Episode 143: The End (feat. Go Big Or Go Home)

Following the disastrous Disembodied Voices Christmas Telethon Variety Show with No Actual Telephone and Questionable Variety (along with Bryan's failure to redeem the holiday and not die), the third and final act of this holiday special shares with the world one last moral. Stephen, Cameron, and Zachary are in for one sad Christmas as they struggle to make ends meet, but can hope be found in a future without the lovably familiar podcast everyone (or a few people at least) knows and loves? One would hope so, because this is also the final curtain call for a super fun show that has miraculously lasted almost four years. Yes, for serious, Disembodied Voices is officially shutting down and shutting up-- this is a fond, fond, fond (way fond) farewell. To find out why this dreadful day has come to pass, listen to this ridiculous episode full of audio dramas, segments, Christmas, and good memories. But don't be toooooooooo sad. After all, the DV Cast will be hanging out at Whales are Whales every darn week, including a podcast that resembles this show just a little lot.

So thanks for listening-- really, THANKS. It's been real, and occasionally, distinctly surreal. Have a life!

[embed]https://ia902702.us.archive.org/20/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode143FeatGoBigOrGoHome/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20143%20feat%20Go%20Big%20Or%20Go%20Home.mp3[/embed]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Click here for the full Go Big Or Go Home credits.

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

What Has Changed? song: Time Ruler's Watch, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Secret Santa Espionage Tactical Strike Whatever Song: Christmas in the Village (Silver Bells), originally from Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals and ReMixed by Dale North.

Bryan's holiday madness song: Event: Strain, from Sonic Adventure and composed by Kenichi Tokoi.

Zachary answers the door song: Event: 3 Black Noises, from Sonic Adventure 2 and composed Kenichi Tokoi.

Disembodied Voices Origins ending song: 1812 Overture (excerpt), from Peggle 2 and composed by Stan LePard & Dynamedion GbR.

Ending song: The Glory Days, from The Glory Days and composed by Big Giant Circles.

New Releases song: Hillbilly Rodeo, originally from Bubble Bobble and ReMixed by djpretzel.

Break Time Announcement

Hi! We're taking a break from Disembodied Voices for an undetermined amount of time. The podcast has grown a bit stale recently and we refuse to let it become a sitcom with too many seasons, so it's time to rethink our options. For a bit more information, listen to the audio portion of this post; for less information, go back in time to the point in which you hadn't read this yet and convince your past self to take a different route in life. The one thing we won't do is leave you hanging. We'll be back one way or another, and probably soon, so continue having weeks!

- Stephen

[audio https://ia902304.us.archive.org/16/items/BreakTimeAnnouncement/Break%20Time%20Announcement.mp3]

Direct link to the announcement yaaaaaaay!

Opening/ending song: Test Dummy, originally from Mega Man 2 and remixed by AE.

Relevant song about going through the motions: Overture / Going Through the Motions by the Original Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Episode 142: Friendship is Cheez-Its

Bryan is tired and busy, so the trio of partially inept foodies are left to their own devices once again. Cheez-Its, beer, pizza, burritos, and granola are part of the unbalanced diet in an impromptu session of Food Time, revealing true natures and all that jazz. It's not all edibles and sustenance, of course-- where would Disembodied Voices be without video games? Blizzard and JRPGs hog the limelight in an unsurprising plot twist, so you've got some Diablo III, Hearthstone, and Final Fantasy X opinions to contend with. Oh, and Steam is doing a new storefront thingy, so that's a topic. If you really need convincing that this episode is worth tuning in for, know that there is a Bryan cameo. There are lots of Bryan fans out there, yes sir. [audio https://ia902306.us.archive.org/8/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode142/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20142.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: A Fine Place to Live, originally from Final Fantasy X and ReMixed by halc.

