Utterly Unqualified Gaming – Details, episodes & analysis

This week the ladies are talking from Spain about Pentiment, a very interesting 2022 game from Obsidian. This RPG is a narrative game that follows Andreas, a journeyman Illuminator in takes medieval Bavaria as he works to uncover the mysteries of the town of Tassing. There is murder, intrigue and a lot of despair. We discuss medieval pastoral life, academic footnotes, being a “man about” Bavaria, corruption in the abbey, the brutality of medieval Europe, and the challenges of video game pacing.

This episode was recorded quite a while ago (last spring/winter), and lost in the archives…meaning Rachel didn’t post is appropriately. We are currently on hiatus, and will be back…eventually (we think)! We are taking some time to play games, enjoy our summer and hope to catch you all again when we return.

Time Stamps:
00:14 Introductions
2:14 Main Topic – Pentiment
32:25 Pentiment story discussion – Contains spoilers!
43:12 Pentiment Final thoughts
45:37 What we’re playing next (TBD)
47:46 Ending Spiel (What we’re loving this week)

From the show:

Games featured in our Ending Spiel: Hogwarts Legacy

The video hbomberguy that Emma mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0twDETh6QaI

Emma’s book it out! Check out Racing Chaos! https://www.captaincassy.com/

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

Musical credit: "Into the Game" by SilentCrafter/ "Pixel Pig" by Di Young

Here are our picks for our favorite games of 2022, and some of the games that we are looking forward to in 2023! We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening!

Time Stamps:
00:14 Introduction
02:00 Our top games of 2022!
25:40 Most Anticipated Games of 2023

From the show:

Rachel’s Top 5:
1. God of War Ragnarök
2. Cult of the Lamb
3. Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
4. Horizon Forbidden West
5. Citizen Sleeper

Emma’s Top 5:
1. Stray
2. God of War
3. Project Zomboid
4. Life is Strange: True Colors
5. Hitman Trilogy

Episodes we have for the above:

Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening
https://www.buzzsprout.com/776315/10925192

Life is Strange: True Colors
https://www.buzzsprout.com/776315/10925192

God of War:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/776315/12085814

Stray:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/776315/11336385

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

Our episode this week is all about The Forest, a game officially released in 2018 from Endnight Games. This is a survival horror game, where you play as a plane crash survivor on a forested peninsula (shocker), on a mission to find your son. We talk about the beginning of Lost, building bases, pescatarian lizards, getting lost in caves to the point where you almost rage quit the game, jet packs, and morally dubious endings.

Time Stamps:
00:13 Introductions
04:03 Main Topic – The Forest
26:22 The Forest story discussion – contains spoilers!
33:13 The Forest final thoughts
35:12 What we’re playing next (Doom 2016)
36:20 Some preliminary thoughts on Elden Ring
55:33 Ending Spiel (What we’re loving this week)

From the show:

Games featured in our Ending Spiel: Doom (what we’re playing next), Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, Destiny 2: Witch Queen

This article echoes some of Rachel’s thoughts on Elden Ring: https://www.thegamer.com/elden-ring-is-not-the-greatest-game-of-all-time/

Elden Ring does not have cross-play, but it has cross-gen capabilities: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/elden-ring-does-it-have-cross-play-or-cross-gen/1100-6500914/#:~:text=Elden%20Ring%20has%20what's%20known,instance%2C%20you%20can%20play%20together.

Random period fashion videos that we’re digging:
- Bernadette Banner’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSHtaUm-FjUps090S7crO4Q/videos
- Karoline Zebrowska’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1V6iMUCPtg

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

Musical credit: "Into the Game" by SilentCrafter/ "Pixel Pig" by Di Young

This minisode is all about a bunch of PlayStation titles that Rachel has been playing. These games were all played on PS5, but some of them are also available on PC (noted below). Games featured include Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Spiderman: Miles Morales, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and Deathloop. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening!

