Pixel Therapy Pod

Thanks for another great year of sharing stories, leveling up, and discovering ourselves in games! Spencer and Jamie cap the year with a new crop of completely unofficial awards, from Jamie's Game That Was Too Damn Smart for Me recipient to Spencer's Late to the Party pick, there's something here for everyone. Halo fans, we apologize in advance.

Happy holidays everyone! We're taking a three-week break to recharge and binge play Tales of Arise, so we'll see you when our first episode of 2022 drops on January 11th!

Side Quest

The ABK (Activision-Blizzard-King) Strike Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/abk-strike-fund

Jessica Gonzalez is a founding member of the ABK Worker's Alliance, and a prominent voice in the fight to end abuse in the gaming industry. She organized this fundraiser with a committee of ABK workers dedicated to ensuring the funds get to the workers who need them.

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

Good...morning? Night? Who knows, it's dark when we wake up and dark before the workday is over. Perfect weather for gaming though, wouldn't you say? Spencer and Jamie kick things off by hopping on our hoverbikes and gliding across the vast expanse of Sable, an open-world exploration game about a modest, mysterious desert society and finding one's place in the world. Sable was developed by Shedworks and published by Raw Fury, and it's available now on Steam and Game Pass!

Then we're joined by Marcela Huerta (she/her), community manager for worker-owned game studio KO_OP's upcoming apocalyptic coming-of-age dinosaur love story, Goodbye Volcano High! Join us as we learn all about a different kind of working culture that KO_OP is working to normalize, then go deep on the surprisingly emotional heft of this fall's cozy breakout hit, Witch Beam's Unpacking.

Follow Marty on Twitter: https://twitter.com/marsmella

Check out KO_OP Mode and get hype for Goodbye Volcano High: https://www.ko-opmode.com/

Listen to Spencer's favorite Stardew Valley Lofi Beats to Study To: https://youtu.be/scRoJCsy6dA

Side Quests

Black Healing Fund is a growing, volunteer-run initiative that exists to provide low-income Black folks in the Tio'tia:ke / Montreal area with discretionary funding and resources that contribute to mental health and wellness. blackhealingfund.com/donate

Resilience Montreal is a non-profit day shelter offering food, a place to sleep, clean clothes, and support to anyone in need, with the goal of giving people a safe, supportive environment to spend their time. To donate, email [email protected] and check out their website at resiliencemontreal.com 

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

29:11 - SPOILERS for Inscryption start

47:53 - End SPOILERS for Inscryption

We foolishly thought this year in gaming was winding to a close. We were boarding up our Xboxes, winterizing our PCs, putting the Playstation to bed. (Jk idk what any of that means lmao.) Then Inscryption entered the chat and completely blew our minds, beckoning us to break through the inky-black intrigue of this rogue-like deck-building escape room adventure to find deeper understandings of ourselves as gamers and new outlooks on game creation as a whole. NBD! No but seriously, go play Inscryption.

THEN we're joined by Aiden Strawhun (they/them), a news and features writer who focuses on the culture, innovation and advancement of the gaming and tech community as well as a Creator Relations Specialist at Ubisoft! Aiden's passion for nurturing and lifting up content creators in the gaming space was a joy to witness, and we had a lovely time chatting with them about trauma-informed journalism, the power and responsibility of choice in games-- and the collective idea, the shared dream, the fountain of joy and infinite possibility that is Hatsune Miku: the collaboratively constructed cyber idol and singing voice synthesizer featured in over 100,000 songs released around the world and the center of an ever-growing community.

Follow Aiden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AStraww

PLAY INSCRYPTION OMG: https://www.inscryption.com/

Side Quest

Can I Play That? works to share stories that influence game updates, inform disabled players, educate and entertain players and developers, and provide a voice for one of the largest player bases in the industry.

Learn more, read some articles, and maybe pitch one of your own at https://caniplaythat.com/

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

Mix up your mulled cider and grab a fuzzy blanket - it's time to get cozy and grab your bi-weekly dose of Pixel Therapy! This week, Spencer takes their maiden voyage with their new gaming computer and joins Jamie in playing Witch Beam's brain massaging masterpiece Unpacking - a little game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Then Jamie explores the unexpectedly heartwarming and wholly entertaining new Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy from Square Enix -- the mashup you never knew you needed.

This week we're also excited to be joined by Yup’ik and Sāmoan Columbia University student and Native rights advocate Charitie Ropati (she/they)! A film buff and iconic tweeter, Charitie is also known for their work in public education honoring the resilience and diversity of Alaska Native culture with decolonized history curricula that's since been adopted in her home of Anchorage. We had an awesome time with Charitie diving deep on Upper One Games' and E-Line Media's Never Alone (Kisima Inŋitchuŋa), a puzzle-platformer adventure game about a young Iñupiat girl and an arctic fox that was developed in collaboration with 30+ Iñupiat elders, storytellers and community members.

