Explore every episode of the podcast Fine Time

Devil May Cry has been an institution for what is now decades, and the original is the zeitgeist of what is now known as the character action game. Andre is joined by Matt of the "Fun" and Games Podcast to talk about their memories and give a overarching view of the PlayStation 2 trilogy of DMC: the good, the bad, and the badass!

Find all of Matt's various projects at https://djstormageddon.com/

Matt on Bluesky: @djstormageddon.com

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[01:35] Matt and Their Projects

[06:25] Our Beginnings As Capcom Fans and DMC Fans

[16:03] Our Tastes In The Early 2000s

[22:42] Dante

[29:32] The New Standard In Action

[33:51] Devil May Cry

[57:30] Devil May Cry 2

[01:17:19] Devil May Cry 3

[01:38:08] Would Hideki Kamiya Come Back to DMC?

[01:42:30] Bye!

Andre is joined by Thrak again to polish off the BioShock trilogy with the final entry, BioShock Infinite. A source of controversy upon its release, but has time changed its message? We dive into the characters, events, and the depictions of racism presented to us in this wile ride. Thanks for listening!

This episode contains discussion of racial slurs that were said and not said in the dialogue. Don't say we didn't warn you!

This is part of a three-part series covering the BioShock trilogy. If you haven't heard the first two parts yet, you can hear our discussion on BioShock here, and our discussion on BioShock 2 here.

Hear Thrak on The 3DO Experience right here

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

[00:00] Spoiler Warning and Content Warning

[01:43] Intro and Production History

[06:22] Overall Thoughts and What We Knew Beforehand

[12:18] Beginning and Early Moments

[27:22] The Common Gamer's Perspective

[31:52] Action, Gunplay, and Level Design

[39:54] More Racism!

[49:48] Elizabeth

[54:13] Even More Racism!

[01:06:51] The Racism Exhibit

[01:10:50] The Resistance

[01:23:34] Later Moments and Overall Thoughts

[01:32:59] Ending

[01:42:47] Burial At Sea DLC

[01:52:39] Bye!

We go deep on Avowed, talk briefly about the Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Closed Network Test, and have ourselves a round of JAV Titles: Real Or Fake. That's it, thats the whole show. Thanks for listening!

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[07:02] Avowed: Pre-Release Thoughts

[19:18] Avowed: Our Characters and Classes

[29:44] Avowed: Combat

[39:03] Avowed: World, Art, and Architecture

[52:44] Avowed: Items and Systems

[01:05:50] Avowed: "Quality of Life", Or No Fun Allowed?

[01:18:13] Avowed: Lore and Worldbuilding

[01:23:40] Avowed: Decisions We Made (Spoiler-Free!)

[01:27:16] Avowed: Random Tidbits and Wrap-Up

[01:37:52] Shower Time

[01:39:34] Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Closed Network Test

[01:50:28] JAV Titles: Real Or Fake?

[01:57:00] Bye!

In the second leg of their BioShock journey, Andre and Thrak are confronted with a familiar yet interesting sequel. Does BioShock 2 differentiate itself enough from the shadow of the original to carve its own path, or is it damned by its previous success?

If you haven't heard part one of this sereis where we discussed BioShock, you can hear that right here.

Hear Thrak on The 3DO Experience right here

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro and Production History

[05:55] Why Don't We Do Asset Reuse Like We Used To?

[12:06] Premise and Story

[18:02] Characters

[24:15] Gameplay Refinements and Backsteps

[31:05] Effects of Game Length

[35:54] Truncated Gameplay Aspects

[40:27] Minerva's Den DLC

[47:50] Tidbits and Ending(s)

[50:23] See Ya Next Time!

Romancing SaGa 2, Magic: The Gathering, State of Play, and we admit to our personal failings as human beings. What could better than that?! Come and join the party!

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[04:36] Andre played Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

[23:25] Steve played Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland DX

[34:24] Kevin played 1-2 Switch

[42:32] Kevin is back into Magic: The Gathering!

[51:10] First Shower

[53:39] State of Play - February 2025

[01:27:16] Second Shower

[01:29:48] 'Fuck, I Was Wrong' Introduction

[01:30:44] Kevin was wrong about Xbox's success this generation

[01:44:59] Andre was wrong about Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

[01:52:31] Steve was wrong about playing games on PC

[01:57:55] See Ya!

Did you know there could be first-time BioShock players in the year of our lord 2025? Andre is joined by Thrak to discuss why they waited so long to play BioShock, then they dive into all the sights, happenings, and strife in the world of Rapture. This is part of a three-part series covering the whole BioShock trilogy, so enjoy this first episode on the original!

Hear Thrak on The 3DO Experience right here

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

[00:00] Spoiler Warning and Intro

[02:28] What is BioShock?

[05:23] Why Didn't We Play BioShock Before?

[11:42] Expectations Based On Critical Praise

[15:31] Is BioShock An Immersive Sim?

