Stealth Boom Boom | A Stealth Video Games Podcast

In the summer of 2000, celebrated animation UK animation studio Aardman Animations released their first feature-length film in cinemas around the world. Chicken Run was a phenomenal success, becoming the highest-grossing stop-motion animation movie of all time. We're going back 23 years to look at the game based on that very movie. Yep. We're talking Chicken Run.On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at the Oliver Twins and their journey from bedroom developers to Blitz Games (the studio behind this particular movie tie-in). We also talk about the Game Boy Color version because why not, and how Chicken Run is the game that beat Colm's research methods.In our review you'll hear some chat on Metal Gear Solid But For Kids, the efficacy of confusing dogs with brussel sprouts, Harry Gregson-Williams, thieving from other games, the very odd choices made around the exceptionally awkward camera, losing quest-pivotal items when you're caughts, happy running around vibes, love for '00s style mini-games, disdain for '00s style mini-games, International Track & Field, the Bunty Eggs-Press, SPALL FACT, the realisation of Tweedy's Farm, an awful retelling of a great story, whether or not people might've played the game without seeing the movie, the little hits of joy when you play sequences that are only briefly mentioned in the film, Enter The Matrix, loading screens and the lovely-looking main menu. After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Chicken Run is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting every single game we've reviewed this year on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom. Because the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom is going to be our Game of the Year 2023 episode, otherwise known as the inaugural edition of the Boomies!IMPORTANT LINKS TO THINGS🎧 Subscribe to Stealth Boom Boom🐦Stealth Boom Boom on Twitter📸 Stealth Boom Boom on Instagram🎵 Stealth Boom Boom on Tiktok🌤️ Stealth Boom Boom on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 Dec 20231h 34min

After discussing Tenchu: Stealth Assassins, Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines, and Metal Gear Solid, we are – for the final time in the first year of Stealth Boom Boom – returning to 1998, the Year of Stealth. We're going back 25 years to look at the first-person sneaker that influenced so many that came after. We're talking Thief: The Dark Project (... or Thief Gold...)On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at the origins of Looking Glass Studios and how they started making a 6D video game based on King Arthur before landing on the video game that is beloved by many today. We also talk about some ROCKING promo music and some classic '90s (friendly) mudslinging between LGS and id Software.In our review, you'll hear some chat on moving from shadow to shadow, dropping bodies in the dark, sneaky leans and sneaky walks, Tomb Raider 2, smooth acrobatics, a magical bow that shoots magical water and moss arrows, loud tiles and quiet carpets, enemies that both whistle AND sing, quite a few mentions of Splinter Cell, the horror soundtrack, differing opinions on sword-fighting, blackjack whacking, you and Garrett scribbling notes on your map, lookalike corridors, the Gold BONUS of the Thieves Guild, how changing difficulty also changes your objectives, the platforming and trippiness of The Sword, a cocky Garrett, the believability of The City (but also the monsters of The City), some very stylish cutscenes, and a thief that actually thieves.After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Thief: The Dark Project (... or Thief Gold...) is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting Chicken Run on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.IMPORTANT LINKS TO THINGS🎧 Subscribe to Stealth Boom Boom🐦Stealth Boom Boom on Twitter📸 Stealth Boom Boom on Instagram🎵 Stealth Boom Boom on Tiktok🌤️ Stealth Boom Boom on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Nov 20232h 13min

19 years after writer Jean Van Hamme and artist William Vance created a Belgian comic that revolved around a very strong and athletic amnesiac, Ubisoft decided to create a video game adaptation of it. We're going back to 2003 to look at a stealthy first-person shooter. We're talking XIII.On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how the comic book's story and art compare to that of what Ubisoft Paris created (and how people thought the source material was "ugly" apparently). We also make note of how the leading man and woman – David Duchovny and EVE – were feeling about XIII before it came out.In our review, you'll hear some chat on Josh's fourteen copies of the game, an advert for our podcast on the XIII remake (coming 2029), TAP TAP TAP (and how style meets function with onomatopoeic SFX), surveillance camera pop-up panels, The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, whacking brooms over the heads of others, the ludicrously overpowered crossbow, varied ammo drops, BAAOOM BAAOOM, the reward for a headshot, the return of Gun Pervert Wise, enemies popping up far away and up on high, secondary fire mode, a unique grappling hook, the rush of killing a guard in between them saying "ALERT" and them setting off the alarm, "YOU CAN FLY", a bank with some dynamite in it, the undercooked individual targets of The XX, a baggy middle, that late '60s / early '70s tone, the cliffhanger for XIII 2 (or XIV), mixed-up memories, and the curious performance of David Duchovny (and his album Hell or Highwater, available in all good record shops).After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether XIII is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting Thief: The Dark Project on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.IMPORTANT LINKS TO THINGS🎧 Subscribe to Stealth Boom Boom🐦Stealth Boom Boom on Twitter📸 Stealth Boom Boom on Instagram🎵 Stealth Boom Boom on Tiktok🌤️ Stealth Boom Boom on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Nov 20232h 5min

