Orbments, orbments, and more orbments!
Special guest Cam Hawkins joins Eric and Nadia to discuss Trails in the Sky Second Chapter while deftly avoiding spoilers. All that and so much more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Note: Microsoft and the Xbox brand remain subjects of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement for their complicity in the ongoing apartheid and genocide of Palestine. Visit https://www.bdsmovement.net/microsoft for more information.

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• More XBox layoffs

• We're worried about Bungie

• Qliphah in Providence's Shadow

• Nocturne

• Torneko's Mystery Dungeon

Timestamps:

7:45 - Main Topic - Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

1:23:16 - Random Encounters

1:46:50 - The Tavern - WARDOGS, Qliphah in Providence's Shadow, Nocturne, Torneko's Mystery Dungeon

2:01:212 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Strepitoso Fight - [Trails in the Sky SC]

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Finally, a Fire Emblem game about a Metal Gear Solid 2 character's hair!
Siliconera's Jenni Lada returns to chat Fortune's Weave with Eric and Nadia; is this the system-seller the Switch 2 needs? Listen to this over-2-hour episode and find out!

Note: Microsoft and the Xbox brand remain subjects of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement for their complicity in the ongoing apartheid and genocide of Palestine. Visit https://www.bdsmovement.net/microsoft for more information.

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• Level 5 keeps doing AI

• Limited-time quests are good

• The Prince of Tennis Sweet School Festival ~♡-40 and more...~

Timestamps:

8:00 - Main Topic - Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

1:27:28 - Random Encounters

1:34:04 - The Tavern - Eric's WoW Journey, Prince of Tennis

2:01:212 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Recruitment Medley - [Fire Emblem Premium Arrange]

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RPG hot takes, direct to you!
We just had a Zelda Direct and Nintendo Direct one-two punch so Nadia, Victor, and special guest Lucas White are here to tell you why SaGa and Mystery Dungeon are the things you should be most excited about.

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• RIP Level-5

• Eternal Anima

• Persona 4 Revival, Persona 6

• Portopia

• Fate/EXTRA Record

• Void Terrarium, Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja, Sakura Wars: Dramatic Dungeon

Timestamps:

12:30 - Main Topic - Zelda Direct

26:36 - Nintendo Direct - Romancing SaGa 3

53:16 - Torneko's Mystery Dungeon

1:13:40 - Random Encounters

1:34:04 - The Tavern - Dragon Quest Monsters, Baroque, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition

1:47:23 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Fighting of the Spirit - [Tales of Phantasia]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Julian's Theme - [Romancing SaGa 3]

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Did someone say Withered World? That's State of Play, baby! This week, Victor and Nadia run through the highlights of this year's State of Play, including an array of JRPGs, one of which (Rhapsody in Scarlet) surrounds 1920's jazz-era NYC with a key missing ingredient; Crimson Desert DLC, Monsters, (both the Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, and Dragon Quest Withering World variety,); and Final Fantasy VII: Revelation!

Speaking of FF, Victor gives us the rundown on Final Fantasy Resonance.

Victor and Nadia also give their Nintendo Direct(s) (Zelda and vanilla) predictions- listen to see if their wishes came true.

Plus, Undertale in Concert, Victor breaking in his Switch 2, and so much more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• LEGO PS1

• Megaman X Command Mission

• .The. Blood of .. Dawnwalker

Timestamps:

12:11 - Main Topic - State of Play

42:58 - Random Encounters

1:02:57 - The Tavern

1:34:18 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Fighting of the Spirit - [Tales of Phantasia]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Dungeon Theme 0 - [Zelda II - The Adventure of Link (NES)]

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Don't hate The Player, hate the thing wherein you'll catch the conscience of the king.
Victor and Nadia are joined by the creative director of RPG developer Lovely Hellplace, James Wragg, to discuss the critically acclaimed Dread Delusion, AND the recently-released-into-early-access Entropy. It's a fantastic conversation that nearly reaches the 2-hour mark and dips into just about every topic you can imagine. So enjoy this perma-death-filled episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠
Topics Discussed:
- The inherent impressionism of early 3D
- How to push back against climate change
- The power of quoting Shakespeare
- Small number RPGs vs Bigger number RPGs and the importance of numbers
- Perma-death

Further Reading:

Lovely Hellplace - Lovely Hellzine on Patreon

Dread Delusion Lost In Cult EDITION

Hamlet on the Holodeck

Mordheim

Mork Borg

Game Studies Study Buddies

Timestamps:

9:50 - Main Topic - Entropy, Dread Delusion and more w/ James Wragg of Lovely Hellplace

31:28 - The "Player"

40:40 - Shakespeare

51:18 - Fixed camera angles and learning from Dread Delusion

1:02:36 - Resist the wubbification of eldritch horror

1:15:48 - RPG Math and Tabletop Inspirations

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Endless - [Dread Delusion]

