Will Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweep The Game Awards? Why was Blue Prince snubbed? And does The Burnt Peanut have a chance against Sakura Miko? This week, the Triple Click gang makes their predictions for Gaming's Biggest Night, from Game of the Year to... "Best Ongoing."

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Night Watchman (Louise Erdrich)

Maddy: System Shock (2023 remake)

Jason: Megabonk

LINKS:

?Flying Waters - Rain from the Ground? by Lorien Testard from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Kirk?s 2015 story about Nightdive?s failed attempts to remake No One Lives Forever: https://kotaku.com/the-sad-story-behind-a-dead-pc-game-that-cant-come-back-1688358811

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What would Triple Click do if they had the chance to buy pieces of EA? Why do so many people talk about games before finishing them? How do patches impact the way we experience games? All those and lots more questions on this week's Thanksgiving special Burning Questions.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Fela Kuti: Fear No Man

Maddy: Secure Boot settings

Jason: 1929 (Andrew Ross Sorkin)

LINKS:

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Kirk has really been enjoying the medieval role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, but Maddy and Jason both weren't playing, so he didn't have anyone to talk to about it. Hoever, some of his non-podcaster friends were playing the game, too. One thing led to another, and they wound up recording this special episode about it.

ABOUT THE GUESTS:

TOM BISSELL is an author and screenwriter. He has published loads of books including Extra Lives, Magic Hours, and Apostle: Travels Among the Tombs of the Twelve. He's also written for video game series like Uncharted and Gears of War and wrote the final three episodes of Star Wars: Andor.

MATTHEW SEIJI BURNS  is a writer, musician, and game designer. He worked on AAA series like Halo and Call of Duty before moving to Zachtronics, where he helped make games like Opus Magnum and Eliza, the latter of which he also directed. He is the author of the 2025 novel Process.

Together, Tom and Matthew wrote the 2015 interactive fiction game The Writer Will Do Something, which remains (in this episode notes writer's opinion) one of the definitive encapsulations of working as a writer in video games. Seriously, go play it.

LIAM MCINTYRE is an actor who has appeared in a variety of programs - among other roles, he was the lead in Starz's Sparticus: Vengeance, and played Weather Wizard in the CW's The Flash. As a voice actor, he's played everyone from Captain Boomerang to Marcus Fenix's son JD, and will play Logan himself in Insomniac's upcoming game Marvel's Wolverine.

LINKS ETC.

SkillUp?s KCD2 Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wFHtqKYMaM

?Saint Barbara Theme,? ?Welcome to Troskovice,? by Jan Valta & Adam Sporka from the KCD2 Original Soundtrack

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Jason, Maddy, and Kirk have played through all of Dispatch, the new narrative superhero game from a crew of former Telltale directors, and there's a whole lot to discuss. They share their thoughts on the game, disclose whether they picked Invisigal or Blonde Blazer, and talk about what makes it all work so well. First section is spoiler-free, then they get into spoilers later on!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Oathbringer (Brandon Sanderson)

Maddy: News Tower

Jason: Kingdoms of the Dump

LINKS:

One More Thing Timestamp: 57:55

Dispatch episode one gameplay excerpts featuring Robert Robertson (Aaron Paul) and Blonde Blazer (Erin Yvette)

Jason?s Bloomberg News interview with Dispatch director Nick Herman

Excerpts from the Dispatch score, composed by Andrew Acradi

?Kissing Someone Else? by Caroline Kingsbury

Excerpts from the News Tower score by Bart Van de Sande, Jack Van de Ven feat. New Cool Collective

News Tower: Behind the Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbPllfsoPG8

Play Molleindustria?s New York Times Simulator: https://molleindustria.itch.io/the-new-york-times-simulator

Play Lucas Pope?s The Republia Times: https://www.dukope.com/trt/play.html

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Kirk, Maddy, and Jason bring on special guest Cameron Kunzelman to talk about this year's suite of roleplaying games, from Avowed to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to The Outer Worlds 2. They also talk about Assassin's Creed's pivot to RPGs, what an RPG even is, and much more. Plus: Steam Machines!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Do The Right Thing (1989)

Maddy: Anniversaries

Jason: King Sorrow (Joe Hill)

LINKS:

Cameron?s new Assassin?s Creed book: https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517914943/everything-is-permitted/

The Ranged Touch network, with a bunch of his podcasts: https://rangedtouch.com

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Jason, Maddy, and Kirk are all playing The Séance of Blake Manor, a new detective game about a spooky manor full of ? OOOOOOOOHHHHH ? Kirk, stop it. They talk about the game's unique time mechanic, how it plays with deduction, and of course, lots of spooky ghosts.

