CastMedium

Podcast Beyond, Episode 120

Jonathan Downin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:12:26 +0000

The Beyonders are back in 2010. Releases kick things off and Darksiders takes the Pick of the Week since Bayonetta is in very poor shape in its PS3 release. The port seems to have been botched on all fronts and makes Ryan, who loved the game on Xbox 360, almost unable to say that it is even worth getting if all you have is a PS3.

Roper, as the resident tech-head, talks a little bit about this year’s CES. Sony didn’t have too much to say on the gaming front, but they did focus heavily on 3D (the 3D glasses kind). No one in the Beyond crew is excited about 3D being a focus for future games and they don’t pull any punches in expressing their disinterest.

Emails yield a few interesting questions and have the guys talking about utilization of Blu-ray disc space, their favorite developers and the timeline for PS4.

Covered games and topics: Releases, Bayonetta, CES ‘10, 3D in games, emails, Blu-ray and PS3 technology, favorite developers, PS4

Chris, Greg and Ryan are joined by the knowledgeable and devoted Colin for the very first Podcast Beyond of 2010! In today’s episode, which celebrates the dawn of a new decade, the Beyond Crew discusses 3D technology and its relevance to games and movies. Will the whole 3D goggles shtick ever catch on? Will Colin have to purchases cybernetic implants for his left eye? Who knows! But listen anyway.

Runtime – 59:29

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | rss |

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Engadget Podcast 176: CES 2010 Day 2 – 01.07.2010

Jonathan Downin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:59:10 +0000

Another day of CES needs to be covered and the Engadget guys are at it again. The Microsoft Press Conference took place yesterday and it was a semi-awkward affair. Steve Ballmer took MC duties, and this really isn’t his forte. An underwhelming slate device was shown off and Project Natal took up some time.

There were a lot of phone announcements including word the AT&T is getting into the Android game in a big way, including the Mini 3 handset from Dell. 2 unannounced WebOS devices are coming to AT&T as well which has Joshua duly excited. Discussion of the announcements from the big TV manufacturers and some smaller products finish the show.

You may have soaked up every tiny little bit of CES news on http://engadget.com yesterday, but one thing you HAVEN’T done is listened to some of the world’s preeminent technology journalists chat about what they REALLY thought of the day under the influence of three XXL trays of eggs and bacon that went bad 8 hours before they ate them (unless you caught the podcast live on Ustream in the wee hours of this morning). You know what to do.

01:40 – Live from Steve Ballmer’s CES 2010 keynote
04:00 – Microsoft CES keynote PR leaks early: HP slate device is just a PC, Natal in holiday 2010
05:19 – The HP Slate
11:50 – AT&T finally goes Android, confirms Dell, HTC and Motorola on board
12:25 – Motorola Backflip hands-on
12:40 – Motorola Backflip now official, Cliq promised Android 2.1 and Droid Flash 10.1
12:52 – Dell Mini 3 headed to AT&T running Android
15:59 – Ralph de la Vega: AT&T launching two webOS devices!
20:15 – Sprint Overdrive hands-on
24:50 – Live from LG’s CES press event
25:08 – Live from Panasonic’s CES press event
28:10 – Live from Samsung’s CES 2010 press conference
29:30 – Live from Toshiba’s CES press event
31:45 – Live from Sony’s CES 2010 press event
34:25 – Sony announces line of SD memory cards — no, really
34:50 – Sony Dash gets down with Chumby and Bravia Internet video (hands-on)
38:00 – MSI dualscreen e-reader hands-on (update: video!)
40:00 – LG GW990 phone busted running Moorestown with heaps of want
43:35 – Lenovo announces LePhone Android device for China (update: hands-on video!)

Runtime – 47:48

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

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The Game Informer Show: Episode 12

Derek Lavigne — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:19:45 +0000

After a break for the holidays Matt Helgeson is back hosting the show and welcomes Joe Juba, Matt Miller and Annette Gonzalez to discuss the recent release of Bayonetta. For the most part, the whole group feels the game is great experience. They describe it as a more fluid and fast moving Devil May Cry that actually requires some skill beyond the normal button-mashing. Annette makes it clear which side of the empowering or exploitative controversy by stating that Bayonetta is her hero. Being the only one who hadn’t played it, Matt H. questions the linearity of the game but the others defend it by somewhat saying that this type of game doesn’t require that type of exploration.

