PIXELS & INK PODCAST: EPISODE 277 – MOST ANTICIPATED GAMES OF 2018

As the year winds down, CGMagazine has taken some time to reflect on the amazing year we’ve had in gaming – even if 2017 itself was a little less than fantastic. Before we get into our games of the year, however, the team decides to look ahead to 2018, and explore some of the eagerly awaited titles that are set to come out in the new year.

Brendan Frye and Lisa are joined by Bryan Calhoun and Derek Heemsbergen this week. The team looks back at some of the announcements made during E3Gamescomthe Game Awards and PSX. From Monster Hunter World, God of War, Red Dead Redemption II, From shooters to JRPGs, to beloved franchises making a comeback to exciting new indies making their first appearance, 2018 is sure to be an interesting year in gaming.

PIXELS & INK EPISODE 276: MONSTER HUNTING THE LAST JEDI

This week, Phil, Brendan, and Lisa are joined by Preston Dozsa. The team takes a look at PUBG on Xbox One, the 2017 Game Award winners, Net Neutrality, MIGS, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Monster Hunter World.

This week, sales figures were released for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds on Xbox One. Within 48 hours, over 1 million copies were sold. Day-one bugs, however, made many players question their purchase. Join the team as they explore the capabilities versus the execution of the popular survival shooter as it makes its way from PC to console.

The 2017 Game Awards happened last week. As with any awards show, there were some surprises and some upsets. Join the team as they take a look at the winners and some of the announcements.

This week, the FCC voted to repeal Net Neutrality in the U.S. The team takes a look at the impact of this decision and the next steps.

The Montreal International Games Summit (MIGS) took place earlier this week. Brendan and Lisa talk about the Canadian gaming industry and their plans for the future of Canadian gaming.

Phil saw Star Wars: The Last Jedi this week. He gives the team a spoiler-free (and not-so-spoiler-free) review of the highly anticipated next chapter in the Star Wars franchise.

Preston spent some quality time with Monster Hunter World last weekend during the PlayStation exclusive open beta. He gives some first impressions of the title with a preview of the beta.

 

PIXELS & INK PODCAST #275: THE SHAPE OF BITCOIN

This week, Brendan, Phil, and Lisa are joined by CGMagazine’s Senior PC Hardware Editor, Cole Watson to get some first impressions on the iPhone X and AMD’s latest contribution to pro gaming rigs, the Radeon Vega 56.

With the Game Awards happening this week, the CGM crew talks about potential winners and their impressions of the nominees.

After news that Steam will discontinue accepting Bitcoin as currency on their platform, the group discusses the economic impact this may have if the trend continues.

Phil Brown talks about The Disaster Artist and The Shape of Water. First, he takes us down the unbelievable look at the making of infamous director, Tommy Wiseau’s cult classic, The Room. Phil tells the crew all about James’ Franco’s deep dive into becoming Wiseau during the making of The Disaster Artist.

and bizarre fairy tale, The Shape of the Water. Starring Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, and Doug Jones, Guillermo Del Toro’s latest masterpiece is a beautifully haunting film experience.

And finally, Cole gives his first impression of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 for the NintendoSwitch.

PIXELS & INK EPISODE 274: CAMPFIRE DRAGONS

Join the CGM crew as they revisit the Battlefront II microtransactions fallout and net neutrality, take a look at Pixar’s Coco, and give reviews of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VRand Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.

In the ever-evolving drama surrounding unfair microtransactions in EA‘s Star Wars: Battlefront IIpeople are seeking government action in regulating the gambling associated with loot boxes. But will this type of action help or hurt gaming? Brendan Frye leads the discussion as the team reflects on the actions taken by French Senator Jérôme Durain, Belgium Minister of Justice, Koen Geens, and Hawaiian State Representative, Chris Lee.

Net neutrality is up for debate once again as the new Chairman of the FCC, Ajit V. Pai, a former Associate General Counsel at Verizon Communications Inc., is looking reverse Net Neutrality in the United States. The team discuss the ramifications this might bring and the potential of this event taking place.

In reviews, Phil gives us a heart-wrenching run-down of the newest Pixar release, Coco, the story of a young Mexican boy’s journey of discovery and sense of family in the land of the dead. Brendan Quinn got his hands on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR, the most immersive Skyrim game to date. Finally, Lisa’s obsession with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp comes to a close with the release of this twee game featuring a torrent of very needy animal friends.

