Edge Guard

Episode 26 - Pillow of Stone

Hear that? That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang! No, actually that’s just Jordan and Blake talking about music, prison, and music about prison with this week’s game, Pillow of Stone. The guys spend some time discussing the often tenuous relationship between interactive media and music, effective use of ‘Weenies’ (NOT boobies), and how “Chain Gang” is actually a really great song.

 

Be sure to give the game a shot over on itch.io: johnvanderhoef.itch.io/pillow-of-stone

And follow the game’s creator, John Vandehoef, on twitter: @johnvanderhoef

Episode 25 - Storyseeker

This week, Blake and Jordan play Storyseeker, an exploration game designed by Miles Äijälä. Our hosts speculate about probable causes for the ambiguous disasters that rocked the world of this game and wax poetic about the appeal of exploration games that let you sit quietly alone rather than bombarding you with content. And in a moment of inspired game design theory, Blake can’t remember a game design slang word and guesses “boobies.” He meant “weenies.”

 

Download Storyseeker here: https://qwertyprophecy.itch.io/storyseeker

 

And follow the creator here: @qwertyprophecy

 

Episode 24 - Capsule Silence XXIV

On this week’s episode of Edge Guard, Blake and Jordan play Capsule Silence XXIV, a game that according to electronic band Anamanaguchi was the unfinished product of a collaboration they were working on with NHXmedia. Besides that… well, saying much more would ruin the fun, so this one you should just play for yourself. Make sure to tell F.R.U.G. we say “hi.”

 

Download the game here: http://www.mediafire.com/file/afga922p37fb27f/CS+guchi+3-28.zip

 

Twitter:

Anamanaguchi: @anamanaguchi

Ben Esposito (lead developer): @torahhorse

Episode 23 - Special Guest Cameron Kunzelman

This #veryspecial episode of Edge Guard features something a little bit different: an interview with Cameron Kunzelman, designer of Skateboarder, which we played for an earlier episode. We ask Cameron a little bit about his inspiration and design process for the game, solve the mystery of the little boxes, and chat about our impressive hour-counts in PUBG.

 

If you haven’t already, make sure to follow Cameron on Twitter! @ckunzelman

Episode 22: Card Witch: First Draw

This week, Blake and Jordan check out the pre-alpha build of Card Witch: First Draw, a cross between a deckbuilding game and a beat-em-up action game. Our hosts compare playstyles and share strategies, and Jordan attempts to break the meta.

 

Download the game here: https://a6productions.itch.io/card-witch

 

And follow the creators on Twitter:

@bloodyhoney_

@CHARLENEMAXIMUM

@SuperBlizzard

@ghoulpowder

Episode 21 - You Must Be 18 Years or Older to Enter

Plug in your headphones and open your incognito browsers, because this week’s episode of Edge Guard is about porn! Or rather, it’s about You Must Be 18 or Older to Enter, a game about a kid in the 90s stealthily attempting to access porn on the early Internet while the parents aren’t home. For a game about porn, it’s surprisingly frightening—though not as frightening, perhaps, as the content policy that got this game removed from the Steam marketplace... #playmoreporngames

 

Download the game here: https://seeminglypointless.itch.io/18orolder

 

Follow the creators on Twitter: @seempoint

Episode 20 - Healthy Breakfast

This week, we explore the ins and outs of the most important meal of the day: video games! Jordan and Blake go on a wild journey through first-person perspective puzzler Healthy Breakfast, discussing how games stray from the limitations of reality, lookin’ at stuff, and the importance of eating a balanced breakfast.

 

Find the game * FOR FREE* on itchio: https://boogieknights.itch.io/healthybreakfasthttps://boogieknights.itch.io/healthybreakfast

 

And be sure to stop by twitter and follow exactly one of its creators since the other two are too cool for tweets: @BarlesCharkley3

Episode 19 - CROSSNIQ

Today’s episode of Edge Guard features a brand-new arcade-style puzzle game from Max Krieger: CROSSNIQ. We talk about how strategy and skill play out in puzzle games like this one, and also learn that Blake knows a surprising (or, concerning?) amount about the Tetris meta-game.

 

Play the game here (it’s free!): https://maxkrieger.itch.io/crossniq

 

And follow the creator on Twitter: @MaxKriegerVG

Episode 18 - Waves of Vapor

Are you ready to get A E S T H E T I C? Because if that low-hanging meme was any indication, today’s episode of Edge Guard is about a vaporwave-themed game, a take on the bullet hell genre appropriately titled “Waves of Vapor.” Join our hosts for a discussion of the relationship between graphics and mechanics in video games, as well as a surprisingly-detailed dive into the musical history of the vaporwave genre.

 

Download the game here: https://melonodev.itch.io/waves-of-vapor

Find the creator on Twitter: @MelonoDev

Or Tumblr: https://melonodev.tumblr.com/

Episode 17 - Skateboarder

In this episode of Edge Guard, Blake and Jordan ride virtual skateboards in Cameron Kunzelman’s Skateboarder, a browser game about doing mad tricks, bro, but also about the slow deterioration of a professional skateboarder’s health, money, and happiness. The game prompts our hosts to reminisce about Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Ebaum’s World, and the dubious legality of mid-2000s flash games.

 

Play the game here: https://ckunzelman.itch.io/skateboarder

 

And follow Cameron Kunzelman on Twitter: @ckunzelman