In the second segment, Matt brings in Phil Kollar and Andy Reiner to join the returning Joe Juba to discuss Darksiders. From what it seems, this game looks to be one of the surprises of the early year, which is echoed for the most part by the GI staff. Joe Juba, however, is a bit at odds with the rest of the guys as he feels that the enemy variety was a little lacking and the dungeon puzzles were a little repetitive. Phil mentions that although there wasn’t a ton of hype leading up the release of this game, he feels that there may be a similar word of mouth spreading as Borderlands had a few months ago.

Covered games and topics: Bayonetta, Darksiders

Weeeee’re baaaaack! The GI crew jumps back on the weekly podcasting bandwagon, freshly rested from our holiday break. First off, Joe Juba, Annette Gonzalez, and Matt Miller break down the new epic action title Bayonetta, finding much to discuss in its finely honed combat and over-the-top dramatics. Next up is a somewhat contentious discussion of Darksiders, the new Zelda-meets-God of War game that wins huge praise from Reiner and Phil Kollar, with Joe Juba sticking around to be the dissenting voice. Either way, it’s a great start to what should be an amazing year of releases.

Runtime – 51:22

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | rss |
[audio:http://media1.gameinformer.com/media/audio/theshow/theshow-ep12.mp3|titles=The Game Informer Show: Episode 12

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Engadget Podcast 175: CES 2010 Day 1 – 01.06.2010

Jonathan Downin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:45:48 +0000

The Engadget crew is working overtime with their coverage of the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show kicking into high gear. This is the 1st of daily podcasts that the trio will being doing over the course of the show.

Nexus One talk starts things off, and while it is a good smartphone, it isn’t quite enough for a phone coming from Google. Rumors have been swirling that Steve Ballmer may be introducing a Microsoft tablet device during tonight’s press conference.

Asus has a ton of new offering that they are showing off, and some are better than others– and some are just downright ridiculous. Wait for the NX90 and Wave Face discussion, you won’t be disappointing. E-book discussion is pervasive and excitement for the Boxee Box finishes the show, but there is plenty more coming with another podcast tomorrow.

What fits in a doublewide trailer, loves Lady Gaga, and smells like the 3-week-old oil in a neglected deep fryer? Why, it’s Engadget’s 2010 CES coverage, of course! Join us for the first in a series of what is destined to be a spellbinding and uncensored peek into the private lives of your favorite bloggers during an annual melange of stress, sleep deprivation, and wacky concept devices. It’s the Engadget Podcast – beaming the shimmering seediness of Las Vegas direct to your home and/or portable media player for far too many years running.

01:31 – Nexus One review
01:53 – Verizon getting Google’s Nexus One in Spring 2010
17:00 – Microsoft to reveal HP built Courier slate tomorrow?
20:20 – Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid hands-on and impressions
24:30 – Lenovo Skylight hands-on and impressions (video)
35:25 – Live from ASUS’s CES press event
35:36 – ASUS gets official with Eee PC 1008P Seashell: available in hot pink and coffee brown (updated: with video!)
35:40 – ASUS announces U series Bamboo Collection laptops, gives little detail
36:23 – ASUS ROG G73jh launches with Core i7, Radeon HD 5870, bragging rights
36:55 – ASUS NX90Jq hands-on: dual touchpads unite! (update: video)
43:53 – Skiff Reader is largest yet, will be hitting a Sprint Store near you
45:00 – Spring Design Alex hands-on (Update: video!)
50:25 – Michael Jackson ‘This is It’ PS3 bundle makes it a better place for you and me
51:10 – Hands-on with the Boxee Box

Runtime – 58:10

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

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MacBreak Weekly 174: Is 10 Inches Enough?

Jonathan Downin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:36:59 +0000

Google’s Nexus One starts the discussion this week. It is fair to say that everyone is surprised about the details surrounding this launch, but the pervading opinion is that is isn’t incredibly significant.

The meat of the cast is all centered around the tablet. It has been almost accepted as fact that Apple will introduce a tablet at the end of the month, with rumors pointing to the 26th and 27th of the month. There is a lot of good speculation here, but with everyone expecting something completely fresh and new, the stakes have been set very high.

Google’s Nexus One, Apple tablet, Quattro Wireless acquisition, MobileMe, and more.

