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Co-op Mood is a podcast about video games and why we play them. Every other week, co-hosts Sally Tamarkin (@sallyt) and Shane Vaiskauskas (@mundangerous) talk about video games, exploring topics and themes as well as the stories they tell, the worlds they create, the characters who live in those worlds and the gameplay mechanics and story structures that make it all possible.
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An important announcement about the future of Co-op Mood. It doesn't involve GameStop, but it does involve work and family.By Sally Tamarkin, Shane Vaiskauskas
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On this episode Shane and Sally talk about the announcement that Ubisoft is working on an open world Star Wars game and what the marriage of Ubi and a beloved franchise could look like. Then they dive into part one of their discussion on the action-adventure platformer, Raji: An Ancient Epic, the debut game from Nodding Heads Games, based in Pune, …
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Co-op Mood 19: Welcome to the Murder Sandbox (Hitman 2)
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On this episode Shane and Sally talk about their New Year’s gaming resolutions, and how they plan (hope?) to play games in 2021. Then they jump into part two of their discussion of io Interactive’s Hitman 2. They discuss being on rails in an open world, lateral thinking (murder) puzzles, and the agony and the ecstasy of mission stories. Of course, …
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On this episode Shane and Sally kick things off by talking about the clusterfuck that is CD Projekt’s release of Cyberpunk 2077. Then they dive into part one of their two-part conversation about io Interactive’s Hitman 2. They discuss the gameplay loop, level design, and the pleasure of snappy gunplay and Jason Bourne-ing your way through the world…
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On this episode Shane and Sally discussed a recent WaPo story about how video game developers are creatively approaching difficulty settings in their games and the exciting things that are possible when devs think intentionally about playability and accessibility. Then they dove deep into their final impressions of the horny roguelike dungeon-crawl…
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Co-op Mood 16: Hades, Thee Bisexual Thirst Trap
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On this episode Shane and Sally talk “Project 007,” the upcoming James Bond video game by IO Interactive, the studio behind the Hitman games. Then they talk about about the gameplay and aesthetic of the horny roguelike dungeon-crawler, Hades. They also talk about games they’re playing right now, including League (season 11 patch), Breath of the Wil…
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Co-op Mood 15: There’s No Crying in Blaseball
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On this episode Shane and Sally make an official correction about the upcoming Uncharted movie. Then they talk once again about the design/appearance of the PS5. Then Shane is joined by Jon (@gurglespasm), co-host of One Shot network’s System Mastery podcast, to talk about the weird and wonderful world of Blaseball, including its best lore, and adv…
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Co-op Mood Unlucky 13: Rise From Your Grave
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On this episode, Shane and Sally discuss exactly why Tom Holland is the wrong hunk to play daddy next door Nathan Drake in the upcoming Uncharted movie, and who they’d cast instead. Then they talk about participating in One Shot Network’s Among Us stream and the zaniness that ensued. Finally, in tribute to Halloween week they, as two people of scar…
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Co-op Mood 14: That's How It Could've Happened...But How About This?
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On this episode, Shane and Sally talk about the PS5’s absolutely massive dimensions and whether it’ll fit in a typical entertainment center (jury’s still out). Then they talk all about multiple endings in video games, what functions they serve, when they work, and when they kinda ruin your fun. And they talk about the games they’re playing right no…
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Co-op Mood 12: The Most Influential Consoles of All Time You Won’t Believe What Happens Next
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With all the talk and excitement about next gen consoles, Shane and Sally decided to take a stroll down memory lane and talk all about their own experiences with consoles over the years, from ColecoVision and Atari 7800 to Sega Game Gear and N64, all the way up to current gen consoles. They also talk about the recent announcement that the 2021 Trib…
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Co-op Mood 11: David Cage Remastered
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Sally and Shane played the game that put David Cage’s name on the video game map: 2005’s Fahrenheit (or, as it was known in North America, Indigo Prophecy) and they’re here to talk all about it. They describe the game’s story and gameplay before diving into a discussion about the legacy of this very uneven game when it comes to today’s point and cl…
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In this episode Sally and Shane talk about Sony’s weird lottery system for preordering a PS5. Then they talk about the video games they’d like to play as tabletop RPGs and share their thoughts and ideas for just how to do that, from adapting lore and worldbuilding to implementing gameplay and mechanics. They also talk about games they’re playing ri…
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In this episode Sally and Shane talk about a few different news items (including Stardew Valley update 1.5 and a certain big company suing a certain giant company). Then they discuss the 2019 game Interrogation: You Will Be Deceived, from the noir mood and rotoscoped aesthetic to the mechanics and themes, as well as what worked and what didn’t. The…
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Co-op Mood 8: Tabletop Roleplaying Video Games
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In this episode Sally and Shane talk about the Nintendo gigaleak, why it matters, and ask the question “Does anyone care about the plumber’s brother?” Then they talk about the tabletop roleplaying games they’d like to see adapted in video games and how those concepts would be executed. They also talk about the games they’re playing right now, which…
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Co-op Mood 7: You Have My Divided Attention
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In this episode, Sally and Shane talk about casual co-op games, when they work, when they don’t, why they’re great during the pandemic, and more. Then they discuss their all time favorites of the genre and also kind of change their definition of the genre. They also talk about speedrunning and Games Done Quick 2020 as well the games they’re playing…
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Co-op Mood 6: Myers–Briggs, But Video Games
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Sally and Shane talk about Quantic Foundry’s gamer motivation profile survey and how it attempts to distill gamers’ personalities and playstyles and recommend games. They talk about the benefits and the limits of the survey model and then discuss their own results. They also discuss Amazon’s new recent released (and more recently un-released) game …
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Sally and Shane talk mostly about Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part 2. Although they skipped big story spoilers, there is plenty of discussion of how the game feels to play, the richness of the environments, and the exquisite storytelling. They also discuss whether video games have any place in high school curricula, the simple but deep joys of Min…
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Shane and Sally open by talking about the Madden player who won the Madden bowl without having a QB or even throwing a single pass. Then they dive into the genre of games that includes Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing—known as “tend and befriend”—that are all about doing a job once your IRL workday is over. Read More: On anti-blackness and police…
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Co-op Mood 3: Enter the Dungeon(s and Dragons)
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Shane and Sally open the episode by talking about the billion dollar (billion! Dollar!) video game coaching industry. Then they talk about the video games that provide a damn good simulacrum of sitting around a table playing D&D with buddies. Read More: Bloomberg: Billion Video-Game Coaching Business Ramps Up During Lockdown Contact Us: Sally on Tw…
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Co-op Mood 2: War is Hell (of a Good Time)
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After discussing the Nintendo PlayStation and how weird and (apparently) valuable it is, Shane and Sally talk about how video games explore and portray war, from the jingoistic gun porn options to the games that are grounded in the brutal reality of combat trauma. Read More: Engadget: Bidding for the 'Nintendo PlayStation' prototype is already over…
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Co-op Mood 1: Social Distancing Together
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In the premiere episode of Co-op Mood, Shane and Sally talk about gaming in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. From game delays and Switch scarcity to the games that are bringing us comfort, joy, and immersion and all the co-oping we’re doing while sheltering in place. Contact Us: Sally on Twitter: @sallyt Shane on Twitter: @mundangerous Co-op Mood…
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