PIXELS & INK #273 – MICROTRANSACTION BLUES

With the holidays just around the corner, the Pixels and Ink crew take to the airwaves to discuss all the things that are making fans upset this week. Phil, Jordan, Brendan and Lisa dive into EA Motive and the Star Wars Battlefront 2 Microtransaction fiasco. Players are not happy with how EA is dealing with loot boxes in the game, with the way the game is setup forcing players to either wait or pay to unlock the features that brought fans of Star Wars Battlefront 2 to the game in the first place. The discussion was recorded before EA put a hold on purchases for Battlefront 2 until they sort a solution out.

With the constant power behind the Mario brand, it is no wonder Nintendo wants to take another stab at the feature film world. This time the team at Illumination, the studio behind Despicable Me, is giving it a go, assuredly making for a more kid friendly adaptation compared to the 1990’s feature film.

Phil takes everyone though the wild and strange world of Justice League, and discusses how if something could go wrong, it did in this movie. Jordan takes a deep dive into the Sims 4 on consoles, and finally, Phil looks LA Noire for the Switch and how it has changed since its last generation debut

PIXELS & INK – EPISODE 272: CALL OF SPEED

With the busy fall release cycle, the CGM team once again join the Pixels & Ink podcast to bring all the latest news and reviews.

 

This week, Brendan, Lisa, Bryan and Brendan Quinn tackle some of the big news coming out about Microtransactions and how much money is really made from these loot boxes.

As more of the fallout slowly starts to take hold over Hollywood, it seems Ridley Scott’s latest films he The Money In The World will replace Kevin Spacy with the iconic actor Christopher Plummer. Tyrese will apparently not do anymore Fast and Furious films if The Rock is in them. Amazon is looking to buy Lord of the Rings from Warner Bros. and it seems Disney is looking to buy part of 20th Century Fox. 

In reviews, Phil talks about Murder On The Orient Express, Brendan Quinn talks all about the new Call of Duty: WWII, and Bryan look at what makes the new Need for Speedinstalment divisive among reviewers. 

PIXELS & INK – EPISODE 271: TOO MANY TERAFLOPS!

After a bit of a delay, the Pixels & Ink Podcast team is back in action! This week, Phil Brown, Lisa Mior, and Brendan Frye tackle some big announcements from Paris Games Week and Razer. Naughty Dog stirred up quite a bit of press with the reveal of some in-game footage from the upcoming and highly anticipated The Last of Us 2. Razer introduced their newest member of the Cult of Razer gaming family, the Razer Phone.

In Hollywood news, countless studios are reeling from the fallout of sexual assault allegations against powerful moguls starting with Harvey Weinstein. Another blow was struck last week when Star Trek Discovery star, Anthony Rapp, came forward with allegations of assault and harassment against House of Cards star, Kevin Spacey.

In reviews, Phil discusses Thor: RagnarokThe Killing of a Sacred Dear, and Super Mario Odyssey. Lisa tries to get the team on board with an early look at Animal Crossing Pocket Edition. And Finally, Brendan Frye goes through the ins and outs of the 4K madness machine that is the Xbox One X.

Tune and don’t miss a minute of the fun!

PIXELS & INK EPISODE #270 – THE FRACTURED SNOWMAN

This week, Brendan Frye, Phil, and Lisa are joined by Bryan Calhoun.

First, out team explores the ramifications of EA closing down Visceral Games, and lament the future of the new Star Wars adventure game from the studio, that will never be. They also weigh in on CD Projekt Red’s Twitter reaction to a slew of negative reviews on the job review site, Glassdoor.

Phil gives us his take on the immensely disappointing The Snowman, and Leatherface, and the intensely fascinating Cell Block 99.

Finally, the team talks about Battlefront IIGran Turismo SportRogue Trooper ReduxMonsters of the Deep, Secret of Mana Remake, and South Park: The Fractured but Hole.

PIXELS & INK – EPISODE #269: SNAKE? SNAAAAAAAAAKE!!