Runtime – 1:53:41

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

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GWJ Conference Call Episode 169

Jonathan Downin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:24:10 +0000

Gamers with Job is back for the 1st show of 2010 with only 3 of the guys. Shawn Andrich and Sean Sands are out sick so Cory is running the show this week. The guys touch on a few games that they have been playing over the holiday and then move onto talking about MMOs and multiplayer PC games. Talk of the holiday Steam sales close out the 1st segment.

Julian had a chance to sit down and interview Sid Meier about his move towards social gaming with his forthcoming Facebook game Civilization Network. The content here is what was left over from a piece that Julian put together for GamePro, but there are some interesting tidbits here.

Emails and discussion about the game prospects of this year end the show.

Covered games and topics: Little Big Planet, Free Realms, League of Legends, Steam sales, interview with Sid Meier, Civilization Network, Facebook games, games of ‘10, emails, game demos

This week, Julian sits down with Sid Meier to talk about the rise of Facebook, the future of strategy gaming, and the inevitability of co-op. Afterward, the crew expand on the future of social gaming.

Runtime – 1:28:58

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | rss |

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Giant Bombcast 01-05-2010

Derek Lavigne — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:36:27 +0000

A new year with the Bombcast picks up right where it left off in the previous year, with tales of ridiculous holiday break hijinks. Vinny and Jeff each take their turn solemnly calculating the massive amounts of money they spent on games they will never play during the Steam holiday sale (something Giant Bomb shares with CastMedium). Brad took the break to finally dive into Fallout 3 while he wasn’t eating fried chicken and Ryan played a bunch of Borderlands with Jeff.

A busy week for news to kick off the new year with the guys discussing Capcom’s recent game delays, EA shutting down multiplayer servers for older sports titles, and surprisingly high pirated game numbers. Rumors have been circulating about a new NBA Jam game which leads into a lengthy discussion about the confusing history of the game and what could possibly be done to bring it back correctly.

New releases and emails close out the show as always.

Covered games and topics: Steam, friend turkey, Fallout 3, Wrex, Borderlands, Capcom, server shutdown, pirated games, NBA Jam

We return from the holiday break ready to discuss important topics like the right way to say 2010, Vinny’s Steam sale bender, Brad’s first impressions of Fallout 3, the return of Wrex, the legacy of NBA Jam, and much more in this week’s Bombcast!

Runtime – 2:06:53

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | rss |
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The HotSpot 01/05/2010

Jonathan Downin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:52:31 +0000

The HotSpot is back after the holiday break and Bayonetta starts both the year’s big releases and the podcast discussion. The reception is pretty positive all around, but the story seems to fall into the realm of the unintelligible. Darksiders also gets a few kind words and seems to be shaping up to be more than a simple God of War clone.

Another entry to the Def Jam series is coming to the PSP, and Brendan Sinclair and Kevin VanOrd read from the script of the game in place of ESRB ratings theater. There are some great 1-liners here.

The guys touch on the social responsibility of gamers in the email section and the cast closes with some love for New Super Mario Bros.Wii. Also, look out for a special edition of The HotSpot with the guys discussing their Game of the Year, Demon’s Souls, on Thursday.

Covered games and topics: Bayonetta, Darksiders, Dark Void, Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover, social responsibility, NSMBW

Kevin VanOrd, Justin Calvert, Giancarlo Varanini, and Brendan Sinclair kick off the New Year with impressions of the week’s gruesome twosome of angelic beatdowns, THQ’s Darksiders and Platinum Games’ Bayonetta. Plus, a brief primer on street talk, courtesy of Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover on the PSP.

Runtime – 1:24:03

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | rss | No streamable audio

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Drunken Gamers Radio 01.02.10

Derek Lavigne — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:33:22 +0000

Starting off the new year with the same old drunkards, DGR changes up the show formatting a little bit this week and starts off with emails while the drunk dials move to the end of the show. One email asks the guys about the best way to get into shmups without having to deal with bullet hell. All three agree that Raiden Fighters Aces is a good place to start.

The reviews segment starts off with Cartoon Wars-Gunner for the iPhone, which Hilden has been enjoying and describes as stick figure horde mode with upgrades. Next up is Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth for WiiWare which is described as a pre-Symphony of the Night, linear Castlevania done in 16-bit graphics which all the guys enjoy. The retro review for the week is World of Illusion for the Genesis and John showers it with praise by calling it one of the best 16-bit platformers.

