Scotch N' Games (Video Games)
Scotch N' Games is a podcast about scotch and video games. Hosted by Graham Barr and Will Orford.

Join Will and Graham belatedly for their on again, off again Rabbie Burns special. We drink the classic Black Label, a solid normal whiskey. They talk most Spidermen 2's and the productive and fun Against the Storm.

Direct download: sng-91-blacklabel_-_2024-02-19_8.55PM.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:48pm EDT

Will and Graham get deep with a rare, unique offering deep from the land of scotch itself... Scotland!

They pair it with Starfield, Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 and finish it off with Baldur's Gate 3. 

Direct download: sng_90.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 7:46pm EDT

Will and Graham talk all things Tunic, the Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 remakes. They also pull from the deep well of mobile games including Marvel Snap, Vampire Survivors, Into the Breach and the indomitable Tacticus. They pair it all with the near death experience of drinking the spicy, spicy. Enjoy folks!

 

Direct download: 89_-_Glenfarclas__Remakes_and_Mobile_Madness.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:09pm EDT

Join Will and Graham as they just get right back into it with God of War: Ragnarok. Is the world ending? Only you can find out! We pair it with the Jura 12 year, a competent middle shelfer that gets the job done.

Direct download: GowRagnarok_-_2023-02-20_3.12_PM.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 3:28pm EDT

Elden Ring may be the game of our time. Will and Graham pick it all apart while drinking the spicy and fun Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban.

Direct download: 87_redo.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:39am EDT

Will and Graham nearly drank an entire bottle in this episode, a feat paid for dearly the next day! They truly gave it their all for the 86th episode of the podcast. Featuring Halo Infinite, The Forgotten City and a classic SNG deep dive on Inscryption!

Direct download: Glen_Moray_15yr__Inscryption.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:14am EDT

Will and Graham return to their respective hovels and dig real deep into Halo: Infinite! Will also gives us a taste of Wildermyth, a pioneering turn based RPG. We pair it with the disturbingly untasty, ghost like Kilchoman, but that's not a bad thing - just, different.

 

Direct download: 85.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:13pm EDT

We pair the dramatic 5 year Wee Beastie with the creative, fun but weird Deathloop. 

Direct download: Wee_Beastie__Deathloop.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:36pm EDT

We play every game ever to make up for all the games we weren't talking about. We wash it all down with the golfers choice Lock Lomand 12 yr, a competent mid range scotch that pairs well with any conversation about video games.

Direct download: 83_2.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:18pm EDT

Will and Graham had remerged from quarantine better than ever, or maybe... a whole lot worse. In this episode we drink the Kilkerran 12 yr, a splendid Campbelton malt, talk Ori and the Blind Forest, and Resident Evil Village! Intrigue abounds. 

Direct download: 82_again.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:19pm EDT

We finally take our own advice and drink more scotch and play more games! We drink the Tomatin 10 yr aged in Caribbean Rum casks, and the Bunnahabhain 12 yr, a nice swig of the Atlantic ocean. We talk Cyberpunk 2077, the full release of They are Billions and Loop Hero!

Direct download: 80shorterfixmay4.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:27am EDT

Graham talks Hitman 3 and Will talks Griftlands.

Direct download: medium_dram_-_griftlandshitman.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 2:18pm EDT

We reach into the back of our Fraser stable and bring on a co-op buddy to talk about all things Deep Rock Galactic, the dwarven infused minecraft and left for dead mash up. Enjoy!

Direct download: medium_dram__deep_rock_galactic.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:57pm EDT

Well it's been a while, hasn't it. Cozy up with a dram and listen to Graham and Will dissect, pick apart and generally try and understand the Last of Us Part 2. We pair it with the Dalmore Port Wood, a special release aged using Port containers. Enjoy folks!

Direct download: 80__dalmore_port_wood__last_of_us_.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 5:46pm EDT

We do a quick update on the full release of Hades, and Graham tells Will all about Remedy's Control.

Direct download: medium_dram.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:38pm EDT

Graham tells Will about the banner year that Halo has had on PC. 

