Fire Escape Cast #120 – November 17, 2025
Hosts: Dan Ryckert, Mary Kish, Mike Minati
Theme: The Fire Escape crew reunites to talk about their recent adventures, media they've been enjoying, and a slew of games and hardware. Dan details a visit to Valve HQ with juicy hardware scoops, the group debates bar fight tactics, reviews movies and TV shows, and dives into recent and upcoming game releases. Plenty of laughs, signature tangents, and familiar Fire Escape comfort fill the episode as they near Game of the Year season.
Main Theme: Old Friends, New Hardware, and Game Chats
The original Fire Escape trio is back and in rare form, mixing old-school bar banter with deep dives into new tech, games, and culture. Dan returns from a trip to Valve HQ with embargoed hardware impressions, but the gang also spins off into highly entertaining discussions about fighting tactics, movie theaters, upcoming GOTY plans, and what defines a good trail mix.
Episode Highlights & Key Discussions
1. Reunited and It Feels So Good
Timestamps: 01:05–03:36
- Dan is finally back after missing the previous episode.
- Banter about Chris Plant's taste in “weird” games—like “Queue Up,” an esport coin-toss game.
- Chuckles over “jam games” and suffering/shortcut preferences in play styles.
- Dan’s “spectacular politician” potential, draft-dodging, and self-deprecating humor about being cowardly:
- “Being a coward is underrated.” – Dan (03:09)
- Mary: “You would make such a spectacular politician. Not because you know what you're doing…”
2. If Someone Attacks You with a Knife In a Mall…
Timestamps: 04:38–14:58
- The crew debates self-defense tactics—including hiding, calling the cops, and pantsing the attacker.
- Mary: “I would pull his pants down.” (05:00)
- Extended riff on dirty fighting ("Groin and eyeballs are the great equalizer" – Mary, 07:40), gendered assumptions, and whether getting kicked in the vagina compares to the balls.
- Dan: “Would kicking you in the vagina be like a thigh or more?” (08:37)
- Family anecdotes: Dan’s dad hiding under a pool table from biker gangs; his grandpa's combat valor creates a “transitive toughness.”
- “Slowest Gun in the West” is agreed to be a good self-preservation tactic.
3. Movie & TV Catch-Up
Timestamps: 15:21–21:45
- Discussions of Deadwood, The Chair Company (“screenshot the funniest part!”), and Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus sci-fi show on Apple TV:
- Dan: “…one of the most effective pilots I’ve ever seen.” (16:10)
- “Begonia” and its “stressful and funny” tone compared to Chair Company; Emma Stone’s standout performances; Jesse Plemons talk.
- Mary: "There's a relatability to his character—he's sensitive because he's had tough experiences..."
4. The Movie Theater Revolution
Timestamps: 21:49–24:10
- Mary raves about an ultra-premium theater in Portland: 18 seats, couch seating, meals and drinks delivered, gourmet specials.
- Dan: “That sounds like a perfect experience.” (22:27)
- Nostalgia for sneaking booze versus today's pampered cinema experience (“We’ve gone soft!” – Mike).
5. Giant Bomb’s NYC Retreat
Timestamps: 26:24–29:03
- Dan recaps a whirlwind Giant Bomb house retreat: basketball vs. Mike, VR pranks, a Mortal Kombat tournament, “hanging out and laughing and eating McDonald’s.”
6. Hardware EXCLUSIVE: Valve HQ Visit
Timestamps: 31:39–49:16
A. Three New Valve Devices Unveiled
1. Steam Controller (Steam Deck Controller)
- Mashes a Steam Deck into a gamepad.
- Dreamcast/Xbox hybrid shape, dual trackpads, haptic feedback, and special grip sensors.
- “Feels like a better version of the Dreamcast controller.” – Dan (32:57)
2. Steam Machine (Valve-Made Mini PC Console)
- Small, powerful PC for the living room: 6x the power of Steam Deck.
