The Switch 2 is here!

Well, it's THERE. Somewhere. But now we know that when it gets HERE it will look like that! And sometimes that's all you can ask for in this crazy world.

Join Kat, Nadia, Eric, and Good Vibe's Gaming's Jon Cartwright as they discuss everything we know and everything we DON'T know about Nintendo's new console.

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Remembering David Lynch's monumental influence on gaming
• The dark side of Mario Paint
• Kat's Final Fantasy XIV Progress report!

Timestamps:

• 04:16 - Main Topic - SWITCH 2 REVEALED
• 59:44 - Random Encounters
• 1:36:32 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Audrey's Dance - [Twin Peaks]

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If everything is an RPG then nothing is an RPG.

Nadia, Eric, and special guest Reb Valentine are here to discuss the RPG-ification of games over the past decade and change; what does it mean to adopt RPG-like mechanics? When are systems metaphor for player action and when are they a means to pad out a progression loop for commercial value? Are either of those things better than the other? All this philosophy and more, Horatio, on this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Harvest Moon Memories
• Our holiday gaming sessions
• BIG GAMES COMING TO SWITCH 2
• Nine Sols
• What's wrong with game awards categories
• Final Fantasy XII is a really good video game
• Snakes & Ladders

Timestamps:

• 05:50 - Main Topic - Why Is Every Game An RPG Now?
• 1:03:32 - Random Encounters
• 1:08:04 - The Tavern
• 1:45:20 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• Pub - [Boktai DS]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Lilycove City - [Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire]

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It's a new year, and that means a whole lot more RPGs are on the way to ruin our backlogs and occupy our time. Kat, Nadia, and Eric gather together to talk about all the big hits you should look out for, as well as:

• What's Nintendo going to do in 2025?
• Who drew Persian like that?
• The Blood God buys the super-expensive Terra statue?

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

01:50 - The 2025 RPG Preview

Music used in this episode:

• The AOTBG Intro Theme
• Sophisticated Fight [The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky]

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The Blood God hosts are taking a quick holiday break so as a treat we're pulling a classic episode of Pantheon of the Blood God out from behind the paywall!

Listen to this deep-dive into Dragon Quest Builders 2 and if you like what you hear subscribe at the $10 tier to access the entire back catalogue of Pantheon of the Blood God. Or better yet, give the gift of the Blood God this holiday season with Patreon's new subscription gifting feature.

Regular episodes will be back soon but until then enjoy this classic:

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is an action RPG that's literally about building yourself up from scratch. You cook the food that sustains you. You build the forges that fire your swords. Heck, you want to sleep in an Inn? Build it yourself, lazybones. And when you do, it just feels so good.

Minecraft's blood runs thick through Dragon Quest Builders 2, but Square Enix's game adds so much more to Mojang's classic block-building phenomenon. At least that's what Nadia says. But is it Pantheon worthy? That's what Eric and Nadia are here to discuss alongside two very prominent Builders with beautiful voices: Jon Cartwright and Brandon Jones! 

Topics of Discussion:

• The joys of building affronts to God
• Malroth Rulez #1
• Are these Bri'ish accents actually any good?
• Eric builds one big toilet for his villagers and forces them all to go at the same time
• Tom Nook blows goats, I have proof.

Music Used in Episode:

• The Dragon Quest Theme (Dragon Quest Builders 2)
• Cave Theme (Dragon Quest Builders 2)
• Bustling City (Dragon Quest Builders 2)
• Gateway (Mega Man X8)
• Village Theme: Khrumble Dun (Dragon Quest Builders 2)

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The appointed time is upon us. You've waited all year to hear the Axe of the Blood God's best RPG picks for 2024 (er, right?) and we're ready to dish. Nadia, Kat, and Eric hash out the winners in this extra thicc episode. Several categories are up for discussion beyond "Best RPG of 2024," such as this year's best character performance, this year's best visuals, and, uh, this year's best "freaky little guy." To listen is to understand, so shove this episode into your ear-holes, and we'll see you in 2025. Thanks for your continued support!

Also in this episode

• 2024's biggest RPG news stories
• Our holiday plans (spoilers, we're all putting down roots for two weeks) 
• TEETH TEETH TEETH
• Jingle Bells, Santa smells [like sulphur] 

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Intro  
• 05:10 - RPG Awards
• 1:36:42 - Random Encounters
• 1:38:27 - The Tavern
• 1:56:50 - Nostalgia Pit

Music used in this episode

• Don't Cry, Baby [Ragnarok Online]
• Jenova Lifeclinger [Final Fantasy VII Rebirth]
• Game Opening [Metaphor]
• Heismay's Awakening [Metaphor]
• Faring in the Ocean [Steamworld Heist 2]
• No Promises to Keep [Final Fantasy VII Rebirth]
• Warriors of Valor [Metaphor]
• The Promised Consort [Shadow of the Erdtree]
• Brush Your Teeth [Raffi]
• Campanella Stage 1 [UFO 50]
• Adventure [Dragon Quest III 2DHD]
• Mass Destruction [Persona 3 Reload]
• Hero's Awakening [Metaphor]
• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• Patty's Pub [Dragon Quest IX]
• Ding Fries are Done [Peter Griffin]
• Welcome, My Lord [Ragnarok Online]

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It is done. Geoff Keighley descended from Gamer Mountain with the results of 2024's Game Awards scrawled onto two stone tablets. (Brought to you by Mountain Dew.) Kat, Eric, and Nadia understandably have opinions about the games that were snubbed, and the games that received recognition. How about you? Do you agree with Geoff's decrees? Are you with us? Or against us? Listen to this episode and use your heart to decide. And make sure to have a hard think about overlooked gems this year while we talk about our own "hidden" favourites.

