Featuring: Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! This week we start off with Ash’s early thoughts about Metaphor: ReFantazio.  From there Grace and Bel decide to share some of the great things going on in Diablo IV after last week’s story bashfest. Kodra is Cursed and cannot upgrade hardware without it for some reason going completely off the rails.  From there he talks about Mechwarrior 5: Clans where we are in fact the baddies.  Tam shares his thoughts on Kingdom Eighties where kids on bikes try and save their hometown.  Kodra has hit the credit roll for Zelda Echoes of Wisdom and shares some of his final thoughts.  Tam talks about playing through Adios a game so good that he dealt with it not having an inverted control scheme.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Metaphor: ReFantazio

  • Diablo IV Vessel of Hatred Endgame

  • Kodra is Cursed

  • MechWarrior 5: Clans

  • Kingdom Eighties

  • Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom Credit Roll

  • Adios

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-497.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:41am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Good Morning Folks! This week we had one topic dangling from the previous week so we started out with some discussion about Ravenswatch and their interesting take on the action roguelike genre.  From there Bel and Grace share their thoughts about Diablo IV Vessel of Hatred and how Blizzard largely missed the mark with the story, but that the game is in a pretty good mechanical state otherwise.  From there Tam shares his experiences with the new Rogue Trader CRPG DLC Void Shadows.  Then we wrap things up by talking about UFO 50 a game about a video console from an alternate reality…  and how interesting some of the takes on 8-bit gaming are.  We also talked a bit about the creativity of that era and how it had not really returned until the Indie explosion enabled by Steam.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Ravenswatch

  • Diablo IV Vessel of Hatred Expansion

    • What they did wrong

    • What they got right

  • Rogue Trade Void Shadows DLC

  • UFO 50

  • Misremembering Games from the 80s

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-496.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:09am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! We start the show with a quick discussion about Path of Exile, and how we are now two months into a League, a position where things would normally be dead…  and that the Currency Exchange is still hopping.  This leads to a secondary discussion about Kodra’s woes as he attempts to do the Merchant Guild thing in the Last Epoch.  From there Bel talks about Witchfire with its Hexen meets Destiny meets Hades PVE extraction shooter gameplay. Bel also got an invite to Soulframe Preludes the next game from Warframe maker Digital Extremes and shares some of his early impressions.  From there we dive into the Magic the Gathering Commander situation with controversial card bannings, death threats, and Wizards of the Coast yoinking control of the format away from the players.  Tam shares his thoughts about playing Yazeba’s Bed and Breakfast and Thalen his early thoughts about playing Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Path of Exile

    • Currency Exchange in a Dead League

  • Last Epoch

    • Woes of Merchants Guild

  • Witchfire

  • Soulframe Preludes

  • The MTG Commander Situation

  • Yazeba’s Bed and Breakfast

  • Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-495.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:04am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! This week we continue to chip away at the massive list of topics from our time off.  We start off the show with an adorable Frog version of Vampire Survivors meets Stardew Valley called Pesticide Not Required.  From there we talk a bit about Pokemon Go and what it is like playing it with your kids.  Ash continues his dive into rhythm games via the Round1 Arcade, this time with Beatmania.  Space Marine 2 has been released and a bunch of the folks on the podcast have been playing Multiplayer Co-Op and have some thoughts.  Kodra has been playing Tactical Breach Wizards and shares his thoughts about it, and we have some very early preliminary thoughts about the brand-new Zelda game Echoes of Wisdom.  Finally, Bel talks a bit about returning to Minecraft during his recent convalescence and how that game feels like chicken soup in gaming form.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Pesticide Not Required

    • Vampire Survivors meets Cute Frog Farming Game

  • Pokemon Go With Kids

  • More Rhythm Games

    • Beatmania

    • Round1 Is Great

  • Space Marine 2

  • Tactical Breach Wizards

  • Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

  • Bel Returns to Minecraft

    • Sick Time Comfort Gaming

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-494.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:56am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! Apologies for taking a few weeks off but Covid kicked Belghast’s butt and he is the person who records, edits, and posts the show.  This week we had a mountain of topics to get through and got nowhere close to hitting them all. Last Epoch has their very poorly named cycle reset going on, in which they added some pretty freaking cool new features like Loot Lizards, Stash Priority system, and the Imperial Undead event.  We talk a lot about the game and then dive into a whole discussion on seasonal models and what works and does not work for them.  We also tangent off into a discussion about the Clue movie from the 80s for some reason…  so look forward to that.  From there we talk a bit about Dwarven Realms as it gets closer to the full release of the game. Ash, Kodra, and Tam talk a bit about their experiences playing the ISS Vanguard living world physical board game.  Thalen kicks off a discussion about Astro Bot and how it is essentially the mascot game Sony has always needed.  Ash shares his experiences with Gundam Breaker 4 and Tam a bit about playing Hades 2 as a research project. Packed show with roughly half of the topics getting bumped to next week.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Last Epoch Cycle Reset

