Achievement Hunting 101

Level 293 - 3.14 to Proulxma

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08, Proulx

This Week's Discussion - Have you ever bought and sat on a game only to see it come to GP before you even started it? Does a purchased game coming to GP change your enjoyment/value of it? Let us know so we can thank you for your service. - KooshMoose

Show Discussion: I hope you like pie as much as we do. What's your favorite kind of pie? These are the type of questions you ask as you go over the TA March Targets and it gets close to March 14! Koosh found an interesting looking point and click game, but where are those darn papers? wildwest played a polarizing sequel. Some like it, and others think it bites. Ell played an easy 1K game with an interesting black and white and red all over aesthetic. Proulx played a Super Smash Bros clone. You'd think this would make him happy, but the achievements are annoying and too difficult for a grown man who is just used to button mashing in a child's game like Smash Bros that is strictly luck based.

Games Mentioned:

• Koosh - The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo
• wildwest08 - Dead Island 2
• Big Ell - Mangavania
• Proulx - Brawlout (NOT Brawlhalla)

Game Passible - 
Fream and Koosh return with your May Game Pass leavings predictions. Check out Game Passible to get the most gamerscore from your Game Pass subscription. (1:47:11)

Year(s) of the Veiner Update - xNeo21x drops in to give another Metroidvania update. (2:20:54)

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 292 - A Collection of Confabulated Collections

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08, Skeptical Mario

This Week's Discussion - We have a Tomb Raider collection recently released and Stars Wars Battlefront is coming soon. What other collections would you like to see come out?

Show Discussion: We had a special guest this week. Skeptical Mario and his love for Metroidvanias joined us as he reviewed...a game that is not a Metroidvania. Brotato was such an important game in the life of Mario that he decided to play its predecessor. Nate played a cute little puzzler with a witch protagonist. You solve cozy dioramic puzzles! FUN! wildwest once again broke out a Backwards Compatible Xbox 360 Title, as he played the DLC to a popular game that might one day be included in...a collection!

Games Mentioned:

• Koosh - Harmony’s Odyssey
• wildwest08 - Fable III - Traitor’s Keep DLC
• Skeptical Mario - Space Gladiators

NeverEnding Stories - A new voice joins Chewie in another NeverEnding Stories to talk about their attempt to reignite their love for a classic series by playing the game that burnt it to the ground. (1:21:31)

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 291 - A Little to the Left Didn't Leave Koosh Bereft

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, rawkerdude

This Week's Discussion - With rumors that Microsoft is developing a handheld gaming device we want to know if you would be interested in buying one? What features would you like to see? - wildwest08

Show Discussion: Panelist wildwest took a must needed birthday break off. rawkerdude was up to the task to take his precious spot, and immediately provided commentary on the intro to his new favorite game, Strong Moon. https://youtu.be/o1BT5VCWZOs (Warning. NSFW!) Ell complained about Marvel Ultimate Alliance. It won't be the last time. Koosh took in some new Game Pass hotness. Little rawker: The Games Master then gave Koosh and Ell a surprise! Listen to the ENTIRE episode please!

Ranking of Rats - Approximately six years ago the achievement gods sent down from on high a rat. This rat was to be called Ratalaika and it was bountiful. It flourished in all ways Gamerscore and served up over 250 samplings for achievement hunters to partake in. Waka and Elroy have sipped, nay I say indulged in the bountiful harvest of Ratalaika and get together to reflect on which five offerings left the best taste in their respective mouths, occasionally tasting like Bone Marrow oddly enough. It is top 5 Ratalaika titles as regaled by Waka and Elroy. (1:39:36)

Games Mentioned:

• Koosh - A Little to the Left
• rawker - Bravery and Greed

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 290 - Roses Are Red, Gaming is Fun, Enjoy This Episode of AH101!

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08, Matrarch

This Week's Discussion - We need to get a Valentine's Day for our SO. Can you help us write a gaming themed card? We'll give a prize to the one we like the best. Here's an example: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, There's a new Tomb Raider coming out, And she's still uglier than you.

