iCringe: Australian Gamer, Eurogamer, Stage Clear and Today in the Past

As offered, teased, nay, promised; iCringe is here again for another set of podcast reviews for your leisurely Saturday reading pleasure. I’ve still got a plethora of podcasts to get through before the well runneth dry and this week’s batch is a nice selection.

Feel free to holler back at me if I voice a dissenting opinion, this is after all, the Internet. On thinly related side-note, I’ve given up all forms of social networking, so aside from ye olde electronic mail or comment below you’d be hard pressed to reach me these days. Hopefully this turn of events will provide you, the frequent and loyal Nukezilla reader, with a regular source of audio critiques penned by yours truly. Fingers crossed!

Australian Gamer Podcast – May 13th 2010

Matt and Yug are a couple of blokes you may recognize from their mega-hit television show Game Damage.

Okay, stop laughing or I won’t continue the podcast review.

Seriously though, I’ve listened to a half dozen of these shows and am hard pressed to come to any critical decision on the show’s quality. Thankfully, they follow the genius route of keeping their weekly show to a half an hour. This week there’s a discussion of the Australian government’s recent developments surrounding the formerly controversial R18+ games rating. Beware of an uber-gaffe towards the end of the show where neither host can accurately describe Blur and one compares it to a sim-style racer. Oops!

Honestly, you can do better than this show for quality gaming content, but the short run-time and mostly regular release schedule are definite pluses. These two combine with roommate Yahtzee (Zero Punctuation) to form Australia’s version of Voltron. You can tell the success of their newly opened Mana Bar has stretched them thin. I suppose it’s the price of success and fame.

Eurogamer Podcast – Episode 18

Give this show a regular listen and you will quickly come to the same conclusion: If Ellie Gibson is in attendance, the show will be solid-gold magic. Sadly, this week is not a whimsical fairy tale of a show. However, there are still lots of laughs and good humor you’ll enjoy. Clearly, these folks are some of the most level-headed and intelligent in the mainstream games reporting biz. This week’s special guests are a trio of indie developers from Honeyslug who add a nice honest perspective as devs and game fans alike.

Last week’s show was a real clunker caused mainly by a dull special guest. Keep in mind that while the EG staff sometimes try to include industry guests, not every personality that makes up gaming’s professional community can develop gripping topics of conversation. Give this show a listen, preferably not on one of Ellie’s off weeks and you’ll find a well manicured field of hilarity and hot topic chatter.

Stage Clear – Season 2, Episode 14

Live podcasts are almost always end up a complete wash. This week’s show was recorded during a Stage Clear panel at Minami Con. While there is a video version of this episode available, I listened to the mp3 audio formatted version during a long car ride. The audio is horrendous. Unfortunately, the content of the show was superb and is worth fighting with your eardrums to get through the 60+ minutes of constant whining line noise and suffering.

If Stage Clear is something new for you, keep their slogan in mind, “Love video games, hate gamers.” Rob’s an Internet famous Japanophile and Perrin is a self described lazy indie developer who swims in undeserved pools of cash. After I heard my first few shows, I went back and listened to each one starting at #1. I can’t recommend this show highly enough, although they revel in trashing gaming’s vocal minority of whiners. You may disagree with their opinions from time to time, but they sure do make for an entertaining show.

Today in the Past – May 14th, 2010

If you listen to podcasts on a regular basis (ah-hem!) then you develop a wide palate of tastes. Today in the Past is the audio equivalent of brushing your teeth with caviar. Each day you receive a micro-cast, often less than one minute, offering only the most essential historical of facts and analysis unparalleled in the world of free content.

The show’s available on iTunes and (Shock-Horror!) the Zune Marketplace. Try this one out for a week. If you’re not satisfied with the show’s off-kilter topics and dry delivery from Mr. PC, send in for a complete refund. The rest of you, meet me in Richmond Virginia on October 16th 1981. There we will revel in the pagan rituals and sacrifice that will bring about the end of days. “REMEMBER MILWAUKEE-EE-EE!!!”