We talk about some controversies in the gaming community that have been both burning for a while and just lit recently. In other news, Mike revisits an old, unplayed game after actually playing it, Josh continues to waylay fools in FFXIV, and Charles connects the Dots and is also Super. Hot. This week's podcast is brought to you by iOS7, ninjas, and R(ub)2W(in) technology. Unrolled D20s: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Send us your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email. Show notes: Games Dots (iOS | Android) SuperHot News Hot 97, Mr. Cee, Ebro Darden Video Penny Arcade Celebrity D&D game with Patrick Rothfuss Music Elvis Costello and The Roots - Wise Up Ghost Ylvis - Stonehenge

Our late Summer break is over and we're back with a podcast show of audio content digitally rendered for your enjoyment. Both Chaz and Mike went on trips recently and tell you all about them. Also, lots of media and industry news are present, discussed, and concluded upon. You know, just like you like it. Avenues to the void: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Send us your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email. Show notes: Games Gyro (Android) Final Fantasy: A Realm Reborn River City Ransom: Underground (Kickstarter) Music Lake Street Dive Video In A World The World's End Don't Stop Believin: Everyman's Journey Words Spin - Robert Charles Wilson Acadia - James Erwin Manna - Marshal Brain Misc covermesongs.com Bionym Nymi Unified Music Media Keys

Unlike last time, no board games are mentioned this week on the podcast. However, we fill the airtime with plenty of speech upon things such as movies, TV, video games, and tech news. And since you never know what we're going to talk about, then it's basically like a rogue-like every time, randomly dungerated for your listening pleasure. Thankfully, unlike a rogue-like, you are not destined to perish by podcast's end. Enjoy! Pathways to doom: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Send us your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email.

There is a whole world of games outside of the video realm. Board and card games have been around much longer than their digital brethren, and friend of the show Jawn knows this well. He visited The Escort Mission recently and brought a bunch of them to try out, and try them out we did. Before that discussion, however, Chaz speaks on a cool rogue-"lite" game, Mike briefs us on his recent visit to Disneyland and California Adventure, and Josh reports on some Xbox One news he gained from Comic-Con. Suits of color: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Send us your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email. Show notes: Through the Ages Guildhall Love Letter Hanabi Tzolk'in Nexus Ops Uchronia Rock me Archimedes R-eco Bonanza Shadow Hunters Abandon Ship Corporate America

Whether you perceive or accept it as a round number or not, fifty episodes is a sizable amount of episodes in our book. Thank you to all who have stuck around with us to this momentous occasion. For your troubles, we give you deep discussion on the mathematical properties of "roundness", obscure forest arrow battles between famous celebrities, a non-discussion about a recent DLC, and all the rest of the things that happened that escape the poster's mind right now. It's a slimmer-than-usual ~90 minute discussion, as well, so get comfortable, turn up the volume, and dive in. Starbursted cheeks: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Send us your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email.

Have you ever put on a jacket in an interesting way? What about mounting a chair instead of gamely sitting in it like a normal person? We've wondered about these things, and much more, on this week's episode of The Escort Mission Podcast. Join us as we go unto the fray. Banal things done extraordinarily: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Send us your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email. Show notes: Games Hotline Miami Pivvot Apoc Wars Aquaria Final Fantasy: A Realm Reborn The Last of Us Words The Postmortal - Drew Magary Lexicon - Mark Barry The Architecture of Happiness - Alain de Botton Music National Broadcast Network - 7 Billion Volts Video Mark Blythe - Austerity Google talk Stolen Seas Free the Mind Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn Horrible Bosses Misc Riker Sits Down The West Wing Jacket Flip

After a week break, The Escort Mission has once again returned with another lively council on the recent past's comings and goings. It's yet another remote episode as we pack the portable audio recorder (so, mind the quality) and hang together outside the studio. Activities included, but were not limited to, checking out a new board game, Kickstarted almost a year ago, that recently shipped. Our main topic, however, is a lengthy breakdown of the upcoming AAA consoles, the Xbone and Playstellogram 4. We piece together some of the controversies surrounding E3, and go over specs and game exclusives, just for you. Cuz we like you. Software installation wizards: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Send us your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email. Show notes: Misc Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse Jony Ive Redesigns Things Games Quadropus Rampage Antichamber Hotline Miami Organ Trail Thomas Was Alone Words Women in Cinema Music Lou Johnson - Always Something There to Remind me Johnny Cash - Best Of Composer Quest - Conversation Video Easier Said Than Done - Trailer Bobby Fischer Against the World Kasparov v. Karpov, Lyon, 1990 Much Ado About Nothing