Direct download: wee_dram_halo_mcc_-_2020-09-19_2.18_PM.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 2:26pm EDT

Graham and Will welcome our resident Final Fantasy expert Fraser back onto the show to talk all things Final Fantasy 7 Remake! We pair it with the Laphroaig Select, a peaty non-age statement offering. 

Direct download: laphroaig_something__FF7_Remake.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:36am EDT

Graham tells Will about Gwent... again.

Direct download: wee__dram__thronebreaker.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:05am EDT

Will tells Graham all about Monster Train.

Direct download: wee_dram__monster_train.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:03am EDT

Will and Graham rip and tear our way through the violent, frenetic romp that is Doom Eternal. We pair it with the scotch we had in the cupboard!

Direct download: sng_78_-_doom_eternal.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:04am EDT

Graham regales Will with the tale of the splendid and pretty Ori and the Blind Forest.

Direct download: ori_wee_dram.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 1:41pm EDT

Will and Graham drink the AnCnoc 16 year, a fire-y, loud scotch that will surely get you out on the disco dance floor. 

We pair it with a deep talk about all the zany, amazing, and crazy parts of Disco Elysium, a PC adventure game where you play as a cop who has lost their memory. It's hard to describe this game in words. Thanks podcasts!

Cozy up at home and enjoy!

Direct download: disco.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:03am EDT

We battle illness to bring you a classic deep dive into Respawn's Jedi Fallen Order. No scotch on this episode, so we can get back to our fightin' selves. 

Direct download: 76_-_jedi.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:07pm EDT

Will does a quick dip into the dungeon crawling, family sprawling rogue-like, Children of Morta.

Direct download: children_of_morta_-_wee_dram.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:57pm EDT

Will and Graham sum up the decade in the only way they know how, drink scotch and talk games! We ruthlessly digested a list of our top games of 2010-2019 into 4 ridiculous categories and see who comes out on top! We pair it all with the Tandhu 18, a spicy, mysterious scotch bottled by Old Particular. 

Direct download: GOTD_-_.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:41pm EDT

Will and Graham get into all the space skipping, space piracy, space commerce and space relationship RPG that is The Outer Worlds. We have so many feelings about this game we just had to make an episode about it! We pair with the surprise find Kirkwall Bay, a wide but not quite deep scotch we found at the store but had never heard of! Enjoy folks!

Direct download: 75_-_outer_worlds.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 5:02pm EDT

Will and Graham talk the ins and outs of Apple Arcade, the new mobile game subscription service for Apple devices.

Direct download: wee_dram_apple_arcade_-_2019-12-01_10.33_PM.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:51pm EDT

We go deep on Mobius Digital's space exploration rogue like. Does Will even like it? Tune in to find out! We pair it with the ever dependable Glenlivet 15.

Direct download: Glenfiddich_15___Outer_Wilds.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 4:17pm EDT

Will jams on his weekend away at Blizzcon 2019! Overwatch 2, Diablo 4 and more!

Direct download: Wee_Dram___Blizzcon.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 4:59pm EDT

Graham and Will talk the cultural touchstone of the moment from developers House House, Untitled Goose Game.

Direct download: Wee_Dram___Goose_Game_1.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:24am EDT

Will details all the deets, cheats and bleeps about MegaCrit's roguelike card battler, Slay the Spire.

Direct download: weedram___slay_the_spire.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:29pm EDT

A special guest you say? In celebration of the release of the maybe-bad remaster of Final Fantasy 8, Fraser Lockerbie joins the SNG crew as our resident JRPG expert. We drink a non-alcoholic spirit called 'Seed Lip', which goes well with a fancy tonic! Enjoy folks!

Direct download: Seed_Lip__JRPG_Jam.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 5:09pm EDT

Scotch n' Games survived the summer! Graham and Will are back with a classic episode on Matt Makes Games' Celeste! They drink the rather fancy Glenfarclas 21yr, talk about what they played, ramble about mobile game monetization, and somehow - five years in - still manage to bring up The Witcher 3. 

Direct download: Episode_72.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:40pm EDT

Will goes deep down into the bowels of the earth to talk about Hades, the new game from Supergiant Games, now available on the EPIC GAMES STORE. 

