Dense Pixels

Micah shares his in-depth impressions of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, detailing how this game stands apart within the Dragon Age series but noting that it might not appeal to every fan, possibly even himself. We analyze the shutdown of Firewalk Studios, discussing who bears responsibility for the failure of Concord. Additionally, we dive into the implications of the recent QA walkout at Activision Blizzard and how it’s influencing remote work dynamics in the industry. Ubisoft is at it again, launching a new NFT game that shows just how attuned they are to current trends. Lastly, we ponder why insurance companies consistently produce the most memorable TV commercials.

Micah shares his thoughts on the official Dragon Age: Vows and Vengeance podcast and expresses concerns about the direction of The Veilguard. He also dives into Metaphor ReFantazio, discussing how it evolves the Shin Megami Tensei/Persona formula. Brad is deeply immersed in the new Diablo IV endgame content, particularly enjoying the challenges in the Kurast Undercity and Dark Citadel areas. Meanwhile, Netflix faces challenges in gaming as it closes Blue Studios, highlighting the difficulties for media companies in the gaming space. The ESA has once again blocked efforts to advance video game preservation, sparking further debate. Roblox finally makes strides toward better protections for young users amidst increased scrutiny. We also consider if Nintendo’s MMO playtest was intentionally leaked. Plus, Tim Walz impresses by showing off his Crazy Taxi skills.

Brad shares his experiences with more demos from Steam Next Fest, diving into why the Zachtronics Solitaire Collection has been capturing his attention. Carrie provides her early thoughts on the Olympus update for Hades II, offering insight into its latest changes. Meanwhile, Vampire Survivors is coming full circle with an exciting announcement: a new Castlevania-themed DLC called Ode to Castlevania. We also discuss the potential impacts of Trump's proposed tariffs on video game consoles and recent reports surrounding Bandai Namco's controversial employee "expulsion rooms."

Brad shares his thoughts on Metaphor: ReFantazio after spending significant time with it, highlighting the evolution of the battle system and the integration of social links into party development. He also dives into the Diablo IV expansion Vessel of Hatred, discussing the improvements made to the game's systems and leveling. Nintendo's latest hardware release is an unexpected motion-sensing alarm clock called Alarmo, and we discuss its potential impact. We explore the wider ramifications of Epic Games' recent success against Google in court and what it could mean for the gaming industry. Meanwhile, The Pokémon Company experienced a massive data breach, revealing unused monster designs and game source code. Finally, we debate whether we'll ever see another proper Phantasy Star game from Sega.

We share our impressions of the Metaphor: ReFantazio demo as we anticipate its full release. Carrie dives into why the Monster Hunter Stories games are underrated gems in the turn-based RPG genre. Brad has more thoughts on UFO 50 and why he expects it to rank among his top games of 2024. Ubisoft is in turmoil with a delay to Assassin's Creed: Shadows and a steep drop in their share price. We discuss how the publisher ended up in this situation and what could be the best path forward for them. Meanwhile, Microsoft has fans excited as they look to revitalize the Halo franchise with the transition to Unreal Engine 5.

Sony has announced the PlayStation 5 Pro at the staggering price of $700. We debate whether we’re planning to get one and if this signals the future of console pricing. Sony’s State of Play brought several big announcements, with the standout reveal being the Ghost of Tsushima sequel, Ghost of Yotei. Brad shares his impressions on the quirky game collection UFO 50. Additionally, we discuss the industry’s recent layoffs, Unity canceling its controversial fees, and Nintendo Switch 2 leaks and rumors.

Micah is about to dive deep into the Warhammer 40,000 universe as he begins his journey with Space Marine 2. Meanwhile, Brad is not playing Space Marine because he's been engrossed in Astro Bot and has a lot to say—though he's holding back to avoid spoilers. He's also been spending some time with Age of Mythology. We also discuss the recent agreement between SAG-AFTRA and a developer over the use of AI, the persistent harassment faced by female players online, and the Days Gone director's frustration over the portrayal of his game's protagonist. Finally, we have thoughts on AEW's penchant for extreme violence, particularly following the controversial All Out event.

In this episode, we discuss Sony's surprising decision to quickly delist the troubled shooter Concord and whether we think it will return as a free-to-play title or if it's gone for good. We also dive into Randy Pitchford's...interesting comparison of Gearbox Software to The Beatles and the recent layoffs at Rocksteady following the underperformance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Additionally, we touch on the ongoing contract disputes between unionized staff at Raven Software and Activision. Brad, fully immersed in strategy games, shares his impressions of XCOM 2 and Songs of Conquest. To wrap things up, Brad celebrates the recent Oasis reunion announcement by discussing his favorite songs from the band.

In this episode, we react to the exciting announcements from Gamescom, with a particular focus on Monster Hunter Wilds and Sid Meier's Civilization VII. We discuss the overwhelming success of Black Myth: Wukong on Steam and how its achievements are somewhat overshadowed by the controversial instructions given to content creators. We also delve into Concord's disappointing initial response on PC, questioning the future of this new hero shooter. Meanwhile, Carrie shares her positive impressions of the early access farm sim Fields of Mistria. Finally, we extend the episode with an in-depth Q&A session in the Dense Pixels Post Office.