    • Loot Lizards

    • Stash Tab Priority System

    • Imperial Undead Event

  • Dwarven Realms

  • ISS Vanguard

  • VHS Board Games

  • 1980s Clue Movie

  • Astro Bot

  • Gundam Breaker 4

  • Hades 2 Early Access

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-493.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:59am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks!  We are down a handful of folks but continue pushing forward.  We start off with talking about a world where Arcades did not die out…  aka Japan and what the 2020 Covid crisis did to them.  This leads to a discussion about playing DDR and similar rhythm games at home.  From there Bel talks about the upcoming update to Last Epoch where they are doing a mid cycle reset and some of the reasons why this is happening.  Ammo talks about her experiences returning to Guild Wars 2 and Bel shares his frustrations about how obtuse the achievement system is when it comes to trying to find the major unlocks and legendary crafts.  Bel also questions whether or not Twitch Drops work, to which Kodra refutes with his personal experience.  Lastly, we talk a bit about Visions of Mana the fifth official game in the Mana Series.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • 2020 and Japanese Arcades

    • Playing DDR At Home

  • Guild Wars 2

    • Ammo’s return to the game

    • Obtuse System Unlocks

  • Do Twitch Drops Work?

  • Visions of Mana

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-492.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:28am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks!  We actually finally get around to having the Age of Sigmar discussion, and more specifically talk at length about Warhammer Fantasy and the new Spearhead game mode which feels a bit like a Magic the Gathering Format.  From there Kodra talks about his recent experience attending the Dragonflight Convention in the Seattle Area for the first time.  Related to that he talks about his experiences playing Starfinder 2.0.  Tam has made it further into Fallout London and shares some more thoughts about it, and Bel dives into his non-spoiler thoughts about the Janthir Wilds expansion for Guild Wars 2.  Lastly Kodra talks a bit more about Mice and Mystics.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Age of Sigmar 4.0

    • Spearhead Format

  • Dragonflight Con

  • Starfinder 2

  • Fallout London

  • Guild Wars 2 Janthir Wilds

    • Early Thoughts

  • Mice and Mystics

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-491.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:23am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks!  After taking a week off from it, we are returning to our Dawntrail full spoiler show.  This week we say hi to Tam and Kodra…  before they boop out of the show given that neither has actually played FFXIV recently.  We pick up where we left off with the coronation of the new Dawn Servant and then dive into all of the “things” that happen after that.  We also talk a bit about the story surrounding the first raid of the expansion in the Arcadion. 

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Dawn Servant Coronation

  • Visiting Texico

  • Some Things Happen

  • Some Even Weirder Things Happen

  • The Arcadion

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-490.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 8:30am EDT

Featuring: Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! This week we are taking a break from the Dawntrail topic because Ammo was not available.  As a result we dive into a normal topic load starting with Grace talking about their experience playing Diablo IV Season 5.  From there we dive into a mega topic of Kodra and his recent trip to GenCon.  He talks about True Dungeon, Various Assorted LARPs, and some of the cool stuff from the convention floor.  We also dive into a discussion about how a convention reforms its reputation as being the D&D convention into something more open and welcoming. From there we realize that the Age of Sigmar topic is going to get bumped again…  but end up also having a bit of a pre-discussion.  Finally, we wrap things up with the charming indie game Thank Goodness You’re Here.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Diablo IV Season 5

    • Season of Infernal Hordes

  • Adventures in Gencon

    • True Dungeon

    • Various LARPs

    • How does a convention reform its reputation?

