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Maximum Fun

Video games: They’re serious business! Except when they’re not serious at all. Each week on Triple Click, video game experts Kirk Hamilton, Maddy Myers, and Jason Schreier journey into the fascinating world of games. They’ll explore hot topics in video game news and culture, answer burning listener questions, debate the pros and cons of the biggest new games, and replay old classics together.

Triple Click

Kirk, Maddy, and Jason bring on special guest Cameron Kunzelman to talk about this year's suite of roleplaying games, from Avowed to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to The Outer Worlds 2. They also talk about Assassin's Creed's pivot to RPGs, what an RPG even is, and much more. Plus: Steam Machines!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Do The Right Thing (1989)

Maddy: Anniversaries

Jason: King Sorrow (Joe Hill)

LINKS:

Cameron’s new Assassin’s Creed book: https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517914943/everything-is-permitted/

The Ranged Touch network, with a bunch of his podcasts: https://rangedtouch.com

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

The RPGs of 2025 (with Cameron Kunzelman)

Jason, Maddy, and Kirk are all playing The Séance of Blake Manor, a new detective game about a spooky manor full of — OOOOOOOOHHHHH — Kirk, stop it. They talk about the game's unique time mechanic, how it plays with deduction, and of course, lots of spooky ghosts.

One More Thing:

Kirk: “ChatGPT Made Me Delusional” by Eddy Burback (YouTube)

Maddy: The Master (2012)

Jason: Strange Jigsaws

LINKS:

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

The Séance of Blake Manor Is A Delightful Detective Game

Kirk, Maddy, and Jason put on their capitalism hats and go to space for a trip to The Outer Worlds 2, the latest roleplaying game from Obsidian. They talk about how it improves upon the first game, all the fun dialogue options, and the hilarious Dumb trait.

One More Thing:

Kirk: Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery (Hulu)

Maddy: Peacemaker S2

Jason: The Seance of Blake Manor

LINKS:

Jason interviews The Outer Worlds 2 director Brandon Adler: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-10-24/obsidian-s-the-outer-worlds-2-took-twice-as-long-to-make-as-the-first-hit-game?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc2MTc0NDUyOSwiZXhwIjoxNzYyMzQ5MzI5LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUNE4yWERHUFdDTEwwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.OCD764bJIZFKkkNCudKE7HVo_s32880R1rFNAy_ctak

The Outer Worlds 2 PC performance mod Kirk mentioned: https://www.nexusmods.com/theouterworlds2/mods/17

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Triple Play: The Outer Worlds 2

It's time for a video-game grab bag as the Triple Click gang talks about some of the games they've been playing recently. They dive into Double Fine's Keeper, the new indie sensation Ball X Pit, Supergiant's Hades 2, and Absolum. Also they get derailed by the term "friendslop."

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Diplomat (Netflix)

Maddy: The Venture Bros. (2004-2018)

Jason: Workhorse (Caroline Palmer)

LINKS:

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Hades 2, Keeper, Ball x Pit, and More Fall Games

That's right: it's another mailbag! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the criteria of a dad game, print vs web journalism, and when you know that a video game has outstayed its welcome. Plus: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Maddy: High Potential

Jason: Long Story Short (Netflix)

LINKS:

“May I Stand Unshaken” by D’Angelo from Red Dead Redemption 2, 2018

“The Decline” by NOFX, 1999

“I’m Only Happy When It Rains” by Garbage, 1995

Lee Roy Chapman’s “The Nightmare of Dreamland: Tate Brady and the Tulsa Outrage” - https://www.centerforpublicsecrets.org/post/the-nightmare-of-dreamland-tate-brady-and-the-tulsa-outrage

Stephen Totilo’s 2015 interview with Kingdom Come director Daniel Vávra: https://kotaku.com/my-e3-meeting-with-a-pro-gamergate-developer-1715511964

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

What Makes a Game Wear Out Its Welcome? (Mailbag)

Did the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard ruin Xbox? How do you build a new studio while simultaneously making a video game? And what's up with the lack of gender representation in esports? Jason, Maddy, and Kirk open up the mailbag and take some of YOUR questions on all sorts of things.

