Best Sky Michael Johnston Podcasts (2024)

In this exclusive episode, Pastor Ray welcomes Dr. Phil (household name, television personality, author, psychologist, and now...Television Network founder) to the 2024 Thrive Conference. Pastor Ray and fellow Bayside Pastor, Kevin Thompson interview Dr. Phil and uncover the man behind the legacy TV series.…

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Live w/ Christine Caine: On Mission & On Assignment 37:41

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3M ago37:41

37:41

Pastor Ray is back Christine Caine (Author & Founder of Equip & Empower Ministries, A21, Propel Women, and Zoe Churches). This very special installment of The Ray Johnston Leadership Podcast features Christine's incredible keynote address at the 2024 Thrive Conference. It's all about living out your calling and being one mission and one assignment.…

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184. Tanya Plibersek on crime fiction 49:50

4M ago49:50

49:50

184. Tanya Plibersek on crime fictionBy Andrew Leigh

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183. Pat Farmer on Running Across Continents 1:11:20

5M ago1:11:20

1:11:20

Pat Farmer on Running Across ContinentsBy Andrew Leigh

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182. Seth Stephens-Davidowitz on creatively crunching data and the AI revolution 52:44

5M ago52:44

52:44

By Andrew Leigh

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181. Dana Suskind on building a parent nation 45:52

9M ago45:52

45:52

Dana Suskind on building a parent nationBy Andrew Leigh

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180. Chris Hammer on writing crime fiction 53:08

9M ago53:08

53:08

On 3 October 2023, I joined Chris Hammer on stage at an ANU / Canberra Times Meet the Author event to discuss crime fiction writing, with a particular focus on his latest book, “The Seven”.By Andrew Leigh

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179. Catharine Lumby on Biography, Betrayal and Bookwriting 31:40

9M ago31:40

31:40

On 28 September 2023, I joined Catharine Lumby on stage at an ANU / Canberra Times Meet the Author event to discuss her new biography of Frank Moorhouse.By Andrew Leigh

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178. Michael Brosowski on helping street kids and fighting human trafficking 56:07

12M ago56:07

56:07

To make a donation to support Blue Dragon Children Foundation, go to www.bluedragon.org Michael’s blog is at lifeisalongstory.comBy Andrew Leigh

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177. Emma Johnston on seas, science and sailing 43:27

12M ago43:27

43:27

Emma Johnston on seas, science and sailingBy Andrew Leigh

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176. Richard Reeves on boys and men 59:13

1y ago59:13

59:13

Richard Reeves on boys and menBy Andrew Leigh

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175. Tim Winton on landscape, words and activism 55:08

1y ago55:08

55:08

Tim Winton on landscape, words and activismBy Andrew Leigh

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1Upsmanship: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Feat. Cody Johnston) 1:03:35

1y ago1:03:35

1:03:35

Vwoom and jedi-leap your way through Respawn’s latest with Adam, Mike, and special guest Cody Johnston! Will this jedi survive to the end of the episode, or even score a spot on the Celestial Hard Drive? To find out, young padawan, you must use this zipline to go over there. This is very important. The fate of the galaxy itself may depend upon you …

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1Upsmanship: L.A. Noire 57:12

1y ago57:12

57:12

Possibly Rockstar’s most divisive open world experiment, 2011’s hard-boiled noir film homage gets the once-over by your favorite creative investigation duo. But beneath the glossy paint and ground-breaking motion capture is this game actually fun? How does the storytelling hold up in the twelve years since this game’s release? Does the game handle …

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1Upsmanship: Legend of Zelda - A Link To The Past (Feat. Danielle Radford) 1:10:52

1y ago1:10:52

1:10:52

We’re back, fresh from the barren, content-less Dark World, and we’re starting this season with a bang! This week we warp into the 2D Zelda that perfected the formula, and we’re joined by our favorite Zelda Enthusiast, Danielle Radford! Some would say this is one of the greatest games ever made. Some would say this game is still being imitated to t…

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1Upsmanship: No Man’s Sky (Feat. Cody Johnston) 1:06:49

1y ago1:06:49

1:06:49

Host of Some More News Cody Johnston sits in with Adam and Mike as they tackle a game with ambitions as vast as a galaxy and a launch scandal to match. Has Hello Games done enough to improve NMS over the years? Will it launch onto the Celestial Hard Drive or run out of hazard protection and get eaten by a Gek? They do that, you know. Strap in and l…