  • Age of Sigmar Pre-Discussion

    • The topic that keeps getting bumped

  • Thank Goodness You’re Here

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-489.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:07am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks!  For years we have had this tradition of recording a full spoiler show once all of the folks who are actively playing Final Fantasy XIV have completed the content.  We knew this would be an epic undertaking given that we never got around to recording a post-Endwalker show.  This is absolutely going to at a minimum be two shows…  maybe three depending upon how well the next show goes.  We used to record these epic five hour long shows that I edited down into chunks…  but have thankfully since wised up to just splitting them between several weeks.  This week we cover everything that happens after the Endwalker MSQ credit roll until just before the halfway point of Dawntrail.  Be warned, this is a full spoiler discussion as we recount the tale and talk about various details in depth along the way.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Post Endwalker Content

  • Estinien is Bad with Money

  • Once More to the Thirteenth

  • An Unlikely Mentorship

  • The Journey of the Dawnservant

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-488.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:25am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

This week we dive into the brand new Path of Exile league as we assist the Settlers of Kalguur.  We talk about our experiences with the exceptionally detailed league mechanic so far.  Tam contrasts his experience with this league with his experience playing Last Epoch. We talk a bit about our league starts and how the progress is going in both games.  From there we talk a bit about the Fallout London total conversion mod for Fallout 4.  Lastly we talk a little bit about Zenless Zone Zero the latest hoyoverse title.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Path of Exile

    • Settlers of Kalguur League

    • Shipping Mechanics

    • League Starts

  • Last Epoch

  • Fallout London for Fallout 4

  • Zenless Zone Zero

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-487.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:07am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, and Thalen

 

Good Morning Folks!  I am going to give you fair warning…  this is a very Path of Exile episode.  We pushed that topic to the very end of the show but once you hit it… it is pretty much an hour of talk about the upcoming Settlers of Kalguur League.  We start off the show with some discussion about Last Epoch and the most recent market crash that banned exploiters…  but left all the gold in the bloated market economy.  From there we dive into Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail and talk about the new Arcadion Raid.  We then talk a bit more about Bel and Grace’s adventures in alting as they finish ARR and start into Heavensward.  Finally we do a dive into the massive meta breaking changes coming with the Settlers of Kalgurr league in Path of Exile which drops on the 26th.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Last Epoch

    • Market Crash

  • Final Fantasy XIV

    • Arcadion Raid

    • Further Alt Adventures 

    • Starting Heavensward Again

  • Path of Exile

    • Settlers of Kalguur

    • The Patch Notes

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-486.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:12am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! We are back in fighting form with the entire crew.  We start off discussing SGDQ or Summer Games Done Quick a massive speedrunning community event.  From there we talk a bit about the Path of Exile 3.25 Settlers of Kalgur spoilers and some of the changes that are being made.  Then we roll into Last Epoch Cycle 2 which has so many amazing gameplay and polish improvements.  Lastly Bel and Grace talk about their nonsense mission to replay all of the FFXIV content and some of the experiences from running old content with perfect understanding of where the game story is going.  Bel has traditionally played a Lalafell and Grace a pretty dedicated Roegadamme…  and they have dared each other to swap races.  Last night after the show that happened and the show card shows the end results.  Lastly, Bel talks a bit about Blaugust which is coming up in a few weeks.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • SGDQ

  • Path of Exile 3.25 Spoilers

  • Last Epoch Cycle 2

    • So many improvements

    • Amazingly polished experience

  • Revisiting FFXIV A Realm Reborn

    • Redoing Old Content with Full Understanding of the 10-Year Story Arc

    • The Fantasia Dare

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-485.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:05am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Belghast, Grace, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! Last night we recorded a show in which we attempted to thread the most delicate needle.  Ammo, Bel, Grace, and Thalen have all finished the Dawntrail MSQ and only really want to talk about that.  Tam however has not even started it, nor has he finished any of the post-Endwalker content.  So we play this game of minesweeper where we attempt to talk about our thoughts and feelings about Dawntrail…  without actually revealing any meaningful information about the expansion.  Bel and Grace also talk about their experiences restarting the game with fresh alts on Kraken a brand new server where everyone is a sprout.  It’s hopefully a fun show and one where we don’t actually spoil anything.  Though we are absolutely looking forward to our full spoiler show at some point in hopefully the near future.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Talking about Dawntrail without Talking about Dawntrail

  • Rerolling fresh alts on Kraken.