Follow Charitie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/charitieropati

Daniel Starkey's Never Alone review: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-11-20-never-alone

Side Quest

The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute is a national education and advocacy organization that works alongside Native youth—ages 24 and under—on reservations, in rural villages and urban spaces across the country to improve their health, safety, and overall well- being. All Native youth deserve to lead full and healthy lives, have equal access to opportunity, draw strength from Native culture, and inspire one another. At CNAY, this is achieved through empowerment and culturally-competent methodologies that include leadership, youth-led policy agenda, and youth-led narrative. They’re also hiring right now! Learn more about this important organization and donate at cnay.org/ !

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media @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) & subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod !

Note: This episode contains some light spoilers for To The Moon starting around 1:09:00!

Happy Halloween, gamers!! Pick out your favorite candy from the pile and join us around the pixelated fire as Spencer plays their scariest game yet in Bloober Team's eerie and atmospheric The Medium, while Jamie takes to the stars in Outer Wilds' new expansion-slash-sequel-within-a-game, Echoes of the Eye!

Then we're joined by the delightfully insightful Laura Kate Dale, video game butt reviewer, games journalist, and author of Uncomfortable Labels, Things I Learned From Mario's Butt, and the forthcoming Who Hunts The Whale- a satirical novel set in the exploitative world of big-budget game development! We had an amazing time hanging out with Laura, chatting about everything from the meaning and construction of bodies in games to choosing optimism in the face of the uglier sides of the industry. Finally, we go deep on Freebird Games' unforgettable narrative adventure To the Moon, and the way it not only made Laura feel seen in a new way, but changed the way she wanted to approach thinking and writing about games.

Follow Laura on Twitter: twitter.com/LaurakBuzz

Check out Who Hunts the Whale: unbound.com/books/whale/

Austin Walker's Outer Wilds review: vice.com/en/article/mb8p7y/outer-wilds-is-a-captivating-sci-fi-mystery-about-the-end-of-the-world

Side Quest

Deaf Rainbow UK

First a Facebook group, then a website, now a community-run organization offering trainings, consultations, and surveys aimed at building a better world for Deaf LGBTQIA+ people in the UK and around the world, Deaf Rainbow UK provides information and resources for deaf queer folks, bringing attention to the lived experiences of folks who fall within this intersection of marginalization. To learn more, access resources, volunteer, and/or donate, visit deafrainbowuk.org.uk !

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media @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) & subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod !

Happy SpOoKy SeAsOn!! Spencer has orange hair and Jamie wants a 12-foot tall skeleton! We're on theme with the games this week, too: join us as we dive into the bleak, unsettling-yet-sweet visual novel Little Misfortune from Killmonday Games, and the vibrant, gorgeous, decaying world of action-adventure debut Kena: Bridge of Spirits from Ember Lab.

Then we're thrilled to be joined by Kotaku staff writer Isaiah Colbert (he/they)! We had an absolutely lovely time chatting with Isaiah on writing about games as experiences rather than products, striving to make space for seeking solutions in the industry, jumping into games journalism as a self-proclaimed filthy casual who plays Tetris every day, becoming emotionally ready to receive media, and how Geralt of Rivia awoke a new appreciation for fantasy inside of them - with some smooth JoJo references sprinkled in along the way.

Follow Isaiah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EyeZehUhh

Patricia Hernandez' piece referenced ~1:05: https://kotaku.com/hello-kotaku-its-me-your-new-eic-1847192727

GIANT SKELETON: https://ebay.to/3oSGCIh

Side Quest

Support Black Streamers! Here are a few of our faves:

https://www.twitch.tv/ctrlaltquin

https://www.twitch.tv/cypheroftyr

https://www.twitch.tv/gameonysus

https://www.twitch.tv/chrislaawrence

https://www.twitch.tv/iambrandon

Supporting Twitch streamers with Amazon Prime: https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/how-to-subscribe?language=en_US#Prime

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media @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) & subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo and help us save up for streaming equipment at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod !

Do you feel that fresh, crisp mountain breeze? Catch the light scent of weed smoke lilting jauntily in the air? This week, Spencer and Jamie kick things off from the sun-soaked roof deck of Alex Chen, resident empath detective of Haven Springs, Colorado and the heroine of Life is Strange: True Colors from Deck Nine and published by Square Enix. Join us as we explore the game's stacked emotional toolkit and expressive nuance that, dare we say, sets a new standard in games.

Then we take a beat to jump in the guest seat and share our experiences with games that have had significant impacts on our own lives: Guerilla's Horizon Zero Dawn and Supergiant's Transistor!

P.S., TIL that marking significant events in your life and giving yourself moments to PROCESS is really important for fighting off burnout! Thanks Jamie! With that in mind, your co-hosts take some time to marvel at the fact that we've been doing this for a whole year - and don't worry, we have no plans of slowing down. Thank you for joining us on this wild ride and for downloading us 50,000+ times! Here's to Year 2!

Side Quest

Buckle Bunnies Fund

https://www.bucklebunnies.org/

Our organization came to be in April of 2020, when Texas temporarily banned abortions at the beginning of COVID-19. A group of young queer folks who were passionate about Reproductive Justice knew that we had the power to mobilize across Texas and help people get the abortions they needed. After seeing the momentum that we started, we knew we needed to make ourselves a permanent fixture in abortion funding.