This week's lively discussion of all things cool that we three deign worthy of scuttlebutting are marked by various things: their cheapness, their goodness, their proximity to the beach, the side of the tracks in which they reside, and their ability to provide fresh Sculpin on tap. If nothing else, we can guarantee the aforementioned list items as attributes to all topics bandied about in the following podcast, laid bare in all their raw, naked emotional honesty before you. Feel free to be swept away, if the moment takes you. Leftover scrvples: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Send us your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email. Show notes: Josh's crazy movie list to follow... News Podcast Patent Troll Zynga Firings Deus Ex: The Fall Mirror's Edge 2 The Swapper Games Gods Will be Watching Fantasia: Music Evolved Words The Postmortal - Drew Magary Music The Eagles of Death Metal Chvrches Noxious Foxes Washed Out - Feel it All Around Video Family Tree Portlandia Misc Composer Quest

Two special guests join us this week -- one isn't even in the room! -- to discuss their experiences with some recent hot technology we all wish we had first-hand experience using. The Escort Mission will have to settle for second-hand for now. Regardless, our discussion of media, games, and news continues unabated, so join us as another podcast enters your consciousness and takes over your brain space for a couple hours. Dimensions: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 01:58:07 Misc Oculus Rift VR Headset Google Glass Games GeoGuessr Lego City Undercover Video Ryokou - Keirin cycling documentary Tropes v. Women Words Amped - Daniel H. Wilson

This week on the illustrious collection of audio bits known only as The Escort Mission, the trio of Mike, Josh, and Chaz impart language upon your ears. There are video games, movies, music, books, and a major console release to get all up ins, so grab the latest episode, however you go about doing that, and hunker down. It's gonna be a pleasant ride. Four gigabytes: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 02:28:11 Games Jones on Fire Mosaique (Android | iOS) Monaco Battleblock Theater The Impossible Road Hook Champ Audio Northern Kings - Take On Me Brassft Punk Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Video Upstream Color YouTube Channels Devin Supertramp Jean Baptiste Chandelier Drive FZDSCHOOL Vice Daft Punk - Interstella 5555 The Town Where the Wild Things Are No Country for Old Men Burn After Reading Charge Words Robopocalypse - Daniel H. Wilson Amped - Daniel H. Wilson Misc reddit.com/r/contagiouslaughter

What do baked goods and crowd-sourced creative projects have to do with each other? They're both, uh, delicious. Along with such delectable selections, The Escort Mission brings you our time-honored and proven combination of wit and wizardry as we dish about the tough topics, like what games we played, what movies we saw, and what Internet blog articles we decided to read recently. Serves four: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 01:54:39 Games Framed (Upcomming) Punchquest (iOS | Android) Tomb Raider Rymdkapsel (PSV) TEM Games for Adults list (There are a lot of these, so you'll just have to click the Amazon link and search by your lonesome. A man's only got so much lunch break.) Portal & Portal 2 The Sims Professor Leighton Hotel Dusk Ilo Milo Puzzle Agent Any Lego Game Stacking Audio Fitz & The Tantrums - More Than Just a Dream (New Stuff) Fitz & The Tantrums - Picking Up the Pieces (Older Stuff) Jim Guthrie - Takes Time Video Fallon/Krasinski Lip-Sync-Off Philosophy of music design in games Silver Linings Playbook The Descendants Words The Prophets of Oak Ridge (Washington Post) Misc Audiobus (iOS)