Show Discussion: We first discuss the new Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. It has a WHOPPING 269 achievements and an unusual 4,290 Gamerscore! Why? Because reasons. 3 of the 4 panelists discuss Backwards Compatible Xbox 360 games. The love for that good old console is real! Ell is still in the middle of games and not actually completing them. M FINALLY discovered what we've been saying on the podcast for years, that Hades is one of the best games ever! wildwest08 played some Dragon Age II. He loves him some long, old Western RPGs! But we get mad at him for a game he has NEVER played. Listen to find out what game that is! Koosh played a new veiner....limbolike game Puzzle Platformer. I wonder if he liked it.

Games Mentioned:

• Ell - Ravenlok Ell - Assassin's With Arms Wide Open
• Matrarch - Orange Box
• Matrarch - Hades
• wildwest - Dragon Age II
• Koosh - Airhead
• Freamwhole - Loop Hero

Dramatic Sonnet Reading - Poem by Skeptical Mario. Narrated by ChewieOnIce. Music by Auri Forda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HTjyOHReSk (16:15)

Game Passible - Fream and Koosh return with your April Game Pass leavings predictions. Check out Game Passible to get the most gamerscore from your Game Pass subscription. (1:54:53)

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 289 - Nunu World Order

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08

This Week's Discussion - Speaking of exclusives that we won't comment on until after Microsoft's announcement next week, what long dormant exclusives (on any system) do you think are ready for a revival? What needs to be done to modernize them?

Show Discussion - This was the LIVE SHOW! Check it out on Twitch to see video footage of the games we discussed. More Leap(year)frog talk as many chose to go out with the community badge. But many still remain! Who will win and in how many days? Koosh went rogue and bought a new game nobody heard of or bought except for him. It was Nunu to all of us. Biggest of Ells played a newish EAS game worth 3K Gamerscore and another 3K on Windows as if you buy one, you buy both! WHAT A DEAL! Wildwest finished up MLB The Show 23 before it leaves Game Pass. Bring on The Show 24!

Games Mentioned:

• Koosh - Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story
• Big Ell - Lily in Puzzle World
• wildwest - MLB The Show 23

xNeo21x drops in to give the February Metroidvania update. (1:36:45)

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 288 - Dipping Our Brotato in the Water

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08

This Week's Discussion - What features should never be part of a paid DLC because you consider them to be core features? What are good achievements for title updates? Give us some specific examples to discuss!

Show Discussion - There are new contests afoot. Leap(year)frog makes its illustrious return to TA and the new February targets are revealed! Koosh played not one, but TWO brand new Game Pass titles, The Vampire Survivorsesque Brotato and the one with the ball that goes. Ell played an oldie but goodie XBLA title to earn his Backwards Compatible Trophy for January. wildwest also played an oldie but goodie called RAGE but did not RAGE about it, as he actually liked it!

Games Mentioned:

• Koosh - Brotato
• Koosh - Go Mecha Ball
• Big Ell - Comic Jumper
• wildwest - RAGE

Muffed Completions - Join pTartTX and ElroyOMJ who sound like they just got back from an all night bender as they discuss some muffed completions – games they have gotten so close to finished but have fallen short of a completion by a mere achievement. Four games with four different stories, not to be confused with the 4 friends that Elroy apparently doesn’t have. (2:46:00)

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 287 - Indiana Jones and the Turnip of Doom

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08

This Week's Discussion - MachineGames is going to release a first person Indiana Jones game after inspiring third person action games like Tomb Raider and Uncharted. Name a series that changed up their formula drastically that either worked really well or failed fabulously. As always, there's no need to mention Nuts and Bolts or The Crystal Skull... ever.

Show Discussion - We talk a bit about the Xbox Developer Direct featuring Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Visions of Mana, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, and Ara: History Untold. Koosh played the new Turnip Boy game, but it's not quite the same as the original one from a couple of years ago! Ell finally completed his year long group project, and revealed some GTA 5 achievements that will be affected in the near future! wildwest finished off the last game in the Mass Effect franchise!