In this episode, we discuss the recent controversy surrounding The Verge and its decision to publish information about Valve’s secret shooter Deadlock. We also touch on the unusual request from the Black Myth: Wukong studio, asking influencers to avoid including feminist propaganda or COVID-19 references in their coverage. Micah expresses his ongoing frustrations with Fortnite and why the game never seems to sit right with him. We wildly speculate as to what Dreamcast game VP candidate Tim Walz was into that got his console taken away. Finally, Brad shares his experience venturing into the expansive world of Stellaris.

In this episode, we delve into the critical juncture facing WB Games as they consider whether to start licensing their IPs and exit game development or potentially sell off their studios. This discussion comes amid significant industry changes, including BioWare's reflections on lessons learned from Anthem and Meta's decision to shut down Ready at Dawn.We also explore the inspiring story of Balatro developer localthunk, who has taken unique steps to protect his game's integrity after his death. Additionally, we examine the disappointing box office performance of the Borderlands movie and Brad's thoughts on why Homeworld fell short for him within the 4X grand strategy genre.

This week, we recap the tumultuous events at Bungie. The company laid off over 200 employees, a move that has sparked discussions about their possible misleading of Sony before the acquisition. We explore why Pete Parsons, Bungie's CEO, deserves a significant portion of the blame and argue that leadership should bear greater responsibility in such crises. We also speculate on the future of Bungie's properties currently in development.Meanwhile, EA Sports reveals their "integration" of AI and machine learning into the upcoming College Football 25 game. Intel announces a significant layoff of 15,000 jobs, marking it as one of the most consequential changes in its history. Additionally, Game Informer magazine is closing its doors after 33 years, marking the end of an era in gaming journalism.

The crew recaps the highlights from EVO 2024. Video game actors confirm strike action over AI concerns. Bethesda and Activision Blizzard employees have successfully unionized, creating the largest video game unions in the game industry to date. Humble Games shutters as Ziff Davis reckons with the challenges of publishing in the game industry and why media corporations might not be a good fit for that business. Sony’s Concord open beta on Steam didn’t go well, drawing widespread criticism. The FTC claims Xbox’s Game Pass price hike is consumer harm it warned about. Netflix is developing over 80 games, planning to launch one each month. Ubisoft addresses the Japanese community’s concerns regarding Assassin’s Creed: Shadows in the wake of continued concern trolling from the worst areas of the internet. Finally, Brad gives a review of the brief but charming puzzler Donut County.

Xbox Game Pass is getting price increases and a standard tier with no day-one releases, which leads us to a tangent about how Nintendo is about the only game maker who could possibly get away with this. Microsoft says plainly in a new ad that you don’t need an Xbox to play Xbox games. An indie game publisher notably explains how they prioritize developer health over profits. External translators hired for Nintendo projects bemoan lack of credit in almost every big title. Brad gives even more impressions on Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and finds surprising comparisons with the Mass Effect series.

Carrie takes a trip to the Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail expansion and explains why some of the criticism of the new content is off the mark, and the best way for new players to enter the game. Summer Games Done Quick raises over $2.5 million, taking its lifetime total beyond $50 million (also a dog hit a homer in Ken Griffey Jr Presents Major League Baseball). Apex Legends is evolving its battle pass by splitting it in two and charging players twice in a naked greed play by EA. Brad raves about Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and explains why it's a great introduction to the 40K universe.

Dr Disrespect admits Twitch ban due to messages with minor in the direction of being inappropriate. Dr Disrespect continued to send sexually explicit messages to minor after their age was known, former Twitch employee says. Donkey Kong could have been called Kong Dong, Nintendo court documents state.Brad returns to Art of Rally and finds a lot to love in this minimalist rally racer. We prognosticate who will win the briefcases at Money in the Bank this weekend. 

Brad and Carrie discuss the demos that stood out to them during the most recent Steam Next Fest. Brad is checking out space grand strategy civ Endless Space 2. Elden Ring publisher calls out Shadow of the Erdtree players struggling with the difficulty of the DLC. Carrie gives her impressions of thatgamecompany's newest release, Sky: Children of Light.

We react to the summer Nintendo Direct, including thoughts on Metroid Prime 4 footage, Mario & Luigi Brothership, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and the shocking return of Marvel vs Capcom 2. We discuss Epic acknowledging the issue with Fortnite's free cars being more dangerous than paid ones. Paradox Interactive cancels Life by You. Meme clicker game Banana nears 850,000 concurrent players - why is this happening? Carrie details why Shin Megami Tensai V: Vengeance is a great jumping-in point for the series.

The crew shares their overall impressions of the major presentations from this year's Summer Game Fest. We then dive into the games we're most excited about from the event, including Astro Bot, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, Wanderstop, UFO50, Possessor(s), Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Dragon Age: Veilguard, Street Fighter 6 Season 2, Gears of War: E-Day, Perfect Dark, Sonic x Shadow Generations, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Metaphor: Re Fantazio.

In this episode, we discuss the faux outrage surrounding the Assassin's Creed Shadows announcement, highlighting how the situation is both amusing and sad. Carrie and Brad share their most anticipated games for the remainder of 2024. Microsoft executives are reportedly advocating for a flexible approach regarding which Xbox games can launch on PlayStation. Sony names two new CEOs to replace Jim Ryan. Take-Two's boss claims that the publisher has not shut down the studios behind OlliOlli and Kerbal Space Program 2. Brad talks about the incredible fun he is having with the new Diablo IV season and the Loot Reborn update.