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-484.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:23am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! We are back to a full crew this week. We start off with a discussion about Fallen Aces which leads into a larger discussion of games that feel like spiritual successors to other games. From there we talk about Kodra’s experiences with Origins and taking his kiddo to at least part of it.  We revisit the Nintendo Direct discussion from last week with a few things that Kodra specifically wanted to talk about.  Tam has returned to Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis and how it now has way more content than someone can actually do.  We wrap up the show with some initial discussion of Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail which feels like a love letter to South America.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Fallen Aces

  • Spiritual Successor Games

  • Origins with a Kid

  • Nintendo Direct Revisited

    • MIO

  • Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis 

  • Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail

    • Our Initial Non-Spoiler Thoughts

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-483.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:11am EDT

Featuring: Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, and Tamrielo

 

Hey Folks! We are down essentially half our folks and as a result we have a bit shorter show than our normal fare.  We start off with some discussion about Grace’s return to Final Fantasy XIV and how Bel “influenced” them into coming back.  From there we talk a bit about Four Job Fiesta and how the White Mage start is REALLY rough.  We dive into Nova Drift and talk about its roguelike take on Asteroids or Geometry Wars. Tam talks about his love of arcade racers and talks about playing the 2012 Need for Speed: Most Wanted and then Ash and Bel try and sell him on Forza Horizon.  Tam also talks about What the Car…  which is also loosely a “car game” but not really.  Then we try and wrap up the show and suddenly remember that a Nintendo Direct happened and talk about some of the games showed off.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Bel Lures Grace back to FFXIV

    • Speedrunning a Post Expansion

  • Four Job Fiesta in Final Fantasy V

    • White Mage Start is Awful

  • Nova Drift

  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted

  • What the Car

  • Nintendo Direct

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-482.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 8:53am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, and Kodra

 

Hey Folks! We are down a few folks who are travelling this week.  Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.  We start off with Bel talking about the recent controversies surrounding New World Aeternum and the general marketing self-own of that announcement and seemingly ignoring the current player base.  We roll into a discussion about Steam Next Fest and a few games we have played, namely: Flintlock, Dungeon Clawler, and Beastie Ball.  From there we talk a bit about Guild Wars 2 releasing information about the new spear attacks for three more jobs and how fun some of the general off meta weapons can be.  Bel talks about getting his confidence back and tanking once more for the first time in a few years in Final Fantasy XIV.  Ash and Kodra talk about their recent experiences playing Pokemon Mystery Dungeon as a Tabletop Roleplaying Game.  Finally, we talk a bit about the influx of monster collection games including some more discussion about Beastie Ball.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • New World Aeternum

    • Marketing Self-Own

  • Steam Next Fest

    • Flintlock Siege at Dawn

    • Dungeon Clawler

    • Beastie Ball

  • Guild Wars 2

    • More Spears Released

    • Fun with Off Meta Weapons

  • Final Fantasy XIV

    • Bel Got His Groove Back

  • PokeRole

    • Pokemon Mystery Dungeon as TTRPG

  • Monster Collection Games

    • More Beastie Ball

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-481.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:23am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! Bel crash lands the introduction by completely managing to skip over Thalen.  We have a pretty packed show as several things got bumped from the previous show. We start off the show with some discussion of Luck Be A Landlord, a game that was compared to Balatro.  From there we talk a bit about Summer Games Fest, admittedly in a disjointed manner while also talking about the Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Media Tour Embargo lifting.  Bel has now wrapped up the Post Endwalker content ans is significantly more excited for Dawntrail.  Grace talks about the Alan Wake II DLC and her experiences so far with Number One Fan.  Tam talks about Star Trek Resurgence.  Collectively we talk about some One Shot TTRPG Ideas, and Kodra shares some thoughts about Dropout TV.  Finally we talk a bit about Kodra’s experiences with the Kitsune Tails Demo on Steam.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Luck Be A Landlord

  • Summer Games Fest

  • FFXIV Dawntrail Media Tour

    • Bel Wraps up Post-Endwalker

  • Alan Wake II DLC

    • Number One Fan

  • Star Trek Resurgence

  • RPG One Shots

  • Dropout TV

  • Kitsune Tails Demo

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-480.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:56am EDT

Featuring:  Ammosart, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! Apologies for another missed show last week but Bel very narrowly missed some Twisty Weather. This week we start off the show with a discussion of Grace’s recent experiences in Diablo IV and how the game has changed for the better. From there we talk about Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail and how a number of us are on the fence about playing it.  Ammo shares her thoughts about the expansion.  Bel talks about his recent experience with Pandaria Remix and how it has jarred him out of his stupor when it comes to forming groups and playing with other human beings.  Bel also shares some of the recent happenings with the Frogger incident.  Tam discusses his dive into Warhammer Orks and how they are maybe the best that game has to offer in the vibes department.  We close out the show with some discussion about a weirdly good Random PVP mode in AFK Journey.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Grace’s experiences with Diablo IV

