The RPGs of 2025 (with Cameron Kunzelman)

Maddy, Jason, and Kirk talk through this year's Game Awards show, from the big reveals (Star Wars! Divinity!) to the Clair Obscur sweep. They talk about what the show did well, what sucked, and why they chose to end on a hero shooter. Plus: some quick thoughts on Netflix buying Warner Bros.!One More Thing:Kirk: School AnnouncementsMaddy: Masters of Doom by David Kushner (2003)Jason: Pluribus LINKS:Jason talks to Swen Vincke: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-12-16/-baldur-s-gate-3-maker-promises-divinity-will-be-next-level?srnd=undefined“Hundred Days,” “Invasion,” “Midnight” by Masafumi Takada and Jun Fukuda from The Hundred Line: Last Defense AcademySupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Maddy, Jason, and Kirk put on their Varia Suits for a dive into Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, the latest adventure of bounty hunter Samus Aran. They talk about how this fourth entry has evolved the series, what they like (and don't like) about the game, and that dreadful desert.One More Thing:Kirk: Death By Lightning (Netflix)Maddy: Metropolis (1927), as re-edited in 1984 by Giorgio MoroderJason: Wellness (Nathan Hill)LINKS:Metroid Prime 4:Beyond original score excerpts composed by Kenji Yamamoto and Minako Hamano“Death By Lightning” by Ramin Djawadi from Death By Lightning, 2025“Call Me” by Debbie Harry & Giorgio Moroder; performed by “Blondie” aka Debbie Harry & a studio band feat. Harold Faltermeyer on keys“Death of the Author: An Alan Wake Series Retrospective” by Noah Caldwell-Gervais: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRh3r_AhUw0Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Will Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweep The Game Awards? Why was Blue Prince snubbed? And does The Burnt Peanut have a chance against Sakura Miko? This week, the Triple Click gang makes their predictions for Gaming's Biggest Night, from Game of the Year to... "Best Ongoing."One More Thing:Kirk: The Night Watchman (Louise Erdrich)Maddy: System Shock (2023 remake)Jason: MegabonkLINKS:“Flying Waters - Rain from the Ground” by Lorien Testard from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Kirk’s 2015 story about Nightdive’s failed attempts to remake No One Lives Forever: https://kotaku.com/the-sad-story-behind-a-dead-pc-game-that-cant-come-back-1688358811Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

What would Triple Click do if they had the chance to buy pieces of EA? Why do so many people talk about games before finishing them? How do patches impact the way we experience games? All those and lots more questions on this week's Thanksgiving special Burning Questions.One More Thing:Kirk: Fela Kuti: Fear No ManMaddy: Secure Boot settingsJason: 1929 (Andrew Ross Sorkin)LINKS:Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Kirk has really been enjoying the medieval role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, but Maddy and Jason both weren't playing, so he didn't have anyone to talk to about it. Hoever, some of his non-podcaster friends were playing the game, too. One thing led to another, and they wound up recording this special episode about it.ABOUT THE GUESTS:TOM BISSELL is an author and screenwriter. He has published loads of books including Extra Lives, Magic Hours, and Apostle: Travels Among the Tombs of the Twelve. He's also written for video game series like Uncharted and Gears of War and wrote the final three episodes of Star Wars: Andor.MATTHEW SEIJI BURNS  is a writer, musician, and game designer. He worked on AAA series like Halo and Call of Duty before moving to Zachtronics, where he helped make games like Opus Magnum and Eliza, the latter of which he also directed. He is the author of the 2025 novel Process.Together, Tom and Matthew wrote the 2015 interactive fiction game The Writer Will Do Something, which remains (in this episode notes writer's opinion) one of the definitive encapsulations of working as a writer in video games. Seriously, go play it.LIAM MCINTYRE is an actor who has appeared in a variety of programs - among other roles, he was the lead in Starz's Sparticus: Vengeance, and played Weather Wizard in the CW's The Flash. As a voice actor, he's played everyone from Captain Boomerang to Marcus Fenix's son JD, and will play Logan himself in Insomniac's upcoming game Marvel's Wolverine.LINKS ETC.SkillUp’s KCD2 Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wFHtqKYMaM“Saint Barbara Theme,” “Welcome to Troskovice,” by Jan Valta & Adam Sporka from the KCD2 Original SoundtrackSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/ 

