EpilogueWay to Fall Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) say goodbye to yesterday, in our final episode for the times. It's been a long journey through the Metal Gear saga, covering the story of Solid Snake, Big Boss, and Raiden over the course of 7 games. We reflect back on our coverage, our comraderie, and end it with a final ranking of…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 11: Endings and the Video Game Power Fantasy Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) have reached the last episode of the last Metal Gear Solid game! Today, we cover the game's many endings, and answer the last two pressing questions of our coverage: is MGSV a complete game, and how does it challenge the…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 10: Imperialism of Language Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) are finally here; it's time to take vengeance on Skull Face and his demon, Sahelanthropus! But before we face off with the giant mech, we do our exploration of this game's themes on imperialism, and specifically, the imperialism of langu…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 9: Code Talker and Eli Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) drive deeper into the African setting, both thematically and into Code Talker's hiding place. Plus several boss encounters to discuss; a sniper showdown with the Skulls, a shootout in an airport, and CQC with the King of Flies, Eli aka young …

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 8: David Bowie/Man on Fire & Mantis Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) rock the tunes of David Bowie as they run their first operations out of Central Africa! We take a look at the musical influences of Hideo Kojima in MGSV, and then we drive deeper into the heart of darkness, wherein the Devil's Ho…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 7: Quiet and Huey Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) wrap up the first act in Afghanistan by analyzing the Central Asia setting in detail; why did Kojima take us to the famous "graveyard of Empires" for his final Metal Gear outing? Then we rejoin Snake and Diamond Dogs as they attempt to grab Huey a…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 6: Kaz and Ocelot Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) join Ocelot on horseback as they ride out to save Kaz, and get "Big Boss" back into the game. We reacquaint ourselves with our two long-time Metal Gear buddies, plus we go under the mist to take a look at the Skulls, XOF's special strike team!---S…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 5: Hospital Escape Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) wake up after 9 long years, only to find themselves under attack by XOF and a mysterious Man on Fire! This week, we dive into the "awakening" of Venom Snake and the "truth" behind Big Boss as they flee the hospital in Cyprus to kick off the event…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 4: Gameplay Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) take a break from the heavier narrative of MGSV to discuss the game play side of things. Mission deployment, Extra Ops, new mechanics and systems are all discussed as we tackle the Fox Engine head on. War has changed!---Support Podcast Sans Frontieres b…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 3: Ground Zeroes Analysis Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) run some extra ops against Camp Omega, discussing the various side missions and rewards available in Ground Zeroes. We then take a closer look at the Cuban setting, the antagonist Skull Face, and finally have a sobering discussion about th…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 2: Ground Zeroes Main Mission Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) make for Camp Omega as Big Boss attempts to save Chico and Paz from a mysterious Cipher agent with a Skull for a Face. We talk about this game's direct continuation of Peace Walker as well as the new voice of Big Boss, Kiefer Sutherlan…

Chapter Seven: Metal Gear Solid VPart 1: Production History Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) haven't let age slow them down one bit. We've arrived at the final chapter of Metal Gear Solid, Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain! Today we dive into the development cycle of both releases, the spat between Konami and Kojima, and where we wer…

Chapter Six: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)Part 6: Wrap-up episode Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) cap off their analysis of Metal Gear Rising by hitting all their thematic staples: setting, imperialism, and power fantasy! The game twists these concepts compared to its Solid bretheren, but in the end brings it home to truly fe…

Chapter Six: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)Part 5: Senator Armstrong Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) come to the end of another Metal Gear game, which means it's time for big mech fights and bigger villain monologues! Raiden squares off with Metal Gear Excelsus, before finally facing the Patriot behind this new War on Terror, …

Chapter Six: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)Part 4: The Winds of Destruction Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) pick up their Revengeance coverage with Jetstream Sam confronting Raiden with his life of violence! We dish on this Metal Gear trope for a bit as we work through the remaining Colorado chapters and face off with Monsoon,…

Chapter Six: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)Part 3: R-01 to R-03 Intro Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) ninja run through the first third of the main story, following Jack from Abkhazia to Mexico and finally Denver as he tracks Desperado and uncovers their secret child soldier project! We also face down our first Winds of Destru…