One More Thing:

Kirk: ?ChatGPT Made Me Delusional? by Eddy Burback (YouTube)

Maddy: The Master (2012)

Jason: Strange Jigsaws

LINKS:

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Kirk, Maddy, and Jason put on their capitalism hats and go to space for a trip to The Outer Worlds 2, the latest roleplaying game from Obsidian. They talk about how it improves upon the first game, all the fun dialogue options, and the hilarious Dumb trait.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery (Hulu)

Maddy: Peacemaker S2

Jason: The Seance of Blake Manor

LINKS:

Jason interviews The Outer Worlds 2 director Brandon Adler: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-10-24/obsidian-s-the-outer-worlds-2-took-twice-as-long-to-make-as-the-first-hit-game?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc2MTc0NDUyOSwiZXhwIjoxNzYyMzQ5MzI5LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUNE4yWERHUFdDTEwwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.OCD764bJIZFKkkNCudKE7HVo_s32880R1rFNAy_ctak

The Outer Worlds 2 PC performance mod Kirk mentioned: https://www.nexusmods.com/theouterworlds2/mods/17

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It's time for a video-game grab bag as the Triple Click gang talks about some of the games they've been playing recently. They dive into Double Fine's Keeper, the new indie sensation Ball X Pit, Supergiant's Hades 2, and Absolum. Also they get derailed by the term "friendslop."

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Diplomat (Netflix)

Maddy: The Venture Bros. (2004-2018)

Jason: Workhorse (Caroline Palmer)

LINKS:

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That's right: it's another mailbag! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the criteria of a dad game, print vs web journalism, and when you know that a video game has outstayed its welcome. Plus: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Maddy: High Potential

Jason: Long Story Short (Netflix)

LINKS:

?May I Stand Unshaken? by D?Angelo from Red Dead Redemption 2, 2018

?The Decline? by NOFX, 1999

?I?m Only Happy When It Rains? by Garbage, 1995

Lee Roy Chapman?s ?The Nightmare of Dreamland: Tate Brady and the Tulsa Outrage? - https://www.centerforpublicsecrets.org/post/the-nightmare-of-dreamland-tate-brady-and-the-tulsa-outrage

Stephen Totilo?s 2015 interview with Kingdom Come director Daniel Vávra: https://kotaku.com/my-e3-meeting-with-a-pro-gamergate-developer-1715511964

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Did the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard ruin Xbox? How do you build a new studio while simultaneously making a video game? And what's up with the lack of gender representation in esports? Jason, Maddy, and Kirk open up the mailbag and take some of YOUR questions on all sorts of things.

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Lowdown (Hulu)

Maddy: Beauty and the Bester (Netflix)

Jason: The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox (Hulu)

LINKS:

?No Girls Allowed? by Tracey Lien for Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/features/2013/12/2/5143856/no-girls-allowed/

Katy Perrry sings ?Last Friday Night? in Simlish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxyW6AJ-yIk

Twenty Thousand Hertz on Simlish: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sulsul

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Kirk, Jason, and Maddy convene to talk about the big news of the week ? Electronic Arts going private as part of a $55 billion leveraged buyout ? and what it could mean for the people involved. Then they talk about Ghost of Yotei, the latest PlayStation 5 exclusive and an open-world samurai game about exploring feudal Japan and killing ronin with a sword. It's fun! 

One More Thing:

Kirk: Baby Steps

Maddy: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

Jason: One Battle After Another (2025)

LINKS:

?How Private Equity Destroys the Companies You Depend On? - The Culture Study Podcast w/ Megan Greenwell: https://culturestudypod.substack.com/p/how-private-equity-destroys-the-companies

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Kirk, Maddy, and Jason are all playing the new remaster of Final Fantasy Tactics, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest games ever made. The gang talks about how the 1998 classic holds up today, the complexity of its systems, and all of the new features that Square Enix added for this version, like voice acting. Plus: Hades 2!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Hades 2

Maddy: Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong (Christopher Ferguson and Patrick M. Markey)

Jason: Rise of the Golden Idol

LINKS:

Jason and Kirk published their entire text conversation about Final Fantasy Tactics? Dorter Slums: https://kotaku.com/man-final-fantasy-tactics-sure-had-a-steep-learning-cu-5974665

