The Games That Made Me

Dragon Quest VIII, Part 5: Port Prospect & Peregrin QuayIn this episode, Brendan is joined by a very special guest: The Hero of Dragon Quest VIII himself!  Since The Hero is a silent protagonist, Brendan explores the inner monologue running through The Hero's mind as he embarks on the Journey of the Cursed King.  What exactly does he think about the various monsters, people, dungeons and towns he comes across on his quest to stop the evil Dhoulmagus?Important questions will be pondered in this week's episode, such as:What doesn't the Albert family own?Why did no one bother to market a ventriloquizing cephalopod?Why do monsters carry items and gold pieces?  Where do they store them?  So go find your best weapon (sword, spear, boomerang, or your bare hands), don your best armor, and don't forget to bring along a pot lid and some bunny ears.  Because it's about to get real - Dragon Quest style.  Cor blimey!     A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.I would love to hear from my listeners!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Dragon Quest VIII, Part 4: Alexandria & the Tower of AlexandraIn this episode, Brendan is joined by a very special guest: The Hero of Dragon Quest VIII himself!  Since The Hero is a silent protagonist, Brendan explores the inner monologue running through The Hero's mind as he embarks on the Journey of the Cursed King.  What exactly does he think about the various monsters, people, dungeons and towns he comes across on his quest to stop the evil Dhoulmagus?Important questions will be answered in this week's episode, such as:Why is the entire village of Alexandria made out of wood?  What pestilential plagues are the people of Alexandria suffering from?How are Miss Jessica and the rest of her family able to control the denizens of Alexandria?So go find your best weapon (sword, spear, boomerang, or your bare hands), don your best armor, and don't forget to bring along a pot lid and some bunny ears.  Because it's about to get real - Dragon Quest style.  Cor blimey!     A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.I would love to hear from my listeners!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Dragon Quest VIII, Part 3: Farebury & the Waterfall CaveIn this episode, Brendan is joined by a very special guest: The Hero of Dragon Quest VIII himself!  Since The Hero is a silent protagonist, Brendan explores the inner monologue running through The Hero's mind as he embarks on the Journey of the Cursed King.  What exactly does he think about the various monsters, people, dungeons and towns he comes across on his quest to stop the evil Dhoulmagus?Important questions will be answered in this week's episode, such as:Why does The Hero prefer to remain silent?  What does The Hero really think about the royal family he serves? What did he think about his experiences in the town of Farebury and the dungeon of Waterfall Cave?So go find your best weapon (sword, spear, boomerang, or your bare hands), don your best armor, and don't forget to bring along a pot lid and some bunny ears.  Because it's about to get real - Dragon Quest style.  Cor blimey!     A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.I would love to hear from my listeners!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Dragon Quest VIII, Part 2: Accessibility, Humor, & Options Aplenty! This week's episode is all about my early memories playing through Dragon Quest VIII for the first time back in 2014.  What was it about this entry in the Dragon Quest series that made it so enjoyable and accessible for a relative newcomer to RPGs?  We are fortunate to live in a time with three different versions of this game, but which one is the best way to experience this classic?In this episode, I will ask the important questions such as:Why does Dragon Quest VIII remind me of city living?What was it about Dragon Quest VIII that allowed me to develop an unhealthy obsession with this series?What is most important: portability, originality, or innovation?So go find your best weapon (sword, spear, boomerang, or your bare hands), don your best armor, and don't forget to bring along a pot lid and some bunny ears.  Because it's about to get real - Dragon Quest style.  Cor blimey!     Feel free to get a conversation started by emailing me at [email protected] you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- I would love to hear from my listeners!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Dragon Quest VIII, Part 1: If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix ItThis week's episode is all about the basics of the Dragon Quest series of video games, paying particular attention to the 168-million-pound elephant in the room named Final Fantasy.   In this episode, I will ask the important questions such as:What is the Dragon Quest series of video games and why am I starting with the eighth entry?How does the Dragon Quest series compare to the massively popular Final Fantasy series?What makes a Dragon Quest game a Dragon Quest game?So go find your best weapon (sword, spear, boomerang, or use your bare hands), don your best armor, and don't forget to bring along a pot lid and some bunny ears.  Because it's about to get real - Dragon Quest style.  Cor blimey!     Feel free to get a conversation started by emailing me at [email protected] you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- I would love to hear from my listeners!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch, Part 5This week's episode is all about the biggest unanswered questions & mysteries of Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch.    Spoiler Warning: This episode contains major spoilers for Ni No Kuni's story.  