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We're taking a week off of the regular podcast, so in its place we offer an episode of our monthly reunion show, in which Dan Ryckert and Jeff Bakalar join us to talk about snakes in the basement, Stew Leonards, and cotton candy versus popcorn!

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CHAPTERS

(00:01:03) Intro
(00:02:06) Oh, it's marijuana
(00:03:01) Concerned Citizen Dan Ryckert
(00:04:36) Never screaming. Always hollering.
(00:07:15) Sneaking into places
(00:09:18) Stories from backstage
(00:15:35) If a wrestler were a console...
(00:19:00) The days of the easy fridge joke
(00:21:09) Cotton Candy is more dazzle than razzle
(00:23:59) Intentionally ruining the popcorn
(00:27:42) The Lantern Fly issue and the end of nature
(00:32:25) Cash only please
(00:34:05) Catching cabs
(00:40:18) Never take an actual cab from Newark?
(00:47:30) Mystery substance in the basement
(00:55:02) Home construction issues
(00:56:40) The TV version of New Jersey
(00:58:21) Early Seinfeld episodes
(01:02:50) Being jealous of another state's identity
(01:10:10) Tips on running into David Letterman
(01:11:26) What is a Stew Leonards?
(01:15:41) Trunk or Trick or treating
(01:17:45) Punished Dan Ryckert
(01:20:15) Wrapping up
(01:22:37) See ya

Let's talk about such games this week as Harold Halibut, Life Eater (eater of life!), and Laysara: Summit Kingdom, plus news and sundries like the games of the Triple-I initiative, what "PS5 Pro Enhanced" is going to mean, $90,000 copies of Castlevania, awkward dining experiences in Japan, and plenty more.

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:09) Intro
(00:01:40) Dog allergies and feathers?
(00:12:10) Harold Halibut [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] on Apr 16, 2024
(00:29:03) Life Eater [PC (Microsoft Windows)] on April 16th, 2024
(00:41:01) Laysara: Summit Kingdom [PC (Microsoft Windows)] on Apr 10, 2024 [Early Access]
(00:56:34) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth [PlayStation 5] on Feb 29, 2024
(01:00:19) Dyson Sphere Program [PC (Microsoft Windows)] on Jan 21, 2021 [Early Access]
(01:09:49) Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy [Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4] on Apr 09, 2019
(01:18:28) Sony's PS5 Pro Enhanced Games?
(01:34:07) Sony PC games getting Trophies
(01:40:45) The Big Triple-I Initiative Showcase
(01:58:57) Final Fantasy 7 Part 3 in possibly 3 years?
(02:03:55) Fallout 4 upgrade coming soon!
(02:14:37) Emails
(02:23:28) Coming up on Nextlander
(02:25:14) Wrapping up and thanks
(02:25:57) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(02:28:15) No streams next week, but get yer podcasts here!
(02:29:36) See ya!

Head to to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code NEXTLANDER.

This week we all bend bullets in Children of the Sun, Vinny parties at the Gold Saucer, Brad digs deep into the childhood archive, and we enjoy our new post-eclipse mutations. EA reassigns Motive to Battlefield (and kiboshes a Dead Space 2 remake?), Gears 6 appear to be imminent, and the 3DS and Wii U servers are gone... or are they??

Advertise on The Nextlander Podcast at Audioboom, or support us on Patreon!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:10) Intro
(00:00:15) Our post-eclipse New Jersey
(00:12:44) Fixing things that don't want to be fixed
(00:22:17) Children of the Sun [PC (Microsoft Windows)] on Apr 09, 2024
(00:44:17) A Little to the Left [Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4] on Feb 15, 2024
(00:48:06) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth [PlayStation 5] on Feb 29, 2024
(01:00:51) Brad's Video Game Experiments
(01:31:38) Xbox's new console and "game preservation"
(01:35:56) Xbox talking new Gears and Call of Duty this summer?
(01:42:51) Folks from the Dead Space team working on Battlefield?
(01:47:43) Roku filing patents that make you sad
(01:51:52) Wii U servers are gone... but not forgotten
(01:54:54) A Dredge movie? Sure!
(01:58:37) Emails
(02:02:22) Wrapping up and thanks
(02:03:15) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(02:04:43) Nextlander content updates
(02:05:45) See ya!