Kirk talks to game developers about why they love Final Fantasy Tactics: https://kotaku.com/why-everybody-loves-final-fantasy-tactics-5973196

2013 Jason on Video Game Violence: https://kotaku.com/from-halo-to-hot-sauce-what-25-years-of-violent-video-5976733

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Jason, Kirk, and Maddy convene to discuss all the news in the latest Nintendo Direct, from the Super Mario Galaxy movie to a new Fire Emblem and the mysterious Danganronpa 2x2. Then: more Silksong! They talk about difficulty, opacity, and how cool Hornet is... I mean seriously. She's just so cool.

One More Thing (Timestamp 46:34):

Kirk: Fourth Wing & Romantasy

Maddy: When the Clock Broke (John Ganz)

Jason: Nathan For You

LINKS:

Christian Donlan?s Eurogamer Silksong review: https://www.eurogamer.net/hollow-knight-silksong-review

Jason?s spoiler-free tips for getting to Silksong Act 3: https://discord.com/channels/735597186657812641/1408099310213529701/1416775529041760397

?Choral Chambers? by Christopher Larkin from Hollow Knight: Silksong

Kirk?s remix of Shakra?s song: https://bsky.app/profile/kirkhamilton.com/post/3lysrc5ee422a

"Why Magic, Dragons and Explicit Sex Are in Bookstores Everywhere? - Alexandra Alter for the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/style/harry-potter-fan-fiction-romantasy-manacled.html

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Maddy, Jason, and Kirk finally crack into the long-awaited Silksong, the sequel to Hollow Knight that was seven years in the making. They talk about how Silksong compares to its predecessor, the classic origin of its musical motif, and of course, why Hornet is such a badass.

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Cloud Roads (Martha Wells)

Maddy: Elden Ring Nightreign?s four-player mod by Yui

Jason: The NFL

LINKS:

?Enter Pharloom,? ?Moss Grotto,? ?Title Theme? by Christopher Larkin from Hollow Knight: Silksong

Twenty Thousand Hertz on Dies Irae: https://www.20k.org/episodes/diesirae

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On this, the day of Silksong's release, it's time to go back to where it all began: Hollow Knight! The Triple Click gang talks about Team Cherry's 2017 action-adventure game, what makes it so special, and how it became a cultural phenomenon. Plus: they revisit Kotaku Splitscreen's 2018 interview with the developers of Hollow Knight.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Split Fiction

Maddy: Deep Cover (2025)

Jason: The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages

LINKS:

?Hornet? and ?City of Tears? by Chris Larkin from the Hollow Knight OST

Kirk?s review of Hollow Knight: https://kotaku.com/hollow-knight-the-kotaku-review-1827367425

A video of someone beating the Absolute Radiance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rg8UBKtt1o

Excerpts from Kirk?s August 2018 Splitscreen interview with Team Cherry

Jason?s 2025 interview with Team Cherry

Folding Ideas on Silkposting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSkbylysplI

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Jason, Kirk, and Maddy react to the news that Silksong will be out very soon, then talk about some of the games they've been playing, including Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Mafia: The Old Country, and more.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Alien: Earth

Maddy: King of the Hill (2025)

Jason: Crosscode

LINKS:

Brett Douville?s podcast, Dev Game Club: https://www.devgameclub.com/

Jason?s interview with Team Cherry

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LINKS:

Plante's video game podcasts The Besties and Post Games

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Kirk, Jason, and Maddy open up the mailbag to answer some of your questions! What's the ideal skill level for a video game reviewer? What's the funniest made-up video game word? And where's the line when it comes to the use of generative AI in game development? 

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Words of Radiance (Brandon Sanderson)

Maddy: Enemy Feminisms: TERFs, Policewomen, and Girlbosses Against Liberation (Sophie Lewis)

Jason: Six of Crows (Leigh Bardugo)

LINKS:

Kirk?s new Strong Songs episode about his dad: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s07-bonus-a-song-for-my-father

Brian Merchant?s Blood In The Machine blog post: https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/how-ai-is-killing-jobs-in-the-tech-f39

Kirk?s guest spot on A Grain of Sanderson talking about The Emperor?s Soul: https://agrainofsanderson.buzzsprout.com/2312274/episodes/17601676-the-emperor-s-soul-legion-episode-17-w-kirk-hamilton