  • AmmosArt Explains FFXIV Dawntrail

  • World of Warcraft Pandaria Remix

    • The Frogger Incident

  • Orks are the best of Warhammer

  • Random PVP Mode in AFK Journey

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-479.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:31am EDT

Featuring: Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! We start off the show talking about some of the recent updates to Pathfinder adding a number of player background options including build your own animal race.  Kodra talks about his experience finishing up Animal Well, and Ash talks about playing a game that mimics raiding in Final Fantasy XIV called Rabbit & Steel.  Bel shares his thoughts so far about Diablo IV Season 4, where they gave up on whatever the original vision was and just made the ARPG people expected them to make.  This ends up in a side conversation about how breaking an implied promise and removing content from your game is very hard to pull off.  We talk about still being bitter about Cataclysm and Destiny 2.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Pathfinder Animal Options

  • Animal Well Finished

  • Rabbit & Steel

    • FFXIV Bullethell Raid Simulator

  • Diablo 4 Season 4

    • They decided to make the game folks wanted

  • Changing Content is REALLY hard

    • Cataclysm Blowing up the World

    • Destiny Deleting Content

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-478.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:26am EDT

Featuring: Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

We have a pretty big show which is surprising given we are down a few folks.  Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers out there who might be listening to this show.  We start talking about Bluey Surprise! Episode, and then dive into Kodra’s thoughts about Guild Wars 2 Season 1.  Bel talks a bit about why the Fallout series works but the Witcher series did not after the first season. Grace talks about Wylde Flowers a witchy queer farming sim and Thalen his experiences with Little Kitty Big City.  Kodra shares his thoughts about the platformer Metroidvania Animal Well and Tam about the massive changes with Star Citizen 3.23. Lastly, Bel talks a bit about beating “The Feared” in Path of Exile on a non-bossing character.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Bluey the “Surprise!” episode

  • Guild Wars 2 Living Season 1

  • Why Fallout Series Works by Witcher Does Not

  • Wylde Flowers

  • Little Kitty Big City

  • Animal Well

  • Star Citizen 3.23

  • Virtual Tabletops

  • Bel Beats “The Feared”

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-477.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:42am EDT

Featuring: Belghast, Kodra, and Tamrielo

 

Hey Folks! We have a bit of a “Smol” show at least when it comes to cast.  Last week we had to take that off because Bel was in “duck and cover” mode do to the storm system tearing through the center of the country and producing over one hundred Tornados.  This week we had a bunch of folks with other commitments leaving it with just Bel, Kodra, and Tam.  We talk a bit about the Helldivers Review Bomb, Angry Tarkov Players, and a now-fixed outrageous bug in Path of Exile that allowed for 18 linking a skill. From there we dive into some of Tam’s recent experiences in trying to get Fallout New Vegas up and running and how like Bel said a few weeks back…  the games really still hold up well once you get past the technical limitations. Kodra gives a bit of a round-up of Metroidvania titles that he has been playing recently and then talks a bit about considering Strawberry Jam “done” after beating the Expert Lobby Yellows.

 

Topics Discussed

  • Helldivers Review Bomb

  • Path of Exile Ridiculous Socket Bug

  • The Effort of installing Fallout New Vegas

  • Older Fallout Games Still Hold Up

  • Fallout New California TCM

  • Metroidvania Roundup

    • Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights

    • Tales of Kenzera: ZAU

    • TEVI

  • Celeste Strawberry Jam

    •  Expert Lobby Yellows Completed

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-476.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:08am EDT

Featuring: Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

We had a bit of a cursed show…  Tam lost power and was essentially knocked out of the rest of the show and then Ash disconnects as well and takes a bit to get back in.  We push through however as we always do.  Bel talks about returning to Fallout 76 and all of the cool changes that have been put in since he last played.  Thalen talks about Open Source Star Control 2 aka Free Stars.  Ash continues his journey into Roguelikes talking about Anomaly Collapse and Inkbound.  Thalen and Kodra share their thoughts about The Sign, the latest episode of Bluey, and Grace shares their thoughts about AFK Journey.  Finally, Bel talks a bit about the recent market crash in the Path of Exile Necropolis league, making many chase items more accessible.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Steamdeck Modification Adventures

