Pixelated Playgrounds – Details, episodes & analysis

Things are heating up over at Pixelated Playgrounds HQ, but that just because Bryan and Josh have been playing firefighting / cat saving platformer, Nuclear Blaze! Created by Sébastien Bénard, one of the developers behind the excellent Dead Cells, Nuclear Blaze was originally designed for Bénard’s child as he noticed a striking lack of firefighter focused video games. Bénard and his studio Deepnight games, took on the mission of creating a game that his child could play, creating Nuclear Blaze with a built in ‘Kids Mode’ as well as a more difficult ‘Hold my Beer’ mode for players seeking a greater challenge. Sporting some eye-popping pixel art and a novel fire spreading mechanic, Nuclear blaze is a short and sweet platformer with a lot to admire. So grab your hose and helmet and skydive into the depths of Nuclear Blaze with Josh and Bryan.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - He’s on Fiiiiirreee

Josh - Fun Fiery Explosion

After a development cycle spanning almost a decade, Unicorn Overlord released in March of 2024 to the joy of Ogre Battle fans everywhere! Two of those fans, namely Bryan and Josh, picked up the game and dug right in. With Vanillaware’s signature art and polish on full display Unicorn Overlord makes a stunning first impression and backs it up with an incredibly deep and complex battle system which is fitting for the titles which inspired it. It has been over 25 years since Ogre Battle 64 released for the Nintendo 64, and while Unicorn Overlord does not reach the narrative heights of Ogre Battle or Tactics Ogre, it certainly has enough going for it that folks craving a real time tactical RPG will have plenty to sink their teeth into. So pour yourself a mug of ale and sit down beside the fire with Bryan and Josh as they discuss their experience leading a revolution in Unicorn Overlord!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Tinkering Against Tyranny

Josh - Somehow Too Much

Aspiring linguist Josh and professional guess-and-checker Bryan recently made their way up the tower featured in 2023’s indie puzzle game Chants of Sennaar! Along the way they marveled at the game’s superb use of color, clever language puzzles, and occasionally regrettable use of stealth mechanics. At its heart, Chants of Sennaar is a game about culture and communication, so what better way to celebrate this wonderful game than through an in depth discussion about its design, themes, and artistry. Listen in as Josh and Bryan decipher the secrets of the Tower and make their way to the top of the class in 5 different (completely fictional) languages!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Stratification, Translation, Unification

Josh - Language as Playspace

Pack your bags and embark on a Super Mario world tour with Bryan, Josh, and Clint as they take a trip through Nintendo’s latest entry into the mainline Super Mario series, Super Mario Odyssey! On this journey we’ll visit various ports of call including: Nostalgia Bay, Adventure Cove, and Innovation Island. It might be many moons before we’re back home, but the trip will be worth it. Don’t forget to take some time out to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of every unique and wonderful location you visit along the way.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Donk City Forever

Josh - Captivating Cruise Ship

Clint - Still Got it

Join the guys as they rip and tear through one of the best FPS games on the market today - DOOM ETERNAL! A lot has changed since '93, come see what the latest entry in this iconic franchise brings to table and why it might be worth the trip to hell and back.

Construction and management sims like Dwarf fortress or, more recently, Rimworld have a way of immersing the player fully into a tiny world that they control every aspect of… until disaster strikes and plunges your tiny world into chaos. Rimworld keeps players engaged by continually creating compelling stories and forcing players to adjust to increasingly hectic obstacles, from raiders or inclement weather to the psychological quirks of your colonists. Listen in for Josh and Bryan’s trials and triumphs on the galactic frontier as they discuss kickstarted Steam Early Access juggernaut, Rimworld!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Perils of Addiction /

Josh - Western Space Opera

There’s murder on the high seas! … as well as beheadings, executions, maimings, devourings, drownings, stranglings, shootings, and good old fashioned disappearances. In Lucas’s Pope’s 2018 mystery masterpiece you play the role of an insurance adjuster attempting to figure out what happened aboard the mysterious Obra Dinn after it recently showed up with its entire crew dead or missing. Join us for a discussion about what makes Obra Dinn different from other mystery games and why this is a must-play for those looking for novel experiences in gaming.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint - I’m on Board

Bryan - Addition by Deduction

Josh - Sinbad, Snapshot Sherlock

Clint and Bryan prepare for Titanfall as they make their way through what is remembered as one of the most innovative and compelling FPS campaign modes of its time. Each mission brings a fresh perspective and framing to a rock-solid set of mechanics, as well as some unfortunately lackluster writing. They also set their sights on multiplayer, where this game still shines to this day. It's easy to see the lineage of excellence at Respawn Entertainment would give us one of the most successful battle royale games, Apex Legends, a few years later.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Half Complete Package

Clint - A Mechanical Masterpiece

The world’s largest multimedia franchise made its debut on the Nintendo Switch in 2019 and the book club has Pokemon fever like it's 1998 all over again! It’s been at least a decade since each of us had played an entry in this long-running series and it was interesting for the book club crew to take stock of what has changed… and what hasn’t. Join Bryan, Josh, and Clint for a Pokemon safari in the tall grass of nostalgia and see if you can separate our actual critical analysis from our reminiscing at the Pokemon of yesteryear through our rose tinted glasses.

Three Word Reviews:

Clint - Didn’t Catch Me / Bryan - Nostalgia Warmed Over / Josh - Reliable Income Stream

It’s a BOY! Clint's a dad now and for this special episode that has been released on the day of his son’s birth, we check out a heartfelt game about a father and his son, God of War (2018). Check out how this franchise has totally reinvented itself into something truly special that helped Clint prepare for his own adventure into fatherhood.

Clint: That’s My Boy

Bryan: Dad of Boy