- Switch-like cross-compatibility with Steam Deck SD cards.
- HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, customizable LED bar.
- Dan: “Valve made a console.”
- Price not yet announced—speculations circle $500–$700 range.
3. Steam Frame (VR Headset)
- Standalone wireless VR with local streaming dongle (“foveated streaming” for massive performance gains).
- Super light, “best VR headset I’ve ever used.”
- “It's so light… comfort level is definitely the best I've used.” – Dan (41:29)
Group Impressions:
- “If you're in that Steam ecosystem, you have so many options… It’s seamless.” – Dan (45:10)
Accessibility and Price Concerns
- Mary: “If I’m spending $700, I’m building my own PC.”
- Modular design unclear; likely not user-upgradeable.
7. Game Impressions & What They’re Playing
A. Donkey Kong Bonanza (Switch 2)
Timestamps: 50:24–57:34
- Mike gushes: “It’s the most capital-V Video Game of the year.”
- Praise for creative platforming, environmental destruction, and puzzle variety.
- “You can almost climb anything or break anything, throw a boulder at something. They're not precious about it.” – Mike (54:57)
- Dan: “Donkey Kong’s not doing Witness puzzles.”
B. RV There Yet (Co-op Game)
Timestamps: 57:39–65:57
- Mary explains this $7 co-op “friend slop” game: physics puzzles, buddy slapstick, clutch-driving, lunch breaks, winching each other out of danger.
- “It's just a really fun, stupid game to play with your friends…” – Mary (58:00)
- “The more I say [about the surprises], the less… just play it!” – Mary (65:01)
C. Arc Raiders (Extraction Shooter)
Timestamps: 67:16–76:11
- Dan’s first extraction shooter: “best use case” of PS5 mic, proximity chat, and emergent social stories, from alliances to betrayals.
- “Gamifying trust is a really cool thing” – Mike (73:00)
- Dan’s sister Kayla “screaming threats” becomes a meta-strategy.
D. Ball X Pit (Indie Auto-Shooter/Brick-Breaker)
Timestamps: 85:10–92:12
- Ball X Pit reviewed as “Vampire Survivors meets Balls with a Z”; rapid-fire, auto-shooting chaos with creative upgrades and base-building.
- Mary: “They're trying a lot of stuff and a lot of it works… I got really excited by all the ideas.” (90:10)
- Dan: “It’s saying all the right stuff for me.”
E. Mortal Kombat Legacy Collection
Timestamps: 93:10–99:49
- Dan dubs this one of his “Mount Rushmore” series; heaps praise on Digital Eclipse’s documentary approach:
- “It’s a fantastic collection… the most fascinating treasure trove behind the scenes.” – Dan (96:46)
- “I push back on the idea that it’s all about competition—it was always the personality of Mortal Kombat.” (99:49)
F. Other Notables (Quick Hits)
- Henry Half Head: Cutesy puzzler; Mary played with audio off, found it pleasant but “for kids.”
- Lumines Arise: Dan evangelizes the sequel to the cult puzzle classic—“Tetris Effect before Tetris Effect,” intensely musical, beautiful, and “drug binge” friendly. (104:23)
- Mary: “This is really up my alley. I love the old drug binge.”
- Monster Train 2: Mike’s favorite deckbuilder.
- Dead Take: Mary reviews this FMV horror puzzler starring a “Who’s Who” of game actors.
Memorable Quotes & Banter
- “Being a coward is underrated.” – Dan (03:09)
- “Groin and eyeballs are the great equalizer.” – Mary (07:40)
- “You would make such a spectacular politician. Not because you know what you're doing…” – Mary (03:36)
- “It's the most capital-V video game… just joyful, smashing everything.” – Mike (54:41)
- “We’ve gone soft. I want my tailbone to hurt when I get up.” – Mike (24:17)
- “I think I could win the lottery and it's gonna be really funny.” – Dan (111:10)
- “The slowest gun in the west is such a tactic!” – Mary (14:49)
- “If I were to say there’s one part in the last episode that just made me cackle…” – Dan, on The Chair Company (15:59)
Community Q&A
Media That Speaks to Your Soul
Timestamps: 120:41–131:07
- Tyler from Baltimore asks: What piece of media aligns perfectly with your interests or connection?