[21:07] Game Design Philosophies

[26:12] Cutscenes vs. Scripted Events

[32:15] World Aesthetic and Lore

[42:23] Gameplay Systems and Weapons

[52:13] Graphics, Environments, Characters

[01:01:08] Atlas, Andrew Ryan, and Politics

[01:20:14] Criticisms and Endings

[01:31:38] Conclusions

[01:35:09] Bye!

Dynasty Warriors Origins, Switch 2 musings, Toy Story's impact on animation, a Switch sales quiz, and plenty more awaits you in our latest Big Deal. Come one, come all!

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[03:05] Andre loves Dynasty Warriors Origins

[21:48] Steve played Ninja Five-O

[32:39] Power Shower

[34:47] TASTE TEST: Switch Cartridges

[43:22] Reasonable and Shitty Switch 2 Takes

[01:03:55] They Made Bluepoint Work On WHAT?

[01:08:52] Are 2D Graphics In Fighters Dead Forever?

[01:12:44] Smoke Break

[01:13:44] Toy Story and the Rise of New Animation

[01:22:15] What Sold More? Switch Edition

[01:37:10] See Ya!

Overwatch was a staple in many gamer's diets for several years, until we all one by one kicked the habit. But why did we all fall off of this game we once loved so much, and does Marvel Rivals fill that void in our hearts? Andre is join by Kiefer of Select and Start to answer these questions and many more.

Listen to Kiefer's podcast Select and Start right here.

Kiefer on Bluesky: @dannyvegito.bsky.social

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

[00:00] Introduction and Premise

[05:09] Overwatch

[01:04:07] Marvel Rivals

[01:52:51] Bye!

We talk Astro Bot, the Okami sequel and other Game Awards announcents, pick our 2024 Games of the Year and more in this first Big Deal epsiode of 2025. Thanks for being here! 

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] RATE AND REVIEW US

[01:09] Welcome To 2025

[06:50] Kevin and Andre played Astro Bot

[43:15] Shower Time (Not Approved By HR)

[45:15] TASTE TEST: Shaq-a-Licious XL Gummies

[54:24] Okami sequel?? Directed by Hideki Kamiya?!

[01:00:54] Game Awards Announcements Recap

[01:13:37] Our 2024 Games of the Year

[01:35:33] Place Your Bets!

[01:46:20] Catch Ya Later!

Andre and Evan are back with another dose of pop hits from the past! But are they remembered they way they should be? We evaluate the hits of Weezer, Collective Soul, Michael Bolton, Sublime, and more on this new installment of Overrated, Underrated, Or Properly Rated.

Spotify Playlist: https://spoti.fi/4j5iT15

Tidal Playlist: https://bit.ly/3W7ExZ4

Fine Time on Bluesky: @fineti.me

[00:00] Intro and Premise

[03:04] Collective Soul - "December"

[06:36] Michael Bolton - "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?"

[12:43] The Divinyls - "I Touch Myself"

[19:57] Kendrick Lamar - "Not Like Us"

[29:12] Hikaru Utada - "Simple and Clean"

[38:07] Van Halen - "Panama"

[44:50] R.E.M. - "The One I Love"

[50:24] Weezer - "The Good Life"

[56:22] George Thorogood and the Destroyers - "Bad To the Bone"

[58:42] Sublime - "What I Got"

[01:01:31] Ol' Dirty Bastard feat. Kelis - "Got Your Money"

[01:03:58] Bye!

On our final episode of Cinematic Platformer Paradise, Andre and Steve take a trip to the PlayStation era and play one of the last games of its kind, Heart of Darkness. Does this late-era cinematic platformer impress, or is it a dud? Listen and find out!

Fine Time on Instagram: @finetimepodcast

Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

We've reached the point of our Cinematic Platformer Paradise journey where we've finally arrived at Blackthorne, the Super Nintendo action-adventure classic. Did Blizzard learn from the cinematic platformer sins of the past? Spoiler alert: Yes they did! Andre and Steve dig into this stone-cold classic, right now on Fine Time. Thanks for listening!

Fine Time on Instagram: @finetimepodcast

Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

After their original plans for a Flashback sequel got cancelled, they started over again in the third dimension, bringing us the early PlayStation hit Fade To Black. Does this wild sci-fi universe survive the polygon treatment? Hell, is this even a cinematic platformer at all?! Andre and Steve find out in the latest installment of Cinematic Platformer Paradise.

Fine Time on Instagram: @finetimepodcast

Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

When people think of cinematic platformers, the first one they likely think of is Flashback. And with good reason! Not only is it an incredible technical achievement, it features the crystalized vision of what was cyberpunk in the 1990s. But as we all know, ambition can often lead a video game astray. Does Flashback manage to stay on track? Andre and Steve find out in the latest in their continuing Cinematic Platformer Paradise series.

Fine Time on Instagram: @finetimepodcast

Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Another World is a absolute titan of the cinematic platformer genre, and it was an incredible technical achivement on every platform it released on. But can its gameplay match its audiovisual splendor? Is its status as a classic deserved? Was Heart of the Alien forgotten for a reason? Find out this week on Cinematic Platformer Paradise. Face it, you're warped!