Our work is done by unpaid volunteers who are dedicated to the autonomy of abortion seekers, not just in Texas, but everywhere. We are explicitly pro-abortion and believe that abortion is freedom, absolutely no shame or stigma allowed here. We will continue to harness our beautiful rage into our work until every person everywhere is able to access abortion freely, safely, and on demand.

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media @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) & subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo and help us grow the show at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod !

It's an exciting time to be a Playstation fan, or a Sony pony, as Jamie always says! Fresh off of the forthcoming God of War: Ragnarok trailer that debuted at Sony's Playstation Showcase 2021, we kick things off with some excited speculation about the new characters that were introduced: Tyr, Thor, and Angrboda! Then, Jamie takes us on a ride through the sun-drenched, small-town roads of Providence Oaks in Gamious' new mailperson simulator/slice of life drama, Lake.

But the fun doesn't stop there! This week we're joined by dancer, musician, vocalist, and voice-over artist for Kena: Bridge of Spirits' titular heroine: Dewa Ayu Dewi Larassanti! We chat all about her unexpected but absolutely joyful experience bringing Kena to life after the game's developer, Ember Lab, reached out to her family's organization Gamelan Çudamani for help in bringing Balinese music into its score and atmosphere-- and ended up contributing to the fabric of the game in more ways than one!

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a Playstation exclusive coming out on September 21st, 2021 - learn more about Ember Lab here: https://www.emberlab.com/

Side Quest

Trash Hero Indonesia

https://trashhero.org/donations/

Trash Hero mobilises thousands of people around the world to take action on waste in their communities, change their everyday behaviour and reduce their dependency on single-use plastic. We rely on your help to do this.

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media @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) & subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo and help us save up for streaming equipment at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod !

It's an exciting time to be a Playstation fan, or a Sony pony, as Jamie always says! Fresh off of the forthcoming God of War: Ragnarok trailer that debuted at Sony's Playstation Showcase 2021, we kick things off with some excited speculation about the new characters that were introduced: Tyr, Thor, and Angrboda! Then, Jamie takes us on a ride through the sun-drenched, small-town roads of Providence Oaks in Gamious' new mailperson simulator/slice of life drama, Lake.

But the fun doesn't stop there! This week we're joined by dancer, musician, vocalist, and voice-over artist for Kena: Bridge of Spirits' titular heroine: Dewa Ayu Dewi Larassanti! We chat all about her unexpected but absolutely joyful experience bringing Kena to life after the game's developer, Ember Lab, reached out to her family's organization Gamelan Çudamani for help in bringing Balinese music into its score and atmosphere-- and ended up contributing to the fabric of the game in more ways than one!

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a Playstation exclusive coming out on September 21st, 2021 - learn more about Ember Lab here: https://www.emberlab.com/

Side Quest

Trash Hero Indonesia

https://trashhero.org/donations/

Trash Hero mobilises thousands of people around the world to take action on waste in their communities, change their everyday behaviour and reduce their dependency on single-use plastic. We rely on your help to do this.

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media @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) & subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo and help us save up for streaming equipment at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod !

Hi, everybody! This week, Spencer returns to the fold of Microsoft after a long hiatus (like, since the Xbox 360 in 2005!) and joins the rest of you gamers in the future with a brand-new Game Pass-installed Xbox Series S! Spencer and Jamie return to the island of Tsushima with the new Ghost Director's Cut (thank you Sucker Punch), and Jamie takes us on a tour of the short and bittersweet Necrobarista!

Then, we're joined by Anna Anthropy, video game and role-playing game designer, interactive fiction author, and the mind behind Rise of the Video Game Zinester: part manifesto, part critical essay, part DIY handbook encouraging "Freaks, Normals, Amateurs, Artists, Dreamers, Drop-outs, Queers, Housewives, and People Like You" to get out there and make some games! Anna has been thinking about, talking about, and making games for many years, and we were stoked to share this space with her to chat about fostering the next generation of game makers and democratizing game development.

Check out Anna's games and projects: https://w.itch.io/

Side Quest

THE ASTRAEA LESBIAN FOUNDATION FOR JUSTICE is the only philanthropic organization working exclusively to advance LGBTQI human rights around the globe. We support brilliant and brave grantee partners in the U.S and internationally who challenge oppression and seed change. We work for racial, economic, social, and gender justice, because we all deserve to live our lives freely, without fear, and with dignity.

Your support for Astraea’s Collective Care Response enables LBTQI- and people of color-led grassroots movements to boldly confront the impacts of COVID-19 across the globe now and for the long haul while building interconnected ecosystems of support and resilience. 

https://www.astraeafoundation.org/donate-collective-care-response/ 

About Pixel Therapy

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Learn more at pixeltherapypod.com or follow us on social media @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) & subscribe! Want more? Unlock monthly bonus episodes for $2/mo and help us save up for streaming equipment at patreon.com/pixeltherapypod !