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Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast
Description

Kat Bailey, Nadia Oxford, and Eric Van Allen explore Final Fantasy, Skyrim, and all the best in the wonderful world of role-playing video games! Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod

Episodes
  • 2024 / 12 / 23
    The 2024 Blood God RPG Awards

    The appointed time is upon us. You've waited all year to hear the Axe of the Blood God's best RPG picks for 2024 (er, right?) and we're ready to dish. Nadia, Kat, and Eric hash out the winners in this extra...

  • 2024 / 12 / 16
    Game Awards Reax, Elden Ring Nightreign, Witcher 4, and RPG Hidden Gems of 2024

    It is done. Geoff Keighley descended from Gamer Mountain with the results of 2024's Game Awards scrawled onto two stone tablets. (Brought to you by Mountain Dew.) Kat, Eric, and Nadia understandably have...

  • 2024 / 12 / 9
    PlayStation 30th Anniversary, Path of Exile Hits Early Access, Fantasian Mini-Review

    Pour yourself a delicious bowl of proprietary memory cards and fire up an unskippable cutscene; we're talking all about what 30 years of Playstation has meant for RPGs! Are we in a better timeline than the...

  • 2024 / 12 / 2
    Pantheon of the Blood God - Lunar: Silver Star Story

    The Blood God hosts are taking a quick holiday break so as a treat we're pulling a classic episode of Pantheon of the Blood God out from behind the paywall! Listen to this deep-dive into Lunar: Silver Star...

  • 2024 / 11 / 25
    Romancing SaGa Series Primer, Game Awards Nominations, and Sony's Looming Acquisition w/ Lucas White

    I hope you don't mind missables because there's no perfect route through this episode; it's time for Romancing SaGa! Kat, Nadia, and Eric are enlightened by special guest Lucas White's SaGa knowledge as they...

  • 2024 / 11 / 18
    Dragon Quest III HD-2D Review and More w/ Cam Hawkins

    As Canadian kid's game show "UH-OH" character Punisher once said; IT'S SLIME TIME. Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Cam Hawkins discuss the newest DQ from SE. Is the HD-2D remake of Famicom classic Dragon...

  • 2024 / 11 / 11
    Cozy RPGs for Turbulent Times

    Hey, it's a bit bonkers out there! Why not retreat for a moment into the human race's oldest form of escapism; video games! Games like Stardew Valley are no-brainers but you may be surprised what kinds of...

  • 2024 / 11 / 4
    Dragon Age: The Veilguard Review w/ Leana Hafer

    Everyone look under your chair and put on your custom "Kiss the Rook" aprons I've made for you because it's time to dig into another of the massive RPGs of the year -- Dragon Age: The Veilguard! From...

  • 2024 / 10 / 28
    Dragon Age Retrospective and More!

    It's been a dragon's age since we've had a new Dragon Age but the time has finally arrived. Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the entire series, its influences, its impact, and more as we get closer to the launch...

  • 2024 / 10 / 21
    The Best RPG Vampires

    BAT! Join Kat, Nadia, and your old pal from the edit bay Victor Hunter as they discuss the hottest (and sometimes the most mechanically interesting) characters in RPGs; the dhampir! They're not JUST for...

  • 2024 / 10 / 14
    Metaphor ReFantazio Review, Game Freak Hacked, and More! w/ Michael Higham

    It's time to Fantazio. Again! Kat, Nadia, and Eric, are joined by IGN's Michael Higham to discuss the biggest RPG release of October, Metaphor: ReFantazio. Take a shot every time someone mention's Persona, or...

  • 2024 / 10 / 7
    Echoes of Wisdom Mini-Review, 2024 So Far, and More!

    Unionizations, lay-offs, tragic passings! It's been A Year! Eric, Nadia, and special guest Jesse Vitelli discuss the biggest headlines of the year and take a look at the latest Legend of Zelda! It's an...

  • 2024 / 9 / 30
    Inside Blizzard’s Tumultuous History w/ Jason Schreier

    On today's extra beefy episode of Axe of the Blood God, we welcome special guest Jason Schreier and talk about his upcoming book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. Tune in for a...

  • 2024 / 9 / 23
    Palworld Sued, Dragon Age Preview, and More!

    No, you see these are uh... Pocket Buddies! And we don't catch'em. We seal'em! In uh, Pocket Orbs! Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss Nintendo's suit against the creators of Palworld and what this means for patents...

  • 2024 / 9 / 16
    PS5 Pro, Emio - The Smiling Man, and More!

    And it doesn't even have a new Ridge Racer. Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the PS5 Pro, it's fascinating price point, Astrobot, Sony's future, and more on this week's episode of Axe of the Blood God! Tune in to...

  • 2024 / 9 / 9
    Visions of Mana Review

    For the first time since 2006's Dawn of Mana (a totally fun game, don't let anyone tell you otherwise) we have a new mainline entry in the storied Seiken Densetsu series. Does Visions of Mana prove that the...