Fine Time on Instagram: @finetimepodcast

Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Another World

[24:31] Heart of the Alien

Andre and Steve continue their cinematic platformer journey to Shadow of the Beast, the 1989 classic for Amiga. But is it really a classic, or is it just pretty? Find out in this bite-sized holiday episode!

Follow Fine Time on Instagram: @finetimepodcast

Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve on Bluesky: @monotonegent.fineti.me

At the dawn of the 90s, the cinematic platformer was seen as the future. While it never did become the future, the games in this highly influential subgenre are still felt today, and the technology used to makes them still impresses. In this first of seven epsiodes in this miniseries, Andre and Steve dive into the one that started it all, Prince of Persia.

Follow Fine Time on Instagram: @finetimepodcast

Bluesky: @fineti.me

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve on Bluesky: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Andre is joined by Dave from Tales From the Backlog to talk about the recent life and times of the Final Fantasy series, including FF15, FF16, the FF7 Remake series, and other things along the way such as Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin and Pixel Remaster.

Listen to Dave's podcast, Tales From the Backlog right here.

Dave on Bluesky: @tftblpod.bsky.social

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

[00:00] Final Fantasy XV Spoiler Warning

[01:08] Intro + Our Final Fantasy Experiences

[10:09] Final Fantasy XV

[30:49] Final Fantasy VII Remake + Rebirth

[47:59] Final Fantasy XVI

[01:03:48] Odds and Ends

[01:24:31] Thanks For Listening!

We played Beyond Shadowgate, Resident Evil Village, Meteos and the new mobile Pokemon TCG. Then we talked about Nintendo's grip of annoucnemnt and our favorite comfort games. Thanks for being such great listeners!

Instagram: @finetimepodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Public Penis Announcement

[05:12] Andre played Beyond Shadowgate

[20:24] Kevin played Meteos

[36:48] Kevin and Steve played Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket

[48:27] Steve played Resident Evil Village

[57:54] SHOWER TIME

[59:05] Taste Test: Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry

[01:02:30] Nintendo, What Is You Doin Baby?! Pt. 2

[01:14:24] Our Favorite Comfort Games

[01:42:26] JAV Title or Frog & Toad?

[01:49:55] Thank You For Listening

Konami's landmark survival horror sequel Silent Hill 2 is a game beloved by many, but can it survive the remake treatment? Andre and Patrick find out the answer as they explore the sights, sounds, and scares of this PS5 remake and take a trip deep into the frayed mind of James Sunderland.

Beware, full spoilers ahead!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

[00:00] Spoiler Warning and Intro

[04:48] The Lead Up To Release

[20:17] Graphics and Presentation

[33:23] Puzzles

[40:53] Characters and Story

[51:40] New or Not New?

[57:00] Combat and Monster Design

[01:08:55] Criticisms

[01:17:27] Endings

[01:27:47] Conclusions and Outro

All three of us played an assortment of spoopy games and we talked about them, including Luigi's Mansion 2, Bayonetta Origins, and Pools. Then we talked about Masahiro Sakurai's YouTube channel coming to an end, The Addams Family menu at Burger King, a candy quiz game, and so much more on this week's Big Deal. Enjoy!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[03:12] Kevin played Luigi's Mansion 2

[16:30] Kevin bought some Nintendo trinkets

[22:48] Steve played Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

[34:03] Andre played a trio of spooky liminal games (Exit 8, Platform 8, Pools)

[47:43] Break Time!

[49:01] Sakurai's Series Finale

[55:49] Bandai Namco's Expulsion Rooms

[01:01:11] Addams Family Burger King Menu

[01:15:17] Reactions To Celebrity Deaths

[01:24:51] Name The Things: Candy Edition

[01:34:12] Bye!

The first brand-new Mana game in many years came to us last month, but was it any good? Andre and Vin are here to break down Visions of Mana, including characters, evironments, story elements, battles, and everything else. Is this the first good Mana game since the 90s? Listen and find out!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Vin: @lucentai.bsky.social and twitch.tv/lucentai

[00:00] Intro - Expectations of Mana

[05:21] Premise of Mana

[09:52] Graphics, Art, and Presentation of Mana

[15:54] Towns, Dungeons, and Exploration of Mana

[26:42] Characterization of Mana

[37:25] Break of Mana

[39:00] Equipment, Classes, and Magic of Mana

[48:49] Battles of Mana

[56:35] Bosses of Mana

[01:03:57] Pacing of Mana

[01:07:47] Music of Mana

[01:11:42] Tidbits And Conclusion of Mana

[01:19:38] Spoiler Wall of Mana

[01:20:31] Spoilers of Mana

[01:43:02] ~FIN~

We thoroughly discuss The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Nintendo announces a clock for some reason, and a fresh round of Place Your Bets, a PS1 best-sellers guessing game, and tons more on this week's Big Deal! Like us, rate us, review us!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[01:54] The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

[40:30] Shower Time!