Josh returns from his European extravaganza to give us all the low down on his worldly travels to start off this week's episode of TEM. The usual round of media, games, and new discussion continues like always, what with all that stuff that is occurring right now that is worth talking about. Also, we answer some fan mail with an intriguing question that may not have a straightforward answer. Also, werewolfism. Ancient ruins: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 02:04:20 Games The Republia Times (Browser) Bioshock Infinite Ridiculous Fishing (iOS) Badland (iOS) Guacamelee (PSN) Drop by Notch (Browser) Misc Microsoft IllumiRoom Pamukkale, Turkey Mars One Project Video Mythbusters Maron Mad Men Hemlock Grove Defiance Game of Thrones Words Brainiac - Ken Jennings

Do you ever have a thought inside your head, and it tells you to do something, but you just kind of ignore it? Well, if the thought is "listen to the latest TEM podcast episode", we implore you to actually follow through this time! Josh is out this time, but Justin and Robyn more than ably fill in for him. We explore a new feature called "Picture in Picture" on the show this week, as well as the usual good times discussing movies, music, games, and other things that are so gosh darned interesting. Neural pathways: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 01:55:00 Games Bioshock Infinite Ridiculous Fishing (iOS) Badland (iOS) The Simpsons: Tapped Out (iOS) Perspective (Windows) Arena.xlsm Blendoku (iOS) Wonderputt (iOS) Misc Gizoogle.net Audio Fez Side F - Disasterpeace Video Luther Oblivion Call the Midwife Mad Men Butter Jiro Dreams of Sushi The Perks of Being a Wallflower Resurrect Dead Olympus has Fallen Words A Memory of Light - Brandon Sanderson Ridiculous Fishing & Game Cloning | polygon.com What are you Laughing at? - Dan O'Shannon The Road to Mars - Eric Idle

Hello to all and welcome! It's business as usual as we go back to the normal joyous banter between Mike, Josh, and Chaz this week. Allow us to discuss music, movies, tech stuff, games, and the issue of both jank and core in the industry. Yes, we do love the smell of jank in the morning. Thank you for asking. Questionable, yet foundational, options: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 01:38:33 Games Pixel Kingdom (Android) Tomb Raider Antichamber Bioshock Infinite The Bridge Defiance Misc RakiRaki ramen Declassified LBJ, Nixon war crimes tapes Pogo Plug Video Day9 HOTS playthrough Zero Dark Thirty Hurt Locker Argo Inglorious Basterds The Fighter The Fantastic Mr Fox Watchmen Megamind Doctor Who Audio Calculus math-rock playlist Jamie Liddell (self titled)

Lest ye think we had forgotten, lo! A special edition of The Escort Mission Podcast is here to crown the best game of the two thousandth twelfth year. Join us as we quickly lay down reasons why our favorite games are so awesome and why you should play them. Then, a bloody grudge match is waged between the members of TEM as we decide who is best and who gets left in the dust. Links of the year: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 00:32:23 The Contenders: Dishonored DJ Max Technika Tune FEZ Final Fantasy Theatrhythm Forza Horizon FTL: Faster Than Light Guild Wars 2 Journey Knytt Underground Mark of the Ninja Mass Effect 3 Sleeping Dogs The Walking Dead XCOM Enemy Unknown Super Hexagon Botanicula Hotline Miami To the Moon Ragnarok Odyssey

Casting pods, coming your way, yet again! The Escort Mission discusses things going in its life this week, which I don't think anyone everyone saw coming. Among muchas otras cosas, Jonathan Blow's love for Starseed Pilgrim is investigated, an ABC Family show prompts some deaf culture conversation, a few more movie reviews are added to the pile, and we check in on some of Kickstarter's latest funds. Yes, topics such as these, and more!, are bantered about in less than a smooth hour and fifty minutes, all compressed via Motion Pictures Experts Group, Audio Layer 3. Musical gardens: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 01:49:37 Games Tomb Raider Pixel Kingdom Knytt Underground Starseed Pilgrim Blur Indigo Prophecy Words A Memory of Light - Brandon Sanderson Alif the Unseen - G. Willow Wilson Misc Kickstarter shoes: Project Piola Thumbs & Ammo One Tiny Hand Coursera Music Production Video Flash v. Life "take control" Starcraft 2 game Forks Over Knives Fat Sick and Nearly Dead Wreck it Ralph What the Future Sounded Like Switched at Birth Up in the Air Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Midnight in Paris Crimes and Misdemeanors Sound and Fury Audio David Byrne & St. Vincent - I Should Watch TV