Direct download: Wee_Dram__Hades.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:34pm EDT

Will and Graham get old school Scotch N’ Games with a weird combo of games! Will gets royally into Apex Legends and Graham gets spooky with Resident Evil 2 Remake! They pair it with the smoky, but surprisingly smooth Caol Ila 12 year. It’s a fresh one!

Direct download: Caol_Ila___Resident_Apex.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 5:56pm EDT

Will and Graham get lost in the story of Return of the Obra Dinn, the fantastic new insurance claimant simulator from the maker of Papers Please, Lucas Pope. We pair the investigation with the Tomatin 14 year, a scotch aged in wine barrels. 

Direct download: tomatin_14___Return_of_the_Obra_Dinn.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:19pm EDT

We're sorry. It had to be done. Will and Graham finalize their thoughts of RDR2 with their own epilogue.

Direct download: rdr2_weedram_2.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:23am EDT

Will and Graham discuss their stand out faves of 2018!

Direct download: GOTY_2018.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 2:52pm EDT

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a vast bandit / hunting / gambling / sims.. like, kinda game. It is a lot to take it in and it is a lot of video game. Will and Graham try to get into most of it nooks and crannies with the help of the Woodford Reserve Bourbon - a fittingly American whiskey we thought would pair well with Red Dead Redemption.

Direct download: Red_Dead_Redemption_2__Woodford_Reserve_Bourbon.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 5:23pm EDT

This here Wee Dram is about a gang o rootin tootin cowboys and cowgirls.

Direct download: weedramrdr2.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:26am EDT

Graham regales Will with tales about Marvel's Spiderman 2018 on Sony's Playstation 4. 

Direct download: spiderman.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:50pm EDT

Will tells a tale about Moonlighter from Digital Sun.

Direct download: moonlighter_-_2018-10-24_7.53_PM.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:12pm EDT

After a harrowing, bone shattering summer, the boys are back in town with a near and dear episode all about Banner Saga 3; the concluding chapter of the Banner Saga Trilogy from Stoic. We get into the Lagavulin 8 year, an unorthodox aged scotch that packs a punch. We're on the mend folks! 

Direct download: bs3_ep67.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:05pm EDT

Boy! We kick off Norse Month at SnG headquarters with a big episode devoted to the reboot of God of War. We loved this game and paired it with the sweet and peppery Springbank 15. Also in this episode, we forget how to count! Enjoy folks!

Direct download: 69_2_sb_gow.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:48pm EDT

After drinking the elixir of life that is Amrut, (the first Indian whisky on the show), the gents talk Magic: Arena and Pixel Junk Monsters 2!

Edit: At the time of recording, MTG: Arena did not have a tutorial. The game was updated in mid-July with a New Player Experience package, including a tutorial and challenges to unlock intro decks for new players.

Direct download: 66_Summer_Games_Done_Slow.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:38pm EDT

Graham and Will talk Reigns: Her Majesty 

Direct download: wee_11_reigns_her_majesty_2.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:38pm EDT

Will and Graham get old school and talk a wee talk about the role playing table top game that started it all... Dungeons and Dragons.

Direct download: Wee_Dram_10__DND.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:41pm EDT

Will and Graham talk Subset Games' "Into the Breach"

Direct download: Wee_Dram_9__Into_the_Breach.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:05am EDT

Graham tells Will about his week long foray into video game university at GDC 2018. 

Direct download: weedram_8_gdc_dispatches.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:38pm EDT

We finally did it - we recorded a Breath of the Wild episode! Graham got a Switch, and he beat Zelda. Then, out of the kindness of his heart, he begrudgingly lent Will the Switch so his co-host could play the new hotness. The gents chat about their experiences with BotW over the once-lost-to-time Stronachie 10. A rather fitting scotch that bears a resemblance to our sleepy hero Link, having been forgotten to time for nearly 90 years.

Direct download: 65_zelda.mp3
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:57pm EDT

Direct download: Wee_Dram_7__They_Are_Billions.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 1:18am EDT

It's that hygge time of year. Get cozy and make a connection as Will and Graham get smoky with the Ardbeg 10, and talk all things Stellaris and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus. 

Direct download: Ardbeg_10__Hygge_State.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:13pm EDT

The gents have a wee discussion about the best games of 2017. 