[42:55] Steve Tried the Krabby Patty Kollab Meal at Wendy's

[50:44] What The Hell Is Nintendo Doing?!

[59:17] Pouring One Out for The Simpsons: Tapped Out

[01:03:07] Davide Soliani starts a new studio

[01:09:41] Place Your Bets!

[01:20:09] Name Stuff That's On The Board: PS1 Best-Sellers

[01:30:32] See Ya!

Andre became enamored with the indie sensation UFO 50, so he felt compelled to give each and every game a mini-review in one breezy episode. How's that sound? Enjoy!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro - What Is UFO 50?

[03:36] 01. Barbuta

[04:21] 02. Bug Hunter

[05:11] 03. Ninpek

[06:11] 04 Paint Chase

[07:18] 05. Magic Garden

[08:01] 06. Mortol

[08:55] 07. Velgress

[09:52] 08. Planet Zoldath

[10:39] 09. Attactics

[11:30] 10. Devilition

[12:14] Break Time: Music

[13:09] 11. Kick Club

[13:55] 12. Avianos

[14:41] 13. Mooncat

[15:20] 14. Bushido Ball

[16:08] 15. Block Koala

[17:04] 16. Camouflage

[17:47] 17. Campanella

[18:44] 18. Golfaria

[19:24] The Big Bell Race

[20:10] 20. Warptank

[20:59] Break Time: Inspiration and Originality

[22:07] 22. Waldorf's Journey

[22:54] 22. Porgy

[23:54] 23. Onion Delivery

[24:37] 24. Caramel Caramel

[25:24] 25. Party House

[25:58] 26. Hot Foot

[26:31] 27. Divers

[27:24] 28. Rail Heist

[28:17] 29. Vainger

[29:13] 30: Rock On! Island

[29:47] Break Time: Unification In Concept

[30:54] 31. Pingolf

[32:06] Mortol II

[32:49] 33. Fist Hell

[33:22] 34. Overbold

[34:07] 35. Campanella 2

[35:13] 36. Hyper Contender

[35:55] 37. Valbrace

[36:44] 38. Rakshasa

[37:42] 39. Star Waspir

[38:46] 40. Grimstone

[39:42] Break Time: Let Me Clear My Throat

[42:08] 41. Lords of Diskonia

[43:05] 42. Night Manor

[43:53] 43. Elfazar's Hat

[44:35] 44. Pilot Quest

[45:28] 45. Mini & Max

[46:29] 46. Combatants

[47:05] 47. Quibble Race

[48:03] 48. Seaside Drive

[49:33] 49. Campanella 3

[50:24] 50. Cyber Owls

[51:22] We Did it! Bye!

We played The Plucky Squire, watched the latest State of Play, took bets on Switch 2's release date, and dove deeper into Emio -- The Smiling Man and more on this week's Big Deal. Rate and review us!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[01:47] The Plucky Squire

[41:33] Shower Time!

[42:25] Oreo Coke Taste Test

[48:10] Is Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Back?!

[52:24] State of Play - September 2024

[01:10:28] When Will Switch 2 Come Out? (Place Your Bets)

[01:14:06] Spoiler Warning!

[01:15:08] SPOILER HOURS: Emio -- The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

[01:34:52] See Ya!

Andre and Steve are back with another round of pint-sized reviews of games availble on Nintendo Switch Online! They tackle Devil World, Snake Rattle 'n' Roll, Super R-Type and more in this latest installment.

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve on Bluesky: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[03:43] Devil World

[11:20] Journey To Silius

[19:04] Snake Rattle 'n' Roll

[25:24] Battletoads In Battlemaniacs

[34:14] Super R-Type

[46:04] Wrecking Crew '98

[55:38] Until Next Time!

Kevin's back and he's roasting our pizza opinions! Hey, this is a video game show, right? So we talk about Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Concord going kaput, PS5 Pro, and a fun GameCube quiz game! Thanks for listening!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro - Kevin Roasts Our Pizza Opinions

[04:32] Steve and Andre played Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

[30:31] Kevin played Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

[44:38] Break Time

[46:58] Godspeed, Concord

[57:33] Phil Spencer Passed On Xbox Exclusivity For Guitar Hero and Destiny

[01:01:10] PlayStation 5 Pro Announced

[01:19:00] Shower Time

[01:20:42] Highly Illegal Betting!!

[01:22:56] Fake-Ass Family Feud: Top 15 Best-Selling GameCube Games

[01:35:37] See Ya!

Andre is joined by Aaron from SuperPod Saga to celebrate the life and times of the Dreamcast classic, the GameArts masterpiece, their favorite RPG ever, Grandia 2. You're gonna have to do better than that to beat us!

Fine Time on Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

SuperPod Saga on Twitter: @SuperPodSaga

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Check out all the shows on SuperPod Network at superpodnetwork.com!

