Ryan finds the X for him. Justin never wants to play horde mode again. JB wasn’t asked to vote on the awards. Plus, Sony ditches three letters.

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Show Features

Cast: Justin Lacey, Ryan Billingsley, JB Buckner

• What's Up?
  • Lone Cowboy
  • Pokemon 37
  • Apology Tour
• Headliner: Microsoft Working On Digital-Only Xbox One System For 2019 Release
• Look Back
• Game Break: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
• Headliner: The Game Awards Announces 2018 Nominees
• Justin Needs a Moment:
  • Devil May Cry Series Coming From Castlevania Netflix Producer
  • Sony will not be at E3 2019
• Game Break: Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realm
• Headliner: Multiplayer Variations
• New Releases and Pick Ups
• Game Break: Celeste

Ryan agrees that maybe you don’t put on a show if you have nothing to show. JB doesn’t know the origins of his odyssey but it won’t matter. Justin has severe Carmack FOMO. Plus, would someone think of the doors?

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Show Features

Cast: Justin Lacey, Ryan Billingsley, JB Buckner

• What's Up?
  • Gaming on the beach
  • Air travel
  • Axe throwing
• Headliner: Does your platform need an event? - 1, 2
• Look Back
• Game Break: FIFA 91
• Headliner: Why do you fear the hype? - 1, 2
• Justin Needs a Moment:
  • Football Fans Throw Controllers Onto Field In Protest Against Esports
  • Google Announces Project Stream, Which Lets You Stream Games In Chrome
• Game Break: Door Kickers: Action Squad
• Headliner: Oculus Quest and Carmack - 1
• New Releases and Pick Ups
• Game Break: Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire
• On This Day Related to Video Games: Castlevania: Symphoney of the Night

More so than the beginning of previous years, there's been a lot of focus behind the gaming choices of our crew here in 2017. That can only carry us so long and we realized that we are starting to take breaks and go back to some familiar favorites.

What is a comfort game and which one(s) do you run to?

Cole Monroe
There are 3 games I go back to all the time even more than two games I always mention: Link to the Past or Symphony of the Night. I'm good at these three games so that helps. Those games are Contra, Super Mario Bros. and Punch-Out. Games that I play multiple times every year just to see if my skills are still there yet still be challenged.

With Contra it's all about beating the game without using the 30 lives code, which I've done multiple times. Now the challenge is to see how far I can get without continuing. My fastest time beating Super Mario Bros. is around 11 minutes. Every time I play now, I try to at least get to that 11 minute mark before quitting. For Punch-Out it's just trying to remember all the tricks of each fighter to get through it as quickly as possible. I usually get stopped by Super Macho Man but since I've beat the game straight through and with a passcode in the past, I'm okay with not beating it every time especially since that game is hard as hell when you get to the later fighters.

What I'm looking for in a comfort game is not something that will challenge me to the point of frustration, but something that I can utilize to challenge myself with arbitrary goals that I've created. It also helps that the replay-ability factory of the games I mentioned are off the charts.

Justin Gifford
A large percentage of my games probably qualify as "comfort" games. While sometimes I want something as stressful and teeth-grinding as DOOM, most of the time when I'm playing solo (at least during the week) it's me winding down. FTL filled (and will probably continue to) that need as does Rebel Galaxy. There's something about blowing stuff up in outer space that I find really therapeutic. Although it's been a while, there's a reason I played through the (first, good) Mass Effect series so many times - being in that world is something that allows me to really do some escapist adventuring without needing to pay crazy attention to high-stakes combat. Frankly, there a lot of games out there that are very popular or very good (or both) that I won't play because I know it'll stress me out and that's really, really not why I play games.

Aaron McNeal
Outside of games I play with a work-like mentality to form an opinion or have a specific experience, most games that I play evolve into comfort games.

On the cast, I specifically brought up that games with heavy loot mechanics easily fall into this category. Boot em up, throw me into a world, and let me snag all the loot I can. While those games can have challenging raids or end-game bosses, the bulk of the time can be spent looping regions I've already completed to gain additional levels or that magical set of pants I'd love to wear. Borderlands, Diablo, and Destiny are games that offered me a great time to zoom across loot-covered wastelands.

To briefly touch on mindless games, that tends to be regulated to the mobile experience. While I've got Hearthstone on my phone for when I can't play on PC, there's heaps of one-off puzzlers, idle sims, and Pokemon GO as well. If I'm on the move or have 10 minutes at best and nothing more pressing to do, I'll launch one of these and do whatever. It's not stressful, but I certainly don't care nearly as much about what happens.