This week the CGM crew was delighted to interview David Hayter. Best know for his work as a screenwriter for X-Men and The Watchmen, director, and most famously as the voice of Solid Snake in the Metal Gear game franchise, we chat about his work in film, TV, and video games, his thoughts on the SAG strike, and what it would take to make a good videogame movie.

Phil Brown saw the incredibly disappointing Happy Death Day movie this week and regales the team with all its ridiculous nonsense. Brendan Quinn gives us a rundown of The Evil Within 2, a horrifically frightening survival horror that lives up to its predecessor.

PIXELS & INK PODCAST EPISODE #268 – CLASSIC BLADE RUNNING

This week, Brendan, Phil, and Lisa welcome Kohji Nagata from Bunz Podcast network. Kohji joins in some retro reminiscing in celebration of the release of the SNES Classic.

Phill kicks it off with a rundown of Halloween movies to check out around Toronto, including the traditional, holiday Saw movie. Next on the docket: Hollywood news. Hugh Hefner is getting a biopic, and the cast of the Fast and the Furious franchise are twitter feuding again.

The crew takes a look at Blade Runner 2049. Phil talks about whether or not this new iteration of a beloved title lives up to its predecessor.

Finally, Brendan talks about his time with the SNES Classic. He and the crew talk about some of the beloved titles available, Star Fox 2, and what they would have liked to see.

PIXELS & INK PODCAST EPISODE #267: THE MOST IMPORTANT SHOOTERS OF ALL TIME!

his week, Brendan, Quinn, Phil, and Lisa discuss the most influential shooters of all time. From game-changers like Wolfenstein and Doom, to Quake, GoldenEye 007Half Life, Halo, and the dominating Call of Duty, the team walks through how these titles changed the face of the genre and videogames in general.

In games news, the gang takes a look at the new trailer for the highly anticipated Red Dead Redemption 2, and the battle-royale tension between Playerunknown’s Battleground and Fortnight. They discuss what the cross-play glitch in Fortnight means for the possibility of a cross-play feature between Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Phil is back with his take on Tom Cruse’s latest movie, American Made. He also gives the team a rundown of the surrealist feature, mother!.

PIXELS & INK: EPISODE #266 – FULL SCREEN MADNESS

This week was a very busy week for announcements, and our team didn’t waste anytime dishing out their takes.

First up, was Nintendo Direct. Nintendo, still having a great year for Switch releases, announced Wolfenstein: The New Colossus and Doom would be available for this console in 2018. Quinn and Brendan talk about what this platform can do for games like these, and what it might mean for the future.

Not to be shown up by Nintendo, Apple held their Keynote event on Tuesday *applause*. Quinn, Brendan, and Lisa discuss the just announced Apple TV *applause*, iPhone 8*applause*, and the full-screen glory of the iPhone 10  *applause*.

In movie news, the team talks about the newly-confirmed director for Star Wars Episode IX, JJ Abrams, and about the details that surround his involvement with the project.

Finally, Quinn talks about his time with Destiny 2, Lisa gets some strategy XCOM 2 tips from Brendan and Quinn, and Brendan has a Need for Speed.

PIXELS & INK #265 – DAY OF THE GRIM FULL THROTTLE QUEST

With Phil out for the Toronto International Film Festival this week, Brendan, Quinn, and Lisa talk about some of their most anticipated Tiff 2017 films to see. Our team also discuss the how the latest announcement concerning the Disney streaming service will affect services such as Netflix, as well as some new information about South Park: The Fractured But Whole.

Quinn’s take on the newest Daedelic point-and click adventure release, Pillars of Eternity set the gang off on a nostalgia trip down the adventure-genre memory lane. Prepare yourself for a trip down memory lane as we look back at classics such as Full ThrottleGrim FandangoDay of the Tentacle, and a whole bunch more!

PIXELS & INK #264 – THE BATTLE OF THE CONS

Wee’re back! After a crazy week of cons, your favourite team of podcasters are here with stories galore! Quinn regales us with stories from QuakeCon, including some first impressions of Doom VR, Wolfenstein 2: New Colossus, and The Evil Within 2.

Brendan and Lisa bring tales from Gamescom. Brendan gives his take on how it stands up to North American cons, while Lisa gives a rundown on Metal Gear Survive, the latest Cuphead build, and an incredibly immersive VR game from VR Tech and Wargaming.