[00:00] Intro & SuperPod Network

[07:53] Release, Reception and Legacy

[22:23] Graphics and Presentation

[40:43] Characters, Dialogue, and Voice Acting

[58:21] Plot Oddities and Linearity

[01:06:56] Battle System and Dungeons

[01:25:13] Music

[01:38:04] Random Bits, Criticisms, and Conclusions

[01:50:00] See Ya!

Andre tries out the new ports of Doom and Doom II, Steve plays another Atelier game, and then we dive into the presentations over the last week including Gamescom and the Nintendo Indie World + Partner Direct combo platter! Hope you're hungry, because we got the meat! Thanks for listening!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[02:38] Andre played the new ports of Doom + Doom II

[18:20] Steve played Atelier Totori

[29:22] Steve Ruins Shower Break!!! SMH

[30:45] Goodbye, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp

[34:42] Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024

[01:06:02] Break Time!

[01:06:43] Nintendo Indie World

[01:12:15] Nintendo Partner Direct

[01:34:34] See Ya!

One more time, welcome back to the Namco Museum Tour! This time Andre and Vin visit the final PlayStation museum with Vol. 5, then a wrap-up discussion including why the museum concept went away and what a Namco Museum could look like today. Also, they rank all five volumes! Thanks for taking this journey with us.

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Vin: @lucentai.bsky.social

If you missed Part 1, you can listen here!

And if you missed Part 2, you can listen right here!

[00:00] Again Hello!

[01:11] Welcome To Namco Museum Vol. 5! (Dragon Spirit, The Legend of Valkyrie, Metro-Cross, Baraduke, Pac-Mania)

[02:18] Vol. 5: CGI Intro and Loading Animation

[05:28] Vol. 5: Museum Layout and Game Rooms

[20:34] Vol. 5: Cool Stuff To Look At

[24:44] Vol. 5: The Games

[32:16] Vol. 5: The Legend of Valkyrie

[45:19] Question and Break Time

[47:51] Namco Museum Closing Thoughts

[01:20:07] Ranking The Volumes

[01:28:07] Thanks For Joining Us!

After a chat about SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos, we're joined by Brian Riggsbee to talk about his upcoming book 'Video Game Maps: SNES Vol. 1', and then we dive into all your Summer Mailbag questions! Thanks for listening!

Check out Brian Riggsbee's books at Retro Game Books!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[02:01] SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos

[30:22] Brian Riggsbee on Video Game Maps: SNES Vol. 1 and Retro Game Books

[52:32] Welcome To Our Summer Mailbag!

[55:07] What restaurant menu item would we make based on a game?

[57:46] Do we have a yearly playthrough game?

[59:41] Most wanted anime adaption to a game?

[01:02:26] Which small developer do we want to see go mainstream?

[01:07:15] All About Pizza!

[01:13:25] Is Nintendo keeping Christmas releases alive?

[01:15:05] What franchise would we reboot?

[01:16:42] Is the Nintendo 64 a bottom-tier console?

[01:19:08] Saturn, Jaguar, or 3DO game(s) we missed out on?

[01:23:23] LIGHTING ROUND!!!

[01:29:09] What series from the 8 or 16-bit era would we revive?

[01:31:39] What superpower would we gain at the cost of one of our senses?

[01:33:28] Next video game crossover?

[01:36:12] Most wanted development hell game?

[01:37:32] What current food/brand/mascot would make the most shameless video game?

[01:40:39] Video game capital of the world?!

[01:41:48] What five-year plan would you make for Sega?

[01:47:16] Bye!

Welcome back to the Namco Museum Tour! In this second installment of this three-part series, Andre and Vin visit Vol. 3 and Vol. 4 of this classic PlayStation compilation series. Enjoy the sights, sounds and wonders of the museum along with us!

If you missed Part 1, you can listen to it here.

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Vin: @lucentai.bsky.social

[00:00] We're Back! (A Dinosaur Story)

[00:38] Welcome to Namco Museum Vol. 3! (Ms. Pac Man, Galaxian, Phozon, Pole Position II, Dig Dug, Tower of Druaga)

[04:12] Vol. 3: CGI Intro and Loading Animation

[09:20] Vol. 3: Museum Layout and Game Rooms

[21:38] Vol. 3: Cool Stuff To Look At

[30:36] Vol. 3: The Games

[41:16] Vol. 3: Wrap-Up, Questions, and Thoughts

[52:54] Welcome to Namco Museum Vol. 4! (Pac-Land, The Return of Ishtar, The Genji and Heike Clans, Ordyne, Assault) [55:37]

Vol. 4: CGI Intro and Loading Animation

[01:01:47] Vol. 4: Museum Layout and Game Rooms

[01:16:44] Vol. 4: Cool Stuff To Look At

[01:21:05] Vol. 4: The Games

[01:29:54] Vol. 4: Wrap-Up, Questions, and Thoughts

[01:38:09] See You Next Time in Part 3!