Ryan Billingsley
For me, any game that I can sit down and play for a couple of hours and not have to feel any kind of anxiety or frustration makes for a good comfort game. Diablo has always been like that for me because you have the initial play through, which is not in the comfort zone, but then you re-run everything time and time again, and you know what you are going to get and it is never overwhelming. Rocket League is both a comfort game and a nerve rattling anxiety overdose depending on what mode I am playing. 3v3 unranked matches are where I can lay back and just play and enjoy my time not worrying about how I am playing and not expecting a lot for anyone else playing. 1v1 ranked leaves me with a mild headache and adrenaline shakes. I also enjoy builders for the most part. Dragon Quest Builders was a game I could just mess around in for hours and be completely relaxed. The same is true for Cities: Skylines. Kerbal Space Program used to be that way, but then when they put in career mode and made re-entry much harder, it just became stressful and I haven't played it since.

Justin Lacey
As this topic emerged on the podcast last week, I hadn't even considered the concept of comfort games. Most of the time I figured I was either focused on a game because I had a goal in mind, or I was just playing something to pass time. There's an area inbetween though. I don't always walk away satisfied from some of the mindless games out there. Comfort games require a bit of mastery because they make me feel a sense of confirmation that I'm still good at these games that I love.

Most of the real comfort games that come to mind for me are a bit older. 1) Super Metroid 2) Mega Man 2 3) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and 4) World of Warcraft are the stand-outs. Diablo 3 is definitely creeping up there, but I'm still learning new tricks in that one. The others just make me feel happy them when I play them and, outside of WoW, I feel even happier when I'm kicking ass. With WoW, I'm just content to be in that world again and it was made even better this year when some more vanilla servers launched and I got to revisit my true nostalgic memories. Some recent candidates that may become comfort games are Red Dead Redemption, DmC, Rogue Legacy, Bastion, and is it too early to call it for Zelda: Breath of the Wild?

Andrew Cooper
A comfort game for me is something that I can go to for fun and enjoyment where not much effort is required. Some games require too much mentally and physically and I'll default to watching TV instead to avoid the stress and mental fatigue.

Back in the day, the comfort game that sticks out most is Super Mario 3. I played the hell out of that game. I knew it forwards and backwards and always had fun. My love for that game started from the excitement of seeing it featured in the movie The Wizard, which I also loved as a kid. Playing it required little energy and it was always a fun way to pass the time.

Today, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is filling this role. I'm currently disregarding all missions and just spend evenings exploring. It's a fun and relaxing way to wind down the evening before I turn in.

What we played and enjoyed the most in 2016 that didn't come out in 2016.

Rocket League

Add a few more teammates and a lot more practice and Rocket League was bumping new games out of our playlist for the entire year. It keeps getting better and that's an amazing yet terrifying proposition for 2017 releases.

Finalists

• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

• Podcast Deliberations - Part One
  • Old Game of the Year
  • Quickie Game of the Year
  • Feature of the Year
  • Best Sounding Thing of the Year
• Podcast Deliberations - Part Two
  • Mr Dave Award for Best New Character
  • Best Looking Thing of the Year
  • Moment of the Year
  • Developer of the Year
• Podcast Deliberations - Part Three
  • Game of the Year

• Games of 2016 Articles
• Coop - Podcast Interview | Games List
• Justin Gifford - Podcast Interview | Games List
• Cole Monroe - Podcast Interview | Games List
• Ryan Billingsley - Podcast Interview | Games List
• Aaron McNeal - Podcast Interview | Games List
• Justin Lacey - Podcast Interview | Games List

Justin G may be a completionist, but Justin L wants to know why he still needs mindless games in his playlist. Featuring Strider (2014), Atomas, Destiny, more metroidvanias, and finding time to play mobile games.

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Show Features

Cast: Justin Lacey, Justin Gifford

• Topic: Mindless games to help you wind down
• The Games:
  • Strider
  • Atomas
  • Destiny
  • Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and other metroidvanias
• Topic: Do you make time for mobile games?
• Recommendations for Justin G
  • Hyper Light Drifter
  • Dark Souls
• Shout-outs - Nintendo firing, GamePolitics.com, VR is coming

Cole finally has choices in the metroidvania genre, but Justin knows they can't all be perfectly executed symphonies. Featuring Symphony of the Night, Rocket League, Salt and Sanctuary, and how to break into other game genres.