Direct download: wee_dram_6_goty_2017.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:28pm EDT

Will regales Graham about his Dead Cells adventures in our fifth Wee Dram. 

Direct download: wee_dram_5_dead_cells.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:24pm EDT

Graham discusses the psychotic explorations of Ninja Theory's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. 

Direct download: wee_dram4.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 6:57pm EDT

A month removed from the PC release of Destiny 2, Will and Graham discuss the hits and misses of the monstrous sequel from Bungie. They also drink the ONLY whisky from Wales. It's not a scotch, but hey, what are you gonna do. Love, SNG. 

Direct download: Penderyn_CeltDestiny_2.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:38pm EDT

The boys sip on the really quite fantastic Glengoyne 18 year, and it better be! It's got to be the most expensive scotch we've featured on the show. THEN: It's animation madness at SNG headquarters! Will and Graham get into South Park: The Fractured But Whole and dive even deeper into Cuphead. Both games are inspired by hand drawn animation, but only one is totally gorgeous! Listen to find out which one! 

Direct download: Glengoyne_18___Cupheads_But_Whole.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 1:31pm EDT

Will talks about his romps with 'I am Setsuna'. 

Direct download: wee_dram_3__I_Am_Setsuna.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:32pm EDT

Will and Graham are back with their second Wee Dram! A hyper-focused, concise, nerd-out on Crowbar Collective's recreation of Half Life 1; (deep breath) Black Mesa! 

Direct download: weedram2_blackmesa.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 4:30pm EDT

The phenomenon that is known as PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds invades Scotch N' Games' headquarters this month. Will plays a ton and Graham joins in on the fun. We compare another Japanese whiskey, the Nikka Coffey Grain, to our past episode's choice, the Nikka Coffey Malt. 

Direct download: _Nikka_Coffey_Grain__Player_Unknowns_Battleground.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 2:00pm EDT

Welcome to Wee Drams, our new segment that delivers laser focussed episodes directly to your ear balls. In Wee Dram 1, Will talks all things Hollow Knight, a tight, devilishly difficult and gorgeous 2D game from developer Team Cherry. 

Direct download: Wee_Drams_1__Hollow_Knight.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 6:46pm EDT

A Wee Dram is a term that refers to a small glass of scotch, and that's exactly what SNG Wee Drams are, small episodes of SNG! In an effort to play more games and drink more scotch we will be producing these shorter episode to keep you inundated with all the scotch and game-y goodness you've come to expect. Don't despair! We will still be doing our longer form, classic episodes, but with these sprinkled in between! With Love, Graham and Will. 

Direct download: Introducing_Wee_Drams.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 6:43pm EDT

For one time only (probably), we're drinking a Japanese Whisky! Fresh back from a whirlwind tour of Japan, Will gifts us with the Nikka Coffey Malt, a deliciously sweet whisky with incredibly strong hints of vanilla. Nikka was founded by Masataka Taketsuru in the late 19th century and is now one of the most popular Japanese whisky concerns. We pair it with the equally delicious PREY, a simply great 'bioshock-like' game from the makers of Dishonored. Enjoy! We love you! 

Direct download: Nikka_Coffey_Malt___Prey_1.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:22pm EDT

We wrap up our two-part series on Mass Effect: Andromeda and try to decide if we're getting old, or if the game sucks. Episode 59 is a no-holds-barred close-up look at the story, gameplay, strengths, and weaknesses of the game. The Bunnahabhain 12 fuels our discourse, so pour yourself a dram and join in on the discussion!

Direct download: 59editing22.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 7:13pm EDT

The boys bring it all back around and dive deep on Mass Effect: Andromeda. The first of two episodes dedicated to the much anticipated continuation of the Mass Effect franchise, episode 58 contains our first impressions of the game. Pour a dram, put your feet up, and join us on our exploration of the Andromeda Galaxy. Slainte!

Direct download: Episode_58.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 11:17am EDT

The boys drink the hard to pronounce, and probably even harder to drink Ardbeg Uigeadail; quite possibly the most punch you in the face scotch we've had on the show to date! We rightfully pair it with the equally tough XCOM 2. 