River City Girls Zero, Baten Kaitos Origins, a taste test of the brand new Peach Pepsi, a review of Burger King's Fiery Menu... wait, I thought this was a video game podcast?! We talk video games too, I promise!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[02:55] Andre played Baten Kaitos Origins

[19:39] Steve played River City Girls Zero

[32:00] EVO 2024 Recap with Vin

[01:02:19] Peach Pepsi Taste Test

[01:06:34] Paramount+ Cancels Halo TV Series

[01:11:51] Suda 51 Talks Killer7 Complete Edition?!

[01:17:09] Humble Games Is No More

[01:22:30] Olympics Ditched Mario & Sonic For NFTs

[01:26:06] Steve's Burger King Fiery Menu Review

{01:33:27] See Ya!

Guys, gals, and non-binary pals... Welcome to the Namco Museum Tour! Remember when Namco Museum used to feature an actual museum to roam around in and explore? In this first part of a three-part series, Andre and Vin explore the sights, sounds, and wonders of the first two Namco Museum volumes for PlayStation. Don't forget your camera!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Vin: @lucentai.bsky.social

[00:00] Intro: Why the Museum Is Important

[16:51] Welcome to Namco Museum Vol. 1! (Pac-Man, Galaga, Pole Position, Bosconian, Rally-X, New Rally-X, Toy Pop)

[17:59] Vol. 1: CGI Intro and Loading  Animation

[21:43] Vol. 1: Museum Layout and Game Rooms

[31:35] Vol. 1: Cool Stuff To Look At

[39:10] Vol. 1: The Games

[50:02] Vol. 1: Wrap-Up, Questions, and Thoughts

[56:54] Welcome to Namco Museum Vol. 2! (Xevious, Gaplus, Super Pac-Man, Mappy, Grobda, Dragon Buster)

[58:43] Vol. 2: CGI Intro and Loading Animation

[01:02:12] Vol. 2: Museum Layout and Game Rooms

[01:13:00] Vol. 2: Cool Stuff To Look At

[01:20:14] Vol. 2: The Games

[01:26:33] Vol. 2: Wrap-Up, Questions, and Thoughts

[01:32:32] See You Next Time in Part 2!

The grab bag is on: Concord, Arzette, Double Dragon Revive, Game Pass price hike, Exoprimal is over, TOSE in a tough spot, AAA games sales on iOS, and tons more. Join us on this lazy summer pod and vibe out!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Housekeeping & Intro

[04:06] Andre played the Concord free beta weekend

[19:26] Steve played Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore

[28:58] Shower Time

[31:24] Goodbye, Exoprimal

[43:04] Oh No, TOSE!

[46:35] Nintendo teases and announces Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

[53:29] Xbox Game Pass Price Hike

[01:00:33] LEGO Horizon Adventures Skips Xbox

[01:02:47] Double Dragon Revive: Are We Excited?

[01:07:54] AAA Game Sales On iOS

[01:16:29] See Ya!

Willow was a childhood VHS favorite, but as we all know, childhood favorites are often hideous in hindsight. How does Willow stand the test of time? Steve and Andre watched it again with adult eyes and re-evaluate this late 80s fantasy classic.

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve on Bluesky: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Baten Kaitos, a sad Contra game, a bevy of Limited Run Games announcements, Konami's bizarre Metal Gear presentation, Place Your Bets, and even a couple of grilling tips! Who loves ya baby?! Thanks for listening!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[05:16] Andre played the remastered Baten Kaitos

[20:53] Steve played Contra: Rogue Corps

[32:11] Kevin played Dount County

[43:58] Shower Time

[44:48] OMG NINTENDO SWITCH ONLINE BREAKING NEWS!!

[47:36] Limited Run Games (LRG3)

[01:08:50] Konami, What Is You Doin Baby??

[01:17:09] Grilled Pineapple Snack Break

[01:20:29] Place Your Bets!

[01:35:55] See Ya!

When it comes to reminiscing about fast food items from days past, who better to trust than two fat guys? Andre and Steve spend some time daydreaming about defunct items from McDonald's, Arby's, Carl's Jr., and more. Are you hungry yet?

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve on Bluesky: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Join us as we dive head first into that incredible Nintendo Direct as well as recap our favorite stuff from Summer Game Fest!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

Check out Andre talking about Dragon Quest on the Still Loading Podcast here!

[00:00] Intro

[03:53] Best Nintendo Direct of all time?

[05:36] Mario & Luigi: Brothership

[11:35] Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, Fantasian: Neo Dimension, Looney Tunes Wacky World of Sports

[16:17] Farmagia, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD

[21:45] Dragon Quest III HD-2D (Plus I&II!)