This week we all dig (lol) into the indie drilling platformer Pepper Grinder, continue catching up with FF7 Rebirth and LAD: Infinite Wealth, and do battle with American air travel. Also: Embracer and Sega divest of Gearbox and Relic (respectively), a disc-less Xbox Series X is sighted in the wild, we think seriously about Krull and Willow and Ladyhawke, and more!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:10) Intro
(00:01:29) Another trip another weird and long delay?
(00:09:40) The escalation of Egg Hunts
(00:14:55) Trying to make a list of the best couch co-op games (for kids)
(00:17:37) [Possible Minor SPOILERS] Final Fantasy VII Rebirth [PlayStation 5] on Feb 29, 2024
(00:35:55) Pepper Grinder [Linux, Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch] on Mar 28, 2024
(00:46:39) [SPOILERS] Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S] on Jan 26, 2024
(00:53:28) Dragon's Dogma II [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] on Mar 22, 2024
(01:00:03) News
(01:00:08) Stop Killing Games!
(01:04:47) Take-Two is buying Gearbox!
(01:10:04) Sega sells of Relic
(01:15:35) New white Xbox Series X with no disc?
(01:25:56) People like to play old (and maybe free) games, apparently
(01:42:27) Emails
(01:53:01) Wrapping up and thanks
(01:55:03) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(01:58:08) Coming up on Nextlander
(01:58:55) See ya!

Viiiiideo games on the show this week include Dragon's Dogma II, Princess Peach: Showtime, Open Roads, and the Stellar Blade demo, plus we talk about Phil Spencer's comments on an Xbox handheld and third-party stores on the Xbox, Larian moving on from D&D, a possible open-world Resident Evil, busting open your Switch, our dream game show appearances, and more.

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:10) Intro
(00:00:41) We're back from PAX East
(00:02:42) More Switch repairs
(00:15:07) Dragon's Dogma II [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] on Mar 22, 2024
(00:47:50) Open Roads [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] on Mar 28, 2024
(00:56:46) Princess Peach: Showtime! [Nintendo Switch] on Mar 22, 2024
(01:10:59) Stellar Blade [PlayStation 5] on Apr 26, 2024
(01:20:13) Phil Spencer and the state of Xbox (and video games)
(01:45:31) Larian says they are done making new Baldur's Gate content
(01:55:16) Dragon's Dogma 2 update roadmap
(01:57:16) Resident Evil 9 rumors
(02:03:02) Emails
(02:14:32) Breaking news?
(02:16:30) Wrapping up and thanks
(02:18:37) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(02:21:15) See ya!

We get our pawn on in Dragon's Dogma II this week and check out the new Outcast, even as we dutifully continue plowing through FF7 Rebirth and LAD: Infinite Wealth, plus we cover the latest on PlayStation 5 Pro, the state of PSVR 2, the new Marvel 1943 from Amy Hennig and team, international standards of measurement, and more.

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:10) Intro
(00:02:11) Alex and I will be at PAX East
(00:06:33) Long board games are also piling up
(00:14:01) Dragon's Dogma II [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] on Mar 22, 2024
(00:39:55) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth [PlayStation 5] on Feb 29, 2024
(01:02:09) Outcast: A New Beginning [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] on Mar 15, 2024
(01:07:44) Contra: Operation Galuga [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows)] on Mar 12, 2024
(01:10:13) The Outlast Trials [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S] on Mar 05, 2024
(01:14:11) [Spoiler Warning] Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S] on Jan 26, 2024
(01:24:37) News
(01:24:48) More details on the PlayStation 5 Pro
(01:44:07) PSVR 2 production has been temporarily halted
(01:53:58) Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra announced
(02:08:05) Emails
(02:13:48) Wrapping up and thanks
(02:17:01) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(02:18:38) Nextlander Content Updates
(02:21:44) See ya!

