Pixel Therapy Pod

It's time to find your place in space and join the big, beautiful, worker-owned rotating city in the sky! We're talking about developer Jump Over the Age's Citizen Sleeper of course, a cyberpunk narrative RPG centered on an escaped worker's efforts to evade their corporate would-be captors and maybe build a little life for themself -- if they can find a way to outwit the "planned obsolescence" of their company-provided synthetic body.

Then we're joined by Kortney Terry (aka Sparklykiss), a tabletop actual play performer, community manager for Miscellaneum Studios, and freelance diversity consultant and sensitivity reader to chat about being a bouncer for your community, their decade-plus relationship with Earthbound, PNGtubing, which Pokemon they would eat, and more!

4:46 - Impromptu Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness review

13:03 - Citizen Sleeper discussion

39:54 - Interview with Kortney Terry

Follow Kortney on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sparklykiss

Side Quest

https://www.blackgamedevs.com/

Here they are. Hire them. Buy their stuff.

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod

Welcome to the first official Pixel Therapy Spoilercast! Join us as we dive into every aspect of Horizon Forbidden West that we didn't or couldn't cover in our normal episodes!

0:54 - Intro

10:12 - Story breakdown and themes

24:30 - On Nemesis as a villain

31:20 - Tilda Van der Meer and unfortunate tropes

41:39 - On final boss battles and the underutilization of Sylens

50:59 - On Beta and healing from childhood trauma

1:00:03 - On Varl and that wild ending

1:12:22 - Identifying with Aloy and closing thoughts

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod

NORCO: It's the game you can smell! Join us as we wade into the murky waters of Geography of Robots' completely singular Southern Gothic sci-fi point-and-click detective adventure, set among the billowing smokestacks and sinister twilight of a futuristic New Orleans. If you have about 10 hours to spare, it's absolutely a game you'll want to put on your must-play list this year. We can say for sure that Elijah Wood loved it.

Then we're joined by Vaneet Mehta (he/him), a software engineer, writer, and public speaker working to advocate for bisexual visibility and equitable representation. We loved chatting with Vaneet about the significance of the gaming community in his own coming out story, “playersexuality,”  what games get wrong when they make queer representation and content optional, and more!

9:35 - NORCO Discussion

51:04 - Very light NORCO story spoilers, if that matters to you

56:24 - Interview with Vaneet Mehta

Follow Vaneet on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nintendomad888

Check out Alexis Ong's piece on NORCO: https://www.pcgamer.com/this-stunning-deep-south-fable-isnt-the-next-kentucky-route-zeroits-the-first-norco/

Side Quest

IGL Foundation is a New Orleans-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring people together to learn, compete, and play by providing opportunities for students in the areas of technology, gaming, and the digital arts that are both enriching and entertaining.

While using the portal of alternate dimensional experiences, we use gaming as the gateway to building networks and communities through social competitions and mental athletic training to build bonds with our students.

To learn more, get involved, and donate, visit https://iglfoundation.org/

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod

Rise, ye tarnished! This week, Spencer and Jamie explore the game that seems to have sucked in everyone and their grandma (if their grandma is a badass) -- Hidetaka Miyazaki and From Software's ELDEN RING! Join us as we try to put words to the inexplicable pull of Souls games, and debate what inspires some to call ELDEN RING one of the greatest games of all time.

Then we're joined by Rokashi, video game developer and writer for the official HBO show tie-in game, Insecure: The Come Up (Glow Up Games), and creative director for their own game Faraway Fairway for Panic's soon-to-be-released Playdate console. Plus: Netflix's moves into the mobile game market, how Twine provides a low-barrier entry into game-making, bringing mental health conversations into gaming, and why Sonic the Hedgehog is the ultimate role model.

Follow Rokashi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rokashi

Learn more about the Playdate: https://play.date/

Side Quest

The Hand Eye Society is a Toronto not-for-profit dedicated to supporting and showcasing videogames made primarily as a form of creative expression. We aim to provide exhibition opportunities, education, creative support, mentorship, knowledge sharing and inspiration to artists, enthusiasts, and the game-curious in Toronto. Founded in 2009, it is one of the first videogame arts organizations of its kind in the world.