Episode 141: Stephen Reascends to Hosthood

Bryan is reduced to a mere footnote in history as his brother takes on the missing host's role as mover and shaker of podcastery, flawlessly filling those large, distinguished shoes by almost forgetting what day it is. Not very many video games are discussed this week, but there is discussion as to why there aren't very many video games being discussed. Zachary has moved on from visual novels to non-fiction, which familiarizes him with the best friend he never knew he had: Console Wars. This historic book takes the DV Cast along a non-mystical journey through Nintendo's heyday and Sega's hey-me-too-day, all to way up to the collection of meaningless numbers humankind likes to call 2014. And goodness gracious is it a good time to be alive, for only in the present day can one play the Super Smash Bros. for 3DS demo (and Cameron did as he is alive unlike Bryan, RIP Bryan). If you would like to hear more about this, it is suggested that you listen to this podcast episode. As a rule of thumb, you know. Disclaimer: Bryan was not actually killed in a freak boating accident.

[audio https://ia802300.us.archive.org/16/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode141/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20141.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Project M, originally from Super Smash Bros. Brawl and ReMixed by Benjamin Briggs.

Episode 140: Another Pretty Much Okay Episode

Stephen thinks that he's DJ Atomika and that the Xbox One logo is part of his being, so it's a good day to delve into his psychosis once again, unearthing his childhood fear of fake dinosaurs once and for all. Burnout  Paradise and Tomb Raider are to blame for such silly self-examination, but Cameron is also probably to blame because why not? After all, he's been traipsing through infamous mental patient Majora's Mask wherein quest lines get in your head and moons fall on your head. Bryan's keeping the crew grounded as per usual with some very measured talk about Dragon Age: Origins DLC. Zachary talks about Dark Souls II DLC, which is a little bit coincidental but also kind of a normal thing that would happen. If you haven't caught on yet, Disembodied Voices Episode 140 is another pretty much okay episode. [audio https://ia601400.us.archive.org/1/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode140/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20140.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Adventure is In the Air, originally from Tomb Raider and ReMixed by EmptyMy.

Episode 139: Cliffhangers

The infamous Cameron returns from exile, and boy has he been busy! He's played ONE WHOLE VIDEO GAME, and even more exciting, it was covered on this podcast two years ago! Yes, folks, you guessed it: quad-wielding The Darkness II takes an untimely revenge but nobody cares ha ha ha. You may be wondering why this description is so negative and sarcastic, and Bryan wonders the same thing this week about his cohorts as, one by one, they become rude baboons. Thanks goodness the upstanding civility of Pathfinder swoops in to teach everyone about friendship and cooperation, even if it-- coupled with Zachary's impassioned speech about Tales of Xillia 2-- puts Cameron into a non-energy-drink-related coma (which is really a breath of fresh air). Stephen tries lift his spirits with the story of how he leveled up his fishing skill in World of Warcraft, but then the podcast ended. [audio https://ia601402.us.archive.org/24/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode139/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20139.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Legendary, originally from The Legendary Inazuma Eleven and ReMixed by Brandon Strader.

Episode 138: You're Up, Europe

If you got irritated with the last episode's hostile takeover of Japanese RPGs, don't you worry-- this week is thoroughly infested with European RPGs instead! Stephen and Bryan died (RIP) and went to their very specific version of heaven in Divinity: Original Sin, a video game made for them in every way. Risen 3 is the role-playing bird of prey with its talons hooked into Zachary, but the metaphor bird is not a parrot because pirates are out this time. Also, Bryan learned how to be a Shogun! That's about all that happened this time, actually. It was a kind of boring episode. [audio https://ia902306.us.archive.org/35/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode138/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20138.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Legendary, originally from The Legendary Inazuma Eleven and ReMixed by Brandon Strader.

Episode 137: Zachary ___ Walton San's Episode

With that lovable, pesky Cameron out of the picture (at the zoo?), Zachary steers the podcast eastward to his true homeland of Japan. That country's unique brand of RPGs pop up in the form of Final Fantasy VIII and Ni No Kuni, which doesn't do much to turn Stephen and Bryan from their skeptical ways. They're much happier at talk about Birthday Games, Birthday Games, Stephen Got Them for His Birthday-- it's kind of a new segment. Why, there's maddeningly hilarious Nightshade, controversial hot button voter issue 1080 Avalanche, uncomfortable dream machine Chulip, and more besides! But really, when it comes down to it, Disembodied Voices is about love, and so is a large chunk of this podcast during which the trio talks about romance in video games and how it's almost always dumb. And, to honor the absent Cameron, this description will end with an obligatory "Your FACE is dumb." [audio https://ia902306.us.archive.org/0/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode137/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20137.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Night City Funk, originally from Final Fantasy VIII and ReMixed by Anti-Syne.