[27:27] Funko Fusion, The New Denpamen, Metal Slug Attack Reloaded

[31:43] Nintendo Switch Online (Four Swords, Zero Mission, N64 Mature 17+), Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero

[36:56] Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics

[44:26] Super Mario Party Jamboree

[46:05] The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

[53:07] Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

[59:29] Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

[01:06:46] Shower Time

[01:09:04] Summer Game Fest Recap

[01:30:58] Day of the Devs + Devolver Showcase 2024

[01:34:47] Xbox Showcase 2024 Recap

[01:51:05] See Ya!

1998 is considered one of the most legendary years in gaming history, with titles like Metal Gear Solid, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Half-Life, Resident Evil 2, and many more. But is that reputation truly deserved? Is that lofty status born out of real opinion, or is it just groupthink? Andre goes at it alone to find the answers.

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

After talking Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake, we talk about the latest State of Play featuring Concord, Dynasty Warriors Origins, Marvel Rivals, Until Dawn, Astro Bot, Monster Hunter Wilds and more. We also took a look at this year's Marvelous Showcase featuring the new Story of Seasons and Daemon X Machina, a quick laugh at the Amico situation, and our thoughts on Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and its box office take. Thanks for listening!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[03:02] Steve played the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake

[23:43] Break Time!

[24:43] Dragon Quest HD-2D Trilogy Rumors

[28:54] State of Play - May 2024

[56:58] Marvelous Showcase 2024

[01:06:06] LOL @ Amico

[01:10:19] Let's Chill, Y'all

[01:11:07] Furiosa vs. the Box Office

[01:28:18] See Ya!

The PokéPals return! Steve, Vin, and Ampy chat about memorable characters, music, mechanics, and surprises from The Teal Mask, The Indigo Disk, and Mochi Mayhem, the three parts of the Pokémon Scarlet/Violet DLC. Spoilers abound!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Vin: @lucentai.bsky.social

Ampy: @ampyluxe.bsky.social

[00:00] Spoiler Warning

[00:50] Intro: DLC vs. Enhanced versions

[04:00] The Teal Mask: New characters

[07:41] The Teal Mask: The new Pokémon

[11:51] The Teal Mask: The map design

[14:26] The Teal Mask: Our team compositions

[17:55] The Indigo Disk: So many Unova teases

[20:50] The Indigo Disk: This terrarium is wildin, man

[24:19] The Indigo Disk: Musical surprises

[27:47] The Indigo Disk: Our new teams

[31:14] The Indigo Disk: Even more new characters

[35:00] The Indigo Disk: BBQs and multiplayer

[38:08] The Indigo Disk: The League Club Room

[41:11] The Indigo Disk: Oh, those Paradox Pokémon

[43:40] The Indigo Disk: The craziest Pokémon unlock method

[48:22] The Indigo Disk: Don't cut class

[51:46] The Indigo Disk: It's Really Anime in here

[54:40] Mochi Mayhem: Plot shenanigans

[56:17] Mochi Mayhem: Pecharunt is busted?

[57:55] Did we like this DLC more than Pokémon Sword/Shield: Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra?

[01:00:24] Would we recommend this DLC?

[01:02:22] The ongoing raid events

[01:04:44] The new uniforms

[01:05:21] Does this shape what we expect from Pokémon Legends Z-A?

[01:06:50] Pokémon Legends Z-A: Our bold prediction

[01:07:52] Smell Ya Later!

A trip down the Animal Well, a punishment of Balan Wonderworld, Square Enix's new strategy, the triumphant retrun of JAV Titles: Real Or Fake, and more! Thanks for listening!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[02:45] Animal Well

[38:30] Let's Break!

[40:50] Steve survived Balan Wonderworld

[01:05:27] Let's Shower!

[01:07:04] Did Our Tears of the Kingdom Sales Predictions Come True?

[01:11:46] Square Enix's New Multiplatform Strategy

[01:22:20] Marvel Reviving the Marvel Television Banner

[01:30:11] JAV Titles: Real Or Fake?

[01:38:06] See You Next Time!

Was Excitebike 64 great? Can the Game Boy handle Castlevania Legends? Was Comix Zone ever good in the first place? Steve and Andre do a mini-review roundup of six different games on Nintendo Switch Online.

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve on Bluesky: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro and Premise

[04:04] Blaster Master: Enemy Below

[10:05] Excitebike 64

[16:20] Pokemon Trading Card Game

[23:11] Castlevania Legends

[30:36] Comix Zone

[39:23] Alisia Dragoon

[47:43] See Ya!

We played Sand Land, Microsoft shuts down Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, Nintendo getting close to revealing their next console, a fun little Phoenix Wright ranking game and so much more. Enjoy!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro

[02:34] Sand Land

[41:18] Break Time!

[42:24] Nintendo's New Console Secrecy

[50:08] The Helldivers 2 Controversy

[59:06] Microsoft Closes Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks

[01:01:20] Square Enix Cuts Back

[01:18:39] Rank 'Em! Phoenix Wright Jingles

[01:30:58] See Ya!

After four long years, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is finally here, and it's everything we could have ever hoped for and so much more. Andre and Vin talk about key character moments, great music, favorite scenes, and of course those last two chapters in depth in this super-sized FF7 Rebirth blowout!