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Maddy, Jason, and Kirk whip out their ocarinas for a trip to the past in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the 1998 masterpiece that set a new bar for 3D video games. They talk about how it holds up in 2025, how it set a blueprint for Breath of the Wild, and how Link got adult clothes after seven years in cryostasis.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Process: A Novel (Matthew Seiji Burns)

Maddy: KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

Jason: Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

LINKS:

Featuring soundtrack excerpts from Ocarina of Time composed by Koji Kondo

Triple Click?s Link to the Past Episode: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/triple-click/triple-click-classics-zelda-a-link-to-the-past/

Kirk?s Strong Songs episodes about The Legend of Zelda: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/the-music-of-the-legend-of-zelda

And a Zelda bonus: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s05-bonus-a-little-extra-zelda
And Tears of the Kingdom: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s05e08-the-music-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom

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Before we play video games, it's important to get consent from relevant parties, such as Visa and Mastercard. This week, the Triple Click gang talks about payment processor censorship, Xbox layoffs, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's wild emails, and much more. Plus: the newfound relevance of South Park.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Star Trek: Lower Decks

Maddy: Peak

Jason: South Park

LINKS:

Tyler Foggott in the New Yorker on South Park?s premiere: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/south-park-skewers-a-satire-proof-president

Bloomberg on Satya Nadella: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-05-15/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-on-his-ai-efforts-and-openai-partnership?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc0NzQ0MDExNywiZXhwIjoxNzQ4MDQ0OTE3LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTV0JNQ1FUMEFGQjQwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCNjVFOTM5Mjc2NzA0M0QzODY0NDRDMDdBRDc0OTE2NiJ9.y7u-8QK7MCMqjKVlR5fO6u5JG1Iel4Hrm7YF3XE4u64

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OH, BANANA! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy punch through some rocks for Donkey Kong Bananza, the first big single-player Switch 2 exclusive and the latest game from the team behind Super Mario Odyssey. They talk about its delightful design tricks, how much fun it is to smash up the world, and whether it's a worthy successor to Odyssey.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Children of Time (Adrien Tchaikovsky)

Maddy: The Drifter

Jason: Nurikabe World

LINKS:

Maddy?s review of The Drifter: https://www.endlessmode.com/video-games/the-drifter/the-drifter-is-a-gripping-mystery-with-grating-characters

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LIVE from Portland, it's Triple Click! Kirk, Maddy, and Jason reach into the Gamer hat and answer some audience questions. It gets a little off the rails.

Jason, Kirk, and Maddy open up the mailbag for some of your burning questions. Should a family that's never gotten a Switch before get a Switch 1 or Switch 2? Is it ethical to play online games on private servers? And can Outer Worlds 2 really critique capitalism while being made by one of the world's biggest corporations?

One More Thing:

Kirk: Birnam Wood (Eleanor Catton)

Maddy: Gaming pillow from Mechanism

Jason: Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

LINKS:

Kirk?s latest Strong Songs mailbag about the music of Blue Prince: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s07e09-bluegrass-blue-prince-and-the-blues

Triple Click LIVE in Portland, July 11: https://albertarosetheatre.com/event/triple-click-live/alberta-rose-theatre/portland-oregon/

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Triple Click brings on Tom Bissell, writer of video games, books, TV shows and the final three episodes of Andor season 2. They talk about how he went from reporting in Iraq to writing dialogue for Battlefield, his journey to become a writer on Andor, and what it was like to pen the conclusion to one of the most acclaimed TV shows of all time.

One More Thing:

Kirk: James (Percival Everett)

Maddy: Metroid: Zero Mission

Jason: Never Flinch (Stephen King)

LINKS:

?The Writer Will Do Something? by Matthew Seiji Burns and Tom Bissell: https://matthewseiji.itch.io/twwds

Nicholas Quah on ?The Death Star Trilogy?: https://www.vulture.com/article/andor-rogue-one-new-hope-star-wars-trilogy-viewing-order.html

Paste Magazine interview with Tom about writing his Andor episodes: https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/andor/andor-season-2-finale-postmortem-with-writer-tom-bissell

Tom?s Related Reading Recs: The House of Government by Yuri Slezkine, A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel, and anything by John Le Carré

Triple Click LIVE in Portland, July 11: https://albertarosetheatre.com/event/triple-click-live/alberta-rose-theatre/portland-oregon/

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Kirk, Maddy, and Jason take their Kas to the Beach for a trip through Hideo Kojima's latest action game, Death Stranding 2. They talk about the changes from the first game, the quirks of the story, and what it's like to build ladders and roads across Mexico, Australia, and more.

