AggroChat #522 - What Makes a Crossover?

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen   Hey Folks! This week, we start off talking about Four Job Fiesta and how Ash’s playthrough is going as he takes the donation route to fix his class choices.  Bel talks about the Absolum a new demo up on Steam which mashes together Streets of Rage, Hades, and Darkest Dungeon into a really fun Roguelike Beat Em Up. From there, Kodra talks about his recent foray into Minecraft Dungeons and how it is a really good entry point to the ARPG/Diablo-like genre.  Ash has been revisiting Guild Wars 1 and talks about his progress so far.  Thalen shares his early thoughts about Persona 5 The Phantom X and how it seems to be a non-egregious gacha.  Finally, Kodra and Bel go on at length about the current Path of Exile league.   Topics Discussed: Four Job Fiesta Status Report Absolum Minecraft Dungeons Revisiting Guild Wars 1 Persona 5 The Phantom X Path of Exile

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen   The Nintendo Switch 2 has been out for long enough that folks have really gotten some time to play Mario Kart World, and we discuss some of its features.  We also talk a bit about the Donkey Kong Direct and the upcoming game releasing in July. It is the second week of Path of Exile 3.26, and Bel talks about his progress so far and some of the finer details of Mercenaries.  We talk briefly about the news that Marathon has been delayed to an indefinite date in the future, but that Sony is still talking about it like it is a thing.  Ash shares some thoughts about Siralim Ultimate and the upcoming 2.0 patch.  We then devolve into some nonsense about Dune Awakening as we discuss recent happenings on our private server.   Topics Discussed: Mario Kart World Donkey Kong Direct Path of Exile - Mercenaries of Trarthus Week Two Marathon Delayed Indefinitely Siralim Ultimate and 2.0 Patch Dune Awakening Nonsense

Hey Folks! We have the full crew this week, and Kodra and Thalen have made their way into Dune Awakening, so we talk a bit more about that game. Bel asks what the dumbest thing we have done in a video game to make currency. Ash is back in Guild Wars 2 and attempting to catch up on the story. Kodra and Tam share their thoughts about the Microsoft PuzzleHunt event and contrast it with the MIT Mystery Hunt. Bel shares his early experiences with the Mercenaries of Trarthus as the Secrets of the Atlas expansion kicks off in Path of Exile. Grace talks a bit about Be My Horde as it lets you play a Necromancer, raising an army in a Vampire-Survivors-like game. Finally, we talk a bit about Deltarune actually getting a proper release and Toby Fox accepting money for the game.   Topics Discussed: Kodra and Thalen Join Dune Dumb Things for Money Guild Wars 2 Catch Up Microsoft PuzzleHunt Path of Exile: Secrets of the Atlas Fun With Mercenaries Be My Horde Deltarune Purchasable

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen   Hey Folks! We are down a Grace this week, but still end up filling up more than our normal slot full of nonsense.  There is a big sale going on right now for Guild Wars 2, and if you have ever thought about checking it out, now is the time. The Nintendo Switch 2 was released, and we are all pretty happy with it so far, and was at least a MASSIVE upgrade over the OG launch Switch. We talk a bit about the Summer Games Fest… which we only found out this week was not plural… thanks to LRR.  Tam and Bel have been playing the Dune headstart, and it is a wild gaming experience. Tam talks a short bit about TMNT Splintered Fate and Bel gives a heads up that Path of Exile 3.26 is coming next week.   Topics Discussed: Big Guild Wars 2 Sale Nintendo Switch 2 Summer Game(s) Fest Dune: Awakening Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate Path of Exile 3.26 Next Week

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, and Tamrielo   Hey Folks! We are down a Thalen this week, but that is mostly because he was up visiting Bel Town, so Bel talks a bit about that.  Kodra discusses how playing a lot of Blue Prince has ruined his brain for every other game… especially Cyberpunk 2077. It is Path of Exile 3.26 Spoiler Season, and Bel talks about some of the quality of life changes coming.  Tam shares his experiences with Skin Deep and why it may not be the “sandbox stealth” game that it is purported to be. Kodra and Tam talk about their experiences playing Lorelei and the Laser Eyes “Co-Op” without official support for that. The early looter shooter Defiance makes a return, and Bel talks about that, and then Tam shares the realization that given enough time, you massively improve almost anything that you try… in his case, painting miniatures.   Topics Discussed: Blue Prince Rewires Brain Path of Exile 3.26 Spoiler Season Skin Deep Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Lorelei and the Laser Eyes “Co-Op” Defiance Returns Painting Realization

