The inaugural run of Amazing Gamers wraps-up at the beginning, bringing back two guests who were there at the start of my podcasting journey: Adam ‪@whatcouldbeingbe.bsky.social and Nintendo Force Staff Writer @avengermags.bsky.social.

Both are friends of the show, and we had a lot of fun discussing:

• The often-misunderstood role of the media critic (OR Why English Majors love reading reviews)
• Favorite OSTs (shoutouts to Nobuo Uematsu, Xenoblade, Gris, and Legend of Dragoon)
• First thoughts on Switch 2
• Deep cuts on the summer wish lists
• Maggie’s hottest take ever
• New Persona style game with a female protagonist real?
• The best Xenoblade game?
• Nathan discovers Shovelwear

It’s Fathers Day weekend, so Nathan is here with a list of the games that really hit it out of the park for family gaming.

I review the top 5 that made some memories, tip my cap to some honorable mentions, and detail three games I thought the kids would love but they completely bounced off of….

Amazing Gamers welcomes Bluesky’s #1 Tokyo Mirage Sessions fan Kat (@skeletonkat.bsky.social) into the conversation to discuss how that game is often overlooked even by Atlus RPG fans.

A longtime fan of the Shin Megami Tensei series, Kat remembers some fans thinking the first TMS trailer was an April Fool’s Day joke, and we discuss how expectations was a major factor for this game, which was originally billed as a SMT/ Fire Emblem crossover.

Instead, we got a SMT in the style of Persona that was set in the entertainment industry—which also happens to be great looking, with good dungeons and an addictive combat system.

The fact TMS got a Switch port—when so many classic Atlus games are stuck on old hardware- has us suggesting that Atlus fans give it another try, and judge it on its own merits.

We also discuss Oldsona Trilogy Remake > Persona 4 Remake….and what makes Oldsona special.

• Oldsona—it’s very much a triology
• Persona 1- a game like no other, but an acquired taste
• Persona 2—as good as any story in the series
• You can make an incredible playlist from Persona 2
• Does Metaphor sand down too much friction the series is famous for
• Meh on Persona 4 remake
• Best SMT game? Strange Journey….

Atlus classics stuck on old hardcare

Amazing Gamers welcomes back Dana Forsythe (ComicBooksInBoston on IG) to discuss writing about games and music.

Dana proposed a new collaboration for game reviews (which I think is an amazing idea) and we also discussed the critic's role.

This comes shortly after my debut game review, for Civilization 7 in Nintendo Force Magazine (the May/June issue). I also get into how even greats like Roger Ebert occasionally got it wrong.

We also touch on Dana's discovering Chrono Trigger, his stint as a columnist for Paste Magazine, and the great times he's had covering music fests, such as Boston Calling.

And we close out with a story about my son, who will probably go pro as a Mario Maker 2 Master Builder, if that's a thing...

I love Persona 4, but it's not even in my top 5 of projects I'd like to see from Atlus.

It's funny how we've gone from Persona 4 being difficult to access to arguably too much Persona 4....

In this episode I share my thoughts on that whole thing-- starting with how I dusted off the PS3 a few years back, because it was the only way I could experience this previously underappreciated classic.

Buzz about a possible Silmarillion movie has resurfaced in the Tolkien discourse and Nathan has got thoughts on it.

This solo chat outlines both the potential and pitfalls of that endeavor, coming from a lifelong fan who considers the Silmarillion one of the great hidden gems of modern storytelling.

I also suggest a reading order, for those who enjoy Tolkien but never read past the Lord of the Rings.

Amazing Gamers welcomes back HighlyGinger and Gwent Champ of Bluesky for a wide ranging discussion about the five people you meet in the Final Fantasy discourse. Which one are you? Take a listen and decide…

Wabi Sabi is the tone for this discussion: the goal was appreciating that which is imperfect for what beauty it holds. I also work in shout-out for evidence that dad jokes are good.

We also touch on:

• Worst Minigames in Final Fantasy
• Best Party in Final Fantasy
• Final Fantasy as a gateway to the genre
• Hidden Gems we love to see others discover
• The infamous laughing scene in FF10
• Favorite Moments in the series
• Too many Persona digressions to count
• Are people hard wired for goodness?

Nathan also touches on how Barrett’s big scene in Rebirth absolutely worked for him (but not for Gwent) and Highly Ginger throws her support behind the theory that Tifa is the main character of FF7.

Amazing Gamers was thrilled to welcome former colleague and Kirby enthusiast Rachel to the discussion this week.

Rachel works for a program that supports family caregivers, and we discussed the importance of Caring for the Caregiver—both the clinical sense and the sense of self care in a busy world. We also touched on:

• Kirby is just perfect sometimes
• Big Sis and the legendary console candy bar dispenser
• Rachel’s co-op games: It Takes Two, A Way Out (and me recommending Pikmin 3)
• Losing sleep over games; the Scruffy gateway to FNAF
• The best day on the calendar for a birthday (it’s just facts)
• My never-ending FF7 Rebirth and Trails from Zero playthrough