Watch Out for Fireballs!

A game club podcast.

About the show

Watch Out for Fireballs! is a game club podcast that covers video games from every era, from retro to newer releases, indie to AAA. Each week we dive deep into the game's mechanics and narrative to figure out what works and what doesn't. Hosted by Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross, this show has been going since 2011. New episodes every Thursday. For full versions of our premium episodes, back us at patreon.com/duckfeedtv!

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Episodes and Blog Entries

  • 357 Preview: Max Payne 3

    Episode  |  May 19th, 2022  |  1 hr 2 mins

    Poor Max. Poor sad, hyper competent timelord Max.

    Our man is in Brazil this time, playing the patsy and killing more people than most video game protagonists do in a lifetime. When Rockstar took over the franchise, fans feared that they would ruin this classic series. They were half right, turns out, as bolting a cover system onto the breach and clear pace of Max Payne has damaged the pacing. So did adding a truly criminal number of cutscenes. There are moments of thrilling action and fun, and a genuinely interesting tale to be found here, but as fans of the first game, we're disappointed. Listen in to hear why!

    This is the preview version of this episode. If you'd like to hear the whole thing, join us at www.patreon.com/duckfeedtv

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    356: Teardown

    Episode  |  May 12th, 2022  |  1 hr 52 mins

  • 355: The Beginner's Guide

    Episode  |  May 5th, 2022  |  2 hrs 3 mins

    In 2022, you can play a video game about almost anything. So why is it most games are about how friends are good and honor is nice? Can robots feel? Been there, done that.

    The Beginner's Guide is a follow up to the wildly successful (and hilarious) The Stanley Parable dares to ask deeper and more personal questions about art and criticism. It's thematically rich and textually complex. Viva!

  • Dispatch: Your Chuck E. Cheese Memories

    Episode  |  April 28th, 2022  |  2 hrs 20 mins

    In lieu of a topic, we read as many of your Chuck E. Cheese memories as we can.

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    WOFF 354 Preview: Deathloop

    Episode  |  April 21st, 2022  |  1 hr 3 mins
    preview

    Kill everyone on Reddit Island Fyrefest! Using superpowers and time travel. What a pitch!

    It's no secret we're big fans of Arkane, which makes Deathloop exceedingly interesting in both it's triumphs and failures. The apotheosis of density in level design saddled with awkward invasion mechanics from Dark Souls. A timeloop element that works wonderfully in terms of narrative but hampers the pace of play. Deathloop is a game with incredibly high highs but also low lows. Take and listen and see.

    This is the preview version of this episode. If you'd like to hear the entire thing, join us on Patreon! Patreon.com/duckfeedtv

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    353: Chuck E. Cheese's / Showbiz Pizza

    Episode  |  April 14th, 2022  |  1 hr 57 mins

    Gather 'round the stage birthday boys and girls!

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    352: The Shrouded Isle

    Episode  |  April 7th, 2022  |  1 hr 41 mins

    Thank you Randall! Check out Crashcoral.com! (pw: crashcoral).

    Oh, a cult simulator/management game with heavy lovecraftian elements, striking minimalist art, and a roguelike structure. Did someone leave this under a box with a stick tied to a string, trying to trap both Gary and Kole?

    Not so fast. The Shrouded Isle has some potential and some genuinely good aesthetics, but the game is so barebones and numbers based as to pose an existential question: how much flavor, depth, and context do games actually need to be successful?

  • Dispatch: Prescriptive vs. Permissive Games

    Episode  |  March 31st, 2022  |  2 hrs 10 mins

    This week we talk about a new spectrum on which we can analyze games: is it prescriptive, or is it permissive?

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    WOFF 351 Preview: Until Dawn

    Episode  |  March 24th, 2022  |  53 mins 39 secs
    preview

    TEENS! TEENS! TEENS!

    No, it's not some sort of horrible chant, it's what we're killin. Hop in.

    Until Dawn showed how you can take steady principles of narrative adventure games such as The Walking Dead, or, shudder, Indigo Prophecy, and evolve them into something new and fun on its own. Very fun performances, a twisty plot, and appropriate interactivity make this one of, if not the, best "interactive movie" in games. Give it a listen!

    Thank you to Dr. When!

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    350: King's Bounty

    Episode  |  March 17th, 2022  |  1 hr 20 mins

    Quest Questingson conquers all of the continents of Continentia.

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    349: Ultimate NES Remix

    Episode  |  March 10th, 2022  |  1 hr 37 mins

    Nintendo is a company that is sometimes too in love with it's own history. But sometimes, that love bears beautiful results. This creative lil nugget functions as a reader's digest version of some of the best games on the NES, as well as a fun meta toy, where elements are mixed and matched. Underrated gem!

  • Episode 348: Inscryption

    Episode  |  March 3rd, 2022  |  2 hrs 36 mins

    You wake up in a cabin and you're playing a dangerous game. Sacrifices must be made. And the only way forward is to play your cards right.