Episode 136: Goodbyerule Warriors

Stephen has been busy with his coming-of-24--years-of-age ritual over the past week, which includes playing one video game from every console he owns. Vanquish and Jumping Flash 2 steal the show with cutting edge technology, but Fragile Dreams breaks Zachary's fragile heart because Stephen and Bryan are angry at it. Such is the way of life, and Cameron has been learning life lessons aplenty by reconnecting with Pajama Sam, so he no longer has a need to hide when it's dark outside. Unfortunately, these good, honest morals didn't rub off on the DV Cast at large and the entire podcast begins to crumble when Zachary steps out to watch the live Hyrule Warriors Nintendo Direct and Stephen does the same after Bryan refuses to watch The LEGO Movie with him, which sends Cameron into a blind rage and Bryan into a desperate hosting mode. Nobody died, but it was close. [audio https://ia802309.us.archive.org/27/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode136/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20136.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Hyrule Wimbledon, originally from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and ReMixed by ktriton.

Episode 135: Let's Be Xenophobic Together

This episode begins with lots of yelling, so that's... good. But who wouldn't raise his or her voice in celebration when Stephen's birthday just happened, complete with fifteen new old video games hand chosen by Bryan and just waiting to be played? Cameron helped out by sending Stephen a copy of Ollie Ollie and singing loudly, distracting himself from the murky fate of Destiny with merrymaking and the like. He also joins forces with Zachary in a militant anti-MOBA stance, which leads a bit more yelling. There's also video games and stuff-- just listen to the episode already! [audio https://ia902308.us.archive.org/9/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode135/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20135.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Title Jam, originally from Plok and ReMixed by Mazedude.

Episode 134: Dreams and Prophecies

The DV Cast talk about their dreams this week. Not their hopes or ambitions, mind you, but those weird hallucinations they all get when unconscious for the night. These visions involve cowboys, fractured bones, and GameCubes that hold souls of the dead within. Speaking of unsettling glances into the minds of the podcasters, Bryan and Zachary have been playing an online game of Civilization V with new friend Parker. He won't be a new friend for long, unfortunately, as Bryan is a warmongering madman who bathes in blood and brushes his teeth with tears of the innocent. Stephen would be crushed beneath his world-spanning heel as well were it not for World of Warcraft sucking him under the tides of darkness and into the fishy seascapes of Vashj'ir wherein he rides seahorses all day and all night. (This might also be a dream...?) After an update on the Whales are Whales Minecraft server, Bryan rudely yells over Stephen's exciting news and storms out, leaving his brother and Zachary to finish up by themselves. A silly conversation about Sonic Jump Fever evolves into a solemn perspective on today's youth, so there's that. [audio https://ia902506.us.archive.org/16/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode134ForReal/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20134%20for%20real.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Warm Summer Breeze, originally from Wild Arms and ReMixed by Harjwaldar.

Episode 133: The Lava Forge Arises

Stephen and Bryan were clowning around downtown when a comedy of errors led them straight into car accident, garnering concern from the noble Zachary and an uncalled-for The Last of Us jab from Cameron. But hey, not the minor destruction of a vehicle is nothing compared to having no legal way of playing GBA games, so it's a good thing that Joel-bashing aforementioned fool can commiserate with GameCube classics, including Luigi's Mansion, Metroid Prime, and maybe Cubivore? Oh, but gentle sir or gentle madame, the commiseration does not end there, for Zach is now a fellow MMO guy-- DPS, tanking, the whole nine yards. It's just a shame he can't expand his horizons to Minecraft, which now has an official Whales are Whales server (invite-only for now, sorry masses of fans) that the remaining DV Cast members have been plumbing for adventure and lava. Um... it's hard to think up endings to these descriptions, but who really cares, nobody reads them. [audio https://ia902501.us.archive.org/9/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode133/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20133.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Crashed Men, originally from Mega Man 2 and ReMixed by aneurySm.

