104 (VG) - 95 TON NOSTALGIA

It's the final episode of 2018, and video games are on the festive menu. Pawel spins a yarn about the high risk nature of future capitalism in Battletech, Dave tells a topical tale of the difficulties unifying a divided land in Reigns: Game of Thrones, and Chris happily delves back into the past, reliving his childhood in Road Redemption.

Battletech (05:18)

Christmas themed games chat (21:00)

Reigns: Game of Thrones (27:34)

Road Redemption (38:58)

This episode hosted by Chris Hanratty, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by the hosts, with Jokin Etxeberria

This episode recorded and produced by Dave McCreary

103 (BG) - NON-REGULATION POGS

It's the final board games episode of 2018! The team have finally got their hands on Dinosaur Island, and give it a good in-depth review in which we ask: is it Dinosaury enough? We've also played a couple of older games, starting with K2, the mountain climbing game which has caused some grumbles in climbing circles, and Dixit, the party game with the weird and wonderful card art. Enjoy!

Dinosaur Island (01:45)

K2 (40:15)

Dixit (59:22)

This episode hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, and Dave McCreary

Music by the hosts, with Jokin Etxeberria

This episode recorded and produced by Chris Hanratty

102 (VG) - STAGECOACH DRIVEBY

It's more video games chat this week, as Chris, Pawel and Dave talk about what there is to actually do in Red Dead Redemption 2's online beta, Dave gives possibly the shortest (and most obscure) review we've ever done for Burly Men at Sea, Pawel takes in cyberpunk Metroidvania game Ghost 1.0, and Chris has found a roguelite with an RTS twist in Renowned Explorers: International Society. But which bands are these games most like? Enjoy!

Red Dead Redemption 2 Online (02:24)

Burly Men at Sea (21:18)

Ghost 1.0 (25:40)

Renowned Explorers: International Society (47:05)

This episode hosted by Chris Hanratty, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by the hosts, with Jokin Etxeberria

This episode recorded and produced by Chris Hanratty

101 (VG) - PARTYING 'TIL DAWN

Euan and Pawel are in recovery after the madness of Episode 100, so Chris and Dave have a more relaxed chat about their experiences with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Fallout 76, and also give a quick round up of how the new theme tune came to be and who played what! Enjoy!

Red Dead Redemption 2 (01:25)

Fallout 76 (38:15)

New theme tune chat (68:45)

This episode hosted by Chris Hanratty and Dave McCreary

Music by the hosts, with Jokin Etxeberria

This episode recorded and produced by Chris Hanratty

100 - FIFTY YEARS

It's 2065, and the team have decided to take a look back at fifty years in the gaming podcast business, sharing their favourite memories from the past. Warning: This episode contains extreme amounts of bullshit. And also a new theme tune. Enjoy!

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by the hosts, with Jokin Etxeberria

This episode recorded and produced by Chris Hanratty

099 (BG) - THE BIG FLAKE

It's the final tabletop episode before the Episode 100 Special! This week, we give Pawel more reasons to never play RPGs with the rest of us, before letting him delve into his latest Kickstarter acquisition Deep Madness, a co-op sci-fi board game with a Lovecraftian twist. We then have some fun by revisiting a couple of older games, the robot-programming chaos of RoboRally, and the co-operative superhero card game Sentinels of the Multiverse. Enjoy! (Your loincloth has perished.)

Deep Madness (09:43)

RoboRally (35:33)

Sentinels of the Multiverse (51:56)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty and Dave McCreary

098 (VG) - YOU'RE PLAYING IT WRONG

In the final pre-100 video games episode, Chris, Dave and Pawel compare Steam library play times, which brings us to a discussion about Pawel's ludicrous amount of time playing EVE Online completely differently from anyone else. Elsewhere, Dave has had a quick play of Red Dead Redemption 2 and has some controversial thoughts about modern gaming. Chris gives a short update on Pathfinder: Kingmaker, asks Pawel a question about Shenmue, then talks about The Bridge, a puzzle game enspired by the scribblings of MC Escher. Finally, Dave goes to his happy place as he has his own mini Retro Games Book Club with Ring of Red from the year 2000. Enjoy!