We're awash in new games this week, with Mars After Midnight, Contra: Operation Galuga, WWE 2K24, and more joining old favs like FF7 Rebirth. Also: the tragic loss of Akira Toriyama, the harassment campaign around Sweet Baby Inc., the mystery of the flying space bugs, and more.

Advertise on The Nextlander Podcast at Audioboom, or support us on Patreon!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:09) Intro
(00:00:36) Daylight Saving Time is here again
(00:03:17) Vermont and Casey Jones have the freshest powder?
(00:10:14) Show rundown
(00:10:58) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth [PlayStation 5] on Feb 29, 2024
(00:25:21) WWE 2K24 [PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows)] on Mar 08, 2024
(00:33:00) Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch] on Mar 13, 2024
(00:41:47) Mars After Midnight [Playdate] on Mar 12, 2024
(00:48:39) Contra: Operation Galuga [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows)] on Mar 12, 2024
(00:54:51) Top Racer Collection [Nintendo Switch, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S] on Mar 07, 2024
(00:58:52) Balatro [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One] on Feb 20, 2024
(00:59:55) Akira Toriyama has passed away
(01:10:00) Sweet Baby, what's going on here?
(01:23:32) Summer Game Fest gets a date
(01:27:30) MultiVersus is coming back
(01:35:13) Stig Asmussen has a new studio
(01:37:34) Helldivers 2 continues to be pretty cool
(01:41:44) Wrapping up and thanks
(01:46:02) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(01:47:29) Nextlander content updates
(01:50:34) See ya!

Games! FF7 Rebirth, Skull & Bones, Helskate, Balatro, Helldivers and more. News! The Nintendo/Yuzu settlement, Respawn's Star Wars cancellation, the Halo composer's congressional run, and a hypothetical Chrono Trigger remake (??). Also fleas! And humidity! It's a podcast!

Advertise on The Nextlander Podcast at Audioboom, or support us on Patreon!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:10) Intro
(00:01:11) I would own an elaborate sword display and I'm ok with that
(00:04:23) We need more month rhymes before the corpos get them
(00:06:21) Live while I'm alive sleep when my body (or cat) lets me
(00:08:42) Show rundown
(00:09:02) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth [PlayStation 5] on Feb 29, 2024
(00:45:25) Helskate [PC (Microsoft Windows)] on Feb 15, 2024
(00:51:35) Skull and Bones [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S] on Feb 16, 2024
(01:01:04) Helldivers 2 [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5] on Feb 08, 2024
(01:05:52) Balatro [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One] on Feb 20, 2024
(01:09:07) Nintendo and Yuzu Settle for $2.4M
(01:21:04) EA layoffs and cancellations
(01:26:33) Embracer looking to sell Saber and Gearbox?
(01:31:22) Toys for Bob leaving Microsoft
(01:35:33) Composer for Halo running for office?
(01:39:35) Exosuits (mechs) coming to Helldivers 2 soon
(01:43:57) What's in your Chrono Trigger remake?
(01:50:44) Capcom giving some raises?
(01:58:58) Emails
(02:07:35) Nextlander Content Updates
(02:12:07) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(02:13:05) Wrapping up and thanks
(02:13:24) Come join us at PAX East
(02:14:31) See ya!

Brad has played an astonishing amount of Final Fantasy this week, and it's time to talk for like an hour about Remake, Rebirth, Crisis Core, and a bunch of other stuff. Plus: updates on Pacific Drive, Balatro, Infinite Wealth's Animal Crossing thing, PlayStation layoffs and the closure of London Studio, and more.