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1Upsmanship: Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice 51:01

1y ago51:01

51:01

Join the chorus, new one. Voices clash and clamor in the never-ending quest to recover our lost souls from the dark places they may wander. In this episode, your stalwart hosts Adam and Michael pore over a game that demands to be taken seriously, both by virtue of the topics at hand and the loving care the developers obviously put into the exercise…

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1Upsmanship: Katamari Damacy (Feat. Starline Hodge and Hana Michels) 55:45

1+ y ago55:45

55:45

Ship Heads, prepare yourself for maximum fun, because our illustrious host has teamed up with two stellar guests, Starline Hodge and Hana Michels to talk about a game that’s truly one of a kind! Though tough to explain, the sheer joy of rolling up all of known civilization into a junk star is an unparalleled experience that deserves unpacking (and …

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1Upsmanship: Callisto Protocol (Feat. Tom Reimann) 58:11

1+ y ago58:11

58:11

Stranded in a cold, dark, and surprisingly poop-covered future, our 1upsmanship crew battles its way through Callisto Protocol. Joined by longtime colleague and friend Tom Reimann (Gamefully Unemployed) our heroes debate whether this game got unfairly maligned and whether there’s ever truly enough spike-covered walls. They answer key questions like…

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1Upsmanship: Atomic Heart 48:40

1+ y ago48:40

48:40

Your original 1Ups Boyz are back in the USSR! Michael officially returns from some time away, although we air episodes out of order so that’s not actually useful information. What is useful is their breakdown of the first big title from Mundfish, a little bit of Bioshock and a little bit of Fallout all wrapped up in a Soviet Russian package. Blast …

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1Upsmanship: Diablo 2 (Feat. Abe Epperson) 1:03:38

1+ y ago1:03:38

1:03:38

Slap on your controversy armor Ship Heads, because this episode’s got some scorching hot takes that are gonna do some real AoE damage to looter fans. Joined by longtime pal, collaborator and Dia-bro Abe Epperson (Small Beans), our journey takes some twists and turns as we talk about the growth of the looter genre, Diablo 2’s historical significance…

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1Upsmanship: Assassin’s Creed Origins (Feat. Youssef Maguid) 1:10:34

1+ y ago1:10:34

1:10:34

Michael and Adam are joined by Ubisoft host and producer Youssef Maguid to discuss a huge turning point in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and, dare we say, history? A lively conversation ensues about what makes this entry essential, the meticulous crafting of Ptolemaic Egypt, and whether the changes were good or bad for the series. Mount your came…

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1Upsmanship: Stray (Feat. Vanessa Guerrero) 53:23

1+ y ago53:23

53:23

Adam is joined by longtime guest, first time host, Vanessa Guerrero (Twitter: @nessguerrero) to talk about Stray, the 2022 beloved indie cat caper. The conversation gets predictably ‘zurked’ as our feline fans veer off into indie game development cycles, monstrous allergies, and whether they need a face to be loved! But did that cute ginger tabby c…

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1Upsmanship: Forspoken 58:30

1+ y ago58:30

58:30

Bounding across the barren video game landscape in search of digital treasure and probably our parents, it’s 1upsmanship! This time our boys take on the recently released and largely panned Playstation exclusive Forspoken in a desperate attempt to add their laundry list of gripes to the pile. But things take a turn toward the celestial as Michael a…

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1Upsmanship: Friday the 13th (Feat. David Bell) 1:00:14

1+ y ago1:00:14

1:00:14

Bar your doors and hit the floor Shipheads, cause this game’s about to rip off your jaw - in a good way! Joined by fellow maniac David Bell (Gamefully Unemployed), our heroes navigate the pros, cons and sometimes thongs of your favorite camp slasher turned asymmetrical multiplayer murder simulator! It’s a love letter to cinephiles and just a damned…

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1Upsmanship: Favorite Video Game Companions 1:24:37

1+ y ago1:24:37

1:24:37

Mike and Adam take a break from their relentless celestial campaign to discuss their favorite video game companions. But this ain’t no escort mission! Both gamers hold their own as they describe and defend their top ten. Will Mike ever reference a game Adam has played? Will somebody on this podcast finally acknowledge Final Fantasy? Will Adam someh…

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1Upsmanship: F-Zero (Feat. DJ Danl) 1:04:51