With no feature presentation this week, DGR goes right into 5 Things. First up is Battle Kid: Fortress of Peril, a new NES game being put out all these years afterwards. Even more exciting to all three guys is that Cave has announced they are porting Mushihimesama to the iPhone. Games they have been playing and a long segment Drunk Dials close out the show.

Covered games and topics: Shmups, Cartoon-Wars, Castlevania: ReBirth, new NES games, Mushihimesama, Wii domination

iPhone Review: Cartoon Wars-Gunner, WiiWare Review: Castlevania Rebirth, Retro Review: World of Illusion (Genesis), Five Things, The Last Shot, DGR Mailbag, Drunk Dials

Runtime – 1:21:54

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | zune | rss |
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The Totally Rad Show – Episode 146: Potpourrat

Jonathan Downin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:09:38 +0000

It’s a “top 5″ extravaganza this week with the guys presenting their lists of top 5 movies, games, TV and moments of 2009. After each present their top 5, an overall top pick is chosen. Movies are up-front as always, and it is pretty easy to guess which film took top honors– something about being “moved by triumph.”

The games section is a little more contentious with a rather wide range of games represented, but it is a clear choice in the end. TV is a strange one as there are very few repeat entries on the guys’ lists. Jersey Shore gets a mention, but alas, it is upset by a more “deserving” pick.

Top 5 moments is a chance for the guys to sneak in anything that was significant for them over the past year. There are some fun choices here, and they definitely give insight into the guys’ personalities.

It is time once again for the Raddies! Armed with our own personal top fives, we hash out a consensus on the single best movie, game, and TV series of 2009!

Runtime – 1:03:58

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Mobcast Episode 35

Jon Cole — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:44:09 +0000

Bitmob’s own Aaron Thomas and Demian Linn are joined by Matt Chandronait and Anthony Gallegos to usher in the new year, but carry along a little bundle of memories from the last. With such being the case, the guys discuss their biggest surprises and disappointments of 2009, starting off with Aaron who was disappointed by Uncharted 2. The game didn’t necessarily appall him, but the seemingly unanimous hype among the media built up his expectations to a point where the smallest blemishes appeared that much bigger.

Matt brings a particularly interesting topic to the table this week, asking what new genre of games each person would like to see created. He kicks it off with his idea of a genre based purely on exploration, somewhat similar to the idea behind the recently released Afrika. Fully explorable, real life environments without any overt objectives could flex the bounds of our beloved interactive genre.

Anthony’s topic wraps things up, asking the guys how they sort out personal social interaction and professional social interaction without them having too much crossover. Clearly there are a lot of ways to explore this question, ranging from Aaron’s recent choice to delete his Twitter account to Jeff Gerstmann gaining a personal following of thousands.

Area 5’s Matt Chandronait and Rebel FM’s Anthony Gallegos join Bitmob’s Demian Linn and Aaron Thomas on the first Mobcast of 2010.

On this week’s episode the foursome debate whether demos are good or bad, create a new genre of games, share their biggest surprises and disappointments from 2009, figure out why journalists are less “professional” on podcasts, and discuss how much game industry people should share on their personal Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Runtime – 1:08:18

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

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CastMedium Podcast 018 – 01.04.10

Jonathan Downin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:56:09 +0000

We are back with our 1st podcast of 2010, but things start a little rocky with us being hit by another audio software crash. It’s listenable, and gets better in the 2nd half, so stick with it.

The discussion starts with more Podcast Awards talk, and we find ourselves talking about 4 Guys 1UP again– hey, it won runner-up for best new podcast of ‘09 for a reason. Bayonetta is the only new release this week, and we don’t care. Back catalog stuff takes center stage again this week with some frustration with Uncharted 2, love for Batman and a little Dragon Age talk.

Jon and I discuss the Nexus One, and Erik closes things out with some thoughts about District 9 and Inglorious Basterds after catching up on a few of the year’s movies.

Covered topics and games: Podcast Awards, 4 Guys 1UP, Bayonetta, Uncharted 2, Batman, Nexus One, Inglorious Basterds, District 9

Runtime – 25:33

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Player One Podcast – Episode 167 (01/04/10) – Best of The Aughts

Ross Adams — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:58:51 +0000

It’s a special episode of Player One this week, to mark the start of the year and a new decade the guys have decided to list their respective 10 games of the past decade. With the differing tastes of the 4 hosts the lists are fairly varied. Of course there is some crossover and it is these games which form the bulk of the discussion.