Chapter Six: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)Part 2: Raiden/Prologue Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) reacquaint themselves with our game's protagonist, Jack aka Raiden, and catch you up on life following Guns of the Patriots. We detail his support staff as well before diving into the game's prologue, where we meet two of this ga…

Chapter Six: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)Part 1: Production History Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) let 'er rip! It's time for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the continuation of Raiden's story following the events of MGS4. This episode sets up our coverage with a history of production and discussion of game design and the v…

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Movie Review Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) hop multiverses as they break down Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness! We give some non-spoiler thoughts up top before diving deep into the characters, twists, turns, and the Raimi of it all. By the hoary hosts of Hoggoth! Support …

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)Bonus Episode Manu (@ManuclearBomb) decided to celebrate his birthday by giving YOU a gift; a full breakdown and analysis of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, to my mind still the best film the MCU has to offer. We go into Captain America's comic history and MCU history before going beat by beat through …

50th Episode CelebrationWhat We've Been Playing Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) have officially recorded 50 episodes! In a more laid back episode, we talk a bit about what games we've been playing, including Elden Ring, Cyberpunk, Psychonauts and more! And then we look back at our previous 40+ MGS episodes for what we've learned as w…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 10: Finale Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) finish their coverage with a deep dive into Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker's settings, takes on imperialism, and how it challenges the video game power fantasy. This one is chock full of history and a tad of homoerotica! Support Podcast…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 9: Game modes/Co-op Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) take an episode to dive deeper into Peace Walker's many game modes and extras, from main missions to side ops and Mother Base management. They also share their experiences playing cooperatively online, and how form and function…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 8: Chapter 5/Zero Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) wrap up Peace Walker's story which involves Paz revealing her true self and commandeering Metal Gear Zeke! As Snake rushes to stop her, the hidden undercurrent to the plot is revealed. Join us as we wrap up the story and deep div…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 7: Chapter 4/Big Boss Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) infiltrate a secret US missile base where Peace Walker is ready for its nuclear launch! The whole cast is here: Snake, Kaz, Galvez, Paz, Coldman, Strangelove...join us as we break down the final showdown with Peace Walker, Th…

The Batman (2022)Movie Review Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) don their capes and cowls to discuss The Batman (2022) by Matt Reeves! We give some non-spoiler reactions up top, and then following a music interlude from Michael Giacchino, we go in-depth on the plot with a vengeance! Support Podcast Sans Frontieres by subscribing to Pat…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 6: Peace Walker Chapter 3 Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) saddle up their white Andalusian horses and begin galloping to the meat of this story! Speaking of meat, Dr. Strangelove gets to treat Big Boss as such, "tickling" him as she tries to find out the truth about The Boss, wh…

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)Five-Year Retrospective Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) are joined by Marc Normandin (@Marc_Normandin) to talk about the five-year anniversary of Breath of the Wild! We give our thoughts on the story, gameplay, and the mark it left on the medium.---Brian on Breath of the WildMarc on Breat…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 5: Militaires Sans Frontieres/Dr. Strangelove Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) kick off today's episode with a closer look at Militaires Sans Frontieres, the new business Snake and Miller are forwarding. Then we infiltrate the Cloud Forest, where we run into the mastermind of the…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 4: Hot Coldman and Huey Emmerich Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) continue their investigation into Peace Sentinel's activities, finding CIA Station Chief Hot Coldman and Dr. Huey Emmerich at the center. Mutually-assured destruction and Artificial Intelligence are the topics at h…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 3: The Sandinistas/Che Guevara Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) dive into Peace Walker's first chapter, where Snake rendezvous with the Sandinistas for local intelligence. From them he learns about Peace Sentinel's movements here in Central America, which gives us an opportunity …

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 2: Prologue Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) dive headfirst into Peace Walker's story by introducing the game's major players: Kaz, Paz, and Professor Galvez. Then we make our way into Costa Rica only to discover nukes are being smuggled in by the CIA. Holy Mother of God! Support…

Chapter Five: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)Part 1: Introduction Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) kick off PSF's coverage of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker! It's an important demarcation point in the series, signaling the switch to Big Boss as Metal Gear's going-concern and a wholesale game redesign from previous entries. We br…

Metal Gear Solid: The MovieFancasting Episode Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) decide to finally speak to the Metal Gear Solid movie, the very reason this podcast was started! We go over our wishes and concerns with adapting Metal Gear for the big screen, and then just sit back and fancast our favorite Metal Gear characters! Support P…