  • 2024 / 9 / 2
    The Fall 2024 RPG Preview: Dragon Age Veilguard, Echoes of Wisdom, and More!

    Brr. Can you feel the chill in the air? Maybe you can, maybe you can't. The weather's been really screwy this summer. This week, the Blood God crew wades hip-deep into 2024's fall RPG season to evaluate...

  • 2024 / 8 / 26
    Gamescom Reveals, Black Myth: Wukong, and More!

    On this week's episode Kat, Eric, and special guest Brian Shea discuss all the news out of Gamescom! Does Xbox still need a Mario? What is happening with Blizzard? All these questions and more will be...

  • 2024 / 8 / 19
    Beat'em Ups and RPGs w/ Matt McMuscles

    On this week's episode Kat, Eric, Nadia and special guest Matt McMuscles discuss the history of beat'em ups, RPGs, and where the twain shall meet! What is the first RPG beat'em up crossover? What even IS...

  • 2024 / 8 / 12
    The State of Soulsbornes w/ Alex Van Aken

    On this week's episode Kat, Eric, and special guest Alex Van Aken discuss the current landscape of soulsbornes, the future of soulsbornes, what makes a soulsborne a soulsborne, and please can we call it...

  • 2024 / 8 / 6
    Bungie Layoffs, Game Informer's Closure, and More w/ Saniya Ahmed and Nicole Carpenter

    On this week's episode Kat, Eric, and special guests Saniya Ahmed and Nicole Carpenter discuss recent layoffs in both journalism and development. How will Bungie's layoffs change the future of Destiny? Does...

  • 2024 / 7 / 29
    Class Conscious - Summoners!

    It's the Summer o' Summoners on Axe of the Blood God! We're celebrating summoners, extoling evokers, and commemorating callers! But first we have to decide who qualifies? Are Pokemon Trainers summoners? Is...

  • 2024 / 7 / 22
    Trails Through Daybreak, Tsukihime, and More!

    By popular demand, it's a long-overdue look at the colossal Trails series! Kat, Nadia, and Eric are joined by Trails expert James Galizio to discuss the latest entry to celebrate the series' 20th anniversary;...

  • 2024 / 7 / 15
    Our RPG Backlogs of Shame and More

    We've all got one. Some are bigger than others but we can all agree that we can't get enough of'em. No, not opinions. I'm talking backlogs! Whether it's a real life shelf with a copy of Shadow Hearts you...

  • 2024 / 7 / 8
    The Darkest Moments in RPGs

    Sometimes it's not just about the power of friendship. Even the most friend-shaped RPGs can pull the rug out from under you with a moment that makes your skin crawl. Sometimes they beat you over the head with...

  • 2024 / 7 / 1
    2024 So Far, Dawntrail, and More!

    So long dads and grads; Summer is here and that means pina coladas on the beaches of Tural. And as we soak up that vitamin D we might as well reflect on the year so far. What RPGs have blown our minds, which...

  • 2024 / 6 / 24
    Shadow of the Erdtree, Nintendo Direct, FFVI, and More! w/ Mitchell Saltzman

    I hope you like your rings elden and your trees erd because this week Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Mitchell Saltzman discuss the much-anticipated Elden Ring DLC. Plus, the latest Nintendo Direct, and...

  • 2024 / 6 / 17
    Dragon Age Impressions and SGF Epilogue w/ Brenden Groom

    More like Summer Games FEAST. The deluge of news simply doesn't stop. This time Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Brenden Groom focus on Dragon Age: The Veilguard plus a bazillion other games that were...

  • 2024 / 6 / 11
    Summer Games Fest, Xbox Showcase, and More!

    We're at the SGF. We're at the Day of the Devs. We're at the Xbox Showcase. We're at the combination SGF, Day of the Devs, Xbox Showcase. Kat and Eric are joined by Michael Higham and Moises Tavares to...

  • 2024 / 6 / 3
    State of Play, Summer Games Event Preview, and More!

    The season of big summer announcements has begun! Kat, Nadia, and Eric discuss the RPG offerings Sony has revealed in the latest State of Play. What do PlayStation-playing RPG-lovers have to look forward to...

  • 2024 / 5 / 27
    Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Review w/ Logan Plant

    The Mario RPG remakes continue with a Gamecube classic and Kat, Nadia, and special guest Logan Plant are here to talk about it. Does the brilliant script hold up? Is the combat and progression still as...

  • 2024 / 5 / 20
    Mailbag! Why Persona 5 Got Mad Popular in the West, and Does Kiryu Make Sweet Love?

    It's letter tiiime, it's letter tiiime!~ Axe of the Blood God's May mailbag is here, and it is loaded with some excellent questions from our listeners. The topics of discussion are, but not limited to: What...

  • 2024 / 5 / 13
    We're Very Worried About Xbox RPGs Now

    Capitalism continues to function as intended with the closure of several studios by Microsoft. What's the future of Game Pass? What will RPGs on Microsoft platforms look like going forward? And how many lives...

  • 2024 / 5 / 6
    Can Square Enix Be Saved and Does It Need Saving?