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In the name of a bunch of depressed girls, I shall punish you!
Victor and Nadia are joined by Siliconera's Jenni Lada to discuss whether Blue Reflection Quartet is the ultimate compilation of the entire magical girl RPG saga or it could have studied harder. Plus, Jenni's time with The Duskbloods and so much more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Further Reading:

• Famitsu's Sakura Wars 30th Anniversary Survey

• Jenni's Review of Blue Reflection Quartet

• Driving Off the Map - A Formal Analysis of Metal Gear Solid 2

• Victor's Pocket Sakura Instruction Manual - Thread - Google Drive

Also in this episode:

• Hayden Panettiere's passing

• Final Fantasy XI's Unlimited Free Trial rolls out in September

• We try to remember which Castlevania Grimoire of Souls is

• Dread Delusion, Entropy

Timestamps:

13:01 - Main Topic - Blue Reflection Quartet Review

27:28 - Blue Reflection Ray

33:00 - Blue Reflection Sun

38:28 - Blue Reflection Second Light

16:16 - Random Encounters

1:11:28 - Tavern - The Duskbloods, Dissidia Duellum, Xenoblade 2, Umamusume, Dread Delusion, Entropy

1:36:06 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Fighting of the Spirit - [Tales of Phantasia]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Milk Coffee on a Rainy Afternoon - [Blue Reflection: Second Light]

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Our charity livestream in support of Trans Lifeline is THIS WEEKEND, August 15/16th from 10am PT to 10pm PT. Join us at twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and give to a great cause while we record live episodes, continue Kat's Nulocke run, and get up to all sorts of shenanigans.
It's a cavalcade of Random Encounters as VIctor and Nadia discuss the latest headlines from across the RPG sphere. Fan-translations, farming sims, and what niche RPGs you should keep on your radar. All that and so much more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• Jesse Vitelli's Sub-a-thon

• incube8 Games - Infinity

• gnosisonic on PixyGarden

• Kurt Kalata on PixyGarden

• Arthur Conan Doyle vs. Harry Houdini: A Friendship Ruined by Ghosts

• Yasushi Nirasawa

• The History of Chunsoft's Sound Novels - Bowl of Lentils

• The Story to Save a Couple of Lost Keitai Games - Yuvi

• The fine folks at Discotek

• Was the Digimon Movie unusually Canadian?

Timestamps:

12:27 - Restart Layoffs

16:16 - Fire Emblem Direct

17:38 - RPG Fusions - PachiPals, Marble Souls

25:52 - The Fan-Translation Round-Up!

27:32 - Ys III - Wanderers from Ys (PS2)

29:32 - PixyGarden

36:54 - Splatterworld

42:56 - London Spirit Detectives /

45:26 - Kamaitachi no Yoru

50:32 - Final Fantasy VII Dirge of Cerberus - Lost Episode

55:42 - Farming Sim Round-Up!

56:52 - Story of Season/Bokujo Monogatari/nee Harvest Moon 30th Anniversary - Rune Factory 20th Anniversary

1:02:38 - Fields of Mistria

1:11:28 - Tavern - Ball x Pit, Splatoon Raiders, Rhythm Heaven Groove, Hell Maiden, Tales of Phantasia OVA, Wizardry Variants Daphne

1:29:20 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Fighting of the Spirit - [Tales of Phantasia]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Crisis - [PixyGarden]

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It's finally here; your two-and-a-half-hour-long extra-special episode all about Final Fantasy and its intersection with the world of fashion.
From the billowing garments of Yoshitaka Amano to the workwear-inspired looks of Tetsuya Nomura to the dresspheres of Tetsu Tsukamoto to casual street fits of Miki Tamashita and as much in-between as we could fit in this episode.
I'm joined by THE Japanese street fashion guru Reggie Casual to pick his brain about the symbiotic relationship between fashion and Final Fantasy and the uniquely Japanese approach to style that makes it all possible. And my promise to you is that in an entire episode about Nomura we don't make a hack joke about zippers and belts because we're better than that.
Truly this is one of my favourite episodes I've ever done and if you enjoy it a fraction as much as I enjoyed making it it'll all be worth it. It's also available in video form with helpful visual aids over on our youtube channel! Check it out!
And check out Reggie's channel, The Casual, for more on the world of Japanese fashion, how to learn how to dress, and so much more.
Many thanks to Steven Poole for providing me with his article from the Spring/Summer 2012 issue of Arena Homme +

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• How to dress well without feeling like cosplay

• The importance of the Job System to fashion

• Dissidia Duellum and the art of Final Fantasy-bounding

• I promise we're not gatekeeping

• Why do the fits in FFXV look so good? The Tokugawa Shogunate!

Timestamps:

3:39 - Main Topic - Final Fantasy and Fashion

15:04 - How to Design a Character With Character?