It’s a revelatory second half of the podcast as CJ and Greg Sewart reveal they have barely played the fantastic Mario Galaxy, Greg Ford and Phil are stunned. Listing the choices would be a disservice, needless to say there are some interesting games picked but the hosts always make a compelling argument for why it is on their list.

This week! We take a look back at 10 years’ worth of gaming and go through our own personal top 10 games lists, from number 10 to number 1taking a break after number 6 to keep the tension high.

Runtime – 2:10:12

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FS Reviews: Avatar / Nine

Jon Cole — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:07:02 +0000

In this review-only episode of Filmspotting, Adam and Matty risk a huge part of their listener base by coming out fairly negatively against James Cameron’s Avatar. The main point they try to drive home is that despite the stunning cinematography and the revolutionary technical advancements, nothing can make up for the poor story. They agree that most of the characters are far too prototypical, the red herrings are far too overt, and ultimately Avatar left them feeling it was unoriginal at best. Matty points out a diamond in the rough, namely Zoe Saldana’s character which was more fully realized than any other in the film.

Next, the guys review Nine, which finally divides Adam and Matty in their opinions. Matty calls the film flat and too linear, but Adam recognizes these things and still says he enjoyed the film so much. Furthermore, Matty calls many of the number unnecessary since he only really remembered “Be Italian” after the fact, but Adam again rebuts with his pure, light enjoyment of the excess. In the end, it comes down to a simple difference in opinion, wrapping up this week’s episode.

January 1: Adam and Matty ring in the new year by finally getting to their discussion of James Cameron’s sci-fi epic “Avatar”. Plus, the lads find out whether Daniel Day-Lewis can really “be Italian” in Rob Marshall’s musical “Nine.”

Runtime – 33:30

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

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4 Guys 1UP: 01/01/2010

Jonathan Downin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:15:11 +0000

This is another non-traditional episode due to the holidays. 1UP friend, and Sega Producer, Constantine Hantzopoulos is back and the whole show is dedicated to allowing him to provide a bigger window into the development process. He is the perfect person to do this as he is clearly not inhibited by PR pressures in any way.

Constantine starts out by covering his path through the industry and continues on to talk about problems with the structure of the development/publishing system. He also touches on some of the problems with past Sega projects and how things are changing with current and future projects.

We’re still recovering from the holiday break, but that doesn’t mean we’re skipping a week. Recorded before the break, Constantine Hantzopoulos (Sega of America) joins David Ellis and Matt Leone in-studio to talk about his career and transition from developer to publisher back to developer.

Runtime – 1:13:02

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | rss |

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Rebel FM Episode 45 – 01/01/10

Ross Adams — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:17:48 +0000

In the last recorded RebelFM of ‘09 Tyler Barber is missing but in his place are Bitmob’s Greg Ford and Area 5’s Matt Chandronait. Being the end of the year there is little new to talk about so the what you’ve been playing segment is taken up with some older releases. Greg Ford has been playing the Zelda: Minish Cap for GBA, which he has apparently been playing on and off for 2 or 3 years.

Modern Warfare gets briefly discussed, exploits and balance issues being the main focus. Greg also played through Assassins Creed 2, he enjoyed it but feels he might have played through it too quickly and burned himself out on it. After capturing footage for the latest CO-OP Matt got dragged back into playing his personal favourite multiplayer game, Tribes 2.

Listener mail takes up the second half of the show, RebelFM’s recent wins in the CastMedium awards come up and the guys seem pleased with their pick-ups although they do dispute some of the other categories. The show ends on a sombre note when a listener asks how everyone feels now we’re a year removed from the 1UP layoffs that led to the show’s creation.

Covered games and topics: Zelda: Minish Cap, GTA: Chinatown Wars, Assassins Creed 2, Modern Warfare 2, Tribes 2/Next, Mass Efffect, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, Borderlands Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot, Bayonetta, Reader mail

Welcome to 2010! We greet it with a podcast recorded in 2009! This week we’re down one Tyler Barber but up a Matt Chandronait and one Greg Ford, of Area5/Co-op and Bitmob respectively as we talk about Bayonetta, Borderlands and more, then move on to some letters.