- Mike: Annihilation & Alan Wake 2 (“felt like it was made for me”).
- Dan: The Wrestler (“They respected the business in a major way.”)
- Mary: Tommy Boy (“I feel really seen by that entire film…” – for its depiction of Ohio, blue collar life, and lovable idiocy.)
Gaming Complaints You’re Tired Of
Timestamps: 133:03–140:52
- Dalton asks about overplayed gamer complaints.
- Mary: “Yellow tape” and hint systems; easy/hard difficulty debates.
- Dan: Nitpicks about “missing” classic series DNA (“Breath of the Wild is the most Zelda game”).
- General consensus: Don’t play it if you’re not enjoying it—“not every game is for you.”
The Most Important Element of Trail Mix
Timestamps: 141:06–155:13
- A heated debate ensues: raisins, nuts, M&M’s, and the utility of each in a bag of trail mix.
- Mary: “If trail mix doesn’t have cashews, I’m like, this is for a…”
- Mike: “You need that bit of sugar—M&Ms keep you coming back.”
- Dan: “Not raisins… the flavor’s fine at best, but they’re just annoying.”
Upcoming & Housekeeping
- Fire Escape Game of the Year live stream: December 6, from Minneapolis.
- Next episode (#121) – final before GOTY.
- Patreon and merch support—bonus series with Vinnie Caravella (Total War: Warhammer III campaign).
- Mary shares Portland fall photos and dog updates.
- Dan teases a new Giant Bomb website.
Notable Moments & Timestamps
| Time | Segment | |:----------:|:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------:| | 03:09 | “Being a coward is underrated.” – Dan | | 07:40 | “Groin and eyeballs are the great equalizer.” – Mary | | 16:10 | Dan on Pluribus: “One of the most effective pilots I’ve ever seen.” | | 22:27 | “That sounds like a perfect experience.” – Dan on gourmet movie theaters | | 32:57 | “Feels like a better version of the Dreamcast controller.” – Dan (Valve reveal) | | 41:29 | “It's so light… comfort level is definitely the best I've used.” – Dan (Valve VR) | | 54:41 | “It's the most capital-V video game… just joyful, smashing everything.” – Mike | | 93:10 | “I just fucking love Mortal Kombat.” – Dan, on the new Legacy Collection | | 104:23 | “This music is fucking tight.” – Mary (Lumines) | | 120:41 | Mail: Pieces of media that “feel made for you” | | 133:03 | Mail: Most tired gaming complaints | | 141:06 | Mail: Most important trail mix ingredient |
Tone, Style, and Chemistry
The banter is irreverent, self-deprecating, and warm—the hosts never lose their easy rapport or willingness to go on tangents. They shift between information-rich hardware and game analysis to earnest talk about cowardice, bodily harm, politics, nostalgic media, and snacks. If you love deep game talk mixed with genuine friendship and big laughs, this is classic Fire Escape.
Final Thoughts
This episode is a deep cut of everything Fire Escape fans love:
- Major Valve hardware scoop with hands-on impressions.
- Unfiltered, hilarious digressions about movies, fighting, and morality.
- Detailed new game impressions alongside indie gems.
- Pop culture riffs, personal stories, and running jokes.
All this while setting the table for their annual Game of the Year madness.
If you missed this episode: You’ll want to catch Dan’s Valve hardware details (31:39–49:16), Mike’s Donkey Kong Bonanza gushing (50:24–57:34), Mary’s new favorite co-op game (57:39–65:57), and the perennial debate of raisins, fighting dirty, and what makes games great (most of the episode). The crew is in top form: deeply knowledgeable and deeply ridiculous, sometimes within the same sentence.