The music intensifies as all other sound becomes a damp whisper. A single gunshot is fired and a beloved character slowly falls to the ground while their comrades yell out in shock. What an emotional scene! Or at least, it would be if it weren’t for the fact that the character in question already received about a thousand bullet wounds earlier in a gameplay segment.

This is a problem that plagues many gaming narratives. Story is often governed by a very different set of rules than gameplay, resulting in some very awkward and even comical moments in what should be distressing scenes. Because of the interactive nature of games, it’s difficult to avoid these pitfalls. Yet, some games manage to handle it a cut above the rest.

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When you inevitably get stuck on the master of all difficult game’s games, just give him a ring and he will be right there to help you solve those game tapes! ($2.99 for the first minute, $1.99 for each additional minute).

If you like SHMUP’s, then strap in. Even without an official “SHMUP Chat” segment, this episode is packed with more SHMUP’s than you can handle. Boxcellios II, Silpheed: The Lost Planet, and Shmusicup. Jonah even gets in on the action since he was able to give Acceleration of SUGURI X-Edition a try.

Not a SHMUP fan, or don’t even know what the crap I’m talking about? Fear not! Jesse also gives us the scoop on Fast Racing League while Jonah talks about his further adventures in Valkyria Chronicles and Mighty Milky Way. Adam has given into the craziness of Just Cause 2 while Adam 2 explains Farbs’ latest, Captain Jameson (still in Alpha).

As usual, the guys also talk about the week’s new releases and the news, but this week we also talk a little about what we are/were hoping to see from this year’s E3 (SPOILER: it’s not much). So sit back with your favorite drink, relax, and enjoy this extra long, extra action packed one-hundred and nineteenth episode of “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast”. Operators are standing by!

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On a very emotional episode of the Barrel Roll Podshow, the guys discover that the band Chicago is too powerful to include in a rhythm game without reducing the player to a blubbering mess of tears and regret.

After two and a half years of Jesse praising Valkyria Chronicles, Jonah has finally given the game a chance. As it turns out, it is fantastic. He also finally gave the DSiWare service some love and bought WayForward’s Mighty Milky Way. Adam has gone back to one of his favorite DS games, Rhythm Heaven and also put in more time with Minecraft. Adam 2 has been obsessively playing Knights in the Nightmare, a game that even after multiple explanations, Jonah still doesn’t quite understand, as well as Neuroshima Hex, another game that Jonah is both fascinated and confused by.

As usual, the guys also talk about the new releases of the week, and gaming news. There is also a song by one “Main Finger” McCoolahan, “Scorched Ice (Napalm Man vs. Chill Man)”. For all these reasons and more, you should already be downloading episode #118, “You’re the Inspiration”.

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While still a fairly recent game, Valkyria Chronicles is often considered a classic by the few that played it (myself included). Though I may have mixed feelings about the sequel, I have nothing but excitement for Basiscape’s announcement of a Valkyria Chronicles series piano album.

The CD will feature ten tracks performed by Australian pianist Casey Ormond. We may not even have the third game in the states yet, but on June 30th we’ll be able to hear select songs from the whole series arranged for piano. There aren’t listings just yet, but look for it at your importer of choice soon!

Source: SEMO

"Bringing back the drama."

It’s a bit strange to think that Valkyria Chronicles 3 already has a playable demo so shortly after the release of the second game. In fact, when it was first announced, I feared this “annualization treatment” the series seems to be receiving would hurt the quality of the franchise. Fortunately, what I’ve played of the third installment has left a very good impression for the most part.

Valkyria Chronicles 3 actually takes place during the same span of time as the first game. You’ll take on role of “The Nameless”, a squad of outlaws that take on especially dangerous missions. Despite it running in parallel with the original, the development staff considers VC3 to be the first true sequel; returning the series to its more serious tone and story driven campaign.

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Back in my younger days, I swore by genre definitions. I had a very clear idea in mind of what I thought classified a game into each genre. Any deviation from those rules outlined in my head required a subgenre. But as time marched on, I’ve come to realize how incredibly ridiculous all this is.

While genres are a nice way to quickly identify what to expect from a game, I’ve run into quite a few issues with the concept. For one, different people classify genres differently. There’s also the issue of the increasing trend of blending genres. And what about the literal names themselves? Some of them just don’t make sense any more.
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I usually visit at least a couple cons each year. One of the cons that has been in my rotation for almost a decade is the Seattle-based anime convention, Sakura-Con. This year was no exception.

I headed down with my buddy as I always do and we took plenty of photos of the cosplayers, many of which were dressed as videogame characters.

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"Because there's always room for more Valkyria Chronicles."

It’s hard to believe it has been almost a full year since the last Valkyria Chronicles DLC was released. By this point, I had almost forgotten that more was on the way. But when it finally came, I was eager as ever to return to my “Game of the Year” of 2008.

The “Challenge of the Edy Detachment” DLC pack will cost five of your earth dollars and contains six new skirmish battles. Unlike the last DLC involving Edy, you will not be locked into using a specific set of characters. Instead, you’re free to select your own characters from your squad, complete with the levels and equipment set you left them at last time.

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*UPDATE* - Turns out the audio file had a glitch in it where the last twenty minutes were doubled and off time from each other making it a horrible mess. We at WingDamage would like to apologize to anyone who listened to this episode and promise that the next episode, which will release on Tuesday, is much, much better in both quality and content.

On a very special fifty-fifth episode of “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast”, we have to match up all the different sandwiches if we want to stop the flow of incoming sandwiches. Boshi is there to help. Remember Boshi?

Our regular hosts are joined by Geoffio, as well as WingDamage’s newest writer, Anthony. In what we’ve been playing, Geoffio kicks us off with tales from the aerial combat sim, Wings of Prey. Jonah has just started on The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition and Company of Heroes, an RTS he’s actually enjoying. Anthony gives us his thoughts on Resident Evil 5 and Jesse goes in-depth with the new Valkyria Chronicles DLC.

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"The Greatest Story Never Told"

On a very special twelfth episode of our video gaming podcast, known to some as codename Barrel Roll, we are all about the X-Men: Origins: Wolverine: The Movie: The Video Game: The Review, thanks to our pal Wesley “Wolverine” Johnson from InsulinFunk.net.

Jesse really brings his X-Game when he makes a “Deadpool” out of the Valkyria Chronicles DLC, while Luke takes a “Gambit” on Far Cry 2. It isn’t long before Jonah needs reflexes like that of a “Sabertooth” in Left 4 Dead.  In World of Warcraft and Civ Rev, Brittany has really… “Kayla Silverfox”… something… OK… I’ll stop now.

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