One More Thing:

Kirk: A Complete Unknown (2024)

Maddy: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (I finished it)

Jason: Ninth House (Leigh Bardugo)

LINKS:

Excerpts from ?Minus Sixty One? and ?Fragile Things? by WOODKID form the Death Stranding 2 OST

Wired on the making of Death Stranding 2: https://www.wired.com/story/how-covid-19-changed-hideo-kojimas-vision-for-death-stranding-2/

Sam Adler-Bell on A Complete Unknown: https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/a-complete-unknown-bob-dylan-film/

Triple Click LIVE in Portland, July 11: https://albertarosetheatre.com/event/triple-click-live/alberta-rose-theatre/portland-oregon/

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Kirk, Jason, and Maddy bring on special guest Ray Chase (Final Fantasy XV, Play Nice) to talk about his experiences as a voice actor and his new game, Date Everything! Ray talks about how he came up with the game, the seven-year saga of building it, and how it's so much more than a romance simulator.

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Eyre Affair (Jasper Fforde)

Maddy: I quit Polygon lol

Jason: Marble Hall Murders (Anthony Horowitz)

LINKS:

Kirk?s new collection ?Music For Podcasting?: https://kirkhamilton.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-podcasting

Kindness Coins: https://arden.itch.io/kindness-coins

?Why AI Isn?t Going To Make Art? by Ted Chiang for The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/why-ai-isnt-going-to-make-art

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Maddy and Jason are home from Summer Game Fest, where they played a bunch of upcoming games. Kirk watched some cool announcements. And everyone's got Switch 2s, so there's much to discuss.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Switch 2

Maddy: Switch 2

Jason: Switch 2

LINKS:

Dan Olson on ?Silkposting? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSkbylysplI

Ifixit gives Switch 2 a repairability score of 3/10: https://www.ifixit.com/News/110926/switch-2-teardown

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Today, Nintendo released its first new console in eight years... and the Triple Click gang doesn't have it yet. But that won't stop Jason, Maddy, and Kirk from talking about the Switch 2, its launch lineup, and the imaginary promises that consoles bring. Plus: some Summer Games Fest hopes and predictions!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Hacks Season 4

Maddy: Queens & Cowboys: A Straight Year on the Gay Rodeo (2014)

Jason: The Doorman (Chris Pavone)

LINKS:

Kirk?s 2017 review of the Original Switch: https://kotaku.com/nintendo-switch-the-kotaku-review-1792776350

?Young Deb When She Was Happy? by Carlos Rafael Rivera from Hacks, Season 1

https://www.polygon.com/nintendo/602181/all-nintendo-console-launches-ranked

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Arise, tarnished, and watch out for server errors. Jason, Kirk, and Maddy team up for some co-op in Elden Ring: Nightreign, the new multiplayer spinoff by From Software. It's a fun game to talk about! They talk about the high highs, low lows, and the opacity of it all.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Your Friends and Neighbors (Apple TV+)

Maddy: Kitchen Nightmares

Jason: The Rehearsal (HBO)

LINKS:

Tyler Colp?s PC Gamer Nightreign Review: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/elden-ring-nightreign-review/

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Kirk, Maddy, and Jason grab their chainsaws and get ready to slay some aliens (demons?) in DOOM: The Dark Ages, the latest game from id Software. They talk about the new DOOM's pros and cons, the lasting appeal of the franchise, and how fun it feels to hack apart aliens (demons?) at 400 miles per hour.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Cabaret (1972)

Maddy: Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)

Jason: Golden Idol Investigations: The Lemurian Phoenix

LINKS:

?Atlan Battleground? from the Doom: The Dark Ages soundtrack by Finishing Move

Mick Gordon plays Doom music at the 2016 Game Awards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a9E3n_VZRQ

Jason?s report on Doom 2016?s troubled development: https://kotaku.com/five-years-and-nothing-to-show-how-doom-4-got-off-trac-468097062

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Can the magic of old-school Blizzard ever be recreated? Dreamhaven, a company started by Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime and a whole bunch of other Blizzard veterans, seems to be trying to make it happen. Jason, Maddy, and Kirk talk about Dreamhaven's first two games, Sunderfolk and Wildgate, and whether it's possible to recreate those old Blizzard feelings in 2025.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Sinners

Maddy: Doom: The Dark Ages

Jason: Thunderbolts* (2025)

LINKS:

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Grand Theft Auto VI is delayed to 2026... but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is not! This week, the gang talks about both games, starting with some thoughts on the new GTA trailer before moving into some takes on Act 1 of Clair Obscur. 

