Season 2 Episode 6 - Resident Evil Zero

Season 2 Episode 6 - Resident Evil Zero

Author: Franchise Festival December 1, 2021 Duration: 1:21:01
Chris and Hamilton explore the development and gameplay of the last traditional Resident Evil game. They discuss the game’s notorious inventory and partner systems at length, discovering that not all hookshots are as delightful as the ones in Hyrule. Note that spoilers are plentiful and language is at least PG-13. Sources for development information include Alex Aniel’s Itchy Tasty (BUY ASAP) and footage of the Nintendo 64 Resident Evil Zero prototype circulated by the Neogamer Video Game Archive YouTube channel.

Franchise Festival digs into the stories behind the video game series that shaped a medium. Each season is a deep, chronological exploration of a single franchise, tracing its creative and technical evolution from often-humble 1980s origins through to its latest installments. You’ll hear about the design breakthroughs, the business decisions that changed course, and the cultural moments that turned pixels into lasting legends. This isn’t just a review show; it’s about understanding how these interconnected worlds were built, year by year and sometimes crisis by crisis. The podcast favors depth over breadth, spending multiple episodes to fully unpack the development history of noteworthy series like Castlevania, SimCity, or Mega Man. The narrative focuses on the people and processes behind the games-the how and why, not just the what. It’s for anyone who’s ever wondered about the connective tissue between their favorite sequels or the forgotten prototypes that paved the way. Tune in for a thoughtfully researched and structured audio documentary experience, one franchise at a time.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 85

Franchise Festival
Podcast Episodes
Season 5 Episode 1 - Mass Effect (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:40
Chris, Spencer, and Hamilton discuss the development, gameplay, and background lore of Mass Effect (2007). Come for the BioWare history, stay to find out which alien species is the biggest bunch of nerds. Sources/Links:…
Season 4 Episode 13 - Last Thoughts on Mega Man [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:23
We close the book on Season 4 with a round-up of topics on Capcom's Mega Man, including: personal histories with the series, favorite entries, least favorite entries, biggest surprises, and more!
Season 4 Episode 12 - Mega Man 11 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:28
Chris and Hamilton discuss the development, gameplay, stages, and bosses of Mega Man 11 (2018).
Season 4 Episode 11 - Mega Man ZX [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:50
Hamilton and Chris discuss Inti Creates' Mega Man ZX, including its origins as a potential Mega Man Zero 5 and its awkward (yet admirable) efforts to infuse the Mega Man formula with Metroidvania mechanics. Along the way…
Season 4 Episode 10 - Mega Man Zero [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:13
Chris and Hamilton are joined by special guest Patrick of the Boss Rush Network to discuss Inti Creates' first entry in the Mega Man series: Mega Man Zero (2002). Be sure to support Patrick's work by visiting https://bos…
Season 4 Episode 9 - Mega Man Battle Network (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:03
Hamilton and Chris conclude their coverage of Capcom's Mega Man Battle Network (2001) with a close look at the game's plot. Even as the level design grows tedious and the story meanders, boss fights remain a highlight.
Season 4 Episode 8 - Mega Man Battle Network (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:01
Chris and Hamilton tackle the development, gameplay, and early hours of Mega Man Battle Network (2001). Along the way, they lavish praise on the deckbuilder format and uncover the startling commonality between Capcom's a…
Season 4 Episode 7 - Mega Man X4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:52
Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer discuss Mega Man X4 (1997), the first Mega Man X game developed from the ground-up for 32-bit consoles. Are the updates worthwhile, or do they just over-complicate a classic formula? Developm…
Season 4 Episode 6 - Mega Man Legends [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:11
Chris and Spencer discuss the development, gameplay, and plot of 1997's Mega Man Legends (Nintendo loyalists may know it as Mega Man 64). If our show piques your interest, don't miss the great development team interviews…
Season 4 Episode 5 - Mega Man 8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:17
Hamilton and Chris go in-depth with Capcom's first 32-bit Mega Man game: Mega Man 8! Along the way, your hosts give a primer on the series' extended sidekick roster, offer their thoughts on the (in)famous auto-scroll sta…