    A slew of un-announced titles from Square Enix have just been skewered by the masamune in a grand restructuring. In the wake of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's sales, where does our beloved JRPG machine go from...

  • 2024 / 4 / 29
    Fallout 4 Mini-Pantheon, Metaphor GOTY '24?

    Let's re-litigate like it 2015! Does Fallout 4 deserve the hate that it gets in certain circles? With the current-gen update and the TV series bringing Fore-out back to the Fall-front it's time for Kat and...

  • 2024 / 4 / 22
    Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Review w/ Lucas White

    When you consider inflation that's really only gonna get you as far as seventy-ish heroes. Either way the spiritual successor of Suikoden has arrived! Is it worth the wait? Did they manage to fit all them...

  • 2024 / 4 / 15
    Is The Fallout TV Show Any Good?

    Did you know Walton Goggins has his own distillery? You can buy Walton Goggins-branded gin if you want. And if you, like me, happily embrace any opportunity to see beloved character-actor Walton Goggins on...

  • 2024 / 4 / 8
    RPGs and Fighting Games w/ Mitchell Saltzman and Brenden Groom

    They share more than just fireballs! Kat and Eric are joined by special guests Brenden Groom and Mitchell Saltzman to discuss why these are two genres that taste great together! What fighting games would make...

  • 2024 / 4 / 1
    Dragon's Dogma 2 Review w/ Jesse Vitelli

    Hope you like car wrecks because this week's episode of Axe of the Blood God is hosted by Nadia Oxford. With Kat Bailey out on another cigarette run and Eric's vocal cords being shredded apart by PAX Pox,...

  • 2024 / 3 / 26
    Retronauts X AotBG: Toriyama’s Legacy, Dragon’s Dogma, No Baldur’s Gate 4, and the 90s

    What is this, a crossover episode?! Our old pals Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert of Retronauts, Talking Simpsons, and What A Cartoon fame stop by the Blood God studios to offer their animation history expertise...

  • 2024 / 3 / 19
    Unicorn Overlord Review, FF7 Rebirth Dating, And More

    Vanillaware has done it again; defying conventional wisdom, they've gifted us the most Sega Saturn game we've seen in ages. Emerging from an alternate universe where Ogre Battle was revered as much as it's...

  • 2024 / 3 / 11
    Paying Tribute to Akira Toriyama, Unicorn Overlord, and More

    Akira Toriyama died on March 1, leaving behind a legacy that includes Dragon Ball, Dragon Quest, and an incredible impact on both games and anime. With Eric out, Kat and Nadia are joined by Victor Hunter and...

  • 2024 / 3 / 4
    Does Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Have the Best Characters in the Series? Plus: Layoffs, Balatro, and More

    If you're going to mosey you might as well mosey with the best. The cast of Final Fantasy 7 has always been a fan favourite; does Rebirth give these characters more room to breathe or just a lot of filler?...

  • 2024 / 2 / 26
    Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Review w/ Nick Limon

    It's the spoiler-free Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Spectacular! The panel has had plenty of time with Rebirth, or as I like to call it "Final Fantasy VII-3". Does it improve upon Remake? Does it stand on it's...

  • 2024 / 2 / 19
    Xbox Business Update, Tribute to Suikoden's Creator, and the RPGs That Make Us Go Sicko Mode

    It's letter tiiiiime, it's letter time!! It's everyone's favourite time of year; Letter Time! Join Kat, Nadia, and Eric as they tackle some hard-hitting questions like "what's your favourite juice?" If you'd...

  • 2024 / 2 / 12
    Why Making a Great RPG Romance Is Harder Than Ever

    Love is in the air; as long as the project roadmap has made allowances for it in the overall budget! Kat, Nadia, and Eric talk about the best and worst relationships in RPGs. How do you write a natural...

  • 2024 / 2 / 5
    How Did Persona Get So Big, Persona 3 Reload Impressions, State of Play, and More w/ Kenneth Shepard

    The Three Musketeers, 3 Ninjas, Persona 3. Just a few examples of franchises that began with 3. And here to celebrate the remake, Persona 3 Reload, are Kat, Nadia, Eric, and special guest Kenneth Shepard!...

  • 2024 / 1 / 29
    Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth Review w/ Jesse Vitelli

    Canadian chart-topping darlings BNL once said "If I had a million dollars I'd buy you a house." Unfortunately with inflation being the way it is a million dollars can hardly get you a downpayment anymore. No...

  • 2024 / 1 / 22
    Game Developer Quest: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio w/ Michael Higham

    You down with RGG? Yeah, you know me! From Super Monkey Ball to Infinite Wealth, our prestigious panel covers the history and key players of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Eric, Nadia, and special guest Michael Higham...

  • 2024 / 1 / 15
    Ranking the Top 5 RPG Studios 2024 w/ Ethan Gach

    2024's RPG landscape is already being defined by a handful of big titles. But those games aren't made in a vaccuum. They're made by people! People who work at studios! And those studios have names. Listen as...