What is going on everybody? Welcome to another episode of the kind of funny ex-cast your home

ex-cast for all things Xbox here at kind of funny. Of course, I'm one of your host Snowbike Mike and today I'm joined by both of my gaming dads in person. The rogue one Mr. Gary with a Gary. How are you feeling under the weather last week? I was sick last week, which is why I had to call in on remote if you recall. I was I definitely was a cold that kind of laid out everyone in the whole house. The kids had it. Everyone was out for the count. But today's actually the first day that I feel like fully like 100% back in business. And I got it. It's still a

still such a thrill to get all the production value. I hadn't still fully sunk in yet. We did the show for like what a couple of years just on Discord, very unglamorous, you know, just sitting there now in our bedrooms or whatever. And now we're here surrounded by the lights and the fog and the and the jib arms coming in. It's it's incredible. I'm glad that you like it. I love it. I love it a lot. And I'm glad that I get to spend time with you. And of course my remote gaming dad, Mr. Paris, Lily, Paris. How are you doing? We're sending you a lot of love and positivity from the set. Yeah, I'm good.

I'm the only Gibroni that's still the mode at this point. I was trying to rub it into anything. No, you know what? I truly need to find an excuse to come up there just because I we got to do it all three of us on set for sure on Wednesdays soon. So I got to figure out a good excuse to just I don't know if I'm a dry fly up or whatever. But I got to come up there. Because again, you know, like you already said, Gary, it's the studio is amazing being up there and just trying to let it all sink in. So I want to be a part of it. Yeah, it's week three in the studio.

We're still having fun. It's got that new car smell to it. We're very much the new smell. All the bright lights are firing off. And of course we get to hang out and talk all things Xbox. He on the kind of funny X gas, which should be a good one. I mean a lot of us. A lot of things to talk about because I'm going to poise to you both. The question of can Xbox bring it in 2023. Do they have the juice as the young kids say, Gary would and we'll find that out. I need to know what you two think. But of course, welcome in everybody. This is the kind of funny X gas. We post each and every

Thursday at 6 a.m. West Coast best coast time on youtube.com slash kind of funny games. And of course on your favorite podcast service all around the globe. We got a whole lot of dope content. Come in your way. If you're kind of funny fan. Get ready because you have some really awesome stuff. Of course, today as you're hearing this live. The God of War, Ragnarok review should be up over on youtube.com slash kind of funny games. The games cast crew is talking at 9 a.m. West Coast best coast time live on Twitch and on YouTube.

For you enjoyment, they're going to give you their God of War, Ragnarok spoiler free review for all of you. One of the biggest games of the year. So you can check that out. And of course, our producer and director, Barrett Courtney put out a really awesome special. Kind of funny present presents a video essay all about God of War and Kratos is grow. Yeah, it went all out with that. He went all out on this one. Of course, he's showing it right now. And I do want to give a whole lot of props. The flowers to bear. Got the video floor out. Love that video.

And talk to all things Kratos. So Barrett, why don't you sell my two gaming dads and the best friends on what you just did here? Well, you know, if you're a smart person who has a PlayStation, right? I don't know all these Xbox. You may not know a God of War if they hit him in the face, right? No, all honesty, right? A lot of us are excited for God of War, Ragnarok, including myself who had only played God of War 2018 up until a few months ago when I decided to go back to the original games.

And so this is a kind of a deep dive into my interpretation of Kratos as a character, his character growth, possibly lock, lack there of and how that all might possibly tie into his end, possibly in Ragnarok. I know they talk about the new games, being a duology and stuff like that.

So just kind of looking at his story so far and what that may mean for his end and kind of looking back at his character growth and deciding if he's actually become better throughout the last 17 years.

I like that up there. I encourage everyone to go check out that special video up right now. My two gaming dads, you guys are both very similar to Kratos. You've had kids, you've grown lots, you've had character moments.

But I do want to ask you the question over on the Xbox side or any game in general. What are some good character development moments that you've seen from franchises with strong leading character that has grown a lot in your eyes?

Do you guys have any that stick out to you? I just want to say first of all, I'm very flattered, aside from the fact that Paris and I are both dads. I think with me, the Kratos comparisons begin and end there.

Paris could probably pull off a much more convincing Kratos cosplay than I ever could. Holy shit.

Sorry, I was composing my joke. What was the question again? Who are some of the best character development in games that you've seen out of some characters that are long term franchise holders?

Yeah, it's about duologies. If you look at the two last of us games, I think that relationship between Joel and Ellie obviously is fascinating, particularly in the second game. I know a lot of people didn't love it, but because I think they were upset about certain choices were made.

I thought it was very mature, very intelligent, nuanced storytelling that they did. And that's obviously their father, child themes that play into that as well.

Those were really, really popular themes in storytelling. Of the top of my head, I'm trying to think of another one that, you know, I've got to do it again. I always come back to it, but I'm going to go back to Yakuza, like a dragon, and say itchibankasagar is one of the greatest protagonists in all of video game history.

That game more than anything is a story about the enduring power of friendship. If you have your friends around you, you can accomplish the impossible, and that's what that game teaches you more than anything else.

I love that game. That's how I feel on the X cast every week. So I like that right there.

Paris Lilly, what are some of your big character development moments for some characters?

Well, not to make this the PlayStation show, but I'd also have to throw Nathan Drake in there.

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