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The story of CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 is now much bigger than the game itself. Still, in this episode, Matthew discusses his 70 hours playing the glitchy but nonetheless fascinating game, while Samuel throws questions at him about the game’s best quests and why it’s not a very good immersive sim. In the second half, we discuss the ways in which writing about big games has changed over the years. Note that this episode was recorded before Sony pulled Cyberpunk 2077 from sale on the PlayStation Store - the conversation around this game has changed quickly…

This week’s music is from the game’s soundtrack by Marcin Przybyłowicz, PT Adamczyk and Paul Leonard-Morgan, as well as the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack by Koji Kondo and Mahito Yokota.

Matthew’s reviews

  • Super Mario Galaxy
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Super Mario Galaxy 2
  • Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Samuel’s reviews

  • Grand Theft Auto IV
  • Grand Theft Auto V
  • Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
  • Mass Effect 2

Timestamps

  • 0:20:56 - “I feel like such a dad in that world.” Matthew has to change the car radio to jazz. And removing all the tattoos and piercings in the character creation screen.
  • 0:22:07 - Matthews mortifying childhood flashback of his mum telling the staff in Games Workshop to turn the music down.
  • 0:44:30 - Big Nintendo games were reviewed at Nintendo HQ in Windsor. “The Queen’s there” “I feel about 20% too tall for Windsor” “very big in Windsor”
  • 0:53:31 - Samuel’s happy with his review of Mass Effect 2, also had a great review experience with it. Sent out the code before December break, so took it to his parents house and played it all over Christmas. Though he did show the start to his friend! First 10/10.
  • 1:06:00 - Matthew saying you can buy Super Smash Bros. Brawl just for a soundtrack collection, he downloaded the soundtrack onto his work PC and listened while he worked at NGamer. “I got weirdly into the Sonic stuff”
  • 1:11:02 - Stu Campbell from Amiga Power made a account in NGamer forum to burn a 100 word review of a Metal Slug DS port.
  • 1:12:45 - Matthew’s awkward Nintendo PR moment, on a press trip with them reading NGamer and seeing a review that he gave a kicking to, and seeing them react in real time.