Time Stamps:
00:14 Introduction
04:00 Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
06:05 Marvel’s Spiderman: Miles Morales
13:38 Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Also on PC)
16:28 Bugsnax (Also on PC)
17:33 Deathloop (Also on PC)
26:54 What we’re playing next – The Forest

From the show:

The other robot from Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart was called Kit.

Spiderman: Miles Morales is priced at $49.99 (full price, as far as I can tell).

Uncharted fan film with Nathan Fillion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5CZQpqF_74
And the fan Green Lantern trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hTiRnqnvDs

It looks like one of Arkane’s next project’s is called Redfall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pWjcqXnP2g

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

This week the ladies talk about Cyberpunk 2077, the 2020 game from CD Projekt RED. In this open world RPG, you play as “V”, a mercenary who gets entangled with a relic from the past, Johnny Silverhand. We talk about persistent T-posing, constant photo mode, missing Roach, wishing you could silence your phone, OP katanas, being Keanu’s BFF, and romance woes.

Time Stamps:
00:10 Introductions
05:25 Main Topic – Cyberpunk 2077
30:00 Cyberpunk 2077 story discussion – contains spoilers!
59:58 Cyberpunk 2077 final thoughts
01:03:58 What we’re playing next (The Forest)
01:05:34 Ending Spiel (What we’re loving this week)

From the show:

Games featured in our Ending Spiel: The Forest (what we’re playing next), The Outer Wilds, Hitman 2

The Outer Wilds was included on Skill Up’s 2019 game of the year list, not 2020.

Hitman 1 (2016), Hitman 2 (2018), and Hitman 3 (2021) are now all on Xbox and PC Gamepass. https://www.polygon.com/22881790/hitman-3-trilogy-xbox-pc-game-pass-steam-vr-release-date

Cyberpunk is back for sale in the PSN store, and available for purchase on PS4 and Xbox One…though still likely somewhat busted. Buyer beware. https://kotaku.com/cyberpunk-2077-is-back-on-psn-but-still-broken-sony-wa-1847140309

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

Musical credit: "Into the Game" by SilentCrafter/ "Pixel Pig" by Di Young 

Our minisode this week is all about our favorite games that we played in 2021 (listed also in the show notes below). Thanks for listening!

Time Stamps:
00:14 Introduction
03:58: Honorable Mentions
12:25: Favorite Games of 2021
34:48 Ending and What we’re playing next – Cyberpunk 2077

From the show:

Emma’s favorites:
1.) Dragon Age: Inquisition
2.) Cyberpunk 2077
Honorable mention: Tropico 4

Rachel’s favorites:
1.) Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
2.) It Takes Two
3.) Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
4.) Ghost of Tsushima
5.) Hitman 3
6.) Life is Strange: True Colors
Honorable mentions: Destiny 2, Fortnite, Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Life is Strange: True Colors was made by Deck Nine.

It Takes Two has local and online coop. They have a “Friend’s Pass”, so if one of you owns the game, you are able to give a free pass for a friend to play with you online. And it appears that the first chapter is available free. Check it out!
https://www.ea.com/games/it-takes-two/about/friends-pass#:~:text=Then%2C%20invite%20them%20to%20play,op%20with%20the%20Friend's%20Pass.

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

This week we are discussing Fable, specifically the Anniversary Edition that was released in 2014. This edition of the game was an updated remake/remaster (plus some additional content) of the original 2004 RPG from Lionhead Studios. This game follows the hero of Oakvale, as he grows up and is shaped by the world around him for good or evil. We talk about being a homunculus, tragic backstories, fragile escorts, coping mechanisms of your spouse(s), mashing those buttons and mommy issues.

Time Stamps:
00:14 Introductions
03:20 Main Topic – Fable
21:05 Fable story discussion – contains spoilers!
53:30 Fable final thoughts
56:44 What we’re playing next (Cyberpunk 2077)
58:10 Ending Spiel (What we’re loving this week)

From the show:

Games featured in our Ending Spiel: Cyberpunk 2077 (what we’re playing next), Call of the Sea, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

The glade is called Knothole Glade.

