Train 2, a roguelike deckbuilder with monstrous train battles.
  • “If you loved Balatro, try Monster Train 2—it scratches that same deck-building itch. It’s my future travel game.” (69:21)

FMV & Off-beat Recommendations from Chris Plant

• Blippo: FMV game, “public access TV from an alien planet,” just flip through channels to unlock more content. Supported by the band Yacht and the LA art underground.
  • Chris: “No real goals, just soak in the absurd, lovingly shot retro alien TV.” (80:00)
• Road to Empress: Chinese FMV, “100+ branches and a high mortality rate—like nothing you’ve ever played.” (83:00)
• Shrine’s Legacy: “Legit feels like a lost SNES action-RPG, not just a modern game with pixel art.” (104:06)
• Demon School: “Persona meets tactics RPG with isometric, quirky style.” (102:16)
• Baby Steps: Chris loves its slow-paced walking mechanics, finding it more about “taking the easy path” than masochistic challenge:
  • “I think it’s a weird statement on gamer pride. Sometimes the easy route is just fine. Go outside and meet humans, you dorks.” (76:13)
  • “There’s Atari minigames at campsites about his sad, pathetic life—how not to be an MRA loser.” (78:08)

More Highlights

• Keeper (Double Fine): An “atmospheric, whimsical lighthouse puzzle game… absolutely delightful, one of Double Fine’s best, but don’t play it on Steam Deck, it chugs.” (89:36)
• Hades II:
  • Mary and Mike enjoy it, but Chris notes, “It’s Hades, but a 9 out of 10 instead of a 10. Harder to write/talk about than something dramatically new.” (98:13)
• Claire Obscure: Disagreement on its merits, but Mike loves it, tying it to an obscure champagne label.
• Chris’s wild list of oddities and deep-cut games summing up “game overload” but also hidden gems getting lost in the churn.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Mary after middle school talk:
  "One girl called me a baddie. There's no compliment like a schoolgirl calling you a baddie." (31:25)
• Chris Plant on being recognized:
  "Last week, walking through Park Slope, someone goes, ‘Hey, are you Chris Plant? You’re just a great person. I'm gonna go to dinner now.’ Night made." (34:42)
• Cheese Bath Anecdote:
  Mike: “We had to clean quite a lot of mac & cheese out of a full bathtub. He was glowing the next day.” (38:00)
• Chris on ‘Silent Hill F’ enemy design:
  "They look like models you used to draw anatomy in school—uncanny valley dolls with machetes, bent arms... very upsetting." (48:36)
• On the glut of great games versus indie exposure:
  "Five years ago, Shrine’s Legacy would have dominated games talk—now, it has 78 reviews on Steam. Brutal." (104:44)
• Work/Career Pride:
  Chris: "My dream job is making Post Games, I know I only get to have it for a short period, so I’m holding onto it for dear life." (139:41)
• Mary on finding acceptance:
  "Being called a baddie by a middle school girl… felt like a million dollars. That’s a peak compliment I’ll have forever." (141:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:52] – Chris introduces Post Games ("NPR but for video games")
• [07:13] – Shadow of the Colossus and Jacob Geller
• [09:06] – Interviewing Japanese devs: cultural barriers
• [18:05] – Mary’s middle school talk and the Kai Cenat anecdote
• [27:12] – Parents’ knowledge gap, kids’ media habits
• [44:35] – Break, then start of main game chat
• [47:02] – Silent Hill F: story, mechanics, horror details
• [69:21] – Monster Train 2 discussion
• [79:38] – Blippo and weird FMV game recs
• [89:36] – Keeper (Double Fine) impressions
• [98:13] – Hades II reflections: 10/10 to 9/10 and industry context
• [104:44] – Losing hidden gems in the modern indie deluge
• [113:23] – Listener emails: Mary’s bowling injury, Mike body-slamming a toddler, Plant gaslights his family about overcooked salmon
• [137:19] – Career/pride discussion, Chris’s joy at running Post Games
• [141:41] – Mary on returning to her school and the power of being dubbed a “baddie”
• [145:10] – Housekeeping, upcoming Fire Escape Game of the Year
• [146:08] – Chris teases upcoming dark/VR cave game episode for Post Games

The Fire Escape Tone in a Nutshell

Chaotic, honest, and self-deprecating, the group juggles industry analysis, filthy jokes, and weird life stories with a conversational ease. They champion under-the-radar games, poke fun at mainstream gaming’s fixations, and ultimately remind listeners why “bar chats about games” are indispensable—even when they have to happen remotely.

For the Listener Who Missed It

You’ll come away from this episode with a list of games—both hotly-tipped and “what the heck is that?”—a greater appreciation for emotional support in game development (and middle school), and a strong sense that gaming, much like life, is best enjoyed with a sense of humor and curiosity for the odd corners.

Next live show: Fire Escape Game of the Year, December 6, Minneapolis (Twitch.tv/DanReichert)
Chris Plant: Listen/subscribe to Post Games (NPR-style, three parts, sometimes porn), Besties, and his upcoming cave horror game episode
Mary Kish: Streaming Mondays; “Metal Meals” charity for St. Jude

To get in touch or submit questions:
fireescapecast@gmail.com
fireescapecast.com
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