1+ y ago1:04:51

1:04:51

Start your engines shipheads, because 1Upsmanship is taking on its first ever racing game and they picked a classic! Co-piloted by special guest co-host DJ Danl, our boys boost past futuristic space gambling plots, Mode 7 graphical innovations, the history of racing games as a genre, and Adam’s dad hogging the controller. But will F-zero pass the g…

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1Upsmanship: Among Us 55:44

1+ y ago55:44

55:44

Your stalwart hosts test the very fabric of their friendship – even moreso than usual! It’s not just an argument about a video game, it’s an argument about arguments. Revel in two lifetimes of regrets as the fellas recount their own sordid histories with social games, plus the phenomenal job InnerSloth did harnessing that sick tension and using it …

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1Upsmanship: Arcaxer (Feat. Anthony Graceffa and Aaron Lutes) 58:43

1+ y ago58:43

58:43

Shipheads, meet Anthony and Aaron, VR devs with a new game to show off and fascinating insights into the unique space in which they work. Arcaxer is VR’s first turn-based RPG. We dive into how they came up with such a wild idea, went about accomplishing it, and the trials and travails of trying to market the thing now that it exists. Visor up and l…

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1Upsmanship: Mega Man X (Feat. Seanbaby) 1:00:51

1+ y ago1:00:51

1:00:51

Joined by the internet’s own Seanbaby (@Seanbabydotcom) of 1900-Hot-Dogg and Cracked notoriety, the celestial debate continues with a deep dive on everybody’s favorite super fighting robot, Mega Man who slapped on some new gear and a fresh coat of paint in his first big outing on the SNES. Things get heated when our heroes clash over the game’s dif…

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1Upsmanship: Dishonored 56:13

1+ y ago56:13

56:13

Our heroes zip rooftop to rooftop over the grim streets of Dunwall, discussing all the important questions raised by one of the most creative franchises in recent video game history. How much does this game really owe to Bioshock? Is stealth the only viable approach? Wait, Susan Sarandon is in this? Should every game consider making you lord of rat…

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1Upsmanship: Celestial Hard Drive Update 2.0 1:15:53

1+ y ago1:15:53

1:15:53

It’s that time of the year again! Michael and Adam decided to kick 2023 off with a bang and discuss the State of the Drive. In this special once-a-year extravaganza they each revisit five hard drive decisions they’d like reconsidered. Things get surprisingly heated as the two friends argue about whether they need to discuss Psychonauts ever again, …

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A Season of Stories 10: Seeking Justice 17:29

1+ y ago17:29

17:29

This special episode combines all the stories from Season 10… “The Cepalinos’ Global Fight against Inequality” – Dr. Margarita Fajardo, Alice Stone Ilchman Chair in Comparative and International Studies, Sarah Lawrence College “Addressing Slavery in the Museum” – Dr. Ana Lucia Araujo, Professor of History, Howard University “The Perseverance of Men…

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1Upsmanship: Game of the Year 2022 1:10:57

1+ y ago1:10:57

1:10:57

The fellas cap off their first season at iHeart with the traditional ranking of their favorite games of the year-slash-airing of grievances. Elden Ring might even be mentioned; who’s to say? If all the “traditional” outlets let you down on the GOTY front, give this episode a spin. If nothing else, shipheads can trust Michael and Adam to give their …

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1Upsmanship: God of War Ragnarök 1:00:56

1+ y ago1:00:56

1:00:56

Kratos, Loki, Freya and all the other knuckleheads from God of War (2018) return to complete the Norse Saga. Did one of the most-anticipated games of 2022 live up to the hype? Mike and Adam are happy to explain to you why no, it did not. “Happy” might not be the right word. Exasperated? Livid? The boys get really bent outta shape in this one, guys.…

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1Upsmanship: The Wolf Among Us 1:05:40

1+ y ago1:05:40

1:05:40

The game is afoot in Fabletown, and someone’s out to get ahead…or two. Your very own gaming detectives Tweedle Swaim and Tweedle Ganz set out to determine whether Telltale’s decision-driven adaptation of Bill Willingham’s stellar Fables comics belongs on our Celestial Hard Drive. Will you side with Mike or Adam? Either way, they will remember that.…

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1Upsmanship: Super Mario 64 (Feat. Daemon Hatfield) 58:13

1+ y ago58:13

58:13

Joined by Daemon Hatfield, host of IGN’s Gamescoop, our heroes reflect on Mario’s first major foray into the 3D gaming, and the moment where he finally found his voice. How did Nintendo triple-jump over everybody’s expectations and nail it on their first try? Why aren’t there more 3D platforming games? What else is there to say about one of the mos…