One More Thing:

Kirk: Blue Prince

Maddy: Consume Me

Jason: Yellowface (RF Kuang)

LINKS:

Excerpts from the Clair Obscur soundtrack composed by Lorien Testard

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion got a surprise remaster, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received rave reviews, and The Hundred Line: Defense Academy is way deeper ? and way better ? than we expected. This week, the gang dives into all three games. Plus: some cool TV shows!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Adolescence (Netflix)

Maddy: E.R. (Max)

Jason: The Studio (Apple TV Plus)

LINKS:

Featuring tracks from Clair Obscur composed by Lorien Testard, feat. Alice Duport-Percier, vocals

Mini-Doc on the music of Clair Obscur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urizETxs3_8

Adolescence Post-Viewing: Stephen Graham on Fresh Air, The Panic World podcast?s recent discussion is also good, Kathryn Jezer-Morton in The Cut, ?The Dangerous Son Problem?

ER Theme by James Newton Howard

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How should video game consoles differentiate themselves without exclusives? Do games make us more or less lonely? And are RPGs popular because they feel like jobs? This week, Maddy, Jason, and Kirk open up the listener mailbag and take some of your (excellent) questions. Plus: three killer new games that are out this week!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Sunderfolk (PC, Consoles, Switch)

Maddy: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Jason: The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy

LINKS:

Triple Click LIVE in Portland, July 11: https://albertarosetheatre.com/event/triple-click-live/alberta-rose-theatre/portland-oregon/

?All Work and No Play? by Sam Adler-Bell for Dissent, 2021: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/all-work-and-no-play/

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Blue Prince is out, and people are definitely having a normal one. Maddy, Jason, and Kirk talk about some of the initial player reactions to the highest-reviewed game of 2025, and how sentiment has changed since the first day or two. They talk about the pros and cons of RNG, when the game clicked for each of them, and what they've been seeing over the last week.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Oscars Watch Game Reimagined/The Godfather

Maddy: Hail Satan? (2019)

Jason: Lunar: Remastered Collection

LINKS:

Kirk on Blue Prince: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/p/theme-and-theme-and-variations

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Blue Prince is the best-reviewed game of 2025 so far... but does it live up to the hype? Yes, yes it does. Jason, Maddy, and Kirk talk about the game's unique genre-blending design, the appeal of the puzzles, the story hidden underneath it all, and much, much more. Plus: a very special announcement!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Slough House Books 5-8 (Mick Harron)

Maddy: Inside Out 1 + 2

Jason: Switch 2 + tariffs

LINKS:

Kirk?s essay about about Blue Prince and repetition: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/p/theme-and-theme-and-variations

Blue Prince music excerpts by Trigg & Gusset

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Thanks to yesterday's Nintendo Direct, we now know a lot more about the Nintendo Switch 2, from the price (high!) to the release date (soon!) to the fact that omg they showed Silksong for three seconds and said it's coming in 2025, which means it MUST come out this year since when has a console maker ever been wrong about when Silksong is coming out???

Also they announced a bunch of other Switch 2-related stuff, and Jason actually attended the press event and played the thing, and Maddy spent all day directing coverage of it, so they got on a zoom call with Kirk to talk about all of it. And then they both went to sleep and Kirk stayed up to edit the episode and write this episode description.

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Princess Bride (William Goldman)

Maddy: The Residence (Netflix)

Jason: Saga Frontier 2 

LINKS:

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There's a new Assassin's Creed out, and there's lots to discuss. Kirk, Maddy, and Jason talk about the structure of Assassin's Creed Shadows, the balance between protagonists Naoe and Yasuke, how the game might impact Ubisoft's future, and much more.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Search Engine with Ira Glass

Maddy: Heretic (2024)

Jason: Vantage Point (Sara Sligar)

LINKS:

Featuring excerpts from the AC Shadows soundtrack composed by The Flight and TEKE::TEKE

Shogun?s subtitles: https://www.polygon.com/24124644/star-wars-shogun-influence-subtitle-font