Jason, Maddy, and Kirk have played through all of Dispatch, the new narrative superhero game from a crew of former Telltale directors, and there's a whole lot to discuss. They share their thoughts on the game, disclose whether they picked Invisigal or Blonde Blazer, and talk about what makes it all work so well. First section is spoiler-free, then they get into spoilers later on!One More Thing:Kirk: Oathbringer (Brandon Sanderson)Maddy: News TowerJason: Kingdoms of the DumpLINKS:One More Thing Timestamp: 57:55Dispatch episode one gameplay excerpts featuring Robert Robertson (Aaron Paul) and Blonde Blazer (Erin Yvette)Jason’s Bloomberg News interview with Dispatch director Nick HermanExcerpts from the Dispatch score, composed by Andrew Acradi“Kissing Someone Else” by Caroline KingsburyExcerpts from the News Tower score by Bart Van de Sande, Jack Van de Ven feat. New Cool CollectiveNews Tower: Behind the Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbPllfsoPG8Play Molleindustria’s New York Times Simulator: https://molleindustria.itch.io/the-new-york-times-simulatorPlay Lucas Pope’s The Republia Times: https://www.dukope.com/trt/play.htmlSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Kirk, Maddy, and Jason bring on special guest Cameron Kunzelman to talk about this year's suite of roleplaying games, from Avowed to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to The Outer Worlds 2. They also talk about Assassin's Creed's pivot to RPGs, what an RPG even is, and much more. Plus: Steam Machines!One More Thing:Kirk: Do The Right Thing (1989)Maddy: AnniversariesJason: King Sorrow (Joe Hill)LINKS:Cameron’s new Assassin’s Creed book: https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517914943/everything-is-permitted/The Ranged Touch network, with a bunch of his podcasts: https://rangedtouch.comSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Jason, Maddy, and Kirk are all playing The Séance of Blake Manor, a new detective game about a spooky manor full of — OOOOOOOOHHHHH — Kirk, stop it. They talk about the game's unique time mechanic, how it plays with deduction, and of course, lots of spooky ghosts.One More Thing:Kirk: “ChatGPT Made Me Delusional” by Eddy Burback (YouTube)Maddy: The Master (2012)Jason: Strange JigsawsLINKS:Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Kirk, Maddy, and Jason put on their capitalism hats and go to space for a trip to The Outer Worlds 2, the latest roleplaying game from Obsidian. They talk about how it improves upon the first game, all the fun dialogue options, and the hilarious Dumb trait.One More Thing:Kirk: Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery (Hulu)Maddy: Peacemaker S2Jason: The Seance of Blake ManorLINKS:Jason interviews The Outer Worlds 2 director Brandon Adler: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-10-24/obsidian-s-the-outer-worlds-2-took-twice-as-long-to-make-as-the-first-hit-game?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc2MTc0NDUyOSwiZXhwIjoxNzYyMzQ5MzI5LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUNE4yWERHUFdDTEwwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.OCD764bJIZFKkkNCudKE7HVo_s32880R1rFNAy_ctakThe Outer Worlds 2 PC performance mod Kirk mentioned: https://www.nexusmods.com/theouterworlds2/mods/17Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

It's time for a video-game grab bag as the Triple Click gang talks about some of the games they've been playing recently. They dive into Double Fine's Keeper, the new indie sensation Ball X Pit, Supergiant's Hades 2, and Absolum. Also they get derailed by the term "friendslop."One More Thing:Kirk: The Diplomat (Netflix)Maddy: The Venture Bros. (2004-2018)Jason: Workhorse (Caroline Palmer)LINKS:Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Some Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/