EVE Online (09:50)

Red Dead Redemption 2 (28:10)

Pathfinder: Kingmaker (40:20)

Shenmue (41:38)

The Bridge (43:58)

Ring of Red (50:50)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

097 (VG) - ESPIONAGE SOAP

In this week's video game episode, Chris talks about Pathfinder: Kingmaker, the classic-style RPG which is set in the Pathfinder universe; Dave has been playing Metal Gear Solid V and wants to tell us all about how the MGS series of games were made for him; and Pawel has played Ruiner, a top-down cyberpunk twin-stick pole-bashing bullet hell! Enjoy!

Pathfinder: Kingmaker (04:18)

Metal Gear Solid V (26:00)

Ruiner (56:34)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

096 (BG) - CONSPIRACY THEORIST

Board games this week as we chuck ourselves into the co-operative modern crime-solving game Detective by Portal Games, take on Plan B Games' popular abstract strategy game Azul (said with a dramatic voice), and finally get round to talking about one of Chris's favourite games of all time, the original Colosseum by Days of Wonder! Enjoy!

Detective (02:48)

Azul (29:06)

Colosseum (48:00)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty and Dave McCreary

095 (VG) - OBJECTION!

Video games this week with Chris, Pawel and Dave! Phoenix Wright-alike Aviary Attorney is Dave's game of the week, Chris returns to Salt and Sanctuary and the PS4 version of Shenmue, both Chris and Dave have cooperated nicely in the free puzzle game We Were Here, and Pawel has some unexpected feelings about Shadow of the Tomb Raider! Enjoy!

Aviary Attorney (02:30)

Salt and Sanctuary (21:20)

Shenmue (31:47)

We Were Here (35:00)

Shadow of the Tomb Raider (47:20)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

094 (VG) - FAR: LONE GOAT CULTS

After a lengthy introduction which is mostly about a foreign chocolate bar that causes Pawel a lot of embarrassment, we get stuck into what turns out to be a mostly indie game episode, talking first about FAR: Lone Sails and its relaxing atmosphere. Dave then quickly summarises God of War, then has a lengthy chat about his time spent playing loads of games on itch.io, the indie game website, and settles on Where The Goats Are. Finally, Chris gets weird (and terrified) in real-time card game Cultist Simulator! Enjoy!

FAR: Lone Sails (08:48)

God of War (19:55)

Dave's journey through itch.io (22:00)

Where The Goats Are (27:35)

Cultist Simulator (37:45)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan (Truffle) Glasgow, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

Weird chocolate by Poland

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

093 (BG) - TABLETOP SCOTLAND

Chris, Euan and Dave bring an episode with a bit of a difference, as they talk about their experience at Tabletop Scotland in Perth on 2nd September. Enjoy!

Games talked about in this episode:

Legends Untold by Inspiring Games (04:50): www.inspiringgames.com/legends-untold

Wibble++ and Yogi by Stuff By Bez (17:35): www.stuffbybez.com

Tilis: Exploration (Playtest Zone) (27:08)

Covert (39:20)

Links to other things we talked about:

Tabletop Scotland's Website: www.tabletopscotland.co.uk

The Giant Brain: www.giantbrain.co.uk

Unlucky Frog: www.unluckyfrog.com

Meeple Like Us: www.meeplelikeus.co.uk

More Games Please: www.moregamesplease.com

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

Email us: firstplayertoken@gmail.com

092 (VG) - ROGUEISH

Chris and Dave begin this episode with an explanation for Pawel and Euan's strange absence, then get into some video game goodness. Chris has been addictively playing roguelike card-based game Slay the Spire, Dave gets platformy with A Hat in Time, and the pair of them talk about their co-operative experience in ocean-exploring survival game Raft. Enjoy!