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Show Features

Cast: Justin Lacey, Cole Monroe

• Topic: What makes or breaks a metroidvania?
• The Games:
  • Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
  • Final Fantasy VII
  • Rocket League
  • Salt and Sanctuary
  • Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
  • Stardew Valley
• Topic: What are some good game genre icebreakers?
• Recommendations for Cole
  • Galak-Z
  • SUPERHOT
  • Firewatch
• Shout-outs - Fix wrestling games + mobile game alternatives

Early year game releases are where regrets are born. Whether you are busy with your backlog, playing some old favorites, or just relaxing in your favorite giant open world, there are always plenty of excuses to let a good game slip through the cracks. It's ok it happens, but there's always an opportunity to redeem yourself.

Simple Question

What game did you want to play when it first came out, but didn't play it until much later when it made you wish you had played it sooner?

Recent Redemptions

The Last of Us (Justin Gifford) - Although we only post a very small percentage of our Horrible Night slack conversations, a disproportionate amount of the chatter involves Justin trying to convince me that I should drop another $350 on a PlayStation 4 despite having a brand new gaming PC. It’s an uphill battle, since I lived through not having a PlayStation 3, but one game almost made me regret the decision to not have a superfluous console. Fortunately, my good friends Amber and Derek were kind enough to loan me their PS3 when they got a PS4. They also included a Naughty Dog trio of Uncharted 2 & 3 and The Last of Us.

While I’m glad that I got to play the Uncharted games, which were a lot of fun, The Last of Us absolutely blew me away. I remember thinking when it launched, “Huh. Man, I wish that wasn’t a PlayStation exclusive. Oh well. Not buying a second console.”

If you’ve played it, you know what a gut punch that opening scene is. If you’re a parent, you get an extra boost of “Oh, my god.” That prologue alone would make the game stand out, but the tenseness of ammunition scarcity, selective engagement, the development of actual characters who you grew to care about – The Last of Us, which I’ve played through several times, remains one of the best games that I’ve ever played. I’m still not buying a PS4.

Ori and the Blind Forest (Coleman Monroe) - I didn’t play Ori originally when it came out because of a little game called Axiom Verge. Both being Metroidvanias I just wasn’t in the mood to go back to back on that type of game. However, when I finally played Ori earlier this year, this flood of regret washed over me. I had delayed my gratification from a great game because I chose one Metroidvania over the other. I wouldn’t be so bold to say that mistakes were made, because Axiom Verge is a great game in its own right. I just wish I would have played Ori first.

Rocket League (Ryan Billingsley) - I blame Justin Lacey entirely for my delayed entry into the Rocket League world. He would play it behind me on the office TV every day but only duels, and I just didn't think that would be something I would really enjoy. Even after I finally got a PS4, I didn't rush out to get it.

Then one day, I had some extra funds in my PS Wallet and so I picked it up and played 3v3 for the first time. I was hooked. It was so fun, so accessible, I couldn't stop playing. I still don't play Duel, I just don't enjoy it as much as the team dynamic you get in 3v3, but that is just another great thing about the game, you don't have to play any one mode and you can play all of them.

Tomb Raider: Underworld (Justin Lacey) - I skipped Tomb Raider: Underworld because it came out at the end of the year that year and I assumed it was just another Tomb Raider game that I'd get to later.

Unfortunately, I ended staying away for over a year and played it after I had finished Uncharted 2. Uncharted 2 changed that genre, but Tomb Raider: Underworld still charmed the hell out of me. It had a lot more deliberate level design and a classic (but clunkier) control style that made it feel dated once I started playing, but its part of the reason I loved it. Additionally, the scope was enormous and I remember at least three of the tombs making me drop the controller out of awe. Looking back, it's definitely more "adventure" than "action-adventure" especially when compared to the reboot and the Uncharted series. It's the last great Tomb Raider game that no one really played.

Binary Domain (Aaron McNeal) - It was years after Gears of War revitalized the third person cover shooter, which is more than enough time to start feeling fatigue with that sort of thing. So when Sega puts out a cover shooter about shooting loads of uppity robots, I did one of those "sorry-my-train-is-leaving-but-one-longing-glance-over-my-shoulder" looks and took the 3:10 to another place. Maybe it was RPGville. A year and a half later, I was looking for a game to stream and there it was in my library for some likely cheap and affordable reason. It was the perfect silly action game and more than just an average shooter. The characters had relationship meters with each other and you could choose who to roll with from chapter to chapter. This usually meant I was with Big Bo, a large man with a penchant for wisecracks and making bugeyes. This is the kind of game where I wouldn't expect to ever see a sequel, meaning I might have to play it again. If only because it'll help train me for the great cyborg rising of 2023.

