The Retrograde: A Video Game Podcast!

This week we're changing things up with an in depth look at a modern game: Stray on the PS5!

It's BlueTwelve Studio's first game, and they came out of the gate with an incredibly unique take on a platformer/adventure game. But is the unique concept enough to bring this game into the realm of the greats?

Join us as we run through the entire story, giving our impressions and a final review before answering some listener questions about the game.

Before we get into the game of the week, we give some initial thoughts on Madden 23 and Cult of the Lamb!

Let us know if you want more episodes focused solely on modern games!

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Travel back with us to the one-yard line where it all started as we revisit the first Madden game on home consoles with John Madden Football on the Sega Genesis! Originally joked about by being called "Trip's Folly" (named after Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins), it was a game which was deceptive in its intricacies, and the first fully functioning football video game to incorporate 11 players per team. But just because it's the first doesn't necessarily mean it's the best. We take to the field to find out if this pig skin pioneer is still worth playing against the likes of games like Madden 23. Plus, we talk about the state of the modern Madden franchise, talk Overwatch loot boxes, and explore the history of how Madden almost didn't get made.

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Wrap up your hands and start throwing some Psycho Fire! This week we celebrate the beginning of the modern fighting game with 35th Anniversary of Street Fighter!

While it did eventually get a few lackluster console ports, the Arcade version is the only one worth remembering.

But in comparison to the legacy spawned by Street Fighter 2 on the SNES, is the original entry into the franchise still worth picking up today?

Before we take to the streets to punch each other in the head, we talk about our history with fighting games, debate the merits of microtransactions in games like Diablo Immortal, and count down the top 10 highest grossing Capcom games of all time!

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This week we reattach ourselves to gaming's most popular detatched-limb protagonist with a look back at Michel Ancel and Ubi Soft's Rayman on the Playstation 1!

It's a franchise which is often overlooked in the discussion of the most iconic gaming mascots, but in spite of that it's managed to sell millions of copies, and have an average metacritic score across the majority of its mainline games which rivals some of the biggest names in the industry.

Before we take off to save the Electoons from Mr. Dark's prison, we take some time to give our predictions for Grand Theft Auto 6, and try a new segment where we have to guess the game based on 3 very vague plot-summarizing sentences!

We called it Three (Sen)Ten(ces) to Yum(ight guess the game), but Andrew's not sure it'll stick...

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Buckle up, D-Pads! We're about to demolish, incinerate, and bulldoze a path of destruction through Blast Corps on the N64!

It was Rare's first of MANY successful releases developed from the ground up exclusively for the N64, and it kicked off a partnership between the two companies which seemed unbreakable until a surprise purchase of Rare by Microsoft in 2002.

But while this game shattered our expectations in 1997, does it still stand strong 25 years later? Before strapping in, we give our impressions on Stray, catch up on progress with

The Outer Wilds and Ghost of Tsushima, and talk about the impact of subscription services on the gaming industry.

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This week we take a swift left turn through a pane of glass and ride back to a time 20 years ago when we were enjoying Stuntman on the Playstation 2!

It was a game that sort of came and went, but in the process it left a few cult followers in its dust.

Well, this week we dust off the classic Reflections Interactive game and figure out whether it's still worth playing 20 years later!

But before we get behind the wheel we talk about some of our favourite video game rentals of all time, and catch up on our progress through Ghost of Tsushima, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Outer Wilds.

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This week, your prime directives include celebrating Robocop's 35th Anniversary with a look back at the classic NES tie in from 1988!

It's one of the most iconic action franchises from the 1980s, and as such it spawned a slew of video game tie ins. Surprisingly, MOST of those games were actually very well received! But can the same be said for fans of Officer Alex James Murphy who want to relive the excitement in the modern day?

Before we're set loose on the streets of Detroit, we catch up on our PS Plus gaming with a look at Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, The Overwatch 2 Beta, and more!

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It's time to hang from vines as we vilify Mario and save Donkey Kong in our Donkey Kong Jr. 40th Anniversary Retrospective!

It's not a game either of us had much experience with as kids, but in spite of that it has retained a cult following for its varied levels, departure from the usual Arcade formula, and prominence as the second game in the Donkey Kong franchise.

Before setting off to save our dad, we do a deep dive on the fascinating development and history of Donkey Kong Jr, and catch up on our recent gaming habits!

Happy 40th Anniversary Donkey Kong Jr.!

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Grab your favourite Nunchaku and a pair of Sai because this week we're opening up the love letter to arcarde brawlers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge! It's a modern game with a retro feel, and we loved every second of it.

But before diving into the game we wanted to revisit some of our best memories from past Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games, plus give an update on where we're at with our current gaming habits.

Has Mikey progressed through Elden Ring and Rogue Legacy 2? Will Guardians of the Galaxy and the new PS Plus lineup keep Andrew away from MLB The Show?

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To Infinity, and Beyond! This week we celebrate the launch of Lightyear with a look back at one of the most underrated licensed video games of all time: Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue on the Playstation 1!

It also released on the N64 and Dreamcast, but this is widely viewed as the best version.

Before taking to Andy's living room to figure out whether or not this game holds up against the likes of modern games, we take some time to discuss our favourite Disney/Pixar games, and catch the listeners up on what we've been playing recently!

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