Episode 18 | Why Old Games Were So Mean and Why That Made Them Better

Episode 18 | Why Old Games Were So Mean and Why That Made Them Better

Sierra adventure games did not simply kill you. That would be too merciful. Nope, Sierra preferred a more artisanal form of psychological damage: the unwinnable state. That beautiful little nightmare where you are still walking around, still clicking on things, still listening to cheerful MIDI music… but your save file actually died three hours ago. This is the audio only version, if you'd like to watch the video please check out my youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PixelatedLinds [https://www.youtube.com/@PixelatedLinds] Send us a message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2516001/fan_mail/new]

Episode 17 | Two Ways to Speak to the Dead | Twincantation with Little Nihilista Games

In this episode of The Point-and-Quest Podcast, Lindsay sits down with Danny and Jeremy of Little Nihilista Studios, the two-person team behind Twincantation, a short handmade visual novel about a teenager sneaking out to perform a séance for her deceased twin sister. What begins as a compact ghost story opens into something stranger and more tender: a game about grief, uncertainty, roadside-attraction weirdness, cozy horror, dark humor, and the two very different ways we try to speak to the dead. Lindsay talks with the developers about moving from filmmaking into games, designing Twincantation’s cozy and horror paths, building a handmade visual style with watercolor, ink, and digital painting, using silence and sound design to create atmosphere, and making a small first game that still feels emotionally full. Play Twincantation on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3877760/Twincantation/ [https://store.steampowered.com/app/3877760/Twincantation/] Follow Little Nihilista Studios on Instagram for updates on their work! Send us a message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2516001/fan_mail/new]

Top 10 Best Point-and-Click Adventure Games of 2025

2025 was a huge year for point-and-click adventure games...from cozy mysteries to gritty thrillers, narrative RPG hybrids to gothic ghost stories. In this video, I talk about my top 10 adventure games of the year, spoiler-free, with what makes each title special (story, art, mechanics, world-building, and etc).  If you prefer visuals, this is also available on YouTube.  Find quick links to each game below so you can explore them yourself!  1. Foolish Mortals | https://store.steampowered.com/app/1848440/Foolish_Mortals/  2. Cabernet | https://store.steampowered.com/app/2401410/Cabernet/  3. The Drifter | https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170570/The_Drifter/  4.  Near-Mage | https://store.steampowered.com/app/1685870/NearMage/  5. Rosewater | https://store.steampowered.com/app/1226670/Rosewater/  6. Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer | https://store.steampowered.com/app/1466390/Kathy_Rain_2_Soothsayer/   7. Old Skies | https://store.steampowered.com/app/1346360/Old_Skies/  8. Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping | https://store.steampowered.com/app/2714620/Duck_Detective_The_Ghost_of_Glamping/?curator_clanid=35570796  9. The Beekeeper’s Picnic: A Sherlockian Adventure | https://store.steampowered.com/app/2248890/The_Beekeepers_Picnic__A_Sherlockian_Adventure/  10. Brassheart | https://store.steampowered.com/app/1072550/Brassheart/  Send us a message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2516001/fan_mail/new]

Episode 16 | Native Noir | Hill Agency: PURITYdecay

In the neon haze of a stratified future city, an Indigenous detective named Meeygen Hill walks into a case that refuses to stay buried...  In this episode of The Point-and-Quest Podcast, I talk about Hill Agency: PURITY/Decay, an Indigenous futurist noir by Achimostawinan Games -- a studio reshaping what video games can say, and who they’re for. We’ll explore: * Indigenous Futurism and why these worlds matter * The Auntie Robo-Dog tutorial (a perfect piece of Native noir humor) * Merrium’s death and the echoes of MMIWG2S * The stratified class structure of Akâmaskiy * Puzzles and plotholes * What the game does beautifully * What I wish it had done differently * And why Meeygen Hill is one of the coolest detectives in modern gaming and why I want to see more of her! This is kind of sort of a love letter with notes in the margins, a discussion that is part grief, part celebration, and entirely grounded in the messy, neon, hopeful future that Indigenous game developers are building. __________________________________________________________________________________ Developer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_developer] | Achimostawinan Games Publisher [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_publisher] | Achimostawinan Games Director [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_creative_director] | Meagan Byrne Designer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_designer] | Meagan Byrne Artist [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_artist] | Sa'dekaronhes Esquivel Writer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_writer] | Meagan Byrne Composers [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_composer] | Colin R. Lloyd, Honor.beatz ________________________________________________________________________________ RESOURCES & LINKS *  Hill Agency: PURITY/Decay (Steam link [https://store.steampowered.com/app/1358370/Hill_Agency_PURITYdecay/]) * Exploring Indigenous Futurism Achimostawinan Games [https://achimogames.ca/about/exploring-indigenous-futurism/] *  MMIWG2S resources: National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center; No More Stolen Sisters [https://csvanw.org/focus-areas/trainings-and-education/land-body-violence/mmiwg2s/] *  Grace Dillon – Walking the Clouds [https://monoskop.org/images/0/0f/Dillon_Grace_L_ed_Walking_the_Clouds_An_Anthology_of_Indigenous_Science_Fiction_2012.pdf?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAac41ne6Qcd7p6QRMOmJ3gEgEY4eexTB_r4ix8x6I23TWOKSYYTd3grLKOnrww_aem_WgdFloTc8HjnNiXV2JENqg] *  Elizabeth LaPensée – writings on Indigenous game design [https://www.killscreen.com/elizabeth-lapensee/] *  Adventure Game Hotspot review *  WCCFTech interview with Meagan I. Byrne [https://wccftech.com/hill-agency-interview-unidealized-cyberpunk-indigenous-future-inspiration/] Send us a message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2516001/fan_mail/new]

Episode 15 | Cabernet: A Game to Sink Your Teeth Into

Welcome to season two of the Point-and-Quest Podcast!In this episode, we sink our teeth into Cabernet, a gothic narrative RPG about power, grief, performance, and the slow unraveling of identity. Follow along as we explore the game's story-rich chapters, intricate relationship dynamics, haunting folklore, and the moral weight of hunger. From romancing the town to learning the lore of the Rusalka, this episode blends analysis, storytelling, bad puns, and personal reflection...ending with a question only you can answer.Whether you’re drawn to narrative design, dark history, or just need a good bite..this one’s for you. Content Warnings * Themes of addiction, emotional manipulation, amental health, nd grief * Mild spoilers for Cabernet (multiple relationship paths and story outcomes) * Brief mentions of trauma and moral ambiguity Resources & Mentions Cabernet by Party for Introverts – ⁠⁠Steam page⁠⁠ [https://store.steampowered.com/app/2401410/Cabernet/] Let's Connect! Instagram: @pixelatedlinds Bluesky: @pixelatedlinds Send us a message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2516001/fan_mail/new]