Runtime – 1:37:12

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

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/Filmcast Ep. 82 – Sherlock Holmes & Up in the Air

Jon Cole — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:27:06 +0000

This week’s /Filmcast starts as normal with recently watched movies, in this case predominantly discussing A Perfect Getaway. Though anachronistic in a handful of ways, the guys agree that the film was enjoyable and ultimately more original than not. Adam wraps up the segment by bringing up his viewing of Avatar in IMAX 3D.

At the expense of the Film News segment, the /Filmcast tackles two film’s this week, starting off with Sherlock Holmes. Everyone agrees that Robert Downey Jr. was definitely the strongest offering of this period piece, but Guy Ritchie’s so called resurgence is the point of contention. Dave praises some of the safe but strong choices Ritchie makes, but Adam is unconvinced of the film’s overall quality and instead heaps praise on Downey for keeping the film buoyant.

Since Up in the Air is a bit more acute than the latter movie, the review is best told with spoilers (which they choose to hold off on until the end of the show). Yet again, Dave and Adam disagree on the accessibility of the film, though they can concede that George Clooney and Anna Kendrick give strong performances and Reitman wrote an interesting script.

Note: Make sure to check out this week’s /Filmcast: After Dark, where the crew discusses their top films of 2009.

Covered movies and topics: Skhizein, Misfits, A Perfect Getaway, It’s Complicated, A Single Man, Avatar (IMAX 3D), Sherlock Holmes, Up in the Air

This week, Dave Chen, Devindra Hardawar and Adam Quigley discuss the pleasures of A Perfect Getaway, praise the beauty of A Single Man, and do a double review of Sherlock Holmes and Up in the Air.

Runtime – 1:18:57

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

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CastMedium Podcast Awards ‘09 – Staff Picks

Jonathan Downin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:23:55 +0000

After doing our official CastMedium group picks a couple weeks ago, we each wanted to give our personal pick for best podcast of the year. So, here they are:

Jonathan Downin – The Totally Rad Show

While The Totally Rad Show is not the funniest, most thought-provoking or informative podcast around, it is the one that I find myself looking forward to most each week. Alex, Jeff and Dan are able to infuse the show with genuine fun, personality and heart. More than any other podcast, I treat TRS like a favorite TV show or movie that I follow; I like to settle in with a drink, maybe a snack and just enjoy it.

Like any show that relies heavily on investment in personalities, TRS can require that you give it time to get its hooks in you, but it is well worth it. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the consistency of TRS. Week-in and week-out, the guys deliver an episode without fail, and other podcasts could take a cue from them about how to make their audience feel appreciated.

Jon Cole – Idle Thumbs

The Idle Thumbs podcast is my personal pick of 2009. Chris Remo, Nick Breckon, and Jake ‘Video Games’ Rodkin used to come together every week and deliver equal parts of hard-hitting commentary and nearly tasteless humor. These guys have championed some of my favorite games of the past couple years, including Far Cry 2, Mass Effect, Fallout 3, and Torchlight. With more hilarious inside jokes than a private secondary school, Idle Thumbs’s backlog is absolutely worth checking out, though I can’t help you if you’re hurting for more after listening to the Jeff Goldgame-laden final episode.

Derek Lavigne – Retronauts/Active Time Babble

Although I now write for a site dedicated to covering as many podcasts as possible, there was once a time where I listened to none. That all changed when I discovered a little show called Retronauts which was dedicated to the games I grew up playing. Knowing there were other people out there who shared the same feeling of nostalgia and enthusiasm for retro games immediately made my a regular listener. Shortly thereafter, I realized just how little I knew about video games.The amount of obscure, retro game knowledge that Jeremy Parish and a rotating assortment of guests had was absolutely baffling to me, and drove me to research my hobby that much more as well as spurring an immediate interest to import games.

Because Retronauts tackles a fairly random topic or set of topics each episode, I often find myself going back through old shows to listen to ones I may have missed or simply want to listen to again. Also, with the addition of Active Time Babble in alternating weeks with Retronauts, there is no longer as much need to worry when the next episode will come out. While naming two podcasts for this award may seems a little questionable, I consider ATB to be a subsidiary podcast of Retronauts as it features many of the same people and shares the mostly evergreen topical nature.