Direct download: Ardbeg_Uigeadail___Xcom_2.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:48am EDT

Officially known as Episode 56 1/2, the boys re-record one of the best podcast episodes ever. Sorry you missed it, it was tremendous, really great, one of the best, but it had distortion. We sip on the enjoyable blend, Monkey Shoulder, and talk about Breakfall's Starwhal, Le Cartel's Mother Russia Bleeds, and dive into Playdead's Inside. 

Direct download: Monkey_Shoulder___Inside.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 2:41pm EDT

The gents spend time with the Classic Laddie, a smoky, boozy scotch from Bruichladdich. We pair it with Will's Jotun adventures and Graham's zany times with Frog Fractions 2. And, in what seems to be a trend, Will gets into Witcher 3 and the boys get real, real deep into the Gwent Beta. 

Direct download: Bruichladdich_Classic___Gwent_Fractions_3.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:28pm EDT

Graham and Will wrap up 2016 with their Game of the Year and Runner Up. A quick trip down memory lane! Happy New Year!

Direct download: GOTY_2016.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:01am EDT

The boys enlist in some future and past first person shooters! Graham and Will dive deep into the Mech-Warrior-meets-Human-Flight-Simulator: Titanfall 2. As well as muse on the macabre Battlefield 1, a game focused entirely on the First World War. It became increasingly difficult not to compare the two games, especially after a liberal amount of the Glenlivet 15yr!

Direct download: Glenlivet_15___Titanfall_2__Battlefield_1.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 1:02pm EDT

The boys expand on some of their favourite games! We explore the newest installment to the Baldur's Gate series Siege of Dragonspear, as well as The Witcher 3 DLC Blood and Wine. Of course, Graham gets utterly consumed by Gwent. We pair it all with the salty yet sweet Kockdhu AnCnoc Flaughter. It's a Romp of Otters! 

Direct download: AnCnoc_Flaughter___The_Expansion_Pack.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 3:51pm EDT

In a quest to overwhelm our senses, we played a bunch of games this episode! We've got Lethal League, Crawl, Overcooked, Reigns and get deep on Deus Ex: Mankind Divided! We pair this all with the Deanston Virgin Oak - a sweet, boozy scotch. Enjoy folks!

Direct download: Deanston_Virign_Oak___Couch_Co-op__Deus_Ex__Mankind_Divided.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:36am EDT

We proudly present our 50th episode! And before we get way to excited about celebrating an arbitrary numerical milestone, you should just listen to the episode. Will and Graham talk about Hyper Light Drifter, Doom 2016, and No Man's Sky! 

Direct download: Glenlevit_Nadurra___Episode_50.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:46am EDT

The watch begins with the Tullibardine 225, a strong, fruity scotch aged in Bordeaux casks. Graham and Will then get into Overwatch, select some characters and vie for play of the game. 

Direct download: Tullibardine_225___Overwatch.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:53am EDT

This episode of SnG is 2 years in the making! We fell in love with The Banner Saga 1 way back in 2014 and the hotly anticipated sequel is finally out. Join us as we get into the nitty gritty of Stoic Studio's fantastic followup, The Banner Saga 2. We also drink a rare scotch, the Hazelburn, from Campbelton, a lesser known scotch region home to only 3 distilleries. Enjoy!

Direct download: Hazelburn___Banner_Saga_2.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:18am EDT

Listen to our 47th episode to learn about Will and Graham's time with Duelyst, Halo Online, Gears of War Ultimate Edition and much much more! We bring back an old favourite, the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Come listen to what some reviewers are calling "certainly a recording of voices" and the high praise of "it's certainly not silence when you press play!"

Direct download: Laphroaig_Quarter_Cask___Game_Blend_2016.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 6:54pm EDT

The FPS indiepoclypse is upon us! SNG follows up on our Witness adventures then gets thematic with a look at Firewatch and SUPERHOT. Our scotch is the mysterious and spooky Cù Bòcan, a lore heavy peaty scotch from the Tomatin Distillery. Enjoy our 46th episode responsibly! Or don't!

Direct download: Cu_Bocan___FPS_Indiepocaplypse.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:59am EDT

We drink the Dalmore 12 year, an incredible, must drink scotch that uses sherry casks to much success. Graham lays out his quality time spent with 'The Witness' and Will mostly regrets playing 'Massive Chalice'. Enjoy folks!

