Ep. 364 - Way More Chooms, with Kieron Gillen
<p>Author and journalist Kieron Gillen joins the panel to cover the golden age of games journalism, Squaresoft’s 1996 SNES licensed X-Men JRPG, and the mysterious Hat Man. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield, and Kieron Gillen. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.</p>
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<p><a href="https://forums.insertcredit.com/">Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums</a></p>
<p><strong>SHOW NOTES:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riders_on_the_Storm">Riders on the Storm</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(Ghost)_Riders_in_the_Sky:_A_Cowboy_Legend">Ghost Riders in the Sky</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Doors">The Doors</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Rider:_Spirit_of_Vengeance">Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://x-men.fandom.com/wiki/Mutants">Mutant</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiga_Power">Amiga Power</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisner_Awards">Eisner Awards</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award">Hugo Award</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiga">Amiga</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Sinister">Mister Sinister</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>1</strong>: What’s the difference between game culture and comics culture? (04:44)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kirby">Jack Kirby</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://twinery.org/">Twine</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Ewing">Al Ewing</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Cinematic_Universe">Marvel Cinematic Universe</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamergate_(harassment_campaign)">Gamergate (harassment campaign)</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sad_Puppies">Sad Puppies</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Rossignol">Jim Rossignol</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>2</strong>: In tabletop game design, how do you make a game that allows players to do anything, while maintaining a unique identity? (10:03)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://morkborg.com/">Mörk Borg</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_School_Renaissance">OSR</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons">Dungeons & Dragons</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/150689/baldurs-gate-iii/">Baldurs Gate III</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23837019/baldurs-gate-3-review-dungeons-dragons">Baldur’s Gate 3 is a masterpiece built on a bad tabletop game</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>3</strong>: What’s the closest a video game has come to ruining your life? (17:19)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/15620/world-of-warcraft/">World of Warcraft</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/26026/world-of-warcraft-the-burning-crusade/">World of WarCraft: The Burning Crusade</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/59402/clash-of-clans/">Clash of Clans</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.ign.com/games/princess-pajama/">Princess Pajama</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/infinity-nikki/">Infinity Nikki</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/112287/shin-megami-tensei-liberation-dx2/">Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/14294/sonic-advance-3/">Sonic Advance 3</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Nintendo_Magazine">Nintendo Official Magazine UK</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_City">Circuit City</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/37592/world-of-warcraft-wrath-of-the-lich-king/">World of WarCraft: Wrath of the Lich King</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUSH">MUSH</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/8806/space-invaders/">Space Invaders</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/8422/the-sims-online/">The Sims Online</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/33867/grand-theft-auto-iv/">Grand Theft Auto IV</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>4</strong>: The year is 1996. Squaresoft wants you to design their final game for the SNES, a licensed X-Men RPG. What have you got? (27:22)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_(video_game_company)">Squaresoft</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System">Super Nintendo Entertainment System</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Men">X-Men</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_Comics">Image Comics</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Lee">Jim Lee</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/7259/x-men-2-clone-wars/">X-Men 2: Clone Wars</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Men:_The_Animated_Series">X-Men: The Animated Series</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_(Marvel_Comics)">Storm</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/1533/rise-of-the-robots/">Rise of the Robots</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverine_(character)">Wolverine</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/11646/princess-maker/">Princess Maker</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_X">Charles Xavier</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/group/4847/final-fantasy-series/">Final Fantasy</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_(comics)">Sentinel</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man">Spider-Man</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/26025/the-punisher-the-ultimate-payback/">The Punisher: The Ultimate Payback!</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Days_of_Future_Past">Days of Future Past</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/4501/chrono-trigger/">Chrono Trigger</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callisto_(comics)">Callisto</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrow_(character)">Marrow</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant-Size_X-Men">Giant-Size X-Men</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclops_(Marvel_Comics)">Cyclops</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_(character)">Colossus</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_(John_Proudstar)">Thunderbird</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Grey">Jean Grey</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>5</strong>: PersonalMatthew asks, how important is it that someone writing about videogames be “good” at videogames? (34:33)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/group/344/madden-series/">Madden</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_learning_super_sampling">DLSS</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/">Digital Trends</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/">Kimimi The Game-Eating She-Monster</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/Demonschool/">Demonschool</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/4522/final-fantasy-tactics/">Final Fantasy Tactics</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/group/474/persona-series/">Persona</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/group/1709/shin-megami-tensei-series/">Shin Megami Tensei</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>6</strong>: What was the golden age of video game journalism? (40:53)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/28059/spider-man-3/">Spider-Man 3</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Men">Mad Men</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC_Gamer">PC Gamer</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.mobygames.com/group/68/tomb-raider-series/">Tomb Raider</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Paper_Shotgun">Rock Paper Shotgun</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>LIGHTNING ROUND:</strong> High Scoring (47:22)</p>
<p><strong>Recommendations and Outro</strong> (57:22):</p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Kieron</strong>: <a href="https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/the-power-fantasy-1">The Power Fantasy</a>, <a href="https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/we-called-them-giants-hc-vol-1">We Called Them Giants</a>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Frank:</strong> Go read Kieron’s comics</li>
<li>
<strong>Brandon</strong>: If you’re feeling cold tuck your shirt into your pants, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__PRZA8KjS4">Manga documentary 1982</a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Cleric">The Great Cleric</a> if you want some extremely mid anime, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:qpbuxrel3f3njvjw5rakf532">follow Brandon on Bluesky</a>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Ash</strong>: <a href="https://www.max.com/shows/6013dda9-a686-4094-8822-51c3df3a6ab9">Game Changers</a> on HBO Max</li>
</ul>
<p>This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by <a href="https://www.patreon.com/insertcredit">patrons like you</a>. Thank you.</p>
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