  • Returning to Fallout 76

  • Open Source Star Control

    • Free Stars: The Ur-Quan Masters

  • Roguelike Rundown Redux

    • Anomaly Collapse

    •  Inkbound

  • The Sign Bluey Episode

  • AFK Journey

  • Necropolis Market Crash

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-475.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:06am EDT

Featuring:  Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! On April 13th of 2014, we recorded the very first episode of AggroChat so last night the stars aligned just perfectly for us to be recording on our ten-year anniversary.  We start the show by discussing a few different AFK games, namely Gnorp Apologue and AFK Journey.  From there Bel talks a bit about the new Fallout TV Series and how it nails the setting and tone of the game.  Kodra and Thalen talk a bit about the latest Bluey episode Ghostbasket.  Kodra and Tam discuss their experiences playing together in Helldivers 2 and then Kodra and Bel talk some more about the Path of Exile Necropolis League.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • The 10th Anniversary of AggroChat

  • The Gnorp Apologue

  • AFK Journey

  • Fallout TV Series

  • Bluey Ghostbasket Episode

  • Helldivers 2

  • Path of Exile

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-474.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:12am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! This week we are down a Kodra and a Grace but carry on with a short list of topics.  First, we talk some more about playing Secrets of Grindea in its final form.  Tam has ventured forth into Helldivers 2 and talks a bit about what makes the gameplay so infectious.  Thalen introduces us further into Chants of Sennaar a game that he has decided is the spiritual successor to Loom. Bel is amazed at what a difference a few percentages make as Necropolis League in Path of Exile was saved by a very early patch.  Finally Tam talks about the current event taking place in Star Citizen.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Secrets of Grindea

  • Helldivers 2

  • Chants of Sennaar

  • Necropolis League Saved

  • Star Citizen’s Current Event

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-473.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:09am EDT

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Since this episode will be coming out on Easter, Happy Easter to all who celebrate.  Last night we talked about Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs for that more approachable Gloomhaven experience. We took a trip over to the Switch and discussed Mario vs Donkey Kong and Princess Peach Showtime.  Bel talks a bit about his experiences with World of Warcraft Plunderstorm. Then we dive into a discussion about the Hugo Award Nominees and how hopefully 2024 will be a more reasonable year.  This week the Necropolis League started in Path of Exile and Bel and Kodra talk a bit about their experiences with the league mechanic.  Finally, we wrap things up with some discussion of Age of Sigmar 4.0.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • GloomHaven: Buttons & Bugs

  • Mario vs Donkey Kong

  • Princess Peach Showtime

  • World of Warcraft Plunderstorm

  • Hugo Award Nominees for Best Game

  • Path of Exile Necropolis League

  • Age of Sigmar 4.0

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-472.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:24am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Thalen, and Tamrielo

 

Hey Folks! Grace has returned to Stardew Valley and we spent some time discussing some recent changes… including the mayo meme.  From there we talk a bit about Balatro as folks have had a chance to dive into it.  Tam talks about his experiences with Pacific Drive and its unique blend of Car Survival games.  This week was the full reveal stream for Path of Exile Necropolis League and we spent a bit of time talking through some of the significant game system changes.  Finally, we end the show talking about some Last Epoch and the experiences that folks are still having with the game including a bit of a dive down the rabbit hole that is Spellblade.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Stardew Valley

    • Drinkable Mayonnaise Meme

  • Balatro

  • Pacific Drive

  • Path of Exile

    • Necropolis League Reveals

  • Last Epoch

    • Tam and the Spellblade

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-471.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:07am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks we’re back! Sorry for the week off but we return with a full docket of topics.  We start off with some more discussion of Last Epoch and how everyone is still enjoying the game.  Bel dinged 100 for the first time and we talked a bit about buildcraft and approachability.  From there Bel talks about Dwarven Realms an ARPG of a sort that has gained traction this week amongst some of the streamers that is just “big dumb fun”. From there Ash goes down a list of Roguelikes that he has been enjoying lately namely Astral Ascent, Spiritfall, and Balatro. Tam revisits his topic surrounding the ambitious process of remaking Final Fantasy VII and his thoughts after having played a good deal of the second part.  Finally, Bel uses volatile reversal and brings us back to the topic of Last Epoch and namely the impact it seems to be having on the ARPG genre as a whole.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Last Epoch