27:00 - Final Fantasy X-2 and the Dressphere

36:46 - The World Ends With You; Bravery and Neighbourhoods

44:00 - How Have Things Changed? Styles Never Disappear

56:13 - Final Fantasy XV, Roen, and How To Become an FF Protagonist

1:16:12 - Dissidia Duellum: Digital Bodies in Physical Space

1:28:04 - The Double-Edged Sword of Accessibility

1:41:16 - His Name is Clive

1:51:52 - The Character Creator

2:06:12 - Floppy Cosplay and The Tokugawa Shogunate

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Yuna's Theme - [Final Fantasy X-2]

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Look what time it is; Letter.
We're answering burning questions to distract us from the heat of the Summer. Like when you really hurt yourself so you hurt another part of you but a little less to distract yourself. I had dental surgery earlier this week so I'm thinking about pain a lot.
But what isn't a pain is this episode! Nadia, Eric, and Victor reach into the mailbag to discuss some origin stories, when sokoban is welcome, and whether your daughters should be playing Disco Elysium. It's probably fine! All this and more on this sweltering episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• The Smashler

• Kingdom Hearts Missing Link movie leaked

• Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest

• Congratulations to Disgaea Mayhem

• The Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition Game

• Lost Chronicle, Dragon Slayer

Timestamps:

13:18 - Main Topic - Mailbag

13:18 - What Games Got You Into RPGs?

25:20 - Puzzles in Dungeons

37:16 - Final Fantasy XII?

38:12 - Saturn RPGs

39:42 - The Next Draft

39:50 - Pantheon Tease

41:54 - Non-Violent RPGs
- Citizen Sleeper, Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons/Stardew Valley, Atelier Marie, Moon, Stray Children, Va-11 HALL-A, Recettear, Potionomics, Coffee Talk, Necrobarista, Battle Chef Brigade, Battle Suit Aces, Steamworld, Tokimeki Memorial, Umamusume, Volcano Princess, Princess Maker, Little Goody Two-Shoes, Thirsty Suitors, Pro Spirits Baseball, GBC/GBA Mario Golf/Mario Tennis, Golf Story, Racing Lagoon

56:32 - RPGs With Other Mechanics
- YIIK, Shadow Hearts, Dark Cloud, Suikoden II, Racing Lagoon, Front Mission, Xenosaga, Dragon Quest Builders 2, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis

1:05:40 - RPG Adaptations

1:11:40 - Random Encounters

1:23:00 - Tavern - Eric's Avatar Thoughts

1:44:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Friendly Conversation - [Va-11 HALL-A]

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MILFMG t-shirts probably not coming to an Axe of the Blood God merch store near you.
Summertime. A few things to note; the living is easy and the fish are jumping.
So let's select one-of-three or -four gameplay mechanics to turn those fish into a mini-game opportunity!
Nadia, Eric, and Victor discuss what makes a good fishing mini-game, what kinds of fishing mini-games there even are, and when does a fishing mini-game become a fishing maxi-game?
All that and so much more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• The Mermaid Mask

• Glory of Heracles II

• Final Fantasy X's 25th Birthday

Timestamps:

12:42 - Main Topic - The Best RPG Fishing Mini-Games

27:20 - Stardew Valley

30:56 - Rune Factory 4

35:00 - Final Fantasy XIV

44:20 - Breath of Fire III

48:53 - Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

55:28 - Final Fantasy XV

1:05:48 - Lightning Round:
- Tales of Arise
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- The LEgend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
- The LEgend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
- Trails of Cold Steel
- Harvest Moon 2 / Legend of the River King 2
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Boku no Natsuyasumi
- Natsu-Mon
- Romancing SaGa 2

1:19:06 - Random Encounters

1:34:00 - Tavern - The Mermaid's Mask,

1:44:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Even the Sun's Happy - [Breath of Fire III]

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"It was the best of times and everyone was like, 'this rules'" or however the book goes.
This week, Eric, Nadia, Victor, and special guest Kevin Bunch are reflecting on what the best years for RPGs were, with the rules surrounding that discussion evolving in real time. Is it something in the late 90s for the sheer quantity of interesting, experimental RPGs, is the year Persona 5 single-handedly invented jazz and made JRPGs good again, or is it 1994 for being the year Final Fantasy VI came out. All this and so, so much more on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod⁠ and get merch at ⁠https://shop.bloodgodpod.com⁠

Also in this episode:

• Games Done Quick Appreciation

• Star Fox

• Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis closes but drops Before Crisis story

• Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Story in English

Timestamps:

11:18 - Main Topic - Best Year For RPGs

1:11:44 - Random Encounters

1:20:36 - Tavern - Eric's GDQ Adventure,

1:41:36 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

Axe of the Blood God Theme - [Lena Raine]

Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]

Pub - [Lunar Knights]

A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]

Hammerhead - [Final Fantasy XV]

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