Retro Redemptions

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Ryan Billingsley) - I did not stick with the Castlevania series. I played the very first Castlevania when I was kid and couldn't get past how difficult it was. I never played any of the subsequent games after that. Not until some 25 years later.

I didn't play Symphony of the Night until last year. To be honest, I had not even heard of Symphony of the Night. A co-worker mentioned it was one of his favorite games of all time and that was enough for me to check it out. It brought back so many memories of Super Metroid, which is one of my favorite games of all time. The movement, combat, and upgrades were so tight; I loved it. The dialogue is super cheesy but triggered some real nostalgia for those early disc based games and the increase in voice acting. I am glad I was able to enjoy it long after its release and to find that it really is a timeless game.

Final Fantasy (Coleman Monroe) - I was fortunate enough to be exposed to a ton of different video games when I younger due to two sets of neighborhood friends who had nearly every system and game covered. It was where I was exposed to Super Mario Bros for the first time as well as a game that went on to spawn a million sequels/spinoffs: Final Fantasy 1.

I might have been too young to understand what was going on when I first saw the game that saved Squaresoft from financial ruin, but I remember thinking it was awesome when you upgraded your initial characters. Going from a black mage to a black wizard was amazing to my childhood mind. I wasn’t able to actually play the game until it was released for the original PlayStation as a part of the Final Fantasy Origins package alongside Final Fantasy II. With it’s remastered Super Nintendo style of graphics, I fell in love with the game this time as a player instead of just a watcher.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Aaron McNeal) - I was a Genesis kid as that's what got gifted to me. That meant that if I wanted to play anything exclusive to Super Nintendo, I had to go to a friend's house. It's difficult to dedicate time to a single player game when you're trying to keep two people entertained. Sure, there's controller passing, but we were kids. Anyway, A Link to the Past stands out to me because I'm a huge fan of the Zelda series to this day. And Twilight Princess HD just came out. And I have the Wind Waker edition of the Wii U. Basically, I'll buy almost every Zelda game twice. I eventually got A Link to the Past on the Virtual Console and it was pure joy to finally own it (in a non-physical sense). I don't know why Link's hair was pink though. That baffles me to this day.

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (Justin Lacey) - I didn't even know the right words to convince my parents that I needed a second video game console when the PlayStation came out. In Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain's case it probably wouldn't have mattered anyway because I wouldn't have been able to convince them that I needed to play a dark, violent, vampire version of Legend of Zelda. I was intrigued for sure, but it took me a little over 5 years to play it. In the meantime, I had played Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver on my PC which reminded me just how much of a bad ass Kain was.

Thanks to backwards compatibility on the PlayStation 2, Blood Omen was my first PS1 purchase and it was so good it made me put off new releases for a couple of months. Sure, even for the time the load times were atrocious and the menus were clunky. None of that could stop me from completely losing myself in Kain's dark fantasy world because I had never experienced anything quite like it. It's definitely one of the first games that felt "mature" to me and it also made me feel like my tastes in video games were growing up, too. Blood Omen wasn't easy to play and it didn't care, but the rewards for sticking with it were almost as great as the rewards were for waiting to play it for so long. Bloody. Satisfying.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Justin Gifford)​ - This was one of those games that didn’t even ping my radar at the time. I was 16 and was all-in on the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 – Konami’s 1997 release of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for the fledgling Playstation might as well have not even been released for all that I knew.

Then, in 2007, it was ported to the Xbox 360 right before my second year of law school’s finals. (I didn’t buy it until after, Mom. Promise.) However, I then had a summer break to devote to 100%-ing that game. Although I had 99%-ed Metroid Prime on the Gamecube (I missed scanning one effing enemy who never showed up again, sue me), Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was the first time I had ever owned a Metroidvania style side-scroller. I was absolutely entranced.

(Note: Yes, you read that right. I was 26 before I owned a Metroidvania, and I grew up during their original heyday.)

The collectibles, the backtracking, the trying to remember that one place where you know you’ll pick something up that will let you unlock it later in the game... wrapping it all up in one 2D package was new to me and it was all awesome (it doesn’t hurt that, in retrospect, this is considered one of, if not the best of the Castlevania series.) It was also the first time I two-screened something, since I had the full map up on my laptop at all times while I was playing. Just talking about it makes me want to go back and play it again.