Arrggh! A Video Game Podcast from The Waffling Taylors

A new show-within-a-show: The Look Back. In this bonus episode, we look back (see what we did there?) on the podcast episodes we released in July 2021, and a summary of the episodes we're releasing in August. We also talk a little about the elephant in the room: why we've been off the air for a little while.

If you missed any of our episodes, let us give you the low down on what you missed. Check the show notes for a full transcription, and links to the episodes we discuss.

Show Notes

This is a new type of shorter episode that we'll be putting out each month, called "THE LOOK BACK!". In these, we'll be looking back at the previous month's episodes and giving you a rundown of them. That way, if you somehow missed one, you can get the low down on what you missed. Pretty handy eh?

We'd still recommend that you check out the podcast proper. And if you haven't already, then look for us on your podcatcher of choice and subscribe. It's 100% free to do so, you know.

A Little Explanation

So before we begin I wanted to explain why we've been off the air for a while.
We'd originally planned to release an episode with new friend of the show Morgan Riston, and a look back at what Pokemon means to us (what with it being 25 years old this year). However a family event got in the way, and that lead to us having to go into mourning.

Those episodes are indeed completed, but we didn't want to release them whilst everything was going on, as it would have felt a little disrespectful.

Anyway, let's talk about what we did release:

Episode 121 - Getting to know MazGamingUk

This past month - July 2021 - we put out two brand new episodes. The first episode was an interview with MazGamingUk: Getting to Know MazGamingUK. Maz is one of the most positive people we know of in the UK video gaming scene. He releases tweets and videos with some of the most positive messages we've ever heard.

But not only that, he has recently taken some time to film some very ambitious videos for his YouTube channel - which you really should subscribe to, by the way. Maz had studied film making and has won a few awards for his films, so the new direction that his channel is heading in will be amazing.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this episode was the discussion on using the Sega Saturn Steering Wheel accessory to play Virtua Fighter 2 back in the day. We only had the one controller and the steering wheel, you see. So we would take it in turns to use the steering-wheel when fighting each other. It was a lot of fun.

But what was even more mind-blowing was when Maz told us that the official Dreamcast fishing rod accessory can be used to play Soul Calibre.

... I know, right?

Episode 122 - Outbreak: Endless Nightmares with Evan Wolbach

One week later, we had an interview with the developer behind the Outbreak series of games : Outbreak: Endless Nightmares with Evan Wolbach.
A lot of people think, "I’ll take a computer science degree, then I’ll go make games." But then they get out in the real world and realise that they need to pay the bills first.
- Jay
Evan, like Jay, is a full time developer. But unlike Jay, Evan has pivotted his work from business line applications to video games with the Outbreak series. This series of games combines rogue-like elements with survival horror to create something really rather unique - think Dark Souls meets the late 90s Resident Evil games.

This episode was the latest in a series where we interview developers about what makes them and their games tick. Check your podcatcher for a link to the entire series, by the way.

Evan was kind enough to let us drop him off at the Thunderplains, and even discuss some of the inspirations behind his outbreak series of games and how the series has evolved.

One of my favourite parts of this episode was the discussion around difficulty levels and different play styles in his games. There's a mode in the latest title (Endless Nightmares) which equips the player with enough guns to make several Rambo movies, and drops the difficulty through the floor.

Jay also discussed the Classic REbirth mods for the PC versions of the original Resident Evil trilogy. These mods, made by Apple of Eden, make the game work on modern versions of Windows, and include some quality of life fixes - and even a way to get the Director's Cut Dual Shock soundtrack working in the game for that dooty doot goodness.

Coming up This Month

We thought we'd give a little teaser on what's coming up this month (August, 2021); you heard it here first.

First off we have a conversation with Morgan Riston about what keeps him gaming. Morgan is a wonderfully funny gentleman, does Voice Over work, and is looking to get into podcasting (you'll be able to say, "I was there when he had his first appearance!"). We talk about the amazing Sekiro and Final Fantasy 14 (maybe we should get him on the show with Lulu?), with Sekiro allowing the player to take a huge part in the lives of the NPCs that surround them - something that not many games do.

We met Morgan after backing the first volume of Lock-On. There's a kickstarter backer discord (we're not sure whether this will be opened up to the public or not, as that's up to the folks at Lost in Cult).

After that, we have a bumper length episode - so get comfy - about how Pokemon turned 25 this year. We were joined by, friend of the show, The_B to talk about just what Miyamoto's attempt at making "butterfly catching the video game" means to us. We also have some community comments from some familiar (and some unfamiliar) names in this episode, about just what this series means to them.
MAKE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE. FOR FREE. CHECK YOUR PODCATCHER FOR A LINK
- RUSSELL
Indeed, Russell.

We think you'll agree that this coming month's episodes are looking and sounding great. Keep an eye on the podcast feed, or our YouTube channel for the teasers as they drop.

Wrapping Up

So that's what we put out in July. Keep an eye open for more of these retrospective episodes each month, that way you'll know about the episodes that you may have missed.

Music Credits

All music included in this episode is fully licensed and remains copyright of their creators/publishers. The music used was (in order of appearance):
Did you catch all of our episodes in June? Which was your favourite? Do you have any favourite moments? Have YOU played any of the Classic REbirth mods for the classic 90's Resident Evil Games? Have you tried any of the Outbreak series of games? Did you stick around and listen to the bloopers? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or try our brand new contact page.

And have you left us a rating or review? We really like to hear back from listeners about our show, so check out https://wafflingtaylors.rocks/our-podcast/ for links to services where you can leave us some wonderful feedback.

The Waffling Taylors is a proud member of Jay and Jay Media. If you like this episode, please consider supporting our Podcasting Network. One $3 donation provides a week of hosting for all of our shows. You can support this show, and the others like it, at https://ko-fi.com/jayandjaymedia
★ Support this podcast ★

What is Arrggh! A Video Game Podcast from The Waffling Taylors?

A fun and silly discussion about video games (both retro and contemporary), video game movies, and pretty much anything related to video games. It is hosted by brothers Jay and Squidge (who may or may not be a cartoon wolf), and featuring the best guests around - including some real video game development legends.
Whether it's an in-depth discussion about video games, films surrounding video games, or light-hearted nonsense and tangents, this may be the pod for you.