With Stan out this week, we've got regular guest host and true tactics-head Jason back on to discuss Star Wars: Zero Company. But before that, we go over the now-viral LitRPG sensation Dungeon Crawler Carl. There is probably some real crossover potential here, right? Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN Timestamps: 0:01 - We wake up in the morning 5:28 - This week's show 8:11 - Dungeon Crawler Carl 24:45 - DCC as LitRPG 28:40 - Is DCC funny? 37:10 - Some final thoughts 38:47 - Star Wars: Zero Company 49:48 - How we are liking Zero Company 55:35 - How to think about tactics games 1:06:08 - Wrapping up Links from this week's episode: Dungeon Crawler Carl: https://mattdinniman.com/books/dungeon-crawler-carl/ Star Wars: Zero Company: https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/zero-company Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

For the first time since JULY, Dave, Shane, and Stan are reunited. We talk about Shane's trip to Norway, the Retroid Pocket Nova, Guitar Hero, and piano stewardship. Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/ Timestamps: 0:01 - We're all back! 7:31 - This week's episode 11:52 - Stan wants his piano back 20:25 - Shane went to Norway 38:08 - Retroid Pocket Nova 50:55 - Clone Hero Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

This week Shane and Dave welcome Christopher Harris of Harris Football to talk about his new best-selling novel Pound Foolish. Part locker room chronicle, part neo-noir, Pound Foolish is the story of a series of murders occurring around an NFL team and the investigations that unspool around them. We talk about the contradictions of loving something that is actually kind of terrible, the process of completing creative endeavors like these, and, yes, about Chris's day job — fantasy football. Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN Timestamps: 0:01 - This week's episode 4:53 - It's Chris! 6:40 - Pound Foolish and being an NFL fan 24:48 - Exploring the NFL in Pound Foolish 29:55 - Chris's creative process 42:25 - Unifying themes and pushing yourself 47:24 - Influences and recommendations 52:06 - Fantasy football! 1:01:44 - Thanks, Chris! Links from this week's episode: Harris Football Pound Foolish available now at bookshop.org Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

On this week's show, Dave's friend and comedian Adam Burke returns to talk about humor, laughter, and joy. We chat about today's comedy scene and culture, in Chicago and beyond. Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/ Timestamps: 0:01 - Teeth and lips 4:16 - Welcome back, Adam 9:31 - Old guest, new job 11:35 - Adam's comedy origins 19:55 - Adam's new book 33:19 - Doing comedy 47:26 - Getting cancelled 49:58 - Comedians Adam likes 54:50 - Has comedy changed, or us? 1:02:03 - Where to find Adam 1:03:46 - Wrapping up Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

Shane's on vacation this week so Dave and Stan bring back friend of the show Jason (aka KilgoreTrout) to talk Control, Vampire Crawlers, Spider-Man, and dad stuff. Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2025 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/ Timestamps: 0:00 - On Following Shane's Rules 13:45 - Control 29:21 - Vampire Crawlers 38:22 - Spider Mans 51:10 - #dadlife Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

On this week's episode, Dave and Shane first discuss their experiences with the critically acclaimed co-op game Big Walk, then massage their sore calves as they talk about seeing some music shows. Have Zoomers figured out how concerts should work? Finally, Shane shares his thoughts after a few days with the Retroid Pocket Nova, the latest in a series of "endgame" retro handhelds. Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN Timestamps: 0:01 - Wisconsin 2: The Squeakquel 8:31 - This week's episode 9:10 - Big Walk with us 28:11 - Dave saw The Smashing Pumpkins 39:16 - Shane saw American Football 52:15 - The Retroid Pocket Nova 1:06:03 - Wrapping up Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

On this week's show, Jason returns to talk about The Odyssey, the latest international blockbuster from the visionary mind of Christopher Nolan. Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/ Timestamps: 0:01 - Kilgore is back 6:28 - This week's episode 7:58 - Jason played... Magic? (and Stan did, too) 17:23 - Our Odyssey begins 22:10 - Our history with Nolan 30:24 - How we saw it 42:50 - IMAX and locking in 50:45 - The actual film 1:07:50 - The performances 1:18:40 - Our favorite scenes - SPOILERS HERE 1:20:54 - SPOILERS OVER - where does Nolan go from here? 1:24:28 - Our Nolan tier lists 1:29:51 - Wrapping up Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

On this week's show, Dave and Shane talk about their sordid adventures in Cyberpunk, while Stan tries to save what's left of the western United States in Horizon Forbidden West. Also Stan discovers and beats an apparently important indie game called Bastion. And Shane relives his high school years in Rock Star's Bully. We wrap with some public comments about fatherhood (and unclehood). Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2025 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/ Timestamps: 0:01 - Shane got caught having fun while old 6:18 - Dave's AI band name quiz 17:18 - The cold open is too warm 18:20 - Old Business: Shane dodged AI convo 20:21 - We decided to check out Cyberpunk 2077 38:14 - New Business: Stan is playing a lot of Horizon Forbidden West 47:07 - Stan beat Bastion 50:28 - Shane is playing Bully 55:20 - Public Comments: Dad memories 1:05:36 - Wrapping up Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

On this week's show, we share a couple of our deepest spiritual awakenings, then rant for a while about our weird feelings on AI and LLMs. Then we manage to keep the mood lively with public comments about MTG's Universes Beyond. We're not glazing AI. Don't be mad at us. Timestamps: 0:23 — Dudes Rock 4:40 — Space Rocks 7:48 — Intro: We Had a Terrible Idea to Talk About AI 13:40 — A Little Background on Us 20:05 — Stuff We Hear About Every Day 24:17 — The Misgivings Begin 31:42 — New Kinds of Learning 34:42 — The Misgivings Continue 35:02 — Is AI the Source of Existential Enshittification? 42:33 — The Dunning Kruger Machine 48:52 — Thoughts on Future Work 50:05 — Could Some Good Outcomes Make It Worth It? 52:14 — Some Things We Actually Do 59:24 — Dreams of the Apocalypse 1:06:23 — Public Comment from The Stalk Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/ Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down

On this week's show, Stan wears a sports vest to religitate some of his favorite 2026 movies, Shane arrives with notes, Dave discovers chiral matter, and the boys watch Widow's Bay. Timestamps: 0:01 - The devil on Shane's shoulder 6:36 - This week's episode, sort of 9:43 - Old business: Shane watched Send Help 18:46 - Shane also watched The Furious 22:50 - Shane ALSO finished Resident Evil 4 Remake 28:46 - Dave plays PS5 33:29 - New business: Widow's Bay 55:54 - Public comment: Our guilty pleasures 1:06:20 - Wrapping up Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com Get 25% Cashback after 3 months of service with ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/ Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name? email us: [email protected] The Dive Down