Waypoint
December 4, 2016 11:17 PM Subscribe
Waypoint is vice.com's rebranded gaming segment comprising a veritable supergroup of game critics led by EIC Austin Walker (Streamfriends, Friends at the Table & Giant Bomb), and featuring Patrick Klepek (1up, Giant Bomb, Kotaku) and Danielle Riendeau (Idle Thumbs/Weekend, Polygon). They inaugurated their launch on Halloween weekend with a stream of 72 games in 72 hours.
Personal favourites from the 72 games in 72 hours (also available on a per game playlist) include:
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective with Her Story's Sam Barlow (spoilers, as they do a full case)
Dungeon World with one of the game's designers, Adam Koebel, DMing
On the writing side, favourites include:
Austin's argument for why playing and writing about games matters in the wake of Trump's election
Elisabeth de Kleer's piece on Dungeons & Dragons at a Colorado maximum security prison
Cameron Kunzelman's piece on China Miéville's The Last Days of New Paris
Austin & Cameron's piece on what Watch Dogs 2 gets right and wrong about race (spoilers)
Jack de Quidt's piece about procedural space gossiping sim Sol Trader
They also have a podcast, Waypoint Radio.
Last (and maybe least?), Austin is the reigning champion of the video game wrestling League of Heels, while Danielle and Patrick have also been participants.
Personal favourites from the 72 games in 72 hours (also available on a per game playlist) include:
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective with Her Story's Sam Barlow (spoilers, as they do a full case)
Dungeon World with one of the game's designers, Adam Koebel, DMing
On the writing side, favourites include:
Austin's argument for why playing and writing about games matters in the wake of Trump's election
Elisabeth de Kleer's piece on Dungeons & Dragons at a Colorado maximum security prison
Cameron Kunzelman's piece on China Miéville's The Last Days of New Paris
Austin & Cameron's piece on what Watch Dogs 2 gets right and wrong about race (spoilers)
Jack de Quidt's piece about procedural space gossiping sim Sol Trader
They also have a podcast, Waypoint Radio.
Last (and maybe least?), Austin is the reigning champion of the video game wrestling League of Heels, while Danielle and Patrick have also been participants.
(And Waypoint slips through the cracks in the corporate web filter. Yay!)
posted by Harald74 at 1:48 AM on December 5, 2016
posted by Harald74 at 1:48 AM on December 5, 2016
There's something really funny about Vice hiring three of the most wholesome games writers out there. Having missed Danielle's voice on Idle Thumbs and Austin's on the Beastcast this is a supergroup as far as I'm concerned. Waypoint Radio is a great way to start the week.
I watched the 72-hour stream in dribs and drabs but I'll recommend the segment with Just Blaze(!) playing Shinobi(!).
posted by selfnoise at 4:29 AM on December 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
I watched the 72-hour stream in dribs and drabs but I'll recommend the segment with Just Blaze(!) playing Shinobi(!).
posted by selfnoise at 4:29 AM on December 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
I watched the 72-hour stream in dribs and drabs but I'll recommend the segment with Just Blaze(!) playing Shinobi(!).
His gaming cred is LEGIT. That game is how old? and right off the bat he's all "this is how you do the code for infinite ninja stars."
posted by juv3nal at 5:44 AM on December 5, 2016
His gaming cred is LEGIT. That game is how old? and right off the bat he's all "this is how you do the code for infinite ninja stars."
posted by juv3nal at 5:44 AM on December 5, 2016
Thanks for this. I am always looking for good pieces of game criticism and am super excited to check it out.
posted by blahblahblah at 6:20 AM on December 5, 2016
posted by blahblahblah at 6:20 AM on December 5, 2016
I love Waypoint, and I'll follow Austin where ever he decides to go.
posted by clockbound at 7:13 AM on December 5, 2016
posted by clockbound at 7:13 AM on December 5, 2016
Didn't expect to see this here. Always weird when my interests dovetail.
Likewise think Austin is an incredible fella, have watched almost all of that 72 hr stream, and will follow anything he does for years to come. Dude puts in work.
posted by Soultron at 7:20 AM on December 5, 2016
Likewise think Austin is an incredible fella, have watched almost all of that 72 hr stream, and will follow anything he does for years to come. Dude puts in work.
posted by Soultron at 7:20 AM on December 5, 2016
The thing I like about Austin is that he is both extremely enthusiastic in a refreshing way, and also very thoughtful and critical.
He seems like the rare person who is obsessed with games, but in a healthy, non-toxic way. Also, his laugh is amazing.
/fanboy
It's kind of says it all that Klepak (who I also like) is the snarkiest person on that podcast.
posted by selfnoise at 7:37 AM on December 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
He seems like the rare person who is obsessed with games, but in a healthy, non-toxic way. Also, his laugh is amazing.
/fanboy
It's kind of says it all that Klepak (who I also like) is the snarkiest person on that podcast.
posted by selfnoise at 7:37 AM on December 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
(he would probably be the least snarky person on any other gaming podcast)
posted by selfnoise at 7:38 AM on December 5, 2016
posted by selfnoise at 7:38 AM on December 5, 2016
Really goo d stuff here, thank you. Very much enjoyed the piece on D&D in prison, as it helps me frame some of what I'm thinking about as I start playing D&D with my boys, one of whom has learning issues & anxiety problems, and why I feel that some tabletop role-playing experience will be good for him.
posted by nubs at 11:33 AM on December 5, 2016
posted by nubs at 11:33 AM on December 5, 2016
"this is how you do the code for infinite ninja stars."
That code is a marvel of simplicity. I could remember it the first time I played the game somewhere in the 90s, months after reading it in a mag, some 10 years later after purchasing the cartridge (Mega Games 2, unfortunately), and still remember it.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:31 AM on December 6, 2016
That code is a marvel of simplicity. I could remember it the first time I played the game somewhere in the 90s, months after reading it in a mag, some 10 years later after purchasing the cartridge (Mega Games 2, unfortunately), and still remember it.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:31 AM on December 6, 2016
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posted by Harald74 at 1:47 AM on December 5, 2016