Video Game Feelings
Video Game Feelings
Area Code
"This podcast is tender without being twee, the kind of soft and open that isn’t an aesthetic, just a genuine question. It’s a special vibe that gives me games discourse nostalgia..." - Sarah Elmaleh, Video Game Voice Actor and Director "It reminds me of my most cherished conversations with other game makers." - Hayden Scott-Baron, Senior game designer at ustwo Games Video Game Feelings is an interview podcast about the way video games make us feel, and the reasons we play them. Each week, host Richard Clark speaks to a video game insider to delve into their hearts and minds and discover the various ways video games make us feel. You'll love this series of conversations with video game developers, journalists, and personalities where we explore why open-world games can feel so lonely, why hype can ruin a video game experience, or what video games can teach us about grief. Video game Feelings is an Area Code Production. Find out more at AreaCodeAudio.com. Theme song by Bruce Holtman.
HEALING (with Beacon Pines Creative Director, Matt Meyer)
Matt Meyer just wants those who play his game to feel something. The music and sound clips you hear in this episode are from the game, Beacon Pines. Matt Meyer is the creative director.
Mar 3, 2023
42 min
BRAVERY (with Pentiment's Josh Sawyer)
Josh Sawyer felt less pressure working on Pentiment than any game he's worked on in the last decade. Easily. Josh Sawyer is the design director at Obsidian. He worked on Pillars of Eternity I & II, Fallout: New Vegas, and Icewind Dale I & II.
Feb 17, 2023
57 min
The Year in Feelings
To round out the year, we invited three friends to gather and discuss the games that made them feel most deeply. (plus, I share my top ten games of the year) Featuring special guests: Allegra Frank, frequent guest on one of my fav podcasts, ICYMI, editor at The Daily Beast, formerly at Vox, Polygon and Slate. Sarah Elmaleh, co-host on Eggplant, a podcast about videogames (not sex!),voice of high-profile video game villains (spheres, not cubes!), voice actor, director and advocate.  M Joshua Cauller, trailer-maker for Devolver and creator/maintainer of the highly personal game discussion community, Reading Gamebow.
Dec 24, 2022
1 hr 6 min
FOCUS (with Spawn On Me's Kahlief Adams)
Kahlief Adams is moving past angst. Kahlief Adams is the host and Founder of Spawn on Me and The Spawnies. On this episode we processed: How God of War: Ragnarok made Kahlief happy he didn't have children How to address the non-inclusionary layers in the video game industry How to have empathy for complaining Getting old Why Final Fantasy feels exclusionary. Video Game Feelings is an Area Code Audio production. Hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Mixed and Edited by Nettie Smith. Additional help from Ashley Whitehurst and Matthew Linder.
Dec 9, 2022
49 min
DISCOVERY (with Just the Zoo of Us' Ellen Weatherford)
Ellen Weatherford loves the feeling of finding a bird she's seen before doing something weird. Ellen Weatherford is the host of Just the Zoo of Us and Spellbound and Gagged. Video Game Feelings is an Area Code Audio production. Hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Mixed and Edited by Nettie Smith. Additional help from Ashley Whitehurst and Matthew Linder.
Dec 2, 2022
1 hr 1 min
HARD (with Salt and Sacrifice's James Silva)
James Silva makes his games difficult, because creation is difficult. James Silva is the developer behind Salt and Sacrifice, Salt and Sanctuary, Charlie Murder, The Dishwasher, and I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1. Here's some stuff we talked about: Our Feelings XBox Live Indie Games was maybe more special to the developer than to the gamer Fallout 76 is an alone in a crowd kind of situation Contra Box Art does a little bit of the up-resing for you Video Game Feelings is an Area Code Audio production. Hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Mixed and Edited by Nettie Smith. Additional help from Ashley Whitehurst and Matthew Linder.
Nov 18, 2022
54 min
GUT PUNCH (with Spec Ops: The Line and Wolverine's Walt Williams)
Walt Williams doesn't want his video game to hate him. He just wants to be entertained. Walt Williams is a video game writer who has worked on Star Wars Battlefront, Bioshock, Civilization, Borderlands, Mafia, The Darkness, and Spec Ops: The Line. His book, Significant Zero, explores the hardships and insanity of AAA game development. Here's some stuff we talked about: Our Feelings The Mass Effect 3 ending debacle made Walt question his narrative approach in Spec Ops: The Line. Kirby All Star Allies is blowing Walt's daughter's mind. The Quarry is scratching a very specific horror movie itch Walt hasn't scratched since childhood. Start at Yakuza Zero if you want to punch people in the face to make them better people. The Last of Us: Part One's ending resonated quite a bit with Walt Depending on who you ask, Walt was kind of a monster in The Walking Dead Season One. Video Game Feelings is an Area Code Audio production. Hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Associate produced by Nettie Smith. Additional help from Ashley Whitehurst and Matthew Linder.
Nov 11, 2022
1 hr 8 min
SAFE (with rapper and hip-hop producer, Yons)
Yons is playing Borderlands with his son, and living out the example his big brother gave him. Yons is a musician, music teacher, and producer. You can check him out on his website, or listen to his music on Spotify. Here's some stuff we talked about: Our Feelings Borderlands 2 is how Yons bonds with his son. Red Dead Redemption 2 may have been a little too cinematic? Yons has never played the "original-intent" version of Skyrim. Sonic 2 was Yons' safe place with his brother. Spotify does have a whole Nerdcore Mix, and idk, it's kinda embarassing mostly. I think the guy I was thinking of performing at Penny Arcade Expo was MC Frontalot. Video Game Feelings is an Area Code Audio production. Hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Associate produced by Nettie Smith. Additional help from Ashley Whitehurst and Matthew Linder.
Nov 4, 2022
48 min
INDISPOSED (with Richard Clark and his favorite "Sick Games")
Video Game Feelings host, Richard Clark, is feeling sick. So there won't be an actual episode of VGF this week. But here are three games that made him feel better: Dreamlight Valley Persona 5: Royal Marvel Snap
Oct 28, 2022
6 min
GRIEF (with Polygon And Triple Click's Maddy Myers)
Maddy Myers is grieving the loss of her real-life friend while running silly video game errands and stabbing dudes. Maddy Myers is the deputy editor at Polygon and the co-host of Triple Click and The Mutant Ages. Here's some stuff we talked about: Our Feelings Assassin's Creed Origins is a video game about grief. Maddy's not trying to call out The Last of Us, but let's be honest, video games writing is bad. Maddy Myers' on Depresh Mode Turns out the reason I don't play video games sometimes is called anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure. It's a common symptom of depression. The Rehearsal is a very video gamey show in a certain way Maddy thinks maybe Immortality might be offensive, but she doesn't know what it means. Some games that make you feel ashamed: Spec Ops: The Line (interview with Walt Williams coming soon!), Hotline Miami, Bioshock, Papers Please Video Game Feelings is an Area Code Audio production. Hosted and produced by Richard Clark. Associate produced by Nettie Smith. Additional help from Ashley Whitehurst and Matthew Linder.
Oct 21, 2022
1 hr 5 min
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