Games Mentioned:

• Koosh - Turnip Boy Robs a Bank
• Ell - TMNT: Mutants in Manhattan
• wildwest - Mass Effect: Andromeda

NeverEnding Stories - Hurricane Dale's a story starter, twisted story starter. But NeverEnding Stories lit a fire under him to complete another one. Well, technically three. Well actually, technically two. (1:30:09)

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 286 - The Prince of Persia Lost His Crown and Koosh Came Tumbling After

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08

This Week's Discussion - In honor of the snowstorms around the US, we ask the following two part question!
A) Do you have any memories of snow/sick days playing any specific games as a kid?
B) If you had the opportunity today, what games would you play and which achievements would you target?

Show Discussion - Snow. It sucks to have to shovel, but when it's cold outside, it's a great time to crank up the heat and play some video games! Koosh may or may not have bought a month of Ubisoft+ just for one game. Was it worth it? wildwest tricked us with yet more management game talk, but the game(s) he discussed look easy and delightful.  Ell played a very crazy platformer but did he enjoy it? Did he actually complete a game longer than 1 hour? The world may never know. Unless they listen to the show. 

Games Mentioned:

• Koosh - Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
• Big Ell -  Wife Quest
• wildwest - Lost Artifacts 5: Frozen Queen Achievements

NeverEnding Stories - Chewie is joined again by Rawker for a NeverEnding Stories in which they both throw hot takes around about a beloved series like they're going out of fashion. (1:35:53)

Year(s) of the Veiner Update - xNeo21x drops in to give another Metroidvania update. (1:54:33)

 

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 285 - Games To Explore in 2024!

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08

This Week's Discussion - What game or two are you most looking forward to playing in 2024?

Show Discussion - 2024 is off to a great start! We talk about what will make it even better! MOAR GAMES! Koosh is in his happy place as we finally have some Game Pass news to share with all of you! He played a game nobody has ever heard of or played before to celebrate. To the confusion of everybody, Ell got switched with Koosh this week. He played a Game Pass game and a AAA game this week! wildwest played a AAA game in a very popular Sci Fi RPG series! Koosh and Ell didn't understand it.

NeverEnding Stories - Hurricane Dale attempts to prove his honor with another NeverEnding Stories completion. Sadly, he's just too chaotic. (1:36:20)

Games Mentioned:

• Koosh - Fossil Hunters
• Ell - Goat Simulator 3
• Ell - Hogwarts Legacy
• wildwest - Mass Effect: Andromeda

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube

Level 284 - Undie Pressure to Come Up With The Top Games of 2023

This Week's Panel - Big Ell, KooshMoose, wildwest08, rawkerdude

This Week's Question - What are your top 3 favorite games played in 2023? Can be from any year, we want to hear what you enjoyed playing last year.

Show Discussion:
If you don't get the episode title, you MUST watch the clip from the live stream!
https://clips.twitch.tv/CharmingBlueTrayPrimeMe-Snea16htU6yNBSL7

It's the LIVE show! rawkerdude is back to help us discuss our favorite games that we played in 2023. We have had NO new Game Pass news in a long time. We certainly won't get any the day after recording. Not at all. Nate played a random Nate game. (I can leave this here every week.) Ell started up Goat Sim 3! With 4 players, it can't possibly be baaaad. wildwest made a choice, and during his choice, Koosh made the choice to keep ads going on the Youtube. Rawker laughed. A lot. Find the live stream people!

Games Mentioned:

• Kooshmoose - Solar Ash, Wall World
• Big Ell - Goat Simulator 3, Rifftrax
• wildwest - Midway Arcade Origins, Choice of Life: Middle Ages
• Rawker - Dredge

Game Passible
Fream and Koosh return with your March Game Pass leavings predictions. Check out Game Passible to get the most gamerscore from your Game Pass subscription.

AH101 Podcast Show Links - https://tinyurl.com/AH101Links

Year of the Veiner spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VkAvMjmVmXLjRWS61eoMimaoovUz7fr7uPsD6DQPIz4/edit?usp=sharing

Intro music provided by Exe the Hero. Check out his band Window of Opportunity on Facebook and YouTube