Advertise on The Nextlander Podcast at Audioboom, or support us on Patreon!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:10) Intro
(00:01:07) Prepare for the Final Fantasy talk
(00:01:59) First, let's talk about bonding with our pets
(00:05:44) [Spoiler Warning] Final Fantasy 7 and Remake talk
(00:06:31) Brad, let's talk about Final Fantasy 7
(00:34:02) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth [PlayStation 5] on Feb 29, 2024
(01:08:54) Balatro [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch] on Feb 20, 2024
(01:12:05) Pacific Drive [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5] on Feb 22, 2024
(01:17:53) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S] on Jan 26, 2024
(01:23:41) News
(01:23:55) Sony to layoff 900 people and closes London Studio
(01:26:49) How do we make this a healthy and profitable industry?
(01:46:51) Remedy buys Control rights back from 505 Games
(01:49:54) Helldivers 2 servers seem to be working
(01:53:58) Nintendo sues open-source Switch emulator Yuzu
(02:00:32) PSVR 2 coming to a PC near you?
(02:05:28) Emails
(02:09:14) Come join us for a heroic Watchcast
(02:10:52) Wrapping up and thanks
(02:11:24) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(02:12:36) Nextlander content updates
(02:18:47) Come join us at PAX East!
(02:20:18) See Ya!

This week we discuss at great length: our strategically tactically strategic Helldivers play, like four different versions of Final Fantasy VII, the full release of Balatro, Enshrouded, the newest details on multiplatform Xbox games (and maybe a new Xbox?!), the rules and requirements for eating a whole pizza, and a bunch more!

Advertise on The Nextlander Podcast at Audioboom, or support us on Patreon!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:10) Intro
(00:01:06) How's Zeke doing?
(00:02:44) Finally, sharing the Port Authority fun with friends
(00:06:48) Checking in with Brad's flapping cable
(00:08:58) Helldivers 2 [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5] on Feb 08, 2024
(00:47:57) Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth [Demo]
(01:13:55) Balatro [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch] on Feb 20, 2024
(01:19:21) Enshrouded [PC (Microsoft Windows)] on Jan 24, 2024 [Early Access]
(01:28:50) News
(01:29:05) Brad Shoemaker is breaking original FF7 news!
(01:30:26) Nintendo Switch 2 is releasing in 2025?
(01:36:27) Biggest news from the Nintendo Direct?
(01:37:34) The first wave of those Xbox games coming to other platforms
(01:43:47) Future Xbox hardware
(01:57:25) Sony's stock goes down after lower margins
(02:08:55) Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree Trailer
(02:15:16) Bandai Namco reveals some cancellations
(02:16:02) Ebracer has also cancelled a lot of projects
(02:18:34) Post Malone is curating a WWE soundtrack?
(02:24:00) Emails
(02:29:31) Nextlander content updates
(02:31:40) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(02:33:00) Coming up this week
(02:34:29) We're going to PAX East!
(02:36:36) Wrapping up and thanks
(02:36:51) See ya!

Helldivers 2 is so good that it was tough not to stop this podcast and go play more of it, but we also managed to talk about demos for FF7 Rebirth and some Steam Next Fest fare like Balatro and Normal Fishing, Disney's $1.5 billion deal with Epic, the future of both PlayStation and Xbox, and more!

Advertise on The Nextlander Podcast at Audioboom, or support us on Patreon!

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening.
(00:00:10) Intro
(00:03:38) You're only as clever as your last idiotic move
(00:05:47) Helldivers 2 [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5] on Feb 08, 2024
(00:42:33) Palworld [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S] on Jan 19, 2024
(00:51:25) The Steam Next Fest Demos
(00:52:55) Pacific Drive [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5] on Feb 22, 2024
(00:54:27) Indika [PC (Microsoft Windows)] Q1 2024
(00:55:24) Normal Fishing [PC (Microsoft Windows)] Q4 2024
(00:56:49) Balatro [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch] on Feb 20, 2024
(01:00:01) Dystopika [PC (Microsoft Windows)] 2024
(01:00:25) Final Fantasy 7 Remake / Rebirth (demo)
(01:20:58) Reports and speculation about Microsoft's next business moves
(01:39:35) Disney invest 1.5 billion with Epic
(01:49:47) Sony says no 'existing major franchise' games before April 2025
(02:01:48) Emails
(02:11:20) Nextlander content updates
(02:15:13) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts
(02:16:15) Thanks and wrapping up
(02:16:54) Nextlander upcoming content
(02:18:15) See ya!