Rockstar North was on a real high. They were coming off of the both the biggest game of 2001, Grand Theft Auto 3, AND the biggest game of 2002, Grand That Auto: Vice City. The series that saw you stealing cars and driving dangerously through pedestrian-filled streets had propelled them into video game superstardom. Then they decided to do something quite different. We're going back to 2003 to take a look at one of the most controversial video games of all time. We're talking about Manhunt.On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how DMA Design became the biggest developer in the world (while also swearing loads in interviews like absolute mad lads). We also discuss New Zealand's history with the game, as well as how Manhunt was briefly connected to a murder story.In our review, you'll hear some chat on how the stealth is dependable to some and boring to others, James Earl Cash and his Splinter Cell love of shadows, battering walls with your fists to attract the attention of guards, the SOCOM PS2 headset, the comfort of the stealth loop, urban horror, the gruesome kill animations and their effect 20 years on, John Wick pencils, Red Dead Redemption 2 train tracks, swinging baseball bats like swords in Skyrim, a weightless protagonist, the power guns have when they're introduced, the bullet-fuelled carnage of the second half, David Fincher's bipigal Piggsy, an attempt at deconstructing violent video games, Brian Cox delivering dialogue with gusto, the shared GTA universe, Detroit, 00s edginess, The Warriors, John Carpenter, "hide you shit," and an ever-present beating heart.After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Manhunt is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting XIII on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.IMPORTANT LINKS TO THINGS🎧 Subscribe to Stealth Boom Boom🐦Stealth Boom Boom on Twitter📸 Stealth Boom Boom on Instagram🎵 Stealth Boom Boom on Tiktok🌤️ Stealth Boom Boom on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 Okt 20232h 18min

In 1999, Keiichiro Toyama and Team Silent created one of the most-celebrated horror video games of all time: Silent Hill. Almost every superlative you can think of was thrown at Harry Mason's jaunt around the foggy American town. A few years later, Toyama and others that worked on the Konami classic took their talents elsewhere and tried to do it all again. We're going back to 2003 to look at a PlayStation 2-exclusive horror game. We're talking about Forbidden Siren (or just Siren for some of you).On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how developer Project Siren was keen to work on a horror game with more of a Japanese flavour, citing the J-horror boom as reason enough to give it a go. We also discuss how one TV ad for the game had to be cancelled after seven (7!) complaints, as well as how they pushed that Forbidden Siren was much more hardcore than other games of this ilk.In our review, you'll hear some chat on how Sightjacking is a very cool idea (and also how two of us think it doesn't work, and one of us thinks it does), darkness and fog, Commandos' mult-cam setup, orienteering, cautiously crouch-walking at the speed Solid Snake and Jack Carver move about on their bellies, the annoyance of ambiguity / the thrill of ambiguity, being aware of sound and light, awkwardly swinging a metal pipe, Shibito character models, mission objective 2, the Link Navigator, Butterfly Effect puzzles, the baffling Interaction List Menu system, a photo album that caught Josh's attention, ten characters that couldn't grab the attention of Adam, L.A. Noire, and classic lines of dialogue such as "I told you to wait in the car." After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Forbidden Siren is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting Manhunt on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.IMPORTANT LINKS TO THINGS🎧 Subscribe to Stealth Boom Boom🐦Stealth Boom Boom on Twitter📸 Stealth Boom Boom on Instagram🎵 Stealth Boom Boom on Tiktok🌤️ Stealth Boom Boom on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 Okt 20232h 27min