FULL SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE - If you want to keep the experience fresh for yourself, DO NOT LISTEN until you've played the enitre game!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Vin on Bluesky: @lucentai.bsky.social

[00:00] SPOILERS AHEAD!!

[01:15] Intro and Thoughts  On Previous FF7 Games

[09:33] Overarching Thoughts On Rebirth

[16:26] Cloud and Sephiroth - Characterization and Voice Acting

[23:32] Red XIII and Yuffie Chracter Interactions

[28:13] Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith's relationship(s)

[36:43] Cait Sith, Beachwear, and Vincent Valentine

[41:25] Barret, Corel, and NPCs

[47:08] Red XIII's Vocal Performance

[49:58] The Turks (Fuck 'Em)

[52:18] Music Direction and Key Music Moments

[01:08:01] Loveless

[01:12:24] Opening Scene with Zack, Junon, and The Bald Bar

[01:17:07] Queen's Blood Tournament and Chadley

[01:20:00] Back To Nibelheim, Dyne, and Marlene

[01:24:17] Costa Del Sol

[01:27:26] Gold Saucer Intro and Dio

[01:29:44] Moogle Design and Cait Sith's Identity

[01:32:26] The Last Two Chapters

[02:08:23] The Future and Closing Thoughts

[02:18:03] No Promises Await At Journey's End

An absolutely jam-packed show featuing Princess Peach Showtime, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, the Embracer Group splitting into three, the latest Indie World presentation, emulators population iOS, Taylor Swift, the Fallout TV show, and soooooo much more! Thanks for listening!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro and Chitty Chat

[04:44] Steve and Andre played Princess Peach: Showtime!

[23:32] Kevin played Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

[41:39] BRB

[42:29] Indie World Highlights {Little Kitty Big City, Yars Rising, Europa, ANTONBLAST, Steamworld Heist 2, etc.)

[56:36] Nintendo Skips Gamescom

[01:01:03] Ex-Blizzard Employee Thinks We Should Tip Companies For Great Games

[01:07:52] @Quest64Official's tweet about preservation

[01:19:17] Emulators are now on iOS

[01:25:30] Embracer Group is splitting into three

[01:30:37] BATH TIME

[01:32:18] Place Your Bets!

[01:46:30] Kevin watched the Fallout TV show

[01:52:57] Andre reviews The Tortured Poets Department

[02:06:37] See Ya!

When the perfect song meets the perfect moment and the right visual, that's when video games ascend to a high plane and become magic in your hands. Andre is joined by Andrew Elmore to discuss those personal moments they had with video games where the music took them to places unimaginable.

Intro and Outro music taken from the Andrew Elmore album Lost Areas 01, available on Bandcamp here.

Andrew Elmore's Portfolio - https://elmore.design/

Check out Andrew's video on Resident Evil: Dead Aim right here.

Andrew Elmore on Bluesky - @elmore.zone

Follow Fine Time on Twitter at @FineTimePodcast

[00:00] Intro, Introductions, and Premise

[05:11] Resident Evil Save Room (Makoto Tomozawa, Koichi Hiroki, Masami Ueda)

[15:11] Batman (NES) Game Over (Naoki Kodaka)

[21:37] Air Fortress Escape Sequence (Hideki Kanazashi)

[30:18] Castlevania: Rondo of Blood - "Portrait of a Ghost Ship" (Jigokuguruma Nakamura)

[38:17] Dragon Spirit (NES) Cave Road (Shinji Hosoe, arranged by Masakatsu Maekawa)

[48:34] Rez - Area 5 (Adam Freeland - "Mind Killer")

[01:02:39] HyperZone - Bioplant (Jun Ishikawa)

[01:13:38] Outro

Andre played Penny's Big Breakaway, Kevin runs through a smattering of arcade games, we talk about the Stellar Blade demo, and much more on our latest.  If you listen on Apple Podcasts, please give us a five-star review! Thanks for listening!

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve: @monotonegent.fineti.me

Kevin: @kevinflevin89.fineti.me

[00:00] Intro and Chill

[08:15] Andre played Penny's Big Breakaway

[23:57] Kevin's Arcade Extravaganza (RayForce, Pigskin 621 AD, Cowboys of Moo Mesa, Wonderboy 3: Monster Lair,  Magic Sword, etc.)

[53:53] It's Time To HIt The Showers!

[55:42] Stellar Blade

[01:19:45] Goodbye, Super Mario Maker

[01:32:46] See You Next Time!

A movie starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton, directed by George Miller? On the surface it sounded like just the thing we needed to bring us back to the movies after the pandemic, but as it turns out, Three Thousand Years of Longing was a dud. Andre and Steve let their morbid curiousity get the best of them and decided to watch this COVID-compromised oddity.

Twitter: @FineTimePodcast

Andre on Bluesky: @pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

Steve on Bluesky: @monotonegent.fineti.me