Direct download: Dalmore_12yr___Massive_Witness.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:06pm EDT

It's a wee late, but never not a good time for a wee dram. Our newest and 44th episode celebrates, tardily, Robbie Burns day! This episode also includes discussions on Hinterland's 'The Long Dark", Will's Gameboy Advance adventures and a deep dive into the final chapter of the Starcraft 2 saga: the Protoss focussed "Legacy of the Void."

Direct download: Robbie_Burns___Legacy_of_the_Void.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:17am EDT

Will makes a computer! The boys play Rocket League! We play all the Halo games! We drink the Bowmore Small Batch! It's really peaty! 

Direct download: Bowmore_Small_Batch___Halo_5.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:49pm EDT

The boys pull a quick one and do a GOTY episode! And quite literally! This is a quick dip into the best game (or games!) of 2015. Enjoy!

Direct download: GOTY.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:07pm EDT

Man oh man, has Fallout 4 been taking up a lot of time at SnG headquarters! The hosts analyze the first 50 hours or so of wasteland wandering, nuka-cola gathering, and buffout taking! Someone forgot to buy scotch for this episode, so we grabbed the bottle with the most scotch in it to bring us through the episode. We don't want to set the world on fire, but we do want to set a flame in your podcast heart!

Direct download: Aultmore_Again___Fallout_4.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 5:36pm EDT

We've been gone for a while, but nowhere near finished! We're back! The MGS series has had a hold on the SNG gentlemen for probably far too long, but we HAD to record our final thoughts on MGSV. So here they are...

Direct download: Aultmore_12yr___MGS__ReVenomisited.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:46am EDT

SNAAAAAAKE! Will and Graham have been playing the crap out of Konami's latest addition to the MGS series, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and we've devoted this episode to the game. We trust in our scotch, Ballantine's Finest, to bring us through the craziest, zaniest MGS yet. 

Direct download: Ballantines___MGSV.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 1:26pm EDT

In case you've lived under a rock, the MOBA, or Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games, are all the rage right now. This was sort of news to both Graham and Will, who have never given these games the time of day. Well fret no longer! We dig in on League of Legends, DOTA2 and Heroes of the Storm. Do our intrepid hosts come out alive? Listen to find out. 

 

Direct download: Scapa_16yr___MOBAS.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:43am EDT

Sometimes we go outside and enjoy the sun, sometimes we stay inside and play video games. Episode 37 explores this dichotomy and more! Join Graham and Will as they get into a bottle of the Oban 14 yr and talk Invisible Inc., Fallout Shelter, and more! 

Direct download: Oban___Real_Life_Summer.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:40am EDT

The conclusion of the epic trilogy of newmake whisky is here! Join Graham and Will as they dissect further distilled goodness. They also get into the messy politics of Steam Early Access and talk Darkest Dungeon and Gang Beasts. 

 

Direct download: Newmake_3___Early_Access.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:11am EDT

SnG is back for episode 35. We continue on our new make whisky tour with months 4, 5 and 7. Will gets down and dirty with Hotline Miami 2 and Graham gets in deep in Witcher 3.

Direct download: Newmake_2___Hotline_Witcher_1.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:40am EDT

New scotch, new episode! Join Will and Graham for the heady mix of homemade "newmake" whisky as they gear up for a three episode journey through the life of a whiskey coming to life! Then, Graham gushes over his oldest gaming love, Halo CE, while Will continues his Pillars of Eternity adventures. It's episode 34! Wow. 

Direct download: Newmake___Springtime.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:20pm EDT

This episode Will and Graham are joined by the ever so super good Lagavulin 16 yr. It is very much a scotch's scotch. The gents also get into the PC release of Grand Theft Auto V, and get into the nitty gritty of Will's end game game, Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity. Will and Graham also argue about Hearthstone. 

Direct download: Lagavulin_16__Grand_Theft_Pillars.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:43am EDT

When you're drinking and you're gaming, well, magic happens. When two bet of friends get down to it, well, it's even more magical. Will and Graham do just that and get down to it with a re-visit of the Atholl Brose, a weird thing to drink in Spring time, but hey, whatever. We talk about Starcraft, Card Crawler, Netrunner, Cities: Skylines, and much, much more! It's whisper quiet! Enjoy folks! 