During the mid-to-late 2000s, film fans were breaking down the doors of cinemas all over the world in order to see how new life had been given to the Batman. Around this time, the alter ego of Bruce Wayne had a similar renaissance in video games. We're going back to 2009 in order to look at the action-adventure game that became the measuring stick for future comic book games. We're talking Batman: Arkham Asylum.On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how a young English developer named Rocksteady Studios was tasked with bringing the story of Batman writer Paul Dini to life. We also discuss how getting the cape right was so important to Brian and all his colleagues, as well as how a singer almost owned Eidos Interactive.In our review, you'll hear some chat on the sameyness of (most) Predator rooms – but also gargoyles with dynamite on them, how Detective Mode is OP, What's The Time Mr. Scarecrow, the rhythmic flow of punching and kicking baddies, the superhero launching himself at said baddies, glove-fixing, combo breakers, learning inverted takedowns on the job, Batman's gadgets that he left in the boot of his car, Metroidvania-ness in an open (space) world, setting up a crime scene without jurisdiction and scanning for Old Country tobacco, awful boss fights and a mohawked Joker, the beauty in the awful of Arkham Island, comic book characters in a comic book world, Christopher Nolan, Mark Hamill's menace and joy, the opening ten minutes, breaking the fourth wall, interview tapes, stellar easter eggs, and Commissioner Jim Gordon's COG-like physique.After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Batman: Arkham Asylum is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.For those who would like to play along at home, we'll be discussing, reviewing and dissecting Forbidden Siren on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.IMPORTANT LINKS TO THINGS🎧 Subscribe to Stealth Boom Boom🐦Stealth Boom Boom on Twitter📸 Stealth Boom Boom on Instagram🎵 Stealth Boom Boom on Tiktok🌤️ Stealth Boom Boom on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Okt 20232h 39min

Before Gus Fring from Breaking Bad signed on, before you were doing some first-person platforming up a tower, and before your map was filled with icons, this series had you mowing down some angry monkeys, angry men, and angry monkey men. We're going back almost 20 years, to 2004, to look at a first-person shooter that spawned many sequels. We're talking Far Cry.On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we look at how X-Isle got the attention of Nvidia, many years before the dinosaur island became Far Cry. We also discuss how Crytek were always looking to mix action and stealth in the game, as well as some dream casting for the Uwe Boll film.In our review, you'll hear some chat on how to pronounce the name of the game, how you're noisier when dragging your belly on the ground, the excellent sight and hearing of every enemy, BIG ZOOM ENERGY, the stealth-o-meter, tagging guys via your binoculars, thermal goggles that make the Splinter Cell (and X-Files) noise, the MP5, the Trigens that can leap up into the air, the Trigens that can go invisible, the Trigens that are called fat boys, gun perviness, incredible headshots, punching PC monitors, overpowered baddies, bad stamina, a good-looking jungle, hang glider vs helicopter, poor pacing, the second half of Crytek games, and unintentional Duke Nukem.After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Far Cry is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Batman: Arkham Asylum on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.IMPORTANT LINKS TO THINGS🎧 Subscribe to Stealth Boom Boom🐦Stealth Boom Boom on Twitter📸 Stealth Boom Boom on Instagram🎵 Stealth Boom Boom on Tiktok🌤️ Stealth Boom Boom on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19 Sep 20232h 15min

Around the early 2010s, there was a real boom in first-person horror-stealth and today we're looking at one of the most popular games in said genre. We're going back a decade, to 2013, to look at a video game that has since spawned two sequels – one of which only came out this year. We're talking Outlast.On this episode of Stealth Boom Boom, we talk about how developer Red Barrels was set up by three people who had some stealth pedigree, having previously worked on both Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell. We also discuss how their game was inspired by Aphex Twin and Mirror's Edge, as well as how they saw the camcorder as a gun.In our review, you'll hear some chat on how the night vision camera both helps and terrifies, an asylum stuffed with batteries, a heartbeat that gets faster and faster, hiding in lockers, the thrill of being chased (and looking behind you while you're being chased), some differing opinions on the game's jump scares, staring competitions with NPCs, the fairly narrow path in Mount Massive, the name "Mount Massive", generators... just in general, running out of frustration, absolutely slamming doors, Robbie Williams in the Rock DJ video, little tiny robots, being really scared, not being scared anymore, MKUltra, an optional story, a hippo and a giraffe eating chocolate eclairs, and a line of dialogue about a cat.After all that, the lads take you through what some of the critics were saying about the game around the time it came out, and then they give their final verdicts on whether Outlast is a Pass, a Play, or an Espionage Explosion.For those that would like to play along at home, we'll be reviewing Far Cry on the next episode of Stealth Boom Boom.IMPORTANT LINKS TO THINGS🎧 Subscribe to Stealth Boom Boom🐦Stealth Boom Boom on Twitter📸 Stealth Boom Boom on Instagram🎵 Stealth Boom Boom on Tiktok🌤️ Stealth Boom Boom on Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Sep 20232h 15min