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen   Hey Folks! We are down a Grace this week and start off with what seems like a reasonable list of topics…  that we immediately have to bump half of because the night ran long. Thalen starts off with a bit of a rebuttal to our Eurovision topic as he shares his thoughts about Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente. From there, we talk about the death of Marathon and potentially Bungie as things keep getting worse for that game and its studio. Speaking of angry crowds…  we also talk a bit about the self-own of Star Citizen’s recent round of pay-to-win allegations. Steam OS is officially available for devices that are not the Steam Deck, and we share our thoughts about an eventual future where we are running this on desktops. Somewhere in the midst of the show, we have this entire unintended conversation about how making PVP work for non-PVPers would mean needing to make losing feel enjoyable. Finally, Tam shares his thoughts about what he has played of Dune Awakening so far, and it is probably enough to rope several of us into trying the game on release.   Topics Discussed Space Opera The Marathon Debacle The Potential Death of Bungie Star Citizen Self-Own Steam OS Broad Release PVP for Non-PVPers Dune: Awakening 

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, and Kodra   Hey Folks! We are down a few folks, but we had a lot to talk about.  Bel and Grace have been watching Eurovision for several years at this point… and talk about some nonsense that went on during the Saturday show that was amazing. From there, Ash shares his broadening love of Taiko Drum games and tries to figure out a way to play them at home. Bel talks a bit about recent Last Epoch updates that have added quite a bit of quality of life to the game. Enshrouded got the Thralls of Twilight update that has massively improved some of the game visuals as well as added quite a bit more gameplay.  Dwarven Realms is going through Chaos Week right now, and Grace has been playing the brand new Necromancer. Several of us have spent time playing Slormancer, and it is a phenomenal and easy to get into ARPG with a pretty delightful art style.  Right now, Steam is doing Creature Collector Fest, and Ash talks about trying out several demos. Finally, Bel has returned to Guild Wars 2 and dragged Ammo along for the nonsense.  He talks about finishing up his fifth Legendary Weapon and setting his sights on the way more daunting Vision Legendary journey.   Topics Discussed: Real Winner of Eurovision Taiko Drum Games Last Epoch Quality of Life Patches Enshrouded - Thralls of Twilight  Dwarven Realms Necromancer Slormancer Creature Collection Demos Voiding Bound Synth Beasts Yaoling Mythical Journey Aethermancer Guild Wars 2 Fifth Legendary What Now?

Featuring: AmmosArt, Belghast, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen   Hey Folks! Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers out there who might be listening to our show. We are down an Ash and a Grace and have an under-the-weather Kodra, but push on.  We start off with Bel asking the question: What is the bare minimum required for something to be called a crossover in a game? Kodra shares his thoughts about his playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077 and how it gives the impression of time pressure, but that there really is not any.  This branches off into a whole discussion about imaginary time pressure and actual hard clocks in games.  Weirdly, this also then branches off into a discussion about how “sexytime” is handled in games. In a more pure gaming experience, Tam shares his thoughts about the wildly successful Burrows and Badgets.  Bel talks about rolling a Gauntlet character in the Sir Gog led Path of Exile league and hitting a hard stop in Act 8.  Finally, we talk a bit about Dune Awakening and then attempt to explain the Dune universe to Kodra.   Topics Discussed: What Constitutes a Crossover in a Video Game? Diablo IV x Berserk Collaboration Cyberpunk 2077 and the implication of time pressure. Actual Time Pressure vs Imagined Sexytime in Gaming Burrows and Badgers Sir Gog’s Soft Gauntlet in Path of Exile Dune: Awakening Beta Hopes Explaining Dune to Kodra

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, Tamrielo, and Thalen   Hey Folks! We start off with almost no topics on the docket and then fill up a full show as we are rolling.  Bel saw Thunderbolts and shares that it might be the best Marvel movie he has seen since Guardians 3.  From there, Tam dives into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an aggressively French take on the JRPG genre that is insanely good. Grace shares their experiences with Conquest Dark, a new Vampire-Survivors-like that they have been playing. Bel gets sucked back into Path of Exile for Pohx League 2.0 where every map has two random additional bosses.  Tam shares some early thoughts about South of Midnight, and Ash shares their recent experiences with Samurai Bringer and Metal Bringer.  Kodra discusses some of the recent Chess drama, as Dr Lupo very clearly cheated in the recent PogChamps Tournament. Finally, Tam discusses his recent return to Infinity in edition 5.   Topics Discussed: Thunderbolts Movie Great Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Conquest Dark Path of Exile Pohx League 2.0 Atlas Invasion South of Midnight Samurai Bringer Metal Bringer Chess Drama Infinity: N5

Featuring: AmmosArt, Ashgar, Belghast, Grace, Kodra, and Thalen   Good Morning Folks! We are down a Tam this week and went into this with no topics on the docket…  and still managed to pull together a full-length episode.  We talk a bit about our experiences attempting to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2, and what a massive cluster that was. From there, we talk a bit about the worst-kept gaming secret, the Oblivion remaster, and how magical this product is.  Magic: The Gathering has seemingly lost its mind, and we talk a bit about the Omenpaths thing and how poorly ideated it is.  Finally, Last Epoch is still a heck of a lot of fun, and we talk about some of the experiences, especially around playing with other folks.   Topics Discussed: Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Order Mayhem Oblivion Remaster Magic the Omenpaths Nonsense Last Epoch is Still Great