Polygon?s Heretic interviews: https://www.polygon.com/horror/476433/heretic-ending-explained-by-directorsHeretic?s directors unpack its ambiguous ending

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If the Triple Click gang worked in the video game industry, what would they each do? What's it like to pitch a game? And should Steam bring back its Greenlight process to help slow down the barrage of new games every year? This week, it's time for some burning questions!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Notifications

Maddy: We Are Lady Parts 

Jason: Dead Money (Jakob Kerr)

LINKS:

?The Writer Will Do Something? by Matthew Seiji Burns and Tom Bissell: https://matthewseiji.itch.io/twwds

Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread https://faroffgames.com/pages/arydia

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Video games: they're cool! There are a lot of new games out, so let's talk about them. Games discussed this week: Wanderstop, Expelled, Split Fiction, Rise of the Golden Idol DLC, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage

One More Thing:

Kirk: Reacher (Prime Video)

Maddy: Paradise (Hulu)

Jason: The Corrections (Jonathan Franzen)

LINKS:

Analysis of duplicated host introductions using spectral analysis: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EQmbU451Ob5rmqKUDAdwAjuSysx7oEvW/view?usp=sharing

?The Guilt of the Video Game Millionares? by Simon Parkin for The New Yorker, 2014 https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-guilt-of-the-video-game-millionaires

Featuring an excerpt from the Wanderstop theme by C418

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Kirk, Maddy, and Jason grab their Palicoes and pull out their dual blades for a monster hunt extraordinaire. This week, the gang is talking about Capcom's latest Monster Hunter. They talk about the appeal of the core gameplay loop, the thrill of the combat, and the approachability compared to previous entries.

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Murderbot Diaries (Martha Wells)

Maddy: The Contestant (2023)

Jason: Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars

LINKS:

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What's with the video game industry? Over the last three years, tens of thousands of jobs have been cut, dozens of studios were shut down and countless projects got canceled. Kirk, Jason, and Maddy break down why and how this is all happening, from flattened console growth to the rise of Fortnite and other Black Hole games like it.

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Pitt (Max)

Maddy: Moonlight Internet Hosting Tool

Jason: This is the Tom Green Documentary (Amazon Prime)

LINKS:

Matthew Ball?s presentation on the state of the video game industry: https://www.matthewball.co/all/stateofvideogaming2025

Chris Hayes on Know Your Enemy talking about attention and his new book The Siren?s Call: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/blog/know-your-enemy-pay-attention/

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The gang takes a deep dive into Obsidian's latest roleplaying game, Avowed. They talk about the crunchy combat, the ramifications of story decisions, and why the exploration works so well. Plus: SNL turns 50!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Ladies and Gentlemen?. 50 Years of SNL Music (Peacock)

Maddy: Priscilla (2023)

Jason: Lisa Jewell

LINKS:

Featuring ?Avowed? by Venus Theory and Justin E. Bell

Hbomberguy?s ?Fallout New Vegas is Genuis, Here?s Why?: ??https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzF7aHxk4Y4

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Civilization VII is out this week, and it's time to break down Sid Meier's iconic series. Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about their favorite games in the franchise, what "4X" actually means, and why Civ games are so appealing to so many people.

One More Thing:

Kirk: ?The Ghosts in the Machine? an excerpt from Mood Machine by Liz Pelly

Maddy: ?Dragon Age: The Veilguard Just Went From A Good RPG To One Of BioWare?s Most Important Games? by Ken Shepard [Spoilers]

Jason: Avowed

LINKS:

?Casual Viewing: Why Netflix Looks Like That? by Will Tavlin for N+1: https://www.nplusonemag.com/issue-49/essays/casual-viewing/

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The console wars are over. The winner? PC gaming! This week, the Triple Click gang gets into Maddy's recent quest to build a new PC and some of their favorite PC building experiences. Then they talk about the recent explosion of PC gaming, what's caused it, and what it might mean for the future of games.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Demon Copperhead (Barbara Kingsolver)

Maddy: Citizen Sleeper 2

Jason: The craziest trade in NBA history

LINKS:

Featuring ?Sleeper? by Amos Roddy from Citizen Sleeper

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Wondering what makes some video game titles good and some bad? Just bring in Triple Click Consulting ? we've got you covered. This week, the gang goes through a whole bunch of names and discusses what makes them work and what doesn't, from Balatro to EA Sports FC.