And finally, Phil gears up for TIFF this week and talks about a new Canadian Genre film, Blood Honey, and a look back at everyone’s favourite TV miniseries, Stephen King’s It

PIXELS & INK #263 – GAME OF HACKS

From Game of Thrones leaks, to Uncharted, The Pixels and Ink Podcast is packed with content this week. Quinn dives into the world of leaks at HBO that are causing a headache for everyone at the cable station. If that were not all, he also looks at Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Phil talks about The Hitman’s Bodyguard, and Brendan dishes on The World Council.

PIXELS & INK #262 – HACKS AND THRONES

While game news was slow this week at Pixels and Ink, the entertainment news managed to keep the team busy with everything from HBO, Netflix and The Dark Tower.

HBO has been the subject of a hack, and much like many data breaches before it, it is hard to tell exactly how much was stolen and how much is bluffing on the part of the hackers. While it is clear some scripts, video and data was compromised, it is hard to say how far the hack goes. But as the panel argues this week on the cast, it does not really matter. Game of Thrones has become such a watercooler show, which even if you know what will happen, many will still sit down at their video device of choice and tune in every week. A little spoiler never stopped people from diving into the show in record numbers.

But while HBO is drawing in the record setting audiences, Netflix is losing some major content from the platform. Disney, makers of all things Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, and of course Disney Animation, will be pulling all their content from the streaming Goliath Netflix, in favour of their own streaming platform. While little is known about what the new platform will offer, or what it will cost, this loss is a blow to the Netflix ever shrinking third party library.

If that were not enough news related to TV, exit polls show that 83% of people would still watch a Dark Tower TV Series, even with the movie being sub-par. This could mean there is still hope we will see more from the Dark Tower universe, although at this point it is starting to feel like a cursed property, especially the way the movie production has gone so far.

Things were not all entertainment this week though, No Man’s Sky once again was in the news. A new patch will not only fix some bugs but will add a new story mode to the game. As our panel concludes, while it is a nice addition, it is hard to imagine No Man’s Sky managing to regain the hype and excitement it lost after the tumultuous launch.

The big movies this week also get some attention. Annabelle, Wind River and Good Time are all touched on, and Phil goes over what is worth your hard earned money and time this weekend. Quinn dives into Masquerada and lets everyone know why it is better than expected, even if it is not as deep as some CRPG offerings.

PIXELS & INK #261 – RETRO THROWBACK

This week, the Pixels and Ink Podcast team hear about how the Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago failed on many levels. Phil gives the lowdown on Atomic Blonde as well as dives into the fact James Camron wants to revive the Terminator franchise. The full team discusses some of the games they have gone back to and how they are still fun even after many years.

PIXELS & INK #260 – DREAM DADDY GHOST STORIES

This week, the Pixels and Ink Podcast team get all the juicy details from Brendan Frye about the billions made through videogame add-ons from the AAA’s. Phil Brown talks about Casey Affleck’s role as a sheet wearing ghost in A Ghost Story, and one of the most disgusting movies ever made – Kuso. Brendan Quinn and Lisa Mior got their hands on a Dream Daddy, and Phil tells us why he can’t get enough of Splatoon 2.

PIXELS & INK #259 – SERIAL HOMECOMING

The Pixels and Ink Podcast has added members this week as Brendan Quinn and Lisa Mior bring their irreverent charm to the cast. Discussing the new low cost, Oculus Rift, projected to cost just over $200. We also dive into what the Astro/Logitech merger means for gamers, and Phil talks all about Spider-Man: Homecoming. The fun does not stop there, as Lisa wants to talk all about Disco Bear, and Quinn dives into what makes Serial Cleaner such a fun romp, especially for people that enjoy Hitman.

PIXELS & INK #258 – LOOT AND APES

With Cody leaving CGMagazine, Brendan and Phil are joined by Cole Watson tech expert and Lisa Mior for this week’s Pixels and Ink Podcast. They discuss the new Assassin’s Creed Netflix show, Microsoft Layoffs, Paradox purchase of Triumph and the new Overwatch character Doomfist. Phil discusses how exciting War for the Planet of the Apes is, and Brendan digs back into Diablo III.