A little more info about Briar Rose: https://fable.fandom.com/wiki/Briar_Rose

And the bronze gate: https://fable.fandom.com/wiki/Bronze_Gate

Fable 4 Teaser Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVkSZXPklQ4

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

Musical credit: "Into the Game" by SilentCrafter/ "Pixel Pig" by Di Young

This week our mini-episode is covering Dragon Age Inquisition: Trespasser, which is an epilogue DLC to the already massive RPG from Bioware. Lots of talk of lore and speculation about where the story goes from here. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening!

Time Stamps:
00:14 Introduction
01:39 Dragon Age Inquisition: Trespasser – full of spoilers
40:15 What we’re playing next – Fable

From the show:

Here is the Dragon Age 4 teaser trailer from 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw3lrXlti-8

And here is the one from 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7x685DxMcw

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

We are discussing Dragon Age: Inquisition this week, which is another beloved game from Bioware, and boy, we have a lot to say about this one. This RPG from 2014 picks up where Dragon Age 2 left off, as Thedas erupts into conflict after the mage rebellion in Kirkwall. You play as a bystander that is thrust into the center of this conflict when you get a green blob accidently stuck to your hand that has the power to mysteriously close these rifts that keep opening to the fade realm. We talk about the inquisitor’s identity crisis, poor openings & empty spaces, being Andraste’s chosen, pity dances from Josephine, and heartbreak from an egg.

Time Stamps:

00:14 Introductions
02:20 Main Topic – Dragon Age: Inquisition
10:00 Dragon Age: Inquisition story discussion – contains spoilers!
02:45:50 Dragon Age: Inquisition final thoughts
02:46:37 What we’re playing next (Fable, probably)
51:05 Ending Spiel (What we’re loving this week)

From the show:

Games featured in our Ending Spiel: Crusader Kings II. And our next minisode is about the Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser DLC.

Also, we ended up changing the game we are playing next after we record the ending of this episode, and will probably be playing Fable instead of Life is Strange: True Colors, but it’s still in flux.

Our Dragon Age: Origins episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/776315/3443071-dragon-age-origins-review

Our Dragon Age 2 episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/776315/8101224-dragon-age-2-review

Dragon Age 4 Teaser Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7x685DxMcw

The dragon age keep allows players to alter the world state: https://dragonagekeep.com/en_US/

The DLC with Corypheus from Dragon Age 2 is called Legacy.

The Dalish facial tattoos are called Vallaslin. https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Vallaslin

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified

Musical credit: "Into the Game" by SilentCrafter/ "Pixel Pig" by Di Young

This minisode is dedicated to all the games that we (ok, mostly just Rachel) have been playing this summer. Games featured include Ratchet and Clank, A Way Out, It Takes Two, and Scarlet Nexus. We decided to introduce mini-episodes between our regular reviews (which aren’t going anywhere, don’t worry). Thanks for listening!

Time Stamps:
00:14 Introduction
07:29 Ratchet and Clank (2016)
14:20 A Way Out (2018)
18:54 It Takes Two (2021)
30:45 Scarlett Nexus (2021)
38:03 Spiderman: Miles Morales
41:05 What we’re playing next – Dragon Age: Inquisition

From the show:

Insomniac Studios also made Spyro the Dragon, Resistance, Sunset Overdrive, among other titles!

A Way Out is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. It also appears to be available for online coop, and not just couch-coop.

Here is a link to an  article about Activision Blizzard and why we didn't talk about Diablo in this episode: https://www.pcgamer.com/new-report-reveals-more-of-the-frat-boy-culture-and-abuses-at-activision-blizzard/

Find us:
Website: https://utterlyunqualifiedgaming.com/
Email: utterlyunqualified@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utterlyunqualifiedgaming/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uugamingpodcast
Facebook: http://facebook.com/utterlyunqualified