I do not recommend listening to this episode if you have never played through the game's story before. In this episode, I will ask the important questions such as:Who is Oliver's father?Why doesn't Shadar convince Oliver to use the Breach Time spell to go back to Motorville in time to save his mother?Does the world of Ni No Kuni exist or does the entire game take place in Oliver's imagination?And while I can't promise answers to all of the questions I pose, I do hope that you will find my insight and analysis intriguing.  I would also love to hear your thoughts on this episode.  Do you agree or disagree with my analysis?  What unanswered questions do you have after playing this game?  Feel free to get a conversation started by emailing me at [email protected] you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- I would love nothing more than to hear from you!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch, Part 4This week's episode is all about the areas that Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch fell short of perfection.  As much as I love this title, I believe no game is ever 100% perfect, and every game always has areas it could improve upon.      Spoiler Warning: This episode contains major spoilers for Ni No Kuni's story.  I do not recommend listening to this episode if you have never played through the game's story before.  I also wouldn't want my opinions on the game's shortcomings to influence your first playthrough of this classic!   If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- I would love nothing more than to hear from you!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch, Part 3This week's episode is all about the reasons why Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch is one of my favorite games of all time.  What about this title keeps calling me back despite having already beaten the game several times?   On my original playthrough, Ni No Kuni's heartfelt story kept me on the edge of my seat, needing to discover how Oliver's story would ultimately play out.  On subsequent playthroughs, the ability to switch up my play style in Ni No Kuni's  beautiful world have kept the game feeling fresh & challenging.  Spoiler Warning: This episode contains major spoilers for Ni No Kuni's story.  Fast forward past the six-minute mark if you want to avoid these.If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- I would love nothing more than to hear from you!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch, Part 2Hello there, listener, and thank you for giving my new podcast a try.  This week's episode is all about the major gameplay elements found in one of my favorite video games of all time: Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch.  In this episode, I will outline the major gameplay elements at work in this title.  Do you like your RPGs full of places to explore?  Ni No Kuni offers a beautiful world map full of secrets, four different types of treasure chests to find, and plenty of diverse towns and dungeons to satisfy the explorer inside of you. Want to experience a unique combat system?  Ni No Kuni's battle system combines the turn-based combat of Dragon Quest with a healthy dose of action RPG goodness a la the Tales of series.  And I would be remiss if I forgot to mention the monster taming & raising element of Ni No Kuni.  Tame, customize, and evolve a variety of familiars to fight alongside Oliver!   And for those times you want a break from the main story, there are a multitude of side quests & bounty hunts to complete in this game.  Last but not least is the inclusion of alchemy in this game.  This particular element is more of a mixed bag, with the ability to obtain the best gear in the entire game through alchemy weighed down by the obscure process of collecting recipes & the grind of acquiring the necessary rare ingredients.No need to worry if you haven't played Ni No Kuni yet; there are no spoilers in this episode.If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button.A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles.--- I would love nothing more than to hear from you!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs

Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch, Part 1Hello there, listener, and thank you for giving my new podcast a try.  This week's episode is the first in a series of episodes about one of my favorite video games of all time: Ni No Kuni and the Wrath of the White Witch.  In this first episode, I will give a brief introduction to the game, focusing on what sets this JRPG apart from other titles in the genre, reminisce a bit about my first experiences playing the game, and talk about the events of the prologue that set up the rest of the game's story.  No need to worry if you haven't played Ni No Kuni yet; there are no spoilers in this episode. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends and consider hitting that subscribe button. A Little Bit About This Podcast:Welcome to my first venture into the world of podcasting!  My name is Brendan and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join me on my quest to delve deeply into the world of video games, particularly the games that have influenced my life the most.  Along the way, I will explore what makes certain video games addicting, address the negative stigma that unfortunately still surrounds video games, share my own unique experiences with video games, and broaden my gaming horizons by trying out new titles. --- I would love nothing more than to hear from you!  Feel free to get the conversation started by sending me an email at [email protected] You can also visit my website at https://www.thegamesthatmademe.com The intro/outro music was composed by HumanoideVFX The podcast theme image was created by Reactiv Designs