Episode 132: Katy Perry Gets $4

War never changes, but Zachary does. He's all goofy about MMOs these days-- an obsession shared by the resident brothers-- and he owes it all to Final Fantasy XIV. This makes Stephen happy, but Cameron becomes disillusioned about the world because of this and then mysteriously disappears from the Skype call, which also makes Stephen happy. (Those two settle their differences by arguing vehemently about A Game of Thrones.) Bryan is, as usual, towing the line and playing Hearthstone with a likable spirit impenetrable from unlikable things such as The Dead Linger and Spyro the Dragon: Enter Elijah Wood. That also sets a new record for celebrity references in a Disembodied Voices episode which is just kind of weird. [audio https://ia902506.us.archive.org/32/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode132ForReal/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20132%20for%20real.mp3]

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Data Flux, originally from Tyrian and ReMixed by Magellanic.

Impromptu Zach and Cameron Show

Welcome to Disembodied Voices Episode-- just kidding! It may be Tuuuuuueeeeeeeeesday, but your regularly scheduled show is punched in the kidney by an angry internet connection, slashing Stephen and Bryan from the Skype call and pinning each and every one of our hopes on the intrepid pair of podcast pals Cameron and Zachary. They swap stories about the recent Steam sale and then the episode ends. Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay! Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: spirit of law, originally from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and ReMixed by Detective Tuesday and melody.

[audio https://ia902508.us.archive.org/28/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode132/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20132.mp3]

Episode 131: Another Podcast Episode

Before the party can even get started, Cameron crashes it with harsh words for his arch nemesis Phil Fish. Philosophically and geopolitically speaking this debate is fascinating, but mostly is stupid. Of course, so is Tomodachi Life, but that doesn't stop Stephen from telling the tale of a demonically possessed Brett Elston Mii with a chilling photography hobby. The Witcher is a bright, cheery fantasy world in comparison, and Bryan is keen on uncovering its obtuse secrets. Speaking of bright and cheery fantasy worlds, Zachary has been immersed in a funny anime called Precure, which is delightful if unsurprising. Oh, and Stephen was almost eaten by a tiger, which is a FAR CRY from the tame sim games he's so fond of playing. You probably ought to hear it all for yourself. Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Fishing Spirit, originally from Dark Cloud 2 and ReMixed by Moomba.

[audio https://ia902504.us.archive.org/4/items/DisembodiedVoicesEpisode131/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20131.mp3]

Episode 130: ZE3LDA (Cameron named this episode)

Ahoy, web surfers! Come closer, come closer, stay a while and listen. Disembodied Voices is not dead after all (oh snap, plot twist!) and there is all manner of wonderful thingies to talk about. For example, do you remember E3 2014? That crowded social gathering with all the moving pictures? The DV Cast has lots to say about it, particular concerning The Legend of Zelda Wii U. And old Bryan, you remember that wild man, right? He's still Ragnarosing it up in Hearthstone and his loyal brother Stephen-- the guy who makes the bad jokes, you know?-- has become his pupil in training. Oh goodness, and then there's the infamous Cameron Nutter, a gentleman who needs no introduction but got one anyway because it's fun to mess with him. He's stealing stuff as usual, but it least this time his criminal antics are being kept within Battlefield: Hardline. Finally there's Zachary, back again performing for you, and Transistor gets a critical appraisal that kind of sums up every conversation this podcast has had about the game so far. Yes indeed, here in the suburban burg of Disembodied Voices you will find fun; not the musical group, but the emotional concept. Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: I Do It for the Faeries, originally from The Legend of Zelda and ReMixed by The OneUps.