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Lowdown (Hulu)

Maddy: Beauty and the Bester (Netflix)

Jason: The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox (Hulu)

LINKS:

“No Girls Allowed” by Tracey Lien for Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/features/2013/12/2/5143856/no-girls-allowed/

Katy Perrry sings “Last Friday Night” in Simlish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxyW6AJ-yIk

Twenty Thousand Hertz on Simlish: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sulsul

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Did The Activision Purchase Ruin Xbox? (Mailbag)

Kirk, Jason, and Maddy convene to talk about the big news of the week — Electronic Arts going private as part of a $55 billion leveraged buyout — and what it could mean for the people involved. Then they talk about Ghost of Yotei, the latest PlayStation 5 exclusive and an open-world samurai game about exploring feudal Japan and killing ronin with a sword. It's fun! 

One More Thing:

Kirk: Baby Steps

Maddy: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

Jason: One Battle After Another (2025)

LINKS:

“How Private Equity Destroys the Companies You Depend On” - The Culture Study Podcast w/ Megan Greenwell: https://culturestudypod.substack.com/p/how-private-equity-destroys-the-companies

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

EA Goes Private And We Play Ghost of Yōtei

Kirk, Maddy, and Jason are all playing the new remaster of Final Fantasy Tactics, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest games ever made. The gang talks about how the 1998 classic holds up today, the complexity of its systems, and all of the new features that Square Enix added for this version, like voice acting. Plus: Hades 2!

One More Thing:

Kirk: Hades 2

Maddy: Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong (Christopher Ferguson and Patrick M. Markey)

Jason: Rise of the Golden Idol

LINKS:

Jason and Kirk published their entire text conversation about Final Fantasy Tactics’ Dorter Slums: https://kotaku.com/man-final-fantasy-tactics-sure-had-a-steep-learning-cu-5974665

Kirk talks to game developers about why they love Final Fantasy Tactics: https://kotaku.com/why-everybody-loves-final-fantasy-tactics-5973196

2013 Jason on Video Game Violence: https://kotaku.com/from-halo-to-hot-sauce-what-25-years-of-violent-video-5976733

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Final Fantasy Tactics: It's Still Good

Jason, Kirk, and Maddy convene to discuss all the news in the latest Nintendo Direct, from the Super Mario Galaxy movie to a new Fire Emblem and the mysterious Danganronpa 2x2. Then: more Silksong! They talk about difficulty, opacity, and how cool Hornet is... I mean seriously. She's just so cool.

One More Thing (Timestamp 46:34):

Kirk: Fourth Wing & Romantasy

Maddy: When the Clock Broke (John Ganz)

Jason: Nathan For You

LINKS:

Christian Donlan’s Eurogamer Silksong review: https://www.eurogamer.net/hollow-knight-silksong-review

Jason’s spoiler-free tips for getting to Silksong Act 3: https://discord.com/channels/735597186657812641/1408099310213529701/1416775529041760397

“Choral Chambers” by Christopher Larkin from Hollow Knight: Silksong

Kirk’s remix of Shakra’s song: https://bsky.app/profile/kirkhamilton.com/post/3lysrc5ee422a

"Why Magic, Dragons and Explicit Sex Are in Bookstores Everywhere” - Alexandra Alter for the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/style/harry-potter-fan-fiction-romantasy-manacled.html

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Nintendo News and More Silksong

Maddy, Jason, and Kirk finally crack into the long-awaited Silksong, the sequel to Hollow Knight that was seven years in the making. They talk about how Silksong compares to its predecessor, the classic origin of its musical motif, and of course, why Hornet is such a badass.

One More Thing:

Kirk: The Cloud Roads (Martha Wells)

Maddy: Elden Ring Nightreign’s four-player mod by Yui

Jason: The NFL

LINKS:

“Enter Pharloom,” “Moss Grotto,” “Title Theme” by Christopher Larkin from Hollow Knight: Silksong

Twenty Thousand Hertz on Dies Irae: https://www.20k.org/episodes/diesirae

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Triple Play: Hollow Knight: Silksong

BOO! To celebrate Spooky Spring, Jason, Maddy, and Kirk dive into some of their favorite horror games and talk about what makes a video game scary. How does interactivity enhance horror? What's the difference between "dread" and "panic"? And are controls sometimes meant to be terrible?

One More Thing: 

Kirk: Persona 4 Golden/Persona 5 Royal

Maddy: Elden Ring

Jason: Eternal Threads

Links:

Maddy talks with Dead Space 2 director Wright Bagwell about the infamous eyeball scene: https://www.polygon.com/interviews/2020/10/4/21498961/dead-space-2-director-eye-poke-needle-scene-horror-wright-bagwell-interview

Kirk’s take on horror doors: https://kotaku.com/the-horror-of-video-game-doors-1819921161

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Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

What Makes Horror Games Scary?

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