Another (couple) week(s), another podcast episode from The Escort Mission. It is here! Friend of the show Dave, and iOS game developer, joins us in our roundtable this time. TressFX is new and different and awesome, and the recently released Tomb Raider employs it on the PC. Chaz and Josh checked it out and give us their thoughts. We also discuss the SimCity debacle, taking massively open online courses, a few recent women in tech issues, and a bunch more movies to check out. This, and many other things, await you on this week's TEM podcast. Follicles of distraction: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 01:57:50 Games Tomb Raider Android Humble Bundle Crokinole Adrift (iOS) Arranger (iOS) The Silent Age (iOS) Words The Mirage - Matt Ruff Alif the Unseen - G. Willow Wilson Lean In - Cheryl Sandberg Going Clear - Lawrence Wright Misc Railsbridge Coursera Music Production Pocket Casts (iOS|Android) Russel Brand Westboro Interview Video Penny Arcade Strip Search Silver Linings Playbook 127 Hours Black Swan Never Let Me Go Hugo The Master Children of Men Aziz Ansari: Dangerously Delicious Audio This Town Needs Guns - 13.0.0.0.0 Safety Not Guaranteed

This week sees TEM finally going over our collective decisions made in the recent Walking Dead episodic adventure. We go through each chapter, giving our thoughts on the tough moral and ethical dilemmas this amazing game pits you against constantly. Our friend Justin joins us on the 'cast this week to lend his experiences in guiding Lee through a zombie nightmare. In general news, the PS4 has been revealed, Josh watched some more movies, Mike played a creepy game, Chaz talks about splicing, and Justin brings some sports gaming flavor to the room. Easily-conquerable ethical quandaries: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 03:15:08 Games Splice The Walking Dead Kentucky Route Zero MLB The Show Lego Lord of the Rings Year Walk (iOS) Misc Walken on the Tooth Fairy Video Primer The Queen of Versailles TPB AFK Snitch Luther Safety Not Guaranteed The Conspirator In The Loop Taken Taken 2 Bully Audio Steve Earle - The Galway Girl Words The Mirage - Matt Ruff

We are back! After being gone for a couple weeks. Again. And man do we really get into the talking about stuff that we experienced lately! For a goodly amount of time, even. Going around the horn: Josh watched a "few" movies lately, and tells us about them. Chaz brings several tech news tidbits to the table in which to mull over. Mike geeks out on some new iOS apps, a new band, and the Wii U. Plus, we have a mailbag section again, which is always nice. As always, thanks for listening and sending your feedback. Pathways to enlightenment: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 02:44:08 Games Faster Than Light (Win, Mac, Linux) Puzzle Prism (Android) Nun Attack (Android) Shapes and Sound (Android) The Walking Dead Minecraft Ingress (Android) Super Hexagon (iOS|Android) Dixit Lego Lord of the Rings WiiU Galaxy on Fire 2 HD (iOS) Misc Minecraft Westeros Vine (iOS|Android) Vinepeek Moves Video Sound City Moneyball Flight The Perks of Being a Wallflower 21 Jump Street Our general amazon link for one of the frickin' 40 other movies Josh mentioned. Friday Night Lights The IT Crowd Bob's Burgers Audio International Space Station song The National Broadcast Network Words Fool - Christopher Moore Netflix Big Data

We toss aside our joysticks and keyboards this week to go back to our early gaming roots. Jon Cox, a good friend from the Bay Area, came down last weekend to hang out and he brought with him many majestic bounties (otherwise known as a buttload of board games). He joins us on the podcast to talk about said games, the likes of which he has a profound and beautiful love for. Communication Tokens: iTunes Download the MP3 RSS Subscribe to the RSS by email Something to say? Hit us with your quemments via Facebook, Twitter (@escortmission), Google+, or email (mail[at]theescortmission[dot]com). Show notes: Duration: 01:32:11 Board Games Alien Frontiers Cavemen: The Quest for Fire Chicken Caesar Crokinole Dixit Hansa Teutonica King of Tokyo Libertalia Munchkin Smash Up Suburbia Twilight Struggle Movies/TV House of Cards Moon Rivers and Tides