Critical Distance Confab

Last minisode of the year for the Critical Distance Confab. I tried to think of a theme, but really it's just two indie games worthy of some attention and love. Angelina Bonilla aka Red Angel co-hosts with me this month. We've been able to bring the minisodes back thanks to our listeners' support on Patreon. To help us to add more new features to the site, including foreign-language coverage and videos, please consider supporting us [http://www.critical-distance.com/support-us/]. In case you don't know, the purpose here is to highlight some games we feel aren't getting the critical attention they deserve for whatever reason. The hope is that one of you intrepid listeners will sort that out by playing and writing about them. The games mentioned will range from itch.io art games, to prestige level indie games, right on up through AAA games that have slipped through the cracks. Angelina's Pick Milkmaid of the Milky Way/a> by Mattis Polkestad [http://store.steampowered.com/app/544970/Milkmaid_of_the_Milky_Way/] Eric's Pick The Banner Saga [http://store.steampowered.com/app/237990/The_Banner_Saga/] by Stoic Opening Theme: 'Close' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920] Closing Theme: 'Wishing Never' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920]

This month on the Critical Distance Confab, Angelina Bonilla better known as Red Angel was kind enough to come on. Red Angel started off as a writer for online publications. However, after some time there, she wanted to for a while to turn her efforts to video. Ignorant of the wider YouTube critical community, she just started her channel. She began her Late Night Ponderings series as an extension of the editorials she wrote for Noobfeed and Game Skinny, but they evolved beyond the constraints of editorial mandates and game journalism "style" into something more personable. And instead of focusing on larger titles, she found she had little to add and instead chose to use her time critiquing smaller indie games for the most part. We talk about her writing sounding "like poetry," wanting to bring different perspectives into this sphere, and owls for some reason. SHOW NOTES Red Angel YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCivkpgADQdxYm6OH11Bhmmw] Late Night Ponderings: Life Is Strange's Ending and Reception [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTmFH3PgbWc] Death and Photography in Life is Strange [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uduox3e_fo] Oxenfree The Duality of Grief in Clarissa and ALex [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRKwZkQKOb8] Why I Cover Indie Games [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNxVnqPSjdc] Late Night Ponderings: Similar Sinews [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4YKgBUoWyE] Angelina Bonilla Author's Page - Noobfeed [http://www.noobfeed.com/Artemis] Angelina Bonilla Author's Page - Game Skinny [https://www.gameskinny.com/gs/angelina] Red Angel Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/redangel] Opening Theme: 'Close' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920] Closing Theme: 'Wishing Never' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920]

I'm not dead, the minisodes are back, back from the dead that is, on the Critical Distance Confab. In the spirit of October, we bring you another minisode installment on horror games. Co-hosting with me this month is my podcast associate from PopMatters, Nick Dinicola. In case you don't know, the purpose here is to highlight some games we feel aren't getting the critical attention they deserve for whatever reason. The hope is that one of you intrepid listeners will sort that out by playing and writing about them. The games mentioned will range from itch.io art games, to prestige level indie games, right on up through AAA games that have slipped through the cracks. We've been able to bring the minisodes back thanks to our listeners' support on Patreon. To help us to add more new features to the site, including foreign-language coverage and videos, please consider supporting us [http://www.critical-distance.com/support-us/]. Nick's Pick Downfall [http://store.steampowered.com/app/364390/Downfall/] by Harvester Games Eric's Pick Stories Untold [http://store.steampowered.com/app/558420/Stories_Untold/] by No Code Opening Theme: 'Close' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920] Closing Theme: 'Wishing Never' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920]

This month on the Critical Distance Confab we welcome Alex Carlson from the YouTube channel PostMesmeric. Alex Carlson is a relative newbie to the world of YouTube video game criticism. He had some experience with written criticism, most notably on Hardcore Gaming 101, but transferred over when he was introduced to the idea that YouTube could be used for more than simple entertainment. His channel is a hidden gem, which I came upon one day when Youtube's algorithm was feeling particularly kind: toiling away in relative obscurity, perhaps thanks to the capricious nature of this algorithm, he nonetheless continues to put out quality videos. We talk about his style of criticism connecting design to theme, his predilection for critiquing horror games, and his more personal video about how certain games exploit his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. SHOW NOTES PostMesmeric YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/user/PostMesmeric] Pyre and Responsibility | PostMesmeric [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1xnW36szB4] This Dishwasher: Vampire Smile Analysis - The Art of Control | Postmesmeric [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CVzyBZvlYg] Layers of Fear Analysis - Framing and Perspective | PostMesmeric [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJVePYZWKqo] Detention Anaylsis - Fear and Reality | PostMesmeric [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDhgVQir1Po] Evolving Rhythm Gameplay | PostMesmeric [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIxnQ2i_wqc] Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts - An In-Depth Critique | PostMesmeric [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL4NmU1HL9Q] Banjo Kazooie vs. Banjo Tooie - Rare's Metamorphosis |PostMesmeric [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QirF_ALgNQ] Gaming With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder |PostMesmeric [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCKpFp6hjyE] Opening Theme: 'Close' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920] Closing Theme: 'Wishing Never' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920]

This month on the Critical Distance Confab, all the way from New Zealand, is YouTuber Mitch Cramer. Mitch Cramer, aka HeavyEyed, is a relatively new to the world of YouTube video game criticism. Starting off as a band manager, he moved away from that to put some video production skills to use. He started a channel and steadily plucked away at it until some attention came his way after one video spiked in viewers. We talk about his in depth criticism of the Star Fox games, the local video game development scene in New Zealand and his steady improvement at what he finds the toughest part of making a video, the writing. SHOW NOTES HeavyEyed YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCutGiN7c5-CEFwm_ccixR3g] Star Fox 64 - Medals & High Scores // HeavyEyed [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaDa-15AKFA] The Problems With Star Fox //HeavyEyed [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh8_R2GVQdo] Looking At Every Zelda Introduction // HeavyEyedd [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uhLx3cBnVU] Mental Health in Video Games // HeavyEyed [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BQ76kPsrpI] The Language of Video Games // HeavyEyed [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsSpo8DPuIc] Hi-Bit Era - The Future of Pixel Art Games // HeavyEyed [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygchZzqfgzw] HeavyEyed Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/heavyeyed] Opening Theme: 'Close' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920] Closing Theme: 'Wishing Never' by The Alpha Conspiracy [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aura/id214160920]