    • Bel Dings 100

    • Buildcraft Discussion

    • Approachability

  • Dwarven Realms

    • So Dumb So Good

  • Roguelike Lightning Round

    • Astral Ascent

    • Spiritfall

    • Balatro

  • Final Fantasy VII Remake Thoughts

    • Entirely remaking a classic

  • The Impact of Last Epoch

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-470.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:40am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Tonight we are back with the whole crew. We start off the show talking about how Secrets of Grindea, a game that we did an early gameclub show about…  has FINALLY launched out of Early Access. From there we talk about Last Epoch some more as Kodra was out last week and has much to say about explosions.  We also discussed building different characters and how the game rewards them.  Bel attempts a Tier list but gets shut down as he is the only one who still prefers Path of Exile. Finally, Tam and Ammo share their early thoughts about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Secrets of Grindea Launched

  • Last Epoch

    • Kodra Returns and Has Thoughts

    • The joy of building new characters

    • Bel’s Tier Ranking Gets Shut Down

  • Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-469.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 9:28am EDT

Featuring: Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! We are back after taking a break last week due to the limited number of folks available.  This week we start off with a topic that has bounced around a bit on our docket.  Namely, we marvel at just how balanced City of Heroes/City of Villians is and what a pinnacle of system design it really is.  Bel spent a bit of time playing Nightingale now that is available in early access, and talks about the mess of a game that it is.  Finally, we dive into our primary topic this week and talk about the Last Epoch 1.0 launch and how phenomenal the game feels right now despite all of the server-side woes.

 

Topics Discussed

  • City of Heroes/City of Villains

    • How is the design so balanced?

  • Nightingale

    • Not a Bad Game, but Not a Great One Either

  • Last Epoch

    • The 1.0 Launch Woes

    • The Massive Graphical Overhaul

    • Why we love the game

    • Accessible Design Matters

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-468.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! This week we have a sick Bel that is trying to hold on during the show and a very long-distance Kodra, but it all works out in the end.  We start off with some discussion about Marvel reprinting the Godzilla comic run that has been out of print for decades.  From there Bel and Grace talk a bit about some recent experiences with Enshrouded and playing it multiplayer.  Bel also talks a bit about the endgame and its strengths and weaknesses.  From there we talk quite a bit about Last Epoch and the reveal of the Falconer and the upcoming 1.0 release.  We discuss our plans for the first “cycle” and how we seem to all be favoring the magic find faction. Lastly, we get into a discussion about how the spoiler-averse culture that we find ourselves in makes it very hard to discuss narrative games.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Godzilla Marvel Comic

  • Enshrouded

    • Some Multiplayer Gameplay

    • Discussing the strengths and weaknesses

  • Last Epoch

    • Falconer Reveal

    • Looking forward to 1.0

  • Spoiler Aversion

    • How it is hard to discuss narrative games

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-467.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:18am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! It has been a few weeks since we recorded a normal show and I think we had a bunch of conversation in us waiting to get out.  As a result, we recorded a bit longer than we should have but that is okay! We talk about Celeste 64 and that sort of gameplay translates to a very Mario 64 inspired game.  From there Kodra shares his experiences with Songs of Conquest a game that is very much a nostalgic continuation of the Heroes of Might and Magic Series.  Bel and Kodra talk about their experiences with the other new survival early access game Enshrouded and how it is shockingly complete, and really just needs polish. From there we dive into the main topic of the show where we discuss City of Heroes and how it is this perfect snapshot of the best of MMORPGs before World of Warcraft changed everything.  Finally, Bel actually completes his four voidstones in Path of Exile and talks about what a difference a dedicated bosser makes.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Celeste 64

  • Songs of Conquest

  • Enshrouded

  • When Crowd Control Mattered

    • City of Heroes

    • The World before Warcraft

    • No Daily Chores is Refreshing

  • What a Difference a Bosser Makes

    • Bel Kills POE Bosses

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-466.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:32am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! It is that time again, time for our yearly Games of the Year show. Last year we learned that it was far better to record two weeks in a row instead of creating a marathon three-plus hour long show and cutting it in half.  This week we dive into the second half of the show covering the final eleven games.  These are games that were important to us this year and may or may not have actually been released this calendar year.  A lot of them were, but I just wanted to set the expectations.