[audio https://www.cubby.com/p/_e17d89f51a104cf9aa77571b34677cce/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20130.mp3]

Episode 129: A Horrible Mario Kart Buyer's Guide

What the Google is a titan and why are they attacking so much? The secrets are revealed thanks to Anime Doctor PhD LoLZ Cameron Nutter, a man who questions normal-sized people getting eaten by big-sized people and then controlling the big-sized people by being inside of them. He doesn't stop there, of course, and goes on to question Tansistor's two-left-feet turn-based combat system. Bryan Kelly, a Hearthstone Md with a degree in being a fish, backs him up on this while intellectually explaining that Mario Kart 8 "looks nice." Don't forget about Stephen, the everyman of this think tank, who plays Animal Crossing a lot. Concluding with a dissection of the curious case of Cameron and his vanishing ability to enjoy video games, Disembodied Voices Episode 129 will teach you things you could never find out from another podcast, largely because those things sometimes aren't true. Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Funky Mario Circuit (Radio Edit), originally from Super Mario Kart and ReMixed by the The OneUps.

[audio https://www.cubby.com/p/_8d13d5998155456abfdf943f64e2129d/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20129.mp3]

Episode 128: Bastion's in the Past...ion

From the parting mists steps a man, sallow eyes lit by the neon glow of a hundred distant city lights like a bowl of souls catching fire. He's been to Hell and back, this man, and pain trails him in the night. "Transistor," the man they call Cameron whispers through the dark, "isn't as good as Bastion."

Well, Stephen "Never Shuts Up" Kelly has a more optimistic appraisal of the situation, and he gingerly attempts to step around the spoilers for Bryan's sake. To further disillusion Cameron, Dark Souls 2 has bested him and nobody wants to play Titanfall; they'd rather talk in-depth about TV's Arrow and its distinctly non-Marvel take on superheroes. This bores Cameron, as does brand new segment Stephen's Haphazard Video Game Reviews... Yeah, which invites listeners and a rinky-dink tale of Sonic Advanced and a little bit of pinball. After all of these difficult times, it's a wonder that Cameron wants to extend the podcast past its usual hour mark to discuss the nature of action adventure games and whether or not that genre actually makes any sense.

Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

[audio https://www.cubby.com/p/_3a61f301007444d39f93ee088e176244/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20128.mp3]

Episode 127: Velma + Shaggy <3

Welcome to the first episode of Here's the Scoob, a podcast dedicated to keeping you in the groove with everyone's, like, favorite mystery-solving gang. The new Scooby-Doo cartoon gets points for complex character growth and demerits for use of cell phones, but the high jinks eventually (and inevitably) drift into JRPG territory thanks to Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Everything Else. Without Cameron there to implement draconian anti-WoW policies, western RPGs get some room to breath as well-- oh, and Kirby eats multiple trains in Kirby Triple Deluxe, did you know that? It's very cool. Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: Pixelated Tales, originally from Tales of Symphonia and ReMixed by Showroom Dummy.

[audio https://www.cubby.com/p/_ec8c07f2cdc94bec894b860809c88de2/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20127.mp3]

Episode 126: Ooo is Fleeting, Azeroth is Forever

If you're in the niche category of people who play video games, watch movies, or eat food, then your needs will be well served during this episode Disembodied Voices. Stephen just finished an idyllic romp through Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Adventure Time Season 2, leaving him in a cloud of smiling butterflies that won't last forever. Several superhero shows (including The West Wing) are suggested to fill the gap of exciting television drama, but Bryan's only solution for gaming is World of Warcraft because power leveling to 90 is all-consuming. Not to be out-all-consumed, Zachary has devoted his life once again to a JRPG; his newest fancy is Grandia III, a PS2 classic that has been stealthy hanging out on his shelf for years. So then, dear listener, you are invited to stealthily hang out on the shelf of Disembodied Voices by listening in without the express knowledge of the panelists! Direct link to the episode yaaaaaaay!

Opening song: Chalupa Pass, from Minimap and composed by coda.

Ending song: GO! GO! GO! (Grand Opening), originally from Kirby: Superstar and ReMixed by Proto-Dome.

[audio https://www.cubby.com/p/_39987637d0e14733aa2a758a77039893/Disembodied%20Voices%20-%20Episode%20126.mp3]