Visit https://www.handeyesociety.com/ to learn more about membership, volunteer as a game tester, or donate a console or equipment!

This week, a game so nice we had to cover it twice: Horizon Forbidden West! Now that your cohosts have each had 60+ hours with Aloy, join us as we take a closer look at human and machine battle mechanics, analyze the VIBES coming off of NPCs that possess so much repressed longing they should star in their own Bridgerton spinoff, and dream about the day we get some confirmation on Aloy's asexuality!

Then Twitch streamer, content creator, and community builder Queerlybee (they/them) joins us in the virtual studio to chat about video games as vehicles for important conversations, how they create sensory-friendly, accessible streams where neurodivergent folks can engage in virtual parallel play, and more!

Follow Queerlybee on Twitter: https://twitter.com/QueerlyBee and Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/queerlybee

Side Quest

https://www.twocc.us/donate/

The Trans Women of Color Collective (TWOCC) was created to cultivate economic opportunities and affirming spaces for trans people of color and our families, to foster kinship, build community engage in healing and restorative justice through arts, culture, media, advocacy and activism.

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod

Note: Spoilers for A Musical Story from 57:51 - 1:09:37!

It's March, and ALL OF THE GAMES are out. Spencer and Jamie have barely scratched the surface of Horizon Forbidden West's truly epic proportions, but with 30 hours of playtime under their belts, have plenty of feelings to share on what's changed - and what's stayed the same, for better or worse. But that's not all! It's a Double Stuf'd episode this week, as your cohorts also manage to squeeze in a spirited discussion of Glee-Cheese Studio's indie rhythmic adventure, the aptly-titled A Musical Story.

Then we're joined by Raccine Malcolm (any pronouns), a freelance community builder and DEI consultant in the gaming and tech space! Raccine shares what drives her to curate communities, how her own "rough entry" into the gaming industry inspired her to make the transition friendlier for other new folks entering in the future, and how her upbringing in Jamaica led to an abiding love of PC games -- plus so much more!

Follow Raccine on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fibonaccirecoil

Side Quest

https://www.insight-ukraine.org/en/join-donate/

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion into Ukraine. For the past days, cities have been bombed and civilian infrastructures destroyed. The number of civilian victims, including children, continues to rise. LGBTQIA+ Ukrainians are also facing additional stress as they try to navigate this emergency. Insight Ukraine is starting an urgent donation campaign to collect funds for LGBTQI+ people, to provide emergency shelter, relocation assistance, food, and basic needs. 

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod

Happy Tuesday, and thanks for tearing yourself away from Horizon Forbidden West long enough to get cozy and chat games with us! This week Spencer and Jamie kick things off with GoodbyeWorld Games' Before Your Eyes, a breathtaking journey through the memories of a spirit approaching judgment in the afterlife -- controlled completely through eye movements and blinking. But that description doesn't do it justice! There are also talking foxes, a mysterious gatekeeper, meditations on what truly makes a great life, and what it means to leave a legacy...come join us, then go play it!

Then we're joined by Erin Parisi (she/her), a Colorado-based mountaineer who is on track to become the first openly trans woman to climb all seven of the world's highest peaks. She's completed five of the seven so far, with her sights set on Mt. Denali and Mt. Everest! We had an amazing time chatting with Erin about everything from her love of Samus Aran to her many shared qualities with another red-haired, strawberry-loving mountain climber -- as well as her dream of uplifting the trans community and flipping the script on trans narratives that so often dominate headlines.

Check out Erin's org TranSending: https://www.transending7.org/

Follow Erin on IG: https://www.instagram.com/erinsends7/

Side Quest

TranSending is a 501c3 designated non-profit dedicated to the advancement of transgender rights throughout all aspects of society by promoting athletics as a platform of transgender awareness and inclusion. Through targeted athletic projects, we seek to create a welcoming environment of understanding and assurance that all persons can partake in the learning and growth that come with inclusion in sports related activities, regardless of gender identity. Our goal is to promote rising transgender athletes and help them gain access to athletic programs, with the goal of increasing awareness from team administration, coaches and team staff, trans athletes, fellow athletes, and the audiences who support these great sports.