Slay the Spire (06:20)

A Hat in Time (32:55)

Raft (49:15)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Dave McCreary

091 (BG) - CITYBUILDING, BUNNIES, AND SANDPAPER

The first post-summer holiday board game episode starts with a long dissection of Isaac Childres's latest Kickstarter Founders of Gloomhaven, a game of city building and mass confusion. We then have some fun creating rabbit fiefdoms in the colourful card drafting and area selection game Bunny Kingdom, and we finally lick some sandpaper as we get stuck into the classic 1980s game of German politics, Die Macher. Enjoy!

Founders of Gloomhaven (01:30)

Bunny Kingdom (34:54)

Die Macher (52:27)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow T

his episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

Email us: firstplayertoken@gmail.com

090 (VG) - CULINARY COMBAT

We're back from our summer holidays and we're talking video games this week, with mad co-op cooking sequel Overcooked 2, survival horror Prey, Dave chats about finally owning a PS4 and giving his life over to Fortnite, and we talk about how much has changed in No Man's Sky now that the Next update has been released. Enjoy!

Overcooked 2 (01:27)

Prey (15:46)

Fortnite (32:58)

No Man's Sky: Next (46:53)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

089 (BG) - WAR NEVER CHANGES

It's board games time this week and Chris, Pawel and Dave all hit the wasteland in Fantasy Flight's sandboxy Fallout Board Game based on the hit video game series. Also this week, Dave keeps battering Chris's queen bee in Hive, and the team revisits party game Deception: Murder in Hong Kong just for laughs. Enjoy!

Fallout (04:34)

Hive (34:15)

Deception: Murder in Hong Kong (52:53)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

088 (VG) - RATION YOURSELF FOR QUIZERY

It's finally UNNECESSARY QUIZ TIME as Chris puts Euan, Pawel and Dave through their paces with some questions on video games and consoles of the past! But first we have a good chat about some games we've played, with Pawel spouting his love for Pillars of Eternity 2, Chris talking more about Frostpunk and discovering Souls-esque platformer Salt and Sanctuary, and Dave has finally got himself a PS4 just so he can play God of War. Enjoy!

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (01:26)

Frostpunk (16:55)

Salt and Sanctuary (27:40)

God of War (39:00)

Unnecessary Quiz (49:17)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

087 (VG) - DYSTOPIAN MOOD SWINGS

Video gaming with a dystopian flavour this week as we take on the frozen hell of city-builder Frostpunk, drop into David Cage's latest open-ended effort in Detroit: Become Human, and serve mood-altering drinks to patrons as a bartending android in Red Strings Club. Enjoy!

Games talked about in this episode: Frostpunk (02:59)

Detroit: Become Human (31:30)

Red Strings Club (53:15)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

086 (BG) - ALEXANDER'S BOX OF SHAME

We've gone OLD SKOOL this week as we chat at great length about GMT's Successors 3rd Edition in a departure from our usual style of tabletop gaming, and also find ourselves playing a few rounds of the Sherlock Holmes Card Game from 1991! On top of that, we give a long-overdue Gloomhaven update, and discuss the bottleneck problem the game suffers from. But we still love it. Enjoy!

Games talked about in this episode:

Successors (02:20)

Sherlock Holmes the Card Game (39:36)

Gloomhaven (53:06)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty

085 (VG) - ROLAND GET YOUR GUN

We're back with some video game goodness, starting with Chris quickly bouncing back into the worlds of Skyrim VR and Unexplored, before explaining the weird set up to Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom and its presidential, gun-wielding main character. Dave then gives an apology to Jamie from Sludj Games (oops, we messed up) before telling an absolutely wonderful tale set in the world of Kenshi, and Pawel gets the threat of the buzzer during the continuation of his multi-part BATTLETECH review. Enjoy!

Games talked about in this episode:

Skyrim VR (02:45)

Unexplored (10:00)

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (13:09)

Kenshi (29:40)

BATTLETECH (54:47)

Hosted by Chris Hanratty, Euan Glasgow, Pawel Daruk, and Dave McCreary

Music by Euan Glasgow

This episode recorded and edited by Chris Hanratty