One More Thing:

Kirk: ?All Work and No Play? - Sam Adler-Bell for Dissent, 2021

Maddy: Silo season 2

Jason: You Like It Darker (Stephen King)

LINKS:

The Know Your Enemy Podcast: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/category/podcast/know-your-enemy/

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A good name should be at least two of:

Memorable (vs. Forgettable)Punchy (vs. Floppy)Understandable (vs. Confusing)Enticing (vs. Off-Putting)Surprising (vs. Predictable) (??)

Nintendo officially announced the Switch 2 last week, and there's oh so much to discuss. Jason, Maddy, and Kirk give their initial impressions of Nintendo's next console, talk about how it will fit into a post-Steam Deck world, and debate whether Mario Kart is any good. Then they talk about PlayStation's failing live-service initiative. Plus: a bonus Burning Question!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Trap (dir. M. Night Shaymalan)

Maddy: Building Outside the Lines (HGTV)

Jason: The Puzzle Maker: Cebba?s Odyssey (Steam)

LINKS:

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How have video game budgets skyrocketed to the hundreds of millions? What are some good video games for elderly people? And is it possible there's a game as good as Balatro out there, but nobody has found it yet? This week, the Triple Click gang opens up the mailbag and takes some of your questions on all sorts of topics.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Black Doves (Netflix)

Maddy: Steam Families

Jason: The Roottrees Are Dead

LINKS:

Excerpts from ?Crowning Celebration? by Paul Misko from The Case of the Golden Idol, 2022 and ?New Wells of Conformity? by Paul Alexander from Case of the Golden Idol, 2024 

Kirk?s new prediction: Death Stranding 2 will feature one (1) of the following people: Sydney Sweeney, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalomét, Christopher Nolan, Daniel Craig

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Jason, Kirk, and Maddy revisit last year's predictions to see what game they'll be playing this year, then go through some new predictions for 2025, from the Nintendo Switch 2 to... new Half-Life?

One More Thing:

Kirk: Interviewing your friends & family / StoryCorps

Maddy: Scorcese double feature (Taxi Driver + King of Comedy)

Jason: Encanto (2021)

LINKS:

StoryCorps: https://storycorps.org/

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2025 PREDICTIONS

KIRK

At least one game will be released and then un-released within the yearHollow Knight: Silksong will actually come outValve will announce a new non-VR Half-Life gameThe new Nintendo console will have the word "Switch" in the nameConan O'Brien or Geoff Keighley will appear in Death Stranding 2 (either/both)Valve will announce a new Steam controller that's on par with Steam DeckYou will be able to "pet the dog" in The Game Awards' GOTY, i.e. the game will have a "pet animal" interact promptAt least two TGA GOTY nominees will be for a studio's first gameIn the new Fable, you will be able to plant an acorn and have it grow into a treeSquare Enix will announce Final Fantasy VII.... Return

Bonus: Nintendo will announce they're bringing games to Steam

Game: SOMA

MADDY

A Deadpool video game will get announcedThe Guillemot family will get pushed out of controlling UbisoftMetroid Prime 2 + 3 will get remasters released on a Switch in 2025A full-length film will be screened in FortniteA game made on Roblox will become a huge hit/phenomenon on the scale of Pokemon Go or Among UsMicrosoft/Xbox will remove the requirement for new Xbox games to be able to also run on Xbox Series SHalf-Life 3 will be announcedSilksong will get a release date announcement that will be ?it?s out right now? (which means I am also implicitly predicting Silksong comes out in 2025)There will be two more prominent live service game failures in 2025 in the style of Concord and Suicide SquadWaluigi will figure into a new Mario game

Bonus: Half-Life 4 will be announced

Game: Super Metroid

JASON

Ubisoft will be sold An Xbox studios game will be nominated for GOTY at The Game Awards (it's never happened before!)A non-VR Half-Life game will be announcedA single player playstation game will be announced for PC within 3 months of its PS5 releaseAce Attorney 7 will be announced Bobby Kotick will get involved with the Trump administration in some wayEA CEO Andrew Wilson will step downSwitch 2 will have an availability crisisMetroid Prime 4 will launch on Switch and Switch 2 - day one of Switch 2There will be fewer industry layoffs than last year

Bonus: Amazon will pull out of the video game industry

Game: Chrono Trigger

It's a race to the top as Leon, Key, and Bing reckon with a ghost from the past... and some imps in the present. Leon makes a surprising discovery. Key takes a big risk. Bing rearranges the furniture.

LINKS:

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