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1Upsmanship: Interview with Game Designer: Charlie Cleveland 1:08:37

1+ y ago1:08:37

1:08:37

One of our most esteemed guests, the designer of Subnautica and new miniature RTS game Moonbreaker, Charlie Cleveland stops by to talk about the design process, his long term goals and experiences as a designer, following up on the success of Subnautica, and how to deal with valid criticisms on a release. You can check out his new game Moonbreaker …

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1Upsmanship: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) 1:02:53

1+ y ago1:02:53

1:02:53

Perched high in their AC-130, Mike and Adam revisit the subject of Call of Duty’s legacy through the night-visioned lens of one of the franchise’s greatest entries. Hard truth bombs get dropped! Friendly fire gets briefly tolerated! But will Modern Warfare finally breach the fortified walls of the Celestial Hard Drive? Join us on this special missi…

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Tayla Harris on AFL, boxing and that kick (Rebroadcast) 50:04

1+ y ago50:04

50:04

Tayla Harris on AFL, boxing and that kick (Rebroadcast).By Andrew Leigh

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1Upsmanship: Half-Life: Alyx (Feat. Brian Brushwood) 1:05:49

1+ y ago1:05:49

1:05:49

Brian Brushwood of Modern Rogue and the World’s Greatest Con podcast pops on a headset and bumps virtual fists with your fearless heroes as they come together to cover Valve’s pinnacle VR experience! Before the G-Man stuffs them all back into stasis, they’ll finally determine whether there’s a viable path forward for the medium or it’s just a passi…

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174. Brigid Delaney on Stoicism 32:57

1+ y ago32:57

32:57

174. Brigid Delaney on Stoicism.By Andrew Leigh

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1Upsmanship: Half Life 2 (Feat. Mark Lentz) 1:05:20

1+ y ago1:05:20

1:05:20

What? Back-to-back Half Life? That’s right Shipheads, we know what you like and this Halloween we decided you deserve a treat. Mike and Adam are joined by Mark Lentz, a video game developer who worked on the recent indie hit Cursed to Golf, to discuss the towering legacy of one of video games’ most beloved sequels, Half Life 2. Will Mike finally fi…

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1Upsmanship: Half Life 58:45

1+ y ago58:45

58:45

Grab your crowbar and conveniently pre-charged HEV suit Shipheads, cause we’re tearing down the fabric of reality and changing the course of human (and gaming) history! Join Mike and Adam as they talk about the enormous legacy of Half Life, the series’s unfinished story, and whether it holds up by modern gaming standards. (Spoilers: Adam played Hal…

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1Upsmanship: Alien: Isolation (Feat. David Bell) 1:11:14

2y ago1:11:14

1:11:14

Shh! The 1Ups boys and Gamefully Unemployed’s own David Christopher Bell are huddled up trying not to get Xenomorphed. Actually, you know what? Just get in here. It’s safer, plus it smells like dude. We’ll talk about Alien: Isolation, a seminal survival-horror adventure and potentially the greatest film-franchise-to-video-game adaptation of all tim…

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1Upsmanship: Dead Space 2 (Feat. Tom Reimann) 1:02:35

2y ago1:02:35

1:02:35

Our heroes are joined by their longtime friend and collaborator Tom Reimann to discuss the second installment of the space horror/action RPG franchise, Dead Space. It’s an undeniably polished and action-packed sequel, but does that make it better than the original? What exactly does the Marker want, and does it matter if that’s clear to the player?…

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1Upsmanship: Inscryption 52:58

2y ago52:58

52:58

Seriously, what the hell is this game? That would be an appropriate question to ask, dear listener. So appropriate, in fact, that our hosts were still asking it weeks after they’d finished the game. Join Mike and Adam as they discuss this devious and spooky little deckbuilding game that transcends the boundaries of video game development, storytell…

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1Upsmanship: Stardew Valley (Feat. Maggie Mae Fish) 1:00:39

2y ago1:00:39

1:00:39

Joined by returning guest Maggie Mae Fish, the 1ups crew explores yet another ChoreSim/faRmPG game designed by one brilliant, determined, and decidedly strange person. But can this adorably weird indie game keep up with the big boys like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, or will it take a couple swings, get tired, and have to sleep at like 10am? St…

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