You (or your organization) can also become a Sponsor!: https://www.transending7.org/becomesponsor/

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod

Happy love month, Gamentines! That works, right? No? Well, moving on. This week Spencer is super late to the party - Night School Studio's 2019 Afterparty, to be specific: a neon-soaked bar hop through hell with besties Milo and Lola. Meanwhile, Jamie enjoys the little things in Something We Made's greyscale photography adventure Toem.

Then we're joined by Diego Argüello (he/him), Editor-in-Chief of Into the Spine and featured contributor at Fanbyte! Diego shares the journey and growth of Into the Spine from an international cohort of writers looking to break into games journalism to a thriving community built upon mutual support and a genuine desire to foster diverse talent -- and how it relates to his relationship with Atlus' Persona 5.

Check out Into the Spine: https://intothespine.com/

Follow Diego on Twitter: https://twitter.com/diegoarguello66

Side Quest

https://nbjc.org/

Since 2003, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has been America’s leading national civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) people, including people living with HIV/AIDS through coalition building, federal policy change, research, and education. Our mission is to end racism, homophobia, and LGBTQ+/SGL bias and stigma. NBJC supports Black individuals, families, and communities in strengthening the bonds and bridging the gaps between the movements for racial justice and LGBTQ+/SGL equity.

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod

Now is the winter of our gaming discontent, it seems, but so many exciting things are happening and will continue to happen, friends! Why, just now Spencer's willingly playing a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler for the first time in their life and having a blast thanks to Drinkbox's clever and irreverent Nobody Saves the World. Meanwhile, we never thought Jamie would become a League of Legends player - yet she's gotten totally sucked into Ruined King, developer Airship Syndicate's spin-off LoL turn-based RPG!

Then we're joined by Ty Galiz-Rowe (he/they), writer, podcaster, and the editor in chief of Uppercut Crit - a games and media site devoted to 'punching up' through high-quality content that focuses on highlighting marginalized voices -- and great criticism. We chatted with Ty about Uppercut's homespun growth, how their "hangriness" spurs them to avoid homogeneity and boredom in mainstream gaming, and the inexplicable allure of Dontnod's mechanically rich yet narratively obtuse Vampyr.

Follow Ty: https://twitter.com/owoathkeeper

Check out Uppercut Crit: https://uppercutcrit.com/

Side Quest

Support independent games journalism - check out Uppercut Crit's Patreon!

https://www.patreon.com/uppercutcrit

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod

We're back from our little winter break and ready to talk games! To kick things off, Spencer shares their begrudging enjoyment of Netflix's The Witcher (in no small part thanks to Henry Cavill's gruffly charming Geralt of Rivia) while Jamie gets hype on Arcane, the dynamic and gorgeous animated action-adventure series chronicling the origins of two League of Legends characters - as someone who knows next to nothing about League! Then we take up our burning swords and explore Bandai Namco's over-the-top epic JRPG Tales of Arise - and how it makes space for surprisingly nuanced conversations on unpacking racism and dismantling oppressive ideas and systems.

Then we're joined in the virtual studio by Lindsay Rollins (she/her), a game developer, visual artist, writer and co-founder of indie studio Rocket Adrift! Their Toronto-based team is responsible for surreal dad sim Order A Pizza: A Visual Novel and the iconic, vibe-filled Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance. Join us as we go deep on Doki Doki Literature Club, hot cryptids, the enduring allure of coming of age tales, and more!

Follow Lindsay on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LinRocketAdrift

Play Rocket Adrift's games: https://rocketadrift.com/

Side Quest

Dames Making Games - https://dmg.to/

DMG is a not-for-profit videogame arts organization that creates space for marginalized creators to make, play and critique videogames within a cultural context. We teach computing skills for artistic expression, offer production and exhibition facilities, and provide community support for the creation of new artworks.

Our space and community is a platform and playground for artists working in games, engaging the public with the expressive potential of this medium. 

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media (we're most active on Twitter!) @pixeltherapypod. We're proud members of the But Why Tho? Podcast Network: visit ButWhyThoPodcast.com for everything pop culture in an inclusive geek community! If you like what you hear, please take a moment to rate us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts (or your listening app of choice) and subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod