Series by Singing Brakeman documenting and discussing esteemed franchises in video games
Welcome back to Franchise Festival, a fortnightly column where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades. Older entries can be found in the archive here. This week we’ll be parsing the history of Zork. … Continue reading Franchise Festival #108 – Zork
My Franchise Festival co-host Hamilton and I recently had the opportunity to interview Nadia and David Oxford about their new book, Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter’s Field Guide. It’s the definitive encyclopedia of the Mega Man X franchise’s extensive character … Continue reading Interview: Nadia and David Oxford – Mega Man X: The Maverick Hunter’s Field Guide
Let’s discuss Resident Evil 3: Nemesis! What are your favorite moments, monsters, and more? In this month’s Franchise Episode podcast episode – embedded below and available on your preferred podcast app – the crew and special guest SuperNamu discuss Resident … Continue reading Resident Evil 3: Nemesis – Discussion and Podcast
Welcome back to Franchise Festival, a fortnightly column where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades. Older entries can be found in the archive here. This week we’ll be swinging our way through Spider-Man’s … Continue reading Franchise Festival #107: Spider-Man (3D)
Welcome back to Franchise Festival, a fortnightly column where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades. Older entries can be found in the archive here. This week we’ll be swinging our way through Spider-Man’s tangled … Continue reading Franchise Festival #106: Spider-Man (2D)
Let’s discuss Resident Evil 2! What are your favorite moments, monsters, and more? In this month’s Franchise Episode podcast episode – embedded below and available on your preferred podcast app – the hosts discuss the development, gameplay, and story of … Continue reading Game Discussion and Podcast: Resident Evil 2 (1998)
Welcome back to Franchise Festival, a fortnightly column where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades. Older entries can be found in the archive here. This week we’ll be carefully inspecting Shenmue. Cover art … Continue reading Franchise Festival #105: Shenmue
Welcome back to Franchise Festival, a fortnightly column where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades. Older entries can be found in the archive here. This week we’ll be grinding our way along Tony … Continue reading Franchise Festival #104: Tony Hawk
Christian, Hamilton, and Spencer explore the development, gameplay, monsters, and story of Capcom’s Resident Evil (1996). The Franchise Festival crew also surveys a selection of earlier genre titles and later console ports, confirming the historical significance of Shinji Mikami’s survival … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast S2E1: Resident Evil
Welcome back to Franchise Festival, a fortnightly column where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades. Older entries can be found in the archive here. This week we’ll immerse ourselves in the history of … Continue reading Franchise Festival #103: Thief
Welcome back to Franchise Festival, a fortnightly column where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades. Older entries can be found in the archive here. This week we’ll cover the history of Mario & … Continue reading Franchise Festival #102: Mario & Luigi
The Franchise Festival crew explores the development, gameplay, and plot of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020). Chris, Jasmine, and Spencer discuss their favorite characters and speculate on why this game falls short of its 2014 predecessor. Listen on your … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast S1E22 – Age of Calamity (Game Discussion)
Welcome back to Franchise Festival, a fortnightly column where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades. Older entries can be found in the archive here. This week we’ll unfold the history of Paper Mario. … Continue reading Franchise Festival #101: Paper Mario
The Franchise Festival crew discusses the story, sidequests, and cut content of Breath of the Wild in the second of two episodes on Nintendo’s legendary 2017 release. Chris and Jasmine share their love of Kass while Hamilton and Spencer debate … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast S1E21 – Breath of the Wild Part 2 (Game Discussion)
The Franchise Festival crew discusses the development, gameplay, and enemies of Breath of the Wild in the first of two episodes on Nintendo’s legendary 2017 release. Chris, Jasmine, Spencer, and Hamilton discover that they have very different opinions on silent … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast S1E20 – Breath of the Wild Part 1 (Game Discussion)
The Franchise Festival crew discusses 2014 beat-’em-up Hyrule Warriors. Chris dives into the history of the Dynasty Warriors / Musou series more generally, along with the serendipity of Hyrule Warriors‘ creation, while Hamilton explains ‘Musou fatigue’ and Jasmine details the … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast S1E19 – Hyrule Warriors (Game Discussion)
Christian, Hamilton, Jasmine, and Spencer explore the development, gameplay, plot, and localization of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Triforce Heroes. Then they debate the relative merits of building on a bonafide 2D classic and the travails … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast S1E18 – A Link Between Worlds and Triforce Heroes (Discussion)
Christian, Jasmine, and Spencer explore the story, dungeons, and bosses of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Nintendo’s crisis of confidence in the late 2000s and Skyward Sword‘s connections to From Software level design are discussed. The crew confesses its … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast Season 1 Episode 17 – Skyward Sword Part 2 (Discussion)
Christian, Jasmine, and Spencer cover the development history, gameplay mechanics, minigames, localization, and cut content of Skyward Sword (2011). This game’s unique status as the intersection between portable and home console series entries is discussed. The crew mourns Zelda‘s lost … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast Season 1 Episode 16 – Skyward Sword Part 1 (Discussion)
Hello folks! The Franchise Festival column is still on break until January 2021, but I would like to hear your requests for future article topics. I think we did this once back around Franchise Festival #50 and I haven’t covered … Continue reading Franchise Festival Wants To Hear Your Article Ideas!
Christian, Hamilton, and new full-time co-host Jasmine go in-depth with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. The crew covers this controversial Nintendo DS game’s development history, gameplay, and cut content. Zelda‘s silliest species – the Lokomo – is revealed. Today … Continue reading Franchise Festival Podcast – Season 1 Episode 15: Spirit Tracks (Discussion)