This year we did not have a lot of overlap, which is to be expected given that the seven of us have some wildly different tastes. It was a big year and I am sure there are a lot of games that you think might need to be on this list that we did not choose. Hopefully, you enjoy our thoughts all the same.

 

Games Discussed:

  • I Was a Teenage Exocoloist

  • Super Mario RPG Remake

  • Boltgun

  • Star Ocrean 2nd Story R

  • Jedi Survivor

  • City of Heroes

  • Everspace 2

  • Alan Wake II

  • Super Mario Wonder

  • Honkai Star Rail

  • Baldur’s Gate III

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-465.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:40am EDT

Featuring: Ammosart, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! It is that time again, time for our yearly Games of the Year show. Last year we learned that it was far better to record two weeks in a row instead of creating a marathon three-plus hour long show and cutting it in half.  So this week I bring you the first part covering fourteen games and for those who have not listened to one of these before…  these are games that were important to us this year and may or may not have actually been released this calendar year.  A lot of them were, but I just wanted to set the expectations.

 

This year we did not have a lot of overlap, which is to be expected given that the seven of us have some wildly different tastes. It was a big year and I am sure there are a lot of games that you think might need to be on this list that we did not choose. Hopefully, you enjoy our thoughts all the same.

 

Games Discussed:

  • Risk of Rain Returns

  • Risk of Rain 2

  • Celeste: Strawberry Jam

  • Last Epoch

  • Path of Exile

  • System Shock

  • Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed

  • Hi-Fi Rush

  • Dredge

  • Dave the Diver

  • Armored Core VI

  • New World

  • Fire Emblem Engage

  • Final Fantasy XVI

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-464.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:18am EDT

Featuring: Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! Hopefully, everyone is staying warm this week with the big cold snap hitting the center of the country and more specifically impacting Bel and Thalen. This week we start off talking about the Rogue Trader CRPG and how it is doing a pretty solid job of moving the bar forward.  From there we talk a bit about the upcoming Granblue Fantasy Action RPG and how we have been waiting for it since 2017.  In shocking news, we talk about the City of Heroes Homecoming server and how it is officially licensed and we believe it is the first fan run emulator server project to achieve that status. 

 

Last Epoch is nearing its official 1.0 launch and with it a bunch more information about the Trade system came out this week so we dive into it for a bit and contrast it with our experiences from Path of Exile.  Peglin has released a bunch of updates and we talk a bit more about that phenomenal puzzle combat game.  Thalen shares some information about how Dungeons and Dragons Online is apparently just giving away a ton of content and selling a bunch of mission packs for cheap on top of it.  Tam finishes out the show talking about how it has taken him the better part of a year but he finally understands Star Trek Online.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Rogue Trader CRPG

  • Granblue Fantasy Relink

  • City of Heroes

  • Last Epoch and Trade System

  • More Peglin!

  • DDO Giving Content Away

  • Understanding Star Trek Online

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-463.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 11:06am EDT

Featuring: Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, and Thalen

 

Hey Folks! Happy New Year! We are back after the holiday break and are delaying our Games of the Year Show until a bit later in the month.  This week we talk about the Dave the Diver Dredge Crossover, Super Mario RPG and Thalen’s child plotting an interesting course through the game, and a return to Monster Hunter World. With Bobby Kotick leaving ActiBlizz, Bel has stepped back into World of Warcraft and talks a bit about his thoughts so far and the inspirations taken from Guild Wars 2.  From there we talk a bit about missing trade league despite how much of a capitalist nightmare it is and how it makes the players focus entirely on short-term gains. Bel talks a bit about how he has shifted his Chieftain into Righteous Fire and how it is a reasonable replacement for RF Juggernaut.  Finally, some breaking news while we are recording…  we talk a bit about the new FFXIV job Pictomancer, and the new limited job Beastmaster.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Dave the Diver Dredge Crossover

  • Super Mario RPG Remake

  • Monster Hunter World

  • World of Warcraft after 3 Years Away

    • Influences from Guild Wars 2

  • Path of Exile

    • The line goes up, and financialization of everything in another inflation league

    • Righteous Fire Chieftain

    • Missing Trade League

  • Final Fantasy XIV

    • New Dawntrail News

    • Pictomancer

    • Beastmaster

  • OrcaCon

Direct download: aggrochat_episode-462.mp3
Category:gaming -- posted at: 10:20am EDT

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