Direct download: Atholl_Dos___Gaming_Time_Station.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 7:19pm EDT

Episode 31 features an exploration into the dark depths of Mordor, and cocktails! Join Graham and Will on a journey through Risk of Rain Co-op! Legend of Grimrock dungeon crawling! And last but not least, Shadow of Mordor! We pair our chats with some scotch cocktails, or as we have brilliantly combined into one time saving word, scotchtails. Enjoy folks!

Direct download: Scotchtails___Shadow_of_Mordor.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:57pm EDT

This is the big three-oh people! In celebration of yet another milestone episode, Graham and Will take on the toughest subject yet: Star Wars. Join in as our glorious hosts sip large amounts of Glenfarclas 15 and regale you with stories of the evil Empire. The Dark Forces series, Lightsaber Combat, KoTor, and much, much more is tackled with precision and wit. This is an episode you can't miss, so Sith down and enjoy!

Direct download: Glenfarclas_____Star_Wars__Episode_30.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 6:02pm EDT

Magic: the Gathering is a card game, we know, but such a popular one with such podcast hosts as 'Will' that we decided to give it the ol' Scotch N' Games treatment. Join us as we imbue ourselves in some Aberlour 10 year and get to some planeswalking in Episode 29. 

Direct download: Aberlour_10yr__Magic_the_Gathering.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 8:57am EDT

Spend Robbie Burns Day eve curled up with a wee dram and listen to the epic re-telling of a Friends of Laphroaig tasting event that both Graham and Will attended. Expand your scotch knowledge with new tips and tricks taught to you the only way your hosts know how, with scotch. Sláinte!

Direct download: The_Tasting.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 7:26pm EDT

The distinguished gentlemen make a triumphant return to the soundwaves in episode 27. Graham and Will sit down with Atholl Brose, a traditional scotch whiskey holiday drink, which delivers a pleasantly smooth drinking experience. This episode's feature game is Amplitude's Dungeon of the Endless, a genre bending rogue-like well worth the time and money. 

Direct download: Atholl_Brose___The_Premiere.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:46pm EDT

Things get Christmas-y as Graham and Will review what is probably the most depressing game of the year, This War of Mine. But seriously, this is a great game and both of your hosts have a great chat about it. We also proudly announce the winner of our contest! 

Direct download: The_Singleton__This_War_of_Mine.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 9:38pm EDT

Will and Graham finally beat the Vault of Glass in Destiny in an attempt to stop playing the game for good since it has become all they do. And later, school is in! SNGAVGD, or, the Scotch N' Games Academy of/for Video Game Design has its first class and you are all enrolled. Pour a dram and open your notebooks for episode 25! 

 

Direct download: Glenmorangie___Vault_of_Scotch_Glass.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:42pm EDT

The video game world converged in a convention centre over two days in November to celebrate all things Blizzard. Blizzcon 2014 was the hugest yet, with 26,000 attendees, $750,000 in prize money awarded, and this year had one special, shall we say, distinguished, gentleman in attendance. That's right folks, our own Will Orford was on the scene in Anaheim and we devote our entire 24th episode to the pursuit of his Blizzcon adventures. WOW, Starcraft II, Hearthstone, Overwatch! It's all here in glorious sound! Joining us this episode is the Dun Bheagan, a very peaty but delightfully delivered single malt.  

Direct download: Dun_Bheagan___Blizzcon.m4a
Category:Video Games -- posted at: 10:06pm EDT

Overwatch is the newest creation to come out of Blizzard’s laboratory. It is the first exploration of a new universe in 17 years for the company, and in a very new genre for them. Blizzard has proven that they can move from genre to genre making quality games, so many fans are excited to see what they do with this new Hero-Based Multiplayer FPS.

