Game Buoy Podcast Episode 185 – The Unforgiven II: Game Buoy Remake Project Episode 13

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Ahoy, mateys, and welcome to the GAMEBUOY.ORG video game podcast – your port of call for gaming news and views that maybe aren’t on your radar, but most definitely should be! On this episode, recorded Sunday, October 27, Captain Spike and First Mate Slaggy McWaggy reflect on major horror game releases from the last 12 years or so!

This episode is part of the Game Buoy Remake Project, a series of themed episodes revisiting previously discussed topics. This week, the Podcast Pirates follow up on Game Buoy Podcast Episode 39 – Werewolf Bar Mitzvah, originally published on October 28, 2013.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Tomonobu Itagaki, who passed away last week.

HOT TOPIC IS THE WAY THAT WE RHYME

• A huge Pokemon leak has revealed what could be in store for the franchise over the next 5 years.
• Information about the games’ budgets, a potential Black/White remake, and Junichi Masuda being “banned” from the games for a while was revealed.
•  Prominent leakers are being hit with DMCA takedowns by The Pokemon Company.
• Pokemon Legends: Z-A sold 5.8 million copies in its first week.
• Halo: Campaign Evolved, the long-rumored remake, has been announced for Xbox Series, PC, and…PS5?!
• Xbox President Sarah Bond suggests that the next Xbox will be a “premium” experience.
• Microsoft has reportedly been pushing for a 30% profit margin in its Xbox division.
• A tech demo for an upcoming FPS made with generative AI is horrible slop.
• Nintendo plans to have produced 25 million Switch 2 consoles by March 2026.
• Phoenix and Invincible Iron Man are the final characters to be added to Marvel Cosmic Invasion.

RELEASE UPDATES

• Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero releases for Switch and Switch 2 on November 14.
• Luigi’s Mansion comes to GameCube on Nintendo Switch Online on October 30.
• Ball x Pit launches on Switch 2 on October 28.
• Terrifier: The ARTcade Game will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC via Steam on November 21.
• Go Home Annie: An SCP Game is coming to PS5, Xbox Series in early 2026.
• Fallout 7’s Burning Springs update launches on December 2, with PS5 and Xbox Series versions of the game coming in early 2026.
• The 2023 System Shock remake is coming to Switch and Switch 2 later this year.
• Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is coming to Switch 2 in 2026.
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows is coming to Switch 2 on December 2.
• Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has been delayed to 2026.  https://archive.ph/xluzn
• Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Mega Rising expansion launches October 30.
• Sonic Rumble finally launches on November 5.

CULTURE CLUB

• Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s fashion allows for a wide range of gender expression.
• People are talking about the comparison between performance of the Switch and Switch 2 editions of Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
• A new anime short about Gardevoir has been released as part of the PokeToons series.
• An Amazon Web Services outage affected most major online gaming services.
• A Mario balloon will be appearing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year.
• Marvel Rivals has added a PvE horde mode inspired by the Marvel Zombies animated series.
• Nobuo Uematsu has gone on record stating that he has never used AI and probably never will.
• The Silent Hill 2 remake has surpassed 2.5 million sales since its release last year.
• Borderlands 4, a premium game for premium gamers that would probably never go on sale, is on sale for 20% on PC a few weeks after release.
• Xseed has halted preorders for Corpse Party Tetralogy Pack due to complications.
• A giant Game Buoy demo station sold for 2.2 million yen.
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has topped 1 million sales.
• Majima, the mad dog of Shimano, is the final boss to be revealed for Shinobi: Art of Vengeance’s Sega Villians Stage DLC.

MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO

• Jennifer Hale, beloved for her performance as Commander Jane Shepard in the Mass Effect series, said she would return to voice any character in an upcoming Mass Effect game.
• Quantic Dream has announced a hero shooter called Spellcasters.
•  A new game will be announced at Dragon Ball’s 40th anniversary fest.
• 12 classic Japanese shoot-em-ups will be permanently removed from Steam due to their publisher license expiring.
• Magikarp is currently the only Pokemon catchable in every Pokemon RPG.
• The Castlevania DLC for Vampire Survivors gets an update on October 28, alongside other new content for the base game. 
• Silver Pines, a Lynchian-inspired Metroidvania, has been announced for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch and PC.
• A Pikmin 4 update launches in November.
• An update for Persona 3: Reload will add eight songs from Persona 3 vocalist, Yumi Kawamura.
•  Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is getting a FFXIII crossover.
• Phil Spencer states that Forza Motorsport is not dead, and that Turn 10 Studios is being given some time “so that they do not continue to be in a state of tension”.

RUMOR HAS IT

• PS6 and the next-gen Xbox are apparently due to come out in 2027.
• The Fortnite Simpsons mini-season has been leaked.
• Xbox Series dev kits now apparently cost $2000 instead of $1500.
• A remake for Resident Evil 0 is apparently in development.

DISCUSSION TOPIC

This week, Captain Spike and First Mate Slaggy McWaggy take a look at horror games! As part of the Game Buoy Remake Project initiative, they follow up on Game Buoy Podcast Episode 39 – Werewolf Bar Mitzvah, originally published on October 28, 2013. Back in 2013, the Podcast Pirates had a discussion about notable horror games, including some “moldy oldies” that players should check out. In this week’s episode, Captain Spike and First Mate Slaggy resurrect the Game Buoy Remake Project format to examine horror games over the past twelve years or so, with their conversation focused around three pillars: the online horror boom of “Dead by Day-like” games, horror remakes, and narrative thrillers. The Podcast Pirate discuss how these various games explore the horror genre in different ways and share some of their experiences with these various franchises. They wrap up the discussion by talking about horror games they are anticipating and what types of horror games they would like to see in the future.

Works Cited:

• Dead by Daylight hits 60M players (Polygon)
• Ghost game Phasmophobia is spreading scares all over Steam and Twitch (GamesRadar+)

WHAT’S UP

Captain Spike has been playing Super Robot Wars Y, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Blue Protocol: Star Resonance, Fortnite, Ball x Pit, and Final Fantasy Tactics. First Mate Slaggy McWaggy has been playing Final Fantasy XIV, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and dabbled in the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Silent Hill 2.

SOCIAL LINKS QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Hello, folks! This week we’re talking about horror games over the last decade or so, and some of our favorites to spend time with this Halloween. What are yours? 

EXITLUDE

SHOUT OUTS – “FRIENDS OF BUOY”

• Orange Lounge Radio, where every gamer has a voice
• Aftermath, an independent, worker-owned website about video games, other media and internet culture
• Game Mechanics, where TTRPG designers “kick tires and run diagnostics on tabletop experiences”
• Walloping Websnappers! A Spider-Man Podcast, a dive into every Spider-Man cartoon ever made
• The Bobby Blackwolf Show, a weekly internet radio show and podcast discussing the latest news in gaming as well as sometimes reminiscing about gaming’s history
• Video Game Realness, a dose of gaming chit chat among friends
• Nintendo Pow Block, a dive into the week that was in the world of Nintendo
• Standard Issue Computing, retro and modern computer games, hardware, software, and history
• Sasha’s Retrobytes, “bytes” of vintage gaming including magazine scans and photographs
• Defunct Games, your daily source for modern video game reviews, exciting trivia competitions and old school magazine analysis
• Thomas Game Docs, where each video covers “a different aspect of video game history”
• Craig, Slaggy McWaggy’s robot boyfriend a multi-track voice channel recording bot for Discord