Erik – Smodcast

You don’t have to like Kevin Smith as a director to enjoy the Smodcast, but you have to appreciate him as a storyteller, and as someone that wears his heart on his sleeve. The Smodcast has been around since 2007, and Smith and his long-time producer Scott Mosier have covered incredibly personal ground; but in 2009, the show became a hilarious, and bizarely touching, character study of Smith’s dealing with the failure of his last movie, discovering inspiration through Wayne Gretzky, and learning how to direct someone else’s work for the first time. Oh, and Mosier got a vasectomy.

No matter the subject, every episode was a hilarious hour or so with two incredibly intelligent and creative friends that should make you laugh out loud repeatedly…or offend you horribly. Probably both.

Ross Adams – Player One Podcast

While I certainly agree with the Giant Bombcast being awarded Podcast of ‘09 I do also have a personal favourite that I would’ve liked to see in that spot. The Player One Podcast has been a must listen for me ever since an online friend introduced me to it. Sure it may not have the high production values that some podcasts these days have, with their expensive microphones and assorted gadgets, but it makes up for that with a ton of personality.

Like any great podcast, heck like any great entertainment show, the rapor the hosts have is what really makes the show shine. Chris Johnston, Phil Theobald and Greg Sewart have been doing the show for a number of years now and as such they all play off each other brilliantly. I’ll admit while I do find their game discussion interesting I’m often more interested in their tangential discussions and playful skits.

I can’t recall the last time I listened to an episode of Player One and didn’t literally laugh out loud at least once. Personally, this is what marks a good podcast in my eyes, one that goes beyond its subject matter and is just plain entertaining.

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CastMedium Podcast Awards ‘09 – Readers’ Choice

Jonathan Downin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:15:25 +0000

Winner – Giant Bombcast (162 votes)

Runner-up – Mobcast (73 votes)

It seems like we weren’t alone in our choice of the Giant Bombcast as our favorite podcast of the year. The Mobcast made a comeback in the final days, but could not overcome the initial domination of the The Bombcast.

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Active Time Babble VI: Avernum | 12/31/2009

Ross Adams — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:21:29 +0000

With everyone out of the office for the holidays it’s left to Jeremy Parish to take on hosting duties alone for the last Active Time Babble of 09. He’s joined by Spiderweb Software’s Jeff Vogel. Spiderweb is an independent developer, rub by Jeff, who have been making RPGs for PC and Mac for over ten years.

Jeff discusses the process he goes through when making the game, what influences the stories he tells in his games and various other tales about being a very small developer. The show closes out with some talk and plugging of Jeff’s latest game Avernum VI. You certainly don’t have to be familiar with Spiderweb Software to get something out of this episode, an interesting insight into a small indy developer.

With everyone else out for the holidays, Jeremy Parish talks to Spiderweb Software’s Jeff Vogel about the finale of the long-running Avernum series.

Runtime – 0:41:59

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MacBreak Weekly 173: Two Words: Dance Belt

Jonathan Downin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 01:54:50 +0000

It is still unclear what exactly happened, but iPhones were temporarily unavailable for order for New York City residents via the AT&T website. The real discussion this week is centered around the forthcoming Android announcement, and rumored Apple announcement.

It has been all-but confirmed that the January 5th Android announcement will be focused on the release of the Nexus One. The guys touch on this before discussing the rumored January 26th iSlate announcement. There is nothing to new here, but there is some discussion about Apple’s potential 3 operating system approach to their products. Nokia litigation also gets a mention, but an unboxing of the N900 steals the limelight.

NYC short iPhones, Google Nexus One, Apple’s Jan 26 announcement, tablet rumors, and more.

Runtime – 1:15:45

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The Game Informer Show: Transformers: War for Cybertron Special

Derek Lavigne — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:14:50 +0000

Another special feature this week from the GI team is hosted by Phil Kollar and features Andy Reiner, Dan Ryckert, and Matt Miller. It’s obvious right from the start that these four are legit Transformers fans with discussion of the various cartoon incarnations along with Phil needling the Michael Bay films and Hasboro for making everything canon. They also share an interesting fact that High Moon Studios, who is developing the game, studied a short clip of Cybertron from the animated movie over and over.

After a minor spoiler around 10 minutes in, they move on to discuss how unlike how the cartoons sometimes portray Cybertron as a sterile metal world, the game will show off a more active environment. Phil also reveals, although hesitantly, that the game will have co-op as well as some type of multiplayer mode. Most of the rest of the episode is filled with discussion of the various cybertronian forms for the Transformers. A big reveal at the end of the show is that many of the G1 voice actors will be involved with the game, including Peter Cullen reprising his role as Optimus Prime.