Overwatch can be seen as a mix of Team Fortress 2 style gameplay and MOBA-based hero selection. Instead of having particular classes (ie: Medic, Scout, Sniper etc) Overwatch aims to add more personality to the game through heroes with fuller backstories. Blizzard announced that they will not be including the lore in the actual game, but will be exploring other avenues and mediums to flesh out the game’s story and characters. With its distinctive art style, Pixar-like opening cinematic, and all-age appeal, many people are considering a webseries, comic, toys, or even tv/movie to be the mediums of choice. One quote from a Blizzcon attendee was, “Remember, it’s not just Blizzard, but Blizzard Entertainment.” Speculators think that Blizzard is ramping up to become a challenger to other companies like Marvel in the entertainment industry - spreading out from games into movies and comics. The recently teased Warcraft movie could support this idea.

At the opening ceremony, and during the Overwatch panel, many of the games defining features were explained. The game will focus on 6v6 team objective maps, players will be able to change characters any time they die in a match, characters will play specific roles - rewarding strategic play and not twitch-based lethality.

The decision on team-size seemed to weigh heavily on the Overwatch devs. They had explored larger teams, and smaller teams, before deciding on the number six. In larger teams, they found that one player was fairly ineffective, leading to a game where one could not necessarily affect the outcome. In smaller teams, it felt like too much weighed on the individual player - if you were having an off-day, it basically meant that your team would lose. With six people, if one or two people aren’t performing at 100% it doesn’t necessarily weigh the team down. Conversely, one or two people on a larger team may not matter enough - hence the decision to stick to six on either side.

Blizzard also made the decision to have objective-based maps rather than team deathmatch. In fact, there will not be a deathmatch mode in the game at all. The Overwatch team explained that they wanted people to be able to play the roles they prefer playing, rather than reward lethality. This should give them more design space as well, now that not every character needs to be balanced for team-fighting. They have heroes that can buff your team, debuff the enemy team, create teleporters or turrets, heal and revive, many roles that will be played far from the firefight. When playing Overwatch, it really did feel like some of the characters had no business entering a firefight.

Another interesting factor to the gameplay side of things was the ability to switch characters during the match. Any time you died in game, you could select a new character. Blizzard included a few evolving objective maps where changing characters to fit each new situation seems like a great tactical addition. The Overwatch team gave an example of their evolving objective map. In the first half of the map, you have a typical attack/defend scenario where the attacking team must reach a checkpoint and capture it, at which point a payload is revealed and the attacking team must escort the payload through the second half of the map. Pretty neat way to shake things up during the match.

Overall the presentation on Overwatch was very cool, and we did get some time with the game during the convention. With that in mind, we can explore a few of the different points in relation to how they actually feel during a match.

Regarding team size -- six did feel like the right number, however many of the maps we played on were actually fairly small. This forced a lot of teamfights, and the two tank heroes seemed to really excel in these situations. At one point the enemy team all switched to the same tank character, and steamrolled our intrepid heroes. Blizzard may have to adjust how many people can play as the same character at once in order to balance this. In one of the featured maps, there was only one choke point, which made defending it incredibly easy with the turret building hero. These issues will most likely be addressed by the players’ skill and knowledge of the maps, however they’re still something to consider.

Many of the characters felt very underpowered. This could be Blizzard attempting to bring the focus toward the tactical gameplay rather than the player versus player fighting. However, there are still many characters who can initiate fights, and they can easily one or two-shot some of the non-fighting classes. This led to the majority of new players choosing the more combat oriented heroes. Possibly with more practice the tactical classes will gain more popularity, but for the uninitiated, combat was the way to go.

There were twelve playable heroes at Blizzcon, and each felt very different. The major differences among them all were mobility, deadliness, and their abilities. Each class has a distinct weapon, two main abilities, and an ultimate. Every hero’s abilities varied incredibly with some being able to teleport, create turrets, heal others, increase teammates’ damage, and create damage absorbing shields. This made for some very chaotic games and gameplay situations which lends itself well to the wacky nature of the game.

It will be exciting to see how Overwatch develops and addresses some of the issues already raised. It’s a foray into a genre that Blizzard is unfamiliar with, however they’ve been expanding their catalogue into new games over the last few years and each one seems to be a success. It is certainly a breath of fresh air into the genre as the last major release in hero/class-based multiplayer FPS was Team Fortress 2 seven years ago. We’ll see how Overwatch affects that player base, and if it garners as much fanfare and attention as TF2 has.

Category:Video Games -- posted at: 12:30pm EDT