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and Discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode

• Intergalactic planetary, planetary Intergalactic
• Give Steam World Heist 2 its due
• Siri has opinions about Witcher 4's Ciri
• Eric's cat has opinions about everything
• Sweet Valley Twins fans rise up

Time stamps

• 00:00 - Intro
• 08:30 - Main topic: The 2024 Game Awards
• 47:21 - Random Encounters
• 52:27 - The Tavern: Overlooked RPG Gems for 2024
• 1:19:52 - The Nostalgia Nook

Music used in this episode

• Battle Theme [Metaphor: Refantazio]
• Do Your Best! [Breath of Fire III]
• It's a Sin [Pet Shop Boys]
• Paddy's Pub [Dragon Quest IX]
• A Curious Tale [Secret of Mana]
• Faring in the Ocean [Steam Powered Giraffe]

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Pour yourself a delicious bowl of proprietary memory cards and fire up an unskippable cutscene; we're talking all about what 30 years of Playstation has meant for RPGs!

Are we in a better timeline than the one where Square stuck with Nintendo? Find out on this week's episode!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Pokemon TCG Pocket Update!
• What's happening with Elden Ring 2?
• Path of Exile 2
• Fantasian: Neo Dimension is here!

Timestamps:

• 01:44 - Main Topic - How Playstation Shaped RPG History
• 54:08 - Random Encounters
• 1:01:16 - The Tavern
• 1:28:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• Pub - [Boktai DS]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• A Good Beating - [Fantasian]

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The Blood God hosts are taking a quick holiday break so as a treat we're pulling a classic episode of Pantheon of the Blood God out from behind the paywall!

Listen to this deep-dive into Lunar: Silver Star Story and if you like what you hear subscribe at the $10 tier to access the entire back catalogue of Pantheon of the Blood God. Or better yet, give the gift of the Blood God this holiday season with Patreon's new subscription gifting feature.

Regular episodes will be back soon, including our year-end lists, but until then enjoy this classic:

For the March 2023 edition of the Pantheon of the Blood God, Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by Anthony John Agnello and Aidan Moher for Lunar: The Silver Star Story! Their increasingly unhinged conversation covers the following:

• The story of Working Designs
• Luna's Boat Song
• SHADOW MADNESS
• And much, much more!

Then the verdict: Is Lunar: Silver Star Story worthy of the Pantheon of the Blood God? Listen in and find out!

As always, a huge thanks to our $10 and up Patrons for all your support! Every month we pick a new RPG for Pantheon contention, which is voted on by the Blood God community at large. Next up: Super Mario RPG! Join the Discord to discuss the episode, and to follow our Monthly Game Club discussions!

Time Stamps

00:00 - Introduction

05:00 - Hosts' history with the Lunar series

24:20 - Lunar's development history

57:29 - Critical reception

1:16:20 - Does Lunar deserve to be in the Pantheon?

1:43:20 - The Verdict

1:56:00 - Outro

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I hope you don't mind missables because there's no perfect route through this episode; it's time for Romancing SaGa!

Kat, Nadia, and Eric are enlightened by special guest Lucas White's SaGa knowledge as they discuss both of this year's SaGa entries: Emerald Beyond and Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Who got snubbed in the Keighleys?
• Is Sony going to ruin anime forever?
• What is Obsidian cooking with Avowed?
• Final Fantasy XIV Update!

Timestamps:

• 07:44 - Main Topic - Romancing SaGa Primer
• 41:22 - Random Encounters
• 45:24 - The Tavern
• 1:28:24 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• Pub - [Boktai DS]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Battle - [Romancing SaGa 2]

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As Canadian kid's game show "UH-OH" character Punisher once said; IT'S SLIME TIME.

Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Cam Hawkins discuss the newest DQ from SE. Is the HD-2D remake of Famicom classic Dragon Quest III the definitive version? Is it a good jumping off point for new players of the series? Did you know it's actually Dragon Quest VI in Japan?

All this and more in this episode of Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Pokemon TCG Pocket update!
• A whole lotta Falcom talk for the Ys and Trails/Kiseki-heads
• Eric's Dragon Age: The Veilguard update
• Nadia teaches us how to swear
• Victor finally picks a theme song for The Tavern

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Main Topic - Dragon Quest III HD-2D
• 37:22 - Random Encounters
• 47:04 - The Tavern
• 1:35:44 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• Pub - [Boktai DS]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Village - [Dragon Quest III]

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Hey, it's a bit bonkers out there! Why not retreat for a moment into the human race's oldest form of escapism; video games!

Games like Stardew Valley are no-brainers but you may be surprised what kinds of games our panel takes comfort in when it feels like the world is burning down around them. All this and more on this week's Axe of the Blood God!

Tune in to live recordings of the show every Saturday morning at https://www.twitch.tv/bloodgodpod and subscribe for bonus episodes and discord access at https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Also in this episode:

• Mario and Luigi: Brothership
• Mass Effect! Now for TV!
• Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket
• Star Trek beef
• Kat's Persona 3 update!

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Main Topic - Cozy RPGs
• 44:40 - Random Encounters
• 1:01:36 - The Tavern
• 1:35:44 - Nadia's Nostalgia Nook

Music Used in this Episode:

• Do Your Best - [Breath of Fire III]
• A Curious Tale - [Secret of Mana]
• Town Theme - [Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town]

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