Shaine Smith InterviewBonus Episode Manu (@ManuclearBomb) is joined by "Metal Gear Hot Girl" Shaine Smith (@shainehinnant)! We talk about her history with Metal Gear and what it means to be a Metal Gear Historian, as well as her own experience about being a woman in the Metal Gear community. Finally, we talk about what she's been working on, includ…

Solid Snake Wrap-UpCharacter Analysis Having just completed Metal Gear Solid 4, Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) take a look back at the character arc and themes of Solid Snake over the course of his games, and how our opinions have evolved during the course of our coverage. Plus, we weigh in Oscar Isaac's casting of the legendary sol…

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)Bonus Episode Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) take a holiday break from Metal Gear Solid to talk Spider-Man: No Way Home! We give some production notes and non-spoiler reaction, but then we go beat-by-beat through the movie in full spoiler mode. Join us as we break down the multiverse-breaking adventure!…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 10: Thematic Analysis Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) put a coda on their MGS4 coverage, as we do PSF staples of analyzing setting, imperialism, and how Metal Gear challenges the male power fantasy. Finally, we take a look at what this game says about fan service, cano…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 9: Outer Haven Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) wrap up the story of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as Solid Snake faces his final battle, including one final showdown with Liquid Ocelot atop Outer Haven. Then stay tuned for 74 minutes of cutscenes and wrap-up…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 8: Return to Shadow Moses Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) go back to a familiar military base on a remote island off the Fox Archipelago...that's right, Snake and Hal return to Shadow Moses to track down Metal Gear Rex before Liquid can get to it. All Snake has to cont…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 7: Liquid Ocelot Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) raise the curtain on Liquid Ocelot's insurrection! We finally dive into our game's antagonist, as well as examine the Patriot AIs and the plan Liquid has for them. Behold! GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS! Support Podcast Sans Front…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 6: EVA and Raging Raven Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) join Snake as he heads to Eastern Europe to locate Big Mama, who we know as EVA from Metal Gear Solid 3. This gives us plenty of opportunity to discuss her character, the history of The Patriots, and even a cut ga…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 5: Raiden and Vamp Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) wrap up South America with a tracking setpiece and our patented deep dives into Vamp and Raiden, who explode onto the scene in the second act finale! Support Podcast Sans Frontieres by subscribing to Patreon.com/Manucl…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 4: Beauty and the Beast Corps, Naomi Hunter Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) rendezvous with Old Snake in South America to discuss the first half of Act II: Solid Sun! We discuss this game's Shakespearean act structure, the Beauty and the Beast Corps, and the return of …

Outer Op: No Time to Die Reaction/Review Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) found some time to die and give their initial thought on the latest in the 007 franchise! We give a few minutes of non-spoiler discussion before diving headfirst into the last Daniel Craig James Bond film! Full spoilers begin at 9:04 following the Billie Eilish …

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 3: Drebin, Meryl, and Sons of the Patriots Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) finish the first act of Metal Gear Solid 4 and deep dive into the characters of Drebin 893 and Meryl Silverburgh, who stand in for the war economy and "Sons of the Patriots" system respectively.…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 2: Old Snake and Otacon Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) infiltrate the first act of Metal Gear Solid 4 as we break down our protagonists, Old Snake and Otacon, and their original treatment for the game's ending. But first, we dive into the "real world" commercials that…

Chapter Four: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)Part 1: Introduction Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) kick off coverage of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots! We cover the game's production, design, and systems, and then get a sense of what this game is all about. War *has* changed! Support Podcast Sans Frontieres b…

Manu (@ManuclearBomb) has started a Patreon! I'll be taking on some additional projects, including: expanding Podcast Sans Frontieres to include more special episodes and cover adjacent media like 007 No Time to Die Launching My Brother, My Captain, My Podcast, a celebration of the 20th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings films! Launching Searchin…

Sequels, Prequels, and Remakes Special Episode Manu (@ManuclearBomb) and Brian (@BrianJDraft) take some time to ruminate on the future, if any, of the Metal Gear Solid games franchise. We address the Kojima of it all, and if we even would want another MGS game in the first place. Finally, we opine on some of the popular ideas for future MGS games. …