If you’ve been around the site at all this month, you’ve almost certainly caught some of our month-long coverage of Activision’s newly-announced Transformers: War For Cybertron (and if you haven’t, you can visit our hub page now and catch up). We’ve reached the end of our month of exclusive first looks at the game, and we’re celebrating with this special edition podcast. Resident Game Informer Transformers nerds Andrew Reiner and Matt Miller join Philip Kollar and Dan Ryckert, who went to see the game last month. The group discusses what would make for a perfect Transformers game, what we’ve seen of War For Cybertron so far, and a few of the elements — like co-op and competitive online multiplayer — that have yet to be fully revealed. Our last podcast of the year also includes a full music track from War For Cybertron.

Runtime – 26:36

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GWJ Conference Call Episode 168

Jonathan Downin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:59:55 +0000

It’s a special 2009 retrospective episode this week with the guys going over some of the personal picks for most notable games of the past year. The opinions here are diverse with everyone putting something different in their top spot. It is nice to see that some games that seem to have been forgotten in other game of the year discussions get mentioned here.

The guys will be covering their 2009 predictions from earlier in the year, and their 2010 predictions next week.

This week we discuss some of our favorite games of 2009. If we didn’t mention a game you love, assume we just forgot or that it’s rabbits fault. Have a happy new year, see you in 2010!

Runtime – 48:04

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TWiT 228: The TWiT Of The Decade

Jon Cole — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:41:18 +0000

For This Week in Tech’s final episode of the decade, Leo brings in both Kevin Rose and Robert Scoble to talk about the big tech trends that colored the last ten years. The format is particularly interesting because Leo solicited ideas from former guests of the show, introducing a wide variety of topics for discussion.

Kim Landwehr called in to bring up the ever essential presence of Apple in both the portable music player market (the iPod) and the mobile market (the iPhone), which the crew agrees introduced a complete paradigm shift in how we consume information. Robert Llewellyn chimes in with another media giant, YouTube, which brought video publishing to the people.

Swinging around to the more obscure, some other familiar voices bring up topics including the rising relevance of DSLR’s in producing high quality video, the Hadron Collider, Y2K, Net Neutrality, and many more.

Covered news and topics: YouTube, Google, portability of tech, DSLRs, RSS, Hadron Collider, HD-DVD, iPod, iPhone, Apple, Solid State Hard Drives, Biotechnology, Webvan/Peapod, Moore’s Law, Net Neutrality, Digital Photography, Y2K, high definition, Mike Arrington, Mars Rover

We end the year, and decade, with a look at the most important stories of the 2000s.

Runtime – 1:43:01

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Drunken Gamers Radio 12.29.09

Derek Lavigne — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:01:36 +0000

Closing out the year, the DGR crew bring us their version of the game of the years, which they call the Daryl Awards in honor of their old landlord who was able to squeeze money from them out of nothing. Simply replace ‘money’ with ‘fun’ and you have the criteria for the DGR top 3 games of the year. They also plan on reading listener top 3 lists and give a final award to the most voted for listener pick.

Starting off with their number 3 picks Hilden chose the open-world playground Red Faction: Guerrilla, while Moe and John go a little lighter with House of the Dead: Overkill and Retro Game Challenge respectively. This is the point where I have to thank the guys for reading the email that I sent in with my top 3 and giving us a plug. Moe starts out the number two picks with Raiden Fighters Aces, which he points out is a bargain at $20. Hilden springs the surprise pick with Street Fighter IV and John jumps in with Uncharted 2.

After a few more emails praising the likes of Demon’s Souls and Assassin’s Creed II, the guys get their number one picks ready. Hilden chooses Uncharted 2 for its amazing amount of polish while Moe shocks with Battlefield 1943. John throws some more love the was of Demon’s Souls for his game of the year, citing spending 7 hours on only the first level. The big winner of the Daryl for the year from Drunken Gamers Radio is Demon’s Souls.

Covered games and topics: Games of the year

It’s the 2009 Daryl Awards! DGR picks their top 3 games of the year and awards the best the coveted Daryl Award! We also read your letters and pick the Listeners Choice Award!

Runtime – 59:39

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